A/N ~ I'm sitting here tonight, thinking over the past seven years, and simply shaking my head. When I look at what I've accomplished with this story, I am surprised, amazed, and quite proud. I'm surprised because when this began, I didn't know that I had the ability within me to tell such an imaginative story. I was amazed because I didn't realize that I would actually have people enjoy it so much. And now that it is finished, I'm proud of my accomplishment.

Because You're Mine wasn't intended as a full story when I wrote the first chapter so many years ago. I was new to fan fiction and Harry Potter, and had no idea what I was opening myself up to. I only knew that when I began reading the story that JK wrote, I had an incredible sense that Severus Snape was much more than he appeared to be on the surface. In my innocence, I was struck with the notion that he could be this boy's father! That first short chapter was slid out there as a "what if...". Little did I know!

When the reviews began pouring in, requesting me to update soon, I was stunned. Update soon? There is no update soon! At first I thought, Well, I.m sorry to disappoint you, but there is no more. But over the following few weeks, I found myself considering it more and more, and then I found myself updating soon.

I wish to thank all of you for your continued support, and unwavering loyalty, for the in-depth reviews that helped me to remain focused and put forth my best efforts. I truly feel that all of you were a huge part of the inspiration behind continuing Sev and Siri' s story.

I also wish to thank all of you who were behind the scenes, helping me, encouraging me, letting me use you as a sounding board for differing points of view and the best way to present them. Without all of you stepping up to the plate when I needed it, this story wouldn't be the gem I feel it is today. Thank you very much. *Big hugs*

Thank you, everyone, so very much! I hope the epilogue pleases you as well as the story has for all these years.

Ms. Padfoot

Revelations VI ~ Epilogue

A lone figure stands at the edge of the cliff. The savage wind blows his once ebony hair wildly about his head, it buffets against him, and the cloak he wears billows familiarly around him, snapping at his feet. He doesn't stand quite as tall as he once did, but the years have been kind; the cane in his hand is still mostly for show. His loved ones insist upon him taking it whenever he is out on the grounds. He sighs deeply, but the sound isn't heard over the roar of the waves crashing against the rocky walls below him, and he smiles as he recalls his childhood, and the cliffs he once called home.

"Granda!" A small child's high voice calls to him over the din, and he turns to watch the little boy race to his side. "Careful, Severus." The elderly man warns, holding out a cautionary hand. "Not too close to the edge."

The little boy comes to a sudden halt beside him, and cautiously eyes the edge of the cliff, peering into the mist that swirls and shifts around him...the edge of his world. After a few minutes, he turns solemn black eyes to the man beside him, and suddenly, all noise that surrounds him disappears, no crashing waves, no roaring winds, only complete silence remains.

"Granda, why are you so sad?" The little boy dares to ask, knowing that the ancient man is the reason there is complete silence surrounding them. Granda doesn't shout over anything or anyone.

The old man looked down, and smiled without answering, and asked instead, "Would you like to have me tell you another story?"

"Yes!" The little boy exclaimed. "Your stories are the best, even better than Uncle Siri's!"

"They are the same stories, child." The old man laughed softly.

"Yes, I know, but you tell them better!" The boy argued as the two of them entered the rose gardens.

"The story I'm going to tell you today began many, many years ago, when I wasn't much more than a child myself, Severus." He began

June 24, 2167

Editor: The Daily Prophet:

Mystery Surrounding the Disappearance of Severus Snape, et al, Explained At Last!!

In a letter addressed to the editor of the Daily Prophet, the mysterious disappearance of Severus Snape over 150 years ago has finally been explained:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Granda died peacefully in his sleep last night, so I feel free to tell his story now, assured of his protection. I called him Granda, but really he was my great-great-great grandfather. But for me, great was more than a generational denominator. My Granda was a very great man, one who the Muggle and Wizarding worlds never appreciated, and will never understand.

Granda was always a supporter and defender of the Light, even when he appeared to be at his darkest. No one ever let him overcome the stigma that had become attached to him due to his duty to the Light, even after he had freed all of you from a madman's grasp!

Over 150 years ago, my Granda, along with his best friends, his son and his son's best friends, joined their magic into one great force. Legends tell of the Ultimate Light, fantastic stories that one can't quite believe due to their amazing revelations. The stories have been passed down through the generations. We've all heard of how the Ultimate Light defeated the evil darkness that was Lord Voldemort, and freed our people.

My Granda, Severus Snape, was that Ultimate Light. He and his family were driven from your world by the same people he had set free. But I wish to let you know that he was never bitter over that. He somehow had known all along what this victory would mean for him, and those who joined him. I often thought upon the past with bitterness on his behalf, but he would gently lay a hand upon my head, and caution me about the dangers of never letting go of past hurts and injustices. Granda was more forgiving than I could ever be.

Despite being driven out of your world, and thrown into self-exile, Granda never turned his back on you as you turned your back on him. His life was spent doing what he loved most; creating and brewing potions. Granda was a Potion's Master, something of a rarity these days with modern methods of brewing with machinery now taking over the craft. A change brought about by the freedom of choice Granda provided for you all, Muggle and Wizard combined.

When my family left your world, their work to better your lives didn't end. They formed the Snape Foundation, despite knowing that it would never be revealed to your world. They took their combined skills, turned their efforts toward ridding the world of many magical curses and maladies.

To make note of the more important discoveries, throughout his lifetime, Granda was the one to bring relief to those cursed with Lycanthropy, first by developing the Wolfsbane Potion, which helped them hold onto their humanity while under the influence of the moon. Years later, with the help of Uncle Remus, who used to be a werewolf, he finally created the cure for Lycanthropy.

He has found a way to reverse the effects of the Cruciatus Curse, bringing sanity to those who were institutionalized for years after being tortured. He has cured Vampirism, discovered a way to retrieve lost memories from the Obliviate Curse, and developed a way to vaccinate against the Imperius Curse.

You sat back and enjoyed the benefits my Granda provided you due to his perseverance and drive. As soon as the whispering began, the lies and innuendos that were spread about him grew. Despite the fact that he had freed your world, you threw him away! Not one person remaining in your world has had the dedication, and determination to do these things to better your world. I wonder, do you even realize what you lost?

Those who saved your world, lest you forget are; Severus and Juno Snape, Sirius and Alana Snape, Remus and Sonya Lupin, Sirius and Chandra Black, Ron and Hermione Weasley, Draco and Ginny Lupin. They are the men who fought to save you all from the madman that was Voldemort, and the women who stood beside them through it all. There are others that stayed with us; Papa Grigori Rozputka, Granda's father, Uncle Robert Granger, and Aunt Narcissa Malfoy, Justin and Lynette Carlton and their son Adam, to name a few.

You never gave them a chance to enjoy the peace they brought to your world, so they fled when you were declaring that Granda was a dark wizard. Well, I can tell you, he wasn't dark, he was a powerful, yet kind and gentle man. My Granda was the greatest man I ever knew.

The others in my family took their skills and specializations, and also strived to better your world. Grandma Juno and Uncle Siri used their skills as doctor and Healer to work beside Granda, and treat wave upon wave of those being brought to us for help.

Aunt Sonya provided the psychological treatments many of these people required after being cured, so that when they were returned to their homes and families, they would be able to better cope with their newfound freedoms.

Aunt Hermione and Uncle Remus put their extensive skills to use by doing what they could to help Granda research hundreds of plants, extracts, other medical findings in the fields with which he was working, and anything else they could discover to further Granda's cause.

Aunt Alana and Aunt Ginny took over teaching the many children who were brought to us while they were under our care. Granda insisted upon them not suffering a gap in their educations while they were being helped. They were wonderful teachers, but, he was the greatest teacher I ever had.

The most important job, other than the work Granda performed, was executed by Uncle Sirius, Aunt Chandra, Uncle Ron and Uncle Draco. These four people, who were skilled Aurors in your world, former Unspeakables, or trained warriors, were the ones responsible for safely and secretly bringing you to us, and safely returning you to your homes after Granda had given you freedom from these curses.

Not one of the original family ever turned their backs on you. Their children, grandchildren, and beyond, have also given their lives to further the cause. As new curses and afflictions have come to plague your world, my family has continued the work Granda started so many years ago, and I now strive, sometimes in vain, to fill Granda's shoes.

At first, there were just the six couples, but as the years passed, their family grew. I am descended from Granda and Grandma Juno's son, Severus Altair II. The honourable name has been proudly passed down from generation to generation, and still lives today in my own grandson, who is now five. None of us has felt the desire or need to rejoin your world. We are content to do our work from the safety of the mists.

There were some who saw Uncle Sirius, and the others when they'd return various people They spoke to them, asking for sanctuary. Granda always permitted them to join us. They were teachers, doctors, lawyers and others who contributed to our world. They brought their families, and our numbers grew and flourished. We are now a vast community, hidden in the mists, but we are never far from your world. We are happy here, secure in the knowledge that we did all we could to help even though you turned your back on us. Thus our lives go on, happy with the choices the Ultimate Light made for us all those years ago. We hope you can live with the choices you've made.

I have made mention of the mists several times in this letter, and perhaps I should explain this to you as well. Do you recall the legend of Manannan and his great sword, The Answerer? Do you recall hearing of the powers that he had as an elemental wizard? How it was said that he could escape his enemies by disappearing into the mists, and that this was how he protected Ireland and the Isle of Mann from those who would destroy them?

The six men foretold in the Prophecy of the Ultimate Light were Elemental Wizards. Each of them possessed the power of Fundamental Magic. Granda, as the Ultimate Light, was all-powerful, the all the prophecy spoke of. He was also a direct descendant of Manannan. When he decided to leave the Wizard world, he actually took the entire cliff side of his home, Snape Manor, and moved it into the mists. It never touches the Earth...it hovers in the sky to this day, and can not be seen from the outside world.

One of my favourite stories Granda told was of the Legend of Manannan. He would pull The Answerer from its ornate scabbard, and gently caress it as he spoke. "This sword belonged to Manannan Mac Lir, Guardian of the Isle of Mann. No enemy could survive this sword's thrust. This sword has a name, Severus." He told me reverently, his voice low and soft, his eyes black as night, and glittering intensely. "The Answerer." He held it out to me, and I felt very special when he allowed me hold it in my hands.

"Manannan was a weather wizard, descended from the ancient Irish race, the Tuatha de Danann, who, long before history began, retreated into invisibility, leaving Ireland to the mortals." Granda went on in his quiet, gentle way. "Manannan's special domain was the sea. There, his powers were supreme. It is said, that he had a boat that knew his destination without prompting, and that he travelled there easily without sail or oar."

I can recall hanging on his every word as he related the legend to me. "In an armour that shone brightly as the sun, he rode his horse, Enbarr ~ meaning Splendid Mane ~ over land or water. The mere sight of this sword was said to have caused the strength to drain from his enemies. I know this to be true, because that is exactly what happened when I used it to destroy the evil wizard who tried to take over the world beyond the mists." He informed me with a sad, far away look in his eyes.

Granda had great powers, and he revealed that he had inherited them from his ancestor. One of the most amazing of these powers was the ability to cloak himself or anyone else at will. He told me, "When Manannan cloaked himself or any other person, in his magic mantle, it extinguished them from view. As long as he lived ~ some say he is living still ~ his kingdom was invulnerable. When enemies approached, he shrouded the island in the mists. His enemies would sail past, unaware that he was there. He could raise storms at will. He would toss wood chips into the sea and make each chip grow into a magnificent warship. He could, it was said, conjure one hundred armed men from each of his troops!" Granda's voice would grow strong as he spoke of his ancestor's exploits.

"In times of peace, he was a provider of prosperity. He cultivated fish as if they were cattle. When pigs were slaughtered, the bones re-formed themselves into prime, living beasts. He was the happiest and most generous of wizards and he made all those around him happy as well."

"He sounds just like you, Granda." I told him innocently, and Granda's voice grew softer still as he finished his story. I leaned closer to him, straining to capture every word as he spoke of Manannan's love for his people, and I somehow knew he spoke of the love he had for the Wizard world as well.

"Manannan had a fatherly fondness for the Irish people, a race he kept under a watchful eye. He trained the country's young warriors. He provided them with powerful weapons and healed their battle wounds. Those who had acquaintance with him usually came away better, wiser wizards."

"It is said in some circles that Manannan, along with Taliesin; Math and, of course, Vainamoinen, were bearers of the flame that was to shine the steadiest at the last; Merlin the Enchanter. It was as if Merlin gathered unto himself all of their various powers to serve one purpose: the making of the last great kingdom of the old Britons."

"That kind of sounds like you, too,Granda." I had exclaimed full of wonder as I gazed with new-found awe at him. "You have all of those powers, too!"

"So it would seem, child." He had replied mildly with a smile. "When I was a young man, I could not accept that it all could be so black and white, but in my lifetime, I have learned that if you open your mind, even something as vague as the mists that surround this realm will become clear." So it was that my Granda used his powers to better your world while he protected all that he loved.

Many, many years ago, I overheard a man speaking with Granda one day while they stood in the rose gardens that Granda loved, waiting for him to go home. He had just been rid of his curse to Vampirism, and Granda was waiting for Uncle Sirius to spirit him home. The man asked Granda, his voice full of awe as he considered the world surrounding him, "What makes you do this? Why would you give so selflessly of yourself, wanting nothing from us in return?"

Granda smiled in his gentle way, and murmured, "Because Youre Mine."

I watched as the man shook my Granda's hand, and thanked him once more. Granda waved his hand, and the man fell into a deep sleep. Uncle Sirius and Aunt Chandra came moments later and took the man back to your world.

Granda sighed, then looked around the area until he spotted me, and waved in my direction, urging me closer. I came over to him, and we took a stroll through his rose gardens. He talked of many things, mostly about your world. He confessed that he sometimes missed it, but mostly he sadly told of how he felt he was treated rather unjustly. He said that was why he'd left, because your world wouldn't give him a chance, but he forgave you, even in exile, cut off from the world he loved, he forgave you, protected you, and did all he could to better your lives.

But, I digress. We were happy, we wanted for nothing, but I noticed sometimes he'd get a sad, faraway look in his eyes, and I knew something was troubling him. I asked Uncle Siri about it once. He told me of a great wizard who Granda loved and missed terribly, named Albus Dumbledore. I know in later years, when Granda would get that look, tears would gather in his eyes as he thought about the old wizard.

When I was much older, he confessed to me that one of his biggest regrets was never getting the chance to see his very dear friend and mentor before he died. I choose to believe that they have picked up their friendship as if it had never left off, now that they are together on the other side of the veil.

Thanks to Granda's example, I see now that Happily Ever After all depends upon how you perceive it.

Severus Altair Snape VI