Oh, the pain and angst in that last line! Very effective ending, although it makes me want to weep for poor Snape.
I used to be a big fan of the Thieves' World series, so this brought back fond memories. (My favorite character was probably "Prince Kittycat," I admit, partly because of his nickname.) I didn't realize that Robert Asprin had passed away; I was also a fan of his Myth Adventure books. It's sad to lose another figure in the SF/fantasy world so soon after the death of Gary Gygax (creator of Dungeons & Dragons).