The Man Who Saved The World

Who is this enigmatic stranger and how can he help Harry deal with the feelings of guilt and sadness about a certain professor. Plot twist at the end.

There will be no visit from the Snarry, Drarry or the other 7 Dwarves of SLASH. Happy, Dopey, Bashful and Grumpy might put in an appearance (Luna, Dudley, Neville, Severus) Sleepy is writing this story

This is my first story for this fandom and I do not have a beta so all mistakes are mine alone. If anyone would like the job, please Pm me.

It goes without saying, of course, all the characters belong to the talented J.K. Rowling. Alexander is mine…kind of.

I made no money from this fiction, probably just a loss in electricity and time…

Dedicated to the memory of Alan Rickman and a bloke called David Jones

It ain't easy

It was almost midnight when the hooded figure appeared out of thin air in the street in Godric's Hollow, and began walking towards the church. Harry Potter glanced around and satisfied no-one was going to attempt to mob the 'chosen one', peeled down his hood and approached the entrance to the church yard. His footsteps were slow and laboured. Beneath his round glasses, his green eyes lacked their usual vitality. The dark shadows underneath them, along with the pasty complexion, were a stark reminder of the anguish and horror of recent events. He had visited so many gravesides in the weeks following the battle, attended so many funerals, that the sight was becoming so familiar to him; Fred, Remus, Tonks, Lavender, Collin. Today's visit however, was different…

During the first few days after the Battle of Hogwarts, numb with shock; Harry had existed on auto pilot – drifting along, somewhere in the twilight world between waking and sleep. Much of the time, he had felt like a disembodied spirit; detached from reality, whilst the world span around him. The sun had set then risen again, as night followed day, became night again and somehow…life went on. He and his friends had stayed behind to help with the clean-up. He had so much admiration for how Ron and Ginny, in spite of their own grief at losing their brother Fred, had still insisted on remaining at Hogwarts to give what assistance and support that they could. The two youngest Weasleys had returned to comfort their grieving family the following day. Hermione had done her best to keep everyone grounded, helping the teachers to sort sleeping arrangements for the students who had been displaced, into temporary beds in other houses. She had been his anchor, as well as coping with Ron's grief at losing his brother.

Harry was distracted momentarily by the glistening threads of a spider's web, shimmering in the moonlight on a corner of the gate. He glanced up to the heavens. The full moon shone huge and bright against the backdrop of winking stars. A sigh escaped his lips and he felt a stab of anguish as a familiar face swam into view in his mind's eye; Remus Lupin, his former Defence against the Dark Arts professor, friend and mentor. The werewolf and his wife; Nymphadora Tonks, had lost their lives in the battle. His thoughts drifted to another little boy who, just like himself, would grow up without ever knowing his parents. At least his godson Teddy would have a stable home life, surrounded by family who love him. That thought offered him a little comfort.

He stepped into the church yard and his emerald green eyes darted around. Even though most of the death eaters had either been captured, gone into hiding or even fled the county, there was still a slim chance that one of them, hell bent on revenge, would try to go after him and finish what Voldemort had been unable to do.

Satisfied that he was in no apparent danger, he cast a lumos charm to light the end of his wand and began to walk away from the church toward the graves. His trainers squelched as they made contact with the grass – still damp from the evening dew. The scent of cherry blossom permeated his nostrils. Even though it had been a warm day, the temperature had dropped significantly after sunset, causing him to shiver slightly. The bouquet he clutched, rustled against his elbow, as he meandered between the grey and black graves towards the white marble stone that marked the final resting place of Lily and James Potter. The first time Harry had visited his parents' grave several months ago, he had been upset as he thought of their rotting remains lying under the soil, this time he felt more peaceful. He knew that although their bodies may have been buried in this place, their spirits lived on and were constantly by his side.

Harry had no idea how long he had been standing at the grave after setting the bouquet in front of it. His fingers traced the edges of the marble stone, the image of his parents etched in his mind just as he had seen them last; as he had held the resurrection stone and turned it over in his hand. They had appeared to him, along with Remus and Sirius, to support him in those final, terrifying moments as he had gone to meet Voldemort, with the knowledge that he, Harry, had to die because it was the only way to defeat the dark wizard. The guilt of his own survival whilst so many others had perished, weighed him down like a sack full of rocks. His gaze drifted wistfully to another grave close by; freshly dug, the mound of earth had not yet settled. The grave marker was a black granite stone on which were etched the words:

Severus Tobias Snape

Born 9 January 1960

Died 2 May 1998

The bravest man, sleep in peace Half-Blood Prince

It had been his insistence that his former professor was buried alongside his only friend, even though he had no known connection to Godric's Hollow. It hadn't felt right to leave him at Spinner's End all alone. There had been some resistance to the idea, but being the boy who saved the wizarding world had its advantages.

He thought back to the moment he, Ron and Hermione had shuffled back into the entrance hall. He had destroyed the elder wand, it was now just more flotsam and jetsam floating in the Black Lake. The sun's rays had bathed the room in a soft amber light as it streamed through the tall windows. Dust motes sparkled and danced, shimmering in the golden light as Filch the caretaker swept piles of rubble, muttering under his breath all the while, watched by the ruby red eyes Mrs Norris the cat. The survivors had gathered on the steps of what remained of their beloved school, eyes glassy with shock and horror at the carnage and destruction they had witnessed. Harry had longed for nothing more than to take a vial of dreamless sleep and lay his head down on a pillow, but there something he had to take care of before anything else. He stood in front of the assembled crowd and began to speak.

Harry remembered how the expressions of the students and staff had changed from anger at the very mention of Snape; to shock and bewilderment as he informed them of the late professor's true loyalties. He explained how the dour man had continually placed his life in danger to operate as a spy for Dumbledore and had protected Harry, time and again. Facts that he had learned from the dead man's memories afforded to him in the pensieve. Memories that a dying Snape had given him in the tears that had rolled down his ashen face, as Harry with hands stained crimson from the older wizard's blood, had tried in vain to stem the bleeding from the fatal wounds inflicted by Voldemort's python/viper hybrid snake, Nagini.

"Look at me." It was the first time the man had ever spoken to him in such a gentle tone. Snape's black onyx eyes had gazed into his own green ones for a brief moment. "You have your mother's eyes." Then the man who had tormented him throughout his entire time at Hogwarts took a final breath and had said no more. Harry liked to think that he had brought him some peace, in his final moments. A tear escaped his eye, rolled down his cheek and he sniffed, stifling a sob.

"'I'm sorry we couldn't save you Professor."

He wiped his face, gazing at the black stone when a voice brought him out of his reverie. "Well I never thought, I would see anyone shed a tear for old Severus Snape."

The title of this story is taken from the Bowie song, The Man Who Sold the World. The chapter title is a song from the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust

I would really appreciate reviews as this is my first story for this fandom :-D