A/N: Short oneshot for the thoughts of different characters in the aftermath of the final battle. Minerva McGonagall POV.

My Friend Severus

It wasn't until after You-Kn — no, Voldemort's — death that Harry's speech finally sank into Minerva's brain, one part in particular sticking out.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours. Snape was Dumbledore's Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother."

Severus… the man she had despised ever since the battle atop the Astronomy Tower at the end of the previous school year. Severus… the man who had been on the receiving end of her own and the majority of the faculty's cold glares since the beginning of this one. Severus… the man she had believed had murdered her esteemed friend and mentor, in cold blood.

"Aren't you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them!"

Ever since she'd seen Albus's broken body on the ground by the lake, she'd hated him. Ever since she'd heard the words of Harry, describing the scene at the pinnacle of Hogwarts, she'd hated him.

"I killed Severus Snape three hours ago… ! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

And now he was dead.

Minerva walked up to Harry after the festivities had ended and asked if she could speak to him for a moment.

"Potter… Harry… How did you know Sna— Severus was on our side this entire time?"

She had to know the truth. What had been behind the horror that had been Severus Snape since September 1st 1997?

Harry gave his former Professor a searching look, then acquiesced. "I s'pose you deserve to know. Follow me." And he lead her up the well known path to Dumbledore's office.

Throughout the year, she had wondered why the gargoyle had let him into the office. When the toad Umbit — sorry, Umbridge — had taken by force the position of Headmistress, she had been denied access. But It had always seemed to Minerva that even DOlores was more deserving of the honour than Severus.

Harry took her to the desk, upon which lay a familiar silver bowl, swirling with newly-added memories. In them she glimpsed images of the familiar faces of Severus, and Albus, and to her surprise Lily and James Potter.

So Severus had given the boy — well, he was a man now — his own memories. Made sense, she supposed. It would have been the only way to give him information without speaking to him before his death, and she doubted that would have been possible.

Minerva expected him to draw her into the ones that were already there, but instead the boy lifted his wand to his temple and drew a memory of his own out, a long one, then placed it in, and took her down to it.

And she witnessed how Voldemort had spoken to Severus in the Shrieking Shack, spoken of the mythical Elder Wand and conflicting entitlements and then… and then he'd set that ghastly snake of his on her colleague… and so Severus had died.

And then Harry drew her to his own experience in the pensieve, watching through the young man's eyes at the life memories of the older one. And what she saw there broke her heart.

To think that his final year of life had been spent in a place with no allies but for a portrait, no friends but for the fake ones, and no good memories but for ones that would never be possible again.

His only love, gone.

His only hope, a seventeen-year-old boy whom he hated for his very existence.

But although Minerva grieved for him, she knew Severus would live on.

Harry had spread the tale, and Severus Snape would be remembered as the spy against the Dark Lord, the fighter who had sacrificed so much against Voldemort, and the bravest man Harry Potter had ever now.

And Minerva McGonagall could honestly say she agreed with him.

A/N: First in a series of oneshots on the thoughts of the... didn't I write this in the first A/N?

Some will be longer than others, but they will not be in one fic, because I want each of them to have separate summaries.

Will update Yob and AT ASAP.

And for heaven's sake: MWPJ is updated by me, spending my time writing for your enjoyment. Then, events can go two ways:

1: Readers review; I get happy; I write more; more updates, and in less time; readers enjoy themselves; readers review; the cycle repeats! Or...

2: I update; no review; I comment on this on my profile and three separate stories; no review; I get sad; I don't update; readers aren't enjoying themselves; the cycle ends!

You get to pick which one happens.

Any, please review on this!

Until next time!

—RoyalRose161