A HGSS story

Disclaimer: I own lots of stuff but not these characters they are the property of JK Rowling and Warner Bros.

However the story is mine. This is a repost of an old story, it was originally posted two years ago but written five years ago. I wrote it just after Half Blood Prince came out so story is now AU. I hope to post chapters every couple of days.

Chapter 1: The truth

The war was over. Voldemort was defeated. Over the summer after sixth year Harry, Ron and Hermione had found and destroyed the Horcruxes and the final battle had commenced.

The Order and the Death Eaters had fought a bloody battle on the mountainside below Hogwarts; both sides had known that the war would end one way or the other that day, culminating with a single duel.

After the events of the Tri-Wizard Tournament Lily's sacrifice no longer afforded Harry any protection and with the destruction of each Horcrux Voldemort had slowly lost his snake-like appearance turning back into the mortal Tom Riddle. Now as the two wizards squared off against each other they looked eerily similar. Both tall, thin men with black hair. The difference between them was on the inside; one man feared love above all else, the other embraced it.

Curses flew through the air. Each man ducking and diving. Each waiting for the other to make a fatal mistake.

It came. His foot caught on a stone and Harry fell to the floor. A cold grin spread across Voldemort's face as he raised his wand and cursed "Avada Kedavra".

The world went into slow motion as Harry watched the green light approach him and in that moment he heard music; it was the song of a phoenix; it was Fawkes. But if he could hear Fawkes then Dumbledore was nearby, but that was impossible, wasn't it?

Harry smiled as the curse struck him, he felt it pass into his body and in his head he heard Fawkes sing, louder and louder. The scar on his forehead tore open, phoenix song filled the air as the curse rebounded off Harry and flew back to Voldemort wiping the life from Tom Riddle's body for good.

The 'Boy Who Lived' had lived again.

In the office that had once been Dumbledore's Minerva McGonagall Headmistress of Hogwarts sat weeping for the friends she had lost. There was a knock on the door and Harry walked in.

"Professor?" McGonagall dried her eyes quickly and motioned for Harry to sit down.

"Harry how are you?"

"Numb. I can't believe it's all over; just like that. I don't understand. Why didn't he kill me, Voldemort got past my Mum's protection years ago, it should have worked."

"Harry your parents weren't the only ones to die for you. Think, what did you hear as the curse was cast?"

"Phoenix song, I heard Fawkes," realisation spread through Harry, "Dumbledore! He died to save me?"

"Yes Harry, I did" Harry started as Dumbledore's portrait spoke "and I can see from you sitting here that my plan worked."

Bitterness filled Harry as he said "I bet Snape wasn't expecting that."

"On the contrary Harry, Severus knew exactly what he was doing. It was me who told him to do it."

Both Harry and Professor McGonagall stared at shock at the portrait. Dumbledore sighed, "Minerva, my dear, I think you ought to fetch the pensieve."

She did and as she and Harry looked into it they fell through and landed in the Forbidden Forest. They witnessed Professor Snape and Dumbledore's last conversation. It was clear that Snape was trying to talk Dumbledore out of making him go through with the unbreakable vow; however Dumbledore was insistent.

As Harry and McGonagall reappeared in the office a feeling of deep nausea spread through Harry. As much as he loathed the idea there was no doubt; Severus Snape was innocent