Chapter one

After hearing all the shouting and people blaming him for their loved ones dying, Harry Potter could not take the accusing stares even from people he thought liked him. Almost all the Weasley's were glaring at him, even Ron. Hermione at first looked conflicted but eventually she seemed to be listening to Ron who was saying it was Harry's fault Fred died.

After kissing Remus and Tonks, Harry left the great hall to find McGonagall who was one of those people that didn't blame him. She believed the others just needed time as they were grieving, so they needed to blame someone and take their anger out on someone, it just happened to be Harry. Harry also noticed she was being blamed as well for allowing students to fight against Voldemort and his death eaters, which wasn't true. She gave the older students a choice, they chose to stay.

Harry wanted to get healed and sleep, so after seeing Madame Pomfrey, McGonagall showed Harry to an unused staff quarters that survived the battle. She knew Harry would not get much privacy either from people thanking him or accusing him for allowing so many to die, that is how they are looking at it. Minerva thought those people were being unfair considering Harry did kill Voldemort making their world the safest it had been in a long time.

As Harry lay on a bed that was so like the ones in the dorm rooms only bigger. He kept going over everything that had happened, who had died and if he could have done anything differently. He was confused, he was conflicted and he did feel guilty because he didn't want anyone to turn up. It didn't matter what he said or did, people turned up the moment they knew he was there. It seemed to Harry that everyone wanted it to end and thought he had some miracle plan to pull that off. Well Harry did kill Voldemort but it came at a cost of many lives, lives he was now being blamed for.

It took Harry a long time to fall asleep, he kept seeing the faces of all that died. People like Remus and Tonks, young Colin Creevey, Lavender after being attacked by Greyback. Dean who was hit by the killing curse while he was fighting three death eaters, Fred who died when the giants destroyed the wall he was standing next to. So many died, so many friends of Harry's, even a few of the teachers.

Harry blinked a few times before finally opening his eyes. At first he thought he was still asleep because someone was sitting in a chair beside his bed that knew couldn't be, Harry had seen him die. He groaned from the pain he was still feeling in his body before reaching over to grab his glasses. When he looked back Harry just lay there with his mouth hanging open.

'As eloquent as ever Potter.'

'Professor, but you died, I saw you.'

'You saw me dying but luckily I had some potions on me in case I needed them. It was thanks to you that the blood flow eased otherwise I would have died, so thank you.'

'Um,' Harry shrugged, 'you're welcome, but it's me that should thank you, for those memories. If you didn't give me them he'd still be here because I had no idea.'

'Yes, I know, Albus and I spoke a lot about that. We both believed if you had time you would have worked it out for yourself. But time was against all of us especially when he realised you knew of his horcruxes.'

Harry pushed himself up until he was sitting. The way Snape sounded to Harry was so different and he didn't sneer or criticize like Harry was so used to from Snape. So he wasn't sure what to make of this Snape.

'You seem a bit incoherent Potter, do you need a healer?'

'Um, no, I saw Madame Pomfrey before sleeping. Sorry but it's you, the way you sound and look.'

'Oh I see, well if you must know this is the real Severus Snape. What you saw over the years was a carefully constructed person that was designed by Albus and myself.'

'So it was an act, you were acting to make Voldemort and everyone believe you were really a death eater and a spy?'

'I was a death eaters as I'm sure you would have seen from my memories but the rest, yes, it was an act. I noticed your shoulder though, exactly as Albus and I suspected.'

Harry looked towards his left shoulder, 'Yeah, horcruxes not the killing curse like everyone believed. I would rather no one know about this though, if you don't mind?'

'It will remain between us.'

'Thanks,' Harry wasn't sure how to take this new Snape but he did need to know something, 'So are you okay, I'm not talking about your health, I can see you're okay, but because of what everyone believed, that you killed Dumbledore.'

'I have spoken with Minerva and the minister, with the help from Albus' portrait and part of my memory they know the truth now,' Severus noticed Harry looked worried, 'They did not see the part about you. When I went to speak with Minerva, I separated those memories and only showed them the parts that were needed.'

'Oh good, thanks,' Harry pushed the blankets off, then pulled his old jeans and t-shirt on, then his shoes with no socks as they were ruined, like all his clothes were ruined, 'What's going on out there?'

'Since you've been sleeping, a lot, all the captured death eaters and snatchers have been taken away. Minerva has organised for all the bodies to be kept until the families can organise funerals. You are being celebrated around the magical world, but you are also being blamed, which is ridiculous as you saved everyone.'

Harry sighed, 'I blame myself in a lot of ways, they turned up because they found out I was here. I might not have wanted them here, but they still decided to fight.'

'It was their decision, but I am angry right now at your so called friends. I overheard them before they left. They seem to think it was your fault that Fred Weasley died.'

'I saw it happen, but he did turn up for me, they all did. It doesn't matter, you can never satisfy everyone. Do you know how long I slept?'

'Yes, nineteen hours, Madame Pomfrey did check on you twice to make sure you were alright. Minerva and the minister checked on you as well, then I told them I will remain here until you woke. So you see Potter, not everyone blames you and you should not either.'

'It's always the same though, some like what you do, others don't. I need my other potion, I should find Madame Pomfrey.'

'Yes, dark magic takes a long time to heal. I have been making more potions for her so she could concentrate on healing. Right now though, because there are no enchantments around the school, everyone can get in, which means there are a lot of reporters hoping to see you. So if you would permit me, I will escort you to see the Poppy.'

'Um, thanks professor, I really don't want to talk to anyone, not yet anyway.'

'Then let's go,' Severus could see Harry was a little weak. He slipped his arm around Potter's waist getting a small shy and embarrassed smile, before they slowly made their way out of the room.

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A few days later, Harry received a letter from Ginny Weasley, delivered by Pig. She didn't blame him but she also wanted to know when they could see each other to talk about renewing their relationship. Harry knew this wasn't going to go down well, but he wrote back say they weren't going to renew their relationship and Harry never said anything about that when he broke up with Ginny. But he also wrote that since he was being blamed for some deaths and some of those were her family, he just couldn't feel the same as he used to, not about them or her. Since he was already hated by the Weasley's, this wasn't going to make it any better. But Harry wasn't ready to explain the truth and not to those who wouldn't keep it to themselves. So for now, Harry had more secrets to keep. He didn't really care, he saw the looks and the way his so called friends acted, so to Harry they were part of his passed now and nothing to do with now or his future.