Disclaimer:- I neither own nor earn anything from this story, Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates.

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A/N:- I have attributed a 'she' to Hogwarts, now I'm not being sexist here. I genuinely feel that if the building were sentient it would have a female persona. After all it is powerful and nurturing. A metaphorical mother to many, as well as home and comfort. In this tale she is acting as a protective mother, protecting her charges, even if it did take her a long time to act. Thank you to my beta, Golden Asp, for her work on this chapter. Please enjoy…

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There was something that most people did not comprehend about large magical buildings. They are sentient, lucid even. They breathe and stretch, and they think, and right now the castle known as Hogwarts was angry, livid in fact.

If a building could scream in pain, at this very moment she would. She had been witness to this struggle for too many years, and now she was in ruins because of it.

Today the great stone edifice has been blasted and blown up by spells, beaten by giants, and been witness to the decimation of her human inhabitants, as well as onlooker to some truly depraved acts of magic. She seethed as she recalled that it is all his fault.

When he had entered her walls as a first year in 1938 she had sensed his potential for madness… the pure evil coursing through his heart. His mind had already been twisted and bitter, and even she'd shivered when she'd sensed the lack of love in him. His consciousness told her that although he was a child, he had already tortured and maimed multiple times.

He could not hide from her behind his façade of lost little orphan boy. She knew everyone's mind - how else did she provide for them, make the Room of Requirement work, or alert the elves or headmaster to problems within her walls.

However, even she had not truly fathomed the evil in his heart. 'I am Lord Voldemort' he had said in his later years as a student. Tom Marvelo Riddle. His followers have walked her hallways, have served him with the darkest of magic, but none of them was as bitterly twisted as he, even if he perverted them further with his promises of power in his little despot, with him as the tin god.

Some had seen the light and repented, and he had shown them no mercy. Through the years only one had been able to survive his defection from the Death Eater ranks, and that was only because he had been caught in a larger web. The castle had held great hopes for Professor Severus Snape, but today he had become a victim as well.

Then there was the other one who was just as brilliant, Miss Hermione Granger. She was now curled up, huddled in a corner a broken mess. She would never live up to her potential either, even though she had lived through the battle.

Those who suffered with the loss of the parents had fought valiantly today to avenge them, and Hogwarts was proud of them, but they also have suffered too much.

The castle contemplated the scene. I should have done something about it back then, back when he first arrived in our world, she considered and was silent a moment. Well, I will now, this is just too awful. The castle took advantage of the devastation around her and slipped unnoticed back to 1938. All it took was a manipulation of a trick step on a moving staircase.

The Daily Prophet headline on the 3rd of September 1938 read, 'Tragedy At Hogwarts', and the story went on to explain how first year Tom Marvelo Riddle, of Slytherin house, was killed when two sets of moving staircases collided while he had his foot stuck in a trick step.

There was a public outcry, and for a time the enchanted stairs at Hogwarts ceased to move, but soon the memory of what had happened faded and life went on as usual.

xox

Hogwarts shivered as she quietly looped back to 1997 and saw her occupants—all thankfully alive and well—safely heading to dinner in The Great Hall. It was May 2nd 1997, and the current 7th years only had three weeks of school remaining before their NEWT exams. The castle was happy as she listened in on the conversation between Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, as they walked with their friends to dinner.

"Mum said we're all to come to Godric's Hollow for our graduation party. Our house is big enough for everyone," the excited raven-haired wizard said.

"But my mum was hoping everyone would come to ours," Neville chipped in from beside them.

"We could go to both," Ron added, and it was seemingly settled.

"Weasley, Potter, Longbottom, cease dawdling in the hallway this instant," a silky voice behind them barked.

"Yes, Professor Snape," the boys moaned and got out of the Defence teacher's way.

"I can't wait to get out of this place," Ron chipped, as they took the last turn towards the hall.

Hermione Granger laughed. "You and school, you really should try harder, Ron," she chided, but nobody noticed the brightest witch of her age then fall behind the stragglers heading for the Hall, nor did they see the shy smile she gave her teacher with her, "Good evening, Professor."

Stopping, the acerbic wizard returned the greeting. "Are you looking forward to graduation, Miss Granger?"

She gave him a wistful look. "Not really, Sir. I like learning, and do not like the frivolous idea of celebrations that my friends have."

"Well, you could always find another way to celebrate."

"Really, Sir? What would you suggest?"

"Perhaps a quiet meal with someone who has been waiting for you to graduate to offer his friendship to you."

At first her brow crinkled in puzzlement, but then she saw his meaning she smiled brightly at him, before nodding. "Yes, I believe that would be the perfect way to celebrate."

"Then, Hermione, I will meet you at the front of the castle once the others have departed for their celebration."

"I will be waiting, Severus, thank you."

Even though she was technically still his student, he didn't begrudge her using his given name, after all Severus Snape was hoping that after a reasonable amount of time, if it all worked out, that she might like to use his last name as well.

Hogwarts the building beamed along with the couple who were now late for their meal, and she swallowed another secret deep within her walls.

-Finis-