Chapter 1: The Cost of Victory
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Outside Hogwarts Castle, Scotland, Wizarding World...
Emotions were running high with everyone still reeling from participating in the final battle. Hermione Granger stood covered in dirt, grime and dried blood from the field of combat. Her normally bushy sandy brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and her eyes were hard from the heat of battle. She had come close to meeting a rather tragic end at the hands of Bellatrix LeStrange. Where it not for the timely intervention of Molly Weasley she would be among the dead that littered the ground. The Gryffindor witch could hardly believe it when she witnessed Harry James Potter come back from the brink of death to defeat the despot Voldemort with Dumbledore's elder wand. A wand that Voldemort believed Potions Professor Severus Snape to have claim over, and it subsequently lead to the dour wizard's murder at the shrieking shack. There had been little to no casualties to the side of light save Headmaster Severus Snape. The remaining death eaters were either rounded up and sent to prison or they littered the ground with their lifeless bodies.
The Weasley family had remained intact save for George's ear. The Malfoy family had been whole as well but none of them would ever be the same. Draco had been shaken beyond belief but he proved to be one of the bravest young wizards of his time when he allowed Voldemort to hug him just so he could return the elder wand to Harry Potter. Hermione still couldn't get over the strange scene. Ron had been busy checking with his family looking over Ginny, who had also seen some combat in this war.
Most of the students who fought made it out alive save a few who no one even remembered outside of class. Their loss had been tragic but merely a ripple in the large sea of battle. Harry was celebrated and cheered as everyone clapped for his well fought victory against the despot. The young wizard with green eyes simply gave all who required his attention a half smile and ventured off on his own. Hermione knew where he was headed. She had started making her way there herself.
The Shrieking Shack.
The very last place where either of them saw Headmaster Severus Snape alive. Only he had been in a pool of his own blood and slowly dying. Harry took off at a run hoping against all hope that he wasn't too late to save the man who had done so much for him. Hermione recalled how much Harry delighted in telling Voldemort to his face that Snape did not belong to him. That he had been Dumbledore's man for years and that he protected the despots very enemy right under his none existent nose.
Needless to say, Voldemort had not been very pleased when he found out he had been duped but took it upon himself to claim that it was a good thing that he left Snape rotting in the shrieking shack when he did. Enraged Harry attacked and the battle began. Now the-boy-who-lived stood outside the shack with pain in his green eyes as he recalled how Snape likened them to his mother. In all the young wizard's years of knowing the dour man, Snape had only ever mentioned his father, and usually in unflattering tones.
It shook Harry beyond belief to hear the dying wizard refer to his mother. Even in such a small measure with his eyes. Snape's words had been kind almost heartfelt. So many questions ran through the boys mind but they both had so little time to answer any. Hermione followed Harry inside the shack. She too hoped that it wasn't too late to save The ailing Headmaster. He had been such a brilliant man and exceptional Potions Master there was no doubt in her mind that the world wizarding and otherwise would be lesser with his loss.
"He's got to be okay." said Harry. "We've come too far for him to just die now."
"It'll be okay Harry." said Hermione trying to comfort her friend.
"Y-You don't understand Mione." said Harry in a sad tone. "He's been with me the whole time."
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione with an arched eyebrow.
"I-I mean that Snape has been in my life ever since my parents died." replied Harry. "He was there that night, when I was a baby...he would make sure that uncle Vernon didn't hurt me."
"But you were still abused Harry." said Hermione.
Harry nodded.
"I know." he said. "But uncle Vernon didn't ever hit me...I never knew why...he would hurt my feelings, put me to work, even make me miss a few meals but he never laid a hand on me and I didn't have a clue as to why until today."
"Until you got Professor Snape's Memories." said Hermione.
Harry nodded.
The two youths entered the large area where they had last seen Snape. There wasn't a trace of him save for the vast amounts of lost blood mostly dried during the conclusion of the battle. Harry searched everywhere wondering if Snape cast a charm to hide from potential death eaters. There had been no one.
"He's gone." said Hermione looking around.
"It doesn't make any sense, he was hurt too badly to move on his own." said Harry a bit frantic.
"Maybe someone moved him." said Hermione.
Harry narrowed his green eyes thinking of all the possible people who would do such a thing. Then he caught sight of tracks made in Snape's blood leading out of the shrieking shack. He had not noticed before when he conversed with Hermione but they were defiantly leading out.
"Any one we know?" asked Hermione.
"It's him." said Harry. "It has to be...I know he wouldn't leave me."
"Harry." said Hermione. "It's possible someone just moved his body."
"He's alive." said Harry with a determined expression. "He has to be."
Hermione sighed not knowing what else to do for her friend. She had hoped that Professor Snape had lived as well. From what Harry told her of the dour man's memories he didn't have a very good life to start with and she like Harry hoped he could make a new one with Voldemort and his death eaters gone it was a world of endless possibilities.
"Wherever he is...I'll make sure everyone knows the truth." said Harry still with the determined look in his eyes. "Professor Snape is as much a hero of this war as the rest of this and he should be honored."
Hermione nodded.
"I don't know anyone more deserving of honor aside from you two Harry." she agreed. "You've spent your entire lives fighting this war."
Harry had been slightly disappointed that he did not find Snape but it was enough to know that the dour wizard lived. Hermione had not been too sure that Snape survived with the amount of blood the man lost but she was willing to believe it if it made Harry feel better. He had been consumed with so much guilt since he witnessed Snape's memories that he was almost frantic when he discovered that he was gone.
"Come on Harry." said Hermione. "I'm sure Professor Snape will be okay, where ever he is."
Harry looked once more over the spot where Snape's body once lay pooled in the dark crimson of his blood. He hoped the Potions Master was alright. He had not been putting Hermione on when he told her that Snape had been in his life since before he could remember. Flashes of a quiet green eyed boy of two would talk to the man in the shadows who wore all black with a stern face and aged eyes. Everyone around him believed that he had been talking to an imaginary friend, he had thought so as well until he saw the memory for himself.
Countless times he would see the man in black who looked out for him during curious times. No one knew not even the great Albus Dumbledore. Snape had come to see him every so often to ensure that he was being treated right. He knew better than most just how cruel Muggles could be to an outcast boy with raw magical abilities.
Harry's green eyes met the amber of Hermione's.
"He's going to be okay isn't he?" he asked softly.
Hermione gave him a half smile.
"Professor Snape's the toughest wizard we know." she said in a bid to reassure her friend. "If I were him I'd want to get away from everything for a while...he has been fighting two wars almost single-handed with no back up, and no reward in sight except time in Askaban with his other fellow death eaters or an early death...everyone else does still thinks he murdered Dumbledore."
Harry nodded.
"I-I guess your right." he said. "If I were him, I'd want to get away too."
Hermione gave Harry a warm hug and the two of them headed back toward the castle. Their battle injuries were starting to nag at them and the exhaustion was setting in. As they left the shrieking shack, both Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger wished Professor Severus Snape well and hoped that he would find the peace that had eluded him for so long.
