Chapter 4
"Professor," a voice called to her from behind.
Harry!
Minerva turned around sharply—quickly spotting Harry, Ron and Hermione following him—but carefully controlled the emotions on her face. Everyone had lost so much that she would not let them lose her as well. She would always be there for them if she had anything to say about it.
The three approached her, and she gave each of them a nod, making brief eye contact, and taking a quick survey of their injuries. The sight made her want to cry, like most things in the past few hours had, but thank Merlin it wasn't any worse.
"Professor, could I have a moment?" Harry's voice was weary, but Minerva could hear the determination in it also. You've already given so much…. It flashed hard in his eyes too, but was there something else? It couldn't be…guilt. She was shocked, and this time she couldn't shield her emotions.
"Yes, Potter?" At least her voice didn't show her surprise. And Potter? Calling him Harry now would shatter her façade; take her back to his "dead" body. He needed to be strictly a student right now; a normal student and not the Boy-Who-Lived.
"I thought you should know that Professor Snape is dead. Voldemort killed him. Had his snake attack him."
Professor Snape? Harry's sudden show of respect for Severus Snape was surprising. And now that she herself would never again accord him that respect, it was even more unexpected.
"Oh…." She did not respect him anymore; she couldn't, not after his monstrous betrayal. She didn't respect him, so why did she feel so empty now?
Minerva's uncertainty lasted a moment too long, and Harry picked up on it, graciously continuing as if nothing was wrong. "I was there when he died…" and Harry hesitated a moment before continuing. "Professor, I've left some memories in the Pensieve in Dumbledore's office…. You need to see them. If you can go look at them now I think it would be best." The boldness Harry had recently acquired sent a brief smile to—"Professor Snape gave them to me before he died." And with that declaration it was gone. "They're his." There could be no confusion now.
Minerva nodded absently, and she must have looked terribly worried, because Hermione suddenly stepped closer to her and put a comforting hand on her upper arm. "Everything will be ok, Professor. Things will get back to…well…some sort of normal soon."
Oh, Hermione…I should be reassuring you. Hermione, Ron, Harry—they would never be the same again. No one would be the same again. Something beyond comprehension had entered their world and stolen the innocence from it, and there was no going back. All anyone could do now was move forward.
Minerva mentally shook herself and smoothed down the front of her robes—as if trying to rid them of wrinkles would really make a difference at this point—with her hands. They were still shaking.
"I am quite alright, Miss Granger." Her timbre was firm again. "Now, if you will excuse me, I will go and look at those memories." She must have sounded too harsh, because a look of hurt flashed across Hermione's brown eyes, and she started to step away, nodding slowly.
Impulsively, Minerva reached out before Hermione could get any further and gathered her into a fierce hug. The girl stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed into the embrace, drawing comfort from her professor's touch in much the same way Minerva was.
Before she could miss the chance, Minerva whispered in Hermione's ear, "I am so very proud of you, dear girl. Thank you for—" The emotions running through her cut her off, and she couldn't trust her voice any longer. She felt Hermione nodding against her shoulder though, and knew she understood.
Taking a deep breath, she released Hermione and gave Ron and Harry what she hoped was an encouraging smile. They almost had the decency to wipe the dumbstruck looks off their faces, but they couldn't quite manage. Minerva nodded their way once more before heading to the staircase to investigate the matter of Severus' memories.