The battle had been over for a considerable amount of time before she could think in the quiet of her own head again. She had spent so much time hugging people; more time than she'd ever spent in her entire life. She had got to Harry first, wrapping him in her arms and hanging on to him, until he did the same.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"No, my darling boy," she had leaned back, tears running down her face and a smile so big her cheeks still hurt. "Thank you."

He had gone to talk with Weasley and Granger, leaving her to take stock of those they had lost on their side or otherwise. It was only after everyone had fallen asleep, some even where they sat, that she had time to herself.

The walk down the lawns was so different to the last time she had the opportunity to do so. The castle grounds were scarred and filled with despair. Bloodstains littered the grass, what was left of it, where she walked. She headed towards the large, white pedestal and stood staring beyond it, gauging her strength before she could bring herself to look down at him.

"You stupid old fool," she spat, surprising herself. "Why could you not have told me? You could have trusted me. I thought," she could feel her control slipping away with each word that seemed to tumble out of her mouth. "I thought you," she shook her head. She could not finish that thought, could not contemplate a world where Albus had not trusted her enough to tell her. "What if Severus had been killed before he had the chance to tell Harry? What then Albus?" She screamed the last part and fell to her knees.

"It was chance," she hiccupped. "Mere chance that Harry turned up at the Shrieking Shack in time to see Voldemort kill," she sobbed out his name, "Severus. What would you have done then, Albus? What then? When you placed the entire fate of the world in one boy, Albus!" She cried and cried and cried, slamming her fists on the stone tomb. "You stupid old fool."

She didn't know how long she stayed there crying against the cold marble, letting it seep into her bones to match the pain in her heart from Albus' betrayal.

"He was so broken, Albus. You treated him so badly. And yet," she shook her head as her thoughts came back to normal. "And yet he loved you," she scoffed. "Like we all did."

She looked over the ruined grounds.

"Like I did."