Chapter 24 - The Trap

April 25, 1998

Harry, Hermione and Neville were all laying side by side flat on their stomachs carefully peering over the edge of the hill to take a look at the atmosphere below. Ron, Snape and Lupin were preparing to lead an ambush into the very center of the Death Eater gathering. Harry's calculation of approximately fifty remaining Death Eaters looked accurate. What he had miscalculated though was how many Dementors there were. It looked as though a hundred were swarming the area.

Hermione looked thoughtfully at him and mouthed "too many," to him.

He nodded at her knowing she was right. Fifty Order and D.A. members were going to have a tough time with fifty Death Eaters and a hundred Dementors. Harry expected a death toll, he always did when they'd gone into battle but this time he realized that they would suffer Dementor's Kisses as well. There was no way to pass on this information though, plans had already been laid and Harry had every intention of going through with the evening. It was their opportunity to get rid of Voldemort and a good majority of the Death Eaters in one swoop.

Harry nodded confidently at Hermione to reassure her that some how everything would work out and then his attention was pulled by Neville tapping on his shoulder and pointing towards what would quickly become a battlefield. The Order members were beginning to appear in the wooded area to the west of the clearing. Within moments spells, curses, charms and volleys of light filled up the clearing. Harry, Hermione and Neville remained silent and watched until they saw him. Voldemort Apparated in with Crouch at his side.

"Let's go," Harry whispered.

All three of them instantly Apparated right behind Voldemort and Crouch. Harry, Hermione and Neville each quickly gripped a part of Voldemort and Crouch's bodies and Apparated again, effectively dragging them along. The moment they arrived at Godric's Hollow all three of them Apparated again, reappearing in front of Voldemort and Crouch with their wands drawn.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted with his wand trained on Harry. Harry quickly Apparated once more and reappeared several feet to the left of him. "After them," Voldemort told Crouch pointing at Hermione and Neville running off. "I will take care of Potter once and for all."

Harry was backing up slowly, drawing Voldemort into the position he wanted to end it in. It almost appeared as if they were dancing as Harry seemed to be retreating and Voldemort advancing. Harry stopped when he felt that the house was in view behind him.

"Come on, Riddle, take care of me," he taunted as he produced a second wand. Both wands were now pointed at Voldemort. "Impedimenta!"

"Crucio!"

"Expelliarmus!" This sent Voldemort's wand flying from his hand. Harry didn't have a hand to catch it will though so he pointed Slytherin's wand at it and cast it up and over his head. He heard it land behind him somewhere.

Voldemort raised his hand at Harry and restored to simpler spells as his Unforgivables were not having an effect on Harry. "Stupefy!"

The spell just bounced off of Harry's cloak. Harry was going to say something when he heard Neville screaming his lungs out trying to cast a patronus charm. Harry aimed his wand at Voldemort, "Stupefy!" and it worked, Voldemort froze dead in his tracks.

Harry knew he didn't have long. He ran into the clearing and saw three Dementors closing in on Hermione. She had successfully cast a patronus charm in the past but never on an actual Dementor. Harry could see in an instant that she was frozen from the effect of the Dementors. "Expecto Patronum!" he shouted. He watched his silver stag erupt from his wand and charge at the Dementors. He watched helplessly as one of the Dementors lowered its face to Hermione's and kiss her. "NO!" he screamed just as Hermione's body fell to the ground. His stag reached the Dementors a moment too late. It had chased off the three Dementors but it didn't matter, Hermione's soul was gone.

He started to run over to her but he spun in his tracks suddenly. Voldemort gripped Harry by the neck, slowly lifting him off of the ground as he squeezed. Harry clawed at the hand wrapped around his neck, struggling to remove it so that he might breathe again. His face was growing red as the struggle continued.

"If I can't use magic to kill you…" Voldemort hissed, his red eyes sparkling with delight as he watched Harry's life force beginning to drain. "I'll use my hands."

Harry's eyes bulged open a bit further as he saw Neville appear behind Voldemort. Thankfully, Voldemort took this action just as another sign that Harry was dying and paid no attention to the fact that Neville had successfully stunned Crouch and was now running towards him and Harry with a very large rock in his hand, ready to heave it at Voldemort. Harry could do nothing but watch as Neville brought the stone up over his head and sent it swinging down towards Voldemort's head. The rock collided with Voldemort's skull, immediately dropping him to his knees and forcing him to release Harry.

Harry fell backwards out of Voldemort's grip, landing firmly on his bottom. Harry began coughing furiously as he rubbed his own neck, willing the blood to begin circulating within his body again. His eyes were streaming and everything was a bit fuzzy as he fought to remain conscious knowing he must kill Voldemort, and he must do it before Neville's life was lost. He turned his attention to Neville, who now didn't seem as defiant in the face of the monster as he began advancing on Neville.

"I knew that you were not as brave as Potter," Voldemort said in a low voice as he went from his knees to his feet. "You couldn't possibly have been the child the prophecy spoke of, and yet here you are, fighting with him as if you were both chosen to complete the impossible task of defeating me."

"Harry will kill you," Neville stuttered, "and I'm here to see it happen."

"That is not going to happen." Voldemort raised his hand at Neville. "Let's send you the way of your parents, shall we?"

"Shut up! Don't ever talk about them again!"

"Did I hit a nerve, Longbottom?" He started to laugh but stopped abruptly as he reached Neville. "And a memory charm?" He stared down at him curiously. "What could you possibly know that would require a memory charm?"

Harry screamed out in pain as he felt Voldemort enter Neville's mind. In his weakened condition he couldn't severe the connection he had to Voldemort. His hands went from his neck to his forehead, trying desperately to shield himself from Voldemort's mental attack on both he and Neville. However, his hands could do very little to shield the images that were being fed into him. Harry watched helplessly as Neville was forced to relive the moment that his parents were tortured. Harry continued to watch as an Auror memory charmed Neville, apparently thinking it better if Neville had no memory of the event that took his parent's sanity. This recovered memory began a snowball, and proved that Hermione had been correct when she assumed that Neville had been memory charmed repeatedly. His own family had charmed him several times, sometimes for petty moments and all times after disciplining him severely. Harry could not believe some of the atrocities that Neville had to endure at the hands of his uncle.

Harry finally found the strength to lift himself to his feet, knowing that he must spare Neville of the torture of Voldemort's mental attack. Just as he reached Voldemort the very latest memory charm was broken and the vision of Dumbledore talking to Neville and Ginny entered Harry's mind.

And yours as well…you will become Harry's wife…

Harry quickly realized what Neville witnessed between Ginny and Dumbledore and dove in front of Neville, taking the burnt of the attack into him.

"No!" Voldemort shouted as Harry's body covered Neville's. "He knows what Dumbledore would not tell you, Harry! Let me break the charm, and you will know it too."

"I already know the secret," Harry told him.

"Love," he laughed, "you've done all of this for love? All for your wife?" he asked as his smile grew wider. "You already know that I have strict orders out to kill her on sight. As soon as any one of my Death Eaters finds your blood traitor wife she is dead."

"No!" Harry bounded at Voldemort, bowling him over. He began beating his fists into Voldemort's face, punching him repeatedly. "You son-of-a-bitch," he swore as his hands found their way to Voldemort's neck and he squeezed with every ounce of strength he had left within him.

Voldemort began to kick out from under Harry, but Harry immediately charmed his limbs to the ground. Determination resonated within Harry. His anger was beginning to dissipate as he focused on what must be done. It must end tonight. "Neville, give me Gryffindor's wand."

Neville rendered the wand to Harry. As he slipped it into his hand he took Harry's own wand from him. The moment the transfer was made Neville was struck by a curse from behind. Harry could hear one of Neville's bones being crushed.

He pointed the wand at Neville first, quickly shouting, "Medicor!" before turning back on Voldemort. He drew the wand across Voldemort's throat as if it were a dagger and watched as it did the job of a knife, slitting his throat open. Harry then moved the wand to Voldemort's chest and did the same over his heart. Not thinking about his actions, Harry reached into Voldemort's chest and grabbed hold of his still beating heart squeezing it as tightly as he had Voldemort's throat moments earlier.

White streaks shot through Voldemort's eyes and he gasped desperately, but was fully aware that Harry was about to win. He opened his mouth to speak but instead of words, a terrible screech emitted from him. At that exact moment, Harry jumped off of him at pointed his wand at the body. Just after the screaming ended Harry saw a black outline float up from his body. Determined not to let Voldemort's spirit roam the earth again to find a body, Harry aimed his wand immediately on it.

"Epotus spiritus!"

A white stream of light shot out from the end of Gryffindor's wand, hitting the black mass. The light surrounded it completely, seemingly suffocating it of its existence until there was nothing but a flash of brilliant white light left. Harry stared at it for a moment before being brought back to the reality that Neville was under attack. The screaming in the background registered with Harry, and he turned to face his last opponent, knowing he would have to disable Crouch before it was possible to kill him.

"Sdi sa-rwi di-nh ba!"

"No!" Crouch physically pushed Neville over and turned towards Harry. Realizing two things at one time; that Harry had killed Voldemort and just performed a spell to remove his immortal soul. But before he could do a thing about it, a blue light seeped from Harry's chest and quickly surrounded Crouch until it engulfed him completely. It hovered about him for a moment before disappearing. For a second, Crouch looked confused, as if he expected to fall down dead, and when he didn't he focused his attention back on Harry.

"Atrum frendo!"

Harry was knocked over by the force of the curse hitting the entire left side of his body. If he hadn't been wearing the cloak it probably would have knocked him unconscious. On the ground he snapped his head back towards Neville. "He's mortal again, Neville! Do it!"

"Intereo!" The two wands that Neville held both released a bolt of amber lightening that hit Crouch square in the chest. It grew larger and bright as it connected with his chest and then disappeared in an instant leaving Crouch completely lifeless. His body teetered for a moment and then fell to the ground as if he were a large tree that had been struck down.

Neville turned his eyes from Crouch to Harry, a fatigued smile pulled at his lips. "We did it," he said cautiously, "they're gone."

Harry nodded his head slightly still gripping Gryffindor's wand tightly in his hand not fully believing that it was over and that he could stop fighting. The events of the last seven years, particularly the last two, were mulling over in his mind. This battle between he and Voldemort was all he had known and now he was uncertain how to feel about Voldemort's death as he quickly realized that it changed everything about him. He'd trained for years to complete this one task, and now that it was finished, Harry wasn't certain what he should do or say. He felt strangely empty as he looked at Voldemort's dead body, and he almost felt the same…as if he were the empty shell.

Knowing there was one more task to complete; Harry erected himself and leaned over Voldemort's body. He stared for a moment at the gruesome sight of his enemy's bloody dead body and then pointed his wand at Voldemort for the last time. "Inflammo," he said softly and took one step back as the body began to burn. He couldn't help but watching as the smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils, and he wasn't certain how long it took, but he never turned away from the sight of Voldemort's corpse burning until there was nothing but bones left. And once that was all that remained, Harry noticed Neville standing at his side.

Without being asked, Neville erased all that remained with the spell, "Frendo!" It crushed the bones so thoroughly that a white powder exploded up into the air covering both boys.

It was finally done, and Neville had to finally take Harry in hand and pull him away from the battle field. He put his arm around Harry's shoulders and tugged him along. "Come, Harry, we need to get Hermione and go home."

Harry nodded his head slowly as he let Neville lead him away…back to where Hermione's body had fallen. Harry didn't bother with magic to raise her from the ground; he knelt down and scooped her up into his arms. Her head swung from side to side as if her neck had been snapped but Harry knew…he knew it was because her soul no longer resided within her…it had been sucked away by the Dementors and Harry no longer possessed the ability to bring it back. Tears streaked down his cheeks as he held his best friend even tighter. Neville too faced Harry and wrapped his arms around he and Hermione. He held Harry and Hermione tightly as he Apparated them all away from Godric's Hollow.

Harry and Neville found themselves standing in a strong embrace in the middle of High Street in Hogsmeade. Neville quickly released Harry. The few villagers that were out in the streets quickly stopped and took notice of Harry Potter standing amongst them, clutching a friend's body and standing beside another. It was obvious he'd been through quite an ordeal from his state. His eyes were completely blood shot, he and Neville were covered in some sort of white debris, the left side of his face and neck were a bit swollen and clearly discoloured, blood was dripping from the scar on his forehead, and rough red marks on his neck looked suspiciously like someone had attempted to strangle him.

He said nothing as he began walking. Neville quickly joined his side and they walked side by side back to Hogwarts. Someone from the village must have run ahead to spread the news that Harry and Neville had just shown up in Hogsmeade because as they slowly approached the castle Harry could see that dozens of students were spilling out of the front doors looking out towards he and Neville. The stares and whispering did not deter Harry and Neville's slow stride and their pain would not allow a quicker pace. By the time they finally reached the crowd it began to part for them, not wanting to be in Harry's way as he returned to Hogwarts. Just as he began climbing the stairs, Ron emerged from the castle doors. He looked down at Harry with a victorious smile obviously glad to see him and carrying his own good news but the elation only lasted for one brief moment as his eyes fell on the body in Harry's arms. Ron began shaking his head slowly as Harry stopped in front of him. Tears slipped from Ron's eyes as Harry extended Hermione's body in his arms, a gesture for Ron to take her from him. After several moments of hesitation Ron finally reached out and let Harry slid Hermione's body into his arms. Ron quickly pulled her into him, and cried into her hair.

Harry let his friend grieve for several minutes before he spoke to him. "I'm so sorry." It was all that Harry could say.

Anger and pain flashed in Ron's eyes as his face turned hard, lacking all emotion for a moment. "At least tell me he's dead."

Harry bowed his head slowly. "He's dead. It's over." Knowing he could say no more to Ron, he looked back at Neville and nodded then collapsed on the steps.

Harry began to stir at hearing the voices of others near him. He opened his eyes to see that he was in the infirmary and it was filled with numerous individuals. All of the Hogwarts Professors were present, save for Professor Snape, Mr. Weasley and several dozen Ministry officials and a good deal of Order members all sat in chairs and on cots listening to Neville as he retold the events that led to Voldemort's death. Harry said nothing, not wanting to alert anyone to his consciousness, quite content to let Neville tell the story.

He listened silently as Neville told them all of tricking Voldemort and Crouch to Godric's Hollow, how Harry had wanted to finish it there. He told them of the Dementors and how Hermione had been unable to fend them off as he and Harry duelled with Crouch and Voldemort. Tears slid down Harry's face as Neville's voice became even softer as he relived the moment of her being kissed and how he and Harry had been completely powerless to stop it, and how he couldn't cast the patronus in a hurried state and how Harry's patronus had been a fraction of a second too late because he'd simply been too far away from her.

Silence filled the room as Neville gathered his thoughts and emotions; no one seemed to want to push Neville too hard, knowing he would complete the story at his own pace. Finally, he began again resuming the story as Voldemort lifted Harry up by his neck strangling him. Harry heard for the first time how Neville had managed to disable Crouch in time to come and stop Voldemort from strangling him. It was a simple curse that Crouch hadn't anticipated and was fooled by an ancient Egyptian phrase leaving him open for attack by a jelly leg jinx. Neville explained that Crouch had been scared for a moment that Harry had told him how to remove the immortality and it was just enough time to jinx and stun him.

He would have finished Crouch right then but he heard Voldemort talking to Harry. He heard him say that he would kill him with his hands. Thinking he wouldn't be able harm Voldemort with a wand, he picked up a nearby rock and went running towards them. Harry was clearly running out of time so Neville attacked Voldemort, forcing him to release Harry.

Neville's voice began to break as he carefully told them what happened next. "He said he was going to send me the way of my parents…and I just snapped, but something happened and he sensed that I had been memory charmed and he used Legilimency on me to break the charm. I guess this had a severe effect on Harry too because he began screaming just as loudly as I was. I don't remember much of what happened at that point, but Harry broke the connection, and that's when…when…" Neville seemed unable to bring himself to say it. "Whatever Voldemort saw, Harry saw too and it did something to Harry."

Harry closed his eyes and saw the memory again in his mind: Ginny sitting next to Neville and Dumbledore talking to her. And yours as well…you will become his wife. Harry still wanted to know about this accidental time traveller that told Dumbledore this. Who was this person? And why in the world did Dumbledore tell Neville and Ginny this during his sixth year? He hadn't even admitted it to himself at that point. It made sense for Dumbledore to memory charm Ginny and Neville; it was certainly information that no body would have wanted Voldemort to have.

With too many questions running through his already throbbing mind, Harry slipped out of his cot and sat quietly on the floor not wishing to hear anymore of the tale. It was the first time he had taken notice of any of his pains. His left arm was bandaged and what little part of it was showing was completely black and blue. He was certain that side of his face was as well since Crouch had hit him with a strong bruising curse and Harry assumed he had caught the burnt of it in his arm because that seemed to be broken. No matter, Harry didn't need his left arm at the moment, and a bruise, no matter how much it might hurt, was nothing to concern him. He needed to check on the Order. He needed to know how Ron and the others had done and more than anything he needed to Ginny, to know that she was okay. He reached for his trousers rolling up the right leg to make sure his wands were still in the leg Hollister. He wasn't surprised to see both of his wands and Voldemort's wand tucked neatly into the holster. Madam Pomfrey would have never been able to disarm him, she certainly wasn't a strong enough witch and without his permission to touch them, the wands would not have reacted pleasantly to trying to be removed.

Harry stood, taking in a sharp pained breath as he did this. His eyes shot towards the crowd but no one seemed to hear it, they were too engrossed in Neville telling his story. Harry grabbed his cloak off of the chair next to his cot and made his way towards the infirmary door when he caught someone's attention.

Lupin swung his head towards Harry's cot and then quickly turned and looked at the door. "Where do you think you're going, Harry?" he asked but Harry said nothing.

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall turned and saw him standing there. "You're not going anywhere," McGonagall said sternly. "You are in need of medical attention and—"

"And nothing," he said bluntly. "I have to go. I need to check on things and I need to see Ginny."

"I assure you, Professor Snape is handling the situation and Ms. Weasley is fine. Now kindly come over here so we can talk," she requested. "There is much to be sorted out."

"Neville is doing a fine job of telling you the events of the evening. I don't have anything to add at this time. I need to go help Professor Snape. I need to know what the status of the Order is and I need to see Ginny." He reached out and pressed his hands against the large infirmary door but just as he began to open them several Professors fired off charms. None were aimed at him though, the door was their target. Harry heard several different versions of confinement charms being cast.

"You would have never done this to Professor Dumbledore," he said a bit angrily. "He went on even with injuries. When you appointed me to the head of the Order you had to accept and respect my position as such. Now please let me leave so that I can check on the members and I will return to coordinate with Mr. Weasley and the ministry."

"Harry," Professor McGonagall's voice did not soften even though she used his first name. "You require medical care."

"I can move," he stated. "I will let Madam Pomfrey have a better look later. Right now my responsibility is to those I asked to charge into battle tonight."

"He's right," Lupin said softly. "Let him go."

Reluctantly, the others agreed with Lupin. Everyone who fired a confinement charm out the door removed their charms.

Harry didn't say anything as he exited the infirmary. He realized they were viewing him as a child to protect still but if that was how they were going to continue to view him they should have never appointed him to head the Order. He hurried through the castle and when he entered Gryffindor Tower he was greeted with loud applause and so much cheering it was almost deafening. He was a bit surprised by the reception. Not so much because he didn't expect it, he did after the news of defeating Voldemort spread, but because it was three in the morning. The common room was awfully full for that time of night. He supposed everyone was celebrating.

"Is Ron here?" he asked loudly.

"He's upstairs," someone answered.

"How about Ginny?"

"Haven't seen her yet," the answer came.

Harry bound up the stairs to his dorm room and found Ron lying on his bed. He couldn't talk about Hermione at the moment. He wasn't ready too and there was nothing he could say to change the situation. "Where is Snape?"

"Still in London," Ron answered without looking at Harry. "He sent me back here to wait for you once we had contained the group in the woods. When I left he and Scrimgeour were still coordinating transports to Azkaban."

"Ginny?" he asked.

"I haven't seen her since we ambushed." He turned his head and finally looked at Harry. "Snape told me she is alive though."

"I'm going to London," he told his best friend. "Are you going to come with me?"

"Yeah," Ron forced himself off of the bed, "you wouldn't stop if we'd lost Ginny… I can't stop yet either."

"Ron—"

"No, Harry, let's not talk about it right now," he insisted as he flung his cloak around him. "Not much left but still there is work to do."

They walked through the castle silently and once they were off of Hogwarts grounds they immediately Apparated to the Ministry. They were again greeted by thunderous applause. They lobby was filled with Aurors, Ministry officials and Order members. There was also a good deal of Death Eaters in anti-Apparation-confinement rings waiting to be transported to Azkaban. Harry was pleased to see the round up, it meant that Ron's group had done very well and he hoped that their casualties were to a minimum.

Snape was easy to spot in the crowd and Harry and Ron didn't stop to talk to anyone as they made their way over to him. When they got close Harry was relieved to see the Ginny was on the other side of Snape manhandling a female Death Eater. She was a bit bloodied but looking well. Just as Harry was going to call her she looked up at saw him. She roughly pushed the Death Eater in her hands over to Snape and ran for Harry. She practically bowled Ron over as she threw herself around Harry. Harry smiled for the first time as he spun her in a circle. When he set her down he planted a very long, deep kiss on her.

"I knew you would do it," she said excitedly once they parted lips. It was then that she finally looked at him. She ran her hands gently over the bruises forming on his neck. It was obvious that someone had strangled him. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the very large bruise on the left side of his face. Dried blood was still scabbed up around his scar. And his green eyes were not surrounded by white anymore. All of the whites of his eyes were red and bloodshot. "What did he do to you?"

"It doesn't matter," he told her as he pulled her hands away from his neck and held them tightly. "It only matters that he'll never hurt any of us again."

"Is it true about Hermione?" she asked very softly hoping her brother wouldn't hear her. Harry just nodded quickly and Ginny immediately left his side. She threw herself around Ron and held him tightly.

Harry could hear her whispering how sorry she was. He turned his attention to Snape. Snape did not need to be asked anything by Harry he immediately began briefing him. "The battle in the forest lasted about thirty minutes. They couldn't put up too much of a fight once Lupin and I had rounded up the Dementors… they have all been returned to Azkaban and caged. We killed eleven Death Eaters and captured forty-two. Six Order members were killed and a handful injured, Luna among them. She was taken to St. Mungo's but should be fine.

"Also," He turned his back on the crowd and Harry followed suit, "this happened." He pushed up his left sleeve and showed Harry the place were his dark mark had been. It was like the ink had been drawn away and now all that was left was a scar in the form of the dark mark in the former tattoos place. "I knew when he died."

Harry glanced down at the phoenix on his own wrist but he said nothing about it. He returned his gaze to the Death Eaters gathered in the anti-Apparation rings. His eyes fell on a white blonde.

"Potter!" Malfoy shouted over at him. "Get me out of here!"

Harry walked towards him with Snape, Ron and Ginny following him. "Why should he do that, Malfoy?" Ron spat at him. "You're going to Azkaban with all of your Death Eater chums."

Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy and it allowed him to walk through the confinement ring. "No, he's not," Harry said quietly as he placed a protective hand on Malfoy's shoulder. "He is my main spy. He's the one who has been feeding me information since I had to pull Julie Patil out of the Death Eater ranks."

"'Bout time," Malfoy dusted off his robes. "I nearly got killed out there. Why didn't you tell Professor Snape about me?" he asked looking at his head of house. "He didn't believe me."

"I told no one because no one needed to know," Harry answered calmly. "You are the absolute last person anyone would have suspected I would trust to carry out this task. I needed everyone to continue to believe that." He looked back at Snape. "You really didn't know?"

Snape shook his head. "I had no idea." He turned his stare to Malfoy. "Who taught you Occlumency?"

"My father," he answered.

"Well, you're far better at it than he is," Snape told him as he extended his hand to Malfoy to shake. "Congratulations on making the right choice."

"I might be his son but I'm no fool," Malfoy said bitterly. "I knew I was going to have to become a Death Eater but I also knew I wasn't going to ever truly be one. I can't believe Potter figured it out so quickly and let me go."

"Is that where you went over Christmas holiday?" Ginny was now putting it together. "He's who you went to save?"

Harry nodded. "He needed my help."

"Did you even tell Dumbledore?" Snape wondered.

"Dumbledore is the only person I told," Harry corrected them all, "but he was leading me there before I finally saw it in Malfoy's attempt to fight with me. Professor Dumbledore is the one who helped me set my hatred of you to the side and see that you were actually calling out for my help with your attacks. That's why I let him go in December and then came to his aid."

Malfoy looked disgusted. "He saved my life."

Snape looked amused but he understood exactly what Draco Malfoy was feeling. Snape had the same hatred for James Potter and he had saved his life as well. It was a terrible burden in be in a life debt to a man you hated. Snape felt he'd more than made up for it by the way he protected Harry these past years but he knew it could never be completely fulfilled. He'd never had the chance to save James.

A/N - just one more and the epilogue.