I do not own anything in the world of Harry Potter. Okay, this is the end. It's been a long time coming, and I thank everyone who stayed with me. I couldn't have finished this without my amazing beta, Selek.

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Chapter 25

"Severus is - no, Septima, it's not like we thought at all - He's been on our side all along," Sirius said, grasping her hands. "I won't say the man's entirely innocent, but he's not a Death Eater. And you know I'd be the last one to defend him."

"Sirius," Hermione urged, "what's happened to my husband?"

"He's survived the battle, Hermione," Sirius said gently. Then, frowning, he became sober. "I'm rather ashamed of the way I've treated him in the past. I'll make it my business to beg his forgiveness if he - "

"If he what?" Hermione demanded. She jumped up from the sofa. "If he what, Sirius?"

Sirius stood slowly and took the witch by the elbows. His voice was gentle when he spoke. "Severus survived, Hermione, but he's badly wounded. Nagini attacked him." He moved quickly then to catch her as her knees buckled. "Neville killed the snake, Hermione, with the sword of Gryffindor. He was amazing."

"Where is Severus?" she demanded as she clutched his shirt front. "Take me to him!"

"He's at St. Mungos right now," Sirius said. "I'll take you."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Hermione was exhausted, but still she kept a bleary-eyed vigil over her husband. As long as Severus slept peacefully, ashen faced, his throat swathed in thick bandages, she felt hope. She blinked and rubbed her red-rimmed eyes; they felt like sandpaper.

"Och, Hermione, child," Minerva said with a sigh, "come away for a bit, girl. You'll do neither him nor the bairns any good if you collapse from exhaustion." She kissed the daughter of her heart on the head and gently urged her to stand. "And the one you carry needs care, too."

"Minerva," Hermione replied, her voice breaking with sorrow, "I can't leave him. What if he wakes up, and I'm not here?"

Dumbledore took Hermione's place in the chair beside the hospital bed. "I'll sit with him, Hermione," he told her softly, "until you get back."

"So will we," Harry announced as he, Ron, and Ginny entered the room.

"Go on, 'mione," Ron told her with a smile. He held up Emrys. "Say 'Bye-bye, Mum'." Ron waved the little boy's hand up and down.

Ginny bounced little Albus on her hip. "Get something to eat, Hermione. Clean up and get some rest," she ordered sternly. "If Professor Snape were to wake up and see you sitting beside him looking like that, he'd think you were both dead."

Hermione choked a tearful laugh back. "All right," she conceded, "but just for a while, but promise me you'll- "

"We'll call you the moment he wakes," Dumbledore said with a smile and a nod.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"I'm in hell," Severus Snape rasped out. With great pain and thirst, he had awoken to see not only Albus Dumbledore, but also Harry bloody Potter and company standing over his bed. He shifted on the bed, pushing himself up against the pillow.

"Don't try to speak, Severus," Albus said gently. "Miss Weasley, my dear, would you fetch a Healer and, of course, Mrs. Snape?"

Before Ginny ducked out of the room, she handed the sleeping Albus to his name sake. Harry approached and squared his shoulders. "Professor," he said humbly, "I would like to apologize. For the past seven years, I have behaved abominably towards you. I hope you can forgive me."

"Uh, yeah, Professor," Ron added, stepping to Harry's side, "me too. See, Emrys here doesn't hold it against us, do you, little guy?"

Severus was saved from having to answer as the door to the room blew open and Hermione rushed in. She threw herself into his arms and wept tears of joy. "You're awake," she gasped over and over as she covered his face with kisses.

"Aw, 'mione," Ron complained with a half-hearted groan, "why'd you go and do that? Huh?" A look of sheer horror crossed his features then, and he held the toddler at arm's length. "Ewww!" he wrinkled his nose, "see, even Emrys knows that's just wrong."

"Out of the way, clear back." The Healer's voice was a monotone, no doubt from repeating these directions. "Move, and let me check those wounds."

Snape snorted and gently pushed his wife back. "Perhaps it would be best if you tended our sons before that buffoon drops him." His voice was like sandpaper, but it was apparent that he would heal completely.

July 1, 1998

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore heaved a great sigh as he sank into his chair. "I cannot state in mere words how much I thank you all for helping in the rebuilding of Hogwarts and the reinstatement of the school," he told his staff. "The Ministry, under the leadership of Kingsley Shacklebolt, has repealed the Marriage Law and is currently re-organizing itself. Kingsley has asked me to return as Headmaster of Hogwarts, and I have agreed to do so for the next year only." He looked around the table, holding everyone's gaze for a few moments. "I'm old. I'm tired," he informed them seriously.

"Surely, you aren't going to leave us, Albus," squeaked Filius.

Dumbledore looked at him over the tops of his glasses. "I might be persuaded to stay on in a teaching position. I found that I rather enjoyed teaching Defense this past year."

"Then, who will be Headmaster?" asked Sirius.

"Or Headmistress," added Septima.

Dumbledore explained, "Hogwarts has a unique problem. She has two current Headmasters, you see, and one Acting Headmistress. As I did not retire, quit, die, or was removed from my post, I am still Headmaster, but," he continued, "Severus, too, is a legally appointed Headmaster."

"Well, I'm completely confused," Pomona stated. She threw up her hands. "So, Severus and you are now co-Headmasters? What about Minerva?"

Severus, held a hand to his still-bandaged throat, and rasped out, "He will be Headmaster for this year. Minerva will take over for the next few years, and I will re-assume that role when she retires."

"I will continue teaching Transfiguration," Minerva added, "until I'm sure that Hermione is ready to take my place. Then, I will take over as Headmistress, but only for a few more years."

"Now, let's get on with this," Dumbledore said, redirecting the conversation. "I'd like to spend a little time alone today with my bride."

Minerva, blushing, smiled. "I want to thank all of you," she said, "for testing the students who attended last year; they will be either promoted or retained based on their final exam results. Hermione?"

"All students and parents have been notified of their results and subsequent placement," Hermione answered. She tapped a stack of parchments. "I've also sent letters to incoming Muggleborns and am making a schedule to meet with each family in the coming week."

Dumbledore smiled at her. He opened a bottle of ink, chose a quill, and pulled a parchment in front of him. "Thank you, my dear," he said. "Now, it just remains to re-staff for next year. Rolanda, will you continues teaching Flying?"

"For a few more years," she replied. "And I've got a plan to create an extracurricular Flying Club. Gwenog Jones gave me the idea, and she's agreed to help me."

"That's wonderful," Albus cried. "Thank you. Filius, will you still handle Charms and Ravenclaw?"

"He will," Pomona stated loudly. "Just as I will continue with Hufflepuff, Herbology, and my Gardening Club."

Filius beamed approvingly at his wife. "I'll continue with the Dueling Club as well, and I hope I'll be able to persuade Severus to join me with it this year." He raised his eyebrows at the younger wizard.

Severus nodded his agreement and lifted his hands to his throat. "I will," he said roughly. "I'll also continue Defense for this year, but I would much prefer to return to potions. As for the Slytherins, I believe they will need me now more than ever."

"That's fine with me, my boy," Slughorn cried loudly. "I've had more than my share of excitement, and I am looking to re-retire."

Albus chuckled. "I realize that, and I do thank you, again, old friend." He checked off several spots on the parchment. "Sirius, Septima? What are your plans?"

The young couple exchanged smiles. Sirius nodded to his wife. "We've decided to remain married," Septima said softly. "Sirius and I find that we get along well, and we're happy with our two girls."

"We'd also like to continue teaching History and Arithmancy," Sirius added. "Can we arrange for family housing for the staff during term time? It would be far more convenient for us?"

"Why don't the two of you move into my quarters in Gryffindor tower?" Minerva suggested. "It's much larger, and I won't be using it in any case." Then she added, "I was hoping to get you to take over as Head of Gryffindor anyway."

"Merlin help us!" croaked Snape.

"I'd, I'd be delighted," Sirius exclaimed happily.

"And thank you for the offer, Minerva," Septima said. "We'll have the House Elves move our things in this week."

"I'm glad that's settled," Dumbledore said. He added a few more marks on his parchment. "Bathseda - " he began.

"Of course, I'll continue with Ancient Runes," she answered without waiting for him to finish his sentence. "I've still got several years to go before I can retire."

"That goes for me as well, Headmaster," added Aurora Sinistra. "I'll be happy to continue teaching Astronomy, but, if I may ask, who will become Head of Slytherin in a few years when Severus becomes Headmaster?"

"Thank you, Aurora," Dumbledore said mildly. "Are you interested in the position? If you are, you'll have to take that up with your new Headmaster at a later date." He pointed at Severus with the quill.

"I see no reason why you shouldn't take that post," Severus said, a gleam of speculation in his eyes.

"And the pay increase that goes with it," Aurora Sinistra added with a smile.

"And the larger suite of rooms," added Slughorn. "Let's don't forget that Heads of House receive larger quarters and additional House Elves as a perk."

Shaking his head with amusement, Albus looked around the table. "Hagrid? Poppy?"

"Yes, Albus," Poppy spoke for the group. "We've already spoken about it, and we've decided to stay. I'll be maintaining my Healer's Club."

"Wit' your permission," Hagrid asked, "I'd like ta be startin' a club, too. A sorta Animal Healer's Club, ya know, along with Poppy there."

"A capital idea," Dumbledore agreed. "Irma? Sybill? Will the two of you remain?"

Trelawney, fish-eyed and wild haired, intoned solemnly. "I'll continue teaching the mysteries of the Inner Eye to our youth."

Irma Pince, casting a dubious eye at her neighbor, sighed. "I'll do my best to keep the library, Albus, but so many volumes were damaged or destroyed, I just don't -"

"Headmaster Dumbledore, sir," Argus Filch put in suddenly, "I don't want to leave Hogwarts, but I just don't think I can do my job any more. These students are getting worse and worse each year, and I've about had it up to here!" He cut his hand across his face. "If I could stay on, say as a retired volunteer helper, I would be glad to assist the lovely Miss Pince with the library."

Albus cleared his throat and gestured lamely towards Pince. He looked desperately around the table, but no one was willing to meet his eyes. His entire staff seemed to be in immense contemplation of the table top. "Irma, what do you think?"

Pince lowered her eyelids and batted her lashes a few times in Filch's direction. "I would be most honored to accept the gentleman's gracious offer of assistance."

Inhaling deeply, Dumbledore held his breath for a quick count of five and slowly released it. "Well, then," Albus said, "we'll need a replacement Caretaker. Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?"

"I have one, though it's a bit unorthodox," Sirius said slowly. "What if we allowed Hogwarts House Elves to handle things? I mean, they practically run the castle anyway?"

"Better still," Septima put in, "what about Dobby? He's a free elf, so he's in need of paying position, isn't he?"

"Why not?" Dumbledore muttered. "All right, we'll give him a trial." He made some more marking on the parchment. "That brings us to the need for a new professor of Muggle Studies. I know that you'll be busy with your apprenticeship, Hermione, and that your confinement is near the end of November- " He blushed as he said the words. "- so, I've made arrangements to hire an American witch for the job. Could you assist her when she arrives?"

"I'd be happy to, Headmaster," Hermione replied. "Who is she?"

"Thank you, Hermione," Albus Dumbledore said. "She is the daughter of an old friend of mine. Horace, you may remember her. Endora?"

"Oh, yes," Slughorn exclaimed, "I do remember Endora well. I was quite taken with her." He smiled fondly. "I would have married her, but she chose that would-be actor Maurice instead."

"And now Endora's daughter will be joining us as our new Muggle Studies teacher. Her name is Samantha Stevens."