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What If Snape Died? – Chapter 25 – Sharing the Memory

While James got Neville, Alice escorted Harry to the Great Hall for dinner. Just before they got there, Harry asked her, "Mum, what's gonna happen to Mrs. Malfoy and Draco?"

She pulled him into a nearby classroom and shut the door. She bent down and looked in her eyes. "Well, she's probably going to be arrested and have a trial. Percy will have to testify about Draco giving him the book." She then closed her eyes for a moment. "You, Neville, and Hermione might also have to testify. Do you understand what that means?"

"Yes. I go to court and answer questions."

She smiled. "Exactly. You just tell them the truth. But we can talk about that later tonight. Your father and brother are probably already at the feast."

They soon arrived in the Great Hall and found that Alice was right. They sat beside the rest of the family. As Harry sat next to Neville, he saw that his stepbrother was looking straight ahead, ignoring him. His arms were crossed in front of him.

"Neville," he whispered, getting no response. "Come on. What are you mad at me for?"

"You know why I'm mad," he hissed back, still looking straight ahead.

"Because I went with mum and dad? What should I have done? What would you have done?"

"I'd have refused to go until they let you come, too."

"While Percy was dying? It wouldn't have worked anyway. You heard that they didn't want me to come but had to…"

"I know! I know! You're the Parselmouth, the Boy-Who…"

"Shut up! You know I don't want that!"

"Be quiet, both of you!" ordered Alice, with a look that they knew better than to argue with.

Dumbledore chose that moment to stand up and walk to his podium. "Good evening, everyone. I have excellent news. The two Professor Potters, along with their son, Harry and his friend, Hermione Granger, have located the long-hidden Chamber of Secrets and disposed of the monster within, which incidentally was a basilisk. Therefore, the restrictions placed upon you for protection are no longer necessary." There was a lot of applause at that announcement. "Unfortunately, the basilisk victims still won't be revived until late January at the earliest, but there will be no more attacks. For now, Tuck in."

Dinner that night was a very cheerful event once the food appeared, but Neville did seem angry at his family and wouldn't speak unless spoken to. When they finally got to their quarters, James and Alice decided to settle it.

"Neville, I'm sorry that you felt left out of facing a basilisk and Voldemort, but that's no reason to have a pity party."

"We didn't want to bring your brother with us, but we had no choice," explained Alice patiently. "It's not his fault that we had to take him with, and it's unfair of you to be mad at him."

"And the reason we didn't take you is because it wasn't safe," added James. "As it is, he, along with your mother and I, almost died tonight."

Neville seemed a bit humbled by that. "Could you tell me what happened?"

"Could we show him like we did the Weasleys and everyone?" asked Harry.

James wanted to make sure Neville realized just how serious this 'adventure' had been, and thought the Pensieve would be the best method. "Truby."

The little elf appeared. "You is wanting Truby, Master Potter?"

"Yes. Could you pop over to Professor Dumbledore's office and ask if we can borrow his Pensieve?"

"Of course, sir." The house elf disappeared in another pop. Thirty seconds later she was back with the Pensieve, and the memory was still in there. Neville went in with Alice.

When the two of them came out of it, Harry and James were playing a game of chess. Neville looked very frightened and was holding onto his mother. He let go of her and walked up to Harry. "I, I'm sorry for what I said. You…"

"It's all right, Neville. I understand."

"I don't know how you could even think with that monster about to eat you!"

"I'm sure you could do the same thing."

-WISD-

Neville doubted that was true. He was truthfully very impressed with how Harry had killed the snake. Harry wrote a letter to Hermione about what had happened, but Neville looked at it before it was sent off and added, "Harry is really downplaying how he killed the basilisk. Demand to see the memory! Harry was incredible, and so were mum and dad!"

-WISD-

In the week that followed, James, along with Sirius and Remus, who visited Hogwarts, added the Chamber of Secrets to the Marauders' Map while Harry and Neville watched in awe. Alice seemed to be getting ill. Hermione (along with her parents) was very pleased to receive an award for special services to the school. She was given one copy of the trophy while the school kept the other. James proudly displayed his son's trophy in their living room.

Dumbledore informed them that Narcissa Malfoy (who had been applying for a teaching position when she visited Hogwarts) had been arrested and Draco was put in the wizarding equivalent of juvenile hall, pending the outcome of the trial. While she was being arrested, she tried to escape, and part of her robes ripped off during the struggle and was caught by one of the Malfoy house elves. He happily exclaimed, "Dobby is free!" and disappeared with a pop. This distraction allowed the aurors to stun Narcissa.

The trial was scheduled in the middle of February. The Ministry wanted to give the basilisk victims time to recover, so that they could offer testimony. They wanted to make sure that the charges against Narcissa stuck.

-WISD-

Percy made his way to James Potter's office, where he knew Hermione was having a lesson with the Potters' kids. It was a week after the basilisk was killed. He knocked on the door with his head hung down.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," greeted James cheerfully when he opened the door.

"Er, Hello, Professor Potter. I, er, was hoping that I could talk to Hermione for a minute." His legs were fidgeting about nervously.

"Of course, Percy," the girl in question answered, walking toward him.

"We can take a break," replied James. "Don't be long."

Once they'd walked into a nearby empty room, Percy said rather quickly, "I know that when you warned me about the diary you were only trying to help and it turned out you were right, so…" He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"That's all right, Percy. You were rather harsh. I think you'd been having a rough term and took it out on me. However, I think you've paid more than enough for it."

"No," he admitted with his head hung down. "I thought I was smarter than you. That I was better than you and everybody, and I ended up proving that I'm the stupidest. I nearly killed my own brother."

Hermione wasn't sure what to say to that, so she changed the subject. "I should probably be getting back."

-WISD-

Hermione returned and they continued the lesson. Afterward, she asked to see the memory of the Chamber of Secrets. She watched the entire incident intently, and when she exited the Pensieve, she looked at the two Professor Potters.

"What's a Horcrux?"

The two adults looked at each other nervously. Finally James spoke. "A Horcrux is a very evil dark magic that we don't talk about."

"You said the diary was one. It's something Voldemort made," responded Harry.

"Forget about Horcruxes," ordered Alice, "and don't ask anybody else about them! You'll end up in a lot of trouble."

"Not just from us," added James. "They are one of the most evil dark objects there are, and anybody you ask that does know about them will think you or your mother and I are evil." He turned to Harry. "Asking about a Horcrux is worse than talking to a snake as far as what people will think of you."

"If you don't want us asking others, then you have to tell us yourselves," demanded Neville.

James looked in Neville's eyes, Harry's eyes, and finally Hermione's eyes. "I suppose if I don't tell you, Hermione will send an owl to Flourish and Blotts for any books on Horcruxes they might carry."

"James, we can't…"

"Alice, our only other choice is to obliviate them, and I'm not willing to do that."

Taking a deep breath, Alice conceded. "Fine, but you kids can't tell anyone about this, ever. Is that clear?"

"Yes," they all answered.

James gave the basic explanation of Horcruxes to the kids, and mentioned that the diary was the third one they'd destroyed, and that they believed there were three more. Harry immediately remembered when James was hurt from the ring, and they explained to him what had really happened.

-WISD-

School was let out for the holidays, and the Potters spent Christmas with Augusta Longbottom. She'd accepted Harry as another grandchild, but, though she wouldn't admit it, she never seemed to like James that much. He suspected she thought he was replacing Frank. Harry wondered what it was like at the Burrow, with Charlie still petrified and Percy feeling responsible.

At dinner, Alice made an announcement that surprised everyone except James. "I, that is, we, er…" She looked at James to continue.

"We're having a baby."

-WISD-

Chapter end