** I don't own these characters or the stories they belong to **


Severus registered the noise of a crowd and a small backstage audience at the end of the unexpected portkey trip. He stiffened in alert and glowered at Lucius and Draco who looked suspiciously amused. The pair of them had been acting like excited, fidgety loons, trying to appear relaxed but failing spectacularly as the pocket watch checking had been neither infrequent nor surreptitious. Of a sudden, Lucius had pulled a small object from his robes and urged Severus and Draco to hurry and grab hold of it. Uninformed but unsurprised, Severus had touched it mere seconds before it had transported them.

"I confess myself unsurprised to have arrived at some unknown location given the obvious nature of your behavior of the last quarter hour, but where, may I ask, have you brought me?" Severus growled in a low voice to Lucius.

"Ah, there you are, Severus," came the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt behind him. "Just a moment more, and then...Ah, here they come."

Severus saw Hermione appear with Narcissa and Ginny Weasley. It appeared Hermione had also been ill informed of her portkey trip. She looked guarded and startled while Ginny grinned and Narcissa wore a half smirk. When she spotted Severus approaching her, relief graced Hermione's face and she began to walk toward him.

"Sev, what...where?" began Hermione.

"I have little notion myself," he answered her.

"We have a surprise for you both," Kingsley told the couple and then turned to their escorts. "We've saved you all seats at the front, if you'll exit here, to the side, and take them."

Harry poked his head around the curtain, "Ah, good," he beamed at them before saying, "You're up Minister."

Kingsley exited through the curtain as Harry came towards them.

Hermione gripped Severus' hand. "I suppose this explains the suspicious lack of news publications at the Burrow for the last week," she mumbled.

"Quite." answered Severus.

Still smiling, Harry shook Severus' hand and hugged Hermione. "They've already done the same thing to me. I'd have never accepted if it hadn't been Kingsley at the helm of the Ministry or if they hadn't also promised to honor you."

Hermione noticed Harry grip his blood quill scarred hand.

Harry continued as the crowd began to quiet, "There were some that wanted everyone else given second class, but Kingsley and I made sure you two, Tonks and Remus, and Ron were given same as me. Honestly, I feel bad they stuck you in the same class as us, Severus. If I could have talked them into giving me second class or creating an extra special first class for you I would have done."

Severus blinked, wordless and surprised, once again by a glimpse of Harry Potter that was new to him. Hermione squeezed his hand.

They heard Kingsley's deep sonorous voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to introduce our guests of honor...Severus Snape and Hermione Granger...and our speaker Harry Potter."

There was loud applause as Harry pushed them around the curtain as their names were called. Kingsley ushered them to seats and came to sit beside them and Harry approached the podium.

Harry was a little jittery as he began to speak to the crowd, but Hermione was proud of him. Up until the last battle, Hermione was sure Harry would rather have faced Voldemort himself than spoken in front of such a audience. But now that he had faced and overcome his foe, Harry had relaxed and grown into himself. He didn't exactly look like he relished being the focus of attention (that would never change), but he spoke well and with conviction.

"Up to now, I have been given more credit for ending this war than is due. Without the heroic effort of those we honor today, victory would have been impossible."

"The first person I would like to honor today is Severus Snape. There are not enough words to explain how much we owe our lives, our freedom and our future to this man. Nor would he wish me to spend the words to do so."

Harry smiled in Severus' direction and Severus smirked back.

"If I may, I'd like to begin by telling a cautionary tale."

Harry looked again at Severus, who after a moment nodded. Severus considered Harry's tale of the three lost boys better by far than the woeful tale of lost love he could tell. He only hoped Harry didn't go that route as well.

"For so long we have fought what was the great and terrible evil manifest in the person of Lord Voldemort. But, as I'm sure is often the case, this great evil had roots in smaller evils that are common place among us. In explanation of the greatness of valor and heart within the man I honor today and as a precaution against the commoner evils of abuse and neglect, bullying and blood pride which led to the horrors we so recently suffered, I'd like to tell you the tale of three lost boys."

"Over seventy two years ago there lived, in squalid condition, the last pureblood family descendent from the line of Salazar Slytherin. The father and the brother were imprisoned for attacking both Muggles and the Ministry officials who came to investigate. The daughter of the family, who had been abused and terrorized by father and brother alike, upon their incarceration took a family heirloom, and by magical means captured the attention of the neighboring Muggle who became her husband. By some means, perhaps her own, the husband was released from her enchantment and he left her alone, pregnant and impoverished. In desperation, she attempted to sell her family heirloom, and though the wizard who purchased it knew well its extreme value, he took advantage and paid her a pittance. Unable to care for herself, she died shortly after the birth of her son, leaving him in the care of a Muggle orphanage."

"Feeling different and alone, and never knowing love, her son learned early to manipulate with magic and charm to get what he wanted, and thus he succumbed to the lure of darkness and power without hope of rescue. Later, this first lost boy came to Hogwarts, his beginnings a history of pureblood pride, and wizards' abuse of Muggles and of their own kind. His name was Tom Riddle. He would later become known as Lord Voldemort."

There were some gasps in the crowd at this, but Harry continued.

"The second lost boy arrived to Hogwarts about twenty five years after the first. His pureblood mother married a Muggle man and for this, she was cast out from her noble family. They became impoverished, the woman had a son, and her husband abused them both. However little, the son did have the love of his mother, and he had the friendship of a girl in his neighborhood, a muggle-born witch who came with him to Hogwarts. The second lost boy was Severus Snape. The girl was my mother, Lily Evans."

Harry paused a moment for a few more mutters in the crowd.

"I never got to know my Father. I know he became a good, brave, and loving man and I respect and love his memory, as I do my godfather, Sirius Black, whom I at least knew for a short time. Whatever they later became, they started life privileged and spoiled and they bullied, because they could, the second lost boy. Isolated and bullied, the second lost boy was also drawn by the lure of inclusion into the realm of power and darkness led by the first lost boy. When he took initial steps in this direction, his one and only true friend abandoned him, and he fell further into darkness for it."

"Eventually, the first lost boy threatened the life of the second lost boy's childhood friend, and the second lost boy turned from the darkness to become servant and spy for the light in exchange for his friends' protection. Tragically, she trusted the wrong person and she and her husband were killed anyway. In honor of his friend, the second lost boy vowed to become the protector of her son, the third lost boy - me. No one but Albus Dumbledore, the leader of the light, ever knew about Severus Snape's vow of protection or why he had turned from the darkness, for he swore the leader of the light to silence."

"Orphaned at a young age, the third lost boy was sent to Muggle relatives, who bullied and neglected him, and never told him of his heritage. He came to Hogwarts with no memory of love and never having known friendship. Thankfully, I learned quickly of my mother's great love, how she sacrificed her own life to save mine, and I had the great fortune of gaining two best friends. Though I was similar in many ways to the first lost boy, love and friendship saved me from the lure of power which was offered me from my first arrival here, and the darkness which offered me many things, many times."

"Consider well the very great harm wrought by abuse and neglect, by bullying and belittlement based on blood status, and the very great danger posed by those who are forged by it. Darkness and evil feed on such, and love and friendship are the only preservative and cure. Albus Dumbledore once told me that it is not who we are born to be, but the choices that we make that determine who we are. I am not the remarkable person in this tale, I was merely saved by love and friendship, and the protection of Severus Snape, the one who is remarkable. Ultimately, his choices were the ones which saved us all."

"Professor Snape saved my life untold times during my years at Hogwarts. When Tom Riddle returned, Severus Snape lived a life of constant strain and mortal peril. I faced Voldemort many times, but I count that as little compared to the bravery Severus Snape displayed in working against the Dark Lord while directly and often in his presence. I saw several times Tom Riddle's penchant for frivolously torturing his own followers. This, Severus Snape faced heroically, providing the light vital information, and yet alone and distrusted by the light he served. Worst of all, Severus was forced to vow to kill the one person who knew the depth of his virtues by the man himself. Albus Dumbledore required many difficult and near impossible things of me, but none of those come close to the vow he extracted from Severus Snape. I know Dumbledore demanded that service in order to spare the soul of a student coercively conscripted by Tom Riddle to murder him, that he wished for a quick end as opposed to the slow and painful end promised within the year by the dark curse which resided in his hand, and also that Severus would be put in place as a trusted servant of the Dark Lord at Hogwarts to protect the students to the best of his ability. I have only to imagine, for a second, the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange as Headmistress before I understand the necessity of it, but it is still the worst, most difficult vow I've ever heard requested of anyone."

"In the end, no one did more to win the war than Severus Snape. But for him, the world would have been swallowed into darkness. I ask you to stand and honor this remarkable man, the bravest man I've ever known. Severus Snape, please come forward and receive our thanks and the Order of Merlin, First Class.

Severus walked forward stalwartly amidst raucous applause. Hermione could tell he was simultaneously touched by Harry's words and wishing he would have said less. With tears in her eyes, Hermione stood and clapped loudly with the rest as Severus accepted his medal and said his thanks before returning to sit beside her. When the applause settled, Harry continued.

"Today I also honor Hermione Granger. She has been one of my best friends and my family for seven and a half years and I can honestly tell you it was the luckiest day, not only for me, but for the Wizarding World when she first boarded the Hogwarts Express and entered the compartment where Ron and I sat. Anyone who knows her can tell you that she is loyal and good and brave beyond compare. When everyone else looks the other way, Hermione is the one who looks and sees and stands up for what is right, who champions the rights of the oppressed and undervalued. Besides all this, Hermione is rightly known as the brightest witch of this age and has more to offer this world than we can know."

"If you would honor me at all, you must honor Hermione. You call us the Golden Trio. It was never me alone, and Hermione has always been the heart and the brains of our operation. She has saved our lives more times than I could count. Hermione has been the one to figure out and guide our mission on nearly every occasion. We wouldn't have even survived our first year without her. Ron told me last year that we'd wouldn't last five minutes without her. I can't tell you how true that was."

"When we were hair-brained, which was nearly always, Hermione forced us to think and focus and study. When death by mountain trolls, giant devil's snare, poison, baslisks, dragons, beasts, giant snakes, High Inquisitors, Death Eaters, snatchers, Voldemort himself, and I don't know what all - threatened, Hermione was the one who taught us how to survive or saved us outright. When those in power did everything they could to suppress the truth of Voldemort's return, she figured out how to get the word out. When those same powers did everything they could to prevent us learning how to defend ourselves, she risked illegal punishments and expulsion to found the group that trained all of our student heroes how to fight. When it became necessary to set off, hunted and alone to accomplish that which was necessary to overcome Voldemort, Hermione made unfathomable sacrifices to join us; she was our teacher, protector, and guide and my never ending encouragement and support. When the last battle came, Hermione was among the many who fought bravely, and some of us are here today only because of her."

Here was a whistle from Fred. Harry and Hermione grinned and Harry continued.

"Hermione Granger is beyond deserving of the honor of the Order of Merlin, First Class, not only for her outstanding acts of bravery and distinction in magic, but as the finest example of the spirit of the Order of Merlin itself: which is to do what is right and protect Muggles from the misuse of magic. As we work to re-build our world, I can only hope that we go forth with the wisdom she has taught us. May we never simply accept the way things are or adopt any ideas, no matter how seemingly popular or from whom they originate without first thinking them through and weighing their merits. May we not invite horrors into our future by treating any person or creature with less dignity and respect than they deserve. May we never fail to stand up for what is right."

"Hermione Granger, please come forward and accept our thanks and the Order of Merlin, First Class."

Hermione walked forward to wild applause. She saw many of her professors and friends among the crowd and this only increased the moisture in her eyes. Harry pinned the medal to her robes and hugged her tightly before swinging her to face the crowd. She uttered her thanks and retreated back towards Severus.

"That concludes today's presentations. More will follow next month. Please exit momentarily so we can set up refreshments and rejoin us in ten minutes for celebration." Kingsley stood and said.

"Wow, Harry. That was.." Hermione hugged him, unable to finish. "Thank you."

Harry squirmed. "Yeah, well. It was a one time deal. Never want to do it again if I can help it...but it was worth it for you two."