Chapter 26: Goodbye

**" Then I've got to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, haven't I?' said Harry, his eyes upon Dumbledore's white tomb, reflected in the water on the other side of the lake.

'That's what he wanted me to do, that's why he told me all about them. If Dumbledore was right - and I'm sure he was -there are still four of them out there. I've got to find them and destroy them and then I've got to go after the seventh bit of Voldemort's soul, the bit that's still in his body, and I'm the one who's going to kill him. And if I meet Severus Snape along the way,' he added, 'so much the better for me, so much the worse for him.'

There was a long silence. The crowd had almost dispersed now, the stragglers giving the monumental figure of Grawp a wide berth as he cuddled Hagrid, whose howls of grief were still echoing across the water.

'We'll be there, Harry,' said Ron.

'What?'

'At your aunt and uncle's house,' said Ron. 'And then we'll go with you, wherever you're going.'

'No -' said Harry quickly; he had not counted on this, he had meant them to understand that he was undertaking this most dangerous journey alone.

'You said to us once before,' said Hermione quietly, 'that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?'

'We're with you whatever happens,' said Ron. 'But, mate, you're going to have to come round my mum and dad's house before we do anything else, even Godric's Hollow.'

'Why?'
'Bill and Fleur's wedding, remember?'

Harry looked at him, startled; the idea that anything as normal as a wedding could still exist seemed incredible and yet wonderful.

'Yeah, we shouldn't miss that,' he said finally.

His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meet-ing with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione." ** -Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Severus wouldn't let himself think of those last few moments at Hogwarts. He had rushed through that mad flight from the castle with Draco in tow, dealing with an irate Harry Potter and Hagrid's pet Hippogriff. Bleeding, heart-sore, and exhausted, Severus side-along apparated himself and Draco directly to Malfoy Manor and to an audience with the Dark Lord.

'Severus. You have news.' Voldemort's voice was oily with anticipation.

'My Lord. I do, Dumbledore is no more.' He said quietly, pulling up his occlumency shields as he prepared himself.

'Excellent!' Voldemort said, before abruptly grabbing Severus by the chin and forcing his eyes up. He replayed the scene several times before he was satisfied. Stepping back and clasping his hands together.

'You have indeed shown yourself to be my most loyal servant tonight!' Voldemort's voice rose with excitement.

'I did what anyone would have done my Lord.' He murmured, bowing his head once more. The Dark Lord's laugh was a strange combination of a hiss and a cackle, making Severus want to shudder.

'Severus you will be rewarded greatly - this is indeed a night for celebration!'

'But first, we must address young Master Malfoy.' He said, his voice dropping as he turned his attention to Draco who still was still kneeling silently at Snape's side.

'You have failed me. You should be very grateful that your professor was able to step in and perform what should have been your duty.' He said in a calculating voice, as he fingered his wand.

'It seems the Malfoy family continues to disappoint me.'

'Nooo!' Narcissa wailed from somewhere behind him. 'Please my Lord-'

'Silence!'

'My Lord?' Severus said in his most deferential voice. He could hear Narcissa attempting to muffle her sobs.

'Please forgive my presumption, but I promised to protect the boy.'

'Ah, yes. The Unbreakable Vow, I believe?'

Severus nodded.

'Bellatrix, Narcissa. Come. You will release Severus from his vow immediately.'

With the backdrop of Narcissa's weeping and with Bellatrix glaring hatefully at him, Severus felt the relief of the vow releasing him finally.

'Now it is time to address the younger Malfoy's failure to do his duties.' Voldemort said, seconds after Bellatrix had lowered her wand.

'Perhaps in the future, you will learn that when I ask that something be done, I expect to see results. You are lucky that your professor stepped in when it was necessary.' He hissed while raising his wand and pointing it at Draco.

'Crucio!'

Severus tried to keep his face impassive as he watched his student suffer under the Dark Lords cruciatus. It may have only been a short amount of time but it was enough that, when released, Draco was weeping uncontrollably and had soiled himself. Severus waiting through one more bout before stepping forward.

'My Lord, if I may?' He bowed low, hoping this interruption wouldn't earn him the same treatment.

Voldemort had raised his wand again but abruptly stopped and turned towards Severus.

'Severus.' There was an edge of impatience to his voice.

'My Lord… I still feel… a responsibility to the boy. He has been my student for several years and I… well.' He bowed lower, hoping he had conveyed the correct amount of respect through his request.

'My Lord, Your will be done.'

'You are my most loyal servant Severus and I do wish reward you. I had planned on finding something grander. Are you sure this is what you want of me?'

'My Lord, perhaps the boy has some potential. He was my top student… he could still learn to be a good servant to you.'

… Very well, I am feeling benevolent and will grant your request!'

He pointed his wand at Draco and forced the weeping boy to fly backwards and land in a heap at Narcissas feet.

'He may go. Mr. Malfoy, if you fail me again, I will not be so forgiving.' He said quietly.

'Thank You, My Lord. You are most generous.' Narcissa gasped and then bowed low enough to cause her hair to drag on the ground before levitating her son and hurrying out of the parlor with his floating body.

For her last few days at Hogwarts, Hermione did her best to stay busy. In the end she was glad to be occupied. It prevented her from thinking too much about the reality of the situation. The reality that her Professor really had killed the Headmaster was almost too much to bear.

She snuck down to Snape's office the very night of Dumbledores death when the entire castle was silent. She gathered up the books he had left her as well as a few vials of potion and some floo powder she found on his fireplace mantle. It was there, in his room and sitting in his chair that she let herself give into her tears. Everything was going to change. Everything was going to be difficult and she felt the weight of her responsiblities acutely.

The students had been granted permission to stay at Hogwarts until the funeral. Some left immediately at their parents request, but most of them stayed, quietly drifting through the days. Classes had been cancelled, most of the students seemed aimless and lost.

A few days after the fight in the tower, Hermione made her way to Professor Vectors office, a large sheaf of papers clutched in her hands. Dumbledore and Snape were both gone. One of the convergences had taken , the Matrix hadn't shifted as much as she would have expected. She wondered about Vectors matrix, given the recent events. She wanted to get as much information down before leaving so that she could continue to run calculations. She also decided it was past time to share all of her calculations with Vector.

Septima stood when she saw Hermione in her office. Her hair was in slight disarray, she was pale, and her clothes were crumpled. Hermione wondered if she had been up all night.

'I was just thinking about going to find you.' Vector said, gathering up her own stack of papers from behind her desk.

'We need to compare our calculations… everything in mine has shifted when I entered in the events of… well… you know.'

'Yes, I brought mine – ' Hermione tried to explain, holding up her papers.

'But, I can't seem to get it to solve correctly. I'm missing something so I was hoping to look at yours.' Her professor said in an impatient tone.

'Yes, professor, I need to explain. I … well, I had some additional information that I couldn't share with you… about Draco and Professor Snape. It helps to solve that equation.

'Take a seat Hermione, lets compare what we have.'

Hermione explained to her professor about Snape's unbreakable vow to Draco's mother. This helped solve the immediate questions surrounding the convergence and then they compared notes on the ministry and Hogwarts.

'Hermione, the matrix is going to be vital from now on.' Her professor said, some hours later as Hermione gathered her notes.

'Its going to change rapidly, things will keep shifting and it will help guide you. You must keep working on it.' Septima said.

'Yes, professor… Er… next year I don't know that… well, I probably wont be here.'

Her professor nodded.

'I thought as much. You will be out of touch, keep up the matrix as best as you can.'

Hermione nodded. 'Given what will happen, I imagine that several people will need a place to go… to hide. Muggle-born students and other professors.' She said hesitantly.

Septima nodded. 'Once the ministry falls that is very likely. I plan on returning. Hogwarts is my home and I'd like to keep an eye on it… I will also keep up my work on the matrix.'

Hermione approached her professor and gave her a brief hug.

'I've really enjoyed working with you this year Septima and I hope we see each other again.'

AN: Its a short one i know - I wanted to skip to Hermiones parents but I think i needed this to keep the plot moving forward. Next we should be at Hermiones home and our two favorites should get to see each other again!
Hope you are all keeping healthy and safe during these times. Your reviews have been amazing lately and have really kept me motivated to find time to write even though RL has been a bit of a bitch lately. so thank you for that!

** marks JKs words - the last lines from HBP in fact!