The battle was finally over. How long had it lasted? Seemingly not long in the grand scheme of things but it had felt like ages to the teachers and students of Hogwarts. Minerva McGonagall had only been sitting a few moments trying to process everything around her, there in the great hall lay so many bodies, bodies of the children she had taught and been responsible for, for years. However now was not the time to be thinking those thoughts, there would be plenty of time for that later. As she braced herself to get up and continue helping the rest of the staff Hagrid came walking towards her, she stood up just as he got to her.

He just stared at her with a solemn look on his large face, his shoulders slumped. "Uh, mind coming with me for a sec.. somethin' you need to see, just you" She was confused but just nodded and followed Hagrid out of the castle, they were walking outside, careful to make sure no one was following, and eventually they stopped at the outside of the shack. "Why here? What's inside?…" She asked him, confused. He scratched his head "Well… he is, Minerva". The realization dawned on her and she only replied with a curt nod, they walked inside and immediately the foul smell of blood hit her nose, making her feel ill. "Oh lord.. Hagrid what happened here…" He didn't reply, he only looked down and kept walking up the stairs, she followed and soon the sight was before her, Hagrid had reached the top and knelt down beside the man on the ground. Her hand covered her mouth. Minerva was met with the sight of Severus Snape lifeless, lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, still seeping from his neck, his face was even more pale than usual and his black eyes empty, staring at nothing. She paused for a moment, feeling quite dizzy then knelt down beside him and reached out to touch him, but Hagrid stopped her, his big hand holding her arm. "Nothin' that can be done, already checked him, no pulse, cold as ice" She nodded but still moved to gently move his head up and close his eyes. "What on earth happened here… I know what he's done Hagrid but I…. I just don't understand, why?…" tears started to form in her eyes, remembering the man she thought she knew, the one who would always drink fire whiskey with her, who would share her frustrations, who came to her even though he scarcely trusted a soul. The skinny little boy who would always perk up in her class when he won his house points for being so clever. When she had heard what he did… that night he killed Dumbledore, she had never felt so betrayed. Her anger however quickly turned into sadness, wondering how it had come to that, and if she might have done something to stop it, maybe if she would've seen something in him before… but no matter, now here they were, he bloody and lifeless and she left there to mourn him.

Hagrid suddenly let out a sigh "Minerva, there's somethin' you should know… about that night. Professor Snape here did kill Dumbledore, ya see… but it were on his orders, told me hisself he did." Minerva just stared for a moment, dumbfounded "You mean… Albus told Severus to kill him? But… that's.. why on earth would he ask for such a thing?"

"Well I'm sure ya noticed he'd had a black spot on his hand..? He was cursed, bound to die soon as it was, it were surely a mercy to go out on his own terms, Snape here begged Albus not to make him do it, thought it would split his soul he did.. I suppose that's why he looked so angry when he did it…" Minerva looked pale as she stared at Hagrid, his face looking at Snape's silent features.

"Even before the portrait told me I always knew there were a reason, I raised this boy up ya see, from when he were just a wee little runt throwing fits in my hut about those boys who was always harassing him. I watched him the night Lily and James Potter died…. And what I'd seen him do that day…. He had all but collapsed into my arms after he'd went on a rampage, screaming to all high hell how it were his fault, throwing jars and trashing his office, he bout took a leap from the astronomy tower the next day as it were… we 'ad to sedate 'im and keep 'im in the hospital ward for a week or so… I'm sure you remember he was a trifle 'unwell' then, course most people thought it was cuz he were mourning for his 'Dark Lord' or whatever nonsense but only Dumbledore and me knew better. He'd defected long before then… and even after that he'd been working for our side ever since… I knew there was a reason for what happened the night Dumbledore died, his portrait had just confirmed it later." Hagrid started sniffling a bit then, and little tears rolled down his face. "But if all this is true…. Why was I not told!?" Minerva looked suddenly angry "I don't understand, you're telling me Severus was truly on our side this entire time, and he was completely alone in it all this past year?… I was so angry I…. I couldn't even look him in the eye after he became headmaster.. I was blinded, it all makes sense now… I thought it was strange when he'd sent those students to detention with you of all things… or when i saw him yelling at the Carrows after punishing a student, I always thought it had something to do with not harming potential future death eaters but …. my god Hagrid I've been so blind I just… why was I not told? Didn't he think he could trust me?" Hagrid looked up at her "There weren't nothing you could've done, I mean would you really have believed him if he'd confided in you anyway, you were ready to kill him yourself by the looks of how things played out at the end. 'Sides Dumbledore ordered us to not tell a soul, it was too risky. If anyone had ended up captured and had been forced to tell, Harry may not have won at all… It's the way it had to be."

She looked down at him, her tears falling onto his cold hand that she now had clutched in her own. "Oh Severus… dear boy. Why did you not tell me? I'm so sorry…" she said to him though he could not hear her. "How could I have not seen…" She caressed his face and swept the hair away from it, his features so relaxed he looked much younger, and it dawned on her that he was only a man of 38, hardly more than a boy in her eyes. And again the image of the small, frighted little boy she'd once taught entered her mind, and how she'd watched him become a man, a fellow teacher, and eventually a friend. Hagrid wiped his nose on his sleeve and let out another sigh "I just thought you should hear that from me, Harry's already seen all he needs to to know Snape here was on his side, and knowing him he may well tell the world, or he may tell no one. I just wanted you to know before we head back.." She nodded "What'll we do with him?" Hagrid reached over and wrapped Severus in his cloak, most of it stained in blood, and picked him up slowly. "They may not be too happy with it for the time being but we'll lay him with the others, near remus, and find a place to put him later, still got a lot of work to do." And with that Hagrid walked down the stairs of the shack with Severus cradled in his arms and Minerva following behind, trying to recover her composure before they went back inside Hogwarts. As they walked into the great hall, many eyes followed them, the look on the faces grew hateful when they saw who was in Hagrid's arms. "What the hell are you doing bringing him in here" Ron Weasly spoke when Hagrid had stopped near where Remus and Tonks laid. Everyone else had grown completely silent, watching. Harry Potter suddenly appeared behind Hagrid and upon seeing the Professor in his arms looked quite sullen, there was a long silence before he spoke. "Ron, just let it go for now. Snape was still headmaster, so for now it's probably best to lay him with the others until the officials come." He sounded tired as he spoke, like each word was a chore to get out. The students all went back to talking amongst themselves, satisfied with what their hero had said. Ron still looked furious but was too tired to argue. Hagrid gave Harry a small smile and a nod as thanks and laid Snape on the empty stretcher next to Remus Lupin. Minerva put her hand on Harry's shoulder and walked with him out of the hall. "Thank you Potter, I wasn't sure how they were going to react." He nodded "So you know too then?"

"Yes, Hagrid only just informed me in the shack, that's what was keeping us"

"I figured that's what it was, I saw you both walking towards the shack." Harry paused for a moment. "I watched it all happen ya know. Voldermort killed him, because he thought Snape was the master of the Elder Wand, when really Draco was it's master. I thought it was strange when Snape didn't tell him, he was a smart man, he saw Draco disarm Dumledore, he knew the wand wasn't his. And yet he said nothing, no plea for his life, nothing. I saw the horror in his face as that snake tore into him, there was nothing he could do to defend himself. And after he fell to the floor, Voldermort told him he regretted it… then it all happened so quickly… I was at his side and before I knew it, there was the man I've despised for years, the man who killed my mentor, dying in my arms, crying and begging me to take his memories. And you know what he told me? He told me I had my mothers eyes, those were his last words. And I watched the light leave his eyes." Minerva stood there once again lost for words. Harry kept on walking until they were both outside, in the rubble. "I've had many people tell me I had my mother's eyes, but only this time did it really mean something. I couldn't understand why the hell he would say something like that to me when he'd shown nothing but contempt for me these past seven years. And then what I saw in the pensive… he was my mother's best friend during their childhood. I had no idea, everything he's done, was out of love. The love he had for his only friend. How could such a man be so full of hatred and yet be so moved. I'm still dumbfounded to be honest with you Professor."

Minerva stood next to Harry and looked at him. "Severus was a man with many secrets Mr. Potter. No one put their faith or trust in him, and so he trusted no one in return. I'm only now realizing just how much I didn't know about him, even after working with him for over twenty years he never revealed much. I suppose he can't be blamed for such a countenance given the life he lived. It's…. tragic that it had to end this way and I truly don't know that i'll ever forgive myself for not seeing such goodness in him before, or for ever doubting his loyalty after he had proven it so many times before. It seems we both misjudged him, most all of us did in fact and I suppose that's what he meant to do. To play the evil part in order to do good. I could never be put in his place. Only he possessed the strength needed to be such a pawn. And he played his part perfectly. There was nothing any of us could've done I'm afraid, he knew how things would end. All we can do now is be grateful…" Harry smiled at Professor McGonagall "Yeah, that's true. But still, I wish I could've talked to him, knowing what I know now, I think there's a lot more he could've told me. Or at the least I could've apologized to him for being such an ass. But what's done is done I guess.. Thank you for talking with me about this Professor. I'm glad someone who was closer to him knows. I'm not sure if I want to tell anyone else right now or not but, in the meantime, I'm just glad. Glad it's finally over." Minerva smiled back at him and they started walking back "Well Mr. Potter, Voldermort may be gone but there's still work to be done, no time to rest just yet. Come on now and we'll try to get things sorted before the days gone."

By the end of the night everyone was beyond tired, the castle had been cleaned of most all of the rubble and dirt, blood, and everything else that comes with a battle. All the bodies had still been set out but were covered with white sheets until the morning when they would be taken away to their families or to whomever they belonged. Most all the students where either sent home or sent to their houses until they were able to leave. The castle was entirely silent for the first time in hours, only a small dim light in the Gryffindor tower shone in the pitch black of the castle. Harry Potter was still awake, and alone in the tower, Ron had gone back home to be with his family and Hermione, as much as she wanted to be of more help and to be there for Harry had decided to go home with the Weasly's as well. But Harry wanting to stay on and see to it that everything was taken care of tomorrow decided to stay, and besides he had hardly anywhere else to go, the burrow was no happy place tonight, but neither was Hogwarts. His mind raced with thoughts all throughout the night, he could hardly process all of what had transpired the past few days, he'd lost so much, so many people. He had saved the wizarding world, but at what cost? Harry got up out of his bed and put on his invisibility cloak, he wandered the halls awhile and eventually stopped in front of the great hall where they all lay. He took a deep breathe and slowly opened the door, so many white sheets laid across the hall before him, he quietly walked by them all, until he reached the one he was searching for, except what he found was not what he had expected. Snape was gone, nothing but a bloodstained cloak remained. Harry practically flew out of the hall, his heart pounding as he ran.

Hagrid was snoring as loud as a freight train, his head plopped onto the table he was leaning into. He was awakened rather loudly by the sound of loud and rapid banging on his door. "Mmm huh?? Wha what one sec!" He tiredly got up and opened the door. "Wha, Harry what on earth are you doing up this late? What's wrong?" Harry was out of breathe and panting "Hagrid!! It's Snape!! He's…. gone!!!!" Hagrid's eyes grew three sizes and immediately he was more awake then he'd ever been "What?? Harry that's not possible… I checked him more than once, he had no pulse, no nothing!"

"I know how it sounds Hagrid but I swear! I went to see him, you know to try and make amends before tomorrow and he was bloody gone!! His cloak is still there but it's covered in his blood. Just go look for yourself if you don't believe me!" Hagrid looked at him, standing there absolutely dumbfounded and out of breathe and knew he was telling the truth. He quickly grabbed his lantern and walked as fast as he could up the hill and into the castle. They both strode into the great hall and just as Harry had said, Snape's cloak laid there, but Snape himself was nowhere to be found. "I don't believe it… where in the hell could he have gone, I swear he was dead and cold as frost when I found him. There's no way……" Hagrid said as he stared down at the missing space. Harry, who's heart had been racing quickly spoke "oh Christ… you don't think someone could've taken him do you?? I mean you said it yourself he was definitely dead and unless there's some spell I don't know about you can't just up and walk away as a corpse" Hagrid thought and just said "Let's wake Minerva" and they both strode off to towards her quarters. They were both banging on her door, and it was swiftly answered "What on earth is going on!?" Professor McGongall declared as she opened her door, still in her nightgown and cap. Upon seeing both Hagrid and Harry looking like they'd seen a ghost she became very worried "Oh Lordy what is it? What's happened?" Hagrid just looked at Harry "Uh well…. It's Snape, he's gone," and with that they were all three running towards the great hall. Minerva was soon to find that they were telling the truth, she stared down at where the body should've been and she found herself completely speechless. "He must have been taken, someone must have stolen the body that's the only logical answer!" Harry said as he paced back and forth down the hall. "But why? Who on earth would do such a thing?" Minerva said

"Well I don't know why exactly but it very well may have been the death eaters.. I mean we didn't round them all up when Voldermort died, a lot of them escaped. We were foolish to assume they'd all just go run and hide and not try to take some sort of revenge! We should've seen something like this coming! But that still doesn't explain why they'd take Snape's body, if he's dead then what use is he to them, they didn't take anyone else, there are multiple death eater bodies here, why just his? It just doesn't make any sense…" Harry kept on pacing until Hagrid finally stopped him. "You may just be right Harry, frankly I'm just as confused as you are but it wont do to go worrying yourself none, there's not much can be done tonight so lets just see if we cant figure something out in the mornin, and in the meantime you should be getting some rest." Harry just looked up at him "Yeah I guess you're right Hagrid, still I don't know that I'll be getting much sleep tonight."

"Come with me Potter" McGongall said swiftly and they both went walking in the direction of the dungeons. "Professor, why are we going down here…" But Minerva said nothing as she approached the door to the potions classroom. Slughorn had left earlier that day and so it was empty. She made her way to the office door and unlocked it, quickly opening the shelf that sat against the wall. "Ah, same as always. Professor Slughorn didn't use these quarters, said they were too dark for him and so he was allowed other sleeping arrangements, but Severus did live here during his time as potions master, everything is still in it's proper place. Here you are Potter" She said as she handed Harry a vial of sleeping draught "I expect you to take this and then head up to your dormitory, if we're to figure this mess out tomorrow you'll be needing a full nights sleep. I'll come and wake you in the morning. No arguments." And so Harry downed the vial as she watched, both said their goodnights, and then they parted ways, he to Gryffindor tower and she to the great hall where Hagrid was still looking for any signs of a break in he could find. "Any luck?" She said

"'Fraid' not, I cant find much of anything" Hagrid shrugged his shoulders. Minerva sighed. "It's just as well, there's not much can be done tonight. We'll just have to reconvene in the morning. I've sent young Harry to bed with a sleeping draught, hopefully that'll calm his nerves. In the meantime we'd best be getting sleep of our own. I'll be seeing you in the morning Hagrid, goodnight." And with that she left. Hagrid still stood there for a minute.. "what happened to ya lad?"