At last the meal with Snape. I've tried to keep the order as straight as possible but claim artistic license on any variations. I hope you enjoy it.
After classes on Tuesday, everyone contacted by McGonagall to dinner with Snape assembled in the hallway by the Gargoyle guarding the staircase. Just before 6pm, the stairway opened and McGonagall appeared.
"Thank you all for coming," she said after greeting them. "Please, come up."
The group came up into the office where a large table had been set up. Snape was seated at the head of the table and McGonagall took her place at the foot. "Please be seated," she bid them, inviting them to choose their places for themselves. Severus took note of who had been invited as they found their seats. House was there as Severus had asked, Potter and Granger, Flitwick, Slughorn, Bill Weasley, Lovegood, Longbottom, Malfoy and his mother, along with Arthur and Molly Weasley.
"How are you doing, Severus?" Arthur asked, concern evident in his tone and expression.
"Better," Severus answered. His voice was still gravelly but he didn't seem to be so pained when he spoke. "Every day is just a bit better although I don't think my voice will ever fully recover. The coughing has calmed down a great deal, for which I'm grateful."
"I'm glad to hear that," Arthur said sincerely. "I remember my own encounter with that snake," he said shuddering a bit at the memory.
Severus frowned. He had forgotten that. "Do you have any residual effects from it, Arthur?"
"No, well… yes. Nightmares still come every once in awhile. They catch me off guard now. Right after the attack, it was very hard to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time," Arthur admitted. "The first year I had some residual pain as well but that's faded away over time. I don't have any now. How are you handling it?"
"Depends on the hour and how long since the last potion," Severus answered with a shrug indicating, his expression indicating that he didn't want to talk about it any further.
The first course of the meal appeared on the table, small bowls of soup, tossed salad, and plenty of bread and butter. For a minute or two, conversation consisted of nothing more than requests to pass some item and murmurs of approval over the taste of the food. Once that died down, Severus nervously spoke.
"Minerva asked you all here tonight so that we can share our stories of last year," he began. "House has suggested to me that I should share more information about what I was doing during the war and last year in particular. I am not thrilled to do this, I admit. Because I could not tell you what I was doing, what I was really thinking, I faced censure and disapproval from many of you. I have no reason to expect that to change but struck a deal with House to at least find out for sure," he finished, shooting a sour look at House who gave him a grin back.
"When the curse on your wounds was broken at St. Mungo's, Minerva told us that you had in fact been working for the good of the school and its students last year," Arthur commented. "And Harry testified that he saw your memories; that you had been working as a spy for Dumbledore before his parents were even killed."
"Did you really kill Albus?" Molly asked suddenly, turning an intense stare on him.
"I did," Severus admitted and looked to say nothing more.
"Tell them why," Harry prompted him.
Severus looked around the group and finally nodded.
"Very well. In his research to help Mr. Potter defeat Voldemort, Albus had found a ring that Voldemort had cursed. He certainly knew the dangers that such an object represented however, this ring was different."
"How so?" Arthur asked, interested but confused.
Severus shared a look with Potter and Granger who both slowly nodded.
"I think we can share all of the details with this group, Headmaster," Hermione offered. "I think it's vital in fact."
Severus nodded and took a few spoonfuls of soup to regather his thoughts and decide how far to backtrack.
"The reason that Voldemort was not destroyed when he attacked the Potter family in Godric's Hollow is that he had already created five horcruxes. For those of you who don't know what that means, it is a very dark curse to split your soul through the act of murder and place that bit into an inanimate object. If the body is killed, these pieces of soul remain. As long as they do, there is a chance that the person can be resurrected," Severus intoned solemnly.
"Five horcruxes?" Arthur asked, ashen at the idea as he looked over at Harry and Hermione.
"At that point, yes. The diary in the Chamber of Secrets, the Gaunt family ring, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, and Ravenclaw's diadem. Mr. Potter destroyed the diary and the horcrux within it with a basilisk fang.
"Albus had discovered the ring and although he knew it was a horcrux, he could not resist the temptation to put it on. The curse settled into his hand and although I was able to greatly slow its course, I could not reverse the effects. He had less than a year to live. He did not want to die the painful death the curse would give him. He asked that when the time was right, I myself would kill him."
"How could he ask you something like that?" Molly asked, shocked at both the information about horcruxes and the request.
"Albus asked a great deal from many people, as much as that and more. Witness what he asked of Mr. Potter ever since that night in Godric's Hollow," Severus returned flatly.
"Why did you agree?" Neville asked, equally shocked.
"I had made binding vows to Albus when I turned spy. He invoked the vows when he made his request."
"So that was why you stepped in that night?" Narcissa asked shakily. "Because of the vow to Dumbledore not the vow you made to me?"
"Yes," Severus answered. "But it allowed me to fulfill the vow I made to you at the same time and I have always wondered if Albus had foreseen that moment. He did know that Voldemort had tasked Draco to kill him, on threat of killing you, Narcissa, as well as Draco, if he failed. Albus did not believe that Draco was a killer and did not want him to be placed in that position. So he asked me that, when the time came, to step into Draco's place and do the deed myself."
"But what about your soul, Severus?" Flitwick asked with concern.
"Albus considered my soul part of the sacrifice that I had made when I came to him originally."
"Were you a Death Eater before you became a spy?" Neville asked.
"I was," Snape confirmed flatly.
"But you're a half-blood," Hermione said.
"So was Voldemort," Harry remarked casually.
That brought some astonished looks out, particularly from Draco and Narcissa.
"What did he offer you?" Draco asked quietly.
"The Dark Lord needed a potion master. I was an outcast as a youth. I had only one friend, Mr. Potter's mother, whom I alienated through my own actions. My family life was terrible. When the Slytherins, especially those like Lucius from prominent pureblood families, began to pay attention to me, making me feel important and wanted, I was easy prey to the Dark Lord. He had me believing like I could have power and influence, that no one could talk down to me anymore. I was young, bitter and angry. I foolishly believed him. For a time, his words seemed true. The wealthy families saw to my placement and training, both as a potions apprentice and how to act within pureblood society. I won't whitewash what I did. I participated in their crimes freely during that time," Severus said, refusing to meet any of their eyes.
"What made you switch sides, Headmaster?" Bill asked.
Snape looked up and met Harry's eyes. Harry slowly nodded.
"It's all right, Headmaster. Maybe it's time that all the facts were known at last, by this core group at least," Harry said.
Everyone at the table looked between the two of them curiously but remained silent.
"Perhaps you are right, Mr. Potter. Perhaps the time has come to be rid of the secrets that have weighed us down for over two decades," Snape agreed.
"Right. All of you should know then that my father, Sirius, Pettigrew and Remus severely bullied Severus all throughout school for no reason and started with no provocation from Severus," Harry announced, startling Severus who nodded appreciatively to Harry after a moment.
"Oh yes, they were always after Severus," Minerva said, "and he wasn't the only one they bullied."
"Many of you have witnessed the bitterness between Sirius Black and myself," Severus put in quietly. "Black sent me to the Shrieking Shack when Lupin was transformed to the werewolf. Had he not told Potter of his prank, I would have been killed. Potter got me out, but I have long suspected he did it to save Black and Lupin, not myself. Black should have been expelled for that but Dumbledore refused to act yet again and in fact wrung a vow of secrecy from me to protect Lupin. For the record, it is Black I hold responsible for this event, not Lupin."
"So that's why you acted so hateful and bitter toward Harry right away," Hermione breathed out.
"That is part of the reason, Miss Granger, but certainly not the whole of it. I do apologize for my actions now, Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded soberly but remained silent and gestured for him to continue with the explanations.
"Lily Potter… Lily Evans, was my first and only real friend as a child and into my years here at Hogwarts. We grew up not far from each other and I recognized her as a witch. She highly disapproved of my interest in the dark arts and the influence of the Slytherins on my. The more angry I became with the bullying, the closer I got to the Slytherins. One day, I was so angry at Potter and Black. Lily tried to intervene and I… I called her a mudblood and told her to stay out of it. She never forgave me for that, though I begged her to do so. I stayed outside of the Gryffindor dorm all night to speak to her but it did no good. The damage was permanently done. Soon after that Lily got together with James Potter and I became even more bitter. I joined the Death Eaters as soon as I graduated."
"After they were married and had Harry, I was in Hogsmeade with Lucius Malfoy and I eavesdropped on a meeting between Dumbledore and Sybil Trelawny. I heard her telling him a prophecy… the prophecy," Severus said meaningfully, glancing at Harry. Everyone nodded but House and Draco.
"The prophecy sounds ominous. What was it about?" House dared to ask.
"It told of the one who would vanquish the Dark Lord," Severus answered. I only heard part of it, but I took that information back to Voldemort. After dissecting what I heard, Voldemort decided that Mr. Potter was the one the prophecy spoke of. He ordered the Potters killed. That is what moved me to go to Dumbledore. I told him what I did and begged him to hide them all, for Lily's sake. Dumbledore made me swear an unbreakable vow to him, to become a spy for the light from that moment on. He put the Potter family under the Fidelius Charm, which hides a location from being able to be found, even by those who already knew where it was, until they are given the pass phrase from the chosen secret keeper," he explained for House's benefit.
"So how did Voldemort find them?" Draco asked in a small voice.
"The secret keeper betrayed the location to Voldemort," Harry said in a tight voice. "Everyone thought it was Sirius Black, since he was my father's best friend. That's why he was sent to Azkaban. But it wasn't Sirius. At the last minute, James and Sirius decided he was too obvious a choice and they made the secret keeper Peter Pettigrew."
"After the attack, Dumbledore kept me out of Azkaban for my activities as a Death Eater, citing my efforts as a spy," Snape continued. "I thought it was over but Dumbledore insisted that it wasn't, that Voldemort would return. He gave me the teaching position here and I continued my associations with the death eaters for information."
"When Mr. Potter came to Hogwarts, I made many wrong assumptions about him," Snape admitted. "He looked so much like his father that oftentimes it was James that I saw, not Harry. Not until I noticed his eyes. I didn't realize until far too late that he knew nothing of his parents or their history. And when it became apparent in his first year that Voldemort was indeed quasi-alive and about to return, that I would definitely be returning to my role as spy, it became imperative to treat him badly. The Dark Lord is a master of legilimency; it was vital that he would see me treating his mortal enemy badly if I was to be effective as a spy."
"Of course," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I never even thought of that aspect."
"Once Voldemort returned to life, I attended Death Eater meetings and brought information back directly to Dumbledore. He and I would decide on what information I would then pass to Voldemort and how much truth would be in it. Some truth had to be there, in order for Voldemort to believe that I was trustworthy."
"I want to ask you something, Severus," Molly said, leaning forward intently. "The night Harry left Privet Drive, you were seen in the group that attacked the Order. You were seen cursing Order members. What were you doing then? Was that pre-planned with Dumbledore?"
"Some of it was, yes. I was ordered by Voldemort to be in the group. I had to appear to trying to get Potter while also working to allow Potter to escape. I regret that George got caught in the crossfire," Severus said, knowing jumping to the part that he knew Molly was building toward. "I was aiming for the wand arm of another Death Eater when they shifted direction. I'm very sorry that I hit him."
Molly thought it over a minute then nodded. "It could have been much worse than just an ear."
"When school started up again, Voldemort ordered me to take the role of Headmaster. This was something that Dumbledore and I worked hard to encourage. I was to do everything in my power to protect the students and yet remain seen as loyal to Voldemort by the Death Eaters."
"That's a mighty fine line to walk," Flitwick observed.
"I must say, to my dismay, that I believed that," Minerva said.
"As did I," Narcissa said. "Even Bellatrix no longer doubted your loyalty after Dumbledore's death."
"I did what I could to limit the punishments inflicted on the students by the Carrows," Severus continued. "I could only interfere just so often, just so much. I tried to assign detentions with trusted professors whenever possible. I highly regret that I was unable to do more than I did."
"Some of us knew you were doing that," Neville said. "When we disappeared from the school, you knew where we were, didn't you?"
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom. I knew you were all holed up in the Room of Requirement," Snape confirmed. "I fled from the duel with you Minerva because I had absolutely no desire to harm you and the Order and Mr. Potter still had a monumental task that needed all their focus. I did what I could to interfere with the Death Eaters until summoned by Voldemort."
"Wait. You did more than that," Harry interrupted. "When we were camping in the woods, trying to figure out how to kill the horcruxes, you found us and got the sword of Gryffindor to us. We used the sword to kill the horcrux."
"Indeed. Albus had given me information that Mr. Potter would need to know in order to defeat Voldemort. The sword was one thing that you needed."
"So once you destroyed the five horcruxes, that was when you returned to the school?" Draco asked.
"No. Well, yes, but we had only destroyed the locket when we returned. Along with the diary in second year and the ring that Dumbledore destroyed, that was three," Harry responded. "Once we got back to the school, with Hufflepuff's cup that we stole from Bellatrix's vault, Ron and Hermione got basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets. Griphook took the sword after helping us break into the vault, so we hadn't been able to destroy it yet. Luna helped me find the Ravenclaw diadem. Hermione used a fang to on the cup. The fiendfyre destroyed the diadem in Room of Requirement. But there were still two horcruxes left.
"Still two more?" Draco asked, horrified at the idea.
"Yes. His snake, Nagini, was a horcrux. And Harry himself was a horcrux," Hermione said in a trembling voice.
"Before I could get that information to Mr. Potter, Voldemort summoned me to the boathouse. Albus had been the master of the Elder Wand, taken from the dark wizard Grindelwald. He was buried with it, as you remember, Minerva. Voldemort violated the grave and took the wand but he couldn't master it completely. He decided that since I killed Dumbledore that I must be it's master. He told me he regretted killing his most loyal servant and set Nagini on me. Potter, Granger and Weasley had been hiding in the shadows and came to my side when he had gone. I gave Potter the information through my memories, which he read in the pensieve in Dumbledore's office. That is where my personal knowledge of the tale ends."
"We went back to the castle and I told Minerva what happened to you. We sent a stretcher out to pick you up while the ceasefire was on," Hermione explained. Harry viewed your memories and then headed into the forest, leaving Ron and I with the task of killing the snake. We weren't able to do it, but Neville got the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat and decapitated it. That left just Harry," Hermione explained.
"Dumbledore left me the first snitch I ever caught in his will. It was inscribed with a message; I open at the end. I got it open and found the resurrection stone inside. I think that having that, seeing my parents and Sirius again, gave me the courage to go on and helped in my being able to come back after the killing curse. Voldemort killed his own horcrux instead of me."
"That was why it affected him so badly," Narcissa murmured.
"Exactly. Then you lied to him and told him that I was dead so that you could save Draco. Voldemort and I battled and I was able to defeat him. The irony is that Severus was never the master of the Elder Wand. Draco disarmed Dumbledore that night on the tower, and I disarmed Draco at the Manor when we were caught by the snatchers. So it turned out that I was the master of the Elder Wand," Harry said with a half smile and casual shrug.
"You? And I was too?" Draco asked in disbelief. "What did you do with it?"
"I destroyed it. And the resurrection stone is lost as well. Too many people have paid too heavy a price to try to master and use those items," Harry stated firmly.
"So the Deathly Hallows were actually real?" Draco asked.
"They were. The Three brothers were real. The resurrection stone came down through the ages as an heirloom to the Gaunt family; Voldemort's mother's family. The Elder Wand changed hands by conquest over and over. And the Cloak of Invisibility was passed down through family as well and passed from my father to me through Dumbledore," Harry admitted.
"No way!" Draco sputtered. "You're related to the Peverells?"
"Yes. They are even buried in the graveyard at Godric's Hollow, not far from where my parents are buried."
There was silence while everyone thought about what they had learned and finished their meal. As it was cleared and dessert arrived, Snape spoke again.
"This is why I did not wish to survive the battle. It is why I do not wish to be the headmaster. I have committed too many serious crimes and errors and no one will accept that the last year was meant for good. No one believed it of me before, I have no reason to expect them to do so now."
"Had I known what Sirius did to you, sending you to Remus when he was transformed, I would have tanned his hide!" Molly declared fiercely. "And he had the nerve to act so badly to you afterward. Dumbledore should have taken him in hand if he was going to insist you keep silence! Or Remus! For goodness sake, he should have done something."
"Lupin never stood up to them, Molly," Severus said resignedly. "He, like I, was too afraid to lose his only friends."
"I still say that you are the only one who can be headmaster now, Severus," Minerva insisted. "You have the personal experience of being on both sides to help guide the children from Death Eater and sympathizer families and prevent bullying from the light side at the same time."
"I fully agree," Flitwick said and Slughorn, who'd remained silent through the meal now loudly agreed as well.
"No one will forgive me for killing Dumbledore."
"I do," Harry said, followed immediately by Hermione, Neville and Luna. "And I know that with all of these facts in hand, my mother would now forgive you as well. You tried to save them. You put your life at risk to save them. That changes everything. And you spent the last seven years putting your life at risk to save me, to save the wizarding world. That's why I put you up for the Order of Merlin, first class. And I think McGonagall is right. You're in a unique position to understand both sides."
"At least see it through this year, Headmaster," Bill added. "Once you're able to attend meals and the school business, give it this year and see if we're right."
"I think they're all right, Headmaster," Luna said airily. "Bullies and Voldemort would want you to feel guilty and be alone and angry. It's time to take your life back from them. And besides," she added, looking around the table then back to Snape. "You aren't alone anymore. You even have a childhood friend back," she added, smiling at House, who nodded.
"We'll stand by you, Severus," Arthur assured him. He glanced at Molly and gestured slightly toward the Malfoys. Molly thought for just a moment and then nodded. "And we'll give you, Narcissa, and Draco a second chance." Arthur thought for a moment then extended his hand to Narcissa.
"I'm Arthur Weasley," he said with a smile. She looked at his hand then smiled and took it with her own.
"Narcissa Malfoy, and this is my son, Draco," she responded.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Weasley," Draco said, shaking Arthur's hand himself.
The mood became much lighter at the table and by the end of dessert, everyone seemed comfortable with each other. House was pleased that Snape had had as good a result as House had gotten from his own family and shortly thereafter suggested they leave Severus to rest. Everyone wished him well and left him in Tippy's care.
