Part Three:
Blackbird
A/N: Last part, any comments? REVIEW! Thanks! :) ~ Heather
Two weeks later.
"Where the hell is the weasel root?" Snape shouted to the empty potions room.
"Severus, are you ready?" Dumbledore walked into the potions room, after hearing Snape in the hallway.
"Have you seen the weasel root, headmaster?" He asked somewhat more calmly
"I believe Poppy used the last bit of it last week, why Severus?" He asked.
"I was going to make a potion for myself that is all." He said looking utterly nervous. Truthfully he was going to make a potion that would calm his butterflies in his stomach.
"Severus is everything all right? You're not even dressed yet." Albus observed.
"What? Oh yes fine, fine." Severus said shaking.
"Severus get a hold of yourself, you will be great, and you are the one the students picked."
"I … I am ready." Severus said still trembling. Dumbledore walked over to the Potion Master's desk where his graduation robe laid.
"I know you are, but do you know it?" he asked as he handed him his robe.
"Let's get it over with." He said as he pulled over the emerald green robes over his undershirt and black slacks. Severus had also combed his hair and pulled it back in a ponytail that was unseen because of his hat. He was ready for this.
"Harry, don't forget your hat!" Ron yelled.
"Oh, thanks Ron, I almost forgot. Can you believe it, we will be full fledged wizards after today?" Harry asked.
"I know, it is so weird." Ron said in reply.
"Harry, um, I think I should tell you that I am going to propose to Hermione this evening." Ron said a few moments later,
"Really? Wow, Ron congratulations!" Harry said trying to be supportive.
"Thanks, do you think she will say yes?" Ron asked nervously.
"Of course she will, what are you crazy?" Harry said.
"You're right, there is nothing to be nervous about." Ron said again.
"Right, nothing to worry about." Harry said with an underlying fear of what was to come.
"Come on Harry, it is time." Ron said.
"Let's get this over with." Harry said quietly as he followed Ron down to the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was abuzz with all of the commotion of the graduation ceremony. All of the years at Hogwarts the graduation ceremony had been a sacred tradition in which the faculty, staff, students, and the parents of the graduates came and took part in the wand activation.
The graduates were dressed in velvet long robes that adorned their house colors. Gryffindors wore a crimson red, Slytherins wore a deep emerald, Hufflepuff wore a pale yellow, and Ravenclaws wore sky blue.
"Attention students, the ceremony will begin in just a few moments, please get in line by alphabetical order as we practiced yesterday. No talking, no squirming, and no magic!" Minerva McGonagall told the students behind the door that led into the Great Hall.
"Severus, I will be introducing you, then you may go ahead and give your speech." Dumbledore said as they walked to their seats.
"Yes Headmaster." was all he said.
They took their seats and the Great Hall was hushed. The music started and the grand doors slowly opened to reveal the students. They slowly paraded through the crowd and up to the stage that had been magiced their, along with the orchestra.
"Thank you Headmaster." Severus said as the crowd whispered and rumors were spreading like wildfire through the crowd. Severus got nervous, he stood there saying nothing for what seemed like hours, when he heard two voices behind him saying:
"Go on, you can do it, don't listen to them, you never cared what anyone thought before." It was Malfoy and Potter. Severus swallowed his fears and started again.
"Ahem, Hello, as Professor Dumbledore said my name is Severus Snape. This class before you has held witness to a great deal of things, some more than other. I would like to reflect on the past few years and what great things I have seen this class do. What comes to the forefront of my mind is the demise of Voldermort." There was a gasp in the crowd.
"A great man once said: "Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself." To all of you I say, call him by his proper name, and that is Voldermort. I look at your faces and hear the rumors and I would like to take a moment to explain how I came to teach here and how well I know each and everyone of your sons or daughters.
My name is Severus Snape, I was in fact once a Death Eater." There was a gasp in the crowd. He continued.
"Do not think for a moment I enjoyed my roll, due to a numerous events that occurred shortly after making the biggest mistake of my life, I knew I had to get out. I, like your children have made mistakes, do not think for a moment that I do not punish myself daily for these mistakes. I was offered a job as a Potions Master here at Hogwarts, and so I accepted because I thought perhaps I could stop students from making the same horrible choice I did when I was their age. When I look into these students eyes, I see numerous emotions and actions just waiting to explode. I know what the students say about me, I am mean, I have no heart, and I am a cold fish. I say this, I would rather them take out their frustrations out on me than do something drastic. As a muggle by the name of Charles William Stubs once said, "To sit alone with my conscience will be judgment enough for me."
"I was born in the back alley of Salazar Street, where my mother left me out where I would die. I was found an hour later by Amelia Dumbledore, who took me home with her and got me warm. She wasn't but 16, and so she could not keep me. I was given to an orphanage, where she and her family hoped I would be adopted. They came and saw me, but as I got older the visits stopped, and she had her own family now. I never knew my father, but I do not wish to. Out of everything that has happened to, both, me and your children in these many years, I regret most the ability not to be able to have faith in them and in all of you, as so precious few had faith in me." He paused and looked down.
"Your children have taught me very recently that faith goes both ways, and in order to have faith in someone, they must have faith in you. Perhaps that was my problem, too much pride and too much weighing on my conscience." He paused again in order to change gears.
"These past years these students faced many challenges and overcame a great deal. The four houses are often thought of as a divider among students, but as each passing year I see students from all houses working together for the better good of the wizarding community. Each house posses a strength that no one house could do without. Ravenclaw, smart, and dedicated to all they do. Hufflepuff, loyal to the end. Gryffindor posses a courage that no house could do without, and finally Slytherin. Slytherin sadly over the years has come to possess a certain reputation in which I have worked so hard at ratifying. Slytherins have the drive and determination that no school could do without.
These four houses were designed as a way for students to learn and grow with witches and wizards with their own common interests but is when the four houses work together do great things happen.
This class has witnessed some horrific events in their time, the passing of friends, family and neighbors has not driven them apart, but has slowly brought them together. As Albus tells so many of us now is not the time to dwell on dreams and forget to live, but to take what life brings us and reap the many joyous rewards.
Finally today I leave you with a song by the muggle, Paul McCartney:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
So take those broken wings and fly, you have been waiting all your life for this moment to be free."
He ended and started to turn around to sit, but he saw the whole student body rise to their feet clapping, and for a moment he stood there pondering whether he liked this recognition or not, and then he realized that perhaps in fact he did. He turned back to the podium and saw that the crowd was raised as well.
He had in fact gotten a standing ovation, he felt as if his he was going to perhaps cry, he was overwhelmed, never once had the community done this for him, never had they recognized him, for the person he was, and finally he had gotten his chance.
This was a moment he would never forget.
Blackbird
A/N: Last part, any comments? REVIEW! Thanks! :) ~ Heather
Two weeks later.
"Where the hell is the weasel root?" Snape shouted to the empty potions room.
"Severus, are you ready?" Dumbledore walked into the potions room, after hearing Snape in the hallway.
"Have you seen the weasel root, headmaster?" He asked somewhat more calmly
"I believe Poppy used the last bit of it last week, why Severus?" He asked.
"I was going to make a potion for myself that is all." He said looking utterly nervous. Truthfully he was going to make a potion that would calm his butterflies in his stomach.
"Severus is everything all right? You're not even dressed yet." Albus observed.
"What? Oh yes fine, fine." Severus said shaking.
"Severus get a hold of yourself, you will be great, and you are the one the students picked."
"I … I am ready." Severus said still trembling. Dumbledore walked over to the Potion Master's desk where his graduation robe laid.
"I know you are, but do you know it?" he asked as he handed him his robe.
"Let's get it over with." He said as he pulled over the emerald green robes over his undershirt and black slacks. Severus had also combed his hair and pulled it back in a ponytail that was unseen because of his hat. He was ready for this.
"Harry, don't forget your hat!" Ron yelled.
"Oh, thanks Ron, I almost forgot. Can you believe it, we will be full fledged wizards after today?" Harry asked.
"I know, it is so weird." Ron said in reply.
"Harry, um, I think I should tell you that I am going to propose to Hermione this evening." Ron said a few moments later,
"Really? Wow, Ron congratulations!" Harry said trying to be supportive.
"Thanks, do you think she will say yes?" Ron asked nervously.
"Of course she will, what are you crazy?" Harry said.
"You're right, there is nothing to be nervous about." Ron said again.
"Right, nothing to worry about." Harry said with an underlying fear of what was to come.
"Come on Harry, it is time." Ron said.
"Let's get this over with." Harry said quietly as he followed Ron down to the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was abuzz with all of the commotion of the graduation ceremony. All of the years at Hogwarts the graduation ceremony had been a sacred tradition in which the faculty, staff, students, and the parents of the graduates came and took part in the wand activation.
The graduates were dressed in velvet long robes that adorned their house colors. Gryffindors wore a crimson red, Slytherins wore a deep emerald, Hufflepuff wore a pale yellow, and Ravenclaws wore sky blue.
"Attention students, the ceremony will begin in just a few moments, please get in line by alphabetical order as we practiced yesterday. No talking, no squirming, and no magic!" Minerva McGonagall told the students behind the door that led into the Great Hall.
"Severus, I will be introducing you, then you may go ahead and give your speech." Dumbledore said as they walked to their seats.
"Yes Headmaster." was all he said.
They took their seats and the Great Hall was hushed. The music started and the grand doors slowly opened to reveal the students. They slowly paraded through the crowd and up to the stage that had been magiced their, along with the orchestra.
"Thank you Headmaster." Severus said as the crowd whispered and rumors were spreading like wildfire through the crowd. Severus got nervous, he stood there saying nothing for what seemed like hours, when he heard two voices behind him saying:
"Go on, you can do it, don't listen to them, you never cared what anyone thought before." It was Malfoy and Potter. Severus swallowed his fears and started again.
"Ahem, Hello, as Professor Dumbledore said my name is Severus Snape. This class before you has held witness to a great deal of things, some more than other. I would like to reflect on the past few years and what great things I have seen this class do. What comes to the forefront of my mind is the demise of Voldermort." There was a gasp in the crowd.
"A great man once said: "Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself." To all of you I say, call him by his proper name, and that is Voldermort. I look at your faces and hear the rumors and I would like to take a moment to explain how I came to teach here and how well I know each and everyone of your sons or daughters.
My name is Severus Snape, I was in fact once a Death Eater." There was a gasp in the crowd. He continued.
"Do not think for a moment I enjoyed my roll, due to a numerous events that occurred shortly after making the biggest mistake of my life, I knew I had to get out. I, like your children have made mistakes, do not think for a moment that I do not punish myself daily for these mistakes. I was offered a job as a Potions Master here at Hogwarts, and so I accepted because I thought perhaps I could stop students from making the same horrible choice I did when I was their age. When I look into these students eyes, I see numerous emotions and actions just waiting to explode. I know what the students say about me, I am mean, I have no heart, and I am a cold fish. I say this, I would rather them take out their frustrations out on me than do something drastic. As a muggle by the name of Charles William Stubs once said, "To sit alone with my conscience will be judgment enough for me."
"I was born in the back alley of Salazar Street, where my mother left me out where I would die. I was found an hour later by Amelia Dumbledore, who took me home with her and got me warm. She wasn't but 16, and so she could not keep me. I was given to an orphanage, where she and her family hoped I would be adopted. They came and saw me, but as I got older the visits stopped, and she had her own family now. I never knew my father, but I do not wish to. Out of everything that has happened to, both, me and your children in these many years, I regret most the ability not to be able to have faith in them and in all of you, as so precious few had faith in me." He paused and looked down.
"Your children have taught me very recently that faith goes both ways, and in order to have faith in someone, they must have faith in you. Perhaps that was my problem, too much pride and too much weighing on my conscience." He paused again in order to change gears.
"These past years these students faced many challenges and overcame a great deal. The four houses are often thought of as a divider among students, but as each passing year I see students from all houses working together for the better good of the wizarding community. Each house posses a strength that no one house could do without. Ravenclaw, smart, and dedicated to all they do. Hufflepuff, loyal to the end. Gryffindor posses a courage that no house could do without, and finally Slytherin. Slytherin sadly over the years has come to possess a certain reputation in which I have worked so hard at ratifying. Slytherins have the drive and determination that no school could do without.
These four houses were designed as a way for students to learn and grow with witches and wizards with their own common interests but is when the four houses work together do great things happen.
This class has witnessed some horrific events in their time, the passing of friends, family and neighbors has not driven them apart, but has slowly brought them together. As Albus tells so many of us now is not the time to dwell on dreams and forget to live, but to take what life brings us and reap the many joyous rewards.
Finally today I leave you with a song by the muggle, Paul McCartney:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
So take those broken wings and fly, you have been waiting all your life for this moment to be free."
He ended and started to turn around to sit, but he saw the whole student body rise to their feet clapping, and for a moment he stood there pondering whether he liked this recognition or not, and then he realized that perhaps in fact he did. He turned back to the podium and saw that the crowd was raised as well.
He had in fact gotten a standing ovation, he felt as if his he was going to perhaps cry, he was overwhelmed, never once had the community done this for him, never had they recognized him, for the person he was, and finally he had gotten his chance.
This was a moment he would never forget.