He couldn't tell for how long they had been sitting there like that. Around him bolts of lightning flashed and voices echoed through the woods, some of them very far away, some of them dangerously close, but he wasn't able to see anyone. At some point Harry had started trembling and sobbing. Far away the thunder roared and it started to rain.

Slowly Ron stood up from the ground, grabbed Harry's arm, pulled him to his feet and carefully sneaked over to Snape and Lupin. He knew the unforgivable curse was fatal and that nobody could ever escape it. Still he knelt down next to Lupin, reached out his hand and touched his arm. He flinched and withdrew his hand again. He was dead, there was no doubt about that, but only now Ron could truly believe it. Had he not dragged Harry along by his sleeve he would probably just have stopped walking to stand motionless where he was. Ron stepped past Lupin and stood in front of Snape who was still sitting with his back against the tree. He watched him very closely, trying to make out any sort of movement through the darkness that would prove that he at least was still alive. His efforts remained unsuccessful so he knelt down on the ground next to his professor and carefully touched his shoulder with his fingertips.

Ron asked in a low voice. Professor Snape?

A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the sky and at that moment Snape opened his eyes to look directly into Ron's face.

The infamous Mr. Weasley. He muttered. I assume Mr. Potter is somewhere around as well.

Yes Sir, he's here too... Ron replied. Are you all right? He then asked slowly.

Snape looked down to where Lupin lay. I'm alive. He muttered and struggled hard to get up from the ground. Follow me. He then said and slowly made a few steps, followed by Ron, but not by Harry who was still standing there trembling and completely apathetic. Snape turned around, walked back to Harry and seized him by his shoulder. He opened his eyes wide, stared at him and pulled away from him. Snape sighed inaudibly.

Come on now, Potter! He snarled, roughly grabbed his arm and dragged the young wizard along deeper into the forest. Some minutes later he seemed to have found the place he had been looking for, stopped, sank down to the ground protected by a large black rock and brought Harry down with him. Ron sat down next to Harry and put an arm around his shoulders.


It was still raining and it had become significantly colder. Harry had fallen asleep and Snape had been sitting motionless with his eyes closed forever now. Ron wished he could also just sleep and wake up the next morning to see that everything was nothing but a bad dream. He put his wet hair out of his face and hugged his knees with his arms. By now he was totally soaked and shivering from cold. From the bushes not far away from him he heard something rustling, winced and hopefully looked over to Snape, but he didn't show any sort of reaction.

He asked in a low voice and Snape opened his eyes, shot him an angry glare and thus immediately shut him up just like he had intended. Ron watched his teacher and realized that he also must have had heard the noise and was by now listening closely to find out where it had come from. Without making any sound Snape rose from the ground, pulled out his wand, walked a few steps and vanished between the trees. Ron looked after him, concentrated on staring into the darkness and winced whenever he heard only a leaf rustling in the wind.

He whispered and carefully shook him by the shoulder. Harry slowly lifted his head and stared at him out of empty eyes without saying a word. Ron had never been able to imagine he would ever miss Snape's presence, but right here and now he felt totally desolate. Somewhere way too close a gleaming red light flashed, followed by a muffled scream.

Where did Snape go? Harry asked in a low voice and when Ron looked at him he saw that he finally seemed to have composed himself again.

He replied with a shrug and nodded in the direction where Snape had disappeared into the forest. Maybe we should go back to the school, we really can't do anything down here. Ron then whispered.

A late realization, Mr. Weasley. The both looked up and saw Snape standing behind them again. You two will stay here, you will not move. He whispered.

Harry hadn't been quite sure what he wanted to say when he opened his mouth, he had probably only tried to protest because he was used to it. He anyway didn't get the chance to finish his sentence.

Don't move, don't make a sound. Snape hissed. Am I understood? He threw them a deadly glance and Ron and Harry nodded before he was swallowed by the darkness again.


The two boys were sitting next to each other on the damp forest ground and listened to the sound of the raindrops in the leafs. They were both very tired and they were freezing, but they wouldn't fall asleep, they would just sit and wait for the next day seeming so endlessly far away.

The sounds of the battle travelled further away from them and the stillness of night engulfed them more and more. But even the longest and darkest night has to end and when the pale morning was dawning it had become completely silent all around them. It wasn't raining anymore and single weak rays of sunlight cut through the delicate white mist when they started on their way back to the castle. Everything around them seemed so quiet and peaceful, it made it hard for anyone to believe that what had happened the night before had been for real. All the Death Eaters had disappeared, even the injured and the dead - Voldemort never left such traces. But the battle had claimed its victims. Harry and Ron hadn't taken the way that would lead them past the spot where Lupin had been lying the night before. They were going to tell Dumbledore or someone else about it as soon as they would get back to the school, although the teachers probably already knew anyway.

They reached a small clearing and a few steps away they saw a body on the ground. It was a young woman, one of the Aurors, Alina Slingarks. She lay motionless, face down, her head turned to the side and her empty open eyes staring into the distance. Harry had barely ever spoken to her, she had been staying with the Ravenclaws, and now she was dead. They didn't say anything, stared down at her for a moment and then walked on.

It had become warmer and slowly the forest was becoming thinner as they approached the edge of the woods. It was going to be a sunny day today, a day laughing with a sneer at the battlefield the night had left behind. Between the trees in front of them there was a movement. It was Dumbledore. He seemed exhausted, but at least he was still alive. They wanted to run over to him but remained where they were standing when they saw the man in the black cloak lying on the ground in front of the headmaster.

Dumbledore looked down at Severus Snape silently for a long time, his eyes filled with sadness. Snape was lying on his back, his eyes half closed. On his chest a slim bird of prey had huddled up, its wide gray-brown wings protectively spread over its dead master.

Linya, come here. Dumbledore whispered and the bird lifted its head a little to look at him questioningly out of large gleaming yellow eyes but didn't make a move.

I know. The old wizard answered the bird's gaze and held out his arm. Now come on.

The young sparrow hawk blinked and put its head back down onto the black cloak. Dumbledore knelt down next to Snape, carefully closed his eyes with his hand and picked up the wand that had been lying on the ground next to Snape's left hand. With a soft sigh the old man got up again and walked on towards the edge of the woods.

Let's go. Ron muttered and pulled at Harry's sleeve.

Harry replied softly and slowly walked over to the dead wizard. The bird turned its head to face him and watched him closely out of narrowed eyes.

It's all right. Harry whispered to the animal as he approached further and knelt down on the ground next to Snape.

From this near the man didn't look as cold and dangerous as Harry had known him. He just couldn't be dead. Not he who had fooled Voldemort over so many years, who had always managed to balance on the fine line between both sides, who had again and again followed the Dark Lord's call but still never returned to his side. Not the man who had always protected him. The man he had always considered as invincible.

Thank you. Harry whispered and then quickly jumped up from the ground again. He still felt uncomfortable being so close to him and didn't know what else he could have said. He only wished he would have told him earlier. Although Snape probably wouldn't have listened anyway.

Harry turned away from him and took a few steps but looked back when he heard the flapping of wings. The sparrow hawk had risen from its place, spread its long wings in the air and was staring directly into Harry's eyes. Harry hesitated and then raised his arm a little. Do you want to come with me? He asked in a low voice.

The bird wavered, looked down at Snape one last time and then jumped into the air, fluttered towards Harry, landed on his arm and climbed up onto his shoulder. Harry slowly walked through between the trees to the edge of the woods.


When he stepped out onto the meadow together with Ron they saw a scene of destruction. The mighty ancient castle, having been standing here over centuries, having lasted unharmed through so many wars and having seen the comings and goings of so many generations of wizards was merely a shadow of its once so imposing appearance. Some of the towers had broken down nearly completely and giant wholes had been torn into the old walls. Dust still filled the air and engulfed what had remained of Hogwarts in a ghostly fog. Through this mist they saw blurred figures and from in between the trees next to them their comrades-in-arms stepped out of the shadows of the woods and onto the meadow. Many of them were injured and had to be supported by their friends and Harry also knew that many of those who had defended Hogwarts that night would not be returning at all. He stepped forward and stood next to the headmaster who was standing with his arms behind his back and gazing up to the ancient castle. When he noticed Harry's presence he looked at him, studied the bird of prey sitting on his shoulder and smiled at him without hiding the sadness in his eyes.

I'm sure Severus would have been taken with Linya's choice. The old wizard then whispered.


~ end ~