Echoes
Chapter 19: The Outcome
The flash of green that enveloped Snape, forced every appearance of life from his body, causing his limbs to go limp and unmoving like a rag doll. The light was brilliant, and it lingered. In that moment, time slowed for Hermione, and all of her fears flickered in the green light.
Now that Snape was no longer a concern, Voldemort slowly turned, his foot moving up to the bottom stair. Though her eyes should have been focused on the creature that was now moving toward her, or even on the many shadows in the foyer that scrambled and shouted, fighting the giant serpent, they were instead on Snape—waiting, watching and hoping.
That is not to say that Hermione was not scared for her life, but rather that her concern for Snape, not knowing if the potion had worked, overrode any other feelings she may have had. Time stood still; her breath caught in her chest as she waited.
And in that instant, Hermione saw something subtle, but significant.
Out of Snape's hand rolled an object, too shadowed and far away to clearly see, but Hermione knew what it was. Awkwardly, Snape slid backwards, drawing Voldemort's attention away from Harry and Hermione; an expression of disbelief formed on the Dark Lord's face.
Quickly, Hermione grasped Harry's hand; they both knew what they had to do.
Rising slightly, they pointed their wands at Voldemort. Using all their strength, they focused on the monster. In unison, Hermione and Harry shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" Two thin flashes joined into a thick beam as it neared the Dark Lord's chest. From the floor below, a third, pained Killing Curse was cast just slightly out of sink with their voices, but the flash hit his chest before the large ray dissipated.
For an instant, there was silence. Then with a burst of energy, Voldemort's body split open, the ripples from the blast sending shockwaves up the stairs, forming a rift in the steps; what remained of the barricade tumbled into the foyer.
As a vaporous mist rose from the corpse, Snape somehow managed to crawl backwards, away from the scene.
The Spiral next to Voldemort's body began to glow and move and twist. Near the glowing gem, a dark void unfolded; small at first, it grew exponentially--wide, but without depth. Its concave edges swooped like a blanket over Voldemort, engulfing the body, vapor and debris.
And then there was nothing. As quickly as the apparition had appeared, it collapsed in upon itself, leaving no trace of the darkness.
The blast that shook the ground with the Dark Lord's destruction was massive and did not go unnoticed by the enemies within the foyer. The Death Eaters, who had so readily attacked, now fled, the serpent slithering after them down the hallway.
The stairs were severely damaged. They could almost be called rubble, but they had not entirely collapsed, so that Hermione began the difficult trek downwards, wading over giant chunks of stone, trying desperately to reach Severus as quickly as possible.
The movement was slow however, and for once, when Harry offered, Hermione gratefully accepted a broom ride.
As they glided down, Snape moved, trying to sit up against the bottom stair. His body was shaking uncontrollably, his hand still tightly clutching his wand, so that Hermione doubted if he could in fact release it if he tried.
"Severus!" Hermione called out as she neared him, jumping from the broom before her feet even touched the ground.
Snape shifted towards her, so that she finally was able to clearly see him, and he was a sight to see. His pale face was bloodied and bruised; a large cut ran across his bottom lip, red trickling down his chin. He was a wreck. To Hermione however, he was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on. Grasping his free hand which still trembled, she brought her other arm around him and squeezed tightly.
A rush of emotions flooded into Hermione, and without realizing it, tears began flowing down her cheeks. She spoke with more feeling than thought as she held him. "I was so frightened; I don't know what I'd do without you."
He was shaking bitterly hard, but his arms were firmly wrapped around her. Kissing her neck, he simply closed his eyes and held tight.
Hermione had never felt such joy. His arms and chest were warm and solid and alive. The notion that the war was over, truly over, hadn't fully hit her yet, but she knew that she needed him, and he was there.
What Harry thought or felt at that moment watching the two lovers together, Hermione did not know; but he stood silently, not interfering. It wasn't Harry that caused Hermione to leave Severus' side, but rather the sound of intruders, shouting commands, and feet shuffling down the hallway.
Before any more could be said, the house was filled with Aurors, surrounding them, wands out, searching. Most of the group ignored them as they sat silently on the remnants of the stairs. Several Aurors spread out against the walls, seeking out dangers in the shadows.
The house was no longer as dim as it had been; the chandelier that hung from the center of the ceiling now shown brightly, illuminating the foyer and making the damage to the house much more apparent. The far wall had been broken in two by an irregular fissure. The stairs resembled a pile of boulders that one might find along the sea side. Now that the lights were on, Hermione could see that the wreckage fanned out across the floor. To an outside observer, it must have appeared as if an earthquake had struck.
One tall Auror came toward them. As he neared, Hermione noticed he had an expression of disgust on his face, as well as what appeared to be chunks of wet tomato. His arm outstretched, he held a squirming Dobby, hanging by his tea towel. The little elf's brightly socked feet were kicking wildly in the air.
Glaring down at Hermione, the man demanded, "Is this creature yours?"
Hermione nodded, shell shocked by his gruff introduction, and Dobby was dropped with a thump.
"The little miscreant was throwing food at my officers."
Hermione could picture Dobby doing just that. She also felt a surge of protectiveness for the creature and replied with more force than she intended, "He was only trying to help."
Ignoring the Auror, Hermione turned to Dobby and in a gentle voice asked, "Dobby, will you find Crookshanks? I don't want to leave without him."
The House Elf's face brightened and he stood, fidgeting anxiously, "Oh, yes! Dobby will find Misses' cat."
"Tell him to get the portkey from my rooms," Snape muttered hoarsely.
Hermione could feel Snape's robes shake against her arm, and resisting the urge to hold him, she focused her attention back to Dobby. "We need the stuffed bear from the professor's rooms as well."
Dobby nodded fervently and scrambled across the room.
Watching the scene, the Auror snorted with contempt and moved his eyes to the man next to Hermione, his disgusted look fixed into place. "Snape," he sneered.
Snape's body still shook, but Hermione could tell that he was making every effort to remain still. Through clenched teeth, he replied, "O'Neil."
"It seems you've survived." He paused, watching Snape carefully and added softly, "Pity."
Hermione felt a sudden urge to hex the man. Instead, support came from a surprising person, as Harry blurted out, "Voldemort's been destroyed and we're alive because of Professor Snape."
The Auror flinched at the use of Voldemort's name, and his eyes widened with disbelief. "You-Know-Who is dead?"
"As good as," Harry responded.
Snape's eyes narrowed. "Your presence here is like clockwork. Too late to be useful, as usual." Snape's words had a cutting edge to them, but his breathing was becoming labored, and Hermione became worried. His nerves seemed to be rebelling against his will.
She interrupted whatever response O'Neil had for Snape, imploring, "The professor's been hurt. We need to get him help as soon as possible."
O'Neil didn't move, unconvinced or uncaring, but another Auror came forward to examine Snape. The older witch leaned over him and poked and prodded his limbs with her wand, casting several spells, but saying little else.
Her ministrations, though necessary, were noticeably irritating Snape. As the witch touched his face, wiping off a bit of the Strengthening Salve, Snape's eyebrow twitched and his lips tightened into thin lines. The fist which held his wand began shaking more with each invasion.
While the Auror worked, Hermione watched Severus carefully. She knew his faults. She was in love, not blind; but still she was a little surprised by the reaction he spurred in others. He certainly had enemies within the Wizarding world, and not only those who followed Voldemort, as the conversation with O'Neil had shown. Hermione could see how isolation could be appealing to a man like Severus.
Stepping back to survey the group, the woman wrinkled her nose with distaste. "What is that wretched stench?"
Meekly, Harry replied, "That would probably be us Ma'am."
Facts and information were Hermione's forte and with confidence, so that some might think her a know-it-all, she relayed, "The smell couldn't be helped. The cream on our skin is part of a potion to negate the effects of the Killing Curse."
"With which the professor was only recently hit," Harry interjected.
The Auror's eyes widened with disbelief. With a new found interest, she grasped Snape's wrist, checking his pulse. She then opened each of his eyes with her fingers, so that the whites showed, contrasting dramatically with his beetle black irises.
Annoyed, Snape backed away sharply. "I assure you madam, I am quite alive."
As if to add insult to injury, the witch simply clucked her tongue and conjured a stretcher. She went to help him up, but the Potions Master would have none of that, shooing her away. "Take that thing away. I won't be carried out of here like an infant."
He pushed the stretcher; it glided gently across the room, eventually bumping into the back of an unaware Auror. Knowing Snape to be fiercely independent and proud, and not likely to back down, Hermione offered her arm. He allowed her to support him, and together they slowly shuffled outside, so that they could return to Hogwarts.
As they stepped out into the snow, the cold land was once again dark. There was a steady wind, which chilled the bones and moved the trees and snow around. It was not violent, but it was far from gentle. As Hermione looked up, she could see no moon or stars; the sky was thickly covered with clouds.
Though they were surrounded by Aurors, Hermione did not feel safe. With the knowledge that the Death Eaters may still be lingering, there was danger among the trees as they swayed with an insidious motion. The going was slow and tedious as Snape was hurt. Their walk could not be helped though; they had to get beyond the magical barriers that kept them from returning to Hogwarts. She was now cognizant of every movement, every step. Every rustling of branches or fluttering of an owl's wings made Hermione glance sharply around.
To make matters worse, Dobby was stumbling and yelping and generally being a disturbance, as he followed closely behind. The poor creature was trying to hold onto the stuffed bear and Crookshanks, both of which were nearly his size. The snow reached his thighs, causing him to trip with each step. As he landed face first, the cat and bear following suit, Crookshanks began howling and struggling loose. Thankfully, Harry came to his rescue; the cat scrambled up onto his shoulders, clinging tightly to his sweater.
"I wonder what shape the castle is in," Harry said absently, as he tried to pull the cat into his arms.
The consequences of the Dark Lord's defeat went beyond their lives, went beyond the lives of all those in the Wizarding world, and Harry's words made that realization concrete. Other, deeper, questions began reeling through Hermione's mind: How had the world changed? How many other victims had fallen to the Death Eaters? What had happened to her parents? Would anything ever be normal again?
As the group took hold of the teddy bear, and a familiar tug pulled at her belly button, Hermione knew that the end was finally there.