Chapter 9 – The Boy Who... Died
"The Boy Who Lived, lives no longer."
The eyes of the girl grew big. The Weasley boy put an arm around her shoulders, but it didn't seem to give her much comfort. She looked at Severus before she directed her gaze at the Headmaster, who looked now twice his age.
"Harry... dead? But... but how?" She looked on the verge of tears.
"Voldemort. He attacked Hogsmeade, unforeseen, when our students were there. He must have known. Fortunately, there were some Aurors patrolling the town, as well as most of the teachers. We couldn't keep Harry from rushing right at him. While kept in Voldemorts grip, Harry broke a bottle of your poison on his head and got splashed. I don't think I have to elaborate, have I?" The girl shook her head, eyes shining.
"And either must die, at the hand of the other, for neither can live, while the other survives..." Severus mumbled. "Of course... I hadn't thought of this interpretation." She looked at him shortly, surprised, then stared at Weasley.
"Did you... have you seen it?" He nodded, while his eyes filled with tears as well. He blinked violently, probably determined not to break down in front of Snape of all people.
"Was it... how horrible was it?" The boy now couldn't restrain himself, and Hermione made use of the occasion to free herself from his arm and start rummaging through her pockets. Severus was first, though, and produced two handkerchiefs. He threw them on the table, giving Hermione what was supposed to be an apologetic look. She took them and handed one to the Weasley boy, who blew his nose rather inelegantly.
"And now?" Severus asked. The Headmaster sighed.
"I suppose Hogwarts is safe now. You can come back, if you want to." The girl shook her head. "Or you could stay here a little longer, of course." Her face lightened up a bit.
"Yes, I'd like to stay here. At Hogwarts... there would be all memories..." Not to mention some redhead following in your footsteps again, Severus mentally added. She sobbed. Severus somehow longed to put an arm around her. The Weasley kid wouldn't take that too well, probably. He wondered how she would take it...
"Severus?" He looked at Albus now. "Would you like to stay here a little longer? To keep an eye on Miss Granger?" He just nodded. He wanted to ask whether he had a choice, but decided against it. The girl had just lost her best friend; she wouldn't take that remark too well just now.
"Uhm, Hermione? Can we... er... talk? A minute?" The Weasley boy asked very incohorently. She nodded and they disappeared to the hall, but left the door open. Severus summoned Lizzy.
"I could use something stronger now, how about you Albus?" When they were supplied with two glasses and a bottle of Ogden's, Severus poured them both a royal double whisk?y.
"Why, Albus, why?" he sighed. The white-haired wizard shook his head.
"I don't know, Severus."
"It would have been easier if Potter had just won. We could have celebrated and have a happily ever after, with everything as it was supposed to be."
"I know, Severus."
"What is going to happen now? I mean, did you take care of a Parting yet?"
"We burned the remains of Voldemort as soon as the Minister had seen it. Harry... his body has been taken to the Hospital Wing and... put under a Freezing Charm."
A tear slid down a wrinkled cheek. Severus shut the door with his wand, then put a hand on the other wizard's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Albus. I'm sorry. I know you loved the boy. You couldn't have done anything."
"I feel like I failed the boy, Severus. What a reward for him. First, he killed the Dark Lord. Or actually Lily did that, by way of her son. Then I had to put him up with her sister. And every year, every single year at Hogwarts something would happen to him. He was never just a boy. He was The Boy Who Lived. And now, when he finally could have had a chance of leading a normal life, he is dead. I failed the boy, Severus."
"No, Albus, you didn't. You couldn't have done anything to save him now. He knew he had to kill Voldemort. He knew what this poison would do. You couldn't have done anything, Albus." Their discussion got interrupted here.
"...saying that you prefer the company of the greasy git over mine? I have lost Harry too, you know? I slept in the same dorm for nearly seven years, spent nearly all my time with him and you!" The answer wasn't audible, as Hermione clearly managed to keep her voice down.
"Not too complimenting, is he?" Albus chuckled. Severus shrugged his shoulders. He already knew the greater part of his students, and maybe even colleagues, shared this opinion. He was glad Albus was back to his old self again.
"You will finally get your Order of Merlin now, Severus." The old wizard said merrily. "There are so many people who know what you have done, that even Cornelius Fudge won't object to it. And, besides, awarding Orders posthumously isn't nearly as satisfying. Oh, and we caught Pettigrew, so he will have to make formal apologies to the memory of Sirius as well."
"Fudge is certainly not going to like this, Albus. You know he hates to admit he's wrong. Not that I do not understand that, but that's beside the point. He'll probably throw a tantrum and say Black will never know." Albus nodded.
"He probably will. But you will get that Order, if it's the last thing I do."
"I don't care, Albus. I don't want an Order of Merlin. I'd rather have a nice job somewhere, do some research."
"I know you don't care. But you will need it to get free of the prejudice against you. Unless you'd decide on wearing pink from now on..."
"Albus..." Severus said warningly. At that moment, the Weasley boy stormed in again, with Hermione behind him.
"I know when I'm not wanted, Hermione. When you prefer the presence of the greasy git over mine, I'll know how to take it. I'll leave. As. Soon. As. Possible," he blurted out. Severus decided to let the remark pass again. The fun of seeing the boy stammer didn't appeal to him right now. Albus rose.
"I believe somebody wants to return to Hogwarts now." The boy had the grace of turning scarlet. "I'll have to take care of some other things. I'll see the two of you in a few days."
The girl took her former seat at the dining table, took the bottle of Ogden's and poured some in her teacup. She swirled it around and downed it in one gulp. Then she put her head in her hands, elbows resting on the table. Severus was still sitting opposite her and now she happened to look right into his face.
"What?" was all she said.
"Miss Granger," he answered. "You could at least have summoned a glass."
"I'm sorry. I just needed that."
"I understand, believe me. There have been nights I needed a whole bottle of that. I'm sorry about Harry Potter."
"I know you are. At least Voldemort's gone."
"Yes, Voldemort's gone. Finally." He agreed.
"Why don't we feel happy, then? Why aren't we celebrating?"
"It feels too unreal. An anti-climax, so to speak. Had we had a great battle with many deaths, it would have been easier." He said.
"I guess you're right. At least you know how Ron thinks about you now," she changed topic.
"Believe me, I had already some idea as to his opinion. Tell me, is he a supporter of the vampire theory or does he vote the filthy Death Eater?" Severus inquired.
"He used to belong to the latter category, until the complexness of your role turned out. Then... well, you heard his opinion. Oh, and he still insists you are not to be trusted. I'm sorry, I tried..."
Severus decided it was time to change topic again, before this would get too personal... for the wrong person. So he yawned and rose.
"I think it is time to go to bed," he stated. She nodded and rose as well, then slipped through the door he held open for her.
When he reached his rooms, his mind was already engaged in an emotional merry-go-round, including annoying music. So Voldemort is gone now, he thought. It felt strange, because he felt nothing. No happiness, no relief. No anger at death having taken Harry Potter as well. He slid up his left sleeve. The Dark Mark, which had been there for nearly twenty-one years, had gone, and he hadn't even noticed. Pity, he thought. This is going to make catching remaining Death Eaters a tedious job. Of course he could name a few, the most known Death Eaters, and he would go out of his way to get Lucius Malfoy back to Azkaban, but he hadn't known the younger Death Eaters, the new recruits. He could move on with his life now, no longer stuck at Hogwarts, but free to take a nice job somewhere, where his talents were appreciated. He could finally give credit where credit was due, not where the parents were to be pleased. Credit to Hermione, for instance, and scowls for Malfoy jr. You don't want to give only credit to Hermione, do you? A treacherous inner voice asked.
"Oh, no? What else would I want to give her?" he mumbled. He wondered why exactly he had consented to stay here. It was not as the girl wouldn't be able to go back to Hogwarts, or even stay here with Lizzy. What he was even more amazed at was why she had defended him to Weasley. Why she had given the Weasley boy the idea she had chosen 'the greasy git' as he termed him, over the boy.
He had to admit it to himself: he could just as well go to the library. Sleeping was not one of the options tonight, as he had no Dreamless Sleep Potion at hand. During his psychological rollercoaster he had already changed to his pyjamas, so he slid on a dressing gown and went to the library. He took out another volume of Muggle literature, Nostromo. He relit the fire and dropped in one of the couches. He had barely arrived at the fifth page when the girl came in, also in pyjamas and dressing gown.
"Hermione! Are you allright?" I have to babysit, after all.
"Yes, I just couldn't sleep. I tried to find you in your rooms. I wanted to ask for a bit of Dreamless Sleep Potion." She answered. She was also in her nightclothes and dressing gown.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any. Otherwise, you would have found me in my rooms and you wouldn't have been able to wake me up."
"I would never try to wake you up, sir." She answered, blushing. Now why was the girl blushing?
"No, I don't believe you would." But I hadn't believed you would kiss me, either.
He closed his book and put it on its shelf again.
"What a drag. How about a game of chess to take our mind of things?" She looked at him in total astonishment.
"What is it, Hermione?" he asked when seeing her expression.
"I... I just never thought I'd hear you call a book a drag. Chess would be delightful." They went to the drawing room, where their previous game stood still untouched. As they couldn't remember who was on move, they set up a new game.
-^-^-
Two hours later, they were still playing their first game. Severus was also still wondering what she had said to the Weasley boy, but denying to himself that he wondered. This apparent lack of concentration made him miss the position of a knight.
"Checkmate!" Hermione said triumphantly. Indeed, he couldn't do anything.
"Congratulations," he said, offering his hand. "Not many succeed in beating me at chess. Another game?"
"Thank you. But I'd like something to drink first."
"Your wish is my command," Severus said while he rose and gave a mock bow. "Shall we wake Lizzy or do it ourselves?"
"Can you make a decent hot chocolate?" she asked. He gave her a glare. "Good, then we don't have to wake Lizzy." She grinned while they went to the kitchen.
"Now, for an original Mexican hot chocolate, you put forty grams of unsweetened chocolate and the same amount of sugar in a saucepan," he said, while summoning one.
"Add half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a dash of salt and about one hundred and fifty millilitres of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate has molten and the mixture is smooth." They waited until the chocolate had reached that point.
"Now heat to boiling, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for exactly four minutes, while stirring constantly."
"After four minutes, stir in half a litre of milk. Heat through, but not to boiling this time. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk until foamy." He poured the drink into two mugs and topped it with whipped cream.
"There you are. Now, is this a decent hot chocolate?" he said finally.
"I'll have to taste first, sir. But it looks like one, that's for certain."
They left the kitchen, he levitating the two mugs of hot chocolate as they were too hot to handle. They settled each on one end of the sofa near the fire of the drawing room and Severus decided to admit his curiosity.
"What was it you said to Mr. Weasley tonight?" She thought for a while. Just when he got impatient, she answered.
"Not too much. He demanded I'd come to Hogwarts with him, I denied. There really are too many memories there. Then he said something not too complimentary about you, and I told him you were really nice, with the funeral of my parents and all. And that was the part where he got shouting. I suppose you heard that?" Severus nodded.
"What did the Headmaster say?" Now it was Severus' turn to think, while Hermione waited. He cradled his mug, letting it warm his hands. He didn't want to let Albus fall from the girls mental pedestal, but also didn't want him to pass for a supernatural being.
"He is really shaken by Harry's death. He loved the boy and feels he failed him somehow. He very nearly cried." So much for the pedestal.
"Wow," she said softly. "Wow. Something must be really bad if it makes Professor Dumbledore cry." She was silent for quite some time, drinking her chocolate and thinking.
"What will happen to Harry's body?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"There will be a Parting Ceremony, somewhere next week. Of course, he will get all honours, including a posthumous Order of Merlin, first class, and probably the Minister will have a speech, the Headmaster of course and most of the wizarding world will be present. It will be at Hogwarts."
"And then?"
"Then everybody will walk along the coffin, and then somebody will light the pyre." She gasped, her eyes gleaming.
"He is to be... burned? Just like that?" she asked in utter amazement.
"No, not just burned. Parting Ceremonies, together with Bonding Ceremonies and Names-giving Ceremonies, are among the most ancient and important ceremonies in the wizarding world. And this one will be an Honorary Parting, which is about the greatest honour a dead wizard can get. But he will be burned, yes."
"Then there is no grave, no place where people can come to..." she trailed off and sipped her chocolate.
"It is just so unfair!" she continued. "First, he hadn't got a life because of his aunt and uncle. Then he came to Hogwarts and always the threat of Voldemort would be there. And now, Voldemort is finally defeated and Harry's..." she sobbed now. Severus decided to try his theory from earlier this evening and put a hand on her shoulder. She continued crying, but didn't shy away. He put his arm around her now.
"I know it is unfair, Hermione. Life is unfair sometimes." She nodded and leaned into him a little.
"Have his parents been... burned too?" She turned her head so she looked right into his face. He just nodded.
"Then he probably would have wanted that as well," she stated.
Author's Notes:
1) The hot chocolate recipe is taken from a website called 'cooksrecipes'. If you want a kitchen version of it, just drop me a line.
2) I didn't read Nostromo by Joseph Conrad, nor do I intend to (unless my reviewers recommend it). I came across it in a literature textbook and thought it a title to appeal to Severus.
3) I took the Parting Ceremony from Abby, the Bonding Ceremony from Saavik13 and the Names-giving Ceremony from Pigwidgeon37. Credit where credit is due, I don't have any fantasy myself I just write things together.