Title: "All Will Be Revealed" Author: Dame Niamh Rating: R Disclaimer: All the Harry Potter characters you recognise were created by J.K. Rowling and are hers entirely. I owe Sherlock Holmes to Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Russell to Laurie R. King, and the rest to my own imagination. Spoilers: None
Author's Note: Thanks and praise to Excessivelyperky, a most excellent and resourceful beta reader, without whose collaboration and knowledge this story would never have been written, to OzRatBag2 for matters medical and logical; and to Snape's Witch, for her insight. Blessed be! DN
Chapter 38 Fare Thee Well
The noise level in the Great Hall reached pandemonium as the entire student body stood up, applauded, pounded fists upon tables and stamped feet in praise of Sherlock Holmes.
Albus Dumbledore had just delivered himself of a short but heartfelt speech in which he thanked the Great Detective for his invaluable assistance in ending the influenza epidemic whilst helping to rid the world of Voldemort. Although it was possible that his evil essence, the noxious revenant that had arisen twice before, could reappear in future, for the present time the menace was gone, and it was time to celebrate.
Dumbledore held his wand to his throat, and his voice belled out. "Settle down, all, please!" The students seated themselves, and the noise quieted and then ceased. "In honour of his extraordinary service to our school, its staff and its students, it is my honour to confer on Mr Sherlock Holmes the title of Honorary Professor of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Step forward, Mr Holmes."
Sherlock Holmes rose from his seat at the Master's table, and approached the Headmaster. Minerva McGonagall held up a formal teacher's robe and assisted Holmes to don it. Dumbledore produced a fine wizard's cap embroidered with stars and moons, and settled it upon Holmes' head. "I give you Professor Sherlock Holmes!"
Holmes stepped forward and held up his hands to quell the incipient roar of congratulations. "Masters, students, honoured guests; I thank you for conferring upon me the rank of Honorary Professor. I wish that I could remain at Hogwarts for a time, and properly earn my teaching credentials, but I must leave these hallowed halls, and return to my responsibilities in Sussex.
"Before I go, however, I wish to mention and particularly thank those whose kindness, devotion to an honoured cause, and courage will remain forever in my heart: Madam Pomfrey and her staff (here, he gestured to Poppy Pomfrey, who blushed and smiled, Sister Brigit's small, secret smile spread across her lips and Sister Agrippina grinned with satisfaction); Rubeus Hagrid (the half giant looked down, embarrassed); Argus Filch and his ever vigilant assistant, Mrs Norris (Filch almost fell off his seat; no-one ever took notice of him or recognised his devoted service to Hogwarts); Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, and, of course, Headmaster Dumbledore."
A loud wave of applause resounded throughout the Great Hall. Holmes held his hands up again: "I must also commend all of Hogwarts' valiant students, without whom we would never have triumphed, in particular Mr Longbottom, Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley and our hero of the day, Mr Potter."
Holmes took another step forward. "Lest you think I have forgotten, I wish above all to commend, praise, laud and thank the man, erm, Wizard, without whom Hogwarts would be the Dark Lord's seat today, its students and masters, those that survived, his slaves, and the world as you know it in grave danger of an imminent holocaust of evil."
"I speak, of course, of the Potions Master of Hogwarts, my colleague and, although hard won, my friend – Professor Severus Snape."
Silence hung heavy over the Hall. Slowly, Severus Snape stood up, and slowly he walked to Holmes' side. He looked out at the assemblage, then back at Holmes. "Thank you," he said simply, and held out his hand, which Holmes clasped in both of his.
A deafening roar arose from students, Masters, House-Elves and the guests from the Ministry. Masters stood, applauding; students stood, shouted out their congratulations. "Hip!' Hip! Hurrah!" resounded mightily, followed by a chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow!" begun by the Gryffindors and taken up by everyone else, even the Slytherins.
Colin Creevey ran in front of the Masters' Table, snapping photographs. At a wave of Dumbledore's wand, fireworks bloomed against the enchanted ceiling. Pitchers of cider appeared on the students' tables, and large bottles of wine on the Masters' table. House-Elves filled the goblets, and Albus Dumbledore stood to make the toast.
"To all of us and those we hold dear, good health!"
"Good health!" resounded as goblets clinked.
"To Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
"Hurrah! Hogwarts forever! Hurrah!"
"To Miss Maura McNicholas, who has returned to her home, and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. To absent friends!"
"Absent friends!" echoed, to the tune of more clinking. The toasts continued far into the night.
Sherlock Holmes lifted his knapsack. It was somewhat heavier than it had been when he left Edinburgh; it contained his Master's robe, his wizard's hat, a box of Chocolate Frogs, and an assortment of keepsakes and memorabilia given to him by students and masters.
He stood on the broad steps of Hogwarts' main entrance, and looked around one last time. It was high spring, the cherry trees were in riotous bloom, and the sun lay like a golden benediction on the broad fields and orchards surrounding the castle. The lake sparkled like a wide blue gem.
"I shall miss you all," Holmes said. "May I return for a visit, in future? My assistant, Russell, would be most interested in Hogwarts and its people."
"Yes, of course," stated the Headmaster. "We should be delighted to welcome you and Miss Russell. It is always difficult to say goodbye, Mr Holmes, especially since you have become so much a part of us all." He pulled Holmes into a brief embrace and clapped him heartily on the back.
"Mr Holmes, I hope you have a pleasant trip back to Sussex. You take with you our good wishes and our gratitude." Minerva McGonagall put her arms around Holmes' neck and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
Holmes took her hand and kissed her fingers. "Professor McGonagall, you will always be in my thoughts," he promised.
Hagrid hovered in the background, unwilling to step forward, but the Great Detective would have none of it; he approached the half-giant and clasped hands with him. "Good fortune to you, Hagrid, it has been a privilege to know you," he stated.
"Awwww," responded Hagrid. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. "Me an' Fang, sir, we'll not forget yeh."
A tug on the edge of his coat drew Holmes' attention, and he looked down. Nibby, the little House-Elf, stood at his side, and handed him a package wrapped in brown paper. "A lunch for you, Professor Holmes," the little creature said, blinking his large, round green eyes. Holmes knelt on one knee.
"Thank you, Nibby, for taking such good care of me." He shook hands solemnly with the House-Elf. As he rose, he met another pair of eyes, bright blue with golden sparkles.
"Fare ye well, Professor Holmes," said Sister Brigit. She put the palm of her right hand on his forehead. "Blessed be." Holmes caught her hand and kissed it, then released her hand. His last glimpse of Hogwarts, with the lovely Druid standing on the steps, waving good-bye to him, would last the rest of his life...and he would have to live with that.
"Come on, Mr Holmes." Hermione Granger stood at his elbow. "You'd best be on your way; it's going to be rather warm, and you want to get a good start while it's still pleasant." She took his arm. Severus Snape came out of the castle and approached him.
"I will walk with you to the edge of the forest," Snape stated. "Oh, Holmes, you might tuck these things into your rucksack. I believe they are yours." He held out Holmes' mackintosh, his pipe and his Scots Cranach.
"I can't imagine it! Where has all this been?"
"Damfino. I found it all on the table in the Tea Parlour."
Holmes waved to the party standing on the steps, put his pipe in his pocket and his mac over his shoulder, grasped his Cranach and they set off. "I do hope I find Russell in good humour," he remarked. "She has been studying herself into frenzy as the term end approaches, and I daresay I will return to Sussex to find her with her nose in her books, everlasting swot that she is."
"Now, Mr Holmes, you are very hard on her," Hermione retorted. "If I am not mistaken, you become equally absorbed in your work."
"Yes, and she belabours me frightfully for it."
Snape chuckled, a rare occurrence. "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments," he intoned. "Your Shakespeare had an apt way of explaining behaviour; it is certain that you and Russell are two of a kind."
"Yes," Hermione replied tartly. "I know another two who are two of a kind, even if one is eminently practical and the other tends to fly off into irrelevancy." Snape took her hand, and she smiled.
"I shall not dignify that remark with a response," said Snape. "Holmes, I trust all will be well with you. Much as I loathe the admission, I shall miss you. I shall miss your supercilious manner, your insistence on your own somewhat random methods, and your insufferable hauteur when you are bested."
Holmes' eyebrows rose. "Indeed! How shall I survive without you, Snape? How shall I manage without your self-important posturing, your hideous temper and your combative nature when your every whim is not catered to immediately! Not to mention your caustic tongue..."
"My caustic tongue! Need I remind you, Professor Holmes, of your obvious delight in pelting me with insults to my intelligence, my experience, my - "
"Oh, do shut up, Snape, you natter on so, and on matters of no consequence; have you nothing of value to discuss?"
"Value! How dare you! When you, sir, have no inkling of the value of modern wizarding and its tried and true methods of detection –"
"Codswallop!"
Hermione tucked her hands through Snape's arm on her right and Holmes' arm on her left, and did her best to stifle a snigger. Going on at it up until the very end! Finally, they stood at the very edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"Mr Holmes, you know that you are to follow along the outer edge of the forest until you come to an ancient stone fence, and then continue on straight until you see the signpost for Ayr."
"Yes, Miss Granger, your directions are most clear. I shall have an uneventful tramp across the moor, and," here, he paused to take her hands in his, "and remember you both with fondness."
Snape put his hand on Holmes' shoulder. "Go safely," he said, "and please do give our regards to Miss Russell. We look forward to meeting her when you return."
Holmes straightened his back, slung on his rucksack, and with never a backward glance set off along the forest's border, his stride lengthening, his mac flapping, his Cranach swinging.
Snape put his arm around Hermione's shoulder. She looked up at him. "I know you'll miss him," she said softly. "But you need not worry; if it is a good fight you wish, I will be happy to oblige."
"I know you will, I trust you to battle me with fervour." He leaned his cheek on the top of her head, then straightened. "Hmmm. I wonder what he's going to say to Russell..."
Hermione's dimples appeared in her cheeks, and she produced a very creditable smirk. "He may try to conceal his time at Hogwarts from her, or tell her some cock and bull tale," she said.
"Yes, he is quite the inventor, is he not? I have heard some of his tales of past adventures, and they are more suited to Muggle penny-dreadfuls than to factual accounts." Snape tucked her hand through his arm. "One day he may tell her the truth."
Hermione looked up at him. "If he does," she stated, "I can just hear Russell saying tartly, 'You must have been eating hallucination-inducing mushrooms when you were in Scotland, Holmes.' She's quite pragmatic."
"Do you think so? Well, we shall leave them to Mr Conan Doyle and Mrs King, shan't we? In Holmes' time, Dumbledore had not yet defeated Grindelwald; we may yet see a return visit, for if nothing else, Mr Holmes is possessed of an insatiable curiosity."
"I, for one, would be delighted to see them both," said Hermione, and they continued along the lake path towards Hogwarts Castle, majestic in the morning light.