A/N Silverwhitepoison: A sequel? I can't promise you that yet, but I do have plans ready for a prequel. Does that appease you? (grins)

Severus and Neville slash? Oh Merlin, who came up with that idea? No, no, no, I will never, ever write slash! Again, I solemnly swear I am up to no slash! EVER!

AWWWWWW what's all this complaining that the previous chapter was too short? My writing doesn't improve with expanding, you know. I'll never be JK Rowling, who can write a 500 page book and keep it interesting from page 1 to 500. But ok…I'll just combine two chapters into one. (glares at readers)

We rushed to McGonagall's office and Harry told her about his vision.

"He plans to take Hogwarts. He knows a lot of the secrets of this place, it would provide him with so much help, we can't let him! Imagine Voldemort with Merlin's diary, Ravenclaw's library…what if he could access the Chamber of Secrets again?" Harry ran out of breath.

The headmistress nodded. "Tomorrow at sunset…that does give us time to get backup here. I'll contact the Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix. We need as many people here as possible."

Harry shivered. "He's coming himself, and he's bringing every available Death Eater."

Severus hid his head in his hands. "Will he call me?"

Harry sighed. "Probably. To keep you safe, at the very least. But you'll be beyond our reach if you go. We should define what we are aiming for here. Will we try to destroy Voldemort tomorrow? Because we aren't ready for that, we found the spell to destroy the soulshard but the risk is much to great to use it…"

Severus shook his head. "When it comes to that, it must be done. If I return to him, we may never have another chance. If I stay here and he escapes, he will have time and opportunity to find a way to thwart the destruction of his last Horcrux. He must be taken by surprise now."

He turned to me. "Harry must fight Voldemort, and Ron and Hermione will be needed to help him. That leaves you to perform the spell. It's complicated, but I know you are capable of doing it."

I felt all the blood drain from my face. "You are asking me to kill you!" I exclaimed.

His eyes locked with mine. "There is a chance I will survive, but most likely yes, I will die. So will Voldemort. We have no time left to better the odds."

I shook my head in despair. "I won't do it. I can't kill you."

"THEN THE WHOLE WORLD WILL DIE!" he roared, "I know you want to give me a chance to live, Neville," he continued, much softer, "but there is no time now. If I die, I die. You must do it. It will safe our entire world. And there is still a slim chance I will survive. You have to do it, Neville."

I could see the four faces behind me, all wet with tears. McGonagall approached us and put a hand on Severus' back.

"Severus…"

He turned towards her. "Minerva, it's the only way. It's now or never. You and the rest deal with the Death Eaters. Harry, Ron and Hermione must deal with Voldemort. Neville and I will hide until the right time, and then Neville will perform the spell. Once the soulshard is destroyed, Harry can kill Voldemort with the same spell. He has no complete soul left and will die."

He sighed, and for the first time in his life, he hugged the headmistress voluntarily.

"Thank you, for believing me," he said, "I can't promise it'll all be fine, no one can in a war. But we will all do the very best we can."

We returned to the Library, very subdued. Harry and I would be learning the spell with Severus' help. Hermione and Ron were going to do some mad last minute research in an effort to find something that would improve Severus' chances of survival. McGonagall was contacting the Aurors and the Order, and would take the painting of Dumbledore to explain the situation so that none of them would harm Severus. Until they had been convinced, he would stay in Hufflepuffs secret rooms.

All through the night, we practiced and researched, sleeping only a few hours. People began to arrive in the castle. At breakfast, almost all of the Order was present, and most of the Aurors.

"Thank you all for coming," McGonagall said. Severus had remained downstairs, but the rest of us had gone to the Great Hall where everyone had gathered.

"There are a few things we need to discuss. Voldemort…" she clucked impatiently as a shiver ran through the hall, "oh get a grip. Voldemort will attack at sunset. You will leave him to Harry, who will be assisted by Ron and Hermione. We will keep the Death Eaters away from them. Moody and I will discuss our strategy for that and present it to you at lunch. Then there is one more matter. Severus Snape."

The hall burst into angry yells. "SILENCE!" McGonagall roared. "I have brought the picture of professor Dumbledore here, so both he, Harry and Neville can back up what I tell you. Severus Snape killed Albus Dumbledore on the latter's command. Albus knew it would come to that and had insisted Severus kill him, instead of dying from an Unbreakable Vow he made. Albus also wrote both me and Harry a letter, explaining this. Severus has saved Harry's life when they were destroying one of Voldemorts Horcruxes."

Now the whole room gasped. "Yes. Most of you have heard the concept of Horcruxes. They are not myth. Voldemort created no less then six of them. This is how he survived last time. Now Harry must destroy Voldemort himself. Severus Snape will be fighting on our side but he and Neville Longbottom have their own mission in this battle. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, interfere with them."

Moody growled.

"Alastor," the painting, that had been sitting quietly on one of the chairs said, "it is the truth. I ordered Severus to kill me. He argued, pleaded, yelled at me to change my mind, but in the end he was loyal to me and did what I told him. He is my son, as you will read once my will is made public. I know you have always mistrusted him, and I assure you, from beyond my grave this time, that I am right in trusting him."

Mad Eye stood up and for a moment I thought he would rip the painting apart. Then he shook his head. "Perhaps I was wrong about the boy," he said, "but one has to practice constant vigilance. I promise not to harm him. Where is he?"

McGonagall smiled. If Mad Eye was convinced, they were all convinced. "He kept out of sight until I could talk to you."

Moody nodded. "Very wise. I'd like to see the boy for myself, though, before we start our planning."

I took my pendant.

"Severus."

"Yes?" Came the response.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall have convinced Moody. He wants to talk to you."

Silence. Then an insecure voice answered,

"Take him to the school library, I'll meet you there."

Moody and I entered the library to find Severus sitting on a desk, staring at his shoes. Moody walked over. "So." He said.

Severus looked up. "So," he repeated. Moody stared at him.

"Albus was right about you then," he said, and added gruffly, "I don't apologise for not trusting you."

Severus smiled slightly. "Good thing you don't. You'd have been an idiot to trust me."

Moody nodded shortly. "Will you survive?" he asked, with an insight that surprised us. Severus shook his head. "Not likely."

Moody extended his hand and Severus, amazed, grasped it. "Good luck, kid. And thanks."

Nothing we could ever have said meant so much to Severus as that one word from the old Auror.