It was cold, but she was lying against something warm. Could you be both hot and cold when you were dead? Rose wondered as she opened her eyes to see Severus' strained face above her. She blinked, knowing that she had to be dreaming…but could someone dream when they were dead? Because she surely heard Voldemort use the Killing Curse, and she felt the whooshing of the spell as she fell in Severus' arms. Perhaps Severus was dead too, she thought sadly. She reached up, touching his face with her fingers, and whispered, "Severus?"

Severus gathered her tightly in his arms, burying his face in her hair, muttering against her ear. Rose couldn't understand what he was saying, but she didn't care. She was alive, Severus was alive, and Harry –

"Harry? Is Harry OK?" Rose struggled from Severus's tight grip, looking wildly around for her nephew. "Harry!"

"I'm here, Aunt Rose." Harry stood behind Severus, pale and shaking, but most definitely alive.

"I don't understand…what happened?" Rose was confused…how did they all survive this? She looked around and saw Professor Dumbledore behind her, looking down at her.

"My dear, you don't think that I would leave Hogwarts that vulnerable to Voldemort, do you?" Dumbledore's voice was grave and serious, and he looked as if he had aged fifty years, but his blue eyes were twinkling and he had a kind look on his face.

Rose sat up, her head swimming. Severus pressed his lips to her hair, and gathered her more closely in his arms. Rose leaned into him, grateful for his strength and presence…she didn't think she could stand up right now, but she very much wanted to hear what Dumbledore had to say.

Dumbledore waved his wand and a blue fluffy chair appeared out of thin air; he lowered himself in this with a loud sigh. "Ahhh…that's better. Now, although Severus had placed charms and spells throughout Hogwarts and against himself, and you and Harry, it obviously wasn't enough to keep out Voldemort," He put up a hand to stop Severus, who was had opened his mouth to speak.

"No Severus, I'm not blaming you…you did what you could to the best of your ability. Voldemort is too powerful to be defeated by one person, I think. I had long suspected Argus of betrayal, but I couldn't prove anything, and I fear that I may have had some hand in this by not taking action sooner," Dumbledore took off his glasses and wiped his eyes with a weary hand. Putting them back on, he continued, although his voice sounded weary, and his shoulders slumped a bit. "I put a Curse Deflecting Charm on the school…so that any Unforgivable Curse uttered within these halls would be deflected away from the person it was intended for."

"That's why it missed me!" exclaimed Rose. "I thought I had felt something, and I saw the green light…" she trailed off, seeing the strained look on Harry's face, knowing this was how Lily Potter had died.

"I confess, sir, I knew you were a great wizard, but I have never known anyone who could even get close to performing such an intricate, difficult spell," Severus bowed his head. "I am sorry to have failed you by allowing Voldemort inside Hogwarts. I was in a hurry to get back, and forgot my protection charms."

"Severus!" Dumbledore snapped, his eyes flashing a cold, ice blue. "You did what you could to protect Rose and Harry. Did you know Argus would betray us all? No? Then how could I think of you as a failure when you risked your life to report to Voldemort and try to keep him from learning about Rose."

"No, Severus, you are not a failure, and you are one of the bravest men I know," Dumbledore continued in a gentler tone of voice.

Severus lifted his head and it seemed as if he were trying to communicate something to Dumbledore, but Rose didn't know what. Dumbledore just smiled and held out his hands to Rose.

Rose jerked suddenly; she had almost forgotten… "Where is Voldemort? Is he finally gone for good?"

Dumbledore dropped his hands in his lap, took a deep breath, and when he spoke, his voice was tinged with sadness.

"No, I'm afraid not. I don't know how he escaped, as you can't dissapparte from Hogwarts, but he seems to have fled. I have put guards on all the exits, and have had the castle searched, but I fear that he is long gone and won't be seen again until he feels he is strong enough to kill us all; especially you, Harry and Rose," Dumbledore looked over his glasses at the both of them. "I would ask each of you to take extra care and not do anything foolish that could put yourselves in danger."

"Now my dear, it has been a long day for you, I know. Perhaps it is time for you to go to bed…Severus, would you be so kind as to see Rose back to her bedroom? And perhaps you know of a potion that would calm her nerves? Good, good!" Dumbledore rose from his chair, and waving his wand, the chair vanished with a small "pop".

"Come Harry, I know Ron and Hermione will be most anxious to hear your tale, and you can ask me any questions you may have," Dumbledore raised his arm as if to shoo Harry out, but Harry turned and kneeled down by Rose.

Rose put her arms around him and gathered Harry in a tight hug. She thought she heard a small, strangled sob escape from his throat, but when he lifted his head, his eyes were dry.

"Good night, Harry," Rose said.

Harry rose to his feet and followed Dumbledore from the library, slowly.

Severus helped Rose to her feet. She was stiff and achy as if she had been sick with flu for a long period of time. She put her arm out to steady herself, and felt herself gently being lifted in Severus' arms.

"I think it's time for bed," Severus whispered. "I'll take you to your room, and then bring you a potion to help you sleep."

"No, Severus," Rose murmured. "I don't want to go back to my room. I want…I want to spend the night with you…please."

"Are you sure, Rose?" Severus looked down at Rose, his eyes bright with desire.

Rose reached her hand up and drew Severus' head down to hers. "Oh yes, I'm quite sure," she whispered against his lips as he headed for the door, and towards his room.

Rose found Harry on the stone bench by the lake, watching idly as two 3rd year students swam and played with the giant squid that lived in the cold, murky water.

She stood behind him, trying to see things through his eyes, and wondering just what she was going to say to him to make him understand. During the last conversation they had, Harry made it perfectly clear that he would not accept Severus as an ally. Rose hoped that he felt differently after the events with Voldemort a few nights past.

"Harry," she began, laying a hand on his shoulder. Harry jumped as if he had seen a ghost…although Rose was sure that was Moaning Myrtle winking at Harry from the edge of the lake.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to startle you!" Rose sat down beside Harry, with her back to the lake, turning to give her nephew a bright smile, although she felt anything but cheerful about this conversation.

"It's OK Aunt Rose, I was lost in my thoughts anyway. How are you feeling?" Harry didn't turn his head, and Rose couldn't judge his feeling by the flat tone of his voice.

"Oh, you know, still a bit shaky, but Severus has been giving me some calming potions and that's been helping…" Rose trailed off, as Harry had given her a dark glare at the sound of Severus's name.

"Harry, please, I know you feel anger towards Severus, but can't you forgive him? I know if you could just find it in your heart to give him a chance, you'd see how he's changed. I know you won't be fast friends, ever, but Harry…he may be part of your family some day. He…he…asked me to marry him, and well, I said yes," Rose looked down at her hands, a blush staining her pale cheeks.

"Uncle Snape? Oh, won't that be jolly?" Harry laughed, with a faint hint of humor. "Aunt Rose, I am trying…I still can't see Snape as anything but Snape…but for you, I'll try. I know that he loves you, it's just hard for me after all these years to think of Snape as a…well, a good guy!"

"Thank you Harry. I know it's hard for you, and I'm not expecting you to become bosom buddies…I mean, he is still your teacher."

Harry rolled his eyes at this, but looked at Rose with a smile.

"Do you think you could put in a good word about me? I think I failed that last Potions exam," Harry laughed.

Rose laughed with him, but shook her head. "I don't think even I have that much influence, Harry!"

"Yes, Potter, you did fail that last exam…abysmally, in fact. But perhaps I didn't explain the directions to you well enough…I'll try to rectify that in the future," Severus had walked up while Harry and Rose were laughing, and laying his hand on Rose's shoulder, he stood looking down at the two of them.

Harry looked at Severus with a stunned expression on his face. Had his Potions teacher just admitted that he had made a mistake? Harry blinked, thinking that he must have misunderstood.

"I'm, uh, ok, thanks," Harry stuttered, and then added "sir," after Severus cocked an eyebrow at him.

Rose looked from Harry to Severus, her face glowing in the sunlight. Just then, she felt that no matter what happened with Voldemort, that the two men she loved most of all could overcome their anger and fear of each other and things would turn out fine. They were all on the same side, and she knew that with each other's help, they could defeat Voldemort.

Rose leaned over to give Harry a swift kiss on the cheek, then got up from the bench, pulling him with her. She linked her arms between Harry and Severus, and in-between the two men she walked towards Hogwarts and whatever the future held for them.