Harry Potter and the Curse of V'Ardian

Chapter 39

Epilogue

Standard Disclaimers Apply

oOoOo

The Hogwarts grounds, from the castle steps to the gate, were devastated, unrecognisable from what they had been just a few hours prior. The only sign of life was the group of people standing in the centre of the destruction, and their presence attested to their triumph.

"Is he dead?" asked one of them, staring at the body in the centre of the circle. None of them dared approach him.

"I saw the curse," said another. "It hit him."

"Who cast it?"

The first person nodded to a second body, not far away.

"He did."

"So he's dead…they're both dead…"

The first person ignored the proclamation.

"When I saw what he'd done, I stunned him."

Someone snorted.

"Why? He's done us all a favour."

Some people looked at the speaker, aghast.

"Wake him up," the speaker continued. "Let us speak to him."

Someone knelt beside the prone figure and rolled them over onto their back.

"Ennervate."

oOoOo

Snape's eyes snapped open, and he closed them again immediately as they were assaulted by the bright sunlight. It seemed that the dog soldiers had taken their storm elsewhere, no longer under the Dark Lord's control. He heard muttered whisperings surrounding him and sat up, recognising the voices of Order Members.

Thank Merlin, he thought. It's all over.

"Stand up," said a sharp voice. "Slowly. We have your wand."

Snape snorted, turning his eyes on the speaker.

Ah, of course.

He realised that they didn't recognise him. To them, he was just a faceless Death Eater. He looked around the circle to see many of them staring sadly at another body.

Well, maybe not just any Death Eater, then. The Death Eater who had murdered Harry Potter.

The Auror who had awoken him was talking again, telling him to stand up and remove his mask. Snape stood up.

"You fool," he spat, and removed his mask. "Was it you who stunned me?"

Of course the man would have had no idea who he was cursing – knowing he was a Death Eater had probably been enough – but Snape was still irritated. There were a few gasps from the surrounding witches and wizards.

"Are you sure, Quentin?" asked one, whom Snape did not recognise. "Are you sure he's the one who did it?"

"Yes," said the one named Quentin, his face paling slightly. "He's the one."

Snape glared around, seeking an ally, but only hostile faces met his gazes. Minerva was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Minerva?" he asked shortly.

"Oh, don't think she can protect you, Snape," said Moody, stepping forward. "You've killed Potter, we all saw it. McGonagall won't be able to help you now."

"Where is she?" demanded Snape. "I will speak only to her; I have nothing to defend to any of you."

"Well I dare say you do," said Quentin. "Half of us are Aurors after all, and you're a Death Eater."

"Think whatever you like, Auror, but I will say nothing more until Minerva McGonagall is present, is that clear?"

Quentin stared at him mulishly before sneering.

"Very well, Snape. I dare say she'll be back any moment."

"Oh?"

"She's gone up to unlock the school. No sense letting the children worry."

Snape thought briefly of Katherine and prayed that the Death Eaters had not managed to breach the castle. From his position the castle doors were obscured from his view, so he asked Quentin.

"There's some damage," he admitted, "but they didn't get in. Most of them fled when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named died."

"Really?"

"Should have left when you had the chance, Snape. You should have known we wouldn't let you get away a second time."

Snape sneered, but before he could say anything further there was the sound of running footsteps and five children burst into the circle.

"Harry!" screamed one of them, spotting his body.

"What are they doin' out 'ere?" asked someone, and then, "eh, isn't that the Malfoy kid? Wots 'e doin'?"

"Is…is he dead?" Snape heard Ronal Weasley ask tremulously. They five seemed unwilling to approach the body. Snape met Katherine's eyes and shook his head slightly, and she turned away from him.

A moment later Professor McGonagall burst into the circle as well.

"I apologise," she gasped out breathlessly. "I was unable to keep them."

Her gaze flickered from Harry's body to Snape's face.

"Oh my," she murmured, shocked. "Severus?"

"Minerva. Send the children along if you may. I would prefer they did not witness this."

Professor McGonagall looked at the five students, who now stood grouped around Harry's body. Snape felt a stab of guilt as he saw Emily crying, Katherine's arm about her shoulders. The Granger girl wasn't crying, but she gripped Wealey's arm so tightly that he suspected she would be, soon. McGonagall looked back at him and stepped closer. When she spoke, her voice was lowered.

"They're here now, Severus. Let them mourn."

The look upon her face changed from one of sadness to one of confusion.

"Severus, what is going on?"

"He killed Potter, Minerva, that's what's going on," said Quentin obnoxiously, and his voice was loud enough to carry over to the students.

"Minerva, get this infernal man out of here," he hissed, gritting his teeth and looking stubbornly away from the children.

"Is it true, Severus?" asked Professor McGonagall in disbelief. "Harry said that you hadn't – that you weren't…"

"Yes, well you never did trust him, did you?" asked Snape snidely.

"You don't deny it?"

"I did kill him, Minerva," he replied quietly.

"Good Lord, Severus. How could you?"

"You what?" came a voice from Snape's left, and he looked over to see Ronald Weasley staring at him, his face pale with anger and his hands clenched in fists at his side. "You lying bastard! Harry trusted you!"

As Snape listened to Ron's words, his gaze drifted away, searching out his daughter's. She was staring at him, her expression confused and reproachful. He saw that she was crying.

"I killed Harry because he asked me to," he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. He swallowed past a painful tightening of his throat as Katherine turned away from him and knelt by Harry's side. Snape heard murmurs of disbelief passing through the crowd.

"Everone, there are things that need to be done," called Professor McGonagall, turning form Snape. "I will deal with this situation. The rest of you are to begin searching the grounds for anyone who might be alive." She turned to Quentin. "His wand, Mr Braithwaite," she said firmly, holding out her hand. Quenting looked as though he might refuse, but handed over Snape's wand. "That will be all, Mr Braithwaite."

Slowly Quentin turned and walked away, a scowl on his face. Professor McGonagall glanced at the five students as she turned back to Snape.

"Tell me everything, Severus," she said tightly, so Snape did. He told her about how Harry had killed Albus, and how he had contacted the vampires and the elves. He told her how he had been destroying Horcruxes and merging the soul with his own. He told her how Harry had come to see him when she'd banished him from the school and what Harry had requested of him. He told her what he had seen after Harry had killed the Dark Lord – of how his eyes had flashed red and he'd struggled to maintain control. And so he'd killed Harry Potter, and it was as simple as that.

When he finished, Professor McGonagall stared at him, struggling to decide what to do. After a moment of hesitation she handed him back his wand, and to his surprise, folded her arms around him in a hug.

"This may not be the end of this, Severus, but this is my judgement. I believe everything you have said to me to be true, whether any of us want it to be or not. I have known you for a long time, and I know that even though you've done a lot of bad things in your time, you're a good man at heart. I've seen the trials you've been through and I'm proud of you."

Snape stared down at the older woman in mild shock, feeling extremely odd. No one had spoken to him in such away in a long time.

"I – thankyou, Minerva," he said quietly. "That means a lot to me."

She smiled sadly and turned to look at the grouped students.

"Let us go and see them," she said softly.

Snape followed her slightly hesitantly across the grass. It was a sort distance, but Snape was wary to cross it. He'd killed before, certainly, but never had he stayed around to see what became of the victim. Never had he felt for the victim what he did now – guilt, remorse, regret.

"Children," said Professor McGonagall softly, stepping up beside Draco. She looked oddly at Katherine, wondering why she was there. Snape moved around her and stood next to Katherine and she turned to face him. She looked up at him, her eyes watering, and Snape felt as though he were choking.

You look so much like your mother, he thought. He held out his arms and she fell into them, crying softly. He stepped back and grabbed her face between his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"If there had been any other way," he said softly, "I swear I would have done it. I'm so sorry."

Katherine sobbed and nodded slightly, and Snape pulled her close again, placing a kiss on her head.

"Severus!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall in shock. Snape could have smiled if the situation hadn't been so disheartening. He squeezed Katherine tightly once more and released her, but kept an arm around her shoulders as he turned to look at the headmistress.

"My daughter, Minerva."

Professor McGonagall gasped in shock, looking between them.

"Merlin," she murmured faintly. "I never knew…"

"I apologise, Minerva, but I d not think that now is the appropriate time for this discussion."

Professor McGonagall nodded, swallowing hard.

"Of course, Severus." She smiled fondly at Katherine, and then as one, their gazes turned to the sprawled body of the Boy-Who-Had-Lived…

oOoOo

A/N: Mwahahahaha… I said this would be the epilogue, but – er…um…REVIEW! - Wujjawoo

Chapter Forty: Epilogue II