"Severus please. I feel fine." Her tears dried quickly. "Now, what is this surprise you have for me?"

He smiled at her and pulled the Elder Wand from his sleeve. Hermione's eyes were the size of saucers. She looked at it and shivered, backing away slightly. That was the same wand that had killed Harry and Ron and so many others. Her frown did not do justice to the emotions she was feeling. As if he had just presented her with a dead ferret. "How did you get that?"

He tried to explain, to ease her discomfort. "Shaklebolt brought it to me. It was part of the…leftovers… of the Dark Lord. It answers to me now."

Hermione didn't know if she should be happy or terrified. True Dumbledore had owned it for many decades without consequence, but then he had never been drawn to the dark arts as Severus had. She could see something of his countenance begin to change as he handled it, and it reminded her of the effect the horcruxes had on them when they were in possession of one for too long. "Severus, please, put it away. It frightens me. It killed so many of my friends and I can still see it in His hand. I can't bear that you have it now."

Severus saw her tremble but didn't understand her fear. "Hermione. Look at me. I can handle it. I know it has a difficult past, but I want to use it to do good. Don't you see. It has such awesome power. With this I can practically rebuild Hogwarts myself. We can help people with the gold and still have Hogwarts remade to your last memory. Don't you think that's wonderful?" He caressed it as if it were a living thing to be petted when the elf arrived with the food.

They ate their dinner in silence. Each contemplating what this could mean for them and the world at large. She supposed he was right. Dumbledore had carried it on him all that time and it didn't corrupt him. As long as it was used for good, what could go wrong? Then again, Dumbledore didn't use strong magic unless there was dire need. When he and Voldemort fought at the ministry, surely he could have killed him with the Elder Wand then. Why didn't he? He defended and protected Harry, but didn't really try to kill with it.

Was Dumbledore ready to cross a line? Did Voldemort sense that it was coming and that's why he left so abruptly. Hermione had always been shocked at his quick departure. After seeing his ruthlessness in battle, there's no way he was afraid of the minister, or the dozen wizards behind him that day. It was also true that the headmaster's arrogance and lack of compassion at the end was very evident when ordering Severus to split his soul. It could have been carefully staged between them so that it only looked like Severus had struck the blow, but no. He was not interested in taking care of Severus in any way. For decades the wizard was tortured by Voldemort, and Dumbledore didn't give one whit. Sending him back to risk his life again and again. The scars on his body so thick you can't tell where one ends, and another begins. Not even a puppet, more like a kind of twisted amusement, the bastard.

With this new perspective, much of what her once beloved Headmaster had done suddenly fell into place as the worst cruelty, masquerading as the greater good. All the things he had Harry do. Putting this fight on the shoulders of students and an eleven year old boy. What sort of man does that? Then, horribly, Hermione saw it plain. A man obsessed with his own plans, willing to sacrifice whatever and whoever it took to achieve his goal. Aberforth had said so, that night he helped them get into the castle. "What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? My brother sacrificed many things on his journey to find power, including his sister, and she was devoted to him."

Hermione dropped her fork, suddenly sick. It was the wand. She knew it. The wand slowly seeps into your soul until it turns cold as death. Her only consolation was that Dumbledore must have been very good indeed at the start, to take so many years to corrupt him. Did he realize it? Did he see what it would do to him? Did he limit its use to hold back such seductive evil?

Severus was watching her carefully and saw her blanche. "Hermione? Are you well?"

The tender care in his voice brought her back to his concerned eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. Just suddenly not hungry anymore."

The loud laughter from the Ravenclaw table took both of their attention. Hermione stood and walked over to them. They quieted out of respect. "Kingsley, I have a favor to ask of you and your men, if they are willing."

Kingsley looked at the faces of the men at the table. They all knew what she had done and were willing to sacrifice themselves for her if need be. "My men and I are at your disposal Miss Granger."

The use of her proper name made her stand just a little bit taller. She looked at the men with much appreciation. "We must begin the task of burying our dead. The sooner the better. I have chosen a place across the lake for them. Someplace peaceful and quiet where anyone can come and be with their loved one. It will be a terrible and difficult task. I cannot hope to do it alone. Will you and your men join me tomorrow at dawn?"

oopOqoo

Severus and Hermione dressed and met the men again in the hall. Unlike last night everyone was very quiet. They ate and left the hall together, Hermione leading the way with a box under her arm. She stopped before the ravine, looking to Severus for strength. "Do you think… Do I have the right to ask these men to do this Severus? I'm just a… I'm not in charge of anything and… Maybe it should be you. You are still Headmaster."

Severus silenced her with a kiss and turned to speak to the men. "Miss Granger feels she has no right to direct men such as yourselves and has asked me to do it." He turned to look up at her with the men behind him. "I will tell her now that I have no right to it either, but the woman who planned the downfall of Voldemort, and succeeded so skillfully, can plan and direct me at all times. What say you?"

The men behind him erupted into cheers and oaths of loyalty.

Hermione was deeply touched by their faith. She wanted to cry but decided against it. A commander must keep a certain self-confidence no matter what. "I am honored by your trust and faith in me. I will never take it for granted. This is what I feel we need to do. We will divide into two teams. The first team, led my me, will go to the ravine and prepare the bodies. I intend to separate them such that the magical creatures, Voldemort's forces and our fighters will have separate graves. The flesh will be removed from the bodies and we will in essence burry the bones. It will be our task to call the bones of each person and put them in a container. We will keep the wands safe in the castle, until someone can identify the owner. Hopefully all the wands will be identified in time, so that the name of the fallen can be inscribed on the memorial.

The second team will prepare the graves. Headmaster Snape knows the location and will be in charge there. Once completed we will issue a general invitation to the wizarding world to come to a memorial service. I hope to have this terrible task done as quickly as possible, but I know we are few and there is a human limit to what can be accomplished in a day. Still, we owe our friends nothing less than our best efforts. Please divide yourselves and we will begin."