I apologize profusely! I thought I would have much more time to post chapters when I first began the semester. Obviously this was not the case. I will attempt to be more disciplined with posting. I hope that this chapter is not a disappointment after the long wait. Please be as honest as possible with comments and suggestions :) I want to please you, the lovely reader!

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"Headmaster Dippet." Dumbledore called to his neighboring portrait. The previous headmaster stirred and answered. "Yes, Albus?"

"Could you go to your other portrait and keep an eye on what is happening on the first floor?" Dumbledore asked him politely.

"Of course." Armando Dippet answered, giving Phineas a pointed look which the Slytherin decidedly ignored. The old headmaster left with a self-important air.

"I had hoped that Severus would be accepted once the truth came to light." Dumbledore's portrait said, turning his attention to Hermione who made her way back to kneel by professor Snape. "Especially by you three."

Hermione couldn't bring herself to look at the man's disappointed expression, even as a painting. "I'm sorry, sir. Ron's brother is hurt badly and so many of our friends are…" She couldn't make herself finish the sentence. "I thought he had learned… before, when he used your deluminator to get back. I don't believe he would act this way if he wasn't under so much stress."

Dumbledore gave her a sad, knowing smile that made Hermione suppress a sob. On top of all that was happening she still wanted to believe that she and Ron would have a happy ending. After all they had lost, wasn't that what they deserved? Despite her wishes, Hermione had a sinking feeling that being with Ron would not be what she hoped for.

"Albus, it's happened." Headmaster Dippet informed his successor urgently. "The boy has been… they are coming."

Dumbledore fixed Hermione with a grave expression. A moment of silence hung between them in which Hermione understood, just from his piercing gaze that Harry was dead, that she had to prove herself, one last time when she walked downstairs.

"Take heart, Miss Granger." Dumbledore urged her meaningfully.

Hermione nodded, unable to speak. With a final glance at her still-unconscious patient, she got to her feet and left to make her way to the hell that awaited below.

As Hermione stumbled to the Great Hall, she felt as if she was looking through someone else's eyes. She idly wondered if this was how it felt to be under the Imperious Curse. It certainly felt as though someone else was directing her footsteps, leading her to the most dreadful scene she had ever witnessed in her life.

When she reached the entrance, a gathering was already forming. She went to Ron's side out of habit. He put an arm around her as they watched their enemies march forward with a much beloved giant and a scrawny, lifeless boy in tow.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort gloated. What he did next sent chills down everyone's spines. He laughed. Not the evil cackle you might imagine, but half-human and malformed, as though he had not laughed his whole life and was trying to imitate what he heard from others.

"No!" Ginny screamed, lurching forward, irrationally believing she could take Harry's body from them. Neville caught her arm and pulled her forcibly against his chest, covering her eyes. He began whispering comforting words into her ear. Ginny sobbed loudly and wrenched her head free of Neville's grasp to see, though she clung to him.

"You shouldn't look, Ginny. You'll have nightmares. That's not who he was…" Neville tried to persuade her.

"I have to." Ginny choked out. "I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't look."

"He's not dead." Luna said in her soft confident way at their side. Hermione, Ron, and Neville looked at her in alarm. Ginny looked furious. "He's only sleeping. He has a few things to figure out, but he's not dead."

"You really are loony." Ginny spat.

Luna's lips twitched into a slight frown. She understood her friend was hurting, but her words still hurt. "You will see. I'm not mad. It's alright, Neville, let her watch."

The four youths turned their attention back to the gathering of Death Eaters. Voldemort had waited for the people of Hogwarts to finish reacting before he continued. "I am a merciful Lord! If any of you wish to follow me, we will welcome you! Come, save yourselves!"

The Malfoys gestured longingly for their son. With shame and terror, Draco shuffled to his family, but Voldemort intercepted him first. Everyone held their breaths, wondering if he would kill their classmate in front of them.

To their utter shock, Voldemort did what they never believed he was capable of. He hugged Draco. It might have been laughable if it were not so horrific. Voldemort would welcome them with open arms, enveloping the turncoats in his overpowering darkness.

Draco was visibly shaken as he finally reached his parents' side. Hermione couldn't blame him for his loyalty to his parents. She would give anything to see her parents for, perhaps, the last time.

Suddenly, Neville let Ginny go and stepped forward, a look of sheer determination on his face. Ginny gasped. "Neville!" Several students shook their head in disbelief.

"Neville Longbottom!" Voldemort sneered. "Well, I suppose we can find some use for you." The Death Eaters laughed outright as Neville turned his face to the side, giving each assembly his profile.

"I want to say something!" Neville announced firmly. Both sides fell silent. "Yes… We lost Harry today, and that's a big loss. But he's still in here!" He beat at his heart with a dirty fist. "What he fought for, what Mad-Eye, Fred, and Dumbledore… all of us have fought for- is alive! We're still here! Don't give up now. Because I won't!" With a vicious motion, Neville shoved his hand into the Sorting Hat which no one realized he had been holding. The hope of the gathering rose as the sword of Gryffindor flashed in the sunlight, Neville drawing forth the blade as he had drawn forth their courage.

Just as fire came back into the eyes of the students and teachers, a miracle happened. Harry jumped out of Hagrid's arms and fired a hex at a thunderstruck Voldemort. Immediately, the entire gathering broke into chaos. Some Death Eaters fled while others took up the fight again. Those who had heard Luna before Neville's speech gave her a surprised look before joining the fray. Luna smiled faintly, knowing victory was on the horizon.

...

Severus gasped and lurched into a sitting position, though his body screamed in protest. Before he could take in his surroundings, his head began to spin and he was forced to fall back onto the mattress. The sounds of wizarding battle flittered and popped outside, causing Snape to panic. He had to get away. He was in mortal danger!

"Severus, my boy, I'm so glad to see you awake!" Dumbledore's voice broke through the sound of Snape's heartbeat hammering in his ears. Severus' eyes snapped open.

"I'm in the headmaster's office?" Snape's voice grated through his dry throat.

"Indeed you are, thanks to Miss Granger." Dumbledore answered.

The weight of what he had divulged through his memories crashed down on him. How much had he revealed? Rising slowly and painfully to his feet, Severus staggered to the pensieve like a thirsty man seeking water.

"Perhaps that can wait, Severus." Dumbledore suggested anxiously.

Severus paid him no heed. He submerged his head in the pensieve. When he finally came up from the memories, a deep shade of crimson flooded his face. Snape dropped his head into his hand as he leaned heavily against the wall, his head was spinning again, though from panic or weakness he wasn't sure.

"Foolish girl." Severus said bitterly. "She should have let me die."

"Foolish man." Dumbledore returned. "You should cherish your life in a room full of dead wizards and witches who would prefer to be in your shoes."

"Your meddlesome hand is in everyone's lives as it is. By all means, Albus, live, and I'll spend eternity snoozing in an armchair. Merlin knows I need the rest!"

Dumbledore fixed him with a stern glare. "Death takes only those who are ready. The young, the foolish, the old, the planned… only Death knows when a soul is ripe for harvest. He is not ready for you. There is something more for you on this earth."

Severus scoffed. "No doubt to suffer further humiliation. I would never have divulged those memories had I known I would live."

"You never fail to see the shadows of every light you are given." Dumbledore gently reprimanded him.

"Yes, well, a light so brilliant as I have been given makes the shadows more apparent." Severus replied sarcastically. "I need to leave this place before I'm offered any more so-called-gifts by fate."

Dumbledore merely sighed and watched as Severus attempted to stand fully on his feet. The man's legs could not support him, however, as he soon fell to the ground in an undignified heap. This grated on Severus' already raw pride. I am stronger than this. He growled internally. Clenching his jaw and fighting for every ounce of his control, Severus, again, tried to rise to his feet. He had almost reached his full height when a wave of dizziness forced him back down into a quivering mass on the floor. He could not get back up.

...

Harry and Hermione burst through the door to the Headmaster's office. Upon seeing Harry alive and well, every portrait, even Phineas despite his reserved nature, applauded. Shouts of congratulations and praise rang out in the office until the two Gryffindors' heads were fairly swimming with joy.

Then, Hermione noticed the crumpled for m of Professor Snape not far from the Pensieve. "Professor!" She gasped, rushing forward. "Harry, help me get him back to the mattress." Harry did so with no hesitation, looking just as concerned as Hermione felt. "What happened, Professor Dumbledore?" He asked.

"He insisted on looking in the pensieve to see what exactly he had revealed and then attempted to leave." Dumbledore explained, omitting the details Severus would likely not wish to be related.

Hermione shook her head. "Thoughtless. He's lucky he collapsed here and not somewhere no one could find him."

"On the contrary, Miss Granger, I believe he was thinking quite clearly." Dumbledore said sadly.