AN: Firstly, standard disclaimer applies. Secondly, i'm sorry for spam posting all these chapters in such a short space of time. I just wanted it out here once I decided I was actually going to post it. Happy reading.

Chapter 15

Hermione honestly was not surprised that when she made it back to the common room, one Severus wasn't there, and that two, Ron and Harry had waited for her.

"Did you find him?" Hermione nodded at Harry how had spoken, saying nothing. "So, how is he?"

"He's going to be ok; I think. He's with Professor McGonagall, their talking some stuff out."

"You're never vague Hermione, what's wrong?" Hermione silently cursed that Harry could when he needed to be quite perceptive. At least when it was just her and Ron.

"Nothing's wrong, exactly but I can't say Harry. You know how the Professor gets when things get personal." She had to word this carefully since Ron still didn't know that Severus was Alan. He would work it out eventually or they'd spell it out to him whichever came sooner.

"I thought we were talking about Alan, here?"

"I know we are, but they are quite similar when they feel cornered. Family seems to be a big deal for the pair of them. There seems to be a hellish amount to take in with them, the Snape's I mean. Maybe there are some more angelic family members somewhere who don't or can't deal with the darker aspects of their own natures so cut off the physical representation of the dark side; so, to speak."

"Is there a reason for all these metaphors Hermione? 'Cos, I think you just lost both of us."

"There is but I don't think now is the right time to explain. That's up to Alan and the Professor." Just as Hermione said it Snape walked back into the room, he seemed to stumble onto the sofa next to her. He stared at her.

"You haven't told them, have you?"

"Trying to without actually saying it. Are you drunk? Did Professor McGonagall get you drunk?"

"We used to do that you know; teachers have bad days too."

"Ron didn't know."

"So, tell him, and then you can tell them both the other bit. I'm going to bed. Night."

"They will need a visual you know. I refuse to sound crazy for you."

"Fine. How about this?" There was a magical haze around Snape, which Harry had seen before in the hospital wing when Severus aged himself to his current. There was rather suddenly was the pair of mismatched wings on Severus' younger self. "I have wings, I am going to sleep; Hermione will try to explain for me since tonight has not been easy." Snape disappeared into his room, and the door shut quietly but it was somehow still loud in the empty common room.

"Ok. He has a black and white wing? What is he, an angel?" Harry hadn't expected Hermione to nod. "What?"

"He, as in Severus Snape; not Alan. Alan never existed, is an actual angel. As in god, and the devil and all that."

"That is Severus Snape?" Hermione and Harry turned to Ron who had gone very pale. They both nodded. "I called that a poor kid?" They nodded again. "Am I going to die?" Hermione paled slightly.

"The Professor's not that bad; and no, you're not going to die or least not for a very long time. He's not actually the angel of death, that's his great-aunt."

"So, who is he?"

"He is supposedly called The Impartial, hence the wings. One black, one white; heaven and hell, good and bad in perfect balance. He was a spy in the last war too, so everything he has done in the past suits him as well. Oh, and his grandfather is the devil, seems to be where he gets the white wing from. I meet the devil, the angel of death and one of his great-uncles who seems to be the greeter. Their words don't really make sense."

"Why did Professor McGonagall get him drunk?"

"They all sort of had a row, while we were both there. Some sort of celestial argument. Professor McGonagall asked Azrael, who's the angel of death, for some information about her dad. She gave it, but her opinions apparently are not supposed to, Severus got a bit angry; you know since Professor McGonagall and he have been friends for a while sort of thing."

"This is really confusing, Hermione."

"It really isn't. Professor Snape who is Alan, is an angel who is supposed to be an impartial judge of the dead souls that the angel of death who is his aunt collects. He decides if they go to hell, where his grandfather is the king; or to heaven where his uncle will greet them at the gates. It's that simple."

"That was simple. What you said before wasn't." Hermione just groaned, clearly exasperated by the boys and their lack of comprehension on how important it was that their fourteen-year-old professor was some sort of angelic judge of their actual souls.