Chapter 13

Walking up the stairs to his son's rooms that he had been staying in, he filled Narcissa in on everything he had seen and heard in the pensive. He had thought that he had no more tears to cry, but he was wrong and they kept coming. Narcissa put a charm on his face so that no one could tell he was crying.

The funeral amazed him. Harry's friends and the Headmaster spoke and Severus sneered at their words. They still had no idea that Voldemort had been defeated. He could see the fear behind the old man's mask and it thrilled him no end.

After the ceremony, Severus downed a dreamless sleep potion; he didn't think he would ever be able to sleep peacefully again. He kept remembering the memories his son had given him and the thought of what Harry had lived through haunted him.

X0X0X0X0X0

Everyone that knew Harry was invited to the reading of his will. Griphook was to be the executor. Dumbledore asked the goblin quite rudely what he was doing here.

"What are you doing? There is supposed to be a will reading here please pay some respect," said Dumbledore.

"Yeah! Pay some respect!" shouted Ron looking smugger then Snape had ever seen him.

"Shut it weasel," ordered Malfoy, not being able to stand listening to the bloody annoying red head any longer.

"Malfoy! Snape!" said Ron his eyes widening before narrowing, "What are you doing here?"

"We were invited. Now show some respect for the dead Weasley," said Malfoy with a smirk but there was no laughter behind it; he missed his friend deeply.

"Harry would never invite you, unless it was to get the last word. And maybe he will give you some grease Snape," said Weasley, crossing his arms.

Griphook activated the will, which spoke its contents out loud. "Hello all,

If you are hearing this then I am dead. I just hope I've gone down doing what I hoped to accomplish, taking Voldemort with me. He took away the only person to love me, my mother.

To Narcissa: I give you the Black fortune, use it well. I also give you Hedwig; she will follow you faithfully as she did for me. She likes dead mice better than treats by the way! Give her some for me; she was my friend, the only one there for me while I stayed in my own private hell."

Severus noticed there were reporters from the Daily Prophet listening and the Minister was there also. He wondered what reason Harry had invited them there for. Hedwig flew over to Narcissa and she petted his head. Ron and Hermione had their mouths open so wide they were trailing along the ground.

"To Draco: I regret the day I didn't shake your hand on the Hogwarts Express. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. Many people think turning down Voldemort's offer to be a Death Eater will end with you and your family's death but you still stood your ground. I am more proud of you than any other teen I know, you knew the risks you were taking. I am also proud of the other person I helped out of Malfoy Manor the day it was destroyed – yes, it was me who bombed the place."

The reporters were writing a thousand words a minute. Severus just smiled; he had known for a few hours that it was his son who was responsible. Draco looked like he had known too. Everyone else was shocked and Dumbledore looked furious.

"To the Minster of Magic: I leave you this speech please take it to heart." Everyone held their breath thinking he was going to get abuse shouted at him. There was a minute's silence then Harry began to speak.

"Don't listen to the Headmaster. You were made the Minister of Magic; you can make the changes you feel are right. Do what the public want you to do; they want to live in a fair society. Just remember there are more muggle-borns in our world than there will ever be pure-bloods. Take the restrictions off the werewolves; they deserve the life they could have had. Give them wages and they will be able to afford wolfsbane. It's hard enough accepting that you will turn into a wolf on the full moon without being made an outcast.

The vampires, make them bond with their mate, then they have a permanent donor and everyone is happy. You are acting out of fear for something you don't understand. Knowledge and familiarity will make you unafraid. There are many good people in this world who have been turned. There are good vampires and bad ones just like people. Would you hate every witch and wizard just because you met one bad one? That is what you are doing to the vampires.

You hold the most power in Britain, you could change it for the better; I'll be watching. I hope that you do the best you can and remember just follow your heart. There are things more important than money, like family. You can still treat and indulge your family without being rich. Every witch and wizard trusts you with their life; I hope you choose to do what is right and not what is easy."

Minister Fudge had tears in his eyes. Harry Potter was right he had more power than Dumbledore. He had let down the people who had trusted him with their lives. He was going to change he was going to be the best Minister Britain has ever seen.

"To Hermione: all I can say to you is, get your head out your arse and look the hell around. There is more to life than lessons and fucking school grades. Remember first year Hermione? There are more important things than books. What about friendship and bravery? Why did you throw it all away? Why Hermione? I actually thought you were my friend and the whole time you were spying on me for the order and planning on stabbing me in the back. I hope you spend the rest of your life an outcast, friendless and alone to let you see what its like."

Hermione burst into tears. She could not move and was forced to hear everything Harry had to say to her. The reporters were again smirking at her as they wrote down everything Harry said.

"To the Order: I want to say this 'fuck off!' That feels good to get of my chest!

To Ginny: well what can I say? You were the first person," Ginny smiled thinking she was going to get something nice said to her but the smile fell of her face when Harry continued, "I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. I wish I had not saved you down in the chamber but it was either that or Voldemort coming back and school being closed. Not much of a choice was there? You're just a disgusting weasel. I regret ever talking to you.

To Ron: you were my best mate. I will always miss the boy I met and liked straight away. Although now I know you were my friend only because Dumbledore asked you to be and to think, I could have ended up in Slytherin if it weren't for you. Slytherins are not evil. Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy were two of the bravest people I know, they defied Voldemort even more times than I have. I leave you one Knut. Don't spend it all in the one shop."

Ron went bright red. The goblin threw the Knut at him with a wicked smirk on his face. The others laughed especially Draco, apt last words indeed, was all both Severus and Draco could think.

"To Albus Dumbledore: I thank you for finally letting me out of my abusive family it means a lot! And to think I was grateful at one point. I was too naive to see through your twinkle. My family abused me and this old fool knew, after all I nearly died many times but my magic saved me. The wards would have warned him many times but he just left me in my own private hell.

To the wizarding world at large: I would like to thank those who wanted to get to know me, not the boy who lived but as Harry Potter. I did find all the letters you send me that the headmaster kept in a vault. I wish I could answer them all especially the person who wrote asking my favourite colour and food, wanting to get to know me, but I can't.

To Neville: thanks for treating me normally. Listen, don't do what your Grandmother wants you to do otherwise you will never get to be yourself. I never got to be myself, I was moulded into James Potter's son and I played my part even though I didn't want to. You love your plants and your grandmother doesn't realise that if there weren't herbologists in the world there wouldn't be vegetables or herbs for potions. Being a herbologist has nothing to do with sitting playing with plants and I am disappointed in your grandmother, she should know better. Sons are not always like their fathers. Your magic is in your hands not your wand, that's why you are not the best duellist but I would have you watching my back anytime. Trust me your father would be proud of you no matter what path you take, don't become an Auror because it is expected of you, it will only get you killed. I leave you two shops, one is a herbology shop and the other is a plant shop and as you've probably guessed, one is muggle and one is wizarding. Vault number twelve contains the profits the shops have earned. They are both shut at the moment, open them back up Nev and give them the shine they deserve. Good-bye Neville, you were a good mate."

Neville sat proud and tall, his grandmother was crying softly with a small smile on her face. She knew she had been wrong; Neville never could be her Frank because they were two very different people.

"To Luna: how can I say this? I know you are not as dumb as you make yourself out to be. You want to train in Care of Magical Creatures don't you? You want to study them and look after them; well I give you the keys to a zoo, the Evans Zoo. It's in the magical world and there are animals that have never been studied before, I know you will feel at home. You could publish you research in your Quibbler magazine. Don't let the world stop you from doing what you want; there are plenty of people out there working with animals. Show the world your true self, you are a true Ravenclaw Luna and I wish you all the best in the world. I don't want to see you for a long time now! I give you vault thirteen and the keys to the zoo."

The goblin gave her over a huge number of keys attached to a huge metal ring and a Gringotts key. She had tears in her eyes; no one had been able to read her like Harry had. He had gotten passed her stupid words to see what she was really like, she loved studying animals and wanted to work with them and now her dreams were coming true! Thanks to a guy she had not had the chance to speak to since the Ministry debacle.

"To Fred and George: good luck with living your dream. I give you the marauders handbook! Full of pranks and some that are not even finished. When they were at school they had wanted to open a prank shop but they didn't realise their ambition. So here are books and some of my own ideas in there too. My last wish is that you do not hurt my father with a prank, he has been on the receiving end of them far too many times and don't just hit the Slytherins. I give you 300 gallons use it wisely and ask dad for help, he is not the man you think he, is he really loves his potions!

To Arthur: I do not know what exactly the function of a rubber duck is, all I know is it's a baby's toy that gets played with in the water I wished I'd of had one though.

To Molly: you were the only mother I've ever known. How could you pick someone to pieces like that? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? The burrow will always remain a home to me, goodbye.

To Percy: you never did anything to me so I give you three books I hope you read them. Also I wish you good luck in marrying Penny; I hope it's ok that I call her that. I give you 100 gallons. Remember family is important."

Percy smiled and accepted the money. He also found he owned a stunning white gown with an opal necklace, earrings, anklet and a bracelet. The opals were spectacular and it was a wedding gown she would look amazing in. He smiled; he could now have the wedding he had always wanted to give her.

"To Bill: good luck, sorry I don't know what else to say because I don't know you very well. I give you a book that has been lost for a long time, it's a book on curse breaking and I also give you glasses that will help you see magic. I leave you 100 gallons. Please as my last request spend it on yourself, treat yourself to a new wardrobe or something.

To Charlie: as you love your dragons I give you a flute that will help you speak to dragons, enjoy it. Voldemort owned it at one time that was how he was getting the dragons on his side. I give you 100 gallons too and ask the same of you that I asked of Bill, keep it to yourself.

There are two buildings that I own (pictures of a couple of huge mansion were projected onto the wall). I want them made over and turned into orphanages for magical children so they don't end up in the muggle world alone and friendliness. Remember that muggles hate what they do not understand. Someone spare a bit of love for those who don't have anyone, find them families within the wizarding world. In vault fourteen is enough money to keep this trust going for two hundred years, more with the interest accumulated. Griphook has a list of those I am making trustees of the project. I want one named the Evans Snape Orphanage and the other the Lightning Orphanage. Everyone deserves to know they have a gift of magic.

And to my father Professor Severus Snape, who spied for the light side long before I was even born, I would love it if he was given an Order Merlin first class. He deserves it as well as the money for his erroneous imprisonment. There is no need to put people in Azkaban before their trial. I give you six thousand gallons for the Ministry to install new cells for people who have yet to be tried. Make them nice because they may be innocent and I would like it if you always use Veritaserum on each suspect to make the system fair and just.

Dad, how weird it is to say that word. Take care of my pensive because I love it, the snake is so cool don't you think? Ah well, I give to you everything in the trunks I have prepared. Open them so everyone can see your face when you do."

Severus just hoped it was not a prank, he didn't think he could bear it if it was. With a sigh he opened the trunk and a weak squeak left his lips when he saw the ingredients his son had gotten.

Harry's voice started again. "I wish I was there to see your faces, I really do. If Voldemort's anger is anything to go by they must be pretty rare, aren't they? Enjoy your chemistry set! Ha-Ha. Anyway give the smallest box to Draco; I know how much you'd want these."

Draco was handed over the box and on opening it he nearly fainted. They were daggers and not just any daggers but they were the most beautifully crafted ones he had ever seen. With the initials SS engraved on them, his eyes opened wide and he wondered if they were Salazar Slytherin's.

As if Harry knew he was thinking, he said, "Yes Draco, they were once wielded by Salazar Slytherin himself. Sorry about the manor but everything in there is now Severus'! And before I forget there is another box, give it to Narcissa. I like your name by the way. If I had a daughter I would have called her Narcissa. I would have enjoyed having children but I guess it was not meant to be. Open the box."

Narcissa, after seeing her son get something that had been personally wielded by Salazar Slytherin nearly a millennia ago was so curious she didn't know whether to open it or not. Opening it she saw the most beautiful earrings, necklace and bracelet that matched a beautiful green gown. There was also a blue dress with a matching sapphire jewellery set and a black dress with onyx jewels. They were old fashioned but timelessly classic and they were spectacular. Closing the box she had tears running down her face at such a thoughtful present. No one had been this kind to her before, not even Lucius who had pretended to love her.

Harry spoke for the last time. "Well Dad, Draco and Narcissa and everyone else that was true to me, this is all I have to say. Enjoy everything I have given you and to think Ron, you could have been in their place if you had not opened your big mouth in Diagon Alley, too bad eh? Who's got the last laugh now? I love you dad. Draco and Narcissa, you were the mother and brother that I never had. Goodbye and good luck for the future. Please bury me under the name Harry Snape or perhaps Harrison Alexander Snape, it sounds better doesn't it?

To you others, I guess you've got another name for me now, the boy who died or some other cheesy name. Have good lives, you won't miss me because you all only wanted to use me anyway. You won't care, but actually who am I kidding? Of course you will care; you have now lost your saviour. Good day and good-bye."

Still stunned, they all gathered their things together and left the office. Some left embarrassed, they were going to be humiliated by the press. Dumbledore had managed to set the official will documents on fire then smirked to himself, but his devious smirk fell when Griphook brought out another copy.

Hermione stormed off in a huff blaming Ron for the fact that they were about to end up outcasts. People in shops were already starting to refuse to serve them as word was getting around regarding what they had done to Harry.

Though Ron did indeed spend his Knut in one shop, he bought a chocolate frog.