Chapter 44

The Bravest Man I ever Knew

(Same day)

Harry just wanted quiet. He began to walk with Ron and Hermione back to Gryffindor tower and when they were halfway up the marble staircase something very important occurred to Harry. He stopped and turned to the others. "Snape," He said softly. The other two went white at the thought of their once teacher and how he had dead. "We need to tell someone where his body is," Harry spoke looking from Ron to Hermione who both nodded in agreement.

Severus Snape was Harry's unspoken hero and ally all along. Harry knew he wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for Snape. Snape gave his life to protect Harry for Lily, the woman he never stopped loving, Harry's mother.

"You know," said Harry to Ron and Hermione, "You two go to bed. I will go."

"Are you sure, Mate?" said Ron through a yawn.

"We can come with you," offered Hermione.

"No, really get some sleep," Harry told them. "I want to take care of it." He looked at his friends with determined eyes and they knew to let him go without them.

Harry watched as Ron and Hermione ascended the steps hand and hand. He smiled slightly. The war was won.

Harry then turned and headed towards the Great Hall. He wanted to help bring Professor Snape's body back from the Shrieking Shake. It was the very least he could do. As he walked Harry contemplated how his feelings towards Snape had changed so drastically in the last few hours. It was a strange thing to hate someone so much one minute and then the next feel eternal gratitude and affection for them. Harry made a vow to himself that he would make sure the Wizarding World knew what Severus Snape had done for him.

Once at the doors of the Great Hall Harry threw his invisibility cloak over himself to avoid any undesired attention. He looked around the Hall for a helpful face. Not much had changed since the last time he had left it about a half hour ago. Families and friends still huddled together in either smiles or tears. The Weasley still sat around Fred and Ginny still rest her head on her mother's shoulder, silent tears still pouring from her eyes. Harry wanted to go to her but refrained and continued glancing around the hall. He looked pass the Malfoys and saw Kingsley Shaklebolt sitting with a handful of aurors.

Harry moved carefully along the table until he reached Kingsley. Still invisible, Harry leaned forward and whispered in Kingsley's ear. Kingsley did not even jump but politely excused himself from the table.

Harry pulled off the cloak in the privacy of the Entrance Hall.

"What is it, Harry?" Kingsley asked in his deep voice.

"I was hoping you could help me get Snape back here," said Harry.

Kingsley nodded solemnly. Harry was grateful to Kingsley for not asking further questions. Harry had confronted Voldemort with the facts of Snape's innocence and he was sure Kingsley (along with the rest of the audience) heard what he had said, but Harry was relieved that Kingsley did not ask trivial questions like 'but how do you know?' or 'Are you sure.' Harry was not quite ready to discuss his venture into Professor Snape's memories.

"Where to," asked Kingsley helpfully.

"The Shrieking Shack," Harry said simply. They both disapparated at once and then reappeared with a pop in the eerie house. Harry inhaled deeply the smells of dust and mold.

"This way," said Harry as he lit his wand. Harry stepped forward slowly and then began leading Kingsley down a narrow hallway, where Snape awaited at the end.

As Harry approached the door at the end of the hall his stomach began to fill with lead. He dreaded having to see the corpse once more. Harry was no stranger to death but that didn't make looking upon it any more pleasant.

Secretly Harry wished to open the door and see his old potions master glowering at him. Harry wished he could tell Snape thank you. Harry also wanted to ask and grant forgiveness. He hoped that Severus Snape could know all he was feeling.

Harry reached for the cold doorknob and quickly pushed the door open. There on the floor were now two bodies, one of Severus Snape and one a girl, Alex Snape.

Her eyes were wide open and stared straight ahead at Harry and Kingsley, yet did not respond to their sudden presence. Alex half lay over the body of Snape. Her head rested on his chest and her hands gripped tightly to his arm and wrist. Alex's skin and hair was covered in Snape's blood and her whole body was trembling.

Both Harry and Kingsley instinctively took a few steps towards her. She looked up at them.

"Alex," Harry said softly, "Alex Snape."

"Yes," she whispered. Her voice was hardly audible. She did not cry; she seemed to be far beyond tears.

Harry knelt at Snape's body and reached out towards Alex, placing his warm hand on her trembling spine. "Let's get you out of here," He suggested gently.

But she ignored him. "Harry," she breathed.

"What is it?" he muttered back.

"He's good Harry, please believe me he was a good man," she said her voice shaking violently.

"I know he was," Harry choked.

"He wanted to tell you something," She said distantly.

"He did," Harry told her sadly. "He told me everything."

I heard Harry's words as if echoing from the top of a well in which I was trapped at the bottom, but I did not feel numb. I could still feel. I felt sad, I felt angry and abandoned and lonely, but I also felt strong. The pain in my heart was raw but I was fighting it. Severus would not have wanted me to drown in my own self-pity or wallow in depression. No, I was going to be strong like Severus was strong and brave like Severus was brave. For Severus and for my baby I refused to be weak. Though, I wished my mind could tell my body this for my body still shook uncontrollably, so much I was sure I could not walk.

There was someone behind me. I suddenly remembered that Harry had a companion, a very tall, black man with a bald head and earing. He carefully loosened my grasp on Severus.

"I am going to pick you up now," he warned me in a soothing deep voice.

"Okay," I said allowing him to lift me. I wrapped my hands around his neck. I recognized this man. "You are a member of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Yes," he answered. I was not questioning him; I remembered him as being there after I woke to find my family dead.

"Is it over," I asked. My voice rattled as I raised it above a whisper.

"Lord Voldemort is dead," He told me softly.

I felt a jolt of pain through my body as I thought how Severus could not be here to enjoy his newly found freedom, but perhaps he had been freed hours ago. But we couldn't be free together.

"Good," I said through a swallow.

In this man's arms I watched as he produced a stretcher out of thin air. Harry lifted Severus's body up off the ground with his wand and it floated limply onto the stretcher with a soft thud. I closed my eyes tight once and then opened them again slowly. The man holding me produced a white sheet and it neatly laid itself over the body of my cousin.

"I have a dark mark," I said bluntly as we began to leave.

Harry and the man holding me exchanged looks.

"Will I be sent to Azkaban?" I asked with disinterest.

No one said anything for a long minute. Then in unison the tall man and Harry muttered, "No."

"I just was wondering," I said indifferently. I thought about adding, because I am pregnant but decided to leave that part out.

"Let's get you back to Hogwarts," said Harry faintly.

Harry grabbed on to the stretcher and disapparated and then the tall man and I disapparated together.

I was in the Great Hall, excepted it looked more like the infirmary now. People lay on table and were being treated by healers. Families huddled around their injured relatives and their dead relatives.

Our appearance attracted a lot of attention in the hall. Mainly the appearance of Harry, but my shivering, blood covered body draped over the arms of the tall man and a loaded stretcher hovering nearby just added to the attraction.

Several people came to assist us directing us in a million different directions. They were all talking at once and pointing. All those strange faces, I hated it. Madam Pomfrey the Hogwarts matron instructed the man carrying me to set me down over were the Hufflepuff table used to be and some unknown man told Harry to "put the body with the rest of 'em."

"No!" I suddenly screamed. "No!" I reached out for Severus's body but could not reach it. Many heads turned at my cry. I wanted to know where Severus's body was at all times. I didn't want anyone to take it away. I was his family.

"Keep them together," Harry demanded. I was surprised to see him give orders to witches and wizards much older than he and have his orders carried out.

The Man holding me placed me down on a bench nearby and Severus's body was placed on the floor next to me. My body still shook slightly but I was in more control. I abandoned my bench and sat on the floor beside Severus's body and placed my hand on his hand under the sheet. Like when my parents and sister died I knew that Severus was not there. I felt no energy or feeling towards the corpse, but by keeping the body with me was the proof that the man that once inhabited it belonged to me.

Madam Pomfrey came over to me. She did not ask me to sit back on the bench but knelt beside me.

"It's not my blood," I told her emotionlessly.

"I know," she said and as I looked down at the white sheet it was now stained red.

She summoned a small basin of water and a cloth and began washing the residue off my face.

Harry knelt on the other side of Severus's body like he did in the Shrieking Shack.

"Do you know how he died?" I asked Harry.

"Yes, I do," Harry said smiling sadly at me.

Madam Pomfrey stood deciding that I was stable enough to talk with Harry alone.

And so he explained everything to me about the elder wand, about the snake and about Severus's memories in the pensive. Harry explained about horcruxes and about the final battle.

I felt tears in my eyes. "What a horrible way to die," I wept.

Harry grasped my free hand that was not holding on to the hand of the corpse between us.

"Thank you for telling me, Harry," I said. "And thanks for everything else." I closed my eyes. "Can I have his memories, Harry?" I asked shyly opening my eyes again. "Or can I at least see them."

"They are yours," he told me.

"Thank you," I whispered to him tearfully. "I really know so little about him."

"If you truly loved him I am sure you know plenty," Harry said.

I smiled slightly. I wanted to tell Harry my memories of Severus since he was giving me the memories Severus left for him.

"Oh course I know he was brave," I said looking down.

"Oh no doubt of it," said Harry. "He was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

I grinned up at him. "Me too," I agreed.

"What else do you know about him," Harry prompted.

My eyebrows knit together. "He hated his father," I said seriously remembering his resentment when I tried to show him the old photos of our fathers. "And he kept masses of different potions in his house." I thought about healing his wounds after he was attacked in Diagon Ally. "He mostly read informative books but he secretly liked Shakespeare." I smirked and Harry did too. "And he was a horrific cook!"

"Really?" said Harry laughing. "I can't imagine him cooking."

I laughed too. "I know right! It was bizarre."

"What did he cook for you?" Harry asked.

"Scrambled eggs and toast," I said. "The toast was burnt and the eggs were not even edible."

Harry smiled. "You know plenty," Harry said.

I smiled too but then it faded. "I know he loved your mother so much, Harry."

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I know."

Harry stood and I tried to stand too. "No, sit down and rest," he told me. Even though, it was he who really needed the rest. "I will bring you the memories, Alex, I promise."

"Thank you," I said.

"And you don't have to worry about going to Azkaban, really you don't," he assured me.

"And what about…" I trailed off as our heads both instinctively turned to the Malfoys sitting across the hall. I caught Draco's eyes he had been looking in my direction for who knows how long.

"They won't be punished," said Harry confidently. "Many aurors think that some deatheaters have been punished enough. There will be a trial of course but those who have repented will be pardoned. And you have no reason to worry." I didn't even have to explain myself and Harry Potter trusted me.

With one last friendly smile he walked away.

Madam Pomfrey came up to me.

"Come now dear. I need to take you to the hospital wing." She said kindly.

"What about…" I pointed to the body.

Madam Pomfrey looked sadly downward. "Family members will be informed on the status of their deceased relation."

"Okay," I said hesitantly. "I will go with you." But as I stood, letting go of the hand I was holding and began to walk away from the body I felt an immense feeling of sadness and guilt about leaving Severus's remains behind.

I began to cry. Madam Pomfrey held my arm and led me out of the hall.

"Wait," said a voice behind us. We turned and saw Draco coming towards us. "Where are you taking her?" Draco demanded of Madam Pomfrey when he reached us.

"The Hospital Wing, Mr. Malfoy," she said a little indignantly.

"I want to go with her," said Draco.

Madam Pomfrey's eyes narrowed as she evidently remembered the last time Draco and I were in the hospital wing together.

"Please," I said through tears and she did not refuse me.

I saw Draco's parents walking after Draco, but he quickly gestured that he was going up to the hospital wing and they seemed content that he would be save.

Draco took my other arm and helped Madam Pomfrey support me up the stairs.

Once in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey sat me in a bed behind a screen and made Draco wait on the other side of it while she helped me change into a nightgown.

Madam Pomfrey carefully helped me remove my bloodstained clothes.

I saw her eyes linger on my left arm. I looked too. All that was left of my dark mark was an ugly patch of raw, purpled skin, a burn that would further heal but a scar that would always be there.

The matron rinsed the remaining bits of Severus's dried blood from my skin and hair. I closed my eyes as I felt her cool cloth move over my body and I listened to the hum of whispers as more people were being brought into the hospital wing.

"Oh," said Madam Pomfrey. I opened my eyes as the matron rested her warm hand on my slightly bulging stomach. "Oh, dear," she exclaimed in shock. Her eyes met mine and I nodded emotionlessly.

"What is it?" asked Draco. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I called to him somewhat hoarsely.

With Madam Pomfrey's concerned eyes still on me I shook my head once and she understood.

She then wordlessly helped me into a nightgown and finally invited Draco by my side but insisted that I get some rest and did not over exert myself.

As she left us she gave both Draco and I one last fretting stare.

"What was that all about?" Draco asked me roughly.

"She saw my dark mark," I half lied. "Is yours faded also?"

Draco lifted up his sleeve to reveal the same purple-ish splotch as me. "Yeah," he said with a scowl. "Pretty fowl looking," he added awkwardly.

"Yeah," I agreed also awkward.

"How are you feeling," we both said at the same time.

We both kind of laughed but not really.

"You first," said Draco.

"How about an easier question," I said mildly.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I know what you mean." There was a long held out pause. "How much trouble do you think we are in for?" Draco finally asked.

"Not much," I assured him. "Harry Potter told me he thinks that we won't be punished at all and I think that whatever he thinks is a pretty good bet bringing to light what he just did."

Draco scowled at the sound of Harry's name but it was probably just out of habit.

"You sure talked to Potter for a long time," said Draco.

"Jealous?" I joked grimly.

Draco let out a half snort. "Of course not," he said.

There was another long awkward silence between us.

"So," I whispered.

"So," said Draco awkwardly. His grey eye's found my blue ones and suddenly all tension was gone. "So," he said again. "What are you planning to do now?"

"How about an easier question," I said again.

"A smart, pretty witch like you will surely have no trouble," Draco told me with a slight smile.

"I want to take Severus's body to America," I said without much thought, "and bury him next to my parents and sister." Once I said it out loud it seemed like a final act of love and forgiveness.

"I'm sorry about your loss," said Draco a bit uncomfortably.

I blinked and tears rolled down my cheeks. "I'm really going to miss him," I said as I began to sob.

Draco climbed into bed with me and folded me in his arms.

"I'll miss him too," he hissed in my ear. "He was my favorite teacher."

I kissed his shoulder in thanks. He smiled slightly and then I adjusted my head on his chest.

We sat like that for a very long time in silence, trying to comfort each other, but it was no longer the time for comfort or escaping together like we had done on many occasions; it was the time to cope and rebuild our lives.

"How long do you plan to stay in America?" Draco asked me breaking our silence.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Will you try to contact your old friends?" Draco tried again.

"I don't know," I answered again. "They all think I am dead. There is a tombstone and everything" My voice sounded bitter. "I don't know if I should approach them after all this time."

"Then will you stay in Britain or do you not know that either?" Draco asked.

I sensed where this conversation was going. "No," I said. "I will not stay in Britain."

"I figured as much," said Draco, "too many bad memories."

"Good memories too," I corrected. "Hogwarts will always be a good memory." I paused but then spoke my mind in a whisper. "Someday I hope that my children will come to Hogwarts." It was silent for another minute. "But," I continued as if there was never a pause, "I just feel like I want to get away for a while and go somewhere where no one knows me."

"So I suspect that we will not see each other for some time," said Draco softly.

"Yeah," I agreed, "I suppose."

"Well I guess from the very beginning we both knew what we meant to each other," He hissed in my ear.

"Yes," I said delicately, "but that didn't make it any less important."

"No it didn't," said Draco. He breathed in and unraveled himself from me. He got out of bed and looked down at me. "I don't think I could have made it through all this if it wasn't for you," He said seriously.

I smiled up at him. "Same here," I told him earnestly.

"Well I guess," said Draco looking towards the exit, "I will go."

I nodded once. "Be seeing you," I said.

A small smile crossed his lips. "Yeah," he answered, "be seeing you."

He walked away, leaving my bed cold. I squeezed my pillow which smelled like Draco, taking the last drains of comfort from his scent and then I fell asleep, ready to move on. When I awoke, a small vile of swirling blue memories danced within the glass, neither solid, liquid not gas, sat at my bedside. A note accompanied the vile. It read:

The memories of the bravest man we ever knew.