Who's that man?
The bravest man I ever knew...
Severus. The potions master. The bravest. Loved. Loved Lily. Always. Died for the boy who lived. Died misunderstood. Protected me. He protected me.. all these years. I never knew, how every day.. every day of his life he blocked voldemort from his mind, continued to serve dumbledore at great personal risk.. died in the end.. for me.. for Lily.. for my mother. I didn't know. I am sorry. I am sorry you weren't- you couldn't-
Harry sat there crying, mud splattered across his jeans. Shaking uncontrollably. The doe, it was standing there, just behind his grave. Harry didn't know if it was just his imagination. He didn't care. He held out a hand, ran his fingers through its bowed head.
He had seen Lily die, but never noticed Severus dying with her.. he was gone the day she was. There was nothing to bring him back. But the man carried on. His body carried on protecting the boy with her eyes.. until his last breath. Riddled by mistakes.. regrets, all his life, not for a moment did his love for Lily falter, not a single moment.
How many times had he cursed his name, doubted him, hated him. How many times had he been reminded of Lily.. looking at him. How many times had he seen James in him, seen the bully who married Lily Evans. His Lily Evans. Some mistakes.. some circumstances.. he had lost her, he had failed, he was gone, he continued to be here but he was always there.. with Lily, wherever she was.
Maybe he was at peace now.. with Lily, his soul freed from the cruel hollowness of the past. He had lost all respect for James, his father. There was nothing that could redeem him. It was over. They were all dead. In a wind of actions done, words said.. all that left was a gentle breeze, leaving their scent, a reminder of their love. The power of love that emanated from it.. from their graves side by side. He wanted to be buried between them, between his mother who died for him, and his professor, protector, saviour, who died with her.