*(I fixed up some spelling and grammar mistakes in this chapter, chapter 10 coming soon I hope)
Chapter 9
Harry's POV
I forced them off me and pushed myself through the crowd, to where Snape's still form lay,
I snuck to my knees at his side,
"No, no… please no!" – and there, then, I started sobbing, uncontrollably,
Crying for everyone I had lost, that nearly everyone that had ever cared for me, now even Snape, was gone.
I didn't even notice the silence that fell around me like a blanket, as the survivors acknowledged, for the first time, the great sacrifices that Snape and so many others had made. the deafeningly quiet grew, until the only sound that could be heard, was that of my despair piercing the morning air, like the light of the rising sun. (-chapter 7)
-"Potter, stop that exasperating wailing sound, the last thing this castle needs is a male Moaning Myrtle, and even if it did, I could definitely recommend a more fitting candidate, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, for one, would make an excellent contender." (-chapter 8)
I froze. I knew that voice, that voice that had constantly reprimanded me, insulting me with that cold cutting tongue that had always known just what to say to hurt me the most.
My brain didn't register the exclamations of shock from the people around me, I was too busy basking in my own shock as I lifted my head to meet those dark tunnel-like eyes,
eyes which were full of disapproval, and…full of life!
"Alive!" I gasped, "you're alive."
I scrambled to my feet and rubbed my eyes to see if I was imagining things,
I was not.
"Yes Potter, I'm alive, that's what it usually means when someone is breathing and talking like this." Snape said sarcastically, sitting up and glaring around at the assembled crowd,
before his eyes came to rest on Voldemort's corpse and his jaw slackened in shock.
His glare was replaced with a blank look as he slowly rose to his feet and made his way towards the body.
Several people moved as if to stop him, before quickly changing their minds and clearing a way to let him pass,
I felt rather than saw, the watchers' eyes uncertainly flicker from Snape, to me and back again, as Snape come to a stop and stared down at his deceased former master.
…
"He is dead."
It was a statement of fact rather than a question, his voice cold and emotionless, and yet I felt his uncertainty, his need for reassurance.
"Yes. And he's not coming back, not this time." I said firmly,
He turned to stare at me then, I felt the crowd tense again, waiting to see what he would do, his eyes were blazing, but there was none of the anger or hate that I was accustomed to, but so many other emotions that I couldn't possibly name one.
I gulped uncertainly and opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.
"Harry…"
My mind went blank, never in seven years, had Snape ever referred to me as anything other than 'Potter'.
"Harry….I…" he gulped, and I was shocked to see a single tear run down his pale cheek,
"Thank you"
-His voice was barely more than a whisper, and yet there wasn't one person in The Great Hall that didn't hear him.
Snape's POV
The sun rose steadily over Hogwarts, and the Great Hall blazed with life and light, of a new day, of a new day, I stared down at the body of the monster who had taken everything from me, my life, my love, my Lily.
At last justice had been served.
"He is dead"- I heard myself saying the words but I could not connect their meaning to reality, like a song's melody that had been forgotten, leaving just the plain lyrics.
"Yes. And he's not coming back, not this time." I heard Harry say.
I turned slowly and met his gaze, staring into his deep green eyes,
'he's not coming back'- Harry had sacrificed himself to kill the piece of Voldemort that resided in him, not knowing he would be able to come back, and in doing so he had saved my life, saved everyone, just like Lily had saved him all those years ago.
"Harry…"
The snake was dead as well, which meant it was well truly over, he had really done it, against all odds, Lily's boy had fulfilled the prophecy and saved us all.
"Harry…I …"
The words caught in my throat, I didn't know what to say, except-
"Thank you"
Thank you for saving me from a life of servitude, thank you for giving me another chance at life,
And for being more like your mother than I ever could have hoped.
The next few hours were a haze of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration, I tried to stay out of the way but it was not to be, Minerva met my eye across the hall and next thing I know she was sobbing in my arms, begging my forgiveness.
The cold, cruel part of me wanted to push her away and sneer at her for ever believing me capable of such things, for believing I would ever betray Albus, betray her.
but the rational, reasonable part of me knew that it was not her fault, that I had played my part to perfection until even the most loyal trusting Gryffindor like her could not possibly justify my actions.
I returned her embrace, I had missed this, our companionship, our friendship, squabbling over meaningless things like the house cup and quidditch.
"It's ok Minerva, you weren't to know, I don't blame you"
And suddenly she was no longer crying but had pulled back from me and was shouting at me angrily, I stared at her bewildered.
"Of course I couldn't have known! You and Albus didn't think to tell me anything! No, instead, you let me hate you! I tried to kill you, you blithering idiot!"
"Emphasis on tried"- I smirked, trying to calm her down and lighten the mood,
She let out a growl like a frustrated lioness and stormed away to make room for the House tables, I watched her go, trying to keep myself from grinning at how she had returned so quickly to her worrying, scolding self, that I had missed so much this past year.
The good news kept coming at a steady flow as the morning progressed, the Imperiused up and down the country had come back to themselves, the remaining Death Eaters were fleeing or else being captured, the innocent of Azkaban were being released at that very moment, and Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named temporary Minister of Magic. . .
they'd moved Voldemort's body and laid it in a chamber off the Hall, away from the bodies of Fredrick Weasley, Nyphadora, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and fifty others who had died fighting him.
Minerva had replaced the House tables, but nobody was sitting according to House anymore: All were jumbled together, teachers and pupils, ghosts and parents, centaurs and house-elves.
At first, I had been hesitant to join knowing that most would not welcome me, but then Horace called me to sit with him and Filius at the end of the Hufflepuff table.
"It's good to have you back, Severus." -said Horace,
"It's good to be back"- I replied, smiling faintly.
We sat and ate quietly for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence, until he spoke again,
"I think Lily would be proud of us, you know?"- he said hesitantly,
"-Proud of us for being brave for her."
He drifted off into silence and stared into the distance, lost in memories,
I gaped at him for a minute before composing myself and murmuring softly-
"Yes, I… I think she is"