Severus's legs felt like jelly. He felt spent and bone-tired, he wanted to scrawl into some deep hole and die, or sleep until his life was twice over. Unfortunately, he couldn't do as he pleased and was on his way to the bloody end of the year feast. never mind he would not be able to eat at all. As weak as a kitten, it was possible if he had not been leaning heavily on those two asinine women, he would have fallen face first into floor.
One of the muscles of his back, which he never knew it existed until now, felt offended that he could dare walk after the ordeal he had, so it tensed up and sent a jolt of sharp pain down his spine. He couldn't help but moan in pain.
"Dear Lad, none of that! You should have thought about it before charging into a bloody basilisk of all things!"
He was so embarrassed to be called 'lad', and hated that Minerva was referring to him as arrogant and why everyone and their aunt wanted to reprimand him for his actions? It was not as if he charged or anything like that!
"Pray tell woman, should I have left those helpless useless children to fend for themselves? How would you prefer them delivered to their families? like mashed potatoes they would have been if I had not stepped in to save them from Lockhart, or mayhap torn limb from limb by a giant snake, or crucioed by the heir? Mayhap I should have helped him in using those brats in some nefarious ritual, Humm? And don't think for a second, I did not get your not-so-subtle jab. If anyone is arrogant, it's that brutish brat from your house!" he exploded into her face.
"You are being unnecessarily rude and obtuse lad!" Minerva shot back.
"Am not a lad! Lad is someone still in school, a brash Gryffindor ass like Potter!"
Minerva yelled in protest "Now boy!" in the same tune she used on him when he was but a student.
And there laid a problem.
The now boy part.
Ever since the chamber, and the damned heir_turned_into_mini_dark_lord shuffling through his mind, he had two sets of not so happy childhood memories. One, of Tobias delightful punishments, and two some unknown sod who had it for the mini-riddle in the orphanage.
The mixture of memories, and the trauma of facing one of the most dangerous beasts in the universe, the injuries and poison had done a number on him.
He had been unconscious for about a month, then bedridden for another. The road to recovery was paved with thorns, dealing with basilisk poison and phoenix tears copious amounts circulating his system was tiresome. Due to the various nature of injuries consisted of burns, breaks, bruises and poison and torn flesh, he had a long way. He couldn't deal with most of them with magic, because at first, the basilisk blood and poison in his veins nullified them, and second, they would lessen the effect of phoenix tears that was combating the poison.
He had to heal the muggle way.
He was told by both Ted, the meddlesome husband of Andromeda who had the tact of a niffler, but unfortunatly skilled in dealing with his predicament, and Poppy that him being the potion master was probably a curse and blessing both. A blessing because without it, he would have died in seconds after the poison entered his body, him being magically depleted and many open wounds that let the poison right into his blood. After all, in his line of work as a potion master, he dealt with making anti-dote for various poisonous things and his body was accustomed to larger, deadlier poisons than a normal being. The delay made it possible for the tears to work their magic in time.
A curse because the venom had a cumulative effect of sorts, and absorbed those remnants of poisonous substances in his body, making the recovery more difficult.
All in all, he was turned into a less than glorified crippled mess, and somehow developed ASTHMA of all illnesses! He was informed that it was sort of immunological overreaction of body's system to many things, be it a useless seed, or anxiety or even being excited.
"Now boy" was unfortunately a very bad memory for both himself and riddle-brat.
He was having difficulty in breathing, again.
One of his lungs had been punctured by his broken rib, when the carcass fell on him, resulting in short capacity of the damned organ. To top that, the poison somehow made his air ways tight, thus the asthma problem. Together with his problem of movement, and general fatigue, it resulted in him needing constant care.
And an inhaler, because magic made it worse.
Until when? Until both foreign substances made peace with each other, and get into an equilibrium. Poppy predicted a year, Ted said 11 months.
The same, really.
His chest felt tight, and while trying hard to get some air into his thrice damned body, he failed miserably.
Minerva's eyes widened in alarm as she saw his struggle.
"Damn it Poppy, where is that stupid inhaler?"
And he wanted to laugh. Man, was it hilarious watching those two grown women running like heedless chicken, like their skirt was on fire and COMPLETELY forgetting they had bloody wands that could summon the stupid thing?
At least Poppy was less anxious than her, but still anxious as she couldn't do a simple thing for it. Severus personally thought that made her to be reminded of those spying days of his. Those days when he was tortured if he told something worthwhile, and tortured if he didn't tell something worthwhile. Really, Dark Lord must have taken his rather large nose a personal insult against himself or whatnot.
At least he was functioning the day after. Being trained well since childhood with The Tobias diet, His body healed at a surprising rate.
Healed being the key word. It did not heal at that rate now.
He had to understand he was not that young in the hard way, and Poppy too. She was in hysterics when she found out couldn't heal him by the ways she knew of, and that he looked fragile and breakable. He didn't think Poppy, or Minerva or anyone thought him fragile. That he could die like the rest of them.
Easily.
They had taught his mother after all. He was young in muggle terms, let alone in wizarding sense. The whole incident brought back those awful days of war when they didn't know if one of their colleagues, their neighbors, their family would survive for another day or not.
And him of all people.
Severus bloody Snape, who put the fear of Merlin in the students' hearts, who never got any day off because of illness, had never been seen less than a menacing sarcastic strong wizard, reduced to this.
A fragile man with asthma, who couldn't walk two steps without falling on his ass or pant like he was suffocating.
The great bat of dungeon, the Slytherin head of house who seemed untouchable, was reduced to a glass shaped thing they feared it would break with the whiff of a strong wind.
He could sympathize with them a bit.
Really!
He had lost lots of weight, and he wasn't in healthy range of it before. He now weighed almost as light as one of his 14 years old. A seventh year – even a girl- could hug him and carry him bridal style and he couldn't hit them hard enough to bruise.
"Found it!" Poppy shouted with delight, as if she had been the one who finally figured the unpetrifying potion out. he wondered if this drama necessary?
"Breathe dear, breathe for me nice and slow"
Oh yes. Breathing. What a good idea.
His lungs slowly filled with much needed air.
When he dared to open his eyes, he found himself on the floor, his head on Minerva's chest, she was holding him like a baby in her arms, rubbing his back.
At least his back was turned to her, he didn't have to look at her eyes and see those red rimmed irises burdened with so much pity and angst. Poppy was all but crying openly.
It clawed his insides and made his stomach do a flip. He never knew what to do with crying women.
Guess what, he always found some way to make them cry anyway. Be it his mother, Lily, Mrs. Evans or Hermione. He had outdone himself by turning the least likely duet of women in whole Britian to cry over him.
Shouldn't he be given a medal or something? Minerva had not cried since her husband, Poppy since her only failed pregnancy.
Brilliant.
"There there. I am alright. If a Basilisk couldn't kill me, what gives you the idea that you will get rid of me this easily?" he cringed internally as he heard his not quite healed voice which sounded like a cross between a chicken and a newly born kitten, and awkwardly patted Poppy's arm.
Minerva cleared her throat, as if by clearing it she could clear those damned tears that wet his robes too.
-maybe he should burn these set. With all the snit and tears and mucosa on it?
"No, you would not. You would probably throw Albus down the tower first, then fly away to go poke the eye of a dragon or some stupid Gryffindor Ish act like that"
"Now see Minerva, just because I did some Gryffindor Ish act one time…"
"Oh, I consider you a Gryffindor wholly now, no honorary shit. when would you like me to assign a room?"
Poppy sniffed" none of this talk of death and doom. I had enough of it! And young man, don't you ever do such a thing! You can suffocate Albus and merlin knows I help you hide the body or feed it to the giant squid, but no bloody picking fights with dragons, or giants or any other idiotic beasts! How do you suppose we can deal with students, huh? Who will put the fear of merlin in their hearts?" she said as she helped him to stand up again, and then sit on a conjured chair for a bit to catch his breath.
They whispered behind him, as if they forgot he was a darn seasoned spy!
"Minerva, I think it's still too soon. Why in merlin's beard he has to be in the end of the year feast? He can barely stay there for more than half an hour, and the noise, germs…who knows what he could pick up from those unwashed urchins? His lungs, his lungs…"
"I will go, and that's final" he said loud enough for them to stop whispering.
As much as he hated the pity, he could feel worry too. Yes, there was guilt, and shame, but there was worry for his wellbeing.
Not just as a member of staff, or in a clinical way, but as a person worth worrying over.
If he said his heart warmed, he hadn't lied. He never saw any of them as more than an acquaintance, but now Minerva and Poppy were behaving like they loved him as a son or a relative, and it made him feel happy, accepted.
Something he never had felt in all his pitiful existence.
Yet,
It was disappointing to know it required him not almost, but practically dying -his heart had stopped twice-to get it, but as a person with the worst luck in everything he couldn't stop himself enjoying it, even if it was transient.
While he had expected Hermione to visit, he hadn't counted on her saying she loved her back the first day he had opened his eyes.
There were so many people around. Half awake, half sleep.
Andromeda, Granger and Dowson, Ted Tonks and even Narcissa standing far from others.
He was told many others had visited, Filius, Green-grasses, Weasleys and a reluctant Potter.
Andromeda even apologized for being a bitch and cursing him, and offered to take care of him in the summer.
No amount of protest made her back off.
"Seeing as Hermione here wants to stay, and my Dora is besides herself to have her, and you need a care taker for a while until we can get a hold of a good elf, you just have to!"
The need to have a Care taker aside, the suspicious part of his mind being certain he could not escape Andromeda aside he had more urgent problems.
The most urgent problem related to what happened that first night…
Hermione had tiptoed around his bed, he could tell because she was trying, and failing to walk silently. Walking on all the wrong tiles and making them creak.
such a Gryffindor…
while he pretended to be sleeping, curious to see what she would do.
She slowly reached his bed, and tried to move the curtains as silent as she could, which she failed again.
He could tell she was sitting nearby; he could practically feel the anxiety and stress waves. He was now tired of waiting, and had a mind to snap at her to say her piece and be done with it!
Merlin what was all this dawdling for?
She was not afraid, was she?
Then she startled him, by slowly, almost hesitatingly grasping his hand in hers, entwinning their fingers together
"You know, I was so afraid, so much afraid that you will be, you would be gone. I don't know if you told me earlier what would have been my reaction, but sorry. I know you wouldn't come to that snake hole if it wasn't for me. God knows you hate Harry enough."
He was tired. And wanted to know exactly what she wanted from him.
And Merlin, he never had patience for small talk, not that any would call him a patient man to begin with.
And mentioning the brat-who-would-be-his-undoing always made him more impatient.
No- he wasn't freaking out because it was practically his first talk with his girl, nope, not at all.
"Miss Granger."
And he winced internally. Way to go Severus. Bravo.
Really?
Granger?
Just when she was opening up to him? When he was her bloody father? Sometimes he wanted to hit himself too.
"Professor" she gasped, and let go of his hand. He didn't like the loss of warmth at all.
"Hermione, I…" he cleared his throat. Searching for a tone he didn't use for the intolerable knuckleheads he taught. Something he would have used with Draco when he was a small kid. Morgana's tits, how talking was hard for him, both physically and emotionally.
here goes nothing.
"I can assure you, even if it was not, you down there, nor my Slytherin student, I would have gone and done exactly what I had"
Again, stupid of him. Should have started with 'how she was his daughter and he was proud of her, or 'he wanted to be in her life' or 'I adore you too'.
Why wasn't he called Severus stupid Snape?
And he had gone for telling the traumatized child, his traumatized child, how he would have gone and get himself hit by a Basilisk over anyone in existence.
Stupid uncaring bitch he was.
She was about to interrupt, but he held a shaking hand, hating himself for his fragile state more.
He had to tell her this at least. Better for her to hear this from him first.
"And about what happened with, heir and your parents…"
She interrupted him anyway.
"Andromeda told me, and Mom too. You were a spy, and it was a kind of donation. I know what, that My dad and Mom, its…"
She inhaled.
"I want to stay with you and Andromeda this summer. Well, most of it. Its, I just want to, I mean you are my father and …"
There was a screeching noise, like metal on tile. He had his wand-useless as he was- raised and pointed to where the strange noise came.
A chair fell on the floor
"I KNEW IT!"
He was both afraid and relieved. The owner of that voice was familiar.
Why she was here, made him fear.
Then came a pale face with blond hair.
"How could you Severus? Why I had to get this like…just why?"
He closed his eyes. Narcissa.
"How long how you been sitting there?" he said in a toneless voice, suddenly exhausted.
She shrugged nonchalantly" Must you even ask?"
So, for a while. Enough to know about everything that was supposed to stay hidden.
Supposed to being the word.
"I was here as soon as I got the alert you were hurt. You are after all, Draco's father in the eyes of magic"
Yes, he could understand she setting a kind of alarm on him near dying. He was Draco's Godfather in public eye, and they shared a sort of bond between them. Narcissa was also his friend.
But…
Damn her and her bloody nosy …
son of gun! Did she really have to do this? Be this petty? Just because he had not informed her first of his supposed child and went for Andy, she had to come and say this in front of his daughter?
Must she tell this now, when Hermione could hear? The universe, or whoever was up there had it in for him bad, huh? Why he was not allowed to tell anything, ANYTHING of his life to his own daughter himself? She had heard about him being her father by herself, then the whole story from Andromeda, and his spying from the heir.
Now this, from Narcissa.
Thrice damn Blacks and their way to somehow ruin his life.
"Wait what?" Hermione said in a voice full of horror. He would have been concerned if she was not frightened of learning this.
Draco was a handful on his best days, and a bastard on all other days. Must have been Tobias genes or Abraxas passed onto him.
"As you are both Severus's daughter and Andy's god child, I see no reason you cannot know of this. Draco is mine and Lucius by blood, but he inherited his magic fully from Severus." Narcissa added looking quite pleased with herself.
Damn her meddling ways!
"It was a potion" he added hastily, lest the girl got other nasty ideas.
Of course, he wouldn't tell the potion was one of the dark lord's brightest ideas. And one of the reasons why Lucius was loyal to him. Blacks and Malfoys killed their Squibs offsprings, and the saint mungo told the Malfoys they could never have any children but for squibs. The dark lord had designed the potion, and Severus had fused it with his magic. The bastard smirked when Draco was born with magic. He had performed the inheritance test on the baby.
When it was done by the wand, measuring baby's magic, it showed Severus.
When it was done by potion or rituals , measuring his blood, it showed Lucius.
Abraxas had a fit when he heard, and it was one of his fond memories when the dark lord Curcio-ed his in subordinance out of him.
When he was tripping down memory lane, Narcissa had conjured a chair and was sitting again.
As if she had not thrown his life in disarray with her words seconds ago. Kind of like tit for tat.
Her revenge against not knowing before Andromeda.
"I was always curious about you. Draco's letters were full of complains about you, or Potter. And he doesn't seem to have a crush on either of you. I got it, Potter is pure rivalry but you, you reminded me of me and Bella and Andy"
Hermione nods, still shaken. He must congratulate Granger for the restrain she is showing now.
"We- Blacks- care about our family more than others. We have many traditions others do not, for example we will get a notice when one of our siblings either adopt a child, give birth, or become a godparent. The last one is rare but not impossible" said Lady Malfoy looking in his way.
His face paled.
Goddmmit. He had known all, but this. He never found out how Bellatrix knew about Andromeda's child a day after she was born. And he, the stupid brat he was never questioned it.
Of course, Blacks had their own freakish way for any bloody thing. Why he was even surprised at this point? They had a solution for not getting pregnant, for having only girls or boys, why not being notified of other people's kids by all means? Narcissa had consented to her child inheriting magic from a half blood like him. Why not this?
Oh.
Fuck. Did Bellatrix get one too?
His mouth went dry.
Something must have shown on his face, because Narcissa whispered in his ear while Hermione was horror-stricken at being related- more than she knew of- to Draco spoilt Malfoy.
"No Severus. I doubt Bella will get a notice in Azkaban of all places, but the notice won't say much. Neither your name or your daughter's name was mentioned. Just that Andy got a god child. When I was notified of your predicament and injury, I came to the castle at once. Imagine my surprise when I saw My sister leaving your room"
Oh.
His room was closed even now. Charmed to only let people who he wished to see or were considered family. Albus the bloody fool, charmed it like this because he was certain it won't allow anyone but Hermione or Andromeda.
He never knew he was that familiar with Cissa.
Narcissa knew Andy would never sleep around, and she preferred her man to be kind of docile, and Severus was the anti-definition of docile.
"Now would you lower your wand?"
- -
Hermione had not shifted her legs since she arrived in the hall. He had taken a sit near Ronald and Ginny, while Harry was sitting next to Neville, glaring at her.
All of the school knew about the whole debacle, from Ginny being possessed, to Harry and Ron going to get help and Lockhart trying to obliviate them first and kill them the second Severus arrived. They shifted the story so that the one who had been responsible for the murder of Myrtle 50 years ago was again behind the scene, and that they had gifted Ginny a notebook that possessed her.
Seeing as Ginny was not a parselmouth, and being a first year , they considered her too inexperienced to have done it herself. Lockhart being arrested and confessing to trying to blow them in the bathroom and finally seeing as the dead basilisk moved from the school – Andromeda wanted to sell it and store the money for Severus as it was his right- made them sympathize with the victims. With Snape being involved, no-one suspected Harry to be responsible, after all everyone knew Snape had it in for him and if he didn't say anything, it must be that there was not anything to tell. And because the snake was so gigantic, no-one thought it was Harry who did it.
One good thing coming out of it was that Hagrid got the permission to carry a wand- although he had to be trained again and get NEWTs or OWLs to be able to handle it.
There were questions as to why Astoria- a pureblooded girl- was there too. Hermione they said because of her blood, Snape and Potter had fallen into the chamber when the bathroom exploded- they couldn't say what really happened, could they?- but Astoria was a bit of a problem.
So they invented a lie, that Hermione and Astoria were working in the library, and when Heir/Ginny had taken Hermione, she had to take the Greengrass too. Given her bad luck, everyone bought it.
Dumbledore at least had made it so they were not questioned, Harry's fame as the boy who lived and the carcass of the snake, along with Severus memory of it – no doubt edited- solidified the case.
The vow made it so any of the people who knew never could say a thing about what really happened down there. The list was not very long, but not short enough for her likings.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lord and Lady Greengrass, Ginny, Astoria, Harry, and Of course the Medi witch, her head of house.
Draco Malfoy- his magical brother, and Narcissa Malfoy.
Mrs. Tonks and Mr. Tonks and Nymphadora, their daughter.
The Weasley's were in the order, something she didn't quite understand yet, Ron and Ginny vowed the Andromeda's version as soon as their parents told them it was safe. The Green grasses planned to go back to Germany with their daughters, home school them until the threat to Astoria passed, and because they worried the heir- Voldymoldy- coming back, or coming after them.
The life debt insured all of them kept their silence in their case.
MS Pomphrey was a Medi witch, vowed not harm any patient of his, and professor McGonagall said she would die before she let either of them come to harm.
Harry had taken it rather hard. He didn't talk to her at all.
While Ginny finally apologized, and even made peace with her and Astoria, Harry didn't. he was hell bent on Snape being a death eater, and didn't trust him as far as he could throw him.
He didn't hear a single thing against his theory.
Even knowing he owed the man so many life debts only made him angrier.
While her relationship with Harry was on its last , hers with Ron and Ginny improved. Apparently Ginny couldn't talk with anyone but them, the people who knew. And Ronald was not there with them.
The vow had said only at the extent they knew of things, so no-one but the three kidnapped girls, Harry or her father didn't have the whole picture.
A bloody terrifying picture that hunted them, maybe for as long as they lived.
And still, Ginny somehow felt the battle, the mind battle between the heir and her father. She had only glimpses, but even those were too much.
So was it a wonder they become closer?
And Harry did not like this bit too. Hated it. Felt like they were replacing him.
As if one could replace someone with his ego and selfishness and stupidity, resisting against the truth because he didn't like the truth.
It only got worse since she talked with Draco- their parents, Narcissa and Severus- conspired together and come to the result that they had to start behaving like siblings they were.
"it is good for you" they said, and Hermione really didn't see the appeal. But if Severus and Narcissa didn't agree on many things, they agreed on this, so She and Draco met each other in hospital wing, when Narcissa came to look after Snape.
It got worse when Narcissa told them that it was Lucius who slipped the diary into Ginny's belongings.
Father had to use the damn inhaler twice, and even then he looked pale enough to be on the death bed. Draco threw up and Narcissa fed him a calming drought.
When madam Pomphrey ushered her and lady Malfoy out – they were disturbing her patients- she went round and round, and then headfirst into Harry.
Who had found out about Lucius Malfoy just then.
"were you in on it too?" was the first thing he said.
"because from what I heard from Myrtle, Snape is chummy, too chummy with Malfoys."
It hurt.
It hurt so much she slapped him, and then ran and went back into the hospital, crying her eyes out. Harry accepted the word of an elf over his friend, and while he saw with his own eyes that Snape had rescued them, he still insisted he had an alterior motive.
He had accepted Dumbledore version- and who knew what he told him- and Ginny and Ron teaming up with her only made him more stubborn.
He was not alone.
Many said Snape had faked it, had been the accomplice and only stepped in to save his Slytherin student. Never mind that he was the one brewing the unpetrifying potion! Some said he did it to gain the favor of green grasses, or money, because what else could explain his change of appearance? Not bothering to remember he had changed way before the chamber happened!
At least all agreed- grudgingly- that whatever the cause, he had slayed the basilisk, and rescued the children trapped there. There was no doubt as the ministry and papers published it too.
Given him a name too.
The Basilisk Slayer.
The public was on two minds, some said he was a hero, some said he only did it for fame or to wash his sins.
Oh. Yes. His past came out too. That he had been in the war, a death eater.
Not being a spy part.
And they talked and talked, even when the man was not there to defend himself…
She had developed a habit of going in the hospital, sitting with him, or lying beside him, resting her head on his chest and listening him breathing made her calm.
It happened so many times that when after her slapping Harry, when she burst into his room Snape- father- didn't even ask what or why. He only shifted in his bed, making up space for her and motioned her to climb up.
That was one good sleep she had, between his arms, the arms of her father.
So, telling anyone, anyone about Draco was out of question. They were supposed to only write letters to each other. A proper four people secret.
Because while the voldymoldy and Lucius Malfoy knew Snape was Draco's magical parent, no one but her, Narcissa, Draco and father would ever knew of them being siblings. At first she had protested, telling them her friends could understand.
Now she laughed at her idiocy. Harry had all but cut all bonds between them, and he even had no idea of her siblingship with Draco.
And now it was the end of the year.
Ginny , Ron and all other victims had come up with a plan to at least change Hogwarts atmosphere for Snape.
"He doesn't deserve all that mistrust. And I know it hurts you too. I was not there with you, but I saw when he threw me out of the harm's way and put himself in front of Harry and the falling ceiling. I saw that in his eyes that he was afraid, afraid of dying, and I damn well know he hates me and Harry loads, but he didn't do anything but protect us. Mom's even planning to add you and Snape to the watch in the house"
Ron said.
" he also saved Ginny, twice. He fought for her soul, killed the most horrifying dangerous beast ever, and got rid of the heir. What more people want from him? He was a death eater, but he is your father, he can not be that bad"
He stopped talking when Snape and his companions arrived.
All of the hall fell silent.
Maybe because no-one had seen the man all this time, or that he had changed so much in a short amount of time. Last time they saw him, he was a menacing figure ready to take points and his signature blowing robes.
This man was weakened, shaking on his legs and lost a fair amount of weight.
Nothing like the Snape they know of.
Maybe seeing what he had lost to save them, to save their lives sobered them up. No one could fake it, or have done it for fame or glory or money. Snape was proud, and would have never subject himself to being gawked at like this.
He moved slowly, lacking his usual grace and speed. There was no sound but the sound of his steps. Everyone watched him walking the short distance, and stopping twice to catch his breath.
When he finally sat down on his seat, he didn't waste time to berate them.
" the show is over, back to your business or it will be 50 points from every one"
Some sighed in relief, because at least he was there somewhere.
And Ronald got up.
Hermione was confused, was he so eager to lose those points?
Or was it a plan.
" after much thought"
She can hear her father murmuring something resembling it's a first.
" we come to the decision that we need to address somethings before this year ended." Her clears his voice.
" professor Snape of the house of Slytherin"
The man seems intrigued. Must have been bored out of his mind all those days in hospital.
" you showed an un-imaginable amount of bravery and chivarly in facing a basilisk, and saving not only one, but four members of the house of Gryffindore.
Therefore, Gryffindor would declare Professor Snape an honorary member of the house.
You made Godric proud sire"
He hasn't sat down completely when another one stands, this time its Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff.
"Professor Snape of the house of Slytherin"
"You pulled one of the founders lost artifacts out of its hiding place and used it to kill the monster that had attacked one of our houses. Without loyalty to Hogwarts and a strong belief in doing your duty to students under your care, many of the students wouldn't have been among us now.
Therefore, Hufflepuff would declare Professor Snape an honorary member of the house.
You made Helga proud sire"
It was shaping up to be a pattern.
Now a raven-claw- Penelope clearwater stood up.
"Professor Snape of the house of Slytherin"
"without your brilliance in potion-making, and your efforts to make it happen, there wouldn't be an unpetrifying potion that had not been made for centuries. You also saved me from remaining in that horrible state, and I will be forever grateful for it.
Therefore, Ravenclaw would declare Professor Snape an honorary member of the house.
You made Ravena proud sire"
And then it was Astoria who stood up.
"Professor Snape of the house of Slytherin"
" our head of house, the youngest potion master of the century and the most proficient potion master in the whole Europe.
You not only saved me but also saved our house reputation. Were you not there for us to counter the heir attacks, and draw attention to yourself, using cunning and tact beyond extraordinary measures, none of us would be here today. "
There was hushed voices, murmurs rising.
She didn't mind.
" Hogwarts would have been closed, and all of those who were petrified would have remained like that until another potion master pitied on them and even then they had been up to your caliber, they would not be from Hogwarts to feel for its students.
Not to consider we three who were kidnapped, Ronald and Ginny Weasley or Harry Potter. You prevented a family being destroyed, and you saved the icon of hope in British magical word.
The house of Slytherin would like to declare you the ultimate Slytherin, resemblance of all its values, cunning, brotherhood, strategic and resourcefulness.
If Salazar could have chosen an heir, it would have been you and not that despicable coward fake who couldn't show his face and attacked defenceless children.
You made Hogwarts proud."
All four people stood up, walked towards him and then presented him with a flag of their respective house, Severus didn't utter a word- maybe austounded into silence- only accepted each token with respect and nodded to each house.
No-one seemed to breath. People were silent and even Snape himself stood in his place not uttering a word.
Then there was a flash of light, and the flags – all of them- changed to Hogwarts emblem.
The professor's slytherin emblem on his chest turned to Hogwarts too.
"it seems the castle agrees too"
Hermione stood up, and started clapping. With her starting it, others joined too, and soon everyone were clapping, whistling and showing their support.
Some started chanting 'Basilisk Slayer' .
It was a good day for Hogwarts.