Thirty Four: Like I've Never Been Gone

Special thanks to my sterling beta, stgulik, as always, for making my fics better than I ever could on their own. We have become a great team, and I can't wait for you to see the projects we are working on.

It's night on the ocean, and I'm going home, and it feels like I've never, I've never been gone.

It was midday before they were dressed, fed, and ready to take care of the odious task of destroying the locket Horcrux. Reg had told Severus that it was the first thing he had to do upon his return, but Severus had rather thought Reg would forgive him for making his first priority a more personal one.

Now there was no putting it off, and Hermione insisted that, even though she was still a little fragile, she would accompany him. He knew he should feel guilty for contributing to her overall soreness, but he could not. Making love to his wife had been too glorious, and besides, she wasn't complaining.

Harry, Ron and Neville also insisted on going with them, so the party of five set off for a place on the far end of the little spit of land, well away from the cottage. The trio aren't boys anymore, Hermione thought, watching as they strode down the beachhead in front of her and Severus. Too much time on the run has chased all the boy out of them.

We need every man we can get, Hermione. And while it saddens me that you have all had to grow up too fast, we no longer have the luxury of bemoaning the loss of your collective childhoods. Severus' thoughts sounded grim in Hermione's mind. She knew what he meant. They were outnumbered; the grizzled veterans of the last war were gone or incapacitated. It was going to take more than just a prophecy gone wrong to win this time.

They paused at the farthest edge away from the Secret-kept safe house, on a little rocky crag. They had brought with them two items; the Sword of Gryffindor, and the Horcrux locket Regulus Black had stolen from the Dark Lord almost twenty years before.

"Are you sure this will work, Snape? None of us could make a dent in it, even with the sword," said Ron.

"I was told I am to be the one," Severus replied, as Harry laid the locket down on a large, flat stone that uncannily resembled an altar. The locket itself was a garish, heavy piece of gold, with a large green crystal set in the lid. Severus, like the others, had tried to open it by several methods, but could not, in spite of Reg's confidence in his ability to destroy it.

The sea breeze lifted their hair; a storm was brewing to the west. Severus could smell the rain on the air as he picked up the sword. The weapon was as heavy as he remembered from his attempt to mislead Carrow. Goblin-made, finely engraved and bejewelled, it looked more ceremonial than practical, yet the edge was sharp enough to slice a man's hand open to bone. More than once, he'd wished he had buried it Carrow's skull that night, instead of twirling it around to pretend it was just a transfigured letter opener.

Harry watched solemnly as Severus took the great sword in a two-handed grasp. "Listen, Snape. If you can't do it, just walk away from it. No one will think less of you."

Severus looked at Harry carefully. "Potter, why on earth would you say this to me at this juncture? What possible reason could I have for not killing it?" The three younger wizards gave one another furtive, uncomfortable glances. "Well?" Severus pushed, growing irritated at their reluctance.

Finally, Ron spoke. "Look, Snape. We all tried to kill it. Every one of us. We all stood there, like you, holding the sword, ready to strike. But then it – it showed things."

Severus frowned. "What things?"

"Things you don't want to see, sir," Neville answered, his eyes clouded with shame. "Things you don't want anyone else to know about you. Things you don't want to know about others. That Horcrux can read minds. It'll mislead you, if you're not careful. It'll turn one against the other," he warned, looking away, like he suddenly wished he had kept his mouth shut.

"I am an accomplished Occlumens, Mr. Longbottom," Severus chided, though his voice was much milder than his usual tone when he'd had past reason to address Neville. With a tone that suggested a grudging consideration, Severus added, "But I shall heed your warning, and take every precaution."

He looked at Hermione, and she nodded her encouragement. This is it, he thought. "For love," Severus muttered under his breath, and raised the sword over his head to strike.

In that instant, the Horcrux began to tremble on the rock, as if something inside was fighting to get out. It juddered harder, until the chain could be heard clanking against its stone bed. With a scream, the locket flew open and bright green light burst from the centre. A huge serpent rose from the beam, snapping its venom-dripping fangs at Severus.

"Coward! Crybaby! Ugly!" it hissed, and laughed at him.

Severus almost laughed back. Is that all you have for me, Tom? You'll have to do better than-

Then the serpent changed, morphed, grew tall, dark haired, its visage drunk-looking and uncannily like Severus'. "No son o' mine is goin' t'queer school up in Scotland!" the drunken man roared. "I'll beat the magic right out' yer! Ugly, scrawny little scrote, what thinks he's better'n his old man! I'll show yer the back of me hand, yeh little shit!"

Severus sneered back at the image of his long-dead father. The man had been foul-tempered and a mean drunk, but he'd stopped trying to control Severus in his sixth year at Hogwarts. Seeing him now filled Severus' heart with a tired sort of pity for the man who could never love the son whose only resemblance to him was a physical one.

"See what I mean?" he heard Neville say, his voice rising to be heard over the vitriol the Horcrux was spewing at Severus. "It'll bring back ghosts to haunt you. Those you fear, those you hate."

Severus glanced at the young man. You saw me in this locket, didn't you, Longbottom? he thought. I was the one spouting abuse at you, wasn't i?

The image of Severus' father began to distort into another, no less famliar, no less reviled face. Sirius Black, leeringly lustful, cackled down at him. "Oh, come now, Snivellus, you didn't think I wouldn't provide you with the entire floorshow, did you? Let's see who else is waiting for you, shall we?" His body shimmered and dissipated like smoke to be replaced with-

"Oh, no," Harry breathed.

And suddenly, there she was: Lily Evans, as beautiful as the last time Severus saw her alive, smiling at him with her glowing, green eyes, like he remembered so well. She pouted flirtatiously and beckoned to him. He knew this was wrong, so wrong, and yet he surged toward her, his body moving of its own accord.

"Severus, you've come to me at last, my darling," she crooned, her voice as sweet as a siren's. He could actually feel her brush against his chest. "Leave them, Severus," she whispered, glancing over at the stricken expressions of the young wizards. "We have no need for them, you and I," she purred lasciviously, rubbing against him like a large cat.

Severus shook his head. "You're not real," he growled, slamming up his Occlumency walls, but Lily slipped through them like a wraith, opening him up just as she had done when they were young. She laughed, an irresistible sound that made shivers travel down his spine and into his groin. It was the same game of power she had often played with him, and he was as helpless against them now as he had been as a youth.

"I'm yours, Severus," she moaned, writhing against him erotically, her beautiful copper tresses sliding around him like snakes. Her lovely face grew hard. "You don't want that little whore, do you?" she entreated, pointing to his left. "Look."

Suddenly, Severus knew what he would see, and he began to tremble. "No," he ground out, and tried to raise the sword again. It felt as if he were trying to lift the side of a house. His wrists ached with the effort. The wind grew around them, flinging sand in their eyes, raising a cacophony of noises that made it impossible to think, impossible to Occlude, impossible to hear the other four, urging him to be strong. All he could hear, all he could see was Lily. He could even smell her lush perfume.

Lily's smile was so beautiful it nearly stopped his heart. "I'll be yours forever, my love. Look, Severus!" her silvery voice commanded, and against his will, Severus' head turned and saw-

"Gods, no!" he moaned, at the sight of his Hermione, her naked body entwined with Sirius Black's. They were slick with sweat, gyrating against one another in an obscene parody of love. She was riding Black hard, her head thrown back, moaning Sirius' name over and over, her perfect skin flushed with arousal.

Severus gasped. "No, Hermione," he whimpered, and the Sword of Gryffindor fell at his feet with an impotent clang.

"This is what she never wanted you to know about," Lily hissed accusingly, and slithered against Severus' body, cupping his groin lewdly. He grew instantly hard, in spite of the three boys watching him, in spite of his wife looking on during her unholy union with his most hated foe.

Hermione moaned and shuddered beneath Black. As if aware of his gaze, she turned her face to him.

"As if I would want you, Snivellus," she laughed, her eyes glittering with carnal lust, as Sirius grunted and pounded into her. "As if you were anything any woman would want!"

"Listen to that wanton little bitch! She's making a fool out of you!" Lily's voice changed from accusing to cajoling. "Don't you want revenge, love? Don't you have a better use for that sword, Severus?" Lily whispered, her mouth caressing his cheek.

Hermione screamed in pleasure, "Sirius, oh my love, I'm coming!" Severus felt his bowels cramp. How often had she cried out his name like that? How would the Horcrux know, unless it was telling the truth?

"Of course I'm telling the truth," Lily soothed. "I know what she did. Unfaithful harlot! Get rid of her, my love," Lily said, her tongue flicking at his ear. "Kill her and we can be together forever!" The wind rose around them, making it harder to see. Lightning flashed in the sky, followed closely by heavy thunder.

"Severus, NO! Remember what Neville said! It will make you see things you don't want to see!" Severus turned to his right, and saw Hermione, fully clothed, standing beside him, gripping his arm with amazing strength. "That's not me!" She pointed to Lily, who gloated with triumph. "That's not Lily Evans!"

Hermione looked up into her husband's face, and realised she had waited too late to intervene. His eyes were so wide she could see the whites ringing around the black irises; his trance-like fixation on the Lily apparition was too strong to break. "Look at her! She's NOT REAL! Sirius is NOT REAL!" Hermione screamed, her voice thin with fear.

"Hermione, you have to snap him out of it!" Harry shouted over the din.

Severus bent to pick up the sword, his eyes fixated, dull. "Lily," he said, his soft voice carrying over the screaming wind. A huge drop of rain fell on his cheek, but he ignored it. "When did this happen? When did Hermione lie with that dog?" His voice was broken with hurt.

Lily beamed in triumph. "All through the summer before you wed, my darling. The last night she was at Grimmauld House, she was fucking him. How she and Sirius used to laugh at you when she made you jealous!" She turned to Hermione, her voice ripe with contempt. The Hermione in Sirius' arms laughed.

"Oh, poor Snivellus," Sirius mocked, his voice flinty with derision. "Did you think you were the big hero, coming to her rescue?"

Severus picked up the sword and encircled his large, pale hands around the hasp again. He looked at Hermione with eyes that didn't belong to him. She closed her eyes. Surely, surely she was not going to lose Severus. We should have waited until he was stronger, she thought. We should have-

"And how many times?" Severus hissed, menacingly raising the sword aloft. "How many times did you betray me with this cur?" He wore a strange expression, and Hermione feared for his sanity.

Severus-

"Ten, twenty, what does it matter?" Sirius crowed, his laughing voice cruel and horrible. "I fucked her every chance I got, and she loved it!" The voice changed, grew softer, more sibilant. "You told me yourself how she loved to open her legs – didn't you tell me what a randy little slut she was?" The veneer of Sirius cracked, and within Severus saw the Dark Lord's heinous visage.

Severus bared his teeth and growled. "Yes, I did. And I was lying!" Suddenly, he pushed the Lily apparition from him and bellowed, "For LOVE!"

He plunged the sword into the heart of the locket so hard the blade pierced the metal and with a shower of sparks, drove into the stone beneath. An unholy scream rose to an unbearable pitch as Lily's face shifted and contorted and changed into the Dark Lord's, then into a serpent, then into a demonic figure that caused them all to cry out in fear. The screaming, screeching, buffeting noise forced them to cover their ears. Lightning split the sky over and over, the answering thunder pressing against their chests.

Severus held the sword in place, his eyes closed, his arms shaking with the effort to pin down the Horcrux. He heard the Sirius/Hermione couple shriek in pain and anger, and heard his wife, his true wife, telling him to hold on, that it would be over soon, be brave, my love, be brave you are so brave-

The sudden silence was so loud it spooked him. For a moment, Severus held himself still, trying to breathe. He ached all over, as if his muscles were cramping all at once.

"Severus?" Hermione's voice was soft, like someone approaching a unicorn. "Severus, you did it. You destroyed it! It's over."

Gradually, he opened his eyes, and found that he was gripping the Sword of Gryffindor so hard his arms were trembling. Hermione's arm stole around his waist, but they did not prevent his knees from buckling, and together they slid to the ground, the sword falling from his numbed fingers with a clatter.

It was several moments before his eyes focused enough to take in his surroundings. He looked at the dead Horcrux, lying broken and unremarkable on the slab of stone. Its crystal was shattered, and around the edges was a dull brownish-red substance, like blood. The blood on his hands, Severus thought. It stayed with the Horcrux. Now perhaps Reg can rest.

He turned to Hermione. She was looking at him with terror-exhausted eyes. "What you saw - that never happened," she whispered, her voice shaking so hard he could barely understand her.

He blinked furiously to wash the grit from his eyes. "Of course it didn't, lass. I told the Dark Lord that you and I had been lovers even before Black died." He took her face in his hands to reassure her that he was, indeed alright. "He had no idea you were actually a virgin before we married."

"Aww, gods, Snape, did we really need to hear that?" Severus and Hermione turned to look at Ron, a pained look on his blushing face. "I'm just getting used to the fact you two are married. I don't really want to know about your sex life."

Severus laughed outright, and kept laughing. It felt so damn good to just laugh, and once he started, he couldn't stop. The three younger wizards were staring at him as if Nifflers were leaping out of his ears. This thought made him laugh harder. He could hear the tint of hysteria, but he didn't care. He had done it. He had killed that gods-forsaken Horcrux. He had sent another piece of that rancid soul to hell. He had repaid his debt to Reg.

He pulled Hermione into his arms, kissing her hard. "Oh, my girl, this has been the most absurd twenty-four hours, and during my life, that's flippin' well saying something." With trembling legs, he hauled himself and Hermione onto their feet. He still felt wobbly, but he knew that would pass.

He glanced at the three young wizards. They were looking at anything and everything but him and Hermione. He couldn't blame them; the Horcrux had shown him some hideous things. He felt a bit odd, but not in the bitter, self-conscious way of old. He found, however, that as long as he held onto Hermione, he felt grounded. Without her, he was half-convinced he'd float away, like a balloon.

He straightened his robes, and took a deep, cleansing breath. Fixing a baleful eye on the three young men, he intoned, "I suppose it should go without saying, gentlemen, that what was observed here, stays here, between the five of us. I have no desire to see a version of this in Rita Skeeter's column as one of the great anecdotes of the war."

All three smiled sheepishly. "You know, Snape," said Harry, "that's exactly what we told each other when we couldn't kill it." He looked at Severus with a mixture of awe and respect. "But just to give you some incentive, I promise not to say a word." He winked at Hermione. "As long as we win."

Severus nodded. "Incentive indeed. Now," he gestured toward the cottage, "And though it pains me to suggest it as much as it will you, no doubt, I think we should resume Occlumency lessons."

Harry winced. "I didn't feel any change when the Horcrux was destroyed. Do you think it's necessary?"

Severus shrugged and hoisted the Sword onto his shoulder. "There is no doubt there is a link between the two of you. As he weakens, he may weaken you."

Hermione nodded. "I'll help, Harry.First thing after the Order meeting."

"Well, can we get something to eat first?" Ron whined. "My stomach thinks me throat's been cut."

Hermione's answering laughter sounded sweeter than any apparition's. "And this is news why, Ron?" she retorted, rolling her eyes.

As she and Weasley traded good natured insults, Severus felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Neville Longbottom. Severus was surprised to discover that the boy had grown almost as tall as he. Neville had been strangely quiet throughout the ordeal.

Severus addressed him formally. "Mr. Longbottom?"

The young wizard opened and closed his mouth several times, as if trying to get up the nerve to speak. With impressive dignity, he finally replied, "You know sir, sometimes I look at you, and I wonder if we're not truly seeing Merlin reborn." Severus must have looked nonplussed, because the boy shrugged self-consciously. "I ponder that, sometimes."

Neville picked up his pace, until he caught up with Harry. They walked side by side, talking quietly as old friends will, and Severus knew that whatever Neville had seen would never be mentioned to a soul. In the light of what had happened to Severus, Neville would think it... disrespectful. And so no one would ever know.

Severus felt Hermione's arm slip companionably through his. "According to Mr. Longbottom," he drawled, "I'm Merlin incarnate."

Hermione didn't reply at once. A few paces later, she laid her head against his arm. "My Merlin," she whispered, hugging his arm.

He smiled and returned her embrace, not caring who saw. "My Nimue."

Nearing the cottage, the five of them noticed the storm that had burst upon them disappeared as quickly as it had risen. Hermione was sure that the Horcrux had been the sole cause of it. The boys had corroborated this; during their time on the run, the weather had always been dicey wherever they were – even if the rest of the area was fair. They, too, had suspected the Horcrux's disruptive influence on the weather.

They decided to call the main core of the Order for the first meeting. As the afternoon waned, Hermione and Severus grew tense, worried that Order members might be inclined to hex first and ask questions later.

"I think Remus and Kingsley should be here, as well as Mum, Dad and the twins," Bill Weasley informed them. Severus readily agreed, but wasn't exactly sure why he was being asked. Now that he had returned, literally, to the land of the living, everyone in the house seemed to naturally defer to him and Potter. It was as if they all saw the two of them as their leaders, though why that should be, Severus had no idea. It was certainly not his wish.

"I will be happy to do whatever needs to be done," he told Hermione, then added uneasily, "but I don't feel comfortable with any mantle of leadership here." Two days ago I was the second most-hated wizard in Britain, he added silently. Now I'm the most-hated reborn wizard in Britain.

But Harry would have none of it. "I'll tell them the truth," he said confidently. "Remus told me that the last thing Dumbledore said to him and Kingsley was to trust me." He pressed his lips into a thin line. "I'll make them trust me."

That was easier said than done.

Severus easily blocked the four Stunning spells that came his way across the kitchen which was serving as the temporary 'war room.'

Finally, Harry's voice could be heard above all the shouting and cursing. "Listen to me or I walk!" he thundered.

Remus and Tonks, staring daggers through Severus, lowered their wands. Remus looked at Severus, his eyes narrowed. "Give me a reason, Severus. Give me one good reason to trust you." His careworn face was stern, unmoving. "You and Hermione have not acted like innocent people."

Before Severus could reply, Hermione stepped forward. "It's funny you should say that, Remus, because Professor Dumbledore said the exact same thing about Sirius Black the night Harry and I saved his life."

Harry nodded. "He did. And it was true." He looked at Remus. "I trust Snape and Hermione. I have seen their memories, I have circumstantial proof of their loyalty-"

"Let's face it, mate," Ron interrupted. "Snape had the chance to send me to You-Know-Who when the Snatchers caught me," He cast a warm look to Hermione. "Instead, he gave me the Sword of Gryffindor and he brought me back to the guys with extra food. That's not exactly the actions of a wizard who is looking to kiss arse with a snake."

"Thank you for that interesting visual image, Mr. Weasley," Severus drawled. He turned his attention back to the Lupins. "I am prepared to do whatever it takes to show my true loyalties, Lupin, but the fact of the matter is that we need to stop posturing and start planning. Now that the Dark Lord thinks I'm dead, he will place the Carrows in charge of Hogwarts." Severus felt his stomach flutter at the thought. "I truly fear for the students. Minerva and Poppy covered for Hermione and me, but the others-"

There was a flash of light outside the kitchen window, and Kingsley Shacklebolt walked in, freezing as he caught sight of Severus. "Merlin wept. It's true, then." He looked around at the assembled group. "Minerva got your message." He held out his hand. "Welcome home, Severus."

A POP! sounded, and Dobby the house-elf appeared, racing up to Severus. "Headmaster Snape, sir! Dobby has delivered your letter to Professor Tartan, sir!" He handed Severus a parchment, then bowed so low his nose touched the floor. "Professor Tartan said that Dobby is to tell the headmaster that she is happy that the rumours regarding his death were greatly exaggerated."

Remus looked at Severus suspiciously. "What's this about McGonagall?"

"I asked Dobby to take a message to Minerva," Severus replied. "She and Poppy have been covering for us. Madam Pomfrey has known the truth from the beginning."

Without looking at it, Severus placed the parchment in Shacklebolt's hands. It was sealed with the stamp of Hogwarts; the magical red and gold of Minerva's sigil was unmistakable and impossible to duplicate.

Severus turned back to Dobby. "Dobby, would you swear on your honour as a house-elf of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that this message came from Minerva McGonagall, and that I have never seen the contents of this message?"

The little house-elf drew himself up with touching dignity. "Dobby will do better than that, sir!" He turned and looked at Harry with adoring eyes. "I swear on my devotion to Harry Potter that these things are true, Headmaster, sir!"

Severus turned to the three wary Order members. "I will take a wand oath to corroborate this fact." He took a deep breath. "I will, of course, subject myself to Veritaserum if you wish."

Shacklebolt looked at him carefully. Kingsley had always been a wizard who thought things through. Passionate he may be, but a hothead, no. "In good time, Severus. If need be," he answered, peering closely at Severus' face. "You look different." A grin split the dark face, showing Kingsley's white, even teeth. "I'd say death becomes you."

Severus bowed his head. "All in all, I'm a lot more relaxed. Returning from the dead has a way of doing that."

Kingsley smiled and gave an eloquent shrug. "Only you, Severus Snape, could return from the grave looking better than when he left it."

"Yes, indeed," Remus said, looking at Severus with mistrusting eyes. "One must ask oneself how much he bargained with the devil to do so."

Severus looked at Remus evenly, waiting for his old angry resentment to fill his heart, turning him waspish and defensive. It would not come. It had literally been removed from him.

Severus raised his left arm, and showed where the Dark Mark had lain under his skin for those many years. "I struck no bargains, Lupin. I curried no favours, I made no promises. I was simply asked to return, and I did." He placed a protective hand over Hermione's. "I know what I gained, Lupin."

Kingsley frowned, his dark eyes sweeping over the assembled group. "Innocent until proven guilty, my friends. Remember that," he said, fixing his glare on Remus and Tonks. He broke the Hogwarts seal, and the parchment unrolled itself. The little kitchen was filled with the sound of Minerva's familiar, unmistakable dry Scottish brogue:

"I, Minerva McGonagall, the present Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, do declare the following statement to be a factual and true account of the actions of Severus Tobias Snape and Hermione Granger-Snape."

The voice suddenly changed and became warm and friendly. "And Severus, you clever boy! What a roller coaster you've put me on! Draco Malfoy, telling the entire school you'd been killed by You-Know-Who, then I receive your Patronus, then Dobby pops by with your message!

"Well, if I've learned anything in my lifetime, it's that the one prediction I can make about you is your unpredictability. And Hermione, my dear girl, please hold on. You will not be condemned for much longer." Hermione closed her eyes, and leaned against Severus, as if all the strength had left her.

For an hour, the group sat around and listened raptly as the parchment explained, in Minerva's own words, the incredible events beginning at Dumbledore's death and ending with Severus' flight from Hogwarts the night before. Minerva finished the affidavit by saying, "Severus, the Carrows have been appointed joint Heads now, and without you to protect the students, they are running roughshod over these children. The faculty all know the truth and support you – posthumously, of course. The Carrows openly call you a traitor, which makes my hothead Gryffindors no doubt wonder what the hell is going on. I am urging caution, but the school is on a knife edge.

"Kingsley, I entreat you to trust Severus. Trust Hermione. They have voluntarily placed themselves in hell to keep Hogwarts safe. They will fight as they have always fought – for the light. Use Severus' knowledge and intellect to help us win this damn war once and for all, and tell Remus Lupin that if I hear he or any of the Order have uttered one foul word against Severus or Hermione, they will answer to me, and he doesn't want to see me with my dander up!

"Hogwarts is preparing. We can only do so much, but we are prepared to be the final staging ground if necessary. I want to get the youngest children out of danger, but the school can withstand a direct attack if need be. We can continue to use Dobby as our go-between. Good luck, and may the gods bless you."

The parchment rolled itself up and fell on the kitchen table. For a moment, the room was silent. "I suppose we're in little doubt of Professor McGonagall's opinion on the subject," Tonks finally said, giving Severus a smile, and he felt the tension lower another notch. He had always gotten along well with Nymphadora; she had been an apt pupil, and had not allowed her former boss' hatred of Severus to colour her own opinion of him as an adult. Moody may have despised and mistrusted Severus, but the new Mrs. Lupin had never been poisoned by the old Auror's judgement.

Shacklebolt regarded Severus thoughtfully, then turned to Harry. "Dumbledore said we were to trust you, Harry." He glanced back at Severus. "Do you trust them?"

Harry looked Severus in the eye, and for the first time in his life, he didn't resent the green eyes that stared into his. He had no room in his soul for it.

With his eyes still locked on Severus', Harry said quietly, "I trust these two people with my life." He nodded. "Now, can we talk about how we're going to defeat You-Know-Who? Isn't that what we've come together for?"

It took another two hours, another round of explanations to the rest of the Weasley clan, who were late owing to multiple Apparations until their trail was lost by the Ministry bloodhounds. Once they stopped hexing and started listening, the entire group had swelled to eighteen, and they were crammed in the cottage's little kitchen like so many sardines.

Mr. Ollivander was still too ill to leave his bed, but had pledged to help supply wands where needed. Severus' wand had been lost at Malfoy Manor, but he had been clutching Bellatrix Lestrange's wand when he landed at Shell Cottage. Mr. Ollivander had promised to create one for Severus as soon as possible.

Severus and Hermione sat among the eighteen, passing food, answering questions, being part of this group of people that heretofore had only accepted Severus on the fringes. Only Remus remained skeptical, but then again, his relationship with Sirius Black and James Potter had defined his feelings for Severus a long time ago.

To Severus, it felt as if he had finally been invited inside after decades of standing out in the cold, peering in, hoping to be part of something. He had thought the Death Eaters would give him that sense of belonging, but he had been a fool to even entertain that thought. Here, he realised, was his people. The people that valued him. Not all of them, but he could live with that. The ones that mattered, the ones whom he had protected and cherished, would protect and cherish him.

He turned to Hermione, and she smiled up at him and took his hand.

"So, I was telling Snape," Harry was saying to Remus, "I think we should fight fire with fire. You know, fight him the Slytherin way."

"And how is that, Severus?" Remus challenged.

The room grew silent. Severus put down his fork, and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "We cheat, of course."

Tonks laughed, and turned to her unsmiling husband. "Oh, Remus, lighten up! I haven't felt this optimistic about our chances against You-Know-Who since Dumbledore di- um," she stopped herself, and glanced at Hermione.

Hermione could feel the eyes of the others on her as the conversations grew quiet. Severus leaned forward slightly, as if to intercept any accusations thrown her way. The gesture was not lost on anyone in the room. Hermione looked at the other woman levelly. "It's okay, Tonks. I know what I did. And I know I'll have to answer for it. I'm not going to brag or make it sound like it was no big deal, but I will tell you, he requested it, because he was dying. He asked Severus to do it, but I couldn't stand the thought of that burden on his heart." She looked at the other women, the other wives in the room, her eyes pleading. "I mean, if your husband was charged with a task you knew would break him to do, wouldn't you do it for him?"

The other women lowered their eyes and looked toward their spouses. Tonks said nothing for a long time. She turned to her husband, who looked at her sadly. Finally, she answered quietly, "Yeah, I suppose I would, Hermione. I wouldn't want him to suffer."

Hermione turned to Remus. Looking into his soft brown eyes, Hermione said, "Remus, you once called me the brightest witch of my age. Knowing how he feels about Muggle-borns, do you honestly believe I would ever have betrayed my friends to the Dark Lord?"

"I don't want to think you would, Hermione," he replied. "I want to believe in you."

Severus had seen enough. Peaceful he might be within, but this was Hermione, and he would not allow anyone to doubt his wife one more second. He rose from his chair. "Then do as Albus said, Lupin. Trust Harry." He turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I once considered your father my greatest enemy. So much so that I revisited his sins upon you solely because you looked so much like him. For this, I owe you an apology.

"But Hermione and I pledged our love in the ruins of her parents' house-" He turned and bowed to his in-laws, who were hanging onto his every word. "With that love, we vowed we would always fight for one another, that my back would always be to hers, and we would fight for the light until we could fight no more."

He felt his emotions welling in his breast, and he fought back the tears that had once prompted Sirius to give him that awful nickname. Now, they were proof of his heart, and he was no longer ashamed that tears threatened. His voice rose, powerful and beautiful, and the very air stilled to listen.

"All those within the sound of my voice, hear me now as my witnesses:

"I will fight for you, Harry Potter, I will fight to defeat the Dark Lord until he is no more. My back to yours."

The room was so quiet they could hear the sea grass sloughing outside. Harry held out his hand. As Severus clasped it, Harry's eyes were shining. "My back to yours."

Ronald Weasley stood, and put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. His voice was curiously full of power. "My back to yours."

A chair scraped, and Neville clasped Harry's free hand. "My back to yours."

The Weasley twins rose as one. "My back to yours."

Bill embraced his father. "My back to yours."

Fleur Weasley turned to Molly Weasley, and took her hand. "My back to yours, Maman."

A diminutive house-elf placed a gentle hand on Jean Granger's shoulder. "My back to yours, Mother of Harry Potter's friend," said Dobby.

"My back to yours..."

"My back to yours..."

"My back to yours..."

Eighteen voices spoke the words, their voices trembling with emotion and purpose. Eighteen witches, wizards, elf and Muggles clasped hands, touched shoulders, held loved ones, shed tears. Eighteen made the vow, and at the centre of this greet wheel of dedication, stood Severus Snape, former Headmaster, former Death Eater, former reviled enemy.

He looked across to Remus Lupin, who gazed at him with a yearning hope. Don't make us regret this, his expression seemed to say.

Severus walked over to his old nemesis, and held out his hand. "My back to yours, Lupin."

The two wizards stared at one another for several moments, until Remus took his hand. "My back to yours, Severus."

Never Been Gone – Words by Carly Simon