Chapter Thirty: And death shall have no dominion

Chapter Thirty: And death shall have no dominion

26 – 28 May 1998

Poppy looked out the window, leaning one arm against its frame. She didn't remember the last time she had been that tired. She couldn't have slept if she had wanted to, though, even now that many patients had been moved to St. Mungo's and staff from the hospital had arrived to help care for those patients who remained at Hogwarts.

Albus and Harry had returned from the Forbidden Forest over an hour before, and Albus had immediately returned to Minerva's side. He asked about Gareth's condition, then he called for Alastor Moody and asked to speak with him alone. After Moody left, a peculiar dazed expression on his face, Albus called Poppy back into the room.

"You should sleep, Albus. Go rest. When Minerva wakes up, I'll have one of the elves fetch you." She hadn't thought that Albus would take her advice, and he didn't.

"That's all right, Poppy." He held Minerva's hand, massaging her fingers and palm. "I'll rest here. When she wakes up, I want to be here." He looked up at Poppy, suddenly seeming far from the powerful, confident wizard who had helped lead Hogwarts to victory, finally Stunning three Death Eaters simultaneously in order to reach Minerva, then turning and Petrifying two more before picking her up and carrying her into the castle. "She will wake up...soon, I mean. Won't she?"

"Not very soon," Poppy said truthfully. "It will be at least several hours. Even though you deflected the stone as it hit her, it still cracked her skull. She was also somewhat depleted by that point. She'll be fine, though. We could wake her sooner, but the Healers all say it is better for her to remain unconscious for a while. Let her body and magic recover. I'm sure she will wake up, and sooner rather than later. You should go rest for a while. There is time for you to get some sleep."

Albus shook his head, but at least he didn't repeat what he had said a dozen times after he and Minerva first arrived in the infirmary, that he should have been faster, that it was his fault she had been injured. "Not yet," he said. "And another patient will arrive soon. I sent Alastor to get him. I don't want anyone but you, Melina, or Egeria to treat him."

So now Poppy waited at the window. Her head nodded as she began to fall asleep on her feet, and she stood up straighter and blinked. There they were, entering the gate, an odd procession, Alastor at the front, Aberforth at the rear, and Hermione and Egeria on either side of a Charmed stretcher. She smiled, and tears of exhaustion and relief welled in her eyes. One who had been so certain he would die, lived. Severus Snape lived and Tom Riddle was dead.

---

Severus shifted and blinked. His eyelids felt heavy. His first coherent thought was that he didn't seem to be dead. The second was that he was someplace clean, bright, and comfortable, and he had all four limbs. He thought. He wiggled his fingers and toes. They seemed all to be there.

"Severus! You are awake!" Poppy's soft voice confirmed that it was unlikely he was dead.

He swallowed and tried to move his head toward the direction her voice had come from.

"Don't move too much, Severus. You still have some healing wounds, and they may hurt if you move." She raised the head of his bed. "Are you thirsty?"

He nodded slightly, and he felt a straw at his lips. He didn't know whether he had the energy to sip the water, but the straw was charmed; the water flowed gently into his mouth, and he swallowed. He sighed as the straw was withdrawn.

"Good," he said, or tried to say. His voice was hoarse. He opened his eyes further. Poppy was there. Surely that was a good thing. The Dark Lord wouldn't let Poppy take care of him. "How...what happened?" he whispered.

"Harry survived and defeated him. Riddle is dead. You are alive. Hermione helped save you. Do you remember any of it?"

Severus's eyes went unfocussed. It was all confused. "Nagini. He had her bite me. Then I thought I saw Hermione."

"You did. She was there with you. She treated you, then she brought you to a safe place until you could return to the castle."

"She's all right?"

"Yes, she's fine. She stayed with you. Minerva's mother, Healer Egidius, helped treat you, but Hermione wouldn't leave your side. She was with you constantly; even after she didn't need to breathe for you, she didn't leave you. I finally sent her to get some rest about an hour ago, but she's here in the infirmary. I'll get her for you. First I want to check a few things."

Severus closed his eyes. Breathed for him? He opened his eyes again as Poppy cast a diagnostic spell that seemed to vibrate through his body.

"Breathed for me?"

"Yes. One of the effects of Nagini's bite is to stop your breathing. The muscles are paralysed. So Hermione used a spell and breathed for you. Now, how many fingers do you see?"

Severus blinked slowly. "Two."

"Good."

"I saw two of her. I thought I was hallucinating. I did hallucinate," he said, remembering his vision of Death, which seemed so like Albus. "But she was real."

"Yes," Poppy said, patting his hand. "She was very real."

He turned his head toward her. He lived. Potter lived. Who had died? "Who . . . who died? There was a battle?"

"Yes, there was a battle. Several people died. A number of Death Eaters were killed, but more were captured. Almost none escaped."

"Who died?"

"There will be time enough later for you to think about all that, Severus. Just rest."

"No!" What was she keeping from him? He struggled to sit up more. "Who died? Minerva? Did Minerva?" How could he have lived if she had died?

"Minerva isn't dead, Severus. Calm yourself." Poppy put her hand on his left shoulder. "She was injured, but she's here in the infirmary, just in the next room, and you will be able to see her soon."

"Who else?"

"Who would you like to know about? There were many dozens involved in the battle on both sides. When you're better, I'm sure there will be people who can answer all of your questions, and you can see lists of the dead and injured, if you like. For now, though, is there anyone specific you are concerned about?"

Everyone. No one. "The students."

"Many were wounded, a few were killed. A number of Slytherins are here in the infirmary."

Severus looked away. He didn't need to be told why they were there.

"They fought bravely to defend Hogwarts," Poppy said softly.

He looked back at her incredulously. "They defended the school?"

"They did. They were crucial. They stood with Minerva and Harry when the final confrontation came. I was here and watched them from the infirmary windows. They were very brave. Blaise Zabini led them. They called themselves Snape's Slytherins, and they defied Riddle in your name."

It must have been Nagini's venom still in his system, because Severus felt tears rise in his eyes, and he couldn't swallow them back or blink them away. He felt as though he was crumbling.

Poppy smiled at him and squeezed his left arm. "You would have been so proud, Severus. They have wanted to see you, of course, but we told them that you had to have time to recover first." Poppy paused. "Except for one of Snape's Slytherins, who was particularly stubborn. I finally let him sleep under your bed." Her lips twitched in amusement at Severus's wide-eyed expression.

"Under my bed!?"

"Let's see if he's awake," Poppy said, barely restraining her laughter.

Severus could hear her whispering, and he wondered if perhaps he weren't still delusional, but then a small grey head popped up next to his bed and a shy finger reached out and touched his arm, then quickly withdrew.

"Twiskett," Severus said, trying to sit up a bit straighter. "You have comported yourself well for Madam Pomfrey?"

Twiskett looked up at Poppy with questioning eyes, then he looked back at Severus and nodded.

"Good. You may return to your duties."

Twiskett reached out and placed his fingertips lightly on Severus's elbow.

"Very well. You may remain. But you must assist Madam Pomfrey as she requires," Severus said.

Twiskett's face wrinkled into a happy smile, then, to Poppy's shock, he whispered, "Thank you."

"Hmmpf. When I have visitors, you may wait outside." He might be in a generous mood, but he did still want some privacy. That, after all, was one of the things he appreciated about the quiet house-elf.

Twiskett nodded seriously, then disappeared back under the bed.

"What of the staff?" Severus asked.

"Some were injured, most not very badly."

"Did any die?"

"Sinistra. She was one of the first killed." He could find out later that it had been Slytherin students who had done it. "Filch was very badly injured. There was a stray Death Eater loose in the castle," she said, a slight lie, as she didn't believe that Goyle had borne the Dark Mark. "Filch was in the wrong place at the wrong time and then he wasn't found right away. He will live, but he will probably have to retire. Hooch was hurt and will have a long recovery, but it looks as though she will live."

"Anyone else killed?"

"There were some other losses."

"That many that you cannot tell me?" A sudden thought occurred to him. "What about McGonagall? Gareth?"

"He is here in the infirmary. When he is well enough to be moved, he will probably go to St. Mungo's for further assessment and treatment."

"What happened to him?"

"They think it was a Frangere. It hit him in the back. Fortunately, he was wearing his Graphornhide tunic, or it probably would have killed him. As it was, it broke his spine in several places, and a few ribs, too."

"Will he be all right?" Severus felt unaccountably concerned about the younger wizard.

"We think so. His spinal cord was not directly affected, though there was a lot of swelling . . . we think he will be fine. He just needs to be seen by the specialist at Mungo's."

"And Crouch?"

"He is unhurt," Poppy said, busying herself with his sheets and adjusting his pillows.

"Who in the Order was killed?"

"Oh, Severus, you really should wait."

"Who?"

"I don't know everyone who belonged to the Order or who didn't," Poppy said with a sigh, resigning herself to reciting at least enough names to satisfy Severus, "but Viktor Krum flew with Hooch's squadron, and he was killed. Molly Weasley was killed in the initial assault on the castle. Scrimgeour was killed then, too. Then when Harry went out the first time, there was a small skirmish and Percy Weasley was killed by a curse meant for his sister." Poppy shook her head. "More of them died than us, Severus. Why don't I get Hermione, and then you can rest?"

Severus nodded, suddenly very tired again. "What time is it?" he asked before the matron reached the door.

"Almost ten. At night. The battle was this morning, just after dawn."

Severus settled back against the pillows and closed his eyes. His arm and shoulder hurt and he felt generally sick, but he was alive. It seemed impossible.

Poppy turned back suddenly. "I don't know whether you care or not, but Lucius Malfoy is still alive. Gareth and Twiskett rescued him. It looks like he might make it, too. They brought him to Mungo's just before you got here."

Severus didn't care. Not much. "When can I see Minerva?"

"After you've rested. She's not awake yet, anyway. I'll get Hermione for you."

---

Severus had fallen asleep again after Poppy left, and when he woke up, he was being examined by a witch whom he didn't recognise.

"Shh." The witch continued casting diagnostic spells as she nodded in the direction of the chair on the other side of his bed.

Hermione was asleep; the chair had been Transfigured from the standard infirmary issue, and Hermione's head rested against a high, well-padded wing.

"We can wake her when I'm done," the witch whispered. "She didn't want to disturb you, but she wanted to be here when you woke up next."

Severus nodded, wondering who this witch was. There was something familiar about her, but it might simply be the easy, efficient manner with which she cast the spells, a manner that so many experienced Healers possessed: no wasted wand movement, a relaxed but well-controlled flow of magic, and an almost seamless progression from one spell to the next. The witch had to be well over one hundred, but she was slim, straight, and vital, her eyes bright.

"I am quite well-acquainted with you, Professor, but you are probably wondering who this strange witch is," the Healer said softly after she cast one final spell, which relieved the ache in his shoulder and arm. "I'm Egeria Egidius. I looked after you while we were waiting to return you to Hogwarts." Egeria smiled. "Perhaps I should more properly say, I helped Hermione look after you."

"You're Minerva's mother." Severus had never met Egeria before, though he had heard her name.

Egeria nodded. She looked over at Hermione. "She'll want to stay with you, but try to encourage her to get some real rest. She breathed for you almost nonstop for more than six hours, and that wasn't the half of what she did. She was quite remarkable. You are a lucky wizard, Professor. Even though you received timely attention, you were still very near death. That snake's venom had some very nasty properties, both chemical and magical. I may have worked on your blood and body, but it was Hermione's dedication that saved you."

Egeria touched Severus's wrist, a light gesture, then she was gone.

Severus watched Hermione sleep for a few minutes, then he called her name. She stirred slightly, and he repeated her name.

"Severus! You're awake!" Hermione passed her hand over her eyes, clearing them of sleep.

"Yes. Thanks to you," Severus said. "I don't remember much, but I remember that you were there. Madam Pomfrey and Healer Egidius told me that you treated me, that you saved my life."

Hermione shrugged. "It was what I could do. I am just very glad I didn't fail. Egeria did all the real Healing." She leaned forward and looked at him more closely, brushing some of his hair back in an intimate gesture. She blushed and leaned back. "You look better. Almost like yourself again. How do you feel?"

Severus winced as he tried to shrug. "Much better than I did when I thought I was dying," he replied. "Could you ask Twiskett to wait outside? He's under the bed, I think."

Hermione smiled. "Yes, he was pretty insistent."

After Hermione had knelt and asked Twiskett if he would leave them alone for a few minutes, Severus raised his left hand and touched her arm, the slight pressure an almost imperceptible invitation to sit beside him.

"How did you do it? I remember enough that I don't understand how it was possible. There were Death Eaters there, and Nagini...what happened to her? How did you find me and get me out of there?"

Hermione perched on the edge of the bed, hesitating. Everyone had agreed that until he was more recovered, it was better not to shock Severus with the news of Albus's survival. She was sure that Severus would find the information not only shocking, but disturbing, given the depth of his grief and guilt over the Headmaster's death.

"We knew you'd probably be in the Shrieking Shack, remember? Professor McGonagall had her niece train me with the Prospirator spell; they believed it likely that you'd be bitten by Nagini. Melina and her father had worked on a potion that they hoped would treat the effects of the venom, and it did help. I snuck into the Shrieking Shack about the same time you got there. Professor Crouch helped me. We were Disillusioned. Everyone was so distracted by Riddle's rantings, no one detected us."

Severus frowned. He wouldn't have believed such a thing possible, but clearly, it was, since he was there in the Hospital Wing. "And Nagini?"

"She was a Horcrux, aside from being dangerous. I killed her with the Gryffindor Sword." Hermione grew pale as she thought of those moments. "It was all so horrible, being there, seeing and hearing what was happening to you, but unable to do anything until after Riddle left." Hermione blinked rapidly against her tears. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't upset you."

Severus took her hand. "I'm fine, Hermione," he said softly. "After doing what you did, you shouldn't worry about that, about upsetting me."

"I was all right, or almost all right, once we got to you and I was able to help you. It gave me something to concentrate on. But now . . ." She swallowed hard.

"You need some sleep, Hermione. A good, long sleep." He twitched a smile. "I doubt I'll be going anywhere soon, and I'm feeling tired, myself. Come see me when you wake up. You can give me all the news that Poppy was so reluctant to share with me." He released her hand and brushed his fingers through the few tears on her cheeks. "If it weren't so utterly inadequate," he whispered, "I would say thank-you."

Hermione took his hand in hers and held it to her face for a moment, her eyes closed. When she opened them, she blushed and laid his hand back on the bed, but only slowly releasing it. "I'm sorry. I just am very glad you are alive."

"Come back when you wake up, Hermione. I never believed I would live to see this day, you know. I don't know what to think or do, but I do know that we are supposed to take a brain holiday together." His lips formed a small smile. "You know, after Nagini bit me, I thought I was hallucinating. I thought you were a hallucination, but I was happy, thinking about one last brain holiday with you. We can see each other later, after you have rested, and take a real brain holiday together."

"All right," Hermione said softly, sliding from the bed. "I'm sure you need to sleep, too. I'll see you later. We'll have our brain holiday then."

She quickly bent and kissed his cheek, then rushed from the room, leaving him startled but oddly warmed.

When Melina stepped into the room fifteen minutes later, Severus was asleep again, his face relaxed. She thought he looked better in that moment than she had ever seen him, despite the lingering effects of the snake's venom and all his other physical ills. Twiskett was back under the bed, and Melina bent and whispered to him to call her if Professor Snape woke up. They were taking his care in turns, she, her grandmother, and Poppy, though they had an infirmary full of other patients they were helping to treat, too. Poppy and Egeria were both asleep, dead to the world on small beds that had been set up in Poppy's office.

Melina cast a few diagnostic spells, ones that wouldn't wake her patient, and was satisfied with what she saw. He could begin eating mild solid foods later that morning. She would start him with a little egg custard and see how he felt. They had been transferring nutritional potion directly into his stomach, but that was hardly ideal, no matter how good the potion, and he would probably want to go to the toilet naturally soon, too. It would be good for him to get out of bed, stand, walk the few feet to the toilet and back. They would give him an exercise programme, as well, primarily just some walking, but also a few gentle exercises for his right arm. Spells and potions were all very well, but despite the lack of necrosis and the rapid treatment he had received, the muscles of his right arm and shoulder still would need some rehabilitation after the nasty effects of Nagini's venom. As a Potions master, Severus would need to regain his strength and full range of movement in that arm.

Melina used her wand to raise the sheet and open the right sleeve of Severus's gown. She was pleased by what she saw. There should be almost no scarring. In a few weeks, even she would have a hard time finding where he had been bitten, particularly if he did his exercises and built up his right bicep. There were potions that would help the muscles regenerate, but they were more effective when coupled with exercise.

Yes, physically, Severus should recover quite well. Melina was less certain about his psychological well-being. Right now, he was still coming to terms with the fact that he was alive when he had expected to die. But now he had a future, one he hadn't thought he would have, and finding a new purpose while dealing with his past, with all he had done and all he had been subject to, that would not be easy for him, and Melina didn't know whether Severus had the tools to cope with it all.

She closed up his gown and covered him with the sheet again, then dimmed the lamp even further. His room was one of the only ones with a window, but heavy curtains covered it, and the dawn that would arrive shortly would not wake him. Albus might even be able to sneak in and see him again, though she agreed with Poppy that Albus should wait before doing that again. It could be too much of a shock if Severus were to wake up while Albus was there. She hoped that she wouldn't have to be the one to tell him that Albus was alive.

---

"Blaise wants to see you," Hermione said apologetically after they had chatted a few minutes and she reassured him that she had slept well and had eaten. "I didn't know what to tell him. He knew I was going to see you this morning, and I couldn't lie to him about that. Well, I could have, but it seemed silly. He's outside. Melina said it's all right if you feel up to it."

Severus nodded. From the little he had been told, he had good reason to be proud of Zabini. "He can come in."

Hermione let Blaise in, then discreetly left the two alone, closing the door behind her.

"Professor Snape," Blaise said with a nod. If he felt awkward or nervous, he didn't show it.

"Zabini." Severus looked up at the young man in front of him. Snape's Slytherins. "Have a seat."

Blaise sat gracefully. "How are you, sir?"

"Surprised to be here," Severus said honestly. "People tell me that you acquitted yourself well."

"I did what was necessary. Slytherin House did their part. Except for a few whose enthusiasms were other than ours, sir."

"More than a few, I am sure."

Blaise sidestepped the implied question. "Everyone is looking forward to seeing you. Professor Slughorn is looking after those of us who are still in the castle...many students went home this morning after breakfast...but you're our Head of House." Blaise opened the book bag he was carrying and pulled out a packet of letters. "These are from your Slytherins, sir."

Severus took the letters and cards, which were tied together with a piece of green cord. "This many?" he whispered.

"There are forty-six." Blaise smiled, looking awkward for the first time. "One from me, too."

"Forty-six," Severus repeated.

"All of your Slytherins, the ones who were with me yesterday," Blaise explained. "I tried to take care of them as you asked me to, sir. I didn't leave any of the first- or second-years with the others. They and some of the third- and fourth-years stayed in the Hospital Wing, out of danger. The rest of us were with Potter and the Headmistress. There were fourteen of us facing him together."

Severus just looked at Blaise, uncomprehending. How could there be so many? He hadn't believed there could have been.

Blaise quirked a smile. "I can be persuasive, Professor. And not everyone was as happy with the prospect of a Dark Lord as they believed they should be. I think that once they had an alternative they could take, they were happy to leave brutes like Goyle to their own destruction, particularly after...Well, I thought it was just Daphne and I from our year, but Parkinson surprised me. I hadn't even tried to persuade her, she'd always been so thick with the others, but when she saw what was happening, she asked to join us. Of course, she knew what we would do to her if she decided to change her mind in the middle of things, but she didn't even retreat to the Hospital Wing with the younger ones before the battle like I thought she might. Not until she was injured. She's all right now, though. Still the same bitchy princess she always was, so no change there." He smiled at his own joke.

"What happened? You said something happened, and . . . people aren't telling me everything," Snape said.

"Ah, well . . ." Blaise thought only a moment. "Of course, we believed that you'd been killed. That was bad. But then . . . I am sorry, sir, but I didn't know what was happening. They killed Sinistra. Goyle and Nott. I hadn't thought Nott had it in him, and Goyle . . . I just thought he was too incompetent. I miscalculated," he said softly. "I know you had wanted me to protect them, too, and I didn't."

Sinistra. He felt sick. It was no surprise to him that Poppy hadn't told him about Goyle and Nott. Those two, and any who had helped them, would have no future. "What happened to them?"

"Goyle was caught and locked up by Professor Slughorn, Lupin, and an Auror. Then in the afternoon, he was sent to some new jail the Ministry has. Nott was, too. The rest of the others were let out of the lower dungeons last night and went home this morning, except for some younger ones whose parents were killed and captured. They're staying in Slytherin until the Ministry figures out what to do with them."

Severus nodded. He would let others worry about that. Slughorn, Minerva, the Ministry. His brain felt foggy. "Thank you for coming, Zabini. You did well." He touched the packet of letters. "I will have to read these later."

"Of course, sir. I'll let you rest now." The young wizard stood. "I am thinking of applying to the Ministry for guardianship of all the underage Slytherins who have no parents. Even the ones who weren't with us yesterday morning."

Severus blinked and looked up at Blaise. "What?"

"My family has resources. I don't think that the Ministry will be opposed. It will be one less thing for them to worry about. If it's something you approve of."

"Yes, of course. If that is what you want to do." Severus tried to comprehend it. "All of them? Are there many? Of course there are . . ." A generation of Slytherins with debts to the Zabinis. It could be worse, much worse.

"Then I will do that." Blaise picked up his bag. "I will let everyone know you are recovering and that you have their letters."

Severus watched blankly as the young Slytherin left the room.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked as she came back in.

Severus looked at her and let out a breath. "I don't know."

"Should I call Melina? Are you in pain?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"I . . . no, don't call her. I am uncomfortable, but it's not that. I just feel that I don't understand anything. Everything is strange."

"That is probably partly because you're still not one hundred percent," Hermione said. "And it is all a little strange. What are these?" She indicated the packet of letters which his hand rested on.

"Letters. Get-well cards, I presume. From some of the Slytherins."

Hermione smiled. "Snape's Slytherins. You have more post waiting for you. Madam Pomfrey is keeping it for you until you're well." She sat on the edge of the bed again. "Blaise isn't the only one who wanted to see you, you know. He was here representing all of Slytherin House, of course. But Harry has asked about you, Neville was hovering about yesterday afternoon wondering how you were, and both Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout visited you briefly while you were still unconscious. They were very happy to see you. Professor Flitwick, especially. Professor Slughorn came up as soon as we arrived in the infirmary yesterday afternoon. And Professor MacAirt has asked about you, too. Of course, they're quite busy with the school. Since you're still recuperating, Professor Flitwick has sort of become Acting Headmaster."

"How is the Headmistress?"

"She's doing better. She woke up earlier this morning. Healer Baton seems to think she'll be up and around in just a few days."

"Baton?"

"He's from St. Mungo's. On loan, sort of. There are a couple mediwitches, too. A lot of wounded were transferred to St. Mungo's, including most of the Death Eaters, but those whose conditions were very serious and who couldn't be moved remained here, as did those with very minor injuries. Most of them were actually released this morning, so it's calming down."

"I've only seen Poppy, Melina, and Healer Egidius."

"You get the VIP treatment, of course!" Hermione explained, plumping his pillows then flicking her wand to adjust the head of the bed. "Only the best for you."

"I want to see Minerva."

"I'll tell Melina. I'm sure you can see her soon."

"Now," he said, pushing himself upright. The room swam, but he didn't lie back down. No one had told him how Sinistra had died. What else were they hiding from him?

"Let me talk to Melina." Hermione looked at him with concern. "Lie back down, Severus."

"Poppy and Melina wouldn't tell me anything earlier. And I asked for a Daily Prophet and they said they didn't have one. I find that hard to believe. Is Minerva dead or dying? Is that what everyone is hiding from me?"

"No! Of course not!" Hermione remembered some of the headlines of that morning's Prophet: You-Know-Who Dead! Dumbledore Lives! Boy-Who-Lived Lives Again! The pictures on the front page included ones of Albus and Harry returning from the Forbidden Forest where they had incinerated Riddle's body. There was very good reason the newspaper had been kept from him. "The Headmistress will be fine. She had a cracked skull and some magical depletion...on top of just being in the battle, she helped Harry with Riddle, from what I understand, and that was tiring...but she is alive. Listen, I'll find copies of the Prophet for you. I'll keep them and you can read all about everything once you're feeling better."

Severus leaned back. "I still want to see her."

---

An hour later, Severus shuffled into a dimly lit room. He registered that Hermione was saying something about waiting for him outside, but his focus was on the slight figure in the bed before him. It had been a short walk, but his legs were trembling from the exertion despite the cane that he had reluctantly accepted. He sank down into the chair beside the bed.

Minerva was asleep, and she looked thin and pale to him. She still had gauze on one side of her head and much of her hair had been closely cropped. But she was there and alive.

Severus leaned forward and touched her. "Minerva? Minerva?"

"Hmmm. Albus?" Minerva's eyes opened slowly.

"It's Severus."

"Oh, Severus." She smiled slightly. "I am glad to see you. Though I wish I could see you better."

"I don't have my wand." He wondered where it was, if Hermione had saved it. "I'm sorry."

"Come closer. Can you come closer?" She took his hand as he scooted forward on the chair. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you for another day or so. They told me you were still fairly ill. Visiting you was first on my list of things to do once they let me up. Other than having a proper visit to the loo."

He smiled at her joke. "I was worried about you. I'm glad you'll be all right."

She nodded. "I'm fine, just a headache now. I'll be happy when Poppy gets more hair-growth potion in, though. Apparently she didn't think it necessary to stock up on that one." She raised one hand to her head. "I'm sure you've seen me looking better."

"I'm just glad to see you."

"Have you seen Gareth? They said that they'd bring him to St. Mungo's later today. I want to see him, but they won't let me up yet even though I feel fine. I know he's in good hands, but you know how people are, wanting to spare you bad news."

Severus nodded. "That's why I wanted to see you myself. I didn't know if they were keeping something from me. Poppy told me that Sinistra was dead, but I didn't know how she was killed until Zabini came to see me. I was worried. It still feels as though there's something they aren't telling me."

"That's probably just because so much has happened; it's hard to know where to begin," Minerva said. "I am glad you saw Zabini. He is a fine wizard. He and the others who were loyal to the school called themselves 'Snape's Slytherins,' and when Riddle was trying to get them to turn on us, let me see . . . I will try to remember his words. He said, 'We are the true Slytherins. We are Snape's Slytherins. We fight for ourselves and Professor Snape.' You thought that you hadn't done a good job with them, Severus, but they took you for their example."

Severus nodded. "I still cannot quite believe it," he said softly. "It is one incredible thing after another. Waking up alive was only the first surprise."

"There are a few more for you," Minerva said, trying to sit up, pulling a pillow around behind her. "For example, do you know who joined Snape's Slytherins, other than your students?"

"Twiskett," Severus answered promptly. "He has set up housekeeping under my bed."

Minerva smiled at that. "Yes, but there was another: Ronald Weasley."

"He just didn't want to leave Potter," Severus said cynically.

"True, but he was content to call himself one of Snape's Slytherins when he was interviewed by the Prophet, so I wouldn't dismiss him so quickly. And Harry was worried about you. He knew that we hoped Hermione had saved you, but we hadn't had any word from anyone. He was glad to hear you survived." Minerva squeezed his hand gently. "You've created a new role model for what a Slytherin might be."

"As long as they don't look too far into my past," Severus replied. "I also still half expect to be carted off to Azkaban as a Death Eater."

"That could never happen. We would all go with you before we let that happen, even if we had to go out and . . . and start casting spells in the middle Piccadilly Circus to get arrested! Besides, the new Minister will be closing Azkaban permanently. The last few prisoners will be moved as soon as they have a new location for them."

"Have you read the Prophet?" Severus asked, looking around the room for the newspaper.

"No. Someone just read me bits and pieces."

"Oh." Severus frowned. "Poppy and Melina said they didn't have a copy."

"I doubt that reading the newspaper has been high on their list of priorities," Minerva replied. She yawned. "You know, Severus, you still look like you should be in bed, and much as I would prefer to sit here and chat with you, I'm beginning to feel sleepy again. All these potions they're giving me, I expect. But if you feel up to it, could you see if you can peek in on Gareth for me? I don't know if they'll let me see him before he has to be transferred."

Severus nodded. "I think I can shuffle that far," he said drily. "Do you have a message for him?"

"No, just look in on him for me. Everyone tells me how good he looks, but they say it with these cheery smiles on their faces that make me doubt that he looks good at all. I don't think I could love him more if he were my own son, Severus, and he is so very like my brother. I'd rather know the truth. I know I can trust you not to sugarcoat anything."

Severus nodded. "I understand."

---

Much to Hermione's distress, since Egeria and Madam Pomfrey had been quite clear that Severus was to return directly to bed after visiting Minerva, Severus duly shuffled off to find Gareth. Rather than have him overtire himself looking for the Ravenclaw, and it was obvious he was going to do just that, Hermione led him directly to the curtained area where Gareth lay. Severus could hear soft voices coming from behind the white curtain.

"Now, Professor Snape, Gareth is here behind these curtains," Hermione said in what he considered an unnecessarily loud voice, particularly given the other patients who were no doubt lying behind the other curtains.

Hermione pulled aside one of the long white curtains and peeked in. "Oh, well, he has a visitor. I don't know if he's allowed any others," she said.

"I don't want to disturb him, just see him." Severus was getting tired. He was also beginning to think that Minerva was right, and they were hiding something from her. Even Hermione seemed to be a part of it.

The curtain moved further aside and Neville Longbottom stepped out. "It's all right, Hermione. I'm just leaving. I was just thanking him for keeping me from doing something I'd regret." He looked up at Severus. "I'm glad to see you, too, sir."

Severus nodded. He was tired. He wanted to see McGonagall and go back to his own bed.

Neville moved aside and Severus stepped in, leaning heavily on his cane and closely followed by Hermione. McGonagall was lying flat on his back.

"Is that Snape?" Gareth's eyes moved toward them.

"Yes," Severus replied.

"Sorry if I don't get up," Gareth said. "They have me immobilised. It's damned annoying. Can't even move my head. Can you move around so I can see you?"

Severus made his way to the head of the bed. Gareth's colour was good, but his stillness was disturbing. He was usually so filled with energy, to see him like that was disconcerting.

Gareth grinned. "I knew they couldn't kill an old bastard like you, Snape! So, when do I get my drink? Did you think I'd forgotten?"

Severus looked down the other wizard's motionless body. "When we're both out of here, McGonagall. It is good to see you are as intolerable as ever."

"Glad you appreciate my finer qualities. You look like hell, though. You should sit down."

"He should be in bed. Madam Pomfrey is going to kill me," Hermione said, agitated.

"I hear that my gift was useful," Gareth said, ignoring her.

Severus lowered himself carefully into the wooden chair by the head of the bed. "It was satisfying to have it."

"Riddle was really upset you cut his precious Nagini," Hermione said. "It was disgusting, him hissing away at her, petting her, hissing and hissing, then telling her that she could eat the wizard who did that to her." Hermione shuddered at the memory.

"He must have come completely unhinged when he saw what you did to her," Severus said.

"I don't know if he ever knew exactly what happened to her. After we left, the Shrieking Shack burned down to the ground."

"It's gone?" He appeared shocked.

"I'll tell you all about it later," Hermione said. "I think you need to get back to bed."

Severus looked back over at Gareth. "You don't look very good. Can you move at all?"

"Fingers and toes. See?" Gareth wiggled them in demonstration. "They tell me I'd be able to move more if they removed the immobilisation, but they don't want to do that yet. Something about swelling, my spinal cord, danger of paralysis, that kind of thing. They want to check me out at St. Mungo's before they remove the spell. I'm not too uncomfortable, though."

"You will recover? Be able to move, use a wand . . . walk?"

"So they tell me. I hope they're right. When the potions begin wearing off, I do have pain, which I find encouraging. To a point."

"I understand," Severus said with a nod. "I will inform Minerva. She was concerned."

"I'm looking forward to moving to St. Mungo's, to be honest. Mum is there, and I'm hoping to see her. But you are tired and I think I probably need to have something done to me soon. See you later, Hermione. And don't forget our drink, Snape. I'm sure I'll have quite a thirst when I get out of there."

---

Severus squinted at the sudden light. Poppy was pulling back the curtains and letting in the morning sun.

"Good morning, Severus!" she said cheerfully. "I thought you might like to see the sun this morning. You have a choice of breakfasts today: porridge with skimmed milk or a plain omelette. Egeria also wants you to have some fruit, and we have pureed pears or apple sauce."

Severus lifted his lip in disgust. "They both sound vile. And I don't like plain omelettes. Cheese, at least, something sharp. I do not understand why I am required to eat baby food. The snake bit my arm, not my stomach," Severus grumbled. "And skimmed milk is abominable at any time."

Poppy laughed. "I can probably get you some fresh berries if you prefer, but I don't know how well they will sit on your stomach, and if you don't want a plain omelette, I suppose you could have a couple soft-cooked eggs instead."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "You did that on purpose. Holding back another alternative, the one you knew would be the least distasteful to me."

"It's not only our Headmistress who can be a little Slytherin at times, Severus. She's better at it than I am, though. You saw through me immediately."

"Hmmph. You are not as transparent as some are, though."

"Speaking of Gryffindors..."

"Were we speaking of Gryffindors?" Severus asked as Poppy raised the head of his bed.

"I was. Harry was here earlier. He said he'd be back after breakfast. If you don't want to see him, I can tell him you're too tired."

"The hero of the wizarding world? Why would I turn down an opportunity to meet with him? What are they calling him now? The Boy-Who-Didn't-Die-Twice?"

Poppy smiled. "Something like that, I'm sure. So you'll see him?"

"It would be more diverting than sitting here staring at the walls." He sounded morose.

"You will have plenty of diversion later today, Severus. Melina has designed an exercise programme for you. You are to begin this afternoon. You will even have your own coach who will make certain you don't shirk!"

"Lovely." Surviving the Dark Lord was just one party after another.

---

"Good to see you, Snape."

"I'm sure. Disappointed you again, no doubt," Severus said.

Harry laughed. "I just wanted to thank you. I talked to Zabini at dinner last night. He said he saw you yesterday. I figured I'd look in on you today."

"You have seen me."

"You look pretty good for a man who was supposed to be dead." Harry pulled up a chair.

"And you are alive. I presume that he used the Avada Kedavra on you and destroyed his own Horcrux?"

Harry nodded.

"And him. Did you draw his blood from him?"

"Yes...you seem to know all about it. We were going to use the Gryffindor Sword, but then Gareth McGonagall threw a knife at him, and that was all I needed."

"I don't know all about it," Severus said with irritation. "No one will tell me anything and I haven't seen a newspaper. I only know what we had determined were the possible outcomes. What happened when he cursed you?"

Harry rubbed his scar. What had happened when he was cursed . . . "Riddle wanted me to surrender at dawn, so I did. Ginny Weasley was supposed to be in the infirmary, but she wasn't. She didn't understand what I was doing, and she ran out from the castle." Harry sighed. "Percy stopped her, but Riddle cast a Killing Curse and it hit him. Riddle was getting ready to cast another Avada Kedavra at Ginny and Gareth, who had run out to get them, but Malfoy distracted him. I had told Riddle that Professor McGonagall called him the toe-rag, so Malfoy taunted him with that. Riddle cast the Avada Kedavra at Malfoy. I knew I had to be hit by that curse, so I thought that would be as good a moment as any, and I might be able to save Malfoy at the same time. He never did kill Malfoy. Anyway, the curse pulled his bit of soul from my body, the magic around it already attracted to the magic of the curse. It felt like . . . like being at a rock concert and having one of the speakers blow up next to you. I actually did think I was dead for a little while, but . . . obviously, I wasn't."

"I thought I was dead," Severus said softly, almost in a whisper, his gaze unfocussed. "I saw Hermione, but I also thought I saw Death. He looked like Albus."

---

"Harry! Harry! Wake up now!"

Harry blinked up at the indistinct figure above him, then blinked again, still seeing stars in a midnight sky.

"You were dreaming, Harry. It's time to wake up. Riddle will be back and we have to be ready."

"Dreaming," Harry said stupidly, sitting up. He looked around him. "I'm still dreaming."

"No, you're not. We're actually in the Room of Requirement. I suppose this is the room it thought we would require."

It was Dumbledore's office, all the whizzing and spinning gadgets around them, Fawkes's perch, the large desk that Professor McGonagall still used.

"We were in King's Cross Station," Harry said, blinking. "Now we're here. It didn't work, did it? I'm dead. I won't have to kill Riddle after all."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but you are going to have to kill him. An interesting dream you had, but you must have heard me calling you, and brought me into your dream. I cast Renervate and then called to you."

"But you're dead, sir. You might not realise it," Harry said gently, thinking perhaps Dumbledore was confused; he had been very ill when he died, after all, "but you are dead. So I must be, too."

Albus laughed. "That is impeccable logic, Harry, but unfortunately, one of your premises is false. When we have more time to sit and talk, I will tell you more about how we did it, but I didn't die. Well, I did die, but only a little, not all the way, and when I was resuscitated, I was renamed. As I say, I can explain more later, or if I really am killed, Minerva or Melina can. But for now, simply understand that it was all a ruse, a deception. And we have to continue it just a little bit longer."

Albus held out his hand and helped the young wizard to his feet.

"Your hand! Are you sure you aren't dead, sir?"

"Quite. We healed that a few months before we faked my death. Let's sit down now and I'll take a few minutes to explain how you can kill Riddle. You gave back what you had of his, and now you must reclaim what he stole from you." He held up the Sorting Hat and pulled the Gryffindor Sword from it. "I will attempt to strike him with this. With any luck, I'll be able to get in a killing blow, but that's hardly likely. It is more probable that I will simply be able to slash him and then, perhaps, be killed myself as a consequence...though I will try to avoid that, of course. If I am killed and have not been able to strike him, Minerva has Slytherin's copper knife, and she will attempt to use that. I think that once I have tried to attack him with the sword, though, he will be expecting a physical attack, and so even if she succeeds in nicking him, he'll likely kill her, too. Perhaps as he's distracted, though, you will be able to cast a slicing hex of some sort if he's not already cut. It is important to draw blood, any amount, even if you just punch him and give him a bloody nose."

"My blood. He took my blood when he created his new body. He took it forcefully," Harry said.

"Exactly. And you can reclaim it."

"But how?"

"You are a full-grown wizard now, Harry. Your magic is strong. You know the power of intent. Reach out with your magic and take it back. You can do that; it belongs to you. It is your right."

Harry made a face. "I don't want it back. After being in him...even if there's nothing evil in his blood, the thought is still disgusting." He shuddered.

"No, you don't want it back. Just as he destroyed what he gave you, you must destroy what you take back from him. If Minerva and I are both there, we have a plan to help you with that, a shield we can cast that will also destroy the blood as you draw it to you. If neither of us is there, you will need to improvise, I'm afraid."

"This doesn't sound like a sure thing," Harry said. "He could still win. He could kill me and live."

"He could, but I have faith that events will bring you to victory if you are resolute. You are doing this not just for yourself, but for the wizarding world. And you won't be alone. There is an army ready to defend the castle, and Minerva and I will be with you. When I plucked you from the ground..."

"You? How?"

"I am an Animagus...my registration is sealed, and it is somewhat, um, inaccurate. But I take the form of a phoenix. I don't have all of the properties of a phoenix, obviously, but I can fly and I can Apparate whilst in my Animagus form, which is rather convenient."

"Professor McGonagall told me she raised Anti-Apparition wards in the castle again, though."

"In the castle, yes, but I brought us to the top of the Astronomy Tower. After that, I'm afraid it was a matter of brute magic and muscle to get us here, and as I'm no longer Headmaster, I don't have access to as many short-cuts as I once did. I could probably have managed to Apparate here in my Animagus form anyway, but I didn't want to risk it with you in Side-Along." Albus looked at his wristwatch. "We have to hurry. I don't think that it will be much longer before he gets frustrated looking for you and comes back and attacks the castle."

Harry and Albus stood.

"Wait...you said you took another name. Who were you? Were you around all this time?"

Albus smiled. "I was renamed. You knew me as Robbie Crouch. Robert Crouch hasn't been at Hogwarts since last March. It is quite a story, Harry, and I'll tell you more about it when this is over . . . the entire truth will probably remain untold until after all of those involved are dead, though."

---

"Potter," Severus said.

Harry stopped in the doorway and looked back at him.

"Scrimgeour's dead. Who's the new Minister?"

"Tiberius Ogden, but only temporarily. They're saying it will be Kingsley Shacklebolt. Probably in just a day or two."

Severus tried to restrain his sigh as he leaned back against his pillows.

"Do you need something? Should I get Madam Pomfrey?"

Severus shook his head. "What don't I know, Potter? I haven't seen a Daily Prophet. I think they're keeping me from seeing a newspaper. Are people calling for my head? Is that it?"

"No. I think there was an article about you next to an interview with some of the students. But it just said that you had been spying on Riddle for years and that he tried to kill you but didn't succeed. Also that you teach Potions and all that. And that you aren't a popular teacher. But that was probably the worst thing anyone said about you. So that's not it," Harry said. "They probably just haven't even had time to read the papers themselves, Professor."

"What don't I want to hear?" If anyone would accidentally let the cat out of the bag, it was Potter. No ability to evade whatsoever.

Harry held onto the doorknob. "Well . . . Peter Pettigrew is in some kind of coma, but he's alive. He was being held prisoner with some other Death Eaters, and he just keeled over. The silver in his hand started creeping up his arm and into his body. It seemed to stop once Riddle was dead, but they don't think he'll ever regain consciousness."

"As long as he's not scurrying around somewhere spreading pestilence," Severus said. "What else? There must be some bad news that people think I shouldn't hear. You have never spared my feelings before, Potter. I don't expect you to start now out of some Gryffindor sentimentality."

Harry thought for a moment. "I'm not sure what qualifies as bad news to you. Bellatrix Lestrange is alive. Completely bonkers, but that's not much of a change. Of the dead . . . did you have any friends who were Death Eaters? What I mean is, somebody you, well..."

"I know what you mean, Potter. No. There were some younger ones who I wished hadn't joined him, but no. What about the Order? Lupin...is he alive?"

"Yes, he's fine and back home with Tonks now. You know about Professor Sinistra?" Harry asked. When Severus nodded, Harry said, "I can't think of anyone else who died that might upset you that you don't already know about then. Oh! Yes, I do. Binns!"

Severus snorted. "Binns was already dead, boy."

"Yes, but no one's seen him since some time in the middle of the battle. He was with Nick helping to spot holes in our defences, but no one's seen him since."

"Interesting fact, but hardly warranting any secrecy." Severus shook his head. "Too many years as a spy, Potter. I'm seeing conspiracies where there aren't any. I'll be turning as mad as Moody soon."

Harry shrugged. "There might still be something you'll find out later. I have to go now. I told Ron I'd speak at Molly and Percy's combined funeral. It's tomorrow, and I have no idea what to say." He sighed. "Be glad no one's asking you to do that, Snape. I'm supposed to speak at Scrimgeour's, too, and I was going to say no, but then Profess–, er, Professor McGonagall convinced me I should."

---

Severus dozed, the golden afternoon sun filtering through some gauzy curtains. He had just finished his first set of exercises, and he was tired. It turned out that his "coach" was Hermione and part of his exercise programme consisted simply of taking a walk with her, so it wasn't the unpleasant ordeal he had anticipated. They had only walked up and down the corridor outside the infirmary, but it had been quiet and they'd been alone. Hermione said that this wasn't precisely the kind of walk she'd had in mind a few days before when she'd said she wanted to take a walk with him after Riddle was dead, but that in a day or two, they could go outside and walk in the gardens.

There was a light knock on the partially open door to his room.

"Yes?"

"Severus, it's Minerva. May I come in?" She peeked around the door. Her hair had been cut much shorter on one side, and was still closely shorn on the other.

Severus pushed himself up on his elbows. "Of course! You are up and around; that's good."

Minerva nodded. "I'll spend one more night here to humour everyone, but then I'll be moving back up to the Tower. Filius will still be taking on more responsibility while you and I recuperate, but I'll be meeting with him and making most of the decisions. You, though, I hope you will take your time to really get well. Those last injuries of yours were bad enough; you need to recover from the last few years. I hope you take a holiday."

As she sat in the chair beside him, she waved her wand, activating the charm to raise the head of his bed.

Severus snorted. "I don't take holidays, Minerva. There are simply periods when I am less occupied than others and am not in residence at the castle." Spending time at Spinner's End could hardly be called a holiday. He hated that house.

"Well, it's time you do take a holiday, then. Go somewhere new. Refresh yourself!"

"It is a thought," Severus said, not wanting to crush Minerva's enthusiasm. "Your hair...has Poppy found some potion for you yet?"

"Yes. I started on it this morning." Minerva touched her short hair self-consciously. "We trimmed the rest of it shorter so that it won't look quite so peculiar over the next couple weeks. We'll keep trimming the longer side until the rest catches up with it. I have another reason to find a new hat for the feast on Sunday."

"Feast?"

"A celebratory dinner in the Great Hall. There will be a memorial aspect to it, as well, of course. Melina said you should be well enough to attend and eat whatever you want, so that's something to look forward to."

Severus sighed. Something to look forward to. He hadn't thought that he would have to look forward to anything.

"It's a Hogwarts event, Severus. I won't make very many demands on you over the next few months, but I would like you to attend. You are still my Deputy, you know!" Minerva's voice was light and teasing, but it was clear she wanted him there.

"I don't like such things," Severus said moodily.

"You have never given yourself the chance to enjoy them. You don't need to be a social butterfly, Severus. Just enjoy the food, watching the people, imagining sarcastic commentary to all the long-winded speeches...it shouldn't be too painful for you. It will be primarily Hogwarts staff and some students, the Order members, and only a few people from the Ministry."

"Very well."

Minerva reached into her pocket. "Hermione told me you were looking for this." She held out his wand.

"My wand!" Severus took it from her. "I don't understand. She said she hadn't thought to pick it up. Did Crouch?"

Minerva hesitated. "Not exactly, Severus. You have had the feeling that something has been kept from you, and you're right. And I'm the person who began it. Almost a year and a half ago, in fact. Melina thought that I should wait another day or two to tell you, give you time to gather more strength, but I couldn't do that to you. It has been hard enough all these months, and I don't want you to discover it by accident."

Severus frowned. "What are you talking about? It's something about the battle they're keeping from me, I'm sure of that. Even Hermione. She changes the subject very adroitly whenever I ask certain questions. No one will bring me a newspaper. Did Crouch die? Is that it? Poppy said he was uninjured, but I haven't seen him and..."

"No, Severus. And there's something that I want you to understand. Until Monday morning, Hermione knew nothing of this. The only secret she was keeping from you was that she received the training and special potions meant to try to save you. Almost no one knew about this other secret." Minerva sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"I understand. There are certain secrets of the Order that were best kept only to those who needed to know. I clearly didn't need to know whatever this was, since the Dark L– Riddle is dead, Harry is alive, and, beyond all my expectations, I am alive, too."

Minerva took a deep breath. "I hope you remain so understanding, Severus, though it won't be a surprise if you don't, and I won't blame you, either. And it wasn't a secret of the Order. It was not a part of the Order's plans. It was my plan. I had help carrying it out, but it was my plan."

---

Albus set down his wine glass. The colours of the Celebrare had faded to a warm glow. He had just heard Minerva's plan, only asking a few questions as she explained it. As he listened quietly, and apparently with an open mind, Minerva became encouraged and went into greater detail than she had originally planned.

He looked away thoughtfully. "Because of this," he said, flexing his right hand, "obviously my previous plan is no longer possible. Alternatively, I could try to convince Severus to carry out his Vow, using some of the same techniques you have just described to me in order to have him believe that my hand continues to carry the curse."

Albus looked at his hand and concentrated. He knew well what his hand had felt and looked like after the Gaunt ring had released its curse. He grimaced as he performed an internal Transfiguration on it, not changing it into a dog's paw or a raven's claw as one might during Animagus training, but moulding it into the same form his hand had possessed before the magic of the Celebrare had cured it.

"Layered Glamours would allow me to give the impression that I have cast a Glamour to hide my deteriorating health." He picked up his wand and cast a Glamour that made him appear ill, then another one over it to return his healthy glow. "Until Severus killed me, he and everyone else would see a wizard who was in very slowly declining health. There would be no need for the potions that would make me genuinely ill...or I could take only a few mild ones."

Minerva began to feel alarmed. "I don't know if you can persuade Severus," she began.

"I do not believe we will ever find out," Albus said. "I think your plan, with a few adjustments, will work, and I am willing to risk that I may still die if you are willing to risk accidentally killing me. But once we commit to this, we have to carry it out. There will be no turning back, Minerva, no opportunity to change your mind and decide that you cannot carry through with that last step."

Minerva nodded. "I know that. I am not happy about the prospect of failure, the consequences of it. Melina did say that she could, in theory, perform the spell, but she said that given the length of time we will want to have it last, I will have a better chance at success in holding it and resuscitating you, provided she begins training me immediately and I master the spells. If worse comes to worst and I suddenly lose my nerve at the end, she can try it, but if she does, either you will have a higher chance of dying or she will be able to keep that from happening but the effects will be insufficient to achieve everything we want to. Even if I do it, we may have to resuscitate you before certain things happen...Hogwarts may be more sensitive than we believe...and that's one reason why I want Alroy to become Head of Gryffindor. If he were aware of the ruse, he wouldn't wonder about certain things."

"Such as why my name didn't change from blue to grey in the Gryffindor book, for instance," Albus said.

"Exactly." Minerva hesitated. "If this works as thoroughly as we hope, you will lose all of the connections to the castle that you have had for decades. Hogwarts won't recognise you; it will simply believe that you are someone very like Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, but that you are not the same Albus Dumbledore. It will be the equivalent of undergoing the Severing Ceremony, but even deeper. That might be hard for you."

"If I were to die, I would lose those connections, anyway," Albus said with a smile. "And I think that if the procedure doesn't succeed as well as we hope, we should do a Severing Ceremony as soon as possible afterward, anyway. In the meantime, I will hand you the care of the wards, and you may keep it. I will soon be too ill to manipulate them, anyway, even though my magic shouldn't be directly affected...it won't be, will it?"

"No, the potions will only affect your physical health; any decline in your magical abilities will be highly temporary and a result of your physical weakening," Minerva said. "We did toy with the notion of using spells and potions that would only affect your appearance, make you seem ill without making you genuinely ill, but we all agreed that too many sharp-eyed, sharp-witted witches and wizards will be seeing you, even at the end. If we kept Filius and Poppy away entirely, for example, that in itself would be suspicious, and isolating you from everyone completely would be even more suspicious. Your death has to be unsurprising to those around you, yet sneak up on Riddle, and there must be no questions about the cause of your death. The timing will need to be perfect."

"I am sorry I didn't let Melina examine me thoroughly while I was still afflicted by the curse," Albus said. "I didn't realise why she needed to."

"Would you have allowed me to explain?" Minerva asked.

Albus opened his mouth then closed it. He smiled sheepishly. "No, I suppose I would have stopped you part way in and become even more stubborn," he admitted. "Sorry about that."

"You were doing what you thought was best," Minerva said. "Tomorrow you can spend the day looking at all of our research, see if you can find any flaws or think of any improvements. Gluffy brought me a letter from Gertrude this morning, and she's agreed to work with Gareth on the Arithmancy. I'll be visiting them tomorrow evening and explaining everything to them. They can help us work out the details, especially with the timing. Calum and Murdoch have already begun working on new delivery systems for Polyjuice Potion and ways to make it act longer. Calum seems to think that, using a combination of magical and mundane methods, it should be simple."

"I always do say that Muggles have some of the most clever ideas," Albus said, pouring them each more wine.

---

"I don't know if there's any easy way of telling you this," Minerva said. "Different people have found out in different ways, most of them very suddenly and with no preparation at all."

Severus looked at Minerva, his perplexity showing on his face. "Just tell me. You are not a witch to beat around the bush."

"You may have noticed that Melina wasn't here this morning. She was in London. At the Ministry."

Severus's confusion grew. "Melina? What does she have to do with anything?"

"You are not the only wizard who survived unexpectedly, Severus. There was another. Melina was involved in saving his life, too, but in rather a different way than she saved yours. Fortunately, after a preliminary hearing, the Wizengamot found that there were no valid charges to be examined, and Shacklebolt is in the process of formally sanctioning her actions as serving the war effort, and providing her and those working with her ex post facto approval for anything that might have contravened any law. He also included any experimental Potions work that was done on behalf of either of you that might have skirted some laws. But whatever else may later come to light, Shacklebolt's decrees should protect anyone involved."

"Experimental Potions . . ."

"The antivenom potion that you were given was one of them. Arthur Weasley provided some blood for its creation. Without that, the potion would not have been as effective."

"His blood." Severus looked down at his wrists emerging from the loose infirmary gown, as if to examine his veins for evidence.

"Yes. Of course, it wasn't used directly in the potion. They did something to it, or analysed it, or extracted something from it. I'm not clear on that. But it wasn't his blood that went directly into the potion, if you have some superstition or queasiness about that."

"No. No, especially not if it was altered in some way before it was used." Arthur had helped to save his life, and yet his own wife was dead.

"Anyway, Melina has worried about possible legal consequences. She still has to meet with a few people at St. Mungo's, but she's not as concerned about that now."

Severus knit his brow. "She committed some crime?"

"The only specific thing of which they were certain was that it appeared she had falsified a death certificate."

Severus stared at her, still uncomprehending.

"Severus, I am so sorry," Minerva said, her voice breaking. "I wish we could have spared you. I don't know how to tell you . . . Robbie . . . Robbie was not who you thought he was, Severus."

Several expressions seemed to cross Severus's face in rapid succession. "Not who I . . . no. I don't . . . he . . . no."

"There's someone who wants to see you. He helped Hermione in the Shrieking Shack, then he sent the two of you to the Hog's Head. After you returned here, he was only able to come in and see you when you were still unconscious, and when you visited Gareth, he had to hide himself."

Minerva waited for a reaction, but Severus just stared at her. She was sure that he had put the pieces together; he was just either unable or unwilling to see their meaning.

"I think I'll let him know you are ready for him," Minerva said softly. "I will see you later, Severus."

Minerva pushed herself out of the chair and looked down at Severus's stricken face. She didn't believe there was any way to make this easier for him, so she just sighed and left to let in his visitor.

---

"Not another cat," Minerva said in an anguished voice.

"You're ready this time," Melina replied. "And if you think this is difficult, remember why you are doing it."

Minerva nodded. She stroked the little grey mackerel tabby's head then scratched her jaw. The cat closed her eyes and began to purr.

"You've had more practice. You're better at this now. I am sure you can do it," Melina said. She didn't mention that this cat was perfectly healthy while the first one had been very ill.

Minerva didn't say anything in response, merely continuing to pet the cat and become familiar with her. After a few minutes, she took her wand from her pocket and cast a spell to put the tabby into a deep sleep. She closed her eyes, and with her left hand on the animal's chest, she touched the tip of her wand to a point near her beating heart and whispered, "Arrestocordis!"

The cat's heart immediately ceased beating. Minerva didn't move. Melina held her watch in front of her, and after one minute, she said, "Now."

Minerva did not hesitate. "Animarecordis et vivere!"

The cat's chest heaved, her limbs twitched, and Minerva could feel her heart beating again. The cat twitched again, then leapt up, hissed at them both, and ran and squeezed herself beneath a bookcase. Minerva laughed and Melina hugged her.

"Next time, we'll do it for two minutes," Melina said, "but that's the outside limit I want you to practise."

"It will probably take longer than that when the time comes to actually do it, though," Minerva replied. "You said at least three minutes, possibly longer."

"Three and a half minutes . . . that's the longest I've ever dared do it, and for the purposes of the treatments I was performing, that was sufficient, but what you wish to achieve may require longer," Melina confirmed.

"How long?"

Melina shook her head. "I don't know. I can legitimately declare him dead as soon as his heart ceases beating and he stops breathing for more than a few seconds. That would be sufficient if we only wanted to give him a magical death certificate that could withstand scrutiny. But if you want to have Hogwarts register his death . . ." Melina shrugged. "I doubt anyone was ever watching any of the significant markers just at the precise moment of a Headmaster's death before. There's no way to tell, is there? I think you should do something to change the flag without waiting for the castle to note his passing, though, since that will be the most obvious symbol to everyone, and it certainly wouldn't do for someone to notice that the Headmaster's flag is still flying when he is supposed to be dead. You don't have to know much about Hogwarts magic to know there's something odd about that, now. You can do that, can't you?"

Minerva nodded. "That won't be difficult. It simply involves tweaking one of the wards so that it raises the Gryffindor flag instead. If the Headmaster wished the castle to fly a pair of longjohns from the mast when he was in residence, the castle would do that. It's not reliant on the same kind of deeply rooted foundational magic as the others."

"And if you install Alroy in a private ceremony and lock the Gryffindor book away, that will take care of the problem of his name in there. What were the other potential problems?"

"The Hogwarts book. Only the Headmaster or Headmistress and the Deputy have access to it, but if Severus is Deputy, I cannot keep him from it." Minerva frowned. "Still, it is unlikely that Severus would flip back that many years to find Albus's name in the book. He would have no reason to unless he suspected that Albus was alive. In all my years as Deputy, I've only gone back more than a couple of decades a few times. Nonetheless, if he suspected, or if Riddle or someone at the Ministry did, I don't know how we would disguise the fact that Albus is still alive if Hogwarts doesn't register his death in that book and someone were to look up his name. Any other effects can be achieved simply by performing a Severing ceremony to cut his magical ties. It would be as though he had never been Headmaster or Head of House, and he will have none of the lingering privileges and abilities that a former Head would normally have. But that would still not affect either the Gryffindor book or the Hogwarts book."

"I really wouldn't want you to go beyond five minutes at the outside," Melina said. "Not unless his death is more important than his resuscitation. But that is something only you and he can decide. I would be very unhappy if you were to decide to have his heart stopped for any longer than that, even if I were to perform spells ahead of time that would cushion any effects on his brain, keep the oxygen level from dropping as fast as it normally would. As I say, though, it is up to you."

"There is that other spell," Minerva began.

"I disapprove of that even more strongly, Auntie Min," Melina interrupted. "It has Dark origins and is tied too closely to the Dark Arts. It has never been used in any procedure like this one, either. It might have an effect that you can't anticipate."

"I have researched it quite carefully," Minerva said. "I believe that the spell, in and of itself, is neutral, certainly no worse than this one that you've spent so long developing to use in conjunction with other Healing spells."

Melina shook her head vehemently. "It is quite different. Arrestocordis only acts on the heart. It affects only the body. It's an ordinary charm hardly any different from an Accio or an Arrestomomentum. The one you propose to use...I don't even understand what it's supposed to be acting on, but it's nothing physical, and I cannot approve it. To . . . to tether his life force to you, or whatever that spell supposedly does, that's well beyond the bounds of any medical magic. You might succeed in casting both spells and in resuscitating Albus, but then find that you can't reverse this other one, or that it has some peculiar side-effects that we are not equipped to deal with. And given how very dangerous all of this is anyway, and how difficult the general situation is with the school and the war, I don't think you should risk such a thing."

Minerva nodded soberly. "I understand your concerns. I will think about it longer and discuss it with Albus. I suppose that I fear . . . I fear not only that I might not be able to resuscitate him, and I believe that this might offer a measure of protection against that, but I also fear that when we cut his magical ties to Hogwarts, if we are successful in doing that, that I will lose the ties between us. That is selfish of me. I will reconsider. But," she added with a smile, "I was successful with the cat today!"

---

"You and Melina are still arguing about the Adsumo?" Albus asked a few weeks later.

Minerva sat down beside him on the sofa and took his hand, then leaned against his shoulder. He always seemed so much better before he had taken his morning potions. "Yes. She is still opposed. I told her I would talk to you about it again. Do you want me not to use it?"

Albus was quiet a moment. "It is entirely your decision, Minerva."

"It is your life, though, Albus," Minerva said. "If she's right and there are some side-effects of this spell, it is you who would suffer them."

"As would you," Albus replied. "No, it is entirely your decision. You are the one who is performing the procedure. I want you to do whatever you believe you should."

"Then tell me what you would do if our positions were reversed, or if you were speaking with someone else about it just theoretically. Is it a Dark spell? Do you believe that it is likely to have some adverse effect on you or on us both?"

"I really don't want to influence you in either way..."

"But I value your advice, your analysis," Minerva persisted.

"All right. Then I will say this. You have to do whatever it is that you believe will give the procedure the greatest chance of true success. You need to be able to know that you did all that you could. If anything goes wrong and you didn't perform the Adsumo, you would always wonder if you should have. On the other hand, if you resuscitate me but the Adsumo has some unanticipated effects . . . that could be worse than failing to resuscitate me at all, and you would have to live with that, as well."

"You do believe that it is a Dark spell, then."

Albus shook his head. "No. Not necessarily. But it has never been used in this context and has only been used in very Dark rituals. You should be able to release it, but if you can't . . . the consequences might be quite dreadful. My body could be a living, breathing shell with my true life force tied to your own, or if my body was unable to be resuscitated and you could not release the Adsumo . . . I do not know what I would experience, if anything, nor do I know what you would, but to have my spirit tied to yours . . . it could be very disturbing. And I know that you think that it might increase the chance that the Animare vivere will work, that I will survive prolonged Arrestocordis, but it is possible that even if you are able to release the Adsumo, it will actually sever my life force from my body and will have the opposite effect than what you believe it will."

"No," Minerva replied with a shake of her head. "Of this I am certain. If I am able to perform the Adsumo and reverse it, it will never sever the life force from your body, not unless we cannot resuscitate you. It will simply tether it to mine."

"You must use it, then. You will not be comfortable if you do not. You have my permission, and to whatever extent I am able to give it, you will have my cooperation, too," Albus said. "You have always held my heart and my life. I trust you with them, whatever happens."

---

The door closed behind Murdoch, and Robert cast an Imperturbable.

"It's time, Albus," Minerva said softly.

Albus nodded and smiled slightly. "You've done so well, my love. Thank you."

"I will clear your lungs first," Melina said, "then I will put you into a deep sleep so that it won't be uncomfortable for you. As we discussed, after Minerva resuscitates you, Robert will do his part, then we will need to dose you with Draught of the Living Death before we open the door again."

Albus nodded again. He knew it was not only for his comfort that he was being put to sleep first, it was also for Minerva's. To stop his heart and see him react to that and die would be very disturbing.

Melina cast a spell clearing his lungs and another to decrease the oxygen depletion to his brain, then gave him a potion to help him breathe more easily so there would be no congestion or constriction to affect the resuscitation. "Ready?" she asked as she placed the death certificate beside him on the bed.

"Yes." Albus's eyes met Minerva's and he smiled. "One more adventure for us to take together."

"Just as you promised me all those years ago," Minerva replied, trying to return his smile. She kissed his lips lightly.

Melina cast Suain, and Albus's eyes closed and he began to breathe slowly and evenly.

Robert held Melina's watch, waiting for Minerva to cast the spell. Melina sat, holding the Gryffindor book open in front of her. Albus's name was in blue. She hoped to see it turn to grey before Robert gave the four-minute signal.

Minerva nodded at Robert, then she cast. "Adsumo spiritus tuus! Arrestocordis!"