The Victory, the Heroism and the Honour
Raindrops fell down behind the large window.
He is depressed. Without Dumbledore all is lost. He knew it. And
he couldn’t do anything. His Lord gave over the strict command
– he must find Harry and the last Horcrux, of course. He looked
through the window, he thought. His home at Spinner’s End
was drowned in the dark.
He rose up from his seat behind the oak desk and he glanced at the
fireplace.
Suddenly, a head appeared in the flames. He got alarmed.
„Severus, it’s necessary,“ the head said. Severus
crossed the room to the fireplace.
„What is the matter?“ he asked. The head of the old
man rotated. Severus winked.
„In Hogsmeade there are the Dementors and probably You –
Know – Who, too,“ the had continued. Severus listened
very carefuly.
„The whole village is in the danger, Severus!“ the head
declared.
„What can I do for you, Aberforth?“ Severus asked Aberforth
Dumbledor, Albus Dumbledore’s brother and the member of the
Order of the Phoenix.
„You must help us. You must bring a locket with you ! And
you must give it to Harry, because only he can destroy the last
part of Voldemort’s soul,“ Aberforth explained. Snape
has waited for five minutes, thinking. He hasn’t decided yet.
Shall he help them or not?
„Yes, I shall help you, Aberforth. But… I am not the
member of the Order any more, am I?“ Severus didn’t
know. He affraids for Harry although he hated him.
„Of course you are! What did you think?“ Aberforth was
astonished. Severus shook his head.
„Very well then,“ said Severus eventually and he accepted
Aberforth’s offer. Severus promised to appear in Hogsmead
in a while.
„Harry! Harry!“ exclaimed someone.
Harry sprang to attention. Who is there? He thought. He had run
away from the Hogwarts Castle, because a fight had taken place on
the castle’s ground. He had found Buckbeak, the Hippogriff.
Now, he need get to come to the Riddle’s House. Harry has
persuade that the last Horcrux has to be there. He had hoped that
Voldemort wouldn‘t be there.
He stopped in front of a well – built tree. Silence.
„Harry! Look at me, I‘m here,“ the voice was near.
Harry wasn’t able to identify who it is.
„That’s me! Harry, look up!“ Harry was confused,
but he looked up to a crown of the tree. And then he suddenly could
see her.
„Hermione!“ he cride. She climbed down the tree branch.
„What are you doing there? And where is Ron?“ Harry
helped her on her legs.
„Thanks Harry,“ she said, „Ron – I don’t
know where is he, but I heard someone from the Order say that he
was tortured by Death Eaters! Harry, I had been hiding before you
came, but now I would like to help you!“ She was really nervous.
Harry could seen that her face got pale.
„I know what you are looking for,“ said she mysteriously.
Harry cought her saight, and he looked anxiously. Hermione continued.
„We are going to the Ministry of Magic. Don’t ask me
why, Harry. You will
see,“ she added. Her eyes glittered with courage.
„Wait – I don’t understand! The Ministry of Magic
will be full of Aurors! We can’t do this. Please, be reasonable!
I must find the last Horcrux, and I am going to the Riddle’s
House,“ explained Harry. He felt very impatient himself.
„No, you must go with me! Let’s go,“ she said
resolutely. Harry couldn‘t defyde. They went to the Portkey
– a fir branch.
The Buckbeak was hidden near the Ministry of Magic. Harry was surprised!
How could Hermione know?
„Buckbeak, come here, come to me,“ whispered Hermione.
The Hippogriff came to her. Harry was absolutely silent.
Harry helped Hermione get on the Buckbeak’s back and then
they flew away. They flew to the Riddle’s House.
Snape stood beside Moody, Tonks, Lupin, Mundungus
Fletcher, Arthur and Aberforth. He stood in front of the whole the
Order of the Phoenix.
„Snape, I don’t believe but I must!“ said Moody.
His words sounded disparingly.
Severus sighted at the distance. He knew he could feel it.
„I am going to go to the Shrieking Shack, I hope that you
will be able to vanquish these Death Eaters!“ he said. And
he did as he spoke.
The Hogsmeade’s inhabitants were gone. Some of them were in
the North of Scotland, the furthest from their only magical village.
Snape hurried to the Shrieking Shack. He felt miserable because
he let Aberforth and the others to fight against the Death Eaters
alone.
He stopped in front of the entrance to the Shrieking Shack. He heard
a voice. The voice was suffering. Snape pulled the door. He gripped
his wand in his hand and came in a room. He went very quietly silent
as he could be.
„NO! I DON‘T WANT IT! STOP – STOP IT!“ he
heard. Snape was approaching step by step. He was sure that this
was Ron Weasley’s voice.
He didn’t hesitate a minute and bursted into the room. He
styed frozen on the doorstep. He looked at Ron Weasley who was lying
on the floor and shivering in deep pain.
„Where is Potter hidden?“ asked one of the four Death
Eaters.
Ron was silent as the grave.
„Very well then – Crucio!“ the Death Eater shouted.
„Harry? Are you sure that the locket is
there?“ asked Hermione with a worried voice. Harry was sure.
Voldemort had hidden the locket in his own house because he must
had been in the relationship – even if he had hated his muggle
father – with his parents, both of them.
Harry, Hermione and Buckbeak landed on the ground near the Riddle’s
House.
„So - what shall we do?“ Hermione seemed to be almost
in panic. She stood close to the Hippogriff and stroked his fine
neck.
The grounds were covered with the dark and the air was full of fear.
An owl overflew them. Harry gripped his wand in his hand and turned
his eyes to the sky. He saw nothing, the moon was sheltered behind
the clouds. The atmosphere was dreadful.
Harry went and he was followed by Hermione. Buckbeak stayed stand
and he waited for them.
Harry tried to open the door by a handle. No way.
„Bloody hell!“ shouted Harry with his strong and angry
voice.
„Harry, come on, be calm,“ hissed Hermione. It seemed
he didn’t hear her. He shaked the handle. Still nothing happened.
He was very angry. Hermione thought and stepped in eventually.
„Alohomora!“ she exclaimed.
„Nothing!“ shouted Harry again. Buckbeak waved his wings.
„It isn’t worth it,“ said Hermione resigned, „Harry,
please, we should come back to Buckbeak and return to the Order!“
added Hermione. Harry looked at her in surprise.
„Without a locket? Hermione, don’t be a fool!“
Harry decided to get the locket and destroy it. He didn‘t
allow for such an impediment. He won’t resign! He wants to
kill Voldemort. And he thought that Voldmort’s own weapon
had to be behind the closed door, in a room.
„I’ve got an idea,“ explained Harry to Hermione;
they’ll enter the room through the window. Hermione couldn’t
say a word. She had to agree with him.
„We need to use our wands,“ he said. Hermione began
to break the window. Harry followed her example. After a half an
hour it was done.
„Perfect,“ muttered Harry, smiling at Hermione.
They crept through the broken window and they stood in a large room.
„Lumos,“ pronounced Harry and Hermione unisono.
„We have to look for it,“ said he. They had been looking
for it a long time.
„I found something, look,“ she whispered. Harry came
to her and looked at the groundfloor. The wooden deal pulled-of.
„What is it?“ he asked wonderfuly. Hermione dipped his
back to the floor and lifted a beautiful golden bowl.
„But – what shall we do with the bowl, what do you think?“
Hermione
wanted to reply but Harry touched the bowl too and he shouldn‘t
have done it. Both of them felt a pressure behind their navels and
the dark that covered them seemed to be neverending. Hermione screamed
and held his arm very brokenly. Harry felt that his arm was numb.
„Expelliarmus!“ roared Aberforth. Suddenly, he saw Hagrid
hurrying towards him.
„Stop, Aberforth!“ cried Hagrid.
„Where is Snape?“ asked Hagrid desperately and viewed
over fighting members of the Order and a lots of Death Eaters.
„Hagrid,“ said Aberforth and took Hagrid to farther
place.
„Snape is in the Shrieking Shack saving Ron Weasley from the
hands of Death Eaters!“
„I need him! Buckbeak tries to suggest me that Hermione and
Harry“ –
„What’s the matter, gentlemen?“ resounded a voice.
Hagrid twitched himself. It was Severus Snape… with Ron Weasly
in his arms.
„I’ll take care of him, sir,“ said Hagrid and
assumed Ron from professor’s arms.
„You have to hold back to Voldemort!“ said Aberforth.
„We’ll vanquish the Death Eaters, don’t worry.
A lots of Aurors fight with us. You have to protect Harry, go!“
he continued. Snape didn’t hesitate and mounted a Buckbeak’s
back; during an instant they were gone.
Harry and Hermione were shocked. Their landfall
was very painful. Harry’s glasses were broken but Hermione
was able to repair them in a short while.
He was hidden the bowl in his pocket. He looked at Hermione and
said:
„This is very strange,“ Hermione smiled at Harry and
lifted her head to the sky. She could see only darkness, but something
was unusual. An owl flew over their heads. They were in the Ministry
of Magic.
„Where should we go now?“ asked Hermione.
„To the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore would have want
me to go there,“ said Harry without further details. Hermione
didn’t ask him more questions because she trusted Dumbledore
and Harry too, of course.
„Dumbledore told me two years ago that in the Departure of
Mysteries… er… there is the most powerful magic of all
– according to Dumbledore – it is love. We have to go
to the Locked Room,“ said Harry. Hermiona was surprised.
„Are you sure?“ she asked doubtfully. She was careful
because the information was very serious.
„I must open the Locked Room. I with someone or myself,“
stopped Harry, but continued after a short while, „maybe this
is a place where a locket – a Horcrux – will be,“
said Harry hopefully. Hermione held his hand and looked at him with
an understanding in her eyes.
They went to a red telephone box.
„Oh no, the telephone box is still standing! I hoped it was
destroyed two years ago,“ cried Hermione. With a wry face
smile Harry said:
„Evidently not,“ he said with nervous smile. A voice
from phone receiver let them in.
„My Lord,“ said Snape to his Dark
Lord. At first, he had to deliver his Lord an important truth.
„Tell me, Snape“ hissed Voldemort spitefully, „do
you know, where is Potter hidden? If you know it, an award won‘t
miss you,“ he added. Severus closed his mind very quickly.
He knew what he can say and he can’t say, nevertheless, he
was careful.
„My Lord,“ he repeated and continued, „I know,
that Potter is trying to find your Horcrux. And I know, where he
is,“ he stopped and he bent his head, in the greatest humiliation.
„Well done, my faithful servant,“ hissed Voldemort again.
Snape revealed in his mind only Potter is in the Ministry of Magic
and he even knew about the Locked Room. Potter must get to know
about his own secret (because it was Dumbledore’s wish). Snape
his own secret didn’t reveal his Lord, he knew, why.
„Lead me to him,“ said Voldemort resolutely.
„Yes, my Lord,“ replyed Severus and he moved on to the
Hippogriff.
Harry and Hermione went to the Department of
Mysteries. The corridors, which they have passed, were empty. Almost.
An owl tooted somwhere near them.
„Have you heard it?“ asked Hermione. Harry agreed with
her and they continued on their way to the Locked Room. He reminded
on his first visit in the Ministry of Magic. How terrible memories!
And then, he reminded on his second visit; he shooked his head.
He didn’t want to think of it.
Hermione was silent and he gratefuled for her help. He’ll
never forget it her.
Harry stopped. Hermione was alarmed.
„What is it?“ she asked, and she looked straigt ahead
to the long corridor.
„I don’t know… But… It will be some magical
thing… It must be there,“ he said and he led her to
the „thing“.
„My God,“ whispered Hermione. They stood in front of
–
„The Mirror of Erised,“ both of them said. Hermione
withdrew back. Harry looked at the Mirror. After a long time, he
said:
„Hermione, do you see something?“ she came near him.
The corridor grew dark.
„I – I am looking at – someone! I think…
he is in the black robe“-
„Really? I can see“ – he paused. He couldn’t
cought his breath – „Snape!“
„Where is he?“ cried Hermione. She was terrified to
death. Her voice echoed around them. Harry put his hand on her mouth.
„Silent!“ he whispered urgently. They felt that someone
was near them.
The both of them started back. Harry took out his wand and he turned
back.
„I know you were here!“ exclaimed Harry. Hermione turned
back too and she couldn’t see nothing.
Nor one of them didn’t suspect that someone aimed in the direction
of the same place like Harry.
They were sure that the Mirror of Erised was very strange.
„It couldn’t be original, I think. What about you?“
asked Hermione. Harry didn’t answer but she knew she wasn‘t
wrong.
After a few steps, they turned left and then they went straight
ahead. They found the door on the right side. The headline announced
The Locked Room. Hermione exclaimed unexpectedly.
„Alohomora!“ shouted Harry. The door stayed lock.
„What is it?“ said Hermione. She was looking at the
little hole. It was placed in the wooden wall on the right side
near the –
„Oh, no!“ cried Harry angrily.
„Where is the handle?“ he asked helplessly.
„This room, called the Locked Room, can be unlocked only by
handle… I think… Other day Mr Weasley have talked about
it…“ Hermione declared.
„It isn’t possible,“ said Harry, looking at the
same place like Hermione.
„Harry, what exactly matches to this hole?“ she asked.
Then she continued:
„Look – the hole is rounded and it is deep plugged in
the wood. But it has got a squeeze…“ Hermione was interrupted
by a terrible sound.
„POTTER, STAY STILL!“ roared a strong voice. Hermione
screamed scared.
„Step aside, Miss Granger!“ the voice ordered definitely.
„Potter, you need“ – the voice stopped and Professor
Snape got off the shadows. Harry was absolutely perplexed. His mouth
was agape.
Proffesor drew out the locket from behind his robe. Snape gathered
round to Harry and he told to him very urgently:
„You have to open the locket! Now!“ he shouted. Harry
did’t move. His legs was frozen. He couldn’t believe
it. How could Snape emerge here?
„What“- Harry tried to ask him. Snape stopped him and
he handed up to him his locket.
„I can’t“ –
„Hurry up!“ Snape importuned to Harry. Harry didn’t
believe to Proffesor. He didn’t want to believe him.
„Harry, please, you have to save us! And you can save our
magical world!“ cried Hermione hysterically. She know what
it will be done. It was essential. She gave courage to herself.
„Professor Snape is helping you! Voldemort is somewhere in
Ministry!“ Hermione looked at Snape and he gazed at her. He
knew that she was right. She was very intelligent. Harry blanched
and he looked unseemly at Snape. After a short while he took up
the locket from Snape’s hands. He tried to open it. The locket
was very fast closed.
„Open it, quickly, Potter!“ Snape prompted him.
At once Harry opened the locket. A strong power enveloped Hermione
and Snape. Harry felt that his feelings emerged on the surface.
He felt as though his heart should blow up. He laboured with a terrible
pain and he thought that his scar have burnt. His roar echoed in
the corridor.
„Give me the locket, Potter! Retrieve me the locket, you must!“
Snape shouted at Harry. He put the locket into the Professor’s
hand, but he didn’t know, what he did. Hermione embraced Harry
and Snape told her that she will have to wait on him. Hermione agreed
with Snape. He gave her the Invisible cloak. She turned the cloak
over them.
Snape seized the locket. Then he tried to insert it into the hole.
He had to be very prudent. If he had made a small mistake, the
hope would have been lost. The locket exactly matched into the hole.
Snape have heard that Voldemort have been near the Department of
Mysteries.
He had been waiting for a few minutes. The door was keep locked.
And Voldemort was closer. He was prepared. A cold voice shrieked:
„You rat! You have betrayed me! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, SNAPE!“
Voldemort yelled. Severus looked round. And then he saw Voldemort.
He didn’t hesitate and he pushed the locket into the hole.
The door was opened.
„CLOSE THE DOOR!“ Voldemort shouted at Snape. An invisible
power flowed from the room. Voldemort launched his wand against
Professor Snape and he would have said:
„AVADA“ – but he was interrupted in half word,
because the power of love with Harry’s feelings and Snape’s
hatred attacked on his body and his spoiled soul. The corridor thicked
with feelings.
The locket was destroyed when Voldemort’s soul left his body.
His soul have melted in the air. The feelings defeated Voldemort’s
evil. The door disappeared.
Snape was enervated. He looked at place, where Hermione and Harry
were hidden over the Invisible Cloak. He went near them and he drew
up the cloak and he saw Harry in Hermione’s arms. He didn’t
breath. It seemed so. Hermione lifted her head and she looked into
Snape’s dark eyes. And she saw the deepest pain in his eyes,
which she have ever seen. She made cry. Her tears droped on Harry’s
robe.
„How did you get here?“ asked Snape quietly. Hermione
winked.
„With the Portkey,“ she whispered. She gave Professor
Snape the golden bowl.
„Well, Miss Granger. I – I shall take you and –
and Potter back to the Castle,“ he declared.
„Quickly, Harry needs the hospital!“ recovered Hermione.
Snape didn’t hesitate. Both of them took the bowl (Snape with
Harry in his arms), and they landed in front of Hogwart’s
Gate.
„Miss Granger,“ resounded Snape, when they were standing
with Harry, who was lying at their legs, „give back the Invisible
cloak to him. Please,“ he added.
„Thank you, Professor Snape. I have always believed that YOU’ll
save our magical world. Not Harry, YOU. If it were not for you,
Harry wouldn’t has destroyed the last bit of – of Voldemort’s
soul. Thank you behalf myself and thank you behalf Harry,“
she murmured with her choking voice. He hadn’t any words.
He was as touched as she was.
„You are – very kind and brave, Miss Granger,“
he nodded his head, and then she stepped forward to the hospital.
He had to find Aberforth. Without delay. He took the bowl again,
and he head towards Hogsmeade. He was surprised.
With the death of Voldemort, all of the Death Eaters died. Some
of them not, but they were arrested by Aurors or members of the
Order of the Phoenix at the prison of Azkaban.
Snape knew that the Dark Mark is to blame for the death of Death
Eaters.
Voldemort’s bad power is gone. A few Death Eaters, who survived,
suffered by an unsufferable deep pain, because their Dark Mark lost
an effect. Snape was walking along the dead bodies of Death Eaters.
Then he saw Aberforth with Arthur Weasley. The other members of
the Order were back at the Castle.
Snape couldn‘t believe that the Order was able to prevail
the evil. Aberforth came up to him. He looked like very tired. But
he was happy.
„Severus,“ he began importantly, „you won. You’ll
deserve our great regard. Could you tell me what happened at the
Ministry?“ he asked. Snape closed his eyes.
„We should go to the Headmistress‘ Office, shouldn’t
we?“ suggested Arthur. These three men set to the Castle.
Lupin, Tonks, and Rufus Scrimgeour – the Minister for Magic
- waited for them in the Office. Professor McGonagall too, of course.
She rose up from her chair. She didn’t see Snape gladly.
„Severus,“ she said curtly. He bent his head.
„Minerva,“ said Aberforth, „Severus would like
to tell us what happened in the Ministry of Magic. Don’t be
affraid, he is NOT a Death Eater. Sit down, please,“ he added.
Snape looked round the company.
„At first, I would like to ask you – will Weasley and
Potter grow well?“ he asked McGonagall. She answered:
„Mr Weasley will be alright. And Mr Potter…“ she
paused. Snape was waiting for her continuation. He had a bad apprehension.
„Tell me, Snape. What happened?“ she asked him urgently.
Snape took a deep breath.
„Well,“ he began. The deepest silent encompassed the
company. It was a hard exam for him. All of them were waiting for
his proposition.
„I had the locket. All the time. During the battle, I was
called by the Dark Lord. He wanted me to lead him to Potter. And
I – I had had to do it“ –
„What?“ exclaimed Lupin with surprise. Tonks twitched
herself.
„Yes, Lupin,“ sneered Snape bitterly, „the Dark
Lord hadn’t known
that I had had the locket. I had known that it had been a real Horcrux.
I felt it.
Then set off for to the Ministry of Magic with Buckbeak. I had protected
Potter. Only he had been able to break the locket and he had been
able to kill Voldemort by this way. I had used to Legilimency to
read Potter’s mind. I got to know Dumbledore had been told
him about the Locked Room at the Ministry. I had led Voldemort there.
I had helped Potter because I had given him the locket. The locket
had been the key. It had unlocked the door. And – as Dumbledore
had said – Potter had released the greatest and the strongest
charm which has ever existed: love. Voldemort couldn’t fight
against such a pure feeling like love. Unfortunately,“ he
paused and looked at Headmistress McGonnagal. She looked like absolutely
shocked. Snape continued after a long while.
„Unfortunately, Potter has fainted with enervation. Miss Granger
had
helped him. Both of them had been at the Ministry. They had got
there with a Portkey,“ and Snape took out the golden bowl.
Scrimgeour was surprised.
„Oh!“ cried Mr Weasley, „we have been looking
for this Portkey a long time! It belongs to Ministry of Magic. It
belongs“-
„To the Prime Minister,“ said Rufus Scrimgeour. Snape
gave the bowl to him.
„At last,“ continued Snape, „Voldemort had completely
defeated the feeling by which he had despised and which he had loathed,“
he added. Aberforth Dumbledore and the others believed him. All
the time, their only hope was Severus Snape.
After his proposition, next morning, his steps
led to the hospital. Unfortunately, Madame Pomfrey had to tell him
that Harry will have to heal at the St. Mungo’s Hospital for
Magical Maladies and Injuries. She added:
„His mental condition is very hard injuried. He lost a major
part of his real and deep feelings. His love, the strongest charm
and the strongest sense, protected him again. But he payd for it
a high worth. He payed his own health,“ explained Madame Pomfrey.
Snape was silent. He knew that Harry won’t be able to live
an undepreciated life.
There were Ron Weasley, who slept on the bed opposite Harry’s
bed, Moody, Fletcher – they were sleeping still.
„Professor Snape!“ cried Hermione. She came in.
„I am going to Harry. Where are you doing?“ she asked
very quietly. She was very curious about his answer.
„Miss Granger,“ he said, „I wanted to speak with
Mr Potter, but he wasn‘t able to talk with me. So,“
he paused embarrassingly, „could you tell him that I helped
him at the Ministry? I am affraid he doesn’t know it. And
you tell him the war is over. I have to go out,“ he declared.
He looked at her deeply. She saw in his eyes a serious gratitude.
Then he left her.
Arthur Weasley decided with Rufus Scrimgeour (and with Headmistress
McGonnagal) that Severus Snape got the Order of Merlin – First
Class.
Harry Potter was a real hero. He paid by his life, almost. Severus
Snape deserved the regard of the Order and the Ministry of Magic.
He had NEVER been a Death Eater, because his heart had protected
him. Love. Long time ago he loved… Whole magical world thanked
him.
But Severus Snape, half-blood prince, the owner of the Order of
Merlin – he wasnt’t happy. He felt miserable. Few weeks
later, Headmistress McGonnagal sent him an owl with message from
the St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Potter woke up from his apathy. For the first time (maybe for the
second time!), Severus felt happiness. He came true Albus Dumbledore’s
wish… And Severus could sleep easily. In the end…
By Rowena
|
