Harry Potter and the Revised Edition

Harry Potter and the Revised Edition

Harry exhaled a sigh of relief upon entering his office back at the Ministry of Magic. He would miss the boys despite the sibling rivalry, but was somewhat relieved James and Albus were finally on their way to Hogwarts. It had been a long summer, and now he could permit himself the concentration required for the mundane tasks his Auror position demanded of him.

However, Harry's eye caught sight of something rather large sitting on top of the mounds of unfinished reports which lay strewn over his desk. A sinking, sad feeling grew within him as he slowly approached what he thought would be his perch in the weeks to come, and could still may very well be.

With some reluctance, Harry traced the outline of the package, its brown wrapping neatly and carefully bound with leather strapping. Secured within the strapping, Harry's hand rested upon a tightly wound scroll. The message scrawled over the face of it read:

"To be opened only by Harry James Potter. Tampering with will result in loss of limb."

Smiling a little, Harry was able to retrieve the scroll from its binding without much trouble, and turned it over in his hands. The initials stamped into the wax seal confirmed his suspicions concerning the sender's identity.

Harry settled into the plush leather chair behind his desk and pulled out his pocketknife. Just before breaking the seal, he hesitated. He knew what this scroll and the package meant.

Am I ready to handle this now? thought Harry, twirling the knife between his fingers. Would they be ready? Nineteen years... Harry continued with a shudder, ...and it still seems... like yesterday.

***

And like yesterday is how vivid his memories remained of that bittersweet night at Hogwarts. Harry put down the scroll, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He could still hear the voices of jubilation that emanated from those battle-worn faces, swarming around him in celebration after Voldemort fell, but not without great sacrifice as evidenced by the sounds of those grief-stricken over lost loved ones. One of those faces, however, had especially captured his attention - the tearstreaked face of Narcissa Malfoy, who huddled with her reunited family, then focused on Harry as he passed by. She leapt to her feet waving frantically to him...

"Harry! Harry! Please! I must speak to you!

"Come on, Harry..." Hermione said disdainfully, grabbing his arm. "There's no need to speak to her."

"Hermione, wait. Let me just hear what she has to say, and then I want to get out of here and go to bed. I'm exhausted."

Harry made his way over to Narcissa with a frowning Hermione alongside. The three then moved over to a less crowded area down the hall.

"Harry, I'm...I'm so sorry...for everything," Narcissa stammered. "I...just wanted to thank you...for saving us...all of us, including Draco. We were...Voldemort had us... convinced--"

"It's all right, Mrs. Malfoy," Harry interrupted her. "It's--"

"No! It's not all right! It was wrong! What we believed--what we did--what he had us do. You have the right to deny us, Harry, but on behalf of the Malfoy family, please accept our apologies...and my personal sincere gratitude. My son...my only son...I could have lost him...or worse--"

"Apologies accepted, Mrs. Malfoy. Now if you'll excuse me--"

"Harry!" Hermione cried out in disapproval. "Surely you're not--"

"Hermione, I've had enough hate around me to last more than a lifetime. It's time we all forgive each other and learn to live together peacefully!" Harry snapped with some impatient weariness.

"Thank you Harry. Thank you!" said Narcissa as she hugged Harry. "If there's anything you need, anything, you come to me. Now I must find Professor Snape. You, ah, haven't seen him, have you, dear?"

"Didn't you hear?" said Hermione.

"Hear what? I was looking for my son."

"He...is dead, Mrs. Malfoy," replied Harry causing a look of horror to come over Narcissa's face.

"What?! No! When?! How long ago?"

"It's been over three hours ago," Harry recalled somberly.

"Why do you care?" asked Hermione ogling Narcissa.

Ignoring her, Narcissa's trembling hand squeezed Harry's shoulder. "Harry, where is his body... if there is one?"

"It's... in the Shrieking Shack," responded Harry shakily. Through downcast eyes he could still see Snape's body lying on the floor there.

"Come on!" Narcissa grabbed Harry's hand. "It might not be too late!"

"Too late for what?!" shouted Hermione as she turned after them.

***

Hermione had trouble keeping up as Narcissa raced towards the Shrieking Shack pulling Harry along. On the way, Harry answered the questions flying out of his leader's mouth concerning the details of Snape's death. At one point she stopped, upon learning the reason Voldemort killed Snape...

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, puffing. "He must have known...that's why..."

"Why what?" Hermione panted as she caught up.

"Why he allowed himself to be killed! Oh, Severus! I didn't know...I didn't know..." Narcissa's voice trailed off as she started running again.

When they entered the room where the body lay, Narcissa fell to her knees beside it. She placed her hand on Snape's colorless face while Harry and Hermione stood watching over her. When she turned his face to the side, she gasped.

"This wound, Harry...from what? Looks like--"

"Nagini...Voldemort's snake," answered Harry.

"A snakebite?" Narcissa looked up to Harry, then continued, "And venomous... no doubt." Harry nodded in agreement. "Well, at least it wasn't the killing curse..." she sighed, "...but looks like he lost a lot of blood as well. Where is the snake now?"

"Somewhere on the grounds...it was killed...beheaded," replied Harry.

Narcissa's eyes widened. "I need the head of that snake, quickly!"

"I know where it is...I'll go..."

"No, Harry!" said Narcissa sternly, as she pulled out her wand. "I need you here. Gra- I mean- Hermione, you go fetch it."

Harry turned to Hermione and said, "It's okay, Hermione. Get Neville if you have trouble finding it."

"But, Harry--?" Hermione looked at him apprehensively.

"Just do it, please." With a small moan, Hermione trotted out of the room. "And hurry!" shouted Harry after her.

Harry knelt down next to Narcissa who was now waving her wand over Snape's body. She was muttering an incantation in a strange language unfamiliar to Harry. With her free hand, she then reached down under her neck beneath her blouse and pulled out a gold triangular pendant engraved with three unusual symbols in its center. She yanked it free from the chain around her neck and placed it on Snape's chest. Then, lifting her hands into the air, she raised her voice using the same strange words repeatedly.

Harry remained silent until the chanting stopped. Narcissa had leaned back on her heels and sighed.

"What is that you put on his chest?" Harry broke his silence. "Will it work?"

"I don't know Harry," said Narcissa discouragingly. "Horcruxes only work when their owner wants to come back and--"

"Horcrux?" Harry pointed to the pendant. "That is a -"

"Yes, Harry. Voldemort wasn't the only one who knew how to split his soul. Severus planned to split his in two the night we made the Unbreakable Vow, his promise to me to protect Draco from harm...even if it meant losing his life." Narcissa swallowed hard as a tear rolled down her face. "It was his insurance, and shortly after Dumbledore's death, he entrusted it to me within that pendant he always wore. It...was a gift to him from your mother when they were friends."

"You knew? You knew he loved my mother?"

"I didn't know up until just before the battle. He told me in case he doesn't, or can't come back, to give it to you, and explained why. Oh Harry, I thought the Unbreakable Vow would be fulfilled upon Dumbledore's death. I didn't know Draco would still be in danger. But Severus knew, because of the Elder Wand's allegiance to Draco. Don't you see? Either way he was doomed. He wouldn't dare correct Voldemort and explain about Draco, or defend himself because of the Vow, and it cost him his life anyway!"

"And he didn't know the wand's allegiance had eventually shifted to me...or did he?" Harry uttered thoughtfully.

Narcissa's tears were flowing freely now as she leaned over Snape's body. She put her hands on either side of his face whispering 'I'm sorry' several times. Tears were falling onto his body and after one splashed upon the pendant Harry noticed the symbols on it began to move.

"They're moving! The symbols!" cried Harry.

The two stared closely at the pendant's center, its three symbols had separated from each other, each one moving into a corner of the triangle. Narcissa then touched the tip of her wand to the center and repeated the same words as before. But nothing happened.

"We may be too late," she sighed gloomily. "Perhaps he can't come back even if he wanted to. The body may be beyond healing." She looked back behind her. "Oh where is that bloody girl?"

***

No sooner had Narcissa finished, they heard hurried footsteps echoing up the stairs. "We've got it...!" Hermione breathlessly announced, appearing with Neville at her heels.

"Toss it to me!" ordered Narcissa eagerly, and Neville tossed Nagini's head into her outstretched hands. She opened up the snake's mouth wider and with a swipe of her wand dislodged its fangs. She then handed the head to Harry. "Harry, pull off the largest scales and hand them to me when I ask."

As Harry assisted, Narcissa conjured up a mortar and pestle and ground the fangs into a powder. Then from a small bag she wore at her waist, she pulled out a small amber vial and emptied its contents into the mortar. While uttering an incantation, she stirred the potion with her wand. Each time she asked Harry for a scale, she immersed it in the potion and then placed it on Snape's neck eventually covering up the entire wound. She tipped the mortar to Snape's parted lips to dispense some of the remaining potion into his mouth.

After more chanting and pleas for Snape to return, Narcissa fell silent and bowed her head.

"You did all you could, Mrs. Malfoy," said Harry soothingly, "--Perhaps it's best this way. He's at peace now." Hermione and Neville mumbled in agreement.

"Have I...?" Bleary eyed, Narcissa had responded weakly. "-- After all he's done for us?"

"Didn't you say," recalled Harry, "that he would want to come back also? Maybe he's happier where he's at."

"And maybe he's just been dead too long," added Hermione.

Narcissa shook her head. "No...this should've worked. I had the pendant, the remedy, the spell, my wand... WAND!!" She looked frantically to Harry. "Your wand, Harry! The Elder Wand! You have it?!"

Harry quickly fumbled for the wand and pulled it out.

"Okay, Harry," Narcissa resumed excitedly, "listen to me carefully. Have the tip of your wand touching the center of the pendant and repeat after me..."

Harry touched his wand to the pendant and as soon as he finished repeating the last strange word spoken from Narcissa, everyone instantly had fallen back, shielding their eyes, and like Harry, at first could barely see the scene unfolding before them as their eyes adjusted.

Directly above Snape's body, a cosmic shaft of bright light had suddenly pierced through the dawn lit atmosphere of the room aligning itself with pinpoint precision to the center of the pendant. The beam of light began to glitter within itself as if infiltrated with tiny diamonds. Everyone gathered closer to Snape's body and watched as a flow of glitter slowly moved up out of the pendant towards another flow moving down from above. Upon convergence, an even brighter flash of light ensued filling the room and knocking everyone back once again.

The room had darkened and as Harry rose to his feet, he heard Neville shout -

"Look! He's...he's breathing!"

Everyone crept in closer, saw color had returned to Snape's face, and his chest rose and fell.

***

Feeling both amazed and nervous, Harry gazed upon the expressionless face of a man of whom for years despised and imagined an array of horrible deaths for, only now to have a hand in bringing him back from death. What will Snape's reaction towards him be upon awakening? Will Snape have regrets releasing his most private memories to Harry and in turn hate Harry even more? He was the last person Snape saw, and now Harry did not fancy the idea of being the first seen when Snape wakes up. Harry briefly thought about excusing himself until Narcissa gestured to kneel down beside her -

"Severus...Severus," Narcissa spoke gently, carefully laying her hands on him. Snape groaned and coughed. His eyes slowly fluttered open-

"Narcissa..." whispered Snape weakly before his gaze focused on Harry, then abruptly seized the boy's shirt by the collar so to look him in the eye. "Potter!" his voice in a raspy lacerated tone, "... in death you still haunt me!"

"Severus!" Narcissa shrieked while prying his hand off Harry. "Let go! You've come back! You're not dead!"

Snape's face softened. "Then, you...you are still alive?"

"Yes, Severus..." Narcissa informed him before Harry, "the Dark Lord's been defeated."

"Dead...is he? You? You killed him?"

"Well, not exactly," said Harry still catching his breath. "The Elder Wand backfired on him... the killing curse he directed towards me rebounded on him."

Snape winced in pain groaning again as he reached up to his neck to feel the scale patch on it.

"I'm afraid they are on there permanently, Severus. Using Nagini's scales was the only way to keep the wound closed," explained Narcissa.

"The snake...dead?"

"Yes sir," Neville spoke up. "I killed her."

"You?" with lifted eyebrows, Snape coughed.

"I'll explain everything to you further," Narcissa went on, "once we get you to hospital. Pomfrey will absolutely faint when she sees you!"

"And we should get back to the castle and tell everyone, Harry," suggested Hermione nudging him.

"NO! Potter don't tell anyone!" Snape snapped at him, glaring. "I prefer to remain dead to them. It...would be easier..."

"But they know the truth now. They would welcome you," Harry retorted.

"And it's all because of you, right Potter? No thanks...I don't need... that kind of... attention," Snape told him between labored breaths, his eyes wanting to drift closed.

"Now Severus, don't get excited. I think we can trust a select few to keep all this secret, can't we?" Narcissa glanced over to Harry and the others. "Harry, he's very weak and needs proper attention. We will Apparate back to Malfoy manor instead, where I'll tend to him." She then poured the remaining potion from the mortar back into the vial and returned it to her bag.

Leaning on Narcissa and with Harry's help, Snape struggled to his feet.

"Thanks for all your help, Harry, and we'll stay in touch," said Narcissa.

Snape leaned in closer to Harry before releasing him. "She told me to come back, you know...your mother...she forgave me. Besides, I wasn't fond of being eternally sickened seeing her with your father anyway." And just before Apparating with Narcissa, Harry watched with a moment of admiration at the man whose lip curled only to form into the faintest of smiles in unspoken gratitude.

Harry smiled back.

***

Along with what the scroll contained, the instructions were clear as Harry expected - and he didn't have much time. As he shuffled around his office gathering his things, an image flashed through his mind....The image of Severus Snape the last time he saw him.

It was as recently as six months ago; a visit prompted by Narcissa's call. During one of the few times Harry visited over the years, he learned a change at the helm of Malfoy manor had occurred. Narcissa had divorced Lucius, still serving his lengthy sentence at Azkaban and refusing to denounce Voldemort's doctrine, thus hindering his chances of ever obtaining parole. Frustrated with his father, Draco eventually accepted the relationship that grew between his mother and Snape and gave them his blessing.

Harry had never seen Snape any happier. Releasing his memories to Harry proved to be quite beneficial, apparently, to his emotional wellbeing; however, physically he was never quite the same since that night nineteen years ago. Even though the potion Narcissa had made sustained him, Nagini's venom had time to do considerable damage to Snape's internal organs, and at Harry's last visit, Snape appeared as if he were in his final days. The scale patch (or, as Snape cites, his "Badge of Honor") still infused onto his neck, peaked over the black turtleneck that sharply contrasted with his hair, which had grown white. And through the black pants as well, Harry could see how thin and frail his frame had become.

Narcissa admitted she had been stretching the potion lately to last, expecting it to be gone in a matter of days. After that, time would tell how long it would take Snape to succumb for lack of it.

Harry made a quick call to Ginny, using the Wizard Wireless Network, saying he won't be home for dinner. He looked around the office one more time, then hastily grabbed the nearly forgotten package on his desk and Disapparated.

Harry arrived just before the sorting was about to begin at Hogwarts. He caught Minerva's attention and the Headmistress allowed him to speak in front of the students. After his introduction, he approached the podium, and noticed an ancient-looking book left on it: Hogwarts: a History. Nodding with a smile of acknowledgement, Harry carefully opened the dusty book and found blank pages within the last chapter. As he began to speak, words magically appeared on these pages:

"Most of you know what happened at this very school nineteen years ago when I attended here as a student just as yourselves. But what you don't know is the full story behind a professor, and headmaster back then, who actually took part in saving my life...and I had saved his. His name was Severus Snape." Among murmurings, students and faculty exchanged looks. "Please..." Harry continued, raising his hands up for silence, "...allow me to elaborate..."

After the sorting and welcoming feast, Harry found himself in the Astronomy tower. As a gentle cool breeze blew through his hair, he unwrapped the package brought from his office to reveal a box containing an ornate urn within. Carefully lifting it out, he stepped to the edge of the observation deck and paused. I know you are at peace now.... Again, I thank you, Severus.

He opened the lid, allowed the breeze to take possession of its contents, and watched as it swirled and rose to the stars. "He's free now, truly free," he said aloud as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, Harry..." Narcissa softly said, her eyes brimming, "and this time he's ready to stay." Narcissa reached up and hugged Harry, whispering 'thank you' into his ear.

At Minerva's request, Harry next stepped into the Headmistress' office. There he greeted Ron, Hermione, and Neville.

"Thought you might like to see this before you left, Harry," said Minerva as she swept up to him. She gestured behind her and up on the wall among the portraits was Snape's.

"Well...can't say I expected anything different from him," said Ron cheekily, as he walked up beside Harry.

"That's our beloved Professor Snape," Harry responded wryly; however, he noticed among the usual scowl on Snape's face the eyes were different. The anger was gone.

"Ah...here they are," said Minerva as she turned around.

"Hey!" said Harry as he walked up to Albus, "are you all settled in?"

"Yeah...I guess so," the boy pouted while running a hand through his mussed dark hair.

"What is it, son? What's wrong?"

"I'm in Slytherin--"

"I'm in Slytherin, too!" a cheerful voice piped up from behind Albus. A slim girl with long black hair bounced up to Harry. "My dad was in Slytherin, so it's gotta be the best," she boasted. Albus squinted at her through his spectacles.

"Now, Bellaclair, all houses are the best for the people sorted in them," Narcissa firmly said, folding her arms.

"That's right, Albus," Harry directed towards his son. "Remember what I said about sorting? Now how about I meet you in your room - maybe I'll bring up some pudding."

"I'll take him up," offered Narcissa, then nodded to the girl. "I'll be back for you in a few minutes, dear."

When the two left, Harry brought the girl closer to Snape's portrait. "I'm sorry about your father, dear. As I told my son, he was the bravest man I ever knew." The child's black eyes sadly looked over into Harry's eyes. "You know, you can come here whenever you need to." Harry then pulled something out of his pocket. "At one time a piece of your father lived in this, now it should belong to you." Bellaclair held out her hand then looked up smiling a familiar smile to Harry as she put the pendant around her neck . . .

***

"You know, I never would have thought," Hermione quipped as they all stood on the castle grounds.

"Yeah, Snape, a dad," Neville chimed in.

"Yeah...guess that's why my mum told him to come back. Sometimes the end could mean a new beginning."

"Whoa...that's too heavy for me to ponder tonight, mate," chuckled Ron.

"See ya, Harry," bade Hermione linking arms with Ron before Apparating.

"Later, Harry," Neville waved heading back to the castle.

"Later, guys," Harry said shooing what felt like a fly on his forehead, as a willowy silhouette moved beyond the amber glow framed by the castle tower window.

All seemed well.

THE END?