Do we know what happened?" Dumbledore asked, looking very tired, and gaunt.
"Not for sure." Snape whispered. "It looks as if he was able to get the wand from that fool, Mundungus, and killed him. It's likely that he waited for the filthy idiot to get drunk and pass out."
Dumbledore shook his head. "He must have had help. A traitor among us."
"No, Draco did it on his own." Snape scowled. "You may have believed he was able to be saved, but it just wasn't true. Draco chose his path long ago. You've never witnessed how manipulative and devious he could be. I'm only thankful he's not very bright. He'll likely rejoin the Dark Lord."
"Do you think you could persuade him to…"
"No!" Snape shouted. "Have you not been listening? Why are you so stubborn. Even now as you lay dying, you can't see past your own crooked nose. Some people can't be saved, even from themselves. Draco has made his choice, and he will now have to face the consequences." Snape was seething.
Dumbledore sighed again, his eyes saddened.
"I suppose you are right. I just hate the thought that such a bright young man going over to his side."
"Granger told me she spoke to you about…" Snape began, changing the subject.
"Yes, she did." Dumbledore nodded, still thinking about the Draco dilemma. "She's quite sure she's right. She's tried to convince me three times now."
"Her logic seems sound." Snape said, eying the dying Headmaster. "You doubt her reasoning?"
"She is young, and headstrong. She is also quite intelligent, of course she makes a lot of sense, but the fact remains that she is wrong. She is trying to translate the prophecy to fit into her logic."
"Are you so certain? You have always said prophecies can be translated many ways. Why is this one any different?" Snape argued.
"I know she just wants to save he friend. If Harry were to walk through the veil, he would die." The Headmaster began coughing violently again.
"And he wouldn't facing the Dark Lord?" Snape said when the old man had settled down again. "What difference would it make? According to you, the boy has to die. At least if he walks through the Veil, he can die with some kind of dignity. You know as well as I do the Dark Lord will parade his body about like some kind of trophy."
"Be that as it may, if we stick to our original plan, he will have little time in which to enjoy his victory. We must find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, and then, you will strike the killing blow. This is the only course open to us. It must be done this way, for all of our sakes."
"You still think this is the best option. What of his friends, his betrothed?" Snape glowered.
Dumbledore's eyes shot up, looking a bit surprised. "How did you learn of that?"
"I have spoken to Daphne on several occasions since we destroyed the Locket. I have probed her mind as well. She loves the boy, and it is growing. She will defend him to her dying breath. What if she were to die protecting him, as his mother did? Will the circle begin again? Or his friends? Would their sacrifice carry little power with it? Do you honestly believe they would not stand by his side until the end?"
"You must make sure Voldemort gets Harry on his own. It is imperative…"
"YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Snape shouted. "You obstinate old fool."
Snape stood, gathering his cloak around him. He spared a last glance at the weakening old man lying in the hospital bed.
"I will speak with you one more time, and you will tell me all you know about where the final Horcruxes are, and I will find them and destroy them. Then, when it is all over, I am going to try and find some peace and quiet, and live out the rest of my meager life in solitude, and try to forget all of this."
With that, Snape stormed out of the Infirmary, leaving a bitter old man to watch him go.
"Poppy!" Dumbledore called. The School matron bustled over to check on her patient.
"Yes, Albus. Are you alright?"
"I am, for now. I must speak with Minerva. It is very important."
Spring was coming. The air seemed to be getting warmer, and the blankets of snow that had covered the grounds of Hogwarts were receding. More and more, students were venturing out to take strolls in the fresh air.
Two such students were walking hand in hand, laughing softly as the boy was retelling a story that he had witnessed the previous night.
"Neville looked completely gob smacked. Parvati just smiled all innocent like, waiting for him to speak. When he did, it was just squeaking. She just grinned and told him she'd take it as a yes, then took him out of the Common Room. He looked a little scared and excited. Once they were gone, the Common Room just exploded in laughter." Harry chuckled. "I got to admit, I never would have guessed in a million years. I always figured she'd end up liking someone a little more roguish, like Seamus."
"Seamus is attractive, but he's also kind of a jerk." Daphne smiled brightly, holding Harry closer. "Parvati is a lot smarter than she appears, most people know that. I think she plays herself down so she won't insult her friends. No, I'm actually not surprised she took a liking to Longbottom. He's really powerful, just lacks confidence."
"That's what I've been saying!" Harry exclaimed. "He proved it at the Ministry. He's far braver and more powerful than people realize and one day he's going to show everyone."
Daphne smiled as she watched her boyfriend. The last two weeks he had been with her every second he could get. In that time she had gotten him to reveal so much about himself. Perhaps it was his desire to give himself over to her, or perhaps he just trusted her more than he ever had before, but Daphne was sure that it was something else, something darker. Harry knew he had little time left, and he wanted her to know exactly who he was.
Daphne had listened to him, trying to keep herself in control as he told her of his life at Number Four, Privet Drive, and the cruelty he had suffered at the hands of his relatives. She wondered, as many people did when they heard his tale, how he ended up being so compassionate and selfless. Harry was, as much as Daphne hated to use the word, a true hero.
She had witnessed his bravery first hand that night in Snape's chamber. Her heart broke when she had listened to the Headmaster reveal what had to happen in order to save the world from darkness, and she had seen Harry's acceptance of his fate.
She had realized that night after the Horcrux had been destroyed, and Harry lie in the Infirmary, that she loved him. She could not say when exactly it had happened, only that it had filled her up with such happiness, and a fierce determination to protect him.
In the following weeks, the two had grown ever closer, and Daphne cherished it all.
At night, however, when she was lying in bed alone and away from him, she was subjected to an all consuming dread. Her dreams were filled with images of seeing her lover struck down, with her helpless to stop it.
Worse still, it had done nothing to stop the looming darkness. Dumbledore's great plan had failed, and Harry had died for no reason at all.
Each morning, Daphne awoke angry and heart sick. Each morning, she vowed to make the most of her time with Harry.
"You know, we haven't been to the Room of Requirement in a while." Daphne mentioned, glancing sideways at Harry.
"What do you say to a private dinner there?"
Harry grinned her favorite grin. His eyes lit up and he looked as if he hadn't a care in the world, save her.
"I think I'd like that. It'd be nice to get away, or at least enjoy a meal without you losing your appetite because of Ron."
"Speaking of Ron, what's going on with him and Hermione?"
"You've noticed, too?" Harry asked, a look of concern slipping over his face.
"They're barely speaking to one another." Daphne nodded.
"Only in public. Hermione's been working on something, and she hasn't told us what it is. I don't ask because I know she'll tell us when she's got it all worked out. Ron is….less patient, and it's causing friction. I think he suspects the worst, like she's seeing someone behind his back. Thankfully, he hasn't gone full out crazy and started following her."
"What if she just told him?"
"They're both really stubborn, and after their last row, I think she'll be too angry at him to just confess to whatever it is she's up to. They'll work it out in the end. They always do." Harry said a bit bitterly.
"You're afraid for them, aren't you?"
"Look, you can't say anything to anyone about this, especially either of them." Harry stopped, turning to look at her fully. "I love them both, and I want them to be happy, but I was more surprised than anyone when they got together. They're so different, and I just never pictured them together, much less for as long as they have been. Ron's so impetuous and, well, lazy, and Hermione's very determined and smart."
"They do say opposites attract, you know." Daphne shrugged.
"True, but even opposites have some common ground. The only common ground they have is me. They're good friends, but I just don't see them being together for a long time. I want them to be happy, I really do, but I just don't think that it'll be with each other."
"Maybe they got together because it was comfortable, you know? They've been friends for so long, they knew they could trust each other. It was safe, and easy. Not that they thought of it that way, but on some level they knew it would be easier than trying to start something with someone they didn't know, someone outside of their little circle. Who knows, maybe Hermione would have been with you it hadn't been for me."
Harry thought about her words carefully for a long time as they resumed their stroll.
"You really are quite brilliant." He said after a bit. Daphne just smiled, shrugging lightly.
"Not to change the subject, but we haven't spoken about it in a while, and I've been rather curious…"
"What I plan on doing about Dumbledore's quest?" Harry finished the question. "I don't know that there is much of a choice. Find and destroy the rest of the Horcruxes and then…." He left the sentence unfinished. Daphne squeezed his hand gently.
"Have you thought about running? Just being selfish and leaving the country?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "A hundred thousand times. But, it would be wrong to allow the murdering to continue. I got a letter from Remus a little while ago, and he's sure the Ministry is going to crumble. You've seen the paper, they can't hide it anymore. If I'm the only one who can stop it, then I need to. Who am I to decide the fate of so many innocent people?"
Daphne felt her eyes burn with tears. "Even if it means leaving me?"
Harry stopped and gathered the girl in his arms, holding her tightly as she shook.
"You've changed my life in ways you can't even understand." He said softly. "It's for you that I decided to do it. I want you and Ron and Hermione to live in a world where you don't have to be afraid. Safe and happy. I can give that to you guys. I want to give that to you."
"I sometimes wonder if this has been some strange dream, and that any moment I'm going wake up and this will all vanish. Who would have guessed that I would have found something so special because of some silly piece of parchment. You say I've changed your life, but it's really the other way around." Daphne sighed into his chest.
Harry lifted her face by tucking a finger under her soft chin and gently kissed her sweet lips. She return his kiss, clutching at the front of his robes, keeping him close to her. It wasn't a long kiss, but simply a promise for later. Harry drew away, keeping his eyes on her as she sighed deeply and smiled shyly.
"That was nice." She breathed. Harry smiled and pulled her into a tight hug. Daphne felt her whole body relax in his embrace.
It was moments that they shared like this that made her want to beg with him to run away. To forget about the stupid prophecy and Voldemort and all the troubles in England. But she knew what he would say to it. She had learned early on about what Hermione had called his "Saving People Thing".
It was what made Harry who he was, and she didn't think she could ever love him any other way. She took his hand and shivered slightly as the wind picked up a bit.
"Well, if we're going to have dinner, I think I should get ready." She smiled. Harry quirked an eyebrow.
"What do you mean you need to get ready. We just need to go up and…"
"Not tonight." Daphne shook her head. "Tonight, I want to do something special. I want to have a real date. I think with the Room's help, we can accomplish that. So, you should go and put on something nice, or at least transfigure something nice."
"I wish I had more of a notice, I could have gone shopping."
"You know, I've often wondered why you only wore those rags your relatives gave you. Why didn't you get some nicer things after you found out you had some money?"
"A few reasons. The main one being that if I showed up with a whole new wardrobe my uncle would have tried to get all my money. It wasn't really worth the hassle." Harry said, looking away from her.
"Will you make me a promise?" She asked him. He turned back to look at her, nodding for her to continue.
"This summer, you'll let me take you shopping?"
"You want me to be your personal dress-up doll?"
"I promise you'll like it. We can get you some nice things. I'm not saying we'll go crazy, just get you some things that fit properly. Wouldn't you like to have stuff that fits right and didn't belong to your cousin?"
Harry nodded right away, smiling. "Yeah, I think I'd really like that."
"Good. Now, my sweet, I want to see you in one hour outside the Room. I get to change it for tonight."
Harry drew her in gently and caressed her lips with her own. "I'll see you in an hour, then."
"There you are!"
Both teens looked to see Hermione coming down the stairs right towards them.
"I've been looking for you for ages. I need to talk to you both. But, not here." Hermione's eyes swept about the Entrance Hall. "I asked Ron to go up to the Room of Requirement. Come on."
Both Harry and Daphne watched Hermione as she began leading the way.
"I guess this means our date is off." Harry sighed.
"No." Daphne said firmly. "It's only postponed."
Hermione was quite insistent, urging the couple to follow more quickly. Harry had seen his bushy haired friend excited about things before, but this was beyond anything he'd ever seen. She looked like she was ready to burst, and extremely nervous at the same time.
"You found them. Great." Ron called out as the three teens rounded a corner on the seventh floor.
"Finally." Hermione huffed.
"I told you to use the map." Ron chided.
"What's going on?" Daphne asked, growing impatient.
"In a minute." Hermione said, ushering them inside the Room, which had taken on the look of the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry realized that Ron had asked the room to change. He knew it when he saw the Chudley Cannons posters all over the place.
"Everyone sit down." Hermione ordered. Both Ron and Harry sent looks that told Hermione she was being a bit to bossy, and the girl only shrugged slightly.
"Sorry, but there's a lot we have to talk about."
"Well, get on with it." Daphne said, tugging Harry's arm so he'd sit beside her.
"Ok, well, I'll just say it then." Hermione stammered, wringing her hands nervously. "I think I have thought of a way to get rid of whatever's inside Harry without killing him. But it's extremely risky."
"How risky?" Ron asked, eyeing his girlfriend suspiciously.
"He could die." She said in a rush.
Daphne sat up a bit straighter. "So far it doesn't sound any better than our other option."
"I know. He'd be risking his very life. But this way there might be a chance. Facing Voldemort is sure death. My way there is a chance he could live. Though it isn't definite."
"What is it?" Harry asked wearily. He knew he was in for a long night.
"Well, we'd have to…Well, you'd have to, um…" Hermione looked at Harry very nervously, looking to Ron and then Daphne. She kept fidgeting, and Harry knew he was not going to like what she had to say at all.
"Hermione, just spit it out." He said growing impatient.
"You'll have to walk through the veil."
Silence followed as both Harry and Ron stared bug eyed at the bushy haired bookworm incredulously. Daphne could only look between the three with curiosity.
"What's the veil?" She asked.
"Instant death." Ron said angrily. "Hermione, I thought you wanted to help Harry."
"I do." Hermione said firmly.
"By killing him yourself?" Daphne nearly screamed. Harry gave her hand a firm squeeze trying to calm his girlfriend a bit.
"Look, I've been thinking about this a lot. I've done as much research as I could, but I can't find very much, but I know this will work. Look!"
Hermione went to her bag and pulled out a neat pile of parchment, laying them out on the small table in front of them.
"It's in the Prophecy. 'Neither can live while the other survives.' Dumbledore thinks it means both you and Voldemort." Hermione looked pointedly at Harry. "I think he's wrong."
"Wouldn't be the first time, would it?" Harry
"I've been going over this in my head for ages. I'm sure that this bit refers to what's inside of you. The Horcrux. It's talking about you specifically. You can't live any sort of life while that thing is still in you."
"How can you be so sure?" Daphne asked.
"Dumbledore."
The other three teens let out a long low moan of frustration.
"Listen, when he explained why Harry needed to die, he said that if we destroyed all the Horcruxes and somehow managed to beat Voldemort, there would still be the one in Harry. Dumbledore said that eventually the Horcrux would take Harry over. It got me thinking. He also mentioned the Veil as a way to get rid of Horcruxes."
"And you think I could just walk through the veil and nothing would happen?" Harry wanted to shout. He was shaking as he envisioned the last time he had seen the veil. Sirius smiling serenely as he fell backwards and disappeared.
"I don't know." Hermione said, looking a bit sad. "I've tried to look up anything about death, but there's nothing. All I know is that you've survived the Killing Curse because of your mother's sacrifice, and I think it might protect you a bit."
"What do you think will happen, exactly?" Daphne queried.
"I think Harry will walk through and we'll never see him again." Ron said disgruntled. "There won't even be a body to bury, Hermione."
"I'm not sure exactly what will happen, but I think that because the Horcrux isn't natural, it isn't a part of Harry naturally, there's a really good chance it will be torn out of him, and Harry will be free."
"Or, he could just walk in and never come out." Ron roared. "Do you not remember Sirius?"
"Sirius?" Daphne asked puzzled. "Sirius Black?"
She turned to look at Harry who was looking at Hermione dangerously.
"This is different." Hermione argued back. "There's a lot of differences here."
"But you don't know for sure?" Daphne asked, looking seriously at the brilliant witch. "I know you want to help, but this doesn't seem any better than what Dumbledore had planned. I don't want to lose Harry."
"I don't want to lose him, either. He's been my best friend for years. He was my first friend. He's like family." Hermione defended herself.
"Then why are you trying to get him killed?" Ron asked.
"I'm not. I'm trying to find some way to save him. I don't see you lifting a finger to help!"
"I didn't come up with a plan for Harry to walk to his death! You're supposed to be so brilliant, and this is the best you can come up with?"
"Hermione." Harry's voice broke through the tension and everyone turned to the boy they had all been talking about.
"Do you have any idea if this will even work?"
Hermione seemed to deflate and shook her head. "No. I asked Dumbledore about it and he just brushed me off. He's so set on you sacrificing yourself that he won't even consider any other way."
"And you want to help the old codger!" Ron shouted.
Ron and Hermione began arguing again, with Daphne interjecting points to Ron's case. Hermione seemed to be holding her own against them, though, pointing out every thing she had thought of in favor of her idea working.
Harry however was not listening, he was simply staring at the parchment with Hermione's notes scribbled all over it. All of his focus was on the neat tidy scrawl that was uniquely Hermione's.
'Neither can live while the other survives.'
Harry had bought into Dumbledore's translation, as well. It was how the old man had been able to get Harry to listen to his instruction. It was the reason Harry had sought out extra lessons with Snape and Flitwick. He had believed everyone when they had told him he could learn to defeat the Dark Lord, only to find it had all been a rouse. A lie. Those words had cause Harry more suffering than anything he had ever dealt with before.
Harry closed his eyes. Breathing a deep, calming breath, and tried to envision his godfather. What would Sirius have told him? What would the only family Harry had ever known have said to him in this moment?
Harry knew that Dumbledore was right about what could happen if he left the piece of the Dark Lord's soul existing within him alone. One day, it would try to take him over. Daphne could be at risk. Their children could be hurt…
All at once Harry saw what his life could be. Life with Daphne at his side. Sending their own children off to Hogwarts, little blonde, green eyed children waving happily from the crimson steam engine. A home filled with laughter and love. Everything Harry had ever dreamed of could be his. It was his. And that was worth taking the risk. He knew that he above many others deserved that life, that happiness.
He opened his eyes and stared at Daphne. She felt his eyes on her and turned to look at him. They didn't speak. He simply leaned forward and kissed her. Her hand flew up to hold his cheek. She could feel tears scorching her eyes as Harry pressed his lips to hers over and over.
Ron and Hermione's argument had faded into silence as they both stared at Daphne and Harry. Finally, the couple stopped kissing, and Harry pulled Daphne into a tight embrace.
"I want to thank you guys." He said finally. He could see Ron's anger falling away, replace by a look of loss. Hermione was beginning to tear up, and he could feel Daphne shaking against him.
"You two have stood by me through things that most people would have run away from. You've been incredibly loyal, and I can't thank you enough, or even express what your friendship has meant to me."
"Harry, mate you can't…"
"It's alright, Ron." Harry said, stopping his friend from continuing. "If there's a chance that this could work…" He paused looking at his two friends in turn and tightening his embrace on the girl he loved. "I think it's worth the risk."
"Harry, if this works…" Hermione whispered.
"Then, I'll have you to thank." Harry tried to smile.
He stood up, picking Daphne up with him. "If you guys don't mind, I'd like to be alone with my girlfriend for a bit."
Before anyone could respond, Daphne and Harry had left the Room of Requirement. Hermione began gathering up her notes and putting them away.
"So this is why you've been avoiding me." Ron said softly.
"I wasn't avoiding you. You know how I get when…"
"This isn't working, is it?" Ron said motioning between the two of them. Hermione's tears came freely now as she shook her head.
"I wanted it to, I did." She said, unable to look at him. "I really tried, Ron."
"I know." The redhead said, picking at a stray string on the chair he was sitting in.
"I should never have let you kiss me. I didn't want this to happen." She said with a pleading look to her boyfriend.
Ron stood slowly, unable to look at the girl who had meant so much to him.
"I just want to say one thing before we end it. I know you're trying to help him, and I'm thrilled. More than you can imagine, I'm thrilled that you have a plan. If anyone could have come up with something to save him, I knew it would've been you."
Hermione smiled a watery smile, and tried to reach for his hand, but Ron slipped out of her reach and headed for the door.
"If he dies," He said pausing before leaving her. "I will never forgive you."
As the door closed, Hermione fell forward, heaving with her sobs.
Night had fallen by the time Harry and Daphne reached the Astronomy tower. They hadn't spoken a word since they had left the Room. When they stepped out into the cold night, Harry sucked in a lungful of crisp air. He stared out over the grounds of his school just taking in the grandeur of it all.
"We need to find the others before I do this." He said after several moments.
"You don't have to do this. We can find another way." Daphne tried, turning him so that he was facing her. He looked down at her, smiling gently.
"No. I want to do this. If I allow Him to kill me, then he'll win. If I do it this way, and I don't make it…I'll still have won." Harry smiled a bit at the thought of a raging Voldemort.
"If you die…" Daphne's throat seemed to close a bit and she couldn't continue. She pulled away from Harry and looked out over the grounds.
"At least I'll know that you'll be safe." He said, kissing her softly.
"I want to be with you, Harry. I've…I'm falling in love with you, and I don't want you taken away from me. This is really silly, but I've imagined what our life could be, and…"
"I'm falling in love with you, too. But you knew when we started this that there was always this thing hanging over me. All we can do right now is to make the most out of each day we have." Harry smiled. He seemed so serene as he spoke.
"Why are you so blasé about this?" Daphne said pulling away from his embrace. Tears were falling from her eyes, and she crossed her arms across her chest. "This is our life we're talking about. You and me. Do you think that I'm just going to toss everything aside? Just shrug my shoulders and pretend that this has been some sort of fling?"
"What do you want me to do, Daphne?" Harry asked, his voice trembling a bit. "Just what exactly should I do?"
"Run. Run away and never look back. You didn't ask to be a part of this. This isn't your responsibility." Daphne said wiping tears furiously.
Harry sighed heavily and tried to console his girlfriend. She didn't pull away when he took her in his arms.
"I wish that I could run. To take you and go someplace far away and forget about all this." He whispered in her ear. "But who am I to condemn everyone? To let them die when I could stop it?"
"I know." Daphne sniffled. "I just…I love you. I've fallen for you, and I don't know when it happened, but I just wish I could…"
"Make it all go away?" Harry grinned softly. "Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. But Hermione's idea, it's the best one we've had yet."
"But she's not even sure if it will work." Daphne tried.
Harry simply shook his head. He knew that there was not going to be an satisfactory end to this debate. Instead he shrugged and lifted her face and kissed her deeply. He held her as close as he could and felt exhilarated when he felt Daphne returning his affection.
They held each other in silence for a long time before Daphne's shivering became rather violent. Harry pulled his freezing girlfriend into the relative warmth of the castle and walked her to the entrance of her common room.
"I'm not giving you up without a fight." Daphne said when they were standing in front of the entrance to the Slytherin house. "I'm going to go over everything with Hermione and I'm going to double check all her work. I'm going to research on my own as much as I can. If there's another way to fix this, I'm going to find it. I love you."
Those three words filled Harry with strength. He looked into Daphne's determined brown eyes and smiled proudly. "I love you, too."
Minerva McGonagall waited patiently for her colleague to answer her query. She had asked to speak with him as his last class emptied out, and they were alone in the empty defense class.
She had spoken with Dumbledore when he'd asked for her. The Headmaster had confided to her all that he had been trying to achieve over the course of the last year and a half. He had begged her to take up his tutelage of Harry and helping him to vanquish the Dark Lord.
Dumbledore had gone on to explain how Snape had come to be a part of the resistance. Including his darkest secret involving the death of the Potters.
"I don't know what you want me to say." Snape finally said after a long silence. McGonagall had come to find the Defense teacher right after her long conversation with the bed ridden headmaster.
"The truth would be a good start." McGonagall snapped bitterly. She had been quite disgusted to learn of Snape's past and his eventual chance to redeem himself. She had known the man for many years now, and had never really liked the man, nor had she truly respected him. His favoritism of Slytherin house, and his treatment of students from other houses had been the cause of many arguments.
"The truth. What a novelty." Snape sighed. He peered up at McGonagall who was giving her patent stern glare.
"It's true. I am responsible for the death of the Potters. I was the one who revealed the prophecy to the Dark Lord. It is the one sin I have never forgiven myself for."
McGonagall stood up angrily. "Damn you. You have tortured that poor boy ever since he got here, based on a childhood rivalry. I'm not blind, Severus!. And it turns out you're the entire reason that boy's life has been so, so…" McGonagall stammered.
"Just stop." Snape hollered. "How much did the old fool tell you? Did he tell you of his own plans for the boy?"
"He told me the Horcruxes had to be destroyed before Harry could face You-Know-Who, yes." McGonagall said firmly.
"So then he told you what the boy had to do? He told you that Potter has to die by the Dark Lord's hand because of the Horcrux within him?"
"What?!"
"Yes, Minerva. According to Albus' grand plan, Harry Potter has to die for the sake of us all. And that is the truth." Snape said coldly.
"No. Albus would never…"
"Put yourself in his robes, Minerva. What would you be willing to do to save millions? Would you sacrifice one child? One seemingly insignificant child to save the entirety of wizard kind. Would that be worth it?"
McGonagall slumped into her seat. "I can't believe this."
"I admit that I have a deep seeded hatred for the boy. I also admit that it isn't entirely the boy's fault. But, And I need you to believe this, I do not want Potter dead. I swore on his mother's grave I would try and protect him. Albus thinks there is only one way to vanquish the Dark Lord, but I disagree."
McGonagall was clutching at her chest. Her face had gone quite pale as she was processing this revelation.
"Why would he lie about this?" She whispered. "What else has he lied about? "
"The fate of one Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore helped him to escape the Aurors. Draco then killed Mundungus Fletcher to escape where Albus had him hidden away." Snape shrugged.
Why did you go along with his plans for so long?" Minerva asked suddenly.
"I came to him when I learned of Lily's imminent death and begged for him to protect her. All he did was hide her, and quite weakly. If I had known then if would be Peter Pettigrew who would be the one to betray them…" He let the thoughts hang in the air.
"I was just as anxious to prove myself to him, to gain his confidences. I realized too late that the Dark Lord didn't truly care who served him or who was most loyal. He enjoyed playing us against each other as we tried to prove who was most loyal to him."
"You turned traitor trying to save Lily Potter?" McGonagall asked a bit shocked.
"No. I was trying to save Lily Evans, the woman I loved." Snape corrected. "I know she was married to Potter, but I still loved her. We hadn't spoken in three years, and I still loved her. I came to Dumbledore believing he might be the only one who could help me save her. I pledged to spy so long as Dumbledore did everything to save Lily. When she died, Albus was able to turn all the blame onto me. That's how I ended up coming to teach, Albus thought I would be safer here, and I would be able to watch over Lily's son when he arrived."
"I never had any idea." McGonagall said softly.
"No one did." Snape remarked.
"I want to help." Minerva said after a long silence. "I have watch Harry Potter grow into a very brave, selfless man, and I don't believe he has to die to save us. We can find another way through this that doesn't cost his life."
"There might be another way." Snape said nodding to the Transfiguration teacher's pledge. "But it won't matter if we can't find the other Horcruxes."
"How many are left?" McGonagall asked, standing up and smoothing the front of her robes.
"I think it's time to find out."