Chapter 10 - It ends tonight

(A/N: for the part in italics, think when harry was talking to dumbledore in the last movie. Except in this scene they are in dumbledore's office and its him and snape. There is an epilogue and a second book coming, please don't hate. The second book will be more about Sofia and Teddy Lupin and all the kids of harry, ron and hermione. THought Andromeda and Severus will make several appearances)Andromeda Dumbledore's P.O.V.


    She couldn't believe it, everyone she had every truly loved was gone. Her grandfather and now Severus, one dying to protect the children of his school and the other one died protecting her. What was she going to do? She let Harry pull her by her wrist towards Severus's office. As they got into the office, he let go of her wrist and she watched him through clouded vision open up a cabinet where the pensive was kept. Harry pulled her to the pensive and poured in the tear that Severus had given her. They both put in their heads so they could see what his memories held. She saw him younger playing with a red haired girl, whom she assumed was Lily Potter, she had the same colored eyes as Harry. Andromeda swallowed, it was hard to watch the man she loved with another woman, even if it was in his memories. She watched as Harry's father was mean to him with his friends and when Lily tried to help she heard Severus call her a mud blood. Then the scene changed to when Harry was a baby and how Severus had been there to find the bodies of his parents and how he cried holding Lily to him. 
    Andromeda was about to pull away when the scene changed. It was definitely a newer memory. It was her birthday almost a year ago in August. Her grandfather had thrown her a party and all the teachers and a few friends in her year had come. Neville had been there with Luna and Harry, Ron and most of the Weasleys. Remus and Tonks had been there as well, Tonks was obviously pregnant and it was shortly after the two had gotten married. Andromeda had been very happy for them, saying as much as she glanced over at Severus. He had been sitting by himself in the corner downing a glass of fire whiskey that had been given to him by Albus. Albus had winked at her before he walked away.


    She remembered walking over to him, as was shown in the memory and he actually smiled at her. He had told her to follow him, he led her to his quarters, she knew at that point she had already had a few drinks and was a bit tipsy, but she had followed him anyway. When they got to his quarters he closed the door behind him before offering her some whiskey, which she took gratefully. She had definitely turned into a party girl, but this was too much for her. Her grandfather had turned her 16th birthday party into a grand event. She sat down in a green sofa in the living room area when he told her he'd be right back. She watched him, through the pensive, go to the other room and pull out a box. She smiled to herself as she remembered what was in the box. She still had the silver necklace in her chest in her room. She never wore it. She had always been afraid that it would get lost or stolen. And she was afraid that he would see her wear it and he would know that she loved him.


    He came back out of the room and handed it to her. She opened it and her eyes opened with surprise. He said happy birthday and before he could say anything else, she was on her feet pressing her lips against his. Andromeda frowned to herself but realized that Harry had moved away from the pensive. She pulled him back in, he had to know everything. Next memory was of him sitting behind his desk waiting for her to walk up. He was watching her with keen eyes as she woke up and moved around the room. He had spoke to her and he knew that they both needed to keep their mouths shut about this. She saw the memory of Severus and Albus talking the day after she slept with him. Albus asked Severus if he loved the woman he slept with (Andromeda), Severus had said no, but this time she heard the hesitation in his voice.


    Andromeda pulled out of the pensive and looked at Harry. He nodded at her knowing she wanted him to keep this between them. He left the room, it was almost two hours later when she finally left the office. She went down to the courtyard where everyone was gathered. Harry was laying sprawled out in Hagrid's arms. He appeared to be dead. She covered her mouth, her eyes widened, she watched as Voldemort talked to Neville. A few more moments passed before Harry woke up, jumping out of Hagrid's arms and set his wand on Voldemort. Neville took the sword of gryffindor and ran off the help find a way to kill the snake. Harry and Voldemort fought but neither had an advantage. Finally after what seemed like ages, Voldemort withered away into nothing, and Harry had finally won. The war was finally over.


   "Harry?" Andromeda ran over to him.


    "Go, find him and make sure he's buried properly" Harry nodded at her. She nodded back. She hugged him, thanked him and took off in the direction of the shrieking shack. She went up the stairs two at a time to look for him. When she got into the room he was gone. His body was gone.


   She kneeled on the floor where his body had been and cried. She couldn't believe he was gone, both physically and now emotionally. Her heart hurt so much. She curled up against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and cried. She didn't know how long it was before someone found her. She was pulled to her feet and brought back to the castle by Harry and Ron. She pulled away from them and ran as fast as she could. She went to Severus's room and fell face first on his bed. And there she cried herself to sleep.



Severus Snape's P.O.V.



a few hours earlier:



    Severus woke up in a bright room. He was sitting on the floor, and looked around him. He recognized the room, it was Albus's office before Severus had taken over it. He stood up slowly and tried running his hand through his hair before he realized that his haired was pulled back into a ponytail. So instead he ran a hand over his face before he decided to have a better looked around. He knew what Albus's office looked like but something seemed different today. It was definately brighter then normal and cleaner, Albus wasn't nessicarily an organized person, but he knew where his stuff was. He moved around the room. The Pheonix was there, the pensive was still sitting in the middle of the room instead of in the cabinet. He wondered then if she had seen his memories. If she had seen the reason why he was the way he was, and why he took him so long to admit why he loved her.  Severus took a moment to look at his reflection in a mirror that Albus had hanging inside of the cabinet that the pensive was usually stored in. He looked different, almost peaceful. He wore the same black slacks and turtle neck he wore the morning he woke up with Andromeda in his bed. On his feet he wore black boots and over his torso he wore a long black trench coat. He heard a noise behind him and turned away to see Albus Dumbledore resting against the side of his desk. The old man was wearing a devious smile. Severus cocked his head slightly.


    "Severus before you ask, this is not necessarily real" Albus spoke, Severus looked up startled at the old man, he had seen him there, but hadn't even begun to realize that he was real. Albus chuckled at the look on Severus's face "I had this talk with Harry, he choice to stay behind instead of moving on, and so what happens next is up to you"


    "Well tell me my options and why i'm sitting in a very bright version of your office" Severus spoke quickly as he shielded his eyes against the bright light. He squinted his eyes wishing he had a pair of sunglasses, not that that would help him at the moment. He sighed.
 

   "Well i guess this is like the stop before you go to heaven or hell" Albus spoke truthfully, "Its like a waiting room."


    "Interesting" Severus looked at the glass of fire whiskey that Albus was holding to him and then shook his head. "No, i shouldn't have any more alcohol, the whiskey apparently goes straighht to my head. It also gotten me into too much trouble lately."


    "Perhaps a bit" Albus chuckled before putting the glass on the desk. "But was it all worth it?"
 

   "Yes of course" Severus answered rather quickly. He swallowed somewhat nervously before continuing. "I know she was only sixteen, but i love her. She made me believe again, after Lily, i thought it wasn't possible, but Andromeda... she made me understand what it was to truly be in love. Albus, when she knew what i had done to you, it nearly destroyed her and because of it i destroyed the life of my daughter. And my heart hurts because of it, the day she told me she hated me, it broke my heart, and i don't know what to do Albus, i love her more then anything in the world."


    "I know" Albus sighed. He knew his great granddaughter wasn't dead, but he knew that it wasn't his place to tell Severus especially if he choice to go back. "You have a choice. You can move on, or you can go back"
  

  "You mean, i can live again" Severus looked up at Albus. Albus nodded. "What's the catch?"


    "You won't remember her" Albus said sadly. Severus's eyes widened, he would be alive but never remember who Andromeda was. "I don't mean you'll never remember, Severus, you're heart will know that something is missing and i know with your insatiable curiosity you won't stop searching until you find out what is missing and one day i guarantee you will find her again, if you truly love her"


    "I do love her and I want to take care of her"  Severus frowned, "I don't know if i can go back to life knowing i won't remember her right away, but you are right, i will find her no matter how long it takes"
 

   "before you make your choice, can I ask you something?" Albus looked at Severus. "you don't have to answer if you don't want to"     "its fine" Severus waved off his concerned. "Please just ask"    "Why do you love her?" Albus asked. Severus suddenly felt like a teenage boy being interviewed by his girlfriend's father. He felt a bit nervous.     "i uh..." Severus cleared his through before he continued. "I enjoy being with her, she challenges me intellectually, she's beautiful, kind, loving, she never judges anyone, not even me. She loves me, Albus, unconditionally. She loves me for who i am, not who i should be, and she told me herself i wasn't the man she deserved. She was completely honest with me."    "Thank you" Albus smiled. "Take good care of her"    "I will"    "Then you've made your choice?"    "Yes, i think i have"