Chapter Ten
Epilogue
Harry awoke in the glow of morning. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Ron was holding him tightly and for the first time in his life he was completely at peace with the world. He leant over and kissed him, the man who had given him everything and made him whole.
Carefully, quietly, slowly, he got out of bed and looked at Ron. Harry found him so beautiful that he almost wanted to kiss him again. But he went to the bathroom and made the customary futile attempt to comb his hair. He sneaked through the bedroom and entered the sitting room
Hedwig glared at him and turned to the owl that sat perched near the windowsill. He moved across the room feeling that no matter what news the owl brought him, he would be able to manage because he had his Ron, his 'Weasey,' his soul mate, his love.
The owl held out its craw and Harry took a note from it. He placed five knutts in the little bag and the owl fluttered away. The envelope was addressed to "Mr and Mr Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, Sorcerer's Retreat House."
He opened it and read the letter.
'Dear Harry and Ron:
'It is my great pleasure to extend to you the well wishes and warmest compliments of the Hogwarts Faculty Recruitment Committee. In light of your dedication and breadth of knowledge, gained through years of hard work, study, and toil, we are pleased to offer you the positions of Wizards Second Class, Assistant Professors of Magic, at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. If you accept this offer of employment you may begin in two weeks to prepare for the Fall Term. Professor Severus Snape will oversee your training and progress in anticipation that you will soon join the ranks of Full-Term Professors at our esteemed institution. You may receive a modest stipend for logging in the town of Hogsmeade or you may avail yourselves of the many accommodations for teachers at Hogwarts itself.
'We look forward to your prompt reply to this invitation and offer.
'Yours sincerely,
'Professor M McGonagall,
'Assistant Headmistress
'Hogwarts.'
Harry smiled and went to the small table with the parchment, quill and ink. He got out a fresh piece of parchment and began to write.
'My Dear Professor McGonagall:
'Speaking on behalf of Mr Weasley and myself, we accept the generous offer of the Hogwarts Faculty Recruitment Committee. We will be delighted to accept the guidance and oversight of Professor Snape. Also, we will accept to take our accommodations at Hogwarts. We have determined that for the foreseeable future we shall require close co-operation on a project of mutual professional and personal advantage. Ron and I have determined that whatever the future holds, we will face it together.
'Yours obediently,
'Harry Potter'
He addressed the envelope and went to Hedwig.
"Hedwig, please deliver this at once to Professor McGonagall," he urged.
Hedwig nodded and flew out the window.
+++++
Professor Dumbledore sat in his office appearing absentmindedly to touch his wand to his forehead. As he brought the wand down into the Pensieve, silvery threads almost like floating liquid descended into the glowing pool. Portraits of former Headmasters graced the walls; some were sleeping and others were idly chatting amongst themselves moving about from frame to frame.
There was a knock at the door. Professor Snape entered. Dumbledore motioned him to a chair.
"You wished to see me, Headmaster?" Snape said in his usual oily voice.
"Yes, Severus. I wanted to talk with you about the new assistant professors. They'll be arriving in two weeks to begin training before the start of semester. I'm placing them under your tutelage until they complete their apprenticeships."
Snape didn't move. However the light in his black eyes twinkled just a bit.
"Thank you, Headmaster. It is a great honour." Snape was obviously very pleased at this promotion.
"Yes," Dumbledore continued. "Professor McGonagall and I think you have more than earned it. I have every confidence that you'll do a fine job. Congratulations, Severus."
Snape nodded and was about to thank Dumbledore again when he continued speaking.
"I especially want to mention to you a few of the new assistants in whom I have the greatest anticipation of successful careers at Hogwarts. Among them will be Professor Granger (Snape looked up), Professor R Weasley (the lines of Snape's face hardened) and Professor Potter."
His knuckles went white and his fingers dug into the arms of the chair.
"Oh, and by the way, Severus, I've been thinking about the life debt you owed Harry because his father saved your life."
Snape looked up again. Anger and resentment at Harry's very existence seethed through him.
"It struck me that you may not have realised that you actually repaid the life debt sometime ago. You see, Severus, when you and Ron had been captured by Voldemort and we all thought you were dead I don't think you ever realised how upset Harry was by it. I'm not sure anyone but myself knew it, he was doing so well trying to mask his feelings. To everyone else, he just seemed exhausted and indecisive. However, it had become clear to me some years ago that Harry and Ron share a special bond quite unique in this age. For Harry, to lose Ron would have been losing himself, almost as bad as a dementor's kiss. When you escaped from Voldemort and went back to rescue Ron you actually gave Harry back his life. So you see, Severus, the score has been settled."
There was a moment of silence as Snape considered all this. Perhaps it was the light, but it almost seemed that the lines of his face, somewhat obscured beneath his long greasy black hair, were softened ever so slightly.
Dumbledore smiled. "Now of course, I expect you to continue to be as rigourous with students under your charge as you have always been. Often the sweetest lessons in life are learnt from those who demand work with sweat and offer no sugar. It would not do for Hogwarts students not to believe that our Potions Master secretly wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts position."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Headmaster, you know that in twenty years of service to this school I have never once wanted to be closer to that position than to share a cup of tea in the Faculty Commons!"
"I know, Severus, I know. But the students seem to pay so much more attention to both classes when they think you do," Dumbledore chuckled.
They sat in silence for a moment. For once Snape smiled in a way that did not appear vindictive. Freed from his hatred of Harry for the life debt, he seemed to be thinking back over various episodes of his career so far at Hogwarts. Then his demeanour darkened.
Dumbledore anticipated what Snape was thinking.
"Don't worry, Severus. Harry doesn't really know about the life debt. You convinced him it didn't exist years ago. Just take your time in training them. They will undoubtedly be surprised that you can come to treat them as equals, but after all they are no longer students. And you might eventually be surprised to discover that you and they share more than years of toil against Voldemort. I suspect that in the end you'll come to realise that you and Mr Weasley in particular have much in common."
+++++
At the Retreat House, Harry returned to the bedroom and lay down next to Ron.
"What... what's up?" Ron asked in a state of half drowsiness. He snuggled close to Harry, who kissed him gently.
"Oh, nothing. Just been taking care of a few things to make sure that I have the pleasure of waking up next to you every day for the rest of my life."
Ron snuggled closer, still mostly asleep.
"That's nice," he said.
And in the first morning of their new life together, a half-sleeping Ronald Weasley leant forward, brushed his unruly hair aside and kissed Harry Potter's scar.
The End
Epilogue
Harry awoke in the glow of morning. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Ron was holding him tightly and for the first time in his life he was completely at peace with the world. He leant over and kissed him, the man who had given him everything and made him whole.
Carefully, quietly, slowly, he got out of bed and looked at Ron. Harry found him so beautiful that he almost wanted to kiss him again. But he went to the bathroom and made the customary futile attempt to comb his hair. He sneaked through the bedroom and entered the sitting room
Hedwig glared at him and turned to the owl that sat perched near the windowsill. He moved across the room feeling that no matter what news the owl brought him, he would be able to manage because he had his Ron, his 'Weasey,' his soul mate, his love.
The owl held out its craw and Harry took a note from it. He placed five knutts in the little bag and the owl fluttered away. The envelope was addressed to "Mr and Mr Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, Sorcerer's Retreat House."
He opened it and read the letter.
'Dear Harry and Ron:
'It is my great pleasure to extend to you the well wishes and warmest compliments of the Hogwarts Faculty Recruitment Committee. In light of your dedication and breadth of knowledge, gained through years of hard work, study, and toil, we are pleased to offer you the positions of Wizards Second Class, Assistant Professors of Magic, at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. If you accept this offer of employment you may begin in two weeks to prepare for the Fall Term. Professor Severus Snape will oversee your training and progress in anticipation that you will soon join the ranks of Full-Term Professors at our esteemed institution. You may receive a modest stipend for logging in the town of Hogsmeade or you may avail yourselves of the many accommodations for teachers at Hogwarts itself.
'We look forward to your prompt reply to this invitation and offer.
'Yours sincerely,
'Professor M McGonagall,
'Assistant Headmistress
'Hogwarts.'
Harry smiled and went to the small table with the parchment, quill and ink. He got out a fresh piece of parchment and began to write.
'My Dear Professor McGonagall:
'Speaking on behalf of Mr Weasley and myself, we accept the generous offer of the Hogwarts Faculty Recruitment Committee. We will be delighted to accept the guidance and oversight of Professor Snape. Also, we will accept to take our accommodations at Hogwarts. We have determined that for the foreseeable future we shall require close co-operation on a project of mutual professional and personal advantage. Ron and I have determined that whatever the future holds, we will face it together.
'Yours obediently,
'Harry Potter'
He addressed the envelope and went to Hedwig.
"Hedwig, please deliver this at once to Professor McGonagall," he urged.
Hedwig nodded and flew out the window.
+++++
Professor Dumbledore sat in his office appearing absentmindedly to touch his wand to his forehead. As he brought the wand down into the Pensieve, silvery threads almost like floating liquid descended into the glowing pool. Portraits of former Headmasters graced the walls; some were sleeping and others were idly chatting amongst themselves moving about from frame to frame.
There was a knock at the door. Professor Snape entered. Dumbledore motioned him to a chair.
"You wished to see me, Headmaster?" Snape said in his usual oily voice.
"Yes, Severus. I wanted to talk with you about the new assistant professors. They'll be arriving in two weeks to begin training before the start of semester. I'm placing them under your tutelage until they complete their apprenticeships."
Snape didn't move. However the light in his black eyes twinkled just a bit.
"Thank you, Headmaster. It is a great honour." Snape was obviously very pleased at this promotion.
"Yes," Dumbledore continued. "Professor McGonagall and I think you have more than earned it. I have every confidence that you'll do a fine job. Congratulations, Severus."
Snape nodded and was about to thank Dumbledore again when he continued speaking.
"I especially want to mention to you a few of the new assistants in whom I have the greatest anticipation of successful careers at Hogwarts. Among them will be Professor Granger (Snape looked up), Professor R Weasley (the lines of Snape's face hardened) and Professor Potter."
His knuckles went white and his fingers dug into the arms of the chair.
"Oh, and by the way, Severus, I've been thinking about the life debt you owed Harry because his father saved your life."
Snape looked up again. Anger and resentment at Harry's very existence seethed through him.
"It struck me that you may not have realised that you actually repaid the life debt sometime ago. You see, Severus, when you and Ron had been captured by Voldemort and we all thought you were dead I don't think you ever realised how upset Harry was by it. I'm not sure anyone but myself knew it, he was doing so well trying to mask his feelings. To everyone else, he just seemed exhausted and indecisive. However, it had become clear to me some years ago that Harry and Ron share a special bond quite unique in this age. For Harry, to lose Ron would have been losing himself, almost as bad as a dementor's kiss. When you escaped from Voldemort and went back to rescue Ron you actually gave Harry back his life. So you see, Severus, the score has been settled."
There was a moment of silence as Snape considered all this. Perhaps it was the light, but it almost seemed that the lines of his face, somewhat obscured beneath his long greasy black hair, were softened ever so slightly.
Dumbledore smiled. "Now of course, I expect you to continue to be as rigourous with students under your charge as you have always been. Often the sweetest lessons in life are learnt from those who demand work with sweat and offer no sugar. It would not do for Hogwarts students not to believe that our Potions Master secretly wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts position."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Headmaster, you know that in twenty years of service to this school I have never once wanted to be closer to that position than to share a cup of tea in the Faculty Commons!"
"I know, Severus, I know. But the students seem to pay so much more attention to both classes when they think you do," Dumbledore chuckled.
They sat in silence for a moment. For once Snape smiled in a way that did not appear vindictive. Freed from his hatred of Harry for the life debt, he seemed to be thinking back over various episodes of his career so far at Hogwarts. Then his demeanour darkened.
Dumbledore anticipated what Snape was thinking.
"Don't worry, Severus. Harry doesn't really know about the life debt. You convinced him it didn't exist years ago. Just take your time in training them. They will undoubtedly be surprised that you can come to treat them as equals, but after all they are no longer students. And you might eventually be surprised to discover that you and they share more than years of toil against Voldemort. I suspect that in the end you'll come to realise that you and Mr Weasley in particular have much in common."
+++++
At the Retreat House, Harry returned to the bedroom and lay down next to Ron.
"What... what's up?" Ron asked in a state of half drowsiness. He snuggled close to Harry, who kissed him gently.
"Oh, nothing. Just been taking care of a few things to make sure that I have the pleasure of waking up next to you every day for the rest of my life."
Ron snuggled closer, still mostly asleep.
"That's nice," he said.
And in the first morning of their new life together, a half-sleeping Ronald Weasley leant forward, brushed his unruly hair aside and kissed Harry Potter's scar.
The End