Thank you once again for the favs, follows and even a few very kind reviews. I have enjoyed playing in this particular sandbox and hope to return one day.

Harry, Sev and all their magic belong to JKR

When twenty-five year old Harry awoke, the first thing he noticed was that he was not on the couch in Snape's quarters. Instead, he was ensconced on a comfortable bed under a fluffy duvet. He should have known Severus wouldn't leave him on a couch for days. The second thing he noticed was his wife, Ginny, asleep in a chair next to the bed. He pushed himself up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and without even bothering to search for his glasses, enveloped his beloved wife in his arms. "Ginny!" He sobbed into her hair.

Ginny was startled from her sleep by the actions of her husband. She returned his embrace reflexively. "Harry, thank goodness you're alright! We've been so worried about you these past few days!" They spent several minutes like that, just holding on to one another. Ginny wasn't certain what had Harry so upset, but she was happy to offer whatever comfort he needed. "You should rest, love. I'll go tell the others you're awake." She kissed his forehead and left the room.

Harry sat quietly on the edge of the bed, watching the door and wondering what more had changed. No sooner had the thought occurred to him than the memories rushed in. The onslaught was almost painful as new memories formed alongside the old. Each set was as real as the other, and both demanded his attention.

He remembered running from the Dursleys and knowing they had been killed, but he also remembered staying until the summer after his sixth year and helping them go into hiding. He remembered Umbridge's Muggle Born Registration Act, but he also knew she had ultimately been sentenced to years in Azkaban for the use of a dark object against children. It was a confused jumble, but he knew that they had succeeded. They had not saved everyone. Overwhelmed by the temptation of the resurrection stone, Dumbledore still put the ring on and he still died that night on the Astronomy Tower. He could remember trying to duel Snape as he fled Hogwarts with Bellatrix Lestrange. He could see Sirius falling through the veil, but he also remembered spending weeks with him the summer between fifth and sixth year. Alastor lived, as did Remus and Tonks. George still lost his ear, but Fred survived. He knew that all but two of the Horcruxes were found and destroyed before Voldemort realized the danger he was in. The rest played out much like it had the first time. There was a terrible battle at Hogwarts, but this time Voldemort's forces did not crush their opponents. That memory was one of the most difficult. Side-by-side in his mind were images of the dead littering the Great Hall, only the faces changed.

He remembered walking into the forest accompanied only by the spirits of his parents, ready to face his destiny. He remembered the odd, in-between place that resembled Kings Cross Station, and he remembered the way Voldemort ultimately died. But one face refused to present itself in his later memories. He could not see Severus and he felt sick with fear.

"It is a side effect of the potion." Harry's heart leapt at the sound of the voice.

"Severus!" He exclaimed. He jumped from his place and strode across the room to greet the man.

The friends shared the embrace of survivors, each of them knowing that only the other truly understood what had happened, what they had risked, and how they had succeeded.