Harry had no answer. He looked to his wife Ginny, already knowing what she would ask. She would want Fred back and Tonks and Remus. His gaze passed from her to his best mates and from them to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He knew what he wanted, but was it right? He glanced towards the books and then down to his children. He didn't know what the books were about, but he was certain there was information in there that he had never intended to tell them. Things he hadn't even told his friends were probably in those books. He looked over to where George and Fred sat with Ginny's younger self. Then his gaze travelled to the head table where they met the twinkling glint of his old Headmaster. It was obvious what he thought, but Harry didn't want Albus's opinion. His eyes traveled over the row of teachers until they landed on the pale, greasy form of his old Potions Master, Severus Snape. The man who had hated him with nearly every fiber of his being and despite that had given everything to protect him from meeting the same fate as his parents.

"Professor Snape? May I have a word with you?" he asked. He didn't wait for a reply. He wasn't certain that Snape would refuse. "Don't introduce anyone yet, Gin. I'm not certain what I want to do." With those parting words Harry walked out of the hall Severus Snape following a moment later.

Harry entered the first door that he came across and strode straight to the window pressing his hands against the sill and staring down onto the Hogwarts grounds. He didn't see the blue sky or the birds flitting around in the courtyard. Instead, Harry watched his own ghosts play out an old war on the front steps. He saw the bodies of fellow school mates strewn across the yard staring up at the heavens unmoving. He saw the rubble tumble from the battlements and the flying buttresses littering the ground, blood stained. He could hear the screaming, the pleading for the pain to end. Watched as Ginny leaned over a fellow student who begged her to allow her to go home, she didn't want to fight anymore, the pain in her stomach was to much, she just wanted to go home. A sharp click drew him from his dark thoughts and his mind turned from the shadows of his past to his present conflict. Silence reigned as Harry tried to put his thoughts together.

"Well Potter?" Severus sneered.

"I used to think of you as an overgrown bat you know? Well I still do technically," Harry began letting out a humorless laugh. "I used to think that their couldn't be two more opposite people than you and I. A sign of my youth and ignorance. There could not be two people more alike, than us."

"Don't compare myself to you Potter," Snape snapped.

Harry finally turned to look at him. "I was in fifth year, this year in fact, when I discovered that you and my mother used to be friends. I spent years mulling that over in my head trying to understand why she could befriend a heartless, bastard such as yourself."

Snape glared at Harry with cold fury. His hands clenched he opened his mouth to speak, but Harry beat him to the punch. "I will have my say Severus. I've been sitting on this for nearly fifteen years and it needs to be said," he snapped then cocked his head and studied the potions master. "Last year the first victim of a new war died and I saw my parents murderer come back to life. Cedric will not be the last death. So many die. That's what I was doing when you walked in - watching the battle unfold. It happened right down there, you know, in the courtyard," Harry pointed. "I blamed you for so much of it. It wasn't till the end that I realized what role you did play. How could I have ever thought him heartless when he loved my mother so deeply? How could I have thought him heartless when he spent my whole life trying to protect me?" Harry paused to look at the man in curiosity. Snape seemed unable to fully grasp what Harry was telling him. There was shock and confusion on his face shadowed with anger and most of all sadness. "It took time, but I finally understood. My mother saw the brave Gryffindor you could have been had you chosen that path - Oh, yes, I know about you sorting. Another similarity between us. You chose Slytherin over Gryffindor, while I chose Gryffindor."

"So, first I would like to say I apologize for some of things I've said over the years, and in your case some things I will say. Looking back I could see how they might have been especially hurtful for you to hear. Secondly, I would like your advice. Well, mostly, in this case I would like the advice of my mother, her being the voice of reason between the two of them, and that's where you come in Severus. You who knew my mother perhaps better than anyone in that room would know best what she would do or say in my position."

Snape starred at him. It was a long few moments an Harry could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out what his angle was. "She would have read the books. Lilly would never pass up an opportunity to save a life," he sighed.

"No she wouldn't, would she?" Harry agreed with a soft smile. "One last thing Severus. What would my mother say to you, if she saw you today? If she forgave you, as I know she would, would you be her friend again. Would you put aside your hatred for my father so that you could continue to be her friend? Be the sibling of her heart as she had thought of you? Oh, yes, Severus, my mother loved you, but it was the love of a sibling. The need to protect you from your family and to fill the space that Petunia was leaving. I found her diary you see when I took over the estates. I would very much like the brother of my mothers heart to be a member of my family Severus. If you would like to read the diary, let me know I will tell you where you can find it. I simply want your word that you will leave it there. No need to give me an answer now, just think it over."

"Why?"

Harry smiled ruefully, "because we're the abandoned boys. You, me and Voldemort. The boys with no family who found a home at Hogwarts and for the two of us, we also found a family, but you- you turned away from your family and held onto grudges and your hate and you walked the path Voldemort walked. But you loved still and that is what saved you from becoming a similar atrocity. So knowing that there is some good in you, that there was a chance that you could be more than a shadow, my mother would never forgive me if I turned away from her friend, and I would never forgive myself."

Harry stood and left the room leaving behind a thoroughly surprised Severus Snape. After a few moment he followed behind the young man still determined to hate him, lilies voice ringing in his ears.

Harry entered the Great Hall and headed straight for Ginny. With one last thoughtful look at his children he turned to look up at Professor Dumbledore and smiled. "I want to read the books," he announced. He felt Ginny sag into his side with relief and the happy but doubtful look Hermione was giving him.

"Very well," Dumbledore said sitting up a little straighter. "Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourselves then we will see about getting you settled in here at Hogwarts for your stay. Minerva any guests that show up, you can just bring them straight up to my office. I think we can begin later this evening, just after dinner and the staff can come up with a regular schedule that won't completely hinder everyone's education," Dumbledore grinned.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," Harry agreed. "Well, as you already know, I'm Harry Potter. This is my wife Ginny Potter previously Weasley." Harry had to bite back a laugh at the looks teenage Ron, Fred, and George were sending his younger blushing self and the bright faced young Ginny. "These are our children. My oldest, James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter…"

"WHAT?!" The word was echoed by both his younger self and Severus Snape.

Harry sent both of them a glare and then continued. "...And this is Lily Luna Potter."

"You named her after me?" Luna asked from the Ravenclaw table.

"I did," Harry nodded and then turned to Ron and Hermione.

"Well I'm Ron Weasley," Ron announced waving selfconciously to the crowd.

"I'm Hermione Weasley."

"Oh God," the younger Hermione moaned dropping her head into her folded arms. Sitting beside her Ron looked uncomfortable, drained of all color and a pleased expression on his face, he was trying to decide if he should comfort Hermione or not.

"These are our children," Hermione sniffed. "Rose and Hugo."

"I'm Arthur Weasley," he waved uncertainly. "This is my wife, Molly Weasley."

"Great not just another potty, but more weasels too," Malfoy sneered from the Slytherin table.

"Grow up, Draco," Harry snapped before his younger self or either Ron could make a comment. In the future Draco turned out to be a bit better than his father, though he was still a Pureblood righteous git. "You're a bit old to be acting like your three. " Malfoy's face turned a pretty shade of pink, but he said nothing in return.

"Professor McGonagall will you please show them where they can stay?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Of course Headmaster," she replied standing up from her seat a sweeping down the steps toward them. The last thing Harry noticed as he herded his children out the door was the furious expression of Dolores Jane Umbridge.