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Chapter 4 - Purgatory

"There have been several wars since Grindelwald's/World War II" McGonagall began. "You just haven't heard about them because you are a Muggleborn and one living in Britain where the books are controlled. Albus controlled what was printed and the Ministry – with Albus' permission – only allowed the reporting of certain news."

"Voldie wasn't the only person who opposed Dumbledamn" Neville of all people stated. "You only hear about Voldie because Dumbledamn declared it a war. My Grandfather and Great Grandfather opposed him in the Wizengamot and even Charlus Potter – the father of James Potter – and if you didn't agree with him, you got the reputation of being a Death Eater or anti-Light."

"That's ridiculous" Hermione snapped back. "You don't know what you are talking about as James Potter was one of Dumbledore's most faithful followers and so was his father."

"Actually he wasn't. Charlus hated Dumbledore especially after his only son and heir turned against his own Father to follow Albus. Of course James was just like Sirius – rebelling against his family and heritage. Both men, no boys in the end, were the same. They were used to privilege, wealth, power and pleasure and knew they could – and did – get away with anything they wanted" McGonagall informed her.

"When I was walking the gauntlet" the old witch began "I was shown all the things that had been done against me. The worse was the lies told to me by…Albus…and I believed them." McGonagall looked as if she was starting to cry.

Suddenly an all too familiar voice interrupted the witch by saying 'If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed' which was a view of one Adolph Hitler." The rich, deep voice of Severus Snape got the attention of the two witches and they turned to see him coming their way accompanied by a rather beautiful red-haired woman who he was trying to ignore.

"Professor Snape you look dreadful" Hermione said, staring at his neck which had been torn out by Nagini.

"Well you are nothing to praise either the way you look" he snapped back. "Tell me did your 'beloved Ron' finally show you what he truly thought of you? At least I died…heroically…it could be said by some."

"Yes you did" stated McGonagall. "We all hated you when you killed Albus. He never left any instructions or even a clue about what he planned and we all thought you were a traitor."

"Of course you did" he snapped back. "That was one of his nefarious plans. He told me it was for that infernal 'Greater Good' if all thought I was truly on the Dark Lord's side. However, even then I knew he was laughing to himself at the 'prank' he was playing, causing me grief, ruining my reputation and torturing my already damaged soul."

"Oh yes, Albus Dumbledore tortured so many as I personally know so well" added the redhead.

"And how many people did YOU torture my supposed 'greatest and only love'" he snarled out viciously.

"Now Sev, you know I didn't have a chance to know better until it was too late. I was potioned by a certain someone" she stated glaring at McGonagall "On the orders of that miserable old man, and all of my so-called 'good friends' were in on it. Like you I didn't have a chance" she whined.

"Well you eventually did find out, didn't you now. You could have sent me a short note after you did but no…by then you were 'in on it' weren't you?"

She hung her head in shame. They had already had this conversation the moment he arrived in Purgatory and he purposely repeated it for the benefit of Hermione and McGonagall. She had tried to explain why but he had walked through his gauntlet and found out the truth. In fact he found out a lot more than he wanted to and it had naturally broke his now cold heart again.

Hermione figured out that this had to be Lily Potter, Harry's mother. Like Harry, she had been indoctrinated to believe that Lily Evans and James Potter had a love story for the ages and that Severus Snape was so jealous that the "better man had won" that he took it out on poor Harry. Then she made another mistake as she turned on her former professor with all the vitriol she possessed.

McGonagall had wisely tried, but failed, to stop her, while Lily looked on in appreciation, which only spurred Hermione onto more chastisement until Snape had had enough. Apparently, he at least, still retained some of his magical power and of the sort which he had never shown to the pompous girl. Purgatory itself shook as the man vented his spleen on the girl as those surrounding them quickly left the area as fast as possible.

Her walk through the gauntlet concentrated on things concerning her and what other people had done or not done to her only. In other words, she didn't know what she was talking about concerning the real relationship between Lily and Snape until the man lashed out at her and informed her of some very important things, some of which McGonagall hadn't known about. When he finished, the shaking stopped but not Hermione Jane Granger.

"I don't believe you" she stated confidently.

This was the point where McGonagall and Lily ran for it especially when Hermione began pontificating why she didn't believe him. As she rambled on she failed to notice that Severus Snape was fighting for self-control until at last he interrupted her and in a deadly whisper that would have sent a dragon running asked "Are…you…calling…me…a…liar?"

She didn't miss a beat and simply replied "Well if the shoe fits – and I believe it does in this situation – EVERYBODY KNOWS…."

She didn't get to finish that condemning (and totally stupid) statement as Snape let out a yell that could have been a cry from the damned residing in Hell! He then rose in the air as winds started swirling around them and the shaking again began but this time it was worse than before. Who knew what he would have said or done if good old Pope John hadn't come flying in and stopped the angry man. That done, he turned to Hermione with an unaccustomed glare on his saintly face.

"This might only be just Purgatory BUT," he paused trying to control himself "Once one has walked the gauntlet and been consigned, LYING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO."

"However, some sins are still committed by those who…how do I put it…ah yes - NEVER LEARN!"

He quickly got control and added "Apparently you were not listening to the gauntlet as while in Purgatory, one is given a chance to atone for some of their sins in various ways. But sometimes overwhelming hubris and stubbornness remains in certain people – like you. You have set your atonement back due to your foolishness and insulting Severus and…."

"Well he was LYING – I know he was" she whined "So no doubt his atonement has been sent back even further than mine is."

"Do you finally see some of the things I had to put up with?" Snape asked the Pope.

The Pope sighed and said "Calming you down and trying to put some COMMON SENSE and not WIZARDING SENSE into this girl was secondary to my main reason for coming here." He raised his hand and Minerva McGonagall came floating back followed by Lily (who hadn't been summoned but was just curious).

"Minerva," he began gently, "The MOST HIGH has made a decision. It is not His plan for the Muggle and Magical worlds to end, especially in the way it is heading so…."

"So He is sending me back to fix things?" Hermione smugly asked. Without waiting for an answer she added "I am so glad that He finally realized that only I can…."

"Would you like me to strangle her for you since you are a saint and shouldn't be doing such things no matter how much you want to?" Snape politely asked. He received a "huff" of disapproval from the girl but a very slight thoughtful glance from the Pope who seemed to consider it for a nano second before saying, "No…that will not be necessary." He then placed a silencing charm on the girl.

"Hermione, under no circumstances will you be going back, unless it is to live again. Instead, Minerva and her…husband…will return to an earlier time to try and fix things. Even if they succeed, you and some others might not be born. In any event, if and when you or others suddenly disappear from Purgatory, it will mean that they have returned to a certain timeline. It also may mean that they have never existed or at least in the life they had lived such as Lily and Severus."

That said, he and Minerva McGonagall disappeared from Purgatory.

Lily and even Severus Snape were estatic as they just might be able to live a different life or, in Snape's case, not even be born. He wouldn't mind it as then he would not have suffered the pain of living the life he had been dealt. Perhaps he would be sent back but to another life. He might not even be a wizard but as long as he had decent parents and a chance, he wouldn't mind. All things considered, he might prefer it.

Now all they could do was wait. Eventually they both did disappear.

Hermione didn't and wondered why.

The End

Note: There might be a sequel- someday.