A/N: We've reached the end of this story. For some of you, I know that you'll likely be disappointed as I clearly overpromised on including many scenes with Harry/Luna and Draco/Hermione. I apologize for this. Like always, the best intentions end up going awry. When I started this fic many moons ago, I had this amazing idea to show a different way of thinking on how things ended, showing the severe emotional scars that everyone felt and the effects of these events. However, as I continued, my plot bunnies started to go awry, and I lost my way for a bit before I went under a much-needed rewrite to regain my focus for this story. While this story did not include nearly enough Harry/Luna and Draco/Hermione and the effects of the war on their relationships and themselves, I did do this for Severus/Aurora, who is my main and primary pairing. I'll cut this short before I bore you all to tears. To those of you who have stuck with me through this all, thank you. I truly appreciate each and every single one of you for giving me the energy needed in order to complete this story. I made a promise long ago when I started writing that I would finish every fic I started, and I'm glad to see that I was able to keep that promise with this fic. Thank you for reading.

Rising from the Ashes

Leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed as he wore his elegant dress robes, Severus watched his wife brush through her curls as she finished getting ready. At the sounds of soft noises coming from Aurora's right, though, both parents glanced at the crib.

"Well, look who woke up finally," Aurora teased, oblivious to Severus watching her. Setting her brush down on the nearby counter next to the Prophet that had the headline "Fallen from Grace" with a photo of a remorseful Albus Dumbledore in Azkaban, she gently walked over to their son's crib and picked him up. She smiled down at the young infant, cradling his head tenderly. "How was your nap, love? All ten minutes of it," she said with a laugh. When Luke grabbed a bit of her hair that had been swinging near him and tugged hard a moment later, she let out a muffled pain cry. "Okay, love, you've made your point. Mummy won't bring it up again, since it's obviously a touchy subject." Luke giggled instantly. "Daddy's boy," she drawled, the laughter heard in her voice.

Severus took that moment to announce his presence. "You say that as if there is something wrong with him being my son, Aurora?" He gave her a faint smile when she turned around towards him.

"Not at all," she replied honestly. A moment later, she handed Luke carefully over to his father. "By the way, your potion sort of sucks, Severus." Her wrinkles had returned now, but her wide smile deepened them just enough to give her a youthful look again.

He frowned instantly. She was not going to let him live that down ever. How was he supposed to know that the boysenberries had been contaminated before he had purchased them? He wasn't a Seer!

"It's a good thing our covers were blown long ago," she continued. "Otherwise, this would have been awkward."

"Yes, because you never make mistakes," he replied moodily, "ever."

"You're right. I don't, because I'm perfect." She gave a slight head shake to make her hair flourish out dramatically before she burst out laughing.

"Says the woman who left our son unattended in our rooms," he pointed out.

"That was one time!"

"So was this," he declared forcefully. "And, for the record, had it not been for the boysenberries having been expired, it was a perfect potion."

"That would have crapped out on us two months prior to the end of the school year," she stated.

"What does this even matter anyway? You never turned in your paper as it was. So there."

Luke kept watching his parents as if attending a tennis match.

"You always have to be the last one, don't you?" she asked in a rather bored tone.

"Of course. How else am I to win?" he drawled.

"Winning isn't everything, my dear husband."

"It helped me win you," he said cockily with a shrug.

"Because you cheated and sabotaged all of my dates!"

"Not all of them. Just most. And they weren't good enough for you. You deserved better."

"Says you," she drawled. "I could've been the wife to the Minister of Magic. But, no, instead, I'm married to the headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Ah-ha. I knew it!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You are an ambitious snake, forked tongue and all."

"Well, I have to keep up with my husband somehow."

Severus snorted, glancing down at his son. When he caught Luke fast asleep again, he shook his head and sighed. That would work wonders on his self-esteem, knowing that his playful banter with Aurora would put their son fast asleep.

"Is he out again?" Aurora asked quietly.

"Unfortunately," he replied.

"I wonder if it'll be another fifteen minute nap like last time."

Fifteen minute naps for an infant, however, were sure to kill them, he had decided long ago. Why on earth had he wanted to have children again? When Luke brushed up against his sleeve a moment later and quickly turned his head to suckle on it, the new father silently chuckled. His son was certainly adorable on second thought. His eyes then swept over to his wife, finally noticing the floor-length emerald dress she was wearing.

"Absolutely exquisite," he remarked, his smile deepening as she glanced down with red cheeks.

"Seems like you can teach an old dog new tricks," she said with a laugh, meeting his eyes.

He shrugged. "You may have had a perfectly valid theory when you claimed in your paper that if given a second chance in one's past, one is able to correct himself enough to alter the things that have been so deeply engrained into his well-being over time."

"In other words, your alter ego Toby rubbed off on you."

"Yes." His explanation was much more elegantly worded, he thought.

"Well, you're not the only one. Celes certainly made an impact on me as well." Her eyes then glanced down at their son. "We should get going," she said quietly.

"Just a moment," he replied, glancing down at their son as well. He thought for a second about handing Luke back to Aurora before he decided instead to set their son back into his crib.

"Severus?"

"Just a moment, please." Once Luke was back in his crib, Severus dug into his pocket, pulling out two small silver wedding rings. He held out his own wedding band to her. "Seems a shame since we are now back to our correct ages that these are not on our fingers yet, doesn't it?" He caught her smile instantly and held his left hand out to her, waiting as she slid his simple silver wedding band into place. He then did the same to her, the silver snake adorned in emeralds sliding up her left ring finger tenderly. Once her wedding ring was back on her finger, he let out a content sigh before noticing her look. "What? I wasn't about to let you go out there looking like that without our wedding rings on."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Actually, I was thinking that it was about time we started wearing our rings again." She then leaned back over their son's crib and picked him up.

"You fed him earlier, didn't you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing on Luke who slowly woke up.

"Of course I did. And I've got some bottles for later in the bag on the counter. Why?"

"Just wondering." One worry down, a hundred more to go. They left for the door soon after, Severus pausing for only a moment to grab the overstuffed bag full of everything he hoped they'd need.

As they stood near the white marble obelisk, Severus caught Aurora's hand gently running over a name. He resituated Luke in his arms and stepped closer to her.

"You added her," Aurora whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"It didn't feel right not to," he replied. "Our daughter was one of the fallen after all." He watched his wife draw in a shaky breath before she closed her eyes, her fingers resting against their daughter's etched-in name. She then pulled back a moment later, glancing at him through unshed tears.

"Thank you."

He nodded stiffly, following her towards their parents who stood off to the side near a row of white chairs for the spectators.

"All right there, lovely?" Tobias asked her kindly, giving his son a confused look.

Aurora dabbed at her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm fine." She then forced a polite smile at Eileen, who watched her with a look Severus couldn't identify.

Sighing a moment later, Eileen turned away to turn her attention onto her son. "You're late."

"You may blame your grandson for that, Mother, as he seemed to believe that screaming murder while going through a security line full of Aurors is the appropriate thing to do," Severus drawled.

Eileen waved away his excuse, though, holding her hands out towards her grandson. "Well, let me have him already, will you?" she said sharply. "Honestly. How is a grandmother supposed to spoil her first of many grandchildren when his father won't release him?"

"Actually, Eileen, I believe you had your turn already," Orin said, cutting in a moment later with his arms outstretched towards the young infant. "So, it's my turn."

Severus frowned, giving a quick look at Aurora. And so it began. Grandparents fighting over whose turn it was.

"I beg your pardon?" Eileen replied, rather outraged. "Just what exactly gives you the right to hold my grandson? Hmm?" She crossed her arms, giving Orin a hard look. "And don't say it's because of your daughter, because I assure you, spreading your legs for a man is hardly an accomplishment."

"You got old again, son," Tobias remarked quietly, seemingly ignoring his wife and Orin fighting over Luke. He then gave a cheeky grin to Aurora. "You, lovely, haven't aged a day. Still as gorgeous and youthful as ever. What are ya again, twenty-five?"

Aurora laughed softly, rolling her eyes. "Always the flirt, aren't you, Tobias?"

"Well, someone's got to be in this family, and it sure as hell ain't Severus," Tobias replied, as he stepped closer to her and gave her a quick kiss to her cheek. He then stepped back and jerked his head towards the memorial. "Hope it helps heal the wounds here, give everyone a sense of closure. Though, the way I been readin', it seems you been doin' that pretty well by yerself, son."

"I did what anyone would, given the circumstances," Severus said quietly.

"Eh, not so sure makin' yerselves younger again is what others would do, but," Tobias shrugged, "whatever floats yer boat."

Severus groaned inwardly. "I meant after I returned—"

Tobias chuckled loudly, holding a hand up. "I know what ya meant, son. Jeez. I see, ya didn't get yer sense of humor back." He then glanced at Aurora. "Sure ya want to be married to this guy the rest of yer life, beautiful?"

Aurora smiled back, her eyes sparkling radiantly. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Tobias."

He chuckled again before he glanced at Eileen and Orin, who were still bickering. "They'll be at this all night for certain."

Taking a step towards his father, Severus decided right then who would be holding Luke during the ceremony. "How about you watch him for us, Dad?" he asked quietly, catching his father's surprise instantly. "You're the only one here who isn't going mad over him after all."

Nodding excitedly, Tobias carefully grabbed him out of his son's hands, resting the small infant against his shoulder a moment later. "Ain't you a looker, Luke?" He then laughed and shook his head, as Eileen and Orin turned and noticed Luke in Tobias's arms with matching frowns. "Grandpa's gonna have to show ya all the ways to break the ladies' hearts when yer older, ain't he?" When Luke yawned and made a soft adorable noise, Tobias snorted. "On second thought, yer a natural, obviously. Get that from yer mum . . . and maybe yer daddy, too, if ya believe the things the girls have been sayin' lately."

Severus blinked. "What?"

"Well, not to gossip or nothin', but some of the girls at yer school have been tellin' that newspaper of yers all about how yer—what were the words again—sex god or somethin' bein' all young and stuff? That if Rora wouldn't have been here with ya, that they might have made their move. Course, that was all before they figured out who ya really were."

Craning his head to the side, Severus winced, feeling his stomach roll. The idea of students lusting after him like a piece of meat was so unsettling. His eyes then caught the sudden movement to his left, causing him to glance towards the couple.

"Hello, Headmaster," Harry said to him before he turned to Aurora, "Professor." The young man wore a simple black suit with a navy tie to match Luna's dress, Severus noted idly.

Luna smiled at both of them in return as she held Harry's hand silently. Her dress was sky blue at the top and feathered out, becoming a darker shade of blue the further down it went.

"How are you, Mister Potter, Miss Lovegood?" Severus asked politely.

"Good," Harry replied. "Um, Luna told me about some plant or something, and I've been headache-free since, well, since a day after Luke was born, I guess."

Severus glanced at the young Ravenclaw. A plant had cured Potter of his headaches?

"It's nothing sinister, sir," Luna said softly. "Only Cazera extracts. Which I give to him as needed with his morning tea." She beamed brightly. "The extracts actually have been doing quite nicely, Madam Pomfrey says. His scars are starting to heal somewhat as well."

Severus caught Harry's uneasiness at once as the young man tugged on his collar slightly. "I see. Well then, good for you, Mister Potter. I wish you all the best."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said with a genuine smile.

"So," Aurora began, "have either of you given much thought to what you'll do now? After Hogwarts, I mean?"

Harry nodded politely, glancing at Luna and sharing a faint smile with her. "We have."

Severus sighed inwardly when he saw the look on Harry's face right then. "The Aurors will be honored to hear of your decision, Mister Potter," he stated quietly, trying his best to keep the disappointment out of his voice. The young man could have been so much more than an Auror.

Giving a soft laugh, Harry shook his head, though. "I don't know about that, sir. Not many people feel honored to be turned down a second time."

"You're not going to be an Auror then?" Aurora asked confused.

"No actually." Harry shrugged somewhat. "Luna helped me realize that I can do whatever I want now. That I don't have to be my father's replacement anymore, you know? So, I'm going to take some time and figure out who I want to be. And at this point, I know that I don't want to be an Auror."

If Severus were a different man, he'd have jumped for joy right then. The boy finally understood that he didn't have to be anyone other than Harry for once now. As it was, though, he merely inclined his head respectfully towards the young man.

"So, about these magical plants of yers," Tobias asked Luna suddenly.

Luna brightened up instantly. "Cazera extracts. They're very handy for many ailments." She then turned towards Severus. "Perhaps Professor Sinistra could give some to you to take, sir," Luna suggested. "I have quite enough to share, if you'd like to try it?"

To try some extract he never heard of? Severus smiled politely and shook his head. "No thank you, Miss Lovegood. I'm quite all right."

"It's quite invigorating actually, sir." Luna then dug into her purse before she pulled out two crimson leaves and handed it to Aurora. "The directions are rather simple. You have to be the one to administer it into his tea, Professor. The leaves will dissolve naturally, so it's as if it was never there in the first place. Except the bluish hue, but that only lasts for a moment or two."

Severus caught Aurora's hesitant smile before she grabbed the leaves and nodded. "Thank you, Luna. I'll see if I can get him talked into it later."

The dishwater blond's smile grew even more. "Excellent. I think you'll quite enjoy the results. I know Harry and I have."

And just like that Harry gave a forced laugh before he gently pulled Luna away from them and walked to the other side of the area.

"Was she insinuating . . .?" Aurora started to ask before Tobias cut in.

"That she was, lovely. That she was," Tobias said with an appreciative whistle. "If you two ain't gonna use them, though, El and I might."

Grimacing, Severus frowned. That was something he did not ever need to hear in his life. Though, what else was new? His parents always overshared such things.

"Uh-oh. Blonde at yer two o'clock, son," Tobias suddenly warned.

Oh, Merlin, what did Luna forget now? Severus turned that way, only to realize that it wasn't Luna approaching.

"Headmaster Snape," Draco politely said before he inclined his head to Aurora, "Professor Sinistra." He then tugged at his sleeves, clearly uncomfortable as he wore a black button-down shirt with black slacks.

"Hello, Professors," Hermione quietly said beside him. She looked absolutely stunning in her knee-high black dress.

Severus inclined his head towards them.

"I suppose you heard the news, then, sir?" Draco asked. "About the deal I've been offered from the Aurors?" he added a moment later.

Biting back a sigh, Severus shook his head. "I had not heard anything of the sort, I'm afraid."

Draco gave him a faint smile, though. "It's all right, sir. I understand. I can only imagine what it must be like to run a school while juggling a family at this point." He then shook his head as well. "In short, the Aurors offered me six months house arrest with five years of probation for my activities while being a Death Eater."

"You've accepted then?" Severus knew the answer. It was written all over the young man's face, the regret and trepidation.

"I have." Draco then glanced at Hermione and gave her a familiar smile. "It's the right thing to do, as it's a way to wipe the slate clean and start again."

Six months house arrest with five years of probation for foolishly joining the Dark Lord and getting himself in too deep, as so many others before him had done so? Six months he would lose, but, it seemed, as if Granger was willing to stand beside him. And Severus knew that having someone willing to stand with you made all the difference in the world.

"I made a mistake. You tried to point that out to me, but I wouldn't listen," Draco said, clearly unhappy with himself. "I'm ready to face the punishment for my crimes." His somber eyes trailed over to a few of the families who were searching the obelisk for their loved ones' names etched into the white marble. "It's the least I can do now."

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he saw the approaching redhead. He knew the moment Granger's shoulders hunched up defensively, that she too knew Ronald Weasley was approaching them. He thought about stepping aside with Aurora to give Draco and Hermione privacy when they spoke with Weasley, but the memory of Weasley striking Granger kept playing in his head.

"Uh, hey," Ron said weakly, glancing down rather ashamed of himself. "I, I won't make this long. Promise. It's just, I, well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry." He then raised his head. His eyes held a pained look in them now. "I'm sorry, Hermione. You got to believe me. I, I didn't mean to hurt you like that. Any of it. I—no, I won't even waste my breath and try to explain it, because what I did to you was inexcusable. I'm sorry, Hermione. Really. I am." He then turned to Draco. "I realize you probably want to kill me still, and that's fair. I just, um, I wanted to thank you for being there for her."

It was strange to witness. Weasley apologizing to Granger and then offering his gratitude to Malfoy? Severus wondered if he had already drank the Cazera leaves.

"She deserves the best, someone who makes her happy, and, hell, that seems to be you, Malfoy. It was always you if we're being honest. So, um, I won't bother you two anymore. I just wanted to tell you that." He then nodded, turning around to head back towards his parents.

"Hey, Weasley," Draco yelled out, causing the young man to stop. He then sighed before he held his hand out. When Ron took it a moment later and they shook hands, Draco nodded silently at him before he turned away and led Hermione to their seats.

Severus's eyes followed Weasley as he walked back to his parents a moment later before they took their seats as well. While it seemed odd to witness, he knew that it was a necessary step towards their continued healing. Acceptance and moving on. He turned back to the memorial. Those were the reasons they were all gathered there today.

Once Aurora was seated and Severus had noticed the rest of the crowd had done the same, he walked up to the small podium. He drew in a deep breath and spoke, calling forth the first speaker.

As Harry made his way to the podium several speakers later, Severus noted that the young man seemed as uneasy about public speaking as he himself was. They nodded to one another in silent understanding before Severus sat beside his wife again and Harry began.

"Someone who is wise beyond her years once told me after I lost my godfather that the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end." He paused for a moment. "Just not always in the way we expect." He smiled. "At the time, I admit I didn't get her meaning. I thought it was just nonsense, as I'm sure some of you are thinking right now." Harry smile thinned. "I understand what she meant now, though, after this year." He glanced at the memorial. "That as long as we remember them in our hearts, they'll never be gone fully because they become a part of us." He let out a somber sigh.

Severus felt Aurora gently slip her hand into his as Harry took a moment to think through his thoughts. Having read Harry's speech beforehand, he knew that the young man had a few more paragraphs to go yet.

"But that doesn't mean we should live our lives trying to replace them, though, of lessening others' pains by sacrificing ourselves instead. That's another thing I learned this year," Harry said as he glanced down at his hands before he forced himself to look out at the crowd. "You see, all this time, I've heard how similar I am to my parents. How I have my mother's eyes."

The familiar ache at hearing someone refer to Lily returned, softer than usual, for Severus.

"My father's tendencies to break the rules." A few people joined Harry in a quiet laugh. "I don't know how it came to be, but at some point I felt like I had to be more like them just to help ease the pain of their deaths. Let's be honest for a moment. If you look at my life compared to my parents', there are so many striking similarities between us. Which I thought was a good thing at the time. But it's not. You lose yourself. Trust me." He sighed, glancing down at the podium.

The honesty in Harry's voice was so overwhelming. One couldn't deny that he was speaking the truth about his actions over the years. Severus drew in a shallow breath as he waited for Harry to continue, wishing he could have had the chance to right all the wrongs in the boy's past, in their pasts.

"I want you to know that I will never forget their sacrifices, your sacrifices, for me." The pained green eyes looked out at the crowd somberly, full of regret. "All last year, in fact, when we were following Professor Dumbledore's plan, I would latch onto any information about this place I could get. About all of you and what you were facing here. There was a point—Hermione can attest to this—where I thought about just casting it all aside and joining all of you in overthrowing Professor Snape and his terrible regime."

Severus thanked Merlin that hadn't been the case. He was unsure of how he would have protected Harry then. He supposed if push came to shove, he'd have cast aside his mask then and revealed himself to all. Though, it likely would have meant certain death for him then.

"That's another thing I learned this year," Harry continued. "That everything I thought I knew was wrong. Severus Snape is a hero, something of which I will continue to say until everyone knows it. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, was the greatest chess master of people's lives ever." Harry gave a scornful huff. The disdain and sourness quickly swept over the young man's face.

While he shared Harry's sentiments, Severus also had the experience to know that Albus had not truly wanted to hurt people as he had. Deep down, the old man did care about them. Or perhaps that was just the line Severus was telling himself these days.

"Anyway, getting back on track here, last year taught all of us that everything can change in an instant. That nothing in life is for certain. That we all need to cherish every single waking moment with one another, because in a blink of an eye they could be gone." He drew in a shaky breath, his eyes slowly trailing over to the obelisk. "I will not let their deaths be in vain. Nor will I remain lost in our shared painful past anymore, letting our future slip away. Will you?" Without another word, Harry turned and briefly rested a hand against the cool marble of the obelisk before he swept back into the crowd, taking his seat next to Luna again.

Severus rose a moment later, joining the crowd in clapping as he approached the podium. His eyes swept over the parchment that listed the speakers in order, finding the next name before he announced it to the crowd.

When Severus announced his wife's name two speakers later, Aurora silently rose and walked to the small podium that he had been standing at previously. Glancing out at all the staff and students who were sitting in the audience, she felt her heart lurch into her throat, causing her to glance down at her prepared speech. Regardless of whatever Severus had said to her earlier, the words seemed empty, hollow, now that the moment was finally there. She closed her eyes. They all needed to hear their story, the one they created together this year that was forged from blood and tears. He was correct in that. So, with that in mind, she listened to the words in her heart and spoke them for everyone to hear.

"One year ago today," she loudly announced, "we found ourselves standing shoulder-to-shoulder, ready to defend our home from evil. And so we did. Together." She drew in a slow breath, seeing the pain in some of her students' eyes. "However, we know these acts of tremendous courage didn't come without a cost. All of us lost family, friends, or acquaintances. That left our hearts collectively broken.

"We soon found ourselves wondering why this tragedy had happened to us. What we had done to deserve this ache in our hearts now. For some of us, we've discovered those answers this past year. For those of you who haven't, the answer is quite simply this; we didn't do anything to deserve that pain. Nor did our loved ones or friends. We're survivors who were caught up in a madman's quest for power."

She pressed her lips tightly together for a moment, breathing in deeply to steady her voice. Several nods of agreement rippled through the audience. While she knew her answer was overly simplified and that there was so much more than that, it worked for now.

"Throughout this past year, we've relied on one another, leaned on each other when we needed reassurance that everything would be all right. This has brought us new friends, new people into families who weren't there before. We of course will always remember those we lost, never forgetting their sacrifices for us, as Harry and so many others today have said. However, slowly our hearts have mended thanks to these new friends and loved ones in our lives. So the ache deep in our hearts has lessened with time. The sadness we've felt slowly has been replaced. After a while, we found ourselves laughing again, something we thought would never happen again. And then it hit us. We would be all right now. Not quite healed, of course, but not so broken anymore either. We were moving on."

She glanced at the tall marble obelisk beside her. Her eyes trailed over the carved in names, recalling each of the faces of the dead. Drawing in another slow breath, she continued a moment later.

"We will never forget any of our loved ones listed on this monument. We will carry them with us until the end of our days. Sometimes, it'll hurt to remember, especially at first. But when it does hurt, think of all the wonderful memories we've had with them. Recall the day where Mister Colin Creevey flashed you with his camera, giving you the photo later of you with your friends. Remember the day where Mister Percy Weasley went on about the merits of a good cauldron thickness. Imagine the time you had your first butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks with Madam Rosmerta. But above all, know this, loves. They are all smiling down on us, making sure we're all right from time to time. So, as long as we remember the sacrifices they gave for us, we'll never be alone again."

Half of the audience nodded with her. The other half wiped tears from their eyes or glanced away with a pained look. She re-wet her lips before she continued.

"We've moved on. It's taken us a very long time to do so as a school and as a family to get where we are now. Our hearts were broken so deeply that it rattled us to the core, made us question ourselves at times. However, if there is one thing I've noticed with this experience, it is the resiliency of our united spirits. Where others might have turned on each other, we turned to each other in our hours of need and healed one another the best way we could, regardless of what house we were from.

"Like a phoenix crying on our broken hearts, we eventually healed one another in some way or another. And as such, loves, from the horrors we witnessed and suffered greatly from last year, we were reborn and made stronger than before. Hogwarts has become once again the beautiful castle shining for all to see, the castle we grew up with." She then held her hand out towards the white marble obelisk, motioning to it. "This monument doesn't just memorialize all that we've lost, but it also stands here as a testament to our strength and resolve, and ultimately our rise from the ashes." She then inclined her head towards the clapping crowd before she turned towards Severus, who approached and gave her a gentle kiss to her cheek before he continued to the podium to call the next speaker.

Once the last scheduled speaker finished, Severus moved to stand but paused when he noticed Aurora wouldn't release his hand. With a frown, he turned back to her and gave her a puzzled look. Was something wrong? Was he forgetting something? His eyes then darted into the crowd, finding his son tugging on Tobias's hair without a care in the world. Luke seemed happy. What was it then?

Severus turned back to his wife and noticed her motion with her eyes towards the group of gathered Hogwarts ghosts, who floated in the back looking on expectantly. She gave his hand a final squeeze and smiled tenderly at him, as if to tell him that she was right there with him, that she believed in him as she had from the start. Only then did she release his hand.

He walked up to the podium a moment later. What was everyone hoping from him exactly? A rousing speech like Harry's? A kumbaya moment? There was a fat chance of that happening. His eyes then glanced down at the podium to the papers that suddenly appeared before him. The familiar messy scrawl stared back up at him. His speech. He had thought for certain he had tossed that rubbish away last night when it was clear Aurora's speech was loads better than his. He then caught the elegant cursive of his wife's handwriting in the right hand corner of his speech.

Rise, love.

His fingers brushed against her note before he drew in a breath of courage. His eyes swept over the waiting crowd then before they finally came to rest on the ghosts who looked on respectfully. He then understood what it was they were waiting for.

"When I first saw Hogwarts when I crossed the lake many years ago as a first year, I felt as if I was finally home. I thought my life would be much different, happier than it was, but life isn't always fair. Darkness descended upon us. Twice in my lifetime. Some of that darkness, I admit, I brought to our doorstep. For that, I apologize sincerely."

Severus then sighed softly, recognizing that he was rambling. He glanced down at his speech before he continued.

"As so many others have done since, I embraced the darkness instead of seeing what everyone else saw around me. I joined the Death Eaters, believing their lies. I've paid the price for it, though. I've lost more classmates than I care to admit over the years. Some were murdered by Death Eaters. Others were killed by Aurors." Lily and James came to mind before their images altered into another one of his classmates. "These terrible losses tend to leave deep scars. So, if one doesn't deal with the pain properly, they become bitter and spiteful, cursing the world for their pain. I'm certain by now all of you have heard Mister Potter's reasoning of why I am the way I am, so I'll spare you of repeating his claims."

His eyes moved back to his son. Would Luke experience the same horrors his generation and the next had? He hoped to Merlin it wouldn't be.

"One person," he called out. "That is all it takes to save a life. One person to stand up for another who is too weak to fight on his or her own. One person to sacrifice him or herself and give another the chance to live. One person to say that enough was enough." He frowned quietly, his eyes looking out onto the crowd and finding the small Charms professor. "You did that last year. All of you. Every last one of you stood side-by-side and said enough was enough. You disregarded the old Hogwarts' prejudices," he paused before he quickly added, "for the most part, and you saw yourselves as being in it all together. You relied on one another. So where it began with one person standing up and stating that enough was enough, it quickly grew into a school full of people and created a strength in numbers that has likely never been seen here before at this school. A strength composed of all four Houses."

He caught a few of the older members of the crowd look back suspiciously at him and sighed.

"I know some of you do not believe my words. That some of you continue to believe that my own house abandoned yours in your times of need." His frown deepened. "While, I admit, their numbers were quite smaller compared to your own, Slytherin stood by your side last year. Professor Slughorn was instrumental, I am told, in disarming numerous Death Eaters. Theodore Nott publicly cast aside his father's beliefs, returning to Hogwarts after being banished with the others, and stepped in front of a curse meant for Hannah Abbot. Blaise Zabini, another who returned to join you, dueled beside all of you, pulling a young Hufflepuff to safety when the battlements started to give. Draco Malfoy even stood with all of you at the end, remorseful of his actions. Do you truly wish to ignore their contributions because most in my house were too afraid to stand up, whereas yours weren't?"

Severus caught several heads bow down out of shame.

"We lost so many loved one's here last year. And yet, we know through their sacrifices now that we live to stand here at this very place at this very hour to dedicate this obelisk to their memory, so that future generations know of our loved one's bravery, of our pain, and of our collective resolve to ensure that it never happens again in our lifetime. That no more must die for a mad man's quest for power."

Severus drew in a deep breath. "When my son is older, I will be proud to tell him of the time when all four Houses stood united against a common foe. When all four Houses let go of the hurtful past and embraced the new dawn at Hogwarts. When all four Houses said enough was enough."

He then turned back towards the memorial and drew his wand.

"May this eternal light shine brightly for all to see," he said, waving his wand in an intricate pattern. "May it protect us from the darkness and pain we witnessed last year. And may it serve as a reminder to all future generations that we stood united against the forces of evil and prevailed, stronger than ever before." A loud whoosh erupted from the tip of his wand before a blue jet of light streaked across to the memorial. A large green fireball then emerged at the top of the obelisk. As the seconds past, the fireball slowly changed colors. First, green. Then, red. Next, blue. Finally, yellow. It altered between the four House colors majestically in a seemingly hypnotic way. "Together, we rise." His eyes found his son soon after. "To our hopeful future."