Go the Distance

Chapter 6

"I am tired, and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have never fired a shot, nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded, who cry aloud for blood or vengeance. War is hell." 

~~ General William Tecumseh Sherman (American educator and Union soldier during American Civil War 1861-1865)

~~~

Severus stayed under Poppy's care for two months at Hogwarts. Two months had given everyone time to begin to heal and get used to Severus Snape being alive and the fact he was Dumbledore's spy, as related by Harry Potter in an exclusive interview for Luna Lovegood's The Quibbler. The Daily Prophet's Rita Skeeter had her own take on the subject.

His trial scheduled for the following day, Severus lamented over cream tea with Poppy and Minerva,

"So I must face the judges temporal...and their dementors...before facing the judges eternal and their fires of damnation? "

Minerva was nervous about tomorrow but tried to maintain a calm demeanor as she sipped her tea, "Referencing the bible, Severus?"

Snape explained, "Exhortations of a muggle grandmother. A staunch Methodist."

He continued with his previous thought as he eyed the two women seated around the small table with him. Poppy intended the tea to be a happy occasion, with Severus returning to the land of the living. And Minerva had missed Severus' philosophic rants and the surprisingly easy way he could make words work for him. No wonder he was such a good spy.

"My mission completed. My penance done. Even the killing of me...was done and dusted. Now reinvigorated through no desire of my own, I am to be judged, yet again, by those who have very rarely deemed me worthy of anything beyond scorn, and worst - pity."

Poppy and Minerva rebutted simultaneously,

"Pity?"

His eyebrow rose to new heights as he stared down both mothering hens before Minerva took the reigns,

"This was not pity, dear boy."

Madam Pomfrey added quickly,

"Well, perhaps initially when you were small...for my part anyway. Pity, mixed in amongst many other emotions, was a normal natural feminine reaction. A battered child is excruciating to see once...but over the course of twenty plus years, it is heartbreaking. I will not apologise."

Severus patted the matron's shoulder and gave a smug pout in Minerva's direction, both understanding the Head of Gryffindor had not been as compassionate towards him as Poppy had been. The Headmistress shrugged, somewhat contritely in Severus' estimation.

The following morning, after an early light breakfast of coffee and toast, Severus dressed himself in a crisp white shirt, buttoned to the top. His black trousers, with the buttons near the cuff, were just one of several like pair he had in his wardrobe. They fit nicely over his black boots. He debated whether or not to button his frockcoat to the hilt or leave it comfortably open...this might be a long day. He chose to fasten all the buttons except the top just in case the whole thing went belly-up and he needed air.

Harry Potter was waiting at Hogwarts front gate. The two men had gone over strategies, evidence, witness details and, most importantly, a catalogue of vetted memories.

"So, Profess-- Master Snape, are you ready?"

Severus raised that familiar eyebrow,

"The question is, Potter, are you? This is not going to be easy for either of us. I trust you are up to the task."