the daughter of severus snape

Chapter 42: The Final Battle

Zane was torturing me when it burned. The dark mark. We both look at each other. The final battle. We put our clothes on and go to Hogwarts. Everything is a mess. "Bella Snape. Join me." I nod and run to him. Everyone's watching. "Kneel before me." I do.

"You've been a very good servant. Unfortunately, I am going to have to kill you."

"Wh-what?"

"You are the owner of the elder wand. I need it."

"I understand, my liege. May I have a few moments?"

"Yes." He turns away. A tear drops. I run to my Dad.

"No, Bella, no, I won't-"

"Dad, I love you. This is what I wanted to do. I wanted to protect you. I've succeeded. Move on. Bye, Dad. I love you forever." I hug and kiss him. Dray's standing with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I walk towards him. he falls to his knees. I sit down by him. "Dray, it was always meant to be me."

"No. We're growing old and grey. I won't let you-"

"stupefy." 

"Bella, don't-"

"I need to Dray. I can die in peace. I love you. Grow old and grey with someone else.-" 

"Hey!" Zane grabs my hand.

"Come on, let's go."

"No! I wanna say-" He slaps my face. I get up. 

"You know what, Zane? Fuck you. I hope you rot in Hell." I start walking towards Voldemort but stop in front of Harry. "What? Want me to cry? You deserve it." He says.

"No. You need to do it."

"What?"

"You need to kill me so you can get ownership over the elder wand and defeat him."

"I can't-"

"You have to. I'm not giving my life to help him. Do it right before he tries to kill me." Harry nods. 

"Time's up, Bella. Come take your place with me. You'll be honored, your name will go down in history." A tear escapes my eyes.

"No. I've never worked for you. You took everything from me. You're less than dirt to me."

"You think you're good? You killed Dumbledore."

"He had to die. If I didn't do it, my Dad had to. He and Dumbledore talked about it. Dumbledore knew. He was a better man than you. I don't think I'm good at all. But I refuse the spend the rest of my life being silent. I've been silent for a large part of my life. I'm not spending a single second of it silent anymore."

"Too bad you're going to die. Avada-"

"Avada kevadra!" Harry hits me from behind. People are shocked. 

I smirk. I did it. I saved someone, I think.

----

Harry Potter's Perspective:

And just like that, she lays still. She was a hero. I can't imagine what she went through, having everyone think she was betraying them. Snape falls at his knees, mourning her death. Draco's wailing. He just lost his soulmate. Remus Lupin runs his hand through her hair. I look at Ron and Hermione. Hermione's crying. It's time for me to finish this. I face Voldemort. "You will pay for her." 

"You killed her, not me, foolish boy." He's right. We go right into battle. We are at a tie. I can't believe Bella's gone. It doesn't feel real. She never thought she was brave. But she was the bravest person I know. She wasn't selfish either; it takes a lot to go through that. She was willing to risk it all for everyone. Once this is over, I'll clear her name. She will go down history. But as a hero, not a villain. I don't know what's happened to her in her time with Voldemort, but I know it's only been bad stuff. She looks like she was abused. I think she truly thought she had nothing to live for. She did, though. She had me, Draco, her father, Remus, Percy, Daphne, Blaise, and everyone else. She's been fighting ever since day 1. I refuse to believe she's dead. She just died, like that. I killed her. "Look around you, boy. See what bravery brings. She died a fool."

"No, she didn't. She died a hero. You know how easy it would have been for her to turn a villain? She never did. She tricked you. She's smarter than you. She always was." He loses his smile. 

"Draco. Join me," He commands, "all will be forgiven." He's not stupefied anymore. I know without Bella he has no one to fight for. He'll succumb. "YOU KILLED HER!"

"Potter killed her, not me."

"You forced him. I will never stand for you ever again. You killed the love of my life." I feel kind of bad for ferret face. She never caught a break, did she? "Very well then. I'll kill your mother." He grabs her, about to kill her. "NO!" I look back; it's Bella. How? How is she alive? 

Bella's Perspective:

I took a non-dying potion. All I needed to do was pretend I was dead. I couldn't hold the act for long, though. I can't let Narcissa die. "Well, I see you like continuing the death act."

"What do you want? I'll do anything. Just spare her."

"Come here. I want you to say you have no choice. Don't you see? I've been trying to teach you that all these years. I want you to become the next me." I come closer.

"Why me?"

"Because Bella. We are the same. We have that same evil in us. You think these people care about you? After this, they'll just throw you in Azkaban. People like us have no choice."

I start crying. "No. I may not be good, but I'm not evil either." He motions for Zane.

"Really? So you wanted to marry him? You wanted to have kids with him?"

"Yes, I did. He's the closest connection I have to Cal. You didn't think this through." I lie.

"Shut up, Bella. You must learn some respect. I am, technically your father now." He says this quietly so no one else hears.

"What?"

"Yes. Didn't you hear? Zane's my son." I start to tremble. Voldemort is my father-in-law?

"Yes. I must admit, I've grown to care about you more than I care to admit. But, we're family now. Prove your evil. Or, she dies." I nod and walk over to Uncle Remus and point my wand to him. "Act Dead." I whisper. he nods. I cast the killing curse next to him, but it looks like I've hit him. "Let her go now." He does. I walk to Potter, "NOW!" He hits Voldemort with a disarming spell when he casts the killing curse, killing Voldemort. Uncle Remus gets up. I hug Harry. 

"Dray-" 

"You're still mine. Remember?" Zane says, dragging me with him and forcing me to kiss him. I step on his foot. "I've agreed to stay married to you as long as you're alive. There was nothing said about cheating on you."

"I'll kill you."

"Try. I've been through worse." I smirk. He and the other death eaters get dragged away to Azkaban. "Bells," It's my Dad. 

"I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Bells. Don't ever do that to me again." 

"I won't."

And like that. we're a family again. I change my mind. I am strong. I am selfless. I am brave. I may have had my innocence stolen from me, but it's okay. Now, I am finally okay again. Zane will most likely die and I can start a life with Dray. I have my Uncle and Dad. I have my best friends. It's okay that I grew up too fast. Cause I've learned a lot. And I actually got a happy ending, didn't I?