Snape woke up because of pain that he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a white hot, burning pain and it only took seconds for Snape to find the source of his pain. Letting out a groan of pain through gritted teeth, Snape carefully rolled up his left sleeve. Harry woke up, hearing someone in pain, and turned to Snape.

“What’s wrong, Professor?” Harry whispered.

Snape did not answer as he took off the bracelet on his wrist. All of his attention was focused on his forearm. This could not be happening. The pain was so bad. It felt like he was being branded again, it was that terrible. This can’t be good. Snape hadn’t felt pain like this since Voldemort had died. The dark mark, which had been branded on his left forearm over twenty years ago was alive with movement, unlike its normally dormant state. Snape looked up at Harry in shock.

“What does it mean, Professor?” Harry asked.

“I don’t know, but it can only mean terrible things.” Snape answered through gritted teeth.

Snape’s head snapped toward the door. Someone was coming. Snape put the bracelet back on and wrapped his hand around his wand, just in time for Dawlish to burst through the door. Ginny woke with a start.

“What’s wrong?” she questioned sleepily.

Dawlish did not answer her, but addressed Harry instead.

“Yaxley just killed the Minister of Magic. The dark mark was spotted over his house. He also killed the Minister’s guards.”

“Bryan and Mark?” Harry questioned. They were two of Harry’s friends who were guarding the minister.

“You knew their families best.” Dawlish reminded Harry.

“I told you that we needed someone else. The had a wife and kids!” Harry yelled at Dawlish, almost jumping out of bed to strangle his boss.

“I know, Harry, but I didn’t make the choice. The Minister did.” Dawlish informed Harry, like he wasn’t guilty for the two husbands death.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh, and slowly got out of bed. Ginny let out a sob. She was crying over the loss of her brother, the minister of magic, Percy Weasley. Harry stood up, the world slowly spinning as he did, and pulled Ginny into a standing position. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as she buried her face in his chest.

“I’m sorry, Ginny.” Harry whispered over Ginny’s sobs.

It was all that Harry could do to keep both of them standing. Harry’s world was still spinning. He stood there with Ginny until she stopped crying. She sat back down after a good five minutes of crying. Harry sat back on the bed.

“I will tell their families after I take care of mine.” Harry said to Dawlish before turning back to Ginny. “We need to go see your mother. She needs you there right now.”

Harry was ripping an IV out of his arm and began to dress.

“What are you doing, Harry?” Ginny questioned, in shock of seeing her husband pull out his IV.

“We need to be at the Burrow right now. Your mother needs you and I am sure that everyone is over there. Let’s go.” Harry had to tie his right shoe and then he would be fully dressed.

“You’re not 100%, Potter.” Snape argued. “You still need to rest.”

“I am leaving AMA.” Harry said, standing up and walking to the door. “You can either come with me or go back to my house.”

It was silent for a few seconds as Harry opened the door.

“I’m coming with.” Snape replied.

“Okay. Let’s go, Ginny.”

The three of them left the hospital and apparated to The Burrow. Once Harry landed on solid ground, he staggered for a moment. Snape caught him before he could fall to the ground.

“Easy, Potter.” Snape said, seizing Harry’s arm.

“Let’s get him inside.” Ginny ordered.

Snape took Harry’s arm and threw it over his shoulder, for Harry was walking slowly and Snape didn’t know if someone could be waiting to attack. Leaning heavily on Snape, Harry entered The Burrow. Ginny ran to go find Mrs. Weasley while Snape carefully deposited Harry in a kitchen chair. Ginny rounded the corner with her mother, father, Ron and Hermione all following suit.

“Harry.” Mrs. Weasley shrieked, running to give her son in law a hug.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” Hermione questioned. “You should still be in the hospital.”

“I’m fine. I had to come and tell you something.” Harry said after Mrs. Weasley let go of him.

The room got uncomfortably silent.

“The dark mark has been spotted.”

Mrs. Weasley and Hermione both gasped.

“Where was it spotted?” Mr. Weasley asked.

“Over…Over the Minister’s house.” Harry struggled to speak.

The instant that Harry said the minister, Mrs. Weasley let out a wail of despair. She didn’t have to ask. After living through both Wizarding wars, she knew that the mark meant death. Her son was dead. Mr. Weasley held his wife in a hug and Ginny walked over to console her mother. Ron, who was now sitting on the floor, stared in shock. Hermione crouched down and comforted Ron. The sight of the Weasley’s grieving made Harry uncomfortable, even though they were Harry’s family too. A long time ago, they would have grieved, but not like this. Percy was not popular during the war, but during the final battle he made up with his family and fought against Voldemort. If this made Harry uncomfortable, then it had to make Snape feel indecent. Harry turned to look at Snape, who just stood there with a stoic look upon his face.

Harry stood up and Ginny came over to him.

“Harry, what’s wrong?” She questioned in a whisper

“There is nothing wrong. I need to speak with Mark and Bryan’s wives.” Harry whispered back.

“Harry, you’re still sick. You need to lie down.”

“They need to know what has happened and I need to tell them. They can’t find out from the papers.”

“You are still weak and you know it. You decided to leave early and we shouldn’t have. Your body needs time to get rid of whatever poison is left.”

“Okay, I do agree that it was a bad idea to leave early but I have to do this. You know that I have to do this, they were my friends.”

“You don’t have to do anything Harry.”

“No, I need to this. Please Ginny.” Harry pleaded.

Ginny looked around for a moment, thinking about her answer. She didn’t want Harry to go, but was that because she was afraid or was it because she had almost lost Harry that night?

“Go.” She whispered, looking about the room.

“Thank you Ginny.”

“I love you, Harry.” Ginny had now turned to face Harry.

“I love you too.” Harry whispered, kissing Ginny on the forehead.

Ginny walked over to her brother as Harry approached Snape. He had been looking out the window when Harry tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the door. Harry had only turned around once to make sure that Snape was following him. They walked through the yard silently, only speaking once they had crossed through the gate of The Burrow.

“Potter, where are we going?” Snape questioned as the night breeze picked up considerably. Harry looked up before answering Snape for the night sky had shown that a storm was coming.

“I am going to talk to Mark and Bryan’s wives. I need you to come with me.”

“What good am I going to do?”

“Trust me, I need you to come with me. Plus, I have to talk to you about something.”

“Then let us talk here.” Snape replied, stopping and waiting till Harry turned around.

“I think that we should tell my children who you really are.”

“No.” Snape said, interrupting Harry.

“Will you let me finish. I know that you don’t want to but if something were to happen….well they trust you and they know that you can help them. We can make sure that they don’t tell anyone.”

“I trust your kids Harry. I trust them enough to know that they will not tell a soul.”

Snape said followed be a moment of silence. “Let’s tell them.” Snape sighed.

“We tell them when we get home then. Take my arm.”

Harry stuck out his arm and Snape took it firmly. Together the two men apparated to the North side of Surrey. Harry swayed a little bit and he could see Snape giving him a look of unease, ready to catch Harry if he fell over.

“I’m fine.” Harry said, confidently walking away. Snape soon fell in step with Harry. “The first family we are going to go see is the Bellark family. Bryan Bellark once risked his life to save me from a burning building that Lestrange had set on fire.” Harry said in a detached voice as they approached a house.

Harry knocked on the door, quiet loudly, and turned to Snape.

“Bryan has a wife and two kids ages two years and seven months.” Harry shook his head thinking about Bryan’s children. It’s a shame that they should have to grow up without a father. No one should ever have to do that but Harry had seen it all to often after the war.

The locks began to click inside the door, which brought Harry away from his thoughts. When the door opened, a woman in her mid thirty’s was standing before Harry.

“What?….oh Harry, what are you doing here?” The woman questioned sleepily. “If you want Bryan, he is not here. He’s off guarding the minister tonight.”

“Can we come in Betsy?”

“Why?” She suddenly snapped out of her sleepiness.

“I didn’t come to talk to Bryan. I need to talk to you, so can we please come in?”

All Betsy could do was shake her head as she let the two men into her house. She locked the door behind them and walked into the living room.

“What is going on?” Betsy asked as she sat on the couch.

Taking a deep breath, Harry sat beside her on the couch. He had done this so much after the war, but it wasn’t easy. To this day, it still isn’t easy.

“Yaxley killed the Minister earlier last night. Bryan tried to fight him off. I am sorry.” Harry didn’t have to say more.

Betsy had gone pale and tears ran down her face.

“Bryan love you guys so much. He never stopped thinking of you.”

Betsy let out a wail that would have been loud enough to wake Bryan and the rest of the dead. Harry put an arm around her shoulder as she cried. How many times had Harry done this before? After the war, he had to break the hearts of a lot of people by telling them that their loved ones were never coming back. He comforted many people and attended countless funerals. Many of those funerals had belonged to people Harry went to school with. Bryan’s wife had stopped giving sobbing heaves and looked to Harry.

“How did he….die?” She questioned.

Harry really hadn’t asked Dawlish how he had died. He really didn’t want to know.

“It was like he fell asleep.” Harry answered.

It was what Betsy wanted to hear. She had been afraid that her husband had died a slow and painful death.

“What about Mark?” She asked, knowing that Mark had been protecting the Minister as well.

“Yaxley killed him as well.”

“Have you told Mary yet?”

“No. I am going to once I am done here.”

“Go talk to Mary. She needs you more than I need you. Go to her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Go.” Betsy stood up and Harry followed her lead.

“If you need anything, let me know. I made a promise to Bryan to watch out for his family. I don’t plan on breaking it.”

“Thank you very much Harry. I will let you know. Now go.”

Harry turned to Snape, who had been standing the entire time, and left the house. They walked down the street to the field that had appeared on.

“We need to apparate again.” Harry said.

As if on cue, Snape took Harry’s arm and they were gone.

. Both men recognized where they had landed. They were on Privet Drive. Snape looked around the place, making sure no one had seen, while Harry placed his hands on his knees. He felt like he was going to be sick. It was definitely a bad idea to leave early, and Harry was kicking himself for it. He felt Snape’s hand on his back as the wave of nausea. Snape knelt down to look Harry in the face.

“We can sit for a minute it you need it.” Snape suggested

“I’m fine now. It passed.”

Snape stood up, not sure that Harry was really okay, as Harry straightened. Harry took a few steps and the world shifted violently. Snape caught Harry before he fell over.

“I’ve got you.” Snape whispered, lowering Harry to the ground.

Once Harry was seated on the curb, Snape knelt in front of him. Harry looked like crap. There was a sheet of sweat on his face and a far away look was beginning to form in Harry’s eyes. Snape took an empty bottle, one which he acquired from the hospital, and filled it with water.

“Here, drink slowly.” Snape ordered as he handed the bottle to Harry.

Once Harry began to drink, Snape took Harry’s wrist. Seeing as Snape was once a potions master, he knew a lot about the human body. Hopefully, Harry’s pulse would tell Snape something. Snape found the pulse almost at once. Harry’s heart was racing and Snape needed to calm him down.

“Harry, I need you to close your eyes and take deep breaths, while listening to my voice.” He waited till Harry closed his eyes. “I want you to think about Hogwarts and pick one happy memory. What you feel should fill you up from your feet to your head, and I want you to continue thinking about his memory.” After a minute, Snape felt Harry’s pulse again to find that it was now at a normal speed. “Now I want you to open your eyes.”

Harry’s eyes slowly opened and the far away look in his eyes had gone away.

“Does your heart feel like it is going to jump out of your chest now?”

“No.” Harry answered softly.

“Good. Now take one more sip of that water.”

Harry did as was directed, looking at Snape as he handed back to the bottle.

“Thank you, Sev.”

For a moment Severus saw Lily sitting before him but then saw Harry’s face.

“The boy does not know how much pain he just caused me.” Severus thought. “You’re welcome Harry. Now I want you to slowly stand up.”

It took Harry almost three minutes to stand up, making sure that he would not become dizzy. When Harry was standing fully, Snape spoke to him.

“How do you feel?” He asked.

“Much better, Professor.”

They took off down the street slowly, walking in step with each other.

“Who are we seeing?” Snape questioned after a few moments of silence.

“The wife of Mark Evans.” Harry answered. “Not the Evans that you are thinking of. I helped Mark escape bullies when we lived on privet drive. I thought for sure that he was a muggle, but he got his letter. He was muggleborn.”

“How did he survive Umbridge’s purge?” Snape asked in astonishment.

“There were some people who owed me favors.”

That was all Harry offered and Snape didn’t prod any farther. They continued in silence. When they approached the door, Harry knocked on it and let out a long sigh. This was going to be one of the worst things Harry had done in his life. Harry’s watch read five when the door opened. The door swung open to reveal a short Mary Evans in her pajamas. Harry lifted his head and looked at Mary.

“Good morning Harry.” She began to say, but stopped short. “Harry, what’s wrong? Where is Mark?” She questioned quickly, verging of the edge of hysteria.

“I was suppose to bring him home this morning.” Harry reminded himself.

He looked away from her in shame. Mary let out a howl of grief and Harry just managed to catch her before she collapsed to the ground.

“I’m so sorry Mary.” Harry whispered over and over again.

Mary’s sobbing hit him hard and he almost stood up and walked away. He couldn’t do that to her though, so they stood up and walked into the living room. He and Mary sat on the couch, where she continued to cry for sometime.

“I can’t imagine what you are going through, Mary.” Harry whispered to her. “I plan on being here to help you because that’s what Mark would have done for my family if I were gone. I will be here to help you. I’m so sorry.” Snape put a glass of water on the table. “Here drink.” Harry instructed, handing the glass to Mary.

“Thank you.” She whispered to him.

Harry turned around to face Snape.

“Thank you.” He mouthed to his professor, who gave a curt nod.

“Uncle Harry!” A child squealed and ran into the room.

“Michael.” Harry said, scooping Michael up and onto his lap. “What is a five year old doing up this early?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Michael answered, looking at his mother. “Uncle Harry, why is mommy crying?”

Oh how Harry did not want to do this. He didn’t want to tell a five year old that he would never see his father again. He just didn’t want to at all, but Mary was not able to form very many words.

“Well, mom is really sad…….something…….” Harry took a deep breath and began again. “Last night, a very bad man hurt your dad really bad. He got hurt so bad that it caused him to……fall asleep in a way.”

“Will he wake up?” Michael asked.

“I’m sorry Michael but he won’t. He won’t be around but he is always watching you and your sister and your mom.”

“Will he hear me if I talk to him?” Michael said, his eyes filling with tears.

“He will hear you but if he answers, you won’t here him.” Harry answered as his heart tore to pieces.

“I’m going to miss him.” Michael admitted as a stray tear ran down his cheek.

“That is okay. I am going to miss him too. You can miss your dad because you loved him.” Harry told Michael as he wiped a tear from the boy’s face. “You have to remember that your dad didn’t want to leave. He never thought about leaving you and your family. He loved you so much. Can you do me a favor? I want you to remember how much your dad loved you. Can you do that?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I could forget.”

“Good. I need you to do one other thing for me. I need you to help your mom out. If she asks you to do something, can you do it without arguing?”

“I can do that too, uncle Harry.”

“Good. Now go back upstairs and try to go back to sleep.”

Michael jumped off of Harry’s lap.

“Bye, Uncle Harry.” he called as he ran up the stairs.

“Thank you, Harry.” Mary whispered after a door slammed shut up stairs.

“You’re welcome. If you need help, please let me know. Will you be okay?”

“I will be fine today. Go be with your family.”

“I’m very sorry, Mary.” Harry said as he stood up.

Harry and Snape showed themselves out of the house. They traveled in silence to the spot where they had first apparated to.

“How did you get so good at that?” Snape said in a whisper, more to himself but Harry heard him.

“What do you mean?”

“You knew exactly what to say to Mary and her son.”

“And you think I am good at that?” Harry yelled, stabbing at his chest. “It’s hard to tell someone that their loved ones aren’t coming back. I’ve had to tell hundreds of mothers that their children are gone. I’ve had to tell wives that their husbands aren’t coming home. I’ve told one to many children that they will never be able to see one of their parents again.” Harry spoke quickly, but the slowed down. “I have had to tell every single wizarding family that someone has died. Every family except the Prince Family. I thought that their last living family member was dead, but it turns out that I am wrong!” Harry shouted at Snape. “He could have been helping with the aftermath of the war, but no. He was hiding away. He let the son of the one whom he loved most think he was dead!”

Snape couldn’t help but to look hurt. He felt like he had been stabbed in the back. He knew where the anger was coming from. Harry just wouldn’t understand though. Snape didn’t want to be in the spot light. He didn’t want to be the hero. Snape would rather have died because of what he did to Lily.

“Are you coming?” Harry questioned calmly, holding out his arm.

Did he really just do that? Did Harry know what he just said?

“Harry what did you just say to me?” Snape quizzed Harry

“Professor, right now is the time for stupid questions. We need to get back now.”

Snape, reluctantly, took Harry’s arm and disappeared. They appeared at the fence of the Burrow and there was a loud thud. Snape looked to his left, where Harry was standing. However, he was no longer standing. Harry had collapsed and become unconscious.