Life as an Auror by SHallow

Harry looked back at Hogwarts as he left after the Battle, his hand clutching the second of the only two portraits of Severus Snape. His eyes glistened with recollection, with the memories of his only home, as he saw the shambles which was now all that was left of the majestic castle. That made them the three orphans that had sought solace within Hogwarts' majestic haven; Tom Riddle, Severus Snape and now him, Harry Potter.

Harry spun on his axis as he apparated with his cheeks stained with his salty tears. No one was going to remember him as a boy anymore, not after the horrific deed he had committed. "Get a grip of yourself Potter," he chided himself,"How do you expect to be an auror if you cant stomach the death of the most vile human on Earth?"

Severus Snape's portrait blinked and listened to Harry weeping, wondering how to console the boy and tell him that death was a part of life, and Voldemort's death had resulted in the saving of thousands other.

"Potter. Potter, no, Harry," he spoke softly.

Harry looked up and searched for the noise, *Stupid stupid, Snape is dead, you killed him too," he sobbed, "You kill everyone, no one is safe from you."

"Potter, stop crying like a toddler this instant!" Snape commanded.

"Sir? Professor? The portrait!" Harry exclaimed.

"I really wonder how that Gryffindor courage itself has helped you survive, a flobberworm would be smarter than you Potter." Snape smiled, as he saw Harry scowl at his remark.

"As moody as ever too Harry, you are so much like your mother. Lily used to have a fiery temper that rivaled her fiery hair, and you seem to have inherited that. How I wish I could have told you about her before, but all I saw in you was Potter, never the Evans. Could you forgive me?"

Harry choked back his tears as the guilt that had composed him for the past half an hour consumed him once again, "I killed you Professor, I am more guilty than you could ever be... If I weren't there no one would die, mom could have been alive just like you!"

"You are as idiotic as ever, Voldemort was to blame, not you. I was to blame for Trelawney's prophecy, had I not reported anything nothing would have happened except Voldemort would find another way to destroy us all. We would have been stuck in a war for so many years. Your killing him was not your fault, it was his spell that rebounded upon him, it was his choices that led to his demise. Is that clear Potter?"

Harry gulped down his sobs and managed to croak out "Crystal, sir. But that does not make me like killing him."

"As dismal as you were at Potions, I can't believe I am proud of you not being happy to succeed something. Killing is not something to be happy about, I would be disappointed if you were. Auror is the right job for you, you are scared of hurting people, and that's what will help you from getting stuck in a cell in Azkaban with a crave for blood. That is what we mean by soulless."

"Ron'd probably swallow a snitch if he heard you say that sir," Harry softly chuckled, his coarse throat scratching his laugh.

It was now Severus' turn to glower at Harry, "Detention Mr.Potter, for the rest of your life. Where are we by the way? your embrace is not the most satisfying view."

"Oh sorry Professor," Harry released the portrait, "I wanted to start life again, so I am back where it all began."

"Godric's Hollow," Snape completed, taking in the statue of Lily and James Potter towering above the crouching Harry. "Back at the beginning, stuck with the Dungeon Bat."