—————H—————

Aurora took just over fifteen hours of labor. Leonidas took four. The youngest Snape took just over an hour.

The moment Hermione landed back in time, she knew something was wrong. Still, she didn't have time to dwell on that: Severus needed her.

She reappeared in an empty Great Hall. She Disillusioned herself and started moving. It wasn't until she was hiding on the lower level of the boathouse that her water broke, and she understood what was wrong.

Two months too young, he still squealed as he came into the world, albeit not as loudly or as strongly as his siblings.

Severus wrapped their little boy in his robes, cleaned and torn to a more appropriate size, leaving Severus in just his ruined frock coat. He gently cleaned off his son with tearful eyes while running a diagnostic spell on him.

"His lungs are weak, to be expected," he rasped, reaching into his robes and uncorking a vial with his teeth. He offered the babe a couple drops of the strengthening potion and smiled slightly as his cries were much healthier after a brief pause.

"Let me see him," Hermione said, extending her hands toward her husband. He didn't let the baby go right away but moved to sit beside Hermione. Only then did he pass the baby to his mother, and Hermione did as she did with their children before him, nursed him to calm him.

"He's perfect. Bit small, but...." She shrugged, brushing her thumb along his cheek. "Severus, I want to name him Alastor."

When her husband reared back, she geared herself up to defend her decision. The astonishment on his face made her pause.

"You wanted to name him that, too?" she asked after a moment, and Severus nodded. "Huh, we finally get to name a child together and we actually agree."

They looked down at their boy, already drifting off into his first sleep.

"Take him," Severus rasped. Hermione looked over at him and saw the longing and resignation in his eyes. "Take Alastor and go. It's not over."

"And leave you? Aurora?"

"Go to Leonidas. Take him to his brother," Severus said, stroking the fine black hair on his son's head. He looked at Hermione again. "I love you."

"I love you, too. So, don't go ruining all my hard work."

"I'm dead, where else should I be but the Great Hall?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow. When she was ready to lecture him, he added, "I'll help Poppy."

She nodded, her lips turning down. She grabbed his head and pulled him to her, kissing him with as much love as she could.

"Don't die while I'm gone, do you hear me?"

"Yes, dear," he rasped. "Come on, I'll help you and Alastor into the boat."

Severus and she got to their feet, though they were both shaky. He Vanished the mess of near death and new life, and they descended the stairs so he could help her into the boat.

Hermione watched him over her shoulder, feeling the cool tingle of Disillusionment. Alastor fussed a bit but settled quickly, and she cast a Notice-Me-Not on the boat. It felt like no time at all and forever when they arrived at Hogsmeade, the village quiet and vacant as she got out, clutching her little one tight. She moved through the streets to the Hog's Head, only to find no door. Perplexed, she moved to check if there were still windows, and there were, they were frosted.

She knocked and waited, hoping they could see her through the panes.

The door and Tonks appeared, looking at her with a baffled expression. "Remus said you were due after me."

"Things change. Alastor and I need shelter."

Tonks narrowed her eyes. "How do I know—"

"Dora, it's cold, I have a newborn, I literally just gave birth a half hour ago, let me in or I swear—"

"Mum?" Leo said as he ducked out.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said, smiling at him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Where did I nearly break my arm when I was four?"

She rolled her eyes. "At home, when you tried to climb a tree to try to stop your sister from flying. You fell off the branch trying to reach her."

"It's her," he said, stepping back inside. Hermione quickly entered, keeping Alastor close.

—————A—————

"Draco?" Aurora said as she and Ron went over to him. His cheeks were stained with tears, his eyes were red-rimmed, but aside from that, he seemed unharmed. He sniffed, looked up at her and shrugged.

"Always has to be the bloody hero, doesn't he?" he said with a disdain that reminded Aurora of his earlier years at Hogwarts. But she knew that it was a facade, a way to deflect what he really felt.

"Where's Harry, Malfoy?" Ron asked, more worried than angry.

Draco laughed mirthlessly. "He went into the forest, of course. 'I have to, Draco,' he said. 'You knew it was going to be this way.' We've discussed it, here and there. How the prophecy was worded, what it means with him being a Horcrux. So, when Voldemort made his demand, we went up to the Headmaster's office, where Harry told off Dumbledore. He kissed me goodbye, Stunned me, and took off. Bloody idiot," he swore, voice cracking.

"He ... he went to the forest?" Ron said, disbelief in his voice.

"Harry didn't?" Ginny's voice made them turn to her and Luna. "He didn't, he...."

There was noise outside, it made the entire Great Hall fall silent.

Marching, people were marching toward the castle.

Aurora felt all the air rush out of her, and she looked at Draco, seeing him hold his head high.

"Let's go and face the end, shall we?" he said, putting his arm around her.

Aurora did the same, and they followed the others outside.

Neville looked as though he were prepared to face the army on his own, standing amidst the rubble with something brown and leathery in his hand. Sirius was just behind him, he and Remus clasped onto one another—or Remus was holding Sirius back from charging out. Ron charged past them, only to be stopped by his father. Ginny and Luna came out side by side, the former gasping, shaking her head, eyes watering as Luna hugged her.

Aurora found she had to lean on Draco as she spotted Hagrid, ropes around his neck, held by four Death Eaters, and the body in his arms.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Lord Voldemort declared, and Draco pulled Aurora just a bit closer.

There was a murmur from the crowd, Sirius looked as though he'd almost escaped Remus' hold, but didn't get very far.

"Harry Potter is dead," Voldemort repeated, slowly stalking toward them, the snake near his feet. "From this day onward, you'll put your faith in me."

No one moved, no one breathed.

The Dark Lord looked giddy in his euphoria, and with a disturbingly large grin, he declared again, "Harry Potter is dead!" The Death Eaters behind him laughed, and he giggled with the glee. "Kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Come forward and join us... or die."

There was silence.

"Draco," Uncle Lu called, trying to wave Draco over. "Draco... Aurora, come. Come on," he tried, and desperately looked behind them before looking to them once more.

But neither Aurora nor Draco moved, and when she looked at Draco, she could see the disgusted scowl on his face as he shook his head, his eyes prickling with tears.

But a shuffle caught her attention, and her eyes widened in disbelief as Neville limped forward.

"Well, I must say, I'd hoped for better," Voldemort said, earning another laugh from the crowd. "And who might you be, young man?"

"Neville Longbottom," he replied, and the crowd laughed again.

"Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our—"

"I'd like to say something," he said, and it was clear that Voldemort was using much of his patience to not kill or curse Neville immediately.

"I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."

"Doesn't matter that Harry's gone."

"Stand down, Neville," Seamus said, and Aurora watched Neville turn slightly.

"People die every day! Friends, family. And yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us," Neville said, turning to face the whole crowd. "So's Percy, Cho, Cedric, all of them. They didn't die in vain." Neville turned back to Voldemort, hobbling forward a little more. "But you will. Because you're wrong. Harry's heart beat for us, for all of us." And then he reached into the hat and pulled out a gleaming silver sword. "It's not over!"

A few things happened at once: Harry rolled out of Hagrid's arms, to the shock and joy of many, distracting Voldemort and his followers. A few Death Eaters Apparated away, but Uncle Lu charged toward the castle like a desperate man on a mission.

Everyone against Voldemort found renewed hope and strength and shifted forward. Aurora and Draco were among them, wands at the ready. Neville swung the sword down and decapitated the snake as it lunged at him.

Aurora ran toward him, Stunning and taking out a couple of Death Eaters on her way to him. "You're bloody awesome, Neville Longbottom!" she said, grabbing his head and giving him a quick kiss. "I'm telling my dad you avenged him!" she teased before taking off.

Aurora pulled out the last of her Felix Felicis from her pocket, prying the cork out with her teeth. She only got a drop on her tongue before someone bumped into her, sending the rest of it to the ground.

"Not lucky, that," she said just before the potion started to kick in.

She dove into the fray, buoyant and rejuvenated. Fred was alive, her dad was alive, Harry was alive. The stupid snake that had nearly taken her father's life was dead. It meant that this would be over soon, they just had to get through this.

She ran, ducking under a few curses, then incapacitated a few Death Eaters as she got to her feet. She spotted Theo, who had clearly turned on the Death Eaters, taking them down. One was coming up behind him, and she Stunned them. Theo turned as he fell, glanced up, gave her a nod, and went back to it.

There were a few more Death Eaters, not much older than her, who engaged her in a quick skirmish before she deflected one of their spells toward another and Stunned the others.

There was a disturbing giggle behind her and instinct told her to step aside. She did, feeling the heat of a spell whiz by. Aurora turned around and was greeted by Bellatrix Lestrange's insane, sadistic grin.

"Didn't get the chance to take out your daddy," she cackled. "I'll make sure you see him again soon."

Aurora ducked before the witch even had a chance to point her wand, which was what saved her as the jet of green passed through where her chest had just been. She didn't even hesitate. She pointed her wand at Bellatrix and hissed out the spell, thinking of Neville's parents, of him at the Ministry. She considered how often this sadistic bitch had hurt her father. Considered the special sort of hell she would have put Harry through if she'd killed Sirius.

" Sectumsempra ," she cast, and watched as the woman froze for a moment. It appeared as if nothing had happened, and Aurora sneered, moving to cast again, when Bellatrix's wand arm fell off. And then her legs began to fall beneath her, and then Aurora had to turn away, not wanting to see what she'd done.

Aurora stood, feeling the effects of the potion waning. She turned and saw someone coming toward her—angry and vengeful.

—————S—————

"Where's your wife?" Lucius asked Severus as they guarded the Great Hall, making sure no one entered to hurt the dead or the injured.

"Safe with our sons," Severus replied, Stunning one of the Death Eaters that was stupid enough to try to get through. His voice was still no more than a rasp, but at least he could speak. "How did you know Hermione was alive?"

Lucius scoffed while effortlessly taking out another Death Eater. "If Hermione had really died, you'd have been devastated. As a man who truly loves his wife, I knew there was no way you would take up with another woman so shortly after she was gone."

"Well, there's that, I suppose."

And then there was pain. Blinding pain and agony radiating from his left arm. It burned as though he'd dunked it in a boiling cauldron; it churned his stomach and made him dizzy. He fell to his knees, and Lucius fell against him before falling to the side. All the Death Eaters collapsed, and then it was over, as if nothing had happened.

He looked around, confused, wondering what was happening. Order members and others started to bind Death Eaters in place and confiscated their wands.

"What?" Lucius said as Severus got unsteadily to his feet.

"Voldemort is dead!" someone cried.

"Harry killed him."

"It's over," someone else said, and Severus collapsed against the doorframe. Over twenty years of his life, and it was done. His double agency, his deception, his hiding, it was done. Hermione could come back to life, they could move on with their lives, with their children.

Harry came into view, looking him over, worry in his eyes. He headed toward Severus, and for the first time ever, Severus opened his arms to Potter. Harry actually walked into them.

"Your mother would have been proud," he said to Harry as they embraced for the first time. "And, I suppose, so would your father."

"I know," Harry said as he stepped back. "I left it somewhere in the woods, but that stone you gave me... when I turned it, they were there. Mum and Dad, and ... and they said the same thing. That they were proud."

"Good," Severus said, glad that Lily got to speak to her boy at least once, and that somehow Albus Dumbledore's ridiculous plan worked.

Harry then directed himself at Lucius. "Thank you, for lying."

"I didn't do it for you," Lucius replied, a touch of a scowl on his face.

"No," Harry agreed. "But thank you all the same. You knew Draco was alive, it's all you wanted to know. You could have...."

"I intend to repair the relationship I have with my son, should the powers that be allow my freedom. Having his... paramour," Lucius sneered, "die because of me would not bode well."

Harry nodded. "Have you seen Draco?" he asked, and then turned to Severus. "Sirius?"

"No," Severus replied. "But I suppose now that the battle's done... people will convene here."

"I'll go to Hogsmeade," Andromeda spoke up, brushing past the three men. "I think the children that stayed will want to come back."

"Hermione will be there, too," Severus said.

Andromeda nodded. "I'll bring them all back, don't worry."

—————A—————

...

—————H—————

"Alastor Ivan Robert Snape," Delia said as she smiled down at the sleeping baby in Hermione's arms. Someone had found a clean rag behind the bar for Hermione to Transfigure into a nappy, and she had torn the ripped robes in half again, Transfiguring one half into a set of jams, the other into a blanket. He looked like a tiny Severus all wrapped in black.

"Yes," Hermione cooed.

"Bit of a mouthful, that," Delia teased.

"Feels right, though," Hermione said. "Bob was a very dear part of my life and I want to pay respect to that."

"Bob knew you loved him," Delia assured. "And it's not like Ollie doesn't carry part of his name."

"Maybe so," Hermione said. "But he meant a lot to Severus, too. This little man now carries the names of all his father's mentors, the ones that truly helped shape him into who he is."

"You don't think—?" Tonks asked nervously, and Hermione shook her head.

"He's alive," she said with certainty.

"Why didn't you give me those names?" Leo asked, frowning at his younger brother.

"Well, aside from Ivan nor Robert pairing well with your first name, when this is over... If our side has won, your father won't have to pretend anymore. If we haven't, we'll all have no choice but to flee. Your brother can have these names because we won't have to worry about the wrong wizard figuring out who he's named after."

"I suppose that makes sense," Leo said, running a hand over his brother's hair. "I hope he has it easier than the rest of us."

"Perhaps he will," she said.

Tonks snorted, and Hermione darted her eyes to her. Tonks shrugged. "He was born in a boathouse in the middle of the war just after his father almost died. Little Al hasn't had it very easy yet. Not to mention he's two months early."

"We should have had you both looked over," Delia fretted.

"Severus ran a diagnosis. Alastor is small, but he'll be all right."

There was quiet around them. Hermione turned toward the castle but couldn't see it through any of the windows. She gnawed on her lip.

"Who's gone so far?" Tonks asked.

"You don't want me to give names," Hermione said softly.

"Mione—"

"I won't, not here," she said firmly, glancing around, seeing a few of the older students still awake and darting glances at them, clearly listening. "I don't know everyone, for one. And for another... no one needs to know. Not yet. When it's over...."

"And what if you didn't know Snape was okay, huh? Or Rory?" Tonks snapped.

"Oi, watch it," Delia snapped back.

"Don't," Tonks hissed.

"Yer worried, and I get it. But Hermione's right. It's not the time. And don't you dare try and say I donnea know what it's like. My boy's up there, my only child aside from this one here," she said, pointing to Hermione. "My sister-in-law, my granddaughter. I got family up there, just like you. I wanna know if they're gonna make it out okay, too. But ya know? There's lots here who've got family up there. Do ya really think they'd be calm and stay here where it's safe if they thought—"

"Yes, okay," Tonks huffed. "But I should be there with Remus. I should be fighting with him."

"And leave your child without either of his parents?" Hermione asked, shaking her head.

"Are you telling me that you wouldn't be up there with Severus if you could?" Tonks countered.

"If it weren't for Alastor, you're right, I would be. But my children would have known us and understood why we did it. Your child... they would understand, too, eventually. Remus wouldn't want you to leave them."

Tonks nodded, then shook her head. "I'm just worried about him."

"It'll be over soon," Hermione consoled.

More silence, more restlessness.

A wolf Patronus pranced into the tavern, stopping in front of Tonks. "It's over," Remus' voice, tired but relieved, said. "Harry's won. Your mother's on her way."

Relief hit Hermione hard, and she suddenly found herself weeping tears of joy and exhaustion. Twenty years of her life playing one part or another, hiding who she was, watching her husband do the same, over.

"Mum." Leo placed his hand on her shoulder, peering at her. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said, nodding.

"Crying suggests otherwise, but if you're sure." He smiled. "Can I hold my brother for a bit? Until Mrs. Tonks arrives?"

Hermione nodded, then gently extended Alastor to Leo. "Mind his head."

"He's small," Leo said, face scrunched. His brother did the same, grunting before settling again. Leo studied him. "Potions, Alastor. It's far superior to anything our sister will say is, including flying, and especially Quidditch. Strive for intelligence, and if Mum and Dad put you in Muggle school, try to make nice. I'm an example of doing the former but not the latter. Don't be like me, be better."

"Giving him advice now before he can understand it?"