~As the Dust Settles~
A post-Voldemort Harry Potter role-play

It is the first day of classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master, is not sure how he feels about it. In previous years, he was somewhat lucky to be alive but had to act the part of the good, loyal Death Eater. This year is different. Last May, Harry Potter--Chosen One and "Boy-Who-Lived" as the press has always called him--finally destroyed the Dark Lo--Voldemort. Snape can say his name, now, without feeling as if someone would find him out as a spy. It is a nice feeling, actually.

The battle was not a tame one, really. Many people died, especially his Slytherins. The battle was at Hogwarts, but only current sixth and seventh years were allowed to fight if they desired; others were hauled into the Room of Requirements and transported out of the castle--Albus never said how, though, of course, but that was Albus for you.

So, most of the Slytherins died, but that was due to fighting against Hogwarts and the many Aurors and Order of the Phoenix members that came to help. A few died from each house besides; Cho Chang, Ernie MacMillan, Hannah Abbott, and Katie Bell to name a few. Also, Percy and Charlie Weasley, Mundungus Fletcher, Alastor Moody, Arabella Figg, Elphias Doge, Hestia Jones, Emmeline Vance, Filius Flitwick, Rubeus Hagrid, and Aberforth Dumbledore perished in the battle, as well as other Aurors. Potter had been quite shaken, especially because Hagrid and Charlie Weasley had died. Molly Weasley was absolutely hysterical with grief, as well as the rest of her family. It was understandable, since their family placed such an emphasis on togetherness and such, but it was mostly foreign to Severus.

Today, sitting at breakfast, it feels odd to look out at the House tables and see fewer people than before. He looks at Ha--Potter, looking as though he feels the same way. Severus had trained the boy--"He isn't one, anymore," his traitorous mind thinks--and they had begun to respect each other. Severus would not ever admit that he feels anything more than that. Ever. He sees Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger sitting on opposite sides of Ha--Potter. Odd, that. He, as just about everyone, has thought that the two were going to be inseparable for the rest of their lives. Of course, he had never understood that, as Hermione Granger is much more intelligent than Ronald Waeasley will ever be. Maybe they have figured out that it won't work, but they will just be friends. It is not like Severus cares much, as Ron Weasley isn't taking his NEWT Potions class, though Ha--Potter and Granger are.

He scans the rest of the room full of people eating breakfast. Last evening was the Sorting, which was uneventful as ever. Today is the first day of class, and he has his NEWT Potions class first. Ah, well. At least most of those students care about Potions, or at least make them well.

He looks at the teachers, seeing the lack of Hagrid and Filius. The strangest thing is seeing Bellatrix Lestrange sitting at the Head Table. She is to be the new Charms Professor. As someone who saw her much more often than the rest, besides Draco, it is odd for him to get used to it. After the battle, they found that Bellatrix was actually under the Imperius curse, performed by her husband Rodolphus Lestrange. She admitted under Veritaserum to not remembering much after a few years into her marriage with him, when he found out she had been seeing Rita Skeeter. He was furious at her dalliance with someone who was not firmly on the side of Dark, and performed the Imperius curse to control her. Severus then researched it and found that such prolonged contact--almost thirty years--had been starting to deteriorate her brain, which accounted for most of the craziness. He threw himself into his Potions work, aided by Hermione Granger who wouldn't explain why she wanted to help Bellatrix get better and Draco Malfoy who had been slighted by the woman so many times that he almost couldn't believe it wasn't her fault, really. Finally, he developed a potion that mostly repaired her functions. She would most likely have short periods of insanity at first, but they would be few and far between. Why Albus had decided that she would be fine at Hogwarts, Severus did not and still does not know.

Bella sees him looking at her and gives him a smile, which he surprisingly returns. He knows she can now remember enough of what she has done that she probably can't stand herself, which is similar to how he feels, so she will need someone on her side. He's been, due to Legilimency, into her her mind enough during the past summer to know that she is not lying. He has seen most of what there is to know about her, and he will not be so cruel as to reject any sort of camaraderie that might spring up between them. He knows most people still do not trust her, since she has brought so much havoc upon general Wizarding society, but he hopes that soon people will begin to trust her again. She deserves that much after leading such a life as she has been forced to lead.

He continues to eat his breakfast, still thinking about how odd this year will be, and absolutely not thinking about how much better Harr--Potter looks now.

((Yeah, hopefully this is ok. By the way, if it's okay, I'd like to do this in present tense. Any past tense I just used was for things that actually happened in the past, but I feel like I want things to feel like they are happening at this very moment, if that's okay? Usually I don't RP in the present, but this feels like, I dunno, the right time. If you're ok with that.))

Harry Potter sits in the great hall on the first day of classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is excited since for the first time in many years he could relax and not worry about Voldemort tiring to kill him. As happy as the last battle was and every day after it, it still hurt Harry to think about it. Even though it brought great pleasure it brought great pain. Harry looks around the hall it seeming almost empty without the familiar faces he grew to know over the years. Harry’s eyes land on Snape, after the battle he had learnt so much about the snarky potions master. Now most of his thoughts revolve around Snape not that he would ever admit it out loud. Harry takes his eyes off of Snape as Hermione and Ron come to the table.

“Harry, can you believe that Dumbledore is letting Bellatrix Lastrange teach charms out of all things.” Ron says as he sits down next to his best friend. ”Even though she was Imperius its going to be strange having a former death eater teaching us. Especially an insane one.

“Ronald Weasley how can you say such a horrible thing about her. She was forced to kill innocent people by her husband and you want to make fun of her.” Hermione says glaring at Ron.

“Mione you’re just saying that because you have a crush on her.”

Harry blocks out the rest of the convocation while thinking about what Ron said. It’s no secret to the two boys that Hermione was gay, that was the reason Ron and her broke up. Everyone in the Weasley family knew and respected it, Fred and Gorge even made jokes. He looked back over at Hermione and Ron. Ron was laughing and Hermione was bright red.

“Hermione.” Harry says keeping a smile off his face. “It’s obvious you like her she’s all you talk about.”

I hope I’m just not that obvious with Snape. What would they say if they found out?


(hey it's fine I just hope I can keep writing like this without switching to past. Love the idea with Bella.)

Bellatrix Lestrange sits at breakfast, trying not to meet anyone's eyes. She knows that most, if not all, of the students will be constantly in fear of her because of what she had done as a "Death Eater." It almost amuses her, even now, that Rodolphus's actions had actually caused her to drift further away from him than before, but it was to Vo--that horrible thing she'd served instead of Rita Skeeter. She wonders, too, if her actions caused Rita to be so obsessed with her career. She wishes to apologize, explain, something, but anything she can say is thirty years too late. She can remember snatches of those thirty years, but she can't remember if she'd ever seen Rita.

She glances up, catching Severus's eye and smiling at him. She is glad that he has forgiven her for her actions; most likely, it was because he understood as he had been forced, for different reasons, to do similar things. In any event, she needs someone on her side. Even Headmaster Dumbledore seemed the slightest bit wary, but it probably helped that Severus had been in her mind while she was under the influence of Veritaserum. Most people did not know, but when one is under the influence of an extremely potent truth serum, an accomplished Legilimens could actually tell whether one's memories are real. Severus has not ever been a trusting person, so she feels even luckier to have his trust.

She surreptitiously sweeps her eyes over the rest of the people in the Hall. Most people are looking away, determined not to stare. Some are staring (in fear) and Bella wishes they would be like the others. She sees Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger not really doing either. Harry (as he told her to call him, as he surprisingly took Severus's word) and Weasley (who obviously did not believe Severus) are talking and laughing, but neither looks particularly afraid of her. Hermione Granger, though, is looking at her--but she doesn't have any sort of fear in her eyes, just curiosity and...something else. She is not sure what to call the girl, really. She is comfortable calling Harry "Harry" because Vo--that guy (she still can't say his name, even in her head) had called him that, and she was used to it, but... that wasn't the case for Hermione Granger. The girl looks down quickly, red cheeks somehow reddening further. "What in the world?" Bella wonders, and goes back to looking down and poking at her breakfast, extremely nervous about the day to come.