It is our choices (A Harry/Severus friendship fic post DH) (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 24- The battle is won

Authors note: I dedicate this chapter to Wizgirl95 for being the first to comment the most number of times! 3 times! And also, thank you for always commenting and being so eager for the next chapter! As for this chapter... well to use a chapter name from Breaking Dawn (my apologies to those who do not like Twilight): 'There are no words for this.'

Chapter 24- 'The Battle is won'

Although his conversation with Lily continued to roll itself over in Severus' mind, the following week was a hectic one for the students and staff at Hogwarts. It was that time of the year when examinations were underway, where searching for someone involved looking in the common room or otherwise in the library. Of course, Rose was further in front of study than anyone else, but was still worried that there was some important information she was missing. So worried in fact that it was 9pm the night before her first exam, History of Magic, and was sure she had forgotten some part of Professor Binns' continued droning. Realising the time, she rose from her chair in the library, rubbed her eyes and stared out of the window she had been sitting next to for the past two hours. Her drowsiness went away almost immediately: she saw something, she was sure of it. A dark shadow, a form of some kind was in the forest. But was it just an animal? She couldn't be sure. Looking around desperately to see if anyone else saw the creature too, she realised she was all alone in the library except Madam Pince who was lurking around on the other side of the room, dusting books with the magic from her wand. 

Turning around, Rose ran for the door; she had to speak to Professor Snape. 

"Hey," someone whispered, making Rose jump.  

Spinning around, her eyes wide open, Rose searched for the source of the voice. To her right, she saw Scorpius get up from a chair that was in one of the isles, apparently reading a book. 

"Hi," Rose said. 

"What are you doing?" Scorpius asked, having noticed the almost panicked look on Rose's face. 

"I need to talk to Professor Snape." 

"Why?" the boy asked. "Did you see something weird?" 

"Yes, I looked out the window just now and saw something moving in the forest." 

"But- couldn't it just be an animal, my dad told me there are many different creatures in the forest, it could have been-" 

"I know it's weird, but I just want to make sure... I have a feeling... I should tell Professor Snape anyway, he should know just in case," Rose rationalized, wanting to leave the library as soon as possible to find her professor. 

"I'll come with you," Scorpius said, walking towards the exit, leaving the book he was reading behind. 

"Okay," Rose replied hurriedly. 

"But... didn't Professor Snape say that there were protections around Hogwarts? Unwanted people aren't able to get into Hogwarts grounds because the protection around the castle, right?" Scorpius asked hesitantly. 

"Yes, he did say that, but who's to say that unwanted creatures cannot enter?" Rose pointed out as she increased her speed towards the dungeons, Scorpius barely keeping up. 

"Surely they would have thought of that..." Scorpius trailed off. 

"I am sure they did, but all the same, Professor Snape should know," Rose exclaimed defiantly. 

"I know, I'm just trying to work out what it could have been. What did it look like?" 

"I don't know, it was too dark to see, but I definitely saw something, it was not even fully within the forest, but on the outskirts. If we were outside we would have seen what it was for sure."