That evening we had a reunion scheduled with some of the teachers of Hogwarts, where we would discuss the future of the school, how we would start again and most importantly, how to make sure families trusted the school with their kids.
Going back to that school was strange. They had it all repaired, redid every detail, in an attempt to look just like it was before. But, still, everything was different. Everything changed. Some things in a good way. Others were worse.
After a few hours of conversations, I remained as a teacher of Muggle Studies and ended up as a maestro of the Hogwarts choir, much to my pleasure. Severus asked to be the teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts, but they all refused his request.
"Severus, I beg you. We need you as the headmaster of the school. For everything that you represent, you are the one meant for the position." Minerva pleaded, eyes filled with expectation.
I glanced at Severus expecting to hear some sort of acceptance in his eyes, but his expression hasn't changed. He didn't answer her request. Instead, he sighed and eyed our colleagues for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. "I will not".
Sad expressions appeared on everyone' faces, but Minerva didn't give up. She refused to accept his answer because she believed faithfully that Severus was the one meant for the job and the one Dumbledore would want to guide his loved school.
"Dumbledore would be proud of everything you achieved. And he would want you to be the voice of Hogwarts. But if you deny being the voice of this school... let Hogwarts speak for itself." She nodded to Argo Filtch and he opened the Great Hall' doors, revealing a crowd of students waiting to enter the room. "They are here to thank you for your services and to ask you to lead them."
Harry Potter with his hand intertwined with Ginny's, stepped forward with a confident look in his eyes, gazing at Severus. Severus was bewildered with the show in front of him. And even though he tried to show a rigid posture and hide behind his hard mask, he couldn't hold a tear once he started hearing his students.
"Professor, I put all our differences aside when I knew about the sacrifices you made your whole life for me, for all of us. And we can't thank you enough for everything you did." He stated and some other students started talking too, supporting what Harry was saying.
"Yeah, you were an amazing teacher, by the way." One said.
"Thank you for everything." Others said.
Harry Potter remained quiet until all of them were done talking. Under the table, my hand found Severus' and rested intertwined with each other. I tightened my grip on his hand, as a way to tell him I was by his side no matter what and I could feel he understood what I was trying to tell him. Finally, Harry opened his mouth to speak and I felt Severus body tensing up.
"Sir, these students need someone like you to lead them, to guide them. I can't say you're going to be like Dumbledore was. You're going to be just like you are. A brave man, with his heart in the right place. So, please, be the headmaster of Hogwarts and help us rebuild it again back to its glory. It is up to you now. Either way, we are thankful for having you here."
No sound came from his mouth, but I could feel the heat emanating from his skin, the sweat on his forehead and his pumping heart, threatening to explode as the students finally got out of the room.
"Severus. You have us all here for you. You will never be alone." I said gently to him. "Whatever your decision is, I won't leave your side. And neither our friends." He looked at me when he heard the word "Friends", furrowing his bows and I smiled warmly at him. "Yes, we have a family here now."
He sighed, exhaling all the tension he didn't even know he had coiled inside his lungs and after a few moments of reflection he finally made up his mind, raising his eyes to his colleagues around the table. "I'll be the headmaster of Hogwarts." Smiles, claps, and cries of happiness reverberated through the room, but Severus made sure his voice was heard and ceased the joy of the presents. "With ONE condition."
Eyeing everyone with a hard expression his eyes melted when found mind. "Angels' chamber and mine shall be the same."
Everyone smiled again and clapped their hands as they congratulated their new headmaster, feeling a new era of teaching wizard building up. I looked at him with an open smile on my face and kissed his cheek, gluing my lips with his skin for some seconds. I closed my eyes as I felt tears streaming down my cheek until I finally pulled away and congratulated him myself.
So the next step was to schedule a meeting with the students' parents to make sure they fully trusted on the school. It was something we all were nervous about, but it turned out to be easy. The parents were positive about Severus being the new headmaster, which supported his decision.
So at the end of the day, Severus and I were finally able to rest on the comfort of our new chambers, where we were to spend the next years of our life, together and happy.
Seeing how Severus peacefully slept, arms embracing me gently after another intense lovemaking session, warmed up something inside my heart. Considering our dark past and how we ended up together finding comfort and love on each other's' arms, made me think we were really rewarded for all the madness we've been through. So that's why I quietly thanked whoever was responsible for our destiny, thanked Dumbledore, and closed my eyes with a smile on my lips.