The Taming of the Snape

Word had travelled quickly throughout Hogwarts. Rumours of Snape’s death had reached fever pitch, sons, daughters of and or people who knew people who were Deatheaters, embellished stories with great pleasure and little remorse.

Reports of a new DADA were considered the normal, but this guy was most secretive, apparently he had been here for almost a week no one had seen him themselves but everyone knew someone who had.

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It was dinner time and students flooded into the Great Hall one huge tide of noise to assail the senses of the even most patient. There were two seats vacant at the head table, where Snape usually sat and the one beside him where the DADA had sat each year, different person same position. This year and right now both were empty.

Dumbledore stood patiently at the dais waiting for the last to drift in. With all present he commanded silence and began …

“It is a time both for great sadness and for great joy. As you are no doubt aware, Potions Master, Professor Severus Tobias Snape has been taken from us, his state funeral is being held tomorrow.

We would ask that as many of you who are able to please attend. There shall be no lessons conducted until next Monday. He was a great and brave man who will sorely be missed; his spirit lives on in every life and heart he has ever touched.”

A few sobs broke out randomly through the room, not surprisingly they were sparse. Dumbledore nodded sagely in understanding, in a little while he continued.

“This evening we welcome another into our family here at Hogwarts. Our new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Sabastian Antinous Vaspasian. He is of Royal blood and joins us directly from the Unseelie court.

This evening we shall be holding a handfasting, his in fact, to a young man who over the course of this last week has fallen totally and utterly in love. It was with the intervention and blessing of Hogwarts that these two souls are united.

Throughout time immortal the ritual sharing of a meal at a handfasting has the added meaning of feeding on and drinking in of the promises that a couple has made.

There is a term that we hear often at events such as this with very little explanation. The term is “Perfect Love and Perfect Trust” or “Unconditional Love”

In the case of all loving, caring, committed relationships the ideal that this speaks of is not about perfection, but of expecting and accepting imperfection and human frailty.

It means that a couple must say to one another: ‘I accept and I expect that on occasion you will anger me as I will anger you, and that you will hurt me as I will hurt you; But I know in my heart that between us there is love and affection and friendship that is stronger; And I trust that no pain is caused out ill will, or malice, or pettiness, just as I trust that we are together for a reason and that we will never throw each other away.

I trust that at our best we will live together in love and joy and harmony and at our worst we will fight, with and for and beside each other, for the greater good without fear of abandonment.

Many shall recognize the symbolic binding of the hands at the end of this service which inspired the terms “Bonds of Matrimony” and to “Tie the knot” During the Middle Ages to be seen in public holding hands was a sign that couples were exclusive to one another. And while rings were for the very rich, love knows no bounds.

Hogwarts has called us here this day to lay witness and silent testimony to the unity of two souls drawn together by the force we know as Love. Nothing and no one may opposite it.”

During his speech the massive doors to the Great Hall had closed, they now slowly swung open.

“I would now like to introduce to you the couple who are sharing this special occasion with us here this evening. Please welcome Professor Sabastian Antinous Vaspasian and Harry James Potter.”

Wearing identical Midnight Blue velvet betrothal gowns covered richly in runes, lavishly embellished with silver and gold the two lovers walked slowly hand in hand into the Great Hall.