Life Begins Anew

make no money from this. JK Rowling owns Harry potter

AN: I know I said this would be final chapter, but I had to break it up or it would be far too long. This chapter is over 3,000 words. Part 2 after this and it is finished I promise. Sara returns………

Epilogue Part 1

Five Years Later……..

Tonight is Samhain

Five years have passed since the Final Battle and three wizards in Auror robes made their way through the castle gates of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

They slowed down their steps when they noticed a tall, black clothed form leaning against the entrance wall, twirling a wand idly in his hand.

"Do you think he's forgiven you for killing him yet?" Harry asked the blonde haired wizard.

Draco eyed the dark form warily. "I doubt it. I really did him a favor. I mean hair not greasy, no sickly pallor and no scars."

Ronald Weasley looked to the pure blood and sneered. "Well, he probably did not appreciate being cursed from behind. Not very Quidditch you know!"

"Like you were there, Weasel! I could see the Death Eaters starting to break down. My bloody Godfather was too impatient and never did trust his sister. Bootstray and Slightly were already dead defending Sara.

Draco turned quickly to face the red headed wizard. "So, it all works out anyway. He lived. You know Weasley, I'm not sure why you come here at all. All you do is try and make the Snape's fight. Hermione is never going to leave him. You might as well wizard up to the mistake you made seventh year and find another witch. Wizard, use your fame for Merlin's sake!"

Ron sighed. He knew it was good advice. "Still, she is the only one I ever wanted." He replied quietly. His relationship with Lavander did not work out and he found that he desired Hermione.

"Be that as it may Weasley she is mine and will always be mine." Severus Snape loomed in front of him. "You would do well to remember that as I will not allow you to cause a scene this year."

He looked darkly into Ron's eyes. "You know it upsets Bootstray. Besides he says that as five years has passed he will now answer the question we have all wondered about: Why did Sara show up here and do the things that she did?"

"Potter, at least this is a Hogsmeade weekend and I do not have to defend you from your…fan club." He tersely stated and turned quickly around, not waiting for the others to follow.

They found themselves in front of the gargoyle that had recently felt the need to once again be disrespectful in the past year.

"Gargoyle!" Severus drew his wand. "I suggest you still that biting tongue tonight." He pointed the wand warningly at the stone guardian.

"Of course Professor Snape." The gargoyle quietly replied. "I remember guarding her two hundred years ago."

The gargoyle leaping quickly aside. "I hope for the Professor's sake she appears for him. I feel that this year will break him. If she does not appear, you must watch him. He longs for death, and I think after tonight he will force his journey."

The gargoyle became silent as Severus pondered its words as he led the wizards up the stairs and entered the office.

They noticed that the room was dark with single light shining on a long table on which laid an Order of Merlin First Class, a very thick book, a dagger, black Death Eater robes stained with blood, the silver mask of the Inner Circle, a scrolled parchment, and three penseives.

Severus looked over and saw Professors Bootstray, McGonagall and Snape standing in front of the missing Headmistress' painting. Madame Pomphrey was standing to the side, hanky in her hand. The Headmaster walked over to the new arrivals.

"How is he, Albus?" Severus quietly asked.

"Not well, Severus. I fear for his well-being. You know, as an accomplished assassin he could always disappear and we would never find him. No, I think that he is giving us his last farewell. Since start of term, he has been going through the motions. There is no spark left in him. All the years that have passed, he has not been able to let go of his grief. I fear that it has finally consumed him. He has Sara's old quarters, and he has left it as it was when she was here. He never removed any of her things, and forbade the house elves from even changing the bed covers."

Severus felt a wave of remorse wash over him. He could not imagine being in Bootstray's shoes. Bootstray had loved her and stood by her to the end. He had seen something in his sister, something that he did not see. The wizard had given her his complete loyalty and love. She had laid out her plans plainly and told him everything and he had chosen not to believe it at the end. And even though she knew the hatred he had held for her, she still saved him from the clutches of death before she went off to her own death. He once again felt unworthy of the life his sister had given him.

"Bootstray." Severus approached the grief stricken wizard.

"Hello Severus. Thank you for indulging me." Bootstray quietly replied.

The door opened and Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebot arrived, minus his normal bodyguards.

This was different. Hermione thought. Kingsley had never been invited to Bootstray's vigils of Sara before. She frowned at this.

Bootstray poured large glasses of firewhiskey and handed a glass to each one. "All of you here tonight deserve to know the truth of Sara Snape, a witch I loved and though she did not show it I knew she loved me as well. But there was a prophecy, a plan to release her. One which convientantly took care of your Dark Lord problem."

He drank down his drink. "You believe she sacrificed herself for your cause is incorrect." Bootstray grabbed the Order of Merlin from the table and threw it into the fire. "She would not want your misconceptions."

The gathered wizards and witches gasped in shock. Severus and Hermione remained silent as they already knew.

He picked up the large book titled "Sara Snape, Master Assassin" and held it out. "I want you to review this. After you have I will continue." He gave the book to the Headmaster first. Bootstray then went to the portrait of The Missing Headmistress and placed his hand upon it.

After an hour of everyone reviewing the book it was placed on the table. There was silence in the room.

"She was very accomplished Bootstray." Severus softly told him. He hid his shock that his sister became the Master Assassin at the age of ten. 17 years with 2,000 kills accredited to her alone? Gods, what kind of life had she led? He suddenly remembered her words of long ago that the acts she performed would fill a book. And indeed they did.

"Yes she was Severus. The best of us all." He held up his hand showing the faded mark of an assassin. "As the guild was destroyed, you have the opportunity to view that which has never been viewed unless you were on the receiving end." He picked up the dagger and passed it around. "The Master Asassin's Dagger connecting us all. All of my brothers are gone, yet this knife connected us."

"So that is how you met my sister." Severus replied back.

"Yes Severus, I was her Sergeant At Arms in the guild along with Slightly and the reason of our involvement." Bootstray replied as he picked up the rolled parchment.

"This is why she came and why we are living, and she is dead. Or not dead." He growled in frustration. "She should be here in this portrait as I know we buried her. And yet she is not here."

He spread out the parchment on the table and allowed them to read. They all noted the names written above the references.

"Oh Bootstray!" Hermione went over to hug him.

Bootstray looked at her softly. "Do you regret her minipulations Hermione?"

"No Bootstray I never have." Hermione softly replied. "Even though Sara Lily Snape was conceived to give Sara what she needed to defeat to help Harry defeat Voldemort she is loved and continues the Prince line. It is only because of her that I am here today."

Bootstray patted her hand. "Now to the penseives. These are my memories. I split them up. One when she was my Master, then her as a Professor, then my memories of the last battle and finding Sara's body."

Everyone held hands and dipped their face in the first penseive……..


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At Sara's grave while the penseive was being viewed…….

Sara was at one moment at the beck and call of the Demon charged over her, and then suddenly felt herself in a dark, enclosed space. She felt around and realized she was in a coffin. She panicked. What the hell?

****Dig yourself out Sara Snape! You are once again needed in the mortal world***

Fuck! This was worse than serving the Demon.

&&&&&&&

After Viewing the First Penseive…….

Everyone came out of the penseive, some conjuring up pails and vomiting in them. Professor McGonagall and Madame Pompfrey were sobbing in each other's arms.

"I'm sorry that I did not warn you of some of the contents. You needed to see them without warning." Bootstray muttered remorsefully.

"It was you who brought Dolohov and Travis to Malfoy Manor!" Severus exclaimed. Gods the look of fear in Voldemot's eyes at the clearing while Fiendfyre surrounded them and the noise of guns were priceless.

"Oh Gods! What she had to do to get Lucius interest to get into the Dark Lord ranks." Hermione whispered.

"Fortunately Slightly and I was not around for the first part. Believe me I did not relish standing in front of the door and listening; making sure that animal Malfoy did not kill her by mistake. We only found out she was pretty much immortal after that."

"And poor Slightly. He must have cared for Sara more than her office to turn down the Veil and full redemption." Madame Pomphrey sniffed into her hankie.

"He did, in his own way. Slightly had a horrible childhood and he never gave his word lightly. We were misfits growing up and he was the reason I joined the Guild. We had a bond and I could not allow him to be on his own. I joined six months after him." Bootstray revealed.

"Kingsley!" Albus boomed out. "How could you not tell me?"

"Albus." Kingsley muttered out. "I was under a vow, and after all was said and done all I thought I could do to honor her sacrifice was the Order of Merlin. After all you know the first year after Voldemort's destruction the Wizarding world needed a few heroes living or dead to help them heal as so many families lost their loved ones in the Final Battle. When she agreed I never thought that she was seeking death. I am sorry I never told you Albus. What good would it have done?"

He looked to the Headmaster. "Regardless of her motivations, she helped Harry Potter to bring the Dark Lord down. I still think she was worthy of that Order of Merlin regardless of her motivation."

"And that is why I never objected to it all these years Kingsley. You had more on your plate than most, taking over the Ministry and getting it sorted." He patted the wizard on the back.

Bootstray placed the second penseive in front of them. They all looked at it apprehensively and held hands once more and lowered their faces…..


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Back to Sara's grave………………….

Sara finally dug herself up out of the ground. She noticed she was not breathing and held up her arm to observe it. She saw rotting flesh. Shit. Inferi? Living dead? Her death just got worse.

She looked up and noticed that she was close to Hogwart's lake. Sara looked to the castle and frowned, if you could call it that. A few bits of dead flesh fell from her face as she turned back and read her tombstone.

Sara Peverell Prince Snape, Headmistress and Professor of Hogwarts

Trusted by a lioness and two unknown

Feared by serpents

Bonded to DEATH

And loved by one

The Final Battle set her free

Bootstray. Obviously the words on her epitaph were from him. She wondered what had ever become of him.

A black vapor formed before her as she recognized the unforgettable form of DEATH. Awwww shit! Things just got even worse.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Second Penseive ….

They all came out of the penseive silent. All looked to Severus as he held his head down.

"I told the Headmaster I would try to trust her. You know that I tried." He muttered out.

Hermione went over to her husband and smacked him on the head. "You killed her before letting her know you were with her at my parents?"

"Hermione! Please, all I had was your best interest. I could not trust her at the time." Severus replied. "I have tortured myself these past years regretting. I am paying penance!" He grabbed his wife's hand and kissed it. "And then, kidnapping us both and asking what was required and releasing my life debt. I knew after that you loved me and I loved you. And we have a beautiful daughter named for her."

Bootstray stepped forward. "Hermione, all of this was destiny. Do not be harsh on your husband. He acted according to what the Fates designed."

He turned to Draco. "And you, young Lord. You could not have understood the request she made of you. And now you do. Does that make you feel better?"

Draco replied slowly. "Yes, though Hermione had more to sacrifice then I did at the end."

Harry spoke up. "I did not know that she was the one to kill me to force the Horcrux out of my body. She had everything so mapped out."

Bootstray took the young wizards hand. "No Harry she was very unsure of her plan. Did you not see that when viewed the penseive? Her soul had started to heal until she had to defeat her former Dark Arts master. She had to take so much darkness to rescue Hermione, Draco, and the first years. Any strides her soul had made disappeared. She was constantly plagued by self doubt and fighting the darkness that was trying to take her over."

Everyone remained silent as Hermione grabbed Bootstray's hand. "Sara's remorse at having to kill the children broke her for a bit? She told you she loved you when she came to you broken."

"Yes, I poured everything I had into that. I think that helped her to accomplish the rest."

Bootstray placed the third penseive in front of them. "And now to the Final Battle……" They all dipped their heads once more.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sara's grave

Sara laughed out loud. This must surely be a joke!

"DEATH! Why am I here and not with my Demon Master?" She demanded.

"Sara, I must admit that I have seen you looking better." Grabbing her bony hand and guiding her to the castle. "There have been two wizards paying penance at the same time shortening your sentence. You were always destined to return."

"Bootstray?" She asked. Damn! He was supposed to move on.

"Yes, and your brother as well." DEATH replied.

She was shocked at DEATH's revelation. "Severus has always hated me. That could not be."

"Oh yes, his remorse has been felt by the Veil. And that takes some doing."

They stopped at the entrance to the castle.

"This is Samhain Sara. You know, the dead get to walk amongst the living on this day." DEATH stated. "You are here to take your place amongst the mortal world once again. You are here to save Bootstray as he intends to poison himself to search for you, since you have not appeared in your Headmistress portrait. The Veil will not accept this. Having you arrive as "dead" will help you acknowledge you are alive to the Wizarding world. Enter through the Great Hall, so many will see you. Then head for the Headmaster's office. You need to hurry." DEATH faded.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

There was no comment from anyone as they knew the outcome.

Draco was crying as Severus comforted his godson muttering that he did what he had to do by killing him.

They all looked up to Bootstray as they noticed he had his wand in one hand and a phial in the other.

"I am going to search for Sara and none of you can stop me. I wanted you to know the truth before I left you." Bootstray pointed his wand as he unstoppered the phial……….

&&&&&

Sara entered the Great Hall in the middle of the Dinner Feast. Mr. Tydell, Hufflepuff 7th year Prefect recognized the stench of death entering the hall from a long ago Defense class. He glanced up as he noticed a rotting form walking down the center aisle. "Professor Snape!" He screamed out.

The dead body turned to him. "Mr. Tydell. I hope you are not continuing rumors?"

He stuttered "No Professor! I swear it!"

The body chuckled back. "Then continue on Mr. Tydell." She moved past the frozen students.

The professors at the Head Table were frozen in fear as she walked by. "Please professors continue on. I need to visit the Headmaster."

She exited out through the staff entrance and found herself at the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's entrance. It leapt aside. "Hurry Headmistress! Professor Bootstray intends to take his own life."

Sara entered the chamber as Bootstray raised the phial to his mouth.

"Really, a party and no one thought to invite me?" She croaked out as everyone shrank back, the stench of death in the air.

Sara walked to the table and glanced down at the items for a moment. It seemed that she walked in on some kind of vigil for her.

Walking past the table, she approached Bootstray and grabbed the phial from his hand and threw it onto the ground and looked to the shattered glass.

She poked a bony finger sharply at the wizard's chest forcing him back. "Bootstray this is wrong! You were supposed to move on and find a good witch."

"Sara is that you? I recognize the robes I buried you in. There was never any witch except for you."

Bootstray scrambled back and fell to the floor as he looked up at the rotting body recognizing the moldy robes that he had buried her in.

"Yes Bootstray. It seems that two professors here were serving their own penance allowing me to have my sentence of penance cut by five years. It seems that I have been destined to return."

She walked over to her shocked brother and grabbed the firewhiskey out of his hand and drank it down. The fluid leaked out of the rotted holes of her body. "Hmmm not as I remember it." Noticing the wands pointed at her.

"Please! I'm already dead. You know it is Samhain. The dead walk amongst the living and all that. I admit that I have looked and smelled better though. " The wands were lowered.

"DEATH! I have prevented Bootstray's planned vacation to the Veil. Can you now fix my body to rights?" Sara called out. "It would really help me in explaining things. It is hard to talk with rotting vocal cords. Besides, everyone here is scared shitless."

Everyone in the room froze as they noticed a transformation to Sara's dead body. It garnered color and all of the rotten flesh was replaced by living skin. She took a deep breath in. He had removed all her scarring as well, moldy robes showing healthy skin.

She walked over to her brother and pulled the battered toy kitten from her robes and handed it to him. "Severus, you were always my protector. I never doubted you."

"Oh Sara!" Severus voice cracked out. "I failed you. You always told the truth, and I could not see it."

"Is your remorse because of your memories being returned to you after I left the castle Severus?"

She looked to him in understanding as he said nothing. "I regret that I could not tell you. Even if I did you would not have believed me."

Sara looked to the group. "I did leave a penseive explaining my actions. Surely you have viewed it?"

She noticed the confusion. "Oh Bootstray."

"Master, I could not bring myself to enter your inner chambers and allowed no one else to do so." He answered miserably.

"Please excuse me while I refresh myself." Sara replied as she turned her heal and Apparated away.

Kingsley looked to Albus questioningly.

"She is a Headmistress as she still has a ring and never formally removed." Albus replied.

&&&&&&&&&

Sara appeared in her quarters and looked around, noticing the unkempt cot and wardrobe in her main room. She sighed as she entered her bedchambers and noticed the dust and cobwebs.

Entering her bath chambers, she stepped into the shower and washed away the dirt and grime from her grave. Gods! The hot water felt so good, relishing the fact that she felt alive.

Exiting, she dressed into the midnight blue robes from long ago and looked into the mirror, marveling that she was no longer disfigured from her Bond with DEATH.

DEATH appeared, allowing her to see his spectral form along with Hades.

Hades flew from DEATH's shoulder and flew into her arms. "Mistress I have missed you."

"Sentimental old bird. I have missed you as well." Sara replied as she stroked his feathers.

DEATH looked to her. "Sara, this is the last time you will see me while alive. Make the most of your second chance. The Fates have brought you back."

"Of that you can be sure Lord DEATH." She replied as she picked the penseive covered in cobwebs at her desk.

DEATH looked to her for a moment before fading away. "Life Begins Anew."

She apparated back to the Headmaster's office with her penseive.

Sara looked to the gathered witches and wizards as she placed the penseive down.

"You need to review this." Watching as they did as she requested. She stood back and waited.

AN Sara is alive and has an act to perform. Second part to epilogue tells us what it is and completes the story. Sorry 2 parter as it would have been a long chapter.