The photograph

The photograph – by preety-lady-serenity

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. They belong to J. K. Rowling whose sixth book I am awaiting like nuts.

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The two wooden doors by CheapMe" style="border: none !important; display: inline-block !important; text-indent: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; min-height: 0px !important; min-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-transform: uppercase !important; text-decoration: underline !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important; background: transparent !important;" in_hover="" in_hdr="">opened silently. A feminine silhouette walked inside the room, passed the old tables, into one she had many times sat before, and approached the professor's table. Near it there were a cupboard made of glass that contained many magical photographs. She opened it and retrieved one of them.

The people in the photograph moved. Some in anticipation, others in nervousness and others turned with faces full of happiness. The feminine silhouette spotted her head in the crowd. She was smiling nervously while her two male friends were squeezing her between them. They were smiling broadly while they both played with a curly lock of her hair. Ah her hair was tamed into decent-looking curls with some potion for that day. She kept looking at that photograph in a transfixed state when a hand touched her shoulder. She raised her head and turned it while her eyes were bulging in shock. Yet, when she saw the one who had startled her she scowled.

"Ron Weasley, how many times did I …"

". . . Tell me never to startle you in such a manner. Yeah I know 'Mione" the read-headed young man said looking at her and smiled sardonically. He turned his attention to the photograph that she was holding in her hands and let a sigh.

"Looking again at the photograph" he said blankly.

"Yes look at us. We were so. . .

". . . Carefree that day." Ron said again to interrupt her. "Every year you say the same thing."

"Well I feel like saying it," she said smiling faintly.

"There you are!" a young man with messed hair said happily. His two green eyes met theirs, and then at the photograph. "Once again we are here."

He looked at Ron from behind his glasses and then stared at the photograph in the Hermione's hands.

"Look at Neville," Harry said pointing at the young man, who was wearing his red 'Graduates' cloak and looked at the by CheapMe" style="border: none !important; display: inline-block !important; text-indent: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; min-height: 0px !important; min-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-transform: uppercase !important; text-decoration: underline !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important; background: transparent !important;">gold prize he was holding in disbelief.

"He was so shocked when he learnt he won" Ron said chuckling "But he shouldn't have been. After all he performed miracles with that plant of his."

"Yes, but being awarded with the 'Best Magical Plant Breeder Award' from all students in Britain is quite an honor. It was so good of Professor Sprout of sending a sample of his Mimbulus Mimbletonia at that contest." Hermione said. "Oh and here is Lavender showing off again."

Harry chuckled merrily. Lavender was not showing off. But to Hermione everyone with a fancy pair of earrings and such a weird kind of hairpins was showing off. Hermione nudged him in the ribs to make him stop laughing.

"Who would know . . .?" Ron trailed off and looked at the photograph not concluding his sentence.

"There you are again!" a deep male voice snorted and came near them. "Year comes, a year goes and I am still the one who comes to find you."

The three of them turned around to see the black-robed man. Severus Snape looked at them sternly and then at the photograph. He saw his face. As a member of the stuff it was a duty to photograph himself along with every House's students. His eyes moved to his face, then to McGonagall's and then at the Headmaster's. The Headmaster had convinced him once again to go and retrieve them.

"Two hundred years!" Harry stated looking at the photograph. "Two hundred years today, since. . ."

"I know it is two hundred years Potter." Snape said while he took a photograph from the shelf and looked at it. Slytherin House. He then took another. Hufflepuff. Then Ravenclaw. He finally took the Gryffindor House's photograph and placed it carefully on the cupboard.

"So many gone," Ron said bitterly as he transformed into a man or his middle thirties.

"Yes but many survived. And the future was by CheapMe" style="border: none !important; display: inline-block !important; text-indent: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; min-height: 0px !important; min-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-transform: uppercase !important; text-decoration: underline !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important; background: transparent !important;">saved Mr. Wealsey." Snape stated, with a slight tone of pride.

"Yes but sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Voldemort had waited one more day. If he had not attacked on our Graduation Day" Hermione said faintly and the three of them looked at Snape.

"I don't know." Snape whispered. "I guess that many people would have been by CheapMe" style="border: none !important; display: inline-block !important; text-indent: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; min-height: 0px !important; min-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-transform: uppercase !important; text-decoration: underline !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important; background: transparent !important;">saved. Especially smaller students. Or maybe not. Yet we won. And it is important. Because with our victory we saved both worlds, not only one."

"And I guess - that since after death everybody met - up there I mean – things were not so bad." Harry said slowly while he turned transparent."

"Yes. The dead waited for the living to come" Ron reminded Hermione, who smiled slightly.

Snape turned to look out of one of the windows. The black sky was turning strong blue. In a few moments a new morning was to be born.

Two Hundred Years Ago.

He closed his eyes trying to thin. He coughed.

"It's time to go" Snape said slowly.

The three of them looked at him. Harry rubbed his hand on his robe's sleeve and took Hermione's hand. Ron took the woman's other hand and chuckling he transformed into a three-year old looking boy. The other two followed his step and transformed themselves. The three of them giggled happily; as they disappeared.

Snape let a sigh of desperation. Gryffindors! They never change. He looked at one last time at the sky. It was turning golden blue. He started disappearing, not knowing that he was smiling slightly.

The morning was born. A new day had come.

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DEDICATED TO MY FRIEND KOSTAS, WHO WAS KILLED IN A CAR-CRUSH THREE YEARS AGO AND NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO GRADUATE!

I hope you liked it. In my twisted reality souls meet wherever they go (depends on your belief) when they die. As you understand I haven't said who died during the battle and who survived.

Now can I ask for favor?

Please review!