Considering tossing her at a game...

[greatestofthese]

 It's full up to the brim with Death Eaters?

Fine.  Dandy, even.

It shouldn't surprise you, dear, that I believe in second chances for everyone.  Perhaps they can learn.  Or perhaps I can get a second chance to take more of the bastards with me.  What's the worst they can do?  Torture and kill me again?

Comments

[greatestofthese]

Does that make you feel better about it?

[subtlescience]

We weren't discussing my feelings on the subject.

[greatestofthese]

Your feelings kind of get everywhere, Severus.

...But I suppose I shouldn't take it out on you, really. After all, I knew I was signing my own death warrant when I sent in that essay.

[subtlescience]

I can't imagine you would wish to 'take out' your death on anyone. It's rather a distinguishing factor between murder and martyring.

[greatestofthese]

True. I can't really complain. It was more or less what I intended, anyway, and you were just doing what you had to do. Me doing my Gryffindor thing, you doing your Slytherin thing, etcetera.

Tell me this, though, Severus, if you can: was it at least not all for naught?

[subtlescience]

Surely you are not asking me to assign meaning and value to your death.

[greatestofthese]

Not to assign meaning, no, and not to my death. You and I have been colleagues, Severus, and—at times—friends, and I know you well enough to know that you too serve something larger than yourself, though whatever it may be I cannot begin to fathom.

My concern is my life's work. Do hate and fear still thrive in Wizarding Britain?

[subtlescience]

Cock-eyed optimism is not a noble quality in anyone. If your life's work was to abolish hate and fear from the human condition, I'm afraid it was a waste, indeed. A rather magnificent one, at that.

Content yourself, however, in the knowledge that one war is over. Potter was victorious.

[greatestofthese]

I only hope that I may have given at least a few the tools to overcome the hate and fear that's endemic to the human condition. Such things take time. Perhaps, then, if there is peacetime in Britain, there may be time enough for the thoughtful few to build and to create and to teach before the next war comes, as I imagine it will.

And how have you fared, Severus? I suppose I should have asked that from the start.

[subtlescience]

I died. What more information is needed for your purposes?

Or did you mean in Baedal?