Unexpected Fate (Severus Snape x Reader)

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I met their gaze. "No. I don't expect blind trust. I expect doubt, I expect anger. But I also expect you to understand that there is no time for this. This war isn't about what's already happened—it's about what happens now. And right now, you need every wand you can get."

Another silence followed, heavy and uncertain.

Percy stepped forward.

"She could have fought us," he said, his voice calm, measured. "When Snape was forced out of the castle, when McGonagall stood against him, she could have drawn her wand."

Bill narrowed his eyes. "And she didn't."

"No," Percy said, shaking his head. "She didn't."

The tension in the room shifted, still thick but no longer as suffocating. People were listening now, considering, questioning instead of outright rejecting.

Kingsley studied me for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. Then, his voice took on a different edge.

"And what about him?" he asked, and this time, there was something more than skepticism in his tone. Something closer to suspicion. "Snape. What do you know about him? About his plans?"

I hesitated for the first time.

Because that was the question they had all wanted to ask since the moment I had stepped into this room.

"I never knew the details," I said finally, choosing my words carefully. "I was never given the whole truth. Only pieces. Only what was necessary." I inhaled sharply. "But I know this—he is not a monster."

A ripple of unease spread through the group.

Kingsley's gaze hardened. "That's not an answer."

"No," I agreed. "It's not. But it's the truth. You can believe it or not."

Bill scoffed, shaking his head. "So you're defending him now? After everything?"

"I'm saying that you don't know everything." My voice was stronger now, steadier, as I turned to the others. "None of you do."

It was Remus who finally stepped forward.

"She's right," he said, and the murmurs immediately ceased.

All eyes turned to him.

Remus met Kingsley's gaze first, then looked at the others before finally settling on me. "I was the one who let her in," he admitted. "I watched her, I spoke to her, I tried to understand why she was doing this. And I believe her."

Tonks took a breath, glancing between us before nodding. "So do I."

The tension in the hall did not break, but it changed. There was still doubt, still resentment, but the outright rejection had shifted into consideration.

I turned to Remus and Tonks, my chest tightening with something I hadn't let myself feel in far too long—gratitude. I met their eyes, my expression unguarded, silently thanking them for their trust, for standing beside me when no one else would.

Remus gave the smallest nod, steady and reassuring. Tonks offered the briefest hint of a smile. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

For the first time, Kingsley's expression shifted. Not trust—not yet—but something closer to understanding.

Still, he remained cautious. "And if we let you fight with us—what then?"

I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "Then I fight," I said simply. "For Hogwarts. For this school. For all of you."