Harry watched as the crowd started to grow. He knew that the crowd wasn't there for Snape's benefit. In fact, the only reason why people were showing up at all was because Harry was there. Harry had been the one to insist on a funeral for Snape.

'Severus,' Harry reminded himself. 'His name was Severus.'

"Harry-" He turned to see Hermione standing there. "I think it's time to start." Looking around the small gathering, he realized that he had lost track of time.

"Right," Harry muttered. He tugged at his robes. He couldn't remember being so nervous.

"Honestly," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. She tugged at his shoulders until he was properly facing her. "You just finished off Voldemort, you should be able to handle this just fine."

"Right," George said. Harry thought it was very brave for George to come. It was asking a lot for the Weasley family to attend the service. After all, they had just held Fred's funeral the day before, and none of them had particularly cared for Snape. "I mean, it would be a shame for you to survive all these years and then suddenly keel over from nerves."

Harry let out a weak laugh. It felt good to laugh, even if it felt forced.

"There," Hermione said, giving Harry's robes one last tug. "All set."

"Thanks," Harry murmured. He stood back and surveyed the crowd. Snape had not one friend in the world. People were here to humor Harry, and that was the extent of it. That didn't mean that Harry didn't try to make things look nice. Snape's coffin was black, lined with silver. On top of the casket laid a bouquet of lilies.

'Here goes nothing,' he thought, walking to the podium. People noticed him and started to gather around. He closed his eyes. 'I can do this.'

Standing behind the podium, he took out his notes and shuffled them restlessly. The words on the pages seem to blur into squiggles. 'Absolutely useless,' Harry thought.

He set them down and took a moment to breath. The crowd was patient, waiting quietly for the service to begin.

Harry took in a breath. "The world is cruel," Harry began, forcing his voice over its trembling.

He sighed, maybe he couldn't do this.

Looking up, he saw Ginny smiling at him tenderly. He remembered back to the instant he understood why Snape had been bound to keeping Harry safe.

'Love will do that to you,' Harry thought.

He took one more breath, and began again.

"The world is cruel," Harry said. "It's not always fair and we can't always control it." He closed his eyes, focusing on the images from the pensieve that Snape had shown him that night, two years before.

'Your mother was a wonderful woman, Harry,' Snape had said. 'She didn't care that I didn't come from a happy home, or that I didn't wear the nicest robes.'

"We come here today to honor Severus Snape. Although many did not like him- in fact, many distrusted him- we all must remember that inside each of us, there are demons."

'I regret many things in my life. But what I regret the most is that when she needed me, I let her down.'

"Fortunately, most of us never have to face these demons."

'I was so angry!'

"Most of us can simply hide them, wish them away."

'I was so jealous!'

"But there are a select few, who don't wish to hide their faults."

'I chose acceptance rather than doing the right thing!'

"Instead, they are afraid of their own good qualities. They love without acknowledgement."

'I never thought to tell her that I loved her!'

"They sacrifice without a word of thanks. They would rather die than let others know that there is good in them."

'The night your mother died was the worst night of my life.'

"Severus Snape was such a man." Harry looked up at the crowd. Most of them didn't believe him. Somehow, Harry didn't care. "He was one of the bravest men I ever knew."

The end.