Today I am sitting in the Leaky Cauldron with those closest to me.

I am sitting at a table surrounded by my two BFF's, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, my wife Ginny Weasley, and two other dear friends of mine, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. The landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, Hannah Abbott, has also joined us as she is Neville's wife.

"I have a major announcement to make," I tell Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"Oh, what is it?" asks Hermione excitedly.

"Well, you all know that my second son is due in a few weeks?"

"Yes," chorused Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.

"I have chosen a name for him," I say clearly.

"Aw, what is it?" asks Luna dreamily.

"I have to decided to give my son the first name of Albus after Albus Dumbledore," I reveal.

Ron looks awestruck at this and Hermione's eyes look watery.

"Of course," says Ron in an amused voice, "Dumbledore would one day have a baby named after him."

"Dumbledore would be very touched, Harry," says Hermione quietly.

"Now for the bombshell," I say firmly, "I have chosen to give my son the middle name of Severus after Severus Snape."

"NO!" Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Hannah all shout together.

After a few seconds, Hermione asks me calmly why I would name my son after someone who I had hated so intensely.

"Two reasons." I say fiercely, "First of all, Snape loved my mother and in spite of his disdain for my father and I he was willing to endure terrible danger to protect me because of his love for my mother. The second reason is that Snape was the bravest man I ever knew. Think how dangerous it was for him to turn spy against Voldemort during the first war. And how dangerous it was for him to be going back and forth between Death Eater meetings and Order meetings during the second war. He ultimately did pay the ultimate price for the risks he took on our behalf."

"I can see your line of reasoning, Harry," says Hermione respectfully, "But naming your son after him is going too far."

"YOU WILL NOT NAME YOUR CHILD AFTER THAT GIT!" yells Ron.

"He was horrible to all Gryffindors," adds Neville, "Pick someone more respectable if you want to honor someone by naming your child for them."

"It's not happening," says Ginny in an outraged voice. "To name your child after someone so sadistic and horrible is a terrible idea."

"He was just as ghastly to Ravenclaws," pipes up Luna, "I think the wrackspurts have affected your thinking today, Harry. Your brain must be fuzzy if you truly want to name your son after a man as cruel as Severus Snape."

"He was quite mean to the Hufflepuffs as well," Hannah informs us, "You should pick a different name."

I had expected this. I knew that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah would all disapprove of my decision.

And that's okay. I don't need any of their approval.

I know exactly why I am giving my son the middle name of Severus and what that means to me and that's what matters. This is my decision. Not any of theirs.

"This is my decision," I say clearly, firmly, and fiercely, "It is an extremely personal choice that I am making."

"SNAPE WAS A BULLY!" shouts Neville with great anger in his voice, "He was breathing down my neck in every Potions class! He wanted to poison my toad in third year! And his bullying EXTENDED OUT OF CLASS! HIS DETENTIONS WERE FAR WORSE THAN HIS CLASSES!"

"And this was true across all years," says Ginny clearly, "His treatment of Colin and I was torture."

Luna nods. "Snape was one of the meanest people Hogwarts ever knew. And he treated Ravenclaws with same unfairness he treated Gryffindors."

"Ditto for Hufflepuff," adds Hannah, "Snape was an absolute menace to Ernie, Susan, and me. He never had any respect for any non Slytherin student."

"Wanting to honor him is one thing, " says Hermione, "But giving your son his name is too much."

Neville says in a loud voice, "There are plenty of better people who you could chose to name your son after."

"This is an excellent point," adds Hannah, "Honoring people by naming your children after them is a special thing that should be reserved for truly honorable people and not done for antiheroes."

"You guys have a right to very upset about the decision I am making," I say matter of factly, "I saw first hand in classes how horribly Snape bullied you, Neville, and he was almost as bad to you, Hermione. And he was pretty nasty to me as well. But to me naming my second son after him is about honoring his love for my mother, a love that gave him the courage to turn against Lord Voldemort. And his bravery in the war is indisputable."

"But-" begins Hermione but I forestall her.

"This decision is final," I tell Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah in no uncertain terms, "I know why I'm doing this and the significance it holds for me. You don't have to like it, but this choice is my choice to make and my choice to make alone. In making such a personal decision, I have to stay true to myself and my own convictions even if those closest to me detest my ultimate choice on the matter. Sometimes a man has to stay true to himself even if it means going against the wishes of those closest to him. That's the position I am in now. My mind is made up. My second son shall bear the name of Albus Severus Potter."

Silence follows this declaration.

I think it's starting to sink in on Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah that I really am going to do this, that I really am naming my son Albus Severus Potter.

Last Year, when I informed Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah at this same table that I was naming my first child James Sirius Potter, they all had very anticlimactic reactions to it. It was as though they'd all known all along that I would choose the name of James Sirius for my first child.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah have all been very curious about the name I would pick for my second son.

They all, with the possible exception of Hermione, who has always judged Snape more fairly and open mindedly than the others to begin with, hate it. And even Hermione thinks it's going too far to name my son after Snape.

But it doesn't matter what they think.

There are times in a man's life when he has to be true to himself even if it means going against the wishes of those closest to him. This is one of those times.

I can't worry what Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah think about the decision I have just announced. None of them are my boss. Honestly, there were times at Hogwarts when I allowed Hermione to be too bossy with me when I should have stuck up for myself more.

As an adult making a very personal decision, I have to make this choice myself.

No, I am not a selfish person. I never have been, and I never will be.

But some decisions are personal enough that they have to be made even if no consent from other people comes.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah, clearly realizing that my mind is made up and that none of them are going to change it, all nod their heads.

Severus Snape, the man who loved my mother from the time they were just children, the man who risked everything, the man who died the most horrifying and unglamorous death possible, the bravest man I ever knew, will now be honored through the middle name of my second son.

I know precisely why I have made this choice and what meaning it holds for me.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah don't get a say in this and nor should any of them.

What it comes to this, I've got to make the choice that is true to myself as this is a very personal decision for me.

My decision. Not any of theirs.