Lunchtime found Harry escaping the Great Hall as quickly as possible – the Marauders had been nowhere in sight, and Harry was in no mood for round two – and wandering through the library stacks, idly wondering where he should start looking in the huge room.
Snape said in the library. Well, I’m in the library... I wonder if he meant the Restricted Section? Hope not. I don’t fancy being screamed at by any books today.
After half an hour of wandering about pointlessly, Harry was ready to give up, almost certain that Snape’s instruction had been a subtle form of revenge wherein by he wasted Harry’s time by giving him wrong information.
It sounds just like him as well, the greasy git. How could I have even thought he would try to help me?
But it was then that he heard the voice originating from just around the corner he was walking towards, “I don’t want anything to do with him! He’s nasty, he’s arrogant and he’s always picking on people that are weaker than him; him and his little gang. I thought you knew me better than that, Sev.”
It was Lily’s voice, plain as day, but it was the person who answered her that startled Harry the most. “Oh, really? Then the fact that his son conveniently has your eyes has absolutely nothing to do with you? Care to explain that?”
What the...? That’s Snape!
Harry crept closer to the corner as Lily let out an exasperated sigh. “Severus, I... I just don’t know. Maybe it was a one night stand or something but I most certainly know better than to start a relationship with that bullying toerag.”
Young Snape’s voice was sharp when he next spoke, “I seem to recall you saying only a few minutes before that you would never have anything to do with him, so forgive me for not taking you at your word.”
Harry leaned over to peer around the corner, deciding that it probably wouldn’t be best to interrupt them while they were in the middle of an argument. He caught sight of them both in time to see Lily toss her hair in irritation, her green eyes flashing and a small, silver crucifix glittering at her throat as she moved. However, despite her obvious annoyance, she couldn’t seem to stop a small smile from slipping across her lips.
Were Snape and my Mum friends? Why did no one ever mention it? Why didn’t SNAPE? Was he ashamed or something?
“Severus Snape, you listen to me...!”
“Stupefy!”
With a yelp, Harry threw himself to the ground even as a bolt of red light missed the top of his head by mere inches.
“Potter! How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop on us, you sneaking bastard?” He heard Lily yell as he tried to roll to his feet.
Uh oh, she sounds angry.
Several things happened at once. Harry quickly rolled to the side, drew his wand – Lily had been about to hex him too – and yelled, “Wrong Potter!” Young Snape had grabbed Lily and dragged her back and, unfortunately, Madam Pince arrived.
“What is all of this racket?” she screeched, evidently immune to the irony of her tone. She spotted Harry lying on the floor and Snape’s wand trained on him. “Fighting? In my library? I don’t think so! Out! All of you, OUT!”
In this fashion, Harry, Snape and Lily found themselves duly escorted out, library door slamming behind them, accompanied by Madam Pince’s final words of “...and stay out!”
As soon as they were alone in the corridor, Lily rounded on them. “This is all your fault!” she snapped pointing first at Harry and then at Snape. “I have never been thrown out of the library in all the time I’ve come to school here. How am I going to finish our Transfiguration essay now?”
Harry shuffled his feet and looked at the ground, feeling incredibly guilty and tired all of a sudden. All he’d wanted was to see if she’d speak with him and now he’d got her into trouble. He should have just stayed away, like she had tried to stay away from him.
“Listen, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he muttered to his shoes. “I just wanted to talk to you, especially as I haven’t seen much of you and I’ll be going home soon. Sorry to have bothered you.” He flicked a gaze at Snape. “Either of you.”
He strode off down the corridor, not even stopping at Lily’s belated “Wait!” It didn’t matter anyway. The anger was back and he was longing to fly again; to be a carefree bird of prey whose only concerns were the wind on his wings and when he would get his next meal.
“Harry! Harry, wait!”
Harry sped up.
“Potter, for pity’s sake.”
“Please, Harry!”
Someone caught his arm and he looked back to see Lily staring up at him pleadingly. “Look, I’m sorry too. I was angry, and I shouldn’t have blamed you and Sev; I was yelling just as loudly. Besides” – she smiled – “I’ve been meaning to talk to you anyway. I just didn’t want to go anywhere near Potter and his friends and you didn’t seem to want to get too far away from them.”
Despite himself, Harry felt his mouth starting to smile. “Yeah?”
Lily grinned back. “Yeah. C’mon. Me and Sev were about to go down by the lake. Want to come with us?”
Harry glanced up at the impassive Snape, before shrugging. “Yeah, I’d love to. Thanks.”
Lily laughed and tugged on his arm, starting to pull him in the direction of the Entrance Hall. “C’mon then, you two.”
Young Snape started to scowl. “Forgive me, Lily, but I think I can find better things to do than spend my time with Potters.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Sev. Come on. The good weather won’t wait, especially this late in the year.”
Snape grumbled, but started to follow nevertheless.
Harry blinked, confused. “We have good weather today?”
Lily laughed again, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. “Where have you been all day? The sun’s been shining since it came up this morning!”
“Uh...” Harry thought back, remembering that the sun had been warm on Windhover’s wings as he flew through the grounds. “Sulking, I think. The Marauders were being right gits.”
“How surprising,” young Snape drawled, seeming to finally want to join in the conversation. “As if they could ever been anything different.”
“About that,” Harry looked back at Snape guiltily, “I should have stopped them sooner the other day. It was really cruel of them to do something like that.”
Snape glared, though it was nowhere near as powerful as an adult Snape’s glare. “I’ve told you already that I didn’t need help. Especially not from a Potter,” he snapped.
“Really, Sev!” Lily raised her eyes to heaven. “He was just being polite. I already told you that he didn’t seem so bad and he isn’t.” She smiled warmly at Harry again. “As if I’d let any son of mine ever grow up any other way.”
Harry ducked his head and blushed, warmth and pain warring in his chest, because it just wasn’t fair. Lily should have lived, ought to have lived, just as James ought to, just as Harry should have grown up coddled by the two amazing people he’d met, in a proper, loving family. It just wasn’t fair.
Only when the warmth of the sun hit his skin as they left the castle did he realise he’d been brooding... and that Lily and Snape had been bickering about the various ways Harry could have come into being without Lily coming within a metre of James Potter.
“If you’re so insistent on knowing, why don’t you ask Harry yourself?”
“Maybe I shall. Potter,” Snape sneered, turning on Harry, “what exactly was the relationship of your mother and your... sire?”
Harry was prevented from answering by Lily’s snort of laughter. “Sire? Oh, honestly, Sev!”
“Well, what am I supposed to call him?” Snape snarled back, but without any real venom. “It’s not as if the arrogant bastard would want to stick around after getting you in... err... trouble.”
Lily tossed her hair and settled down by the lakeside, motioning the others to sit down next to her. “As if I would let him in the first place.”
Harry picked up a pebble and skimmed it across the water, watching its path until it sank, bizarrely reminded of a strange version of Ron and Hermione as he listened to the two of them. He snorted. Ron wouldn’t speak to him again if he ever found Harry’d compared him to Snape.
“I’m not s’posed to say,” he broke in, “but I do know that you’re happy.” His throat contracted as he struggled not to say ‘were’. “And so’s my Dad, and that’s all that really matters, right?”
One look at Snape’s face told him that, no, it wasn’t; Lily’s expression was pensive, and a sombre silence descended on them as they each became lost in their own thoughts.
“But, anyway,” Harry continued, deciding he’d had enough of being morose today and directing his words at Snape, “I’ve been meaning to ask you: why did you want me to chuck food at your older self?”
Snape stared over at him warily, seeming to weigh his words before he spoke, and when he did, it was only, “I don’t like people shouting at others.”
The words sounded simple enough, but Harry caught the hidden meaning. “Yeah,” he muttered. “Me neither.”
And just like that, the air seemed to clear.
As the afternoon wore on, Harry discovered that Lily was excitable, bubbly and open-minded about everyone, save the Marauders who she hated with a passion. Not so surprisingly, he discovered that young Snape was quiet, withdrawn and disliked everyone with the notable exception of Lily, and even with her he behaved quite standoffish, as if allowing anyone close to him was a grave danger not to be undertaken lightly. To Harry, he behaved indifferently, but Harry guessed this was mostly for Lily’s benefit.
Harry was just teaching Lily how to skim stones across the lake, and Snape was watching, pretending to be bored, but looking mildly interested all the same when the sun started to set.
“Oh bother!” Lily frowned up at the sky, wrinkling her nose. “I was just starting to get the hang of it as well!”
Harry laughed and tossed her another pebble. “One last try then, we can get them to race each other!”
Snape, who was settled against a tree nearby, nose buried once again in a book, snorted and muttered something suspiciously like, “If she can actually stop from sinking the second it hits the water.”
Lily heard him too and she whirled around, putting her hands on her hips. “Oh really? I’d like to see you try, Severus Snape!”
Snape snorted, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’ll pass. I would prefer not to make a complete fool of myself.”
“Ha! I’m not making a fool of myself, it’s called having fun.” Lily turned back to Harry. “C’mon, Harry, let’s show him how good we are!”
That time, Lily – much to her delight – managed six skips, while Harry managed seven. She was still dancing about with delight when young Snape stood up and dusted himself off.
“I do believe supper is being served in the castle. You two can either carry on mucking around down here or come with me and get something to eat.” Having said that, Snape stuffed the large tome he had been reading into his already-heavy bag and started walking back towards the castle.
Lily hurried after him, beckoning Harry to follow. By the time he’d caught them both up, he’d finally worked up the courage to ask something that had been on the tip of his tongue all afternoon.
“Lily...” he started, uncertainly. “I’ve been meaning to ask: why were you avoiding me? I bet it wasn’t just about the Marauders.”
Lily ducked her head in shame. “I... didn’t know what to make of you. I mean, there I was in the middle of scolding the Marauders for trying to break into the potions stores again and then you and a grown up Sev turn up. I didn’t know what to think; whether it was a prank, who you were. When you said you were my son, I almost fainted!”
Another derisive snort came from Snape’s direction and Lily batted him on the shoulder. “Shut up, you! You’re supposed to be congratulating me for keeping my head and fetching Dumbledore! But, Harry, the problem was, all I could think about was how on earth I ended up having a son with James Dratted Potter. I’m sorry if I seemed a little... cold. You’re much nicer than him, I know that now, but I didn’t at the time. Do you understand?”
Harry smiled a little. “’Course I do. All that matters is that you know now, I s’pose.”
Lily nodded enthusiastically, and Harry found himself wondering how she managed to have so much energy all of the time. He was exhausted already with just trying to keep up with her.
“I hope they have treacle tart tonight; it’s my favourite!” Lily told him as they walked into the cool of the Entrance Hall.
Harry was about to open his mouth and say ‘Mine too,’ when he spotted a familiar figure standing by the great double doors into the Great Hall as if waiting for him. Young Snape sneered in disgust and strode away from them both, past the waiting Lupin and disappeared into the Great Hall. Harry noticed Lily going tense beside him, but he put a hand on her arm in the hopes that she wouldn’t follow Snape’s example just yet.
“Hey, L... Moony,” he said warily as he approached, hoping that the drawn-looking boy wouldn’t have the same reaction as the other Marauders did earlier. “What’s wrong?”
Lupin smirked, and jerked a thumb at the floor above. “I think you’d better come with me. The others have got themselves in a bit of a pickle.”
“Actually...” Harry shifted uncomfortably. “I’d rather not talk to them after how they were acting before. No offence, Moony. I know you weren’t there.”
Lupin’s smirk widened. “Oh, they’re very contrite now. And besides, you have to see this; your Snape has definitely got a sense of humour hidden somewhere. Want to come and have a look as well, Lily?” he added, as if noticing her for the first time.
Lily bit her lip, evidently torn between her dislike of the Marauders and her natural curiosity. Curiosity won out. “All right, then. Don’t expect me to stick around though, Remus.”
Lupin hurried off, beckoning them up the marble staircase.
“I thought you didn’t like any of the Marauders?” Harry muttered under his breath. “Why did you call him Remus?”
Lily’s lips thinned into their Petunia-like line again. “I used to study with Remus when we were first years, back when everyone was still avoiding him. Back when they hadn’t invited him into their little club,” she sneered, striking an uncanny resemblance to Snape as she did so.
They walked in silence after Lupin the rest of the way, and Harry wondered if her knack for taking in strays would be what drew her to James Potter in the end – if the arrogant boy would ever unintentionally show weakness in front of her, allowing Lily to see through the bullying exterior through to the real boy underneath. It was very possible.
“Here we are,” Lupin said cheerfully as he stopped in the middle of the First Floor corridor.
Harry looked around in confusion. “Moony, there’s no one here.”
“You think so?” Lupin was now grinning unrepentantly, his smile deepening the bags under his eyes. “Look up.”
“Hi, Harry!” Sirius called out cheerfully, waving from where he was standing next to Pettigrew. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Oh?” Harry muttered faintly. “Talking to me again, are you?”
Lily said nothing, seemingly unable to do anything other than gape at the three boys who were, for all intents and purposes, apparently stuck to the ceiling above them.
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes tight shut. Opening them again a moment later confirmed that, no, he wasn’t seeing things, and that, yes, the remaining three Marauders really were standing on the ceiling as if gravity had been reversed. He snuck a glance at Lily, who was still looking completely dumbstruck.
Well, that’s reassuring. I think. You can’t be hallucinating if more than one person can see it, right? So that’s a good thing. Then again, it IS starting to make me dizzy...
“Is there any particular reason you’re on the ceiling?” he asked tentatively, not particularly certain that he’d like the answer.
James and Sirius scowled simultaneously, while Pettigrew merely sighed.
“Your Professor decided to have a few words with us about appreciation,” James finally bit out.
“Uh, appreciation for what, James?”
James waved his hand dismissively, starting to look incredibly guilty. “Oh, you know; friendship, loyalty, that kind of thing. Apparently he wasn’t too pleased that we shouted at you, so: we’re sorry.”
The other two nodded sincerely, which looked rather odd from Harry’s perspective.
“Yeah, we’re all sorry,” Sirius seconded. “We were being stupid and we shouldn’t have, and we didn’t really mean to yell at you like that. We were just tired, I guess. Late night, you know.”
“We should have known better than to pick on Snape in front of you,” James said glumly. “He seems to matter to you and we should have expected you’d get really angry. Umm...” he glanced around shiftily. “Do you mind if you find a teacher or someone to get us down? I think we’ve learned our lesson and I’m starting to get really dizzy... Oh! Hi, Evans!” he shouted, suddenly noticing Lily standing beside Harry.
Lily huffed in irritation and touched Harry’s arm. “I’m going if he’s starting that again. See you at supper, OK?”
“Yeah, OK. See you later!” he called after her as she turned and walked away, thinking that it was a shame that tomorrow didn’t have a free afternoon for Quidditch practice and studying like today had.
Lily glanced back to answer Harry, caught one last look at the Marauders and turned around quickly, shoulders shaking with mirth as she hurried away.
Harry looked back them himself and felt a small smirk spread across his face as he thought how satisfying it would be to leave them there overnight... and then dismissed it. There was no point in holding a grudge against someone you would never see again after Thursday night. “All right, but only if you promise to at least think about the consequences in future.” Harry sighed. “I’m sorry about insulting you too... Peter... I didn’t mean it either. I’ll go and find someone. Don’t move.”
Turning, he grabbed Lupin’s arm and started walking back the way they’d come. Only when they were certain they were out of earshot did they allow themselves to start laughing.
“Did you get pictures?” Harry gasped as he finally got his breath back.
“Yep!” Lupin grinned evilly, holding up Sirius’s camera for their inspection. “He dropped it when Snape cast the spell – apparently they’ve been up there since before lunch – and I managed to get some really brilliant shots. Here” – Lupin dug into his pocket – “you can have these three. They’re the best.”
Harry took one look at the photos he’d been handed and started laughing again. “I can’t believe Snape did this to them!”
As Harry’s words caught up with his brain, he sobered.
Snape did this for me because they insulted me? That’s... really decent of him, especially as it wasn’t for his own personal gain – well, aside for getting the Marauders back of course. But does that mean he actually cares about what happens to me now? I thought I was nothing more than a barely tolerated assistant...
A jovial voice broke into Harry’s confusion and pulled him from his thoughts, “Ah, hello, boys. Is there anything the matter? It must be an important reason indeed to be keeping you from treacle tart and custard.”
“Hello, Headmaster,” Lupin greeted, still smiling. “We do have a problem we were wondering if you could help us with. You see, James, Sirius and Peter seem to have ended up on the wrong side of a gravity-reversing hex. I’m sure they would be very grateful if you decided to let them down.” Lupin’s voice quivered with suppressed amusement as he forced out the last few words and even Harry felt a smile return to his face as he remembered the others’ predicament.
“Ah!” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “That is a most serious problem indeed. I’m sure I would be able to rescue them from their terrible fate. After all” – he winked at Harry – “missing out on treacle tart is a terrible fate to befall one. Lead the way, Mr Lupin.”
They made it back to the First Floor corridor very quickly, but there still had been enough time for three trapped Marauders to start a game of Exploding Snap, which was rather difficult as the cards still obeyed the laws of gravity.
As soon as Sirius spotted Dumbledore, he leapt to his feet and hurried over. “Professor Dumbledore,” he called plaintively, “please get us down. We’ve been stuck here since before lunch and we’re starving.” Sirius’s innocent expression – Harry noticed – was even better than his own.
The Headmaster chuckled. “All right, boys. Hold tight.” Dumbledore easily floated each of them down and tidied the mess of cards on the floor into a neat pile in James’s hands. “There, off to supper with you. Harry, could I have a word with you in my office? You can have your meal there instead.”
“Oh.” Harry blinked in surprise, recognising the order under the request. “OK, then. Moony – can you tell Lily that the Headmaster wanted to have a word with me and that I’m sorry I couldn’t make it?”
Lupin smiled wanly, exhaustion seeming to catch up with him now that the fun was over. “Of course. Bye, Harry.”
The others called back similar sentiments as they hurried off down the corridor but James paused and squeezed Harry’s shoulder. “Listen, I really am sorry about what I said earlier. We were all being gits to you and no wonder you lashed out at Wormtail. I’m just saying that we shouldn’t have done it, and I’m really glad you were brave enough to stand up for Snape. Uh... yeah...” James suddenly flushed as if remembering where they were. “See you.”
“Thanks,” Harry whispered at the departing figure’s back, a warm glow starting in his chest. “Thanks.”
“Well, Harry, shall we?”
He glanced towards Dumbledore, suddenly remembering that the old man was still there, and nodded.
Harry walked down through the castle in a daze. The visit to the Headmaster’s office had started off as expected; Dumbledore and he had eaten the supper provided by the House Elves – including the wonderful treacle tart – and had proceeded to discuss how he was finding his stay in the past. The Headmaster had even alluded to the fact that, eyes twinkling the whole while, he’d seen a kestrel flying around the castle for the first time in a long while – which made Harry squirm.
But the second half of the meeting – after the food had gone – was the last thing Harry could have expected.
“Now, Harry, I need to discuss with you a matter of the utmost importance.”
“What is it, Headmaster?”
“At this point you believe you only have one choice for your future, but allow me to introduce... a second option.”
“...”
“Don’t look so confused, dear boy. I was referring to your stay in our time.”
“But, sir, I’m going home as soon as Snape... Professor Snape finishes the potion. What other choice is there?”
“To remain behind, of course.”
“...”
“Ah, I see I have really surprised you this time. Didn’t it ever really cross your mind? To stay in this time with your parents, away from all the dangers Voldemort presents you with? Yes, Professor Snape told me all about that – about the Prophecy that has hounded you ever since you were born. If you stayed here, you would be safe from all of that.”
“I... Professor, I don’t... I don’t understand. Even if I did stay here, time would pass and I’d be back exactly where I started.”
“But with twenty extra years experience and training in your head. You have already escaped him two, three times? Just think what you’d be like after twenty years of purposeful preparation! Just think what it would be like to be ready and waiting for him. You would have to reintroduce me to yourself after the memory spell comes into play, of course, but after that we could find a way to disguise you and hide you among the students here.”
“...”
“...”
“I really don’t know, sir. Can I have time to think about it?”
“Of course, Harry. Take all the time you need.”
“Can I ask you something, sir?”
“Go ahead, Harry.”
“Would you be angry if I chose not to remain?”
“I would be... saddened.”
“...”
“...”
“I see... And can I ask you just one more question, Headmaster?”
“Of course, Harry. Ask away.”
“You once told me – in my time – that you would answer everything I said truthfully or not at all. Could you do that now, sir, please?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“I... Are you – asking – me to do this for my own benefit, or for the benefit of the Wizarding World?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“To tell you the truth, Harry... Both.”
Harry sighed and massaged his temples with his forefingers. What should he choose? To tell the truth, Dumbledore’s offer was extremely tempting – he longed for nothing more than more time with his parents, even if he wouldn’t be able to interfere with their deaths, he’d still know them. As well as this, twenty years extra knowledge and battle-skills in his repertoire for the next time he saw Voldemort was an offer almost impossible to turn down.
But what about Ron and Hermione? The Weasleys? Snape? The next time I see them, I’ll be... thirty five! I mean I miss them terribly already, and Ron and Hermione would do their best to stay friends with me, but it’s an almost impossible age gap. Look at me and Snape! I’ll never be able to understand the man, and twenty years really isn’t that long a time if you think about it. I’d lose them... I’d lose my best friends... but I really don’t want to leave. Not yet.
A new thought suddenly went through Harry’s head.
What would Snape do? Of course. He’s the only one who would be able to think from the same angle I should be. He’ll know what to do.
Thus decided, Harry turned and hurried down towards the dungeons, only now realising that his meeting with the Headmaster had taken so long that it was way past curfew. Unless he wanted to be caught by Filch, he’d have to be very quiet.
Luckily, he reached the dungeons without mishap – though he did almost run into the Bloody Baron chastising Peeves for something on the Third Floor. They seemed awfully dark and quiet, and he found himself praying that he wouldn’t get lost this time.
Finally, he reached Snape’s door and knocked, not even waiting to hear a reply before pushing the door open, feeling extremely relieved as he saw that the man hadn’t gone to bed yet. “Sir! The Headmaster...”
“Don’t you even have the most basic knowledge of common courtesy, Potter?”
Harry rolled his eyes, knowing that Snape wasn’t really angry. “No. I know because you’ve told me the exact same thing a hundred times over. But, sir, the Headmaster...”
“As it happens,” Snape continued, talking over the top of Harry, and for the first time, Harry noticed a thin strain of excitement in the man’s voice, “this is a fortunate circumstance. I was about to come and find you, Potter.”
“Oh?” Harry asked, deciding it would be best to ask about what Dumbledore had said earlier. “How come?”
Snape gestured to the cauldron nearest him. “I have succeeded in completing the final brew. It just needs to simmer until eight o’clock in the morning and we will have our way home.”
Harry was speechless. He knew Snape had said that he would need five days at the least... but he hadn’t expected the man to actually make that deadline. He had almost been counting on having the extra two days to say goodbye to the people he had become close to. Harry’s heart sank.
“Well, sir... that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Harry started, uncertainly.
Snape turned to face Harry for the first time since he had entered the room, his eyes narrowing. “You cannot mean to suggest that you are actually considering staying here?” he asked, his voice deceptively soft.
Harry swallowed hard. “Uh... yes... that is, the Headmaster mentioned that it would be possible for me to stay here and train for the next twenty years...” his voice trailed off under the force of Snape’s glare.
“Do not be ridiculous. Damn that old man!” Snape hissed, slamming his hand into the nearest hard surface with such force that Harry jumped. “And I suppose the Headmaster conveniently forgot to mention our presence here has already been discovered by the Dark Lord? Let me assure you, he is most eager to get his hands on us for questioning. We are in danger every minute we do not take the potion.”
Harry stared, feeling as if the floor had been pulled out from underneath him. Voldemort knew... Voldemort knew that he was here! Of course, he wouldn’t know the significance of the two time-travellers, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t want them under his power... stealing their knowledge of the future through torture.
I’ve been living in a dream world. I forgot that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were still out there, even if they weren’t my concern anymore... But still... He’ll have forgotten about me by the end of the week, and I’ll be able to go into hiding after that...
“I still think I would prefer to remain behind... Sir,” Harry muttered through gritted teeth, wanting to flinch at the look Snape was giving him.
“Don’t you even understand the danger you are in, you foolish boy? How easily you can be captured and killed during the two days I am not here to protect you?”
Snape seemed very angry, but underneath that anger there was something else – concern, worry for Harry’s well-being – and that made it all the harder to say what needed to be said.
“I understand that, but risks are worth taking if you think about the benefits. I’ll be able to fight Vold– the Dark Lord properly if I do this.”
“I cannot believe I am having this discussion with a child,” Snape snarled, all composure slipping. “You do not have a choice in the matter; you are coming down here at half-past seven tomorrow morning, you are taking the potion and you are coming back to the correct time where, despite the fact the Dark Lord is out to kill all of us, there will be people actually trained to protect you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Harry snapped sullenly.
Yeah, I understand all right. I understand enough to know that when half past seven comes tomorrow morning, I won’t be anywhere you can find me – even if it means hiding in the Forbidden Forest for the next two days. The Marauders are bound to know of somewhere...
Yes, he could see Snape’s point – even the reasoning behind it – but he was damned if he was going to let anyone order him around. He’d spent more than half his life submitting to Vernon Dursley’s whims, but no more, not when he was old enough to make decisions for himself!
Turning on his heel, he strode towards the dungeon door, not caring about the man glaring at his back.
See you in twenty years, Snape.
“Mr Potter.”
“What?” Harry snarled, hand already on the door handle. He did not look back.
“I apologise for being sharp. I understand your position, and while the Headmaster’s proposal must be very alluring, you must realise that going back now is the only sensible course of action.”
Harry throat tightened, even as his hand tightened on the door. Despite Snape’s tone being as impassive as always, his words suggested compassion, which made it all the harder for Harry to stand against him.
“Yes, sir,” he muttered and slipped out into the darkened corridor.
So here it was then; the simple choice between who he trusted the most – Dumbledore or Snape. On the one hand, Dumbledore had always been kind and compassionate, had always seemingly cared about what Harry had to say, while on the other there was Snape; snarky, nasty, who had hated him for four years. It should have been an easy choice.
But it wasn’t.
Dumbledore wouldn’t have pulled Harry behind him at the first sign of trouble – he would have pushed Harry in front to deal with it, to make him stronger. Dumbledore wouldn’t have hexed Harry’s friends simply because they’d upset him. Dumbledore hadn’t given up his free time to teach Harry in the arts of advanced Defence simply because Harry had asked him – Snape had. Snape had done all of these things and – even when the man had loathed him – had still tried to protect Harry at every turn.
It should have been simple... but it wasn’t. And the more he thought about it, the more he realised Snape had a point; he should go back to the Tower, wake the Marauders and Lily and say goodbye before going to bed for the last time in 1975. He shouldn’t merely stay because of some sentimental need to know his parents for the brief six years before they died. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t be able to change the past – he might end up stopping himself from being born, or Voldemort from being defeated for the first time. The only sensible thing to do would be to give in to fate and go back to where he belonged.
Looking around himself, Harry suddenly noticed that he had wandered deeper into the dungeons while lost in thought. Stopping, he turned back the way he’d come... and got the shock of his life.
Eight burly Slytherins stood behind him, smiling in the most disconcerting way. Harry gulped and tried to side-step, his instincts from the day of ‘Harry-hunting’ kicking in as he ducked his head and apologised for getting in their way.
A large hand was held in front of his chest, sending him stumbling backwards away from them.
“Oh no, little Potter,” the one at the front, seemingly the ringleader. “The Dark Lord wants a word with you.”
Harry gasped and scrabbled for his wand as soon as the words ‘Dark Lord’ had made it out of the other boy’s mouth, hoping to distract them long enough to run deeper into the dungeons and lose them. But just as his hand closed around the handle, a spell slammed into him from behind, sending him tumbling into pitch blackness.
Strangely, his only thought as he fell was: Snape...