EAD ~ TT!SS

Title: Sir Severus Snape
Author: Saydria Wolfe
Fandom: Harry Potter
Genre: AU, Time Travel
Relationship(s): N/A but if i continue it I’m looking at Severus/Sirius
Content Rating: PG-13
Warnings: No Beta, Dark Themes
Word Count: 2,768
Summary: Where Severus Snape gets sent back to the night it all started.

 

 

Now now now, Severus Snape’s magic pulses in warning and demand as he hurls himself through the streets of Godric’s Hollow. He’s going to be too late. He’s going to be too late and nothing will change regardless of the will of the Blue Dragon.

He turns a corner and sees the damaged house. Why no one in the neighborhood responds, why they didn’t respond the last time this happened, he still doesn’t know but it hardly matters now.

Under a silencing charm he approaches, Peter Pettigrew is twirling the Dark Lord’s wand, grinning down at James Potter like the worthless lunatic he is.

Snape cold cocks him, right to the jaw.

He catches Voldemort’s wand and pockets it. Then, quickly, he transfigures the little bastard into the gods-damned plague rat he is and levitates him. Right into a glass ingredient case. The case goes inside his dimensional potion store bracelet and the rat has no escape. Usually such a case is meant for snakes or other creatures -creatures of actual value. Creatures captured live to be used in potions use, so it’s quite secure. As secure as Azkaban. Probably more secure than Azkaban since he warded that particular case against animagus transformation.

Severus throws as many healing spells as he knows on James Potter. It won’t save him, he’s sure but it should buy them some time. He spells an advanced Pepper Up into Potter’s body and tosses one back for himself before waking the man.

“Snape? What?”

“Don’t move,” He orders the almost-dead man. “Your wife is dead and you are dying. Your son is upstairs crying.”

“I hear him. I hear him.” Pain that is in no way physical flickers across his face. “Voldemort?”

“Dead, for now.”

“For now? What? Take Harry. Take him and run, please, Severus!”

“I will. I will keep your boy safe but they would never allow me to keep him as things are.”

“Sev, what? Please, just say it.”

Potter always did know when he was planning. “I owe you a Life Debt.”

The man nods. He’s blinking, rapidly, fighting to keep his eyes open. Time is up.

Severus kneels more firmly at Potter’s side and pulls the other man’s hands on top of his own. “I, Sir Severus Alexander Snape, Patriarch of the Ancient House of Prince hereby swear my service and the alliance of my House in perpetuity to the House of Potter. In war and peace, we will stand together. It is the Honor of House Prince to guard, guide, and assist House Potter from this day until the end of days.”

James’ eyes widen and he swallows but manages to respond. “I, Lord James Charlus Potter, Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter hereby accept the service and alliance of House Prince as our vassal in war and peace, we will stand together from this day until the end of days. So mote it be.”

“So mote it be.” Severus echoes and magic sweeps around the two of them, binding their promises.

“Go, Severus, take my boy and run. Keep him safe. Severus, please.”

“I will, I have a plan.”

“You always do.” James gives him a tired, close-eyed version of his usual prankster grin. “Tell Sirius-”

And so passes James Potter.

Severus rolls his eyes at himself and pushes his way upstairs. He doesn’t let himself look at Lily. He can’t. He indulged himself last time, this time he’s doing things right.

He lifts the child as quickly but gently as he can, sends a single Patronus message, and apparates with a pop.

~*~

When Sirius’s world ends, he collapses face down into the bar.

He can hear people laughing and drinking around him. They are all so happy and he just wants to shout and them because James is dead. The secret is gone. His family is gone.

Ignoring the ribbing and the jeers, he staggers his way out of the pub.

They didn’t come for him. No one did. Not a single Death Eater came for him but they got James anyway. Sirius has to swallow his gorge, betrayed. They’ve been betrayed and now-

He staggers a bit and then another, larger body slams into him. He starts to growl at who ever the unfortunate asshole to cross him is but then he feels a hook behind his navel and he reels as a portkey fucking abducts him off the road.

The burst out of the travelling spin and stagger together against the trunk of a tree. His captor backs off immediately and Sirius pulls his wand.

He blinks. He blinks again.

That’s- That’s Severus Snape and, there’s no mistaking it, the Potter seal is stamped onto his magic. But. That can- that only happens to, “Vassals. You’re a vassal?”

“Lord Potter took my oath before he died.”

That sends Sirius reeling again. Before he died. James is dead! Severus knew and he did nothing!

“Sirius? Severus? What in Merlin’s name is going on?”

That’s Frank Longbottom. Why is Frank Longbottom, just, what?

Sirius knows the moment Frank sees what he saw on Severus because the man stops so abruptly he almost staggers.

“Are Neville and Alice safe?” Snape demands in lieu of a greeting.

“Yes, I moved them as requested. Now, tell me. What. Is. Happening?”

“There is so much to tell,” For a second Sirius sees a flicker of what he can only think of as devastation dance across Snape’s face. “I will tell you and Sirius all of it but first we need to get behind security.”

“If our houses aren’t enough, then-”

“No where that Dumbledore has seen can be considered secure.” Frank and Sirius exchange incredulous stares. “Do you know how to find Web’s Heart?”

“Web’s- your family’s seat? I thought you were disowned.”

“I assumed the role of patriarch in my family in order to align us with House Potter. No one can disown me.”

Sirius lets that sink in. Assumed. That means Snape went into a blood ritual and took it. Whoa. And he. Just to- Sirius doesn’t even know what to make of this.

“Web’s Heart is under war wards. No one would expect you to go there because we aren’t friends. You’ll be safe. Now, I ask again, do you know how to get there or do I need to give you a portkey so you can retrieve your wife and child?”

“There’s no need,” Frank holds out a hand. Alice pushes back her Unspeakable Hood, ending the disillusionment charm she must be under, and takes her husband’s hand.

“Very well,” Severus Snape, Sir Severus Snape, holds out a spider made of mithril.

A portkey.

Silently they each take a leg, Severus hisses a password, and they’re gone.

They arrive in what’s obviously a receiving room on the edge of something large and heavily warded. Severus leads them out of the little cabin like structure and to the edge of some wards. He steps through and first pulls Alice through, then he takes Neville from Frank and walks him through to Alice’s arms, then he pulls through Frank and finally Sirius.

They walk through a well-manicured garden that is both decorative and useful, being a number of basically harmless potions ingredients, up to a modest mansion.

An older man with Severus’s nose greets them at the door, “Sir.”

“Grandfather.”

“Duvall has set up the blue room as you requested and your Aunt Eleanor has not left your guest.” He sounds like the leading edge of furious, probably because he hasn’t allowed his grandfather the knowledge of the guest currently residing in his ancestral home.

“Thank you, grandfather, would you join Duvall in the Blue Room? We will be there shortly.”

The man nods and marches off.

“The blue room?” Alice asks.

“A warded parlor for non-family.” Severus answers. “Would you like to put Neville with Harry? He’s asleep in a guest room with my Aunt and personal elf in attendance.”

“I would like to see Harry, not just leave Neville with him.” Sirius nods along with Alice’s firm answer.

“Very well,” Snape leads them further into the house. “You can put your own wards on the room, if you wish but you cannot remove him. My orders from James are to protect his boy and that is what I am going to do. He is in the most secure room in the house.”

Alice and Frank exchange a look but don’t say anything.

Again, Severus has to pull then through wards but at least this time Alice gets to keep a hold of Neville.

His aunt blinks up at them from where she is rocking Harry. “Oh, hello.”

“Aunt Eleanor. How is he?”

“Better than should be expected after the magical death of both his parents and whatever ritual that Dark Bastard put the whee little one through.” Eleanor glances over the gathering. “I apologize. My patriarch gets abrupt when he’s focused on a problem. I am Madam Eleanor Greengrass nee Prince. I was a senior healer at Saint Mungo’s until my husband was murdered and my brother ordered me behind the wards.”

Sirius looks more than a little desperately at the white-wrapped bundle the woman is holding. “Voldemort put him through a ritual?”

“Yes,” She confirms certainly. “He failed whatever he was trying but the stains of it are still on the poor lad. It’s left him physically scarred. I’ll need either the Goblins or perhaps a trustworthy Unspeakable or five to cleanse it.”

“Scar?”

Madam Healer Eleanor glances at Severus and at his nod she stands and passes the baby to Sirius. “See his forehead?” And, indeed, there is a black lightning bolt just this side of oozing on the little lad’s forehead. “I’ve contained it as much as I can but I’m afraid removal is quite beyond my abilities.”

Alice looks them all over, gently sets Neville on the bed in the room, and decisively takes Harry from Sirius. “I’ll see to this. I believe Severus promised the two of you an explanation.”

Frank and Sirius exchange a look before focusing on Severus.

Severus just nods and turns to leave. “We will be in the Blue Room. Call Moory, if you need anything.”

The Blue Room is, unsurprisingly, blue. Icy blue walls, ever-so-slightly darker carpet, blue and silver furniture. The light fixtures are, in fact, not blue but they are crystal and just serve to reflect the blue all around them.

Sirius glances at Severus’s grandfather -Liam Prince, he’s pretty sure?- as he throws himself down on a powder blue armchair. He allows Liam to pour them all tea before he asks. “So, what happened?”

“I died at the end of what should have been Harry James Potter’s seventh year at Hogwarts.”

Frank spits his tea. “What? Died? Should have been?”

“Yes, should have been. Unfortunately Voldemort had taken over both the school and the Ministry so Harry had gone on the run. Smartest thing he did in seven years, I think.”

“What? Where the hell was I?” Sirius demands.

“Dead. You’d fallen through the Death Veil like an idiot two years before.”

“And me?” Frank asks.

“You and Alice were in Saint Mungo’s. In about a week, in the original timeline, you both were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix LeStrange and her husband and brother in-law.”

“I take it your true father showed up after your death? And he settled his legacy on you?” Liam asks his grandson.

“You knew the Blue Dragon was my father?” Severus asks, his face a stormcloud.

“Your mother said,” Liam nods. “But I didn’t believe her. I knew she was studying time magic and it happens to those intimately intertwined with Time but I also knew she had slept with that muggle and I was furious.”

“And you forced her to marry a man that beat her.”

“And she’ll never forgive me.”

“You time travelled.” Sirius accuses because fuck their family drama, seriously. “You’re saying than you time travelled and you didn’t save James and Lily. Or did you cause this? You killed him and oathed yourself as his Vassal anyway?”

“I did cause this, at least partially, but I did it in both timelines.”

Sirius is furious and gutted all over again. “Why didn’t you save them?”

“It is a fixed point in time. My true Father couldn’t send me back far enough to avoid it but it’s not completely my fault!”

“Why don’t you explain to us what happened.” Frank puts a calming hand on Sirius’s shoulder. “Start with the current timeline, linearly. Explain what killed James and Lily both times.”

“I didn’t remember it until I died but I heard the entire prophecy. The first time, Sybill actually gave it to me while we were waiting to be interviewed at the Hog’s Head for our positions at Hogwarts. The Dumbledore brothers overheard it and caught me. They kept me from leaving and edited what I remembered. Albus charmed me into running right to Voldemort with just enough of it to target the Potters.” Severus wipes a hand over his face. Fury, shame, tears, Sirius has no idea what he’s trying to hold back with the getsure. “So I did it, I started everything, but it wasn’t my choice.

“I can’t say now what I would have done without their interference but even then I knew better than the mess with prophecies. I probably would have kept it to myself-”

“But that’s not really important now.” Frank interjects, his face the calm sort of fury that would send anyone that really knows the Hufflepuff running for cover. “Dumbledore used Voldemort to murder the House of Potter.”

“Yes, and he tried to murder the House of Longbottom, too.” Snape agrees. “But he miscalculated. Didn’t take into account the depth of Bellatrix’s sadism.”

“And he’ll get away with it.” Liam says softly. Sirius starts to protest but the older man holds up a hand. “We can’t get him punished for things that haven’t happened -that won’t happen- and we can’t let anyone suspect my grandson time traveled or we’ll all be obliviated and the goat fuckers will get away with things even worse than they’ve already done.”

Sirius takes a deep breath and nods. “Tell us what happened in the original timeline. After-”

“After tonight.” Severus completes gently and Sirius nods.

“Originally, Dumbledore used me to confirm the deaths of the Potters. I got there before you did and. I was destroyed. Dumbledore made me obsessed with Lily and seeing her dead-” Severus shakes his head. “Then you showed up on the damn motorcycle and I ran.

“At some point Dumbledore sent Hagrid and you let him take the baby. You went hunting Pettigrew-”

Sirius snarls and starts to stand but Severus holds up a hand. “He’s already taken care of, Black.”

That tone sounds like murder and Sirius is, perhaps perversely, comforted.

At his nod, Severus continues his tale. “Dumbledore told everyone you were the Potter’s Secret Keeper even though he knew it to be a lie and you went to Azkaban for his murder and the murder of the twelve muggles the Rat killed to cover his escape.”

“So Harry,” Sirius doesn’t even know what to say. With him and the Longbottoms gone, where would Harry go? He can’t remember what the Will said.

“Dumbledore placed him with Lily’s sister.”

Sirius feels sick. “No. No, please, Severus, don’t tell me-”

“He did. It was… horrible. Everything you could imagine, everything you could deprive a child of, it happened.”

Frank runs a hand over his face. “You have a plan? To fix this?”

“Of course,” He’s a Slytherin, afterall. He looks to his grandfather. “I need you to go the the Ministry and find out what they are saying. I can probably guess based on Dumbledore’s actions in my future but I would rather know for sure.”

His grandfather nods. “I was going to but you locked down the house. My medallion started buzzing half an hour ago.”

Sirius raises an eyebrow and Liam Prince raises one right back. “A hit wizard never retires, Mr. Black. The Ministry is hunting someone and I imagine we can all guess who.”

Sirius nods and waits for the old man to quit the room. “I didn’t know he was a Hit Wizard.”

“For the ICW,” Severus confirms. “When he left active duty, the British Ministry claimed his services on an as-need basis.”

“What do we do now?”

“Rest. Mourn. Wait. We can’t enact any effective plan without more information.”

“Let’s go check on Alice,” Frank offers. “See how Harry is doing.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

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