Time After Time

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling


Darinka Bronz
Darinka Bronz
2
211
2003-03-14T18:44:00Z
2003-03-14T18:44:00Z
2
1424
8120
67
16
9971
9.2812



21







Disclaimer
and Authors Notes can be found in the first chapter.

 

-Chapter
two-

 

 

“I can’t believe it!” Severus and Harry
hurried down the corridor. “First day at school, and we’re late!”

 

“Well, it wasn’t me who just had to
throw dungbombs at that Gryffindor group.” Harry replied.

&n

Any reply
Severus might have had was cut short as they entered the Transfiguration
classroom. Every student inside the room looked up as the two Slytherins walked
in and tried to make their way to the back without being noticed by McGonagall.


 

“We’re lucky, McGonagall’s not here.” Severus
said as he took out quill and parchment, and started copying from the
blackboard. “If she were here, we’d bee dead by now.”

 

“You are quite right about that Mr Snape.”
Harry and Severus gulped and turned only to find McGonagall standing behind
them. “But all I’m going to do this time is take forty points off from
Slytherin. It is the beginning of term after all.” With that the Professor
walked back to the front of the class. “Now that all of us are here we might
begin with the real lesson. This year we’re going to concentrate on Human
Transfiguration. Anyone that messes in this class will regret to have ever been
born, I’ll personally see to that. Now, Human Transfiguration is…”

 

Harry toned
her out after that, he knew the speech and lesson off by heart. Instead he took
the time to look around the room at the other students, and to memorise what
name came with what face. Slytherin shared this class, and every other, with
the Gryffindors. That fit Harry just fine, this way he could keep an eye at his
future parents and at the same time not look like he was spying on them.

 

“Harry, did you hear what McGonagall just
said?” Severus asked.

 

“Huh? Sorry, what did you say?”

 

“I asked you if you had heard what McGonagall
said.”

 

“What did she say?”

 

“She’s going to cast a spell on us that makes
us change into our Animagi shape for about a minute or so. And those that stay
in their shape for more than a minute are going to receive special training –
if they want to of course – to become an Animagi.”

 

“Who’s going to train those?” Harry asked. He
was already an Animagi, but he had to play his part well.

 

“McGonagall herself.” Severus was exited. He
had always wanted to try this.

 

McGonagall came
around and cast the spell at one student at the time. Most of the Gryffindors
turned into a cat-like animal; except the Marauders. Out of the Gryffindors
only Potter, Black and Pettigrew stayed in their form for more than one minute.
Then McGonagall turned to the Slytherins. Harry and Severus where in the back,
so they watched everyone else change. One turned into a cat, another into a
rat. Lucius Malfoy turned into an occamy. Then it was Harry’s turn.

 

Severus
watched as McGonagall cast the spell over Harry. Nothing happened for a moment,
then the boy began to get fur, his face changed into a cat’s, he got big ears
and a lions tail. His fur was black with whit stripes. For over a minute
Severus watched the kneazle sit in Harry’s chair, then, with a pop, Harry was
back. He rubbed the back of his neck, mumbling something about crazy Professors
and animal instincts.

 

Then it was
Harry’s turn to watch as McGonagall cast the spell on Severus. He got black fur
and changed into a huge panther. The nundu looked at Harry, and seeing the
other boy’s surprised face, it took a look at itself. By the time it had
realised what it was, more than a minute had passed. Suddenly Severus sat in
his chair again. He looked at Harry again.

 

“Damn, that was cool!” Harry said with real
awe. “I’ve only heard about one other wizard that had the ability to change
into a nundu.”

 

It was
though this statement broke the ice. The students began to tell each other how
it had been to turn into their animal, how their holiday had been and how much
homework they might get this year.

 

-------------------------



Over the
next few weeks Severus got to know Harry better. He was quiet in public, mostly
observing, but he always had a remark or two ready if someone should insult
him. You’d have to work long and hard to make him angry; the shadows in the
corridors seemed to stretch themselves after him, and those unnaturally green
eyes just added to the mysterious appearance. Severus had seen the
lightning-bolt shaped scar on the boy’s forehead, but when he had asked, Harry
had avoided his question skilfully. All in all, Harry Chase was considered one
of the nicer Slytherins. Maybe that was because he gave the impression of not
being able to hurt a fly, no matter how hard he tried.

 

Harry on
the other hand, had his hands full trying to keep track with the Marauders and
the rest of the school. He got the Daily Prophet every morning to keep updated
on the outside world. He also tried, with success, to become friends with some
students from each of the other three houses, and he charmed the Professors
into the palm of his hand. He was trying to hook his mother and father
together, but their meetings always ended up in fights. Someone was skilfully
working against him, either under someone else again or on their own. Whoever
it was, the person was getting on Harry’s nerves, and the patience that was
infamous inside the Order of the Phoenix was slowly disappearing.

 

-------------------------



Harry and
Severus were sitting under a dragon-statue in the huge Hogwarts Gardens. Harry
was relaxing and reading second book in the series about Paksenarrion. Severus
was finishing some Charms homework due tomorrow. The two of them had become
inseparable, wherever one was the other wasn’t far off.

 

“Harry?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“What’s the second way of conjuring up a
patronus?” Severus had quickly discovered that his friend knew things that
weren’t written in the books, and his grades had become noticeabetteetter after
the two of them had started to study together.

 

“If you don’t have a happy memory, you can
make one up.” Harry replied. “But that’s extremely difficult. I tried it once.
The whole thing went to hell. Thank god that the dementor was a boggart.”

 

“Your biggest fear is a dementor? What about
the Dark Lord?”

 

“I guess that Snakeface is high up on the
list too, but dementors are my biggest fear.” Harry said, looking up from his
book. “I don’t know why, so don’t ask.”

 

“You don’t know? You of all people?!”
Severus looked up at his friend who was sitting between the dragons wings.
“Tell me you’re joking.”

 

“No, I’m not joking. It’s the cold, naked
truth.” Harry replied patiently. “Do you know why you fear nundus?” Harry had
been wondering about that.

 

Severus
didn’t meet Harry’s eyes. He knew why he feared nundus, but he wasn’t ready to
talk about it yet, not even with Harry. He looked up at the boy. Harry had gone
back to reading the Muggle book. How he longed to touch that silk-like skin, to
run his hands through that hair, to kiss those wonderful lips. Severus quickly
turned back to his homework. He didn’t want Harry – or anyone else for that
matter – to see him blushing. He had a reputation to keep up. The cold-hearted,
emotionless Slytherin bastard known as Severus Snape. Yep, that was him.

 

Suddenly
Dumbledore’s voice rang out through the Gardens, and the rest of the grounds.

 

“Will all students meet up in the Great
Hall immediately.”

 

Harry and
Severus didn’t waste any time. They where the last two people in due to the
long walk from the Gardens to the Great Hall. The doors closed behind them on
their own accord. They sat down at the end of the Slytherin table. Harry was
watching everyone, studying their expressions, while Severus was watching him.
There was more to Harry than he had thought, and it only served to draw him
even more to the boy.

 

Suddenly
the teachers entered, all with serious expressions. Dumbledore stepped forward,
stopping in the middle of the Great Hall where everyone could see him.

 

“I have some grave news, for all of you.
Today a horrible deed was done. The Muggle Studies Professor, Monica Moon,
w,
was found dead in her rooms by a House Elf. The deed was carried out sometime
last night. The murderer used Avada Kedavra. Now, if anyone know anything, or
have seen anyone sneaking around, please come to me right after dinner. If you
don’t talk to me, you will talk to the Auror’s the Ministry of Magic is
sending. The Auror’s are going to stay with us from now on until there’s no
need for them anymore, and they are going to interrogate every singly one of
you under Veritaserum.” The old mage stopped and looked at everyone in the
room. “And they will not take irrespective of your age, house or personal
secrets.” With that the Headmaster walked back to the teachers table, sat down
and began to eat.

 

“Can you believe it?” Severus asked. “I
admit, I didn’t exactly like Moonwood, or Muggle Studies, but I never wanted to
kill her. Who would’ve done such a thing?”

 

“The first name that pops into my head is
Voldemort,” Harry replieBut But he can’t get inside Hogwarts because of the
wards, no evil can.” He added as an afterthought.

 

“So, what you’re saying is that this was an
inside job?” Severus said, looking at him.

 

“For the moment, I don’t say anything.” That
was the end of their conversation, for now.

 

Harry
leaned back into his chair and let his eyes sweep over the students. The
Gryffindors were discussing what they would’ve done with the murderer. The
Hufflepuffs if he, or she, should get a trial. The Slytherins came up with
ideas of how they would have murdered Moonwood, or anyone else for that matter.
And the Ravenclaws were trying to figure out who it was and why it was done.
One of the Ravenclaws met his gaze, challenging him to even think the thought. Harry
just grinned evilly and the student looked away. Well, now he had a lead he
could follow.