A Tale of Two Snakes

Seraphina slowly followed the House Elf that had been sent to bring her to the Headmaster’s office. He delivered her to the door and she knocked quietly.

“Please come in.” She heard Professor Dumbledore call and the door opened in front of her. She slipped inside to see her Head of House and Professor McGonagall seated across from the Headmaster.

Albus examined the girl as he motioned for her to take a seat. She was tall for her age and had waist length dark hair that flowed around her like something alive. Bright blue eyes were nearly the only color to her pale face.

“Miss Shaw, thank you so much for coming. We’ve brought you here tonight because we are in a bit of a predicament and are in need of your assistance.

“Me, Sir? What can I possibly do to help you?” She asked startled.

Quickly he explained the situation to her and waited while she processed it all.

“And you’d like me to retrieve this book?” She asked slowly.

“Yes. You’ll be provided with a Time Turner that will take you back in time. From there you’ll need to seek out the help of a student. As I’m sure you’re aware there is a spell over the castle that only allows people who are invited here to enter. Because you will not have been born yet you’ll have no invitation.”

“And your permission now won’t do, I’d need the permission of your past self.” The girl murmured and Albus nodded his approval. Yes, this was the perfect student for the job.

“If you accept this task I shall send my phoenix, Fawkes, with you. He will inform my past self of the situation and that alone should ensure your entry and safe passage through Hogwarts, but because I’m not certain exactly what my past self will be doing that is why I would like you to find a student to guide you.”

Sera nodded her understanding.

“The book will be located in the Potions lab, what is now Professor Snape’s classroom.” Albus told her.

“It will be in the book case at the front of the room, on the bottom shelf I believe.” Snape added, catching the girl’s eyes with his own. “Can you do this for us, Miss Shaw?”

Slowly she nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Excellent.” Albus said standing up. He made his way to the far side of the room and returned with a Time-Turner in hand. “I’m afraid you’ll need to leave your robes behind, my dear.” He said indicating her school robes emblemized with the Hogwarts crest.

As she shed her robe leaving her in a pale green blouse and dark green and black pleated skirt and took the Time-Turner, placing it around her neck, Professor McGonagall explained what she was to say to anyone she encountered. As the three adults had awaited her arrival they’d come up with a plausible story.

Once everything was ready Professor Dumbledore called upon Fawkes. He understood his part in this little mission and perched his heavy body upon Sera’s shoulder.

“Are you ready?” The Headmaster asked.

She looked nervous but nodded so Dumbledore took hold of the Time-Turner and set it for her.

“Good luck, Miss Shaw.” She heard the old man say and then the world faded away.


~~~


When everything came back into focus Sera found her self outside of the castle, near the lake. It was a bright sunny day. Fawkes immediately disappeared to complete his task so Seraphina set out to do hers. She tucked the Time-Turner into her blouse and made her way slowly toward the courtyard, a few students rushed past but they were in such a hurry Sera couldn’t stop them. She continued into the main courtyard and saw a boy sitting alone on a stone bench, his head bowed over a book.

“Excuse me?” She said timidly. The boy’s head rose and she found herself staring into a pair of very familiar ebony eyes.

He examined her with a sneer on his face. “Yes?” He hissed. It seemed time had changed Severus Snape little.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you but I seem to be a bit lost. You see I’m a student form Beauxbaton’s, here for the day with one of my Professor’s. She had business with your Headmaster and she brought me along as her assistant.”

“Then why aren’t you assisting her?” Snape asked snidely but his tone had no effect on her. Six years under his future self’s tutelage had gotten her used to that.

“That’s my quandary, you see. She and Professor Dumbledore sent me to retrieve some books for them from the potions lab but I’ve lost my way.” She explained. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, would you mind showing me the way?”

He snapped his book closed and stood, a biting remark on the tip of his tongue when a voice came from behind them.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Snivellus. Got yourself a girlfriend?”

Sera turned to find a group of four boys smirking at them.

“Piss off, Black.” Snape hissed.

“And she’s a pretty thing too.” The tallest of the boys said ignoring Severus. He had dark hair and was strongly built. “Can’t be a girlfriend then, lose you way?”

“I have, but I’ve already found a suitable guide.” Sera said turning back to Snape. “Right?”

Severus looked the girl over again, she’d turned her back on Black and his cronies, most girls swooned at the sight of the so-called Marauders. But she was still asking him to lead her to the dungeons.

“Very well.” Snape said. “This way.”

Sera began to follow but a hand caught her elbow. Sera didn’t even think, she just reacted. Pulling her wand from her belt she turned on her accoster. “Confundus!” She shouted and the boy, Black, stumbled backward and tumbled into his friends knocking them down like dominoes.

Seraphina backed away quickly then turned to catch up with Snape. His wand was drawn and he had a smirk on his face. “Shall we?” She asked taking his elbow and gently turning him away from the other boys. Smirk still in place Snape led her inside.

“You’re lucky you are only here for the day. They won’t be pleased and they are not very forgiving.” He murmured as he made his way toward the dungeons.

“They all looked as though they needed to be taught a lesson.” Sera answered.

Snape merely inclined his head in agreement but his eyes darkened. It was obviously not his first run in with that group.

“My name is Sera, by the way.” She added.

Her companion turned to look at her then after a moment said, “Severus Snape.”

She smiled at him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Severus.” His harsh countenance softened a bit but he remained silent the rest of the way to the lab.

Once inside Seraphina took over. “I’m told the books I’m to get are in on the shelf at the front of the room, near the bottom.” She said and made her way to the front of the class. Severus followed but stopped with a sneer. A student had left quite a mess of ingredients on one of the desks and with a grumble he began sorting through everything to put it away. Quickly, while he was preoccupied Sera located the book she needed and grabbed it then two others that were just standard text books and wouldn’t be needed. She stacked them and turned them carefully so that the titles were facing her body. She moved back to where Severus was and set the books aside, careful to keep the spines facing the wall.

Sera began to help him get everything in order. “Asphodel?” She asked holding up a bottle of powder. She looked over the other ingredients. “Now what were they using this for, I don’t know of any potion using this in combination with these others.”

“These are left from a fourth year class. They probably took it by mistake, bloody fools. None of them have the slightest idea what true potion making is like.”

Sera smiled and agreed with him as they continued working. She knew that in her classes she didn’t have anyone to talk to about proper potions. When she related her thoughts to him they got into a lively discussion about potions which continued well after they had finished and put everything in its proper place.

“I’ve found that using powdered hellebore in a liquid form by mixing it with a bit of nettle juice is far more effective.” Severus was saying.

Sera’s eyes lit up. “Why that’s brilliant! I’d never have thought of it.” She said.

They were sitting side by side and as their eyes met and held Severus found him self to be hypnotized by the blue depths of her eyes. He couldn’t say what made him do it but he leaned forward and gently covered her lips with his own.

For a moment Sera was too stunned to respond but when he increased the pressure of the kiss she leaned into him, her hands sneaking up to rest on his shoulders. For several moments she was unable to think as his lips moved over hers. Then the thought flitted through her brain of how odd it was that she would be in this position with Professor Snape and that single thought stopped her cold.

Professor Snape! What on earth was she doing! She pulled back and stumbled out of her seat.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I should have been back to the Headmaster’s office ages ago!” She said quickly.

“Let me walk you.” Severus said standing.

“No! Oh, no that’s quite alright, I think I can find my own way.”

“Because you seem to be so good at that.” Snape murmured closing the distance between them. She smiled sheepishly and couldn’t make her self move as he ducked down and claimed her lips again. She’d always had a bit of hero-worship for Severus Snape. Potions was her passion and there was no one better at them than him. She’d also developed a bit of a crush on the older man so this was a bit of a fantasy come to life for her but she had to stop this now.

Again she quickly extracted herself from his arms. “I really have to go. Thank you so much for everything.” She whispered. She scooped up the books and darted out of the room, as fast as she could she slipped around a corner and pulled the Time-Turner from beneath her shirt and set it to send her home.

Severus made his way into the hallway but the mysterious beauty had disappeared.