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As a long time teacher of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, Severus had seen many things, come to expect them really.
So to see two first years, known to him for being rule breakers, that wasn't unexpected at all really.
To see them deep in the lower dungeons was a bit of a surprise, not too bad though.
Seeing them both spin, wands raised, eyes cold as magic crackled and wove along the floors and walls in a display to raise his own hair, well, it was a magical school, a huge surge of magic was not out of the realm of the possible.
However, to look deep into the eyes of eleven year old children and be afraid, that was new.
Dangerous, feral, rage and grief and flickering visions of horror, and he said, voice a silken drawl, “You will not speak, you will droop your heads as if ashamed, and you will follow me.”
Leading the way he was grateful down to the marrow of his bones they obeyed, because he knew he wasn't powerful enough to make them.
*
Pointing silently to the couch, he did several kinds of revealing spells, ensuring no surveillance was in action, then cast the most powerful locking charm he knew, and activated his personal privacy wards, added to over the past nine years to a strength even Albus couldn't breach.
Sucking in a breath now it was safe to speak, he demanded, “Who are you?”
“You know who we are Professor, now, I need paper and ink, Harry needs memory crystals, I do better with written, he does better with visualization, hurry, we don’t have much time.”
*
The simple spell she used on the quill to pull ink from the bottle so as to ever run out was sweet, and Severus made sure to place it into his for-later-spells-room in his very tidy mind palace even as he summoned Bea from the kitchens, the path he’d opened for her through his defenses one she was familiar with. “Food for three, light yet sustaining, please.”
“Oh, and TEA oh damn, young elves badly need to learn to slow down!”
Yet when the food arrived it came with tea so she must have heard, and Severus made the children eat, even as he took finished pages, filled memory crystals, producing new crystals as each filled, replenishing the astonishingly swiftly filled pages.
Hours, it took hours, and he kept them filled and supplied, took their work from them to assist them to the loo, made them drink, and then once they both sat back with a sigh of being done with that portion of the night, he said, “In your own words now, please.”
The please was for show, the order clear, and he gave them each a pepper up and listened intently, adding the quarantine lockdown notice now to his rooms, instructed the elves to fire blast the path they’d taken to reach it, even as he knew it wasn't needed.
But a new variant of dragon pox, lethal in three days, no cure, time delayed curse that struck years after the final winning of the war, a parting gift of the dark lord…..
The entire tail of his defeat now resided in Severus’s head, as well as how, five years after that fact, these two were in the department of mysteries when the timed devices ran down their clocks, ten of them scattered about the country, blowing together to let the plague free.
The ministry locking down but it was too late, nine unspeakables and Harry Potter, locked into the time room, blood and magic giving them all the power they needed to petition Lady Magic herself for help, all but two giving their lives freely to power the ritual request.
A reset.
At the end of the world they had gotten a reset from time herself, as well as magic, and part of Severus was filled with awe, and part with numbness, and the rest terror at the weight of responsibility now hovering.
Would it fall?
Drawing a deep breath he said, “A ritual of this magnitude is unstable in very particular ways, yet we have time, not much but we do have time, you both, sleep now. I will take what you have given me and think it through, that's it, sleep now.”
They did, like puppets with cut strings, or soldiers not needed right now, and his heart broke for these two, robbed a childhood, robbed their freedom, and now robbed their everything.
Dead, the entire magical world, dead to a swift killer created by a sick fucker who didn't know how to share and unable to play well with others, because the disease was changed, targeted ANY magic, so creatures, wixen, squibs, anyone with a single drop of magic fell to it, all around the world.
*
Sinking into his chair he topped up his mug and thought it all through, all of it, including horcruxes and manipulative bastards and child soldiers, and sick fuckers that should have gotten a hobby other than ruling the world and then, impossibly…..
He laughed.
Softly singing “If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do….”
Standing he calmly called a much more senior elf, “Cricket, please, I need help.”
“Yes?”
Cricket was an odd one, old, steeped in power, yet more trickster than even the twins could manage and he said, “How would you like to save the world tonight?”
A high pitched giggle, “Tonights youz say, how cans wez be doings that, thee and me?”
“Get me a time turner, and I’ll show you.”
*
Carefully brewing the base potion, then the focus one ingredient at a time, diamonds and gold, fossil bones ground to dust, rocks from space done likewise, amber and stone older than any could imagine, a deep black brew finally seethed as it awaited the final two ingredients.
Taking a bottle of instant sleep he told Cricket, “Place this directly into Quirrell’s stomach, do not let him see you, it is four in the morning, he will be asleep now, this will just make it impossible for him to wake.”
“Once it's in, wait five minutes and then bring him to me, do not look at him, treat him even asleep as if he is dangerous, because he truly is.”
*
Looking at the curled professor, held aloft by elf magic, he ever so carefully took the lift, lowering him into the cauldron, the potion seeming to rise around the body, and once in Severus carefully cracked the time turners bulb, letting the sand scatter upon the surface,
As it fell the liquid began to swirl, faster and faster as it constricted, colour changing from deepest black until with flash the entire cauldron rusted into dust, contents spinning to a halt like a top losing speed, becoming a clear crystal, similar to memory recording ones, only larger and transparent rather than violet, and when Severus picked it up....
Looking into its depths Quirrell curled within, asleep, safe, as did the wraith of a dark lord.
Not disposed of yet, but no danger to anyone.
Sighing as he checked upon the children, he took a potion of his own invention, grimacing at the taste yet blinking in relief as he was once again clear headed, focused, and said to Cricket, “I need these several items and I know the elf network works fast, the first one is in Malfoy manor, in the form of a diary.”
“Find the elf that can bring it to me, and we will speak about their part in saving the world.”
*
Wizards forgot that elves were everywhere, had enormous powers, and talked to each other all the time.
And were masters of the loophole.
Looking down at the shivering wreck Severus said, "Stand up straight, have a little pride at least.”
“Dobby is trying sir, but it is difficulties indeed.”
“Is it because you are frightened, or are you unwilling?”
“Oh no Snapses, I iz just used to beings like this, masters demands it of me.”
“Get me the diary and I will use the Hogwarts over-ride to bring you here, the heir of your house spends most of the year in residence, Hogwarts takes precedence over the family home in this instance and in the castle you are expected to be happy.”
Hope filling the big goggle eyes, Dobby asked, “If youz succeeds at the future past changing then Iz comings here for goodlings?”
“Indeed, now, don't touch the book with bare skin, and bring it now please.”
*
A hazardous materials containment bag and the diary was contained, but for safety's sake Severus triple bagged it before setting it aside.
“Dobby, as head of Slytherin house, wherein resides Heir Malfoy, you are hereby relegated to the Hogwarts kitchen elves battalion for the next twenty five years. Should you wish to negotiate any changes to your terms, come to me alone or with Cricket as eldest resident elf, so mote it be.”
“Now, off you go, you're to rest for the next ten days, let the group tend to your hurts, and you are not allowed to punish yourself in any way ever again. If you feel the need for punishment, come to myself only, I swear it will be fair and commiserate to what you did to earn it. Is this understood?”
Sending the weeping elf away, gratitude was never something Severus dealt well with and the kitchen would know better what to do with him anyway, Severus checked again on the sleeping not-children and asked Cricket to find him the next item, because elves had rights to collect their owners belongings, the loophole from hell really, and not too much longer, before the two people from a future no one wanted to happen even awoke, Severus had all the parts of the dark lord in hand, triple containment bagged and in a trunk tucked via magic into a briefcase, along with the crystal contained main soul piece, embedded in crystal and possessing a willing host.
All of it safe as houses in the case, leaving Severus wondering what to do with the damned things now.
*
In the end he decided to outsource the disposal, rather than hiding it.
Because yes, he could wall it up in the castle, or hide it in a muggle construction project, or sink it into the sea, but that was just forcing the future to deal with the problem, and nothing remained hidden forever, it would be found.
As time and magic had given them all a second chance, Severus was not risking it by not doing the job properly.
*
“You want me to do what?”
Resolutely not showing any signs of frustration Severus said it again, “I need you to ask the basilisk to dispose of the dark lord and his soul fragments, it is the only disposal method we have access to that - ”
“No, sorry Professor, not that part,” Hermione broke in, “the bit about the bits of, um….”
“Ohhh, yes indeed, I understand now, please, don’t worry, I got Hogwarts elves to reach out to the elf network and find ones that could retrieve the horcruxes, and I already put Quirrell into a time crystal, the entire being in several parts is in that case, by the door, all we need to do is destroy it and as I said, the basilisk is our best bet.”
Harry Potter, sitting in the form of his eleven year old self looked totally lost as he said, “It was that easy?”
“NO!” Going down onto his knees, looking the complicated person directly in their eyes, Severus said again, "No. It was not that easy! It took your sacrifice and determination to bring me the information, married to my own, to get the job done.”
“You both did the hard part, now all that’s left is to dispose of the rubbish.”
A jerky nod from the boy when the girl said, “But, isn't it insane?”
“Oh no miss Granger, not yet.”
*
Wearing spelled welding-visors that negated the biggest threat, it only remained to wake up the monster and then convince a thousand year old defender of the castle to destroy the case and its contents.
A cranky, hungry, grumpy, fussy, upset, and opinionated thousand year old monster, who, in Severus’ considered opinion, needed the basilisk version of tea for four, and he breathed a deep sigh of relief when the castle elves provided just that for them all, even if Salisha’s portion was markedly larger than the rest of theirs.
*
Yawning, the great beast asked through Harry’s interpreting for them, “Just this?”
“Yes please, all the venom you can give it, bite it deep and go for it, and then have a nice nap to sleep off breakfast.”
A second yawn and then, her head flicking to the side faster than Severus could imagine something that large moving, she’d snapped the case from his hand, shifted it a few times between her jaws, getting it in just the right spot, and then savagely bit down.
Having grabbed the children at the first moment of the case being taken from him Severus had them well out of the danger zone when venom splashed and bubbled and the screaming began, and from the far side of the room they watched the ignominious end of the dark wanker who, in Severus’ opinion anyway, should have done a better fucking job than to attack a child, and his very own best friend!
Casting a heating charm into the great feathered serpent’s sleeping chamber, they watched Salisha curl up and sigh back into sleep.
*
No one could accuse Severus Snape of being stupid.
He was steeped in arcane knowledge, a double agent who spent time for years in ancient houses filled with dark arts, lived full time in a castle with a world renowned library and had plenty of free time on his hands.
Even teaching full time he'd long ago figured out how to only have his students work in class, only giving ungraded assignments for homework, research that led to the potion of the day, instant fail if they didn't do the homework, yet nothing extra to grade.
In other words, he had a mind and time on his hands and was easily bored.
So he knew some shit.
And this shit he might not know but had firm ideas on, and he spent a bit of time doing research as his two students-in-body simply rested, ate, and continued to empty any and all information they could dredge up from the depths of their minds to pour upon the pages of their lives to help with the changes still to come, yet….
Time, magic, choices, second chances.
Harry Potter, son of Severus’ hated rival and his once best friend.
Hermione Granger, muggle born, when once Severus had given himself to a master who swore to eradicate all like her.
Second chances, magic, and time.
Time.
Bodies from now, souls from then, twenty years in the future, a future where all magical life on the planet was gone, or going.
Keeping them contained was proving not as easy as he’d hoped.
“No, Miss Granger, you may not go out yet, as far as the entire castle knows you are quarantined here with me after contracting a case of Flame Skin, which is highly contagious, deeply unpleasant, and as the castle's brewmaster, I am totally qualified to handle it.”
“However, if you are seen outside the dungeons, what happens to our cover?”
Childish impatience gleamed for a moment before she ran frustrated fingers through her hair and said, “I’m not used to this, all sitting around, and it’s going to be worse if we are stuck here for much longer, when we can go out? Just, an idea of how long this is going to take and please, can I brew something at least?”
“Today? No. Tomorrow? No. The next day? Yes, both to brewing and going on a gentle walk through the castle.”
“And before you risk stepping past the bounds of acceptable behavior at being denied what you want, the reason is clear, you both need rest.”
“You are settling into this time, dealing with losses unimaginable, and both of your bodies are healing from many ills, which reminds me, Harry, it’s time for your nutrition potion.”
The pushback was both frustrated adult used to dealing with his own health issues and upset child who didn't like the potion at all, and nor could Severus blame him.
It wasn't very nice, or even very easy, but he got them dosed and settled again, a pain potion for Hermione, stress fractures from a tumbling fall not too far in her re-wound body's past, he’d known the girl was bullied in his time, but not to this extent.
Magic
Ah, he stood upon a precipice, but looking at them both, he sighed as he gave in, a whisper of a prayer in his heart, “Lady Magic, please, guide my hand.”
“Now,” two heads snapped up to him, they’d finally begun reading one of his favorite potions books, “it’s time to speak of our path forward, now you are both effectively eleven years old. And before you even bother saying it, we all have to deal with the hand magic has given us rather than what we might like it to be.”
Their faces had begun to stiffen in stubborn resistance to what they both knew was coming so he rolled his eyes and asked the kitchen to send tea, this was going to need it.
“We all know cutting the head off a snake isn't enough, you must destroy the body as well, because the body can still do damage unless it is rendered harmless.”
“Aren't we mixing a few metaphors Professor?”
Ah, fear masked as snark, expected indeed.
“I might be mixing a few, so instead I’ll say this, his followers are still alive.”
“We can’t trace them via the mark because as you can see, mine is gone.”
Looking at blemish free skin he still felt only wonder, yet forced it down and away to feel later, instead saying, “He was a symptom, not the disease.”
“I know every step now, and you will continue writing down anything you can remember, because we need to make our world more fair, for all of us, and cleanse the corruption from our halls of justice.”
“Sirius, he’s still alive here.”
The desperate hope in the boy's voice had Severus hiding a wince, but it would have to be done, soon as he could find someone he trusted to handle it.
“He will be freed Harry, I swear it, but you know full well he will not be fit to keep you for a few years, he will be too unstable.”
“Yeah,” Harry ducked his head down, Hermione curling around him. “I know, dementor exposure, he needs to get better, not think about me.”
He will indeed think of you, or else I’ll string him up by his toes and teach all the house elves about pinatas and what we do to them, but he will not be taking guardianship from me until he is totally well.”
Or hell freezes over, Severus left unsaid.
The bane of his childish existence might indeed be part of his life in the near future, and he’d deal with that as it came, but Sirius Black wasn't getting the children unless it was over Severus’ cold dead body.
A vibrant tone as if an enormous bell was struck rippled through him, through them as well judging by their expressions, “What is it?”
“Magic.”
The identical expressions of “Well duh!” had him actually smiling, and he gave a short laugh and shook his head, “It's time to talk about what comes next, and that feeling of sound is part of it.”
“Magic has given a gift, there is always a price, if you like you may ask an elf for books on the subject, you are clearly a keen researcher but that leads us now to acceptable behavior.”
“I am your guardian in magic,” - the tone tolled again, confirming his suspicions and he had to do something now, a choice, but in the end it was easy - “and as such I am expected to care for you in certain ways, provide for your needs and wants as any proper parent should do.”
“One of those is going to upset you both but as your biological age is young, you both should know how discipline is handled in the magical world.”
“Physical abuse, you mean?”
“No Miss Granger, physical discipline.”
“And before you even try to argue, muggles have no need of it, are moving swiftly past it now, yet magical children need to learn swiftly about actions and consequences, because magic is dangerous.”
“A simple spanking handles many issues, swiftly and surely, even if somewhat painfully.”
They were looking at him now with horror, and he shook his head, “My actions are doubly constrained by culture and expectations and actual safety requirements, not only am I your teacher, but I am your guardian,” - the bell tolled again - “so, to keep up the appearance of a proper relationship,” - to be a family in fact rather than a pretending of family, because magic clearly demanded they be family yet he needed to use careful words, not make them feel trapped, a deception of degrees, rather than untruths - “because the entire castle staff knows we are now bonded in magic….”
“We will blame it on your sickness, and your traumatic lives, you Harry as an abused child, you Hermione as the victim of physical bullying, I have the memory of the scans I performed on you to back that up, so as long as we behave as your guardian and you my children, we will be able to change our world to prevent the horrors of a new dark lord rising or worse, the Wizengamot getting even more irrational!”
“So, together we will discuss rules, expectations, rewards and punishments that, as my children, you will be expected to understand and comply with.”
*
It wasn't going to be quite enough.
Simply talking about it wasn't going to get them all the way there.
He knew it, as did the tolling bell, it chimed when he struck a proper note in the magic weaving around them all, but it wasn't enough, they needed a push, needed to fall.
Needed the push he didn't want to give, yet must.
Watching them eat, he said once done, “Bath in whatever order you like, you may read until nine and then I’ll tuck you in and be sure you have a drink and a pain potion beside you each in case you wake and need one.”
“Do not hesitate to come get me if you need me, for any reason, now, off you go.”
A tangled mix of emotions shown in both their eyes, too much to even bother picking apart and he watched them go and sighed.
*
Tucking them in was surprisingly nice, although their behavior was indicative of how the magic was flowing and shifting, because they looked innocent and angelic as they nodded to his words banning any further reading, writing, or research or working of any kind until morning.
“You are both young again, you need sleep to heal, your bodies are handling the soul shift well but now, you need sleep.”
“And please, both of you, if you disobey me in this you will not get a warning, you will instead receive your first spanking by my hand, because I too enjoy my sleep and have no intentions of letting anything other than a legitimate need from either or both of you to disturb it.”
“Good night, sleep good, and be certain to get me if you are in need, am I understood?”
Twin expressions of goodness as they assured him they understood.
Dropping onto the couch in the sitting room he wondered exactly when children stopped thinking adults were stupid, and how fast they were regressing.
Regressing yet holding on tight, but they needed to fall.
Fall back into childhood.
Childhood and forgetting the future, forgetting all that they had been there and revert in fact to the eleven year olds they physically now were.
It would be difficult, yet magic had given them to him, and magic always demanded a price.
“Because why not, why not demand this of them as well, as if they didn't lose their entire lives to get here.”
His words were sour, but he understood what was required of him, and would obey.
The toll rolled through, showing he was right in his surmise.
A gift, a responsibility, action, reaction, life was a tangled tapestry indeed, and he made enough noise to sound like someone going to bed, he did indeed shower and dress in comfortable trousers and a soft faded shirt, one he refused to let the elves turn into cleaning rags, even if it was a few years past its best, and then settled in across the hall from them, and at ten turned off his light.
Relaxed on his couch now all he had to do was wait, just like a complicated brew, he’d set up all the conditions, yet the final ingredients needed to be provided by them.
*
And right on the stroke of midnight, the witching hour indeed, he stood in their open door and asked, “I believe I told you what I’d do if I caught you breaking the no-working rule, did I not?”
Twin expressions of shock, indignation, and deepening concern as they stared at him, each surrounded by the work they were in no way supposed to be doing.
Everything they had to give about the future was given, all they were doing now was rehashing the material, gleaning a few tiny details, unneeded in all the valuable material already safely transcribed.
Tired, carrying a weight of unfinished magic that was crushing them, so tired they looked bruised, faded, wan and almost grey.
They were warriors though, battle hardened, holding on for grim life was second nature, they would not let go of who they were.
Couldn't let go, not willingly.
Yet the magic already was claws deep in them, because the warriors were also children caught out in naughtiness, Severus could see tears trying to gather, lips trying to quiver, and he said sternly, "Both of you, living room, now.”
*
Looking at Snape it was clear to anyone who knew him, as both Harry and Hermione knew him, that they were about to have a repeat of potions class, the way they'd had a few times as students so long ago.
He was a stern teacher, sometimes harsh, yet they’d both come to know why, once they’d grown up a bit, grown up enough to have stupid kids of their own to protect, not even kids but trainees, interns, new recruits.
Too old to spank, they’d both bemoaned that fact, how a swift paddling would get the latest incoming entitled brat up to speed so much faster than lectures and docked pay!
Harry admitted to some trepidation in facing a child's punishment at this man's hand, fucks sake he was all grown up but his stomach twisted as his pulse sped up, this new body was trying to take over, make him act like a kid, react like a kid, he could see Hermione was the same, jaw clenched yet her lip kept wobbling, and she hissed in frustration as she dashed tears away.
“It’s the magic,” she hissed, “we knew this could happen, could regress us mentally, we have to hold on, get past this, if we just hold on we’ll be able to keep who we are, keep our memories, be who we are just…. Tinier.”
Seeing her stubbornness shining out of her eyes, Harry could see the trepidation as well when Snape sat on the couch, right in the middle, and with ultra reluctance he stepped to where they were directed, looking up, even seated Snape was taller than they now were….
The first sob from Hermione set him off, and he wanted to fight, to argue, to spit and curse and demand his adult rights!
But, it was so hard, he was so tired.
They’d won the war, but nothing changed for the better, it was all the same fucked up shit, and then they all died.
So much of him wanted to be himself the way he remembered his life to have been and gone, but the rest just wanted it erased, forgotten.
He’d had a crap childhood, knew Hermione’d had one almost as bad…..
Crying freely now as he was lifted magically into place, his sleep shirt no protection, his underwear pulled down, the only comfort was Snape had them BOTH ass up over his lap as he began to lecture them on sleep, self care, and following basic orders that they both knew were for their own good.
Hermione said it first, "Sorry, please, we won't do it again, we’re sorry!”
There was a hand on his lower back, large, comforting, even if the words shriveled and evaporated what little was left of his stomach, “I know you are sweetheart, both of you are, and the next time you decide to be so naughty as to ignore my instructions about not working through the night again, you will remember this moment right now and think again.”
~
Sucking a gasp because Harry could feel it coming, and then it landed, somehow Snape's entire hand spanned his entire bottom and it HURT!!! And Hermione received her first spank right after his one and yowled, and then he got another one, “Holy FUCK, owwwww!”
One each and repeat, and it was impossible to think past it, the rhythm stoking the fires higher, magic swirling like a flavor but the spanking drew them into now, sobbing freely as the world narrowed to now, to this point in time, to dad’s hand giving a firm and familiar spanking and their regret for earning it cause they knew better, knew dad would catch them, he always caught them!
Sobbing desperate sorries and promises to not do it again, please daddy, Hermione managed through her bawling, she was so much louder than Harry was, but then dad gave some attention right where Harry usually sat down and he too gave up all pretense of quiet and hollered, gripping dads robes and learned his lesson properly.
He would NEVER pretend to go to sleep and then start working on his potions project again, he swore, promised, "Dad owwww sorry dad!”
~
Kicking feet and wailing cries as he and his sister learned once again that dad meant it when he said something was for their own good, like sleep.
*
They fit across his lap, both of them, so young, so small.
Only eleven bio years old, and his hand spanned the entirety of their bottoms, making spanking easy indeed, and magic kept them in place freeing his not spanking hand to place across their lower back, contact with both for what comfort it afforded.
As he was an experienced teacher, spanking a naughty student was a familiar duty, yet the first time Hermione called him daddy, the first time Harry called him dad, it was like a knife to his heart, he wanted to stop right there, give all the comfort, but magic wasn't done, they had to let go of the future, be totally in the now.
And nothing focused one on the moment quite like being spanked properly regretful for one's behavior.
So he kept going, doing the job properly, finishing with concentrated attention to where they’d be sitting, making sure to sting for at least all of tomorrow, and then called it a done deal.
Because he too felt it, the connection, they weren't calling him dad and daddy as an affectation, or a way to get the spanking to end, but because.... he was.
They were his, he was theirs, bonded in blood and magic, gifted to him as a second chance for them all.
Gathering them up as they cried themselves to sleep, hiccups shaking their thin frames at random moments, he held tight, filled with love and relief.
Done, it was done, they were his.
And as he held them close, he knew the work ahead still to do, the evil was gone but their entire society had to be remade, Lady Magic demanded it of him.
Looking into their sleeping faces, even knowing the job ahead, Severus Snape, new father of two, thought it was a fair price to pay for his new children.
After all, they needed a just and equitable world to grow up in, so he’d make sure it happened.
Well, he and all the house elves that is, he was sure they’d help all he needed, and have fun doing it!