A/N: This is a new idea I had and when I wrote down the first chapter, I liked it enough to put on here. Don't worry, I promise I still will be working on my other story Dark Eyes, but I like having multiple projects at once. :L
This takes place in Harry's seventh year.
Disclaimer: The characters and places and other terms are purely owned by J.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing the characters.
Enjoy!
"You're late."
Harry closed the office door with a quiet tap and shuffled quietly into the chair opposite of Snape's desk. The professor was currently marking papers, and didn't look up as Harry twirled his fingers nervously.
It hadn't been his fault Malfoy shoved an unknown ingredient in his bubbling cauldron when he wasn't looking. And even then, the thing hadn't blown. Sure he wasn't the most talented student in the class, but he had more brains than to do what Malfoy had done. Merlin knew how he got an Outstanding in that class.
Harry glanced around him, taking in the scent of different ingredients and the sight of the dim room. Snape's office was as dismal as his personality, and Harry shivered as he viewed the creepy objects sitting under a shielding charm behind the man. It was beyond Harry how the man could spend so much time locked in this room. But then again, this was Snape.
A few dreadful moments of silence followed, before Snape suddenly snapped his book shut and glared at the boy.
"You will not be serving a normal detention tonight, Mr. Potter." He snarled.
Harry glanced hesitatingly at the professor before moving his gaze back to the floor. He wasn't scared, or he would never have admitted it, but those words didn't sound any more pleasant than scrubbing dirty cauldrons for hours.
"What will we be doing, sir?"
Snape's face got that evil smirk that could only mean one thing; trouble. Harry's heart beat faster as the man opened another book locked in his desk and set it in front of him. Dust scattered in the air, making Harry cough. Potions of the Dark Arts. Harry shivered when he read the title. That didn't look too promising either.
"We will be brewing a rather complicated potion involved with the art of dark magic and astral travel. The headmaster has allowed me to attempt to concoct this potion, for it may be key to defeating the Dark Lord."
Harry's eyes widened with a renewed interest. This was definitely more promising than scrubbing cauldrons, though the content of their actions still sent chills up his spine.
"Sir, what exactly is astral travel?" Harry asked after a moment of staring at the cover of the red book.
Snape folded his hands on his desk. "Traveling of the soul. I presume the Headmaster has informed you of the missing Horcruxes? And how you have somehow become one as well, after the death of your parents."
Harry's hands grew cold. Yes, he knew the truth. "I have to die." He whispered meekly, staring at his sweaty palms, unable to meet the man's coal black ones. "Once I destroy all the other horcruxes."
Snape sneered. "Unfortunately, it is like Albus to expect you to follow through with this. But I have been in deep research, and might have found another alternative."
Harry glanced up in shock. Snape hadn't wanted him to die? Even when Dumbledore expected him to?
"This potion" Snape waved his hand at the ancient book, making more dust float into the air. "may allow you to separate your soul from that of the Dark Lord's. If done correctly, we may be able to extract it and destroy it without doing harm to yours."
"Is it difficult to make, sir?"
"Very. The ingredients are scarce and dramatically expensive. It's complex in its order and precise. The smallest of errors could ruin it entirely. I'll have you know that if you cause any mistakes, you'll be sorry for it."
Harry gulped. He was no fool; Snape made good on his threats. He had gotten better at potions in the final years of Hogwarts, but was still no where near the range of greatness to be considered skilled.
"What will I be doing, sir?"
"I will be doing most of the brewing, and will handle the difficulties, since its already clear you would be incompetent." Snape sneered. "You will, however, assist me in cutting and arranging the ingredients. I assume you are able to read a recipe correctly enough not to cause an explosion that could kill us both."
Harry nodded with a bit of offence in his flashing green eyes. Snape merely smirked and proceeded to lead the way to his private lab. The raven-haired student gazed at the ingredients which lined the walls and turned his attention to a large cauldron sitting ready on a small flame. A few cutting boards were set up and ingredients which were not poisonous were laid out, making the room smell of fresh herbs. Snape opened to the correct recipe.
"Remember, Potter," He growled. "the less who know of our actions, the better. I want no word of these sessions to anyone, even Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. If anyone asks, we are continuing remedical potions. If you do tell, you will be severely punished. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good." Snape sneered. "Now, I want you to read over this recipe five times, then begin to prepare the first ingredient. No errors, Potter."
Harry picked up the old book gingerly and skimmed over the contents of the pages. The parchment was yellow and the words were faded, but Harry could make out enough to understand. As he read over the ingredients, he was horrified by some. They were truly dark and disgusting, almost mortifying.
"Sir, it says here, that this potion requires the flesh of a corpse, the eyeball of a snake, and the last breath of a dying child.. Where are we going to get those?"
"I have them here, Mr. Potter." Snape replied shortly. "I have been preparing for this for a few months time. I can attain quite a lot for such short notice."
Harry merely nodded, though the thought still gave him chills.
The two wizards began to work in silence, all except for the few insults or harsh corrections Snape sent his way. Three hours passed, leaving Harry exhausted. But to show for their work, a bubbling potion the color of blood red and iron grey swirled inside the cauldron.
"I believe this is the correct color." Snape muttered, more to himself than to Harry, though Harry leaned forward to see it. "We have one last step, Mr. Potter."
"Sir?"
"Your hand, Potter."
Harry tensed as sudden flashbacks dominated his mind. The last time someone had forced for his hand was when Voldemort had risen.. The shock of Cedric's death, the bolting pain in his scar, the amused red eyes as he struggled with fear and grief popped into his head. He had never stopped having nightmares about that night.
"Potter!" Snape's voice was sharp as ice. "I do not tolerate daydreaming! Your hand!"
"What are you going to do? Sir?" Harry asked tentatively.
"Honestly, Potter, did you even read the recipe when I asked? This potion requires the blood of the target. The cut will sting, but surely the boy-who-lived can handle it." Snape sneered.
"Yes, sir."
Harry slid his shakey hand quietly over toward Snape, and then watched as the man drew a pocketknife and slit one of his fingertips, causing small drops of blood to drip over his finger. Snape caught a few drops with the knife and cautiously leaned over the cauldron, his face scrunched in concentration. Harry shivered, remembering the high-pitched laugh of Voldemort as he regained his former body that night. He didn't even notice Snape yell in a panic for Harry to run before the cauldron shook and exploded, sending a massive amount of smoke and fire toward them. Harry felt light as he was engulfed in the flames- as light as a feather, before everything darkened to nothing.
I told that brat he had better not ruin anything in this potion! What on earth was wrong? I measured and remeasured every bloody ingredient, perfectly followed every step! When I get my hands on that bloody brat-who-lived...
Snape sat up gingerly from his uncomfortable position on the wooden floor. His head and neck ached, and there was a burn on his thigh, probably from where the fire had hit. His office was in ruins, trashed with broken pieces of glass and other burned things. The cauldron lay destroyed in several parts all over the room.
I am going to make the boy clean this up without magic for what he did! Snape thought angrily. What a minute, where is the bloody brat?
Snape, despite the intense pain that fired through his legs, willed himself to stand and limped past the crisped table. There was a dark body laying out on the ground. Snape pushed past more glass pieces and kneeled down in front of the figure.
Albus is going to kill me for this.. No, forget that, Minerva will personally feed me to the lions when she finds out!
Snape leaned over to shake the figure on the ground, when all of a sudden he gasped in a horrified shock. That wasn't Potter, that was him laying unconscious on the ground!
The potions master scrambled off the floor and thrashed around for a mirror. Finally picking one of the bigger pieces of glass, he hesitantly looked at his face to find the Potter brat staring back at him! Severus caressed his- no the brat's face thoughtfully, feeling the unfamiliar skin before removing the glasses and peering at the room, to find it all looked like a blurry mess. Stuffing them on his face again, he growled angrily before making his way back to his unconscious body.
"Potter!" Snape shook Potter's, no his shoulders fiercely. "Get up Potter!"
It took several moments before Potter cracked an eye open and searched his surroundings with a groggy stupor.
"Professor?"
Harry jumped when he saw his double staring at him with a huge snarl on his face. Sitting up abruptly deemed to be a mistake when he felt pain shoot through his left arm and back. Groaning, he massaged his arm, only to see he was wearing a large amount of black ropes.
"Professor!" Oh crap, this isn't my voice! What's going on?
Harry grabbed a broken piece of glass and groaned loudly when he saw the professor's face reflecting him back. He swished his now shoulder-length hair before turning back to the Harry Potter standing beside him.
"Sir, what happened?" Harry gasped.
Snape sighed and gritted his teeth. "Idiot boy, obviously you've done something to the order of ingredients because it exploded and caused our souls to switch."
"Hey, you were watching me the whole time!" Harry protested in Snape's deep voice. "How could I have done something to it?"
Snape snarled, unwilling to answer that question, and accio-ed a healing salve to help the scrape's and bruises. After doing his own and handing it to Harry, he beckoned the boy in his body to follow. Hesitantly, Harry followed the potion's master in his body to the floo.
"Why, Harry and Severus, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"
"The potion backfired, Albus!" Snape barked unpleasantly.
Dumbledore stared in shock as Harry spat those words, before the one who looked like Snape said, "Sir, I think we have switched souls on accident.."
"It could take months to fix this!" Snape ranted again, though the intimidating affect was lost because he was not in his own body. "And in that time a million things could go wrong! What if the students found out, what if the ministry found out, what if the Dark Lord got wind of this? The whole bloody wizarding world is doomed!"
Dumbledore tried to surpress his smile as he watched Snape rant in Harry's voice and body.
Snape snarled. "You think this is amusing, Albus? How on earth is this going to be fixed?"
"I agree, Severus, this is a very serious matter. I supposed you wouldn't know of a possible antidote?"
"I could make one." Snape replied. "But it will take time. This accident will take no simple healing potion."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "In the meantime, I suppose the both of you will need to act each other's roles until this is fixed. We don't want uninvited ears learning about your predicament as it could put both of your lives at great risk."
"Wait." Harry cut in suddenly. "Act each other's roles? You mean I have to teach potions and grade papers and act like a snarky git? For months?!"
"I assure you this is no vacation for me either, Potter." Snape growled.
"I'm sorry, m'boy." Dumbledore sighed. "But I'm afraid there is no other alternative. I suggest the both of you get to know each other enough to impersonate before dinner. You may use this room until then."
Albus exited the quarters, leaving Harry and Severus to stare at each other with fierce expressions.
"I really don't want to be you." Harry snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Do I look like I want to be the bloody boy-who-lived? I have a reputation as the fiercest, most hated professor at Hogwarts and I'm sure as the sun will rise tomorrow that you will ruin it before the week is out!"
"Yeah? And I'm sure by the time this is over I won't have any friends left thanks to your bitter-"
"I would suggest you not finish that sentence if you want to live, Potter." Snape growled angrily, which made Harry shut his mouth. "Now, since I suppose we have to suffer through this, as much as I despise being in your body and living your arrogant life, we might as well get to know each other. Start talking."