Blessing or Curse

by Sheankelor

Many people believed it was Dumbledore who was quietly directing the war from behind he scenes, those same people would tell you Hagrid was barely capable of understanding the consequences for his actions. What if Hagrid was cursed with the ability to see the future far better than Trelawney ever could and he used that knowledge in his own unique way? No slash, just friendship

AN: I need to thank Chantilly's Mom for taking this one on. She cleaned it up and helped out in small places that needed it. I must also extend my thanks to lw117149 whose help to Chantilly's Mom is invaluable. All mistakes that are left are mine.

This came from a conversation with Yen, once again. She might not remember it as it has been brooding for about half a year, but this is thanks to her. She also caught a word or three or five out of place... ^-^ Enjoy!

Blessing or Curse

Rubeus Hagrid stumbled out into the dining room, his eyes wide with fear.

Alec Hagrid rested a hand on his shoulders and looked his four year old son in the eyes. "What did yeh see, Rubeus?"

"Mum... Mum … she's goin' ter leave, Da."

Sniffing, the boy swallowed hard as tears sprang to his eyes and slipped down his cheeks. Alec tightened his grip before pulling his son into his arm and ran a soothing hand down his back. "Then she'll go. How do yeh know tha' it will happen?"

He had to know even though he was fearful. He had hoped and prayed the family curse would not touch Rubeus.

"I saw it in me head. I jus' know."

Nodding slightly, Alec continued to soothe the child. "I believe yeh. I knew somethin' was going ter happen soon, as well. I jus' had no idea wha' it was."

"How? How can we know, Da?"

Releasing the boy, Alec settled his son into his chair and started the kettle – this was going to be a tea discussion. He put a plate of fried bread, eggs, bacon, and tomato slices on the table and slid them over to Rubeus. When the kettle whistled, he brought the teapot with him and settled opposite of the boy. "Eat up, and I'll explain."

Rubeus picked up his fried bread and nibbled on the edge to show that he was eating.

"Our las' name is Hagrid. Most people jus' think it's a name, one to be smirked at or ter fall onto the list of names tha' they are glad are not theirs." He held up one hand to stop the outburst he could see forthcoming, and continued when Rubeus went back to this bread. "But for our family it's the truth. We are hag-ridden. In the times of Merlin, one of our ancestors ran afoul a powerful hag and she cursed him. He and his entire line would be tormented with the knowledge of what's ter come. It was ter be such a horrible thing tha' our ancestors were s'pposed ter wish to not pass it down, so endin' our line."

Rubeus gave one last sniffle and started on his eggs while Alec poured tea for both of them.

"Well, we didn'. The curse became weaker and weaker the older our line became, but on rare occasions it pops up full strength." He took a long sip of his tea. "I can sense things in very vague terms, but it seems as if yeh have it stronger 'n me. Just try not ter let it hurt yeh much, son. We will figure out what ter do."

Leaning forward, he grasped the hand that was already as large as his own. "As ter yer Mum, she has been pinin' for home fer at leas' a year. I will miss her, but we cannot hold her agains' her will. Yeh said she was goin' ter leave, so let's try ter make her last days here memorable, what do yeh say?"

A sigh was heaved out of the four year old. "Okay, Da."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Da, don' go inter the forest today." Rubeus stood in front of the door, blocking his father's way.

Alec took in the haunted look that was filling those black eyes. "What will happen?"

As he waited for Rubeus to gather the courage to tell him, he studied his nine year old. The boy was much larger than he was, taking after his giant side. The Hagrid curse was also larger in his son. He had searched through the family records and discovered that Rubeus was one of the few since the originally cursed ancestor to be subjected to the full power of the curse. When the boy was five, Alec learned that Rubeus saw the future as a map with colourful lights for events that were coming. When presented with an event, then the boy would know all the paths leading from it and their outcomes years down the road. It had taken a lot of work and support to keep his son sane.

"A wild beast is goin' ter come through and it'll attack you without warnin'. And you will..." Tears leaked down the childish cheeks.

Alec dropped his bag on the ground and wrapped a hand around Rubeus' arm. "Then I'll stay. Shall we work in the garden?"

A quiet smile edged with relief slipped onto the boy's face. That was all the reward that Alec needed. He would travel to town tomorrow or even next week. Whenever Rubeus said he could.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus had hugged his father goodbye at King's Cross like every other child before boarding the Hogwarts Express. He had ridden the boat across the lake, doing his best not to tip it over while he searched the depths of the lake looking for the fabled giant squid. Now, he was standing in the Great Hall, staring up at the ceiling his Da had described to him over and over again. If he just stared up at it, then Rubeus was able to imagine he was back home enjoying the night sky.

"Hagrid, Rubeus."

Rubeus walked forward, wondering if the stool would hold him. Casting a worried look at Professor Dumbledore, he stopped next to the rickety looking three legged seat. He could see what would happen when he sat down. The stool would hold until the hat was placed on his head, and then it would shatter into a million pieces dropping him onto the floor. That one event would follow him around from then on. He would be teased mercilessly.

"Let me adjust that for you, Mr. Hagrid."

Rubeus watched as the lines in his head changed the moment Dumbledore transfigured the stool into a much stouter version. He could see the sorting proceeding smoothly, and he would get along fine with the other students now.

Settling on the stool, the hat was placed on his head, barely fitting.

"Ah, what do we have here? Rubeus Hagrid. You have a fine mind here, but not a Ravenclaw. Cunning enough to be a Slytherin, brave enough to be a Gryffindor and hard working enough to be a Hufflepuff. I see your family's curse is quite strong in you as well. You tell me where you would like to go, Mr. Hagrid. Which road do you wish to travel?"

Rubeus searched his mind, posing each house as the result of his sorting and tried to see where it would take him. Each one felt slightly different, though they looked basically the same. "Hufflepuff, it feels the brightest choice."

"Good luck, young Hagrid." The split in the hat opened and called out "Hufflepuff!"

Handing the Professor back the hat, Rubeus headed for the table of the yellow and black. He knew his Da would be proud of him even though he didn't get into his old house – Ravenclaw.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus stared at his hands, clutching them tightly together in an effort not to grab hold of the one constant in his life. Lifting his eyes from his whitening fingers, he made eye contact with his Da.

"When is it goin' ter happen, Rubeus?" Alec watched as silent tears coursed down his twelve year old's face.

"You're goin' ter … it's goin' ter happen after Christmas break." Rubeus couldn't bring himself to say that his Da was going to die, it would make it that more real.

"Then we have some plans ter make." Moving around the table, Alec wrapped his son into his arms as good as he could. "I love yeh and I will always love yeh, no matter if I'm here or in the clouds watchin' yeh."

Tears fell in earnest and they were no longer silent as Rubeus clung to his Da trying to remember every little thing he could. He needed to imprint it all in his mind so he would never forget.

0-0-0-0-0-0

The summer of his second year had been vastly different from any other in his life. His Da was no longer there, Mum didn't come like people thought she was going to. Rubeus had been glad that he knew how to take care of himself, Da had made sure of it last summer and over Christmas break.

It was during one of his summer rambles that he had found the tiny egg. When the tiny spider came out, he named him Aragog.

Now, standing in the dungeon room, Rubeus searched his mind for another route, but nothing was as good as the one he had already set upon. He had to get caught with Aragog, be blamed for the death of Myrtle, and then expelled. All other paths showed more people dying, of an evil taking a firm root in the Wizarding world. This one though, showed no more deaths and the evil being less prevalent.

"Aragog, when the prefect comes in, you have to show yourself and then flee. Go inter the Forbidden Forest. You'll be safe there."

"I will go, Hagrid."

Not a moment later, Tom Riddle opened the door.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus stood in his living room, his eyes taking in the books his father had shelved for him. His father's wand was also there, sitting on the mantel on the stand that had appeared while he was away for his second year.

Closing his fingers tightly, he fought the tears that were trying to erupt. He refused to let them fall when he was dragged away from the school, when he was sitting in Azkaban while the dementors floated about his cell, and he had denied them when he had stood trial. What held them back was the knowledge that he was saving lives; that this was the only way to go. Two tears had slipped when his wand was broken. It was the snap, the sound of all his father's dreams for him ending, that had caused them to break free.

His broken wand sat on the mantel under his father's.

Swallowing hard, the fourteen year old turned away from the unobtainable and headed out to the garden. He had crops to put in the ground so that he could eat. No matter what the court thought, he was not going to his mother's. She had left him long ago without a glance backwards.

It was in midsummer, over a month since he had been expelled, that Rubeus had a visitor. The knock came just as he was putting up the potions book that he had been studying on the shelf. Thistle, his boar hound, was at his heels as he opened the door. His eyes widened and he backed away from the door, allowing his guest in. There was no way he would deny Albus Dumbledore entry.

"Professor Dumbledore." Rubeus gestured towards the chairs in the living room. "Would yeh care fer tea?"

Albus settled in the smaller of the two seats and smiled gently. "Tea would be lovely, Mr. Hagrid."

It took not a moment to prepare a pot and return with it. "What brings you out to the West Country, Professor?"

"You do, Mr. Hagrid." Albus accepted the offered cup. "I do not believe that you were the one who opened the Chamber, nor do I believe your spider caused Miss Myrtle Dwyer's death."

"Thank yeh, but it doesn' change that I'm expelled, sir. Me wand is snapped and I'm banned from castin'." Rubeus looked down at his hands so that he wouldn't have to see what expression was on his favourite professor's face. He could feel the man's gaze resting on him and tried not to tense up.

"You know, you were not the first, nor the last student to be named a troublemaker at Hogwarts." Albus took a sip of his tea before continuing. "I believe that we can repair your wand and that you can continue your education, all unofficially of course. I have talked to the Headmaster and he has agreed to allow you to apprentice under Ogg as Groundskeeper for the school. Are you willing?"

Rubeus felt his eyes widen as the lines of the future skewed in his head from the bleak existence of barely scraping by to one that had so many roads – some bright, others dark – that he couldn't count them. Locking a look of gratitude onto his face, he looked up at Dumbledore. "I am."

Albus beamed at him. "Good. Now, let us start by repairing what should not have been broken. Where is your wand, Mr. Hagrid?"

Rubeus handed him the two pieces off the mantle and watched in awe as the professor repaired it by simply touching his wand to the fragments.

"There." Albus handed the oak wand back to its owner. "I expect you to be at the school two weeks before the students. Do you have a way there?"

Rubeus shook his head slowly.

"I'll owl you a portkey tomorrow. All the directions will be in my letter. Do get some rest over the summer, and wish your mother hello for me." Standing, Albus moved towards the door.

Rubeus made it before him, opening it for the man. "Thank yeh, Professor."

"You are welcome, Mr. Hagrid."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus watched as Severus Snape slipped into the fringes of the Forbidden Forest. The third year student knew he wasn't supposed to be there, but Rubeus was positive that Snape would go further into the Forest soon.

Calling Violet, his current boar hound, to him, he struck off to meet up with the Slytherin. It didn't take a moment to slip into the affable, almost ignorant, demeanour.

"Mr. Snape, what brings yeh out here today?"

Black eyes peeked out behind the curtains of lanky, grease black hair. "Mr. Hagrid." The eyes turned back down towards the ground. "I'm looking for ingredients for my potions."

For one stunned moment, Rubeus stared at the child. For the first time he could remember, his mind did not show him paths from that comment. Nothing. Shifting his attention away for a moment, he wondered why the curse stopped working. With other children he knew just what type of relationship to have with them. The routes laid before him based on his meeting them, talking to them, learning something about them, and how he would affect them all played into how he dealt with them. James Potter and his three friends, he was friendly to. Others, not so much.

Looking back at Snape, he wondered just how to act, for once he was on his own. He had no idea how what he did would change the future. "Why don't yeh order 'em?"

The glare he received told Rubeus more than anything else could. Pride and need shone out of that face. "You mus' be good at yer Potions. Only those who are exceptional realize jus' how much better the Forest ingredients are. What are you lookin' fer, I migh' know where it is?"

He waited, uncertain if it would be accepted.

"Birdsfoot trefoil right now, but a few mushrooms wouldn't be amiss."

Rubeus heard the cloaked uncertainty in the answer. Giving a gentle smile, he gestured for Snape to follow him. "The trefoil tends ter grow a little over this way."

He was going to take a chance on the boy. It never hurt to have a friend.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus opened his door and waved Snape through. "Want a cuppa tea?"

The fifth year dropped into his seat and shook his head. "I don't know why I am here. I am obviously not worth talking too."

It took a lot of will power not to glare at the Gryffindor tower. Lily Evans had a lot to answer for in Rubeus' opinion. Yes, he could see the paths that opened up once she refused to renew her friendship with Snape. Yes, they were brighter for the Wizarding world, but it didn't change his opinion. She had hurt his friend and he never took kindly to that.

Pouring them both a shot of bitters, Rubeus pushed one into Snape's hands before settling into his own seat. This needed more than tea. "You're worth it, and I think you're here ter drink this away and then go take yer next OWL tomorrow. It's an afternoon one, isn't it?"

Raising the cup to his lips, Snape nodded.

"Good, then we've time ter finish this pint and then maybe a few more."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus stood in the rubble that was scattered on the floor of the small nursery. His heart was heavy; Lily and James were dead. Nothing he had done, not a single warning, given as usual in small comments, were taken seriously. If they had just listened, Harry's parents might still be alive. Neither Sirius Black nor Remus Lupin would have given the secret away. He had thought they had listened and had made one of those two their secret keeper. That he was wrong was glaringly evident by the rubble about him.

Looking about, he unearthed a moses basket and cast a quick cleaning charm on it and the bedding in it. Then, after a moment of consideration, he cast a warming and a cushioning charm on it as well. Scooping up Harry, who had been watching him with large green eyes, he settled the boy into the basket. He then tucked the basket with an assortment of stuffed toys and a thick blanket, and prepared to take Harry to Poppy so she could treat the cut.

A dark shadow separating itself from the others caught his attention. "Professor Snape, did Dumbledore send yeh fer the boy?"

"I told you to call me Severus a long time ago, Hagrid." Dark eyes watched to see what the half-giant would do.

Rubeus nodded slightly. "Severus it's then. Does Dumbledore want Harry now?"

Severus walked over and peered at the little boy tucked in tight. "I don't know, I haven't talked to him tonight."

Looking at the bowed head, Rubeus came to a quick decision. This man was his friend, even more that Dumbledore was. He shed the bumbling personality, letting his true self show. "Did yeh say yer goodbyes properly?"

Severus' head shot up at the quiet serious tone, his fingers still lingering on the soft black hair on the boy's head. "Did I ..."

He trailed off as he stared into the intelligent black eyes that looked like they could see forever. Shaking his head, he continued. "Yes, I did."

He studied the half-giant trying to pinpoint what had changed. He gave up. "I have a request, Hagrid."

Black eyes narrowed on Severus, waiting on him.

"Let me take Harry and run. I don't begrudge who his father is. His mother was my friend, and no child deserves to grow up in a family that only cares for his fame. I'll flee, leave the country. I can brew anywhere and I can take care of him."

For the first time, paths bloomed from Severus' suggestion. Rubeus decided that it was because of Harry – he had sometimes been able to see paths that dealt with Severus if the initial action started with someone else. Paling, he shook his head. "None o' them are good. You can't flee with 'im, Severus. Death Eaters are huntin' him and they'll kill you and 'im. The only choice that Harry lives in is ter go ter Lily's sister."

"Petunia! She is horrible. She hates magic." Severus stopped and stared at Hagrid as he realized just what his friend had said. "How do you know that?"

Rubeus shook his head. "Later. Righ' now, we need ter get Harry medical attention. Dumbledore wants me ter take him ter Hogwarts." He studied Severus' face. "Why don't yeh take him ter yer place? You know more 'bout dark curses than Pomfrey. I'll come get him when Dumbledore sends me fer him. Keep a couple of 'is toys so we can give them ter him later. Life isn't goin' to be nice for the boy."

Severus searched Rubeus' face. "Later then. For now, I'll take him with me. I'll be at my home – Spinner's End."

He pointed it out on a map that Rubeus pulled out of a pocket. Then holding tightly onto the basket, Severus Apparated away.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Severus walked into Hagrid's house, sealing the hut with a silencing charm and a multitude of privacy wards. Turning, he nodded towards the taller man. "It is later."

Rubeus set two tall mugs on the table before gesturing to Severus' normal seat. "How did I know what would happen ter Harry? That's what yeh want ter know?"

Severus sat down and picked up the mug. "That and just what happened to the man I know."

"I'm still here, an' I'm still that affable man. When yeh told me ter call yeh Severus, you were asking if we were friends. I think we are, an' since we are, yeh should know me, not the mask of ineptitude I presen' ter the rest of the world." Pacing about, Rubeus looked over at Severus to see if he had accepted that explanation. Seeing the dark head nod, he started with the harder explanation. "My family, the Hagrids, is cursed. Truly Hag-ridden, but not with simple nigh' terrors an' paralysis. No, the hag my ancestor decided ter anger cursed us with a terror that follows us every moment day an' nigh'. The curse shows itself with varying intensities in the line. I exhibit the stronges' version."

He stopped walking and looked at his friend, mostly positive that he was about to lose Severus as a friend due to the man not believing."The curse let us see the paths o' the future – what a simple change can do ter 'em."

"That is a curse? Sounds like a blessing." Severus leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

Hagrid shook his head as he dropped into his chair. "No, it isn't. I knew a year before my Da died that he was going ter. There was nothing I could do ter stop it. I had ter choose ter be expelled from Hogwarts so that no one else would die, so You-know-who couldn' get a firmer hold on the world. I had ter send a child ter people who'll hate him so that he could live. I've tried many times ter get others ter change their paths, but they don't and I watch 'em walk down paths that are destructive. One o' the wors' things is that I can only see four years ahead at the most, and what mighta been a good decision then turns inter a bad one later."

Picking up his mug, Rubeus drained a quarter of it. "It's definitely a curse."

"You knew that Lily and James were going to die?" Severus barely choked out Lily's name but finished the question.

Rubeus nodded slowly. "The moment Dumbledore refused ter meet the new Divinations Professor some place besides Hog's Head."

Severus' fingers tightened around his mug. "I am the reason. I heard that prophesy and told it to the Dark Lord. It is my fault..."

Rubeus nudged Severus' mug. "Drink up. It wasn' yer fault, even if yeh were the one who told the prophecy ter Him. Trelawney and Dumbledore's choice o' a meeting place set the path as an option, you tellin' helped ter continue it down that path – though I didn' know it was yeh who did that. They had a chance if they picked Sirius or Remus as their secret keeper."

"Black was their secret keeper!"

Rubeus shook his head. "No, he wasn'. I don' know who they picked, but they woulda been completely safe if they had chosen one of those two. Trapped but safe. He woulda shifted his attention over ter the Longbottoms. That path is closed now. I tried ter warn 'em, quietly givin' hints of how trustworthy those two were, how loyal, how good o' a friend they were. Didn' work."

He took another long draught before making eye contact with his guest. "See, a curse."

Severus looked down into drink before asking the question that had popped in his mind the moment Hagrid had mentioned Trelawney. "Why don't you teach Divinations? You sound more suited to it that Trelawney."

A snort was his only answer until Rubeus' mug was even more empty. "I don' know anything 'bout Divination. My curse doesn' qualify me ter teach anyone. You're the only person alive that knows the extent o' my curse."

"Albus doesn't know?" Severus' eyes widened as Hagrid shook his head no. Changing the topic, Severus took a fortifying sip of his drink before he asked his question. "The trials are coming up soon. What is going to happen to me?"

The shadow crossed over Hagrid's face before he shrugged. "You're the one person who I canna tell anything 'bout. Your paths are there, but they are dark. Cloaked in shadow. I don' know why, but the only way I can see what migh' happen ter you is if it's directly connected ter a different event, such as Harry being hunted and killed."

Severus felt a small smile fill his face. "So we are on an even playing field when it comes to how to make this friendship work?"

Rubeus nodded. "That we are."

"Glad to hear that Hagrid." Severus lifted his mug to his lips only to stop when he heard what Hagrid said.

"Not Hagrid, Rubeus. Okay, Severus?"

"Rubeus, you need to finish your drink, we have some celebrating to catch up on." Severus watched as Rubeus lifted his mug up before he continued. "We need to send people by Petunia's to check on Harry."

Rubeus had a thoughtful look and then grinned. "I'll set it up."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Severus tried not to fly off the handle when Albus announced that Remus Lupin was going to be the Defence Against Dark Arts professor that year. It had countered the happiness that had filled him when he learned that Rubeus was going to be the Care of Magical Creatures professor, which had already been tempered with a touch of trepidation. He knew what the half-giant thought was cute and cuddly; Fluffy was a prime example.

'Honestly, just because I didn't bring up a treat with me, that three-headed fluff ball didn't have to nip at me.' Dismissing the memory of that Halloween encounter from his mind, Severus focused once again on the meeting, feeling a bit calmer now. His calmness vanished when Rubeus spoke up.

"Are yeh sure Lupin would be a good idea, Professor Dumbledore? He'll need days off..."

Severus felt his blood chill. Rubeus didn't want Lupin here, and he knew the man liked the werewolf. That meant only one thing: it was going to cause something bad to happen. He could also tell by the look on Albus' face that the Headmaster wasn't going to change his mind.

"It is fine, Rubeus, I have already made plans for those days."

Severus felt Rubeus tense up but there were no more arguments from him. 'Which makes sense, Rubeus doesn't argue with Dumbledore. I, on the other hand, do. Especially when it comes to those four. So, time to see what I can do.'

Looking into those bright blue eyes, he offered his first complaint. He started with the safety of the students and it went from there.

Albus never changed his mind.

After the meeting, Severus followed Rubeus out of the castle. He needed to know what was so bad about Lupin's return. The cursed man had not objected to the Philosopher's stone being stored in the school – he had warned Severus that the Dark Lord as about, that he had to treat Harry like he hated him, and to keep a close eye out so that Lily's son would be safe. That warning was one reason he was nipped at by Fluffy, and the reason why the boy despised him. Rubeus had also not flinched when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened last year; he just let Severus know that no one would die this time.

Severus was still wondering about the entire dragon incident and all the supposed slips that man had made during Harry's first and second year. He knew that Rubeus had warned him that Harry was going to have a rum time at school, but the man seemed to make it worse. 'But I wonder if he is really making it better.'

It was at that moment Severus realized that they weren't stopping at Hagrid's hut. Instead, Fang joined them and they were heading into the Forbidden Forest. Moving so that he could see his surroundings better, Severus followed Rubeus into a section that he had never seen before, deep in the heart of the Forest.

Rubeus struck out at a tree the moment they walked into a clearing. Severus watched as bark rained down along with branches and leaves. "What is going to happen? Why didn't you want Lupin here?"

In a tired voice, his answers came.

"He is goin' ter become a problem faster. I don' know how precisely, but it has ter do with Lupin. Once Dumbledore said that he was going ter be here, it all shifted. Before I couldn' see Him presen' or givin' grief ter anyone, but now... now He will be here in 'bout two years. You will mos' likely have ter resume your spy duties, Harry will have ter face Him before he finishes school if this goes on." Turning about Rubeus looked straight into Severus' eyes. "Make sure that Lupin gets his potion, that he takes it. That is the only thing that I can see that will change the outcome of this catastrophe."

"I will."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Bright side – Buckbeak lived." Rubeus set a mug on the table and pushed it over towards Severus. "Downside – yeh were almos' attacked by a werewolf again and lost yer award; Harry almost got kissed; and Pettigrew escaped."

Severus took a long drink. Lowering his mug to the table, he looked into the bleak face across from him. "I brought him his potion every month personally to his office and placed it in his hands or on the desk right in front of him."

Rubeus nodded. "I know yeh did, Severus. I know."

"What is the change now?" Severus watched as the black eyes turned inwards.

"He will be back by the end of nex' year. Be ready, Severus, yeh are going back ter him."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Severus stared at the person standing on his doorstep. Yes, he knew that Rubeus knew where he lived, but he had never thought that the half-giant would ever pay him a summer visit. "Come in."

Rubeus ducked as he walked into the small terrace house. "Mornin', Severus. What are yer plans for the week?"

Severus enlarged a chair for his guest as he answered. "I was planning on reading, maybe working on a potion, making sure that the place is Rat proof as he is supposed to be moving in two weeks from now."

"Pack the books, your ingredients, and enough clothes for a week. You're coming over ter me place." Rubeus grinned at the raised eyebrow. "Not Hogwarts, but me place over in the West Country. You need a change of scenery before you get company."

"I do?" Severus chuckled when all he received was a head nod. "Then I shall go pack."

Not more than a half hour later, Severus walked towards the door. "How are we getting there?"

"Me car is outside." Rubeus opened the door since Severus' hands were full.

"Car? You drive?" Severus stopped and stared at the Land Rover that was parked nearby.

"I'm banned from magic, remember? So, I drive, take the tube, and other muggle means o' transpor'. Load the bags in the back and let's go." Rubeus unlocked the doors before helping to load the trunks into the boot of the Rover.

Both clambered into the front and Severus fought from grinning as Rubeus ducked to get in. The front seat was pushed back almost in the back seat, and the seat itself was reclined almost as far as it could go. Cranking the engine, they headed off. "So, what is your place like?"

"It's a cottage tucked out near a forest. Yeh'll like it. It's peaceful."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Yeh did the best you could, Severus." Rubeus rested a hand on the black clad shoulder. "Dumbledore will die before the end of the school year, and you must do what he asks."

Severus glowered up at the other Professor. "You know what he asked, don't you?"

"I've an idea. Things shifted when yeh agreed. His days alive shifted, shortenin' on some paths, but on others it was longer." The words were accompanied with a gentle squeeze.

Severus swallowed heavily. Yes, he was bound by an oath to help Malfoy or to finish what he couldn't. Now he was bound by a promise to do the job for Malfoy by Albus himself. He did not want to kill his friend, but that didn't seem to be an option. "You will help me stay on the track for His days being the shortest possible?"

Rubeus nodded and then passed over a small bag. "Let's go feed the unicorns and see if they've shed a hair or two."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Headmaster Snape, yeh wanted to inspec' me hut and me haunts in the Forest?" Rubeus waited for his friend to look at him. Severus had been avoiding him since he had taken over the school at You-know-who's command. Every day that Severus stayed away, the path to the end lengthened. Finally, those dark eyes looked at him.

"I will stop by tonight, Hagrid."

The Carrows laughed at the tone Snape used – it promised that the half-giant would rue the day he reminded Snape of the visit.

Later that evening Severus and Rubeus walked deep into the Forbidden Forest. It was here that they could finally talk freely as not one of the other professors would dare to step under these trees at night.

"I don't see why you are still talking to me." Severus knew his voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the surrounding sounds.

"I'm talking ter yeh because yeh did what yeh had ter do. Dumbledore ordered you ter kill him, yeh did it. Right now, we are on the shortes' road, but we were moving off o' it the longer we stayed away from each other. Now, can yeh tell me the plan?" Rubeus stepped over a large tree root and waited for Severus to scramble over it. "Or are yeh oath bound not ter?"

"Not oath bound this time. I know I have to get the sword to Harry. They need it for something they are hunting, but I don't know when I should do it."

"Don't avoid me, and we'll get it there on time." Rubeus smiled down at the new Headmaster. "And we'll handle anything else that needs ter be done.

Sighing, Severus nodded. "My other task is to take care of the students."

"Well, that I can help with." Rubeus gestured towards a bit of unicorn hair. "Harry and his friends are okay right now. They won' be in too much danger till closer ter winter."

Picking the hair off the branch it was snagged on, Severus gave a small smile. "Then we have time."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Slipping into the Shrieking Shack once he knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione had left it, Rubeus sank onto the floor next to Severus. To the unobservant, the Potions Master would appear to be dead. Rubeus didn't fall into that group. Pulling out his wand, which he had removed from the pink umbrella, he cast a healing spell on the wounds that were bleeding. 'The poison musta bled out, at leas' most of it.'

Pulling out a blood replenishing potion, pain reducer, and a vial of Severus' all purpose anti-venom, he poured them down his friend's throat. "Come on, Severus. Yeh have to live. I can't see any other path for yeh."

Black eyes fluttered open as the potions started working. "You can't see any path for me, you never could."

"Well, I'm refusing ter think 'bout that right now. I see my future with yeh there so yeh canna die." Rubeus conjured up a flannel and then wet it. Leaning over, he cleaned the blood off the pale skin.

Severus let his eyes close again. "Why should I live? Azkaban is not where I wished to retire."

"I know yeh already have an alternate identity developed, it's jus' the way yeh work." Rubeus poured another blood replenishing potion into his patient's mouth. "So, Severus Snape dies today, and whoever yeh are going ter be will keep livin'. Which means we need ter get yeh somewhere safe."

Rubeus pulled out his emergency portkey and put the dragon scale into Severus' hand. "This will take yeh ter me house. If yeh canna make it ter the room yeh used before, then take the couch. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Severus tightened his fingers around the scale. "Will you bring my possessions? I left them all to you."

"I will. Now, head on and don't worry. This is the end o' Him and Harry will be fine." Tapping hand that held the scale with his wand, Rubeus activated the portkey.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Alistair Ulric closed the door to his cottage and strode back to the lab. Rubeus had just left and had given him plenty of potions ingredients as well as some food for thought. He started preparing the ingredients for storage on a long butcher block counter that rested under a window that looked out over the small clearing that his home was in. Rubeus' place was less than a mile down the skinny dirt road that twisted its way through the forest on its way to town.

Looking into the window glass that was currently reflecting his image back to him, he picked out all the tiny changes that he had done so that none would connect his name to Severus Snape. His hair was now close cropped, and he had changed his style of clothing. Not bright colours, there was no way he could stomach those, but rich, deep dusky colours were now the primary ones in his wardrobe. Those two things were the main things that kept people from recognizing him. The students during his time at Hogwarts – whether as a professor or a student – had paid more attention to his hair and robes than to his actual face.

Sleep and less stress had also done a lot for his complexion. All together, he did look like himself, but most people didn't think so. They might ask if he was a relative, and he didn't deny the relationship.

'Rubeus say that I should let Minerva and the other professors know that I am alive still. Harry has cleared my old name, and now the guilt of their actions are eating away at them because they cannot see a way to make it up to a dead man.'

He had finally made a decision by time he had finished storing the ingredients. Truthfully, he had known his answer the moment Rubeus said he should do it. Flooing into Hogsmeade, he headed for the familiar paths of the Forbidden Forest. It was almost eleven at night by time he knocked on Rubeus' door.

"Alistair! What brings yeh by tonigh'?"

Rubeus closed the door behind him before pulling out their mugs.

"I think you are right, but we should start with Minerva, Filius, Pomona and Poppy. They should let us know who else needs to be told."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Alistair looked out over the classroom he had never thought he would see again. The walls didn't have the screaming pictures, nor were there anything that would make one worried or uneasy while sitting there. Tomorrow there would be students sitting at those desks, and he would have to test his acting skills to the maximum. There was only so much he could blame on being related to Professor Snape.

Yes, he was back at Hogwarts. Sometimes he wondered if Rubeus could see that he would return to the castle. When they talked to the first four, they had said not to let it go any further. That was something that Alistair had been happy to agree with. From that point on, Minerva quietly worked on him to return to the school, not teaching Potions – Slughorn was keeping the position for at least another year or two – but to teach the position that no one could hold. She said she needed more time to find a permanent Defence Professor, and would he please agree to teach it for at least the coming school year. He would be permitted to have full use of a potions lab and would not be a Head of House.

It had taken most of the summer, but he finally agreed. The moment he saw her smile, he knew that he was not leaving anytime soon. But, he discovered that he didn't mind that much either.

A knock on his door drew him out of his memories. "Enter."

Rubeus walked through the door and smiled at his friend. "Professor Ulric, are yeh 'bout settled in?"

"I think I am ready. What are the plans for the evening?"

"I figure we could head down to me place and have a mug. The others are meetin' in the staffroom if yeh'd rather go there."

Smiling at his friend, Alistair shook his head. "Let's get those mugs."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Rubeus watched as the students piled off the train. Unlike last year, they seemed to be carefree. They smiled easier, laughed louder and had only honest worries about the coming course work. As the upper years swarmed about him heading for the carriages, he could hear that the main discussion was once again on who the Defence Professor was going to be. He was positive they were not expecting who it truly was.

Smiling happily, he called the first years to him and ushered them to the boats. It was on the calm boat ride across the lake that the paths spread before him, showing a future that was calm and peaceful. His laughter rang out over the lake when he realized that there were going to be no staff changes for at least four years. Severus was going to end the curse on the Defence position. 'More importantly, he won' be holed away. We can visit whenever we want.'

He wondered how Severus would take the news.