The Elder Wand and The Time Turner

Summery:

"Nothing can be changed because anything a traveler does merely produces the circumstances they had noted before travelling." Reads Novikov's self-consistency principle in regards to time travel but what happens when someone does take note of inconsistencies around the death of Severus Snape and is compelled to do something about it?

Parings: Severus / OC, Ron/Heromie, Harry/Ginny

Disclamer: The following story is meant for entertainment purposes only and no profit is gained. Harry Potter and the world he occupies belong to the brilliant and wonderful J.K. Rowling.

For some time I've wanted to write a fanfiction story about Severus Snape and hope you enjoy reading it. Please note the following story primarily takes place post Deathly Hallows with flashbacks to prior events along with a deeper look into Severus Snape's school days and young adulthood. All and all this story also contains spoilers for the Harry Potter series. If you don't wish to be spoiled please don't read further, you've been warned.

I'll admit that I'm not as familiar as I would like to be with the books and movies. I have done online research, however please feel free to let me know of any inconsistencies with events, misspelling of names, places, potions, spells etc. I am also welcome to any advice about common expressions each character uses.

Chapter 1

Years of waiting and planning were finally all boiling down to this moment. The ingredients of knowing what was to come and what she would soon need to do were the only things which kept the fear of everything blowing up in her face at bay.

Remember… bottle fame, brew glory and put a stopper in death. Well… at least just be the bloody stopper!

That more than anything was the most important part of her mantra since her school days. She eased out a held breath and rubbed a hand over her well-worn healer's bag for reassurance. There, everything required for success, she had already carefully gathered, brewed, bottled and placed within.

Vaguely, she wondered if the wizard below would even recognize her given their rocky history. His kindness to her from so long ago was most likely always in passing, perhaps even unintentional. Since whenever she tried to thank him for it he merely stared at her blankly before she lost all courage and ran. In their shared youth she had been quiet, painfully shy but very observant. Much like the many dusty tomes in Hogwarts Library, she enjoyed silently reading people's faces and actions. And in the days that followed his first time in aiding her, she discovered much to her dismay, his attention was solely focused on another young woman from the Gryffindor House.

One which he never made a move upon and only watched from a far once James caught her eye…

Mentally she swatted away the old bitter thought. Not really blaming him when she herself was guilty of never making a move towards the once sixth year from the Slytherin House. But then at the time she had been only a second year Hufflepuff and such a combination would have been quite laughable to most. Yet in the little time he remained at school, still her heart raced whenever she caught sight of him. Despite the fact that he was slowly pulling away from everyone, growing ever colder and quieter since James and Lilly started going together. At least that was what she assumed till a few years after her N.E.W.T.S. she saw him again. The look of shock and disappointment flickered in those bottomless eyes before her own pale blue ones fell to the floor at one of many slowly growing gatherings at Malfoy Mannor. She had assumed it was because he finally noticed her but was too late.

In hindsight she realized in those following months he had tried to warn her before she married Theodor Stephen Lash III. But given the circumstances of their last encounter she was too stubborn and furious to listen to his frustrated and obscure hints. And it was not like he could exactly come out and say what he and Theodor had become and who they served.

"…The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner."

Lord Voldemort's words brought her back to the present she now resided in. With eyes opening, she felt heat spread over her face at her mind straying from task then shivered. Crouching and balancing upon a rafter above in shadow of the boat house, her knees started shaking. Watching as he drew closer to the wizard in question. She gave a sad smile at his bravery. He stood up tall to the dark lord with hands held behind his back yet she could see the understandable worry in his eyes.

You didn't… you don't deserve this…

She thought as hers started to burn and water.

"You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine. You've been a good and fateful servant Severus… but only I can live… forever."

"My Lord-"

The whipping flick of the Elder Wand silenced him as blood bloomed from behind his white undershirt collar. He staggered forward briefly then fell back with a crash to the floor. She knew his students were hiding on the other side of the wall behind him and hoped they would not delay her for too long.

Then the whispered command finally came.

"Nagini… kill."

She sucked in a breath, winced and braced herself as if the large snake was coming for her instead.

Oh if only…

She wished and bit back the cry of anguish as Nagini with a hiss lunged into attack. Even with her eyes screwed tightly shut, even though she knew this was going to happen to him, it did little to soften the blows. She wanted to cover her ears but could not risk losing her balance. Falling and making quite a splash or splat, depending upon what surface she fell onto would certainly ruin everything. Instead she held onto the beams tighter. The dull thumps and hisses were so utterly horrid, an assault upon the ears. Yet to her surprise he did not cry out loudly. It sounded almost resigned instead. Wanting to herself, she bit down harder upon her lower lip, tasted blood as silent tears were rung out from her squeezed shut eyes.

Lord Voldemort and his pet thankfully did not linger. She glared after him, gave a hard sneering smile and silently vowed.

Oh it's not yours yet! Not if I have anything to do with it. He's not going to die. You are since I'm bloody well not going to let him!

Focusing back upon the injured wizard, she sucked in a gasp finding his nearly black and shining with pain eyes locking upon hers. Swallowing hard she watched his brow knit in confusion. Discovery could not happen. Giving him an imploring look back, she pointed to her healer's bag then put a finger to her lips. When he nodded in understanding, she eased out a breath just before his students, feeling it was safe started to slowly emerge. As they gather around him, she knew the chance of full success was slim at best. Even if Professor McGonagall had somehow slipped or convinced him to take the potions she had given her. If anything she hoped to keep him alive for as long as possible. For as long as he lived, the Elder Wand would at least not serve Lord Voldemort properly or so she was told and believed. It would give everyone at Hogwarts, Harry Potter especially, a much needed edge over him. To her understanding this was one of the few reasons Dumbledore had agreed to help her after she traveled back with the aid of a Time Turner.

Understandably he was less than pleased that she had gone back far more than a few hours or days but years. In fact he was rather furious. If it weren't for the muffling spells entombing his office she was pretty sure he would have been heard clear down to the great hall.

. . .

"Time is not meant to be tampered with! Especially at the level you're proposing! You should not have come here!"

"Well it's a bit of which came first the chicken or the-"

"If the Ministry finds out about this-"

"I know… a one way trip to Azkaban for me."

"Not just you, for the both of us!"

"Yes… If they find out…"

That earned her a glare from her former headmaster and she swallowed hard. She had after all put him in quite the bind. If he did not report this to the Ministry, he could indeed be following her to prison. Looking contritely down, she once more laid out the reasoning. "You gave me the Time Turner, Sir. Like it or not, I am here to ensure Professor Snape stays alive. If anything at least long enough until the Dark-"

"Please! Think carefully upon what you are about to say. The less I know about what is to come is probably the better! You… as for you're being here and since there is no turning back without messing things up further, fine… you shall and will help clean this up! But I must say I expected better than this from you Ms. Mallard."

She bit her lower lip in frustration and muttered, "Its Ms. Lash now and this really isn't my fault… at least well… I don't think it is exactly. It just happened. As for details you do need to know at least this. Besides you giving me the ability to come here it will be you who will recruit me to do much more. To keep my eyes and ears open so I can help fight back against… him in at least in a small way and provide you with intelligence much like Professor Snape." She took off the time turner and handed it to Dumbledore. "Please… will you now take this back? I've had my fill meddling with time."

To this Dumbledore calmed and somberly took it. Giving a sigh he ordered politely, "Then by all means continue."

She took a moment to think carefully over what she would need to say next in order to give him as little information about what was to come as possible. "This is the ninth of March correct?" At his nod she started slowly, "Good… then I counted correctly. It has already happened and my current self will need your help very soon. She will require a time turner to gain a few hours here and there so not to be missed by the others. I don't know where you got that one you now hold but for obvious reasons you won't be able to give that one to her."

"I do have one at present," he looked at the devise and nodded. "The origin of this one… but explain yourself as to why I should give it to her… you."

"They watch her every move since they suspected her husband's wavering loyalty to Vol…" Her mouth went dry. She wanted to say the Dark Lord's name but still had trouble. Clearing her throat she finished with, "In three days she will be attending her husband's funeral. If you attend as well, you can make contact with her without drawing too much attention. Tell her how to use that and I can guarantee she will come to you soon for help and council."

"Her…? You mean your husband… Theodor right?"

She had frowned sadly at Dumbledore's sudden contrite look. Shaking her head she reassured, "It's only been in name for a very long time I'm afraid. At first I thought I loved him… but I really only settled and was beyond naive. I didn't even realize he was with the death eaters until it was too late. He received the mark shortly after we were married. Said the reason he joined was it would keep us safe but in truth, not really. We played along and did as ordered like so many of his followers. Too afraid to say no… and I grew to barely be able to speak or look at him. After the Potter's died and their boy lived, we just… for years held our breaths… unsure how to move on. Not daring to hope. When Vol… Voldemort started his slow return it was too much. My husband decided to leave on his own terms rather than deal with the constant fear again and he… he…"

Dumbledore had eyed her critically then asked softly, "And why then not use the time turner to save him?"

"Besides the fact it probably wouldn't work and I would scarcely be so selfish to do this just to save one person's life. It's a bit hard to explain. Believe me when I say, I thought long and hard over it."

"Ah yes… Novikov's self-consistency principle would perhaps cover your reasoning. 'Nothing can be changed because anything a traveler does merely produces the circumstances they had noted before travelling.' Am I correct?"

"Yes sir. One of the circumstances that I found odd was that after Professor Snape's death there was never a showing. It was a whole closed casket affair and…"

She grew quiet thinking back to his funeral and how it was such a small undeserving send off for a man who sacrificed so very much for the wizarding and even the muggle world. Reason being it would take months before Harry, his friends, the school and the Order of the Phoenix to be able to clear his name of all wrong doing. And it would perhaps even take longer to convince others that Professor Severus Snape really was a double spy. One who's primary objective was to protect James and Lily's son and give the Order much needed information in regards to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldermort.

There had been less than fifty people in attendance and very few dry eyes among them. The tears were contagious. Even though she barely knew the man he had become and questioned the fact that he was really dead, she still found her cheeks wet with silent tears. And as others started to leave the grave site Ron Weasly noticing her started up with a stage whisper, "Hey… hey who you reckon that is?"

"Huh?" She heard Harry ask and risked a peek over at the four. Ron pointed to her, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley andHermione Granger looked. For how long she did not know because she quickly returned her gaze to stare blankly at the casket covered with a dozen or so tossed in white roses and handfuls of dirt. Nervously holding her own rose with one hand she worked to wipe her cheeks dry with her other and stand a little straighter. It was awhile and a flurry of indistinct whispers before Harry gave his opinion, "Probably just an old friend."

"Well gee… I didn't even know he had any let alone ones that look like that."

"Ron!" Hermione snapped out on a harsh whisper.

With an utterly clueless tone the young man asked, "What? I'm not saying she's awful looking! In fact I think she's rather nice looking for someone her-"

Calmly Harry interrupted, "This is hardly the time or place for-"

"But I'm just wondering if they-"

It was then she looked up straight at the all of them and gave her hardest of looks. Ron's eyes grew big as he immediately shut up. Harry and Hermione also realizing she had heard them started tugging their friend away with sheepish grins. Ginny, however scowled at the three of them.

Age? Humph! What does that have to bloody well do with anything here and now?

She wondered silently. Certain that was what the one called Ron was going to say. She arched an amused right brow at them as Hermione scolded, "Now look at what you've done, come on and let's leave her be before she hexes you for your cheek!"

She offered Ron a small forgiving smile before looking back down at her rose. Concentrating she turned the petals slowly from white to red and brushed the soft edges over her lips and inhaled deeply. Then reluctantly tossed it down upon the casket and just stared at it among the others and feeling equally out of place.

"I'm sorry for your loss… and well…"

She jumped a little thinking they had left. Looking up she found Ron blushing at her and shuffling a foot. Harry a few steps behind him holding back a nervous and not at all happy looking Hermione as Ginny covered her face.

"Did… did you know him well?"

Feeling a blush creep into her pale face she felt a sudden anger but not at the young man before her. No, it was all directed upon herself. Realizing then and there she had been crying far more over a man whose heart always belong to another than the man she had married then buried. Granted she had been betrayed by her husband but Severus? However could she explain it to them? It had only been a silly schoolgirl crush. Well, in fact it was her first and it seemed it had an annoying habit of popping back up whenever she laid eyes on him but what had she been to him?

She was nothing to him! In fact he had even called her Lily once. Perhaps it was by accident or maybe she had misheard him. It might have been Milly as he claimed rather clumsily but that did not change the fact that in that moment she felt like she was reduced to nothing. A poor replacement for another she would not and could never be.

She really did not mean to be rude to the four of them but it happened all the same.

"Go away," she said very softly but had put on her very deadliest of expressions. Features growing wickedly sharp as her eyes became completely black. A mask of flesh and blood she had always worn when among the Death Eaters which always amused Lord Voldermort to no end.

She grimaced, bearing sharpened teeth and met Harry's eyes, Lily's eyes as an old wave of self-loathing over her jealousy of his mother washed over her.

Hermione broke free of Harry's arms snatched one of Ron's, Ginny grabbed the other. Yanking him away the younger and more sensible Weasley offered a quick, "We're so-so sorry!"

"But-but-"

"Really Ron, it's none of our business," Harry agreed and started the lead to take them back to their rented muggle car. With emotions so high nobody trusted themselves to disapparate. "Don't mind us and we miss him too."

She remained there standing motionless and glaring as they quickly walked away. After putting some distance between her and them, one by one they glanced back with questions in their eyes. It was only when they were completely out of sight and she was alone did she let her shoulders slump, her face revert to normal and new tears fall. Then looking into the pit at the coffin she wondered with all she had seen, was he really down there in it at all.

"I imagine his body would not be viewable after an attack from Nagini," Dumbledore resumed and pulled her back to that moment.

"No because there was no body in the casket, Sir."

"And dare I ask how you found that out?"

"Hermione… she helped-suspected the same really and so… so we teamed up. We also concluded that faking his death and given other circumstances would be enough to compel me to…"

. . .

"Look at me…" She looked up, pushed away the past once more and watched Severus stare into Harry's eyes. His rich voice quavered with emotion as he told him, "You have your mother's eyes."

Blinking away the tears, she forced herself to focus and to remain calm even as he stopped breathing. His student's did nothing but stare on at his still form in disbelief.

Now go… go you silly whelps before the potion wears off before I can heal him and he truly does die!

She thought, trying to use anger and frustration to prevent herself from falling apart all over again. That and to hold utterly still when all she wanted to do was move. Finally one by one they shuffled away with agonizingly slow speed, still crying softly. Silently and briefly she wished them luck in the battle still ahead. But as soon as the door shut behind them she gave them no more thought, worked to hang down from the beam she had been on before dropping from the rafters. Wincing a little as both her knees protested when her feet each made a loud thump when they hit the floor before racing her to his side.

Remembering the probably falsified autopsy reports she had a rough idea of what she was up against and was prepared as well as possible given the location. He was not breathing, his heart had stopped and his eyes were vacant. He very well could be dead and she had just thrown away at least two years of her life for nothing but she had to try.

"Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur..."

How long she chanted that along with others as she drew her wand over him, sealing the deep cut to his right carotid artery, repairing punctured organs and mending broken bones she had no idea. But even before using spells, she first instead of pouring potions down his throat, grimly injected modified ones with large muggle made syringes directly into his very still heart. After checking her watch and realizing time was running out. The hour would be over in less than a minute and she wondered if she should even bother to close one of the last holes from Nagini's bites. Swallowing hard she still did, covered her face and waited.

When he did not stir minutes later and she was certain the potion should have worn off by then, she found herself weeping. Leaning over him she looked over what she always considered a strong and hansom face carefully for any sign of life.

"No… no… NO! You dam stubborn sod! Wake the hell up! WAKE UP!" She snarled wetly and gave his chest a few frustrated pounds. Still nothing happened. No flicker in the depths of those wonderfully half closed dark eyes. "Nooo… nooo… Please no! No…" She pleaded into his face, holding it and pressing her forehead to his. He so cold, too cold. Hope starting to fade, carefully she set his head back down and took his left hand in hers. All that she could focus on now was the soft slapping sounds of water stirring the boats. The very same ones that brought them both here to start their first years. Dimly she registered next the ragged breathing and just his still hand as she looked about lost. With absolutely no clue what to do next and hearing the war rage on in the distance she remembered his students and how they did not want to leave him. So she decided to stay and wait for them or someone to return. It was the least she could do for her dismal failure.

"This was not… How could I be so… Did it… did this even help? Did we even make a difference at all?" When she looked down at him, he only continued to stare blankly at nothing. With a shaky hand and a resigned sob she reached up to close them when he blinked.

"Sev-severus?"

She looked into his eyes warily and gave a shriek of surprised joy when his body jerked to consciousness with a startled gasp. Next she saw confusion in them before they went wide. It was the reaction she was waiting and hoping for and she could not stop the grin which spread from ear to ear in pure satisfaction.

"The morspause potion along with the anti-venom worked! It actually worked! Oh thank Merlin!" She whispered then eased out a breath while quickly checking his pulse and breathing. Both were growing steadier and she silently thanked Professor McGonagall's help and braced herself for what would be coming next.

Back arching pain from the after effects of the morspause potion and the anti-venom now coursing through his body, a hoarse cry escaped before he sucked in one rattling breath, cried out louder before gulping down another. She winced as his larger hand nearly crushed hers as he howled again in agony. With her free hand she pressed it over his forehead and tried to calm him down.

"It will pass, Severus I promise. Just listen to the sound of my voice. The Elder Wand will now fail him because you're still alive… you're alive and that is all that matters."

"NO!" He roared back as his body kept twitching in pain. "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

"Keep breathing," she offered calmly as she could and dug frantically into her healer's bag for something that would help. His body had been dormant for an entire hour. Vaguely she wondered if waking up to that, was much like waking up at night with an arm or leg entirely asleep and nerves prickled as blood returned to oxygen starved cells. Finding something that would not react to the other things she had already given him, she popped the cork out with her thumb and wondered how to get him to drink it with just one hand.

"Swallow this down," she decided and unceremoniously poured it into his mouth as he cried out in pain again. He struggled, gagged a little but had enough sense to do so. In moments his body thankfully went limp with one last shudder as he slipped into unconsciousness once again.

Getting him to choke down a blood replenishing potion before giving a sigh of relief, she finally relaxed, heard the door open and looked up. Not at all surprised at finding her own icy eyes staring back in confusion. She looked upon the two of them utterly gob smacked as odd wave a déjà vu washed over her. Then without thinking she gave her slightly younger self a knowing smile and even a wink. Caught, the other her stepped back, tripped and fell upon her bum. Then with a pure look of alarm upon her face proceeded to scramble up again and run away.

She smiled remembering all too well that at some point during that battle she had come here seeking a safe place to hide. Looking down at the now stabilized and unconscious Professor Severus Snape she commented dryly, "And that my dear is when I found myself and my true calling instead."

. . .

I hope the memory within the flashback wasn't confusing. So what did you think so far? : ) I did some little tweaks to this chapter and chapter 2 is coming very soon.

. . .

The morspause potion is something I whipped up. The name for is derived from the Latin word mors which means death. For the purposes of this fanfiction it is not a commonly used potion even though the results of its use are quite extraordinary. This is not only due to if it's rare and expensive ingredients but if not prepared and brewed correctly in the six months it takes to reach completion it can easily kill the witch or wizard brewing it. However if brewed correctly and then ingested, if that person was to come very close to death the potion keeps them in a state of suspended animation for approximately one hour, so long as it has been under one day since drinking the potion. Attempts to make the effect last longer, so more can be done to heal an individual are usually ethically not possible. Development and perfection of this potion was done during the Black Death pandemic of the 1300's.

"The Time-Turner was a device capable of time travel. The Time-Turner resembled an hourglass on a necklace. The number of times one turns the hourglass corresponds to the number of hours one travels back in time. It is extremely important that the user of a Time-Turner not be seen by past or future versions of themselves unless, of course, said versions are aware of their usage of a Time-Turner." – wikia