Chapter one - Stranger situations have occurred, haven't they? Wait, no they haven't. Well shit.
Well, this is admittedly the first story, I am publishing here. Just to mention it, I can not tell, how often or regularly I will update, the first problem there is me writing a foreign language - my mother tongue is german - so it takes a while alone to write a chapter in english anyways. The next is I am a working mother of a four year old imp, who takes up most of my time I don't spend working. So the updates might happen, they will, but it might take a while. Like months or something along those line. Anyways, this is supposed to be an AU and the first chapter will bring up more questions than answers, so bear with me, I have no idea, wether this is any good or even enjoyable to read. Have fun anyways, criticism or somebody wanting to beta-read is always welcome.
As I received an anonymous review about horrid punctuation, I tried to correct that, but I have no idea, where the mistakes actually really are or what still has to be corrected. Well. If someone spots mistakes a more direct hint like "check line this and that" would really be appreciated.
Carpe noctem.
I really try to put myself in uncomfortable situations. Complacency is my enemy. - Trent Reznor
Whatever he had done in his last life must have been an exceptional atrocity, come to think of it. Another possibility could not be the reason for this, this... whatever this was.
This being Lucius Malfoy sitting on the bloody couch, head in his hands, a bottle of fire-whiskey in front of him and quietly mumbling about "idiotic children" and "unbelievable". Draco was there too, lounging on the single chair, regarding his father with a look, that might mean something like "I told you so." and was nursing a glass of the whiskey himself. While Narcissa sat on the other, Sirius Black beside her, as if they where best friends, both laughing about the aforementioned children, who in turn were having a screaming match about "stupid, idiotic things to do" and "running headfirst into danger" and "other things which are definitely too Griffindor for them being Slytherins and all" and "having lost their brains somewhere between the dragon and the maze". Or along those lines. He wasn't listening too closely. Blinking Severus focused on the participants of said shouting match: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and a boy roughly their age. Maybe a few years older. But no single pupil came to mind and the young man did not have looks, which where easily forgotten. And he did not seem like someone, who just disappeared into the background either, especially with those looks. Severus was sure though, to have seen him at least once before, but couldn't remember where for the life of him. To be fair, it just consisted of two participants actually shouting - namely Granger and the unknown youth - and the third trying to get them to calm down - Potter.
Severus covered his eyes with his right hand. How the hell did he always end up in the strangest of situations? It was not like he actively searched them out. But those arguably seemed to have an uncanny way of just occurring to him.
"Fuck me sideways," he just finally muttered, before taking a seat beside Lucius and conjuring a tumbler. He really could use a drink now. And nobody had spoken a word with him up until now. This did not bode well.
Black and Narcissa still seemed to find it hilarious. The first just calmed down long enough to take a swig of whiskey before starting up again with barking laughter, the latter giggled continuously.
"Honestly cousin, I never thought I'd get to see Hermione carpet a young Dork Lard Voldyshorts."
Severus blinked once again. What? Whom?
His head whipped around and he couldn't believe his eyes. Now, as the mutt had mentioned it, the resemblance was clear as the day. That boy looked exactly like Tom Marvolo Riddle. Severus didn't ponder the how or why, he was too shocked for that actually. Heck, he had no idea what to actually do now and was too stunned to faint. Or do anything at all. Probably. He was not quite sure about spontaneously loosing consciousness though.
"I take it, you didn't know about that one, Uncle Severus."
Severus just shook his head very slowly and mechanically. This was getting even more surreal by the minute. Especially now, that he did bother to listen to the still ongoing shouting just a few meters away.
"And why would I have taken you with me?! It was dangerous enough as it was!"
"Can it, as if that would have mattered had either of you died!"
"The bloody graveyard was full of Death Eaters!"
"And two Dark Lords at once, same difference!"
"Do you think anyone of them would listen to me?!"
"One certainly did!"
"That's something else entirely!"
"As if!"
"Oh would you come off it already!"
"It wouldn't be the first mortally dangerous situation we have ever been in!"
"But unnecessary for you to come along!"
"Care to make a wager how long that will go on?" proposed the mutt now out of the blue.
Draco snorted. He shook his head before answering confidently, "They will be going at that for at least half an hour longer, before either are worn out, storming away or Harry gets them to agree to disagree for the time being and discuss the topic later when being less angry. Though by the look of things I'd think that Hermione will storm out on principle or begin hexing them into the next century in the next five minutes. Especially as Tom is fueling the fire and is succeeding quite well at making her even angrier."
Severus now felt floored. What in the name of Morgana and Merlin had he missed? Obviously very much as the day kept surprising him. And the next things did too. Why? He had anticipated much - aurors storming the manor, or the order, heck, even Albus all by himself. But not a distraught Petunia Dursley, her son in tow. Just to see her stopped by Narcissa, while the boy ran to Potter and checked him over. After which the sandy blond boy socked the other straight in the jaw and send him sprawling to the floor, which paused both, Granger and the Dark Lo... Riddle. And left Petunia gasping, Black laughing so hard he fell off the couch and Narcissa snorting.
"Harry I swear to god I'll keep you at home and chained to the bed, if you pull another vanishing act like that on us!"
What?
"Hey! How was I supposed to know the bloody cup was a portkey!"
"I don't give a flying fuck, I told you from the start, that this whole bloody tournament was a fucking trap as soon as your name was spouted out of that shitty goblet!"
Which ended with Hermione whacking the boy over the head, accompanied by Riddles clucking of his tongue and a verbal "Language." And that alone was far beyond creepy. But even this could be topped, as he soon realized. How? By Petunia storming over, hugging the three teens and scolding all of four of them, for different reasons obviously, but still.
"Would anybody be so kind as to explain what exactly is going on and why nobody is trying to get Albus or the aurors, as that boy over there is the Dark Lord reincarnated?" Severus finally snarled, as he still thought that everything must have been a dream or he must have stumbled into an alternate universe.
Black scrunched up his nose, while scratching the back of his head. He seemed to think of how to start with any kind of explanation, but still had to answer.
"Well, you see, it's kind of complicated and even I do not have all of the story of how that came to be."
Severus just stared disbelievingly. He threw Lucius an exasperated look, but the elder Malfoy just shook his head. It seemed he too was at a loss.
"Then you should probably let me explain.", offered his godson quietly while snickering amusedly, as Petunia was now alternating between scolding and checking the teens over like a mother hen. Especially as Narcissa had joined Petunia, but that might have been to offer tea. Or drinks, as the happenings of earlier seemed to call for them.
"And pray tell, what would you know of this all?", Severus drawled sarcastically, as he couldn't picture Draco anywhere in this whole mess.
"They are in my year and I happen to occupy the dorm beside those idiots and call them best friends on occasion, it might have something to do with that," shot the boy back calmly and rolled his eyes.
Severus just gestured for him to continue then. Which he did.
It took hours of explaining, occasional screaming and exclaiming and even more often disbelieving gasps and stares, to get to this point. And Severus just couldn't wrap his head around any of it. It just sounded too fantastic to be true, but lacked the typical black and white separation for this kind of stories to be one. He had known of the first meeting between Potter, Granger and Voldemort back in Potters first year, of course, he was their head of house after all. Though he had not known the exact details of what happened until now. Which made him question his sanity the first time and ask himself at the same, why the children even did return, because as Draco phrased it, Hermione already knew back then, despite Dumbledore's blabbering, that they had killed a person. Heck, they had seen the idiot die, not counting the Dark Lord who had been attached to Quirrel's head. And was anything but dead. Or vanished, for that matter.
And the chamber had been reopened in the following year. Which presumably had ended with Granger and Potter destroying Riddles diary. Where the first truth was revealed - the diary had not been destroyed. No. In a desperate attempt to bargain for Ginevra Weasleys life in exchange for their own - Harry's and Hermione's - the two had written their names into the diary with their own blood. Which had caused a connection to form between the three of them without actually killing any of them. And before Riddle lost the temporary corporal form, he had hidden the diary, left a destroyed looking copy and just vanished, right under Fawkes eyes, who then had taken the two up to the infirmary. And had gotten Draco and Lockheart after that, the latter going to St. Mungos indefinitely. Oh and Riddle had sent the basilisk back to sleep. Huzzah.
Though the reasons, as to why the teens had done something that stupid where even more disturbing. Severus had already known of the abuse, courtesy of Vernon Dursley, the breaking point had been reached in the summer right before the third year, but still had wondered, what exactly had been going on there. Well, now he knew. They had heard word, that Vernon had found out, where Harry really was, as Petunia and Dudley had covered for both Harry and Hermione. How the lump of meat had found out? That might have something to do with Arabella Figg who had been over there and asked the wrong person the wrong questions. Over the summer following the second year the violence of Dursley had not only included Harry, but Dudley as well, as it had come out, that the boy was a squib, on top of the other stuff, which by all means should not have bothered the oaf that much. But, as that man had concluded, this might one day result in magical offspring. A very bad conclusion indeed. The same treatment, before reserved for Harry alone, was then extended. Not to mention what might have happened to Petunia herself, without the children knowing. At the end of the summer, when Vernon would have killed Harry, Hermione and Dudley probably too - blamed for things which happened because of Riddle - the soul of the diary acted and did so quickly and ruthlessly. Dursley ended up stunned, obliviated of ever having seen Riddle and was sent to the aurors directly, while the rest put together a very tight story and alibi, which suggested somebody unknown was the savior of the day. (Roughly a year and a few weeks later, perhaps a few days after the goblet spat out Potters name there would be enough evidence for proving Sirius Black's innocence regarding the night of the Potters demise and revealing him as said savior of the day. What a surprise.)
But that was not the only reason for the brash action regarding the diary. Just before the children had gone down to the Chamber they had observed a conversation between Albus and Minerva about the prophecy. Where the exact wording was discussed thoroughly after repeating the blasted thing at least twice in full length. Severus had at first been gaping, as none of the two seemed to have checked, that they were alone, especially Albus. And had snorted not even five seconds later, as he had been sure, that Albus had probably - no scratch that, there was no probable, for sure - known of the childrens presence. But did he realize, what an impact this all might have? Of course not. Granted, it didn't seem likely the children would try to get themselves killed, just for the abuse to finally stop - to which Albus just caught on after Dursley ending up at the ministry - and to escape a prophesy that would make murderers out of them. Which they technically were already several times over and they knew it.
Funnily enough the third year was quieter, but not by much. It had been crazy as it could be, as to Severus dismay Peter Pettigrew had resurfaced, Dementors on the grounds because of Sirius Black and Lupin on top of it all. And it ended with Pettigrew escaping - just to be caught later, as the children had let Riddle try to call the rat to himself via the Dark Mark, which shouldn't have worked, by all means, but did. And that was part of the evidence for Blacks innocence. Combined with a thorough questioning under the influence of Verita-Serum. Though the timing of Pettigrew being called to the younger Riddle and him being handed over to the aurors was slightly off, but he didn't ponder that. And did not want to ponder it, really.
Which lead up to the last year. Triwizard-Tournament, Potter participating though he didn't want to, Granger going spare over the "Potter stinks"-badges of Weasley, Draco constantly with them in the library, while Riddle came closer to a permanent corporal form each day. Though he was now as corporal as could get. Or alive. Severus did not bother further with those details. Oh, did he mention, that the Dark Lord made several horcruxes? Oh yes, horcruxes, plural, like multiple and more than one. Even the young Riddle had planned to make multiple, though he had not been quite sure about the actual number back then. And did he mention, that those dunderheads had already destroyed two others, though would refuse to name them? Why yes, they had done so. Just took the things down to the chamber and asked the basilisk to bite the things. Or drench it in venom, he wasn't exactly sure. Hell, he wasn't even sure whether they asked or if Riddle just ordered the blasted thing to do so.
And that all was just the shortest, mostly abridged version of events. Which did not bode well, come to think of it. How much longer was the full version then, Severus wondered. And how many details had been omitted or not mentioned at all? His head hurt and it was not because of the fire-whiskey, though he had consumed a lot of it admittedly.
He would definitely have words with the teens, but not now. It was just too much information in too little time. Severus wouldn't even know where to start or whether to strangle them first and congratulate them afterwards or the other way around. Which did not include, that he actually knew for what he would strangle the teens exactly or for what he had to congratulate them. There was just too much to sort through and before he hadn't done that, he wouldn't talk to the children. Sighing he thought about the young Riddle. It seemed strange, but Granger, Potter and Riddle seemed unusually close. Which peeked his curiosity really. There were more stories and secrets hidden, though it would not seem, that they would be revealed anytime soon.
The children had long since left the adults, they had (they being him, Lucius and surprisingly enough Petunia) emptied at least two more bottles of fire-whiskey, before even remotely calming down.
"I really am thinking about taking the children with me and just up and leave to America. Though that probably would end with them running away and going on their quest regardless and not hearing from them for a while," snorted Petunia, after Narcissa had explained to her, what had happened.
"Seeing as they already started with taking out the horcruxes I think that might be accurate. As long as they are at least in Hogwarts I might be able to keep an eye on them," answered Severus. Though he wasn't quite sure if they did not already plan to up and leave anyways. How in the seven hells was he supposed to explain this one to Albus?
"You won't."
"I beg you pardon?" snapped Severus. He hadn't said anything out loud and Black should not be able to guess, what he thought.
"You won't tell Albus anything. Because you will be swearing an unbreakable oath, before even leaving this house. There are exactly three persons, who are allowed to even mention this whole shit to anybody else, who doesn't already know and nobody in this room is one them," Black just explained seriously.
Why did he have a feeling, that he wouldn't like the answer, if he asked whom those three were?
Severus had still to tackle the talking part, considering that blasted evening of revelations had occurred two days ago. And he had yet to leave the manor, let alone swear the Unbreakable Vow before even being allowed to do so.
But his gut feeling had been right - only the teens themselves were able to talk about everything freely. Namely Granger, Potter and Riddle. Even the two Dursleys were protected in ways, that would render them unable to reveal anything to anybody who wasn't supposed to know. Which disturbed Severus a great deal, as that was not just dabbling in the Dark Arts, it was full out using them. And not even Riddle alone, as for those kind of spellwork and magic to work, Granger and Potter would have to participate and that willingly and they would have to want it to work. The will behind it all decided how strong such spells got, let alone that they took hold to begin with.
Then there was the part, where he still couldn't wrap his head around the teens destroying horcruxes. Or the fact that there was more than one of those. And the reborn Riddle. Though he seemed much saner than the Dark Lord, which puzzled Severus even more. How was that even possible? By all means, he had no idea how it was possible for Riddle and Voldemort to exist separately and in two different bodies. At the same bloody time on top of it without the one absorbing the other. How he hated magics pertaining the soul. It was beyond mysterious, half of the theories sounded even more esoteric than Trelaweneys comatose babbling, and the other half just didn't make any sense at all.
Still, he had to talk to the teens and he knew, he would have to confront the three of them together. Oh joy. Since the happenings in the maze the three seemed extremely reluctant to leave the other, which gave Severus another headache, as he was wondering, what they would do in the upcoming school year. Especially now, as Riddle had a permanent corporal form. Hopefully they wouldn't just decide to run away, chasing after the rest of the horcruxes, because that would be very hard to explain. Though Severus wasn't sure if he meant 'to the Dark Lord' or 'to Dumbledore'.
First things first though. Right, talking to the teens. With that in mind Severus started to walk up the stairs, as the three adolescents hadn't left their room for the last days.
"Enter," he heard the quiet answer after knocking. If he hadn't misheard that would have been Riddle.
Severus opened the door, which revealed a small siting room, where Granger, Potter and Riddle were seated, as if they had been expecting company.
"Please take a seat Sir."
Severus quietly raised an eyebrow, but did as Granger asked nonetheless. It was strange, if he thought about the seating arrangement. Granger sat in the middle of the single armchair, Potter leaned against the armrest, his arms crossed, while Riddle stood behind the chair, one hand resting on Granger's shoulder, the other not in his view. If he hazarded a guess, he had a wand ready in that one.
Everybody was just silently staring at the other, the silence hanging heavy in the room. Severus knew, that he would have to start the talk, but he didn't know, where to actually begin. Well. Marvelous wasn't it?
"I'll have to admit, you three had me fooled." he commented, a quiet snort escaping him, as he continued. "But now I am left wondering, where this is going and what you are up to."
"Simple. We will destroy the remaining horcruxes and kill Voldemort," answered Riddle, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And pray tell, how do you intend to do this? Let alone, how can anybody trust you?"
"You can't." remarked Potter. "But it is not you, who has to trust him. Hermione and I do. With our lives."
Which left Severus quite baffled. Potter was calmly meeting his questioning stare and didn't flinch or react to his dark expression. And prompted another headache to begin.
"Even if we explained, what has happened in the last years, nobody would understand. All we want is for the war to end and to once and for all kill Voldemort. Hopefully without us dying," Potter elaborated quietly.
"And you intend to do it on your own, I guess," Severus snarled.
"Then please, if you think this wasn't necessary, tell me the prophecy is just a load of bullshit and we have not murdered anyone up until now. And, if we are already on it, give me some logical explanation, as to why we are able to see the Thestrals, which pull the carriages since returning to Hogwarts at the beginning of the second year." spat Granger bitterly. Her eyes had a hard look, which just seemed to dare him to challenge her on this.
As much as he would have liked to argue about it, he couldn't. Damn it.
"Even if that might be a necessity, you should not just wander of on a quest with some half assed idea in mind. Without a plan you will get yourself killed, and nowhere was stated, you had to do this all on your own."
Now Riddle snorted. Audibly. "As much as that would be helpful, the killing blow will be made by Harry. There is simply no other option. But that can happen only, when we have dealt with the other horcruxes, everything else would be useless and you know it quite well. Especially as a spy of the old man."
Now Severus just gaped. How in the seven hells...
"Oh please, don't be so surprised. Do you think the Malfoys would be still friends with you, if Lucius had not long since suspected, what you are? And don't forget, as much of a racist the older Malfoy might sometimes be, he is not quite comfortable with just killing all the magical blood, however muddy one might wrongly call it. He is well aware, that incest is not a viable solution and that new blood, fresh blood, is needed once in a while. Madness does not become a Malfoy, you know. Especially inbred one." elaborated Riddle even further.
Severus had no idea, how to respond to that one. But he still had to try or say something. His instincts seemed to have spontaneously taken a vacation though, which might get him into trouble. Oh my.
"I am aware of the prophecy. Still, as much as you seem mature, I hope you are wise enough to take the help offered to you. Especially the one, which is more flexible than that of some others who you have not sought out, despite the power they have."
Granger looked grave at his words. She knew, what he was implying, but Riddle and Potter seemed to have the same awareness of this. Good.
"Professor Snape, there is a reason, why we have not gone to Dumbledore up until now. And it won't change anytime soon. First of all, he is not quite keen on us, as we are Slytherins. He might try to mask it, but I know, that he had strong hopes that Harry would end up in Griffindor. If you take into account, how we lived, before we both came to Hogwarts, one might have been able to predict our sorting into Slytherin. And it doesen't stop there. I happen to know, that Dumbledore still acts for the Greater Good, which is a ridiculous notion anyways, if you check his history and connection to Grindelwald, but really, I don't think, that he would refrain from sacrificing Harry it it comes down to it." Granger expounded, sighing warily.
"And really, let us not forget the conversation of McGonagall and himself in the second year. Though I am still trying to find a logical explanation for it, I still think he had us watching that particular conversation on purpose. What purpose I do not know, nor can I guess it, but really - he should know, what this kind of knowledge does to children. If he really did not know that we were present, well, there goes the image of the all-knowing headmaster. And if he knew..." Granger trailed of, her hand a vague gesture of continued circles or the like. But Severus had an idea, what the girl was implying.
Unfortunately he could relate to this teens. They were in a very precarious situation, and he wasn't even thinking about the prophecy at this point. If you wanted to spell it out, 'fucked up' would probably fit quite well. And much more accurate, despite the crass phrasing.