Title: An interesting Twist

Beta-ed by: nahimana and MaryJane Weasley. Any other mistakes are mine alone.

A/n: I read a story 'A Long Awaited Sentiment' By: nahimana (wonderful story that should be read if you haven't) and it gave me the idea for this story. As I was reading the story I wondered if Severus had switched sides because of Voldemort trying to kill Harry or because of Lily and came up with this one shot. This is highly based on nahimana's story so if you don't understand something in this then I recommend reading that.

Summary: One-shot. Slash. Severus/Harry. Slightly AU because of mention of time travel. Harry goes back in time falls in love with Snape. He soon returns to his old time hoping he hasn't changed anything, but before they can get back together in the present, Harry needs to confront Snape about a question he's had since he came back… Did he really switch sides because of Lily or was it something else?

HPHPHPHP

There was bright flash, loud bang, and suddenly, Harry James Potter was standing in the center of the Great Hall on a Wednesday afternoon during lunch. No one spoke. Everyone, students and teachers alike, stared at him with mixed emotions that ranged from sadness to happiness to resentment to fear.

Harry Potter had been missing for close to three months and only a dozen people had known where the young, raven-haired, Gryffindor had disappeared to. He'd been sent back to 1978, the year his parents graduated. Out of the dozen people who knew where Harry had been there were only two people that knew what had transpired. Harry got that chance to get to know the younger versions of not only his parents, but Sirius, Remus, and Severus.

As everyone watched Harry, he scanned the head table looking for the one person he cared about more than anything else. No matter what the date on the calendar was, or the age difference, or that he was a teacher, his teacher, he had to find Severus Snape.

When he couldn't find him, Harry started to panic. What if I changed something? What did I change? Does this mean Sev isn't here anymore? Is he alive? Is he a Death Eater? Was he ever a Death Eater? Are my parents alive? Where are Hermione and Ron? What have I done? What's going on? Those and many more questions ran through Harry's mind just before he passed out.

HPHPHPHP

Harry woke up in the infirmary. He blinked, trying to focus on his surroundings but it didn't help. He reached out to find the bedstand and his glasses but instead found someone's arm.

"Huh? Oh, Harry you're awake," Ron said. "Hermione, wake up. Harry's awake."

"Oh, Harry, thank goodness you're okay. How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Should I get Madam Pomfrey?"

Harry chuckled at his friends. He couldn't blame Hermione; he had been gone three months after all.

"How about we start with getting me my glasses, so I can see my friends?"

"Here they are mate," Ron placed them in Harry's outstretched hand. After he could focus on his two best friends he started answering Hermione's many questions.

"I'm feeling fine, I have a little bit of a headache, and no you don't need to get Madam Pomfrey because she is standing right behind you."

"Oh," Hermione said, jumping slightly and turning around. "Hello."

"Hello, Miss Granger. I will ask you two to leave so that I can examine Mr. Potter. You may return after dinner."

Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and began dragging him out the large doors before he could protest, throwing Harry a quick, "See you later," before disappearing out the door.

"Now, Mr. Potter, how are you really feeling?"

"I really only have slight headache," Harry told her as she waved her wand over his body.

"Well you seem to be fine. I will get you a potion for your headache. Then, I must inform the Headmaster that you are awake. He will wish to talk to you."

"Um…" Harry started as Poppy went to leave.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Can you tell me where Sev… Professor Snape is?"

Poppy smiled at the blushing teen. Everyone knew what had transpired while Harry was in the past, even though they had tried to keep it a secret.

"Severus is probably with the Headmaster at the moment. He was called yesterday and only just got back. He will most likely join the Headmaster when I tell Albus you are awake."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."

"You're welcome dear. Is there anything else you would like to know before I go?"

"Um… how long have I been out?"

"Only about three hours."

"Alright. Thank you."

"No trouble at all Harry."

HPHPHPHP

When Dumbledore arrive approximately an hour later, Harry was laying in bed, relaxing now that the headache had been taken care of. Again, he was wondering how much he could have changed. There was also something else on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about it. Harry had told Serverus that he loved him just before he returned. Sev had not said it back, or maybe he just didn't have the chance to say it back. He needed to know how Severus felt and he had switched sides because of Lily, like Dumbledore had once told him.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to bring Harry out of his thoughts.

"Professor," Harry said as he turned to look at the older man. Harry noted he hadn't changed one bit in the twenty years between then and now.

"Hello Harry, or should I say Alex?" (1)

"S… Professor Snape told you?" he asked.

"Yes, quite a few years ago actually."

"I'm sorry about not telling you anything. And I'm sorry that I told him so much, I also know I shouldn't have been seen or known to anyone while I was back there but I … I…" Harry trailed off, close to tears.

"It's alright my boy. You were lonely there so long all by yourself. Besides, you didn't change a thing."

"How? I don't understand how I couldn't have changed anything."

"Let me explain. You know when Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, and yourself stood at the top of the hill and heard Buckbeak being executed?"

"Of course, but we went back and saved him."

"Exactly. Buckbeak was never killed; the executioner slashed up a pumpkin. That is how I knew that you must have gone back in time and then urged you to do so in the infirmary. Because I knew you were meant to go back and change that."

"You mean I was meant to go back and tell S… Professor Snape who I was all along?"

"Yes."

"Why did he join the Death Eaters? How could he do that knowing what I told him?"

"I think I can answer that," Snape said as he stepped into the infirmary, nodding to the headmaster he continued. "I'm sorry I'm late Albus."

"Severus. I will give you some time alone."

"Thank you, headmaster."

After Albus left Snape turned to Harry, but before he could begin Harry started to yell.

"How could you? How could you do that? Knowing all the people you would probably have to kill, knowing that my parents would be killed by Voldemort that he tried to kill me, you still became a Death Eater. Why?"

"First, I didn't know how your parents died nor did you tell me Voldemort tried to kill you. Every time I asked you would say I shouldn't know because it might change something," Harry kept quiet, knowing Severus was right. "I joined them because I was mad as you. I couldn't understand how you could get to know me, fall in love with me, make me fall in love with you and they just leave me there all alone. So when Lucius approached me at graduation I finally accepted his offer.

"I didn't know it was Voldmort who killed your parents until it was too late. I watched in horror as he murdered James and Lily. When he raised his wand to you I froze - I didn't know what to do. And then he was gone and you sat on the floor crying. I picked you up and took you to Hagrid. Then, I went to Dumbledore to get him to help me become a spy. That's when I told him about you or rather who he thought Alex was.

"After you came to Hogwarts I tried to keep you at a distance, both for myself and for you. I hoped by treating you that way, you wouldn't want to get to know me and would change something when you went back but you didn't. Nothing changed. Because of me your parents are dead and you still have a mad man after you."

By now Severus was sitting in a chair next to Harry's bed with his hands covering his face.

"Professor, it was the way you treated me that made me want to get to know you. I thought if I could find out what made you become a Death Eater - I could stop you. I could change it, but I guess I was the cause. It's not your fault that my parents are dead, it's Voldemort's. He will pay for that. Beyond that I need to know if you were telling me the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"Do you really love me?"

"Of course I do."

"Good, because I love the Severus of 1978 but I realized I also fell in love with the man I grew up around, the man that protected me every year since I turned eleven, the man that helped my mother and father protect me by loving me even though I was only a year old, the man that I know has been worried the last three months even though he knew exactly where I was and what I was doing."

"Really?" Severus asked in a quiet uncertain voice.

"Yes, I love you, Sev. I meant what I said before I left."

"I love you, too." Snape said pulling Harry into his lap and wrapping his arms around him as he gently kissed Harry.

(1) It is the name that nahimana uses in "A Long Awaited Sentiment"