Severus Snape blinked, his vision was blurred and he could hear voices growing louder. His whole body racked with shivers and spasms as if he had been under the cruciatus curse for hours. The drumming in his head persisted consistently as he brought his hands up to lethargically rub his eyes. Every small movement he made was agonizing. He wondered if he was dying.
Dying…. wait…
Sudden memories rushed through his mind with a horrifying certainty. Nagini's sharp, gleaming fangs flashing in the dim light as she reared her head before swiftly plunging her fangs into his neck. It had been so fast he almost didn't feel the bite, but after the second he felt as if the blood in his veins was boiling. Once the third and fourth bite were over, Severus felt nothing as he slipped into a numb state wanting to sleep forever. But he held on…Potter had to know. Lily Evan's, his once best friend and love, her poor child a Horcrux had to be sacrificed. Only then would they all be free of the Dark Lord.
Any resentment he felt towards Harry Potter in the beginning was gone, banished and only bitter regret remained as he gave his memories to a pair of green eyes looking at him in pain and worry. This had surprised him as he hadn't given any reason for Potter to show him any kindness in death. Not yet at least…. He really wished it wasn't going to end this way. But Severus Snape knew, even from a very young age, wishing for anything never made it happen. A tear slipped from his eye as he said, "Take it!" pushing the vial into Lily's child's hand. Potter was still so young, he had so much to still learn from the world. Those green eyes were really beautiful. That was his last thought before darkness overcame his vision, the next great adventure finally calling for him.
Or so he thought as Severus came back to himself, pushing those memories aside. He was alive, he was still breathing… He took deep breaths, shuddering when it felt as if the air burned his lungs, the musty smell of the shrieking shack assaulted his nose. He pried his eyes open with effort as the drumming in his head decreased in intensity. He was leaning against the exact same wall he'd fallen against.
However, to his confusion there was no sign of blood anywhere. It was also silent. No sounds of battle cries or screaming. Maybe the war had ended? Poor Potter; the grief at the thought surprised him, he didn't think he had it in him to mourn the mouthy brat. Severus slowly pushed himself to his feet wobbling as he almost fell over again. Bringing his hands to his neck, he was surprised to find no signs of ever being attacked, not even a slight pain, it was only this roaring headache as if he'd had one too many firewhiskys.
Now more importantly who had healed him, only to leave him here? Suspiciously everything looked larger by a small margin. Walking over to the doorway, Severus was surprised to find he could now walk under it without bowing his head or hunching. Even his strides felt shorter. This was a strange phenomenon, looking at his hands Severus saw they were much smaller and looked fragile, not rough and knuckled from handing potion ingredients.
Suddenly a foreboding feeling swept over him as he conjured a mirror even his wand movements lacking the precision he always prided himself on. A small face with a rather large nose not yet crooked stared back at him. Large black eyes were very doe-like in his confusion. His face unmarred from all the horrors was clear and soft to touch while getting paler and paler by the second as shocked realisation swept through his very being.
He looked fifteen.
This was impossible. What kind of after life was he in to deserve this? Thinking hard, the mirror slipped from his fingers as Severus noticed his Occulumency shields weren't there. Trying to crush the panic swelling up, he calmly placed walls in his mind, restoring them to their previous protected state. His mind was what had kept him alive and that was what mattered the most. It must have been an hour later that he opened his eyes, mind unreachable to anyone but himself. With the shields now in place Severus could finally think clearly. Why did he look younger? It couldn't have been a spell, only potions could do this. Noticing his clothes, he found he was wearing the Slytherin house's robes, the cut being similar to what he'd worn when he'd gone to Hogwarts. Someone must have thought they were being hilarious by de-aging their professor and putting his old school robes on him. Severus didn't want to think of any other alternative explanation for his current state, the thought too bizarre to even consider seriously.
With self-righteous anger Severus Snape walked purposely out of the shrieking shack almost falling from trying to take longer strides than he was able to. Starting again, but with smaller steps, he went to find the fool who'd done this to him and hit them with another good curse he'd invented. He would of course thank them for healing him only afterwards.
When he stepped out of the whomping willow touching the knot at the base of the sentient tree to still it, it was dark. The stars and the moon were right above him glistening and showering the world in silver light. It was the perfect time to brew certain potions that required starlight to enhance their effects. What a waste…. His storeroom and dungeons must be nothing but rubble and dust now, ruining several years of effort.
Hogwarts castle looked grand and majestic as always, the towers adding to the fairy-tale effect, not that Severus believed in such rubbish. Only Hogwarts was and will ever be the exception. Something became clear to him as he trudged his way to the entrance. There were no signs that a battle even took place. Minerva's suits of armour charmed by Filius were missing. Pomona's devil snares trapping the death eaters weren't there either, including the death eaters. Running over to the courtyard, where the pile of dead bodies had been placed, he only saw freshly trimmed grass. Even Hogwarts castle retained no damage. The rubble from the broken walls cleared. It felt as if Severus had imagined the whole war. They can't have repaired everything and moved everyone so quickly, Hogwarts had been a mess ever since Albus…. Severus banished the thought from his mind, slightly hating himself for resenting the man he murdered in cold blood.
How long had he been unconscious for? Did his magic revert his body's age to heal him? There were so many unanswered questions, sighing in frustration Severus thought about his next actions. He didn't know if he'd get arrested on sight for murder or for just simply being a death eater. They might not recognise him in his youthful appearance but Severus wasn't about to risk that. Only Potter had known of his innocence in the war and his only ally was probably dead by the Dark Lord's own wand. His hair stood on one end at the thought that maybe the Dark Lord was still alive but he dismissed that thought quickly. If the Dark Lord was still alive, all of Hogwarts' grounds would be crawling with death eaters even at the dead of night. Procrastinating wasn't going to help him now, the only way he was going to get answers was from his office...no wait it must be Minerva's office now. The title of Headmistress must have passed onto her, Severus was ninety percent sure of this.
He wasn't sure how well Minerva would receive him after his short phase as Headmaster. Their relationship made of banter and respect quickly deteriorated after the death of Albus Dumbledore. It was understandable really, Minerva had taken it personally at his supposed betrayal. She had hated him even more for letting the Carrows have free reign at Hogwarts, not that he had a choice trying to keep appearances. But it still hurt, he had lost a good mentor and valuable friend. He wondered if she would listen to his story now or just curse him.
Well there was nothing else to do but risk it as Severus heard rustling and footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor. Quickly casting a disillusionment charm on himself and a silencing charm on his feet to mask his footsteps he ran up the stairs before whoever it was turned around the corner. Only glimpsing black robes, Severus rushed to the Headmaster's tower not looking back to see if he had been spotted. Slowing down when he reached Gargoyle's corridor, Severus came to face the large, ugly stone gargoyle. This…he hadn't thought of; the password had of course been changed. It was too late now to turn back without being caught having come into the castle this deep.
Thinking of all the different passwords Minerva could have used, Severus used Harry Potter's reckless approach to break in.
He whispered, "Fizzing Whizbee, acid pops, toffee éclair, cockroach clusters…." The list carried on and on. His voice trailed off, Minerva must not have kept to Albus' odd tradition for passwords. Maybe she was too pained by the reminder. Almost giving up and getting ready to disappear forever from the castle, his only home Severus froze. There was one password he hadn't tried.
Making up his mind that this was his very last guess Severus stood at the very first stair and spoke clearly, "Sherbet Lemon!" Albus' favourite. Bittersweet memories rushed up within him in a burning inferno but he ruthlessly squashed it back. Now was not the time for grief, he had to be calm and rational when giving his reason and argument.
The rustling and rumbling of the rotating stone surprised him that it worked, making him almost fall off. Clutching the wing of the stone gargoyle Severus maintained his balance. He was not yet used to his short stature.
Taking a deep breath to steady his rapid hear beat, Severus let out a deep breath then knocked three times consecutively. He felt like a boy about to be scrutinised, which was not an appropriate response for his age. So Severus squared his shoulders, made his face blank and waited with the famous unimpressed Snape expression.
When there was no response he repeated this action again. Well it was very late, it was not surprising that Minerva must be asleep. He was about to knock again when the voice that replied behind the door made his blood go cold and his body to freeze.
"One moment! An old man must take his time when woken up this late!" The voice was hauntingly familiar but still retained a cheerfulness despite his words. That was not Minerva McGonagall's voice. Severus couldn't bring himself to move or reply, he stood there in speechless shock as the doors opened. Staring at the Headmaster's desk he moved his line of sight upwards, a long silver beard resting upon this man's chest. With equally long silver hair and adorned in lilac night robes, Albus Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes met Severus's dark obsidian ones.