Absolution
Prologue
Severus' face contorted in anger as he stared at the headmaster, lifting his wand he hissed out the killing curse. He allowed all the hurt and betrayal he had bottled up inside of him to feed the curse. Feelings he had buried inside since that fateful night Albus Dumbledore had killed the one person Severus had loved. His pain and anger focused his power and the deadliest of unforgivables struck its mark.
He kissed the hem of the Dark Lords robes. "Ssseveruss, I am pleassed with you. That old fool has got in my way too many times." Severus listened to the sibilant words. He gained no pleasure from this. Inside he was hollow and cold. Dumbldore's death could not bring back what was taken from him. It was as if the Dark Lord had read his thoughts.
"There was only one who could soften the hatred and contempt I felt for this world. That old bastard took that person from me. Severus, you have always been one of my favourites, talented, powerful and cunning, a Slytherin to the core. I will reward you with knowledge it has taken me years to acquire. Old blood magic. Dark magic. I cannot cast this on myself and there is no other wizard alive powerful enough to do so. I will give you the chance to change things, to bring back what was lost. Yes, your bond mate. The ritual is a perversion of nature, it will cause a breach in time and allow one to travel to a previous point in their timeline."
Severus' eyes widened. If the Dark Lord was genuine in his claims…there was nothing that he would not give just to be with his bond mate one more time. Just thinking of soft lips and sparkling eyes made him ache. Voldormort's face stretched into a smile. "Yesss, another chance."
They stood in a clearing deep in the Forbidden Forest. It was close to midnight. Stars glittered in the sky. The moon illuminated Snape's face as he chanted. Voldormort stood next to him, wand making intricate shapes in the air. Severus held his arm out. He drew a small knife across his wrist. The blood dripped over the runes carved into an ancient tablet of stone. The blood sizzled, disappearing into the stone. There was nothing benign about the magic that crackled around them. It was a seductive power, promising everything and taking even more from the wizards who had summoned it. The tablet levitated and began to emit a pale blue light. The forest was still. Severus' eyes widened as his surroundings melted away. Severus Snape had disappeared. Voldormort smiled "Don't let the old fool win this time." His soft whisper lingered in the night air even as he apparrated away.