Fate
Disclaimer : The characters and basic plot belong to JK Rowling. I just cast a Patronus and this is what happened.
Chapter One
"What's that, Severus ?" asked Lily.
She had picked up a shining object from the ground. It was a long gold chain on which a tiny hour-glass was dangling.
She pulled it around her neck.
"Someone's lost it. I'm going to keep it safe until I get it to Professor McGonagall."
"No, Lily ! Don't ! It's a..."
Severus tugged at the chain. Startled, Lily tugged back.
"You're strangling me !"
The small hour-glass had begun to whirl.
"Stop it !"
They grasped it together.
"Take it off," said Severus nervously. "I'll hold it so it doesn't move."
" Why ? Is is dangerous ?"
" Take it off. I'll tell you afterwards."
Lily pulled the chain off her neck as if it were about to explode. Severus carefully stored it away in his robes and looked around him at the sun-lit grounds.
"I'm not sure it's done anything," he muttered.
"What does it do ?" asked Lily in alarm.
"It's a Time-Turner. Really a dangerous thing to lose. It's used for time-travelling."
"Time-travelling ?" Lily opened wide eyes.
"It could have brought us back in time... or off into the future."
Lily looked around.
"Nothing seems changed."
"We might be lucky then. Maybe it doesn't work. We've got to find out, though. Come inside."
He took her hand and led her into the castle. Inside too all seemed unchanged. Instinctively, Severus led Lily to the dungeons. They walked over to the Slytherin common room. Severus spoke the password, not caring about the fact that his Gryffindor friend could hear it.
"Parselmouth."
The wall remained closed.
"Parselmouth," repeated Severus.
Nothing happened.
"The password has changed," he muttered in a worried voice.
"What shall we do ?"
"What are you doing ?"
A large boy walked up to them.
"Off you go, Gryffindor !" he barked at Lily.
Lily started and her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't talk to her like that !" said Severus.
"Why did you bring her here ? She's not supposed to hear the password."
" She hasn't. What is the password anyway ?"
The big boy looked at Severus suspicously.
"You are a Slytherin, aren't you ? I can't remember seeing you before."
" Of course I'm a Slytherin. Tell me, what is the date today ?"
" The date ? October 21st. Why ?"
Severus didn't dare ask, "What year ?".
"Remind me your name."
Severus had an inkling that this was not such a good idea.
"Listen, we need to see a teacher, all right ?"
"Well, go to Professor Snape."
Lily and Severus gaped.
"What's wrong with you two ? Come on !"
The boy pushed them towards the door of Professor Slughorn's office. Severus squeezed Lily's hand while trying to think hard : Professor Snape ?
The boy knocked.
"Enter," said a cold, somewhat familiar voice.
The boy pushed the door and ushered the children inside.
Severus and Lily gaped again.
Severus's father was sitting at the desk, writing, his large hooked nose hovering over the parchment.
"Please sir, these children said they needed to see a teacher."
The man looked up and it was his turn to gape.
For a minute, the three of them stared at each other in silence.
'Thank you, Warrington," said the man at last. "You may go. I'll take care of them."
Warrington walked out, closing the door behind him.
"Sit down," said the man in an unexpectedly soft voice. "It's Severus, isn't it?"
" Yes, sir," said Severus, sitting down. Then slowly he added, "You're not my father, so you're... What's the date ?"
" Twenty-first of October 1991," said the man. "I am you. I am Severus Snape, Potions Master, Head of Slytherin house."