Broken Hearts

Chapter 1: To Go Back In Time

In 1997:

Harrison James Potter, oft called Harry by friends, looked at the scarlet steam engine. It was September 1, 1997 and his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry was just hoping for a quiet year. He smiled as he boarded the train and met up with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, his two best friends.

"Hey Ron, 'Mione."

"Hello Harry."

"Hey Mate."

"D'you think we'll have a calm, quiet, year this year?"

"Of course not, Harry. It's Hogwarts." Hermione said. Little did they know how right she was.

XXXXX

The first week of classes flew by. Harry got stared at a lot and it irked him to no end. He knew that he looked good. He was 5'6" tall, short for a male, and slightly muscled. He had intense jade green eyes and deep black hair with auburn streaks. The teachers especially stared at him, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He mentioned so to Hermione and she said he was just being paranoid. And so classes went until the third week of school.

Harry turned his stirring rod 3 times counterclockwise. He then added powdered root of asphodel to his concoction and stirred 5 times clockwise. As he turned to grab the ground bicorn horn, Draco Malfoy threw bloomslang skin into his cauldron unnoticed by either Harry or Snape. When Harry added his horn, the potion began to bubble and hiss. Snape's eyes widened when he realized what was happening.

"Everyone get down!" he yelled as the potion exploded, drenching Harry. He fell over, screaming in pain, as he began to glow. "It… can't be… him." Snape whispered as Harry disappeared.

In 1977:

The 5th year Gryffindor/Slytherin potions class looked up as a scream rent the air. A purple glow started about a foot from the ceiling, getting brighter and brighter until all the students and teacher looked away. Then they heard a thud and everyone turned to see a boy, about 16, looking around.

"Well, that's interesting." The boy said. Everyone could see the charred Hogwarts robes, but the house icon was completely burnt off. "Pray tell, Professor, What year is it?" The boy asked the only fully trained wizard in the room.

"1977."

"19…77…" With that, the mystery boy passed out.

HWHWHWHWHWHW

The mystery boy woke in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Upon realizing he was alone, he cast a charm to hide his scar. He no longer looked like a carbon copy of James Potter, so he didn't have to change his appearance. Just as he put his wand away, Albus Dumbledore walked into the room. He sat in the chair opposite Harry and looked around, then to the boy in the bed.

"What is your name, dear boy?"

"I can't tell you. You may call me Vitalis. Vitalis Evan Markross. I am a 7th year from the future."

"Ah, you are a time traveler. It's always a pleasure to have one of you in our school. Now, as to your wand?"

"I have it."

"Good, good. How about your books and things?"

"I will need to get them. I have some in my time, but I need them for this time." Vitalis said.

"Very well, shall we floo over to Diagon Alley and get your things?"

"Of course, Headmaster." Three hours, several hundred galleons, and one owl later they were back at Hogwarts. Vitalis walked over to Fawkes and started to pet him. As he did, the headmaster cleared his throat. Vitalis turned and looked at the man.

"Would you like to be sorted now, in private, or in the Great Hall in 20 minutes before dinner?"

"Either, Headmaster. You will have to introduce me anyways, so that would seem like the opportune moment to do it."

"Very well, Mr. Markross. Let us head down now and get it set up. As you are a time traveler, I assume that it was an accident that sent you here?"

"Yes, I shall tell you that it was a potions accident and try to find out how to get back."

"Of course, as long as it doesn't interfere with your studies. I shall also be trying to find you a way back to your time."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Vitalis said before they entered the Great Hall. He didn't tell the headmaster that he knew exactly what had happened and knew that there was no way for him to go back until the potion wore off, which could take a while as he didn't know how much of the bloomslang skin was thrown into the cauldron. Vitalis waited behind the headmaster's chair as all the students came filing in. As soon as all the students were seated, the headmaster rose.

"As all of you now know, a boy dropped in on the 5th year potions class today. He is a time traveler and has my permission to lie about whatever he so chooses, so please hold your questions. May I have the honor of sorting Vitalis Evan Markross." Vitalis stepped forward and sat on the stool.

Hm… I don't sort too many 7th years. You are indeed an interesting fellow. It also seems that we have met… ah, a time traveler. Now I understand. I see plenty of book smarts, but Ravenclaw isn't for you. Loyalty, yes, but not Hufflepuff either. Plenty of courage in you, but it is countered by your cunning side. Yes, I know just where to place you. SLYTHERIN.

The table to the far right exploded in applause. They soon quieted as Vitalis sat and looked around at the students. To his left was a man that he assumed was Lucius Malfoy by the hair. Farther down the table was a woman that looked to be Narcissa, a few years younger. He saw a few faces that were familiar, but not enough to remember names. He scanned the other three tables. The table next to his held no familiar faces, and neither did the Ravenclaw table. Starting from the first years, Vitalis scanned the Gryffindor table. A second year read-head caught his eye, but he quickly moved down the table. About half-way down, he saw a pretty read-head woman with sparkling green eyes. She was talking to a woman that Vitalis recognized as Alice-soon-to-be-Longbottom. Frank Longbottom was farther down the table, next to none other than Remus Lupin. Vitalis smirk at him and moved on. There, next to Remus, was his father, James Potter. The boy next to him had to be Sirius Black. A small pain filled Vitalis, but he crushed it down. He then turned to put food on his plate and was caught in a pair of obsidian eyes. He scanned the face, finding the boy gorgeous. He had alabaster skin, black eyes, and an aquiline nose that looked like it had been broken once or twice.

"I'm Severus Snape." The boy said, holding out his hand. Vitalis smirked as he took it to hide his surprise at the name.

"Vitalis Markross. A pleasure."

"Of course it is." said a voice to his left. Vitalis turned to look at Lucius Malfoy. "Well, not to meet Snape, but to meet me. Yes, that is a pleasure, and honor, for you." Vitalis glanced at Severus again and saw the boy had his head down and was picking at his food.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you seem to think you are. You need to step off your high horse and pull the stick out of your arse." With that, Vitalis returned to his dinner and completely ignored Malfoy, who looked outraged and stormed from the hall to write about this atrocity to his father. Severus looked up, shocked, at Vitalis. "What?" Vitalis said.

"That was Lucius Malfoy. No one's ever stood up to him like that before."

"Well, then maybe more people should. Then he wouldn't be the stuck up arse that he is." Vitalis commented, going back to his dinner. After the little show and the finishing of dinner, Vitalis followed the Slytherin students to their common room, even though he already knew where it was. They walked in and Vitalis looked around, shrugging. 'I guess all the common rooms have always looked the same'. He walked over to a chair by the fire and plopped down in it. He pulled out his History of Magic book, as that was his first class in the morning and started reading. He stopped after about 5 minutes of everyone staring at him. "What?" he asked irritably. A very small first year was pushed to the front of the group. She looked ready to cry, but bravely squared her shoulders.

"You obviously belong in Slytherin, yet you do not know the rules. We don't fight amongst ourselves outside of the common room. We have to stick up for each other because no one else will."

"Did you not hear what Malfoy said about Snape? I do believe I was sticking up for someone else in this house, which you all seem to have forgotten. I do not like bullies and I do not tolerate bullying of anyone, no matter their house. Houses are just a way for people to say "we're better than you because we're Slytherins". The house doesn't make the person, the person makes the house. That is why you have such a bad reputation. And yes, I do understand that includes me, but if we are to act like a united front… we need to be a united front, both in and out of these rooms."

"Well said, Mr. Markross. I do believe I have tried many times to say the same thing." The head of Slytherin, Horace Slughorn, said. He came up to Vitalis and shook his hand, then turned to the others, raised a brow, and left. Vitalis also raised a brow at the others, then went back to his reading. As the night progressed, more and more people went to bed. It was just after midnight, when Vitalis was finally heading up the stairs, when it happened. His invisible scar seared in pain and he collapsed on the stairs. He ran up to the 7th year boy's dorm and flung open the door. He noticed that everyone, except one chubby boy, was gone. He sat on his bed, reading, until 2 am when the others snuck back in. He pretended to be asleep. All the others went to bed, but he felt someone gently shake him awake a short while later. Severus was standing over him, and the boy looked scared.

"Severus… what-"

"Shhh… follow me." Vitalis climbed out of bed, grabbed his robe and wand, and followed Severus down the stairs. Once in the deserted common room, Severus collapsed in a chair with his head in his hands.

"Severus, what's wrong?"

"How much do you know about the time you've come to?"

"A lot, why?"

"So you know about the war?"

"Voldemort, you mean? Yes, I do."

"Well, Malfoy told him about you… and he wants to meet you. He thinks you could be of vital importance if you're from the future."

"Well, I'm neutral, and that will not change. So don't worry. I can take care of myself." And the truth was, he could. He had been in training over the summer the last 3 years and was ready to take out the bastard… in his own time. He couldn't do it now… too much would change. He smiled at Severus, squeezed the boy's hand, and went to bed. Severus looked from his hand to the stairs, smiled, and followed Vitalis into the dorm.