The pain was horrible, the shock nearly unbearable yet, at the same time, expected. I collapsed under Voldemort's attack. I knew I would die and closed my eyes. I suddenly felt a pull like that of a portkey, but I didn't open my eyes, even as I heard voices around me.
"It worked. It's him."
"He's hurt. Get him a potion."
Only once a potion phial was raised to my lips did I finally open my eyes to stare into all-too-familiar green eyes.
"Potter?"
Wait. This wasn't Harry. Though the boy looked like him, he had red streaks in his dark hair.
"Drink, Professor, it'll help."
I drank the potion and felt the wound on my neck heal. A young man who also resembled Potter but had brown eyes helped me to my feet.
"Scorp, take him to your grandfather."
A young man who resembled Draco motioned for me to follow him. Confused, I did so. After a few moments I realized I was inside Hogwarts. I followed Scorp to an old classroom, converted into a bedroom. Sitting in a chair was...
"Lucius?"
"So, they were successful."
It was indeed Lucius Malfoy, but decades older, horribly scarred, and recently blinded.
"Go inform Remus, Scorpious."
"Yes, Grandfather."
I staggered over to my friend.
"Lucius?"
He smiled slightly as I stared into his blind eyes.
"It's been so long since I've heard your voice, Severus."
"What... what's going on?"
"Harry failed to destroyed the Dark Lord. He now rules. Remus and I are the last of the Order ofPhoenix, even Harry fell in battle a few days ago. You no doubt encounter his sons when you arrived, James and Albus."
I nodded only to remember that he couldn't see the motion.
"Yes."
"You'll meet Lily soon, I'm sure. Sweet thing, Lily, just like her grandmother. Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering how you got here and why you're here."
"Just a little."
He chuckled, but it sounded dull.
"We need you, Severus. I can no longer fight, and Remus doesn't have much fight left him in. We need you to lead the resistance against the Dark Lord. I can't explain why it has to be you, that's just what the Time Magic demanded."
"Time Magic?"
He nodded.
"Yes. It's what brought you here. You have been brought thirty-three years into the future."
"Thirty-three years?!" I practically squeaked.
Lucius nodded again.
"We're desperate, old friend. If we weren't we would not have evoked the Time Magic to Summon you. It requires a sacrifice, thus the loss of my sight."
I was floored. Lucius gave up his sight to Summon me through time to help his resistance. I stared at the scars that marred his face.
"The sacrifice must be something cherished and requires blood. When we performed the ritual Remus had to slash my eyes."
I winced.
"I'm not sure who cried more, me or Remus."
"That's a horrible joke."
"Yes, I know, and it's also true."
I swallowed and slowly reached for his hand, calloused from time and fighting. His grip was strong and oddly comforting.
"The resistance needs you, Severus. You're our last hope. Please, old friend. Help us."
"All right."
He smiled, though it seemed almost as if it didn't belong on his face.
"Thank you."
"Severus?"
I turned to see an older and even more scarred Remus Lupin.
"Merlin, it really is you!"
To my shock, he limped over and hugged me.
"Lupin?"
He let go and smiled, though it seemed almost strained, as though he hadn't smiled in a long time. Considering the situation he was in, that was probably true.
"He has agreed, Remus," Lucius said.
"Thank God."
Lucius allowed another, half-forced smile of his own to spread across his face before growing serious again.
"Send him out on the next raid."
"Raid?" I asked.
Remus and Lucius both nodded.
"Yes. We launch raids against You-Know-Who and his followers. You will find, old friend, this is a much more savage world than the one you were Summoned from. Remus, round up a group for the next raid. Include at least Seamus, Colin, and Dean along with the younger ones."
"Right. Come on, Severus."
I followed him out. Seamus Finnegan, Colin Creevey, and Dean Thomas had aged greatly. They were quite pleased to see me. Along with them, Remus gathered the two Potter boys, Albus and James, as well as Harry's daughter, Lily, Scorpious, and Hugo and Rose Weasley.
"Severus is in charge, but don't let him command what spells you use. Use what you must. Good luck, all of you."
Seamus Apparated me to the target site. Death Eaters were in plain sight. I counted thirty of them.
"Don't take any unneeded risks," I told them.
They all nodded. I gripped my wand tightly, took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
"Now!"
We launched our attack, and my shock knew no bounds as Killing Curses flew not from the Death Eaters but from my group. I gaped at the others until an enemy Killing Curse sizzled past my head. I whirled on my attacker and reacted.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The Death Eater fell, and I nearly threw up when I realized I had just killed someone with an Unforgivable Curse.
"Oi, Professor, don't think about it!" Seamus cried to me.
He was right. I was quickly learning that here it really was kill or be killed. I loosed curse after curse, felling Death Eater after Death Eater. Killing was surviving, living to fight another day. There was no other way, no matter how much someone might wish otherwise.
I don't know how many Death Eaters fell to my wand, but it seemed to last forever, though it was really only a few minutes. Luckily, no one from my group had been killed, and we returned to Hogwarts. Once back at the school, the sick feeling overwhelmed me. I gagged and threw up... all over Remus' boots. I coughed and looked up at him.
"Sorry, Remus."
"It's fine, Severus. You're not the first, and I doubt you'll be the last," he said kindly, conjuring a glass of water for me to rinse my mouth with.
Once I had done so I thanked him.
"You're welcome. Seamus, how'd it go?"
"Great, Remus. There were thirty. Snape here took out about six of them himself, though he looked a little green after the first one so I think he might have to- never mind," he finished, seeing Remus' vomit covered boots.
Remus cast a Cleaning Charm on them.
"No harm done."
He turned his attention back to me.
"Think you can eat something?"
"Not at the moment."
He nodded in understanding.
"Understandable. Come on. I'll show you to where you can stay."
I followed him to another former classroom, now bedroom with adjoining bathroom.
"You freshen up. Call a house elf for some new clothes and food when you're ready."
He started to leave.
"Remus."
He stopped and looked back at me.
"Does it ever... get easier?"
"Killing them?"
I nodded.
"No. It's never easy, Severus. After a while you do become... desensitized... to it, but it never gets easier to take a life, no matter how corrupted. It's what separates us from them."
He then left me alone. I ran a bath and soaked in the hot water, letting it soothe my sore muscles while my mind wandered. My life had been turned upside in a matter of a few hours, and I knew that this was only the beginning.