A Mystery in Time

Prologue

May 1998

Small. Perhaps if she thought small and curled in tight enough she would become small and then perhaps she would just disappear altogether. This had been her motto during this wretched year. Being a first year at Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the greatest and most eye opening years of a young witch's life. "Greatest" it was not, "eye opening" it was. Eye opening in the fact that at a young age Maggie West had learned what hatred, discrimination and pure evil really looked like, and right now evil was walking into the darkened classroom in the form of Alecto Carrow.

She had tried, really she had. After breakfast each morning the students would march in lines of four to the outside courtyard for uniform inspection. She always did her best to make sure she looked presentable. Shoes polished, shirt pressed, and socks white. A kind, fifth year Ravenclaw named Cindy Paddock would always put her hair into neat pigtails to insure that her hair never looked a mess. She didn't anticipate there being any problems that morning.

The Carrows seemed to be in an even nastier mood than usual and had decided to take out their obvious frustration on the students of Hogwarts in full force. Instead of conducting their normally half hour check up on the student's appearance they forced the students to stand still as statues for a full hour…then another hour and by the time the third hour rolled by Maggie had had enough. She had always struggled with patience, and without even thinking she began to fidget. At first she was just wiggling her stiff fingers, then she was scrunching her little, freckled nose and finally she was tapping her tiny feet. Without her realizing it, the sound of her impatient toes had echoed across the silent courtyard. Before she knew it Alecto Carrow had a fist full of one of her blonde braids and was yanking her out of line and down the corridor.

"Have we bored you, princess?" he said with a sneer. "Did you expect us to entertain you?"

"No, sir," she cried, tears already rolling down pal cheeks.

"If there is one thing that really pisses me off it is entitled, impatient, muggle loving brats. And you want to know something? I've had enough of it. GET IN HERE!" he yelled, forcing Maggie into his smelly, abandoned classroom located in the west tower.

"Please…please, sir. I promise I'll be good," she pleaded as she landed with a hard smack on the stone floor.

"Oh shut it. Who do you think is going to save you? Your Mummy…you Daddy?" he taunted with a laugh. "No, I don't think so. You are under the mercy of me now, princess, and I think it is time that your kind learns a little lesson." And with that he quickly retreated from the room, slamming the door behind him with a cynical laugh and a promise that he would return momentarily.

Severus' nerves were pushed to the breaking point. The Dark Lord's thumb was pressing down on him harder then ever before, the school was on the brink of revolution and that bastard, Alecto and his bitch of a sister were completely out of control. He had not slept in days and he couldn't remember the last time he had set down for a proper meal. If Potter didn't hurry up and get his arse to Hogwarts, like he had been expecting him to, he wasn't sure how much longer he could carry on.

Not wanting his students to see even a glimpse of weakness he squared his shoulders and marched into the court yard, schooling his features so as not to show confusion at the fact that his students were still standing in military style lines. "Professor Carrow, is the a reason these students are still standing in line and not in their classes?"

Amycus Carrow flinched at the sound of his gruff timbre and quickly scrambled for an explanation. "They were too noisy at breakfast, Headmaster, we thought it would be a good idea to show them a little extra discipline."

"By wasting an entire day standing? I can't imagine the Dark Lord would want such magical talent wasted when they could be learning? Get them inside," he snapped, wanting nothing more than to wave his hand and dissolve the sniveling witch into a slimy slug.

Severus kept his eye on the witch as she shuffled across the courtyard herding the students back inside. It only took moments before each house was on their way to class with looks of relief as they were able to finally stretch their stiff muscles. "What a mess", he thought to himself. As the final Hufflepuff retreated into the safety of the castle Severus' eyes caught the entrance of Alecto Carrow as he oozed his way over to his sister. He wore a look of murderous glee that made Severus' stomach churn. This wizard had been a thorn in his side since the moment he had stepped foot onto school property. He was smarmy, vindictive and took way too much pleasure out of punishing students, particularly the young ladies. Severus watched out of the corner of his eye as the wizard bent down to whisper something into his sister's ear just before letting out a cackle of laugher. Whatever was bringing this man such sick pleasure could not be good. Looks like lunch was once again out of the question. He was going to have to follow the maniac and make certain no one was hurt.

Maggie had used every spell she could remember to try to get the door of the stuffy classroom to open, not that there were many, she was only a first year after all. Try as she might nothing had worked. Professor Carrow must have warded the room before he left. Giving up she merely curled into a ball in the far corner of the room and waited for what was sure to come. Would he make her use the disciplining quill? Merlin, she hoped not. Her right hand had barely healed since the last time her entire house had been forced to write with them just days ago.

Before she could contemplate what other methods of torture could be inflicted on her, the door burst open and Professor Carrow swept into the room with the same cynical smirk on his face. "Professor," she bravely spoke. "I promise I will…" but before she could finish she found herself being yanked up by an invisible force and dangled a full foot off of the ground. "Shut up!" Alecto snapped, firmly pointing his wand at her little body. "The Dark Lord has instructed me to keep you brats in line and that is exactly what I plan on doing." He gave his wand a quick flick and Maggie's little body was forced to zoom across, stopping just before ramming into the dusty, arched window. "But the Dark Lord also instructed me to sniff out traitors to the cause…muggle lover," he spat.

"But…but I don't even know any muggles, sir," Maggie cried, wanting desperately to be put down. That was honestly the truth. She had grown up in a wizard community and attended an all magical-born primary school. The only time she had even been around muggles was the occasional summer holiday to the beach with her mum and dad. Her parents were always polite to non-magical folks and had taught her to be kind, but in truth she had lived a relatively sheltered magical life.

"I highly doubt that. Your parents have been outspoken enough about muggles and mudbloods alike."

"My parents? I haven't spoken to them in months, sir. I don't know even know where they are!"

"Oh I'm sure you do, princess."

A dark gleam seemed to rise up in the man's eyes. So this was what this was all about. He wanted information about her parents and judging by his murderous glare he was prepared to do anything to get it. "You better start thinking, twit. I don't have all day and the Dark Lord wants that information now." With another flick of his wrist the large window behind her flew open letting in a misty breeze and wetting the back of Maggie's neck. "Start talking," he murmured as Maggie's body zoomed back until it was dangling from the edge of the windowsill.

Maggie let out a shriek that was only drown out in the wind. "I promise I don't know where they are," she sobbed. "I haven't seen them since I got to school…not…not even a letter. Please let me go!"

"Not good enough…TELL ME!"

Maggie felt dizzy as her body was forced to rock dangerously close to the edge. The rain had picked up outside only adding to the feeling of cold panic. How had this happened? Why her? She just wanted her mum and dad to come save her…anyone to come save her. She would never see them again, never see her classmates again and all for a cause she didn't really understand. Heavier tears began rolling down her face and she was just about to yell out again when the door to the classroom burst open revealing a very stone faced looking Headmaster Snape.

"Really, Alecto, if the windows needed to be cleaned I am sure there are some House Elves that would be more than happy to assist. Kindly place Miss Winters back on solid ground…immediately," he enunciated carefully.

Maggie's eyes quickly locked with his. His eyes were typically cold and calculating, the stuff of nightmares for little girls. Instead Maggie thought she saw a moment of panic and concern but that quickly vanished and was replaced with a look of cool indifference. "I need you to patrol the area outside of the kitchen. A group of Hufflepuff seventh-years have been sneaking food."

Not heeding his boss's original request Alecto continued to dangle Maggie just outside of the window. "But the Dark Lord said…"

"I am aware of the Dark Lord's order and have been doing what needs to be done. Do I need to remind you that I am in control of this school and you are merely here to assist me? I will remain in charge of interrogating students and you will continue doing what I say. Is that clear?" he hissed, once again glancing at Maggie's trembling form.

"Fine," Alecto spat. "Do what you want with the brat." With a wave of his arm the spell was released and Maggie was dropped onto the windowsill. Unfortunately the rain had caused the marble surrounding the window to become slick, and as soon as Maggie's Mary Janes hit the surface her feet slipped out from under her and she began to topple out of the window to her certain death.

Many things happened all at once. Over the rushing wind Maggie heard a deep baritone command and instantly her body froze in place and slowly began to rise back up into the window. As soon as she was brought back inside a pair of solid, black clad arms wrapped around her and drew her into a protective embrace. Blinking in pure shock Maggie tried to focus on what had just happened to her. Her eyes scanned the room finding Alecto Carrow frozen in place as if he was a wax statue and the concerned and surprisingly soft eyes of Severus Snape looking down at her. Without even considering the consequences, Maggie threw her stubby arms around his shoulders and began to weep into the crook of his neck. Little did she know that was the first hug Severus Snape had received in decades.

Part I

June 2014

"Headmistress, thank you for meeting with me."

"Maggie, I believe we can dispense with formal titles for now. It is the middle of June for Merlin's sake. Other than a few dozing ghosts I am pretty certain we are the only ones left in the castle."

"Of course, Minerva," Maggie said with a gracious smile. It didn't matter that she had been teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a full school year now, she still had a hard time seeing herself on the same professional level as her previous mentors.

"I suppose you stopped by my office for an answer?" the witch said smoothly with a hint of a smile on her thin lips.

"Am I that transparent?"

"You are tapping your foot, dear. You always tap your foot when you are in a rush. Why I can still hear that little "tap tap" of your shinny patent leather shoes as you waited for me to call out the Wizarding History Award in your second year. I thought that Professor Flitwick was going to magic your little feet right off."

Maggie let out a small chuckle as she thought back to that day. "Come now, Minerva, everyone knew I was going to get it. You were just stalling to make the moment more dramatic."

"Me? Dramatic? Never!" she exclaimed with mock outrage. "Oh and there was that other time that you…"

"Minerva…please, have you made your decision?"

The elderly professor let out a puff of air as she gracefully sunk into her desk chair. It did not escape Maggie that the old women's eyes flickered to the empty portrait above her desk. "Maggie, I know you mean well and I am sure you are aware that there is the potential for extreme danger."

"Minerva, I have been over all of this with the Ministry of Magic. This has been a project years in the making. I know what I am doing," she said, already exposing her frustration. "I need your consent. You are the final hurdle."

"I understand that preserving and cataloging history is important, Maggie. Really I do. What you have done to honor and memorialize the heroes and fallen from the Great Wizarding War is beyond important, but why can't you just let the rest go. There will always be great mysteries in life. It is what keeps things exciting!"

"You know why," she said plainly. "He saved my life, Minerva. I am here today because of him. I was a nobody, unimportant and unremarkable. A chubby, freckle faced Ravenclaw with pigtails and lost parents and he, the greatest double agent of all times, saved my life."

"He saved a lot of lives, Maggie, and for that we should just let his memory live on in our hearts and let his spirit rest in peace."

Sucking in a frustrated breath, she did her best to keep her voice level. This was an argument that had repeated itself more times than she cared to recall. "All of the bodies of the fallen now rest in the memorial cemetery on Hogwart's property. All except for one and I want to know why. We deserve to know why."

"Why does it matter, Maggie? It was sixteen years ago! He is remembered as a hero. Isn't that enough?"

"NO! I want to know why his body was never found. Where did he go? Who took him?"

Minerva pinched the bridge of her delicate nose warding off another headache. This young witch seemed to always bring one on. "He is not still alive, Margaret." Maggie rarely heard her given name used and she knew it was Minerva's way of reminding her to not step out of line. "Potter and Granger…Weasley," she corrected, "confirmed that fact. He is gone."

Maggie slumped into the tartan-upholstered chair that was situated in front of the Headmistress's desk. "I know that, Minerva," she mumbled, barely above a whisper. The evidence was all there. Hermione Granger Weasley had given a thorough statement about the events that took place in the Shrieking Shack that night. Even if that had not been enough, the appearance of Severus' image in the "most recently deceased" Headmaster's portrait confirmed it. The glum painting had barely said five words since his image appeared sixteen years ago. He spent most of his time roaming the portraits that resided in the dungeons or in a fitful slumber in his frame above Headmistress McGonagall's desk. Lately he had gone to disappearing altogether and when Minerva had questioned his whereabouts he literally growled at her. When questioned about the disappearance of his body he merely shrugged and proceeded to ignore his interviewers, pretending to be asleep.

"That is not why I want to go back."

"Then what is it? Is it a culmination of some school girl crush?"

"Really?" Maggie snapped, blushing slightly. "I was eleven years old, Minerva. Hardly old enough for a crush on a professor."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I thought myself to be in love with my broom instructor during my first year," Minerva remark with a wink.

"Well, my first year experience was not exactly conducive to romance, now was it?"

"No, I don't suppose it was."

In all honesty it had been a miracle that little Maggie West had survived her first year at Hogwarts at all. Born into a pure blood family had secured her admittance into the school during the height of the pure blood supremacy movement. It had been the most frightening experience of her life showing up to a new school only to find it controlled by Death Eaters and run by a very haggard and sinister looking Headmaster Snape. She had found some amount of comfort and protection in the house of Ravenclaw. Professor Flitwick did what he could to keep his little ravens safe but there was only so much he or any of the other original faculty members could do while the Carrow siblings were running amuck.

It had not taken long before Maggie became a target for bullying by the Carrows and many Slytherins due to her parents high profile at the Ministry of Magic. Mr. and Mrs. West were outspoken supporters of Albus Dumbledore and his message of equality in the Wizarding community. Once the Ministry fell into He Who Must Not Be Named control it had only taken a few weeks before the couple was forced to go into hiding, leaving a very scared and very lonely little girl to fend for herself at Hogwarts. It had taken weeks after the final battle for Maggie to be reconnected with her mother and over a month before a badly injured Mr. West was found. Despite all that her family had endured, she counted them lucky. Their family had come out of the darkness battered and bruised, but still whole. Others had not been so fortunate and for that reason Maggie had spent her post Hogwarts' years studying, cataloging and writing about the very people that had saved her people, including the very mysterious Severus Snape.

"I have everything lined up, Minerva. All I need is for you to bare witness and allow me to use your Time-Turner." Never dropping eye contact with the exasperated witch, Maggie drew a roll of parchment from the folds of her robes and handed it to Minerva. "Please…sign it. Let me do this. I will be there and back again before you can blink. I know the rules and I understand the consequences. Let me use the Time-Turner and go back to see what happened to the body of Severus Snape."

Minerva held the document in her hand like it was about to burst into flames. She herself knew what that missing piece of history would mean to historians and scholars alike, but she also knew what seeing such a tragedy could cost her young protégé. "It will not be a pretty sight, Maggie. Are you certain you can handle going back to that day? Are you prepared for the emotions it may stir?"

"I am," she said plainly, never taking her eyes off of Minerva's hand as she began to raise a quill over the permission form.

"Remember Maggie, nothing must change."

"I know that."

"And you will follow my instructions to the letter?"

"Yes, Minerva," she sighed doing her best to repress and eye roll.

"And if at any moment you are seen or you feel threatened you will retreat.

"I promise, Minerva."

"Very well then. Have you secured a representative from the Auror's office to be the second witness?"

"Yes," Maggie replied with a bit of a smirk on her lips. "And I believe you will be very pleased with my choice."

"Fine, I give up. It seems you are just as stubborn as you were when you were a student. Meet me tomorrow morning at 8:00 sharp at the spot and we will get this over with," she finally relented.

Before the old woman could place the used quill back on her desk a flurry of blonde hair and blue robes nearly knocked her out of her chair. "Oh thank you, Minerva! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Not being one for hugs, the old woman allowed Maggie a few moments of affection before politely pushing the younger woman off of her. "Yes, well the sooner we do this the sooner we can move on to nicer things. Now go on so I can do something productive. I'm sure you have some book to write or someone famous to annoy." Maggie responded with a cheeky smile as she all but waltzed out of the room. Minerva gave her a hard time about her obsession with interviewing and researching but in truth her excellent body of work had won her the job once the old ghost that had been putting Hogwart's history students to sleep for generations had finally decided to retire to a castle in Glasgow.

Minerva cradled her face into her weathered palms and let out an audible sigh. What she wouldn't give to have Albus back at a time like this. He always seemed to have the right answer where as she couldn't seem to make a choice without some lingering doubt. Seventeen years had not dulled the ache of losing her friend and confidant. She just hoped she had made the same decision he would have made. Trust in your brilliance and your heart, Minerva, she heard him say so many years ago. Yes, she was just going to have to trust that letting Maggie play with time was the right thing to do.

The Headmistress was so caught up in a sudden wave of memories that she failed to notice the dark form of Severus Snape slide from the commonly empty frame above her head. For the first time in years he almost felt compelled to break his silence but instead he left in a swirl of ebony robes to go visit one of his new favorite paintings. A painting in the library, a painting with a lovely view of the history section, a painting with a perfect angle to see a lovely new professor who seemed to have one focused passion…him.

Maggie and Harry chatted animatedly as they walked down the path to the Shrieking Shack. He had just finished regaling her with stories of his young brood's exploits in their local primary school. His oldest, James, would be starting at Hogwarts in a year and was already bursting at the seams to explore the beloved castle. "I promise to keep a look out for him when he arrives," she said with a chuckle. "Although from the sound of it he may be too much of a handful for just the likes of me."

"You have no idea," he laughed.

Noticing that they were nearing their goal, Maggie reluctantly changed the subject. Harry's laid-back personality was doing wonders for her nerves. "Mr. Potter, I really appreciate your support on this project. I think it is only fitting that you are the Auror present for this."

"Just Harry please, Mr. Potter makes me feel old and having three children has already caused enough gray hairs," he said with a smirk. "And it is no problem, Maggie. I just hate it took this long, but I understand Minerva's apprehension. That Time-Turner has cause quiet the drama here at Hogwarts."

"Is that so?" Maggie asked, her ears perking up like a watchdog in search of a new story to uncover.

Harry chuckled as he began slowing his pace at the entrance to the now silent shack. "That is a story for another day. Let's focus on one excursion through time for today."

Maggie wanted to persist but the sudden voice of Minerva caught her attention as they walked in through the doors of their destination. "Right on time I see, Mr. Potter, I recall you being late to my class a number of times. It's a good thing you seemed to have grown out of that," she said with a straight face.

Both Maggie and Harry did a stutter step, not knowing the extent of Minerva's mood. "Now come give this old lady a hug." Her face broke out into a radiant smile and they both instantly relaxed. Maggie allowed the two old friends catch up for a few moments while her eyes scanned her surroundings. She had been in this historic house many times for her research and it never ceased to give her chills. The shack looked much like it did the day of the Great Wizarding War. Wards had been placed around its parameter to keep unclassified people out and to preserve the structure as a monument, mainly to the memory of the man who had fallen and then disappeared within its walls so many years ago.

Maggie let her thoughts slip back to the day he had pulled her out of the window the day before the attack on Hogwarts. She had known in that moment that there was something different about her Headmaster. He had allowed her to hold onto him, instead of pushing her away and yelling like he had been known to do. She had felt him shudder under her grateful grasp as he absorbed her body heat like a man starved of human contact. His eyes had looked vulnerable when she had pulled away; apologizing for the snot she had left on his otherwise pristine collar. She had thought of that moment for years to come and that was why she had obsessively researched the man that nobody truly knew. Severus Snape had not hated children. He had given his entire life to protect them and never once had he ever received any type of gratitude…until that one day, that one moment, that one hug from a chubby, little, eleven-year-old girl.

Harry's voice broke through her memories. "Maggie, I believe the best place for you to stand will be just here behind the bed."

"Oh…yes, yes that will be fine. According to the statement I received from Mrs. Weasley and yourself, Severus' body should be just there," she replied, pointing in the direction of an empty space diagonal to the broken bed."

"Harry, I mean no disrespect but I don't think the bed will give her enough cover. If she is not out in time she could be discovered by Minister Shacklebolt and Mr. Wood." With the help of a former student, Oliver Wood, the now Minister of Magic had been sent to retrieve Severus' body, only to find the place empty.

"Ah, well that is where I come in," chimed Harry, dipping into the side pocket of his robe.

Maggie grinned, obviously already knowing what he was retrieving. "There is no need to be concerned about her being seen. Not with this…"

"Your invisibility cloak? Are you certain about this Potter?" Minerva knew this was one of Harry's most prized possessions and was surprised to see him so willingly hand it over to a witch he only knew as an acquaintance.

"I think it is only fitting, seeing as I terrorized Professor Snape so much with it. Besides, it hasn't gotten a whole lot of use recently. Might as well see it do some good."

Harry draped it around Maggie's shoulders until only her face was left visible. Maggie let out a small gasp of surprise. Even though she knew in theory what it would do, they had discussed it in length when they had first met to discuss her venture, but it was still disconcerting to not be able to see your toes when you were staring right at them.

"Very well. Maggie, I trust you and Minister Shacklebolt have gone over exactly what to do?"

"In detail. I am not to speak to anyone, nor am I to be seen. I will arrive before Minister Shacklebolt and Mr. Wood are due to arrive. That should ensure that I do not interfere with the battle in anyway. If Severus Snape's body is still there, and hopefully he is, then I am only to observe the occurrence of his disappearance, not tangle with it."

"Very well," relented Minerva, still not sounding pleased with this mission. "In and out, Maggie. Do not linger a second longer than you should." The old women approached Maggie slowly while pulling out a small, delicate looking chain. "A Time- Turner can be the greatest gift and worst of curse. Use it well, my dear. I've already set it for you so all you will need to do is give it one good turn to leave and when you are ready to return merely turn it once again. "

"Thank you, Minerva. I'll be back before you hardly realize I've gone."

Maggie was just about to pull the cloak up over her hand when Harry stepped forward and reached out like he was going to place his hand on her should, only to realize that he couldn't see where her shoulder actually was. "Maggie, one more thing," he said, suddenly looking uncomfortable and much young than a man in his mid-thirties. "What you will see…well…it's not a pretty sight. What Voldemort did to Snape…it was…"

"I know, Harry, I'm prepared." She hoped she was.

"Good luck!"

And then she was gone.

May 1998

Time travel is a curious thing. It is not something that one could truly put into words. The closest thing Maggie could compare it to was the time she had had a bit too much fire whiskey at a pub in Dublin and had passed out only to wake up back at her friend Pamela's house. Apparently a few hours had passed after her epic crash but to her it had only felt like an instant. For a second Maggie thought the Time-Turner had not worked. She was still standing in the same spot, behind the same dilapidated bed.

She was just about to call out to Minerva and Harry when her eyes caught a glimpse of what looked like a lump of black fabric. "Oh, God," she whispered. This was it. The moment she had been training for all these years. "Headmaster," she breathed, suddenly feeling like the little schoolgirl she had been during this actual day.

There he was slumped against the far wall, still as a statue. His ebony robes were seemed to still be in somewhat neat order except for a tattered rip down the left side of his broken looking body. His typically pristine collar that normally housed is neatly tied cravat was shredded and bloodied. The skin of his neck exposed a river of blood that seemed to have not clotted yet. "Severus," was all she could say as she carefully and quietly shuffled closer to him. "I'm so sorry."

She wanted to comfort him, do something to thank him even though she knew he was already dead. His pasty features highlighted that fact, from his pale, cold lips to his ashen fingers, there was no denying that fact. He was beautiful, even in death. The last time she had seen him she had been too young to appreciate his sculpted features. Oh what a life this brilliant man should have had. Maggie was just about to bend down and place a friendly hand on his shoulders when she remembered herself. Something could happen any second now and she was meant to only observe, not touch.

Clutching the invisibility cloak tightly around her body to make certain she could not be seen, Maggie tiptoed back over to the corner of the room to wait in silence. If the Time-Turner had put her back at the time it was supposed to there would not be much time before Kingsley and Oliver would be here to collect his body. That meant that whatever happened to Severus Snape would happen very soon. All she had to do is stand there and wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

Nothing happened. Minute after minute passed and still Severus' body remained exactly where it was when Maggie had arrived. This doesn't make any sense?

She was just about to shift her position in the room when she heard voices coming down the nearly caved in hallway, the faint light of a wand tip illuminating the walls. She strained to hear, thinking that this must be it. This must be the people who had stolen his body…men judging by the timbre of their voices. Men? Voices? Wait a second! She knew those voices. She had heard the voice of Oliver Wood hundreds of times commenting on the Quidditch tournament radio station. And the other deep, velvety voice had to belong to her current Minister of Magic. She had just met with Kingsley Shacklebolt less than a week ago. What the bloody hell? Severus should be gone by now. This was not matching up to the history that everyone knew!

The voices drew even closer and still nothing happened. Severus was as still and whole as before. Maggie began to panic. Remember, Maggie, nothing must change. Minerva's words echoed back in her mind. Had her being here, even invisible and silent messed everything up? If they end up finding his body it may not have a great effect on the timeline but then again it could also cause devastating effects. She didn't know and she was suddenly terrified at the prospect. Why was there no one here to take him?

And that was when it hit her. There was someone in the room that could easily take his body away. She was there. "Sweet, Merlin!" she murmured. What if it was supposed to be her all along? It was the only explanation. She was supposed to take his body and right now it seemed that she had less than a few seconds to do so. Without giving it another thought she threw caution to the wind and sprinted across the floor. She quickly cradled Severus' head in her hands and wrapped the Time-Turner chain around both of their necks. Just as the hallway door began to open Maggie gave the magical object one firm twist and they both vanished without a sound.

June 2014

Maggie was not as prepared for this time jump as she had been the last one. As soon as they materialized she lost her grip on Severus' shoulder and tumbled onto the ground, landing on her bum with a loud smack.

"Bloody hell!"

"What did you do?"

Minerva and Harry immediately ran over to her in a flurry of raised voices. Minerva's quickly escalated from confusion to panic as she realized whose body was now lying before her.

"Maggie, how could you? I told you not to mess with time! You were supposed to only…"

Maggie tuned Minerva's voice out when she suddenly felt a tickle against her neck. She thought it was just a breeze from a broken window or perhaps an insect that had flown in through the doorway, but when she whipped her head around to see there was nothing there. No bug and no open window. But then she felt it again and it only took looking down just a smidge to see the source of the breeze.

"Minerva," she whimpered, barely able to speak.

"No, Maggie, you will listen to me. This is a huge breech of…"

"Minerva…"

"Just what am I supposed to tell the Ministry. I don't know how you plan…"

"MINERVA! We have bigger mermaids to fry."

Following Maggie's gaze down to Severus' pale face they all frozen.

"Severus Snape is not dead…he's breathing."

A/N: It is so good to be back! I hope you all enjoyed Part One of my new story. I think it will end up being a three or four part story, I'm really not sure yet. I am also not certain what the final rating will be. Please leave me some thoughts, ideas, what you would like to see or reviews in general. Happy summer to all!