Disclaimer- the usual.
Chapter 2.
'We've been expecting you'
The words echoed through Harry's head as he stood outside the office, motionless with shock. He began to stutter something incoherently, but was interrupted by Snape, whose icy voice cut straight to the heart of the matter.
'I don't know what kind of sick joke this is, but reveal who you really are this instant'. Snape had his wand pointed at his double's chest, and two pairs of dark eyes were locked on each other. Suspecting that some sort of Occlumency battle was taking place, Harry switched his gaze towards the other man in the room. The older Harry -or whoever he was- was regarding the two potions masters with a tender look on his face. As horrified as the younger was to see himself so fond of Snape, part of him was almost glad that he seemed so happy. Harry also noticed that he seemed to have filled out slightly, adding to his grown-up appearance, as did the clothes he was wearing under his robes- which for once didn't look like Dudley's cast-offs. In fact, if the man in front of him didn't bear a lightening-bolt scar, he would have said that he was somehow facing his father.
Sensing his scrutiny, the older Harry turned towards him, rolled his eyes expressively and said
'They'll be like that for hours if we don't do something.' Smiling, he continued, 'I know this is extremely weird, but I did exactly the same thing a year ago, so I know what you're going through.'
Harry's puzzlement must have been evident on his face, because Snape (the one that actually looked as if he'd washed that morning) turned to him and said exasperatedly,
'Hasn't it sunk in yet, Harry? Surely you didn't think that getting covered in time-turner dust wouldn't have consequences?'
The older Harry grinned and added, 'What Severus is trying to say, is that you've been brought one year forward in time.'
Harry's mind was racing, trying to ignore the strange fact that Snape's double had called him by his first name and weighing the implications of what he had just heard.
'Prove it' he said defiantly, at exactly the same time that Snape said it too.
The older Harry thought for a moment, before replying in Parseltongue-
'You usssed to have a crussssh on Cho Chang, you sstill feel guilty for ssseing sseverusss' memories in the penssieve, and you ssssecretly ressent Ron for going out with Hermione and abandoning you.' The older Harry looked into his younger counterpart's eyes with compassion, remembering well the pain that he had felt when hearing those words a year ago.
The two Snapes had been conversing in low tones, and now one of them looked at Harry questioningly.
'Yeah' muttered Harry, lowering his wand, 'it's me.'
A few moments later they were taken inside the office, two footstools had been transfigured into armchairs that faced the sofa, and the four men were seated with each man facing his double.
'First things first' said the older Snape briskly, 'there are some things we are definitely not allowed to tell you, because while the course of the future is immutable, it can severely damage someone mentally if they know what happens and are unable to change it.'
'That explains Trelawney', intoned the other Snape, and the two exchanged evil grins, compelling the future-Harry to roll his eyes again.
'However', he continued, 'you may still ask us questions, and we will answer you honestly where possible'.
Trying to fight the urge to separate the couple on the sofa, who were sitting far too close for his comfort, the younger Harry blurted out
'Where's Voldemort?'
The older Harry looked intently at his past self, marvelling sadly at how innocent he looked, but made no reply.
'Please', begged Harry desperately, 'you said earlier that you understood how I was feeling. If that's really the case, then tell me what he's doing! I'm sick of all this waiting!'
'Voldemort is no more', came the slow reply. 'I can't tell you how or when, but is it enough to know that the wizarding world is at peace by this point?'
The younger Harry grinned in reply, sinking into the armchair and feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Seeing his time-travelling companion's joyous expression, Snape was astounded, and the bitter thought came to him that he had never seen the boy so happy in his presence before.
An alien emotion had welled up inside of the potions master at the thought of Voldemort's downfall, but he put aside analysing it and instead focused on the troubling matter at hand.
'And just what combination of hallucinogenic potions did you swallow to decide it was a good idea to date Potter?' he spat at the man sitting opposite him.
The younger Harry, in ebullient spirits, couldn't suppress his laughter when his older self made sad puppy faces at Snape in mock offence. He earned himself a harsh glare from his professor in the process, but found himself unable to stop chuckling, particularly when he noted the obvious amusement of the couple on the sofa. He wasn't any happier about their romantic attachment than Snape, but since the news about Voldemort nothing seemed quite so horrendous any more.
'That's one thing we can't tell you about', said the older Snape, his voice much lighter than Harry ever remembered hearing it before.
'It'll be a nice surprise though', jested the future-Harry, grinning from ear to ear and entwining his hand in his partner's.
Harry was looking at the utter contempt evident on the face of the Snape in the armchair to his right when a thought struck him;
'Hey, what am I.. I mean, are you, still doing at Hogwarts?'
'If you had to pick a subject to teach, which one would it be?' came the cryptic reply.
'Erm, Defence against the Dark Arts I suppose', Harry said, the truth slowly dawning on him. 'You mean you're a teacher?'
'He's the boy-who-didn't-need-a-teaching-degree', drawled the older Snape sarcastically, but with fondness in his voice.
'Dumbledore asked me, so I couldn't exactly refuse', added Harry, still smiling.
Harry was on the verge of questioning them further when he was startled by a loud chirping noise that came from behind him. Twisting around abruptly in his chair he saw a lurid red and gold clock attached to the wall: the offensive noise was made by a plastic chaffinch that had apparently been charmed to 'sing' at the arrival of each new hour. The noise increased tenfold as 6 little chicks flew out of the opening and back in again, indicating what time it was.
'One tip for the future, Harry' said the older Severus with a groan. 'When Flitwick gives you a 'welcome to the Hogwarts faculty' gift, for god's sake pretend to like it. He spent hours charming that clock.'
'Yeah, and he pops in occasionally to check up on it', sighed the other Harry. 'We should put in an appearance at dinner', he continued, rising from the sofa. 'We'll be back as soon as possible; will you two be alright if we get the house-elves to bring you some food?'
The younger pair nodded their assent, each unwilling to acknowledge that they might be uncomfortable when left alone with each other, although that was precisely how they felt.
When the future Harry and Snape had left the room, the two men remained seated in silence, both tense and unable to speak. Finally, Snape stood up hastily and walked around the chair to inspect the changes to his office, the rustling of his robes magnified in the silence. The potions master hated to admit it, but the room had been considerably improved, no longer exuding that icy, inhospitable feeling that reflected his professional persona. Turning back to where he had been sitting, he realised with start that Potter had vanished.
As soon as Snape's back was turned, Harry had darted out of the room, needing to be alone. Heading away from the crowded dining hall, he wandered up to the astronomy tower, where he was accustomed to go if ever he needed space to think. Once there, Harry leaned against the wall and looked out into the cloudless twilight. He was still adjusting himself to this weightless, elated feeling, which was akin to what he had experienced when first told that he had a place at Hogwarts and could leave the Dursleys. Harry knew that he would still have to work hard to defeat Voldemort, not trusting what Snape had said about the future being 'immutable', but he realised that he would gladly do it just to experience this wondrous feeling again. The pain of Sirius' death, pressures of being the 'boy-who-lived' and fear that Ron and Hermione were gradually distancing themselves from him all fell away, and he stood contentedly gazing at the outside world.
Gradually, however, the one part of the day that he had been strenuously trying to avoid entered his consciousness. How could he end up going out with Snape? It seemed impossible that he could feel anything other than utter hatred for the man. Immediately, the Slytherin part of his mind began plotting to separate the two as fast as possible; it was either that or lock his professor in one of the dungeons and hope no-one noticed. Harry simply could not comprehend how it was possible for their future selves to look so…..happy with one another. He nearly vomited when he thought that it was possible they could be in love. Anger welled up inside Harry as he contemplated the idea that Snape had somehow tricked him into it, and yet, the couple looked almost.. right for each other. Surely it wasn't possible that…
Overwhelmed, and more than a little scared, Harry gave in to his body's reaction and was sick over the balcony.
Meanwhile, Severus Snape had resumed his place in the armchair, refusing to care where the Potter boy had gone. Two plates of steaming food lay on the table behind him, but the potions master had no inclination to eat. Similarly to Harry, a plethora of different concerns preoccupied him. Thinking of the man that he had been forced to admit was his future self, he remembered the changes he had noticed. It was strange to admit it, but the man actually looked much younger than he did, despite the fact that he was a year advanced in age. Was this the effect of being finally free from the Dark Lord's service? Yesterday, he would not have even dared to think of such a thing, but if it were actually possible… Snape felt a recurrence of the unidentified feeling from earlier, and realised with amazement that it was hope. Something that he had not experienced for a very long time.
'Of course', he thought sarcastically, 'this change in my future self could have been wrought by Potter'. He laughed bitterly at this thought. How the hell had the boy managed to trick him into it? Unless it was polyjuice potion, and the real him was locked away somewhere, coerced into giving the impostor information with which to impersonate him. If this was the case, he could probably get the golden boy ejected from Hogwarts: from the teaching position he himself had craved for many years now. At the thought of Potter teaching DADA, Snape's thoughts darkened, and as his anger intensified he felt a burst of power leave him and heard the office window break into thousands of tiny pieces. Unrepentant, but feeling slightly calmer, the professor walked over to the window and repaired it with a flick of his wand.
Running his hands though his long black hair absent-mindedly, he felt contempt as he again contemplated the problem of his and Harry's future relationship. Obviously he would have to find a way to prevent it, there was no way he could ever go out with that over-protected, attention seeking, complete idiot of a boy. The very idea was ludicrous, as was the fact that he was twice Potter's age.
'Besides', an evil little voice whispered in his mind, 'you aren't exactly experienced in these matters, are you, Severus? What would you bring to the relationship, your sense of fun perhaps?' Snape tried to silence the thought, but the voice -which stemmed from a hundred different rejections- persisted. 'How could anyone possibly love you?' Snape paced around the office, clenching his fists uselessly. Throughout his life, no-one had ever looked at him in the same way that the future-Harry had. Perhaps, if he were truly loved in the future……
What was he thinking!! This was Harry Bloody Potter he was talking about!! He would have rather been romantically linked to Neville Longbottom!! Angry at letting himself think such foolish thoughts, Snape strode out of the room to find Harry. If he could retain control over the situation he could perhaps prevent this terrible future from ever happening.
It was impossible to cast a locator spell in Hogwarts grounds, thanks to its magical fields, and so it was a very furious Snape who eventually came to the astronomy tower about an hour after he had begun his search. Seeing the root of his problems, Snape spoke to the boy menacingly
'Cowering in remote parts of the castle isn't the best plan of action, Potter.'
'I just came up here to think, do you have a problem with that?' came the angry reply.
'Actually, I do, no-one gave you permission to leave my office. However, I give you credit for endeavouring to think, I know how hard it is for you.'
'Sadistic bastard' Harry muttered. 'I didn't need your permission anyway.'
'I'd give you detention for that language, Mr Potter, but I have no desire to spend any more time with you than strictly necessary.'
'Good. That means I'll be spared the pain of trying not to stare at that peninsula you call a nose.' spat Harry, wanting to be left alone.
'HOW DARE YOU! My nose has more character than both of your two spineless friends put together!'
The blood of both men was at boiling point, and they were only prevented from drawing their wands by the sudden realisation that they were not alone.
Two Ravenclaw students, who had come up to the tower for a late night tryst, were conducting a conversation in frenzied whispers, believing that they had gone unnoticed in the shadows.
'No, it's definitely professors Potter and Snape.'
'Why are they arguing? They always seemed so happy together'.
'Dunno, but I'm not looking forward to potions lessons if they break up. Remember how horrible Snape was before he and Potter started dating?'
The whispers continued in this vein, and Harry and Snape stood still, unsure of what to do. 'This is my chance' thought Harry 'if everyone in school thinks we've broken up……'
'They'll be hurt by the rumours, but they'll still be dating. Admit it, you saw the way they looked at each other' replied his conscience.
Resentfully realising that he couldn't damage his future self's happiness without proof that he would be better off without Snape (however blindingly obvious it seemed to him) Harry swallowed his pride and slowly walked towards his teacher.
'I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't mean it, I'm just stressed from teaching' he said, in what he hoped was a penitent voice. Harry's insides were protesting violently, yet he forced himself to keep moving.
'Apology accepted', said Snape softly, having caught onto Harry's plan.
Harry stopped in front of the older man, and -realising that the students could now see his face clearly- with great effort managed to copy the tender expression he had seen on his elder self earlier. This feat was made particularly hard by the fact that Snape, who had his back to the Ravenclaws, maintained his expression of disgust.
'I….I…' Harry stuttered, he couldn't say it, 'I'll make it up to you later' he compromised. Smiling gently, he leaned upwards and brushed Snape's cheek with his lips, before taking him by the hand and leading him out of the astronomy tower, away from the relieved glances of the students.
Outside the tower, Snape yanked his hand from Harry's and shot him a glare that was equally matched by his pupil.
'Hexing those students would have been a lot easier, Mr Potter, not to mention less traumatising', he sneered, before striding down the corridor. Harry sent a disgusted scowl after his professor, before vigorously rubbing his lips -in vain, alas, the deed was done- and following Snape back to the office.
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I'd really appreciate feedback on this because I think I mucked it up. Badly.:( So please, please tell me what you think. Have a good week.