Disclaimer: I own nothing. Harry Potter is J. K. Rowling's creation.

Thank you to my beta, SeverusLovesUs, without her this would not be readable!

The Infirmary –

Remus Lupin waited outside the gates of Hogwarts for three hours. Albus left him to check on Hermione and her family. Feeling more haggard then he had in most recent times, he could not shake the feeling of dread from settling deep within his stomach. Rotating between sitting on a large boulder and pacing back and forth, he jumped at every sound he heard, hoping that it was Snape returning from Voldomort's side.

He would never have imagined in his younger days that he would be fretting over Snape's welfare His friend Snape, he snorted at his internal dialog. Severus Snape and the word friend did not go together; like oil and vinegar, the two did not mix. Yet, somehow Remus had come to count the solitary man as his friend. "Friend" as in Severus tolerating being in the same room as him, having the occasional civil conversation over tea, and even greeting each other in passing (well, usually Remus says hello while Snape just nods), but still, Remus can count on one hand the number of people that Severus extended those same courtesies to.

Remus discovered some things about Snape that on some level he had always known. One common misconception was that he only cared about his Slytherins. In actuality, he was fiercely protective of all of the students at Hogwarts. He was so protective that he once voiced his opinion during an Order meeting that the golden trio should be packed up and port-keyed to the states, sent into hiding for their own protection until they were old enough to fight in a war. Ah, Severus, it a shame people only see what you want them to see. They would be amazed at the length you go to protect them.

He had also discovered that Severus was never a loyal Death Eater; Albus convinced him that he was in the best position to spy.

Probably why he is so against the headmaster's manipulation's of Harry. No, that is not true. Most of the Order is against the use of the children in this war.

A loud pop startled him out of his thoughts. Lucius Malfoy approached, floating an unconscious Severus Snape behind him.

"His loyalties have been discovered. We need to get him to Albus," he drawled.

Lucius started making his way to the castle, shoulder-length white blond hair flowing in the breeze that his long, graceful strides created, quickly covering the grounds to enter the castle.

How can a man still manage to look like an arrogant aristocrat while floating a half dead man behind him? Realizing the state that Severus was in was what sent Remus into a light jog to catch up.

"Lucius, head straight to the infirmary. I will notify the headmaster of your arrival."

"Please, Lupin," Lucius sneered, "I am sure the old man is aware of our arrival. He probably is already in the infirmary waiting for us. If it would make you feel useful, perhaps you can send a patronus to Poppy so she is ready."

As they laid Severus into a bed, Remus realized Snape's robes were so saturated with blood that it was actually dripping off the hem of the robe. Poppy quickly Divesto'd his clothes to expose his badly bruised and battered body.

Poppy gasped. "My gods, what did they do to him? This looks like Muggle torture."

"Once the Dark Lord discovered his true loyalties, he ordered him to be tortured to death. He felt the use of magic would be too kind for a blood traitor." Lucius stared at his friend's body, concern clearly written on his face.

Albus walked over to his bedside, looking very old and sad. He handed Poppy a small vile filled with a white luminescent potion. "Give him the potion, Poppy; I don't think we have much time before his body fails him. We can get him cleaned up afterwards."

Poppy held the potion so delicately you would have thought it was the Holy Grail. "How much do I give him, Albus?"

"Eight drops. I was told there is enough for two more doses."

She conjured a dropper, uncorked the vile, and slowly dropped the required dosage on his tongue. They all held their breath for a minute and waited for the potion to take effect. It was very anti-climatic as nothing happened.

"Albus, are sure that is the right dose? That the potion works? Perhaps I should start to heal his injuries." The matron started bustling around the bedside.

"No, Poppy, we have to wait. No magic can be used on him until the potion is done doing its job. This is the same potion they used on me, so I know it works. Just give it time."

Lucius looked at the headmaster curiously. "Yes, Albus, this is something you'll have to explain to me. I was always raised with the belief that there is no magic that can reverse death." The headmaster's eyes started twinkling like mad, and his lips twitched up into a smile.

"Ahh, Lucius, have you not asked Severus this question?"

Lucius grimaced. "He always just smirks, tells me some shit about a true Slytherin would not have to ask."

Albus laughed. "Well, then we will just have to wait for the answer until after he wakes up."

"How about we sit and have some tea while we wait. Winky!" Poppy called for the elf and started to gather chairs as the group prepared for their vigil.

"Poppy how is Miss Granger?" For all of Lucius' sneering and snipping, the sincerity of his concern was clear in both his voice and his eyes.

"She is doing well. From what Albus tells me, her outburst was wandless magic. That is very draining. I gave her an Invigoration Draught and some Dreamless sleep. The best thing to do for magical exhaustion is get rest. Her other injuries were minor. She'll feel as good as new when she wakes up, although if the outburst is as powerful as was described to me, she may not wake up for about a week or two. I am sure that if the outburst was that large, she would not have been awake when she arrived here though."

Remus looked at her. "Poppy, I will show you my memory. I saw the damage with my own eyes."

Poppy regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Did you actually see that damage done by her? Both her cousins are magical; perhaps it was a combination of the three of them that caused the damage."

"Perhaps, but the damage certainly seemed to stem for one center, so unless they were holding hands…"

Lucius interrupted their debate. "Both her cousins are magical. That's odd, Poppy, is it not?"

"Yes, very odd indeed. Often we see multiple magical siblings, but not normally cousins. I asked her mother about the relation. It is maternal on both sides. The other odd thing being that both Mrs. Granger and her sister seem to be healing quite quickly. Some of the magical potions work slower on Muggles. Hermione's mum was able to go to the visitor tower for some rest. Her aunt's injuries were much more extensive, but she is healing much quicker than I expected. I put her back in the isolation room for some privacy."

"Are you not keeping Miss Granger here?"

"Miss Granger is two cots over. Her cousins showed no sign of exhaustion; I was able to heal them quickly enough. I gave Natalie some Dreamless Sleep. I believe Molly is minding them in the visitor tower."

Remus looked around the room as though he realized something was missing. "Albus, where is Minerva?"

"I sent her and Alastor to retrieve the rest of the Weasly clan, as well as Harry. I'm thinking of sending for Miss Lovegood and Mr. Longbottom as well. I figure it is safest to have us all here."

A loud bang interrupted the group. All heads turned to Severus Snape. The entire cot that he was laying on lifted from the ground. Severus, still with his eyes closed, howled out in pain and was engulfed in a blinding bright white light. The group shielded their eyes with their arms as they listen to the man scream in pain, not being able to do anything to help him.

Just as quickly as it began, the light diminished slowly into nothing, and the bed dropped back to the floor with a crash. A black, toxic-looking cloud floated above him. Albus flicked his wand and loudly commanded, "bandire per l'inferno".

All three of them approached the bed and gasped at what they saw: a very clean, very healed, and very young Severus Snape.

Obsidian eyes stared back at them. "What the hell are you staring at?" He pulled himself up in the bed, not realizing that he should still be in pain. "Bloody hell, I'm starkers! Why are you gaping at me? Get me some bed clothes," he snapped, as his hand quickly shot down to cover his dangly bits. This action seemed to wake Poppy up enough to close her mouth and grab a sheet to cover him with. Poppy started waving her wand over him, casting diagnostic spell after diagnostic spell.

"Would you stop your fussing, woman? I'm fine! In fact I have not felt this good in ages."

Poppy snorted after the last of her spells completed. "Yes, Severus, perhaps you can tell me the last time you felt this good? Hmmm?" Poppy asked with mirth clearly written on her face. "Perhaps, Severus, you have not felt this good since you were, what twenty-four years old?" Her head shot up quickly to meet the headmaster's twinkling eyes. "Do you think this is permanent?"

Albus chuckled. "Well, since I did not become younger when I took the potion, I would have to guess it is. Now, the potion is ancient. The recipe has been lost. Rufus gave me the last three doses to help with the war effort. The small amount of notes that he had stated that the potion is known by two names, roughly translated from an ancient dialect. One being the Potion of the Light, and the other being Potion of Second Chances.

"That is a lovely story, Albus" Snape snapped. "But perhaps it would be prudent to explain exactly why I am in the infirmary?"

Lucius looked at his friend, raising both eyebrows nearly to his hairline. "Severus, what is the last thing you remember?"

Snape scrunched his eyebrows in and focused his eyes across the room. It felt as if he'd had too much to drink the night before and was forgetting something that was right within his mental grasp. Something important, hopefully nothing embarrassing. Last time he had this feeling, Albus was more than happy to show him the Pensieve memory of him, blabbing to Minerva about how she was like a mother to him, how much he loved her, and how great she was. He had to hide in his rooms for a month after that. Every time she saw him after his drunken debacle she would ask if he wanted a hug or would pat her knee for him to sit on. No, he was not getting pissed last night. He had not indulged in alcohol since the Dark Lord's return, and he would at least remember the beginning of the night. Then it came back to him in quick flashes.

Hermione beaten in the corner, trying to explain what happened.

Casting the Dark Mark above the house.

Arriving at the Dark Lords Lair.

The Dark Lord looking into his mind with those evil, red eyes, not being able to hide that he wanted to protect the girl.

He looked at Albus and quietly began to speak. "Miss Granger…She was not afraid of me when she saw me. All I could think of is: why? She thinks I killed you. Yet, she seemed relieved when she realized it was me. I could not get the questions out of my mind. I was glad that I was able to protect her and keep her out of Azkaban. He saw all this…nothing more…but it was enough to condemn me."

The beating, Avery kicking him, McNair cutting him with a cursed dagger. More people were joining in. He could not make out the faces.

The pain, hoping to pass out, not giving them the satisfaction of hearing him scream. Looking at the half-snake, half-man, evil, red-eyed bastard and telling him, 'You will lose.' The bastard laughing at him.

At least I got to tell him. Wish I could have told him that Albus was alive. That would have shut him up.

Looking at Lucius he asked "How did you get me out?"

"I cast a numbing charm on McNair's hand. Fool didn't even realize that, while he could not feel your pulse, he also could not feel his hand. I was directed to leave you at the gates."

"Why I am alive? Why do I feel so well?"

Poppy clucked at him. "Now, Severus, are you suggesting that I am not a capable healer?"

Albus interrupted before Severus had a chance to answer. "We were able to give you the potion, but it seems to have some interesting side effects."

"The potion, Albus!" Snape practically roared at the headmaster. "The potion that we are to give to Potter if, gods forbid, it is needed?"

"Calm down, Severus. We still have the dose left for Harry." Professor Dumbledore gently acknowledged his concern. "But there is a side-effect that we were not expecting; apparently you age is registering at twenty-four years old."

Severus sat as still as a statue, staring dumbly at the headmaster. It seemed as if an eternity passed before Albus spoke again. "You see, Severus, this is what I was trying to explain to Poppy before you interrupted my….how did you phrase it…ah, yes, lovely story." The headmaster gave Severus a pointed look, eyeing him over his spectacles before continuing, "As I was saying, there is very little known about the potion. Even the creator is unknown."

A small, feminine voice coming from the drawn curtain a couple of beds over interrupted, "There is a legend…" Hermione slowly made her way to a standing position and pulled open the curtain surrounding her bed. Staring at Severus Snape, she slowly made her way over to his bed, as she spoke, "It is said that the potion was created by the goddess Isis, a white, luminescent potion that is said to contain her magical essence. It was called the Elixir of Power."

As Hermione approached her professor, staring intently into his dark eyes, she muttered, "Amazing." Her hand came up on its own accord, and she poked his cheek with one finger, as if checking to make sure he was real. "Absolutely fascinating," she muttered under her breath. It was the second poke, that was a little more forceful then the first, that snapped Snape out of if his trance.

"Miss Granger! If you would kindly desist from poking my person, I am not some kind of experiment nor am I a lab animal."

Hermione blushed and directed her eyes down to the floor. "Sorry, sir."

A very amused Lucius Malfoy cut in, "Please, Miss Granger, continue you story"

Poppy interrupted, "Well, I don't think this is the potion that Miss Granger is speaking of. He is younger not more powerful."

Hermione raised her eyes to Lucius and continued, her voice a little stronger, "Well it was said the Elixir was given a misleading name intentionally. It was created to destroy a Dark Wizard who ruled during the 6th Dynasty, who was said to be more beast than man. It is said the magical essence of the goddess would destroy all dark magic residing in, or used against a wizard. The bottom line being, given to allies, the elixir will bring them back from the brink of death." She pointedly looked at the potions master. "Given to a dark wizard, who has been consumed by dark magic, it will kill. The power is actually given to the people of the kingdom, to allow them to take back their land and live peacefully."

She looked at the potions master's arm. "Look, your Dark Mark is gone."

Severus Snape looked down at his forearm in awe, speechless, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of something to say. Preferably something sarcastic, if he could only put together a coherent thought. The only thoughts currently bouncing around in his head were in a voice that was reminiscent of a five year old boy who received everything he ask for at Christmas.

It's gone…! I'm a good guy now…! I'm not a Death Eater!

Unfortunately for the image of one Professor Severus Snape, snarky Potions master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Death Eater extraordinaire, the only thing that came out of his mouth was "Wow," followed by the largest smile ever seen on the man's face. Then with his eyes alight with humor, he said, "So am I a blood traitor now?" And he actually chuckled.

Remus Lupin, however, had started into a full blown fit of laughter before gasping out, "Sorry, friend, you are worse than that… You're only a half-blood!"

Lucius arrogantly raised his chin to look above the men and drawled, "I am a blood traitor, being of a pure blood line."

Poppy chuckled at the men-it was not often in dark times that you get to joke around like this-and chimed in, "Well, poor Albus is only a Muggle Lover."

At this comment, Remus, Poppy, Snape, and Lucius all snapped their heads in the direction of Hermione, realizing for the first time that Hermione had not batted an eye or even acknowledged the fact that she was in the same room with a man she was supposed to believe dead.

Snape started in an accusing tone, "You knew! You knew I did not kill him! That is why you were relieved to see me. How-why didn't you say anything?"

"We were planning on contacting you. We were not sure the best way to go about it. I have a portrait of Salazar Slytherin that we were planning on using if you returned to the school. But we did not have a way to safely contact you."

The headmaster addressed her, "Miss Granger­-Hermione, you should have brought this to the Order's attention. At least you should have brought this to Professor McGonagall's attention, as she was made head of the Order in my absence."

Professor Dumbledore looked at her with steely eyes he continued on. "You could have cost Professor Snape his life."

She quickly pulled herself up to her full height and looked at the headmaster with narrowed eyes. "So sorry, headmaster." The sarcasm in her voice was not lost to anyone in the room. "Had I known that Death Eaters were going to stop at my house this evening, or even anticipated my Uncle would try to beat the 'evil'" she held her hands up in front of herself, and bent her fingers to signify the quotation marks around the word evil, "out of us, I would have been sure to contact the professor post-haste."

She started to advance on the headmaster, magical energy swirling around her, pointing her finger at him as she continued her rant, "How dare you! You left Draco alone last year. If it was not for Harry being so paranoid and following him around, he would have had no one." Her tone turned sad and quiet, and she stopped advancing. "He was so scared and alone. He thought his parents were going to be killed if he failed in his mission… You could of gone to him, but instead you used him."

She started advancing on him again. "What of Professor Snape? Do you think Harry would have been focused on Voldemort if I hadn't figured it out, or did you think only you would have knowledge of the Elixir of Power? Do you think Professor Snape would have been able to live with himself if the potion did not work?" By the time she finished her rant, she was poking her finger on the headmaster's chest to emphasize her words. She was looking into his eyes, her own amber eyes alight with fury. "I can tell you he would not have lived. I could feel his pain and fear as he cast that spell. It was a silent scream through the castle that ripped through my soul. So don't you dare tell me I could have cost him his life." With the end of her rant, the glass to the potion cabinet cracked. She was taking deep, ragged breaths, trying to regain control of herself.

The headmaster looked as if he had been smacked in the face. His eyes were sad. "Miss Granger, it-sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

Hermione looked at him with understanding and maybe a bit of compassion. "Maybe the greater good is not all that it is cracked up to be, if it means destroying so many good people in the process of achieving it."

Lucius asked, "What did you mean by you could feel his pain?"

She looked over to him "I'm an empath, Mr. Malfoy."

He raised an eyebrow. "Hermione, please sit down and relax. We'll get you some tea, and you can answer a few questions for me?" Although it was a statement, his tone presented it as a question.

Poppy, a little unnerved because of the wave of magic Hermione had created, excused herself to make some tea instead of calling for a house-elf.

Lucius sat next to her, both chairs sitting at Snape's bedside. Lupin positioned his chair on the opposite side of the bed facing them. The headmaster stood at the foot of the bed.

"First, I feel like so much has happened in such a short period of time. We keep getting interrupted while we talk. Let's take some time to try and clear matters up. If you could start by telling us how you know so much about the potion that was given to Severus?"

Severus Snape chimed in, "And if you have any ideas as to why I am twenty-four again, that knowledge would be beneficial."

Poppy walked into the room and poured them all some tea. "Miss Granger, you have had a very stressful evening. I am going to put a bit of Calming Draught in your tea. Just enough to take the edge of dear."

"Thank you Madame Pomfrey. Well, the story of the elixir has been told in my family for generations. Mum said that it has been passed down in the family from mother to daughter for as long as she can remember." She paused a moment before adding, "I never put much stock into it until my first year at Hogwarts when I learned about the Elixir of Life. It is said that the potion has the side effect of granting a secret desire as long as it is of pure intention. What was your secret desire, professor?"

"I have no plans to discuss my secret desires with a student." he sneered

"Now, professor, there is no need to be so snappy. We need to figure this out. I don't know why you are so grumpy. Essentially you got a new lease on life." Her face lit up, her eyes bright with the knowledge that she just accidently stumbled on the answer of a difficult problem. "That's it, isn't it, you wanted a do-over, didn't you'

He rolled his eyes at her excitement "Perhaps I wanted a chance to live my life, not as a Death Eater, just as myself. No spying, no acting, not having to push people away or suffer the presence of imbeciles because they happen to be Slytherins."

"Well, was there something about the age of twenty-four that would bring you back to that age?"

He quickly responded "No, not that I can think of." Other than I think I looked and felt my best at this age. Although he said no to the group, his tone and hasty answer suggested otherwise.

Lucius looked at her "I think we wrapped that up. We can ask your mother if she knows more on your family history and where this story originated from. It seems strange that is was passed down in a Muggle home…. Now, the question I can't wait to hear the answer to… Can you please tell me how you knew Albus was alive? Draco saw the Killing curse; I watched the memory, and I want to know how they cheated death."

Snape and Lupin chuckled at his indignant tone. Hermione smiled at him and went into teacher mode. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, we learned in our first year at Hogwarts, two things are needed for proper charm casting, and in our third year we learned of a third thing that is needed for more complex spells. Can you tell me what they are?"

He raised an eyebrow at her prim tone, but still responded to the question. "Enunciation, wand movement, and intent."

She looked at him pointedly. "Correct, Mr. Malfoy, and did you happen to notice while you watched the memory, that although the Avada was verbalized clearly and correctly, the wand movement was incorrect. The imperfections were subtle. I had to view the memory from Harry three times before I picked up on them, and I think we are all clear on the fact that Professor Snape had no intention of killing the headmaster. So really, he only had one of the requirements met for casting a complex spell. Actually, a brilliant plan. The spell still flashed green, so I am sure whatever he hit the headmaster with was painful, and he would have died if he did not have the Elixir of Power on hand."

Lucius looked at her. "Why did you look at the memory so many times?"

Hermione hesitated before answering, an internal battle going on in her mind trying to decide how much she should tell them.

"Have you noticed I have not questioned your loyalties once?" The question was clearly rhetorical since she quickly continued, "You have to realize that I am an empath, but not just emotionally. I can also feel someone's magical aura. I can sense your loyal to the light, but I can also sense that your magic and your aura is good. Don't get me wrong, you have obviously dabbled in the Dark Arts, but the majority of your aura is good. A wizard at the headmaster's caliber gives off a powerful aura; I would have felt the loss if it was completely extinguished, and I did not."

The headmaster gasped at her confession. "Miss Granger, this gift of yours is something that you need training in! Why haven't you brought this to our attention? This could be extremely helpful to our cause."

A noise in the doorway grabbed the headmaster's attention.

There stood Minerva McGonagall in all her prim and proper glory, head held high, the slightest inclination of her chin suggesting her defiance.

"She told me, Albus, and her mother and I decided it was best if she keep the knowledge of her gifts to herself. By the time she came here at the age of eleven she could fully occlude her mind, Albus. She did not need assistance or training, she needed to mature and learn more about human nature." McGonagall's tone told Albus she did not regret her decision in the least. "You have no experience with empathy, Albus, and I was not going to allow you to use her in this war. She is already best friends with Harry Potter, and the brightest student we have seen in ages."

Snape looked over at Hermione and decided to cut in to the conversation before it turned into an argument. He whole-heartedly agreed with Minerva's decision to withhold the information from Albus. "Out of curiosity, where did you get a picture of Salazar?"

"Perhaps we can have an Order meeting… At least some of the key people; it is not something I want to explain more than once."

"Very well, Miss Granger, as long as you promise not to tell us you are really a Pureblood princess that was hidden in the Muggle world for your own safety." He raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to say it was true.

She looked at him with a confused expression. "Um, no sir. I am not adopted, although my Daddy always called me princess, but I think it was really a term of endearment."

Still standing in the doorway, Minerva looked at the young women with dark circles under eyes and who was looking quite weary. "It is eleven o'clock in the evening; we can have a meeting in the Headmaster's office in the morning. Harry, Ron and Ginny are waiting to see you, Hermione. Then we can see about getting Poppy to release you. The apartment your mother is in has two bedrooms. I will bring you there so you can get some rest without interruption."

"Thank you Professor. That would be nice. I would enjoy a nice soak too."

Hermione turned back to Professor Snape. "Professor, I would like to thank you for all of your help. It means a lot to me, and I will not forget my debt to you."

Gruffly, Snape responded, "You owe me nothing, Miss Granger. It wouldn't do to have the know-it-all of Gryffindor tower stuck in Azkaban would it?"

Hermione leaned down and gave her professor a kiss on the cheek and repeated her thanks. At the same time, Severus seemed to remember that he had been speaking in mixed company for over an hour, bare chested and in nothing other than a sheet covering his lower half. Hermione did not have time to see the blush rising on the professor's cheeks, for the next thing she knew, she saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and heard the impassion plea of Ronald Weasly.

"Bloody hell, 'Mione! Run!" Hermione quickly turned around and watched as Ron Weasly tackled the headmaster onto the ground, demanding he identify himself or he would bind him until the Polyjuice potion wore off. Poppy and Minerva quickly went over to pull him off the headmaster, and Lucius announced it was time for his departure. Lupin tried to hide his amusement, and Snape though his face was emotionless and a sneer was in place, the amusement in his eyes was clear.

When Hermione turned back to the door, she saw Harry looking at her with a relieved look in his eyes, accessing her for injuries. She practically leaped into his arms and started sobbing, the events of the day finally hitting her. Ginny followed shortly after, took one look at her distraught friend, and threw her arms around her.

"Harry, how about you give us a half hour. I am going to take 'Mione up to the tower to get cleaned up, and then when you come up, we can all talk."

"Ok Gin" Harry smiled at the girls "I'll just try to calm Ron down; I want to wait to see if he'll hex the Headmaster"

A/N –

"Bandire per l'inferno" roughly translates to "banish to hell."

Isis is the goddess of life and magic. I did not make her up, but the Elixir of Power, and the story behind the creation is from my imagination.