Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.
Title: Time and other Truths
Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.
Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.
Chapter Notes: In which more of Severus' past is revealed and a revelation waits to be made.
Author Notes: Had to split the last chapter in two. This turned out waaaaaay longer than I thought it would. The original chapter I wrote was less than a page long and now it's over 4 pages and two chapters long.
Key
Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"
Spells: Stupefy
Thought: 'notepad hates me'
SFX: *BOOM*
Writing: Once upon a time...
Memory: ~ "because notepad is bratty" ~
Page Breaks: -TaoT-
~Severus had been unable to reach the Dark Lord before Bellatrix did and was punished not only for his tardiness but for not being the one to gift the Dark Lord with the information. Not even a week had pasted before Lucius Malfoy brought the names of the only two wizards to be born in July to their Master.
"The Potters and the Longbottoms? Well done Lucius. Now bring me all the information you can on both families." Severus nearly cried out in rage. 'Why! Why Lily! Why did she have to suffer for his carelessness? And Frank. The only one who ever tried to stop the Marauders from bulling him.'
Several days later he once again, turned to Dumbledore in desperation. Begging and pleading with him to save the Potters' and Longbottoms'. He had been so desperate to get the man to help that Dumbledore finally explained that he planned to draw the Dark Lord out using the families as bait. Appalled by this so-called Champion of Light Severus once again fled Hogwarts without hope for the future.
That night Dumbledore thought he had Obliviated Severus' memories of the conversation and the prophecy, but it had failed. Unsure of what to do and with time running out Severus remembered the words of the old Auror Moody and rushed to the Ministry.
-TaoT-
Alastor Moody or Mad-eye Moody as many called him interrogated Severus for over a week before he believed him. The Man spent hours chastising the young man for being so stupid as to fall in with the Dark Lord. But thankfully the day after his story cleared James Potter and Frank Longbottom were brought into his cell to hear the prophecy.
As theirs' were the only two families expecting boys at the end of July Severus had been told that the Dark Lord planned to kill both children just to be sure. When Severus got around to telling them who else heard the prophecy both men had accused him of lying.
Severus explained how he had gone to Dumbledore at 17 seeking asylum and again just before he came here. This time asking the old man to hide both men's families and warn him about the spy in their midst, only to be turned away both times.
He nervously continued telling them how the Dark Lord was aware of their Order of the Phoenix and had already planted a spy in their ranks, one that Dumbledore apparently already knew of. He continued on explaining how Dumbledore had Obliviated the seer and admitted that he planned to use the Potters' and Longbottoms' as bait to draw out the Dark Lord.
Moody verified the truth of everything he said making both men swear a Wizards Oath to keep where they got the information from a secret. "Potter, don't tell Lily you saw me. Please." Severus asked still worried of what his oldest friend thought of him. James only nodded. leaving the cell so that he could begin to prepare his family to go into hiding.
The next few days Moody came to his cell every morning, teaching him reliable and untraceable ways to communicate and pass on information. Both men knew it was only a matter of time before he was returned to the Dark Lords side and Severus planned to do all he could to bring the mad man down.
Moody had a big laugh the day he told Severus that his mind had been wide open the whole time he was at the pub, and the old Auror had known from the start that Severus wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lord. But he wanted Severus to come to him on his own. So he had let the boy go.
Now though he was teaching Severus how to close his mind and keep it closed with a technique called Occulmency. He was taught how to plant false memories and manipulate everything a Legitimens (someone who attacks the mind of another) can see.
One day a young man a little older than Severus came to his cell, the man was wearing the bright yellow robes of an Auror trainee. "I am Trainee Shacklebolt. Instructor Moody said to give this to you, as you will be released today. Good day Mr. Snape."
The man left and Severus look down at the package that had been left for him. Inside of the hat-box sized container were the robes he wore the day he turned himself in as well as his wand and the rest of his personal effects, but at the bottom of the box was a small journal and an eagle feather quill as well as a small muggle coin strung on a chain with the words "In Temperance is Victory " carved into it.
That same day Lucius came to release him from his cells walking him straight out of the Ministry and into a rather painful series of Crucio curses courtesy of the Dark Lord. Severus was able to put his new skills in Occulmency to the test almost immediately following his arrival as the Dark Lord probed his mind to see if he had revealed any of their secrets.
He conjured false images of getting interrogated and tortured in stony silence by cruel faced Auror then getting released thanks to Lucius Fathers connections. He also created a few pre-planned memories of overhearing Aurors discussing the Order of the Phoenix and how they held their meetings at Hogwarts as well as the fact that the DADA professorship at Hogwarts was currently vacant.
Having a spy positioned in the school would be an asset to the Dark Lord but it would also make it easier for him to pass information on the Dark Lords movements on to Alastor and the other Aurors. The Dark Lord took the bait and sent Severus to Hogwarts to apply for the position of DADA teacher the very next day. As Severus expected Dumbledore did not even review his application before denying him the position.
On his way off the grounds he ran into his old Head of House and Potions Instructor Horace Slughorn. "Why hello my boy, Simon, was it?" Severus girt his teeth. He was never apart of old Sluggy's Slug Club (By personal choice; of course.) but the man could at least admit to not remembering him. "Severus." He muttered increasing his gait in order to avoid any further conversation.
"Oh yes, Eileen Prince's son. Excellent in potions she was, turned down my Slug Club too. I'll have you know." the man continued easily keeping pace with Severus' near run. "What brought you to Hogwarts today my boy?"
"Getting turned down for a job" Severus shrugs hoping that by pointing out that he had been refused employment that the old collector would let him be on his way.
"Well that's utter rubbish! You just come back here same time next week. I'm holding interviews for a new potions professor. Can't keep teaching forever you know. I'll even put in a good word for you with the staff. You'll see boy. What ever Sluggy want Sluggy gets and I believe you are the only Potions Master in the country right now aside from me that old bumblebee would be a fool to dismiss you again under such circumstances."
Severus just stopped and blinked at the manipulative old Slytherin. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were doing something nice with nothing to gain from it sir?" He questioned cautiously. 'I don't know whose side he's on so I can't be sure this isn't a trap.'
"It's a good thing you know better then." He said turning to make his way back to the castle. "That Alastors' got a mean right hook be sure to not tick him off boy!" Slughorn shouted before entering the castle.
Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He would get his job at Hogwarts and it would actually be doing something he loved. Alastor must have known Dumbledore would refuse him so he set up a back-up plan. How positively Slytherin of the man. 'I never did ask him what house he was sorted into…' Severus mused as he apperated to the designated meeting place the Dark Lord had given him.
-TaoT-
While he was punish for not obtaining the DADA job he was congratulated for acquiring the Potions professor position instead. The Dark Lord had him stay behind after the meeting and called him to his private rooms.
"I am pleased with you Ssseveruss." He started circling the lone chair in the room before sitting down. "I have another missssion for you Ssseveruss." he continued. "Anything for you My Lord." He answered calmly while inside he gagged.
"I want you to infiltrate the Order of the Phoenix. Proclaim that you have fled from the dark and seek only salvation in the light. That old fool Dumbledore is sure to take you in as his own little pet project." Severus showed the required revulsion on his face before bowing low to kiss the hem of the Dark Lords robes. "As you command, My Lord."~
