Rewriting History
Summary: Whenever Harry does something drastic, he always ends up in a bad situation. Time-travel fic.
Pairing/s: None.
Warnings: Harry was never in love with Ginny (They were only very good friends), blood and violence at some part in the story. Harry a bit out-of-character. It follows pretty much the books, except for the Harry and Ginny-love, some minor details and the ending battle (lots of character-death there). Severus Snape's life-history is different. And this is a time-travel story. Did I get everything now? Probably not, but who cares? You'll find out soon enough.
Disclaimers: I don't own Harry Potter.
On with the show.
-
Thank you for all the reviews, and I can say there will be no pairings in this fic that I will make up. Someone, or maybe more than one, seemed to like having Astus and Abraxas together but they will not. They will be close friends though.
-
Chapter Four
Astus woke up on September the first early, although he did not need to. The rest of the students were not to arrive until dinner time. He took this moment to laze around a bit in his bed. He looked over to see Severus still sleeping and then returned his head to the soft pillow.
He had already adjusted to his new life. He figured he should let the Horocruxes be alone until he finished school. Then he would arrange someone to babysit Severus while he gathered them. He did not know how he was going to destroy them though. Should he try taking the Gryffindor sword or chancing a chat with the Basilisk?
Oh well, he had time to think about that later. What he should worry about was his half-finished Potions homework for the moment.
-
"Severus, sit still."
The boy squirmed and glared at Astus.
"Won't work on me," the man said. "You are wearing the robes, and that is the end of it."
"Having troubles, Astus?"
He turned around to see Albus smiling at the scene.
"Severus is just acting his age, sir," Astus said and finally managed to get the squirming child still long enough to get the robe on. "I'm afraid he doesn't like his new dressing robe that much."
"New clothes are always a hassle," Albus said as he eased himself down. "Aren't you going to wear robes?"
"Not yet. Not used to wearing them actually. Can't walk around in a robe amongst Muggles," Astus said with a shrug. "Severus, you need to get used to the robe. Wear it tonight for me, please? Tomorrow you can have your normal clothes."
"Blackmailing?" the headmaster said, amused.
"It works!" Astus whined before he could stop himself.
Once he realized he had just whined in front of the headmaster, he quickly blushed. Albus merely laughed.
-
Many of the students looked curiously over to the teen sitting by the Head Table with a child in his lap. He appeared to be explaining some things to the child who was staring at the roof with big black eyes.
As the first years came in, Astus gently stilled Severus and looked at their faces. He did not recognize anyone but that did not matter much. He listened to the Sorting Hat's song and then McGonagall began calling out names. Just like in the future. He felt the boy snuggle up to him. Not like in the future. He smiled down at Severus who peered up at him with eyes shining with love for his daddy. Definitely not like in the future.
When the last student was sorted, Albus rose up.
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" he said and smiled at them all. "A few things before we tuck into the delicious food. As you all know, the Forbidden Forest is shut off to all students. Do not test fate by walking in there alone. I would also like to remind you that pranking-material is frowned upon; which ones you will find a list with Mr Herber."
So Filch was not working at Hogwarts yet? Mr Herber looked old though, so maybe in a year or two Filch would come. Astus mentally shook himself out of his thoughts and caught the last of what the headmaster said:
"And lastly, we have a student who will begin sixth year, Astus Mentis who is sitting with us at the teacher's table. He does not belong to any house and has his own quarters due to his son Severus. Treat him with respect."
They all stared some more at Astus who suddenly found his goblet very interesting. With a chuckle, Albus sat down and clapped his hands. Food showed up and Severus' eyes lit up in delight. The child was hungry.
Astus made sure the boy had food before he began taking some food onto his plate. He did not load on a lot, considering he rarely was hungry and began eating.
"No wonder you are only skin and bone!" Madam Pomfrey said as she looked at his plate disapprovingly. "You don't eat enough to satisfy a bird!"
"Not very hungry tonight, madam," he said.
"Is it like that every night?" she asked. "You don't want to spend a night in observation with me."
"I am eating!" Astus objected. "Just…I eat smaller portions but more often."
"Can I trust you on that?"
"Definitely!"
Severus looked up at the two and Astus laughed.
"Look at you, silly," the teen said. "You got food all around your mouth instead of in it!"
The boy scrunched his face up when Astus cleaned the area around the mouth. The child continued to eat the moment his face was released. The teen sighed; it was a lost cause and made ready to use the napkin a lot more tonight.
-
Necks craned to have a look at the young man walking down the halls with a toddler happily babbling away bouncing on his thin hip. Some of the girls blushed and whispered to each other after Astus had passed them by; they seemed to find his entire persona very interesting.
Astus inwardly sighed. He was so not good with girls. He never really understood them, and probably would never be able to. He focused on Severus instead, and his schedule. His first lesson was Potions with Gryffindors and Slytherins. What a joy… maybe they were different in the past?
-
Or maybe not. Astus had wisely chosen a neutral spot at the front and let the two houses do as they wished. Severus was sitting in his lap, head buried in his chest and currently napping. Slughorn merely smiled at the sight, and saw how careful Astus was with the child. Once in a while the young man would look down to make sure the boy was comfortable and more than once he ran a hand through the black hair.
He had thrown a small Silencing charm around Severus so he would not be bothered by the sounds the Gryffindors and Slytherins made and for that he was happy. The noise was too much for him, and it would have made Severus a very cranky boy.
"Ease up!" Slughorn eventually barked out. "This is no war-zone but a classroom! Act like you do in a classroom! Lestrange, I am warning you!"
Lestrange? Astus managed to withhold the shiver and glanced back. A sixth-year Slytherin glared at Slughorn, and the raven-haired teen recognized him as Rabastan. Merlin, he was as ugly in school as he had been in the future. Astus turned back to his potion. He did not know Rabastan was that old but stored the information away… just in case.
Damn you Moody and your bloody constant vigilance.
-
"Had a good first day?"
Astus looked up from his book to see Albus coming inside.
"Rather fine," the teen said. "Noisy students."
"And Severus?"
"During Potions he slept," Astus said and looked over into the bedroom. Severus' form could be seen vaguely, and the child was moving slightly in his sleep. "In Transfiguration he annoyed professor McGonagall by calling her Minnie all the time. I think the Gryffindors found that funny though."
"Oh, she has told me about that," the old man said with a chuckle. "Young Severus seemed quite determined to see her blush before the end of the class."
"Yes, and he managed," Astus said with a smile. "Divination was so dull he dosed off again. And he's already asleep. I can't understand how much he can sleep."
"For what I have heard, Severus has not lived an easy life," Albus said. "Lack of sleep previously is not impossible."
"Does it affect you later?" Astus asked, confused.
"Sometimes. Why do you wonder?"
"Well… I really don't sleep much. Maybe a few hours a night," the teen said. "I've done that my whole life."
"Really now? Even as an infant?"
"Mostly. When I was really little I guess I slept much, but later… had too much energy maybe."
"Maybe," Albus agreed but did not look convinced. "Perhaps you should go to Madam Pomfrey for a check-up."
"Erm, no. I feel fine."
"You felt fine despite your magical exhaustion," the man warned. "And you are a bit too thin."
"I've always been thin," Astus tried to protest.
The old man looked at him. The younger felt himself crumble at the stare.
"Do I have to?" Astus finally asked. "She's scary…"
"The scarier she seems, the more she cares," Albus said.
"If I find her terrifying?"
"Then she has already appointed herself as your new mother."
-
Poppy looked far too happy than what Astus liked as the young man edged into the Infirmary on Saturday after his first week at Hogwarts. Albus was happily watching Severus for the teen.
"Right! Sit down there and remove your shirt!"
Astus sat down and slowly took his shirt off. He did not know what she had been able to see while he had been asleep after his magical exhaustion.
Her gasp said she had not seen anything at all.
"You are all skin and bone!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she walked briskly over to the bed where he sat. She drew the curtains around the bed if a student walked in and then looked him over. She walked over to watch his back, and Astus felt her finger follow one of the scars.
"What happened to you?" she asked.
"A lot of things," Astus replied.
"These are… these are from a cutting curse."
"Yeah. Didn't move away fast enough," the teen said and pushed away the memories.
"Who healed you?"
"A friend."
"And where is that friend now?" The woman feared the answer.
"She's dead, ma'am."
Poppy closed her eyes and then opened them again. Astus needed some care, and she was going to help him. She eyed his spinal cord disapprovingly. It stuck out between his shoulder blades and down his back far too much.
"You will have nutrient potions," she said as she walked back again. "Do your joints hurt when you walk?"
"… Sometimes, when I've carried around on Severus for too long."
"Too little body-fat, that's the problem," Madam Pomfrey said. "Your bones take damage and become weaker. You don't want to have weak bones, I can tell you that."
Astus let her prod around and closed his eyes. He felt a bit tired now. Madam Pomfrey saw this and gently helped him to lie down. He tried to protest but she shushed him softly and said:
"School and a child at the same time is a bit tuff, even for someone as tough as you. You need all the rest you can get. I'll do my scans while you take a well-deserved nap."
Before he knew it, he shut his eyes and slept.
-
"He's exhausted Albus, and his body is weak!"
The headmaster looked at irate medic witch and sighed sadly.
"I know he is," Albus said and sat down. "I just don't want him to fall behind too much."
"It's still too much," she objected.
"Poppy, he's eighteen and doesn't know the sixth year very well. How would you feel?"
The woman was about to say something when she thought at the statement. Finally she sighed and lowered the finger she automatically had gotten up to give Albus a lecture.
"I don't know," she admitted and sat down as well.
Severus had stopped listening to them, opting to curl up beside his father instead. Astus was sleeping deeply and Poppy did not have heart to wake him. Her scans showed he was underweight and dehydrated almost to the brink of collapse. He was also sleep-deprived due to taking care of Severus when the child woke up at night, studying and generally feeling too behind as it was.
Albus looked at the sleeping young man and said:
"What do you suggest, Poppy?"
"Nutrient potions firstly, lots of fluid and steady meals," she said. "He also can't take care of Severus all the time, especially during the nights when he needs his sleep. I also suggest he has Dreamless sleep potions once in a while to be fully rested."
"I'm quite sure that we can take turns in watching over Severus during the nights," Albus said. "The only thing is that Severus doesn't sleep at all if he is not in the same room as Astus."
"A teacher is there during the night?" she tried.
"We have to ask Astus first," Albus reminded. "But I'm not saying I'm against it. Aah, he's waking up."
Astus took a deep breath and blinked his eyes open. His arm automatically curled around the boy who snuggled closer. He looked up at both of them and said:
"Why are you two staring at me?"
"We were just talking about you," Albus said. "And Poppy has a few suggestions of what to do with you."
Astus looked at them both for a long time and then said:
"Should I like it, or should I run the fastest I can?"
-
"Hey, teacher's pet!"
Astus tensed slightly at hearing Rabastan's voice. He did not turn around for that would mean being called that for the rest of his time at Hogwarts and he most certainly was not going to accept it.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
Astus happily wrote on. Suddenly someone slammed his hand down on the table. Astus looked up at Rabastan's face, his own face blank. A small group of Slytherins stood nearby, seemingly amused by Rabastan's anger.
"Is there something you want, Mr Lestrange?" Astus asked politely. Personally Astus wanted to rip the teen's throat open, but the thought of spending the rest of his life in Azkaban did not fully appeal to him.
"Didn't you hear me calling on you?"
"Did you call on me?" the young man said.
"Don't joke around, teacher's pet." The name was almost hissed out.
"There is that name again. I have to wonder; who are you talking about?" Astus asked and looked around the table he was seated by, seemingly curious. "I can't see anyone around here."
One of the Slytherins began to snicker. The Lestrange went red in his face and said:
"You think you're in a position to act up against me?"
Astus looked down at his left sleeve with purpose and for too long to just be a careless glance. Rabastan grew pale and withdrew. Astus smirked and said:
"Oh ho… you don't want that out want you now? The little mark on your left arm?"
Now the group of Slytherins all paled. Astus chuckled and continued:
"I'll let you know this; I've fought in war, and against people far, far stronger than you Lestrange. You and your little snarky attitude don't frighten me one tiniest bit."
Rabastan backed away slowly and Astus shook his head and turned back to his book.
"Will you tell anyone?" the Lestrange growled out.
"Just give me an utterly tiny reason," Astus said, showing a millimetre distance between his thumb and point finger, "and I'll do it. If you look at me or Severus wrong, you'll find yourself in the lovely company of Dementors."
"Lovely company?" Rabastan sneered.
"Yes, aren't Dementors really lovely creatures?" Astus said with a bright smile. "Especially when they're about to kiss you. I never really appreciated my speed of moving away before that."
They all paled further and satisfied, he turned around. They would not bother him much.
-
Giggling girls never boded well. Giggling and blushing girls meant run for your life. At least when Astus was concerned. He had already decided that girls were the weakest side for him. He had no real idea how to deal with them beyond Hermione and Ginny. And those two were not really overly-girly.
"Astus?"
Oh Merlin I'm fucked. Astus turned to the girl and said:
"Yes?"
"How's Severus today?" she asked and blushed a bit. She obviously was building up on something. Astus told his legs mentally to not run away. It was a girl, not Voldemort! She was not out to kill him! Legs, stay put!
"He's doing just fine," the young man said, missing the weight of the boy on his hip. "He's with Headmaster Dumbledore at the moment."
"Oh, why?"
"Well, I have homework and Severus is a bit too energetic to allow me to concentrate," the man said.
"O-okay." Please, tell me that was all. Please Merlin, or whoever hears me, tell me she was only interested how Severus was doing.
"Um…" Damn. "Astus?"
"Hmm?" Oblivious! He could play oblivious. He was good at that. Too good even.
The girl, a Hufflepuff what was her name again, looked around the corridor. The group of girls she had come from giggled and she turned back to him. Probably betted she could kiss me. Damn. So not good with this stuff. Someone kill me please…
He took a deep breath and felt after his Gryffindor courage. He found it after a little while, and grasped it tightly. He leaned down towards her and she blushed heavily.
"Is it a bet or a challenge you responded to?" he asked quietly so the others could not hear.
"A… a c-challenge," she stuttered out, blushing to have been caught.
"What was it?"
"A-a kiss on y-your cheek."
Cheek. Good, can handle that. Merlin knows Hermione did that enough. And Tonks. And Ginny. And Mrs Weasley. And Fleur… hmm… Maybe I should reverse that. Bet it would surprise them all.
Having finished his inner debate, Astus smiled at her, and laid a hand on her cheek. It was burning underneath his cool hand. She stared up at him, and nearly fainted as his lips brushed against her cheek, warm lips against warm skin, and her eyelids fluttered close for a moment. He straightened up, smiled again and slowly walked away.
She slowly put a hand against her cheek where he had kissed her before her friends all ran up giggling and wanting to ask her all kind of questions. She could only stare after him, thinking that this is what love felt like.
-
"I see you have become quite popular with the ladies."
Astus groaned and let his head hit the desk. Severus looked at his dad's strange behaviour with large eyes while Albus burst out laughing at the sight. Astus dunked his head a few times before getting his head up again and saying:
"Me and girls do not work out very well together."
"It seems like all of the girls in the school are ready to disagree. Most of them seem quite envious at Miss Clearwater, as she has been the only one to receive a kiss from you."
Clearwater? Wasn't that Percy's girlfriend? Ack, I'm in the past, remember! Must be the mother or something! Gah, this is way too complicated!
Severus decided to break Astus' thoughts by raising his arms and a determined 'Up!' came from his mouth. Obediently Astus picked him up. Small arms wound as best as they could around his torso and the small boy closed his eyes as he was right where he wanted; in his dad's lap.
"So, Astus, who are you going to ask out for a date?" Albus asked, just to see the teen blush again.
"Oh please Merlin, stop!" Astus shrieked, blushing heavily. "Forbidden words, forbidden words!"
Albus burst out laughing again, and Severus looked at them both with wide eyes.
-
Astus was a bit nervous about having a teacher in the same room while he slept. But he needed a full night's sleep, and his body was so tired now, his mind sensing it was going to crash any minute and he gratefully slumped down on the couch. Severus curled up beside him, knowing when Astus acted like this the man needed a bit of time alone and quiet.
It would be professor Flitwick this night, and he would be coming in a half-hour. Generally Severus woke up five times a night, and somehow Astus always woke up in the morning with the boy. The teachers explained that he would not go back to sleep until he could sleep next to Astus. The man figured it was alright; Severus had just recently gained someone who really cared, someone who was not afraid of caring for the boy and someone who did not complain when the child needed a cuddle.
Astus must have been more tired than he thought because when he next opened his eyes Flitwick smiled at him.
"Tired young man?"
"Yes, I believe so," Astus said and yawned. "Ready to go to sleep, Severus?"
"Yep!"
"Then go and brush your teeth."
Severus pouted but Astus would have none of it. He nudged the boy towards the bathroom and Severus finally went.
"What about you?" the professor said.
"Already done so," the man said with another yawn. "I will go now. His night-clothes are in the crib."
"I'm sure I will find it. Have a good night, Astus."
"You too, professor. He can be a devil at times."
"Oh, we have all learned the trick by now so he is a sweet angel."
Astus snorted at that and went into the bedroom. He changed quickly, ignoring to look into the mirror. He already knew how thin he was, but at least he was starting to gain some weight. Maybe he should go out flying some, do a little mock-Quidditch… it had been so long ago.
As his head hit the pillow, he was out.
Tbc…
How do you like Astus and Severus?
Chapter five: More classes, and some Slytherins try to act up. Astus is going to show that no one should mess with him.
Until later,
Ja,
Tiro