Author: HatefulRodeo
Story: The Lion's Little Snake
Notes: Hello Lovelies; we are almost at the end my dears! Severus' POV first ang then we switch to Godric's. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story.
Previously:
Yes, generally they were well off and Severus was well paid at Hogwarts but it was a pittance in comparison to what he should be making. But one had to make sacrifices in life and this was just one more for Severus to make. One day he would get the hell out of this school. One day he would brew and create as much as he liked. When that day came he would cry with joy and revel in his freedom.
Deciding he'd spent enough time in his own thoughts he turned and began to create the Runic chain around the mark designating True East. So much to do with so little time left. He was well aware that the war was about to break out in earnest; the school term was wrapping up in three weeks.
In three weeks he would either still be here or he would be safe with Godric. He prayed he was gone by then but he was prepared for the worst, as always. However, he couldn't help but think that this ritual would work and he would be free from his dismal life. The only sounds in the room were Severus' breathing and the scratching sound of the chalk moving over roughhewn stone.
~*~*~*~*~*~*Chapter 2~*~*~*~*~*~
It was time for the ritual to begin; Severus had brewed the necessary potion, drawn the necessary Runes and added the vital Arithmantical equations. All in all the ritual was set up to perfection, according to the Four Founders; he really hoped they were right.
The potion he would be ingesting was a powerful relaxant mixed with an anti-nausea draft. Severus was finally clued in that the ritual in fact did send one back in time; Godric was practically radiating happiness at the prospect of his little snake joining him in his time.
However, the journey through time would be equivalent to taking a portkey; a very long portkey. Hence the use of the position; it would keep the onyx eyed man relaxed and get rid of the feeling of nausea that accompanied long portkey trips. That was a bit of a relief for the Potions Master.
Severus would already be overwhelmed travelling over a thousand years into the past he really didn't want to show up at Hogwarts and vomit on Godric's boots. That would make a great first impression wouldn't it?!
Aside from the potion he'd been persuaded to bring back all the Founders' portraits back with him; not just Godric's. They'd insisted they didn't want their living selves to forget Severus. They considered him family and they would be damned if the onyx eyed man lost them.
It made the raven haired man happy that they wanted to accompany him and be absorbed back into their living bodies. It would have been hard to see them in the past and not have Rowena and Helga worrying over him or to not have Salazar debating with him about potions. Sighing, he checked his pockets; he had his trunk full of galleons, clothes, and potion's text along with the Founders' shrunken portraits. Other than that he didn't see the need to take anything else.
Removing his wand from its holster on his wrist Severus stepped into the ritual circle and released his magic; "Mother Magic, please here my plea and give me your blessing." He waited for a minute, feeling nothing, until a small spark of foreign, heavy, power began to swirl around him. Smiling, he knew his plea was heard and continued in Latin; "Mater magicae meam audient placito."
"Quo me remittis esse. Tempus accessionibus damnisque, sed tamen verum amare nunquam dissolubilis. Redde me dies dilectus meus regnum. Mater magicae, obsecro vos, ut meam audient cordialis placito et commoda mihi dilectum tuum benedictio tua et terribilis potentia."
Such simple words, Severus thought, but they conveyed so much and with one more great surge of power, mingling with his own, he was swept away to the time he truly belonged. Hopefully, he'd done everything correctly...but he'd see ii all their hardwork paid off in a little while.
~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*
Lord Godric Gryffindor felt restless and jumpy; something was going to happen today he just didn't know what. And that made him nervous. In this day and age you couldn't be caught off your guard. The muggles would slaughter them if they knew they were wizards or that Hogwarts was a magical school. Thank the Gods that they had wards up to protect them against a hoard of attacking, angry, bloodthirsty muggles.
It was sad that things deteriorated to this point but there wasn't much he, or his fellow Founders, could do. It appeared Salazar was correct when he said most muggles wouldn't accept them. Godric really couldn't understand why. Yes, they had magic but they were still human just a bit different. But different equalled dangerous to the majority of muggles; at least at this time it did.
How Merlin coexisted with them for so long was a mystery? They'd tried working out several truces with the muggles but nothing worked and many muggleborns, who Rowena believed were descended from squib lines, were killed. It was such a shame to know innocent blood was being spilled; regardless if it was magical or muggle.
Thank Merlin Rowena was working on a way to identify muggleborns in the surrounding area; it seemed squibs generally settled down around areas steeped in magic, even if they couldn't wield it. According to the intelligent Ravenclaw founder muggleborns were the product of a manifestation of magic in long forgotten squib lines. After so many years the latent magic in their ancestors' veins built up until it was strong enought to appear in a magical child.
Once the brightest witch of their age figured out a device that identified muggeborns at their first show of accidental magic they would create more and deliver them to the magical communities scattered around England. They would also keep one at Hogwarts; with that invention they would blanket the whole country and be able to rescue the muggleborn in question before they were hurt or, Morgana forbid, killed.
With a huff he decided to escape his chambers and go for a walk; it was a Saturday so classes weren't being taught and his rooms were stifling him. His mood lifted a bit when he stepped onto the grounds. The students were milling around, and lounging by, the lake, entertaining the baby Squid Rowena purchased a few months ago.
Why they needed a Giant Squid was beyond him but it made Rowena happy so he left it be. Salazar had a bloody Basilisk and he had a Lion so he guessed a Squid wasn't that odd if he thought about it. With a smile, and nod to his charges, he made his way toward the Forbidden Forest; the place always calmed him. Being around nature always did, probably due to his elemental magic. True, he was no Fire Mage but he could still burn his opponents to a crisp if need be.
With a chuckle he stepped into the cool shade of the massive trees and began to wander. He spotted a Unicorn grazing in a clearing and decided to sit and watch. The presence of such a pure creature soothed him. Godric was feeling quite relaxed when a great surge of power crested over him, startling the Unicorn and making it flee. With reflexes honed in battle he lept to his feet and assumed a dueling pose.
The surge calmed and with a blaze of red flame a man fell lightly onto the ground. Godric looked at the new arrival with trepidation and caution; it wasn't everyday a, from what he tell, handsome man dressed in odd clothes fell out of the sky. On guard he approached the moaning man and listened to the man as he cursed quietly about insane Founders and their damned powerful rituals.
Curious, he cleared his throat to get the newcomer's attention. When those black eyes met his he felt something tug in his magical core. The red head pushed down the feelings drawing him to this man and spoke; "State you name and why you are here!"
His voice radiated power and practically made people obey him. The raven haired man scowled and shakily stood; "My name's Severus Tobias Snape and I'm a Potions Master from the year 1997. I was sent back here by you and the other Founders. If you'll allow me to take something out of my pocket you will understand."
The tall red head just stared at the man in front of him in disbelief; he was from the future and not only that he, and the his other Founders, sent him back to this time. This was unbelievable but when he looked into those dark eyes full of sincerity he nodded and gestured for the man to remove the item from his pocket.
Godric, however, never took his green eyes off the wand in the man's other hand. The alleged time traveler pushed aside his heavy black robe and slipped a slender hand into his trousers, moving it around slightly, he pulled out a small portrait frame.
The red head looked on, watching the man like a hawk. The onyx eyed man raised both his hands in the air, showing the Gryffindor he meant to harm, and stepped forward to give the red head the portrait.
When they were standing three feet from each other Godric made a request; "Before we go any further I would like you to surrender our wand until we can verify your story." The man, Severus, nodded and handed his wand over; grip facing the red head, of course. Once the raven haired man's wand was placed in his robe pocket and spelled with an anti-Summoning charm he took the shrunken portrait from the other.
The red head waved his wand and un-shrunk the painting, staring in shock when an older version of himself smiled back at him. Good Merlin and Morgana! This could not be happening! How was this even possible? His internal rant was cut short when his portrait laughed loudly; "Ah, the look on your face right now is priceless. I swear, Severus, the trip would have been worth it just to see his face right now!"
Severus just sighed and rolled his eyes, leaving Godric, both alive and painted, to their own devices. Summoning that Gryffindor courage his House was known for the younger red head plunged right in; "How are you, a portrait of me, here? And why are you here? And how do I know this is not a trick?"
His older version nodded; "All good questions. Please, allow me to explain, yes?" When the younger red head nodded the older continued; "I am a portrait of you; the portrait that was created when you passed on. As for why I'm here; the situation in the future is grave, prejudice between purebloods and muggleborns if rife."
"Salazar is known as a supremacist and a murderer. Our house is full of blinded bigots pumped up on self-righteousness. Rowena's house full of zombies, sucking down books for the sake of it, and parroting back the information with no desire to explore it. Helga's Badgers are ridiculed as weak and useless. It's deplorable and I needed to come back to change it."
"Not only me but all of us. Severus has the portraits of the others in his pocket. But I also wanted Severus to come back to this time for another reason. That reason will be explained in a bit as it is not crucial right now. As for how you know this is not a trick; ask me anything, something only you and I would know."
The living Gryffindor scowled at his painted double; "At what age did we truly lose our virginity and what was the name of the person we lost it to?" The painted man laughed and smirked; "We were thirteen and their name was Vincent; we topped of course." Both Gryffindors smirked, smugly. Severus cleared his throat; "Yes, well now that that has been cleared up I think we should get to the absorption."
The painted Gryffindor nodded in agreement; "Yes, Severus my little snake, you are correct as usual. Now, younger me I will need you to reabsorb the shard of soul piece inside this portrait. Once you do that you will know all that I know and will be able to make changes in this time so in the future these atrocities I have spoken about do not happen."
The living red head looked thoughtful; "So once I absorb the soul piece I'll know everything; like why Severus was brought back here?" The painted version of himself smiled; "Indeed, you will. Now get on with it. I am quite anxious to greet Severus properly." He frowned in confusion and looked at the blushing, pale skinned, onyx eyed man.
Deciding to get on with it he focused his magic and sought out the piece of himself in the portrait; he knew reabsorbing the soul piece would be painful but from what his older self told him it would be necessary. Once he located the piece he took a deep breath and began to chant lyrically in Latin, infusing his voice with magic; "Quamvis separabis vocas ad me. quaeram te et tu ad me velim. Hic placitum meum dilectam animam et revertetur ad me."
A blinding white light erupted from the portrait when Godric finished chanting, it enveloped both portrait and man for a few moments. When the light dimmed the living Godric was panting on his knees, clearly in pain.
Seeing the man he adored in agony Severus hastily made his way toward the other. Dropping to his knees the raven haired man took Godric's handsome face in his hands and tilted his head back. When their eyes met he smiled softly; "Are you alright, Godric. Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do?"
The red head smiled grimly before moving forward and pressing a chaste kiss to Severus' soft, thin, lips; "I've wanted to do that for so long." The onyx eyed man pulled away with a huff; "I'm assuming your fine then?" The taller man chuckled; "Indeed, a simple pain potion should set me right. But none of that right now. Just stay with me."
Severus smiled again and sat down next to the larger man, both enjoying the other's presence and the silence. A few moments later they heard the rustle of bushes and the three remaining Founders came into the clearing; their wands drawn and curious expression on their faces when they saw their red headed friend seated next to a slender raven haired man with a blank portrait next to them.
Godric turned towards them; "No need for that my friends. I would like you to meet Severus Tobias Snape, Potions Master and my lover." Salazar, Rowena, and Helga looked at him as if he was insane; the last time they checked the Gryffindor Lord was single as single could be. But before his fellow Founders could act Godric spoke again; "Now, I know it sounds insane but it's true. Severus came from the future to help us."
"The future is terrifying my friends but we'll fix it. Severus brought your portraits with him so you can absorb the sliver of soul piece inside them and know what I know." The three looked at each other before Salazar stepped forward; "May we see our portraits, please." Severus nodded and removed the three canvases from his pocket and handed them to their respective Founder.
When the painting were distributed Rowena, Salazar, and Helga went a bit away from them to converse with their painted selves. Godric just sat next to Severus, enjoying the man's steady presence while admiring his beauty and build. The man was gorgeous to the Lord of Gryffindor.
He was grateful this man went through all he had to in order to get back here to him. With a start he reached into his robes, removed Severus' wand and handed it back to him. The raven haired man smiled in gratitude and slipped his wand back into its holster on his delicate wrist.
Three flashed of blinding white light alerted him to his friends reabsorption of their soul pieces. He held Severus back when he went to get up and help the others; "Let them assimilate, my little snake. They will be fine. The pain is great but only momentary." The smaller male bit his lip but stayed still, a look of curiosity on his face; "How did you absorb your soul piece so easily?"
The red head chuckled; trust his love to wonder about that. The man should have been a Ravenclaw if he wasn't so damn cunning; "Well it was quite simple. I used my voice, infused with my magic, to call my lost soul piece back to me. I know that lyrical casting, and chanting, have gone out of style in your time. Shame, really, as it is quite useful."
Severus merely nodded and looked thoughtful; "I'd like to learn it if I could." Godric merely laughed outright; "Of course, my little snake, I'll teach you all you want to know as long as you stay by my side." The onyx eyed man rolled his eyes; "Where else would I want to be, foolish Gryffindor! I travelled over a thousand years to be with you and you think I would leave?"
The red head wrapped and arm around his love and pressed him into his strong side; "I just had to be sure, little snake." Severus laid his head on Godric's broad shoulder and watched as the three Founders joined them. Once they were all seated they began to talk about the future; Salazar was particularly angered by what he'd seen.
Severus contributed when he could but mostly the Four Founders conversed; all thoroughly disgusted by what became of their school, the magical world, and that someone like Dumbledore became Headmaster. When the sun began to set the five of them made their way toward the castle. Godric looked thoughtful; "Who's watching over the students?"
Helga answered; "When we felt the surge of magic coming from the forest we called the students inside and into their Common Rooms. Once everyone was inside we locked down the school before we set out to investigate. The other Professors are watching over them and will respond if there is an issue in the House Common Rooms." The red head nodded and walked hand in hand with Severus back toward the castle.
Translation:
Mother magic hear my plea. Send me back to where I should be. Time waxes and wanes but true love never fades. Take me back to the days of my true love's reign. Mother magic, I beseech you to hear my heartfelt plea and lend me your beloved blessing and your awesome power.
Mater magicae meam audient placito. Quo me remittis esse. Tempus accessionibus damnisque, sed tamen verum amare nunquam dissolubilis. Redde me dies dilectus meus regnum. Mater magicae, obsecro vos, ut meam audient cordialis placito et commoda mihi dilectum tuum benedictio tua et terribilis potentia.
Though separate you call to me. I seek you out and wish for you to return to me. Here my plea beloved soul and return to me.
Quamvis separabis vocas ad me. Quaeram te et tu ad me velim. Hic placitum meum dilectam animam et revertetur ad me.
So Severus made it back to Godric! I know you all probably want slash and it will happen but I thought it incredibly insane that as soon as Sev appeared and Godric knew what happened that they would shag. So patience please!
All Mistakes Are My Own!