Chapter 38 – Phantom Hourglass

"I'm sorry!" the rat animagus bawled as soon as the others were gone from sight. "I'm sorry! I never should have betrayed them! He'd have killed me if I hadn't! and – and it was your fault he had the prophecy!"

"Yes, I'm the reason he had the prophecy, but you're the reason he had access to their house," Snape shot back. "You disgust me. I'm glad you're dead and decaying in the bottom of Malfoy Manor. Get out of my sight!"

Wormtail cowered for a moment longer and disappeared with a pop, only to be replaced by none other than James Potter. Severus glared at him, and was honestly not expecting the lead Marauder to apologize at all. When he did, however, Severus was wary and startled.

"I know you're still mad at me for all those things I did when we were in school," James said slowly, "But I should have known that you'd have had a good reason for crying on the train. I'm really sorry, I should have taken the time to get to know you first. I'm sorry I started picking on you the day after your mother's death… "

"And why exactly are you sorry now? Why not before your death?" Severus asked coldly, folding his arms across his chest.

"I was, but I was just too ashamed to admit it to you and apologize. Lily explained it to me when she was pregnant with Harry that your house life was less than desirable, and that the only reason you were crying that day was because your mother had just been killed. I'm really sorry, Severus, and – and I want to thank you for protecting my son when nobody else could. I know a truce is too much to ask for, but I'd at least like to get to know you when you join us up here."

"I think that would work in both of our best interests since your son had begun to look at me as a long-lost uncle of sorts once the war was over. well, before the accident in sixth-year Potions class that sent my body back in time," Severus shrugged.

"I saw. I can't believe you pushed that kid aside to try to protect him. You may be a Slytherin, Snape, but you've got the guts of a Gryffindor as well now that the war's over. Don't tell anyone I told you this, but you'll make a fine father that I could never be. I gave my life to protect my son, and that danger is no longer around for you to worry about, but you'll be able to give your son the love and care that the Dursley's never gave to Harry. Speaking of which, Lily and I are going to go pay them a visit before the night is out. Is there anything you'd like to add to what we'll do to them?"

"I'd say to use the Unforgivable curses, but the simple Marauder-style terror will do," Severus smirked evilly. "I trust Lupin is alright with this?"

"Ah. That," James smiled. "Well, I'll have to work that out with him… he is still alive, after all."

"He is? I guess I'll have to make my peace with him in person," Severus huffed. "I'll see you again on the other side?"

"Yeah, and we can finally put this whole war behind us now," James said with a smile. "Again, I'm sorry that I was such a jerk."

James Potter disappeared just as Wormtail had, and Severus knew that the two were going to go torment Lily's sister and brother-in-law. To Severus' chagrin, Sirius Black was up next, and grinning like a fool.

"Just because you protected my godson, doesn't mean I have to apologize," he said cockily. "But, I suppose it's appropriate. James was yelling at me all year since last year for all the crap we put you through, which makes no sense to me. Something about your mom dying the day before you came to Hogwarts. Wait – oh! That's why you were crying on the Hogwarts Express!"

"Yes, Black, I was crying because my mother had just been murdered, leaving me to fend for myself in a world that hated me for living," Severus snapped, making it look like it was the Marauder's fault he hated life at the time. Which was partly true – his father was the other excuse, but black would never let him live it down.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said at last. "I had no idea… I'd have been glad if it was my parents that were killed, but when it comes to parents that love you… my god… I'm so sorry Sni-Severus."

"I suppose we can start off with a clean slate when I join you up there," Severus said at last. "So long as you promise not to do any pranks that would push things too far."

"Deal," Sirius said. "Do you want to become the fifth Marauder? We could visit Prongslet and tell him."

"Prongslet?"

"Harry is Prongs' son, so he's 'Prongslet'," Sirius explained. "You could be sharptooth, if you want. Do you have an animagus form?"

"Vampire bat," Severus said without thinking, and immediately wanted to Accio the words back into his mouth.

"Nice! Sharptooth sounds good for a bat. I was thinking you were a snake, but that works, too! Is your wife one? Never mind, we'll ask her when she joins up here after you," Sirius said putting his hands up to gesture for Severus to remain calm. "I think it will be a nice change to have you playing pranks alongside us instead of being the butt of them. Want to play it on Voldemort? He's been our main target since he was killed."

"Damn right I do!" Severus grinned, "I've got a score to settle with that bastard for taking away most of my adult life! And he set his familiar to try to kill me! Thank heavens I made an antidote and took it after your godson left the shack…"

"Time's running out," Sirius said looking at an hourglass on his necklace. "We've got limited time with you, and each of us has an hourglass to show how much time we've got left. Hey, good luck, your mom's coming up. I won't blame you if you start crying on her shoulder, and I'll try not to make fun of you for it."

He disappeared with another pop, and soon Eileen Prince Snape was standing in front of her son.

"Mother," Severus gasped and brought her into a fierce hug. "I missed you so much… I'm sorry I couldn't be the man you wanted me to be…"

"No, Severus," Eileen said fiercely. "Your father and I have been watching you ever since we died. I even put a piece of myself into your familiar at the time of my death. But that is beside the point. I'm proud of you son – even though you chose the side of the dark in the beginning, you saw the errors of your ways and tried to fix it. That takes so much more strength than to keep going like a coward. And to protect the son of your greatest childhood enemy – that is the markings of a true hero. You've become a better man than I ever could have hoped for. Your wife is proud for who you are, and she has every right to be, just as I do."

"You're not angry with me for choosing the dark side?"

"Severus, I was disappointed at first, until you diverged back to the light and began acting as a spy to protect your own skins. Now, I know what you're thinking – Tobias plays a part in why you did so since you weren't able to separate him from the rest of the Muggles at the time – and in a way, you're right for that, but Tobias wasn't in his right mind. your father always was an angry drunk, and wasn't at all happy with himself once he joined me up here. Severus, I've got the shortest time slot out of everyone tonight, but I want you to know that I love you, and that I always have, and always will," Eileen said holding him closer.

"I love you, too, mother," Severus whispered as he pulled away. "What about Samantha? What should I do?"

"Give her children a chance to make amends on her behalf," Eileen instructed before disappearing with a pop.

Severus looked around to find that Tobias was walking towards him, without the customary beer bottle in his hand, to Severus' surprise. He held his wand at the ready just in case, and the former drunk made no move to stop him from hexing or cursing him cruelly.

"I know you're mad at me, and I don't blame you, son. Your mother's right – you've become more of a man than I could have ever hoped to be. Helping to save the entire world from behind the scenes – I never would have been able to achieve it," Tobias said shaking his head.

"Now that we've established that I'm a better man than you are, and probably a better father, what do you want?" Severus asked coldly. "and where the hell is your beer? I believe you always had one on hand?"

"Yeah, but I was a fool to turn to drink after your momma's miscarriage," Tobias said, and Severus' eyes widened and he almost dropped his wand. "Yeah, I know, yer' upset. 'Twas right after Samantha was born, actually, and you two had been fighting and both had bouts of what yer' momma calls 'accidental magic'. Your momma had a miscarriage as a result of the projectile that had missed you as its target, and well – the baby was killed."

"That was when you lost your temper and began separating us," Severus realized. "I was three or four, right?"

"Yep. I didn't want it to happen again, but the miscarriage – it broke your momma's heart. It hurt me to see her broke like that, so I turned to drink. Your momma's already told yer' the problem with it, and I think you can figure out the rest. I felt so guilty, that I couldn't stop drinking to drown it out."

"Thus it created a viscious cycle of guilt and drunken stupor," Severus scowled. "What does that have to do with you being here?"

"I'm sorry, son, I really am! I shoulda known it was an accident and you and yer' sister didn' mean it to happen! I'm such a idiot! I'm so, so sorry," Tobias began sobbing, the first time that Severus had ever seen him with tears on his face in all their years. "I'm so sorry… and your momma… I was so distraught when you went to Hogwarts… I wanted to have you there at the funeral with me so I could apologize, but I couldn't. Samantha was at a boarding school, and she saw your mama's grave when she got back. she tried to kill me, but I wouldn't have it. after her sixth year at Beauxbatons, she tried again since she was of age and – I don't remember everything, I was drunk at the time…"

"What did she do now?" Severus asked tapping his foot. "She already caused my wife to have a miscarriage by torturing her with an illegal curse. The same one Lucius used on you, in fact."

"I – she tried to kill me by cutting off my member," he said at last. "She was naked, fresh out of the shower, and had stripped me naked. I was drunk, and she was a copy of your momma, just like you are. I mistook her for your momma's ghost and…"

"You raped Samantha?" Severus asked in disbelief, banishing his wand to its sheath. "Damn, Tobias! How'd she – what – mom-!"

"Oh, they were both pissed off at me, of course," he said at last. "When I came to, she was sobbing and screaming that she hated me and wanted me to die. She used some sort of curse to send the child into some sort of hibernation inside of a bottle. She passed it on to one of her kids, and… well, your half-sister's child is about six or seven, and your sister isn't happy at all. She named her Tobi and left her at Wool's orphanage. Your niece's kid still there, he's a – what do you call it? he can talk to snakes."

"What? How?" Severus asked quickly.

"Dunno. Your neice slept with that Voldy-person, making it partway his as well and giving the baby all of the guys' powers," Tobias said confused. "Why? Was he really that bad? Your niece was a half-blood and died trying to learn how to control her powers."

"Father, Voldemort was a Parselmouth, someone who can talk to snakes," Severus said quickly. "if I don't get him out of there and raise him right, he could become the next Voldemort! That's where Voldemort was as a child!"

"I'm sorry, son," Tobias said at last. "I really am. I didn't mean for him to be born, or for that to happen at all. Your sister was furious when she was born. She wanted to kill her, he was born a week after Halloween, but your momma and I put a stop to it. I told her I'd sic a Death Eater on her – you, son – and that she'd not live to tell the tale."

"I'm glad you told me this, father," Severus said. "Now we can finally start making amends to the little ones that we need to care for."

"I'm so sorry. Treat Tobi's child well, son," Tobias said as he faded into nothingness. Severus jolted awake just as the clock struck midnight.