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Chapter 56
It had to be a fucking joke. Severus woke up the next day with a headache. It all came back to him. He was fucking sixteen again. Hermione was not by his side. Severus woke up with a raging erection. He went into the loo and took care of it. He put on a robe and met Hermione, Tom and Minerva in the kitchen.
"What time is it?" He said as he accepted a cup of tea from Minerva.
"4:00 PM." Hermione said and sat by him.
"You look so young." He said and grabbed her hand.
"Sev, I think I am not the issue at hand. I've always looked young. You however, you are sixteen again." She said gently.
"I cannot be sixteen again." He shook his head.
"But you are. Mum showed me the parchment." Tom said. "And you have the trace." He pointed at both of them.
Severus frowned, "What do you mean we have the trace?"
Tom looked at him and produced a ministry letter, Severus read it carefully. It was there in black and white, underage use of magic by one Severus T. Snape and one Hermione J. Granger.
"Severus, Hogwarts gets a copy of the infractions. I received an owl earlier today. It is only a matter of time before Albus finds out." Minerva explained.
"Dad, we have to act quickly. Albus may be an ally to us but we have to be careful. The ministry may not take well to a possible immortal being, let alone two."
"We are not immortal. Hermione and I get hurt, we bleed, we get sick." Severus spat.
"With less frequency than the rest of us. You are not aging; you both biologically sixteen again. There is no use in denying it." Tom retorted.
Hermione remained quiet. "We will leave. We'll keep traveling." Severus argued.
"You have the trace. You know very well that you can be tracked. You will be tracked until you are both seventeen." Tom argued back. "Dad, we have to figure something out very soon. Albus will show up soon."
Severus arched an eyebrow, "what do you propose?"
"Albus knows that you and mum are abroad. We say that you are my siblings."
Severus frowned, "Albus is not so easily fooled and how will you explain Hermione's change in surname?"
"Albus will see right through that." He looked at his wife, "de-aging potion gone bad is our best bet."
Hermione nodded. "The headmaster could help but even he cannot stop the trace. It's Wizarding law."
"We will find a solution." Severus stated and realized that he was ravenous. He looked at the fridge and retrieved what appeared to be leftovers. He saw that they bought a microwave. Severus put himself a plate. He started to eat in front of them. Hermione frowned at him for a bit.
"We tell Albus, what do we do about the trace? What do we do about the fact that the board will know about your existence?" Tom continued.
"Tom is campaigning to become Minister of Magic." Minerva pointed out.
"We are aware." Severus sneered back. Hermione glowered at him.
Tom frowned, "It happens to be important. I need you to cooperate."
Severus nodded and continued to eat. "I will go and write to Albus." Minerva left the room.
Tom paced in front of them, "it will turn out just fine. We'll be out of here before you know it." Hermione said with a forced smile.
Severus offered some food to Hermione but she refused. Severus did not remember being this hungry in his life. They waited for Albus patiently.
"Why is Minerva here? She should be in Scotland." Severus said after a while.
Tom sat in front of them, "I needed her for the weekend. I had a meeting with some wizards and hosted here. Thankfully my guests left before you two arrived. I have an opportunity to make an impact. Minerva understands that. We officially moved to London this term. I do not see her as often as I would like. It gets too tiresome to apparate."
Hermione frowned, "she can Floo." Severus smirked at her.
"Thank you, Minerva and I are perfectly fine." Tom said a little tersely. Severus arched an eyebrow, a little trouble in paradise then.
Albus came over and saw them. "This is remarkable. Tell me everything that happened."
Severus looked at him, "Hermione and I wanted to see our son and come back home. I thought it would be a good idea to use a rejuvenating potion. It obviously backfired."
Albus tried to use legilimency, "Albus, we have been through this countless of times. It is very rude to eavesdrop." Severus stated and put up his shields.
"I apologize. Do you mind if I use a spell?" The older man asked.
"I rather you not." Hermione stated.
"Albus, we do not know what to do. We received the misuse of magic letters." Minerva intervened.
"Yes, those have already reached the board. There will be some fuss over Severus as he shares your husband's last name." Albus said distractedly.
Tom swore under his breath, "what do we do?"
"This is of course your cousin. Your muggle grandfather had another family. Atria had her adventure with Tobias Snape. She left him and raised her son in Germany. Tobias Snape married a muggle girl and had a son by the same name. He in turn married and produced Severus." Albus said easily.
Severus frowned, "why was I not educated in Hogwarts?"
"Your mother left your father. You were raised in America with her, you went to Ilvermony, as did Ms. Granger, who happens to be an exchange student. Tom learned of Severus' existence after his mother died in a car crash. I know there happens to be a Tobias Snape in Cokeworth. He wants nothing to do with his biological son. You Tom are taking over his education. Severus no doubt will be a gifted wizard." Albus knew more than he let on. They needed to be careful.
"Why is Hermione here?" Minerva asked.
"You two went to America when you learned of Severus' existence. Minerva saw great promise in Ms. Granger who happens to be orphaned and English as well." Albus finished with a smile.
"How will you explain the fact that I am a Severus and that we have another Hermione? Those are not exactly common names." He asked.
Albus laughed, "while Severus is certainly uncommon. It happens to be a family name. Tobias Snape grew up knowing he had an older brother named Severus. He felt compelled to name you that. Madam Snape, if you remember was far removed from our society. Her name always figured as Madam H. Snape. I would find it hard to see any records of her full name, least her maiden name. Stranger things have happened."
"Now, we have to get you Hogwarts ready. Minerva will take you back with her when she comes back to the castle." The old man said as he stood up to leave.
"We are not going to Hogwarts." Severus hissed.
"Young man, is it not true that you have the trace? As I am aware Tom is set to run for minister? How will it look when you are not enrolled in school like a proper wizard? Make no doubt, you look like your great uncle Severus. Where could you possibly go?" Albus' eyes twinkled merrily.
Severus cursed and grabbed Hermione's hand. He almost dragged her to their room. He paced in front of her.
"I will not do it Hermione. I will find a way to have us back. I am not going back to school. I will not." He hissed and wanted to break something.
Hermione grabbed his hand, "you know he is correct. We cannot ask Tom to leave it all and go with us. We simply cannot."
Severus frowned, "Hermione, what if we do not age? We cannot saddle him with us." His wife looked at him with worried eyes. "We'll know in September; I am supposed to turn 17 then."
"Hermione, we need to research. We need to find a way to have us back." Severus said determined.
"Tom, he has access to the Ministry, we need to find a way to get into the Department of Mysteries. There must be something there." Severus rushed out of the room and flew down the stairs.
"We need to go to the Department of Mysteries." He addressed his adult son.
Their son frowned, "why?"
Severus grew very annoyed with his son, "we need to find a way to be our age again. Have you researched time travel lately?"
Tom shook his head, "not since we had our last conversation. There is nothing, I have looked into it for years. I assure you, I have tried my best."
Severus mused out loud, "your best may not be enough. Your mother and I need to be at that department. Your mother knows the way. We just need access through the Floo Network. "Hermione." He yelled. His wife reluctantly grabbed her beaded bag and followed him.
"Sev, maybe we do as Tom says." Hermione continued with some hesitance.
"Granger, we do not have time for this." Severus hissed. Hermione frowned. "You are impossible Severus Snape." She huffed and went along with him to the fireplace.
They were gone with a puff of green smoke. "We can't use magic." They were now in Tom's office.
Severus looked around and saw pictures of Minerva, Tom, their nieces and nephews and their family portrait. Tom did well for himself, he had a big office, overlooking the Atrium.
Hermione reached into her bag and took out Potter's invisibility cloak, "it's the best way."
Severus eyed the cloak with disgust. "Fine." He said and Hermione wrapped the cloak around them.
Severus remembered his way around the Ministry but did know how to find the Department of Mysteries nor the Time Room. Hermione led the way, she had a very good memory. There were some ministry workers walking to their offices and elves cleaning around. "You would too if you thought you were going to die." She mumbled as they made their way deep into the Ministry.
"This is the one." She said and opened the door for them. Severus looked around and found hundreds of clocks of all sizes lining the shelves from floor to ceiling. Hermione continued further until they reached another smaller room.
The room was empty. "There used to be dozens of them."
Severus looked into every crevice and found nothing. There were no books, or cabinets. Hermione used the cloak once more and made their way back to Tom's office. They found him seating on his desk and speaking to another man. It was Lucius Malfoy.
"Mr. Snape, it is my understanding that there is a young man who practiced underage magic in your London residence." The man began. "My father and I are concerned, how is it that a member of the School Board as yourself and possible candidate for Minister of Magic may allow such behaviors? We are also very interested in learning more about this young man."
"Abraxas should not worry. Mr. Malfoy, I have other matters to attend. It is Saturday after all. I would ask you to please leave now." Tom smiled and stood up from his seat. He showed the younger man to the door.
"Albino tosser." Tom mumbled under his breath.
Severus removed the cloak. "Why was he here?"
"Why do you think?" Tom tried to appear less surprised than he was. "He is like his father, a bloodhound, insistent in thwarting any progress I make for wizards. Lucius, like his father wants power to remain within the sacred twenty-eight. Well, between Black and Malfoy puppets. They have reconciled with the Blacks now. Lucius was engaged to Andromeda Black but she decided to run off with Ted Tonks. They have a daughter, last I heard. Druella does not speak her name anymore. They appeased the Malfoys and offered their little miracle, Narcissa Black, she is sixteen years old. I did not think that Druella had it in her to carry another child after Andromeda but she did."
Severus frowned, "Narcissa should be twenty years old. She was supposed to turn twenty on February."
Tom chuckled, "no, I can assure you the girl is sixteen. Her birthday is February 28th but she was born in 1960. I know that for a fact. Cygnus Black and Abraxas Malfoy intended to marry her last year. She was fifteen then. I stopped it. The girl is still contracted to be married when she turns eighteen and leaves Hogwarts. Abraxas fought to make it seventeen but surprisingly, Cygnus agreed to eighteen, when she leaves Hogwarts. My office abolished marriage contracts between parties that are younger than the legal age."
Severus and Hermione listened, "I need you two to listen. There is no other avenue. I cannot leave. I am on the verge of doing great things. I am enforcing change."
"We know that. Tom, we did not set out to be sixteen again." Hermione, ever the voice of reason said.
"We cannot go back to school." Severus paced in front of them once more. "We simply cannot. I need time."
"We do not have time. Minerva will go back to Hogwarts tomorrow night. We need to buy clothes, books, and other school materials." Tom said firmly.
Severus frowned, "do you not understand what I am saying? Your mother and I are not going back." Severus hissed.
Tom blinked, "believe me, this is all very threatening." He laughed, "you are sixteen."
Hermione moved her face away. "Hermione." He hissed.
"I am so sorry my love." She said and laughed into her hands. "This is madness."
Severus frowned, "Ignore your mother. She is having a mental breakdown. Focus on me. We need time. We'll stay in Hogsmeade."
"No, you don't appear to understand the severity of the situation. You two are underage, there is a perfectly good school for you to attend." Tom replied. "This is what is best for us now. I spoke with Minnie and Albus. They think it is best that you attend the castle. Albus has circulated his tale and they all should know by now."
Severus arched an eyebrow, "who is 'they'?"
"The school board and the ministry. The Daily Prophet was this close to naming you my secret love child. It would have ruined my career. Minerva would have been hounded by them to give a statement." Tom poured himself a drink.
"What is going on between you and Minerva?" Hermione asked gently.
"Everything is fine. I am just far too busy right now with all these and now I have people considering withdrawing their support from my campaign." His son looked older than his years then. Severus looked at him and did not believe that his young son was now forty-eight years old. He sounded tired. Severus looked into his mind briefly. They argued. Minerva and him. They did not spend as much time together anymore. He did not have enough time for his wife. The ministry consumed him, his quest for power and change. He wanted to make a better world but was slowly renouncing to his life.
"Let's get away. We can travel, your mother and I, we love going places. We always had fun. The four of us could go away. You are tired Tom." Severus attempted to convince him once more.
Tom frowned and looked away, "that is the last time that you look into my mind."
Severus lowered his gaze, "I can't always help it. It's second nature by now."
"We cannot go away. Minerva and I, we have a life, careers, our home is here." He took a deep breath, "and I would appreciate if you tried harder Severus." Tom said with finality.
The sixteen-year-old nodded and then glanced at Hermione who nodded. "I guess it has to be this way." She said softly.
Tom agreed, "it has to. I love you two very much but I cannot call you mum and dad anymore. You look too different, when I look at you two. I, I just see two teenagers. It's painful but I think you know. You have to have felt it as well."
Severus nodded. It was hard to reconcile this middle aged man to the young man they knew as their son. He guessed it happened to all parents, only, most parents would then look into mirrors and find that they were older as well. Hermione and him looked into mirrors and found no changes. They now looked younger and if his current state of impotence and anguish were anything to go by they had teenage minds as well.
"There has to be something else. There has too. Hogwarts library, there's bound to be books in the restricted section." Severus continued to try and hold his ground.
"There is negligible research. Minerva and I have looked for years." Tom continued. "My hand is forced; you have to understand." He finished.
Severus stormed into the fireplace. Hermione followed him to the guest room. They were relegated to visitors in their own home.
"You are being unreasonable." Hermione began.
Severus wanted to kick something. He had no control over his emotions at that time and it happened. It had not happened since he was a teenager and living under Tobias' roof. Accidental magic. He aimed at the door and blew it out.
Hermione gasped and went to him. She grabbed his face, "calm down." She said and then hugged him.
He trembled but buried his face on her neck, "we cannot go back. Hermione, it will be hell. I barely survived it the first time."
She kissed him, "you did not have me last time. I know you are worried about her, don't be. She does not know you." She kissed him once more. "She will not know you." Severus nodded and let Hermione kiss him time and time again until Minerva cleared her throat.
"Tom said you may be upset." She stepped into the door less room. She waved her wand but nothing happened.
"It was accidental." Hermione quipped.
"I see." She said and tried once more with a different spell.
"It won't work. I am too powerful for you. Tom may try later." Severus said.
Minerva nodded, "I've come to take you to Diagon Alley. I have your lists."
Severus stood up and grabbed Hermione's hand.