Chapter Summary: In which Harry goes back in time to see Hogwarts during what would have been his seventh year. (Harry/Severus Snape)


Harry glanced up discreetly from the table, keeping one eye on the students around him, to look up at the head table. There was no cameradie in the great hall now, no laughing, no smiling. The professors talked quietly between themselves, eying the Carrows carefully. McGonagall talked with Slughorn about classes tomorrow, about exams coming up.

It was quiet and gray in the great hall of Hogwarts and nothing that Harry didn't expect when he had decided to travel back in time. It was February of 1997 and his younger self was still tracking down horcruxes with Hermione and Ron. The students in the hall weren't even talking amongst themselves, just sitting at each table and eating quietly. The Carrows had apparently started to teach the imperious curse, by using it on first years.

Severus Snape was still headmaster of Hogwarts, at least temporarily, and he looked… like he always had when he was younger. Emotionless and cold, his shoulders curling inward. But… there were… Harry could faintly see cracks in that armor, tiny cracks like Snape's shoulders trembling. If Harry hadn't seen him pale, bloodless and dying years ago, he wouldn't…

If Harry hadn't looked through Snape's memories… He sighed and drew the attention of Draco Malfoy a few spaces down. Draco raised an eyebrow and Harry's lips twitched into a hesitant but amused grin. Draco blinked and then turned away, muttering something to Goyle about weird first years. Harry sighed and turned away, glancing around the great hall, his heart clenching at the sight.

Harry reached a hand up to pat down his hair, knowing it to look on the darker side of auburn. It had just been an idle thought to go back in time to see what Hogwarts had looked like during the year he, Ron and Hermione had hunted horcruxes. Another thought to disguise himself, drawing on the ancient power that he had become more than familiar with, and no Death Eater recognized him now.

His scar was hidden underneath power and since he had lost the horcrux, it didn't draw any attention. His eyes were a nice, unremarkable blue and his facial features were set to ones that weren't anywhere near his own. He was just a weird first year that had gotten sorted into Slytherin, a pureblooded child from a much smaller family.

The Sorting Hat had scoffed at first and then had easily sorted him into Slytherin, at Harry's request, at the beginning of the year. And now… all the way into January of the new year and with time passing… He would need to leave soon, go back to his original time, and leave his younger self to finish the deed.

Harry glanced up at the long dais at the front of the hall, watching as Snape stood up and walked out of the hall, through the doorway that led out. Harry sighed and stood up himself, idly casting a notice-me-not charm on himself and padded along the aisle, heading in the long familiar path that he took in the future. In the future he had become Headmaster ten years after the war ended, after a couple years as an auror and then two years as a mediwizard.

He followed Severus out of the great hall, slipping through the door quietly and watching as Severus waited for the gargoyle that would take him up to the headmaster's rooms. There was no one else around in the hallway that led to the headmaster's tower, no ghost, no house elf, no student. It was quiet and grey and the weather outside was not helping, as it snowed lightly, dusting the towers.

Harry let out a breath and then followed Severus after the man disappeared, heading over to wait for the gargoyle to come back down. He glanced behind him, saw one of the Carrows heading his way and reached out, pressing into the man with his power. The Death Eater shivered, his face going pale, and turned and ran back through the hallway, heading the other way.

Harry's lips curled into a wary grin and he jumped up into the tower, skipping the gargoyle and landing lightly on the platform before the headmaster's rooms. He shed the notice-me-not and paused before the door, knowing that Severus would not react well to his presence or to any presence. He didn't think Voldemort had called a meeting in a week so Snape wouldn't have had to deal with that.

The man was exhausted though and perhaps if it had been anyone else… Harry wouldn't be about to take the precaution he was about to take. But Severus was the man he was about to visit. This was the man who had deceived Voldemort for years and deceived well. The man who had managed to protect Harry and Hermione and Ron in addition. This was also the man who had been a bully for all of Harry's six years at Hogwarts.

Harry sighed and pushed the door open, seeing Severus Snape standing at the far door, the one that led to the balcony. Snape's back was to him for a second before the man wheeled about, his eyes flashing with temper. Harry was still cloaked, hooded, but Severus wasn't stupid. And nor did he have any idea that he had had Harry Potter inside his castle for the past few months.

"How dare you come in here!" Severus exclaimed, stalking forward, passing the bedroom, and ending up in the sitting room.

Harry took a few steps forward before raising his hand, drawing on his magic to conjure what he wanted. It only took a thought to weave his magic the way he wanted.

"This is my office, the headmaster's office! I will not have just any Death Eater come in here," Severus hissed, his voice hard, his eyes narrowing in hate and then widening as ropes slithered around him. They curled around him like snakes, yanking him down to the floor gently and pulling his arms behind his back. Severus blinked and inhaled deeply, watching as the man who had just appeared in his doorway took another step towards him.

The ropes bound him well and tightly, just tight enough that he couldn't move. His arms were pinned in place, his wrists tied together, and on his knees… He sucked in a breath, his heart galloping in his chest, and scrambled around for purchase on the cold tile beneath him. Who… What if it was...

"How dare-"

"Severus. I just want to talk. Breathe."

The man dipped his head in a nod and Severus still couldn't see the man's eyes or his hair or any identifying feature. Other than the hood and cloak, Severus couldn't see any visible skin and yet… the voice.

His heart still beat fast in his chest as he tried to catch his breath, unwilling to stay in this vulnerable position for long. Where was his wand? And how had this stranger-

The man closed the distance between them and knelt before Severus, reached out and lowered his hood. Severus took in a shaky breath and coughed, once, twice, his heart hammering in his chest. The man was faintly familiar as Severus looked at him and then his eyes stopped on green, slowly moving up to… his forehead. To his scar and to his still messy black hair.

"Potter!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," Harry Potter remarked quietly, still kneeling before him. "I just wanted to talk."

"Then talk and get out! I need to report-"

Harry reached out and placed two fingers on his lips, making Severus snap his mouth shut at the touch. Severus stared at the man… the man who looked 30 years old and swallowed, his heart beginning to slow as the ropes flexed around him, curling around him like a safety blanket.

"I know," Harry whispered, withdrawing his fingers. Severus opened his mouth to yell but Harry's next words made him reconsider. "I know you loved my mother. I know you protected me as well as you could."

Severus stared at the older Harry Potter, at the scar on his forehead that looked rather faint and old, into the green eyes that seemed… at peace. Calm. "How…"

His voice was rough, husky, and Severus shuddered, feeling the ropes shift with him, and… He took a deep breath and let it out, deflating a little as a vague haziness filled his mind, as his cock twitched beneath his robes. It had been a while since he had… given up control like this and it hadn't been easy to think about since.

Potter raised an eyebrow. "Time travel, Professor. My younger self is out there searching for horcruxes and will not have any knowledge of this until… several years later. I am sorry for binding you but I knew you wouldn't accept me easily."

"You…" Severus trailed off, blinking his eyes and looking away. "No one can travel through time this late. Time turners can only take you back hours, not years."

"I didn't use a time turner," Potter remarked just as quietly. "Severus… Is something… You look as if you enjoy being bound."

"Fuck off Potter."

"Professor Snape. I am… much older than what I look like. That is how I managed to hide myself for this long and visit you. If you want me gone, I will go, but not without saying thank you."

Fingers cupped his cheek, warm and with a little bit of pressure, and turned him to face Potter. Warmth radiated from the tile underneath him and he glared at Potter, his heart slowing even more in his chest. Those green eyes that seemed to see through him, holding him steady.

His cock hardened underneath his robes and Severus tried not to show it, even as Potter held him.

"What do you want, Severus?" Potter questioned, his eyes narrowing as he reached out with his other hand and slipped off Severus' cloak, pushing his robe off and revealing a loose shirt. A finger trailed down the material, pressing into his skin, making him shudder, and Severus heard a rip, would have looked down had his chin not been held in place.

Severus shivered and closed his eyes, his breath hitching under that gaze. "I want…"

"If you wish it, I will leave. If, however you want me to stay, I will," Potter murmured, leaning in and whispering against his skin. His hand left Severus' chin and reached further to curl and grip his neck, running his fingers over the fine hair there. "I can tell you want this. Your pupils are blown, your breathing is hitching, your shoulders are loose under the ropes. You're gorgeous like this, you know?"

Severus shuddered, his body trembling and hitching, almost arching as Potter's hand moved downward. Down his chest to leave goosebumps in his wake, twisting and pinching a nipple.

"I… What… is this?"

"It's not done out of pity or gratitude," Potter offered, nipping into the skin at the crook of his neck and sending electricity flying through him. His nerves lit up and his cock hardened even more.

Severus opened his eyes and glared at Potter only to moan as the man's hand smoothed circles into his skin, traveling down to his waist and palming his cock through his clothes.

"You… live…" Severus croaked out, his eyes closing again as he finally melted, deflating.

"I do though I will not tell you the details," Potter remarked, his voice whispering, breath brushing against Severus' ear. "I don't want Voldemort pulling information out of you."

Something brushed his legs as Potter moved and then there was something underneath him, something soft, letting his knees relax onto the pillow. "There. Have you made up your mind?"

Severus groaned. "Please."

Potter's fingers moved, stroking him through cloth before slipping underneath the material and pumping him, twisting his fingers just so that Severus whined, heat skipping through him. He bucked up into the hand that held him, arching into it and wanting more.

"You want to use my hand to get off?" Potter asked, sucking a bruise into his skin and then biting, creating marks that were so unlike the Dark Mark. Severus' skin ached with it, with the ropes keeping him in place, keeping his arms from touching himself. "So I can watch you come apart?"

Severus groaned again and bucked up into the fingers that held his cock, rolling his hips almost frantically. The hand at his neck squeezed and pulled on his hair lightly as Potter left another mark on the other side of his neck. "There you are. So good for me."

Heat and pleasure collided and he came, bright and hot. He sat there, breathing heavily, as his toes curled, as he saw lightning behind his eyes, and melted into the man in front of him. He felt limp, spread out and bare, wanting more even now. Potter wrapped an arm around him even as the ropes disappeared, rubbing circles into each arm as Severus breathed in his arms.

"At the end of everything, in May," Potter murmured, holding him tightly. "Take a vial of antivenin for a snake. And when the time comes, give this memory to him and get yourself to Grimmauld Place. I'll meet you there… if you want more."

Severus shivered at the words and tried to burrow even deeper into the man's arms. "What… Do I dare ask what happens?"

"No. Best not to," Potter said, sighing. "I had better go, Severus. I can stay until you fall asleep and then I'll leave."

"I'm not tired, Potter."

Potter snorted and helped him up, keeping an arm around him and holding him up even when his knees buckled. "You don't have to lie to me anymore. I won't use any of this against you."

"Says you."

"That doesn't even make sense," Potter retorted, as they walked up and over to the bedroom. "You're cute when you're this tired."

Severus groaned and nearly fell onto the bed when they reached it. Potter lifted his legs up, pulled the covers over him, brushed hair and sweat out of his face, and stood up. Severus met his… Harry's eyes for a moment before his own closed, exhaustion taking over.

"Goodnight, Severus."


AN: I guess time travel is now one of my favorite tropes.

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you're all doing well!