Author's Note: Thanks to detektivloki and Jostanos for the review. I'm glad that at least some people seem to like it.
warnings: same as last with the addition that I remembered that there will be a few more supporting characters dying but either of natural causes or the same way as in the books so I forgot to mention it as a warning. Personally I'm not even sure if there is a need to warn about it but just in case.
Things will happen as they must
Chapter two
Growing old…or not.
The old Severus who had invited Harry to dinner reminds Harry more and more of his potions teacher Professor Snape, and seeing that his grandchildren are called Snape he might even be an ancestor of Professor Snape. And a brother of this Severus Slughorn might be an ancestor of Harry's current potions Professor since this Severus shares that family name with him.
They talk for some time and it's long past sun down before Harry even thinks about leaving to get to the castle. Because it is already so late they talk Harry into staying at the inn. They even give him the best of the free rooms. One that usually is rather pricy and has its own fire place. Amelia even brings him plenty of wood to keep it going. Once again with a very flirtatious smile.
Harry ignores it and just ignites a fire and let's Huntress slither around in it. The next morning he was invited to breakfast and Thalia absolutely refused to let him pay for anything. Once he got away from their hospitality though he finally walked the path up to the castle. The path looks different so many years in the past but it still feels somewhat familiar and he truly hopes he can get in. Hogwarts had always been his true home. Ever since he first entered it.
Eventually he can feel something. Like warm air brushing over his skin "What was that?" Huntress asks.
"The wards I believe." Harry replies, though he hasn't reached the gates yet. When he approaches they open and Harry smiles seeing the vast grass covered grounds up to the castle and the lake before the forbidden Forrest. At least that's how it was called in his time. It seems like it will grow a bit though considering that it seems further away than what he is used to. Hagrid's hut and the whipping willow are missing but neither surprises him. He knew the tree was planted when Remus started so it will be a long time and Harry has no idea if anyone lived in Hagrid's hut before him but considering the proportions it's possible it was build for the half giant.
After looking around green hills around him and comparing it with his memories Harry finally enters and is surprised at the fine carpets and wall hangings everywhere. Golden chandeliers are hanging in the entrance and it looks like the castle is fit for a king. The candles are all lit, much to Harry's surprise. He walks towards the great hall and finds a huge and richly decorated ball room with a gigantic chandelier in it's centre but the ceiling is covered with paintings of moving birds and angels rather than the sky outside.
"There is something here." Huntress whispers looking around "It's hiding well. I don't know where and never tasted anything like it."
Harry looks around but sees nothing. His wand is in his hand just to be safe. "I think I have an idea, keep your inner lids close unless I say otherwise. I think those are very powerful and useful creatures."
"How powerful." Huntress asks.
"I don't know. I doubt anyone knows. Most underestimate them because they are bound to obedience. But I've seen one do quiet a bit of nifty tricks and fear they can do so much more than any wizard. I wouldn't put it past them to be a threat to you. But like I said, they are bound to obedience, let's see if I can command them." Harry sees no dust and seeing that the ball room is lid too he presumes there are house elves around.
Harry looks around before he says "My name is Salazar. I heard I might be able to claim the castle as my own on the grounds of being a Parselmouth. If that is true would at least one house elf please show itself?"
And old scared looking elf appears saying "Welcome master Lord Slytherin sir."
Harry sighs, seams like he truly will be a Slytherin at least for now. "You don't need to fear me or my friend Huntress." He moves a hand to touch the head of the Basilisk and the snake moves under it to let the hand move over it's scale all the way to the tail only to move her head below it and start again hissing in a pleased way to show how much she likes this. "Would you tell me your name please."
"Dilly, master Lord Slytherin sir." The elf replies.
"How many of you are here?" Harry questions her.
"Thirteen Master Lord Slytherin sir." Dilly says and Harry already is fed up with that title.
"That's good. I hope one of you is capable of cooking? Because I'm certainly not." Harry points out, he can cook with modern muggle appliances and ingredients but he doubts it will be remotely the same. And he wants to know if he'll have to make the way to the village for food. He might go for lessons with old Severus anyway but has to see what else he can find to learn things first.
"All of us can Master Lord Slytherin sir." Dilly replies.
"Just call me Salazar please. The rest is too long for my taste. And don't bother with all the fancy candles a few will do." Harry orders. I'll call if I need anything else and will have a look around for now. Thank you Dilly."
"Your welcome Master Lord Salazar Slytherin sir." Dilly says and is gone before Harry can complain that the name was made longer now.
"It didn't look powerful." Huntress says still sounding pleased under his hand.
"I know, but they truly are. Please don't scare or hunt them. They'll keep this place clean and can keep a fire going for you once we know where you'll prefer it." Harry explains "They'll also help me."
"Fire makers?" Huntress sounds curious "They did not taste well anyway. I believe they are worth more as firemaker than food."
"Agreed." Harry smiles "Let's see what we can find here."
It takes Harry most of the day to inspect all of the castle. Into most rooms he only takes a short peeks but it still takes most of the day. He asks the elves for lunch and later for dinner before he picks a place to rest for now. He isn't sure if he sticks with the room. All are too extravagant for his taste but for now he chooses the one with the biggest fireplace in a bedroom for Huntress and even asks the elves to kindly keep it going for Huntress to ensure she sees the value of keeping them all alive and well.
The next day Harry is very happy to have the first proper bath since coming face to face with countless Inferi. He also gets out some of the robes that were left there before he explores the grounds. He had seen greenhouses from a window while exploring and also already knows that there are merpeople living in the lake since he saw some from a window in the dungeons like he had seen in the Slytherin common rooms in his own time.
He also found an area he is pretty sure he hadn't seen in his own time. One room around there looked like a Gringotts vault just much bigger and filled to the brim with golden coins and jewellery. The weaponry with mostly ornamented and expensive looking trinkets was in a different room close by. At least Harry doesn't have to worry about money.
The storage room for potions ingredients was vastly filled too and right by a potions laboratory. Harry already left his Basilisk skin and filled two more phials with Basilisk venom to join it there after asking Huntress how much she could reasonably spare for him.
Outside in the greenhouses he quickly finds out where some of those ingredients must come from and seas two elves tend to the plants. They almost cry in hysterics when he orders them to start teaching him what they do for one of the plants. But Harry has decided to listen to the advice from who or whatever had sent him here. If Voldemort has caves full of Inferi, Harry probably can do with a little more knowledge. Sure Herbology and Potions might not be the most important but it's a start and Harry decides to spend two hours every morning with the elves in the greenhouses and at least two hours trying to learn from Severus Slughorn. The rest of the day he decide to read in the library he found. It already rivals what Hogwarts has in Harry's time making Harry certain that some books were replaced rather than just added to them and who knows, he might find something useful in there.
That afternoon, after the elves let him have a picnic on what might be one of the last half way warm and sunny days before winter, Harry goes back to the village bringing some of the ingredients he found, only taking what he had in high quantity, and offers them to Severus in return for teaching him. Severus is more than happy to do as requested since he wanted to try and teach the young man anyway to have someone around able to take over his business.
The next few weeks Harry quickly gets into a routine. He reads a book over breakfast, continues reading for an hour or two before around ten he annoys the elves in the greenhouses. After that he has a quick lunch, mostly inside since the weather really did take a turn for the worse and Huntress is constantly complaining that she can't hunt outside. At least there are some feathers around the towers where there is enough heat for her and open windows that some birds fly around to look for shelter from the weather. The dungeons also have a few rarely or never used areas where some crawlies managed to make a home for themselves despite the elves hard work to keep them out. Though Harry never tells her that the elves try to keep her favourite pray away.
After lunch Harry goes to the village and learns from Severus for several hours. Sometimes just two or three but more often than not until Amelia is send to get both of them to the inn for dinner.
After Harry gets back, usually having an elf apparate him back if it's very late, Harry reads in the library until he's too tired to stay awake. There isn't much else for him to do anyway.
That continues all through the winter. The thing Harry finds most amusing is that the old Severus who is teaching him now, is a very different teacher than the Severus from his own time. Severus Slughorn is calm no matter what and explains in almost excruciating details. He also complains that apparently Harry's previous teacher had no idea what basics should be taught. The first thing Harry learns is storing and most of all handling all common ingredients. Only when he is efficient with that by the end of winter does the old man begin to explain how to prepare ingredients. And here just how to do it, not the reason behind it yet. According to the old man that comes during his second year of studying at the earliest and brewing a potion without constant one on one instructions should not be done until his third. At least this way Harry doesn't have to worry about exploding cauldrons around Huntress for now.
More time passes and Harry becomes more efficient in other magic too. Thanks to the fact that Hermione would be proud of his study habits and how many books he read to learn mostly defensive and warding magic for now.
It seems he's a quick study since the old man starts explaining reasons behind different preparation methods for different potions during Harry's first summer there.
By then Harry also managed to learn the names of all his elves and their quirks as well as to shorten the way they address him slightly. He's now only called 'Master Salazar sir'. And currently Harry is working to get rid of the master with only medium success.
Apart from studying Harry is also changing the castle and getting rid of most of the huge chandeliers. Changing them for floating candles or fire where truly needed. He'll certainly never host a ball and the money the elves trade it for might eventually cause his vault to burst but at least it can be used to help the village if the need arises.
Amelia also finally gave up on flirting when her grandfather pointed out that 'Salazar' isn't going to take her to balls or introduce her to the king and queen. To which Harry replies "I'll do my best to never see them and getting rid of all that ridiculous amount of rubbish Selvin Slytherin collected. Seriously who needs a Chandelier that's bigger than this shop. I find even the small ones ostentatious and the amount of candles I safe by only illuminating the few rooms I really need is amazing. Such a wasteful lifestyle." He had turned to Amelia adding "But as a thanks that your family has always been so kind to me I'll have an elf send at least a few of those silly jewellery things that are all over the place to you. Maybe some is to your liking. I mean really, I do like you but more like a kid sister sorry."
When the summer ends and Amelia is already 16 something bad happens though. The old Severus starts to look sick and after just a week his fever is getting dangerous despite the fever reducers they continue to feed him.
Harry asks them where the next good healer is, preferably a magical one and Thalia almost cries saying "Sebastian was one, he taught Marcus who was the only one within a weeks journey. But both are gone. Sebastian is dead and last I heard from Marcus was two years ago. I'm not even sure if he's still in London."
"Continue with the potions. I'll find Marcus." Harry decides.
"How?" Thalia asks "And who will brew when father is gone, you're the only one that at least knows the basics."
"Not enough to make more anyway so I'd be useless, but I won't be long." Harry insists calling "Dilly!" the elf appears. "I want all of you to find Marcus Snape a magical healer! Last I heard he was in London it was two years ago. If you find Thomas Snape first let me know he might know more. As soon as you find him bring me to him! Hurry."
The elf disappears and Harry turns to Thalia saying "It doesn't matter how far Marcus will be, my elves will bring me there instantly. And when I order it, they'll get Marcus here just as quickly. By force if they must. I do hope he'll be reasonable and more likely to…"
An elf appears saying "Mimsy found young healer Marcus."
"Bring me there." Harry orders holding out a hand and when the elf opens her mouth to say yes master and so on, Harry stops her with "Now!"
The elf takes his hand and a moment later Harry is in a small but cosy living room. Two men a woman with an infant are there.
"Marcus Snape. Your grandfather needs you or he might die. I can get you there quickly so please help him." Harry says.
"Who are you?" The younger who looks exactly like a younger professor Snape wants to know and is holding a wand.
"I'm learning Potions from Severus Slughorn. His potions aren't enough though. His fever is getting out of control please safe him." Harry explains.
"He would not want me there, well he maybe but I couldn't face mother." The older of the men says.
"She'd love to see you! Thalia isn't upset with you. She loves all of her children and losing you is much worse than losing Sebastian. By staying away you're only making it worse even if your grandfather was fine. Please, let me bring you to them." Harry tries one more time with reason.
Luckily he doesn't have to force Marcus and the man nods. Before he can change his mind Harry just looks at Mimsy and orders her to bring Marcus to Severus. They are gone soon after and Harry looks at Thomas "Do you want to go?"
"Fine." The man replies and Harry calls Dilly.
He knows her best of all his elves and knows that she has the fewest regular tasks to be on hand for him. "Dilly, thanks for your help and sorry I was a bit short with some of you earlier but I was in a rush. Would you please bring Thomas Snape to Thalia Snape and his brother Marcus Snape and then tell everyone they can go back to their usual chores and please pass on my thanks and apologies."
The elf takes the hand of Thomas and is gone. Harry looks at the woman saying "I presume you are with Marcus and that this baby is his and yours?" she nods looking scared to be alone with him. Who knows if he told the truth. She understands her husband's worry for his mother and grandfather but is still afraid. Harry tries to smile reassuringly. "I apologise for barging in and taking your husband away so suddenly. If there is anything you might need please let me know. I'd offer to take you to your husband but I'm not sure what the old man has and if the little one could get gravely ill if it get's too close so I rather not risk it. I could send one of my house elves by to help you until Marcus is home if you like?"
"That would be nice." Harry nods and calls Dilly back asking her to find an elf willing to assist the woman and her baby as best as possible and to bring Harry to the others once that elf is there.
When Harry is back in Hogsmead he sees a lot of sad faces, though Thalia still seems to have some hope. Seeing the healers despair Harry asks "What's wrong? Can't you help him?"
"Thomas looks through his inventory but he needs a very rare potion with an extremely rare ingredient. We can't brew it and mother said you aren't here long enough for it. Appart from Grandfather the only one that can is in London but he'd need Basilisk Venom and it would cost 500 gold pieces. We have neither so the odds are slim. I doubt Grandfather ever got that venom."
"By now he ran through almost one hundred phials of Basilisk Venom and if he doesn't have the potion in stock I'll go and get it for him. I have a Basilisk with me. She likes the warmth under my robes and it prevents the screamer from screaming but she can help me whenever I ask her to. And I do have enough gold too." Harry replies. "As long as the old man makes it long enough I see no trouble."
Thomas comes rushing in saying "I can't believe it he got it!"
Marcus looks shocked but feeds the potion to his grandfather and his breathing calms but he's still unconscious. "How long until he's better?" Harry asks.
"A week at least. He might not fully recover since he's old but enough to have a few more years. He'll need to take it easy though."
Harry nods and sighs before he calls out "Dilly." When the elf comes he says "Get me 1000 gold coins and another elf willing to help around here until Potions master Severus Slughorn is recovered. The elf along with Tipsy who's helping in London also should ensure fast and safe travel for everyone in the Snape family between here and there please."
A little later another elf shows up handing Harry a bag with coins saying "Layla can help Master Salazar sir's friends."
"Thank you Layla. That is very kind of you." He turns to Marcus and holds the bag out "For your trouble. And no need to worry about your wife. I left Tipsy, one of my house elves, with her to help around the house and with the little one. Tipsy us a bit older but still hard working and in good shape. She'll do fine. And a loyal elf can also help protect those it cares about so please be good to my little friends."
"You, a stranger, are paying me, for saving my own grandfather?" He looks at his mother asking "Who is he?"
"A friend." Severus mumbles opening his eyes and Harry is by his side holding his hand right away.
"Rest old man. You worried me enough. I'll deal with the rest and protect your family for you so you only worry about getting better."
"Stay away from Thomas. He'll eat you alive." The old man mumbles before his eyes close again.
Harry just chuckles and tells the sleeping man "No worries. I'll bite back."
"Works for me." The younger brother grins flirtatious.
Harry just groans "Great I just got Amelia to quit flirting now I got you to fight off without upsetting my friend by being rude to his family."
Thalia just laughs saying "Oh don't worry, in this case father will treat you like the innocent damsel and be grouchy at the bad guy that flirts. He sees you like the son he never had, you know that right."
"Than lets hope the old man is better soon, right sister?" Harry grins at her. "Either way, I should get out of your hair and have still a lot of renovating to do. Send one of my elves if you need anything okay?"
Because Marcus hadn't taken the bag with coins Harry leaves it on a table and this time walks back to the castle to clear his head.
Not hearing how Marcus once more asks who that lunatic was or hearing how the family tells those boys just how much that so called lunatic has done for them and the villagers by providing ingredients free of charge by now.
For a week it is rather quiet in Harry's life. He still studies and changes the castle a lot but never leaves the grounds and only sees the elves who report that the old Potions Master is recovering. Harry still has no idea how he'll ever get home and starts to get scared that he's stuck in this time now.
After that week Harry goes down to the three broomsticks to see how Severus is doing for himself and is glad to see him sitting in a chair though still in a cocoon of blankets. "Salazar, my boy, come here." The old man says seeing Harry.
Harry smiles walking over to him. "Hey old man, how are you?"
"Been better but I'll survive. Marcus said some nerves are damaged permanently. I won't be able to brew." The man sighs clearly upset with his shaking hands. "But I can still teach you. Would you mind brewing the things for the shop under my instructions? You'll get paid of course."
"I have more money than I need already, I'll see it as practise and learning from you." Harry waves him off. "Can you manage the shop?"
The man sighs upset again saying "Marcus and Thomas move here. Thomas into my apartment over my shop and I'm forced to move here for assistance. Marcus stays here until they've build a new house for him and his wife."
"Why so grouchy? I thought you'd be happy to have them back." Harry asks.
"About Marcus certainly. Thomas mostly too but I worry about you." The old man sighs "Thomas is worse than your father, just with boys. He'll be after you and has a way to get what he wants. I worry he'll break your heart."
"Got to lock up the husband's and son's now?" Harry laughs.
"This is no laughing matter." The old man grumbles. "He's never been truly serious."
"Maybe you should have named him Sirius then." Harry just shrugs. "Listen, I'm old enough to worry about myself. He's your grandson, just be happy he's here."
"Do be careful about him though." The old man sighs resigned.
"I promise." Harry replies "When can you teach me again how to make those potions for you?"
The man sighs "Day after tomorrow. The usual time is fine."
Harry agrees and stays a little longer finding out that the new members in the family are named Margery, the wife, and Malcolm. The first great grandson of Severus.
That day alone shows that Thomas truly is trying to get Harry's attention and flirts relentlessly. Unlike the flirting of his sister Amelia, Thomas' attempts are by far less innocent. Amelia had been a teen that was more in love with the concept of love than him and was out to get a knight in shining armour. Thomas clearly was after something completely different that had very little to do with innocence or real love.
Still Harry greatly enjoyed brewing with the old Severus and his grumpy protection from his grandson. The later being send away whenever Thomas managed to catch Harry alone and Severus caught them.
It was sort of fun fencing of Thomas and his advances full of double meanings and sexual innuendos. After a while Harry even wondered what it would be like to give in and just see how it feels to be with a man. Would kissing him be different than with Cho or Ginny? Harry certainly enjoyed the other's attention and despite the fact that Harry used to like Cho and had kissed with Ginny and at least sort of had fancied her, he now starts to get very interesting dreams about Thomas that are no more innocent than the older boy's intentions.
Before Harry reached a decision he sees Thomas make out with another guy in a dark corner when Harry wanted to take a detour by the lake to his castle. Thomas still flirted with him afterwards, proving how little he really cared for any of his conquests.
Despite the fact that Harry had constantly told himself that he didn't care for Thomas either and only considered anything at all as an experiment. It still had hurt to see him with another and Harry refused to be just another piece of flesh.
He tried to avoid Thomas and was noticeably colder towards him which clearly worried Severus but Harry tried very hard not to let anyone notice anything was up. Neither that time, nore any of the other times he say Thomas with another man in various stages of undress. Still those dreams prevailed but strangely turned eventually to dreams that included a 'Thomas' who was called Severus by Harry and dressed as his potions professor Severus Snape always did, or will do in his time. It doesn't help that in his dreams Severus called him Harry or Potter rather than Salazar as Thomas does.
For five more years that goes on and towards the end Harry has mastered potions to a point that Severus insists that there is nothing left to teach him and the winter after that the old man dies in his sleep.
Harry is there for his funeral and is quiet and thoughtful. After the main funeral Thomas approaches Harry saying "Guess I'll finally be alone with you in the shop." The potions work room had been in the back so Severus could hear the bell over the door to the shop and mind it while brewing simple potions that could be placed in a stasis in the past.
Harry frowns saying "Your grandfather is in the ground for less than an hour and you think about your amusement? You should be ashamed of yourself. But at least you are wrong. I won't have to bother with you at all. I have a laboratory in my castle and access to all necessary ingredients. I'll brew from there. Send me a list with what you need and since I'll provide ingredients you'll only get a quarter of the income or I'll sell elsewhere."
"You are trying to take over the buisness from my grandfather? You get a quarter at best." Thomas grumbles angrily.
Harry sighs and walks to Thalia saying "I'm sorry but I refuse to work with an insensitive idiot who tries to make a move minutes after his grandfather's death. But if Marcus or anyone in the village needs anything let me know with my elf. I'll keep a stock like we had down here and you guys can sell it for the same price and share the money equally between you and your three children. And yes I don't mind if Thomas gets a share but no more than a quarter please. I won't need money. I have enough and grow most potion ingredients or have Huntress collect some in the forests around the castle with me. What little else I need I can get by having my elves trade it for what I do have. Don't expect me back down here and I do have more pressing reasons to stay away then Thomas' silly attempts, so don't blame him. But if you need me, let me know."
"You can't just leave! And why else would you stay away? You are alone too much as it is." Thalia worries.
Harry tries to smile but then says quietly that no one else hears. "In case you didn't notice, I look younger than Amelia by now. Much younger. I haven't aged a day, and I won't for years to come. Something has caused me to travel through time before I came here. I'm from the future and unless I get back otherwise, time won't affect me until it's my own time again. Time turners are only a theory in this time but I recently read that going back too many hours too often doesn't age the user because time doesn't touch the returned version. I guess that is a proven fact now too. It's not just hours for me Thalia. I'll outlive Malcom. If I stay with you or others, I'll get friends again and again and watch them all die for at least a thousand years. I don't even know how many but that castle up there, in my time it's a school for magic! Has been for about a thousand years. Thalia, I can't stay just to see everyone grow old and die. Especially not Thomas, I'm afraid he got to me more than he knows. More than he ever can for it could not work out even if he'd care. I'm sorry if staying away hurts you, but I really can't bear to risk befriending more people knowing I'll have to watch them grow old and die. But I promise if you or any of your descendants ever need me just tell one of my elves to let me know. You've been some of the best friends I ever had and are like family to me. I'll always be there for you. But please don't make me stay for all of your funerals only to have to watch the next generation grow and die."
Thalia sighs. "Can you do me one last favour?"
"Anything I can do." Harry promises.
"If Malcom wants to learn potions and take my father's shop when he's older, will you teach him?" she asks.
Harry looks at her and then says "Him or any other in your family to come."
"I thank you for it." Thalia replies and gives the young man a hug before she lets him leave. Back up at the castle he changes the wards to ensure no one can get onto the grounds for now and walks to the library to try and forget his sorrow by distracting himself.
After that day, Harry doesn't even try to keep track of time. He brews potions for those in Hogsmead he also keeps track of the family writing a family tree to find out if Professor Snape was a descendent of Severus Slughorn. Though eventually he asks an elf to continue watching and protect them as well as to get him if they need his help for that. Too many leave the village and he might lose sight of them otherwise. It also keeps showing him how much time passes when a child grows and has another child and even more when said child is old and dies.
Despite the fact that Harry tries to ignore the passing of time he can't help but notice that at first Thalia orders the potions. Then Marcus, later Malcom and then his son who is named after the old great grandfather Severus and such the first Severus Snape Harry interacts with in this time. None of them cares particularly about potions though but they are all capable healer and such need his supply.
This Severus now must be old when he asked the elf that takes potions and the orders for them back and forth has a different message for Harry.
Author's Note: I fear Harry will have to wait a little before he gets back to his time. before that his current home will have to become a school. How do you think will that happen? And will there be another Salazar Slytherin and if not, what about Hogwarts a History? It says Salazar hated Muggleborn...How can that work out?
Will the prolonged Isolation change him that much?