A/N: Yeah, don't kill me but my muse came up with just another story. Well what can I say…my muse is a bit overactive? This time she came up with a time travel fic in which Harry ends up at the beginning of Severus sixth year and what better thing to do than to have some fun and see how the world turns out with Tom at the lead. At first, it was to be meant to be a HP/SS pairing but then I talked with Dark-Prince-of-Clowns about it and well he is the reason that it is now a HP/SS/TMR threesome…blame him!

Enough ranting, here the first chapter!

Chapter 1: The boy out of nowhere

Severus was sitting under a tree at the Black Lake and reading a potions journal when James Potter and his merry band of idiots came walking over to him. He barely suppressed a groan, didn't he have even one minute of peace from those bullies? Knowing that this would get ugly, he safely stashed his journal away and stood to face the other teenagers.

"Potter, what do you want? Can't you leave me in peace for once?" he sneered looking at the group of four in trepidation.

"Why should I, Snivellus? You're only one of those evil snakes and probably a Death Eater in training," James stated before laughing as if he made an exceptionally good joke, Sirius who stood right next to him as well as that snivelling rat Pettigrew laughed also and only Lupin looked at him with a blank face.

Severus just wanted to reply something to that when he was hit with a spell cast by Potter, and that caught him square in the chest. Within seconds, he was floating in the air in front of the laughing quartet. Closing his eyes, he prayed that the newest torment wouldn't go on for too long when suddenly something slammed into his chest and he fell to the ground again. At first, he assumed he had been hit with just another spell courtesy of Potter when he realised that his landing had been far too soft for the hard ground. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was lying on another boy the same age as himself that he had never seen before. The boy had dark brown, nearly black shoulder-long hair bound by an emerald green ribbon at the nape of his neck and wore muggle clothes that surely had seen better days.

"When I get a hold upon that stupid bint I'll kill her slowly and extremely painfully," the boy muttered so lowly that Severus doubted that anyone else except him could have heard the boy. Though to his own confusion, Severus wasn't even put out by the death threat that fell from the other boys full and red lips.

The boy opened his eyes, when he realised that someone lay on him and revealed the most beautiful green eyes Severus has ever seen, not even Lily's eyes reached to that beauty. It was as if he had been stunned, but for the life of him, he couldn't move his gaze from those emerald green eyes, never mind doing something like standing up. The boy beneath him was utterly stunning from what he could see and especially feel where he was pressed against the other and he didn't doubt that he could stare into these green eyes for hours on end or would overly mind exploring those firm muscles he could feel under his fingers.

"Well hello," the boy greeted him with a lopsided grin that gave Severus hundreds of very inappropriate ideas not to mention that soft and silky voice; he had to forcefully suppress his thoughts to prevent his body from reacting. "Had I known that I would end up under such a handsome boy I would have let them kill me years ago."

Severus blinked in shock and confusion. "You must have hit your head," he finally brought out, wondering whether it had always been such a hot day but also what the boy had meant with letting them kill me, he couldn't have meant that literally could he?

He observed the boy raising an eyebrow. "What? You are handsome never let anyone tell you differently," the boy replied his smile growing further noticing the slight blush that now adorned the other boy's otherwise pale cheeks.

All Severus could do was swallowing hard, who was that boy that came out of nowhere, probably saved him from more torment by Potter and could make him feel things he never felt before especially after only knowing him for mere minutes?

"As much as I enjoy lying in this position with a good-looking boy on top of me…I would prefer it without an audience," he snickered lowly. "And fewer clothes," he teasingly whispered in Severus' ear before looking over to where Potter and his friends were standing staring at them completely baffled.

That brought Severus' attention back to the present and the fact that he was lying on top of another boy in front of Potter and his idiots, so he quickly scrambled off the other boy dusting off his robes.

"I'm sorry," he told the strange boy after swallowing again holding out his hand to help the strange boy standing up.

"Don't be," said boy replied with a wink and a sinful smile that should be declared forbidden in Severus' opinion.

"Found yourself a boyfriend, Snivellus?" Potter taunted him with a smirk, arrogance dripping from his voice. "Perhaps your Death Eater friend here can teach you on how to go on your knees and pleasure your master properly for when you finally become a Death Eater yourself."

The unknown boy turned around to the one speaking looking him up and down with disdain and what he saw surprised him very much. In front of him didn't stand the young man he had heard so many stories about, a man who enjoyed life, played a few pranks, and later would marry Lily Evans. No, who stood before him was someone entirely else, a bully who loved to torment other students and especially the one standing right next to him. It surprised him that the many stories he had heard about Potter and his friends were so far off the truth that he wondered whether there was even one bit true at all. Honestly the man in front of him reminded him far too much of his cousin so no he didn't like him one bit. He smiled at Severus before looking to the three others raising his left arm tapping his mouth with his index finger all the while showing them his bare unblemished forearm, therefore, proving that he was not a Death Eater.

"James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and oh a rat…Peter Pettigrew," he snarled smiling knowingly when the four blanched upon his description of Pettigrew. "You should be careful whom you insult in my presence, not to mention that bullying someone is the lowest of low, or you might find yourself in the hospital wing quicker than you can say Quidditch."

"He is right, stop insulting Sev," a female voice added before Potter could get a word in edgewise and they all observed Lily Evans walking down the slope towards them before standing next to Potter.

"Lily, what do you want? I don't need help from a m…" Severus snarled towards Lily, angered that she stood with his tormentor despite defending him, but he didn't get any further when suddenly recognition flittered over the stranger's face and he slammed his hand over his mouth.

"Please excuse my friend here, we had a bit of a rough first meeting, and he seems to be a bit confused. James Potter should you not want certain…secrets to be revealed…get lost," he growled towards the offending party giving a knowing smile towards Lupin who looked at him in shock and fear before he grabbed his friends, turned around and left as if the grim was on his heels. "Lily, would you please ensure that this hot-headed idiot doesn't commit any other acts of stupidity?" the strange boy told her with a small smile.

Lily looked at him as if she wanted to ask a hundred questions, mainly who he was and where he came from, but she decided it would be better to look after Potter so she nodded and left running after Potter not knowing what to think of the strange boy, she probably would have enough time to question him later. Severus, on the other hand, looked at him as if he decided to grow a second head.

"What…?" he started but didn't get any further because he was interrupted by the strange boy.

"Muffilato," he chanted for good measurement actually without even using a wand much to the surprise and shock of Severus, how did the boy know that particular charm? "Really? Calling your friend a mudblood? Not one of your best ideas," he scolded the larger boy.

Severus stared at him in even more shock. "How do you know what I wanted to call her? And how comes it that you seemingly know everyone while no one knows you, not to mention the spell you just used? Who in Merlin's name are you?"

"I would prefer not to tell you, you might hate me when I do," he reluctantly answered but the glare Severus sent him told him that he wouldn't get away with it.

"Who are you that I would hate you for who you are?" he pushed further.

The boy rose his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay, my name is Harry James…Potter, I'm from the future," Harry replied cautiously expecting disgust thrown his way. Though all he could see was how instantly the wheels were turning in Severus' head trying to assess whether he was lying or not and if not, how everything was connected.

It took what felt half an eternity for Harry when Severus suddenly started to laugh shocking the hell out of Harry with it, he had never heard Severus genuinely laugh though he had to admit that the Severus he knew hadn't had much to smile about, he had been far too bitter for that.

"You know," he said after having cooled down again. "Alone for what you did I like you," upon seeing the confused and surprised look on Harry's face he elaborated that statement. "You defended me and told off your own father, did you not?"

Harry blinked a few times before it sunk in what he had done, and he started to laugh too. "Oh Merlin, I really gave my own father a dressing down, and he called me a Death Eater," he muttered not that he overly cared about it.

His father, James Potter, had always been someone from tales he had heard for him but not like a real person, so it wasn't hard for him to distinguish him from the James Potter he just met.

"I wonder though…you don't seem to be overly put out or even surprised by the fact that I'm from the future or the son of your schoolyard nemesis for that matter," Harry wondered.

"And you would know that how?" Severus stated dryly raising an eyebrow.

"Let's just say that I know you for long enough now to know your expression when you're surprised or confused as you had been earlier," Harry smirked.

"You're what…? Sixteen? How would you have gotten to know me?" confusion again was rising in Severus, and he wanted to know.

"You really won't let me get off without knowing everything would you?" Harry sighed deeply. "Okay listen, I'll tell you anything you want to know but not now and most certainly not here, not where someone could overhear us. Which school year is it for you?"

"Beginning of the sixth year, why?" Severus answered curiosity taking over.

"Brilliant, since you said I look like I'm sixteen this will make things infinitely easier. What about my looks? Do I resemble my father overly much?" he questioned further though he somehow doubted it because otherwise, Potter wouldn't have left without questioning him through and through.

"You would see it only if you know about it. What is this all about?" the boy, Harry, was so evasive with his answers that if he wasn't a Slytherin, he wasn't good in potions and wasn't that a surprise in itself, a Slytherin Potter?

"It looks like I'm going to school again," Harry jovially answered while he started walking back to the castle, cancelling the spell while walking backward to look at Severus expectantly.

Severus, on the other hand, didn't know what to think of the boy anymore and therefore was quick to follow him. The boy, obviously a Potter, not only defended him but also openly went against his own father. That reminded him, how had the boy even ended up in the past? Not that he doubted that fact now that he knew he could see small resemblances to James Potter but also to a young woman he only knew too well, however, as he said you would see it only if you knew who his parents were. Alas, he wanted answers, the only way to get them was to stay close to the boy walking in front of him, and who was one massive conundrum to him.

"So, your mother is Lily?" he spoke up now walking next to Harry.

"Indeed," Harry answered in the same manner Severus loved to do before he snickered upon the other boy's stare.

"Don't you want to get back into your time? What about things changing with you staying here?" there were so many things he wanted to know, but this was the main thing he wanted to know for now.

Harry sighed again. "I already changed things with my arrival here alone, and I surely do not want to get back, so why not having some fun if I have to stay here?" he now snickered.

"What alterations did you make that it would amend the future overly much?"

"The scene at the lake? Potter would have tormented you for about half an hour before Lily came to your rescue, but you were so angry that you called her a mudblood. After that your friendship with her…" Harry's voice faded out towards the end.

He didn't want to tell Severus, but on the other hand he knew that the man that once had died in his arms giving him the most precious gift one could give him – memories of his mother – and now walked here right next to him, younger but well and alive, would demand answers rather sooner than later. Severus was far too curious to not ask him about anything and everything he knew.

The other boy's silence was enough to realise that he knew exactly what would have happened.

"Thank you," he finally brought out, and Harry knew how hard it had been for him to get out those words.

Severus Snape never thanked anyone, at least the old one hadn't done, and he doubted that the young one was any different. However, he had saved him from making what he in his time had referred to as his biggest mistake right before taking the mark – which Harry also intended to change though in a different way than most might think – so it was probably no wonder that he thanked him.

Harry smiled at him. "That is definitely not the last thing I'll change," he snickered.

Upon that, Severus rose an eyebrow. "Don't you fear what the result of your alterations will be?" he asked. "That things might end up being worse than they were where you came from?"

Harry stopped walking and looked at the ground a pained expression flittering over his face before it was carefully hidden behind the happy and carefree mask he had displayed until now. Severus had to wonder just what had happened…will have happened…will possibly have happened, Merlin with time travel the tenses seriously get messed up…that the boy in front of him even contemplated changing things. It also made him wonder how much of this carefree mask was real and how much was a show, would he have to make a guess, from the emotions he had briefly witnessed he would say that it was a complete show and beneath it, Harry was as damaged as only a war could achieve.

"Believe me nothing could be worse than what I had to go through," he finally said with a pained smile starting to walk again. "Nothing short of complete annihilation of wizarding kind, which is actually not far from what would have happened had I stayed in my time, Severus. Wizarding kind was dying…magic was dying…."

Severus swallowed hard, how could things have gone so wrong? He had to admit that Harry had a point in wanting to change things if things were as dour as he painted them; it was as he had said…it couldn't become any worse.

"I…understand," he replied, but from the look, Harry threw him, the boy didn't believe he really did; how could he without having lived it.

They walked in silence towards the castle, each of them lost in their own thought until they reached the steps to the entrance door. Harry stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned towards Severus.

"Severus, I know you don't really know me and considering this it is a lot I ask from you, but could you do me a favour?" Harry asked with trepidation.

Severus looked him up and down contemplating whether it would be worth it though he would need to know what the favour was in the first place to come to a satisfactory conclusion. "What kind of favour?" he therefore asked.

"I would ask you to never ever trust Dumbledore and – that is the far more important part – never ever under any condition ask a favour from him no matter the reason, trust me the price you would have to pay would never be worth it," Harry explained.

That surprised Severus, why in Merlin's name would he trust Dumbledore not to mention, ask him for a favour? So yes, he was very much inclined to agree to this. However, he wouldn't be a Slytherin wouldn't he try to take advantage out of this and if the look Harry threw him was anything to go by, he knew that too.

"Okay, but under one condition," Severus smirked. "I want your friendship."

He had no idea why he settled with something so profane so…low, but right at that moment, it felt as if it was the right thing to ask for. Severus had to smirk when he saw Harry's surprised look, it seemed as if the boy had expected him to ask for a favour in return or something in that category. Harry actually walked in a circle around him looking him up and down which actually made Severus nervous.

"Something in the wrong?" he asked once Harry came standing in front of him again.

"Oh no, I just wanted to make sure you're really whom I assumed you are," Harry snickered.

"And what did you deduct?" Severus retorted.

"That you're truly Severus Snape, Slytherin par excellence and whom some suspect to have swallowed a dictionary as a child hence why I'm so surprised that you only want my friendship in return," Harry smiled while holding out his right hand. "It would be an honour to be able to call you my friend."

Severus smiled in return and firmly shook Harry's hand. "You know, you're a boy who has invaluable awareness about the future. A boy who protected me from making probably the biggest mistake in my life and who got Potter off of me so why wouldn't I want to befriend you?" he asked after making sure that no one was listening in, but since it was in the middle of lessons, he had a free period, no one was around. Though he didn't mention how gorgeous he found Harry and that he had some other ulterior motives for befriending him.

"That's more like it," Harry laughed before turning around and walking towards the entrance.

"Wait," Severus called out letting Harry turn around again. "What about your name? You can hardly go by Potter."

"True," Harry mused giving it some thought when his face lit up, and he smirked like the cat that caught the canary. "Tom Hadrian Eldrid, this is perfect."

"Tom Hadrian Eldrid?" Severus asked confused.

"Harry can be the short form of Hadrian so it wouldn't surprise anyone should you call me Harry and Tom Eldrid because it certainly will catch the attention of a certain someone," Harry explained. "And I should probably be from America having…hmm, no I'm missing the accent, and there is no way I'll be able to fake it for a longer period of time without slipping. How active is the Dark Lord at the moment?"

Severus looked a bit confused but didn't press any further about the naming because his free period was coming to an end and he wanted to accompany Harry to the headmaster. "A few small attacks here and there nothing big mostly targets from the opposing faction but also the odd attack on muggles," he replied a questioning look adorning his face hoping that Harry would elaborate his thought process.

"That should work, family killed by Death Eaters on one of their raids, home-schooled and in my panic I apparated here. Yes, that should work," Harry smiled before turning back towards the entrance door and heading in.

They together walked in silence down the corridors of the old castle, Harry always one step behind Severus as to appear following him so that the portraits wouldn't become suspicious of how he knew the way to the headmaster's office and reported it back to Dumbledore. It took them five minutes, but finally, they stood in front of the gargoyle guarding the office.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Severus asked confusedly, usually children were accompanied by a teacher when going to the headmaster, but every teacher still was in their respective lesson, so they couldn't ask them to attend them.

"Easy," Harry replied before he started to list every sweet that he knew.

After about the tenth sweet he mentioned the gargoyle jumped to the side and gave way to the stairs leading to the headmaster's office.

"Dumbledore's password is always some kind of sweet. It is a miracle that no assassin has taken advantage out of it yet though it might be explained by Dumbledore having enchantments on the gargoyle that lets him know that someone is approaching his office while the paintings in the hallway tell him who," he explained in a low voice as not to be listened in.

"I see," Severus replied curtly.

They walked up the stairs and finally stood in front of an old wooden door. Before any of them could even raise their hand to knock the heard a "come in" coming from the other side. Harry smirked at Severus before he opened the door and stepped through. Severus who followed him closely was surprised by the sudden shift in the personality of the boy. Gone was the joyful but rather serious boy he had been previously and instead he found a boy that looked around a bit frightened but also in awe of what he saw. Severus had to admit that he admired the boy for his acting skills.

"Professor Dumbledore, I came to you with an urgent matter," Severus spoke up ignoring Harry standing next to him still looking around as if he never saw anything like the office before.

"Please take a seat, what is it Severus, my boy?" the man asked with a soft voice and a grandfatherly smile. "And who is your young friend here?"

Severus looked at Harry who now also focused on the headmaster both following Dumbledore's invite sitting down. "He is the reason for why I came to you. About half an hour ago, he suddenly appeared next to the lake out of nowhere. The only thing I could get out of him was that his name is Tom Hadrian Eldrid and that he has no idea for how he appeared at the lake."

Dumbledore hummed lowly, stroking his beard musingly upon hearing the explanation. "Is that so Mr Eldrid?" he finally asked.

"I…I don't know how…," Harry said with a heavily shaking voice looking down. "All I remember was that my family and I…we were attacked…they…they killed mum and dad," he stuttered fumbling with the hem of his shirt, his voice breaking down in the end before looking at the headmaster. "I just wanted to be somewhere safe, Sir. Am I in trouble, Sir?"

"No, no, you're not in trouble at all. Actually, Severus did well bringing you to me so that we can sort this out, my boy. Did you perhaps see who attacked you?" Dumbledore asked leaning forward in his chair in attention.

"I…I don't know…didn't see their faces," Harry muttered. "Had masks and long black robes."

"Probably Death Eaters," Dumbledore murmured lowly, but they could hear him even if barely. "Where did you live, and do you have other relatives you could go to?" he asked loudly, concern audible in his voice.

Harry gave him a short glance before looking back down again. "We lived outside of London, and…mum and dad are the only family I have…had, Sir," he said sniffing a bit.

Again, Dumbledore stroked his beard seemingly deep in thought. "The best it seems will be for you staying at Hogwarts for now until we find a new home for you though I will have to inform the Aurors about this and you probably will have to give them an official statement. Have you received any magical education so far?"

Nodding reluctantly, Harry threw another glance at Dumbledore. "No problem and I was home tutored, Sir," he replied in a low voice.

Severus observed the entire conversation with very well concealed interested while showing boredom to the outside. Harry it seemed was a master in acting the way he needed to, to convince people of what he wants them to believe. Hadn't he gotten to know the boy beforehand he would have fully believed the distressed and slightly panicked boy having witnessed the murder of his family though he wondered how Harry wanted to solidify his story because he doubted that there had been an attack concurring as he said, therefore quickly unmasking the lie. He could only hope that Harry knew what he did. Nevertheless, since he knew who the boy's parents really were…he silently applauded him for having Dumbledore wrapped around his finger.

"How old are you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Sixteen, Sir."

"We'll have to assess your level of education, but I think you'd do well in the sixth year. For now, we at least can get you sorted into a house and tomorrow we will see further, okay? Perhaps you want to have a look at what electives we offer here at Hogwarts until then? Maybe there is something that catches your interest, and don't worry, even if you have no previous knowledge in that field I'm sure we can arrange something," Dumbledore explained with another grandfatherly smile though Harry didn't look up to see it.

"Okay," Harry agreed with a meek voice accepting a parchment Dumbledore was holding out to him that contained the elective classes.

His smile broadening, Dumbledore stood up and walked over to a shelf to pick up the old worn hat. "I will place the hat on your head, it then sorts you into your house. Don't worry it's quite simple really," he explained.

Harry nodded nearly invisibly, and Dumbledore placed the hat on his head, it took almost no time for the object to become alive.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Found yourself in the wrong time, don't you?" the hat snickered. "But I can see where you are coming from, and I understand your desire to change things, hopefully for the better this time."

"The question is will you work with me or against me?" Harry, not bothering to play the meek and traumatised little boy because the hat already knew that it was a show mentally, rose an eyebrow.

"Neither," the hat replied with another chuckle. "I will stay out of it; just keep the entire thing away from Hogwarts and the children, and you can call us even for me not outing you to anyone."

"That should be doable," Harry sighed in relief, it seemed the hat wouldn't tip of Dumbledore about what he was about to do. That had been his greatest worry that the hat would relay everything he saw in his mind to Dumbledore.

"Very well, SLYTHERIN," the hat shouted aloud.

When he took the hat off his head, he saw the shock, surprise and distrust in Dumbledore's face and he instantly knew that he would have to be extremely careful around the man, again. Pure…joy.

"Good," within moments the man exuded his aura of kind grandfather again. "I think Severus here will gladly show you the way to the Slytherin dorms and provide you with the password. It will also be mandatory for you to visit Professor Slughorn, your head of house for further arrangements and your timetable. If that is all, it seems to be a good idea for you to get settled in."

"Uhm Professor," Harry spoke up with a bit more confidence now. "I have nothing except what I'm wearing, even my wand got lost, and I saw them destroying it before I appeared…here."

"That will be no problem, tomorrow is Saturday. Horace will gladly accompany you to Diagon Alley to buy everything you need. Do you have money?" Dumbledore asked wondering whether he would have to supply the young man with funds from Hogwarts for his school supply or not.

"I have some money at Gringotts I think, I would only have to go there," Harry answered, and he hoped that it indeed was the case because otherwise he would be screwed though he had a little reserve in the small pocket he always carried with him. Should he have no money at Gringotts, he still would have enough at least to buy anything necessary, but he didn't really want to touch it because it was meant for emergencies.

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Good, since it is lunch right now I suggest you go fetch something to eat. I'll inform Horace about the newest member of his house, you then can meet with him afterwards."

Both Harry and Severus nodded in acknowledgement before they both stood up and left with a short "Professor Dumbledore". Together they walked down the many stairs of the grand staircase to the great hall to get some lunch.

This promised to become interesting.

A/N: Be glad…not really a cliffhanger. 'til next chapter!