There was a silence as Snape digested this information. "Still, there's glory in being taken down by the Dark Lord himself, I suppose."

"You became a hero… a legend… to all of us in Slytherin." I told him. "It truly is such a great honor to meet you, sir." He smiled thinly at me. But it looked genuine.

Hermione reached for his hand. "I'm sorry, Severus."

Snape looked at her, and then swallowed his pain. He indicated Ron with a flick of his head. "Well, at least I'm not married to him."

Hermione was right back to business. "Which spells did you use?"

Scorpius and she must have been speaking some secret bookworm language because he knew right away what she meant. "Expelliarmus in the first task and Engorgio in the second."

Ron looked at Hermione. "Simple Shield Charms should set both of those right."

Snape looked at the Time-Turner. "And then you left?"

Scorpius half nodded. "The Time-Turner took us back, yes. That's the thing this Time-Turner, you only get five minutes in the past."

Hermione held the Time-Turner up to the light. "And can you still only move in time, not space?"

Scorpius confirmed this. "Yes, yes, it's, uh, you travel back in the same spot you stand in."

Hermione sat the thing down. "Interesting."

Snape and Hermione both know what this means. "Then it's just me and the boy."

Hermione stood up and started putting on her cloak. "No offense, Snape, but I'm not trusting this to anyone, it's too important."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Hermione, you're the most wanted rebel in the wizarding world. Doing this will require you to go outside. When was the last time you were outside?"

Hermione thought about it. "Not for a long time, but…"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "If you're found outside, the dementors will kiss you they'll suck out your soul."

I shuddered at this, but Hermione was determined. "Severus, I'm done with living off scraps, making failed attempts at coups. This is our chance to reset the world."

She nodded at Ron, who pulled down a map. "The first task of the tournament took place at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. We turn time here, get to the tournament, block the spell, and then return safely. With precision it can be done and it won't require us to show our faces outside in our time at all. Then we'll turn time again, make our way to the lake, and reverse the second task."

Snape warned her once more. "You're risking everything."

Hermione looked up, fire in her eyes. "We get this right, Harry's alive, Voldemort's dead, and the Augurey is gone, for that no risk is too great. Though I am sorry what it will cost you."

Snape sighed. "Sometimes costs are made to be borne." The two looked at each other, Snape nodded. Hermione nodded back, Snape's face crumbled slightly. "I didn't just quote Dumbledore, did I?"

Hermione smiled. "No, I'm pretty sure that's pure Severus Snape."

"Mum said you were the wisest man she ever knew." Scorpius told him.

"Your mother," His eyes twinkled at Hermione. "Was the brightest witch I ever knew. I was very fond of her as well. She believed in me when no one else did."

Scorpius smiled. "Yeah… Mum is like that."

Hermione turned to Scorpius, she indicated the Time-Turner. Scorpius brought her the Time-Turner. She smiled at it, obviously excited to use a Time-Turner again, excited to use it for this. "Let's hope this works."

She took the Time-Turner and twisted it. It begins to vibrate, and then explodes into a storm of movement. And there was a giant whoosh of light. A smash of noise. And time stopped. And then it turned over, paused for a bit, and began spooling backwards, slow at first and then with a bang the world came in to sharp focus again.

And Scorpius and I watched ourselves from behind. We picked out the three of us, Albus and Scorpius in their Durmstrang robes and I in Beauxbatons. And through it all we hear the "brilliant" his words again, his words, not mine. Ludo Bagman.

Scorpius and I, and Hermione, Ron, and Snape watch out anxiously.

Ludo Bagman called excitedly. "And Cedric Diggory has entered the stage. And he seems ready. Scared but ready. He dodges this way. He dodges that. The girls swoon as he dives for cover. They cry as one Don't damage our Diggory, Mr. Dragon! And Cedric skirts left and he dives right and he readies his wand.."

Snape warned us. "This is taking too long. The Time-Turner is spinning."

Ludo Bagman "What has this young, brave, handsome man got up his sleevies now?"

As Albus attempted to summon Cedric's wand, Hermione blocked his spell. He looks at his wand disconsolate, unsure why it hasn't worked.

And then the Time-Turner spun and we looked at it and panic as we were pulled into it.

The last we heard was ."A dog he's transfigured a stone into a dog! Dog diggity, Cedric Diggory you are a doggy dynamo." Thank Merlin it worked!

We are returned from time, at the edge of the woods, and Ron is in a lot of pain. Snape looked around, immediately aware of the mess they're in.

Ron cried holding his arm. "Ow. Ow. Owwwwwww."

Hermione was immediately concerned. "Ron… Ron… What has it done to you?"

Snape huffed annoyed. "Oh no. I knew it."

Scorpius frowned. "The Time-Turner did something to Albus too. The first time we went back."

Ron smiled ruefully. "Useful time to… ow… tell us."

"We're aboveground. We need to move. Now." Snape ordered.

Hermione pulled Ron's other arm. "Ron, you can still walk, come on…"

Ron stood up, shouting in pain. Snape raised his wand.

Scorpius wanted to know the same thing I did. "Did it work?

Hermione nodded. "We blocked the spell. Cedric kept his wand. Yes. It worked."

Snape growled. "But we came back to the wrong place we are outside. YOU are outside."

Ron suddenly realized their danger. "We need to use the Time-Turner again get out of here."

Snape was in a near panic. "We need to find shelter. We're horribly exposed."

Exposed to what? There was no one around, why were they so… then I felt of the breath of an icy wind.

Some black robes swooped in the air above us. Black robes that become black shapes. That become dementors.

Hermione closed her eyes. "Too late."

Snape looked for any escape and found none. "This is a disaster."

Hermione looked at us I could see she realized what she had to do. "They're after me, not any of you. Ron. I love you and I always have. But the three of you need to run. Go. Now."

Ron looked startled. "What?"

Scorpius shook his head in denial. "What?"

Ron was focused on something else now. "Can we talk about the love thing first?"

Hermione looked at Ron, the love in her eyes clear. "This is still Voldemort's world. And I am done with it. Reversing the next task will change everything.

Scorpius was almost in tears. "But they'll kiss you. They'll suck out your soul."

Hermione said pragmatically. "And then you'll change the past. And then they won't. Go. Now".

The dementors sensed us. From all sides, screaming shapes descended.

Snape grabbed us and pulled. "Go. We go." He pulled harder on Scorpius' arm. Scorpius reluctantly went with him. Snape grabbed me up and slung me over his shoulder, I could see and hear everything behind us.

Hermione looked at Ron. "You're supposed to be going too."

Ron looked back at her with love and resignation. "Well, they are after me a bit and I really am in quite a lot of pain. And, you know, I'd rather be here. Expecto…"

As he reaches up to cast the spell, Hermione stops his arm. "Let's keep them here and give the kids the best chance we can."

Ron looked at her and then nodded sadly. "A daughter. And a son. I liked that idea too." He looks around he knows their fate. "I'm scared."

Hermione grabbed him. "Kiss me."

Ron thought about it and then did. And then the two are yanked apart. And pinned to the ground. And I watched as a golden-whitish haze is pulled from their bodies. They had their souls sucked from them. And it was terrifying.

Scorpius and I watched helplessly.

Snape sat me down once we had some distance. "Let's get down to the water. Walk. Don't run." Snape looks at us. "Stay calm, children. They may be blind but they can sense your fear."

Scorpius looked at Snape in terror. "They just sucked out their souls."

A dementor swoops down low over them and settles in front of Scorpius.

Snape hurriedly said "Think of something else, Scorpius. Occupy your thoughts."

Scorpius shivered. "I feel cold. I can't see. There's a fog inside me around me."

I took Scorpius hand. I felt the dementors too... but not like he was.

Snape spoke calmly. "You're a king, and I'm a professor. They'll only attack with good reason. Think about those you love, think about why you're doing this."

Scorpius had tears rolling down his cheeks. "I can hear my mother. She wants me, my help but she knows I can't help."

Snape took his other hand. "Listen to me, Scorpius. Think about Albus. Think about Lilliana. You're giving up your kingdom for them, right?"

Scorpius was helpless. Consumed by all the dementor is making him feel.

"One person." Snape whispered. "All it takes is one person. I couldn't save Harry for Lily. So now I give my allegiance to the cause she believed in. And it's possible that along the way I started believing in it myself."

Scorpius smiled at Snape. He steps decisively away from the dementor. "One person." Scorpius looked at me. "The world changes and we change with it. I am better off in this world. But the world is not better. And I don't want that."

Suddenly my Aunt Dolores emerged in front of us,

Aunt Dolores smiled that sickly sweet smile. "Professor Snape!"

Snape looked at her calmly. "Professor Umbridge."

Aunt Dolores practically bounced. "Have you heard the news? We've caught that traitorous Mudblood Hermione Granger. She was just out here."

Snape feigned happiness. "That's fantastic."

She stared at Snape. He looked back. "With you. Granger was with you."

Snape sneered. "With me? You're mistaken."

Aunt Dolores grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her. "With you and Scorpius Malfoy. A student I'm becoming increasingly concerned bout. And now you are attempting to sway my beautiful niece with your lies."

Scorpius cleared his throat. "Well..."

Snape dismissed her with a wave. "Dolores, we're late for class, so if you'll excuse us…"

Aunt Dolores would not be dismissed. "If you're late for class, why are you not heading back to the school? Why are you heading to the lake? And where did you think you were taking MY NIECE?"

I jerked out of her grasp. "You killed my Mum, you loathsome toad."

There was a moment of pure silence. And then Snape did something hugely unusual he smiled. "How long have you suspected?"

Aunt Dolores rose off the ground. She opened her arms wide, full of Dark Magic and took out her wand. "Years. And I should have acted upon it far earlier."

Snape was faster with his wand. "Depulso!"

Aunt Dolores was propelled backwards through the air. "She always was too grand for her own good. There's no turning back now."

The sky turns even blacker still around them.

"Expecto Patronum!" Snape sent forward a Patronus, and it's a beautiful white shape of a doe.

Scorpius was wide eyed. "A doe? Lily's Patronus."

Snape smiled. "Strange, isn't it? What comes from within."

Dementors started to appear all around us. Snape knew what this meant. "You need to run. I will keep them at bay for as long as I can."

Scorpius and I were both ready to start crying. "Thank you for being my light in the darkness."

Snape looks at him, every inch a hero, he softly smiles. "Tell Albus tell Albus Severus I'm proud he carries my name." He pulled off a ring. "Take this to Alya if you can. Tell her it is the match to the ring she wears. Tell her… tell her she was like a daughter to me. I am proud for her to wear these. Now go. Go!"

The doe looks back at us, and then starts to run. We ran after the doe, and around us the world got scarier. A bloodcurdling scream startled us both. Scorpius grabbed my hand and seeing the lake threw both of us inside.

I still watched as Snape readied himself. He was pulled hard to the ground and then pushed high into the air as his soul was ripped from him. And the screams just seemed to multiply.

The doe turned to us with beautiful eyes, and disappeared.

There was a bang and a flash. And then… silence. And then there's more silence.

It was so still, so peaceful, and so perfectly tranquil.

We shielded the second charm in the water with little effort. The hardest part was getting it done and twisting the Time-Turner before it tried to take us back to that awful future. Seeing Albus again just hurt.

And then we ascended to the surface. Both of us breathing deeply. Breathing deep, panicked breaths. I looked up at the sky. The sky certainly seemed bluer than before.

And then Albus ascends after us. There's a silence. Scorpius and I just looked at Albus, disbelieving.

Both boys breathe in and out. I swear I was holding my breath

Albus said something first. "Whoa!"

Scorpius and I called together. "Albus!"

Albus was his excited Albus-y self. "That was close! Did you see that Merman? The guy with the... and then the thing with the… whoa!"

Scorpius whispered. "It's you."

Albus just kept on. "It was weird though I thought I saw Cedric start to expand but then he sort of started shrinking again and I looked at you and you had your wand out...

Scorpius had tears mixed with the water pouring off of his face. I suspect I did as well. "You have no idea how good it is to see you again."

Albus laughed awkwardly. "You just saw me two minutes ago."

Scorpius hugged Albus in the water, a difficult task. I wrapped my arms around both of them.

Scorpius choked on a sob. "A lot has happened since then."

Albus looked at us thoroughly confused. "Careful. You're drowning me. What are you wearing?"

Scorpius looked down at his dark robes confused. "What am I wearing?" He pulls off his cloak and let it sink. "What are you wearing? Yes! You're in Slytherin!"

"He's Slytherin!" I squealed.

Albus looked at us if we were barking. I suppose we were. "Did it work? Did we do anything?"

Scorpius laughed. "No."

"And it's brilliant." I laughed with him.

Albus looks at us disbelieving. "What? We failed."

Scorpius grabbed our hands. "Yes. YES. AND IT'S AMAZING."

He splashed hard in the water. Albus pulled himself out to the bank. "Scorpius. Have you been eating too many sweets again? Lils you were on sweet patrol last."

Scorpius spun around. "There you go, you see all dry humor and Albus-y. I love it."

"Me too, so much." I hugged Albus again.

Albus looked at me as though I might have the pox. "Now I'm starting to get worried…"

Uncle Harry came running up just then followed by… Uncle Ron and Aunt Ginny. And a very unhappy looking Professor Mcgonagall.

"Uncle Ron!" I shouted. "I am soooo happy to see you!"

Uncle Harry looked so relieved. "Albus. Albus. Are you okay?"

Scorpius looked overjoyed as well. "Uncle Harry! It's Uncle Harry! And Aunt Ginny. And Uncle Ron! And Professor McGonagall. And Dad. My dad. Hi. Dad."

Uncle Draco looked decidedly not happy to see us. "Hello, Scorpius." Relieved. But not happy.

Albus was too confused by everything to grasp we may be about to be murdered by Aunts, Uncles and one Headmistress. "You're all here."

Aunt Ginny told us how they knew. "And Myrtle told us everything."

"I knew she was a tattle tale." I grumbled to Scorpius.

Albus tried for some famous Slytherin lying. "What is going on?"

He sucked at it.

Professor McGonagall crossed her arms. "You're the one who's just returned from time. Why don't you tell us?"

Scorpius immediately looked at me and mouthed. "They know." And went into a great act. "Oh no. Oh bother. Where is it?"

Albus tried for innocence. "Just returned from where?" he sucked at that too.

Scorpius cried. "I've lost it! I've lost the Time-Turner."

Albus looked at Scorpius, deeply annoyed. "You've lost what?"

Uncle Harry sighed. "Time to cut the pretense, Albus."

Professor McGonagall looked ready to do bodily harm. "I think you've got some explaining to do."

Oh Merlin. How much time in detention does one get for breaking several time lines and… unborning… a whole bunch of people?

It occurred to me I might actually get Azkaban for this.

Well, at least I am pretty sure there are no more dementors.

We all might, I wondered if they would let us share cells.