A beautiful day had quite quickly turned into one of the worst days of his life, Severus Snape thought furiously as he dangled writhing in mid-air. It had started off well enough finishing his O.W.L.S. with a Defense Against The Dark Arts exam, he'd been very pleased with how he'd performed on the test, hardly surprising given that it was by far and away one of his favourite subjects only matched by Potions. He had gone outside and found a quiet secluded spot underneath one of the ancient Beech trees that overlooked the lake where he could sit on his own and look over the paper.
It wasn't to last, his peace had been suddenly shattered by his worst enemies, four boys who swaggered around Hogwarts calling themselves the Marauders self-styled heroes and pranksters of Hogwarts whose main mission in life appeared to be trying to make his life miserable. Just as he'd been preparing to leave they'd ambushed him and attacked him before he'd had a chance to defend himself and had used several nasty spells on him, worst of all had been when Potter had levitated him into the air so that he was hung upside down with his greying underwear on show for the whole world to see, he'd felt such humiliation then as half of the school stood there laughing at him making him feel embarrassment and anger the likes of which he'd never known before. They had eventually let him down, but not before casting Petrificus Totalus on him, rendering him totally unable to move.
What made it so much worse was that in addition to half the school watching and laughing at him, Lily, the one girl that he had ever loved, had borne witness to everything. Admittedly she had done her best to defend him and get them to stop tormenting him and under any other circumstances he would have been grateful but he hated appearing weak and right now he was so incensed with rage and embarrassment that he couldn't think clearly.
She had managed to convince Potter to cast the counter curse when he decided to taunt him again "you're lucky Evans was here Snivellus"
He was just about to lash out in anger when suddenly time seemed to slow. Looking up startled he could see it flowing around him and the crowd so close he could have reached out and touched it. His attention was drawn to a figure dressed in strange black clothes like robes and a ruffed shirt who was calmly making his way through the crowd, his cape billowing behind him. It was strange though he didn't weave through them or move them aside he simply walked forward and melted through them as though they were not there.
In a few moments, he reached him and stepped forward offering his hand to him. Up close he could see the man's face lined with age but still youthful with warm eyes and well-groomed silver hair. He looked at the stranger's hand warily and then up at him before asking "who are you?"
"A friend" he stated simply smiling kindly down at him, something about this mysterious man seemed familiar and he sensed he was trustworthy.
He paused before taking his hand as he stood, catching his breath, looking around curiously, composing himself "what just happened, why are you helping me?"
"You were about to say something which I believe you will live to regret, I froze time so that I could show you the future. Do you want to see what would have happened if I had not intervened?"
Severus looked at him warily, unsure whether to believe him "do I have a choice?"
The strange man smiles amused at this and shakes his head "you'd be well advised to take the chance you may not be offered it again"
He pondered the matter a moment longer before his curiosity got the better of him, he nodded decisively "alright then show me."
The stranger smiles and nods before turning to the tree and using his hand to summon up a shining disc, he turns to Sev gesturing for him to go through the portal before following him through.
He emerges to see himself suspended in the air writhing helplessly in front of Lily, the Marauders and half the school, the scene unfreezes just as Potter taunts him.
He watched in horror as his other self spat out those vile words that would forever change his life "I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"
"No I didn't mean to, I could never call her that, take it back, please" he turned to the man falling to his knees, wringing his hands and pleading with him as the conversation played out in front of him and he watched her walk off turning her back on him.
He held a hand up to stop him shaking his head "there is more, you must see it all, only then can you understand" he replied pointing to the shifting scene.
He hung his head in shame as he watched himself talking to her outside the Gryffindor common room, trying in vain to apologise to her as she abandoned him, condemning him for hanging around with future Death Eaters and using that horrible slur. He sees her growing closer to Potter as he falls into a deeper despair, becoming despondent, caring little about anything he is lost without his best friend. He can feel the emotions, the pain of his loss emanating off of his other self as he drowns in his own bitterness and loathing.
Next thing he sees himself dressed all in black surrounded by dark figures whose faces are covered in hideous masks as he knelt in front of a hideous man with a flat white face like a snake and evil red eyes who burns the dark mark onto his arm. He sensed the thrill that runs through his older self's body as dark magic rushes through it and the man burns a hideous tattoo of a snake winding its way through a skull onto his arm, he recognized it as the infamous dark mark he's heard so much about from his housemates. He watched in horror as he saw the atrocities committed in this man's name, killing, raping and torturing muggles. It was true that he had no love of muggles, his harsh childhood spent virtually alone and, rejected by all, had made sure of that an idea reinforced by his hated father but this did not seem like the better world for wizardkind that his housemates had promised. He had once dreamed of kneeling to receive the mark to be considered worthy now the thought makes him sick to the pit of his stomach.
The scene changes he sees himself knelt before Dumbledore, the despair evident in his face explaining that he has passed on a prophecy to the Dark Lord and that he now intends to hunt down Lily and her family, he begs him to help to save her, to hide her whole family, he promised to do anything in return for him protecting them. It changes again and he found himself in Dumbledore's office looking far older and weathered as though he has spent a hundred years in torment and grief. He sags sinking further into despair as the man informs his older self that Lily is dead but that her son lives and he agrees to honour her memory by protecting the boy in secret in case his former master returns.
More memories flash by quicker now he glimpsed flashes of his life and the orphan boy he's sworn to protect. He sensed the bitterness, the guilt and sadness he carried about him like a shadow and he hated to think he could become so bitter and hate one child so much. There is nothing for him there, all the promises of power, recognition acceptance are worth nothing for it is not a happy life not without Lily.
He turned to the man "take me back please, I can't let this happen, I can't lose her pleas. I'll do anything to save her" he pleaded on his knees, voice cracking with emotion and his head hung low. The man nodded as the memories end, snapping his fingers and they are back.
He looked around him sighing with relief, it's not too late she's still here not yet dead, not yet abandoned him "you understand?" a voice said, startling him out of his thoughts.
He looked up then nods sadly feeling utterly bewildered "why me, why did you choose to help me of all people?"
The man looks down at him examining him for a moment before answering "you have led an unhappy life, you have done many terrible things yet you have also made great efforts to make amends. The powers that be decided that you deserved a second chance" he explains.
"So if I choose differently can I save her? Will she love me?" He asked, frantically imploring him.
He shook his head sadly "I cannot say, there is never a clear path, change one thing and you can change everything"
Severus looked away disappointed, mind racing with possibilities "I see but there is a chance this way if I choose differently" he mused brightening somewhat at this thought, the strange man nods and smiled slightly at him.
The man put a hand on his shoulder "indeed, I must return you to your own time, remember your next actions will influence your whole life, choose wisely"
Thank you, you might just have stopped me from making a terrible mistake" he said earnestly, shaking his hand.