Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. No infringement intended.
Rating: PG-13 for mild language.
Summary: A young girl flees her deepest fear, and finds herself face to face with the Potions Master in the dead of night. Time-travel.
Pairing: Severus/Hermione
Lightning Strikes
by Auror Borealis
1 Chapter 4
"What was that?" Ron Weasley lifted his head from his girlfriend's neck, startled.
"It's just thunder. Don't be so jumpy."
"I thought I heard something. I don't want us to get caught up here." He looked around, but couldn't make out anything in the gloom that prevailed between flashes of lightning.
"Worried about breaking rules? I thought I'd never see this day," Hermione Granger said teasingly, her hands unfastening the front of Ron's robe. They snuggled together against the stone wall of the tower, reclining on large, soft pillows Hermione had transfigured from some socks she'd brought. She brought her teeth down on the boy's ear, and he instantly forgot anything but the brown-haired girl in his arms. They kissed as the storm wore itself out over their heads, but at last, Hermione drew away and rested her head on his shoulder.
Ron sighed; there never seemed to be enough time for them to be alone together. Claiming one last kiss, he stood and helped Hermione to her feet. She transfigured the pillows back into socks, and stuffed them into her pocket. Fingers entwined, the two Gryffindor 7th years crossed the tower toward the door, preparing to don the Invisibility Cloak they had borrowed from their friend, Harry Potter. Prefects or not, it still wouldn't do to be caught wandering the halls of Hogwarts in the middle of the night.
Ron cursed and stumbled as his foot struck something soft. It groaned.
"What the…" he looked at Hermione, and exchanging alarmed looks, they drew their wands. "Lumos," said Ron, holding his now-glowing wand aloft for them to see by, as Hermione pointed her own at the limp, stirring bundle on the floor.
It was a girl.
She was young, perhaps twelve or thirteen, with straight, glossy black hair. There was a Hufflepuff badge on her robe.
"Are you all right?" Hermione helped the girl to sit up.
"I think so," she said. "There was a flash, and this awful smell, and I fainted." She started to cry.
Ron and Hermione were stunned. How had the girl gotten in there in the first place? They'd charmed the door so it wouldn't open even with 'alohomora;' they hadn't wanted anyone surprising them. And now here was a young Hufflepuff neither of them recognized, throwing her arms around Hermione and sobbing. So much for not being surprised, Ron thought.
Looking helplessly at the redheaded boy, Hermione stroked the black hair and murmured soothing nothings. The girl raised her tearstained face, her head still pressed against Hermione, and looked at Ron.
"Mum, who's that?"
Hermione nearly dropped the girl.
"Did you just call me 'Mum'?" she demanded.
Callie called her parents the same thing the other students did, in class and during school functions. She hadn't thought this counted as one, but for some reason, her mother seemed to think that calling her 'Mum' was not appropriate right now.
"Sorry." She hiccuped, and reached into a pocket for a handkerchief. "I should have said Professor Snape."
Hermione did drop the girl.
"Who are you?" Ron asked, helping Callie to stand.
"I'm Callie Snape." She looked at the older boy; he was wearing Gryffindor robes. She didn't know many Gryffindors particularly well, especially not the upperclassmen, but she was sure she would have recognized this tall boy, with his shock of red hair, at least by sight.
Hermione had risen and turned away from the girl. What kind of joke was she playing? She wondered who had put the kid up to it. Just as she turned back to insist that 'Callie,' or whatever her name really was, explain herself, a familiar-looking piece of paper on the floor caught her attention. She bent down to pick it up.
It was a five pound note, Muggle money. The girl must have dropped it; Hermione didn't carry any with her, and she was sure Ron wouldn't have Muggle currency. Something was written on it. She held it up to Ron's wand.
"Love to Callie from Granddad."
It was in her father's handwriting.
Hermione crumpled to the floor, in the exact spot vacated by her daughter a few moments before.
Callie sat on the edge of the bed next to her mother's. Hermione was also sitting up, looking at Callie in a mixture of wonder and horror. It had been very dim in the Astronomy Tower, even with Mr. Weasley's – Ron's – wand providing light. She could see his older self in this boy, now that she knew to look for it. She hadn't noticed the youthfulness of her mother's face, not then. Now, it was unmistakable, and Callie was very frightened. How had this happened? Mum had said they wouldn't let anything happen…
Madam Pomfrey opened the door of the hospital wing to admit Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Both were startled at the sight of the pale, black-haired, dark-eyed girl in Hufflepuff robes. They knew every student at Hogwarts, and they knew they'd never seen this girl before.
"How are you feeling, Miss Granger?" McGonagall was concerned, but her voice was stern. Ron and Hermione had been in the Astronomy Tower after curfew, after all.
"I'm fine. But…" Hermione waved helplessly towards Callie.
"Who are you, child?" Dumbledore's voice was gentle.
"Professor… Dumbledore…" Her voice shook. Callie was glad to see a truly familiar face; Dumbledore was almost unchanged from when she knew him. She knew that she had somehow traveled back in time; her mother had told her enough about her experiences with the Time-Turner to know that it was possible. The question was, how? And even more important, how was she going to get home?
"Headmaster, Professor McGonagall," said Hermione, her voice very faint, "may I present my daughter, Callie?"
Ron snorted disbelievingly.
"Good heavens," said McGonagall, looking closely at the girl. "Are you certain, Miss Granger?"
Hermione held out the five pound note, pointing to the inscription. "That's my father's handwriting, Professor. And she knew me; she called me 'Mum.'"
"What year is it in your time, Miss…?"
"2015, Headmaster. And my last name is Snape. Caledonia Snape."
"Good heavens," Professor McGonagall repeated.
Ron's expression was thunderous. "I don't know who you really are, but I suggest you tell us the truth, and do it now." He leaned in towards Callie, his face inches from hers. Callie didn't think she'd ever seen anyone so angry in her life, not even her father, whose temper, when roused, was legendary.
Callie turned to Hermione. The Gryffindor girl found that, stunned as she was by the appearance of this child who would be hers at some time in the future, and the even more startling revelation of the identity of the child's father, she could not ignore the plea in those black eyes. She hopped off of her bed and sat beside Callie, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Really, Ron, can't you see she's been through enough without you trying to make it worse?"
"There's no way she's telling the truth," insisted Ron. "You'd never have a child with… with that greasy bastard!"
"You forget yourself, Mr. Weasley," rapped out McGonagall, her tone icy. "Twenty five additional points from Gryffindor, in addition to whatever I decide will be appropriate for your outing in the Astronomy Tower. Now go back to Gryffindor, and if you tell anyone about this, you'll be in detention until you graduate. If you graduate."
With a hostile glance at the girl beside Hermione, he left the hospital wing.
"He can't talk about my father like that," Callie finally managed to say. Tears were threatening to choke her again, this time in anger.
Tentatively, Hermione reached up to stroke the pale cheek. "Don't worry, Callie. He says lots of things he doesn't mean. He's just surprised right now. He'll get over it."
"Dumbledore summoned a chair, and sat down beside the bed. "Not to worry, my dear, Miss Granger is quite right. Now, why don't you tell me how you came to be here with us?"
Callie's tale didn't give them much to go on, where reversing her journey through time was concerned. Hermione had no recognition of the elements in the spell she would attempt to cast seventeen years into the future. None of them knew of a potion such as the girl described.
A short time later, Hermione was sent back to her dormitory, and Callie was settled into a bed in the hospital wing for the night, a screen drawn around her for privacy. She could hear the professors talking in low voices as she drifted off to sleep.
Sometime later, the curtains rustled. A sliver of light outlined the figure who had opened them, and sleepy eyes blinked up at him.
"Daddy?" she whispered.
Severus was too stunned to speak for several moments. So it was true. He looked in amazement at the child he never thought he would sire. When he spoke, his voice was thick with unaccustomed emotion.
"I'm here, Caledonia. Go back to sleep."
Rating: PG-13 for mild language.
Summary: A young girl flees her deepest fear, and finds herself face to face with the Potions Master in the dead of night. Time-travel.
Pairing: Severus/Hermione
Lightning Strikes
by Auror Borealis
1 Chapter 4
"What was that?" Ron Weasley lifted his head from his girlfriend's neck, startled.
"It's just thunder. Don't be so jumpy."
"I thought I heard something. I don't want us to get caught up here." He looked around, but couldn't make out anything in the gloom that prevailed between flashes of lightning.
"Worried about breaking rules? I thought I'd never see this day," Hermione Granger said teasingly, her hands unfastening the front of Ron's robe. They snuggled together against the stone wall of the tower, reclining on large, soft pillows Hermione had transfigured from some socks she'd brought. She brought her teeth down on the boy's ear, and he instantly forgot anything but the brown-haired girl in his arms. They kissed as the storm wore itself out over their heads, but at last, Hermione drew away and rested her head on his shoulder.
Ron sighed; there never seemed to be enough time for them to be alone together. Claiming one last kiss, he stood and helped Hermione to her feet. She transfigured the pillows back into socks, and stuffed them into her pocket. Fingers entwined, the two Gryffindor 7th years crossed the tower toward the door, preparing to don the Invisibility Cloak they had borrowed from their friend, Harry Potter. Prefects or not, it still wouldn't do to be caught wandering the halls of Hogwarts in the middle of the night.
Ron cursed and stumbled as his foot struck something soft. It groaned.
"What the…" he looked at Hermione, and exchanging alarmed looks, they drew their wands. "Lumos," said Ron, holding his now-glowing wand aloft for them to see by, as Hermione pointed her own at the limp, stirring bundle on the floor.
It was a girl.
She was young, perhaps twelve or thirteen, with straight, glossy black hair. There was a Hufflepuff badge on her robe.
"Are you all right?" Hermione helped the girl to sit up.
"I think so," she said. "There was a flash, and this awful smell, and I fainted." She started to cry.
Ron and Hermione were stunned. How had the girl gotten in there in the first place? They'd charmed the door so it wouldn't open even with 'alohomora;' they hadn't wanted anyone surprising them. And now here was a young Hufflepuff neither of them recognized, throwing her arms around Hermione and sobbing. So much for not being surprised, Ron thought.
Looking helplessly at the redheaded boy, Hermione stroked the black hair and murmured soothing nothings. The girl raised her tearstained face, her head still pressed against Hermione, and looked at Ron.
"Mum, who's that?"
Hermione nearly dropped the girl.
"Did you just call me 'Mum'?" she demanded.
Callie called her parents the same thing the other students did, in class and during school functions. She hadn't thought this counted as one, but for some reason, her mother seemed to think that calling her 'Mum' was not appropriate right now.
"Sorry." She hiccuped, and reached into a pocket for a handkerchief. "I should have said Professor Snape."
Hermione did drop the girl.
"Who are you?" Ron asked, helping Callie to stand.
"I'm Callie Snape." She looked at the older boy; he was wearing Gryffindor robes. She didn't know many Gryffindors particularly well, especially not the upperclassmen, but she was sure she would have recognized this tall boy, with his shock of red hair, at least by sight.
Hermione had risen and turned away from the girl. What kind of joke was she playing? She wondered who had put the kid up to it. Just as she turned back to insist that 'Callie,' or whatever her name really was, explain herself, a familiar-looking piece of paper on the floor caught her attention. She bent down to pick it up.
It was a five pound note, Muggle money. The girl must have dropped it; Hermione didn't carry any with her, and she was sure Ron wouldn't have Muggle currency. Something was written on it. She held it up to Ron's wand.
"Love to Callie from Granddad."
It was in her father's handwriting.
Hermione crumpled to the floor, in the exact spot vacated by her daughter a few moments before.
Callie sat on the edge of the bed next to her mother's. Hermione was also sitting up, looking at Callie in a mixture of wonder and horror. It had been very dim in the Astronomy Tower, even with Mr. Weasley's – Ron's – wand providing light. She could see his older self in this boy, now that she knew to look for it. She hadn't noticed the youthfulness of her mother's face, not then. Now, it was unmistakable, and Callie was very frightened. How had this happened? Mum had said they wouldn't let anything happen…
Madam Pomfrey opened the door of the hospital wing to admit Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Both were startled at the sight of the pale, black-haired, dark-eyed girl in Hufflepuff robes. They knew every student at Hogwarts, and they knew they'd never seen this girl before.
"How are you feeling, Miss Granger?" McGonagall was concerned, but her voice was stern. Ron and Hermione had been in the Astronomy Tower after curfew, after all.
"I'm fine. But…" Hermione waved helplessly towards Callie.
"Who are you, child?" Dumbledore's voice was gentle.
"Professor… Dumbledore…" Her voice shook. Callie was glad to see a truly familiar face; Dumbledore was almost unchanged from when she knew him. She knew that she had somehow traveled back in time; her mother had told her enough about her experiences with the Time-Turner to know that it was possible. The question was, how? And even more important, how was she going to get home?
"Headmaster, Professor McGonagall," said Hermione, her voice very faint, "may I present my daughter, Callie?"
Ron snorted disbelievingly.
"Good heavens," said McGonagall, looking closely at the girl. "Are you certain, Miss Granger?"
Hermione held out the five pound note, pointing to the inscription. "That's my father's handwriting, Professor. And she knew me; she called me 'Mum.'"
"What year is it in your time, Miss…?"
"2015, Headmaster. And my last name is Snape. Caledonia Snape."
"Good heavens," Professor McGonagall repeated.
Ron's expression was thunderous. "I don't know who you really are, but I suggest you tell us the truth, and do it now." He leaned in towards Callie, his face inches from hers. Callie didn't think she'd ever seen anyone so angry in her life, not even her father, whose temper, when roused, was legendary.
Callie turned to Hermione. The Gryffindor girl found that, stunned as she was by the appearance of this child who would be hers at some time in the future, and the even more startling revelation of the identity of the child's father, she could not ignore the plea in those black eyes. She hopped off of her bed and sat beside Callie, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Really, Ron, can't you see she's been through enough without you trying to make it worse?"
"There's no way she's telling the truth," insisted Ron. "You'd never have a child with… with that greasy bastard!"
"You forget yourself, Mr. Weasley," rapped out McGonagall, her tone icy. "Twenty five additional points from Gryffindor, in addition to whatever I decide will be appropriate for your outing in the Astronomy Tower. Now go back to Gryffindor, and if you tell anyone about this, you'll be in detention until you graduate. If you graduate."
With a hostile glance at the girl beside Hermione, he left the hospital wing.
"He can't talk about my father like that," Callie finally managed to say. Tears were threatening to choke her again, this time in anger.
Tentatively, Hermione reached up to stroke the pale cheek. "Don't worry, Callie. He says lots of things he doesn't mean. He's just surprised right now. He'll get over it."
"Dumbledore summoned a chair, and sat down beside the bed. "Not to worry, my dear, Miss Granger is quite right. Now, why don't you tell me how you came to be here with us?"
Callie's tale didn't give them much to go on, where reversing her journey through time was concerned. Hermione had no recognition of the elements in the spell she would attempt to cast seventeen years into the future. None of them knew of a potion such as the girl described.
A short time later, Hermione was sent back to her dormitory, and Callie was settled into a bed in the hospital wing for the night, a screen drawn around her for privacy. She could hear the professors talking in low voices as she drifted off to sleep.
Sometime later, the curtains rustled. A sliver of light outlined the figure who had opened them, and sleepy eyes blinked up at him.
"Daddy?" she whispered.
Severus was too stunned to speak for several moments. So it was true. He looked in amazement at the child he never thought he would sire. When he spoke, his voice was thick with unaccustomed emotion.
"I'm here, Caledonia. Go back to sleep."
