Title: The Paradox of Existence
Author: DragonLight
Summary: The future repeats itself in the past, i.e. which came
first the chicken or the egg.
Pairing: HP/SS
Rating: Now PG-13 to probably R later on
Disclaimer: All characters that are the least bit familiar belong to JKR-same with places and items. Don't recognize it then it's mine.
Chapter Two: Forwards
* Future: Right before Harry goes to the past *
"Remember, you can't change anything. No warning your parents or Sirius or Severus. You're there to work with the past Order and to teach the children the things they will need to survive Voldemort's first reign of terror. We already went over the parameters of what you can tell the past me. Do you understand, Harry?"
"Yes Albus. We went over it quite a few times." Harry watched as the headmaster walked over to where his phoenix, Fawkes was perched.
"You're going because the order needs someone that can translate parseltongue and I remember a Mr. Tyler that looked like you that could do just that."
"I know, Albus." Harry's eyes followed the headmaster to the window where he stopped and looked out over the grounds.
"Either Sirius or Severus will check up on you once a month. They'll make sure that you have everything that you need."
"Alright Albus." Once again the Headmaster went over to the phoenix's perch.
"Remember you cannot directly oppose the Dark Lord. Stay away from him at all costs. And don't forget to give the impression of neutrality to everyone except the order. You have no side in the war of the past, at least to the outside world."
"Yes Albus." The restless pacing continued.
"That means you can't take sides, Harry. You can't favor one house over another."
"Like I do that now." Albus paused halfway from Fawkes to look at the 25 year old man sitting calmly in one of the plush chairs by the fire watching him pace.
"True, after your sixth year you didn't tolerate house prejudices. Not even from members of your own house." Albus continued his pacing.
"Sev said I had a paradigm shift when Draco blocked that curse from hitting me in the back. Personally I like smaller words and keep to the sayings 'I saw the error of my ways, or I finally stepped into the light.'"
Albus waved his hand dismissively. "Same difference."
"That's what Sirius says." Albus finally looked up and cracked a smile.
"Albus you need not worry. I know that things happen for a reason. And even though many horrible things are happening now I know that it could most likely be worse if I change things. Besides, even through the loss and pain I am happy with my life. I don't want it to change."
Albus nodded.
"Is that all Albus?" Albus was about to nod when he shook his head. Harry sank back into the soft chair.
"Just one more thing." Harry raised his eyebrow in a manner he had learned from Severus. "No hitting on the students."
Harry laughed. "No reverse process huh? What about if a student hits on me?"
"Harry?!"
"Alright alright. Students are off limits. Got it."
Harry stood and made his way to the door. As he was reaching for the handle the headmaster once again called him. "Harry, relax and enjoy yourself. See the people you hold dear before the war changed them. It's almost a vacation."
"Yes Albus." Harry was out the door, down the stairs and on the other side of the gargoyle before a realization finally dawned on him. They had been planning this mission for a month and it only now occurred to him.
"Shite. I have to teach Defense again. I thought I finally got out of that position two years ago." Harry continued to move down the hallway to the Muggle Studies classroom were his students were waiting for their tardy professor."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Harry walked into the potions classroom later that evening. He watched as the professor gave private instruction to one of the two students who were there for tutoring. His eyes followed the long fingered graceful hands as they hovered over the ingredients explaining the purpose of each one to the young lady that sat across the workbench from him. Harry thought back to his own potions lessons. At the time Professor Snape wouldn't have even imagined giving anyone private tuition in the subject. Now however it was another story entirely. Severus was really a better teacher one on one.
Harry waited for a pause in the lesson before quietly clearing his throat. The young man who was working at a bench on the other side of the room looked up. He was a seventh year Ravenclaw that Severus had noticed had some real potential for potions and was giving advanced lessons to. "Hello Professor Potter."
"Good Evening Mr. Eytinge. I hope I wasn't interrupting your experiment?"
"No sir. I was just letting it cool before I bottle it."
"Ah. Important step that. I don't recall how many vials and beakers I cracked because I didn't let my potion cool properly."
"139 beakers and 257 vials. And that encompasses all 7 years of your education." The pronouncement was made by a warm baritone from the other work bench. The second year that was being tutored giggled at the look of righteous indignation that crossed Harry's face. "That will be all for today Ms. Ackers. Clean out your cauldron and be on your way. I expect you to be able to brew today's potion flawlessly for the test next week."
"Yes Professor Snape. Thank You." The girl set to work.
"I couldn't have possibly destroyed that many. You're making it up."
A raised eyebrow was his only response.
"No, there is no way Professor Snape. I most likely only destroyed fifty, at most."
"Would you like me to go and retrieve my records, Potter?"
"Quite alright, professor. You are probably right. It doesn't seem that many."
"Of course I'm right Potter."
"Oh yes, I keep forgetting, you are always right."
"Well it is about time that you acknowledged the fact."
The seventh year couldn't help himself any longer and started to laugh. "Is something the matter Mr. Eytinge?"
"No professor." The young man started to bottle the still slightly steaming potion. He was on the third vial when the first one cracked.
"Like I said, a very important step." Harry leaned against one of the workbenches while Eytinge turned crimson, Ackers giggled and Snape glared.
"Mr. Eytinge, I will finish bottling the potion, I'm sure that professor Potter wouldn't mind assisting. His tally can't get much worse after all. And Ms. Ackers I believe you are ready to be dismissed." The two students knew a command to get out when they heard one. The room was empty except for the two professors within a minute.
Harry moved over to where Severus was wiping away the remains of the spilled potion from the cracked vial. He took the cloth out of Severus hands to rinse it out in one of the sinks.
"I hold you responsible."
"For the cracked vials, I didn't expect anything less. What is that 2 or 3 more to be added to my tally."
"Two."
"Ah. How were your classes today?"
"I'm getting too old for this."
Harry lifted his eyebrow on his way back to the workbench to start bottling the now cool potion. "Old. Sev, you aren't old. Albus is old."
"Albus will outlive us all."
"Of that I have no doubt, but he is old. You are a child compared to him."
"And you are an infant."
"Severus." One word held all the necessary disapproval that Harry needed to convey. There was no way that he wanted to get into another argument about the difference in their ages.
"Alright you win, I won't start."
"Good."
"So how was your day?"
"I had a meeting with Albus after lunch. It ran over. Again. When I returned to my classroom it was a disaster area. I promised the troublemakers detention with you; they calmed down quick enough. I can't supervise their detentions after all. I leave tomorrow." The last words were whispered but were still heard, proof given by the vial that shattered on the table when it fell out Severus' hand.
Harry immediately started to clean the shattered glass and the spilled potion. "At this rate Mr. Eytinge won't have any potion left." Harry noted that the older man's knuckles were white where he had gripped the edge of the table, his eyes fixed to a point on the far wall. "Sev?" No answer. Harry went to stand behind the other man and wrapped his arms around his waist and laid his head against Severus' shoulder. Severus tensed.
"Tomorrow? So soon?"
"Sev you've known for a month. Well almost a month. You were there for most of the prepatory meetings. You'll get to see me in, what, three to four weeks. Not even that long. You'll be checking up on me, so you'll get to see me once a week maybe twice. We have it all worked out. I'll be gone for a whole school year but I'll only be missing for a month. I'm the one that should have separation anxiety."
"I see that you're vocabulary is appropriately expanding."
"Well, I see that you're in a better mood. Don't worry you'll still have Sirius and Remus to talk to." A glare was the only response he got. "I thought we could go to dinner at the Hog's Head tonight. Just the two of us. No 'mangy canines' keeping us company. You can tell me all about what I'm supposed to do in the past."
"Harry, you know I can't." Severus responded exasperatedly, though his face was pale. They have had the same conversation multiple times now.
"Yeah I know. I just wanted to hear you say my name. Come on. Let's go get ready. After all it'll be the last time I get to see you for a month." Harry pulled an unresisting Severus behind him to their rooms in the dungeons.
Author: DragonLight
Summary: The future repeats itself in the past, i.e. which came
first the chicken or the egg.
Pairing: HP/SS
Rating: Now PG-13 to probably R later on
Disclaimer: All characters that are the least bit familiar belong to JKR-same with places and items. Don't recognize it then it's mine.
Chapter Two: Forwards
* Future: Right before Harry goes to the past *
"Remember, you can't change anything. No warning your parents or Sirius or Severus. You're there to work with the past Order and to teach the children the things they will need to survive Voldemort's first reign of terror. We already went over the parameters of what you can tell the past me. Do you understand, Harry?"
"Yes Albus. We went over it quite a few times." Harry watched as the headmaster walked over to where his phoenix, Fawkes was perched.
"You're going because the order needs someone that can translate parseltongue and I remember a Mr. Tyler that looked like you that could do just that."
"I know, Albus." Harry's eyes followed the headmaster to the window where he stopped and looked out over the grounds.
"Either Sirius or Severus will check up on you once a month. They'll make sure that you have everything that you need."
"Alright Albus." Once again the Headmaster went over to the phoenix's perch.
"Remember you cannot directly oppose the Dark Lord. Stay away from him at all costs. And don't forget to give the impression of neutrality to everyone except the order. You have no side in the war of the past, at least to the outside world."
"Yes Albus." The restless pacing continued.
"That means you can't take sides, Harry. You can't favor one house over another."
"Like I do that now." Albus paused halfway from Fawkes to look at the 25 year old man sitting calmly in one of the plush chairs by the fire watching him pace.
"True, after your sixth year you didn't tolerate house prejudices. Not even from members of your own house." Albus continued his pacing.
"Sev said I had a paradigm shift when Draco blocked that curse from hitting me in the back. Personally I like smaller words and keep to the sayings 'I saw the error of my ways, or I finally stepped into the light.'"
Albus waved his hand dismissively. "Same difference."
"That's what Sirius says." Albus finally looked up and cracked a smile.
"Albus you need not worry. I know that things happen for a reason. And even though many horrible things are happening now I know that it could most likely be worse if I change things. Besides, even through the loss and pain I am happy with my life. I don't want it to change."
Albus nodded.
"Is that all Albus?" Albus was about to nod when he shook his head. Harry sank back into the soft chair.
"Just one more thing." Harry raised his eyebrow in a manner he had learned from Severus. "No hitting on the students."
Harry laughed. "No reverse process huh? What about if a student hits on me?"
"Harry?!"
"Alright alright. Students are off limits. Got it."
Harry stood and made his way to the door. As he was reaching for the handle the headmaster once again called him. "Harry, relax and enjoy yourself. See the people you hold dear before the war changed them. It's almost a vacation."
"Yes Albus." Harry was out the door, down the stairs and on the other side of the gargoyle before a realization finally dawned on him. They had been planning this mission for a month and it only now occurred to him.
"Shite. I have to teach Defense again. I thought I finally got out of that position two years ago." Harry continued to move down the hallway to the Muggle Studies classroom were his students were waiting for their tardy professor."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Harry walked into the potions classroom later that evening. He watched as the professor gave private instruction to one of the two students who were there for tutoring. His eyes followed the long fingered graceful hands as they hovered over the ingredients explaining the purpose of each one to the young lady that sat across the workbench from him. Harry thought back to his own potions lessons. At the time Professor Snape wouldn't have even imagined giving anyone private tuition in the subject. Now however it was another story entirely. Severus was really a better teacher one on one.
Harry waited for a pause in the lesson before quietly clearing his throat. The young man who was working at a bench on the other side of the room looked up. He was a seventh year Ravenclaw that Severus had noticed had some real potential for potions and was giving advanced lessons to. "Hello Professor Potter."
"Good Evening Mr. Eytinge. I hope I wasn't interrupting your experiment?"
"No sir. I was just letting it cool before I bottle it."
"Ah. Important step that. I don't recall how many vials and beakers I cracked because I didn't let my potion cool properly."
"139 beakers and 257 vials. And that encompasses all 7 years of your education." The pronouncement was made by a warm baritone from the other work bench. The second year that was being tutored giggled at the look of righteous indignation that crossed Harry's face. "That will be all for today Ms. Ackers. Clean out your cauldron and be on your way. I expect you to be able to brew today's potion flawlessly for the test next week."
"Yes Professor Snape. Thank You." The girl set to work.
"I couldn't have possibly destroyed that many. You're making it up."
A raised eyebrow was his only response.
"No, there is no way Professor Snape. I most likely only destroyed fifty, at most."
"Would you like me to go and retrieve my records, Potter?"
"Quite alright, professor. You are probably right. It doesn't seem that many."
"Of course I'm right Potter."
"Oh yes, I keep forgetting, you are always right."
"Well it is about time that you acknowledged the fact."
The seventh year couldn't help himself any longer and started to laugh. "Is something the matter Mr. Eytinge?"
"No professor." The young man started to bottle the still slightly steaming potion. He was on the third vial when the first one cracked.
"Like I said, a very important step." Harry leaned against one of the workbenches while Eytinge turned crimson, Ackers giggled and Snape glared.
"Mr. Eytinge, I will finish bottling the potion, I'm sure that professor Potter wouldn't mind assisting. His tally can't get much worse after all. And Ms. Ackers I believe you are ready to be dismissed." The two students knew a command to get out when they heard one. The room was empty except for the two professors within a minute.
Harry moved over to where Severus was wiping away the remains of the spilled potion from the cracked vial. He took the cloth out of Severus hands to rinse it out in one of the sinks.
"I hold you responsible."
"For the cracked vials, I didn't expect anything less. What is that 2 or 3 more to be added to my tally."
"Two."
"Ah. How were your classes today?"
"I'm getting too old for this."
Harry lifted his eyebrow on his way back to the workbench to start bottling the now cool potion. "Old. Sev, you aren't old. Albus is old."
"Albus will outlive us all."
"Of that I have no doubt, but he is old. You are a child compared to him."
"And you are an infant."
"Severus." One word held all the necessary disapproval that Harry needed to convey. There was no way that he wanted to get into another argument about the difference in their ages.
"Alright you win, I won't start."
"Good."
"So how was your day?"
"I had a meeting with Albus after lunch. It ran over. Again. When I returned to my classroom it was a disaster area. I promised the troublemakers detention with you; they calmed down quick enough. I can't supervise their detentions after all. I leave tomorrow." The last words were whispered but were still heard, proof given by the vial that shattered on the table when it fell out Severus' hand.
Harry immediately started to clean the shattered glass and the spilled potion. "At this rate Mr. Eytinge won't have any potion left." Harry noted that the older man's knuckles were white where he had gripped the edge of the table, his eyes fixed to a point on the far wall. "Sev?" No answer. Harry went to stand behind the other man and wrapped his arms around his waist and laid his head against Severus' shoulder. Severus tensed.
"Tomorrow? So soon?"
"Sev you've known for a month. Well almost a month. You were there for most of the prepatory meetings. You'll get to see me in, what, three to four weeks. Not even that long. You'll be checking up on me, so you'll get to see me once a week maybe twice. We have it all worked out. I'll be gone for a whole school year but I'll only be missing for a month. I'm the one that should have separation anxiety."
"I see that you're vocabulary is appropriately expanding."
"Well, I see that you're in a better mood. Don't worry you'll still have Sirius and Remus to talk to." A glare was the only response he got. "I thought we could go to dinner at the Hog's Head tonight. Just the two of us. No 'mangy canines' keeping us company. You can tell me all about what I'm supposed to do in the past."
"Harry, you know I can't." Severus responded exasperatedly, though his face was pale. They have had the same conversation multiple times now.
"Yeah I know. I just wanted to hear you say my name. Come on. Let's go get ready. After all it'll be the last time I get to see you for a month." Harry pulled an unresisting Severus behind him to their rooms in the dungeons.
