Disclaimer in part one

Previous installments can be found at: 

fanfiction.net under 'PearlyJammer'

or at autumnpenguins.com

******* 

          Salazar was becoming accustomed to life as a Gryffindor much easier than he had initially thought. The Slytherin in him was appalled at this idea but was shushed effectively by more powerful teenage hormones.  It had been two weeks since he had been to a potions class and joined Neville in Hermione's tutorial class.  He thought at first he would have trouble concentrating, but he found that Hermione commanded just as much attention as his older self did concerning the subject.  She would not tolerate him spacing off, or more likely staring at her. 

          Soon, he found himself far more interested in the subject than he ever had been in professor Cauldron's class.  Perhaps it was simply a matter of finding the right instructor for the subject, but in his unbiased mind, he was sure he would allow himself to be schooled in the finer arts of toilet scrubbing, so long as Hermione was teaching it. 

          His academic life was getting on track, but so far, the other Gryffindors had taken Harry's side in the I hate Salazar campaign.  Salazar knew it would take a gesture on his part to improve anything, but like all Snape's before him, he had a large amount of pride.  Fortunately for him, something unexpected happened.  "Salazar, this weekend is a Hogsmeed weekend, and I was just wondering if you were going." Neville said nervously. 

"I'd love to go.  Thanks Neville."  Salazar said grateful the boy had taken a step the others hadn't been willing to take. 

"Hermione, you'll come with us right?"  Snape asked. 

"Well, I was going to stay in actually-"

"Come with us Hermione, please." Neville broke in.

"Yeah, it'll be fun."  Salazar said in an attempt to persuade her. 

Hermione just smiled to herself before dismissing her charges. 

**** 

A few days later Saturday was arrived.  The Gryffindor common room was full of third years on up getting ready to leave for the first Hogsmede weekend of the year.  Suspicious glances were thrown at the pair, so Salazar left while Neville waited for Hermione.  Neville and Hermione had just joined Salazar in the great hall when they heard a voice. 

"So, Snape, trying to weasel your way into Gryffindor?" Draco Malfoy drawled.

"You're not a Gryffindor, and you're not a Slytherin.  Pathetic" Pansy Parkinson added. 

"If these are the only two who will befriend you, a mudblood and an idiot, that speaks volumes." Malfoy laughed before he and Pansy took off.  

"Ignore them Salazar.  They've always been like that." Hermione said quietly.

"Yeah, they'll probably grow up to be as mean as Sna-sorry."  Neville started.  

"No, don't apologize.  Exactly what is my uncle like?"  He asked quietly.

"An older version of Malfoy, but a lot cruller.  He's had a lot of time to sharpen his tongue and learn the subtle art of veiled insults," she said   "he's nothing like you."

Salazar fell behind the two, lost in thought.  Malfoy was a cruel bastard, and he was still a kid.  And she said he was worse than him when he was an adult.  But maybe it didn't have to be like that.  He didn't know about all the implications of time travel, but maybe he could impress upon his future self that he became such an asshole that he didn't resemble the person he had been twenty years ago.  

"Salazar, come on!"  Neville called back at the lagging boy. 

Pushing his thoughts behind him, the dark haired boy trotted up to his friends.  Despite what Malfoy said, he had friends, which was more than he could say for his life in Slytherin. The trio enjoyed all the haunts of Hogsmede and was about to enter the Three Broomsticks when something lightly tapped the back of Snape's back.

"Severus.  What on earth are you doing fraternizing with students.  No less, Gryffindor students?"  The cool voice of Lucious Malfoy said. 

Snape turned around, shocked to see a much older Lucious than he remembered.  Clearly the elder Malfoy was also shocked.  "My name is Salazar, Severus is my uncle." 

"How remarkable, you two look so like each other.  I never knew Severus had a relative.  Draco has never spoken of you." 

"That's because he just transferred to Hogwarts father, and he is in Gryffindor."  Draco spat. 

"A Snape in Gryffindor?  What a tragedy" Lucious said silkily. 

"Its no wonder, look at the riff raff the mudblood lover hands about with. He hasn't got an ounce of Slytherin in him." 

"How curious.  Come Draco, we have things to do."  Lucious said while taking a last curious glance at Snape.

****** 

Lucious Malfoy had returned to his manor still puzzled over the sight he had seen earlier that day.  The boy had looked exactly like Severus Snape when they had been that young. Something didn't add up. 

"Narcissa, could you come here for a minute" Lucious called to his wife. 

"Do you remember Severus Snape having any nephews, or anything unusual about him?"  He asked. 

"No.  Only that he was gone for about half of our seventh year for no explained reason."  She answered.    "Why, do you ask?" 

"Oh just I saw the strangest thing.  I could have sworn I saw him today, only it was him as he was when we were Draco's age."

"Think nothing of it, I'm sure it was just a coincidence.  Now, come to be already."  Adame said and swept from the room followed by Lucious Malfoy, still deep in thought.

Back at Hogwarts…….

A brown school owl swooped into Severus' window with a letter in hand.  He took it and immediate recognized the script of his own hand.

Severus, 

          I have heard many things about our lives, and how we turn out to be.  How you bully the students in your class and are particularly nasty to Gryffindors, especially Hermione Granger.  You would do well to be nicer to her as she has agreed to go to the Halloween Ball with me next week.

"Salazar" 

          Snape snorted in amazement.  He, or Salazar, or whatever was the easiest to call it was taking a Gryffindor to a ball.  He'd never gone to a school dance in his life as a student.  What in Merlin's beard had possessed him to break that cycle now?  And to order him to be nicer, where did he get off?  The trouble was, Severus himself had been plagued by the same thoughts for many years.  Shaking it off he slipped into his bead and pondered himself taking Hermione Granger to the Halloween ball, only in his musings, it was his present self and not the one currently occupying a bed in Gryffindor tower.