"And now Severus, would you mind telling me what really happened?"
Snape's eyes narrowed at the boy's presumption. The Potions Master could bear many things but never false friendship.
"No. I don't think so." He stood to go, a sneer curling his lips but Potter's voice stopped him.
"Sit down!" It was Harry's voice but Dumbledore's command and Snape found himself obeying before he realized it. A look of intense irritation flashed across his face as his backside hit the chair.
"Now," Potter continued in a level voice. " I do not like lying to my friends. So tell me, what is the real reason you are here?"
Potter's eyes were still green but no less compelling, damn him, and Snape found the story pouring out of him. "Lucius set the Dementor after me and I tried to cast the Patronus charm. I could not and so, I tried another spell." Severus did not want to say that he couldn't think of a memory happy enough to defeat the Dementor's magic. Luckily, Potter had apparently inherited some of Dumbledore's tact as well, for he did not ask the obvious question, just said, "And the spell?"
"Legilimens Memoriam."
Potter looked confused. "What is that?"
Snape spread his hands. "No idea. I made it up."
"What!" Harry spluttered tea all over the mahogany desk. "You just-but-I mean, really-" Snape could have laughed at the dismayed look on Potter's face. It must have set over his Gryffindor sense of decorum to think that someone would duel without rules.
While Potter recovered Snape allowed his eyes to travel around the familiar office. Few things had changed really. Potter had moved some of the knickknacks around and the picture of Phineas Nigellus was gone, replaced by an elderly witch in a bad wig. The pinched old bag was staring at him reproachfully. Snape raised an eyebrow at her and she huffed out of the painting. The Potions Master shrugged and turned back to Potter, who had recovered himself sufficiently enough to sit back in his chair, though some of the Headmaster's dignity was lost in the merriment that still danced in his eyes.
"Well, this is very interesting. It would seem that whatever spell you created on the battlefield propelled you forward in time by…" Potter looked at one of the instruments on his desk, "…seven years, eight months and seven days."
"Seven years," Snape repeated. "And how long have I been…" He made a vague gesture.
"Oh, you're newlyweds. Only been married for about a year." Snape began to brighten up at that. "You know Severus, you could be a bit more gracious. You may have been thrust forward in time but Hermione's just lost her husband."
Snape made a face at that. Harry leaned back, an amused smile playing on his lips.
"What would you suggest?" It was unthinkable that Severus Snape should ask Harry Potter for advice. But asking Dumbledore-in-Potter was another matter.
"You first class begins in ten minutes. I think that may be a start."
Snape opened his mouth to answer but a knock at the door stopped him. "Headmaster? Oh Severus, I'm sorry-" Professor McGonagal had poked her head into the room.
"No, it's quite alright Minerva. Severus was just leaving." Potter stood and Snape followed suit, surprised at the ease with which the young man dismissed him. Snape's eyes narrowed but Minerva was already entering the room.
Better part of valor, he thought as he closed the door of the young Headmaster's office behind him.