Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

Pairing: Severus/Harry.

Rating: R

Summary: Mistakes. Love. Betrayal. Destiny. Two souls. Two lifetimes. They were meant to be together. Now they get a second chance.

Author's note: A very strange sort of AU. Six chapters of five. Very quick updates. Review! Pre-HBP, but I'll see what I can do to edit it.

Author: Spirit

The Forever Dreams

II

Harry parked his car in the one available space in the parking lot and sighed in relief that at least he had found somewhere. Doing the next thing on his mental list, he climbed out of his car and simply stared at the building before him.

Hogwarts Hospital.

Damn was it beautiful and as luck would have it, he would be working there for the next three months. He couldn't believe it. It was surreal just standing there. He felt like he had come home, which was strange because this town was not exactly where he would have liked to call home.

It was a small town in the middle of God knew where.

It had been a long drive from Surrey but he had been so eager he hardly noticed the miles or the time as they both flew by. He did notice that the larger town was just a few streets away and only about five or ten minutes in the southern direction. That was something to note, in case he got bored with playing doctor for three months.

Not that Harry could imagine such a thing.

His green eyes took in the surrounding area quickly. Well, at least there were modern houses around. The hospital had a weird design as if the renaissance and post modern eras had made a compromise. But the few scatterings of houses, amidst far too much empty but luscious green land, gave him hope that he wasn't stuck in time. London wasn't his scene but then he had decided long ago that neither was Little Whinging, Surrey.

His gaze almost missed it, but once his eyes rested on it something inside seemed to whisper that such a mistake would never have happened. It called to him.

The backdrop of the hospital had a mountain. It was just visible enough to see that there were a few older houses that decorated the green and brown mountain side. They were beautiful from what he could tell of their miniature design, but one of them was different from the rest.

It was larger and obviously older from the design. Seventeenth century perhaps. All the other houses were like stones compared to the radiance of this one house. Even the landscape complimented it. It had the rough design of a castle but there were no flags. Besides everyone in England would have been aware of another castle stuck in the middle of nowhere. This was sheer breathtaking however.

"Where are we?"

"Where does it look like we are?"

"We are at your Manor? Why? What's going on?"

"Look around you. The Manor will tell you soon enough."

"God it's gorgeous!" A feminine voice rent the air. "I could stand and stare forever. Only, we wouldn't get any work done that way."

Harry felt a sharp tightness in his stomach and suddenly the world was a little too bright for comfort. He gasped an intake of breath. His heart pounded and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick. The feeling; the vision had been so real he could have sworn that he had been standing in the large hall talking to someone. His mind scrambled to remember who but the images were already blurring badly. He didn't have the strength to fight.

"Hey mate are you okay?"

Harry looked over as another voice spoke. This one masculine. A friendly hand reached out to his shoulder to steady him. Harry smiled as he focussed his attention on warm hazel eyes and hair that rivaled the sun.

"Thanks. I was just a little overwhelmed," he finally answered.

The other guy smiled. "Yeah. This place will do that to you. I live in a town not far from here and see that same house from the distance. It never gets old to just sit and stare at it. When I was younger my mother would tell me the myth about the place."

"There's a myth?"

"Yes there is." The other person approached. The woman that had spoken earlier walked shyly over to them. "Are you two here as the new surgical interns also?"

"Yes." Harry smiled at her. "I'm Harry Potter. Neurosurgery."

"Impressive," she said teasingly. "Hermione Granger. General and Vascular surgery."

"Ron Weasley. Pediatric surgery," the red head said with a grin.

They all shook hands, laughing when their arms crossed with each other. It was comforting to Harry to realize that he had been in the town for just a few minutes and already seemed to be making friends. Granted, they were probably never going to see each other once they stepped through the door but Harry felt a bond fall into place.

"So tell me about this myth," he said with a smile.

Hermione laughed. "The house is called 'The Manor'. The myth has been around since the early eighteenth century and is still going strong. When I heard that I would be interning here I researched everything I could about the area and of course I learned the myth. It's not very believable though. Just that The Manor is cursed. Two people died in there."

"Hey, not just two ordinary people!" Ron interrupted. "They were magicians."

"Alright," Hermione amended. "Two wizards died there. One thought that the other betrayed him. They cursed each other saying that their souls would be bound to the place."

"He didn't just think he was betrayed. He was," Ron interrupted again. "They were lovers. See the first one swore to protect the other no matter what but he broke his word and handed over his lover to the demons of the dark. He bound his lover's magic, stripping him of his defence. When the other realized, he killed him but not before his lover condemned him to spend eternity in there. In retaliation the betrayed wizard used his last breath to curse the other in accompanying him."

"They were gay?" Harry asked incredulously.

Hermione nodded. "We didn't make the legend, we're only telling it."

"What? Do you have something against gay blokes?" Ron asked suspiciously.

Harry chuckled. "Considering that I would fall into the category, I should think not."

That stunned the redhead for a moment. While he stood there, Hermione gestured to Harry and they made their way towards the hospital. It took a second, but Ron finally caught up to them. When he did, they all began to laugh. Harry had never felt so simply accepted in all his life.

x-x-x

III

"Here take it!"

"Floo powder? Where are we going?"

"I don't have time to explain. Just say what I say. Hurry!"

The fire flared green as he threw the powder at his feet. Before him he could see the way similar green eyes reflected concern.

"Snape Manor!" he shouted, before the world began to spin.

"Good morning Severus!" Came a cheerful voice.

Severus snapped back to reality, glaring daggers at the house in the distance. Usually he avoided looking at it in the mornings for fear that something exactly like this would happen. It hadn't happened in years but now that it had, the familiar feeling of disgust rose in him. Ten years he had a reprieve and suddenly the visions were back in full force.

"Good morning Arthur," Severus answered dryly.

The Pediatrician didn't seem to care about the less than friendly tone. He had worked with the man for years. Had even attended school with him at some point and Severus was still Severus. No wonder the other man had become a surgeon. Arthur couldn't imagine the cold man amongst his sick but enchanting children.

"The interns are coming in today," Arthur said trying to strike up a conversation. "I should know. My son is one of them."

Inside, Severus groaned long and loud. Then he groaned again for good measure.

Of course he would be expected to teach a Weasley. The world was populated by the Weasley clan and the bigger it got was the more Severus found himself in contact with them. Of course. Heaven forbid that he be spared the torment.

"I didn't think I would ever have the pleasure of meeting him Weasley," Severus responded. He was at least polite enough to wait for the older man to catch up to him as he strode towards the hospital. "I was under the impression that the new interns were selected by Dumbledore himself. He assured me that they were brilliant. I was expecting excellence."

Arthur chuckled. "I'll just pretend that I didn't get the implied insult or the one that targetted Albus. I'm sure the Head of the Hospital would just love to know that you think him incompetent."

"Believe me, I have been sure to tell him a thousand times."

"Let me guess." Arthur was grinning by then. "All you got for your troubles was chocolate."

Severus' scowl deepened and that just sent Arthur into a fit of laughter. Everyone loved the Head of Hogwarts. Dumbledore was the kind of man that not many could escape without adoring. Severus was probably the only doctor in the entire hospital who didn't find themself smiling when around the older man. Yet, everyone knew that Severus loved him like a son and for a while there had been rumors that Albus was indeed his father. But then, Albus had the most spectacular blue eyes and Severus' eyes looked like rune stones of the darkest marble.

"Well good luck today," Arthur said at the elevator. Pediatrics was on the fourth floor while surgery was on the first. "Tell Ron hello from me. I'll probably see him for lunch if you don't kill him first. Something tells me that he'll have that effect on you."

Severus raised an eyebrow and forced himself not to sigh again.

Something told him that meeting Weasley junior was not going to be fun either. He would hate to know what the other two were like. No doubt, the three would be blood brethrens by now.

x-x-x

IV

"Check in at the front desk every morning to collect your rounds. Leave your cell phone there or carry them to your lockers before you change into your coats. I don't need to tell you that all electronic devices should be turned off while you're here. Weasley should report to the Paediatric ward on the fourth floor, Granger to the mental health ward on the eighth floor first then to the Paediatrics ward. You'll most likely be paged if you're needed anywhere else. Potter, you will become Doctor Snape's next shadow. You go where he goes and I can tell you from now that he will go many places. If there is a surgery in progress you'll report to the O.R. or pick one of the observation rooms. Any questions?"

The nurse with the clipboard smiled at them. She had introduced herself as 'Cho Chang' that morning and then set out to enlighten them. So far all they had managed was to bob their heads and trail behind her as she pointed out each destination in her instructions.

"Doctor Snape?" Harry asked tentatively. "Who is he?"

"I am he," came a smooth masculine voice that had Harry whirling around like a puppy in shock.

Harry felt his breath catch. The man looked ominous as if murder was not so far down on his list. His eyes glared like daggers glazed in black ice. His coat was white of course and his surgical outfit was blue, but somehow the light colours seemed to accentuate the darkness that the man radiated. Long black hair, black eyes...Harry wouldn't have been shocked if on his days off a smudge of black eyeliner, black lipstick and some black nail polish weren't added to the cold demeanour.

"You are the new interns I take it," the surgeon snarled. There really was no other word for the tone. "I thought you would be older."

Ron opened his mouth in protest but quickly closed it. Hermione looked offended but she too held her tongue. Harry couldn't find it in himself to protest because truth be told he was a tad bit too young to be an intern and from the looks of his new friends he'd bet a few gold pieces that they were a little bit too young also.

"Weasley?" Dark eyes rested on the redhead. "Go to Paediatrics. Your father is probably bursting a few coat buttons bragging up there and I'd hate to deprive him of your presence any longer."

Ron fairly ran from their presence.

"Granger?" Hermione's head snapped up a little at being addressed. "Follow Nurse Chang to O.R. 8. There is a patient there that needs prepping for the removal of a frontal temporal lobe tumour. It might do you good to audit a neurosurgery. Ask Doctor McGonagall if you may assist her. I would suggest staying during the surgery. You'll need the hands on experience."

Hermione nodded, flashing Harry a quick smile before she too was on her way.

Alone, the two men assessed each other quickly. Their gaze held a while longer than politely acceptable but neither noticed. It was strange how suddenly everything else became background noise. They reached out to each other to shake hands.

"And you must be Potter." The doctor had a firm grip and hands that didn't feel half as worn as Harry expected. "I am Doctor Severus Snape. Head of the Surgical department. Neurosurgeon."

"I'm Harry Potter," he said trying to sound half as confident as the other doctor did.

"Brat!"

"Traitor!"

The two men hastily released each other's hand. Harry fought the urge to hide his hands in his pockets like a child would. Although Snape had reacted, he was still very composed. Harry couldn't find any trace that the other man had been snapped into the vision also.

"How old are you?" Snape asked instead in a voice that was softened by intrigue.

"Twenty-three," Harry responded just as softly.

"Fifteen years older then," Snape said thoughtfully. "I was afraid that it would have been ten."

Harry gave him a look of confusion. It seemed to pull the doctor from his musings because soon the scowl was firmly back in place. The doctor turned and began to walk away. It took a moment for Harry to remember to follow.

"What are you? A child genius?"

Harry shrugged although he wasn't too sure that the other man had noticed.

"Something weird like that," he said quietly.

x-x-x

V

"Gabby sit still and leave your brother alone!"

"Is he dying mommy?"

"Gabby!"

Harry paused at the entrance to the lobby en route to the nurse's station. In one hand he had about five clipboards that needed to be re-filed and in the other hand his stethoscope dangled. For some reason he couldn't get it to balance around his neck and so he had long ago given up.

The waiting area was full.

People came and went as a constant stream of bodies in motion but for those too injured to move the look of pain or boredom seemed to radiate from their eyes. Most of them had minor looking injuries and it was evident that the nurses milling about were doing their best to tend to the most serious injuries first.

The voices that had caught Harry's attention came from a family sitting near the information booth. It was a mother, her daughter of about five and a boy who looked to be fourteen years old. The boy was sitting with his hands clenched into a fist as he focussed solely on breathing evenly. From where Harry stood, he could see that it wasn't respiratory problems that was the cause of the boy's struggled but more or less an obstruction of the oesophagus.

"May I help you?"

Harry quickly turned away from the family to look at the nurse who had spoken to him. He had been introduced to her at some point in the day but everything was such a whirlwind of colours and actions that mundane sorts of information, such as names, slipped liked water from his memory.

He handed her the charts.

"Doctor Snape would also like to have Doctor Flitwick paged. There is a patient leaving O.R. 6 that had a compulsory lobotomy and will need to be moved to the eighth floor. And he wanted to have the family on stand-by just in case there is still a chance of seizuring. So far the operation seems to have been a success though."

The nurse nodded, granting him a little smile. "Got it. I'll page Doctor Flitwick. I've already informed the family that the surgery was successful. I also have two orderlies from the Psychology ward preparing for the transfer and a room has been prepared for him. Anything else?"

Harry shook his head, then looked around the room again.

"Need any help out here?" he asked, turning back to face her. "It looks a little hectic."

"Here? Well there was an accident with a bus on the highway but no one was seriously injured. Just a few cuts and bruises. Nothing the GP's can't handle."

He nodded. "Okay well, I'll be on break. If Snape needs me then page."

"Will do Doctor." She laughed. "You're doing great for your first day. I've never seen someone stand up to Doctor Snape with quite as much guts as you've shown in the past twenty hours. I can't believe he hasn't strangled you by now. He's usually not one to suffer criticism."

"Tell me about it," Harry muttered with a blush. "I don't think he likes me much."

It wasn't really that Harry had been difficult on purpose throughout the day. He followed Snape's instructions perfectly all day but had learned fairly quickly that when it came to the neurosurgeon he was in a no win situation. If he conceded to everything that the man said then he was chided for not knowing how to draw his own conclusion and if he argued then he had to deal with a very angry surgeon. He had been kicked out of surgery twice already and had been given a lengthy dressing down immediately after the second one for his lack of respect and discipline. Yet the third and fourth surgeries had Snape demanding that he leave the observation rooms and assist. Which meant that he had spent the good part of at least three hours each time being constantly questioned on the procedures underway and the precautions that should or should not be taken in the event of a flatline or a seizure or a broken artery.

Walking out of the last surgery Harry had really wanted to just collapse. His break was something that he was dearly looking forward to.

"Don't worry Jay, the doctor will get to you soon."

Harry had been walking by them again when the mother spoke softly to her son. It was just a statement of reassurance but it touched a cord in Harry. He couldn't remember ever being reassured in such a way. He could remember other things such as being pressured or 'encouraged', but envisioning himself in the young boy's situation he was sure that the people who raised him would have had a few less than pleasant words for him instead of sympathy.

Harry paused, took a deep breath and kissed his break goodbye.

VI

"Hi I'm Doctor Potter. I'm a neurosurgery intern here but if you don't mind that, I could take a look at your son and see if I can help."

The look on the mother's face when Harry introduced himself was worth millions. She smiled at him so brightly that for a second Harry thought that she was going to throw herself at his feet for his generosity.

"Oh God we've been here for almost an hour. If you can help I would be so grateful," she said still smiling at him.

"Well give me one minute and let me see his file."

He walked over to the nurse's station again and was promptly handed a clipboard. It was the same nurse that he had spoken to earlier and she seemed to know exactly what he was about to do.

"Careful that Doctor Snape doesn't catch you," she warned him but her smile told him that she highly approved. "He has a lychee seed blocking his oesophagus. It's not too far down but coughing hasn't dislodged it. He's experiencing severe discomfort swallowing, of course. There may be damage to the lining but no bleeding. His breathing is still fairly regular but there is some swelling that could become serious in another four hours. Until then we've just been keeping him under observation."

"Thank you Nurse," he said returning the smile before striding back over to the waiting area.

The family was already standing when he he gestured to them, "No I just need to see the patient. This should be fairly simple. I'll have him back in about an hour."

Harry checked the charts for medical history. He noted briefly that his patient "Julius Neeles" was allergic to peninsulin and had a family history of high blood pressure, before he led the boy into the nearest examination room. He buzzed a nurse, gave her a few instructions and soon he was ready to proceed.

"This should just be slightly uncomfortable but don't worry it'll be over so quickly that you'll barely notice," he said softly. "Now I'm going to recline the chair. Try as much as possible to breath through your nose. All I'll be doing is reaching to pull the seed out. We don't want it going down any further than it already is otherwise it'll be no use trying to get it out from this end anymore."

Julius' laughter turned in a hacking cough that was dry and obviously painful. Harry reassured him with a soft "It's okay. I'll get it out," before showing him a long silver instrument that looked suspiciously like a clamp. Julius didn't seem all that worried to have such an omnious looking thing sliding down his throat, but much of his confidence seemed to come from faith in his new doctor and the relief that he was finally being treated.

Half an hour later, the seed was carefully lifted out and dropped into a metal pan near Julius' head.

Harry looked over at the machine before giving the two assisting nurses and his patient a smile each. There was swelling and Julius had damaged the lining of his oesophagus enough that solid food was going to have to be restricted for at least two weeks. Harry made a note on the chart for a GP to do a checkup within the week for any signs of complications or infections.

"There. All done," Harry said to his patient. "You'll have to drink a lot of fluids and try not to talk a lot, but you're all better for now."

"Thank you," Julius said anyway, which caused Harry to smile.

It was a smile that died on the young doctor's lips quickly. The door to the room was opened suddenly and a shadow blocked the doorway.

"Potter, may I have a word with you this instant. Nurses please see to the patient for me. My intern and I have something to discuss."

Harry looked into the angry onyx eyes of his superior and felt himself falling into an abyss.

x-x-x

tbc