Chapter Two

Allies

'Sirius!'

That was the first thought that flashed across Hermione's mind as her eyes met fiery black ones and took in the well-defined aristocratic features. But immediately she rectified her mistake. This couldn't be Sirius – Sirius had grey eyes.

However the shock of seeing whoever he was, stilled her struggle against Snape, who let go of her after a wary glance.

"Snape!"

The blonde who had been clinging to the man who looked like Sirius fainted.

The raven-head laid her down on the bed and hastily threw a blanket over her. Meanwhile, Snape had locked and warded the door. His mind had been working furiously in these few seconds – one of the advantages of being a double agent – and he had come with a pretty passable plan.

"Snape – I thought you had left for Knockturn Alley with Lucius," hissed out the man, buttoning up his shirt.

"Regulus Black…"

Hermione gasped – how stupid of her not to realize that before!

Snape took a few steps towards the annoyed Black. "What a pleasure." His voice dripped with sarcasm and the malice and contempt in his voice did not go unnoticed.

Hermione was mildly surprised to see Regulus tremble slightly under Snape's intense gaze.

"You're old," Regulus blurted out, his eyes flicking towards Draco and Hermione once. "And… Lucius?"

Draco said nothing but stare expressionlessly at him.

"Get rid of her," said Snape, pointing at the blonde and steadying his wand once more, "and come back. It won't be very nice if I have to come searching for you."

His voice was scarily demanding. Regulus stared defiantly for a moment, but then gave a quick nod and complied.

"What do you have in mind?"

"You'll see," said Snape.

He turned towards Hermione who was leaning against the wall, her look of a deer caught in headlights fading away.

"Miss Granger, presently all I will say is that you have no reason to fear me or Mr. Malfoy here. I shall explain at length, but this is not the time…"

"You killed Dumbledore – and Moody, Tonks…"

Snape's face hardened.

"You have little choice in this matter, girl. In this time, you are not even born. You know what that means, don't you? You cannot perform magic here – your magical essence has not yet taken a humanly governable form. I am the only one among us who is familiar with this era. If you are stupid enough to prance about on your own, I am afraid who will be causing some very serious damage. I do not deny killing Dumbledore – but I would like to remind you that the three of us are stuck in it together. Moreover, if I wished to kill you, I would have already done so."

Hermione felt anger and resentment welling up in her. She wasn't going to let this Death-Eater order her around… at the same time, she couldn't disagree with him – he made sense. They had already been sighted out of their time. She and Draco were as good as Muggles here. Hopefully, whatever Snape had in mind would avert more harm because she sure as hell had no idea what to do. She was still shocked by the whole incident – accident.

"You realize who we just saw? The first person to betray the Dark Lord ever."

Snape looked angrily at Draco. "You shall refrain from saying anything until I tell you to. Honestly, Draco, I expected better of you than to voice such… things." His eyes momentarily fleeted towards Hermione, who gave a very tiny nod.

Draco merely shrugged and sat down on the couch near the fireplace.

Regulus' eyes kept darting towards the three of them but he mostly kept them on Snape of whom he seemed more than a bit afraid.

"So what's going on?"

Draco just managed to keep himself from snorting – Snape was in a pretty bad mood, he didn't have to add more fuel.

"You were quite correct in commenting that I am "old", Black. I am old – and that is because I am not the Severus Snape you know. No, I am… from the future."

Hermione thought that it sounded funny. Once she was back in her proper place in the timeline, she was going to have a hysterical laugh over it all.

Regulus stared at Snape as if he thought that Snape was a St. Mungo's Brain Damage Ward escapee.

"Right."

"Unbelievable as it may sound, Black, you will believe it. And you will help us get back."

"I don't quite appreciate your sense of humour, Snape."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Of course. I am sure that you would appreciate it even less if I tell Nott that you are fooling around with his wife."

Regulus blanched and stood up.

"You…"

"Or his fiancée, I assume. It won't make much of a difference to him. He might have just gotten engaged to Trinity, but he already regards her as his wife. You know as well as anyone else how possessive he has always been of her. I am not sure the Dark Lord would mind it very much if he decides to make mincemeat out of you."

"Trinity will not marry him," said Regulus angrily, although he kept his distance from Snape.

"Oh yes, she will. You are nothing but a pretty diversion for her – as you shall discover a week from now or thereabout… a month at the most, if my memory serves me right."

"You are mad."

"Moreover, you shall get twelve OWLs, which is quite an achievement for someone of your tiny intellectual capacity, I must say."

"The results won't be out for a month yet!" yelled Regulus, but the good news seemed to take the terror off his voice. "Are you serious?"

"Your Potions score tied mine," said Snape slowly, venom creeping into his voice.

"Well… you've just gotten hold of OWL results somehow…" began Regulus, but Snape cut him off.

"And shall you do me the kindness of explaining how exactly you deem I could have done that – or why I would have done that?""

"You're damn sneaky – and you're just bugging me… trying to get me in trouble."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Think, Black. Would I have come here to tell you your OWL results if it had been so bloody brilliant?"

Draco found the exchange rather amusing. He was in his old room, so things didn't seem very out of place except a curio here or there. He had only known the haggard, unsightly Sirius Black by the pictures they had of him all over Hogsmeade during his third-year at Hogwarts. With a little stretch of imagination, he could see the great resemblance between the man standing in front of him and the convict on run – now long dead, though.

He knew of Severus Snape's loathing towards Sirius. How hilarious it would be to see that blood traitor cower in front of Severus! But then again, no self-respecting Slytherin would consider such a cowardly creature as an on par enemy. No, there was nothing but contempt for such spineless wizards. It was one thing to save one's skin and completely another to get willingly bullied as he was beginning to think Regulus was.

"Future, huh?"

Regulus turned his eyes towards the bushy-haired woman, who had her wand firmly clutched in her hand.

"How far in future, then?"

Although his eyes remained on Hermione, he had obviously directed his question towards Snape. Hermione gazed back defiantly.

"Twenty-five… no, twenty-four years in future."

Regulus blinked and turned back to Snape. He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it. He then turned to study Draco. He had recognized him as a Malfoy before, albeit the wrong one. As Draco sneered at him, he was forced to doubt his sanity in assuming that Snape was speaking the truth. How could this man be anyone but Lucius?

"Malfoy," he said steely. It was no secret that he semi-hated Lucius.

"His son," said Draco, ignoring the glare Snape directed his way.

"Of course," said Regulus, narrowing his eyes at him.

"So," he turned his attention back to Snape, "you wanted my help?"

He was going to enjoy this – oh yes, he was going to enjoy this very much.

"You know I can still perform magic, Black – and some very Dark hexes if I wish to."

"You cannot. The Ministry…"

"Our Time-Turner broke. The Ministry could not possibly trace us."

"Broke? What were you trying to do anyway?"

Snape ignored his question. "You shall go to Headmaster Dumbledore…"

"In your fucking dreams!"

"… and you shall inform him of our predicament. You shall see that a meeting is arranged between us as soon as possible. Meanwhile, you shall put us up at your house."

"You're crazy… I am not doing anything like that!" said Regulus. He had gone slightly pale.

"You are going to do what I ask. You have no choice. You should know that I am well aware of some of your… secrets… which you won't wish to be made public. Without showing myself, I can cause you immense harm. Your mother would not be very pleased to find out…"

"SHUT UP!"

Snape's thin mouth twisted in a cruel smirk.

"You value your honour, do you not? You value the huge pocket-money that comes to you being the only son – the heir of Black. It would not do to lose all your luxuries, would it? Accept it, Black. You have no option other than to do as I say!"

Regulus was torn between anger and fear. "I… I will tell everyone about you!"

Snape let out a derisive snort. "If you spread stories about me – and Draco here – do you think my younger self and Lucius will let you escape unharmed?"

Snape settled himself in a chair across from where Regulus stood, trembling with rage. The bare hatred he felt for Snape was plainly written across his face.

"Why me?"

"Because you were stupid enough to be the first one to stumble upon us. But I must say… you have grown some cheek – going at it with Trinity at Malfoy Manor?"

Hermione had seen only one other person looking at Snape with so much anger and hatred – Sirius Black. However, Regulus' emotions were blended with fear. There was no denying that Snape would scare him into helping them out.

There was silence for the longest of time. Regulus turned away from Snape and Draco, staring at the wall. But from where she stood, Hermione could see his profile. If she hadn't already known about it, Hermione would never have expected that he would meet such a gruesome fate. There was a strange glint in his eye, but she could not fathom whether it was because of the reflection from the candle floating little over a foot from his head or his own anger. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

She didn't realize that she had been staring at him all along. Snape was regarding her with a sinister scowl. Draco was surveying the room, trying to remember all the changes that would be made after his 'birth'.

Before turning back to face Snape and Malfoy, Regulus looked her for a few moments. Hermione couldn't read what he meant to tell her – or if he meant to tell her anything at all. But disconcerted by his deep gaze, she was the first one to look away.

"So how do you people get out of Malfoy Manor? We will have to pass through the hall and ballroom."

Snape smirked.

"Pretty simple. Since Draco and I can easily be recognized, I shall place both of us under the Disillusionment Charm. Miss Granger shall, however, accompany you through. A few Glamour Charms should do the trick."

"But, Prof-… Snape, why can't…"

Snape silenced her with a look.

"I do not want to use my magic more than I have to. Moreover, Miss Granger, since you are yet to be born in this world, I do not believe that even if you were sighted, you would be remembered once we get out of here. It is only me who has to take care not to be sighted. And Draco because he greatly resembles Lucius."

"I am little better than a Muggle," muttered Hermione, though her voice contained no derision.

Draco, who stood closest to her, heard her. "Well, living here should be no problem to you then, Mudblood!"

Hermione threw a spiteful look at him. "You aren't any better right now, Malfoy!"

"Shall I perform the Glamour Charms then?" asked Regulus.

Hermione was slightly startled to feel him close to her.

"Okay, I guess," she answered, reflexively looking at Snape for affirmation. She had to stop doing this.

Hermione stiffened as Regulus put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Relax, girl. It would look very out of place indeed if you were walking a yard away from me if we are supposed to be together."

"Are you sure you did the Glamour Charms correctly? Do I completely resemble the girl you arrived here with?"

"Just don't open your mouth. Smile a bit… no, smile stupidly… Samantha isn't a very bright girl. Now just don't speak – your voice is nothing like hers."

"I don't know how to smile stupidly," said Hermione, annoyed.

Regulus' arm around her tightened and he let out a low laugh. It was just like Sirius' laugh. If Regulus affected her so, Hermione dreaded imagining how meeting Sirius would be. How could she look in his grey eyes and imagine them frozen in death?

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize when they entered the hall. Regulus nuzzled her neck, which startled her so much that she pushed him away.

He looked extremely exasperated. "Can I not kiss my girlfriend?" he asked bitingly.

"You should have warned me," she hissed out angrily.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Sure. Warning, baby, I am going to kiss you."

He stepped close to her and putting his arms around her, pulled her very close to him. She was almost the same height as he was. As he leaned in to kiss her, Hermione smelled strong rose perfume around his neck. However, her concentration shifted to a completely different matter as his tongue probed her mouth for entrance.

'You are supposed to be his girlfriend.'

Hermione brought up her hands to his shoulders and allowed him to explore her mouth. A moan escaped her lips as his teeth gently scraped her tongue and lips. She felt shivers go down her spine as his hands briefly massaged her neck before burying themselves in her hair, at the same time soothing the parts of her mouth he had nipped wetly with his tongue. Slowly, he moved down to her jaw, fisting his hands in her bountiful curls and pulling back her head.

"Ahem."

She almost groaned as Regulus pulled away from her.

"Bartemius."

"Having fun, I see. But I just wanted to remind you about tomorrow before I left," said the freckled teenager with a half-smile. It was then Hermione realized that this was no man she had been kissing… he was just a hormonal sixth-year-to-be if this was indeed the year in which Snape – and so Sirius – would graduate.

Regulus nodded.

"I am looking forward to it."

"At least someone is having fun," remarked Draco dryly. He couldn't take his eyes off the couple, though. Granger could kiss. Surprises, surprises.

"You are not supposed to talk if you are under a Disillusionment Charm."

"Like… who will hear us?"

"Anyone. It is usually the least likely person."

"Who's that talking to Black?"

"Crouch. Bartemius Crouch."

"Moody-impersonator?"

"The one who turned you into a ferret, yes."

"You have to rub it in, haven't you?"

"My pleasure. I won't say that you were a bad one, though."

"And you won't like it if I say that you didn't like the way Granger looks at that Black – and you aren't too cheerful about the kiss, either."

"Draco."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

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