A/N: I do not own anything to do with the Harry Potter universe. J K
Rowling owns it all. I'm just having fun with her characters. This is the
sequel to my first story Sekhmet's Book. I don't as yet know if I'll make
this into a trilogy series. I guess I'll just see how this story goes for
now. I am currently writing this story as fast as I can. which is
unfortunately about one chapter per month. So, it's not complete but it
most definitely will be. just give me time. Please leave a review as my
muse needs feeding before she gets up and leaves.
Enjoy.
Chapter Four
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457
It is three weeks since my last entry, Severus. I can summarise what has been happening in a few sentences over the last few weeks. I have been spreading the word of Re with Ptah throughout Memphis and neighbouring Dahshur and Cairo. Hermione has remained in the care of Hathor. and the terror that is Sekhmet is getting very close to my current home.
I feel like a hypocrite spreading the word of Re when I do not even believe it myself. I do it purely for survival though, and have allowed myself to be tattooed with a picture of Re's eye, which looks unmistakably like a crop circle I might add. I'll draw it on the next page and you will see the similarity to the drawings of the symbols Hermione saw on Sekhmet's Book.
Whilst I am on the subject of the crop circles. I thought I might find the answer to one of the greatest Muggle mysteries ever but I have not been able to as yet. I have seen the crop circle formations when I've been in the burial chambers within the pyramids at Giza though. They have channelled air holes to the outside from the burial chambers. these act as windows so that the King or Queen's soul can be released but they also give rise to a great view across the Egyptian landscape. When I was last in one of the burial chambers decorating the walls with hieroglyphics of Re's cult I happened to look out one of these channels and saw the most amazing formations in the flax fields to the immediate north. When I asked Ptah how they got there he said that they had always been there and were messages sent from the heavens by the desert folk for the living gods and goddesses to read. When I asked what they meant he replied that only the high deities could read them and that he did not know.
I am allowed to visit with Hermione this afternoon. I shall take the diary along with me and draw you a picture of her. If she likes, I will hand the diary back over to her so at least she can carry on writing to you. and I'm sure this will make you feel a lot better as well.
If I get a chance then I will try to speak to Re about the crop circles and their meanings, after all, he is the highest deity currently in existence and therefore should be able to explain things.
~~*~~
Hogwarts, Present Day
Severus looked up from the book he was holding in total shock. So many things were running through his head forming half thoughts and not staying still long enough for analysis. His mind was an utter whirl.
Hermione was pregnant. Hermione was four. no. five months pregnant.
From her perspective she had been away from him for five months now. to Severus it had only been a matter of days. How much worse must it be for her? She was going through yet another pregnancy without him by her side and his blood was beginning to boil at the thought.
She was stranded somehow in the past, and Severus didn't know why exactly. Surely Hermione would have been able to apparate away from Heliopolis and return to Hogwarts to continue on with the potion? She perhaps did not know but the ingredient needed for the potion that would not be available again for a further seven hundred years, was a perishable ingredient; even under a stasis spell. Severus estimated that the ingredient. scraped mugwump shells. would only have about one month left until it was rendered useless.
They were both in a very dangerous time, especially with Sekhmet finally rising up and causing havoc throughout Ancient Egypt. and she seemed to be taking her crusade closer to the two stranded time travellers as well.
There was nothing to it, Severus was going to have to start to brew his own Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion and head back to see what he could do. There was no way he could. no way he would leave his pregnant wife stranded in the ancient past. and absolutely no one was going to stand in his way this time.
Severus quickly stood up from the patch of grass underneath the tree, diary still in hand and looked around for Callum. He found his son fast asleep in a patch of sunlight and picked him up gently before rushing out of the roof garden and heading for the dungeons to start brewing the potion.
~~*~~
Severus conjured a rocking cot for his son and placed it in the potions classroom as he worked steadily at the front preparing his ingredients and boiling the base for the potion in one of his cauldrons. He had already finished his preparation when there was a knock on the classroom door.
"Enter," Severus said loudly enough to be heard but not loud enough to disturb Callum, who was still napping. The door creaked open and Ron Weasley stepped in. Severus prepared to defend his reasoning for making the potion although it was doubtful that a Weasley could work out what he was doing without being told.
"Severus," he greeted as he entered the classroom properly and glanced around. "No change since I was last in here then." Ron observed as looked around at the drab dungeon walls and shelves filled to the brim with the most gruesome of specimens in jars. His gaze landed on a sleeping Callum and he approached the cot to take a peek at the sleeping baby. "He has no worries at all. I wish this was true for the rest of us."
"What can I do for you Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked as he looked up from his cauldron with irritation clear on his face.
"What are you brewing?" Ron asked as he approached the front desks.
"The Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion," Severus stated blankly; no sense in hiding what he was doing. It wasn't illegal, just restricted and as a licenced Potions Master he was allowed to brew this potion.
"I thought Hermione said for you to not go back for her, Severus?" Ron asked as he watched the Potions Master stir the contents of the cauldron.
"That does not matter anymore. I must go back." Snape replied, not looking up from the bubbling liquid in the cauldron as his own temper was bubbling under the surface as well.
"Severus, this is a bad idea. Two people in the past are bad enough for potential pollution of the time line. If you go b."
"This is not up for a debate! I have chosen a course of action and I will carry it out with or without anyone's approval." Severus snapped as his eyes suddenly focused on Ron, who unconsciously took a half step backwards.
"What about Callum then? You are leaving him without any form of parental figure." Ron protested; anything to make him reconsider this course of action.
"He shall be looked after." Severus stated, although he had not quite worked out by whom as yet. "Why are you here anyway? What do you want?"
"I wanted to make sure you are alright, Severus. I also wanted to know if there was any word on what has happened to Michael and Hermione." Severus glared at him but Ron held his stare before speaking again. "She is my best friend, Severus. I'd like to know what has happened to her and Michael."
Severus stirred the cauldron one last time and sighed heavily before placing his stirring ladle down on the desk and slowly stepping around to the first row of student desks. "Very well," Severus sighed again. "They have been in the past for five months now." Ron gasped, time travel was hard for him to understand most of the time but five months in the past already. in regards to him only seeing them last just a few days ago? It seemed incomprehensible.
"Five months! So what happened?" Ron asked as he pulled himself to sit up on one of the second row desks and gazed down at Severus as he plonked himself into one of the stools.
"The potion I supplied them with to get them home again was smashed in the transfer."
"But doesn't that potion take something like six weeks to brew or something? They should have been home again by now."
"Eight, Mr. Weasley." He glared up at Ron, "which you should know from your seventh year potions class, lesson fourteen." Severus drawled as he glared at his former student.
"Yeah. so what happened?" Ron asked again as Severus' half hearted glare finally faltered and he sighed deeply again.
"They've been split up. Hermione is being taken care of in the palace at Heliopolis and Michael is having to spread the word of Re in Egypt, as Sekhmet gains power throughout the land." Severus explained in as little detail as he could.
"Okay, I'm assuming this is bad by the look on your face, Severus. I know nothing about Ancient Egypt though so forgive my ignorance." Ron told him.
"Oh, believe me, after teaching you for seven years, Mr. Weasley, I am quite familiar with your level of ignorance." Ron rolled his eyes as Severus drawled on. "The problem now is that they have so far been unable to brew the time potion again and one of the ingredients has a shelf life of, I estimate, one more month before it will be rendered utterly useless."
"Oh?" Ron raised his eyebrows in question.
"This ingredient will not be available to them again for another seven hundred years." Severus elaborated.
"Oh!" Ron gawped with eyes wide open. This was bad, very bad indeed.
"Therefore, I am going back in time to get them." Severus told him.
"Well then, that doesn't sound so bad now." Ron said quite hopeful.
"To you maybe but Hermione is going to have to stay there for at least another four months. She is unfit for time travel."
"How come?" Ron asked, confused.
"She is five months pregnant." Severus stated quietly.
"Pregnant!" Ron leaped down from the desk and started to pace. "It had better not be Michael's." He growled to himself but Severus heard.
"Of course it's not Michael's!" Severus suddenly leaped to his feet and shouted at the man who was making accusations against his wife. Callum stirred in his cot and began to awaken due to the raised voices.
"He likes her you know." Ron told him as he stood stock still and looked at the infuriated Potions Master. Severus glared at him as he slowly approached, hands itching to smack him hard in the face. or at least grab is wand and hex Weasley.
"She would not be unfaithful to me." Severus declared confidently. though. she had shared a bed with him when they had first arrived in the past. she had written it in the diary, and they were posing as husband and wife. and the pictures Michael drew of Hermione were extremely detailed, which meant he must have studied his subject at length.
"I never meant to suggest otherwise, Severus. Truly," Ron said uncertainly as Severus continued to approach. Time for a subject change and quick, Ron thought. "So, what about Callum? Who's going to look after him while you're away?"
"I will be taking him to Hermione's parent's home." Severus told him.
"What if he starts to cast magic again? They are Muggles after all and would not be able to hide anything he is able to do." Ron said as he tried to reason with Severus.
"I have eight weeks to decide," Severus said thinking. "The potion will not be ready until then."
"So are you going back to the time Hermione is to have the baby? That way you would not have to spend so much time in the past polluting the time line as well?" Ron suggested.
"Mr. Weasley, if you were in my position would you want to help you wife through her pregnancy or turn up just as the event is over with?" Severus growled. "I will not abandon my wife anymore than I have been made to already. I will be returning to the time that I read up to in the diary when the potion is ready."
"Why then?" Ron asked looking confused yet again.
"For fear of polluting the time line of course, if I know first hand what is going to happen thanks to the diary entries then I am much more likely to try and change a course of action- even if I do not want to." There was a long pause as Ron tried to assimilate that information but shook his head and gave up. he was quite sure Severus knew what he was doing.
"Severus, what are you going to do when school starts up again next week?" Ron asked. Severus shook his head and moved to pick a now fully awake Callum up out of his cot. "Lavendar has offered her services to you, Severus. She's at home with Emily and the twins anyway. what's one more?"
Severus could think of any number of nasty comments to make at this point but he bit his tongue, he did need someone to look after his son while he was teaching. "Thank you, I will take her up on the offer."
"I'll let her know, and if you need any other help or want to talk then you know exactly where to find me and don't hesitate to." Ron said as Severus nodded and he turned and left the dungeons to head for home.
"Well, son. Hungry?" Severus asked as Callum watched Ron leave.
"Dada, dada," Callum answered and Severus smiled as his son continued to babble happily in his father's arms.
"I thought so," he said as he conjured a bottle of milk and headed into his office to feed his son.
~~*~~
Severus had not re-opened the diary for a few hours as he had managed to settle Callum back down for a longer sleep this time and decided that now would be a good time to make sure his lesson plans were in order for the first day of classes on Tuesday. The Sorting Hat ceremony would take place on Monday evening and he still had the Headmaster's annual start of school year staff meeting to go to as well, which would take place shortly. Having time to read more of the diary was going to prove difficult, Severus thought. It would also be difficult to sit through a sorting ceremony without Hermione by his side. but perhaps he could bring her and Michael back so that they would be home again before the start of term. He would need to calculate the potion carefully but it most certainly could be done. Although. on second thought if he did that he would most certainly run into himself as technically he would not be leaving this present time for a further eight weeks. Oh, time travel was rather complicated at times.
Severus had been lost in thought for a while, thinking that it was just over a year ago to the day that he had asked Hermione to marry him. She had been so happy and he had been so nervous, and taken aback when she had actually agreed. He looked up and noticed the time and sighed loudly. He placed his quill on his desk and closed the ink bottle so that it would not dry out. Picking up his discarded cloak he pulled it over his shoulders before tidying up his lesson plans into one neat pile, picking up his son and leaving for the staff meeting.
The diary currently forgotten about on the opposite side of his desk.
~~*~~
"Ah, Severus, please sit down and join us." Albus said joyfully as soon as he entered the staffroom still holding Callum in his arms. As soon as he sat down Callum started to pull away from his father.
"Hold on, Callum." Severus said as he withdrew his wand and placed wards on the fireplace and doors so that Callum would be safe crawling around on the floor. He then lowered Callum to the large hearth rug and conjured a few toys, handing them down to his son and sitting back up in his chair but constantly watching Callum out of the corner of his eye.
"My, he has certainly grown, Severus." Morag Sinistra commented as she smiled broadly at the baby playing with some building bricks.
"That he has, Morag. Hermione would be proud." Severus said quietly as he kept his gaze locked on his son and smiled warmly as Callum picked up a brick and stretched his arm out to hand it to his father, which he leaned over and took.
"Well, can I draw this meeting into order? We have a few things to discuss." Albus asked and the staff hushed and turned to listen to the Headmaster. "Firstly, may I announce my own retirement this year?" There was a very audible gasp around the staff room and quite a few jaws dropped. Albus smiled at their shocked expressions. "I feel it is time for me to retire and allow someone else to take my place."
"This is very sudden, Albus." Severus said as Callum crawled over to him and sat down on his father's feet as he babbled away to himself contentedly and tried to force a building block into his mouth.
"No, Severus. I wanted to retire a long time ago but with Voldemort rising again it was simply not a feasible option at the time. Now it is and I do want to do some alchemy research. I do miss my hobby."
"I understand, Albus, and you certainly do deserve your retirement." Severus replied to his old mentor.
"Thank you," Albus nodded.
"So who is to be your successor, Albus?" Lavendar Weasley asked.
"Minerva will of course take over from me," Albus replied. Minerva smiled; Albus had not discussed any of this with her so she was learning of his news just as everyone else was.
"Who is to be my successor then, Albus?" Minerva asked.
"I would like to offer that role to Severus." Albus said looking over to his Potions Master who was busy watching Callum crawling towards the fireplace.
"Callum Andrew Snape. Approach no further," Severus warned and Callum paid no attention but speeded up towards the fireplace. Suddenly a screen came into focus in front of the fire barring the baby from getting any closer. Callum looked up in shock, sat back and cried loudly at the injustice. Severus rolled his eyes, got up and retrieved his son from the floor. Sitting back down again with Callum on his knee he looked up to find all of the teachers looking expectantly at him with amused expressions on their faces. "What?" Severus asked.
"Do you want the job?" Minerva asked.
"Job?" Severus asked, raising his eyebrow.
"That of deputy head," Albus said. Severus looked down at his son and then back at the Headmaster.
"I'm sorry, Albus but with things the way they are right now," he shook his head reluctantly. "I cannot accept your offer."
"You do not have to take up post until next year, Severus." Albus told him with a hopeful expression.
"Then why must I make a decision now?" Severus asked.
"You do not, sometime before Easter will be good enough." Albus replied.
"Very well, leave it with me and I shall consider it thoroughly." Severus conceded.
"Thank you, and now onto other matters." Severus blanked the rest of the meeting out as he sat and thought about Hermione. He would read some more of the diary before turning in tonight. He had to satisfy his curiosity and make sure Hermione was still safe and sound.
~~*~~
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457 BC, Month 5
Oh, Severus. I miss you so much. I've been away from you for months on end now and I hate every minute of it. I am pregnant, which I think you know from previous diary entries. Have no fear in this regard; I am being very well taken care of. I just do not relish the thought of giving birth in this time instead of my own, and without you at my side. I need you, Severus.
Hathor is taking care of me and she is a most powerful witch indeed. She is indeed an animagus but it is not a lion as everyone assumes. she is a desert rat. somewhat smaller and far less ferocious. She can also part transform herself into a cow. she can only transform her head though. She spends all her time with me. leaving me for perhaps a few minutes at a time. I can't write much here as she will be back very soon.
She gives me a massage every night and before I know it I am lulled into a state of deep sleep due to the powerfully scented oils she uses, and a calming potion she makes me drink. I do not know how it is possible but I'm so tired when I awaken, it is like I have not been to sleep. this pregnancy is taking it out of me entirely though. along with the intense heat.
Oh, Hathor has the Book of Shadows but there is nothing to it. She can open it and there is no spell or anything in order to do so. From what I gather she is using it as some kind of text book to help with progressing through a pregnancy, and child rearing. Although I can not read it due to the fact she writes in hieroglyphics.
I miss you, I miss Callum so much. I bet he is walking by now. Has he said his first word I wonder?
She's coming back. I love you.
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457 BC, Day??? Michael's entry
Severus, I saw Hermione this afternoon but she declined me giving her the diary. She said that she is being constantly watched and cannot risk it falling into the wrong hands. If Re knew we were from the future. well, if anybody did, I'm sure it would make both of our lives very awkward indeed. However, I'm sure you've just read what little she could scribble down on paper before we were interrupted and hopefully this may alleviate your concerns of her a little.
Some disturbing news. Hermione is under the impression we are completely stranded here. She said that one of the ingredients for the time potion will not last until the potion is brewed. We can't get it for another seven hundred years either. We have decided that as soon as we can get the ingredients we came for in order to open the book, we are going to return to Ancient Hogwarts and try to modify the time potion to enable us to return home. Hermione is confident that we will be able to find a substitute ingredient. I bow to her primacy on the subject. you know what my potions skills are like having been my teacher for seven years.
Anyway, Hermione is well. She is quite big with her pregnancy again and very tired indeed. Of course she is not enjoying any of it one iota with the intense heat that we still have to suffer despite the time of year.
I didn't get to see Hermione for very long at all as Hathor would not leave us alone. Hathor looks stressed to say the least and the word tired wouldn't even cover it. Of course with the night time exploits she gets up to I am really not at all surprised.
Sekhmet turned on Dahshur last night. The carnage that was reported in Memphis this morning was to the extreme. Only those who bear the mark of Re survived. Tonight she will undoubtedly reach Memphis and begin her crusade of cleansing the capital of all who oppose Re. I happen to know of a plan though. a plan in order to try and stop her.
Sekhmet seems in awe of the sight and taste of blood. The people of Memphis have noticed this fact via the reporting of the survivors who have been able to get word back to the capital. The people of Memphis have been brewing beer for a couple of weeks now and they are going to dye it red so that she will hopefully mistake it as blood and drink it. Can you imagine this? As if anyone would be so stupid really. still we are working with a very crazed goddess here. so perhaps it will indeed work. Actually, I know that it does, being the history professor that I am and all. according to legend the beer will be poured into one of the flax fields and Sekhmet will gorge on it until in a drunken stupor when she will promptly forget all about her crusade. Well, I guess I will see how true legend actually is first hand.
I saw Re today when I was just about to leave the palace. He was pacing back and forth in his throne room quite anxious- looking. I think he is regretting his request for Hathor to cleanse the population of all who oppose him. So, due to his distressed state I did not ask him about the crop circle meanings. I have been summoned to have a meeting with Re though. I am to report to him one day from now. I do not know why he wants to see me. I guess I will find out soon enough though.
I've drawn some pictures for you, Severus. I'm not sure what else I can write here just now. I will report to you whatever happens this evening.
Enjoy.
Chapter Four
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457
It is three weeks since my last entry, Severus. I can summarise what has been happening in a few sentences over the last few weeks. I have been spreading the word of Re with Ptah throughout Memphis and neighbouring Dahshur and Cairo. Hermione has remained in the care of Hathor. and the terror that is Sekhmet is getting very close to my current home.
I feel like a hypocrite spreading the word of Re when I do not even believe it myself. I do it purely for survival though, and have allowed myself to be tattooed with a picture of Re's eye, which looks unmistakably like a crop circle I might add. I'll draw it on the next page and you will see the similarity to the drawings of the symbols Hermione saw on Sekhmet's Book.
Whilst I am on the subject of the crop circles. I thought I might find the answer to one of the greatest Muggle mysteries ever but I have not been able to as yet. I have seen the crop circle formations when I've been in the burial chambers within the pyramids at Giza though. They have channelled air holes to the outside from the burial chambers. these act as windows so that the King or Queen's soul can be released but they also give rise to a great view across the Egyptian landscape. When I was last in one of the burial chambers decorating the walls with hieroglyphics of Re's cult I happened to look out one of these channels and saw the most amazing formations in the flax fields to the immediate north. When I asked Ptah how they got there he said that they had always been there and were messages sent from the heavens by the desert folk for the living gods and goddesses to read. When I asked what they meant he replied that only the high deities could read them and that he did not know.
I am allowed to visit with Hermione this afternoon. I shall take the diary along with me and draw you a picture of her. If she likes, I will hand the diary back over to her so at least she can carry on writing to you. and I'm sure this will make you feel a lot better as well.
If I get a chance then I will try to speak to Re about the crop circles and their meanings, after all, he is the highest deity currently in existence and therefore should be able to explain things.
~~*~~
Hogwarts, Present Day
Severus looked up from the book he was holding in total shock. So many things were running through his head forming half thoughts and not staying still long enough for analysis. His mind was an utter whirl.
Hermione was pregnant. Hermione was four. no. five months pregnant.
From her perspective she had been away from him for five months now. to Severus it had only been a matter of days. How much worse must it be for her? She was going through yet another pregnancy without him by her side and his blood was beginning to boil at the thought.
She was stranded somehow in the past, and Severus didn't know why exactly. Surely Hermione would have been able to apparate away from Heliopolis and return to Hogwarts to continue on with the potion? She perhaps did not know but the ingredient needed for the potion that would not be available again for a further seven hundred years, was a perishable ingredient; even under a stasis spell. Severus estimated that the ingredient. scraped mugwump shells. would only have about one month left until it was rendered useless.
They were both in a very dangerous time, especially with Sekhmet finally rising up and causing havoc throughout Ancient Egypt. and she seemed to be taking her crusade closer to the two stranded time travellers as well.
There was nothing to it, Severus was going to have to start to brew his own Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion and head back to see what he could do. There was no way he could. no way he would leave his pregnant wife stranded in the ancient past. and absolutely no one was going to stand in his way this time.
Severus quickly stood up from the patch of grass underneath the tree, diary still in hand and looked around for Callum. He found his son fast asleep in a patch of sunlight and picked him up gently before rushing out of the roof garden and heading for the dungeons to start brewing the potion.
~~*~~
Severus conjured a rocking cot for his son and placed it in the potions classroom as he worked steadily at the front preparing his ingredients and boiling the base for the potion in one of his cauldrons. He had already finished his preparation when there was a knock on the classroom door.
"Enter," Severus said loudly enough to be heard but not loud enough to disturb Callum, who was still napping. The door creaked open and Ron Weasley stepped in. Severus prepared to defend his reasoning for making the potion although it was doubtful that a Weasley could work out what he was doing without being told.
"Severus," he greeted as he entered the classroom properly and glanced around. "No change since I was last in here then." Ron observed as looked around at the drab dungeon walls and shelves filled to the brim with the most gruesome of specimens in jars. His gaze landed on a sleeping Callum and he approached the cot to take a peek at the sleeping baby. "He has no worries at all. I wish this was true for the rest of us."
"What can I do for you Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked as he looked up from his cauldron with irritation clear on his face.
"What are you brewing?" Ron asked as he approached the front desks.
"The Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion," Severus stated blankly; no sense in hiding what he was doing. It wasn't illegal, just restricted and as a licenced Potions Master he was allowed to brew this potion.
"I thought Hermione said for you to not go back for her, Severus?" Ron asked as he watched the Potions Master stir the contents of the cauldron.
"That does not matter anymore. I must go back." Snape replied, not looking up from the bubbling liquid in the cauldron as his own temper was bubbling under the surface as well.
"Severus, this is a bad idea. Two people in the past are bad enough for potential pollution of the time line. If you go b."
"This is not up for a debate! I have chosen a course of action and I will carry it out with or without anyone's approval." Severus snapped as his eyes suddenly focused on Ron, who unconsciously took a half step backwards.
"What about Callum then? You are leaving him without any form of parental figure." Ron protested; anything to make him reconsider this course of action.
"He shall be looked after." Severus stated, although he had not quite worked out by whom as yet. "Why are you here anyway? What do you want?"
"I wanted to make sure you are alright, Severus. I also wanted to know if there was any word on what has happened to Michael and Hermione." Severus glared at him but Ron held his stare before speaking again. "She is my best friend, Severus. I'd like to know what has happened to her and Michael."
Severus stirred the cauldron one last time and sighed heavily before placing his stirring ladle down on the desk and slowly stepping around to the first row of student desks. "Very well," Severus sighed again. "They have been in the past for five months now." Ron gasped, time travel was hard for him to understand most of the time but five months in the past already. in regards to him only seeing them last just a few days ago? It seemed incomprehensible.
"Five months! So what happened?" Ron asked as he pulled himself to sit up on one of the second row desks and gazed down at Severus as he plonked himself into one of the stools.
"The potion I supplied them with to get them home again was smashed in the transfer."
"But doesn't that potion take something like six weeks to brew or something? They should have been home again by now."
"Eight, Mr. Weasley." He glared up at Ron, "which you should know from your seventh year potions class, lesson fourteen." Severus drawled as he glared at his former student.
"Yeah. so what happened?" Ron asked again as Severus' half hearted glare finally faltered and he sighed deeply again.
"They've been split up. Hermione is being taken care of in the palace at Heliopolis and Michael is having to spread the word of Re in Egypt, as Sekhmet gains power throughout the land." Severus explained in as little detail as he could.
"Okay, I'm assuming this is bad by the look on your face, Severus. I know nothing about Ancient Egypt though so forgive my ignorance." Ron told him.
"Oh, believe me, after teaching you for seven years, Mr. Weasley, I am quite familiar with your level of ignorance." Ron rolled his eyes as Severus drawled on. "The problem now is that they have so far been unable to brew the time potion again and one of the ingredients has a shelf life of, I estimate, one more month before it will be rendered utterly useless."
"Oh?" Ron raised his eyebrows in question.
"This ingredient will not be available to them again for another seven hundred years." Severus elaborated.
"Oh!" Ron gawped with eyes wide open. This was bad, very bad indeed.
"Therefore, I am going back in time to get them." Severus told him.
"Well then, that doesn't sound so bad now." Ron said quite hopeful.
"To you maybe but Hermione is going to have to stay there for at least another four months. She is unfit for time travel."
"How come?" Ron asked, confused.
"She is five months pregnant." Severus stated quietly.
"Pregnant!" Ron leaped down from the desk and started to pace. "It had better not be Michael's." He growled to himself but Severus heard.
"Of course it's not Michael's!" Severus suddenly leaped to his feet and shouted at the man who was making accusations against his wife. Callum stirred in his cot and began to awaken due to the raised voices.
"He likes her you know." Ron told him as he stood stock still and looked at the infuriated Potions Master. Severus glared at him as he slowly approached, hands itching to smack him hard in the face. or at least grab is wand and hex Weasley.
"She would not be unfaithful to me." Severus declared confidently. though. she had shared a bed with him when they had first arrived in the past. she had written it in the diary, and they were posing as husband and wife. and the pictures Michael drew of Hermione were extremely detailed, which meant he must have studied his subject at length.
"I never meant to suggest otherwise, Severus. Truly," Ron said uncertainly as Severus continued to approach. Time for a subject change and quick, Ron thought. "So, what about Callum? Who's going to look after him while you're away?"
"I will be taking him to Hermione's parent's home." Severus told him.
"What if he starts to cast magic again? They are Muggles after all and would not be able to hide anything he is able to do." Ron said as he tried to reason with Severus.
"I have eight weeks to decide," Severus said thinking. "The potion will not be ready until then."
"So are you going back to the time Hermione is to have the baby? That way you would not have to spend so much time in the past polluting the time line as well?" Ron suggested.
"Mr. Weasley, if you were in my position would you want to help you wife through her pregnancy or turn up just as the event is over with?" Severus growled. "I will not abandon my wife anymore than I have been made to already. I will be returning to the time that I read up to in the diary when the potion is ready."
"Why then?" Ron asked looking confused yet again.
"For fear of polluting the time line of course, if I know first hand what is going to happen thanks to the diary entries then I am much more likely to try and change a course of action- even if I do not want to." There was a long pause as Ron tried to assimilate that information but shook his head and gave up. he was quite sure Severus knew what he was doing.
"Severus, what are you going to do when school starts up again next week?" Ron asked. Severus shook his head and moved to pick a now fully awake Callum up out of his cot. "Lavendar has offered her services to you, Severus. She's at home with Emily and the twins anyway. what's one more?"
Severus could think of any number of nasty comments to make at this point but he bit his tongue, he did need someone to look after his son while he was teaching. "Thank you, I will take her up on the offer."
"I'll let her know, and if you need any other help or want to talk then you know exactly where to find me and don't hesitate to." Ron said as Severus nodded and he turned and left the dungeons to head for home.
"Well, son. Hungry?" Severus asked as Callum watched Ron leave.
"Dada, dada," Callum answered and Severus smiled as his son continued to babble happily in his father's arms.
"I thought so," he said as he conjured a bottle of milk and headed into his office to feed his son.
~~*~~
Severus had not re-opened the diary for a few hours as he had managed to settle Callum back down for a longer sleep this time and decided that now would be a good time to make sure his lesson plans were in order for the first day of classes on Tuesday. The Sorting Hat ceremony would take place on Monday evening and he still had the Headmaster's annual start of school year staff meeting to go to as well, which would take place shortly. Having time to read more of the diary was going to prove difficult, Severus thought. It would also be difficult to sit through a sorting ceremony without Hermione by his side. but perhaps he could bring her and Michael back so that they would be home again before the start of term. He would need to calculate the potion carefully but it most certainly could be done. Although. on second thought if he did that he would most certainly run into himself as technically he would not be leaving this present time for a further eight weeks. Oh, time travel was rather complicated at times.
Severus had been lost in thought for a while, thinking that it was just over a year ago to the day that he had asked Hermione to marry him. She had been so happy and he had been so nervous, and taken aback when she had actually agreed. He looked up and noticed the time and sighed loudly. He placed his quill on his desk and closed the ink bottle so that it would not dry out. Picking up his discarded cloak he pulled it over his shoulders before tidying up his lesson plans into one neat pile, picking up his son and leaving for the staff meeting.
The diary currently forgotten about on the opposite side of his desk.
~~*~~
"Ah, Severus, please sit down and join us." Albus said joyfully as soon as he entered the staffroom still holding Callum in his arms. As soon as he sat down Callum started to pull away from his father.
"Hold on, Callum." Severus said as he withdrew his wand and placed wards on the fireplace and doors so that Callum would be safe crawling around on the floor. He then lowered Callum to the large hearth rug and conjured a few toys, handing them down to his son and sitting back up in his chair but constantly watching Callum out of the corner of his eye.
"My, he has certainly grown, Severus." Morag Sinistra commented as she smiled broadly at the baby playing with some building bricks.
"That he has, Morag. Hermione would be proud." Severus said quietly as he kept his gaze locked on his son and smiled warmly as Callum picked up a brick and stretched his arm out to hand it to his father, which he leaned over and took.
"Well, can I draw this meeting into order? We have a few things to discuss." Albus asked and the staff hushed and turned to listen to the Headmaster. "Firstly, may I announce my own retirement this year?" There was a very audible gasp around the staff room and quite a few jaws dropped. Albus smiled at their shocked expressions. "I feel it is time for me to retire and allow someone else to take my place."
"This is very sudden, Albus." Severus said as Callum crawled over to him and sat down on his father's feet as he babbled away to himself contentedly and tried to force a building block into his mouth.
"No, Severus. I wanted to retire a long time ago but with Voldemort rising again it was simply not a feasible option at the time. Now it is and I do want to do some alchemy research. I do miss my hobby."
"I understand, Albus, and you certainly do deserve your retirement." Severus replied to his old mentor.
"Thank you," Albus nodded.
"So who is to be your successor, Albus?" Lavendar Weasley asked.
"Minerva will of course take over from me," Albus replied. Minerva smiled; Albus had not discussed any of this with her so she was learning of his news just as everyone else was.
"Who is to be my successor then, Albus?" Minerva asked.
"I would like to offer that role to Severus." Albus said looking over to his Potions Master who was busy watching Callum crawling towards the fireplace.
"Callum Andrew Snape. Approach no further," Severus warned and Callum paid no attention but speeded up towards the fireplace. Suddenly a screen came into focus in front of the fire barring the baby from getting any closer. Callum looked up in shock, sat back and cried loudly at the injustice. Severus rolled his eyes, got up and retrieved his son from the floor. Sitting back down again with Callum on his knee he looked up to find all of the teachers looking expectantly at him with amused expressions on their faces. "What?" Severus asked.
"Do you want the job?" Minerva asked.
"Job?" Severus asked, raising his eyebrow.
"That of deputy head," Albus said. Severus looked down at his son and then back at the Headmaster.
"I'm sorry, Albus but with things the way they are right now," he shook his head reluctantly. "I cannot accept your offer."
"You do not have to take up post until next year, Severus." Albus told him with a hopeful expression.
"Then why must I make a decision now?" Severus asked.
"You do not, sometime before Easter will be good enough." Albus replied.
"Very well, leave it with me and I shall consider it thoroughly." Severus conceded.
"Thank you, and now onto other matters." Severus blanked the rest of the meeting out as he sat and thought about Hermione. He would read some more of the diary before turning in tonight. He had to satisfy his curiosity and make sure Hermione was still safe and sound.
~~*~~
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457 BC, Month 5
Oh, Severus. I miss you so much. I've been away from you for months on end now and I hate every minute of it. I am pregnant, which I think you know from previous diary entries. Have no fear in this regard; I am being very well taken care of. I just do not relish the thought of giving birth in this time instead of my own, and without you at my side. I need you, Severus.
Hathor is taking care of me and she is a most powerful witch indeed. She is indeed an animagus but it is not a lion as everyone assumes. she is a desert rat. somewhat smaller and far less ferocious. She can also part transform herself into a cow. she can only transform her head though. She spends all her time with me. leaving me for perhaps a few minutes at a time. I can't write much here as she will be back very soon.
She gives me a massage every night and before I know it I am lulled into a state of deep sleep due to the powerfully scented oils she uses, and a calming potion she makes me drink. I do not know how it is possible but I'm so tired when I awaken, it is like I have not been to sleep. this pregnancy is taking it out of me entirely though. along with the intense heat.
Oh, Hathor has the Book of Shadows but there is nothing to it. She can open it and there is no spell or anything in order to do so. From what I gather she is using it as some kind of text book to help with progressing through a pregnancy, and child rearing. Although I can not read it due to the fact she writes in hieroglyphics.
I miss you, I miss Callum so much. I bet he is walking by now. Has he said his first word I wonder?
She's coming back. I love you.
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, 2457 BC, Day??? Michael's entry
Severus, I saw Hermione this afternoon but she declined me giving her the diary. She said that she is being constantly watched and cannot risk it falling into the wrong hands. If Re knew we were from the future. well, if anybody did, I'm sure it would make both of our lives very awkward indeed. However, I'm sure you've just read what little she could scribble down on paper before we were interrupted and hopefully this may alleviate your concerns of her a little.
Some disturbing news. Hermione is under the impression we are completely stranded here. She said that one of the ingredients for the time potion will not last until the potion is brewed. We can't get it for another seven hundred years either. We have decided that as soon as we can get the ingredients we came for in order to open the book, we are going to return to Ancient Hogwarts and try to modify the time potion to enable us to return home. Hermione is confident that we will be able to find a substitute ingredient. I bow to her primacy on the subject. you know what my potions skills are like having been my teacher for seven years.
Anyway, Hermione is well. She is quite big with her pregnancy again and very tired indeed. Of course she is not enjoying any of it one iota with the intense heat that we still have to suffer despite the time of year.
I didn't get to see Hermione for very long at all as Hathor would not leave us alone. Hathor looks stressed to say the least and the word tired wouldn't even cover it. Of course with the night time exploits she gets up to I am really not at all surprised.
Sekhmet turned on Dahshur last night. The carnage that was reported in Memphis this morning was to the extreme. Only those who bear the mark of Re survived. Tonight she will undoubtedly reach Memphis and begin her crusade of cleansing the capital of all who oppose Re. I happen to know of a plan though. a plan in order to try and stop her.
Sekhmet seems in awe of the sight and taste of blood. The people of Memphis have noticed this fact via the reporting of the survivors who have been able to get word back to the capital. The people of Memphis have been brewing beer for a couple of weeks now and they are going to dye it red so that she will hopefully mistake it as blood and drink it. Can you imagine this? As if anyone would be so stupid really. still we are working with a very crazed goddess here. so perhaps it will indeed work. Actually, I know that it does, being the history professor that I am and all. according to legend the beer will be poured into one of the flax fields and Sekhmet will gorge on it until in a drunken stupor when she will promptly forget all about her crusade. Well, I guess I will see how true legend actually is first hand.
I saw Re today when I was just about to leave the palace. He was pacing back and forth in his throne room quite anxious- looking. I think he is regretting his request for Hathor to cleanse the population of all who oppose him. So, due to his distressed state I did not ask him about the crop circle meanings. I have been summoned to have a meeting with Re though. I am to report to him one day from now. I do not know why he wants to see me. I guess I will find out soon enough though.
I've drawn some pictures for you, Severus. I'm not sure what else I can write here just now. I will report to you whatever happens this evening.