Title: Past, Present, Future

Summary: The past will come back, the present will change them, now what will the future hold?

Disclaimer: I do not own them, sad but true

A/N: Yes this is an AU fic. Reviews are welcome, flames are shared with friends for amusement.

Chapter 10

The morning came all too quickly for the two boys, who had spent the night playing exploding snap and being warned by Severus at three to go to sleep or else. Neither noticed Severus walking into the room, nor did they know he had been watching Harry sleep for the past half hour.

Ron rolled over and opened his eyes. Not expecting to come face to face with the Potions' master, he let out a yelp and scrambled to the edge of his bed. Harry shot up in his bed, much to the dismay of his leg, and saw a quivering Ron and what looked like an amused Snape. Coughing to let them know he was awake, Harry grinned at the sigh of relief Ron let out.

Severus stood as if to leave. "Surely, you do not think I would wake you to hex you into next week, Mr. Weasley. It would be funny, but very impractical."

Harry tried hard to stifle the chuckle, but the look on Ron's face made him lose the struggle. Stumbling out of the bed, Harry limped toward the bathroom. He could not help but notice Snape staring at him. Harry shrugged it off. It was not like Snape actually cared about him. He had probably been ordered by Dumbledore not let him bleed to death or something.

Ron was about to follow, when the door closed behind Harry, leaving him alone in the room with Snape. Trying to maneuver back over to the bed, Ron slipped, falling face first toward the floor. He was amazed and let out the small yelp when he stopped mere inches from it, caught by two firm hands.

"It seems you cannot stand properly, Mr. Weasley. Perhaps a few lessons in grace and poise would do you some good," Snape said, black eyes piercing Ron's. "I expect you and Harry downstairs in half an hour, if you wish to leave."

Harry came back out of the bathroom, relieved to see that Severus had gone. "You alright there, Ron?"

"I'm fine, I just wish there was some way to get even with him, maybe wipe that smirk off his face."

"He does seem to know everything. I would love for once for him not to be able to fix something with a potion. Did you see the look on his face when Dumbledore told him he would have to use a needle to sew us up instead of magic?"

"Remember it? I was scared. Didn't you see the look on his face?"

"I did see it," Harry smiled. "It seemed like our fearless Potions' master was scared. He wasn't worried about me, he was worried about looking bad in front of everyone else."

"Either way, mate, let's hurry up and get ready before he comes back in to check on us."

Two hours later Harry, Ron, and Severus were standing in Hogsmeade. Severus turned to face them both. "I trust you two can stay out of trouble here. I will meet you back at the bookstore at lunch. We will floo back after that," Severus walked away, but turned around. "Try to keep yourselves from any harm that I will undoubtedly have to stay up all night brewing a potion to fix."

Ron was furious, and Harry did not blink at the statement. "Come on, Harry, let's go over to Honeydukes and get some candy."

Harry followed Ron, and soon they had their pockets lined with sweets of every shape and colour. Eating a chocolate frog as they came out, they spotted Severus going into the apothecary. "Come on, Harry, let's go this way."

Ron and Harry next went into Flourish and Botts to look around for a new Quidditch book. They split up, and Ron went up the stairs, while Harry, whose leg was still bothering him, looked downstairs. Harry walked past several shelves and finally came across one he had never seen before. Opening one of the books, he saw the words, "Dark Magic of the late 18th century." This intrigued Harry, and he sat down to begin reading it. He was only brought out of his trance when Ron came up and poked him.

"Hey, mate, it is almost time to meet the git. How about we go and find something to do for the last hour."

Sighing Harry closed the book. All he wanted was to lie down as his leg was aching again. They left the store, and Harry turned to Ron. "Well, do you have any galleons left?"

Ron laughed. "Even I am surprised, I have like twelve left, and my pockets won't hold anymore candy." Both boys laughed and headed up the street to grab a bite to eat before Severus picked them up.

When they walked into the pub, they pulled their coats up over their faces and quickly made their way over to a corner table. Harry ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and Ron ordered two. Madame Rosemerta brought them two a piece, and smiled down at the two boys as she set down two butterbeers in front of them. Both were happily munching away when they saw someone come towards the floo.

Ron quickly elbowed Harry. "Hey, it's him," he said pointing at Severus and some man with golden blond hair.

"That's Lucius Malfoy, wonder what he is doing here, and what he wants with Severus?"

"No better way to find out. Come on Harry let's follow him."

Both waited just out of sight until they heard Severus and Lucius step into the floo and call out Knockturn Alley.

Ron's face was ashen, and Harry put his hand on his shoulder to calm him. "Come on, I want to find out what he is up to, don't you?"

Both boys left their sandwiches unfinished and stepped up to the floo. Calling out Knockturn Alley, they were soon whirling past grate after grate, until they slid out in the backroom of one of the shops. Standing up and dusting themselves off, they crept up to listen in on the conversation.

"Ahh Severus, it seems you almost have a heart. Was that a smile I almost saw?"

"You would do well to be silent, Lucius. You know very well that I have no room in my heart for anyone. Now what is it you wish to show me?"

"Come, The Dark Lord has come up with some new and interesting ways to torture his next victims."

Both men walked over to a pair of shackles that were dangling from the wall. Picking them up, Lucius handed them to Snape. "These particular ones will come in helpful. You see after we have retrieved all the information we want from them, they will rip their arms off."

"How amusing, Lucius. Are there any other little toys that you have planned?"

"Of course. This here is a bone breaking potion. I'm sure you are familiar with it. It breaks one bone every ten minutes. It causes excruciating pain, and the Dark Lord wishes it to be used at our next meeting. Of course, he has yet to find anything horrible enough for the Potter boy."

"We agree on that. Now come, Lucius, I have to get back. Dumbledore has me watching over two of the students today, and I know the little brats will be getting into some kind of trouble."

Severus and Lucius walked back to the floo, and Ron and Harry hid behind a suit of armour. Once they were gone, Harry let out the breath he was holding. "He doesn't care about me."

"Harry, I'm sorry, mate. I told you he was a bastard, even if he is your father."

"I just wish there were some way to see if he actually did give a damn. Come on, or we will be late." Harry and Ron were about to walk back to the floo when they were caught by the backs of their shirts.

"What have we here? I couldn't help but overhear your little sentimental remarks. If it is revenge you wish then, I have the perfect thing for you."

Ron wanted to run, but he was too scared, and Harry wanted to hear more about this revenge. He was tired of everyone taking him for granted. If Severus didn't care about him, then why not prove the point and make him suffer in the process.

"Here we have a new and improved potion, brewed only in the mountains of Tibet."

"What's so great about it? I bet he can figure it out with no problem. Really a potion will not help me," Harry said getting ready to walk away.

"Hold on there, young man. Not even the best potionmaster in the world knows about this. Rufella has worked for years brewing and adding just the right ingredients."

"Come on, Harry. The potion would probably kill you anyway. Even if it didn't, he would be able to spot how to fix it in minutes. Don't waste your money just to prove he doesn't give a damn about you."

"Two doubters, I see. Well, I am so sure that this potion will work, that I will give it to you at half price."

This perked up Ron's ears, for there was nothing a Weasley liked more than a bargain. "Well, what does your famed potion here do, anyway?"

The shop owner smiled, showing off his blackened teeth. "Ahhh, so I see you are interested. Let me tell you," he said, ushering them into the backroom. "This potion will bring fever like you have never seen before. It will bring chills, pains shooting through your body and vomiting. It can get you out of any classes you wish, and it will have your parent wondering and worrying themselves sick trying to find the cure. Of course I am the only one who has the cure."

"Are you sure this potion works?"

"I am so sure that it works, I tried it out myself just last week. That was an awful time, but of course I had sense enough to take the antidote right after. It got me a three day vacation."

"I'll take both bottles." Harry said. "How much is half off?"

"That would be twenty galleons each young man."

"I only have thirty five galleons left," Harry said with a sigh. "Can you wait for me to bring the other five to you tomorrow?"

"It is payment up front or no potion," the man said, taking the potion out of Harry's hand.

"Wait! Harry, you can have five of my galleons. I know you will give them back."

"Thanks, Ron. Here is your money," Harry said, snatching the potion back out of the shopkeeper's hand. He and Ron looked down at Harry's watch and panicked. "We are late, Severus will have our heads." Running back to the floo, they were stopped as they got ready to leave.

"Don't forget only one drop is all you need, two if you are desperate, anymore than that at one time, and you will find yourself unable to move."

Harry and Ron thanked the man, who was still smiling as he twirled the galleons in his hand, and flooed back to the pub. Landing with a thud outside the grate they both shook off the soot and quickly headed out the door. Running as fast as they could, they ran right into someone.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to bump into you, but we are late," Ron started to mumble.

"I know you are both late, Mr. Weasley. That is why I was looking for you. I should have assumed that two boys your age could not be on time. Hurry along, you can spend tonight in your room thinking about being on time next time," Severus did not want them to know he had been worried and simply ushered the two boys back to Hogwarts.