The Butterfly Effect
March 27th 1977
Supreme Mugwamp Albus Dumbledore looked forward to the weeklong conference of the IWC in Whangarei, New Zealand. He had no pressing business either with Hogwarts' governours nor with the Ministry of Magic and the headmaster was confident of leaving the school in his deputy's capable hands.
March 28th, 1977
Minerva MacGonagall was about to retire when a Floo call from Madam Pomfrey alerted her. As was her duty as deputy headmistress, she made her way to the infirmary. In the hall before the hospital wing's double doors she saw a sullen looking Sirius Black. He seemed to want to speak to her but she silenced him with an impatient wave of her hand.
Inside a pale and stricken looking James Potter was standing in front of Madam Pomfrey's office, whose murmuring could be heard from behind a screen at the far end of the infirmary. Making her way over Professor MacGonagall could not make out the identity of the student the nurse was treating as he or she was drawn into a tight ball under a blanket, rocking back and forth. But Black and Potter's presence led to a certain conclusion.
"Severus Snape?"
Pomfrey only nodded and continued to chant her spells. When they had no effect whatsoever she summoned a vial of strong calming draught which she spelled into the young man's stomach. The rocking stopped and Poppy drew the blanket from the huddled figure. The deputy took an involuntary step back. Snape's clothes were torn and bloodied from deep gashes in his arms and face, most of his nails were broken and he had soiled himself. With the draught in him he should have been oblivious to whatever terror had sent him into this state but he was still very tense and keening in a terrible, high sound.
McGonagall knew better than to interrupt Madam Pomfrey during her work and was reliefed when the nurse seemed to relax after running several diagnostic scans.
"What happened, Poppy?"
"I am not sure. James Potter brought him here, unconscious, and asked me to check for an infection from a werewolf bite. It seems that Snape was out on the ground when Remus Lupin was transformed, but he should have been safely contained in the Shrieking Shack. You might want to question Potter whether there is another werewolf near the school."
"I will find out. Wouldn't Snape have transformed if he was bitten? The moon is still out."
"Yes, the scratches must be from something else, thankfully he is not infected. But still he is in shock, only time will tell what this has done to his mind."
"May I use your office?"
"Of course."
James Potter was no longer where she had left him. The deputy headmistress found him outside the infirmary doors, arguing with Black. McGonagall cut them off, ordered Black to stay put and went into the office with Potter. It took all her experience not to flinch when the boy told the whole sordid tale. It seemed that the feud between the so-called Marauders and Slytherin house, and Severus Snape in particular, had not abated, as had been her impression, but merely continued outside of any professor's knowledge, even more vicious than before, now that the participants where nearing their full magical power. The head of Gryffindor felt chastened by her own oversight, and that she had put too much stock into Dumbledore's believe that Sirius Black would turn out all right, that he only had to overcome his education. She now remembered that Albus never had had an answer to Slughorn's objection that Regulus Black, who had the same education, had never exhibited the viciousness and complete lack of empathy of his elder brother.
After questioning a totally unrepentant Sirius Black she sent both boys to wait in the Transfiguration classroom and called an emergency meeting of the heads of houses. Her only consolation was that there was no second werewolf; Snape had seen Lupin transform.
A decision was reached quickly: Sirius Black was to be expelled and James Potter put on suspension for the rest of term. Even though Severus Snape was – unlike Potter and Black – already of age McGonagall Floo called his mother. Eileen Snape did not answer the call but an unshaven Muggle who reeked of stale smoke and alcohol.
"Mr Snape, I am sorry to disturb you so late. Your son was hurt this evening and I felt his parents should know. I feel he would like to see his mother when he wakes up."
"Eileen's poorly, she hardly leaves her bed anymore."
The man's speech was slurred.
"I am sorry to hear that. Have you been able to contact a healer?"
"She wouldn't. And now I do not know how to. Wha's happened to Sev'rus?"
"He encountered a werewolf. He was not bitten, but he's in shock."
"Will he be a'right?"
"Physically yes, mentally we certainly hope so."
"Would you send someone to help me wife? Sev told me I can't see his school."
"Unfortunately yes, Muggles cannot visit Hogwarts. I will send someone from St. Mungo's immideately."
"Much `preciated, Ma'am, thank you. And give Sev our best, he's a fighter. Don' tell `im `bout his mum, yet."
"Of course, Mr Snape. You will hear from me as soon as I have news."
After alerting her own family healer and sending her on to Spinner's End Minerva McGonagall checked her appearance before making yet another Floo call. Thankfully Charlus Potter had not retired yet. As James' father and in loco parentis of Sirius Black he insisted on coming through, all bluster and blunder. The Transfiguration professor told the story again, visibly taking the wind out of the Potter pater familias' sails. He insisted on speaking with both young men.
A few minutes of interrogating a subdued James and a still unrepentant Sirius made the elder Potter much less inclined to defend them. After a muttered "He deserved it, sneaky, slimy snake." from Black Charlus Potter even backhanded the teen before silencing him.
"Sirius Orion Black! I took you into my family and you have brought nothing but shame on me. You are lucky to be sixteen still, or it would have been Azkaban for you!"
Turning towards the deputy headmistress he said, "Professor McGonagall, I will not fight the school's decision and I will take both boys home immediately. I am only asking you to keep this as quiet as possible, as my wife is poorly still and I fear what a scandal will do to her health."
The professor escorted the trio to her Floo and instructed a house elf to pack Potter's and Black's belongings while speaking to nobody. Faced with the decision of either writing to Albus Dumbledore or making another visit in the infirmary McGonagall chose the latter.
Pomfrey had cleaned up her patient and had healed the gashes. The calming draught had finally kicked in and Severus Snape was now sleeping. Still mindful of her yearlong oversights the professor decided to keep vigil.
Around five am a sharp gasp from the bed woke her up. Sure enough, the young man was sitting up, frozen in terror and gripping his wand tightly.
"Mr Snape, you are safe, you are in the infirmary and you are not infected."
He let out a breath and turned towards his professor very slowly.
"Mr Snape, I am taking my wand now and I will cast a Lumos, if that's all right with you."
After a jerky nod McGonagall lit up the bed and it's immideate surroundings which seemed to calm the patient a little bit.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Snape turned fully towards her and his look was one she had come to known, one of cynical resignation.
"Haven't you asked Potter yet? Then you know what happened."
"I have asked both Mr Potter and Mr Black and now I want to hear your side of the story."
"For what it's worth."
"Mr Snape, you have been through a terrible ordeal and I realise that you have no reason to trust me to do right by you but I know you are capable of staying polite and I am asking you to."
"Fine, ma'am. I overheard Black planning something in the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. Something which would have endangered Evans. So I went there and crept into the tunnel. And then Potter was shouting from behind me to get the hell out. I realised that I had been pranked, again, and continued forward. Potter came and wanted to drag me back. I fought back, but something felt off. And then I saw that werewolf. Potter had me back near the Willow. I think it hit me. I cannot remember anything after that."
"Thank you, Mr Snape. Shall I get a Dreamless Sleep for you?"
"No."
That was said with a rather tremolous sigh.
"You said I was not bitten?"
"Yes, fortunately. Your wounds – the one at your tigh being the worst – were from the Whomping Willow and from being dragged through the tunnel. By the way, your parents send their best wishes."
"Mhm. What did Black and Potter say?"
"Their story matches yours. Mr Black confessed to purposely leading you into a situation where you would encounter a werewolf. When Mr Potter learned of this he ran to get you out."
"It's their fault I met a werewolf and now I am to be indebted to Potter?!"
McGonagall detected a hysterical edge to Snape's voice and judged it best to distract him with anger.
"Despite your terrible ordeal, you were out of bounds, past curfew and out on the grounds, therefore you will serve a week of detentions with me."
She imagined to hear the young man's molars grind in his fight for composure.
"Professor Slughorn needs me for the infirmary potions. Could I serve the detentions with him?"
"No. Horace will do his work himself, for once. He wanted you to serve the detentions with him but as acting headmistress I overruled him."
The young Slytherin clearly had something to think on, after hearing that particular information. Then the panic returned to his mien.
"Professor! The w-, the were-"
"Come with me, Mr Snape."
She led him to a bed and drew back the curtains after casting a Silencing Spell. Severus had to opress the urge to hide behind McGonagall, expecting the worst. But on the bed only lay a heavily sedated Remus Lupin, curled in upon himself, face and neck full of still seeping gashed and scratches. Snape put one and one together. A surge of anger rose within him, followed closely by realising what horror Black had nearly inflicted upon his supposed friend.
"Mr Snape, you are of age. Professor Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey and all heads of houses knew about Mr Lupin being a werewolf. The headmaster magicked a secure facility in the Shrieking Shack and Madam Pomfrey supervised the transformations. We did not know that Potter and Black had become Animagi and that they used to let Mr Lupin out during the full moon, all of them running through the Forbidden Forest. He was purposely bitten by Fenrir Greyback when he was five. Mr Lupin has no recollection of what happened tonight. It is well within your rights to report him to the ministry, no one could hold it against you. Mr Lupin cannot help himself during the full moon, but he knew about his friends being Animagi and running with him in his wolf-form, thus unnecessarily endangering whoever might be outside."
Severus pondered this information carefully. Obviously McGonagall wanted him to keep Lupin's lycantrophy quiet. Bitterness overtook him. So everything had been a ruse – the vigil, the sympathetic ear, all for her precious pups! He spat, "Even if I kept it quiet – and that's a big if – what about the others? They will continue doing as they please. I know for a fact that Professor Slughorn had granted Hecate McNair permission to gather potions ingredients for her NEWTs project during the next full moon. And there will be girls from all houses sneaking out to dance for the May King."
"No, Mr Snape. No one will be in danger, as obviously this running about cannot continue. And Mr Lupin will be punished for it."
"What about Potter and Black?"
"They have already left Hogwarts. Mr Black has been expelled and Mr Potter is suspended until this term ends. Whether he will be permitted to come back for his seventh year is yet to be determined. He will have to agree to an interrogation via Veritaserum or Legilimancy, and he won't be allowed back until we are satisfied with his answers."
Snape could only gape. McGonagall continued, "You do not need to give me an answer right now, in fact I would prefer for you to have time to think it through before reaching a decision. I only ask you not to say anything before you have spoken to me again."
Still flummoxed he answered, "You have my word."
"Thank you, Mr Snape. Is it all right if I leave now? Madam Pomfrey should be up shortly."
"Yes, professor, thank you."
He got back into his bed after using the bathroom and inspecting his new scars. Only then did he notice how badly he was still shaking. Knowing he would not fall asleep again he put his mind to the problem before him. Soon he came to the point where he needed more information. Thankfully Madam Pomfrey brought him a breakfast tray just then.
"Eat, Mr Snape. I will keep you here for another day, as the wound on your leg requires at least one more day of bed rest."
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."
He dropped his voice to a whisper.
"Is Lupin still sleeping?"
"Yes, and he will continue doing so for at least another twenty hours."
"May I ask you about lycantrophy?"
The nurse sighed.
"Of course you may. Professor McGonagall told me of your agreement."
Severus Snape learned several gruesome facts about the curse and its legal implications, and after an hour he thanked the mediwitch. Nursing his third cup of tea he thought some more. While revenge was heavy on his mind he now had a plausible explanation why Lupin - as a prefect - had not done more to curb his friends' behaviour towards Snape. Obviously he considered James Potter as his alpha and could not easily go against him, even when in his human form. Another fact that weighed heavily on Severus' mind was that the werewolf would be executed if the Ministry ever heard of last night's happenings. He heartily wished to beat him up or to embarrass him publicly in a duel, but he did not wish him dead. And if it came to light that Dumbledore had allowed a werewolf into Hogwarts the headmaster would have to step down. Snape had no sympathies left for the man, but he knew that the wizarding world needed a viable opposition against Voldemort and Dumbledore was the only one that fitted the mould. He could not be the leader of the Light if he was sacked.
Appealing to Severus' Slytherin sense of checks and balances was that Dumbledore would owe him, if he kept quiet. That - together with McGonagall's remorse - would brighten his future prospects fundamentally. While the young man knew that there was little Slughorn could teach him, the Potions master was well respected in the community, completing an apprenticeship with him would open a lot of doors for Severus.
"Sev!"
Lily Evans was standing in front of his bed, her arms full of parchment from their morning lessons. They had not talked since after their fight nearly a year ago. Severus was still high on adrenaline but tried to reign in his emotions.
"Evans."
"Are you all right? People are telling all sorts of stories and with James and Sirius gone I feared-"
"That they finally finished what they started in our first year on the Hogwarts Express?"
"James swore that they'd stopped. I really wanted to believe him. Now Marlene told me that they continued harrassing you, they only hid it from me. I am so sorry!"
"Not as sorry as I." Severus knew he was petty, but he couldn't help himself.
"What happened? You look really terrible."
"I have been asked to keep it quiet for now, I have given my word to Professor McGonagall."
Seeing her tearing up he told her what he could, "It was luck really, that I am still alive. I may need Dreamless Sleep for a while but everything else was just scratches. There's a deep one on my thigh Madam Pomfrey wants to monitor for another day."
Lily continued to cry, "I knew they had to have done something really horrible! They are from those families, usually they get away with attempted murder!"
Severus was glad that her tears were for him and not for Potter's suspension. When she turned her tearful eyes towards him he felt hopeful for the first time since the day of his OWL exam.
"Sev, I have been so stupid! I should have forgiven you a long time ago. God knows people use derogative terms all the time in the common room, just not that word. I really, really wanted to believe that they had stopped torturing you! Can you forgive me for being such a bad friend?"
A part of him wanted to shout `Yes, yes, of course!´ but another part, a hardened, cynical one, made him hesitate.
"Why did you not talk to me? Why would you not see me even back at home?"
Evans blushed and cried some more. After a few moments she put herself together and looked her first wizarding friend squarely into the eyes.
"A couple of things. I was so tired of the constant need to defend my friendship to you in Gryffindor. And lately I had begun to question its veracity as you keep company with truly nasty people. I know you can't go against them openly but there are enough Slytherins who stay neutral. Aloysius Greengrass or Thomas Warrington for example."
"Lily, they're rich Purebloods, they can bloody well do what they want! A dirt-poor Halfblood does not have that luxury. Mulciber and Jugson are skilled enough to best Potter and Black, that's why I hang out with them. Less attacks that way."
She nodded resignedly, "I really thought they had stopped deliberately attacking and goading you. Potter promised and I hoped that he would reign in Black as well. Can you forgive me, Sev?"
"It was a bit better during June but started up again in September. Friends again?"
With "Oh Sev!" she flung herself at him and hugged him. There was no known seer in the Prince line but at that moment Severus Snape felt like something truly momentous had just happened.
Remus Lupin tutored a lot of other students as part of his year-long detentions. Peter Pettigrew profited most from it. He managed five NEWTs and thus wasn't prohibited to court a witch from Hufflepuff by her father due to his lacking propects. He married the witch and together they founded a highly successful chain of wizarding bakeries.
Amelia Bones noticed the always slightly ruffled Gryffindor with the kind voice and seemingly endless patience during his tutoring in the library. When he walked her back to the bagders' den they would often debate on politics, society in general and law. His vast knowledge of history impressed Amelia. They would become one of the power couples of that generation, changing society's outlook on a lot of issues and bringing wizarding Britain forward into the 21st century. Remus vetoed children because of his affliction which suited Amelia the workaholic just fine. They doted on their numerous god-children - Harry Potter, Melania Pettigrew, Susan Bones and others.
Sirius Black left the Potter household and sat his NEWTs at the ministry. Then he continued to blow through the money his uncle Alphard had settled on him. He crashed his motorbike during "Trooping the Colour" of 1980, thus necessating the biggest mass-Obliviate in Wizarding England's history. The Queen was not amused, the Prime Minister neither. Black was bed-bound for over six months which prooved to be his saving grace. He did some sirius thinking and some serious thinking as well plus reconciling with his little brother Regulus and also with his brother by blood James Potter. With the latter's help he turned Grimmauld Place into a home for orphaned witches and wizards and for abondoned Muggleborns, run by his wife Marlene McKinnon Black. As the ministry would not touch him with a stick, much less let attend the Auror Academy after the Trooping the Colour fiasco Sirius turned to Gringotts and apprenticed as a curse breaker and ward-smith under Antonin Dolohov. Having an apprentice enabled the Russian to finish his day's work earlier and thus he was home when the Order of the Phoenix under Alastair Moody attacked the Dolohov home because of suspected Death Eater activities. They set the house on fire and Anastasia Dolohov and little Katarina Dolohov would have succumbed to the flames if not for Antonin breaking the anti-Apparition-ward and getting all three of them to safety. Sirius swore to his friend James, who backed Dumbledore and the Order financially, that Dolohov had no dark mark – curse breaking was a dirty and dangerous business and he had seen the man with bare arms often enough, either showering or being healed. Despite Albus Dumbledore being the Head of the Wizengamot a thorough investigation of the Dolohov fire was proposed and it were James Potter's and Frank Longbottom's votes that decided in favour of an investigation. Dumbledore had to step down both from the Wizengamot and as Headmaster of Hogwarts while Moody was sentenced to ten years in Azkaban.
Severus Snape asked his best friend Lily Evans to their seventh year yule ball. Lily agreed and they had a wonderful time. During a stroll in the rose garden they shared their first kiss and quickly found out that there was no chemistry whatsoever between them. They agreed to stay best friends and returned to the ball. Severus Snape's NEWTs potions project for curing his mother was recognised by other potioneers and made him a much sought after apprentice. After graduating with the highest honors since Tom Riddle jr. he chose Arsenius Jigger as a master. The first potion he worked on as an apprentice was one to cure alcoholism which improved the lives of the Snape family tremendously.
James Potter was accepted into the Auror Academy on probation. He was a model student, much like during his last year in Hogwarts after his suspension had ended. Seeing his mother's illness getting worse because of worry for her son had shaken him considerably.
Albus Dumbledore had a small circle of disciples around him who still believed in him and in the greater good, doing everything he asked of them without a question. But most members of the Order of the Phoenix had withdrawn after the Dolohov fire and after James Potter had withdrawn his support.
Tom Marvolo Riddle, lately known as Lord Voldemort, could not put his finger on why his campaign to take over first Britain and then the world had stuttered to a halt. But then he could not concentrate on anything much longer than a few minutes. Maybe he shouldn't have made that last horcrux? It had done nothing for his skin tone either.
Rodolphus Lestrange congratulated his fellow Wizengamot member Frank Longbottom on the birth of his heir Neville. His wife Bellatrix had wanted to wait a bit before having children but lately Rod questioned the wisdom of this decision.
Regulus Black knew it would be nearly impossible to convince his parents of Severus Snape's suitability as a partner, youngest Potions master in four centuries or not. Therfore he courted Lilith Rosier like a proper Pureblood scion while working behind the scenes to prepare the ground.
Lilith, who wanted out from her sheltered life and to be far away from the expectations of her parents, became Regulus' most important ally and by the time they were 23 they were living as a triad in the old Prince Manor with Sev's parents in the gatekeeper house and the elder generations of Blacks and Rosiers foaming at the mouth. They had four children together and fostered some more. With Regulus' keen political mind, Severus' prowess at inventing new potions and Lilith's mastery of runes they too had a huge impact on today's British wizarding world.
Lily Evans apprenticed under Filius Flitwick to become a Charms mistress and made James Potter growel for close to two years before going on another date with him. Eventually she accepted him. They had a gaggle of children together – Harry, Emma, Fleamont, Charles and the twins Pansy and Violet – and lived a quiet life at Potter Manor with James' aging parents. When Dudley Dursley got his Hogwarts letter he too came to live with the Potters.
Bellatrix Lestrange was looking at her sleeping nephew Draco wistfully. Lately the company of her beloved Dark Lord hadn't been all that satisfying. He got irritated a lot and constantly ordered her to help him brew salves and tinctures even though Potions had never been her forte at Hogwarts. If she wanted to spend time with cranky people she would visit her aunt Walpurga or her great-uncle Cantankerus Nott. No. Rod's good humour and easy patience were looking better and better to her eyes. She thanked Merlin that her marriage had been arranged with such a nice man, not one of the other emptyheaded fobs of the Pureblood cercle. Maybe it was time to turn another leave in her life.
Harry Potter was kicking at his blanket. He had recently discovered the existence of his toes and wanted to play catch with them again. All was well.
Fin