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Onwards.

…

Chapter 3

Severus Snape looked out of the window to the Black Lake sipping on a cup of piping hot tea. It was peaceful without anyone around, particularly without any annoying children. And to be honest, it was nice to be away from Poppy's fussing.

He'd ended up spending two nights and nearly three days in the hospital wing before she would allow him to leave. In truth, he didn't feel like leaving before that as his exhaustion and nausea only appeared to get worse rather than better the next day. He wasn't sure how much of that was a side effect of the spell, and how much was his encounter with Potter and Granger.

It was early afternoon, and the sun was still high in the sky shining down on the lake and surrounding grounds. It was a rare Scottish day with blue sky, no clouds, and sunshine, and he could feel the outside warmth of the day penetrating the cold castle through the window. He considered a walk in the grounds, relishing the feel of the sun, but his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door.

He'd known from past experience that Minerva McGonagall was not one for knocking, so he doubted it was her. Despite the knowledge that the Dark Lord had been dead for over twenty years, and the fact that Hogwarts was near impenetrable, he placed his tea on the coffee table, held out his wand and opened the door.

The wizard greeting him was leaning casually against the far wall of the corridor focusing on brushing a non-existent speck of dust on his perfectly tailored robes.

"Lucius," Severus greeted without leaving the doorway. Malfoy looked up on his greeting and was carefully observing him, his eyes narrowing.

"You look exactly the same."

"As do you," Severus noted. "Which is odd considering you should have aged twenty-one years."

On closer examination, there were subtle differences to his old friend: a slight thinning of his hair, and micro lines around his eyes and mouth. But otherwise the man looked just like he remembered.

Well, not the last time he saw him which was at Malfoy Manor a month or so before the final battle, but that was a difficult time for everyone. Particularly for Lucius having that psychopath ensconced in his home and being without his wand.

Malfoy smiled, preening somewhat. He clearly saw Severus' words as a compliment.

"I invested in a company in Paris a few years before the end of the war. They produce hair and skin products using a mixture of magical and muggle pharmaceutical methodology. Their products are revolutionary, and not only do they work, they sell extremely well and make me a fortune. The mark up is over eight times, and even then the product is diluted. The more potent versions are astounding." Malfoy smiled his Cheshire-cat like smile, probably looking more sinister than he intended. "I will let you try some cost price." Even with all his wealth, Malfoy could be a tight bastard at times.

"Muggle pharmaceutical methodology?" Severus questioned sardonically. "How things have changed."

Malfoy just shrugged nonchalantly. "You'd be surprised what you start to think when you spend a year in Azkaban only to find out the man who left you there had taken over your home, used up vast amounts of your wealth, and was terrorising your family. It quite simply made me hate everything he stood for. I can't say I'm pro-muggle, or even pro-muggleborn, but one has to adapt to the times, and pureblood ideology is so passé."

Severus couldn't help rolling his eyes. "Why don't you come in, there are some things I'd like to discuss with you away from the listening portraits." He eyeballed one painting of a very elderly witch who was paying attention to their conversation, although her eyes appeared to be studying Malfoy to the point of undressing him.

Malfoy followed him into the rooms and looked around, taking in his surroundings. Severus also looked around the room again. It was plush and comfortable, decorated in muted pale green and gold tones that looked like some Slytherin-Gryffindor crossover. There were comfortable dark brown leather sofas and chairs around the fireplace, and a cream marble topped coffee table. The room had one wall covered floor to ceiling with books, most of them appearing to be copies of ones already in the library, and the rooms had a small kitchen on one side, with the bedroom and bathroom leading off on the opposite side.

He watched as Malfoy sat down with the grace of a large cat in one of the large chairs, somehow commanding the room. Despite the kitchen, he called for a house elf and ordered tea and light refreshments for the two of them. He knew Malfoy well enough to know he wouldn't accept a cup of tea made by him.

Malfoy studied him again once they had tea as Lucius added a tiny amount of milk to his Earl Grey. "Why the time jump?" He asked.

"How do you know it was a time jump?" Severus had not been specific in his letter, only that he was alive and wanted to speak to him. He'd also used a code phrase known only between the two of them to confirm his identity.

Lucius scoffed. "What else could it have been? You look exactly the same, and you have a new scar on your neck." He paused for dramatic effect. "And I did hear a rumour that the Unspeakables had found traces of temporal magic and no body."

"How on earth did you know that? Their lips are usually sealed tighter than a selkie's arsehole."

Malfoy laughed. "I have my methods." Severus could only imagine he did. "Are you going to answer my question? If you survived the snake, why not just apparate away?"

Severus helped himself to a scone ladened with cream and topped with jam before answering. "I had lost a fair amount of blood, and I thought I might splinch myself if I was to attempt apparition, and I needed to buy myself time to get back to the castle and treat my wounds. I hoped that the battle would be over in a few hours, one way or the other, so I did the time jump."

"Moventur tempore?"

Severus nodded. There were others, but that one was the most reliable and stable, if not particular easy. It required the right combination of magical skill and timing when saying the incantation of the spell. Clearly something had gone wrong for the spell as he'd overshot by a long way, but he was alive at least. And better still, the Dark Lord was not.

"I did come as soon as I received your letter, but that old battle-axe wouldn't let me in."

"I wasn't in any place to see visitors straight away. I didn't think you'd come here quite so quickly." It was a relief that he did still have one friend. "I'm sorry to learn about Narcissa. She was a great witch. I heard from Potter that her lie to the Dark Lord saved his life, and probably helped win him the war."

Lucius bowed his head a little. "That is correct. And thank you."

"What happened?" Severus asked when it was clear Malfoy wasn't going to volunteer any additional information.

"Ultimately that lie cost her her life. It was Greyback that got to her in revenge. He'd been missing since the end of the war. I'd heard from Shacklebolt that the aurors had traced him to Greece and surrounding countries, so it seems no one realised he'd come back to England three years later. She was visiting her sister Andromeda when he attacked her." Malfoy was staring unfocused into the lit fireplace. "He wasn't out to turn her into a werewolf, just kill her. The only bright side is that between Narcissa and Andromeda they killed Greyback." He paused for a moment while recollecting.

"Andromeda was hurt but not life-threateningly so, and she was able to apparate them both to St Mungo's. Greyback had practically ripped Narcissa's beating heart out of her body, and despite the Healers pumping her full of potions, she died ten minutes before Draco and I got there."

Severus could only imagine what that must had felt like. He'd felt like his own heart had been torn out when Lily had died, but to lose a spouse of over twenty years quite literally in such a fashion must have been horrific. Severus didn't know what to say so he kept quiet.

"Draco didn't handle it well,"Lucius went on. "After her funeral he disappeared for around six months. I sent men out to find him, but he was well hidden. To this day he's not told me where he went or what he did. Luckily a few months after he came back he met Astoria Greengrass and they started courting."

"Yes, I heard they were married."

Lucius smiled a rare genuine smile. "She calmed him down when he really needed the stability. They married a year later and have a thirteen year old son, Scorpius." Severus couldn't help a smirk. That must have been the most Malfoy name he'd ever heard. "She's good for him. I don't know what Draco will do without her. "

Severus couldn't help but notice a darkness behind Malfoy's eyes when talking about this, despite his clear affection for his son's wife. And his phrasing of the last comment was suggesting he might lose her.

"What's wrong?"

Lucius looked up sharply and levelled Severus with an even gaze. He didn't say anything, but abruptly stood up and went over to the window. Severus watched the man as he stood tensely looking out over the Black Lake.

It was several minutes before Malfoy answered. "She has a blood curse."

That was news to Severus. Although she'd been a few years younger than Draco, he did remember her as a student. She was bright and affable, and definitely one of the more popular girls within Slytherin. He'd never had any problems with her, and her work was always up to an acceptable standard.

"She's dying," Malfoy continued solemnly.

"She's seen healers?" Severus asked.

"Initially, yes. Not one of them had been able to break the curse. It dates back to an ancestor of hers around five hundred years ago, and appears randomly in future generations. She first knew she had it when she came of age at seventeen. Draco knew, of course, but he loved her and they married anyway. When she had Scorpius she was weakened further. Because of this, Draco and her chose to stay away from Wizarding society."

Severus knew something of blood curses, having studied them when he wrote his thesis for his Mastery in Potions. He strongly suspected that if Malfoy consulted Healers, then they would not have the adequate skills in dark magic to be able to heal her. This needed an expert in dark magic.

"Can I see her?" He asked his old friend.

Malfoy turned quickly on the spot, looking at him with a look of initial hope before his expression shifted back to neutral. "You are more than welcome to, but you cannot give Draco, Scorpius or her any hope if you will not be able to cure her."

"I only need a sample of her blood."

Malfoy nodded. "I can get that for you."

"I will speak to McGonagall about using the potions lab here…"

Malfoy held up his hand to interrupt him. "I had a large, modern and well-equipped potions laboratory installed in the basement of the Manor when Astoria first became unwell. I am sure I have everything you need, including a library filled with as many references to blood curses as I could find. I have read a lot of them, but I don't know what I am looking for. It is not my area of expertise." Malfoy paused for a moment. "You are more than welcome to stay at the Manor. Or I have other properties where you can stay and floo direct into the basement."

Severus and Malfoy decided that would be the best option, that way Draco would not learn that he was going to study the curse. He went over to the pile of belongings that the elves had brought out of storages and spent thirty minutes sorting through his belongings while him and Lucius talked about what had happened over the last twenty-one years.

"What do you think of the new Minister?" Severus asked him as he boxed up the last of the personal effects he wanted to keep. He'd ask Minerva to get rid of the rest.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and flicked his long blond hair over his shoulder. "Well, she hasn't screwed things up just yet." Severus understood that she'd only been in the position for less than a month.

"I doubt you're her favourite person."

"I'm not. And the feeling is quite mutual. But I can't deny the girl had done well for herself, and she is certainly easier on the eye than she was when she was younger."

Severus didn't respond to that, but he didn't disagree. He'd found himself thinking about Miss Granger more than he'd liked to when he was in the hospital wing.

Lucius called his house elf to help Severus move all but the most sensitive items to the small cottage Malfoy had told him about only a mile away from the perimeter of Malfoy Manor.

Him and Malfoy headed for the exit of the castle, only to be set upon by the very Scottish witch he was trying to avoid.

"Where are you going Severus Snape?" She asked him as if he was a twelve year old out of bed after curfew.

Severus carried on walking, forcing her to trot after him. "I'm going to stay in one of Lucius' properties. I don't want to inconvenience you." He didn't mean that, and she knew it.

"I am not sure the Ministry…"

Severus stopped and span on his heal. He missed having his billowing robes in moments like this, having dressed only in his black frock coat and trousers. He took a pace towards McGonagall.

"I don't care what the Ministry think. I appreciate that they may not want me parading down Diagon Alley midday on a Saturday, or taking out an advert in the Daily Prophet, but I am not doing that. You are welcome to tell them where I have gone, if you wish."

"You can't just leave!" She looked a little fraught with anxiety.

"Am I a prisoner here? Am I still a teacher here?" He asked her with vicious calm.

"No, of course not. And you haven't taught here for over twenty years. But…"

"But nothing. I am leaving. Any possessions I have left you are welcome to dispose of."

Him and Lucius turned to leave and he heard her sigh. He didn't doubt that she'd be alerting the Ministry as soon as she got back to her office, however he wasn't inaccurate in saying he had no intention on letting the whole world know he was alive.

.

The 'small cottage' Lucius had said he could stay in, was anything but. It had three reception rooms, a study, a library and a kitchen on the ground floor, a large walled garden, and five large en-suite bedrooms on the first floor. It was decorated tastefully, and the whole place had a homely feel he'd never felt in a house before.

"It's not much," Lucius said after he showed him around, "but I'm sure it's big enough for you for now. I will assign you a house elf for your stay here. I do have a few larger properties, but they currently have tenants. Let me know when you want them out and I will ask my property manager to arrange it."

"Lucius, this is perfect. I do not need anything bigger. There is only one of me."

Malfoy gave him a look suggesting that he couldn't quite believe him, but shrugged. "Up to you."

After Severus had stowed a few of his belongings away using a wide range of warding spells, the two of them apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor. The last time Severus had been here, he'd been summoned to the Dark Lord, who had become increasingly insane thanks to Potter destroying the Horcruxes. On that occasion he'd been forced to crucio Lucius for some infraction or other. He had absolutely hated the place.

But now it no longer had the perception of evil that it once did. The gardens were in bloom with an array of flowers and shrubbery, white peacocks strolled the grounds, and songbirds sang in the trees in the late afternoon sunlight. The building itself was no longer the imposing ominous manor house it once had been, but had the feel of an English country manor. It was less Wuthering Heights and more Pemberley.

The inside was also completely different to how he remembered it. It was no longer dark and dingy, but light and airy. The curtains on the windows were all open allowing the sunlight in, and the place had a homely feel it never previously did, even before the Dark Lord's stay. Lucius directed them into the drawing room, the very room the Dark Lord had spent most of his time in, and yet there was no trace of him anymore.

The room appeared to have been stripped back to stone, the former dark wood panelling having been removed and the walls were painted a pale eggshell colour. The furniture was comfortable and practical, and by the lit fire were two enormous Irish Wolfhounds which raised their heads at their master's arrival.

Lucius sat at the chair closest to them, and they both inched closer to him, one of the large dogs resting its head on Malfoy's foot.

Severus took a seat opposite him. "I didn't know you liked dogs," he commented.

Lucius smiled. "I had dogs growing up, but Narcissa was allergic, and no matter what potion or spell we tried she always started sneezing whenever a dog came close to her." He scratched the ears of the two dogs, one with each hand. "This is Dionysus," he introduce the lighter grey dog who had his head of Lucius' foot, "and this is Hades." The other dog was a darker grey and raised his head on hearing his name, but relaxed with a grunt. "I've had them seven years." Severus shook his head at the names. Typical Malfoy.

Lucius asked a house elf to serve them both drinks, and to note that they had an extra visitor for dinner that evening. Severus was grateful for his hospitality.

"Father?" A voice asked from the doorway, "who are you talking to?"

Lucius smiled to Severus. "Why don't you come in and see?"

"Father, I don't have time for your games. Astoria is up for a walk."

"Draco, it's okay," a gentle female voice said. "I would like to sit down with your father."

Draco led his wife into the room, and Severus watched as he lowered her onto he sofa facing the fire, placing a thick blanket over her knees. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The woman looked incredibly frail and sickly, looking like she weighed no more than six stone, despite being almost as tall as Draco.

Draco turned to face his father and gasped when he saw Severus sat there.

"What? That looks like …" he stumbled with his words, his face a picture of confusion.

"It is me, Draco," Severus introduced, getting up from the chair and walking over to his godson. He held out his hand, which Draco took and shook, but he was staring at him as if he was a ghost. Which he supposed in some ways he was.

"How?"

"Long story, but the short version is that I performed a time jump spell which led me to wake up in the Shrieking Shack three days ago. For me, no time has passed since the final battle."

"You do look just like I remember."

Severus studied Draco. The boy, like Potter, had grown up. He was as tall as his father, but not quite as broad across the shoulders. He had the trademark Malfoy blond hair which was tied back at the nape of his neck, and pale blue eyes. His face had filled out though, and he wasn't quite as pointy as he was as a teenager.

"And you are Astoria," Severus said to Draco's wife, bending down to shake her hand so she wouldn't need to stand up to greet him. She had shoulder length dark hair and dark eyes, and he could tell that before the curse took hold of her she'd have been very pretty. "It's nice to see you again. I remember that you were good student."

"Thank you," she said with a weak smile. "It's good to see you Professor. I enjoyed potions, but you had a fearsome reputation."

"I worked hard on it," he replied with a smirk.

Draco took a seat next to his wife, taking her hand in his and gently rubbing his thumb over the back of it. He could see the strain that her illness was playing on Draco, and he agreed with Lucius' assessment that he didn't think Draco would handle her death well. At least he had his son to keep him going. It made Severus all the more convinced that he needed to try and do something to at least extend her life.

"You have a son. Scorpius, I believe?"

Both parents smiled proudly. "Yes," Astoria answered with a few coughs. "He's thirteen. He's thoughtful, smart and a really good kid." She looked over to her husband. "He gets that from me."

Draco smiled at her, and he noticed Lucius too had a gentle smile on his face.

"He's currently staying with Potter," Draco filled in. "For some reason our only son decided to be best friends with Potter's spawn." Astoria nudged her husband with her elbow. Although his words were quite vicious, there was not the tone of hatred Draco used when he was a teenager. Severus had the feeling that if they allowed it, the two of them would have been friends.

Draco suddenly put his hands to his mouth and gasped, but appeared to be laughing. Astoria had joined in, and was silently laughing, tears in her eyes.

"Oh Merlin!" Draco cried between bouts of hysterical laughter.

"What?" Severus asked. He looked over at Lucius who also appeared to be in on the joke. He looked back to Draco for an answer, but the boy was literally doubled over in laughter.

Severus had never been a fan of people laughing at him, a remnant from his own schooldays and his encounters with the Marauders.

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" He growled. He was tempted to get his wand out and send a hex the way of his godson.

It was Lucius that managed to get a hold of himself first. "Harry Potter has two sons. The eldest he named James Sirius," Lucius paused as Severus growled to himself. Trust Potter to name his kid after those two colossal idiots. "The second…"

Severus had a bad feeling about this.

"The younger son is named Albus Severus…"

…..

Oops…

I don't plan on including much from The Cursed Child, but I did love it when I saw it last year, so I will include a few elements.

I'd love to know your thoughts.