Chapter 7
Entering Draco's office, Hermione sees the two children and says, "You wanted to see me, Headmaster?"
"Have you ever seen these children?" he asks.
She looks at the children, no sign of recognition on her face.
"Tell Professor Granger your names," Draco says, "and who your parents are."
Becky looks at Hermione. "I know you won't believe me, but I'm your daughter."
Hermione looks at Draco. "What is this?"
"We used a Time Turner," Becky says. "We went back what we thought was thirty-four hours, but it turned out to be thirty-four years, and when we came back to the present, everything was different."
"The room we came back to is supposed to be my bedroom," Gus adds. "My father is Headmaster."
"Who's your father?" Hermione asks.
"Neville Longbottom."
She looks at Draco. "This isn't funny."
"It's not meant to be, Hermione."
She frowns at his use of her first name.
"It's all right," Draco says, not looking either at Hermione or the children. "Thanks to, erm, an overheard conversation, they know that you and I are on a first name basis."
Hernione looks at the children, who look anywhere but at her. She turns to Draco. "You believe this nonsense?"
"The boy does look rather like Longbottom, don't you think?"
"I think it's a sick joke. Neville's been dead more than twenty years and this boy claims to be his son?"
"He's dead?" Gus says, dazed.
Becky takes his hand. "Both of our fathers," she whispers.
Hermione gives Becky an assessing look. "I suppose you're going to tell me your father is Harry bloody Potter."
Becky shakes her head and looks at her father's portrait.
"That honor would appear to be mine, Professor Granger," Snape says.
"Draco, this has gone on long enough," Hermione says.
"I agree." Draco picks up the vial of Veritaserum and turns to the children. "We need to be certain you're telling the truth."
"Go ahead then," Gus says. "I don't mind. You'll see that we are."
Both children open their mouths and allow Draco to place three drops of Veritaserum on their tongues. After a few minutes, both of them get a bit glassy-eyed.
"What's your name?" Hermione asks.
"Augustus Longbottom."
"And yours?"
"Rebecca Snape."
"How did you get here?"
"We used a Time Turner," Gus says.
Draco and Hermione exchange a look. "Where did you get a Time Turner?" Hermione asks.
"It was yours," Becky says. "I took it. I'm sorry, Mum."
Hermione stares at the girl, then looks at Snape's portrait. Finally, she turns to Draco and says, "The Veritaserum must have gone off."
"I brewed it myself last week," Draco says.
"Then you brewed it wrong."
"I haven't brewed it wrong since my fifth year."
"Perhaps you could test it on Professor Granger?" Snape suggests from his frame.
"Headmaster Snape is alive in your timeline?" Draco asks.
"Yes," Becky says, "but he was never Headmaster."
"Professor Snape, then."
"He's not a professor either. He has his own Potions business. He says it's better to have clients than an employer, because you can tell any of them to sod off whenever you like."
Snape's painted sneer almost turns to a smile.
"But you're a professor, Mum," Becky continues, "and my brother Lucius will be when he finishes his apprenticeship."
"I named my son Lucius?" Hermione says.
"Our son," Snape reminds her.
"Who is your brother named after?" Draco asks Becky.
"Uncle Lucius," she replies. "Your father."
"I named my son after Lucius Malfoy?" Hermione looks like she's eaten something that's gone off.
"Yes," Becky says, "And Uncle Draco is his godfather."
"You call me Uncle Draco?"
"Yes," Becky says. "You're my brother's godfather."
"And who are your godparents?"
"Uncle Neville and Aunt Pansy," Becky says, sounding less monotone as the Veritaserum wears off.
"Aunt Pansy?" Hermione says. "Now will you admit this is all nonsense, Draco? The day I make your wife my child's godmother is the day..." She flounders for something as unlikely as this, but comes up empty. "If Fred and George Weasley were alive I'd say this was the best practical joke ever."
Becky and Gus exchange a look. "The Weasley twins are dead, too?" Gus asks. "Both of them?
"In their timeline, Pansy isn't my wife," Draco says.
Hermione looks at him, then at the children.
"She's my mother," Gus says.
"Neville Longbottom married Pansy Parkinson?" Hermione says. "Did she Imperius him?"
Snape's portrait makes a sound that sounds like a stifled laugh.
Draco pulls a chair in front of the children and sits down, looking first Gus, then Becky in the eye. "I'd like your permission to perform Legilimency on you. Will you allow it?"
They look at each other, then turn to Draco and nod. He pulls out his wand and holds it up in front of Becky. Looking into her dark eyes, he says, "Legilimens."
Becky feels Draco slip into her mind as smoothly as a mermaid into the Black Lake, barely causing a ripple. She can feel his presence, benevolent and curious, pressing gently against her consciousness. At first Becky pushes memories she wants him to see forward, as she did with the Hat during her Sorting, but eventually she lets him wander through her thoughts where he will, watching her interactions with her family, Gus's, and his own. Eventually she feels him withdraw, and feels almost sad at the loss of the comforting presence.