Chapter 129: Step Into The Dreamstride
{A/N: Here's Another Update...Late Post...Hope it makes sense given how sleepy I am...if not leave me some reviews and I'll make the adjustments in the morning...}
My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S
{"How long how long will I slide...Separate my side I don't...I don't believe it's bad...Slit my throat it's all I ever...I heard your voice through a photograph...I thought it up and brought up the past...Once you've gone you can never go back...I've got to take it on the other side...Centuries are what it meant to me...A cemetery where I marry the sea...Stranger things could never change my mind...I've got to take it on the other side...Take it on...Take it on..."} The Otherside , Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Unknown Location, Unknown World...
Weightless his how Phaeron Snape found himself as he stood in the most detrimental memories locked in the mind of Auror Harry James Potter. The last thing he recalled was seeing his father stop breathing. His mother had barely recovered from her test run when Phaeron turned up the phial desperate to save his father as he pointed his wand at Harry Potter, already unconscious due to his mother's rage and awaited the moment the potion took effect. He gave Lily one last glance before he was sucked out of his own body and transported into that of Harry Potter. Sifting rather rapidly through the memories, Phaeron found himself standing atop the Astronomy tower. The knowledge of the spell used to kill his father had been at the forefront of Harry's mind, it seemed the younger version of Lily's father was intent on using it to hurt his "enemies".
The fragment of what had been done to Draco Malfoy had remained attached to the spell in terms of use. Had Phaeron's father not showed up when he did, Draco would surely have died in that bathroom. Attempting to keep his primary focus, Phaeron allowed Harry's memories to lead him where he needed to be.
Dumbledore appeared to have been suffering every aspect of his numerous ages as he leaned against a teen age Harry Potter. The boy had been Phaeron's age and caught up in one of the greatest wars in wizarding history. The young Slytherin witness Harry Potter and Dumbledore making it to the top of the tower and heard the rasped voice of the old Headmaster as he became locked in Potter's memories.
"S-Severus." rasped Dumbledore as his weighted old bones nearly pulled Harry Potter down with him. "Get me Severus."
The tall wizard had been on his knees seemingly too weak to stand.
Phaeron had noticed the old man had some sort of ailment but it didn't seem as if Potter cared much trusting the old man's words. As Harry moved across the tower the sound of cackling and heavy footsteps had sounded. Dumbledore quickly motioned for him to make himself scarce beneath the staircase. From that small blind spot, Harry could see Dumbledore who's wisdom rich unnerving blue eyes peered down at him and then back into the face of the deranged witch Bellatrix and her company.
"Evening Bellatrix." said Dumbledore in a polite tone. "I'm afraid I haven't met the rest of your friends."
Harry had known Draco had been present, his initial confrontation with Dumbledore resulting in the loss of the elder wizard's wand. The trembling wizard's focus had been on Dumbledore the entire time, the only paternal being that Harry had ever dared pay any attention to. A moment passed and suddenly Harry felt the coldness creep into his very being as he found himself face to face with Potions Master Severus Snape. Phaeron took a look at his father, the dour wizard had been quite weary and the reluctance that gripped him was unmistakable.
He had not seen how the Potter boy was foolish enough to miss it.
Snape put a finger to his lips despite having his wand drawn on Harry. The green eyed wizard nodded. Hoping against hope that he had not been wrong to trust Snape. The Headmaster had asked for him and Snape always seemed to do his duty before.
"NOW DRACO!" shouted Bellatrix in a shrill tone that sent chills down Harry Potter's spine.
In an instant Severus Snape had been gone from the side of Harry James Potter and standing behind Draco Malfoy.
"No." he said in a low tone.
Draco Malfoy trembled as his godfather stood before him and started into the unsettling blue eyes of his employer, Albus Dumbledore.
"Severus." said the older wizard his voice portraying weakness. "Please."
Phaeron immediately recognized what had been happening and gathered that Harry had been much too stupid to see what had been plainly evident in front of his own eyes.
"Avada Kedavra!" said Snape in a broken tone.
As Harry Potter attempted to move toward the Potions Professor with rage burning in his chest, Phaeron could see his father still watching as Dumbledore fell in slow motion unbeknownst to the celebrating death eaters and company in the tower. The experienced younger wizard also noted the faint glow of his father's wandless magic shortly before Harry Potter took off after the death eaters in a shocked state following the death of his beloved Headmaster.
"HE TRUSTED YOU!" shouted Harry enraged by Snape's actions beyond concern for his own safety. "HE TRUSTED YOU!"
Even Phaeron understood the meaning behind Harry's words even if he hadn't and it appeared his father had as well.
The now infamous duel between Harry Potter and Severus Snape on the eve of Dumbledore's death had taken place. Naturally Snape had been better putting Harry down with little to no effort, while Bellatrix burned Hagrid's house and took off with Draco back to Malfoy Manor. Snape lingered behind trying to talk some sense into Harry Potter, seeming almost desperate as he had when all of the sudden, Hermione Granger-Snape appeared.
Phaeron watched his parents battle through Harry's eyes and seemed to be quite impressed with his father's patience and his mother's ferocity. She had been enraged beyond reason while she went up against one of the most dangerous death eaters to date without a care for her safety.
"I hope Voldemort kills you." she spat in fury as Snape pinned her to the ground using his body.
"So do I." he replied before his departure.
Harry's memories swirled about and Phaeron found himself in the old fortress where Voldemort fell during the second wizarding war. The young Slytherin wizard witnessed the fall of The despot first hand as Harry Potter put an end to the leader of the death eaters and stood triumphant thanks in large part to Phaeron's parents and The Malfoys.
The young green eyed Gryffindor had been hot off the heels of killing Voldemort when he noticed Severus Snape making his way though the dwindling crowd of death eaters fighting Order Of Phoenix members. Phaeron felt all the rage and hatred seeming to flow through him as Harry prepared the spell that had flashed in his mind listed for "enemies." He had not gotten to use it on Voldemort but he was surely going to use it on his last greatest enemy.
Snape neared Hermione seeming as if he had been intending to wrap his arms around her. Harry glared furiously at the Potions Master as the images of Dumbledore being killed on top of the Astronomy tower came flooding back. Before he could stop himself or anyone could stop him it happened.
Phaeron felt the lure of the torpor as he found himself in Harry Potter's body the muscles in his arms tightening as he aimed his hate filled curse at the unsuspecting wizard before him. Phaeron wanted to scream out but had been powerless to effect the past. He knew what was coming all too late as Harry Potter's hatred flooded the spell and his signature kept it in place.
The Potter Residence, The Burrows, Wizarding World...
Everyone had been surprised when Harry James Potter got to his feet and aimed his wand at Severus Snape the way he had at the fortress of solitude. Snape gently brushed Hermione out of the way as Harry Potter continued to face him all the rage seeming to resend in him as he aimed his wand at Snape. The bushy haired witch had been about to start casting hexes when Draco Malfoy immediately got out his wand and started muttering the counter-curse when Harry's green eyes met his. It had taken the younger Malfoy a split second to realize that Harry Potter had not been the one pulling the resounding curse from Snape's body.
"Phaeron's done it!" said Albus Severus amazed as his father's magical signature was lifted from the curse he placed upon the Potions Master.
Snape had been healed promptly with the combined magic of everyone with an able wand before him. The Potions Professor couldn't believe it as he looked over at Phaeron's still downed body. The younger Snape had done the impossible, he had cured his father of this blasted curse when even the most skilled of wizards and witches had no clue how to do so. Of course all the credit couldn't be had by him, Bellatrix LeStrange for all her folly, Regulus Snape, and Harry James Potter had something of a hand or wand in it as well.
Hermione wept as Snape pulled her close to her relieved that this night mare was finally over.
Snape treated Hermione to a very heated kiss as he got up off Harry Potter's sofa. The green eyed wizard had still been unconscious but the potion had done it's work.
Phaeron had remained unconscious as well as the effects of the potion began to subside. Snape used his wand relishing his newly restored magic and awakened him. Obsidian met obsidian as Phaeron found himself looking at a very healthy version of his father with the curse having been lifted permanently.
"Phaeron Snape." said Snape with a stern expression on his sallow pale face.
Phaeron got to his feet not taking his eyes off his father.
"I think this afternoon qualifies you for an apprenticeship with a known Potions Master." said Snape his expression ever the same.
The younger Snape nodded.
"I-I couldn't agree more sir." replied Phaeron with a sudden smile.
Snape returned his son's smile and pulled him into a his father-like embrace.
Phaeron returned the favor pleased that he had done right by the old man.
"I love you father." he said only low enough for Snape to hear.
"And I love you as well son." replied Snape in more of the same tone.
Lucius Malfoy took the opportunity to walk over and wrap his arm around Snape's neck effectively pulling the older Snape into a brother-like embrace.
"Don't you invent any more sodding spells Severus." said the elder Malfoy. "Stick to potions for Merlin's sake at least that is something useful for you to overly excel at."
Hermione laughed despite agreeing with Lucius wholeheartedly.
"My title is not Charms Professor Lucy." muttered Snape bitterly as the elder Malfoy tussled his lengthy raven hair as if they had still been children.
"As long as you keep that in mind." replied Lucius. "Little Brother."
Phaeron and the Potter children got a good laugh at the affection Lucius showered the newly revived Snape with.
Albus Severus had been nervous as he watched Snape shake the hands of Draco Malfoy and his own father in acknowledgement of them saving his life. He had even given Narcissa Malfoy whom had still been a bit saddened by the loss of her sister a polite hug and allowed her to kiss him on the cheek despite his annoyance with affection.
The elder Snape smiled at the youngest Potter son with eyes like Lily Evans.
"That apprenticeship shall be extended to you as well, young Mr. Potter." said Snape.
"I-I much prefer to be called Sev." replied Albus Severus. "That is if you don't mind it sir."
"Then I shall address you accordingly..." replied Snape with a smile. "Sev."
Lily Potter had come up to him as well.
Snape marveled at the mischievous young Gryffindor witch and how she resembled both her mother and father's mother so closely.
"I'm glad you are feeling better sir." said Lily with a sweet smile.
"I thank you for your assistance Miss Potter." said Snape.
"Y-You can call me Lily if you want." she said rather timidly.
A hush fell over the room as everyone including Hermione and Harry Potter looked at Snape.
He didn't seem all that bothered by her request.
"I shall keep that in mind Lily." he said evenly.
She smiled at him once more.
He knew the moment he saw her with Phaeron that this little witch would be the young Snape's undoing. As much as Hermione had been for him. The Potions Professor returned her smile and turned to his wife.
"Well Mrs. Snape." he said. "I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to while your mother looks after the children for the night."
Phaeron shook his head. It appeared that not even near death could change his father's outlook when it came to his mother. Most people would rather go out and experiance life to the fullest, as far as Severus Snape had been concerned, that was precisely what he was going to do...from his own home.
The younger Snape had little time to ponder his father's nature when Lily Potter rushed over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled him into a few surprise kisses in front of her own father no less and Harry stood with his mouth agape. Snape chuckled as he stood near the floo awaiting the changing of the flames.
"You know what witch." he said watching his son with a sense of pride unlike another. "I think Lily Potter might even give you a run for your money when it comes to demanding nature...and she's only thirteen...Merlin help Phaeron whens he starts getting old enough to demand sex."
Hermione pulled out her wand and attempted to hex her husband no sooner had he stepped into the floo. Lucius Malfoy gave a slight chuckle but resolved himself to seeing after his wife. The loss of her closest sister had been quite the experience for the already weary witch. Harry had sat down in his arm chair after his children and Phaeron accompanied Draco Malfoy to Hogwarts.
The green eyed wizard had taken a moment to catch his breath amid the toppled furniture and blood that littered his floor. Ginny had come over to change her shoes for the next day and found the house in such a state.
"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME HAPPENED IN HERE!?" she shouted looking about the destroyed sitting room.
Harry looked up at her with a rather sheepish expression.
"I...kind of... had a few guests over while you were away." he said.
Ginny shook her head. If Hermione had not called to explain things she might very well have lost control of her temper.
For his part Harry attempted to gather as much of his Gryffindor courage as he could.
"Good news Ginny, Snape's made a full recovery." he added hoping to smooth things over with her. "And apparently our thirteen year old daughter has a good deal of affection for his sixteen year old son."
Ginny narrowed her brown eyes at her unfortunate husband. Perhaps she could have done without that last bit of information.