AN Seems everything is back to a certain moment in time. But what time is that? Does anyone know? Do you know? Do I even know? Let's find out as things rushes to the culmination of the End or the Beginning.
Chapter 13
Severus and Sebastion sat at the dinner table while Hermione laid out a proper Sunday roast with roast beef, Brussel sprouts, carrots, peas, roasted potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding with gravy.
Sebastion tucked in, not bothering to hide his excitement. "Mum I missed this. Dad is okay at cooking but nothing like you!"
Severus could not let the slight pass. "You're alive Sebastion so that proves I can cook." He growled out.
Hermione chuckled and filled her plate, watching her men eat. She did remember everything and this one was new, meaning this was not a do over.
"You look healthy enough Sebastion so Dad could not be that bad." Hermione chuckled.
"Take out when I became of age." Sebastion whispered out to his mum.
"I heard that you ungrateful whelp." Severus snapped out.
Soon Hermione cleared the table and sat down. "I have to tell you both something. I visited Erin in one of my forays. She told me this in a strange voice so I know it is a Prophecy."
"The snake demanded the watcher leave and she did to allow the demand for Destiny. The Lord of Dark made a pact with his apprentice and soon in power and knows of the one and her sacrifice. Her sacrifice being the one that the Lord of Dark and Lady of Light created falls to the apprentice. Time passes and the Phoenix cries out in despair. Her sworn one cannot keep the sacrifice safe. A ghost keeps council to the Snake and Lion but will fail and the world will plunge into Darkness for fifteen years. The ghost continues to whisper to fight despite it all. Does the Snake and Lion need to fall before the progeny takes forth? They will fail. The armies gone it will only be up to that one to bring the world back into the light but he will fail. Darkness and light at the crux as Dark and Light battles. The future is not written. I am powerful and I provide the means for snakes, lions, and a lone raven to prevail by my words. One once of Dark will aid. You know who he is."
"What does it mean Mum?" Sebastion asked in interest.
"I can only reveal what I know with the Past, which is Slightly, the Hope, which is Sebastion, the Fighter which is Harry, and the Protector, which is Bane's herd, and the Pinnacle is Erin. It is all up to them and we need to meet together at one place." Hermione replied.
She held her husband's hand. "There are no do overs as in the past Severus. Our time is nigh and this is the final do over."
Severus sighed and kissed her hand. "You did not mention us."
"No I did not." Hermione whispered.
He did not want to ask the final question but he did. "What of us Hermione?" Severus inquired.
"We are the Sacrificed." She replied sadly. "No do overs, no chance at all, except maybe in this final timeline but I doubt it. We are the final sacrifice for all mentioned to overpower Voldemort."
Sebastion stood up, disturbed at his mum's words. "I'll leave you to discuss things."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione and Severus jumped up from the couch when a large bang sounded out, wand pointed to the intruder and lowered them when they found Harry holding his hands out in surrender.
"Severus! Hermione! The raid went well and Slightly sent me to warn you that he knows you're alive."
"Calm yourself Potter. Of course he knows I'm alive. I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts and Voldemort forced me to rejoin him." Unsure what the raid was.
Harry looked to him confused. "Severus, you've been in hiding for 15 years with Hermione. Wait….I was in hiding for…what the Hells? But we were about to die in the raid and then suddenly we won."
Severus went to the liquor cabinet and poured a hefty portion of Firewhiskey. Time had not fully caught up into place and they needed to figure out exactly what moment in time they were left.
"Calm down Potter! Drink this down and then we can figure things out. Time is settling down." Severus commanded.
Harry drank the Firewhiskey down in one go and stood, eyes closed for several sat down on black leather chair shaking his head. "Some things are fresh and others seem like a faded memory.
Sebastion walked down the stairs. "Harry is right. Time is in a flux and if I see all of the memories I can tell you exactly where we are, but we need everyone involved before they forget."
Hermione went to Severus. "Get Slightly. The coin should work as it is obvious Slightly is loyal."
Harry stood up. "I'll get all of the Order and the Light here. Your place is the safest because of Severus's wards."
Harry turned his heel and Apparated away.
Severus tucked his hand into his pocket and thought for a moment before turning the coin in his pocket.
Sebastion called out. "Mum, Dad I've the Pensieve. Place your memories of everything you remember and I will start with you for you are the main point of why things have happened."
Hermione willing went to the Pensieve and pulled out all of her memories and placed it in the bowl while Severus hung back.
Hermione moved to Severus. "Place everything from the first defeat as I have. You think he will believe you a monster but he will not. It's important Severus. He is the Hope."
Severus approached the Pensieve and growled out. "You will remember that I was a different man back then son." Pointing his wand to his head and pulled out silver tendrils and put them into the Pensieve.
Sebastion nodded and leaned his head forward and fell into the Pensieve.
"He will think the worst of me." Severus growled out. "I would if I viewed my memories."
Dwight suddenly appeared and Severus watched the ghost warily, remembering he announced himself as the Protector.
"Dwight Justice you appear." Severus snarled out. "Can you promise that you will protect Hermione?"
Dwight did not respond, merely watching them as he floated against the wall.
Sebastion fell out of the Pensieve and immediately conjured up a large chalkboard throwing up scenarios and timelines and turned to his parents. "We will have to wait for the others before I can figure it out."
"They will arrive soon Sebastion Snape once known as Stefan Snape, a spy in his own right as his father." Dwight intoned.
As members of the Order of the Phoenix and Light arrived Severus demanded them to put all of their memories into the Pensieve and move to a room he created for everyone to wait.
Severus and Hermione watched Luna place her memories in the Pensieve and leave.
"Sebastion?" Hermione questioned softly.
"I don't know how long it will take me. A day perhaps? Maybe two? Keep everyone here and I will let you know when I am ready to reveal what I found out. One person is missing and that is Slightly but I do not think he matters in this. He remembers it all and the anchor."
Severus moved to his wife and guided here to the door. "Let us know when you are ready Son."
Sebastion watched his parents leave and took a few deep breaths and leaned forward and felt himself pulled into the Penseive.
Severus and Hermione entered the room where the Phoenix and Light gathered, shouts of questions, demanding an explanation as they have had no contact in fifteen years.
"Silence!" Dwight called out. "Hermione, you need to tell them your forays into the past, your actions the key to the future. You must do it now before you forget as Time settles into place."
The room became silent. "It all began when I reported to the Ministry to unregister myself from the Order of the Phoenix. I needed to distance myself from you and it failed, with Donovan thrusting a Port Key that took me away with time…."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
She spoke for two hours and everyone hung on her words. She did not hold back on each death she witnessed in the now defunct past knowing they needed to hear, to learn of what almost happened, graphic detail of each death that she did know and those Slightly shared with her at her last death.
She finished her tale with cryptic words. "A prophecy was revealed to Severus and I and I will not tell you of it until my son tells us where we are. Time is such a blur to me at this moment. I can tell you Sebastion is the Hope as he is an anchor and will plan our actions in our new future."
She held up her hand at the barrage of questions. "I promise you I have no answers to your questions but Sebastion will."
Severus wrapped her arms around her. "Sassy! Food and drink for all gathered." He commanded.
Sassy appeared. "Youse commands. I'se brings what needed." Quickly disappearing and appeared again with a spread of food and several bottles of Firewhisley along with pots of tea. "They'se need this Master." Nodding to Severus before she disappeared in a blink of an eye.
He watched Hermione move around the members wrapping arms around them as she went and cried with them. She was such a good witch and so passionate.
Hours passed and everyone was well into their cups and numbed, some passed out already and observed her with Harry.
Harry pulled Hermione to him and kissed her lips gently. "I am so sorry Hermione, what you sacrificed for us."
"It's our time now Harry. We have to save Erin. We do that and we will win."
She glanced at Severus, worried what he thought of the kiss, pleased he remained silent and not angry.
Harry moved and went over to his wife, nodding to Severus as he made his way across the room.
Severus glided over and took up the vacant place beside his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulder and leaned over, whispering in her ear. "How are you holding up?"
"I know I've been back about a week, but it seems long and blurred. But things are becoming clearer. I think it's an after-effect of time travel because you are Sebastion do not seem affected by it."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Sebastion came down the stairs two days later yawning. "Finally done."
Hermione brought him a glass of orange juice and two large ham and cheese sandwiches.
"Thanks Mum." Grabbing the plate and glass and immediately moved to a couch, drinking down the glass of juiced before tearing into the sandwiches.
Everyone remained silent watching the young man finish his meal.
"Sorry everyone I was starving." He replied. "I know you've been waiting for me and I had to go through the various "Times" of everyone's memories. The Order of the Phoenix completed a raid and beginning to fight Voldemort. Just as Harry said Voldemort knows of my father. That is because he is still tied to him and still Headmaster of Hogwarts. Twenty years have passed since Mum disappeared. The Order safely hidden away."
"What about Slightly? He was his man in the past Sebastion." Severus growled out.
Just then Slightly appeared and wands pointed to him. "Harry did you warn them?"
Slightly held his hands up. "I take it that is a yes."
"I assure you I am loyal and I remember everything." Slightly replied unfazed.
Sebastion approached the pock-marked assassin holding a phial out. "I need your memories. That way we can find out the true standing of things."
Slightly slowly pulled out his wand and it took a few minutes and the phial was completely filled. "That's everything. Now where is my witch?" He demanded.
Julia rushed to him and kissed him deeply a few moments and broke away.. "After everything was said I worried for you Love."
Slightly patted her hand. "Let's find a room Love." Murmuring to her and led the witch up the stairs.
Sebastion wasted no time and ran up the stairs to view the memories.
Eight hours later he came down. "Is Donovan here?"
Harry looked around. "He never arrived."
Sebastion barked out. "We need to go to the Forbidden Forrest in force. Donovan is Voldemort's man and with her and Bane's herd. This is it."
Severus barked out. "Sebastion we need to have a plan. Go back upstairs and think upon all that you have learned before we go in blind and be killed."
Sebastion looked humble. "You're right Dad. Let me see what I can come up with."
Harry stood up. "Go back to where you have been hiding and make sure you have the coin. I'll call you when needed. We are nearing the end of things and our actions will count at the end."
Severus watched everyone leave save Slightly and his witch for they were upstairs doing things that he cared not to think upon.
Hermione joined him, not forgetting about the Ghost Justice who conveniently hid himself when everyone arrived. "I'll join you in a few moments Severus."
He noted where she was looking and nodded. "Make it quick Hermione. You need to rest."
She watched her husband move up the stairs and glanced at the corner. "Reveal yourself Justice."
The ghost appeared. "We are at the End of Time Hermione." Justice whispered out.