Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters.
Harry continued to live in the moment as time marched on.
He felt as if he was living in a dream of pure happiness. Everytime he considered looking at the past and telling his friends about the Magic Memories he decided not to. He was too afraid of waking from the dream and ruining the happiness he had finally found.
Harry watched as Hermione's articles slowly grew in readership once he dropped her name a few time in interviews.
She got an article picked up by the New York Times on terrorist protection policies the same week that Harry decided to pop the question to Ginny.
He'd thought on it for quite a while. It wasn't because he didn't know if he should ask her or not, it was more because he wasn't sure how to ask her.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had come up to London for some shopping and a quick visit when he asked them how they thought he should do.
Uncle Vernon said gruffly, "Ask her however you want. If she wants to marry you, she will, no matter how you ask her."
"He is right you know," Aunt Petunia added. "Just ask her however you want. If she loves you she won't care. By the way, have you gotten a ring yet?"
Harry shook his head, "No, I wanted to figure out how I'd propose before I got the ring."
"Then you should pay a visit to your parent's safety deposit box. You might find something useful inside." Aunt Petunia said with a small smile on her face.
Harry frowned at her, "They had a safety deposit box?"
Aunt Petunia looked shocked. "Didn't you know?"
Harry just shook his head.
"Interesting, well, go visit your solicitor tomorrow. You are still using the same solicitor that handled your trust fund?" Harry nodded, "Good, I believe he has the key. I gave him the rings to put in there not long after Vernon and I took you in. They were your parents' wedding and engagement rings." Aunt Petunia said before taking a sip of the tea Harry had made for her.
The very next day Harry stopped by his solicitor's office to pick up the key and then he went immediately to the bank.
A short, grumpy looking man with a hooked nose helped Harry get his box and assigned him a private room to look at it.
When he was alone in the room he carefully opened the box, half afraid what he would see inside. Harry felt memories about a vault far under the city try and surface, but he hastily pushed them back – refusing to look at the past yet.
Inside the box were a couple of envelopes. Opening the top one, Harry found three platinum rings, one with a beautiful opal in the center of it. The rings had a rather ancient feel to them, as if they had been around for generations. Harry slipped the masculine band on his left ring finger and found it to be a perfect fit.
Harry and his father had the same ring size.
The thought made Harry feel even closer to his parents. He carefully slipped the rings back in the envelope and put it in his inner coat pocket.
Picking up the next envelope he found several pictures inside. Flipping through them he found old black and white or sepia pictures of people he could only assume to be his grandparents and great-grandparents. They brought a smile to his face as he stared at a young man in an old suit with unruly black hair next to a blonde woman in a puffy sleeved, floor length dress.
Just seeing these photos made him feel more connected with his family than he ever had before. Harry felt as if he could spend hours staring at the photos. He didn't have time for that yet though, he had a dinner date with Ginny in a couple hours and he still had to pick up some flowers.
Harry slipped the pictures back in the envelope and put them in his pocket before he lifted out the last envelope.
Inside were several pieces of paper. Harry fell into shock as he read what was written on them. They were love letters – from Severus Snape to Lily Evans. The last letter was what really shocked Harry.
Lily,
I know we haven't talked in over a year, but I just heard about your engagement from Sirius Black. He seemed quite proud that his friend had finally caught you. I know you never loved me the way I loved you and this isn't a letter asking you to reconsider your engagement – rather, it's a letter to show you my support.
No matter what happens to you, please know that I'll always be there for you. You will always be my first and truest friend. I'm sorry we've grown apart in recent years, the blame for that can only be placed on me. I just hope you'll forgive me for the comments I made last year, I've always hated myself for saying them.
Good luck in your future endeavors and, please, forgive me.
Love,
Severus
Harry had to read the letter several times to believe it. He couldn't believe that Snape had been so blunt about his feelings to his mother. What was even harder to believe was that his mother must've felt something in return. Obviously these letters had meant enough to his mother to save them.
Harry put the letters back in the envelope and slipped it into his pocket with the other envelopes before closing the box and leaving the room. He waved to the hook-nosed man as he walked out the door, to let the man know that he was done.
He spent the next hour just walking around the crowded city streets, trying to sort through his feelings on the letters and the memories of the past they tried to resurrect.
When Harry finally dragged himself out of his thoughts he found himself not too far away from Russell Square, in front of the Great Osmond Street Hospital. Harry stared at the building, something nagging the back of his mind, wasn't this the hospital he was at while being treated for the burns he got in the fire?
Harry thought so, but he wasn't sure, Aunt Petunia had only mentioned it a few times. Harry wasn't sure why his feet had taken him here, so he just shrugged and was about to leave when he saw a very unforgettable face came through the doorway.
It was Snape.
Snape was a few feet away when he finally noticed Harry.
"James?" He asked with a look of shock on his face.
Harry mutely shook his head, unsure of what he should say.
Snape gave his head a little shake as a wry smile twisted his lips. "Of course not, James has been dead for a quarter of a century. You're Harry aren't you?"
Harry nodded, still unsure of what to say.
Snape's eyes narrowed, "You here for a reason? Or are you just trying to waste my time?"
Harry shrugged, "Neither, I just ended up here after finding some letters in my parent's safety deposit box."
Snape had been about to walk off, but now he froze, fixing Harry with his black, piercing gaze. "Letters?"
Harry pulled the envelope out of his pocket, "You've loved her ever since you saw her playing with Aunt Petunia through the bushes, haven't you?"
Snape's eyes narrowed again, "How'd you know that? That's nowhere in any of those letters."
Harry couldn't help it, of all the people he'd known in both lives, he felt the need to tell Snape about his Magic Memories. Was that because he knew Snape would do nothing to harm Lily's son? Or was it because he knew Snape had been one of the lost boys? One who had found Hogwarts to be more of a home than where their family lived.
Whatever the reason, Harry finally felt alright with the idea of telling someone about it. After all, if he had trusted Snape during his fifth year at Hogwarts than Sirius would be alive in his Magic Memories. Harry decided, right there, without a doubt, that he would tell Snape. He was one of the smartest men he knew after all.
"I'll tell you, if you can find us somewhere quiet, where I won't get overrun with fans or nosy reporters." Harry said, his voice calmer than he felt.
Somehow, Snape's eyes narrowed even more. "Follow me, I live around the corner."
Harry followed Snape around the corner and down a side street to a nice little town house on a rather empty street. Harry followed Snape inside to an immaculate entryway.
They took a seat in the parlor, Snape's piercing gaze fixed on Harry. Slowly, but surely, Harry began explaining everything. He started with waking up that day in May with no clue of where he was, and then moved backwards. He told Snape everything, even about their deaths.
To his credit, Snape didn't say a word the entire time. When Harry was finally done he slumped in his seat and watched Snape think. It was rather fascinating to see emotions move through the normally empty eyes.
"So I don't get her there either, do I?" Snape finally asked in a very soft, sad tone.
"Yeah, you called her a mudblood." Harry said.
"And what does that equate to in this world?" Snape asked – a pained expression on his face.
Harry winced, "Any racist, derogatory term. Just pick one."
"Hmm, yes, I can see why she wouldn't have liked that. I only lost her here because I insulted her growing friendship with Black and Potter – among a few other minor things. We were young and stupid."
"So where is Sirius?" Harry asked, hope in his voice. Now that he had decided to look at the past he wanted to find where everyone was. He'd love to invite Sirius to his wedding.
Snape sighed and looked down at the floor, "Your godfather died from burns and smoke inhalation he acquired while pulling you out of the fire. You barely made it through yourself. You had a few second-degree burns, but the smoke in your lungs almost killed you."
Harry felt tears sting his eyes, Sirius was dead, and had been for years. Trying to not cry in front of Snape he latched onto something Snape said. "How do you know how bad my burns and smoke inhalation was?"
"Because, I was a volunteer here while I worked on my degree. I was volunteering in the emergency room when they brought you in." Snape closed his eyes in pain, "I learned soon after you were alive that Lily had died. I was determined to do everything I could to save her child." Snape pointed to the scar on Harry's forehead. "They were so busy trying to save your lungs that I was left to pull the necklace off your forehead and clean the wound."
Harry couldn't imagine functioning normally if he learned that Ginny had died. Just the thought of her dying tore him up inside. "Snape, I don't think I've ever told you, in either life, but, you're the bravest man I know."
Snape's lips twisted into another wry smile, "Your mother always said things like that to me. It was because of her that I've become what I am now. She came into my life like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. If it hadn't been for her I'd be as worthless as my father. Amazing how she affected me so much in both worlds."
"Then you believe me?" Harry asked, surprise coursing through him. He'd thought that Snape would believe him eventually, but thought it would take a lot more persuasion.
"Yes, there's too much evidence to support it. Anyway, it's a growing theory in science that alternate dimensions exist. Some sort of magic in your original world must have transferred you to this one. Maybe it was the power of Lily's love."
Harry shrugged uncertainly, he'd already considered that possibility, but maybe Snape would realize something that Harry hadn't.
He didn't stay much longer after that. His date with Ginny was really soon.
Harry took his leave of Snape after the two of them exchanged email addresses and phone numbers. Snape promised to give Harry's Magic Memories some thought, to see if he could figure out how Harry had gotten there, and why.
Somehow, as Harry took a taxi back to his flat, he found himself even happier than before. By sharing his Magic Memories, instead of bottling them up and locking them away, Harry had found more peace then he had expected.
As he practically floated up to his flat he decided that he would ask Ginny that very night. He had the ring and his aunt and uncle were right, what did the proposal matter as long as he asked with all the love in his heart?
Author's Note: So, this was a longer chapter… Um…so….who didn't see Snape coming? Oh, and yes, there was a time jump. Oh, I keep meaning to bring it up. When I say soccer I mean football to the rest of the world. I'm just not calling it that because so many of my readers are American and might not know this… (Picturing Harry in pads with a pigskin is just not right…) Also, the year is about 2007, btw.
Thanks to everyone that's read this story, but special thanks to my reviewers: Rune Kensington, NicolaSoft, Essiekl, mdauben, magicisoutthere, brattypapita, iamweasleyfred, lEYtOnFoREVERyay, masterwoods, Lily meet Ginny, Maerad-of-Pellinor28, nicluvly, and jess.
I'll try and update soon, but my boyfriend is in town and eating up my time (not that I mind too much, lol) and next Monday I start my student teaching…I'll update as often as possible though, I swear!
Enjoy! Read! Review!