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Thank You Lord Voldemort

Chapter 20 - It's Only Time

Still in 1997

After Severus was done sulking in his thoughts he pulled himself together. It wouldn't do to have Alex or, um, Harry see him like this. Leave it to the know-it-all Granger girl to make him think. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

He jumped in the shower and let the hot water run over him, melting away his worries. He closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. 'What's done is done. No use worrying now.' He knew he had about an hour left, so he took his time in the shower. He wasn't sure whether to be scared or happy. His Alex was coming home tonight. "Dammit" he swore, he couldn't even figure out what to call the only man he'd ever loved.

He dried himself and picked out one of his better robes, a thin set that covered him well, but were rather form-fitting. 'These don't billow very well', he thought as he walked to the infirmary. 'But they don't make me look like an overgrown bat either,' he mused.

He entered the empty infirmary and walked to the private room in the back. He sat down on the empty bed and waited. He looked at his watch, '30 minutes to go.'

He was startled when the door opened. When he saw it was the headmaster he audibly sighed his displeasure. 'Couldn't the old codger just leave them alone?'

"Ah, Severus, I thought you might be here. I suppose I will leave you to it then. Just let me know if he arrives safely. Oh, and Severus, Poppy will be busy for the next hour or so in the Great Hall."

The meddling headmaster had the nerve to whistle as he left the infirmary, leaving Severus to stew for the next ...... 28 minutes.

Back in 1977

After the teachers left the infirmary, the headmaster turned back to Alex. "Alex, we can't allow any more attempts on your life. You are well enough to leave now, and Severus has more of the potion ready for you. I will have him bring it here now."

Alex nodded glumly. "Sir, but what about Severus? What will Voldemort do once he realizes that I've left? I don't want Severus hurt."

"Severus will be fine, I assure you that. Delaying this won't help anyone."

Alex had known that he'd have to leave, but tonight was unexpected. "Sir, um, I know this really isn't one of your duties, but could you do a quick cleaning spell on me? I'm feeling rather icky."

He nodded and muttered a charm, waving his wand over Alex. Alex instantly felt better. The headmaster wrote out a short note and tapped it with his wand, making it disappear. Several minutes later Severus came in through the door, vial in hand.

"Thank you for coming quickly Severus. I was going to allow you one more day, but someone attempted to poison Alex. I think..."

The headmaster was cut off when Severus ran past him to Alex's side. "Someone tried to poison you? Are you okay?"

Alex smiled faintly. "I'm fine. I noticed it in time. You've taught me well."

While they talked, the headmaster wrote another short note and tapped it with his wand. Several minutes later Professor Flitwick entered the infirmary.

All of the clothing that Alex had layered on when the attack had happened was still in the infirmary with him, so he put it all back on. He made sure that he had his letters from the Potters and, of course, he fastened his holster to his arm. He stole one last kiss from Severus before following the headmaster into the private room in the back. He noticed the single tear that had leaked out onto Severus' cheek. Merlin, he wanted to go back and hold onto his lover. Dammit, if he could have one more night. But he knew that if he did have one more night he'd just want one more after that.

"Alex, this time no running off." Alex nodded. He closed his eyes as he tilted the potion to his lips. He swallowed painfully once before tilting the flask all the way back, draining it into himself. He felt himself starting to tremble as he waited for the headmaster to utter the curse.

"Alexander Nicholas Campione, you've made an impact on us all this year, and I'm going to miss you. Next week we will be presenting you with an award for special services to the school. I'm sure you'll get to see it in your own time."

"I'm sure you could tell from the disarming hex you used earlier that your magical power has significantly increased. You will need to find someone once you return to your time to help train you to better control it."

"Okay. Thank you headmaster. And, it was Pettigrew that...." Alex tried to squeeze in.

"Now, now Alex. I'm sure that Peter didn't know what he was doing. Are you ready?"

Alex nodded as he stood, facing the headmaster.

The headmaster raised his wand above his head and brought it down, pointing it at Alex.

"Abuto Viginti Aera Plures"

When the curse hit him, Alex suddenly felt dizzy as the feeling of weightlessness swept over him for the second time in his life.

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Still in 1977

Albus Dumbledore looked at the space that Alex Campione had occupied a moment earlier. He just hoped that everything had worked and that the boy was now twenty years in the future. He left the private room to see Filius and Severus standing there.

"Alex is gone. I believe it worked. Filius? The charm if you will."

Severus watched as Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the headmaster. He cast a memory charm, directing it to wipe out any information regarding the number of years in the future Alex had been sent. He reapplied the charm and locked it, so that it would take a master charm breaker to even attempt to break it. The headmaster's eyes glazed over and he felt slightly confused for a moment.

"Splendid Filius. I'm guessing it worked."

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Back in 1997

As the weightlessness ended Alex felt himself pulled into a pair of strong arms that kept him from falling onto the hard stone floor. He was disoriented for a minute and stood still trying to figure out what had happened. He shook his head to clear it and was surprised when it hit against something solid behind him.

"Ouch!" A familiar voice spoke from over his shoulder. His thoughts began racing, those arms, that voice. He spun around quickly in the arms that held him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Standing before him, holding him, was an honest to goodness, full-sized, thirty-something Severus Snape. He tried to speak again, opening and closing his mouth.

For a moment he wasn't even sure it was the real Severus. The man hadn't uttered a single word, and Alex wasn't sure if he should expect a scathing remark or a profession of love. He continued watching the older man; it looked like he was trying to speak. As he felt the arms around him begin to tremble, he wrapped his own arms loosely around Severus' waist. Alex managed to softly squeak out one word. "Severus." When he spoke it he wasn't sure that it didn't come out as Parseltongue, as he almost hissed it, it was spoken so softly. He figured that Severus must have understood because the trembling increased, but the arms tightened around him.

Alex laid his head on the broad chest and felt a chin rest on top of his head. For ten minutes they must have stayed in that position. And it wasn't long before Alex felt the top of his head getting moist from tears. He knew that it took a lot for the younger Severus to cry, so for this grown man to cry..... He knew it must be taking a lot out of the man, so he would give Severus all the time he needed to deal with this. He could only imagine the state he'd be in if he were separated from Severus for twenty years.

The arms around him grew tight and strong once again, and he knew that Severus was beginning to be okay now. He slowly backed away enough to look into the man's eyes. The onyx eyes were framed in a puffy redness. Severus opened his mouth again to speak, and this time it worked. "Harr..."

"Shh.." His first word was cut off when Alex raised his finger to his lips. "I'm not ready to be him yet. Let me be Alex for one more night. Please?" Alex's eyes locked onto Severus beseechingly, his voice strained with need. "For both of us. I...I just want to be with you."

It seemed like the right words to say as Severus' mouth descended on his. Gods, a kiss had never tasted this good. Severus' lips were slightly thinner, but much softer than his younger counterpart's. And Merlin did the man smell great. He had a musky scent that the younger Severus hadn't fully developed yet, and it went straight to Alex's groin. He parted his lips, granting Severus access, but he didn't want to push the man. He did all of the inviting, but he let Severus direct. He wasn't disappointed as a warm wet tongue met his. Severus seemed to be trying to remember the taste of him during the kiss, as his tongue explored Alex's mouth. His body shuddered briefly when Severus' tongue softly slid over his lips. They were both gasping to catch their breath when the kiss ended. Severus arms had yet to remove themselves from Alex since he arrived.

They both just stood there breathing heavily. Severus still had yet to utter more than half a word.

"Alex, are you sure? I'm much older now."

"I'm sure. I knew how far in the future I was going. I don't intend to stop loving you just because you're a little older than me now."

Severus didn't respond with words, but handed Alex something he hadn't seen in several months, his invisibility cloak. He draped it over himself and waited for Severus to lead the way somewhere, his chambers perhaps. Severus instead lifted up the cloak and climbed under it himself. He almost smiled as he picked Alex up.

"You are still recovering Alex. Or had you forgotten that?"

Alex smiled back as Severus carried him all the way to the dungeons. Once they were in his private rooms, Severus laid Alex down on the sofa. He immediately left to grab some potions.

"Severus?" Alex inquired, as he started peeling of his multiple layers of clothing.

"Alex, I ... why are you getting undressed?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "I was only wearing three layers of robes." He said sarcastically. "What's the potion for?"

Severus set the green potion on the table next to Alex. "I had twenty years to develop a potion to help you deal with the increased power. I created this about two years after you left. Now, drink up."

Alex took the potion and swallowed it, making a face at the poor taste. Instantly the thumping subsided. His whole body felt re-energized. He was now down to one robe as he lunged off the sofa into Severus' arms. "Severus, if anything you're more perfect then you were in the past. I love you."

Alex plunged his tongue into Severus' mouth and pressed up against him. He had to have felt his state of arousal by now. Severus gasped and at the same time Alex felt that Severus was clearly aroused as well. "Do you have a bed in this room of yours?"

Severus smiled as he began kissing Alex again, leading them towards the bedroom. Alex hardly noticed he was being lead anywhere until the back of his legs hit the edge of a bed, laying back onto it. He scooted himself up into the middle of the bed and set to undoing this last robe that was covering him. Once he was down to just his underwear he looked over to Severus, who had already removed his robe and gotten under the covers. Alex frowned slightly, he wanted to see this older body of Severus'. But, the frown changed to a smile as he climbed under the covers himself.

Alex quickly rolled over to place himself in Severus' arms. Instead of plunging right back into that mouth, he began trailing kisses along his jaw-line. Alex smiled as he watched Severus' eyes flutter closed and move his head back, urging Alex's mouth down to his neck. Not to disappoint the older man, Alex moved down to his neck and began sucking on the sensitive skin.

He leaned down, wrapping his arms around Severus and rolled the two of them over, putting Severus on top. "Make love to me Severus."

Severus blinked his eyes a couple of times. "Are you ..."

"Yes. Please Severus."

"Alex, after the way I've treated you all these...."

"Severus!" Alex said, in a pleading voice. "I knew who you were and how you had treated .... treated me before. Dammit, I don't blame you."

Severus, now assured of himself and Alex's love, made love to the man he had missed for twenty years. Severus soon lost control and let pleasure overtake his senses. As Alex laid next to him he couldn't help but think about what tomorrow would bring. He was still very much aroused and uncomfortable, but decided that tonight was all about Severus, not him. So, he was surprised when Severus took care of his problem.

After that Alex had no need for thoughts as he latched onto his lover and fell soundly asleep.