Again, I am not using a beta for this chapter either, so naturally all mistakes are mine and mine alone… Now, for your pleasure…

Going Back to Change the Future

Severus stepped cautiously into the Shack. He looked wearily at the roof, but concluded that the rafters were not going to fall. He noticed some holes in the floor, but it was not enough to make getting around hard. Still he took steps cautiously. Further into the house, he found a box that was heavily warded, but decided to stay away from it for now. When he saw that there was nothing harmful down stairs, he made his way upstairs. He found blankets, a broom closet, some old elf cloths and sleeping quarters and a master's sleeping quarters, but nothing harmful. So, he cast a one-armed Scourgify and then laid Harry down gently on the bed. Again Harry winced, and Severus pulled open his shirt. An ugly purple bruise was starting to form. Severus cast a diagnostic spell, just to make sure that there was no internal bleeding, before pulling a healing salve from his pocket and spreading it on the bruise. Harry was still unconscious, so Severus took the time to look him over. Letting the worry spread on his face a bit now that he knew that Harry couldn't see it. Lightly, he brushed a lock of hair away from Harry's face and watched as Harry turned his face into the warm palm. He let a ghost of a smile spread across his mouth. Before the urge to do something he would regret later overwhelmed him, Severus conjured some gauze and tape and bandaged Harry's arm into a sling. Once he was done, he went in search of food.

Harry awoke felling disoriented. He wasn't sure exactly where he was but he knew he was safe. There was a presence in the room with him, that reminded him of safety, among other things, and one that felt familiar. One his body knew instinctively was safe. Groaning at the tingling feeling in his shoulder, Harry forced his eyes open through thick, coated sleep. His vision was blurry, but he could make out a black blob, sitting in a chair by his bed. The blob appeared to be asleep, but Harry couldn't tell for sure. He shifted in search of his glasses but the pain in his shoulder made itself known and a hiss escaped his mouth before he could stop it. The black blob was up in an instant, his wand wiped out so fast, even if Harry had been wearing his glasses he would have never seen it coming. It seemed to relax when it noticed that there was no immediate danger and that Harry had made the noise.

"How are you feeling Potter?"

"Fine, but my shoulder is killing me. What happened," he said, realizing that Severus was the black blob.

"You were splinched. We escaped the bloody dragon and apperation took you down. "

Harry laughed involuntarily. Severus realized that this was the first time he heard Harry make such a sound. He vowed to try and do it more often, for he liked the way it sounded.

"Here, drink this," Severus said, pulling a vial from a pocket, and retrieving Harry's glasses from the night table.

When Severus slid the glasses on his face, Harry looked at the potion wearily. Severus sighed and uncorked it, all the while saying:

"It is a pain potion; it will help with that shoulder."

Harry nodded and accepted the potion with his good arm before slinging it back. He pulled a face at the taste but didn't complain.

"…Enjoyed that," Severus asked and Harry grimaced, "Shall I take that as a yes then?"

Harry didn't answer; he just looked around realizing for the first time that he had no idea where they were, never taking note that Severus seemed to be teasing him.

"Where are we?"

"You brought us here and yet you have no idea where we are. Typical! We are at Gaunt's Shack."

Harry's eyes widened.

"…Seriously?"

"Do I look the type to joke, Mr. Potter?"

Harry groaned, "No, I guess not."

There was a long silence before Severus spoke again.

"I have searched the house for Gaunt's Ring. I have come to the conclusion that it is in a locked box down by the stairs."

"Have you opened it yet?"

"I have not. You will need a place to recover for at least a week, so I figured that we would need to stay here until…"

"No, we can leave. The quicker we get the ring, the faster we can get to Hogwarts and destroy these bloody Horcruxes."

…Severus quirked an eyebrow.

"You will be of no use if you don't let that shoulder heal, Potter."

"It can heal at your house, Severus. Or do you find these, accommodations, appealing?"

Sneering, Severus got up from the chair and stalked to the door.

"Well come along then, there is no telling what will happen once those wards are broken on the box. We might need to make a hasty retreat."

Agreeing, but cursing for opening his mouth, Harry got up out the bed and followed Severus downstairs. When they came to the box, Severus waived his wand around it for a moment, wondering if the ward could be disabled.

"Finite Incantatum," Severus said but the ward only shimmered.

He brought his had up to his face, thinking. Harry watched him momentarily before pulling out his wand.

"…Bombarda!"

The ward cracked a bit, but was still intact. Severus grew impatient when Harry uttered two more 'Bombard's' only to have various small cracks as a result.

"…Bombarda Maxima!"

The ward cracked loudly before lighting brightly and breaking. As soon as the ward was gone, the box seemed to quiver before it gave a leap in the air and took off down the hall. Severus and Harry cursed before giving chase. Harry winced as his shoulder gave a pain-filled twinge but he never stopped chasing after the box. The box jumped through a wall and disappeared. Severus cursed aloud but made no move to follow it.

"It's a secret path. I had no idea this was here, so proceed with caution. Wand at the ready, constant…"

"…Vigilance, Potter. Yeah, yeah, yeah, can we go now?"

Severus quirked an eyebrow, deciding on whether to be amused or annoyed, before settling on amused and crossing through the wall. Harry followed, holding his wand in front of him protectively. When they reached the other side, they found themselves in a forest. Both had lost track of the box when they crossed through and now had to search for it. Trees surrounded them, and the deeper they got, the more the trees thickened. Curses left Severus' mouth in a mantra, but never above a whisper.

"I think were lost."

"Stating the obvious, Potter?"

Harry rolled his eyes at Severus.

"Point me," he uttered and his wand sprang up and swiveled right, coming to a stop on Severus.

Both quirked an eyebrow, "Your wand is obviously busted, Potter. The box is not on my person."

"There is nothing wrong with my wand Severus. You try 'Point Me' then."

Severus uttered the spell and his wand rotated left, then right, before spinning in his palm and settling on Severus. Severus quirked an eyebrow, and Harry smiled smugly.

"Seems your wand is busted as well, Severus."

Severus grumbled something under his breath that sounded like, 'arrogant, Gryffindor'.

"Out of a hunch, Severus, do you think that the damn box could have simply been following us?"

Severus quirked a brow yet again and turned. There behind him was the box, floating luxuriously in the air. Shaking his head at the irony, Severus went to grab it, only to have it take a large leap back.

"I am not chasing that insufferable thing again," Severus growled.

Harry chuckled.

"…Incarcerous."

Ropes shot from the end of his wand and engulfed the box, wrapping it securely. The box fell to the ground with a thud, and both males walked over to retrieve it.

"Cleve, Potter."

"I try," Harry said.

Severus picked up the box, studying it.

"We should probably wait until we are back in Gaunt's shack to open it. We never know what might be within."

"We could, but what if the way back to Gaunt's shack is in the box? Do you remember which way the secret wall was?"

Severus nodded, "Yes, it is this way.

He pointed back the way they had come and Harry shrugged, following the man to the secret wall.

"What if we can't get through the same way we came?"

"Then and only then shall we open the box."

When they reached the wall's entrance, Severus tried to stick his hand through, only to come into contact with solid wall. Cursing, he felt the whole wall before giving up. He pulled the box from his pocket, and yanked off the lid. Pixies of all shape and sizes emerged from the box. They started laughing and flying around the two stunned wizards. Severus growled at the prospect of Pixies and pulled his wand to rid himself of them. His wand flew unceremoniously from his hand and Severus growled under his breath. The pixies hadn't taken notice of the wand that seemed to be flying on its own, so Severus had no idea what caused his wand to fly away. He looked at Harry as if to say, 'do something', but Harry found that he couldn't. His good arm felt as if it was glued to his side. He looked at Severus apologetically. Severus Shook his head in irritation, only to find his feet glued to the floor upon trying to walk. Getting annoyed, Severus cast a nonverbal reveal spell, and scowled at what was revealed. Imps, holding roped that surrounded Harry's upper body and Severus' lower body.

"Imps, bloody Imps…"

He was cut off by Harry laughing at him.

"What, pray tell, is so bloody funny!"

Harry watched as a Pixie lifted two thick strains of Severus' hair and tied them together.

"Nothing, nothing", Harry snickered before casting a wandless, "Arania Exumai."

Imps and pixies alike went flying in all directions and the roped on them loosened and fell away. Severus kicked at his impatiently, before picking up the box he dropped when the pixies first emerged. There was a note in the box. Severus plucked it out, redropped the box, and snatched it open. He read the letter, growled, and ripped the thing to pieces.

"What was it?"

"A note saying that the ring was now in the hands of A.P.W.B.D."

Harry looked startled for a moment, before bursting into laughter, which annoyed Severus to no end, (even if he did vow to do it again.)

"What is it now?"

"I should have known that Dumbledore would find out about the ring and come and get it."

The annoyance faded from Severus' face, mostly, before he growled.

"We are in the middle of nowhere, Potter; I see nothing amusing about Albus having the thing we needlessly risked our hides for."

Harry shrugged, still snickering.

"…Accio Severus' wand."

Severus' wand came zooming from somewhere in the woods and into Harry hand. He yelped when several woodlice slithered down his arm before shaking them off frantically. He gave Severus a sheepish smile, and handed him his wand as a piece offering. Severus took the wand, snatched it more like it, and rounded on Harry. Whatever he might have said or done was cut off when he heard rustling coming from the trees. Both looked over to the entrance to the forest to see a group of Bowtruckle, stalking toward them. They were small creatures that resembled tree branches. Though, unlike tree branches, they could walk. Severus looked them over wearily before cursing and latching himself to Harry.

"What are those," Harry asked.

"Bowtruckle, pleasant creatures, until someone disturbs their natural habitat. I'm afraid with the number of pixies and imps we just sent into the forest, and the fact that you seemed to have summoned their dinner, the Bowtruckle seem to be less than happy. And since you also sent pixies and Imps into their natural habitat…"

Severus trailed off and Harry got the idea. It didn't really matter which sent the creatures into the forest, the Bowtruckle would go for both their hides.

"So what do we do now? I doubt we will be able to talk them out of… whatever it is they plan to do with us."

"Indeed, I doubt we can. Hold on to me, Harry. I am going to try apperating to Spinner's End."

Harry held on, Severus held his breath, and apperated.

Pettigrew sat on a stump in a clearing. He sat there pondering the likely hood of how a teenage boy could have possibly known he was a Death Eater. He just couldn't figure it out. He never seen this young man in his life, so how could he have possibly known? He never uttered a word to anyone about being a Death Eater. The only ones that knew were the Malfoy's, and Snape, and he was sure that neither would tell a teenage boy of his occupation. Desperately, Pettigrew wanted to know how this young boy knew. So, with that thought in mind, the rat scuttled down from the stump and into Hogsmeade. He made it to Hogwarts undetected, and sprinted to the headmaster's office. He knew that Dumbledore knew of the young man, so he decided that it would be a good place to look for information. When he got to the gargoyle, he noticed his dilemma immediately. How was he going to get into the headmaster's office without anyone seeing him? Surely they were all looking for his animagus form now, and if he showed up as 'Peter', he would get no information. Sighing at having hit a road block, Pettigrew looked around the exterior of the door. He noticed a small whole and rejoiced in excitement. This hole would surely lead him to Albus Dumbledore's office, so, with that thought in mind, Pettigrew stumbled through the hole. He spotted the old man sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. It looked as if Dumbledore was sad, but from having known him for a majority of his life, Pettigrew knew that he was frustrated, of what remained a mystery. Peter wondered if it had anything to do with that mysterious teenage boy. Both men (well sort of) were broken from their musings when the study door banged into the wall as it was flung open. Albus looked up, startled but not surprised to see Lily Potter walking in backwards, some muggle contraption in tow. Pettigrew looked surprised to see her, as he was wondering if coming to Albus' study was a good idea.

"Sorry Albus, the door got away from me."

"Quite alright, my dear," Albus said as he watched Lily turn the Muggle contraption, (which Lily had told him plenty of times was a stroller), around to reveal baby Harry, sound asleep.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I was hoping to speak with Harry, but he is not in the classroom or store, I can't find Severus either, so I got worried and came to you."

"Harry and Severus are no longer here."

"What?"

"They have gone, and have promised to keep in touch should the need arise."

"And you let my son go with a Death Eater," Lily said dangerously.

"I trust Severus, Lily. Harry trusts Severus, for if he didn't, I am sure that he would have made the choice to leave Severus behind. On that note, who's to say he has not?"

Lily looked at Albus like he had lost his mind, which he probably had in any event.

"You used to trust Severus…"

"That was before, this is now. We are no longer children Headmaster and Severus made his choice a long time ago."

"Right you are, but if you only knew of his choices now, I am sure that you would approve."

"And what are those choices?"

"Ah, it is not my place to say I'm afraid, Severus would gladly tell you himself, I am sure, should you find it in you to ask."

Lily looked doubtful but sighed.

"Maybe one day I shall ask him, but for now, I guess I must be going."

"…Of course, of course, my dear. Do take care of baby Harry here; we wouldn't want anything to happen to his counter-part."

Lily lifted an eyebrow inquiringly but said nothing as she gathered the stroller and rolled it out of the office.

Pettigrew was having a hard time trying to wrap his brain around what he heard, so with confusion, he left the office. He would try to find Severus. Maybe he would explain it.

To their surprise, both Harry and Severus appeared in Spinner's End. Both looked at each other, Severus expressing his annoyance at having not done that sooner, and Harry expressing gratefulness for Severus having done that. Harry gave Severus a shaky smile that broke Severus' inner admonishments.

"Glad, you did that. I was beginning to think that those Bowtruckle would have us for lunch… Or use us for fertilizer."

Severus snorted, but didn't comment. He was busy watching Harry's hand travel unconsciously along the length of his shoulder.

"Does that hurt?"

Harry stopped mid-slide and looked at Severus, startled. His brain seemed to catch up with him and he nodded.

"Yeah, a bit, but I can live with it."

"Just as well, you should go and have a lie down. I will bring you a pain potion once I retrieve it from the lab."

Harry looked as if he would protest for a moment, but must have decided against it because his mouth snapped shut and he nodded in agreement before twirling carefully on his heel and leaving the room. Severus got the potion from his lab, along with a dreamless sleep potion. He took it to Harry's room and watched as Harry downed the pain potion and set the dreamless sleep aside. Severus cursed at the boy mentally for being stubborn, and then at himself for not remembering Harry's words when he had had that first nightmare. Deciding that there was nothing he could do, Severus watched Harry fall silently into sleep. When he was sure that Harry was asleep he leaned down close to the man, brushing dark locks of unruly hair away from his forehead to plant a kiss upon the young man's person. Harry moaned softly in his sleep, startling Severus enough that he jerked back. He searched the boy's face to see if he was awake and sighed in relief when brilliant green eyes were not staring back at him. Severus decided that his impulse might get the better of him, so he made his way to the living room. He was about to go into the library, but didn't get very far when the wards around his home reacted to a presence outside. Severus, startled, stalked to the window and peeked out the curtain. He cursed when he meet the eyes of Peter Pettigrew. Cursing mentally, he prayed that Harry would not wake and emerge from the bedroom before yanking the door open and snarling…

"What do you want?"

Pettigrew stammered, before squeaking a, "Can I come in?"

Severus regarded him warily, though to Pettigrew it looked as if Severus was about to bite his head off. So before Severus could use an unforgivable on Peter's person, he said:

"I overheard something interesting about that brat. The one who knew I was a death eater."

Severus eyebrow quirked, curiosity getting the better of him as he silently stepped aside. Peter scampered through; cowering a few paces from the entry way as Severus rounded on him.

"Well?"

Pettigrew related all that he had heard from the headmaster, trying to subtly inquire Severus to explain it to him and failing miserably. Severus was thinking. If he told Pettigrew of Potter from the future, then it could be disastrous to not only the baby, but Harry from the future as well, on the other hand, if he said nothing, Pettigrew would most likely figure out that he was a spy for the light and in thus helping Harry find and destroy Horcruxes. For once, Severus was at a loss as of what to do. Severus stood in thought so long that he didn't notice Pettigrew grow impatient and wonder off. He didn't get very far, however, before a wail shattered the quiet atmosphere and screams of anguish resounded around the tiny house. Broken from his thoughts, Severus' head shot up. He looked at Pettigrew for only a moment before coming to a decision. He whipped his wand out and sent, "Incarcerous", at Pettigrew. The ropes wrapped around the man's body sending him crashing to the floor. Severus made a bee line for the man but Pettigrew was already half rat by the time Severus was half to him. When he was full rat, Pettigrew slipped free of the confines and scrambled to hide behind the couch. Spells were wising past both wizards when Pettigrew regained his human form and an all-out battle began in Severus' living room. Severus tucked and rolled when a familiar purple streak of light shot at him, missing him by a hair. Severus sent off various stinging hexes, and many number of spells and charms he could think of before another piercing scream distracted him long enough that he was hit with Crucio. Hissing in surprise, Severus fell to the floor, writhing. Pettigrew cackled as his curse hit home. He lifted it only when he saw Severus go limb. He walked over to the fallen wizard and kicked his body earning a pain filled groan and Severus' eyes to pop open. Pettigrew nearly cowered at the intense glare Severus Sent him before remembering he had the upper hand and kicked the fallen wizard as hard as he could. Severus didn't cry out. He would not get this rat the satisfaction of knowing that he had hurt him worse than he showed.

"Incarcerous; Obscuro," Pettigrew said and watched as roped and a blind fold slid into their respective places.

Pettigrew was still confused as to what had happened, but he knew who ever had made that horrible cry, Severus didn't want him to get close too. So without further thought, Pettigrew took the stairs two at a time. He followed the sounds of whimpers coming from Severus' bedroom and opened the door cautiously, wand at the ready. He saw the shaking young man on the bed and smiled evilly as recognition dawned on him. It was that brat of a boy. Laying defenseless and soaked in sweat. Something in Pettigrew seemed to click and he realized that this boy was the baby Lily carried around. That meant that if he were to take this puny little boy, then he would have Lily and James' son, from the future. His eyes widened at the revelation and he stalked forward cautiously.

Harry sensed an unfamiliar presence in the room with him, but he couldn't tell whether it was his dream or in reality, so he never took much notice of the liquid being powered down his throat, or his nightmare fading away, or his body relaxing in sleep. Pettigrew smirked triumphantly, when he noticed the bottle of dreamless sleep laying on the night table. When Harry was fast asleep under the effects of the sleeping drought, Pettigrew flicked his wand at Harry, levitating him to his person before running for the exit. He noticed Severus was free and stopped in his tracks at the sight of the wand pointed at him from the shaking man's hand.

"Drop him," Severus growled, inching closer.

Pettigrew's eyes darted all over the room. He was close to a window, though he wasn't sure if he and the boy could fit through it. That wasn't going to stop him though. He started toward the window, but a red spell stopped him in his tracks. He looked back to Severus, worrying his bottom lip. He knew that he needed the boy, if nothing else; it would piss Severus off immensely to have lost him to Peter. It was also in Peter's best interest to stay alive, so with no better judgment, Pettigrew let the spell on Harry fall and transformed into his rat form. Several spells missed his person as he made a beeline for the window. He transformed back to Peter just in time to jump through the window glass and all, taking a curse he never heard of in the back. He cried out, retransformed into his animagus form, and scurried as fast as he could, through the town and away from Spinner's end. When he got far enough, and he was sure that Severus was not following him, he changed back into himself and apperated.

Severus made a triumphant noise, when he had hit Pettigrew. He was angry that Pettigrew managed to break his window, but he rushed to it to see if the rat had been killed. He growled when there was nothing on the ground but dirt and debris. He looked up and saw a bunch of his neighbor's emerging from their houses and decided that Spinner's End was no longer safe. He rushed to Harry's side and found the young man still in the position Pettigrew had dropped him. Severus froze, fearing that Harry was already dead. A breath of relief whooshed through his lungs and out his mouth when he noticed that Harry's chest was rising and falling rhythmically. He moved to the young man's side and shook him but received no answer. Harry didn't even moan or whimper as he usually did and Severus feared that there was something seriously wrong. He remembered the dreamless sleep beside his bead and cursed. Pettigrew had brains after all. He scooped Harry into his arms and exited through the back door. When he was far away from Spinner's End, Severus gave one last look at his home before apperating to Hogwarts.

It seemed that the battle would be upon them sooner that anyone would like.

To be continued…

Alas, chapter seven is up and running. I hope it wasn't too cliché, but I got big plans for next chapter, thought they might be a bit cliché too. Let's hope my plans go smoothly and quickly… I hope you enjoyed the chapter… …Review?