A/n: Yup, I've been gone for a while. I'm actually surprised I had time to get this chapter typed and up, but I did. I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, because I have so much to catch up on before finals and I have a second job over the Christmas Holiday, so yuck. I will try though lovelies, so please keep reading and reviewing! I know it's been about two weeks- no dear readers, I looked and it has not been a month- but this isn't going to be abandoned. It will just be a bit slow for a while, unfortunately. Thanks again to my beta Tessa Cresswell!
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to J. K Rowling.
Disclaimer: You've probably seen plots similar to this in multiple books. Hopefully this story will be just a tad different :)
Part 1: Broken Marriage 1538 (Life Two)
Dreu Antoine Malfoy (15) and Harmony Joan Potter (19)
Dreu watched the couple from his seat. Sofia Madeline had not caught his interest thus far, but a startling letter from one Harmony Potter caused him to look the girl over again. He had been unaware until he received the letter that this fair beauty was betrothed to the same man he pulled off of Harmony ages ago. Knowing that this woman, the very essence of purity and innocence, was bound to an older man of Snape's character was startling. All he understood from the brief note was that he was not to send a response- for her drunken husband would have a fit if he saw one- but instead to go and watch the couple today at this fine establishment. Sipping his drink he watched them chat idly.
Since arriving in London Dreu had seen this woman a few times. She always seemed carefree, lighthearted and, well, alive. Today she was quiet, staring down at the food before her. Her company obviously paid no mind to how she felt, as Alabaster continued to chat loudly with her as well as a friend of his. The poor girl looked a bit shaken, but now Malfoy wondered if he was the only one there who noticed the odd behavior. The place was full but no one- not even Alabasters' friend- seemed to care a bit about the uncomfortable girl. When the pair finally stood to go outside and have a smoke he saw the only opportunity to go and speak with the young woman. Downing his drink, he walked over to her.
"May I sit with thou?" he asked cordially, catching the girl off guard. She looked up at him with a startled expression for a moment, before leaning in a bit further to study his appearance.
"Thou ist Lord Malfoy?" she asked, beckoning to the vacated seats. He took one opposite her, leaving an appropriate amount of space between them.
"No, I am but his son, Dreu. It shall be many moons before I am the Lord of Malfoy Manor."
Sofia nodded, studying him. "Thou are called Dreu then?"
"Yes."
"Harmony told me about thou," she commented, stirring her food mindlessly around her plate. Her eyes looked up to meet his after a moment. "She said thou saved her from Alabaster, mine betrothed."
He nodded once, surprised by the girl's forwardness. When he first saw her in this establishment and thought about everything Harmony had owled him, he expected Sofia's worried look to translate into her words. Rather, it seemed that she was more anxious to get their conversation moving- and so was he. After the last encounter with Alabaster, Dreu believed it would not go over well if he was found in the company of Snape's future wife.
"This ist true," he agreed, nodding quickly. "We both know that I shant not stay here long, lest thou betrothed return."
Sofia nodded once. "I must speak with thee."
"How?" the blonde asked. "Thou shall not comst if it will look bad to thy fiancé." He pursed his lips. "Declare thou ist coming to speak to mine wife tonight, and we shall speak but briefly."
"Lie," she asked, leaning forward. "I ask to only to know one thing Mr. Malfoy."
"What be that," he inquired, standing. He could see Alabaster and company returning, stalled at the door for a moment in conversation with another man.
She twirled her fingers around each other, ignoring his gaze. Her future husband would arrive back in a moment and ruin the conversation, which was something she was not looking forward to. Although Dreu Malfoy had sought her out and not the other way around, but in his presence she realized what a vital role he could play in her decision. Here stood someone that witnessed what had happened between the exclusive Harmony Potter and Alabaster, a story she had learned about from the very lips of the victim. Who was to say the story had not been altered to make her sound like the damsel, when she was indeed the one seeking love? If she wanted confirmation about Alabaster Snape before she was forever wed to the man, then she needed to speak with the young Malfoy heir again.
Finally, her eyes turned up to meet his own. "Thou canst not tell me of all the things I wish to understand. I wish to know what thou really thinks of mine husband, but this ist not the place to discuss such topics." Sofia glanced at the door, noting that with Snape's attention span he would likely stop the conversation in a moment and move on. "When canst I see thee again?"
To this, the blonde arched an eyebrow. Aside from Harmony, it was not common for Malfoy men to venture out and speak to women who were already engaged to another, since the sole purpose of mingling with women in Kier Malfoy's eyes was to find a mate, and Harmony had always been the only exception. Although he was wed, he wondered how it would look for Sofia to venture over to his home just to seek conversation. That would not go over well with her possessive fiancé.
"I canst not say, for this is something I canst not guarantee. Thou will be most hard to locate alone again, and although this mystery topic intrigues me I dost not want to cause confrontation between myself and thy fiancé." He nodded towards her, just once. "Perhaps though, our paths will intersect again in the future. But I must be going Lady Madeline. Good day." With that, he turned and left.
She frowned at his hasty farewell, but realized why he was so quick to depart a moment later when Alabaster and his colleague returned. With a painted smile, she appeased her future husband's interest in her current wellbeing enough that he looked away without saying a word and resumed the conversation he had been holding. Glancing over her shoulder, she searched for the attractive blonde male she had just finished speaking with, but he was nowhere to be found. Saddened a bit by this fact, she turned back to her average, blonde fiancé. Looking into his eyes, she could sense that ever present dark hunger that constantly lingered there. With Harmony's words and Dreu's elusive edge haunting her mind, she resumed stirring her food. There was something about Alabaster Snape that was beginning to scare her, but for now she couldn't quite place what it was.
But she intended to find out.
Part 2: Pretend You're Not My Friend, 1996 (Life Six)
Draco Abraxas Malfoy(16) and Hermione Jean Granger (16)
It was tough to deal with the memories of time. His heart pulsing, beating, practically jumping from his chest, Draco dragged his sweat soaked body through the Slytherin common room. It was only third hour, but these frequent head rushes and torturous headaches made it impossible to be in class. What's more, he couldn't stand the idea of being seen like this by anyone. A lot was already expected of him that year and if one of the bleeding, snobby Slytherin-turned-Death Eater students got word to the Dark Lord that he was unfit to continue with his task, the price would be horrendous. No, that couldn't happen and instead he would just have to stomach the pain and keep trudging on until he found relief in the shower. Hopefully he would not pass out in there again.
The phenomenon was something he didn't understand. Never before had he been plagued with such terrible headaches. Finding his dorm he threw open the door and stumbled in, already disrobing. A flash of a different scene jumped into his vision and he tripped over one of the chests thinking it wasn't there. The timeline for the scene had been wrong though, and it screamed Fifteen Century. There was a woman within his sight for just a moment before he hit the ground and groaned. This couldn't be happening again.
Afraid of being called a mental patient, Draco upright refused to tell anyone about what he was experiencing. It was scary to tolerate alone, but being pulled from school to live in the nuthouse was even more traumatizing. He would deal and that was that. Finally relieving himself of the last of his clothing- now strewn about the room- he hurried to the shower and turned it on, relishing in relief as the cold water attacked his skin. He sank down to the bottom of the shower as water pelted him, gripping his head. He hated this.
Another vision flashed through his conscious mind, some sort of glimpse of the past that he couldn't understand. It played by quickly, and only brought with it further confusion to his uneducated, sixteen year old mind.
"So thou thinks I shant not marry mine fiancé," the woman asked- her name was Sofia, and it clicked into his mind quickly. She was dressed in robes that would've probably have been the height of fashion some decades ago, but the look on her face screamed disappointment, and perhaps sadness.
The blonde- a blonde that looked very much like Draco himself- nodded. "That ist my own opinion Sofia. Thou must decide for thyself what thine final decision is."
She nodded, and farewells were said. The woman left, and moments later the man put his head in his hands. Draco watched for a moment, before finding himself in a bent position, staring at darkness. Was he portraying the man now?
He decided so moments later when words he was not thinking slipped through his lips. "Thou should never half let thyself become engaged to Alabaster Snape.
The memory faded as quickly as it came. He returned gasping for air to the cold shower, thoroughly confused. Frustrated, he attacked the shower wall with his hands, irritated that he could not grasp what was going on. Why couldn't he just figure out what was wrong with him? If something like that happened in class one day… he didn't want to imagine what would happen.
It wasn't fair that he had to deal with this issue. Leaning his head on his bent knees, he wished the shower would drown him. That would make things a whole lot easier.
Present Day
Draco came out of his dream slowly. He was in his own room, asleep yet again in a bed without a partner. After speaking with Hermione for only a few more minutes last night, they had parted ways until potions class the following day. He supposed it had to be early morning now.
Sitting up, he rubbed his face. Rarely did he ever have dreams about remembering in this life, for the memories were still fairly fresh in his mind. It was odd however to dream of that certain event. Nothing interesting or important had actually happened, but the aftermath of his dream had him wide awake. Something about it had his mind turning. Throwing off the covers he stood up in only boxers, having been too exhausted from the day to bother with nightwear. He strode to the window and looked out on black scenery, the moon and stars absent due to clouds. A name echoed in his mind.
Sofia Madeline.
Sofia had been Alabaster Snape's bride to be, someone that the man was quite smitten with lifetimes ago. She was also someone that Harmony and Dreu had worked to pull away from Alabaster simply because they knew his true personality. And the plan had worked with dire results. Yes, the woman told her father of what she had learned from the pair at different times, declaring that she would not go through with the union. At the time it was unheard of, but the young girl's father agreed that Snape seemed shady and called off the marriage only days before it was to happen. It was no secret to the town back then that Harmony and Dreu were responsible for the break between the two, and that Snape was not happy about losing his bride. He recalled many of the things Alabaster said to him each time they passed each other after that event, but never actually learned what the man did to Harmony, if anything. Alabaster did not remain forever there though, and Draco didn't have the slightest idea where he went after leaving. He honestly didn't care.
But Sofia was not someone that stood out in his mind. All of Hermione's past lives were certainly highlights in his thoughts, and his wives and children stood out as well, but Sofia was a woman he only ever spoke with twice. So why would he dream of something seemingly unimportant?
The gears in his mind were still working. Harmony and I ruined that marriage; everyone knew. If Severus remembers the past as I suspect, that could explain why he seems so persistent to bother us. But why hold a grudge after five centuries? I hate Viktor Krum, but his past life literally killed Hermione- Penelope. That's different, isn't it? I have not wreaked any sort of revenge on Viktor aside from stealing Hermione away, so why ever would Snape bother holding such a grudge over seemingly unimportant events? It's long over, and he obviously has no one to wed that I plan to steer away. It doesn't make sense.
But he knew in the back of his mind that he did. A grudge can carry years, why not centuries? Perhaps Snape really was holding a grudge over losing Sofia Madeline, but Draco thought that was a petty excuse for revenge. Sighing, he turned back to his bed, knowing that sleep would be hard to come by. He couldn't deny it now; something about that name did not sit well in his stomach, but the dream that actually reminded him that Sofia ever existed was peculiar indeed. Then again, things had been happening in strange ways lately.
He couldn't stop studying Snape. Something about the fucking dream kept bothering him throughout potions, and it had his nerves on edge. Considering Sofia Madeline as a reason for Snape's anger was absurd, but he couldn't force the thoughts away. Since he had agreed with Hermione that they wouldn't speak until that night, he had no way of conveying his thoughts. While Draco was watching Snape, Snape watched Draco, and Hermione. It was a constant battle of glances and cold stares, and the blonde got the feeling that he was not keeping up appearances very well. If he wanted Snape to believe that he was still under the curse, he had to stop letting all of his emotions shine through. He was known for a cold exterior, after all.
It was after class that Draco decided to confront the man. He waited until the class was gone, knowing very well that Severus had a free period next. After the last student had departed, he moved to the front and stood in front of the potions master's desk. He looked up with a raised eyebrow, obviously surprised that the blonde had remained.
"What are you doing here? Get on- we don't want Miss Granger suspecting anything is up, any more than she already is." He beckoned with his hand. "Off with you."
Draco vaguely recalled agreeing with Hermione that keeping his cover was important, but pushed it from his thoughts. He couldn't stop seeing Severus as Alabaster, and the thought was driving him mad. Of course the origin of hate came from the only lifetime he recalled crossing paths with the man's soul, but he didn't have his exact answer. The man was obviously coy, able to trick them, but something about his rash actions- like placing Draco under an Imperio- told him he was not experienced with this phenomenon. Or maybe something else gave away his inexperience, but none of it mattered. He intended to pry at whatever he could; fuck his plans with Hermione. He still needed to be on her good side, but he needed to know she was safe more.
"I suspect that she is only bloody curious because of my abrupt change in behavior, Snape," Draco replied, keeping his tone as dead as possible. The man's eyes narrowed at his words but he said nothing in response and just studied the blonde before him. The accusation was not direct on anything, but the fact that Draco was even mildly speaking back seemed to throw the man.
"Perhaps that is it," Severus drawled, rising from his chair. His eyes never left the steely slates that bore into his own, and he moved to stand opposite the young man, the desk no longer between them. "Yes, perhaps your sudden change in behavior does draw unneeded attention." The wand came out, and Malfoy tensed. He didn't want to draw his own wand just yet, he wanted everything to go perfectly, and that meant not alerting Snape that he knew anything.
"Or maybe it is something else entirely," the raven-haired man mused, pointing the fine piece of wood at his hated godson's chest. "I think we both know there is more than speculation going on within Miss Granger's brain Mr. Malfoy, and I would appreciate it if you would drop this pathetic act. I already know the spell is broken."
Blonde eyebrows shot up a degree, but Draco said nothing in response. He had no idea how Snape could know such a thing.
"Don't look so surprised Mr. Malfoy. Do you think there is no method to my madness? I know that Miss Granger heard me speaking to you that night in the corridor, when I cursed you."
The blonde's hand snapped down, grasping his own wand. Snape did nothing to stop him until the weapon was out, and then he only spoke simple words. "Fighting is sometimes futile Draco. We both have our own little secrets, and they intermix in more ways than you think. Don't play me a fool; I know you remember history."
"And you are telling me you do as well," Draco snapped, taking a determined stance. He didn't like how Snape was so unnervingly calm about what was going on, when Draco had been under the very impression that he and Hermione were keeping a secret, one which they would use against this very man. How did he ever know that she had been there that night?
He smiled, but it came out in twisted lines that gave the impression of a scowl instead. "You're not stupid Mr. Malfoy; we both know that I remember by now. That educated mind of yours has to have grasped the point that I remember who I once was, and I know you remember the same. Perhaps even Hermione- I'm sorry, Harmony- remembers as well? Or is that just a fruitless longing of yours; to have her again?"
Draco bit his lip, tensing. Snape was doing a fine job of playing with his heartstrings, and he didn't like it one bit. But this attempt at intimidation had to be leading someplace and he intended to figure out just what Severus was hinting at before he started attacking. At the very least, he was going to owe Hermione a story if he accidently killed the potions Professor.
"That's right Draco, I figured it out. I started having those headaches, I started getting dizzy. I tried to recall a time when anyone had ever experienced something of the same nature. The memories came back, but I didn't understand them, not at the time. But now, I do. I have thought about them for a very long time, and let me tell you I am most unhappy with certain occurrences I can recall. One of them actually involves a Dreu Malfoy, who unsurprisingly looks a lot like you. And a young woman, Harmony Potter, who seems to be quite similar to Miss Granger. Do these names ring any bells?"
"Do I have to answer? You have obviously figured some things out, and you do not need my confirmation. What exactly is it you're trying to get at?"
Snape clicked his tongue. "Don't be rash; I am giving you an opportunity to understand things from my perspective. I now understand that you were once Dreu, and I am certain Hermione Granger was once Harmony Potter. You look so similar it's remarkable, and some people I simply cannot mistake. When I finally realized who they were, well, I knew who to target."
"And what do you want? I am not in the mood to play your games; I don't have time. Whatever it is you want, you can leave her out of it. If I recall, I was always more of a problem for Alabaster, than Harmony ever stood to be. You have nothing to settle with her, so don't bother her. Whatever is bothering you, whatever you have to even up can be dealt with through me? She will not have any place in this game."
There was a pregnant pause following his words. Snape seemed to be processing them, taking each individual word into his mind to remember. As the silence stretched on, Draco realized what he had done. He had given away the truth that he did care substantially for Hermione, and in the eyes of the enemy that truth was worth gold. Standing there in silence as Snape evaluated his next plan, he recognized his fault. It didn't matter now who Snape planned to attack, because he knew what his leverage was now; one of them seemed to do whatever they had to in order to protect the other. If he wanted revenge, if he wanted to settle a score, he had what he needed to know.
Eventually, that crooked smile broke across his face again. "I see. Then perhaps we have nothing left to discuss Mr. Malfoy. You may be on your way; your next class is missing you."
"What are you talking about? We have everything to discuss right now! I'm not leaving here until something is settled; you just told me too much for me to turn around and leave right now."
And to this, the man only laughed. "Yes, perhaps I have. And what exactly will you do with this knowledge if things end here? We can duel, but it will settle nothing, don't you agree? It's not what I want, and until I am satisfied nothing will be concluded. You could kill me, but that would only leave you in a bad situation, one your Lovely might not be able to accept."
The fact that Snape could even say the word 'lovely' was a bit appalling, but Draco didn't let that fact distract him. "What is your point? Why can't a duel end things? Obviously you have some sort of suppressed grudge towards me, and until it can be satisfied you will not be happy. Stop prolonging things and just fucking do something!"
"And then," Severus said, raising one finger off his wand to point at the angered student. "I would lose my edge. You can do nothing outside of this classroom, except speak with Miss Granger. You can tell no one of this confrontation, because the truth is unbelievable, and more importantly must be kept a secret. If you went to anyone spilling lies, I would shoot them down and a conclusion would never be reached without the use of Veritaserum, and the results of that would be catastrophic. We already know what shall happen if we fight here, and killing me will only repeat the process again. That's what happens isn't it; when something happens that builds can undying grudge? It is the only thing that seems to have caused me pain."
But you haven't always remembered. Draco documented that thought, thinking it just might come in handy later. Everything Snape had pointed out so far was true; he could not deny that. It left a very unsettled feeling in his stomach, like he was about to lose something important.
"So really, there remains only one option," Snape continued, smirking, "You just have to wait and see what happens when I strike. You once caused me to lose someone, and now I will only return the favor."
His eyes widened a fraction, focusing on the only person he could mean. His mind raced back to the brunette who sat two floors above, completely oblivious to what was happening down in the dungeons. His heartbeat picked up at the thought of something happening to her.
Over my dead body.
Part 3: Potion, 1489 (Life One)
Isaac Talin Grady
Isaac Talin Grady never lived to embody the life his deceased sister did. He had no hidden romances, no forbidden love, and he certainly did not die at nineteen like Penelope did. No, Isaac was quite a different person.
But he had a heart, and while his father stood blind and oblivious to the mishaps she went about on a daily basis, her only brother stood silently. Perhaps he never intervened because he had known Lowell Malfoy since the boy's birth, or maybe it was because he saw the way her eyes twinkled when they spoke. Even after their mother's death, Lowell always seemed to make her feel better. It was strange to observe, considering how the families were meant to dislike each other.
He didn't visit the graves until December, barely a month after the burial. His father never came, and what the Malfoy's did was none of his business. The family tombs had been oddly abandoned for this occasion, something that had the whole town talking. Isaac did not know what exactly had happened, but he had heard many rumors surrounding Penelope's former fiancé, Henry. Why ever his sister's fiancé would push for the two to be laid to rest together was beyond him, but he did not question it. Perhaps he simply felt guilt. But what was there to be guilty about?
The convenience of having both young adults laid to rest beside one another was perfect. In his silence, Isaac knew that Penelope's heart must have belonged to another, and the night's she spent away from Henry, Isaac knew were spent with Lowell. He was an awful brother to not have kept the young man away from his sister, but what happened behind closed doors was something he could not force himself to think about. The connection they had was strong and he could almost feel it when they were together. Staring down at the patches of earth now, he felt his heart sink a bit. As a brother, he hadn't done enough to protect her from the dangers of the world. Removing the bag he had brought along, he knelt on the snow covered earth.
"The house seems so empty without mine sister's presence," he breathed, looking at Penelope's grave. The moonlight was oddly perfect tonight, and he was thankful for it. Whatever the bond was that Penelope and Lowell had, it was one he speculated should not be lost.
He reached for the lone bag he had brought along, flipping it open to find the contents. Hours poring over old spell books and incorrectly formulating potions had led him to this perfect concoction. Everything had been tried twice, and now he could assume that it was near perfection. This was the best he had come up with, and he knew what he needed to do. As he had said, this type of bond could not be lost over tragedy.
He did not believe that Lowell Belmont Malfoy was his sister's killer. They were too close for that, and whatever tragedy had ripped her from this earth carried him along in the backsplash. They both died at roughly the same time in two very different ways, and although he would never know just how that happened he could hope for them in the future. He was an accomplished wizard, and it was about time he finally put his talents to better use than laziness.
The bottle he removed had been difficult to carry, and he was thankful to see that none of the contents had leaked out due to a break. Standing up again he pulled the bag back onto his shoulder, the spell memorized by this point. He turned to the first grave- Lowell's- and poured half the bottle onto the earth before he spoke.
"Let thou find thy mate in the future; let the heavens and the stars carry thee to thy happiness, no matter the ages. Let thou remember this life and all those proceeding this era, until thy time comes when thee can be released from this spell, when thou partner accepts thou."
He stepped back, knowing he was dumping more on the former Malfoy heir. There was reason of course that he was giving the harder task- of remembering- to someone that was not his sister. He believed they would eventually find each other again, but he would not be able to make Penelope suffer. Lowell would have to take the hard task up, but the end results would hopefully pay off when they somehow again met up.
He turned to his sister's grave, sadness again hurtling through his chest. How he missed her, though they spoke so little. He missed the conversations, but mostly he missed her presence. Pouring the rest of the bottle onto the earth over her body, he placed the bottle back into his bag.
"Let thou find happiness, till thou mate finds thee again. Let thou know happiness, but never know it fully. When thou partner finds thee, convinces thee that thy ist meant for him, let thou find unlimited happiness and the cycle break. Let thou remember nothing, until thou mate canst convince thee to go with him."
He stepped away, sighing. He wouldn't live to see if this worked out, or worked at all. Turning away, he tucked his hands back into the pockets of his cloak. It was not a guaranteed success, but it was an attempt. He still wondered sometimes about Penelope and Lowell, about what really happened between them, but he would never find his answers. All he could really do was try and help them find one another in the future.
Maybe someday his sister would be out rightly happy again, like she was before Henry Krum came around.