Chapter nineteen

Minerva McGonagall stepped into her office with Severus and Filius, the two men sat on chairs facing the desk while Minerva sat behind her desk.

'After inspecting all areas of the castle, what is your opinion on how long it will take to repair or rebuild Hogwarts?' Minerva asked.

'Going on what I've seen, I believe a year, no longer,' Filius said.

'I agree Minerva, with the amount of damage, some by dark magic that will require rebuilding.'

'I agree, now about taking students before the repairs are done, can we guarantee their safety?'

'If areas are warded, yes, we should be able to keep them safe,' Filius said.

'There will be enough rooms to use once we start repairs,' Severus said.

'Again I agree, one thing that the students returning won't like, quidditch. We can't spend time rebuilding the stadium and dressing rooms when the castle is in desperate need of repair.'

'In regards to that Minerva, I have been approached by some students who play quidditch, they wish to help rebuild the stadium. So if you allow it, then it will not take our time away from the castle,' Filius said.

'I will agree with that as long as they don't ask the staff to help,' Minerva jumped as a bright light hit her desk.

'What is that?' Severus asked as he stood and stared down at the light which was glowing brighter.

'I do not know Severus,' Minerva waited until the light disappeared, 'Oh my,' Minerva picked up the pictures, 'There pictures of Harry with his parents, but Harry as his adult self is holding baby Harry,' she looked at the next, 'And you Severus, when you were young, Albus as well,' Minerva handed the pictures to Severus, 'That was before your nose was broken.'

'Yes it was, but look at Potter and I, we have our arms around each other. Why would we even touch each other like that?'

'Turn it over Severus, there is writing on the back.' Minerva nodded.

Severus turned the picture over, "Severus and I, we are now a couple. I am nearly eighteen, Severus is twenty one. He's doing his potion's apprenticeship under Slughorn, I've been asked to do an apprenticeship for charms under Filius. Sev and I both love the fact we'll be working together, but Sev also asked me to live with him."

'How is this possible,' Filius said glancing at the picture.

Severus turned over the other two, "Hermione, Ron, as you can see, I'm with my family, exactly like I knew I would be when I died. Even though I can't be their son, I am seeing what type of people my parents were. It was amusing seeing my father and Sirius the first time, they actually introduced themselves to me in Quality Quidditch Supplies. It was like we just knew the other was okay. The surprise with all this is Severus, imagine us as a couple. But you can't believe what type of man he is, well, I have to tell you what he's like, wonderful, kind, sexy as hell and I can't get enough of him. Sev is my everything. The first day here, after I finished my meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall, Sev came back to my place. He explained a few things that you don't need to know, but from that first night we decided to date, which tells you I'm gay. Oh by the way, this world doesn't have categories for sexual preference. The Dumbledore here had a relationship with a man and a woman. Anyway, I'm happy, really happy, especially the life I have with Sev. Oh if only you knew what he hid under those robes, you would be amazed at how beautiful he is."

'I never thought I would hear you called sexy or beautiful Severus,' Minerva smiled before turning to face the portrait behind her desk, 'Albus, what is going on?'

'A seer told Harry what he's life was going to be like after the death of Voldemort, he was given a choice which he decided to take. He had no memory of it until he met up with my other self in the alternate world. By the look of those pictures, Harry seems happy.'

'So he never died?'

'In a way he did, his body here did die, but a duplicate Harry ended up in another world. I had a small part in this Minerva, but it came down to Harry's decision once he heard how hard his life would have been if he stayed. Furora Seelestra is the seer, she explained to Harry that he would be constantly hounded, attacked every time he was out in public and he would never get any peace until he ended up a hermit, refusing to leave his parent's home, but he even kept thinking his friends were death eaters using polyjuice potion, he stopped trusting everyone. When I was told about this I realised if that ended up being Harry's life, he would have ended his life, eventually. So between the seer from this world and the parallel world, we worked on a few charms that would allow Harry to leave this world so he could have a normal life, a life where Voldemort died during his birth, so he is as of right now living the life he should have had, just not as a child with his parents.'

'This is incredible, but it seems Harry wanted to let his friends know he was okay. I can't believe this Albus, I can't believe what magic was used to achieve this.'

'A lot of old and very rare magic, it took the combination of me, the other me, the seer from here and the seer from there, it was also combined with Harry's blood and his magical soul. This was done quite some time ago and I did try to contact the seer again but was never able to. It seems she was able to do this and I believe I know why, apart from giving Harry the choice. Harry and what he did for our world, he was willing to die to save everyone, so this was his reward, live a normal life. Right now he would be content, he would probably be with Severus and I. Harry was rambling during a nightmare one night in the hospital wing, he kept saying Brian Dumbledore. From what I could work out is that since Harry could not be Harry Potter, he became my grandson, Brian Dumbledore. I believe Harry got to see you as you used to be Severus, he was attracted to that part of you. Lily always cared about you even after your big fight, she knew what you were like, underneath.'

'That was my past Albus, and even if I was still that boy, no, there is not a chance in hell that I would end up with Harry Potter as my lover.'

'These pictures say differently, at least in that world. I better send Hermione and Ron an owl, find out if they can be at the Burrow. They will need to see these pictures.'

'I would rather no one saw them Minerva.'

'Severus, Harry pulled off some powerful magic to get these here so he's friends knew he was okay. I'm sorry about this, but these pictures are going to Hermione and Ron,' Minerva watched as Severus whirled around and left the office.

'This news might spread, so Severus might have people looking at him differently. Filius, can you take over, I need to work this out.'

'Of course Minerva, but this is extraordinary magic,' Filius left the office, Minerva sat at her desk and wrote a letter for Hermione and Ron, called down her owl and watched as it flew away, but her thoughts were on how Hermione and Ron would take this news, the news that Harry was really alive, just in an alternate universe.