Summary: Severus makes preparations to move to the future and puts his plan into action.

A/N: Was busy yesterday, so here's your weekly fix. Thanks for the great comments! This is a bit of a unique Time Travel fic, and I appreciate your recognition of that.

Chapter 2

It was a Saturday and almost everyone in the school was out on the lawn enjoying the nice weather. Severus sat under his favorite tree with a notebook. He was writing several Latin words and phrases, trying to decide what to add to the Time spell so he would move to the future. After a while of writing down different words, he circled several and wrote the spell out under his list.

Tempus Motus futurum felix sit amet

Move time to the future, be happy, and make a difference

There it was. The spell to move him to the future. He stared at it for a good minute before heaving a huge sigh. His future was now set before him. He would do it later that day. Right now, he had someone he wanted to talk with.

Standing, he shrunk and pocketed his notebook. He headed over to where the Marauders were lazing. Lily was with them, of course, in the arms of Potter. He took a fortifying breath and hoped he wouldn't have to draw his wand.

"Oy, Snivellus, keep on walking," Sirius ground out as Severus came up to them and stood.

Severus ignored him. "Lily, may I speak with you privately?" he asked.

Potter grabbed her hand. "You don't have to do anything," he said.

Severus frowned. "And she can do whatever she pleases as well," he growled.

Lily looked at Potter. "It's okay," she told him as she squeezed his hand back. "I'll be back in a few."

"Why would you sully yourself by associating with him?" Black retorted.

"That's enough, Sirius," Lily said as she glared at him once she'd stood up.

Severus was glaring as well, hoping he could just wish the git out of existence. He almost startled when he felt Lily's hand on his arm.

"Severus?"

His head snapped to her. "Let's go for a walk," he told her.

The two turned away from the Marauders and began to walk. Severus didn't say a word for several minutes. Lily cleared her throat.

"Severus, you said you wanted to talk to me. You're not doing much talking."

He glanced back behind him. "I just wanted to be out of earshot of your friends."

She scowled at his statement. "Well, your friends are horrid, so you can keep your attitude to yourself."

Severus huffed. "I meant no offense… mostly."

He stopped and faced her. "Lily, I wanted to apologize once again for calling you that word in our fifth year. You wanted me to leave you alone, and I have, but we're in our last year, and I wanted to let you know that I deeply regret what I said."

Lily softened a bit. She nodded and looked away. Severus let her compose her thoughts.

"That's fine, Severus. The thing is, you are thicker with your friends now than you were in fifth-year. I really want nothing to do with you."

Severus frowned. "I made a decision yesterday to change my future. I am going to move in a different direction. I wanted you to know that you were always the best part of Hogwarts for me."

She gave a startled chuckle. "It's been years, Severus, certainly there's someone else…"

"No. My friends in Slytherin are all out for themselves. I've always known it. I've decided to change my direction in life. Hopefully, it will be a good choice. I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? You're leaving Hogwarts?"

"You could say that, yes."

"But what about your studies?"

"I will study while I'm abroad. I can't go into it, but it will be the best thing for me."

"What about your parents?"

He shrugged. "What about them? I don't even know if they'll notice that I'm gone. At least Tobias won't."

Lily nodded at him. "And your mum is too wrapped up in her own problems to notice either?"

"That's correct."

Lily smiled, finally. It had a tinge of sadness to it. "I'm sorry about that, but I'm glad you've decided to do this, Severus. It makes me feel better that I know you won't be involved in the evil your friends are heading for. Despite our not talking all this time, I do worry about you."

Severus arched a brow. "You could have fooled me."

She shrugged. "We aren't friends anymore. I didn't feel the need to tell you about it. I wish things had been different." She was silent for a bit before continuing. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Me too," he said shyly while looking down at the ground.

She reached out and squeezed his arm, which caused him to look back up at her. They awkwardly stared at one another, neither knowing what to say.

"I should go back," Lily said while motioning toward the Marauders.

Severus nodded. "Lily?"

She looked at him questioningly.

"Keep this between the two of us, okay? When I go, it will be sudden, and I don't want anyone to try and follow or find me."

"You're sure?"

He nodded.

"Okay. I'll do that for you," she said. "Be careful, wherever you wind up."

He watched Lily turn and walk away. He sighed as she increased the distance from him. He may never see her again, and he regretted that. She had been the best friend he'd ever had. He wasn't quite sure what that truly meant, as she still didn't seem to miss him in the slightest, and their breakup never seemed to bother her. Still, he wondered if he had never uttered that foul word would his life be different, and would he not be considering traveling to the future?

Sighing, he began to walk back along the path. Truthfully, it didn't matter. What happened had happened, and it set him on the course he was now on. He straightened and cut across the lawn, waking back to the school where he would figure out what he would take to the future with him.

Moving into the castle and down to his room, he looked at his bed. His trunk was at the foot of it. He knelt down and opened the trunk. It was filled with books. There were a couple of pictures of Lily and him, a quill his mum had given him before school had started, and some clothes. He wasn't sure what the fashions would be in the future, but black trousers and T-shirts would probably be en vogue.

He removed a couple of the books, as they were fiction and not needed. He did keep his copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as they were his favorite Muggle literature. His mum had read them to him as a youth every night before bed, and they held a special place in his heart.

Removing a couple more things, he felt he had everything he needed. He stood and closed the trunk, locking it with a spell. He then cast Reducio, shrinking the trunk so he could hide it from anyone looking at him. Placing it in his pocket, he vanished the items he'd removed from his belongings. Making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he saw nothing of consequence left in the area of his room. He was ready.

At that moment, Avery and Mulciber wandered in.

"Oy, Snape," Avery called out. "Where'd your trunk go?"

Severus' eyebrows knit together before he turned to his roommates.

"I shrunk it and stuck it under my bed. Was sick of seeing it there at the foot of it all the time."

"Did you catch Malfoy earlier?"

Severus arched his brow. "I didn't know he was visiting."

"Yeah, he wants us to come to a Death Eater meeting to see what it's all about. Sometime next month, he said. Of course, once we graduate, we will become full members."

Severus gave a clipped nod.

"Is nodding all you can do?"

"What would you have me do, Mulciber?"

"Get excited!" Mulciber exclaimed as he rushed up to Severus. "We're going to meet the elite!"

Severus gave a fake smile. "It does sound thrilling," he conceded.

"Yeah, that's more like it."

If you'll excuse me. I was going to head to the library. I'll see you both at dinner. Keep me updated on when the meeting is."

"Right," Avery said.

Severus left his room and ascended the staircase. He went up to the second floor instead of the library. Moving to the back corner of the hallway, he entered an empty classroom. Removing Spell Theory from his pocket, he reviewed the information for the spell one last time.

Reading through the wand movements once again, he practiced them: a swish then an infinity pattern, and finally a twirl. It was somewhat odd thinking that he would be pointing his wand at himself and making these movements when he cast the spell, but it was hardly the only spell where the caster was setting the spell upon themselves.

Finally, he felt ready. Shrinking and pocketing the book, he pointed his wand at himself. He visualized his reason for traveling through time and moving to the future. He began the movements, chanting, "Tempus Motus futurum felix sit amet."

Suddenly, he felt as if he was shrinking into himself. The room began to spin around him, and he was hurtled into space. Surrounded by stars, he still could breathe, but barely. In a millisecond he was pulled back to the classroom he'd just disappeared from. Everything snapped back into clarity, and Severus bent over, physically out of breath and somewhat nauseated, despite not really moving anywhere.

He held his stomach tightly, still hunched from the pain. After a couple of gulps of air, he felt better. Slowly straightening up, he looked around the room. It looked the same. Had the spell even worked? Pocketing his wand up his sleeve, he strode to the door and opened it up. Moving out of the empty hallway and farther into the area where there were students, he found that nobody looked familiar. That was a good sign.

He went down to the Great Hall. There were usually students studying there at any time of day. There were several spread out along the House tables. He recognized no one and saw that their robes were slightly different. The House emblems were larger and had sharper colors.

Pretty certain he'd traveled to the future, he turned and climbed the staircase until he came to the third floor. He soon stood at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. His eyebrows furrowed.

"I do not know the password, but I need to speak with the Headmaster."

The Gargoyle didn't move.

"Sherbet Lemon, Acid pops, Sugar quills… Dragon's blood?" Severus called out.

Nothing.

He frowned. "I really do need to get in there," he admonished.

Silence.

"The password in October of 1977 was caramel cobweb."

The Gargoyle finally moved aside.

"Thanks," Severus ground out as he moved onto the stairs.

They ascended to the Headmaster's door. He knocked loudly and heard a somewhat familiar voice yell, "Enter."

Severus opened the door to find an older Albus Dumbledore sitting at his desk in the same location it had been in Severus' time. Looking around, he noted that not much had changed in the Headmaster's office either. Perhaps he hadn't moved very far into the future, except the Headmaster did seem to be a bit older.

"Headmaster," Severus greeted.

The wizard looked up from the paper he was writing on and his eyes grew wide. He stood and pointed his wand at Severus.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"I'm Severus Snape, sir."

Dumbledore came around the desk, his wand never wavering from pointing at Severus. He closed the space between them.

"Severus Snape disappeared twenty years ago."

"So, it's 1997?" Severus asked.

"Yes, of course it is! Now explain yourself. Are you related to the Severus Snape that disappeared?"

Severus straightened. "I am the Severus Snape that disappeared. I used a spell and traveled to the future."

Dumbledore staggered back, catching himself on a chair nearby.

"How can this be? You must prove that you are that student," Dumbledore demanded as he trained his wand back on Severus again. "Tell me, in Severus Snape's fifth year, what happened when Sirius Black told him to investigate the Shrieking Shack?"

Severus scowled. "I followed Lupin and was almost killed by him as he's a werewolf. Potter saved me, and then you told me I couldn't tell anyone about it so you could keep your precious Gryffindors from getting in trouble."

Dumbledore lowered his wand. "So it is you."

Severus folded his arms in front of him. "Yes. I decided I didn't like the looks of my destiny back then, so I traveled into the future."

"You said you used a spell, but where on earth did you find it?"

Severus removed the book from his pocket, enlarged it, and gave it to Dumbledore. "I found this in the Restricted Section and decided to use it."

Dumbledore took the book and opened it to the marked page. He reviewed the information quickly and looked up at Severus.

"You should sit down," He directed. "I think there's more to your traveling than you're aware of."

Severus arched a brow but took the seat in front of Dumbledore's desk. Albus sat across from him.

"Headmaster, I'm not sure why I only traveled twenty years into the future."

Albus looked down at the book, which he'd placed on the desk in front of him.

"I suppose it has to do with what you wanted when you traveled."

Severus looked down to his lap. He muttered his answer. "I wanted a peaceful, happy life, and to make a difference."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose at his confession.

"What I am about to tell you will probably answer your question," Dumbledore offered.

He leaned back against his chair and folded his arms.

"No, I need to start at the beginning. When you disappeared, Lucius Malfoy was hell-bent on finding you. He searched high and low. Evidently, Voldemort wanted your potions talent as a part of his Death Eaters."

Severus nodded. "I know. Lucius had advised me that I could do well with the group."

"Mr. Snape, do you know what that group is all about?"

Severus shrugged. "Voldemort wanted to change the world. He wanted to make Wizards more powerful. He wanted to change the Ministry so that we would be more visible in the Muggle world."

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "That's what he wanted all of you to think. It's mostly true, except that he also wanted to purify the Wizarding world. He planned to get rid of all Muggleborns and make our society into what he felt was pure."

"All Muggleborns?"

"Yes, all. He's working on doing that now."

"Wait, it's taken him twenty years to get to that point?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Something happened that caused him to disappear for a while. There was a prophecy uttered. It was about a baby born in the seventh month. He deduced that the baby was Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter."

All the blood drained from Severus' face as he stared at Dumbledore.

"Please… you kept her safe, right?"

Dumbledore glared at him. "I tried to keep all of them safe. Unfortunately, they put their trust in the wrong person, and Voldemort was able to get to them. He killed James right off. Lily was up in the nursery trying to protect Harry. He came up and killed her as she stood in front of Harry's crib. She died, but through her protective magic, the Killing Curse that Voldemort cast on Harry rebounded and hit Voldemort. Everyone thought he was dead, but he wasn't."

"Lily is gone?"

"She was killed only a few years after you left for the future."

Severus hung his head low. "I expected her to be gone because I thought I'd be traveling far into the future, but this…"

His hands came up, and he buried his head within them. Groaning within himself, he fought back tears.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Snape," he heard.

He struggled within himself. The last person he wanted to fall apart in front of was bloody Albus Dumbledore. Warring with himself to not shed a tear or fall apart, he slowly gathered his wits about him. After a few minutes, his head rose, and he nodded at Dumbledore to continue.

"You said the Dark Lord wasn't really gone?" he asked.

"No, you see, he created several Horcruxes. Have you ever heard of them?"

Severus shook his head, so Albus explained exactly what a Horcrux did.

"Unbeknownst to Voldemort, Lily's protective magic saved her son, and he accidentally made him into a Horcrux."

"Potter's son is a Horcrux?"

"Yes."

"How does that work?" Severus asked as he mulled over the issue.

"Harry will need to be killed by Voldemort to remove the Horcrux."

Severus' eyes grew wide. "That seems a rather permanent solution."

"I believe that he will not stay dead, if that makes any sense."

"It makes no sense whatsoever."

"I know it sounds odd, but I believe the Horcrux will be killed and Harry will survive."

"And what does Harry think of this?"

Dumbledore sighed. "He trusts my judgment."

"So, when does Voldemort come back?" Severus asked.

"He came back three years ago. He's been brazenly pushing the Death Eaters to attack Muggles and Wizardkind alike. He grows bolder and bolder as time goes on."

"Headmaster, his initial desire was to take over the Ministry and install a new government. Has that happened?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, but he is moving towards that goal. We have acquired a spy in the group, and he reports that he is close to attacking the Ministry."

"Who is the spy?"

"It would be best if I did not divulge that for their protection."

Severus nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Snape, I think we should discuss the rest of this later tonight after dinner. There are a couple of students I'd like you to meet. If I'm right, you will play a large part in defeating Voldemort."

"What do you mean?"

Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet Severus.

"All in good time. Let's get you reacclimated to the school, and we will discuss the war effort later."

Albus regarded Severus as he thought of how to proceed.

"I think it would be best to keep your true identity a secret. Perhaps we can say you are Severus Snape's son which would explain the likeness. Your sudden appearance…" Dumbledore tapped his lips as he thought. "He just returned to London and transferred you here from being privately taught. You and your father are from Germany… Do you speak German, Mr. Snape?"

Severus gave a quick shake of his head. "I do not."

"I don't think you'll need to know it here. There are no German students, and no one I know of speaks German. However, just in case, would it be all right if I cast a spell on you that will give you the ability to speak the language if need be."

Severus nodded, and Dumbledore pointed his wand at Severus and said, "Tradducio." Lowering his wand, he continued. "There. It will manifest if someone asks you to say something or converse in German."

"Thank you."

"All right, moving on. Lucius Malfoy's son Draco is in your year and will be one of your classmates. Keep an eye on him. Neither he nor his father are to be trusted."

"I am familiar with Lucius."

"Yes, from your past. He is now Voldemort's right-hand man. Be careful if you do meet him now." Dumbledore paused, deep in thought. "I will introduce you to the other seventh-years you will be rooming with. All of them are unmarked followers of Voldemort. You'll need to be careful around them as well."

Severus opened his mouth to say something then closed it.

"Ask your question, Mr. Snape."

"I'm not sure if you were aware, but I was very close to joining the Death Eaters myself in my seventh year."

"I am well aware."

"Then why would you tell me to be careful around people who are like-minded with me?"

Albus regarded him with a slight smile.

"Mr. Snape… Severus… you chose to leave your time. I must assume there was a part of you that did not agree with becoming a Death Eater. If that is so, you must never let that part be visible to your Housemates. It could mean your downfall."

Severus groaned and looked to the ground. "I understand, but at this point, I do not know whose side I should be on…. I mean, the Dark Lord killed my best friend. It seems like he is the bad guy, but I am not sure."

I ask you to hold off deciding until after our meeting tonight."

Dumbledore waved his wand and conjured up several Daily Prophets. "In the meantime, would you familiarize yourself with the stories about him and the timeline in these newspapers?"

Severus waved his wand and shrunk the papers, placing them in his pocket. He nodded at Dumbledore.

"Do you have any money, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"Just a few Galleons on my person. I suppose I have money in my Gringotts account if I can access it."

Dumbledore rose. "Let's find out."

Taking Severus' arm, they Apparated to Diagon Alley. Dumbledore seemed to think getting access to his vault would be no issue, but Severus worried that the Goblins wouldn't let him access the vault, or that his real identity would be revealed to the world because of this visit.

They entered the bank and Dumbledore led the way to the head Goblin.

"Severus Snape to access his vault," he said quietly to the Goblin.

"Excuse me?" the Goblin said.

Dumbledore leaned in. "Could we address someone in charge? I have Severus Snape with me, here to claim his vault."

The Goblin scowled, which made him seem even nastier, and turned away from them. He whispered to the Goblin standing next to him who turned and disappeared. In a few minutes, the other Goblin came back and motioned for Dumbledore and Severus to follow him. They were ushered to an office and seated in front of a very old Goblin with a long white beard. The Goblin studied Severus closely.

"You claim to be Severus Snape?"

"I am Severus Snape."

"Your wand?" the Goblin said as he held his hand out.

Severus relinquished his wand and the Goblin looked it over, turning it this way and that. He looked back at Severus.

"The wand seems to be in order. How did you come by it?"

"As I said, I am Severus Snape. I traveled here from the past," Severus said truthfully.

"I would like to emphasize the need for secrecy about this," Dumbledore admonished the Goblin who became annoyed.

"Gringotts is the epitome of confidentiality. We care not for Wizarding issues, and to be honest, I don't care how you got here, as long as you are who you say you are. Your secret will not leave this room."

Dumbledore nodded as the Goblin stood up. He came around the desk and stood next to Severus.

"I must touch your forehead to confirm your identity," he advised.

Severus nodded and the Goblin took his finger and slid it across Severus' forehead. Blue smoke came from the area.

"You are who you say you are."

The Goblin turned to the other, who was hanging at the back of the room.

"Take them to his vault. I assume you have your key?"

The last statement was directed at Severus.

"I do."

They were ushered out of the office and into the cart. Soon they were speeding along the track. Severus' vault wasn't an important one, so it wasn't in the bowels of the bank, but as it was twenty years old, it was down a considerable way. They traveled to it quickly and soon the Goblin was hopping out and putting his key into the right keyhole. Severus hesitated before he removed his key and placed it into the keyhole on the left. The two turned the keys at the same time, and the door to his vault swung open.

Before Severus could enter, the Goblin spoke.

"Any interest you acquired has been automatically placed into your vault magically."

"Thank you," Severus said with a nod.

He moved to the doorway, wondering what would be there. He'd had a decent amount of Galleons in his vault before he left. He'd done some brewing during his summers and odd weekends ever since his fifth year and had put every Galleon into his vault save a few sickles here and there.

Looking into the vault, his eyes grew wide. There were several large piles of Galleons in the vault. He grinned internally. He wasn't rich per-se, but he was going to be comfortable, and he would be able to have savings when he graduated and the war was over. He sighed internally in relief at the realization of it.

He entered and took a pouch out of his pocket, filled it up, and put it back. He wandered over to the shelf along the back wall and picked up a ring box that was there, opening it. His mother had given it to him. It was the Prince family ring, and she had told him she hoped that someday he would put it on a girl's finger and be with her forever. He sighed as he closed the box and placed it back on the shelf.

Maybe that could happen someday now that he had a new lease on life.

They rode the car back to the main bank and left. Dumbledore Apparated them back to his office.

"That was lovely. Now let's find your housemates and introduce you. I believe seventh-years are in Transfiguration class right now. Let's head over there and catch them when the class ends."

A/N: Next up: We find out why Severus was brought to this particular time in the future.