Severus rounded the corners with his eyes but not with his brain, already knowing the school like the back of his hand, as muggles said. He held his heavy bag after exercising to get his body fit, as fit as it was when he was in his thirties.

He did require a shower. He did not want to smell like sweat, and in this lifetime, he would take advantage of the showers and the soaps at Hogwarts. He didn't care much for his hair — what did he need it for? But the physical build? Severus didn't need muscles, no, he required a good build in order to run greater distances with little to no effort. Though tall, he had a lean and slim body meaning he was agile and could easily slip in almost any place.

He had not decided all of his goals and plans for his second lifetime. He would find those objects that held Voldemort's immortality, whatever they may be or were called. Dumbledore called him 'Tom' and from Dumbledore, he knew Voldemort's true surname was Riddle. He had gotten to Hogwarts, and therefore, that would be the source of all required information. But today was simply not the day for it, as Severus had yet to get familiar with his forgotten past. Next week, he thought, next week, he would begin.

He missed Lily, but he didn't deserve her as much as he wished he did, and she would never welcome him back anyhow. He would secretely keep her safe, and she would live her life happily, but in order to do that, Severus would need to end this war much sooner. Before Harry's birth, and before Lily could be with Potter. Then he could have a chance with her...even if they were only friends, he wouldn't leave her side.

But now? Now Severus was certain he couldn't meddle with her. It would endanger her, sooner later, which destroyed his goals in a sequence. If Lily were dead, then he'd have failed all over again, and luck wasn't even on his path as a companion. Nor was knowledge about these objects, by much. The Marauders were being less bothersome, but they still constantly glared at him, but since Severus had stopped responding and now knew the school better than them despite their little secret map, he could steer away from them.

Severus could also finish most homework in, at the very most, an hour. Potions wasn't challenging — even the extra advanced questions were too easy. Defense against the Dark Arts was the same, as well as all subjects, excluding two. Severus did not remember Herbelology very well — well, for that matter, he did remember some courses, but only the ones he briefly talked about in his classes or that held the ingredients to potions he brewed. Albeit this, his grade in the subject barely dropped.

The second subject proved difficult. It was his least favorite despite his like for the professor, and he hadn't used it in decades. Transfiguration was the only class taht required his attention — luckily, it was one of the only two. He had borrowed one book that held more information about the sixth year program. Severus did not want a bad grade in Minerva's class, albeit the last words she'd said to him in another lifetime.

But there was one suspicious thing. Lily had been given advanced tasks in Charms instead of the ones he gave the rest of the class, similar to him. Yes, Lily was gifted at the subject, and a natural, but she never got tasks that advanced, passing even the Charm requirements of the Seventh year. The same thing had happened to him, but less advanced, because he thought it'd be suspicious, so he held back though he was capable of more.

Even in Potions, they were handed the same exact tasks, as was the case in Defense, a class Lily never beat him in. She also had looked at him suspiciously a few times as well. On the second day of his return, he overheard Mary, Lily's new bestfriend, say a few words on nightmares, death, and deatheaters. She mentioned Lily dying because of deatheaters.

Perhaps she had a nightmare of her future — no, her past future. A past in another dimension, and a possible future in this one. But she was killed by Voldemort. Perhaps she'd said that because no one normal here had ever seen Voldemort?

Suddenly, as he neared a corridor, he heard a voice. It sounded like...Potter's? Severus moved closer, close enough that he could see two figures. What was Lily doing with him?

"I think I'd enjoy it too." Potter said, his voice quieter to Severus.

What would he enjoy too? Severus hoped it was nothing too bad.

If it is, deal with it, follow your damned goals like a Slytherin.

He heard Lily's reply, suspecting he only heard part of it, because what could she be sorry to Potter for? What he heard was too vague, but he couldn't get any closer or he'd get caught. Severus did not want a confrontation from one of his enemies and his only true friend in both timelines...

"It's alright." Potter said, "Bye."

Lily walked away silently to the right through another corridor, but then Severus heard her. "Goodbye James!"

Severus almost winced. She had said it excitedly, most likely smiling to a person she once called a toehag. Severus blinked back tears. Fuck his sixteen year old self, he thought as he turned and left.

Lily had also called him by his first name. She was falling for that git, wasn't she? Their relationship — if it was anything like the last — would start at the end of this year. Severus sighed. At the very least, she would be content. And this time, not for four more years...much longer.

But he could not help hating that one fact.

It wasn't the first time...Lily fell in love with James Potter.

Once more.

—

Author's Note: Bonus chapter! Severus's point of view to this whole mess. But no worries — the turns will table very soon. I'll update on Tuesday. The conversation of secret revealing will be in the next five to seven chapters.