Poppy awoke with a strange sense of foreboding. Just somehow she knew that today was not going to go well. After a few moments of trying to work out where this feeling came from, she gave it up and got out of bed, deciding that she would just have to deal with whatever it was when it happened. No wards had been tripped, no monitors were on alert, everything looked as it should be.

She dressed and had breakfast in her quarters before heading into the ward to check on her patients. The little first year Hufflepuff with burns was recovering nicely and the second year who'd handled undiluted bubotuber pus should be able to be released today. The nagging feeling did not subside as she finished her rounds and headed towards the private rooms. Whatever it was, it involved Severus Snape, and in her experience that was never a good thing.

She entered to find him sleeping peacefully. This was cause for alarm in itself; he always heard her approach whilst she was still twenty yards from the door and so he was always awake when she arrived, even if he often pretended not to be.

"Wakey wakey Severus!" she called. "The sun is out and it's a beautiful day!"

There was no response.

Poppy huffed. "Severus Snape if you don't wake up right this instant you will not like the consequences!"

When there was still no response Poppy yanked away his bed covers and conjured a bucket of water, which she tipped over his head. Snape didn't even twitch.

Frantically Poppy sought for a pulse on his wet neck and almost sagged in relief when she found one. After drying him off she started casting spell after spell, trying to work out what was going on, but no answers presented themselves. She reattached the monitors to his chest and placed the oxygen mask back on his face before leaving hurriedly. She had to talk to Albus.

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Albus awoke with a feeling that today something big was going to happen. Big somethings always made for interesting days and Albus lived for anything that broke up the monotony of everyday life. He'd barely got halfway through his breakfast though when he heard frantic calling coming from the direction of his floo. After listening to what the mediwitch had to say, he knew today was going to be anything but ordinary and he didn't like it one bit.

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Snape awoke somewhat disorientated. He wasn't in the Hospital Wing, that was for sure, but where he was he didn't know. It was dark outside but that could mean anything from that he'd slept a long time to that he'd moved to the other side of the world.

His thoughts narrowed in to his immediate surroundings and he was surprised to find himself in an open topped cage. Looking beyond the cage bars he saw a huge chair and a table. The table had some kind of mat on top of it, similar to what was on the floor of the cage. Wherever this was, he appeared to have been abducted by giants. Glancing down at himself didn't seem to help either. There was only a nauseating scarlet colour that burned into his eyeballs. He thought he might have seen something flash on his legs but it was gone move before he could inspect further. All of a sudden, and with no warning whatsoever, he began to cry.

Steps were heard and the door opened seconds later. A giantess with flaming red hair and piercing emerald green eyes came bustling in and picked him up from in his cage.

"Who's mummy's big boy then? What's the matter? Oh... I think someone needs changing."

He was carried over to the huge table he'd seen earlier and gently placed down. Then to Snape's acute embarrassment, the giantess took off his trousers. Not even a word or request or anything, just straight down.

Once he'd got over the shock, he realised that he was, once more, wearing a nappy. Did the giants think he had no bladder control or something? Was he just a toy to be played with at their whim?

As the giantess bent over him, a strand of hair tickled his face. Snape recognised that scent instantly, it was something he never thought he'd smell again. It brought back memories of sitting under a tree explaining the magical world to his first friend, memories of her declaring she still wanted to be his friend even though he was a Slytherin and her a Gryffindor and, unfortunately, also of him calling her that name all those years later.

Was he dead then? What had Potter done to him? If the giantess was Lily Evans as his senses were insisting, where was he? When was he? And more to the point, what the hell was going on?

Snape came out of his thoughts just as the giantess was pulling the horrendous scarlet trousers. The door opened and a man walked in. There was no denying who that face belonged to.

"Dada!" he squealed.

Lily chuckled and passed him to James.

"Daddy's boy is in his quidditch pyjamas!" James cooed, spinning the boy round. "Wonder when we can sneak away from Mummy to fly again!"

"Don't you dare James Potter!" She stopped at the sight of her husband's death white face as he stared through the window.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off —"

Although he didn't know how, Snape knew he'd just heard the man's last words. All in a rush the who, when and where came to him. Somehow Potter had sent him back to Godric's Hollow on Halloween 1981. But he knew what was coming, so he should be able to stop it right? Or at least change it.

He tried and tried, pushing his mind and magic to overcome and take control of the fifteen-month old body he was inhabiting, but to no avail. His magic would not respond to his command and he could not project his mind into the boy's consciousness. He was solely a visitor, a spectator.

Lily plucked him from James's arms and hurried up the stairs. Placing him lovingly in his cot, Snape watched as Lily barricaded the door with everything she could find and then stood protectively in front of him. As he took in the scene, Snape realised that Lily had no wand. It looked like he was about to witness the death of his love all over again, this time more close at hand than he had ever wished.

He was actually surprised when the Dark Lord ordered Lily to stand aside several times. He knew he'd pleaded with him to spare her but not once in the intervening fifteen years did Snape ever believe the Dark Lord had actually tried to. He watched her fall, and then he felt the green curse connect with him. As the curse rebounded, the force knocked him out cold.

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"Albus you were able to talk to him last time, can you do the same thing again?" Poppy pleaded.

"I've already tried my dear" Albus replied sadly. "His mind is locked down tighter than anything I've ever seen. The closest thing I can liken it to is the victim of a Dementor's Kiss."

"You mean his soul's gone?" Poppy asked aghast.

"I wouldn't say gone. I'd say more like he's locked inside his own mind. He won't be able to interact with the outside world until he works through whatever it is that got him there."

"How long will that be?"

"I really couldn't say. It could be hours, it could be years. I think you'd best contact St Mungo's and let them know. We can't really keep him here longer than a few days, we don't have the resources."

"Oh Albus!" Poppy wailed.

"There there, now. I don't know anyone as strong willed as Severus is. He'll come back to us, I'm sure of it."

Poppy sniffed and wiped her eyes. She had a job to do. Albus was right, she couldn't care for him when she had a school full of magical adolescents to keep track of. He would receive the best of care at St Mungo's and when he came back she would give him a lecture he wouldn't forget.

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When Severus next woke up, it was to a shrill scream. Looking around he found himself wrapped in a blanket on a doorstep and the noise had come from above him. The horse-like face was instantly recognisable as Lily's jealous sister Petunia, the years since he'd last seen her had just added to her horse-ishness. He was taken into the house and a heated discussion was had between her and a fat purple faced man with no neck that Snape assumed had to be her husband. His head hurt and he wanted his mummy. Snape knew that she wouldn't be coming back, but that didn't stop the fifteen month old emotions intruding into his thoughts. He let out a soft whimper and he was picked up again but no comfort was offered. Instead he was held roughly until the fat man went upstairs and returned dragging a dingy old mattress which he threw into the cupboard under the stairs.

"This is your new home boy, be thankful we're taking you in at all" the fat man growled.

Petunia ducked into the cupboard and dropped the blanket wrapped bundle onto the mattress. She left without another word, shutting the door behind her.

As he lay there in the darkness, some of Potter's last words came back to him: "I lived half my life in the cupboard under the stairs" and "you'll be in a tough fifteen years." When added to the boy's own proclamation about learning the Mind Arts, it didn't take a genius to work out what had happened. Snape had rubbished the boy's skill, believed him incapable of even the lesser parts of Occlumency but really the boy had been laughing at him all along. He'd work out a way back of course, but he did have to admire Potter's tenacity to send him back into his own childhood.

His thoughts were interrupted by starting to cry. The cupboard door opened and a voice hissed at him.

"We're watching TV. You'll get changed after dinner."

Snape cringed as the door was shut again. It looked as if he really had misjudged Potter's childhood.

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Fifteen years passed. Every day Poppy woke up hoping this would be the day that Severus was returned to them. Every day she went to bed with her hopes unfulfilled. Both her and Albus visited him as often as they could but he couldn't see, hear, or feel the outside world at all and it broke their hearts. Every year, on the anniversary of her finding him, Poppy sent up a prayer to whoever was listening to help her boy get through. She would often cry with Albus during these times as they remembered the man who life had been so unkind to.

It was the morning of the day after the fifteenth anniversary and Poppy was restocking her supply cabinet when she was alerted of a floo call. Entering her office she found Albus's head in the fire, looking more animated than she had seen him in years.

"Poppy! Poppy! Come quick!" he said. "Severus is awake!"

Poppy barely waited until the Headmaster had removed his head before calling out her destination.

From the visitors entrance Poppy made her way swiftly to the Janus Thickey ward. Upon entering she saw her charge lying on his bed, weak and pale looking but definitely awake.

"Severus!" she cried, ignoring Albus's presence. "It's so good to see you!"

Poppy threw her arms around him and he reluctantly accepted the hug.

"It's good to see you too Poppy, Albus" he croaked with a slight smile.

After a minute or so of Poppy carding her hands through his hair in silence, Snape spoke again.

"I know what you're dying to do Poppy, I'm surprised you haven't yet. Go on."

The mediwitch smiled and cast her diagnostic over him.

"Nothing here that can't be fixed Severus. You can't expect to come out of a fifteen year long coma and bounce out of bed as if you just overslept. A few months of physiotherapy and a potions regimen and you'll be as right as rain!"

"Talking of that, where is Potter?"

"Now Severus, I don't think you're quite well enough to go flinging the old insults around. We had quite enough of that the last time."

Albus was cajoling with his reprimand, his eyes still twinkling with delight at having his friend awake.

"No Albus, I ask in concern. I understand more of Harry Potter's life now than I ever wished to. I've just relived it. Did you know he was hit on the head with a frying pan at five years old? Or that a car ran over his leg at eight? Not to mention the basilisk bite that nearly killed him at twelve."

"You watched his childhood?" Albus breathed.

"As an unwilling observer I assure you. He made sure I could sense everything happening to him but not influence events one little bit. I'm not sure the child even knew I was there. That boy has a far stronger grasp of the Mind Arts than I ever will."

"Why did you not leave?"

"I could not. Every time I tried I could not find an escape route and blasting my way out would have likely killed us both. I spent years trying to work out how to get out, but he'd looped it too well."

Snape let out a long series of harsh coughs as he finished.

"That'll do for now Severus" Poppy said. "Thankyou so much for telling us, and welcome back. Be rest assured, Harry's extensive medical history was revealed some years ago, when he entered the Auror Corps. He is well. As will you be once you get some rest. We will be back to see you tomorrow. Sleep well Severus."

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Much to his surprise Potter did not visit him in the middle of the night as had been his custom back at Hogwarts, but at a bright eight thirty am. Snape had of course been awake for several hours by this time, his mind still running on Dursley time.

"Good morning" Harry greeted him neutrally.

"Potter" Snape replied in the same tone. "I hope you are recovered from your injuries?"

"Ah yes" he gave a brief smile. "Thankyou. I gave the medical team a bit of a scare and I ended up spending a month in here, but I'm fine now."

Snape nodded but did not reply. The silence dragged on. Each of them seemed to be waiting for the other to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Harry dragged his hand through his hair and shuffled his feet, all of a sudden looking nervous.

"Look Snape, I'm sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have gone that far."

"No Potter, you shouldn't. But I have a lot more respect for your skills in the Mind Arts now. And I understand how hurtful some of my remarks were. Whilst not excusable, it is perhaps possible to see how you arrived at the course of action you did."

"My skills in the Mind Arts are world-renowned. People come from all over whenever I give lectures. How else do you think I achieved this so early?"

Harry gave a smug smile, showing off a gold signet ring with the logo of the Auror Office engraved.

"Got made Head five years ago."

"My my, you have done well" Snape mocked.

Harry sighed, running his hand again through his hair. The past fifteen years had involved a lot of growing up, including getting married and becoming a father to three kids, a lot of self-evaluation and the realisation that he really could have handled some things a lot better than he did. Snape being the primary one. Although he had no regrets that the wizard was not teaching anymore, it was a bit unfair to make him watch Harry's childhood with no means of escape. He thought he had forgiven Snape for what he had done, but now he was faced with the man he found it a lot harder to say the words than he ever thought.

"Snape, I... I..."

Harry stopped and dropped his hands abruptly to his side. There was silence for a few seconds before Harry took a deep breath and continued.

"You ruined what the Dursleys left of my childhood. Professors are not supposed to treat their students like you did to me. I have managed to accept that it happened, and that it has made part of who I am now, but I will never forget how you made me feel. However, I am truly sorry for the hell I forced you to watch. I should know, I lived it."

Snape started to speak but Harry held him up with a hand and a wry smile.

"To try and assuage my guilt and to try to make the world a better place, I opened a vault for you with half a million galleons in it. I have not checked it in the last seven years but the investment of the funds was left in the hands of the goblins. It certainly won't have lost money. There is also a rather large warehouse with a flat above it in Diagon Alley purchased in your name. I will give you the key on two conditions: one - you never teach at Hogwarts again, and two - you never contact me, unless I contact you first."

Harry looked flushed as he finished his speech, waiting to see how his old Potions teacher and nemesis would respond.

Snape looked thoughtful.

"What sort of freedom would I have?"

Harry let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"You were pardoned from any Death Eater related crime years ago, so provided you don't break the law now, you have the same freedom as every other citizen. Regarding the money, it is a gift. It is yours to do with entirely as you wish. The deeds are in your name. I believe you once said that you would much prefer researching potions than teaching dunderheads that don't care. Here is your opportunity. Just stay out of my life is all I ask. You go your way and I'll go mine. You were and still are an excellent Potions Master, even after all these years people still talk about you, but if you'll excuse my French, you were a shit teacher."

"You are giving me a free place to work, live, the money to finance it and you want nothing in return?"

"Your absence in my and my family's life is everything I could wish for. Everything else for you just settles my conscience that you won't be turned onto the street. I'll leave the key with Albus, he'll give it to you when you're ready. Have a good life Snape."

With that final statement Harry turned and walked out.

Severus lay in his bed, still thinking long after Harry had left. What a man Potter had grown up to be. Head Auror by the age of thirty one and with the courage not only to face the demons within himself but to face the man he obviously wanted nothing to do with and apologise for his actions as a teenager.

It was his dream to have his own Potions business, although Merlin only knew how Potter knew that, and all Potter wanted in return was to be left alone to live his life. After everything he had put the boy - man, he corrected himself - through, it was a more than fair request. As he watched the nurse bring around the breakfast trays, Severus realised that for the first time, he actually had something to look forward to in his life. Smiling to himself, he thanked the nurse for his breakfast and began to eat.


A/N there we are folks it's complete! I hope you enjoyed the extra story! I wanted to write one where neither Snape nor Harry backs down and this was what came out! Your thoughts on it would be lovely if you care to leave a review 😀