Strangely, life for Severus didn't change as much as he thought that it would. He'd already been taking extra lessons with Swift as well as his normal classes and that hadn't changed. He'd also gained standing within Slytherin and surprisingly Potter and his friends had even eased back on their torment. What surprised him was the amount of time that Harry spent away from the castle. The man seemed to juggle being a teacher as well as the Ministry with surprising skill. Harry had set a time an hour before curfew for their lessons a few times a week and had set up a reading list for Severus.
"Hi, Severus."
Severus started and looked up to see Lily Evans standing before his desk in the library. At nine in the morning on a Saturday, there weren't many students around.
"Um, hello." Severus stuttered. "What do you want?"
Lily took the empty seat across from Severus without invitation. Their relationship had been close once but that had soured last year. Severus hadn't spoken with the woman since.
"How are you doing?" Lily asked as she glanced over the books on the table. "I heard that you are apprenticed to Professor Swift."
"That is correct," Severus answered, mildly.
"How is it?" Lily questioned.
"Different," Severus answered. "And the same."
Lily laughed lightly at that and Severus felt something unwind in him that had been there since they'd had their falling out. He sat back in his seat and looked at the woman that Lily Evans was becoming.
"How have you been?" Severus asked, hesitantly.
xXx
Harry leaned back on the wall behind him as he stared through the gaps in the bookcases to see Lily Evans and Severus Snape seated at a table. He'd come across the scene and it had made him pause. He'd seen some interesting memories in Severus's mind about Lily Evans. His eyes darted over when he heard James Potter and Sirius Black enter the library. He tensed as James spotted Lily and Severus and the dark look that came over his face. Harry held himself back as James stalked towards the two with Sirius backing him up. He expected to see Peter following behind but the short teen was notably absent.
James glanced around and spotted him while Harry rested back on the wall. James grabbed Sirius's arm and tugged him the other way. Sirius hissed something then glanced over at him and Harry gave him a smile. Sirius tugged out James's grip and sauntered towards him.
"Hello, Professor." Sirius greeted.
"Mr Black," Harry intoned. "How are you today?"
"How did you learn to fly like that?" Sirius blurted out and Harry raised his eyebrow. "That's like on level with the professional players."
James slinked closer as he hovered behind Sirius but his eyes kept darting to Severus and Lily.
"Thank you, Mr Black." Harry said, mildly. "A friend of mine used to remark that my flying was like experiencing a hundred mini heart attacks in one flight."
Sirius chuckled at that as James came to stand next to his friend.
"Shame you can't fly for Gryffindor," James said.
"Mr Snape has already pointed out that Slytherin would be a better house for me," Harry said with a smirk. "I believe that it's a good thing that I won't be facing the sorting hat. I'm not sure that Hufflepuff would be able to handle me if I got sorted there."
James chuckled at that then glanced over at Lily and Severus.
"Any time that you want to go out flying just let us know," Sirius offered.
"Perhaps without the hangover would be a better idea," Harry remarked with a wink. "Your head is only supposed to start pounding when you hit the ground and not before."
Sirius laughed at that and James smiled.
"Which reminds me," Harry said as he pushed off from the wall. "Auror Fowley was asking me if I wanted to give him a few names of students that would like to spend a week with the Aurors after Easter. Would you two be interested in that?"
"Oh, yeah!" Sirius exclaimed then glanced at James. "What do you think, James?"
"Could be interesting," James agreed.
"I'll let Fowley know," Harry remarked then looked over at Severus and Lily. "Severus!"
Severus jumped as he looked over to them and his expression darkened when he noticed the Gryffindors.
"You have fifteen minutes," Harry called over. "Then we have to be at the Ministry."
"Yes, sir." Severus called back and started to pack up.
"Paperwork," Harry muttered. "Easier to chase down then dark wizards."
"Is that what you did before coming here?" James asked in interest.
"Bit of everything really," Harry answered as he glanced at his watch. "Excuse me."
Harry gave the Gryffindors a nod before walking over to Severus and Lily.
"Good afternoon, Ms Evans." Harry greeted.
"Afternoon, Professor." Lily offered with a smile.
"Do these need to be put back?" Harry asked Severus as he placed his hand on the pile of books.
"Yes, sir." Severus answered.
"I'll put these back then," Harry offered as he picked up a few of the books and headed into the stacks.
He placed the books he had back where they belonged before walking around one bookshelf to see that Sirius had disappeared and that James had joined Severus and Lily. Harry slowed his steps but it looked like Severus and James were keeping it civil. They all went quiet as Harry picked up the rest of the books and headed back to replace them while Severus finished packing up. He had to admit that when he arrived. The feel of the people that he'd known about, his parents, their friends and the Slytherins had been what he'd been expecting. Those images in his head had changed as the people around him had. They stopped being what he imagined and morphed into real people.
He stepped out from one stack and took in the two Gryffindors and Severus at the table.
"How did you manage that?"
Harry looked to his side to see Minerva standing there with her eyes locked on the table and the three students.
"What makes you think that I had something to do with it?" Harry questioned.
"Hmm," Minerva hummed. "You try to come off as an ass-"
"Which I am very good at," Harry cut in.
"But you're a good man," Minerva stated.
"That's jumping to conclusions."
Minerva gave him such a look that Harry barked a laugh. Minerva just shook her head at him. He knew that he had a dark humour that many people didn't understand. He glanced at his watch and cursed and Minerva's lips thinned at his language.
"Apologises, Minerva." Harry offered, "but we are running late for a meeting."
Harry hurried off and found Severus waiting alone at his table. Harry waved his hand and the boy fell into step with him without a word.
"Now," Harry cautioned. "I want you to say quiet at this meeting. If you have any questions then save them until the end."
"What is the meeting about?"
"The Death Eater threat," Harry answered as they walked out of the castle. "The last month, the Dark Lord has been ordering one to three raids or attacks a week. The Aurors and the Ministry is on high alert and added security will be needed. Albus isn't impressed but there may be Aurors stationed here at the school as well. Probably sooner than later."
"I could put a few questions out there," Severus offered, hesitantly.
"I am aware of your connections, Severus." Harry remarked as they passed the gates. "You're best to keep your head down at the moment."
Harry grabbed Severus's arm and apparated before the boy could reply. They appeared in the entrance to the Ministry and Harry headed to the check in desk quickly. He palmed off his wand and waited impatiently as Severus pushed his wand over as well. They gathered their wands back up. Harry led the way to the meeting room in the Auror department. Harry reached the closed door to the meeting and knocked loudly.
A tall dark-skinned man with a shaved head and deep purple robes answered the door and gave him a look over before stepping to the side. Harry gave Kingsley a nod before his eyes swept the room.
"You're late, Swift." Albert called out from the table.
"I'm aware of that," Harry retorted. "It could not be helped."
Harry walked straight past Kingsley while Severus slinked behind him while the dark man looked down his nose at them. Harry ignored the looks as he came to stand behind Albert at the long table. The room was filled with people as Harry swept his eyes around. Before the time device sent him here. Harry had known very few people from this time. Over the last year; he'd learned a lot quickly. Alliances were harder to pick since Harry only had the knowledge of the second war to rely on and that was over two hundred and twenty years ago for him.
"We have lost over ten Aurors in the last month to Death Eater attacks," Greengrass announced to the room. "These attacks are targeted towards muggles and they are fast. Their spell work is focused on pure destruction. The time between their arrival and when we arrive is too long. Since the incident in the Auror department our warning system has been delayed."
Albert looked over his shoulder at Harry and raised an eyebrow.
"I can help you fix that, Auror Greengrass." Harry offered. "Perhaps another spell can be worked in that will alert you to the use of the unforgivables as well."
"How would that work?" Dennis Avery questioned. "What kind of distance would both spells have? Would this information only be for the Aurors and Department of Mysteries or for the whole Ministry?"
"I just cast the spells, Minister Avery. " Harry replied. "What the Ministry does with it after that is up to the Minister of Magic. The distance could include the whole of the UK."
The noise in the room dimmed at his words.
"You can cast a spell that will cover the whole of the UK?" Avery gasped.
"Yes," Harry said simply. "If that's what is needed."
"You know how to make a statement," Albert grumbled, low enough just for Harry and Severus to hear.
"With approval from the Ministry of course," Harry added.
"We would welcome those spells," Greengrass cut in. "If we can increase our response time then we could save more lives."
"At the expense of more Aurors?" Avery called out. "Just how many Death Eaters have been captured or killed in the last month?"
"None," Greengrass reluctantly said. "We are restricted by the delay in warning and the kind of people that we are faced with. These are wizards and witches that have no respect for life or how dark their spells are." Greengrass picked up a piece of paper with rust-brown patches and held it up before him for the room to see. "These are the spells that we are up against. The unforgivables, torture spells and cutting spells that go so deep that they cut to the bone. They are using powerful exploding spells that leave only blood and gore behind. We are forced to use stunners."
"How do you know what spells they are using?" Malfoy questioned, from beside Avery.
"We have a spell that can record all spells used in a location," Greengrass answered as his eyes flicked to Harry.
"Going back how far?" Malfoy pressed.
"Mr Swift?" Greengrass prompted.
"The spell takes a recording of the residue of the magic used at a location," Harry explained. "The darker the magic the longer the residue lasts. The spells can then be linked to a caster to rule out certain spells if needed. All magic leaves a signature."
"So those spells could have been cast hours or days before you cast the spell?" Avery sneered.
"No," Harry countered. "It captures the essence of the spells that are still fresh."
"We are going off topic here," Greengrass announced. "These Death Eaters are terrorists and need to be labelled as such. They are using illegal spells and are killing indiscriminately."
"They are also a threat to this Ministry," Albert added. "We are ill prepared to fight a full-scale attack here."
"That is why we are here," the Minster of magic, Harold Minchum, commented. "Our main aim should be in bringing this Dark Lord down."
Harry crossed his arms over his chest at that statement and glanced around. The number of supporters of Voldemort and his ideals concerned him. He had to remind himself that they were in the middle of the first war and much of the wizarding world was not aware of the destruction that Voldemort was already causing. Harry pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and a pen. He wrote one word on the paper and placed it before Albert. The thin man picked it up before clenching his fist, crushing the note, and glanced over his shoulder. Harry nodded his head at the pale look on the man's face.
Harry focused back on the meeting and what everyone had to say. He started to get an idea of Voldemort's grasp on the Ministry and he didn't like the picture that he could see. In his time, Voldemort fell at the end of October 1981 and it was only the start of March of 1978. These were hard and uncertain times.
They broke up after an hour and Albert grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room. Severus trailed behind them as Albert pushed Harry into a side room.
"What the hell is this?" Albert demanded once he'd cast silencing charms.
"That is what we are facing," Harry said mildly as he leaned back on a desk.
Albert paced a few steps while Severus stood to the side of the room. Harry felt for the man since he was sure that if he hadn't been dragged back in time then Albert wouldn't be in the middle of this storm.
"Can your knowledge help us in this?" Albert demanded as he flicked his eyes to Severus.
"Yes," Harry answered. "But that can only go so far. I don't know this time."
Albert paced in the small space while Harry watched him. He could read the frustration in every line of the man before him.
"I would disregard most of what I know," Harry remarked.
"Except this?" Albert questioned as he stopped and held up the piece of paper.
"That is a set fact," Harry retorted and Albert sighed.
"Write down what you know," Albert ordered.
"We still need to approach this as a new problem," Harry warned.
"The Dark Lord is a new problem?" Severus blurted out.
Harry and Albert looked over to him and Severus blushed.
"No, Severus." Harry told him. "The Dark Lord is a reflection of this time. He is a half-blood with a hatred of the muggle side of his ancestry. He is using the blood argument, which is an old battle, to gather support in his campaign."
"In many ways," Albert added. "He is using the purebloods for his own gains."
"And people like him," Harry said. "Those that sit between two worlds, like you and I, Severus."
"You're a half-blood?" Severus blurted out.
"I am," Harry said, casually.
"Which proves that anyone with magic can be a pain in my ass," Albert grumbled.
Harry chuckled at that and shared a look with the man. They had learned to work together in many ways in a short period of time.
"I'll get you notes for the rest of the meeting," Albert told Harry. "In return, I want that report."
"I'm happy with that," Harry agreed and looked over at Severus. "How about a late lunch in London?"
Severus nodded in agreement.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Albert questioned.
"After my first class," Harry amended. "About half past ten?"
Albert nodded and stalked out of the room and shut the door behind him. Harry looked down at the floor for a while before Severus shifting had him looking up.
"Are you more enlighten, Severus?" Harry questioned.
"Is he going to win?" Severus countered.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "But we are not going down without a fight."
"You're going to be in his sights."
"I was already," Harry sighed.
"Hogsmeade?"
Harry nodded as Severus looked at him. The boy had a very sharp mind which Harry was going to take full advantage of.
"How would you read the room?" Harry pressed.
"Half and half," Severus said with a shrug.
"The Dark Lord is targeting muggles for that reason."
"And when he starts to target wizards or witches?"
"Then the real war begins."