Time Traveller
Severus Snape looked up at the four boys who entered the room. Evan Rosier stood in the front, with three other boys flanking behind him. One of them was Regulus Black.
“I’m allowed to skip my classes for today, so I was planning on resting for a bit,” Severus quickly fibbed.
Evan seemed to believe him, and nodded. “Alright then, I hope you rest well,” he said cordially. “We’ll leave you in peace.”
Evan gestured for the rest of the boys to leave, but he noticed Regulus didn’t move. “Regulus?”
“I need to get something from my trunk, you three should go ahead.”
Evan nodded, and the three boys left the room, leaving Severus and Regulus all alone.
Severus felt extremely awkward about the boy. He didn’t know much about Regulus, besides the fact that he was a Death Eater who died mysteriously. In their last life, they hardly interacted.
Although he didn’t want to be in the same room as him, it would be fine as long as they didn’t talk-
“Hello, Snape.”
Severus silently cursed, as he pretended to be busy with a potions textbook he grabbed randomly. “Hello, Black,” he acknowledged.
“The weather is nice, isn’t it?”
“I haven’t been outside yet today.”
The silence that followed after was loud. Although Severus aimed to cut the conversation short, his lack of communication skills were apparent.
Regulus still didn’t seem to get the hint, and continued. “So, how have you been?”
“I’ve been good.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Regulus said as he opened his trunk. “But is there any reason why you’ve been absent for the past few days? It’s quite worrying.”
“Just the Marauders being the Marauders.”
“Oh… I see.”
It was silent for a few minutes, with only the sounds of pages flipping could be heard. Severus glanced up from his textbook, hoping Regulus would already leave. However, Regulus was still rummaging through his trunk, seemingly looking for nothing. It was as if he was trying to stall time.
This was very odd. Severus didn’t remember any important interactions with the other Slytherin, but it seemed as if this time around, he was deliberately trying to stick around him for some reason.
“Have you found what you needed?”
“... Not yet.”
Severus frowned, but didn’t say a word. He was extremely uncomfortable, not knowing whatever was going on in Regulus’ head. But it wasn’t like he couldn’t do anything about it. After all, he was a Legilimins .
The only problem was that Severus didn’t know whether or not he’d be able to perform Legilimens with a high efficiency. He hadn’t tried using it in his current body, but if it was the same as his magic, his Legilimins skills should’ve carried along with his magic.
It would be a challenge to delve into Regulus’ memories without him noticing, but it shouldn’t be too much trouble if he was still as skilled as his previous timeline. Severus would take the risk.
Severus glanced at the boy, focusing his whole attention on him, trying to break past invisible barriers. Finally, Regulus swerved his head, and locked eyes with Severus. Finally, he was able to breach his mind barriers, and he could faintly hear Regulus’ inner voices and thoughts.
“Snape, is everything okay?”
Why is he staring at me?
Success.
“Oh, sorry,” Severus broke eye contact. “I just zoned out.”
“It’s fine.”
These short responses he’s giving me are a little irritating. How am I supposed to find out whether Tabitha’s theory is right if he won’t even talk to me?
Severus’ breath hitched. Tabitha? Was that the American girl he was with earlier? What was her theory about him?
Maybe I should keep talking, and gently probe out information. Except I don’t know how to. Tabitha needs to do this herself. I think I’ve run out of time. I shouldn’t stall any further, or else he’ll catch on. He probably already caught on.
Regulus shut his trunk with a loud bang. “I guess what I’m looking for isn’t here,” he said loudly.
Severus was thrown off by Regulus’ inner thoughts, and didn’t bother responding.
Silence? His social skills are absolutely terrible.
Oops.
There’s no way Severus is the one we’re looking for. It’s just a coincidence he’s been acting weirdly. Maybe it’s the butterfly effect? But I don’t think I’ve done anything to affect him. If only I had bothered to create some sort of relationship with him in my previous life, because I have absolutely no clue about how he usually acts.
Severus had a stoic face, but his stomach did a flip. Regulus talked was as if he was-
Soul and time rifter my ass. Tabitha is surely wrong. Severus is just an oddball, both in this life and in the last. I doubt he’s one of us.
Regulus disappeared from the door, and all sense of connection was immediately severed.
Severus was left there, trying to process what exactly he had just heard. Unless he was hallucinating, it turned out that Regulus had also regressed.
Not only that, but it seemed as if Tabitha was also a time traveller, and maybe there were more out there.
The puzzle pieces were slowly falling into place. Was Lucius also a time traveller, and that was why he had been acting weirdly? But why did he become colder to him, even though they had grown closer in the future?
More answers led to more questions.
Severus dug his nails into his palm. This was extremely troubling. They had already somehow deduced that he was a time traveller, and it hadn’t even been a week since he regressed.
For Severus’ plan of peace, there was absolutely no way he could let them discover that their theory was right. That meant he must act inconspicuously.
Severus silently drew up a new plan. Laying low and disappearing.
Where’s the revenge?
Severus jumped, surprised from the voice coming in his head. It sounded like Tommy’s high pitched voice.
Haha, are you surprised? My soul is contracted to yours, so obviously I can talk to you telepathically like this. I thought it was common sense.
Shut up.
That’s not nice.
You’re annoying. I don’t want to hear your aspirations of revenge right now.
Fine. I won’t talk about revenge then, I’ll talk about Regulus Black.
… What about him?
He’s a time traveller like you. What are your thoughts?
Fuck. You just went through my memories, right?
It’s right there like an open book. Why wouldn’t I?
Maybe to respect my privacy?
Severus was a bit unhappy with how Tommy kept invading his privacy. He was vulnerable, and didn’t like how it was one sided. No matter how much he wanted to go into Tommy’s memories, he was unable to.
Tommy realized how upset Severus was. … Fine, it said grudgingly.
Severus was a bit skeptical. You’ll respect my privacy now?
I’ll tell you how to protect your mind from me.
Occlumency, right?
… That was fast.
It made sense once you said there was a way to protect my mind from you.
You really are smart.
I get that a lot.
Very humble, I see.
Severus just hummed and didn’t bother to respond. He closed his eyes, concentrating hard. He had wanted to hone his Occlumency skills, to keep his emotions and mind in check anyways.
Immediately trying to use it to block me out. That makes me sad.
Severus silently continued building up the invisible mental walls that sheltered both of his memories and emotions. Feeling satisfied with his final work, he called out in his mind. Hello?
No response.
Severus had succeeded in blocking Tommy out if he wanted to. He put down some walls, and called out once again. Hello?
You successfully blocked me out that fast? I can’t even see any of your memories or emotions.
I’m a pretty skilled Legilimens.
How unfortunate.
You mean fortunate? I can carry out my revenge plans so much more easily now without losing my mind.
But you don’t even want to go against Lily.
I just don’t want to lose myself in revenge. Especially against Lily.
What about against Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew?
Of course I want revenge against them.
Then get revenge on them.
But I can’t.
Why?
Regulus suspects I’m a time traveller, because he also is one. I can’t act any more strangely, or else he’ll double down on me.
That is a problem.
Maybe I should just disappear then.
What’s stopping them from finding you? If you randomly just disappear, they’ll end up knowing something is extremely off about you.
I can use another body. The mandrake one.
I suppose so. But that’s a bit boring, don’t you think?
I’ll transfer to this school using that identity. I’ll be able to do whatever I want. There’s no way that Regulus remembers every single student that attended Hogwarts.
The Sorting Hat would know you.
Not with Occlumency.
You got me there.
Does that revenge plan sound good enough?
Hmm… You could do better… But it’s fine I guess.
The case is closed then.