Mirror, Mirror

“Mr. Weasley, I have some troubling news for you,” Madam Pomfrey said, stopping them from leaving the hospital wing.

“You bloody fool,” Sirius said as he physically held his shirt over the blood gushing from Severus’s side.

“Will you move,” Remus snapped, pushing Sirius away from where Severus lay unmoving and more deathly pale than he’s ever been.

Everything had gone wrong in the abandoned building that they believed Nagini, Voldemort’s snake was hiding in. They weren’t expecting her to be as smart or as vicious as she was. She went after Kingsley first, because he was the one trying to kill her in the beginning. He had to disapparate just so she wouldn’t strike him. Then she went after Sirius, but he had gotten out of the way. It was then Severus decided to try and end her by himself. There were many things Severus was great at but fighting off a giant snake was not one of them. She bit him four times, two in the side and two on his left leg. Remus was finally able to kill her with Gryffindor’s sword. Sirius had hoped Dumbledore wouldn’t notice it missing until the job was done.

It was then Sirius noticed the blood pouring from Severus. Remus shouted that Percy had told him that the snake was very venomous. They had to get Severus help right away, none of them were healers. Remus was the closest one, but he was out of his depth. Sirius grabbed Severus and carried him to the floo. Strictly speaking, two shouldn’t go through the floo unless one was a child under five. But he had no choice.

“ST. MUNGO’S!” he screamed as he used the floo powder. It was a miracle the warehouse was a wizard one once upon a time. As he stepped out of the floo, still carrying Severus he noticed the man’s heart had stopped beating.

“Mr. Weasley, I’m so glad I caught you before you left. Would you be so kind as to come to my office and speak to me? I have some questions and I think you can help me with them.”

Instantly Percy knew that Dumbledore knew. The gleam was back while looking at Percy, the one that said, “whatever you know I know more.”

“I was just on my way home. Professor Snape gave me permission.”

“As that may be, Professor Snape isn’t in charge of who is allowed to come and go in this school. So far I’m the only one with that authority. Mr. Higgs, you may go back to your common room. I will be speaking to you sometime today.”

Percy and Terence exchanged a look. Percy could feel the old man trying to breach his mind. Maybe it was because they weren’t really school aged kids, but they picked up Snape’s teachings very easily. But Dumbledore was a better wizard. Percy was sure that the old wizard had yet to get through their minds.

Terence left but he didn’t look happy about it. It was actually good because it was putting off the conversation they were to have because of the news Madam Pomfrey told them. He needed time to wrap his head around it before talking about it.

Percy quietly followed after the headmaster. He had his answer when they ascended into Dumbledore’s office. Ron was in one corner looking white as a sheet. Percy had seen that look on many faces at the Ministry of Magic.

“I’m sorry,” Ron said quietly, looking close to tears.

“It’s not your fault.” Percy turned to glare at Dumbledore. “Is he free to leave or do you want to use magic to force my little brother to talk again.” He had seen aurors perform the curse, it’s used when veritiserum isn’t available. It’s on the edge of dark magic. It’s not technically labeled dark, but it’s only used on the worst of the worst wizards and only when there is a danger to others, not a newly twelve-year-old boy.

“I don’t think that’s wise at this moment, the younger Mr. Weasley isn’t feeling his best. I’m letting him rest.”

Percy wanted his little brother out of Dumbledore’s reach. He wondered if this was how Dumbledore really was or had he done something to change the wizard.

“No. You let my brother go back to the dungeons and his common room. I do have a question, sir.”

“Yes?” Dumbledore asked.

“If my brother had been from any other house than Slytherin would you have tortured him?”

“There was no torture dear boy.” Was this what it was like for the kids when Umbridge was in charge? In the beginning he didn’t think she was too bad when he met her at the Ministry but then Percy heard her views on magical creatures. The things she called Remus and Hagrid were vile.

Percy turned to Ron who was still in the corner of the room. He noticed that Fawkes was perched next to Ron on the back of a chair. He seemed to be trying to comfort his little brother. He had never seen Ron look so scared and that was counting the night Terence almost died.

“I want my brother to leave. If he doesn’t I won’t talk.”

Percy knew the man could use the same curse, but Percy had been cursed and tortured by the best of them. While Dumbledore was the greatest wizard alive, he was still light, or at least light grey. Ron would never tell on the older man, too scared that no one would believe him. Percy wouldn’t hesitate and Dumbledore knew that now.

“I am the headmaster of this school,” Dumbledore said in a light tone.

“And I went to your funeral. I grieved for you.” No use playing games anymore, they both knew Dumbledore knew. “So let my brother leave and we’ll have that chat you wanted.”

Dumbledore turned to Ron. “Go on to your room, my boy. I trust what was discussed between us will stay between us.”

Ron jumped up. “Yes, Sir, I promise,” his little brother said before leaving.

“What time are you from?” Dumbledore asked, cutting to the chase it is.

“2005.”

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. “Fascinating. And I am dead?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t ask how; I want it to be a surprise.”

Percy actually smiled at that. It was why he couldn’t hate the man as much as he wanted to…he was charming. Dumbledore wasn’t a bad or dark wizard, but he was close sometimes.

“I trust you’ve done what you set out to do.”

“Almost, there is two things left, a potion for Harry to drink then we will take care of Voldemort who was still attached to Quirrell’s head.”

“Oh, yes, Professor Quirrell. I take it Professor Snape brewed the potion.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, as talented as I’m sure you are, it’s something a Potions Master should be doing.”

“Is that all? You’re not going to interrogate me about the future?”

“Not. The future you knew is no more, it’s as changed as the new morning sky.”

“Then why did you use that curse on Ron?” He wasn’t letting that go.

“Your brother was caught sneaking out of the Forbidden Forest alone this afternoon. While I’m sure his intentions were pure, there are things in that forest that would use whatever knowledge he had of the future. He wouldn’t tell me if he had spoken to anyone while in the forest, and amazingly, your brother is naturally gifted at Occlumency.”

Percy smiled at that. Ron would like to know that he’s gifted at something, he always felt less than.

“So, I can go?”

“Yes, Mr. Weasley, you can go. When you decide it’s time to move back to your time all you have to do is ask. I’ve been known to get around the Ministry in my time.”

“Where were you?” Sirius snarled at Regulus, some of his canine growl coming out with it. He was supposed to meet them at the warehouse, but he didn’t show. If they had him maybe everything wouldn’t have gone so wrong.

“I’m sorry, I had trouble convincing Kreacher to let me go. He was using his magic so I couldn’t leave, he thought I would die.”

Sirius didn’t want to hear about the damn house elf. He knew his brother had an attachment to the thing. He was at home playing with his little house elf when where he should have been and now Severus was dead.

“If you were there Severus wouldn’t have died. Now he is and it’s all your fault. Why didn’t you just stay where you were?”

“Severus, I think it’s time to wake up.”

He knew he was dead at that moment; his mother had been dead a long time. Opening his eyes, he was in the park that he and Lily used to play in.

Looking around he found where the voice was coming from. His mum was sitting on a blanket with a picnic basket in front of her. She looked more beautiful and freer than he ever remembered. In fact, he couldn’t ever remember her just basking in the sunlight.

“Sev, look what I caught.” His heart stuttered in his chest when he heard that voice. Looking the other direction he saw Lily, she had her palm up, a butterfly sitting on it, fluttering its wings.

It wasn’t the Lily of his childhood, it was the Lily that died, the Lily that gave her life up for her son. His mother looked the age she was when she died too.

“I’m dead, aren’t I?”

“Yes, silly. James wanted to come but I didn’t think you would like that,” Lily said as the butterfly flew off.

“James is here?” He had really hoped he went more far south.

“Yes, he’s over there with his parents, they do love to talk. I’ve been waiting forever for you to get here. How’s my boy? Is he smart? Happy? Caring?”

“He has his good points and bad points. Seeing he’s only eleven, there is still time for him to become a pain in my side.”

She giggled. “We’ve been able to see some. Oh, when he was sorted into Slytherin James was ready to go down there himself.”

That’s all he needed was James Bloody Potter’s ghost haunting the halls of Hogwarts.

“Come and eat something, luv. You’re skin and bones,” his mum said, holding up a tart for him.

Just then he felt cold come over him, he should have known it was too good to be true. “I can’t stay can I?”

“Sorry, you’re only here for a visit. She’s going to be strong, don’t you worry about her,” his mum said.

“Who?”

“The little one that’s the only thing that is holding you to that world at the moment. Don’t you be worried though, she’s a fighter.”

“What?” he asked but everything was getting blurry and far away. He could hear them saying goodbye. He didn’t want to say goodbye he wanted to stay with them, even if James was there.

His head was killing him, he groaned which hurt it more.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr. Snape,” a cheery voice said. The way his body ached he didn’t feel very welcome.