Chapter 1
Severus sat back on his feet and stared at the runic circle he had been drawing on the floor. After carefully scrutinising it for any mistakes he smiled and stood up. He washed his hands and turned to face the two ghosts that where double checking his work. “Well?”
Hermione nodded. “It’s perfect. Are you sure you’re willing to try this? It’s never been done before.”
Severus nodded. “Yes. I’m sure. It has to be done. I’m the only one left.”
Harry nodded. “Even if it doesn’t work it’s not like we’re losing anything. Severus is right. He’s the only one left alive on our side. We’re lucky he hasn’t been discovered yet.”
And Harry was right. No one had anticipated what happened. After Albus’ death by Draco Malfoy, the wizarding world was in uproar. This was increased when Harry was killed by his uncle the first day of the holidays. Things just snowballed out of control then. Members of the order were systematically cut down. In the end the only one who survived was Severus and that was only because he managed to convince the dark lord that he was on his side the whole time.
After that, a lot of Dumbledore’s manipulations came to light. People were devastated to realise the man they worshiped as a hero was so cruel. They believe than maybe if they were wrong about him, they might be wrong about Voldemort. They were wrong to think that.
The dark lord has had complete control of Britain for about six years now.
Hermione sighed. “You’re right. I’m just worried about you, Severus.”
Severus smiled at her. The three of them had become close over the years. Harry spent most of his time in Severus’ rooms at the castle. He was careful not to let anyone see him, no one but Severus and Hermione knew he stayed as a ghost. Hermione was one of the last to be killed. She chose to stay behind so she could help Severus. She was the only one from the order who was willing to believe in Severus’ innocence.
Severus shook himself out of his musings. “I’m sure I will be fine.” He took a deep breath and stepped into the centre of the circle. He began the incantation. It was long and had taken him a week to get it right without making a mistake. The ritual was designed to send Severus back in time to before he took the dark mark.
He planned on hiding away in the muggle world until he had recovered. He had no plans on becoming a slave to either Dark Lord.
When he finished the incantation Severus gasped and screamed in pain. It felt like he was being pulled in every direction at once. He screamed and writhed around, desperate for the torture to end. It was so much worse than being held under the crutiatus. He felt like he was being pulled and stretched, twisted and turned about like a rag doll in a washing machine.
His insides churned and twisted and just when he felt he would go mad from the pain it all stopped and he found himself lying gasping for breath. It was a few minutes before he was able to crack his eyes open a little. He quickly shut them again as bright light blinded him. It took a few more tries before he was able to squint at his surroundings.
He found himself staring at a white ceiling. There were people surrounding him. The blurry uniform told him these were healers from St Mungo’s. Severus groaned and tried to sit up but found himself unable to move. Failing that he decided to sleep and see if he could move when he woke up.
The next time he woke was similar. There was a nurse there, changing his sheets while he lay on a stretcher hovering next to the bed. She told him he was in intensive care at St Mungo’s. He passed out again before he could find out what happened.
The next two times he woke were uneventful. He was alone in his room and managed to stay awake for a longer each time. The fourth time he woke he found Dumbledore sitting in the chair by his bedside. “’d’Mstr?”
“Mr Snape. How are you feeling?”
“L’k I gthtbu a bss.”
Dumbledore chuckled. “Yes. I can imagine.”
“W’thpnd?”
Dumbledore smiled sadly down at him. “On the last day of term two of your housemates rushed into the hospital wing. They were rather shaken. Apparently one of your housemates went a little crazy. He attacked you and several other students. Only two others had to come here but they have both been discharged already. We are not sure what he hit you with. He was ranting about refusing to join ‘that madman’ and said some rather unsavoury things about the rest of you.”
Severus frowned. He didn’t remember that happening.
Wait a minute….
Dumbledore was dead…
Housemates?
So the spell worked then.
Severus sighed and relaxed into the bed.
Dumbledore smiled sadly at him. “We checked for the dark mark on each of you. Only four of your year mates had it but it is not a crime to have a tattoo so no one was punished. For all that Mr Potter was declaring you a death eater it came as a huge surprise that you don’t have a mark.”
Severus rumbled something. Even he was not sure what he was trying to say. He yawned and relaxed further into the pillows. The headmaster patted his leg and bid him farewell.
Severus soon slipped off to sleep.
It was several weeks before he was able to stay awake all day but he tired far too easily for the healers to be willing to send him home. Especially when he told them where his scars came from. His father had already beaten his mother to death the year before so he was given the dementor’s kiss without any fuss. But this meant that Severus was then going to be taking care of himself and in his current state of health that was impossible.
It was another month before he was able to leave the hospital. The first thing he did was go to Gringotts. He managed to gain control of the Prince estates and stayed in Prince manor, after getting everything he could from Spinners End. The house elves were delighted to have a human to look after again.
Severus sighed and looked up muggle schools. If he intended to stay away from the Dark Lord then he would need to disappear into the muggle world. Of the three colleges he applied to, only one got back to him and he set up a meeting with the headmistress.
After healing himself and applying a few cosmetic charms (just to whiten his teeth a little and clean his hair of seven years of potion residue) he cut and styled his hair a bit and headed off to the interview.
He walked into her office and smiled at her. “Thank you, for agreeing to meet with me.” He walked over, leaning heavily on the crutch one of his elves had given him. It made getting around a lot easier. He sat in the chair opposite her desk. “With term starting in only a week I can imagine late entries are the last thing you want to deal with.”
The lady, Mrs West, shook her head. “It is not a problem at all, Mr Snape. You mentioned you had been hospitalised until a few days ago so I don’t see any reason to deny you at least an interview.”
.oOo.
Thankfully, the college agreed to take him on.
When he enrolled they told him to take at least one other course from a list they gave him. He chose drama. He had been a spy for years. He knew how to act.
Surprisingly, he actually enjoyed it. So when he finished his exams he majored in Drama. Within three years he was a fully qualified actor and was taking minor roles in things. Just parts like a witness in a crime show. He went by the stage name, Allen Rickman. To make things a bit easier he got a small house in the muggle world, in London, and split his time between there and the Manor.
He still kept up with the wizarding world news but as far as they were aware, Severus Snape disappeared after graduation.
Despite this he was still surprised when Lily and James turned up on his doorstep one day early October. He had moved out of Prince Manor and was living in London. He let them in and made them coffee. Lily and James explained that they knew someone close to them was a traitor and the three of them were in danger. They explained that they wanted him to look out for Harry if anything should happen. They weren’t asking him to take him in, just protect him.
This was something Severus easily swore. “You’re my best friend Lily. Even if I’m not yours. You are the only person who has ever been kind to me before I moved back into this world.”
Potter tilted his head. “Why did you move here anyway?”
Severus smiled. “No one knew me here. I was able to get away from the Dark Lord and not have to worry about him coming after me. Despite my face being everywhere, I look a lot different now than I did back then.”
It was true. He had grown into his nose, and with his hair cut short he looked completely different. He was actually considered a very attractive man. Many women swooned just hearing him speak. He knew his voice was enough to reduce many people, both men and women, into puddles of goo.
He was already climbing the ladder and had an agent who was negotiating with someone about a bigger part in something.
Lily and James stayed a while longer before excusing themselves.
Just then Severus got a call from his agent and he rushed to the set to do the audition for the movie. This was a big point in his career.
A month later he finally got the news that Lily and James were dead but Harry had lived. Someone else had heard the prophesy and delivered it to the dark lord it would seem.
Severus left his house late that night and kidnapped Harry. After a quick trip to Gringotts he had legally adopted Harry in both worlds. Going back home he summoned his elves to bring some of the baby furniture from Prince Manor to his house. The furniture in Prince Manor really was beautiful.
After securing Harry’s safety Severus quickly went and found the Gaunt Ring, had one of his house elves retrieve the Diadem from the Room of Requirements, wrote to Gringotts to let them know there was a Horcrux in Bellatrix LeStrange’s vault. He then had one of his elves pass on a message to Kreature who swiftly showed up with the blasted Locket and was easily able to retrieve the Diary from Malfoy Manor, but delivering some Heirlooms to Narcissa as a cover.
Thankfully, the Dark Lord had intended to use Harry’s death to make a new Horcrux that night. His sixth and final. When he failed, he then made one after he’d been resurrected during Harry’s 4th year. Thankfully now he would not get the chance. Severus easily destroyed all of the items with fiendfire, having told the goblins to do the same to the cup.
The next day the Daily Prophet told of how purebloods all across Britain had been found dead, the Dark Mark on all their arms. A failsafe the called it. If he was going down, he was taking them all with him.
.oOo.
Having a son didn’t really disrupt his acting. One of the elves that work for the Prince line had a unique bloodline. It was very rare but it meant that she was able to shape shift to look completely human if she wanted to. Her name was Esmeralda. So, in the eyes of the public, Esmeralda was Harry’s nanny. The two of them went to work with Severus but stayed in the dressing rooms.
As the years passed Severus became more famous and got better roles. This allowed him to get his own cabin for Harry to stay in during the day.
Fortunately for Severus, Harry got a few of his mother’s genetics that he was able to bring out with a few potions. He did not require glasses this time around and his hair was a lot more manageable with a red sheen.
Growing up as an actor’s son, Harry was also included in a few shots. By the time he was six he was already playing minor roles. By eight he had starred in his own movie. His stage name was Alex Rickman.
Severus had to explain to Harry that when they were being actors they needed a different name. At home he was Harry but when they went out he was Alex.
One thing Severus was happy about was that Harry’s scar was non-existent this time around. He had applied some balms as soon as he got custody and the thing just vanished. If it had been left it would have been a permanent feature but since it was taken care of it was gone.
Since their lives were always so busy Harry was home schooled. In both muggle subjects and magic.
After Harry turned eight he said something that got Severus thinking. What if Muggleborns knew about the magical world sooner? What if they got a beginners education? After speaking to the goblins and getting his hands on a spell that Hogwarts uses to track magical children he created a book that told him about magical children in Britain. He then sent letters via Gringotts to Muggleborns who had disappeared back into the muggle world. He got replies from a lot of them and bought several properties across Britain and turned them into schools. A chain of both primary schools (Infant and junior) that specialised in educating Muggleborn children about the magical world.
The Muggleborns he wrote to were all either qualified teachers or were capable of teaching a child spells in a certain subject. They learned all the subjects that they would learn in Muggle schools but they also learned wizarding traditions, simple charms (although they won’t get a wand until they turn eleven they could use practice wands), magical creatures, Herbology and a few other things. Some things that people didn’t think needed to be said were actually were big differences between the two worlds. Men can get pregnant in the wizarding world. It was a complicated process normally but occasionally you found two men capable of conceiving naturally.
The chain of schools ended up being named ‘Northern Lights’. It wasn’t Severus’ idea but one of the teachers had said it and the others liked the idea.
Naturally as is the case when muggles and magic mix, abused children started being discovered. Severus then quickly turned Prince Manor into ‘Northern Lights Orphanage for Magical Children’. Unfortunately some people started leaving werewolf pups on their doorstep. This meant Severus had to pay Gringotts to build a second building. This one was designed for the pups to use during the full moon. It ended up being nicknamed ‘Moon Light Orphanage for wolf cubs’. Severus immediately wrote to Lupin and gave him a job.
By the time Harry turned eleven, Severus was not only a famous actor but also owned a successful chain of schools and an orphanage that was in two branches. He had also taken his defence and potions masteries during a lull in between movies.
Harry was also a couple of years ahead in his education and was a famous child actor. When he turned eleven the two of them sat at the table to think things over.
Severus looked to Harry. “Son, now you’re eleven you will be getting a letter from Hogwarts and asked to attend. Both your birth parents and I attended so I want you to as well but... the school is run by Albus Dumbledore...”
Harry smiled. “Don’t worry dad. You said yourself, I’m a natural at occlumency. I’ll be fine. Besides, I want to go. I want to be normal for a change.”
Severus nodded. “I’m sure you can skip ahead a few years over the years and graduate early.”
The two of them smirked. Yeah, that wouldn’t be happening. Harry would attend for a few years then pull out, take his exams independently and go back to acting.
Severus had also received a letter from Dumbledore asking him to come and teach. Since he had somehow learned about his promise to Lily and James he knew Severus had promised to protect Harry.
Once they decided Harry sent his reply saying he would be happy to attend and Severus also wrote a letter saying he would take a few years out of his busy life to teach.
He called his agent and told him he was taking a few years off but would be back to acting in a few years.
Harry’s school supplies were bought quickly. There was a bit of confusion with his wand as Olivander seemed convinced one wand had chosen Harry when it clearly was a bad match. Eventually they made one up fresh and left the old shop. What was so special about that holly and phoenix feather wand?
Harry immediately fell in love with a snowy owl in the pet shop and Severus bought her.
Before long the two of them were off to Hogwarts. Severus had told Harry that since he was an actor he wanted to make and entrance. He would be watching the sorting though a partially open door but he wouldn’t come into the hall until just before Albus introduced him by name.
Sure enough he was able to ‘miss’ the sorting by claiming he was just finishing some potions and taking them up to the hospital wing. While he did actually do that he was back in time to see the sorting. It came as no surprise when Harry was sorted into Ravenclaw. The boy was a total bookworm. He got it both from his mother and from Severus.
Albus stood up and addressed the hall. “Now we have a few start of term announcements. Firstly, I would like to ask all students to avoid the third floor corridor on the left hand side unless they wish to die a slow and painful death. The forbidden forest is exactly that, forbidden and a list of banned items can be found on Mr Filch’s door should any of you wish to see it. Secondly I would like to welcome back professor Quirrel who has returned to us to teach Defence against the dark arts. Lastly I would like to welcome to our staff-“
Severus stepped in through the door. “Sorry, Albus. I’m not late am I?”
The whole room broke out into whispers. ‘Is that Allen Rickman?’ ‘Oh my god it’s Rickman!’ ‘No way?’ ‘I didn’t know he was magical!’
Severus smirked and addressed the hall. “Some of you may recognise me or course, for those of you who don’t, I am Professor Severus Snape, though many of you know me by my stage name, Allen Rickman. You may call me either Professor Snape, or Professor Rickman. Whichever you are more comfortable with.”
One of the fifth year students raised her hand. “Yes?”
“Sir, is Harry Potter, Alex Rickman?”
Severus smirked and nodded. “Indeed he is.” Harry took a mock bow and Severus smirked. He walked up the hall and took his place at the head table next to Quirrel.