Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Summary: After Voldemort is dead Harry's transported to 1975 and asked to teach his parents. Question is, will he return to his own time and while he is in the past, will he change it?

Warnings: time travel, deaging, spoilers for books 1-5, contents of books 6 and 7 changed to suit "Touching Infinity"

Pairings: Um, canon, as far as I've planned. But that could change. Suggestions are welcome!

Quote: "Experience suggests it doesn't matter so much how you got here, as what you do after you arrive." (Lois McMaster Bujold, "Barrayar" 1991)

AN: Hi everyone! Considering the lack of update the last months I recommend rereading the last chapters before you jump into this one :-)

Touching Infinity

Chapter 7

... is the reason this author guesses the original Hogwarts Ward System was not installed by the Founders or a later Headmaster but developed by the Hogwarts persona in accordance to the first and most important order Lady Ravenclaw based the security system of Hogwarts on: To protect and nurture the rightful inhabitants of the castle...

"Aren't you too young, Harry?"

Harry looked up from the homework of the fourth years. He was marking it in Poppy's office. Somehow it was calming for them both to do paperwork together… as if Sev were still with them. "Sorry, too young for what?"

Poppy stood, putting her hands on her hips. "You know very well what I mean!"

The seventeen year old put his pen down. "You mean I'm too young to know what is best for Sev? Too young to provide him with love and respect and a home?"

Seeing the young man this serious and with exactly the right arguments she rolled her eyes and then nodded.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, a strange smile on his lips. "Nobody ever told me I'm too young… for anything."

"Well, they should have, Harry! I may not have known you for long but I very well noticed your tendency to shoulder everything that needs to be taken care of may it be your responsibility or not."

"It's hardly my fault others don't do what has to be done. Shall I just turn away?"

Poppy sighed. "I'm not saying that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Though everyone who has eyes knows how you adore Severus I'm really hoping that deep down you're not just doing this because someone should do it. He deserves better."

She saw his eyes narrowing and his lips thinning. Nonetheless he didn't shout but surprised her by asking: "And?"

"Why didn't anyone ask me to be his guardian, huh?"

That broke the tension and he smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Poppy. I don't think anyone besides the Headmaster remembered that traditionally the school nurse also teaches and therefore could take part in the Ward System…. But the actual reason is really simple: I suggested it so I'm the most likely candidate."

She deflated a bit. "I know…. It's just…"

Harry's smile became broader. "It's Sev. He has that effect. And really… who would have thought that!" Gathering his stuff he nodded to her and left.

Poppy shook her head. That was a strange one.

A day later Harry was informed by a school owl that he was wanted in the Headmaster's office. Because it was already after hours he hurried. In a real emergency he would have been called by floo but the unusual time told him that the reason he was called was important. At the Gargoyle he said the password and was admitted. Upstairs the Headmaster did his usual trick and he entered.

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore."

"Good evening to you too, Harry. Take a seat. Lemon drop?"

"Ah, no, thanks." Half past eleven really wasn't the time of the day he enjoyed sweets… if you could call the special drops of the Headmaster sweet. "Why did you ask me to come?"

"Two things, Harry: The first is, that the day after tomorrow Horace will have the antidote for us."

"And why do I have the feeling that the second news isn't that great?"

"That could be, because you are right, my boy. There was owl activity detected in the immediate vicinity of the Snape's home."

That got Harry's attention. And… he had to admit, he was positively surprised. "You had them watched?"

"Did you write to Mr. Snape or young Severus?"

Shaking his head he said: "No. Considering Mr. Snape's… attitude concerning anything magical that would have been… " … disastrous. Then something occurred to him and he sat up straighter. "But I imagine you need someone to go there and inform him of the events taking place the day after tomorrow.. the antidote and the ceremony."

In response to Harry's change of posture Albus leaned forward. "Indeed… and as the Headmaster I'll be doing this. But!"

"But?" Harry asked because it was obviously asked of him.

"But, I'd like you to accompany me and wear this."

Harry followed the Headmaster's eyes to his outstretched hand that held the familiar cloth of the Invisibility Cloak.

Preparing for a late night trip to the owlery to place the monthly order for Zonko's James was rummaging through his trunk. Where was his Cloak? He had seen it the day before he was sure of it. And now…. Frowning, he sat back. There was an envelope bearing the Hogwarts-Seal in one of the Compartments. Looking over to his friends he tried to glean from their expressions whether this was some kind of joke. But all they did was playing Exploding Snap.

He shrugged and opened the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I apologise for borrowing your Cloak without consulting you beforehand, although I assume that with your experience you understand the fact that it is often easier to ask for forgiveness than admission.

Do not be worried, you'll see your Invisibility Cloak back in place no later than the day after tomorrow.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

James laughed incredulously. What was it with teachers and his Cloak these days?

"I'm really curious how he'll tell Snape that we'll take his son…s. I mean, he already wrote him about it but he'll have to tell him again face to face."

: You are not interested in that. It's Snape's reaction you are guessing about.

Harry smiled, then turned over in bed to grab his wand and cast Tempus. "Yup, that too! … Damn, I just can't get to sleep tonight."

: Could be because you won't stop speaking, dear.

"Then stop answering", he shot back.

:Pah… alright. I see, I'm not wanted… The whining voice changed to a laugh before she fell silent. A while later a sigh escaped her. : Harry?

"Hmm?"

: Good night.

He mumbled something back. Helena didn't say anything else but the hummed lullaby brought Harry safely to the realm of dreams.

Albus Dumbledore discovered that his youngest teacher and resident time traveller had been right; Tobias Snape really seemed unfit to be a parent. Although he had known people like him existed and had met them before he suddenly became aware of the fact that he had ignored this knowledge for too long. He had concentrated on the one child he had failed in the forties and that had become the greatest Dark Wizard after Grindelwald. But the world didn't stand still because of Tom Riddle and his evil plans. People still got children. As Headmaster of a school he really should have noticed.

Right now he was listening to Mr. Snape and tried not to let his disgust shine through. Some people just didn't deserve children.

"She just died and left me with this little miscreant, to raise him and pay for him and not only that, no, he had to inherit her freakishness!"

Albus would have left ten minutes ago but he had promised Harry more time.

"… suddenly two! Did anyone ask me if I wanted another bloody kid? No, damnit! You just burden me with them."

He had already told that he wouldn't be 'burdened' with his sons. But the man was obviously on a roll.

"And you won't even pay me retribution for this disturbance of my peace and quiet!"

A muscle above Albus' eyebrow started twitching. The man wasn't suggesting retribution! He wanted to sell his sons! If only the Ministry weren't already on his back because of this affair! Then he would follow Harry's advice and take the child with them right now. But he had been warned by the Minister and would follow the rules to the letter. They would come here the next day to administer the antidote and then and his sons would accompany them to Hogwarts where the ceremony had to take place for the magic to work. Just a day more…

Upstairs Sev was hiding his face in the shadows.

It was eerily quiet. Harry had told the boy Professor Dumbledore was downstairs talking to Mr. Snape. But now no sound could be heard except their breathing. Harry's was still calm, one after another. Sev's was coming in little puffs. He was clearly trying not to cry.

Then there came one long intake of breath and a whisper. "Don't."

The other occupant of the room stilled. In his own desire to calm the Sev down he had been edging closer to him. Moistening his lips he searched for the right words to say. "I… I don't know what happened, Sev. But you know you don't have to hide from me. There's nothing that could change the fact that I care about you…"

When the five year old didn't react he sighed. How to deal with this? "I'm coming over to you now."

That got Sev's attention. Shaking his head he repeated over and over again a strangled "No."

Although everything he did indicated that he really didn't want Harry to come to him the moment a gentle hand was put on his shoulder he turned around and buried his face in Harry's cloak.

: How did it go? Was the question Helena greeted him with the moment he was back in his quarters at Hogwarts.

"That bastard", Harry muttered (meaning the elder Snape of course) and dropped onto the couch without bothering to remove his boots or cloak.

: Harry?

"He was too afraid to even look at me, Helena!"

: Sev?

"Finally, he did it", Harry continued darkly as if she hadn't said anything. "After I had hugged him and he had a good cry he looked at me." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You know, I always thought I just wanted to forget about the Dursleys and the way they treated me."

: But now? The consciousness of the castle supplied.

"Now I want to hurt Tobias Snape… or at least see him brought to justice and I'm asking myself… If someone had cared to look at me before I started Hogwarts… would they have wanted to hurt them and would it have felt as justified as what I feel Tobias Snape deserves?"

Not answering she let Harry brood and instead lit the fireplace and let the house elves know that the DADA Professor could need their attention. Soon Tippy popped in with a tea tray which the elf sat down on the couch table. She then proceeded to help him with his boots and cloak. Normally Harry would have protested this treatment but right now he just didn't care. After Tippy put his things where they belonged she watched the human for a moment but then popped away.

: Tell me.

Harry started as if he had forgotten Helena would be there… would infact as long be there as Hogwarts stood.

"He has bruises… on his face, arms, legs... Of course he didn't want to show me but when I reminded him of our conversation about hiding injuries he complied…. There's also a rib that I suspect is cracked and one of his ankles is most likely sprained…" He breathed deeply. Saying it out loud somehow made it real. And boy, did he wish it wasn't. No child deserved that. "I don't know what happened exactly. His father must have said something about me too. The way he hid when I came in…. He never did that before."

: Did you put wards up?

"Yes… Why the bloody hell didn't I do that the last time I was there? He told me his father tended to forget he was there when he was in the attic and I believed him. But I should have done something."

When Poppy led Sev into the living room he looked around taking in everyone who was present. His father, the nice wizard with long beard and difficult name, the Potions Master Horace, Harry and a man Poppy had explained came from the Minist-ery… well, and Poppy and himself!

He shuffled over to Harry, his hands securing the big blue blanket he was holding around his body. Harry knelt and hugged him, stroking his short black hair soothingly. "You alright?", he whispered.

Sev nodded mutely into Harry's chest. Then he was pushed back to look at his future guardian. "I wish I could help you through this, but I'll be right here, Sev. You are not alone." He got a smile and smiled weakly back. Harry nodded to Horace.

The Potions Master came forward, beaming. "Well, my boy, this is all very exciting. Do you have anymore questions before we start?"

"No, sir."

"Good, good! Then here's the potion. Stand in the middle of the circle and then drink it down in one go! Oh, and try to stay relaxed, will you?"

Sev took the offered cup into one of his slightly trembling hands, stepping into the chalk circle. He looked once more at Harry, who nodded encouragingly and then raised the cup, breathing through his nose to avoid the smell.

Taking the cup to his lips, the concoction was soon burning down his throat and he had to keep looking at Harry to force himself to keep drinking the potion.

He knew the moment it hit his stomach for his knees buckled under him and his fingers lost grip of the cup and the blanket. The burning seeped from his mouth, throat and stomach to the rest of his body. With it seemed to go a silvery white glow that soon encompassed his whole body in light. That's when he had to break eye-contact with Harry. His eyes closed and he lost awareness of the outside world. The burning dimmed to warm feeling, giving Sev the chance to relax somewhat.

At this point he would normally have been afraid to feel something stir at the back of his mind. But because Horace had told him to expect it he was able to watch curiously and feel the still sleepy seeming movements. Steadily the feeling of this other presence in his mind grew and grew.

"H… hello?"

Something like a groan answered him.

"Hello!" He felt the other presence in his mind feel around. It felt weird.

'So you are my five year old self. Bloody great.' The voice of the presence sighed. 'Open your eyes for a moment.'

"Why?"

'I want to see whether there is light."

Sev complied, just to shut his eyes again quickly. "That hurt!"

'Of course it did… okay, we need to separate. I read about this. The process is only possible as long as there is that light. Is it gone we are stuck like this.'

Sev was silent. Nobody had told him this could happen. Perhaps they hadn't known? "What do we do?"

'It is pretty easy… I hope. We just have to visualise what we look like.'

"Um… vis- visuai… what?"

'Just imagine what you see when you look into a mirror. You can do that, right?'

Sev did so. He knew what he looked like, so it was easy.

'Alright?'

"Yes, I can do it."

'Fine. Now, there's another thing. When I woke up I somehow moved closer to you. Don't ask me how it works but our minds are touching. And that's not good for the process. By imagining to let go, we should be able to part – but I guess it will also limit our communication. So… as soon as you don't feel me anymore I want you to start visualising what you look like. Understand?'

"Yes."

'Then let's start.'

It took quite a while for the process to end.

The glowing seemed to go on forever, before it became a bright light hurting the eyes of the spectators. When it didn't hurt anymore the shape of the boy immersed in light had grown noticeably. But it took another surge of the too bright light for Sev and Severus to become two separate beings.

Despite the fact that everybody had more or less known what to expect the looks they had for the two boys were priceless. After another five minutes the light became a glowing that soon diminished.

Poppy and Harry were by their side in an instance. The nurse checked them over while Harry covered their unconscious bodies with the blanket.

"They are fine", Poppy announced. "I expect they will wake up within the hour."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. They were alright.

Tobias Snape crouched next to him. "Unbelievable", he muttered.

Harry smirked. "Magic", he shot back. Turning to Dumbledore he asked: "Would you be so kind?"

Albus nodded and after twirling his wand the boys' blanket was transfigured into dark blue pyjamas.

"Well then, off we are", Horace said. "I have to write this down as soon as the ceremony has taken place! Maybe I'll write an art-"

"How do we get there", Snape interrupted rudely.

"Ah… we'll apparate", Horace answered, somewhat perplexed at not being able to finish his sentence.

"You'll not be doing that in my house!"

Dumbledore said calmly: "Do not worry, Mr. Snape. We'll apparate from your front porch."

"Nobody'll see it?"

"No one."

"Then let's get this over with. I have other things to do." Snape strode over to the door without bothering to wait for them.

Before Harry could gather Sev in his arms to lift him off the floor Albus had his wand out, levitating Sev and Severus. The DADA teacher watched him, then turned away. "I'll be with you shortly."

"Where are you going", Poppy asked.

"I'll check whether there's something Sev and Severus might want to take with them."

Poppy nodded, but muttered under her breath, that that was pretty unlikely. Only Harry heard her. He didn't answer. Yes, the house was old and dirty and not well kept but it had been where they had lived. He knew too well that not having much meant that you treasure the little you have even more. Most of that was in Severus' trunk at school, he assumed, but maybe there was something left in this hovel.

The room belonging to Sev was bare, not one personal item to be found. He even looked under the bed and pried loose a floor board, remembering his own hiding spot at the Dursleys. There was nothing. Not surprised Harry got to the upper floor where the attic was. He looked around, pondering whether to look in some of the boxes but decided against it. It wasn't his business what Snape stored away in his attic. At least, that's what he thought until he spotted the writing on the top of one of them. It said Eileen. Looking at the others now he noticed there were more with this name on it. Four boxes with things of their mother. For a moment he wondered if there had been boxes full with his own mum's stuff at the Dursleys. They didn't have an attic. But there had been the basement. Then he shook himself out of it and shrunk the boxes. It was unlikely Tobias Snape would miss them. He had put the last one in his cloak pockets when he heard a noise from the corner of the room. His wand in hand he got closer. When he moved some boxes out of the way there was the unmistakeable sound of an intake of breath. And then, just like that, he came face to face with none other than Tobias Snape. A bound and gagged Tobias Snape. For a moment Harry's mind was blank – he couldn't connect what he saw with what he knew to be reality – that Snape was downstairs with the others and could not be up here. Then the thought process started up again. Leaving the man behind he rushed down the stairs, before realising that he wasn't on Hogwarts grounds and apparating.

Albus had met Tobias Snape at the door, the bodies of the boys floating behind him. The eldest Snape threw one disgusted look at his sons before straightening himself and turning to meet Albus' gaze. "Let me have a moment with them", he said gruffly.

The Headmaster considered the request but then shook his head. "I'm sorry but I don't think it wise to leave them with you." … even for a moment, hung unspoken in the air between them.

"Now, hear you old…. These children are still mine and you are standing under my roof… You'll take them away but you can't deny me my good byes."

"Why don't you give them your 'good wishes' at the school, when they are awake to hear them?" Poppy asked, having come to stand beside the hovering children.

"I said to come with you for this charade but don't think I'll stay a moment longer than absolutely necessary."

, who had watched interested from the sidelines, cleared his throat. Albus exchanged a glance with Poppy then looked questioningly at . The Ministry man simply inclined his head and went back to the living room.

Poppy suddenly had red cheeks and it certainly didn't come from embarrassment. She threw a glare in Tobias Snape's direction and announced. "I'm monitoring them."

Albus added "We'll be in the next room." and left. Entering the living room he sighed and opened his mouth to say something but a popping sound and a question from his Defense teacher stopped him. "Where are they?"

"At the door", Poppy supplied in a surprised tone.

"Come!" Harry seemed to be in a hurry and while all three of them wondered what was happening they did a as he said and followed him.

Harry had been shocked to see Albus, Poppy and the man from the Ministry but not one Snape. Had they actually allowed a man suspected of neglect and abuse to be alone with the boys?

A few seconds later he saw that he had gotten it right, the man he found upstairs was obviously the real Snape. There was no chance this one was unless muggles could use a wand as the man they all had thought to be Snape was doing right in front of his eyes. When the wand tip turned green he acted, throwing an Expelliarmus the way of the unsuspecting wizard. A split-second later Albus' spell hit him too, leaving him bound in a similar position to the real Tobias Snape in the attic. Poppy rushed past Harry to the children and despite still having the monitoring spell over them began checking over Sev and Severus again.

"He's an impostor. I suspect polyjuice. Tobias Snape is upstairs. It's how I knew." Short sentences, relaying all the necessary information. Harry thought, Snape must be so proud. But then, realising, that he was looking at his future mentor he sighed and leant back against the doorframe to the living room.

"I'll go and get him", Mr. Flobble said. "Don't do anything, until I'm back."

Once the official was gone Dumbledore looked over to Harry. "Professor Evanson?"

Harry didn't need to ask what the headmaster wanted to know. "No idea, though Helena knows more, I think…." And he too was able to guess who the impostor was. Helena had after all told him that the Death Eaters of his old timeline had killed Sev. This was the first try. "We'll have to obliviate them."

Albus nodded. "I'm afraid we do." Because Poppy and Horace didn't seem to follow the conversation he explained: "An investigation would bring to light the unfortunate circumstance that Severus worked with a Death Eater recruiter." The nurse and Potions Master looked grim but understood. Both were fond of the 15 year old.

Harry scratched his head bringing his hair into even greater disarray. "By the way: Why don't you check staff and students for the Dark Mark before the start of the year?"

"Tell me, is it just the mark that makes the Death Eater?"

A somewhat bitter smile played across the time traveller's lips. "I guess not. And knowing that, where would you draw the line, right? … Nonetheless… the school should be a safe place untouched of politics." He raised his eyes to meet Albus'. "Too bad that's not going to happen."

After that they heard the arguing voices of and coming down the stairs.

"Gentleman", Albus interrupted as soon as they had reached them. "I suggest we follow the plan we had and deal with the disruptions after everything else is in order." And from his tone it was clear what exactly he meant by 'suggesting'.

AN: Ooookay… it's been a while. – A long while. I just get easily distracted with other great fanfiction.

Thanks for the reviews!

Questions I feel I should answer:

Pairings: I decided against pairing Harry with anyone. In my mind I see potential for a relationship between now 15year old Severus and Harry but that lies so far in the future that this story won't cover it. I guess that makes TI pre-slash, huh?

Will big Severus remember everything that happened to little Sev?

Wait for the next chapter for the answer to this question.

Concerning Fabian and Gideon: Good idea. Maybe they'll show up in the future :-)

Will Harry be guardian to both Snapes?

No, unfortunately not.

… huh… not as many questions as I thought. Oh, well….

'Til next time! :-)

June