The Mysterious Traveler

Hello everyone!

Alright, some of you might be familiar with some of my work, most likely from a currently 'work-in-progress' story that I am working on, 'Redemption'. And for those of you who are wondering (or fearing) about my plans for that story, I can promise you that I have every intention of finishing that fanfic. This is just a new idea that popped into my head that I wanted to give a try.

Anyway, I was up the other night, thinking about the future chapters for my Redemption story, when a whole new idea came to mind. You know that 'Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy' (or 'Cornetto Trilogy', for short) between Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg? Well, I thought about using a similar idea in the form of this: 'A Severus Snape Series'. Where Redemption is the first installment, The Mysterious Traveler will be the second.

Now, just to make this perfectly clear, this story will not be a sequel to Redemption, despite being connected. I know this sounds confusing, but please bare with me.

The whole idea is to create a series of different stories, some involving Severus Snape changing his life for the better in a different way (the main common similarity that some will have). Although, I am considering doing other stories that will have connections and their own story-arcs. I have an idea on how all of these stories connect and where they will lead.

Redemption was a focus on Severus changing his life in the Wizarding World during his teen years, while also making himself into a new person. In a way, I like to describe that story as 'Harry Potter meets The Blacklist' (you'll get what I mean when reading it). But this story will focus on something new and a little different, despite being similar.

The main premise of this story is this: "After an 'incident' during his sixth year in Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, Severus Snape is accidentally transported to the world of the Avatar. While trying to find a way back home, Severus is thrown into a century-old war that he wants no part in and begins a journey of self-discovery, meeting new friends and deadly enemies along the way. But through his journey of self-discovery, he ends up questioning everything."

So, yeah, this fanfic is going to be my weirdest/strangest project EVER! 'Harry Potter meets Avatar: The Last Airbender'!

In fact, this will be my first official 'crossover' fanfic story that I have done. When I decided to do a Severus Snape series, I knew that I needed to up the stakes and generate interest for a second installment. All of my other ideas would have served better as their own stand-alone story, but they couldn't top my excitement of doing this one.

So when I immediately got interested in the idea of making the second installment a crossover with another existing property. It didn't take long to think of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as it is one of my favorite tv series of all time. The idea of having Severus Snape cross paths with the characters of the cartoon tv series sounded great to me, and I thought that it would hold enough promise and interest to be a follow-up to Redemption.

Please keep an open mind while reading this, because I'm really hoping that this story will work and allow for my 'Severus Snape Series' to become reality. It will follow the main show for a little while, just to help set the tone and get people into it, but it will eventually diverge into more original stories later on, while keeping some of the old ones. But it all depends on you guys if you want to see this continued.

I should warn you that this story will rely heavily on the cartoon tv series and I highly recommend watching it if you haven't yet. At least the first season, but that would be a waste to just stop there. Why not watch the show and read this story? Sounds like a win-win to me.

Please enjoy my newest and first crossover fanfic story, "The Mysterious Traveler"!

"Water! Earth! Fire! Air!

"When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me stories about the old days,

"Stories passed down from her mother, and her mother before her,

"She talked about a time when, long ago, the Four Nations lived together in harmony,

"A time of peace that lasted for generations,

"When the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads,

"But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked,

"Only the Avatar could master all four elements,

"The only one who could stop them,

"But when the world needed him most...

"He vanished!

"A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the Great War,

"Many have searched, good and bad, for the Avatar,

"But none have succeeded in locating him,

"Some people believe that the cycle has been broken,

"That the Avatar is no more,

"But I refuse to believe that,

"I can't believe that!

"I believe that one day, the Avatar will return and end this war,

"But most of all...

"I have to believe that he will come too."

Chapter One:

The Boy Who Fell From The Sky

Severus Snape was no stranger to fear. In a strange way, it was almost like being friends with death from a long distance. But his fears ranged from different sources, one of which was when it came to the first day back at Hogwarts.

Sprinting through the barriers of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and a large crowd of parents waving to their children, Severus ran as fast as he could to catch the Hogwarts Express as it was about to leave the station, carrying his school trunk with him as it banged against his legs. People yelled at him as he squeezed through what little space he could find, ignoring their rants. As the train began to move, he stepped onto the first step and pulled his trunk to the side of him, opening the door.

Signing, he made his way to the back of the train, finding an empty compartment for some privacy. Setting his trunk down, he sat down and leaned against the window, closing his eyes as the train's horn rang in his ears, becoming a distant sound that echoed in the darkness that rushed to meet him.

A few hours later, he awoke to see the sun beginning to set in the distance, recognizing that the train would arrive at its destination an hour after it would disappear from the horizon. Rubbing his eyes, he sat straight up and reach down to his old trunk, using his wand to disable the lock spell he placed over it. Sitting it on the edge of his knees, he reached inside for an envelope and took it out, then took the trunk and set it to the side of him, recasting the locking spell again after closing it.

He stared at the envelope, dreading filling him as he argued with himself over opening it or not. Unable to take it, he sat the envelope on top of his trunk and exited the compartment, using the boy's restroom to splash water onto his face. Afterward, he made his way back, lost in thought and unaware of his surroundings, which immediately became his regret.

Suddenly, something hit his back, stunning him out of his thoughts as the ground rushed up met his face. A wave of confusion, heat and anger rushed through him as he struggled to withhold a moan.

"Hello, Snivellus!" the attacker cast another hex.

Failing to move away fast enough, the hex made Severus make a fist, nearly drawing blood.

"Have a good summer?"

"Of course he didn't, Padfoot," declared the companion next to the attacker. "This is Snivellus we're talking about."

His blood boiling beneath his skin, Severus quickly got up and took out his wand, casting a couple of curses directly at the two boys.

Managing to block his attacks, both of the popular Gryffindors teamed up, casting the same spell at the same time, catching the Slytherin off guard. While he managed to block both of their attacks, he realized too late that a third was sent his way, hitting him in the chest. Everything went numb until he felt his back colliding with the ground. When his vision became clear again, he looked up and saw the two standing directly above him, wands pointed directly at his face.

He tried reaching for his fallen wand, only to feel the shoe of James Potter pressing down on his hand, applying pressure to keep him trapped.

A small crowd had begun to form around them, people trying to squeeze through the small hallway to see what was going on. Severus easily spotted Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, the latter smiling with delight. Despite that Lupin looked disapproving of what was happening, Severus couldn't help but feel disgusted towards him, trying to understand how a coward like him could be a Perfect.

He saw a glimpse of red hair in the crowd and his heart stopped. A redhead girl pushed her way towards the front to see what the commotion was about. He met those green eyes, who stared at the scene in shock and confusion, only for those emotions to be replaced with anger and disgust. Just the reaction alone made him feel like he was dying little by little as he watched her turn away and disappear into the crowd.

Severus felt his heart sink and twist, unable to figure out what hurt the most.

'It's more of the fact that he exists-'

'-mudbloods-'

Closing his eyes, he kept the tears at bay, refusing them to be seen by the audience before him, let alone the two above him.

Turning his attention back to his tormentors, he watched as James stared down at him with a mischievous smile.

"See ya at Hogwarts, Snivellus! It's going to be an open season on your arse this year," he leaned in closer. "See ya around."

Removing his foot from Severus's wrist, he laughed with Sirius Black as they walked past the now dispersing crowd.

Leaning up, Severus glared at the two Marauders from behind, hating their cheerful laughter. Just the display of pleasure they've gotten from his torment multipled his hatred for how they could wear their hearts on their sleeves. He began imagining the vengeful things he could do to them if he had the chance, wishing to Merlin that one day he would finally punish them.

Looking at the crowd that remained left, he could see pity, enjoyment, fear and even curiosity in the eyes of the Hogwarts students. He sneered at them, making sure his expression would frighten them away.

Getting back up to his feet, he walked back to his compartment and sat down, staring out the window with a red face of humiliation. Though he wished to lose himself to the wonders of his dreams, he was unable to go into that realm of escape, instead remaining still as the sun disappeared and darkness took over across the sky.

Turning back to the envelope next to him, he picked it up and broke the seal, opening it. Though reluctant, he read the contents on it and felt his heart sink once he read the final words. Tears threatened to follow after he was done, but he kept them at bay. Lowering the letter, he stared at the floor, lost in his mind as silence filled the compartment.

So unaware of what was happening around him, it took the reducing speed of the train to snap him out of his thoughts. Looking out the window, he saw the familiar castle of Hogwarts in the distance, a beckon within the darkness of the night. Folding the letter and placing it into the trunk again, Severus joined the other sixth years as they boarded carriages for a ride from the platform of Hogsmeade Village to the school. He purposely made sure to sit as far from anyone who was with him in the carriage, hiding behind his greasy hair.

After entering the Great Hall, he took his seat at the Slytherin table for the Welcoming Feast, surrounded by his housemates.

He couldn't help but look over at the Gryffindor table, watching as the redhead from earlier interacted with her friends. She was surrounded by Mary McDonald, Marlene McKinnon, Emmeline Vance and Alice Fortescue, laughing at something that one of them had said. Though he couldn't hear it with all the noise, he could imagine the sound of her laughter.

As he watched her, he felt a dark abyss open up in his chest, trying to suck any form of happiness away from him. Her smile made his heart tighten in his chest. He longed for her to smile at him, to laugh with him, to be with him as she was with the girls next to her.

The Feast went by far too slow for Severus's liking, barely listening to the Sorting of the new first years, the Headmaster's speech, and also the celebration of the new school year.

Sitting right next to Avery and Mulciber, the two attempted at having a conversation with him but were met with a low, "Shut up" from him. Staring at the two he glared and grind his teeth, envy filling his heart as he watched them smile and laugh like there was no tomorrow. What he would give to have that life. To never have to struggle for anything. To have power like them.

His envy quickly turned to anger. Anger for his mother running away, for marrying the first broke she met and having him, to be disowned and choosing the life of poverty. Anger for his father's drinking and sudden outbursts. Anger for James Potter's bullying towards him and lack of consequences. Anger for L-

And just as quickly as it came, so too did it faded, to be replaced by sadness and guilt.

He wished with all of his heart that he wasn't born Severus Snape. He wished he wasn't the son of a muggle, let alone a drunk. He wished he had been born as someone else. Someone who had the riches and the respect of others. Someone who wasn't him.

When he was younger, he used to listen to his mother's stories that she would tell before bed. His most favorite out of all of them was the story of Alexander Augustus Prince and his adventures of traveling the world as a free, rich pureblood. It one of the few that was still past down by generations of the Prince family before his mother ended their line by running away.

The tale told of a very rich, handsome young pureblood wizard during the 18th century. While he was the youngest of his siblings, Alexander Prince was adventurous and ambitious. Because he was the youngest, he was overshadowed by his brothers and sisters, barely getting any attention. But in his solitude, he found freedom where others didn't. It wasn't until after graduating school did he leave his family to travel the world, exploring different countries and sailing the seas.

Finding other wizard civilizations, he learned a great number of things and gained wisdom. He battled monstrous creatures and foes on his journey to explore the world before he finally returned home and rejoined his family after twenty years away. Taking advantage of his knowledge and skills, he gained respect and fame from potion making, the invention of new spells and also becoming a famous author, having turned his adventures into a novel series of a character based off of himself.

It was always his favorite of the stories his mother used to tell him. But it was never the adventures that Alexander Prince went on that intrigued him, it was the fame and respect he got from them. His use of intelligence, skills and achieving what he could despite his neglected life.

But he knew that would never be him. This was his reality, his life. He was no Alexander Prince, he was just Severus Snape. A nobody.

As the Feast continued with the voices of students and staff members filling the Great Hall, Severus began to envy them all. He felt betrayed by how they could feel so at ease. So at... home.

Once the Feast was over, Severus made his way to the Dungeons of the Castle, the location of the House of Slytherin. Entering the Common Room, he decided to head directly for the sixth-year boys' dormitory.

Setting up his things, he got into his pajamas and was about to climb into bed until the door to the dorm room opened, making him turn to see Mulciber and Avery entering.

"Hey, Snape-y!" Avery greeted him with a smile, slapping his shoulder. "How was your summer?"

Severus sneered and pushed his hand off of him, "What do you care?!"

Avery ignored him as he leaned in, "We've got great news for you."

Severus raised an eyebrow, but kept his voice from hinting at his intrigue, "And what news could you possibly have for me?"

Avery turned to Mulciber, both smiling at each other.

"We got permission to take the 'You-Know-What' from yours truly, 'You-Know-Who'."

Severus was surprised by this news, "But I thought they didn't accept students."

"Here's the thing," Mulciber jumped in, his face written with excitement. "Lucius's father just died during the summer, so that means that he's now the Lord of the Malfoy Family."

Severus frowned, "And how does that change the rules?"

"We're getting to that, just shut up and listen!" Avery rolled his eyes. "Lucius has convinced 'You-Know-Who' to allow Slytherin students, pureblood and half-blood alike to take the 'Mark'. But he only agreed on the conditions of holding a ceremony at the Malfoy Manor and that only students going to be seventh years are allowed. We personally thought fifth and sixth years should have been included, but it still works our favor."

"In case if you haven't noticed, we're sixth years," Severus sneered, despite feel a rush of excitement.

"But here's the thing, it won't happen until the end of the school year. It was originally supposed to be celebrated on New Years, but 'You-Know-Who' felt it would be better to test the patience of those who would want to join him. It's a one-time deal, meaning anyone else who wants to join has to either graduate or drop out of school."

"And not just that," Avery snapped his fingers. "Every Pureblood family supporting him are going to be there for the ceremony, along with their children. It's going to be the biggest meeting ever, Snape! All of the Death Eaters under one roof for one hell of a celebration! I even hear rumors that the Dark Lord and Lucius are going to announce their plans."

"My dad is involved with what Malfoy and the Dark Lord are planning. I overheard him talking about the details and how it would take them a year to perfect."

"Wait, you aready know?" Avery smacked Mulciber on the head. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because you're terrible at keeping secrets."

Avery glared at him, "Just too bad we have to wait ten bloody months to get there!"

"Sounds like Malfoy is an idiot for arranging such a meeting," Severus sneered. "With the Ministry out to get anyone following him, this would be the perfect opportunity to make their move."

Mulciber and Avery snorted.

"You don't think he and Lucius have that covered? They have sources to alert them of anything major happening. Everything will be fine."

"Yeah, you need to stop worrying, Snape!" Avery slapped his shoulder, earning a glare from the boy. "This is our chance to become part of something bigger, to gain recognition and power. It's what we and you have always wanted."

Severus stared at them, keeping his excitement well hidden, "I'll think about it."

The two boys tried to smile, though obviously disappointed by his answer.

"Remember, even if you decline this now, you can always join us after you graduate. Just sleep on it."

"And make sure you make the right choice," Mulciber added, giving him a look that suggested more to his words than he was letting on. "I would hate for you to end up on the wrong side."

The two gave him a look before getting into their separate beds.

Signing, he got under the covers and stared up at the ceiling, barely getting any sleep as the night pressed on. Avery and Mulciber's offer became the only thing on his mind, thinking hard about what he should tell them. But a part of him felt a little unsure about accepting so early, which was strange to him, feeling that his answer should be an easy 'yes'.

If he did join the Dark Lord, he would be welcomed with open arms and accepted by the others. His skills in potions and knowledge of the Dark Arts had already gained him favor with Lucius Malfoy, who obviously had already recommended him to the Dark Lord. His future would be set, providing a life he always dreamed of having. He would be recognized for his talents, gain power and be able to rise higher than ever. He had failed to receive such attention from the teachers of Hogwarts, who had a distrustful nature towards Slytherins. While they gave grades the way they were supposed to, the points and the praise they received were very limited. Just the very fact he was Slytherin was more than enough for him to be ignored. And it was a prejudice that made him lose all respect for them.

Especially the Headmaster.

He knew that there was no possible future of being accepted as an apprentice or even recommended by anyone. Every possibility held no promise for him, except for one...

To join the Dark Lord.

What other choice did he have? It wasn't like anyone was going to notice his skills and talents. It wasn't like there was anyone else who was going to give him a chance at his dreams of potion making and testing his skills in the Dark Arts.

Anger rose up within him as he remembered all the times he was picked on for just being a Slytherin. How his half-blood status was keeping him from going any farther with the purebloods around him. If it hadn't been for his talents in potions, he would truly be alone. And he felt angry for the hard life he was forced to endure.

But the thought of the redhead girl entered his mind and felt regret. A sense of dread and guilt filling his heart. The Incident was still very fresh, especially after the summer he had endured in its aftermath. He had hoped that the pain would go away, that controlling his emotions would help, but it still lingered.

For so long it upset him how he was criticized for his interest in the Dark Arts. He hated how no one saw his intention was to study and learn from it, but instead choose to believe that he was going to turn dark and use it for evil. It always bugged him how those like her saw only black and white, light and dark, like naive children.

Anger returned as the hypocrisy of others filled his memory.

Why were Potter and his gang the exception to rule-breaking, when all he did was defend himself? Why was he the villain, when it was he who was being bullied? Why did being a Slytherin suddenly make one an enemy of the Light? Why did he have to be an outcast?

He shook his head, knowing that any answer he got would change nothing.

If the so-called 'Light' was so eager to reject him, then he was better off joining the side that wanted him, who recongized his potential. If the world wanted him to be a Death Eater, then he might as well become one for his own reasons, not theirs. To give them exactly what they want and make them pay.

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way-"

He agreed with that statement, his eyes narrowing in determination as he turned on his side, facing away from the moonlight that shined through the window above, drifting off to sleep.

A decision engraved in his thoughts.

After dressing in his school robes and getting his school supplies for the following day, Severus ate breakfast in the Great Hall before anyone else was awake and made his way to the first class, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Once he had picked out a spot in the back, he got himself seated and began setting his stuff up in an organized fashion. After finishing, he began going over his notes and experiments from the previous year in his diary. He ignored the students who later began to fill the room.

Just before class was about to begin, Severus saw the redhead girl enter with her friends, carrying her books as she giggled at something one of the girls had said.

Their eyes made contact for a few seconds, silencing her laugh.

For a second, Severus thought he saw something in those green eyes that always made him surrender to their will. But whatever it was, it was gone the very moment she turned away in distress, making her way to the front and taking a seat with her friends on the opposite side of the room.

Severus shook his head, refusing to allow himself to be hurt anymore. He had made his choice, just as she made hers. If she was going to take the side that rejected him, then he would take the side that would accept him. He needed to let her go and move on, no matter how hard it would be.

Just as the classroom was full, Marauders came through the doors at the last second, making him sneer at the sound of their carefree laughter.

The DADA teacher walked in from his secondary office in the back, smiling as he faced the classroom.

"Good morning, sixth-years!" he announced. "As Headmaster Dumbledore had announced last night, I will be your new Defense teacher, Mr. Percivial Knight. I hope you had a fun summer because I can promise you that this year is going to be very interesting."

Most the students leaned forward in their seats, curious.

"After having talked with the Ministry of Magic and Headmaster Dumbledore, I've been granted permission in showing you some of the darkest and strangest magical artifacts that our Ministry knows about. Some may say that showing you these is completely necessary and has no place in being presented to under-agers. However, I believe that while these artifacts may be safe in our possession and don't pose any threat, you need to experience a taste of the dangers in our world, especially when these are the kind you wouldn't know exist."

The classroom was now whispering to each other, excitement filling the air.

Moving behind his desk, Mr. Knight took out a briefcase from one of his drawers and placed it on top of the surface, flipping the switches as he opened it and reached inside.

Many of the students were at the edge of their seats, trying to see what he was getting.

With the top of the briefcase facing them, they all watched as the professor held something in his hands, a bright light reflecting his shadow off of the walls behind him.

Closing the case, he revealed a glowing orb in his hand for the students to see.

Many gasped.

Severus was suddenly interested by that point, wondering what kind of dark magical artifact would glow yellow light and what its function was. Even from where he sat he could feel a powerful presence radiating off of it. He was beginning to agree with the professor that this year was indeed going to be interesting.

"What you see before you is something that the Ministry has been trying to study for years," Mr. Knight explained. "We still have no official name for it, but there are those who call it the 'Orb'. There are some stories about this, one of which warn that those who touch it at its brightest end up disappearing and are never seen again. Now, any questions?"

One of the students raised their hands.

"Yes, Miss Lively."

"Is it safe to be around?" the girl asked. "You say that these are the most dangerous artifacts our world has ever seen. So why would the Ministry allow for Hogwarts students to be entrusted with this?"

Many of the students glared at the girl, annoyed that she was questioning an opportunity that was so rare for them to experience.

"Well, I can assure you all that many of these artifacts are safe, Miss Lively. Special precautions have been made for the other artifacts that I wish to show you in the near future. You see, while this one has been feared by others who once held it, it has long since been declared dormant by the Ministry. No one knows exactly the true specifics of its origins or its full background, but it has done little since coming into our possession. Every attempt to study and get a reaction from it have all failed."

"Then why present it to us if it does nothing?" the same girl asked.

Even Severus was annoyed with the girl, glaring at her for her stupid questions that had already been answered.

"Because, despite that it has done nothing dark of the sorts, the Ministry still considers it a dark artifact. Everyone who has studied it agrees that there is a power within it, one that the Department of Mysteries wishes to discover. But it has discouraged many since its discovery. I only got permission to show you this for only today, so I highly recommend that you all enjoy this rare opportunity."

Some of the students sighed in disappointment.

"As I've already stated, there are some stories surrounding this. There was a man who swore upon his life that he saw a medieval world, one filled with all sorts of different creatures and rings that gave those who wielded them great power. Another spoke of seeing a great wall of ice and dragons. And another spoke of seeing a world ruled by those who could control the elements. While all of these stories are unconfirmed, they all involved one specific detail... anytime someone has been in contact with this artifact, they all either have seen something otherworldly or have disappeared."

The classroom started whispering to each other again, some expressing disbelief or excitement.

"Now, who would like to touch it?" the professor placed the glowing orb on his desk. "It's perfectly safe, I promise you. Many people have been in contact with this thing and none have experienced any harm. The only thing you will feel from it is warmth and a surge of power, but nothing else."

Hands flew up all around the classroom.

"Alright, one at a time," he sat the orb on a small display that held it perfectly on his desk, choosing the first student to start.

For the entire period of the class, students were selected to come and touch the orb of light.

Although he was interested in the mysterious artifact, Severus decided not to draw attention to himself, afraid of what the Marauders would throw at him. The entire time he looked towards where the redhead girl sat and watched as she talked to her friends, his heart aching at just the sight of her hair. His eyes hardened at the sight of James Potter and his gang behind her, noticing how the Gryffindor King would whisper something towards her, only to receive no reply, making him sneer.

Unable to take more, he turned away and did the best he could to avoid looking in her direction.

"Alright, we have only enough time for one more person," Knight declared. "Who would like to have a go?"

A few hands raised right away.

"Miss Evans, I believe you haven't had the pleasure yet. Come on up!"

The entire class, with the exception of Severus, watched as the redhead girl got up from her seat and walked up towards the desk, nervously reaching out towards the orb of light in front of her.

Once her hand made contact, she released a sigh of relief, smiling.

"How does it feel, Miss Evans?"

"It feels warm and... powerful," she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling she was receiving from the mysterious artifact. "Sir, how is this thing declared a dark artifact? It feels more peaceful than dark."

"Mainly because the Ministry doesn't know what it can do," the professor replied. "While it has in no way proven to be dangerous, there are those who want to be one hundred percent certain this isn't a weapon that can be used for destruction-"

Severus's attention was suddenly drawn to the front of the room, right past the Professor Knight and the redhead. He thought he saw something, a cloaked figure in the darkness. He swore he saw blue, purplish eyes from the darkness in the back.

Closing his eyes, he reopened them to find nothing there.

Suddenly the orb started to glow slightly brighter and its color began to change dramatically, unleashing a wave of power that caught everyone's attention.

The Knight's smile immediately turned to concern, "Miss Evans, I must strongly ask you to step away from the artifact and return to your seat."

As the redhead tried to pull back her hand from the artifact her eyes widened, pulling a little harder a second time.

"Sir, I can't get my hand free."

Severus felt his heart stop, noticing how the artifact was beginning to glow even brighter now, engulfing everything in the classroom. Right away, he rose from his seat and ran towards her.

"I can feel it pulling my hand! It won't let me go!" she cried, trying to yank herself free.

Knight approached her and tried to lift the orb, but it refused to be moved. He then took out his wand, casting a spell directly at the artifact, only to bounce right off and strike the ceiling.

The Defense teacher was at a loss for words, extremely worried now, "Alright, everyone, evacuate the classroom immediately! Send for Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, right away!"

Every student in the room began to run towards the door, some screaming in fear. The only ones who refused to leave were Severus Snape and James Potter, the latter following from behind.

Severus got to the girl's right side and took out his wand, quickly studying the glowing artifact and the handprint that traced around the girl's. He didn't even notice as James Potter went to the girl's left side, staring at her with great concern, not knowing what to do.

Meanwhile, the redhead started crying, tears running down her cheeks.

"Mister Potter! Mister Snape!" Knight exclaimed. "You both need to get out of here! Leave Miss Evans to me and the school staff! We have no idea what this thing is going to do!"

"Lily, I'm right here," James touched redhead's shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "No matter what happens, I'm not leaving."

She turned towards the Marauder with fearful eyes, unable to control her sobbing.

Ignoring the professor and James, Severus continued to study the orb and suddenly got an idea.

Putting his wand away, he moved his left hand towards Lily's right and slowly began to slide his fingers under her hand. To his, and everyone else's surprise, the trace around the girl's hand allowed him entrance and he felt an invisible force pull him directly towards it. It had allowed him trade places with her.

Now free, the redhead rubbed her hand and turned to Severus, who was now prisoner to the glowing orb.

As James pulled her into a hug, the two made eye contact and exchanged a look between them that was unnoticed by the Marauder. While her eyes and expression were a mix of fear, surprise, and shock; Severus's was one of relief and resignation. He also saw something else in her eyes, something he hadn't seen in so long.

A wind started to form a circle around them as the orb grew brighter with each passing second, acting like a tornado.

Noticing movement from the front of the classroom again, he quickly turned his head, catching a glimpse of a cloak flapping in the darkness. For a second, he thought he saw it try to move towards him but was forced to retreat as if it was being kept at bay.

"Mister Snape!" Knight called out to him. "What do you think you are doing?!"

Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the professor.

"I'm saving your lives, you bloody idiot!" he snapped at him. "Can you form a protection charm around me and the artifact?"

The professor looked at him with widened eyes, "What?"

Severus rolled his eyes, wanting to smack the professor on the head, "CAN YOU PLACE A PROTECTION CHARM ON ME AND THE DAMN ARTIFACT?!"

Knight hesitated before he nodded, "Y-yes I can... but Mister Snape, you'll be trapped within the charm, with no way to survive the potential damage."

"JUST DO IT!" he snapped, trying to make the man see the logic in his plan. "This artifact won't let me go and it's obvious that someone needs to be here in my place, and I am not going to be in someone else's debt! Now place the charm on me!"

It took a few seconds for the professor to get himself together, coming to the same conclusion as Severus.

"Perhaps if I took your place-"

Suddenly the orb's changing of colors stopped, settling on blue. A second passed before the light intensified and a ring of blue rushed out from the orb, throwing everyone backward, except for Severus. As they slid across the floor and crashed into some desks and chairs, the room began to shake around them.

Realizing that time was running out, Severus reached into his robes and pulled out his wand, pointing it up in the air, "Protego Maxima! Fianto Duri! Repello Inimicum!"

The protection charm did its job and formed a small shield around the artifact and himself, sealing them in and keeping anyone from entering its boundaries.

He watched as James, the redhead and Mr. Knight quickly got up from the ground, looking directly at the where they believed Severus to be before heading out of the classroom. Just before they disappeared from the doorway, Severus saw the girl look back, tears soaking her cheeks as she searched for any sight of him. For a single second, he got to see those beautiful green eyes actually wanting to see him without hatred or disgust in them, watching the sway of her red hair before disappearing.

Taking a small moment, he turned his attention back towards the mysterious artifact, feeling the heat and power radiating off of it. His hand was engulfed in the light and sheer power of the magical orb, making its way up his arm and across his body.

Looking back towards the front of the room, he saw a pair of blue, purplish eyes glaring at him from the darkness. He began to wonder if he was seeing things, if his mind was playing tricks on him or if the orb was causing him to hallucinate.

Either way, it didn't matter.

Turning away, he closed his eyes and waited for the end, expecting the pain to come at any second. Feeling his fear rise, he began to bring up his Occlumency walls in preparation, but instead of pain, he felt a wave of calm and peace flowing through him. And instead of fear, he felt comfort.

As he continued to build his walls of Occlumency, Severus began to question why he had done this. It was so out of his Slytherin beliefs, considering that nothing was gained except for saving the life of a girl. He wondered what the aftermath of his decision was going to have.

He would surely find no sympathy from Slytherin, especially from those who wished to join the Death Eaters. They would see this as an act of betrayal and weakness. He had saved a muggleborn, a crime that they wouldn't forgive. Even if he somehow survived this, he would be condemned for saving her, most likely bullied whenever the opportunity would arise for them. In a single act, he had destroyed his chance of joining the Dark Lord, a fact that he hated himself for.

Outside of Slytherin, he would find no one mourning him.

His father would most certainly wouldn't, though he could care less what the old drunk thought. His mother might, but he knew she would find a way to push the hardship of his death to the back of her mind. All of Gryffindor would most likely celebrate, especially the Marauders. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff wouldn't care, which was somehow a positive in this situation.

The redhead entered his train of thought, but he knew how she would react to his death. Her reaction on the train was clear enough. Even her time at the Feast and the way she was smiling when walking through those doors of the classroom proved that she had already embraced a new life without him. If anything, being dead only made it easier for her.

But... what about me?

As time felt as if it was slowing down, Severus couldn't help but laugh, unable to conceal it as the orb grew brighter. He was a Slytherin, saving the life of a Gryffindor, a muggleborn. He was betraying his House and everything he was supposed to believe in, all because of one girl. If it had been anyone else, he would have ran like the others. But no, he stayed and took her place... because he wanted to.

A smile formed on his face as the realization dawned on him. He didn't know if it was the right decision or a smart one, only that it was a decision he wanted to make, a decision that he was fine with. And though he couldn't understand why, it was good enough for him.

Sighing, Severus prepared himself as he felt the light from the orb grow more powerful and bright, managing to shine through his eyelids.

A few seconds passed, feeling the wind hit his face at high speed, but felt nothing else happening. Refusing to open his eyes, he waited for the end and took a deep breath, until he felt himself falling. A rush of freezing, cold wind hit his body, sinking through the robes and making his skin feel like a bunch of kniveswase piercing through him.

Too afraid to keep them closed, he opened his eyes and he found himself falling in midair, right towards a large body of water that was waiting for him. His heart began to race, struggling to make sense of where he was and how he came to be in midair, not to mention over an ocean. As he fell faster and closer to the water, he instantly recognized glaciers rushing up to meet him. He knew that even if he managed to land in the water, the speed and force of the impact would kill him.

Looking towards his right hand, he realized that he still held onto his wand, a fact that surprised him. Steadying himself, he tried to aim for a glacier within his reach, one that happened to be flat enough for him to land on. He struggled to balance himself out and aim his wand perfectly at the same time, despite the interference of the wind. Just within seconds of hitting the ground, he positioned himself and yelled out, "Aresto Momentum!"

Despite casting the spell in time, Severus still made contact with the ground, feeling his whole body aching from the pain of the impact. He slid across the glacier, snow getting under his robes and ice cutting at his skin, and came to a stop just inches from the edge that lead to the icy, cold water. As the dust of snow settled, his body remained still, snow covering most of him as the cold wind whistled around him.

With his body in pain, his sight began to become obscured and his sense of hearing began to play tricks on him. He thought he could hear footsteps and voices in the background. His first instinct was to get up and run, find shelter from the cold and analyze the situation, but his body refused to obey him, feeling a wave of tiredness beginning to overwhelm him.

"Is he alright?" a girl asked.

A shadow appeared over him, two more appearing next to it.

"I don't know," replied a childish voice. "It was a nasty fall."

"He's probably dead," said a third voice. "There was no way he could have survived that."

"But you saw me fly ten feet in the air and land perfectly on my feet," the childish voice replied.

"And I'm still trying to come to terms with that. But seriously, what you did was like ten feet, this guy fell higher than that."

Severus moaned and slightly moving his head to get a look at his small audience, but was unable to focus.

"No way, he's still alive!" the third voice exclaimed, readying himself in a defense-stance, holding a spear in his hand. "Stand back, he could be dangerous!"

"Will you stop it, Sokka!" the female voice yelled at the one known as Sokka, punching him on the shoulder. "He's hurt and needs our help! Aang, can your Flying Bison carry all four of us back to our village?"

"Uh, yeah, Appa can definitely take us there," the boy known as Aang replied, rubbing his head as he stared down at Severus. "Don't worry... eh, stranger. We're going to take good care of you. Just hang in there, okay?"

If Severus could have sneered, he would have. The boy's voice was filled with so much genuine concern and optimism that he felt sick to his stomach, despite the pain he was under.

Although he was too weak to talk or fully get a good look at his rescuers, he could still hear just enough to understand what they were saying and doing. With the one known as Sokka taking his legs and the girl taking his shoulders, including the boy known as Aang holding his back, they carried him to a large, grunting creature of some kind. As he was laid down, he felt the comfort of fluffy, warm fur.

"I can't believe that I'm allowing myself to get onto this fluffy, snot monster," the one known as Sokka complained.

"Well, you can always wait for some other kind of monster to come along and give you a ride home, before the freezing temperatures kill you," the girl shot back at him.

The boy opened his mouth to reply, but hesitated as he sighing, "Why do you always have to be right about everything?"

"Because I'm the smart one, and you're the idiot."

"Hey!"

Severus screamed internally, believing that the two would have been suited for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. As for the one known as Aang, he was obviously the Hufflepuff kind.

"Okay, first-time flyers, hold on tight!" he heard Aang call out. "Appa, Yip-Yip!"

Yip-Yip?

Even on the verge of falling into unconsciousness, he could hear the animal growl and feel it leap into the air, only to land into the water with a loud splash. The impact against the water made him moan from the extra pain it caused him.

"Come on, Appa! Yip Yip!" Aang called out again, almost as if he was hoping for something else to happen with the animal.

"Wow, that was truly amazing," said a sarcastic Sokka, who laid right next to Severus.

I change my mind, this one definitely has some Slytherin within him.

Lying on his back of the unknown animal, he listened to the conversation between the ones known as Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Despite how much he felt the need to sleep, he wanted to learn as much as he could about them. Although unable to focus on the way his eyesight was acting, he could feel their attention directly on him.

"Okay, I have to ask, just where did this guy come from?" asked the childish one known as Aang.

He felt the pointy end of Sokka's boomerang against his head, making him sneer as he grew impatient and angry.

"Stop it, Sokka!" the girl snatched his spear and whacked him over the head, which made Aang laugh. "He could be seriously hurt and we wouldn't even know it."

"Oh, stop acting like a worried mother, Katara!" Sokka quickly took back his weapon.

Katara, Severus noted to himself. Such weird names for every single one of them. Must be muggles.

"I have to agree with Aang," said Sokka. "Where did he come from? And how did he end up in the sky? And what was that yellow light?"

"I think it was a golden light. Perhaps that weird blue light had something to do with it," replied Katara. "After all, it freed you and Appa from the iceberg. So maybe it had something to do with him appearing from the sky."

"Yeah, but at least Aang was stuck in an iceberg, he didn't just appear out of thin air," said Sokka. "Speaking of which, how did you end up in the iceberg, Aang?"

Severus could hear the young boy struggling to answer.

"Oh, um, you know what... I don't exactly remember."

He could tell that the boy was lying, something that the other two didn't seem to realize.

"Well, you did just get free of the iceberg, so I bet you just need some time to let your mind figure it out on your own."

Normally, I would agree... if I hadn't noticed the fact that he was clearly lying!

"Oh, and since we're on the subject about you," Katara went on. "Since you're an Airbender and all, I was wondering if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar?"

"Uh... no, I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people who knew him... but I didn't... sorry."

Once again, Severus could hear the trembling in his voice.

What was an 'Avatar'?

"Oh, okay, just curious," he could hear and sense the disappointment in Katara's voice. "So, who wants to keep first watch over the... um... stranger, while the rest of us get some sleep? The sun is getting low right now."

"Well, not me," Sokka quickly announced. "Airbenders and flying bisons stuck in icebergs, light beams, mysterious boys falling from the sky- I think I need a nap to wake up from all of this madness. Thank you very much!"

Severus began to wish he had let the fall kill him instead. It was tormenting for him to hear any of this teenage drama, especially with the bickering between the ones, who were clearly brother and sister. As for the one known as Aang, he couldn't quite understand how he was mixed up in all of this. He didn't seem like someone the other two knew very well, judging by their conversation. In fact, even the conversation itself suggested that they had just recently met.

And what did they mean by 'stuck in an iceberg'? No one could survive being frozen in an iceberg without the help of magic.

"I'll keep watch over him," Katara announced as she moved closer towards where he was lying, covering him with a blanket.

Aang nodded, "We should reach your village in a little while. I just hope he isn't hurt too badly from the fall."

Just as he was about to fall victim to unconsciousness, Severus couldn't help but wonder just who these people were and why they were willing to help him. No muggle would ever help him, let alone someone of his kind. And besides, all muggles were distrustful towards him. As he felt the darkness start to overtake him, he got a glimpse of the girl next to him. He noticed how she was looking at him with curiosity and worry, noticing her blue eyes. They reminded him of a pair of green eyes, which made him feel both sad and content.

Just before he fell to sleep, his thoughts drifted to the mysterious orb and the cloaked figure who happened to be there. He could still picture those piercing blue, purplish eyes. They would have been seen as peaceful if it hadn't been for the darkness and the cloak that shielded the rest of its physical structure. Just remembering them made him fearful of the figure, hoping it was only his imagination.

So many questions rose as he about fell to sleep.

Where was he? What did the orb do? What was the orb? Who was the mysterious figure with the blue, purple eyes? And... was Lily was alright?

As the night began to reign over the cold, icy waters, a warship sailed between the floating glaciers, managing to avoid them with ease. At the helm stood a young man, the left side of his face scarred, eyes full of anger and determination. Even with the cold temperatures, he wore only his sleeping robes for warmth.

I've found him! the young Firebender felt his excitement rise. After two long years, I've finally found him!

As the sun had disappeared over the horizon and the stars began to appear in the sky, he remained where he was. Ignoring the growing need for rest his body begged for, he focused on the open waters in front of him, until he sensed someone approaching from behind but felt no need to see who it was.

"Nephew," the person called out. "There's something you must know."

"What is it?!" he growled.

"One of the men has become ill."

"And?!"

"I find it no consequence that this illness happened at the same time as the golden light we saw. Perhaps we should take this as a warning not to go any further."

"We will not change course over the health of one man!" the teen declared. "Sailors get sick at sea all the time."

"Very well," the bald man yawned. "Perhaps you should get some sleep too. You've been out here for far too long. I understand your... excitement. But you need your rest."

The young man remained quiet, having gone through this conversation with him just a little while ago.

He kept his attention ahead of him, "I'm fine, Uncle."

The bald man sighed and shook his head, turning away to go back to his quarters.

Hearing the metal door close, the young man continued to look out towards the ocean ahead, a determination deep in his eyes.

I will find you!

So, how did you guys like the first chapter?

As I've said before, this story will rely heavily on the hit cartoon tv series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' so I highly suggest that you to watch the series if you haven't seen it yet. While this will follow a very similar path, the story will diverge along the way, but some of the story-arcs and characters will remain the same (for the most part).

So, once again, please watch the show if you haven't seen it yet, and don't want to have it spoiled for you.

I originally was planning to save the part where Severus is transported to the world of the Avatar for chapters 2 or 3, but I found that holding it off was dragging the story for me to write. So I decided to jump right into it and go full out. Besides, Redemption is the one that is supposed to go into more detail of Severus's detachment from Hogwarts and slowly building up to his new life. In this one, I want to completely take Severus out of his comfort zone and just have him go right into his adventure.

I really hope you guys like the premise of the story. I already have a lot of the plot figured out, so you will be seeing more updates in the near future.

As for those who are waiting for an update on Redemption, I'm currently reworking parts of the story and trying to figure out certain things (without any spoilers being revealed here). I can promise you that I am not abandoning it, just working things out with the plot and characters. If you're interested in reading it, I welcome you to. But I should warn you that it is going to be a darker version than this one (think in terms of Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, that kind of difference).

Please review and thank you for reading! I'll see you guys in Chapter 2! ;)