Fic: Perchance to Dream
Fic: Perchance to Dream
Pairing: HP/SS (barely)
Summary: Things change and Harry has some trouble figuring stuff out. (Don't ask me where this came from.)
Harry woke quickly, rolling to his feet and glancing around anxiously. He couldn’t remember why, but he felt certain he should be in danger. The only person nearby was a rather ugly man who was lying on the grass. Harry approached cautiously, ready to spring back quickly if it was a trap. The man lay still and Harry collapsed onto the grass beside him. As soon as he sat down, the man rolled to his knees and grasped Harry’s arm tightly.
“Who are you!?”
“Let go of me!” Harry exclaimed, trying to twist his arm out of the painful hold.
“What did you do to me? Where are we?”
“I don’t know where we are and I don’t know who you are! Now let me go!”
The man snarled and tossed Harry’s arm away as if it had burned him. Harry stretched his arm and rubbed at it ruefully, but it barely hurt now anyway. “My name is Harry Potter.”
“Severus Snape,” he sneered and climbed to his feet.
Harry stood as well but didn’t get too close to him again. “Where are we?”
Snape glared at him. “I don’t know. I don’t... I don’t remember anything.”
“Except your name.” Harry said softly. He smiled at Snape’s snarl. “That’s all I remember too. Except…. This feels odd. Like I’m in danger. Except, not really.” Harry tried to explain haltingly.
Snape nodded. “I feel much the same.”
A distant shout caught their attention and they turned to see a man waving at them. Harry unconsciously stepped closer to Snape, who instinctively stepped slightly in front of him.
“Harry!” the man exclaimed. He laughed shortly. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. But….” He laughed again.
Harry stepped around Snape, but still stayed close to him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know you.”
The man smiled sadly. “Of course not. I remember when I first arrived….” He shook his head. “I’m James Potter.”
“My name is Potter,” Harry said softly.
James nodded. “Yes, I know.” He turned to Snape. “Hello, Severus. I expected to see you years ago. Well, not here, but I’m glad you are here.”
“I know you, don’t I?” Snape asked.
James nodded again. “Yes, you do. Better than Harry, though I wish that weren’t the case.” He looked sadly at Harry before smiling again. “There are people waiting for us. We’ve a long walk ahead of us so it’s best if we get started.”
James turned away. Snape and Harry exchanged a glance before Harry raced ahead to catch up with James. “Wait. Can you tell me who you are? Or even who I am?”
James smiled and shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s forbidden.” He clapped Harry on the back. “But you’ll remember. It took me weeks before I remembered, er, someone very important to me.” He laughed again. “She was very upset that it took me so long.”
Harry glanced over his shoulder at Snape and fell back to walk beside him. James walked ahead, seeming to pay no attention to the two men behind him. Harry kept glancing at Snape, hoping that he would provide some answers, but Snape studied the man walking in front of him with a pensive expression on his face.
It seemed to take hours and no time at all before they reached a castle beside a lake. It was achingly familiar to Harry, yet he didn’t recognize it. He stepped closer to Snape. “Have you figured it out yet?”
“Figured what out, Potter?” Snape hissed back.
“Whatever is going on. You always figure everything out,” Harry answered.
Snape stopped short. “How do you know that, Potter?”
“I don’t know.” Harry frowned and stared at Snape. “But it’s true. I know you. I know I do. I just can’t...” He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.
“It’s alright, Harry,” James said softly. “It’ll take some time, but it’ll come to you. It’s already begun.” He turned Harry to face the castle and the small group of people that were stepping outside. “You can’t force yourself to remember. But you will.” He grinned and tugged on Harry’s arm, casting a smile back at Snape. “Come on. They want to see you.”
Harry wanted to grab Snape’s hand and hold on tight, something telling him that whatever was going to happen, Snape would keep him safe. But one look at Snape’s uncertain expression convinced Harry that Snape wouldn’t appreciate the distraction that even that simple touch would give him.
They walked toward a courtyard and two people broke away from the group, nearly running toward Harry and Snape. James gestured toward a tall figure waiting on the steps. “He’s waiting for you, Severus. We’ll be along soon.”
Snape hesitated, casting a last look at Harry who was watching the approach of a red-haired woman and an annoyingly familiar dark-haired man, but walked away toward the castle and the old man standing on the steps.
Harry frowned and watched Snape walk away as the woman came closer. He knew her. He had seen her somewhere before and she was….
“Mum?”
Lily rushed forward and pulled him into her arms. “Oh, Harry. I’m so happy to see you.” She leaned back and studied his face a moment before holding him close again. “I’ve thought of you every day.”
Harry closed his eyes and leaned against his mother. He would figure it all out later.
*****
Harry didn’t know how long it was before he saw Snape again, but he knew that he had been waiting for him. Everything was almost the same here. He still had meals in the Great Hall, though he lived in a room in his parent's house in the village below. Sirius and James went flying with him and his mother would sit and talk quietly with him, though she never answered any of his questions. But then one day, Snape was there and Harry couldn’t believe how much he had missed him.
“Potter,” Snape said and arched a brow at him.
Harry grinned. “Do you think you could call me Harry? There are three of us here, you know.”
Snape sneered at James and Lily standing behind Harry and watching them intently. He looked at Harry again. “Perhaps.” He gestured behind him. “There is someone who is very anxious to speak with you. Harry.”
“See? Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Harry smiled and brushed past him into the Great Hall. Lily laughed and followed him inside, patting Snape’s shoulder as she passed.
James stared hard at Snape. “Severus.” He seemed on the verge of saying something else but shook his head instead. “Be careful with him.”
“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. James.” Snape answered snidely.
James laughed and Snape glared. “Of course not, Severus.” James shook his head and, still laughing, walked past Snape. Snape turned to follow and came up short as Harry stepped into his path.
“What was that all about?”
“How should I know what your idiot father is on about?” Snape snapped.
Harry shrugged and fell into step beside Snape. “What have you been doing since we got here?”
“Catching up with old acquaintances,” Snape answered shortly.
“Really?” Harry asked skeptically then shrugged again. “I suppose I’ve been doing the same thing.”
“I didn’t ask, Potter. Harry,” Snape corrected at Harry’s pointed look.
Harry grinned. Snape just rolled his eyes and took Harry’s arm. It took several minutes for Harry’s eyes to adjust to the darkness and when they finally did, an older, vaguely familiar wizard stood glaring at him.
“What could you possibly have against my house, young man?”
Harry gulped and tried to step back, but Snape held him place. “Um, I’m sorry, I don’t....”
The wizard rolled his eyes and turned his glare upon Snape. “You mean he still has no idea?”
Another wizard joined them, laughing and slapping the first wizard on the back. “Not everyone is as clever as you, you know.”
The first wizard turned his glare on the second wizard, who just laughed again. The first wizard pointed at Harry, who again tried to back away but was still held still by Snape. “This young man argued, actually argued, with your hat so it wouldn’t place him in my house.”
The second wizard turned to Harry, looking rather impressed. “You argued with my hat? And it actually did as you requested?” He turned back to the first wizard. “Well there you have it, Salazar. Only a true Gryffindor would be able to win an argument with my hat.”
“You mean only a true Gryffindor would be stubborn enough to argue with your hat,” Salazar answered, sulking slightly.
The second wizard laughed. Harry frowned and huddled close to Snape. “Severus?”
Snape sighed. “Harry, may I introduce Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor.”
Harry nodded and hesitantly took the hand Godric thrust out at him. “Very happy to meet you, young man. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you from Albus.” He threw a smug smile at Salazar. “Though he left some things out.”
Salazar glared at Godric. “He was only too happy to inform me of that fact.”
Something clicked in Harry’s head. “Wait a minute,” he burst out. Everyone turned to stare at him. “You’re both dead.” He turned to Snape. “Does that mean...” He felt light headed suddenly.
“Oh, he’s a fainter,” Godric said as all three wizards reached out to steady him before he fell down.
“I’m not surprised,” Salazar remarked, smug now. “You’re lot have always been the slowest and least willing to accept the obvious.”
Something else became horribly clear in Harry’s mind and he stood straight, shaking off all of their hands. “Voldemort killed me!” He turned to Snape. “And you! We’re dead!”
Snape smirked. “Congratulations, Mr. Potter. It only took you three months to realize the obvious.”
*****
Harry collapsed onto Snape’s chest and snuggled closer when wiry arms wrapped around his back. He sighed and pressed a kiss to Snape’s throat. “I wish we had done this before.” He traced a finger down Snape’s nose. “I would have liked to have gotten sweaty with you. Felt your breath on my face.”
“Or your back?” Snape asked softly.
Harry giggled. “That too.” He propped an elbow on Snape’s chest and smiled down at him. “I never expected to spend the afterlife with you.”
Snape smirked. “I would have thought this would be hell.”
“Forced to spend eternity buggering me senseless?”
“It didn’t take long to make you senseless,” Snape rebutted.
Harry laughed and slid off to the side, keeping his head pillowed on Snape’s chest. “Do you think, if things had been different, we would have ended up here anyway?”
“Which here do you mean, Potter?”
Harry smiled. “Here. Together.”
“Freshly buggered?”
Harry laughed. “Yes.”
Snape traced the knobs of Harry’s spine with his fingertips. “I don’t know. I don’t like to remember before.”
“I can barely remember anymore.” Harry shivered beneath Snape’s hand.
Snape nodded and clutched Harry close. “I don t know. I want to think so. But at least we have it now.”
Harry sighed and draped himself half over Snape again. They lay on the grass in the sun, dozing at times, until a shout roused them again.
“Harry! Severus! Minerva is almost here!”
Harry sighed and rolled away, reaching for his clothes. “I don’t like to feel glad when new people show up.”
Snape ran a hand through Harry’s hair. “You didn’t seem to mind so much when Remus arrived.”
Harry shrugged. “That was different. He didn’t have a good life there.”
“You think this life is better?”
Harry shrugged again. “I don’t know.”
Snape straightened Harry’s robes before pulling him into his arms. “Care to make a wager as to how long it takes her to realize where she is?”
Harry snorted and pushed at Snape’s chest. “You’re never going to just let it go, are you?”
“What?” Snape asked innocently. “The fact that it took me three hours to figure out we were dead or the fact that it took you three months?”
“That’s only because you killed Dumbledore and you remembered it.”
“You were greeted by your dead father, Potter.”
Harry grabbed Snape’s hand and began the walk around the castle. “Yeah, well.”
“As intelligent as always, Potter. At least some things never change.”
Harry squinted into the light and shook his head. “Like Dumbledore’s atrocious taste in robes?”
“Just so.” Snape answered as he clutched Harry’s hand. “It’ll be good to see her again.”
“It’s funny the people you forget that you missed.” Harry said softly.
“They won’t be here for many years, Harry.”
“I know.” Harry leaned his head against Snape’s shoulder for a moment. “I hope they’re happy.”
“Don’t think about them,” Snape murmured and held Harry close. “Your mother is waiting for you.”
Harry sighed and lifted his head. He smiled at Snape. “Come on. I know you’ve been waiting for McGonagall just as anxiously as Dumbledore.”
Snape smiled and Harry led him forward where the other witches and wizards were waiting.
Pairing: HP/SS (barely)
Summary: Things change and Harry has some trouble figuring stuff out. (Don't ask me where this came from.)
Harry woke quickly, rolling to his feet and glancing around anxiously. He couldn’t remember why, but he felt certain he should be in danger. The only person nearby was a rather ugly man who was lying on the grass. Harry approached cautiously, ready to spring back quickly if it was a trap. The man lay still and Harry collapsed onto the grass beside him. As soon as he sat down, the man rolled to his knees and grasped Harry’s arm tightly.
“Who are you!?”
“Let go of me!” Harry exclaimed, trying to twist his arm out of the painful hold.
“What did you do to me? Where are we?”
“I don’t know where we are and I don’t know who you are! Now let me go!”
The man snarled and tossed Harry’s arm away as if it had burned him. Harry stretched his arm and rubbed at it ruefully, but it barely hurt now anyway. “My name is Harry Potter.”
“Severus Snape,” he sneered and climbed to his feet.
Harry stood as well but didn’t get too close to him again. “Where are we?”
Snape glared at him. “I don’t know. I don’t... I don’t remember anything.”
“Except your name.” Harry said softly. He smiled at Snape’s snarl. “That’s all I remember too. Except…. This feels odd. Like I’m in danger. Except, not really.” Harry tried to explain haltingly.
Snape nodded. “I feel much the same.”
A distant shout caught their attention and they turned to see a man waving at them. Harry unconsciously stepped closer to Snape, who instinctively stepped slightly in front of him.
“Harry!” the man exclaimed. He laughed shortly. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. But….” He laughed again.
Harry stepped around Snape, but still stayed close to him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know you.”
The man smiled sadly. “Of course not. I remember when I first arrived….” He shook his head. “I’m James Potter.”
“My name is Potter,” Harry said softly.
James nodded. “Yes, I know.” He turned to Snape. “Hello, Severus. I expected to see you years ago. Well, not here, but I’m glad you are here.”
“I know you, don’t I?” Snape asked.
James nodded again. “Yes, you do. Better than Harry, though I wish that weren’t the case.” He looked sadly at Harry before smiling again. “There are people waiting for us. We’ve a long walk ahead of us so it’s best if we get started.”
James turned away. Snape and Harry exchanged a glance before Harry raced ahead to catch up with James. “Wait. Can you tell me who you are? Or even who I am?”
James smiled and shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s forbidden.” He clapped Harry on the back. “But you’ll remember. It took me weeks before I remembered, er, someone very important to me.” He laughed again. “She was very upset that it took me so long.”
Harry glanced over his shoulder at Snape and fell back to walk beside him. James walked ahead, seeming to pay no attention to the two men behind him. Harry kept glancing at Snape, hoping that he would provide some answers, but Snape studied the man walking in front of him with a pensive expression on his face.
It seemed to take hours and no time at all before they reached a castle beside a lake. It was achingly familiar to Harry, yet he didn’t recognize it. He stepped closer to Snape. “Have you figured it out yet?”
“Figured what out, Potter?” Snape hissed back.
“Whatever is going on. You always figure everything out,” Harry answered.
Snape stopped short. “How do you know that, Potter?”
“I don’t know.” Harry frowned and stared at Snape. “But it’s true. I know you. I know I do. I just can’t...” He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.
“It’s alright, Harry,” James said softly. “It’ll take some time, but it’ll come to you. It’s already begun.” He turned Harry to face the castle and the small group of people that were stepping outside. “You can’t force yourself to remember. But you will.” He grinned and tugged on Harry’s arm, casting a smile back at Snape. “Come on. They want to see you.”
Harry wanted to grab Snape’s hand and hold on tight, something telling him that whatever was going to happen, Snape would keep him safe. But one look at Snape’s uncertain expression convinced Harry that Snape wouldn’t appreciate the distraction that even that simple touch would give him.
They walked toward a courtyard and two people broke away from the group, nearly running toward Harry and Snape. James gestured toward a tall figure waiting on the steps. “He’s waiting for you, Severus. We’ll be along soon.”
Snape hesitated, casting a last look at Harry who was watching the approach of a red-haired woman and an annoyingly familiar dark-haired man, but walked away toward the castle and the old man standing on the steps.
Harry frowned and watched Snape walk away as the woman came closer. He knew her. He had seen her somewhere before and she was….
“Mum?”
Lily rushed forward and pulled him into her arms. “Oh, Harry. I’m so happy to see you.” She leaned back and studied his face a moment before holding him close again. “I’ve thought of you every day.”
Harry closed his eyes and leaned against his mother. He would figure it all out later.
*****
Harry didn’t know how long it was before he saw Snape again, but he knew that he had been waiting for him. Everything was almost the same here. He still had meals in the Great Hall, though he lived in a room in his parent's house in the village below. Sirius and James went flying with him and his mother would sit and talk quietly with him, though she never answered any of his questions. But then one day, Snape was there and Harry couldn’t believe how much he had missed him.
“Potter,” Snape said and arched a brow at him.
Harry grinned. “Do you think you could call me Harry? There are three of us here, you know.”
Snape sneered at James and Lily standing behind Harry and watching them intently. He looked at Harry again. “Perhaps.” He gestured behind him. “There is someone who is very anxious to speak with you. Harry.”
“See? Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Harry smiled and brushed past him into the Great Hall. Lily laughed and followed him inside, patting Snape’s shoulder as she passed.
James stared hard at Snape. “Severus.” He seemed on the verge of saying something else but shook his head instead. “Be careful with him.”
“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. James.” Snape answered snidely.
James laughed and Snape glared. “Of course not, Severus.” James shook his head and, still laughing, walked past Snape. Snape turned to follow and came up short as Harry stepped into his path.
“What was that all about?”
“How should I know what your idiot father is on about?” Snape snapped.
Harry shrugged and fell into step beside Snape. “What have you been doing since we got here?”
“Catching up with old acquaintances,” Snape answered shortly.
“Really?” Harry asked skeptically then shrugged again. “I suppose I’ve been doing the same thing.”
“I didn’t ask, Potter. Harry,” Snape corrected at Harry’s pointed look.
Harry grinned. Snape just rolled his eyes and took Harry’s arm. It took several minutes for Harry’s eyes to adjust to the darkness and when they finally did, an older, vaguely familiar wizard stood glaring at him.
“What could you possibly have against my house, young man?”
Harry gulped and tried to step back, but Snape held him place. “Um, I’m sorry, I don’t....”
The wizard rolled his eyes and turned his glare upon Snape. “You mean he still has no idea?”
Another wizard joined them, laughing and slapping the first wizard on the back. “Not everyone is as clever as you, you know.”
The first wizard turned his glare on the second wizard, who just laughed again. The first wizard pointed at Harry, who again tried to back away but was still held still by Snape. “This young man argued, actually argued, with your hat so it wouldn’t place him in my house.”
The second wizard turned to Harry, looking rather impressed. “You argued with my hat? And it actually did as you requested?” He turned back to the first wizard. “Well there you have it, Salazar. Only a true Gryffindor would be able to win an argument with my hat.”
“You mean only a true Gryffindor would be stubborn enough to argue with your hat,” Salazar answered, sulking slightly.
The second wizard laughed. Harry frowned and huddled close to Snape. “Severus?”
Snape sighed. “Harry, may I introduce Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor.”
Harry nodded and hesitantly took the hand Godric thrust out at him. “Very happy to meet you, young man. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you from Albus.” He threw a smug smile at Salazar. “Though he left some things out.”
Salazar glared at Godric. “He was only too happy to inform me of that fact.”
Something clicked in Harry’s head. “Wait a minute,” he burst out. Everyone turned to stare at him. “You’re both dead.” He turned to Snape. “Does that mean...” He felt light headed suddenly.
“Oh, he’s a fainter,” Godric said as all three wizards reached out to steady him before he fell down.
“I’m not surprised,” Salazar remarked, smug now. “You’re lot have always been the slowest and least willing to accept the obvious.”
Something else became horribly clear in Harry’s mind and he stood straight, shaking off all of their hands. “Voldemort killed me!” He turned to Snape. “And you! We’re dead!”
Snape smirked. “Congratulations, Mr. Potter. It only took you three months to realize the obvious.”
*****
Harry collapsed onto Snape’s chest and snuggled closer when wiry arms wrapped around his back. He sighed and pressed a kiss to Snape’s throat. “I wish we had done this before.” He traced a finger down Snape’s nose. “I would have liked to have gotten sweaty with you. Felt your breath on my face.”
“Or your back?” Snape asked softly.
Harry giggled. “That too.” He propped an elbow on Snape’s chest and smiled down at him. “I never expected to spend the afterlife with you.”
Snape smirked. “I would have thought this would be hell.”
“Forced to spend eternity buggering me senseless?”
“It didn’t take long to make you senseless,” Snape rebutted.
Harry laughed and slid off to the side, keeping his head pillowed on Snape’s chest. “Do you think, if things had been different, we would have ended up here anyway?”
“Which here do you mean, Potter?”
Harry smiled. “Here. Together.”
“Freshly buggered?”
Harry laughed. “Yes.”
Snape traced the knobs of Harry’s spine with his fingertips. “I don’t know. I don’t like to remember before.”
“I can barely remember anymore.” Harry shivered beneath Snape’s hand.
Snape nodded and clutched Harry close. “I don t know. I want to think so. But at least we have it now.”
Harry sighed and draped himself half over Snape again. They lay on the grass in the sun, dozing at times, until a shout roused them again.
“Harry! Severus! Minerva is almost here!”
Harry sighed and rolled away, reaching for his clothes. “I don’t like to feel glad when new people show up.”
Snape ran a hand through Harry’s hair. “You didn’t seem to mind so much when Remus arrived.”
Harry shrugged. “That was different. He didn’t have a good life there.”
“You think this life is better?”
Harry shrugged again. “I don’t know.”
Snape straightened Harry’s robes before pulling him into his arms. “Care to make a wager as to how long it takes her to realize where she is?”
Harry snorted and pushed at Snape’s chest. “You’re never going to just let it go, are you?”
“What?” Snape asked innocently. “The fact that it took me three hours to figure out we were dead or the fact that it took you three months?”
“That’s only because you killed Dumbledore and you remembered it.”
“You were greeted by your dead father, Potter.”
Harry grabbed Snape’s hand and began the walk around the castle. “Yeah, well.”
“As intelligent as always, Potter. At least some things never change.”
Harry squinted into the light and shook his head. “Like Dumbledore’s atrocious taste in robes?”
“Just so.” Snape answered as he clutched Harry’s hand. “It’ll be good to see her again.”
“It’s funny the people you forget that you missed.” Harry said softly.
“They won’t be here for many years, Harry.”
“I know.” Harry leaned his head against Snape’s shoulder for a moment. “I hope they’re happy.”
“Don’t think about them,” Snape murmured and held Harry close. “Your mother is waiting for you.”
Harry sighed and lifted his head. He smiled at Snape. “Come on. I know you’ve been waiting for McGonagall just as anxiously as Dumbledore.”
Snape smiled and Harry led him forward where the other witches and wizards were waiting.