Fic: Back to the Future
Nov. 17th, 2014 08:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alisanneTitle: Back to the Future
Author:alisanne
Challenge: Written for the 2014 Fall![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
intoabar/![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
intoabar Challenge. Prompt: Severus Snape goes into a bar and meets... Kaylee Frye (Firefly).
Fandoms: Harry Potter, Firefly.
Word Count: ~3100
Rating/Contents: PG; Nothing to warn for, really.
Characters: Severus Snape, Kaylee Frye, Simon Tam, River Tam. Severus Snape/Harry Potter, Simon Tam/Kaylee Frye implied.
Summary: Severus just wants to go far away.
Author’s notes: This is set after “Serenity” in 2519.
So many people to thank! Thanks to my Harry Potter betas,sevfan and emynn, and to my Firefly betas, pern_dragon and drgaellon! Thanks also to chamekke for the inspirational ideas. You all rock. <3
~
Back to the Future
~
This was inevitable, really, thinks Severus as he lies bleeding in the Shack, poison spreading through his body. He’s seen the Dark Lord set Nagini on people far too many times now to think himself immune to the same fate. He’s prepared as best he can, but he hadn’t counted on Potter being there. He needs to leave.
Potter, looking distraught, continues hovering over him, however, wringing his hands. “...be something we can do, Hermione!”
“I think it’s too late, mate.” Weasley is pulling Potter back. “Leave him.”
Yes, Severus thinks, but all he can say is, “Look at me!”
Potter does, kneeling down and staring into Severus’ eyes long enough for Severus to make a connection, to show him what he needs.
Gasping, Potter reels back. “Oh my God!”
“What? What is it?” Granger is beside him in an instant. “What happened?”
“I think he tried to Legilimise me.” Potter shakes his head as if trying to clear it.
The connection wasn’t long enough, but there is another way... Groaning, Severus pushes the relevant memories to the front of his mind. “Take them,” he whispers as they start to ooze from his eyes.
“Look at his face,” hisses Weasley. “What’s that leaking out of his eyes?”
“Hermione!” snaps Potter. “A phial!”
Granger hands him one and Potter finally does as Severus wants, collecting the memories.
Severus closes his eyes, willing them to leave. He has planned for this, but his plan hinges on them leaving him alone. The longer he waits to take his anti-venom and healing potions, the more difficult it will be to recover.
“We have to help him,” says Potter.
“We can’t.” Weasley sounds faintly regretful. “We don’t have time.”
“I wish--” Potter pauses. “I know! Winky!”
There is a pop and Severus cracks open one eye in time to see one of the house-elves looking up at Potter adoringly. The blood is rushing in Severus’ ears, so he doesn’t hear everything, just enough to ascertain that Potter has instructed the elf to minister to him.
Potter pats the elf on its shoulder and strides away, followed by his compatriots, and the elf turns to stare at Severus. “Winky is helping Headmaster.”
“My pocket,” Severus whispers. “Give me the potions there, then take me far away.”
“Winky is obeying!”
Winky finds the potions, feeding them to Severus, who slumps back onto the floor once he has swallowed. The pain in his neck is excruciating, but he can feel the potions working.
“Good,” Severus gasps as soon as he’s able. He feels his flesh starting to heal, knit together, and hopes he’s averted the venom in time. What he’s done is only temporary, he’ll need proper healing soon. And rest, lots of rest. “Take me away,” he says. “Far away.”
“How far, Headmaster?”
Severus groans. “As far as possible. As far as you can go. To the end of the universe. Just take me away from here.”
“Winky obeys.” The elf leans over him and as Severus looks up into its eyes he feels the pull of Apparition and faints.
~
“...can’t just pick up vagrants on the street, Kaylee. It’s dangerous.”
Severus opens his eyes, blinking in the bright sunlight. He shifts, groaning as his body aches. He reaches for his throat, frowning when he feels the skin is intact. Somehow, someone has healed him. But who? “Winky?” he whispers.
“He ain’t no vagrant, look at him,” says a woman over his head. “Why he’s probably just some poor shepherd. Like as not someone hit him on the head ’n robbed him.”
Severus tries to sit up, and hands start helping him. “Where--?”
“Hey.” The voice is close and Severus manages to focus on the speaker, a young woman with kind brown eyes and an easy smile. “Hey, shepherd. Don’t you worry none. I got you. And ain’t no healer better than my Simon here. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”
“Kaylee!”
“What?” Kaylee whips her head around. “We can’t just leave him!”
The man standing over them, presumably Simon, shakes his head, and Severus realises he’s on the ground. He tries to stand, but can’t manage it.
“Shiong mao niao,” Simon mutters. “Fine! Move. I’ll help him.”
“Knew it.” Kaylee beams at the man, kissing his cheek as she moves out of the way.
Simon huffs. “We can’t keep picking up strays, though.”
“We’re not taking him with us, we’re just gonna tend his hurt. Least we can do.” Kaylee moves in to help when the man gets Severus up onto his feet.
“And if this is an ambush or a trick?” Simon asks. “What then?”
“Ain’t no trick, look at him.” Kaylee peers into Severus’ eyes. “He’s all bibbledy. He ain’t attacking no one. You just gotta have faith in people.”
“Fine.” Simon sighs. “Where are we taking him?”
Severus is trying to get his bearings, but he’s on a bustling street that looks like it came straight out of an old American western film. It’s nowhere that he recognises. His eyes widen as he takes in aircraft flying overhead. This is definitely not London!
Kaylee is looking around. Finally, she points. “That there bar should do.”
Grunting under Severus’ weight, Simon starts half-dragging, half-carrying Severus towards the bar. Kaylee is on Severus’ other side.
“Where on Earth am I?” Severus asks. “Where is this place?”
Kaylee looks at him. “Earth? They musta hit you hard if you think you’re on Earth, shepherd.”
Before Severus can follow up on that alarming statement, Simon is pulling him through the doors and into a seedy bar. The place is crowded, but no one even looks up as they drag him to a corner where there’s an empty table with a couple of chairs.
Simon lowers him into a chair. “Right. Now let’s go--”
Kaylee sets her hands akimbo on her waist. “Ain’t no way I’m leaving a shepherd like this in a bar without making sure he’s all right.”
“He’s fine.” Simon crosses his arms. “You can take my word for it. I’m a doctor.”
“He don’t look fine.” Kaylee tilts her chin up, a stubborn expression settling on her face. “I’m fixing to stay and have a drink here anyway. You go get your supplies and I’ll wait here.”
Simon sighs. “It may not be safe--”
“Now I ain’t no fainting flower, Simon Tam!” Kaylee grins, leaning up to kiss Simon’s cheek. “Don’t you worry none. Everything is shiny, a-okay!”
Simon shoots a narrow look at Severus, who musters as sincere an expression as he can manage. Simon groans. “Fine. But don’t leave! And I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll bring River, too. She’ll tell us if he’s legitimate.”
Kaylee waves him off and as Simon heads for the door, she settles into the seat across from Severus. “Want a drink, shepherd?”
Severus clears his throat experimentally, finding it’s sore but otherwise fine. His head is even starting to clear. “Why do you keep calling me shepherd?”
Kaylee gestures at him. “Your clothes. You look like a shepherd, all done up.”
“Ah.” Severus swallows. “Water, perhaps?”
“Water?” Kaylee shakes her head. “I wouldn’t trust no water from them pipes,” she says, nodding towards the bar. “You’re better off drinking beer. Or tea.” She openly appraises him. “Fact is, you could do with some meat on them bones, too. Tea and dumplings, that’s what we’re having.”
Severus frowns. “I have no money--”
“Don’t you fret, I got money.” Kaylee leans close. “Just got paid from a job we did. Ain’t much, but it’s more’n we had in an age. I can spring for tea and dumplings.” She raises an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you ain’t hungry.”
As if in reply, Severus’ stomach growls.
Kaylee smiles. “Knew it.” She raises her hand and a server comes over. After ordering tea and dumplings for two, she sits back in her chair and beams at him. “Simon’s the doctor, but bodies ain’t nothing but fancy machines, right? And I know machines.”
Severus coughs. “How can I repay you?”
“Tell me your story.” Kaylee sighs. “I work on a ship what takes on passengers for payment. But lately--” Her eyes go distant. “Well, we ain’t had no one. So let’s hear your story. I’m betting it’s a good one.”
Severus nods. “Very well. But in exchange perhaps you can tell me a bit about where we are?”
“Dyton?” Kaylee shrugs. “Sure. I figured you was from around here seeing as you talk like them and all, but okay.”
Severus narrows his eyes. “I do?”
“Sounds like it to me.” Kaylee grins. “But I ain’t so good at accents. Anyway, I’ll start. I’m Kaylee and I’m a mechanic. What’s your name? What do you do? Where are you from if this ain’t home?”
“My name is Severus Snape and I’m...a professor. I teach--” Severus pauses. “Taught at a school in Edinburgh.” As he speaks, Severus surreptitiously checks for his wand, exhaling when he finds it tucked into his robe sleeve.
“A teacher!” Kaylee beams. “Ain’t shepherds always teachers?”
“I’m not a shepherd.” Severus frowns. “Although, perhaps we should begin with you explaining what you mean by shepherd?”
“Oh, you know. A man of God. Them what takes the good word to those who need it.” Kaylee wrinkles her nose. “I don’t hold to no religious teachings myself, but I seen shepherds do good work.” Her eyes go distant again. “‘Course sometimes good work’s repaid with bad deeds--”
“Tea and dumplings.” The server places the tray in front of them. “Anything else?”
Kaylee shakes her head and picks up some chopsticks. “Shiny,” she says as the server goes away. She beams at Severus, who finds it hard not smile back. “I love dumplings. Almost as much as strawberries.”
Severus has only used chopsticks twice in his life, but he copies Kaylee and is soon sliding dumplings into his mouth. The tea is, unfortunately, herbal, but it’s appropriately hot, and soon he’s perked up, feeling better than he has in a while.
They continue to ask each other questions, and Severus answers hers as honestly as he can. He tells her a heavily edited story about the war, about spying for the Light, and she nods as if she understands. Perhaps she does, he thinks. She’s clearly young, but her eyes are older that she seems. She has seen things.
She, in turn, tells him about the wars she’s seen, the fights she’s been in. Reavers and raids, tragedy, love and joy. She’s clearly in love with Simon, and, from what Severus has seen, Simon would be a fool not to adore her, too. She also tells him it’s the twenty-sixth century. Severus almost chokes on that news. Winky, it seems, had brought him further than he’d thought possible.
And I have no way back. The thought is oddly freeing. I’ll need to find the wizarding community here. Figure out a trade or job. Severus frowns. It would have been nice to know if Potter succeeded. If there could have been anything between them. If the connection he’d felt to Potter had meant anything. And to know what became of his world, his friends.
Kaylee pauses mid sentence. “...ain’t listening to me. What’s got your tail feathers in a spin?”
Severus sips the scented tea. “I’ve just realised how very far I am from home,” he says. “I’m not sure what I’ll do now.”
Kaylee leans her elbow on the table, rests her chin in her hand, and smiles. “Maybe you can join us. Ain’t my place to offer, of course. The captain’s the one who runs things, but we’re low on crew, and since you ain’t got no one--”
Severus ponders this. It’s not only his best offer, but it’s also his only one. “What would this involve?”
“Adventure. We travel the skies.” Kaylee grins. “You’ll love Serenity. She’s the sweetest little ship you’ll ever see. Firefly class, and nothing fancy, but she’s seen us through thick and thin. One time, the galactic forces were chasing us through an asteroid belt and--”
“Kaylee.”
They both look up to see Simon standing there. Next to him is a thin girl who stares at Severus intently.
“Simon! River!” Kaylee is clearly pleased, gesturing for them to sit.
Instead of sitting on a chair, however, River folds her legs under herself and sinks gracefully onto the floor beside Severus’ chair, staring up at him as if studying him. “So far away,” she finally says.
Severus raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
Kaylee smiles. “Don’t you worry none,” she says. “River’s got the sight. She can tell things.”
Severus feels the push of Legilimency against his mind. There is a brief struggle before his walls crumble before River’s mind, allowing her to see where he came from. She has a delicate touch and before he even knows what’s happening, she’s done, withdrawing. “He’s looking for you,” she says to Severus.
“Who is?” Severus asks, frowning at the ease with which she penetrated his mind.
River smiles. “The Boy Who Lived.”
“Potter?” Severus blinks. “Well, he can look all he likes, he’ll never find me--”
“Snape!” They all turn, Severus’ eyes going wide in disbelief. Harry Potter is actually standing there beside the table, looking older than Severus recalls. “I found you. Thank Merlin!”
“How?” Severus whispers, standing up slowly to face him. “How could you possibly have found me here?”
Potter is beaming, his smile wide. “It took some doing, actually. Hermione spent years in the Department of Mysteries just working out all the permutations--”
“Why?” Severus shakes his head. “Are you here to bring me back to put me in Azkaban?”
“No!” Potter moves closer and it’s as if the world fades away. “Not at all! We went back to find you, but you were gone, and Winky--” He sighs. “She wasn’t able to say much except she’d taken you as far as she could.” He shakes his head. “It was ages before I convinced her to tell me when she’d taken you. And it traumatised her so much that I didn’t want to ask her to bring me.”
“So how did you get here?” Severus asks. “And how did you find me?”
“We traced your magic.” Potter pulls out what looks like a very intricate Time-Turner. “As for how, this thing allowed me to come and fetch you.”
“What’s it called?” Severus asks, fascinated despite himself.
“No idea,” says Harry. “Hermione created it and she hasn’t named it, yet. And we have to use it soon. It’ll take itself, and anything it’s in contact with, back to our time in--” he checks the dial, “ten minutes.”
Severus looks deeply into Potter’s eyes. “To what do I have to return?” he murmurs. “I have been offered the adventure of a lifetime here.”
Potter smiles tentatively. “I was sort of hoping I’d be enough.” He reaches out, clasping Severus’ hand. “And we could have adventures.”
Severus wavers for a moment, before turning to face Kaylee. She’s smiling, her hand in Simon’s. “We coulda had fun,” she says. “But don’t you worry none, your man looks like he’ll lead you on plenty adventures.”
River stands and tilts her head. “See you soon,” she says before moving away, her attention caught by a television in the corner.
Simon’s eyes widen. “I should--”
“Go on,” Kaylee says. “Take her home. I’ll be right there.”
Simon nods to Severus and Harry, and kisses Kaylee’s cheek before going to collect River.
“Thank you for taking care of Severus,” Potter says.
Kaylee grins. “Hell with that! He took care of me, too. Now go on. Get home and take your ease. And you’ll need to see to him.” She nods at Severus. “He’ll need someone to patch up his hurt later.”
“I’ll take good care of him,” says Potter.
Severus, too tired to argue about how everyone else seems to be managing his life for him, bows to Kaylee. “Thank you.”
She beams, her smile like sunlight coming through the clouds. “Aww, it’s all shiny, Severus. A-okay!” And with a wave, she moves off, rejoining Simon and River, who are leaving.
Potter gently squeezes Severus’ arm. “We need to go, too,” he murmurs. “I don’t think we want all these people seeing us disappear.”
“Indeed not,” Severus agrees, allowing Potter to steer him out of the bar. As they walk, however, a man, his face shrouded by a cloak, brushes past Severus, allowing him a brief look at his face.
“Put it in your diary,” whispers the man wearing Severus’ face. “Dyton, September tenth, 2519.”
Severus’ eyes go wide and he freezes, turning to stare after the man who glides away and walks out another door with a familiar flip of his cloak. Severus gapes.
“What’s wrong?” asks Potter tugging on his arm.
Severus blinks. That was me! But that can’t be. Unless-- He exhales. “I’m not sure--” he says.
Potter tucks his hand in the crook of Severus’ arm. “This is a fascinating place, isn’t it? It’s just about five hundred years in our future. I wonder if we’ll live to see this world come into being.”
Severus’ eyes widen. We are a long-lived species. And someone healed me. Who better than myself? He smiles to himself. It’d be just like me to want to be here to ensure it all plays out as it should.
“Ready to go home?” Potter says, pulling Severus outside and into a secluded alley.
As he feels himself being transported back to his past and future, Severus smiles, and vows to write himself a reminder in his diary. “Most definitely.” After all, I’ve a date in Dyton in 2519.
~
Author:
alisanneChallenge: Written for the 2014 Fall
intoabar/intoabar Challenge. Prompt: Severus Snape goes into a bar and meets... Kaylee Frye (Firefly).Fandoms: Harry Potter, Firefly.
Word Count: ~3100
Rating/Contents: PG; Nothing to warn for, really.
Characters: Severus Snape, Kaylee Frye, Simon Tam, River Tam. Severus Snape/Harry Potter, Simon Tam/Kaylee Frye implied.
Summary: Severus just wants to go far away.
Author’s notes: This is set after “Serenity” in 2519.
So many people to thank! Thanks to my Harry Potter betas,
sevfan and emynn, and to my Firefly betas, pern_dragon and drgaellon! Thanks also to chamekke for the inspirational ideas. You all rock. <3~
Back to the Future
~
This was inevitable, really, thinks Severus as he lies bleeding in the Shack, poison spreading through his body. He’s seen the Dark Lord set Nagini on people far too many times now to think himself immune to the same fate. He’s prepared as best he can, but he hadn’t counted on Potter being there. He needs to leave.
Potter, looking distraught, continues hovering over him, however, wringing his hands. “...be something we can do, Hermione!”
“I think it’s too late, mate.” Weasley is pulling Potter back. “Leave him.”
Yes, Severus thinks, but all he can say is, “Look at me!”
Potter does, kneeling down and staring into Severus’ eyes long enough for Severus to make a connection, to show him what he needs.
Gasping, Potter reels back. “Oh my God!”
“What? What is it?” Granger is beside him in an instant. “What happened?”
“I think he tried to Legilimise me.” Potter shakes his head as if trying to clear it.
The connection wasn’t long enough, but there is another way... Groaning, Severus pushes the relevant memories to the front of his mind. “Take them,” he whispers as they start to ooze from his eyes.
“Look at his face,” hisses Weasley. “What’s that leaking out of his eyes?”
“Hermione!” snaps Potter. “A phial!”
Granger hands him one and Potter finally does as Severus wants, collecting the memories.
Severus closes his eyes, willing them to leave. He has planned for this, but his plan hinges on them leaving him alone. The longer he waits to take his anti-venom and healing potions, the more difficult it will be to recover.
“We have to help him,” says Potter.
“We can’t.” Weasley sounds faintly regretful. “We don’t have time.”
“I wish--” Potter pauses. “I know! Winky!”
There is a pop and Severus cracks open one eye in time to see one of the house-elves looking up at Potter adoringly. The blood is rushing in Severus’ ears, so he doesn’t hear everything, just enough to ascertain that Potter has instructed the elf to minister to him.
Potter pats the elf on its shoulder and strides away, followed by his compatriots, and the elf turns to stare at Severus. “Winky is helping Headmaster.”
“My pocket,” Severus whispers. “Give me the potions there, then take me far away.”
“Winky is obeying!”
Winky finds the potions, feeding them to Severus, who slumps back onto the floor once he has swallowed. The pain in his neck is excruciating, but he can feel the potions working.
“Good,” Severus gasps as soon as he’s able. He feels his flesh starting to heal, knit together, and hopes he’s averted the venom in time. What he’s done is only temporary, he’ll need proper healing soon. And rest, lots of rest. “Take me away,” he says. “Far away.”
“How far, Headmaster?”
Severus groans. “As far as possible. As far as you can go. To the end of the universe. Just take me away from here.”
“Winky obeys.” The elf leans over him and as Severus looks up into its eyes he feels the pull of Apparition and faints.
~
“...can’t just pick up vagrants on the street, Kaylee. It’s dangerous.”
Severus opens his eyes, blinking in the bright sunlight. He shifts, groaning as his body aches. He reaches for his throat, frowning when he feels the skin is intact. Somehow, someone has healed him. But who? “Winky?” he whispers.
“He ain’t no vagrant, look at him,” says a woman over his head. “Why he’s probably just some poor shepherd. Like as not someone hit him on the head ’n robbed him.”
Severus tries to sit up, and hands start helping him. “Where--?”
“Hey.” The voice is close and Severus manages to focus on the speaker, a young woman with kind brown eyes and an easy smile. “Hey, shepherd. Don’t you worry none. I got you. And ain’t no healer better than my Simon here. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”
“Kaylee!”
“What?” Kaylee whips her head around. “We can’t just leave him!”
The man standing over them, presumably Simon, shakes his head, and Severus realises he’s on the ground. He tries to stand, but can’t manage it.
“Shiong mao niao,” Simon mutters. “Fine! Move. I’ll help him.”
“Knew it.” Kaylee beams at the man, kissing his cheek as she moves out of the way.
Simon huffs. “We can’t keep picking up strays, though.”
“We’re not taking him with us, we’re just gonna tend his hurt. Least we can do.” Kaylee moves in to help when the man gets Severus up onto his feet.
“And if this is an ambush or a trick?” Simon asks. “What then?”
“Ain’t no trick, look at him.” Kaylee peers into Severus’ eyes. “He’s all bibbledy. He ain’t attacking no one. You just gotta have faith in people.”
“Fine.” Simon sighs. “Where are we taking him?”
Severus is trying to get his bearings, but he’s on a bustling street that looks like it came straight out of an old American western film. It’s nowhere that he recognises. His eyes widen as he takes in aircraft flying overhead. This is definitely not London!
Kaylee is looking around. Finally, she points. “That there bar should do.”
Grunting under Severus’ weight, Simon starts half-dragging, half-carrying Severus towards the bar. Kaylee is on Severus’ other side.
“Where on Earth am I?” Severus asks. “Where is this place?”
Kaylee looks at him. “Earth? They musta hit you hard if you think you’re on Earth, shepherd.”
Before Severus can follow up on that alarming statement, Simon is pulling him through the doors and into a seedy bar. The place is crowded, but no one even looks up as they drag him to a corner where there’s an empty table with a couple of chairs.
Simon lowers him into a chair. “Right. Now let’s go--”
Kaylee sets her hands akimbo on her waist. “Ain’t no way I’m leaving a shepherd like this in a bar without making sure he’s all right.”
“He’s fine.” Simon crosses his arms. “You can take my word for it. I’m a doctor.”
“He don’t look fine.” Kaylee tilts her chin up, a stubborn expression settling on her face. “I’m fixing to stay and have a drink here anyway. You go get your supplies and I’ll wait here.”
Simon sighs. “It may not be safe--”
“Now I ain’t no fainting flower, Simon Tam!” Kaylee grins, leaning up to kiss Simon’s cheek. “Don’t you worry none. Everything is shiny, a-okay!”
Simon shoots a narrow look at Severus, who musters as sincere an expression as he can manage. Simon groans. “Fine. But don’t leave! And I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll bring River, too. She’ll tell us if he’s legitimate.”
Kaylee waves him off and as Simon heads for the door, she settles into the seat across from Severus. “Want a drink, shepherd?”
Severus clears his throat experimentally, finding it’s sore but otherwise fine. His head is even starting to clear. “Why do you keep calling me shepherd?”
Kaylee gestures at him. “Your clothes. You look like a shepherd, all done up.”
“Ah.” Severus swallows. “Water, perhaps?”
“Water?” Kaylee shakes her head. “I wouldn’t trust no water from them pipes,” she says, nodding towards the bar. “You’re better off drinking beer. Or tea.” She openly appraises him. “Fact is, you could do with some meat on them bones, too. Tea and dumplings, that’s what we’re having.”
Severus frowns. “I have no money--”
“Don’t you fret, I got money.” Kaylee leans close. “Just got paid from a job we did. Ain’t much, but it’s more’n we had in an age. I can spring for tea and dumplings.” She raises an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you ain’t hungry.”
As if in reply, Severus’ stomach growls.
Kaylee smiles. “Knew it.” She raises her hand and a server comes over. After ordering tea and dumplings for two, she sits back in her chair and beams at him. “Simon’s the doctor, but bodies ain’t nothing but fancy machines, right? And I know machines.”
Severus coughs. “How can I repay you?”
“Tell me your story.” Kaylee sighs. “I work on a ship what takes on passengers for payment. But lately--” Her eyes go distant. “Well, we ain’t had no one. So let’s hear your story. I’m betting it’s a good one.”
Severus nods. “Very well. But in exchange perhaps you can tell me a bit about where we are?”
“Dyton?” Kaylee shrugs. “Sure. I figured you was from around here seeing as you talk like them and all, but okay.”
Severus narrows his eyes. “I do?”
“Sounds like it to me.” Kaylee grins. “But I ain’t so good at accents. Anyway, I’ll start. I’m Kaylee and I’m a mechanic. What’s your name? What do you do? Where are you from if this ain’t home?”
“My name is Severus Snape and I’m...a professor. I teach--” Severus pauses. “Taught at a school in Edinburgh.” As he speaks, Severus surreptitiously checks for his wand, exhaling when he finds it tucked into his robe sleeve.
“A teacher!” Kaylee beams. “Ain’t shepherds always teachers?”
“I’m not a shepherd.” Severus frowns. “Although, perhaps we should begin with you explaining what you mean by shepherd?”
“Oh, you know. A man of God. Them what takes the good word to those who need it.” Kaylee wrinkles her nose. “I don’t hold to no religious teachings myself, but I seen shepherds do good work.” Her eyes go distant again. “‘Course sometimes good work’s repaid with bad deeds--”
“Tea and dumplings.” The server places the tray in front of them. “Anything else?”
Kaylee shakes her head and picks up some chopsticks. “Shiny,” she says as the server goes away. She beams at Severus, who finds it hard not smile back. “I love dumplings. Almost as much as strawberries.”
Severus has only used chopsticks twice in his life, but he copies Kaylee and is soon sliding dumplings into his mouth. The tea is, unfortunately, herbal, but it’s appropriately hot, and soon he’s perked up, feeling better than he has in a while.
They continue to ask each other questions, and Severus answers hers as honestly as he can. He tells her a heavily edited story about the war, about spying for the Light, and she nods as if she understands. Perhaps she does, he thinks. She’s clearly young, but her eyes are older that she seems. She has seen things.
She, in turn, tells him about the wars she’s seen, the fights she’s been in. Reavers and raids, tragedy, love and joy. She’s clearly in love with Simon, and, from what Severus has seen, Simon would be a fool not to adore her, too. She also tells him it’s the twenty-sixth century. Severus almost chokes on that news. Winky, it seems, had brought him further than he’d thought possible.
And I have no way back. The thought is oddly freeing. I’ll need to find the wizarding community here. Figure out a trade or job. Severus frowns. It would have been nice to know if Potter succeeded. If there could have been anything between them. If the connection he’d felt to Potter had meant anything. And to know what became of his world, his friends.
Kaylee pauses mid sentence. “...ain’t listening to me. What’s got your tail feathers in a spin?”
Severus sips the scented tea. “I’ve just realised how very far I am from home,” he says. “I’m not sure what I’ll do now.”
Kaylee leans her elbow on the table, rests her chin in her hand, and smiles. “Maybe you can join us. Ain’t my place to offer, of course. The captain’s the one who runs things, but we’re low on crew, and since you ain’t got no one--”
Severus ponders this. It’s not only his best offer, but it’s also his only one. “What would this involve?”
“Adventure. We travel the skies.” Kaylee grins. “You’ll love Serenity. She’s the sweetest little ship you’ll ever see. Firefly class, and nothing fancy, but she’s seen us through thick and thin. One time, the galactic forces were chasing us through an asteroid belt and--”
“Kaylee.”
They both look up to see Simon standing there. Next to him is a thin girl who stares at Severus intently.
“Simon! River!” Kaylee is clearly pleased, gesturing for them to sit.
Instead of sitting on a chair, however, River folds her legs under herself and sinks gracefully onto the floor beside Severus’ chair, staring up at him as if studying him. “So far away,” she finally says.
Severus raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
Kaylee smiles. “Don’t you worry none,” she says. “River’s got the sight. She can tell things.”
Severus feels the push of Legilimency against his mind. There is a brief struggle before his walls crumble before River’s mind, allowing her to see where he came from. She has a delicate touch and before he even knows what’s happening, she’s done, withdrawing. “He’s looking for you,” she says to Severus.
“Who is?” Severus asks, frowning at the ease with which she penetrated his mind.
River smiles. “The Boy Who Lived.”
“Potter?” Severus blinks. “Well, he can look all he likes, he’ll never find me--”
“Snape!” They all turn, Severus’ eyes going wide in disbelief. Harry Potter is actually standing there beside the table, looking older than Severus recalls. “I found you. Thank Merlin!”
“How?” Severus whispers, standing up slowly to face him. “How could you possibly have found me here?”
Potter is beaming, his smile wide. “It took some doing, actually. Hermione spent years in the Department of Mysteries just working out all the permutations--”
“Why?” Severus shakes his head. “Are you here to bring me back to put me in Azkaban?”
“No!” Potter moves closer and it’s as if the world fades away. “Not at all! We went back to find you, but you were gone, and Winky--” He sighs. “She wasn’t able to say much except she’d taken you as far as she could.” He shakes his head. “It was ages before I convinced her to tell me when she’d taken you. And it traumatised her so much that I didn’t want to ask her to bring me.”
“So how did you get here?” Severus asks. “And how did you find me?”
“We traced your magic.” Potter pulls out what looks like a very intricate Time-Turner. “As for how, this thing allowed me to come and fetch you.”
“What’s it called?” Severus asks, fascinated despite himself.
“No idea,” says Harry. “Hermione created it and she hasn’t named it, yet. And we have to use it soon. It’ll take itself, and anything it’s in contact with, back to our time in--” he checks the dial, “ten minutes.”
Severus looks deeply into Potter’s eyes. “To what do I have to return?” he murmurs. “I have been offered the adventure of a lifetime here.”
Potter smiles tentatively. “I was sort of hoping I’d be enough.” He reaches out, clasping Severus’ hand. “And we could have adventures.”
Severus wavers for a moment, before turning to face Kaylee. She’s smiling, her hand in Simon’s. “We coulda had fun,” she says. “But don’t you worry none, your man looks like he’ll lead you on plenty adventures.”
River stands and tilts her head. “See you soon,” she says before moving away, her attention caught by a television in the corner.
Simon’s eyes widen. “I should--”
“Go on,” Kaylee says. “Take her home. I’ll be right there.”
Simon nods to Severus and Harry, and kisses Kaylee’s cheek before going to collect River.
“Thank you for taking care of Severus,” Potter says.
Kaylee grins. “Hell with that! He took care of me, too. Now go on. Get home and take your ease. And you’ll need to see to him.” She nods at Severus. “He’ll need someone to patch up his hurt later.”
“I’ll take good care of him,” says Potter.
Severus, too tired to argue about how everyone else seems to be managing his life for him, bows to Kaylee. “Thank you.”
She beams, her smile like sunlight coming through the clouds. “Aww, it’s all shiny, Severus. A-okay!” And with a wave, she moves off, rejoining Simon and River, who are leaving.
Potter gently squeezes Severus’ arm. “We need to go, too,” he murmurs. “I don’t think we want all these people seeing us disappear.”
“Indeed not,” Severus agrees, allowing Potter to steer him out of the bar. As they walk, however, a man, his face shrouded by a cloak, brushes past Severus, allowing him a brief look at his face.
“Put it in your diary,” whispers the man wearing Severus’ face. “Dyton, September tenth, 2519.”
Severus’ eyes go wide and he freezes, turning to stare after the man who glides away and walks out another door with a familiar flip of his cloak. Severus gapes.
“What’s wrong?” asks Potter tugging on his arm.
Severus blinks. That was me! But that can’t be. Unless-- He exhales. “I’m not sure--” he says.
Potter tucks his hand in the crook of Severus’ arm. “This is a fascinating place, isn’t it? It’s just about five hundred years in our future. I wonder if we’ll live to see this world come into being.”
Severus’ eyes widen. We are a long-lived species. And someone healed me. Who better than myself? He smiles to himself. It’d be just like me to want to be here to ensure it all plays out as it should.
“Ready to go home?” Potter says, pulling Severus outside and into a secluded alley.
As he feels himself being transported back to his past and future, Severus smiles, and vows to write himself a reminder in his diary. “Most definitely.” After all, I’ve a date in Dyton in 2519.
~
