Parallel World 5

Snape staggered back several steps, then hurried out of the dungeon, staring fixedly at the red hair receding into the distance, his mind a blank. Had Merlin shown himself? What year was it? How could he possibly see Lily in 1992, and she had just unmistakably called him by his first name?

"You two, please wait."

He hurried forward and stepped in front of them. Harry instantly gripped the hem of his clothes, on guard. Snape avoided the emerald-green eyes identical to Lily's, daring only to lower his gaze to her collar. For a moment, he did not know what to call her. Mrs. Potter? The surname sent a stab of pain through his chest, but he had long since lost the right to simply call her Lily.

"Severus? What are you thinking about?"

"Why are you here?" He used no form of address, his voice low and tense.

"I don't know either. I woke up lying on Petunia's sofa, and she told me to take Harry out for a walk." Lily decided to casually pin the blame on someone else.

Harry dutifully stayed in the background. The sight of his James Potter face annoyed Snape, and when Lily saw that Snape had no intention of talking any further, she silently pulled Harry around him. The Snape before her was trapped on his predetermined path of fate. Many things had long since been settled, and there was no need to dwell on them.

Snape stood where he was, watching Lily walk away. Oh, and there was a Potter too. What an annoying Potter. At least this Potter was half Lily by blood, so he was not as annoying as a pure Potter.

"Mom, are you close to Professor Snape?" Harry had keenly noticed the strange atmosphere between them. "Of course. We grew up together. His house was only two streets away from mine."

Harry was surprised that Snape had known his mother before they started school. One was cold and the other warm, one gloomy and the other bright. It was hard to imagine how the two had spent time together as children. A greasy bat spirit and his beautiful, kind, generous, lively mom—the thought alone gave him the shivers.

Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's Office, Dumbledore had finished a quick viewing of the entire memory. What an interesting story. It had completely overturned his understanding. An absolutely prophetic dream had shown him all of Voldemort's Horcruxes and where they were. This was good: they could reduce the sacrifices while ending the war more quickly.

A soft knock came from outside the door. Presumably, Lily and Harry had returned.

"Come in."

The door opened, but the person who entered was Snape. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow slightly. "Severus, I see you've already met Lily and Harry."

"Sorry for the trouble, but please don't mention the latter." Snape was very impatient. "Who exactly is she?"

"Are you getting on in years and losing your eyesight too, Severus?"

"I'm not like you, Albus. I'm asking precisely because I can see clearly. Ordinarily, someone who died many years ago cannot appear out of thin air." Snape stared intently at Dumbledore, unwilling to miss the slightest change in his expression.

"There are always exceptions. Who knows? Perhaps someone who died many years ago really can come back to life." Dumbledore was speaking pointedly, alluding to how Peter Pettigrew had faked his death to escape, but Snape failed to grasp the deeper meaning.

"Do you mean Lily has come back to life?"

"Oh, no. She was swept here by turbulence in time. Once the flow of time returns to normal, she will return to her original time and place."

A trace of disappointment that was hard to hide passed through Snape's heart. Their reunion was only temporary after all.

"Then how long can she stay?"

"Not very long. As Harry's immediate blood relative, she provides him with protection through the magic derived from their blood ties."

Dumbledore paused, his gaze falling on Snape. "Sorry to trouble you, but please keep a closer eye on him next term as well. He is Lily's son. You can tell just by looking at those eyes. He has the same qualities as Lily."

Snape remained expressionless, his silence serving as assent.

Just then, Lily and Harry pushed the door open and returned. "Severus, did you need to speak to Mr. Dumbledore about something? Should we step out for a moment?" Lily had thought Dumbledore was alone in the office and had not expected Snape to be there. How had he managed to get there so quickly?

"No need. I'm leaving now."

Snape did not spare Lily so much as a glance before turning and striding away. He was avoiding her. Even after all these years, he still did not have the courage to look her in the eye, afraid he might read the slightest trace of resentment in those green eyes.

"Harry, I nearly forgot today was your birthday. Happy birthday." Smiling, Dumbledore reached out, grabbed a large handful of Licorice Wands, and placed them in the boy's hands.

"That memory was very interesting. I felt as though I'd watched a—er, what do Muggles call it again? A movie. It was like watching a movie."

"What do you plan to do now that you've seen it?" Lily's heart was tense as she waited anxiously for his answer.

"Don't be so nervous, child. This old man has no wish to pry into your secrets, but you truly have done me a great favor." Dumbledore gently stroked his long white beard, his blue eyes deep and clear behind his half-moon lenses. "You have shown us the way to end the darkness."

Lily understood that he meant the clues about the Horcruxes. She asked softly, "Then may I take Harry away now? I know he has blood magic protecting him, but I'm his blood relative, aren't I?"

"Yes, of course. You may take him with you, and bring him back when you leave." Dumbledore meant that she needed to bring Harry back to Hogwarts when she traveled through time and returned.

"All right, sir."