Mask of Oblivion

MASK OF OBLIVION

Chapter 11 - Severus Snape

"What's the time? How long were we gone?" The female voice sounded strangely familiar.

"It's been three days." He was sure he recognized that woman's voice.

"Well? Did it work?" The man speaking sounded very nervous.

"I ... I am not sure? He's not awake yet?" the first woman said.

"No." said the man.

That was a lie. He lay there with his eyes still closed. Mentally he ran a check over his bodily condition and decided he was in good physical shape. That was nice to know. He opened his eyes and started to push himself up into a sitting position. The bed room seemed to be full of people. Most of the faces seemed familiar, but the one he was looking for was not there.

Someone was assisting him into a sitting position. He turned to look at her. The expression on her face was one of concern. "Are you alright, Simon?"

"Damn you Minerva! You of all people know my name. It's Severus, Severus Snape." He looked around the room at all the faces. Their expressions were hopeful. "Where is Albus Dumbledore?"

Minerva looked at him curiously. "You don't remember?"

And then he did remember. Dumbledore was dead. Nearly fifteen years ago. And he had been....

"No! No!" He stood up and glared at the group of people waiting expectantly in front of him. "Get out! Get out of my room, all of you. Now!"

They all started to move slowly, casting glances of concern in his direction. Severus advanced menacingly towards them.

"But wouldn't it be better if someone stayed with you."

"No, Minerva. I will call you when I am ready. Get Out!" He chased them through the living room and out the door. As soon as they had all left he slammed the door, applied a locking spell, retreated to the bed room, curled up in a ball on the bed and cried.

He was totally overwhelmed by the pain of remembering everything all over again.

Remembering his father, that cruel hard man, who drove his mother to an early grave. Remembering the poverty. Remembering how he never really fitted in at school, even in Slytherin. Remembering the bullying, the tricks, the pranks, especially perfect Potter and his cronies.

Remembering The Dark Lord - his lies and deception. The humiliation of service to a man who considered everyone just a tool. Remembering what it was like to fall in love and remembering how he had unwittingly betrayed her. He had caused her death. In that he was no better than his father and remembering the guilt was like sticking a knife in his own heart.

Severus Snape lay there and cried as his heart broke all over again.

*

The entrance hall was awash with the tide of students returning after the Christmas holidays. The sound of three hundred or more excited children was overwhelming. Bella paused as she entered. This new world of hers was so different from the quiet middle class world with her mother's family, but somehow this felt more real. It had been so strange to celebrate Christmas without her father.

"So, Bella!" asked Sophie as they made their way side by side down towards the dungeons. "How was your Christmas?"

She sighed, "As well as could be expected. Dad didn't come. He did send a present though." She reached inside her collar and pulled out a silver pendant, shaped like the Slytherin snake with bright green emerald eyes.

"That is beautiful!" Sophie looked up with a puzzled expression on her face. "Your dad's a Muggle. Where did he get something like that?"

"That is what I would like to know," said Bella.

Ahead of them in the corridor, leaning against one of the stone pillars, was a very familiar face. He appeared to be waiting for someone. "Hey, Marcus," called Sophie, "did you find anything?" He looked around left and right and motioned them to come closer.

"No," he whispered, "but there have definitely been some strange things happening around here over the break."

"Like what?" asked Bella?

"Half the teachers dissappeared three days ago, including both James's parents. And Dad left 'on business' at about the same time."

"Which other teachers?" Sophie was wide eyed at the news.

"The Longbottoms and Professor McGonagall," he said.

"Well, McGonagall may have disappeared during the break," said Bella. "But it looks like she's back now and coming up the corridor right towards us. So perhaps we should talk about this later."

The other two turned to see that Bella was right. Professor McGonagall was coming up from the section of the dungeons leading to the Potions laboratories. Bella thought she looked very tired and her face was pale and lined. She was suddenly aware that Professor McGonagall was really a very old witch.

The stood aside as she walked past. Her pace was slow and measured, like someone carrying a very heavy weight. She barely noticed the students milling around her.

"You may be right Marcus," said Bella as she watched the Professors departing back, "something strange has happened here."

*

Severus Snape did not sleep. It seemed like he cried forever. The pain and loss poured out of his system in an unending stream of tears. When the tears finally stopped he lay on the bed and tried to order the information in his mind. He did not know how long he lay there, but eventually he sighed and got up.

Looking around his room, at once very familiar and so strange, it was obvious that a valiant attempt had been made to put it back the way he had left it with limited success. But it was not just that. In preparation for the rite, those few possessions he had brought with him to Hogwarts had also been moved down here.

In the wardrobe the Muggle shirts and jeans look at odds next to the somber black robes that had once composed his entire wardrobe. The few personal items arrayed on the dresser, however really summed up the confusion of his life - there side by side in order were his box of elastic bands for tying his ponytail and his gold wrist watch, right next to his wand and the silver signet ring.

Without hesitation he found his way into the bathroom. The layout was still so familiar to him as if he had been here yesterday. In one sense he had been. Except that between Severus Snape's yesterday and today he had lived fourteen years of another life.

Once he had showered and dressed he felt ready. The total feeling of unreality was still there. But Severus Snape knew there was nothing to gain from unnecessary delay. The fire in the living room was still burning. He crossed over to it, threw some floo powder on and placed his call.

"Minerva? Professor McGonagall? Are you there?" He had to wait a few minutes, staring long distance into the Head mistress's office, before she finally emerged dressed in her nightgown and half asleep.

"What sort of time of night is this to make a call? Oh ... Severus." Her irritation dropped away instantly on seeing the unfamiliar head in her fireplace. "Good morning, Severus. How are you?' The question was full of meaning.

"I am fine Minerva. It has taken a bit of adjusting. Now we need to call the project team together."

"It's two o'clock in the morning."

Severus had lost track of time alone in his dungeon rooms, but after what he had been through the thought of turning them all out of bed in the middle of the night gave him some grim satisfaction. "So. No time like the present," he said. "Could you get everyone together in the third floor corridor meeting room in two hours time?"

At precisely ten minutes to four, Severus Snape left his chambers in the dungeons and proceeded quietly up to the meeting room. He was wearing the grey cloak. The likelihood of anyone else other than those he was planning to meet being out and about at this hour was unlikely, but he decided to take no chances.

As he strode through the dark silent corridors of Hogwarts he could almost believe that he had never left. It was all just a dream; a long convoluted dream and now he had woken up again. He entered the meeting room and as the seven people at the table turned their heads to acknowledge his entrance he was reminded forcible that the last fourteen years really had happened.

Minerva McGonagall was an old witch now with no trace at all of brown in her steel grey bun. Sirius Black had streaks of grey in his hair and a healthy, well fed look to his body. Bill Weasley was no longer a lanky youth barely out of childhood, but a man in the prime of his life. Neville Longbottom had grown from a quiet clumsy stammering fool into a young man confident in his own ability. Ginny Weasley - Black and Anna Devlin - Longbottom were little girls no longer, but fine young women.

And Hermione Granger. He looked long and intently at the assertive young woman who wore her sexuality like a badge of honour. Most definitely it was not a dream.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," he said, as he sat down. He looked once more around the faces at the table, and then got straight down to business. "You will all be pleased to know that the 'Rite of Seeking' was one hundred percent successful. The aftermath was not pleasant, but I can tell you I have regained all my memories, while losing none of those formed in the intervening fourteen and a half years."

He paused to acknowledge everyone's sighs of relief and nods of approval. "That being the case, I am now in a position to consider the plans for my future discussed last week." He inclined his head towards Minerva. "I would be happy to accept the offer of my old position as Potions master and head of Slytherin house.' He looked at Bill with a slight smile. "In addition, I am willing to offer my services as a researcher to the ministry."

The relief in the room was palpable. He gestured with his wand and a single sheet of parchment appeared in front of each person. "Despite the excellent efforts of Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger, there are some things that I believe will need clarification. This is a timetable for today detailing what I need to know from each of you." He stood up and waved his hands dismissively. "You will now, no doubt, want to go and have your breakfast."

As they started to move he could see Hermione standing back by the table as if she wanted to talk to him. That was not a discussion he wanted to have right now. "He grabbed Minerva's arm in passing and started to walk with her to the door. "Minerva, I trust you will be able to ensure that Bella is brought to my rooms this afternoon."

She looked at him. "I will bring her myself, Severus." Her expression was extremely serious. "Trust me." He followed her out the door and moved off quickly towards the dungeons before Hermione could apprehend him.

*

The last lesson for the day was Charms with Professor Ginny Black. Bella liked Charms. While it lacked the exact science of Potions or the thrill of Defense Against The Dark Arts, there was something elegant about being able to bend objects to your will with a swish and a flick. They had just got into the practical part of the lesson when Professor McGonagall entered. "Isabella Smith." Bella jumped at the sound of her name. "Could you please come with me?" It was rare that the headmistress herself fetched children from classes and it had never happened to Bella before. With a nervous glance at Sophie, she stood up and followed Professor McGonagall out of the classroom. There must be something dreadfully wrong, she thought.

"Follow me, child. There's someone here to see you." said the Professor in a stern but friendly tone. Bella followed as the headmistress led the way at a fast, steady pace. Although she had never been there, Bella had some idea where the headmistress's office was so she was puzzled when they started heading down towards the Potions class room and even more puzzled when they went past the door and through a stone archway just beyond it that Bella had not noticed before.

A few paces beyond the archway Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a large wooden door and knocked twice. The door started to open inwards and she stood aside and motioned for Bella to enter. Bella stepped forward into a medium sized living room. At one end was a desk and chair and at the other end was a comfortable looking leather lounge in front of a large fireplace.

There was a man standing in front of the fire facing her. He was a tall man in long black robes with dark shoulder length hair falling about his face. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but there couldn't be.

He held one hand out towards her. "Bella. Don't you remember me? Princess."

Her eyes opened wide in shock and recognition. "Dad, is it really you?" He gave a slight nod and she ran into his arms.

After several minutes they drew apart. "It really is you, Dad." She looked him up and down. "But what are you doing dressed in ... wizards robes?"

"Let's get comfortable first, Princess." He sat down in the arm chair and pulled her in to it next to him. "It's a long story."

*

Bella left shortly before dinnertime. Severus felt a little more relaxed now that the most important person in his life knew the truth about who her father was and what had happened to him. There was only one question he had not been able to give her a straight answer on, because he knew that it would hurt her.

Ever one to be mindful of the value of a good entrance, he waited in his rooms until such time as he judged everyone should be at dinner. This time he did not bother with a cloak. Severus Snape stalked openly and boldly through the dungeon corridors, up the stairs across the Entrance Hall and pushed open the door to The Great Hall. The room was full and as he opened the doors the accumulated noise hit him like a wave. The minute he was noticed, silence fell. Total and sudden silence.

He walked steadily between the tables towards the High Table. Minerva stood up as he approached and he noted approvingly that she had placed an empty chair next to hers on the opposite side from Sirius Black. He kept his eyes fixed to the front except for one moment, as he was halfway along between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. He let his eyes drop to make contact with those of the slim dark haired girl sitting there and allowed a slight smile. Bella grinned back. When he reached the front he went to stand next to Minerva.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said, in a loud clear voice developed over years of practice to carry across a room full of students, "We are very honoured tonight to see the return to Hogwarts of one of its most distinguished sons. For many years it was believed that he was dead. Fortunately that was not true. He was merely lost. Please join me in welcoming back into our midst, Severus Snape."

She started to applaud and the whole school did so. This was not something he had expected. Perhaps he had underestimated the effect of being a dead hero. People tend to remember the good things and forget the rest. He gave a slight smile and inclined his head to acknowledge the welcome before sitting down.

Severus Snape had come home.

*

It had been a long dinner. All the teachers had wanted to become reacquainted and had forgotten that Severus Snape was not much for chitchat. It had, in the end, become extremely difficult not to snap someone's head off. He had restrained himself admirably, but the effort of doing so had worn him out.

There was, however, one more appointment to keep tonight. As he hurried back towards his rooms, at least an hour later than planned, he hoped that she had been patient enough to wait. She had.

As he entered the room she sprang up out of the lounge chair, looking like a startled rabbit, trying to determine whether to run or not.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. I am sorry I am late."

"No need to apologise, Professor Snape. I am sure you had a lot of catching up to do."

He moved towards her until she was within arms length. "Yes, fifteen years is a long time. A lot has happened." He dropped his voice so that she had to lean slightly forward to hear. "People change." He lifted his hand to touch her cheek. "You've changed... Hermione."

She did not react. He dropped his hand and stepped back. "I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For bringing me back." He took hold of her shoulders. "For caring enough to make the effort. For loving me." He drew her into his arms and kissed her. The brave new world into which he had returned disappeared for the moment. There were many things that still needed to be resolved. But for now it was enough to love and be loved.

The End