"I'm sorry, you want to stop someone from missing their trip to the pool?" Severus asked.

He set the documents she'd given to him down, regarding her curiously. Had he read her wrong? Had she agreed to this but didn't really want to? He'd capitulated and agreed to keep this time and this house as their home base. Harry, with Kingsley's assistance, was working on declaring him innocent of all charges. Even Draco was helping, it seemed. That knowledge made him feel a little … bad for his complete deception. Not enough to change it, though. He would have to feel very confident that Draco had turned over a new leaf before exposing himself, and Hermione, to him.

The reason for his hesitation? He truly wasn't sure what Draco believed these days. The fact that when he'd found the three classmates of Hermione's who had "dropped out" after her third year hadn't, in fact, done that. He could close his eyes and hear a fourteen year old Draco celebrate their deaths rather than mourn the fact three magical people had been exterminated through no fault of their own. They didn't choose to have muggle parents. That's what he had been taught, though.

Harry assured him that he had changed. That they got along. That he, Draco, and a few other of his former Slytherins got along. Severus believed him, of course, but it was very easy to lie. To present the face you want people to see. So, until he had time to investigate himself, contact with Draco was off the table.

"If you don't really wish to do this, just say so, Hermione."

She scowled at him.

She scowled at him.

And she did it very well, too.

"That's not it at all, Severus. And, yes, this is where I want to start. We agreed to start small."

They had, sure, but this. It seemed beyond ridiculous.

"It's a day of swimming, Hermione."

"Yes, you're right, but she was on track to being an exceptional swimmer. There was someone scouting at the pool that day. Someone who might have been able to train her to participate in the Olympics if that was her goal. From everything written about her by her teachers, that seemed to be her goal."

"I see," he said.

He set his hand over the documents, spreading them out in front of him again a bit and regarded the pictures and information she'd compiled on the first person she thought they should do something for. She was no one either of them knew. That was important to both of them. They'd gotten a list of Hogwarts dropouts over the years. Minerva did not know why the information was requested, but she supplied it. (And then some! Merlin!) Not students who the parents pulled to be privately tutored or moved to another magical school. Students who just never came back. She'd been a student at Hogwarts prior to Severus' time there. However, it seemed her parents (read her father, most likely) did not appreciate the attention their daughter was getting.

He huffed as he read through everything she'd accumulated. She was right. From the reports, she had the makings of a possible competitive swimming career. And she was magical. So, it was something they could influence.

"Fine," he said.

They had given Kingsley quite a list of incidents. No doubt the man wasn't surprised at the thoroughness of their research There were none he'd said no to. He and Kingsley were still … thinking about Greyback. A job like Greyback would likely require them being gone for a while, too. It wouldn't be as simple as go back in time, stop him from getting bit, and come back home. They would have to stay for a while and ensure he did not get bit another time.

"I mean if you don't think this is viable," she said. With that sentence, she didn't sound nearly as confident as she had moments ago. He'd done that. Made her think he doubted her. He supposed he did. He was still getting used to this.

He nodded. As far as Kingsley was aware, no one had done what they were embarking on doing. Kingsley wasn't going to name them, but he did have to in his reports make note of this task: how many people he was utilizing, when they started, and such.

"No. From her Hogwarts file she never achieved her potential. I'm not sure anyone knew of her swimming. She stopped swimming just before coming to Hogwarts, and never started up again. You do realize cost may be a factor."

"What?" He gave a low chuckle at the look of confusion on her face. He didn't see that look on this witch's face often.

"She missed the bus. She may not have had the money. It may have been deliberate."

"Is there anything we can do? I mean, if that's the case. Can we petition the Ministry to assist?"

"I don't know that the Ministry will intervene in a muggleborn witch's swimming lessons, Hermione."

"Can Kingsley?"

He smirked slightly at her use of his first name. If - when - he rejoined the magical world, with this witch by his side. The good people of Britain would wonder who she was calling their Minister for Magic by his first name.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we would need money on any of these trips for essentials. Would not having a potential Olympic qualifying swimmer as a witch not be empowering to other magicals to pursue all sorts of things?"

"So, you're suggesting Kingsley give us enough money …"

"Well, there's nothing to stop us from making recurring visits is there? We could find out how much a year would cost and pay… We don't even know if that's the issue. She made the lessons up until that point."

"I'd be willing to do that. We'd have to take enough galleons from here, stop at Gringotts then and convert it to muggle cash there."

"Oh, right," she said. Money might change. Galleons had been consistent. "And it's the sixties, so it can't cost that much."

He scoffed. Depending on one's situation, anything could cost that much. Another example as to how differently they were raised. He wagered she never had to worry about bus fare.

Of course, her parents had elected to have her privately taught versus attending Hogwarts because of the … climate toward muggleborns. Some might say her worrying about being harmed or killed because she happened to be born with magical abilities when her parents had none overrode his rather destitute upbringing.

She reached for his arm, squeezing it. "I didn't mean it like that, Severus, I'm sorry. I just meant, it's not as if we'd be asking Kingsley for hundreds of thousands of galleons."

"You are right," he said with a slight nod. He knew she hadn't meant anything by it. She wasn't that mean. She had a cruel streak, but it was never aimed at someone she cared for. He'd been witness to it a few times at the pub, when a customer she wasn't fond of said or did the wrong thing. Be it to her or a customer. (Usually to a customer.)

"And we really don't know why she missed the bus that day. Maybe she just missed it, realized she missed her chance and…"

She was right. There were any number of variables. The witch in question had dropped out of Hogwarts, though, and from her records and the marks she'd received during her first year, seemed as if she had potential. Hard to truly gauge, but she hadn't gotten any Trolls, nor had any of the professors written scathing end of term summaries about her.

From the sounds of it, her professors presumed she'd traded her magical education in for an Olympian's life. So no one looked too closely into why she hadn't returned. Until it was too late. She'd missed too much and wouldn't have been able to make it up. And no one wanted to be one of very few in Hogwarts history to appear to have been held back a year. 

Both took the next little while to prepare. Clothes. Other necessities that they wanted to take with them. Each had a bag with an undetectable extension charm on it so both could take what they needed. Kingsley did give them permission to spend money if necessary on swim lessons for the witch. Severus hoped that wasn't necessary. Too many things could go wrong if they had to continue going back to the same person repeatedly. If the person came to depend on them and they suddenly, for whatever reason, couldn't return. Then what? They would have only prolonged the original path, not changed it.

The point in this was to change small things. Returning to the scene of the crime, as it were, seemed unsafe and unwise.

However, he had to admit this, a muggleborn witch who'd stopped attending Hogwarts after her first year due to seemingly external circumstances, did seem as if it was a rather innocuous place to start. Both had researched her life and she hadn't done anything earth shattering, like invent the mobile phone or anything, to where making such a change would alter other things.

She worked, ironically enough, as a bus driver in her hometown. There was mention of a marriage, and a divorce a few years later, but no children. Both agreed that was somewhat important. Had she been married, they likely wouldn't have hesitated to go forward with this plan. Children, though. That just seemed as if it could be changing too much.

Kingsley had given them the addresses of a couple of flats used by the Unspeakables in London during that time. So they wouldn't have to worry about housing, at least this time. The only problem was that he couldn't be assured they would be the only two using any of the available flats. So they could have flatmates.

Neither Hermione nor Severus were exactly thrilled with that idea, but they both realized that being the property was for the use of Unspeakables. Well, likely no one would ask them why they were there. Unspeakables would know better.

There may be cities or times on this project of theirs where Ministry property wasn't available. They'd have to figure those accommodations out when they encountered it. That might influence things they chose, at least to start.

That decided, they took a few days to ensure they were ready. They would advise Kingsley of their departure and he would send Harry periodically to ensure Crookshanks did not need to be looked after. Presumably, they should come and go without anyone but Kingsley knowing they had left, but just in case.

Finally, outfitted with clothes sufficient for the sixties and enough money to ensure Miss Whistler made it to swimming lessons. And then some. They were on their way to hopefully enabling a potential Olympic swimmer from getting her chance to fulfill her dream. And maybe her magical education, too.

*****

They focused on small tasks, as with Mildred Whistler. Mildred Whistler who went on to compete in three Olympic games, winning a gold medal in two events. A Mildred Whistler who married the same man she had originally, but no divorce occurred. And there were children. Children that Severus gained memories of having taught when they got to Hogwarts.

Things that they could be in and out of the past with little time passing by. They couldn't look two years older all of the sudden. They couldn't risk changing more than what they intended to either.

One of the things they'd done was gone back to stop Bellatrix from rendering Neville Longbottom's parents incapacitated. It seemed even the crazy witch had limits to her fearlessness. A one hundred sixty pound black panther and one hundred pound jaguar were that limit. He had enjoyed the memories he had of a more confident and compassionate Neville Longbottom when he got to Hogwarts in 1991. He still was a whiz with plants, but he was much more well rounded than what Severus recalled originally.

This, though, today's task was going to be interesting.

Hermione did not know Severus Snape prior to the war's end.

When they arrived in 1980, he confirmed they'd arrived on the day he intended.

He apparated them to the area he knew the younger version of himself would take the path of to meet with Albus.

Here, he disillusioned himself while Hermione changed into her sleek female melanistic jaguar. From a distance, she could be mistaken for the female counterpart to his black panther. Up close, the differences were noticeable. She rolled onto her belly so he could pet her affectionately. He loved the large-cat purrs that came out of her when he did this.

She must have scented the younger version of himself because she went from playful and loving to predatory and defensive in the blink of an eye.

"Easy, Love, it's just me," he whispered, still disillusioned. He stood then, remaining disillusioned as his younger self walked to the area.

She stood proud and tall, her tail went from looking like a question mark to twitching and quivering the closer his younger self got to her. She was nervous and excited, he knew. He was confident she would garner his younger self's attention, which was the plan.

As expected, his younger self paused, glancing at the decent sized female jaguar. His younger self sneered at the jaguar, pushing back some of his unseemly-looking hair from his face, and drew his wand. He didn't exactly point it at the jaguar, but he was definitely on the offensive.

"Who are you?"

Good question.

Assured he wasn't going to hex her, his - their - mate approached him. His younger self stood stock still as she brushed against his legs, rubbing her cheek against his hip. Her tongue grazed the back of his hand closest to her mouth. Disillusioned, he felt himself smirk as his younger self instinctively ran his hand along the top of the jaguar's head, stroking her ears. He could admit to being a tad … jealous … at the content purr that emitted from her at the gesture.

His younger self's … guard … down a bit, Severus canceled the disillusionment and walked toward his younger self and his mate. He didn't raise his wand at him, as if he knew the man approaching him meant no harm. He said nothing, allowing his younger self to take in his appearance.

To come to the proper conclusion.

"We look like shit."

"Aptly put," he said.

Two years into this job, he had never forbidden Hermione from doing anything. She was an intelligent witch and knew her history well. This task, though, he had strongly encouraged her to refrain from changing forms, no matter what. He planned on explaining to his younger self who the jaguar was to them, but not who she was.

"Have you come to tell me not to do this?"

This was asked with a sneer, but Severus knew himself well enough despite this being twenty or so years ago. Well, he knew young Severus was kind of hoping that was why he was here.

"No, you are doing exactly what you should be doing. I have come to suggest that you include Mister and Master Potter in your plea."

"I'm sorry?"

"I won't tell you when I'm from or when the war ends, but it has been many years for me since this moment, more than twenty anyway. The only regret I have is that I only pled for Lily's life."

"James…"

"I know," he said simply. He met his younger self's eyes. Let him truly see that he did know. Far removed or not, his older self fully remembered the shenanigans the Marauders got up to. Usually at his expense. "I know, Severus. This woman," he said, gesturing to the jaguar, who was still standing by his younger self. (For that matter, his younger self was still petting the top of her head.). "Is proof that Lily was not our witch. Make Albus think you are the better man, and not just going to him because you have no other choice. At least suggest you want James and Harry's lives spared."

"Are they?"

"I cannot tell you that. Talking to you is risky enough. You know that."

He nodded, lips thinned. He knew. He was intelligent to know saying too much could be catastrophic. "I do."

"I assure you, though, of all the things I could correct, Severus. Think of your arm. Think of all sorts of things you wish, even now at this time, that you could redo. I'm coming here, to this time and place, knowing what you are about to do and ask for. And all I am doing is simply asking you to add James and Harry Potter into those you ask for safety for. You don't even have to say their names, just say you want the Potter family safe. I know it's not simple. I truly do. This, though, is what I feel bad about currently, as the man you become."

His younger self regarded him. He'd debated about altering his face, but decided not to. If his scars, all of his physical appearance, could drive home the point that this was what he came back to try to correct. Well, it was worth it.

His younger self glanced at his left ring finger, and Severus smirked. He'd left his wedding band off for this excursion. He wasn't sure why, but now was glad that he had. He rarely took the thing off, but he'd reached for it when coming here. Hermione hadn't seemed upset, so he left it off.

"I cannot tell you anything."

"I know," he said. He ran his hand along Hermione's jaguar ears and head one last time before dropping his hand to his side. He pushed that slovenly-looking hair out of his eyes again.

"I will take it under advisement."

"That's all that I ask."

The jaguar moved from his younger self's side to his, and he seemed to take the hint then that it was time for him to continue on with today's task.

His meeting with Albus.

Originally, he had thought Hermione could … convince him to ask for Harry and James' safety. The more the two of them had talked about it, though, they realized that could not happen. He shouldn't see his mate. Just knowing she was out there should give him enough incentive.

They hoped.

There were a lot of things he could go back and do differently. This, though, was one thing he thought of that wouldn't really change anything - except perhaps Albus' opinion of him.

They decided Hermione should stay by him, the younger him, though, as long as their conversation occurred. Physical, tangible proof that what he was seeing was true.

He dropped his hand to the top of her head, grazing her ear with the pad of his thumb.

"Shall we run for a while before we go back?"

She let out an almost guttural sounding roar. Loud enough, young Severus no doubt heard it. That made him chuckle. Wouldn't it be something if that roar, and not Severus' plea, swayed his younger self into doing what he should have done in the first place.

And run they did.

*****

"Did it work?" she asked when they returned. He hadn't said anything for a while. She knew he was worried his younger self would be too stubborn, too set in his hate for James that he wouldn't listen to him.

He merely nodded in response. She knew the … memories when they altered something he knew took a bit to work their way through his mind and what he knew previous to a trip. It was one of the reasons, she knew, that he chose not to alter much that could affect him. The Longbottoms really didn't do much to him other than change his memories of their son. (Memories that he only knew existed now because prior to that excursion, he'd written down what he remembered.)

She smiled, turning then, and leaving him to his solitude so that he could come to grips with the fact that he had made such a change. That his younger self listened and had put his hate and loathing aside. She didn't think Albus Dumbledore held it against Severus, but she knew he did.

She wasn't jealous. She wasn't upset he changed something that, in a roundabout way, involved Lily. She just knew he needed his own space to sort through his feelings those new memories brought with them. He'd talk to her when she was ready.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com