The Hallowed Travellers
The Prophecy
Severus Snape: Professor Of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The sign had been short-lived but Severus was onto higher and better things. There was a handful of things to still address that Dumbledore had left him to do. What was it with that man? Severus thought. The list had read somewhat more like the clues in a cryptic word puzzle. He could never make anything simple, could he? He placed the plaque on Dumbledore's desk - his desk - and sighed. Memories were never very high on Severus's priorities and that was failing fast. He had tried to repress them for as much as one human could bear, hiding everything from everyone. He didn't even dare write in a diary in case his words would corrupt everything he had so carefully worked for. So, truth only seemed to exist in his heart and in his head. And, he knew grimly, that such a truth was dangerous for many reasons. Betraying Voldemort, betraying Lily...it was intolerable. Was it any wonder that his eyes always seemed to not quite fit? Severus had often wondered if his mind was bigger than he gave credit for. If, by some amazing miracle, he survived to his old age, hew had a sneaking suspicion that he'd end up in St. Mungo's...or even worse, some grotty Muggle old folk's home. A polite rap on the door broke him out of his reverie. He had barely any time to clear his throat when a very odd looking Professor Trelawney wandered in.
He could never make up his mind about this teacher. For the most part, she acted like a very odd and eccentric old crone. He had the impression that she didn't like him very much. Minerva McGonagle was also treated by Trelawney in the same manner. It seemed only reasonable that she didn't like either of them because her classes were rather useless. She seemed to be not very good at the subject and had a tendency to drink sherry if things weren't going her way. He knew she had two predictions in about eighteen or so years but Voldemort wasn't too happy about her. He had long since reasoned that he only kept her own for her own protection.
However, Severus watched her walk in and it seemed clear that the woman was not quite in her right mind. Perhaps the whole situation was an act, only known to Dumbledore. Even so, it was still a rather disturbing yet mesmerizing transformation. She stood in a pair of combat trousers - cut off below the knee, hiking books and a tank top. She also had a couple of strange mechanical machines and a black and red book under her arm that she seemed to be protective of.
"Hello, Sev." she said. She didn't even speak in her usual faraway tone but it seemed to bristle with confidence and strategy. "Time we had a nice little chat. You're Headmaster after all."
Severus stared at her closely, not quite believing what he was seeing. "How can you know that? That's highly classified information."
"Oh," she said, smiling brightly as she offloaded the metal instruments on the table. "A little birdy told me. Good old JK." He rose up from his seat, glaring at her.
"You're not Trelawney, are you?" he inquired, reaching for his wand. She shrugged and nodded at him.
"I never was, sweetie. It's complicated. Very complicated and I really think you should listen." she sat at the edge of the desk, fiddling with one of the structures she had bought with her. "A man is coming. Nothing should be told to by anyone about this man. He and two friends of his will come here and blend into the staff. A ghost, an Astronomer and a nurse."
His eyes widened, revealing what could only be described as the murky shadow of the Muggle underground. "What the hell are you on about?"
"It's time, Severus. Albus saw them long before now but now...so should you." she reached for the book, her eyes seeming to gloss. Severus was not comfortable with this sudden depth to mad old Sybil. Well, whoever this stranger was. "I'm sorry. Really...I am."
She handed him the book and looking at the front page, Severus's face drained of colour. It was a picture of Potter and the two friends he had - the Weasley boy and the clever Muggleborn - falling into a room of gold. Written on the top was the words: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"What is this?" he said, softly, looking over the book carefully. The woman smiled sadly and said one, single word.
"Spoilers."
The sign had been short-lived but Severus was onto higher and better things. There was a handful of things to still address that Dumbledore had left him to do. What was it with that man? Severus thought. The list had read somewhat more like the clues in a cryptic word puzzle. He could never make anything simple, could he? He placed the plaque on Dumbledore's desk - his desk - and sighed. Memories were never very high on Severus's priorities and that was failing fast. He had tried to repress them for as much as one human could bear, hiding everything from everyone. He didn't even dare write in a diary in case his words would corrupt everything he had so carefully worked for. So, truth only seemed to exist in his heart and in his head. And, he knew grimly, that such a truth was dangerous for many reasons. Betraying Voldemort, betraying Lily...it was intolerable. Was it any wonder that his eyes always seemed to not quite fit? Severus had often wondered if his mind was bigger than he gave credit for. If, by some amazing miracle, he survived to his old age, hew had a sneaking suspicion that he'd end up in St. Mungo's...or even worse, some grotty Muggle old folk's home. A polite rap on the door broke him out of his reverie. He had barely any time to clear his throat when a very odd looking Professor Trelawney wandered in.
He could never make up his mind about this teacher. For the most part, she acted like a very odd and eccentric old crone. He had the impression that she didn't like him very much. Minerva McGonagle was also treated by Trelawney in the same manner. It seemed only reasonable that she didn't like either of them because her classes were rather useless. She seemed to be not very good at the subject and had a tendency to drink sherry if things weren't going her way. He knew she had two predictions in about eighteen or so years but Voldemort wasn't too happy about her. He had long since reasoned that he only kept her own for her own protection.
However, Severus watched her walk in and it seemed clear that the woman was not quite in her right mind. Perhaps the whole situation was an act, only known to Dumbledore. Even so, it was still a rather disturbing yet mesmerizing transformation. She stood in a pair of combat trousers - cut off below the knee, hiking books and a tank top. She also had a couple of strange mechanical machines and a black and red book under her arm that she seemed to be protective of.
"Hello, Sev." she said. She didn't even speak in her usual faraway tone but it seemed to bristle with confidence and strategy. "Time we had a nice little chat. You're Headmaster after all."
Severus stared at her closely, not quite believing what he was seeing. "How can you know that? That's highly classified information."
"Oh," she said, smiling brightly as she offloaded the metal instruments on the table. "A little birdy told me. Good old JK." He rose up from his seat, glaring at her.
"You're not Trelawney, are you?" he inquired, reaching for his wand. She shrugged and nodded at him.
"I never was, sweetie. It's complicated. Very complicated and I really think you should listen." she sat at the edge of the desk, fiddling with one of the structures she had bought with her. "A man is coming. Nothing should be told to by anyone about this man. He and two friends of his will come here and blend into the staff. A ghost, an Astronomer and a nurse."
His eyes widened, revealing what could only be described as the murky shadow of the Muggle underground. "What the hell are you on about?"
"It's time, Severus. Albus saw them long before now but now...so should you." she reached for the book, her eyes seeming to gloss. Severus was not comfortable with this sudden depth to mad old Sybil. Well, whoever this stranger was. "I'm sorry. Really...I am."
She handed him the book and looking at the front page, Severus's face drained of colour. It was a picture of Potter and the two friends he had - the Weasley boy and the clever Muggleborn - falling into a room of gold. Written on the top was the words: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"What is this?" he said, softly, looking over the book carefully. The woman smiled sadly and said one, single word.
"Spoilers."