Two days after Harry Potter had eaten at the Snape house, Harry Snape received an owl from his father bidding them come to their house.
“Ah. There you are,” Snape said dryly as they walked through the door. “I was beginning to think Lily and Lucius would be back before you. I have put together an experiment that I think will bring you back to your world. But I cannot guarantee it. Are you willing to take the risk?”
“Anything to get back home. Or try to,” Potter said eagerly.
Snape sighed. “Typical Gryffindor. Here.” He handed Potter an object on a chain.
“What is it?” both boys asked at the same time.
“It is a necklace I have enchanted to come to me in any way possible. It has worked no matter how far away I could get it even through other objects, if need be. Potter, in twenty-four hours I will open the family fireplace to the Floo Network and call the necklace to me. If you have not returned to your own world, keep the necklace on and open the Floo Network when I do, and you will come back with it. I have tested this to the best of my ability. If the experiment works and you get back to where you belong, take the necklace off, write a note and attach them together. Leave them in a fireplace, if you would. Now, are you ready? I cannot guarantee you will go back to your own world. I cannot guarantee the necklace will work between worlds. However, if you decide to stay, I will guarantee you a home with us.”
Potter swallowed hard. “Thank you for the offer, sir, but I need to get back to where I belong.”
Snape nodded. “Spoken like a true Gryffindor. Are you ready?”
Potter turned and offered his hand to the other boy. “Thanks for everything, Harry.”
“Here,” young Snape said to Potter. He handed him a Chocolate Frog Card. Potter took it. The front had a picture of Severus and Lily Snape, their names underneath. Potter turned the card over to read the back. “Severus and Lily Snape,” he read aloud, “were instrumental in the demise of Voldemort. Severus has since made many breakthroughs as Potionsmaster at St. Mungo’s Hospital, while Lily is a stay-at-home mother to their children.”
“So you don’t forget us,” young Snape said.
“I couldn’t forget you,” Potter said sincerely. “But I have nothing to give you.”
Young Snape shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I won’t forget you. Best of luck.” They shook hands solemnly.
“Thank you, sir,” Potter said, turning to the elder Snape, “for doing all this work for a boy you don’t know, the son of your wife and someone else from another world.”
“Don’t mention it,” Snape said. Suddenly, he pulled the boy into a hug. “Stay safe, Harry Potter,” he said.
Potter hugged him back, unable to keep the surprise off his face.
When they released each other, Snape chuckled. “Judging from your expression, your Severus Snape doesn’t do that, does he?”
Wordlessly, Potter shook his head.
“I always knew Lily was special. Why wouldn’t the whole world change because of her?” the man said as if to himself. “Well, are you ready?” he asked again.
This time, Potter nodded. He put on the necklace. “What do I need to do?”
“Take this time turner. You’ll enter the Floo and tell it ‘home’. Then you will drop the time turner. Good luck to you. I hope I’ll hear from you in twenty-four hours.”
Potter nodded. Holding the time turner in one hand, he grabbed Floo powder with the other and threw it into the fire.
“Goodbye,” he said, and walked into the green flames. “Home,” he said firmly, and let go of the time turner.
The journey took a long time, much longer than a normal Floo trip. Potter was hopeful.
Then he was tumbling onto the floor of the Gryffindor common room.
“Harry?” Hermione gasped. “Are you alright?”
“Where’ve you been the past four days?” Ron demanded. “I’ve looked everywhere for you!”
Potter smiled. “You won’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try us,” Ron said.
So Potter launched into the tale. When he was finished, his friends were gaping at him.
“Good thing it worked,” Hermione said practically. “Or who knows what would have happened – to you, or to us.”
“Snape gave you a hug?” Ron questioned, aghast.
“Well, sort of. It wasn’t our Snape, you know. My mother softened him, made him way more likable and less grumpy.”
“Still!”
“Let’s write that note,” Hermione suggested. She pulled a piece of parchment, a quill, and ink from her bag. “Here. Use this.”
“Thanks.”
Potter sat at a table and scratched off a note.
Dear Harry and Mr. Snape,
I’ve got home safe. Thanks for everything. Maybe someday we’ll see each other again. If not, well, have a good life.
Harry James Potter
“Now there’s only one question,” Hermione said. “Who was in the Floo to begin with?”
“I had almost forgotten that,” Potter admitted. “I’ve no idea. I hope he’s okay.”
“I bet it was a Slytherin,” Ron said. “After all, you ended up in a Slytherin common room, right?”
Hermione latched onto the idea. “I heard Malfoy laughing the other day about pranking people… maybe that’s what he meant!”
“Let’s go ask them now,” Ron said.
“Hang on!” Potter muttered. “Hermione, how do I make this note fireproof?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” the girl said. “Here, let me.”
Potter handed her the note, and she flicked her wand at it expertly. “Repello Ignis. There, that should do it.”
“You’re sure?” Potter asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. “Of course I’m sure. Go test it if you want.”
Potter carefully rolled the parchment around the necklace and tossed them into a corner of the fireplace.
“There,” he said. “Let’s go talk to the Slytherins.”
Twenty-four hours later, long after the threesome had discovered which Slytherin sixth-year had been pranking the Gryffindors, the fireplace turned green as it connected to the Floo Network. The parchment and necklace vanished, called back to a man in another world.
The End