AN: This story was written for YenGirl, she deserves it and much more.(Ed: She was nice enough to beta this chapter as well)

I thank both Lizzy0305 and Schattengestalt for looking over it for me and pointing out things that needed corrected and added. They even caught a mistake here and there. If there are others left, they are mine and mine alone.

Stones, Potions, and Decisions

Severus Snape stood completely still, his eyes narrowed, a frown marring his forehead, and his lips thinned in concentration. He was deep in the bowels of the Ministry, blessing the fact that he was both a Potions Master and a Defence Against the Dark Arts Master, for it was a combination of those two Masteries that allowed him to still be standing and thinking.

Not two hours ago he had entered the Locked Room in the Department of Mysteries, the Love Room according to the Dark Lord. Severus had learned the name when the new ruler of the Wizarding World demanded that he take a team there to destroy the place. The rest of the team died in the explosion that rocked the room during the attempt. The wards on the walls and door succeeded in keeping their spells inside the room and the concussive force completed their objective. The room was in shambles. The fountain was gone, the potion it held flowed across the floor, soaking the robes of the seven Death Eaters who had accompanied him. Pieces of the ceiling, decorations from the wall, and bits of chairs were sprinkled over them in a mockery of a burial.

It was during the backlash that his Masteries saved him. His Potions Mastery afforded him the knowledge of a multitude of shielding spells, all designed to withstand contained explosions. His Defence Mastery gave him the ability to recognize the imminent danger. The two Masteries together trained him to be fast enough to cast his spell. He had shouted a warning, but it was too late for most to even put up a shield. Those who did ... well, theirs were not designed to deal with an explosion that was coming at you from all sides and containing shrapnel.

His shield had held, but the forces flowing through the room blasted him through the hole that was under the remains of the fountain. He was now deeper inside the Ministry than anyone had been since this room, which was lower than level ten judging by the ceiling height, had been sealed.

The potion that was in the fountain was gently trickling down into the room, raining down around him. Around because Severus had put up a shield to keep it off of him. The smells that were surrounding him filled him with longing. 'Grass, dank stone and wood, potion fumes, and a musky scent.' The musky scent called to mind a green-eyed Gryffindor, one who had lost and was now forever gone.

Shaking his head, he exhaled forcefully. He could not focus on what was no more. The Order was gone, Potter and his friends were gone, and all hope that he could topple the Dark Lord was crushed. He was just surviving, doing as he was told, hoping he would die someday with as little pain as possible, while doing his best to keep the remnants of the Light as safe as possible.

A glint of light caught his attention once again. A globe with the potion rain coating its surface had caught a light beam and was reflecting it at him. Shifting slightly, Severus examined the object closer. It appeared to be made of rose quartz and was the size of his fist. Dropping to one knee, he peered into the depths of the crystal that was sitting a pool of the love potion. Severus reached out a hand, letting his fingers hover over one of the crystals known as a Love Stone. Something else gleamed in the furtive light. A globe of malachite, sitting not too far away. Looking further he recognised kunzite, lapis lazuli, rhodonite, emerald, moonstone, sapphire, and even amethyst scattered across the stone floor. Each were coated in the potion, each gleaming in the semi-darkness.

Clutching his wand tight in his fingers, Severus sank down, sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by the multitude of love stones. Some old ones, some known for healing, others he couldn't even see but sense in the corners of the room. He could feel the energy emanating from them, surrounding him with their gift of healing and love. Curling over, his arms resting on his thighs, he let his tears finally flow. Wounds opened in his heart and the horror of all that he had lost washed through him and then overflowed, pouring out onto the ground, a show of grief long, long overdue.

At length, the emptiness that was left slowly filled with a quiet peace and the knowledge that love would conquer all. As he sat there, the potion slowly pooled around him, soaking into his robes and his trousers.

The last tear fell, the final quiet sob sounded, and Severus' hand moved to wipe his face. When he opened his eyes, he realized that he was no longer sitting in that newly opened chamber. Grass was brushing against his leg, moved by a breeze that carried the smell of dank woods. With his wand clutched tightly in his grasp, Severus sprang to his feet and looked around. There was a castle in the distance, a lake to one side, a Quidditch pitch to the other, and a large dark forest behind him. 'Hogwarts? Why am I here?'

The wet robes clinging to him drew his attention away from the castle to take stock of himself. He was soaked from head to toe in the love potion that had been in the fountain. He could feel small rivulets of it running down his neck from his hair. His shield spell must have ended when his emotions overwhelmed him earlier. Raising his left hand to push his wet hair out of his face, he noticed the bracelet now wrapped about his left wrist.

There were three rows of stones, each one of them adhered to the ones next to them. They were also tight enough not to move. Looking at them closer, Severus was relieved that they were not embedded into his skin. The closer look also let him identify the stones. They looked like the Love Stones from the room under the Ministry. The rose quartz was the largest of the shrunken crystals, and was sitting prominently on the upper part of his wrist. The amethyst and malachite were sitting over his pulse. The stones he could not see were there as well, the energy from them familiar. A small smile curled his lips when he realized that the top row of stones, the ones closest to the Dark Mark, were all haematite. 'I know that I am surrounded by negative energy, but a whole row of protection from it?'

Sighing lightly, he finished the move to push his hair away from his eyes. 'How do I explain to the Dark Lord that I was transported from the Ministry to Hogwarts? He will also want an explanation for the crystals, and then he will punish me for the death of the team. Maybe he will restrict me to my lab. He thinks that I have developed an aversion to brewing since I became the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He pulls me away from the school during the summer to show that he still controls me.'

Running his wand over his robes, he dried them out. He might as well check on the school while he was here, and then report back to the Dark Lord. Maybe Albus would know something about the stones and potion that was in the Love Room and could tell him why he was transported to Hogwarts. 'If he doesn't know then maybe since he is a portrait he could talk to the portraits that have vanished from the Department of Mysteries. Albus always knows how to get information.'

Tucking his wand way, Severus headed for the castle, savouring the peace that was filling him. The hatred, the hopelessness, and the dread were still there, but they were not commanding his mind and heart anymore. Somehow, the potion, the stones, and the time away from prying eyes had moved him through the soul deep grief and healed the wounds he hadn't realized were still festering within him. 'The scars will always be there, but I can function again, think again. I know what Potter was hunting, I know that he had found most of them, and that the Dark Lord cannot make a new Horcrux – his soul is too small now. If I apply myself, I can find the rest and finish the task.'

With that one thought, a small seed of hope sprouted digging its roots deep into the hatred and dread, and surrounding the scars left by the grief. He would do whatever it took to finish the deed. Afterwards would handle itself.

With his resolve settled, he headed for the castle. He had a long conversation with a former Headmaster to complete before the Dark Lord realized that he had vanished. As he walked through the main doors, his gaze sought out Hogwarts' scars, the one created during the Final Battle. His steps faltered when he could not see them. He quickly glanced at the stone bracelet, wondering if they could have healed the school as they had healed him. It would never do to discount anything found in a tightly sealed room in the Department of Mysteries.

"Ah, Severus, there you are. I hope that your visit went well." Smiling, Albus stepped off the main staircase.

Clutching his left hand to mask his utter shock at seeing the Headmaster still alive, Severus felt the bracelet dig into his arm as if warning him not to react poorly.

"Of course, Albus, why wouldn't it?" Severus hoped it was a bland enough reply to work, hoped his voice didn't give his bewilderment away. If Albus was alive, maybe the Dark Lord was dead.

"Voldemort," Severus felt the death of his hope with that one word, but was glad that he knew where he was supposed to have been. "is not always the nicest host, but I am glad this meeting was better than others. Any interesting gossip?" Blue eyes twinkled as Albus directed Severus up towards his office undoubtably for tea.

Following the man he had killed three years ago, Severus wondered just where he was and more importantly, when.

§§§§§§

Severus took a deep breath as he tipped the jar of beetle eyes, allowing five of them to tumble into the potion he was brewing. 'Dank stone, potions fumes. Two out of the four scents. Grass … I can walk outside and smell the sun warmed grass uncontaminated by the scorching stench of curses or hexes. It is just the musk that is missing.'

The bracelet caught his attention as he set the bottle down. No one had mentioned his newest adornment, not even Albus. A smile curled the edges of his lips. Somehow the stones had brought him to this place – this other universe where the war was still going on, but people he knew as dead walked around alive as could be. There had been no change in time, Potter had graduated two years ago. Instead, events had changed. Severus had spent the last month reading the back issues of the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler. He was glad the version of him here also kept journals. Every Death Eater meeting was written down, every Order meeting recorded, every created and changed potion noted, and there was a series for lesson plans as well as student performance. It seemed writing was his way of organizing his thoughts no matter what Universe he lived in. 'I had to add all the potions I created that were not in the ones here, including this one.'

It was one of the personal journals that let him know what happened to this Universe's Severus. The last entry mentioned hunting for one of the hardest and deadly to collect potion ingredients out there. He was planning on heading out after the Death Eater's meeting. The seal on the journal, one that took him but a minute to break, told him all he needed to know – Severus Snape of this world was not among the living any more. For just a moment, he had wondered if the man's body was in the Love Room in his universe now, or if the Dark Lord wondered where he vanished to. Part of him hoped the latter if for no other reason than there would be teams of Death Eaters hunting him instead of hurting the remnants of the Light.

Giving one last stir to the potion, he filled seven vials. Today was his first Order meeting here. He had already attended four Death Eater meetings which were remarkably similar to the ones he had attended before.

A breath brought to him two of his favourites scents, another brought him the third one – he had been out harvesting grass earlier and the smell clung to his robe. 'I'll see Potter today. The last scent.' Warmth, one he knew was happiness, filled him.

Shaking off the thoughts and the emotions that filled him, Severus took the potion and headed up the stairs. He had places to be.

§§§§§§

Severus stepped into number 12 Grimmauld Place and shot a quick look at the portrait of Blacks' mother. It took all his self control not to bust out laughing. He had read about it on one of the Order journals, but to see it was very different. The Weasley twins had succeeded in gagging the lady and she was sitting in the corner of her portrait, sulking and glaring. Returning the glare, Severus continued to the kitchen. 'I wish the spell they used was in the journal. I will have to corner them about it later.'

He smelled it the moment he passed through the door, causing his heart to jump and the stones to warm on his wrist. Harry Potter was sitting right in front of him with his back to him. Settling in the empty spot next to the young man, Severus indulged himself while he looked around the room, his heart warming at the sight of all the living people who were dead to him just over a month ago.

"Snape looks happy about something."

Severus let his lips quirk up at Ronald's comment to Potter. 'If I can call Ronald by his given name, I can do the same with Po – Harry.' It was obvious that he was not supposed to hear the whisper. It was out of character, but he had decided the first night here not to be as cold and callous as he used to be. It cost him too much the last time. He was definitely not sunshine and roses, most people would not know the difference, but he did. He thought Albus had noticed as well.

"Yeah, he does. I wonder why he is sitting next to me, normally he sits near Albus."

Severus caught the flash of green as Harry glanced his way. Focusing his gaze on Albus, Severus enjoyed the smell that was surrounding him. The only way it could be better was if they were in a grassy field or in his lab at Hogwarts. 'Or brewing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.'

Settling his thoughts, Severus focused on the meeting. Even though he was in a new universe with everyone alive, he still had a goal to accomplish. The Dark Lord was going to die with as few of casualties as possible.

Moody was watching him closely when Albus finished summarizing the reports, and Severus knew he could not let the Auror corner him. No matter how much information was in the journals and papers, there was still too much about this world he didn't know, and the man had every right to be suspicious since he was acting different. As Moody approached him, Severus moved over to where Harry was talking to his friends. "Potter."

Green eyes widened at the neutrality in Severus' tone. "Snape."

"This is for you. I want you to try it. It should help with your connection with the Dark Lord." Severus held out the potion, one he started on when pacing the entire castle during Harry's seventh year didn't calm his nerves, and continued working on in his spare time since the Dark Lord won. It helped him to retain his sanity during those days. "Nothing in it is harmful, so death is not a side effect. Take it tonight. I will see you tomorrow to find out the results."

Moody snatched the potion from Potter's hands. Uncorking the vial, he sniffed, and eyed it critically. "When did you have a chance to work on this, Snape? What is it really for?"

The amethyst warmed on Severus' wrist and a feeling of peace filled him. 'It isn't known as a master healing stone for nothing.' Plucking the potion out of Moody's hand, Severus returned it to Harry. "In my spare time and it is for what I said it was for."

Pulling a cork out of a robe pocket, Severus handed it to Potter before striding away. Step by step was the only way to improve his relationship with the man his heart wanted, and this was the first one.

§§§§§§

Morning found Severus pacing about the parlour waiting on Harry. He fingered the bracelet, wondering if he was truly in love with Harry Potter. It had been years since his heart had been affected by anything living. He had worked with Amortentia enough to know what attracted him throughout the years. Slughorn had introduced them to the potions in his sixth year, and the only thing that he smelled was dank stones and potions fumes. It wasn't until after the end of the first war and his stint in Azkaban that he smelled sun-warmed grass. Dank wood had been added during his years as a teacher.

'I have no idea when the musk was added. I have not brewed that potions in four years, not since Harry's fifth year.' He looked down at the bracelet. The Love Room, that was the first time since he stopped teaching Potions that he smelled a love potion. It was the first time he smelled the musky scent. 'Am I attracted to it because it means freedom, or because I could love him?'

The ruby, the stone that among its many properties represented passionate love, glowed, the red light deepening the colour of the rose quartz it was next to. 'That answers that. Passionate love it is, but will it be returned?'

The door behind him opened. Spinning about, he spotted a very tired Harry dragging through with an equally tired Ronald and Hermione. He pulled out his potions journal, sat down, and gestured for the three to make themselves comfortable.

Ronald started in. "If I didn't know that Harry had nightmares every night, I would swear you gave him a potion to induce them."

Hermione nodded. "I heard him screaming from my room."

Severus focused his complete attention on Harry. "How is your voice? Do you need a potion to soothe your throat?"

Harry chuckled lightly. "Do you carry those on you as well, or were you expecting this result?"

Severus shook his head no. "I do have some brewed and stored in my rooms. If you need it, I will immediately retrieve one for you."

Harry also shook his head, and settled a puzzled look on the Potions Master. "Why are you being so approachable? You smiled last night, or close enough, you are willing to get a potion for me. What happened?"

Leaning back in his seat, Severus studied them. He knew to achieve his heart's desire, he would have to eventually tell some sort of story to Harry, maybe even the unvarnished truth, but it didn't feel like the time yet and he would want to do it at a time they were alone. Then Harry could decide if to include these two in on the secret. "I came to the conclusion that we would be better off working amicably together instead of growling and grumbling at each other. More can be accomplished this way."

Hermione laughed. "The Order members who stayed here last night are positive you want to torture Harry."

Severus looked from her to Harry and raised an eyebrow. "What do you think, Ha – Potter?"

The room stilled, and a slow grin filled the three's faces. Ron spoke first. "You were about to call him Harry."

Harry jumped in as Severus looked uncertain. "Please, call me Harry. You can call them Ron and Hermione."

"As long as we can call you Severus." Ron's sentence was so close to Harry's it almost overlapped.

"You may call me Severus." The smiles beamed at him did not make Severus regret his decision.

"To answer your original question, Severus," Harry gave a self-concious grin at using Severus' first name. "I do not think you are torturing me. Hermione reminded us that you were brewing a new potion. You obviously made sure that it couldn't kill me and that most harmful side effects were neutralized, but since it is an experiment, you have to test it. On me, since it is to block Voldemort's connection."

Severus couldn't help but to glance out the window, looking for the Snatchers that hunted down people who spoke his name. The Taboo was still in effect when he left. He knew it wasn't here, thank goodness. 'Maybe because the Snatchers would constantly be called and end up facing the wand point of Albus.'

"I thank you for your forethought and consideration. You have changed as well." Severus watched the three glance at each other.

"Yeah … we've been meaning to apologize to you for being such horrible students during our school years." Harry gave a small shrug while the other two nodded.

Severus had read the journals, he knew that these three had been nicer to his counterpart than his original three, but the apology still knitted over a hurt he hadn't even realized that he was carrying. "You acted in a way that would ensure my position in the Dark Lord's ranks. Your apology is accepted, please take mine for my actions during the same time frame."

The three shared heartfelt grins. Severus waited for them to look at him before continuing.

"I need to know all your symptoms, Harry. Anything that felt different after you took the potion. I will continue to tweak it."

The three settled down and started telling Severus everything that happened.