Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A Gift From The Past

Chapter 1

Severus Snape was tired. No, he was exhausted, and he knew that even if he slept for a whole day, the weariness would not leave him. Not bothering to turn on any lights, he sat on his armchair in the house in Spinner's End and sighed, grateful from the respite that came from the absence of Wormtail constantly lurking about.

Even that was poor consolation for what had gone on tonight at Dumbledore's office. How could Dumbledore possibly expect him to do what he had asked of him? For years, he had ignored his own comforts, his own life to do Dumbledore's bidding. In those years, he had actually become attached to the old man and to ask this of him now?

"Certainly not. You must kill me"

Growling in frustration, Snape grabbed his robes and stormed out of the house, unable to stay there an instant longer with his thoughts and refusing to go back to his quarters at Hogwarts, which were too close to where Dumbledore was.

It was raining slowly outside, but ignoring his discomfort, Snape walked on briskly as was his habit. Inevitably, he ended up at the old playground where he had first met Lily. Unable to stop himself, he glanced at the swing set where Lily had displayed that enormous bout of accidental magic the day they had met.

He stopped short and lit his wand. A small figure sat bundled up on the swing where Lily had once sat, shivering periodically as the raindrops splattered down. A child? Severus blinked. What was a child doing here in the rain in the middle of the night?

He wasn't in the mood to deal with errant children right now so he ignored the prodding from his conscience (did he really still have one, he thought wryly) and was about to turn away when he noticed something peculiar. A blue light of some sort was now above the head of the child and seemed to be protecting him from the rain.

"A wizard," he said out loud, unable to believe the irony.

Harry was cold and wet and had no idea how he had gotten here. One moment he was at the Dursley's house in his cupboard and the next, he was in this playground in the rain in the middle of the night! Aunt Petunia would kill him. She would think he had tried to run away. She never believed it when he told her the strange things that happened to him. Like the time he had ended up on the roof at school.

Harry had seen nothing around him so he sat down on a swing and decided to wait till the rain stopped. After all, summer rain wasn't that bad. Until of course you were soaked in it, as he was now. He closed his eyes, imagining the rain had stopped. He couldn't even feel it anymore in fact. Maybe it had stopped, but no, he still heard it. He opened his eyes and sighed as water kept pouring down. But really, he still couldn't feel it. He looked up, wondering if the clouds had parted above him and instead saw a blue sort of haze that seemed to be protecting him from the rain.

"Ahhh!" he yelled in surprise and fell off the swing onto the muddy ground. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness were black boots before him in the mud.

When Harry managed to open his eyes again, the first thing he noticed were the books. Shelves and shelves of books all around. He couldn't possibly be at the Dursleys' house, he decided. He sat up groggily, fumbling around for his glasses.

"Here," said a voice coming from a great black blob. Harry reached out and suddenly his glasses were in his hand. He quickly put them on and looked up at the blob that had now taken the shape of a formidable, bat-like man.

"Thank you," he said politely.

"Drink this," Snape said handing him a cup of steaming liquid. Harry took it and the smell of chocolate wafted into his nostrils. The Dursleys had never let him have hot chocolate. He took in a big sip ignoring the burn on his tongue. He licked his lips and smiled unconsciously. It was delicious.

"What were you doing out in the middle of the rain?" Snape now asked.

Harry bit his lip. "I don't know, sir. One minute I was at home in my cupboard and the next I was out there."

Snape stared in shock. This child had apparated! And then right afterwards had created a shield charm. Obviously this boy had potential.

"Sorry, sir, but who are you?" Harry asked nervously, suddenly realizing that this man was a stranger through the bubble of happiness the chocolate had brought him.

"You may call me Professor Snape. And your name?" Snape asked curiously.

"It's Harry, sir – Harry Potter," Harry said, wondering what this man taught. He looked like a scary professor.

The man stared at him. Then, in a swift movement he had a stick in his hand, which was pointed right at Harry. "You're lying," he snarled, "Who are you really?"

Harry gulped, unsure of what to say. Why wouldn't the Professor Snape believe he was who he said he was? He was now waving his stick in strange motions and muttering. Was this man mad? Harry had to get out of here. Aunt Petunia had warned him about people like this.

"Please, sir," he said standing up and getting ready to bolt, "I just want to get back to my Aunt and Uncle's house. They live in Privet Drive."

Snape blinked at him. "Come with me," he said suddenly and grabbed Harry's arm tightly before dragging him to the fireplace. He threw some kind of powder in and it immediately burst into flames. He was now dragging Harry closer towards it. He was stepping inside it! Harry struggled madly but the man's grip was too tight. He closed his eyes as he entered the flames and then the world started spinning.

"Dumbledore!" Snape yelled as he stepped out of the fireplace, still dragging Harry behind him.

The boy, who had been clutching onto him hard as they flooed, now began to struggle and cry out, "Let me go!"

Snape obliged as at that moment the weary old face of the Headmaster appeared, posed in a fuchsia dressing gown.

"Severus? Back again so soon?" he said smiling. "What's the matter?" he asked, his smile slipping from his face as he took in Snape's pale one.

"I found this child in Cokeworth," Snape said pointing to Harry, who was staring at the Headmaster, his mouth wide open.

The Headmaster looked confused. "I don't understand, Severus," he said.

Snape growled in frustration. "Look at him closely."

Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes fell to rest on the boy who began to fidget uncomfortably. Dumbledore took a step closer, but the boy moved behind Snape, clutching tightly onto his black robes and hiding from the Headmaster.

"Ahem," Dumbledore cleared his throat, "would you care for a lemon drop?" he asked, holding out the piece of candy to Harry. Harry slowly began to move from behind Snape and looked at the candy in Dumbledore's hand and then up to Snape, as if asking for approval.

Snape ignored him. The boy moved forward and took the candy from Dumbledore's hand, quickly popping it into his mouth.

"What's your name, child?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Harry Potter, sir," Harry said hesitantly.

"I've performed all the revealing charms on him and there is no sign of deceit," Snape cut in.

Harry frowned. "Why does everyone to think I'm lying? I know perfectly well what my name is!" he said indignantly.

Dumbledore smiled. "I apologize, Harry. May I ask you how old you are?"

"Eight, sir," Harry said, more boldly now that it seemed the old man believed him.

"I see," Dumbledore said gravely. "Would you mind telling me what year it is, Harry?"

Harry stared. These people were all barmy. "It's 1988."

"Impossible," Snape muttered incredulously.

"Well," said Dumbledore, stroking his long beard, "It seems we have a time traveller in our midst."

A/N: Hope it was good! Let me know what you thought in a review (I like those). Constructive criticism is welcome.