Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own anything or anyone from Harry Potter. Nor am I making money off of this fanwork.
Warning: EWE. Genderbend. I have no beta.

The Moment of Death

He'd been hit. Hit by the dreaded Avada Kedavra. He'd seen his parents, Sirius and Remus. The marauders lacked their fourth. The one who had betrayed them. Albus Dumbledore had been there too and told him he'd a choice. To return or to continue and find peace in death.

He wanted to return. To the friends who remained. To the battlefield to make certain the fiend was dead and no one else need suffer. No one else need die. The causalities were many. So many. No more. Not after today. Not at the hands – the wand – the orders of Voldemort.

Before he woke however his head spun. Something pulled at his middle. Nausea unlike anytime he'd ever used the floo, apparated or been portkeyed away. Inwardly he screamed. In anger. In frustration. Appalled that he'd not awaken on the battlefield where Voldemort had just killed him. The place he wished to wake and face the monster that had so long ago ceased to be a man.

Someone touched his hand. So warm.

"I'll not be responsible if you don't wake up."

A child's voice. So young and yet so old all at once.

His eyes slowly opened. There before him stood a child no more than seven years old. With lank black hair and deep brown eyes – so dark they were almost black. The face with the rather large nose seemed familiar and yet he could not quite place it.

"Where am I?" His voice itself did not sound like his own. Or rather it did in a vague way. A voice from memories long since forgot. A child's voice that had never quite matched his experiences. Not then. Not even now.

The boy huffed and crossed his arms. "I would think anyone with brains would know. After all I found you here. You came here yourself."

His brows furrowed, "I don't know how."

"Magic. You're a witch."

Eyes widened, "A witch?" No, he was a wizard.

The boy crossed his arms and gave the smallest dip of his head. "Yes. Didn't you know?"

He shook his head. Best not to say anything at all. It was only then that he noticed as he looked to the ground that he wore a saffron dress and Mary Janes.

Sitting up he proceeded to stand and found himself an inch or two shorter than the boy. Taking note of this his eyes widened further yet. What the hell had happened to me?

"I can tell you about magic and the wizarding world."

Not knowing whose body he was in, whether he was somehow dreaming or not the corners of his mouth curled upward. He looked into the boys eyes, "I'd like that." But he knew.

A voice called out, "Calla!" Another girl perhaps a year or three older than his current body came up to him. "This is where you went off to. Come on, Lily and I have been looking for you."

Whoever Calla was he didn't know. Nor this girl. Not the Lily she spoke of.

Then she grabbed her hand and frowned at the boy.

"Get on home with you and your ugly clothes, boy."

Calla frowned, "That's not very nice."

The face seemed familiar as the girl frowned down at him. "You shouldn't be associating with freaks like him."

He yanked his hand from her, "And you shouldn't be so horrible and cruel."

The boy muttered, "I can take care of myself."

"Calla, I don't have time for this. Mother and Father sent me to find you. Or don't you want to go on the family picnic?"

He glanced at the scowl faced boy, "I'm sorry. I have to go. It was nice meeting you..."

The boys arms, still crossed, murmured, "Severus."

What a name for a child to have!

"What a..."

Severus's mouth thinned into a grim line. Did he think he was about to make fun of him?

"Handsome name. A bit long. Do you mind if I call you Sev?"

He inclined his head. "If you must."

He giggled. Only then did he realize he sounded more like a young girl than the young man he was. Or had been. Perhaps this was only a dream. The battle might still be waged around him, but here – here he was; dreaming. Maybe a curse?

Either it was his imagination, or one of the corners of Severus's mouth twitched for but a fraction of a moment as if he'd tried to smile.

"Maybe we can play again Severus. In the park."

Severus blinked and with one small nod he turned and walked away. His movements as twitchy as a spiders.

"That's not someone you should be making friends with Calla."

"Why?"

"He's a weirdo."

He rolled his eyes and followed her to their house. Where outside he saw a girl with all long red hair and strikingly familiar green eyes. The ones he saw in his reflection. In the pictures of the woman he'd never gotten the chance to know.

She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Calla! Where did you go? Where have you been? Petunia, where did you find her?"

He froze. Petunia. The name of his dreadful aunt. What in all the bloody blazes is going on?

Petnuia let out a weary sigh, "She was hanging out with filth at the playground no less. I don't know how she got their so fast. I thought twins did everything together."

Mr. and Mrs. Evans came out. "It's time for our Evans picnic girls."

Mrs. Evans exclaimed, "Calla! Why you're as pale as a ghost and that's saying something."

His mother never had more than one sister. He'd never heard of her having a twin! I must be dreaming. Why this I don't know. It's bizarre. I wish I could talk to Ron and Hermione.

"I'm fine... Mother."

Nibbling on his lip he looked up at her. "I met someone at the park."

"Who dear?"

Petnuia grunted, "A weird little boy with ugly, filthy clothes."

"Petunia!" Mr. and Mrs. Evans admonished her and she looked rather cowed.

They glanced to him again. "Calla? Who did you meet?"

"His name's Severus. He told me I'm a witch. That I did magic."

The two glanced at each other then back down at him. "That would... explain a lot. You and Lily have always done extraordinary things that we could never quite explain."

Petunia's brows furrowed deeper as she looked at her sisters.

Lily clapped her hands together, "This is wonderful. Did he say anything else, Calla?"

He shook his head. "We didn't have enough time. I might see him again at the park sometime. He said he'd tell me about the wizarding world."

Lily took his hands in hers. "You'll take me with you, wont you?"

He nodded.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

None of it would matter once he woke up from the odd dream. Time moved too slowly here and he worried he'd not wake quickly enough to take care of Voldemort. Not that he was needed any longer. Once Nagini was gone then there would be nothing left of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

If only Professor Snape had not been bit. If only there were some way, anyway that he could save him! Many others too had fallen and he'd always wished for a different outcome, but alas it was not to be.

Perhaps he was dead if this were no dream. Another life? No, not with who these people were. Heaven? But why would he be his mothers sister and not still her son?

He'd find out. Even if he need wait to hear what Severus had to say. Or until he was old enough in his current body to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

AUTHOR NOTE: I've had this milling around in my head for awhile and couldn't help but begin. For those who've read my unfinished stories I'll return to them at some point, but still, thank you for reading them. Anyone whose read my finished stories; thank you! I'm fine constructive criticism as long as its not riddled with nastiness - this depends on the language used.

Now I'm curious would you like to read about the Evans' picnic, or should I gloss or skip over that to the next time Calla(Harry) see young Severus?