Disclaimer: I do not own anything and will never own it.

Hey! This is my second HP fic and I promise to have an actual end to this one. How can I promise this? Because I have already typed the whole story and the only thing that will delay the posting of the story will be me getting to a computer to do it.

This story is supposed to be about what could have happened in Harry Potter if only one moment changed.

IT IS SLASH!

Pairings are as follows: Lupin/Arthur, Snape/Neville, Draco/Ron

Enjoy:

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Chapter One: He Put The Wand Down

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McGonagall too seemed to become aware of their company. She halted, raised her wand ready to duel, and said, "Whose there?"

"It is I." said a low voice.

From behind a suit of armor stepped Severus Snape.

Pg 597 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

EEEE

McGonagall stared at the man in front of her. Her lips thinned as she studied him, he had lost weight and seemed as pale as ever. His greasy hair fell like curtains around his cold, expressionless face as he regarded her.

"Minerva…" Snape stared into her eyes as he lowered his wand.

That's where everything changed.

McGonagall stared at Snape in surprise. Now that Harry Potter was here she had been planning on over throwing their new Headmaster. She had sent out her patronus to the other teachers to gather them in the Great Hall.

But here he was.

The man that killed Dumbledore! The man that betrayed the Order. The man that had let Death Eaters run Hogwarts and torture the students she woke up everyday to teach. And he was standing in front of her with such an empty expression, he had his wand down, he wasn't going to fight.

She knew she had to hurry, everyone was rallying together but what was she to do. She didn't understand why Snape had done what he had but now wasn't the time for questions.

Sounds of running footsteps startled Snape as he was suddenly surrounded by Flitwick and Sprout. Flitwick raised his wand but stopped when he looked over at McGonagall. She opened her mouth to say something but a voice broke through the silent hallway.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry Potter took the invisibility cloak off revealing himself and Luna Lovegood.

Snape's body snapped together as he fell on his back, dropping his wand.

McGonagall wasted no time as she ran over and grabbed his wand. She looked over at her fellow teachers as Slughorn ran up trying to catch his breath.

"Minerva!"

"No time Horace!" McGonagall cut Slughorn off and looked at them all seriously. "Go get your students; we are meeting in the Great Hall. Voldemort is on his way and we need to evacuate the school."

The teachers were gone with little argument before McGonagall turned to Harry. "I'm taking Severus to the Headmaster's office where I will question him. You need to get your friends and send them to the Great Hall. I expect you to meet me in the Headmaster's office shortly after."

She silenced him with a quick look as he levitated Snape up and took him to the Headmaster's Office. It took no time at all before she put Snape back on the ground and lifted his curse. Snape coughed before he looked up at her from the ground.

"Explain Severus! Explain why I shouldn't kill you right now!" McGonagall's voice rose and Snape looked her in the eye but didn't say anything.

"Minerva." A soft voice stopped her from hexing Snape right there as she turned to face the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Albus…" McGonagall turned towards Snape a second time who was looking at the ground in what appeared to be shame. "Are you speaking up for him again this time Albus?"

The picture gave a knowing smirk before the door flew opened and Harry Potter tumbled in. He looked up at the portrait and then at Snape, frowning harder at the Slytherin.

"Severus only did what I was telling him to."

McGonagall felt like she had gone mad during Dumbledore's explanation. Harry seemed to be taking it a lot better than she had but as she looked at the boy she had watched over these nearly seven years she realized he looked older than anyone his age should. Dumbledore was confessing to things she had never thought of her headmaster capable of doing but then again what could Dumbledore not do?

She looked over at Snape who seemed to get paler as Dumbledore continued his explanation. Snape who was now pulling his wand to his head and pulling out a long silvery substance, summoning Dumbledore's pensive, then placing the silver stand into it. Snape stood bringing Harry and Dumbledore out of their argument as he placed the pensive on the Headmaster's desk.

"What do you want me to do?" He turned to McGonagall startling her for a second before she turned to Dumbledore.

"I expect you to fight."

EEEEE

Two Years and 121 days later.

EEEEE

The only reason I think of myself as an important person is because I am an important person. If you disagree then you should ask the Minister of Magic, Mister Kingsley Shacklebolt, because he is the most important person there is in our world as far as I'm concerned as his Junior Undersecretary I am indeed, a very, very important person.

This is why I am standing in the middle of what seems to be a deserted neighborhood. The house in front of him is no condition to live in so I have no idea why he wanted to come here, but here I am, waiting for the person I am supposed to escort to Hogwarts.

The door to the house opens quietly as a dark figure walks out slowly. Of course he probably hasn't recovered from his time in Azkaban but who knows what else is wrong with Severus Snape?

Snape regards me with a curt nod as I turn beside him and we walk far enough from his house to be outside the shield charms that prevent us from apparating. I wonder if he had been expecting Kingsley here in instead of me. Honestly I had thought the minister would come here himself but some…unseen issues arose and he informed me I would have to do this.

A loud crack brought Percy out of his mutterings to himself as he realized Snape had already Apparated. Cursing slighting in annoyance he followed the man and apparated to the village of Hogsmeade.

Snape was standing there waiting for Percy as if he had been waiting for two hours causing the redhead to flush despite himself. They made there way through the village, Percy behind Snape as he watched the older man. Snape's black robes still billowed behind him but seemed less threatening then Percy remembered.

Maybe it was because he had already graduated from Hogwarts or maybe it was because two years in prison effected even the hardest of minds.

Voldemort was gone, not that the battle hadn't been hard, many people died. Percy frowned as he thought of Snape's involvement. The man had surrendered himself to the Order mere seconds before the Death Eaters broke through. He remember what it felt like to crawl through the hole to the room of requirement, apologizing to his family with the help of Fred.

Percy briefly wondered what Snape's involvement changed in the final battle, would they had loss, would more people had lived? But it was too late to question now as he took another step forward.

His mom died.

Percy remembered seeing her cross the Great Hall and take on Bellatrix when that evil witch had attacked Ginny. Fred and George had been too busy fighting Fenrir to notice their mom kill Bellatrix, but Voldemort hadn't been too busy to notice. Percy could still recall how it felt when he tried to block hexes aimed at his mother before someone had knocked him to the side.

Remember hearing the scream from his father before everything went black.

He woke up two hours later to find himself outside in the grass as the other wizards went through the bodies. Tonks had died earlier that night; Lupin had only survived because his wife had pushed him off the roof and out of the way. Sprout's body had been found near the green houses by her favorite student Neville; she had been going to go get more plants to throw at the attackers.

Harry had survived but that hadn't surprised Percy. Harry needed to survive, if he had died who knows what would have happened to the wizarding world.

Percy brought his attention back to Snape who had slowed once they had caught sight of the castle. Snape had saved Fred's life in front of Percy, if Percy hadn't of been there he wouldn't have ever believed it but there it was. Snape….

Snape had betrayed everyone on both sides, but….

But McGonagall trusted him just as that loopy Dumbledore had. That didn't save him from two years in Azkaban but she had managed to bring down the sentence to only two years, on the idea that Snape would have to continue teaching at Hogwarts when he was out for the remainder of his sentence.

It was going to be a long ten years.

"How do you feel about being back?" Percy caught up so that now he was beside the older man and noticed the torn expression on the man's face. He looked at Percy and opened his mouth before regarding the man in front of him and starting over.

"In all honesty?" Snape approached the doors that now creaked open, "Only time will tell."

Well that wasn't the answer Percy had wanted but he walked into the entrance hall and smiled at the red head standing by the stair case. His wire frame glasses falling a little too far on his nose and his balding scalp shining in the light they were letting in.

"Dad!" Percy smiled as his dad jumped a little then turned to his son with a smile growing as Percy got closer. Percy then turned to Snape who eyed Arthur suspiciously as the older man smiled. "Professor Snape, I would like to introduce my father Arthur Weasley, the new Muggle Studies Professor."

EEEE

Snape walked into the dungeons where he came face to face with Slughorn and McGonagall. Percy had told him to go to the Slytherin common room before he had walked off with his father, his job finished.

So Arthur was the new Muggle studies professor? He looked at Slughorn who looked too tired for a man who should just now be returning from a summer break of classes. McGonagall looked the same as ever, her hair pulled back in a tight bun as she smiled at Snape.

"Severus."

"Minerva, Horace…..it's been a while." They were quiet at that but McGonagall just waved it off and started walking towards out of the common room.

"You are going to be staying in one of our spare rooms for now Severus. As I am sure you read my letter you know that I need you to assist some of our teachers this year before you return back to your position as Potions Master." She didn't bother looking back at him because she knew he had received her letter.

"I see you have hired new staff." Snape mentioned as Slughorn laughed.

"Yes! And what teachers they are!" Slughorn laughed, "I mean I never thought too much of Arthur Weasley but the stuff he knows about Muggles! You would think he was a muggle-born."

"And don't forget Victor Krum as our Transfiguration teacher." McGonagall added with a smile as Snape eyed her wearily.

"Victor Krum? You hired him? He's only just out of school isn't he?" Snape didn't bother holding his disbelief at someone so young holding a position as teacher.

"Young?" Slughorn laughed, "I think that's how Minerva likes them. Why Professor Longbottom isn't even twenty!"

"Longbottom?"

McGonagall gave Snape a guarded expression as she looked at him. "Sprout had trained him well while he was here, he might not have been the best candidate but I could not see anyone else fulfilling her position."

Snape slowly nodded, Sprout had always taken a shine to Neville Longbottom. He had heard that the teen was actually quite skilled in Herbology but Snape never put too much thought into it after what he saw in his potions class.

They made there way into a room that was bare and only had the essentials. Snape realized he wasn't going to have an office but then again he wasn't officially teaching this year now was he? He looked over to see McGonagall talking and realized he hadn't noticed.

"I'm sorry Minerva, what was that?"

McGonagall gave Snape a very strange look as if he had grown three more noses. "Excuse me?"

Snape thought about what he said and repeated it slowly. "I'm sorry Minerva, wh-"

"Sorry!" McGonagall laughed shrilly. "After all these years I finally get an apology from you and it was only because you were ignoring me?"

Snape smirked at that. "Well I don't recall needing to apologize for anything else."

They both stared at each other for a sec as Slughorn laughed. Snape felt relief fill his chest as he saw her wink at him before saying something to Slughorn. She had forgiven him and Snape wondered briefly what else Dumbledore had told her.

"I was informing you that Miss Granger is also staying here. Oh don't make that face, she isn't teaching, she is writing a book about the second war. She was so infuriated with Rita Skeeter's version of it that she demanded to stay here so she could interview us if needed until her book was done."

"Rita Skeeter wrote a book about it?" Snape remembered that woman's book about Dumbledore's death.

"Ah, I think it was called something like, Battle at Hogwarts: The Truth Behind the Lies a Rita Skeeter best seller if I remember." Slughorn laughed as he looked at Snape. "She accused you of telling the children lies so that they would come home and tell their parents terrible stories."

"Me? Lie to children?" Snape scoffed.

"Wouldn't be the first time." A familiar voice broke through the air causing Snape to look back at the door to see one Remus Lupin holding a bouncing toddler in his arms.

"I wanna see Neevil! I wanna see Neevil!" The kid laughed as his father bounced him a few times.

"You guys by any chance haven't seen Neville around have you?" Lupin switched the kid to the other arm as the kid's hair color changed from bright red to blue.

"I think he was in the green houses but if you want I can come and help look. I need to ask him for some plants before school starts tomorrow." Slughorn sighed as he looked back at Snape. "Severus my boy, it's good to have you back."

Snape nodded as Lupin and Slughorn left taking the laughing child with them.

"Oh and Lupin is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher once again. I put an article about him returning to our school, telling all the parents worried about their child's safety from a werewolf to enroll their child elsewhere." She gave Snape a cocky smirk only she could achieve. "No one has been un-enrolled as of yet."

They stood there talking for a while before a loud chime let everyone know it was getting late. She yawned and stood from her seat she had conjured before looking at Snape who looked back at her expectantly.

"And Severus? Thank you for coming back, I know you went through a lot and this place probably has very bad mem-"

"No more bad memories than it had for you Minerva." Snape cut her off and they regarded each other before he opened the door for her and she left, reminding him that the feast was tomorrow night. He nodded and shut the door after her before looking at his new room.

He hadn't been here for two years but for some reason it felt like it had been a lot longer than that.

EEEEE

Neville stayed perfectly still. He ignored the urge to struggle against the bonds around his legs. He didn't move as he felt them tighten around his neck. He took a deep breath as he relaxed to a point where he might have well been asleep.

Then suddenly the Devil Snare loosened around him and moved away, apparently looking for a more excitable target.

"Already having trouble with the plants?" Neville sighed as he got up and tried to dust himself off but it only seemed to make his pants dirtier as his hands were covered in soil. He smiled at his intruder but quickly turned around and pointed his wand at the retreating plant and muttering a spell that froze it.

"Don't need it sneaking up on me again." Neville laughed as he looked over to Arthur. "How can I help you Mr. Weasley?"

"You allowed to call me Arthur now Neville. We are colleagues." Arthur smirked as the boy nodded at this before he took a seat on one of the stools looking around the green room. "How is your class prep working out?"

"Oh!" Neville seemed startled about this. "I think the students will really like this year. I was able to grow some Fanged Geraniums and while some kids might not like it, I always thought the plants that fought back were the most interesting."

"Haha! I bet that'll be a nice class. I still haven't planned on what I am going to talk about on the first day…can you believe the feast is tomorrow?"

Neville smiled fondly at Arthur. It had been a rough year after the war was finally over. Neville had approached Professor McGonagall only a week after Professor Sprout's funeral to request a job at Hogwarts. He had originally thought she might give him something with grounds keeping or just turn him down all together but she hadn't.

Quite the contrary, the second he had walked into her office she had looked at him and said that she had received his application and wanted him to continue after Sprout as Herbology Professor. Neville had been taken back but took the job right away, he had wanted to intern under Sprout after he graduated but after she died….And then he had learned Mr. Weasley had asked to become the Muggle Studies Professor.

That seemed to be more a shock for his family than Neville had thought it would be. He remembered Percy coming to the school and yelling at his father for resigning from his job at the ministry but Arthur had merely laughed and told his son that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life there.

"I heard you sold the Burrow?" Neville looked over at Arthur who gave a small smiled at that and nodded.

"You won't believe who bought it," Arthur looked over at a flower suspiciously before he glanced at Neville. "Lucius Malfoy heard I was going to sell it and bought it for a nice price. As much trash he gave me about my property only being worth three knuts must have been hoping I would sell it one day, apparently the Malfoy's want to rebuild their manor somewhere else.'

"A lot of people moved after the war." Neville stated as he remembered his Seamus moving to London shortly after everything had settled. He had claimed to want to be close to the action if anything happened again but Neville thought maybe the guy just wanted to be closer to Dean.

"Ron still says he won't talk to me since I sold the place in his weekly letters. Honestly, if he wanted to stop talking you would think he would stop sending the letters." Arthur laughed at his younger son, "The twins finally cleaned out the top of their shop in Hogsmeade so I am going to stay there when schools out but as of now, Hogwarts is my new home."

"Here, here!" Neville made a toasting motion with his hand even though there were no drinks as he turned around to see the Devil Snare had unfrozen and disappeared while he had been distracting.

He would need to find that tomorrow.

"How is Algie doing?" Arthur decided that the flower he had been inspecting was probably not really a flower and put some space between it and him.

Neville's Great-Uncle Algie had helped Neville his first year teaching at Hogwarts and only stopped by a few times the second year. His Uncle still had many things to see and plants to look up so Neville wasn't going to hold him here but he had been grateful for the help.

"He's in Russia last I heard."

"NNEEEEEVIL!" A ball of the brightest orange ran into the green house as Teddy Lupin jumped at Neville tackling the tall teen.

"Sorry Neville, I lost my gri…….Arthur?" Lupin smiled at Arthur who smile slightly back before looking away.

"Are you still mad at him?" Neville asked as Arthur avoided Lupin's eyes.

"What do you mean?" Arthur laughed unconvincingly.

"Something happened last year around Christmas between you two and you still haven't forgiven him. What did you do Remus?" Neville threw Teddy in the air causing the kid to scream in delight.

"I don't think its any of your business Professor Longbottom." Lupin said matter of factly before giving Neville a stern look, "And why are you so comfortable using my first name when you call all the other teachers by their surnames."

"Maybe it's because you are the closest to his age." Arthur said in an almost teasing tone.

"Krum is only 24!" Lupin defended, "And Severus is only two months older than me."

The was a loud thud and both Lupin and Arthur jumped to see Neville barely catch Teddy after he had knocked over some pots. He stared at the two older men who stared back in surprised before a knowing smirk came across Lupin's face.

Neville did not like that smirk.

"Neville…..are you still?" Lupin tried not to laugh as Arthur gave him quizzical look, "Arthur? Had Neville ever told you what his boggart was?"

Neville turned pink as he threw Teddy at his father. Lupin caught his son just as Neville pushed the older man out of the room only to be stopped by Slughorn standing in the way.

"What is your boggart then lad?" Slughorn smirked at how pink Neville's face grew.

"Professor Slughorn? What do I owe the pleasure?" Neville tried to change the subject as he saw a list in Slughorn's hands and grabbed it before the Professor said anything, "Oh! Potions ingredients! Well I think I have most of everything here, did you want it by tomorrow?"

"Uh..Yes. Actually some of the rarer plants can wait but I will need them in a few weeks if possible." Slughorn went along with the business talk as Neville pinned the list to a board that had two other notes on it.

"I should be able to have all of it by the end of the week. Will need to send an owl to my uncle for that one but….." Neville turned to Slughorn and smiled.

It wasn't one of those normal smiles you get from a fellow comrade, no. Neville had grown from the clumsy child that had walked into the school to now a teen that was tall, lean and very tan. His dirty blonde hair was still wavy and fit his face perfectly, he had grown to be quite attractive (Not a Gilderoy Lockhart but at least a 7 out of 10) and after 7 years of being on the bottom's of everyone's list to suddenly in the top 20, Neville knew he was. So when he smiled this time it was a smile to distract Slughorn, and it worked.

Slughorn smiled back fondly muttering to himself as he turned and left the room without another word.

"How did you do that?" Arthur asked with a hint of amusement.

"No one suspects a smile like that from me, that's how I surprise them." Neville whispered. "I'm sure you could do the same thing Miste—Arthur."

"Well it seems the excitement in trying to find you, actually tired this little demon out." Lupin sighed tiredly as he looked down at his now sleeping son. "I swear he only waits to go to sleep when we're as far from our room as possible so I have to carry him."

"I remember feeling like that." Arthur smiled fondly at Teddy before looking at the window and standing up quickly. "It's gotten late!"

"Arthur, can I walk back with you? There's something I think we need to talk about." Lupin's voice left no room for argument but Arthur looked like he was willing to try before Lupin looked at Neville. "Teddy is going to stay with Andromeda for the first few weeks of the quarter, do you mind coming with me to take him to the station to meet Harry? I know he would like someone to play with."

"And you need someone to distract him while you finish your lessons last minute like always." Neville smiled as he watched the two men leave the green house. He sighed as he looked around the room before taking off his apron and grabbing his wand off the table. He locked the door behind him in case someone decided to wander in and the Devil Snare got them.

He turned to look at the castle and sighed.

This year was going to be interesting.

EEEEE

Harry opened his eyes slowly as he tried to ignore the head ache that was coming in full force. He grabbed the blankets on his bed and pulled them over his head trying to block out the sunlight only to feel a weird weight holding the blanket behind him. He paused before he turned around to find his face full of red hair.

"Ron!" Harry shouted as he shoved his roommate out of his bed. Ignoring how painful that thud had sounded.

"Harry?" Ron looked up at him tiredly, "Why are you in my room?"

Harry ran his hand over his face as he looked at the redhead over the floor. You would think that Auror training would have fixed his friend's sleep walking but it seemed Ron just really liked having a warm body next to him.

Harry did not like to be that warm body.

"This is my room Ron…honestly Ron, this is the third time this week!" Harry jumped out of his bed and grabbed a shirt from the ground. "How can you develop sleep walking? You never had this problem in the dorms."

"That's only because Neville didn't mind the cuddling." Ron yawned then smiled. "I'm just teasing mate."

"You need to get a girlfriend." Harry stated as he left the room and Ron stood then followed.

"Not all of us can be as lucky as you and be off gallivanting with Loony Lovegood." Ron grabbed the milk and opened it before taking a drink straight from the carton. "How is she by the way?"

"She is coming over this weekend which is why I need you to find some place to crash." Harry looked at the calendar they had posted on the fridge. "We have off for a week so maybe you can visit your brothers?"

Ron made a hurt look at Harry. "You mean…you mean that you don't want to spend your week off with your partner and roommate?"

Harry looked actually looked annoyed.

"I get it! We just finished training and will officially start in a week. Believe me when I say I need some time away from you too." Ron looked at the calendar and sighed. "Bill and Fluer might not be the best choice, Charlie actually sent me an owl before I could even ask letting me know that he was going to busy, Ginny is too busy traveling with her team, and Fred and George are too crowded in their shop."

"What about Per-"

"Percy lives two blocks away, that's not much of a vacation." Ron hit the wall with his head. "Guess I could go bother dad at Hogwarts."

"Are you talking to him again?" Harry stated sarcastically.

"He just sold the house without telling us! I mean there are a lot of memories in that house." Ron sighed then rubbed his temples. "I know why he did it, and I understand, I really do its just…."

"Maybe spending time with him would do you some good." Harry patted his friend on the shoulder. "Did you want to come with me to pick up Teddy? Maybe you could go back to Hogwarts with Lupin? You'll have to take the train since there's no-"

"Apparating inside the school grounds. Yes, yes, you're not the only one with a friend who read Hogwarts A History." Ron smirked as he went to his room and started grabbing a few things." I'll be ready in five!"

"I'm leaving in two so hurry up!" Harry yelled back as he pulled on his shoes. He checked his pockets for everything he needed before he saw Ron come into the room with a bag.

Not much had changed since school it seemed for Harry. Except now that Voldemort was dead it seemed it was easier for the wizarding world to forget he existed. He and Ron had joined the Auror training program as soon as they could, they had thought Hermione was going to join them but when she expressed interest in the daily prophet it hadn't been that big of a surprise. And after Rita's book, Hermione shutting herself in the school until she got the real true story out to the masses seemed to be just like something she would do.

Harry had even heard Viktor Krum had applied to be the new Transfiguration teacher, but hadn't heard from Hermione in a while so he didn't know if the old Bulgarian seeker got the job or not. He had been advanced in transfiguration since his time during the Triwizard tournament so Harry thought he would do a good job.

Ron had been disappointed in the early retirement from quidditch though.

They made there way out through the streets, making their way to the train station. Harry had been able to help Ron in his muggle cloths so now it was easier to go through the streets without being noticed.

Harry often met Lupin here to pick up Teddy. It was his right as a godfather to spend time with the boy and since Lupin and Andromeda had never reached an understanding before Tonks' death, Harry didn't think the two would be becoming close friends anytime soon. They were civil to each other and would sometime take Teddy out together, but it was all for Teddy.

Harry most of the time, if it wasn't the holidays where they all met at Andromeda's house then he would pick Teddy up at the train station and take him to Andromeda's. It was also a chance for Harry to catch up with Lupin as well as let Lupin know what was going in the ministry that wasn't being published. Harry knew that as soon as Kingsley became Minister of Magic that Kingsley and Lupin hadn't managed to keep in as much contact as they would have liked.

Ron looked around before walking into the wall at Platform 9, soon followed by Harry until they were face to face with Remus Lupin and Neville Longbottom. There were kids running around everywhere on the platform as parents tried to say their goodbyes.

Neville had to go help a kid put his case in the train as it was nearly twice his size. They could here ministry officials yelling the time and telling everyone to hurry up, Neville returned soon with a lipstick mark on his cheek he was trying to rub off.

Apparently the kid' mother had thanked him with a kiss.

Harry had been surprised Neville had become a teacher right away but then again, he had seen Neville in Herbology and couldn't think of any better hands to teach the new students. The death of Sprout had been hardest on Neville, but Neville had grown and looked happier than Harry could ever remember him in their school years; except for maybe when they started the DA.

Teddy ran into his arms and hugged Harry tight before smiling at his dad.

"I hope you don't mind trading kids." Harry pointed towards Ron who glared at him.

"Are you talking to Arthur again then?" Lupin didn't even bother hiding his sarcasm in that.

"Can we just go now?" Ron looked at Neville who smirked at him. "You guys can't be late for the feast now can you?"

"Ah, yes." Lupin hugged Teddy before kissing his son, "Be good for your grandmother and I should be seeing you in a few weeks."

Teddy nodded and waved goodbye as Lupin, Neville, and Ron turned and entered the train that had starting moving again.

Harry just laughed as Ron lost his shoe and had to 'accio' it before the train disappeared out of sight. This wasn't ignored by the students looking out the windows who laughed as they waved goodbye to their parents.

"Well Teddy, let's go say hi to grandma."

EEEEE

Ron groaned as they made there way through the crowded carts trying to find an empty compartment. They finally found one near the center of the train and closed the door behind them. Ron sat by the window so he could look out, it had been three years since he had last gotten to ride the train.

"So I heard Hermione might be done with her book soon. Apparently she had just been waiting for Snape to return to the school before she could add the final touches." Neville caught Ron's attention with a smile.

"I heard about him returning to the school." Ron nodded before he looked over at Lupin. "What is he going to be in charge of? I heard Slughorn isn't retiring until next year?"

"Oh, well he is going to be assisting any teacher that needs it. Though I do think McGonagall was hoping he would start teaching the first years potions." Lupin smirk as Neville avoided his gaze. "Which reminds me Neville.."

"So I heard Mist—Arthur sold the Burrow to the Malfoys?" Neville ignored Lupin as Ron frowned.

"Yeah, they already tore it down and started rebuilding their new manor." Ron sounded a little bitter but sighed. "I guess they would need a new home after the ministry wrecked their old one looking for any signs of dark magic. After the whole He-who—Voldemort making base there."

"But you live in London with Harry right?" Neville smiled as Ron grinned.

"Yeah, though he doesn't like my sleep walking."

"Oh speaking of someone sleep walking." Lupin smiled. "I was wondering what your boggart was Neville?"

Neville glared at Lupin who smiled innocently back.

"What is your boggart Neville?" Ron smiled as he remembered Neville's old one. "It's not still Snape is it, cause that would be awkward now you guys are like equals now right?"

When Neville turned pink he avoided both their gazes by looking out the window, Ron looked at him disbelieving.

"Neville? Really?" Ron looked more worried about this than Lupin did, who was smirking at Neville.

"You know Lupin, I think as much as I have helped you out this past year and what not you would be able to drop a subject you know I didn't want to discuss." Neville glared one more time at Lupin. "Don't think I won't remember this."

"Is that a threat?" Lupin looked surprised and amused at that.

"You stood up to Voldemort, you cut off the head of his huge snake right in front of the mad man and you are still scared of Snape?" Ron looked at Neville as if hoping the teen would correct him.

"I honestly don't know what my boggart is now. Last time I face one was in my sixth year and it had still been Snape." Neville admit before he smirked. "I'm not really sure I want to know what it is now."

Lupin frowned at that and nodded. "War changes a lot of things, I know that you are no longer scared of Severus. I was just teasing Neville."

"Scared of whom?" A silky voice interrupted their thoughts as all three men looked up to see the black eyes of Severus Snape looking at them from their compartment door.

"Severus!" Lupin jumped up with a smile and opened the door further inviting Snape in as he sat back down next to Ron this time and Snape sat next to Neville. "We were just talking about Neville's old boggart in his third year. I'm sure you remember that?"

Snape eyed Lupin wearily before he glanced at Neville who wasn't looking the man in the face.

"I recall it was me." Stated matter of factly, "And that you instructed him to put me in his grandmother's cloths and hat."

You couldn't tell by listening to the man but as Neville glanced up he could tell that prison had been hard on Snape. He had lost weight, and his hair was longer and if possible greasier. The man's skin was whiter that Neville ever remembered seeing it but as Snape leered at Lupin, Neville couldn't help but feel as if nothing else had changed.

This man was still the scary Potions Master that had terrorized him throughout his school years.

"Don't forget that tacky handbag!" Ron laughed ignoring the pleading look he got from Neville. "It was bloody brilliant."

"Indeed." Snape glared at Ron before looking at Lupin. "I heard you were on the train and wanted to ask you if you were going to need my assistance in any of your classes this first week.'

"Um..no." Lupin took a moment, trying to transition from joking around to business. He had never been as good as McGonagall at this. "I might ask you from some help when I discuss dueling with the second years."

"Very well." Snape then turned to Neville and opened his mouth to say something and shut it.

Neville looked at him in surprise. Was Snape going to ask if Neville needed help in any of his classes? That would be too weird and in all honestly Neville wasn't sure if he would ask Snape for help even if he needed it. He hadn't talked or even seen the man in two years.

Snape looked pained for a second before he finally spoke. "And you Professor Longbottom?"

Neville made a squeaking noise before he could help it and felt himself blush. He hadn't made that noise sense his last potions class with this man. He shook his head when he realized he probably couldn't say anything without babbling and Snape nodded before standing up, saying his farewell, and leaving their compartment.

"Are you alright mate?" Neville looked over at Ron who was smirking. "That was a nice noise you made there, brought back a lot of memories."

Neville glared at Ron for not being helpful before he sighed. He had to remind himself that he and Snape were now equals…to some degree anyway and that he knew they would be seeing each other a lot more this year.

"Oh yeah and Lupin," Ron looked at the older man, "My dad wrote that you keep annoying him recently. Give the man a break will you."

Lupin looked taken back by that. "He said I was annoying him? Did he mention anything thing else on that?"

Ron thought a moment before shaking his head. "No, honestly it was just a brief mention of you bothering him. Why, did you guys disagree about something?"

"You could say that." But that was all Lupin had to offer on the subject as the train zoomed past more trees and fields.

Snape joined them again towards the end of the trip and Neville managed to say something, though if you ever asked him what it was he wouldn't be able to remember. He just remembered the man turning to him with a smirk and nodding at him.

That had to be a step in the right direction right?

EEEEE

Neville stared at the table at the end of the Great Hall. He walked over to the table that would be full of the other teachers soon before turning around and facing the empty house tables. He looked over to the Gryffindor table and could remember all the memories of sitting at that table and eating with his friends.

He sighed as he looked over the room one more. They had slept in here when Sirius Black had attacked the castle, though it had turned out later that the criminal had been on their side, Neville had never gotten to meet him. He remembered taking their OWLs in here but he never had a chance for his NEWTs. No…during that time this room was filled with bodies from both sides.

"You're here early." Neville jumped as he looked to see Snape entering through the back entrance. Snape looked around the empty hall and made a small sigh. "I seem to be earlier than needed as well."

"We can always take our seats anyway." Neville smiled as he made his way back over to the table.

They both sat down but Snape on one side and Neville on the other. They both looked around the Great Hall before Neville felt Snape's eyes fall on him. The blonde turned to see Snape staring, the older man didn't even turn to look away just to pretend he hadn't been staring.

Polite as ever, Neville thought with a smirk. "Are you glad to be back here?"

"If you mean compared to being imprisoned in Azkaban then yes, I am glad to be back." Snape stated coolly. "You've grown since I last saw you."

"Not really." Neville laughed, "But the last time you ever got a good look at me was in potions and then I was only fifteen during my last class. And my last year here you spent most of the time locked in the headmaster's office……"

Neville stopped what he was saying and shut his mouth. He had never talked to Snape about what the older man had been doing during Neville's seventh year. He just remembered Snape fighting along side the Order, and at the end, before Snape was taken away by the ministry Harry had told Neville that Snape had been with them all along.

"Why did you let the Death Eaters run the school?" The question was out of Neville's mouth before the teen could stop himself and he stared wide eyed at the man across the table who looked as cold and emotionless as ever.

"What would you have had me do then, Longbottom?" Snape opened his mouth as if to continue before the doors to the great hall opened and yelling interrupted him.

"Am I bothering you now?" Lupin was walking behind a very disgruntled looking Arthur, both red in the face as if they had argued all the way here.

"I didn't mean bother, or annoy, or just…." Arthur turned to face Lupin, both still oblivious their scene was being watched. "I just want some space to think, Remus."

"Space? Arthur, its not like there is a whole castle between us." Lupin stated sarcastically before his voice softened, "Arthur, I'm sorry its just I really-"

Neville never got to hear what Lupin was really doing because it was at that time Snape decided to cough loudly. Arthur and Lupin both turned to see their audience and turned deep shades of red. Arthur looked as if he was about to run before Lupin grabbed his arm warning him that if the redhead ran he would chase so they could finish this.

"Are you bothering my dad again?" It was at that bright moment Ron decided to walk in with Hermione and Krum. "Lupin I thought you said it was a misunderstanding or something."

"It is." Lupin said through clenched teeth as Arthur tore his arm away and walked towards the table. Hermione and Krum gave Lupin a look as they past him, the werewolf standing there until everyone sat at the table before he moved towards them and took his seat next to Snape.

He glared at Snape as if challenging the man to question what had just happened but Snape seemed to not care as student's started to file into the Great Hall. Neville gave Lupin a questioning glance but he turned to see Arthur and Ron whispering at each other, apparently Ron wasn't taking 'don't worry about it' as a good enough answer.

Hagrid and the rest of the teachers made their way to their seats as all the students sat down. It took a second before Neville realized he was supposed to walk the first years in and he stood abruptly and took off running down the hall receiving some whistles and laughter as he left.

McGonagall entered the hall shortly after with a small smirk as everyone quieted and she made it her way up to the front of the hall and took her seat in the middle of the teachers. Neville walked in later with several small students following him, the girl right behind him was eyeing him dreamily while everyone else was looking around the hall and taking in the floating candles and the bewitched ceiling.

Flitwick brought out the Sorting hat and the stool as the hat began it's song. The applause that followed the hat's song was cut short as Hagrid sneeze creating a surge of laughter. The hat leered at Hagrid or as close to leered as a hat could get before Neville lifted him up and started calling students names.

Hufflepuff got the first student this year and Trelawney clapped fervently, she was now the new head of Hufflepuff house, she used this as an explanation as to why Firenze was still teaching at Hogwarts. You could hear her at least once a week tell someone, "Oh Minerva decided to keep him teaching here to lighten up my load, since I am now a head of house."

As they made it down to the last few students Neville chanced a look at Snape who was actually smirking as he talked to Slughorn. Snape seemed to feel someone watching him as his eyes caught Neville's before Neville turned and finished the last few students.

McGonagall stood then as Flitwick took the hat and stool from Neville, letting Neville take a seat as the other teacher went to go return the items to the Headmistress' office then return. She gave out her warning about the Forbidden Forest and informed the students about Filch's ban on all new Weasley Wizard Wheezes products causing Arthur and Ron to laugh silently.

"And now I only have two things to say to you," McGonagall's stern voice lightened as she eyed her students, "Rubber Duck."

"She asked me what words to use this year." Arthur whispered as the students starting grabbing food and talking fervently. "I am still trying to find a use for it, you see."

"The rubber duck is Mr. Weasley's white whale it seems." Hermione explained to Neville but when she got questioning looks from the men around her she sighed. "It's a book called Moby Dick that the muggles love."

"Moby Dick?" Ron looked slightly appalled as he piled food on his plate. "Those muggles."

"Have you gotten to interview Snape yet?" Neville whispered to Hermione as he took the bowl of mashed potatoes from Krum.

"Not yet," She sent a glance towards Snape, "I think he's avoiding me but don't worry. I'll catch him."

"I think the book could wait longer." Krum stated as he looked at Hermione. "I like having you here."

Hermione blushed as Ron gave Krum a disgusted look. Neville looked away trying not to get involved. Hermione and Ron had broken up shortly after the battle; they had realized that while they were best friends, they weren't as compatible in a relationship. It surprised Neville when he saw Hermione and Krum walk up to the castle to talk to McGonagall but he knew that while there were still some language barriers, Krum made her happy.

The biggest surprise break up had been Harry and Ginny which had happened shortly after Molly Weasley's funeral. Ginny realized that she didn't want to be held back by anything and they ended on friendly terms, though six months later Neville had gotten a letter from Luna informing him she had kissed Harry.

Luna and Neville kept in touch more than anyone else Neville had gone to school with but it still had surprised him to learn about her and Harry. They were an odd couple but after Harry coming to Neville for advice on how to deal with Luna's weirder quirks Neville knew that they would make it.

Ron seemed to be the only single one out of the golden trio but the redhead never complained about it, claiming that if he had dated anyone during Auror training he would have had to break up with them so he wouldn't have been distracted.

"I think you guys are going to have a good year." Ron stated as he looked over the students.

Neville, Arthur, and Krum looked over the students then at each other with a knowing smile. It really was going to be a good year.

EEEEE

I hope you guys enjoyed the story and feel free to leave me any comments about it!

Have a great day!