The Future Rescues The Past

Chapter 7 Planning

Severus floated next to Hermione in silence making their way to her quarters. He followed her in and watched her pull a bottle of Firewhiskey out of a drawer and poured herself a hefty portion and drank it down sputtering out and coughing.

She heard a barking laugh ring out and turned around and saw Severus laughing at her.

"Hermione you do not drink and Firewhiskey is not a starter drink."

"Well it's not common that the ghost of the man you loved that you murdered comes back." Hermione huffed out. "I needed liquid courage as I am not sure if you are here to haunt me."

"Are you disturbed by it? I would have never revealed myself if not for Draco. And there is no reason for you to regret your actions and I have no desire to haunt you."

Hermione took the time to observe the ghost. He looked younger; the harsh lines on his face gone in his ghostly appearance as if a great weight had been lifted from him. "Have the ghost of Hogwarts accepted you?"

"I have not talked to them because I am sure my state is temporary. I feel that I am here to help you and then be sent to whatever hell the Veil seems fit to send me. I suspect they think me as unapproachable in death as I was in life."

Hermione looked to him in sadness. "I hope that the Veil will send you somewhere else considering all that you have done."

Severus saw the look of guilt and remorse in her eyes and changed the subject. "So Hermione what is your plan?"

"It's not really a plan per se but a possible course of action based on my conversation with Albus and reading your diary." Placing the notebook on her desk and opening it to the first page.

He floated over and looked down. "You will have to turn the pages for me." Reading her notes until the final page of her notebook.

Hermione said nothing, watching the ghost clasp his hands behind him and floated away, eyes closed.

After a while Severus addressed her. "Your logic is correct Hermione. But we need to plan now that we know when Voldemort will attack. Call your dunderhead friends, the American leader, and Headmaster Flitwick so that we can do it."

"Expecto Protonum." Hermione stated, the otter spilled forth from her wand and exited her room. "They should be here shortly."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as they waited for everyone to arrive.

Flitwick was the first to arrive, shaking his head at the offer of a drink and sat down on one of the chairs. "Welcome back Severus."

"That's debatable Filius considering my current state." Severus drily replied.

Harry and Ron arrived next, taking Hermione up on the offer of drinks and remained standing and observed the ghost with interest.

Serverus looked to the young men. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. I'm sure you've interacted with other ghosts in your time at Hogwarts. I assure you that I am no different. Do you regret my arrival back to the ghostly plane of existence?"

"Yes!"

"No!"

Harry jabbed Ron with his elbow. "I've prayed every night since Kingsley died that someone would be available to guide me. Everyone looks to me as their savior and it is a hard thing to handle. What if I fuck it up and allow Voldemort to win?"

Potter's declaration startled Severus. He was under an Unbreakable Vow when he died. Was it possible that Potter was the reason he was there and not because of Hermione? He looked to the young man and realized that he was not his father and his anger to the wizard evaporated. "Harry perhaps I have misjudged you. You have your mother's eyes and her compassion as well and it will help you to defeat Voldemort."

"What's wrong with you Snape?" Ron asked. "You have always hated him and yet you speak to him like an equal?"

Severus looked to Ron and sneered. "I am dead and I am here to help you. But if you wish for me to treat you like dirt I can do that and it will be my pleasure to do so. Obviously you have not learned anything despite viewing Hermione's memory of the future. You would do well to remember it!" He snarled out. "Boy, remember your actions of the future. I could have easily told Hermione to kill you instead of me. Release your jealousy and hate and focus on what needs to be done and remember that I am dead and have no hold on the witch."

Hermione looked to Ron and watched him smile at Severus at his reminder. She could never be involved with a wizard that had so much jealousy.

Ron looked to the ghost angered that the ghost called him a boy and was going to reply back when Luna entered the room.

"Did I miss anything?" Luna asked and walked up to Severus. "It's good to see you again Headmaster Snape and it seems that my dream is true."

No one said anything as four wizards entered the room with one growling out with an American accent. "The blasted staircases kept moving and I am sorry about our delay. Now who is Harry Potter as Luna has told us that we will be under command of him."

Harry raised his hand up to identify himself. "You must be John and I am pleased that you are here. Things have changed and you are looking at what is left of the Order of the Phoenix. Everyone else was murdered by Voldemort yesterday."

John Smith looked to the young man. "I'm sorry to hear that. Our president did not give us much time, only say to come here and help. I only managed to gather three hundred, the requirement of understanding that we go with certain death practically guaranteed in a foreign place. It did not help with my recruiting as we maintain a voluntary militia."

Hermione spoke out in surprise. "America maintains a Wizarding army? Isn't that dangerous?"

John chuckled. "Hardly a highly trained army Miss…?"

"Granger."

He continued. "Miss Granger our government is much like the American muggle one. It is only enough to call upon if our way of life is being threatened. I am the general of it and I have brought along my three commanders so that they know of our battle plans in case I am killed. I was briefed upon the situation here but still find it hard to believe that Britain is at this state because of prejudice. In our country the only thing that counts is that you are magical no matter blood. We are who we are and do not count muggles as being unworthy. Now before we plan, I need to be filled in on what led up to all of this."

Harry looked to the wizard. "That's a bit difficult as the beginning of these events happened well before most of us were born." Looking to the grey form that floated next to Filius.

"I am not here to give a history lesson Harry. Albus is the best to do this in the short amount of time. Time is a commodity that we do not have now." Severus scowled.

Filius jumped up. "Wait a moment and I will be back." Turning his heel and disappeared from the room with a crack. He was back with the portrait of Albus and stood it up against the wall.

"Mr. Smith, thank you for coming here in our darkest hour. I will tell you the history and command that you ask no questions as it does not matter how our world arrived here, only that it is here now. If Voldemort succeeds here your country will be threatened in the future. You may ask Miss Granger of that after your planning is complete. Now listen to my tale…"

The room fell silent as Albus went into detail about the history of Voldemort, catching the Americans up to the present.

John rubbed his chin thoughtfully and spoke. "It explains the death clause that we had to sign. Too bad we do not have one on the inside to help us plan."

Ron spoke out. "But we do." Pointing to the ghost. "He was a member of Voldemort's Inner Circle and spied for the Order for years."

John looked to the grey form. "How long have you been dead and can you tell me your name as I would hate to call you ghost?"

Severus looked to the man. "I'm relatively fresh as it has only been two days. I am Headmaster Snape." Sarcasm evident in his voice.

Filius conjured up a table and a layout of the grounds and castle appeared on the table in 3D. "The Knights of Hogwarts will only protect the castle itself. The seventh years have volunteered to help and you must consider them. Most did not like being exposed to the two of the Unforgivables and the way the school was being run. Sorry Severus."

"No need for apology Filius." Severus replied

Ron observed the layout, the tactician in him coming out. "There are wards along the outer walls. It will take him time to break them. The only way he can do it quickly is to use giants. Hagrid went on a mission to them and failed so we must assume that Voldemort will bring giants with him. The castle is an enclosed space so he would not want to immediately fight there. We need to plan to fight on the grounds."

"I am surprised at the insight that you have Weasley. He will use them." Severus spoke. "Remember that he thinks that it is only the four of you and the pitiful students and staff of Hogwarts left to defend you. He will not bring his entire army but only two hundred to force you into submission."

The meeting went into the early hours of the morning. Hermione yawned out. "So our plan is complete. Let's rest and think about it. Besides Headmaster Flitwick needs to address the students and plan for the safekeeping of the younger years."

Everyone bade their farewells leaving John with Hermione. "We have yet to address the threat to my country that Albus mentioned."

Hermione used her wand and conjured up a phial, placing her memories of the future along with those of Severus. "See Filius. He has a pensieve in his office and you can view them."

John looked to the witch. "Thank you."

Severus watched the wizard depart. "Rest Hermione. I will see you soon."

"Stay with me Severus." Moving to the door of her bedchambers and fell upon her bed fully clothed and wrapped the duvet around her.

He floated before her. "You must promise to move along with your life and forget about me if you survive Hermione."

Hermione muttered out as sleep took hold. "Not sure 'bout that Sever…" She whispered as she fell asleep.

He hovered above her and watched her sleep for a few minutes and floated out of her chambers. It was time to address the Ghost of Hogwarts.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Every ghost of Hogwarts gathered in the Great Hall waiting. The Bloody Baron called them so that they could meet the newest arrival.

"Dead two days and now he deems it acceptable to meet us. The nerve!" Gryffindor Ghost Nearly Headless Nick spat out.

Moaning Myrtle moaned out. "I just want to get back to my toilet. I never bother with you lot anyway." She moaned out and started to cry.

"Oh do shut up Myrtle." Sir Patrick of the Headless Hunt shouted out. He could not stand her at all and hated being in the same room with her.

Severus appeared and the room grew quiet, the Bloody Baron starting the ritual. "Newly arrived ghost…"

"I don't think that I need in introduction Baron. All of you know me." Severus interrupted and looked to the gathered secretly pleased at the look of shock on their faces at his words. "This castle is timeless and I know you remember the time of Voldemort."

The Bloody Baron was angry. "And what of it Snape? We do not interfere with mortals."

Severus watched the gathered look to him, horrified expressions on their ghostly face. "Seems that I've hit a nerve. Did you enjoy being locked into a small cupboard for twenty five years?" Chuckling as he continued. "What you do not know is that Voldemort commanded me to find a way to get rid of you and just before I died in the future I found it. You know Voldemort hates anything that reminds him of his mortality."

Nick shouted out. "And how do you know that Snape? You died in the present!"

Severus looked to Nick and shrugged his shoulders. "When I became a ghost my future memories returned to me just now. I may be tempted to leave that spell around to be found by someone."

Ravenclaw's ghost of the Grey Lady spoke intrigued. "You are Slytherin to the core Severus Snape. Why remind us of the future?"

Severus fell down before her and looked up to her beautiful face. When he lived he respected her most even above the ghost of his House. "They need us my Lady. We can go to the grounds and float through the Deatheaters of Voldemort, incapacitating them for a moment so that the army of the Light will have an edge and help toward victory. Do you wish for the future to be played out again if they fail?"

The Grey Lady floated before him eyes closed considering his words. After a while she opened her eyes and looked to the one hundred ghosts gathered. "His logic is sound and I will support him and suggest that you do the same."

"Helena please reconsider!" The Bloody Baron begged her. "Our code!"

"Will be pointless if Voldemort succeeds. I call a vote to the gathered. Should we do as Severus Snape, newly arrived ghost of Hogwarts request?"

The ghost milled around and slowly raised their hands in support. They hated being in that cupboard.

The Bloody Baron glared at Severus and rose his hand up as well. "It seems that you have a following Severus Snape against my better judgment."

Severus rose up the best he could considering he was floating and smiled out to his fellow ghost. "You'll not regret it because when they are successful I will be leaving you as my unfinished business is done."

Helena Ravenclaw and the Bloody Baron watch him float away.

The Bloody Baron looked to his ex-lover of the past that he murdered that damned him to this place. "Should we tell him Helena?"

Helena Ravenclaw grasped his hand. "No. It is best that he finds out on his own."

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Hermione woke up suddenly, noticing that Severus was not there. She had nightmares all night long, repeating over and over again at his death by her hands.

Severus appeared before her. "You were supposed to stay with me."

"You have an additional army of one hundred. The ghost of Hogwarts will help you defeat Voldemort." Enjoying the look of surprise on her face.

"Severus that's impossible! They never get involved in the woes of the living world."

He wished that he could once again hold her in his arms and kiss her. "I was very persuasive."

AN An American Militia with skills unknown? The Ghost involved with the Mortal world? What will happen next as the crossroads of a future known and a future unwritten happens next.