Title: Out Of The Past

Author: Jane S. Streeter

Fandoms: Harry Potter

Pairings: Severus/Harry

Comment: As I add to it, I will delete previous editions so that only one version is on-site at any given time. Frequent updates are likely.

Rating: Ask me after I get done writing it. When I decide things like this in advance, the fic "refuses" to comply! I have a "very" perverse muse.

Warning: AU/Slash/Crossover/Underage sex, bestiality, and blatant use of completely made up languages. This is due to the fact that I speak nothing but Americanized English and don't intend to alter that fact. At 39-years-old, it's a little late to get interested in a second language!

Warning 2: Author is a bit of a bitch to people in this one due to the onset of P.M.S.!

Summary: Talesan, also known as Merlin forcibly removes the infant son of James and Lily Potter one year before they are murdered. Unlike his parents, the child is a full Mage rather than just witchblooded, and needs his knowledgeable handling in his early years. With the death of his parents, the Old One becomes Harry's surrogate father, and gives Harry the Secrets of the Ages while rearing the little boy. By the time Harry enters Hogwarts, he is already 15-years-old. He has already been taught more about potion-making than Severus Snape ever learned. But Potter doesn't mention *that!*

Disclaimer: I haven't made any dough on it, nor any money, either. However, if thou think thou want to stand up in court, in PUBLIC, and be told THERE that S.S.I., Food stamps, AND Medicaid are all federal programs of which the benefits are Non-Transferable, and thereby make a total ass out of not only thyself but thy legal department, AND the board of directors... be my guest. This is something I'd LOVE to get to watch! (I'm equally certain that any cops in or near the courtroom would be equally entertained!)

 

Out Of The Past

By Jane S. Streeter

Harry

Harry looked around him at the enchanted oak grove that had been his home for as long as the fifteen-year-old boy could remember. It had warded and shielded his first clumsy attempts at crawling and walking, in it the lessons of wand, will and caldron had been taught and learned. It's tree-dryads knew his name, and he knew their's. The water-spirits in the Pool of Wonders had taught him to swim, the Air Elementals had taught him flight, holding his first broomstick securely in the air the first time he had lifted to the sky. The small boy sighed, slight and thin for his age, he had no wish to leave this place for cold England and the school waiting for him there. Soft fur against his leg made the boy look down at the Guardian of the Grove, the small but powerful Satyr that repelled all evil from the Sacred Grove. Harry sighed again, and petted the small one's head and neck.

"Tis time, lad. Talesan awaits thee."

"I don't want to go to England. It's cold and damp, and there is no access to the World Tree, no Sacred Groves, no Rites of the Seasons, no dryads, no WaterSpirits, no Air Elementals, no Guardians…just witch-bloods. Talesan says they're stupid. So why do I have to learn Mage Work from idiots?"

"I never said they were stupid, I said they tend to make foolish choices. There is a difference, lad." Came the gravelly voice of the old Mage from behind Harry. Thou are four years late in going already. I should have insisted when thou were eleven, Harry."

"I learned more, and better from thou. How could substandard teaching be 'better'?"

"A point, perhaps. Moreover, a valid one, but it does not alter the fact that thou need to learn the social lessons I can not teach. Not that I haven't tried, but those are lessons thou must teach thyself, I'm afraid. Magically speaking, thou are as safe and well taught as I could manage, but thou have never had to interact with young people thy own age. In this, thou are stunted, and thou must learn before thou get much older. Most students take the Hogwart Express, but since we aren't on thy homeworld, we'll fly in. Flooing from one planet to another is too dangerous for a novice."

Talesan looked Harry over, nodding in satisfaction to himself. He had taught the boy as much as he could and had time for. For the last fourteen years he had taught the child, but this era was not the child's own, nor was this the world to which Harry Potter belonged. In the fullness of time that was upon them both, the boy that would be king was old enough to require his alter ego's guidance. Talesan must go back inside the enchanter's head and Merlin must come out to begin teaching Arthur. He could not allow the Bard to recede and the enchanter free rein until the boy was safely ensconced at the Wizard School.

Harry stared at the ugly hat which spoke and which shortly after assigned him into Gryffyndor House. He snorted, seriously doubting these people even knew what a Gryffon was, thinking of Pwetteri as he grunted. The gryffon was a third year female who was one of Harry's best friends. He eyed the ones who thought they were named for snakes and shook his head in dismay at their stupidity. Those were the colors of a Wveryn, as any idiot knew. He had no idea who named a House after a huffle, thinking of the small, warm, furry critters he knew, though Ravenclaw was a respectable enough title.

He ate when the food was delivered, showing no surprise. The ghosts didn't particularly disturb him, either. Living in the shadow of the World Tree and in the presence of so many Sprites, Spirits, Dryads, Gnomes, Forest Elves, Mountain Elves, Trolls, Giants, Goblin raiding patrols, horny Satyrs, and yes, a few formerly mortal ghosts had accustomed him to such things. Harry knew his personal shields were well set, and that his wards were solid, so he paid it little heed.

He sullenly followed the older boys to the dorm after supper, took his assigned berth, set his "home shields" went to bathe and then to bed. He was 'not' happy to be there.

Snape

He stared at new bunch in resignation. He handed out questionnaires designed to reveal exactly how ignorant the class was, in the most humiliating possible way. Public embarrassment in front of thy year mates would prevent accidents from dangerous experiments later.

As he read through the completed worksheets, he watched the new ones as they prepared the simplest of lessons. Baby-steps for the babies, Snape thought. He stared at the one older boy in the class as he finished his assignment.

"This is thy skin salve, boy?" He asked in cold tones as he examined the mixture. It was not the one first year children usually tried first, though it was an effective one. It warded the wearer against hostile spells, as well as healing dry skin.

"Aye, sir." Potter answered. "As Talesan hath taught me to so make it, for many years agone." He replied with cold formality. He was unafraid of the harsh faced man who examined him, now.

"Talesan. Few know that name, boy."

"Aye."

"Where did thou live that he would teach thou anything?"

"In the shadow of the World Tree, Witchblood." He spat the word out. "It was his will that I am here. Had it been my decision, I would be in the Sacred Grove even now." He looked around the room, his mouth twisted in dismayed disgust. "Here. Yeech! Gray, colorless, lifeless, without spirit, without value!" He openly shuddered.

Severus stared at the revolted boy. "Thou were raised in Finovar, then?"

"Aye!"

"Little wonder thou do not wish to be here, had I had to leave the First Of All The Worlds to come to study in this place, I would be angry too." Muttered Snape. "In Talesan, thou had a formidable Master. I will have to test thy knowledge in-depth before I settle on a course of study for thou, Harry Potter!" Snape's next action stunned the rest of the class utterly, when he smiled down at the teenager. "I must admit, it shall be a relief to have a competent student at last!"

Part Two

Harry

He just looked at the schoolteacher, saying nothing else, but his expression said plenty. From behind him, as soon as the Witchblooded teacher moved on, a whispered invocation from another House bounced off his Shield, causing the boy to whirl, landing in a crouch and bring both hands up, palms out. Twin bolts of power shot from his hands, crashing into the Slytherin who had aimed a Stun Spell at Harry, and flattening the other boy against the wall.

Snape had felt and identified the spell the boy of the House he oversaw had loosed, and had been about to defend the new boy from the vicious attack. Potter's defense shocked the man.

"Thou wouldst loose a foul spell of the Goblin Horde, thou Witchling fool?" Potter spat at the battered boy who had tried to attack him. "As though I wert a little shieldless fool? Think thou I wouldst go un-centered and ungrounded in a place I detest, amid folk I do not know, where there art those who art kin to the unblessed creature known to have slaughtered my kin?" He rasped in disbelief.

His shields were set on maximum now, as he guarded himself instinctively from any additional attack. Into the focus-stone that lay hidden and unknown under his clothes, Harry absorbed raw power from a nearby ley-line, filtering it, concentrating the power, taming it, adding it to his own. If need be, he was prepared to enter a Mage Duel, but he doubted these little witchlings had any ability there.

He was a mere teenager, but he had fought mage-duels before. He had hunted the goblin hordes, had defended villages and towns against Human-hating evil from many sources. He had been in the Army of Light since his eighth year, for that was the year when a trip to the market town had ended in a goblin raid that had resulted in thousands of dead, and his first use of true Power.

"But one day, nay, not even that, in this place and already Evil walks the halls here! What manner of school allows children of one and ten years to use spells owned by the Dark Army?" Harry spat at the Potion Master. "And ye didst not even center and ground ere ye turned to defend! Mage Sight shows me no shields here, yet 'tis thy work room!"

"Mage Sight? Centering? What rubbish are thou prattling about, Potter?" Snape snapped.

Potter rolled his eyes heaven-ward. "Witches!" He gathered the remains of his temper. "To ward off attack, be ye asleep or awake, ill or hale, without the need for additional wards or spells, ye raise ye shields as a barrier. To do so ye must center and ground thyself in the Earth, for shields must have a solid base ere ye raise them." He said slowly and gently, enraging Snape with his patronizing tone. "As for Mage Sight, 'tis that which allows ye to identify another's exact level of available Power, ability, status, health, strength…all things a Mage must know. Little wonder they set thee to making lotions and shampoos, if thou art so naive in the ways and uses of Power, witchling." Potter answered in disgust.

"Thou, thou impertinent little wretch!" He hissed, resorting unwisely to one of the standard hexes he used to punish children. It bounced off the boy's shield, making Potter's eyes narrow. Then he felt it return and hit him, as deflected hexes often did. He groaned. His wards prevented other people's hexes from affecting him, but they did not prevent his own from coming home to roost when a spell didn't go off as planned.

"Shielding, witchling. Not wards, which are prone to being smashed and made useless at a simple surge of Power." Potter commented. "I think that perhaps thou have, let me look…yes. Thou have enough Power to be taught the ways of a Magi. Perhaps this is why Talesan insisted that I needed to be here! To identify and train full mages…yes, that would make sense. After all, he has already taught me more than thou know." Harry said thoughtfully. "That would be typical of how he operates. Paths within paths, that is the Road of the Magi."

Then Harry left the classroom without so much as a by-thy-leave.

*Midnight *

"'Ere now, wot ye think yer a-doing wanderin 'bout tha grounds at this time-O-tha-night, runt?" The voice was harsh, rasping in the speaker's throat as he was addressed. Harry turned to see a raggedly dressed individual with a familiar at his feet. "Ar, this be Mrs. Norris, boy. Me cat."

"I see. Well, then, Mrs. Norris, perhaps ye should explain to thy Human the difference between Mage and Witchling, and between Wizard and Enchanter. He seems upset to find me outdoors at midnight on Fall Solstice as I do every year! Stand away, Squib, for I will complete the Rites! For thus do I summon the Forest Lord, for the sake of the nearby Wood, and thus do I pray to the Huntress, for this be Her night, and thus do I also pray to Dana and acknowledge Her. On this Night, though far from the Grove, I can still Commune with the World Tree and receive mine orders." He told the cat whose eyes went wide with shock, and who immediately forced her stunned human back and away from the boy.

Moments later several Old World Deities came out of the Dark Forest to acknowledge the kneeling, respectful Man Child.

"O Gods, wilt thou take this Place and this Forest Under the Mantles of Thy Wings, that I might have Thee to Hand, for Worship, for Fellowship, and Advice?"

"We will." They answered as one. "This Place and this Forest are UnPromised. They are not Bound to Protection, thus do We now Bind them." Dana intoned. "There be Unicorns within the Wood. They are Mine, as all know. I wilt raise me a Temple here, as wilt the Forest Lord and the Huntress, and We wilt be the Defense of this Place and this Forest. There is a creature of much Evil within the Forest and within the Place. We wilt drive it out, and deal with it."

Dana, Goddess of Nature, turned to stare at Filch. "Thou art Incomplete, Mortal. As such, thou art not worthy to stand before Us. Yet, thou art here." She paused. "Therefore, ye must be made Complete." She gestured, hit Filch with a wave of pure Power, and removed his "Squib" status forever. She also took several decades of his life as payment, and left him standing there as a shivering Eleventh Year Child. "Begin anew, Mortal." Dana told him gently.

There was a tremendous flash of Light and Sound, and the Goddesses and God were gone when sight and hearing returned. In the places where they had stood were three Temples.

Filch stared at the Temples, felt the Power coursing through his veins, felt the sheer youth in his old body, stared at Potter and whispered in a fearful tone,

"Just what in hell are ye, boy?"

"A Druid, sir. I am a Druid ." He answered quietly. Surely thou didst not think I wouldst live without my gods?"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Snape's POV

He sat and brooded in outrage and fury long after Potter had left the classroom. //Lotions and shampoos, indeed!// He fumed silently. His skill at kettle and cauldron had never before been so belittled, and definitely never by a mere boy! He was so sunk inside his thoughts, that the tremendous surge of sheer force took him by surprise as an unfamiliar Presence swept over the school. Gasping, he raised his eyes to meet an incredibly gorgeous man, not withstanding the fact the fellow had deer antlers growing out of his skull.

"Thou art he, who wilt be the student of the student, of my student. Thou hast the Gifts of the Magi, as he hath reported to Us." The Being said at length. "He hath angered thee, I see. His tongue is not accustomed much to speech, Henry Potter hath known many creatures, yet few were human. Of the Humans, all wert of the Dark save himself, Talesan alone. Therefore, the lad believes Human kind to be Evil in and of itself. If thou wish him to treat thee otherwise, ye must teach him trust. 'Til now, ever Human kind hath attacked the lad, seeking his life at every turn, he trusts little for he hath little reason."

Snape sighed. "He can't really help being an asshole, then, can he? I never thought to have ever meet a student to have a similar view of people. Nor so young a boy. It was not pleasant to have my own attitude flung in my face. He's got a sharper tongue than I do." He had no idea why he was being so open and honest with the strange creature.

"I am called the Forest Lord, Cernain of the Beasts, by thy kind. Young Henry is a Druid-Priest: Moveover, he is my Priest. He serves also The Huntress and Dana. We three hath raised Our Temples by the lakeshore, Wizard. Even now, Dana goeth to Cleanse this Place, to Sanctify it to Us. When the Place is Clean, and under the Mantles of Our Wings, We goeth into the Forest and wilt Cleanse it to Sanctify it also. The Dark Mage is mortal, Severus. He wilt bow to us or he wilt die at Our hands. Thou art the Student of My Priest. It is for Me to see to thy safety, Human. Stay within the walls of this Place until the Forest is Clean. Thine enemies canst not enter. Those which were within, art bowed or death already. Those which wert without, wilt stay without, until We hath dealt with them. Thou art a Warrior in the Army of Light, and thou art Marked by My Priest to be his First Apprentice in this Place." The god shrugged. "It allows Us to giveth thee more protection than most. Thou hath fought well and hath selflessly sacrificed much. Thou wilt be rewarded at Our hands."

The god turned to go, having said all that was needful.

"Wait…what do I teach Potter."

"Ye must teach him how to be a child. He hath never been one." The Forest Lord told him simply. "Thou must teach him how to be young."

Dumbledor's POV

The Headmaster stared, stunned at the Great Hall full of terrified children and teachers. Normal magical emergencies could be handled, but not this. Not real goddesses and a god who had Sanctified Hogwart's School and the Forest to Themselves.

The three deities had just removed several students from the school, all 6th and 7th year students, too. All with parents and families known to support the Dark. Those students had taken one look at the Forest Lord, shrieked in recognition and fear, then vanished.

Of all of them, only Harry Potter remained calm and seemed to see nothing unusual about the judgments of his goddesses and his god. Several of the other first years students who sat so close to him took their cues from the strangely self-possessed youth, and instead of being afraid, were excited.

One of the goddesses trailed gentle fingers over the heads and cheeks of some of them, in a loving, motherly way. The children so honored smiled sweetly, too young yet to know exactly what they'd just been petted by.

She smiled at Dumbledor. "Albus, We art no threat to thee or thine. This Place and the Forest be Ours. As art every precious life within." She laid a gentle hand on one child's head. "This one be salvageable, he be not corrupted yet. For a time, I wilt take young Draco with me, to Heal him and make him all Whole. Prepare thou a place in the House named for Gryffons, for his return a few months hence. This school is no longer to honor Wyverns. Take thee down the Silver and Green and put thee up the Silver and Aquamarine of Dragons. For, thy young ones can be made whole with love and care, O Human." She paused to eye Harry. "As My Consort hath instructed thy Master of Potions, Our Priest must yet learn of childhood, having never had another child as company. He knoweth adult things, but not those of childhood. Yet do I see that Severus is not to teach this alone, having little knowledge of it himself. So then shall both learn."

Snape snorted under his breath at the silliness. Then started at the chuckle of the Huntress from behind his chair at the High Table. "Thou mortal man, thinketh that thou art too old to play for the joy of it? We, Dana and Cernan and I hath many thousands of years to Our lives, yet We know the Joy of Play."

"Cernain, Thou Huntress," Cernan said quietly. "What of Aphrael? Let the Child Goddess come and teach them. She wilt bring her Father, and his Kin, and His Knights. They art not muggles, and should fit in well enough. And Our Priest would hath instruction from Her Priestess."

"She may steal him from Us, Brother."

"Aye, She may. And he would be happy."

"This Place and this Forest wouldst never recover. Aphrael leaves little to chance."

"Aye. That is why Dana also Sanctified it to The Child."

"They be here already, then, art they not, Brother?" She sighed. "She wilt hath to share the love of the children. They must choose each of them, which of We Four to serve. Save for the little lad that Dana hath Chosen. He is certainly a pretty little one."

"He hath been used ill, and that at the hands of kith and kin." Dana said sharply. "I shalt be his Mother, now. For he needs a mother, badly does he need a mother."

"Sparhawk can fill the Role of Surrogate father."

"Mother, the Spirit of the Rose that he once bore hath been seen hereabouts in recent days." Can a voice from Harry's direction. It was an obscure enough reference, but the three Deities still started a little.

"Sparhawk is his Son, just as I am his Daughter. This makes Aphreal's current Incarnation my Niece, his Granddaughter, Sister to Cernain and Cernan." Dana said quietly. And Her High Priestess is more than a match for Thee, Severus, in the stillroom. Sephrina hath several millium in her years. She wilt teach thee many things."

Snape stared, but folded. There was no profit in arguing, or trying to argue with the Divine. He saw no sense in trying. Life was taking a very strange and confusing turn, but his heart was filled with a strange emotion. He had never felt it before. He frowned in startled confusion as a very small girl of no more than six years slipped into his lap and kissed him. He stared at her when she cuddled closer, strangely comforted.

"Severus."

The Huntress' voice was gentle. "'Tis called Hope. And the Child in thy arms is a Goddess. She likes you."

"Hello, Cernain."

She smiled at the Child, "Hello Flute. Hope is still scarce here. Thus did We call one who knows Children like none other of Us do. But Thou must share."

She giggled and nodded, hugging her new human. "I'm going to keep this one, Sister." She twinkled up into Snape's astounded face. "Thou art Mine, now. I'm going to make thee Whole, and Heal thee, and Love thee. Thou art Mine."

"As well, Little Sister. This one needs Thee rather badly. Look at his Soul, poor creature."

"Aye. That's why."

END PART 1