Still blinking furiously the figure slowly raised their head and Hermione's turned pale. Her jaw slackened, breath a meager whisp, "Sn-ape...?"

The figure in the light tilted their head, their pale features perfectly framed by long lanky black hair. Hermione swallowed as she came closer, her eyes rising to deep inky blackness. They were odd to her, without that intense penetration she remembered so vividly. His face was without lines, his thin lips relaxed and a brow to match. He simply stared straight back at her, almost dare she say, curiously.

"Who are you?" His lips moved but his voice, deep but not deep enough, came from all directions.

Hermione still had trouble regaining control of her tongue, she could almost swear to feel his body in front of her own, a soft smell of herbs along with it. She made a soft noise of unintelligible origin causing the man before her to come even closer, now she could certainly smell him.

Snape looked down his hooked nose, tilting his head this way and that as he too examined the woman very closely, "Most curious..."

He straightened himself once more, letting his hands clasp behind his back, "How did you get here?"

"It...it was an accident..." Hermione wet her lips trying to regain control of herself, "I was trying to do something but I made a mistake... My wand touched the pages..." she felt ashamed yet compelled all the same. As though lying in the space she found herself would have certainly been unwise.

There was a long pause, as though he were weighing the validity of her words, his eyes narrowing slightly before relaxing again, "You... remind me of someone, Miss...?"

"Granger..." Hermione whispered, her heart slowly coming down. This boy in front of her was not the man to whom she sought. Granted, the visage did hit something inside her but she couldn't help but push those feelings aside.

"I can't say that that name rings a bell, no. It's not your name or your appearance. It's something else." Snape tilted his head, his arms relaxing down by his darkly clothed sides. He was wearing some semblance of a frock coat but the buttons didn't go to his throat, in fact, there was a small triangle of white near his exposed throat. His hands, normally hidden by the triangle sleeves, were exposed to the soft light overhead.

Hermione swallowed thickly when he circled around her. She thought for a moment he could have been smelling her perfume but as he came round once more his deep eyes locked on hers and she felt a sort of dizziness in their depths.

"No, not your smell either. It's your eyes..." His own twitched slightly, "I've seen them before...in another... They're..."He paused as though searching for the correct words, "Caring eyes..." He started to move around her once more. Coming up behind her to tauntingly whisper into her ear, "Did you care for me?"

Hermione's lips opened and closed but no proper sound came out. Her head only waffled slightly before snapping to his movement.

"No? I didn't think so...So what is it that's brought you here then?" He centered himself back in front of her, letting his arms fold back behind himself.

"I'm...I'm trying to..." Hermione tried to find her voice that seemed determined to leave her. The visage in front of her raised his brow, a slow smirk forming on his lips as though he'd caught her in his trap, "To-to honor a memory..."

"That is most curious...Mine? Or yours?" His voice dropped like a stone rolling down a hill, the timber of it causing a small shiver to run down Hermione's spine.

There was a long pause as she merely stood beneath his encompassing gaze, her eyes unable to stop lingering over his person, "I don't know..."

Snape leaned down closer, she could almost smell a faint scent lingering on his clothes then it was gone. Her chin lifted and her lips parted, the feeling of his breath tangling with her own creating an odd taste on her tongue.

"A truthful answer..." His eyes ran up and down her frame once more before he removed himself from her personal space, his step falls illuminating the darkness to finally reveal a modest lectern. A single book placed on its face. He came around the back of it, his fingers sliding like a spider's legs over the wood.

"What then, would you like to know?"

"What... What are you exactly?" Hermione took a cautious step closer now finding herself completely under the light but still a few steps away from the lectern. Her thoughts briefly jumped to her conversation with Ginny, about Riddle's diary. Certainly, Snape never would have done the same. He never would have attempted to create something so vile.

"I am as I've been written." He explained simply, "A guardian if you will." He seemed more than a little put out on having to explain himself, the condescension nearly dripping from his every word.

Hermione pursed her lips, she never liked being talked down to but something about his youth stopped her from getting truly upset, it was almost like his words didn't truly have the feeling he was trying to put in them. That he lacked something to make them truly sting.

She lifted her chin a bit more confidently, "What is it then that you've been tasked with guarding?"

He smirked at her snappish tone, "The evilest collection of thoughts. Things that could make even your frizzy hair curl to spirals." He came around the lectern almost excited to bring some sort of distress upon her person, "Care to take a look?"

Hermione's eyes shot down to the hand that was being offered out to her, her body jolting from the near contact. Still, she felt unafraid by this mockery of a man before her. With a devilish smirk of her own, her hand rose to take his, wholly surprised to find it warm against her palm, "Do your worst."

The young man smiled more, it was most unnerving to see Snape smile. Not because it made him look ugly, rather quite the opposite it made him look dangerously charming.

Snape gently pulled her completely into the light and in front of the lectern. Keeping her hand in his, he turned the blank pages in the book before raising her hand. As soon as her fingers touched the page she felt the unmistakable pull off being thrown into a memory.

Hermione landed on soft grass, used to this by now she quickly found Snape, though this time he wasn't alone. He was with another. She climbed the small hill on the bank of the river finding Snape laying beside Lily in the grass. Both of them lay completely relaxed in the brightness of the sun.

"I'm having a birthday party this weekend. I'd really like it if you could come." Lily turned on her side to look at Severus a soft smile of hope on her lips.

Severus slowly pushed himself up onto his hands his brow furrowed with confusion, "Birthday...party?"

Lily gave him an odd look at his lack of understanding, "Yeah, you know...where your friends and family come to your house to celebrate? There's cake and ice cream...presents..." Her words trailed off as the look of surprise and confusion continued to grow on her friend's face, "You have had a party before...haven't you?"

Severus looked away shaking his head slightly, "No... you're my only friend."

Lily pursed her lips for a moment before her eyes lit up again, "Then you must come! It'll be a lot of fun, I promise. When's your birthday?"

"January...9th..." He shifted feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh...it's already passed..." Lily dropped her arms onto her knees, "Well then I guess I'm going to have to get you a late birthday present." She pushed herself up to her feet suddenly determined. She pulled the invitation to her party from her dress pocket handing it to Severus who looked completely stunned.

"I've got to go, I'll see you soon!" Lily started jogging up the hill unaware at how Severus watched her with a look of complete loss on his face.

Hermione felt the world begin to twist but it didn't fully dissolve the next scene still connected to the previous. She found herself back on a familiar road, one she'd just taken, Snape's small frame a bit ahead on his way to the library. She jogged a bit to catch up with him slipping inside just as he'd made his way to the counter. A much younger though certainly the same woman she had met yesterday sitting at the desk.

She smiled at his arrival setting down her book to give him her full attention, "Hello Severus, we got some new books in today if you'd like to take a look."

Severus gave her a weak smile back but his brows were still furrowed in deep thought, "Actually Mrs. Hackett...I was wondering if you could help me find a book about Birthday parties...you see..." He pulled out the worried invitation offering it over to her, "My...friend gave me this..."

Hermione watched the woman's face light up for a moment before she schooled it into a serious disposition, "Right, serious this, I see." She gently opened the letter, "Well...there might be something. Why don't you go over to the pillows and I'll see what I can find hm?"

"Thank you," Severus' shoulders relaxed a bit and he took back the invitation moving towards the pillows in the children's section to wait for her as instructed.

Hermione moved with him settling herself on one of the benches having yet to understand how this was an 'evil or dangerous' memory. It wasn't long before Mrs. Hackett had returned, a children's book in her hand.

"I know this is well below your reading level but I think it'll be helpful all the same." She knelt down beside him holding out the picture book she smiled when he took it and reached into her pocket pulling out a small chocolate, "This should help keep you focused." She gently put the candy into his hand, "Don't worry, I won't tell your mum." She winked at him before pushing herself up and made her way back towards the front desk.

Hermione couldn't help but smile when Severus opened his hand to look at the candy. He seemed a little conflicted, glancing about before he gingerly pulled off the wrapper. Cautious he took a small bite, his eyes lighting up at the taste. He happily pushed the rest of it into his mouth before turning his focus into the book given to him.

Hermione read along with him, it was most certainly a book for kindergarten children learning how to give gifts and be respectful at a party. While it was certainly under his reading ability it seemed almost on par with his emotional intelligence. It was sad really...to think someone so educationally brilliant was so severely lacking in emotional intelligence. However, given what she'd seen this far it hardly seemed improbable.

She shifted to her feet as the scene began to fade out, the sun of the day low in the sky. She found herself suddenly behind Snape and his mother, the pair of them walking towards their house. Severus was beside her, his nose still in the book that had been given to him, and Eileen merely looked tired and worried.

Hermione kept pace with them taking in the changes she'd seen on her own visit. She was partially unaware until a movement at Lily's house caught her eye. Eileen too had paused gently taking Snape by the collar of his shirt to bring him to a stop. The young boy looked up for a moment before over at the house. Two very familiar faces suddenly snapping into focus.

Dumbledore lifted his head when he noticed the mother and son, a small wave of his hand as he crossed the street while it wasn't fully returned Eileen did straighten herself considerably.

"Miss Prince, how lovely to see you." Dumbledore offered his hand which was gently taken, Minerva coming up at his side to smile down at Severus who shuffled slightly behind his mother.

"It's...Snape now." She blindly reached back pulling Severus from behind her by the loose fabric on his jacket.

"I see, Mrs. Snape my apologies." Dumbledore chuckled good-naturedly before turning his eyes towards Severus, the boy giving him a curious look when he felt something pressing against his thoughts, "And who is this?"

"My son...Severus...I...I meant to register him but I've been rather busy as of late..." She glanced down at her shoes.

Dumbledore nodded knowingly "So I see. Minerva?"

"Yes, sir?" Minerva tilted her head, a small briefcase of sorts tucked under her arm.

"Didn't you say we had one more house to visit today? Could it have possibly been this young man?"

Minerva's brows rose for a moment before she caught on to Ablus' game, "You might be right, let me just get a registration form."

"No it's okay you're busy..." Eileen tried to move them on but Dumbledore gently put his hand on her back motioning to a lovely stone table that seemed to appear out of nowhere in the grass of a soon-to-be park.

"It's no trouble at all, why don't you go with Minerva here and I'll keep an eye on Severus." Dumbledore laid a gentle hand to Severus' shoulder, not missing how the boy jumped and seemed to shrink away from the kind touch. He made another small bench for them to sit on somewhat away from his mother and took a seat himself with a heavy sigh.

Severus stayed standing for a long moment, simply taking in everything Dumbledore had to offer before ever so slowly, he took a seat beside him. Dumbledore smiled kindly pulling out a small tin of jelly sweets.

"Would you like one?" He offered the tin out to Severus who shook his head slightly before turning to look down at the book in his hands, "You sure? They're awfully good." Dumbledore took one for himself popping it into his mouth with a small hum.

Severus glanced up at him before shaking his head again, "No, thank you..."

"Mm...well if you insist." Dumbledore closed the tin, still suckling away on the candy he had taken for himself, his head turning down to examine the book that Severus seemed desperate to hide away, "Is it your birthday soon?"

Severus shook his head, "No...It's my....friend's..." He shifted slightly. Somehow the aura of the man next to him calming his nerves, "I've...I've been invited to her party."

"Oh, I love a good birthday party. Wonderful sweets. Truly wonderful." Albus offered another smile that was not returned, his brow rising slightly as he caught a glimpse of the boy's eyes, "What's got you worried?"

Severus made a small face as though to refute his statement but a quick glance up made him think better about lying, "I've...I've never been to one before..." He shifted once more obviously anxious about the subject. He let the book fall down from his chest looking at the wrapped present on the cover, "You're supposed to give gifts right?"

"Mm, it has been customary to do so." Albus leaned his hands on his knees nodding into the scenery, "Though I've found, the best gifts one can receive are the ones made by the giver." He gently took the book from Severus looking through the pages, "Perhaps a young girl would enjoy receiving something such as this?" His aged finger pointed to a small teddy bear in the corner of the picture.

"You think so?" Severus had never understood the comfort of a stuffed toy. Not that he'd had any himself; he had noticed that his classmates would bring them in often on show and tell days. He'd always brought in his favorite book at the time.

"Mm, I think so." Albus smiled kindly handing the book back.

Before Hermione could get over the emotions brought forth by seeing Dumbledore again the scene was beginning to fade out. An idle thought did worm its way through, having known what she knew and having lived what she had she wondered if Dumbledore knew from the moment he met Severus what he was to become or if to him at that time he was just another child destined to learn magic. Would it have surprised his past self to know that one day, that shy little boy would have grown into a man strong enough, with the will enough, to kill him?

That thought alone kept Hermione's mind occupied as the next few scenes seemed to skip by, just small snippets here and there of Severus gathering different materials around the house, scraps of fabric from this, and that even taking one of his old shirts that no longer fit and began cutting. She'd hardly noticed how much progress he'd made until she finally calmed her mind long enough to pay attention.

Severus now sat on his bed, his room lit only by a small candle, his fingers pulsed with pain from the numerous needle pricks he'd endured but the resulting bear had been worth it. A bit patchwork with some of the fabric lighter than others it still looked rather charming. It had a narrow face with small ears and two buttons for eyes taken from his school jacket. Its legs and arms were stuffed with scrap fabric he'd cut to make the shapes and a bit of cotton from his own pillow. For someone who had never truly sewn before it was awfully good. Small but easily huggable.

Severus was now at the door of the stairs, the darkness of night hiding him in shadow. Hermione could hear a deep snore coming from the living room and knew instantly who he was watching for.

With the grace of a cat, Severus silently crept towards the kitchen, looking back over his shoulder from time to time before making his way towards the liquor cabinet. With another glance he slowly opened it up, the last piece of his gift just inside. A small golden ribbon tied around a brandy bottle. Without a sound, his small fingers slipped the ribbon free and he closed the door. Carefully, he tip-toed back to the stairs disappearing into the darkness with Hermione close behind.

With the final touch tied around the bear's neck Severus looked down at his sore fingers, he hoped beyond all reason that she liked it. He wasn't sure if he should have trusted the strange man from before but as he had nothing else to give her, he prayed it was enough.

Hermione watched the small boy crawl into his bed, pulling the bear beneath his pillow. Once there he curled himself tightly into a ball before blowing out the candle.

The scene shifted again, with Hermione standing on the outskirts of Lily's home. She could see an entire back garden full of people laughing and carrying on. She glanced around when she'd been unable to see Snape among the other children. Not all that surprised to find him watching the entire event from behind one of the trees in the neighboring garden.

Snape didn't make a single move towards the home until all of the guests had begun to go inside, it had surely been hours though in the memory the time passed like minutes. Hermione had found herself enjoying the scene alongside him just wanting to give him some sort of comfort.

Lily paused outside the back door, her eyes somewhat sad as she looked out. It was obvious to Hermione that she was looking for someone but evidently not obvious enough to the boy beside her as he'd sat down with his back to the entire scene. His focus was on studying the bear he held in his hands. It wasn't until his name wafted softly through the leaves did he turn to find Lily making her way towards him.

"There you are." Lily smiled, "I'd thought maybe your Dad wasn't going to let you come." She offered out her hand pulling the dour boy to his feet, "Why didn't you come and say hello?"

Severus swallowed thickly trying to find some excuse the bear now hidden behind his back, "Well... You... You looked very busy and I....I didn't want to..." He grimaced as he couldn't come up with a good lie, "You know.... Be in the way or something..."

Lily chuckled softly swinging his hand in hers, "Nonsense! You're just as welcome as everyone else! Come on, it's time for cake you won't want to miss that!" Lily tried to give his hand a pull but Severus merely stumbled forward a few steps before slipping his hand free. Instead, he tried to distract her by pulling out the small bear he'd made for her.

"Actually...I just wanted to give you this..." He held it out at arm's length unable to clearly look into her eyes.

"Did you make this?" Her tone of surprise made Severus glance briefly towards her face, "It's adorable."

Severus took a deep breath, "Is that...good?"

Lily smiled brighter pulling it to her chest, "It's wonderful Severus thank you!"

Severus jumped when she enveloped him in a hug, his arms down at his sides while his head spun. After a few seconds of shock, his hand rose to complete the embrace but unfortunately, Lily was already pulling back and instead took one of his raised hands in hers.

"Come on. Let's get some cake." Lily squeezed his hand and this time Severus allowed her to pull him down the path to her house though once he'd gotten to the door a new fear washed down his frame.

"Actually...I-I really should get back before my father gets home..." He slipped his hand from hers again rubbing his arm.

"Okay well... It won't take but a second to get you a piece, besides I have something for you as well! Just hold on okay? Don't move!"

Severus nodded weakly his eyes watching her run into the warmly lit house. So many happy people milling about, laughing, and chatting. His eyes caught Petunia for a moment and the sour girl stuck her tongue out at him, a gesture that was quickly reciprocated.

It wasn't long after that did Lily come back into view her mother handing her a piece of cake on a paper plate when she came jogging through the throng.

"There we are!" Lily said proudly, holding out the cake first, "I got you the best piece, the one with the rose on it. That's my favorite." She chuckled again before holding out a neatly wrapped gift. It wasn't impossible to know what was inside given the shape, "I hope you like it. It really made me think of you when I saw it."

Severus hesitantly took both gifts, his head turning down to the wrapped present first, "I'm sure I will." He offered the best smile he could, "Thank you, Lily."

Lily leaned forward pulling him into another hug, "Of course! You're my best friend."

Hermione felt an odd tug on her navel as the scene spiraled out to pure blackness, her body tensed as she searched for the light. She has expected to find herself outside of the journal not still trapped inside.

"Snape?"