Harry Potter and the Deep Freeze

Ghosts from the Past

The following morning, Snape decided to venture into the heart of the sanctuary again, this time to observe Hogsmeade and its bustling activity. Despite his usual preference for solitude, there was something about the sanctuary that made him restless, as though its ever-changing magic was calling to him.

As he walked through the cobbled streets, his sharp gaze took in the shops, the chatter of residents, and the faint hum of magic that seemed to permeate everything. It was tolerable, for the most part—until he saw them.

Snape froze mid-step, his breath catching in his throat.

Ahead of him, two familiar figures were walking side by side: one with long, dark hair that framed a face far too recognizable to be anyone else, and the other, though older and slightly haggard, carried himself with the same careless swagger Snape had loathed for years.

Regulus Black and Sirius Black.

The Double Take

Snape blinked, certain his eyes were deceiving him. He stood stock-still, his mind racing to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Impossible," he muttered under his breath.

But there they were, both very much alive and deep in conversation. Regulus's expression was calm and measured, while Sirius seemed animated, gesturing as he spoke.

Before he could stop himself, Snape called out. "Black?"

Both men turned.

Sirius grinned when he saw who it was. "Well, well. If it isn't Severus Snape, walking among the living."

Regulus raised an eyebrow, his expression more subdued but no less curious. "Severus. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Snape's eyes darted between them, his mind still struggling to reconcile what he was seeing. "And I wasn't expecting to see either of you. Care to explain how you've managed to crawl back from the grave?"

Sirius's Response

Sirius crossed his arms, his grin widening. "What can I say? Death couldn't handle my charm."

Snape's lip curled in disdain. "Still as insufferable as ever, I see."

Regulus placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder, his tone more serious. "Severus, it's not as simple as Sirius makes it sound. We... woke up. Months ago. In a cave near the sanctuary."

Snape's sharp eyes narrowed. "A cave? Near the Winter Path?"

Regulus nodded. "That's correct. Neither of us knows how or why, but when we woke, it was as though no time had passed."

Sirius shrugged. "One moment, I'm falling through the Veil, and the next, I'm waking up next to my baby brother in a freezing cave."

Snape's brow furrowed as he processed the information. "And you've been here ever since?"

"Yes," Regulus replied. "Harry found us and brought us to the sanctuary. We've been adjusting... slowly."

A Tense Conversation

Snape turned his full attention to Regulus, his expression unreadable. "You're supposed to be dead. You destroyed the locket Horcrux—everyone assumed you died in that infernal lake."

"I did," Regulus said simply. "Or at least, I thought I did. The magic of the Horcrux must have... preserved me somehow. I don't fully understand it, but when the freeze began, I woke."

"And Sirius?" Snape asked skeptically.

"The Veil is connected to ancient magic," Sirius replied. "It's possible the same forces that preserved Regulus pulled me back as well. Honestly, I'm just as clueless as you are."

Snape crossed his arms, his gaze flicking between the two brothers. "Convenient. Too convenient. If the dome or this sanctuary had anything to do with your survival, it raises more questions than answers."

Sirius's grin faded slightly. "You think we're part of some bigger plan?"

"I think," Snape said coldly, "that nothing about this sanctuary is as it seems. And your reappearance only complicates matters further."

An Uneasy Reunion

The three men stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared history heavy in the air. Finally, Regulus broke the tension.

"Severus," he said quietly, "whatever brought us back, it wasn't our choice. We're here now, and we want to help. Surely even you can understand that."

Snape's lips thinned, but he gave a curt nod. "Very well. But I'll be watching both of you closely."

Sirius chuckled. "Some things never change, do they?"

Snape shot him a withering glare before turning on his heel and walking away, his robes billowing behind him.

As he disappeared into the crowd, Sirius turned to Regulus, his grin returning. "Do you think he's glad to see us?"

Regulus smirked faintly. "In his own way, perhaps."

Snape's Thoughts

As Snape made his way back toward Hogwarts, his mind churned with unanswered questions. Seeing Regulus alive—and Sirius, of all people—was unsettling in ways he hadn't anticipated.

The sanctuary, the dome, the dungeons... everything felt like pieces of a puzzle he was only beginning to understand.

But if Severus Snape knew one thing, it was that mysteries were meant to be solved. And he wouldn't rest until he uncovered the truth.