Metanoia~ Tom Riddle

Chapter 21

Veruca stood slowly, not quite believing her eyes. Her mind was still racing and her heart started aching- she didn't know what on earth she'd do if her eyes were in fact, deceiving her. There he was, standing right in the center of the cave, studying her as if he too, were in disbelief.

Severus Snape stood before Veruca Penderwick wondering just how long it had been since he had seen her face to face. The girl looked almost the same as she had the last time they met. Even if they were back- or forward- in their own time, it had been at least a year or so. The man bitterly recalled her tearful eyes watching as he spoke words he shouldn't have- not to her.

"Severus? How are you...? Why are you...? I don't understand." her voice broke a little again, and though it was too small to echo, Veruca still shivered.

"I have a lot to explain and not much time to do so, why don't you come out here?" his voice was only ever that soft, that compassionate when talking to her.

Veruca did come out of her corner, but she kept a distance- something that broke the man's already fragile heart.

"Did you time travel? To get here?" she asked, her voice still quiet. Severus nodded, "I did, no one knows I am here, right now. And we need to keep it that way."

"Well, why? And how did you find me?" Veruca moved her gaze from his eyes to the entrance of the cave, then she met his gaze again. "How can I... trust you?"

Severus looked to the ground, unable to admit to himself he deserved that. "You just have to."

A long moment of silence filled the cave. The two friends felt the weight of their pasts and the weight of their torments and they each disappeared, to their memories.

⧫

Veruca returned to her first time on the Hogwarts Express, she remembered being tripped by a huddle of older Gryffindors. She remembered being helped up by an older kid with greasy dark hair, pale skin, and... warm eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked, scowling at the huddle of Gryffindors, still chattering on and walking away. a younger, 11-year-old Veruca, nodded.

"I'm Severus."

"And I'm Lily!" an older, red-headed girl announced, coming to a halt beside Severus.

The only remaining Penderwick, on the face of the wizarding world, smiled, "Veruca."

⧫

Severus returned to his fourth year, where, under one of the many beautiful trees surrounding the lake, he was tutoring a 12-year-old girl in potions. Veruca loved the subject, but she was awful at it.

"Sev?" a 16-year-old Lily Evans walked into view, "Have any idea where V is? I've been meaning to return this bo- Oh!" having spotted the first year, Lily started to dig through her bag, "Veruca, excellent! I've been looking for you, I wanted retur-"

Veruca cut her off, "Return my book?" she chuckled at the older girl and nodded. "I have the second one for you." The two exchanged books, then Lily noticed what they were doing.

"V? Are you having trouble in potions again? I thought you said you were doing better?"

Severus chuckled, "She lied."

Lily then set about helping Veruca with her notes, while Severus helped her judge whether or not a potion was going to melt the cauldron.

⧫

Simultaneously, the two looked up at each other, mouths open with words on the tips of their tongues. They smiled, slightly, each thinking the same thing.

Veruca nodded, "Well, why are you here then?"

The small smile on Severus's face disappeared, and Veruca- who noticed this- swallowed, her chest constricting, nervously.

"I've come to warn you," his voice went cold, "-somethings happened."