It was late autumn and the air was stale and crisp, just like the ground below. The wind seemed to whisper gently to the trees; singing a soothing lullaby, lulling them to sleep. The sky was gray with the threat of an oncoming storm. Leaves swirled in circular patterns with flashes of orange, red, and gold as they turned and tossed in the wind. Within the dying forest, there was a small dilapidated cabin. An old door creaked with the breeze as the hinges squeaked and whined for oil.

The door eased open and a slim figure slipped out. The mysterious stranger was battling the bitter cold and their arms were crossed across their chest. They had red hair covering a sweet, pale face that was marked with extraordinary green irises.

Suddenly a voice came from the no longer empty doorway. “Lily! Where are you going?” The worried eyes flicked from the sky to the beautiful woman’s vibrant hair.

“I can’t do this James. You aren’t who I thought you were.” Lily fought against the tears that begged to be let loose. She forced her arms into her gut to distract herself from the pain she was feeling. It felt as though dementors had kissed her and every ounce of happiness had been obliviated.

“Lily, please!” James watched in dismay as Lily wound the time turner back again and again. Then the slim girl faded from his view, to change the choices she made. The ones she now regretted.

“Severus!” Lily gasped lightly as her insides began to flutter. She hid behind a tree as she watched the depressed black haired adolescent enter the Shrieking Shack were she had been moments ago with James.

James. Lily thought the name with disgust. He had been a traitor to her. He had hurt those she loved, when she only gave him what he had asked for. She thought he had been the one… even her closest friends had assured her that James was her soul mate. Of course, that didn’t matter now. Severus was all she needed.

Naturally, she couldn’t risk ruining the space time continuum by telling herself and Severus the future, so she simply wrote a letter to her 11 year old self to ALWAYS stay true to Severus and avoid James Potter at every possible moment. She signed it with a sketch of the time turner. Deciding this would be sufficient; Lily tucked it under the crisp white sheets of her first year bed.

19 years later, Lily Snape was happily raising a large nosed, freckled child; a young girl named Petunia, was off for her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The same year, a young boy named Harry Potter, with brown hair and a matching set of brown eyes was starting school as well.
Lily found it interesting that James had actually settled down. She still found herself wondering “what if” as it is with all large decisions made, but found herself thrilled with the life she had with Severus. He was a Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts and often smiled in class as a result of a happier life.
Naturally, when Voldemort started to rise to power and the Order of the Pheonix had formed, James and Lily saw each other, but only Lily knew the truth about the changed past they had shared.
She had never told a soul. And she took that secret to the grave when a death eater named Lucious Malfoy informed Voldemort of their whereabouts, who then destroyed the Snape’s home and murdered the family, all except a young girl named Petunia. Who was forever marked with a strange lightning bolt scar and the cries of her mother’s plead to leave Petunia safe, and with that, a new prophecy was enacted upon and a new legend born unto the wizarding world.
To be continued…