Note: when perving at naked grumpy men, do it quietly. ;)

Oh, bugger! It is a fly in the ointment indeed! :0

Oops.  Volcano, anyone? :)

Now that's complex magic right there. :O)

Great start. Lots of interesting threads to follow. :)

I am glad to see Sev and Hermione back in the 'real' world once more. I assume Severus will be a royal pain at first, because he feels guilty about everything. Hopefully love can overcome all that! I am elated to hear we might have some extra chapter love. Bring it on!

Lots of answers here, and of course totally different from what i had expected. Snape the sentimental? huh? Does he even know he's human at times? We understand much better what's going on--and yet, so many things still to reveal--well done! That's a beautiful flacon of perfume indeed. It suits perfectly to a girl from a well-to-do family that has fallen into disgrace and powerty. 

just realised I forgot reviewing this chapter. Snape has obviously yet again 'made friends' with the wrong sort of people, oh my. It's not too surprising as he must have had a much harder landing in this world/time than Hermione. Her curiosity will be Hermione's death, I'm sure of it. I'm still unsure whether or not Snape knows of the short time they've left. Usually he's pictured as fully versed in Muggle history, but I've always doubted this. OK, off to the next chapter.

Well, interesting to find out how Severus and Hermione came to be in ancient Pompeii. I'm glad that Severus survived and has a new life.Hopefully Hermione doesn't plan to leave the house in her modern clothes. She'll stick out like a sore thumb in any Roman town of the time, if she does - wearing jeans won't do in public, especially considering that Roman men didn't even usually were trousers that was something Celts would do. But she's an archeologist, she would know this and if she really is as clever as she is supposed to be, she will act appropriately.You've really made me curious, if there is a way back 'home' for either of them. Getting there has something to do with their portraits. Well, I really hope there isn't a way for Hermione to get back leaving him behind. I don't think Severus should be left alone, he needs someone there with him.

I love the bit in Hermione's POV, but I think the Snapey bit is a little too soon for those revelations. Maybe we should have heard more from Harry to slowly uncover what happened? All criticism aside, I am well and thoroughly hooked and intrigued, I love the characters, and I can't wait for more. Wonderful story so far!

Due to general busy-ness, I've neglected leaving a review. I must write and say that this chapter was brilliant and one of my most favourite so far. I loved the opening of the casket and Snape's emmaciated figure, as well as the last few sections at the end when he is frantically trying to understand how to reverse/stop the horcrux. Overall, you kept the feeling of the horcrux extremely sinister (as is it's nature), despite Severus' intentions as desperate (at least to me) and his regret is palpable. Very beautifully done, character voices for everyone, also!

Perhaps the bodily harm came from his own testing of the wards?

Hermione is disgusted by the hygiene in a big city of the Roman empire? Well, she can consider herself lucky then, because it only got worse in the Middle Ages. The Romans had aqueducts to supply their cities with fresh water and a canalisation for dirty water. They even had public water toilets, although it certainly stank in certain areas, e.g. where leather was produced, Sev and Hermione could have certainly ended in worse times, smell- and hygiene-wise. Honestly in Versailles during the times of Louis XIV. it was appropiate to relieve oneself in one of the corners of any room or in the middle of a street. She appears to be too astonished  by the  situation especially considering that she is an archeologist.

Since the injuries are on his left side, one wonders if somehow they are related to the Mark.  Not sure I care for that image on the floor either... rather creepy.

Wow.  Even in ancient Pompeii, people are still walking in on people in the bath (I thought that only happened in Grimauld Place).

I know Hermione is notorious for her curiosity, but when she realized it was his bathroom and he was in there, she really should have just backed herself out and minded her own business! That was beyond rude. I don't blame him for being enraged. It was an intriguing way for us to learn that he was injured, however. Now we get to live in suspense until we find out how he got that way.Fun story.

You'd think she'd know better than to startle him.

Dumbledore. Really? I hope he's ready for the telling off Hermione would give him if I were her. If that makes any sense? I'd be furious with him at this point, the meddler. Oh,I suppose I should mention the fact that I've raced through several chapters without reviewing and I really did enjoy them immensly. Thank you - this has been quite a ride.

Ye gods, that was tense.  And is is Dumbledore?  Lockhart? Sabazios turned camp? Such sweet torture you put us through! :)

Oh yes! I thought he may 'reappear' in his tomb -- his body had died after all. I'm glad he wasn't interred underground! (I'm sure HE'S glad of that, too.) Good thing he was able to lift the ld a bit -- get some fresh oxygen while the boys arrive... now on to poor Hermione... yikes!

Well...I should have known Dumbledore was involved in this. Or am I making an assumption about the purple boots? Don't worry...my nails are surviving. I am glad Severus is out but can hardly wait to find out what will happen to Miss Hermione next.

oh oh oh!!! The perfume bottle. If her "mind" went back into the past, then the perfume bottle in that time with her might not be the actual bottle (from the present) but is the manifestation of the part of Snape's soul that's been with Hermione, and when they chanted and brought the two fractured pieces together (through the rune portrait), the soul was removed from Hermione and replaced back with Snape, so his soul is once again intact. Dealing with time travel is always fun and tricksy; I imagine that because Snape went back into the past "first," then he was connected to that portrait created by Old man/Sabazios, so when Hermione finds the portrait "in the future" (after it was changed by the chant), it seems like an inevitable loop. And whatever magic Sabazios added to that mosaic perhaps triggered the Horcrux, then; I'm not so up to par on the second theory part lol Fabulous update! I look forward to the end (but with sad hesitation because it means ... the end)! However, I think this is one of those stories that demands a re-read, so I'll look forward to that, too :D

This is an enthralling work, beautifully written and absolutely lavish with great historical details and beautiful imagery. Thank you for the great plot and the impeccable read.

Excellent chapter! I was nervous about it -- not sure if Severus would survive -- at least he's made it this far... now Hermione just needs to figure it out... or will Severus swoop in at the last minute with a flash of brilliance -- or is he tooooooo resigned to his fate to even try? Hmmm...

"Ah, my dear girl. Very well done. Very well done indeed. I trust that you are well?"

On the floor before her she could see a pair of high heeled, purple, buckled boots.=====

Hummmmm... let me think about this for just a minute –or a thousand.  Hermione is still on the gritty floor next to the great stone bath, but everything is still and quiet.  There's no shaking. no sound of the erupting Vesuvius.  But she does hear a voice congratulating her on a job well done, and she can "see a pair of high heeled, purple, buckled boots." 

The first thing that comes to mind was when Voldemort cast Avada Kadavra at Harry, and Harry found himself in Kings Cross where he sees a dying part of Voldemort's soul and talks to Dumbledore.  So, could this be  similar to that?  Before Hermione is harmed, she finds herself with Dumbledore... who has somehow played an important role in her life and Severus'.  Could Dumbledore have had something to do with where the Time-Turner took Severus eleven years ago?  Perhaps the Headmaster had arranged for more than Harry Potter's survival and the death of the Dark Lord on that day of the Battle of Hogwarts.  Could Dumbledore have known  that Severus would try to prevent his own death?  Could the old man have planned on Hermione helping the Potions Master as he lay on the floor of the Shrieking Shack?

There is also the significance of the blue mist that had appeared over the broken mosaic on the floor.  Whatever  its origin, it wielded the magic necessary to change the image of the mosaic on the floor of the bath.  It blew my  mind that the new mosaic was the same as the one that Hermione has fallen through at her dig.  The inscription  was also slightly changed to reflect that she had found his soul.  Clearly some form of magic is at work here because at the same time the blue mist was at work in the bath in Pompeii, it was also manifesting itself in Filius' office at Hogwarts. Hermione's body was bathed in a blue glow from the old antique perfume bottle that Hermione wore all the time. 

I think it is important that Hermione realized that she and Severus must touch the newly changed mosaic with their blood to open the portal. But by the time they could do it, a blast from the volcano threw Hermione across the bath just as Severus was entering the portal.  But thank the gods that Ron has figured out that Severus is back in their time... in his own tomb. 

There is a magical waltz taking place now across time.  Severus is trying to move the granite stone from atop his tomb, Harry and Ron are preparing to say the incantation to remove the stone, and Hermione is talking to Dumbledore.  I wish Harry and Ron would hurry up so Severus can to her and bring her back to the present.

And that's what I think is going on.  Thank you once again for such a splendid chapter that has me sitting on the edge of my seat!!!

Beth