So I think it's pretty much the law that every FanFic that is Lily/Severus needs to start off with a chapter like this.
PS: Etium Alter Locus is Latin for A Second Chance. Or so Google Translate tells me.
I thought I was being clever.
Sorry for the random update. I fixed a few grammatical and punctuation errors.
7/26/14
NOTICE
THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED DUE TO A REVIEW THAT BROUGHT UP SOME PRETTY GOOD POINTS. THE EDIT OF THE CHAPTER CAN BE FOUND DIRECTLY BELOW THE ORIGINAL
October 31, 1981
Severus Snape stumbled through what was left of the Potter residence in Godric's Hollow. He found James Potter lying in the ruins and began to panic. Not that he particularly cared for James, he was not his priority.
Lily.
What if she was gone? What if he- the Dark Lord- had gotten to her?
"Lily!", he yelled as he trekked up the stairs in search of her. He heard a child crying. Their child. James and Lily.
He followed the sound of the sobbing child and found his love lying on the floor, appearing to be dead.
"No. NO. Please no." He trembled as he kneel next to her seemingly lifeless body. He lifted her head on to his lap.
"Lily? Lily, please don't be dead. Come on. Wake up. Please," Severus pleaded as he lifted her shoulders and held her. Her head lay limp on his shoulder while her body lay across his chest. Tears began to slowly stream down is cheeks when she did not respond.
"It's all my fault," he sobbed, "I told him the prophecy. This would have never happened if it weren't for me."
He felt Lily's chest slightly expand.
She was breathing. She was alive.
Severus let out a deep breath that was almost a laugh.
He needed to get her to a hospital. St. Mungo's would draw too much attention. Madame Pomfrey at Hogwarts would have to suffice. But what was he to do with Harry? He was much too young to apparate. They would have to travel to Hogwarts to by another method. And quickly.
Harry continued to whimper from his crib. Severus gently placed Lily on the floor and stood to lift Harry from the crib. The child looked for the most part unharmed except for the small lightning bolt shaped cut that was on his forehead.
He heard the sound of a motor bike from outside the house.
Dumbledore and Hagrid.
Wonderful.
Severus held Harry and waited for the two to make their way up to them. Harry began to calm down after a few minutes of being held.
"In here!", he yelled when he heard their foot steps.
Dumbledore and Hagrid approached the wreckage of Harry's room.
"They're alive. I don't know how, but they are. Harry is fine, but Lily needs a hospital and I couldn't apparate with Harry and I couldn't very well leave him here," Severus rambled.
"Breathe, Severus. We will get Lily and Harry to Hogwarts," Dumbledore assured.
Hagrid moved to lift Lily's seemingly lifeless body.
"This shouldn't have happened. You were supposed to hide them; protect them. I told you that he would go after them," Severus said.
"I did what I could. The Potters had a Secret Keeper though and it would seem that they put their trust in the wrong person," Dumbledore explained, "We can discuss this more after we get them to Hogwarts."
November 1, 1981
"I've done what I could. She will wake up when she is ready," Madame Pomfrey explained.
Madame Pomfrey left the side of Lily's bed to attend to the other patients while Severus and Dumbledore stood at the foot of the bed. Severus was holding Harry. Severus and Minerva were taking turns taking care of him since the incident. Severus never really liked children but he preferred that Harry not be in the care of anyone that he didn't trust. Harry actually looked quite a bit like his father which was a tad annoying for Severus who was severely bullied in the past by James and the other Marauders.
"Mama?", Harry asked
"Yes, Harry. That is your mother," Severus told him.
"Dada?", Harry asked hopefully.
Severus hesitated. "Your father is gone, Harry."
Harry frowned, trying to understand.
"Now would you be so kind as to explain to me how this happened?", Severus asked Dumbledore.
"I told you they had a Secret Keeper. They cast the Fidelius Charm and I had offered to be their Secret Keeper but they refused. Whoever it was must have outed them."
"I'm going to guess it was one of three idiots that Potter used to run around with in school," Severus speculated.
"Well it wasn't this idiot," a voice piped up from behind them.
"Ah, Sirius. I'm glad we were able to reach you," Albus said.
"Hey Snivellus, how long's it been?" Sirius asked.
"Not long enough," Severus replied.
Sirius looked at Harry in the Slytherin's arms. "Does someone want to tell me why the Death Eater is holding my godson?" Sirius questioned
"Severus' loyalty is not with Voldemort. It is with us. He is a spy for the Order," Dumbledore explained.
Sirius shook his head. "Still...", he said while holding out his arms for Harry.
Severus sighed and passed on the child.
"That's better. Hi Harry! How's my little godson?", Sirius cooed.
Harry smiled and patted Sirius' face. "Siri!"
"How long until Lily wakes up?" Sirius asked.
"We're not sure," Dumbledore responded, "Madame Pomfrey said that she will wake up when she is ready. And given the circumstances, I would want to try to sleep as long as possible too."
Sirius' tone became more serious (A/N: HA! Sorry, I had to laugh at that little pun.) "Where did they take James?"
Dumbledore swallowed. "His body is being kept at the Ministry until other arrangements can be made."
Sirius sighed. "I'm still trying to understand that he is actually gone. I never thought that one day, I would be without Prongs. He was my best friend."
"We are all grieving his death," Dumbledore said.
"I'm afraid how Lily is going to take when she wakes up," Sirius said. Harry began to make small noises and reach for Lilly.
"No Harry. Your mother needs to sleep. She'll wake up soon enough," Severus told him.
"Well isn't that cute. The Death Eater has become attached to a Potter," Sirius sneered.
"I have not become attached to the spawn of Potter. I was merely informing him that his mother needed to rest," Severus clarified.
"Uh-huh. Well I would love to stand around all day and chat but I have...other things to attend to. Will Harry and Lily be safe here?", Sirius asked.
"Hogwarts is the safest place for them right now," Dumbledore assured him.
Sirius nodded and handed Harry back to Severus. "Just keep him safe please," he told Severus.
Severus nodded to him and said, "I will do all that I can."
"Thank you." Sirius turned away from the three and made his way out of the medical ward.
"We need Lily to wake and tell us who their Secret Keeper was. I have already contacted Bartemius Crouch and he as a special place in Askaban for whoever this traitor may be," Dumbledore said. "Until Lily wakes, I leave Harry in your care. I spoke with Minerva and she informed me that even though she would love to look after the boy, she has entirely to much work to do with her students."
"And I'm not busy? I have classes and students, potions to be brewed...this will all be rather difficult with a child who can barely walk," Severus complained.
Dumbledore smiled. "You'll manage. Goodbye, Harry! Be sure to take care of Severus," he said and turned to leave.
"Wait!", Severus called after Dumbledore who stopped and turned. "Could you please cancel my classes for the rest of this week? Just until we get this all sorted out."
Dumbledore pondered this for a moment. "I believe that can be arranged," he said and continued on his way out of the ward.
"Sevwus?" Harry asked.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Hungy."
"You're hungry?" he asked and then huffed.
This was going to be a long day.
Thanks for reading! I'll try to update regularly and keep the chapters to about 1,500-2,000 words each. Next we get to see how Severus is when taking care of Harry alone for a night. Maybe Lily will wake up too? Who knows. Haven't decided yet. I would actually love some reviews :)
NOTICE
7/27/14
THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED DUE TO A REVIEW THAT BROUGHT UP SOME PRETTY GOOD POINTS. THE EDIT OF THIS CHAPTER CAN BE FOUND DIRECTLY BELOW. ONLY MINOR CHANGES THAT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER.
October 31, 1981
Severus Snape stumbled through what was left of the Potter residence in Godric's Hollow. He found James Potter lying in the ruins and began to panic. Not that he particularly cared for James, he was not his priority.
Lily.
What if she was gone? What if he- the Dark Lord- had gotten to her?
"Lily!", he yelled as he trekked up the stairs in search of her. He heard a child crying. Their child. James and Lily.
He followed the sound of the sobbing child and found his love lying on the floor, appearing to be dead.
"No. NO. Please no." He trembled as he kneel next to her seemingly lifeless body. He lifted her head on to his lap.
"Lily? Lily, please don't be dead. Come on. Wake up. Please," Severus pleaded as he lifted her shoulders and held her. Her head lay limp on his shoulder while her body lay across his chest. Tears began to slowly stream down is cheeks when she did not respond.
"It's all my fault," he sobbed, "I told him the prophecy. This would have never happened if it weren't for me."
He felt Lily's chest slightly expand.
She was breathing. She was alive.
Severus let out a deep breath that was almost a laugh.
He needed to get her to a hospital. St. Mungo's would draw too much attention. Madame Pomfrey at Hogwarts would have to suffice. But what was he to do with Harry? He was much too young to apparate. They would have to travel to Hogwarts to by another method. And quickly.
Harry continued to whimper from his crib. Severus gently placed Lily on the floor and stood to lift Harry from the crib. The child looked for the most part unharmed except for the small lightning bolt shaped cut that was on his forehead.
He heard the sound of a motor bike from outside the house.
Dumbledore and Hagrid.
Wonderful.
Severus held Harry and waited for the two to make their way up to them. Harry began to calm down after a few minutes of being held.
"In here!", he yelled when he heard their foot steps.
Dumbledore and Hagrid approached the wreckage of Harry's room.
"They're alive. I don't know how, but they are. Harry is fine, but Lily needs a hospital and I couldn't apparate with Harry and I couldn't very well leave him here," Severus rambled.
"Breathe, Severus. We will get Lily and Harry to Hogwarts," Dumbledore assured.
Hagrid moved to lift Lily's seemingly lifeless body.
"This shouldn't have happened. You were supposed to hide them; protect them. I told you that he would go after them," Severus said.
"I did what I could. The Potters had a Secret Keeper though and it would seem that they put their trust in the wrong person," Dumbledore explained, "We can discuss this more after we get them to Hogwarts."
November 1, 1981
"I've done what I could. She will wake up when she is ready," Madame Pomfrey explained.
Madame Pomfrey left the side of Lily's bed to attend to the other patients while Severus and Dumbledore stood at the foot of the bed. Severus was holding Harry. Severus and Minerva were taking turns taking care of him since the incident. Severus never really liked children but he preferred that Harry not be in the care of anyone that he didn't trust. Harry actually looked quite a bit like his father which was a tad annoying for Severus who was severely bullied in the past by James and the other Marauders.
"Mama?", Harry asked
"Yes, Harry. That is your mother," Severus told him.
"Dada?", Harry asked hopefully.
Severus hesitated. "Your father is gone, Harry."
Harry frowned, trying to understand.
"Now would you be so kind as to explain to me how this happened?", Severus asked Dumbledore.
"I told you they had a Secret Keeper. They cast the Fidelius Charm and I had offered to be their Secret Keeper but they refused. Whoever it was must have outed them."
"I'm going to guess it was one of three idiots that Potter used to run around with in school," Severus speculated.
"Well it wasn't this idiot," a voice piped up from behind them.
"Ah, Sirius. I'm glad we were able to reach you," Albus said.
"Hey Snivellus, how long's it been?" Sirius asked.
"Not long enough," Severus replied.
Sirius looked at Harry in the Slytherin's arms. "Does someone want to tell me why the Slytherin is holding my godson?" Sirius questioned.
Dumbledore shook his head at Sirius. "Honestly, Sirius. Isn't it time that you have gotten over your childish ways?"
Severus rolled his eyes, sighed, and then passed on the child.
"That's better. Hi Harry! How's my little godson?", Sirius cooed.
Harry smiled and patted Sirius' face. "Siri!"
"How long until Lily wakes up?" Sirius asked.
"We're not sure," Dumbledore responded, "Madame Pomfrey said that she will wake up when she is ready. And given the circumstances, I would want to try to sleep as long as possible too."
Sirius' tone became more serious (A/N: HA! Sorry, I had to laugh at that little pun.) "Where did they take James?"
Dumbledore swallowed. "His body is being kept at the Ministry until other arrangements can be made."
Sirius sighed. "I'm still trying to understand that he is actually gone. I never thought that one day, I would be without Prongs. He was my best friend."
"We are all grieving his death," Dumbledore said.
"I'm afraid how Lily is going to take when she wakes up," Sirius said. Harry began to make small noises and reach for Lilly.
"No Harry. Your mother needs to sleep. She'll wake up soon enough," Severus told him.
"Well isn't that cute. He has become attached to a Potter," Sirius sneered.
"I have not become attached to the spawn of Potter. I was merely informing him that his mother needed to rest," Severus clarified.
"Uh-huh. Well I would love to stand around all day and chat but I have...other things to attend to. Will Harry and Lily be safe here?", Sirius asked.
"Hogwarts is the safest place for them right now," Dumbledore assured him.
Sirius nodded and handed Harry back to Severus. "Just keep him safe please," he told Severus.
Severus nodded to him and said, "I will do all that I can."
"Thank you." Sirius turned away from the three and made his way out of the medical ward.
"We need Lily to wake and tell us who their Secret Keeper was. I have already contacted Bartemius Crouch and he as a special place in Askaban for whoever this traitor may be," Dumbledore said. "Until Lily wakes, I leave Harry in your care. I spoke with Minerva and she informed me that even though she would love to look after the boy, she has entirely to much work to do with her students."
"And I'm not busy? I have classes and students, potions to be brewed...this will all be rather difficult with a child who can barely walk," Severus complained.
Dumbledore smiled. "You'll manage. Goodbye, Harry! Be sure to take care of Severus," he said and turned to leave.
"Wait!", Severus called after Dumbledore who stopped and turned. "Could you please cancel my classes for the rest of this week? Just until we get this all sorted out."
Dumbledore pondered this for a moment. "I believe that can be arranged," he said and continued on his way out of the ward.
"Sevwus?" Harry asked.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Hungy."
"You're hungry?" he asked and then huffed.
This was going to be a long day.
This chapter was edited due this review by Very Small Prophet:
Dumbledore sure tosses the identity of his spy around casually. If he's going to tell anyone, it should be one of the more mature Order members, and only after an oath of secrecy. He shouldn't be talking about it to a hostile, irresponsible Marauder (who, fifteen years later, never claimed to *know* that Severus was a Death Eater) in an open hospital ward. Does Dumbledore *want* his spy to be betrayed? He knows Sirius has tried to kill Snape once, just for fun, and is therefore the last person who should be entrusted with his safety.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I completely agree with this and I think that it will make to story flow better later on anyways. I sometimes screw up character profiles due to reading other fanfics that did not quite depict the character correctly and having not read the books in quite a while.
This is why I love reviews; because they help me become a better writer.
Thanks!
