A Spark in the Darkness
The brightest star dipped into the horizon leaving a trail of blood on the slowly darkening sky. Rain fell from grey clouds, soft tears at first, melting into sheets of sobs. Tiny diamonds lit up the sky like thousands of wands igniting. Hot air beat down on the wizarding village. This coming fall would bring students and their professors wandering Hogsmeade, visiting shop to shop. September, however, was yet to come. Two lone professors walked the shadowed streets, spotted only by the passing house cat or lingering store clerk. Each on their respective sides, they were both arguably grey. The first wore a starry robe, with a matching pointed hat. His long silvery hair tousled in the light breeze. The second wore a drab black cloak covered in numerous potion stains. His face was covered by his hood, only a few strands of greasy black hair and a beak-like nose poking through.
"Ah, headmaster. Severus. Come in, come in." A wild looking woman with large fake glasses that magnified her eyes by several degrees, gestured to the two men as they entered Hogshead.
The bar was mostly empty, and the owner was making to close up. The woman sat down with the Headmaster and his colleague. She smelled faintly of perfume, and wore the colorful robes of a seer. As she spoke to the Headmaster she absent mindedly tugged a lock of her light wavy hair. Severus had heard rumors of the seer. Most believed her a fraud. The ones who took her seriously claimed the great granddaughter of Cassandra Trelawny to have a habit of predicting the deaths of her subjects. He picked a seat on the other side of the table, not quite looking the seer in her enlarged eyes.
"So, you wish a position as divination teacher?" The headmaster questioned.
"At Hogwarts, yes." The woman replied.
The headmaster raised an eyebrow. "Of course, what other school might you mean?"
The seer opened her mouth to answer but stopped short. Under the table Severus stomped on her foot, and the woman bit her tongue. "Professor Dumbledore, I've heard her to be a fraud. Is it wise to continue with the subject after the last teachers… incident?"
"I'm sure if Mrs...Higglebottom-?" Dumbledore started.
"Ms. Trelawny." Trelawny clarified, with a huff.
"If Ms. Trelawny," Dumbledore continued "hadn't been up for the position, she wouldn't have bothered trying for the job.
"Of course!" Trelawny exclaimed, eyes wide, just adding to the effect of her strange glasses.
Severus nodded grimly. As Dumbledore started to interview the seer, Severus got lost in thought. His large nose crinkled as he viewed the arrogant head of school. Yes, Albus the potion master thought scornfully Only when I try for the Defense Against Dark Arts job you always refuse. So much for trust.
The conversation went on for some time, but both parties knew it was merely a ruse. This old fraud couldn't predict the weather, much less the deaths she was claiming to 'see'. Dumbledore kept asking questions regarding her past, and Trelawny kept deflecting. Tell me more about your...powers the headmaster would ask. 'Oh, you know. I see the future, do lots of spiritual sorts of...stuff.' she'd reply. Severus was getting more bored by the second. Dumbledore sensed his colleague's discomfort and while Trelawny was rambling about how Venus determined the birth of a squib, he whispered;
"Severus, you didn't have to come. It doesn't look like this one has any power at all, and I'm about to wrap it up in ten minutes or so. Go, ask my brother for a drink, you don't have to wait."
The potions master held in a snort. Of course this lady was a fraud, but he knew that before they had even stepped in. He wasn't here for the school. He was here for his true boss. For the only way he could end the war, and protect Lily. As her enchanting green eyes, and hair like a lit furnace entered his mind, he felt a twinge of sadness for what could never be.
Just then, a young blonde barista in a dark tattered cloak slipped, knocking her drinks onto the headmasters lap. "So sorry, Mister. Why don't you go clean up, No need of wands-" she added hastily as Dumbledore pulled his out "We have a potion in a our supplies room downstairs that will do better, I believe you know the owner?"
The professor's eyes narrowed. There was silence for a second, then "Yes, Aberforth. My dear younger brother." and went in the direction the barista had pointed to.
As soon as he has out of earshot, the barista took Dumbledore's seat, and cast a Muffliato charm on the people around them as well as other enchantments to hide them. Severus smiled, finally they could get something done. "Dorea, how charming to see you. Have you seen your great-nephew lately? And by great I mean as far as the family tree, I would never complement Sirius."
Dorea frowned, then her face lit up, into a wide smile. She bent her head back, and as she cackled to the bar ceiling- her features changed. Her once smooth skin, wrinkled and cracked before turning a sickly blue-grey color. Her eyes bulged, turning a shocking shade of scarlet, as though bloodshot all over. Her white-blond hair was streaked with black, and her lashes and brows grew more defined. Large icy wings burst from the back of her dark robes, and a silver diadem in the shape of a bird of prey was magically fitted onto her head. In her true form, the Nymph Queen was magnificent and terrifying at the same time.
"Snape, how charming to see you again. To answer your question, no I haven't seen my great-nephew, though if I do I'll have to take a leaf out of my great-niece, Bellatrix's book." She winked "if you know what I mean".
Severus was about to reply when the seemingly petrified seer cut in. "Well, I don't! Who are you, anyway? Severus" she turned to the professor, accusingly "You never said that monster would be here."
The potions master chuckled. Eyebrows raised her said innocently, "Why, Sybill Trelawney! One would assume your powers to have picked up such an important detail."
Trelawny was just about fuming. "You know I'm faking, so stop it." she huffed "Your rude comments were an insult to my courier-"
"Of lies" Severus said, just loud enough for Trelawny to hear.
"Nevertheless, I need that job. Bringing Dumbledore may be just part of the ruse for you, but it's essential to me. Almost as much as the task you've brought me tonight." With that she opened up a frilly red and orange purse, and pulled out an abused looking piece of parchment paper.
"Really, Sybill?" Severus said, with mock anger "Dorea Potter's beautiful words, and you treat it worse than your pupils.
"One, they are ex-pupils. If I still had a job at that fancy french school I wouldn't be in this smelly old bar with a bunch of villains." Trelawny started.
"One might call hoodwinking a bunch of children villainy." Dorea cut in, smirking.
Trelawny ignored her. "And two, they are my words. If this Dorcus must edit my script, I will allow her. I wouldn't, however, go as far to name her the author."
"DON'T DIMINISH THE BRILLIANCE OF THE NYMPH QUEEN!" Dorea practically screeched.
For someone shaking so hard with terror, the seer's words were surprisingly calm. "I did no such thing. Ask Severus, sadly our only witness. I was only saying credit must go where credit is due. Any respectable witch or wizard would agree."
The Nymph Queen opened her mouth to argue, but Severus cut in. "Quick, we don't need a fortune teller to tell us the Headmaster will be back any moment. Trelawny, are you clear on what your instructions are?"
She nodded."Crystal."
"Good, then go do what you must, and for Merlin's Sake, hurry." By his final word she was off, swift as flitterby, to the staircase Dumbledore had ascended down earlier.
A few seconds after she left, Dorea reversed the muffling and hiding charms, and she and Severus ran their lines like perfection. "Where do you think she went?" Asked Dorea, having morphed back to her disguise.
Severus shrugged, feigning confusion. "I'd better check. Don't want her spreading those lies to the Headmaster."
And down the stairs he went, as walking as fast as he could without breaking into a run. When he got to the bottom, he saw the tip of Trelawny's cloak snag on the doorway, as she entered the supplies room. Putting his ear to the closing door, he heard Dumbledore's cry of confusion turn into alarm as the seer unleashed her best prophecy telling voice. The potions master wondered if it hurt either Trelawny's throat, or her dignity, to make her voice sound so awful. The noise was a mixture of the worst tunes, nails on chalkboard, and a Ghoul who's decided the house is too quiet. The words, however, were a work of genius. The prophecy would haunt Dumbledore's dreams forever.
"The four with the power to stand as the Dark Lord's apprentices ... One born to those who are honored, one hated, two born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark them with a scar, but that will make them stronger by far... And each must be sorted to different houses, while slytherin rules on, their badges are lies…"
There was silence, then, "It seems Cassandra Trelawny's power lives on."
The seer, who appeared to have remembered none of it, said normally. "I- where are we? Where did the others go? Do I get the job?"
"Yes," Dumbledore sighed "It seems that must be so."
"Oh, thank you!" Trelawny said earnestly.
Severus heard footsteps. Letting them reach the door before he made his get away, the headmaster saw his supposedly loyal employee disapparate to an undetermined, but easily guessed location. Two days later when Voldemort's depression subsided word got out that Alice and Frank Longbottom were tortured to insanity while death eater Bellatrix Lestrange carried their only son away. This son, Neville, only a year old, born on the 30th of July was told to be in the clutches of Voldemort himself. Alive, but as good as dead. It didn't take a mastermind, which Albus Dumbledore shamelessly thought of himself to be, to connect the dots. That this was part of the prophecy. And that a certain Severus Snape was behind it. He didn't, however know as much as he thought. That the prophecy was fake for one. Nor that by believing it he was playing right into the hands of the Death Eater's game.
Hermione Jean Granger was perplexed. It was around noon, and she was out in the backyard, playing "tea" with her dolls. It was warm for late october, and a light autumn breeze made music out of her mother's chimes. Her favorite doll was dressed for Halloween. They were both going as witches, of course, and her father had sewed a realistic looking spider onto the doll's tangled fake hair. Besides the doll was a stuffed unicorn. It had been a silly pale pink color when Hermione had gotten it, but in the young girl's dreams unicorns were shades of gold, or silver, or white. This one was all of them at once. At least, it was now that she had painted it so. Her father had said she's done good, and Hermione supposed she had- for a child of only two. Still, it irked her how the paint made the fabric all rough and sticky, and that now and then a bit of the original color peeked through.
Anyhow, it was in this yard when Hermione knew something was wrong. Even for Halloween there was an odd amount of people in costume. Just earlier she had seen two ladies in magnificent velvet cloaks, chatting side by side. One, with long silky brown and blonde hair worn in a neat bun, had been holding a child around Hermione's age. She had seemed to be crying into her companion's shoulder. Her companion had paid little attention to the woman next to her. She'd had a wild look in her eyes, and her bushy black hair had went out in all directions, like she hadn't cared for it in quite some time. Hermione had pulled at one of her own dark curls. Her mum always bid her to take excellent care of it. How horrified she'd be if she saw this woman. She, who looked more like a witch then her doll did. Subconsciously, Hermione had put her doll to the side. She'd never been afraid of Halloween, but at that moment she'd hoped her mother would let her stay in, and pass out candy with her pa.
As Hermione got up to flee, the scary woman had turned and looked at her. At the sight of the two year old muggle girl the witch snarled. Taken aback with terror, Hermione had shrieked, and run through the open door. Slamming it shut, she heard the woman's wicked laugh from the sun room. To make sure the witch wasn't still there, Hermione had taken a chance, and peered through the glass walls, hidden behind a large jade plant. The women had continued walking, but the child in the sad woman's arms had looked back at her. His icy blue eyes watched her, and the girl had known somehow she'd been spotted. She'd run into the living room, into the comfort of her father's arms.
Hermione hadn't returned outside until now, and even all these hours later- she felt as if the boy was watching her still. His young eyes filled with an intelligence beyond that of the average toddler. It had been strange, yet oddly familiar. Though her own eyes were a dark shade of brown, they reminded her of his pale ones. If not on the outside, then on the inside. She didn't like the thought.
She heard her mother shout from inside. Her father shouted back. She was used to this, they were probably fighting about her again. And her "tricks" as her mum called them. Dr. Monica Wilkins Granger didn't like her tricks. She pretended to be proud, but always avoided the topic, and forbade her to show strangers. The only friend who knew was Addie Bryce, and their teacher, Ms. Bast. Both individuals called it witchcraft, both of them meant different things.
Hermione hated when her parents were fighting. Her father, Dr. Wendell Granger, liked her tricks. He called it a talent. He said everyone had different skills, after all. Not everyone could be trusted to remove teeth when they've been in your head too long and turn blue. Or could sew wings onto a teddy bear so well that it looked natural. "Just because your talents are special," he would say "doesn't mean they're bad."
As the shouts continued she took a candy out of the pocket of her dress. It wasn't nearly as sweet as the candy Addie handed out, but her parents said this was better for her teeth. Her mother especially cared for her well being. Addie said Hermione's mum was bossy. Hermione shot back that it was because Monica loved her more than unicorns, even. That made her friend quiet. Addie said her mother didn't love her more than unicorns. This made Hermione feel bad. Getting along with Addie Bryce was hard, but getting along with Hermione Granger was harder. They stuck together, even if they weren't always good at sharing, and even if Hermione had trouble remembering words, or the names of things.
There were more shouts, and even a few screams. Hermione was starting to get worried. The last straw was a loud crashing noise from inside. Sorry toys, she thought bitterly, tea will have to continue later. Skipping in to investigate, she lost her footing and tumbled. Her jean dress got tangled around a button on her pink and white striped leggings. Scrambling to stand up, she realized the voices had stopped. Turning around, she saw the living room was crowded with strangers. To her alarm the two women from this morning were among them, though the child was absent. With them were two hooded figures in scary white masks, and a black haired man with a hawk like nose. His nose wrinkled in disgust as his beady black eyes turned to her. Looking to see why the man had paused talking, as Hermione now realised it had been him and the strangers yelling, followed by her parents screams, her mum and pa saw her and froze. "Well, well, well." The scary witch woman said, in a mock baby voice "Who are you?"
"How cute," said the sad woman "Is this the daughter you denied having, hmm?"
"No!" Her mother shrieked, and her father let out a sob.
This angered Hermione. What was going on? Why were there strangers in their house? Why was the scary woman here? Why were her parents denying her? What did that even MEAN?! A tear ran down her face, and Hermione picked up her winged bear, clutching it to her chest. "Get. Out!" She cried, and her mother didn't even scold her manners.
"Gladly," Said the black haired man "And your little mudblood leaves with us."
"Minnie, run! Like a cheetah! Go, go!" Her father shouted through sobs.
And Hermione ran. But the masked figure was faster. So fast, that it was as if he had teleported. One moment he was next to her parents, then suddenly he was blocking the exit. The scary woman laughed. "You can't get past Yaxley. Avery, guard the other exit. And Snape-"
The black haired man scowled. "I don't take orders from you, Bellatrix."
"Fine, fine" Bellatrix said, dismissively. She gestured towards the sad woman, "Cissy, grab the girl. Snape, I know you stink at loyalty, but try and be helpful. At least take out your wand."
Hermione had no other options but to fight. In moments she was in the sad woman, Cissy's, arms. She thrashed and bit, and smacked Cissy but to no use. "I have a little one your age who has quite the tantrums" she whispered "Trust me, you're nothing."
"Mum! Pa! Help me!" She yelled over the snot and tears.
"Monica, do something! Use your mageía!" Her father pleaded.
Before her mother could reply, the man named Snape said, "Now, now. Why would a muggle want to trifle with a death eater?"
Her mother shivered at the term. Hermione had no idea what it meant, but could tell it wasn't good. The death eater smiled. "So, you're the nymph? Monica, you may have magic but you aren't a witch, you know that. We don't need to kill you. If you have any senses, leave her in our care. Do you want her to become a skotádi? We'll keep her safe. My master, The Dark One is what you call him, needs her alive. Use common sense, not your mageía."
Her mother was quiet. Her brow hunched like it gets when she's thinking. Her father gaped at his partner. "Monica, don't listen to him! Our Minnie-"
"Will be in safe hands." Snape said smoothly "Queen Potter's hands."
"Vasílissa Dorea!" Monica exclaimed. "You have the queen?"
"Monica, honey, don't tell me your considering-?" Hermione's father started.
"Silence!" Bellatrix commanded "Snape, show her your arm."
Snape lifted up one of his sleeves. Hermione and her father screamed, but her mother just gasped. There on his upper arm was a tattoo, like Hermione got at her birthday party, only more intense. It was a deep black that was glowing faintly red. "The Skotádi Typóno!" Bellatrix announced. "A gift from Dorea herself."
"Monica...Monica, no!" Her father tried, but Monica just blew him off.
"My Minnie… Is safe in your hands, yes?" She confirmed, already decided.
"Yes, she is." Replied Snape calmly. "We will teach her the ways of witchcraft."
"Thank you."
Hermione let out a piercing scream. Why were her parents letting these strangers take her away? Had she done bad? The man had called it witchcraft, was she a witch like the scary woman? Her mother looked at her with eyes Sadder than Cissys. "Minnie," she said "It will be OKAY. These are good people. They will take you to my mentor. Remember her? She babysat you once, you called her Vasi?"
"I don't want to! Let me stay! I'll be good, what did I do? Mum, mum… let me stay!" Her mother stared at the ground while Hermione was dragged away "Pa, don't let them do this! Pa? I didn't even get to go trick or treating, please, let me stay. Please?" Her father stared at her in anguish.
Hermione got the message. She stopped fighting, just hung limply in the sad woman's arms. There was no hope left. Her mother couldn't even look her in the eyes, she was such a failure. She looked at her father. They had both stopped sobbing, and let tears roll from their identical dark brown eyes. Her father held onto his strength so Hermione would too. They held eye contact, and she knew. She was not a disgrace to him, and she'd never been one. "I love you, father" she said faintly as she was taken out the door.
As the door closed she thought she saw him open his mouth to say it back. Before her mother put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sharp look. Pulling down the blinds, Monica went to the nearest computer. By the end of the day, the Grangers had bought tickets for a one way flight to Australia, made an add for their house, and had left their only daughter behind forever.
"You arse! Leave my sight, you chose your side." Lily said sternly, clutching year old Shulazar in one arm, her wand in the other.
She was pointing it directly at Sirius's face. Shulazar's godfather pushed it away from himself, giving it a dirty look before turning back to Lily and saying, "Look, I don't know why James is being like this, and I'm not trying to excuse his behaviour, but-"
"Then what are you doing, then?" Lily asked, tapping her foot angrily against the kitchen floor. "Why are you here, Black?"
Sirius sighed. "I know you trust him, but Severus…"
Lily groaned, "Will you not lecture me in my own house? Go be James's secret keeper, but I trust Severus."
"He's a death eater, Lily! He betrayed the prophecy, which concerns Shula, to You-Know-Who!" Sirius almost shouted.
Lily was tearing up. "We don't know that! We don't know, any of that. The prophecy could mean anyone, and who's to say that seer lady didn't tell more people?"
"Lily, didn't you hear what happened to Alice and Frank's, boy? Born the day before Shula, a half nymph as well? And worse, what happened to Alice and Frank themselves. Lily, this is all Snape's doing." When she didn't respond, Sirius's tone softened. "Just please, I beg of you, choose someone else. It doesn't have to be me, it can be anyone, just not a death eater."
Lily opened her mouth to object. Sirius sighed again. "Fine, death eater suspect. Don't trust a death eater suspect. And stop giving me and Remus the cold shoulder. We are as mad at him as you are, but we are still his friends, Lily. We have to be there for him, especially after Peter...disappeared."
This made Lily snort, but her tone had softened as well. "Peter Pettigrew? That mousy kid who followed you around at school? You're still friends? When did he vanish?"
Sirius's face darkened. "Just a week after James left, in late august, I think. Before the school year started. Remus suspects he was scared of being around here now that the prophecy included Shula. He's a coward, but we can't and won't make him risk his neck if it's not all together necessary."
"Would he though?" Lily asked, deep in thought "If we were in danger. Would he give his life for us?"
"Of course!" Sirius exclaimed, without a trace of doubt. "And so would I. And Remus. And James too." he added.
Lily ignored the last part, but seemed uplifted nonetheless. Suddenly she frowned. "What?" Sirius asked. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Lily said, not meaning it "It's just, maybe I'm not the only one with a traitoress friend."
Sirius paled. "You're not suggesting-" he choked.
"You can never be too safe." Lily said, closing eyes and taking deep breaths. "You can go. Tell Remus I forgive him and...that I'll be more cautious around Severus."
"Thank you, Lily. Trust me, you'll only be safer for it." He said, relieved.
"And thank you as well, Sirius." Lily said as he headed towards the front door.
Going onto the porch she watched her eldest daughter fondly as she played with her bare feet. "Sirius!" she called as his motorcycle took of, gaining height by the second. "Tell Harriet I love her!"
Sirius was almost higher up then the house now. Turning back to look at her for a second he replied. "Harrie will be informed, your youngest is in good hands!" and then he was gone, just a speck in the sky.
"Thank you." she whispered to no one in particular. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
"Tank yooo!" Shulazar repeated in the way toddlers do "Tank yooo, tank yoo!"
"I love you, Shula." Lily whispered "Mummy loves you."
That's when he appeared in front of her. A long black cloak covered his robes, little protection from october's chill, and it smelled strongly of herbs. He turned towards her, a piece of silky cloth in his hand going between silver and camouflaged. Lifting up his hood, he just stood there, staring. Lily stared back, flaming red hair rippling in the wind. Shulazar broke the silence. "Who? Who?" she babbled, pointing at the man.
"You lied." He said softly.
"And you were spying." Lily replied, then laughed bitterly "Like when we were kids."
The potions master didn't reply. "Severus," Lily started "I-"
"He left you." Snape said, voice getting louder. "You said he was hiding Harriet, you called him brave."
"Severus," Lily repeated.
"With each day the dark lord gets closer to finding you, and with each day he gets closer to safety. He's more of a coward then Wormtail. James Potter does not deserve you" He spat "Yet, you still love him."
"I do not-" Lily objected.
"You do, I see it in your eyes. You of all people should hate him, but you don't. You're mad, but that anger melts away every time you look at his child." Snape looked down at Shulazar and Lily turned her away from him. "He is the reason for the fear in your eyes yet with every shiver, every nightmare, every cry of your daughter, you despise him less."
"Don't read my mind." Lily said, standing up to leave.
"I know you. I've known you long before that cat among pixies. And all that time," The potions master's voice broke, and both adults were crying "All that time, I've loved you more than he ever could. Yet you hate me in place of him."
"That's not true!" Lily argued. "Not true at all."
"Then why do you lie. You lied to me, to protect him." Severus said "Don't deny it. I saw you and Sirius talking. Were you really going to let him turn you against me. You've never returned my feelings, but I thought we were friends."
"Sev, this is childish. You're scaring Shula." Lily said, forcing her tears to stop in order to dry her daughter's.
"Is this child to be the death of you?" Snape asked, shaking his head. "Those muggle parents wouldn't throw away their lives like this. They are alive and happy, and so is their daughter."
"Sev, what are you talking about?" Lily's emerald green eyes shone with fear and betrayal, making Snape's heart shatter.
"I'll kill him, and you can have your other daughter." Snape pleaded "Imagine it. Life in the Malfoy Manor. We can raise Harrie in a safe place, and the dark lord will teach Shula. She'll be as smart as you, Lily. And I can't promise you'll see her everyday, but she'll be close. Get a job at Hogwarts, when she's eleven you'll see her everyday again."
Lily clenched her fists. Kissing Shulazar on her amber, scarlet, and black hair she stood up to stare down her childhood friend. She didn't see the boy who taught her about her magic. That she was a witch, and that was a good thing. She didn't see the boy who told her about the magical school in a castle, the boy who helped her become ready and eager for her letter to arrive. She didn't see the boy who was her friend, when her sister wasn't, who stood up for her against his other friends. She saw the boy who called her a mudblood, and killed people because his friends did it too. She saw the man who wouldn't listen, who followed You-Know-Who just because of the house in which he was sorted. She saw the death eater, who's answer to things was always violence. She saw Severus Snape through the eyes of James, and Sirius, and Remus. She saw a villian. A villian who must be stopped.
"You are not secret keeper. You are not my friend. Go, Severus. Leave." Lily went inside and slammed the door.
Outside, the wind picked up further, and the sapling by the road snapped, and fell. Thunder clouds formed, and death eaters apparate onto the porch. Snape was wearing a pained expression, but Lily was focussed on one thing; Shulazar's safety. Running deeper into the house, she wracked her brain for a way out of this mess, and found none. The death eaters could apparate into the house, but Lily was unable to disapparate out. Scratch that, Lily could apparate out, but it seems she couldn't take her daughter with her. This must be Severus's doing, she thought angrily, then, I wish James was here. The death eaters were in the house, according to one of Sirius's cousins, You-Know-Who was on his way. "Lily, don't do this!" Snape shouted from a different room "Your chances are running out, please, THINK!"
Reaching a dead end, Lily pulled out her wand. Finding it to have snapped in her pocket, she cursed, and blocked the door the muggle way. They were in Shulazar's room, and the door lacked a traditional lock. Setting down her daughter, Lily pushed the bookshelf against the door. There were footsteps approaching, Lily groaned. Wiping sweat off her brow, she started to move the bed. There was a loud knocking and banging on the other side of the door. Grunting, Lily finished pushing the bed in place. She heard Bellatrix laugh. "You won't keep us out long." she snarled "Snape, care to do the honors?"
His tone was flat, betraying no emotion. "Naturally." She heard him pull out his wand "Bombarda!"
Lily had a second to move. Grabbing Shulazar she ran two steps away from the door as it was blasted down. Books flew everywhere, and Lily, having been knocked from her feet, rolled to escape the damage. Emptying out a bin of toys, she grabbed a blanket from the wreckage and plopped Shulazar into it. Whispering to her child to be silent, she blocked the bin with her own body, and stood up. Weaponless, alone, and desperate. Lily faced her death, and prayed for her daughter.
One by one the death eaters emerged from the rubble. Second to last was Snape, trailed by a cloaked woman, the only death eater still in a mask. In the front Bellatrix smiled, all teeth, and moved over to let her master take the lead. Biting her tongue, Lily forced herself to look at him. His bald stark white head bore red slitted eyes and his nose was two gashes. Not quite human, not human at all, the heir of Slytherin looked more like a snake than a person. Just the very thought of him brought fear to the mind, and Lily was looking right at him. When Voldemort wanted to kill you, you were dead, and Lily wanted to die brave. Channeling her inner nymph she felt Gryffindor bravery coursing through her veins. Voldemort pointed his wand at her, and only then did she close her eyes. She would not cry, she'd stay strong for Shula. For herself. Voldemort said something, but it wasn't a curse.
"Open your eyes, mudblood." He hissed.
Her eyes fluttered open. His wand was still pointed at her, at her heart. Any second, and she's be dead. "Where is your child?" He asked, not demanded.
Why is Shula always their target? She thought Will she ever know the feeling of peace? "You will never have her." Lily said to him, then for Shulazar she said "Voldemort will never take her. Once I am dead Voldemort will have nothing else of mine to take!"
Her words had the effect she meant them to. Bellatrix almost killed her right there, but Voldemort stopped her. "No one will kill besides me. Do you dare say my name, Potter?"
It's Evans, now, I guess. The thought made her sad, but she pushed it away. She was going to die, and it was the least of her worries. Head high she said, "I won't budge. Leave or kill me, I don't see what you'd gain from killing me, but my daughter will live and die good. You are not welcome here so I suggest you-"
"Avadakadra!"
She didn't feel pain. Her life didn't pass by her eyes. She was never dying. One moment she's there, then she's gone. Outside of her blank conscious a man said something about staying to clean up. Lord Voldemort scooped up the child, and the death eaters were gone. All who remained were Snape and his companion. Taking off her death eater garb, her cloak was white and red, those of a healer. Her wispy grey hair was bound with a flowy white hat. She let out a cry of dismay upon seeing Lily's limp body. "I can't read her mind, Poppy, I'm getting nothing from it. No memories, no thoughts, nothing. Her mind is a hollow oblivion...but it's there."
Madam Pomfrey's voice was stern, but filled with sadness more than anything. "The nerve, Severus. To make me stand and watch as my patient's murdered, then ask me to heal her." She felt Lily's wrist, and gasped "Her heart is beating" she said disbelievingly.
"W-what?!" Snape spluttered.
"She should be dead, and almost is. She has no conscience. No memory. Her brain is barely working, and her lungs are empty, but not aching for air. Yet her heart beats on. Is this a Nymph thing?" She asked.
"I don't know" Snape said, breathless "Can you save her?"
"No one's ever survived that curse. There is no cure for death. Hold your hippogriffs," she reassured him "I didn't say I couldn't do it. I don't know if I can, but I'll try.
"Anapneo! No she's not choking. Reparifors...Maxima? Is death a major version of being paralysed? Ugh, I can't heal her if I don't know what she's dying, or died, from!"
"She died from death itself." Snape said.
"How does that- Give me your cloak!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed.
"My… What?" Snape asked "Is she cold?"
"No, the invisibility cloak. Let me see it" Snape passed it to her, confused "Yes, this is it. The Deathly Hallow. The cloak that hid from death. Did James give you this?"
Madam Pomfrey laid the cloak over Lily's almost-corpse. "No, I found it in Dumbledore's office." Snape said honestly.
"You know," Madam Pomfrey said, the stress catching up to her "I really should report you scoundrel. Now, for this to work I think we need a spell...but there isn't one."
They sat and thought for a bit. Staring at his love, the person who's murder attempt he'd aided. Then a lightbulb went off in his head. "Then make one." He suggested.
"What?" She said, shocked, but pleased at the idea.
"I've done it before. Spells are easy. It's the attempt behind them that matters, more than the science." Snape said, thinking hard, excited "Try a latin word, all the spells have latin roots, it seems."
"Um, g-e-n-t-e-m. It means revival I think." Madam Pomfrey suggested.
"Okay, how's it pronounced?"
"No idea!" The nurse started to break down, they had seconds left "Severus, we've killed a nymph! You-Know-Who lives on. How do we get out of this hell?"
"Nymph...nymph, hmm." Snape snapped his fingers in triumph. "Try a greek word."
"Oh, Ooh, what about…'Fotiá elpída'" Madam Pomfrey suggested.
"What does that mean?" Snape asked.
"Well, I can't confirm it. I only now a handful of words from other languages, as a nurse I feel I must, but I think it means, "Fire Hope"." She explained "Anyway, my heart's in it, if that's what counts."
"That's perfect." He said, and pointed his wand at Lily's unbreathing chest "Fotiá elpída!"
Nothing. Then, a breath. Lily was breathing. It had worked.