Story idea received by: SlytherinBaby98.
The cloaked figure hovered, using the darkness to cover him, in Godric's Hallow. No one could see him, nor could they hear him. He was sure of that. Hidden in the shadows of the alley, he could see the house just ahead. Godric's Hallow was the home of many of the greatest witches and wizards to ever live. Albus Dumbledore was one that briefly came to mind. The reason he had come, however, stood firm. Lily and James Potter.
As Severus Snape understood it, they had just had a baby. A baby he had condemned to a life of being hidden away, hidden until the war was over.
Just as Severus stepped forward, a group of drunken Muggles, laughing loudly, appeared, limbering down the street. He drew back immediately into the shadows, not knowing if he had been seen. As the group of Muggles passed, so did Severus's pounding heart. What did he hope to accomplish? Profess his undying love for the witch and hope she left the bloke? No, it'd never happen. If anything, Severus would warn them that Pettigrew could not be trusted. Yes, that was exactly what he'd do.
Christmas music was playing inside as he found himself suddenly on their front stoop. Severus heard her laughing happily and his heart skipped, before dropping into his stomach. He hated to ruin the Christmas mood... but he had to. Her life was more important. Straightening his black robes, he knocked on the door. The music stopped.
"I'll get it," he heard Potter say.
Severus made sure his wand was well hidden as the door opened. "Happy... Snivellus?"
Severus chose to ignore the name. They were no longer children. "I need to talk to the two of you. It concerns your safety."
"How did you know we were here?" Potter snapped. A wand was suddenly pointed under Severus' chin, but the sallow man didn't flinch. He had expected it to appear sooner, if he was honest with himself. "Bloody hell, Sirius, if this is a joke-"
"It's not... I'm not Black," Snape said stiffly. "This is a matter of upmost importance." He closed his eyes to gather his thoughts, or to make peace with himself as he uttered his last word. "Please." He opened his eyes to see James Potter with narrowed brown eyes.
"I will not hesitate to curse you if you so much as move a toe out of line," James Potter snapped. The wand didn't move but the door opened wider and Severus was brought inside. The Potter home was clean, yet cluttered with decorations for the festivities. A bouncing baby boy could be seen in a playpen by the tree, waving around a toy broom and exclaiming in unintelligible shrieks. Lily Potter, herself, was standing apprehensively, her red hair tumbling down her shoulders. Her eyes widened upon seeing Severus Snape, and she glanced at James uncertainly.
She looked healthy, happy. It was better than Severus had seen her in a while. He hadn't seen her at all in a while. "What are you doing here?" She glanced at Severus again before looking to James. "Do put down your wand. He would have murdered us by now if he truly wanted to."
"Not like he still can't," James muttered. Severus supposed the man was right. "Right, then, wand, Snivellus?" Snape obliged, and the wizard placed it on the stand beside the couch, before sitting down. "Take a seat, Snivellus. Tell us why you decided to ruin our Christmas Eve."
"James, please," Lily scolded. She eyed Severus carefully. "Why are you here?"
"I know it's Christmas... I apologize. It isn't safe here."
"How do you even know where we live?" James demanded. "Which one of your spies told you?"
"None... Your friend, Pettigrew. He's a traitor. He's been telling the Dark Lord everything. I beg you, both of you, to leave. Find a new secret keeper, hide away." Severus swallowed as James seemed to turn a shade of red that wasn't pleasant.
"You're lying," James snapped. "Pettigrew isn't our secret keeper."
"Then how is he announcing your whereabouts to the Dark Lord in meetings?"
"Show your arm," James demanded.
"James, stop it! If... if they know where we are-"
"They don't know," James insisted. "How do you know this?"
"The Dark Lord was discussing the matter with Pettigrew. I overheard and thought to come here immediately. I apologize for barging in, but you need to know your location is revealed. Many other Death Eaters know your location as well. Pettigrew has a loose tongue and an eagerness to please. You must leave immediately, without delay." The apologies burned his throat, but he could ignore them because all he wanted was the safety of Lily. He would apologize a thousand times over just for her to take the precautions necessary.
"Does the Dark Lord have plans to arrive here?"
"Not now, but soon," Severus answered. "Within next year's end, no doubt. He only knows where you are. He doesn't know how to access the wards."
"And how did you?"
Severus gave his level, black gaze to James. "I'm more intelligent than you seem to think, and I helped Dumbledore put the wards in place."
"Then you very well could have told your Master where we were-"
"You know I can't, you blithering idiot. I placed these wards before the location was put under fidelis. That means that it is impossible to get to without knowing the secret from your secret keeper again - Pettigrew fixed that problem."
"It takes hours to disable the wards," Lily admitted. "Even if we do it, just to get in. How on earth did to manage to do that without setting off the alert?"
Severus glanced to the baby in the crib, rocking back and forth and sucking slobberly on its fingers. A disgusting child that he found no semblance of Lily in. Entirely Potter. Until the child looked at him, and he saw the beautiful green eyes that were identical to his mother. Severus glanced back to Lily, meeting the same eyes. "I put these wards in place. They won't react to me."
She glanced to James. "I didn't want to tell you about the warding issue... I knew how you'd get."
"You knew the sniveling snake would-"
"James-" Lily hissed, and she had the same look in her face as she did in school, whenever James would insult Severus. It made Severus feel that maybe they weren't as distant as they once were. She glanced to Severus and he felt his breath catch in his throat at the concern in her face. "You're certain we're in danger?"
Severus nodded once. "I wouldn't have come otherwise."
Lily swallowed. "James, take Harry and go to Dumbledore telling him what happened. I'm going to talk to Snape and get the information, and then I'll meet you there. Give me two hours."
James obviously didn't like that, and Severus was to shocked to even utter a word of protest. He couldn't stay that long. He was expected in a few hours at a rally.
"Absolutely not," James snapped. "I'm not leaving you alone with him-"
"If you think I can't protect myself, James, then you obviously don't remember Myanmar last summer." James huffed.
"That was a fluke," he muttered.
"I'll be fine," Lily insisted. "Take Harry and talk to Dumbledore. I think we'd make more progress in finding out information without you two exchanging insults." James pulled himself across the room, grabbing the drolling child from the playpen, before he approached Lily and Severus felt his stomach twist in disgust and nausea as James kissed Lily with fire and dominance. Like he was laying claim on her.
Like she was some object to be won.
When James disappeared, the two sat there for a moment in silence, before Lily stood. Severus stood immediately, as well. "Tea," Lily stated. "I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?"
"Please."
"Two sugars and a squeeze of lemon," Lily stated. And Severus blinked in surprise. But the smile Lily gave him was careful. "I remember." It was the first time they had been alone together in five years. And... Severus felt an overwelming pressure to make up for everything he did. So he said what he had said the moment she had run away.
"I'm sorry," Severus nearly breathed out. And she blinked at him, confused. "For... what I called you. I'm sorry. I ... I never meant it. Not really. I-"
"I know," Lily said quietly. "When I finally realized that, it was too late." Too late. He had joined the Death Eaters, revelled with them, had become brothers with them. All for the price of losing her. It wasn't a good price. It was the most expensive thing he had ever done - costing him everything he cared for, and giving him everything he hated. "Forgive me, Severus, for... being ... ridiculous back. I know you were upset, and that you never would have said it otherwise. James was being... awful to you, he always has been..." And even worse after the incident. But Severus had felt as though he deserved that abuse. He would have done it to himself without them. He deserved the humiliation and the pain for what he had said to Lily that day. Three seconds was all it took to ruin everything.
"I'm just so sorry-"
"I know," Lily interrupted. "I know what you did for us... and to us." Severus nodded, his eyes closing. She'd send her away. "And we're alive because of you. You may have put us in danger, but you also saved us. Begged Dumbledore to save us." Severus opened his eyes, and Lily was biting her lip. "No matter what, no matter how much was between us, you tried to mend it by risking your life to save us."
"Always," Severus said quietly.
Lily gave a small smile. "And you're still spying, for Dumbledore."
"If the Dark Lord ever gets here before I can warn you..." Severus sucked in a breath. "I've asked him to... to spare you-"
"Severus," Lily said in surprise. "That's... that can get you killed. I'm a Mudblood-"
"You're better than everyone," Severus interrupted. "Please, don't call yourself that." He cleared his throat. "I don't know if you'll take it. I don't know what he'll do to you or your family. But he will give you that option. And it will keep you safe."
"I'm not letting him kill my family, Severus."
Severus nodded. "I know," he said quietly. "I just... wanted you to have an option, should... should you need it."
"Because it's an option you never had," Lily said quietly. "An option I should have given you - instead of standing by while you swore your life to him." She approached him suddenly and gripped his hands. She was willingly touching him? Severus was quite sure he had died now. Potter had surely struck him dead upon sight, because Lily would never have touched him - not after what he said. But the vision in front of him seemed real and her small hands grasped his. "I'm sorry, that we weren't friends when we needed each other most."
"You're happy now," Severus said with a shrug, trying to put some distance between them. "That's all that matters."
"After all this time?" Lily asked him, and it seemed she was struggling to understand. "You've stopped loving me, even when you knew I loved someone else?"
"I couldn't. You are the angel and I'm the demon," Severus stated. "You will be remembered for doing something wonderful. And... I won't. I've accepted that. I've accepted that you won't love me like I love you. You won't forgive me for what I've done, not only to you but others. And I know that no matter what, you're better off without me." And while the words were words he had kept buried for nearly five years, they were sincere and he would only ever be sincere for her. No one else was close enough to him for that, no one else was allowed to be close enough to him for that.
"You silly man," Lily said in a watery chuckle. "I wasn't mad at you because I hated you. I was mad at you because you broke my heart." Oh, Merlin. That was worse. "You were my best friend, Severus, my only good friend. And I was helplessly in love with you when you called me that name. And it just tore my heart in two." Merlin, he wanted to get sick, to beg her to forgive him for doing that. Her heart was one of the purest things he had ever seen, and he had broken it before he even knew he had it. "I will always forgive you, Severus, because I love you."
"No, you don't," Severus stated simply. "You love Potter. And you'll live happily ever with Potter. You don't love me. Not anymore, at least." Lily swallowed, as if pained. "You can't stay here, Lily. You must move somewhere else that's safe. You must... or he'll kill you-"
"I thought you said that there was an option-"
"But I know you," Severus stated. "And I know that you would rather die than accept anything he offers you."
Lily seemed to agree. And Severus pulled her hands away from him. "I shouldn't be here. I need to go-"
"No, Severus, please-" he grabbed his arm as he turned towards their hall, and he froze immediately. "Please. It's been so long. Tea? Or... or maybe we can ... talk about what's going on in our lives? Or maybe we can play a game of chess. Like the old days. Something. Just don't go."
Severus hesitated. "I shouldn't. We've gone our separate ways-"
"You'll always be my best friend."
"And you'll always be mine."
"Then can we play chess? Can we forget about the war and the hatred and the pain for just... an hour?" Severus turned slowly and Lily looked wild. She was terrified, almost, that he'd leave. "I don't want you to back to him. But I know you have to. And I don't want you to leave, because, I'll never see you again." Severus frowned. "Congrats, on becoming a teacher," Lily said with a forced brightness that made him internally cringe. "You've always wanted to do something with Potions. And you got your Masters so quickly - but I wasn't really that surprised. You were always so far ahead of everyone." Severus swallowed at the almost frantic pace she was speaking, as if a single lull in the words would send him away. "And though you really aren't that fond of the kids at Hogwarts, I know you'll do great. And-"
"Lily," Severus interrupted.
"I know you'll be the best teacher those students have ever seen. You'll teach them everything practical that they need to learn, not those ridiculous things that Slughorn used to teach us. And you'll maybe find someone to start a family or-" She took a breath and seemed to catch her breath and she flushed, letting go of his arm. "Please don't go, Severus. You're the first actual person to visit in months."
"Where have Black and Lupin been?"
Lily shrugged slightly. "Missions for the Order." Oh. "They'll be back in the spring, Dumbledore says." Severus stared at her a moment.
"Chess and tea sound great."
She nearly sagged in relief. "Thank you. I'll go put the kettle on. Our chessboard is... around here somewhere." And while she disappeared to the kitchen, Severus found the chessboard buried under a few wrapping paper piles. He brushed them aside and began to set up the pieces, finding that it was Muggle.
Just like when they were little.
She was back so suddenly with tea that he nearly jumped in surprise to find her standing beside him. She passed him the cup and he thanked her quietly. "You don't know how good it is to see you," she admitted.
"And you."
She stared up at him a moment and the next thing he knew, she was giving him a light kiss. Merlin. This was... what the bloody hell was going on? Had he truly died? And when she seemed to realize he wasn't responding, she fell back onto her heels and her hand gripped his left arm to keep him from moving away. "I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have-" Maybe? But his gaze had dropped to her hand, and she followed it. "Oh... I understand."
"You were right," Severus admitted quietly. "I would down that path with no way out. I've done horrible things, Lily. Thinks that make me cringe just to even think about."
"I figured as much," she admitted, but her hand didn't move. "It's required, isn't it?"
"I've killed, and tortured and... I've - Merlin, Lily, I'm a monster."
"You're not a monster. You do good and back things, just like everyone. If you enjoyed the bad things, wouldn't that make you a monster? Not if you regret them."
"But I can't stop doing the bad. Or...-"
"Or you'll be killed. So much is riding on you not dying that I think it's safe to say you're stuck," Lily snorted. "You're not an idiot for being in love, Severus. And you're not a monster for doing what you can to survive." He let out a shaking breath, his tea forgotten as she stared at him with her green eyes. "I want to pretend that nothing has happened between us. Can we? And..."
"You're married, Lily. This can't happen."
"Severus, if I cared about that, I wouldn't have kissed you. James won't find out. Because if he does, I will hex you until you're blue." Severus knew the threat was real. "It will be our secret. Always."
Severus still was apprehensive. Kissing her while she was married was extremely wrong. And yet, that is one thing he had wanted to do for years. Had dreamed about for years. Longer than they had ever even split. "You're still married-"
"James won't find out," Lily promised. "It's just kissing."
But the kissing had turned to much more. And once they had snogged for a while, it had led to the bedroom, where it was definitely something entirely different than just kissing. They were showing each other how much love and feeling and emotions had been buried between them for the better part of twelve years. And they both were completely ignorant to the fact that they were on opposite sides of the war. None of it mattered, just for tonight.