Lily kept looking outside the window impatiently.
She was already dressed even though it was still one hour before the meeting.
The letter she received two days ago was on her lap..
Dear Lily, Furthermore, following your latest correspondence expressing your concern about Mr Snape's affiliations, I have sent him a similar request hoping that both of you will be able to help me in the task at hand. If you and your parents agree we could arrange me retrieving both of you from your house at 10.00 p.m. With my Best Regards,
I would like to ask you the favor of escorting me to an important meeting on July 19th at 11.00 pm. The man we are going to visit is our prime candidate for the position of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year at Hogwarts and your feedback would be most appreciated.
Muggle clothing will do, however if you want you may also bring magical apparel.
Please, kindly send your reply back with the same owl the soonest possible.
Albus Dumbledore
She had read it more than 10 times so far. The first time she had swollen with pride and her cheeks were really hot when she had gone downstairs to announce her parents.
Of course Petunia would be missing again, but her parents were more than proud of their daughter's news. They considered meeting the man they had heard all about the last four years as a great honor.
Two days later though, she was really curious.
Why would Dumbledore want her to help him choose a teacher? The more she thought of him, the greater a mystery Albus Dumbledore was.
She looked outside the window again and her heart jumped. A boy of 15 years was walking at the side of the road looking gloomy. His pace had an excited spring though.
She quickly opened the window.
"Severus!" she exclaimed.
The boy stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her. She waved wildly and he waved back somewhat reluctantly.
With a jump, she was out of bed and marched to the door of her bedroom.
Running smartly down the stairs she passed her bewildered looking father climbing up with his cup of coffee on his hands.
"Lily sweetheart, what.."
"Severus is here!" she exclaimed.
"Ah.. bring him in, your mom has made cookies!"
Lily went to the front door of Privet Drive nr 4 and opened it.
Severus was standing next to the mangolias looking awkwardly towards the house.
She stopped breathless.
"Hey Sev!"
The boy looked at her seriously. His muggle clothing was sloppy as always, but his hair were well washed and he had made a serious attempt to tie them in a ponytail.
"Hello Lily" he said nodding briefly. His eyes though were warm.
She looked at him.
"Nice hair" she praised.
"Ah this.." he said blushing briefly "It's nothing really.."
"Well I think that you should tie them more often. It's more elegant"
"Y..you think so?" he said looking back at her hopefully and then returning his gaze to the mangolias.
She nodded smiling kindly.
"You look good also" he said blushing even more now.
"Thank you Sev! That was very sweet of you!" she beamed.
" And here goes Lily, making sure that I get redder than the Gryffindore banner.." said Severus sarcastically looking at her with a challenge on his look.
She looked at him awkwardy. A moment of silence. Then it happened.
Both children burst out laughing heartily.
"Come on in, my mom's made cookies" said Lily breathlessly grabbing his hand.
Severus jerked his hand slightly without letting go though.
"I'd rather not.." he mumbled.
"But why, they…ah" she looked inside and saw Petunia looking at them from the window. When her older sister noticed Lily looking at her, she left closing the curtain behind her.
"She's really annoying that sister of yours" said Severus sourly.
"Now Sev, please! I mean.. Yes, she is a bit bitter..but she is my sister!"
And she knew so well about Petunia being bitter. Even though she wanted to blame Severus for her behavior, Petunia's attitude had changed to being frosty during the last summers.
" I know.. Makes me lucky, having no siblings, right?" said Snape raising an eyebrow as if challenging her to reply.
She sighed and sat at the stairs.
" It's just.. I really want us to be close, but she is pushing me away.. As if.. As if she wished we weren't sisters any more.."
Severus sat by her and rubbed her arm. She didn't complain.
"I understand" he said hesitantly. "But.. leave her be for now.. She will eventually find out that you are wonderful.. Everyone does…"
She gulped and looked at him with watery eyes.
"Oh Severus" she said and hugged him tightly.
The boy looked surprised but welcomed the hug.
After a fashion, she let go. He seemed to twitch but quickly regained his composure. His gaze had softened now.
"So.." he said, his voice more solid than before "why do you think Dumbledore wants us with him?".
'Always to the point' she thought of him.
"I don't know" she said averting her gaze from him. "But I am excited about it! I mean, we are going to help him choose a professor!" she exclaimed.
"Are we?" he said suspiciously. " I think that there is something more there.."
"Severus! Can you stop being wary of everyone around you?" she said strictly.
"I .. I am just saying that Dumbledore always seems to have a plan behind his actions" he mumbled.
"Yes.." she said looking absent mindedly at the empty road.
" At least, we don't get to have the likes of Potter and Black with us" he said with a smile curving on his face, as if celebrating a small personal victory.
"Come on Sev, when will you understand that they…"
"They are arrogant, bullies, and especially Pot.."
"Please stop! I have told you! I don't want anything to do with them! But they are not as evil as you claim they are!"
"But..but Potter wants you!" spurted out Severus.
"So what if he does!?" she said her voice getting louder and her cheeks redder. " The muggle boy on the other block might fancy me too, does it mean that I will have to fall for him?"
"N..No you are right.." he said taken aback. "But Potter is stalking you and… he doesn't like our being friends.."
She sighed. "Perhaps if you offered to reconcile?.."
"Never!" said Severus standing up abruptly, his eyes full of genuine hatred.
"Sev please!"
" You may see how good he is.. Gryffindore… Great Quiddich player… but he is arrogant and a bastard and."
" Now please!" she said standing up too. " He is an absolute total dunderhead!"
"...attention seeking arrogant bully w.. What?"
"A DUNDERHEAD Severus Snape! And you might be also if you kept talking without taking time to hear me!"
Severus lowered his head embarassed.
"Now sit down and promise not to talk of Potter or his cronies anymore today.. Please?"
Severus sat down embarassed.
"It's just that he is.."
"And what of your Slytherin "Friends" Sev?"
"What of them?" he said jerking his head.
"Sev! They are wicked! Avery and Mulciber! They are really evil. Don't you remember what they did to the Anderson girl last year?"
"Ah that was just for fun.. A joke"
"A joke?" said Lily. "Sev, this.." she looked around and continued with hushed tone " ..this is no joke.
Imperiusing a snake to attack her while in the bathroom? That's evil Sev, and illegal."
"They agreed it was a mistake" he said now looking annoyed. "But she had embarassed Avery during charms and.."
"Yes, but what they did was evil! Please Severus, you are a good man. How can hang out with such criminals to be? They want to become death eaters first thing after they graduate. They even say so openly!"
As Severus opened his mouth to reply, he quickly silenced as footsteps could be heard from behind the garden.
A few moments later, the tall and thin figure of Albus Dumbledore appeared.
They both turned to face him and remained looking at them transfixed.
Dumbledore had his hair tied in a ponytail.
His robes were replaced by a dark purple suit with a flamboyant orange tie and matching handkerchief. On his feet there were dark red shoes with pointy end.
" Lily, Severus! What a surprise to find you out here" he said pleasantly with the usual twinkle in his eyes.
Both children couldn't muster an answer.
He looked at them with a look of polite request. Lily was the first to recover.
"Professor Dumbledore!" she said.. "You a..we..we have never seen you again with muggle clothing!"
Dumbledore chuckled. " It has been a while since the last time I tried a muggle apparel, but I believe I have not lost my touch" he said pleasantly.
Severus snorted and Lily giggled. " Certainly professor" she said trying to recover her face in a more serious expression.
Before she ended her answer, though, the door opened and her father appeared from the doorway beaming at the children and the professor.
"Professor! You are most welcome!" he said.
Dumbledore smiled at the children and turned at the man.
"Mister Evans, the pleasure is all mine!"
"Please come in! My wife has made cookies!"
"Ah, my day has already become better!" Dumbledore smiled genuinely.
Severus and Lily rolled their eyes as they stood up.
" Children please come in!" said Mr Evans as the headmaster started climbing up the stairs to the front door.
Lily looked at Severus raising an eyebrow, and the boy shrugged unnerved following her inside.
The atmosphere at the Evans house was very warm, despite the awkward moment when Petunia refused to come down from her room and her mother stating that if she didn't do so, she would not let her go to her planned summer trip with her best friend in Ireland.
Severus was standing by the window trying to become one with the curtains. Lily and Petunia were sitting on the sofa with Lily peeking glances both at her best friend and her sister who was determined to ignore her all along.
Mr and Mrs Evans were engaged in a pleasant discussion with professor Dumbledore, which had started from Lily's extraordinary, as Dumbledore supported to Lily's embarassment, performance at Hogwarts and ended up in some wild gossip concerning the muggle and the magical government structure. The Evanses were amused to find out that the 67 year old Senior Undersecretary's young fiancee was found in the bedroom of the Head Auror and how the Daily Prophet got it all hushed up because the young lady was actually the chief editor's cousin.
"I have to admit that the cookies are delicious Mrs Evans" said Dumbledore lightly. " I am pretty sure that Petunia has inherited her cooking talent from you"
Mrs Evans smiled proudly and Petunia stood still with her cheeks flushing.
"How did you know?" she said.
"Petunia! Manners" said her father in alarmed tones.
"Isn't that obvious?" said Dumbledore inclining his head to Mr Evans. "Lily has spoken very fondly of your cooking when it came by last Christmas at Hogwarts."
"She has?" said Petunia looking at her sister disbelievingly.
Lily blushed and nodded. Her eyes were piercing Dumbledore.
Last Christmas Lily had spent the holiday at Hogwarts and there was this dinner with staff and students altogether. It was then when Lily discussed about her sister's attempts to assume a cooking mastery and that she had made great progress.
"Well then Petunia sweetheart, you should make some of your famous muffins and send them to the professor" said her mother kindly.
"But ..how will I send them?" Petunia asked brusquely while Severus snorted. Lily looked at him alarmingly and said "I can lend you Clovis".
"Excellent!" said Mr Evans before Petunia would deny. " Will Christmas do?"
"You definitely don't need to get into trouble." said Dumbledore inclining his head to Petunia.
"However, in case you will, strawberry is my favourite flavour" he concluded lightly.
The Evans, Lily and even Severus laughed at the final remark while Petunia nodded standing still and looking at the professor curiously.
"Now I am afraid time is making fool of us." said Dumbledore sitting up. " Mr and Mrs Evans I want to thank you for your permission to bring Lily with me. We will be back by early afternoon hopefully" he concluded.
"Not a problem at all" said Mr Evans standing up also.
"Where is the meeting taking place again?"
"Ah yes, I almost forgot. Brussels" said Dumbledore lightly.
"Brussels!?" said all the others in unison.
"Yes, but you don't need to worry about passports or anything else. I have it all arranged"
"But but..how will you"
"I assure you Mr Evans that the magical ways of transport can take us there in some minutes' notice" said Dumbledore serenely.
Lily's parents looked at each other exasperatedly but finally consented.
" Headmaster Dumbledore if we could have a word in private" said Mr Evans side-glancing Lily and Petunia.
Dumbledore nodded pleasantly.
"Now children, why don't all of you go outside? It is a glorious day" suggested Mrs Evans brightly.
"I am going to my room" said Petunia abruptly and turned to leave without another word.
"Petunia!" said her father.
The girl stopped at a start and turned to look at the rest. "B..Bye" she waved through gritted teeth at professor Dumbledore. When the old man inclined his head with a kind smile, she turned and departed.
"Come on Sev!" said Lily as she opened the door to the frontyard.
Five minutes later, Lily was sitting on the grass of the garden while Severus was sulking nearby the window trying to catch something of the discussion of the grownups.
"What could they possibly say?" he said irritably.
"Who knows?!" said Lily pleasantly. Her enthusiasm was radiating from her figure as she turned at her bag and reviewed the stuff she had brought with her.
The front door creaked open just in time when she ended her check revealing Albus Dumbledore saying final goodbyes with the Evans'.
The Headmaster walked down the stairs serenely and looked at the children with twinkling eyes.
"Are you ready Lily, Severus?"
"Yes" said Lily as she jumped to her feet.
Professor Dumbledore waited for Severus to come closer and then headed for the road humming.
The children started following him looking at each other strangely.
As soon as they were out, Dumbledore turned left and placed his hands in the pockets of his suit walking purposefully.
"So..professor, who are we going to visit?" asked Lily breaking the silence.
Severus looked at her nodding.
" We are about to visit Eric Pendragon" said the headmaster without looking behind him " He is currently the director of the IDA"
"IDA.." started Lily.
"The international defence association" said Severus matter of factly.
"Very much correct Severus" said Dumbledore pleasantly as they reached the corner of Privet Drive and they turned left to Wisteria Walk.
"But why would the director of the IDA want to teach at Hogwarts?" spurted out Severus before he could stop himself. Lily looked at him shocked.
" Alas, I think Eric wants to make a change of career. " said Dumbledore lightly turning to look at Severus.
"But.." said Severus eyeing Lily momentarily " his position is very high.. And in any case, how can we assess if he qualifies for the position?"
Lily looked at professor Dumbledore with the same question in her face.
The Headmaster nodded saying " Being skilled in a field doesn't imply that one can teach the relevant subject adequately as far as experience has shown us". He started walking again. " We are rather close".
The children nodded, however it was clear that Severus wanted to say more on the subject.
"Professor how are we going to travel to Brussels?" asked Lily after a fashion.
"It is quite .." started Dumbledore.
"An international portkey." Severus cut him. " Long range apparition is extremely difficult and even if it was possible we wouldn't need to leave the house to do it".
Lily looked at the boy impressed.
"You are correct again Mister Snape" said Dumbledore to a blushing but deeply satisfied Severus. "Ah here we are!"
The children stopped at a halt and looked around. The neighborhood was almost similar to Privet Drive.
"Professor what…" but Dumbledore was walking towards a small school bus parked nearby.
The bus was yellow and shiny and from what Lily could tell it could accommodate about ten students plus the driver.
" Now let me see" said the man as he placed a hand in his pocket. The two kids exchanged looks as they saw him retrieving quickly a set of keys.
"Yes this one" the man concluded as he opened the side door.
"Hop in!" said Dumbledore brightly.
The children got inside and sat at the frontmost seats.
Dumbledore got in last closing the door behind him and moved to the driver's seat.
" Professor…" started Severus determined to catch his attention. " Can you drive this thing?".
Dumbledore sat at the driver's seat and looked at the wheel and the gears with genuine interest. " Not at all my dear boy! But it doesn't hurt to try."
Lily rolled her eyes. No doubt, the wizard was excited.
"Great" mouthed Severus silently as he fastened his seatbelt as tight as he could.
Lily followed his example.
Dumbledore started trying the buttons before him.
Lily saw the professor studiously pressing each button and waiting to observe the reaction of the vehicle. Five minutes later, the car was still immobile.
"Professor you need to plug in and turn the key" Lily said letting out a giggle.
Severus rolled his eyes angrily.
"Excellent Lily." said Dumbledore happily. He turned the key and the car roared alive.
"Thank Merlin" said Severus.
"Now you need to release the handbrake..."
Soon enough, after a few further suggestions by Lily, the car was on the road and Dumbledore was trying his best to keep the engine on while driving slowly.
"Professor, where is the portkey?" asked Severus.
"We are sitting on it Severus" said Dumbledore as he took a right turn.
The children exchanged glances.
They now entered a quiet alleyway leading to a deserted garage.
The bus entered the garage.
Dumbledore drew his wand and with a flick, the garage door shut behind them.
"Just in time" he said.
The children looked around. Few moments later, the whole bus started glowing blue.
A bright flash of light emerged from around them and the passengers of the bus felt an abrupt tug behind their navel.
They traveled swiftly in a dizzying parlor of colors and in the blink of an eye, the bus landed with a thud at the center of a heliport.
Lily opened her eyes and Severus exhaled a long kept breath.
They looked outside the window and gaped. The heliport was on the top of a white skyscraper. The building was at least 50 meters tall and from outside they could see the whole city of Brussels.
"We have arrived" said Dumbledore pleasantly as he drew the handbrake and removed the key.
"Why did we have to get through all this? Couldn't we just wait somewhere until it got activated?" asked Severus exasperated.
"Alas" said Dumbledore rising from the driver's seat. " We certainly could. But we, wizards have to remember Severus: We may be gifted, but muggles have achieved aplenty which are not always clear to us as to how they work. Thus we shouldn't underestimate but understand them since we have decided to live among them." he concluded piercing the boy above his half-moon spectacles.
Severus didn't answer but Lily nodded wildly at her professor's remark.
Dumbledore smiled and drew his wand. With a flick, his apparel changed to a set of deep red robes embroidered with golden stars and a matching wizard's hat.
"You can use magic here" he said simply.
With another flick of his wand, the door opened and Dumbledore stepped outside.
Lily followed smartly behind him, her eyes fixed on the outstanding view.
Severus took some time and stepped out after a fashion dressed now in simple and freshly cleaned black robes clutching his wand in his left hand.
The girl looked at her friend approvingly as Dumbledore started pacing towards a stairway leading to a small white building, with a steel black door. A golden eagle knocker was placed on the black steel.
Dumbledore approached it. The kids followed.
Tapping with his wand the knocker, he spoke: " This is Albus Dumbledore bringing two guests. We are here to see mister Eric Pendragon after a scheduled appointment".
They waited for a fashion and then the golden eagle sprang alive.
"Welcome Albus Dumbledore. Please state the names of the guests" it spoke with a serious male voice.
"It is Lily Evans and Severus Snape, students of the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry"
The knocker replied "Please wait" and stayed immobile.
Moments later, it spoke again "Your request is valid. Please walk through the backdoor."
Dumbledore looked at the children with a smile.
"After me I suppose" he said and with a smart step he passed through the black door.
"Ladies first" cheered Lily, as Severus stepped aside in a mock theatrical movement.
The girl passed through and after a moment, Severus followed.
Immediately, they found themselves on the ground floor of a gigantic structure the roof of which was not visible with the naked eye.
Witches and wizards were pacing back and forth or discussing clustered in small groups, while a big reception desk was placed on their right hand. On the far left they could see a huge banner embroidered with golden slanting letters saying "International Confederation of Wizards" followed by a golden symbol.
Lily looked at the shape.
"It is the globe" said Severus with genuine excitement in his voice. "See the round thing? And the earth's axis is replaced by a wand."
Lily nodded. Her eyes looked hungrily around. It was the first time she saw such a major establishment full of grown up wizards and witches.
"Children" said Dumbledore.
They both turned their attention to the Headmaster. He was accompanied by a tall, green robed unshaven, balding wizard with round belly and a wispy mustache.
"Allow me to introduce you mister Carlo D'Ambrossio, our guide."
"Hello mister D'Ambrossio!" said Lily, whereas Severus nodded at the man.
The man looked at the children aloofly and nodded to himself.
"Welcome to the headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards. I will be taking you to your destination." he said with a heavy italian accent.
The children nodded in unison.
" Please can you draw your wands?"
The children obeyed and gave the man their wands. After making some quick checks (or 'probity probes' as Severus mumbled to Lily) he gave them back to them.
Then he started moving onwards.
"Carlo, do you forget something?" said Dumbledore with twinkling eyes.
"What.. Oh yes. Madonna mia!" said the man and stoped plugging his right hand in his pocket. After some frantic searching he retrieved two small badges with a pin on the rear. The cards read "VISITOR" in simple black writting.
"Please put them on" he said.
Lily and Severus put the badges on.
"Now follow me" he said as he started to walk towards the elevator at the other side of the floor.