Harry grunted as he landed in the next memory. He took a moment to gather himself, wiping the tear tracks from his face, before looking around.

To his shock, he found himself in Dumbledore's office. Everything was kind of stilted, as if he was smaller and looking up to a great height. Harry peeked around and found a rat hidden in the gap between two bookshelves, a lemon drop firmly clasped in its little paws. It seemed like he'd snuck in for a treat, but had been unable to make his escape in time.

Now, Harry had never been a fan of rats – for rather obvious reasons – but he had to admit that Wormtail was actually pretty cute. A soft mousy brown, silky layer of fur covered his body, flecked with white; almost as if someone had taken a toothbrush, dipped it in white paint, and ran their thumb over the bristles, resulting in a random pattern of spots. Right between his ears, however, was a symbol curiously shaped like a candy wrapper twisted at the ends, and Harry guessed that this was his animagus tell. The picture was completed by soft, slightly wet chocolate brown eyes and an adorable pink nose, and Harry just wanted to pick him up and coo over him.

That was, until he noticed that Peter was trembling almost violently, and scrunched up as far as he could into the corner.

Harry whirled around, and noticed two people. One, the Headmaster, sitting benevolently behind his desk and sucking one of the aforementioned lemon drops happily, twinkling at one James Potter. But James – his father – was nothing like the pictures that Harry'd been shown during his early childhood. James' face was twisted into an ugly sneer, his eyes glinting with malicious cruelty, and his hair obviously styled with about a pound of hair gel. Apparently, James' tousled hair wasn't natural, like Harry's.

"Where the fuck is that bitch?" James snarled, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

"Calm down my boy, Lily Evans shall be here soon. Everything shall work out in the end." Dumbledore hummed before popping another of the muggle sweets into his mouth.

James humphed. "It better. You promised me that mudblood whore, and I mean to have her. I can't believe that she chose that half-blood bastard over me." The hatred and fury contained in that vicious snarl had Harry flinching back violently.

"Yes yes." Dumbledore nodded. "I'm sure it's nothing but a mistake. I'm sure that Ms. Evans will come to see the error of her ways."

Somehow, the twinkle in those blue eyes didn't comfort Harry any. If anything, it, combined with James' malicious smirk, only succeeded in sending a cold chill down Harry's spine.

But before anything more could be said, the door opened, revealing a suspicious, red-headed Lily Evans and a – James snarled and leapt to his feet and Dumbledore frowned disapprovingly, although both had a satisfied glint in their eyes that told that this was exactly what they wanted, that all was going to plan – tall, regal, dark Severus Snape.

"What the fuck is slimy, greasy Snivellus here?" James yelled, pointing his wand furiously at the calm but dangerously armed Slytherin.

"Calm down my boy." Dumbledore then peered over his half-moon spectacles at Lily, completely ignoring the two men/boys facing off against each other. Then, his voice heavy with disappointment, he began. "Ms. Evans, I believe that I called this meeting in hopes of helping you in removing yourself from dark influences, but it seems as though he's got you firmly under whatever spell he's placed upon you, if you're not even allowed to visit your Headmaster without his approval and presence."

Lily's eyes widened and she jerked back. Her eyes flickered to the equally frightened Severus – though the only sign of emotion on his otherwise passive face was the glint in his onyx eyes – before they both whirled around and made for the door. But with a flick of Dumbledore's wand, the door slammed shut and locked itself firmly. And with another, Severus and Lily were firmly bound, their wands removed, to separate chairs.

"Let us go you fucking bastard! We're soul mates. Soul mates! And, for that matter, soul bonded, you meddling old fart!" Lily snarled viciously. "And even if we weren't, I'd never choose that self-righteous, egotistical, malicious, fucking two-bit loser toe rag!"

James snarled and backhanded Lily viciously, the Potter Ring on his finger catching the light and making a long, painful scratch on her cheek.

"LILY!" Severus yelled. He then turned his burning onyx eyes to James. The hatred, power, and pure fury caused Potter to take a step back. "Keep you fucking hands of my wife, you incompetent, imbecilic fool!"

But James just smirked, raised his wand, and said calmly, "But she won't be yours for long, Snivellus. Crucio."

Severus managed to withstand thirty seconds without making a sound, writhing and convulsing in his chair so violently that it fell over, not two inches from the frozen, horrified Harry.

"STOP! Please just stop!" Lily screamed, unable to hold herself back when her soul bonded began screaming in pain. A pain that was like white-hot knives stabbing all over his body, tearing him from the inside out and exposing him, making him bleed.

I was another minute – a minute in which both Severus and Lily screamed and Harry covered his ears, tears streaming down his face – another minute that Dumbledore just stood calmly by, quietly observing while sucking on one of those damned lemon drops – before James removed the curse.

The abrupt silence was nearly as deafening as the screams had been.

Severus trembled and took deep shuddering breaths from the floor while Lily sobbed silently in her chair, both of their wrists and arms raw from where the ropes chafed against their skin.

"Now," Dumbledore spoke, as if continuing a previous conversation and giving no sign that he was in any way effected by the previous actions of James Potter. "If you will be willing to cooperate, I trust that everything can be ironed out without much fuss. Please, sit down Mr. Potter." And James sat comfortably, arrogantly, in the seat the headmaster indicated.

"Please…" Lily sobbed. "Please… let us go… leave us alone… We're happy; can't you see that? Can't you just leave well enough alone?"

James smirked, taking malicious pleasure from the red-head's pleas. He mocked them, pretending to contemplate it for a moment, before shaking his head in mock sorrow. "Sorry Lily-flower," Both his condescendingly worried tone and use of the intimate nickname caused the still-trembling Severus to snarl in rage. "But I'm afraid we can't do that. You see, you're not really happy. You're under a spell, or most probably a potion, so you really can't be trusted with your own feelings. But don't worry," And here, he leaned forward, and tenderly stroked Lily's face, only to slap her when she tried to bite him. "You won't be held responsible for your current actions. We're going to free you."

Both Lily and Severus gaped at him, wondering if he was really that desperate, that obtuse. But, looking towards the Headmaster, and seeing no hope of assistance there, they knew that he was- they were. And Severus couldn't help but wonder, what the old coot's motivations were, what he wanted.

But that was something that he'd spend the next decade pondering and brooding over; but at the moment, all other thoughts were driven from his mind when the Headmaster pointed his wand at him.

"I know that this half-blood has placed you under Dark influences, Lily, and after extensive research in the Potter Library, that James was only too helpful and eager to provide, I've found the most suitable solution to both free you and punish Mr. Snape for his most heinous act."

Dumbledore waved his wand, and the binding vanished. A few more and Severus was chained spread-eagled to the floor. The Headmaster then stood and began rummaging in one of his many cupboards as James pulled out an ancient book and began drawing a circle around Severus' prone, snarling, swearing form; sketching runes and symbols around the circumference. As soon as he was done, James moved and stood over the scowling Severus, smirking victoriously. He then leaned down and tore open Severus' shirt, revealing toned abs and pectorals.

"Pathetic." He muttered, before spitting in Severus' face and giving him one last kick in the ribs, "For old time's sake." He said.

By this time, the Headmaster had returned, bearing with him a silver and emerald chalice. When Severus' eyes widened, Dumbledore smirked- an expression that the frozen Harry had never seen upon the once-thought benevolent face- and nodded. "Yes, this is Slytherin's Chalice. You see, while Salazar possessed a great many talents, binding rituals was probably one of his least recognized. But this cup was used in a great many ceremonies- from blood adoptions to marriages to soul bindings. But the most important to what we're doing here would be… the master/slave bond."

Despite the fear in his eyes, Severus scowled up at the Headmaster. "Even if you did that, even if you became my 'Master', you couldn't interfere with my soul bond with Lily. Nothing has the power to interfere with soul mates."

Dumbledore, to Severus' shock, just nodded in agreement. "Of course you're right my boy. But you see, there's an ancient law that says that a man can only serve two masters, two bonds. One for me, and one for Lily. But you see, there's another man wandering around, marking and branding people," He smirked at the rapid paling of the Slytherin's face, and James cackled. "And I hear that he'd been coveting a Potions Master… And, of course, the oldest bond, the soul bond, will not accept you serving two masters… and the terrible curse that you've used to bind Ms. Evans to yourself will be broken."

"NO!" Lily shrieked, startling all the men in the room (evil, bound, animagus, and future alike). "YOU CAN'T! PLEASE DON'T, YOU JUST CAN'T! PLEASE, I LOVE HIM, HE'S MY SOUL-BONDED, MY HUSBAND! PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Please…" She sobbed and begged, until James rolled his eyes and cast a silencing charm on her. It was heartbreaking for Harry to watch his mother sob in the corner, cry and plead, yet make no sound.

Both Dumbledore and James turned back to Severus, completely ignoring the sobbing muggle-born bound behind them. And, for the first time, Severus allowed himself to show fear. "Please… please don't." But Severus knew, it would do no good.

"Believe me, child, that I am truly sorry that I was unable to save you from the Dark. But this is merely the first step to redeeming yourself." And Dumbledore raised his wand, and began chanting:

Liga et catenarum Severus Snape animam Albus Dumbledore umero cum invisibilis Salinator

Severus arched up off the floor, screaming as his aura- a purple so dark that it was nearly black- rose up out of him and connected to Dumbledore's wand and his shoulder. Mixed with the ugly, infection-green aura of the Headmaster, it burned and scorched the flesh of Severus' shoulder. An image of black flame was revealed before it vanished, now invisible to the naked eye.

Lily Evans occultum sub vinculo anima eu libero nisi mors mortis

James leaned over and focused on the flower-shaped bond-mark that had appeared once Severus and Lily acknowledged each other as mates. He took out a knife and slashed an 'X' straight through the faint mark, ducking quickly as Severus yelled again as the red and gold and silver chord of his and Lily's bond appeared in the air, linked between Severus and the shrieking, still-silent Lily.

Harry actually threw up as he watched the Headmaster's aura join with the bond, the sickly, virus-like tendril weaving through the bond.

Obsequio erga aeternum Albus Dumbledore

"NO!" Severus screamed as the Latin leaked through his pain and terror-wracked mind.

"Yes!" James cackled in glee, leaning forward to lick the tears from Severus' cheeks before spitting in his face again.

Mors aeterna obligari iuramento infrangibile

"No…" Severus sobbed. He turned towards Lily, linking eyes with her for what would be, for them, the last time. "I'm so sorry Lily-flower… I love you, I'll always love you… Remember our fire…"

Severus barely saw Lily mouth back to him, 'I love you too', before James moved and blocked the sight of his love, still beautiful even now, flushed with tears and pain.

Ita anima in sanguine fiat simper

With this final incantation, James forced Severus' right hand over his heart. The Headmaster leaned over and placed his hand over Severus', before stabbing his wand through both, straight through to Severus' heart. The magic flared and sparked as Severus screamed in pain and convulsed, and Harry threw up again in horror.

Then, everything was silent. The only sounds in the room were Severus' shuddering, gasping sobs. The only magic in the room was the link between Severus and Lily, though Harry knew that only Dumbledore and himself could see it; since they could see magical currents and auras. It was pulsing sporadically, and Harry watched in disgust as the sick tendril of Dumbledore's forced vow attempted to strangle it. But the soul bond fought back, remaining firm.

Suddenly, James burst out laughing. Lily, Severus, and Harry flinched at the sudden sound. But the Headmaster merely stood after wiping his wand off on Severus' robes, as though to remove filth.

"Stand back James," The Headmaster ordered, and James obeyed without a word, grinning like mad. "This next part's extremely sensitive. Then we can proceed with freeing your bride."

Severus' eyes widened and flickered to Lily, who'd started sobbing again. But, as soon as his eyes and thoughts alighted on his love, Severus winced slightly.

Dumbledore noticed. "Anytime that you think of, speak to, or look at Ms. Evans, you will feel unimaginable pain. The Bond won't take effect until the curse that you used to link yourself to her is completely broken. For that, we shall need one more person. James, fetch him."

Potter practically skipped to the next room, and Harry had never felt more ashamed of sharing blood with another person- not even Voldemort. But soon, all too soon, James returned, dragging an unconscious Lucius Malfoy. Harry barely had time to think that he looked remarkably like an older Draco before James tossed him down beside Severus and moved to unlock his chains.

No sooner had the first arm and leg been freed than Severus grabbed James' hair and kneed him in the face, before slamming his face into the stone floor. While he was dazed, Severus stole his wand and unlocked his other limbs. All this within a second.

But before Severus could free Lily, Dumbledore spoke one word, "Stop."

And just like that, Severus was frozen. The wand dropped from his limp fingers. James stood up and punched Severus in the nose, breaking it, before kicking him in his loins.

But still, besides a muted grunt, Severus remained frozen.

Dumbledore moved over, shaking his head in disappointment. "Severus Severus Severus… I'm very disappointed." And with that, he placed his hand on Severus' shoulder, right over where the invisible brand lay. But, what should have been a merely a motion to restrain a respected pupil, turned into a form of torture and Severus shrieked and collapsed at Dumbledore's feet, clutching his shoulder convulsively.

Dumbledore just stepped over the shaking Slytherin disinterestedly. He grabbed a chair- the same one that had restrained Severus only moments earlier- set it down in front of Severus and the stupefied Lucius, and looked down at the trembling boy gazing up at him with onyx eyes filled with betrayal and hatred and contempt.

But that didn't matter to Dumbledore, since the black-haired half-blood would obey him anyway.

"This is what you are going to tell the Dark Lord." He ignored Severus' horrified gasp. "You and Mr. Malfoy were spying on me giving an interview to Sybil Trelawney, who gave her very first prophesy tonight in the Hog's Head. But, unfortunately, by fool brother Aberforth saw you spying and, after stupefying a resisting Lucius, kicked you out of the pub after only hearing half of it. Hoping to use this information as a ticket to the inner circle, you convince Mr. Malfoy to take you to Voldemort so that you can inform him of the prophesy. This is all that you heard:

'The one with the Power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…

Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…'

Now, no such prophesy exists, but no one outside of this room will ever know that."

Harry collapsed against the book shelves, trembling in horror. He dry heaved a couple times, but there was nothing left in his stomach to expel. In his shock-numbed mind, he briefly wondered where the vomit went while he was in the pensieve. He immediately expelled that thought from his mind as unimportant.

He looked down and saw that the violently shaking Wormtail was suffering from the same problem of having nothing left in his stomach.

Meanwhile, the Headmaster continued. "Now, you are going to Floo with Mr. Malfoy to the abandoned apartment behind Hog's Head, and then go directly from there to Voldemort's hideout. After telling of the prophesy, you will become a Death Eater. This act of taking another Master with effectively break the bond with Ms. Evans, as you cannot serve more than two Masters." Severus, Harry, and- silently- Lily, sobbed in horror and anguish. "You will then be my spy in the inner circle, reporting only to me. Voldemort will be unable to see anything that has transpired here in your mind, and after you've accepted the Mark, no one will believe your innocence. I will then hold the only key to your 'freedom'. Oh, and the best part," The leaned forward gleefully, as if to tell of one of his best ideas; and the motion was so similar to Harry that he dry heaved again. "I've planted the exact memories in Mr. Malfoy's head that I've just told you. You are forbidden from telling the truth, and Mr. Malfoy knows nothing of the truth."

Severus was horrified, hardly breathing. He frantically searched for anything, anyone, to help him, but there was no hope. He looked down and noticed Lucius' bare forearm. "WAIT!" He yelled in desperate hope. "Lucius has no Mark… how would he know about the Dark Lord's hideout? This plan does you no good." Severus slumped in momentary relief; that is, until the Headmaster's next words.

"Ah yes, of course. You see, as I was sifting through Mr. Malfoy's memories, I found out that his father, Abraxas, is forcing him into accepting the Mark this evening. Mr. Malfoy was spending one last evening with his best friend before being forced into servitude, before you 'stumbled' across the prophesy. Oh yes, Mr. Malfoy is as much a pawn in this as you are, my boy." Then, voice ringing with authority and demand, Dumbledore gave his order.

"All that I have told you since the ritual, you will do. Everything, to the letter, and you are not allowed to tell anyone about this evening."

"NOOO!" Severus screamed in pain, denial, heartache; but it did no good. All there knew that he would have to obey.

And, as James cackled in the background, Dumbledore ordered, "Go, now. The address is Number 13, Hog's Way, Hogsmeade."

And Severus stood, tears streaming down his face, and grabbed Lucius before dragging him towards the Floo. But, as he passed the sobbing Lily, he dropped his blond friend and, ignoring the pain, sunk his hands in Lily's fiery-red hair and leaned down into a passionate, teary, desperate, final kiss.

For one final moment, they were connected, soul bonded, eternal; before James snarled and shoved him away from Lily. "Get going, Snivellus."

Severus gave one last, lingering, longing look towards his emerald-eyed angel, before once again dragging Lucius to the Floo.

A chocked address, a flash of green flames, and a broken sob from Harry, and Severus was gone.

The bond continued pulsing from Lily, now pointing towards Hogsmeade. But now, it was flickering, weak, anguished, as though it knew that, soon, it would be broken, shattered, extinguished.

But the pain, the horror, was not done.

As James turned a lascivious smirk on Lily, who shuddered, Dumbledore turned his wand on the trembling red-headed muggle-born.

"Now, Ms. Evans, to completely free you from Dark influences and tie you to your true love." And, as one, both unheard and silent, Lily and Harry screamed in denial and pain.

A/N: Sorry, this was getting pretty long and I wanted to award your boundless patience with at least half of this memory. Believe me, this is the mild part. The second half is much worse, and horrible, and explains how Harry comes to be, and how so many can think that Lily went from calling James an arrogant toe-rag to marrying him. And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about cute, poor Peter. He will play a part in all of this. Keep reading, and reviewing. It really helps me write faster. If you don't, I'll think that you don't like my writing, and what a horrible tragedy it would be if I lose inspiration and stop. xP xD

Anywho, I know you all are wondering, so here's the translation to the ritual that Dumbledore used:

Bind and chain Severus Snape soul to Albus Dumbledore with an invisible brand on his shoulder

Lily Evans soul bond kept secret under painful death freedom only upon death

Eternal obedience and loyalty to Albus Dumbledore

Eternal Unbreakable Oath bound by Death

By soul by blood so mote it be