Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply.
Chapter 6
Severus was waiting in the living room for Remus when he flooed in just before six. He brushed off the ash and then stepped out of the fireplace. He shook hands with Severus and said, "Thanks for helping me, Sev."
"You're welcome, Remus." Severus paused then said. "I told mum about your illness and she doesn't have a problem with it."
"I was going to tell her if you hadn't already." He looked around. "Where's Lily?"
"She's in the lab talking to mum." Severus answered leading Remus down the hall to the lab. Eileen and Lily turned as the boys entered the room.
"Mum, this is Remus Lupin. Remus, this is my mum, Eileen Snape."
"It's nice to meet you, Remus."
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Snape."
"Call me Eileen, Remus. Mrs. Snape makes me feel as if I'm ancient."
Remus smiled and said, "Okay, Eileen."
"We're going to be brewing a fever reducer potion tonight," Eileen said. As before she first showed them how it was done and then allowed them brew it on their own. She walked around answering questions and offering suggestions. She stopped to watch Remus and said, "You know, Remus, I just read in my potions journal that they are working on a potion for your condition. Not a cure, but a potion that would make transforming much less painful and exhausting, more like an Animagus transformation. Unfortunately, it's quite a bit down the road yet."
"And the Ministry's not helping with all their anti-werewolf legislation." Severus added. "They act like it's a voluntary condition not an illness."
"Most of that legislation is the product of one woman … Delores somebody." Lily said vehemently. "She must be a first-class bitch!"
"Unfortunately, people will always be afraid of what they don't understand," Remus said sadly.
When the potions were done brewing they were poured into vials and sealed then cleaned the lab. Eileen told them the next lesson would be at the same time the next evening. Remus thanked her and flooed home.
"Mum, I'm going to walk Lily home," Severus called. They walked the three blocks to Lily's home holding hands. Since there were no parents watching, Severus abandoned the chaste kissing. Lily sighed and leaned against him. "I wish we could have more time alone."
"Well, we can when we get back to school." He chuckled. "I guess we'll have to find some place private since we can't be doing this in the library. Madam Pince would throw us out on our arses if she caught us kissing."
"Some place where Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris aren't lurking not to mention Potter and his crowd of toerags."
Also the would-be Death Eaters' crowd," Severus added. "We'll have to figure something out."
They kissed again and Lily went inside. Severus walked home slowly thinking where at Hogwarts they could be alone, but nothing came to him. His mum was just heading up to bed when he came in the door. "I really enjoyed meeting Remus. He's a smart young man and should have a bright future ahead of him, but for his Lycanthropes."
"Why should you be discriminated against for something you can't help?" Severus shook his head.
"I don't know, Sev, but that's always been the way it is." She kissed him goodnight and went upstairs. Severus went into the lab, borrowed one of his mum's potion books, shut off the lights, and went upstairs. As was his usual custom he sent Aesculapius off with a note to Lily and waited for his owl to return with Lily's answer so of course he was quite surprised when Aesculapius returned with his note still attached. He took it off the owl then gave him a treat. "It's not your fault. I know you tried your best to deliver it, but Lily must be asleep and didn't hear you." He stroked his feathers then let him fly off to hunt. It continued to bug him and he slept restlessly because of it. He got up early, showered, and dressed then went downstairs to the kitchen. He took a bowl out of the cupboard and poured some of the dry cereal his mum kept on hand into the bowl. It was a mixture of whole grains, raisins, and nuts with maple flavoring. He poured milk over it, grabbed a spoon out of the drawer, and sat down opposite his mum. "If you need me to pick more herbs or plants just leave me a list."
"Thank you, Sev. I'll leave the list for you in the lab." She looked at him and said, "Now you want to tell me why you're up this early."
He shrugged. "Maybe I'm making too much out of it, but I owled Lily last night like I always do, but Aesculapius came back with my note still attached and it's never happened before. If she wasn't in her room, he would have waited for her. I don't know, but it isn't like her." He shrugged again. "Maybe she was sleeping and didn't hear him at the window."
"That could be, Sev, but you'll see her this morning, and I'm sure she'll have an explanation."
Severus slapped his forehead. "Today's Wednesday and you have your tea with the Potters, Blacks and Pettigrew's." He grinned. "I'll be waiting anxiously to hear how it turned out."
"Well, I don't intend to blow up the Potter's mansion or anything," She joked as and with a wave of her wand she and the breakfast dishes began washing themselves. "Oh! I had owled Mrs. Longbottom to thank her for her assistance at King's Cross, and I got an owl from her this morning inviting me to tea next week." She smiled mischievously. "I wonder if she's going to be wearing her hat with the vulture on it."
"It wouldn't surprise me, Mum," Severus, answered with a grin. After Eileen had left for work, Severus went back upstairs. He straightened up his room and made his bed. He tried not to worry about Lily, but he couldn't help it. He decided to walk over to the park early and wait to see if she was going to come or not. If she didn't he'd try owling her again. He walked quickly to the park and stopped short in surprise when he saw Lily seated on one of the swings. He approached quietly and sat down beside her. "Lily?" She looked at him then looked away again quickly, but not before he saw her eyes were red. "Lily, you've been crying. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Sev."
"If you're crying then there's something wrong." He pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "Come on and tell Uncle Sev what the matter is," He said in a soothing voice.
Lily burst into tears. "Tuney said she doesn't want me at her wedding!" She sobbed for a few minutes then said, "She told mum and dad she doesn't want me to come because she doesn't want Vernon's family to know she has a freak for a sister and she's afraid I'll do something to spoil her day."
"What did your parents say?"
"They told her she was being unfair to me, but she said it was her wedding and she had the right to decide who can come and who can't. I don't want them to have to choose between us so I told them this morning I wouldn't go." She sniffled and leaned against Severus.
He kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm so sorry, Lily. I knew something was wrong when Aesculapius came back with my note."
"I'm sorry." Lily apologized. "I was so upset I guess I didn't hear him at my window."
"Understandable," Severus replied. He walked her over to their private spot, sat down and pulled Lily down into his lap. "Dad and mum told Tuney last night that they didn't want her to get married for two years."
"I'll bet Tuney was mad enough to spit fire!"
"That's an understatement, but she knows if she wants her big dream wedding she has to abide by their decision. I think they're hoping in two years time Vernon will have moved on." Lily's bottom lip trembled. "That's when she said she didn't want me at her wedding."
"Tell you what if she hasn't changed her mind by then we'll do something special on that day. How does that sound?"
"It sounds like fun," Lily replied, smiling slightly. "What will we do?"
"We could go to the beach or go into Muggle London and sightsee, or we could just hang out in Diagon Alley."
"And rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron and spend the whole day making wild, passionate love," Lily suggested.
"I don't think Tom would rent us a room for that. I suspect he would frown on premarital sex of any kind, wild or otherwise."
"Sev!" Lily complained. "You're raining on my favorite fantasy!"
"It's a great fantasy for after we get to know each other, but the first time should be special, really romantic," Severus said.
"And I'm guessing you have a fantasy that fits the bill," Lily teased.
"I do," He nodded. "I'm imagining I'm in a high class restaurant in a high end hotel. It's probably going to be Muggle, French maybe, the kind where they don't print the prices on the menus and have a maitre de."
Ooh! I think I like this fantasy, Sev!"
"So I'm sitting at a table when all of sudden this beautiful witch walks in. Every man in the room has his eye on her and their tongues hanging out, but the maitre de escorts her to my table. You're wearing … well I haven't decided whether you're wearing in a black or a green dress, but it's one of those that clings in all the right places, but doesn't look tight or tacky and it has those thin straps like the dress you wore Monday and you're wearing matching heels and …Oh! You're wearing a gold ankle bracelet." He smiled. His planned Christmas present for her was going to be a gold ankle bracelet.
"You've got me quite decked out." Lily said. "How is my hair styled?"
"It's curled and you're wearing it on top of your head, but some tendrils have slipped out and are around your face." He paused then added, "And I haven't decided whether you're wearing any underwear."
"Sev!" Lily said shocked. "Of course I'm wearing underwear! Mum wouldn't let me out of the house without it. I think mums must have built-in radar about that sort of thing."
"Now who's raining on my fantasy?" Severus asked. "In my fantasy you're a healer-in-training and you don't live with mum and dad anymore so if you don't want to wear underwear, you don't have to. I think it's sexier if I assume you are and then I discover you aren't."
"And of course while you're attempting to discover if I'm wearing underwear, every woman in the room is staring at my sexy Potion Master-in-training."
"With his new nose," Severus joked.
"So the evening going to be a seduction ending in us making love?" Lily teased. "I'm going to be looking forward to this!"
I'm rather looking forward to us making wild, passionate love at the Leaky Cauldron."
Lily realized with a start that she had forgotten all about Petunia's refusal to let her come to her wedding and, while it still hurt, it didn't hurt as much anymore. She gave Severus a hug and kissed him. "Thanks for taking my mind off of Tuney, Sev."
"I know she really hurt you. I think this is her way of getting back at you for being a witch and going off to Hogwarts." He shook his head. "She knows you wouldn't do anything to spoil her day." He chuckled. "I, on the other hand, might be too tempted to turn Dursley into a walrus. It probably wouldn't take much magic – he's practically one already!"
Lily giggled until she was out of breath. "Can you imagine Tuney's face when she turns to give her beloved a kiss and there's a big blubbery walrus sitting there?"
Severus got to his feet and pulled Lily up and they started to walk back to Lily's house. "Mum has her tea with the Potters, Blacks, and Pettigrew today. Wish I could be a fly on the wall!" Severus grinned.
"I hope she gives them all hell!" Lily said vehemently.
Rose Evans, a worried expression on her face, was standing on the front porch. Her expression relaxed as she saw Lily with Severus. Lily ran to her mother and gave her a hug. "Mum, I'm sorry for running off this morning without a word."
"It's okay, Lily, as long as I know you're all right." She looked at him and smiled her thanks then asked, "Would you like to stay for lunch, Sev?"
Yes, thanks Mrs. Evans," Severus replied. When he stepped inside the house smelled of freshly baked cookies.
"Where's Tuney, Mum?" Lily asked. She didn't want her sister spending the entire lunch insulting Severus.
"In her room." Rose sighed. "I expect she's burning up the phone lines complaining to her girlfriends and Vernon how mean your father and I are to stand in the way of true love." By way of explanation to Severus, Rose said, "We told Petunia last night that she and Vernon couldn't get married for two years and she isn't taking it well." They followed her into the kitchen where she made them sandwiches of melted cheddar over roast beef, topped with grilled onions, with a side of crisps, and poured them each a tall glass of milk."
They suddenly heard a door slam upstairs then feet stopping down the stairs and Petunia burst into the kitchen her mood contaminating the air like an effluvia.
"Do you want some lunch, Petunia?" Rose asked pleasantly.
"I'm not hungry!" She snapped. "And I certainly don't want to eat with a couple of freaks!"
"Petunia," Her mother warned. "Just because you're mad at me and dad, there's no reason to take your anger out on Lily and Sev."
"You always take her side in everything just because she's your precious little witch and goes to that freaky school of hers!" Petunia yelled. "You never let me do what I want to do!"
Severus quickly finished his lunch and got up. "Thanks for lunch, Mrs. Evans. It was delicious."
"You're welcome, Sev." Rose replied fixing her oldest daughter with a glare.
"I'll walk you out, Sev." Lily said. She walked him to the door. Through the kitchen door they could hear both Petunia and Rose's voices raised in anger then heard a loud sob as Petunia rushed out of the kitchen, back upstairs followed by the loud slam of her bedroom door. "I'm sorry about Tuney, Sev. She's really in a temper."
"It's okay. Just don't let her get to you." Severus gave her a quick kiss. "I'll see you tonight."
When he got home he got the list from the lab, took the basket off the back porch, and began gathering the herbs and magical plants that were needed for tonight's lesson. From the list of ingredients he was gathering he assumed they were going to be brewing the wound-cleaning potion. He was interrupted by the arrival of Morgana, Lily's owl. He took the note from her and read it. Lily explained that her dad had called earlier this morning about Dr. Lockwood and wanted to talk to Eileen when she got home. Her mother was going to tell him at lunch, but Tuney's tantrum had distracted her. Sev went inside, and wrote a reply, saying he would let his mum know when she came home so she could take the wards down temporarily. He gave Morgana a treat and sent her back to Lily.
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Eileen apparated at Potter Manor promptly at two o'clock. She had gone home and changed into formal blue dress robes. She glanced at the huge sprawling manor house, mentally comparing it to her former home, Prince Manor. It was obvious to her that the Potter's had built this solely to impress, rather than for any aesthetic value. The inside was probably as gaudy as the outside. She shook her head and knocked on the front door. A tiny elf opened the front door.
Eileen smiled down at the elf. "Hello, I'm Eileen Snape and I have an appointment with Mr. and Mrs. Potter."
The tiny elf stepped aside. "Master and Mistress Potter told Dazzy they is expecting you and Dazzy is to bring you to the main receiving room."
"Lead the way, Dazzy." She followed the elf down a hall into a large room where Charles and Althea Potter and Orion and Walburga were already present. The other couple in the room, Eileen assumed were Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew. Eileen sat down across from them. Dazzy poured tea and walked to each of them, carrying a plate of biscuits. The niceties must be maintained. Eileen took one and smiled at the elf. "Thank you, Dazzy."
"Now, what is it you wish to speak with us about, Mrs. Snape?" Charles asked. His whole attitude said he was a busy man and this was an obvious encroachment of his important time.
"I came here to talk with you about your sons continued bullying of my son. They've attacked him and put him in the hospital wing as they have many times, and attacking him at King's Cross when he was getting off the train. I want it to stop immediately."
"My son, Sirius, and Peter have said that your son is constantly attacking them with dark curses and hexes. They have a right to defend themselves," Charles Potter stated. "It not right that they have detention the entire summer for defending themselves against dark curses and hexes
"You're son keeps attacking Sev because Lily is his girlfriend and I know your son is jealous of their relationship, and because he has some twisted notion that all Slytherins are followers of You-Know-Who." Eileen replied coldly. "Neither my son or myself support him or anything he believes!" She looked over at Orion and Walburga Black. "Your family has been in Slytherin for generations as has mine. Why are you allowing your son to behave like a barbarian? Isn't your younger son in Slytherin? Do you feel it's right for your other son to attack students just because they were sorted into Slytherin?"
"Sirius has voluntarily exiled himself our house and while we do not approve of his behavior, we have no control over it. Sirius is a disgrace to the Most Noble House of Black." Walburga stated coldly. Orion looked as though he was going to say something, but apparently changed his mind at Walburga's glare.
"And what business is it of yours to criticize our son's behavior?" Mrs. Pettigrew demanded. "You should worry about that Death-Eater-in-training you have for a son. Peter is terrified of him and if it wasn't for James and Sirius, he'd be the one in the hospital wing continually."
Sev is not a Death-Eater-in-training," Eileen said coolly. "And your son is a sneaky little git who hides behind Potter and Black and does their bidding just so he can hang with these bullies!"
"Now wait just a moment!" Althea Potter snapped. "You have no right to criticize our children. You're nobody as your parents disowned you."
Eileen carefully put down her teacup and stood up straight. "It's true I was disowned, but that does not make me any less of a Prince. Anymore attacks on Sev by your sons and the next visit you'll have will be from Magical Law Enforcement and I promise you will experience the full power and displeasure of the Prince family!" She looked around and called, "Dazzy?"
The little elf appeared. "Yes, Mum?"
"Please show me out."
When Eileen apparated back home from her meeting, Severus told her about Mr. Evans wanting to see her so she went outside and immediately took down all the protective wards around the house. She would replace them after Hal left. A short time later there was a knock on the door. Eileen invited Hal to come in. Lily was with her dad.
"Good news, Eileen, when I spoke to Thomas, he had an opening in his appointment calendar early next Monday at nine." Hal said. "If that's okay with you I'll call him back tomorrow and confirm it."
Eileen looked at Sev. "Is that alright with you, Sev?"
"That's great, Mum. The sooner, the better."
Eileen nodded at Hal that he could call and confirm their appointment. "Thank you so much for your help with this Hal," Eileen said. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate it."
"It's okay, Eileen. I'm happy to do it," Hal assured her. He turned to his daughter. "Lily, do you want to come back home with me or stay here?"
"Lily's welcome to stay for dinner Hal," Eileen offered.
"I think I'll stay if you and mum don't mind, dad."
"I can't say I blame you." Hal shook his head and explained to Eileen. "Petunia throwing a major tantrum because Rose and I told her she couldn't marry Vernon for another two years."
"If it's any consolation to you and Rose, I think you're doing the right thing." Eileen replied, "There's something very off about that Dursley boy."
"We agree and we're hoping if we make them wait, Petunia will have the opportunity to meet somebody else." He sighed. "We only want what's best for her, but I'm afraid she doesn't want to understand that right now." He got up. "I'll see you later, Lily."
"Okay, dad." Lily said giving him a kiss. After Mr. Evans left, Eileen went outside to restore the wards around the house. When she came back in she went into the kitchen and began to prepare supper. Severus and Lily followed her out into kitchen and set the table for her. She set a platter of pork chops cooked in tomato sauce and topped with onions, mushrooms, and garlic. She also had baked potatoes and salad with a cherry cobbler for dessert. "So, mum, how did your tea go today?" Severus asked.
Eileen shook her head. "Walburga Black had her nose stuck so high it's a wonder it didn't scrap the ceiling. Orion just looked embarrassed over the whole thing. The Potters and Pettigrews weren't much better than Walburga. It was obvious they think their darling sons have the right to do whatever they bloody well please!"
Severus shrugged. "I didn't expect them to agree with you, Mum."
"That's so wrong!" Lily snapped. "What gives them the right to decide who they'll treat nice and whom they won't?"
"They're purebloods and in my book, Potter and Black, with their hatred of anything Slytherin, aren't any better than Avery and Lestrange with their hatred of half-bloods and Muggleborns. The hatreds the same only the targets are different." Severus said somewhat bitterly as he started to eat his cobbler."
"I warned them if their sons attacked you again, they would not only receive a visit from Magical Law Enforcement, but would experience the full power and displeasure of the Prince family!"
Lily laughed and clapped her hands. "You go, Eileen!"
They suddenly heard the floo and then heard Remus's voice calling, "Hello?"
"In the kitchen, Remus," Lily called back.
Remus walked into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Mrs. … Eileen. Am I too early?"
"No, dear, we're just running a bit late. Sit down." She motioned towards an empty chair at the table. "Have you had dinner?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't say no to a piece of that cherry cobbler."
Eileen cut him a large piece of the cobbler and set it in front of him with a glass of pumpkin juice. "Tonight we're going to be brewing a wound-cleansing potion and then afterwards, I think I'll teach you three the itching and burning hex. I'll show it to you and give you the hex and counter-spell, but none of you will actually be trying it.
The brewing went very well and Eileen was pleased and proud of her three students. They learned quickly and asked questions if they didn't understand rather than just bashing on and brewing the potion wrong. Once they had the lab cleaned and straightened up, they went into the living room. Eileen waved her wand, temporarily making the furniture disappear so there was more room. "Okay, I need a volunteer. Sev?"
"You're sure you remember the counter-spell for this, Mum?" Severus joked.
"Perfectly," Eileen assured him. "Okay, to cast the spell you say Comburo Irrito! The counter-spell is Relevo! She demonstrated by saying, "Comburo Irrito!" and flicking her wand at Severus. The effect was immediate. Severus felt his entire body began to itch horribly as if he rolled starkers in a patch of poison ivy and felt a strong impulse to start screaming and madly scratching himself, but at the same time felt his every square inch of him burn as if he was being stuck by millions of tiny, very sharp needles. He wasn't sure which effect was the worst.
"Relevo!" Eileen said and again flicked her wand at Severus who collapsed on the floor. He quickly got to his feet again. "Merlin, Mum that will stop somebody in their tracks better than a freezing charm would!"
"I can't have you actually practice it, but it's not difficult. Just remember to flick your wand rather than point it as you say the words." Eileen instructed then stressed, "This is only to be used for defense and not for any other reason."
When the lesson was over Remus flooed back to his home and Severus walked Lily back to her house. "I've been thinking about how we could find somewhere at Hogwarts we can be alone and I decided I'll ask the house elves. After all, they know a lot more about the castle than any student or staff member I'll wager."
Lily knew that over the years, Sev had been down to the kitchen many times and he knew the house-elves a lot better than she did. She remembered in their second year him trying to convince her to sneak down with him, but she was too afraid of being caught and receiving detention. "That's a good idea, Sev. Hopefully, they will know somewhere we can be alone and free from everybody."
Severus and Lily spent a few minutes kissing in a way that would have scandalized the neighborhood should any of the neighbors have chosen to look out their windows.