A/N: I do not own Harry Potter.

Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Round 10.

Team: Ballycastle Bats.

Position: Chaser 3

Prompt: Write about a fight within the family

Optional Prompts:

1. [Dialogue] - 'That's ridiculous. If he's the father then call me Godric Gryffindor.'

2. [Object] Potion Vial

13. [Setting] Graveyard

Word count: 2874 Googledocs

This is AU - this is a world without Voldemort. Severus and Lily, therefore, do not have the same history as they did in canon. They remained friends until her marriage to James. Severus never called her a 'mudblood'.

The Seasons or The Stone

Lily paced the hallway of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She was in the Goorsemoor Ward for Infectious Illnesses. The hall was brightly lit with panelled wood walls, and a large portrait featuring an ugly hulk of a witch with a large humpback and one eye. Gunhild de Goorsemoor's face was speckled with grotesque warts, though this hadn't stopped her discovery for the most common strain of Dragon Pox.

Unfortunately, Harry didn't have 'the most common strain', so the malformed witch with her wandering eye and curt words brought no comfort. The healers had no idea what strain was tormenting Harry, and to make matters worse, Lily had been relegated to this bright clinical hallway. She continued pacing.

It was sometime later when the healer taking care of Harry emerged.

"Lily," the healer called.

Lily looked up, her emerald eyes wide, like a deer in headlights. The world seemed to move in slow motion. Fear rose inside her, blocking out everything else. Lily watched vacantly as the healer's lips moved, but she heard nothing but the frantic thumping of her own heart. Where was James? Alone and afraid her panic was suffocating her; Lily was desperate for good news. The healer frowned, her lips had stopped moving, as she reached out a hand to shake Lily.

"Lily, did you hear me?" she asked urgently.

"What?" Lily was roused suddenly.

"Lily, we can help Harry!" she said smiling. She handed her two medium-sized crystal potions vials.

They really weren't anything special, but apparently, they were a large part of saving Harry's life. She held them in her hands, looking at the healer.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"The Restituene Potion," she explained. "It cleanses the system of all magical infections. It will likely remove all magical protection too, and that would leave Harry vulnerable. We need to proceed, and soon," the healer explained. "This potion requires the blood of both the mother and father."

Lily's heart sank. She knew the potion, and it didn't just cleanse a person of magical infections. Any enchantments on their person would fade, the effects of any potion would be nullified, even charms and transfigurations would come undone. But she would do anything for Harry, even if it destroyed her whole world. Lily held out her hand without question. The healers wand delicately cut her finger, and slowly it filled one of the vials. She held the other vial, knowing that it needed to be filled. Unfortunately, it could not be filled by James.

Lily stood in Cokeworth Cemetery right in front of her parent's graves. The graveyard was deserted. Lily placed the small bouquet of Lilies on each headstone. There was a small wilting bouquet of Petunia's, and Lily felt a sharp pang in her chest. Petunia was the last piece of the family she had left, but now they were estranged. She waited for him. She had sent him a Patronus as soon as she'd left St. Mungo's. It had been a few years, but she knew he would show; the man who was somewhat responsible for her present circumstance.

Lily hadn't been able to let go of him. Even after she had married James - she still held him in her heart. James was the far smarter choice in many ways.

There was a faint crack in the distance. Severus always appeared in the same part of the graveyard - it was a darker, more secluded area just behind his own father's dark stone. She knew he would be able to see her quite clearly. Lily waited patiently, her attention seemingly focused on her parents. Severus moved silently, yet she felt his presence. She felt his breath on the back of her neck, and it was exhilarating. James never made her feel like this.

"Severus," she whispered huskily.

"Lily," he responded. Severus' voice was dark, deep, and smooth. "Why did you call? It's been four years."

"It's Harry," she began. "He's sick!"

"I didn't know that was my problem," he stated trying to maintain his controlled demeanour. However, Lily could hear the pain beneath. "Surely, Potter should be the one you lament to - he was your choice in the end."

"He requires a potion," she began.

"You called for my potions expertise?" Severus asked sharply, and Lily felt the coldness of his tone.

"No. It's the Restituene Potion," Lily whispered. She handed over the potions vial; it was identical to the potions vial she had already filled.

Severus said nothing.

Silence filled the graveyard once again, the atmosphere thickening with each moment. He was stood at her side as they looked down at the same headstones. His hands were at his side almost touching hers, and yet there was an immeasurable distance between them. Both were desperate to reach for the other, but neither was willing to risk it.

"The Restituene Potion is supposed to cleanse his system. It's the only way to cure Harry," she explained - not because he needed to know - but to break the silence that was consuming them.

Severus remained still, seemingly composed. He was hiding his inner torment.

"He's your son!" she implored forcefully.

"You do realise what this means?"

She nodded.

"It will cleanse his system of everything, including what you and I did to protect your dirty little secret," he spat almost vengefully.

"I know."

"Will you leave him?" Severus asked unashamedly, "Allow my son to have his father - allow me to have my son?"

"James is a good father. I can't take that from Harry!"

"And you think I will not give my son everything he can? I have earned my way in the world; money no longer separates us," he replied. "You cannot love him the way you love me. And he cannot love you the way I do."

"But do I love him," she replied with vigour. "And he loves me."

"If he loved you with every fibre of his pathetic being, he couldn't love you as much in one hundred years as I do in a single breath." Severus' voice, which was usually calm and controlled now overflowed with passion and devotion, his steady tone rough and erratic.

"His love is steady, dependable," she whispered firmly.

"Lily, there is a clear distinction between my love and his. Had he been in my place, and I in his, I wouldn't have raised my wand against him despite the hatred I feel toward him," he spat the words out, bitterness soaking every word. "You may look at me incredulously, but I would never have kept him from you. Not as long as you desired it. However, the moment your regard ceased I would have torn him apart. Until then, I would rather die than touch a single hair on his large egotistical head!" There was a surreal look in his obsidian eyes — as if he were in a dream every time he stared at her. He looked into her eyes that were as green as freshly cut Hellebore, and Lily could see it; the devotion, the unfettering infatuation — it burned into her very soul.

"I know," Lily replied. It took everything in her heart not to respond as fervently with her own sentiments. It would be selfish to give in to the desire that ached in her heart.

"But you won't leave him."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. It was something that Severus knew, as sure as he knew she was the only woman that he could ever love.

"Will you please save our son?" she asked.

"You never allowed him to be my son," he spat. "You loved me, I know you still do. So what right did you have to leave!" Severus seemed to come undone, torn between his ire and his devotion.

"Sev, please, you're breaking my heart!" she pleaded. "You're making this harder than it already is. Can you not see I'm torn?"

"You did that yourself, and in doing so, you have broken mine."

He turned away from her, allowing her only a glimpse of his pain. For the briefest moment, he was silent. Then he turned back, handing over the crystal potions vial. His hands were nothing compared to the inferno burning in her skin; his touch was a passing coldness that was to never be erased. The potions vial containing his blood was hot in her cold palm.

The sound of his disapperation filled her ears, and Lily was alone in the silent graveyard once more. At last, she spoke the words she longed to, for they were far too selfish for him to hear.

"Whatever souls are made of, Severus, yours and mine are the same," she whispered.

Lily had delivered the vial of blood that Harry needed. She had sat and waited for the potion to brew. She had watched as Harry's system was cleansed of all enchantments and infections. The telltale signs of his true parentage were beginning to show, and she knew she had to speak to James.

Lily found herself pacing the width of her living room. She wished time to move both faster, and slower. She both urged the moment to finally come and begged for another moment of peace until her world came crashing down.
Despite her feelings for Severus, she loved James deeply. She had made a choice. Above all else, Lily was an honourable woman. But there was a small part of her that wanted to be cast out, free to seek the comfort of Severus' embrace. It was just a tiny part, Lily knew what she wanted.

James apparated into the living room. His face already anxious, and when he saw her face, it turned to anguish.

"H-Harry, is he okay?" he implored.

"He'll be fine - now," she whispered. "He has a long recovery ahead of him, but he'll live."

James' face relaxed. It was like the weight of the world was lifted, which made the weight on Lily shoulders all the more cumbersome.

"What was wrong? Was it Dragon Pox?" he asked urgently.

"Yes, he needed a potion. The Restituene Potion," she explained.

"Yes! I know that one. My parents had needed it, but as my grandparents had passed away they weren't able to get a cure," he began. "I take it you need my donation?"

James marched straight into the kitchen, as she followed she saw he had a small kitchen knife in his hand.

"Do you have a potions vial?" he asked looking up. His features showed nothing but trust. There was no hint that he suspected the truth.

"H-Har-" she stumbled over her words awkwardly. As bold as she was, Lily was afraid.

"You said he would be okay?" James replied, his tone worried yet again.

"Yes. It's - Harry has already taken the potion," she said, her words rushed and her face turned away.

"But how? You have vials of our blood on hand?" he asked mildly amused.

"No," she whispered quietly.

Lily looked up at James, her bright eyes shone with unshed tears. She watched as James' expression changed. One moment, there was the look of innocence which moved swiftly to confusion. James swallowed, and the truth could almost be seen as his expression quickly moved through heartbreak, grief and finally settled on anger.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wish I could say I regret it, but I love my Harry?"

James' shrugged and smirked as he paced the room, shaking his head as he went. His body was tense even as he continued to deny the facts as they had been rather loosely presented to him.

"No!"

"James, I'm sorry," she stated firmly, yet she could hear every drop of emotion as it poured out of her.

"Who?" he asked, his jaw stiffened as he turned to face her.

"Severus," she said trying to maintain her strength. She knew it would ignite an unquenchable fury.

"That's ridiculous," he mumbled to himself. Over and over again he whispered and muttered to himself, and soon he was counting.

"No, you had stopped seeing him by then. Harry was conceived after your parents funeral - it's impossible." He stated the facts bluntly, still pacing erratically and shaking his head.

"He was," she whispered sadly. "I'm sorry James."

"That's ridiculous. If he's the father then call me Godric Gryffindor." James almost laughed to himself.

"James, I'm sorry this is hurting. When Harry is better, you will see for yourself. He's already starting to look like Severus."

"Severus? You swore you would never see him!"

"I know, but I saw him anyway. I saw him after my parents funeral. I was angry, I made a mistake - a beautiful mistake." She spoke more surely now. "I got his blood. I made sure Harry was recovering, and then I came back to you,"

"Oh, you came back to me?" he asked sarcastically. "Whatever did I do to deserve such a loyal wife?"

Lily shook her head, her own anger starting to build.

"Really? Anger and indignation from the harlot?" he asked. "Tell me, what do you have to be angry about? You are pampered, I treat you like a queen! You want for nothing!"

"You suffocate me," she shouted through angry tears. "You robbed me of my family, robbed me of my best friend."

"I am your family!" James shouted back.

"You robbed me of my sister. All because you can't keep your mouth shut! She heard what you said, and so did Vernon! How you mocked him? You and Sirius making fun of Vernon! It cost me my family, James. The last connection to my parents, my family whom I loved, despite their flaws."

"That woman is wicked to you!" James bellowed. "You slept with Snivellus because I made a joke about people who treat you like your nothing?"

"She was still my sister, and I loved her! She was my only family. I had given up so much for you; I promised I would never see Severus, but you stole the last thing I had. I was heartbroken when she refused to see me anymore. She wouldn't even see me on her own James! You robbed me!" Lily almost screamed through angry.

"You've given up things for me?" he asked, "And what exactly?"

"I had given up my soul, my love, my everything. Because I loved you, too. When you took the last thing I had, I went to the person who truly loved me. I needed that."

"Your soul?" he asked. "That's how you love him? If he is your soul then what could I possibly be to you?"

"James, I love you like the seasons; time will change it like autumn after spring." she smiled as his face soften. "But my love Severus is like a rock, I can't stand without it. It isn't a source of happiness, it's necessary. He's always in my heart."

"So why didn't you marry him?" James spat, "Your heart, your soul? Why not him? Why punish me like this?"

"I chose you," she said, ignoring the question.

"Why?" he asked, not letting the subject drop.

Lily stood before him, her eyes were streaming with tears. As much as she had hurt this man, as wrong as what she had done was, she did love him. She wasn't this person, the woman that plays men off against each other. Lily was just trapped between two men that she loved in very different ways.

"The seasons are alive, a stone is dead," she responded simply, sure of herself. "I love you both, but I choose you."

"Should I be grateful, I thought I won you with my charm," he mocked, not really listening to his wife. "Though it seems my wife prefers a hooked nose, and a propensity to avoid shampoo!"

"No!" she said firmly. "You made a mistake to amuse a friend - I made a mistake because I was in pain."

"Would you go to him now?" he asked.

"How many times can I say that I love you too, James."

"I don't share," his voice was quiet now, almost deadly. "Do you know what I want to do? The greatest punishment I can give you - for you to never see him again, I want to separate you from your soulmate, forever."

"I separated myself four years ago," she replied, sure of herself. "What about Harry?"

"He's my son. He will remain, my son," James retorted. "What you don't realise Lily, the way you describe your love for Severus; that's how I love you. I can't let you go, because I can't bear to lose you."

Hoped rose in Lily's chest as she reached out to take his hand, and James jerked away from her.

"I'm still angry Lily, the fact that I still love you doesn't change that." He looked into her bright green eyes and saw how torn she was.

"You can choose who you want - I won't stand in your way," James spoke his voice full of remorse. "But just know, I will always treat you better than he will. I will not be as selfish, and I will be so much kinder. Harry would be happier." he paused. "But choose what you want, choose which love matters more; the seasons or the stone?"