Harry decided that flooing to Godric's Hollow would be more convenient, but for first impressions, one has to knock on a door. So he apparated to the street and walked towards the house. Right. He can definitely do this. He is just paying a visit to his mom, and well, definitely not stepdad. Harry laughed. Snape will have petrify himself, if he hears this. But they did just get married. Apparently, the moment the man realized he has a fighting chance with Lily, he got on his knee and proposed. That according to Remus and Sirius, who were there the whole time. The same day, they flew to their playground and got married, without noise, just the two of them and a minister who married them in a very low-key muggle wedding. Wizarding world was blasting with the news and rumors, but the two of them just got back and pretended that nothing happened. The whole time Remus, together with Tonks, Sirius and Harry's dad were going back and forth between Grimmauld Place and Godric's Hollow without anyone's permission, or so it seemed. To Harry's question if Professor Snape minded these intrusions,

Sirius answered dismissively,

"Oh, who is asking what he minds or not? The man is happy as a clam. Anyway, he has been in his lab the whole day, he realized that it's full moon soon and he had to brew the Wolfsbane, so we have been keeping your mom company."

"And .. He doesn't mind? The first couple of days after wedding he is in a lab and you are keeping his wife company?"

"We didn't ask, but I think he would at least try to throw us out if he did."

Harry realized that the newlyweds (Oh what a strange, creepy word that became, once Severus Snape got involved in the picture! Mom, couldn't you find anyone else to fall in love with. I mean ANYONE would be better, than this.) The two were arguing, or whatever it was they were talking about has raised their voices. Harry decided to delay the knock on the door and just see the two in their natural way. He looked in , swearing that if the man so much as contradicted his mom, that would be enough for him, to stupify him for a while. They were standing in the middle of a room, that was already decorated as Snape's office. Big pile of books in front of her, his mom was going through their titles, before levitating them onto the bookshelves. Dark Arts Books. He moved in his books and she is having problems with his Dark Arts fascination. Good for you, Mom!

"Severus, just look at these titles, where do you even get these books?"

"Lil, please don't be mad. They are from my old times."

"Dark Arts: Concise History." So far so good. We are starting from history. Once upon a time, a wizard wanted to kill everyone who breathed."

"Nothing like that, it's just a journey through History of Magic. Rather boring read."

"All right, what about this- "1001 Potions for rise to power." Really?"

"It has some good notes on some Potions. I was a Potions Master once, Lily."

"Okay, I like this one "Unicorn: Usage in Dark Arts." Now we are killing Unicorns for our ends?"

"Lily, I didn't kill any unicorns, I can assure you. The only time I even saw one, was in Heaven. "

"I remember. You looked like you just discovered magic all over again."

"I didn't do anything of such."

"Need I floo Sirius Black here, to have his account of the story?He rather enjoys telling says you looked like three-year-old at Magic-Circus."

"No, no! Don't"

"On to the next one. "666: Just a number?"

"Numerology. I think that was a gift. "

"Oh I can imagine to spy on you."

"I checked it out before I even put it in the house. Just a silly book."

"Dark Arts, Medieval Curses". Yep, we are not just using modern curses to wreak havoc. They are not quite enough! "Dark Items and their use in Dark Arts."

"Now that was actually a research on Voldemort. I had my suspicions. I just wanted to see what was possible to do."

"Yours forever:Guide to Enslavement Magyck." Severus, what an unfortunate title."Zombies and other creatures of Dark" Whom did you want to enslave?Some unfortunate girl from Death Eaters?" she said still holding the first book in hand.

"Don't remember."

"Oh Merlin. You even thought of using this on me?" She was laughing now.

"I was sixteen at a time. Stole it from Malfoy's. You were scary to ask out. And you hated my guts at the time."

"So after all this literature, I scared you? I was scarier that all this? I must tell you, I am pleased."

"If you want, I can take all this back. They don't need to be here."

"No, that's alright. I mean you have the scariest monster and dark creature, sleeping next to you, what are couple of books?"

"I didn't say you are a dark creature. Just intimidating to ask on a date."

"Yeah, because I could accidentally enslave you. Sev, you are complete bonkers!" She messed his hair with one hand and ran away.

He laughed to himself and ran after her.

Harry moved to another window to see that Snape tried to catch her, but now she was standing on a couch and beating him with a pillow while he was holding on to her waist. He easily lifted her off the couch by her waist, but she didn't cease beating him or laughing. He looked up at the pillow and it became hundreds of red rose petals that showered both of them with a red sight was absolutely beautiful, even though.. Well, the sight was beautiful, partly because Snape did something so unSnape-like.

"Sev, c'mon. Put me down, I have the rest of the books to put away."

They looked through couple of more books, till they found one that made all hell break loose.

"The Evil Within" this sounds like an adult-literature, Sev."Lily laughed.

" I didn't even know, I still had it. That's not a good book. Give that to me."

"What is it?"

"It's to find the necessary evil inside you to execute the worst deeds. After you are done reading it, you don't know who you hate more, yourself or the world?"

"Sounds like a Sunday afternoon read to me."

"Don't joke."

"Why don't you throw it away?"

"What if someone else finds it?"

"Then destroy it."

"I can't. It's a very old book. I can't just throw it into a fire. It's the only one left."

"So, you won't destroy what is undoubtedly evil book."

"I can't. Just leave it."

"Severus, why do you need this book?"

"I don't. I just can' throw it away."

"I will."

"You won't. Just leave it, Lil."

"Severus, I am not joking. It's either me or that book."

"You are being too dramatic."

"Burn that book, Severus. I cannot have it in this house."

"It's not going to do anything to you, just let it go. It's an old and valued book."

"This is dangerous ground you are on, Sev. Please, listen to me. "

"No, Lily. You listen to me. I told you, I have changed. You know I have changed. Stop treating my like a recovering alcoholic. I won't stray again."

"Whatever you say, Severus. I am done. Keep your book."

"You wouldn't say these things if it was Potter, I am sure."

"James does not own dark arts books. James wasn't a Death Eater. James didn't kill people in his free time, Severus. You want to know why I treat you like a recovering alcoholic? Because you are one! I have to be careful that your buddies don't take you back from me. Lucius has been visiting you ever since we got here. I am too scared."

"Lucius is a friend. One of few I had. When some people decided that they were too good for me."

"Ugh! Severus, you cannot be this thick! I know you can try to understand my point of view."

"I did. You think if you don't treat me like 6 year-old, I will start killing people. What is there to understand? Great opinion you have of me, Lily."

"You know what? Keep your damned book. Keep your dark arts artifacts, join the Death Eaters. Get them together, start burning villages and neighborhoods again. Only one thing. I WILL ALWAYS BE ON DUMBLEDORE'S SIDE! "

Lily left the room, slamming the door very loudly after her. Harry looked at Snape, who now looked like man who was completely lost. He walked around the room aimlessly, then sat down in an armchair and looked at the wretched book. He opened it and glanced at the first page. Then second, third. Harry was sure, the book was enchanted to hold the readers attention. Snape fell under its charms instantly. He needed back-up. He knew what was coming, he was an Auror, afterall. Snape was going to find all the evil he had in him. Mom was not safe. He sent his Patronus to his father, Sirius and Remus. They needed all the help, they could get.

"Harry, we came as soon as we saw your Patronus, what happened?"

"Snape got some Dark Arts book, he was reading it, I think he is under some kind of a spell."

"Why would he read a book like that? Surely, Severus knows the existence of enchanted books?" Asked Remus.

"I think he did in spite of Mom. They had an argument earlier."

"Already?They are married for less than a week!" James was shocked. "Those two are crazy!"

"She does not trust him. He got angry."

"Well, if you ask me, Lily is right. He got in a trouble again."

"Of course he did, Sirius. But that's because she provoked him. Believe me, Lily's nagging- pretty powerful."

"Dad!"

"What? She is your mom, but have you seen her angry? I don't know how Snape deals with her, but I would leave till she would calm down."

"Well, he clearly didn't leave." Harry felt that Snape would not leave just because Lily was angry with him. He loved her too much for that.

"And look what it got him into." James chuckled. "I know you love her very much, and we all do too, but she has some major temper issues!"

"She doesn't have temper issues dad!"

"With you she doesn't."

"You two! Stop! We have bigger problems at hand. How do we proceed?" Remus said, ever the voice of reason.

"Let's just get in. Talk to him, maybe Harry is wrong. He hasn't done anything yet."

"That's alright, soon it will change."

They tried to barge in, unexpectedly, but unfortunately, Severus Snape was a very dangerous and skilled wizard, when need be. He knocked James to the wall with a non-verbal spell, tossed Sirius to the couch, turned to Lily and smirked

"You just had to get backup, didn't you?"

She looked astonished.

"I have absolutely no idea, what you mean. What did you do, Severus? Why are they on the floor?"

Harry was immobilized on the floor, without flying across the room. Remus couldn't move either. Whatever the spell, it was Snape's own invention. It hurt to move a muscle. It hurt to blink fast. Harry's wand lay next to him and he helplessly looked at the wand just mere inches away. His Dad was in no better state. Sirius and Remus tried to get their wands but the pain quickly put them on the ground again. His mom was the only one still standing.

"Mom..He .. Spell. That book is Dark. He is under.."

"He is under spell. I see. Thank you, son. Severus, you do know that I will not forgive you for this easily, right?"

"What makes you think that I need your forgiveness?" he said in dangerous drawl. Harry swore that if his wand was his right now, Snape would get his first Avada Kedavra.

"Why did you call for back-up? Are you afraid, I will start killing people?"

"You dolt, I didn't ask anyone to come! I have no idea what are they doing here."

"You want to say that our fight and their presence are pure coincidence?"

"Severus, I have been sorting your books ever since I left you on your own. I did not ask them to come. I don't plan on asking for back-up after every fight with you."

The man was plotting something.

"Your wand, Lily."

"You won't dare."

"How well you know me." He tried to disarm her, but she blocked his spell. Another one. Blocked again. He tried spell after spell. All blocked. Harry looked up and smiled, although it hurt even to do just that. His mom was better than all four of them combined. She was a magnificent duelist.

"Commandable skills." Snape noted.

"No, Severus. I am not this good with everyone. I can predict your moves, that's all. And you are not trying all that hard."

"You want me to try?"

"No, I want you to snap out of this spell, but it looks like I am not going to have my wish."

"No, it looks like it. You got your wish now, Lily. You were right. I am too Dark, I was at risk to get back to my old ways. And I did go back. You can go back to Potter now. He was always the right choice for you."

"It's not about James or anyone else, Severus. It's between you and me."

"Is this the man that you chose over me? He is on the floor, Lily. I can let him free or I can keep him like this. This is the man that I could not beat. This man, on the floor, took away my one last chance at normal life. At happiness. Because he had to have that one girl that wasn't quite ready to jump into his bed."

"You can't be this blind, can you? Leave James out of this!"

"How can I leave James out of this, if this entire argument is about James? I couldn't compare to him then. I wasn't the Golden Boy of Gryffindor with whom any girl would love to go out."

"That was years ago!"

"You didn't even say goodbye to me, Lily. At our graduation. You didn't even say a bloody simple goodbye!" Severus was shouting now.

"You were going to join them right after! How could I say goodbye? How could I walk over you and everyone that wanted me dead and tell you goodbye? Maybe I should have wished good luck as well? On joining Voldemort?"

"Lily, do you want to guess what was my initiation assignment? C'mon, you are the brightest witch I have ever met, save that other know-it-all. Take a guess."

She just shook her head, eyes burning with anger.

"It was supposed to be you. And your precious golden boy. The plan was Potter would be killed by others, while I would get you. So I lied. I said I was over you. That Potter and his friends could use you, but to me you meant nothing anymore. Used goods, common filthy little whore. A filthy mudblood... Potter could have you or Black, or all of them, I didn't care. All you had to do was say goodbye. I denounced my very existence for you, and you didn't grace me with one word on graduation."

"Severus, I didn't need to know that." She was pale as a sheet now.

"I think you do. You know who persuaded them to leave you two alone? C'mon. Take a bloody guess!" He slammed his fist on a table in front of him.

"Lucius?"

"Yes! Your hated Lucius. The one that will take me back to Dark Side. Lucius changed the conversation into something else, when Crabbe was discussing what exactly he was going to do once he got you, and let me tell you, I had to use all of my patience to not tear him into shreds every time I saw that scum. The words he used, the plans he had for you.. I don't think I will ever forget them. Lucius stopped them all, and said Potter was a pure-blood and even if he was confused to date a mudblood, he would turn around. No need to bother with you two. "

"Why didn't you say anything? You wanted him dead, didn't you?"

"Because, my innocent Gryffindor, if Death Eaters see you care for something they will destroy it with twice the pleasure they would have otherwise. I had to show no emotion towards you, not good, not bad. Only indifference would save your life. I had to stand there hating everything about my pathetic existence and tell them in all seriousness, that I, Severus, did not care about you. Was goodbye such a hard thing to say?"

"Severus, please, listen to me. You were with those people.. I wanted to. I really did want to talk to you."

"No, Lily, you were too busy playing Head Boy and Head Girl in love to notice anything around you."

So he had noticed. She and James were getting very cozy that day. Partly because of sentiments of the day, partly because she was so mad at Severus and partly because James wanted to make sure that she has his protection as a pure blood, so none of the Slytherins would give her hard time. They held hands, hugged, kissed.

"I told you, you were with future Death Eaters."

"I would have left them, if you only looked at me. But you could not keep your hands off Potter for a second to do that. I joined the next day."|

"Because I didn't say goodbye to you?"

"Yes, Lily. Because you didn't say goodbye. I mean, no. Not only because of that. But it definitely made me more eager to join."

"Why?"

"Why? I don't because I didn't care what you thought about me anymore? Because I was better off with people who wanted me around and who respected me for who I was? I certainly didn't need to stay around you and watch how Potter was showing the entire world how he got the most amazing and beautiful girl Hogwarts had."

"It wasn't showing. We were young and in love."

"That doesn't explain his hands all over you on graduation."

"Something tells me you just wanted your hands to be all over me on graduation."

"What? No! I don't. I would never. Lily, don't you understand? You weren't something to show off for me. I didn't want everyone to be jealous of me because I got you, like some sort of expensive broom. That's something Gryffindors would do. Cheap display of emotion!"

"It wasn't cheap display of emotion! Just because you don't understand something, does not make it unacceptable."

"I don't understand something? What was there to understand? That your perfect boyfriend stuck his tongue down your throat every time he saw me in the vicinity?"

"Severus, you have got to calm down."

"Why? Why should I listen to what you say? You left me for him. For them. For precious clean Gryffindors with their fake-righteousness. Clean-cut and rich. And so right about everything. Never one mistake. Never alone, never independent. Travel in-packs, think in-packs, bully in-packs. Why? Because I am different from all of you. And if someone is different, he does not have the right to fall in love with their princess. Not rich enough. Not clean enough. Skeletons in closet, awful family, you see. Well, I am rich now, what you say, Lily? You haven't seen my vault at Gringotts. You should.''

"Do not dare to suggest that I can be impressed by anyone's Gringotts vault! I have seen your Dark Arts books. Quite impressive."

"Well, that's just it, isn't it? Dark Arts. What about those four? A traitor. A werewolf. Complete madman. An imbecile who couldn't keep you safe from his own friends. These were the people you trusted. Oh and Dumbledore, who never understood that you and I are not bloody chess figurines, for god's sake! Dark Arts? You want to talk about bad decisions, Lily? What is a bad decision? Say almost mauling a kid to death? Is that a bad decision? Sending a child to his Death? Bad decision? I'd say. What Sirius did to Harry's sense of lawlessness and disregard to any responsible advice, I can't even start to cover. And you think I am your problem? Trusting Peter Pettigrew over Remus. Now THAT is a bad decision, Lily."

"If you want to have this conversation, we can, Severus. Yes, I am worried about you. yes, we all made mistakes. But theirs were mistakes. Accidental. Yours was life-changing. Yours were soul destroying. You started hating people, Severus. You changed. It wasn't one thing, it was everything. I can't stand by and see you ruin your chances at re-entering heaven with me. I have to make sure you stay away from these things. I am not treating you like a child, because we know how it was for you to be a child. Your parents ruined your foundation, Sev. I have to pull out miracles to make you at least a little more well-adjusted. They damaged that boy, my best friend. And I have been trying to fix him ever since. It wasn't your looks or your means, that attracted bullies, you see. I wasn't much richer than you. In comparison with Sirius and James, we were both without means. They could see the damage, Sev. It was visible to them. So the picked their victim. I don't know why, Sev. Don't ask. I don't know why someone decides to humiliate a person in front of the girl he loves. I don't think I will ever understand that. I would never leave you for anyone, if you didn't change. You started being like now. I can see the same cloudy eyes, as before. It scares the lights out of me, Sev. I should have not left you with that book. I should have not behaved like a wife. Every time I start thinking like a girl, I get you in trouble. I have to think like your best friend, not your girl, be relentless, so I can save you from yourself, Sev. And you know what?If it is your soul or your love for me, I choose your soul. Last time you got back from that path, was when you saw you were to lose me. I am going to try it again, if anything works, it's that. I am not a shallow girl anymore. I don't need you to love me. You can call me mudblood, you can laugh at my birth, do your worst. I am not giving up on you. Your insecurities will not win. Tobias, Voldemort, Gryffindor bullies, Mulciber and the rest of jackals will not win!

She got her ring and threw it towards Severus. Looking extremely pale, he Accioed the ring to him, walked over Lily and slowly said, while extending his hand, palm up,

"Your wand, Lily."

"There. Happy?" She dropped her wand into his hand, willingly, without one hesitation. This was strange. They were playing some mind game, those two, Harry was sure. Presently, Severus lifted her easily, and put her on his shoulder, like some barbaric nomad, taking his loot, and left the room. Harry was sure, his mother was in control of situation, but it still didn't change the desire to throw Avada at Snape. What is this, Dark Ages?