Reconciliation
Severus knelt on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, panting slightly, trying to catch his breath after running all the way from the Great Hall. The wind roared around the small building, drowning out any noise, even that of his ragged breathing. That was probably the reason why he did not hear the person who was clambering up into the Shack until she called out to him. "Severus? Severus, I know you're there."
When Snape recognized the voice as Lily's, he almost replied. But then he remembered their last conversation - how she had sided with Pettigrew - and he clenched his jaw shut. He heard a small scuffling noise, and then Lily hoisted herself up onto the floor. She stood, brushing her robes off. "Why didn't you respond when I called out?"
"Why should I? Why are you even here? Doesn't it serve me right if I get punished?" Snape answered sullenly, refusing to look at her.
"Oh, Severus, you're not still mad about that, are you? You know I didn't mean it. Won't you say something to me?" Lily entreated.
"Really? It sure seems like you meant it." Severus retorted angrily.
"Well, I did, but-"
"Then go away."
"Wait! Just listen for a minute. I thought you were doing all that - becoming an Animagus, going to the Shrieking Shack during the full moon, hanging around with James and Sirius and Remus all the time - just because you wanted to be popular and you thought that was how to do it."
"So that's why you went running to McGonagall after what happened in Hogsmeade, right?"
Lily blinked, and when she answered him, there was no doubting the shock and disbelief in her voice. "I didn't- It wasn't me who told Professor McGonagall. I heard Peter saying he would get revenge for you attacking him, so I followed him back to the castle. He went straight to McGonagall's office and fabricated a story, but I talked to her after Peter left, and told her what really happened - what Peter had said to you. She said that she'd ask you and see if your story matched mine, and then she sent me off to get you."
Understanding dawned on Snape's face. "That must be why she let me go after Remus said that Peter had insulted me," he said softly. "But what made you change your mind about why I'd become a Marauder?"
"Because James produced that Shield Charm for you, and because they all followed you straight to the castle. They wouldn't do that for you if they weren't really your friends. Maybe James is arrogant, but he's fiercely loyal, and he's not stupid. He would see through you in an instant if you'd been friends with him for a selfish reason. I should've known better - you would never be friends with somebody for any of the reasons I thought you were." The tension between them vanished instantly. "Will you go back to class now?" Lily asked tentatively.
"Sure. Let's hurry - Merlin knows what McGonagall will say to me if we're late."
Severus hesitated before he entered the Transfiguration classroom. He was certain that Professor McGonagall would be furious. "C'mon, Sev, maybe she won't mind so much. After all, it's not like we're late every day," Lily reminded him bracingly.
But when they entered the room, nobody even noticed. Professor McGonagall was standing very still at the front of the classroom, her face whiter than the bit of parchment that she held between trembling fingers. A crimson bird with long, draping tail feathers was perched on her desk, clearly anticipating a response to the letter it had just delivered. James slid over along his bench to make room for Severus. "What's happened, Prongs?" whispered Snape, seating himself in the space between James and Sirius. Just then, Professor McGonagall looked up and said, in what was a carefully controlled monotone, yet somehow still betrayed her panic, "Professor Dumbledore has asked me to inform you that You-Know-Who is communicating with certain students in the school in an attempt to recruit more Death Eaters. The Headmaster wishes you to be aware that Hogwarts is no longer a secure school. Report to the Great Hall immediately; Dumbledore wishes to address the school as a whole."
A/N: After far too long, here's a new chapter for you. I've been slacking off about updating frequently enough, but I've been really busy at school lately, so there's my weak excuse. A couple days ago my total hits reached 2,000, so I'm pretty excited about that. Thanks so much to anybody who has read my stories. I also want to specifically thank Luiz4200 for his many lovely reviews for my stories. I appreciate all my readers more than you can know; thank you so much. Please review!
