Chapter 14: An unexpected visitor

Lily woke up to the silent house. She wasn't quite sure what woke her up, and was about to drift off again, when she heard footsteps. She crawled silently out of her bed, and padded in her socked feet out of the room. She winced as a stair creaked. She willed herself to levitate an inch above the ground and continued down the stairs. She passed the door, and examined it closely. It was closed now, but she suspected someone had just come into the house. She walked down toward the basement kitchen. The door was ajar. She pushed it open.

Snape was sitting in a chair, with his back to her. He had his head in his hands, and looked very tired. Lily stood in the door for a moment. She debated going back the way she had come, but then she took pity on him. He looked lonely and harassed. A sudden thought occurred to her. Had Dumbledore yet asked him to teach Harry legilimens yet?

"Sev," she said, making him jump. She came over and sat beside him.

"Lily," he sighed. "I didn't think anyone would be awake."

"Sev. That's what she used to call you, right?" said Lily, somewhat absentmindedly. She looked up. Snape was clenching his fists.

"How do you know so much about us?" he asked. "No one knew." He dropped his head into his hands.

Cursing herself for bringing it up, Lily remained silent for a moment, and then sighed. "I know for the same reason that I disappeared. It's," she paused. "I once let slip to you that someone was , in some ways, controlling my life." Snape looked up, and Lily looked away. "I'm afraid that's all I can say. I'm sorry." She really was sorry. She didn't like keeping things from him. He was her friend. "Someday, I will tell you everything."

Snape dropped his head back into his hands.

Lily cleared her throat. "Dumbledore has asked you to begin lessons with Harry in legilimens." It wasn't a question. Snape looked up at her again, then opened his mouth to speak. He seemed to choke back a question, then sighed.

"Yes," he muttered. "Dumbledore like to torture me, it seems. That boy...he's like James. The same arrogance. He's not worthy to have her eyes!" Snape slammed a fist into the table.

Lily frowned. "James took away everything you love. He took her from you, in your way of thinking," she paused. "Yet you protect Harry. You do it because you love her, always will love her." Snape was looking at her in shock. "Harry looks very much like James," she paused again. "But he has Lily's heart. It is in your power to see beyond the husk of James Potter, and into the soul of Lily." She smiled. "It's quite like the resemblance between your Lily, and me. I am not her. But, perhaps some who meet me may think I act quite like her, and treat us as the same person, which, to other's eyes, we are so clearly not." She met his eyes. "I will never ever be Lily Evens. And those that look for her in me are wasting their time."

Lily, commanded the voice. It is time for you to stop talking about this. You have planted the seed. Let it grow. It will give him the strength to carry out what must be done. Now, remember your next task. Find a way to help with the antidote. Everything rests on Author Weasly being cured.

"Severus, may I ask a favor of you?" Lily asked, after five minutes of silence had passed.

He looked up at her and nodded.

"Author Weasly is an important man. I wish to aid the healer in creating an antidote. You know that you have given me the tools to be able to save him, but the healer does not know that. Would you be able to use your influence to ease my way?"

Snape looked at her questioningly. "You do not have a degree. They will never allow you to do it." Lily winced.

"Not that this counts for much, but I was a doctor in another life," she said, smiling a little. "And you and I've been making antidotes for a long time before now." She looked at him, begging him with her eyes. He couldn't know that his life rested on him doing the very thing she asked for.