A/N: This is what I would have liked to happen; – had J.K. Rowling's world ever crossed over with Stephanie Meyers'.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from their creations, besides the following plot. xx
Chapter Fourteen – The Headmaster's Office Once More
25 June 1995
Lily Potter POV
"Severus what are you doing here?" I gasped in shock. Remus released me from his arms and pushed me to stand behind him absently. Within a second or so, I had managed to glance repeatedly between the two males, quickly recalling the most previous encounter between us all. From the expressions on each of their faces, it was obvious neither of the two, had moved past it either. Standing closely behind Remus, I placed a soothing palm on his lower back, in hope that he would straighten up from his territorial crouch. This gesture did not go unnoticed by the Potions master, as I observed his dark eyes narrow into cool slits. At the touch of my hand, Remus slowly stepped back, his gaze fixed pointedly on Severus' face.
As if on cue, the Caterwauling Charm I had cast an hour earlier began to screech throughout the apartment; deafening us momentarily, with its unmistakeable high-pitched scream. Severus rolled his eyes at the lateness of the intruder charm, as Remus and I grimaced, grasping quickly at our ears and squinting our eyes against the painful noise. After a few moments of peering at each other in bewilderment, I realised Severus and Remus were waiting on me to cast the countercharm. I raised my wand swiftly and muttered the incantation, hoping it was the right one. It must have been, as the internal alarm ceased within my home and Snape took a few alarming leaps towards us in the centre of the living room.
"What are you…?" I began, before noticing the dark expression on his face.
"Stupefy," Remus yelled defensively at the oncoming man, also noticing the coolness behind his eyes. The jet of red light flew across my living room, leaving me horrified and speechless. Severus blocked the stunning charm skilfully and disarmed Remus, catching the second wand in his left hand. I had not been expecting the attack from Remus; however, the intrusive demeanour of my childhood friend and former Death Eater was what stunned me the most. I quickly stiffened, feeling the colour drain from my flushed face, as a wave of panic rushed through me. I was frightened of the intruder before us; as I had no clue why he was in my apartment or what he wanted.
"Severus..?" I tried to gauge his intentions by calling out his name shakily. This did not receive a response from the black clad man billowing towards us. Remus reached out for my wand, but I managed to jerk it away from his grasp and stutter out a charm desperately, "C-con-confundo," I yelled desperately, hoping my memory was serving me well and that the incantation for the confusion charm was correct. Severus Snape blocked my attack without blinking, continuing his stride towards us. I froze, staring at his cold eyes and the dark circles beneath them. Why hadn't he greeted us; why hadn't he said anything at all? It was so hard not to panic; as my lack of practice with magic had left my fears and insecurities taking over my mobility and reflexes. Again, Remus reached out quickly for my wand, but I was swift enough to come up with another charm.
"IMMOBULUS," I screamed, frightened of the sinister expression on Severus' face, and the black pools in his eyes. He did not seem like the man I had spoken to the previous year, nor did he seem like the man that had appeared in few of my dreams. For a fleeting moment, it occurred to me that he had switched allegiance again, and may have contributed to the Dark Lord's resurrection. The thought left me feeling nauseous, and I prayed against all odds, that I was wrong. I gaped incredulously, as Snape managed to throw up a 'Protego' shield before I had even finished screaming out my freezing charm. To add to the chaos, I struggled against Remus, as he continued to shove me behind him, hoping he could create a physical buffer between me and the intruder in my home.
"Enough of this," Snape snarled angrily, though he had seemed more desperate than anything else. As soon as he had reached us in the centre of the living room, he clenched his fist firmly around my forearm. In the heat of things, I barely noticed the electric shock that zapped us from the direct contact of our skin. Severus pulled me away from Remus' grasp and began to turn on the spot. There was a swirl of wind, a familiar sickening sensation in my stomach and then a burning ache above my wrist. Severus and I landed on the carpeted floor of Dumbledore's Office.
"Let go of me," I snapped at him. His firm grip had me wincing in pain and then rubbing my forearm, the moment he had released me from his hold. It took me another second to gather my bearings, and back myself into a far corner of the abandoned office, away from him. Glancing around the old circular room, I quickly became unsettled by the fact; I was alone with a man I did not trust, in a place which I had not set foot in for years; and that my primary source of security and comfort, had been left behind –wandless– in my apartment.
"Where is everyone?" I panicked hysterically, "Why did you bring me here? Where's Dumbledore? Remus will figure out where you've brought me!" my voice rose rapidly, as my outburst failed to receive an answer or any sign of acknowledgement from the other individual in the room.
Severus raised his wand and I flinched instinctively. This obviously amused the professor, as he rolled his eyes at my reaction to him. The grand antique clock behind me chimed twice, signalling the early hours of the morning. Closing my eyes briefly, I wondered whether the whole evening had been an absurd nightmare; and whether I had simply fallen asleep on the couch watching 'Peter Pan' with Bella.
I peered up hopefully from under my eyelashes, and was disheartened by the peculiar look on Severus' face in front of me. My heart sank, and the nausea came flooding back; the Dark Lord had been resurrected and my son's life was in danger. Severus slowly stretched his wand arm again and conjured a chair in the centre of the room, which I presumed was for me. He then promptly summoned one of Hogwarts' house elves and told the creature to inform the Headmaster he had returned. I ignored the chair intended for me, and watched him incredulously from my secure corner, as he walked around the back of the office desk, and began shuffling through objects in all the desk drawers. This amazed me; Severus Snape was going through Professor Dumbledore's belongings, as if it were a normal occurrence. He glanced up at me a few times; and I wasn't sure whether it was to check if I was still there, or to see if I had combusted with fright or shock. After another few minutes of standing quietly in the corner, I had come to the realisation, that Snape was not out to harm me. This however, did not relieve much of my anxiety or discomfort.
There was no sign of anyone else around and the castle was eerily quiet. I strained my ears to pick up any noise from beyond the stone walls, but couldn't hear any indications of fellow beings on the premises either. The only other source of life in the vicinity, other than Severus and myself; was Fawkes – the magnificent scarlet bird, perched quietly in the corner of the office. She tilted her head with interest, eyeing me with her own poise and beauty. The fact that she wasn't disturbed or unsettled by the former Death Eater's presence, served as the slightest reassurance to me – as I would have jumped out the tower window, had she indicated otherwise. I blinked twice and smiled out of admiration, and she reciprocated my gesture by bowing her head back in reverence. I wasn't sure if she knew who I was, or even remembered me, as it had been dark times when I had last seen her. Upon forming the Order, Professor Dumbledore had insisted on having Fawkes present at our meetings as a symbol of hope and inspiration. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Severus glance up and catch my exchange with the young bird and sneer with distaste.
During my school years I felt safe and secure within the vast castle, however standing within its walls once again, I was beginning to feel lost and uncertain. In all seriousness, I was spooked about being here again. I shivered involuntarily at the thought and received a frown from Severus across the room. He raised his wand arm, and pointed it at the ornate fireplace on the other side of the Headmaster's Office. A glorious crackling fire began to burn and light up the room; I stared at it in wonder as he continued shuffling through Dumbledore's desk. I had thoroughly missed magic.
That was when I remembered my wand was still clenched tightly in my hand by my side. I began to raise it slowly, just to check if it was still there and that my imagination wasn't actually playing tricks on me. A second later, Severus ceased his rummaging, looked up and threw me a stern glare, before diving back into the drawers. I hurriedly lowered my right arm again, and began studying the office I was standing in.
Dumbledore's Office was much the same as it had been the last time I had visited. I pushed away the memories of that horrendous night, and glanced up curiously at all the portraits of the school's previous headmasters and headmistresses. It seemed they were all very much awake, and fascinated by my presence in the room. Everywhere I looked around the dark circular space; their eyes were fixed curiously on my figure. It was slightly unsettling, watching them as they watched me. After another few minutes or so, the uneasiness slowly began to drain from my body and my mind started to reel. I soon remembered that I was finally back in the Wizarding World after fourteen years of hiding and abstinence from magic.
"Sorry for the lack of formalities earlier…" Severus began out of no where and trailed off with his own thoughts. He studied me for a few moments before returning to his task at the Headmaster's desk. I gaped silently at the man, now shuffling through scrolls of parchment on the desk. It took me a few extra minutes to finally find my voice.
"You could've just said you wanted to bring me here…Remus too…" I murmured back in annoyance, recalling his frightening demeanour as he entered my apartment and the subsequent duel that had resulted. Snape sneered at the mention of the other man.
"I wasn't thinking," he responded swiftly, lifting his eyes briefly to watch me walk across the carpeted office and stand directly in front of the warm fireplace. I was aware that every other pair of eyes on the curved walls had also followed my figure across the room as well. I stretched out my arms, to warm my hands against the scorching flames. It surprised me that he seemed to be in a talkative mood; so I decided to push my luck and gather as much information off him.
"Har…"
"He's fine; Dumbledore is with him now," Severus muttered without looking up.
"And Sir…?"
"Should be on his way," Severus replied, cutting me off.
"What about The Minis…"
"We're unsure on their position at the moment." He was obviously not in the mood to converse with me, so I stood quietly and watched him toss over the Headmaster's desk, still searching for something desperately.
"What are y…?"
"It's none of your damn business, geez you and your million questions Evans! Do you ever stop?" Severus yelled out in frustration. I gaped blankly at him, unsure what to do with myself. Peeking up nervously at some of the portraits on the surrounding walls, I noticed few of the faces were shaking their heads with disapproving expressions. I hung my head in shame and embarrassment, and turned my back on the office and Severus, as he continued with his search. There was no other way to describe the feeling deep in my stomach, other than that of fear and isolation. I had no idea what I was doing back within the castle walls, and I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of another familiar face; - who could tell me everything would be alright. I was anxious about my son's well being and longed for the sanctuary and comfort of Remus' protective arms. The tension between Severus and I was absolutely unbearable, and I felt as if it could have gradually suffocated me, had the office door not burst open behind me, minutes later.
"Lily," I spun around instantly, to be enveloped by the crushing embrace of Sirius Black. His arms had woven around my middle and locked securely around my back before I had even seen his ageing face. Yet, without a doubt; I knew it was him. I could tell by his distinct scent of stale tobacco mixed with his soap; I could tell by the fierce, desperate way in which he held me, and mostly by the fact that the bitter feeling of longing had finally evaporated from deep within my stomach.
"Sirius…" I gasped, and melted quickly into his strong arms as I felt my world spin back into focus within seconds. This was real; every bit of tonight was real. I struggled to return his bear-like embrace, as he gently lowered me to the floor again. Sirius was stroking my hair and kissing my temple and forehead, before I had realised I was crying hysterically into his neck, clutching onto him for dear life. Between my sobbing, and his whispering of unintelligible nonsense to soothe me, we hadn't noticed the room around us fill up with stunned faces. Nothing else seemed to matter for a few moments; other than knowing Sirius was safe and well, and back by my side. I hugged him tightly and he closed his eyes and rocked me back and forth again and again, before kissing my cheek for the tenth time. All too soon, Sirius pulled away, holding me out at arms length. We gazed fondly at each other, and I quickly took in all his matured features, not missing the pool of tears welling up in his soft eyes.
"Hi," I laughed lightly, hiccuping as I wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Hi," he chuckled, reaching up and whisking more of the tears away from my eyes, with the pad of his thumb. "It's been too long Lils," he rubbed my upper arms happily.
"It has…" I paused, noticing the number of people who had poured into the Headmaster's office within the previous few moments.
A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the lack of updating lately. These next few chapters have been difficult to write, but I hope you all enjoyed that one. The story will start to move quite rapidly from here. I'm keen to hear some of your thoughts on the new twist in the plot. Lily is finally back in the Wizarding World, so let me know what you're all thinking, please review guys! xx