Chapter 25: The Great Escape

Lily watched the guests file in from the window upstairs. She had been moved out of Ron's room and back with Alyce and Ginny. She apologized immensely throughout the night when the baby would wake up and cry to be fed or changed. Ginny and Alyce both looked a little exhausted from being woken up throughout the night but neither said anything to Lily. Alyce did both of their makeup to cover up this fact and the two got dressed for the wedding. They both looked back at Lily, who had had a dress for the occasion; Mrs. Weasley had altered a dress to a maternity size before any of them had expected the baby to come the day before the wedding.

"You know I can't go the baby is 12 hours old," Lily said looking toward the bassinet across the room.

"You should at least get dressed, I have a feeling after the wedding guests are going to be looking for a reason to get away and you might have a few stray up here to congratulate you on the baby," Alyce said.

"I suppose your right," Lily said. "And you are all leaving tonight, after that I will be living with Tonks's family.

"They are moving you tonight?" Alyce asked.

"They said it would be sometime after the wedding, so I'm presuming it will be tomorrow. The longer I stay here the more danger I am of Snape finding me."

Alyce nodded and helped Lily dressed into the maternity dress. "You look good Lily," Ginny said.

Lily smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, but I look like I just had a baby, which doesn't necessarily equate to good."

"Nah you've got that new mother glow," Alyce said smiling.

"You two better get downstairs before you get scalped," Lily said hearing a crash downstairs as last minute setting up was being done.

The two left and Lily was alone with the baby. It was quiet and peaceful, and then she heard a tiny wail from the bassinet and went over to feed him.

Alyce and Ginny walked downstairs and began welcoming guests. Lily picked up the baby from the bassinet and rocked him in her arms. Mrs. Weasley tapped her on the shoulder and said, "I have a sling if you would like to come out and enjoy the wedding,"

Lily looked at the silken shoulder sling that would cradle her baby against her. She smiled at Mrs. Weasley and asked, "Do you think it is safe to have the baby out this soon?"

Mrs. Weasley took a look at the baby. "That is a judgment call on your part, but I had the children out soon after they were born."

Lily nodded and said. "I will come out in a little while then, when the wedding is closer to starting."

Lily laid her son back in the bassinet and listened to his tiny breaths as he slumbered. She sighed to herself knowing that now that she had had the baby she couldn't imagine her life without him.

Lily watched the wedding from the open window knowing that having her baby in direct sunlight was definitely a bad idea. She might take him out later after the sun went down. She sighed watching the happy couple begin their life together. Lily looked over at her bassinet. She had definitely gone about things the wrong way. She had a baby, no father for said baby to be spoken of, not that she wanted him around, and now it would be very difficult to have what Bill and Fleur had since she had to worry about her son as well. She had Severus Snape's baby, she was lucky she had as many people talking to her as she did. She sighed. She should be happy; at least her son was healthy. So many other things could have gone wrong, and she had made her choices like an adult and now she would have to face them.

"You are looking lovely as ever Alyce," Viktor Krum said approaching her. "Where is your equally charming friend, Lily?" he asked.

"She's inside the house, you can go and see her yourself if you like," Alyce said to him. She remembered breaking up with Viktor soon after they had started dating. She hadn't even had the chance to fuck him, but she noticed that Viktor had a thing for bookish types. She had suggested he try for Lily, but it appeared he never got up the courage to. Too bad he had waited so long; maybe Lily wouldn't have a baby now if he had.

"Why is she not out at the wedding?" Viktor asked suspiciously.

"You'll see," Alyce said snickering. She knew as soon as Viktor saw the baby he would regret never having asked her out.

Lily heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she said softly.

Viktor looked shocked when he saw the tiny baby in the bassinet and Lily who was still recovering from the birth yesterday.

"Nice to see you again Viktor," Lily said smiling weakly.

"Likewise," he said taking in the scene. "Who is the lucky man?"

Lily sighed. "Surprised one of the giant gossips out there didn't tell you. Doesn't hurt to tell you now I guess, everyone knows anyway. Do you remember the caustic Hogwarts potions professor?" Lily asked.

"Yes?" Viktor said confused. Finally, after a few moments the lightbulb seemed to go off, "No fucking way," he said quietly to himself. "Why?"

"I ask myself that question every day," she said looking down at her feet.

"Well…" Alyce said not realizing that this could turn as ugly as it did.

"Do you want to see him?" Lily asked innocently not sure what else to say.

Viktor hesitated and then finally said, "Yes,"

Lily led Viktor to the bassinet where he saw a surprisingly good looking baby. "I certainly wasn't expecting that," Viktor said quietly.

"You have a beautiful baby Lily," Viktor said to her.

"Thank you," Lily said.

"I'll leave you two alone," Alyce said slipping out and smirking to herself. Lily needed some male company other than Ron, and if she and Viktor didn't end up dating it would make Ron jealous enough to do something about it. She would like to see the two of them together as much as she wanted to punch Ron in his stupid face sometimes. She had done her good deed of the day and now she was on the prowl for her next man. She knew she had made a no boy pact with Lily, but she was going to be without for a very very long time possibly and she wanted to be sure that she got her fill before trekking after Horcruxes with Harry and Ron.

Viktor spent about twenty minutes with Lily and her baby asking Lily a few questions about how she had been. Lily politely asked him questions about his career. The baby began crying and she said, "I think he may be hungry so I need to feed him," she said.

Viktor nodded and left the room. He did not return after that.

Alyce made her way through the crowd until she spotted a potential. She gave Charlie a wink and he raised an eyebrow at her. She shifted her eyes to a quiet area where they could have a little fun and began walking that way seductively walking over to the area. Charlie followed, breaking through the crowd, almost drooling. Alyce smirked lasciviously, loving the reaction she was getting from him. She took around the corner where they disappeared out of view and found herself having a very satisfying quickie with the dragon tamer.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you had a bit of an exhibitionist streak," Charlie said smirking at the sated witch.

"You don't know the half of it," she said rolling her eyes and fixing her dress.

"I hope to see you again soon. I haven't been with many women as… enthusiastic as you are," he said. "Or vocal."

Alyce winked at him and walked back toward the crowded yard to be with the rest of the partygoers.

The next person to visit Lily was Ron. She hadn't expected to see him when she told the person knocking at the door that they could come in.

"Oh, hello Ron," Lily said.

"Hello Lily," he said back to her.

"So, what brings you here?" she asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.

There was a commotion outside and the two looked at the window.

Harry and Alyce felt panicked as they saw Kingsley's patronus. "Where is Ron?" Harry asked his voice shaking as they were trying to figure out where to go.

"In the house, checking on Lily," Alyce said making a run for the house.

"What the hell is going on out there," Ron asked as the two busted into the room.

"They are coming," Harry said.

Lily jumped up from the bed and pulled out a beaded bag from underneath it. "I've had this packed for a while; it has everything you will ever need. Take care of one another and I'll keep you in my thoughts. Please just keep each other safe," Lily said rushing them.

The three apparated and Lily breathed a sigh of relief. At least they would be safe.

Lily heard the crashing and commotion get louder outside. She waited hoping that they wouldn't check for her.

The death eaters appeared and began to question everyone at the gathering about the attendance of Harry Potter. Snape questioned a few selected while his death eater brothers checked the rest. He got to Viktor Krum who held no pertinent information except that Lily was here, and she had the baby. He heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he looked into the bassinet through the boy's thoughts and saw the baby he was horrified would be hideous.

"I am going to collect my child," Severus said to the group. They smirked at him and he entered the Weasley home.

He didn't see much and sneered at the accommodations. He was aware that the Weasley's were poor, everyone in the Wizarding World knew that, but he was more shocked as he walked through the house. He finally found a room with a closed door and he knocked on the door. There was silence and he opened the door slowly to see Lily clutching the baby protectively with one arm and her wand was drawn and ready in her free hand.

"Get out of here," Lily demanded pointing the wand at Severus trying to get him away from her. He merely smirked and chuckled.

"Lily would you really hex the father of your son?" he said his voice layered with seduction hoping to get her to lower her wand so he could take her and the child. He may hate Lily for what she did to him, what she did to herself, but he would be damned if his child was hurt in the process.

As he stepped forward and Lily did indeed hex him. "Well I guess that answers that question," he thought to himself. Lily got up from the bed not knowing where to go. She knew she wouldn't be safe no matter where she ran and she was always going to be running. She wished that she had been moved to Tonks's parents house before tonight. She sighed knowing that if that were the case Alyce, Ron, and Harry wouldn't have been prepared to leave tonight when they did. She scurried around the house looking for a place to hide. She was hoping if she could hide long enough she wouldn't be found and she could leave when all the death eaters finally cleared out.

She stepped into a closet and heard Snape storming after being hexed. "He's going to be pissed," Lily thought to herself. She clutched the sleeping baby in her hands praying that he wouldn't cry and give away their position.

She shook and tried to stop breathing as Snape passed close by. She watched the babies eyes open and at first appear shocked and then the corners crinkled and she knew what was coming. She held the baby close to her hoping to calm him before he started, but it was no use. He let out a shrill cry and she felt the door being flung open in front of her and came face to face with the man she had feared would find her.

Snape shook his head. Stupid girl, there was no place for her to hide. She was safer with him than she knew especially since he was practically guaranteed the headmaster's position at Hogwarts. He sighed knowing that she was just as far in this as him now. Voldemort would be expecting him to bring her so he could go through her memories and get what he needed about the Potter boy.

"Get up," he said to her grabbing her from the floor and dragging her outside. He was sure to take her wand from her first so she couldn't attack him. He felt her trying to get away and caught her again holding her tightly as she was taken out into the yard with the rest of the terrified wedding guests.

"Where is Potter!" Bellatrix LeStrange said pointing her wand at Lily who was clutching her baby and shaking.

The crowd looked at her and she just mumbled, "I don't know."

"LIAR!" Bellatrix said running at her and pointing her wand at Lily. Snape stepped between and said, "That's enough."

Bellatrix looked at him with crazed eyes. "She is holding my son," Snape said glaring at her.

Upon this revelation those wedding guests who did not know that Lily had had Snape's child were now whispering among themselves.

"I'm taking her with me, and after she has tended to my son I will bring her back for questioning. The Dark Lord will summon us when he's ready. I expect the rest of the guests will be questioned accordingly,"

Snape drug the girl away and apparated with her and the infant. Lily saw herself standing in a small cramped house and she heard the clock chime. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten.

Snape took the baby from her arms and placed him in the crib he set up in a secondary bedroom in the house. He stared down at his son in amazement. As a child this had been his room and now his own son was in the same room. He sighed and went back to deal with the child's mother. Lily was still shaking in the living room. "Where have you taken him," she said her voice shaking as much as she was.

"He's sleeping and safe in his room," Snape said matter of factly.

Lily thought about what he had said. Had he been planning this all along? Lily walked into what appeared to be a nursery. "Were you planning this?" Lily asked him speaking outloud.

Snape just sighed. He couldn't tell her the truth, she would soon be questioned by Voldemort about him and he still needed Voldemort to believe that he had purposely seduced the girl in order for her to be separated from the group leaving Potter unprotected by the strategist of the group.

"I am not answering that question Ms. Kacufrakus." Snape said.

"Why me?" Lily asked angry now. "Why did you pick me?"

"Because it had to be this way Lily," he said finally saying her name and looking at her with deep smoldering eyes. She said nothing else to him.

Alyce, Ron, and Harry apparated to Tottenham Court. "What the fuck Alyce?" Ron asked assessing the surroundings.

"Where are we?" Harry asked as she pulled them out of the bustling crowd.

"Tottenham Court, I haven't been here in years, but I figured we would be safer surrounded by Muggles."

Ron and Harry nodded and Alyce dug through the beaded bag that Lily had sent them with. The invisibility cloak was packed away and each person went under the cloak to change out of their wedding clothes and into something less conspicuous.

"Where do we go now?" Ron asked as they walked down the street with no direction.

"I don't know, but we need to sit down and figure out what we are going to do," Alyce said, motioning to a small dirty diner.

Harry got under the invisibility cloak and they all walked into the diner. Alyce ordered espresso and Ron ordered the same not sure what to order. When the espresso came out Alyce took a couple of gulps and Ron took a gulp and then cringed.

"Can't we go Grimmauld place?" Harry asked from under the cloak.

"I'm not sure its safe," Alyce said thinking to herself. "Dumbledore was the secret keeper and now that he has died all of the order members have access, including Snape."

Ron gripped his fists in anger. Snape had probably given the location to every last Death Eater.

Snape sat in the living room waiting to be summoned with Lily. He wanted so badly to tell her what was going on, but he knew he couldn't. He wasn't sure how well she did with occulmency. He was certain she had be better than her hard-headed friend Potter, whom he had unsuccessfully tried to train last year. Snape himself had been practicing it for so long because of the nature of being a spy that it was almost second nature.

Lily was on the other side of the room farthest away from Snape. She shook, knowing that very soon she would be presented to Voldemort, tortured, and possibly killed. She was no use to her son now, she was being sent to her death by his father. She knew why Snape had chosen her though he had never definitively answered her question from before. He needed to separate her from Harry, Alyce, and Ron, and now she would be questioned by Voldemort to divulge all the secrets that Harry had shared with her. She didn't know how she could have been so stupid to have not seen it before. It was like she was under a spell, a curse more like it, and she was so blinded by need, and that blindness lasted until she conceived his child. She sighed, there was nothing she could do now.

Snape watched Lily curiously. He thought about their son in the next room, his flesh and blood sleeping quietly just a few rooms away. Severus Snape, a father, he wouldn't have believed it himself if he didn't see and hold his child just minutes ago. "How old is he?" he finally asked her.

Lily looked at him and then looked at the clock and then said, "A little less than a day old."

Snape nodded. He knew the boy hadn't looked very big. He had missed a large milestone in his sons's life, his birth. He was already proving to be a terrible father right from the start. "What did you name him?" Snape asked cringing and praying it wasn't after one of her dunderhead friends.

"Brian," she said plainly.

Snape hadn't expected that. He thought about the name for a while and then cringed. No, she hadn't picked one of the names of her dunderhead friends, she had to pick one of Dumbledore's middle names. As if he needed a constant reminder of that. Now he would have a daily reminder that his son bore the name of the man he murdered. He sighed, he wasn't sure the day could get any worse. Suddenly his mark began to burn and he thought, "It appears they can get worse."

"Get Brian out of the nursery," Snape said coldly. Lily stood still for a moment, "NOW," he barked at her.

Lily hurried into the other room and grabbed her son. She looked around to see if there was any escape route, but unfortunately found none. She walked back out into the living room and Snape grabbed ahold of her.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked as Snape pulled his wand out.

"We are being summoned," he said as they apparated together.