Snape spent the next few days chasing her around the school trying to explain his actions but somehow she always managed to elude him so when school let he went to visit her at her parents house in Cokeworth. Her parents were delighted to see him; they invited him in immediately, and questioned him about his plans for the future.

It was obvious that they were rather fond of him and him of them. He was just telling them about the apprenticeship he had accepted with a potion maker in Hogsmeade when Lily came down to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

She was clearly startled when she saw him but managed to hide her annoyance so as not to upset her parents. How could they possibly understand? They knew nothing of the war that was playing out all around them.

Lily made polite small talk for a few moments before excusing herself and dragging Severus up the stairs to her bedroom.

He grinned from ear to ear reminding her that it had been years since he had been allowed in her bedroom.

She sighed and rolled her eyes before asking him what he was doing here.

Snape fiddled clumsily in his jacket pocket before pulling out a small velvet covered box. He stared at it wistfully for a moment before shoving it back into his pocket. "I had to see you," he pressed "I love you so much Lily. It hurts that you won't talk to me. We were going to go traveling together. What changed? Why are you so mad at me?"

"You changed Severus, I am a muggleborn, how can you say you love me when you went off and joined that gang of blood supremacists. They have been attacking innocent people Severus, how can you condone that?"

"Unfortunately there are a few who have used violence as a means of achieving our end but I assure you they are in the minority. Lord Voldemort is currently legislating for proper reform. Don't you think it's wrong that we wizards are forced to live in secrecy? To have to hide our powers from our friends and neighbours our entire lives just because who we are might frighten them? There is a veritable menagerie of magical creatures that the statute of secrecy has brought to the brink of extinction, creatures muggles once revered. Your parents were delighted to discover you were a witch and for all my fathers' faults he truly loved his magical wife. Muggles may have persecuted us in the past but things are different now, times have changed, we don't even give them a chance to accept us. Lord Voldemort hopes to change all that, is it wrong for me to want to help him."

"It would not be wrong to help him if he truly wanted wizards and muggles to co-exist in harmony with one another but that isn't want he wants. He wants to dominate muggles, force them into submission, by fair means or foul."

Snape looked pensive for a moment "I don't have to be a part of this Lily, I love you, I would do anything for you, I only wanted our children to grow up in a world that is better than the one we knew."

"It's too late for that now Severus, I cannot trust you, please just go, go!


The next few scenes showed Severus begin his apprenticeship with the apothecary. He threw himself into his work trying to forget his pain and soon surpassed his master. With nothing much left to learn he became rather bored and began spending more and more of his time exploring the dark arts and that despite his earlier assertions to Lily, he was becoming more and more involved with the death eaters and their fight for domination. A fight which Harry was disgusted to see Severus now believed was necessary to restore natural order. It seemed utterly impossible to him that Snape and Lily could rekindle their relationship now and yet he knew they must have. More memories whizzed by, none of them featuring Lily until after Severus had been summoned back to the manor to attend to his grandfather on his death bed. Lily the ever loyal friend came to the funeral afterwards to pay her respects and offer comfort to her childhood love in his grief. There were very few in attendance who did not seem to sympathise with the death eaters and Harry noted the jealously with which his father regarded the easy companionship between Lily and his cousin – James Potter. It would seem to all in attendance that James and Lily were already together but things couldn't possibly have been all that they seemed as Harry watched Lily and Snape slip off into the gardens with one another hand in hand before the memory faded away.

When the scene reformed Snape was sitting in the dining room leafing through the daily prophet as he picked at his breakfast. Mildred Prince was trying her best to make conversation with her grandson but he seemed preoccupied. Harry felt sorry for the old woman; she must be rather lonely since her husband died. She eventually managed to gain his attention by mentioning James' wedding. His grandmother didn't seem to pick up on his pain but he was devastated to learn that his darling Lily was now somebody elses wife and now having already lost her Snape felt as though he had nothing left to lose.


The next few memories flashed by at lightning speed showing very little details but serving the purpose of showing Harry that Snape was now heavily involved in both the creation and execution of the Death Eaters evil campaigns

Then Harry found himself lurking in the back of a dusty old bar. Dumbledore was there, meeting one of the teachers Harry recognised from school but who he hadn't had yet – Professor Tirawley or Treloney or something. He was interviewing her for the post of divination teacher. Harry looked to his father, what could be so interesting about a job interview that he had deigned it important enough to show Harry. Snape gestured for him to pay attention and then suddenly the womans eyes rolled back in her head and she entered some kind of trance. Harry stared open mouthed as she prophesied that the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord would be born to those who had thrice defied the Dark Lord as the seventh month dies before Snape was spotted and ejected from the pub as the memory faded away.

The next scene showed Snape proudly relaying the information to Voldemort who immediately summoned his closest followers to him. Snape was truly part of the inner circle now. They discussed the prophecy and what it might mean and though some were quite vocal in their opposition to the idea it was concluded that it would be imperative to negate the risk his being overthrown by this child by killing it.


When August came the Dark Lord convened his war council once more. They had determined that there were only two children born to whom the prophecy could have referred: Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter.

Harry watched his father carefully as the realisation that Lily now had a child washed over him.

The Death Eaters seemed to assume Neville was the threat, citing the many times his parents had thwarted Voldemorts plans and the fact that he was a pureblood and would therefore be a powerful wizard but the Dark Lord himself seemed to believe that the half-blooded Harry was obviously the child of whom the prophecy had spoken.

When he heard Voldemorts plans to attack the Potters, Snape confessed his love for Lily and begged him to spare her. Harry initially thought this very brave of him but then looking around the table he realised that although no one had mentioned it the majority of them were already acutely aware of his love for Lily then he realised that it was only Lily whose life he had asked to be spared. Harry glowered at his father. How very convenient for him. Voldemort could eliminate James and Harry and then Lily would turn to Snape for comfort.

The Dark Lord initially mocked Snape for his request, recommending he find himself a more worthy witch but he stood his ground and after a moment Voldemort amazed Harry by stating what seemed to be an oft spoke belief of his that every drop of magical blood spilled was a terrible waste and clarified to his followers that only the child needed to die.


More scenes sped past but this time they showed that Snape had become very disillusioned with the Death Eaters cause until finally Harry watched as his father begged Dumbledore to hide Lily from the Dark Lord, to protect her, to protect them all and he watched as he pledged him his own life in return.

Dumbledore offered Snape the position of Potions Master at Hogwarts and he became a spy for the Order of the Phoenix an organisation Dumbledore ran in opposition of Lord Voldemorts reign of terror. He had no direct dealing with any of the rest of the order as such a blatant alignment would have compromised his position but he ensured they were kept well informed of the Dark Lords movements.

Harry felt rather proud of his father watching the next few scenes as he succeeded in thwarting countless death eater attacks and even provided opportunity for a couple of the more dangerous Death Eaters to be apprehended.

He shadowed his fathers younger self as he strode down a narrow lane but he almost had to run to keep up with him and ended up tripping over a rock, his father helped him up just as memory Snape came to a stop outside one of the cottages, he looked up and down the lane cautiously before hurrying inside. Harry followed, and on hearing a child crying realised that this was the Potters house. His breath caught in his throat. James Potter lay motionless at the foot of the stairs, Snape initially stepped over him in his rush to find Lily before turning and crouching down to check his pulse. He was dead! Snape respectfully closed his eyes before proceeding up the stairs.

He crossed the landing, towards the nursery, Lily was lying on the floor amid a pile of debris, He took her in his arms, holding her to him, weeping, begging her to wake but she too was dead.

Harry turned away, he could not bear to see his parents like this and then his father reached out and put his arms around him, trying to comfort himself as much as Harry " I'm Sorry Harry" he said " You shouldn't have to see this but you wanted to know and I had to show you everything.

The baby Harry was standing in his cot, crying for his mother, the lightning scar that had marked his face for as long as he could remember was bloody and raw. After a few minutes the childs cries managed to penetrate Snapes agony, he gently lay Lily back down on the floor and went to tend to the child.

The present Snape looked at Harry astonished as he realised for the first time that baby Harry had finally gotten his attention by calling for his father instead of his mother.

Snape tentatively lifted him out of the cot. Harry suspected he hadn't had much experience with infants but he seemed a natural – baby Harry instantly ceased crying and nuzzled into him. He grimaced then as he realised the baby had soiled himself. He used magic to clean Harrys nappy and then carefully tended to the cut on his forehead. Snape had just gotten him off to sleep when Dumbledore arrived.

He jumped when he saw Snape sitting in the corner. Harry could tell from the look on Dumbledores face that he hadn't expected to see either of them. He conjured a strange translucent white bird which flew up and out through the semi collapsed roof into the night

"You promised to keep them safe" Snape said darkly.

"I tried my best Severus, someone else must have betrayed them" the older man replied with genuine regret.

"The boy survived" Snape observed coolly as he lay the sleeping child back down in the cot.

"How?" Dumbledore probed.

Snape shrugged. Dumbledore walked around him lifting Harry back out of the cot, waking him.

The baby Harry looked terrified and began to cry as Dumbledore performed legilimency on him.

The child bucked and reached out for Snape to take him, Snape glared indignantly at Dumbledore until Harrys screams grew more urgent and he plucked him out of Dumbledores grasp admonishing him on the ethics of performing such invasive magic on a young child.

Dumbledores eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched Snape sooth Harry but he remained silent and pensive until Harry returned to his slumber and then he spoke. "Voldemort killed Lily, He asked her to stand aside but she would not, he then tried to kill Harry. He cast the Avada Kedavra but something went wrong. The spell back fired hitting Voldemort himself and not Harry causing him to just disappear."

"You mean he's dead?" Snape asked audibly relieved as he glanced down at his arm.

"No, I would not be so certain about that but he was most certainly defeated. The war is over. We have won!"

"How can you be so certain Albus? Your sole witness is but one year old!"

"Just because he cannot comprehend what he saw does not mean he did not see it"

"Let me take him?" Snape pleaded protectively.

"Take him where?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"The manor"

"It wouldn't be safe for him there"

"No one would have to know who he is, if you made out he died in the attack, he would be safe there. I could raise him as my own"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly "I'm sorry Severus but Lily and James named Sirius Black as Harrys guardian. I will have to deliver him to his care forthwith"

"Black?" Snape spat, he cannot possibly be fit to raise a child."

"Perhaps, but it is not for us to decide, those were their wishes and besides Alice Longbottom is his godmother, she will be more than capable of ensuring he is well looked after, you should go now, others are bound to come looking for their Dark Lord, they cannot find you here."

"I'm not leaving her" Severus insisted, as he knelt down beside her once more, "They won't come back here anyway"

"How do you know"

"I could feel it. It was as though a part of me had suddenly been ripped out, the pain was so intense. I was floored for a moment or two, I took this to be a sign of Lilys death but then as I regained cognisance I realised my dark mark seared red and that I was not the only one affected. The other death eaters are searching for the Dark Lord, they will not come here."

"Then you should join them Severus."

"Why, the war is over, you said so yourself"

"You pledged your service to the order, the Dark Lord will return and when he does you must be well placed to keep us informed of his movements"

"I pledged my service to the order in exchange for you keeping Lily safe. I owe you nothing now"

"Lily gave her life to save her son, when the Dark Lord returns he will be in terrible danger if you truly loved her you would do everything in your power to ensure she did not make that sacrifice in vain"

"If the Dark Lord was led to believe that the boy is dead he would not come after him again"

Snape stared at him before eventually muttering that he would continue to spy for the order but that he would not join the search for Voldemort tonight.

Harry saw a triumphant smile stretch across his headmasters face but before he had an opportunity to respond they were disturbed a crashing sound outside the window.

Snape looked up startled just as Dumbledore gestured for him to silently take baby Harry to the next room. He did so and it frustrated Harry to have to follow him instead of going down to investigate the source of the disturbance.

Snape cast a silencing charm on the room before setting Harry on the bed and positioning himself in such a way that he could keep an eye on the landing through the small chink between the door and its frame.

Harry was standing over the bed scrutinising his infant self while Snape looked around the room, as he had not paid any attention to the surroundings at the time lot of the fixtures and fittings were blurred but it was still evident to him now that this was overtly masculine room. Picking up a soft woollen jumper and bringing it up to his face he wondered if perhaps James slept here alone or if someone else had been staying here with the Potters prior to the attack but the jumper bore no scent that could help him determine its owner.

Dumbledore called Snape out of his hiding place just in time for Harry to see Hagrid lumbering up the stairs. He was blubbering incomprehensively about the attack. Leaving Harry with Dumbledore and Hagrid Snape went back to say goodbye to Lily before the scene faded away.

When it reformed Snape was confronting Dumbledore over his plan to send baby Harry to live with the Dursleys.

"What do you mean Hagrid is taking him to live with Petunia? I thought Black was taking him"

"Did you not know Black was a death eater? He betrayed the Potters, he was apprehended earlier and sent to Azkaban"

"But Black was Potters best friend, he was supposed to be Harrys guardian"

"These are dark times Severus, it is difficult to know who to trust, Lily and James placed their trust in the wrong person, rather like you"

"What of Alice Longbottom? You said she was the childs godmother? Lilys sister hates magic, she thought Lily was a freak. You cannot send her son to live with Petunia."

"The Longbottoms are in St Mungos. Petunia is the only family the boy has left"

"Let me take him, it's not too late to pretend he died in the attack"

"What do you know of raising children Severus? Petunia has a little boy of her own, he would be company for Harry, what do you want with the child?"

"He is Lilys son, he is all that is left of her"

"Not quite, Petunia and her son share Lilys Blood. I suspect that when Lily sacrificed her life in an attempt to save her son she drew upon some ancient magic. That blood bond Harry shares with his aunt will strengthen the protection Lilys death afforded him. It is too late to make out he died. There is not a man woman or child in our world who has not already heard the story of the boy who lived. He will be safest with the Dursleys away from all this until it is time for him to come to Hogwarts"


The next few scenes showed Snape mournfully attending the Potters funerals and then finally standing trial for his participation in the war where Harry was delighted to see that the Wizengamot saw fit to clear him of all charges before returning to the here and now of Snapes study.

Snape pushed the plate of chocolates towards Harry encouraging him to eat as he asked him if he was okay.

Harry nodded.

"Can you ever forgive me now you know that it was my fault your family was destroyed?"
Harry sat quietly for a moment contemplating his fathers question and his feelings on what he had discovered. The minutes that passed seemed like an eternity to Snape as he awaited his sons answer.

"I don't see how it could have been your fault?" Harry said quietly.

"The prophecy…. If I hadn't told him."

"Then someone else would have."

"You are a truly remarkable boy Harry!"

Harry shrugged "Just remember this the next time your angry with ME for doing something stupid!"

Severus laughed. A deep hearty laugh Harry had never heard before.

Harry smiled. "Thank you for sharing your past with me" he said quietly.

Severus regarded his son with a hint of amusement before pulling him in for a hug.

Harry was surprised. He had not expected the potions master to be the hugging type and stood awkwardly in his embrace for a moment before remembering the ease with which his infant-self had previously sought comfort from this man and relaxed.

The clock chimed twelve. "You remind me so much of your mother Harry" Severus admitted to his son before releasing him and stepping back. "Its late, we should go to bed, we can talk more tomorrow"