Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.

Previously – Lily and Harry did a charm to protect Severus from the call of the dark mark and Severus wants to discuss the kiss he and Lily shared.

Lily frowned. "Kiss?"

Severus's mouth dropped open. She didn't remember?

Lily laughed and stepped closer to him. "Sorry. I couldn't resist."

Severus shook his head ruefully. "You are as cheeky as your son."

Lily smirked.

"So the kiss," Severus cleared his throat. "I thought it was quite satisfactory."

Lily stared t him. "Quite satisfactory," She repeated.

Severus nodded.

Lily rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You really have a way with words, Sev."

Severus scowled slightly. "You have to already know how I feel." He ran a hand through his hair. "I've loved since since we met. When I think back on my childhood, the best thing that happened to me was meeting you. When I was a student, the brightest part of my day was seeing you. Losing you was losing everything good in my life. And now, having you and Harry is everything. Both of you are my everything."

Lily's eyes were shining with tears. "Now that is better," She whispered, stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around him.

Severus hugged her tight. "I love you, Lily. I've always loved you."

"I love you too, Sev," Lily murmured.

Severus froze at hearing the words he had wanted to hear for so long. "You do?" He breathed.

Lily gave a light laugh and tilted her face up, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, really. I love you." She grinned. "Now, how about some more of that satisfactory kissing?"

Severus wasted no time in obliging her.

/

The next morning, Harry yawned and shuffled into the kitchen, the smell of bacon and eggs perking him up. "Did you cook?" He asked his mum, who was setting a plate of toast on the table.

"Yes," Lily said, giving him a quick hug before returning to the stove. "We both slept through breakfast in the Great Hall so I thought I would make us something."

"It looks great," Harry sat down and poured himself some juice. "Wait, we slept that late?"

"We needed it," Lily said as she put a plate in front of him and then sat down with her own plate. "How do you feel?"

"I feel great," Harry said as he enthusiastically dug into breakfast.

"Good," Lily said as took a bite of eggs.

"Do you think Severus is doing okay? His arm, I mean?"

"He was fine when he left last night," Lily answered, pouring herself some tea. She looked at her son apprehensively. "Harry..."

"Yeah?"

"Would it...I mean, we should discuss..." Lily bit her lip.

"Mum?" Harry looked at her in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," Lily quickly said. "It's just, we should discuss what you and Luna saw yesterday."

Harry frowned in thought before he remembered walking in on his mum and Severus. "Oh, you mean...the kissing," He blushed.

"Yeah," Lily said, watching him. "Harry, how would you feel if I started dating Severus?" She blurted out. "I know it might be weird and if it upsets you in any way then I won't..."

"Mum," Harry bit back a grin at how flustered she looked. "It's okay. It doesn't upset me at all."

"Really?" Lily said, relieved. "Are you sure? You know I will always love James." She said earnestly. "He will always have a special place in my heart."

"I know," Harry nodded. "You deserve to be happy Mum, and Severus is really the only father figure I -" He stopped, flushing slightly.

Lily smiled gently at him. "The only father figure you remember," She nodded. "I understand. James would too, if you are worried about that."

Harry fiddled with his fork. "It's just, I don't remember Dad and even Sirius, well, I loved him but I didn't see him as a dad type, more like an uncle." He shrugged. His eyes widened. "You won't tell Severus I see him that way, right? It would probably weird him out or something..."

"No, it wouldn't," Lily assured him. "He loves you and sees you as a son."

Harry's eyes brightened. "You really think so?"

"Yes," Lily said. "So, it really wouldn't bother you if we started to date?"

"Will I walk in on you two making out all the time?" Harry began laughing when his mum blushed. "I was kidding."

"Very funny," Lily huffed, happy he was taking this well. "As long as I don't walk in on you and Luna -"

"Mum!" Harry could feel himself turning red.

Lily started to laugh before she suddenly stopped. "Oh, maybe we should have a talk about that?" She offered. "You know, about how to um, treat a girl and waiting until -"

"No!" Harry looked horrified. "No, I don't need – we aren't – we're taking things slow. I promise!" He rambled on. "I respect her, I would never push her to – I'm not even ready for that... I-"

"Harry," Lily bit her lip to keep herself from smiling. "Okay. But if you ever want to talk about...things, I'm available okay?"

"Okay," Harry said, clearly relieved she wasn't pushing the conversation.

Lily finished her tea, making a mental note to have Severus talk to him. She knew it was important that Harry have a an adult, especially a male figure, in his life who he could talk to. Another reason she was grateful to have Severus in her life.

/

Harry sat in Dumbledore's office after being summoned after dinner, staring at the Headmaster in horror. Horcrux. And Voldemort had made several of them... by killing and tearing his soul apart. Ugh, no wonder he was so insane. Harry wondered if that was why Voldemort didn't even look like a man anymore...

"I believe I have finally found the location of another one," Dumbledore said, watching him carefully.

"So this will be the second one?" Harry asked, still feeling dazed that the diary his second year had been one.

"Actually, the third," Dumbledore corrected. "I found a ring that was made into one this past summer. I almost got myself cursed by it," He admitted.

"Oh," Harry said with wide eyes. "So where is this one?"

"A cave that Voldemort went to when he was a child living in an orphanage. He took two children with him so that he could terrorize them," Dumbledore said. "It would be a perfect place to hide a horcrux. Harry, I would like you to come with me."

"Really?" Harry asked in surprise. He wasn't allowed to be an Order member but Dumbledore was allowing him to to go Horcrux hunting? "What about my Mum and Severus?"

"Well," Dumbledore hesitated. "They may not approve. I just thought you would want to be a part of this -"

"I do!" Harry blurted out. He needed to be a part of it, the more he knew the sooner he could get rid of Voldemort right? "We can just tell them afterward."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I'm sure."

/

Lily and Severus stared at Harry. "You went where?"

With a tired sigh, Harry explained again. His mum and Severus had been frantic when he had returned to the castle, apparently they had been looking for him all evening. He had quickly gone to his mum's quarters to let her know he was okay and to come clean about where he had been. He was happy that he and Dumbledore had retrieved the locket but still felt sick by seeing the Headmaster drink that potion and then almost losing his life to the Inferi...

"I can't believe this!" Lily threw up her hands. "What were you thinking? Why would you go with him without talking to either of us first?"

"Because he knew we would say no," Severus said, narrowing his eyes on the teenager. When Harry flushed, he nodded. "You knew we would both disapprove but you went anyway."

"The Headmaster asked me if I wanted to go and I did!" Harry defended himself. "I should be a part of everything, not have things hidden from me. I was finally being treated like an Order member!"

"You are not in the Order!" Lily shot back. "We have told you things others would rather you not know because I agreed with you, you need to what is going on. But this? Leaving the castle without us knowing? Going somewhere dangerous? This is unacceptable, Harry."

"I was with Dumbledore," Harry responded stubbornly. "It's not like I left the castle on my own or something."

Lily shut her eyes for a moment. "Go to your room."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "What? I sleep in the Tower!"

"Not tonight, tonight you will sleep here," Lily said. "Go. Finish any homework you have and then go to bed."

"Why are you acting so mental?" Harry asked in a frustrated voice.

"Harry," Severus said in a warning voice. "Do as your mother says. However, I do have a suggestion that instead of doing any homework, you go straight to bed." He raised his hand and summoned a Calming Draught. He then handed it to Harry. "Drink this first. You are pale and shaky, you need rest."

Harry glared at the vial and thought about refusing but he did feel very unsettled by the evenings events. And the stern look on both his mum and Severus's faces prompted him to down the vial and stomp to his room, without a backwards look.

Lily ran a hand over her face. "Good call about the Calming Draught. I should have thought about that," She said, regret in her voice.

"Are you angry at Harry?" Severus asked.

Lily sighed. "Not really. More disappointed, I guess. He knew I would not approve. I only sent him to his room so I would know where he is. We could have lost him tonight! However, I am not surprised that he jumped at the chance to do something in this war. No matter how dangerous," She scowled and paced back and forth. "I can not believe Albus, he never got my permission to take Harry anywhere!"

"Perhaps we should pay him a visit," Severus said in a dark tone. "I can call Cora to come and keep an eye on Harry."

Lily nodded. "Let's go."

/

Albus looked up from his desk when his door slammed open. He sighed as Lily and Severus walked in, furious looks on their faces. "I believe I know what this is about."

"You put my son in danger Albus," Lily hissed.

"I protected him," Dumbledore said calmly. "I kept him safe."

"The Inferi almost dragged him into the water!"

"I protected him," Dumbledore repeated, looking tired and every bit his age. "I needed him to help me drink the Emerald Potion."

"The Drink of Despair," Lily said slowly. She glared at the Headmaster. "Anyone in the Order could have gone with you instead."

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, the boat in the cave will only hold one adult. As Harry is underage, the boat did not register him. And I did need someone there, I would not have been able to drink that potion on my own."

"He is traumatized by what happened," Severus said angrily. "Is it so wrong for him to have a year without being put in danger?"

"While Voldemort is alive, Harry will always be in danger," Dumbledore said somberly.

"Then let's deal with him once and for all!" Lily snapped.

"It has to be Harry."

"Because of some prophecy from a nitwit seer?" Severus scoffed. "Once the horcruxes are all destroyed, anyone of us can kill him."

Dumbledore stayed silent, his sad eyes on Lily. "Yes, that's true."

Lily frowned. Why was he looking at her like that? And why did it have to be Harry who killed Voldemort? It didn't make sense, once the horcruxes were destroyed...

Horcruxes.

The killing curse rebounding on Voldemort.

Harry's scar.

Harry and Voldemort's connection.

Harry.

"No," Lily whispered.

"Lily,"

"What's wrong?" Severus asked in alarm at look on Lily's face. Without thinking he pulled her close to him. "Lily?"

"Harry's scar," Lily's voice trembled. "It's a horcrux."

Severus froze.

"I'm so sorry," Dumbledore said softly. "But it is getting to be the time that Harry will need to -"

"No," Severus said, finding his voice. He held Lily firmly in his arms. Neither one can live while the other survives...

"Don't you see? Harry is the most heroic, noble boy I've ever met," Dumbledore said earnestly. "He will sacrifice himself to save the wizarding world from Voldemort. And once he does..."

"No!" Lily shouted. "You are not going to convince my son to let Voldemort kill him!"

"It is the only way," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Trust me, I've -"

"Trust you?" Severus sneered. "Why should we? So you can lie and manipulate the situation? You've raised the boy like a pig for slaughter!"

Dumbledore closed his eyes, pain clear on his face. "It must be this way. It is the only way. I know how you feel, I care for him too but -"

"Care for him?" Severus roared. "I love him as if he were my own! He has been through too much pain, suffered too much and now that he is finding happiness and peace, you want him to throw it all away!"

Lily grabbed Severus's hand, squeezing it in support.

"He will never have peace with Voldemort alive," Dumbledore said bluntly.

"Then we will find a way to kill him without Harry having to die," Lily said in determination.

"The Horcrux -"

"Must be destroyed," Severus agreed. "We will find a way to destroy his Horcrux without Harry having to die."

Dumbledore merely stared at them with sad eyes.

"If anyone can do it, we can," Lily said with confidence. "You will do nothing, Albus. You will not go behind our backs again in any way to manipulate Harry. If I even get an inkling that you are, I will remove Harry from Hogwarts. And you do not have my permission to take Harry out of this castle."

"Lily -"

"You will give us time," Severus spoke up. "Harry will live. We are two of the best potion-makers Hogwarts has ever seen, as well as Lily's great talent in Charms. There will be a way and we will find it."

Dumbledore light blue eyes gazed at them thoughtfully. "If anyone can..." He sighed. "Try. And I hope you succeed. But I if you don't, I know that Harry will do what he must when he hears everything."

"Tell him nothing Albus," Lily whispered dangerously. "I'm serious about removing him from Hogwarts to protect him from you."

Hurt showed for a second in Dumbledore's eyes before he sat back down at his desk. "I have been trying to protect him since he was a baby. I've made mistakes but I have tried. Believe me, I hope you two can find a way. Whatever resources you need, you will have it. Let me know if I can be of any help."

Severus nodded stiffly, grabbing Lily's hand and leading her out of the room.

"By the way,"

Severus and Lily glanced back and into Dumbledore's familiar mischievous gaze. "How long have you two been a couple? It's about time, you know."

Severus let the door slam shut in response.

/

Severus led Lily to his quarters and gently pushed her down to sit on his sofa. She hadn't said word since leaving the Headmaster's office and he worried that she was in shock. "Would you like me to make you some tea?" He asked finally.

Lily shook her head. "Firewhisky," She said numbly.

Severus raised an eyebrow but poured each of them a shot of Firewhisky. He handed it to Lily and she gulped it down, coughing and sputtering. "Merlin, I forgot how that burned." She shook her head, her eyes looking more clear.

Severus downed his glass, barely registering the burn in his throat. He set the glass down and began summoning several books from his personal library. "Time to start researching. I refuse to believe that Harry has to sacrifice his life to get rid of that creature."

"I won't let him," Lily said as she opened one of the books. "I'll stand in front of him and the killing curse again, if that's what it takes."

"We'll come up with something," Severus said in a determined voice. He laid his hand over Lily's. "There will be something," He said softly. "And we will find it."

TBC: