Chapter 20

Cauldrons and Cakes

Severus watched carefully as silver vapors spiraled from the bubbling surface of the lavender fluid, watching as they drifted into the cool air of the dungeons. He counted three stirs, and then poured in a careful measure of glittering carapace.

Four, three, two, one… and the potion shifted from lavender to deep grey as he stirred.

In the cool dungeons, among the gentle lull of bubbling cauldrons, Severus found it easy to clear his mind, even though Lily was mere feet away from him. He didn't have to look at her to know she was near- didn't have to hear her speak to know how much she meant to him. The secret the carried in their hearts was enough.

"Oh- very good Miss Evans," Professor Slughorn was presently gushing. "A dash of valerian oil- an inspired touch!"

"I added a backward stir to increase potency- the valerian was just added to balance that out," Lily said, smiling a little through her blush.

Severus held his expression steady, though he wished to smile, too. Lily was always shy when accepting compliments, but this one was well-deserved, he knew. Professor Slughorn had always been a favorite professor of Lily's, since he encouraged her zeal for experimentation.

"Well done- ten points to Gryffindor!" he said. Then he turned to Severus, twisting a ring on his finger.

"And, er, yes your potion is quite adequate too, Mr. Snape. Ten points to Slytherin," Slughorn said, his face going even redder than Lily's. He rushed back to his desk without another word.

"Professor," Regulus Black spoke without raising his hand. "I'm glad to get an early start on blood replinisher, but wasn't today's class supposed to cover the draught of living death?"

Professor Slughorn's face went ashen, but he laughed with seeming joviality. "Oh ho, my boy! You always were a stickler for following the curriculum, weren't you? But no- I thought I would skip ahead today, so that you can be familiar with the principles of, erm, vapor pattern recognition, when you..."

Slughorn didn't finish his sentence, and Regulus turned to Severus with a significant grin.

It would have been a brilliant plan, Severus thought, if Slughorn were not so transparent. The Slytherin professor had been growing ever more nervous since he'd received Lily's warning at the Slug Club Christmas party. Severus could guess that he planned to leave Hogwarts as soon as the term was over, and he was apparently planning to fake his own death before disappearing. Unfortunately, his attempt to draw attention away from the necessary potion, by skipping the lesson, had brought more attention to it, instead.

Severus, however, had not made the same error. Perhaps, if things got too serious, the potion could be just what he needed to seek his freedom from the Dark Lord.

"I would like everyone to bottle and label their potions," Professor Slughorn continued. "The best of them can go to Madam Pomfrey, and she will no doubt wish me to convey her thanks to you. Class dismissed."

Lily swept past Severus on her way from the classroom, and as she did so, he felt the locket against his chest grow warm.

"Come with me," Regulus muttered as he passed Severus. "Toilet."

This did not bode well.

With a sinking feeling, Severus grabbed his satchel and followed Regulus into the nearest bathroom, where he ducked into the stall furthest from the door.

"Where are you going?" Regulus hissed as he went.

"Toilet," Severus said, shutting the door firmly behind him. "Go ahead and talk when the coast is clear."

Severus could near Regulus mumble muffliato under his breath.

"I don't think Slughorn will be a problem much longer," Regulus said. "But still- we need to figure out who tipped him off."

"Bellatrix has been mouthing off about Slughorn to everyone," Severus said. He checked the cracks in the stall door before he opened his locket. "I assume anyone could have told him."

"She's only told students in Slytherin. We need to shake down all of the neutrals- it must have been one of them," Regulus said.

"Which one of them would be foolish enough to talk?" Severus asked, unfolding the paper.

"I have my suspicions- Greengrass, Montag, and Elliot are at the top of my list," Regulus said. "See if you can shake down Montag; I have a feeling I will do better with the ladies."

Midnight in the kitchens- James, the note read. Severus lifted his wand, and then thought better of it. It would seem strange to Regulus, indeed, if he saw any flames or smoke rising from the toilet stall.

Instead, Severus flushed the note, and then emerged to wash his hands.

"Yes yes- you're very handsome," Severus said, scowling. "Very well. I will question Mr. Montag."

"Good man," Regulus said with the air of praising a worthy servant. He ran his hands through his short dark hair, and then straightened his robes.

"Meet me in the library when you are done. Good day."

#

Severus stumbled through the kitchen portrait at midnight, exhausted and demoralized from the unpleasant task he had just been performing.

Severus, knowing that Montag was innocent, had expected he would only need to make a few vague threats to the boy and then tell Black that Montag wouldn't give them any more problems. Severus had not anticipated Montag would react so badly to, "you'd better mind your business, if you know what is good for you."

Montag had come completely undone, weeping openly until snot ran down his face, and had openly confessed to "whatever it is you think I've done." Montag had then followed Severus all the way to the library, where he'd also confessed to Regulus Black.

"We'll go easy on you this time, Montag," Regulus had said coolly, ignoring the fact that Montag was obviously and pathetically innocent. "You owe us a favor, though. When the time comes, you will pay what you owe."

Montag, sniffing, had agreed.

"So now, the dark lord has another potential recruit, just because I have a scary face," Severus thought to himself as he entered the room.

Then he paused. A familiar scent hit him- the scent of oven-baked grease.

A shower of brightly colored, torn-up bits of paper rained down over Severus's head, and a chorus of voices squeaked, "happy bloated birthday, Mr. Snape!"

"That's belated!"James shouted over the house elves. "Oh well- surprise!"

Severus stumbled into the room, dazed, as he took everything in. The kitchen walls were strung with crepe paper streamers, multicolored, glowing balloons decorated the backs of the kitchen chairs where they normally sat, and on the table was a cardboard box that read Pizzaland, three bottles of coke, and, in the center, a pink and white cake that read, "Sev and Lily, 17."

"Well, it's a big deal, isn't it?" James said, as though in response to Severus's bewildered expression. "I thought it would be fun to celebrate your birthdays together, because they are so close. You didn't think I'd let you reach your 17th without a party, did you?"

"I thought that night in the abandoned cloakroom was the party," Severus said with a smirk.

"Nah- we don't need a special occasion to do that," James said with a saucy grin. Then the portrait door swung open again, and this time, Lily was greeted by a chorus of elf cheers and a shower of confetti.

"Oh! How wonderful!" Lily said, clapping her hands. "Cokes and Pizza! James, where did you get it?"

"It was easy," James said. "There's a muggle village just a short broom-ride away from Hogsmeade. I was able to smuggle the stuff from there."

"But we haven't had a Hogsmeade weekend since Christmas," Lily said. "How did you get there to begin with?"

"Trick of the trade," James said with a wink. "Now, sit- eat!"

The three sat and laughed together as they ate, and Severus forgot his troubles. The kitchens, as they often did, seemed like another world; it was the one room of the castle he was free to be himself with those he loved. He and Lily blew out the candles together, and the conversation turned as light and frivolous as the cake they ate.

"Hobbit farms don't supply food to wizards," James said, laughing. "Where did you get such an idea, Lily?"

"I was mostly joking," Lily explained, scraping the icing off of her cake, "but I still don't understand where your food comes from. I asked around, and I learned that wizards don't buy food from muggle suppliers or supermarkets, wizards rarely run farms themselves, and you can't create food with magic. I've never seen a greengrocer, dry market, or butcher in Diagon Alley or in Hogsmeade, either."

James tapped his cheek with his finger. "At home, the elves run a kitchen garden, but it's small, so it's probably just supplementary. They have weekly deliveries, but I don't know where from. Maybe other elves farm it."

"They are house elves- bound to the home," Lily said. "Besides, not every wizard family has elves; where do they get food?"

"Hmmmm- I don't know. I'll have to ask Peter or Remus," James said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Really Potter," Severus said with a snort.

James turned to Severus, his eyes wide. "I'm Potter, again?"

"You are Potter because you are completely out of touch," Severus said. "You'll be James again as soon as you say something sensible."

"Pardon me, Sir, but that may be taking quite a while," a squeaky voice interrupted.

Severus blinked, and turned to see a smaller-than-average elf with bright pink cheeks and strangely rounded ears. The elf bowed low to Lily, and then spoke.

"I am not wanting to interrupt, but I could not help but overhear, and I am happy to answer the young lady's questions," she said. "As a matter of fact, we do get our food from Hobbitses."

"Hobbits are real?" Lily said, blinking.

"Oh yes, miss. Hobbits much prefer that the big people leave them alone, but they are more than happy to take gold in exchange for the carrots, apples, onions, and po-tay-toes that they grow on their hillsides. Some have herds of sheep, pigs, and chickens, as well. Hobbits are most excellent farmers, and they also make artisan goods like parchment soap, and quills. They have markets just outside of their villages that wizards can visit, or they will deliver food directly to elves. They like elves, because elves are not having many adventures."

"Fascinating," Lily said. "Thank you, er-"

"Pinky, at your service," the elf said. Then she curtsied and rushed off to help the other elves once more.

"The next time I get a chance to talk to Dumbledore," Lily said slowly, "I will have quite a few questions regarding the contents of a certain book I once thought was written by a muggle."

"I may have to borrow that book," James said with a bemused grin. "Now, I think it's time for presents."

"Oh James-" Lily protested. "This was quite enough. You didn't have to get us anything else."

"Don't worry- I didn't go out and buy you expensive jewelry, or anything like that," James said, holding up his hands. "I just figured something out, and I'd like to share it with you."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "What's that?"

James smirked. "Look into my eyes, and find out."

#

The elves cleared away the dishes and the empty pizza box, and Lily leaned forward on her elbows, gazing into James's eyes.

James leaned forward to touch Lily's hand, and he seemed to be concentrating as hard as Lily was, though he had said he would not try to block her legilimency.

Lily's usually vibrant eyes went eerily blank, and she leaned forward, as though mesmerized by what she saw. Then she gasped, her eyes cleared, and she leaned back, looking at James as though seeing him with new eyes.

"I had no idea such things were possible," she whispered.

"They are," James simply said.

"Then why- why don't all wizards have one?"

"My family is working on that," James said, a sad note to his voice.

"Is it-" Severus ventured, and then stopped.

Lily stood. "Sit where I was, Sev. You need to see this."

Severus looked at James. "Are you sure?"

James nodded earnestly. "I might have shown you earlier, but I was waiting for Lily to be ready. Sit- you need to see this."

Severus sat and leaned forward, looking into James's eyes.

There were no barriers to overcome- no walls built by occlumency. James seemed to draw Severus through his eyes as though enveloping him in a warm embrace. When Severus was through, he saw a scene as clear as crystal.

A small boy with messy hair and glasses sat in a handsome study, seated in an ornate chair and leaning on a desk. A handsome young man who stood nearby gazed at the boy, his eyes twinkling as though in mischief.

The boy was staring at an unassuming rock that lay on the desk. After a time, the boy sighed, as though in disappointment, and looked up at the man.

"You were teasing me- this thing isn't magic," the boy said at last.

"I assure you, it is," the man said patiently. He sat down and leaned his own head in his hands, mirroring the boy. "This stone is part of your heritage- the heritage passed down from Peverell to Peverell."

"But our name isn't Peverell- it's Potter," the boy protested.

The man shrugged. "Jason Peverell only had a daughter, so the name was lost. The family quest, however, lives on through Lilian's offspring."

"You mean- Grandma Lilian?" the boy said.

"That's right, James. You always asked why your Grandma Lilian looks different around family than she does around friends. She has her own stone, and she must use polyjuice to hide her pretty face when she's around anyone but family."

"Why must she hide?"

The man sighed heavily, then, seeming to heave the weight of the world on his shoulders as he did so. "Because the goblins, the ministry, and many powerful wizards do not like such things. We must keep the stones, the hallows, and the family geas a secret."

"The hallows… you mean like my cloak?"

The man nodded. "Yes, James- your cloak is one of the three hallows that your ancestors made when they swore to defeat death. They were not able to defeat death with these objects alone, however. Jason Peverell made strides in fulfilling the family quest when he was able to steal the formula for the philosophers stone, and he has passed the formula along to his offspring, so that when they are grown and married, they will be able to make their own."

"But- not everyone is able to make one, right?"

"Right. The stone is not perfect. It has the power to keep you young forever, and if you are struck down by violence, it can be used to bring you back. Unfortunately, however, if you are brought back the stone is destroyed, and you must make another one. In order to make one, you must have a soulmate."

"What if I don't have a soulmate?" James asked, frowning.

The man laughed. "A looker like you? I'm sure you'll have several soulmates. Now listen- this is very important. If anything happens to me, or to Mummy, come to this office and open the safe there- you remember how to do it?"

James nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. You must open the safe and you must cut yourself, so that your blood will fall on the stone. Only the blood of my blood will be able to bring us back- do you understand?"

James nodded. "I understand, but I don't want to think about it- about anything happening to you and Mum, I mean."

"I understand, but it's better to be prepared. Don't worry, James. As long as you do as I say, Mum and I will be fine."

"But- then your stone will be destroyed, and you will get old." James said.

"That's alright- we can make another one. It will take time, though, so we must be very careful in the meantime."

The man took the stone, then, and put it inside of a small, velvet pouch. "You must be very careful at Hogwarts, as well, because you don't have your philosopher's stone, yet. Remember, I gave you the cloak so that you will be safe, not so you can find new ways to get into trouble."

"I'll be careful," the boy said, though he avoided his father's eyes as he said so.

"James," the man said sternly. "I mean it. Be careful."

The boy jumped up, then. "Hey, I think I hear mum calling. Gotta go!"

Severus saw the man lean his hand against his palm, as though in exasperation, before the scene faded, and vanished.