Hello friends! I'm updating! Can you believe it? Miracles of the lockdown! :D

Six years. Six years! I'm a really bad person. Feel free to insult me in your reviews. And be warned you could find something amiss while reading. I'm sorry, it's been a long time. Some things I had changed and I don't remember, some things I don't like anymore… I keep holding back from changing the story too much, trying to keep it as linear as possible.

And I should go back and fix the old chapters: this story looks like it's been written by two or three different people. Really should do that… not sure I ever will :D

That said, enjoy!

Chapter 26. Truths and lies

"Maybe you could avoid throwing the Peter affair at her like that", Lupin said harshly to Sirius.

"But...- Black tried to defend himself , his eyes still fixed in the direction in which Lily had left. –But I thought she already knew. "

"Yes, but try to calm down. - Remus said more calmly. –James is dead, do try to cope with that. You won't bring him back to life by attacking Severus."

Sirius turned to look at his friend. His gray eyes were suddenly set ablaze by the pops of electrical whips.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Rem? Now you're defending him too?!" he hissed.

Remus was taken aback by his friend's sudden attack, but then he sighed softly and smiled to him.

"Sirius... " He began, but the other assaulted him again, vomiting all the bitterness he had kept burning inside.

"Wake up Remus! –He said harshly, –Don't you see? I'm not going to let him trick and hurt Lily again."

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows, perplexed.

"That worm's after Lily. He has already disappointed her once... and then... and then... what does he think he is doing?! Lily belongs to James!" Sirius snarled like a rabid dog.

"What the hell is your problem?- Remus scolded him, the shadow of the wolf darkened his features. –Lily doesn't belong to anyone and you are not James. Severus is Lily's oldest friend, since before school. They're always been connected by a strong bond. And now that she's lost James and found Severus again… what's the matter if she seeks comfort with him? They're friends! James is dead, Sirius. Dead!"

Sirius bowed his head in surrender. Yes, James was dead, but he still couldn't accept it. Won't accept it...

"I understand how you feel, I feel the same, James was my friend too, but using Severus as a scapegoat to throw all your pain at is useless. If it weren't for Severus, Lily wouldn't be with us now either. Think about it." Remus explained calmly. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and smiled encouragingly

Sirius seemed to calm down a bit, he nodded and swallowed all his anger and soreness trying to bury them down inside him under the reassuring gaze of his friend.

"Harry." He said almost in a whisper. "We must find Harry".

"Yup. We have to trust Dumbledore, I'm sure he has a plan." Remus agreed.

Suddenly a mad trill flooded the hall. Everyone fell silent, stunned by that raging sound. The bell, connected by magic wires to the large gate of the manor showing off in the distance, was ringing with all the strength of what seemed a high-pitched cry of terror. A new guest was being announced.

"I'm sorry, Lily." Severus whispered softly into her ear.

Lily, who was still clinging to him, raised her head slightly to meet his eyes. She was surprised to find tears in them, like silver stars in the blackest night. She looked at him sadly with the taste of his darkness still on her lips.

"Why is that?" Lily asked.

Severus loosened his embrace and Lily shivered under the icy touch of the night, stripped of the heat of Severus' body. He leaned forward trying to get back in the arms of her black guardian angel, an angel who wore at desired and reviled mask.

"You shouldn't... I... I have no right to be here. Not after what I've done", Severus murmured sadly, lowering his head.

Lily moved closer to him. She gently brushed his cheek and pushed his long black hair out of his face.

"What are you talking about? You saved me. - Lily said gently. –I'm glad you're here with me."

"What about Potter?" Severus then asked .

Lily looked at him. She was at a loss for a moment. That name had managed to permeate deeply in her chest teasing at her heart. Potter... James. What had she done? She had kissed Severus... she had kissed Severus right at her husband's wake. What were you thinking, Lily? Severus is your friend! Nothing else. And you have you been a widow for just some weeks. A very bad widow as it turns out. Widow of a man who gave his life to keep you and Harry safe.

Severus seemed to catch the thoughts that crowded Lily's mind and that had led her to quickly move her hand away from his cheek, as if she had suddenly burned herself. He looked at her with his dark eyes.

"Listen to me, Lily- he said eventually with a sad tone to his voice. – You don't know everything about me. I've made a… a mistake. Well, a lot of those actually, but this… I didn't know what it would have caused when I did it."

Lily looked up at him, puzzled. What was he still hiding from her?

"Lily, when you told me about Trewlaney's prophecy, I-"

And then Severus stopped abruptly, he's eyes snapped up past her to the wall that slithered like a big snake around the vast lawn. Lily turned to look in the same direction, curious, but she saw nothing but the barely hinted outline of the iron gate hidden in the hazy cloak of the night.

"What's wrong?" she asked, still not looking at Severus .

"There's someone at the gate", he whispered.

"Wha-?" Lily turned to face him, but she did not have the time to formulate her question for a terrified bell started ringing and made them both jump. Severus turned immediately and ran inside.

Lily closed her eyes, hiding the green of her irises while she muttered a hopeless prayer.

"Please," she murmured, "don't let it be Him."

"What's going on?" Sirius asked as he approached Dumbledore.

Albus looked at him strangely, a crooked smile wrinkled his bearded face, the light in his eyes flickered as if showing the grin of white fangs.

"Here he is. About time", the headmaster murmured, completely ignoring Sirius' frightened and irritated look.

"Who is here?" Sirius asked pulling Dumbledore at his sleeve like a child asking his father for treats, but Albus merely observed him from above his half-moon glasses and walked away.

"Sirius!" The voice calling his name distracted him from Dumbledore's strange behaviour. He and saw Lily approaching with a firm step. A few steps ahead of her, was Snape. Sirius grimaced when his eyes met the Slytherin's face.

"What's going on?" The girl asked halting a few steps from Sirius, she was pressing her hands over her ears.

"No idea. That thing went crazy all of a sudden", Sirius said then, pointing a finger to the bell on the door.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Severus asked.

Sirius looked at him harshly, then replied with a slight disgust in his voice: "What do I know! The old man just smirked and walked away."

"Someone silence that damned thing!" Aberforth growled, trying to protect his ears from the hellish trill that showed no sign of diminishing. But no one had to do anything because, just as it had started, the sound suddenly died away with its final note echoing like the last anguished lament of a dying animal leaving the hall to an unnatural silence.

Everyone looked around with lost, troubled and puzzled eyes. Both Lily and Severus wore a strange expression on their faces, as if dreading to see at any moment the stealthy shape of a ghost.

"What the hell was that about?" Aberforth's voice said, no higher than a whisper.

"Black magic..." Moody grumbled, standing nearby him.

"There is someone out there", Severus whispered to Sirius and Remus, who had approached them in the meantime.

"Someone? Who?" Remus then asked him.

"Don't make me laugh, Snape. Nobody knows the site of this manor except for us", Sirius said.

Severus responded with a defiant smile. He knew what he had seen, he had seen a dark figure at the gate. What had really alerted him was the way the figure was moving, and he knew that way of moving very well. Even if it had been only for a second before the silhouette disappeared into the night, he had recognized it.

Severus sprinted toward the entrance. He did not, however, reached the doorway for two strong hands grabbed him from the shoulders and forced him to turn around pushing him violently against the wall.

"Hey, wait a minute! What's this? – Sirius glanced at the main door, still holding him tightly, -What game are you playing?" he barked, hatred and suspicion in his grey eyes.

Severus did not reply, he merely returned the gaze with equal sentiments.

"Enough, Sirius! Let him go!" Lily exclaimed grabbing Sirius' left arm trying to make him loosen his grip on Severus' sweater, in vain. Sirius didn't flinch and didn't even look at her.

"You brought your friends here, didn't you?" He went on undaunted under the gaze of the other members of the Order.

"Sirius!" Suddenly deep voice intimated. Dumbledore had made his way through the rest of the Order and stood now between Professor McGonagall and Remus Lupin, both looking at Sirius with reproach. And Dumbledore between them, stern, proud, his eyes darkened as if with thousands of flags of a gloomy army marching resolutely towards the final battle. That look persuaded Sirius to let Severus go and take a few steps back. All three of them, Lily and Severus and Sirius, looked at the Headmaster.

"Arguing among us will lead us nowhere- Albus said getting a quick look of agreement from McGonagall, –Lets go welcome our guests." As he pronounced those words, Albus could feel the Order members' feelings of determination and pugnacity rising, but that wasn't what he wanted. No... that wasn't part of his plan. It had all been so artistically done, he could not afford to throw it all away. He needed to step carefully.

"There will be no need for a fight", he said smiling.

"How are you so certain? There are Death Eaters out there, I think that's pretty obvious", Alastor intervened.

Albus clearly saw that the auror was simply expressing everyone else's doubts. He gave them a broad smile and winked as he silently asked them to trust him unconditionally.

"My dear Alastor- he said slyly. –If they'd come to fight, do you really think they would bother to ring the doorbell?"

Albus knew what was going to happen. He knew everything would have come to that. He knew. It was part of his plan. The only downside would have been his dramatic drop in popularity within the Order. It was something he was ready to face. After all he had to do it. In his eyes, there was no other way.

The dark figure was wrapped in a heavy black cloak, his face hidden beneath the folds of the hood. His eyes lingered on the big plastic sign fastened at the rusted iron gate. Gardiloo! Nitwits beware!

An amused grin twisted Lord Voldemort's lips, he should feel offended, but he was in a good mood. The whole place looked like it had been abandoned for ages, but that sign was leaking Dumbledore from every letter. And so dear Lucius was right. Carving the information from his mouth hadn't been too difficult: he himself had entrusted him with the task of discovering anything about Albus Dumbledore's hiding place. And so Malfoy had done. What a good servant. His smile turned into a disgusted grimace.

Did Lucius really think he could trick him? Him, Lord Voldemort! The greatest sorcerer alive! Idiot. Playing the part of the faithful dog had been a smart move from Malfoy's part, but also foolish. As if he, Voldemort, could not see the most hidden corners of his followers' souls, as if he couldn't read their secrets, as if he could not find the keys to the smallest, concealed closets. Yet, with that simple move, Malfoy had managed to avoid the showdown with his master for a little longer.

The time, however, was near: the match against Lucius was about to end. He knew he was hiding something, he already suspected what it was. A rather well-founded suspicion, in truth, but for now it remained a simple supposition. He needed a new, shiny, strong instrument. Lucius he had used too much and too frequently.

And then there was Wormtail. It had been nice to play with him, that pusillanimous rat. He had used him too, almost completely consumed him. However, he had to admit he had been valuable. Pettigrew had provided him with two important pieces of information: the Potter lair's whereabouts and the wake for James Potter. Besides, he still had a fundamental task in store for him. Something for which a Gryffindor was required. No, he thought, Peter Pettigrew had not yet exhausted his usefulness. It was the reward of the strong having the weak crawling at their feet. The power of fear sustained his kingdom, and the columns of blood and dark magic and raw power. It was his greatness, the greatness of the Heir of Slytherin. Playing with opportunists like Malfoy, cowards like Pettigrew was all to his amusement.

Lord Voldemort was proud of himself. His plan was brilliant. Simple. He didn't have to do anything. That visit was the only thing he was about to concede to Dumbledore. Afterwards, others would give him all he needed willingly, he didn't even have to ask. Nothing would be required of him, if not to sit in his study, in Riddle House, waiting.

Voldemort turned his back on the gate and what look like the skeleton of an abandoned factory rising beyond it. He looked at the four people standing behind him, their black garments melting away in the darkness, the cruel silver masks shining under the hoods like expressionless gate on their damned souls.

Voldemort looked approvingly at his dark guards. Those four were more than enough. He had not come to fight, violence was always the last resort, first came the art of deception and he was the greatest exponent. The Dark Lord licked his lips already tasting the Order's reaction, their disconcerted looks. He closed his eyes, savouring the fall of Albus Dumbledore.

The sudden click of the gate distracted the Dark Lord from his thoughts. He turned his head and in a fluid, elegant movement looked over his shoulder. His eyes captured the shadows of his enemies coming forward, wands at the ready. Voldemort turned now to face them completely, he pulled the hood down when his eyes recognized the man dressed in a flowing robe standing just beyond the gate, the moon shined on his long white beard.

Dumbledore stopped a few steps from the Dark Lord, the Order standing behind him. Ready to fight, they faced the four Death Eater and their Lord.

Voldemort's eyes lingered on the Hogwarts Headmaster only for a moment, swiftly caught by the man standing right behind him, almost hiding in Dumbledore's shadow. But Severus Snape was not hiding, Voldemort knew. The young Slytherin dignifiedly held the Dark Lord's fiery gaze, his eyes an unshakable, black barrier. A barrier Voldemort wanted to destroy, tear those eyes from that face, steal them, burn them. Those eyes bear the indelible stain of betrayal. Severus looked at him defiantly, but Voldemort could feel his fear. Severus Snape was afraid of him.

Standing beside Snape was that red-haired girl that had caused so much trouble, the prey who had escaped him. And then Sirius Black. He was holding his wand so tightly it could have crumbled in his grip. Remus Lupin. Elphias Doge. Aberforth, that goat-lover. Alastor Moody. Minerva McGonagall. Hagrid, the big doaf… he knew them all.

"Oh, look at this welcoming committee!" he exclaimed, a crooked smile on his white face.

Dumbledore smiled back.

"I was waiting for you, Tom." He said simply, earning the incredulous looks of his companions. Lily's astonished eyes jumped from Voldemort to Dumbledore and back again, her mouth wide open.

"What?" she asked, but Dumbledore didn't even look at her all his attention was on Voldemort.

Voldemort, for his part, burst into a laugh that chilled everyone present with his infernal vibrations.

"You were waiting for me, huh? Do you think your tricks will bring you back in the game? I have the higher ground", he hissed.

"You're here because I provided you with the information, Tom. Or you think I cannot tell an Animagus from a real rat? Or that I would so carelessly leave documents concerning this house laying around?" Dumbledore quietly explained, his eyes flashing with arrogance behind the half-moon glasses. He totally disregarded the looks he received from the others of the Order. Now it was him and Tom.

Voldemort seemed to ponder Dumbledore's words for a moment, but then he looked back at his rival, condescending. He raised his chin imperiously, his vermilion eyes looking straight into Albus' blue ones.

"Should I congratulate you?" The Dark Lord asked sarcastically. Then he turned to the four Death Eaters staying motionless behind him.

"An applause- he said to them, raising his arms and smiling. –An applause for Dumbeldore the Great and his exquisite brain!"

The Death Eaters bowed and applauded at their master pleasure. Laughs of derision reverberated from behind the grim masks. The woman with long curly hair seemed particularly joyful in mocking them, her eyes sparkled demonically. The only one of the four who stood aside, merely clapping his hands, was the left-wing Death Eater who kept his head bowed and his eyes downcast. A few strands of platinum blonde hair were visible under the black hood. Lucius Malfoy had nothing to laugh about, indeed he wished he was on the other side of the world right now.

Voldemort turned back to Dumbledore, still a broad mocking smile on his diaphanous face.

"Stop playing, Tom. Tell me. What do you wish?" Albus asked him.

Yet Voldemort did not have time to answer for Lily jumped in front of Dumbledore.

"Where's my child?" she almost yelled at him, showing no fear. That monster had destroyed her family, he owed her answers.

Voldemort looked at her neutrally.

"Lily Evans Potter –the Dark Lord said calmly. –Don't worry. Your son is alive. He is safe in my lair where he awaits to fulfill my plan. Nobody can think of opposing me, let alone a brat still in diapers!" he roared the last words.

Lily looked at him in amazement.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him, confused and frightened. She glanced quickly at Dumbledore and saw that the Headmaster had closed his eyes, as if resigned, yet she could not see Severus' face being drained of all the defiance.

"Oh," said the Dark Lord, noticing their reaction. –So Albus didn't tell you, huh? Typical of him to keep the truth hidden from those directly concerned. I bet his faithful dogs of the Order don't know as well." He glanced at the others. At Professor McGonagall who was frowning asking herself what had Dumbledore kept from her. At Remus Lupin and Sirius Black who exchanged a questioning look. At Alastor Moody who looked at him defiantly.

"What didn't he tell me?" Lily asked. She realized she was about to discover the answer to the question that had weighed on her heart for some time, the question that rumbled inside her. Why was Voldemort after Harry? Why them?

She was about to learn the truth from the same mouth that had pronounced the curses that had killed James. A truth Dumbledore couldn't, or wouldn't, tell her.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..." Voldemort said, the words falling from his tongue like a chant, "born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

Lily did not immediately understand, but then she felt the awareness spread inside her. A prophecy. That what it was. A prophecy had brought the greatest dark wizard of modern history to Harry.

"It's funny how a few words can seal someone's fate, don't you think?" Voldemort laughed, amused by Lily's astonished expression.

"But do you know what's the funniest thing?" Voldemort continued, glancing quickly at Severus, pleased to see him bowing his head. "Do you know who reported me that prophecy? The man who sentenced your child and your husband to death? He's standing right beside you." He raised his hand and pointed his wand… at Severus.

Lily looked his friend in disbelief. No, it could not be... not him. But then Severus' words rang in her mind, his reaction when she had mentioned Trelawney and a prophecy. Suddenly she realized what Severus was about to tell her just before Voldemort arrived.

"Why don't you tell her, Severus, how eager you were to tell me what you had heard? Like an alley cat hoping for a bowl of milk. Eavesdropping like a monkey. Now you have the chance. Go on" Voldemort said.

Lily's expression hardened. "You are a liar" she hissed, tears of anger and disappointment started falling, tracing her cheeks, taking the brightness of her eyes away with them. She drew James' wand in a quick movement and just as quickly she cast a spell against the Dark Lord. The vermilion beam hissed in the air only to shatter in a thousand sparks against Voldemort raised hand, while Dumbledore grasped Lily's by the arms.

"Lily, it's no use!" Severus suddenly intervened. Lily looked at him angrily still struggling to free herself from the iron grip of the Headmaster under the amused eyes of Voldemort and his Death Eaters and the astonished, sad looks of the members of the Order.

"Let go of me!" Lily shrieked at Dumbledore, finally forcing her arms free of the old man's grip. Dumbledore let her go and took a step back. Lily caught her breath for a moment, her painful breathing broken by the blades of tears, of disappointment, a sword penetrating her chest as she rested her green eyes on Severus.

"Is this what you wanted to tell me?" She asked, her voice shaking.

Severus swallowed. Lily's tears where cutting right through him. "Yes", he murmured. That was not how she should have come to know. Not from Voldemort's voice.

"I was spying on Dumbledore. He was looking for a new Divination teacher. He met with an applicant at the Hog's Head. Trelawney. I eavesdropped the interview. Just before I was leaving I heard Trelawney speaking in a strange voice, I realized she was making a real prophecy… but then Aberforth caught me and threw me out." Severus told Lily.

Lily was trembling, her voice shaking "And you told him", she said nodding at Voldemort.

"Yes", Severus said. A single tear, full of pain and guilt, slid down his cheek sparkling in the moonlight.

Lily looked at Severus for a while, then her anger burst again. She turned to Dumbledore: "You! You knew well before Voldemort! Why didn't you tell us? And you, Aberforth – she looked at the other Dumbledore, -You knew as well, didn't you?". Aberforth didn't answer, he looked own at his feet in shame.

Lily shook her head. She felt so angry, so disappointed… so betrayed by people she trusted with her life. She felt Voldemort's eyes on her, she knew he was enjoying the drama, she could feel his delight like it was an actual presence standing next to her.

She turned to Severus. "What should I do now? – she asked him, -How can I still trust you, Severus? You keep lying to me. You keep hiding things from me".

"I didn't want to lose you again, Lily", Severus said sadly.

"You don't keep people close to you by lying to them, Severus. That's what he does" he said harshly pointing and Voldemort.

Severus remained there, motionless, his eyes full of tears. He's heart had become a new, ghostly simulacrum of sadness, a sadness that Lily's presence had managed, for a few days, to drive away. He was an abandoned boy who had thought he could fit in, that he had found somewhere, or someone he belonged with. But he had deluded himself. Again. He would never fit in with anyone, much less Lily. She was right. How could she trust him? He was a Death Eater, a spy… someone accustomed to lie and hide.

He did not care about the bewildered looks of the other members of the Order who had witnessed the scene like uncomfortable spectators. He didn't care about the Death Eaters'sneers or Voldemort's evil smile, he didn't mind Remus' sad expression or Black's completely at a loss look. He could only see the disillusionment in Lily's green eyes.

"Poor Lily –Bellatrix Lestrange mocked them – Her boyfriend broke her heart." But Severus didn't care at all about her either.

"Shut up, harpy!" Sirius growled moving forward.

"Why don't you wash your mouth, cousin?" Bellatrix roared in return approaching him, wand raised, ready to attack. She stopped when Voldemort stretched out his arm and blocked her advance.

"Come now. Let's all calm down. We are not here to fight", the Dark Lord said in a calm voice. Bellatrix's eyes glittered dangerously, but then the woman nodded slightly and took a few steps back. Sirius glared at her for a few moments, then started to approach Lily, but she moved away with a dry movement.

"What do you want, Tom?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"I'm here to propose an exchange", Lord Voldemort replied.

"Well then", Dumbledore invited him to go on.

"My proposal is simple– Voldemort said then, –I want Severus Snape to surrender to me spontaneously", he didn't deign Severus with a glance as he said so.

"In return, - the Dark Lord continued –You will have little Harry Potter. Alive and without a scratch."

Those last words gained Voldemort Lily's attention and Dumbledore's slightly suspicious gaze.

"This is my proposal", Voldemort said, then turned directly to Severus: "You have until tomorrow evening to come back at my side. I'm sure it won't be difficult for you now. Remember: you for Harry Potter". With that, he disapparated followed by his Death Eaters, the psychotic laughter of Bellatrix Lestrange resounding behind them.