Chapter 24
Love and Eternity
Three wands, held aloft and crossed together, glowed as bright as the noonday sun.
"What god has joined, let no man put asunder," Mr. Evan's voice echoed in Severus's ears, though he could hardly hear the words.
Severus hardly had time embrace his husband or wife, and hardly had time to exchange the kisses that sealed their promise. He was pulled into Mrs. Evan's embrace, and then a light kiss from Mrs. Potter was planted on his cheek, all while Mr. Evans embraced his daughter and Mr. Potter shook his son's hand.
"I wish Eileen could have been here," Mrs. Evans whispered to Severus. "She would be so proud of the man you've become."
"I quite agree," Mr. Evans said, turning to clasp Severus's hand. "Take care of our girl."
"I'll make sure to take care of Severus," Lily proclaimed. "I'll take care of Severus and James, both. It will be a full-time job, I expect."
Everyone assembled laughed, and Severus couldn't help but marvel at how easily the whole thing had come together.
Lily, it seemed, had not hidden any aspect of their relationship from her parents. She had fully admitted that she was being courted by both James and Severus, that James and Severus courted each other as well, and that all of this must remain a secret to maintain Severus's position as a spy. Severus, who had not seen Mr. or Mrs. Evans since the previous summer, had been overwhelmed by the welcome he'd received when he emerged from the cottage, wearing his own face. When James expressed his desire to marry Lily and Severus that very night, Mr. Evans had proposed conducting the ceremony himself.
Now, Severus looked around at those assembled, and a strange thought filled his heart with warmth.
"All of these people are my family, now. We are a family."
Even so, it was a relief when the Evans, Potters, and Sirius all dispersed, leaving Lily, James and Severus alone at last. Before the Potters left, Severus saw Euphie- a tiny woman with pixie-short dark hair and blue eyes that twinkled- press something into her son's hand.
"It's yours now- the estate, the holdings… everything."
"But-" James blinked, his eyes growing red. "But you haven't been here long, and…"
"We've been here a very long time," Fleamont said, ruffling his messy hair. "People talk - more and more, it seems. Don't worry. We have planned this for a long time, so we have everything we need."
"Really? You've planned this for a long time?" James said incredulously. "And dragon pox is the best you could come up with?"
"It seemed logical- neither of us caught it when we were young, and it's ever so much worse when you're older," Euphie said with a chuckle. "If anything happens to us, this ring will light up and glow. Twist the ring three times, and it will take you to the place we've hidden the stone."
"And if you need us, just whistle our favorite tune," Fleamont added.
Then, without another word, they disapparated with a pop.
"Sure… bye Dad," James said wearily. "I'll just pretend to mourn you during my honeymoon."
"James?" Lily said tentatively.
"They aren't coming back," James said tersely. "They just decided to pop off and let me arrange their pretend funerals so no one finds out about their stone."
Lily took both James and Severus's hands. "It can wait until after our honeymoon. I'm not going to let anything spoil our happiness, yet."
#
The next few weeks passed like a whirlwind.
James took a pre-spelled portkey from the family library, which whisked the three of them away to Venice. There, they spent their honeymoon lazing in the summer sun, drifting through canals, and making love in the villa. Lily, who usually hated the effects of the never-sleep elixir, was so relaxed and easygoing that she readily agreed to brew some, so the three had plenty of time to work on the most important project of all- creating the philosopher's stone.
Severus checked the dark mark daily, but it never darkened or burned. He felt as though he existed in a strange sort of limbo, here in this serene place. The days drifted slowly past, filled with late meals, leisurely walks, long, languid kisses, and conversations on deep magic that wound well into the night.
After three weeks, the spell was broken. They returned to England, and almost at once, Severus's mark burned.
"Don't worry- I'll unpack your things," Lily whispered, as though the Dark Lord could listen through the mark. "You mustn't be late."
Severus pressed his lips against hers, and then he disapparated on the spot.
He found himself in a large, metal building- an abandoned warehouse. There was a long row of defense practice dummies that stood against the far wall, and the Dark Lord sat behind and a little above them, on a stack of pallets, with the air of a king on his throne.
"Welcome, my loyal followers," he said in a satin voice to those who materialized around him. "You have all worked tirelessly to set the stage for my passion play and now- "he gestured to the dummies "- we must rehearse."
Two men, who had previously stood in the pallet's shadows, stepped forward- both of them wearing silver masks.
"These are my two most trusted generals- Gog and Magog. They have been working tirelessly on our strategy."
"Thank you, my Lord," Magog said in a voice so deep and resonant, it must have been modulated with magic. "My fellow death eaters, it will not be an easy victory, but with our combined power, and under the guidance of the strongest wizard alive, we will triumph."
Gog also bowed to the Dark Lord, and then spoke. "Our strategy is a simple but effective one- controlled chaos. We will strike without warning where the ministry expects us least. You will be divided into three teams- team 1 will use a combination of illusions and false explosions to heard our enemy into tightly controlled kill-zones."
So that, Severus thought, must have been the reason behind the potion that would release a bang without an echo- so that the victims would clearly hear the direction it came from, and flee in the opposite direction.
"Team two," Magog continued, "will move in and use glamours and potions designed to confuse the enemy"
This, too, explained the weightlessness potion.
Magog's modulated voice rose as he finished. "Team three will move in to annihilate the enemy."
Gog made a cutting gesture across his throat, driving the point home.
Magog quickly divided the assembled Death Eaters into the three teams, but Severus found himself shuffled to the sidelines, along with Lucius Malfoy and three other masked Death Eaters.
"What- what about us?" one of the masked Death Eaters said nervously. Severus recognized the unmodulated voice instantly as belonging to Regulus Black. "Aren't we-"
"Rest assured, the Dark Lord has some purpose in mind for us," said Lucius Malfoy, in a voice that sounded almost relieved.
Can't stain those expensive robes with blood, can we? Severus thought.
"Indeed- the Dark Lord has plans for you, and he does not wish to risk you being unmasked in front of our enemies in the heat of battle. Watch the others learn our tactics so you may join in case of an emergency," Gog said. Then he turned to Severus and Malfoy.
"We will need 15 gallons each of your special potions to start with; I suggest you start brewing.," he said to Severus. Then he turned to Malfoy. "The Daily Prophet is in financial straits. I trust you know what to do."
#
"The Dark Lord has me right where he wants me," Severus said bitterly to Lily later that evening. They were on the setee- Lily's long legs were draped over his knees as she listened to his vent, both of them taking long sips of tea between words.
"I doubt that. If he knew everything, he'd want you gone-completely," Lily said.
"I still can't help but think that he's kept me from battle because he knows. This way, he gets my potions, and I won't be able to tell anyone where the next raids will be, because I don't 'need to know.'"
"You know their tactics, though, and that will help," Lily said. "Plus, we know that the Daily Prophet will be under his control, soon. I've already written a coded message for Dumbledore. We won't be able to leave it in the usual place, of course, and I'm sure that means Dumbledore will guess the informant was in our year."
"Or a fifth year who quit after getting their O. ," Severus said with a sigh. "How much calming draught did you put in this tea, by the way? I'm getting drowsy."
"You must be tired," Lily said, stoking Severus's long, black hair. "There's nothing in here but good old-fashioned chamomile tea."
"Hmmm," Severus hummed in thought, and then put the tea aside. "At least, if I'm kept in the wings, I won't have to face James in battle. Where is James, anyway?"
A few moments later, as though summoned by Severus's words, James came clattering down the stairs.
"Eureka!" he shouted. "This is it, guys."
"What is it?" Lily asked languidly.
"The stone has passed to the albedo phase. You should see it- it's shining bright white, just like the text said. Come on- it's ready."
"Are you serious?" Severus stood, unthinking, and winced as Lily's legs hit the ground with a *thud*. Lily, however, recovered quickly, and stood as well.
"It's ready?"
James nodded, and smiled. "Come and see."
#
This is how Severus found himself outside, in the gazebo, with Lily and James by his side.
James had placed the stone inside of a pitcher, to catch the elixir of life while it formed, and he'd placed a goblet before Lily and Severus and himself so they could all drink. It was a peaceful night- the fragrance of the night-blooming flowers wafted through the garden, and Severus could see the stars twinkling under the gazebo's eaves, near the horizon.
I will be able to gaze at those stars forever, Severus thought. With Lily and James by my side.
"The text said as soon as the stone glows white, it is ready," James said. "All we have to do now is add our blood for the albedo phase."
"Don't we need to measure the blood? Does it matter what order we add it?" Severus asked nervously.
"No- we just need to cover the stone in our blood; that's what the text said," James replied.
"Lily, you saw the text, did it really-"
"Trust me, Severus," James said, drawing a silver knife from his formal robes.
At that moment, Severus felt a great surge of love and trust swell in his heart. Severus held out his hand, palm up, while James raised the knife.
James slashed the knife once, twice, thrice. Crimson blood flowed.
"Hands over the pitcher," James said, dripping own blood into the ornate pitcher. "The stone is within. From albedo to rubeus, blood of my blood, let immortality come forth."
"Blood of my blood, let immortality come forth," Lily repeated. She held her hand over the pitcher, letting her blood fall into it. A soft glow emanated from inside the pitcher.
"Join us," James said to Severus. "Mingle your blood with ours. Be with us forever."
"Forever…" Severus whispered, raising his hand.
Blood mingled. Souls intertwined.
In that moment, Severus knew that however many centuries passed, and whatever tragedies may come, his love for Lily James would endure, always.