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—

The very next evening, under the safe cover of his invisibility cloak, Severus reluctantly apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.

The meeting was getting ready to start and most of the Order's members had already arrived, among which included Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and to Severus's dismay….

James Potter.

Severus was quite nervous and although he was almost trembling with dread, his heart lightened when Lily rushed to greet him as he shed his cloak in the foyer.

Dumbledore was chatting casually with everyone at the large table in the adjacent dining room, but James craned his neck and watched in disgust as Lily bounded over to Severus.

"Hey, Sev!" Lily smiled warmly while Severus folded his cloak.

Severus nodded politely. "Hello, Lil-"

Severus didn't even get Lily's name out before she pulled him in close to plant a kiss firmly and unashamedly on his lips.

As James watched, his eyes narrowed with jealousy and a horrible scowl disfigured his handsome face.

"Told you, mate." Sirius Black whispered to James, after he glanced at Lily and Severus.

"It's not real." James hissed back, sneering at the happy look in Severus's black eyes when Lily drew back, keeping her hand on his cheek lovingly.

James continued to chat with Sirius, his voice hushed but furious. "He's done something to her, I'll wager you. You know what he is!"

Sirius frowned at his best friend.

"Just let it go, James." Sirius whispered when Severus and Lily walked into the room a moment later.

"Ah, Severus. we're glad that you were able to come tonight." Dumbledore said cordially to Severus.

Severus nodded at Dumbledore.

Lily stood supportively by Severus's side.

Everyone was eyeing Severus a bit warily, but most of the Order members had polite smiles on their faces in quiet acknowledgment.

Between Dumbledore's endorsement and Lily's kiss, Severus felt a little more at ease.

Severus did, at least, until James sneered and mockingly greeted him, "Hello, Snivellous."

Lily scowled at James.

Severus's black eyes instantly darted over to his old enemy, but Dumbledore cleared his throat and spoke before either of them could say or do anything else, "Let us not dwell on old grievances, tonight. We cannot stay here long without running a great risk of being discovered. As I'm sure you all have heard and seen, our battle is not going well. Tom's numbers are growing and the attacks on the innocent seem to increase each day."

A respectful quiet was in place while Dumbledore spoke, but James and Severus were still staring each other down, engaged in a silent battle of their own.

"We need to find a better weapon. Something that will give us an edge over our enemies. Even if it's just a distraction so that we can strike effectively…. Please, everyone, lend me your ideas. Severus," Dumbledore paused and Severus obediently tore his gaze away from James and looked over to his headmaster.

"Yes, sir?" Severus asked.

"We need your help. Anything that will give us an advantage, be on the lookout for anything. You know Tom and his followers better than we do….. Almost better than I do, now….." Dumbledore said solemnly.

That was a lot to ask of Severus and it was certainly a lot to trust him with.

Everyone watched closely as Dumbledore clamped his hand over Severus's slender forearm and said very seriously, "We're counting on you."

Severus nodded stoically, feeling Lily gently place her hand on his back.

Lily's simple gesture refreshed Severus, strengthened him, made him look forward to discovering a great secret to use against Voldemort.

It was all to protect Lily…...

Severus would do anything to protect Lily…

In his seat, as he looked on, James felt like he was going to explode with rage.

Really?

Really…..?

Really?!

Dumbledore's trust…..

Lily's affection…..

How dare someone as unathletic, someone as poor, someone as vile as Severus Snape win those things instead of him!

—

The meeting itself was over in a few minutes and then the Order members stayed just long enough to politely consume a light dinner which Sirius had thoughtfully provided.

Severus had just sat down to eat on the hearth in the crowded room when Sirius, Remus, and Peter approached him.

Severus showed no fear outwardly, but his heart beat faster in his chest.

What now?

What did they want?

Was James going to run in between them and try to disrobe him again?

Were-

"Hello." Sirius greeted Severus stiffly.

"Good evening…..." Severus replied coldly.

"How do you like the food?" Sirius asked, a bit awkwardly.

"I don't know, I haven't had any of it yet." Severus replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…..no reason…..That's not why we came over here." Sirius replied.

"Obviously." Severus quipped in his low, slow voice.

"Look, Snape…...we just wanted to…..clean the slate…I guess…...apologize…...for…..you know, the past." Sirius shrugged.

Severus remained silent and scanned over Sirius's, Peter's, and Remus's faces calculatingly, trying to determine whether or not their words were sincere.

"We were children that behaved like animals." Peter chimed in remorsefully.

Severus's black gaze cut over to Peter.

There was something sleazy about Peter Pettigrew that Severus had never liked…..even before Peter took part in bullying Severus….

"I'm sorry I never stepped into…..you know, stop it." Remus echoed.

Severus's eyes flickered over to Lupin.

Severus had no particular quarrel with Remus Lupin, in fact, out of all the marauders, Lupin was the only one who had never been cruel to Severus.

But Lupin remained James's friend and to Severus, that made Lupin guilty by association…...

Severus's dark eyes remained cold but Sirius extended a hand towards him anyway.

"I see that Potter is not among you." Severus shrewdly observed.

"Oh….." Sirius said, instantly looking uncomfortable. "I'm...I think he went to the loo. But he'll be by in a little while, I'm sure."

Severus scoffed.

Sirius's hand was still extended, but Severus still didn't move.

"Look, Snape," Sirius sighed. "I'm not suggesting we be friends and I can't change the past, I'm just trying to make a little peace."

Severus's eyes scanned across all three of their faces and then slowly, reluctantly, Severus stretched out his thin hand and shook Sirius's.

Severus still didn't trust any of them and he certainly didn't like or forgive any of them, but he knew they were Lily's friends.

Severus didn't shake Sirius Black's hand for his own sake, he shook it for Lily's.

—

Sirius was wrong, James was not in the loo.

James was outside the house, chasing after Lily.

Lily had left the meeting before dinner was served, and she walked down the street to grab a quick look at the night stars before she apparated, when James called out to her.

"Hey, Evans! Going so soon?"

Lily turned around and frowned when she saw James standing a few feet away.

"Yes, I've got some schoolwork to catch up on, I can't linger." Lily replied.

"That's right, I heard you were in the graduate program….. Good for you! I'm training to be an Auror, myself." James bragged with a confident smirk.

"That's great news." Lily said politely.

Before Lily could pull out her wand and apparate, James went on, "I also heard you spent the night with Snivelly…..But I was hoping that wasn't true."

Lily bristled, clearly irritated, but she shrugged. "Well, then, you'll be disappointed to find out it is."

James scowled at Lily in the darkness. "Evans...come on, you can't be serious!"

"And why can't I?" Lily asked.

"Snivellous?! Really?! Snivellous over me?! Over, literally, anyone else?!" James cried.

"Severus," Lily paused, saying Severus's name correctly with emphasis to correct James. "and I have been friends for a long time and he's always been there for me, James, even when I wasn't there for him. This may come as a shock to you, but it's not all about money and looks." Lily replied.

"'Always been there for you'?" James laughed mirthlessly. "He's a bloody death eater for merlin's sake! Have you forgotten what he said to you that day?! What he called you?!"

"Have you forgotten why?" Lily retorted, her green eyes cutting into James as they faced each other on the dark street. "Severus has apologized…..he's turned his life around. The only reason he maintains his position at you-know-who's side is because Dumbledore has told him to, he's doing it to help us."

James gave a dry chuckle and crossed his arms. "Evans, come on…...we had a good time last year when I took you out, didn't we? Why don't you forget about Snivelly and let a real man like me take you out again?"

"A real man like you?" Lily laughed. "Tell me, Potter, what were your first words when Severus walked in the room?"

James grinned and shrugged. "I don't remember, I was too busy staring at you. You look quite fetching tonight…..."

" 'Hello, Snivellous.'," Lily quoted, ignoring James's flirtatious compliment. "That's the first thing you had to say, and that's all the proof I need to know that I'm making the right choice! You haven't matured at all since that day, and that'll never change….. You can train to be an Auror all you want, Potter, but you'll never be anything more than a bullying toerag!"

James scowled. "I'd die for you, Evans! I hope you know that."

"...What's my favorite color?" Lily asked.

"...What?" James blinked.

"What do I love to do most? What's my worst fear? My greatest wish?" Lily pressed, hurling questions at James.

"How should I know all that?!" James asked.

"Severus knows all that! If you care about me more than he does, then why does he know it and you don't?" Lily asked.

James laughed. "Probably because I'm not a stalker like he is…..You're breaking my heart here, Evans."

Lily scoffed this time. "Oh please…...I'm not breaking your heart, I'm breaking your ego. We're friends, James, and nothing more."

James opened his mouth to speak but Lily quickly raised her wand and cut him off, crying out as she apparated away, "...And what I do with Snivellous in the day or the night is none of your business!"

With a pop, Lily was gone and James was left standing alone on the street.

Scowling and shaking with jealousy and anger, James kicked a large rock that laid against the curb, pretending it was Severus's head.

Lily's words didn't matter to James, he was convinced she would be with him one way or another…..

James still believed that his initial suspicion was correct, clearly Lily was cursed…..

There was no way that she or anyone else could love Severus.

Awkward, ugly, quiet, thin, poor Severus Snape.

Why would anyone choose Snape over wealthy, handsome James Potter?

As James stomped back into Grimmauld place with a very uncharacteristic scowl, he was disappointed to find that Severus had already left as well.

That was annoying, but James tried to quell his anger….to store it inside himself so it could fester.

James Potter was determined that Severus Snape would pay for trying to steal Lily Evan's heart.

—

Severus had left the meeting only a few moments after he had the tense exchange with Sirius, Peter, and Remus, remaining only long enough to scarf down his food.

Severus had gone back to his classroom and immediately started his newest research.

There had been no time earlier in the day.

Combing through book after book, Professor Snape began to educate himself on women's health.

Severus would work on Dumbledore's assignment over the coming days, for the evening, he wanted his focus to be on Lily.

For some ignorant reason, Severus had thought there would be a simple elixir he could formulate to heal Lily from her supposed cysts.

Unfortunately, as Severus read through the texts in front of him, he was starting to realize just how complicated women's bodies really were.

If Severus added chrysanthemum to a certain mixture, it would dissolve Lily's cysts painlessly, but it would also render her infertile.

If Severus added cinnamon root to a particular tonic, it may heal Lily, but it would also increase the progesterone in her body to such a high level that she may suffer seizures.

Severus narrowed his eyes at the pages he read over.

Severus scowled as he spent the night studying hard.

Why was a woman's anatomy so complicated?

Severus took out a quill and after a couple hours of diligent work, he had several sets of notes but nothing definite.

Severus needed to have a better understanding of Lily's problem before he could develop an effective solution and that meant he needed more information….

Severus thought carefully…..

Lily had said that the muggle doctor thought she had cysts…..

But did Lily really have cysts or something else?

If it was cysts, where were they exactly?

It was no use…...

Severus looked at the time.

Lily was probably still at the meeting.

Severus had time then…

Lily had told Severus when she moved into her apartment that he was always welcome…...

Severus decided he would go to Lily's and look over the note from the muggle doctor who had examined her.

Severus was sure he could complete the secret errand quickly without Lily even knowing, then he could present the healing elixir to her as a thoughtful surprise.

Wouldn't that be lovely?

Severus apparated to Lily's apartment straight away.

The lights were off when Severus arrived in Lily's living room.

Part of Severus was disheartened, he had held an ignored hope in his heart that Lily would already be home and she would be happy to see him and they would end up spending the evening together…...

Perhaps Lily would invite him to spend the night again and he could hold her close once more…

But that wasn't so and Severus resigned himself to the fact.

Severus sighed and began to look for the doctor's note.

Lily's apartment was rather sparse and Severus quickly surmised that the living room, bathroom, and kitchen would not have what he was looking for.

That meant…...

When Severus stepped inside Lily's bedroom, his pulse increased for reasons he didn't understand.

It was just a bedroom.

So what?

Why was he feeling so clammy?

Why were his hands trembling?

Why couldn't he just relax?

Severus saw that Lily's closet door was open and a large, folding file sat on the floor, which was nearly bursting with documents.

Ah…

Lily probably kept her medical records there.

Severus walked over and knelt down in Lily's closet, carefully opening the folding file, he found the doctor's report from Lily's exam a few moments later.

Severus scanned it over, learning what he needed, and quickly slipped the paper back into place.

Severus had just finished stretching the elastic band over the folding file when his wand slipped out of his pocket and rolled towards the back of Lily's closet.

Severus had just stood to go and retrieve his wand when a loud popping sound made his black eyes widen.

Footsteps…..

Oh no….

Hiding behind the closet door, Severus watched as Lily came walking into the bedroom.

What was he going to do?!

Severus couldn't apparate without his wand and if he moved, he would scare Lily and she would realize he was there.

That wouldn't be awkward at all…

No, Severus decided to stay perfectly still behind the closet door, hoping that Lily would either move to another room…. or go to take a shower…..or something and give him means to escape.

Severus Snape was not a man of exceptional luck.

Severus heard Lily walking towards the closet and he held his breath as Lily snaked her arm in and pulled a nightdress off of a hanger.

Severus's eyes widened again as he heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down…..

Severus steadied his breath and closed his eyes.

Severus had all the opportunity in the world to watch Lily undress from his secret post in her closet, but he wouldn't do that to his love.

No, that would be…..rude.

Bad.

Severus swallowed thickly as he heard the soft thud of clothes hitting the floor…..

A gentle noise as Lily passed the nightdress over her head…..

Severus was gritting his teeth so hard as he resisted the temptation of getting an eyeful of Lily that his cheeks were hurting when he finally heard the covers on the bed rustle as Lily climbed in.

Severus let out a silent sigh.

Good, she was going to sleep.

Severus would only have to wait a moment longer and while Lily dozed off, he would grab his wand and apparate away.

But Severus Snape really was a man of quite terrible luck.

Severus heard Lily's breath hitch and a pang of worry went through his heart.

Was Lily in pain again?

Severus prepared himself to race out of the closet and rush to Lily's side….

Severus knew he may have to….

"Ohhh...Sevvv!"

Lily's cry was breathy and vulnerable as it escaped her pink lips and when he heard it, Severus's eyes went wide.

Severus didn't understand what was happening at first and his heart clenched in sympathy.

Lily was hurting so badly that she was calling out for him!

Right….?

Severus frowned as he heard soft sighs that didn't sound pained at all come from Lily as she lay on the bed.

What was…?

Severus was still trying to be polite, but he had to find out what was going on.

Peering through the crack in the closet door, Severus's black pupils dilated as he spied Lily on the bed, her red hair fanned out behind her, her eyes closed tightly, her back arched…..

Severus's gaze ghosted over Lily's hands and he could just make out over the mound of covers she had pushed aside that they were…

Oh….

Severus's mouth suddenly felt very dry.

Lily's hands were down there at…...

Down there at…

"SSEEVV!" Lily mewled again and Severus's manhood jumped in his trousers at her command, pushing against the constraints of the fabric as blood rushed to his groin.

From his secret position in the closet, Severus was breathing heavy right along with Lily as he watched in fascination while she worked herself over, consumed with thoughts of him.

Severus was in awe of the look on Lily's face and he tried to memorize everything about her expression, watching her knit her brow, observing the way her pink lips parted and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of scarlet just before her toes curled and her thighs twitched as she cried out loudly, "SSSEVERUSSS!"

Lily slumped down in the bed, panting lightly with a gentle sigh.

Severus was so aroused that his mouth was gaping and his manhood ached.

If only Severus had already gotten closer…..

Severus would have given anything to charge forth from the closet and take Lily into his arms…..

Although the prospect of pleasing Lily as well as she had just pleased herself was daunting, Severus considered revealing himself when he noticed that Lily's breathing had grown deep and rhythmic.

Lily's eyes were still closed but her brow was relaxed…

Severus sighed raggedly.

She was asleep.

Good.

Drat!

Severus rummaged around in the closet as quietly as possible and found his wand.

Severus left the closet, carefully stepped over, and leaned over Lily to place a gentle kiss on her lips, then with a pop, he was gone.

Lily's eyelids fluttered at the sound and she shivered in the cold, pulling the blankets closer in her sleep.

If only Severus was there with her…...

—

While Lily lay dreaming of being securely in his arms, Severus gripped onto the bathroom sink in his chambers, groaning as he finished ridding himself of his unignorable arousal.

Severus looked at his reflection in the mirror and considered the events of the evening…

Yes, Severus still considered his errand successful.

Severus had learned more about Lily's condition and he was confident that with that information, he could develop an appropriate and safe elixir, but his work was far from over.

If Lily wanted him….. like that, then Severus was all too eager to please.

But….how?

Severus decided he would have to find more books to study.

Or perhaps a teacher…..?

Once he washed up and laid down to sleep an hour later, Severus smirked to himself while he closed his eyes.

It no longer enraged Severus when he thought about Potter calling him names in front of everyone at the meeting.

Whatever~.

As far as Severus was concerned, he had already won the war between him and his rival.

After all, his victory had come straight from Lily's lips…...

Lily had cried out 'Oh, Severus!' not 'Oh, James!'.