That same afternoon, after their Charms lesson, the Gryffindors headed to the Castle's Library.

As soon as Sirius and James crossed its threshold, Madam Pince addressed them a very intimidating stare. Madeline couldn't blame her. The Marauders were not quiet people.

They walked a bit into the Library and sat at the largest wooden table; she sat next to Sirius, with Remus on her other side. Lily was in front of them, between James and Peter.

As soon as she settled down her things, she looked around herself, and instantly saw him.

She wasn't surprised by Severus's presence; he was a bookworm, after all, and he wanted his essays to be perfect, full of notions and critically analysed.

He hadn't seen her, because he has his long nose buried in some volume. She wished she could reach him, then, and sit by his side; she wished they could do their homework together, and whisper jokes at each other.

She sighed, as Peter let his thick Transfiguration book fall unceremoniously on the table.

Sirius took off his sweater, then, and rolled up his shirt's sleeves, "This is going to take some time" he muttered, sounding annoyed, before winking at a Hufflepuff girl who was staring at him from another table. She blushed, and instantly turned back to her friends, who started giggling.

Padfoot grinned with satisfaction at her reaction, and laid his arm on the back of Madeline's chair.

"The sooner we start, the sooner we finish" the blonde Gryffindor stated in response, reading McGonagall's assignment.

She didn't exactly love Transfiguration. She appreciated the Professor, immensely. But it wasn't her favourite subject.

"Why don't we start speaking about the topic in general? You know, collect ideas, or something like that… Then, we write down our essays… And then we read them aloud, and correct each other" proposed James, given that none of them seemed to be ready to start doing anything.

Lily shot him a surprised look, and studied the boy for some seconds before commenting, "Yeah, that would actually be a good idea"

He raised an eyebrow at that, while his friends giggled, "Well, thank you, Evans… I guess?"

Remus nodded, "So… Sirius, you go first. Start with some theory."

"Me?" asked Padfoot, who was looking again at the Hufflepuff girl. When Moony rolled his eyes, he snickered, "Fine, fine, Rem. Don't be jealous, darling. You're my love." He said, before opening his own book; then, he started talking, "So, advanced human transfiguration…"

They spent the next hour recalling what McGonagall had said, and searching for examples and insights in their volumes and in other books that the library provided them. As soon as all of them got a grip on the subject, they started writing their essays.

Madeline had already written two inches, when she lazily raised her head, and met Severus's eyes.

The side of his mouth twitched upwards in acknowledgment, if only for a second, and she winked at him, surprising him; he raised an eyebrow at that, before shaking his head in amusement and lowering his gaze. She knew that interacting in front of so many students was dangerous... But she couldn't help but find it exciting.

Severus stood up, then, and walked in the direction of Madam Pince; he passed by their table without even raising his eyes. Sirius threw him a disgusted look when he saw him, but said nothing.

Madeline was surprised by that but, after all, she knew that Padfoot didn't want to make her mad. Not after what had happened in Spring.

She sadly thought, then, that once Sirius would have never let Severus pass by them without insulting him, mocking him, or calling him "Snivellus".

She had witnessed James and him doing so several times during the years, when she had been a sillier, more superficial girl, who cared nothing about Lily's best friend; Severus had been a lonely, Slytherin boy, and she had never looked at him twice. She had pitied him, sometimes. And maybe that was even worse.

And now… Now she could not stop meeting his eyes, looking for his smirk, wanting to be with him. He was so important to her.

"I need a book from the Restricted Section" slowly said Severus to Madam Pince, and Madeline instantly noticed he had spoken particularly loud. He wanted her to hear him.

The librarian stood silent for a second. Madeline couldn't see her, for she was giving them her back, but she would swear that she was probably raising an eyebrow.

"I see. Though seventh year students are indeed allowed to roam the Restricted Section… I'll have to note down which book you're interested in examining."

Severus instantly gave her an articulate title that Madeline didn't quite understand. She heard Pince wrote it down, before handing Severus a key. "Here it is. Treat the book carefully."

Severus snorted at that, "Of course" he answered, before walking back, passing by them again, and directing towards the Restricted Section.

That part of the Library, which was quite big, and full of tables, shelves and departments, wasn't visible from where they were sitting.

She waited some time before raising her eyes from her parchment, and simply commenting, "I think I'll look for another book… I need to deepen the discourse on irrevocable human transfigurations"

Lily looked at her, then, and raised an eyebrow, "Do you think it's an important topic to analyse?" she wondered, tapping her chin with her index finger.

Remus stopped writing, and looked at the blonde Gryffindor, too. "Mmm, maybe it is." He answered in her place, "I mean, it is indeed useful, at least. Once Padfoot wanted to transfigure himself into a ghost just to pull a prank on Slytherins. We should tell him if it's irrevocable before he actually does that…"

Everybody laughed at his words, as Sirius threw him a fake, offended glance; Madeline took advantage of that moment, and stood up, "Well, children, we'll soon know. I'll do a bit of roaming and see if I can find something."

The Gryffindors just nodded at her, before focusing back on their work. They all really wanted to finish their essays as soon as possible.

Madeline quickly disappeared from their view; there weren't a lot of people around, she noticed, as she delved deep into the library. That was quite understandable, though: it was only their second day of school, after all.

When she reached the Restricted Section, she found its door to be ajar. She looked around herself, but only saw two third-years quietly chatting in a corner of the room.

She slid into the Section, and closed the door behind herself.

It wasn't particularly large, but there were still quite a lot of books there. They were dark, complicated rare, valuable, ancient and possibly dangerous volumes; only NEWTs students could peruse them.

She walked a bit into it before seeing the boy she was looking for.

He was reading some big book, and he was giving her his lean, broad back. She quietly approached him, and wrapped her hands around his torso, resting her head between his shoulder blades.

He stiffened for a second, before relaxing again. He laid the book on the nearest shelf, and put his hands over hers. But he didn't turn around.

"Got you" she whispered, and he gave her a low laugh.

"Of course you did" he said, before sighing, "Funny, isn't it?" he asked, then.

"What?" she wondered, not understanding what he meant.

"A Restricted Section, for a Restricted relationship" he just said.

She let him go, then, "Come on, grumpy, give me a kiss and stop being this thoughtful…" she ordered him, and he did as he was told. He turned, slightly bent his head and gave her a gentle peck on the lips. "And I don't mind sharing a secret with you…" she teasingly said, "It's exciting, actually. Me and you, hidden from the rest of the world…"

Severus giggled, and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her against him, "Yeah, it's not that bad…" he commented, before giving her another kiss, on the cheek this time. "I've heard that you talked back to Dagon" he told her, then, sounding particularly amused. Madeline thought she even saw a hint of proudness in his onyx orbs.

She rolled her eyes at him, and wrapped her hands around his neck, "Well… Yeah, I did, but he was quick in putting me back into place…"

He raised an eyebrow at that, "Did he now? The proud Madeline Green… Letting someone win an argument? That's an outstanding achievement."

She shut his humour by pushing him on the chest, then, until his back was pressed against the shelves behind him. "He didn't win, love. I just… Dropped it. He was right, after all. I was just being hot-headed…"

His eyes sparkled with desire as she leaned against him, trapping him, "Yeah, you tend to be hot-headed" he commented, "Excitingly so, though" he added, as she left a kiss on his jaw.

"Well, I know that, baby" she told him, looking mischievously at him, "But I hope Dagon doesn't think the same"

Severus snorted, then. "I hope he doesn't, too. Auror or not, I'll fight him."

She studied him for a second, then, as a thought struck her. "Did he have one of you duel with him, in your class? Like he did with Sirius?"

The Slytherin boy nodded, "Yeah… Mulciber offered, but Dagon told him that he wouldn't risk send him to the Hospital Wing…" he snorted, "And so he chose a harmless Hufflepuff. As if he could actually hurt Mulciber, by the way. He's a Professor..."

"But he's also an Auror" Madeline countered, "And everybody knows that Mulciber's family is devoted to Voldemort. I get why Dagon would want to kick his as-"

Severus stiffened as she spoke, and a shadow covered his previously relaxed features. "Don't say his name" he interrupted her, "And Dagon has no right to address private things like that in cl-"

"Private things?!" she hissed back, "There's a war out there, Severus. Don't think that I ignore that. Don't think that our Professors ignore that… Dagon was only being honest with Mulciber."

He shook his head, "How can you say that?" he asked, looking incredulous, "So, you think that if he knew I am a…" he took a deep breath before whispering, "Death Eater…" he breathed, "…And he decided to beat my ass, you would defend him?"

Madeline studied him for some seconds, "I would understand him."

Severus looked angry, then, angrier than she had seen him in some time. "I can't believe we're back at this… Like last year… When things go well, we fall back into this… You told me you accepted me and then…"

He tried to slip away from her, but she pressed her body to his even more. "Severus" she told him, firmly, "You know I care about you. An awful lot. You're an amazing person. And I… Have to accept your choices. But I don't agree with them, you know that" she sighed, "You can't ask me to do that. Dagon may be an enemy to you, but to me… he's a guide."

"A… A guide?"

"For when I'll be out of here. For when I'll fight."

He put his hands on her arms, then, to make her take some steps away from him, "Fight? I knew you would never side with… The Dark Lord… You made it abundantly clear that you wanted us to lose… But, fight? What does that even mean?"

She crossed her arms, then, and knitted her brows. "Did you really think that I would stay behind, or even hide, as other wizards and witches fight and die to win this war?"

He gaped at that, "You want to fight?! Against me?!"

"No, you stupid fool. Not against you. Against them."

"Fucking hell, Madeline… I am one of them" he hissed back, "Who put that idea in your head, eh? Was it your friends? Rathbone?"

"What? Severus…" she took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself, "I thought you had understood that I wouldn't run away from this. When we met again, this summer, what did I tell you?"

He seemed to focus on calming himself, then. "Several things. What do you mean to say?"

She rolled her eyes. He was being unreasonable, "I told you that, even if we're very different, and on opposite sides of this war… I still need you. I do need you Severus. I can't control my feelings. And this may seem childish and absurd to most people but I just… I-"

That seemed to move him; he was now looking at her with infinite sadness, and she felt a lump forming in her throat, as the words died on her lips.

"I get it" he interrupted her, "I feel the same. I've never been… Sentimental" he spat out, "But with you… Fuck, Madeline…" he whispered, in a defeated tone, looking as if what she just said changed things completely for him.

He had been naïve to believe that she wouldn't go on the battlefield. He had been a fool. What he felt for her… It had blinded him. And now that she had given him the harsh truth… It hurt him.

He added nothing, and took her hand to pull her against his chest, again. He held her tightly, with a little desperation, and wished that he could protect her from the world, that he could take her away from there. She hugged him back, letting him put his face in her hair and inhale her scent deeply.

She soothingly caressed his back, as if wanting to release some of the tension he was feeling.

After an entire minute, he let her go. "This war… It will divide us", he told her, and his tone of voice made her shiver.

"Yes, yes it will" she said in resignation, "That's why we've been avoiding the subject since Cokeworth. Because we know how it will end."

"And?"

"And what?"

"You accept that?"

"I would do anything in this world to change that, Severus. Anything."

"But you can't."

"Because you don't want that."

He closed his eyes for a second, before swallowing. "You know that we should let the other go, don't you?"

"Yes"

"I'm not ready to let you go, Gryffindor girl" he said, as he had already said some time before, "Even if, now that I know this…" he continued in a disillusioned tone, as if she had just proved him that everything he feared was true, "…I-Madeline, I- Fuck. I am a Death Eater, Madeline. You know th-"

She hugged him again, burying her face in his chest. "Shut up, now. I'm not ready to let you go, either, stupid Slytherin boy" she muttered against his chest.

Would they ever truly be ready to do that, though?, they both asked themselves.

"But now, please…" she continued, "We're still at Hogwarts. You know that here we can pretend everything's fine."

He sighed, and nodded, "Yes, here we can do that." He whispered, before passing a hand over his tired eyes. "I think you should go back to your friends, now, or Black will certainly come look for you" he bitterly added.

Madeline was reluctant to do that, but she knew he was right.

"Yeah" she said, as she separated from him. She looked at him for a long moment, before smiling. "Give me another kiss before I go, though" she asked him.

He took a step forward, without even thinking about it, and bent his head to give her a gentle peck on the lips, one so soft that it made her want to cry.

Then, she sighed, and walked out of the Restricted Section, not once looking back at him.

As she reached her table again, and muttered to her friends, "I've looked everywhere, but could find nothing on the matter…", she started writing her essay, again.

Her encounter with Severus had not gone as she had imagined it when she had entered the Section.

But she knew that it had been inevitable for them to have a talk like that.

She glanced around the Library, then, trying to distract herself from all he had told her, when she noticed the same group of girls from before; the Hufflepuff lass who had previously stared at Sirius was now reading attentively her Potions book.

Another one of the girls, though, a Slytherin, judging by her green and silver tie, was looking directly at their table, directly at…

"Moony", Madeline whispered excitedly, momentarily forgetting about the weight that her conversation with Severus had put on her shoulders.

Remus raised his amber eyes from his parchment, then, and he gave her a questioning look. "Mads?"

She grinned, then, "There's someone over there who seems quite interested in you" she told him, and nodded towards the girls' table.

The boy reddened furiously, while Sirius, who had overheard her, instantly looked up, "Who?" he asked aloud.

Madeline expected the girl to blush, then, or to lower her gaze, but she only raised an eyebrow at Sirius's exclamation. Remus slowly turned to look at her, too, then.

She was a pretty girl, with straight, dark brown hair and big, sweet, chocolate eyes. She had a heart-shaped face, with high cheekbones, and her pink lips were curled in a sly smile.

"Oh, I know her," Sirius whispered, turning back to them. "Sixth year snake, she's called Dorcas Meadowes. She was one of Regulus's little friend… Long ago. Then everything changed because, you know, she's a sane girl, so she doesn't believe in blood purity, and other bullshit like that."

That thing struck Madeline. If only Severus could be like Dorcas…, she thought, before Sirius continued talking.

"Her mother is Muggle, if I remember well. When Regulus walked away from her, the girl suffered a lot… Or so my brother told me. I think he suffered too, but he's always been more tied to duty than to pleasure, you know..." he sighed, "In fact, as you can see, the girl's friends with Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Luckily for her, she escaped the snakes… Slytherins are really filthy bastards. You're what they want, or you're nothing."

Madeline rolled her eyes at his last few words, while noticing that Remus had listened to Sirius with attention; his amber eyes were now burning with interest and understanding.

Madeline already liked the girl, "So… She's an outcast." She commented, looking back at Dorcas, "I like her" she said. The Slytherin girl was still stealing glances at Moony, looking completely unbothered by the fact that she had been spotted. She seemed bold.

Madeline smiled, and stood up from her seat. Maybe something good could happen in that Library. She didn't want the day to go to waste.

"Where are you going?" asked Remus, then, while paling considerably; he had probably understood what she was about to do.

His friend didn't reply to that, and instead walked right up to the girls' table, until she was standing next to the Slytherin.

She cleared her voice and, "Hey… You're Dorcas, right?", she asked her, while giving her a gentle smile. All the other girls had stopped studying, and were now looking at her.

Dorcas fixed some hair behind her ears, before meeting her blue eyes, "Yes, I am" she simply stated, "Why?"

Madeline shrugged, "I was wondering if you'd like to meet my friend Remus. He's way too shy to introduce himself to you but… I think he would like to meet you." she explained, grinning conspiratorially at the girl.

Dorcas's shoulders relaxed a bit at that, as if she eventually saw an ally in the Gryffindor girl.

Madeline thought then that she really knew how to charm Slytherins.

"Would he?" she asked then, sounding amused by the situation, but she stood up as she said so, "I'd be glad to meet him, too."

When they got back to the table, each one of the boys was staring at Dorcas. Lily elbowed James to stop him from doing that, probably in order not to embarrass the girl. Peter looked down upon receiving a reprimanding gaze by Madeline.

Sirius's grey eyes were moving rapidly between Madeline and the Slytherin girl and he looked both amused and pleased.

Moony had turned a particularly intense shade of crimson, and was watching Madeline with "you-didn't-really-do-that" eyes.

"Guys, this is Dorcas. Dorcas, these are the Marauders and Lily. And this, in particular" Madeline announced, turning to Moony, "is Remus. But you probably already know him."

"Hello Dorcas" they all said in unison, and giggled when realising so. The girl giggled, too, before looking directly at Remus. "Hi" she said.

"Uhm… Hi" he replied, while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

Madeline could see it in her posture that Dorcas was no weak, nor easily intimidated, girl.

She could see strength in her. Fierceness.

"This situation is a bit embarrassing but… I'm actually glad Madeline brought me here" she said, then, looking at Moony, and at Moony only, and avoiding everyone's else gaze, "I've been meaning to ask you this for some time, but… You are always with your friends… I didn't want to disturb you. But… Right. Listen… I would like to meet you." she blurted out, "To go out with you, maybe?"

Madeline saw a million thoughts flashing in Remus's amber eyes at her brutally honest words.

The first thing that had come to his mind, probably, was his being a werewolf. She was painfully aware of the fact that he thought that "people like him" deserved no love stories; Madeline had always tried to make him change his mind about that.

Everybody deserved to be loved.

Remus, who was the sweetest, kindest and most charming guy ever, deserved that above all.

Madeline knew that Remus was somewhat afraid of relationships, of caring about others. She had seen that while they were growing up. It was difficult for him to trust people, to get completely lost in a feeling, to follow his heart.

She hoped, then, that he would just let himself go… That he would try to meet that pretty and determined girl, whose eyes burned with desire at the prospect of a date with him.

Remus probably saw in those eyes her same things, because Madeline suddenly noticed all his thoughts disappear behind his eyes like fireworks in the night-sky. Then, he gently smiled at the girl. There was a hopeful look on his handsome, young, scarred face.

"I would like that. To go out with you, I mean" he told her, with his soft, soothing voice, "On the first Hogsmeade weekend, maybe?"

Dorcas gave him a happy smile, before nodding. "That would be perfect" she said, before looking at the other Seventh years, and not knowing what to do. "Uhm… I should go back to my friends, now" she added, and started to walk away, when Sirius interrupted her, "Hey Meadowes… Hogsmeade won't be before two weeks… It's a long time, isn't it? Why don't you sit with us tonight at dinner? The Gryffindor table is far more charming and funny than the Slytherin's one" he told her, while grinning, "And dear old Moony would like that."

Madeline understood what he was trying to do, and felt immensely proud of him. Sirius was an outcast himself, like the girl. She knew he emphasized with people who were different from what they were supposed to be.

Dorcas' chocolate eyes opened wide, but Padfoot's words seemed to please her, for she smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that… Thank you for the invitation! See you tonight, then, guys" she told them, before getting back to her friends, who were now observing her with shock and, to Madeline's opinion, a bit of envy.

Remus threw Sirius and Madeline a defeated, yet amused and thankful, glance, then. "You two… You are the worst."

"You mean the best" corrected him Sirius, while raising his hand towards Madeline.

She gave him the high-five he expected, before nodding, "Yeah, Rem, you're welcome, dear" she said, before James burst down in laughter, and started telling Remus that he had, on the other hand, behaved incredibly well.

Lily giggled at that, "Yeah, because you were afraid of my reaction" she mocked him.

Prongs's hazel eyes shot to her, an incredulous look in them.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, then, "Did you seriously think she didn't realise you live to please her?"

James crossed his arms at that, looking childish and affronted. "Well…" he started saying, before side-glancing Lily, "Evans, you could pretend not to. This is humiliating."

Lily shrugged, before smiling at him, "No it's not. And, you know what? I may be starting to like you like this."

Everybody stiffened at her words, and James's face lightened up with joy.

"Oh, Merlin, she didn't say that…" muttered Padfoot.

Madeline giggled, watching Lily blushing when she realised what she had said. "Yeah, she did."

Remus shook his head, while saying out loud, "Why do I have you as friends?"

Peter only observed them quietly, an amused grin on his long, pale face.

And just like that, the first weeks of September flew by, and the last days of summer brought away with them all their warmth and carefreeness.

That last year of school proved to be quite difficult right from the beginning. The Marauders and Madeline now spent most of their free time studying in the Library, or doing essays in their Common Room. Lily, Frank and Alice very often joined them, and also Dorcas, who had started dining with them several times, frequently sit with them.

Severus seemed to be pretty busy, too; that's why Madeline got to see him more and more rarely. The fact that they had to act in secret made everything even more complicated. And the words they had exchanged in the Restricted Section had made him grumpier, and sadder.

Dagon's classes turned out to be the most looked forward to, and the man himself was considered one of the best Defence teachers they had ever had.

The Slytherins didn't particularly appreciate him, though, and the Professor seemed to feel the same in return.

As the first Hogsmeade weekend approached, Madeline received a letter. She immediately recognised who had sent it, because his elegant, curved handwriting was unmistakable.

She smiled as she saw the envelope.

It was from Alastair Rathbone.

Author's note: Today, in 2016, Alan Rickman passed away.

He was an extraordinary actor, and an even finer gentleman.

Dear Alan, thank you for your art; you will always be remembered with affection.

You brought Severus Snape into life in the most mesmerising way, and I'll never stop being grateful to you for that.

RIP x live forever.