His Greatest Wish, by AndromedaMarine

40. O.W.L.s

The most cooperation Umbridge got came from Hufflepuff and Slytherin, and even then only three Hufflepuffs talked. A third of Slytherin did too, which surprised Regulus. He'd expected more. The Ravenclaws, who were smart enough to understand the odds presented by Renly, knew that it was statistically stupid to support her when ninety-nine percent of the werewolves in Britain took the Wolfsbane Potion, and were more worried about the upcoming exams than they were about some law being debated in the Wizengamot. The Gryffindors, meanwhile, took to heart Renly's words, and stood as a united front against the unwelcome toad in their midst, and whenever Umbridge approached them they made their faces stony and looked through her as though they couldn't see her. For Umbridge this was somehow worse than the Ravenclaws, who all shot her nasty looks whenever she came near.

The one and only time Umbridge tried to corner Sirius and Regulus Black, the Circle formed a tight group around them and ignored the toad, walking right away from her and up the staircases to Gryffindor Tower. The Circle was so focused on getting away from their interrogator that they were all in the Tower, Jackie and Regulus included, before they realized that a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin were now standing in the Gryffindor common room. Whatever chatter that had been buzzing before their arrival died away, but nobody really cared anymore besides Potter, and so the Circle settled around the fire and the buzz grew again.

Remus sat down with Severus again the week before his March transformation, quietly inquiring if he'd made up his mind yet.

Severus had, but didn't know how to tell Remus without Remus feeling like he was doing it for selfish reasons. Severus knew, more than anyone, how much Sirius had changed for the better. The problem stemmed from Remus's request: that Sirius be let in on the secret so he could understand the weight on Remus's shoulders.

Severus cast Muffliato from where they sat in the back of the library, just the two of them. He sighed. "Sirius is a wildcard," he started, expecting Remus to argue. When he didn't, he continued. "If our version of him knew what his other self had done, it could go one of three ways. One, he could get angry and resent both of us, and Lily, for keeping the secret from him in the first place, and it might ruin his friendships. Permanently. Two, he could become so consumed with guilt and horror over how his other self acted, and dwell on how different his life could be now if just a few things changed, which would affect everyone around him. Or, three, he could not believe us. And you know what would happen if he thinks we're lying to him. Honestly I don't know how likely it is that he'd accept it at face value."

To his credit, Remus folded his hands and remained calm. The last three weeks had given him much to think about, and his words betrayed his true worry. "I just want him to know that I'm there for him and his cousins, and for him to know why I feel so strongly about it."

"Does he really need to know my past in order to understand?" Severus asked, having thought about it as well.

"Well—"

"You're not planning on telling him you're waiting for Dora to grow up, are you?"

"Sev—that's—that's—Sirius would kill me if I told him that." He snorted in half anger, half amusement. "I'm not an idiot."

"Look, you two are one Bonding Ceremony away from being blood brothers. He doesn't have to know your strange past future to understand your concern for his cousins. For all he knows, you think of them as family too. We all understand the effect Greyback had on you in regards to this, so Sirius doesn't need to know my secret." Severus sighed again. "It's like with your lycanthropy. The more people who know, the more you're in danger. I only told you, Lily, and Dumbledore because I trust you and Lily with my wand and I needed Dumbledore's help to destroy Voldemort. Telling anyone else is inviting betrayal."

Remus frowned. "You think Sirius would betray you?"

Severus flapped his hand, shaking his head. "No, no, I don't believe that. But this kind of thing doesn't happen often—in fact I don't know that it's ever happened before—and telling one more person leads to telling one more other person, and so on. The best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself."

"But you told us—"

"Because I felt I had to," Sev replied softly. "And if I hadn't told Lily I might have lost her again. She deserved to know, and so did you."

"What about Dumbledore?"

Sev grimaced. "He was a bit of an accident, really. He's got a thing for poking around in peoples' heads without permission, and I didn't have my Occlumency shields up when we looked at each other during the Leaving Feast our first year. He saw some impossible memories, and at that point the Kneazle was out of the bag."

"Oh," Remus said, looking down at his folded hands.

There was a moment of silence. "I know why your transformation was so bad last month," Severus said to change the subject. He'd known for a few days, but hadn't said anything until now. "It was a combination of a couple things. It started early because you were under so much internal pressure from exams and the belief that I had gone behind your back, and the mounting publicity for Umbridge and her laws. I worked it out—right before you started seizing and Sirius sent his Patronus for me—that's when Greyback attacked. I think that somehow you knew what was happening, and your curse reacted in kind."

Remus stared. "I have a connection to Dora?"

Severus shrugged. "I have no idea if you do or not. But the timing of her bite and your seizure were consecutive down to almost a minute. I would ask you to describe the transformation pain…" he trailed off, and didn't resume for a few seconds. "But asking you to quantify that would not be fair or friendly."

The lycanthrope looked through Severus for a while, lost in thought. When he resurfaced, he blinked twice, but kept his gaze on the half-popped collar of Severus's shirt. "I remember the first time I ever transformed," he said quietly. "I was five, and I'd been bitten the night before the full moon. I didn't know what to expect—how could I? I was just a child." He closed his eyes and his brow furrowed with the recollection. "That agony—oh Merlin, that agony—it came back last month. That was the pain of a first transformation, on top of my own."

With this new information, Severus recalled something he'd pushed down inside himself for years—even during his previous life, since he'd never seen it for himself except through darkened lenses. "Remus—do you believe in soulmates?"

The question threw him. "What? Yeah, my mum and dad always said they were each other's."

"It makes me think," Severus replied as Lily rose to the forefront of his mind. "It makes me think that maybe you and she are two halves of one whole. When Lily died…the pain in my heart was so great that I knew what had happened even before I went to the ruin of Godric's Hollow."

Remus had never heard Severus speak of that night that only lived in the memory of one man, and so he listened with every fiber of his weary being.

"I had thought…hoped…for years, that she would change her mind, see Potter for what he really was—but when her son was born I knew my hopes were all for naught. But I never stopped loving her." Severus contemplated his own hands. "That's how it always goes, I guess. Except that I got a second chance." He broke off unexpectedly, and leaned back in his chair, scanning the nearby aisles and shelves which were still empty.

"Severus—"

Sev snapped his gaze back to Remus's.

"The Holmes Estate…for Easter…are you and Lily going?"

Sev nodded slowly. "We wrote to our mothers, and we will be at the Manor for a few days. Over the full moon."

Relief seeped into Remus's gaze. "Thank you," he whispered, and with one last long look between them, the lycanthrope stood and left.

March melted into April, and the Easter holidays came and went. The days spent at the Holmes Estate with Renly were filled with fun and exploration, and Sirius and Regulus introduced the Circle to the Tonks family, and brought them in on Remus's secret. Severus gave them enough Wolfsbane to last until the summer, when he would return with a new stock. Remus became acquainted with Andromeda and Ted, who were severely scarred, and resembled a forgotten Bill Weasley. They asked questions and graciously took his advice, and he gave them his address and the telephone number he'd insisted his parents get when he learned that half of his friends had telephones too. Since Ted was Muggleborn, he knew all about telephones.

On the night of the full moon Severus watched over Dora with her parents and Regulus, while Sirius kept Remus company in the next room (for once without any objection from Remus).

Renly had not been told about Remus, but he was smart enough to deduce it for himself, and the next morning when they returned to the manor he pressed one of his mother's sleeping draughts into Remus's palm. "Go on," he said with a sad, crooked smile. "Merlin knows you probably didn't sleep last night."

The implicit trust and acceptance came off him in waves, and Remus nodded, accepting it. "Thank you," he said, feeling rather like he was thanking a lot of people recently. Sirius helped him up the stairs and returned twenty minutes later with the information that their friend was deep in sleep.

Severus, Frank, and Peter conversed with Renly, Siger, and Salvador (Holmes Sr.), while Alice and Lily spent their time with Violet, cooing over two month old William and acting as giggly deduction boards for his sharp older brother, Mycroft. Sirius, Jackie, and Regulus went back to the Tonks house for a few hours, and before any of them knew it the holidays were over, and they were back on the train to Hogwarts.

Notices were sent out to all the fifth years when they returned from holidays that they would need to meet with their Head of House for career advice during the first week of summer term. Severus's appointment was after James Potter's, who would be going in after Peter. While Severus didn't fancy waiting in the corridor with Potter, he had promised Peter that he would accompany him to McGonagall's office to lend support and some of his own advice.

As they crossed the common room on their way to McGonagall's office, Renly waved at them while he continued talking to his friend, "My brother had his second kid a couple months ago. My sister-in-law wanted to name him 'Sherrinford,' but Siger convinced her that everyone would make fun of him when he's older. So now he's William, but I think that's a boring name. I call him by his first middle name, Sherlock. It's much less boring, and Papa agrees…"

Peter snorted, and before Renly could say anything in response Severus had shoved his friend through the portrait hole, struggling to keep a straight face.

Several minutes later, as they descended the staircases, Peter asked, "Have you ever anyone named 'Sherrinford'?" and suddenly the two sixteen-year-olds were leaning up against the stone wall to keep from collapsing on the floor in a fit of laughter. Renly hadn't told them this story while at the Estate, but after meeting his brother and sister-in-law, Sev could see how Violet might have wanted such a showy name for her second son. With a family full of Salvadors and Sigers and Mycrofts, Sherrinford would have been an appropriate addition. But Sherlock worked just as well, and the little Holmes would probably not be known as William to anyone except the government.

On their way down, Peter shot question after question to Severus, who gave him honest answers and advice about what kinds of jobs would or wouldn't be good for him in the Wizarding world. "It comes down to what you're good at," Severus said as they turned the last corridor to McGonagall's office. "You don't have to pick now, it's just advice. It's more to figure out what your N.E.W.T. classes should be—that is, which O.W.L.s you should plan on passing."

"All of them." Peter said, doubtful. Even with Severus's help and the support from the Circle, his grades in Potions, History of Magic, and Transfiguration were mediocre at best.

"Just listen to McGonagall. She knows what she's talking about." They reached her door, and Alice came out with a half grin on her face.

"Well?" Peter asked.

"Auror," she said happily, and gave him a pat on the shoulder as he went past her into the office. The door swung shut, and Alice turned to Severus. "What about you? What do you want to do?"

The corners of Sev's lips quirked upwards. "Potions Master," he said.

"Oooh, do you want Slughorn's job?"

He made an expression.

"Apothecary?"

"Specialty potions. Inventions."

"You'd be good at that," she said, grinning. "You could be an Auror, too," she continued. "With Frank and me."

"Frank picked Auror?"

"Are you surprised?" Alice asked, leaning back against the stone wall.

Severus shook his head. "No. To be honest I was expecting you both to pick Auror. You're both so…" he searched for the word, "feisty. The werewolves won't know what hit them."

"What about Lil? She and Siri had their appointments earlier."

Severus smiled, proud of what Lily wanted to be when she graduated. "Healer."

Alice's expression softened. "Lily Evans—Healer. You know, I can't imagine her being anything else." She gave him a sly look. "Or will she be Lily Prince by the time she gets her mastery?"

Severus fished a broken quill from his pocket and chucked it at her.

"I'll take that as a yes," Alice laughed, dodging. "Good luck with McGonagall," she said, and left down the corridor, skipping every few steps.

He leaned back against the stone just as James Potter appeared from the opposite end of the hallway. The expression on his face told Severus that he'd heard the last bit of the conversation with Alice, and Sev's muscles tightened on their own. He twisted his wrist and felt the tip of his wand touch his palm, but he kept it hidden in his sleeve in case James didn't decide to push it.

Potter didn't speak at all. He stared at Severus for about a minute, then leaned up against the wall, facing the office door. Severus kept his hand ready to flick the wand into his fingers, but after a few minutes the door opened again, and Peter came out, a little paler than usual but a tentative smile on his lips. And then he saw James. His eyes hardened and he moved out of the way, darting to stand beside Severus.

James's face twisted into a half-snarl, but Minerva called, "Potter, James," and the scion of the Potter line disappeared behind the door.

"I would ask what in the name of Merlin's saggy left nut was that all about, but I know the answer. And all I've really got to say is that I'm impressed at the amount of effort he's putting into his hatred towards you," Severus said evenly, staring at the closed door.

Peter let out a shaky laugh.

"Don't let your guard down," Severus finished, and looked over at his friend. "You never know when he'll try to pull something."

Peter nodded, and then showed Severus the pamphlets their Head had given him. "Professional Herbologist, Magical Lawyer, or Magizoologist."

Severus smiled. "Which one do you like the best?"

Quickly Peter cast Muffliato before saying, "Magical Law would help with the discrimination against werewolves and other wizards and magical creatures…" he trailed off. "I'm really good in Care of Magical Creatures, but everything I've read suggests magizoology isn't the epitome of safeness. I'm probably the furthest thing from Newt Scamander. And Herbology is great and all…but those jobs don't pay half as well as the other two and I'm not going to be a professor."

"It's all up to you," Severus replied, still smiling. "Don't let anyone try to pick for you."

"Yeah…" Peter looked at the pamphlets again. "If it's all the same to you, I'm going to go back up to the common room. I don't much want to be here when he comes out." He pointed at the door.

"Yeah sure, go on. He's nothing I haven't handled before."

"Good luck," Peter said, and went the same direction Alice had twenty minutes previous.

Severus contemplated Professor McGonagall's door for another ten minutes before it swung open and deposited James Potter on the threshold. He gave Severus a look that he couldn't quite decipher, but McGonagall called his name before either boy could say a word. He brushed inside and the door shut of its own accord.

"Mr. Prince," McGonagall said curtly. "Have a seat."

Severus sat.

"Have you given any thought to which career path you might take following your graduation from Hogwarts? This is simply a meeting to discuss which subjects you should continue into sixth and seventh year—though from what I hear from your other Professors you are adept in quite everything."

Severus allowed himself a small smile. "Potions Master, Professor," he said. "I would need at least an E in Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms."

Minerva sat back in her chair, surveying her brightest student. "Well, it seems like you've done your homework. Potions Master is an additional three years after graduation from Hogwarts."

"Yes," Severus said. "But I would also like to continue in Defense."

The Deputy gave Severus a rare smile. "I thought you might, seeing as we're likely to keep our Defense Professor for more than one year this time. Well, that's four core subjects and one elective. You are allowed another elective, if you wish, but many students prefer the extra time."

"Five is fine."

"I must confess I don't know how useful Ancient Runes would be in a potions mastery, but if you decide to pursue it, you need only tell me."

Severus paused. He'd taken an Ancient Runes N.E.W.T. in his previous lifetime, and didn't fancy sitting through that test again. "Runes are interesting, but I agree that they wouldn't be much use to me as a Potions Master."

"Well then, I think this has been the shortest advising appointment of my career," Minerva said, reaching into a desk drawer for a tin. "Have a biscuit."

Severus took one, one corner of his lips quirking up. "Thank you, Professor," he said, and gave his Head a nod as he swept to the door. He gave an acknowledging glance to Tess Worthington, and made his way back to Gryffindor Tower to study for the upcoming O.W.L.s with his friends.

The weeks leading up to the O.W.L.s for the fifth years and the N.E.W.T.s for the seventh years were filled with frantic dashes to the library, late nights in the common room, and more than one all-nighter pulled in the Room of Requirement, at least for the Circle of Seven. Severus attended the all-nighters as moral support, and also to do random corridor checks with Alice during study breaks. As much as he disliked teaching it felt good to correct wand motions and pronunciations when he and his comrades practiced for the practicals.

They reviewed every subject in common and paired up when subjects diverged, and thankfully no one had taken Divination. They spent less and less time in the common room because James and Mary spent whole evenings in front of the fire without coming up for air. Rather than give them the satisfaction of being seen, the Circle practically lived in the Room of Requirement.

O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams took place a month before the end of school, and were spread out over two weeks. This meant that while the weather steadily increased, the fifth and seventh years retreated further and further into the castle confines to resist the temptation of raiding the Quidditch pitch instead of studying.

They sat the Defense Against the Dark Arts written exam with no incidents, and afterwards the Circle met in the Room of Requirement to practice for the practical, which would happen that afternoon.

By the time Thursday of the second week rolled around, motivation to study for History of Magic was low, since it was an unnecessary subject for anyone in the Circle to pass for their future careers. They filed into the Great Hall resigned to do badly (even Severus) but no one particularly cared about it.

Two and a half hours later, they were done. They were free.

Severus grabbed Lily's hand as the doors were pushed open and sunlight streamed into the Entrance Hall, and they ran—down the steps and onto the grass, falling into a race to the lake like they'd done so many times as children living in Nurren. They reached the tall tree by the rippling waters where they'd first kissed, and Sev gathered her in his arms once again, pulling her close into a tight embrace.

"Oh, Sev," Lily murmured against his chest, "don't think."

So he kissed her, and all thought left him. The world fell away from them, and every worry he'd had about the O.W.L.s (there weren't many) disappeared as his hands gripped her waist and hers slid into his hair. They kissed for what felt like hours, until additional whoops of glee filled the grounds and Sev and Lily broke apart.

"Just two more years," Severus murmured into her hair, breathing in the beautiful scent and feeling drunk with happiness. "Two more years before we can do whatever the hell we want with our lives."

"Actually, I'm rather excited to turn seventeen next year, to learn Apparition…we could go on day trips to the city or the coast, even the continent." Lily hugged him. "Visiting Renly and the Tonks family would be so much easier, too."

Sev kissed the crown of her head. "You know, I love you quite a lot."

Lily smiled up at him. "I love you quite a lot, too."

They fell silent for a few moments, just basking in each other's presence.

A group of Slytherins passed them on the other side of the tree, guffawing at something one of them had said. "You say Potter's got him up in the courtyard?" one said, and Severus stiffened, his arms tightening around Lily.

"Yeah, that little pipsqueak—I don't remember his name though—let's get there before all the good stuff is over—" the voices dropped off and Lily and Severus exchanged a worried look. They waited until the Slytherins had disappeared up the path, and then followed them.

When Severus and Lily made it to the courtyard, the scene made his stomach turn. He'd hoped nothing would happen—hoped it would be different, but James Potter had his wand on Peter Pettigrew, with a small crowd of older Slytherins and some Ravenclaws ringed around them.

"You're nothing but a sniveling little worm," James sneered, and with one flick of his wand Peter was hoisted into the air by his ankle. "Who wants to see if his knickers are as yellow as his belly? Have you pissed yourself yet, Pettigrew?"

Peter, terrified though he was, was not too proud to refuse help like Sev had been so many years ago. He saw Severus and yelled, "Get me down!"

"Expelliarmus!" Sev shouted at the same time as Frank and Sirius, who'd arrived at the courtyard moments after Sev and Lily. Peter's and Potter's wands flew from his hands and spiraled through the air towards the four Gryffindors. Sirius caught them both with the unerring skill of a Seeker, his eyes burning with hatred—but not as much as the hatred in Lily and Sev's eyes. James was knocked to the ground by the combined force of the spell.

Severus stalked forward and the crowd of Slytherins and Ravenclaws parted almost unconsciously, backing away from Severus Prince like he was the Dark Lord Incarnate. He cast a cushioning charm on the ground beneath Peter and firmly thought Liberacorpus! Peter crashed to the flagstones but remained unhurt, as James struggled to his feet, wandless. Sev grasped Peter's hand and tugged him up, all the while staring through cold eyes at his old archenemy.

"You foul excuse for a human," Lily snarled as she shouldered in. She reached for Peter and pulled him behind her, where the newly-arrived Regulus brushed him off and asked if anything was injured. Sirius handed Peter both wands, and joined Frank by Lily's and Sev's sides. James suddenly noticed that his onlookers had begun to edge away. "How dare you bully him? He's done nothing to you. I can't believe I ever thought you were a decent man! You should be ashamed of yourself!" She slapped him, hard, and before anyone could stop him, James raised his hand and the savage force behind his returning strike knocked Lily to the ground, an angry red handprint blossoming on her cheek, her bottom lip broken and bloody.

Severus reacted immediately, but Frank was faster. James went down with a sickening crunch—Frank's rabbit punch had broken the former Chaser's nose—Severus dropped to his knees and cradled Lily in his arms, Nonverbally healing her lip and siphoning away the blood. Alice appeared out of nowhere. She took one look at Lily and Severus on the ground, glanced over to see her boyfriend in a burgeoning fistfight with James Potter, and entered the fray with her wand drawn. She immobilized him with a Charm they had just been tested on, and Frank, who had forgone magic to let Potter taste his own blood, turned away to let Alice deal with him in the best way she knew how.

"Go get McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey," Severus said quietly to Regulus. "Peter, stay here."

Regulus went and Peter stayed, neither saying a word, and Severus watched in distaste as the spectators scattered.

The moment James had hit Lily, Sev saw red, but Frank's quick action might have saved any number of Potter's limbs. The beginnings of one of a number of Dark spells had been on his lips when Frank charged forward, and Sev quickly collected himself to tend to his best friend. While they waited in the courtyard for their Head and the matron, Severus knew he would be seeing the Headmaster to demand that James be removed from the shared fifth year boys' dormitory for the remainder of their time at Hogwarts, as Potter's action would never be forgiven, and so help Potter if he does anything else.

Lily said nothing. She sat on the warm stone, curled up in Sev's arms, one hand on her bruised cheek and the other laid flat over Severus's heart. She couldn't believe that James had actually hit her. Her stomach clenched in anger, but she would not cry in front of him—even though he was ten feet away behind a wall of bodies comprised of her friends. She would hold the tears in until she was alone with Severus, in the Room of Requirement, because after this she would only want to be with Severus.

Regulus returned a minute later with McGonagall and Pomfrey in tow. They went to Lily first, coaxing her from Sev's warm comfort to examine her. Pomfrey inspected her cheek, muttering, "Bruise salve will take care of this…" She looked at Lily's face more closely. "Mr. Black said he split your lip," she said, obtusely referring to Potter.

"I healed it," Severus replied shortly, his fist clenching in an effort to keep himself from attacking Potter point blank.

Pomfrey nodded, glancing up at the Deputy.

"I'm not going to the hospital wing until I hear what you have to say to him," Lily said quietly to McGonagall, pointing at James.

"Rest assured he will be properly dealt with, Miss Evans, once I have heard the events individually from everyone present. It is not for you to hear."

"No," Lily said, rising to her feet. Sev fluidly unfolded beside her, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "He laid a hand on me after I pulled Peter away. He's not going anywhere until I hear what you have to say to him…and if he has anything to say back."

McGonagall regarded her, and Severus saw burning fire in her eyes—anger that one of her students had struck a woman—and a fellow Gryffindor, no less. She gave a curt nod and walked the few short paces to where Frank, Alice, and Sirius stood facing James, and they parted for her. Alice canceled the Petrificus.

"Mr. Potter, I cannot say I have never seen one of my own students strike a Housemate with ill intent. But never—never—have I seen evidence that one of my male students struck a girl with that same ill intent. Rest assured I will get to the bottom of this—surely you are aware that memories do not lie, and I count seven who can provide such memories for the Headmaster's perusal. Now, I will only ask you this once, and you have one chance to tell me the truth. Why did you strike Lily Evans?"

"I didn't mean to—it—it was an accident!" James exclaimed from where he was struggling to his feet. "It was a reflex," he mumbled.

McGonagall's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "A reflex to strike a woman, Mr. Potter?" Without waiting for an answer she looked over her shoulder to Lily, who was still being fussed over by the matron. "I believe this would be sorted out much faster by the Headmaster," she said curtly. "To his office, now," she clarified, when no one moved.

Sev couldn't look at Potter without feeling an irresistible urge to hex him into the Dark Ages, so when McGonagall ushered them back into the school corridors he stuck to Lily like a limpet and made sure to keep his friends in his peripheral vision.

Lily drew comfort from Sev's nearness, the shock of being hit now wearing off as the sting on her cheek grew sharper. She was grateful to Severus for quickly healing her lip, as she'd had it broken once before during a fistfight with Petunia when they were younger, and remembered the pain of it all too well.

Soon enough they reached the spiral staircase leading to the Headmaster's office. McGonagall led them up, with Poppy Pomfrey at the tail to make sure everyone made it.

McGonagall knocked, and Dumbledore's voice floated through the door. "Enter."

When everyone was inside the office, Poppy closed the door and approached the Headmaster's desk.

"What is the meaning of this?" Albus asked, clearly befuddled as to why Gryffindor's Head of House, the school matron, and eight of his students were there.

McGonagall spoke. "I believe Mr. Pettigrew can begin."

Briefly terrified, Peter glanced at Severus, whose gaze remained firmly on Lily. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but firm. "I was cutting through the courtyard after the History of Magic O.W.L to visit Hagrid. Potter surprised me, took my wand…used a nonverbal spell to pull me into the air by my ankle. He started taunting me…drawing an audience of mostly Slytherins, but I saw some Ravenclaws too." He took a breath. "Potter was just about to Vanish my trousers when Severus and Lily got there and stopped him."

"Mr. Prince, if you could continue," McGonagall prompted.

Severus cleared his throat and directed his gaze to the Headmaster's, carefully lowering the right Occlumency shields to allow Dumbledore surface access to his memories. "Lily and I got to the courtyard and I immediately Disarmed Potter at the same time as Frank and Sirius. Sirius caught Potter's wand as well as Peter's, and I placed a Cushioning Charm so I could let Peter down without hurting him. Once he was down, Lily pulled him back to Regulus and confronted Potter. She slapped him," Severus tightened his hold around Lily, "for what he did to Peter. And—he struck her. Frank broke his nose before I could do anything."

Frank and Sev exchanged a brief glance, both knowing that if Frank hadn't beaten Sev to the punch that Potter might not be entirely in one piece at the moment.

"Miss Evans?" Dumbledore said with a slight frown, coming around from behind his desk.

"He split my bottom lip," she said quietly, "and left his handprint on my cheek." She turned to show him the bruise.

Dumbledore's steely gaze hardened and flickered to James, who was resolutely staring at a bookshelf a few meters away, with a bunched up section of robes pressed against his nose. Wandlessly he summoned his Pensieve. "Mr. Prince…if you would be so kind…"

Severus gave Lily's shoulders a soft squeeze and stepped forward. He brought his wand to his temple, closed his eyes, and concentrated on the entire memory from a mere half-hour before. The silver strand clung to his wand tip and broke free from his head; he held it over the Pensieve and flicked downward. The memory separated and swirled, and Dumbledore murmured his thanks before diving in.

Dumbledore's absence lasted for ten minutes.

When he emerged, his face stony, he said, "Madame Pomfrey, if you could escort Mr. Longbottom, Miss Nelson, and Mr.'s Black to the Gryffindor Common Room, you will have my gratitude. Please return here once they are settled."

"Sir?" asked Regulus, confused.

"Your actions in the courtyard will have angered a fair number of your classmates, Mr. Black, far more than they have already. Until Professor Slughorn and I pay a visit to your common room, you will be well housed in Gryffindor Tower. The House Elves will bring you whatever you require from your bed in Slytherin." Dumbledore waited for Regulus's nod and then watched as he left with his friends and the matron, before turning to face James Potter. "Episkey," he spelled, and Potter's nose popped back into its proper alignment. "Scourgify," he said next, and the blood disappeared from James' face and clothing. "Mr. Prince, I believe it is your desire that Mr. Potter be removed from the Fifth Year dormitory?"

"Yes, sir," Sev said quietly.

"Well then," the Headmaster agreed. "He will be removed from your dormitory and placed with the Fourth Years for the remainder of this term. As your O.W.L. examinations are complete, he will be placed on wand suspension—that is, his wand will be in the possession of Professor McGonagall for the remainder of the term. To prevent retaliation on the return train to London in two weeks, the wand will be owled to his parents, along with a letter explaining why."

"Professor!" James suddenly vocalized. "You can't, my father—"

Dumbledore's eyes flashed with fire. "Do not presume to tell me what I can and cannot do, Mr. Potter. Your actions were clear and uncontestable. If you protest further, your lack of a wand will be the least of your growing list of problems. Surrender it to your Head of House now, please."

James opened his mouth but said nothing, merely gaped at the Headmaster. Peter cleared his throat. "I have his wand," he said, and handed it to Professor McGonagall.

Dumbledore inclined his head to Peter, and continued, "Ah, yes, Mr. Potter will also be serving three hours of detention with Mr. Filch every night until the end of term. I think that will do for now. Professor McGonagall, have you anything to add?"

Minerva pursed her lips. "I think removing Hogsmeade privileges through the first half of fall term will be sufficient."

Three knocks came from the door, and Dumbledore waved his hand to admit the matron once more. "Minerva, if you could escort Mr. Potter to Gryffindor Tower and supervise his transition to the Fourth Year dormitory…"

"Certainly, Headmaster."

She exited with James, which left Severus, Lily, Peter, and the matron in the presence of the Headmaster.

"Madame Pomfrey…please tend to Mr. Pettigrew and Miss Evans in the hospital wing. I should like a private word with Mr. Prince."

Poppy nodded, and coaxed Lily from Sev's embrace; Peter offered his arm to Lily and she took it after giving Sev's hand a squeeze.

When the door shut, Severus rubbed his hands over his face and once through his hair, and he wore an angry expression. "He's out of control."

"I know."

"If he has no problem with hitting her, I'm scared at how far he'll go next time."

"There will not be a 'next time,' Severus," Albus sighed, sitting behind his desk.

"How can you possibly promise that?! You saw what happened—" he dipped his wand into the Pensieve and retrieve his memory, "—you saw the look on his face when he hit her—"

"Severus," Albus interrupted, "I do not know what James Potter was thinking when he struck Lily. I did not invade his mind—and before you protest, I only looked into yours because you gave me permission to do so, when you lowered your Occlumency shields. James Potter knows nothing of that ability, and I have learned from you to respect mental boundaries, even if the circumstances are cloudy."

"There is nothing cloudy about what he did," Severus seethed.

Albus raised a hand. "I agree, which is why the next step will be to request his memory of the event, and make it clear that if he refuses, he will face possible expulsion—and in the process be subject to accusations of assault, should Miss Evans decide to press charges against him." The Headmaster removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I do not doubt that Henry and Eleanor Potter have made poor parenting choices, and have enabled their son's delinquency, but short of bringing it to the Department of Magical Child Services, I can do nothing to quash his bad choices while he is at home during the summer."

"What about his invisibility cloak?"

Albus frowned. "What of it? Henry confiscated it in October of 1974."

Severus counted to five in his head to diffuse his agitation. "I have little doubt that Potter will find a way to get it back with or without his father's permission. He's already suspicious of Remus; what do you think would stop him from getting the cloak back to not only expose one of my best friends, but carry out his sick, perverse obsession with bending Lily to his will? He will attack her again, of that I have complete certainty."

"You are blowing this out of proportion, Severus—"

"No, I am not!" he said loudly, incredulity spreading across his features. "You are underestimating him, still! He is not your perfect Gryffindor, he is a bully, and a predator! I cannot be with Lily for every minute of every day, and I'll be damned if something happens to her when you could have done something to prevent it. If you choose to sit on your hands, then I will not be responsible for whatever I do to him when he next assaults her." Severus finished his angry speech and swept from the office before the Headmaster had the chance to reply.

Severus found Lily in the hospital wing, sitting on a bed by herself. She looked up at him when he walked through the door, and he strode quickly to her, catching her in a hug as she rose to meet him. "What do you need?" he asked her softly, stroking her hair.

"Just you," she replied. "I want to go up to the Room."

"Of course," he said, and grasped her hand in his. They left the infirmary and quickly made their way up the four flights of stairs, to the oft used Room of Requirement.

The Room provided a bed, onto which Lily crawled once the door closed behind them. Severus joined her, and held her as she cried into his shirt for a few minutes.

"If dad…if dad were alive he'd fight tooth and nail to come here and thrash him," Lily murmured. "He wouldn't care about anti-Muggle wards. He'd walk right through and teach Potter a lesson."

Severus gently rubbed Lily's back. "I think Frank taught him a pretty good one with that punch to the face," he replied, and felt her smile against his chest. "If he hadn't reacted before I did…I'm not sure what would have happened. I probably would have rendered him…incomplete."

Lily looked up at him. "Is that your way of saying you'd have castrated him?"

"The thought had crossed my mind—but honestly I wanted to remove the hand that hurt you."

An eyebrow went up. "That's…well, that's barbaric, but so is castration, I suppose." She sighed. "I'm glad Frank hit him. It's better than the wart deserved."

"Lil, I can't say that I'm not worried he'll do something else."

"You think he'll hit me again?"

Severus frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know what he could do. I have ideas, horrid ideas that I never want to speak aloud, and suspicions. I know how far he's willing to go to get what he wants."

Lily sat up, frustrated. "Me? Still me? Severus, we have talked about this. He's with Mary, he's snogging her face off every night in the common room. He's gotten over his childish obsession with me."

The former potions master stared at her. "No, he hasn't. Have you forgotten how much I know?"

"No, but—"

"I'll make you a wager. If, by Christmas, Potter is still dating Mary bloody Macdonald, I will concede that you are right and he has taken his eyes off of you as his prize. However," he said, watching Lily's face as she listened to him, "if he dumps her and starts showing off again, and starts trying to win you again, subtly or not, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so,' and you'll have to accept that my suspicions, and the reasons for my suspicions, are incredibly well founded, and the only reason I've done what I've done is because you are the only thing in this world I could not live without."

Lily stared down at him, her eyes swimming with determination.

"Agreed?" he prompted.

"Agreed."

A/N: Yaaaay! Back to a mostly-regular update schedule! The remaining ten chapters will be posted approximately every 40-45 days, with chapter 50 going up on December 11th, 2015.

Up Next: Burnt Letters.