Aimee
Severus was awakened by the wolf, who had insisted on licking his face, seven hours later. With a quick glance out at the window and notice the blanket of stars slowly giving way to the first rays of the sun, Severus turned back to the wolf.
"It's almost time, then?"
Yes.
Are you ok?
Not in a moment.
Just as Lily's last thought filtered through Severus' mind, the wolf let out a ear-splitting howl. Without so much as a second thought, Severus jumped out of the bed and backed away a few steps.
"Are you ok?" he repeated stupidly, his eyes widening with fear.
What the bloody hell do you think?
Sorry, love.
God damnit, I hate this…
Severus watched with baited breath as the wolf in front of him seemed to battle an invisible force, thrashing side to side and howling with pain. He heard the sound of bones breaking once more as the fur retracted into the wolf's body. The snout, once so prominent a feature, was now retracting with little grace, a very human nose replacing it. Severus watched, amazed, as the wolf was replaced with his wife.
Lily was trembling terribly, pale, and naked, lying in a heap, hugging herself. Severus immediately ran over to her, pulling off his own robe and covering her with it. He glanced around the room and spotted her discarded clothing from the evening before. Picking the garments up carefully, he laid them beside Lily's exhausted form.
That was easier than I expected.
Yes, it did seem to be much quicker.
Quicker? It seemed like an eternity.
Your clothes are right here… Do you think you have the energy to put them on?
No, your robe'll do… Do you think you could maybe help me with this? I seem to have lost all movement of my limbs.
Severus forced a tight smile as he gently pulled Lily's arms through the sleeves of the blue terrycloth robe, tying the belt around her middle loosely. He adjusted her body so her head was lying on one of the feather pillows at the head of the bed, and pulled the blankets over her.
Thank you, Sevvie.
Sevvie now, eh?
Yes, Sevvie.
Why Sevvie?
Makes us seem younger.
We're only thirty-four, love.
That's thirty-four years too many, Sev.
So we're back to Sev now?
SEVVIE!
If you insist, love.
C'mere… Get your arse under the blankets with me and give me a hug. I don't think I can move.
Tired, love?
Yes, Sevvie.
Severus smiled a bit as he complied with Lily's wishes, wrapping his arms around her still-trembling shoulders.
Is this better, love?
You're calling me love every sentence, Sev.
Are you complaining, love?
No, Sev.
Then why mention it, love?
So you're not mad at me anymore, Sev?
Of course not, love. Why on Earth would I be mad at you?
For… I don't know, Sev.
Now you're overdoing it, Lil.
What, no love that time?
Go to sleep, love.
Why?
Because you're exhausted, and I'm sure your Papa wouldn't mind if I skipped class this morning.
Class… SEV! You've got to go… Leave… Now… Good Lord, it's almost eight.
Let the little buggers miss Potions…
Sev, this isn't 1978. You can't miss class, you're the teacher!
I'm sure your Papa will take care of it… He knows I have other obligations.
They might as well start looking around for a new Potions Master.
Of course, what do you think they're doing?
Teaching?
At Hogwarts? Never.
Ethan approached Harry that morning in the Great Hall, eyeing the Gryffindors surrounding his brother.
"Harry… Where's Mum and Dad?" Ethan asked, his voice squeaking a bit.
"In their room, probably." Harry yawned, exhausted from the late hours spent talking with his grandfather. "But don't bother them – they're tired."
"What about class?" Ethan asked, a little louder. "Dad has to teach; I have Potions second hour."
"I'm sure he'll be there, Ethan." Harry sighed, slightly annoyed. He looked over at Ron and Hermione, both of whom were eyeing his little Slytherin brother just as much as he was eyeing them.
"Ok… If you see them, tell them… Tell them…" Ethan paused.
"Tell them what?" Harry snapped.
Ethan's cold black eyes hardened, "Tell them to stop by, that Daddy's oldest son misses him."
Harry stood up next to the boy. "Take that back."
Ethan smirked, "Why? It's true."
"Take it back or I swear to God I'll hit you so hard you'll be flying into next Thursday." Harry growled back, clenching his fists.
Ethan was unfazed. He crossed his arms, an amused expression playing across his face. "You think no one cares about you not being a real Snape? Everyone cares, Harry. Dad's just being extra nice to you to make you think you matter."
Harry didn't bother concealing his anger this time; before his grandfather, friends, and the whole Great Hall, he punched Ethan so hard the boy was knocked backwards nearly six feet.
Looking up at Harry with amazement mixed with surprise in his eyes, Ethan clutched his bloody and broken nose, scrambling to stand back up. He fought against the tears that were forming in his eyes, not so much from pain but from frustration. Wiping his mouth with the edge of his sleeve, his glared at Harry and turned around, storming out of the Great Hall.
He arrived at the portrait concealing the entrance to his parents' room, and whispered the password angrily. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing his sleeping parents. Storming up to the side of the bed his father was on, he shook his shoulders forcibly, waking the grown man up.
"Ethan? What is it?" Severus whispered, glancing
over at his wife. "What happened to your nose?"
"Harry punched me." Ethan fumed.
"Why did he do that?" Severus said quietly, touching the boy's blood stained face. "Go to Madame Pomfrey."
"I don't know why, he just punched me!" Ethan exclaimed. Severus immediately clamped his hand over the boy's mouth.
"Keep it down… Your mother is sleeping."
Ethan looked over at Lily's pale, sleeping form. "Ok, I'm sorry. I don't know why… Could you punish him?"
Severus shook his head, "Not until I get his side of the story. He wouldn't punch you out of the blue, Ethan. Now GO to Madame Pomfrey… She'll fix your nose for you."
Ethan nodded, "Yes sir." With that, he walked out of the room, closing the portrait door behind him. Severus sighed turned back towards Lily.
What was that all about?
You're awake.
Yes, sorry. What happened?
Ethan came in with a bloody nose and is insisting Harry punched him.
Somehow that doesn't surprise me… Lily sighed and opened her eyes a bit.
"Are you feeling better?" Severus asked.
"Yes, a lot." Lily moved her hand down along Severus' left arm, tracing the tattooed gray skull with her finger. "Can't you get that removed?"
"I wish." Severus said softly, resisting the urge to jerked his arm away from her. "Maybe someday someone will figure out how."
"I'm sure they will." Lily said slowly and softly, almost as if it pained her to speak.
"Go back to sleep, love. I'll wake you up in time for dinner." Severus assured her. Lily nodded and closed her eyes once more, laying her head on Severus' chest.
He sighed and started to run his fingers through her auburn hair, allowing himself to succumb to the irresistible lulls of sleep.
***
And now, the explanation you've all been waiting for, verse by verse... Guys, the song was a basic coverage of all of Severus and Lily's relationship! A lot of people guessed that part right, but the reasons and explanations they gave me for the verses and occassions were fairly weak or just really... strange. Some of you guys were so close... Good job to all of you that guessed, most of you guys touched on a topic I'm about to show.
You found hope, you found faith
Found how fast she could take it away
Found true love lost your heart
Now you dont know who you are
(The "you" is Severus; his relationship with Lily [with a dash of betrayal thrown in]. Over the course of the story, his personality has changed in very subtle ways, and from the time he met Lily to the present, he's a whole nother person. A lot less bitter, more caring... it's all from Lily's love. No one got that right.)
She made it easy made it free
Made you hurt till you couldn't see
Sometimes it stops some times it flows
Baby that is how love goes
(More or less the "hard times" they've shared... They've all been Lily's fault, or had something to do with her and really not Severus (James, Remus...). She's never really asked for anything in return but him... her love's free. :o) And it's showing how that's just the way it is... Nothing's perfect.)
You will fly you will crawl
God knows even angels fall
No such thing as you lost it all
God knows even angels fall
(Easy - Everyone makes mistakes. Also, the "no such
thing as you lost it all" line is how they always have their other half
to fall back on, no matter what happens.
Severus has always been there for Lily and vise versa.)
And its a secret that no one tells
One day its heaven one day its hell
It's no fairy tale take it from me
That's the way its supposed to be
(People were kind of getting this one, but not really.
They're all saying how it's Lily's relationship with James... But it's
Severus' relationship with Lily while she's
married to James. I thought maybe the 'secret' and 'that's the way
it's supposed to be' would give it away... apparentally not?)
You will fly you will crawl
God knows even angels fall
No such thing as you lost it all
God knows even angels fall
You laugh you cry no one knows why
But ohh the thrill of it all
You're on the ride
You might as well open your eyes
(Their whole relationship, summed up basically in one verse.)
You will fly you will crawl
God knows even angels fall
No such thing as you lost it all
God knows even angels fall
Now really, that wasn't so hard, was it? I love the
answers I got... some of them were almost right, some of them showed other
ways the song could be portrayed, but the ideas were off just a bit. Thanks
guys!! :o)