Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine. The pub is, so far as I know, fictional, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were really called that.

A/N: This is shorter than the usual two thousand or so words, but only by a bit, and I make up for it with a significant and obvious plot development, as well as one that's equally important, but a bit more subtle. I apologize for the length, but certain individuals (eyes professors nastily) think that just because I attend night school, I must have unlimited time. WTF? I'm working two jobs and studying for an Associate's degree and a GED simultaneously, you twits! I'm a drop-out, not a deadbeat! I apologize for the rant, but I still haven't gotten around to getting an LJ, and I need somewhere to vent.

Sirius looked around Beddgelert, and sighed. What a dreary little place. It was quite scenic, yes, and it was popular with a certain type of tourist, but there was no nightlife, no neon, no nothing. Sirius, a city boy from birth, hated it. James would love it though; he'd grown up somewhere not much different from this. Godric's Hollow was just over the border near Bristol, actually. Sirius smiled slightly, remembering the two summers he'd spent living with the Potters, then came back to the present day. The Two Dragons was the only pub in town, and he was standing outside of it wearing a funny little smile, and getting some very odd looks. He shrugged slightly and went in.

"Hello." He nodded to the bartender, looking around surreptitiously. Good, the bar was nearly empty. "I was told you'd be the person who'd know if there were any jobs in town." He looked slightly embarrassed. "Y'see, I left my wallet at the last petrol station I stopped at, and now I'm in a bit of a tight spot."

The bartender eyed him suspiciously. "What do you know how to do?"

"I'm a musician by trade, but I can do things like work a till if I need to." Sirius shrugged. "I'm flexible." He looked around, as if for the first time, and smiled visibly when he saw the little stage area. "I don't suppose you'd like a guitarist for a few weeks, would you?"

The barman considered it, and Sirius could almost see the wheels turning in his head. It was late summer, tourist season. Tourists like to be entertained; music was entertainment. They'd be here buying drinks while watching the entertainment. "All right. There's a spare room upstairs you can use if you want. I'll send someone out to help you unpack your car. What's your name?"

Sirius was the very image of grateful relief. "Thanks. I'm Stephen Brown. I hate to impose, but could I use your phone? I need to cancel my credit cards." He flashed another winsome smile.

"Feel free; you do work here now."

Sirius nodded, and sauntered out to the car to get his guitar.

In a London conference room, the four day wait was over. "The first report from Sirius is here." announced Lily, holding aloft a sheet of charmed parchment. "His cover story passed, and he didn't need to use magic."

James, who had been slumped in a corner as was apparently his wont, perked up slightly. "What story did he use?"

"He's a tourist who's lost his wallet, and he's making the money he needs to get home singing in the bar there. He says that there's quite a lot of gossip, and he can't understand a word of it, because it's all in Welsh, but they do seem upset about something."

"Not good." declared Severus. "Peter, how are you at long-term translation charms?"

Peter looked up from his cheese sandwich. "Passable, I suppose. Why?"

"We may send you to Wales early. Beddgelert is a Restricted Casting Zone for those of us who aren't going as ourselves, so Sirius can't cast non-essential spells. Unfortunately, we defined everything but combat spells as non-essential for Sirius, so as far as his lack of language skills go, we're up shit creek without a paddle. You, however, are still outside the zone, and can cast spells to your ratty little heart's content." Severus smirked briefly. "Do you think that if you cast a translation spell, it would last more than a week?" he asked, all trace of humor gone.

Peter waggled his hand. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. I haven't had to do long term spells since we were in training. Mind-based spells were always something I was good at, though."

"How soon can you be ready?" Lily asked, her eyes on the parchment, where fresh words were appearing.

"Fifteen minutes; I'd just need to get my bag and shrink it."

"Then for God's sake, go! The whole village is having mass hysterics about something. I think someone else may have gone missing."

Peter nodded and Disapparated with a pop.

"I've heard that wizards are taking them!"

"I've heard that one of their dragons has got loose and they're covering it up!"

"Really?" the first speaker sounded intrigued. "Do they cover things up often?"

"Oh yes." the second speaker said knowledgably. "It happens all the time."

"Hmmph. I always said you couldn't trust magic."

Peter winced. If this was the way popular opinion was headed, it would get dangerous fast to be a wizard in Beddgelert. He scurried to the other end of the alley, and lurked in the shadow of a dustbin.

"Isn't the new singer at the pub sexy?" a teenage girl gushed. "And he has such a gorgeous voice!"

"That's not all that's gorgeous." the leer in the other girl's voice was clearly audible.

"Not by half." a new voice added. The voice, belonging to a teenage male, had distinct tones of lust to it.

The first girl's voice was shocked as she said, "John! You never told us you were gay!"

The boy was conspicuously defensive. "I am not! I'm male, not blind!"

The second girl's voice was heavy with sarcasm. "Yes, John. You're quite obviously as straight as a ruler."

Peter left as the boy began to sputter. It might make good blackmail material, but it was of absolutely no use in terms of the operation.

It was three hours before Peter's first report came in. Two young men snatched on same day; one from home, one from work. Total number missing is fifteen, and the rate is steadily increasing. Predict at least three more in next week. Recommend that operation be greatly accelerated. Other news, S. is now object of worship among local teenage population. V. surprising.

"Well?" Lily prodded, trying to look over Severus' shoulder at the parchment. Severus groaned inaudibly; having her so close to him was doing terrible things to his concentration. Stepping away slightly, he handed her the report, which she read quickly. "How is it that Peter, even under the worst circumstances, can always say something snide?"

"He learned it from me, I'm afraid." Severus admitted sheepishly. "Almost by osmosis."

Lily gave him a mock glare. "It always seemed to me that the two of you shared a single brain, and ten years later, here's the proof." She snorted. "Osmosis, my ass."

Severus couldn't stop his eyes flicking downwards, and he felt his cheeks heat. "Are you implying that I'm a halfwit, Ms. Evans?" he purred, desperately trying to keep his mind off her anatomy.

Lily smiled slightly. "I'm not implying anything, Severus, I'm damn well stating it outright!"

He tutted. "And they let you out in public with a mouth like that?"

Lily gave him a quick grin, and took a step closer to him. "Nah, I escaped."

Remus broke in. "As amusing as listening to the two of you bicker is, perhaps, just perhaps, we could return to the matter at hand?" The two twitched, and sprang apart. Remus shook his head. If neither of them realized the other was head over heels for them, then he certainly wasn't going to help. Honestly, they both could be so unaware sometimes.

Severus recovered first. "James, you leave tomorrow morning, Remus, you leave tomorrow afternoon and Lily and I leave day after tomorrow, all right?" Remus nodded, James shrugged indifferently, and Lily gave him a thumbs up. "Good. You two go pack then."

Remus went, concealing a smile at Severus' attempt, either conscious or unconscious, to get Lily alone. Then he glanced over at James, and his smile vanished. James was standing and glaring murderously at the clueless couple, and his hand had slipped to his waist, and was fondling his wand in his holster. Hoping to prevent some kind of incident, he tapped James on the shoulder. "Come on, Prongs. Let's go get a drink somewhere."

Upon hearing his old nickname, James' face cleared, and when he turned to Remus, he bore a pleasant expression. "Yes, let's go." As they left, however, he shot another poisonous look over his shoulder at Severus, who was laughing softly at something Lily, his Lily, had said. He was going to make the bastard pay.

Severus and Lily looked at each other uncertainly. "So," Lily began, a bright, nervous smile on her face. "I'll call the owner of the cottage, and you can..." She trailed off, and tried to think of something for Severus to do.

He tensed, and looked at her with something like desperation. "I don't think I can do this, Lily."

Her head snapped up. "Do what?" she asked, sounding worried.

"Lie like this." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, not wanting to see her face. "I'm in love with you, Lily." He turned and fled, before Lily could even draw a breath.

She sat down heavily, staring at the door, which still hung open. The anguished look on his face, as he told her what she'd wanted to hear so badly, and his abrupt departure afterwards took all of the joy out of it. She'd known ever since she'd first seen again after all those years that she wanted him; he'd gone from a frighteningly intense teenager to a laid-back, sarcastic man who made her breath catch every time she looked at him. Just for a moment, the insecure teenager had come back, and instead of engendering the slightly amused incomprehension it had before, it had been almost endearing.

She hadn't felt like this much of a sap since her first date with James, and it startled her slightly. She'd thought that the butterfly feeling of first love was over, and that she was old enough to resist the lure of rose-tinted spectacles. The realization that even after one failed serious relationship and numerous boyfriends, she still wanted hearts-and-flowers romance shook her, and she dropped her head into her hands. Why did emotions have to be so damn complicated?

Severus could have kicked himself. He'd absolutely humiliated himself; Lily would probably never be able to look at him with a straight face again. He was pathetic, telling her about a hopeless devotion he'd harbored since he'd been fourteen. He knew it would never come to anything; in her eyes, he'd always be the greasy, destitute Slytherin with the used textbooks and patched robes. Why couldn't he have fallen for a woman who'd never known him in school, never seen him at his lowest and most wretched? He was rich, he was successful; hell, he'd even gotten his teeth fixed; he could have any woman he wanted. Except the only one who mattered. Lily Evans could never possibly want him, and it hurt. He sighed deeply, and heaved himself off the bed. He might not have nepenthe, but alcohol would make a damn good substitute.