A/N: Hey, look! We're developing a mini-plot that has nothing to do with earlier chapters. Well, no, that's not true. Earlier chapters have everything to do with the choices Regulus makes coming up. It's just a lot of back-story or something.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lily asked tentatively, following Severus down some rather familiar looking corridors.

"Probably not," Snape answered, turning another corner. Not sure how to respond to that, Lily remained silent as they twisted and turned for several more feet. It was Severus who finally broke the silence. "It is, however, much quieter down here and better for studying than the library. It's only Regulus and I for the holidays."

"Oh," Lily blushed, looking at the ground, "that's very thoughtful of you."

Severus didn't reply, and finally stopped in front of a wall. He turned to look at her for the first time since inviting her down to the Slytherin Common Room. "Do you have any idea where you are?"

"Not a clue," Lily replied honestly, feeling a little foolish. Honestly, these lower dungeons were like a honeycomb. Without someone to guide her she couldn't find anything but her potions class room.

"Good." Turning back to the wall, Snape said in a clear voice, "Felix Felicis."

To Lily's astonishment, a part of the wall began to slide open. "How…"

Snape looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Isn't your common room hidden?"

"Well…I suppose so. I just didn't think that…I mean, ours talks to us."

"Why would you want it to do that? Then it can be convinced to let in those who don't belong."

Lily blinked. She'd never thought of it that way. "Well…I guess so…"

Snape didn't respond, instead walked through the opening, and Lily followed. Her green eyes widened as she stepped into the low ceiling room. Green flooded her sight, from the few scattered couches, to the lamps that hung from the ceiling by chains, to the few tapestries that hung on the long rough stonewalls.

She was about to take another step inside when Severus held out a hand to stop her. Curious, she looked up at him, and he made a small motion for her to be silent before pointing to an elaborately carved mantle. For the first time, Lily realized that they weren't completely alone in the common room.

Regulus was kneeling in front of the fire, and obviously having one of those weird conversations with a head in the fire she'd seen some students having with loved ones late at night when they were worried for their safety.

"I told you," Regulus told someone in the fire. "I missed the train. I got lost in the dungeons and missed it. I'm sorry."

Lily looked over at Severus, but for once he looked as confused as she felt. He shook his head slightly, and indication that he had no explanation for her she assumed.

"Six years in those dungeons! You couldn't possibly have gotten lost!" A woman's voice screeched, and Lily could tell from Regulus's body posture that he winced.

"The walls move, Mother, and I was distracted…"

"By what!"

There was a long pause, and Lily realized for the first time that Regulus was lying to his mother. From what Sirius had told her, this was probably the first time in his life he'd ever done so.

"I…school work," Regulus finally muttered. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw Severus shake his head again. This time he seemed to be disappointed in Regulus's lack of a plausible story.

"You are to meet Bellatrix in Hogsmeade on Christmas Eve." The voice suddenly changed from one that left no room for questions to an eerily sweet one. "We have a surprise for you, Reggie dear."

To Lily's surprise, Regulus seemed to wince even more at this sweet voice then when she'd yelled.

"But…" his voice was so soft she almost couldn't hear him, "can't I stay here, and you could send me the surprise? I could really use Severus's help on my homework…"

"Bellatrix will be there to pick you up on the twenty fourth at the Hogshead, and you will meet her!" The voice was a shriek again, and Lily covered her ears. She'd heard this voice before over Howlers Sirius had received when he was younger, and she was surprised that the Howler didn't magnify anything at all and the woman was really this loud.

As she watched, Regulus slumped down; his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yes, Mother."

"That's my good boy. You've always been my favorite son haven't you, dearest? You won't break my heart like him will you, my Regulus?"

Lily could hear the tears in Regulus's voice, as he spoke next, "No, Mother."

Snape pulled on her arm, and Lily willingly followed. She didn't fancy Regulus looking up and realizing he'd been overheard. When they were safely out in the hallway again, she dared to speak.

"What was that all about?"

Severus leaned against the wall. She took a good look at him in the torchlight, and was surprised to see that he looked as confused and worried as any, well, normal person would.

"I don't know. He told me his parent's had plans, and that he was supposed to stay here."

Lily bit her bottom lip, gently clutching her book to her, "he obviously doesn't want to go home, for some reason. Do you…do you suppose those plans are the reason he doesn't want to go?"

"I don't…" The genuine feeling in Severus's voice frightened the red haired Gryffindor. He sounded as though he'd been shaken by what they'd just witnessed. On one level, Lily was honored that he trusted her enough to show this side of him, and on another she was afraid for Regulus if Severus allowed himself to be so vulnerable for him.

"You really have no idea," she whispered, and Severus shook his head. He seemed to be regaining some control, but was still quite upset.

"If he didn't want to go home, he must have a good reason."

"You're afraid for him." It wasn't a question, because she didn't expect an answer.

"He's never lied before. Not to me. Not her."

"Do you suppose it's an engagement, or something? Since he likes James now he doesn't want to go through with some prearranged marriage or something like that?"

Severus looked relived at this suggestion, and Lily was proud of herself. Apparently her idea had some merit to it.

"That's it," Severus said, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than agreeing with her, "of course it is. He'll find a way of it, too, if I know him. Research her genealogy and find some obscure thing that wouldn't make her 'pure' enough."

"Of course he will," Lily said, offering her best reassuring smile. Severus seemed to have sufficiently pulled himself together, and stood up away from the wall just as the door to their common room slid open and Regulus walked out.

He'd obviously been crying, but neither of the Slytherin boys acknowledged this as Regulus put an obviously fake smile onto his face.

"Hello, Severus. Am I interrupting something?"

"I'm bringing Evans down for a study session, if that's alright with you."

"Of course. I told James I'd meet him outside the kitchens for lunch anyway."

Lily decided that she was spending too much time with Severus, as she could now obviously see that he was questioning whether or not Regulus was again lying to him. "You know the rules."

Regulus laughed, a harsh, mirthless, sound that had some eerie similarity to Sirius's laughter. "I know, I know. I'll report back, I promise. See you two later! Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

He turned and jogged down the hallway, and Lily almost longed to run after him and make him tell her what was wrong. That, however, was not her place and she knew it. Taking her cue from Severus to ignore it, for now, she followed the Slytherin into his common room once more.