TALE AS OLD AS TIME

Chapter 9: REVENGE

All James seemed to be able to do was inspire pity. He missed Lily in every breath he took, with every beat of her heart; everything around him reminded him of Lily and all he could do was hold on and try to go on. It wasn't easy though. A few days after Lily left, Anabel told him that he had to give back all of Lily's stuff – she had departed so suddenly she hadn't taken her things – which James did, but he didn't sent all of it, he kept many things in Lily's chamber, because he thought he still had a little bit of Lily that way.

When Lily saw her things arrive she felt very sad, thinking that James wanted to get rid of anything that reminded him of her. She was wrong, of course, but too sad to notice how some of her stuff was missing.

Lily tried really hard to readjust to the life in the Villa, she went around with Cynthia and spend long afternoons discussing books with Mr. Colbert. She did just about anything to keep herself from thinking about James. But there were times when she was weak and couldn't help herself and found herself thinking about James. Lily would cry then, and later she would get angry at herself and swore never to think about James again, and then she remembered something sweet about James and all her resolutions went down the drain.

This proved to bee a slow, silent torture, but a very effective one.

And James was no better; he walked around his castle being little more than a shadow. Finally he decided to use the old magical mirror that had belonged to her mother. Said mirror would show him anyone, anywhere they were. It was the thing he did to get through, at random moments James would ask the mirror about Lily and the mirror would show her going about her day. What James liked the most was to see her when she slept… often he wondered if he was in his dreams.

James spent hours and hours retracing what had happened that day. Lily had said "I think I love you". James realized how stupid he had been, thinking he was securing his heart he had lost just that the second Lily went away.

Days turned to weeks ever so slowly…

One afternoon…

"Dad, do I really have to go?"

"I know you don't like going to the Dursley's, Lily, but your sister asked that you were there." Her father said. "Do it for her.

Lily agreed to please he father.

James had seen the whole thing through his mirror, and he knew something was wrong as Lily sighed and sighed again while trying to choose something to wear… he didn't know it but everything reminded her of him.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Diner at the Dursley's was turning out to be beyond unexciting, and then there was the added plus of the presence of Lady Helena and Severus Snape. Before, the pair of them had been just unpleasant; now that she knew more about them they both seemed utterly despicable.

"Miss Evans," said Madame Mae, one of the town's matrons. "I've been meaning to ask you since you arrived, where did you get such exquisite dress?"

Lily looked down at her dress, the lavender hued silk was quite flattering to her complexion, the dress had been cut to perfection and it bared her shoulders, showing just enough of the translucent skin of her shoulders. "It' was a gift. A few friends of mine and I were going to go to the theater and I couldn't decide which dress to buy and James bought both for me."

"James?" Lady Helena asked, her eyes akin with interest. "Prince James Potter, of the house of Gryffindor, protector clan of the Lion?"

"Well… no one ever calls him all that but yes."

"You must be really close if his highness allows you to call him by name." Madam Mae supplied.

"I lived at his castle for a year. I think I know him well enough."

"I feel really sorry for you, Miss Lily." Snape said. James, who had been watching the whole thing though his magic mirror, felt the urge to snap Snape's neck; how did Snape dare to talk to HIS Lily? "I always thought Prince James was rather insurable, him and all his friends."

"I'm afraid I won't concur with your opinion, Lord Snape. While I lived under his roof, James and his friends show me only kindness."

"Maybe he improves once one gets to know him better." Snape allowed.

"Not really, he always acts the same… only that knowing him better you can also understand him better."

James felt proud when he heard Lily defending him. He also felt humbled.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Severus Snape returned to his manor feeling positively angry. Lily Evans had publicly defended James Potter, his nemesis.

"I've told you before," Helena's voice resounded with teasing. "You should have just taken the girl already and get her out of her system. But you, poor old bat, went and fell in love with the little flower… too bad she doesn't feel squat about you. Your little heart must have been really hurt when she defended him…"

"Stop it, Helena! Remember that you live in MY house, under MY protection."

"What are you gong to do with me, Severus?" Helena taunted. "You and I, Severus are the same thing, two sides of the same coin. You're stuck with me. Even if you ever get your little flower, I'll remain by your side… because I know you, I know your needs and what pleases you… I know you too well for you to let me go."

A slap across her cheek served Helena to shut up. Helena didn't mind though. She knew Snape had hit her because he knew she was right. After the slap came a lusty, wet, carnal kiss. They were well mated, that had never been in question.

Hours later, as Snape lay in bed with Helena by his side; Snape reached the conclusion that he wanted Lily, no matter what he had to do to get her. He wasn't going to force her, not Lily; for once in his life he wanted something pure. But he could still taunt and twist until she gave in… which Lily would do, after some carefully chosen words, well placed threads and a few days of hunger.

Lily would marry him alright.

.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lily's mind was fuzzy; she couldn't quite recall how all things had happened, how she had ended in that dirty, small cell in the dungeons of the Snape Manor. The winter was ever so close and Lily was chilled to the bone. To distract herself, Lily began to trace back what had happened: She had been picking up wood in the forest near her house… then something had hit her hard and left her unconscious… and then she was in the dungeons: scared, hurting and cold.

After that things began to make more sense. Snape had kidnapped her. Each day he would go down the dungeon and ask the same question… and receive the same answer. Each time she said "No", Snape would make her go through some kind of little torture… her food rations were scarcer each day… but Lily would not give in. Lily would die before giving herself to Snape.

Her heart already had an owner: James.

.-.-.-.-.-.-

James was angry wit the World. He had been so busy in the last few days he hadn't even been able to spy on Lily a little… and he missed her so much it hurt. It had been ten days since the last time he had seen her.

"Show me Lily, please." James asked to his magic mirror, his mood turning good just by the thought of seeing her. But when the image in the mirror cleared his mood turned foul again.

"Say it, Lily. Say it and the pain will end." Snape yelled as he half kicked a small figured curled by the wall of a dark, sinister cell.

"I'll never do it! I won't marry you." Lily said in a low but clear whisper.

In his chamber, James yelled "HOW DARE HE!"

James couldn't' see no more, only Lily's small shape curled up against the wall… without moving.

.-.-.-.-.-

James wasted no time. He took one of his troops and rode to Quiet Village as if chased by demons.

As the first light of a new day broke over the Manor, James arrived. He had no mercy for anyone loyal to Snape – which weren't many – and he let his men to deal with Snape. He had only one thing in mind and that was to find Lily. Sirius and Remus went with him, of course.

The three of them made their way to the dungeons, not knowing what to expect.

Lily heard steps approaching and for a moment feared it was Snape but as soon as the door opened she could see it wasn't Snape. It wasn't Snape at all. Instead a very familiar, loved voice called her name.

"Lily…" James said as he kneel by her side. "Sirius," he said turning briefly to his friend. "Go back to the castle and let Madam Pomfrey know that Lily's hurt and we are taking her there."

"Right away." Sirius said, recognizing the fear in James eyes… fear that Lily was seriously injured… she wasn't moving much. In a blink of an eye, Sirius was gone.

"I'll go to look for Lily's father. He must be worried for his child." Remus said in a measured way and disappeared through the door.

Once alone, James turned to Lily once more. "Lily? Can you hear me?"

"James?" Lily asked in a sigh. "It's really you?" Lily's emerald eyes opened slowly, they were beautiful as ever if not a little dull with pain.

"Yes, Lily. I'm here. Everything Hill be fine, I promise you." Lily said, gathering her in his arms with extreme care. Lily's face had a few scratches and scrapes, she had bruises in her arms and – James suspected – her legs and back, she was oh so very cold and it seemed that event he smallest of efforts hurt her.

"I knew you would come." Lily said, smiling bravely if weakly before passing out in exhaustion.

James tucked Lily's body to his… to keep her warm and hurt her as little as possible as he muttered an ancient spell learned from Dumbledore, and materialized in his castle.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Notes:

Sorry for the delays between chapters!

I'm trying.

Ending on the next chapter, I think.

Love y'all.

Clavie.