I had to extend this story for another chapter because I was supposed to be fixing up the next original part but then this idea popped into my head and I just wrote it. It's not as playful and fun as the preceding chapters but there's a bloody war going on right now, kids! Something dramatic has to happen!
I have always been intrigued as to how James and Lily defied Voldemort three times. I just can't imagine Voldemort coveting a muggle born Death Eater, no matter how brilliant Lily was. However, I can definitely imagine Snape trying to protect Lily and trying to find any avenue to achieve that end. This is what I came up with for the first denial.
Further, I know they've been bickering and making out for like three chapters in a row and I SWEAR something different is coming in the next chapter (I know this because, like every other chapter, I've already written it. It just needs a shit load of fixing).
In late May, things are slightly off kilter. The world you thought you knew has tilted a little too far on its axis and feels unstable, unsettling. Surprisingly, it has little to do with what is going on inside the castle grounds, and a lot to do with the perceived purity of one's blood. This war started years ago with disappearances, werewolf attacks and Ministers of Magic mysteriously abandoning their office well before you ever made it to Hogwarts. However everything has turned darker somehow in the last couple of months, despite inching closer to summer, and you're not even sure what your priorities are anymore other than staying away from certain Slytherins and making sure James does, too.
James, as it turns out, is not the easiest individual to keep safe. Not that you think he isn't capable of looking after himself - you just know that you do a better, more rational job of it. He stumbles through the portrait hole one night looking suspiciously tender in the right hand. Under questioning it eventuates that Walter Wilkes and Evan Rosier jumped out at him from somewhere on the fourth-floor corridor (you question how it is possible to "jump out" at someone in a corridor which is totally devoid of any hiding places, but James has always been stunningly unobservant). Surprisingly, he tells you that Wilkes and Rosier didn't want to practice their questionable spell work in a duel. They had a proposition.
In effect, they made James the very generous offer of joining them in the ranks of the junior Death Eaters, in the service of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It must have come as a shock when James turned them down, because after that they allegedly threw in sweetener. Although it was unprecedented, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was apparently willing to offer you, a muggle born, a spot in the exclusive club (although you're fairly sure they referred to you as something other than a 'muggle born').
Seemingly forgetting that he is a wizard and has a wand, James punched Rosier in the face.
When James tells you the story, you laugh. It is unthinkable that a wizard who fashions himself on the idea that purebloods are inherently superior to subservient muggles and muggle borns would even consider accepting one of them into his ranks. James is intelligent, pureblood and wealthy, three things which you have no doubt the Death Eaters covet. But you? You have next to nothing that they profess to be a desirable trait, even if you are relatively bright.
The thought has you utterly perplexed until Severus grabs your arms after your final potions lesson and pulls you into an abandoned classroom. You stare at him, incredulously. This is the first time in almost two years that you come face to face, and a sick mixture of anxiety and irritation washes over you.
"Potter clearly hasn't learned to control his temper," he snaps, glaring at you. "Rosier still has a blood nose."
Charming, you think. He's really doing well to butter you up for whatever he wants to ask. Apparently social niceties are unnecessary in the circumstances.
"Why are you telling me this?" you ask, crossing your arms defensively.
"Aren't you able to teach your dog to heel?" he sneers, black eyes cold and taunting.
James must be rubbing off on you because you have to fight quite hard not to smack Severus across his face. Instead, jaw clenched to avoid yelling, you turn on your heel and wrench open the door to leave.
"Wait!" Severus calls from over your shoulder, a slight hint of desperation flickering in his tone. He strides quickly to the doorway in your moment of hesitation and blocks your progress.
"I'm sorry," he says brusquely, poking his head around the doorframe to check the surroundings.
When he turns back to you in the doorway, his features briefly resemble those of the boy that you once knew from Spinner's End. Trustworthy, curious and, above all, desperate for your approval. "I just hate that he's managed to convince you to...never mind," he trails off, casting his eyes downward.
"Severus, I made my own decision," you say. You mean for it to sound firm, but your voice is gentler than before. His eyes snap up to meet yours at the sound of his name. You realise it's the first time you've said it in some time and it sounds foreign on your lips, like speaking of someone who died a long time ago.
He sighs deeply, his frustration evident. "I just don't understand why it has to be him," he says, bitterly, "anyone but him Lily. He's cruel and arrogant and he'll ruin you."
He looks at you beseechingly and you feel like you're drowning in a weird mix of nostalgia and fear. Fear because there is a possibility that Severus may be right about James, either in whole or in part, and his track record would support that theory. You're also acutely aware that there isn't much room in the doorway that sandwiches you both. Before the fifth year incident, before the day that he called you a Mudblood, being so close to Severus wouldn't have felt odd. Now that you have grown apart, the proximity is deeply uncomfortable.
"I can look after myself," you say, but it's almost a whisper and it doesn't match the sentiment.
Severus smiles sadly at you. "You don't have to Lily. Let me protect you, please."
You've arrived at the crux of the conversation and suddenly Rosier and Wilkes' offer makes complete and total sense. Severus, for reasons which are not entirely clear, has interceded on your behalf. You're no exceptional muggle born that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will tolerate for the sake of their talent. Your life is simply a bargaining chip that is being tossed in the ring for someone else's sake.
"You want me to accept Wilkes and Rosier's offer," you say evenly. It's not a question.
"Yes," he replies. "You need to accept, Lily. It's the only way."
You fight for your voice to remain steady. "You would have me accept an offer of immunity, despite the fact that hundreds of other muggle borns would be destined to a lesser fate?"
He doesn't flinch at the challenge. "Yes," he repeats, holding your gaze as if it were the most obvious decision in the world.
You sigh heavily and shake your head. "I understand why you made me the offer, Severus. But you have to know that I cannot accept that my life means more than anyone else in my position."
Before he can respond, you edge past him and turn to walk away, down the cold dungeon corridor. Instead, you come face to face with James Potter who is suspiciously shoving a piece of old looking parchment down his robes. He spies Severus in the doorway and his features darken.
"Snape," he says bitterly, wand hand diving into his pocket. You look back at Severus who is far too quick and already has his own wand drawn, pointing at James' forehead.
You grab James' arm roughly and wheel him around with you, frowning over your shoulder at Severus. "Don't be an idiot," you growl at James as you usher him quickly out of the corridor and into the lower level of the Grand Staircase.
"What were you doing down there with him?" James demands, as soon as the door closes behind you. You ignore him and start taking the stairs, thankful that every other year level is in class and therefore unable to hear the inevitable bickering that is about to ensue.
"Lily!" James hisses, able to keep up with your fast pace by virtue of his much longer legs.
"Why didn't you tell me that Rosier and Wilkes made you that offer on the basis that Severus had asked for special dispensation on my behalf?" you snap back, somehow managing to be angry at him despite how out of breath you are.
"Why is it relevant?" James retorts, irritably. "Are you going to accept because Severus told you to?"
A frustrated sound escapes your lips and you whip around to face him, bailing him up against the marble bannister. "You think I would do something simply because Snape asked me to do it?"
James, momentarily mollified by the fact that you use Severus' surname, looks taken aback. "Well I hope you wouldn't-"
You give him a scathing look and turn to continue up the staircase.
"Lily, wait!" he calls after you, scrambling up the stairs, two at a time until you reach the portrait hole and push through it. You breathe through your nose to try and steady yourself. Merlin knows you're hopelessly unfit, but James Potter doesn't need to know that.
"Severus wanted to reiterate why I should accept Rosier and Wilkes' offer," you say, after catching your breath. "Obviously, I didn't accept," you add, scowling at him. You feel completely drained of energy and it has nothing to do with the impending NEWT examinations, the copious amount of study or the fact that your boyfriend is also your slightly unhinged stalker.
"Did you punch him though?" James asks, a small smile flickering on the edges of his lips.
You try very hard to keep your disdainful expression breaking into a grin. It's only partially successful and he senses your weakness, takes a step closer and wraps his arms around you, pulling you close. The warm, comforting embrace envelops you and you feel all your irritation at him melt away as he presses a small kiss on your forehead. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long.
"I saw that you were still in the dungeons with him and I was worried," he murmurs into your hair. Despite the sentiment, something in that sentence doesn't sit right with you, and you quickly realise why.
"Hang on. How did you know I was still in the dungeons with Severus?" you ask, tilting your head to look up at him. Your hands, still wrapped around his back, feel him tense slightly. You look up and see his expression is suspiciously sheepish.
"I mean, I noticed that you hadn't come up from the dungeons after potions and I thought-" he starts, fumbling his words slightly.
"But you knew Severus was with me. How did you know that?" you ask, releasing your embrace, stepping back and crossing your arms.
James looks a bit panicky. "Erm," he says, biting his lip, "intuition?"
You glare at him and tap your foot. "It's not a good time to be testing my patience, James Potter."
"Lily, I can't tell you!" he whines, looking pained.
"Why not?" you demand, "if you're planning to keep me under surveillance you could at least do me the courtesy of explaining how you do it."
"What's the point in that?" he asks, weakly, "you'll work out how to evade me."
"James, I swear on Godric's grave I will slip you Veritaserum if I have to," you snap, knowing full well you don't have a hope in hell of obtaining a controlled substance.
Apparently, James also knows it. "I can't," he says, looking dejected. "It's complicated, trust me." Strangely, it appears as if he actually wants to tell you, but can't bring himself to do it.
"I wish you would trust me ," you say pointedly, feeling a little guilty about the obvious blow below the belt.
"I do trust you, Lily," James replies softly. "But you're asking me to tell you something that involves someone else's secret, and it wouldn't be fair for me to betray them in my desperate attempt to smooth things over with you." He smiles ruefully.
You narrow your eyes but you can feel your frustration waning. It feels wrong to be angry at him when he's trying to do something honourable. James has always been a fiercely loyal friend, even when he was at his worst, and you can't fault him for that.
"Are you ever going to be able to tell me your secrets?" you ask dramatically, flinging yourself onto the couch.
"I'll tell you all of my secrets right now," he replies, smiling down at you. "What do you want to know?"
A thought comes to you. "Where do you sneak off to every so often when you don't come back until dawn?" you ask, smirks and waggles his eyebrows suggestively. "Sorry Lily, that's a Marauder secret."
You frown. "When do I get to know those ones? Can I be inducted?"
James smiles more broadly. "Sirius says I can tell you" he explains, "but only after we're married."
You roll your eyes. You have a feeling that Sirius Black told James that long ago, when the idea of Lily Evans marrying James Potter was extremely far fetched. "Are we getting married?" you ask. "Funny way to propose."
He smirks and picks up his Head Boy badge from the low table next to the couch. Unlike yours, his badge has been sitting there untouched the majority of the year, probably worn less than five times in total. You watch, perplexed as he transfigures it into a small, golden ring and flops onto the couch next to you.
"Hand please," he says, holding out his own.
"You can't be serious," you exclaim, pulling your left hand further away from him. He laughs and reaches over to grasp your right hand and slips the transfigured badge onto your ring finger.
"Hate to break it to you," you say, flexing your fingers and appraising the thin gold band, "but you're only engaged if it's on the left hand."
He cocks and eyebrow in response. "Lily please, I've been planning to marry you since I was twelve. I think I know which hand it has to go on."
"Do you ever wonder if you're a bit weirdly obsessed with me?" you ask, turning to face him and rubbing your neck absentmindedly.
He laughs in response. "I reconciled myself with that fact years ago," he says, smirking. "The hard part is getting you to realise how obsessed you are with me, too."