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Later that night, Severus and Lily lay in their bed with Ellery and Harriet between them after Voldemort had finally taken his leave from their cottage.

Tense silence hung in the air for an unbearably long while as they watched their children sleep and contemplated the horror that evening had brought.

Severus tried to free himself from his own terror enough to speak, but it was Lily's tears that ultimately bolstered him to find his voice.

"Lily, my love……don't weep." He whispered in a low purr as he reached out and laid a comforting hand on his wife's arm.

"How many times does he have to touch my babies, Severus?" Lily asked quietly as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Severus frowned as she added, "I……I thought this was all over."

Lily sniffed before she hushed herself by stifling a little shriek with the hand she clamped over her mouth.

"The fault lies with me." Severus whispered.

Lily's emerald gaze flickered to her husband before she removed her hand and shook her head as she answered in a hushed gasp, "Oh, Sev…….don't say that!"

"It's the truth, Lily." Severus drawled as a frown of remorse marred his face, "On the night your labour with Ellery began, the Dark Lord summoned me to his side in a distant forest, along with Lucius and Yaxley…..He had no body….It seemed he had little hope. Clearly, that was a foolish assumption."

"Sev…." Lily breathed as she sat up and pressed her palms against her eyes.

Severus frowned as he deftly moved towards her.

He took care not to wake Harriet and Ellery as they slept on, blissfully unaware of the dangers their parents faced.

Despite his apprehension that Lily may blame him for Voldemort's unannounced appearance, Severus was moved by his wife's distress.

He reached a hand out and placed it comfortingly on her shoulder.

"Oh, Sev!" Lily exclaimed in a choking sob as she looked up to stare into his dark eyes.

Harriet wriggled in her sleep as Ellery whimpered.

The children's reaction to the noise caused Lily to remember the need for silence.

In an effort to escape the bleakness of the evening, she crawled into Severus's lap and settled herself between his thighs.

Severus frowned as he cradled his beloved in his arms.

Lily laid her head against his chest and whispered, "I'm not angry with you, Sev…..You were only trying to protect me…..to protect us."

Severus counted himself fortunate to have such a merciful wife.

He bent down and lovingly kissed Lily's forehead as she clutched onto his robes and repeated, "...You were only trying to protect us."

"Our circumstances may seem grim, my love," Severus whispered as he reverently stroked a few strands of her soft, crimson hair, "But you have my word and my solemn vow, Lily……I will give everything I have to shield you and our children from harm."

He expected his words to be a soothing comfort to his distraught wife.

Severus furrowed his brow when Lily curled against him and buried her face into his robes.

Her next statement mended his broken heart as she whispered, "I love you, Sev……I don't know what I'd do without you."

While he held Lily in his strong arms, Severus felt refreshed, regardless of their dreary evening.

He would battle to the end of time, all the way down to his bones if he needed, to protect what was his.

He glanced behind himself at the children then back down at Lily.

Severus never imagined he would acquire such priceless treasures in his life.

Lily, Harriet, and Ellery had turned a meek servant into a proud warrior.

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Lucius visibly trembled when he read over the letter he received from Severus, which detailed Voldemort's visit.

Narcissa spent the better part of that morning calming her alpha down.

Throughout the Dark Lord's ranks, news of his return was met with mixed feelings.

His true followers leapt with unhinged joy when they learned that their leader had survived.

Other Death Eaters who had found themselves trapped in an ugly war machine lapsed into a bout of melancholy that their brief liberation had come to an unexpected conclusion.

Severus and Lucius anxiously waited for news and further instructions from Voldemort.

A week passed.

A month.

An entire year of silence went by.

Severus secretly continued his private meetings with Dumbledore. Since he had little new information to share, they spent those secret engagements discussing various potential outcomes and strategies.

Harriet grew, learned, and laughed.

Baby Ellery experienced the fleeting stages of infancy too quickly for his mother's liking.

Severus watched in awe as his son reached each developmental milestone.

Lily cherished every cuddle, kiss, and tranquil moment of holding her little ones, especially when they were fresh from their nightly baths as she soothed them to sleep.

After they laid Ellery in his cot one evening, Severus stood beside his beloved while they tucked Harriet into bed.

"Good night, sweetheart." Lily whispered as she let her fingers comb gently through her daughter's hair.

There wasn't a thick abundance of it yet, but Harriet had grown enough of a mane to wear a few bows, which Lily gladly placed on her head from time to time.

"Good night, Mummy." Harriet yawned as she closed her eyes, "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, my darling." Severus drawled in his low, velvet voice as Lily bent down and gave Harriet one last kiss on her forehead.

After she straightened her back, Severus took her by the hand and led her towards the doorway of Harriet's room.

They lingered until they noticed their little girl's breathing become deep and rhythmic.

Lily pressed a gentle kiss to Severus's lips as she put out the candle that stood on Harriet's dresser.

Silently, Mr. and Mrs. Snape walked down the hallway to their bedroom with their hearts pounding in eager anticipation.

Neither children nor wars could quell the fiery passion of true love.

Severus enjoyed spending most of his late evenings reminding Lily of that with his kiss, his touch, and his body.

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Severus had nearly managed to convince himself that perhaps he had imagined his entire conversation with Voldemort until his peace once again became disturbed.

In the middle of an ordinary Thursday night, Severus furrowed his brow as he thrashed in bed next to Lily.

With a gasp, he sat bolt upright as his black eyes snapped wide open.

He quickly glanced over to confirm he hadn't disturbed his sleeping wife as he clutched his aching arm.

The Dark Mark on his skin stung with a fierce vengeance as Voldemort demanded his immediate presence.

Severus threw one last glance at Lily before he leapt from the bed, pulled his robes on, and apparated straight to the Dark Lord's side.

He frowned as he traveled through the air at an alarming speed.

It irked Severus that he had allowed himself to believe he had merely imagined the Dark Lord's words.

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Severus soon landed in Malfoy Manor's dining room and immediately noticed that his dark master sat at the head of the long, gothic table.

Voldemort looked like an evil king on an ebony throne as he leered at Severus.

As Severus nodded at the Dark Lord, he realized to his horror that his foe had spent the last year strengthening himself.

Voldemort looked robust and healthy.

At least, he looked as healthy as someone covered in scaly, grey skin, with slits for a nose, and predatory, serpentine eyes could appear…...

"Severus, we last spoke more than twelve months ago and yet you rush to my side without question moments after I rouse you from your sleep!" Voldemort exclaimed.

"Am I not your servant, my lord?" Severus asked with a frown.

"Sit down, my friend." Voldemort grinned as he gestured towards the empty seat at his right, "I knew I made the right choice by casting you as my general!"

His long, talon-like nails glinted in the light from the chandelier above the heavy table.

It made Severus uncomfortable to notice that his meeting with the Dark Lord seemed to be private, but he said nothing as he walked over and obediently took his assigned seat.

"It's taken me quite a while to recover from my unfortunate battle with the Potter brat!" Voldemort hissed as he looked at Severus, "...Finally, I have the strength to resume our mission once more."

"That is good news indeed, my lord," Severus nodded.

"I have a new task for you, Severus." Voldemort said with an eerie smile, "You and Lucius, the both of you are to go into the muggle world and find a place suitable for our forces to attack."

Severus felt his stomach lurch in disgust as he blinked, "...May I ask why we should bother with muggles, my lord?"

"We need to send a message, an unignorable statement to the fools at the Ministry and around the world that I have returned, stronger than ever!" Voldemort declared with a wicked smile, "I seek to strike quickly, while my nemesis is little more than a helpless welp!...What better way to spread fear and chaos than with the slaughter of innocents?"

Severus swallowed the bile that rose in his throat as he asked, "...Where should we begin our search, my lord?"

"Oh, Severus, I'm placing that dilemma in your capable hands!" Voldemort cackled, "I have very little familiarity with the muggle world anymore. You're a clever man, I'll leave it up to you to decide……Choose quickly, though. I wish to make my announcement very soon."

"Of course, my lord." Severus nodded.

"Wonderful," Voldemort grinned, "I'll notify Lucius that he is to follow your every command regarding this matter……….Thank you for your loyalty, Severus, you may return to your home now."

"...My lord?" Severus asked.

He didn't even have the chance to stand before Voldemort reached out and gave him a shove.

What should have only jostled Severus sent him hurtling through the atmosphere without warning until he landed back in his bed.

Perspiration beaded across his forehead as he gasped and attempted to recover from the disorienting shock of his sudden journey.

Severus ripped his robes off and tossed them on the floor while he panted for breath.

His world seemed to be impossibly dark as thoughts of what he had been tasked with swirled through his mind, but the light suddenly returned.

Lily murmured something in her sleep as she reached out, instinctively clutched onto Severus, and pulled him into a tight cuddle.

Severus sighed as he closed his eyes and melted into his wife's embrace.

Lily was his hope, his strength, and his courage.

Severus eventually let go of his fear and drifted into a soothing sleep.

He would fight and he would win…..for Lily's sake.

He had no choice, Lily depended on him to do the right thing and to be the right man.

How could he ever bear to look into her beautiful, green eyes again if he let Voldemort's evil plan succeed?