Author's Note: First, if you actually have the patience to be reading this author's note, thank you! Secondly, I'm sorry for taking an extra day to get this update to you! When I said three days, I meant it at the time, but this week turned out to be busy and crazy, and I wanted this chapter to be a long one, so I worked on it longer... So, now you have a longer chapter, just a day late!

Also, another sweet fan and fellow Snape lover was so kind as to draw another pic inspired by this story. Thank you, Rawenna:) You can find this illustration (one of the scenes of Sev and Lily in the infamous broom closet) at Her username is Rawenna, and the title of the work is "The Moment."

Chapter Fifty-Five

"How did teaching Pettigrew go?" inquired Lily the following day after classes were over.

Severus and she were outside, enjoying a rare mild afternoon on the autumn day. As they strolled around the lake, several other students grouped about, basking in the sun and sharing jokes and stories.

"I believe it was effective," Severus replied, smiling deviously.

"What's with that look?" Lily asked, both amused and a little afraid.

"I used his weakness, his fear, against him. I taunted the sorry bastard into really getting pissed enough to fight back. It worked, just as I imagined it would."

"I don't know if I want to know what exactly happened in that room," Lily groaned. "Sev, you didn't do anything, er, bad to him?"

"Just words," he said nonchalantly, shrugging. "That was enough."

"And it actually worked?" Lily asked incredulously, her eyebrows raised.

"That's why I advise you to come with me next time," Severus said mildly, eager for her reaction.

"Me, come with you? And there's going to be a 'next time?'"

Severus nodded. "Of course. Pettigrew is bringing Lupin, and I said I'd bring a friend, too. It would be more effective to have multiple duelers, and this time, I shouldn't have to mock him into fighting back as hard... unless he clams up again and refuses to fight back."

"This will be interesting, to say the very least," Lily agreed, intrigued.

x x x x x

A couple of days later after another gruelling day of classes, Severus arranged for another session of dueling. As Lily walked alongside Severus to the empty classroom where Peter and he had fought two days prior, she was anxious to see what would happen.

"Do you plan to be as hard on him as you were last time?" she asked.

"That will depend," Severus replied with a smirk.

They reached the correct door and entered. Once inside, Severus noticed Peter already there with Lupin. He set the same charms on the room as he had last time.

"Hello, Lily, Snape," Lupin greeted them, nodding.

"Lupin," Severus returned curtly.

"Good evening, Remus," Lily said with a pleasant smile at her other friend. Her eyes caught Peter, who was half-hiding behind Lupin and said to him, "Hello, er... Peter." She felt a little strange addressing him by his given name, but since she was on a first name basis with the other two boys, she figured it would be the polite thing to do.

"Hi, L-Lily," Peter said, unable to keep a small, ridiculous smile off his face as he withdrew from Lupin some. Like most boys, he found her attractive and kind, but the moment Severus glared at Peter, he wiped the smile off his face and slunk back behind Lupin.

"I trust Pettigrew has informed you of what occurred during our last duel?" Severus inquired, looking at Lupin.

"Yes," Lupin replied, sounding disapproving. "D'you really think it was necessary to be so harsh on him, though? Surely there are better ways of learning that are equally effective."

Severus thought of Lupin as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that one year and knew he wasn't horrible at dueling. Plus, he had been in the Order and could thus fight well, but he wouldn't dare give the other boy reason to think his methods better than his own.

"But they were effective nonetheless, Lupin," Severus stated firmly. "If you have a better suggestion, I would like to see it. Go on, then. Force Pettigrew to fight you."

"Er, right," Lupin said awkwardly. Lupin stepped away from Peter and muttered something to him.

Peter looked confused and lacking for a brain as Lupin continued to take several paces away from him. He stood directly facing him.

"All right, Peter; disarm me," he instructed.

Peter raised his wand and called out, "Expelliarmus!"

Peter's shriek made Lupin's wand shake a little in his outstretched hand, but nothing more. Lily watched with pity and shook her head, wishing Peter had just done the damn spell effectively. She knew what was coming as she watched the smirk on Severus's face widen.

"You call that dueling?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Just standing there like an idle idiot and asking him to disarm you is hardly realistic, Lupin. And see what I mean? Unless Pettigrew is properly scared, he can't muster up enough strength to fight properly."

Lupin shot a glare at Severus. "And I suppose you're going to show me the proper way to duel?" he asked sarcastically.

Not a second after Lupin finished speaking did he feel something like a shove in the chest, and the next thing he knew, he had fallen over, and Severus was gazing down upon him.

"The first thing you need to learn is never to let your guard down," Severus said, almost lazily. "That was a nonverbal Petrificus Totalus."

Lupin felt the body bind released, and in frustration and annoyance, he stood and brushed the dust off his robes.

"You could have at least given me fair warning," he shot at Severus without thinking.

"Haven't you listened to anything I've said?" Severus questioned, now irritated.

Lily chose that moment to step in between her friends. "Severus, Remus, stop it. I thought we were supposed to be learning and teaching here?"

"That's a good point, Lily," Lupin said, his teeth clenched. "What I'd like to know is why Snape thinks he knows how to teach. You're not a professor," he told Severus.

All the while, Peter was standing in the background, watching the scene unfold. He was amused by the quarreling that was ensuing between Lupin and Severus and released a quiet chuckle. Hearing this, Severus turned and frowned at Peter.

"You think this is funny, do you?" he asked harshly. "Well, it won't be very funny when you find yourself in the middle of a battlefield in the upcoming war."

"Who said anything about us fighting in a war?" Lupin questioned incredulously.

Severus and Lupin began to argue, the presence of Lily and Peter forgotten. Peter cringed and made a whimpering sound at the mention of a war, but didn't say anything worthwhile.

Lily, feeling exasperated, flicked her wand quickly at the two squabbling boys. Severus and Lupin each felt a stinging sensation at their wrists and dropped their wands. Both immediately stopped arguing and turned, shocked, toward Lily.

"Lily, what did you do that for?" Severus posed, put out.

"To stop you two from wasting more time," she replied, "and to prove that you have both lost focus of why we're here. Plus, you let your guard down." She smirked at Severus.

Severus picked up his wand, and as Lupin did the same, Lily continued, "So, are you two ready to stop this incessant, ridiculous inanity and start learning?"

"Fine," Severus said curtly, still annoyed at Lupin and more upset at himself for losing control. "Lily, you can work with Lupin. I believe Pettigrew and I will partner up for the time being."

Lily gave a firm nod, and Lupin agreed. Severus stepped away from them and toward Peter, instructing him to prepare himself for a duel. Perhaps Lupin was partially right. They were practicing, after all, and for Peter to learn anything new, he would need to be told how to do those hexes and jinxes.

"I have to wonder if you have even been awake during any of the Defense classes these past seven years, Pettigrew," Severus sneered.

"O-of course I have!" Peter defended himself. Severus noticed Peter's hand clutch his wand tighter.

There we go. Get him angry enough, and it will improve his performance, Severus thought with satisfaction.

"Then prove it!" Severus called back at him.

Beside him, Lily cast him a quick look, which distracted her, and she was knocked over by Lupin's Stunner. Severus wasn't paying any attention to Lily and Lupin beside him, though. Staring intently straight ahead, he waited for Peter to do something.

"Impedimenta!" Peter shouted.

Severus easily blocked the jinx and shook his head in disgust. "Really, Pettigrew," he taunted. "The whole point is to not say the spell out loud. Didn't you learn that last year? You're giving me an easy advantage over you by shouting it like that."

"I c-can't do nonverbal spells," Peter protested, his lip quivering.

Next to them, Lupin and Lily stopped dueling. "Maybe you ought to let him speak them for the time being," Lupin suggested.

Severus glowered at Lupin, but before he could refute Lupin's proposal, Lily cut in, "That's not a bad idea. Sev, you know he's not as advanced as you. Just... give it a try?"

Lily had posed the question so sweety, Severus sighed as he looked at her and relented. "Fine," he said tersely, focusing back on Peter.

If either Lupin or Peter were surprised by Severus's reaction to Lily, they didn't make it known, for which Severus was inwardly grateful. As much as he was more than willing to let his guard down around Lily, he was uncomfortable doing so around most others, especially two of the Marauders.

"Okay, Pettigrew, try the Impediment Jinx again. I'll let it hit me and see how strong it is."

Peter nodded, feeling a bit better, and shouted the jinx again. Severus felt its effect a moment later, as he was halted from moving forward, but after a second, the sensation wore off.

To be truthful, it wasn't half-bad of an attempt. He simply nodded his approval at Pettigrew. "Now, try something else. I want to see what other jinxes and hexes you are proficient at," Severus explained.

The next half-hour was spent going through a plethora of spells learned over the years in Defense Against the Dark Arts. After Peter demonstrated he could do a weak Stunner and Jelly Legs Jinx, among other things, and that he was unable to do several others, Severus began with the basic Disarming Charm, going over it until Peter improved.

After a couple of hours, Severus found his nerves fried. He no longer had any patience left to deal with Peter's ineptitude and lack of confidence.

"That's enough for today," he finally announced. Beside him, he saw Lily and Lupin both heave sighs of relief.

"In two days, we continue," Severus stated, booking no room for argument.

Peter didn't say anything, but Lily and Lupin nodded their consent. Surprised they actually wanted to return, Severus dismissed Peter and Lupin, waiting for them to exit before he left with Lily.

"That was useful," Lily said once they were in the corridor.

"Even for you?" Severus asked, baffled.

"Of course," Lily returned with a smile. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're great already," Severus said, reminded of the shy boy he had once been around Lily, standing in awe at her power.

Lily's cheeks turned pink. "Even though you were hard on him at first, I think it's wonderful what you're doing for Peter," Lily whispered. "And for me, working with Remus was excellent. We can all use the practice."

"Some more than others," Severus muttered, wondering if Pettigrew would ever show marked improvement.

There had been a small amount of improvement during their session, but it wasn't enough. Two days later, the four of them spent another evening practicing spells and dueling. The work was slowly paying off as the days passed, however, and before Severus knew it, they had been practicing for a full two weeks. It was the day before the Hogsmeade outing, and they were meeting yet again.

Severus and Lily arrived before Lupin and Peter this time. While they were waiting for the other two to arrive, the door opened with a resounding bang, and in strolled Potter and Black, followed shortly by Lupin and Pettigrew.

Severus immediately went on the defensive, demanding, "What are they doing here?"

"Calm down, Snape," Potter lazily said, rolling his eyes. "We simply wondered where it was Remus and Peter were going so many nights these past couple of weeks. It took a while to get them to speak, but see, we followed them last time. It was a shame we couldn't get into the room-"

"That's because I warded the door to prevent intruders from getting in!" Severus exclaimed angrily. "You weren't invited, so I suggest you leave! The door is right there."

"Sev," Lily whispered by his side.

Severus, however, wasn't to be pacified. He ignored Lily's plea and took another step toward Potter and Black. "Why did you let them come?" he asked hotly, glaring at Lupin and Pettigrew.

"They're my friends, too," Lupin stated.

Pettigrew nodded. "If you're agreeing to help me, why not help-"

"They don't need my help, and why the hell would I want to assist them?" Severus implored.

"Severus!" Lily exclaimed.

This time, Severus turned around. "What?"

"Maybe you ought to calm down like James asked," she suggested. "Are you here to learn or to taunt him?" Lily asked Potter and Black.

"To observe," Potter said with a shrug.

Black frowned. "We wanted to see how you're tormenting our friend, Snape," he said darkly.

"I haven't been tormenting him, Black," Severus argued.

"That's not the way I would interpret it, from what I've heard. Are you teaching him that curse you used on me all those months ago? Hoping to spread a little Dark Magic just in time for the rising of the Death Eaters?"

There was nothing teasing in Sirius Black's tone. He sounded geniunely angry, and Severus was offended deeply by his accusations.

"You have no right, Black, no right to come in here and spout out such nonsense, especially after I've gone out of my way to help your little friend," Severus said coldly.

As Severus spoke, he was shaking with rage, and Lily came to his side and placed a hand on his arm, right over the spot where the Dark Mark would have been in his other life.

"You lay off him, Black," Lily ground out, piercing a filthy look at him.

"Lily's right," Lupin intervened, trying to sound reasonable. "Sirius, mate, can't you just... let go of whatever it is you're so intent on holding onto?"

"No!" Black yelled, turning on his heel and leaving the room, the door banging shut behind him.

Potter had the wherewithal to look embarrassed by his friend's reckless behavior. "Er, sorry about that," he muttered. "But can I stay and watch? Seriously, Snape, I know from what Peter and Remus told me that you've been hard on him," he said, indicating Peter, "but I'm surprised that you're taking the time to teach him. That's... not something I would have expected from you."

Severus was frowning, still not pleased with the situation, but he nodded shortly. "Very well, Potter, but don't get in the way."

They partnered off, and Potter stepped to the side to observe. Severus worked with Peter, as was usually the case, but after some time, he worked with Lupin, and then with Lily, eventually returning to working with Peter. Of the four, Peter obviously needed the most help, and since Severus had taken it upon himself to teach, he felt it was ultimately his responsbility to train him well.

Over the past couple of weeks, Peter had shown marked improvement, even though he still had to utter the incantations aloud most of the time. Peter had just sent a Stunner Severus's way, which he blocked easily, and Severus returned with Incarcerous. Surprisingly, Peter managed a Shield Charm just in a nick of time, blocking the ropes from binding him.

Without thinking, Severus called, "Good, Pettigrew!"

The moment he said the words, Severus flushed a shade of red that clashed with his normally pale skin. Peter looked shocked and just stood there, gaping. Severus glanced around the room, noticing that Lily, Lupin, and Potter were all staring back at him as well, Potter appearing the most floored.

Severus cleared his throat and found his authorative voice, and he practically commanded, "Now, show me what you've really got, Pettigrew. Let's see if you have yet mastered a nonverbal attack!"

Peter swallowed nervously and held up a shaky hand, his wand clearly unsteady. Severus could tell it was taking every ounce of Peter's concentration, but he remained silent, hoping he wouldn't have to resort to taunting him to invoke a reaction. Severus decidedly wouldn't block whatever came his way, as he was curious to see if Peter could finally perform nonverbal magic.

Just when Severus began to grow impatient, thinking Peter wasn't going to deliver, he felt his wand fly out of his hand, and he watched in amazement as it flew through the air and landed ten feet away. Four other pairs of eyes watched simultaneously, and as soon as the wand landed on the floor, Potter whooped and was at Pettigrew's side, clasping him on the shoulder.

"That was bloody brilliant, Wormtail!" Potter exclaimed, impressed by his friend's performance.

A few seconds later, Lupin was on Pettigrew's other side, remarking, "Very well done, Peter!"

Lily grinned and went to retrieve Severus's wand. She handed it to him and joined him as they watched the three Marauders interact. Peter was smiling, an expression of confidence never before seen on his face. He couldn't seem to find words to define his euphoria. Severus hung back with Lily, inwardly proud that all the hard work he had been pouring into these sessions had finally paid off.

"You really are a good teacher, Sev," Lily whispered to him. "And to think you said you'd never want to teach."

The irony of her words echoed through Severus's mind. He hadn't enjoyed teaching, at least not Potions. While he loved the subject, it had always been Defense Against the Dark Arts he had longed to teach. The one year he had been given the job, he hadn't been able to enjoy it, as he knew he would have to leave it by the end of the year at the very latest, never quite sure when Dumbledore was going to ask him to do that dastardly deed of killing him.

Those thoughts caused Severus's mood to darken, and Lily noticed his scowl and a premature line of worry creased between his eyes.

"Sev?" she asked softly.

Severus merely shook his head. The Marauders were quieting down, and next thing Severus knew, Potter was addressing him.

"D'you think I could join you next time?" he asked.

"What?" Severus returned, his mind having been elsewhere.

Potter interpreted this as Severus refusing, and he pressed, "C'mon, Snape. You let two of my best friends come here these past two weeks, and Peter has gotten much better at defending himself."

"Fine," Severus muttered, not pleased that Potter wished to join them, but Potter hadn't really done anything to warrant prohibiting him from joining their sessions. More than that, though, Severus was still distracted by thoughts of his other life. Shaking himself back to reality, he added sourly, "But you're not to invite Black. I don't need him here causing trouble."

Potter's face fell a little, but he nodded. "It'll be hard convincing him that I want to come, but I don't think he'd want to come and see you, anyway, Snape." He laughed.

Severus only scowled and said, "That's enough for tonight. We'll meet again on Monday."

After he undid the charms on the room, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew ushered each other out, leaving Severus and Lily behind. Lily gazed upon Severus with concern in her eyes.

"Sev, are you okay?" she inquired gently.

"It's... nothing," Severus said, his shoulders slumping. "Well, that's not true. It is something, but I just don't know how to talk about it. Maybe I'm just worn out." He forced a weak smile.

"I can see why," Lily remarked, roping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down so she could kiss him. "Go to sleep early tonight, Sev. Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day, and I'd love to spend the entire day with you there."

"All right," Severus agreed, thoughts of spending the whole day with Lily tomorrow improving his mood.

"That's better," Lily said with an encouraging smile. "That's better."