Author's Note: Thanks for voting in the poll, everyone! I've closed it, but there is now a NEW poll up that you can vote in. Your thoughts are important to me! The results of all polls will not be revealed until I write the wedding chapter, as to keep it a surprise.
Also, new artwork by lovely artist LilyHBP for chapter 56 (the engagement) can be found here: http/ lilyhbp . / art / The-Moment-80514561(remove spaces) Thank you so much, Lily!
Finally, I've drawn some artwork for this fic, pics of what Severus and Lily will look like in 1979 and 1980, which can be found here: http/ sindie11 . deviantart . com / art / 1979-80297323,and here: http/ sindie11 . deviantart . com / art / 1980-Unfinished-80297491(unfinished) Remember to please remove the spaces! You'll see that their hair grows long again. (:
Chapter Seventy-One
Severus barked the password at the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office. His patience was waning. He was tired of the constant replay of having to report to Dumbledore the problems within Slytherin. One after another, the bastards kept coming out of the woodwork and rising. There would always be someone trying to raise hell, whether in the school or out in the world.
Lily gave Severus a concerned look, noticing the wary and annoyed expression he wore on his face. Standing next to him on the stairs, she took his hand, not caring what the Marauders right behind her thought. Neither Lily nor Severus saw James's eyes travel to their clasped hands and notice the ring gleaming on Lily's finger. They reached the top, and Severus banged on the door, the insistent pounding travelling through the enclosed space.
"Jeez, Snape, would you calm down?" James asked exasperatedly, and his eyes once again flickered to Lily's hand.
Severus didn't even glance over his shoulder to acknowledge the remark, but Lily looked behind her, and she saw where James's eyes were resting. The two exchanged a strange look, and Lily figured James would be inquiring about the ring later. She shook her head a fraction and turned back around to face the door.
Severus was staring stonily ahead at the door, waiting for it to open. As usual, he wasn't kept waiting long. The next thing he knew, Dumbledore was standing in front of him. The headmaster's eyes roamed over the five students gathered outside his door, and when they settled on Severus and Lily, the odd look on Dumbledore's face didn't escape Severus.
"Welcome back," he said to the group at large. Examining the lack of hair on Severus and Lily, Dumbledore inquired, "Is this the newest fashion trend? I daresay, what a bold statement." Dumbledore then had the audacity to smile.
"No, Headmaster," Severus said curtly. "That is inconsequential. We're here for much more important matters."
Sighing, Dumbledore stepped aside. "Very well, do come in." Dumbledore was no doubt surprised to see Severus accompanied by the boys who used to be his rivals.
Everyone entered, and Dumbledore conjured enough comfortable armchairs to accommodate them all. "Do sit down," he said with a gesture. "Tea, anyone?"
"Sure, thanks, sir," James replied immediately.
"That'd be nice, thanks," Sirius added.
Remus politely declined, and Lily simply shook her head. Severus took his seat, frowning. He loathed the way Dumbledore always invited people into his office like he was having them over for a lovely get-together. Dumbledore proceeded to pour James and Sirius their tea, then took a seat.
"Well, why, may I ask, the visit? Surely you aren't here simply to say hello upon returning after your spring holiday?" Dumbledore inquired.
"Of course not," Severus said stiffly. "We're here, Headmaster, because Dennis Masterson led a group of students to attack Lily and me. If it weren't for Potter here..." Severus trailed off, still too ashamed for being caught off guard and for having to be rescued by James, of all people.
Dumbledore turned his head toward James. "What did you see, Mr. Potter?"
"What Snape says is true, sir," James replied, sounding over the top. "We were approaching the school, having just returned, and saw Masterson and a few others upon them. We Stunned them."
"And where are these students now?"
"Still outside," Sirius said nonchalantly.
"Thank you for telling me," Dumbledore said more gravely. "I will go out there myself and take care of things. You may, of course, remain to finish your tea."
That said, the headmaster stood and exited the office. Severus made to stand, seeing no reason to remain, but Lily's hand reached for his arm, stopping him.
Severus looked at her questioningly.
"Relax, Sev," she said, offering a smile.
Severus slumped back into his chair. "Relax?" he asked. "How can I relax? Those idiots aren't quite the idiots I thought they were. They managed to disarm us, Lily!"
"Ah, I see what this is about," James interjected smartly. "You, the high and mightly trainer of lesser mortals, can't stand to be outdone by a mere fifth year. And you say I'm arrogant."
"Get stuffed, Potter," Severus returned rudely.
Sirius laughed at the exchange before him. "Well, maybe someone needs to teach you some new tricks, Snape."
"Oh, and I suppose you're going to volunteer to teach me?" Severus shot at James and Sirius.
James shrugged. "No, sorry. I don't know how to do wandless magic."
"See, Snape? You accuse James of having a big ego, but he knows when to admit he doesn't know something," Sirius stated smugly.
Severus wanted to hex that look off of Sirius's pretty face. "You're more annoying than he is, Black."
"It wouldn't hurt to be open to learning from others, Severus," Remus pointed out mildly. "The lessons you've been giving others have been valuable, for sure, but perhaps it's time you broaden your abilities."
Severus was seething. He was a grown wizard with powers to rival many other historical figures.
"I don't need-" he started to say.
"Sev," Lily said gently, "no one knows everything. I don't know how to wandlessly summon anything, but next time we're disarmed, it would be useful to know how to do that."
"There won't be a next time," Severus argued.
"Be realistic, Snape," James stated, no joking this time. "Once we're out of school, we're going to be facing real life, and you know what's going on out there."
"Fine," Severus snapped. "Who do you suggest teach me such a thing?"
The others swapped clueless looks and shrugged.
"If we can't find someone, then we'll teach ourselves," Lily stated adamently. "We're an intelligent lot. We'll figure it out."
Sighing, Severus uttered, "I guess we have something on the agenda for Monday's lesson, then."
The Marauders appeared excited at the prospect of learning how to do wandless magic, but Severus was sullen. It was true that he had managed to do wandless magic with certain things, like having the chalk write lessons on the board when he had been a professor. As a child, he had been able to do wandless magic, as had Lily, but like most wizard children, they did it without really having to think about it. Once they entered their formal education, much of that unbound power was lost as they were forced into focusing their skill on the use of wands.
James and Sirius finished their tea, slurping it distastefully, and setting the cups down in unison, making too big of a spectacle of it, in Severus's opinion.
James choose that opportunity to remark, "Nice ring, Lily." He gazed at Severus, eyebrows raised in question.
Lily blushed, having forgotten she was wearing the ring. "Thanks, James," she replied awkwardly. Then, finding her resolve, she added, "It's an engagement ring."
She smiled proudly, which gave Severus reason to want to withdrew from the room instantly. He felt extremely uncomfortable in the scrutiny of the Marauders.
"I thought so," James said. Severus could tell the other boy was holding back further comments in his presence.
"Out with it, Potter," Severus snarled. "You're thinking something. For example: 'How could Lily have agreed to marry you, Sniv-'"
"Severus," Lily said warningly.
James burst out laughing. "Not even married yet, and you two are arguing like it's been years."
"And since James was too much of a gentleman to say it, I'll gladly obligue," Sirius cut in. "I can't believe you're marrying him, Lily." He chuckled.
Remus looked embarrassed at his friends' comments and glanced apologetically at Severus and Lily. Severus hated Remus's sympathy more than he loathed being the victim of James and Sirius's jokes.
More on edge than he had been in a long time, still humiliated from being attacked, Severus stood and hissed, "Better she's with me than you, Potter. If you're still jealous after all this time, then that's not my problem."
James held up his hands. "I never said anything. I never insinuated what you were assuming I was thinking, Snape. It's not my problem you don't know how to take a joke. In case you haven't noticed, I've been dating Mary since the beginning of the year. Lily's just my friend, and if that makes you uncomfortable, then maybe you would do well to learn what it's like to have other friends besides Lily."
"I think it comes too naturally to him to just be a rude git," Sirius muttered to James.
"You talk like I'm not here to hear you, Black," Severus said waspishly.
Finally hearing too much, Lily stood and came in between them. "Enough!" she yelled, glaring at them. "I thought this nonsense was in the past. We're all on the same side here, but if we can't get along, how do you expect to work together to fight the real threat that's out there?"
"She's right, Padfoot, Prongs," Remus tried to reason with his friends.
Severus had his arms folded over his chest. While he could force himself to calm down around most others, he found that very difficult in the presence of James and Sirius. Sighing, he resignedly dropped his arms to his sides. "I agree with you, Lily," he muttered.
"All right, then," she said. "Let's go before Dumbledore returns and wonders what we're still doing in his office."
James and Sirius headed for the door, no longer in their usual good moods.
"See you two around," Remus said with a weak wave, following his mates out.
Severus cast Lily one last dejected look before standing and walking out with her a minute later.
The rest of the week was one of the worst Severus had endured during his seventh year. While he normally wouldn't have cared about the shocked looks his new hairdo received, there were too many other factors contributing to his sour mood. News of his engagement to Lily spread like a forest fire, and some people were happy for him, expressing their congratulations, but some of the his own house thought it simply repulsive what he was doing: marrying a Mudblood. The Gryffindors who still couldn't fathom why Lily would be friends with Severus all those years gazed at him distrustfully in passing, some remarking under their breath that she was too good for someone like him.
Most students, however, either kept quiet or were glad for Lily and him. In the eyes of many students, Severus was still a hero, and they assumed his now half-inch long hair was a bold statement he was making to bring awareness to the war effort. He would politely correct anyone who thought so, but refrained from elaborating further. It wasn't his story to tell, after all. If Lily wanted others to know of her mother's condition with the cancer, she would tell them.
In the Slytherin common room every evening, Masterson, Regulus Black, and four or five others were usually absent. Masterson hadn't confronted Severus since his attack their first day back, but Severus wasn't fooled. He knew the group of boys was up to no good and had chosen to lie low for the time being.
When Monday evening finally came, Severus's mood was still bitter, and his temper was on edge. Lily wondered what she could do to help, but any time she tried, Severus would shrug and tell her that he just needed to get through this on his own. With concerned, sad eyes, Lily now watched her fiance as he took his place at the front of the classroom. The Severus she had known in the past would close himself up around her at times, and the fact that he was resorting to such behavior again was worrisome.
Severus didn't waste his breath in welcoming the students back from their spring holiday. Instead, he announced, "I'm hoping to move on to wandless magic today, specifically learning how to summon, Accio, which you all have already learned with a wand. This would be important in a battle should you find yourself without your wand. Is there anyone here who has ever tried to summon something wandlessly?"
Severus scanned the room, but everyone either stared back at him silently or was glancing around, shrugging and shaking their heads. Just as Severus thought, no one knew how to wandlessly summon something.
"Very well," he stated. "It's a good thing I read up on it, and although I've started practicing, I still haven't mastered it. I can manage to make something twitch slightly toward me from its position, but that is all. Even I will be learning something new with you. I'll demonstate what I know, but you're on your own from there..."
Severus placed his wand on the ground and stepped three feet away. "I find it works best to start with a short distance. Until you can summon something from a short distance, you won't be able to do it from a longer distance. Secondly, it helps to close your eyes and focus on how it feels when you do have your wand and are summoning something. Each spell feels a little different as it moves through you when you cast it. And finally, imagine your wand coming toward your outstretched hand. You won't need partners for this, and I don't expect the younger students to even be able to do this, but it doesn't hurt to try."
After he finished explaining the technique, or what he knew of it, Severus felt slightly better. No one was expecting him to know how to do everything. He closed his eyes and focused on summoning his wand, calling out the charm, and opening his eyes just as he felt it might move toward him. The wand did, indeed, inch forward a little.
"Wow," breathed a second year Hufflepuff near him. "That's brilliant! I've seen Dumbledore do wandless magic, but he's.. he's really old."
A couple of others stopped working and stared. Severus wanted to instruct them to stop watching him and try to focus on learning the technique themselves, but perhaps a visual demonstration would help them. He hesitated, then tried again.
The wand moved farther this time. One of the Hufflepuff girls actually clapped.
"That's it, Severus!" she exclaimed. "Come on, you can do it!" She was smiling in anticipation.
More students stopped what they were doing and watched him. Severus took a step back, putting more distance between himself and the wand. He closed his eyes, stilled his breathing, and then tried to envision the wand flying directly into his hand.
Come on, he thought. You've just been unsuccessful so far this week because you've lost your confidence.
Exhaling, Severus opened his eyes, calling out, "Accio!"
The wand lifted from the floor and flew into his hand. He grabbed it firmly, shocked at the feat he had just accomplished. His face appeared uncertain, but then applause broke out around him. He found Lily's gaze in the crowd, and she was smiling proudly.
Feeling much better than he had in days, Severus felt his face relax into a small smile.
"You did it!" one of his Hufflepuff admirers chimed. "Now you can really teach us!"
