Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who voted in the past two polls! The answers to them are in this chapter! There's also a new poll up, so be sure to vote!
Chapter Seventy-Two
As April faded into May, the season of spring gave way to warm days, nearly all of them sunny. Students from all four houses enjoyed day after day basking in the brilliant sunshine, and laughter and chatter could be heard around the lake. The seventh years were itching to be finished with their formal schooling, but the prospect of the N.E.W.T.s was daunting. Studying outside usually resulted in quickly losing concentration, and this included both Severus and Lily.
The duelling sessions continued to meet every Monday evening, and although learning wandless magic proved a gruelling technique, a few of the older students had managed to use the Summoning Charm effectively. Severus knew they were running out of time to devote to learning more spells, and so, he mainly focused on the wandless Accio, figuring a spell like that would come in handy on more than one occasion in the war.
Any problems in Slytherin were kept at bay for the time being. Severus's suspicions about Regulus and Masterson continued to grow, and since they weren't in his year, he didn't know if they were skiving off classes as well. He racked his brain, trying to remember if Regulus, especially, had been a Death Eater during his later tenure at Hogwarts. Knowing Regulus had been killed for supposedly trying to escape the ranks of Voldemort's followers the first time, Severus was inclined to believe that Regulus couldn't have had his heart entirely in the organization, but why, then, was he spending more time around Voldemort's junior supporters now?
Besides thoughts about Slytherin and life after school, Severus's mind drifted to the upcoming wedding. They had decided on a date in mid-August, figuring that would give them enough time to plan everything. Lily was content with a small wedding, but there had been some debate over whether a wizarding or Muggle ceremony would be preferred. Lily's parents and Tobias would have been invited to either, of course, but in the end, after several letters exchanged with her mum, Lily settled on a Muggle wedding. Her mum had already procured the neighborhood church they sometimes attended, and having the reception at Lily's house in the backyard would be simple and quaint.
Severus had already insisted on paying for the wedding, and when Lily inquired after how he could afford it, he finally admitted how he had paid for her ring and hence how he would pay for the wedding. His mother had left him with an inheritance, which had been left to her by her late parents. The Princes had been a well-off family, but they had more or less severed ties with their only daughter when she had married a Muggle. In spite of this, the family fortune had been given to her, although she had never mentioned it to Tobias. After Eileen's death, Severus had kept quiet about it, not wishing to touch the money. After careful consideration, however, he figured his mother would have approved of it being used for the one he loved, even if the rest of the Princes might be rolling in their graves.
Lily, feeling humbled with this knowledge, still tried to insist her family pay for the wedding, as it was tradition, but Severus would hear nothing of it. He gently argued that her family had more concerning financial matters, what with the medical bills. For now, the chemotherapy had stopped, and Mrs. Evans was being assessed to see if she needed further treatment.
Now, leaning against one of the trees by the lake, Severus had placed his Transfiguration textbook aside, and Lily's head was resting in his lap. His long fingers were aimlessly combing through her hair.
Lily's eyes were closed, and at his touch, combined with the feeling of the sun on her face, she murmured, "Mmm."
Severus released a contented sigh, glad his thoughts had turned from worries over Slytherin and the war movement to their wedding. It was something to look forward to in the midst of everything.
"I trust that feels good?" Severus inquired softly.
Lily opened her eyes and smiled. "Of course it does. I'll have to return the favor." She lifted her head off his lap and encircled his neck with her arms.
Leaning forward, Lily's lips caught his. Severus brought his hands to either side of her face, slowly working his way to the back of her head. His fingers played with the small curls at the base of her neck, wrapping the hair in tendrils around and between them. Shifting, Lily continued to place kisses on his face, slowly lowering his head to her lap.
Releasing him from this sweet intoxication, Lily said, "See? You're now at my mercy." She grinned mischievously.
"Oh, really?" Severus asked dryly, smirking up at her, not minding the position one bit.
Lily nodded. "Uh-huh."
As promised, she gave Severus the same relaxing treatment he had bestowed upon her moments ago. She ran her fingers lightly through his fine, inch-long hair, occasionally capturing the ends between her fingers.
"Any word on your mum the past couple of days?" Severus posed.
"She's still stable. I'm hoping she's through with the treatments, but time will tell. Petunia is still taking care of her."
"Speaking of Petunia, are you still considering asking her to be your maid of honor?"
"I think... I think I will ask her once we return home for the summer," Lily said delicately. "Things are patched between us, but I haven't been in regular contact with her. Our short make up before the end of the Easter holiday was just a starting point, but... yes, I'd like to ask her. I had briefly considered Mary, but asking Petunia would be more meaningful. I hope she would take it as a sort of peace offering. I'm getting married before her, and she had been engaged before. She's still my sister, Sev, and I really want to try and make things work between us."
"Good," Severus replied. "From what you'd said a few months ago, it sounded like you thought otherwise. I know Petunia and I don't particularly like each other, but I knew you couldn't just abandon her."
Lily's smile faded, and she sobered. "Well, here's hoping."
Severus felt his eyelids becoming heavy, and as Lily leaned against the willow, she found her vision of the sky and lake before her blurring. The last time they had fallen asleep outside, they had been attacked, so forcing himself awake, Severus sat up and stretched.
Lily shook her head, saying, "Something about this warm weather makes me drowsy."
"It does feel rather like a lazy summer day," Severus remarked. "And to think, it's only May."
"Makes you wonder if the summer will be a scorcher," Lily stated.
Shrugging, Severus replied, "Perhaps we had better head back inside. The sun is starting to set." In his mind, however, Severus was thinking about the troublemaking Slytherins again. He was hoping to catch them tonight doing... whatever it might be they were doing.
"Aw, Sev, let's at least stay for the actual sunset," Lily protested, a mock pout on her face.
Severus easily gave in and smiled amusedly at her antics. "All right, but once the last sliver of sun has disappeared behind the horizon, we're going inside."
"Fair enough," Lily conceded.
Around them, students were returning to the castle. The hues cast by the sun deepened as they hit the tree tops and grass, and the lake grew darker. The sky was a vibrant red near the horizon, and higher, blue faded into the velvet blackness of night, the beginning of stars decorating the fabric amidst some gathering, thickening clouds. A couple of clouds close to the otherwise clear horizon took on a purplish quality, and there it was, all laid out before them like a masterpiece painting.
The sun lowered, and the closer it got to the horizon, the faster it disappeared, until finally, nothing was left. With the twilight to guide them, Severus and Lily stood and began to make their way back to the castle. Strolling along in companionable silence, they were the only two students left outside. That was, until Severus's eyes caught a couple of shifting dark masses near a rarely used exit from the dungeons. He frowned, pulling Lily into the shadows of an overgrown shrub.
"Sev, what-?"
Severus placed a finger to his lips. "Shhh," he whispered. With a jerk of the head, he motioned toward the figures.
They watched as the two people stalked across the grounds, seemingly in a hurry, going toward the Forbidden Forest.
"What do we do?" Lily asked softly. "Who are they?"
"I have a feeling I know who they are," Severus hissed, glaring in the direction of the forest. "The question is: What are they doing?"
"We should inform Dumbledore," Lily whispered.
Normally, Severus would have agreed, but he was tired to reporting everything to the headmaster, only for the old man to deal out measly punishments.
"We're the ones out here witnessing them sneaking off the grounds," Severus tried to reason, making sure to keep his voice low. "If we go back inside, it'll only waste more time. You can inform the headmaster if you want, but I'm going to see what they're up to."
"Sev, no!" Lily protested. Realizing her voice was too loud, she whispered, "I'm not abandoning you ever again. If you're going after them, so am I."
Severus wanted to argue, to demand she return to safety, but Lily glared at him firmly. Knowing they were running out of time, Severus sighed. "All right, fine, but let me put a Disillusionment Charm on you first."
"And you?"
Severus withdrew his wand from his robes and cast the charm on Lily, then on himself. "It's done," he said. "Let's go."
Trying to stay in the shadows as much as possible, Severus and Lily worked their way toward the Forbidden Forest. As they moved, Severus was oddly reminded of Harry Potter and his disregard for the rules. How many times had he come down on the boy? And yet, here he was, out after dark, taking matters into his own hands. Severus tried to convince himself that he was breaking the rules because he was actually much older than student age, but taking Lily with him couldn't be justified as such. The further irony that the lessons he had been doling out were much like Harry's esteemed "Dumbledore's Army" didn't escape him.
Bloody hell, he thought. I've become Potter and a Gryffindor. He sneered at himself out of habit.
Realizing his thoughts had been drifting, Severus forced himself back to the present moment. He realized he wasn't the master at hiding and controlling his emotions and thoughts like he once had been, and glancing at the young woman at his side, he was pretty sure she had something to do with that. He was grateful Lily couldn't see his face in the dark, and with having to keep silent, she wouldn't inquire after his lack of speech.
They finally reached the edge of the forest. In the thick darkness, it was difficult to see anything, and it wasn't worth the risk of lighting their wands. Severus's keen eyes scanned the trees nearby, trying to catch a glimpse of movement. He heard a twig snap, and Lily froze next to him, gasping.
Out of instinct, Severus cupped a hand over her mouth and held a finger to his lips. He motioned with his wand toward the direction he had heard the noise. Both of them fixed their eyes there, and suddenly, a small light was shining between the trees. Severus didn't want to go too close, lest they make sounds of their own and alert the others.
He saw a pale blonde head above one of the black robes and knew who it had to be.
Malfoy, Severus thought.
Continuing to glare toward the small group, he ascertained about six people total. Since only two had come from the school, that meant at least four others had met them. Severus knew without a doubt that they were Death Eaters, and he was sure with one hundred percent accuracy that he could name the two who had come from the school.
Just then, the full moon peeked out between the clouds. The light illuminated those gathered there, and they put out their wands.
The full moon... Severus started to think, but before his sentence was complete, he heard a howl, and suddenly, the sound of a group of animals stampeding through the forest.
Knowing what was coming, Severus grabbed Lily, pulling her out of the way. Just as they sought cover among some low-lying shrubbery, a majestic stag, a great shaggy dog, and a silvery wolf ran past. Severus's heart was racing, and beside him, Lily watched in confusion and growing horror.
By now, the gathering of Death Eaters had heard the disturbance, and they had whipped out their wands defensively.
"Who's there?" one of them gruffly demanded.
"Shut up," Severus heard another of them hiss.
Severus turned his head, seeing the animals bounding directly toward the Death Eaters, the wolf who was Lupin first. The werewolf charged at the men, who, realizing the sudden danger they were in, Apparated away, leaving the two students behind. The two masses began running through the forest, but the dog and the stag headed off the wolf, blocking his path. Severus could no longer see them, but he heard the rustling of leaves as the animals fought on the ground, followed by the whimper of a dog. The cries of the terrified students came next, and Severus turned his head back toward the grounds, seeing the two boys running with all their might back toward Hogwarts.
"Come on," Severus hissed to Lily, grabbing her arm. "We need to get out of here."
Lily nodded, and together, they charged out of the forest and back onto the grounds. Severus ran ahead of Lily, but not too far, having no desire to leave her behind. He longed to catch up to those two shadows making their way across the grounds, but they were too far ahead. They had already gotten into the castle. Finally back on the path leading to the front doors, Severus and Lily slowed, panting. Once they reached the front steps, they collapsed onto them, catching their breath, the Disillusionment Charm wearing off.
"What was-? What just happened?" Lily asked. Thinking back to the time she had read about Lupin's condition in the infirmary, she swallowed, realization hitting her. "Was that Remus?"
Severus nodded. "Yes, and his little friends, Potter and Black."
"You mean, they're... Animagi?" Lily questioned incredulously.
"Yes, and it would seem they broke up whatever it was that was going on out there. I really wanted to find out what Masterson and Black... Regulus... were up to." Severus swore under his breath.
"Sev, it's dangerous," Lily almost begged. "What do you think you were going to be able to do? We need to tell Dumbledore-"
"Yes, I know," Severus said, now annoyed at himself and the Marauders. "We're likely to hear it for being out after dark, even if we are Head Boy and Girl."
Severus stood and offered his hand to Lily, who took it. Together, they walked up the stairs and into the castle.
