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Chapter 16 "Kingsley Tries To Help"

Severus dozed off with Lily sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch next to his head. Severus was grasping Lily's hand tightly, even while he slept, and she knew he didn't want to let her go. Lily felt sleepy, too, listening to Severus' slow, gentle breathing and she was soothed by his warm hand wrapped around hers. She laid her head on the cushion and also dozed off.

The shadows crept closer to the sleeping couple as it got later, and eventually, Mrs. Evans came in to check on them before going to bed with her husband. Petunia had already gone up some time ago. She leaned against the doorframe and sighed. "Look at them, Henry, it's beautiful."

Her husband, who was standing behind her nodded. "Yes, I think he's more fitting for Lily then James ever was. And I never thanked him for bringing her back. I'll tell him tomorrow, when he's feeling better." Henry turned toward Dorson, who was still wide awake by the window.

"Are you staying here all night?"

"Only until I'm relieved by Kingsley Shacklebolt. He has to come and talk to Severus anyway, so I'm sure he'll be along eventually." Dorson replied, his eyes not moving from the window.

"Well, thank you, sir, for watching over us like this. It's much appreciated."

"You don't have to thank me, it's my job."

"Alright then, well have a good night," Henry said, and his wife yawned as they went upstairs. It had been a terrifying day, what with Lily leaving, but thanks to Severus Snape, and the Auror Dorson, they felt safe for the moment.

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Dorson kept watch for another few hours, eyelids never drooping, until a shadowy figure appeared outside. As the figure neared the house, he recognized Kingsley. He opened the door, but drew his wand, just in case it was a trick.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late, business, you know." Kingsley looked a bit tired, but still alert. "Where is everyone?"

"Asleep," Dorson replied.

Kingsley peeked into the other room where he saw Severus' outline on the couch.

"Say, you wouldn't mind telling me what's exactly going on here, would you? I think I put together an idea, but I would like some details." Dorson asked. He was very interested in this case; it was different.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt if I told you," Kingsley said slowly. Everyone would know about it soon anyway, because of the trial. So he repeated pretty much everything Severus had told him to the older man in front of him.

"Hmm. so the kid's in a bind, now, is he? You better be careful defending him, Kingsley. People might get the wrong opinion about you. Like you're for Unforgivables."

"Don't be stupid. I agree that he should have used a different spell, but he didn't think before he acted. I'm not saying it's right, but I don't think he should go to prison." Kingsley said, a bit angrily.

"Fine, I don't want to argue." Dorson put up his hands in a peace gesture. "Since you're here, I'm going to leave and get some sleep. See you later, and be smart, Kingsley." Dorson patted the younger Auror on the shoulder before vanishing.

Kingsley sighed and rubbed his eyes. Old fool, did he want Severus to go to prison? Certainly seemed so. Kingsley entered the living room, and whispered, "Lumous," so that the tip of his wand ignited and he could see the figure on the couch. Severus was there, and a woman who he guessed was Lily was leaning against the couch; their hands were entwined. He didn't want to wake them, but he thought they might want to know what was going on. He reached out a hand and gently shook Lily's shoulder.

"Lily," he said quietly.

She opened her eyes, which were a beautiful green that sparkled in his wand light, and jumped up, tugging Severus' hand as she did so.

"Who are you?" Lily asked as Severus stirred. She could only see a silhouette illuminated in the light of a wand. Her body tensed up, on the defense.

"My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt. I came to talk about the trial." Kingsley was eager to put the young woman at ease; she looked nervous and wary.

Lily relaxed a little, but she had a fearful expression on her face now at the mention of the trial. "Severus said that he might go to jail. Is it true?"

"Lily?" Severus sat up suddenly, sensing the other wizard in the room, and grabbed Lily protectively.

"It's me, Kingsley."

"This is stupid, let me turn on a light," Lily said, and reached for the lamp that stood on the end table next to the couch. The room brightened significantly, and all three blinked while their eyes adjusted to the light.

"Please, sit down, Mr. Shacklebolt," Lily gestured to the armchair across from them, and then sat beside Severus on the couch.

"You can call me Kingsley," the Auror said, taking a seat. "I wanted to tell you about the trial."

"You set it up already? When is it scheduled for?" Severus questioned. He could feel Lily shaking beside him, and knew she was worried.

"It's tomorrow. They don't like to wait on these things," Kingsley smiled grimly. "I'm sorry to say it's going to be a typical Death-Eater style trial, since you used an Unforgivable. And I will be there to help you, but as I said before, I don't know what the outcome will be."

"Oh, Sev." Lily wrapped her arms around him, and Severus squeezed his eyes shut. By the way Kingsley sounded, it seemed like he would be going to Azkaban. He was going to be treated like a Death Eater, just as he had in school, even though he was as far from being a Death Eater as one could get.

"We have to get married tonight, then." Lily whispered, a bit desperately, in his ear. She was afraid she was going to lose him forever. "Before your trial tomorrow."

"Yes." Severus still didn't want to tie Lily down like that, but she seemed absolutely sure, and when Lily wanted something, she made sure it happened.

"Kingsley," Lily looked up at the Auror. "Can you perform the Marriage Binding Ceremony on us?"

"Uh, if you want. You're getting married?" Kingsley looked surprised. According to Severus, he hadn't seen Lily in years, and they had been seeing each other just for a few days now, and they wanted to get married?

"Yes. If I lose him to Azkaban, I want to make sure everyone knows my heart belongs to him, and it will never belong to anyone else." Lily started crying and buried her face into Severus' robes. She was embarrassed to cry in front of the Auror, but it seemed as if she couldn't stop herself these days. Severus patted her back.

"Lily, what happens will happen, and we can't change that, so just please stop crying. You know it bothers me when you're upset." Severus almost felt like crying as well as the prospect of Azkaban drew closer.

"Did you want me to do the ceremony now?" Kingsley shifted awkwardly. He really didn't want to hear these private things. It felt like he was eavesdropping, even though they knew he was sitting right there.

"Yes, then I might feel a bit better about this." Lily wiped her face. "Too bad I didn't get anything yet to wear for James' wedding."

"You look perfect how you are," Severus smiled, and felt nervous, with butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. But it was a good kind of nervous. Was he really about to get married to his one and only love who he had thought was lost to him forever?

Lily grabbed Severus' hand again as Kingsley pulled out his wand and stood up.

"Will you please stand?" Kingsley said, and the couple did so.

"Do you, Severus, take Lily to be your wife?" Kingsley asked.

"I do."

"And do you, Lily, take Severus to be your husband?"

"I do." Lily said before he finished getting the words out of his mouth.

A soft blue smokey light came out of the end of Kingsley's wand, and entwined itself around the couple's clasped hands. It was the spell that was supposed to join them in marriage, but as the light touched Lily, she gasped. She let go of Severus, and fell to her knees, clutching her chest and struggling for breath.
Kingsley ceased performing the spell at once.

"Lily!" Severus bent next to her. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, Sev," Lily looked at at her would-to-be husband with tears in her eyes, still trying to catch her breath. "I can't marry you. James still has me bonded to him, I could feel it when Kingsley performed the spell. I'm sorry! I can still feel him!"

"Lily, don't be sorry, it's not your fault! We'll fix this, I swear we will!" Severus grabbed Lily and hugged her tightly. Even after they got away from Potter, Lily wasn't truly free yet. She was still under his spell.

"I'm terribly sorry," Kingsley said sincerely. This was a strange occurrence, e had never seen anything like it. Something that could block the Marriage Bond must be some type of old Dark Magic. "I wish there was something I could do...you don't happen to know what spells he put on you, do you?" If only he knew the Dark Magic, he could do some research and perhaps find a cure to break the spell.

"No, I don't. I remember hearing James thanking Sirius for finding the potion after they gave it to me, and Sirius said it was in his parents' library, but other then that, I don't know."

"All right," Kingsley patted her shoulder gently. He felt terrible. It wasn't much to go on, and it wasn't like he could burst into the Black household and demand to see their library. Unless..unless Black had taken the book that contained the recipe somewhere so he and Potter could brew the potion. Maybe, their places of residence?

"Do you know where Potter and Black live?" Kingsley asked suddenly.

"I know where James' apartment is, but not Sirius'. Why?" Lily asked curiously. Severus had helped her up, and she had sat back on the couch, with Severus besides her.

"Because one of them might have the book that contains the potions recipe!" Kingsley said excitedly. "We might be able to break it!"

"I know that James said I was becoming immune to the spell he had on me before, and that's why he made the potion. So now he has both of them on me. But if we find a cure to the potion, I might be able to fight off the spell like I did before." Lily looked happier then she had a few minutes ago. Was there hope for her? Could she break James' terrible curse? Get rid of him once and for all?

"Okay, I think I'm going to need backup, because I don't want to leave you two alone, and I might need help searching Potter's apartment, so let me send messages to a couple of other Aurors, and then I can leave." Kingsley raised his wand, chanted under his breath, and three bright patronouses appeared, in the form of lynxes. He pointed his wand at each of them, saying the same message but addressing them to different people.

"This is Kingsley. I require assistance. The patronouses will lead you to me. Please respond right away." He sent them to Frank Longbottom, Andria Praver, and Gordon Montell, three of his close friends in the Auror office. After the patronouses blinked out like a light, almost like a wizard apparating, Kingsley gave Severus and Lily a small smile. "My friends will be here in a few moments, and they'll be able to help. We'll fix everything, if we can."

"Thank you," Lily said. "I should have just went for help before any of this happened, I should have told someone. But I was too stubborn. If I had never started going with James in the first place...none of this would have happened."

The three were quiet then, not knowing what to say to that, and waited for Kingsley's friends. After a few minutes, there were three successive pops, and Frank, Andria and Gordon appeared in the room.

Frank Longbottom walked over. He looked young for his age, with fair hair, and stubble on his face. With his tall, lanky figure, he towered over the other two Aurors.

"What can we do for you, Kingsley?" He shook Kingsley's hand, looking a bit worried, with his brows furrowed together in a frown. "I was spending some time with Alice when you called, you know how she's been now that she's pregnant, all emotional and such. She was mad that I came." Frank chuckled good-naturedly. "But I told her I'm an Auror, and if you call, I come. She's gonna be mad when I get back, so this had better be good."

Andria and Gordon had followed Frank. Andria was a black-haired witch, with dark, heavy eyes and a somber face. She was of average height, but a bit chubby. She looked at Kingsley and said, "Yes, please do tell us."

Gordon nodded silently in agreement. His blue eyes twitched around the room, never landing an object for more then a few seconds. His long brown hair was pulled into a ponytail that ran down his back. He was heavily built, with wide shoulders and a strong chest.

"Well, it's a long story, but let me introduce you first. This is Severus and Lily," Kingsley gestured to the couple on the couch." And these are my friends, Frank, Andria and Gordon," Kinglsley pointed them out as he named him.

"You look familiar from Hogwarts," Frank squinted at Lily. "Lily Evans, is that right? And the Slytherin, Severus Snape?"

Severus noticed Frank's tone as he said his name, and said, a bit agitated, "I may have been a Slytherin, but as you can see, I'm not a Death Eater, and I don't play with Dark Magic. That's Potter's deal."

"Anyway," Kingsley said hurriedly, not waiting the two to engage in a fight about their houses."I'll give you the bottom line. I need someone to stay here and watch after these two. James Potter is after them."

"Pranking Potter? Really?" Frank looked surprised. "He went dark side?"

"Well, he's always been dark side, not that anyone else noticed but me.." Severus mumbled under his breath.

"Yeah. He put a spell on Lily, and he gave her a dark potion so he could control her. I want to search his place and see if I can find the book that he took the potion recipe from, or the book with the spell in it. Then we might be able to reverse the effect on Lily." Kingsley rubbed his hands together. "So, Gordon, why don't you stay with these two, and I'll take Andria and Frank so we could search the apartment and get back quicker?"

Gordon, it seemed, was a man of little words. He simply sat down in Kingsley's recently vacated seat and settled in instead of replying with words.

"Right then. Lily, do you have the address?" Kingsley asked her, and she told him. "All right, we'll be back as soon as we can, and then we'll see what we can do." Kingsley, Andria and Frank spun on the spot, and disappeared with loud cracks.

Severus and Lily shifted uncomfortably as Gordon stared at them unblinkingly. Severus cleared his throat and decided to make small talk. "So, do you uh, like your job?"
Gordon shrugged.

Lily stood up. "I'm going to make some tea in the kitchen, would you like anything?"

Gordon shook his head.

Lily reached out her hand to Severus. "Come on, you could use some tea, too."

Severus smiled. Lily always knew what to do to get out of these situations. Severus allowed Lily to pull him to the kitchen.

"That bloke is creepy," Severus said quietly as Lily closed the kitchen door behind him. "Does he even talk, or does he just stare at you the whole time?"

"I don't know," Lily filled a teapot with water and put it on the stove to heat. She reached into the cupboard for two mugs and some tea. "Maybe he's just shy."

Severus pulled one of the kitchen chairs back and sat down. He didn't reply. Lily noticed him grow quiet, and turned around.

"Are you alright?" Lily put a hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling sick from the potions?"

"No, I'm fine." Severus lied, but really he was thinking about Azkaban again. He would be sentenced tomorrow, and Potter was still loose. He wouldn't be here to protect Lily. And if they ever did catch Potter, he would be thrown in Azkaban. And Severus would be in Azkaban with James Potter. How did this happen?

"Sev." Lily sat on his lap and brushed the hair out of his face. Her eyes studied the depths of his black pupils, looking for the truth. "Tell me."

Severus found impossible not to talk to her when she was looking at him like that."I just don't want to go to Azkaban, okay? You'll be alone here, with Potter still loose, and I'll be stuck in there, and I'll never see you again." Severus ran a hand through Lily's hair. "Just when everything was almost perfect, when there was some hope...and now it's gone." Severus' voice broke and he was unable to continue.

Lily threw her arms around him, wanting to comfort him, desperate to help him, but she couldn't, because there wasn't anything you could say or do that would get rid of the apprehension and fear of being sent to Azkaban. Poor Sev! This was all her fault to begin with! She should have never gone out with James, she should have choose Severus instead. They could have been married by now, and she would have never known all the beatings James could give, all the hurtful things he could say and do, and Severus would have had her. He wouldn't have had to go through life with that empty place in his heart, because she would have been there to fill it. She would have been there for him.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Lily whispered in Severus' ear, knowing that she could not convey the guilt she felt with mere words. He could never understand how bad she felt, and she would never forgive herself for ruining his life, or her own.

The teapot started whistling behind them and Lily stood to turn it off. Severus grabbed her hand before she could go over and she looked at him questioningly.

"It wasn't just your fault, Lily, it was mine, too. I should have asked you out before Potter did. That might have changed everything. But I was too afraid that you would say no. I was scared to lose you before I even had you. and for that, I'm sorry." Ever since Lily had started going out with Potter, Severus had wished with all his heart he had plucked up enough courage to ask her before Potter had. He felt somewhat responsible that Lily was hanging out with that loser since he didn't get to her first. He had felt horrible, like he could never forgive himself that he had let Lily go so easily.

"Well, for what it's worth, you have me now," Lily leaned back down, and kissed Severus' deeply, ignoring the whistling teapot.

The kitchen door suddenly crashed open, and Gordon was standing there, obviously looking for the source of the whistling. Lily jumped up.

"Can you turn that off? It's making my brain wonky." he said in a surprisingly soft voice and with that he left again.

Lily quickly turned the stove off and removed the teapot while Severus got the mugs. She started giggling before she could help herself and Severus caught on, too and chuckled softly.

"I don't know why I'm laughing, this is hardly a funny situation. But everything is so messed up." Lily poured tea leaves and hot water into each of the mugs that Severus was holding.

"Let's not think about it then. Let's go to our own place. Where we were before the teapot and Gordon's wonky brain." Severus said softly and put the mugs down, where they were soon forgotten.

"Sounds good to me. And when Kingsley and the others get back, and we figure out how to get rid of the Bind on me, I am going to marry you, Severus Snape. That is one promise I will never break."

Severus gently tilted Lily's head up and their lips met again, full of fiery passion. Lily felt Severus' hand on the small of her back and her body felt all tingly as she pressed closer into him, wanting him more then ever at that moment. Lily began unbuttoning Severus' shirt, her lips never leaving his, and when his shirt was open, she ran her hands over his chest, feeling him, wanting him. He ran his hand up the back of her thigh, and she moaned with pleasure. She was in heaven, there was nothing to worry about, she was with Sev, her Sev, there was no James, no Sirius, no Azkaban, or potions or spells, it was just them, together... and then Severus quickly broke away from her.

"What's wrong?" Lily said breathlessly, reaching for him, needing to touch him again.

"No, Lily, we can't. Not here." Severus looked around regretfully and started buttoning his shirt back up. "Your parents and sister are upstairs, Gordon is in the other room. And Kingsley might be back any moment."

Lily knew he was right, but nonetheless, she still felt that craving for him. She bent forward and whispered in his ear,"I want you so much, Sev right now, I can barely stand it."

Severus was almost ready to pull his clothes off when he heard the soft, suggestive lull in Lily's voice, but he managed to come back to reality. He was always practical, too practical, he thought ruefully as he looked at Lily, practically glowing with lust. He should try being crazy and spontaneous for once. But not today.

"I'm sorry, not tonight." Severus picked up his mug and headed back to the living room. Once Gordon had his eyes back on them, he was sure that he would lose that want for Lily under that creepy, unblinking stare.

"You're killing me, Severus Snape," Lily said, but she picked up her mug and followed him. The thought of her father finding her doing it on the kitchen table with Severus was enough to tone down her lust for Severus for the moment, and she shook her head, trying to clear it.

They spent the rest of the time silently waiting for Kingsley under Gordon's watchful eye, and not trying to make small talk this time.

Ooh, there's so much more to come! I wish I could write faster! But I currently have five stories in progress, and I'm trying to update them all as quickly as I can!

Oh, if any of you are Supernatural fans, I published two stories, Actions Speak Louder Then Words, and Castiel's New York City Adventure. Please read and review if you like Supernatural.

Thank you, everyone, so much. I wouldn't be able to write without all these awesome reviews It spurs me to write and update quicker!

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