Severus Snape had never been one for spontaneous cruelness; rather, he landed himself in dangerous situations and was left no option but to resort to evil to escape from tight spots. His latest transgression was submitting to Lucius Malfoy's request for a quick conversation during Thanksgiving dinner at the Malfoy Manor. The Snape and Malfoy families had always been close friends, and it seemed that Lucius and his parents had been able to overlook Severus's Half-Blood status to become so. Perhaps it was just that his willingness to participate in the Dark Arts protected him from their prejudice. Whatever the case, Severus had found himself cornered by Lucius after a deliciously satisfying feast.

"Severus, I had a conversation with the Dark Lord," whispered Lucius urgently, dragging his friend away from the table for a brief walk around the mansion.

While Snape knew it was his duty to both listen to and obey the orders of the Dark Lord, he could not help but groan inwardly at the start of their conversation. He would really prefer to keep out if it if he had a choice. Apparently, however, he did not.

"You know I have not been at Hogwarts in six years," continued Malfoy, "so I am not in the best position to carry out the orders that I have received. The Dark Lord wants us to kill Potter, on mere suspicions, and Evans as well."

"Evans?" gasped Snape. "What the bloody hell does she have to do with this?"

"An order is an order, Severus," hissed Malfoy. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Snape did, indeed, take issue with the fact that he faced the task of killing two of his classmates. Utterly loathing every single feature that made James who he was seemed to sit just well enough with Severus, and he had never entertained the idea of actually killing him. To think so would be absurd. Besides, even though James was extremely arrogant and never let Snape forget that Lily liked him and not Snape, they would all be gone in six months, and if they were lucky, they would never see each other again. No, murdering James would definitely be an over-reaction. Tempting, but complete unreasonable.

Lily Evans was an entirely different story. If there were one factor to this decision that tipped the balance in Voldemort's favor, it would be Lily. Lily, whom Snape had always loved. Lily, who would never be in Snape's arms because James had gotten to her first. Lily, who had always stood up for him when James dared to make his life miserable. Just beginning to think about it, Snape had almost changed his mind about not being able to kill James.

I could do it, contemplated Snape. James would be gone, and I would have Lily all to myself. The Dark Lord just fears that Lily knows too much, but I doubt she knows anything yet. If I can kill James soon, Lily won't have to die. The Dark Lord will understand this. Snape got excited at the idea and then abruptly realized, Understand? What am I talking saying…This is the Dark Lord we're talking about. He doesn't understand; He just kills people…

It was worth a try, though. Lily could still be saved. Snape and Lily would live a fabulous life together, and he could wake up to her beautiful face every day. It was such a perfect idea.

"Severus, I haven't much time to waste with you," persisted Lucius. "You will do what I say, won't you?"

"Of course, Lucius," replied Snape with a bow. "Don't worry for a second."

"Excellent," answered Malfoy brusquely. "I best be going…more wedding plans with Narcissa."

-----

Severus cornered Lily the very Wednesday they returned to Hogwarts.

"You go along with the boys," Lily had urged James, putting her Potions books bag into her bag. "I need to have a word with the Professor about our exam, anyway."

Casting a skeptical look at Snape, the only one left in the room besides the Marauders and Lily, James retreated with his friends.

"Evans, I need to speak with you, please," Snape almost begged.

"What is the matter?" asked Lily, alarmed at his urgency.

Ushering Lily to follow him, Snape led the way to a deserted corridor a few hundred feet away from the Potions classroom.

"Something very terrible could happen to you if you don't listen to me," began Snape quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wants to- well, he really doesn't like you," explained Snape hurriedly.

"What are you saying?" Lily breathed, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Severus, is he going to kill me?"

"He wants to," whispered Snape. "Listen to me, you cannot tell anyone about this. Just stay with me and I can protect you, Lily, better than anyone else can."

"Severus, that's not very appropriate to say," glared Lily. "I've got James, and Dumbledore is helping us, so I don't think I need your aid, thank you very much."

"Lily, you cannot tell Potter about this or you will put his life in danger also."

"How do you know all of this?" interrogated Lily. "You seem awfully knowledgeable in You-Know-Who's dealings."

"Never mind that," Snape said, almost begging her on his knees at this point. "Lily, this is very dangerous, just listen to me."

"I really appreciate you letting me know," thanked Lily. "Really. It was very sweet of you, but I need to get to lunch now."

"Lily, walking away from me right now could be the biggest mistake of your life," warned Snape. "Why aren't you listening to me?"

"I am," protested Lily, backing away from the terribly suspicious boy. "That's far more than enough. Thank you for the information. Have a pleasant afternoon."

"Lily, please!" cried out Snape, and before she could turn to leave, he had wrapped his arms around her waist so she could not run and let his lips meet hers.

Squirming around in his tight grasp and finally kicking him in the shin so that he let go, Lily bolted away down the corridor, wiping her mouth on the sleeve of her robes.

"But Lily, I love you!" Snape called after her.

-----

"We miss you, mate," said Sirius, patting James on the arm. "I only see you when you go to bed every night."

"And in classes," added Remus.

"And at meals," chimed in Peter.

"The point is, we thought she'd be good for you, but you're completely gone," whined Sirius. "I miss my old Jamesie. You realize we haven't gotten a single detention yet this year?"

"I kind of miss yelling at you, too," complained Remus. "You should have had at least ten detentions by now."

"I know," apologized James. "I really can't help it though…She's so…"

"Amazing?" suggested Sirius.

"Yeah, something to that extent."

"I'll say," commented Remus. "She's even got you studying now. If that's not amazing, I don't know what is…"

Lost in thought, James turned to the table to assemble his corned beef sandwich for lunch. He continued to eat in silence, focusing on a tiny burned spot on the table.

Sirius peered at him curiously for a few minutes, completely unbeknownst to James.

"Yes, we have officially lost him," declared Sirius.

"It was nice while it lasted," sighed Remus.

"Girls, they ruin everything." Peter shook his head.

"Well, on the bright side," exclaimed Sirius, "I call best man!"

James fell out of his stupor and glared at his best friend.

"Merlin's beard!" shrieked Sirius in an unnaturally high-pitched voice. "He can even do that mean look she does!"

Hurrying to readjust his features, James sank his teeth into his sandwich.

He had nearly finished when Lily tore into the Great Hall in tears and ran straight into him.

"Woah, settle down!" he said confusedly, taking her into his arms and awkwardly patting her head. "Hey, Lily, what's wrong?"

She did not respond but rather continued to thoroughly soak his robes with her tears.

James cast a desperate plea for help to his friends. They shrugged at him with similarly befuddled expressions.

"Lily, maybe we should go talk somewhere else," suggested James. "You're starting to attract quite a bit of attention."

A well-timed hiccup of hers echoed throughout the Great Hall in agreement with James' proposal.

Settling into one of the larger armchairs with Lily laying across his lap, James continued to stroke her hair and inquire what was the matter.

"It's- S-S-S-Snape," she stuttered, wiping every makeup known to man on James' tie.

"What'd he do?" he demanded urgently, pulling her tear-stained face up to his with his finger.

"He tried-" she stammered, but she could not say it. She tried again with "He said that-"

"Did he try something on you?" James asked as he stood up, dropped Lily from his lap, and began to run for the door.

"James, wait!" cried Lily, clambering to get up. "We need to talk."

"Well then, hurry up and tell me what's wrong!" he yelled. After a brief pause, he added, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so angry, I'm just very concerned."

"I know," replied Lily. "He told me that Voldemort wants to kill me or something and that if I didn't go with him so he could protect me, then you would be in danger too."

"What the fuck?" asked a bewildered James. "We have to tell Dumbledore."

"All right," agreed Lily, wiping away her last tears.

"Is that it?" questioned James, not believing that she could have been in such tears over just that news. "What else did he do?"

"It's really fine," Lily insisted. "Let's just go see Dumbledore."

"No, Lily, what did he do?"

"He just- he only tried- well fine, he kissed me," admitted Lily quietly, fighting back the tears again.

"The son of a bitch!" roared James, darting to the portrait hole again. "Wait right here."

Lily attempted to protest but realized doing such would be futile.

With the help of the Marauders' Map that James always had tucked under his robes, he quickly found his enemy lurking near the Slytherin dungeons and ambushed him, pinning him to a statue. With a deft punch to the jaw that resounded with a nasty sound that resembled that of a fracture, James whipped out his wand, whispered "Stupefy!" and kicked Snape behind the statue before the greasy-haired Slytherin even had a chance to utter a word.

Satisfied with the unconscious Snape, James threw one last nasty look at him and turned to walk back to the Gryffindor Common Room, but Horace Slughorn, the Slytherin Head of House, had been strolling down the corridor and glanced suspiciously at James.

"You, Potter, what are you up to down here?" he inquired.

"Nothing, Professor, just visiting someone," James quickly lied.

Professor Slughorn walked passed the statue, affording it a casual glance, and then did a double take and peered behind it.

"It's Severus!" he exclaimed, turning back angrily to James. "Enervate!" he said, casting his wand at Snape.

The Slytherin awoke and immediately jumped up to attack James, who pulled out his own wand to defend himself.

"Enough of this!" ordered Slughorn. "Potter, that's a detention for you! Saturday in my office at 7 P.M. And one-hundred points from Gryffindor. That should teach you not to attack your classmates. Simply inexcusable!"

He shook his head in frustration and left with a huff.

Deciding to be the better man, James sent an obscene hand gesture Snape's way and turned back to speak with Lily.

Well, at least Sirius would be happy now. First detention of the year.

-----

OMG GUYS!! ORDER OF THE PHOENIX AT MIDNIGHT TOMORROW!! YAAAYYYY ahh so all of my friends and I are going but we have to be there by 10 and it's going to be amazing! I LOVE HARRY POTTER! (Not as much as James but that's not the point). Anyway, the next chapter may not be for a few days because of all this movie excitement and whatnot. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I shall update as soon as I can! Don't forget to review!

Thanks,

Marina