Chapter Five:

"Severus." He nodded, gesturing for Severus to come in. Looking apprehensive, Severus stepped inside his old school.

"Dumbledore." Severus nodded, in a friendly kind of way to Dumbledore. Dumbledore could not hide his contempt for Severus. Severus did not care. He merely needed a job. He did not need Dumbledore's approval of his life.

"Follow me. We will discuss this in my office." Dumbledore then turned on his heel, and strode out of the room. Severus followed Dumbledore, who led him up some beautiful stairs. The stairs were covered in a red carpet that fitted in with the old-fashioned style of the castle. While most of it looked as though it hadn't changed since Severus was at school, some pictures had been moved, some drapes had been updated. They walked for sometime in silence. Then Dumbledore stopped, he had reached his office it seemed. Opening the door, Dumbledore entered first, rather than offering to allow Severus to go in first. Severus quietly went in behind him. Dumbledore sat upon a wooden chair, with a silk pillow under him. He gestured quickly for Severus to sit down. Severus did so.

"Now. I know why you're here." Dumbledore stated. Severus opened his mouth to speak, to defend himself, his actions. But Dumbledore held up a finger, silencing him.

"Let me finish. You're here for a job, correct? You wish to become the defence against the Dark Arts professor?" Dumbledore said, leaving Severus wondering how it was that Dumbledore knew all. He lowered his head, ashamed in some ways of this job the Dark Lord had him do.

"Yes." he said simply.

"Well. What can I say? You would make a good Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, I must admit."

Severus looked up, shocked.

"However, I do not wish to give you that position. I think that you would suit being a potions professor instead. It was your best subject when you were younger."

Unable to think of anything to say, Severus simply said nothing. Then he realised that perhaps this would not be good news for the Dark Lord.

"I would have to think about it first." Severus spoke quietly, not sure if he was speaking out loud or thinking quietly inside.

Dumbledore looked disgusted. A look Severus never saw as a young boy at Hogwarts. But now, he was no longer a child, but an adult.

"You mean, you will go and discuss with your 'master'." It was not a question. It was a matter-of-fact statement. Severus flushed with shame. Then he nodded, without looking up from his lap where he was studying his hands.

"Very well. Send a letter tomorrow with your response." With that, the conversation was over. Severus let himself out.

Severus' knees hurt. The floor was hard, and Severus yearned to get up. In front of him, stood the Dark Lord. "You spoke to Dumbledore?" he asked. Severus nodded.
"And what did he say?"

"He would not give the position of the Defence against the Dark Arts. However he did offer me… us, the position of Potions." The Dark Lord was silent. Severus looked up. He seemed to be in deep thought. "Very well. We will play by his rules… For now. Take that job, and report back to me from Hogwarts. Yes, that will work perfectly with my plans." Then piecing eyes gazed at Severus. "Befriend Dumbledore, make him think that you have changed."

Just like the conversation at Hogwarts, this conversation ended abruptly. "Come, worm tail." Severus was left, alone in the room.

Sitting in his small motel room, Severus frowned, contracting on a penning a note to Dumbledore.

"Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I have thought over your kind offer, and have decided to accept it happily.

I thank you for this opportunity.

Yours,

Severus Snape."

Pleased with it, Severus then handed the letter to a small owl, who was waiting on the window sill. He watched as the owl grew smaller and smaller in the sky.

"Lily, I'm sorry about your parents, and your sister." James said. Lily laid on the bed, facing away from James.

"I know you are." She said softly. "I just wish to be alone right now." James hung his head.

"Alright, I'll just leave this glass of water here, and go." Lily waited until she heard his footsteps receded from the room, and the door shut quietly. Lily faced the ceiling. It was white, with spidery cracks in one corner. When she was sure James was downstairs, Lily got up. Pulling on a black coat, she buttoned it up. Lily forced open a window, and climbed out. She breathed in the brisk air. The streets were quiet for this time of the day. The sun was slowly setting. Lily looked around, before deciding on following the footpath before her. The leaves crutched under Lily's boots, as she walked quickly. The wind was fierce, causing her to pull the coat tighter around her.

Soon, Lily found a small pub. It looked like a muggle one. She decided, no matter, she just wanted a drink. Surely muggle's drinks were the similar, if not the same. The pub, despite it's outward appearance, was actually quite large inside. It had an old-fashioned feel, with candle sticks hanging on the walls, lighting the room, though not very brightly. There were only a few people, perhaps regulars there. Lily sat down, and removed her coat. The room was delightfully warm, a far cry from the outside world. She ordered a gin and tonic, a drink she had read in a muggle romance novel one time. She hoped it wouldn't be too strong.

Severus wandered the streets. The sun had nearly disappeared from sight, the moon quickly rising. Without the sun, the streets were cold and the night air biting. Severus had received a reply from Dumbledore earlier that afternoon. Severus was to move into Hogwarts the following week. The Dark Lord was pleased by this progress. It was planned that Severus would be a spy for the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. This meant that Severus was responsible for watching other teachers, for reporting what he heard and saw back to Voldemort This was a great task, and if he did not fulfil it well, the Dark Lord had made it clear there would be no use for him in the future. Severus could not fail at this task.

The small pub caught his eye. The sign read "The Bewitching Toad." A interesting name, Severus thought to himself. Pushing the door open, a warm atmosphere enveloped him. It felt nice on his skin, after the wind whipped at it. Sitting at a barstool, he observed the room. Mostly older muggles, here after a day's work. Then he saw a small woman. Red hair peeked out of her hat. She looked familiar, but she couldn't be.

Lily looked at Severus, shock in her eyes. They were still as green as the day he first saw them. "Severus?" Lily's voice sounded as musical as ever. He just nodded, surprised to see her again, since that awful night.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her hands wrapped around a small glass.

"I just was walking." Severus didn't feel he could finish the sentence.

"Do you want go leave? Let's go somewhere where we can talk better." Lily suggested, abandoning her glass, and pulling on her coat once more. Severus nodded, pushing the door open.

Once more in the cold air, Lily blew on her hands to keep them warm. Severus resisted the urge to wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you live around here?" Lily asked. Severus shook his head. Then explained,

"I'm renting a room near by."

Lily gestured for him to lead the way. They walked silently down the path. Lily, without even thinking about it, slipped her hand into his. Severus felt Lily's small warm hand gripping his cold one. He smiled to himself.