Chapter 11
Common Bonds
A week after the ordeal in the cave, Lily was still in the hospital under the watchful eye of Madam Pomprey. Severus sat in his quarters watching flames dancing in the fireplace and thought about nothing but Lily. He struggled to comprehend his feelings for her. While she continued to treat him like the muck scraped off the bottom of a cauldron, Severus couldn't seem to stop himself caring about her. After coming so close to losing her once already, he could not bear the thought of her not recovering now.
A soft knock on the door shook Severus from his thoughts. He stood up and moved to the door, opening it slowly. Lily stood on the other side.
"Lily, you-you're…"
She smiled and held out her hand to pass Severus a book.
"I wanted you to have this," she said. "I wanted to give you something but flowers didn't seem appropriate to say thanks for saving my life."
Severus reached out to take the book then stepped aside.
"Please, come in."
He watched Lily as she entered and stopped in front of the fire.
"Thank you for the thought," Severus said shutting the door. "But you did not owe me anything."
"You're kidding right? I don't know anyone who would have jumped into a lake full of Inerfi to rescue me."
She took a step towards Severus then hesitated for a second before stepping right up to him. She reached up and gave him a delicate kiss on his lips. When she pulled away, Severus swallowed hard. Lily gave him a half-smile and turned to leave. As she left his quarters, Severus watched in confusion. He touched his fingers to his lips; he could still feel the tingling sensation Lily caused by kissing him. He sighed and fell back into his chair, Lily's book on his lap. He read the title, Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, and smiled.
Sirius Black sat at one end of the long table in the kitchen that doubled as the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. He tapped his fingers on the table impatiently as he listened to the mindless prattle going on around him. Dumbledore was yet to arrive, and by the talk going on around the table, Sirius knew that the others were as furious as he was.
"How are we supposed to keep a lid on Death Eater activities?" an old wizard complained loudly.
"Every day Voldemort forces are growing stronger," another agreed. "He's even recruiting goblins now!"
"We need to stick to Dumbledore's plan," McGonagall ordered. "We cannot let our frustrations ruin things now."
"Pah!" Sirius spat. "How do we know where his mind even is now? How can Dumbledore maintain one hundred per cent dedication to the Order as well as his 'little project' with Lily and Snape?"
"Are you jealous Black?" Severus sneered. "Feel you are missing out on something?"
Sirius raised a finger to point angrily at Severus.
"Don't you pretend Snape that there is any other reason for your being here other than to get close to Lily."
"That's uncalled for Sirius," Lily interrupted.
"Do I need to remind you that this rodent is the reason James and Harry are dead?"
Rage boiled in Lily's face and she lashed out at Sirius, slapping him hard across the face.
"That was uncalled for!" she said.
"Need I remind you all who the real enemy here is?"
They all turned towards the door, where Dumbledore had just entered.
"We are here to bring down Voldemort, not each other," he continued as he sat down at the head of the table.
Around the table, Order members hung their heads as Dumbledore asked for intelligence reports.
"The escalation of attacks on Muggles worries me," Arthur Weasley said. "They are defenceless against You-Know-Who's forces."
"My men have intercepted plans of a possible attack on the houses of parliament in London," Sirius announced. "We plan to position forces around the buildings; we will be waiting when the Death Eaters arrive."
Dumbledore nodded his approval.
"I'm glad to see you are well on top of it Sirius."
"My men will be ready to go tonight but there is room for volunteers should anyone be man enough."
Sirius directed his last comment directly at Severus who remained unfazed.
"I would be more than willing to come," he said.
Lily looked from Sirius to Severus, fuming. Sirius grinned smugly.
After the meeting when everyone started leaving, Lily found Dumbledore alone.
"What's going on Albus? Why in Merlin's name would Sirius want Severus to go with him?"
"Severus is a grown man Lily and more than capable of handling himself."
"I'm not sure about Sirius though, he hates Sev."
"And are you worried he could allow something to happen to Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Or perhaps even cause something to happen?"
Lily shrugged.
"I don't know, the hatred runs pretty deep."
Dumbledore patted her on the back.
"Do not worry Lily, they will be fine."
Sirius was crouched down uncomfortably behind a fountain; he leaned forward and peered around the corner then ducked quickly back. A black-cloaked Severus ran down the street and crouched beside Sirius.
"Anything yet?"
"No," Sirius said coldly. "But we've got people positioned all around the block and waterfront, if any Death Eaters show up we've got 'em."
Sirius turned to Severus and glared at him.
"Why are you here Snape?"
"I thought you said you needed the help?" Severus sneered. "You did ask after all."
"So why would you suddenly think you have to do anything to help someone else? That's not the Snape I remember from school."
"These days everything I do seems to be for someone else," Severus scoffed.
"Lily?"
"Lily, Dumbledore, the Order…"
"I hope I'm not about to hear a sob story; I don't really care." Sirius fumed. "I know what you are and I don't believe people change, no matter how much faith Dumbledore may have in you."
"I am not out to change your opinion of me Black, not you or anyone. I just want to do what is right for the first time in my life and if I am able to find some redemption in the process, then it will be a bonus."
"Touching," Sirius spat.
Sudden movement alerted them as several other Order members rushed past.
"They're coming!" A young man shouted to Sirius. "A dozen of the buggers!"
"Come on," Sirius called to Severus as he jumped up and headed off after the others.
"Is it wise to fight Death Eaters in such a public place?" Severus asked as he as Sirius ran together down the street.
"When the alternative is letting them destroy these buildings? Yes."
The two men charged ahead down the street; street lamps casting enough light to easily enable them to see several shadowy figures as they flew into view and landed on the road in front of the beautiful and formidable structure of the houses of parliament.
As they landed, the shadows materialised into human form – masked Death Eaters in dark robes and menacing white masks.
Order members ran out from all directions to surround the surprised Death Eaters who looked around in confusion.
"Fire!" Sirius shouted as he charged forward, blasting several shots down the street.
In an instant the road was filled with the chaos of flashing lights and loud explosions as Death Eaters and Order members began firing shots at one another.
"Bombarda," Severus yelled, dodging an enemies curse and countering with one of his own.
Several Muggles in the street had started screaming and fleeing the chaotic scene in the street.
"Keep them away from here," Sirius ordered.
"The Death Eaters are going," Kingsley Shacklebolt called from across the street where he was ducking in and out from behind a massive statue of a man on a horse. "The cowards are giving up already!"
They watched as the masked men returned to their shadowy forms and began disappearing as whisps of smoke into the starless night sky. Sirius lunged forward and grabbed hold of one of the fleeing men's robes as he turned to take off.
"Get off me Black!" he yelled, kicking at him.
As Sirius clung tightly to the struggling Death Eater, another raised his wand to Sirius.
"Avada-"
The Death Eater was unable to finish his curse as Severus ran towards them and kicked the wand out of his hands. Sirius jumped up and punched the struggling Death Eater, who dropped hard to the road. The second masked man vanished before Severus could get hold of him.
"Cheers," Sirius puffed.
Severus nodded. He helped Sirius to stand up and they both pulled the unconscious Death Eater to his feet.
"Retreat!" Sirius yelled.
The few remaining Death Eaters quickly vanished amid the distant whine of police sirens. Severus pointed at a large number of Muggles, some in hiding places, some still running up and down the street screaming.
"Kingsley will sort it," Sirius said. "No doubt he'll pass it all off as some kind of street performance."
Sirius got to his feet and with the still unconscious Death Eater held tightly to him, disapparated. Severus stood alone in the dark as the sirens grew louder. He disapparated just as the police cars flashing urgent blue and red lights came skidding around the corner.
"So how many were there?" Lily asked.
"I do not know, perhaps a few more than twenty."
Severus and Lily sat opposite each other at a small table in the Hogwarts staffroom, both drinking cups of tea.
"I'm just amazed it all managed to work out so well," Lily said. "What happened with the Death Eater Sirius captured?"
"Azkaban," Severus shrugged. "A token gesture though since the Dark Lord can get him out again whenever he wants."
"I hope Sirius at least got some information out of him first."
"That was the plan."
Lily shook her head and took a sip of her tea.
"I'm amazed no one was hurt; I was worried."
"Really?"
"Yes," Lily said smiling slightly. "There are a lot of Death Eaters and our side lacks that sort of real combat experience."
Severus hung his head.
"Not all of us," he said.
"Oh," Lily whispered. "For a moment I guess I forgot you weren't always one of us."
"And you were worried," Severus joked.
"Not so much worried, just a little concerned."
"Still," Severus said. "After all that has happened…"
"We were once friends Severus, best friends. Maybe I'm finally able to remember why."
Severus stared into his teacup, unsure how she expected him to respond.
"I've never been one to waste time with anyone," Lily continued. "But the two of us, we used to have so much fun. That's what I remember most of all, so much laughter and silliness."
"Until I ruined it."
"After that day, the day you called me…, I often thought about letting you back into my life. There was always a part of me that missed you, wanted to forgive you, but as time went on and I saw what you were becoming…"
"You managed to find comfort in Potter at least," Severus said bitterly.
"I needed someone to talk to Severus, a friend to confide in. Once I had lost you there was a giant hole in my life that needed filling."
Severus raised a hand to his forehead and shielded his eyes from her. Lily reached out and touched his arm tenderly.
"I understand now that you were seeking something," she said. "And without me to help support you maybe you fell even deeper into the Dart Arts."
"No." Severus shook his head, holding her gaze. "You are not at fault. I was searching for something – my heart, growing my passion for the Dark Arts was indescribable, nothing you could have done would have kept me from them."
"Perhaps with my friendship you wouldn't have fallen quite so far."
Severus gave her a sad half smile.
"We shall never know," he said.
He looked at Lily's hand still on his arm.
"Have you ever thought about what could have happened between the two of us if we had never had that falling out?" he asked quietly.
Lily sighed.
"I did, for a long time."
"And?"
"You would have been a very cherished friend."
Severus nodded slowly and tried to smile.
By the time the Easter holidays had come around, Dumbledore, Severus and Lily's investigations had reached a standstill. Lily and Severus had spent every night of the past few weeks trying to come up with new ideas on Voldemort's horcruxes without any luck.
"Professor Potter?"
Lily was jolted from her thoughts by one of her students.
"Yes Hannah?"
"Will we be having any homework over the holidays?"
"Ah," Lily grinned. "Thanks for reminding me that I haven't set any yet."
Several students groaned and Lily waved her wand at the black board; a piece of while chalk floated into the air and began writing by itself.
"What I'm giving you is a list of ingredients," Lily said. "I want you to spend a few days over the break collecting these things and bring them with you to our next class."
"Is that all?" Hannah asked, ignoring the dirty looks from her classmates.
"Yes," Lily smiled. "We'll be using them to make wit sharpening potion."
"Wow!"
"Cool!"
The class began chatting excitedly and Lily let them go until the class ended.
"Have a great Easter break!" Lily called behind her students as they ran from the room.
Lily spent the next few hours tidying up papers and restocking supplies until it was time for dinner. Locking the classroom behind her, she made her way to the Great Hall. She entered alongside students who could barely contain their excitement about the imminent school holidays.
At the Head Table, Lily could see Dumbledore and Severus sitting next to each other, deep in conversation.
"Gentlemen," Lily greeted them.
Severus jumped to his feet and pulled out the chair next to him. Lily grinned and sat down. She leaned across Severus so both men could hear her.
"I hope you're talking about why we've hit a dead end with these blasted horcruxes," she said quietly.
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded.
"We are concerned that the Dark Lord continues to wreck havoc in two worlds while our investigations are going nowhere," Severus said.
"Even with three horcruxes already destroyed it is not enough," Dumbledore added. "Voldemort would still be able to return even if we could find a way to defeat him now."
As soon as all staff and students had found their seats, plates, platters and bowls piled high with food, all appeared, covering the tables with almost every kind of food imaginable.
"So what's our plan from here?" Lily asked watching the hall as students began piling their plates high with food. "It's frustrating just sitting here and doing nothing."
"I suggest we obviously need to do some research," Severus said.
Lily rolled her eyes.
"I'm so bored of getting nowhere," she grumbled.
"Severus is right Lily, but I suggest you continue to investigate Voldemort's life after Hogwarts."
"Of course!" Lily laughed. "What did he do when he left school?"
"That is what you need to find out," Dumbledore said. "I would also like you to both look deeper into Tom Riddle the student. We know while he was a boy here he was already capable of killing and creating horcruxes, but what else did he get up to?"