"Severus?" Lily Potter stood in a night gown in the doorway of Godric's Hollow, her hair messy and one hand rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing here, Sev? What's happened?"
Before Snape had a chance to respond, James Potter appeared, yawning widely and glaring at Snape. "Go 'way, Snivellus!" He moaned. "I don't want a death eater near my wife and son!"
Lily put a hand on her husband's chest gently, as if to restrain him from attacking Snape. "Don't," she said warningly.
James scowled at her, but fortunately, before any fights could break out, there was a loud crack as Albus Dumbledore apparated right next to Snape.
"Sorry I'm so late, Severus. Have you told James and Lily what's happening yet?"
"Errm, no," Snape sheepishly muttered. "Sorry Albus."
"Severus, please! Just call me Dumbledore, you're not my mother."
"Okay… Dumbledore."
"Well, excuse me, Dumbledore," James interrupted rudely, "but why the hell did you get that bastard death eater to wake us up at three in the morning?"
"James!" Lily exclaimed. "Language!"
"You ought to be thanking Severus, not insulting him," said Dumbledore. "He saved your lives."
"What… what do you mean?" James asked.
"You see, James, Voldemort got hold of a particular prophecy, which he assumed referred to Harry." Dumbledore paused, seeing Lily's eyes widen in alarm. "Severus here, still being in love with you, Lily, pointed out that it could also be Neville Longbottom whom the prophecy referred to."
"Oh no," Lily breathed. Little Neville is dead?"
"No," Dumbledore sighed sadly. "But his parents are. They died to save Neville. Somehow, in those last moments. The affliction caused by Bellatrix's cruciatus curse ceased its effect on them, and they remembered to save the one thing that mattered – the boy. I'd like to think that they died as themselves."
"Oh my god…" Lily said sadly. "Poor Neville…"
"And that's exactly why I'm here," Dumbledore continued. "Neville's parents liked you, Lily, they trusted you. I believe they would have liked it if you looked after him."
Lily looked at Dumbledore, noticing the small bundle wrapped up that he held for the first time.
"Of course," Lily said, looking at James, who nodded, and said "We'll do anything to keep him and Harry safe."
Lily took Neville from Dumbledore, cradling him in her arms. She adjusted the blanket that Neville was wrapped in to get a better look at his face, and gasped in horror when she saw the squiggly scar across his forehead, shaped like a round, curvy 'S'. "What happened to him?" she asked, concern showing in her eyes.
"That is the scar that Voldemort left when he attempted to kill Neville," Dumbledore said.
"How did he survive the killing curse?" Lily asked.
"His mother saved him." Snape said.
"When she died to save him, that sacrifice protected him," added Dumbledore. "Well, Severus, we must be going now."
"Wait!" James cried out as Dumbledore turned to leave. "What about He who… erm, I mean, Voldemort?"
"Dead," Snape said flatly. "But Al… Dumbledore thinks that he will rise again."
"Precisely," Dumbledore said. "And when he does, Neville will be the only one who can defeat him. He is the chosen one."
"Look after them, James. Protect Lily!" Snape said desperately, and then Dumbledore grabbed his arm, and there was a crack as the two men disapparated, leaving James and Lily standing alone, staring at the dark, lonely cobblestone street, wondering what life would bring them next.