Snape appareated onto the porch of Grimuald Place. What was he expected to do? Ring the doorbell? How muggle.

It'd been a month since his meeting with Dumbledore and today Snape would finally tell the other members of the Order that he is now one of them.

Sirius Black was the man who answered the door. Of course, the first thing he did was point his wand straight at Snape's chest.

"Wand down, Sirius," said Dumbledore. Black obeyed.

Snape was welcomed into the house by the old wizard.

"Everyone… attention please." As was so often the case with Dumbledore, when he spoke, the room feel silent.

Snape could feel the Order's focus on him, could feel their hate. He recognized most of the witches and wizards before him. The Marauders, the Longbottoms, Moody, Kingsley…

Then, finally, Snape's eyes feel upon Lily. She was standing behind James in a corner of the large room. On her face was a smile. Snape wished he could return it with a smile of his own.

"This is Severus Snape. He's the newest member of the Order."

Many protested at the same time. Snape heard the word 'death eater' repeated by a number of different voices.

"Yes, Severusa Death Eater," Dumbledore said, "This is what makes him so useful. I assure you, to us, he is entirely loyal."

No one spoke.

Dumbledore announced the end of the meeting.

Snape stepped out of the way and watched as members of the Order walked onto the porch then disappeared. Some offered him a meek 'welcome' or 'good to have you' but most gave him a hatful glare and walked past.

Snape could hear Sirius ask James for 'a word'. Then the two left for the kitchen. Before long, Snape found that he, Lily, and Dumbledore where the only ones left in the room.

"Look's like I ended the party," Snape said, awkwardly, to Lily.

She came forward and wrapped her arms around him, like she had done a few weeks prior. Snape could feel Dumbledore's eyes on him. But he held her close anyways. Let the old wizard think what he wants, thought Snape. No one else's opinion ever mattered when he was with Lily.

"I'm so happy your doing this, Sev," she said, letting go.

Snape was particularly carful with his words, knowing that Dumbledore stood so close. Ordinarily, he'd tell Lily that he was happy that she was happy, that he'd do anything for her. Instead, he made small talk.

"So, how was your trip?"

"Oh," the question caught her by surprise, "it was good. Mazatlan is beautiful."

Like you, thought Snape, but he daren't say it.

"I was wondering… how do you keep Him from knowing?" Her voice took a concerned tone. Snape recognized that tone from when she used to ask about his family life, back when his Father's abuse was Snape's biggest worry.

"Occumency. He doesn't expect a thing."

"Okay, good," she said. She smiled. "I'm so happy, Sev."

"You already said that," he reminded her. They both laughed.

Just then, James and Sirius came out from the kitchen. Snape looked up to see them. Snape saw Dumbledore as well. He'd completely forgotten the headmaster was there.

"Let's go, Lily," James said, a little too demandingly.

"Okay, okay," Lily said. "Good night, Sirius. Goodbye, Professor."

She turned to Snape. "Let's do lunch sometime?"

Snape's insides warmed. "Yes, of course. Write to me."

She smiled, said "I will" and then gave him a light, one-armed hug and left.

Snape watched them go. He let Lily's words echo in his mind. I will, so simply, so sweet.

Lily, will you hold me? Will you kiss me? Will you love me?

I will…

Dear Severus,

I know it's taken me a while to write. I've bee awfully busy, but I'd love to see you soon. If your free, I'll have the house to myself tomorrow night. We'll have to stay in. Jame's says he doesn't want me out after what Sirius told him a few nights ago. Have you heard? Arthur Weasley was attacked by a group of Death Eaters, in his own home. I bet it has to do with the new promotion he got at the ministry! Everyone know's he's fascinated with muggles. It's a good thing Molly got to the house and forced the Death Eater's to fleet. Anyways, he's okay now. Still, Jame's refuses to take chances. He'll be safe with the guys at Remuses house, and I'll be home. If you want to stop by, we've got a lot of catching up to do.

Love,

Lily Potter

Snape folded the letter carefully and placed it on his desk. He sat down to reply. He ended up throwing away many drafts and wasting a lot of parchment. He just wanted it to sound good, but wasn't sure what to write. He settled with something simple.

I'll be there. Is sundown alright? I wish I'd heard those Death Eaters planning the attack, I could have prevented it.

Severus Snape

Snape knocked, softly, on the front door of Lilly and James's new house a night later. He hoped James would be gone by then.

Lily answered. She smiled at him and welcomed him inside.

"Jame's just left. You haven't been inside the house yet, have you? Well, I know it's not much, but its home."

The first thing Snape noticed was that all the picture frames on the walls were flipped backwards, so that one could only see the back of the frame. "What's wrong with those pictrures?" he asked.

"Well, there all of me and James. I thought they might bug you…"

"They would," he turned to face her.

"There isn't much in the house," she said, "are you good with ordering pizza?"

"Anything," said Snape.

She got the phone and ordered a medium pepperoni. Snape watched, fascinated, from a seat on the couch. Later she hung up and sat beside him.

"I know I've said this a hundred times, but I'm really happy you're doing this."

For a moment, the two just stared at each other. Now that he was actually looking, Snape could see how much she'd grown. It was the same beautiful face only older.

"What're you looking at?" she asked airly.

"I was looking at the little, red-haired girl from up the street who didn't even know she was a witch."

A giggle.

"When you first said I was a witch, I thought you were trying to insult me."

"I'd never insult you," said Snape. Then, thinking of the mudblood comment, he said, "well; I'd never insult you again."

"I told you, I forgive you for that. It's not worth hexing yourself over."

"I still feel really bad…" he told her.

"It was just one fight, Sev, and James drove you to it…"

"If you knew that, then why did you get so upset?"

Snape could see that her face had changed since he first came in. She looked sad, like she had just witnessed a tragedy, and he didn't like it.

"To tell you the truth, Sev, it was a lot more then just that insult that drove me to abandoning you. You were changing, becoming more and more like those Sltherin friends of yours and less like you."

Snape couldn't think of a word to say.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just couldn't stick around and watch you turn into a Death Eater."

Snape continued to say nothing. Lily leaned closer to him until the tips or her red hair tickled his shoulder.

"This was a horrible way to start off a visit," she said quietly.

"Do you remember that one year I spent Christmas break with you?" Snape asked.

"Yes!" she said, thankful for the subject change, "how old were we?"

"Twelve."

"That was a great year. I remember trying to convince Petunia that Santa was real, but that he was a Wizard." The two laughed together, and she laid her head against his shoulder.

"We've had a lot of good times together," she said.

"Like the chocolate frog."

"Oh yeah!" She laughed so hard that her entire chest heaved. "That was the best."

Snape laughed at the memory too. When they were 13, the duo had offered Petunia a chocolate frog with out telling her it was magic. When it leaped out from the wrapping paper, Petunia screamed louder then Snape had ever heard.

"You know, I can see why my sister never liked you."

"Ah, well, a lot of people don't like me," said Snape.

"People like you!" she argued.

"Ha. Only Death Eater scum."

"And me," she said.

For a moment, Snape just enjoyed the feeling of her body against his.

Ding-Dong.

"Pizza's here," said Lily.

They both got up and headed for the door. When Lily opened it, Snape beheld a blond-haired teen with braces. "Hi," the boy said.

"Hi," said Lily, "let me go grab my wallet. How much?"

"7.99."

Lily hurried off to another room. The pizza boy's eye fallowed her as she left.

"Man, is that you girl friend?"

Snape was surprised to hear the boy talk to him. He answered quickly, with little thought, "best friend."

"Ah, well she's pretty."

Before Snape could reply, Lily returned. She paid the boy. When he handed her the pizza, she said, "Thank you."

"you very welcome." That little creep.

What happened next was almost automatic. Snape took a slice of pizza and removed all the pepperoni. Then he handed the pepperoni to Lily, who swiftly placed them on her own pizza.

It was something they had always done. Even before they went to Hogwarts, Snape would give her the topping. It wasn't that he didn't like pepperoni, he just knew she liked it a lot.

"Did you hear about the muggle woman who was killed yesterday?" Lily asked. By then, both had returned to the sofa in the living room. "It's sickening, really."

Snape looked straight ahead at the wall with the backward picture frames, instead of at her. "Yeah, I heard. I know exactly the men who did it, too. I had to hear them rave about it. As if it is some thing to be proud of."

"Is it the same group that attacked Arthur?" she asked.

"I believe so, seems like their on some sort of spree."

"Well keep your eyes open," she said. She bit into the crust. Cheese oozed out from the center and surprised her. "That's not what I ordered… The kid messed up on our order."

"He asked me if you were my girl friend," said Snape.

"What?"

"The boy who delivered the pizza, he seemed to fancy you…"

"He was a kid. Couldn't have been older then 17!" she laughed.

"Well, that's what he told me." Snape felt himself blushing. Why had he said that?

Snape had eaten down to the crust. "Is the cheese inside any good?"

"No," said Lily, placing her own crust on the lid of the pizza box. "I advise you don't eat it." And so he didn't. "You know, after you leave Hogwarts, you really miss the food."

"Agreed," said Snape, imagining the splendid display of food that always waited for him at meal time, "You've got to love the house elves at Hogwarts."

In fact, there were a number of things Snape loved about Hogwarts. Beside the nutrition that he'd never get at home, there were the books, the knowledge, and the magic that he always felt in the castle.

"oh, I almost forgot! I've got something to show you…" Lily stood up and left to room, "I'll be right back…"

In her absence, Snape sat back against the sofa and thought for a moment. He had her back. There she was, just a room away. She wasn't mad. She didn't hate him. He had her back!

What had Lily said? She was mad because he was changing, becoming less like himself. She was the only person in the world to ever like him for the way he was, and she still liked him. He had her back…

When Lily returned, she held in her slender hands a simple sheet of paper.

"Before the wedding, my mom gave me an album of old photos. I found this one of you and me, I thought you might want to see it."

She sat beside him and handed him the photograph. It was old and crumbled on the edges. It didn't move at all.

Snape looked down at it. He saw a picture of an adorable young Lily. Her hair was all messed up. Red strands fell in front of her face. Her green eyes glowed as she smiled up at the camera and she was missing a tooth. She pulled her best friend into the picture with her. Little Severus looked cute but awkward beside her. He smiled with the left side of his mouth. His eyes, which looked scared and unsure, were half hidden beneath his long black hair. The picture perfectly showed the personality of the two. Lily was bright and beautiful, confident in her every move, and happy to have her shy best friend by her side, and Snape was just glad to be there.

"Wow, I love this picture," said Snape. He felt Lily beaming.

"You can have it. It's a copy," she said.

Snape thanked her. They had more pizza, talked, laughed, and reminisced. When it came time, Snape hugged her and said goodnight. They even made plans to see each other again soon.

And for the first time in a very long while, Severus Snape was perfectly happy and contempt with his life.