Author's Note: This is an alternative narrative to the Harry Potter series, which obviously (said in Snape's voice) means that some facts, storylines and even characters will be changed. This story is meant only for entertainment purposes. I do not own any of the original characters created by J.K. Rowling, only my own character, Rose Avery.

Chapter Nine

I don't know what to make of this hideous looking witch called Raquel. She's sitting in front of me in an abandoned home in London, her right eye looking upwards while her left eye is focused on a spot right over my right shoulder. Normally witches look just like ordinary people, say for maybe different clothing style, but this witch looked like she stepped out of a horror movie. Once she told me she knew about Rose, I had no choice but to take her far away as possible from where we were with the Death Eaters. It was risky, but I just vanished with her without saying a word to any of the Death Eaters or to Lord Voldemort. I knew I would have to find a remarkable excuse for my sudden exit.

"I won't waste your time, Severus, because I know you need to get back. He shouldn't know that we're speaking," said Raquel.

"Who shouldn't know?"

"He Who Shall Not Be Named, of course. If he knew we were together, all three of us would be in grave danger."

"Three of us?"

"Yes. You, me, and Lily."

"You mean Rose."

"I did not speak faultily. I meant Lily because Rose is Lily. I know you are aware of that by now, my dear wizard."

I snap, "Just get to the point. What do you want to tell me?"

"I want to tell you about the prophecy to destroy You Know Who."

I roll my eyes, angry at myself for thinking this witch was nothing more than a whack job. "We all know that prophecy about Harry Potter. It's over. Potter is dead. Long live the Dark Lord."

The witch threw her head back in a cackle and a most unpleasant odor seeped from her mouth.

Raquel said, "Are you championing your Dark Lord all of a sudden? We both know you haven't honored him since Lily's death."

"How dare you to speak to me in that manner?! Have you no idea who I am? I should rip that treacherous tongue from your mouth."

"If you remove my tongue, sir, you will be unable to help Lily. Your life has shaped into one disappointment after another where Lily is concerned, hasn't it?"

Rage fuels my belly so much so that I truly could perform the killing curse on this wretched old hag and have no remorse, but her words are intriguing. What does she mean that I can still help Lily? How? She is dead. Does she mean Rose?

"The hour grows long, my friend, and the Dark Lord will be looking for you. I advise you to shut up and listen to me."

I give a slight wave of my hand in her direction, letting her know that I am now ready to hear her out.

"I won't bore you with details you already know, but as you are aware, the reason why Harry Potter lived that night was because of Lily's love for her child. She stood bravely in front of the Dark Lord to protect her only child, willing to give her own life for her son. That is old magic, my dear, Severus. Very old indeed. Were you aware that Lily knew such magic?"

I shrug my shoulders, not really knowing. "I hadn't spoken to Lily in about two years before she passed away. I have no idea what kind of magic she learned."

Raquel smiled, her blacked, sharp teeth showing. "She learned quite a lot, Severus. I know this because she learned it from me."

"You?" I ask incredulously.

She cackled yet again. "That's right, from me. This nasty old hag you see in front of you taught Lily Potter many things. Lily Potter knew many things as well, including how you betrayed her."

Before I knew what I was doing, my hand was already in the air, swinging down and making contact with the old witch in her ugly face. She flew out of her chair, coughing.

"I never betrayed her!" I scream at the old woman while she remains motionless on the ground.

"Still telling yourself that lie after all these years, Severus?"

Before I really do kill her, I walk towards the window and look out. "Finish your ridiculous story so that I can be done with you."

"Here. Take this."

I look over at the witch and she is holding a vial of liquid.

"It's hers," Raquel said, "It's Lily's message to you from the night we performed our own spell together."

I take the vial in my hand and see the liquid moving. It looks just like a memory, but Raquel is saying it's a message.

"What do you mean it's a message?"

"Time is running out!" the witch spats at me.

I pull out my wand and wave it as I tip the liquid out of the bottle. Suddenly, in front of me I see a red-eyed Lily, looking beautiful but troubled. This is my actual Lily, not Rose.

"Hello, Severus," I hear Lily say to me.

"Hi," I answer back.

Raquel said, "She can't hear you. This is only a message, not a two-way communication."

I would feel stupid in this moment, but I am captivated by the image of Lily.

"First, I want you to know that I love you. We were the best of friends growing up and my feelings for you never changed. Even when you went down the path that you did, I always held hope in my heart that you would come back into the light. I still hold onto that hope now, which is why I am trusting only you with my final request."

Request? What type of request could Lily have asked for before her death?

"I know about the prophecy, and I also know that you will tell Voldemort about it, putting me, James and Harry in danger."

I gasp and shame fills my body. Before she passed away, my beloved Lily knew that I backstabbed her. She knew that it was me who essentially had her child, her husband and herself murdered.

As if the past Lily knew what the future Severus would be feeling right now because Lily then said, "Don't feel sad or guilty, Sev. My time on earth is at its end, but Harry will still live on. I am with Raquel right now, and she is helping me with what she likes to call 'love magic.' Sounds silly but I know it'll help Harry. I am willing to sacrifice my life to keep Harry safe. I have no doubt that he will survive the attack by Voldemort, and I know that for the next 16 years he'll be protected by witches and wizards from all over who wish to evil the end. Wizards and witches who will stand and fight with him when the time comes, and I know you'll be one of them."

Lily takes a moment to compose herself. It looks as if she wants to let out a cry, but being the brave, wonderful woman I've always known her to be, she quickly settles herself.

"Sev, I know you love me, and I am praying that love will not falter when I need you the most. Once you realize that the prophecy is about Harry, I know you'll want to protect me at all costs. You'll go to Voldemort and beg him to spare my life. No matter what, I will never let Voldemort spare my life. I know that I must die in order to save Harry and I'll be damned if I let that plan fail, but I will need you to convince Voldemort to at least attempt to spare me. That is the key."

Lily gives a little chuckle and says, "I know this is probably weird hearing this 20 odd years later, but I have to hope…no, I absolutely believe you will go to Voldemort and convince him to save me. That is what I need. Once you do that, then the next part of my plan can be sealed. That is why Raquel is giving you this message now because it's time to execute the next part of the plan. I can only hope that after all this time, you still love me."

Only one word comes to my mind when I hear Lily question my love and devotion to her after all this time. "Always."