Chapter Sixteen
December, 1976

"And you guarantee this is fresh?"

Severus fought the urge to scowl. "Yes," he told the customer. "I brewed it myself four days ago."

His customer, a pursed-lipped woman with greying hair, narrowed her eyes. "And you're qualified to brew potions for sale, are you?" she asked.

Severus heard the back door open. He glanced over his shoulder—as he'd expected (and, frankly, hoped), Cadogan was stepping through the door, pushing back the hood of her winter cloak and stamping her boots free of snow. Rolling his eyes, Severus flicked his wand at her and Vanished the melting ice. Cadogan grinned. "Cheers," she said. "Hope I'm not late."

"Not at all," Severus said smoothly. He turned back to his obnoxious customer and said, "Madame, my associate will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have."

The woman frowned. "But I—"

"Good evening," Severus said, bowing slightly, and he headed for the rear staircase.

As he brushed past Cadogan, he ignored her whisper of "you owe me, Snape."

Severus quickly mounted the stairs to his miniscule flat and, after a brief shower, threw on the black dress robes (slightly conservative, lightly worn, greatly taken in) he'd purchased two days before at Madam Corner's eponymous shop. With a few minutes to spare before six, he slipped the potion he'd brewed for Slughorn into his pocket and skittered down the stairs to the shop, where Cadogan—fortunately—was alone.

"That woman was awful," Cadogan said by way of greeting.

"Rather," Severus acknowledged. "Is Master Jigger downstairs?"

"He's not here yet," Cadogan said. "He said, er, well." She cringed. "Please don't curse me."

And then, unbelievably, she pointed her wand at him, and before he had a chance to throw up a shield, she snapped off two quick, wordless spells in the direction of his face.

"I'm so sorry," Cadogan said. "Master Jigger said I should—he said you were going to Hogwarts and—"

"What did you cast?" Severus said, low and dangerous.

"A hair conditioning and drying charm," Cadogan said, still visibly cringing. "I'm sorry, he asked me to make sure you looked, ah, 'presentable.'"

Severus was going to sack her.

"He also said you can't sack me."

Damn.

Severus put a hand up to his hair. It did not, admittedly, feel much different; drier, certainly, and perhaps lighter, and possibly slightly straighter than usual.

He could not believe he'd let his guard down for a single instant. Clearly, no one could be trusted.

"It doesn't look that different," Cadogan said contritely. "Just, it won't, ah, clump."

Severus pressed his hand against his temple. "What could possibly have led you to believe that I would appreciate this?"

"Oh, I knew you'd hate it," said Cadogan. "And me. But Master Jigger said—"

The shop's back door opened. Severus cast one last glare in Cadogan's direction before turning to the shop's rear, where Jigger was standing just inside the door. "It's six o'clock, Mr Snape," he said. "I hope there's an excellent reason why you're not yet ready to depart."

Severus suppressed a sigh and the urge to hex the both of them as he headed for the back door. "My cloak is here," he said, retrieving the garment from its position next to Cadogan's on the rack. He swung it on, threw up the hood, and nodded.

"Good evening, Ms Cadogan," Jigger called into the shop, and then he led Severus to the back alley. As he followed, Severus fought the inane urge to cast an itching hex on Cadogan's cloak.

Or, quite possibly, the urge to set it on fire.

"You have the potion?" Jigger asked.

"Naturally," Severus replied, no evidence of immense annoyance in his voice whatsoever.

"Good." Jigger glanced at Severus' cloak—it was his student cloak, but he'd naturally removed the Hogwarts and Slytherin crests—and then, abominably, appeared to peer at Severus under his hood. Severus bristled, shook the hood further into his face, and proffered his elbow to Jigger. After a brief, silent pause, Jigger nodded, wrapped his fingers around Severus' bicep, and Side-Alonged him to Hogsmeade.

They landed just outside the Hogwarts gates on a path lightly dusted with snow. Without a moment's hesitation, Jigger headed towards the gates, where a large, hooded figure waited under a lantern, a roll of parchment in hand.

"Good evenin'," came the unmistakable voice of Rubeus Hagrid as they drew near. "Are yeh here for Professor Slughorn's party?"

"We are," Jigger said, nodding. "Arsenius Jigger, Master of Potions and Defence, and his apprentice."

Hagrid ran his finger down the parchment and nodded. "Here yeh are," he said. "Please, come—oh!" He glanced back at the two smaller men. "That's never young Snape there?"

Jigger raised an eyebrow at Severus. Severus suppressed a sigh. "Yes, Hagrid," he said."I'm apprenticed to Master Jigger."

"Well, well," Hagrid said, smiling inexplicably. "I knew yeh'd finished school early, but I never did hear wha' exactly yeh were doin'. Then I guess you won't be needin' an escort to the castle, then?"

"I believe I have it well in hand," Severus said, starting up the path.

"Thank you, Mr Hagrid," Jigger said—perhaps pointedly—which Severus did his best to ignore. A moment later, Jigger was in step beside him.

They walked in silence until they were halfway up the hill to the castle and Jigger quietly asked, "Who is that enormous man?"

"The groundskeeper and Care...taker," Severus replied. "It's speculated that his mother was a Giantess."

"I see," Jigger said. "I assume he has no magic?"

"He does," Severus refuted as they climbed. "Or—so it's speculated. I heard that he was expelled early in his education for harbouring a dangerous pet."

Which was true; he had, in fact, heard as much. Granted, he'd heard so from Dumbledore, from Hagrid himself, and from more than one school governor—but he'd "heard" it nonetheless.

"Really," Jigger said. "Am I to assume the animal wounded someone?"

"Badly," Severus affirmed.

"Fascinating," Jigger remarked.

They reached the main entrance of the castle. Severus led Jigger through the Entrance Hall—threading his way through the few students milling about and ignoring them entirely—and down the stairs to the well-lit dungeon corridor leading to Slughorn's office and chambers. As they progressed down the corridor, the sounds of conversation and clinking glasses grew louder, until they reached the office in question. The door was open, so Severus stepped in.

Slughorn's office—always crowded with cushions and tapestries and sundry luxuries—was especially full at the moment, containing not only an over-large Christmas tree dripping with enchanted icicles (which were, fortunately, not themselves dripping) and various garlands, but also at least a good four dozen extra people in the form of Slughorn's guests. Severus peered into the back of the room; it seemed—he hoped—that someone had Transfigured extra space in the room, and that Slughorn was permitting the party to spill over into his adjoining chambers. His office was no closet, but neither was it a banquet hall.

"I trust you've no further need to hide beneath your cloak?" Jigger's gravelly voice came from over Severus' shoulder. Severus, who had certainly not been hiding, scowled and threw back his hood.

"Arsenius!" Slughorn called from three yards away. He excused himself from his conversational partners—one of whom Severus vaguely recognised as a future member of the Wizengamot—and waddled over to greet the new arrivals. "And Severus, how wonderful. Please, please, come in. We're a bit crowded—I do keep telling Albus that I need a larger office, truly, and if he doesn't make good on it for next year I'll retire, I will—but we'll make room, we always do!" Slughorn gestured alarmingly with a goblet of wine as he spoke. "Please, please, come in, come in. Your cloaks can go on the rack, here—Albus said we didn't have funds to hire Squib servers, and more's the pity. House Elves are excellent for most things, of course, but ask one to hang up your cloak for you and you'll never hear the end of it! Ah, what's this, Arsenius?"

Jigger, who had managed to remove his cloak, revealing respectable, deep blue dress robes, had handed Slughorn a paper-wrapped tin. "The smallest thanks for your invitation," Jigger said.

Slughorn rattled the tin, his eyes lighting up. "Ah, Arsenius, you know me too well! I'll bet it's even from Salem? Yes, I see it in your eyes! They always did have the sweetest crystallised pineapple in Salem. You're too good to me, Arsenius, just too good, and—why, Mr Snape!"

Severus, having removed his own cloak, had managed to catch Slughorn's eye and present him with a stoppered green bottle. "My best wishes for the season," he muttered.

"How wonderful," Slughorn said. "Let's see—" He held the potion up to the light and, after glancing at Severus and receiving a permissive nod, gave the bottle a swirl. "Now, the colour and viscosity…" He glanced back at Severus and indicated the stopper. "May I?" Severus nodded; Slughorn uncorked the bottle and gently wafted the scent towards his nose. "Ahh," Slughorn said thoughtfully. "A mood-altering elixir, to be sure…" He smelled it again. "It's not—it's not quite Euphoria, yet…"

"It is a variation thereof," Severus said. "To be vaporised and inhaled, rather than ingested."

Slughorn raised an eyebrow. "Very inventive, Mr Snape, and how very appropriate for the occasion! The potency?"

"Mild, assuming the use of an ambient vaporiser. Naturally, a water pipe would provide a more concentrated dose."

"I never thought I'd say this, Mr Snape," Slughorn said, "but how utterly charming. Shall we try it out this evening?"

Severus, gauging that "I really couldn't care less" would be an inappropriate response, said, "As you wish. I've also taken the liberty of writing down my methodology, should you wish to reproduce this particular variation." He took a small scroll out of his pocket and handed it to the delighted professor.

"Wonderful," Slughorn said, pocketing the scroll. "I'll surely ask more about what's going on in that laboratory of yours later this evening, but I'm afraid you simply must excuse me for the moment—hosting duty calls! Don't you dare leave before I get a chance to really interrogate you!" Slughorn winked; Severus believed the words and not the gesture. "Incidentally, my boy," Slughorn added, "I do like what you've done with your hair." With that, he waddled off.

Severus glared at Jigger, who merely granted him a quick jerk of an approving nod. Severus, who had neither need nor desire for such approval, asked, "Now what?"

Jigger raised an eyebrow. "We mingle."

"Is anyone else from our field here?" Severus asked.

Jigger glanced briefly about the room. "Probably not."

"So we're to mingle with people in whom we have no interest whatsoever and, what—make small talk?" Severus asked.

Jigger, to Severus' surprise, actually seemed to grind his teeth. "I thought that was understood," he said.

"Is there alcohol?" Severus said darkly.

"You're underage," Jigger said unforgivingly, "which—ah, yes. Do feel free." He jerked one hand in dismissal.

"I—beg your pardon?" Severus asked, thoroughly confused.

"I should have realised you'd wish to seek out your former classmates," Jigger said. "Go on. I expect you to rejoin me when Horace wishes to speak with us."

"I have no desire to seek out my former classmates," Severus said earnestly.

Jigger scowled. "I said that you may."

"Fine," Severus spat. He stalked off into the bowels of the party, adding an unconvincing "Thank you" back over his shoulder, and tried to find a corner in which to lurk inconspicuously.

It wasn't that he wanted to hide, as Jigger had accused—he merely had no desire whatsoever to make his presence known to whichever of Slughorn's student lackeys were brown-nosing about the party. Severus had not, originally, been asked to any of Slughorn's fêtes—the Slug Club, he had gathered, was for the boisterous privileged, a group to which, it must be admitted, he had never warmed.

Moreover, he was certain that the group included Potter.

So Severus made his way to the far side of Slughorn's office, where the temporarily-expanded rooms created a convenient nook, which fortunately appeared to shelter a small sofa. Severus slipped around the corner into the nook and, peering out into the main room, gratefully took his seat. His glasses were smudged from the snow; he took them off and wiped them on his robes.

"Hello, Snape," an unpleasantly familiar voice said from next to him on the sofa. Severus turned around to see damned Remus Lupin's damned affable face blinking at him.

"What are you doing here?" Severus demanded, slipping the glasses back on.

"I've never been sure," Lupin replied calmly. "I mean, sure, I'm a Prefect, but I've always held that to be due entirely to the process of elimination. I can only assume that Slughorn is either dazzled by my ability to feign innocence when caught red-handed or is attempting to prove his open-mindedness by inviting the token, ah, less than well-to-do halfblood."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Have you been drinking?"

Lupin pointed with his glass. "Nobody's watching the bar in Slughorn's W.C."

"There's a bar in Slughorn's toilet?"

"I think it's meant to go in Slughorn's living quarters, but someone's moved it," Lupin said. "Lily said she was going to find out who did it and dock them points, but my money's on the old bloke in the corner. The one with the hat? He looks like he enjoys a laugh."

Severus processed Lupin's slightly inebriated (and surprisingly eloquent) ramblings and, startled, stood up. "Lily's here?"

Lupin nodded. "Sure. She always comes to Slughorn's parties." He looked up at Severus. "Oh. Oh! Yes. She's, ah, last I saw she was in Slughorn's quarters with her friend—"

Severus nodded and started off across room. He slipped into Slughorn's sitting room—which was marginally less crowded than the man's office—and glanced about. Lily was neither near the W.C.—which, strangely enough, did, in fact, have a bar cart parked in the vicinity of the bathtub—nor on the over-stuffed settee. Behind the bookshelves, though—

"That's so exciting! I remember you were hoping they'd come during the Ravenclaw match."

Lily's melodious voice wafted through the music and conversation, but Severus' breath did not, for an instant, catch in his chest.

"Well of course you wouldn't want them to be there for Hufflepuff. I mean, you know I have friends in Hufflepuff, but when it comes to Quidditch, I mean, of course you want the scouts to see you up against the best," Lily's voice continued.

"The 'best'!" exclaimed a harsher female voice. "Some friend!"

"Oh Marley, honestly," Lily said. "You know I meant second-best, and anyway there's not another beater at this school who could even come close to you."

Severus crept quietly around the large, freestanding bookshelf that served as a divider between the "sitting" and "study" portions of the room and peered into the dimly-lit space behind the shelf. Sitting on the floor were two girls in Gryffindor robes: facing him, leaning back against the wall, was a girl with short, curly hair—Lily's friend McKinnon, the future Order member—and with her back to him—

"See, this is why I keep you around," McKinnon said, her broad laughter stopping short when her eyes met Severus'.

"What?" Lily said. She turned around.

Severus stepped fully into view.

"Severus!" Lily exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "Severus! How did you—why didn't you—" She flung her arms around him, holding him tightly, and said into his collar, "I had no idea you were coming."

"I didn't know you'd be here, and I didn't wish to mention that I'd be visiting Hogwarts if there was no way I'd be able to see you," Severus said gently. "I'm only here as Master Jigger's apprentice, and—you know his disposition. I couldn't know if I'd be able to get away."

"I'm so glad you did," Lily said, squeezing him once more.

McKinnon cleared her throat loudly, and Lily, rolling her eyes good-naturedly, drew back, slipping her hand into Severus'. "Severus, I'm sure you've met Marlene," she said.

Severus bowed slightly in McKinnon's direction. "Miss McKinnon," he said smoothly.

"All right, all right," McKinnon said. "No need for formalities, ah, Snape. We were just talking Quidditch. Do you know Quidditch?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Does Lily?"

McKinnon snorted, while Lily mocked offense. "What do I need to know beyond the fact that it's Gryffindor for the Cup this year?"

Severus had barely registered a trickling sensation of dread when James Potter swung into view from behind the bookcase with a nauseating "Up Gryffindor!" Potter shot a grin into their dimly-lit corner. Severus contemplated hexing it off his face.

"Hello, Lily," Potter continued. "I happened to be passing by and I heard you talking about Quidditch and I thought you might—Snape?"

"Oh, so you've noticed," Severus said drily.

"Potter," Lily said distastefully, "since when have you been in the Slug Club?"

"Oh, you know," Potter said, leaning against the bookshelf. "Old Sluggy invited me, oh, four years ago, when I made Quidditch as a second-year, you know, and I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about." Potter swallowed, and added, "No big deal."

"What an innocuous motive," Severus remarked.

Potter looked at him. Potter looked at Lily. Potter looked at Lily's hand in Severus'. Potter looked at his shoes.

"Potter!" McKinnon cut in. "What did you think you were trying to pull at practice, then? How many times do I have to tell you not to fly at the Bludgers?"

"Heyyyy, McKinnon," Potter said, his stance relaxing. "I can't possibly explain my fast-thinking strategy to you. Your poor little Beater's brain couldn't handle it."

"As the team captain I better know," McKinnon retorted. "And my poor little Beater's bat will make sure I do. Now sit down and tell me what you think you were doing."

"Come on," Lily said softly in Severus' ear. "She'll keep him there long enough." She pulled him back towards Slughorn's office.

Severus fought the urge to shiver, and followed.

Lily led them towards the refreshment table ("It's mostly disgusting, but there's at least one fruit tray that hasn't had sugar added to it") and poured them each a generous goblet of Butterbeer ("I'm reasonably certain someone spiked it"). Severus reached for a napkin, ignoring the younger student next to him—until the younger student cleared his throat and said, "Snape, what a surprise to see you."

Severus glanced over. Oh, joy. "Black," he said. "Good evening."

"Good evening," Regulus replied. "Are you—are you here as Professor Slughorn's guest? I mean, of course you are, obviously, you're here. I, er, this is my first Slug Club party." Regulus swallowed. "Well, naturally, as you wouldn't have seen me here before."

Severus felt, as was becoming an unpleasant custom, oddly generous around the nervous boy. "This is my first Slug Club party as well."

Regulus peered up at him. "Really? Why weren't—I mean." He cringed. "I'm sure I'm only invited since, well, Sirius. Since I'm the heir now." He glanced up and hastily added, "Not that being the heir to a great family is the most important thing in the world or anything."

Severus blinked.

"Oh," Regulus said, suddenly looking over Severus' shoulder. "I should've—ah, hello, Miss Evans."

Severus glanced back at Lily, who was looking, fortunately, rather bemused. "Hello, Regulus," she replied kindly.

Unpleasantly, Barty Crouch appeared at Regulus' elbow. "Reg," he said intently, "I overheard Sluggy say that Arsenius Jigger is here. Let's find him; I really should say hello for Father, and you can ask after that Snape character."

"Oh, Snape's here," Regulus said, indicating Severus with a wave of his hand. "He's Lily Evans' date."

"Oh, really," Barty said uninterestedly.

"You realise we're both standing right here," Lily commented.

"So are you coming?" Barty asked Regulus, ignoring Lily completely.

"And you realise that since Severus actually came with Master Jigger, he could easily introduce you, right?" Lily continued.

Barty turned to look at her briefly before focusing his attention on Severus. "Ah, Snape. I don't suppose you could—"

"No," Severus said.

"Really," Barty said, frowning.

Slughorn waddled up to the table. "Ah, Severus, excellent. So glad you're enjoying the food, it's just the best, isn't it? I do apologise for drawing you away from your present…company," he said, glancing at Lily and the two fourth-years, "but I simply must introduce you to Professor Springer, who's here from the College of Alchemy and Potions at NYUM—never too early to think about the future, my boy." Slughorn wrapped a pudgy hand around Severus' arm—rather like he was about to Apparate him away—and, with a parting, "Miss Evans, Mr Black, Mr Crouch," dragged him through the assorted merry-makers and across the room.

Severus glanced back at Lily, who smiled softly and shrugged, mouthing, Later. Severus nodded and allowed himself to be led across the expanded office towards Slughorn's desk, which seemed smaller than usual in the larger, crowded room. Leaning against the desk was a middle-aged wizard—Severus placed him in his mid-sixties—who was listening to, shock of shocks, a pleasantly-chatting Master Jigger. "Jeffrey," Slughorn said, releasing Severus' arm, "this is the young man in question. May I present Severus Snape, Arsenius' apprentice."

Severus shook Springer's hand. "Good to meet you, Severus," Springer said. "Arsenius was just telling me that you'll be publishing within the next couple of months already—you must be very proud."

"If all goes well," Severus acknowledged. "Master Jigger and I have a bit more investigation left yet, but we'll most likely be submitting to the March PQ."

"I can see why Arsenius was willing to bend his 'no apprentices' rule," Springer commented to Slughorn. "Publishing before he sits the QUAILs? I've got to say, I'm impressed."

"I was not in favour of that particular timeline," Jigger said drily, "but his methodology is sound."

Springer snorted; Jigger shrugged. Slughorn turned to Severus and explained, "Arsenius and Jeffrey were at Salem together."

"'Together' isn't exactly how I'd put it," Springer said with a wry smile. "More like, 'Arsenius was a very important post-M.P. when Jeffrey was a lowly undergraduate.'"

"He insisted on visiting," Jigger said, "my office hours."

"Oh, yeah," Springer said fondly. "I forgot how much you hated that."

"I don't suppose you're willing to be any more forthcoming about your research than your Master, Severus?" Slughorn asked. "We're terribly curious."

Severus raised an eyebrow in response. Springer laughed openly.

"Oh, Arsenius, I do see why you made an exception for this one," he said.

"Severus is exceptional," Slughorn said ridiculously. "Did I mention what he whipped up for me? An inhalant variant of the Euphoria Elixir, very clever, and just the thing for a party. I was just thinking about giving it a whirl."

Severus, sensing his chance to escape what was, all told, a fairly unproductive conversation, asked, "Would you like me to see a House Elf about a vaporiser?"

Slughorn clapped him on the shoulder. "There's a lad. By all means!"

Severus nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, Professor Springer," he said. "Please excuse me."

"Nice to meet you, Severus," Springer said. As Severus slipped away from the trio of potioneers, he heard Springer say, "Remind you of anyone, Arsenius?"

Severus set off across the room—briefly pausing to call for a Hogwarts Elf and inform him that Professor Slughorn had need of a vaporiser—and headed back to the refreshment table. Lily was not to be found—neither, fortunately, were Regulus or Barty—so Severus circled the office in search of a tell-tale flash of deep red hair.

Instead, he found Remus Lupin again.

"Oh, Snape," Lupin said. "Did I already ask if you've done something different to your hair?"

Severus scowled. "No."

Lupin nodded. "Have you?"

Severus scowled more deeply. "No."

"Must be a trick of the light," Lupin said.

Of all the ridiculous… "Have you seen Lily?" Severus demanded.

Lupin smiled crookedly. "That's nice," he said, pausing to sip whatever libation he'd liberated from the toilet bar. "I mean, I think it's nice. Have I told you that—"

"Yes, it's 'nice,'" Severus said. "Lily. Have you seen her?"

"Everyone's always looking for Lily," Lupin mused. "Never for me. Five years I've been coming to these parties, just me and Lily—Sirius was invited straight off the bat, but he wouldn't hold for any 'Pureblood nonsense,' and even after James got his invite, it's not like he'd go without Sirius, until now—oh." Lupin blinked. "I meant to thank you."

"Whatever for?" Severus said.

"James is trying so hard to out-mature you that my hopeless task as Gryffindor Prefect has become much easier," Lupin said. "You—can I say this?—you're the best Gryffindor Prefect, Snape. I mean that."

Severus' lip curled. "Don't."

"Right." Lupin nodded. "James went that way." He pointed towards the castle corridor.

"I am looking," Severus said distinctly, "for Lily."

Lupin blinked. "So was James," he said.

Severus swore creatively and sped off after them.

He exited the office and, after a quick Point Me Lily Evans, turned right and walked down the hallway. As he approached the corner, his ears picked up the low murmur of conversation, and he slowed his pace accordingly. After casting a quick silencing charm on his shoes, he crept to the wall's edge and listened.

"…want me to say?" Lily was asking. "That the only thing standing between you, me, and eternal love is my boyfriend?"

"Well, yeah," Potter said obnoxiously, "that'd be great."

"Well, I can't say that," Lily said gently, and in Severus' mind, Slytherin won the House Cup.

There was a pause, and then Potter said, "Oh. I see."

"Look, Potter," Lily said, "you've been abnormally decent the last couple of months—"

"Several months," Potter interjected childishly.

"Fine, several months," Lily amended. "But that doesn't change the fact that you spent years acting like a complete prat—"

"I was a kid!"

"—and making Severus' life in particular completely miserable," Lily continued. "Do you honestly expect me to just forget all of that?"

"Well—I—" Potter sputtered. "What more can I do? I've been polite to Snape—"

"Black hasn't," Lily pointed out.

"I'm not in charge of Sirius," Potter retorted.

"I don't think Sirius is in charge of Sirius," Lily commented.

"Sod Sirius," Potter said heatedly. "I guess I just wanted to know if…" He swallowed audibly. "If it's me in particular you really don't like, or if you're just mad—and I mean that in every sense of the word, no offense—for Snape. And…if it's me in particular," he continued, "what more can I do differently?"

There was silence for a moment. Severus' fists clenched of their own accord. At last, Lily said, "Potter, you've been behaving like a decent human being lately, and believe me, I don't want to discourage that—"

"All right!" Potter said.

"—but asking a girl with a boyfriend," Lily emphasised, "what you can do to make her like you? That's just—it's just not on."

"Okay," Potter said. "So it is me in particular."

"My God, this is frustrating," Lily said.

"You have no idea," Potter said morosely.

Lily sighed. "Look, Potter," she said, "I'm with Severus, and nothing you do is going to change that."

Severus' mental Slytherins cheered.

"But," Lily continued, "if you keep acting decently—and stay away from Severus—well, maybe someday we could be friends."

"Excellent," Potter said, and then, more enthusiastically: "Excellent. That's really excellent."

"That's friends, Potter, mind you," Lily said drily.

"Yeah," Potter said. "I got it. Okay. I'm glad we had this chat, Evans. Very good. Okay." Severus heard Potter get to his feet. "I'm going to head back to the party and, ah, make sure Remus hasn't given himself alcohol poisoning," Potter said.

"Good idea," Lily said.

Severus quickly and wordlessly Disillusioned himself.

"Okay," Potter said. "Ah, see you around."

Potter walked right past the Disillusioned Severus, who, in turn, waited for Lily to follow. When a moment passed without Lily's appearance, Severus finite'd himself and peered around the corner; Lily was sitting on the cobblestone floor, knees drawn up to her chest, looking quite lost in thought.

"I did wonder where you'd gone," Severus said softly.

Lily glanced up, her expression immediately changing to one of delight. "Severus," she said. "You managed to escape!"

"At last," Severus said. "May I join you?"

Lily gestured grandly to her side. "By all means," she said.

Severus walked to Lily and slid down the wall to join her on the floor. Feeling bold, he stretched his arms, segueing casually into wrapping one arm around Lily's shoulders. Gratifyingly, she leaned into his side and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Sev," she said, "I've missed you so much this year."

"The feeling is quite mutual," Severus replied, his face heating for no reason.

"I mean, I know it's for the best—you really were wasting your time here, and apprenticing to Master Jigger is the best opportunity you could—oh!" Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him. "You never told me. How did your trials go for your new potion?"

Severus ignored the prick of a chill that visited the base of his spine and said, "Excellent. We'll most likely be publishing this spring."

Lily grinned. "That's so exciting," she said, inexplicably leaning forward. "I take it things are still going well with Master Jigger?"

"Fair enough," Severus said. "He's as impossibly high-handed as ever, but—"

And then Lily pressed her body and her lips against his, and all coherent thought was lost.

His fingers threaded through her silken red hair, trailed along her delicate jawline, caressed the outer shell of her ear, and did not—did not—venture lower than her neck. Her hands grasped at his ribcage, pulling him closer; he acquiesced not reluctantly, and—

A loud cough caused them to spring apart (Lily, he noted, looking attractively flushed, Merlin damn it all).

"Miss Evans," Slughorn said, beaming down at them, "Severus. As much as I regret breaking up this entirely inappropriate enterprise, Arsenius has announced his intention to depart. Much too early, if you ask me, but he's never been one for parties! Unlike some, I see." He winked. "I'm sorry, Miss Evans, but rules are rules. Five points from Gryffindor for, ahem, canoodling."

Lily blushed. Scowling, Severus stood and extended a hand to Lily, helping her to her feet. "I'm sorry, sir," she said to Slughorn as she stood. "It won't happen again."

"None of my business, none of my business!" Slughorn said merrily. "Just see it doesn't happen right outside my office, eh?" He turned away and added, "Do be sure to return within the next five minutes—I don't much fancy sending Arsenius out to find you, Severus," before he left.

Severus closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. Unbelievably, Lily started giggling. When Severus glanced at her inquisitively, she said, "I'm sorry, it's just—that was the least convincing telling-off I've ever had. I think he's proud of you."

Severus grimaced. "You may be correct," he said.

"Of course I am," Lily said easily, slipping her hand into Severus'. "Come on. Let's try to avoid any more embarrassment—or, in Sluggy's case, disturbing approval." She pressed one last, brief kiss to Severus' lips—alarmingly heated for what was, on the surface, a relatively chaste action—and led him back towards Slughorn's office.

"It was wonderful to see you," she said as they slowly walked. "I was actually planning to write you tonight—what are your Christmas plans?"

Severus blinked. "I'll be working in the shop on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day."

"But not on Christmas, I hope?" Lily asked. Severus shook his head, and Lily beamed at him. "Then you can have Christmas dinner with us. Please, Sev, you must—if I tell Mum you've no other plans, you know she'll insist. Please say you will."

"I—if you're sure?" Severus asked. Lily nodded. "Then how can I possibly refuse?" he said.

"Wonderful," Lily said. "Okay. I'll owl you with the time. I can't wait." They reached Slughorn's office. "I'll probably head back to the Tower as soon as I find Marlene," she said. "I'll see you soon." She squeezed his hand and disappeared into the party.

After a few deep breaths, Severus followed. Unpleasantly, Jigger was standing just inside the door, already dressed to leave. "Good," he said. "Put on your cloak. We're leaving. I've taken the liberty of saying your good-byes to our host and to Professor Springer."

Severus retrieved his cloak and had only just pulled it on when Jigger set off down the hallway. Severus walked quickly to catch up, and as soon as they had started ascending the stairs, Jigger hissed, "A Hogwarts student, Mr Snape?"

"I beg your pardon?" Severus asked, thoroughly confused.

"Horace told me he caught you…fraternising with one of his students," Jigger said. "He seemed to find it funny, which I certainly do not." Jigger glared and added, "I understand the girl in question isn't even of age."

Severus, who had absolutely no desire to delve into the deeper implications of this subject, merely retorted, "Neither am I."

They reached the top of the stairs. Jigger seemed to consider this information. "So you weren't…" He trailed off.

"Master Jigger, she and I were born within weeks of one another," Severus responded with complete truthfulness.

"I see," Jigger said. "Then. Regardless." He scowled. "Do recall the importance of discretion, Mr Snape."

"Believe me," Severus said, "I truly wish I had."

"See that you do in the future," Jigger said.

They headed for the castle's exit. Severus, recalling Jigger's insistence on a hasty departure, asked, "I beg your pardon, sir, but is that the reason you wished to leave?"

"Not entirely," Jigger said. "Horace had begun liberally diffusing your little present. The atmosphere had become far too…festive for my liking."

"Ah," Severus said. He rather hoped Lily and McKinnon had been able to return promptly to Gryffindor Tower; Merlin knew what the already-soused Lupin and always-witless Potter would do under the influence of a mild Euphoria elixir. (He refused to consider the probable conditions of Regulus Black and Barty Crouch.)

Severus and Jigger exited the Entrance Hall and stepped into the cold night. They walked without a word beneath slowly falling snowflakes until Jigger grumbled, "So…what is the young lady's name?"

Severus glanced over at him. "Whose?"

"Your, ah, paramour," Jigger said, quite as though the words were being ripped from his throat.

Severus could not believe that he was having this conversation. "Lily," he said. In accordance with his well-honed sense of danger, he did not add but please don't feel obligated to continue this line of questioning.

"Ah," Jigger said. "I—ah."

Thankfully, they made the rest of their journey in silence.

A/N: I would be remiss not to make mention of GatewayGirl's Blood Magic, a Severitus challenge fic that a) should be read by, ah, everyone who enjoys such things, and b) is the first story that comes to mind when I think of recreational potions use; for this reason, Severus' host gift to Slughorn owes a bit of a debt to GG's wonderful story (and, obviously, to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince). Check it out.

More importantly, an enormous thank you to everyone who continued to leave encouraging reviews and comments during my updating slump. Even when real life was crushing down on me and I had no idea when I would have the time, energy, or drive to sit down and continue writing this chapter, each review made me smile. Thank you all for your patience, your kind wishes, and your support.

Coming up: Christmas at the Evanses and a birthday (or two).