Chapter 26

A/N When this story is done I'm definitely going to miss writing this type of story. When we write together, Bailey is always the one who writes the happy, fluffy stuff and almost all the internal struggles while I am writing all the death, torture and sadness. That's really ironic though because Bailey came up with most of the depressing stuff for this story while I just kind of sat and fangirled about it. Wow...well at least we make a great team haha.

Carrie: Awww thanks girly. We hope the fairies continue too. And how cool would that be to have a book of ours in your book shelf?

Christine Dalenn: It's weird for us to think about that we are close to the end of this story... it's been going on for so long is weird to imagine it done.

delenda est c: As always, its a pleasure :).

Professor Radar: Careful, if you keep tempting us we might just kill them all :P.

Amar 2: You are exactly how I am when I read fanfictions with James in them.

Bienvenue a Bikini Bottom: It's totally fine. We both get the school thing.

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The next day, Severus sat behind his desk in his office with a mountain of papers in front of him. After everything that had been happening, he was starting to fall behind on his grading and, despite knowing his situation, Albus was starting to get on his case about it. This was understandable however, in a few short months the students would be taking their various exams and though it was not great that he was behind now it would be catastrophic if he were to be far behind then.

Because of that, there Severus was correcting numerous fifth year essays on the first warm Saturday of the year. Severus really had nothing better to do, but he still longingly looked out the lone window by the lake and was hardly being overly productive as a result. He forced his gaze from the window and really tried to focus but all the papers were dreadful to read as a result if the classes incompetence of the art of potions.

All of a sudden they was a clacking at the window and Severus jumped, almost knocking over his ink unto the rest of the ungraded essays. He got up and walked over the the window where there was an owl delivering him a message.

He assumed it would be Dumbledore again, probably to ask for his help with the Order or to scold him for being behind in his grading. He was pleasantly surprised however to not see the handwriting of the Headmaster but rather to see the handwriting of Lily.

Sev,

I know I'm not supposed to contact you by owl because of the Bellatrix incident recently but I couldn't help myself. It's such an unusually warm day that I was wondering if you would like to come and have a picnic with Harry and I. Our yard is heavily guarded and I haven't been outside doing anything fun in a while.

If you can't make it, reply by owl. If not, I will see you at 2pm.

Lily

Severus was a bit uneasy that Lily had sent him a letter after was happened last time but he looked outside and saw nothing out if the ordinary plus he had received the letter just fine. And besides, Severus wanted to see Lily again in a different setting from last night's semi awkward encounter with James. He also did not feel like correcting the essays in front of him, they really were awful. One glance at the clock told him that he had an hour and a half before his was due to meet Lily. He decided to finish the last few essays he had to grade from the fifth years before he made his way over to the Potter's.

He briefly thought of telling Dumbledore where he would be going but he wasn't sure the plan would be approved so he decided to just go anyways. If the headmaster asked when he returned he would tell him but it didn't seem to pressing of an issue to Severus.

He finished the essays in a little over an hour so after grading the last one he put away his quill, closed his ink bottle, and put all of the grades essays away. He then decided to change out of his teaching robes into something more casual before making his way to the doors out of the castle and to Hogsmeade where he would be able to apparate to the Potter's.

Lily was right, it was an absolutely beautiful day outside. If he hadn't thought about it, he would have guessed that it was late March, not mid February. It didn't bother him though; it was almost as if the world was giving him a break from the chaos he now called his life.

The minute he stepped out of the boundaries, he disapparated and appeared at the Potter house. He was surprised to see Lily already outside, Harry running around her. He smiled to himself and advanced towards them.

"Sev, you made it!" Lily said when she noticed him approaching.

"The alternative was grading papers so it was no contest," he replied and she smiled at him.

"Well, come on. Harry has been anxious to eat all afternoon." Severus followed her towards a tree on the west side of her house where a blanket had been carefully laid on the grass. Harry ran and collapsed on the blanket, his little hands digging through the basket full of food.

"Hold on, Harry. We have to wait until everyone has sat down before we can eat." Lily said and Harry turned to her and gave her big, pouting eyes. If he didn't look so much like James, Severus would have found it cute.

Less than a minute later, the three of them were all seated on the blanket and Lily was starting to bring out the food. Harry was anxiously trying to look in the basket to see what was for him, but Lily simply sat him back down and reached in and grabbed his food from the basket next. For her and Severus, however, there were normal sandwiches, two apples, some tea, and a chocolate cake for dessert.

"Wow," Severus said, "It all looks great, you really didn't have to do this though."

"I wanted to," Lily replied easily, "Its something to do and I really don't mind cook. Now why don't you start while I get Harry situated?" Severus obliged and began to eat his apple. It didn't take very long for Harry to become completely engrossed in his food so soon the only sound was the three of them eating and the breeze rustling the branches above them.

"So how are things at Hogwarts?" Lily asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"It's different," Severus replied. "You never really know what its like until you are up at the Head table looking over hundreds of students."

"I miss being one of those students." Severus didn't know how to respond because of course, he did too, but saying it back somehow felt mandatory and he didn't want that.

"Well, at least Harry will get that chance, " Severus said after a brief silence. Lily turned her head to look at her son and her face softened. "Who knows, maybe I'll be the head of his House one day," he joked and Lily turned to him immediately.

"No way, he's going to be Gryffindor, just like his parents," she said, her voice full of determination.

"And what about his Uncle Severus?" he mocked.

"Maybe this new baby boy will be like his uncle." Boy.

"The baby is a boy?" he asked softly and she smiled.

"Yes. At first I wanted it to be a surprise but the suspense was too great." Severus smiled because he truly was happy for her, but something stirred in his mind. Lily really loved James, maybe as much as he loved her. The thought has been in his mind ever since he heard of their marriage, but he didn't really accept it until now. She was so happy with Harry and she was soon to be happy with her new son. As much as he loved her, he couldn't disrupt their relationship.

Severus was about to reply to her when Harry got up and ran towards the trunk of the tree where a swing hung from one of the branches.

"No, Harry. That's for big kids, you would hurt yourself." She went to get up but Severus got up first and walked over to Harry and picked him up. He didn't want her to have to struggle to get up.

"I don't know Lily, he seems pretty determined. That could be Gryffindor or Slytherin," he said as he handed over Harry to his mom. Lily didn't respond, but instead sat and looked at Severus with a look in her eyes that he couldn't place. Severus felt uncomfortable. "What?"

"After all these years, you're still my best friend," she said. Severus felt a warm rush through his body. He opened his mouth to reply, to tell her that he felt the same way when suddenly he heard a voice.

"Members of the Order of the Phoenix," it said and he immediately knew who it was. He turned his head, frantically looking for the man when he saw that Lily had her hands over her ears. "I know you are preparing for war and as well as that would go, I do not need so much magical blood spilled over two people." The voice of Voldemort was in his head and he could tell it was in Lily's head too. "If you give me Harry Potter and Severus Snape, none of you will be harmed. If they are given to me, there will be no need for war, no need for fighting." The voice paused and Lily looked up, her eyes huge. Severus saw something he hadn't seen in her brave Gryffindor eyes in a long time: fear. "However, if you refuse to give me what I request in two days, the war will begin and I promise you, I will not stop until they are dead. You have two days to turn Harry Potter and Severus Snape over to me or the war will begin. I will be waiting at the boundaries outside of Hogwarts at sundown in two days. Do not disappoint, or be destroyed."

"Lily-" Severus began, not knowing what to say but wanting to comfort her.

"Help me up, please." She said, cutting him off, and he did. She then went over to Harry and picked him up protectively, "Sev, you should go. You will be safe at Hogwarts with Dumbledore, and he needs to know what's going on if he doesn't already."

"Will you be okay?" Severus asked, concerned.

"Of course, James will be here soon and the house is very well protected. Now go, tell Dumbledore what happened."

"Goodbye, Lily, I had fun today until…" He didn't finish.

"Me too, bye Sev." She said, waving, as she made her way back into her home. Severus watched her for a moment, still concerned, but decided she was right and quickly apparated back to Hogwarts and ran to the headmaster's office.

"Dumbledore!" He called as soon as he got the the door and threw it open. "Dumbledore, did you hear?" The headmaster was sitting at his desk, clearly thinking.

"Yes, Severus, I did."

"Is it, is it really happening then?"

"Yes, its really happening. The battle has begun."