Chapter Seven

A New World

October 31, 1981

7:51 pm

Severus collapsed through the fireplace and into Grimmaud Place. Oddly no one was there to see who had just come through the floo. Instantly suspicious, despite his exhausted state, he whipped out his wand. Creeping forward he searched for any sign of life in the fully lit kitchen. Footsteps echoed down the hall and he pressed himself into the pantry, the door open just a crack. Alexandria, looking very tired and harrowed, shuffled into the kitchen, her auburn hair in a loose braid hanging over her shoulder. She glanced towards the fire and froze her wand in her hand within seconds.

"Who came through?" she called, her eyes searching through the kitchen carefully. The crystal blue eyes narrowed. "Out of the pantry, now,"

"The security in this place has become scarce for me to come through with no notice and no alarms." He said coming from the pantry.

Her wand was still trained on him. "Tell me something only you would know."

"I wanted to adopt Bethany." He retorted but knowing full-well that it was necessary. The auburn haired woman lowered her wand and went to the stove. "Why was there no one here when I returned?"

"Disappointed?" she snapped before wincing and looking at him. "Sorry, that was uncalled for." Severus said nothing. "We've…we've all had a long afternoon."

His brow furrowed. A majority of the Death Eaters had gone out around noon that day with the Dark Lord. He was not privy as to why nor did he much want to know. However that meant a raid and that would be harrowing for the Order. "How many casualties?"

Alexandra snorted. "Hell if I know, no one tells us anymore. Didn't you know, everyone who lives in this house is bloody taboo," she was preparing a pot of tea the Muggle way, much to his surprise. "Great I'm going to make it back to America only to have the world bloody added to my vocabulary."

He arched his eyebrows at her, giving her neither a quizzical nor vacant look.

She shrugged. "Everyone who actually sleeps here or spends most of their time here is treated like we gossip to everyone we meet. Merlin help us if something important happens, we're never told." The kettle began to whistle. "Couldn't have been too important if they didn't call everyone one in," she turned and poured herself a cup of tea, the smell of mint filling the air. "Would you like any?"

"No…thank you." He responded.

"You must be exhausted; Albus won't be back for some time. Get some sleep. Odds are you haven't slept since you were summoned." She said setting the tea pot on a tray and adding some tea cups.

Severus opened his mouth to the blasted woman he didn't need a mother but stopped when he heard a sniveling laugh that was familiar. He looked towards the door. "Who else is here?" he asked.

Alexandria looked at him as she hovered the tray. "Just Jake, Beth,"

Severus made his way down the hall, limping ever so slightly, ignoring his swimming head. The Pepper-Up and Alertness potions were wearing off.

"Remus and,"

He pushed open the door to the living room and stared in shock at the person who was making Bethany laugh by putting two saucers on his head like ears.

"Peter. Why? What is—?"

He didn't hear the rest of the sentence as Peter Pettigrew looked at him, a slightly madden look in his watery gray-blue eyes. Severus glanced down at his left arm. It was itching as it always did when someone with the mark was near. Black was speaking and Bethany was struggling to get off of Jacob's lap but he couldn't comprehend that.

The floor was rushing up to meet him as it sank in.

Pettigrew gave what ever information the Dark Lord wanted to him and the rat was waiting for the Dark Lord to act.

Shit, he cursed silently as blackness filmed over his vision.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

9:57pm

Lily laughed as Harry sat up again, his large green eyes blinking and a bright smile on his face. James simply shook his head. "Lily, he really should be in bed right now," he said brushing his son's wild hair away from his face.

His red-haired wife grinned. "You want to try to put him to bed? He refuses to sleep…reminds me of a certain someone I know." She said shoot him an amused look.

"It's called chronic insomnia," James said defensively with a broad smile on his lips. "I think we should put little Harry in his crib, sneak into our room, and pretend we're on our honeymoon again." He said nuzzling her neck.

Lily elbowed him with a smirk. "Harry'll be in the next room."

"Sleeping,"

She bit her lips, tilting her head to the side as he continued to kiss her on her neck and down her shoulder. Harry let out a gurgle and grabbed at her hair that had come within his reach. "Perhaps I should take you up on that offer,"

James pulled back, a spark in his eyes. "Really?"

"In fact, Champaign is in the fridge to celebrate Halloween…" she said getting to her feet and shifting Harry onto her hip.

"Did I ever mention how much I loved you?"

"Not today,"

He stood and pulled her to him. "I love you." He said lowering his lips onto hers.

After a moment Harry let out a cry and hit James on the head before laughing hysterically as if it was the funniest thing in the world. James grinned pulling away. "Go slip into something a bit more…comfortable."

Lily winked at him and headed towards the stairs when there was suddenly a loud alarm and a huge crash was heard from the kitchen. James whirled around, his face going white. The alarm meant someone had breached the perimeter without the password. Horror filled him as lights flashed outside, illuminating a single person, his wand trained on the house.

"Lily! Take Harry and go!" he cried flicking his wand into his hand. Lily stood at the stairs, clutching Harry, her face deathly pale. "It's him. Go, run! I'll hold him off!"

"But James, you can—"

He looked at her hatred and fear in his eyes. "Use the floo, go to Peter's place. NOW!" the front door blew open. "I love you," he whispered as she started to run up the stairs.

"Well…well…Potter," Voldemort, in all his glory, still looking no older than twenty-five with gleaming red eyes, stood in the doorway.

James felt his heart harden. Lily had to get out of here…she had to. "Voldemort, I don't like uninvited guests in my home."

"I lost the invitation." He retorted, a long slender wand was at his side. "You think you can defeat me, boy? It took less than an hour to break Pettigrew. Useful little rat, isn't he?"

Betrayal coursed through him. Peter was the spy? That meant—Remus…gods Remus, His thoughts cried.

"You didn't find much use for him though. Pity, he was loyal until the end…"

His heart clenched. Peter wasn't the spy? But that meant… "You murdering bastard."

"Please cease complimenting me, it'll go to my head." The man said calmly.

"I see you came alone. I had expected some of your loyal followers, Malfoy maybe, even Snivelus." James spat.

"Lucius isn't capable for this and Severus is busy with other things." Voldemort said conversationally. "You and your wench have been harder to kill than a Thestral." Voldemort shot him an eerie smile, looking as if they were two men conducting business. "I'll let you live, just let me at your son. Then you and that bitch of yours can live happily ever after out of my sight."

James thought about yelling some lame 'never' line and tossing a spell but he hated how theatrical that would sound. Instead he twitched his wand and a spell flew at Voldemort. He laughed evil side stepping the spell.

"It'll be easy," the slender wand pointed at James and the father was thrown into the back wall, pictures breaking against his back. "Just give me the screaming brat and you'll live. You're a pureblood after all."

"Fuck off." He groaned, the glass digging into his back.

He clucked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, language young man."

"You may be able to kill me, but Lily and Harry are far from here. Farther than your sorry ass can find," he said, praying it was true.

Voldemort's wand traced his cheek. "Now, now, no need to lie. I know for a fact that your red-haired wife is standing with your son in the nursery. I've blocked the floo and portkeys won't work. She's sealed in nice and safe."

Horror hit James' face and the man, despite the magical bounds, cursed Voldemort with a Blasting hex. Voldemort smiled as he was thrown back a few feet.

"This is far too simple," he mused lifting James off his feet and tightening the invisible bonds around his neck. "Alas, I fear any more time wasted with you will be hearing your pathetic pleas to spare you and your family and I've heard enough of those to last ten life-times."

"And whose fault is that?" James gasped out before the ropes tightened once more, causing his face to flush even more.

Voldemort let out a laugh. "I think I'll just let you hang there," the pressure released from his throat, "until I kill your child."

"NO! Settle this like men, you sniveling coward!" he shouted fighting as hard as he could.

"Would you like to know a secret?" Voldemort said suddenly, looking bored. James spat at him. The man arched his brow and wiped it off. "Your friend Pettigrew has been feeding me information until you made him your secret keeper."

The hazel eyes widened in horror.

"But he got all high and noble after that…seemed to think you wanted him around and cared about him." Voldemort laughed an evil smirk on his face. "It didn't take much to convince that pathetic rat of the truth." The Dark Lord shrugged. "Ah, well, have a good walk in hell, Potter."

The last thing James heard was an ear-piercing scream coming from the stairs as a green light headed towards him. Right before the light hit him he saw Lily, terrified but determined, gripping the banister, tears pouring down her face. He wanted to say he loved her, he wanted to be the hero but it was too late.

His mind went blank and James Potter was dead.

Lily's jaw snapped shut when she felt the blood-red eyes land on her. With a sharp turn she raced back into Harry's nursery and slammed the door, blocking it with Harry's Muggle changing station. Grabbing the bin of dirty diapers that she had yet to remove she hid next to the door, Harry watching her with interest, having no idea that his father was dead downstairs. She didn't have much time to think before the door was blasted open and Voldemort stepped in. Unluckily he grabbed it before she could bring it down on his head, luckily, however, the bin opened and he was assaulted with Harry's filthy, smelly diapers.

She jumped back and began tossing anything and everything at him she could, including the lamp and several of Harry's rubber toys. They hit him a few times but the enraged Dark Lord threw up a shield and Lily took a step back. Her wand, stupidly, was down in the kitchen where she left it. Living as a Muggle again she had forgotten to carry it around with her. Harry began to cry as the red-haired woman stood in front of her child.

"Give me the boy and I'll let you live." He growled, sending cleaning spells on himself, to rid him of the excrement.

Lily fumbled back and latched onto one of Harry's hard toys, one that made noise and such. "Do you really think I'd give up my son?" she twitched to left and he sent a curse as the toy hurtled towards him from the right.

It hit him square on the head. Grabbing a baseball bat (remembering for a brief second when James had bought it not knowing what it was) she slammed it into the window. Harry's wails became louder as the glass cracked but didn't shatter. The bat flew out of her hands and she turned, looking at the Dark Lord.

"No Harry, please…" she begged, tears welling up in her eyes.

It was hopeless. She had to get out but she couldn't. James, Merlin, James I wish you were here… she thought silently.

The red eyes bore into her.

"Not Harry, please no, take me…kill me instead—" Lily wondered idly if that would work but her sentence, her pleads were cut off with a sharp Crucio.

Having experienced this once before the familiar stabbing pain hit her and Lily found herself on the floor withering. It wasn't long before he released her. Staggering to her feet before he could advance on the crib she shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks and her lip was bleeding from where she bit through it.

"Step aside girl and I'll spare you life."

"Not Harry, please! Have mercy! He's just a child…" Voldemort was inches from her now and Lily could feel her heart slam against her ribs. "Have mercy…" she whispered.

"Dark Lords don't have mercy," he whispered before trying to throw her to the side.

In an instant Lily brought her knee up sharply, directly into his groin. He gasped in pain as she tried to shove him away. He staggered back slightly and the woman turned around grabbing her boy. She dodged around him and started for the door, saying something about 'love' when he raised his wand

"Avada Kedavra!" he snarled.

The green light hit the red-haired woman in the back and she crumbled to the floor. The brat let out a loud scream as he fell a few feet from his mother. Voldemort straightened up with much difficulty and started down at the boy prophesized to destroy him. Large green eyes, filled with tears, were staring at him as he pointed his wand again.

There was something thick in the air that had started to make him choke. It was surrounding the impudent baby.

Another green light shot out of his wand and struck the small boy directly on the head. Voldemort's lips turned up in a triumphant smile for a moment before he realized the child was glowing, first the bight Avada Kedavra green, then a bright gold, then a soft blue, before the green light shot back at the sender.

Still in pure shock, the light hit him square in the chest and pain erupted in him. His soul was being tugged in several directions and instantly there was a loud thud. Comprehensive thoughts no longer existed, only darkness. And darkness surrounded the small one-year-old who was unconscious in the rubble of what was once Godric's Hollow.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

11:32 pm

Severus, for the first time since slipped unconscious, made a sound. It was a blood-curdling scream as the man curled around his left forearm, gripping it. His face was contorted with pain. Alexandria, who had been beside him checking his vitals for the second time that night, leapt back, startled. Her eyes were wide in shock and horror as he continued to scream. Jacob burst into the room just as the man went limp again.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" he asked his wand out.

Alexandria took a step back into her husband, her face as white as a sheet. "I don't know." She swallowed hard trying to get her bearings. "He was grabbing at his left arm."

Jacob went forward and moved up the man's sleeve ever so slowly. The Dark Mark was burning bright red but fading with every second that passed. "What does this mean?" he asked as they watched the Dark Mark fade nearly completely into that man's skin, leaving only a faint shadow of what it was.

"Jake…" she said softly, her eyes wide in wonder. "I think it means he's dead…"

He looked at his wife and then back at Severus. "Voldemort is dead?"

The mark tinged red for a moment before going to the dirt-gray color, blending into the skin almost non-existent.

"Stay with him." Jacob said before turning from the room.

Alexandria grabbed him by the arm. "I—" she stopped, worry on her face. They looked at each other for a moment (the absurd thought of being in a stupid movie flowing through her head) before she smiled at him. "I love you,"

He pressed his lips onto hers before hurrying away but not before saying: "Ditto," back.

She looked back at the man who had slipped back into unconsciousness. Something was wrong and she couldn't put her finger on it.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

November 5, 1981

Alexandria watched as the fifth bottle of fire whiskey was opened and had started making its rounds in the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Politely declining as the bottle was held out to her, she looked towards the door. Her husband looked just as dower as she felt. The celebrations of the death of Voldemort had been going on since Halloween. She didn't think that night would leave her thoughts for the rest of her life. Sensing her thoughts, Jacob drew her to him, his arms around her waist comfortingly.

"Beth is sleeping just fine," he whispered in her ear. "So is the patient."

The red-head grimaced but didn't say anything. They still hadn't broken the news to their daughter that Sirius Black had betrayed them all. For the first time since Halloween, the last night she ever saw Sirius, Bethany had asked about him today, not understanding why she was instantly hushed and sent away. The small girl was confused but understood when she had to be silenced.

Severus had been unconscious for three days and the moment he woke and heard the news he had tried to get out of bed to see Dumbledore. He didn't make it three steps before collapsing (nearly taking Alexandria down with him.) When Dumbledore came by later the conversation was a long one and the man hadn't spoke a word to anyone since. Not even Bethany.

"Alex," the woman jumped, startled by the voice before remembering she was in her husband's arms. He sighed and drew her away from the party and up the stairs. Once safely in their bedroom with silencing spells on the room, Jacob sat her down on the bed. "Your mind has been elsewhere ever since the first,"

She swallowed hard, staring at her hands, which were entwined with her husbands. "I…I don't want to say what I think," Alexandria admitted. "It's so much to take in,"

Jacob didn't need to say that he agreed with her, it showed clearly on her face. In the last five days everything seemed to be turned upside down, not only for them but for everyone. The entirety of the wizarding world was ecstatic that Voldemort was gone but anyone that knew the Marauder's personally felt the exact opposite position. Remus had more or less disappeared after Sirius and Peter. When asked about, Dumbledore would only respond 'He needs to be off on his own for a while to deal with the situation.'

"Jake?" Alexandria snapped her fingers in front of him. "Don't take lessons from me, the last thing Beth needs is another person who barely listens to the world going on around them," He snorted. "What do you think?"

He sighed looking away. "Sirius would never have betrayed Harry and Lily, let alone James." a tear fell down his wife's cheek. "Something was wrong the moment Severus saw Peter. Remus knew he was suspected and chose to keep his distance from the Marauders but…" Jacob trailed off, unable to continue. "I can't sort it out,"

They were in silence for several long moments before there was a small rapping on the door. "Come in," Alexandria said taking down the silencing spells. The rapping continued. Befuddled, she opened the door and Bethany stood outside of it, looking lost, tear stains on her cheeks. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked sweeping the three-year-old into her arms.

The little girl sniffed, more tears falling from her brown eyes. "Snape lef," she hiccupped, her hand making a tiny fist around a section of Alexandria's shirt.

Jacob blinked before half racing out of the room. True to Bethany's word the room where he had left Severus Snape moments ago was empty, the bed freshly made and the small stuffed animal that Bethany loved carrying around sat in front of the pillows. The panther with glowing coal eyes. Taking the animal, he made his way back to their room, hearing his wife trying to calm their child down from the hallway.

"Will 'e com bak?" Bethany asked with large eyes, two wet rivers still streaming from them. "'E not gon lik my oth-ter mommy?"

"I don't know, sweetheart," she whispered, wishing she understood why the man had left.

He sat down on the bed, his arm around his wife. "Would you like me to contact Dumbledore, see if he knows were Severus went?" Jacob asked softly.

Alexandria didn't answer.

Five minutes later Bethany was asleep, the remains of tears still on her face.

"Go," His wife looked up at him, a hardness in her eyes. "And while you're there tell Dumbledore we're taking our daughter home."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

November 6, 1981

9:41 am

Alexandria stood in the Headmaster's office, awaiting the final preparations. Her daughter was fast asleep in her arms, the small girl clutching the panther under her arm. One trunk with over a dozen locks, magically enhanced trunk of course, sat in front of her. The nervous excitement when Jacob returned bubbled in the air.

They were going home.

After nearly two years of being in England, and a year of waiting to take Bethany they were finally going home.

Shifting Bethany's weight, she felt a smile brush her lips, her husband setting the last of the items they had in England in the top compartment of the trunk. His eyes danced with anticipation as he waved his wand at the trunk, its size reducing to that of a match box. He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"He's coming,"

"Does he know where Severus disappeared to?" she asked quietly. Bethany moaned slightly and clutched the panther tighter, as if she knew what they were talking about even in her sleepy state.

Jacob grimaced. "He says that when he is ready, Severus will contact us."

Alexandria frowned. "And that's it? We just wait for him to contact us? What are we supposed to tell Bethany?" her voice slowly raised in volume

Her daughter moved. "Mummy?" she murmured, blinking slowly. Anger left Alexandria quicker than water from a dam. "Mommy, iz Sever-uz bak?"

Brushing Bethany's hair away from the small child's face she sighed. "Not sweetie, he's not." She shifted the brunette's weight once again on her him. Bethany mumbled something before drifting back to sleep. "I don't like this," she said with a pointed glare as Dumbledore came in holding a watch.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully. "It'll take you to the field near your house," he handed over the portkey.

Jacob nodded and took a hold of his wife. Alexandria's eyes met her husband's as they activated the portkey; Bethany's words finally sinking in for the two of them

She called Alexandria 'mommy.'