Severus had been called to school yesterday, come home late in a foul temper and spent the night in his lab. His mood had not improved this morning, he had tried to strike Philly for her failed attempt at breakfast. Lily had put herself in front of her daughter to protect her and ordered Snape from the house. As soon as he had apparated out the wards had shifted, she was mistress of the house. Snape would not be able to return until she reset the wards. Lily sat and the girls disappeared like ghosts to their own rooms. She gasped with shock at the revelations in this morning's newspaper. It tore down the foundations of her current marriage. Her oldest friend, her husband, the father of her two daughter's was the reason the Potter's and the Longbottom's had been targeted by He-who-must-not-be-named. The reason Voldemort had killed her beloved James. In black and white, it detailed Sybil Trelawney's prophecy, divined during her interview with Albus Dumbledore for the post of Divination's Professor in 1979. The article detailed the fact this accredited seer had just lost her job, her livelihood and her home. The paper went into great detail of Severus Snape overhearing the prophecy of the century and delivering it straight to his then master, the Dark Lord You-Know-Who. The first three lines were printed in the paper for all to read: 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies …'. She now doubted every decision she had ever made, her life since 1981 had been shaped by that woman's soothsaying. The flame haired Gryffindor had always thought the whole subject of divination was wishy-washy at best. Harry was so like her in many ways, he thought divination was akin to religion, the weak, the foolish and the desperate clung to the false promises and the hope of a better future without working for it. Lily's own father had been a life long atheist and had held no crock with religious nonsense.
Albus had never spoken of the full reason for Harry's importance to the war, only that he was destined to destroy Voldemort and that he had to grow up to be prepared for that roll. Snape's change of heart at the end of the first war had nothing to so with a great personality change or a horror at what he had become. These revelations made all his motivations suspect. The Dark Lord had spared her on Snape's pleading. The fact she was alive meant Snape was a loyal Deatheater, he was the spy within the Order. He probably was the reason Albus had died and had done everything in his power to give Harry no reason to bond with the wizarding world. Harry had grown up muggle, had been happier with Petunia despite her husband's hatred of all things magical. Tuney's attitude to Harry had totally changed when she realised her sister was still alive and had abandoned her child. Petunia had always had a deep seated inferiority complex until Lily had proved to be a failure as a mother and care giver. Petunia had softened to the boy despite his freakishness, she had used the knowledge that Harry was unhappy in his new home with Severus and Lily, that she had manipulated Harry into feeling accepted at last, not in his true home, the wizarding world but with muggles or as Harry called them, normal people not freaks. It made so much sense that Harry had only befriended Neville Longbottom for the boy to pass his responsibilities into capable hands. All Harry would have to do to leave everything in England far behind was to in the future, adopt Neville's son to be his heir.
Lily then reread the whole article. It was carefully worded to sow doubts about Snape in both camps as a double agent, Snape was both a loyal Deatheater and Order member. It insinuated he was a traitor to Voldemort. It put Snape in danger of both parties, Albus was no longer here to vouch for his spy, the Ministry could arrest him at any moment as he had been convicted as a Deatheater in 1981 but had been set free on Albus's personal commendation. More worryingly, she knew many of the Inner Circle doubted Snape for his close relationship with Dumbledore, his success as a double agent and worst of all his mudblood wife. The Dark Lord had no truck with traitors. Poor Regulus Black had suffered a horrible fate, consumed by inferi, for his change of heart.
Lily had a choice to make, to stand by her husband in these dark times, or to stand up for herself and her daughters. She then stood up straight and knew she was safe here, the house unplottable, the estate had layers of wards. She would cast the fidelis and if the worst came to the worst and home school her girls. She could go muggle for food and necessities. She would empty her vault and get the 100 galleons a month transferred into a muggle bank account, she could easily live off this income. Today she would take both girls to Knockturn for non-Ministry approved wands. It was illegal but now she had to protect her family as she could not trust her husband. First she would write and apologise to Harry for all her failures. She knew he would never forgive her her faults, but love makes you blind, and she was certainly blind to Severus' faults. She would explain she was leaving the wizarding world to protect her girls. Lily knew it was days if not hours before the Ministry fell. There was no prophesied saviour to miraculously save the day. The whole world had bought the fact a baby had stopped Voldemort once. That baby was likely to have been saved not by his own power but a quirk of accidental magic. Harry had been shaped as a victim his entire life, not a hero. A child always seeking out love and acceptance the one thing she had failed to provide. Tears stung her eyes and she brushed them away in anger for being a fool. Snape loved her, but it was not real love, it was controlling and on his terms. He had her as a possession, a spoil of war. Now, she was cast as Helen and Troy was about to fall.
"Rosie, Philly, come downstairs now!" Lily commanded. She was normally soft spoken and easy going. Now she had to be a she-wolf. The girls came downstairs still in their pajamas. It was just 8am. Poor Philly had got up at six to cook for the first time, Lily's attempt at helping had been more of a hindrance. Lily looked at the lumpy porridge and sighed. "Dress in your oldest robes and wear your hooded cloaks, we are going to Gringotts and then shopping. You are both to stay very close to me. Do not ask questions, do not wander off and do not talk to strangers."
"What about breakfast mama?" asked Philly, eying the inedible mess on the dining room table.
Lily thought on it, "I have enough muggle money for McDonald's in London." Lily could go to night-classes and learn to cook. Then again, there was no need to eat a diet of approved proper meals. Muggle supermarkets offered a wealth of easy cook options, snacks and ready-made food. Four miles away was a Tesco's, the Coop was within walking distance. All the easier with feather light bags, apparition and notice-me-not charms.
She would plan, then they would hide. She had denied her heritage for too long. Her girl's had grown up in isolation, trapped in this house. Lily, after the failures in 1981, would trust no one in this world. Harry would know her plan and could seek her and his half sister's out, if he wanted. He would be the only one who could as the Lord of the Estate. Maisie would always be able to enter the house, even if Harry could not find it. She had a sense of foreboding at going into hiding a second time. She would be a widow once more.