The door of the comfortable room opens. A young man enters. He is dressed simply, in well-worn shorts and a t-shirt. He hesitates a moment; his coal-black eyes scanning the area.

"Well." he starts, then pauses. "This is a bit weird. Maybe I should have let Dom come with me." He frowns. "But this is more connected to me than to her. No matter how nervous I am. And including Atticus and Louisa would have been overkill. Probably."

He looks around, then flops into a convenient chair. He pushes the dark, wavy hair from his face, then says, "Well. The Jokesters told me you'd already been given the spiel from them. MuggleCreator was just going to let you all figure this chapter out for yourself, but thanks to Dom she reconsidered. This chapter – and everything related to it – is inspired by a group of 'fanfiction authors' who kept MuggleCreator entertained whilst she was on her study leave. In particular, the thread is based on one known as besemperadreamer, who wrote a very brilliant one-shot called, I'm coming with you." he clears his throat, "This chapter, et cetera, is not exactly the same as that fic. But several elements have been used…. Namely, how Mum saved Dad from dying after – or during? – the Battle of Hogwarts. Also how they escaped – hence the title; and of course the bottle of memories…"

The young man stands and stretches his stocky build. "And now I've let that kneazle out of its box…." he adds quietly, smiling, "I'll let you get on with reading." He leaves the room via the same door he came in.
_

Aurora Sinistra ran. Past the sound of cheers coming from the Great Hall, out through the open doors of the castle, across the grass. She skidded to a stop before the Whomping Willow. He'd been headed there when he'd met her, she knew; after all, she'd overheard "Lucifer" Malfoy tell Severus of the summons.

And then the foolish man just had to go and Stun me, when I tried to insist upon going with him! She thought crossly. Never mind the fact that she'd been preparing for this day for months…. Hastily, she patted her pocket, checking she had what would be needed – if she was right. She snatched at a branch on the ground, levitating it so that it touched the particular knot on the trunk.

She scuttled inside, through the tunnel, and out the other side.

There. Severus was spread-eagled on his back, blood trickling sluggishly from two puncture wounds in his neck. Thank Merlin, I was right. When planning this, Aurora had hoped – desperately – that The Bastard's love of theatrics would cause him to use something other than the Killing Curse to finish Severus. But all the plans in the world would be useless if Severus was already gone.

Aurora dropped to her knees, flicking her wand, and thanked Merlin again; this time, for her love's quick-thinking. He had placed himself under a Stasis Spell. The pulse was steady, but slow. Oh so slow. She plunged her hand into her pocket and withdrew a small, rounded, kidney-shaped stone, which shone with pearly tears. Fawkes' gift; after all, to give credit where it was due, the plan had been partially the Headmaster's.

Carefully, Aurora opened Severus' mouth and shoved the stone in, so it slid down. Then, with shaking fingers undid the stasis spell.

"Come on, my love," she whispered, "Please."

#

In On, most had turned away towards celebrations that were beginning, in the Great Hall and elsewhere. Severus, however, stood near the Lake still. As he watched, the Lake rippled and his breath caught in his throat. His extremities tingled suddenly, and he recalled a fact that he had been trying to push aside since his arrival. When he had been attacked, he had begun a stasis spell, so that, if Potter came, he could give the message to him. Or something like that. After all, he had (he admitted to himself) been a little desperate; the mission had nearly failed.

Then Potter had come, and he had focused on giving the details rather than worrying about preservation. When he had come – here – he had resigned himself to the fact that the spell must not have had enough time to work. Then he had promptly pushed it from his mind, to focus on other things. Now, however…

He looked into the Lake. It was rather unnerving looking at one's own body; but what made it even more so was that Aurora was there, seemingly attempting to save him. He recalled her last words to him. Hopefully, this wouldn't break her heart too much. But oh, why couldn't she see it was useless to try?

A voice beside him made him start. "Who is she, Sev?" Lily.
Severus glanced at her, then continued staring. "Aurora Sinistra. I…a colleague of mine. And…" he swallowed, "A very good friend."

Lily tipped her head to one side. "Is she trying to save you?"
Severus found himself telling her about the Stasis Spell. "But it didn't work. It can't have."
Lily scrutinised him. "Are you sure?" she asked.
Severus whirled around, his patience wearing thin. He was about to snap a retort when he saw Potter Senior – James – and Ted Tonks, deep in conversation. A strange shudder ran through him. For a few seconds, he could almost hear Aurora…

Severus swallowed again. "But how…?" he whispered, "I… I'm here, and…"
Another voice cut in. "And if anyone deserves a second chance, it's you, Severus."
Dumbledore. Severus turned, oh so slowly, and regarded him. The blue eyes twinkled, but there was an odd emotion in their depths that Severus, for a moment, could not fathom. Then he realised; the Headmaster felt guilty. As well he should, a voice said snidely within him.

Severus shook off the voice. A second chance? After everything he did? He regarded his feet for a moment, then heard Aurora again. "Severus…."

It was a whisper. Severus regarded the Lake, and realised; she's nearly given up. And suddenly, Severus didn't want her to. He didn't want to be the one to break her. She was strong, but…if he stayed here, in this strange familiar-unfamiliar place, he would never forgive himself.

He looked up. For one moment, he regarded Lily and Dumbledore, who smiled at him; smiles tinged with regret, guilt and hope. Then he stepped forward, so the water touched him.

"Goodbye."

#

Aurora had been pleading with the still form of her love for what felt like hours; though it could only be minutes. She had chanted spells to help with breathing, to ease pain, to stop bleeding. Suddenly, he gave a gasp, sucking much-needed air into his lungs, and she smiled.

It was a tired smile; a relieved smile.
But a smile all the same.

As she gazed upon him, his eyes fluttered open. He could not speak, but their eyes met. And the words she saw there were all she needed.

After a moment, Aurora broke the connection and looked around. The sun was rising ever-higher in the sky; Severus needed to get to safety. Somehow.
Good thing the plan had been thought through to the end. She pulled the Portkey from her pocket (she was no good at Side-Along, especially with an injured person) and activated it. They rematerialised at her small cottage, where she spent her summers. Aurora made Severus comfortable in the bed. She hesitated, then drew up a chair next to it. She would not be missed back at Hogwarts, and she doubted that anyone would think to go to the Shack to "retrieve the body" for some hours yet; they would still be focused on celebrating.

She looked down on the face of her lover as he drifted into a healing sleep, and reflected on the events that had brought her – brought them – to this point.

Aurora had started as a teacher at Hogwarts only a few years after Severus. They – along with Charity Burbage, poor woman – had been thrown together often due to their familiar ages. After all, the rest of the staff were at least thirty or forty years older than them. As the years had passed, friendship – of a sort – had grown between them. Aurora had come to care for Severus; at the time, she had thought it right that he seemed to fill the spot left in her life by her idiotic, absent brother.

Then Harry Potter had started Hogwarts (at last), bringing change of a different sort. As each year had passed, Aurora had weathered Severus' tempers and grumblings, buffeting him against suspicion from others on occasion and lending an ear for him to "chew off" when necessary.

When Lord Voldemort (or as she preferred to call him, the Dark Bastard) had risen again, she had endured Severus' silence for some weeks before confronting him. She had reminded him that keeping things to oneself could only lead to damage later down the track, and as she had had no desire to see him suddenly collapse from exhaustion or blow up unnecessarily at students, she had suggested he tell her those things he wished to keep hidden. After all, she had her own way of concealing memories of such conversations.

After a few days, he had agreed. So a pattern had been established. Each time he returned from the Death Eaters, after reporting to the Headmaster, he would come to her and talk himself hoarse, purging himself of the things he had seen and heard and done that particular meeting.

Aurora had at first only offered her ears. During term – when he came to her to rant about Umbridge (aka Madam Toady) as well – she had begun to offer her touch. At first it was only a hand on his shoulder or arm, or the light brush of knee against knee. Completely innocent. However, as the weeks progressed the gestures were offered more freely; some were reciprocated, and so began to have a touch of intimacy. She privately began to look at Severus in a less than sibling-like way. Though she chided herself for such notions, dismissing them as pure fancy. Then, sometime after Christmas – in the interlude between Arthur Weasley's attack and the mass breakout of Azkaban – Aurora had kissed him in response to his pain.

Remembering this now, Aurora smiled slightly. She hadn't quite meant to do so, but none of the other – techniques – had worked on that occasion. When the idea had flitted into her head, she had acted on it without much thought – always a mistake with Severus.

He had reacted strongly in shock. After a somewhat awkward silence, Aurora had taken the initiative and suggested that their – arrangement – should be changed slightly. He had, after some consideration, agreed. And so, the situation had progressed. Instead of merely being friends, they had added...benefits, if and when required. After all, they were at war, no matter what the Ministry claimed.

Things carried on in such a fashion for some months. In August 1996, Severus had attempted to pull back and withdraw into himself again. Aurora had convinced him otherwise, though she felt he still held back on some fronts. Then, in October, she had had a meeting with the Headmaster that had revealed all.

When Severus had been forced to complete his – task – and flee, she had waited, then stood by him during the awful year that followed. A year that was now coming to a close.

She had realised that she loved him, in the days after the Headmaster's death. But it had taken a final battle for her to reveal it, given what she knew about his past. Now, she hoped that, once he had recovered, things could...change...once more. Perhaps.

She started suddenly. First, however, she had a task to do. She had spent enough time reminiscing. Aurora adjusted the monitoring charms on Severus' body, then bent and kissed his brow softly, reassuring him that she would be back soon. After a moment's thought, she took his wand and left hers. Then she Disapparated back to the Shack.

Now, how to get rid of the evidence?

After a moment, she smiled.

She used his wand to create hurried footsteps, coming to a halt with a turn resembling Apparation. Then she pointed it at the Shack itself. "Incendio," she whispered, aiming through a window so it would burn from the inside out.
Then she Disapparated away.

There! What did you think of that?
Another shout-out I'd like to give is to Lady Lanera, who was a great help also.