Within Dumbledore's office, Severus watched with a mild disinterest as Mulciber made all manner of excuses and lies to defend himself after the Veritaserum had worn off. The memory which Snape had provided (albeit with the Headmaster's assistance to actually pull the memory out) had been ironclad in proving his classmate's guilt, and no threats of retaliation from his father and the board of governors could save Mulciber from his punishment.
Immediate expulsion from Hogwarts and an expedited trial to be heard before the Wizenagamot which would likely result in Mulciber's sentencing to Azkaban. Underage students were rarely, if ever, exempt from the consequences of using an Unforgivable Curse.
As he was escorted out of Dumbledore's office with a Ministry official, Mulciber shot back a venomous glare in Severus' direction which was returned with a thin smirk. There wasn't much to fear from the future Death Eater, not this time.
In a future that Severus remembered quite well, Mulciber had become so proficient with the Imperius Curse that he was able to perform it upon several noteworthy Aurors and employees within the Ministry. As powerful and absolute as control from the curse had often proven, it was rarer still to have a single dark wizard able to control multiple people of influence at the same time. As horrific as the violation had been against Mary, she had merely been a stepping stone to practice using the Unforgivable Curse and use it against much more strategic and influential targets further down the road.
A future which would no longer be. The Dark Lord now had one less tool at his disposal, and that alone was cause for Severus to breathe a sigh of relief…or at least it would have been, had he not overplayed his hand and revealed himself in front of a much more dangerous individual like Evan Rosier. As talented in the Dark Arts as Mulciber would later become, Rosier was every bit his equal with the Imperius Curse, and more alarmingly, quite adept at the Cruciatus Curse. Such a thing was hardly surprising however, when one considered that he was quite close with his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, arguably the most dangerous and notorious of all the Dark Lord's followers.
Much like the mythical hydra, removing one Death Eater would simply cause two more to take its place within the power vacuum. There were dozens of names of concern, both presently and those yet to come, faithfully kneeling and pledging their allegiance to Lily's future murderer. All would have to be dealt with carefully in order to ensure a world where she could continue to live.
"A knut for your thoughts, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice pierced through the veil of plotting within his mind. "I certainly hope you aren't berating yourself for your uncharacteristic act of Gryffindor bravado. What you've done today…well, let's just say that it's certainly opened many eyes."
Severus bit his lower lip, irritated by Dumbledore's words before shaking his head. "All I did was remove a pawn from the Dark Lord's chess board before it got promoted into a more dangerous piece. Nothing at all Gryffindor about it."
"While I applaud your metaphor and would love to challenge you to a game of Wizard's Chess sometime, Severus…if that were the case, you would surely have gone about it in a way that the entire Great Hall had not noticed your actions. At the very least, I'd believe that a master of subterfuge like you could have managed to think half a dozen moves ahead and allow your opponent to trap himself." Dumbledore added with a knowing grin, further adding to Severus' ire. "Was there…perhaps someone in particular you were wanting to notice?"
"Think what you like, Albus. I acted as I did to dissuade any temptation you might have to force me to act as a spy in this life as you did my previous one."
"I'll not be forcing anything upon you in this life, Severus. Of that, you have my word." Dumbledore grinned, gazing at the younger wizard over the rim of his half-moon spectacles. "This is your life and your world to make with as you please. However, please understand this; I doubt very seriously that you will have yet another second chance. If your goal is the destruction of Lord Voldemort-"
Severus winced slightly at the mention of the Dark Lord's name, drawing a dimly raised eyebrow from the Headmaster.
"-Your first priority should be to get over that reaction to a name. Understand that despite all of his dark magic and secrets we've yet to uncover, he is just a man. Shortly after that, you must be careful. Just because you were able light the fireplace in your bedroom and can cast a Patronus Charm, you're still going to have to get used to the unusual circumstances of how your magic now works. It is going to take a tremendous amount of training for your skills as a wizard to match what they were in your prime. You need to be ready in the event you face an enemy. Don't think I missed the memory of you dueling both Minerva and Filius at the same time. Quite a feat, no matter how brief, to walk away from such a conflict."
Severus' head tilted downward, showing a hint of shame at Dumbledore's praise. It wasn't a happy or proud moment, and amidst the chaos, he'd had little time to think about the final day of his previous life. It was a battle against trusted colleagues and acquaintances that he was desperately trying not to injure on his way to making an escape. He couldn't afford for them to be hurt and jeopardize the victory in the battle to come, nor could he afford to be killed in the ensuing madness by foes who were absent from the mercy he possessed on that night.
As good as he had been at spying on one side while secretly fighting for the other, his year as Headmaster of Hogwarts had been more trying than anything he'd faced following Lily's death. The only allies he could bring down the suffocating veil of deception for were all dead and hung on the walls of the Headmaster's Office as portraits. The rest of the world, both dark and light, likely celebrated his demise in the Shrieking Shack.
"Chin up." Dumbledore interrupted the maelstrom within his thoughts once again. "I have faith in your determination to see your goals through. The school year is nearly over, so for now you should focus on the inevitably glowing marks you'll receive on your second week of O.W.L.s. It's certainly fortunate that all of the spellcasting classes are already behind you and all that remains is the more classroom-based exams. Practice your spellcasting when you can during the summer holiday. I have a feeling you're going to need it when your sixth year starts." he added with a wry smile.
"Meaning..?" Severus groaned. He often loathed that mischievous little grin that Dumbledore would sometimes wear. It signaled plotting that would put Salazar Slytherin to shame.
"I have a plan for next year to help accelerate your growth as a wizard. Something inspired by those memories you gave to me. It reminded me that so many of us experience our most rapid growth in times of hardship and pressure as young Harry Potter did in his time at Hogwarts. Some may wilt…while others will rise to the challenge. I believe you would be the latter sort of individual, and my intuition has rarely ever failed me here in my older years."
Severus' eye contact with the Headmaster lowered in defeat, unwilling to ask further questions. It was a lesson he had learned about the older wizard many years ago. Dumbledore was always one to play his cards extremely close to the chest, and when he spoke vaguely, no amount of pressing was ever going to bear fruit. At this point, all he could do was trust in the judgment of his ally.
"There was one more thing I wished to discuss with you regarding the memories you shared with me. I apologize if the subject may be rather touchy, given that the last time I personally spoke with you about Remus Lupin was following your childhood incident in the Shrieking Shack. I know that from your standpoint, the incident occurred decades ago, but for me, it was just last year.."
"...Time does not lessen the memory of nearly being mauled by a dangerous magical creature that you allowed into Hogwarts, Albus. The stench of its breath, the chills of its howl. Choose your next words carefully." It was clear from Snape's voice that he had an inkling of what was coming, and he made no attempts to hide his disdain.
"There was a curious potion that I have no knowledge of, so I'm certain it has yet to be invented. That being said, I'm sure you'll agree that-"
"The answer is no." Snape immediately spat with a glare. "I am not going to lift a finger to help one of James Potter's motley crew, nor do I have any interest in stealing the crowning achievement of Damocles Belby for inventing the Wolfsbane Potion. Lupin can wait for that potion to be invented in five years just like every other werewolf in the world."
"That's a rather cold way of looking at the request, Severus. Think of all the innocent lives that will be relieved thanks to the invention of that potion. All of the future potential victims of lycanthropy who might be able to live a normal life by inventing it early."
"I didn't come back to this era to save the whole bloody wizarding world, Albus. I have enough to deal with just to ensure Lily's survival if I am to help you in dispatching the Dark L…" He paused, hesitating before correcting himself. "In dispatching Voldemort."
Dumbledore's smile returned, a twinkle of pride in his eyes as he nodded in approval of speaking their mutual enemy's name. "Ah, but there lies a potential for hitting two Bludgers with one Beater's bat, isn't there? There are many werewolves that will join the cause of Voldemort because of the oppression they've faced in their lives, and his empty promises of change echo not just into the ears of impressionable young witches and wizards like yourself, but also into the aching hearts of people who wish to live a normal and mundane life. By inventing that potion early, you stand to potentially cut his dark forces in half. A similar goal to what you accomplished today in implicating young Mr. Mulciber, isn't it?"
Severus remained silent. He couldn't deny that such a tactical move might dissuade the more peaceful people infected by the disease from taking part in Voldemort's uprising and near-toppling of the wizarding government. There were hundreds, if not thousands of werewolves like Lupin who did not share Fenrir Greyback's thirst for blood, but also did not share the company of loyal friends who would keep him on the right path.
Regardless…Severus also felt revulsion in the notion of taking credit for another's hard work, and doubly so for helping to assist a close friend of James Potter.
"I'll consider it. If nothing else, I suppose I could send an anonymous tip to Damocles Belby in order to get the potion invented early, but there is still the matter of widespread distribution. It's an incredibly expensive potion to make, both in time and the money for its ingredients."
The conversation was interrupted by a soft tapping from a window overlooking the magnificent view of the courtyard below. Both wizards looked to see the large, amber eyes of an eagle owl perched near the glass, trying to get in. The owl had a thin envelope clutched within its beak.
"Dear me…is that Hesperia?" the Headmaster asked in delight as he approached the window to let the owl in for its delivery. "I'm surprised to see the owl of the Bones family making a personal delivery. Here you are, for the long journey." he graciously bowed his head at the magnificent owl, offering a handful of crushed biscuit for the delivery which the bird eagerly accepted before flying off into the evening sky.
"Bones?" Severus asked curiously. "Would that owl happen to belong to Edgar Bones, by chance?"
Edgar Bones had been a name of notoriety within the Death Eaters during the brief period before Severus changed sides. The man was an exceptionally skilled Auror who even Alastor Moody gave great respect to. It wasn't until Voldemort himself struck down Edgar Bones and his family that the stifled momentum of the Death Eaters finally vanished and the First Wizarding War had reached its darkest point. By this point in history, Bones was likely already a thorn in the side of the dark wizard.
"It would. Edgar and his wife Mildred have been exceptional allies and close friends of mine. He was perhaps the most gifted child to come out of Gryffindor House during my tenure as Headmaster." Dumbledore beamed with pride. His blue eyes scanned the parchment swiftly before his expression sank.
"It's a letter from Mildred. Edgar's…gone missing. It says in this letter that four days ago, he was sent to investigate a disturbance in the Department of Mysteries and hasn't been seen nor heard from since. Curious and most unsettling…"
"If a body hasn't been found, I'm sure he's alright." Severus said with a shrug. "Bones wasn't killed until 1981." He paused with a sigh. "Along with Lily...He's got another five years to make life hell for the Dark Lord, hopefully far more than that if we're successful."
"That may be true, but if Mildred sent me this letter, she surely is asking for my help to locate her husband. I don't want to act any differently than I would have without your influence when it comes to protecting the life of a friend and ally."
Snape remained silent. That line of reasoning made sense. The letter most likely would have come to Dumbledore in his original lifetime, so if the Headmaster needed to perform a rescue mission to save Edgar Bones' life, that would have to continue unimpeded.
"Will you be going tonight?" Severus asked suddenly, watching the urgent manner he began writing a letter addressed to Professor McGonagall. No-doubt it was a hasty note to the Deputy Headmistress to explain his absence and pawn his responsibilities onto her for however long this search for Edgar Bones was going to take.
"Forgive me this sudden departure, Severus. Our conversation will have to continue another day. If I am not done before you depart for the holidays, I hope you have an enjoyable and educational vacation."
"Alright. I'll leave you to it. Good luck, Albus." Severus announced before departing down the staircase leading out of the Headmaster's Office. In the recesses of his mind, a stray thought danced amidst the haze of forgotten, mundane details of decades past…Dumbledore had never left the school on any kind of business during his fifth year…
As he passed by the gargoyle statue guarding the Headmaster's Office, Snape noticed the statue seemingly taking a nervous breath, its stone eyes following his every move.
"Come off it. I apologized already. Surely being obliterated by a Blasting Curse isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to you."
"Certainly not. I guarded this stairwell during the reign of Phineas Nigellus Black, may he rot in peace along with his repugnant hair tonic." The enchanted statue quipped. "But you are the second worst thing. So if you'll kindly be on your way; I've no interest in being blown to bits again."
A familiar giggle startled Severus, swiftly turning his back in surprise to see Lily standing against the wall with a radiant grin. "You know…in all five of my years attending Hogwarts, I've never heard that gargoyle speak. I suppose you left an impression on it, Sev. You've made a bit of a habit of doing that today, haven't you?"
"Merlin…that smile." he thought briefly before cursing his juvenile reaction to seeing her. For the first time, that blasted ticking of the school's clock tower proved useful in helping to steel himself in the presence of the love of his life.
"You waited here for me?" he asked, completely ignoring her accusation that was so annoyingly similar to Albus' regarding his so-called Gryffindor bravado. There was no greater insult to a proud Slytherin wizard like Severus than to be compared to the loud, bombastic house of lions. Even so, hearing it from Lily's honeyed voice was so much more pleasant than it was from Dumbledore's.
"Of course I did, silly! And you made me wait forever. It feels like I've been standing here for a whole year." she huffed in mock annoyance, but never lost her smile. Clearly the small inconvenience was nothing to her when compared to his actions today.
Nonetheless, Severus decided to answer her joke seriously. "You'll have to forgive me for that. The Headmaster and I had a lot to discuss even after Mulciber's expulsion."
"Oh? What did you two talk about?" she asked curiously.
"We had a lot to discuss." Severus repeated, stonewalling the redheaded witch.
"Confiding in Dumbledore but not your best friend?" Lily asked with a tilt of her head. "Sev, what is it?"
A pit formed in Snape's stomach at not being able to be truthful with Lily. He couldn't bring himself to lie to her, but he also could not bear to tell her the truth like he had to Dumbledore. Her reaction to his past decision to join the Death Eaters…it might as well have blasted their friendship to bits like the gargoyle behind them, but this time, completely unable to be made whole again.
Even though his goal in this life was purely to ensure Lily's survival, he couldn't bear to face that possibility. That memory of their final encounter at the Fat Lady's portrait had been too deep a wound for him to ever repeat. She could never know about his rebirth, nor the horrible person he had been in his previous life.
"This isn't the time nor the place, Lily." Severus insisted before attempting to change the topic. "Why did you wait for me for so long? You must have missed dinner."
Lily remained silent, her green eyes searching Severus for some kind of clue before leaning back against the wall. "I wanted to tell you how proud I was of what you did today. Potter and Black took the secret passage to Honeydukes and returned to the Gryffindor common room with bags full of sweets and three kegs of Butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks. It's quite the party going on inside."
"I'm glad Mary's vindication has been met with the appropriate Gryffindor response."
"Did you…want to come?" Lily asked, nervously pushing a few stray bangs of her loose, copper hair to the side. "I can let you in with the password, and I'm sure everyone would be alright with you showing up, given everything that happened. It's thanks to you that Mary got her justice."
"A snake in the Lion's Den." Severus thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Thank you, but no. I'm not keen on listening to Potter and Black half-drunk on Butterbeer and singing more maddeningly than a Fwooper. More importantly, I didn't do that for any kind of recognition, Lily."
"Then why did you do it?" she asked, those ever-present green eyes continuing to search his own with a glimmer. "Hardly a Slytherin thing to do without some ulterior motive."
"To remove one obstacle in my quest to keep you safe this time." he thought.
"Because it was the right thing to do." he answered out loud.
That answer had clearly made Lily happy as her grin widened before pulling Severus in for an abrupt hug.
"I'm sorry there was ever a time I feared that you wouldn't know what the right thing was anymore. Thank you, Sev." she whispered.
As she pulled back, however, there was something else in Lily's eyes. And if Severus knew Lily as much as he thought he did, he knew what that emotion was. Pain.
"That being said...Mary helped me realize some things today. It's one of the reasons that I came up to meet you. We need to talk...about your feelings for me."
Author's Note: Boy, Lily. You weren't lying about waiting a year, were you? I apologize to everyone that I kept waiting regarding this update. I have this nasty habit where I go all-in on something until I burn myself out, which is sadly what happened during the previous chapter of Viridi. Nonetheless! I have not, nor will I ever consider abandoning this story! It just might go on hiatus from time to time when I overdo it and need a serious break.
Regardless, I am back and going to push forward with the story until I can push no more. I'm fresh off an entertaining Slytherin playthrough of the new Hogwarts Legacy game and thought there was no time like the present to dust the story off and continue. I'm also in the midst of writing a road map of general plot points for Viridi, so that even if I take a break like this again, I'll have a document to refer to for every major plot point I want to explore. One such major plot point is the sudden disappearance of one Edgar Bones. What does this mean, I wonder? And what might unfold? Will Lily and Severus EVER complete their bloody O.W.L.s and move on to their summers? Hard telling, but we'll find out!
As always, thank you for any and all reviews, both past and those to come. Feedback really is the glue to keep a writer going, and I read and appreciate every one of them!