The Prince's Haven

When Lily entered the Great Hall she saw that Sev was already in his place. She sat down in her usual place greeting her classmates and immediately turned to him. He was staring at her, as he hadn't in almost a month, and she responded to his message by affirming. He repeated her gesture to let her know that he had understood her and returned to his plate, not looking back at her throughout lunch. What said, they were able to tell each other everything with simple gestures and looks.

On Friday afternoon she went to the entrance hall. There were students coming and going, and to pretend, she sat at the foot of the stairs, as if waiting for someone. 'Like I'm actually doing.' Meanwhile she took quick glances from time to time in the direction of the corridor that led to the dungeons.

She soon saw him coming, he was heading towards her looking at her, and as he passed by her side, without stopping, he showed her his open hand at the height of his chest heading up the stairs.

'Fifth floor,' Lily thought, and she waited half a minute to follow him. Along the way she met some happy students for the beginning of the weekend.

When she reached the last flight she saw him on the landing waiting for her. He pointed straight ahead and turned to continue walking, out of sight. When she reached the last few steps, he was already halfway down the corridor, where windows opened to the left, pointing to the right with his arm extended diagonally downward. 'Like to ride a Muggle bike.'

A couple of Hufflepuffs holding hands passed Sev at that moment, he slowed his strides to let them pass by so they wouldn't see where he was turning. Before he disappeared, he turned to Lily to check that she was following him.

She crossed paths in turn with the enamored badgers, feeling a certain envy. That part of the castle seemed to be much less crowded, she didn't remember ever having a class on that floor, that's why it was surely a refuge from prying eyes.

When she reached the corner where Sev had disappeared, 'second corridor,' this one also lit by windows but to the right, she saw him standing closer to her looking towards her, and immediately disappearing to the left. She followed him down the dim corridor, enclosed by walls without doors or windows on either side. She watched his wand light up as he reached the end and she drew her own to light it as well.

As soon as she did, Sev's light disappeared to the right. Arriving at the place and turning around she saw his Lumos walking away down a much longer and totally dark narrow corridor. All the way through, every time she took a new direction, Lily looked back to see if anyone was following them.

She continued the path that Sev marked out for her. In the light of her wand she could see massive doors on either side flanked by armor. He stopped with a Nox and waited for her to come to his side. When he came into view he didn't even greet her.

She saw him make a pass and he said, "I've done a Muffliato, turn off the Lumos so we can talk."

"Nox," she said, and her wand went out.

"Normally I come in the dark," Sev continued. "You'll have to get used to doing it like this. Have you learned the way?"

"It's not that difficult, you know I have a good memory."

"l'll make you a plan anyway," and urgently, "I still don't know if we'll be sure, I have to check a few things. Shine a light on that wall," grabbing her wand hand, pointing to the left as they'd come down the corridor.

Lily turned on her wand.

"What do you see?" he asked her.

"A door and armor on the left."

"Well, well. Now, open the door and see what's inside."

Lily did, it was an abandoned classroom, with dusty desks and lit by three tall windows on the wall opposite the door. She closed it again and stood next to Sev again, telling him what she had seen.

"Full of desks?" he asked her. "In their place or against the wall?" he asked.

"No, well placed." Lily didn't understand anything. "Can you explain to me what we're doing, Sev?"

"Perfect. Have a little patience, I'll explain later. And now don't be scared, if you see me disappear everything is fine, I'll be right back."

Sev took a step toward the door and disappeared before her eyes. Had he been disillusioned? She hadn't seen him make any passes. Could he apparate from inside the school? How? She waited patiently, it took him half a minute to reappear next to her.

"You vanished… how did you do it?"

"Good. Have you seen my Lumos?"

"No."

"And have you heard me speak to you?"

"Either."

"Great!" he shouted in a low voice. "Go by the door."

Lily did so, Sev took a step toward her and disappeared again. Why didn't he explain to her what he was doing? Another scant half minute later she saw him appear, taking a step into the center of the corridor.

"And now? Have you seen or heard anything?"

"No."

"And did you feel me touch you?"

"No. What's up Sev? Why don't you explain anything to me?"

"Wait… everything is going great, come here."

Lily took the step that separated her from him and Sev took her by the hand and led her to the door in front of them, cornering her in the gap behind the armor. Sev made a pass around them that Lily identified as a disillusioner, and then the Muffliato again.

Lily thought for a moment, 'I wish,' that it had all been a trick to kiss her, but he told her, "Now they can no longer see or hear us, how little patience you have."

"You could have explained everything to me before doing it."

"Then the element of surprise would fail. Let's see, do you know what a Fidelius is?"

"No."

"It is a charm that threatened families often use to hide their houses, but I did not know that it could also work with any closed space. I just verified that it does." His tone became more serious, "You must understand that this is my haven, and I'm only going to entrust it to you. Although you will not be able to reveal it to anyone else, since only I, who am the Secret's Keeper, can do it, you must not tell anyone, I repeat, anyone, where it is, because they could follow us and discover us coming or going."

"I would never do it, Sev."

She tried to sound convincing but she didn't seem to have succeeded. She was remembering all the things she had told Remus, regretting it, but she wouldn't tell him this.

"Do you understand the importance of this?" he asked a little upset. "Can I trust you?"

Lily brought the Lumos close to her face so that Sev could look into her eyes. He was very serious and was scrutinizing her intently with a shadow of menace in his black gaze, she put all her will into transmitting loyalty to him.

"You can trust me, Sev, I won't let you down," she told him gravely, with absolute conviction.

He continued to penetrate her with the black wells for a few long seconds more, and little by little his threatening expression disappeared.

"Okay," he finally said dryly, and authoritatively, "Memorize what I'm going to tell you. 'The Half-Blood Prince's Secret Haven is located in classroom four of the east corridor, fifth floor of Hogwarts castle.'"

Lily was delighted that he used the nickname she had invented for him for something that he considered so important.

"You got it?" he asked.

"Yes, yes."

He led her by the hand to the center of the corridor. "We're back in the open, so hurry up," he whispered. "Point the Lumos at the door," pointing to the classroom she had entered before. "Mentally repeat what I told you."

Lily replayed the phrase in her mind and when she got to the last word she saw the wall split apart in the narrow space between the door and the armor, the former moving to the right, a long stretch of wall appearing in its place and at the end another identical door.

"Sev, the wall has moved and another door has appeared."

"Good!" in a low voice, with immense joy.

"Shut up, Sev, they can hear us."

"It's true, it's true," he whispered, dragging her by the hand towards the door that had just appeared. "Do you see me?"

"Yes…"

At first she didn't understand the question, but of course, they had done that before and he had disappeared.

"Perfect. Now you are also protected inside the Fidelius, they can no longer see you, hear you or bump into you," he spoke in a triumphant tone and without whispering. "The enchantment also covers the space where we are, I didn't know if it would work, it's what I was checking before, when I disappeared before you. From now on you will always see the door and you can enter whenever you want."

Lily was simply amazed. Was he never going to stop surprising her?

"Wait a bit," he said while making a complicated pass on the door handle. "I've been closing it with a spell that only I know in case it hadn't worked, but now that I know that only you and I see it, it won't be necessary anymore," opening the door before inviting her to enter, "Come in, Miss Evans, you are at home," parodying the style of a perfect gentleman, but to Lily he seemed so.

Lily entered the classroom turning off her Lumos and watched as Sev closed the door behind him. It was identical to the one she had seen before, medium in size, extending to the right from the door, which was in a corner. In the outer wall, opposite, there were three ogival windows with mullion, like almost all of the castle, through which the already declining afternoon light entered. In front of the wall to the right, in the background, stood a dais about two feet high. But it was not the same classroom, the desks and chairs were piled up against the two walls that flanked the door, leaving the rest of the space completely empty.

Sev had waited for her to speak, but she was so stunned…

"How about?" he finally asked her.

"It's not the same classroom as before…"

"Of course not, this one exists only for us," his tone denoted that he couldn't contain himself with joy.

Lily was amazed that Sev had managed to find and ward a space in the castle just for him, and even more so that he was sharing it with her. "It's great…"

"I made an appointment with you today because we finished classes earlier and I wanted you to see it with natural light, we will soon need the candles." He made his way to the opposite corner, leaping agilely onto the dais, and crouching before a piece of furniture about three feet high, making a simple pass, while he continued to explain. "Here I keep books and other things. If you want to put something in or take something out, open it with a simple Alohomora."

Sev had taken out four candlesticks, laying them on the small cabinet. "Light is a problem at night. I need to improve in Transfiguration, if a candle is completely consumed I am not able to summon it and I have to steal it again."

Lily had walked to the dais, standing in front of it. She glimpsed inside the cupboard, which Sev was already closing, several thick volumes and a folded green blanket, probably also stolen from the Slytherin dormitory, from which she deduced that he spent a long time there, perhaps even entire nights, sleeping on the floor with the blanket.

"Come on, sit down… or do you prefer a chair?"

"Not at all, no need." Lily sat shyly on the dais in the same place where she was.

Sev did it too, three feet from her, elbows on knees, hands clasped with wand still in them, as he continued to speak. Lily couldn't remember ever seeing him so talkative. "The truth is, it is not very comfortable, but as soon as I learn to summon I will improve it."

She thought she'd put effort into Transfiguration as well to help him.

"I should levitate all this junk to another classroom," pointing to the stacked tables and desks, "but Filch is around here at night and I didn't want to take a risk. I've done enough searching for the Room of Requirement all over the castle for months.

"The room of what?"

"Oh, of course… another Hogwarts secret. I discovered it in a book about the history of the school. It's supposed to be a space that appears when you need it and in the way you want it, but it didn't mention where it is or what you have to do to open it. But exploring the castle I found this place and well… I settled for it," shrugging. "At first I just closed it with a Fermio but I wasn't calm, so I invented the Muffliato and the one I've been using to close without anyone else being able to open. But the door was still visible and could be suspicious if someone tried to get in and couldn't. So I kept researching and discovered the Fidelius at the end of last year, but I kept using the other spells because I couldn't check if it had worked without having a witness, I should have brought you then." He stopped suddenly as if he had said too much.

This gave Lily time to think. 'At the end of last year' it was when he tried to kiss her. He had waited until he had a safe place for them to do it, and in the process he had learned so much useful magic, as with the plants. She felt flattered and inept at the same time, but Sev was already talking, "Well, here we are. It's getting dark and you haven't looked out, there's a beautiful sight," getting up and heading to the nearest window. "Come."

Sev peered through the leaded glass to the right of the mullion, palms flat on the sill, Lily standing to his left.

The castle wall, facing east to the opposite side of the Black Lake, dropped sheer to a cliff some three hundred feet, at the foot of which ran a stream. Awesome. Across the stream lay gentle hills and high mountains in the distance.

"Do you like it?" he asked her.

"Very much," she answered. She at once placed her palm on his hand and turned to look at him. Sev continued in silence, not moving a muscle, except when he looked up at the almost dark blue sky, Lily followed suit. A planet was already visible.

"Jupiter…" his tone became intimate, and Lily again turned her eyes towards him. "In the mornings you see the sunrise and the moon rise… Did you know that in November there is a total eclipse? I'm not sure if it will be visible from here though."

He turned his head towards her and their eyes met at last. She thought she saw questioning in them, and also nostalgia.

He took a deep breath. "I'm going to light the candles," a little sad, slowly pulling his hand out from under Lily's. He headed for the dais, climbing up, and Lily stood below, closer than she had been before, waiting for Sev to sit down first so she could sit next to him. But he made it two feet from the wall and left two candlesticks on the other side of him, cutting off any possibility of approach.

"Two will reach us," he kept talking very sweetly. "But… what are you doing there? Sit down, or are you not comfortable? I have a blanket if the ground is hard. Are you cold?"

"No, no, I'm fine…" remembering the last time she complained about the cold, she got him to hug her. She just sat down.

"Well... I think I got too excited telling you everything and that's not what we came for," he smiled at her. "What a disappointment in Potions!" laughing. "This Slughorn is already dopey, he doesn't notice anything. Honestly, I should have prepared a better excuse but I didn't think of it. What do you think we do?"

"Nothing, Sev, stop giving me notes, it's very risky. I'll manage on my own, potions are already pretty good with recipes."

"I dont know. I thought I'd give you a little Arithmancy notions but that would take up a lot of time for both of us. It took me quite a while to get the hang of it, even though I was already good at Muggle math. And you, who haven't written a single figure but in Astronomy for years…" the mockery was tender because of his look and his smile.

The last thing Lily wanted from him was to waste time on homework. "Not at all, Sev, it's not worth it. In any case, I'll try it on my own."

"It will be difficult for you, you can ask me questions if you have. Is there no one in your house who can help you?"

Lily thought of Remus and Mary, who also had the elective, but didn't take advantage of it like Sev. "Yes, of course, I'll ask. But I can continue preparing the ingredients as before, I'm not running any risk."

"I expected you to say that, and it doesn't seem fair that I don't reciprocate, so while you catch up with the numbers I had another idea."

"Which?"

"I have a good aim. If you leave the backpack as far back as possible I can dunk the notes from my spot."

"What are you saying? Are you crazy? This way the snak... your mates will see you."

"Bah!" laughing sarcastically. "I'll watch those already. And if they catch me I tell them that in the note I wrote mudblood and in peace, they are very short of understanding. The one that worries me is the wolf," he said this last very seriously, staring at her.

"Remus? He wouldn't say anything, you know he doesn't get involved anymore when Potter and Black attack you. I can tell him if you want," vilely lying, because Lupin already knew.

"Do not even think about it!" blunt and threatening. "I don't trust him, too close to my enemies. Lily, don't say a word to him about what we do together."

"Well, he appreciates you."

"Why? What does he know about me?"

"That we are friends, that you have always treated me well. He encourages me to be with you and defends me from Potter."

Sev looked at her with a puzzled frown, hesitating for a few seconds, but finally his mistrust overcame him. "I don't know, Lily, maybe he does it to get information out of you, you're too naive. What would you have told him to tell you all that? You know I hate being talked about behind my back, I don't tell anyone anything about you. I'm regretting bringing you here."

She had already messed it up again. How could she have put in a good word for Remus, knowing that he might be jealous of him? But this time she wouldn't cry, she wasn't going to blackmail him again.

They were silent for a while, Sev very serious, with his elbows on his knees looking straight ahead. Lily couldn't think of what to say to fix it, she was very sad, her eyes on the ground. "I don't know, Sev, I've already promised you I won't tell anyone. But if you don't trust me anymore... is there no way to undo the Fidelius?"

"Not that I know of," dryly, without looking at her. "Maybe yes, but it would take me a long time to investigate it. I could move to another classroom."

Now she was about to cry, she was spoiling his life, as happy as he was before.

"But it's not what I want," Sev continued. "It's taken me a long time to take the step and I'm not going to back down, I want to trust you."

'But you're going to have to earn it,' Lily thought he might have added, rightly so, too.

After another brief pause he continued, already looking at her. "Well, to the point, we're running late," curtly. "I'll keep an eye on the wolf, I'll send you the messages I can, surely they won't be that many. So to compensate, I'm going to start giving you Defense classes."

"Don't, Sev! I already told you that it was just an excuse to be with you, I prefer that we do other things…"

"Lily! Get clear!" impatient, and blunt. "You asked me for help. Besides, I've had time to think about it and I think you need it, there's hostility at school and a war is raging out there," vehement. "We're giving importance to nonsense when the main thing is to learn to defend yourself, Felix Felicis won't get rid you of an Avada. Besides, I prefer to teach you rather than your dear little lions do it," with contempt. "They don't have the guts, I don't understand how they were selected in your house, they are not capable of facing a fair duel. I would like to catch them one by one, to see what they can do. That said, make up your mind, take it or leave it," emphatically and looking at her gravely. "But I warn you that it's not going to be fun, Defense is no joke, I'm going to be tough."

Booah! And how right was he, Lily felt like she had been living in a cotton cloud while the wizarding world turned into a minefield. "Okay, Sev, that sounds good to me," very convinced.

"Good decision," his tone had changed to approving. "I didn't expect anything less from you. How about Sunday morning? It has to be the weekend because in the afternoons it gets dark early and here we are left without light."

"All right."

"Can you make a good excuse?"

"Yes. On Sunday morning hardly anyone goes to the Library. I will say that I am going to study, and if they look for me and I am not there, I have gone for a walk."

"Ugh…" with boredom, denying. "It's not that it's very good. If you were more used to being alone, they wouldn't control you so much." He paused. "What are we going to do?" resigned, shrugging. "In this damn school it is impossible to have privacy." Sev turned to Lily but she was looking at the ground again. "Don't you think so?" claiming her attention.

She looked at him, he was smiling sincerely at her, she returned it. "Thank you, Sev. For the classes, for this place…" She was going to tell him, 'for being you,' but he cut her off at the same time that he stopped looking at her.

"I don't deserve them, one have to take care of what one love."

He had just told her that he loved her! But he continued without letting her reply, as he got up and went to the cupboard, lighting one of the candles above it and opening a drawer at the top. "I imagine you've already learned the way, but anyway I'm going to make you a plane," taking out parchment, quill and inkwell. He stayed with his back to her, using the top of the cabinet as a table, drawing.

Lily was torn, she wanted to tell him something, that she loved him, that she was thinking of him, about the berry, anything... But now, after the argument and the scolding he had given her, it was not a proper moment.

If she had done it at the beginning, kiss him when he cornered her against the armor, or later when he was so happy, or at the window when she touched him and they looked at each other... So she kept quiet, 'keep up his pace.' They would see each other in two days anyway.

Sev turned to her, handing her the piece of parchment. He didn't sit down again. "Here."

Lily picked it up and looked at it. It was a small sketch of the path they had followed through the fifth floor to the Haven.

"Do you see it clearly?"

"Yes."

"On Sunday I will wait for you here to practice the way there, if you change your plans, make a sign for me at breakfast," squatting and pointing to a point on the small map. "Can you visualize where it is?"

"I think so."

"Well, it's the first time you've come," getting up again and going to the closet to put away what he had used to write. "When we leave I'll tell you where it is. Don't-let-them-catch-it," emphasizing each syllable. "And when you memorize it, burn it."

Lily put the scroll in her pocket.

"I've already told you that you can come whenever you want, but make sure no one follows you," he continued getting off the dais and standing in front of her with his fist on his waist and his wand in the other hand. "It will be open, except when…" he sighed, "...I'm inside and want to be alone. In that case, respect me, unless it's something urgent. If so, call three times and then another three and I'll know it's you. Don't mind making noise, they won't hear you inside the Fidelius. You can also leave me messages or store things in the closet, although it is small. If something doesn't fit, just leave it in the classroom. By the way, don't freak out or blame me for the books I have there."

Lily deduced that they were about Dark Magic, probably stolen from the Restricted Section.

"But don't pry them, it's not your style, I'll teach you what you need," he continued. "If you do, I'll find out, and you know, I want to trust you."

"I won't, Sev, I promise you."

"You must get used to coming in the dark and in silence, stealth is also part of Defense. Today I will accompany you, it will be our first class. Any questions? We won't be able to talk in the corridor," he had carried the candles to the closet.

"No, I think I've understood everything."

"Okay, then Lumos and let's go."

Lily lit her wand and Sev blew out the candles and put them in the cupboard, locking it with a Fermio. He took her hand to cross the classroom to the door, when they left and while they closed he held her. "They still can't see or hear us here, so take the opportunity to study the terrain. Listen and catch sight of what you can with the Lumos on either side. As soon as we take two steps we will be exposed. Look," pointing to the armor that was to the right of the door across the corridor. "That's the first step. Turn off and walk towards it until you touch it. Then, with your left arm extended in a cross, begin to walk down the corridor in a straight line, counting the steps until you reach the next armor. If you deviate, let it be to the left, to touch it. Then another one, they are at the same distance. Circle the third and follow the wall to the corridor on the left, that one has no doors or armor. When you reach the end, you will see the main corridor of the fifth floor on the right. You've understood? Do you need me to repeat it?"

"No."

"Well, anyway, now I'm going to guide you, like a blind person. I walk ahead of you and you put your right hand on my shoulder but don't let go of your wand. If someone comes, stick to the wall and don't move, I'll take care of it."

"All right."

"Put your right hand on my shoulder and give me your left," standing in front of her with his back to her and taking her left with his. Lily put her right hand on his shoulder.

"Remember, silence, and count the steps. Ready?"

"Yes."

"Turn off."

"Nox."

"Let's go there."

Sev guided her to put her hand on the armor. He let go of it and started down the corridor in a perfectly straight line. Lily, left arm outstretched, counted her steps to the next one. Fifteen. The size of the classroom, she calculated. Another fifteen and they reached the third, going around it turning left. At the end of the doorless corridor she could see the windows in the transverse one and the glow of the main one from the right.

When they reached the end of the wall, Sev stopped. He turned and spoke to her in a whisper. "I'll wait for you here on Sunday, now look to both sides," he moved away for her to do so.

"Up to the wall of windows and to the right," he said. He let her do it alone, there she could already see, standing behind her holding her left hand.

When they reached the corner that opened onto the main corridor, he held her back again. "Check both sides again before leaving, some lovers walk around here."

'Like us,' Lily thought, and she turned and hugged him suddenly. Sev took a deep breath and took a few seconds trying to gently but firmly pull her away from him, taking her by the shoulders. "Come on, Lily, this is not the time... nor the place…"

But she still resisted a little more.

When she broke away from him, Sev told her, flattening his back against the wall. "Come on, watch and go, left to the stairs. See you on Sunday."

"Until Sunday, Sev," and she did what he had told her. She saw no one and walked briskly away without looking back.

Lily didn't find out until some time later why Sev didn't come down to dinner that night. When she left he stood with his back against the wall where he couldn't see her walk away from him, holding back the urge to run after her and kiss her on the lover's lane. He knew that if he saw her in the Great Hall again he wouldn't be able to stop looking at her and he couldn't afford to do such a thing.

So he went back to his Haven and stood in the dark, leaning on the third window sill, looking at Jupiter, which had already risen in the star-speckled sky, evoking the moment when she had placed her hand on his, for so long time, until the waning Moon appeared behind the distant mountains.