Arresto Tempus
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warning: Completely AU (means not canon compliant!), partly OOC.
At the end of November, an official looking owl that was wearing the collar of the ministry of magic approached Severus at breakfast, unceremoniously dropping a parchment onto his plate. Lily watched curiously, as he unfolded the parchment with a blank expression on his face.
"What is it?" she demanded, when she saw him pale visibly.
"I'm going to have a trial on December first for my activities as a Death Eater."
"What?" Lily stared at her best friend in shock.
"Severus, Lily, don't worry. I'm not the surpreme mugwump for nothing." Albus' voice was soothing and firm, and Lily just hoped that the old wizard was right."
HP
Late that evening, Lucius Malfoy stepped through the fireplace into Severus' quarters.
"It's Black whom we have to thank for this mess," he spat. He's named you, me and Narcissa as Death Eaters and saw to it that we'd get trials so quickly. Everyone else has to be investigated first."
Lily let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Lucius. Sirius doesn't like it that Harry and I are living with Severus, and he also knows that Draco attends playschool together with Harry and Neville. I told him."
Severus shook his head. "That's not your fault, Lily."
"It does explain why he was so keen to get trials for the three of us though." Lucius shook his head in apparent annoyance. "The minister is on our side in any case."
"So is Dumbledore, Severus confirmed. "I hope he'll be able to keep us out of Azkaban."
"I hope so, too." Lily could not help staring at Severus in horror. "The children need you. And so do I," she added in a small voice, causing the corners of Severus' mouth to pull up slightly.
HP
Severus' trial took place first thing in the morning, followed by Lucius' and then Narcissa's trial.
Lily sat in the witness box, next to Arthur Weasley, who had agreed to be a witness for Severus' trial at Albus' request. She observed, angrily, as Severus was led into the room by four Aurors, two on each side of him. They all but pushed him into the defendant's seat and thoroughly tied him to the chair with ropes.
'Ridiculous,' she thought in annoyance.
Millicent Bagnold, the current minister of magic, opened the trial and gave the prosecutor the floor. Lily did not know the man; however, felt a strong dislike for him, as soon as he opened his mouth.
"You are accused of being a Death Eater. How do you plead?"
"Innocent. I took the Dark Mark to spy on the Dark Lord on behalf of Albus Dumbledore."
"Preposterous!" someone shouted, and Lily curiously looked over at the Wizengamot, wondering if it was Sirius' voice. 'What is Sirius' problem with Severus?' she mused. 'Sure, they've always had a grudge towards each other, but he should have grown up by now just like Severus has.'
Completely lost in her thoughts, she missed the proceedings of the trial and only looked up, when she was called as the first witness.
"Severus has always been a spy for the light side and has helped the Order of the Phoenix gather valuable information about Voldemort, his Death Eaters and upcoming attacks. He never attacked people." Her voice was firm and as she hoped devoid of emotion.
"How would you know what he did during the nights, when you were in bed with your husband?"
"Lord Black, be silent," the head of the Wizengamot bellowed. "Thank you, Lady Potter. If I may add to this?"
Amelia Bones, who had just become the new head of the Department of Law Enforcement, nodded. "Yes please, Albus."
"I agree with everything that Professor Snape and the Lady Potter have said. During his seventh year at Hogwarts, Severus Snape was introduced to Voldemort by Lucius Malfoy and intended to become a Death Eater. But when he finished Hogwarts, the Malfoys told him what was going on with Voldemort and his followers, and he came to me for help. Had he not taken the Dark Mark, he would have been in mortal danger, as Voldemort would have sought him out personally. I needed a spy anyway, and therefore, I asked him to take the mark and become my spy together with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, who regretted taking the Dark Mark after their first Death Eater meeting."
The trial continued for a little while; however, Lily tuned out the voices, somehow feeling confident that Severus would be free afterwards. Finally, the Wizengamot came to a decision. Lily watched with a combination of fear, annoyance and hope how dozens of green and red lights shot towards two boxes on the table in front of Albus. She noticed soon, however, that the green lights by far outnumbered the red ones and sighed in relief.
"Thank Merlin," she breathed to Arthur, as Amelia Bones announced the verdict. Severus was free to go. She remained seated, knowing that Severus would come to her, as soon as the Aurors released him from his chains.
"Congratulations, Lily." Albus was the first to reach her.
"Thank you, Albus, for speaking up for him. Thank you, Arthur." Tears of happiness and gratitude welled up in her eyes, which quickly disappeared, when Sirius approached her.
"I suppose you're happy that your lover came out so easily," he spat. "He should be careful though, as I'm watching him, and you shouldn't trust him either. He is and has always been a Death Eater."
"Sirius!" Lily jumped from her chair. "You were the one who tried to kill him during our fifth year, not the other way around. He didn't do anything to you." She instinctively pulled her wand in anger at her late husband's best friend.
"Expelliarmus!" the Marauder roared, grimly.
Lily was taken with surprise, not expecting to be attacked in the middle of the courtroom, flanked by Albus Dumbledore and Arthus Weasley. She was thrown back and crashed into the wall behind her, before everything went black.
HP
'Thank Merlin,' Severus thought, as he waited for the Aurors to take off the chains. 'I owe Albus and Lily a debt now.' At last, the chains came off and he was free to go, just when his attention was drawn to Fawkes arriving with Poppy in tow. 'What happened?' he wondered in concern, as he strode through the courtroom to where he had seen Lily sit during the trial. However, when he reached the spot, Lily was lying in a heap on the floor, with Arthur, Albus and Minerva standing beside her and Poppy hovering over her.
"What happened?" he asked, horrified.
"Black attacked her," Minerva huffed in obvious anger.
Just then, Poppy turned to them. "Lily will be all right, but I have to take her with me." With that, she activated her emergency Portkey, and the two witches vanished from the spot.
"Something's wrong," Severus said, dazedly, having seen a single tear well up in the healer's eyes.
"I'm sure that she'll be all right, Severus," Albus replied, reassuringly. "Don't linger. Go to be by her side. She needs you now. Fawkes, take Minerva, Severus and me right to the hospital wing please."
Severus sincerely thanked Arthur for speaking up on his behalf during the trial, before he gripped the phoenix' tail feathers. A moment later, they departed from the court room in a bright flash.
HP
When they arrived at the hospital wing, Severus' worries did not diminish upon realising that Poppy was treating Lily in one of the small teachers' rooms.
"Please wait in my office for a moment. You may see her, as soon as I've finished."
Knowing better than to disobey the strict healer, Severus obediently followed Albus and Minerva into Poppy's office, where Albus ordered tea and biscuits.
"Tea, Albus?" Minerva glared at the old wizard and called Malcolm, her personal house-elf. "Whisky please."
"Now, Lily will be all right, and I believe that we have to celebrate your freedom." Albus sounded pleasant, and Severus raised his glass.
"Thank you so much for saving me from Azkaban," he uttered and gulped down the strong liquid in one large swallow.
"Alcohol in my office? Really now." Poppy glared at her colleagues upon entering her office.
"Come, Poppy, we're celebrating Severus' freedom," Minerva explained. "How is Lily?"
Poppy let out a deep sigh. "She's allowed me to tell you, but otherwise wishes to remain silent. She is well, considering the circumstances."
"Circumstances?" Severus asked, alert.
"She lost her child." Poppy's voice was grave.
"She what? She was pregnant?" Severus' thoughts went haywire.
Noticing in annoyance that Albus and Minerva glared at him, he quickly explained, "Not with my child in any case. We did not sleep together." Shaking his head in disbelief, he added, "Her husband has only been dead for a month. You should know me better than that."
Shaking her head in disbelief at her colleagues' bickering, Poppy explained, "She was in her seventh week, and apparently, Lily had not yet realised that she was pregnant."
"How long will she have to stay?" Severus looked at the healer in concern.
"I've given her a light sleepless dream potion. She should be out for about four or five hours, and then, you make take her home."
"Severus, will you please collect Harry from his lessons? Do you have time, considering that I cancelled your classes for the whole day?"
Severus nodded at the headmaster. "Of course. I'll look after him. Perhaps, I'll show him my herb garden on the roof," he added, more to himself than to his colleagues.
HP
Lily was annoyed to say the least. "Thank Merlin that your and the Malfoys' trials went well." She let out a deep sigh. "I can't help feeling extremely angry at Sirius though. I didn't know that I was pregnant, but I'd have loved the idea," she told Severus that evening after tucking Harry into bed.
"Don't worry, Lily. You'll still be able to have more children in the future."
Lily smiled. "Yes, thank Merlin. I'd love to have another child some time."
"I think you should speak with Amelia. Black deserves a trial for what he did to you."
Lily let out a deep sigh. "Yes, I should do that, but I'm sure that he'll get away with it anyway. They won't send him to Azkaban, and Harry adores him. He's his godfather after all. No, I have a better idea."
Severus shook his head in apparent annoyance. "Of course, Black has always got away with everything. He tried to kill me, and nothing happened, and now he killed your baby and again, nothing will happen. You're much too nice for your own good."
Lily smirked. "Wait and see. I am not nice."
Severus merely quirked an eyebrow.
HP
After James' death, Lily had been fairly well able to keep up with everything, mainly because Severus and Harry were there for her as well as Albus and Minerva, who often kept her company. There were also her friends. The Malfoys as well as Remus and Sirius frequently visited. She had barely ever been alone. In the weeks that followed, Lily could not help feeling sad. 'Thank Merlin I didn't know about the pregnancy before; otherwise, it would have been a lot worse,' he thought. 'Sirius was James' best friend. How could he kill his last child?' Tears began to leak from her eyes at the thought, even if a small voice in the back of her mind told her that Sirius couldn't have known that she was pregnant.
It was shortly before Christmas, when Albus announced at breakfast that the last Wizengamot meeting of the year was going to take place that morning. "I have to leave right away, and I don't expect to be back until after lunch," he informed Minerva. "Please watch the school for me, and I shall vote according to your wishes."
"Severus, may I borrow Nevermore for a flight to London?" Lily asked on their way back to the dungeons after taking Harry to his morning class with Remus, Neville and Draco.
Nevermore was Severus' raven familiar. He was a descendant of the London tower ravens. Having undergone the same rigorous tower training as his ancestors, he was not only extremely well trained but also very intelligent and knowledgeable. However, he had a foul mouth, almost like phoenix Fawkes. Nevermore had come to Severus and bonded with him as his familiar, when the young wizard had begun spying for Albus Dumbledore.
"Of course, considering that he likes you, he'll surely deliver a letter for you," Severus replied, smiling. "Take care dear. I'm looking forward to not having to teach those imbecile Slytherin and Gryffindor first years anymore."
Chuckling in amusement, Lily walked on and entered his private rooms, where she busied herself at the small desk in her bedroom. To her relief, Nevermore showed himself from his best side and promised to deliver her letter within ten minutes.
"Thank you, Nevermore," Lily replied and offered him a piece of dried fig, knowing that the raven loved figs.
#You're welcome, and it is well said,# Nevermore replied.
'I wonder if everyone is able to understand him,' she thought, as she watched the bird dash away through the open window. 'Perhaps, I can only understand him, because he's Sev's familiar and I'm living with him,' she mused, deciding to ask her friend later on. 'What did he mean by well said though?'
HP
Lily, Harry and Severus usually spent the hour between the end of the last afternoon class in the living room telling each other about their day.
Harry usually began by telling them everything that Remus had taught him, Draco and Neville, and Lily and Severus realised that the child seemed to be extremely happy with his classes, his teacher and his classmates.
"I was wondering why I could understand what Nevermore was telling me." Lily looked at Severus in expectation.
"If he wants you to understand, you will," Severus replied, smirking. "If he doesn't want you to understand, you won't be the wiser. He is extremely clever."
Just then, the fireplace flared and Minerva stepped through, closely followed by Albus, who was carrying his Pensieve. "I need you to watch a memory. You as well, Lily. I'm going to stay with Harry."
"Gwanddad," Harry shouted, as he happily climbed onto the old wizard's lap, while Lily, Minerva and Severus entered the Pensieve.
Beginning of memory
The Wizengamot was assembled, and Albus watched from his position on the head of the Wizengamot seat how a black raven entered the Wizengamot chamber and flew right over to the head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, Sirius Black. The raven, whom he recognised as Nevermore, Severus' familiar, dropped a red envelope in front of the young wizard.
#You deserve it, you absolute moron,# the raven uttered, taking off in what appeared to be a huff, causing some members of the Wizengamot to chuckle.
Everyone else stared at Sirius with obvious curiosity. As soon as the man touched the parchment, Lily Potter's voice began to shout across the room.
"Sirius Black, how dare you attack me and kill James' unborn child? It was only seven weeks old, but it was our child. I thought James was your friend! Was it not bad enough that you tried to kill Severus in our fifth year at Hogwarts, even though he had never done anything to you? Grow up and get over your hatred if you still wish to play your role as godfather to my Harry or else!"
"Excuse me, Lord Black, you did what?" Amelia spoke up in obvious disbelief.
"She raised her wand at me, and I cast Expelliarmus. That's all."
"Apparently not," Albus supplied and recounted what happened. "Apparently, you used far too much power for your spell and for no reason other than your hatred of Severus Snape."
"As soon as James died, Lily moved in with him. She didn't even wait for his body to be cold."
"Sirius, behave yourself." Albus' voice was stern. "She needed a safe place to say, and Severus has been her best friend since they were both seven years old."
"Surely, the child was his and not James'."
"Sirius!" Amelia glared at the man who was her fiancé in apparent anger.
"No, he was not. According to Poppy, the baby was conceived a few weeks before James died," Albus said, calmly. "Amelia, I leave it to you to decide if this warrants for a trial; however, I have to insist that we continue with the matter at hand."
End of memory
"How Slytherin of you." Severus was the first to comment.
"That was well done, Lily." Minerva nodded in apparent agreement.
"I agree." Albus nodded. "I believe that Amelia has put Sirius on probation, not only for his position as an Auror, but also for a possible trial. He must behave civically towards everyone, especially Severus, or Amelia will have his head."
"It must be difficult for her," Lily sighed, "considering that they're engaged."
"Paf and Aunt Meli?" Harry spoke up, tentatively. "Pway wif Paf?"
"Not right now, Harry," Lily replied, gently pushing an errand strand of her from the child's forehead. "You've got a few more days of classes with Remus, Neville and Draco for a few days, and then it'll be Christmas soon."
Before Harry could ask any more questions about Christmas, the headmaster motioned for everyone to hurry down to the Great Hall. "Dinner is going to commence soon, and we'll all be late."
tbc...
Thank you for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please tell me what you liked and disliked in this chapter. What do you want me to do with Sirius? Should he fianally grow up? Or should he play a big role in Harry's life? Should we add one more child to the playgroup? Any ideas, suggestions or constructive opinions are welcome.