Chapter 14:
Summary of last Chapter:
- The memory Harry sees in Severus Snape's head during the occlumency lessons in book 5 takes place
- When James begins levitating Severus though Sirius intervenes to James shock and anger.
- Sirius explains that it just isn't worth bullying Severus and that James probably won't want to get Lily angry who has just recently agreed to go out with him
- Severus and Lily have a brief conversation after which she looks after him full of sorrow at their cooled down friendship
- She's angry at James and thinks of a plan to finally make piece between the five boys
17th June 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts:
Lily was a little nervous if she was being honest with herself. She had let things settle for a while just like she had planned and luckily her boys had played along and not made any more ruckus.
„Honestly, boys and their fragile egos. I would have expected a little more spine from James but I guess this works in my favour so I won't complain" she muttered to herself. She had already asked Severus to come to the astronomy tower that night who had nodded and hurried back to his 'friends'. Looking at them always made her stomach twist painfully. They would rape and kill her without a thought, yet he was willing to be friends with them.
'Well I guess, you don't survive in Slytherin without friends. Doesn't make it hurt less however' she thought. That didn't make it hurt less though. Especially when she considered what he might do if he stayed on the road he was currently on. She shuddered at the thought of him actually becoming a death eater... No her Sev' would never do such cruel things... would he? She had noticed that they had been growing apart a little during the last 3 years, that he had been growing more cruel as time went on but... he wouldn't kill for pleasure would he? She really hoped not. She didn't think she could hold suppress the pain. Nethertheless, she had to try this. Seeing Potter making a move towards the boy's dormitory she walked towards him and said
„Potter, if you want a chance of having another hogsmeade date with me you and your friends better be at the Austronomy tower tonight at midnight. I will look forward to seeing you there. I wish you a splendid evening". This clearly surprised him for a moment before he grinned, nodded and left. His eagerness was understandable, Lily had ignored him for the last two weeks and knowing Potter liked attention and absolutely hated being ignored well, Lily had him right where she wanted him.
It was now midnight and she was under a invisibility cloak she might have... borrowed, yes borrowed was the right word, from James the night before. He didn't need it too much and she had much better use for it. This was for his benefits aswell so she didn't feel too guilty about stealing.. borrowing from him.
And there her Sev was, 5 minutes earlier than she had asked him to.
'Always earlier to an appointment than he has to' she thought fondly before a satisfied smile grew on her face 'but that's good it shows he is taking this seriously and is still invested in our friendship'.
The minutes came and went and Sev muttered a quick Tempus frowning when he saw that she was late... or rather that they were late.
'Goddammit I should have known Potter and his followers wouldn't come on time.. Shit I hope Sev doesn't leave before they come' she thought angrily.
She didn't have to worry too much however as the four cursed pranksters rushed into the room with James saying
„I am so sorry Lils we forgot the time and... wait what?" he asked dumbfounded as they came to a halt when they saw Severus who seemed just as surprised as they were. He quickly regained his composure though and asked angrily „What are you four doing here? Lily told me that she wanted to talk about something important with me"
„Well Lils told me the same and... ugh she planned this, didn't she?" James ended up asking with a grimace.
„THAT'S RIGHT BOYS" she hollered throwing off Potter's invisibility cloak startling all five of them „It's fucking time to have this meeting between you and I, Lily Evans, will be the mediator" she said with her hands on her hips ignoring the muttered „Since when does Evans curse?" from Pettigrew to Black who just shrugged in response. Potter seemed to have regained his composure aswell and finally noticed his invisibility cloak in her hands.
„Uhhh Lils where did you get that invisibility cloak from? They are quite expensive" he asked with a tone she couldn't quite place.
„I borrowed from you, I didn't think you'd mind... You don't, do you James?" she asked with a pointed glare throwing him a bone as she called him James again after 2 weeks of calling him Potter. He shrunk back and just nodded with a grimace. Good, she had him wrapped around her finger which Severus apparently also realised since he laughed out maliciously
„Hah I don't believe it. Famous prankster James Potter, heir of house Potter, is wrapped around a Muggleborn's finger." irritating her quite a bit and you just didn't do that with Lily Evans.
„Shut the fuck up, I've had enough from you too Sev, and don't you four misfits make just a peeps while I am speaking" she shouted silencing the quartett which had sniggered when she rounded on Sev. She nodded satisfied at what she saw as she had cowed them for the moment. She had to continue as not to lose her momentum however
„Now you five brawlers are going to listen very closely. I've had enough of your bickering. I don't care which side started it and why this has been going on since we started Hogwarts, almost 5 years ago by the way which is just unbelievable. I don't care which side has done worse things and I don't care which side has been escalating things more and more. I want all of you to stop right now! And this goes particulary to both of you, James and Severus. If this was a year ago, I would have meant Sirius too with this but atleast he has made an effort in improving himself. Now to make myself clear. I have my eyes on you James since I think that your followers have enough sense as if to defy me. If I ever catch you bullying Sev again then you can forget whatever hope you had for us to work out." she said icily turning around to glare at Severus who winced „And don't you dare take advantage of that young Mr.! If I catch you doing similiar to James then our friendship is truly over and it hurts me to say that but I just hope you care enough about me to not let your anger get the best of you" she said and then leaned against the wall, sighing and showing them how much this situation affected her
„It's just.. I care about you Severus but I also care about you James.. I just want this to be over.. I don't want to be between the frontlines anymore having to worry constantly. Things out there are bad enough as they are" she said with a sad voice. Silence reigned for a few seconds before James made a step forward
„Alright Sni... Snape, for Lils I am willing to try a ceasefire between us but that doesn't mean that I like you all of the sudden okay?" he said and hope blossomed in her heart when Sev nodded and said
„Perfectly clear and likewise Potter". Lily deflated, slumping to the ground in mental exhaustion.
„Thank you guys... please keep that ceasefire, will you? James I will see you in Hogsmeade in two days, that's it if you still want to be with me. You four are dismissed, I still have something to talk about with Sev" she said tiredly. James, Sirius, Peter and Remus left the austronomy tower which left her and Severus in the room alone
„Sev..." she began unsure on how to put this „Are you okay? Don't think I haven't noticed that we have been growing apart a little lately.. Don't think that I haven't noticed the bags under your eyes almost every single day, your increased anger and cruelty and your friends insulting me behind my back and you not saying anything about it. I know it is hard being in Slytherin and that you just have to have a couple of friends but please Sev why them? We both know that they are going to become death eaters the moment they graduate in 2 years... are you going to join them? Are you going to murder and rape those that are like me?... Will you eventually come after me aswell, Sev? Will you? Don't give me that look, what am I supposed to think?... I meant it earlier when I said I cared about you... I really do Sev. I will go to bed now and so will you. I am going to see you tomorrow. Until then I want you to think about my questions... I hope you will be able to answer them tomorrow. Good night my friend, sleep well" she said tiredly and too left the room leaving him alone in the room in silence.
Severus remained inside the room and made no move to leave for a while. He clenched his hands in frustration. Refraining from attacking the tormentors was doable but... Didn't Lily know how fragile his situation in Slytherin was? That he couldn't just abandon them and find new ones? They would never admit it but atleast half of his graduation year was going to join the Dark Lord and he knew that he was expected to do the same after he had graduated.
He noticed someone entering the room and saw that it was Lupin... what did he want from him now?
„Is there a reason you have come back? Don't want to break the ceasefire already, do you?" he asked icily.
„No Snape, you know I am not like James when it comes to that... No I wanted to say this. Look Snape, I am sorry. I know how what you are most likely feeling for your friend but I am sorry to say that she probably never saw you in that way." Lupin said, frustrating Severus even further. But then Lupin said something to which Severus had no reply for
„I may regret these words later but... Look Snape we will probably be enemies in the war within the next 2 years but in my opinion even someone like you, an upcoming death eater, deserves love. I really hope you will find it someday. Good night" Lupin said leaving a shocked Severus behind.
How the hell was someone going to reply to that?
Well this turned out to be quite dramatic am I right? Well anyway I hope you enjoyed reading it, I definetely enjoyed writing it. I think this might be the best scene I have written so far.
18th June 1976, England, Ministry of Magic, Wizengamot:
The day had come, Arcturus mused. The day had come where they would vote on what had been dubbed the Auror Leeway Act of 1976. The last 7 days had been spent by the Lords of this council with bribing and extorting fellow Lords until they were sure that their own side was going to win. This always happened but the corruption was getting worse with every year that was passing.
'Not that bad of a strategy from the dark wanker if I am being honest. Ensuring that you are at some point able to buy everyone to pass the laws you want to be passed would let him achieve victory quite easily.' he thought before he saw Chief Warlock Dumbledore walk towards the podium.
'Well let's see if the dark wanker's followers had bribed enough people' he finished his thought as the chamber became silent and Dumbledore banged his hammer on the table.
„I hereby open the 1701st session of the Wizengamot. First order of the day is..." Dumbledore said and so the session went on with a lot of minor and unimportant proposals being voted on, almost all of which failed. This was typical for the Wizengamot these days as his fellow Lords weren't seemingly able to agree on anything. He doubted, however, that this was only the dark wanker's fault.
'No' he sighed 'This body has been ineffective for quite a while now'
Then things became interesting. The Auror Leeway Act was finally being voted on. As expected, the Ministry, the Progressives and the Light Moderates voted Ay.
The Sayre Alliance surprised him a little when they voted Nay. His Alliance and the Traditionalists of course voted Nay.
That meant 130 votes for and 137 votes against the proposal.
As basically always the Unaffiliated decided the outcome. Wands lit up and from what he could see the Unaffiliated voted the following:
Burke: Nay
Crouch: Ay
Zabini: /
Parkinson: Nay
Ollivander: /
Brocklehurst(e): Nay
Brown: Ay
Patil: Ay
Douglas: /
McCormack: Nay
MacLaggen: Nay
Goldstein: Ay
Umbridge(e): Nay
Prince: /
Hemlock(e): /
Stonehorn(e): /
Perks: Ay
Dawlish: Ay
Edgecombe: Nay
Minchum(e): Ay
Copplestone(e): /
Greenford(e): /
Scrimgeour(e): Ay
Johnson(e): Ay
Spinnet(e): Ay
Accrington: Ay
Harlemshake(e): Nay
Slughorn: Ay
Runcorn: Nay
Wilkes: Nay
Gibbon: Nay
Lowe: Nay
Higgs: Nay
Cornfoot: Nay
Scamander: Ay
Lovegood: /
Robins(e): /
Jones(e): Ay
This brought the Ays up to 164 and the Nays up to 193 votes with 30 votes abstaining. The proposal had failed, just like Arcturus had expected though it had been a little closer than what he had predicted. The Ay sayers amongst the Unaffiliated had taken a significant risk today, the dark wanker was obviously watching who was voting for and against him. Repercussions would most likely follow in the coming months.
'I had hoped though that more Unaffiliated would vote in favour but alas it was not to be, no point in dwelling on it' he thought watching some of the Progressives and Light Moderates hang their heads in disappointment.
**End of Chapter**
Burke : 10 votes
Crouch : 5 votes
Zabini, : 7 votes
Parkinson, : 5 votes
Ollivander, : 8 votes
Brocklehurst, : 1 vote
Brown, : 3 votes
Patil, : 3 votes
Douglas, : 3 votes
McCormack, : 4 votes
MacLaggen, : 4 votes
Goldstein, : 3 votes
Umbridge, : 1 vote
Prince, : 4 votes
Hemlock, : 2 votes
Stonehorn, : 2 votes
Perks, : 3 votes
Dawlish, : 3 votes
Edgecombe, : 3 votes
Minchum, : 1 vote
Copplestone, : 1 vote
Greenford, : 1 vote
Scrimgeour, : 2 votes
Johnson, : 1 vote
Spinnet, : 1 vote
Accrington, : 3 votes
Harlemshake, : 1 vote
Slughorn, : 3 votes
Runcorn, : 4 votes
Wilkes, : 3 votes
Gibbon, : 3 votes
Lowe, : 4 votes
Higgs, : 4 votes
Cornfoot, : 3 votes
Scamander, : 5 votes
Lovegood, : 4 votes
Robins, : 1 vote
Jones : 1 vote
Potter, : 8 votes
Longbottom, : 7 votes
Prewett, : 5 votes
Dumbledore, : 5 votes
MacGonagall, : 4 votes
Weasley, : 1 vote
Moody, : 4 votes
Shacklebolt, : 3 votes
Wintringham, : 7 votes
McKinley, : 4 votes
Wood, : 3 votes
Tripe, : 3 votes
Sinistra, : 1 vote
Vector, : 1 vote
MacDougal, : 4 votes
Kettleburn, : 1 vote
Bell : 1 vote
Bones, : 8 votes
McKinnon, : 5 votes
Abbott, : 3 votes
Diggory, : 1 vote
Silverling, : 3 votes
Firewheel, : 4 votes
Chang, : 1 vote
Bletchley, : 4 votes
Pyrites, : 3 votes
Bagnold : 1 vote
Sayre, : 10 votes
Ruslanovich, : 5 votes
Blackstream, : 5 votes
Serpengold, : 4 votes
Montague, : 3 votes
Thicknesse,: 3 votes
Black, : 10 votes
Greengrass,: 8 votes
MacMillan : 7 votes
Rubisheart, : 3 votes
Flint, : 4 votes
Bulstrode, : 1 vote
Selwyn, : 7 votes
Travers, : 1 vote
Avery, : 4 votes
Yaxley, : 5 votes
Trembley, : 1 vote
Orpington, : 1 vote
Fudge, : 1 vote
Max : 3 votes
Malfoy, : 7 votes
Lestrange, : 8 votes
Fawley, : 8 votes
Rosier, : 4 votes
Rowle, : 3 votes
Carrow, : 2 votes
Goyle, : 4 votes
Crabbe, : 4 votes
Nott, : 7 votes
Mulciber, : 4 votes
Dolohov, : 2 votes
MacNair, : 5 votes
**Empty Space lol**
Characters in this chapter and the amount of chapters they have appeared in so far:
- Lily Evans (2)
- Severus Snape (2)
- James Potter (5)
- Sirius Black (7)
- Remus Lupin (5)
- Peter Pettigrew (5)
- Arcturus Black (8)