Thanks to everyone who took the time to review my story!
AN: Thanks to the wonderful Miette and dstone12 for betaing this chapter :)
DAILY PROPHET SPECIAL EDITION!
Read the latest news and interviews as our journalists faithfully report on the uproar shaking our country
Minister Birkins' full speech on the report of the elections, page 1
Pictures of the riots happening in Diagon Alley, Dunstable Town Hall and Laburnum Gardens as Lord Voldemort's followers protested against the suspension of the elections and Aurors failed to disperse the protesters, pages 2 to 4.
Interviews of the protesters, pages 5 to 6.
Reactions of various country leaders and eminent personalities on Minister Birkins' speech, page 7.
Read our experts' forecast as they predict an increase in Auror and Death Eater confrontations, page 8.
Full analysis over the pros and cons for Minister Birkins' political platform which is supported by many, including internationally famous Headmaster Dumbledore, versus those of Lord Voldemort, pages 9 to 11.
Full list of Minister Birkins' and Lord Voldemort's known supporters as well as interviews from their most influential followers, pages 12 to 17.
Who are the next potential targets of the Death Eaters and why, pages 18 to 19.
Death Eater's special tattoo revealed, our experts' analysis, pages 20 to 21.
Severus kept his face impassive as he perused the newspaper. Per Lord Voldemort's predictions, a part of the population had not accepted Minister Birkins' adjournment of the election without protest. As the Lord had foreseen, the Minister had sent the Aurors to control the protests when they had tried to invade the ministry of Magic The protests had escalated into fights between protesters and Aurors. An uneasy truce had been reached yesterday evening after the deaths of an Auror and a Death Eater, the ministry trying to prevent further escalation in the protests while the protesters had been shaken to realise that they could die because of expressing their disagreement with their government. Most of them had not known the dead had been part of the Death Eaters. Only the revelation that the dead protester had borne a tattoo similar to Morsmordre had allowed the Aurors to make such a connection, even though one could argue that bearing a tattoo that looked like the Death Eater's calling card was not proof of belonging to said group. Severus had the feeling that the Aurors would not be convinced by the argument.
Severus shook his head. Lord Voldemort's decision to lift the spell concealing the Mark had been irrational. He wondered if the Lord regretted it now. Even if he did, he could not go back on his gesture without losing face.
Severus skipped the Minister's speech as well as the pictures of violence in the first pages. No doubt the Daily Prophet had made sure to only show the violence perpetrated by the protesters. He was not reading the newspaper for its dubious sensationalism. No, he was curious about the reactions of the prominent British Wizards as well as those of the leaders of other countries to Minister Birkins' adjournment of the election.
Lord Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts: I offer my deepest condolences to Jim's family. I am deeply saddened by Jim's murder, he was one of my old students as well as a friend. He died for his vision of our world, as such, I can only commend Minister Birkins' decision to postpone the election until it is safe for all our fellow Wizards to vote, without the threat of Death Eaters attacking hanging over their heads.
Lord Voldemort, runner for Minister of Magic: I offer my condolences to feu Councillor Baxter's family. The death of a fellow Wizard brings me no joy. However, I don't understand Minister Birkins' decision to postpone the Minister of Magic election. I cannot condone such a break in our democratic process, it is the second time Minister Birkins has ostensibly refused to let go of his power. He has already ruled 7 years more than he should have because he cheated our democratic process. This is another crude manoeuvre to prevent citizens from voting and choosing someone else as their future Minister. They want changes and Minister Birkins' answer is to remove their freedom to choose!
Lord Fleamont Potter, Head of House of Potter: I offer my heartfelt condolences to Councillor Baxter's family. We had our differences but nobody deserves this end. Nothing can justify this hateful act. I stand beside Minister Birkins' decision to postpone the election. We must assure the safety of our fellow Wizards before asking them to vote, or the results of the election will be overshadowed by doubts.
Lord Augustus Prince, Head of House of Prince: I offer my heartfelt condolences to Councillor Baxter's family. His murder is a tragedy, the culmination of seven years of tensions between two opposite sides who have affronted themselves over their vision of our society. I believe that there is only one way to keep the situation from escalating, to appease the tensions among our society. We must give voice to our citizens. The election for Minister for Magic must take place as planned, to give a democratic answer to our world's unrest.
Lord Orion Black, Head of House of Black: I understand Minister Birkin's grief over the death of his close friend. However, private matters cannot influence democracy. He must reinstate the elections quickly or face growing revolution, because when he postponed the election for an indefinite time, he stole the citizens' voices.
Lord Septimus Weasley, Head of House of Weasley: Today is a sad day that reminds us of darker times when the strength of few ruled over the will of most. Councillor Baxter was killed for what he represented, we cannot let his death be in vain. The election must take place, but only once the safety of all is assured. I fully support the condemnation of the Death Eaters group, who have shown their true colours despite their originally honourable goal.
Marc Bécam, French leader: We know more than most that you cannot stop a revolution. The people must choose for themselves. Minister Birkins' past suspicion of cheating as well as his choosing one half of his country over another is coming back in his face. Labelling the Death Eaters terrorists won't make their demands go away. While their murdering of Councillor Baxter is unforgivable, nothing can justify taking away the people's right to choose their leader.
Alexander M. Haig, USA leader: Minister Birkins must not let terrorism win. He must quickly root them out so that the people can choose their leaders as is their fundamental right.
Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo, Spanish leader: In trying times, harsh decisions must be taken to protect the country and the majority of the citizens. I admire Minister Birkins' lucidity in his grief. Crushing the terrorism that has been running rampant in his country for years is a priority if he wishes to preserve the democracy of Great Britain.
Mikhaïl Solomentsev, Russian leader: Minister Birkins is reaping what he sowed, trying so hard to eliminate Temno's from the country that Zlo is intervening before Svet burns out the life from the land. Magic is both Temno and Svet, to try to favour one is to invite Zlo and its destruction.
Hissène Habré, Chad leader: Minister Birkins now understands how complicated it is to govern a fractured country. This time, I will be the one to offer advice on how to solve this crisis. I encourage him to reach to the other side to find a compromise before blood soaks the earth, preventing any hope of reconciliation.
Tony Street, Australian Leader: Britain is reaping what they sow. Every year, Magic practice is watered down until soon, there will be no difference between British Wizards and British Muggles. They thought they could erase from their land Wizards who practised true Magic by exiling them to Australia. Well, we are strong and free when Britain is tearing itself apart. Magic will always prevail!
Well. At least, the other countries did not seem eager to offer their help in erasing the Death Eaters from Britain' soil. Severus was intrigued by the comments implying that once, the Ministry had expelled British Dark practitioners to other countries. It seemed the Death Eaters were the rebellion to several centuries of attempts to lighten the Magic practice of Britain.
Severus sighed. His next lesson in Hogwarts was in three days. He had no idea how he would be welcomed this time. He feared the tensions between the various Houses would escalate.
He shook his head to himself. He had no means to control what would happen in Hogwarts. He should rather focus on his coming meeting with Lily.
Once Severus had decided to warn Lily about the target painted on her son's back, he had first thought to use a letter. However, he had quickly realised that this letter would be a definite proof of his betrayal of the group. While he could pretend that his other letters were an attempt to either spy on the Potters or convince them to stop supporting Dumbledore —Lily's hard won acceptance of her sister's stone was a step in the right direction— a warning about her son's incoming death could not be interpreted as anything other than treason by the group. As such, he knew that both Potter and Dumbledore would be far too happy to use it against him. And there was no doubt that Lily would show the letter to her husband.
Severus had then thought of sending his warning to Petunia instead, as he had no doubt that she would refuse to hand the letter over to Potter, but had realised that there were too many ways for a Wizard to take the letter from her without triggering her protective stone. In fact, no matter the number of protections he put on the letters he sent, there was always a risk that the letters could be found and read by someone else if they took enough time to undo his work. The risk of said letters being intercepted before they reached Petunia or Lily were almost null as he sent them through either Dhaal or Tuei, but he had no idea of the means used by the two women to keep his letters.
Giving up on letters, the next solution was to use his Patronus to convey his message to Lily. However, he would have to find a way to send it when she was alone. He was also uncomfortable with revealing that he could produce a Patronus, as well as reveal its unusual form.
Severus had quickly dismissed this option, which left him with a meeting. Obviously, it had to be somewhere where nobody would know that they were meeting. Even better if Lily did not know beforehand that they would be meeting, thus preventing any unwanted interference from Potter.
Severus was once more grateful for his privileged relationships with his clan as Hoardrock had not batted an eye at his request. The Goblin had sent a request for a meeting at Gringotts to Lady Potter under the pretext of discussing a bank matter, which she had accepted easily. Hoardrock had also established a privacy contract that Lily and Severus would be required to sign before entering the meeting room. It was the best Severus could think of.
Severus checked his appearance one last time. He wore his dark blue ensemble in the style of Bǎo, completed with a black Bǎo robe. The clothes were of the best quality; Lucius' tailor had seen to it as he was "enchanted to be presented with the challenge of a new style that had to impress only using its simplicity". Severus was pleased with the result. The sobriety of the clothes only seemed to enhance his presence. With his braided hair only adorned by one silver clasp, a gift from Frekka when he had created his House, he truly felt like Lord Caspian.
He knew appearances were important, and had no doubt that Lily would look the part of Lady Potter. It would be the first time they met since Hogwarts. He needed her to know from the start that they were equals.
Nodding to himself, Severus flow-travelled to Diagon Alley apparition point. From there, he walked briskly to Gringotts. It would have been faster to use the Room of Crossings, but Severus needed this time to focus.
He bowed slightly to the Goblin guards at the entrance, earning a respectful bow from them in return. Stepping inside the entrance hall, he went to the small desk hidden in the left corner that often was overlooked by customers. He told the Goblin manning the desk his name and the hour of his meeting. Surprisingly, the Goblin called the young Goblin who had asked Severus to meet with Lord Potter before Christmas, Usta Antei, to lead Severus to the private room chosen by Hoardrock for this meeting.
How did the relationship between House Potter and House Caspian influence the alliance between Clan Hankō and Clan Röykkiö? Was Usta Antei chosen to ensure fair treatment of House Potter? Or was it just his job to guide people through Gringotts?
The Usta did not speak as they walked through mostly empty corridors. Once they reached the room, Usta Antei presented Severus with the privacy contract. Severus took the time to read through it despite having given Hoardrock his agreement on its wording two days before. He admired once more the ability of the Goblin to write precisely yet concisely, and without revealing what would take place during the meeting.
Lily had already signed the Contract. He wondered if she had hesitated before doing so.
After signing the Contract and giving it to the young Usta for archiving, Severus entered the room.
It was small, with a small round table and two wooden chairs on one side, and three armchairs covered in dark velvet set in a circle on the other side.
Lily was sitting in the armchair which faced the door. Her elegant blue dress contrasted with the red pram on her right side in an almost jarring sight.
Severus blinked. She had brought her son with her. As would any mother who had no idea that her son was under a death threat. Coming here was the right choice.
Lily looked up at him only seconds after his arrival, first looking at him with a frown before her eyes widened in surprise.
"Sev?"
"Shouldn't you ask me something personal to ensure I'm not polyjuiced?" answered Severus.
The secrecy of the Contract should have made her more cautious.
"After the secrecy of the Contract I had to sign to enter the room, I can't imagine Gringotts letting someone polyjuiced take your place," replied Lily with an amused smile.
Hoardrock had picked this room because it would prevent anyone under polyjuice or glamours from entering, but she did not know that. And there was always the slim possibility of a Metamorphagus. She needed to be more careful.
"But you're right, better safe than sorry," continued Lily. "What did you call me when we first met?"
"A Witch," answered Severus. "What had you done just before?" he asked in return.
"I had used my power to push a swing and then jump from it when it was very high in the air," said Lily fondly.
"You've changed," she added hesitantly, studying him from head to toe.
"So have you," replied Severus.
Her hair was put in a low bun, making her look older than in the photo with Petunia. Combined with her dress and the pram, the schoolgirl he had once known seemed long gone.
Silence fell between them, awkward and uncomfortable. For once, Lily seemed at loss for words, looking torn between joy, confusion and concern. Severus had no idea what to tell her besides "the Death Eaters want to kill your son because of a stupid prophecy."
She was the one who finally spoke.
"Why are we meeting now? I thought you wanted to wait until after the election."
"The Death Eaters want to kill your son because they believe a prophecy foretold that he will kill Lord Voldemort."
Severus winced internally at the bluntness of his words. But how could you soften such a threat?
The silence that followed was even more uncomfortable.
Instinctively, Lily had got up to stand between her son and Severus, her wand now in hand. She stared at him as if she could hope to see through his very soul and know without a doubt that he was telling the truth.
"A prophecy?"
Severus could not help the wry smile that came on his lips. Lily was even more opinionated than he was on the subject of prophecies. Divination was the one course she had openly scorned at Hogwarts. In her opinion, Divination under any form was to be put with the other worthless tradition that some Wizards clung to because they could not fathom that Magic was not the answer to everything. Of course, she had put Purebloods' etiquettes into that same category, not understanding how part of that etiquettes was tied to magic vows and Oaths she had no knowledge of, being a Muggleborn. Though marrying Potter might have given her enough knowledge to change her opinion on the necessity of etiquette.
"Is this your way of pranking me, Sev?"
He realised he had not answered her, lost in his reminiscence, and she had clearly misunderstood his smile. He forced himself to smooth out his face before answering.
"You know I don't do pranks, especially when they are not funny. I assure you that I'm as dismayed as you are by this turn of events."
"But, a prophecy? Really?"
"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't know about it as Dumbledore was the one it was spoken to."
He had thought the old man would have already bragged to his precious Gryffindors about them giving birth to the future heroes of their side.
Why had he not told them yet? Had he interpreted the Prophecy differently? Or had he been waiting for the event that would turn the situation to chaos? How had he known it would happen before the elections? Had he manipulated the polls to goad the Death Eaters into making a mistake? How had he known it would work?
Too many questions were swirling inside Severus' mind, but Lily brought him back to the moment with an angry sigh.
"Seriously Sev? We have not seen each other for five years, you've just told me that the extremist group that supports your candidate wants to kill my son, and you're choosing to insult the Headmaster?"
Severus looked at her calmly.
"I'm only stating a fact, Lily. The Prophecy was spoken more than one year ago. I'm only wondering why he never shared it with you, considering that it applies to your son."
She shook her head, her teeth worrying her lower lip.
"Are you even sure it's about Harry?"
"They think so."
She crossed her arms, still standing protectively in front of the pram but her wand now back into her holster.
"Well, what does it say?"
They had spent so much time trying and failing to find an interpretation of the Prophecy that could convince the group to give up on targeting babies that the words of the Prophecy felt burnt in Severus' mind forever.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…"
Severus watched in silence as she silently worked out the possible meanings of the Prophecy through her head. He saw the moment she realised that it was indeed easy to choose her son as the future killer of Lord Voldemort.
When she spoke, her voice was calm, if a bit shaky.
"I see, if they truly believe in prophecies, how they can believe that Harry will be a threat to them. But Neville is as much a candidate, with Frank and Alice both being Aurors."
"I know," answered Severus quietly. "The Longbottoms' child is the other one on the killing list."
She closed her eyes briefly before nodding.
"Thank you, Sev. I realise that if they are willing to kill babies, you're taking quite the risk coming to warn me."
"I was careful," answered Severus.
She huffed.
"I don't doubt you assessed the risks, Sev. I know you're a great Wizard, look at everything you've accomplished in such a short time. But… Is it enough?"
"What do you mean?"
Her worry for him was palpable. It was… weird to feel, after so many years. Especially when he had just told her that there was a target on her son's back.
"I'm not stupid. You are in contact with the Death Eaters, if not one yourself. Going against them by warning me… You're painting a target on your back."
Severus raised an eyebrow at her.
"I know this Lily."
"Yes, but you have a tendency not to ask for help! You need back up, Sev. No matter your capacities, you can't turn your back on them without expecting retribution."
"What would you have me do?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know. Anyone else, I would tell to go to Dumbledore for protection, but we both know that you won't. And… I agree with you. He has a blind spot concerning Slytherins, and he will try to use you."
That was unexpected. And welcome.
"Don't worry about me. You forget that I'm a Head of House."
She stared at him before nodding with a small laugh.
"Right. I forgot. You were able to create your House because you had enough allies."
She shook her head, smiling wryly.
"You know, I had to study Wizarding traditions and etiquettes before marrying James. But I've recently discovered that it was only the tip of the iceberg. I… I was so angry to realise everything I did not know, because nobody had thought to tell me that I should learn it. I… I understand better your point about the need to learn Wizarding traditions, and even the usefulness of a Mentorship. I just…"
She briefly looked away before looking at him again.
"I've begun assisting Fleamont with some of the House's matters. I think he is pleased that I am interested in learning about the importance of Magic in the Wizarding World, and its influence on the proper functioning of our society. He's been really supportive, giving me advice on what book to read next. It's even more important that I learn everything now, to protect Harry."
It seemed Lord Potter had taken Severus' advice to heart. The threat to Lily's son was only going to make her more involved with her House.
"So you know that being a Head of House already affords me good protection," stated Severus. "You need to focus on your son."
She nodded, then looked up at him with sudden concern, taking a few steps forwards.
"Can you… Can you tell James? Harry is his son too. You can draft the silencing Oath he'll need to take before you tell him. Or can you alter the privacy Contract so that I can tell him myself?"
As much as he disliked Potter, Severus was not a monster. However, Lily knowing of his ties with the Death Eaters was one thing. He trusted her enough not to try to use this knowledge to harm him. Potter was another matter, even with a secrecy Contract.
"I'd like to wait and see if Dumbledore chooses to tell you about the Prophecy and the threat to your son before telling your husband myself," answered Severus. "The same thing goes for the Longbottoms. The Headmaster might have been waiting for the situation to go to hell before showing his cards."
Lily frowned.
"We do have an emergency order meeting tonight, but I think it's more about anticipating the Death Eaters' next moves. I don't understand why he would tell us now when he didn't before."
"Well, despite the various skirmishes between Aurors and Death Eaters, and Minister's Birkins' few humiliated supporters, there was no reason to believe that what was going on warranted a Prophecy until today," answered Severus.
Lily looked at him in disbelief.
"Seriously Sev? I know you only came back a few months ago, but don't you feel the tension in the streets everyday? People are wary when they go out, wondering if they will end up at the wrong place, wrong time and end up in a crossfire between Aurors and Death Eaters. Those who work at the Ministry know that they risk being ambushed and humiliated any moment. There have been many cases of material damages caused by Death Eaters against "Traitors'' and "Mudbloods", as they call the most fervent supporters of Minister Birkins. All in the name of Lord Voldemort."
Severus looked back at her firmly.
"I know that since the last election, the gap between the two main factions of our World has only increased. But we are not in a civil war. Not yet. I'm afraid the past days' riots are only the beginning if new elections are not scheduled soon."
Lily shook her head.
"I think you're wrong. It's like in the muggle world situation between the United States and Russia, what they call the Cold War. People have been scared for several years already. But you're right, it will get worse after what happened to Councillor Baxter and Minister Birkins' decision."
He might have been far too sheltered, even after coming back. It was true he seldom spent much time in crowded wizarding areas, always either going to one of his friends' Manors, Gringotts, or Uusi. Most of his shopping was done by Tuei, and the only time he was outside with many people was for the group's meetings.
He sighed.
"I hope someone is working with Minister Birkins to schedule the elections soon, because postponing them for too long will only increase the troubles. People don't react well to having their choices stolen from them."
Lily nodded.
"I agree. Yet, any election happening now could be contested because of the threat the Death Eaters pose to Minister Birkins' supporters. I—"
An energetic cry from the pram interrupted her. Her son, who had been quite silent and well-behaved until now, seemed to have had enough.
Lily rushed to the pram, taking her son in her arms as she spoke to him softly.
"I'm sorry Harry, I know I'm taking longer than I thought it would be. You must be hungry, little angel."
Severus watched as Lily put a bib around her son's neck, then took out some biscuit and pieces of banana and offered them to the boy. He immediately stopped crying to eat instead.
He was as messy as any young child, parts of half eaten food mixed with drool falling on his chin as he chewed with gusto. There was a reason Severus avoided having Draco on his lap during mealtimes.
Lily's son was a bit bigger than his godson, his face rounder but his eyes no less curious as they roamed the room now that his hunger abated.
Severus felt his breath catch as their eyes met. The green of his eyes was even more vibrant than Lily's. The boy showed no fear at a stranger's presence, only interest.
Lily's laugh broke the spell.
"It's a good thing Sirius is not here. I've never seen Harry so fascinated by someone else when eating. Even Sirius' animagus form is not enough to distract him from his meal."
Severus refrained from rolling his eyes, imagining all too well Potter-bis' pout as the boy ignored him in favour of much needed nourishment. He decided to sidestep this minefield and focus on important matters instead.
"Are you still thinking about leaving Potter Manor despite the threat on your son?"
Petunia and Lily's parents had left Potter Manor after Yule, their house imbued with strong wards and protections to prevent a repeat of the Death Eaters' attack of December. Lily had alluded to the fact that Potter and her were now looking for a place they could call their own, despite Potter Manor being big enough to house at least twenty people comfortably.
Lily sighed.
"I don't know, I'll need to discuss it with James. He's the one who really wants to leave the Manor. Things are… tense between him and Fleamont."
How interesting. The Goblin's punishment might be even more effective than he had thought. More telling, no one had told Lily about it. How would she react when she learnt about it?
It was not his place to tell. Instead he asked her:
"I thought you agreed with Potter about the need to have your own house. Didn't you want to try living together without relying so much on his family?"
"It would be nice sometimes to only spend the day with Harry and James, without either his parents or Sirius. We don't really have much time for just the three of us, even less so for just the two of us."
He really couldn't care less about this.
Lily seemed to read his mind as she let out a small laugh, looking at him with mirth.
"I won't bore you with more details about our married life, let's just say that I could use more privacy. But honestly, I think we could manage it if we talked to James' parents and Sirius. No, the true reason James wants to leave the Manor is that Fleamont doesn't always agree with Albus, and James doesn't understand why."
Poor little Gryffindor.
"Of course, it does not help that Sirius is having really bad mood swings lately," continued Lily, ignoring his lack of reaction. "I told you before that he's finally seeing a mind Healer, and we were warned that there would be bad days. But it's hard to bear when he's alternating between the Sirius we have always known, talkative and ready for any joke opportunity, the Sirius who barely says two words in a day, and the Sirius who locks himself in the strong room to unleash his magic on dummies and exhaust himself to the point of sleeping twelve hours afterwards. He and James are already apprenticed together, I think it would be good for James to be able to relax without having to be strong for Sirius."
Dear Merlin, please prevent "Golden Boy" Potter from having to bear such a hardship as supporting his so-called brother through healing his twisted core.
Lily huffed at him as she cleaned her son's face and hands now that he had finished his snack.
"Stop making this face, I know exactly what you're thinking. Anyway, I agree that the threat on Harry's life changes everything."
Severus nodded.
"I recommend that you stay at Potter Manor. In fact, Harry should never leave the Manor until this mess is sorted out. Your parents and your sister should come too, even with the added protections on their house, there is too much risk of them being taken hostages or used in a Dark blood magic ritual to facilitate intrusion in the Manor. My stone won't be enough against those kinds of threats."
Lily had paled at his words but she nodded firmly.
"You're right, I'll visit Dad as soon as we're done here. Well, after getting Harry back to the Manor."
Severus nodded in satisfaction. She was taking the threat seriously.
"Good, you need to really think about all the ways Harry can be threatened."
Lily gave him a small smile.
"My mind is already making lists. And I'm gonna raid the Potters' library as soon as I'm back home."
Severus smiled back. It was good to be friends with Lily despite the situation and the current fragility of their friendship.
"As I'm sure you realise, we cannot take the risk to meet again. And letters have become too dangerous," said Severus seriously.
"Petunia and I keep your letters in a box I have protected with various runes and charms, but I'm aware it's not one hundred per cent secure," agreed Lily.
It was more caution than he had expected.
"Indeed. So I've got two communicating stones," said Severus as he handed Lily two blue stones similar to the goblin stone he always wore around his neck.
He had studied his own stone to create the other two, modifying them so that Petunia would be able to activate hers with a drop of her blood. Drunek had been kind enough to help him test them even when Severus had not visited long enough to have lunch with his goblin family. His Master had joked that soon, Severus would be the one to teach him.
"How does it work?" asked Lily as she examined one stone curiously.
"You need to put your finger on the smaller rune, the one that looks like an arrow. It will prick your finger to get only one drop of blood, which will activate all the runes and establish the communication between your stone and mine. However, Petunia and you won't be able to communicate with each other using the stones, and I will only be able to talk to one of you at a time because your stones cannot be activated together."
Petunia being a Muggle limited what he was able to do without more time and tests to improve the stones.
"Thank you, Sev. Really," said Lily as she got up, Harry on her right hip.
She took his left hand and squeezed it lightly.
"You've done so much for my family, even when we did not see eye to eye. Petunia's stone. Your advice. Your warning. And now those stones... I will never forget what I owe you."
Severus felt warmth spread through his chest. It felt good, after so many years, to hear those words. He hoped they remained true.
Lily did not let go of his hand. She looked at their joined hands, worrying her lips as if she wanted to speak but could not find the right words.
She had just admitted she owed him. She had admitted Dumbledore was biased against Slytherins. What could be left to say that would be so terrible?
"What is it Lily?"
She looked up, dark eyes meeting vibrant green.
"What happened in fifth year, Sev?"
Severus reflexively took his hand back to cross his arms in a defensive posture.
"You know what happened in fifth year, you were there."
She shook her head.
"Not for all of it. I really thought you were… going dark, like Mulciber, when you completely ignored me during the end of fifth year, and did not even react when he and his click called me a mudblood. What happened at the lake… It hurt even more, because after learning about your mother's death, I tried my hardest to be a better friend and you kept brushing me off. But you gave Petunia a stone to protect us that summer, and you were closer to Wilkes than Mulciber, who was a really good prefect. So, what happened, Sev?"
She looked so earnest.
Why was she asking him this now, when she had just learnt her son was the target of the Death Eaters? Was she afraid one of them would die before she could get an answer? Why did it even matter five years later?
He did not relish speaking of that awful year, yet, he had grown beyond who he once was. The secrecy Contract would make sure that Lily did not unwillingly reveal his secrets to her husband and the Headmaster. And he was curious to see how she would react to the "prank".
"Many things happened," answered Severus. "Father left the house the summer before fifth year. We fought over the Death Eaters killing a Muggle to save a kid. You stopped all contact with me once back at Hogwarts, except for potion classes. You asked me about the Mulciber-McDonald's incident and were really weird about it…"
"I know. I fell for Mulciber's crude trap," huffed Lily. "He told Mary that every Slytherin had his target, because Gryffondor bitches needed to learn the place Magic had made for them and that only the grandness of Slytherin could help them reach it. In hindsight, he just wanted to scare us, but at the time, it was another argument in favour of the darkness of all Slytherins."
"I assure you nobody ever alluded to anything of the sort," stated Severus disgusted.
"I knew that as soon as we talked together," assured Lily.
"Right. Well, after that, there was Black's prank that almost got me killed—"
"When the Marauders did not speak to each other for two months?" interrupted Lily, curious.
"Exactly."
"James never told me what it was about," confided Lily.
"He couldn't," replied Severus, watching her with attention. "Headmaster Dumbledore made us swear an unbreakable vow."
"That's… I can't… Why would Albus do so? It's illegal and unethical on so many levels!"
"He wanted to protect Lupin," answered Severus calmly. "Do you remember my suspicions at the time?"
He had no doubt she knew the Marauder's secret today. Marrying one of them was to accept all of them as family.
She nodded.
"Yes. And you were right about Remus."
"I was. I almost died because Black thought it would be funny to scare me away by giving me proof of my suspicions. He sent me a letter disguised as yours, telling me that you were going to the shack on a full moon, to know once and for all if I was right. I suspected a trap but I reacted like an idiot Gryffondor."
Lily had gotten paler as he spoke.
"Oh my god, Sev! You went to the shack! You could have been killed!"
"I nearly was. Your husband saved me, though he was more focused on saving Lupin from killing someone."
"This is the false life debt you once spoke of."
He nodded.
"We went to the Headmaster who threatened to expel me if I did not swear a silencing Oath in order to protect Lupin who was the sole victim in his eyes."
Lily now was walking back and forth with Harry, calming herself more than she was putting him to sleep as the toddler kept looking at Severus with interest.
The sight made Severus relax.
"And you can speak of it because you found a way around the Oath?" asked Lily.
It did not sound like she was doubting him, more like she was covering a possible counter-argument to his story.
"Magic believes in fair bargains. As I did not receive anything in exchange of taking the Oath, the silencing Oath in fact became a constraining Oath. Those fade in time. All this happened a few weeks before Christmas. Then I went home to spend the best Christmas of my life with Mother only to have her die the next day. From then on, I had trouble focusing and it showed on my spell casting so I used a magical trick to keep my mind focused on the coming OWLs. It proved to be too effective, I only noticed what pertained to the OWLs, everything else was irrelevant. Because of this, I was taken off guard at the lake. You know the rest," ended Severus uncomfortably.
"It must have been an awful year," said Lily slowly. "I wish I had known. I hope I would have been a better friend."
Severus shrugged. They were better friends now. He hoped.
Before the silence between them could become awkward, Lily's son made a gurgling sound, reaching a hand toward Severus.
Lily laughed at her son's behaviour.
"You really intrigue him. It's true I never introduced the two of you. Severus, may I introduce you to my son, Harry James Potter?"
Severus hesitantly took the small hand of the boy, who immediately grasped his forefinger tightly.
"Pleased, I'm sure."
"Here, why don't you take him a second?" said Lily, immediately taking Harry from her hips to put him in Severus' arms.
He was lucky to have gotten much practice with his godson.
Harry looked at him with wide green eyes, his right hand going up to touch Severus' chin lightly. He felt his eyes widen in surprise as he Sensed the boy reach to him with Magic.
What is something all young children did? He had assumed Draco only did so because of the Godfather Bond between them.
The boy giggled as Severus gently pushed back against his Magic, the thread dissolving in invisible sparks. Immediately, Harry reached out again with his Sense, as if trying to memorise Severus' Magic feel.
He did not like children, but he had to admit that Harry was endearing. He might even be a gifted child, if Potter did not spoil him rotten.
"You're good with him," remarked Lily as she watched them fondly. "Did you have much practice with Lucius' son?"
"I'm Draco's godfather," admitted Severus.
"I didn't know Lucius and you were that close," said Lily pensively. "I'm glad."
Today, she certainly understood what the title of godfather meant in the Wizarding World. He could not help but feel relief and happiness that she did not belittle him for his close relationship with Lucius.
"Thank you," answered Severus quietly.
"I'm a bit disappointed, you know," said Lily teasingly.
He took his eyes away from Harry's to look at her askance.
"Now that we've finally met again, I was hoping that you would introduce me to your infamous Familiar," explained Lily. "He made quite an impression on James and Sirius."
"I'm sure," smirked Severus. "But he remained with Draco today. Dhaal is as much his godfather as I am."
Lily nodded.
"Next time, then."
She grimaced.
"I hope it won't take too long."
"So do I," agreed Severus.
He gave one last push to Harry's Magic before handing him back to Lily.
"I believe we've already spent too much time together," stated Severus.
He was glad to have an excuse to end this meeting. While the awkwardness of the beginning of the meeting was gone, he was left torn between giddiness at being friends again, worry about the threat on her son and irritation with her obvious love for the Gryffindors that had made his Hogwarts' years hell. He had known all this rationally, but to face and feel it was something else.
Lily nodded regretfully.
"You're right. And I have much to do. Thank you again, Sev. I'll call you tomorrow to test my stone, and to tell you if Albus suddenly decided to share the existence of the Prophecy with us."
"And I'll arrange another meeting, with the Longbottoms, Potter and you if Dumbledore has not said anything by the end of the week," promised Severus.
They shared a smile then Severus bowed lightly, one Head of House to the step-daughter of another Head of House. Lily's answering reverence was perfect. He left the room with a smile on his lips despite the turmoil of his thoughts.
Suddenly, everything that Severus had accomplished seemed to take a richer flavour. Seeing Lily, speaking with her as an adult, had driven home how different he was from the hurt, awkward, angry teenager he had been the last time they had spoken.
She had listened to him. She had not doubted him or dismissed his warnings. She had not insisted that he tell everything to her husband right this moment. She had not asked to see if he bore the Morsmodre mark on his forearm. He felt as if he had shed the last of his Snape's uncertainties to completely embrace Lord Caspian.
Feeling almost unsettled, Severus elected to walk part of the way back home after putting a light glamour on his clothes so that Muggles would not question his strange appearance. Fresh air and exercise would hopefully help him figure out this newfound assurance. No doubt that working on the reunification plan would help him come back to reality.
He was in the middle of drafting in his mind a letter to Family Ressurs regarding the possibility of consulting their archives about Horcruxes without saying the word Horcrux when he reached the park where he and Lily had spent so much time dreaming about Magic, playing and imagining their life in the magical world. More often than not, they would end up respectively Potion Master and Charms Master, opening a joint study and making discoveries that revolutionised the Wizarding World.
Reality proved to be more complex and more satisfying, despite the looming civil war.
Almost nostalgic, Severus let his feet guide him through the park until he reached the playground. In the right corner, isolated from the other games, were the swings where he had first met Lily. Several kids were swinging, gently pushed by parents or older siblings. The rest of the playground was packed with children playing either in the sandbox or on the various structures.
One girl who could not be older than six caught his attention. She looked strangely familiar, but he could not remember ever meeting her. Looking around to see which adult was looking after the girl, Severus almost took a step back in shock.
His father and his new wife were sitting on a bench, speaking together while watching the girl fondly. His father looked healthier and happier than he had ever known him despite the strands of white in his black hair. Happier than he had ever seen him, except for Augustus' memory of Severus' birth. This was what life could have been for him and Mother if they had not been magical. Or if his father had not been a f...g magic hater.
Struck by a sudden fear, Severus put a notice-me-not charm on himself before getting closer to... his half-sister. He needed to be sure she was a Muggle through and through.
Despite studying Khorlos intensively during his apprenticeship, and all his research on the reunification of Horcruxes with their Khorlos since coming back, Severus had never looked at a Muggle´s Khorlos. It felt rude to study their Khorlos without asking for permission first, but he had no choice. Focusing on his Sense, Severus reached to one Muggle, then another, and so on until he had Sensed the Khorlos of twenty adults and as many children.
The Muggles' Khorlos were all closed, except for Manipura which was barely cracked.
Severus was surprised, having expected all their Khorlos to be closed, especially Manipura as it was the Wizards' main Khorlo. It was another reason to suspect that Muggles might all possess a little bit of magic.
One of the children appeared to be a Muggleborn as he was the only one from the forty people Severus had examined who possessed cracked Khorlos other than Manipura. Severus would need to locate his home and watch out for accidental Magic. Maybe he should introduce his parents to the Wizarding World once his Magic showed. Even better, he should ask for Ted's advice.
Nodding to himself, Severus made notes in his to-do list about Khorlos, Muggles, and Muggleborns, then focused back on his current problem.
He extended his Sense toward his half-sister, and was relieved that her Khorlos were exactly the same as the other muggle children. He made sure to be thorough with her, looking for the slightest trace of Magic that could come from her Khorlos. He Sensed nothing. His father had his perfectly normal child.
He should have left it at that. The girl was safe.
As safe as he could ensure with a five minute study of her life.
He could not make the same mistake as his grandfather. Could he be certain that his father had only been blinded by his hate and fear of Magic when it came to Severus?
He needed to have more information. However, he could not afford to monitor his father and his family every minute of the day. Aside from the fact that he already was very busy, the political situation was such that he would not be surprised to have the Ministry looking for any excuse to imprison Lord Voldemort's supporters. Monitoring unsuspecting Muggles with Magic was a serious breach of the law.
It would be the same if Severus put protective spells on his muggle half-sister, as idiotic as it seemed to him.
Severus watched his father, who was waving back at his daughter.
He did not know his half-sister. He did not want to get to know her. However, he would never forgive himself if their father ended up hurting her.
Severus had read up on Legilimency after his grandfather had tested Jonathan, Regulus and him on Occlumency, intrigued by the older man's ability to use Legilimency without looking into the eyes of his target.
In theory, he now knew how to do the same. The fact that his father was a muggle should make it all the more easy.
Using Legilimency on a Muggle without his consent also was illegal. However, it was impossible to prove as long as he was not caught in the act and did not destroy the Muggle's mind.
Squaring his shoulders, Severus moved a few feet to the side to settle comfortably against a tree which assured him a clear line of sight to his father.
Breathing deeply, he went to his mind potion lab.
He took the time to make the tour of the place and check that all of his defences were in place. Muggles were not supposed to be gifted in the Arts of the mind, but he was not going to take any risks.
Severus focused on his potions fumes barrier, thickening it until it was almost solid. Then, he willed some of the fumes into a thin line which he pushed toward his father's head, thinking Legilimens at the same time.
At first, the fumes seemed to vanish once they came into contact with his father. Then a memory flashed in front of him, a toddler that looked like his half-sister giggling as she descended a slide while he ran to catch her when she reached the bottom, anxiety and pride mixing in his stomach.
Severus reared back in shock. He had forgotten that he would feel his father's feelings in his memories. It felt so… foreign. So different from reviewing memories in a pensieve.
Shaking his head to himself, Severus focused again and sent back the potions fumes towards his father.
This time, he was prepared for the disorientating feelings, and used some of the fumes to mute them.
His father was at the park, watching over his half-sister with what could only be called love and pride. Severus cautiously took a few steps, studying his surroundings. It was the same park as today. His half-sister was younger, and her mother did not seem to be here. His father felt peaceful and looked content to do nothing and look after his daughter as she played with other children.
It was another positive sign, but it was not enough. How could he find the right memories, those who would show him the kind of man his father was today with his new family?
Severus had barely had that thought that the memory changed.
It was another scene at the park, but this time, while his half-sister was playing with other kids, their father was not looking at her. Instead, he was staring at nothing, his wife sitting on the bench besides him. The man felt… conflicted.
Intrigued, Severus watched as the woman, looking concerned, spoke to his father. Quickly, he came closer to be able to hear their conversation.
"—about them again?" asked the wife.
"No. Yes."
"I thought you'd done enough of that with me and your doctor these past years."
"Yes, well… you know, we talked of other things too. My father, the war… I cannot thank you enough for making me see him," answered his father, squeezing her hand with his own.
His wife pressed a kiss on his cheek.
"I couldn't let you self-destruct in front of my eyes. I've always known you were a good man. You only needed to accept her betrayal and face your demons."
His father sighed.
"You know it's not that easy when it comes to them. The boy was innocent in this story, but I couldn't love him as I love our Eïla. Even today, I'm just relieved that he found another family and will never come back."
She entwined their fingers together.
"I'm glad I was here when his new father came to visit you. Despite his claims, I'm not convinced he wasn't going to hurt you."
His father looked away from her.
"He knew Eileen's secret. He knew her secret was the reason why our marriage had fallen apart. He wanted to make sure it would not happen again."
His wife huffed.
"He certainly wanted to scare you. But don't you go feeling guilty again, remember what you talked about with your therapist. Eileen married you while hiding something huge from you, perfectly aware that if you discovered her secret, it would tear you apart. You won't tell me what her secret was, and I find this quite honourable of you to protect her memory. But as I told you before, she reaped what she sowed."
His father offered her a small smile and turned toward their daughter, dropping the subject and feeling calmer. Severus was left reeling.
Abraxas had visited them, to check on Severus' half-sister as Severus was doing now.
He missed his Mentor fiercely.
He blinked as the memory changed.
The scene took place in a kitchen far different from the one that had been Mother's. There was not one bottle in sight.
His father's wife was rocking their baby daughter, wearing an exasperated face while his father looked at her with a fearful expression.
"But what if I stop loving her, Mary? What if I don't love her enough?"
"Tobias, you have no reason to stop loving her. You told me yourself that you loved her more than you could have ever imagined loving someone. Even if you had not told me, I would have known by the look on your face when you took her into your arms at the hospital!" replied his wife.
"But I stopped loving the boy, even if he was innocent of Eileen's crime. I could not love him once I knew her secret."
"First, I have no secret," said his wife with a huff. "And two, the doctor told you it was a common reaction," she added quietly. "The boy was the reason you discovered Eileen's secret, the reason you couldn't love her as much as she loved you anymore. Your subconscious transferred your feeling of betrayal on the boy to try to protect your love for Eileen and your marriage, but in the end, it was not enough."
The memory changed as Severus stared at his father's wife, unimpressed with her justification of his father's behaviour towards him.
They were at the park again. His half-sister looked the same age as today, and was playing with two other girls in the sandbox. Her parents were watching her from the bench.
His father's wife was speaking.
"You must move on now. Eileen was the one at fault, keeping a secret from you from the start. And the boy found another family that loves him and seems quite protective of him. It is for the best. You cannot keep on ruminating every time you take Eïla to the park."
His father nodded slightly.
"I know. It's just… The boy used to spend hours at the park, on his own or with that red-haired girl. I never stopped to watch them play. I only hurried home, happy to spend some time alone with Eileen pretending nothing had changed. It's hard to face the fact that I'm not as good a man as I wish. A good man would have loved his son, no matter what. You know my Ma' would be so disappointed. But I cannot bring myself to regret abandoning him. The boy was always so scrawny, silent as a mouse and too clever by half. Always so hungry for a love I could never give him."
"You love me. You love Eïla. That's good enough for me."
His father smiled, looking back toward Severus' half sister.
"That's good enough for me too."
The man was not lying to keep her happy. He felt happy.
This time, Severus was the one who chose to stop the memory. It was clear enough that Magic was the only reason his father had not loved him. His half-sister had nothing to fear from the man.
He did not linger at the park after those words.
He did not feel hurt.
He checked his mind for Occlumency boxes and found none.
Severus Snape definitely did not exist anymore.