Lily Evans
"Severus, what the HELL!"
"Get down!" Severus spoke with haste, low and stern. "Only use the bow if you need it. I'm going to be shooting them off one by one."
Severus began tying back the length of his hair and nocking an arrow. He sat on one knee with the bow over his left leg, his robes casting him in darkness.
Lily watched in quiet bewilderment, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Willing air into her lungs, Lily felt calm realization come over her.
She could do this. She wanted to.
"Tell me what I need to do."
"There's my girl," Severus loosened a breath, looking up at Lily through shadowed eyes.
Lily rolled her eyes, gesturing impatiently for him to get on with it.
"We will need to be quick," Severus began explaining, "you will hold the soul cage while I perform the ritual."
Lily continued staring at Severus. Was he fucking serious?
"Lily, while I have no doubt in your capability to do so, I… must warn you." Severus looked nervous. Like maybe he was finally realizing this idea was ludicrous. "The more souls we capture the more… dense the cage becomes. It may start to call to you."
Communing with the siphoned souls of a few dead death eaters on a random Wednesday? Thrilling.
Lily figured there could be worse things to do.
"What will they say?"
"I can't say for certain… but they will try to get you to free them. It is vital that you do not."
Lily held her hand out as Severus placed the dark artifact into her sweaty palm. Her body flooding with icy sensation.
"Severus," Lily looked at him with slight concern in her eyes, "once I help you capture these souls… is there any coming back from this? Will the dark magic… turn me?"
"Turn you?"
"You know… turn me evil?"
Severus laughed, deep and raucous. Did he remember they were trying to be quiet?
"Oh, Lily." Severus grabbed her hand firm in his, pressing his pale lips against her skin. "That is for you to decide."
Walking side by side, Lily and Severus began their subtle descent. They'd decided that Severus would be feigning the critical lycanthrope howl, luring them off one by one as he shot the killing arrows. Lily would then run up behind with the soul cage as Severus performed the soul-siphoning ritual.
Brilliant.
Coming up on their first target, Severus gave Lily a knowing glance that said are you ready?
She was. Lily nodded in agreement and Severus looked up to the full moon and howled his first call into the night.
There was no turning back.
Lily bounced anxiously on her feet, her hands gripping the faded leather of the bow strap. She could smell the air shift as the scent of old booze and watering saliva carried on the breeze to her senses.
Lily squinted her eyes, trying to locate the source.
Two werewolves shot through the canopy of branches, ravenous and bare. They spotted Lily instantly.
"SEVERUS!"
Panic took over her senses as she began frantically looking around for a tree to climb or... or something.
There.
Bolting across crackling branches, Lily fought through her rising pulse. The werewolves were gaining on her.
"Anytime now would be great!" She yelled with riled sarcasm.
Pained cries filled the skies as the first killing arrow found its mark.
Lily whipped around, her hair falling loose, perspiration coating her limbs.
Before she had time to process what was happening, she watched as the second arrow shot through the midnight sky, piercing the heart of the second.
"Quick, come here!"
She didn't have time to waste.
Running to meet Severus beside the limp corpses of the lycanthrope death eaters, Lily held out the soul cage, firm and resolute. Terror turned to awe as she peered down at Severus as he began the ritual.
"Accipere Animam," He repeated.
Lily watched through terrified eyes as the soul of the death eater attached to the end of his wand like a green wisp of gelatinous smoke.
If Severus was sinking to the bottom of that lake, so was she. "Teach me how to do that."
Severus set the tip of his wand over the cage cradled in Lily's hands, the tendrils of soul evaporating into its depths.
"This takes a tremendous amount of dark magic." Severus spoke, his tone deathly quiet, "I would never subject you to this."
Pushing off the leafy blanket of the Forrest floor, Severus began a slow stride to the second corpse.
Lily followed. She felt… torn.
Severus sat beside the second body, performing the ritual. Lily pushed back against her shaky hands as the second soul fell into the grasps of the cage.
"How did you learn to do this?"
"I"—
Without warning a third beast burst through the shroud of vegetation, its claws and teeth primed for attack.
"Get behind me!" Severus yelled, pushing Lily behind him.
Lily dropped to the ground, the soul cage tumbling out of her grasp.
"Avada Kadavra!"
The unmistakable glow of The Killing Curse flew from Severus' wand. Lily watched as the death eater before her twisted through the air, its limp body slamming against a nearby tree.
"Are you alright?" Severus turned and fell to Lily's side, holding her face in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Lily. I shouldn't have brought you here."
Lily felt exhausted. She'd felt too many emotions tonight, but regret wasn't one of them.
"I'm glad you did, Severus. I— I want to help. You will continue to bring me."
Severus continued to shake his head and whisper to himself.
"That's enough for tonight." He spoke, accio'ing the dark artifact back into his grasp and securing it within his cloak.
Picking Lily up into his arms, Lily felt as the warmth of his body seeped through her robes. She breathed in his scent of mahogany and snow, nestling her head into his shoulder.
"Promise me you will continue to bring me, Severus." Lily persisted.
Reaching into the depths of his cloak, Severus pressed a small tincture to her lips, nudging her to swallow.
Lily felt the warm liquid coat her throat, heat flushing her cheeks. She was so tired.
Severus pushed away the loose hairs stuck to her face, "Oh, Lily."
Lily felt the familiar tug in her stomach as Severus dissapparated them, the howls of the remaining death eaters echoing in the skies.
Collapsing on to the floor of Severus' residence, Lily peered through heavy eyes, catching a glimpse of Reno's grin before sleep found her.