“The activities of the self-styled Lord Voldemort?” Severus asked, raising a sable eyebrow.

“Indeed, Mr Potter. Over the last ten years a rather gifted but, unfortunately, highly amoral wizard, Lord Voldemort, has been gathering an army, the Deatheaters, with the intention of nothing less than overthrowing the Ministry of Magic, ousting the Statute of secrecy and casting muggleborns into slavery.”

A handsome, red-haired man at Dumbledore’s right spoke “There are signs that Voldemort is stepping up his attack; his rise over the last ten years has been marked with several dozen disappearances and murders but, now, it seems, he is growing confident. We have increasingly found the dark mark, a skull intertwined with a serpent, above the victims' houses.”

“Very true, Fabian” said the balding man on Dumbledore’s left side “Many of you know me” he looked at Sirius and Remus “but, for those who don’t, my name is Barty Crouch and I am the Head of the Auror Department. Over the last few months, we have been seeing a marked rise in muggle-baiting but, overstretched and under-resourced as we are, we are finding it difficult to effectively counter this… this wizard. And, moreover, the Ministry is rather against a more aggressive show of defence. They don’t want to worry people.”

“They’d rather they just got burnt in their beds” sneered Sirius.

“Mr Black, that was a pertinent comment!” Mr Crouch snapped.

“I think you meant impertinent, Sir” Severus added, his arm resting on the back of Lily’s chair.

Crouch fixed him with a beady eye “I know exactly what I meant, Mr Potter. Now, Albus and I run a little group, designed to combat the Deatheaters. I will not lie to you, if you join us, you will be in gravest danger. However, we, as a society, are but inches from being crushed under the heel of tyranny and, if no one fights, we all will fall.”

“We’re definitely for it, right Remy?” Sirius said.

“Definitely”

Severus nodded, crossing his arms “I’m in. I suppose you could use an Unspeakable?”

Lily looked at her husband before saying “Two Unspeakables, I’m joining too.”

In the end, most of the table joined: the Order of the Phoenix gaining many of the brightest feathers of the age.

oOoOo

Yet, in the Serpents Lair, a feather which, while once bright, had been stained as the years passed until it was as black as ink, shimmered.

“James, my child, you asked and your Lord has given. Your muggle father and blood-traitor mother, those who brought you into this world only to scorn, neglect and denigrate you, are dead.” A pale, skeletal hand held out a shimmering bottle of memories to his kneeling servant. “Their screams, with my compliments”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“Now, James Prince, your Lord has a mission for you.”

“Yes, master?”

“I request that you join the staff of Dumbledore, the Potions Master, Slughorn, is retiring and, as I aided you in obtaining your Mastery, I can think of no better use than for you to become a master in your alma mater, to ingratiate yourself with Dumbledore and incubating the next generation of Deatheaters.”

“You wish me to spy, my Lord?

“Indeed.”

“Thank you, my Lord, I am honoured in your faith in me.”

“You are welcome, James. Do not fail me.”

oOoOo

“Hello, Severus, you said you had some news for me?” said Remus, entering Severus’s comfortable, walnut and sage-leather furnished office.

“Ah, yes. It’s finished.” Severus plonked a crystal decanter onto the table, which was filled with a smoking, blue-grey potion.

“What’s finished?” Remus asked, daring not to hope.

“My little pet project, Wolfwane potion: it wanes the power of the werewolf, protecting the human mind from the transformation.”

“You mean you managed it?” Remus asked, torn between incredulity, joy and awe. “It’ll make me safe?”

“100%, the Department helped me test it.” Severus smirked “Based it off a potion in a Saxon grimoire, one designed to curse the victim with the mind of a wolf. Very nasty. I just had to work out which constituents to change; Wolfsbane instead of Red Cap Mushrooms, etcetera. 'Slug and Jiggers' have promised you a lifetime supply if I’ll give them sole distribution rights.”

oOoOo

“I would like to propose a toast; to my beautiful wife Lily Aurora Potter who, I am proud to inform you, is carrying the Potter heir?” Severus said, his arm around Lily’s shoulders and a smile of pure joy playing around his lips.

“Here! Here! Three cheers for Shadow and Shimmer!” yelled Sirius who, since being the best man at Severus’s wedding, had taken it upon himself to be Master of Ceremonies ever since “Come on everyone Hip! Hip! Hurrah!”

Remus rolled his eyes and, with a smirk towards Severus, tugged Sirius off to replenish their drinks.

“I am so pleased for you my dears!” Lucy Potter said, coming up and taking Lily’s hand.

“You think this one will like Quidditch, what?” Jargo grinned, jabbing Severus with a playful elbow.

“Oh, quiet Jargo. Twelve O.W.Ls, seven Outstanding N.E.W.Ts, the youngest ever Head of Division, yet all you harp on about is your bloody broomstick” said Lucy, waving a finger under Jargo’s nose in mock-fury.

“Just like any other guy!” called out Sirius, who could sniff out an opportunity for innuendo at twenty yards.

“Mr Black! You’re not too old to go over my knee”

“So” Lucy said, turning back to the happy couple “When is my grandchild due?”

“Late July, mother.” Severus said laying a gentle hand on Lily’s stomach.

oOoOo

James Prince knelt listening to Dumbledore interviewing his Divination Candidate, a mad, drunken old hag from what he could tell of her. Spying often was pretty boring, in truth, but James was willing to do anything for his Lord, even if it meant listening to insane witches gabble.

Suddenly, the woman’s voice changed "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...”

“Petrificus totalis!”

James fell with a thump. Aberforth clumped up and grabbed him by the collar before knocking on the door.

Albus Dumbledore opened the door, looking slightly pale and shaken.

“Got sommun who were listening ter ya.” Aberforth thrust James inert form at Dumbledore “An clear orf outta my pub sharpish, okay?”

Albus sighed and nodded “Of course, Aberforth. Thank you.”

“Well, Mr Snape?” Albus asked, casting finite.

“It’s Prince” the boy said with a sneer, straightening up.

“Well, Mr Prince.”

“That old lunatic jumped me! I was just trying to work out which room was mine!”

“You were never that good a liar, James.”

“Look, you can fuck off, right. You’re no longer my Headmaster and I can say and do as I like.” The boy spat. “Now back off or else I’ll call the Aurors.” The young man stamped down the landing, heading for the stairs.

“James, it is never too late…”

The boy turned, his black eyes burning like brimstone “For you it is, old man. For you it is.”

oOoOo

“It’s going to be okay, Lily dear! Deep breaths”

“I waaant to go to St Mungooos!” wailed Lily.

“It’s not safe, my darling” Severus whispered, stroking her hair. “Molly are you sure I can’t give her anything for the pain? I’ve got a wide variety of painkillers…”

“No, Severus, it’s too dangerous. Hold her hand dear!”

Lily gave another shriek.

“Molly, surely?!”

“No, this is how it goes, I should know, I’ve got six children!”

Severus stroked Lily’s hair with a shaking hand.

“Come on Lily, we’re almost there!” Molly encouraged.

“I’ve been almost there for ages!” yelled Lily, her face as red as her hair.

“Push!”

oOoOo

Three hours later, all was quiet in the Godric’s Hollow safehouse. Lily was asleep on the freshly made bed, Molly and Arthur were snoozing in armchairs by the fire and Severus was outside, enjoying the warm, summer evening, with his newborn son on his knee.

“Look, Harry. Can you see the doggie in the stars? That bright one just there is Sirius, like your godfather. And there, can you see the wolf? That’s your uncle Remus. ”

The baby opened his eyes, which shone greener than the brightest of emeralds, and gazed at his father. Severus felt an awful tightness in his chest. Every atom of his being whimpering as he felt the heavy hand of fate on his precious son, child of the woman he loved beyond life itself.

“Oh Harry” Severus hugged the child, placing a tender hand over the fragile newborn’s head “What is to become of you?”