The tension around the table was palpable. Arthur Weasley had given up some time ago in lightening the mood and now sat silently at the head of the table at Grimmauld Place. Molly sat to his right, glaring daggers at the new arrivals. Judging from the way she was mutilating the chicken on her plate, she was imaging horrible things happening to them.

Next to Molly, Ginny had finished disfiguring her dinner and was openly glaring at the Muggles huddled at the end of the table. Normally she would have talked to Hermione who sat next to her at dinner, but even the bookworm was attempting to fillet their 'guests' with her eyes.

Ron alternated his gaze between the thin woman with the long neck sitting across from him and his best mate, Harry. He then sighed with a look of disgust at the nasty looking woman that unfortunately was related to his solemn friend. Sparing another quick peek, he glanced at Harry. He said nothing as he watched his friend stare intently at his barely touched plate of food. He could tell that Harry was doing his very best to look anywhere but them.

With his wand lying beside his plate within easy reach, Sirius was grinding his food between his teeth while glaring at the fat Muggle across from him. He couldn't keep his thoughts from going dark in the presence of them. He knew precisely just how well they had cared for his godson. Softly releasing a low growl, he stabbed his chicken again, ripping off a piece from the bone in the most violent of ways before eating it.

On Arthur's left and across from Molly and Ginny, Fred and George were unusually silent as they slowly ate their dinner. However, everyone and their Kneazle knew the two were scheming to themselves. Their heads were bent down like always, and their bluish eyes glistened with sinister plots.

Crowded at the corner of the table, three Muggles (the first ever to set foot in Grimmauld Place according to an enraged Mrs. Black) cowered away from the 'freaks' surrounding them. Petunia sat closest to the twins, glaring menacingly at the top of Harry's head, while Vernon was at the corner of the table. His face had an unhealthy red hue to it as he eyed Sirius's wand with disdain. Dudley was situated between his parents, not at all shy about eating more than his share of food.

This had to be the worst Christmas ever, thought Harry with all the angst and melodrama a fourteen-year-old boy could muster. Actually, though, Christmas was still two weeks away. However, for the first day of holiday vacation, it was still turning into the worst holidays ever.

Harry had every intention of spending his Holidays at Hogwarts again this year. That was until the Headmaster had summoned him to his office just before his friends were about to leave. The elderly wizard informed the young man that he could not stay at Hogwarts, but instead would spend the Holidays with his relatives. Harry had pleaded and begged Dumbledore, hoping that at the very least he could stay with his newly acquired godfather. But Dumbledore had been unyielding and sent Harry along to pack his things so he could board the train with his friends.

He had been oddly relieved when a group of people he had never met before came bursting through the front door of the Dursleys' less the two hours after he arrived. They had identified themselves as Aurors, and more importantly, members of something called the Order of the Phoenix before whisking Harry and the Dursleys off to Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore was there waiting for them and explained that the safety of their home had been compromised and they were all in danger. That would have been fine for Harry, but the Dursleys had to stay as well until they could find a new safe house for them or their home could be made secure once more.

Dinner seemed to stretch on for days before the sound of Mrs. Black's screeching voice broke the silence. Everyone's heads turned towards the kitchen entrance as Dumbledore walked calmly into the kitchen. He had a hand on the black clad shoulder of Severus Snape.

Snape's right arm was in a sling and he walked with a slight sway as though he were walking upright through sheer willpower. The entire left side of his face was a kaleidoscope of dark purple and blues. Overall, he looked as though he had just tumbled out of a dryer.

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Molly, seeing the battered man. Jumping up, she rushed over to him. "Come, Severus. Sit down." She then shook her head slowly when he attempted to resist her. "Honestly, Severus, there will be no more of that. You look like you're about to fall over."

Molly then gently nudged the Potions Master to her chair and made sure he was comfortable before moving to fill a glass with water and plate with food.

"Never could keep your nose clean could you, Severus?" Petunia asked from the other end of the table.

Severus turned his head to look at her. Had his face been in its normal condition, the look of shock would have been humorous. As it was, though, it just looked painful.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Honestly, Severus, I haven't see you looking this bad since you were fourteen. What exactly did you do this time?" Petunia ranted at her target with malice. She had been too afraid to say anything to the other 'freaks' in the room, but she felt safe taking her anger out on Severus, an all too familiar target.

"As always, 'Tuney, it's good to see you, too," Severus said dryly before turning his head to Dumbledore. "Were you going to tell me she was here, Albus?"

"I was hoping she wouldn't recognize you," Albus responded without a smile.

"You know him, Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked too shocked over the way his aunt had addressed Snape to feel embarrassed or angry anymore.

"Of course I do, boy." Petunia snapped, turning to glare at her nephew. "He and your mother were practically connected at the hip when they were nine. They did everything together. I still don't know why they never married."

Harry knew his mouth was hanging open, but couldn't bring himself to care. Snape and his mum were friends! Best friends from the way his aunt was talking since they were kids.

"Perhaps now that you're here, Severus," Petunia raved on despite her nephew's interruption. "You could make yourself useful, as odd as that may be for you, and get my family out of this mess. I have no desire to be around you…freaks!"

Severus remained oddly calm and stared at Petunia for a moment. He then glanced up at Dumbledore, who was now standing by his chair. "I hope you remember what combination of potions Poppy gave me because I want a lifetime supply of it, Albus. I'm higher than Trelawney after her 'sessions.' Frankly, I could care less about anything."

Petunia scoffed and muttered, "Not for the first time, I'm sure."

Severus smirked a bit before he said, "True, Tuney. The first time I felt like this was when Lily nicked that oh-so-wonderful Cannabis from your school bag." His lips upturned just barely as Petunia's mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a snapping turtle. Her face flamed red as she glared at him. "Actually, I think this is much better than that by the way," Severus added as an afterthought.

"Perhaps, Severus," Dumbledore began gently, "you should go to bed. Poppy did say you were to rest."

"And miss verbally sparing with, Tuney?" Snape asked in mock mortification.

"Stop calling me that!" Petunia's temper exploded as she slammed a hand down hard on table, causing the dishes and glasses to rattle.

Severus smirked. Despite bruises covering his face, he looked oddly satisfied. The rest of the table watched in fascination.

~POL~

Unfortunately, finding a place for the Dursleys proved difficult. Come Christmas Eve, they were still at Grimmauld Place along with the Weasleys, Sirius, Harry, Hermione, and Snape. Oddly enough after the first few days, Snape became the person to keep the peace between the Dursleys and the rest of the occupants of the Grimmauld Place. Granted, he usually did this by starting an argument with Petunia or on occasion Vernon.

Madam Pomfrey had fully healed Snape's injuries two days after his arrival. She had been unable to heal him completely the first time because of the extent of his injuries. However, she had returned at her earliest convenience to heal him. After all, who knew what this new Snape would do?

Despite Snape's unorthodox methods of keeping the peace, Christmas was turning into a nightmare. Dudley was throwing constant tantrums over his lack of gifts, since all of his presents were at Number 4 Privet Drive. This reaction from the plump boy only upset the Wizarding adults more because they knew how Dudley was treated in contrast to poor Harry.

Late Christmas Eve found the odd group gathered in the living room sipping hot chocolate. Arthur seemed determined that they could spend at least a few hours together pretending to enjoy each other's company for the sake of Christmas spirit.

"Perhaps some Christmas carols will bring out the Holiday cheer!" Arthur offered excitedly, while toying with a phonographic turntable (magically enhanced of course).

No one said anything. Though, Snape rolled his eyes. The twins exchanged glances with one another before looking uneasily at their father, who had clearly lost his mind.

"There! That should do it!" Arthur exclaimed proudly placing the needle on the record.

As soon as the needle made contact with the record, a high-pitched shriek emanated from the speakers causing everyone to cover their ears instinctively. Arthur couldn't move fast enough to lift the needle again and halt the horrid screeching. Once everyone's ears stopped ringing, Arthur took the record off the turntable and placed it aside.

"Apparently, there are still a few kinks to work out."

Severus turned on his heel from his position near the door intending to make his escape, but Vernon's words stopped him. He stood for a moment in abject horror at what he was hearing.

"Honestly, man, if you're that intent to listen to Christmas music, have Severus sing a verse or two. Come to think of it. I wouldn't mind hearing him sing again."

"Again?" asked Arthur, grinning like mad. His plan to start some sort of conversation seemed to be working. "Well, Severus, it seems that you've been holding out on us. I had no idea you could sing."

"I can't," Severus threw gruffly over his shoulder before taking another step towards the stairs and the safety of his room.

"Of course you can!" Vernon exclaimed. "I'll never forget the first time I met you. It was the Christmas before Petunia and I married. We went to Petunia's parents' house. You and Lily were still in school, but had come home for the Holidays. The two of you were sitting in front of the piano in the living room singing Christmas carols when we arrived. And I must say the two of you sounded damn good."

Severus froze in his spot. That had been his last good Christmas. He had stayed with the Evans that vacation, not even telling his parents he wasn't staying at Hogwarts. After swallowing down the lump in his throat, he managed to speak not even bothering to turn around.

"I haven't sung a note since Lily died."

Snape made yet another attempt to exit the room, but he was halted again by another voice. This one was much younger and unsure of itself.

"What was her favorite song?"

Harry's question was so quiet that Snape thought he had imagined it at first.

"Pardon?" Snape turned to look at the boy sitting on the floor next to his friends. Harry's large green eyes were pleading. For a moment, he saw Lily with her green eyes begging him to sing just one more song with her. At that moment had the boy asked him to jump off the roof, he would have.

"If she enjoyed singing, sir, she must have had a favorite song. Do you know what it was?"

Snape hesitated for a moment before answering. "She had many favorites from different categories. But her favorite Christmas carol was Silent Night." He didn't wait to see Harry's or anyone else's reaction. He fled. Emerald eyes followed him the entire way.

~POL~

Harry couldn't sleep. It had nothing to do with the fact that Christmas Day was a mere twenty minutes away or that he'd be spending his first Christmas with his godfather and friends. It was because he was trying to remember what a particular Christmas song sounded like.

Ever since Snape had told him his mother's favorite carol, he'd been trying to imagine her singing it, even though he couldn't remember what her voice sounded like. He brought a picture of his parents into the study downstairs where an old piano was tucked into a corner. It was dusty from disuse causing his nose to itch when he lifted the lid covering the keys. He had no idea how to play, but placed his fingers on the keys anyway.

He pressed down on a random key oddly startled when it made noise. He propped the picture up on the piano stand and sat on the dust-covered bench. He tried to imagine the smiling woman in the picture sitting beside him on the piano bench singing Silent Night to him as he watched her fingers dance over the keys. He didn't notice the second time he hit the key on the piano or that he kept hitting the same key over and over again.

Snape found it difficult to sleep. His thoughts were constantly drifting to a certain redhead. He was remembering the last Christmas they'd spent together. It had been a month filled with wonderful memories. But each memory pushed him further and further into depression. He felt guilty that he couldn't save her, miserable that he had destroyed their friendship, and profoundly sad that her son had never heard her sing. At least not that he could remember.

Abandoning his attempts to sleep for the moment, he stood from his bed and throwing a robe on headed downstairs to find something to drink. At the bottom of the steps, he paused. His sensitive ears picked up an unusual sound. With bare feet moving silently over the carpeting, he followed the noise. As he came closer to the study, he began to recognize the sound. His eyes narrowed as he realized that it was the same note being played over and over again at uneven intervals.

With his wand in hand, he cautiously pushed open the door. Peering inside, he immediately saw the culprit. Sighing, he pocketed his wand before striding determinedly across the floor.

"Mr. Potter," he purred dangerously, smirking as the child jumped in his seat and spun around to face him. "I trust there is a reason you're trying to wake the neighborhood up with your dismal musical talent."

"I…I…" Harry stammered, trying to think of something to tell his professor.

Snape raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring down at the boy. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that Father Christmas won't come unless you're asleep in bed like a good little boy?"

Harry glared up at his professor. "I was trying to remember."

"Remember what, Potter?" Snape asked. Impatience colored his voice.

Harry looked down studying the carpet as his toes tried to grab hold of it. "What Silent Night sounded like," he whispered.

Snape froze. Glancing behind the boy, he could see the picture of Lily and James smiling. Lily's eyes seemed to pierce his soul, and he couldn't look away.

"I see."

Man and boy remained still for a moment. Each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Snape looked down at the boy still sitting on the piano bench. He tilted his head to the side to confirm what he was seeing was not just a trick of the poor lighting coming from a single small lamp across the room.

Slowly, he reached out his right hand and brushed away the single tear sliding down the boy's cheek. Harry jerked his head back in shock and looked up at the professor not knowing what to expect.

Snape's hand returned to his side as he studied the boy in front of him. With a deep breath, he came to a decision that would hopefully allow both of them to go back to sleep.

"Slide over," Snape commanded, sitting on the end of the bench as Harry eased his way to the edge.

Though out of practice and a bit stiff, Snape's fingers easily found the appropriate keys as he softly played Lily's favorite Christmas song on the piano. Though a bit rusty, his voice overcame its disuse as his rich baritone filled the room.

Harry watched Snape's fingers on the keys in amazement as he listened to the song his most loathed professor was singing. He didn't even notice his tears. Snape only sang the first verse of Silent Night, so the carol was finished in about a minute. When the song ended, neither one moved as they attempted to regain control of their emotions.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter," Snape finally said softly, breaking the silence.

"You too, sir. Thank you," Harry whispered.

Both then stood up from the piano bench. Harry picked up his picture, while Snape lowered the cover over the keyboard.

Taking a couple steps away from the musical instrument, Snape for reasons he didn't know or couldn't understand placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. The second his fingers gently squeeze the thin shoulder, Severus felt a strange sensation surround Harry and him. Harry must have felt it as well because they both stopped as the something swirled around them.

It was as if they were standing in the middle of a whirlwind. The more it swirled, the more tangible it felt until it felt like fingers brushed against them. Gradually, the swirling moved away from them, but didn't stop. It only began moving faster and faster and taking on a light green color.

Snape's hand was grasping his wand, while his left hand remained on Harry's shoulder.

Suddenly, just as Harry was about to ask the professor what was going on, the room exploded in a green light that looked oddly familiar to Harry.

He couldn't believe it. He just stared and stared some more. There was no way. But as his eyes adjusted to the burst of green light, he saw the figure left in its place. Even though she looked disheveled in her light pink bathrobe with her red curls frizzed in every direction, Severus easily recognized her or at least what appeared to be her. Lily was dead and gone, though. Whoever or whatever was in front of them could not be her. At least that what he told himself as he pointed his wand at his best friend.

"Lily," Snape whispered reverently. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Harry had started to move towards the figure. Almost immediately, Snape's hand fell heavily on Harry's shoulder to pull the boy back.

"Go wake Arthur. Tell him to summon Dumbledore," Snape commanded never lowering the wand or looking away from 'Lily'. When the boy didn't immediately follow his instruction, he bellowed, "Now, Potter!"

Shocked, the boy jumped and ran out the door.

"Sev?" Lily said with a tremor in her voice. "What's going on? Where are we?" She didn't receive an answer. "Where's James?" Her wide green eyes then darted around wildly. "For that matter, where's my son? Severus, what is going on here?"

"I was hoping you could tell me what was going on." Snape was surprised he could keep his voice steady.

Lily's eyes narrowed, and she nearly spat her words out. "You're the Death Eater. Tell me, Severus. Did you help Voldemort break through the wards? Did I really misjudge you so much?"

"You're dead," he said as much to convince himself as her.

"I don't feel dead," she shot back. "And unless you plan on killing me now, put your wand away."

"The Dark Lord killed you thirteen years ago."

"What?" She cocked her head to the side as her face crinkled in confusion. "Severus, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but this isn't funny. I'm not dead."

He remained silent. A part of his brain screamed for him to do something besides stand there, to hex or curse, or at least bind the figure that couldn't possibly be his best friend, but he couldn't.

She stepped closer to him, but he didn't move. As she came closer, Snape lowered his wand. He hated himself for it, but there was no way he could ever hurt Lily or anything that looked like her. When she was less than two feet away, she stopped. He saw her tension then. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes had an almost panicked look to them.

"Severus," Lily said quietly, "what's going on?"

Snape opened his mouth to reply as he lifted his hands from his sides to place them on her. He needed to touch her, to see if she was real, to make sure this wasn't just some sort of dream.

Before he could touch her, however, Dumbledore's voice stopped him. "Severus, back away from her!"

Snape jumped and instinctively took a step back. He wasn't fast enough, however, and couldn't stop Lily as she snatched his wand from him.

Looking like a frightened cat, Lily backed against the wall with Severus's wand in her hand pointing it from one person to another.

"Where are my husband and son? Where are they? I want to see them now," she demanded.

Snape finally came to his senses and looked between the frightened woman and the others in the room, all of whom had their wands trained on her. Albus took a step forward likely to say something, and Lily aimed the wand directly at him. Though, Snape could see her eyes flying from one person to the next. Arthur, Molly, and Sirius remained behind him wands drawn.

"Stop!" commanded Snape, shocking the occupants of the room.

"Snape," Sirius growled looking as if he wanted to turn his wand on him. "You're not in your right mind. You practically handed a dead woman your wand."

Coming to stand next to Dumbledore, Snape disregarded the mutt and instead turned to face Lily.

"Lil, listen to me. Something happened, and I think I may know what. First, I need you to answer a few questions."

"Only if you answer mine," Lily demanded in return.

"Fair enough," Snape responded. "What happened when Petunia broke your mother's porcelain doll? The one she kept on the mantel above the fireplace. The one you were never supposed to play with."

Lily looked at him questioningly for a moment. "You know what happened, Severus. You were there."

"Yes, I know what happened," he responded. "But if you don't, then you can't possibly be Lily."

No less confused than before, Lily answered, "Petunia blamed us. My mother was furious. She wouldn't believe me when I told her it was Petunia. I became so upset that she didn't believe me and wanted to send you home that I had a burst of accidental magic that caused Petunia's hair to turn green. Then you told Petunia that if she told the truth, her hair would turn back to normal. Accidental magic is uncontrollable, of course. So when Petunia blubbered out her apologies and told my mother the truth, her hair still didn't change back."

"She had to have it dyed back to its natural color," Snape finished for her. There was a trace of laughter in his voice. "I wonder if it would still be green if she stopped dying it."

"Where's Harry, Severus?" Lily asked.

"He's safe, Lily," Severus assured her, moving between Dumbledore and his best friend. "He's upstairs."

"And James, where is he?" she asked slightly calmer than before.

Snape sighed, frowning. He couldn't risk upsetting her right now, not yet. He knew how she'd take it if it was in fact Lily. Though, he wasn't quite sure how much she remembered. Did it feel like 1980 or 1981 to her? He then sighed. Only way to tell was just to ask her.

"My turn to ask the question," Snape reminded her gently. "What's the last thing you remember before you appeared here?"

Lily thought for a moment before answering, "The wards fell. James told me to get Harry, but I wasn't fast enough. Voldemort was right behind me. Harry started to cry so I picked him up and tried to make him stop." Lily paused, the hand holding Severus's wand fell to her side. "The next thing I remember is something swirling around me. Then I was here." Lily paused again completely focused on Snape. "Where is here, Sev?"

"Grimmauld Place."

Lily's eyes crinkled, confused, "The Blacks' house?"

"Yes," Severus answered, "and that's two questions."

"Honestly, Sev, it's just a stupid game."

Snape's mouth curled upwards on one side. Lily seemed to remember the moments just before her death. She likely wasn't even aware that James had been killed. After all, he could understand the panic she experienced as Voldemort ascended up the stairs to murder the rest of the family.

"This next question is very important, Lily. How did you soothe Harry?"

"What?"

"Harry was crying. You picked him up and attempted to quiet him. How? Did you talk to him? Rock him? Sing to him?"

Lily looked down for a moment trying to remember. Her fingers twisted around the wand in her hand. "I…I think…I sang to him. Not much, of course, more like humming really…just a few words."

"Merlin, I'm an idiot," Snape stated, more to himself than to anyone else. "Lily, do you remember a few months after we met? One of the few times that you came to my house, my father wasn't home so we were playing on the porch. My mother came outside to bring us lunch and found us doing something. She made us promise not to tell anyone else about it. She said it should be a very special secret between us."

Lily looked hesitantly to the other occupants of the room as though nervous to talk about their secret in front of others. "Yes, Sev, I remember."

"When you appeared in this room, I had just finished singing for the first time in over thirteen years to Harry."

Lily had to think about what the two events had to do with one another. As she put two and two together, her green eyes grew wide. "Oh, Sev," she whispered out of breath.

"What you remember, Lily, happened thirteen years ago. The boy I sent out of the room right after you arrived was your son." He heard her sudden intake of air as she gasped. Her green eyes darted to the empty doorway, likely in attempt to see Harry. He then frowned and hung his head. There was no easy way to say it. "James is dead, Lily, and until right now everyone believed you were as well."

Lily's hand suddenly clapped over her mouth as she stared at him horrified. She shook her head in disbelief. James couldn't be dead. She had just been with him moments earlier. She had just heard him tell her to take Harry and run. James couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. It wasn't true. It wasn't.

"How?" she asked with her voice trembling in grief.

"When he attempted to stall Voldemort," quietly spoke Dumbledore, staring at her in disbelief. "I'm afraid that he was hit with a Killing Curse. He has been dead for thirteen years, which we believed you were also."

"But why now?" Lily asked confused, trying to sober herself up. There would be a time to grieve for her fallen husband later as horrible as that sounded. Her green eyes then darted to Severus when she didn't receive an answer from Dumbledore. She didn't know why, but the question seemed the most important thing in the world right then. "You really haven't—in thirteen years?"

"You are the only person I've ever sang with, Lily. Without you, I had no reason to. And it made sense. You lost your life partially because of me. The least I could do was give up the one thing that made me happiest. But if I'd know this would happen, I'd have done it years ago."

"Sev…" Lily's voice broke as she closed the distance between the two of them. She threw her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder sobbing. She needed someone to hold her. This felt like a horrible nightmare. In what seemed to her in a matter of minutes, she had learned that she had lost her husband. The irony, if that was what it was, was that she had lost him in fact thirteen years ago. No matter what, though, it didn't feel like that. It felt like any moment James would walk through that door with their toddler in his arms. She continued to sob her grief and anguish into her former best friend, the only one who seemed to be real in this horrid nightmare.

"I truly do hate to interrupt," Albus said quietly. "However, I do believe an explanation would be most appreciated to those who weren't there to watch you playing as children."

Snape and Lily both turned their heads to face him as though just remembering his presence as well as the others in the room. Snape's arms remained tight around her, afraid she would disappear again if he let her go.

"Only to you, Albus," Snape said firmly. "The secret we have kept from everyone for over twenty-five years is too…important to reveal to everyone. I wouldn't even tell you, sir, except it's the only way I'll be able to prove to you that this really is Lily."

After a moment of consideration, Albus nodded his head in agreement. "Perhaps the three of us should talk in the kitchen then."

"Thank you, Albus," Lily said, wiping the tears from her eyes. She knew it wouldn't be her only outburst. Her heart was breaking, but she had to figure it out. She knew the secret of course, but this didn't seem real to her. It just didn't seem real. Her sobs subsided, and she remained in Snape's arms.

"You can't be serious!" Sirius exclaimed. He was the only one with his wand still trained on Lily. "How do you know this isn't some trick that he's in on too? He's a Death Eater, and you're just going to believe he's telling the truth!"

"That's enough, Sirius!" Dumbledore thundered at the ex-convict. "I trust Severus with my life."

"But I don't, Albus!" Sirius screamed back and probably would have continued to rant had he not been hit with a binding hex effectively shutting him up.

Albus turned to admonish Snape, only to see Lily standing there with Severus's wand trained on Sirius.

"I've always wanted to do that to him," Lily said simply, barely holding back her emotions.

Albus raised an eyebrow, while Snape in a very uncharacteristic manner laughed. Well, actually, it was more of a chuckle, but it was uncharacteristic nonetheless.

"I see," said Albus simply. His blue eyes watched her very carefully. "Shall we continue on to the kitchen then?"

Lily and Snape both nodded and began moving towards the door without a second look at Sirius.

Albus turned to Molly and Arthur, "I trust you can take care of Sirius?"

At their consent, he nodded, "I've always found timeouts to be very effective."

Leaving the study, Albus walked towards the kitchen. Like Snape and Lily, he was halted in his tracks, though. Harry wrapped his arms around his mother's waist and seemed to be crying into her chest, while Ron and Hermione looked on. Both Ron and Hermione were invisible from the neck down. Snape watched the scene as well, but stepped protectively between Lily and Albus as the older wizard came closer.

"I think it would be a good idea, sir, to let the boy hear the explanation as well." Snape's voice sounded firm, but Albus knew him well enough to catch his insecurity.

"It's Albus, my boy," he said simply. "Not 'sir'."

Had he not been looking for it, Dumbledore would have missed the slight release of breath, signaling Snape's release of tension.

"Thank you, Albus."

Dumbledore nodded before turning his attention to Ron and Hermione. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, I think it would be a good idea for the two of you to return to bed. I'm sure Mr. Potter will explain everything to you tomorrow."

The two fourteen-year-olds knew that it wasn't a request, but hesitated before replying with a respectful, "Yes, sir."

Before going upstairs, Hermione removed the cloak from her shoulders and walked over to Harry. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If you need anything, Harry…" Hermione's voice trailed off, knowing she didn't have to finish her sentence.

"Yeah, mate," said Ron quietly, "We're just upstairs."

"Yeah," Harry said with a sniff, "I know. Thanks."

After another moment's hesitation, they walked upstairs.

Albus began walking towards the kitchen, leaving Snape alone with Lily and Harry.

"We shouldn't keep the Headmaster waiting," Snape said softly, having no desire to separate the mother from her child.

Lily didn't seem to hear him, though. Her head was resting on top of Harry's, and her eyes had a glazed over expression. Snape knew he needed to break her out of her trance before she went into shock.

"Lily," Snape whispered. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lily, please, we need to speak with the Headmaster. Then you can hold Harry for as long as you like. You have my word."

Lily blinked a few times, and her eyes focused on Severus. She nodded and gave Harry another squeeze. Her son, her little baby boy, had grown up. He looked so much like James. She couldn't believe it. Her baby boy was so handsome. She then stifled a sob. She had missed so much of his life. She'd make it up to him. She would. She didn't know how, but she and Harry would be a family again.

"Come on, my baby," Lily said with a sniffle to her son, whose tears showed no sign of stopping.

Harry whimpered and clung tighter to his mother.

"Harry, please," repeated Lily.

"Mr. Potter," Snape spoke gently and a bit unsure, "you only need to let go for a moment. Just long enough for us to walk into the kitchen. You can hold your mother's hand the way in there, and you can sit on her lap if you want once we're at the table. But first you must loosen you grip."

At first, it seemed as though Snape's logic had the opposite effect. Harry tightened his hold and hid his face from view, but after a few deep breaths, his arms relaxed a little. Lily was able to nudge him away far enough for her to take a small step back. She immediately smiled at him. Her hands never left her son's shoulders.

Snape once again rested a hand on Lily's shoulder with his other hand on Harry's shoulder. A slight nudge later, he guided them towards the kitchen. Lily had her son pulled as close to her side as possible, while Snape walked with a hand on each of their shoulders.

Once in the kitchen, Lily sat across from Dumbledore. Harry sat next to his mother, but scooted his chair next to hers so that he was leaning against her. Snape stood behind them still having a hand on Lily's shoulder to ensure she didn't disappear again. His other hand held his wand. Though, he doubted his ability to use it against Dumbledore, but it just made him feel more secure.

"Now," Dumbledore began calmly, "Perhaps you could begin by telling me this secret you've been hiding for so long and what it has to do with you singing to Harry, Severus."

Hesitantly, Snape sat down next to Lily. With an unusually shaky voice, he said, "It was near Christmas before we came to Hogwarts. Lily and I were singing Christmas carols at the time. We found that if we sang together and concentrated on the same thing we could…make things happen."

"Just small things at first," Lily chimed in, lovingly stroking her son's hair with a hand. "We caused the leaves on the ground to freeze."

"But," Severus continued, "after a few tries, we started doing more advanced forms of magic with our songs."

When it seemed as though neither Lily nor Snape were going to elaborate on what 'more advanced' meant, Albus asked them. "What sort of things could you do when you sang together? And what were you doing that made Eileen Prince swear two children to secrecy?"

Lily shrugged and looked away. The longer a secret was kept, the harder it was to give away.

Snape was watching Lily as he answered, but Dumbledore could see the conflicted emotions on his face. "We could summon animals, or as my mother saw cause it to snow in a limited area."

Albus's eyes grew wide at the implication. So many witches and wizards had died trying to harvest the power's of Mother Nature, yet the young but talented witch and wizard in front of him had managed to play with it before they were ten-years-old! Did they even understand what their abilities were?

"Do you know what that means?" Dumbledore asked softly. Both Snape and Lily seemed far too nervous about their 'secret.'

Snape shrugged.

Lily continued for him. "Eileen said that it was a very special form of ancient magic. That it was very rare and that not many people could master it anymore. She told us that it bound us together in a way we could not understand. She also said that since we could only do it together, we should keep it a secret to show that we would always be friends."

"I see," Albus said serenely. "So when Lily sang to Harry the night Voldemort attacked, she used some of that magic to protect Harry and herself. The magic wasn't complete, though, without Severus. However, when he sang to Harry tonight, he used some of his magic to calm him." Albus paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Some of Lily's magic remained in Harry and when your magic met it, Severus, it reconnected and pulled you both together. Alone that pull might not have been enough, but if both you and Harry were thinking about Lily…it obviously gave enough of a pull bring her back to the world of the living."

"So it wasn't just me?" Snape asked sounding oddly relieved. "So if I had sung something ten years ago, she wouldn't have come back?"

"I very much doubt it, my boy," Albus said matter-of-factly. "While a Vis Vinco (Nature's Master) is very powerful, a single one cannot have power over life and death. And though you and Lily are bound together in Nature's magic, that alone would not be enough to keep each other from dying. However, it is probably why you felt her loss so deeply. No, Severus, you needed Harry with you. The two of you needed to be connected and focused totally on Lily, and Lily at the time of her 'death' would have had to be focused solely on at least one if not both of you."

Snape closed his eyes and took several deep breathes in relief. Since he had realized what happened moments ago, he had been mentally berating himself for not singing years ago. It was liberating to know that it was more about circumstance than the magical bond they shared. Lily's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"What happened? After I…died."

"Before I answer that, I would like your permission to bring Arthur, Molly, and Sirius in on this conversation. I will not tell them about the two of you being Vis Vinco, but they do need to know what is going on."

Lily nodded, "All right."

At Snape's nod of consent, Albus stood up from the table. Going to the kitchen door, he opened it to find Arthur, Molly, and a very subdued Sirius waiting in the hallway. He invited them in with a warning glare at Sirius. Once everyone was seated, Albus gave them a brief explanation as to how Lily was sitting at the table with them, very much alive.

An hour later, the group was done updating Lily on the major things that had occurred in her absence that led to them being confined together over Christmas. Lily sat, still holding Harry, when they were done. One of her hands had found one of Snape's and clung to it like a lifeline.

She had missed so much. The Longbottoms had been tortured into insanity by the LeStranges. Dumbledore had given custody to the Dursleys, thinking that Lily had used blood magic to save Harry. Harry, her beautiful baby boy, was a Gryffindor, just like his dad and mum. In fact, he was a Seeker. She then closed her eyes.

"That is enough for tonight," Albus said definitively, effectively ending the history lesson. Standing up, he continued speaking while slowly making his way towards the door. "Perhaps it would be best if we all returned to bed now."

With nods and words of assent, everyone began getting up from the table.

"Unfortunately, there aren't any more cleaned out rooms, Lil, so you'll have to sleep on the sofa tonight," Sirius said with a sheepish grin.

"Don't be an idiot, Black." Snape snapped.

At the same moment, Lily snapped, "Don't call me 'Lil."

"Right," Sirius slurred the word, looking oddly between Lily and Snape, who were still holding hands.

Snape turned to face Lily, "You and Harry can have my room until we find a space for you. I'll sleep on the couch."

Lily gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Sev."

"I'm sharing a room with, Ron." Harry felt it necessary to state this. While he wanted nothing more than to hold onto his mother and never let go, the adolescent part of his brain told him to object to having to sleep in the same bed as his mother.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the fourteen-year-old boy who was clinging to his mother with no intentions of letting go. "Yes, Mr. Potter, you are sharing a room with Mr. Weasley, but I'm sure your mother would appreciate your company tonight given the circumstances."

Lily caught onto what Severus was doing quickly, "Please, Harry. I know you want to spend time with your friend, but I really would like you to stay with me tonight."

His mother's request appeased the adolescent part of Harry's brain, and he quickly nodded.

As everyone made their way out of the room, Lily held Severus back until it was just them and Harry in the room.

Snape looked at her questioningly, but didn't say anything. Harry was still standing against her left side as she let go of Snape's hand.

"Severus, you are my very best friend, and I will always love you. I forgive you…for everything." Lily paused for a second before raising her right hand and smacking Snape smartly across the face. Her green eyes hardened. "But you deserved that, and you damn well know it."

Snape stood, staring at her for a moment completely dumbfounded. The slap had stung, and he was sure there was a red handprint on the side of his face. However, Lily was right. A smack was the least he deserved for his part in her death. Nothing would ever truly absolve him for playing the part in her death, nothing. However, feeling Lily's hand against his cheek, knowing that it was truly her that had the ability to smack him and that she was alive, it was worth a good smack for that moment. A rare smile spread across his face. "It's good to have you back, Lily."

Lily laughed once before stopping. Her husband was dead, and there she was laughing like everything was all right. Was she really that heartless? She then closed her eyes. It was the shock. It had to be. She was still in shock at losing James. It hadn't hit her yet. It would. It would hit her like a brick.

Snape, however, realized at that moment she had laughed that he truly did feel as though he had her forgiveness even if she were partly still angry with him for choosing Voldemort over her. He then stared at her and sighed at her faraway look. All good things took time.

Snape couldn't sleep. He knew he should be exhausted, but regardless of how he twisted and turned on the sofa he couldn't fall to sleep. This really wasn't surprising seeing as how a miracle had just occurred. His best friend, the person he loved more than anyone else in the world, was upstairs asleep. He had a strange desire to run around the house jumping up and down and dancing down the hall to express his happiness and excitement. He felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

With a sigh, though, he sat up on the couch waving a free hand towards the lights. He couldn't lay still any longer… he had to do something. Looking around, he noticed the sparse Christmas decorations. Kreacher had brought boxes of decorations down the day before Christmas Eve, but no one had felt like decorating. Arthur and Molly had put a few of the decorations up, but the lack of enthusiasm (even from the kids) had taken all the fun out of the process.

Severus's feet sunk deeply into the carpet as he moved from the couch to the boxes piled in a corner. Sinking to his knees, he opened the first box and discovered strings of magical anti-tangle Christmas lights. They greatly resembled their Muggle counterparts, but ran on a charm instead of electricity. Each bulb had a liquid of some kind in it of different colors that caused the lights to shimmer as if twinkling when lit. Not even bothering to use his wand or magic, Snape began hanging up some of these lights. He tacked them up around the doorways and down the stairs. He hung a white string around the fireplace mantle. Once the lights were up, he moved on to the next box, which contained garland, bows, and even a strand of mistletoe.

He had no idea how long he worked on decorating the house, but by the time he was finished he was physically exhausted. The living room was beginning to fill with sunlight, but he figured he had a couple of hours before anyone woke up. Lying back down on the couch, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

~POL~

Harry hadn't been able to sleep much. After settling down in bed next to his mother, he had curled up against her with one arm lying across her stomach. Her arm was trapped between his neck and the mattress being used as a pillow. She had tried to get him to sleep by talking softly to him and telling stories about her and his father even a couple about her and Snape. After an hour or so, though, she had been unable to fight off her exhaustion any longer and drifted off to sleep, leaving poor Harry terrified to close his eyes.

Harry was so afraid that she would just disappear or wake up and find out it was all a strange dream. However, he must have dosed off for a few minutes. Because the next thing he knew, he was opening his eyes to look into beautiful yet familiar pair of green ones.

"Morning, Harry," Lily said softly.

"Mum." It hadn't been a dream. His mum was still with him.

"Merry Christmas, son," she said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, Mum," Harry replied with a matching smile. Without warning, he launched himself at her nearly shoving them both off the bed.

Lily laughed with a musical quality that made Harry never want to stop smiling.

"Love you too, Harry," Lily said when she finished laughing not releasing Harry from the hug. After a moment, however, she nudged him away. "What do you say we go downstairs? I'd wager we're the first up, so we can try to peek into all the gifts downstairs."

Harry nodded his head eagerly. That soft smile was still on his lips. He would have agreed to anything if it meant staying with his mother.

After going to the restroom, Harry tiptoed into the room he shared with Ron and changed. She was still there. His mother was still there. It hadn't been a terrible nightmare. His mother was back. She was back.

Meanwhile, his mother transfigured two mothballs into a dark green jumper and another two for a pair of jeans for herself using Harry's wand. While she could have easily just changed into some of Snape's old clothes, she had to admit that she wanted to feel her magic coursing through her once again. There was just something about casting magic that made her feel amazing.

Once Harry had rejoined her, they both headed downstairs towards the sitting room. Once they reached it, they both stopped in amazement. The dark and dreary living room was alight with color and decorations. It was as if they had stepped into Saint Nicholas's sitting room. The transformation was nothing short of amazing. Though, tons of decorations had been used and many small ornaments and what-knots caught the eye, the decorations were far from tacky or gaudy. It was nothing short of astonishing.

Lying in the middle of the room and stretched out on the couch was Severus Snape. Holding Harry's hand, Lily approached the sleeping man. With a smile, she knelt down beside Snape's head so their faces were only inches apart.

"Thank you, Sev," Lily whispered quietly while gently pulling a stray piece of silver tinsel from his hair.

The gentle movement caused Snape to stir and open his eyes. He stared into Lily's green eyes for a moment before easily smiling. Reaching up with his right hand, he brushed her hair back from her face slightly.

"I've missed you, Lil."

Lily smiled taking his hand in hers. "I've missed you too, Sev."

"Forgive me?"

"I told you last night that I had."

"Just checking," Snape replied with a ghost of a smile.

Lily rolled her eyes and stood up still holding Snape and Harry's hands, but stated honestly, "The sitting room looks beautiful."

Snape shrugged and rolled his shoulders. "I couldn't sleep."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "I see." She then snorted. "Well, neither could Harry," she added offhandedly.

Harry felt himself blush embarrassed that his mother had revealed that piece of information to his Potions professor. Out of the corner of his glasses, he noticed that Snape had rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Lily, could you not embarrass the boy any more than you have?"

Lily huffed affronted, "I didn't!"

"In that case, I suggest you take the boy to a doctor immediately because that shade of red cannot possibly be healthy."

"Forgive me, Sev, if I still see him as a baby. I have missed the last thirteen years of his life." Lily's voice dripped with sarcasm. She ignored the feeling of her heart constricting at her words. It wasn't out of callousness that she was joking. It wasn't. She didn't exactly know what it was, but she knew it wasn't out of heartlessness either. There just was something about Sev that was masking her pain, even if it was just for a little while until she was alone again.

Snape's eyebrow rose to meet his hairline. "Let me think about it."

Lily jerked his arm rather roughly.

Snape chuckled, but stood up. Leaning in, he kissed Lily on the cheek and said, "Merry Christmas, Lil."

"Merry Christmas, Sev." Lily smiled warmly. What was it about Sev that made her grief over losing James lessen? She loved her husband. She had. However, other than when she sobbed into Sev's shoulder, she hadn't cried again yet. She then inhaled, forcing a smile to her face. It was Christmas, a time of joyful reunions, not a time of sadness. "Come on. Let's make Christmas breakfast for everyone."

"You know Molly will be very upset if we deny her the right to shovel tons of food down our helpless throats."

Lily rolled her eyes and tugged on his hand. "Please, Sev. I don't exactly have gifts for anyone so the least I can do on Christmas morning is to make everyone breakfast." Her eyes then glistened with amusement. "But I don't want to cook by myself so I need you and Harry to help me."

Harry saw the slight grimace that crossed Snape's face immediately. He thought better than to comment on the reaction. After all, he had learned in the past twenty-four hours that his mother was best friends with Snape. How odd was that? Well, he had also found out that his mum had returned thanks to Snape and her little secret. Maybe Snape could—nah.

"Lily," Snape sounded pained as he spoke, "you can't cook."

"What's your point?" Lily asked unconcerned.

"You can't boil water, Lily," Severus stated evenly, but with a raised eyebrow.

"For Merlin's sake, Severus, how was I supposed to know the water would evaporate that fast? Now, are you going to help Harry and me or not?"

"I suppose," he answered hesitantly still sounding unsure.

~POL~

Sitting innocently at the kitchen table forty minutes later, Lily watched Snape and Harry as they prepared breakfast. Well, her boys seemed to be working together just fine. But she knew why that was. With a soft sigh, Lily asked, "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"

"Yes!" they answered in unison.

Had it been any other time, Harry would have been concerned that he was helping his Potions professor cook while making sure his mother didn't go near the food. However, not long after his mother had dragged the professor and him to 'help' cook, he realized why his professor had been reluctant. He thought Snape had been exaggerating when he said his mother couldn't boil water. It was now apparent that Snape was being kind when he said that. It hadn't taken Harry long to realize that his mum was helpless as far as cooking went. Granted, she did try so that had to count for something. After Snape had to put out a grease fire, though, it was evident that Harry and Snape would have to do all the cooking.

"It was just a little fire. I don't see what the big deal is," Lily said crossing her arms.

Snape spun around to face her still holding the wooden spoon he had been using to mix the pancake batter. Harry cringed in preparation of the professor's rant, but continued to stir the scrambled eggs. But Snape didn't yell or scream. Granted, he looked like he was about to spit fire. Even as some of the pancake batter slid off the spoon adding to the eggshells, flour, and crushed blueberries that Lily had spread over the floor.

"Lily, I swear," he hissed between clenched teeth. "If my suspicions are ever confirmed and I find out you planned this….massacre in some sort of bonding attempt between boy and me or any other reason, I swear, I will use this spoon to flay your backside. And no I don't care that you are a grown woman."

Harry turned his head to look aghast at his professor. How dare he threaten his mother like that!

Lily looked completely nonplused and continued smiling. "Sev, I'm not capable of manipulating you into doing something you don't want to like making breakfast for a house full of people. After all, I'm just a simple Muggleborn Gryffindor, not a cunning and intelligent Slytherin like you."

"That's it!" Severus yelled with a snarl and leapt towards her. She must have been expecting this, however. With a shriek, she jumped out of her seat and ran around the table from Snape.

After getting over his initial shock and realizing that his mother and Snape were laughing, Harry began to laugh as well. They both seemed to be in good spirits. And had he not had the twenty-four hours he had, he would have defended his mother from the nasty greasy bat to the death. However, they were laughing as if it was an old joke between friends.

Just as Snape finally caught a laughing and shrieking Lily and bent her over the table, the kitchen door opened only to reveal Molly Weasley. The batter-covered spoon raised high in the air looked at the ready.

"What on earth…" Molly said with wide eyes as she surveyed the scene.

Snape froze instantly. His arm was still high in the air, and his smile vanished within a second, while Lily, still bent over the table, continued to laugh hysterically.

~POL~

After Lily had finally stopped laughing and had wiggled out of Snape's grasp, she explained the entire situation to Molly over tea as Snape and Harry finished cooking. Of course, Lily couldn't just laugh it off with Mrs. Weasley. No, she had to repeat the entire sordid story to everyone as they entered the kitchen. Coupled with the fact he was cooking and had decorated the sitting room, that story had led to the complete and total obliteration of his reputation. Well, there was at least a sizeable dent in it anyway. He'd have to make few seventh years cry when school started up again.

When Lily grabbed his hand and led him into the sitting room with everyone else, he lifted his head to glance at her. He couldn't be mad at the witch, not when he had just found her again. So with a tarnished reputation, he offered her a small smile. In return, he received Lily's beaming trademark smile that spoke of kindness and mischief. Staring at the witch, he realized with a start that it was the same smile he had seen on her son's face from time to time. How could he have not noticed it before?

When they were all settled in the sitting room, the children immediately started handing out the various presents under the Christmas tree. They of course were rather respectful to one another, smiling and laughing as they did this. However, this rare peace was interrupted by the plump Muggle child.

"Mummy," whined Dudley loudly, "why don't I have any presents? It's not fair! I want my presents!"

Noticing the flared outrage in the freaks' faces, Petunia immediately pulled Dudley to her. She was not going to have those abominations hurt her son because of what her nasty nephew had spewed to them over the years. She attempted to shush her son, while giving Vernon a pointed look. Her sweet Dudders deserved his presents, all fifty of them. Thanks to the freaks, though, her son didn't get to have his usual merry Christmas. In fact, in her opinion, they treated her son as if he was a naughty boy, which was so far from the truth in her eyes.

"Now, see here," Vernon spoke indignantly to the room in general. Everyone stopped and glanced towards the reddening Muggle man. It wasn't because they cared what he or his wife had to say. No, they stopped because they hadn't heard him speak all morning, which had been a saving grace in some of their opinions.

"My nephew is right," Lily said addressing the room. Her eyes were full of kindness again. "It isn't fair that Dudley should be the only one without presents this morning." Green eyes glanced at each of the witches and wizards. "They were taken away without warning from their Christmas to a place they had never seen or heard of before. Don't you all agree that the least we can do is save the gifts until this evening?" Her head rose a bit higher when a few of them nodded. "I mean, we can spend the rest of the day doing other things together now as how Christmas was intended to be celebrated."

The confused and shocked expressions that everyone wore would serve to amuse Snape for years. Apparently, the others didn't understand the true meaning of Christmas. Then again, they likely hadn't grown up in a household like Snape's where buying presents meant there would be no food on the table. Lily knew about that, though, so she knew the true meaning. This Christmas he couldn't have asked for a better present than to have his best friend back, alive and well.

"Like what?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence. She protectively held a large purple-wrapped box with a pink bow on it as though it were about to be snatched.

Lily tilted her head to the side for a moment to think. "Like, well, like making cookies."

"Absolutely not," Snape stated firmly. He was not going to have another fiasco in the kitchen with her again. "There is no way in—"

"I didn't mean me, Sev. You and the kids could make the cookies, while the rest of us watched and had tea," Lily answered. Oddly enough, she seemed to emulate the way Snape addressed a room full of dunderheaded students that were about to blow up his classroom.

"I think not," Severus growled, crossing his arms and glaring at the redhead. Not many people got away with talking to him like that. But for his lovely Lily, she could kill someone and he'd forgive her. He drew the line, however, at trying to burn down the house.

Lily rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, we could tell stories or sing carols or whatever else the kids would like to do instead of opening presents."

"But I want presents!" Dudley shouted at his aunt.

Lily's eyes narrowed on her nephew. With a few quick and graceful movements, she was standing in front of him. Despite that fact she was a head taller than him and definitely weighed less, he shrank back from her glare. Dudley obviously was not used to adults that didn't give in to his demands.

"Dudley Dursley," Lily said through clenched teeth, "I'm trying to make this holiday as enjoyable for everyone as possible. Now, you can either stop complaining or you can stay in your room all day sulking. The choice is yours."

"How dare you! You've no right to tell my son what to do or how to behave," Petunia shouted at her perfect sister. Coming to stand in front of her son, her fists clenched at her sides as her eyes flashed murderously. Oh, how she wished the witch was still dead. Things were easier that way.

Lily's patience obviously had run thin because she uncrossed her arms to copy her older sister, clenching her fists against her sides. "Well, if you behaved like a proper mother, Tuney, and taught your son some manners, then I wouldn't have to."

Leaning in towards her sister until their noses almost touched, Petunia glared and snarled, "I always knew you and the rest of your freak friends would make me miserable! Why can't you just leave my family alone? We want nothing to do with you!"

"Honestly, Petunia—" Whatever Lily was going to tell her older sister, however, was lost as she suddenly went silent.

Petunia smirked victoriously. However, when she tried to speak, she discovered that her own voice was gone as well. Grasping her hands around her neck, she tried to scream without making so much as a peep.

With his wand still leveled at the two Evans' sisters, Severus stood, not trusting either of them not to attack him for casting a silencing charm on them. However, it was necessary if he wanted to speak without either of them interrupting with their childish bickering.

"Now that I have your attention," Snape began speaking firmly, "I may have a solution to this problem. If the two of you and Vernon would be so kind as to step into the kitchen, I'll remove the silencing spell. Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement that won't make everyone miserable."

Harry watched stunned as his mum and aunt walked into the kitchen before Snape with Vernon following obediently behind. As the kitchen door closed, he wondered just what kind of solution Snape could have that he required that much secrecy. While Snape had brought his mother back, he wasn't quite sure if he trusted the man fully yet. Snape was still Snape after all.

~POL~

Once in the kitchen, Snape placed a privacy charm around the room. He didn't need the others to hear his idea. They wouldn't understand and likely would only gape at him as if he had grown a second head. One encounter of that ridiculousness was more than enough for him this Holiday break.

Within seconds, Petunia began to screech at him. He ignored her, though, and focused on the look from Lily. It pained him to see that look, but it was necessary. Her emerald eyes were narrowed on him. If possible, he swore she would have obliterated him into something less than dust with that look. Still ignoring Petunia, he spoke directly to Lily.

"Don't look at me like that, Lil. You and Petunia arguing would not have been very much in the Christmas Spirit. Now, would it?"

"So you just spelled me silent." While some of the anger had left the beautiful green eyes, she was still displeased at what had taken place.

Snape only inclined his head. "Perhaps it wasn't the most…satisfactory solution. However, it was the quickest." He then sighed. "And if we're going to accomplish this feat, we will need to move quickly."

"What are you talking about?" Vernon began. His eyes slowly narrowed on the tall, sinister-looking man. While he did have prior experience with the man, he wasn't quite sure if he believed that the man's bark was worse than his bite yet or not.

"As you are aware, the recent threats against your family have made your home off limits. London, however, isn't." He nearly grimaced when he heard his words. It sounded as if he was willing to take two Muggles and Lily shopping. However, that was so far from the truth. Even if that hadn't been horribly foolish with the recent Death Eater attacks everywhere in Britain, he would have never agreed to be anyone's personal chauffeur and personal shopper much less these Muggles.

"What are you suggesting, Sev?" Lily asked softly.

"Clearly, we can't go waltzing into Muggle London for Christmas presents since the danger has not passed for the Dursleys yet." Drawing in a steadying breath, he glanced towards Lily. "Therefore, we have two possible solutions. We can either have another pick up gifts from Muggle London to deliver them here or I could transfigure simple gifts for your son."

"Absolutely not," Vernon replied gruffly. "My son will not have any of that rubbish gifts. Lord only knows what sorts of diseases and cancers that rubbish gift would cause my son to develop because of that nonsense magic of yours." Without even so much as glancing at his wife who looked ready to murder her sister and Snape, Vernon decided. "I take it that freakishness in you can conjure up a few catalogs or something?"

"Indeed," Snape replied, ignoring Vernon's offensiveness. He then summoned a few catalogs from thin air and said nothing as the heavy items clattered onto the kitchen table. Turning his gaze from the Muggle man, he glanced towards his best friend. "While there is no doubt that you are the greatest Christmas present your son has ever received, Lily, I am certain he would appreciate a small trinket from you also."

"That's a good idea, Sev," Lily replied with a soft smile. "Now, why couldn't you tell us this plan of yours in front of the others, though?"

"I figured that my reputation had been damaged enough this morning. Therefore, there was no need to damage it further by allowing the others to watch me attempt to save Christmas. Merlin only knows how your son would react to that."

"Ah, I see," Lily said with a soft laugh. "I suppose we should be quick about this then, shouldn't we?"

He only inclined his head and motioned with his hand for the Dursleys to look through the various catalogs left on the table. The sooner this was finished, the sooner he could continue his Christmas undisturbed with Lily by his side. He paid no attention to the muttering Muggles as they softly discussed what they would get their whale of a son. Instead, he chose the far wall to stare at. However, when he felt someone link arms with him, he glanced away towards who he believed was Lily.

"You seem to know my son better than I do, Sev," she quietly spoke. "Maybe you could help me pick something out?"

"I only know him as my student, Lily." At the sight of her green eyes narrowing, he sighed. "I care very little about my students' personal lives unless it concerns a form of abuse, physical or otherwise," he admitted.

"You never spoke to him outside of the classroom?"

"Not civilly at least," he answered. "I regret that I have been rather standoffish and at times hostile with your son over the past three years."

"Because he looks so much like James?" she asked with a hard edge to her voice.

"That is partly the reason, yes," he confessed. He said nothing to her glare intensifying. "However, there is another explanation that for reasons I cannot divulge at the current time." When he noticed her lovely green eyes had darted instantly to his left forearm, he quickly quelled the urge to grab his Dark Mark.

"We'd like this for Dudley," Vernon's gruff voice interrupted.

Snape glanced away from his former best friend and walked towards the Muggles. He looked down at the item Vernon's fat finger was pressed against and did his very best to keep his lip from curly upwards in disgust. These Muggles clearly thought they could continue to spoil their son, even though they were in the presence of others who knew just how well they treated the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Choose another item."

"No. That's what our Dudley is going to get."

"That most certainly is not what your son is going to open in the presence of others. Not unless you wish to be killed that is." When he caught Petunia's instant glare, he had to suppress the urge to chuckle. As if that ugly woman scared him with her nasty glare.

"You cannot tell—"

"I can tell you whatever the hell I feel like, Tuney," he drawled, rocking back with his arms crossed. "I am after all the one wishing to ensure peace in this household for the Holidays, correct?"

"Just like your father did, right?" she snapped back with a vicious smirk.

Clenching his teeth, Snape did his best to withhold the murderous tendencies in himself. Had he met the vindictive bitch in an alley, though, he knew she certainly would be lying dead then. Releasing a controlled breath, he decided he'd leave another Order member to deal with the Muggles. After all, he didn't necessarily enjoy killing Muggles, but he knew he would with the Dursleys.

With a flick of his wand, he sent a quick message to the Order member who would likely do the least amount of damage. Exactly a minute later, he received his response as Kingsley Shacklebolt apparated directly into the kitchen. Ignoring the outrage from the Muggles who were going on about the Auror being one of those freaks, Snape walked towards the dark-skinned man.

"Something small would be the most prudent," Snape said in hushed tones to the man.

"Anything else?" replied Kingsley, eyeing Lily warily.

"At my flat in London, I have a silver frame on my mantelpiece. Bring it."

"I'll return shortly." Within seconds, Kingsley vanished from the room.

"We're not giving our son anything that has been sullied by your kind," Petunia nastily sneered.

"Then your son won't receive a damn thing for Christmas," Snape replied with a growl. He hated that woman. He always had and always would. He caught the look Lily was giving him, but he said nothing in response. What was there to say anyway?

Two minutes later, Kingsley reappeared in the small kitchen with a small red-wrapped gift under his arm and the silver frame in hand. The Auror quickly walked to Snape and handed him the frame with a puzzled look. Neither of the men spoke, though. In fact, once he had glanced towards the Dursleys, Kingsley once more left the room, apparating away.

Whirling around, Snape walked over to Lily and set the frame down on the countertop in front of her. He caught her confusion that she quickly masked from him. He only sighed.

"Perhaps you could add a picture of you and Potter to it for the boy," he quietly suggested. The words tasted bitter in his mouth. How could he even suggest that to her, a picture of Potter and her? He then growled in his mind. He could suggest it because that was whom she had married in the end and had died beside. He had lost her to Potter. He had to remind himself of Lily not being his. She was Potter's. Likely, she always would be, too. He had lost his chance with her.

"Could I have your wand for a second then, Sev?"

Without another thought given, he handed it to her. Only for Lily would he do such a foolish thing. He remained quiet as he watched her alter the picture. Losing that picture of just Lily smiling was the very least he could do, considering how he had been one of the primary reasons for her and Potter's deaths. Grabbing his wand back from her when she was finished, he inclined his head respectfully and caught the picture. It was a family photo of the Potter family when Harry was seven months old. The family wore large smiles, but it was only Lily's smile he focused on. He had always loved her smile.

"Thank you, Sev," she said, magically wrapping Harry's present in green paper.

"Perhaps now would be a sensible time to return to the others?" It wasn't really a question, though. In fact, to make sure that they all followed with no issues, he banished the two wrapped presents to the sitting room. Without so much as another look at the Dursleys, Snape spun around and briskly walked out of the kitchen to head back. He could hear Lily following close behind him. No doubt, she understood his reaction. She always did after all, well, except for that one time.

"Is everything all right, Severus?" Molly asked with an uneasy look as soon as he had walked in.

"Yes," he curtly replied, taking a seat immediately. "We may now open presents."

"But I won't get anything," Dudley cried.

"Perhaps next time you won't be such a brat, Mr. Dursley," Snape drawled, mildly glaring at the plump child. When Dudley opened his mouth to retort, the older wizard instantly summoned the red gift from the back of the tree and tossed it to the whale child. "You were mistaken. Now, open your damn present and allow us to have some peace." Glancing towards Harry a moment later, he inaudibly sighed. He could see the surprise in the child's face as he tore open the wrapping paper to discover the family photo.

"But—"

"I'll admit that I had some help," Lily responded, motioning with her eyes towards Snape. Her warm smile threatened to overpower the room yet again. "Do you like it?" Her answer came in the form of a very emotional and powerful hug from her fourteen-year-old son. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, laughing and carding her fingers through her son's unruly hair. "Merry Christmas, son," she whispered before kissing his cheek. She said nothing more as she just held him against her.

"Ah, there is nothing else like the power of a mother's love," a kind voice spoke in the doorway.

"Albus," Snape said, standing immediately. There were only a handful of reasons why Dumbledore would come to Grimmauld on Christmas morning, and Snape was rather certain it wasn't to deliver presents. While Dumbledore may have shared a likeness to Santa, the old man was anything but good in Snape's mind.

"Good morning, my boy," the elderly wizard replied with a warm smile.

"Has something happened, Dumbledore?" asked Arthur Weasley.

"Nothing bad I assure you," he responded, laughing jollily. His twinkling blue eyes then glanced towards the Muggles who were glaring at him. "Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, just the people I am in the need of speaking with." The couple didn't respond, only glared. "The threat against your residence has been dealt with."

"Meaning what exactly?" gruffly asked Vernon.

"You and your family may return to Privet Drive at once. We will of course have Order members watching your residence again, but you need not remain here for the Holidays." As if just realizing something, the older wizard sighed. "Since your sister's arrival was on short notice, I have failed to find her a suitable place to remain. However, I believe you are in the Christmas spirit, are you not, Mrs. Dursley?" His blue eyes glanced over his half-moon spectacles at them.

"Fine," Petunia bit out with a nasty grimace. "She can stay with us." When Vernon started to protest, she sent him a fierce glare that instantly silenced him. "Let us leave this horrid place instantly. I have things to do."

Sighing heavily, Snape emerged from the woods under the umbrella of dusk after he had apparated to Little Whinging. He didn't know how to explain it anymore. It was either out of guilt or longing that he found himself walking down Privet Drive towards the Dursley residence. He had attempted to ignore the feelings for a week. Whatever it was that lived deep within his gut, though, only became worse as time passed. On this night, he was nearly ill from it.

Raising a fist a moment later, he quietly rapped his knuckle against the front door. He then took a step back. Clearly, this was going to get him into trouble, with the Dursleys, the Dark Lord, or even Dumbledore. He wasn't sure which one would be more upset. But then again, he didn't really give a flying hippogriff what those bastards thought. He needed to see Lily for reasons unknown even to him.

When the door was thrown open suddenly, he found himself face to face with Petunia. She clearly looked out of sorts as if she had just been running a marathon or something. He decided he wasn't going to ask. He really didn't want to know anything about that bitch's life.

"What do you want?" she snapped, sneering at him.

"I wish to speak with your sister, Tuney."

"She's not in."

He immediately recognized her signs of lying. Her lip curled as her left eye twitched. He didn't think it was possible, but Petunia always became uglier when she told a lie.

"You're lying," he replied, leaning towards her.

"Am not," she quickly sputtered. "That little tramp decided she needed—"

He drew in a deep breath, inhaling the rich floral smell. Lily obviously had heard her older sister. He waited and slowly smirked when he saw the youngest Evans girl. Lily's lovely green eyes were in slits and her fists shook in hidden fury as she stormed towards them.

"What are you smirking about, Snape?" Petunia snapped. Her eyes then widened in outrage, realizing something in her twisted mind. Her hands flew to her blouse, pulling it closer to her.

"As if I wanted to contract some disease from you, Petunia," he replied nastily.

"Why? Does it remind you of the poorhouses, Snape?"

"Shut it, Tuney!" Lily yelled, glaring daggers at her sister. "Just shut it about Severus."

"Poor Snape," Petunia sneered. "His father was a drunk, and his mother was a w—"

"I'm warning you, Tuney!" Lily growled, stepping closer.

Snape glared at the spiteful shrew. Luckily for her, his Occlumency kept him from murdering her. She hadn't changed whatsoever. She was still as cruel as ever. However, he knew exactly how to make the horrid woman shut her mouth.

"Oh, I know all about your kind, Snape," Petunia snarled with a sneer. She then forces out a harsh laugh. "You think now because my sister is back that she's going to run her hands—"

"Petunia!" shouted Lily.

"—all over your greasy self and jump into your flea-ridden bed," the shrew hissed.

"Shut. It. Now," Lily roared.

"But she didn't love you, Snape! She was more than happy to find herself in Potter's—" Petunia's voice suddenly vanished. Her eyes then darkened before she leapt towards him. However, she only managed to hit the wall after he quickly sidestepped her.

"How dare you!" Lily's eyes were a dark green as she glared at her sister. She then held a hand against Petunia's chest to pin her to the wall. "How dare you speak to Sev like that." She then scoffed, shaking her head angrily. Her long red hair flared out behind her. "If I were you, Tuney, I'd keep my mouth shut. I'm not as naïve as you think." She then took a step closer. "Now listen to me closely. Whose bed I jump into is not any of your concern, considering whose bed I know you're jumping into in addition to your husband's."

Releasing her older sister, Lily whirled around and grabbed her jacket before heading out the opened door. She heard Severus quietly following behind her. How dare Petunia say such filth about Sev. Oh, if she had her magic, she would have scrubbed Tuney's mouth out. Sure, there had always been hatred between Tuney and Sev. And Lily knew it stemmed from her being a witch. Tuney clearly was still jealous about that fact. After all this time, her older sister was still jealous that Lily was a witch.

"Are you all right?" Snape asked quietly, walking beside her.

"I will be now," she responded, giving him a soft smile. "I'm sorry about her, Sev."

"No. It's not your fault, Lil." He then glanced away, kicking a loose rock towards the curb.

"Well, it's not really yours either." When he scoffed, her eyes narrowed on him. Gently, she laid a hand on his arm to stop him. "Sev, really, it's not your fault."

"It is, though, Lil," he answered, keeping his eyes on the asphalt.

"Oh? And just how is it your fault, Sev? Did you make me a witch?"

His head shot up, and he stared at her in momentary confusion. "No. Lil, that's not what I'm referring to." He then sighed, glancing back down. When her hand slowly pushed his chin back up, his eyes slowly flickered towards her. "I'm sorry, Lil."

"For what, Sev?" she asked, not understanding the hurt she saw in his eyes. "What did you do?"

"For calling you that wretched name," he replied, shutting his eyes. "For taking the Dark Mark, for then letting that darkness consume me, for informing the Dark Lord about the prophecy concerning your son, for not protecting you from him, for begging the Dark Lord and Dumbledore for your life and not giving a damn about Potter and your son, for being the reason you died," he said with a sigh. "Name it, Lil, and I'm sorry for it."

She stared at him for half a moment before glancing away. He had been the reason the Dark Lord was after her and James? She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't believe it. This was Sev, her Sev. Sure, she knew he had taken the Dark Mark. She hadn't been blind. She saw him lose himself bit by bit to the dark magic. However, she thought it had been too late after he called her 'Mudblood' that day by the lake. What if it hadn't been too late to save him? What if her not forgiving him was the reason he had taken the Mark? Then she shared the blame, didn't she?

Oh, didn't she just say that she forgave him that day when he begged for her forgiveness? She knew that he hadn't meant to say it. Sev was angry and hurt, which was justifiable considering that James and his friends had removed Sev's trousers in front of an audience—in front of her. Why didn't she just absolve him of his guilt? Why had she turned her back on her best friend since they were nine?

She didn't know the answer. There wasn't any right one at least that she knew. Turning back to him, she caught his hurt-filled eyes again. Sure, Sev was famous for locking his emotions up and hiding them from others, but she always could read him like a book when they were together. Perhaps words weren't necessary in this case.

Licking her lips nervously, she then went up on her tiptoes and gently brushed her lips over his. She felt his surprise immediately as he attempted to jerk back from her, but she wrapped her arms around him and held him there. She smiled against his lips a moment later as she felt him start to kiss her back. He was a hell of a kisser. She'd give him that. And if she was a kiss-and-tell type of girl, she'd likely have stroked his ego a bit by telling him that his kiss was ten times better than James'. And that wasn't a lie in the least. Sev was the perfect kisser.

"What-what was that for?" he asked, pulling back from her a moment later.

"Consider it my weak apology, Sev," she replied with a nervous laugh. "I should have forgiven you that day when you came to me and apologized for the day by the lake. Deep down, I knew you didn't mean it. You weren't that type of guy."

"I am now," he pointed out solemnly.

"Well, then we're going to have to fix that, aren't we, Sev?" She smiled softly, linking arms with him. "I suppose I understand why you didn't care that much about Harry and James." She felt him tense for a second. "James made your life a living hell when we were kids. I knew that." She then scoffed, shaking her head. "And I married the son of a bitch."

"Don't," he quietly replied. "Don't apologize for that. I understand."

"You shouldn't understand it, though, Sev. I mean, you should be furious with me for marrying him. He used his harassment and bullying of you as part of his charm. Any idiot could see that. And I fell for him. What does that make me?"

"Let's not talk about this." He then turned around to head back to the Dursleys.

"Sev—"

"Please, Lil, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Fine," she responded with a sigh. "What do you want to talk about?"

"How was your trip to Gringotts? Did they allow you to access to your husband's vault?"

"No," Lily replied with a scoff. "The goblins still refuse to accept me as James' wife. You see, I'm supposedly buried in the cemetery at Godric's Hollow. So the goblins say that they can't and won't give me access. The head goblin in fact stated that the vault is in Harry's name, not mine, and that it's too much work for them to change the access back to me." She shook her head. "It's a matter of trust, and quite frankly they don't trust me."

"You could speak with Albus—"

"No, it's all right. A little hard work won't kill me." She then sighed. "It certainly keeps my mind off certain things." She glanced towards him and noticed his confusion. "I'm still coming to terms with James' death, you know." She watched him nod slowly.

"I take it then that your sessions with the mind healer aren't going well?"

"They are, but it just takes time. Everything takes time." They continued walking in silence for a bit before she glanced towards him. "I have an interview next week at a diner in Manchester."

"What happened to the other waitressing job?" he asked, staring at her oddly.

"I kept upsetting the customers so I was let go. Clearly being the mother of the Boy-Who-Lived has made me quite recognizable by the public. So when they come in and see that the supposed dead mother is in fact alive, well, it caused quite the uproar."

"I could assist—"

"No, Sev, thank you but no," Lily replied, gently resting a hand on his arm. "I couldn't take your money. Harry and I will be fine. I just have to go somewhere that people don't know me. That's why I think this job at the diner should be fine. It's full of Muggles, and you know them." She then sighed, glancing away. "You know I didn't want to be burden to anyone. And I know I am one to Tuney. I mean, it's practically every day we argue anymore. She has made it very clear that if I am to live with them, then I have to contribute something." She then shrugged. "I'm just tired of this damn arguing."

"If you need anything, I'm right here, Lily," he spoke, staring into her eyes.

"I know, Sev. I know." She then glanced up and sighed. He had brought her back to the front step of her sister's house. "If it, well, um, Sev, I think, well…"

"What is it, Lily?"

"If it isn't too much trouble for you, do you think we could maybe visit Godric's Hollow sometime soon. Call me crazy, but I want to see it." She then sighed. "Sometimes when I close my eyes, it's as if I'm there again, Sev. I can see James sitting next to me with Harry in the middle. And then I wake up and realize that my husband is dead." She shook her head. "I think I just want to make it feel real that he's really gone and that he's not coming back. I mean, everyone has had so much time to grieve and move on. But I mean, I just came back not too long ago, and it still feels like that day thirteen years ago." Her arms wrapped around herself protectively.

"Whenever you wish to go, just contact me. It is the least I can do, Lil," he replied quietly. Frowning, he sighed and caught her gaze. "I'm sorry, Lily. I truly am."

"Sev, you don't have anything to apologize for, though. I gave up on you. No matter how you spin it, that's what I did. I gave up on you, not the other way around." Inhaling slowly, she stared back at him. "We all make mistakes, Sev. You accidentally lashed out at me, and I gave up on you because of it. You know, sometimes at night, I'll wake up and wish that I could go back to that day and stand beside you." She then closed her eyes before sighing. "But then I awake up and realize that I can't. Good night, Sev." Kissing him on the cheek, she said her goodbye before walking into the house.

Upstairs in his room, Harry watched the scene outside in disdain. His mother and Snape had gone out for a walk. He didn't think there was anything to worry about. It wasn't as if his mother liked the nasty git. He then sighed. Then again, he had heard stories of how perfect she was from everyone. If she was so perfect, then why couldn't she hold down a job like most people? So it was entirely possible that she'd start to date the nasty bat of the dungeons, wasn't it? Gritting his teeth, he growled. Tomorrow morning wasn't soon enough to go back to Hogwarts in his opinion. He was already tired of this love fest, and it hadn't even begun yet. Why couldn't he just have a normal and happy life with his mother?

A week had passed by at Hogwarts since the students and staff had returned from winter holidays. For all intensive purposes, it had been the quietest week ever. Peeves had managed to behave and not cause a ruckus for once. The Weasley twins actually hadn't set a prank on anyone yet to celebrate the New Year. No Slytherins picked fights against members of the other three Houses. All was quiet. Though, that was largely because the students were all trying to figure what had gotten into their Potions professor.

"I'm telling you, guys, something strange is going on," a Gryffindor quietly said. The young Gryffindor's eyes then shifted towards the fourth-year who slinked past towards the Fat Lady's portrait. "He hasn't said a word since he got back."

"Likely still in shock about his mother returning," another Gryffindor replied. "I would be."

Harry then slammed the portrait shut behind him. All week he had been forced to listen to every Gryffindor's theory about what was up with him. And every day, it made him angrier. What the hell did they know what he felt about his mum returning? They didn't know anything. They just sat there in the common room and spun their theories like a spider spun a web, trying to make sense of something that didn't make a lick of sense to anyone.

After five minutes of walking down the moving staircases and then down the stairs into the dungeon, Harry walked into the Potions classroom. He was the only one in there, which was the way he wanted it to be. He knew how Hermione and Ron would react if they learned what he had planned before their Potions class that day. Angrily, he moved through the room towards Snape's writing table like a cyclone in a trailer court. He wanted to make the git pay. He honestly didn't know why

Reaching forward, he grabbed one of the spidery-filled handwriting parchments to rip it to shreds. However, the salutation made him stop. His green eyes danced over the three words, freezing his heart instantly. That greasy slick git had written to Harry's mother. How dare Snape write his mother! Oh, Harry knew all about him. He knew how the man had loved to torment people and make their lives a living hell just because he was a lonely bastard who couldn't get any. Did he think Lily would do that?

Harry stared at the unfinished letter, glaring at it. What was the second reason? To ask her if she'd break her vows and sleep with the greasy git? He wouldn't put it past Snape. The greasy git had probably salivated over the idea.

"Mr. Potter," a silk voice drawled behind him. "I was not aware that I had allowed you to read my personal letters."

Harry instantly whirled around and glared at Snape. He wanted to scream at the bastard to leave his mother alone, but the words failed to leave his throat. He then noticed Snape's hair. The familiar grease in his hair was long gone replaced with a healthy silky raven shine. Oh, this man was really starting to irritate him. If Snape thought washing his hair would make Harry's mum fall for him, then Snape had another thing coming. Gritting his teeth, though, Harry drew in a breath and stormed over to his seat. He'd get that git back. He would. Unfortunately, though, he'd suffer through his Potions class.

"Now, continuing on from last class," Snape loudly announced to the room that had filled during the time Harry had read Snape's letter. "Bezoars, while extremely handy, can be rather dangerous if the unknown poison reacts to it. It is why you must always first ascertain what poison is used before deciding which antidote to use. Otherwise, you likely could cause your victim to suffocate on his or her own vomit." Snape then glanced at Hermione. "Miss Granger, no doubt you've read the required reading for today, enlighten this class of dunderheads as to what poisons react violently to bezoars."

Harry tuned out his friend's answer. He even tuned out Snape rewarding Gryffindor with twenty points. After all, he saw what this was. Snape was trying to get on Harry's good side. Well, it wasn't going to work. The nasty git could proclaim that Gryffindor was the best House and that Slytherin sucked Dragon balls for all he cared. It wouldn't change Harry's mind whatsoever. Snape was still a git, attempting to get into Harry's mum's knickers. Well, Harry was going to make sure that git didn't get that far with his mother. He was going to write his mother that night and tell her all about his nasty, greasy git of a Potions master who was unfair and called Gryffindors little dunderheads who should have been Kissed by the Dementors upon sorting. Snape would regret the day he was born. Harry would make damn sure of that.

~POL~

As his last class of the day was let out, Snape sighed, staring at the empty seat Potter had been in earlier that day. The boy clearly was upset about something. However, nothing he had done could produce that sort of anger in the boy. By the end of class, in fact, he had awarded Gryffindor with a hundred and fifty points, mostly thanks to Granger and her extreme know-it-all ability.

Frowning, he glanced down at his unfinished letter. Had Potter been upset because Snape was offering to help Lily financially? As the letter said, it was the least he could do. He had been the reason the Dark Lord had killed her, Potter, and attempted to kill the boy. But the boy didn't know that. Snape was sure of it.

"Uh-oh, I know that look," an amused voice spoke from his doorway.

"Do you?" he replied with a sigh before glancing towards the witch. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I'm under the impression, mistaken or otherwise, that we have a meeting right now."

"Meeting?" he repeated, staring at the dark curly-haired witch.

"Yes, concerning our House, Severus," she replied, folding her arms across her navy blue robes. "If you'd like, I could come back later."

"No, it's all right."

"Well, I've already spoken to Miss Parkinson in regards to her behavior," the witch said, walking further into the room. "She assures me that she will not attempt it again. However, I am not so certain. She had that look in her eyes, Severus."

"Your recommendation?" he asked quietly.

"Well, if I were Head of House, and we'll both thank Merlin that I'm not, I'd set a ward up around the Slytherin boys dorms that would respond negatively whenever Miss Parkinson attempts to go near it. That way, it alerts us to her attempts, while ensuring that she fails, allowing the gentlemen to rest easy for the remainder of the night."

"I agree," he replied, inclining his head towards her. "I'll leave you to erect the wards."

"She has you all knotted up inside again, doesn't she, Severus?" The witch then laughed softly.

"I do not appreciate your insinuation about my relationship with Miss Park—"

"I'm not talking about her, and you very well know it," the witch said, rolling her eyes. "I am referring to the recently revived Lily Evans." When he glanced at her startled, she smiled. "You've got that look in your eyes again, Severus." She then sighed, taking a seat in the chair across from him. "I take it this means she forgives you for your temporary insanity that day by the lake."

"She has."

"Ah," she responded. "So you've renewed your friendship. Well, congratulations are in order then. Perhaps a drink or two to celebrate?" she asked, smirking at him.

"Now you have that look in your eyes," he retorted, glancing at her.

"What? I don't have any such look. I'm happy for you. I am."

"You think I'll botch it again, don't you?"

"You weren't the reason your friendship with her ended in the first place in my opinion," the witch replied. "But we both know how jaded I am, don't we?" She then sighed, forcing her face to remain neutral. "I am happy for you, and I do sincerely wish you the best, Severus."

"But?" he responded, folding his arms at her.

"No, there is not 'but' this time, Severus." She then stood. "Unfortunately, I just remembered. I have some essays that I must get to. We'll continue this later, Severus?" She smiled when he nodded. "Try to have a good rest of your night." She then quietly turned and headed to the door before shutting it behind her.

Sighing, he rose. He and Lily had renewed their friendship. It should be the happiest time of his life. Lily was alive, and she was his friend. So why did he feel like crap? Could it be because of Harry? Or, was it because all this goodness in his live now made him wonder when the bad would occur?

Grabbing his parchment that he knew the boy had read, he quickly crumpled it up and threw it into the fireplace. It sounded funny after all like the words were false. He guessed in a way they were, though. The words he wanted to say were the words he was too scared to say. Reaching up, he grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it in, sticking his head into the flames. He needed to speak with Lily.

"Lil?" he quietly spoke, attempting not to draw attention from any nosy Dursleys.

"I hear you, Sev," Lily softly replied with a smile. "What are you doing?"

"I wanted to speak with you," he answered.

"Is something wrong with Harry?"

He thought about telling her about Harry, but decided against it. He didn't need her to concern herself over something that likely would blow over with time. With a sigh, he decided to press forward.

"How are things with Tuney?"

"Well, she's enjoying the extra money I'm making. She only sees about a third of the money I make, though." Lily then frowned before lowering her voice. "I've been attempting to find a place for Harry and me to live this summer."

"Oh? And how has that been?"

"Surprisingly difficult," she replied. "You see, I'm supposed to be dead." She said nothing when the familiar pain passed over his features expectedly. "Well, I've got to go, Sev, before Tuney figures out that there's magical nonsense going on in her house. I'll speak to you later."

Nodding, he pulled back and sighed as the flames normalized. It had been a short conversation, but it made him feel a bit better. She was still there, alive and well. His eyes then narrowed. He wanted to be closer to Lily. Lily and Harry needed a home. He then scoffed. It couldn't be that easy, could it?

Three months later, anticipating nothing more than a hot bath awaiting him, Snape glanced towards the slightly opened portrait that guarded the entryway to his rooms and walked in. It had been a long day. First and Second-year Potions had been nothing short of disastrous. The little horrors had done everything in the power to blow up the dungeons and then some. Top that off with having to supervise Harry's detention for his continued escalation of blatant disrespect in the middle of the class, well, he seriously considered taking up drinking. His thoughts of being immersed in steamy water were cut short, however, when he saw a redhead poke up from his couch. The curly red locks turned towards him to give him a tired smile.

"Hey, Sev," Lily softly spoke. "I hope you don't mind me dropping by like this."

"Of course not," he answered automatically. As if he would ever mind her presence. He quietly walked around the couch and collapsed next to his best friend a moment later. "Though, I will warn you that I am not in the best of moods at the moment," he said morosely.

"Join the club," she responded just as sullen as he felt.

He raised an eyebrow. "I take it that Tuney is being her normal…self?"

Sighing, she glanced at him with dull green eyes. "I had to get away for a bit, Sev. She's just been downright horrible lately, and I just couldn't stand it today."

Biting his tongue, he merely nodded in acknowledgement. After all, he was well aware of Petunia and her horrible self. He had witnessed it for years when they were children.

Suddenly, she flung her head back against the couch to look up at the ceiling. She remained silent, just thinking about what had gone wrong. Had her death really affected this much? She then sighed before she turned her head ever so slightly to glance at him.

"Do you know what tomorrow is?"

He didn't even have to think about it. He recalled exactly what occurred on that day just over fifteen years ago. "Yes," he replied simply. He then sighed when she didn't respond. "I shall never forget them, Lil. Your parents after all were kinder to me than my own." Still, she did not say anything. "I always make a point to visit their graves every year."

"Then you'll come with me tomorrow?" she asked, emerald eyes full of hope.

"Of course," he responded without a drop of hesitation. His eyes then narrowed when he noticed the hurt in her eyes. He had agreed, hadn't he?

"Petunia refused," she said quietly, turning her head from him to resume her staring at the ceiling. "She said that she had better things to do than to visit some old graves."

While positively seething in the inside, he remained silent. How could anyone be so selfish and cruel to her own sister, especially to Lily! Not to mention how disrespectful it was to the dead.

"I can't stay there any longer, Sev," she admitted, barely above a whisper. She then drew in a quick sharp breath before turning back to him. "I'd rather be out on the streets than there."

"Then I take it that you haven't had any luck finding a suitable place?" he inquired gently.

She immediately scoffed. Her emerald eyes hardened. "Either they won't accept I am who I say I am, despite what the identification papers I have state, or the places are so run down that I wouldn't let a rat live there."

He felt his stomach do back flips instantly. This was the opportunity he was waiting for. Now, he just had to open his mouth and say the words. He could do it. He could. He was the premier Potions master in all of England. He could say the few short sentences that he had been rehearsing nightly into the mirror in his lavatory.

"Well," he started to say. "You can always stay with me," he offered nervously, "that is…if you'd like…I mean…you could…we…you and Harry that is…as friends…" That had sounded a lot better all those times in the mirror and his head. Why was he so nervous about this? He was just asking her as one would do for any close friend.

"I couldn't ask that of you, Sev." she replied, smiling at his obvious embarrassment.

"You aren't, though. I'm offering," he quickly responded, regaining his composure finally. "As you know, my house on Spinner's End is small. Only two bedrooms, but you can stay there for as long as you need. And if you haven't found a place to live when school ends, I'll find someone to add an extra bedroom then. It wouldn't be too difficult to do. And it's the least I can do." He then sucked in a large breath. "I'll even sleep on the couch. You won't have anything to concern yourself over."

"Are you sure, Sev?" she asked softly, giving him a calculating look.

"I wouldn't have offered if I weren't, Lil."

Dear Merlin, when had he turned into some love-drunk Hufflepuff? He was practically on edge, waiting for her response. In fact, he was chanting in his mind her saying yes over and over again. He was just offering his house for her and Harry to live in. It didn't mean anything like they were living together and going to be a family now. After all, there was the little issue about her still being in love with James and being married to him.

"Oh, all right, Sev, you've talked me into it."

"Excellent," he replied, just barely keeping the glee from his voice. "You can stay in the extra bedroom here tonight. Well, tomorrow is Saturday. So we can go over to Tuney's and get your things, then go see your parents before settling you in at my house on Spinner's End." He honestly didn't know where this rambling had come from. It had to be sorely obvious to Lily.

"Perfect." She then cocked her head to the side with a soft smirk. "So, how was your day, Sev?"

"Every day, my first-years become even bigger dunderheads than the last."

When she laughed, he felt himself smile at the sound. He had noticed that ever since her return he had been smiling more and more every day. There was just something about that witch. He couldn't necessarily put his thumb on it, but he hoped that he would always be near her. Sighing in sheer content, he realized that suddenly his day wasn't all that bad after all.

~POL~

The sun's rays barely even had a chance to paint the sky before Snape and Lily appeared on the step of the Dursley residence early the next morning. Snape rapped his knuckles loudly against the door, making sure to amplify the sound magically inside the house. He forced himself to keep the nasty smile from etching his face when Petunia eventually answered the door with a robe pulled tight against her lean frame and a sneer firmly on her face.

"Figures that you'd come back," Petunia snarled. "You can't find a home, so you have to smooch off other people." She then muttered darkly before allowing them in. She of course made sure to glance about outside to see if the neighbors saw anything. After all, appearances were everything to Petunia Dursley. She wouldn't want her neighbors to learn that some sort of freaks showed up at the crack of dawn.

"Actually, Tuney," he said, knowing how much she didn't like the nickname, "I've come to help Lily collect her things. You see, she's going to move into her new home today."

It wasn't a complete lie. He was going to help Lily move in today. However, he caught her look that told him to be nice anyway. She never did let him have any fun with Tuney.

Without a word spoken, Lily pulled her temporary wand out of her jacket pocket and waved it expertly. Within seconds, all of her things had packed and shrunk perfectly to fly-size. She silently grabbed the levitated tiny trunk, pictures, and other miscellaneous items one by one, placing them into her pocket before glancing at her older sister.

Petunia gasped and sputtered in rage at the magic being used so freely in her home. Never in her life had she been so outraged. How dare that witch come into her home and do that. She then glanced towards the man next to her sister. Her outrage instantly increased as she caught his arrogant smirk.

"We're going to visit Mum and Dad now, Tuney. Are you sure you wouldn't like to come?" Lily asked politely, ignoring her sister's anger.

Petunia's eyes narrowed in undisguised hatred. "I have no desire to ruin my day by visiting a graveyard. Now, you've come for what you wanted. So get the hell out of my house."

Lily just shrugged in response. "As you wish, but I'll tell them you said hi." She then walked towards the door with him right behind her. As he reached around her and opened the door for her, she turned around. "Love you, sis," she said as kindly as she could before walking out.

"Goodbye." he said politely, still smirking widely, before he accompanied Lily out. The door then slammed shut with sounds of glass shattering against the floor a moment later. He, however, continued walking, grinning outright now at the sounds of Tuney's screams. It served that bitch right.

~POL~

Standing in front of the two graves, Snape sighed. They had just come from Lily's parents' graves. However, he had thought it would be a nice touch if he also took her to Godric's Hollow to visit her husband's grave. He knew that she had wanted to ask him but couldn't. After all, there were a lot of feelings surrounding those graves for the both of them.

He watched Lily slowly approach her husband's grave. Perhaps he should have gone with her. It clearly would have been a tiring event for anyone. However, he stood his ground near the tree, giving her the privacy she needed. He watched her remove some of the weeds and vines that had collected on the weathered grave marker. When she gently placed her cheek against the grave marker as if was a lover, he glanced away.

Her soft words slowly floated over to him as she spoke to her husband's grave. He heard her tell him all about their son together how Harry was growing into a man. She even told about Harry's Seeker abilities. He could hear her voice breaking as she continued. However, Snape said nothing. This was her moment. He would not intrude.

"Oh, James, I wish you were here with me. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm trying to be strong. I am." Sounds of her sniffling then echoed around the quiet graveyard. "Sev is taking good care of me. I know. I know, James, but please. He is a good man. I know that you two didn't see eye to eye on anything." She then sniffled some more. "But I want you to know. I won't ever forget you. I won't, James. I think about you always. I know it doesn't seem like that now, but I do." Her voice then wavered slightly. "Oh, he's so beautiful, our baby boy is so beautiful, James. He has that unruly Potter hair." Her quiet sobs filled the air. "Sometimes I feel like you're there with me, watching Harry and me. It's horrible I know, but I've woken up some nights and said your name when Harry, our little Harry, walked past. Oh, James, you'd be so proud of our son."

Snape then glanced at her when it suddenly became quiet. She was hugging the grave marker as if it was James. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut. He then watched her wipe the tears away, standing and turning. She gave him a soft sad smile before walking back to him.

~POL~

An hour later, the two friends walked up to the front door to Snape's small childhood home on Spinner's End. Once again, he opened the door for his best friend. He caught once more her look of mystification at him. However, he only flashed a soft smile, which surprisingly was coming easier and easier as time went on, and motioned her inside.

"Thank you for today, Sev," Lily said, removing her jacket and setting it on the hook beside the door. The sadness and grief was still very much evident in her voice.

"It wasn't a problem," he replied quietly. "I'd have gone to visit your parents today anyway." He then bit back a sigh. "And visiting Godric's Hollow seemed to be the right thing to do today, Lily."

"Yes, I know, but still." She then turned to face him with barely a foot between them. "It meant a lot to me, Sev," she said, placing a kind hand onto his arm.

"In that case," Severus replied, widening his grin, "you're quite welcome, Lil."

They stood facing each other for a moment in complete silence, enjoying the lost time. Each lost in his and her own thoughts. They hardly even noticed that they had leaned closer to one another until their lips met. The kiss only lasted a second or two before they quickly pulled apart with flaming red cheeks in sheer embarrassment.

Clearing his throat quickly, he decided that he needed to do something. "Well, I trust you remember where everything is?" he asked, forcing the smile to remain a soft smile instead of the horribly cheesy grin that wanted to escape.

She nodded in response, grateful for the out he was giving her. Where had that kiss come from anyway? She stared at him for a moment, realizing a second later that she was supposed to respond vocally. Oh, God, what was happening to her?

"Yes, yes, well, I-I suppose I need to go," she replied. When she caught his flinch, she realized her words, "Oh, no! Not go, I mean, um, I need to go, um…" She let her voice trail off as she attempted to figure out a plausible reason. It then came to her. "I need to go grocery shopping. That's right. I need to go grocery shopping," she said, feeling proud for coming up with that excuse before it became too horribly awkward for the both of them.

He shrugged in response, looking everywhere but her. Dear Merlin, why had he kissed her? She still had feelings for James. He wasn't going to force her into breaking her vows for him. She loved James. He was sure of it. Her pulling back from him proved that. Oh, why did he always try to botch things up with her? Why couldn't he just be her friend or, hell, suave?

"There are a couple tins of soup that are still good, but nothing else," he quietly said. Actually, on second thought, he wasn't necessarily sure there were a couple of tins or that they were even good. Realizing that he likely sounded more of an idiot than before, he turned to face her in determination to end the awkwardness that had descended upon the room thanks to his assaulting her with a kiss. "You can have the master bedroom, and when your son arrives, he may have the other one." He caught her eyes narrowing on him, clearly wondering where he'd sleep then. "I have potions to brew this summer so I likely won't require nearly as much sleep as necessary. In fact, I likely would have just been on the couch anyway this summer had you not returned." He nearly groaned at how foolish that sounded. However, Lily only smiled at him and nodded in understanding.

"Well, how about you accompany me to the grocer then, Sev? After all, this house is as much of your place as it is my place now."

His heart leapt at her words. Dear Merlin, he had become a goddamn Hufflepuff. She clearly didn't mean it in that way. Though, there he was, thinking that she was all but offering him to join her.

"I would like that," he replied, forcing his emotions back. Clearly, he hadn't done a good job in this, though, because a moment later the following slipped out of his lips. "And then we can have lunch together, Lily." He snapped his mouth shut instantly and just stared at her. Oh, why had he said that?

"I'd like that, Sev," she responded with a soft smile. Her green eyes were alight with happiness. "Well, I think I'm going to go settle in now. Thank you for offering your home to us." She then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "You were always so sweet on me." Turning, she then silently walked out of the room with her items to head upstairs to the master bedroom. She couldn't keep the smile from her face. She loved James, didn't she? She then laughed. Then why was she so happy being here with Sev?

~POL~

For the first time ever, Harry was actually excited for the summer. His mum had told him just the other day that she had found them a new home that was far away from his aunt and uncle. They'd have the whole summer together without so much as a peep from Snape. Harry was sure of it.

As the train came to a halt at King's Cross, Harry was the first to jump out of his seat. He was followed quickly by an equally excited Ron and slightly less excited Hermione. He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't have to be searching desperately for the Dursleys and listen to the recitation of the rules again. No, no, he'd have his mum. That was all a boy like him needed.

Once off the train, though, his mum was not as easy to find as he had thought. Her red hair blended in with the Weasleys' hair. However, he saw her standing right there next to Ron's parents and Hermione's, talking quietly and happily with them. Harry made a beeline straight for the group with Ron and Hermione close on his tail.

After greetings were exchanged and each child had been engulfed in the arms of his or her parents, the kids began talking excitedly to one another, already making plans for sleepovers for the summer. After all, this was the first summer that Harry could participate.

"What's he doing here?" Ron asked loudly with disgust oozing from his words.

"Who?" asked Harry. Turning around, he immediately caught sight of whom Ron was talking about. Severus Snape, the man he thought he'd escaped from until next year, was walking determinedly towards the group. The man's usual robes were nowhere in sight.

"Oh, dear," Lily whispered, obviously not expecting anyone to hear her. She didn't notice Harry's puzzled look, but everyone noticed her shaking her head from one side to the other in what she hoped were small movements.

Narrowing his dark eyes on the redheaded witch shaking her head at him, Snape wondered what it meant. Was something wrong? He had thought his sudden appearance would be a surprise to her. He hadn't meant anything by it. She had told Harry that they were living with him. He had heard nothing but from the boy for the past month that he and his mother were living elsewhere than the Dursleys. She had told Harry, hadn't she? Before he could make sense of the situation, he was already standing directly in front of her. He raised a single eyebrow at her. "Is there some sort of problem, Lily?

Lily just lowered her head and massaged her temples. Oh, this was going to be nightmare. Why hadn't she just told Harry the other day that they were living at Sev's house? She then sighed. She knew why. Clearly her son and Sev didn't get along.

"Just you," muttered Ron, but the shocked silence that had fallen over the group caused his voice to reach all their ears.

"Ronald Weasley," Molly scolded harshly. "You will apologize this moment."

"Oh, Sev, we have got to work on our signals," Lily said, finally stopping her intense massage of her temples. She slowly lifted her head up to meet his eyes.

Before Snape could reply, Arthur asked the question on most of their minds. "Why are you here, Severus? I've never seen you take the train home before."

"Lily dr—" Snape begun, but was cut off by Lily.

"I haven't told him yet, Severus."

Snape looked at her for a moment. They seemed to carry on a whole conversation with their eyes, but a moment later, his eyes glided from Lily to her son.

"I see," he stated dryly without taking his eyes off Harry, who squirmed as though under a microscope. He held his hand out in front of her before saying, "Keys?"

"Why?" Lily asked, not daring to look anywhere but Severus.

With his hand still outstretched towards her, he turned to look at her once more. "There's a saying about 'having to sleep in the bed one has made.'" He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sure you've heard it. So I'm going to go get the car, and you are going to…handle this…situation."

With a glare, Lily threw the car keys at him. How dare he just walk away from her! How was she suppose to know he'd show up, looking like that, all sexy in his gorgeous black—Oh, God, she sounded like some hormonal fifth-year girl again.

"Thank you," Snape replied, ignoring her obvious anger. With a flick of his wand, Harry's trunk reduced in size and flew into his outstretched hand. Turning on his heel, he walked away from the group. He was rather glad he didn't have to be near those Weasley anymore. One could only stand them for so long.

"I'm so going to fill his shampoo bottle with a depilatory," Lily said, still glaring at his back.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face her son. "Harry, I couldn't stand living with your aunt and uncle any longer. However, most people know that I'm supposed to be dead so I couldn't find a suitable place for us to live. Severus has been my very best friend since we were children so he offered to let us live with him until we could find another place." She ignored her son's growing anger. He'd just have to deal with this one way or another. "I accepted his offer, Harry. I was going to tell you on the drive to his house." She then frowned. "Trust me. I didn't know he was going to meet us here."

Harry stood, staring at his mother with wide eyes. This simply could not be happening. He was going to live with Snape! Snape! Of all people, why him?

The entire group seemed to have lost the ability to speak for a moment until George found his vocal cords. "It might not be that bad, Harry."

"Yeah," continued Fred, "he's sure to have tons of Potions books—"

"—and if we need some, shall we say 'information' from some of the older books—"

"—you could maybe sneak a look at some of them for us."

"And just why don't you just ask him yourself, gentlemen?" Lily asked, glancing at the twins.

"We have," the twins replied in unison.

"He always gives us this speech," Fred began.

"About this being a school and such," finished George.

"You're both idiots," Lily deadpanned. "He was trying to tell you to contact him outside of school, you idiots."

"Oh," they said together.

Lily rolled her eyes in a manner she obviously picked up from Snape. "In fact, I happen to know that if you were to ask him for an apprenticeship, he would accept you both. He seems to be under the misconception that the two of you are very talented in Potions and with a bit of expert guidance could easily become the next big names in Potions. And, just so you know, whoever he accepts as his apprentice will have instant recognition, which could come in handy as far as sales and marketing go. But first you have to ask."

Looking at the faces around her and taking in Harry's mixture of shock and anger, Lily sighed. "Let's go, Harry. You and friends can discuss plans for the summer later."

They had barely taken a step when Fred asked, "Why wouldn't he just tell us that himself?"

Lily turned back around to face the group, giving them a small sad smile. "I'm sure he did."

~POL~

The first ten minutes of what was turning out to be a very long car ride was spent in silence. A couple of times, Lily had opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again without uttering a sound. Finally, when the silence was too much, Lily managed to say something.

"So, how was school, Harry?" she asked politely.

In the back seat slouched down with an elbow propped up on the door, Harry shrugged. "Okay, I guess," he replied noncommittally. What did she care anyway? She had moved in with her boyfriend.

"Well," Lily prodded, "what have you and your friends been doing since Christmas? What did you learn in class?"

"Stuff," Harry said petulantly.

"You mother tells me," Snape started to say casually, "that your Potions professor is a right bastard with a stick jammed up his ass."

Harry's mouth fell open at Snape's words. He quickly sat up a bit straighter before a small grin spread over his face. Fine, if the man wanted to play it like this, he'd play along.

"That's putting it mildly, sir," Harry replied, mustering somehow a respectful tone for the first time in months. "You see, he's a complete jerk. He picks on everyone, except his Slytherins. Nothing anyone does is right, except his Slytherins. In my opinion, he's a complete and total ass."

"Harry," Lily said sternly, "I'm sure that's a bit harsh—"

Harry snorted loudly. A bit harsh? Why? Did the truth hurt a little too much? Snape wasn't ranting or raving after all. Was it because the greasy git knew that everything he was saying was true? And dear sweet perfect Mum, she couldn't handle the truth, could she?

Lily turned to glare at him. "Well, Harry, Potions can be very dangerous. And teaching a class of twenty students who don't know what they're doing is not good for the nerves. Especially when you know that the slightest mistake could easily cause an explosion or toxic fumes to fill the room."

"Your mother has a point," Snape added. "Brewing potions isn't something to be taken lightly. In my opinion, students shouldn't even begin mixing potions until at least their third year. Regrettably, the Ministry requires first and second-years play with ingredients that even the most experienced brewers use caution with, not the school." Snape paused for a moment before continuing, "On the other hand, you have a point as well. I'm sure this professor of yours could work on being a bit…kinder to his students." Glancing sideways he took the chance to look at Lily, he was immediately rewarded with her beaming smile. He didn't even try to resist. He smiled back. Clearly, he'd have his work cut out for him this summer with getting onto Harry's good side. He then held in his snort of amusement. Here was Severus Snape, the bastard of the dungeons himself, trying to get on the good side of a fourteen-year-old. Wonders never ceased to amaze him.

~POL~

Opening the door, Snape quietly held it for Harry and Lily. Of course Harry only glared at him as he brushed past, but Lily at least smiled at him. He then closed the door behind him before properly noticing his sitting area. His books! Where the hell were his books? He glanced around wildly, noticing that the stacks of books that had once been there were gone. He now only had the bookshelf-lined wall. That was the only place he had books.

Narrowing his eyes, he glanced at the furniture. The threadbare sofa and armchair were long gone. In their place were a navy blue sofa with a green and silver throw on the back and a navy blue armchair close to the cozy fireplace. The desk that had once been shoved into the corner had been replaced with an ebony traditional writing desk that was clearly expensive and moved slightly forward from the window. A traditional oriental rug had been placed under the desk to prevent any scuff marks. A black backed chair with a tan seat cover was pushed in as a large lamp sat on the side of the fine polished desk. He then glanced to the right of the desk, noticing the large dark red walnut stained bookcases that were filled with even more books. One side of the bookcase in fact had black iron bars that guarded his more dangerous books.

"Want to see the best part, Sev?" Lily asked with a devious smile. She then walked full speed towards one of the bookshelves only to disappear a moment later.

He stared at the bookshelf she walked through before walking towards it and reaching for one of the books. He pulled out Hogwarts: A History a moment later. What in Merlin's name had happened to Lily? He then placed the book back in its place and glanced around.

"Lily!" he shouted. Where had that witch gone? It was a bookshelf. It was. He could touch his books. "Lily!" he shouted again.

"Take it easy, Sev. I'm right he," she said, appearing a moment later after walking back through the bookshelf into the sitting area.

"How in the nine hells did you do that?"

"I've charmed this bookshelf to allow anyone who just thinks about going upstairs to pass through it. Think of it like the barrier at 9 and ¾, Sev. However, you have to make sure you walk through this bookshelf. Otherwise, you'll just walk into one." She then smiled. "I've made some changes upstairs also. For example, you'll be happy to note that you are not going to sleep on the couch all summer. You could say I've found some extra space."

Where on earth could she find extra space? There were the two rooms. That was it. Well, unless she pulled out a cot and placed it in the corridor. He supposed that was all right. There'd be room at least, and he'd be close to Lily.

"Would you like to see?" Her smile widened as he nodded. Leaving Harry behind for a moment, they walked through the bookshelf. He said nothing as they walked up the steps and entered the master bedroom. Sure enough, there were two beds, his and hers by the looks of it. "I trust you, Sev."

Walking downstairs groggily, Snape immediately headed towards the kitchen for breakfast. His eyes narrowed on the messy clump of hair lying on the kitchen table. What in Merlin's name was Harry doing downstairs so early? From what Snape had ascertained so far in the month they had lived together, the fourteen-year-old loved to sleep in. However, there Harry was, asleep at the table. Placing a hand on the young man's back, he gently shook Harry awake.

"Mum?" the young man asked sleepily.

"She's still upstairs sleeping, Mr. Potter," Snape replied in what he hoped was a kind voice. He grimaced instantly when the boy instantly sat up and went stiff as a board. Clearly, the boy still hated his guts. Shaking his head, he walked away from Harry to head to the stove.

"I don't like you," Harry spoke quietly behind him.

"That much is obvious, Mr. Potter," he drawled.

"I don't like you sleeping with my mother either."

Before Snape could even reply back to that, Harry had already spoken again. The boy soon spoke in hate-filled sentences. It was understandable. Really, it was. Harry was just concerned for his mother, and Snape had done nothing over the four years they had known anything to help calm his fears. Snape was a bastard to Harry. He had been for years. Even a zebra couldn't change is stripes that quickly, but there Snape was, trying to change his stripes.

"You think I don't know what all this is about, Snape? Offering your home to us out of the goodness of your heart?" He then harshly scoffed. "Get it through your head, Snape. My mum loves my dad. She always has, and she always will. So no matter how many times you wash your hair, Snape, she's not going to jump into your bed. You're still going to be the same greasy git as before." His eyes then darkened. "And you're going to be just as alone and miserable as you've always been because you will always be a goddamn bastard. You should have died, not my dad."

"Harry!" yelled Lily as soon as she rushed into the room. "Apologize to Severus this minute!"

"Like hell I will, Mum," the fourteen-year-old snapped. "I hope that bastard dies!"

"Harry James Potter!" Lily shouted. "You will listen to me." Her eyes had hardened as she glared at her son. What the hell had happened to her son? "Sev was kind enough to offer us his home for awhile, and this is how you repay him, Harry?"

"It wasn't out of kindness, Mum," Harry replied through grit teeth. "The bastard wants to get in your knickers."

"Do not use that language around me, Harry James!"

"And I'm starting to think you want him to." Harry then added a second later, "Mother." That one word was filled with disgust, revulsion, fury, hatred, and any other intense feeling he had.

"Go to your room now!" Lily ordered, shaking with fury.

Sending extremely hateful glares to both Snape and his mother, the fourteen-year-old then sneered before whirling around and rushing out of the room. He'd gladly leave them. He didn't want to be forced to watch this spectacle anymore. Gritting his teeth, he stormed towards the bookshelves. He had to get away from them. He just had to.

However, Harry's thoughts were so dark that he failed to realize that he was walking towards the wrong bookshelf. Wham! He slammed face first into the sturdy bookshelf and fell to the ground. He realized his error right away and leapt up before attempting it again. This time he passed through the bookshelf, making him rush up the rickety old stairs. His door slammed shut behind him a moment later.

~POL~

Snape leaned against the counter, unable to move. He knew that Harry didn't like him, but he never realized that hatred would then pass onto Lily. He watched the redheaded witch sob with grief from her son's words. This strife between mother and son had been his fault.

"I apologize, Lily," he softly said. His voice was rough as he spoke.

"No, no, don't apologize for him, Sev." Lily then pushed herself up from the kitchen table and angrily swiped the tears from her green eyes. "I don't know what the hell got into him just now. But I sure as hell will find out." Whirling around, she attempted to storm towards her son's bedroom. How dare he speak to Sev like that!

When a hand suddenly latched onto her upper arm, she stopped. Slowly, the hand turned her around so she'd face him. She couldn't help it. She engulfed him in a fierce embrace. She just wanted Sev to hold her—to tell her that everything would be all right—that she was a good mother. Her sobs poured out of her as he gently rubbed circles into her back to soothe her. She was a good mother, wasn't she? She had loved Harry, right? Why? Why had this happened?

"Shh, Lil, it's all right." The rich baritones surrounded her—embraced her—even completed her. "Shh, Lil, everything is going to be all right."

As she stayed in his arms, she inhaled deeply and found herself overcome with more emotions. Could it be that she had in fact fallen for Sev? Perhaps she had always loved him, and James was her second choice. Maybe Harry was even right. After all, the prospect of being intimate with Sev wasn't as upsetting in her mind as she thought it would be. Hell, she had even been dreaming about that for months now. Did she ever love James? She truly didn't know anymore.

"Thank you, Severus," she quietly said, raking her teeth over her bottom lip. She then sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes again. She needed that. She needed someone to tell her everything was going to be all right. Hell, she just needed someone, and it was just a treat that it was Sev who had held her and told her everything would be fine. "I-I'm going to go speak with Harry now." The awkwardness had returned again. She knew why. Sev likely even knew. And they both knew Harry did.

"Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No thank you, Sev," she responded, shaking her head. "I think I need to speak to him alone." She watched him incline his head before he pulled back from her to let her go. In her heart, she didn't want to leave, though. However, a moment later, she slowly turned away and walked from him. She needed to do this. She needed to speak to Harry and get him to understand.

Passing through the bookshelf, she silently walked up the lonely, rickety old stairs. Lightly knocking against her son's door, she opened it a moment later. Walking into the room, she gasped instantly as the light overtook the darkened room. Drawing in a panicky breath, she stared at the opened window with the curtain swaying in the breeze.

"SEV!" she screamed, feeling her emotions take over again. Her son was gone! Sinking to her knees on the floor, she clutched her chest at the sight of the lifeless room. "SEV!" she cried out again through choked sobs.

"Lily? Lily, what's wrong? Lily?"

She then felt herself being lifted up and turned so she wasn't facing the empty room. Tears streaked her already reddened cheeks. She shook with unrestrained grief.

"He's gone," she cried. "Harry's gone. My son's gone!" She then stared into Sev's eyes, noticing the confusion before he glanced into the room. "Why?" she demanded. "Why? WHY?" she screamed, pounding her hands against his chest.

"I'll find him, Lily," he replied with fierce determination. His hands immediately held her face. "I swear to you that I'll find him." He then released her, focusing entirely on finding Harry. He whirled around and rushed downstairs and out the front door. Was that boy determined to kill his mother again?

Drawing his ebony wand, he nonverbally casted the Point Me spell. He then set off down the cobbled street that looked like any other cobbled street in this neighborhood. By his estimate, Harry had at least a fifteen minute head start. Luckily, however, the boy didn't have a portkey and didn't know how to apparate so he clearly couldn't get too far.

After ten minutes of non-stop following of the spell, it suddenly stilled. Harry was close, but he didn't see the boy anywhere. He stopped and glanced around. It was just more buildings like the ones on Spinner's End. There were no signs of Harry.

Breathing through his nose to keep his approach as silent as possible, he finally glanced down. His eyes instantly caught the two small drops of crimson. His heart constricted instantly. Harry was hurt! It shouldn't have surprised him, though. Depending on how the boy went out the window, he'd likely still have hit the ground below. His eyes then darted at the cobbled stones, searching for more blood droplets. He found some a second later.

So following the trail, he set off again. He needed to find Harry. Who knew how badly the boy was hurt. The fact that he was just find droplets was good in terms of blood loss, but the boy likely had other injuries beside that wound. He had to have. Snape knew for a fact about that. He himself had attempted to run away once or twice from Spinner's End on bad nights. And every time he did, he ended up hurt worse than if he would have just stayed.

Glancing up, he then stopped. There leaning against a brick wall was Harry all bent over. Throwing caution to the side, he apparated directly to the boy's side. He then threw up a quick Disillusionment charm followed by a Silencing one.

"Where are you hurt?" He said nothing when the boy's head jerked up and the familiar holly wand was thrust into his gut.

"Get away from me, Snape!" snarled Harry.

"I can't do that. Now, where are you hurt?"

"What do you care? You probably think it's fun—"

"Do not presume to know my thoughts, Mr. Potter," he replied quietly. "And I care because you are Lily's son."

"Oh, but you never cared before, though, Snape," he snapped. "I was always James' son before."

"And you are still his son."

"Yeah, well, that's good you remember that, Snape. Because I won't ever be your son!"

"No, you won't," Snape agreed. "As little as you think of me, Mr. Potter, I won't ever claim that you're not Lily's son with James."

"Good," snapped the fourteen-year-old childishly.

"However, you should be aware, though, Harry, that I do have certain feelings for your mother."

"She loves my dad, not you!"

"Yes, she does," Snape concurred. "And I know that, Harry." He then sighed. "You are perhaps partly correct. It was not necessarily out of just kindness I offered my home to you and your mother." He noticed the smug mixed with disgust look on Harry's face instantly. "I offered my home to your mother as a way to be closer to her."

"So you do want to get into her—"

"Do not use that vulgarity when speaking about your mother, Mr. Potter," he growled. He might be a bit more pleasant with the boy, but he would not tolerate that from him. "I admit to loving your mother. But you are correct. She loves James. She doesn't love me. So you have nothing to worry about, Mr. Potter. My attempts have failed and will continue to do so because your father won her in the end."

Snape watched another emotion flicker over the boy's face. However, he didn't even attempt to discern it. He just pressed forward with what he was going to say.

"I regret how poorly I've treated you the past four years at Hogwarts. I sincerely regret how I allowed my grudge and perhaps even jealousy for your father to cloud my actions and words concerning you. You clearly are not your father. You are neither arrogant nor lazy. You were not the spoilt prince I believed you to be with the Dursleys either. I am truly sorry for my hate-filled words our past four turbulent years. However, perhaps you have noticed lately that I am attempting to make up for that." He instantly cut the boy off when Harry's mouth opened. "While it was the result of your mother's return, it is not a part of my plan to win your mother over. I believe my words to her and my past doings are enough to do so." He then sighed. "I understand it is…unsettling to you to imagine your mother with me. Therefore, I shall leave her in peace and allow her to remain true to your father." The words were bitter on Snape's tongue, but he'd do it for Harry. After all, he knew he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell to be with Lily like that. She loved James. It was as simple as that. "Now, perhaps we can return to your mother before she becomes even more hysterical?" He gently placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, apparating them directly into the kitchen.

"You found him!" Lily's arms then engulfed her son as she gave him a fierce hug. "Don't ever do that to me again, Harry!" she scolded, crying against her son. She then sobered for a few seconds to dole out his harsh punishment.

"Lil," Snape said, cutting her off. "Harry just doesn't want to lose you, and he feels as if he is with me trying to exploit all our time together." He watched her surprised look, but said nothing.

In his mother's arms, Harry stood there ramrod. Snape was helping? Snape, Severus Snape, the man who hated him for years, was helping him? He then sighed. Maybe he was wrong about the man.

Harry sighed heavily as he lay on his bed, staring up at the freshly painted white ceiling. It had been about two weeks since he had attempted to run away. While his punishment wasn't as bad as it could have been by any means, it still left him feeling punished. His punishment consisted of doing chores like washing the dishes, helping set the table, take out the garbage, etc. However, his punishment also included him working beside Snape by either preparing some of the ingredients to be used in the wizard's potions or working to fix up the old drafty house. Today, however, was Harry's fifteenth birthday. And thanks to Snape, Harry was able to have the day off.

A knock against his doorframe made him glance towards it. He sighed immediately, but sat up. If anything, the whole running away had made a difference in Snape and Harry's relationship rather than one in Harry's relationship with his mother. Then again, Lily was still working at the diner across for Manchester's square so Harry just saw Snape more than his mother.

"Mr. Potter, you have guests downstairs."

"Guests?" repeated the fifteen-year-old. "But Mum said that I wasn't allowed to have guests over today, sir." Harry's eyes narrowed on the man.

"Yes, well, your mother is not around for the next three hours, Mr. Potter. Thus, I'm in charge of you." Snape then inhaled deeply. "I expect you and your friends to remain inside of the house. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied quietly.

"Two hours is all you get. If you require my presence at all, I'll be in the basement." Snape then whirled around and walked out of Harry's room, heading back downstairs.

Rushing downstairs, Harry leapt through the bookshelf and smiled widely when Hermione let out a gasp of surprise. He pulled both of his friends into a big hug and smiled some more when they did the same. Who would have known that he'd miss them that much?

"Come on, guys. Let's head up to my room." He caught their looks of surprise. "Oh, yeah, just make sure you think about going upstairs." He then walked through the bookshelf and waited for them.

"Wicked," Ron said, turning around and laughing the second he passed through.

"That's a rather neat and likely hard charm to cast," Hermione simply replied in slight awe.

Yep, these were his two best friends. Walking away laughing, he headed up the new stairs that he and Snape had assembled together by hand. It was rather calming to know that he had a hand in building it. He heard Hermione and Ron following close behind.

"So, mate, how's living with the bat going?" Ron asked as soon as he took a seat on the edge of Harry's large bed.

"He's not actually that bad, Ron."

"You're joking?"

"No, I'm not." Harry then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You see, I'm actually not supposed to have friends over."

"Why?"

"I, well, I sort of tried to run away a few weeks back." Harry then turned away when he caught Hermione's outrage. He knew that running away was stupid. He didn't need Mione to tell him that.

"Why would you do that, Harry? Professor Snape—"

"Is a good guy, I know," Harry said, cutting his friend off. He then sighed, tugging on his collar. "He fancies my mum, guys." He ignored Ron's unsurprised look of disgust.

"And your mother?" asked Hermione quietly. "Do you think she likes him?"

"I don't know. I mean, Mum says that she loves Dad, but I've caught them laughing together. She seems, well, happy around Snape. And it's odd, but he's really not that bad once you get past his snark and that."

"Wait, are you saying that you, well, you think it wouldn't be so bad if Snape and your mum were dating?" Ron asked with a slightly horrified look.

"I don't know what I'm saying, Ron. I mean, I want Mum to be happy. And I can't keep ignoring the signs that Snape makes her happy." Harry then glanced towards Ron. "But I mean, I think Mum still loves Dad, but—"

"You're confused about it," Hermione said knowingly. "On one hand, you wonder if your mum is being disloyal to your dad by moving on. And on the other, you want her to be happy. So you feel stuck in the middle, confused."

"Yeah," Harry replied, nodding slowly. "What should I do?"

"I'd imagine that your mother's feeling the same thing, Harry. She loves James, but she wonders if she also loves Professor Snape. So she's stuck and confused, too." Hermione then sighed. "I've heard my parents talk about something like this before. A friend of theirs lost his wife to cancer." When Ron's eyes narrowed in confusion, she explained. "It's when a Muggle's cells start to multiply uncontrollably and cause a growth to develop. It's sort of like Dragon Pox, Ron. If the Muggle doctors catch it in time, then the Muggle typically survives. Well, depending on which type of cancer the Muggle has that is." She then shook her head. "A few years later, this friend of theirs fell in love with one of his late wife's best friends. This friend came to my parents and asked for advice. On one hand, he felt like he deserved happiness, too. That his wife would want him to be happy and move on," she clarified. "On the other hand, he felt as if he was betraying his wedding vows, betraying her by moving on."

"What'd he decide?"

"He decided to move on. He and his new wife are expecting their first child next November."

"Does he still think about his first wife?" Harry asked.

"I think so. Then again, Mum says I'm a closet romantic," Hermione replied with a smile. "I'd want my future husband to move on and live his life if something happened to me."

"Well, I wouldn't," Ron mumbled. "I'd stay true to her."

"Really, Ron?"

"Well, if she's the right woman, yeah, I would. I mean, vows are sort of sacred. You can't back out of them in the Wizarding World. If you tie your soul to someone, then you better stay tied to that person for the rest of your life or else." Ron then sighed. "But I'll admit that my uncle was a miserable git, sort of like Snape, when he decided against moving on." Clapping a hand against Harry's back, he sighed again. "Though, you got to admit. Snape was a bit nicer last term after your mum returned."

Harry glanced at his best mate and laughed. He should have known Ron would have said that. He'd admit. He had noticed the nicety Snape exhibited last term. After all, the old Snape would have hauled him to Dumbledore and demanded that Harry be expelled for the level of disrespect he gave the man. Hell, Harry was surprised that the man wasn't still upset about it now.

Thinking back to all the encounters he had walked in on between his mum and Snape, he focused primarily on Snape's reaction. He knew his mum's reaction like the back of his hand. But Snape, well, he was a pretty closed book when it came to emotions. Sure, he had seen the man smile a hell of a lot more over the past four months. But the man typically was very reserved.

He could see Snape and his mother talking quietly in front of the kitchen sink. Snape was washing the dishes, and his mum was drying them. However, all of a sudden, his mum leaned forward, grabbing a handful of bubbles. She had a devious smile before she threw them at Snape. Loud bell-ringing laughter filled the kitchen as Snape gently grabbed her wrists and pulled her to him with a smile on his face. Snape then whispered something to her, likely telling her that she shouldn't have done that. His mum responded by leaning in and kissing him. Harry watched the older wizard tense immediately, dropping her wrists and just standing there as her lips were on his. Harry could tell that Snape was kissing her back by the way his mum had pulled back a moment later with a look of confusion. Snape then said something before sighing and walking away. The moment between them had ended.

"Hey, Harry, what are you thinking about?" Ron asked, bringing Harry out of la-la land.

"He said he'd leave her alone, and he has," Harry replied glumly. "Why am I such an idiot?"

"You could always tell Snape that you don't mind now," Hermione pointed out.

"Uh, Professor, you know how I told you to say away from my mum, well, go ahead and snog the hell out of her now. I'm cool with it now," Ron said in his best imitation of Harry.

Harry laughed loudly. Well, maybe not in those words, but maybe he should say something. After all, who was he to tell Snape or his mum for that matter that they couldn't be together? His mum clearly had feelings for Snape and his dad. But maybe it was time for her to move on. After all, Snape wasn't that bad. He could be a good dad, well, maybe. Harry still wasn't sure about that.

On a warm August night, a shady figure slinked towards the closed front door. The house was entirely dark as all of its occupants were fast asleep in their beds. Glancing around, the man then quickly set out to picking the lock on the front door. Once he heard the click of success, he smiled before slipping inside the small house.

The man then turned his little flashlight on and glanced around the sitting area. It had certainly changed over the years. His eyes then narrowed on the flowers in glass vases around the room. A woman's hand clearly had been involved in the decorating. He then shined his flashlight to find any pictures. He found none, though. Then again, Severus was never known for hanging pictures.

Walking towards the bookshelves, he started to touch each of the books to find the secret lever. However, when he reached the bookshelf in the middle, it instantly became transparent, revealing the hidden stairs behind it. Smiling to himself in self-satisfaction, he walked through and up the steps. Severus clearly had done some renovating of the place since the stairs weren't so old and rickety anymore. Perhaps the boy had learned a thing or two from him.

Opening the master bedroom door, he stuck his head in and glanced towards the bed. Sure enough, there were two people in bed, a woman and who he hoped was Severus. He then quietly closed the door again and headed to the next door. Opening this one, he glanced in, narrowing his eyes at the person muttering to himself. Was this his grandson? Had Severus actually produced an heir? Taking a few more steps into the room, he walked towards the bed.

Glancing down at the boy, the man frowned. The boy didn't look like Severus at all. Who was this kid, and what was he doing in here? Deciding that he was going to find out, the men leaned over and promptly clapped a hand over the unsuspecting boy's mouth, holding the boy's small wrists in one hand.

"Who are ya?" he asked gruffly, glaring at the frightened boy. He ignored the child's fear. "Are ya Severus' son?" The child shook his head. "Is yer mum living here with ya?" The child nodded instantly. "Is she shagging my son?" He watched the child's eyes widen in shock and possibly outrage. "Wait a moment, yer mum's Evans, Lily, right?" The boy hesitated a moment before nodding. The man then scoffed. "Figures that my son would be with her," he replied before releasing the boy. "Well, go on then, boy. Scream bloody murder. I won't blame ya."

He was rather glad that the boy didn't make a sound as he walked back out of the child's room. Clearly, he had scared the piss out of the kid. He had done that numerous times with his own son. With a sigh, he walked back downstairs and sat in one of the comfy armchairs. Hell, a man could get used to this sort of comfort.

"Got to stop meeting like this, love," he spoke as soon as the red-haired witch passed through the bookshelf and entered the sitting area. He said nothing to the fact that she had a wand pointed directly at him. After all, it wasn't the first time he found himself with Lily Evans' wand on him.

"What are you doing here, Tobias?"

"Reckon I could ask ya the same thing, couldn't I?" Tobias then chuckled softly. "Yer boy's pretty looking, too bad he ain't Sev's," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"And just why do you care about that anyway, Tobias? I mean, you gave up every right to when you abandoned Sev all those years ago and left him with his mother!"

"I did what was best for my family, Evans," he snapped back, glaring at her. "Not all of us had the perfect family, ya know?"

"You could have at least been there for him!"

"Yeah, and what about ya, Evans?" he replied nastily. "Were ya there for him all those years too? Because the way I hear it, ya been dead for the past fourteen years or so, something about ya marrying some pureblood wizard. Tell me. How'd that work out for ya?"

"You are a right bastard, Tobias Snape!" she snarled, glaring at him with dark green eyes.

"Heard that from my wife a couple times and heard it from my son a couple more," he retorted, crossing his arms. "Still doesn't make a damn bit of difference to me," he said, smiling spitefully.

"That's because not much does." She then huffed angrily. "You know if you wanted to do some good for the world, you'd turn around and walk straight out of this damn house, Tobias. Your presence here is only going to make matters worse."

"I need to talk to my boy."

"Well, he sure as hell doesn't want to speak with you. Now get the hell out," she snarled.

Standing up from the armchair, Tobias sighed heavily. Even death hadn't changed the witch. She was still as inconsiderate as before. He wasn't going to hurt anyone by talking to his adult son. He just was checking in. He hadn't done that in quite a long time. He then snorted. The witch likely had gotten some pointers from Eileen on how to be a bitch.

"Fine, but I'll be back, Evans. Ya can't keep me away from my son."

"If you so much as think about breaking into this house again, you'll find yourself lying on the floor twitching. Is that understood?" she snarled back at him.

Watching his father quickly storm to the door before slamming it shut behind him, Snape then watched Lily lock the door. It was only then that he noticed his hands were shaking horribly.

"Sev," Lily said, approaching him slowly in the way one would an injured animal. She stopped about an arm's length from him, seeming to sense his desire not to be touched. "Sev, I don't know what to say to make this better. I wish I did. But I promise that you are not alone."

Gently, she reached out, but didn't actually take his hand. Instead, she appeared to be waiting for him to make the next move. With a hesitation that he'd never experienced before with Lily, he placed his trembling hand in her steady one. He made no move to indicate he wished further contact. He just stood there, watching the door.

"Where's Harry?" he asked in a gruff whisper.

Her eyes slid to a point somewhere over his shoulder, and her head tilted slightly in that direction. Taking a deep breath and releasing it shakily, he twisted his torso around to see Harry standing in front of the bookcase that hid the stairs.

"Are you all right, Harry?" he asked, making his voice as steady as possible.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yes, sir. Are you?"

Snape gave a pained smile before replying, "Hardly." Releasing Lily's hand, he then walked determinedly to the hatch that hid the entrance to the basement, closing it behind him.

With his mother in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee, Harry set out for the entrance to the basement where Snape still was five hours after their midnight awakening. He realized it was rather foolish to go down there. Snape had made it clear to everyone that he wanted to be left alone. However, Harry just couldn't do that. The man was obviously hurting by his father's sudden appearance.

"Um, sir, it's me," Harry said hesitantly, walking down the steps into the dark and damp basement. He then winced when he saw Snape's eyes staring at him. The man clearly wasn't happy with him coming down here. "I guess you realized it was me."

"Yes," Snape replied, elongating the word. "Your mother would know better than to disturb me."

"Yeah, I bet she would." Harry then tugged on his shirt collar.

"What do you want, Mr. Potter?"

"Well, do you want to talk?" Even before he said it, he knew how stupid it sounded.

"About my father being a bastard on parole? No, Mr. Potter, I don't want to speak about that least of all to my student."

"What about to Lily's son?" he asked, giving Snape a pained look as if he expected a blow at any moment. Harry instead heard a soft laugh followed by the man muttering something under his breath.

"Fine, Mr. Potter, you've convinced me." He then motioned with his hand towards the stool beside him. He said nothing when Harry sat down. "My father has a drinking problem. He's had it for years. Sometimes, it caused him to lash out at my mother and me. Yes, he has hit me on occasion. All accidents of course," Snape said derisively. "Or so he claimed. When I was a first-year, he left me and my mother, abandoned us without so much as saying a word beforehand. Was I angry about this? Honestly, no. I wasn't angry. I was disappointed, but not angry."

"Okay," Harry replied, not knowing anything better to say.

"I appreciate the thought, but go upstairs. I'll be fine."

"Yes, sir," responded Harry, standing before heading back. He stopped at the base of the stairs, though, and turned around. "Sir, can I ask you a question?"

"Ask," Snape answered, not bothering to turn around.

"You and my mum, you love each other, right?"

"I do."

"And you two have been sleeping together since, what, the start of the month?" Harry stood his ground when Snape whirled around and stared at him.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Mr. Potter," Snape quietly said.

"Well, it's just, I guess, well, are you going to marry her, sir?"

"Marry Lily?" he repeated softly, staring at Harry with an indescribable look. "I suppose if we continue our relationship that I will ask someday. Why?"

"It's just, well, I'd be cool with it, sir," he said, shrugging.

"You'd be 'cool with it," repeated Snape slowly.

"Yeah, you know if you asked her to marry you. I suppose you're not the worst guy in the world to be married to my mum. You make her happy after all. Isn't that the main reason people marry, because they're happy and ready for the next step?" Harry then laughed awkwardly. "I mean, from what I've gathered so far during this whole thing, you've been in love with my mum since you met her when you were like nine. I think that's called like childhood sweethearts or something. And well, they say that if you marry your childhood sweetheart, your marriage usually lasts longer."

"They say?" asked Snape, folding his arms. "Who is 'they,' Mr. Potter?"

"You know, they, people, researchers maybe, I don't know. It's just they."

"I see. Well, thank you for giving me your blessing, but I honestly hadn't thought about it."

"Really? I'm mean, with all due respect, sir, you two aren't getting any younger."

Snape glanced at the young man before chuckling. Leave it to Harry to point that out. Frankly, he had thought about it, but, well, Harry did have a point. They weren't getting any younger. With a sigh, he inclined his head in gratitude before turning back around. Smiling a moment later, he thought how far he had come to letting a fifteen-year-old tell him what to do about his love life. But it was a good idea after all. And it wasn't so upsetting to think of asking the beautiful red-haired witch to be his wife.

~POL~

Drawing in a deep breath, Snape glanced around the kitchen. He mentally went through his checklist. Harry sent off to the Weasleys for the night, check. Chicken Alfredo served onto the plates with a basil leaf on top, check. White wine poured into two glasses, check. One long stemmed red rose in hand, check. Candles lit, check. Engagement ring still locked up in the black velvet box in his pocket, check. Everything seemed to be finished. Now he just had to wait for the hopefully soon-to-be-bride to come home from work.

When the front door closed, his heart leapt up into his throat. His stomach lurched, and his breathing went shallower and shallower. What if she said no? What if she started to cry? Gritting his teeth, he shook his head. She wouldn't say no. Well, she might say no because she might not be fully over James yet, but she wouldn't be upset with him for asking. It was logical to take the next step.

"Whoa," Lily softly said, walking into the kitchen. "What's the occasion, Sev?"

He only held out his hand. He was rather convinced if he even attempted to speak right now that it'd come out as a series of unintelligible gurgles. He smiled softly when she took his hand automatically without a drop of hesitation. He gently led her to her chair and held it out for her as she sat down.

Unable to wait any longer, he dropped to one knee beside her and slowly pulled out the black velvet box from his trouser pocket. His heart pounded loudly in his ears, blocking out her gasp. He stared at her face throughout the entire thing, taking in every movement as he slowly opened the box.

"I realize this is sudden, and I apologize for—" Lily's lips instantly covered his, silencing him within moments. He'd hope her kiss meant yes because he honestly wasn't sure if he could attempt to ask her again. He then laughed when she fell completely on top of him, sending them sprawling onto the kitchen floor.

"I, Lily Evans, humbly accept," she replied, biting her bottom lip before capturing his lips again.

~POL~

At the end of August with hundreds of families around, a happy trio stood off to the side by the trains. Smiling widely, the redheaded witch adjusted the fifth-year young man's collar for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day as students past by to get onto the train bound for Hogwarts.

"Are you sure you have everything, love?" Lily asked again.

While his mother fussed over him, Harry rolled his eyes. He couldn't help but smile, however. It felt nice to have a family that loved him, seeing him off this year.

"Lily, leave the boy alone. Your mollycoddling is embarrassing even me," Snape said from behind his fiancée with a small smile and a wink to Harry. "Lily!" he suddenly exclaimed as Lily reached her hand back and smacked him in the sternum. He rubbed the spot as though horribly injured.

"Honestly, Sev," Lily said. There was a slight tremor in her voice as she pulled Harry to her for another hug. "I'm not going to see him for ages, and you're going to see him every day."

Snape rolled his eyes, but remained silent as he placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. After all, she was clearly exaggerating for the boy, who still wasn't made aware that his mother would in fact be at Hogwarts this year with them. He still wasn't sure why Lily hadn't told her son that he had asked her to move in with him in the dungeons. Perhaps because she, like him, thought Harry would be horribly embarrassed by that fact.

"Mum," Harry whined. His mother's grip was suffocating, and he was sure everyone at the train station was watching. Okay, so he'd admit it. He truly loved the attention.

"Sorry, dear," she replied, releasing him. With her arm wrapped around his waist, she took a step back to stand beside Snape. "Behave. I don't want to hear about any stupid stunts. Listen to your teachers. And make sure you study hard. I also expect you to write me once a week." She then engulfed him in another fierce hug. "Oh, I'm going to miss you." Her hand then smoothed down his messy hair lovingly. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Yes, Mum, love you too," the young man replied before glancing at Snape. "Are you coming on the train, D—er—sir?"

"We aren't in class right now, Harry. You can still call me Severus." He then smiled a bit more. "I'm just a stepfather who would like a hug from his soon-to-be adopted son before he goes off for another term," he said, while pulling Harry to him for a hug. "And to answer your question, no I'm not going on the train. Would you really want me to, though?"

Harry shrugged, pulling away from his soon-to-be adoptive father. "Doesn't matter to me," he replied noncommittally. "It's not like I'll be able to avoid you all the time at school."

"True. I trust you remember what we talked about last night?" he asked. His tone had taken on a sterner quality, while his eyebrow rose towards his hairline.

It wasn't easy, but Harry managed not to roll his eyes. "Yes, sir."

"Good. And you understand, correct? That despite how harsh I may be on you or your friends in class that you are my son and I love you?"

"Yes, Dad, I know. Though, if you felt inclined to go easy on me when grading my ess—" Harry didn't get to finish his sentence as he was spun around and pushed towards the train. Laughing as he started to climb onto the train, he called over his shoulder, "Love you too, Dad."

Smiling back, Severus Snape, bastard of the dungeons or Dad nowadays, wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulders, watching as the other children boarded the train.

"So, we have two hours before we have to be back at the school, right?" Lily asked innocently.

"Yes," he said, kissing her cheek. "Would you like to have tea in London before we leave, Lil?"

"No, not tea, but there is something else I'd like." Her smile then widened as she gave him a lopsided grin. Her green eyes were alight with badly hidden amusement.

"And what would that be, Li—" Snape then yelped and his eyes widened as a hand cupped his backside none too gently. He couldn't believe it. That sly little witch had just squeezed his butt in public! He wasn't sure if he should have been outraged or demanded she do that again.

"I'll give you three guesses, Sev," Lily teased, turning back to smile and wave at the train.

That damn train took forever to leave the station. However, Snape stayed and waited with her in a sideways hug. Who'd have ever guessed this? When he learned his Lily had been murdered fourteen years ago, he had fallen to his knees and sobbed for hours. She had promised that day on his porch to be there always with him. While being married to James she hadn't been there, she was still alive for him to be there for her always. Sighing, he closed his eyes. His promise of a lifetime had finally rung true.