“By Christmas Day you were fully recovered.  I spent the day with you and your mother.  Although, I had to return to the school for Christmas dinner.  I don’t know why the Headmaster insisted I attend, but he did.”  Severus explained.

“You spent the whole day with us?” Harry asked.

“Not quite,” Severus said.  “I arrived after breakfast time to open stockings and presents.  You spent much of the time climbing through a series of tunnels that were created with the boxes that held your toys.”

Harry looked like he didn’t believe him.

“You did,” Severus answered to Harry’s unasked question.

“That’s stupid,” Harry stated.

“Be that as it may, you were quite entertained for some time doing so.”  Severus told him.  “Your mother and I spent much of that time talking.  She was not looking forward to the next morning.”

“Why?  What was happening then?” Harry inquired.

“You and your mother went to see your aunt in Surrey.  Given my last encounter with Petunia, we agreed it was best if I did not go along for the holiday.”  Severus explained.

“If Mum didn’t want to go, why did she?” Harry asked.

“You are well aware how important family is to your mother.”  Severus said.

Harry nodded.

“At this point, your mother had not spoken to her sister for several weeks and not seen her in person for almost six months.  This is not the sort of statistics you want when trying to improve your relationship with another person” Severus said.

“But she said Mum…” Harry asked.

“I know, Harry”  Severus agreed,“There are times when it is just easier not to question your mother.”

“Like then?” Harry supplied.

“Not exactly,” Severus said.

Harry cocked his head to the side.  It made Severus think the boy had been spending too much time with Black if he was subconsciously mimicking the overgrown mutt’s body language.

“There was a very important thing your mother wanted to discuss with your aunt and it was best done not over the telephone.  So the two of you were to Apparate to Surrey in the morning.  As you know from traveling with your siblings, even with magic, going places with small children is not easy.  You were to spend the week in the south, returning just after the New Year.  But things did not go exactly as planned.” Severus said ominously.

“What happened?” Harry asked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Lils, are you sure you don’t want one of us to come with you?”  Sirius asked.  “Moony or I could come.  Hell, even Snape would if you asked him.”

“I know he would,”  Lily said throwing another blouse into her bag.

“Then why not ask him?” Sirius demanded.

“Severus and Petunia get on as well as Sev and James did.  It’s a good thing they both don’t have magic.  It they did, I’m sure one of them would be in Azkaban for hexing the other to oblivion,”  Lily said tossing aside the sweater she had just taken out.

“They can’t be that bad,” Sirius said in disbelief.

Lily gave him an accusatory look.

“I know Snape has a temper, but he never hurt James or me that bad.” Sirius defended.

Lily gave him a very small nod.  That was true, but Lily knew that what he said was certainly true.

Lily took a deep breath, then turned to look at Sirius, “When we were young, not long after Severus and I met, Sev and I were talking.  Petunia was caught eavesdropping and Severus dropped a tree branch near her.”

“Snape tried to kill her as a kid?” Sirius actually surprised.

“I know it was an accident.  We both were having problems controlling our magic.  But Petunia has held it against him ever since.” Lily explained.

“No wonder,” Sirius muttered.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at the office?” Lily asked closing the lid of her case.

Sirius gave a slight shrug,“Switched shifts with Miller.  Didn’t fancy working a double three days in a row.  Besides, they’ve had time with their families.”

“Sirius,” scolded Lily.

“What? I had to spend Christmas day waiting for nothing to happen while you…” Sirius protested.

“Spent the day with my boyfriend and son,” supplied Lily.

“Yeah, that.” Confirmed Sirius.

“Did you get Harry’s things together like I asked?” Lily asked Sirius.

Sirius put the bag down on the bed beside Lily’s,“How much stuff does one kid need?”

“You’d be surprised,” Lily replied.

“You need to have at least two outfits a day.  I’m not sure how willing Petunia would be to let me do laundry at her house.” Lily explained.

Sirius nodded.  “Where are you putting the presents?”

“Harry’s bag has the Expansion Charm on it.” Lily told him.

“You ready?” Sirius asked.

“Just need Harry,” Lily confirmed.

Harry was passed out on the sofa.  Sirius helped Lily carry the bags down the stairs.

“Wake up sleepy head,” Lily said shaking Harry by the shoulder.

“Wha?” the boy mumbled.

“Time to wake up.  We’re going to visit your Aunt Tuney.” Lily said with false cheer.

Harry rubbed a sleepy eye.

“Go get your coat and shoes on,” Lily told him.

Harry bolted down the hall.  Harry returned his coat mis-buttoned, his shoes were in his hands.

“Come here,” Lily instructed.  

She corrected the buttons and made sure Harry put his shoes on the right feet.  Finally, she put on her own shoes and coat.

“We’ll see you soon,” Sirius said.

“You will,” Lily agreed, as they walked down and out of the hallways.

“Good luck, Lils,” Sirius said giving her a hug.  

“Be good for your mum kiddo,” Sirius ordered Harry, scooping the boy up to give him a hug as well.

Lily took Harry’s hand and spun on her heel.  A moment later they were in Surrey.  Lily waited a moment for the initial dizziness to pass.

“Mummy,” Harry said pitifully before leaning over to vomit.  Lily rubbed his back as he sicked up.

“Oh sweetie,” Lily whispered.  

She set down her bag down to pick Harry up.  Lily wished she could just Hover the bags, but they were in a Muggle suburb.  She managed to shift the boy enough to be able to pick the bags back up.

The walk was long in the cold and with a toddler in her arms.  Lily was very glad when she reached Petunia’s perfectly manicured driveway.  She set Harry and the bags down to ring the doorbell.  Thankfully this time they weren’t kept waiting nearly as long as the last time they had visited her sister.

The door opened to reveal a very large man with very little neck and a huge mustache.

“Hello, Vernon,” Lily greeted cheerfully.

Vernon grunted in return, but stepped away to let Lily enter.  Lily had to give Harry a slight push to get him to move from behind her.  She couldn’t understand why Harry always got so nervous around her sister’s family.

“Come on sweetie,” Lily encouraged.

Vernon slammed the door behind them once Harry was far enough into the house to do so.  He had not helped Lily with the bags.

‘So much for a warm welcome’, thought Lily.

“Petunia,” Vernon called down called down the hall.  “Your sister is here.”

Petunia came out of the kitchen still in her apron.

“Hi Tuney,” Lily said offering her sister a smile.

“Lily,” Petunia returned, much more coolly.

“Harry say ‘Hello’ to your aunt and uncle.” Lily prompted.

“‘Lo,” Harry mumbled from his mother’s side.

“I see his manners have improved ever so slightly.” Petunia observed critically.

“We’re working on it,” Lily said.  “He’s feeling a bit poorly.  Our method of transport didn’t really agree with him.”

“I see.” Petunia said looking down her nose at Harry’s messy hair.  Turning back to her sister ash asked, “Would you care for some tea?”

“Tea would be wonderful.” Lily agreed.

“Does the boy drink chocolate?” Petunia asked, leading them into the kitchen.  

Vernon, Dudley, and a woman, Lily assumed was Vernon’s did sister were at the table.  

“He does,” Lily confirmed.

Petunia nodded putting the kettle on.

Lily took a seat at one of the empty chairs around the table, pulling Harry into her lap.  “Did everyone have a good Christmas?”

“Fine,” Vernon said over his paper. “Father Christmas left lots of toys for Dudley.  He was a very good boy this year.”

“I’m sure he was,” Lily said uncomfortably.

She had never really told Harry stories about Father Christmas.  James didn’t see the harm in the stories, but Lily remembered how hurt she was when her parents told her the truth.  Severus thought the tradition was ‘completely stupid’ and ‘refused to have any part in its propagation’.  Since he had spent the last two Christmases with Lily and Harry there was no mention of Father Christmas.

“How did you spend the day?” Petunia asked setting a cup of tea in front Lily and of chocolate in front of Harry.

“Biscuits,” Dudley demanded from his seat.  Never mind the fact his breakfast in front of him.

“Severus came over for most of the day.  He had to go back to school for Christmas dinner though.” Lily said.

“Was it just the two of you?” Vernon asked.

Lily frowned slightly.  “And Harry.  Our friend Sirius was working the duty desk at the police station.  Remus was with his parents.”

“Rather intimate,” Vernon’s sister commented.

“It was,” Lily agreed.  She didn’t like where this was going.

“Do you think that is really appropriate?” the Dursley woman asked.

“Excuse me?” Lily demanded.

“Vernon says you’re recently widowed.  Is it really appropriate to spend the day with a man like that?” the woman demanded.

“My husband died a little over a year ago.  As for my spending the day with Severus what concern is it of yours?” Lily demanded.  

Lily was wracking her brain trying to come up with this horrible woman’s name.  Megan?  Midge?  Margret?  Marge? Marge!  That was it!

“What riff-raff you choose to associate yourself doesn’t matter to me.  But I would hate to see you sully Petunia’s good name in the village,” the Dursley woman said acidly.

Lily glared at the woman.  “How dare you call Severus riff-raff.  As far as I know, the two of you have never been properly introduced.  Then again, neither have we.  How can you judge someone you’ve never met?”  

“Petunia says his family were no good drunks.  You see it all the time in dogs.  If you have poor breeding stock all you end up with are weak, small, useless things,”  Marge said acidly.

“Shut up,” snapped Lily.

“What did you say?” Marge demanded.

“I told you to shut up, you fat cow!” Lily snapped back.

“How dare you?” Marge huffed.

“How dare I?  How dare I? You just compared my boyfriend and his family to dogs and you’re offended?  No matter what kind of person Severus is, or who he comes from, he is a person.  I’m not so sure the same could be said about you,” Lily yelled.

Harry was fighting back tears of fright in his mother’s arms.  Dudley too seemed to be rather frightened.

“Petunia, Vernon, are you going to let this… this hussy speak to me like this?”  Marge demanded of the other adults.

“Apologize,” Vernon commanded.

“I will not,” Lily replied.

“You’re dating that freak?” Petunia demanded.

“Yes and don’t call him that!” Lily ordered.

“How could you let that little creep from Spinner’s End near you?”   Petunia asked contemptuously.

“He’s my friend and I love him,” snapped Lily,“If you’re not going to be civil about Severus maybe I should just go.”

“Is that why you wanted to come?”  Petunia demanded.  “You wanted to rub your relationship with that slimy freak in our faces?”

Lily shook her head sadly,“I didn’t want to rub anything in anyone’s face.  I just wanted to tell you I was in a relationship.  I knew the fact it was with Severus would cause some problems..  I never thought you’d be this nasty.”

Lily rose from her chair.  She Summoned her bags from the guest room or wherever Vernon had stuck them.  She didn’t care if Muggles saw.  She was sure Sirius could sort it all out for her if he needed to.

“Where are you going?”  Petunia demanded, following Lily out of the kitchen.

“Somewhere I am not going to be constantly attacked for my choice in boyfriends.  Gods Petunia!  We were kids!  Why can’t you let it go?!”  Lily yelled.

“That freak tried to kill me!” Petunia yelled back.

Choking back a sob Lily said, “It was an accident!  He couldn’t control what he was doing.”  

“If you are going to defend that FREAK and not believe me, you should go.  I don’t want to speak to you until he is gone forever,”  Petunia declared.

“Fine,” agreed Lily.  

Her voice broke as the tears began to fall.  “Fine,” she said again.

“I wish you’d never met that FREAK; you’d be normal,”  Petunia hissed.

“I wish you’d get past the fact it’s not my choice.  I’m a witch and you’re not,”  Lily said through her tears.  “I wish we could have done this together.”

“Liar,” Petunia hissed.

Lily couldn’t bring herself to respond, she just pulled on her coat before helping Harry with his.  Petunia continued to verbally assault them, but Lily was past listening.  She was numb inside.  Never in all her dreams (or nightmares) had things gone this badly.  Who was that woman?  How dare she attack Severus, with second hand information too?

Lily gathered Harry and their bags before storming out of the house.  She didn’t bother thanking Petunia for her hospitality.  Their mother would have been embarrassed of both their behavior.  Lily stuck out her wand hand.  She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go.  She just needed to get away.  When the purple Knight’s Bus arrived Lily found herself telling the conductor the first place that came to mind, Hogwarts.

Lily was glad the bus was mostly empty.  She couldn’t stand having to deal with people crowding around adoring Harry.  Over the hour or so of the ride Lily got her emotions back in control.

Harry was fascinated with the bus.  He loved how the bus jumped from place to place.  Every time they almost hit a house, postbox, or car, Harry giggled madly.  Lily touched the top of his head letting the high pitch giggles sooth her frayed nerves.

When the bus dropped them at the Hogwarts’ gates Lily had something new to worry her nerves.  How would Severus take them suddenly appearing on his doorstep?  They did not have to stay the night, but right now she could use his cool, calm, steady presence.

Lily let go of Harry so she could combine and shrink their bags.  Harry took the opportunity to dash off.

“Kittah,” Harry exclaimed chasing after a small ball of fur.

“Damn it!  Harry! Come back here!  Harry no!”  Lily said chasing after her son.

Harry continued chasing the cat.  It disappeared under a low cart of gardening supplies.  Lily thought the poor thing might have escaped but Harry crawled right in behind it.

“Harry James Potter came out from under there!”  Lily ordered.  “Harry come out now!”

Harry squirmed out from the cart, the kitten in his arms.  “Kittah!!”  He said happily to his mother.

“I see,”  Lily agreed.  “Put it down, Harry.  It isn’t ours.”

“No,” Harry protested.

“Harry it’s not ours,”  Lily sighed.  She just wanted to get inside to the castle.  “Put it down, please.”

The air suddenly got five degrees colder as a gigantic shadow fell over the pair.

“Hello Lily, Harry,” Hagrid boomed.

“Wha’ yeh got there Harry?” Hagrid asked.

“Kittah!”  Harry said holding the tiny kitten out.

“It is,”  Hagrid agreed with a booming laugh.

“It’s not ours, Harry.  Put it down.”  Lily told the boy once more.

“Don’ do that,” Hagrid contradicted.

“Hagrid,” Lily protested.

“A boy needs a pet,” Hagrid said.

Lily sighed.  Hagrid was sweet, but this wasn’t his concern.  “Hagrid, we can’t keep it.  Remus is allergic.”

Hagrid made a dismissive grunt.  “He’ll be fine.”

Lily could see she wasn’t going to win the fight here.  She would have to hope she could lose it somewhere else.  “Can I help you with anything Hagrid?”

“Professor Dumbledore set me out see who was crossin’ the wards.  Mus’ been yeh and Harry,” Hagrid explained.  “Wha’ yeh doin’ here, Lily?”

“Petunia and I had a row.”  Lily explained.  “I just needed to be around people that understood me.”

Hagrid nodded.

“Is Sev up at the castle?”  Lily asked hopefully.

“Professor Snape?  He’s up there.  In a righ’ state.”  Hagrid confirmed.

That wasn’t what Lily had wanted to hear.  She was hoping he could cheer her up.  That wasn’t likely if he was in a bad mood.  Still, they were here, it was worth a shot.

“Come on Harry,” Lily said.

“Kittah,” Harry said.

“You can keep the kitty as long as you can keep hold of it,” Lily agreed.

Harry squeezed the kitten probably more than was comfortable.  The beast tried to squirm out of Harry’s grasp.

“Gently Harry,” Lily advised.  “If you’re mean to kitty it’s not going to want to stay.”

Lily was shocked to see Harry still held the kitten when they reached the castle 15 minutes later.  Harry’s determination amazed her sometimes.  Lily led them down the familiar hallways toward Severus’ quarters.

“Good morning, Lily,” Minerva greeted them in the hallway down from their destination.

“Hello Minerva,” Lily still found it odd addressing her former professor in such a manner.

“What are you doing here?”  Minerva asked.

“Came to see Sev,” Lily supplied.

“Good luck,” Minerva advised.  “He nearly hexed a first year at breakfast.”

Lily’s eyebrows disappeared into her hair.  “What happened?”

“Who knows?  He keeps things locked up tighter than a Gringott’s high security vault,”  Minerva grumbled.  “He had something come in the post this morning and thundered out of the Great Hall.  I came to check on him and he all but threw me out on my ear.”

Lily gave an appreciative nod.

“Let go of that poor creature Mr. Potter,” Minerva ordered seeing Harry’s grip on the kitten.

“My kittah,” Harry protested clutching it tighter to his chest.

“I told him he could keep it as long as he held on to it,”  Lily told the older witch.

“I see,” Minerva said with a disapproving glare.  Crouching down in front of Harry she adjusted the boy’s grip so it was secure, but much more comfortable for the cargo.  “Like that,” she said ruffling the boy’s hair.

Harry grinned up at both of them.

“Thank you Minerva,” Lily said, though more for the warning than with Harry.  She still didn’t know what she was going to do about that.  Lily knocked on the door to Severus’ office.

“Go away Minerva,” Severus’ voice thundered, although slightly muffled by the heavy wooden door.

Lily knocked again.

“Can you not get it through your fur-filled brain…” the man’s voice grew louder as he crossed the room, “I want to be…”  The door swung open.

“Hi Sev,” Lily greeted.

“I thought you were someone else,”  Severus said clearly embarrassed.

“I could tell,” Lily replied.  “Is this a bad time?”

Severus shook his head.  He stepped aside to let them in than led them into his private quarters.  Instinctively he ordered a tray of hot chocolate.

“Sev’us kittah,” Harry said showing off his captured prize.

“Very good, Harry,” Severus said with an indulgent smile.

“He caught it up by the gates.  I told him he could keep it as long as he kept hold of it,”  Lily explained,  “I figured he would have let go by now.”

“And yet,” Severus agreed.

“Exactly, we can’t take it home,”  Lily said sadly.  “Remus is allergic.”

“The wolf,” he ignored Lily’s disapproving glare, “is allergic to cats.  It would only be funnier if it were Black.”

“Harry, let the kitty go.”  Lily told him.

Harry did as he was told.  The kitten bolted under a heavy wooden desk in the corner.  Harry plopped on his stomach to see it.

“Come have a biscuit,” Lily called.

Harry looked up at the instruction then back to the desk,“Kittah.”

“Will still be there after your biscuit,” Severus promised.  

“That could be a solution to your problem,” Severus said after a moment.

“What could?”  Lily asked.

“Leave the wretched beast here,” Severus suggested.

“‘Wretched beast’ that really makes me want to leave it with you, Sev.”  Lily said the amusement clear in her voice.

“Yes well, if you have a better solution…” Severus said with a smirk.

“And how do I know you won’t chop it up for potions ingredients?”  Lily said laughing outright now.

“Because cats are a very poor source of potions ingredients.  However,” he paused in mock thought. “Although, I was just reading an article about the use of cat liver bile.”

“Shut up you bastard,” Lily said smacking him with a pillow.  “Harry, sweetie,” Lily called to the child.  

Harry was once again laid out on his stomach watching the kitten who was still curled into a ball in the corner under the desk.  Harry looked up at the sound of his mother’s voice.

“Come over here sweetie,” Lily urged.

Harry looked back at the desk once more.

“Harry, come here please,” Severus requested.

Harry walked slowly to Severus and his mother.  Lily pulled the little boy on her lap and asked,

“Harry, would it be okay if kitty stayed with Severus for a while?”  

“My kittah,” Harry protested.

“I know sweetie,” Lily assured, “but Remus is allergic.”

Harry stared at her blankly.

“That is to say that if the cat were to live with you and your mum, Remus would be sick.  He would sneeze and feel yucky all the time,” Severus explained.  “We don’t want Remus to feel yucky do we?”

Harry shook his head.  

Lily giggled slightly.  Just loud enough for Severus to hear she muttered, “Yucky. I never imagined I hear Severus Snape use the word ‘yucky’ twice in one breath.”

Severus gave her a sidelong glare.

“So, it’s okay that kitty stays here?”  Severus asked.  

“My kittah,” Harry pouted.

“It will still be your cat,” Severus reassured, “it will just live here. You can visit whenever you and your mother like.  Is it okay then?”

Harry nodded.

“Excellent,” Severus said.  Out of the corner of Severus’ eye he saw the kitten slink out from under the desk.  “It looks like your pet wants to finally say ‘hello’.”       

Harry spun round so quickly he nearly fell off Lily’s lap. He bolted off of her lap.  The kitten was slowly walking along the wall of the room. It had made it to a plush armchair in the corner when Harry met up with it.  The two chased each other as the adults watched and laughed.  Finally Lily fell back against Severus’ chest. Severus tucked Lily’s head under his chin and slipped a protective arm around her.

“What are you doing here Lily flower?” he asked seriously.

“Do you want me to go?”  Lily asked.

“Of course not,” Severus said tightening his hold on her.  “I simply wanted to know why you are not in Surrey.  If I am not mistaken, you were supposed to be visiting Tuney for the better part of the next week.”

“If I tell you, will you tell me what had you so upset this morning?”  Lily asked.

“I will,” Severus promised.

“Tuney and I had a row.”  Lily said morosely.

“I take it was not one of your normal tiffs.”  Severus prompted.

Lily shook her head.  “It was horrible. She was so horrible…”

“Petunia?”  Severus asked.

“Partly, but Vernon’s wretched sister started it.”  Lily explained.

“Vernon’s sister?  You mean that walrus in a skirt?  What did she have to say?”  Severus asked.

Lily’s giggles at Severus’ description died quickly,“It was terrible.  She started off by questioning if it was proper for the two of us spending Christmas together.  You know since there was nobody else there.”

“Really?  Even Black agrees the mourning period is over.”  Severus protested.

“I know.”  Lily continued.  “Then that cow started attacking you.  She compared you and your family to dogs.  She was going on about how bad breeding stock only produces poor, weak runts.  Who does that?”  Lily raged.

Severus was a bit hurt, but could not say he was shocked by the statements.  Not after what he heard Vernon say about those on the dole.

“I got pretty mad at that point,” Lily admitted.

“Understandable,” Severus agreed.

“That walrus demanded I apologize to her after I called her a ‘fat cow’.  That was after she spent all this time attacking you.  She didn’t even care about me.  She just didn’t want me sullying Petunia’s name by association,”  Lily snapped.

“Hush now,” Severus soothed, “It’s over.”

Lily shook her head, tears threatening to fall once more, “That’s not the worst of it.   I refused to apologize.  I was not going to let her bad mouth my boyfriend, not when she had never met you properly.”

“Oh no, not without a proper introduction.  She could say anything after a formal introduction,” Severus joked, but it fell flat.

“I told her to stop talking about my boyfriend like that.”  Lily continued.  “Petunia hadn’t said anything yet.  But she got really mad when I mentioned we were dating.”

“Lily, please tell me you did not inform your sister of our relationship in an offhand comment in defense,”  Severus begged.

Lily’s body tensing was all the answer he needed.

“Go on,” he breathed.

“I was getting ready to leave.  Petunia followed me out of the kitchen.  She was going on and on about you being a freak.  She kept using that word.”  Lily said her anger flaring once more.

Severus gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“Then she started saying things about how if I had never met you, I would be normal.”  Lily continued.

“Absolutely ridiculous,” Severus clarified.

Lily was not at all soothed by this.  “Then she said she didn’t want to have anything to do with me if we were still together.”

“You and I?” Severus clarified.

Lily nodded into his chest,  “Do you think she was serious?”

“What? About not talking to you unless you and I are no longer dating?”  Severus asked.

Lily gave another nod.

“I doubt it.”  Severus said.

“You sure?  She’s still mad at you for the branch.”  Lily countered.

“I cannot be certain, but I have one major disadvantage you do not have.”  Severus replied.

“What?” Lily asked.

“I am not her sister,” Severus replied.

“So?  You always say that blood doesn’t make a family.” Lily protested.

“And it does not for some families.  For example, my own hardly counts as a family despite being connected by blood.  Roger and Violet were more like parents to me,” Severus remarked.

“Then why would…”Lily began.

Severus cut her off, “Lily, despite how it may feel, Petunia cares for you deeply.  She would not be concerned about who you are dating if she did not love you.”

“You think?”  Lily asked.

“I do.  I sincerely do,”  Severus confirmed.

“I hope you’re right,” Lily said relaxing even more into Severus’ comforting embrace.

“So do I,” agreed Severus.

“I told you what’s bothering me.  Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong with you?”  Lily asked.

“That was our agreement wasn’t it,” Severus said with a small sign.

“It was.  So what’s got you so upset?”  Lily demanded.

“You need not concern yourself with it.  It is nothing serious,” Severus protested.

“That’s not how this works, Sev,”  Lily protested.  “We’re in a relationship, you support me, and I support you.  It’s a two way street.”

“I see,” Severus grumbled.  “Since you are not likely to stop pestering me until I tell you.”

“I won’t,” confirmed Lily not caring she had cut him off mid-sentence.  

“I received an owl this morning from the Ministry.”  Severus said.

“The Ministry?  What do they want?”  Lily asked, her concern evident.

“As I said, it is nothing to worry about.  They simply want to question me again about my time as a Death Eater,”  Severus told her.

“You’re not worried?”  Lily asked surprised.

It was not something they talked about often, but Lily knew Severus was troubled by his time among the group.

“I am not,” Severus reassured.  “They want to administer Veritaserum this time.  That being the case, this should be the last time for such an inquiry.”

“What if you tell them about something horrible you did…before you started working for our side,” Lily asked.

“It is unlikely they will ask,” Severus dismissed.  “They have yet to ask me about that time.  Or more accurately, have failed to specifically ask when I changed sides.  If they do not know when I changed sides, they must assume it was all done as part of my cover”

“You’re sure?”  Lily asked.

“I am. The Headmaster and I discussed it at great length.”  Severus explained.

“Then why were you in such a bad mood, if you’re not worried about it?”  Lily inquired.

“The date set for the interrogation is your birthday.  It is unlikely they will let me change it....  I had wanted to do something special for you,”  Severus told her.

“Have I told you you’re an amazing boyfriend?”  Lily asked.

Severus frowned in confusion,  “Lily, I do not understand.”

“Sev,” Lily said with an exasperated sigh.  “You’re more worried about my birthday then being interrogated by the Ministry.  Sometimes you can be very sweet.”

“But what about..?” Severus began.

“Don’t worry about it,”  Lily dismissed.  “We’ll do something after, or the next day, if you don’t feel up to it that day,”  she added quickly seeing Severus preparing to protest.

“Very well,” Severus agreed reluctantly.  “Now, what shall we call the horrible ball offer I am now playing host to?  What do you think of Chaucer?”

“You can’t call it Chaucer,” Lily protested.

“Why ever can I not?  Am I, or am I not its owner?  Under the rules of ownership, I believe I can call it anything I like.  And besides, as we both know, only the cat knows its Jellicle name.”

Lily burst out laughing.  She didn’t even bother complaining about how the cat was a girl and therefore should be named after a woman.  Trust Severus to find a way to make her laugh, even if that may not have been his original intention.

Lily and Severus spent much of the day playing with Harry.  Harry enjoyed running down the halls.  They built a snowman out by the lake.  They ate dinner in the Great Hall with the remaining students and teachers.  The students whispered about their evil Potions Master eating with an attractive woman and child.  That was even without knowing their identities.  Severus couldn’t imagine how they would have responded if they knew the boy was Harry Potter.