"Are you serious, ‘Arry?" Ron exclaimed, excitedly. "McGonagall really said that?"
Harry beamed, smiling. "Yep," he said, happily. "She even introduced me to Oliver Wood—the team captain!"
It was late afternoon, their last class of the day had ended, and it was nearing supper time.
"This is amazing!" Ron said, in disbelief. "You’ve got to be the youngest Seeker to ever play on a Hogwarts team!"
"The first in over a century," Harry told him. "At least, that’s what McGonagall said."
"Wicked!" Ron smiled. "Fred and George are on the team, too. They’re Beaters, though."
"Wood is supposed to practice with me on Saturday, teach me the ropes since I’ve never played before," Harry said, thoughtfully.
"After what you did this afternoon," Ron told him. "You might not need to practice, ‘Arry. What you did—catching Neville’s Remembrall—was…was…"
"Plain crazy," Hermione Granger spoke up, coming up to them, "if you ask me."
"Nobody did," Ron snapped, annoyed at the girl for barging in.
She ignored him.
"You could have been killed, Harry," she told him, quietly. "I’m really surprised you weren’t punished—though, I’m not surprised you’re a natural with a broom. It’s in your blood."
Harry frowned at that. "What do you mean?" he asked, curiously.
The young witch looked at him funny. "You mean you don’t know?" she asked him, wide-eyed.
"Obviously," Ron snorted. "Since he asked…"
Harry gave him a glare, which silenced him.
"C’mon," Hermione told him. "I’ll show you. Follow me." She then turned to head down the corridor.
Harry and Ron glanced at each other, but then shrugged and followed after her.
She led them to the Hogwarts trophy room, where she pointed to a trophy in the Gryffindor trophy case. "See, there?"
Harry glanced to where she was pointing. It read: MVP of the Year: James Potter (Captain/Chaser)
"Wow, ‘Arry," Ron said, smiling. "You didn’t tell me your dad was the captain of his team!"
Harry swallowed. "I didn’t know," he said, quietly. "I don’t know anything about my parents."
Hermione gasped, shocked. "Nothing at all?" she asked, stunned. "That’s so sad!"
Harry shrugged. "I’ve gotten used to it," he said, lying. "It kinda hard to have memories of people you’ve never known…"
Ron placed a hand on his shoulder. "I’m sure if you’re dad were here," he told him. "He’d be damn proud of you."
"You think so?" Harry asked, hopefully. "Really?"
"I know so," his best mate told him, grinning. "C’mon, let’s go tell everybody the good news!"
Harry nodded, taking one final glance at the trophy in the case. So, Quidditch was in his blood.
That was a good thing.
Still, he wished he could know a little bit more about his dad—and his mum, too.
HPHPHPHP
Severus watched the three Gryffindors leave, with a thoughtful expression on his face.
He had not intentionally meant to eavesdrop, but he had been taking a short cut when they’d entered.
Not trusting himself to not throttle the boy then and there for his outrageous stunt—since McGonagall had failed to do so—he had ducked into the shadows to wait until they left.
He’d heard quite clearly what Harry had said.
I should have known, he thought to himself. Petunia wouldn’t have told the boy anything about either Lily or Potter…
Harry deserved to know his parents—especially his mother—and he supposed since no one else was going to do it, it would have to fall to him.
Heading out of the trophy room and back to his quarters, he removed his black robes and hung them up.
Rolling up the sleeves of the white dress shirt he wore and slipping out of his boots, he strolled into his bedroom.
Opening the small trunk at the foot of his bed, he began to dig through it. At last, he found what he was looking for.
Tucking it under his arm, he walked back into the sitting room.
Starting a fire, via a flick of his wand, he ordered himself a glass of hot cider from the kitchens and then sat down in his favorite chair.
Setting the small leather-bound book on his lap, he blew the dust off the cover of it.
It had been nearly ten years since he had last looked at it, ever since that night in Godric’s Hollow…
Opening it, he smiled as the first thing he saw was a picture of Lily.
Garbed in a long white gown, her red hair pulled back on one side by a comb in the shape of a lily, and carrying a bouquet of lilies, she was utterly breathtaking.
Turning the page, he found a much younger looking version of himself—garbed in a black high collared tunic that reached to his knees and black trousers—his long black hair pulled into a tail at the nap of the neck—standing beside the radiant Lily.
These pictures were from their wedding, fifteen years ago.
Severus sighed, swallowing as the familiar pain of loss and anguish swept over him.
Memories flooded into his mind—memories he so desperately wished to forget…
***flashback***
"Do you, Severus Tobias Snape, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the muggle minister asked as he and Lily stood before him.
Lily’s parents, Alice and Frank Longbottom, Arthur and Molly Weasely (and their five boys, of course), Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall were all in attendance to act as their witnesses.
"I do," he had answered without question, staring deeply into Lily’s beautiful green eyes.
He then slipped the small gold band upon the third finger of her left hand.
The minister nodded and then looked at Lily. "Do you, Lily Jane Evans, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Lily smiled at him. "I do," she also answered without fail, placing the larger silver band upon his finger.
"Is there anyone here today who can give a reason these two should not be legally joined in marriage?" the minister asked those assembled. "If there is, let him speak now or forever hold his peace…"
No one spoke up, for which Severus was very happy about.
He knew James Potter was there, somewhere, watching beneath his invisibility cloak.
"Then, by the powers invested in me by Church of England, the Queen, and the Lord God Almighty," the minister concluded, "I now pronounce you man and wife. Severus, you may kiss your bride!"
Severus smiled down at Lily, who smiled up at him, and then their lips met in a very tender—yet passionate—kiss…
*** end flashback***
Tears welled in Severus’ eyes, remembering how happy they had been on that day and many days after that.
Even when…
***flashback***
"Albus asked you to do WHAT?" Lily exclaimed, staring at him in disbelief.
"He wants me to be a spy for the Order," Severus told her, quietly.
"You mean he wants you to willing walk back into that den of vicious murderers!" Lily growled, angrily.
"He hasn’t been able to get anybody else within the inner circle," Severus told her.
"And what makes him think you can?" Lily wanted to know. "They all know you’ve forsworn their cause…"
"Albus believes I can convince Lucius that I was ‘wrong in my brash youthful decision’," Severus told her, sighing.
"Lucius isn’t the one you have to truly worry about," Lily reminded him, her green eyes flashing.
"Albus thinks he’ll accept me back into the fold because of my Potions skills," Severus told her. "Lily, this is my chance to finally take the bastard down!"
"No!" Lily shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "This is your chance to get yourself killed!"
Severus walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him.
"Why?" Lily sobbed into his shoulder. "Why must you do this?"
"Because," Severus said, "it has to be done—I have a duty to the Order…"
"What about your duty to me?" she asked him, squeezing him tighter.
He pulled back so that he was looking her in the eyes.
"None of them know of our marriage," he told her. "And I won’t be spying all the time."
"It’s the times you will be that I’m worrying about," she told him, truthfully. "Everybody knows he doesn’t care who he tortures—even his own followers."
"I know," Severus said, wincing a remembered ‘lessons’ from the past. "I remember."
"Then, why?" Lily said. "Why would you willingly walk back into that?"
"Because, it could mean being rid of him for good," Severus told her. "It would mean our children wouldn’t have to grow up in a world of fear and violence!"
"What good will it do our children," Lily said, "if their father gets himself killed before they are even born?"
Severus sighed. "I will be careful, my love," he told her. "I promise you. I won’t leave you willingly, Lily."
"Nor I you," Lily told him, hugging him again. "I’m just so scared, Severus. I nearly lost you once to that maniac…"
"Shhh," Severus soothed, stroking her hair. "It will be all right, my love. Somehow..."
Lily broke down then, sobbing into chest while he simply held her and let her cry…
***end flashback***
The tears fell down his cheeks, but Severus didn’t even bother to brush them aside.
It had been too long since he’d last allowed himself to cry…and remember.
It was long over due.
Even returning to the dark world of the Death Eaters, he and Lily had three more years of wedded bliss.
But then came that awful battle, the one in which he’d been hit with a powerful stunning curse that had left him in a magical coma for half a year.
It had finally worn off, but by then…
***flashback***
"Lily?" Severus called out, entering their chambers. "Lily, honey, I’m home!"
There was no answer. That was odd. It was not like her to be gone so late at night.
"Hello, Severus," a voice spoke, causing him to jump. It was Albus Dumbledore.
"Albus?" Severus frowned. "What are you doing here? I gave you my report already…"
"I know, my boy," Albus said, "this is not about that. This is about Lily."
"What about Lily?" Severus asked, swallowing hard.
Something was not right here. "What aren’t you telling me, Albus? Where’s my wife?"
"That’s just it, Severus," Albus told him. "She’s not your wife…not anymore."
Severus felt his heart begin to crack.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about, old man!?" he had hollered at him.
"Severus, please, calm down," Albus said, quietly. "Lily could not bear the pain of your loss…"
"I’m not dead, Albus," Severus growled.
"I know that, my boy," Albus said, sadly, "but Lily did not know that. And despite my protests the ministry declared you dead..."
"But I'm not!" Severus growled. "And if I need to...I can give up being a spy!"
"You cannot do that, my boy," Albus said, "we are too close to finishing him."
"You still haven’t anwered my question," Severus told him. "Where is Lily?"
"She..She married James Potter five months ago," Albus told him, quietly. "They are expecting a baby in July..."
"No," he had whispered in complete disbelief. "No!"
He reached for the first thing he could find, which happened to be a vase, and threw it at the wall.
This could not be happening. It just couldn’t!
"I am so sorry, Severus," Albus told him, reaching inside his pocket. "Lily left you a letter, in case you did return."
He handed to him. Severus took it. "Get out," he growled at the meddling old man. "Just get out!"
Dumbledore had nodded. "It will all work out, lad," he told him. "You shall see." With that, he left via the Floo.
He [Severus] spent the next several minutes utterly destroying anything and everything he saw, except for his favorite chair.
That he finally slumped down into and tore open Lily’s letter.
"Dear Severus," he read, through his tears, "I am so sorry. It’s just too dangerous—for us all. Know that I still love you, that I will always love you, and that I do have my reasons for doing this. Never forget—"
At this, he broke down entiredly weeping and sobbing until he could not shed another tear.
"Why, Lily?" Severus asked. "Please, God, why….?"
Unfortunately, neither God nor Lily answered him.
***end flashback***
A sob escaped him, and he found himself on the verge of again bawling his eyes out.
Quickly composing himself, Severus stood up and set the wedding album on the table beside his chair.
He would eventually tell Potter about him and his mother, allow the boy to get to know the woman he had loved and cherished, but not tonight.
No, tonight he was going to bed.
And he prayed he did not dream of that night—ten years before—at Godric’s Hollow.
SSSSSSSSS
At St. Mungos, the red haired woman remained in slumber.
She did not stir, did not move, and one had to look very closely to see that she was still even breathing.
However, from her left eye a single tiny tear drop fell…