Lily's Charm

1979

Severus did not particularly enjoy the cold, wet sensation that traveled down his back as Lily cast the Disillusionment Charm over him, but he made no outward sign; he didn't, after all, want to appear weak in front of Potter, no matter how committed he was to getting along with the Gryffindor.

Severus' stoicism was completely lost on James, however, as James wasn't even looking at Severus just then. He was staring out Lily's kitchen window, wondering just what he'd done to deserve this. He remembered exactly how happy he'd felt when Lily had finally been ready to accept a date with him... only to have that date end more disastrously than he could have imagined.

Maybe if he'd grown up a little sooner and hadn't done his best to torture Snape, Lily wouldn't have despised him for so long. He actually should have done his best to become friends with Severus Snape and then maybe Lily would have seen him as something more than an "arrogant toe rag" far sooner than Seventh Year.

And maybe the greasy git wouldn't have taken advantage of Lily's vulnerability that night if it would have meant betraying a friend. James almost laughed at that notion, however; such loyalty was a bit much to expect from a Slytherin. James shook his head and turned around to find Lily watching him silently.

Snape was no longer beside her, but of course Lily would already have placed the Disillusionment Charm on her husband. A bit disconcerting, James realized, not being able to see the other man, and he wondered fleetingly if Snape had ever used the Charm during their years at Hogwarts. It would certainly explain a few things, James mused with a smirk.

"Ready?" Lily asked, breaking into James' reverie. He nodded, trying not to pay attention to the empty spot next to Lily. He found he did not like not being able to see Snape's facial responses to him, not that Snape ever really gave very much away in that harsh face of his. Once again, he wondered what Lily could possibly see in the man. Whatever it was, James doubted very much that he would ever be able to appreciate it.

With that discouraging thought, James followed Lily, and presumably Snape, out the kitchen door and onto the well-manicured lawn. With a nod from Lily, James turned on the spot, and in the next instant, he and Lily were standing a few feet from his own front stoop.

James' parents had died a few years ago, and being the only child, he had inherited their rather large estate. Sirius and Remus, in between their work for Albus and the Order, lived with him. The trio got along well together there, and James realized, with a pang as he stepped up to the door, that he would miss his two friends.

Lily stepped up beside James and took his hand in hers. Even though James recognized the gesture as a show for the other Marauders, he couldn't help but feel warmed by it. Lily's hand just felt right in his, as if a piece of him had been missing for years and now he felt whole again. He smiled involuntarily and the small smile turned to a full-fledged grin when he heard the almost-muffled growl behind him. Yes, James would enjoy this particular show.

Still grinning, James opened the door with a loud, "Alohomora," and scooped a very surprised Lily into his arms and carried her in, over the threshold. After all, Lily had been raised by Muggles, and had they actually just married, James would want to respect her traditions, wouldn't he? James smirked at Lily as she gaped up at him as he marched into his front hall.

xxxxx

Severus had to stop himself from leaping forward and yanking Lily out of Potter's arms. He took a step back as he had already moved forward to do just that. Severus clenched his jaw in anger and tried to relax his stance; Potter, of course, was doing this only to annoy Severus, and since he did believe the Gryffindor meant no harm toward his wife, he would wait and watch quietly.

There was a flurry of footsteps coming down the stairs beyond Lily and Potter, and a very shocked trio of Mauraders came to an abrupt halt before they had fully descended the staircase.

"Surprise," Potter told them brightly. He brought his left hand up slightly from where he was holding Lily's knees and waggled his newly-ringed finger at them. Black was the first to react, whooping in joy as he leapt down the last few steps and grabbed Lily from Potter, swinging her around in a full circle before setting her down on her feet to grab Potter and treating him to the same faux-dance.

It was almost too much for Severus as he watched Black flinging his pregnant wife around so haphazardly. Severus had actually drawn his wand the moment Black had touched Lily. As soon as the man set Lily back on her feet, however, Severus took a deep, steadying breath and slid his wand back up into his sleeve, reminding himself firmly that these men would not hurt Lily and would most likely do all they could to hurt him if they ever found out exactly what was going on between he and Lily.

Severus tensed again as he watched Lupin coming next down the stairs, a touch more quietly, but without any less of the same joy as Black had so disgustingly displayed. Lupin hugged Lily tightly, kissing her on the cheek, which had Severus flexing his fingers against his wand again; the man was a werewolf, after all, and it made Severus anxious to have the creature so close to his wife. He relaxed again as Lupin let Lily go and then clasped Potter in his arms as well, thumping the other man on the back soundly.

Lily had no time to catch her breath, as Pettigrew came down the stairs last and took Lily's hand gently in his own. He whispered his congratulations to her and then hugged Potter as Lupin had done.

Severus nodded at Pettigrew's subdued reaction to Lily, though of course, no one could see his approval.

"James!" Black finally exploded, which had Severus wincing from the unexpected noise. "Why didn't you wait for us?" Black demanded of his friend, though to Severus, he didn't look particularly angry. Severus had seen Black angry many times, and at this moment, Black looked almost peaceful at the news.

"Would you have waited for this?" Potter said with a smirk and a suggestive wave toward Lily. Lily only raised an eyebrow at the remark, although Severus' cheeks colored in outrage and he was extremely grateful for the Charm; it was a rare occasion indeed for him to make such a display.

"Really, James," Lupin said reprovingly, and had not Severus hated the werewolf so intensely, he might have felt gratitude toward him.

"Sorry, Lils," Potter said easily to Lily, sounding completely unabashed. Severus chafed at Potter's nickname for Lily. He hadn't heard that asinine moniker since Hogwarts and wished fervently, not for the first time, that his mother had died along with her husband.

"Tea, Lily?" Pettigrew had materialized at Lily's elbow, bearing a silver tea service.

"Thank you, Peter," Lily told the little man kindly, selecting one of the dainty cups from the tray. She sat lightly on one of the sofas in the large sitting room where Potter had led them earlier. Potter took a cup from Peter as well and sat next to Lily.

Lupin accepted a cup as well, while Black waved Pettigrew away impatiently. Pettigrew scurried away to place the silver tray on a low table and sat nervously in the chair farthest from the group.

"Finally got tired of Snivellus, then?" Black inquired casually to Lily, and to his credit, Potter spluttered into his tea and glared at his friend.

"Merlin, Padfoot!" he exclaimed. "Can't you, for once-"

Lily interrupted smoothly, "It's all right, James." She looked directly at Black and he quelled a fraction under her glare. "Severus and I haven't been together for years, Sirius." Severus frowned at Lily's easy lie. "But I'll thank you not to use that foul name," she finished tartly and Black gave her a tentative smile.

"Sorry, Lily," Black offered apologetically and Lily, after a beat, returned his smile. Black grinned and turned to Potter. "Still as fiery as ever, isn't she, Prongs?" he concluded and Potter laughed.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, mate." Potter patted Lily's knee, making Severus narrow his eyes, watching carefully to make sure Potter's hand strayed no further along his wife's thigh.

Lily shook her head at the childish banter.

"Do you have much to bring in, Lily?" Lupin asked and Potter cleared his throat nervously.

"Actually, Moony, we're going to be staying at Lily's house... for now," Potter added in a hurry at Black's outraged expression.

With the addendum, Black smirked. "Good idea, that. You don't want two bachelors around all the time, mucking up your honeymoon."

Severus nearly growled at the insinuation, while Lily rolled her eyes. Severus frowned at his wife's reaction. She was a much better actor than he would have thought. He didn't much like the thought; he preferred her frank honesty.

Severus continued to stand by the door to the parlor as Potter and his friends prattled on endlessly about inanities, which were mercifully interrupted hours later by Albus, as his face appeared in Potter's Floo.

"Albus, good evening," Potter greeted the older man in feigned surprise.

"Good evening, my boy. May I step through?" Albus asked cheerfully. Potter gestured him in graciously, and a moment later, Albus was stepping onto Potter's hearth.

The Marauders greeted Albus happily and he greeted each in turn before turning back to Potter, his expression taking on a sterner hue. "James, may I speak to you and Lily privately?" James feigned surprise again, though Severus had decided that Lily was a far superior actor. James murmured his assent, and after offering Lily his hand, led Albus toward his office. Severus followed them.

They came out again, after a very short strategy session. Severus had enjoyed Potter's obvious discomfiture while he listened to Albus talking to Severus amicably, while Severus was still under Lily's Charm. Severus hadn't even minded that Lily took his invisible hand and held it the entire time. After all, one couldn't site an impropriety when they couldn't even say positively that Lily had been holding a hand.

Albus said boisterous goodbyes to Potter's friends, and then with a flash of fire, he was gone.

"Albus knew you were married," Black immediately accused and Potter rolled his eyes.

"What did he want, James?" Lupin asked, ignoring Black in favor of being reasonable.

Potter clenched his fist in what Severus decided was meant to be irritation. He quickly told the Marauders the reason for Albus' visit. When Potter had finished, he was met with a stunned silence, one which Severus instantly appreciated. He watched the mute Gryffindors with a smirk.

"You agreed to it?" Black eventually demanded, when he could find his tongue again.

"Of course he did, Padfoot. Calm down," Lupin, ever the level-headed one, tried to soothe his friend.

Potter sighed as he watched Black jump up from his seat and begin pacing. "I had to, Sirius. Albus wouldn't have asked if there was another option."

"But, Sni-, Snape?!" Black amended with a quick look at Lily, who was still standing very close to Severus, and Severus recognized that his wife was trying to draw strength from his presence. Severus took a careful step closer toward Lily and allowed his arm to rest against hers. He was satisfied when Lily relaxed at his touch.

It took the combined talents of both Potter and Lupin to calm Black enough that he finally stopped pacing and grudgingly promised that he wouldn't visit until he could control himself around Severus. "We are, after all, Padfoot, on the same side," Potter had finally implored, to which Black had snorted, but after a glare from Lily, he gave his word.

"Fine, Prongs... fine," Black said, and with that acquiescence, Lily and Potter took their leave of Potter's friends. Lupin walked with them outside, though Black stayed stubbornly inside with Pettigrew, the later ostensibly to console the first.

Severus watched Lily give a fond goodbye and a kiss on the cheek to Lupin before turning on the spot and away from Potter's house. Potter excused himself as soon as they had Apparated back onto Severus and Lily' own lawn, and Severus followed Lily into the kitchen.

After what had seemed like too many wasted hours, Lily finally removed the Charm and Severus almost sighed with relief as he felt the heat course up his back. As the Charm dissolved, Lily threw herself at her husband and Severus stumbled back at the unexpected contact. Severus steadied himself and put his arms around Lily, welcoming her sudden warmth against him.

"I missed you, Sev," she whispered against his robes and Severus raised an amused eyebrow.

"We were never apart," he told her, and hearing the smile in his words, Lily frowned up at him.

"Well, it felt as if we were. I couldn't see you, you know," she reminded him archly.

"I am aware, yes," he returned lightly and then Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

Severus blinked in surprise at her childish retort. "I'm sure your mother must have warned you about your face becoming frozen that way," he scolded her with a smirk after he'd regained his composure.

Lily laughed before standing on tiptoes to kiss her husband's crooked nose. She took Severus' hand and together they went to his lab, as was their custom before retiring for the night.

Severus had completed last night's Potion in the hours before dawn, before Lily had even awoke. Severus started setting up his cauldron to begin preparations for a new Potion, and Lily watched him, not moving to assist him as she usually did. After a few minutes, Severus stopped working and glanced over to his wife in concern.

"Lily, are you feeling unwell?"

Lily smiled at her husband's concerned look and shook her head. "No. I was just thinking...."

Severus frowned. "About?" he prompted.

"Do you think this can really work?" she asked and Severus was instantly on the alert. Lily sounded exhausted. Severus put down the knife he was holding and went over to her, taking her small hands in his.

"Yes," he said simply. Lily looked up at him with questioning eyes, and he favored her with a smile, hoping to boost her spirits. It worked a little, as he saw her green eyes beginning to warm. "It will not be easy. But I am committed to nothing more strongly than you and our son. I will do whatever it may require to make it work."

Lily bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes, something that Severus had rarely witnessed, and he felt a tightening in his chest as he brought his fingers to brush his wife's soft cheek. A few tears slipped from Lily's beautiful eyes and Severus caught them before they fell fully.

Lily laid her hand against the course one gentle on her cheek, and she leaned forward so that her husband could pull her to his chest. "I love you, Sev," she said quietly.

"And I you," Severus told her simply, placing a gentle kiss on her hair.

----------------------------

1996

Even though most would find it very hard to believe, Harry didn't think he had ever felt so jittery in this particular dungeon classroom before. Most of the combined class of Slytherin and Gryffindor were already seated, waiting for Snape.

Harry figured he wouldn't have been so nervous if he had seen just a glimpse of the man last night. Snape, for the first time since Harry had been at Hogwarts, hadn't been at the Welcoming Feast, and Harry felt sure the Potions master had somehow missed the Feast to torture him, though of course, Snape could have no idea that he was feeling so anxious.

It was an anxiety not born entirely of anger, either. Harry had stayed awake most of last night and the night before, fretfully angry at both his mother and James, but mostly at Snape. Harry was furious that the three of them had kept this from him, had lied to everyone about his true parentage, but there was also something else that Harry didn't want to admit to feeling.

And he wouldn't admit it out loud, but the fact was that Harry was hurt. Hurt that Snape, someone as loathsome as Severus Snape, didn't want him for a son. Just how bad could he have been as a baby to make his own father hate him so much?

And then, mingled unevenly with the anger and hurt was a fair amount of disgust as well. Even though known only to three of his friends, the idea that the most hated professor at Hogwarts was his father did generate within Harry a fair amount of repugnance.

Harry shuddered as he heard the classroom door slam shut and then the unmistakable flap of Snape's robes as the professor strode down the narrow aisle toward the front of the classroom. Harry closed his eyes, in a childish effort to avoid dealing with his fears, and hoped fervently that Snape would not notice him. That, of course, was a very foolish wish.

The next thing Harry heard was Snape's icy question, "Bored already, Potter?"

Harry's eyes snapped open and Snape drawled, "You may have been forced unfairly upon me and your more competent classmates, Potter, as your O.W.L. scores were expectedly abysmal, but even you should realize that Potions class is not an appropriate place for a nap."

Harry clenched his fists in front of him on his desk, his eyes snapping in anger. But he wasn't going to start off the first day by getting himself a detention, so he forced down the desire to snap at the man.

Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry, and Harry met the Potions master's glare evenly, because even though he wasn't going to give the man a blatant reason to give him an unfair punishment, he certainly wasn't going to let Snape see him cower, either.

Snape, it seemed, wanted to see Harry (not to mention his fellow Gryffindors) do exactly that. With a flick of his wand, Snape set the instructions for the day's potion on the board and intoned, "For the duration of N.E.W.T. level Potions, we will employ the practice of inter-house pairs. Though most of you are probably capable of choosing your own partners, I believe it would be prudent to make sure those of you less capable have competent partners... don't you agree, Mr. Potter?" Snape paused as though expecting Harry to answer in the affirmative, and when Harry didn't respond, preferring instead to seethe silently, Snape smirked.

"Nothing to say, Potter?" Snape turned toward Malfoy, and with an apologetic look, he said to the Slytherin boy, "I do regret having to burden you, Mr. Malfoy. However, as you are the most competent of our House in Potions, perhaps with your assistance, Potter can at least scrape by with an Acceptable this afternoon."

Harry expected Malfoy to be mimicking Snape's malicious sneer, but the Slytherin boy wasn't even looking at Harry. Malfoy wordlessly nodded at Snape, which seemed to make the professor purse his lips in agitation. Snape didn't comment, however. Instead, he snapped at the class to get started and then began his usual prowl around the classroom.

Hermione and Ron were giving Harry sympathetic looks, to which Harry only shrugged and tried to decide if he should move over to Malfoy's table or let the other boy come to him. The decision was made for him as Pansy Parkinson tossed her bag down forcefully, right on top of Harry's books.

Harry glared up at the pug-faced girl, but she spoke before he had a chance. "Move, Potter. Draco's waiting," she snapped out, and Harry rolled his eyes at Ron, who was looking up at the Slytherin girl with a fair amount of fear.

"Well, I wouldn't want to keep his highness waiting, now would I?" Harry asked Ron sarcastically and thought Ron tried to choke out an answer to him, but it sounded more like a strangled cough than any coherent words. With a sigh, Harry relinquished his seat to Ron's new partner and walked slowly over to Malfoy.

Malfoy didn't look up as Harry slid into the seat beside him; he was busy setting out the ingredients listed on the board, but the motions looked almost mechanical to Harry, as if Malfoy had something else on his mind, but since Harry had spent almost no time over the years alone with Malfoy, he really couldn't be sure.

With nothing else to do, Harry began setting up his cauldron, but only with a half-hearted effort, as he expected Malfoy would break in with a snide comment about Harry's half-blood cauldron not being good enough, but Malfoy didn't appear to notice Harry's movements.

When Harry had charmed the cauldron to warm, Malfoy was still methodically setting out each ingredient on the desk in front of him. When he got near the end of the list and seemed not to have a particular ingredient in his Potions case, he silently walked over to Snape's classroom supply closet and got what he needed.

By the time Malfoy returned, Harry was more than a little annoyed. Although he was more than happy to ignore the beastly Slytherin, Harry didn't see how they were going to do much together this way.

Just as Harry was opening his mouth to say as much, Malfoy suddenly asked, "Do you want to slice the Findicuular Root, or shall I?"

Harry's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Malfoy had delivered the question without a trace of animosity or sarcasm in his voice; Malfoy was almost indifferent. What was he up to? Malfoy was watching him, waiting for a response, and Harry shrugged as casually as he could. "I'll do it," he told the Slytherin. Malfoy gave a short nod and then took up his mortar and pestle and began pounding his Bicorn Horn into a fine powder, as required.

Harry and Malfoy completed the rest of the potion in near silence. They only spoke in order to divide the work and Harry was shocked at how fair Malfoy was. The Slytherin cut up the toad livers without Harry asking him to and even took his turn when it was time to stir the potion exactly fifty times.

By the time they had finished brewing a near-perfect potion, Harry had almost decided that working with Malfoy wasn't so bad after all.

Until Snape swooped down on them, that is.

The Potions master had left them alone throughout the class, but as soon as he saw their completed potion, he announced loudly for the whole class to hear, "Well, Potter, it seems as though you are capable of brewing a decent potion... that is, if you have Mr. Malfoy doing all of the work for you."

Harry clenched his jaw against the foul words that were fighting to come out. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't worth it just to save his pride, but he wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing, so he bit out, "I did just as much work as Malfoy." He left the 'sir' hanging in the air at the end and Snape's nostrils flared at the intentional disrespect.

"Impossible, as Mr. Malfoy hasn't been sent to Madam Pomfrey to re-grow any limbs this session. Ten points for lying," Snape finished evenly, ignoring the indignant spluttering from the other Gryffindors and the gleeful smiles of the Slytherins as he turned his back on Harry. "Class dismissed," he snapped, and the students hurried to clean up their messes and re-pack their bags, the Gryffindors still muttering under their breaths as they did so.

Harry glowered at Snape's back as he put his supplies away, ignoring Malfoy as the Slytherin packed his ingredients back into his expensive case. After Harry had crammed his belongings haphazardly into his bag, he stomped out the classroom door, where Hermione and Ron were waiting for him.

Ron exploded the moment the classroom door closed behind Harry. "That arse! I can't believe that that git is your-"

"Ronald!" Hermione interrupted him in mid-rant, and Ron shut up instantly, looking around a bit wildly as if to see if anyone had noticed his overly-loud voice.

"Sorry, Harry," he said sheepishly to his friend, who just shrugged.

"Harry," Hermione began in a soothing voice, only to be interrupted by him.

"I'm fine, Hermione. It's not as if I was expecting anything else," he said carelessly and wished that Hermione wouldn't look at him with those sympathetic eyes. He addressed his next words to Ron, just to avoid looking at her, "I'll tell you what, though... Malfoy was acting very strangely. He didn't say one mean word to me the entire class."

Ron raised his eyebrows, but said wisely, "He's up to something, that one."

Harry nodded his agreement while Hermione tilted her head in concentration. "What could Malfoy be up to, though?" she asked to no one in particular.

Harry laughed. "It's Malfoy. He could be up to almost anything." Ron snorted, and the three of them continued on their way up to the Tower, their conversation straying to lighter topics as they climbed higher.

"Insidiae," Harry told the Fat Lady, and with a lazy sweep of her hand, she allowed the trio entry into the Gryffindor common room.

Harry grinned when he spotted Ginny seated on one of the sofas near the fireplace. She was reading a book, her slim legs curled to the side. She looked up when she heard their voices and waved them over, a smile on her face.

"How did it go?" Ginny asked without preamble.

"Snape took points for Harry actually being competent, that's how," Ron growled and Harry gave him a look.

"Actually being competent?" he mocked back and Ron made a face.

"You know what I mean," his friend groused.

"Well, at least you didn't get detention," Ginny said with a grimace and a comforting pat to Harry's hand.

"Well, it is only the first day, Gin. There'll be plenty of opportunities for Snape to give me detention," Harry assured her with a grin. Ginny shook her head in amusement.

"Tell her about Draco," Ron suggested, and at Ginny's look of interest, Harry did.

"Not one snide remark?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Not a one," Harry insisted with a laugh.

"Of course he's plotting something. I can't figure out what it could be, though." Ginny wrinkled her nose as she thought over the possibilities, and Harry stared at her, fascinated despite himself, until Hermione nudged him gently.

He said lightly, "Well, whatever it is, I'm not going to sit here worrying about it. Maybe that's his plan... to make all of us barmy with our speculations."

That made Ginny laugh and Harry wondered how he had never noticed how nice the sound was. He settled down on the couch next to her and pulled out his Transfiguration Text. McGonagall had loaded them with work, after a very long lecture about how challenging her class was going to be.

Ron and Hermione took out their books as well, though Ron only after grumbling for a good five minutes about how it was only the first day of school, to which Hermione replied, "We're N.E.W.T students, Ron!" and then they all settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by Hermione's occasional comments about how fascinating Transfiguration was going to be this year. Harry grinned into his book each time she said it and decided it was very good to be back at Hogwarts.

xxxxx

Severus closed the door to his classroom with a wave of his hand, activating the silencing spells around the classroom before walking over to Draco's desk.

"Are you all right?" he asked the boy quietly. Draco started at the sound of Severus' voice so close to him. He looked up at the man and nodded.

"I'm fine, sir," he answered, quiet as well.

Severus studied his pupil closely and then said to him, "You did well today." It did not matter that the words did not wish to pass his lips.

Draco lifted his shoulders slightly. "It was easier than I thought it would be."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the young man as he tempered the sarcastic response, "Yes, it is easy to work with someone when you do not give them anything to fight against. You would have found it much more difficult had you actually spoken to Potter."

Draco looked up sharply at the quiet reprimand. "You're a fine one to give advice about getting along with Potter, Severus. You just took ten points from him for lying when you know very well he didn't."

Severus glared at Draco. "My treatment of Potter is not your concern, Draco."

Draco smirked at him. "Don't you mean mistreatment, Severus?"

Severus raised an eyebrow at Draco's insolence, though he was relieved to see a bit of the boy's old self resurfacing; there would be less to concern himself with that way. "Mind your tongue, Mr. Malfoy," he told the boy anyway, not wanting to encourage Draco's impertinence, no matter the circumstances.

"Yes, sir," Draco said, without a trace of chagrin.

Severus favored the boy with a hard look before saying seriously, "I believe your father and I spoke to you about wondering about the castle alone. You should have left with your classmates."

Draco slumped a little in his chair. "I'm not a prisoner," he said sulkily, and Severus had to purse his lips to keep from snapping at the boy. Well, at least it hadn't taken long to snap Draco out of his mood, Severus thought sourly before shaking his head at the boy.

"No, you are not," Severus agreed. "You are, however, to follow that one rule. It is non-negotiable, Draco. You cannot give yourself unintentional opportunities," he pressed on when Draco tried to protest.

Finally, Draco huffed with ill grace, "Fine."

Severus nodded, relieved to be finished with this conversation. "Gather your belongings, then. I will walk you back to the common room."

Grumbling, Draco picked up his neatly filled bag and followed his professor out into the dungeon corridors.