Trust and Betrayal: A Prequel

8. Revulsion and Revelation

April 1976 - 6^th Year

"Chin." Lily conjured a napkin and handed it to Remus.

"Thanks, Mum." He took it from her and caught the dribbling juice oozing from his apple.

"How have you all managed without me?" Lily chided with a grin. "Sometimes I feel like Wendy taking care of the Lost Boys."

"Mpfh?" Remus asked quizzically, his mouth full of more apple.

Lily smiled and shook her head. "Muggle book for children."

It was an early, bright spring day and Lily and Remus were taking lunch out by the lake. Whenever the weather permitted, they spent lunch there together on the day of Remus' monthly transformation; Lily wanted to make sure Remus ate enough before he slipped away to the Shrieking Shack to... change. Thinking about it, she shivered in spite the warmth of the sun overhead. The horror of what Remus had to face never lessened in her imagination. Worse, she knew that, for Remus, the real horror of it never lessened for him either.

Lily's relationship with the 'Marauders' had clearly shifted since their Christmas Eve adventure on the Astronomy Tower. By some unspoken agreement, she was now included in the unique friendship that bound Sirius, James, Peter and Remus. And, to her surprise, she enjoyed being with them very much. With Sirius, she relished the challenge of matching his verbal sparring skill as much as she'd enjoyed their Transfiguration Duel. She had finally found acceptance in his eyes and was touched to be included in his chivalrous mandate to always protect his 'true' friends. Peter came to her frequently for advice and opinions. He knew Lily, unlike Sirius, wouldn't make fun of him when he needed help with something, and she was glad to oblige. Of course, with Remus--well, they'd been close friends since their second year, and this friendship had only deepened over time.

And James.

She felt a tightening in her chest when she thought about James. Even though she knew how he still felt about her, she'd been reluctant to take up from where they had left off that day in Hogsmeade. However, the fact that he now found himself in Lily's company more often seemed to keep his spirits high and his always-optimistic hopefulness alive.

She wasn't sure why she continued to hold herself at arms length from James. In quiet moments, when she was being honest with herself and forced her thinking brain to sod off, she knew she did have feelings for him. Yet, something deep inside had been deeply shaken: she had allowed herself to be vulnerable. Oh, it was easy enough to open her Empathic skills to connect to someone else's feelings, but letting herself open to others--that was different. Too risky. And when she had let her guard down and opened up to James... well, the memory of that pain still lingered. So, she had shut down the connection between them. Despite the resolution they established on the Astronomy Tower, deep inside the wariness remained. She didn't trust her heart to get it right. Not yet.

So, in the new year, she'd been adopted as the female mascot-cheerleader-advisor-friend to their merry band of Marauders. And while she had little real influence on the boys' continuing efforts to wreak as much havoc as possible on the denizens and property of Hogwarts, they did, on occasion, take some of her advice. This was fortunate in that it had, on more than one occasion, managed to prevent their permanent expulsion from school.

Remus finished his lunch and vanished its remnants with his wand.

"Are you sure you've had enough?" Lily asked.

"If I ate any more I'd never be able to squeeze through the tunnel," Remus said, patting his stomach, and burped. "Oh, and thanks for rescuing Sirius from Filch. I hate it when he mucks up before the Moon and lands in detention." Remus' brows knit together in a scowl.

Remus had come to rely on his friends--in their Animagus forms--to be with him during his transformations in that wreck of a building on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Especially Sirius. The large, black dog seemed to help subdue him the most, relieving the worst of the pain.

"He's not out of it, it's just been postponed," Lily said with a resigned sigh, accepting the reality that where Sirius went, trouble followed. "I was lucky to convince Filch that making Sirius clean the Gryffindor common room over the weekend--without magic--would be severe enough punishment. Filch must've been in a good mood."

"Maybe Mrs. Norris found him some juicy rats for a nice rodent pie," said Remus with a smirk.

"Or managed to catch a snog with Madam Pince in the Restricted Section," Lily whispered in Remus' ear.

Remus winced. "Eww... Lily! That is NOT an image I want in my head!"

She laughed and added reassuringly, "In any case, Sirius will be there for you tonight." Lily saw Remus' smile suddenly descend into a frown as his gaze shifted towards the school entrance. She turned to see Severus emerge with some other sixth-years that had finished with lunch and were coming outside to enjoy the mild afternoon during their free period. Lily turned back to Remus. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Remus averted his gaze, looking back towards the lake.

"Remus. You know me better than that. What's happened between you and Severus? Has he done something to you?"

Remus glanced sideways at Lily. "I thought you could read feelings, not minds."

"I'm not reading minds. I'm just not dense. C'mon, Remus--what is it?"

Remus absentmindedly began to pick at the grass. "I'm not sure, exactly." Remus yanked a handful of grass out of the ground and threw it at the lake.

"What do you think it is? And whatever it is, it's not the lawn's fault, Remus."

"Sorry." Remus brushed the dirt from his hands onto his robes. "Peter told me that Regulus told him that Snape has been trying to find out where I... go off to. He's seen me leave the school with Madam Pomfrey."

Lily inhaled sharply. "How - how often?"

Remus shook his head and pushed the hair out of his eyes. "Don't know. Maybe just once--or twice. But he's curious all the same."

"I'm sure he doesn't know that - that--" Lily paused, her certainty wavering, frightened for Remus.

"That I'm a werewolf?" He shook his head again. "No. I don't think so. Not yet, anyway."

"Maybe you should tell Professor Dumbledore?"

"Tell him what?" Remus asked with more than a little bitterness. "Snape hasn't actually done anything. Besides, maybe Reggie is just trying to wind up Peter, and he's made it all up." Remus sighed, and Lily felt his anguish wash over her. She scooted over to him and took his hand. Remus pulled it away from her as if burned and scrambled to his feet.

"I'm all right, Lily."

She raised her eyebrows into a question.

"Fine. I'm not all right. But there's nothing to be done about it in any case, so let's drop it." Remus picked up his satchel. "I'm going off to the library. Thanks for lunch, Lily. See you later."

She watched him walk along the lake, head down, and disappear into the school. She had stupidly forgotten that Remus didn't like her to touch him. Especially so close to the full moon.

********

Making her own way back to the castle, Lily saw Severus sitting in his favourite spot beneath the beechwood tree, reading. She fought the urge to lay into him about why he'd been spying on Remus, to mind his own business, and why had he been acting so strange since the holidays anyway? She sighed, knowing that would be a fruitless conversation, if attempted. It had been awkward trying to have any sort of a normal conversation with Severus lately, let alone one where he'd just shut down if he felt attacked.

He had returned to school from the holiday break seeming somehow... different. His clothes were suddenly nicer than the ones he'd had before, and she wondered where they had come from. His manner towards her, while still cordial and friendly--well, as friendly as Severus ever was--did seem more restrained than usual. She was curious and had tried talking with him about his holidays, but all he said was that he'd been with friends and refused to say more. When she'd mentioned his strange behaviour to Annette and Helene, they'd merely rolled their eyes.

"He's always strange," Helene had said. "I don't see any difference! Well, maybe his hair seems nicer."

"Lily, think about it," Annette had added. "You're hanging about more with Sirius and James. How do you think Snape feels about you chumming it up with his biggest enemies? You're crazy if you think you can still be friends with him!"

But Lily was not one to be easily discouraged. As she passed Severus, she called to him and waved. He looked up with his usual inscrutable expression, gave her the briefest of nods, and returned to his book.

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

Severus heard someone call his name, and he looked up to see Lily waving at him. He jerked his head in a semblance of a nod and quickly retreated back to his book, but found he was now unable to take in the words.

He'd seen her with Lupin down by the lake and wondered if she knew what Lupin was up to.

Hmph. Most likely, he thought. She's been thick as thieves with them since Christmas. Severus noticed his hands were clenching his book tightly, and he forced his grip to relax. He wondered what could have occurred during the holidays to bring about this new... relationship between Li - Evans and those imbecilic morons.

It didn't matter. He had been right to be wary of her, since that day she'd been with Potter in Hogsmeade. They were all trouble. He'd been watching them all, though. He was good at watching and waiting. Sooner or later, they'd slip up, and he'd be the one to expose them, finally proving to everyone what they really were: hateful and dangerous. Maybe then, finally, the Old Fool would award them the punishment his precious Gryffindors always seemed to unfairly evade.

Looking back to his book, he saw the words begin to take shape again and turned his attention to them.

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

It was Peter's job to make sure they got out of the castle undetected to meet up with Moony before the full moon rose. They huddled over the Map in the Gryffindor common room to plot their escape route in a way that avoided prefects, caretakers, or teachers.

The four of them had created the Map in their fifth year, completing it just as Peter finally achieved his successful Animagus transformation. The Marauder's Map was a brilliantly executed piece of charm work, one they were all rightfully proud of. Despite the skill and brilliance involved, it was true to Marauder form, that both of these amazing, magical achievements, if discovered, could get them expelled, or worse: the Map was a serious violation of school privacy, and to be caught as an unregistered Animagus could land them in prison.

"Filch is prowling around the third floor on the east end, so we'll take the stairs on the opposite side," Peter said, tracing his fingers over the Map as Sirius and James looked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, but where's Mrs. Norris?" James asked.

Peter shook his head. "The Map only shows people, not animals. But she can't be that far away from him. He always pops up the moment she screeches."

"I heard a rumour that Mrs. Norris is actually Filch's wife," James commented.

Sirius howled, his hysterical laughter causing everyone in the common room to stop and stare.

As Sirius' laughter diminished and he wiped his eyes with his sleeve, James continued as if giving the rumour some serious thought. "Supposedly she's an Animagus, and someone put a spell on her so she can't transform back. That's why Filch is so nasty--well, one of the reasons."

They all paused to mull over the idea of being stuck in one's Animagus form.

"Well," Sirius mused, "wife or not, if that mangy hairball springs up on us, I'll just hex her. Maybe a good Sticking Charm," Sirius mused. "Or maybe shave her bald."

"You'll ignore her, Padfoot," Peter admonished. "What we're doing is risky enough, thank you."

Sirius sighed and flopped onto a chair with a dismissive wave towards Peter. "You're such a killjoy, Wormtail."

Peter felt his face grow hot but he did not respond. He folded the Map and stowed it in the back pocket of his trousers. "Right. We're set then. Ready, Prongs?" he asked James, deliberately ignoring Sirius.

James nodded, then stopped and looked over his shoulder. Peter saw him glance at Lily, who was sitting at her usual place by the fire, engrossed in her reading.

"Um... could the two of you go on ahead?" James asked lightly. "I'll follow in just a bit and meet you at the Shack. I have to talk to Lily for a moment, and I can use my Invisibility Cloak to get through the castle undetected."

James' Animagus was a stag, too large an animal to be to use the secret tunnel that led to the Shack. Once they had all transformed, Prongs would head off around the forest on his own and meet them there.

Sirius pulled a face, clearly put out. "But, James--we always transform together! Can't it wait?"

James looked torn. He hated to disappoint Sirius, but it was Lily....

"Just this once, Padfoot. Promise!"

Sirius scowled. It was still hard for him to accept that, if pushed, James would always put Lily first. But he had learned--the hard way--not to push it.

"Don't worry; I'll be there in time!" James reassured his friend.

"Fine." Sirius' lanky form thrust itself out of the chair. "Come on, Wormtail." Sirius strode out of the common room without looking back.

Peter struggled to contain his impatience and anger with Sirius, something, he noted, that seemed to happen with increasing frequency. He glared at the door where Sirius had just left and then turned back to James. "Don't worry, Prongs. You go ahead and talk to Lily. We'll see you later."

James smiled and playfully punched Peter in the arm. "Thanks, Wormtail! Tell Moony not to worry, Prongs will be at his side, in full glory!" Peter smiled as he watched James amble over to Lily. He was ruffling his already mussed hair and had the usual stupid grin plastered on his face.

Peter had been jealous of Lily, but he saw how happy James was when she was nearby. Peter would do whatever made James happy. That's what best friends did for each other. Sirius could go bugger himself, he thought with a grimace. Unbidden, Reggie Black's words floated into his mind:

"If any of my 'friends' treated me the way Sirius treats you, they'd be hexed and cursed 'til the other side of Monday. He's got it in for you. If I were you, I'd watch your step."

He smiled ruefully at the memory. Reggie was right. Peter would step very carefully. He shrugged on his robes and left the common room to catch up with Sirius.

********

Just before they reached the main floor, Peter pulled out the Map for a final check. He froze.

"What is it?" Sirius hissed in a whisper.

Peter quickly folded the parchment and stowed it away. "I thought I saw one of the Professors moving this way. False alarm," Peter said quickly. "We're all clear."

They moved as quietly as they could out the main door, careful to close it behind them so that it wouldn't make a noise.

They began their walk down the path that would lead them to the Whomping Willow. Peter swept his eyes back and forth on either side of the path as if looking for something.

"Have you heard that Snape's been nosing about after Remus?" Peter asked lightly.

Sirius bared his teeth into the usual sneer that Snape's name seemed to evoke every time it was mentioned. "Yeah, I've heard. That foul bastard needs to keep his ugly nose out of where it doesn't belong." Peter noted that Sirius wasn't bothering to keep his voice down but Peter didn't try to quiet him.

The path wound downwards, becoming steeper, and Sirius kicked a few rocks out of the way, which clicked as they descended down the hill.

"Can you imagine if Snape were to find his way into the tunnel on one of our nights?" asked Peter.

At this, Sirius laughed. "Oh, what a sight that would be!"

They were just within reach of the great, menacing tree.

"But what do you think would happen if he did find out?" asked Peter.

"Probably try to get us expelled. His lifelong dream," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes.

"Then I have to thank you for making my dreams come true, Black," a voice hissed behind them.

Peter and Sirius whipped around to see Snape with a look of gleeful hatred in his eyes and a steady wand in his hand, pointed at them both.

Peter and Sirius reached for their own wands, but they were too late.

"Expelliarmus!"

Both their wands flew from their fingertips and landed easily in Snape's hands. Sirius yelled in a rage and, moved by some feral instinct, threw himself bodily at Snape, who flicked his wand. A blasting spell sent Sirius flying backwards, who landed roughly and skid to a stop in a daze. Peter went to help him up.

"What do you want, Snivellus?" Sirius spat, shaking off the spell.

"You know the answer to that. As you said, I'd like to get you expelled. All of you." Snape looked around. "But where are your friends? Only two against one this time? Why, the odds are almost on my side."

"None of your business, Snape," Peter huffed. "You're out of bounds just as much as we are, so there's no advantage to you!"

"True," Snape responded with a look that Peter thought must be his version of a smile. "Not yet. But you're going to lead me to that 'tunnel' where, I assume, you were heading to join your friend Lupin. I'll wager that Potter is already there with him." He flicked his wand at them. "And I'm going with you to win that wager. Lead on."

Behind him, Peter heard a grunt, saw a good-size stone fly through the air past his head, and heard a blunt smack! where the stone successfully made contact with the side of Snape's head. In a rush of motion, Snape dropped his wand to grab his head where blood had started to flow. Sirius rushed at him again and tackled him to the ground, grabbing his wand and holding it at Snape's throat.

Sirius' hatred for Snape was thick and palpable. "Well, if I'm going to be expelled, it should at least be for a good reason. I can think of some really nasty ones just about now."

Snape tried to push Sirius off, but Sirius held fast.

"How about a rearrangement of your face? Your nose might be better removed and stuck up some place where it would stay out of other people's business. Or how about I just kill you now and save you from your own miserable excuse of a life?"

Seeing that look in Sirius' eyes, Peter thought he might just do it. "Sirius! No!" He rushed to pull Sirius off of Snape. After a terrible, tension-filled moment, Sirius got up, stepped back, and kicked Snape's wand back to him. It was almost a dare.

Snape pulled out a handkerchief and held it to his forehead. "Well, I think being attacked with an intent to kill might be a worthy enough reason to get you expelled," Snape threatened, glaring at Sirius.

With a high-pitched laugh, Sirius stepped closer to Snape, who did not retreat. "Do you really want to get into that tunnel, Snape?"

"Sirius! No!" Peter was truly horrified.

I didn't mean for this to happen--I didn't think he'd really do it!

Peter grabbed his arm to pull him away, but Sirius threw him off, keeping his eyes on Snape. Snape kept his wand out, his eyes clouding over with wariness, but giving away nothing.

"Oh, but if you crawl into the dirty tunnel, you might muss up your nice new robes!" Sirius mocked, his anger rising.

Peter could only step back and watch Sirius' fury escalate and take over as Snape, although shaking in his own hatred, refused to react to Sirius' taunting. Sirius was a runaway train about to crash. It was out of his hands. Only James might be able to stop him, but James wasn't here.

"Or maybe you're just a coward, Snape. A snivelling, cowardly Slytherin who likes to dress up and pretend that he's equal to his betters. You want to go into the tunnel, Snape? Better think about it. It might be a risk. It might be dangerous. It might take courage to decide to go. Oh... wait. That would mean you'd be a Gryffindor. Which you're not!"

Snape was still, unmoving, like a block of dark granite.

Sirius grinned like he'd just won a prize. "All right, Snape. Maybe you want to practice being brave, to see what it feels like--to see if you've got what it takes to be a real man." Peter was shaking as he watched Sirius scan the ground and pick up a broken branch and transfigure it to twice its length.

"Sirius... no..." Peter said weakly. Sirius ignored him.

"It's brilliantly simple, actually. You see that big knot at the base of the tree?" Sirius pointed, enjoying this 'lesson.' He poked at it with the stick and the waving branches of the Whomping Willow suddenly froze. Sirius pointed to the base of the tree. "There's the entrance to the tunnel!" A dark hole was suddenly visible.

Peter looked at Sirius, aghast, and then turned to Snape, frantic. "No, Snape! Don't do it!"

Snape was breathing heavily and snarled at Peter. "Why? Why shouldn't I do it?"

"Tell him, Peter!" said Sirius, laughing hysterically. "Tell him why he shouldn't do it!"

Peter gasped. He looked up at the darkened sky. The moon would rise soon. "Sirius! I... No! I'd never! I... couldn't!"

The branches of the Willow began to sway again, revived from its momentary spell and sensing danger nearby.

Suddenly, Sirius' laughter died as if strangled, and Peter noticed him visibly pale and his body began to shake. His voice, when he spoke next, was barely a whisper. "Sorry, Snape! I guess you'll just have to find out on your own!"

Without another word, Sirius ran off in the direction of the Groundskeeper's hut. Peter looked back at Snape, who watched the figure flee into the night.

"Don't go, Snape," Peter said again, pleading. Without another word, terrified, Peter ran off after Sirius.

********

Peter found him hunched over the vegetable patch, breathing heavily. Peter was shaking as badly as Sirius, fear keening in his chest.

"I - I've really mucked it up badly this time, eh, Wormtail?" Sirius panted.

Peter needed Sirius to snap out of it. He balled up his fist and punched his arm so hard that Sirius fell over, a look of surprise in his face. "Sirius--we've got to do something!" Peter squeaked, his voice a full octave higher in his panic. "What if he really goes into the tunnel?"

Sirius held his head, his fingers taut and his eyes shut tight. "Maybe he won't go," he said with little conviction. "Not if I so obviously showed him how to do it. Maybe he'll think it's a trap."

"SIRIUS!" Peter shrieked, practically hyperventilating. "It's not only Snape, you idiot! Think about Remus! We have to DO SOMETHING!"

Upon hearing Remus' name, Sirius shot up to his feet, suddenly alert. "I'm going. To Moony. I'll be able to hold him off--in case...." Sirius started to pace, kicking the dust up with his feet. "Let's see the Map." Peter took it out and unfolded it.

Snape was still standing by the Willow. They allowed themselves a small sigh of both relief and hope to see the barely moving dot labelled 'Severus Snape'. "James is still in the common room," Sirius observed. "Good. Peter, you go find him and tell him to get to the Shack. You can ride with him; it'll be faster. We'll pull Moony out of there and everything will be fine." Sirius stopped and looked at Peter. "Don't - don't mention anything about--you know--to James--just now. Not yet. I'm sure we'll have a laugh over it with him tomorrow, eh?" Sirius said weakly.

"Sure, Padfoot," Peter replied, not certain at all. "You should get going."

"Right." Without another word, Sirius closed his eyes and, in a blur, transformed into the shape of a large, black dog. He barked at Peter, then spun around and vanished into the darkness. Peter, his head pounding, every nerve pulled taut, pocketed the Map and took off at a run towards the castle.

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

Severus was pacing in long, angry strides. He was buffeted by alternating hits of fury, humiliation, confusion--and excitement. He had discovered something important tonight; that tunnel was real. It led to a place where he knew he could find proof that Black and his gang were doing--something--reprehensible. Certainly illegal. This is what he'd followed them for; what he'd been waiting for. And yet....

Why had Black been so willing to show it to him? It was too easy. It was more than likely some kind of trap. It was too obvious. But... Pettigrew had been afraid of something. And he'd noticed that, at the end, Black had seemed to realise he'd gone too far, done something wrong. He'd looked... scared! So maybe there was something there that they didn't want him to find, or see.

Severus stopped and looked about to see if Black and Pettigrew were nearby, to sense if he was being watched. The only sounds were those of the menacing, whipping sounds of the Willow branches, and the distant hooting of owls.

If they have something planned, it can't be worse than anything else they've concocted to torture me. I'm not a coward. Yes, Black, this is definitely worth the risk!

Severus felt the pulse in his neck beating like a raging drum. Despite the coolness of the evening air, he felt his skin prickling with heat. "Lumos." Casting about with his wand, the dim light fell upon the discarded stick that Black had transfigured. He picked it up and turned to face the Whomping Willow.

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

By the time Peter reached the Gryffindor common room on the seventh floor, he was slick with sweat and gasping in pain at the stitch in his side. He could barely utter the password.

"Gillyweed," he croaked.

The Fat Lady looked at him with concern. "Are you sure you don't need to see the Matron?"

"LET ME IN!" Peter shrieked.

"No need to scream, young man! I was just trying to be helpful," the Fat Lady simpered. The painting swung open.

Peter scrambled into the common room looking around wildly for James. He wasn't there. Peter ran up to the dormitory. James wasn't there either. He opened up the Map and saw that James was on the staircase going towards the sixth floor, so he must have left. Peter had just missed him.

Bloody hell!

Peter sat on his bed for a moment to catch his breath and, watching the tiny dot of James move on the Map, an idea came to him. A brilliant idea. One that would prove to James that he was the better friend.

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

It had taken Lily a while to shove James off so she could get back to her reading. He said he'd wanted her help with his Charms homework, but Lily knew it was only an excuse to talk with her. Finally, sitting by the fire, Lily was deep into her Arithmancy text, struggling to make sense of Horran's Third Principle, when a shrill voice by her ear made her jump and scream.

"LILY! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Lily clapped her hand to her chest.

"You can't sneak up on people like that, Peter!"

Peter grabbed Lily's hand, pulled her to her feet, and dragged her towards the common room door. "No time! Come quickly!"

Peter looked panicked and pale. She grabbed her robes and followed him out of the common room with concern. Once outside, he pulled her into a darkened niche in the corridor.

"What's wrong, Peter? What's happened?" His anxiety started to flow through her.

In a rush of words, Peter told her all that had happened between Sirius and Severus. As he told the story, Lily felt her blood run cold. Then her heart froze as she understood the horrible implications of what had happened.

"Where is he now?" Lily asked in a harsh whisper.

"Who?"

"Severus! Look on your Map!"

Peter pulled out the Map and they both looked. Peter ran his finger across the parchment.

"He's gone," Peter said in a small voice. Lily gasped, instantly terrified at the image in her mind of what Severus faced on the other side of the tunnel.

Oh, Remus!

Peter looked at her with fierce determination. "Lily, you need to find James. Now!" Peter pointed at the Map. "Look, James is just getting to the first floor--you can catch him. He'll go here," he pointed to a spot near the Willow, "to transform. He has to get Snape out of there!"

Lily looked confused. "But how?"

Peter started to pull Lily towards the staircase. "He'll know how! Just tell him that Sirius showed Snape how to get into the tunnel and he's gone in--he's on his way to the Shack! James will know what to do." Peter paused and looked embarrassed. "I - I'd have gone in after him myself, but James is much stronger than I am."

Peter was growing frantic, pulling at his hair.

"Um... and, I - I need for you to get James, because--well--he'll be mad that I snitched on Sirius. Don't tell James that I told you, okay?"

Lily wondered for the millionth time why boys were so stupid about these things. She took his hand. "It was very brave of you to do this, Peter. Don't worry about James," she said, giving him a brief hug before turning to fly down the stairs.

She didn't see the small, black rat behind her, following at her heels.

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

The passageway of the tunnel was low and cramped. Severus had to bend over at an awkward angle to move forward, his wand illuminating the way. He moved slowly, with caution. He wasn't going to be caught by surprise. A fine dust kicked up with every step he took.

Well, Black was right about one thing: I will be filthy by the time I get out of here.

He stepped carefully as the passageway dipped lower. Despite his care however, his feet suddenly gave way under him as he slid on a pebble, and he fell forward, scraping his face. Severus swore as he spat out the dirt and pulled out his already bloodstained handkerchief to test the damage. The wound stung more than bled. It didn't matter. It only added fire to his zeal to punish Black.

I'll see him expelled. He'll have no home. No friends. He deserves even worse. He should be damned for all eternity!

Severus picked himself up, ignoring the pain in his leg and his head and continued his slow, deliberate, cramped march forward. He noted that the tunnel had a strong animal smell. Not surprising, he thought, considering it's location under the Forbidden Forest. Calculating the angle and direction of the passageway, Severus estimated that he was heading towards Hogsmeade and wondered what he'd find them all doing on the other side of the tunnel.

"James!"

Lily caught up with him on the path towards the Willow, panting heavily and running so quickly that the momentum threw her into James' arms, which held her fast.

"Heavens, Lily! What's wrong?"

"Severus - tunnel - Remus - Sirius - help him!" The words tumbled out between her gasps for air.

"Slow down, luv," James said. "Help who?"

Lily stepped back and grabbed him by the front of his robes. "Peter found me and said that Sirius showed Severus how to get into the tunnel--Severus is in it now--going towards the Shack! You've got to go get him out of there!"

James stepped back, his face a study in shock. "He wouldn't do that! Why - why would Padfoot do that?"

"I don't know!" Lily wailed as tears began to fall. "But he did, and now your friend and mine are in terrible, terrible danger, James! Please! GO NOW!"

James touched her face gently, then turned and ran towards the Willow. She saw him pick up an extra-long branch and did something with it to calm the tree. When it stopped thrashing, James dove under the tree and disappeared.

Lily, her body wracked with fear, fell clumsily to the ground. She pulled her legs up close and wrapped her arms around them, holding herself tight. Her eyes were glued to the base of the Whomping Willow, which blurred in and out of focus through her tears.

"It will be all right. James will get him out. Everything will be all right," she chanted in a whispered prayer. Over and over again.

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

Severus wasn't sure how long he'd been walking. His legs were burning and his back screamed in protest at being bent over for so long; keeping track of time was difficult. He stopped for a moment and sat, allowing himself a brief rest. It couldn't be much farther, he thought, but he wanted to make sure his body wouldn't betray him when he needed it most.

There was a scraping noise ahead, and Severus snapped his head towards it. He must be close to the exit. A rush of adrenaline heightened his senses. He sniffed. The animal scent--no--scents were stronger at this end.

Severus rose and, more cautiously than before, began to move forward. The tunnel turned sharply to the right and, at the end of the long passageway in front of him, Severus saw a light emanating from the roof of the tunnel. Finally! Then, just as Severus began to step towards it, he felt the wind forcefully knocked out of him as he was tackled violently from behind, and he lost his grip on his wand. He heaved himself up, throwing his attacker off, and turned to see James Potter panting, lying on the floor of the tunnel.

"You've got to get out of here, Snape! Now! Back towards the school!"

Severus laughed. "Are you mad? After I've come all this way? How inhospitable of you, Potter! I thought you'd at least offer me some tea," he snarled.

"This is not a joke, Snape." James tore at his formerly black hair, now covered with grey dust. "It's - it's dangerous! You'll be killed!" Severus saw Potter scramble in the dirt. "Here's your wand." Severus caught it as Potter threw it at him. "We're both in danger--now let's go!"

Suddenly, a terrible howl echoed through the tunnel, punctuating James' warning. Severus felt his heart leap to his throat and saw Potter's terrified face. But Severus didn't move. There was something wrong, something confusing; he just needed a moment to sort it all out.

Potter grabbed at Severus' robes and began to pull him in the opposite direction as the howl erupted again, louder than before. At the sound, both boys turned back to see a pair of shining, yellow eyes staring at them hungrily from the end of the tunnel. Snape lifted his wand to cast a spell, but James grabbed his arm. The eyes started to run towards them.

"SNAPE! RUN! NOW!" They ran. Blindly, moving fast despite the need to crouch. Their hearts and feet pounding so loud that neither of them heard the growl and yelp of a second animal behind them. The rush of terror coursing through their bodies propelled them forward as they fled from death rushing at their heels.

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

Lily was on her feet the moment she saw an arm reach out of the tunnel entrance and tap the base of the tree. As its limbs quieted, James and Severus pushed themselves up and out of the tunnel and stumbled past the tree's reach before collapsing and gasping for air.

"Severus! James!" Lily yelled, running towards them, her tears released anew.

Severus forced himself to his feet, disentangling himself from James. He stepped back and was shocked as Lily threw herself into his arms. The sweetness of her smell and the softness of her hair under his hands after the roughness of the wretched tunnel assaulted him.

"Thank Heavens, Severus! I was so worried! Are you all right? Your face is covered with blood!" She reached up to touch him, but Severus pushed her aside roughly.

"What - what are you doing here? I don't - LEAVE ME ALONE!" he screamed at Lily. She stepped away from him, stunned into silence. Severus turned to Potter, seething. "That - that - THING in there! It was a werewolf! You wouldn't let me stun it because you knew it wouldn't work! You've been hiding this because--" Severus stopped, and Lily saw, to her dismay, the pieces of the puzzle click together in his mind.

"Lupin," he said softly. "It's Lupin! He's a werewolf!" Severus started to laugh, a high and painful laugh. "Oh, that was a masterful prank, Potter. You've all outdone yourselves this time!"

His laugh ripped through Lily's body like a slicing hex.

James was on his feet and in Severus' face in an instant. "This was NOT a prank! Sirius would never put Remus in that kind of danger!"

Severus' rage erupted. "PUT REMUS IN DANGER?! A blood-hungry werewolf in DANGER? Oh, no, that would never do! But killing ME, well THAT would be perfectly acceptable! And to top it off, to make it bloody, infuriatingly worse, you get to play the HERO!" Severus spat, his wand emitting dangerous sparks. In the face of his fury, James did not back away, but neither did he speak.

"Severus," said Lily, confused herself as to what had transpired but knowing what James had just risked, "we don't know yet why Sirius did--what he did--but James just saved your life!"

Severus backed away from James as if stricken. "You should have let me die," he hissed. "I'd rather have my throat ripped open by a demon than have to owe a Life Debt to you. I'll never forgive you for that, Potter. Never."

Severus turned to Lily with a look of deepest loathing and his voice was unnaturally calm, deep and menacing. "And your promises, Evans, are worth nothing." Then he turned away from them both and stumbled back towards the castle.

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

James sank to the ground, arms folded around his stomach as if in pain, and moaned softly. "What could I say? I don't understand how - what happened? Why?"

Lily knew he was speaking to himself, torn inside by questions that had no answers. She knelt in front of him and gently touched his shoulder. She had a thousand questions of her own, but until they could speak to Sirius... well, the words would have to wait. She knew that James would want to go to Remus, but he couldn't go in this state.

"Lily." Looking up, his eyes were filled with tears. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She held him tightly and, in her embrace, his body pulsed with sobs, releasing the fear and anger and the despair over the damage friends could inflict on each other. Lily held him fast, like an anchor.

Taking his hand, Lily slowly and gently stroked his Quidditch-toughened fingers, his palm, his wrist. She noticed the curve of his nails, the dirt that covered his hand, the calluses on his fingertips, the scrapes on his palm. In response to her rhythmic touch, James' breathing slowed.

James pushed the hair away from her face and whispered in her ear, "I was so scared, Lily." He stroked the length of her hair, down her back. "So scared - scared of my own friend." She felt him shudder.

Lily felt new tears spring to her eyes as his fear washed through her. "Remus will be safe. Severus is safe. You are safe. That's what matters." Resting her head on his shoulder, Lily felt his rapid but steady heart beat through the fabric of their robes. James inhaled deeply and, in the deep release of his breath, it caressed her face.

He pulled back suddenly, catching her in the web of his arms. "But its all different now, Lily." Lightly touching her face, his fingers slowly traced the path of her tears. "Before--it was fun, a lark. But tonight--what Remus is--it became... real."

Lily leaned into his touch, and in return, rested her palm on his cheek. His eyes were so dark, so haunted. "It will be different, James." She stroked his face, his hair. "But I don't think it's a bad sort of different. It's always been real for Remus. And now, his friends really, finally, understand how it is for him."

James took her hand from his face and cupped it as something precious and fragile. Then, closing his eyes, he kissed her palm, holding it to his lips for several heart-stopping seconds. In that simple connection, a burst of energy pulsed through Lily's hand, down her arm and filled her body with an intensity so deep that she gasped. James lowered her hand and met her eyes with a gaze that held no demand, no question. In his eyes, Lily saw a simple offering of his love. The power of it made her light-headed.

"You - you probably need - to go - to them," Lily stuttered, coherent speech suddenly difficult. "Sirius needs you too, James. He'll want--"

James' fingers were at her lips.

"But I don't need Sirius right now, Lily," he said hoarsely.

She tasted his fingers pressed against her mouth. They were salty and dirty and rough.

"I need you, Lily. Just you."

She returned his gaze. And, holding his eyes, surprised at how easy it was to finally open her heart to his, she took his hand and lightly kissed his fingers, his palm, his wrists. James' breathing grew shallow and rapid.

She reached up to cradle his face, now flushed and warm. "I'm here, James. I'm here." She leaned forward to meet his lips, which opened to welcome her like a blessing.

*******

A/N: The idea of Mrs. Norris being Filch's wife was respectfully borrowed from KazVL's wonderful, sadly unfinished fic, "Falling Further In."

Endless thanks to my diligent betas, celtmama and capella_black.