The Boy Who Found a Home

James Potter sat at his desk in the Potions dungeon listening to Professor Warwick speaking about the relative merits of different healing potions. Warwick had been speaking for some time, and James was slightly bored.

"....you can see that the use of rose hips in a tincture of either peppermint or spearmint will react favourably to the infusions we have already discussed." Warwick wound up his lecture and turned to the students.

What? James thought. He looked around the class to see if anyone had followed what the professor had been saying.

"Can anyone tell me what value this sort of potion would have?" Professor Warwick looked around the class hopeful that someone, other than Severus, might have the answer. Lily sat a moment, and then began to madly scratch her quill across her scroll. The red haired girl raised her hand slowly, as did several other students.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" Warwick asked, and looked toward the Gryffindor girl.

"Does that mean that the potion would calm and refresh?"

"Exactly, Miss Evans," Professor Warwick replied and smiled at her. Megan, her potions partner, leaned over and whispered something to Lily.

Peter saw her smile broadly at Megan, and then look beyond James, where the smile broadened further. The only person he could see other than James, was Snivellus. Snape was intently listening to Professor Warwick as he continued to question his students about the lecture. Peter looked back at Lily; she was still smiling as she turned back to Professor Warwick. What's going on? He looked at Sirius and nodded to Lily. Sirius raised his shoulders, shrugged and mouthed, "I don't know."

"Pettigrew, Black," Warwick called out, "have either of you something to add?"

"No, sir," the two said together.

"Then would you kindly pay attention to today's lecture unless, of course, you'd prefer to have a point taken from Gryffindor?" Professor Warwick threatened with a glare.

Peter sat quietly for the remainder of the class looking at Professor Warwick and wondering why Lily had smiled in Snivellus' direction. She's been running off every afternoon to study. Ugh! Not with that greasy git? The thought was too revolting to seriously consider.

When the class ended Lily walked into the dungeon corridor with Megan, while Peter, Sirius, James, and Remus lagged behind the two girls.

"Lily, that was so brilliant!" Megan gushed. "I can't believe you knew that answer. The study group you're with every afternoon has really been working. I'm going to have to start studying with you."

Lily shifted her book bag to the other shoulder. "Meg, I told you it's not anything."

"Who are you are studying with?" Megan pushed the issue.

"Who are you studying with, Evans?" Sirius inserted himself into the private conversation, and smiled down at her with what he hoped was a winning smile.

"None of your business, Sirius," Lily spared him little attention.

"Who?" Peter demanded insistently.

"You might try opening your books sometime, or perhaps you don't have the manual dexterity, Pettigrew," Severus said insultingly, pushing through the group blocking the corridor.

"Greasy know- it- all git," Peter spat back.

"Clever," Severus said sarcastically over his shoulder and turned the corner.

"Is your study group in the library, Lily?" Megan asked.

"We've three minutes until our next lesson, we better get to our next class," Lily answered evasively.

Megan, James, Sirius and Peter sprinted down the corridor to their flying lesson.

"That really was brilliant, Lily. I was happy for you," Remus huffed as he speed walked next to Lily, as he smiled his shy smile.

"Thanks Remus. I was just so amazed I understood what Professor Warwick was talking about. It really started to make sense after Se -- several hours of reading." Lily reddened suddenly in embarrassment. "No. I won't tell you either. You'll just tell them."

"What are you talking about?"

"Never mind," she groaned and then smiled apologetically to Remus. "Please, this is important to me."

"You can keep your secret Lily. Everyone has secrets," he answered. Lily noticed the brown eyes had gold flecks in them which she had never seen before today.

"What secrets could you possibly have, Remus?" Her fellow Gryffindor looked away, and down the corridor. He's avoiding telling me about something, just like Severus.

"You'd be amazed," Remus retorted vaguely. "We're going to be late... Come on, Lily." He hurried more rapidly down the corridor while Lily strained to keep pace.

Several days later, Lily rushed into the Gryffindor House common room after lessons ended for the day. Peter, James, and Sirius were relaxing in chairs in front of the fire in the common room. Remus was off somewhere talking to a friend from Hufflepuff.

"Going to the library?" Peter asked, with all the subtly of a dragon.

"Yes, after I leave some of this in my room." Lily pointed to her overstuffed bag and dashed up the stairs; completely blind to the podgy boy's lack of cunning.

Lily dropped the bag on her bed, pulled off her school robes, and pulled on a striped jumper. She began to leave before she remembered her excuse of studying. She picked up a book on Herbology and ran back through the common room.

"Bye," Lily called as she exited the room.

Sirius followed Lily's actions thoughtfully. "What do you think?"

"Evans is up to something," James responded contemplatively.

"But, what is she up to?" Peter asked the others.

"I don't know, but I am definitely going to find out!" Sirius smiled mysteriously and cracked his knuckles loudly.

Sirius looked at James and Peter. "Right, shall we go to the library?" he asked with a smirked.

"What for?" Peter asked.

"To see who Lily is studying with, you dolt," James explained slowly, like you would to a slow witted person. "Let's go."

The three boys entered the library expecting to see Lily at one of the tables. They had heard Remus often mention seeing the red-head girl at the table nearest Madam Pince's desk, with an immense pile of books open before her.

The small library windows allowed minimal light to enter the room; it helped to protect the collection from the harmful effects of sunlight. Torches had been placed on the granite pillars and gave off an eerie glow.

"Right," Sirius whispered to himself. He felt the thrill of challenge to find someone before his friends did; James enjoyed the chase as much as he did. He smirked and slipped unobserved into the 'Restricted Section' to look for their evasive House mate.

Remus entered the library to return a book, Great Asian Wizards of the Fourteen Century, and saw his three friends prowling about the library. "What are you doing here? You three look like Dartmoor Pixies hoping to ensnare the unsuspecting person in the moors." Remus grinned at the three boys. He'd rarely seen any of his room mates anywhere near the library.

"We're looking to catch Evans with her mysterious study partner," Sirius said, and smirked darkly.

"Don't you think she has been acting strangely the past few weeks?" Peter asked, as he scratched his nose.

"What do you mean strangely? She seems like her usual self to me," Remus replied.

"Remus, Lily disappears nearly every afternoon." Sirius began to tick points off on his fingers. "Then, she suddenly gets pretty good in Potions. No one has seen who she is studying with."

"Maybe she's embarrassed because she needs help." Remus began to feel uncomfortable about the lengths his room mates were going to, to discover other people's secrets. "Maybe, Warwick is helping her."

"Evans, embarrassed? Nah, she doesn't get embarrassed," Peter said knowingly.

"I'm gonna find out what she's doing," James said, as if he had taken Lily's absence personally.

"Maybe Lily doesn't want anyone to know," Remus argued.

"Well...We're going to find out!" Peter and Sirius said together.

"Why can't you let her be?"

"Because it's a mystery we want to solve," James smiled.

Remus felt sick to his stomach. They were too curious about all sorts of things.

***

Remus had been ill the day Severus had been called from Transfigurations class to the Headmaster's office. Sirius didn't waste any time sharing the information with Remus, once he'd recovered. He didn't have the particulars, but he had some suspicions, which he gladly shared with Remus.

"So, we were trying to transfigure our buttons into dinner plates, when Wood came in and told McGonagall that the Headmaster wanted to see Snivellus. The slimy git looked like he was

gonna have his fangs removed. I mean, the git looked green. Wouldn't you agree, James?" Sirius asked as he lazed on one of the sofas.

None of his friends noticed Remus wince at the 'fang' comment.

"More of a chartreuse," James said from behind his Transfigurations text.

"What's chartreuse?" Peter asked looking up.

"The colour Snape gets when he's been caught by one of the professors," James said, and looked over his book with a smirk to Sirius.

"It was brilliant to see him called out of the lesson. McGonagall looked relieved to see him flapping his wings out the door," Sirius added, smiling at the memory.

"But, why was he called to Dumbledore's office?" Remus asked, seeking the truth.

"No one seems to know, but Snivellus has been avoiding us since then." James put his book down and pulled his legs up onto his chair.

"The little vampire has been avoiding us for the past couple of days. Dumbledore must have threatened him with getting sent down." Peter smirked. "My father told me Snape comes from a long line of great scholars. Wouldn't his mummy be upset if he was sent down?"

"Vampires like him don't have mum's, Peter. He was spawned," James growled and picked his book.

"Can evil incarnate have parents?" Sirius asked rhetorically.

Lily entered the common room and walked over. "What are you talking about?" the red haired girl asked curiously.

"Snivellus!" Peter, Sirius, and James chorused in reply.

"You really need to find another hobby," Lily grumbled and went up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Remus caught the pungent acrid scent of a strange animal as she passed by.

"Why? We're trying to see how many points he can rack up in a term," James called up at the retreating girl.

"Yeah, we're trying to see how many points the greasy git can lose at one time! He lost, what was it, twenty points the last time?" Peter laughed maliciously.

Lily turned back and came down several steps. "That is just cruel. It really isn't nice to bait him like that." Angry she ran up the steps again.

"We could bait you instead!" Sirius called up after her.

Two days later, Remus stumbled across her secret. He'd been walking around the grounds near Hagrid's hut, to calm his mind, when Lily ran past and down the slope to the stables.

"Lily!" Remus called out loudly.

She halted and turned slowly to watch the delicate boy jogging towards her.

"Remus, w-what are you doing out here?" Lily replied with a apprehensive smile.

"I was walking around the grounds; it clears my mind before I start my homework." Remus sniffed delicately and looked down at Lily's hands. "Why do you have a baby bottle?"

The Gryffindor girl glanced with a distressed look down at the bottle in her hands. "I... ugh... That is..." Lily looked nervously around her.

"I won't tell anyone, if you're in trouble," Remus said quietly, and shuffled his feet nervously. He wondered what he may have stumbled across.

The girl stared at Remus for a very long moment trying to make a decision. "I don't know..." she knew the milk was cooling as she stood there debating. "Are you alone?"

Remus nodded his head.

"Blast it! Come with me, but don't you dare tell anyone what I am showing you, or I swear I'll curse you!" Lily's voice was firm.

Remus tried not to laugh at the absurdity of her threat and followed as she walked down to the paddock. Twenty feet from the stable he could hear someone moving around inside the structure. His senses were becoming more acute again with the pull of the moon.

"Don't worry, she'll be here soon," the quiet, gentle voice spoke calmly to some unknown person.

I know that voice, why do I know that voice? What has Lily been getting ...? Remus' thought was cut off as she pushed open the door.

Evan's called out softly as they entered the stable. "I have the bottle. How is he today?"

"Hungry. What took you so long?" the voice asked impatiently.

"Sorry, I ran into someone as I was coming back. Would it be all right to let him have a peek?" Lily asked hopefully.

"No one is supposed to know."

"I know, but he promised not to tell anyone. Pleeease???" Remus saw her hands folded as she begged for permission to permit someone else into this private area.

"As long it isn't one of those idiots," Severus grudgingly agreed. Lily turned to the stable doors beckoning Remus forward.

"Lupin!" Severus hissed angrily. "He'll tell them, Lily."

"He won't, he swore to me he wouldn't, Severus." She looked with pleadingly green eyes at the messy dark haired boy.

"I can swear I won't tell anyone what I see here." Remus raised his hand to swear. I cannot believe I am promising something to Snape, Remus thought as he sniffed the air in the stable. There was a strange animal scent in the place. He detected the sound of small hooves moving in the stall behind Severus, and an impatient snorting noise. Remus watched as the Slytherin thought through his presence and finally nodded in agreement.

The beaming girl waved Remus over to her side with a bright smile on her face. He peered through the slats and saw Severus kneeling in the hay, holding the bottle of milk to a small foal.

"That's a unicorn!" he said completely flabbergasted.

"I knew you were smarter than those other three," Severus said sardonically.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Lily was clearly enamoured with the animal.

"Is this where you have been going every afternoon?" Remus was unable to take his eyes from the foal. The foal eagerly drank from the bottle but kept a wary eye on Remus, instinctively.

"Does Hagrid know you have it here?" he asked, knowing it was a stupid question even as he said it.

"Of course he does." Severus sighed disgustedly.

"What is it doing here?" Remus asked curiously.

"Hagrid said he was abandoned." The Slytherin was intently watching the foal drink.

"Why?" Remus asked, bothered by the information.

"Maybe because he asked too many questions," Severus snapped defensively.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to distract you from your wet-nurse duties," Remus snapped back.

"Boys! Why are boys always like this? You two are such bloody pains in the neck. Can't you be nice to one another for five minutes? I really thought you two could get along without James and Sirius around!" Lily scolded them and stomped angrily out of the stable towards Hagrid's hut.

Both boys were chagrined by Lily's angry words. Remus and Severus spent several minutes in an awkward silence trying to avoid looking at one another. Finally, the Gryffindor broke the silence.

"Do you usually care for it?"

"It's my assigned detention."

"Er, does it usually eat this much?"

"More. Usually." More silence followed until Severus spoke again, "It needs to eat every three hours."

"Oh... What about at night and during classes?"

"Hagrid feeds him during classes and late at night."

"You seem pretty adept at it." Remus shifted to lean against the slats.

"I've had the experience for the past three weeks," Severus snapped defensively at Remus.

"Don't be so sensitive. I just said you looked like you know what you're doing," Remus was wounded by Severus' harsh tone.

"Where do you go every month, Lupin?" Severus asked, casually in a barely audible voice.

"W-what do you mean?" Remus hadn't expected that question. Bloody hell!

"You're gone the same time every month since we got here... at full moon." Severus tipped the bottle's end up higher.

He knows! Remus felt his heart begin to race and he wanted to run.

Lily chose that moment to re-enter the stable and came to stand on the rails looking in to the stall.

Remus felt relief as she returned and moved to stand closer to her side.

"I still can't believe I am in the same place with a unicorn. Do you think they stay as pretty as this?" Both Remus and Severus shrugged their shoulders in the manner of boys pretending not to care.

"I asked Professor Warwick how often he uses unicorn horn in potions..." Severus began to speak slowly, wary of being criticized.

"They don't shoot them do they? Like they shoot rhinoceros for their horns? If they did I just couldn't stand it," Lily asked, interrupting him, with tears beginning to well behind her eyes.

"No!" Severus and Remus said together in shocked voices.

"Why would you need to kill a unicorn for its horn? Unicorns allow part of their horns to be shaved off for potions use." Severus' eyes bore into Lily's. "They have very strong magic in them."

She still looked dubious.

"Their horns continue to grow their entire life," Remus said and confirmed the other boy's statement, "like fingernails."

"Good." Lily smiled at the foal watching him drink. "I hope he takes a long time to grow up."

"Why?" Remus looked at the girl with slightly messy braids.

"Because when he is old enough to be on his own, he has to go back to the Forest. You don't think he has grown very much, since you started to care for him, do you Severus?"

"No." Severus looked uncertainly at the foal. He'd discovered that he liked the unicorn foal. Sherbet Lemon was always excited to see him walk in the barn, shrilly calling out to him and butting him on the hip with his head. Severus liked how Sherbet Lemon would lie with his head on his lap while he studied; his large eyes looking up at him until they slowly closed as he fell asleep. He dreaded the time and it would be soon, that the unicorn would be taken back to the Forest.

Remus looked at the sworn enemy of his friends. I've never seen him look so unsure before. It almost makes him human. The dark haired boy felt eyes on him and looked up to find Remus staring fixedly in the opposite direction.

"Severus, I'll get the fresh bedding, so you can brush him," Lily offered, her face full of desire to touch the creature.

"You may brush him," Severus said, and put the bottle down, then walked past the other boy.

Remus watched as the skinny awkward boy walked away. So often he'd seen the Slytherin behave cruelly and yet, just now, he'd been kind and permitted Lily to brush the foal when he'd seen the longing in her eyes. He wondered what was running through the other boy's mind.

"Really?" Lily asked, and beamed with happiness.

The Gryffindor boy readily saw the discomfort, nervousness, and wariness in the other boy. Odd! What is Snape afraid of? That someone, James and Sirius might discover and use his fondness of the foal as leverage against him? Remus returned his gaze to the unicorn foal.

"You wouldn't believe how soft he is, Remus. Severus is so lucky to have got his detention with Hagrid." Lily was stroking the foal's neck in long slow sweeps.

"Peter and James would be really angry if they discovered where you were, and who you spent your time with, Lily. James had his detention with Filch and had to clean for a week without magic." Remus tried to warn his fellow Gryffindor.

"What sort of things did Filch have that big head doing?" Lily asked, as she brushed the foal's back.

"Cleaning the gargoyles and scrubbing out the drains in the kitchens."

Lily began to laugh at the mental image of the high and mighty James Potter scrubbing on his hands and knees. "Well, I am amazed with what Mr. Filch can dream up, Remus. I hope I never get a detention with him."

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that James got that and Snape got this?" Remus watched Lily brush. "You would think it would have been the complete opposite."

"Why would you think that, Remus?" Lily paused in her grooming and threw her braid over her shoulder.

"Well, James is nicer than Snape."

"I know, Severus isn't really very nice a lot of the time, he's rude a lot; but you know as well as I do, that James and Sirius make him the butt of their pranks; they attack him all the time."

"Snape enjoys hexing us too, Lily."

"Remus, he isn't as bad as they make out. He can be helpful, if you give him the chance." Lily turned back to the foal and took a comb from her pocket and ran it through the tail.

"If he was totally evil, the unicorn wouldn't let him near it," she said, her green adoring eyes looking down at the foal.

Severus returned with a load of fresh bedding for the unicorn. The foal sniffed the straw and pawed it as the boy began to strew it about the box stall. It nickered at Severus and pushed its nose into the boy's

robe pocket. The dark haired boy ran his hand over the velvety muzzle of the foal before remembering Remus was present. The flat black eyes looked fiercely at the Gryffindor, daring him to say something. Remus lowered his eyes and turned away from the challenge.

"We better get back for supper. See you tomorrow in Herbology, Severus." Lily pulled her House member from the stable.

Severus watched them walk from the building. His hand found the unicorn's ears and began to rub them. "Sherbet Lemon, I hope he doesn't say anything to them about you." He kneeled down and put his face to the animal's neck and hugged it close, relishing the warm peaceful feeling it brought him.

Remus walked quietly along side of Lily thinking through what he had heard and seen today; as well as in the Gryffindor common room last week. None of the boys would be upset Lily was spending her time with the orphaned foal, but if they found out Severus was there.... Well, it wouldn't be pretty. James and Sirius loved nothing more than to hate Snape.

He'd seen the affectionate care the boy had given to the unicorn when he forgot anyone was watching. He'd been very tender with the little colt. It was like he was afraid of being punished for caring and loving the foal. At the same time Remus sensed a deep fear and anger in Severus, though he tried very hard to conceal it from the general population at Hogwarts. There was definitely something very odd about Severus Snape.

***

For the next several weeks Peter, James, and Sirius watched Lily to see who she talked to and ate with in class and meals, trying to discover who was coaching her in Potions.

Lily was well liked and had a great many friends in Gryffindor as well as Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. It looked to the three boys that the only person in Slytherin House Lily talked to with some regularity was Snape, but he did his best to avoid Lily, from what they could see.

During lunch three weeks later, Sirius and Peter were still obsessed by Lily's mysterious improvement in Potions. Remus and James sat nearby not involved in the conversation.

"It's got to be a Ravenclaw, Peter. The Hufflepuffs aren't as intelligent as Ravenclaws," Sirius argued.

"No, I'm telling you, it's that guy in Hufflepuff. Old what's his name?" Peter was insistent.

"Peter, we don't even know that Warwick has them studying the same thing at the same time."

"But, it's the Ravenclaws they're with. He wouldn't simplify it for the Hufflepuffs; it'd send the Ravenclaws over the edge!"

Clem Diggory leaned over from the Hufflepuff table looking greatly affronted. "Hufflepuff doesn't mean we're complete mental idiots, Black!"

"That's not what I was trying to say, Diggory," Sirius backtracked; he hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking, or that all conversation around them had ceased to listen.

"Black, you're an intolerable bore sometimes." Clem shook his head.

Lily entered the Great Hall and came to sit at the table next to Megan and Carol. She dropped the books she had onto the bench next to her.

"They're at it again." Megan nodded to Peter and Sirius.

"What is it this time?" Lily poured pumpkin juice into a mug. She began to spoon chicken and potatoes onto her plate. "Is it Quidditch or, let me guess -- how to sneak into Hogsmeade?"

"Swish! Their other favourite subject," Carol said, pouring herself more juice.

"Not again?"

"No, I think they have gone beyond that. Now it is: 'Who is Lily studying with?'" Megan mumbled through her carrots.

"Why is it so important for you to know where and who I am with twenty-four hours a day? You are all behaving like five year olds. Just leave me alone." Exasperated, Lily slammed her fork down and glared at Peter. Red braids flying, she got up from the table and taking her books walked over to sit at the far end of the Hufflepuff table with one of the first year girls from her Dark Arts class.

"Did you see that?" James' jaw dropped nearly to the table.

"What? Lily is sitting at the Hufflepuff table because she's ticked off at us," Peter asked as he picked up his sandwich.

"No, you stupid git! She really is hiding something. It's got to be really good." James signalled the other two to lean closer.

"Our following hasn't worked," Peter whispered.

"I just so happen to have an Invisibility Cloak in my trunk." James smiled evilly.

"You don't really?" Sirius' asked, his mouth falling open. "Where did you get one? This is gonna be brilliant!"

"My grandfather had one when he was here and thought I would find good use for one too!"

"You've been holding out on us!" Sirius laughed.

"Monday after class, you stall Lily while I run up to our room and get it. Then I'll follow her where ever she goes. She will never know." James smiled smugly.

"Can two of us fit under your cloak?" Sirius asked gleefully.

"You bet, Sirius."

From his spot at the High Table, Hagrid watched the confrontation at the Gryffindor table. Wonder wha' they're up ter? Remus looks kinda odd. Hagrid looked around the Great Hall and came to rest at the Slytherin table. A certain small black haired student was intently watching the Gryffindor table through narrowed suspicious eyes.

Monday, after classes ended, James and Sirius waited in the corridor, under the Invisibility Cloak, for Lily. She exited the Gryffindor common room with Remus by her side. The two boys looked at one another.

Lily left Remus at the entry hall and walked out of doors. She stopped to talk with Professor Flitwick and several Ravenclaws. After several minutes she walked toward Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door. The door swung open to reveal the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts who gave the slight girl a big baby bottle.

She walked determinedly toward the paddock, then to the stables. Lily put the bottle down on the ground and walked back up to the castle. As she disappeared into the castle James threw off the Invisibility Cloak and scratched his head, looking at Sirius.

"What are yeh two doin' out here?" A large hand instantly closed on their shoulders. "Student's aren't ter be out here."

"We saw Evans come down here," James answered quickly.

"I asked Lily ter bring sommat down here for me." Hagrid's expression was unreadable. "Yeh're not ter be here. Yeh come here again, I'll let ter Headmaster know."

"Sorry, we just wondered where Lily was going. She's been running off somewhere every afternoon," James shifted uncomfortably under Hagrid's firm hold and relentless stare.

"We should go back for supper, James," Sirius said equally uncomfortable with Hagrid's unusual reaction. The large man watched them walk back to the castle before picking up the bottle and entering the stable.

***

The next morning, during breakfast, Professor McGonagall clapped her hands for attention. The Headmaster rose from his chair and looked around the Great Hall.

"I would like to remind all students that the paddock and stables are strictly off limits to all," Albus' gaze rested on the Gryffindor table. James and Sirius had the grace to meet his eyes in apology. Remus kept his eyes to the table in front of him.

"Thank you for protecting me," Lily whispered into his ear. "I know it wasn't easy for you to do." He nodded his head in a minute jerk.