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The yellow Brickroad	By : Lalani Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 8131 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters. I do not make any money off of this

Chapter List
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Chapter Three

The reason.

LPOV

Lily was still a bit shaky, holding on to Harry. Her son seemed to be in a daze. Well, it was to be expected that a child would be seduced by her magical call when a Baba Jaga was close. After a few moments she looked around and found herself in an open hallway. To the left of the room were stairs leading up to the second floor, with a huge rounded archway that showed them a kitchen with white tiles and white tapestry with huge sunflowers on it. There were sunflowers in pots everywhere, at least half a dozen.

Someone really likes those flowers, Lily thought. How odd, Severus only is interested in flowers for his potions.

On their other side was a living room, the door open to the hallway, while the dining room was located on the right with the same archway. The wood of the house was rather dark, offsetting the cream-coloured walls everywhere. Potted flowers were liberally sprinkled on every available surface. She looked around, noticing there were no photos anywhere.

He must still be single, she thought elated. Then she checked herself. She was a married woman, there was no use reliving those feelings.

Severus gave an annoyed sigh before he started speaking.

“Come along, now, and let’s sit down and talk.” He said before turning around and walking into the living room, all of them following behind him. When she had been in the hallway, she had only seen the dark grey wooden floor and white walls. Actually stepping into the room, she was stunned at how elegant it looked. The furniture was all black, black leather armchairs and a huge black couch. The wall opposite the door had floor to ceiling Windows, while the wall with the door had a huge TV hung up on it and it was painted a deep and rich turquoise. The couches had Throw Pillows in black, white, grey and turquoise. It looked like one of those living-rooms from the magazines she loved to look at but James hated so much. This room, she noticed, was completely flower free and without any clutter. No pictures even here and no paintings.

It must really be as I thought, Lily thought with pity and weird giddiness alike, he is still single.

The room ran along the back, behind the dining room, while another door led to a room that ran along the back of the kitchen. She was curious about the other room, but the door leading to it was closed.

The room they were in reminded her vaguely of an ocean, making her feel instantly relaxed.

Severus gestured towards the big couch in front of the windows. He himself took a seat on one of the two armchairs. When all of them were seated, he bent forward, put his elbows on his knees and stared at all of them, making them distinctly uncomfortable. His stare lessened only somewhat when he turned his eyes on Harry, who had taken a seat on the other armchair, opposite Severus.

“Feeling better yet, boy?” he asked Harry.

James, who was sitting on her left side, shifted slightly. She was sitting at the end of the couch and saw Remus discreetly remove his elbow from James’ middle. Harry squirmed in his seat, intimidated by Severus. Looking at Severus and his big presence made her feel odd. James seemed a bit…pale in comparison to Severus. Smaller, softer and less intimidating. Severus looked like what Muggles liked to call a ‘badboy’.

“Yes, I think so. The fuzziness in my head is gone, but I am still feeling a bit off.” Her son answered him quietly, jerking her out of her weird thoughts. Severus nodded at that and returned his attention to the four of them sitting on his couch.

“So, what is it that you want?” he asked them. She started to speak up, but James interrupted her and started speaking himself.

“We are on a special mission!” he proclaimed, making all of them flinch, “the Headmaster has sent us after you. He wants you to return to England and start working at Hogwarts!”

She heard Remus groan in embarrassment at James’ choice of words. Seeing Severus’ face darken and his shoulders stiffen, she decided to interject before he could start. Severus had never liked to be ‘told’ to do something for anyone without a reason.

“The Headmaster has send us to talk to you about an offer he has. Apparently, Hogwarts admission rates have reached an all-time high and he is seriously understaffed. He has given me a letter for you.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a miniscule envelope. With a tap of her wand she enlarged it and gave it to him.

He took it from her before leaning back in his armchair and opening the letter. They sat there in silence while watching him read. His face didn’t change one bit at first, he just looked bored. When he finished the first page and seemed halfway through the second one, he suddenly sat up, lowered the pages and stared at them.

“Did you read this?” he asked her sharply.

“No, of course not.” She answered, curious, but remembering how serious he was about his privacy. During Hogwarts she had never been allowed to read even one letter he got from anyone.

“Why are you asking her? What’s in that letter?” Sirius asked, only a slight taunt in his voice that was over laced with worry. Things never went well when someone like Severus seemed worried.

“If Albus Dumbledore has not deemed to tell you, you will not hear the details from me.” He answered them, before finishing the letter and folding it up. He put it in the pockets of his jeans, leaning back again and lifting his hips up slightly so he could reach it.

He definitely fills out those jeans, she thought guiltily.

“Is that all you were supposed to tell me?”

“Yes, that is why we were send after you. The Headmaster was not able to send you that letter by Floo and no owls could find you. He really does need your help, you know? He already went through all the possibilities.” She replied with a blush, already knowing he was going to refuse to return to England with them but still trying to make a case.

“Hm. Well, since that is all. I will give my answer to Dumbledore personally, if you don’t mind. I will have to ask you to leave.” He stood up and towered over them. They scrambled to their feet.

“That’s it? That is all you want to know and all you have to say?” James growled at Severus. He was agitated and she knew he had never forgiven Severus for calling her a ‘Mudblood’ and always thought Severus a coward for not joining them in the fight against Lord Voldemort. James obviously thought he had waited long enough with his criticism. “After sixteen years, you have nothing to say to someone who used to be your best friend?? After what you put her through?”

“James…” she said, not wanting them to get into a fight, but not wanting him to stop. There were many things she had always wanted to say to Severus, but never could.

Severus had already started for the door but turned around again and looked at James in disbelief.

“After what I put her through? I did not put her through anything, it was her that put me through hell. She pretended to be a friend so she could look kind in front of everyone and then turned on me the second she had a reason to. That are not the actions of a friend. Others have stood by me although I did far worse things to them.” He stopped and took a deep breath, although he had never raised his voice. Then he continued: “Anyway, I refuse to talk about this more than necessary. And if you wanted your wife to get any closure, maybe you should not have come along, Potter. I do not like you, I never have. I certainly will not start bonding with that person while you are hovering over this meeting like a vulture.”

“That’s not the point!” James answered, “You just up and left, a day after graduation, no one knew where you were! There were rumours everywhere that you were dead! That you had been killed by him! She wanted to talk to you, talk out what had happened and suddenly there wasn’t a chance to do that! She grieved for you while you were off exploring, as it seems!”

“So?” Severus asked, addressing her directly. ”We were not friends anymore and I had a life to live. If we had still been talking at least, you would have known I had gotten an apprenticeship with a Potions Master here in the Americas. But there was no need to tell you, when I told my closest friends. Why should I care that there were rumours? You could have just asked any one of my friends.”

“Your closest friends? You mean Death Eaters!” she threw at him, mad that he would call those Monsters friends, still.

“I mean ‘friends’, Lily. I do not care for your assessment of those that have helped me realize my dream. And really, it is none of your business.”

“Your dream? They led you astray! You were such a smart kid, you could have become anything! Certainly, you could have become a Spell Master and worked with us, fighting Lord Voldemort!” she answered.

“Become anything? A Spell Master? I never wanted that, neither back then nor now, you just wouldn’t accept that. I wanted to make Potions. And that is what I am doing. I have everything I ever wanted, Lily. I am one of the most successful Potion Masters in the USA. I have a w…you know what, it’s none of your business what I have or not. I am happy and my life is good, no thanks to you. Now leave.”

She stared at him and noticed the stubborn set of his chin. There was no reasoning with him at this time. His words stung her deeply, though, especially considering she had been pestering him to become a Spell Master. Of course, it would have been for the social standing it would get him. Spell Masters were sought after and generally had a huge income, no matter if they worked in research or for the ministry. She had, stupidly, been imagining him becoming rich and them marrying. She would have had money, social standing and a husband that completely adored her and saw no other woman than her. She would have been the kind and patient wife that tamed a Slytherin and turned him good and respectable. His friends and his draw to the Dark Arts had killed that infatuation. She had been the Gryffindor-Princess, there had been no way she could have married such a dark individual.

“Well, if that’s how you want to handle this. Obviously you are not interested in an adult conversation. I do have a different question, though. Is there a hotel somewhere close by? We have been on the road for three days. We would like to enjoy at least part of this and have some fun.” She answered, knowing she sounded snippy, but not able to stop herself.

“There are several around the town square.” He said and crossed his arms over his chest. It made him look like a menacing bouncer.

Standing there and waiting for something else to come from Severus, she noticed the men were oddly silent. Harry sidled up to her and she decided they had stayed long enough. She had hoped to at least have a proper conversation, catch up a bit. She sighed and started walking towards the front door, everyone else following her. When they left through the door, they all turned around to say their goodbyes, but the door shut loudly in their faces.

“He is certainly as rude as he used to be at Hogwarts.” Remus stated dryly. Harry chuckled at that.

“He is interesting. Did you see the piercings?” Harry asked excitedly, before following Remus who had started for the car. Lily looked at James, who raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

“Well, he’s Snivellus, what did we expect.” James said disparagingly. Sirius just turned around and left for the car. She grabbed James’ hand and started pulling her husband towards the car.

“Come on James, let’s go. We did what the Headmaster wanted us to do. Our part here is done, let’s go and have some fun ok?” she said. James pulled his hand free and put his arm around her shoulders. Snuggled up like that they caught up with the others.

At first, when she saw Severus, she felt unsettled and sad. Now, she kind of felt better about herself and her marriage to James. His anger and cutting answers showed her why life would have been worse with him than with James. She could handle James’ thoughtlessness, but not Severus’ cruelty. At least, that was what she told herself over and over again to get over the loss of her once best friend.

RPOV

Russel was so pissed off, he could barely see straight. He felt his vision blacken around the edges and had to stop and breathe, just breathe. He was standing in the kitchen, hoping the sunny environment would chase the chill out of his bones. He had not been this angered for a very long time, but reading that letter, seeing the Marauders again and having Lily accuse him of abandoning her…

The sunflower on the sill withered and died and the sky darkened noticeably.

That bloody potion! He thought, mad at himself again for believing the despot, Tom Riddle. He had willingly followed the Death Eaters and through them, the Dark Lord. And when it came to create a potion that would strengthen the Madman’s power he had done so with enthusiasm. He felt he had a friend in Tom, feeling special that he was allowed to call the man by his given name instead of calling him ‘My Lord’. He had slaved for months in the dim dungeons of Hogwarts and over his summer break at home. He had nearly been finished when Regulus had approached him.

Regulus was a year younger than him, so it had truly been a surprise when the younger Slytherin showed up in the middle of the night at his secret lab.

So soon after the summer break, the teachers had been still enthusiastic and on the prowl. He had been pissed off at Regulus for risking the ‘secret mission’ he had been given by Tom. He had felt so special. But after what Regulus had seen and heard during some of the revels, revels Russel had not been allowed to attend, the boy had come to the decision that the Dark Lord had to be stopped and told him everything. The special feeling and the pride had vanished quickly after that.

Seventeen Years ago

“Severus! Severus, are you there??” he heard the whisper while working on the measurements he thought would make the potion Tom wanted. He quickly shoved everything into the old teacher’s desk and quickly warded it. He stood up and turned off the light.

“Lumos!” he breathed, leaving only his wand as a light. He moved to the door, opened it slightly to find Regulus standing in front of it. The sixth year was looking nervous, with his back to the door and leaning forward slightly to watch the corridor.

At the sound of the door opening, Regulus turned around quickly, his black hair completely dishevelled and in his Pjs’.

“What are you doing? Come in, quick!” Severus whispered harshly, grabbing Regulus by the arm and pulling him into the room.

“I needed to talk to you and you are never alone unless you are in here!” Regulus whispered back.

“Are you really that much of an imbecile?” Severus said scathingly, “Risking getting found out? I am doing this in secret for a reason!”

“This is important, Severus!” Regulus hissed back, apparently exasperated. “I made sure I wasn’t being followed! I hid for half an hour under stairs and what not, to wait and see if someone was there!”

Severus stopped at that, seeing the desperation in Regulus’ eyes.

“Well, what is it?” he finally snapped at the other boy.

“The Potion, you shouldn’t finish it! If you do that, he will get even more powerful and after everything he has done…he is a monster, Severus, a true monster, without any conscience. Do you know what a Horcrux is?”

Severus felt his heartbeat stop for a moment at that word, before he launched himself the other boy and grabbed him by the collar.

“How do you know what that is? Where did you get that information?!” he yelled, spittle flying from his lips.

Regulus didn’t fight back, but seemed to crumble in on himself.

“You know what Horcruxes are? You know what he did and are still going to brew this potion?” the other boy whispered, staring at Severus like he had been betrayed.

“What who did? What are you talking about? I know what Horcruxes are because…well, I heard it from someone. It has nothing to do with Tom!” Severus answered, now really worried.

He got even more worried when he felt Regulus go limp with relieve. Severus released Regulus and went over to one of the chairs in the classroom, while Regulus slumped into the chair next to it.

“Mother was having a dinner during summer break. The Dark Lord was sitting in father’s study and talking to Lord Ruthven…”

“Ruthven? Are you sure?” Severus interrupted, feeling coldness spread through his veins.

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“No, but I have heard of him.” He replied.

“Well, they were talking and he was asking Ruthven for an old potions book. And then Ruthven said something about how he had already paid his debt. Then the Dark Lord said he could return the ancestral home to the Ruthven estates if he just gave him that book. But Ruthven was reluctant and asked why he needed such a dangerous book. He then said something about creating a Horcrux. Lord Ruthven was shocked that the Dark Lord would split his own soul. Then, the Dark Lord answered that he had split it six times and needed this special potion. He told him he you were working on it, but haven’t managed it yet.”

Severus felt suddenly faint.

“Six times?” he asked Regulus.

“Six times.” The younger boy answered him. “He killed six people to make himself immortal. That is why you can’t finish this potion. If he is willing to kill so he can be immortal, do you know what he might do if any of us were to defy him? You like that Muggle born, don’t you? What do you think will happen to her if he becomes even more powerful?”

Severus thought about what Regulus said for a long while. He could see the other boy getting agitated, but didn’t want to rush his decision.

“You are right. We can not give him this potion. From my equations, it will make him more powerful than he already is and, now that I think about it, heal his fractured soul up to a degree. I can tweak it a bit, so it actually does make him more powerful, but only for a time. While it is working, though, it will destroy his health. The body can be easily destroyed.” Severus said, already thinking about what he needed for that.

“Are you crazy? He will have six other pieces of his soul that he can be brought back by!” Regulus replied.

“Yes, but do you really think there are any who would actually do this? Lord Ruthven might know there are Horcruxes, but who else? Ruthven will not bring Tom back, no matter what you think. That man is to self-serving. He does not need a debt hanging over his head. The real problem is the time it will take to brew this potion. That’s the bad part of this. The good part is that the original potion he wants will take even longer. Maybe a year and a half after I have actually tweaked the original recipe. I just need to make sure I am not anywhere near him while brewing this Potion. I have quite a few offers for apprenticeships. The only problem is that most of them are sympathizers.”

“Alright. Alright. Well, maybe we can get you an apprenticeship somewhere else, with someone who is not a follower. But how to sell that to the Dark Lord?”

They both started hashing out plans, but came up with nothing real. Then, Regulus seemed to think of something.

“The Dark Mark! How do we get out of that, Severus?”

“Why would that be a problem?”

“Really, have you never been to a revel or talked to someone who has it?” the boy asked, exasperated.

“No.”

Severus threw up in one of his empty cauldrons after hearing what his ‘brothers’ did to people at revels.

When Regulus told him how the Dark Lord would be able to read his thoughts easily while carrying the Dark Mark, he nearly passed out. He would have to come up with a fool proof plan to get out of this mess and it looked like an impossible mission.

AN: Thank you for the reviews!! And yes, he really isn't Severus Snape anymore. Which doesn't mean, though, that he will be completely OOC! We all love him when he is snarky, don't we?

And on another note. I really need a beta for my stories, so if anyone is interested, please! Help Me!
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The yellow Brickroad