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The Redemption	By : Tarpeia8 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Lily Views: 24356 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
Note: Dedicated to Lucyferr, who suggested it would be interesting to write a Voldemort-won-in-1981 fic with Lily as Severus’ prize and who specified the way the Marauders could have died. I hope you will like it!

A thousand thanks to Blue Artemis and to Antalya1705, who kindly agreed to beta this story and to give me their precious advice.

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The darkness dissipated in meandering, twirling shadows. Lily woke with the impression of being plunged into an endless well. Her body felt heavy, her mind in a daze. She rose languidly on her elbows to glance around the unknown chamber illuminated by the soft light emanating from the fireplace. She was lying on the silver blankets of a large four-poster bed. On the other side of the small yet sumptuous room, she discerned a familiar silhouette. The dark-haired wizard, dressed in a raven-black robe, was leaning against the wall, his hands folded across his chest, his inscrutable obsidian eyes fixed on her face. She knew he had intended to join the followers of the Dark Lord after finishing his studies at Hogwarts, and had later been proven right by the members of the Order. But the motive of his presence did not matter at this moment. Reality invaded her mind with powerful waves of an almost paralyzing pain. She could remember Voldemort’s sudden Apparition, her husband’s desperate cries, the Dark Lord’s sinister laughter as he forced his way to Harry’s room… then the dazzling red light of the Stunning Spell.

She leaped out of the bed and ran towards the wizard, who was still watching her in silence.

“Severus!”

He nodded gravely.

“Where is my son? What happened to him?” she asked, seizing his arms feverishly.

His voice was deep and composed, not unlike black velvet. “He is gone, Lily. The war is over.”

Her knees buckled in shock. Her son… Her baby… He could not be… That must be an error. Voldemort’s horrid laughter resonated in her ears. She felt as though her body was speared by a sharp pain, and her chest was imprisoned in an inflexible metallic vice that cut off her breath before she sank into obscurity. It was over.

When she regained consciousness, she realized she had been laid down on the bed again, and Severus’ hands were stroking her face and hair, wiping away the tears that were uncontrollably running from her eyes. She sobbed silently in his arms for what seemed to be an eternity.

“James is alive,” he whispered calmly.

She felt a small quiver of relief. Was it possible? She raised her blurred gaze to look at him. His face was earnest and almost expressionless, but there was an odd glint in his eyes she had never noticed before. It made her shudder.

“Where is he? Can I see him?”

He nodded again and gave her his arm. She followed him uneasily to the long corridor bordered with old portraits of pretentious blond aristocrats, her view obscured with tears.

Snape lifted his wand to open a massive door which revealed a magnificent hall. A rich cacophony of voices hit Lily’s ears. The huge room was lit by a cloud of flying lanterns of various colours and contained a multitude of little tables the guests were hanging around. It was a celebration. In spite of her distress, Lily had the clear feeling it had a connection with the end of the war. This could only mean they were in one of the Death Eaters’ houses. If only she were wrong.

As they entered, several faces turned in their direction. Nearly all of them were familiar. A tall wizard, equipped with a walking stick decorated by a finely wrought silver snake, forced his way to them. He had a haughty face framed by long silver-blond hair and was wearing an expensive dark robe. Lucius Malfoy. He granted her a scornful look before turning to Snape.

“There you are, Severus! They finished about an hour ago. Would you like to come and see?”

Snape merely smiled in response and followed Malfoy into the crowd, dragging Lily behind him. She saw where they were taking her, and all the blood left her face. A narrow cage was hovering in the middle of the hall, encircled by a dozen of inebriated Death Eaters. A cage in which a beautiful stag and a large black dog were crouching.

“James! Sirius!” she cried, ignoring the laughter that assailed her from every side. The two Animagi instantly extended their heads towards her, both displaying apprehension and concern. She leaned forward, but was immediately stopped by Severus’ arm, which wrapped around her waist. His other hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. She gasped in indignation, as he bent down and kissed her dark red locks, his lips slowly descending on her neck. There was another explosion of laughter, and Snape sneered at the stag, who was trying to thrust against the bars of his tiny prison, while the dog was growling furiously. A brunette she recognised as Bellatrix Black laughed with such a frantic joy that she spilled her wine on Narcissa Malfoy’s exquisite turquoise gown.

“Come,” Snape said quietly, his face still buried in her hair. Lily could feel his erect member pressing against her back. Livid with rage, she tried to break his embrace and to throw herself to the cage. He tossed her up over his shoulder without a word and walked out of the hall, acclaimed on his passage by exhilarated guests.

Once back in the room she had woken up in, he put her softly on her feet after locking the door with his wand. She withdrew from him with an angry glare.

“What the hell are you doing?” she yelled. “How dare you? How dare you treat them in such a way?”

“I believe it’s the only thing I owe to them,” he replied impassively, propping himself against the table with the same puzzling expression as before. It was almost a smile, but a repressed one.

“What have you done to them?”

“We used a curse to keep them in their Animagus form. One of my own invention actually.”

She could distinctly hear the mockery under his modest tone.

“Release them right now!”

“We most certainly will in a week or two. It depends on the two of them.”

“What do you mean?”

She could not let them be harmed. It was not imaginable.

“You will discover soon enough.”

“Severus!” She seized his shoulders again, but let go of them instantaneously as she saw his prominent erection. She gulped nervously and raised her eyes. “What are you waiting for to let them out?”

He nonchalantly adjusted his robe where she had creased it. “The Marauders Games.”

“The what?”

“The show our Animagi friends and the werewolf are starring in. They will be… unleashed on this occasion.”

He explained, as she stared at him in confusion: “There is an interdiction on feeding them. It is a test for their reputed Gryffindor friendship; I’ve always suspected Black might have something of a Slytherin in him when he is in need. When the experience is over, we’ll submit the werewolf to a similar test. Perhaps he will reveal himself as more human than he seems to be.”

Lily had to gather all of the self-control she possessed not to pass out again. It was a horrifying nightmare, nothing more.

“Severus,” she said in a voice she desperately tried to make firm, “don’t do such a thing. Remember, James saved your life.”

The muscles of Snape’s face contracted convulsively. But within a few seconds, he disguised his anger with indifference.

“He saved my life because he was afraid of being expelled,” he claimed. “He did his best to make my life unbearable during our school years. As to Black…”

“I beg you, Severus. Don’t. I’ll do anything you wish. Just spare them.”

He glanced at her with a mild interest. “That’s very kind of you, Lily. But although I am immensely tempted by your offer, I’m afraid they are not to be spared.”

Rage began to overwhelm her in spite of her terror. “Then I want to be locked in that cage as well. I will starve with them.”

“No.”

“Then what? What do you intend to do with me? Submit me to the Unforgivables?”

“You have a debt of your own to pay.” He pointed at the mirror next to the fireplace. When she saw her reflection, her heart froze. In her grief, she had not noticed the gauzy red nightgown she was wearing, nor the… leather collar. Comprehension dawned upon her. She lifted her hand to touch it. No doubt it had been ensorcelled to prevent her from leaving the place. Snape’s reflection appeared behind hers.

“You owe me ten years of suffering. Of unrequited love. Of the attentions you didn’t care about. You had the impudence to marry Potter despite the fact it was I who made you discover our world. It is time I took back what is mine.”

His hands cupped Lily’s arms. The contact made her tremble with revulsion.

“You have never loved me,” she stated coldly. “This is not love, it is vengeance.”

“Think as you like.”

“What is the service Voldemort has rewarded you for?”

There was a brief silence. His grip tightened. “None of your concern. And don’t say the Dark Lord’s name.”

“Then you should know I’m not going to take a single one of your orders. You will have to use Imperius or Cruciatus.”

Strangely, his fingers relaxed their hold, and his voice sounded calm again. “That would be humiliating for both of us. You know I wouldn’t harm you, Lily.”

His hands slid over her hips and continued up to her breasts. She let her fury explode. She tried to hit him, to kick him, to do anything to avoid the hands of the hateful man she had once trusted. Snape caught her wrists and held her at some distance from him. She struggled for long minutes before her weary body collapsed in exhaustion and frustration. Then he positioned her on the bed with a surprising tenderness and made her nightgown vanish with a flick of his wand. She closed her eyes, praying for a blackout, or better, for a quick death. Even if she did not die of the humiliation she was going to endure, there was nothing left in the world she should live for. Her husband and her dearest friend were to be killed in the most inhumane way possible, and she had been given as a slave to Snape, who was directing the whole thing. Her son… She was ashamed to have survived to the dreadful news.

Before she could pull away, she felt the touch of his bare skin against her own. His hands were sliding on her body, stroking her in smooth waves, whilst his lips were leaving light kisses on their way down her face and neck. She attempted to push him away once more, but he stilled her. The sinister Dark Mark flashed on his arm, and she flinched.

“Get used to it,” he whispered.

His head was slowly moving down her torso to linger near her groin. Lily could only try to strengthen her mind to make it resist the waves of arousal that were beginning to pump through her veins. Never had she felt so humiliated. She kept repeating to herself that it was only one of the natural reactions of her body she could not control. It was a manipulation designed to make her admit she had desired it and make her feel guilty.

Her reason was still trying to fortify her mind when a muffled cry escaped her lips, drowning her mental barriers in a savage surge of pleasure. She was vaguely aware of Severus’ hands fondling her arms, breasts and hips again, as he softly penetrated her. His lips swooped down on hers in a hungry kiss, which seemed to last hours, and a new avalanche of pleasure rolled over her body. The sweet nothingness swept her pain away for a while.

When her daze dispersed, she was lying in Severus’ tight embrace under the silver blankets. He was stroking her hair, his possessive black eyes studying her face.

When he noticed she had recovered, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and pulled her closer to his chest before closing his eyes with a murmur: “Sleep.”

Lily fought back the tears that were burning her eyes, trying to repress her anger and shame. She could not permit herself to be drawn into depression and self-pity, nor to lose her self-esteem. She had to save James and Sirius. She had to put aside her distress and think.

It was impossible to release the two Animagi and remove her collar without a wand. She was certain hers had been destroyed, given the circumstances, but she would use Snape’s. The war was not over as long as Dumbledore was alive. The day before Voldemort’s attack, she had received news that he had attended the most recent meeting of the Order. Hogwarts still was a safe place. They would continue fighting until they have had avenged…

She lay still, waiting for Severus’ respiration to become slow and regular. When she was sure he was asleep, she attempted to free herself imperceptibly from his embrace. After several minutes of discreet wriggling, she managed to slip out of his arms. Just as she was going to steal away, she felt a painful grip on her wrist.

“You cannot have my wand, Lily,” he said placidly, pulling her back. “And you cannot take your collar off. I’m the only one who knows the right incantation. Be a good girl and sleep.”

She spent the rest of that sleepless night mourning for her son.

***

The following morning, Lily simulated slumber, waiting for Severus to leave. As she suspected, he did not lock the door. She hung on a moment before jumping swiftly from the bed. She wanted to go to the hall, to comfort James and Sirius and assure them she would find a way to free them. Her red nightgown was folded on the chair. She put it on and looked around the room to find another piece of clothing that would make her less visible. There was only Snape’s black cloak he had left on the armchair. She pulled it on as well and walked into the corridor.

There were still crowds in the hall – the celebration had lasted all night. She got hastily through the huge room without looking around. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to the imprisoned Animagi. She leaned forward and passed her hand through the bars to stroke the stag’s head, then the dog’s. Both of them were looking at her tenderly.

“I promise we’ll leave this place,” she whispered. “We’ll find Dumbledore. Nothing is lo--”

“Step aside, Mudblood!” She was brutally pushed back with Malfoy’s cane. “You are not allowed to talk to the other prisoners,” the snob declared haughtily. “Crabbe, Goyle, could you drag the Mudblood back to Severus’ room?”

She was seized by two enormous Death Eaters with rude and slightly dumb faces. At this instant, Snape emerged from the crowd.

“Thank you, I’ll take her myself. Keep your hands away from her, Crabbe. KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY, OR I WILL CURSE THEM OFF!”

“But… I was wondering…” mumbled the latter. “You’ve got the best slave… So maybe… you could…”

“No, I could not. Get out of my way!”

Malfoy watched the two troll-like colossuses retreat.

“They are harmless, Severus.”

“Then how on earth did they manage to get their Dark Marks?” snarled Snape, seizing Lily’s arms himself.

“They are stupid and evil, and therefore useful.” He pointed at Lily with his cane. “Why don’t you give her restraints, Severus? She seems to have discipline problems.”

“Much more amusing this way,” Snape replied laconically. “Excuse me for a while.”

He turned his head to the cage and had a slight smile. “You too, Potter, Black.”

Then he hauled the furious Lily from the hall, where Malfoy was shaking in a fit of silent laughter, covering his mouth with a lacy white handkerchief.

When he had closed the door, he looked at Lily intently, and she felt her vision blur. He had to have mastered Legilimency, she realized suddenly. Her troubling assumption was confirmed, as he said:

“Dumbledore is dead. We attacked the Order during their last meeting, and the Dark Lord killed him in a duel. All the members were made prisoners. It was we who sent you the report of the meeting. Forget your dreams about escaping to Hogwarts. There is no way you can break out: the collar won’t let you go any further than to the hall. And there is nothing you can do to save the others.”

The pain was so piercing that she had the feeling of being torn from inside. The casual way he was speaking of Dumbledore’s death revolted her more than anything she had yet borne.

“What is intended for them?”

“They have been given to my colleagues. Some of them – Moody, Aberforth, McGonagall – will be executed after the Marauders Games.”

She collapsed on the chair. This was too much.

“Severus… you know there is nothing I wouldn’t do to make you… change your mind.”

Snape’s face remained impassive. “What can you do, Lily? What can you give me? You can certainly give me your consent, but as you could see, I don’t need it to make us both enjoy our time.”

“I do not enjoy it!” she protested, indignant.

He smirked. “Indeed? Well, I’ll do my best to satisfy you the next time.”

“Severus, do it for me. I beg you!”

“Oh, Lily, do you really take me for a mawkish Gryffindor?”

It was useless.

To hell with her self-esteem. She threw herself at his feet. “I’ve lost my son, Severus! I couldn’t bear it if they were to be harmed.”

Suddenly, his gaze hardened. “It is your fault. You should have never joined Potter,” he growled darkly.

The door closed with a loud crash. This time, he locked it.

***

When Snape returned to the room that evening, he behaved as if nothing had happened. He glanced at the table containing three full trays sent by the house-elves – the meals had gone cold hours ago – then at Lily, who was lying on the bed, her face averted.

“That won’t do,” he admonished. “If you try to starve yourself, I will have to administer nutritive potions. Believe me, Lucius’ menu is far better.”

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite,” she replied coldly. She could not look at him.

He nodded and exited. A moment later, he was back with a violet phial.

“Will you take it, or would you prefer me to bind you?” he asked in his usual silky voice. It drove Lily mad. Nonetheless, she took the potion. There was no point in fighting him. She had to persuade him.

He put the empty phial on the night table and took her in his arms. She felt his hands stroking her again. His unnatural gentleness had something monstrous in it, and Lily suppressed a shiver of disgust. Reluctantly, she put her arms around his neck. He let out a little grunt of surprise and looked in her eyes. But his hesitation did not last more than a few seconds; he promptly leaned forward and kissed her eagerly. Determined to give him pleasure, she pushed him on his back and parted his robes and shirt to explore his body with her lips. He moaned and grabbed her hair as she unfastened his trousers, took his hard member in her hand and lowered her head to take him between her lips. Quickly, he came into her mouth, and she fought her nausea to swallow his seed.

While Severus was still gasping on his back, Lily took her nightgown off. It was the right thing to do. His caresses were much fiercer than the night before, but he did not forget about her own pleasure. She spared no effort to reciprocate all of his attentions, and both of them were soon writhing in orgasm.

Once they had recovered, Snape pulled the blankets over them and embraced her tightly.

“Thank you, Lily,” he whispered in her ear. “You have no idea for how long I’ve dreamt of this night.”

She kept silence for a moment.

“Then would you do me a favour, Severus?”

“Of course. Tomorrow morning, I’ll tell the elves to bring you some decent clothes and jewellery. You deserve nothing but the best.”

Her hurt expression made him smile.

“Sleep, my love.”

***

After the second sleepless night, Lily began to succumb to the panic. It could not continue this way.

“Severus.”

“Mmm?”

“I’ll do anything if you don’t condemn my husb--”

“For Merlin’s sake, Lily, don’t talk of Potter to me! It’s not what I brought you here for. Besides, you don’t have a husband.”

However much he objected, he seemed to enjoy her pleas. Why did it not work?

He finished getting dressed and turned to face her.

“Do you want me to tell them exactly what you did to me last night?”

He could not mean that. She whimpered quietly.

“Then stop bothering me.”

Bothering him!

He headed for the door. “I haven’t forgotten my promise. You can also enter the hall once a day, provided you talk to no one.”

“And what am I supposed to do the rest of the time?” she asked angrily.

“Anything you like. Just don’t leave the room.”

***

In the evening, Severus did not seem surprised to find another three full trays on the table, set next to an untouched wooden chest and an equally untouched little box. He had to bind Lily to the bed to make her swallow her nutritive potion and a brew destined to plunge her in a dreamless sleep. However, the conversation she had heard during the day haunted her even in her slumber.

That morning, agitated voices coming from one of the doors left ajar in the corridor had drawn her attention while she had been going to the hall.

“… and what do you expect me to do about it, Lucius?”

“Give them a stimulating potion, Severus. Nothing more.”

“Make them aggressive by magic? Where is the fun in that? It should happen in a natural way; otherwise, it was useless to starve them.”

“You misunderstand me. The Dark Lord wishes Potter and Black to fight at the full moon so that we can feed them – I mean, whatever remains of them – to the werewolf immediately. There are four days left. Can anyone guarantee that Black will get hungry enough by then?”

“Be that as it may,” Rookwood commented lazily, “I guess that Potter will sacrifice himself as a perfect altruist Gryffindor. And Black will take a little bite, then launch into heart-breaking moaning.”

“And that would be much more entertaining than a fight, if you ask me,” grumbled Snape. “The contrary would be artificial.”

“I know, Severus,” said Malfoy, “but a stimulant would only exacerbate their hunger. Believe me, it WILL be entertaining.”

“So much trouble,” drawled Dolohov. “If I were you, I would simply lock them up with a dozen Bludgers.”

“We are not such barbarians, Antonin.”

“Ha ha ha!”

“Shut up, Goyle.”

Lily had barely been able to reach her room; her throat was completely dry, her legs weak and trembling. When she had regained control of herself, the door had already been locked.

***

Lily woke up alone. At first, she had the impulse to run to Harry’s room and check he was well. Then the reality of the last three days overcame her, and she fell back on the pillows with her face in her hands. She was naked and had a deep bite mark on her shoulder. She was rather grateful Severus had taken her while she was unconscious. As she rose, she felt a piercing headache and a severe pain in her abdomen. None of it mattered.

While cleaning herself in the bathroom, she saw her hands were shaking unceasingly. Anxiety was submerging her, but she had to master herself.

After searching inside the chest, Lily realized that all the clothes she had been given were red. Was it to mark her as a Gryffindor? She put on a robe – the only long piece of clothing available – and draped herself in Snape’s black cloak again. She did not open the smaller box.

Lily could almost believe the celebration in the hall was never intended to stop. On the contrary, it had become more unbridled: several couples had undressed and were lying on the floor in pools of wine. As Lily had suspected, no one was wearing red… except one familiar female figure. It was Dorcas Meadowes. She had a large blue bruise on her face, and her neck was encircled by a metallic collar, to which a chain was attached. She glanced at Lily sadly before being violently dragged away by Mulciber. It hurt Lily as much as the sight of James and Sirius lying half-conscious in their cage with wide empty eyes. Yet they lifted their heads in her direction as soon as she came closer.

At that instant, she felt an intense stare fixed on her back. She turned her head and saw Wormtail, who was pressing his back to the wall. His face was very pale, but he did not lower his eyes. After a minute of hesitation, he made a step towards her. Then he saw Snape entering the hall in Malfoy’s company, and his face blanched completely white. He changed his direction abruptly and lost himself in the small crowd surrounding one of the tables.

“I see your pet is already in love with you,” Malfoy mocked. “When you’re absent, she wears your robes to feel you close to her, isn’t it so?”

“I like to think so,” Snape replied softly. “If you have satisfied your need to see these… friends of yours, my love, go back to your room.”

Her imploring gaze had no effect on him. “Now.”

***

The next days brought no change: Snape remained adamant. When all hope had left Lily, she tried to beg him for a more humane death for the Marauders.

“Would you prefer them to be killed with Bludgers?” he asked coolly.

Enraged, she threw a full tray at him, then expressed all the disgust and contempt he elicited in her. He listened with a stony face, only his eyes grew darker with every sentence. He hissed incantations to repair the dishes and to clean the carpet and left. In the evening, he was affectionate again.

Her anxiety was turning into depression.

He continued to make her drink the two potions. She was unconscious every time he took advantage of her. Maybe he knew his treacherous caresses would make her sick.

The day of the full moon, she woke up suffocating. The door was locked.

She would have given anything to be daily beaten like Dorcas, if only it could stop the slow torture she had been submitted to. Presently, she could understand that Snape’s apparent gentleness and concessions were intended to weaken and destabilize her, to ruin her self-respect. How could the boy who had once been her best friend have become such a dark creature? How could she have proven herself so weak?

The hours passed in an excruciating silence. When she heard the spell opening the door, she felt paralyzed. Severus entered without a word. He pulled her unceremoniously up to her feet and led her out.

All of the Death Eaters were attending to the “show.” They were wearing their best robes, as if invited to the theatre. Close to the wall, the red-dressed chained prisoners were aligned in a row. It was the entire Order. Some of them were to be executed in the next few hours. She envied them.

Unlike the others, Snape thrust her into an armchair next to him and mumbled a spell to tie her to her seat. Then he sat down himself.

“Some Firewhisky, Severus?” Avery gave him one of the two glasses he had taken from the tray held by a little house-elf with globular green eyes, and raised the other one. “To the Dark Lord’s new world! The world of the pure-blood wizards! Would you join us, Narcissa?”

“With pleasure!” cooed the blond witch, proudly displaying her expensive green and silver gown. “But I’m not fond of Firewhisky. Would you mind, gentlemen, if I took some wine?”

Malfoy emerged from behind the armchairs and nearly stumbled over the house-elf, hidden behind his tray. “Oh, f… damn! DOBBY!”

“Dobby is so sorry, master, Dobby is a bad elf. Dobby is going to burn his nose with charcoal in the kitchen…”

“Out of my sight!” With a blow of his cane, he sent the little creature to the other side of the hall.

“Is everything ready, Cissy?” he asked, turning to his wife.

“I think so, darling.”

“Then it is time I called the Dark Lord and…”

“I will bring him!” a hysterical female voice interrupted. “Leave it to me! I’ll bring him!”

Lucius sighed, clearly annoyed. “Of course, Bella. Just don’t hold the Dark Lord with your inane chatter. The effects of the potion will soon dissipate.”

Lily did not hear the conversations around her. She was gazing at the cage where the two Animagi lay motionless. Cold sweat was trickling all over her body.

When the light was reduced and Malfoy stepped out to greet Voldemort, her heart began to beat frantically in her chest, and she succumbed to the vertiginous darkness that was slowly covering her eyes.

“Rennervate,” whispered the silky voice by her ear.

Curse you, Severus.

With an exaggerated formality, Malfoy announced the beginning of the “Marauders Games” and seated himself comfortably beside Narcissa. At his signal, a voice presented the same spell as the one Snape had used to revive Lily.

The Animagi returned to consciousness with a jerk. The cage was so small that the stag could only rise on his front knees, and he was always in contact with the dog. The potion they had been given had accelerated their blood circulation and intoxicated their minds, already driven insane with hunger. Several Death Eaters cried out in anticipation as the dog bristled with a growl. Lily looked helplessly at Severus, but he was sipping his Firewhisky and paid her no attention.

And then it happened. Padfoot jumped at the stag. Excited cries and encouragements resounded from every part of the room as he sank his teeth into his thigh. Prongs drew himself up as much as the size of the cage allowed him and gave a violent blow to the dog’s flank, flinging him against the bars. But Padfoot was too frenzied to stop. He threw himself on his adversary again, this time biting his throat, drawing blood. Numbed with pain, Prongs made desperate, febrile attempts to shake the dog down. Padfoot’s head hit the bars again. However, the taste of the blood had strengthened him, blinded him. In a single leap, he was back on the stag, tearing through his flesh with his fangs.

Lily could not move. She could not take her eyes off the fighting Animagi, nor hear the exclamations and laughter of the Death Eaters, nor feel the tears running profusely down her cheeks. Her lips were parted in a voiceless scream; her breath was cut in her chest. She saw the stag shiver, covered in blood, and exhale under the dog’s teeth, his huge velvet eyes distant and unfocused. Padfoot continued to gnaw at his wounds until the bigger animal stopped moving. Then the realization seemed to dawn on him. He stepped back feebly and pressed himself against the bars. A long agonizing howl rose from his throat, freezing the blood in Lily’s veins.

“That was quick,” complained Malfoy to Snape.

“I told you it would be, Lucius.”

“I hope the werewolf will be better. Please, go ahead, Severus.”

Snape waved his wand to apply the counter-spell to the curse that imprisoned the Animagi in their animal form.

“Now!”

Both of them cast the Animagus reversal spell, and the two prisoners were slowly transformed into humans. James’ mutilated body lay in a puddle of blood, whereas Sirius was cowering against the bars. His handsome face was bruised and emaciated. Without a single look at the public surrounding them, he leaned on James’ corpse and embraced it fiercely.

One of the doors opened, and a masked Death Eater entered, following the cage he was levitating in front of him – a cage with a furious, famished werewolf. Remus. It was now obvious why the Animagi had been returned to their original form: werewolves attacked only the humans. No spell had been cast upon Sirius to prevent him from transforming into an animal again, as it was evident he would not abandon James. Everything had been calculated meticulously.

Sirius raised his head and glanced at the creature jerking in the approaching cage. His piercing grey eyes framed by dishevelled dark locks were the last thing Lily saw before the image vanished and the world dissolved in oblivion.

***

Voices and images were undulating in an indistinct brouhaha. A stag was perishing under the teeth of a large black dog, and rivers of blood were streaming all around. Sinister laughter was reverberating off the walls as the bright red light hit her. A little dark-haired boy was watching her in a tree’s shadow. He rolled up his sleeve to uncover his Dark Mark. The black snake rose from the skull carved in his arm and shot up at her.

“Shhh. I’m here, Lily. No one can harm you.”

A hand was gently stroking her face. Soothing and comforting.

“James…”

The hand withdrew brusquely.

***

“… and I suggest that you should do your very best to cure her, Madam Pomfrey.”

“And if you try to smuggle poison to her, as you did to Mrs Longbottom… well, Lupin might be dead, but we still have Greyback. And he is quite enthusiastic about helping us dispose of the Order members. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Mr Rookwood.”

“Good. Bring your potions here.”

Soft steps on the carpet. Creaking of the door.

“Where is he exactly, Lucius?”

“He is inspecting his new manor.”

“His new manor? He was given a manor?”

“Yes, one of the ancient Black domains.”

“Bloody hell, Lucius, that’s completely unfair! The Dark Lord never gives such things to any of his followers!”

“We wouldn’t have won the war without Snape, Augustus.”

“I mean, he managed to overhear the prophecy, but it is Pettigrew who told us of Potter’s hiding place. And he was not rewarded for that.”

“In fact, Pettigrew wasn’t going to tell. He pretended it was Black they had chosen as their Secret-Keeper. But Severus had suspicions…”

“How?”

“Pettigrew is a lamentable Occlumens. However, he is resistant to Imperius and to Veritaserum. Eventually, Severus lost patience, and together we dragged Pettigrew to Spinner’s End. There, he tortured him the whole night, and Pettigrew ended up telling. All in all, he is lucky to be still alive.”

“That’s why he runs away like a moron whenever he sees Severus?”

“Exactly. Besides, Severus had a kind of tantrum last week. He didn’t tell me what the reason was, but he relieved himself by sending a couple of Cruciatus curses at Pettigrew.”

“Hmmm. I wondered why the fool was stuttering all evening.”

“But no one knows about the night at Spinner’s End except the Dark Lord, Augustus. At least for now.”

“I see. I’d never think Severus would take so much trouble for a Mudblood.”

“Technically, he took that trouble out of his loyalty to the Dark Lord and his hatred for Potter and Black. But otherwise, you’re right.”

“I hope she is worth it.”

“I’d prefer the manor.”

“Hey look, she is moving. She might have heard.”

“Severus can Obliviate her later, if he likes. But we have to stay here until Pomfrey does her job.”

“Such a loyal friend you are, Lucius.”

“Well, don’t test my loyalty by locking yourself in a cage with me. I may surprise you.”

Laughter.

***

“… You know you can stay here as long as you need, Severus.”

“Thank you, Lucius. I’ll wait until her fever subsides, so that we can Disapparate safely.”

“Do you like it there?”

“It’s quite decent. As soon as you are free from your mundane affairs, come for a drink.”

“I certainly will. While we are at it, I wanted to invite you to Bella’s wedding.”

“Has she finally agreed to marry Lestrange?”

“Oh yes. Narcissa managed to explain to her she couldn’t have the Dark Lord.”

“I’m glad for you. You’ll get rid of her after all these months.”

“Yes. I wouldn’t tolerate that lunatic in my house if my wife weren’t on such good terms with her. I can’t fathom out why she is.”

“Forget it.”

“But do me a favour, Severus. Don’t bring the Mudblood with you.”

“I don’t like the idea of leaving her alone, but I guess I’ll do it for you. And I don’t want Bella to harm her.”

Silence.

“Lucius.”

“Yes?”

“I intend to legalize the children I’ll have with Lily.”

“That’s not a problem.”

“Would you agree to be their godfather?”

“Oh… err… of course I would, Severus. Do you give her… some potions?”

“I haven’t yet. But I will.”

***

A hand was gently stroking her face again. It took some time for her to focus on the familiar room, to recall where she was. She remembered nothing of the previous gloomy days. She guessed it mattered little. Despite the heat spreading in her whole body, she felt cold. And weak, so weak.

Snape’s fingers were lightly caressing her forehead and cheeks. He was speaking to her in a soft, calming tone.

“Rest, my Lily. Everything will be fine. Nothing bad can happen to you when you’re with me. When you feel better, we’ll leave to my manor. You will love it. You will have the entire Northern Wing to your disposal. There is a library which I’m sure will please you. As soon as you recover completely, you can help me brew. Next year, when the necessary arrangements have been made, we’ll go to Hogwarts, of which I’ve been named Headmaster. I know how much you have loved this school. The Dark Lord’s reforms will improve it even further. You’ll see, all will be well. Now rest, my love.”

He left a kiss on her forehead, then on her cheeks and lips, and stood up.

“Severus?”

He turned to look at her.

“You told me I owed you ten years of suffering. Will you release me after the time is over?”

He shook his head. “In ten years, you will not want to leave, Lily. I assure you.”

His black cloak billowed behind him as he disappeared in the shadow.
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The Redemption