Chapter Text
Lily was soaked.
She was cold and shivering, her rain soaked clothes doing little to help her against the chill autumn wind. Water sloshed into her shoes, soaking her socks as she trudged through the heavy downpour. She clutched her coat around her tighter, curling in on herself as she tried to protect the little bundle in her arms, saving all her warmth for Harry. He was the most precious thing tonight (and every night as far as Lily was concerned), he had to be hidden. Her poor baby was shivering, little fingers clutching at her sweater as he let out silent cries. They had to move with the utmost secrecy and begrudgingly she had cast muffliato on Harry’s baby blankets, though swaddling him in a cocoon of silence did not stop his muted cries from tugging painfully at her heart. James had side-eyed her when she cast it, and she had felt the ugly thing she kept buried in her chest rearing its head as she had to explain she wasn’t casting it on Harry. Like she’d ever. Like he had any right to judge.
Now, though, she was thankful for him again. Tucked close to James’ side as her husband held his family close, all equally cold and shivering. His arm tightened around her every now and again as she stumbled over rocks and potholes, with Cocksworth still being the pinnacle of up-keep it always was. As they trekked on through the night, using a notice me not charm to avoid the leering stares of the men who lingered around the streets after dark like cockroaches, Lily found herself wishing they could apparate. Though she was reminded of Severus’ words. There were eyes in the ministry now, and their wand history could easily be looked into. So she hugged Harry tighter and trudged on.
—
Lily didn’t pay any mind when she heard Harry giggling from the other room. He was quite the giggly baby, the sound of the charmed stove heating up on its own was enough to make him fall out hysterically, a clear sign he unfortunately inherited his father’s dumbassary along with his looks. So naturally, she merely smiled to herself and continued to pile clothes into the laundry basket for James to wash later. It wasn’t until she rounded the corner with the basket on her hip that her heart stopped dead in her chest. The sight of long black hair spilling over the shoulders of a man she hadn’t spoken to in years, and a face aged lightly but not in a way that rendered him unrecognizable met her (un)pleasantly. He was softly rocking her baby in his arms, cooing down at him softly, and despite the warnings, despite the reason they moved to Godric's Hollow in the first place, Lily’s hand didn’t twitch toward her wand. She was unsure if the gasp she had in her mind, escaped into reality or not, but his dark eyes turned to her and she tensed up all over again, suddenly knocked back to reality with only the faint dances of nostalgia and smoothing warmth bleeding away into that same hardness she’d reserved for him ever since the incident.
“What are you doing here, Severus.” Lily snapped, her hand gripping the basket tighter as she stalked towards the man, anxiety now climbing its way through her as she remembered just what exactly he had become.
“Lady Potter.” He said simply in lieu of a greeting, and to her surprise he gently handed over Harry.
Lily held Harry close to her chest, having thrown the laundry down on the kitchen table to have her baby safe in her arms as quickly as possible. Though for some reason she wasn’t backing away, or reaching for her wand. Just watching cautiously as the man, Severus, slowly lowered himself into a chair, hands raised to placate her. There were several beats of tense silence before he spoke again.
“...Lily.” He paused like the name had become foreign on his tongue. “Lily, you know I wouldn’t come if it wasn’t of the utmost importance.” Lily scoffed, but let him continue, knowing somewhere, in the back of her heart that it was true.
“You aren’t safe here. Come tomorrow you, the baby, and Potter will all be dead.” At her obvious tensing he hurried on and she was surprised by the desperation that was leaking into his voice, no matter how hard he was trying to appear level headed, she had always known him too well.
“Pettigrew is your secret keeper, correct? He’s sworn his loyalty, has been trying to worm his way into being top bitch, he’s given your location up, given up the Order’s plans–” Severus took a slightly shaky breath, dark eyes glancing around the room like he was being hunted, before continuing. “The… Dark Lord is going to kill you. I’ve already gone to Dumbledore–” Lily’s gasp was ignored. “The old bastard’s the reason you moved here in the first place, but it doesn’t sit right with me, you staying here. Not when I know how unreliable he is.”
Lily sunk down in the chair across from him, her world felt like it was shattering into tiny little pieces. The rest of what was being said blurred into obscurity as she looked down at the child in her arms, her own eyes staring back up at her as Harry giggled again, reaching his impossibly tiny hands up to grab at his mother. She had thought they were safe, thought maybe they could hold off until the tide was turned, but those were mere hopes, fantasies, lies to help her sleep at night. Lily knew right then and there that she’d do anything to protect her baby, and she hardened once more, determination settling in her bones as she stared back up at her former friend.
“...You wouldn’t have been able to get in here if Peter didn’t give us up, especially not this quietly, that bastard must of fucked up the wards too.”
Severus nodded slightly, more of a jerky motion as he folded his hands in his lap.
Lily knew the question that was being asked and she responded with her own shaky nod. “Alright Sev, what do we need to do?”
—
James hadn't liked it, especially not seeing “Sinvellus” sitting there in their dining room, but Lily nearly hexed his ear off and he’d soon realized the gravity of their situation. Which lead to now, James had taken Harry, and was soothing his mini clone with a softly hummed song, occasionally sending up worried glances that burned into the back of Lily’s head from where she stood, pacing around the rickety floor’s of Severus’s place in Cocksworth. He had fixed up the place considerably from how it had looked in her memories, as stained with the blur childhood as they were, it now possessed a humble charm with new plush arm chairs seated near the fireplace, one of which he was seated in, as rigid as she felt and staring into the fireplace with his hand tight around his wand. They were waiting for someone, but Severus had reassured her that if he didn’t appear within the hour they’d move on as planned.
Just as Lily was starting to get more antsy, the flames roared green and the figure climbed out quickly.
“Regulus–” Immediately Severus was up on his feet, lifting up on his tiptoes to brush the soot off the new arrival’s shoulder.
The man looked hauntingly familiar, like Sirius Black but shifted to the left in the most uncanny way possible, and it wasn’t until James yelped out “Baby Black!?” that the dots connected in Lily’s head. Regulus Black, as she now recognized, flung the most venomous glare Lily had ever seen in her life at James in response, to which her husband grimaced. Tucking Harry close to his chest and fumbling with his glasses in a way that would have the fond laugh, that was unfortunately reserved for her idiot, bubble out of her if it wasn’t for the situation they were in.
Black turned back to Severus, face softening but mouth still pressed in a thin line as he spoke. “Sorry for my lateness, I had to make sure it seemed like a distress signal was sent from your way and make sure Kretcher was somewhere he couldn't reach.”
Severus rolled his eyes at the last part, albeit strangely fondly, and Lily took the temporary lapse in silence to study Black. She’d never really paid attention to him in school, only really noticing him when trailing behind Severus like a lost duckling, but after the incident at the lake Lily stopped giving two shits about what Severus did or who he hung around. Black, as he was standing in front for her, was decently taller than Sirius who was already fairly close in height to James, and his eyes, though they did possess that same eerie coldness Sirius’ did, were a dull brown instead of ice blue. Black turned to face them, and if he caught her cataloging his appearance, he didn’t say anything, instead tersely addressing the room.
“Alright. So we make sure this house has enough duel-damage, and then we head out to our rendez-vous point, where your friends will be waiting and ready, correct?”
James switched Harry to his hip, pulling out his wand from his holster with the practiced ease of an Auror and nodded firmly. “Pads and Moony will be there. They’d never dream of being late, not for something like this.”
James had insisted on bringing those two along after he’d found Lily and Severus in the kitchen, and Severus had thrown his hands up in exasperation. ( “Yes, Potter. If bringing along your two favorite flea ridden mutts means you’ll agree to not die . By all means, please be my guest.”) James had said it was for extra protection, as they couldn’t just hinge all their trust on an active Death Eater, but Lily knew the deeper reason was the protective part of James that wrapped around everyone in his life like a well missed hug. There was no way he was leaving his best mates to be flayed alive by Voldemort or any of his followers. And anyways, Lily agreed, she wasn’t particularly fond of the Marauders but she would feel safer traveling with people who she knew wouldn’t turn around and stab her in the back like Peter Pettigrew, and Severus definitely wasn’t that at the moment.
Black’s scoff brought Lily back to the present, but he didn’t comment any further, just drawing his wand with a hard look in his eyes. Lily and Severus followed suit, and soon they were firing off random spells at each other, all of the nastier offensive ones shot in a way that could be easily deflected in a way that seemed natural, Severus purposely shot some of the chairs across the room, and Lily hesitantly grazed his arm so a few droplets of blood could smear around on the floor. By the time they were done, it looked like the room had been significantly ransacked, scorches on the floorboards, glasses shattered on the floor, tea spread out like blood seeping from a wound… Lily couldn’t help but grimace as she tucked her wand back into her pocket.
Severus glanced around the room nervously, surveying the damage before hunching over with a sigh and turned to face the group. “Alright, time’s running out. We need to move.”
James flicked out his invisibility cloak and Lily didn’t miss Severus’ responding eye twitch and the following sharp sigh of realization that left him, but no further words were said as the four of them, with Harry still tightly snuggled up to his father, slipped underneath. Lily and James both fired off half formed apparition spells, just enough so their magical trace would be noticeable, and then the group was off, trudging back into the dark and wet streets of Cocksworth once more.
—
Lily felt like that had been walking for forever, Harry was back in her arms now, this time napping quietly as the sun slowly started to peek up over the horizon. Sirius and Remus were behind them now, the former loudly complaining about having to leave his motorcycle on the side of the road and the slightly exasperated Remus reminding him that Sirius himself enchanted it to return to him once called. Tensions were starting to run a little high, especially as Severus and Black, who were walking in front of the group, suddenly slowed down to fall behind, Black having grabbed Severus’s arm to whisper something in his ear. Sirius was sending suspicious, venomous glances at the too, but was temporarily placated by James’ earlier pleas of urgency.
Eventually, the two caught up again, and Severus lightly tapped her shoulder, speaking to her but loud enough so the others could hear too.
“It’s just a little further up ahead, see where that dent in the grass is?” He still hadn’t told them exactly what they were looking for or where they were going, and if Lily wasn’t lying to herself, she was properly anxious. A deep fear ticklishly gnawing away at her insides that normally would have her turning on her heels. But home wasn’t safe, and she no longer knew who she could trust in the Order, her subconscious helpfully supplying that it was Dumbledore who suggested Peter be their secret keeper instead of the obvious choice that was Sirius Black, who was more loyal to James than a dog was their owner. Lily pushed forward though, walking with her head up high because if she was being led into a Death Eater Ambush, she would not let them see her acting pathetic, and her final moments would be fighting with nails and teeth, anything to protect her baby.
Soon they stopped, and upon looking down, Lily saw an old beat up shoe lying in the trampled grass.
“...A portkey?” Lily asked, grip tightening on Harry slightly.
“It’s safe. Safe for children, I mean.” Severus reassured.
“Yeah, right, Snivellus. Are we just going to ignore the numerous magical regulations saying that any kind of teleportation or relocation is incredibly dangerous for small children?” Sirius spat, rearing like he’d been itching for this and the leash on his collar finally snapped. “What? Your precious muggle-killer claiming to be false king was too lazy to come and kill Harry himself, so he sent you to go betwitch my brother and rip a baby apart together?”
Black started, but Severus just let a long suffering sigh, grabbing the taller's shoulder and shaking his head. “It’s safe. I modified the enhancements to be easy on children, specifically babies. He may get upset at the dizziness, but he’ll be fine.”
James stepped closer to Lily, placing a hand protectively over their son as he met Severus’ gaze with a hard look. “Look Snape. I appreciate your help so far, but you can’t expect me to risk my son’s life with some hastily doctored portkey. Wherever we have to walk, we’ll walk.”
Severus rolled his eyes. “Hastily doctored– ” He muttered under his breath, before picking up the shoe and approaching the two, barely flinching at the way Sirius whipped his wand out and trained it squarely on his back.
“Unlike you and your lot, Potter. I don’t do things half assed.” There was some context, some charged and angry thing that was baring its head that Lily couldn’t understand, but could see in the way the remaining Marauders tensed. “If I say it’s safe, it's because it’s safe. I didn’t just throw spells at the thing and hoped they’d work, it works.”
Sirius started up again but Severus raised his voice, speaking over him, and Lily almost missed the way he threw a small nervous glance at the sky. “I perfected it a year ago, Narcissa needed something to help get her around long distances during and after her pregnancy. We can’t walk because we need to be out of the country before noon hits. I’ll have you reminded that the Dark Lord will be on our tail the moment he realizes you three are not at home.”
Sirius started at that, deflating slightly as he looked around, eyes searching for his brother even though the latter refused to even look in his direction. “...Cissa has a baby?”
“You don’t get to call her that anymore. Didn’t you call her ‘purist scum’ last time she tried to reach out to you? An action that had her shamed by the family for even bothering to lend grace to a blood traitor. Which I didn’t think I’d have to remind you, but you aren’t a part of our family anymore." Black snapped, turning to Sirius just to stare him down, like a cat that had fully scrunched up, back fur prickled up and poised to strike.
Lily found herself surprised, and then a little angry and ashamed at herself for it, at the clear look of hurt that flashed across Sirius’s face, watching as a familiar ache to her own, which she kept buried deep down, strained his frame as he reached for his brother.
“Reggie, I–”
“ Enough.” Black turned away from him again. “Sev is right, we are wasting precious time even having this conversation. We need to move, now.”
“Oh, so you take orders from Sniv now? What nonsense have they been brainwashing you with, really–”
“Black, if I wanted to kill the damn boy I would have done so already!” Severus bit out harshly, that bitterness that had him got shunned back in their school days rearing its ugly head again, and Lily found herself unsure if he was talking about Harry or the younger Black.
With a sigh and pursed lips, he continued. “We go now. I wouldn’t have brought you all out here to try to kill Harry in the most convoluted and impossible way possible, I’m not stupid. If I wanted him dead I would have smothered him in Godric’s Hollow before anyone could have noticed.”
Lily bristled at that, shooting him a glare, and Severus halted, opening his mouth, probably to apologize but Lily shut him up by stepping forward.
“I’m choosing to trust you, Severus, don’t give me any reason to change my mind.”
His shoulders eased slightly and he looked around the assembled group. “Alright, who’s going first?”
James, who’d had his arms folded tightly over his chest, let out a huff. “I… I still don’t like this but if Lily says okay, okay. But you need to go first to prove it’s not actually just a shoe enchanted to set us all on fire or something.”
Severus rolled his eyes hard, but fitted his teeth and placed both hands on the portkey, vanishing from sight as the shoe fell back to the ground.
The rest waited for several minutes, but when nothing happened Remus stepped forward and clapped a gentle hand on Sirius’ shoulder.
“I’ll go next.”
And then, when he too was gone without a hitch, Lily sighed, rolling her shoulder back to ease the tension before placing a soft kiss to Harry’s forehead, watching him stir in his sleep. She was desperate, really truly desperate for anything to be even able to see him take his first steps, and so she held him close to her heart and gripped the portkey.
—
To her great relief, Severus and Remus were waiting on the other side, and even better, her Harry was perfectly fine. He was now awake and squirming uncomfortably, but he calmed down when she cooed at him and ran her hand over his already full head of wild curls. Truly James’ son through and through.
Soon enough James and then Sirius staggered through, and just as James was taking Harry into his arms, Black stepped through, the matching shoe at their feet spontaneously catching on fire and burning until there was no trace. Not even ashes. Lily and the others stared, wary.
“So we aren’t followed.” Severus said simply, digging around in the bushes nearby before pulling out two packs, slinging one over his shoulder and handing one to Black, who did the same. Lily and the others had their own already, though Lily was sure whatever her and James had panickedly threw in probably wouldn’t be the most useful.
Severus returned to where they were standing and pulled out a bag. “...This is now the point of no return. So if you want out, say so now.” The pointed look he gave Black was met with a small shake of his head, and when no one else said anything, Severus opened the bag and held it up.
“Alright, wands in.”
The collective tense would have been amusing in any other situation.
“Are you bloody serious Sniv? You drag us out in the middle of the night, have us walk for miles, use some weird fire portkey, and then expect us to hand you our wands when you haven’t even told us where the fuck we’re going!? Merlin’s beard, you're acting as if you earned any right to be trusted, just bash me over the head with a log next, why don't you.”
“For you, Black? Gladly.” Severus spat. “I’ll have you reminded that The Dark–” He cut himself very suddenly. “…You Know Who has eyes in the Ministry, and any spell cast could alert him to our current location at any time. And I’m ‘sorry’ if you haven’t earned my trust either, Black, I can’t really expect you not to sling spells around willy nilly when my back is turned.”
Before anyone could say anything else though, Severus drew his wand out from his sleeve and dropped it in the bag, holding out with a look that clearly said this wasn’t something he was budging on. As much as Lily liked the weight of her wand at her side, she had to admit Severus’ logic was sound, and seeing as he already volunteered…
Lily’s wand followed Severus' and fell to the bottom of the bag. Remus’ followed shortly after, then James’, then Black’s, and finally with a scoff, Sirius dropped his in as well.
Severus folded the bag up and tucked it in his pack, before nodding tersely and heading off. Lily followed quickly behind, shoving her hands in her pockets.
“Where are we going, Severus?” She inwardly grimaced, but calling him ‘Sev’ felt wrong now and calling him ‘Snape’ felt even worse.
He matched his gait with hers and they fell into step side by side, James behind them, Remus and Sirius behind him, and finally Regulus at the back.
“...We’re somewhere in the foothills of Wales.” He paused. “As for where we’re going… I don’t know.”
At Lily’s shocked look he quickly hurried on, quicker when he heard the others start up again.
“I’m not sure if any place is fully safe from You Know Who, really. So we’re going to keep moving until we have another option.” He scoffed, throwing a glance over his shoulder. “Unless you want to go charging at a fully fledged Dark Mage with a baby in one hand and no plan, hiding is the best answer for now.”
Severus turned back to face Lily, face softening considerably. “Wales is too close to England. I didn’t have time to place more portkeys, let alone the fact of how risky that would be… But there is something. Magic often gathers and leaves little pockets in areas that have high affinity for it, and are typically linked with another pocket somewhere else. We can use those to travel around unseen.”
Lily frowned, but looked ahead, studying the ways the trees bent over to cover them, the new rays of sunlight just barely filtering through the leaves. Trees on the right, mountains on the left. She’d have to admit it was a good spot.
“And you know how to get there?”
“I know how to spot them, yes.”
Lily looked behind her at Harry’s gummy smile and bright eyes.
“...Lead the way.”