Chapter 3
Severus scowled as he glanced at the parchment in his hand and pushed the headmistress’ office door open. The griffin would not have allowed him entry if the headmistress was occupied. He called out, "Minerva, I need to order the ingredients for the hospital wing potions," then he heard a soft gasp and looked up to see a lovely woman in her late 30s with short, bright red hair streaked with some grays. He could not see her features clearly as she stood across the room near the portraits.
He glanced around and asked, “Where is Minerva McGonagall?”
The woman stepped forward, and he frowned. She looked familiar, and her green eyes looked sad and troubled. She stammered before taking hold of herself and replied, “She will be back soon, dealing with some troublemakers.” She stared at him intensely as if seeing a ghost.
He stared back at her, “Oh.” He frowned, “Who may you be? You are familiar.”
She opened her mouth, but Minerva appeared behind Severus. “Lily, I am sorry, oh,” she stopped to see them.
Severus’ eyes widened in shock. “No.” He turned to Minerva, “That’s not possible.” He glanced back at her and stepped up, taking her chin in his hand to get a better look. She gasped as she stared up at him, her eyes wide. He saw hints of scars on her face, but her eyes were the same bright green eyes he knew long ago. She looked older as well. “How?”
Lily kept her mouth shut as Severus let her chin go and stepped back, rubbing her arms insecurely, glancing at the older woman.
Minerva sighed, “Well, I was going to call you, but you’re here now. Severus, this is Lily, from another universe. She stumbled upon our own escaping from hers and she has nowhere to go.”
Severus stared at the headmistress long before asking, “Universe?”
Minerva nodded and gestured to the chairs before her desk. “If you have time, we can explain to you.”
Severus glanced at Lily, who was standing with insecurity. His heart lurched, but he steeled his resolve. This wasn’t his Lily. She must have been an imposter. He nodded and moved past her to sit down.
Lily closed her eyes as despair filled her. She knew Severus Snape of this universe was not her husband, but it hurt to feel rejected by him. She turned and followed the tall man and sat in the chair she had occupied earlier. She stared at him. Is this what her husband would’ve looked like if he had never died? Before, she was a hard man shrouded in black robes. His face was grim and serious, his long black hair hanging down his shoulders. He was not a handsome man by standard, but to her, he was perfect, with all his flaws. She loved his dark eyes and his aquiline nose.
“Severus,” Severus, glancing at the woman who claimed to be Lily, turned his attention to the headmistress. The older woman glanced at him, her eyes soft and understanding. “Severus, you were a headmaster before. Surely, you came across information about Hogwarts and the artifacts held here. The Mirror of Efillellarap?”
Severus’ eyes widened, he did indeed come across the information about the mirror. It was theorized that it showed parallel life, and a theory that a person can travel to another universe with a spell that was long lost. He turned to Lily, “You know the spell to activate the mirror?”
She nodded in response. “Yes, that’s how I got here.”
Severus frowned and asked, “Why here?”
Lily inhaled sharply. She knew her Severus, and that was a thinly veiled contempt. “I did not choose this universe. The mirror did.” She swallowed hard and wrung her hands together tightly to hide her shaking. She turned to Minerva stiffly.
“Severus.” Minerva’s tone was admonishing, and the man turned to her and glowered. She frowned, “Lily here is here by magic’s choice. We will do everything to make her feel welcome.”
Severus stood up and pushed the parchment he had across her desk, “I need these orders if you want me to restock the hospital wing’s potions.” He turned to Lily and bowed stiffly before leaving the office in a swirl of robes.
Lily bit the bottom of her lip as tears fell from her eyes. “He didn’t want me here,” she whispered, her voice filled with a deep sense of rejection.
Minerva sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Severus lost his wife a long time ago, and he was forced to give up his son to keep him safe. He had lived a lonely and long life as a spy. He mourned for Lily far too long.” She turned to Dumbledore’s portrait and glared, “For the cost of the greater good.” Her tone belied disappointment.
“Did he and his son reunite?” Lily asked.
Minerva turned back again to Lily and smiled, “They did. In the most unusual way. I believe I need to introduce you to Caledonia. She would be over the moon to meet you. After all, you will need to find your place here in this universe and the best place to start would be with her.”
“Who is Caledonia?”
Minerva simply smiled, “Caledonia Malfoy. It's best that she tells you her story. It is a complicated one. I will need to reach out to her and see if she can come around soon.” She stood up and gestured to the door, “You look like you need some rest. I’ll show you where you will be staying for now.”
Lily stood beside the window, looking out to the ground of Hogwarts. It was beautiful, with a large lake glistening in the sun, rolling green grasses, and the vast forest surrounding the castle. It was unlike her world, where everything was a ruin, the sky gray, and the air filled with ashes. Here, it was alive, bright, and full of life. She gasped softly as she watched several hippogriffs fly above the forest. A giant man lumbered out of the hut and entered the forest below.
She sighed and turned to her room. It was decently sized, with a sitting area and a four-poster bed draped in deep red. The fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace. Minerva had given her a room in the headmaster's tower near her room and assigned a house elf to serve her.
She could not help but think about this universe’s Severus Snape and why he was a sour man. She couldn’t help but hope she would find some kind of kinship with the man, as he had lost his version of her, and she had lost her version of him. She missed her husband, even after eighteen years. She never took another and could not bring herself to, especially in a world like her universe. It was a very unkind place to find love. She found love in Severus growing up and knew he was it for her since she first met him in that field long ago. It ached her very much still as if she had lost him yesterday.
Minerva mentioned introducing her to a young woman named Caledonia, and she wondered who she was and how she would be the one to help her fit in. Why can’t she be introduced to Harry Potter? She wondered. Surely, the boy who lost his mother would want to meet the woman who is another version of his mother? She wanted to meet this Harry because she was curious to see what her son would be like if he had lived and grown up.
Feeling exhausted, she went to bed and lay down. Everything was so different, overwhelming, and new. She felt lost and alone. She wept for her husband, her son, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, and finally, for James Potter. She wept for her world, which had never had a chance to be like this world, with promises and hopes. Finally, she fell asleep.
Lily woke and found breakfast waiting for her on a small table in the sitting area of her room. She got up and went to sit down and eat her breakfast. As soon as she finished, a house elf popped in and bowed to her, leaving a pile of clean clothes on her made bed. She blinked, not having realized the house elf had made her bed while she was eating; she must have zoned out. She sighed, took the clothes, went into the adjacent bathroom, and took a shower.
She donned her clothes, liking how soft and clean they felt on her skin. Glancing in the mirror, she could see how pale she looked, tiredness heavy in her eyes and her hair hanging limp. Perhaps she will let her hair grow long this time, having always kept it short, as long hair was detrimental to her life in her old world. She splashed cold water on her face and ran a comb through her pale red hair.
She made her way up the stairs to the headmistress’ office and slowed down as she heard voices from the office.
“Daddy is being stubborn. He came home upset and refused to say why.” A woman said.
“Yes, it is understandable that he is upset. Seeing someone that looked like his wife after eighteen years? That would do it for Severus.” Minerva replied.
Lily frowned. Isn’t Harry Severus' child in this world? She wondered who this young woman was. Did Severus remarry and have another child?
“Nevermind Daddy. I want to meet her, so where is she?” The woman sounded excited.
“She should be awake now. I’ll go and get her,” Minerva said. Lily looked up to see the door open, and the older woman gasped in surprise. “Lily, dear. I was coming to get you. I am glad you saved me a trip.”
Lily smiled at the older woman. She was kinder and mellower than her counterpart in her universe, who was far sterner and battle-worn. She entered the office, and her eyes met another set of green eyes, much like her own.
Lily had to refrain from gasping out loud. She was a beautiful young woman with long, ebony hair and green eyes. She wore a deep emerald robe, indicating she was from a high-class family. Around her neck were two necklaces; one had a mini wand, and another a family coast she recognized belonged to the Prince family. Her hands rested on top of her swollen belly. On one hand, a wedding ring shone in the light.
It was then Lily realized the young woman was pregnant.
Minerva gently took Lily’s arm and pulled her closer to the other woman, “This is Caledonia Lalia Snape-Malfoy.” She turned to Caledonia, “And, this is Lily Snape.”
“Oh,” the woman softly said in awe. I know Headmistress McGonagall said you’re not from this world, but still, it’s like finally meeting my mother.”
Lily’s eyes widened, “I didn’t know this world’s Lily had another child.”
Caledonia’s smile grew, flashing her perfect white teeth. “She didn’t.”
“But, I thought Harry Potter was her son?” Lily asked, confused.
Caledonia laughed and stepped up to Lily, taking her hand into hers. “It might sound strange; I am Harry Potter.”
Lily blinked at Caledonia and glanced at Minerva, who stood aside and smirked. She turned back to the woman, “What?”
Caledonia giggled and asked, “Before I tell you my story, can I hug you?”
Lily slowly nodded, bemused, as she allowed the younger woman to hug her. She gasped as she felt the warmth spread through her and closed her eyes. If this was Lily of this world’s child, then in a sense, the young woman was also her child. They share the same DNA and the same mother-child soul bond. For some reason, her motherly instinct flared to life again, and she hugged the young woman tighter, and a tear fell from her eye.
Caledonia stepped back, slowly releasing Lily from her hold. “Thank you. I just wanted to know what it is like to be hugged by my mother.”
Lily gasped softly and held Caledonia’s hand. “Please, tell me about yourself.”
Caledonia smiled and pulled her to sit down in the armchairs. “I was born a boy to Lily and Severus Snape, " she began, telling her tale to Lily, who in turn told her tale to Caledonia.