„Severus?“ He heard a call through his apartment. A voice he hadn’t heard in such a long time but would recognize anywhere. “Lily?” He called out. Perplexed he got out of his armchair and walked over to the fireplace. Truth behold he was right and Lily’s red wild locks peaked through the fire. He knew what he was supposed to do. What he should do. The order for enemies was unmistakable. Those rules never applied to Lily though. “Severus I need to talk to you! Can I come in?” she asked him. She didn’t even wait for an answer and a moment later she stepped through the fireplace into his home. She didn’t brush the dust out of her hair as she hurriedly looked around the room for anyone else. She had a haunted look about her. “Lily you shouldn’t be here” Severus said. He didn’t sound malicious, just stated what they both knew to be true. Lily was walking up and down the room now. She seemed to want to say something but was holding it back. “I don’t have much time” she confessed and bit her lip. It reminded him so much of the old Lily. The one that would come to him for support when something went wrong and would tell him exactly what to do and how to help her. She would bite her lips exactly like she did right now. It always seemed like the words tried to come out while she herself wanted to stay quiet.
He couldn’t resist her when she looked up at him and Severus felt himself succumb to all those feelings he had put away deep down in a closed corner of his heart. If he knew he was lost the moment she had called his name, now he was certain of it when she looked at him with those beautiful eyes. She was about to ask something of him and he would give it to her even if it cost him everything he had. Resigned he turned his back to her, walking towards the kitchen. “Come Lily drink some tea with me. Then you can tell me what you are doing here!”. “Tea? I don’t have the time” She said at first but nether-less shrugged off her coat. “Thank you Severus that is very kind of you” she retailed. He looked at her with an exasperated expression as if to say: save your politeness for others, and she returned his look with a small smile. And just like that the past few years were forgotten and Severus felt they were friends again, visiting each other and talking about their problems.
He put a kettle on and briefly looked around his kitchen. It was kind of a mess and he felt embarrassed. Lily didn’t seem to notice though. She sat at his kitchen table and was playing with her hands. To be precise she was playing with a ring on her hand. “Your husband is alright I assume?” Severus asked, empathizing the word husband. Surely she wouldn’t have come to him for help concerning Potter now. “James is well. Severus I think I need to just say it.” Here it comes he thought braving himself for whatever news there was. “I need your help.” He knew it.” What happened Lily?”. “Nothing has happened. It is about what’s going to happen.”, she said. Again worrying her lips. “You don’t make any sense Lily. Just tell me right out! What’s going on? What are you doing here?” Severus asked her more firmly now. She started to close off, he saw it in her face so he stepped closer. With tenderness he had forgotten over the years he brushed the dust from her hair that still hung there since she stepped into his life again a few moments earlier. “You can trust me” he said and meant it. She looked up at him again and stated “I am going to die Severus”. She was looking into his eyes with a sure expression. “You are not going- “ she stopped him mid-sentence jumping up from the table and out of his reach. “I am going to die Severus and you will listen to me. I faced Voldemort. I faced him twice now! And he is strong, my god I have never seen anyone with that kind of power before!”she said and shivered.
“So you see it now, Lily? You see what he can do? Lily, I don’t want you to die. You don’t have to die, you can change sides I’ve seen him take in enemies before. He would let you live!”
There it was again. The cold look that was reserved for him the past few years whenever she saw Severus hang out with his fellow Slytherins. “I would never betray my friends like that!” She spat. Her words were meant to stab at him, for having done exactly that when they were younger. Choosing to hang with the very same people who called his best friend all sorts of names. “Mudblood” he remembered himself calling her to her face.
They were both enraged now, staring at each other with the old spite that separated them for years. Remembering why they weren’t friends. “I should leave.” She said.
Three words. Three words and in that moment Severus anger shattered. He couldn’t let her go, not now that she was talking to him. Not now that she was back and it had felt like they were friends again. He should have been happy to have her here and kept his mouth shut. “Lily don’t go!” He said desperately. He took her hand into his to turn her around and she did. More out of shock than anything. Severus was as surprised about the contact as she had been. He had felt the electricity of their touch. After so many years he felt it again. This tender feeling, the glittering of his heart. She took a moment and then decidedly put her hand back to her side, as neither of them knew what to say. She composed herself though and said surely: “I need you Severus. I need you to do something for me”. He looked at her and knew she could see right through him. “Anything” he said. She smiled and suddenly all of her tense worry seemed to vanish as she stepped forward and embraced her friend. It felt like an eternity and still only a shred of a second before she let go. “I will die and you will make sure it is not in vain.” She said. “You need to promise me to look after him”. “Look after him?” He repeated. “Who? James? “ he said half snorting half desperate. “He can look after himself Lily”. Lily smiled a little now. “You didn’t look at me at all now did you?” She asked him jokingly. “I’m talking about him” She said pointing at her stomach. And then he saw it. Couldn’t believe it but yes right there was a huge belly and sure sign of Lily having a child. His brain was racing and he needed to sit down. “You are pregnant.” He stated as if it was a horrible thought. “You are pregnant with James child!” He stated again. “Yes, Harry will be born in a few weeks from now”. “Harry” Severus repeated again. And then he had a horrible thought. He began to understand. “I know why you are here!” He started to hyperventilate. “It’s you the prophesy is talking about. It was you all along. You told me. You battled him twice now. Lily! You have to save yourself, he will come after you!” Now Lily was the calmer one. “I know he will come and trust me we will fight. But I already told you why I am here. I need you to promise me. You look after Harry. You will protect him won’t you Severus?” She asked him intently. “You are the only one I truly trust.” “Lily, Dumbledore needs to hide you, you need to survive do you hear me? I can’t loose you!” He was close to crying now. She saw him hurting but stayed calm and focused:” he can’t look after everyone he leads the resistance. I came here for a reason Severus. I need your promise” she claimed his attention. This time she got closer to him and took his hand back into hers ever so softly. “Promise me Severus”. He looked at her eyes and said:” kiss me. And I will promise you.” She smiled sadly and with her other hand she touched his face. And he knew that she knew and had known all along, all those years. “I love you Severus. You know I do” She told him “But I didn’t come for that. I came to say goodbye and request something as your friend. And that is what I am doing now. Promise me Severus.” She said again and this time there was nowhere to go. So many things to say, to argue but only one thing that she came for. That she wanted right when she called out for him. One request unspoken when she bit her lips and only one answer that Severus would ever give her. “I promise” he said and watched a tear escape those beautiful eyes. “Thank you” Lily whispered as she stroked his face. She then turned and didn’t look back again as she snagged her coat and stepped into the fireplace. Only then she turned one last time and they looked at each other when she vanished.
Severus heard the kettle boil the moment she was gone. He took it from the stove and looked at it. His mind was racing. He knew what he had to do. He would contact Dumbledore and he would fight for her. Whatever the cost he would save Lily’s life.