To choose a side
Snape watched as she stormed off, and his face fell. Maybe he made the wrong choice all of those years ago. He should have said no. But then again, he could not. Because she was precious to him. Because they would hunt down her kind with or without him. This way, at least he could mitigate some of the damage. Only the thought that one day she would understand, and she would forgive him kept him going.
He turns towards the Marauders and glares at them. His gaze must have been more hateful than usual, for they got up and walked away without another word. Which was good. They should leave. It was their actions which cost him his best friend, after all. He watched them leave, and then realized something. Only three of them had left. He feels a tiny tug on his sleeve. He turns around and stares at Wormtail.
"They shouldn't have done that," he says quietly. "No, we shouldn't have done that."
Snape throws his head back, laughing coldly.
"Of course you shouldn't have," he says. "You cost me Lily's friendship. But I do wonder why you of all people should be against this. Don't you clean Black and Potter's shit?"
Wormtail's face goes blank, and then he turns away.
"Well, if you're going to be like that, I should go," he says. "We were going to offer you a way to get her back, but since you clearly aren't interested, forget it."
He turns around to leave, but Snape grabs the back of his shirt, stopping him in his tracks.
"What are you talking about?" Snape demands. "And who is 'we'?"
"Me and Dumbledore," Wormtail says. "And Remus and Mary, and Barty and Regulus."
"You are lying!" Snape yells. "They would never...!"
Then his face loses some of the color as he comes to a realization.
"They know something..." he says. "You know something."
"Yes, and we were ready to welcome you into the fold," Wormtail says. "But not with that attitude."
"I...I will consider it," Snape says. "I will let you know my decision in a fortnight."
-x-
"Were you seen?" Regulus asks once Peter, Remus and Mary come in.
He and Barty are standing on the floor of the Shack, big grins on their faces.
"Do your other friends know?" Barty asks.
"No, Sirius and James have no idea," Remus says.
"Lily doesn't know either," Mary says. "And no, we weren't seen."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Regulus asks. "Once you're in, there is no backing out."
"Yes," Remus says. "I believe I speak for everyone here when I say we're all prepared."
"I am prepared too," a familiar voice says.
They turn around, only to see Snape standing there, a determined expression on his face. He moves forward to stand beside Regulus and Barty.
"We'll need a name," Mary pipes up.
"How about Red Lion Society," Barty asks with a mischievous looks in his eyes. "Lion for Gryffindor, Red for courage."
Regulus glares at him, and yet he is smiling all the same.
"It will be dangerous," he says. "But we're all prepared to face danger."
There were nods all around. Regulus then goes around, pouring glasses of butterbeer for each of them.
"Then let us drink, to a better future!" he says grandly.