Because You Love Me

3. Meeting Harry

"He's a sweet man," Alaina said.  "I like him."

Lily laughed.  "A lot of the ladies do.  He's a looker for sure."

"You better not let James hear you say that," she joked.

"I tease him about it all the time."

The girls laughed again.  It was the first time in a long time either of them had laughed so much in one day or spent quality time like this.  But then Alaina's expression became serious.  Severus had entered her mind.  She had conveniently left him out of the conversation before because she didn't want anyone to know what he had done.  Strangely, she felt like that was something she could only tell her sister.  Especially since he had asked about her.  She felt like Lily was the only reason she was alive right now.  He cared for her, and because of that, he hadn't wanted Alaina to be hurt or her to be taken.

"I wouldn't worry too much about Voldemort," Alaina told her.  "I think you have a friend on the inside.  In his army."

Lily stared at her strangely like she had just told her she was born on Mars or something.  "What do you mean?"

She let out a long sigh.  "I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want to upset Sirius, but we ran into somebody at St. Mungos on the way out.  Sirius didn't mention him, although I thought he would."

Her sister leaned in a little bit closer.  "Who?"

"His name was Severus."

Lily gasped.  "What?  Sev was there?"

"I take it you know the guy?"

"Yes, I know him.  We used to be best friends until he called me a Mudblood."

Alaina's eyes stretched.  "No way!  That's the guy?"

Lily had told Alaina the story a hundred times.  Him calling her that name after she was just trying to help him was the last straw and their friendship had stopped there.  Lily had admitted to her it was sort of  a relief because he was too into the Dark Arts and she was afraid he was going to end up just like the evil people he hung out with.

"Yes.  That's him."  She gulped.  "Was he with them, Alaina?  The Death Eaters?"

Alaina nodded.  "Yes."

"Then why on Earth would you think he would help me?"

She smiled.  "Because he asked about you when he came into my room."

"What?"

"He came into my room to make sure I was alright after the Order got there.  He wasn't wearing a mask anymore.  He looked so...sad.  When he came in, he knelled down beside of me, because I'd just got a jolt trying to get out the door, and he asked me if you were okay.  They made it so only a person with a Dark Mark could enter.  When I told him you were fine, he let me and Jason go.  He took the force field down straight away."

Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing.  Was it possible Severus had realized his mistake in joining Voldemort's army?

"If it hadn't been for him," Alaina continued.  "I'd probably be dead.  Oh and he sent a message to you."

"What was it?" she asked cautiously.

"To give you his best and tell you to stay safe."

Lily smiled, surprise on her face.  That was the last thing she had expected.

"He cares about you, Lily.  The way he said your name, it was so...gentle.  I can't believe that guy could ever hurt anybody.  Especially you."

"Well, he did."  She frowned.  "He was angry that day.  James and Sirius used the torture him all the time.  I suppose he got tired of it."  She paused to think for a moment.  "I wish I could tell him I still care about him.  He was one of the only guy friends I ever had before I started dating James, and the best.  He was such a great listener."