Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 19 - Life

"-James, I am very sorry for your loss, truly, I am." Dumbledore interrupted him with a nod, "You're correct. Lily was indeed here in the castle with Severus. However, she left Hogwarts before the baby's birth. I understand that the child was born elsewhere, but Severus and I aren't sure where that was, or what was done with mother and child after death."

Dumbledore kept his expression perfectly calm, but James grit his teeth while he spat, "The casket was empty! You-Know-Who opened it and left it lying there in the mud! Everyone saw it!"

"..........Who is 'everyone', James?" Dumbledore blinked.

James frowned for a moment.

"Are you telling me that you've switched sides and agreed to aid Tom instead?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, of course not!" James hissed, "I meant to say that I heard the casket was empty.........that must mean something!"

"Do you not believe it to be possible for Tom to have stolen the child's body and lied?" Dumbledore asked.

"......Why would he do that?" James asked doubtfully.

"There are several reasons that I can think of......" Dumbledore replied with a shrug, ".....To give his followers an excuse to target greater numbers of innocents, to use the child's body for dark magic.......perhaps even to draw you out."

"Me?" James blinked.

He hadn't batted an eye at the possibility that his son's corpse may have been stolen for dark magic purposes.

"Of course." Dumbledore nodded, "What reason would the Dark Lord have to keep you alive? The man who sired the boy with the power to destroy him?"

James suddenly looked very pale.

Dumbledore peered over his spectacles once again as he nodded and spoke, "As the leader of the Order, James, I will keep my eyes and ears open. If I hear anything about your son, then I will notify you immediately, but please, look after yourself. Go home, stay quiet, at least until the danger passes. I'll contact you if the Order needs your help."

James let out a resigned sigh as he stared at Dumbledore.

Reluctantly, he left the Headmaster's office and took the advice that he had been given.

James decided that Dumbledore was right, he needed to mind his own safety as well.

He would give the elderly wizard some time to discover information.

With a few simple words, Dumbledore had made Severus's life that much easier.........at least, for a little while.

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As soon as the academic day concluded, Severus answered the black letter and went straight to Slindelyn's Shimmering Somethings.

He stood at the counter in the largely desolate jewelry shop and watched with a frown as Lendall opened a small, velvet pouch.

"Ah, here we are!" Lendall exclaimed as a very small but very sparkly ring slipped out of the pouch and tumbled into his open hand.

Severus carefully took the piece of jewelry from the artisan and frowned at it closely as he inspected it for any flaws.

There were none to be found.

Lily's ring had cost Severus more than a fair bit of money, but as he blinked in awe at the piece's craftsmanship, Severus enjoyed the feeling of knowing that he had purchased something truly spectacular for his lover.