Shelby was serving tea to her Master and Madame's guests that had been having a long conversation about the war and how her Master was a huge help to the good side. Shelby had returned to the kitchen when she got the call to the Manor, without a word she left in a small pop with no one noticing.
"Master Snape! Can Shelby help you? Are you hurt Master?" Shelby cried in fear.
"I do need you Shelby but no I am not hurt." Severus answered while scribbling on a small piece of parchment, he quickly finished the note and looked down at Shelby with a stern face "Albus is at the guest house is he not?" "Yes Master." "Does anyone know you left?" Severus asked.
"I do not think so, Master." Shelby answered.
"Shelby do exactly as I say, apparate into my bedroom at the guest house. Listen from the hallway and see if anyone has noticed your absence. If they have tell them mother called for you, if they haven't find a way to give this letter to Albus without anyone seeing you. When Albus leaves you stay and do not mention my return. Do you understand?" "Yes Master." "Shelby please do this as quickly as possible but do not mess up or alert anyone that I'm home."
"Yes Master" Shelby replied as she took the parchment and left for the guest house, while Severus headed toward the bar.
Shelby did exactly as she was told; she listened in the hallway for only a short while until she decided that she had not been missed. She entered the kitchen looking desperately for something to help her get the letter to Dumbledore without it being obvious; her eyes landed on a bowl of yellow candy. 'Yes, this will work.' She thought, placing the parchment in her open palm on her right hand that she had folded several more times to make it smaller and carefully picked up the bowl of lemon candy. Shelby approached her target quietly trying not to break up the conversation "Sir, would you like some candy? Shelby has heard this kind mixes well with tea." She said quietly constantly flicking her eyes between her right hand and Dumbledores eyes.
Dumbledore gave a knowing nod, moving his hand under her right hand while grabbing a piece of the lemon candy out of the bowl with the other. He felt the parchment fall into his hand and saw the smile spread across the little elf's face, he closed his fingers around the paper and winked at Shelby "Thank you, very much." Shelby smiled and walked away triumphant knowing she had yet again made Master proud. Dumbledore took a minute to excuse himself to the loo as a ruse to read what the elf had given him. He unfolded the parchment it was short but to the point.
Albus, I am at the Manor. Please come quickly.
Do not alert Lily to me being home. She will follow you.
SS
Dumbledore returned to the sitting room and informed the trio that he felt they were safe and he desperately needed to return to Hogwarts and should they need him for any reason to send Shelby, as she would be quicker and safer. The trio felt a little uneasy being left alone but bid Dumbledore a quick goodbye.
Dumbledore quickly arrived at the Manor knowing exactly where he would find Severus, he smiled as he spotted the young man sitting on a stool at the bar drinking a glass of whiskey and noticed another glass waiting on him probably filled with brandy. "Hello Severus." Dumbledore said as he glided into the room.
"Albus." Severus replied setting his glass down on the bar.
"I assume you have important news for me considering the measures your little elf took to make that parchment such a secret." Dumbledore questioned.
"I'm afraid I do. More than likely you will not take this news well, I would advise you to drink that first." Severus said gesturing to the waiting glass of brandy.
"Very well then." Dumbledore responded while taking the stool next to Severus.
They finished their drinks in silence, Severus poured another round before he told of the days events of Rookwood taking the mark and all the information he had gathered while circling the room at Malfoy Manor. "So in summary, an Unspeakable is branded and several aurors have hits on them to be killed or Imperioused depending on how valuable they are. He wants the aurors under control because they have almost eliminated his alliance with the giants and werewolves. The only werewolf who seems unfazed is Greyback, but we both know he's sadistic and unhinged. Basically the Ministry is infiltrated and can not be trusted." Severus said with a defeated huff.
"I can not understand Rookwood taking the mark. Voldermort must have something over him." Dumbledore said in disbelief.
Severus took another drink before correcting him "Actually no he didn't, Bellatrix presented him as a 'gift', he was told he would not be killed and given the choice to take the mark or be Imperioused. When he agreed to the mark the Dark Lord was in his mind and made mention of seeing things that shocked him, the man has secrets but they weren't known until he agreed to join ranks."
"Dear Merlin." Dumbledore muttered taking a long drink of his brandy.
"I must ask, have you gotten that record out of the Ministry?" Severus asked nervously.
"Yes my boy, I retrieved it that day. The task proved easier than I initially thought it would be. The record is safe. It will not be found until you ask for it." Dumbledore smiled seeing he was easing Severus's fears.
Severus's whole body relaxed at those words, "So she is safe at least until June then?"
"Indeed, do not forget that June is only 6 months away. We shall need a new solution by then." Dumbledore reminding him they still weren't safe in the long run.
"Yes, I know." Severus said defeated.
"I have a feeling things will work themselves out my boy. Do not worry yourself to badly over it but do be thinking of ideas." Dumbledore said with a small smile while patting Severus's shoulder. "I must be off. I need to make plans to gather other Order members to inform them of this disturbing news you have so bravely provided. Thank you again Severus. Stay safe my boy and get home to that lovely wife of yours, there's only a few hours left in this year." With a wink he was gone.
Severus finished his drink thinking the entire time, he replayed the whole year in his mind; he had gone from alone and dirt poor, to having the love of his life only to lose her by his own stupidity, to the loss of Eros, to all the vile and disgusting things he had done in the Dark Lords name, to Merlin seeing fit to give him another chance at life and love, to sitting in a mansion he owned, drinking very expensive whiskey and having a wife he needed to get back to. Severus smiled at the last thought, sat down the now empty glass and apparated home to his wife.
Severus had no more got his footing inside the guest house before he was attacked by a small but ferocious mass of red hair, Lily had catapult herself unto him; her legs wrapped around his waist, she was hugging him so hard he thought she may have broken bones and her muffled sobs and words made no sense. His heart leapt at her reaction, no one had ever loved him like her, no one had ever cared for him like her and she was everything he had ever wanted. He gently placed his hand on the back of her head and shushed her trying to calm her down "Love, I'm fine. It was just a meeting. It wasn't anything awful. I promise I'm fine."
Lily refusing to let go finally managed a sentence he could understand "I hate this! I was so worried."
Severus realizing Lily wouldn't be letting go of him anytime soon made his way to a chair sitting them both into it "Lily, look at me." Lily looked up all puffy eyed and tear streaked. The sight of her state tore at his heart, he dried her face with his thumbs "Love, I have to do this. I'm doing this for us. I know the Dark Lord is locked out of my mind. If he were not he would surely have killed me on the spot today for some of the things I thought." Severus said with a slight chuckle trying to lighten her mood.
"That's not funny Sev! I don't know how you expect me to finish school never knowing if you are dead or alive! Why can't I quit and stay here with you! I don't have to work right now. I can always find something to do later. I can make as many potions as you can!" Lily spat in anger at their situation.
Severus arched an eyebrow "You must finish! You will not give up your dreams because of me. Lily you fell apart with Sirius and Remus here, how will you cope here alone? Sometimes I am gone for several days. You are safer at Hogwarts!"
Lily arched an eyebrow back in defiance "What if my dreams have changed? I discussed my career options with McGonagall last year! A lot has changed since then and so have I!"
Severus drew a deep breath and let it out slowly "Love, we have very few hours until Dumbledore comes to gather you three. Please can we discuss this later? I am home safe and sound, it is New Years Eve and I would like to enter 1978 with a decent buzz, you in a much better mood, and my new friends over there, all enjoying ourselves. I promise if you let this go we will discuss this matter at length and seriously debate what is best for you. Can we please do that?"
Lily narrowed her eyes at him "You promise me a serious talk about me leaving school soon?"
"I promise we can discuss that topic as long as you wish until one of us makes more sense than the other, just not tonight and not tomorrow." Severus answered looking her straight in the eyes.
"Fine, I will leave the matter alone. For now. I'm just glad you're home and safe." Lily said as she locked him into another bone crushing hug. When she pulled away from the hug she looked at him and smiled, kiss him long and hard breaking the kiss with "I love you."
"I love you. More." Severus said with a smile. "What time is it?" he asked.
Sirius chimed in with "Time for you two to get a room!"
Remus elbowed him and said, "It's almost 10 o'clock."