The Root of Protea: Of Snapes and of Lillies

Chapter 16 - Lunch with Muggles

The new semester soon began at Hogwarts.

Severus returned to teaching.

Lily started her new classes.

Things quickly became complicated for the couple as they found it more difficult than ever to coordinate their evenings.

Lily was often working and Severus had all of his various assignments to oversee.

No longer were Severus and Lily just seeing each other for dates or arranged meetings, no.

Severus and Lily were married now and they wanted to spend every night together.

But.......how?

Severus didn't feel comfortable moving into Lily's apartment without any kind of guard against his Death Eater friends.

What if Severus and Lily were seen together?

As convenient as it would have been, even though they were husband and wife, Severus couldn't let Lily come to live with him in his private quarters at Hogwarts.

None of the other professors had their spouses at the castle, and although Lily was somewhat of an exception, Severus doubted very seriously that Dumbledore would approve of a faculty member living with a student on campus.

Severus fretted over his blissfully frustrating new situation until his meeting with Dumbledore at the end of the first week of classes.

Severus gave his usual report to the headmaster and afterwards, Severus listened respectfully while the old wizard spoke.

"Severus, I've been so busy! I haven't gotten a chance to tell you how pleased I am that you were able to settle things with James!" Dumbledore said.

".........Pleased, sir?" Severus echoed.

"Yes.....As a reward for your good work and as my congratulations," Dumbledore paused to wink at Severus, "I'd like you to have this."

Dumbledore reached out and handed Severus a very little box.

Severus stepped forward and accepted the headmaster's gift, but he asked curiously, ".........Sir?"

"It's a small piece of the luxury we enjoy here at Hogwarts. I assume that you and Lily Evans, well, pardon me, Lily Snape, are searching for a home. Place that outside your dwelling and it should offer the same protection from.....outsiders.....that this castle does." Dumbledore informed Severus with a smile.

Severus looked at Dumbledore intently, his brows knitting together.

"Thank you, sir....." Severus said with awkward but genuine gratitude after a long moment.

Even as an adult, Severus was not overly accustomed to being shown kindness.

"Going back to our situation, I expect you'll get started on the potion straight away, then?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course." Severus nodded. "Right away, sir."

Dumbledore nodded.

Dumbledore watched as Severus turned and took his leave.

Once Dumbledore was alone, he smiled to himself.

So Severus had married his dear Lily Evans?

His surprising but how grand!

The news made Dumbledore glad, because the wise headmaster knew with absolute certainty then that Severus's loyalty to the Order would never waver.

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That very night, when Lily met Severus at his chambers, he happily showed his beloved the gift Dumbeldore had given them.