The Root of Protea: Of Snapes and of Lillies

Chapter 23 - Tom's Lesson

"Where am I?!" Lily shouted, recognizing Voldemort for who he truly was, thanks to Severus's confirmation after her first encounter with him, "Let me go!"

The room was elegant but dark and it made Lily's situation seem even more severe as she faced the greatest enemy of the entire wizarding world.

"I have other plans for you first, Lily Evans." Voldemort smiled, "I had thought of asking you to join me once more, but my agenda's changed, you see, and I have another use for you now."

"I'll never help you!" Lily hissed, struggling to break free from the chair she was bound to, "Never! No matter what you do to me!"

Voldemort's stained, yellow teeth gleamed at Lily as he smiled evilly and replied, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter~."

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At his desk, while he worked on new lesson plans, Severus's dark mark began to burn.

It was never a pleasant feeling, nor relaxing, but on that particular day, Severus traveled to Voldemort's side with a heavy sense of deep gloom.

Something was off, Severus could feel it.

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Voldemort normally enjoyed being surrounded by his followers, but he chose to take Lily by himself to the sea cave where Severus had first met Odessa.

Some of Voldemort's affairs were more.....intimate.....than others.

Keeping Lily suspended in the air and hidden in the shadows of the cave, Voldemort smirked at Severus when he arrived at his side with a pop, standing next to him on the sand.

"You sent for me, my lord?" Severus asked calmly, his face void of emotion.

"Ah, yes, Severus, I have.....I have, indeed." Voldemort said quickly.

Severus nodded silently, waiting to hear what terrible task Voldemort was going to assign.

"You see, I really do value you as my most trusted ally, Severus." Voldemort smiled.

It was a fake smile and Severus knew it.

Though Voldemort's lips were curled, his frightening, serpentine eyes were wild with rage, dancing with the mirth that murderous intention brought him.

"Thank you, my lord." Severus nodded, anxious about where Voldemort was leading.

"But I don't expect you to be perfect, of course. So I understand when indiscretions arise.......What angers me, Severus, is that you kept it hidden. From me! Why hide it from me, Severus? I would have allowed it as your reward!" Voldemort laughed.

"..........My lord?" Severus asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

With a small movement of his wand, Voldemort sneered as he lowered Lily from the shadows of the cave into plain view.

Severus had an excellent poker face but even he couldn't hide the tortured pain that his mouth and eyes conveyed as he gazed at his beloved Lily, held firmly and helplessly in Voldemort's clutches.

"Severus!" Lily called out, her eyes red and wet from angry, frightened tears.

Lily realized then that it was over for her and Severus.......that one or both of them would most likely be killed in the following moments, so she dropped their pretentious act.

If Lily was murdered, she wanted Severus to hear her call his name one last time before she left the world.

If Severus was killed, then Lily wanted to remind him of how much she loved him, how desperately she longed to be with him.