Lily's Charm- Severitus fanfiction

Frozen

1996

The wind marred the hurried whispers and then rapid footsteps were fading away and Harry had no idea if he was in the room alone. But surely his dad wouldn’t leave him, behind the curtain without any sort of protection. Bill, Harry decided, must have been ordered to stay behind. Harry felt a cold chill run through him. His father was out there...Remus was out there. And it was much too early for Death Eaters to come crashing in on them.

The wind was yowling through the crack in the window pane above his head. Harry wanted to twist his head up, but he couldn’t move. He was too close to the dusty, molding curtains; any shift in his position would be detectable. But who cares, his heart taunted him. He had to go after them. But Bill, if he was there, would surely try to stop him. And Harry had promised, hadn’t he? Promised to follow his father’s orders…

Harry’s jaw began to ache as he clamped his teeth desperately together. Death Eaters could be steps away! But his father and Remus could take care of them. Harry chafed to move; he could feel his muscles straining to propel himself beyond the curtain. But he controlled them, ordered them to halt. He’d promised. He’d promised, dammit. His dad wouldn’t trust him…wouldn’t believe him. It meant something. This trust… It would mean nothing though if something happened…

Nothing would happen. His father had promised he wouldn't have to do this alone.

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Severus stood, almost pressed against the curtain. It was as though Harry was urging him to stay; he didn’t want to move away. But he had no choice. “Weasley,” he snapped, flinging his hand down to direct the other man to stay with his son. But Lupin was looking at him with incredulity.

“Bill, you’re coming with me,” he whispered, turning his head slightly in the direction of where Weasley should have been.

“Lupin,” Severus hissed sharply but Lupin shook his head, his face set in a grim scowl. Weasley materialized, identifying himself swiftly.

“You’re not coming,” Lupin returned with a hushed growl. He gestured to Weasley, beckoning with his head for him to come. Severus made a move to follow, not quite a step from the curtain. “Stay here, dammit,” Lupin spat, and then not waiting a second longer, he grabbed Weasley’s arm and the pair skulked from the room, leaving Severus no recourse but to remain. Too many minutes ticked by.

He held his wand at the ready, waiting as his heart hammered loudly in his chest. It was too soon. An animal, he told himself reasonably. Nobody has a reason to be here. Not yet. And yet Harry had said Voldemort had been here, in his very room. The thought ran through him and a chill frosted the air.

A silver wolf breezed into the room. Severus tensed, ready to pull Harry from the curtains’ concealment. But the wolf only yawned its mouth wide and recited sedately, “Muggles.”

Severus felt his body deflating. And then he cursed himself for overreacting. No one knew they were here. They could not. But his skin was prickling with unease. He directed his wand toward the door and sent his doe toward the stairs. Within a short moment, he heard footstep coming quickly upward. Severus did not lower his wand. Lupin stepped into the room.

“Identify yourself,” Severus snapped and without hesitation, Lupin pulled out a triangular crystal, dangling from a chain around his neck. It glowed pink, just as it should.