Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 24 - Happy Father's Day

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Severus and Lily took Harriet home to their small cottage as soon as they had recovered enough from their shock to apparate.

They cuddled their distraught baby while they slept holding each other that night after the little family laid down in the bed that Severus and Lily shared.

By morning, word had already spread throughout the wizarding world about the events of the previous evening.

Dumbledore knew about the meeting that Severus had arranged with James.

Peter Pettigrew knew that the Dark Lord had gone to eliminate the child with the power to kill him.

Gossip spread like weeds that Voldemort had been defeated, but more rumors circulated that James Potter's son had also died in the process, at the hands of the dark wizard after his father valiantly gave his life trying to protect him.

Both statements were incorrect.

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Early one November morning, shortly after sunrise, Severus stood in Dumbledore's office as he and the leader whom he secretly served held a private discussion.

"It really is a shame about James." Dumbledore nodded.

Severus maintained a look of respectful neutrality but he offered no sympathetic words towards his enemy's death.

Dumbledore expected no differently and without hesitation he went on, "Surely you realize, Severus, that Tom did not perish that night."

"I saw the cloud of his own remains floating in the air, sir." Severus nodded, "His body was no more.....How could he have possibly survived?"

"There are ways........unfortunately." Dumbledore grimly revealed as he frowned for a moment, "Tom had attained too much power.......it will take far more than a rebounding curse to erase him completely from this world. Have you heard anything about his potential whereabouts?"

"I have not, sir." Severus replied honestly, "The members of his elite are distraught.......They believe the war to be lost, which it is, of course, but ultimately lost. Most of his supporters are beside themselves with grief."

"As is often the case with infectious, charismatic leaders such as Tom." Dumbledore nodded, "Tell me, how is Harriet doing, Severus?"

"Well, sir." Severus answered, "She cried herself to sleep on.....on that night, while her mother and I held her, but the next morning she had returned to herself. She does seem to bear a scar on her forehead now.......It appeared on her flesh just after the attack, in the shape of a lightning bolt."

Dumbledore blinked for a moment as Severus added, ".....Her mother and I are not sure what to make of it."

"Neither do I." Dumbledore replied with a curious frown, "There is no record of any person surviving the Killing Curse before......It may, as you suggested, have something to do with the protection spell that Tom cast on her, but my personal opinion is that Trelawney's prophecy is truer than any of us would have guessed."

A silence fell between them before Dumbledore asked, "...............And Lily is well?"

"Indeed, sir." Severus nodded.

Dumbledore noticed the way that Severus's chest seemed to swell with adoring pride at the mere mention of his precious flower.

His thoughts were interrupted as Severus asked, "..........What are we to do now?"