37. Snivellus

When Professor Sprout dismissed the class, Harry hurried straight to the dungeon to check on him mum. He hoped she had awakened. There were so many things he wanted to tell her and ask her. He found his dad and Aunt Cissa bent over his mum, calling her name.

"Dad, is mum alright?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Your Aunt Cissa believes she might be coming around," Severus answered.

"Maybe if Harry talks to her, she'll respond better," Narcissa suggested.

"Yes, that might work much better," Severus agreed.

"I'll try," Harry said uncertainly and picked up Lily hand, holding it in his own. "Mum? I know you probably don't recognize my voice since I was probably still babbling the last time you saw me, but it's me, Harry, your son."

Lily stirred and suddenly opened her eyes. Harry noticed immediately that he had his mum's eyes; the very same almond-shape and emerald green. She blinked and looked around her. "Sev, Cissa …" Her eyes fell upon her son. "Harry?"

"It' me, Mum," Harry said. "I've grown a bit since you last saw me."

"Harry," Lily said and opened her arms to him. He flew into her arms and she hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head. "I'm so sorry for what happened! I should have forced James to make someone else our Secret Keeper. All those years you spent with my horrible sister!"

"It's okay, Mum. You saved me and everything turned out alright in the end."

"Harry, why don't you keep your mum company while I get her something to eat?"

"Okay, Dad."

Lily looked up at Narcissa who had been her lifeline while she'd been in hiding. James, of course had thrown a tantrum about her remaining friends with a Slytherin. "How is Draco doing, Cissa?"

"He's doing fine, Lily. In fact he and Harry are good friends along with a variety of kids all from different houses."

"I got sorted into Ravenclaw, Mum. Neville Longbottom, Greg Goyle, and Vince Crabbe are in Hufflepuff. Draco, Ted Nott, and Millie Bulstrode are in Slytherin. Dean Thomas is in Gryffindor and Hermione Granger in Ravenclaw with me. She a Muggleborn and she's the top witch in our class so far," Harry said.

"Not unlike another Muggleborn witch who I know," Severus added coming back into the room carrying a tray with a bowl of chicken broth on it and a slice of buttered toast that he set down in front of Lily. "Try and eat as much of this as you can, Lily," Severus said gently.

"Dad's a real good cook, Mum," Harry said. "I had to cook all the time for the Dursley's so I guess I'm a pretty good cook too, but Dad lets me cook if I want to and doesn't make me."

Lily frowned at that. She was going to be having some words with Petunia when she was recovered. "Your Grandma Evans always believed a young man, whether he was a Muggle or a Wizard, should be able to cook for himself so when he was on his own he didn't starve to death."

"My mother taught me the basics, but your grandmother taught me a lot more," Severus added.

Lily began slowly eating the broth and toast. The broth was rich and delicious and the buttery taste of the toast was a perfect addition with it.

"Well, seeing as you're in good hands, Lily. I'd better be getting home," Narcissa said, getting up. "I'll stop back tomorrow and see how you're doing."

"I'd enjoy that, Cissa," Lily replied and then joked, "After all I have ten years of gossip to catch up on."

Just then Dumbledore's phoenix Patronus flew into the room. "Severus, I need to see you immediately. Please come to my office."

"Merlin's beard!" Severus muttered. "That man has unbelievable timing!" He turned to Narcissa. "Would you mind staying a bit longer while I find out what he wants?"

"Of course not," Narcissa replied. "Go ahead and see what's so urgent."

Severus went upstairs and made his way to the Gargoyle. "Ice Mice," he said and it jumped aside. He knocked on the headmaster's door. "Come in, Severus," Dumbledore called.

Severus came in his robe billowing out behind him and stopped short as he saw not only Dumbledore, but Minerva, her lips tightly folded; Remus and unfortunately, the Mutt. What the hell was going on?

"Severus, last night I was called to the Ministry because of a disturbance in the Department of Mysteries. Apparently there was a violent reaction in the Veil room that none of the Unspeakables had ever seen anything like it before, but it was caused by someone returning from behind the Veil."

Oh?" Severus remarked. "Don't tell me You-Know-Who has returned! I must say I thought he would return in a more dramatic fashion."

"It was James, Snivellus and now you'll have to give Harry back because his real dad is back," Sirius sneered.