Introductory Notes: Welcome, readers! Just a few notes before we get started:

1.) This story will not be flattering to the Marauders, especially James Potter. I'll be highlighting his arrogance, his bullying and manipulation, along with a willingness to do just about anything to get what he wants. This is a version of his character that feels realistic to me – I find it hard to believe that he went through such a drastic change in a few short years and became the perfect husband/father.

2.) I'm no fan of James, but I do like Lily. If you feel differently, that's fine, but please don't bash her in your reviews.

3.) This story will be canon compliant up to "The Half-Blood Prince", so be prepared for a major character death.

4.) Finally, this is a "Severitus" story. The dynamic between Severus and Harry will be dealt with in part two, while part one will focus on his relationship with Lily.

** Rated M for profanity, sexual content, and other adult themes.

Veritas Omnia Vincit: (Latin) Truth Conquers All

Lily huddled closer to Petunia, doing her best to shield herself from the summer storm. Of course, a simple charm could've kept her dry, but the results would've been too obvious in a cemetery full of Muggles.

"Do you have to stand so close?"

"I'm getting wet."

"Well," Petunia said, "you should've thought of that before you left the house without an umbrella."

Shrugging, Lily shot a pointed glance at Vernon. He hadn't brought one either, though Petunia didn't scold him for his oversight. Instead, she made sure he was fully covered, while Lily's dress was already soaked through.

"I could duplicate yours," she suggested. "Make one for me and for Vernon, too."

Petunia's eyes widened, her face turning an unflattering shade of red. "What did I tell you about…"

"I know, but no one's even here yet."

"Lily, this is no place for your nasty tricks."

"Nasty? There's nothing nasty about…"

Suddenly, Petunia's expression changed, her scowl giving way to a subdued smile. She slipped an arm through Vernon's, seeming to forget about Lily as she turned to greet the first arrivals.

"Thank you for coming, Julia. I know my mother would've appreciated…"

Lily didn't hear the rest, her throat tightening as she watched the pallbearers approach. She still couldn't believe her parents were in those coffins, battered and broken by the car crash that had taken their lives. The last time she'd seen them, they'd never looked better, her father waiting by the door in his finest suit as her mother practically floated down the stairs.

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Lily said, staring at her with open admiration. She'd chosen a cream colored skirt and matching blouse, auburn curls scooped into a loose chignon. Her hair was only a couple shades darker than Lily's, their faces eerily similar despite the three decades that separated them. Only the eyes had been different – Lily had inherited her father's brilliant green, while her mother's were a deep, rich brown.

"Thank you, dear." She'd smiled, patting Lily's cheek with one hand as she'd reached for her purse with the other. "We'll be back before midnight."

"Have fun!"

Have fun?! Those words had haunted Lily ever since, seeming like the worst thing she could've possibly said in that moment. Her parents hadn't even made it to the restaurant, colliding with a drunk driver just a couple miles from home.

"There's been an accident, Miss Evans. We've summoned an ambulance for your father."

"And my mother?"

There'd been a long pause on the other end of the line.

"She's gone, Miss Evans. I'm sorry."

Lily had Apparated straight to the hospital, too shocked to fully absorb what was happening. Petunia arrived soon thereafter, but by then, it was already too late. Their father had passed away en route, never regaining consciousness.

Have fun… she wished she could go back and say something meaningful, hating herself for not choosing her words with more care. Of course, she couldn't have known that her parents were about to die, but what did that matter? She should've told them that she loved them, should've…

"Lily!"

Blinking furiously, she returned her attention to Petunia. Her sister's manner was still carefully composed, though there was no mistaking the peevish edge to her voice.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Petunia didn't respond, addressing the man in front of them instead. "You must forgive my sister, Pastor Smith. She hasn't been herself lately."

"Perfectly understandable," he replied. "The loss of family is never easy, though we must remember that this separation need not be permanent. If we put our faith in God, we shall be reunited with our loved ones in heaven someday."

Lily managed a polite nod, sighing in relief as the pastor turned to leave. He took position between the empty graves, motioning for one of his parishioners to hold an umbrella over his head.

"Very well," he said, withdrawing a Bible from his pocket. "Shall we begin?"

The service seemed to go on for hours, full of droning prayers and empty platitudes about eternal life. Lily tuned most of it out, realizing it had nothing to do with her parents. Oh, they'd attended church for the occasional holiday, but even that had ended when they'd found out their younger daughter was a witch.

"We have to go to church!" Petunia had argued. "It's what decent people do!"

"Decent people work hard. They're kind to others and take care of their families. Church has nothing to do with…"

"But what will everyone think? If we don't show up, even for Christmas…"

"I doubt they'll notice, dear."

Of course, Petunia hadn't listened, even when their mother's words turned out to be true. She'd only tried harder to prove her respectability, something she was obviously trying to do with this funeral. It was why she'd chosen the most expensive flowers, why she'd spent thousands on needlessly ornate caskets. She seemed more desperate than ever to make a good impression, smiling sweetly as they were approached by a woman that had to be Vernon's sister.

"Marge," she said. "Thank you for coming."

"Least I could've done under the circumstances. How are you holding up?"

"Well enough, I suppose. We've been so busy planning the funeral that…"

"You did a brilliant job," Marge interrupted. "Both of you."

Lily looked up, surprised to be acknowledged. But then she noticed that Marge's eyes were fixed on Vernon, who had the nerve to murmur his thanks.

Naturally, Petunia did nothing to correct Marge's assumption. She didn't explain that she'd made all the funeral arrangements herself, not even allowing her own sister to help. In fact, she didn't mention Lily at all, leaving her to stand there like some unwanted intruder.

"I'm glad you went with the flower arrangements I recommended," said Marge. "I'm sure your parents would've loved…"

"Our parents would've hated them."

Lily hadn't meant to let the words slip, but she wasn't about to take them back. Instead, she lifted her chin, her eyes defiant.

"Ah," Marge said, the shock in her expression giving way to speculation. "You must be Petunia's sister."

"I have a name."

"Yes, well, we haven't been introduced, have we? I can hardly be expected to know…"

"No, I suppose not," Lily said. "I imagine Petunia doesn't talk about me much when I'm not around. Hell, she barely talks to me, even when I'm right here beside her."

"Lily…" Petunia's voice was calm, though there was no mistaking the flush of color that had crept into her cheeks. "This is Marge Dursley. Marge, this is my younger sister, Lily."

"Pleasure," Marge said stiffly.

"Likewise."

With that, Lily excused herself, knowing that her presence wasn't welcome. The three of them seemed determined to exclude her, as if they'd already formed some new family to which she didn't belong. That thought made her feel terribly lonely, which wasn't helped by the other guests. She was surrounded by strangers, after all, none of whom bothered to speak to her as she went to stand beside the empty graves.

"Who are these people?" she'd asked Petunia when the notices had gone out. "Did they even know Mum and Dad?"

"They're my friends. Old schoolmates, work colleagues…"

"Your friends."

Petunia sniffed. "I don't know what you're implying, but inviting them is the proper thing to do."

"Well, in that case, maybe I should invite some of my friends."

"You wouldn't dare."

Lily had been tempted to argue, though in the end, she'd decided against it. She hadn't wanted to treat the funeral like a social event, surrounding herself with people who'd barely known her parents if they'd ever met them at all. What she wanted was…

"Come on, Lily. Let's go."

She looked up, surprised to see that most of the guests were heading to their cars.

"Aren't we going to stay until…" She trailed off, gesturing at the coffins.

"Everyone else is already heading to the house," Petunia said. "Besides, I'd rather not…"

For the first time, Lily caught a glimpse of genuine pain in her sister's eyes. The sight was jarring, a stark reminder that Petunia was grieving, too.

"I know," she said gently. "It's just a bit too final, isn't it?"

"Do you think I bought enough ice?"

"Ice?"

Petunia nodded. "For drinks."

"I don't know, but I was hoping we could talk about…"

"Suppose I can always send Vernon to pick up a couple more bags."

With that, Petunia strode away without a backward glance, leaving her no choice but to follow.

The limousine was warm and dry, though Lily would've rather walked home in the rain. She couldn't imagine anything worse than being trapped in close confines with Marge Dursley, those small, piggish eyes scrutinizing her every movement.

"You'll be riding with us, of course," Petunia said. "No need to pay for another taxi."

"Thank you, but I need to stop by the hotel and check on the dogs."

"No reason we can't take a detour," Vernon said. "Come to think of it, there's no reason you should be spending all that money on a hotel either. We've a perfectly good guest room back at the house."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense!" Petunia exclaimed. "We'd love to have you."

Lily stared at them incredulously, though she knew there was no point in arguing. She didn't even complain when a trio of bulldogs crowded into the car, two of them poking her with their cold noses while the third slobbered all over her dress. Clearly, no one gave a damn what she thought, so why should she…

"Vernon says you're on holiday until the end of the month."

Petunia nodded. "That should give us time to clean out the house before we put it on the market."

"What?!" Lily said. "You can't sell the house!"

"Why not? Legally speaking, it's mine now."

"But… where am I supposed to live?"

Petunia shrugged. "Won't you be going back to that school of yours?"

"Yes, but…" Lily trailed off, struggling for composure. "I'll still need a home to come back to. You can't just… Mum and Dad wouldn't have wanted…"

"I have no idea what they would've wanted," Petunia shot back, "seeing as they didn't leave a will. What I do know is that this funeral cost a fortune. I need to sell the house to cover what I spent, not to mention…"

"It only cost so much because you felt the need to show off!"

Petunia narrowed her eyes. "That's a horrible thing to say."

"It's the truth," Lily said. "You didn't care what they might've wanted, didn't even stop to consider it. You just…"

"The arrangements your sister made were lovely," Marge interjected. "I'm sure your parents would've approved."

"Did you even know our parents?"

"No, but…"

"Right, which means this is none of your damn business!"

"Lily!"

Petunia was fuming now, though Lily didn't care. She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on her sister.

"Don't you dare tell me to apologize. Not after the way you – all of you – have been treating me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." Lily grunted, attempting to shove a large black bulldog off her lap. "They were my parents too, or have you forgotten? My parents, yet my feelings, my opinions, none of it seems to matter. No one bothered to ask me what kind of flowers we should have. No one stops to consider what I might like to do about the house, or…"

"How do you think I feel?" Petunia snapped. "Having all of this dumped on my shoulders?"

"Oh, please. If you'd let me help…"

"Legally speaking…"

"You're the adult," Lily finished for her. "Yes, I know that. But I still had a right to be involved. How do you think Mom and Dad would feel if they knew… will you get this bloody dog off me?!"

Marge made a tutting noise, though it had little effect. The dog placed its paws on Lily's chest, swiping one of her cheeks with its overly large tongue. Shuddering, she tried again to push it away, only to freeze as she heard Marge chuckle.

"Fine," she said. "I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

With that, she withdrew her wand from her sleeve, doing her best not to smile as she heard a collective gasp.

"Put that thing away!" Petunia shrieked.

"Bruno," Marge said, her voice suddenly urgent. "Bruno, come."

"Et cessabit."

The change was instantaneous. Not just one, but all three dogs retreated to the opposite side of the seat, completely docile as they lay down with their heads resting on their paws. One by one, their eyes drifted closed, followed by peaceful silence.

"You…" Marge trailed off, her eyes wide with horror. "What have you done to them?!"

"What does it look like?"

"If you hurt them…"

"Do they look hurt?" Lily sighed. "It's just a charm to calm them down."

Vernon, who'd been impressively quiet up until that point, began to mutter under his breath.

"What did you say?"

He hesitated, shooting a quick glance at her wand. "This is no place for your… well, whatever it is, you've got no business…"

"Magic," she interrupted. "It's called magic."

"That's enough, Lily," Petunia said, her voice trembling. "Put it away now."

Lily shrugged, tucking her wand back in her sleeve. For now, it was enough that she'd made her point – she was in control and they all knew it, whether they were willing to admit it or not. Oh, she might choose to keep things civil (for the most part), but that was a matter of choice, not an obligation.

"All right," she said quietly. "Where were we?"

"You were complaining about the arrangements I made."

"I wasn't complaining, I…" She paused, giving her head a little shake. "I was only trying to make a point. Anyway, it's done now."

Petunia didn't respond, choosing to glare at her instead.

"As for the house…"

"I'm selling it, Lily. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind."

"Okay, you're selling it. Fine. What are you planning to do after that happens?"

"I already told you. I'll need to cover funeral expenses."

"Yes, I know, but there should be plenty left over."

"Oh, I see," Petunia said. "You're after the money."

It took all the restraint Lily had not to blow up at her sister. She took a deep breath, struggling to bring her temper under control.

"No," she said. "I'm only trying to figure out how I'm supposed to survive. If I'm going to be homeless…"

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" Lily echoed. "I'm 17 years old, Petunia. Never had a job, no source of income beyond what Mum and Dad gave me, and now I won't have a place to live. It's not like I can just…"

"What?" Marge interrupted, her voice snide. "Seek gainful employment like the rest of us? You know, Petunia, if I were you, I wouldn't give it to her. Not a single shilling. Let her see what it's like to…"

"Silencio!"

Lily didn't know how her wand ended up in her hand. She didn't even know she was casting the spell until it had already left her mouth. Once it was out though, she had no intention of taking it back. Instead, she turned to Vernon, cutting him off mid-protest with another flick.

Petunia stared at the Dursleys, her mouth falling open in shock. Marge was clutching at her throat, her eyes wide, while Vernon gestured frantically, his face turning a mottled shade of red.

"What did you… fix it, Lily. Now!"

"No," Lily said, her voice calm. "Not until we're finished."

"You can't leave them like that! I insist that you…"

"They're going to stay quiet until we're done with this conversation. Keep arguing, and I'll do the same to you. Understand?"

Petunia crossed her arms over her chest, her nostrils flaring. "You wouldn't…"

"I wouldn't dare? Try me."

"Fine, let's get this over with."

Lily nodded. "As I was saying, it's not like I can just rent a place as soon as I leave school. I'll need time to find a job, and I'm sure it'll be a couple weeks before I bring home any wages. Isn't that the way it was for you? I seem to recall Mum and Dad sending you cheques after you moved to London."

"How much do you want?"

"Enough to cover several months of rent. A little extra for food, clothes, basic necessities."

"What else?"

"I'll want a few keepsakes from the house. Pictures, knickknacks…"

"You're not getting the pearls."

Lily shrugged. "I didn't ask for them."

"Anything else?"

"Yes."

"Well?" Petunia said. "Spit it out."

"I want the two of them to stay at a hotel. I don't want them – or those horrible dogs – sleeping at our house."

Petunia's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in disbelief. Turning away from Lily, she addressed Vernon and Marge instead.

"I'm so sorry. She doesn't mean… of course you can stay…"

"They were my parents," Lily said quietly. "That house was my home. If I've only got two weeks left to live there, I'd like to do it in peace."

"Well," Petunia said. "That's not your choice to make. Legally, I own the house. If I want to invite guests…"

Lily sighed. "I need privacy, Petunia. I need a little time to grieve. I shouldn't have to do that around people I barely know, especially when those people obviously don't like me."

"And who's fault is that? You've gone out of your way to provoke them."

"No, I haven't," she said. "Though there's no point in arguing about it. I'm only asking…"

Petunia started to interrupt, though it was Vernon who had the final word. He passed her a slip of paper, tucking a ballpoint pen back in his pocket.

"All right," she told Lily. "We'll do this your way."

"What about the living expenses? The keepsakes?"

"Yes, yes," Petunia said, rolling her eyes. "Whatever you want. Now fix…"

Lily didn't wait for her to finish. She lifted her wand, bracing herself for a flurry of shouts as she canceled the spells. To her surprise, the Dursleys remained oddly subdued, though there was no avoiding the venom in their eyes. Contempt had given way to outright hatred, making her wonder if using magic had been a mistake. Perhaps she should have…

No. These people were determined to think the worst of her, no matter how she behaved. Better to stand up for herself than let them get away with treating her like dirt.

The way Petunia treated her.

With that thought, Lily turned her attention back to her sister. It was jarring to realize that Petunia was the only family she had left, this cold, sour faced woman who clearly wanted as little to do with her as possible. She'd hoped the loss of their parents would bring them closer, bound by blood if nothing else. Unfortunately, Petunia didn't seem to feel that connection, preferring to attach herself to people who had nothing to do with the childhood they'd shared.

"How much farther?" Marge said.

"About a mile," Petunia replied. "We're almost there."

Lily leaned her head against the seat, spotting the dilapidated factories in the distance. It had always been a comforting sight, safe and familiar, though it seemed alien to her now. She wouldn't be returning to the sound of her father's laughter, nor the gentle embrace of her mother's arms. There was nothing left for her now but memories, painful reminders of a life that would never be hers again.

"Hmph," Vernon said, jabbing a fat finger at the window. "Looks like we've got a juvenile delinquent lurking about."

Following the direction of his eyes, Lily froze. There was no mistaking that tall, black clad figure, his face obscured by a curtain of dark hair.

"Don't know what he's up to," Marge said, "but it can't be anything good. We should report him to the police."

"For what?" Lily whipped her head around, glaring at them both. "The last time I checked, it was hardly illegal to lean against a stop sign."

"That's not all he's doing," Vernon said. "You can be sure of that. Probably looking for someone to rob, or…"

"Ah," Petunia interrupted, her face flushed with embarrassment. "That boy's an old friend of Lily's. He lives nearby."

Marge narrowed her eyes at Lily. "You're friends with that… that…"

"Miscreant," Vernon finished for her.

Lily opened her mouth, ready to tell them that she hadn't spoken to Severus in well over a year. She couldn't bring herself to do it, however, not wanting to say anything that might confirm their suspicions.

"Yes," she said. "I am."

"Well," Marge replied. "That explains a lot."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Before Marge could respond, Petunia cleared her throat, forcing her thin lips into a smile. "Looks like everyone's here. We'd better get inside."

"What about the dogs?"

Lily cringed as she lifted the charm, though fortunately, the dogs were so eager to get outside that they paid no attention to her. They focused on Marge instead, stopping briefly to gobble treats from her hand before they whined at her to open the door.

"All right, my darlings. There you go."

Quietly, Lily watched them scamper up the driveway, followed by Petunia and the Dursleys. Only then did she exit the car herself, her eyes immediately straying to the stop sign at the corner.

"You should tie your hair back, Sev. No one can see your face."

"Yes, well, that's rather the point."

"But why would you want to hide it? You have such nice eyes."

She remembered him smiling at that, catching a glimpse of curved lips between strands of inky black hair. He even followed her suggestion from time to time… or at least, he had until the day their friendship ended. Since then, he'd gone back into hiding, keeping his face concealed whenever she was around.

But he wasn't hiding from her now. He reached up to smooth his hair back, his hand trembling ever so slightly as he lifted his chin. Their eyes met, his brimming with sympathy as hers filled with tears. In that one glance, she found everything she'd been longing for – compassion, concern, but deeper than that, an entire world that was familiar and safe. Severus knew who her parents had been and what they'd meant to her, understood what she must be feeling better than anyone else could. For the first time since she'd received that phone call, she forgot what it was to feel alone.

She took a step forward, slow and tentative. Another step and she thought she heard him catch his breath, his eyes still fixed on hers.

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Cringing, she stopped dead in her tracks. It all came back to her then, childhood memories giving way to the darkness that followed. Severus was in deep now, from what she understood, far deeper than he'd been a couple years before. Lord Voldemort was openly recruiting now, with most of the Slytherins flocking to his cause. Was she stupid enough to believe that Severus could be an exception to the rule? No… not when he spent all his time with those people, as fascinated as ever by the Dark Arts.

Still…

She stared at him for a long moment, rremembering all the good times they'd shared. Had she been too hasty, ending their friendship the way she had? Maybe if she'd given him another chance…

"Lily."

That was all he said, a low pitched murmur that floated to her on the summer wind. She felt her throat tighten, knowing he wouldn't say another word without her invitation. This was her decision, one she knew he'd accept no matter what she chose to do.

But it wasn't that simple, was it? No, she was standing at a crossroads between the past and future, afraid to move forward yet unable to turn back. There was nothing to do but stand there, caught in some strange, alternate reality where time had ceased to exist. She'd never felt so helpless, her body as rigid as a statue as she willed herself to move, to speak, to do anything that might put an end to this awful uncertainty.

Gradually, his expression changed, vulnerability giving way to careful composure. She knew he was bracing himself for disappointment, but how could she make such a huge decision when she couldn't even see what he was feeling? Was he truly sorry? Was there still hope that he could change? Was there even the slightest possibility that he could be part of her past and her future, or was it already too late?

"Sev," she said, her voice emerging as a shaky whisper. He was too far away to hear her, but his attention was fixed on her lips, his eyes widening ever so slightly. For the first time, he was the one who moved closer, taking several halting steps in her direction.

"I'm sorry," he said. "About your parents, I mean. I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"If there's anything you need…"

"I don't…" She trailed off, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her confusion. "I'm sorry, I can't…"

"Ah, there you are."

Gasping, she whirled around to find herself face to face with Petunia. Her expression was mutinous, though to Lily's surprise, her tone was relatively civil.

"Yes, I was just… getting some fresh air."

'Well, do you think you can wrap it up? I could use some help in there."

Lily nodded, glancing over her shoulder at Severus. He'd retreated back to the corner, his profile obscured by a curtain of hair as he turned his head in the opposite direction. Part of her wanted to go to him, make another attempt to explain herself. The problem was, she still had no idea what to say.

"All right," she told Petunia as she followed her up the driveway. "Just tell me what you need me to do."

"You can start by putting that wand of yours in your room. I won't have you embarrassing me in front of our guests – not after the stunts you pulled earlier."

Petunia narrowed her eyes, obviously bracing herself for an argument. It didn't come. The fact was, Lily was simply too tired, too confused, too grief stricken to object. She did everything that was asked of her, from serving tea to making mindless small talk with people she'd never met. She even went out of her way to be polite to the Dursleys, ignoring their suspicious looks as she served them plate after plate of biscuits.

"That's more like it," Petunia muttered as they passed each other in the kitchen.

Hours later, the guests were gone, leaving the house strangely silent other than the sound of Marge's snores. She'd fallen asleep in Mr. Evans's favorite armchair, her dogs sprawled out on the rug beside her. Vernon wasn't far behind, eyelids drooping as he fiddled with the television remote.

"We have to let them stay," Petunia said. "Wouldn't be right to send them off to a hotel."

Lily hesitated, letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Just keep them out of my way, all right?"

With that, she trudged up the stairs, pausing to look outside. There was no sign of Severus, only an empty street and a dull gray sky overhead. She turned away from the window, swallowing her disappointment even as she reminded herself that it was for the best. There was no going back now, no pretending that things between them could ever be the same. All she could do was move on, putting the past behind her as she turned her eyes toward the future.