Over the next few months, Voldemort seemed to have gone into hiding, leaving the world with a short period of peace. Some people were far too hopeful, too foolish in their optimism, thinking that the evil overlord had simply given up his campaign and stopped.

Severus knew better. He told Lily as much on a daily basis.

Winter ended, giving way into longer and warmer days, which only added to the hope people felt brewing in their hearts. In that time, Severus and Lily remained in contact with the rest of the Order, which met on a biweekly basis. Those who were working in the Ministry kept close to any leads they had on suspicious activity, but as for attacks and battles, there simply were none.

All the more reason to be concerned, Severus thought often.

One thing that was going for him was the fact that Severus was able to keep Dumbledore at a distance, but the old wizard was helpful in seeking out clues that would lead to the location of some of the Horcruxes. As he informed Severus from time to time, he was visiting those who he thought might have useful information, collecting memories, and writing down anything from his own experience with Voldemort that might be of assistance.

On a late May day, Severus had gotten home before Lily from work and set to preparing dinner. It was usually a good way to keep his mind off worrying, as he was wont to do. Tomorrow, Lily would be going with Mary for dress-fittings, as Mary and James had finally set a date for their wedding that summer.

Ever since their dinner party with Petunia, Mary, and the Marauders a few months ago, Severus had found it easier to converse with the group whenever they met. His new life had truly settled into a good one, with the big exception of the war and Voldemort, but that was to be expected. Everyone's lives were at risk.

Hearing the front door click open, Severus glanced up from the carrots he was finely chopping to see Lily entering. She cast him a brief smile.

"Hi, Sev," she greeted him. "How was your day?"

Leaning down to accept her welcoming kiss, Severus replied, "Eventless, like most other days have been lately."

Lily glanced from side to side as if expecting someone to be nearby and whispered, "I shouldn't tell you this, but there's a room in the Department of Mysteries that contains glass orbs, which hold prophecies. I could get in big trouble if they found out I said anything, but regarding this whole prophecy with You-Know-Who and who must destroy him, I thought it interesting and potentially important."

"I hate to say this, Lily, but I already know about that room," Severus stated.

"You do?" Lily asked, deflating some.

Nodding, he said, "Yes, when Harry Potter was in his fifth year, his friends and he ventured to the Ministry and entered that very room. It just so happens that the Dark Lord wanted the record of the prophecy that concerned him from the place. He had spies working in the Ministry and had tried very hard to access it all year. When I..." Severus halted, an old guilt surfacing, but forced himself to continue, "...I didn't hear the whole prophecy. I only told him what I knew. He never knew the full thing."

"I guess it makes sense that you would know already," Lily said. "Still, who knows? It might come in handy again. Do you expect things will be altered? Who will overhear the prophecy if not you? And it can't very well be the same as it was before. When did it happen, anyway?"

"The exact date was July 1, 1979, just after another year at Hogwarts would have ended. It wasn't until several months later when I realized who it meant."

"Oh, Sev," Lily sighed, taking note of his sad tone on "who."

"It's okay," Severus replied, perhaps too quickly.

"You still haven't shared any of this with Dumbledore?" questioned Lily curiously.

"No," Severus said shortly, annoyed at the mention of Dumbledore. "If the date remains the same, he will find out the altered prophecy, if there is to be one. I intend to stop whoever may try to overhear it and bring it back to Voldemort."

Lily appeared uneasy. "Sev, that's dangerous."

"No more dangerous than the battles we've been fighting... or not fighting as of late." He frowned. "I'm telling you, Lily. Something isn't right about all this. He never went silent like this last time. Once he started something, it kept picking up momentum."

Lily felt a chill go through her, despite the warm day. Sighing, she said, "Well, there's no point in driving ourselves mental worrying about it now. I'll help you with dinner."

Severus allowed the change of topic, but his mind kept returning to the prophecy.

x x x x x

The next month passed much in the same way the last several had. As June drew to an end, Severus was eager to find out who would be sent to find out the prophecy, for surely Voldemort, for all his silence, was in the middle of planning that, among other serious things.

"You swear you're going to be careful?" Lily asked, concern lacing her voice.

It was the night before Severus planned to go to the Hog's Head. Severus and Lily were just lying down to go to sleep for the night.

"Don't worry, Lily," Severus reassured her. "I promise not to do anything stupid. Potter was even so generous as to lend his invisibility cloak. If I'm quiet, and I will be, I won't be found out."

Lily shivered, not liking this idea one bit. Severus wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. Kissing the top of her head, he murmured, "Perhaps we ought to take our minds off this. Merlin know I've been thinking about it too much."

"What do you propose?" Lily queried. "Dreamless Sleep Potion?"

Severus shook his head. "No, something else." He smiled mischievously, despite their ongoing concern about tomorrow and the future in general.

Severus was happy to see Lily return his smile with a knowing gleam in her eye.

"Severus Snape, you are indeed a Slytherin," she purred.

And they found something else to take their minds off worrying.

x x x x x

Night had fallen. Severus, wearing the invisibility cloak, silently made his way through the streets of Hogsmeade. He had Disapparated, arriving in an alley not far from the end of town, and now he was headed for the Hog's Head. The front door was open, so he released a breath and entered. A couple of patrons sat at the bar, lost in their alcohol and oblivious to anyone entering.

Severus gave them a thorough appraisal and decided they were safe enough. Just to be sure, he memorized their features and proceeded down a corridor. One of the floorboards creaked, and he abruptly stopped, inwardly cursing.

A door opened. Aberforth Dumbledore was peering out into the darkened hallway.

"Who's there?" he gruffly demanded.

Severus didn't respond, hoping the man would retreat into the room again.

"Blasted rats," Aberforth mumbled, closing the door.

Severus sighed and went toward the staircase. He supposed he could cast a spell on the door to Aberforth's room to keep him from overhearing anything, but spellwork could be traced, and he didn't want to leave any trace. He wasn't the one who was supposed to be suspected of anything malicious that night.

Unlike last time, Severus thought darkly.

Why he hadn't told Dumbledore about the prophecy was due to his choice. He personally wanted to see whoever overheard it brought down.

Step by step, Severus approached the doorway, but no one were there yet. He didn't expect there to be. He resigned himself to taking a seat off to the side and waiting.

Midnight came, and still no one came upstairs. The hours ticked away, and Severus knew Lily would be at home, still awake and worrying why he hadn't yet returned.

Damn and blast, he thought, annoyed. It's changed. There's no one here.

Severus stood and turned for the stairs. He hesitated before going down them. Was it a mistake to leave? He would return tomorrow...

So he left.

And it was indeed a mistake to have left.

x x x x x

An hour later, Dumbledore and a young Sybill Trelawney were ascending the stairs, Dumbledore saying, "You think yourself fit to teach at Hogwarts, then, Sybill?"

"Why, yes, Headmaster," Trelawney replied gushingly. "Let me show you..."

They entered the room where Dumbledore had interviewed Trelawney the first time around.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Then a young man in a black robe, his face hidden in the shadows cast by the hood around his face, approached the door, pressing his ear against it.

Trelawney, as if possessed, spoke in a raspy voice:

"Born or reborn, it matters not, for they are marked with the same name... He must stand before the Dark Lord and face his enemy, and so face himself... The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, for he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... And so one of two of the same must defeat the Dark Lord... Or death and birth will be but the same."

A rough hand suddenly grabbed the young man from the collar and spelled the door open.

"Look who was listening at the door," Aberforth said angrily.

Trelawney was staring off in the distance, still recovering from a moment ago, but Dumbledore was gazing back at his brother in shock and into the blue-grey eyes of Regulus Black.

"I... I didn't- er, wrong room. My apologies," Regulus stammered hastily. He wrenched himself out of Aberforth's grasp and ran, Disapparating before he hit the bottom of the stairs.