Hogsmeade – Honeydukes Cellar
The cellar door slammed shut.
Lillian spun around—his wand drawn—but it was too late.
James.
Arms crossed. Golden. Furious. Leaning against the barrels of Sugar Quills like he owned the world.
"You're running from me?" James's voice was soft—dangerously soft. "After all that… you still pick him?"
Lillian narrowed his eyes. "Move."
"No."
James stepped closer, heat radiating off him like wildfire. His Alpha scent coiled through the tight space.
"You think he's better than me?" he hissed. "You think Snape would ever protect you the way I can?"
Lillian shoved him, wand between their chests. "Severus doesn't own me."
"You're mine."
"I'm not anyone's."
James grabbed Lillian's wrist, hard. "Don't lie to me—"
And that was when Lillian snapped.
A hex exploded between them—raw, primal, glass-shattering.James crashed into a barrel, bleeding from the lip.
He smiled. "There you are."
They fought. Spells cracking like thunder, Sugar Mice and Pepper Imps raining down, the air laced with smoke and suppressed moans of something unspoken.
Then—
Lillian stopped.
Because James was standing there, bloodied, laughing, and his eyes—were empty.
"You're not fighting for love," James whispered. "You're fighting to forget."
Spinner's End – Midnight
Lucius woke to pain.
Severus stood over him, wand glowing, face carved in stone.
"You drugged me," Severus said quietly. "You let Voldemort mark me without consent."
"You needed him," Lucius growled. "He sees what you are."
Severus's lips curled. "And what is that? A dog to be leashed?"
"You're a goddamn symphony, Severus," Lucius said hoarsely, "and I played you like a violin."
Then—cold silence.
"I loved you once," Severus whispered.
"I loved how you needed me."
Severus didn't cry.
He just said "Crucio."
And Lucius screamed.
Owlery – Before Sunrise
Lillian held the Firebolt.
Lillian unwrapped it, fingers trembling.
Then attached a letter.
Dear Headmaster,I regret to inform you the Firebolt is cursed. And I regret it more because it could've been used to kill the only boy who still believes in good people.I'm sorry.– Lillian E. Prince
He tied it to the owl.
Watched it disappear into the breaking dawn.
His heart ached.
Severus was breaking.
James was burning.
Lucius was bleeding.
And he?
He was alone.
But somewhere far below the Astronomy Tower, Severus read a different letter.
One that simply said:
Come back to me. Or I'll set the whole castle on fire.