"The Death Eaters have an intelligence source within the Order of the Phoenix? Who is it?" Dumbledore asked. Snape's words had confirmed his darkest suspicions, and he pressed for a name.
"I don't know. It could be anyone. They can't stay exposed like this anymore. The Dark Lord will always find another opening. If he fails now, he will try again, and again. I know he won't give up." Snape's voice trembled, but he held nothing back.
Snape seemed to reach a breaking point. The internal scales of his loyalty tilted decisively, and he looked at Dumbledore with desperation. He pleaded, "Hide her. Hide them all! I beg you!"
"And what are you prepared to give in exchange, Severus?" Dumbledore's eyes were calm, his voice indifferent but heavy with expectation.
Snape's expression shifted from struggle to a hollow sort of bewilderment before he whispered, "Anything."
Dumbledore watched him, feeling a weight lift. He nodded slowly. "Remember those words. I will find a way to protect Lily's family. If there are any unusual movements from Tom, you must inform me. You know how to reach me."
Snape looked utterly drained. He nodded numbly, then paused. "The boy, Alan, whom you mentioned... is he the one who saved that scoundrel Sirius?"
Dumbledore nodded. "He is. And he was sorted into Slytherin, though I find his resolve is far firmer than yours was at his age."
"A Slytherin? Perhaps my initial judgment was flawed. Help me give this to him—consider it my thanks." Snape pulled a crystal vial from his robes and handed it to the Headmaster.
"It seems you aren't entirely beyond redemption, Severus. Perhaps one day you will be able to thank him in person." Dumbledore allowed a small smile to touch his lips as he accepted the potion.
Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation was already fast asleep.
The next day, James took Alan to Sirius's house to collect his luggage. With his new Traceless Extension bag, Alan was able to pack his entire life into a single pouch. James was stunned by the transformation of the villa. He knew Sirius lived like a hermit in a junk heap; seeing the polished floors and clean air made him rub his eyes in disbelief.
"You did all this for Padfoot? That's truly remarkable," James said, his respect for Alan growing by the hour.
Alan shrugged it off as a simple chore. They moved on to St. Mungo's to check on Sirius. The man was a terrible patient, refusing to stay in bed and grumbling about the hospital food. Had James and Alan not arrived to distract him, he likely would have tried to discharge himself by force.
Seeing that he still had the energy to be a nuisance, they left him in the care of the Healers and returned to the Potters' in time for lunch.
"Alan, while you're staying with us, please let us know if you need anything. You've done so much for this family," Lily said as they sat at the table. Alan was busy entertaining Harry, who was reaching for his hair. James nodded in firm agreement.
Alan felt a flush of embarrassment. "I'm already more than content with your hospitality. You really don't need to be so formal with me."
Lily smiled, but she wanted to do more. After a moment of thought, she said, "You mentioned you were interested in the amulets and protection magic I've been working on. I can teach you the fundamentals while you're here. You're also free to use our library—I suspect you'll find some very interesting texts there."
Alan's face lit up. "Really? That would be incredible! Professor Flitwick always said you were his brightest student. I have a thousand questions I've been dying to ask."
Lily watched his excitement and felt a surge of nostalgia. A Muggle-born student, diligent and possessed by an insatiable thirst for knowledge—he reminded her so much of herself. Yet, looking at his dark eyes, his long black hair, and his Slytherin tie, she was also reminded of a very different friend from her past. She fell into a brief, quiet reverie.
A sudden cry from Harry broke the silence. Lily looked down at her son, her eyes filling with warmth once more.
After lunch, once Harry had been coaxed into a nap, Lily led Alan back down to the basement. The room had been cleared of the debris from the raid, making it a perfect makeshift classroom.
"I've seen your Levitation and Extraction charms; you have a natural grasp of precision," Lily said. "I can tell you've spent a lot of time practicing. If you want to refine your combat magic, you can use this space, and I'll act as your sparring partner. Ask me anything."
Alan decided to be blunt about his frustrations. "I've been hitting a wall with certain spells. Specifically the Shield Charm—the Protego. Every time I try it, the spell either fails or the barrier is incredibly weak, even less effective than the basic Shield Charms I learned months ago. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong."
"Wait—you've already started practicing the Protego?" Lily looked at him with wide eyes. "Alan, that isn't a spell usually mastered by first-years. Even some Aurors struggle with it when they first join the Ministry." She re-evaluated the boy standing before her. She was a talented witch, but she hadn't truly mastered the Protego until her fifth year.
"Is the difficulty just in the complexity of the magic? The incantation itself seems simple enough," Alan said. It wasn't just the Shield Charm; he'd had similar trouble with the Extension Charm and the Disillusionment Charm. He knew his pronunciation and wand movements were correct, yet the magic wouldn't take.
Lily realized he wasn't just curious; he was genuinely trying to cast it. "Alright then. Cast the Protego for me now. Let's see what the problem is."