The year Severus got married, the entire Great Britain was swept into a thrilling storm—the First Wizarding War had officially begun.
The British Wizarding World instantly turned into a chaotic mess. A massive free-for-all broke out between Death Eaters and Aurors, Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix, Aurors and Giants, and the Order of the Phoenix and Werewolves. Countless ordinary Wizards migrated abroad, causing the Wizard population in Britain to decrease sharply, while simultaneously giving Lord Voldemort an opportunity to unify the British Wizarding World.
However, this fierce battle had nothing to do with the Snape Family. At this time, Severus had not joined the Death Eater camp, and Lily, due to her obsession with Potions, had become a student under Horace Slughorn and had not joined the Order of the Phoenix with the Marauders.
The two of them were like two tranquil stars, keeping each other company in the Muggle world and holding a simple and warm wedding.
Aside from their mentor Horace Slughorn, they did not invite any other Wizard to participate in this special moment.
It is worth mentioning that Slughorn himself was not only an outstanding Wizard but also a major shareholder in a well-known pharmaceutical company in the Muggle world.
Therefore, Severus claimed to the outside world that he was a key member of that pharmaceutical company's R&D department, while Lily willingly took on the heavy responsibility of caring for the family, becoming a virtuous wife and mother.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the autumn of 1979.
In this season of harvest, good news arrived for this small family: Lily was pregnant with the crystallization of her and Severus's love!
Upon hearing the happy news, Severus was overcome with emotion, and tears couldn't help but well up in his eyes... He still remembered that the prophecy in his past life said the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord would be born to those who had thrice defied the Dark Lord. In this life, he and Lily hadn't even participated in the Wizarding War.
Although the child's birth time was similar to what Severus had seen in his dreams, this child no longer met the description in the prophecy. His Lily should no longer be chosen by the Dark Lord.
This beautiful time lasted for a long while until one evening, Severus went to the Leaky Cauldron as usual and ordered a glass of rich, mellow Butterbeer, preparing to enjoy a moment of tranquility.
Ever since Lily became pregnant, Severus had stayed away from the Hogs Head Pub in Hogsmeade, moving his leisure and drinking spot to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, so he wouldn't have to worry about accidentally running into Dumbledore.
Just as Severus was immersed in his own thoughts, a faint sound of conversation drifted into his ears.
At first, he didn't pay it any mind, thinking it was just the idle chatter of people around him.
But as the voices became clearer, an inexplicable sense of tension began to spread in his heart.
Finally, when he clearly heard the identities of the two speakers, Severus's face instantly turned as pale as paper—they were actually Albus Dumbledore and Sybill Trelawney!
He had clearly been careful to stagger the time and location to avoid meeting Dumbledore, so why... why!
Moreover, he remembered that in his dream, the conversation between Dumbledore and Trelawney happened after Harry was born, but in the real world, it was more than half a year early... This time period wasn't even when Hogwarts was recruiting Professors. What on earth was Dumbledore doing!
Severus's first reaction was to turn and run; his Lily couldn't afford even the slightest mishap!
But just as he hurriedly rose, a soft yet powerful voice sounded from behind him.
"Mr. Snape, a chance encounter is fate. Come over and have a drink together."
Severus turned his head stiffly, only to see Dumbledore smiling as he raised his glass in a gesture toward him.
Between offending Dumbledore by using Apparition to flee and obediently sitting down to join the conversation between Dumbledore and Trelawney, Severus hesitated for only a second before following his heart and walking over.
Severus was now dancing on two eggs; he couldn't afford to offend either Lord Voldemort or Dumbledore.
Previously, Severus had intended to take Lily and leave Great Britain, but Lily couldn't bear to be too far from her sister Petunia, and their mentor Slughorn also tried his best to persuade him to stay, offering Severus an astronomical salary.
Considering that neither of them was currently involved in the Wizarding War, and in order to earn more Galleons to give Lily and the unborn child a better future, Severus had stayed after all.
Now he regretted it. If he had only known... Sigh!
Dumbledore had come to the Leaky Cauldron this time to interview Trelawney. Severus sat to the side, anxious as if on fire. He knew that although Trelawney's performance in the interview was mediocre, she would suddenly enter a mysterious state before leaving and make that terrible prophecy.
As the interview progressed, Severus became increasingly unable to suppress the unease in his heart.
He fearfully interrupted the conversation several times, taking the huge risk of angering Dumbledore to plead with him to move with Trelawney to a more secluded booth upstairs in the Leaky Cauldron—honestly, who would choose to conduct an interview directly in a bustling, crowded pub lobby!
One must know that in Great Britain, whether ordinary Muggles or members of the Wizarding World, there is a custom of going to a pub for a few drinks after work to browse the latest news of the day's football matches or Quidditch games to relieve stress.
And right now happened to be the busiest and most crowded after-work hour; the entire Leaky Cauldron was already packed to capacity with all sorts of Wizards.
Severus didn't need to think deeply to know that there were bound to be many spies and informants sent by the Death Eaters hidden among them!
Seeing his earnest requests rejected time and again, Severus was anxious but helpless.
In the end, he even used a begging tone to implore Dumbledore to find another quiet and peaceful place, saying he would cover all the expenses for the night.
However, facing Severus's repeated pleas, Dumbledore remained unmoved, steadfastly stating that he would continue the interview right here.
Although Trelawney was also a bit confused by the situation, seeing Dumbledore so insistent, she could only continue the interview according to Dumbledore's wishes.
Severus could only watch in despair as Trelawney finished the last sip of wine in her glass. Just as she was about to get up and take her leave, she suddenly stopped, falling into a mysterious state as if drunk, and spoke those words that had worried Severus for nearly ten years:
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal... but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... No, fate has been changed, but the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will still be born as the seventh month dies."
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