Harry turned to Bellatrix and arched an eyebrow. "What did you do, deputize Potter and his friends?"
Bellatrix shot Harry a look that was both annoyed and guilty. "I prevented Lucius Malfoy from kidnapping my sister." She then recounted the events.
By the time, she had finished, Harry had retreated to the chair behind his desk and was slumped tiredly in it. "Great," he said.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Bellatrix asked.
"Maybe I should make you deal with it," Harry grumbled.
"Obviously, that option is not available to you," Bellatrix said.
"I'll have a conversation with Snape," Harry decided. "We'll see where to go from there."
"Fine," said Bellatrix. "May I take my sister? I think it would be best if I or my father dealt with her."
"Great," Harry said. "Take her and deal with her. Tell your little group of deputies that they can go back to bed."
Bellatrix assumed control of Narcissa's levitation with her wand and then opened the door. Before she could close it after walking out, Lily Evans slipped in.
"Please professor, I need to talk to you," Lily said urgently, glancing back and forth between him and the levitated, unconscious Snape. "I'm sure that this is just a misunderstanding."
Harry sighed, "Very well, Miss Evans. Close the door behind you."
Lily shut the door and sat down, attempting to establish eye contact with Harry, though it proved difficult. "I'm sure that Severus hasn't done anything wrong," she declared.
"Do you even know what he's been accused of doing?" Harry sighed.
"Bellatrix says he tried to kidnap Narcissa," Lily said. "I just know that he wouldn't do that sort of thing."
Harry began to tap his fingers on the desk in front of him as he ostensibly ignored the squawking chicken in his desk. "I guess you're right, Miss Evans," Harry admitted. "Severus wasn't trying to kidnap Narcissa, per se, but he was helping someone to do so."
"Lucius Malfoy," Lily said, leaning forward. "And from my information, it sounds like Narcissa was perfectly willing to go."
"Who told you that?" Harry.
"James brought me up to speed," Lily replied.
Harry smiled. "Did he? That was nice of him."
Lily seemed slightly taken aback, but she regained her composure. "He had no choice in the matter," Lily said. "But as I said, Narcissa was willing to go."
"I'm sorry Miss Evans, but Narcissa is not old enough to make that decision. Lucius Malfoy was seeking to remove her from the custody of this school. Her custody was entrusted to us by her father, Cygnus Black."
"They have a marriage contract," Lily argued.
"Not for much longer," Harry retorted, smirking inwardly. Due to his interference with the Black family, Draco Malfoy might never be born. It was a glorious thought, though it was also very sobering. Had Harry prevented the birth of other people who had been friendlier to his cause?
Lily looking at Harry imploringly, "Perhaps Severus didn't understand what he was doing."
"Would you have done the same thing if a good friend had asked you?" Harry inquired, beginning to feel very irritated. Had his mother still been alive in his future, would she have persisted in defending Snape against Harry's complaints of poor classroom manners and general surliness toward Harry? Harry had always dreamed that she would have made things better, but he was now beginning to doubt.
"No," Lily admitted slowly. "I guess not, but it may be that Severus was under a curse or potion that allowed Lucius Malfoy to influence him."
Harry lost his temper and slammed his fist into the desk. "Why do you persist in defending him?" he demanded, his voice becoming almost violent. "It is abundantly clear that he did wrong, Miss Evans! He was caught! The facts are indisputable! Why do you insist that he did no wrong?"
Lily was intimidated, but no one could accuse her of lacking spunk. "He's my friend, Professor," she retorted loudly. "He's always been my friend, and he's always been teased and picked on my others. I'm sick of seeing Severus bullied!"
Harry rose to his feet and directed a baleful glare at Lily. His green eyes pulsated intensely as his turbulent emotions aroused his magic. Sensing that he was on the edge of losing his temper even further, Harry was careful not to yell. "Being his friend doesn't give you the right to shield him from the consequences of his actions," Harry told Lily in an evenly-toned voice. "He may have once showed you kindness in the past, but he has treated everyone here at Hogwarts with contempt-professors included. That, Lily, is why he has social problems. At his core, Severus has problems. It's time that you let him leave your nest. Harbor for yourself your feelings of friendship, but stop trying to make excuses and defend him against consequences. Once he starts to see that he's responsible for his actions, maybe he'll begin to be a better person."
Lily burst into tears. Suddenly feeling deflated, Harry collapsed back into his chair, drew his wand, and used it to summon a box of tissue. He was forced to watch as she made liberal use of the tissue to wipe away her tears.
"I'm sorry, Miss Evans," Harry apologized, beginning to feel very guilty. "It's just that… what Severus did tonight is rather serious. Lucius Malfoy had made some very poor choices in his life. He has caused pain for others and has left his father bitterly disappointed in him. If you had a daughter the age of Narcissa, how would feel if some teenage boy arranged for her to run away with him? How would you feel about the other person who helped the teenage boy?"
"I guess I understand," Lily said quietly.
"Good," Harry said. "I will act in the best interests of Mr. Snape," he promised.
"Are you going to have him expelled?" Lily asked, fearful of what the answer might be.
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