A/N: For Paris in December's Timed Tiers Challenge. My prompt is: Bellatrix Black kidnaps Lily Evans.

It was a beautiful night. The air was warm, but still crisp. The sky was clear and dotted with stars, shining bright against its landscape. There was a light breeze that blew Lily's hair into her face, but the sense of peace here, at the top of the Astronomy Tower, prevented her from finding it even remotely irritating. It was the week of exams—her OWLs—and she knew she should be sleeping; it was also past curfew, so she really shouldn't be up here at all, but after all the frantic studying and the stress of everything, she'd just needed to escape.

There was a sound behind her, and she swivelled at the window.

"Stupefy!"

She fell to the cold stone of the floor and Bellatrix grinned gleefully. "Time to go, Princess."

xXx

Severus was growing concerned. The day's examinations had concluded and he hadn't seen so much as the swish of Lily's hair. His eyes were once more scanning the Gryffindor table, and to no avail, when a note was dropped onto the table before him.

.

Anymore obvious, Snape, and I'd demand that the Headmaster re-sort you.

The Astronomy Tower. Midnight. I just may have what you seek.

.

His jaw clenched and his eyes flashed furiously. They could mess with him all they wanted, but to drag Lily into it… that was more than unacceptable.

The hours passed slowly, and he became increasingly concerned for her safety. They wouldn't hurt her, he assured himself, they just want to make a point. He determinedly ignored the fact that their message would be most poignant if pain were inflicted.

By just past 11:30 he decided he couldn't sit still any longer, and so he departed for his destination. It was a decent way off anyhow, so he wouldn't be all that early. He took the time, now that he was moving and less preoccupied, to really think about things. There was no mark on his arm, but everyone in the school knew he was practically a Death Eater already, if only by association. And they were right—he had been presented to the Dark Lord weeks ago, shortly after his mother's death, and his initiation would happen over the summer break.

He could feel the cloud of darkness that hung over him wherever he went. The weight and exhilaration of dabbling in the Dark Arts. It was an addiction, he knew, a seductive power which he craved every moment of every day. But it wasn't a weakness—it was a strength. He was sick of being weak, powerless, dominated. It was time for Severus to have control. And there was something about having another at his mercy that sent a fiery shiver through his veins. Something about the pulse of darkness that lit the world to a technicolour blaze.

Lily though, he knew she was problematic. His friendship with her couldn't continue, as someone was clearly demonstrating. He couldn't put her in that sort of danger—he couldn't put himself in that sort of danger. If only it were that simple. If only he didn't love her…

He started up the tower's stairs. Love her he did. With her swift mind and her creativity and her— Well, now really wasn't the time to consider it, he supposed. His heart felt heavy in his chest. He had kept thinking "next week," "soon," but he couldn't ever break off their friendship—especially not when he wanted so desperately for it to be something more. He slipped through the entrance of the tower.

"Eager, Snape? You're early."

"Bellatrix," he replied conversationally. "Should have known." He didn't need to make out her face in the darkness to know that she was smirking superiorly.

"Should've. You know what this is about, yeah?"

He remained silent. Her wand was pointed at the immobile redhead on the floor. She looked unharmed, and he wasn't interested in changing that by way of his tongue.

"The Dark Lord is unhappy with your choice of friends. Mudbloods and Death Eaters are an unacceptable match. If you don't want her to get hurt you'll get rid of her. Tomorrow."

His heart grew weightier as he nodded. "Tomorrow. If you'll be so kind, Black."

She laughed slightly maniacally. "As you wish, Snape. She's all yours tonight."

He waited a good ten minutes, to be sure the woman was gone. "Enervate!"

Lily blinked groggily.

"Lily. We've all been so worried," he said softly, loathing that he was about to lie to her—loathing that he would soon have to hurt her.

"Worried?" she mumbled distractedly. He helped her into a sitting position and slid next to her, smiling deep down as she promptly dropped her head onto his shoulder.

"You were missing all day. I've been looking for you." It wasn't really a lie, he rationalised. More of a… a deception.

"That's preposterous," she whispered, her head still resting against him, "of course I wasn't—we had our potions exam today."

He winced. She was going to be rather distraught in a moment. "That was yesterday, Lily. We had History of Magic today."

Her eyes flew open and she leapt to her feet. "Severus Snape, if you are messing with me, I swear—"

A grin swept across his face, unbidden. "I'm sure McGonagall will figure something out for you."

Her frustrated shriek echoed, and he found it quite likely to have been heard half way through the Forbidden Forest.

xXx

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

He felt his heart burst into a thousand shards as she simply blinked at him, like she wasn't even surprised, like she wasn't shocked that he should say it. She retorted, but her words just washed over him. Bellatrix's face was sneering at him a short distance away, and he averted his eyes, dropping them to the grass at his feet. Lily was storming away, and he looked up just in time to see Potter pointing his wand at him once more, but he didn't care. All he could do was watch the girl he loved walk away from him for what would probably be the last time. The world was spinning and he wasn't entirely certain it was because of Potter's curse.

Goodbye, Lily.