Poll: Would Lily and Snape reconcile if both Lily and James survived?
In an AU where somehow Lily and James managed to survive like those WBWL stories where Voldemort stupifies instead of killing them, would Lily and Snape reconcile?
Which of the following possible outcome you think would happen and elaborate your answer?
What is WBWL?
As to your question, it depends on the circumstances. If Harry was killed, then no, I don't think Lily would ever forgive him. I know this happens in some stories, but realistically speaking, there is nothing worse than the death of a child. That's not something you ever get over, and if you know that someone (however indirectly) caused it to happen, that is extremely difficult (often impossible) to move past.
If we're talking about a scenario where Harry survives, too, then it's a bit more complicated. While I certainly think Lily would be capable of forgiving him (and would have plenty of reasons to), James is a hindrance. I don't see him ever trusting Snape or wanting him anywhere near Lily, regardless of whether he switched sides or tried to save their lives. We also know that James is manipulative and controlling… he would do everything in his power to prevent a reconciliation.
That said, if we're being realistic, I don't see James and Lily staying together. I know JKR loves to marry off high school sweethearts/act like these relationships are permanent, but that's not reality. Most people who marry that young wind up getting divorced, and that's not even considering all the glaring red flags in James and Lily's relationship. I can even see Severus being the cause of their separation, as I'm sure that a possible reconciliation would bring out the worst in James. He'd go too far in trying to prevent it, and (hopefully) Lily would see his true colors.
@heatherlly, WBWL are basically Wrong Boy Who lived stories where Lily and James have twins instead of Harry, they survive because Voldemort stupifies them. Then due to some ridiculous logic, the Harry who is real BWL is sent to Dursleys and other twin is the known BWL, gets the parental love and becomes James 2.0. Harry after coming to know that is angry and vengeful and decides to live life to fullest, get sorted to Slytherin and gains Snape as a father figure.
I only took plot of stupify from them, in this AU scenario that I have proposed, Harry gets saved due to Lily's wilingness to protect him, Avada backfires on Voldemort and Harry becomes Horcrux. He doesn't have canon Harry protection due to no blood sacrifice. So all Potters survive, Peter goes to Azkaban and Sirius remains free.
That said, if we're being realistic, I don't see James and Lily staying together. I know JKR loves to marry off high school sweethearts/act like these relationships are permanent, but that's not reality. Most people who marry that young wind up getting divorced, and that's not even considering all the glaring red flags in James and Lily's relationship. I can even see Severus being the cause of their separation, as I'm sure that a possible reconciliation would bring out the worst in James. He'd go too far in trying to prevent it, and (hopefully) Lily would see his true colors.
True, I hate this high school sweetheart trope of JKR.
My preferred outcome is that they don't reconcile and Snape eventually moves on from Lily.
My theory about why Snape couldn't move on is the fact that he felt immense guilt and remorse over causing Lily's death and punished himself as a act of metaphorical self-flagellation.
So when he sees Lily hale and happy, he realised that it was futile to pine for her. He neither carries the remorse for her death nor an obligation to protect Harry as a way to absolve his guilt because Lily was safe.
So he leaves the Hogwarts and moves in another country to make a fresh start away from place of his traumas and eventually finds a worthwhile job and a woman willing to stand by his side. He finally moved on from Lily and no longer requires her to keep himself going on. He feels a sense of peace he never felt before, a family he never had and a worthwhile life of fulfilment.
As a bonus, Lily's marriage falls apart and she guilty for breaking friendship with Snape. She sees him happy, making a place for himself in the world, becoming everything he aspired once in his childhood and feels regret for missing out her chance to be with him and not being the one by his side.
I can certainly see the appeal in your ideas @heatherlly and @naaga.
My option would be Yes, but it would take very long time with both of your plot point and change the ending of Naaga's scenario. So, Lily reaches out to Severus in another country, they gradually begin to repair their friendship and are at least friends again.
Now, of course you can't run away from Death Eaters without paying a price. They kill Snape's OC wife, Voldemort is restored because he can take anyone's blood for revival without worrying for Blood Protection, Snape is in despair and swears revenge. Lily comes through for Severus in his tough time and he falls for her again. They manage to defeat Voldemort and live HEA in another country.
Do not ask me to dwell on such a painful hypothetical.
Doesn't stop us from wishing for you a happy ending 😘
Probably not, on either side.
Depending on what Lily knows she's probably going to be even angrier with him, and if she ever seeks Snape out, it'd be to give him a bollocking or attack him outright. Especially as long as James is still around to pour poison in her ears.
Snape, for his part, is not going to seek Lily out at all.
Then, if Snape is a teacher when Harry shows up - a Harry who has been spoiled into genuinely being James 2.0 - his appearance at Hogwarts and Snape's more than likely reaction is going to demolish any lingering chances at reconciliation.
I think that if Lily and James lived, Severus would have died as spy trying to bring Voldemort’s downfall. There still es many death Eaters walking around free and Peter would have had the knowledge to bring Voldemort back much sooner. I don’t think there would have been the ten years of peace in canon in this scenario since Lily and James know who betrayed them and would be actively looking for them. Especially James and Sirius who knows how to hold a grudge. Severus would get more involved in his spy duties endangering his life and Dumbledore would have found the cave of inferi and the Gaunt shack much sooner trying to investigate Voldemort’s immortality.
Maybe one day, Dumbledore would tell Lily of Severus’ great achievements. Or maybe Dumbledore would die trying to destroy the horcruxes and never get the chance to tell her.
I think James staying alive and sharing a common goal with everyone else might hinder other relationship prospects.
