Lost Memories
A/N Hello, I hope everyone enjoys the first chapter of this saga, I'm excited to share this!. Note, I made up first names for Mr. and Mrs. Evans because I couldn't find anything that stated them.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing within this story belongs to me, from the plot to characters, just a retelling of a classic tale. All rights go to JK Rowling, of course, and no profits have/will be made from the publication of this.
Chapter One:
Her hand opening gracefully, the boy watched, eyes transfixed. But his eyes weren't on the wilting and re-blooming flower, they were on the girl who held it. His eyes taking in every detail about her, from her freckled cheeks to the red curls falling down her shoulders. He'd never seen anyone like her, her excited voice carrying to his ears like nice music.
Looking up surprisingly, Lily Evans watched him with a curious gaze. "You're not watching?," she observed, raising a brow pressingly. Shaking his head, Severus' jaw shifted distractedly, "Sorry, I was just..thinking…."
"About?" she asked, closing her hand into a fist causing the flower to disappear as she took a seat in the tall grass. Severus' dark eyes following her as she sat, Lily smiled indicating for him to take a seat beside her. Kneeling in the grass beside her obligingly, Lily sat cross-legged, her emerald green eyes waiting on him expectantly. Severus not replying, Lily gave him a sharp look, questioning quietly, "Is it your father?" Her eyes softening with the words. Shaking his head, Severus seemed glad to be given a direction to go in other than his entrancement with her.
He was a quiet boy Lily had noticed. Never talking much, he usually only spoke when spoken to, listening to her the rest of the time. She liked him all the same, living with Petunia was quite the opposite in those regards and it was nice to feel heard. He was kind, she knew he was even if he didn't openly show it. He would smile at her although Lily got the feeling that wasn't a regular thing for Severus Snape. She knew his home life was…...different.
She remembered, at the beginning of the summer, telling her parents she'd made a new friend. When her parents had questioned her more over the dinner table that night, Lily had said, "His name is Severus Snape." Missing her parents exchange at the name, Petunia had been quick to pick up on the unspoken dialogue between the adults, "They don't like him, either." Petunia's tone triumphant, as if that confirmed the boy was bad news. Of course, this wasn't what the exchange had been about. Their father throwing a warning look at Petunia, Lily looked between her parents confusedly, "Why?, he's nice. Have you even me-"
"Lily, darling. We have nothing against the boy. I'm sure he is great," Her mum said softly, giving the child a reassuring look that convinced Lily. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, not even knowing the boy their daughter talked so highly of, had nothing against him. It was his parents they disapproved of. They'd heard the rumors, they'd seen the patrol cars parked outside the Snape house. They'd heard the yelling late into the night. No, the look that had been exchanged had been pity, pity for the boy. "So how'd you meet him?," Henry Evans asked, ignoring Petunia's annoyed huff of air at his words. Smiling again, Lily told them how he'd been in the park when she and Petunia had been. Her parents seeming satisfied with that story, Lily made note not to mention the magic. Not just yet, at least. That'd be her and Severus' secret for a little longer. Or, as Petunia had taken to calling it, her "freaky tricks". Petunia speaking up just then, said coldly, "Well, I think he's weird." Their mother giving Petunia a scolding look, Lily said defensively, "He is not!. Stop saying things against-"
"You've seen him!, those filthy rags he-"
"Petunia!, stop it. Now." Henry intervening with another look his wife's way as she narrowed her eyes on the eldest daughter. "Petunia, you know not everyone has as much as us," Sally Evans said clipply, having little patience now for her daughter's attitude. Lowering her eyes, Petunia pursed her lips tightly. Her lips thinning in disdain as she withheld another snide comment about the neighbor boy. Henry, noticing this shared another look with his wife before dismissing them from the table, both the girls' plates emptied and glasses drained by now.
Lily had heard them talking later that night about Severus, about his father. Naturally, she'd been curious and having no concept of holding her tongue on the matter, had questioned her new friend the next day. Severus looking shocked by her questioning had postponed answering until some weeks later. But now Lily knew, she knew about Tobias and Eileen Snape.
It took almost a year for Eileen to come knocking on the Evans' door. Sally opening the door had never seen the woman before her but could guess from her cheekbone structure, this must be Eileen Snape. Eileen trying for a smile, said, "Mrs. Evans?" Sally nodding in response, Eileen continued, "I figured we should meet at some point," giving Sally a genuine smile now as she offered Sally the basket in her hands.
"Blueberry scones. I, um, I wasn't sure if you had allergies-" Laughing welcomingly, Sally shook her head taking the basket from the other woman with a thoughtful, "Thank you, that's so kind...and you can call me, Sally. Please." Welcoming Eileen in, the women talked over scones and tea. Henry coming home around five, found the women still chatting enjoyably. Sally introducing the unfamiliar woman, Henry shook her hand politely. Lily and Severus coming into the house some minutes after, looked surprised by the scene. Eileen, Sally and Henry talking happily, laughing.
This was a scene Severus was not accustomed to seeing his mother in. Crying in dark rooms late at night, screaming at Tobias, telling Severus to leave her be, yes. Those were normal. But this?, definitely not. Lily seeming to have put together that this, this woman with sunken cheekbones and pale grey skin, was Severus' mother, smiled at the woman. Eileen seeing the girl, glanced to her son before saying, "You must be Lily, Severus has told me much about you." Severus looking embarrassed at his mother's words let his eyes fall to his feet. Lily grinning nodded, introducing herself properly as she stepped into the room fully. The conversation carrying on for only a little longer, Eileen finally stood stating that her husband would be worried if she and Severus were gone much longer. Accepting this with weak smiles, the Evans escorted Severus and Eileen to the door. Henry opening the door for them, they stood shocked to find a man at the door, fist raised as if to knock. Quickly lowering his hand, his eyes fell on Eileen and Severus. Severus' small smile that had endured the whole evening faltering.
Lily would never forget the man, his appearance so similar to Severus'. Sensing her own family tense, Lily glanced between Severus and Eileen, and the man before them. He was tall, but not much more than her own father, with coarse black hair and the same dark eyes as Severus, his skin paler than Severus'. It bugged her how much Severus looked like his father, although the man in front of her didn't look nearly as nice as her friend. Eileen the first to speak, said, evenly, "We were just heading home…" Nodding, Tobias' eyes scanned the Evans, falling on his son.
Tobias stepping aside, Eileen took her son's hand as her eyes met with her husband's. The man seemed uninterested in Lily or her family, his eyes looking over them for only a moment more before giving a sniff nod, which Henry returned unsurely. Tobias didn't look happy, Lily could see it in his eyes. Her stomach turning nervously, she couldn't help but notice how he looked at Severus. One look and Lily could tell Tobias didn't like his son much. Lily wondered if the man even loved his son. "You didn't tel-" Tobias began as his family stepped over the house threshold towards the night, Eileen glaring at him, cutting over with, "Must've slipped my-" And ending with, "Eileen," Tobias' tone one Lily had never heard.
She didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation, the door closing and cutting off their voices just then but guessing from the way Severus had tensed from his father's tone, that was Tobias not happy. Eileen never came back over the Evans' house again. Sally questioning Severus about it briefly some time later, Severus had answered that his parents weren't very social. Lily not sure if she believed him, had pushed the topic further, Severus replying insistently to her that that was the case.
Lily wondered if Eileen being a witch had caused the tension, the outbursts. Severus had after all told her when they'd first met that Tobias was a muggle and his mum a witch. He'd never said outright this was the problem, but what if it was?. What if Lily's family didn't react happily to her being a witch?!. Severus' father hadn't, but Lily's dad seemed much different than Severus'. Thinking on that, Lily dismissed the idea some days later, not to resurface until her eleventh birthday rolled around.
Quickly realizing that Severus seemed almost relieved whenever her mum would invite him to dinner, it soon became a regular occurrence that Severus Snape joined the Evans for dinner. Sally always welcoming, Lily figured it was something severus wasn't used to. He was overly polite, always asking rather than stating whenever talking to her parents, Lily found this amusing. He was too shy to stand behind any formed opinions, and seemed to fear confrontation.
Looking back to Severus, Lily realized he still hadn't answered. He watched the creek ahead of them, the trees blowing above them. Not even hesitating, Lily took his hand in hers kindly, "You can tell me, Sev. We're friends." Looking like he had forgotten she was there, Severus looked uneasily down at her grip, nodding. Sensing he didn't like being touched, Lily dropped her grip but her smile was still wide. His own lips curving at the sight of her, Severus sighed, "I just want to be at Hogwarts, that's all…away from here..." Nodding in agreement, Lily asked tensely, "You won't know anyone either, I mean besides me. Right? At Hogwarts?" Seeing the worry in her expression, Severus' mouth turned up, a small smile appearing as he said, "No, but that's okay." He seemed to believe what he said, making Lily's chest loosen at the thought. She didn't want to be the only one who knew, pretty much, no one. Than again, by no means was Severus Snape, "No one." He was her best friend. Wondering suddenly if he knew that, Lily smiled. "Sev?" her voice meek, for the first time Severus was sure. Meek wasn't a tone Lily was acquired to but it suited her, in Severus' opinion, just as every other tone she'd ever voiced to him. "Hmm?" he mumbled, his hands playing with the grass by his side. "Am I your best friend?" she asked, her gaze on him. Looking at her, he seemed to think about the question for a moment before answering, "Yes, I suppose….." His eyes meeting hers, Severus felt his chest lighten as she grinned, "Good, because you're mine." Allowing another smile to overcome him, Severus repeated, "Good," trying to hide the joy her words caused him.
A/N I hope you all liked the first chapter, please review!. I'd LOVE to know what you thought of this intro chapter!.