A Tiny Miracle

"Good afternoon!" the clerk behind the counter greeted as Lily stepped into the bookshop. In return, she dipped her chin in his direction and smiled. It was the polite thing to do, even if she was in something of a rush. Today was Marlene's birthday and she had every intention of sending her a new book before Diagon Alley's owl post closed for the day. Pacing the aisles as she thought over what her mate would most enjoy, she took a sharp right down the defense texts, knowing that across from them would be the fiction section; and, more specifically, the romance novel aisle.

However, Lily hardly made it more than a handful of steps into the aisle before she began to slow. The way to the fiction section was all but blocked. In front of her was a darkly dressed man crouched low to the ground with his back to her, a small pile of books to his right.

"…U, V, W!" a little voice chanted from behind the man.

The man's hand reached for a book from the stack beside him and she caught sight of a sliver of the small voice's source. It appeared to be a girl— If the short, pink robe was any indication. "Yes, that's it," he praised as her heart began to hammer in recognition at the low timber. Lily would know that voice anywhere. "Where does O'Neil go?" the man, Severus Snape, asked the child.

When she could speak once more, Lily croaked, "Severus?"

The man's neck twisted around and he looked up at her. His coal-black eyes went from impatient and curious to surprised and horrified the moment they met her own. She watched on as he turned back around and flew through putting the remaining books back onto the shelf. A blink of her eyes later, he was standing up, a little blonde girl on his hip and a book clutched to his chest like a teddy bear.

"Lily," he whispered, eyes meandering over her, only to stop at her belly.

While Severus stared at her protruding stomach, she nervously began to clench and unclench the fabric of her cloak as an awkward silence began to overtake them. Lily could see his lips curling distastefully and felt ashamed even though she had no reason to. Perhaps she and James hadn't quite planned to have this baby (war was hardly the best time to bring a child into the world), but they loved each other and had the means and a home to raise it in.

The flames of indignation began to rise on the remnant of her shame and Lily balled her hands up for a fight. She cleared her throat and asked, quite pointedly in her opinion, "How do you do?"

Severus's gaze snapped up to meet her own. Any negative emotions she'd previously identified on his features were gone and, for a moment, Lily swore she saw regret in his black hole of a stare. Almost mechanically, he replied, "Well, thank you." After a breath, he asked, "And you?"

Shaken out of her building anger by Severus's civility, unbidden, one of Lily's hands went to rest upon her stomach. "I'm just fine," she answered. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, Lily looked away from the face of her potential enemy to the girl he was holding. She was quite young, a bit too big for a toddler, but no older than six. What truly surprised, her, however, was her black eyes. They were identical to Severus's own.

Was this girl his sister? Daughter? Merlin, don't tell her she'd been that blind to what Severus was up to after she broke off their friendship!

Abruptly, Lily was coaxed to look at Severus once more when he jogged the girl up and down on his hip. He was looking at her as he said, "This is Darla, my sister." He then shifted his gaze to the girl— Darla, his sister. "This is Lily," he told her, "an old schoolmate."

"Oh," Lily whispered, blinking. "Are you watching her for the day?" She hoped it was only for the day. Severus was hardly the most patient person and she could only imagine what would happen should his little sister wear him thin enough in whatever scant hours he was minding her for.

His mouth pursed briefly, but, before he could open to speak, Severus's little sister said, "No. I live with Sev. Mummy an' Daddy are gone."

She found herself knitting her brows together. Gone? What could— Oh. Oh. Severus and Darla were orphans, like her, like 'Tuney. Her heart panged with sympathy and regret. She'd decided to all but forget Cokeworth after her parents' deaths when she was eighteen, but, now, she could see that wasn't the wisest decision. If she'd stayed even just a little abreast about her hometown's going-ons… "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know…" mumbled Lily.

Severus averted his eyes and gave an awkward, uneven shrug. "Don't be," he replied. "It's not as if I made any kind of announcement in the papers."

Lily felt relief knowing she probably wouldn't have heard even if she kept herself up-to-date on Cokeworth, then, felt poorly for having any sort of happiness at the knowledge this was a faux pas she couldn't have avoided. When she looked back at Severus, Lily saw he was helping his little sister roll up the too-long sleeves of her robe. His face was smooth as he assisted her, utterly unbothered that he had to try and juggle her, a book, and do most of the folding. Evidentally, being a brother had caused his tolerance to grow by leaps and bounds.

Realizing she'd let the silence stretch on far too long between them, she remarked, "Brotherhood seems to suit you."

He returned his gaze to her. His black eyes were almost soft as he said, "It has been difficult at times, but Darla has been so very worth it." He glanced once more at her stomach as he finished and Lily felt her mouth twitch into a smile. Was he trying to reassure her that her baby would be a good experience in spite of the sleepless nights and dirty nappies to come? It was… Almost sweet.

He was surely a Death Eater by now and of course the enemy, but it seemed Darla had brought back some of the little boy she used to know in Severus. Perhaps he was not entirely lost. Perhaps he'd realize You-Know-Who was not any kind of savior and defect before the war's end. Internally, she sighed. What was she thinking? Severus believed what the Death Eaters did. Just because his sister had gentled him some didn't mean he'd see the error in his ways and change into that good man she was always sure he could become if he'd only try.

Even so, Lily couldn't help her hope. They weren't friends anymore, but she still wanted good things for him. For the little boy who'd taught her about Hogwarts and magic. He'd been so important to her once upon a time.

Once upon a time. Stories started with once upon a time. Stories were found in books. Some books were novels. Marlene.

'Bother!' Lily thought, 'The owlery closes in half an hour!'

Her reason for coming to the bookshop once again at the forefront of her mind, Lily found herself nodding at Severus. "Good," she said to him. "Good…" Lily reached out and took hold of the hand Darla had loosely hanging at her side. Smiling at the little girl, she enthused, "It's been nice meeting you, Darla." The girl beamed in response. Locking eyes with Severus one last time, she told him, "I'm glad you are doing well."

"You too," he replied with what sounded like true sincerity and a small smile.

Letting go of Darla's hand, Lily took a step to the side and wriggled her fingers at the pair. "Ta, Snapes. I reckon I'll see you around."

Darla waved back at her while Severus nodded his head in agreement. As she hurried to the romance section, Lily truly hoped she would be right and they'd run into one another again sometime. She'd love to see just how deep the changes Darla brought out in Severus were and if, just maybe, she could save him somehow.

I've been wanting to write another outsider perspective, but from the view of someone in one of the Family Branches series stories. How'd you like getting Lily's POV on the first scene in "Chance Encounters" of Black Eyes?

Thank you so much for reading :)