The Tree in Hogsmade

There was the tree in Hogsmade slightly away from the main street. Not many people noticed it but it was special tree for some people.

It was winter and snow was gently flowing. Snow covered the street. There were a lot of people in Hogsmade that day because students at Hogwarts were allowed to go there. The part of the village where tree was standing was almost empty however. There was only one person standing under the tree.

It was a girl who was in her fifth year at Hogwarts. Snowflakes were falling in her red hair and she was looking at the sky with her green eyes. Her name was Lily Evans.

That tree was very special for her. It was place that held many memories she had with her friend.

When the third year started she couldn't wait for the first Hogsmade trip. She heard so many stories from older students and read a lot about it. That's why she really wanted to see this awesome Village with her own eyes.

When that Saturday finally came she woke up very early. She planned to go with Mary and Alice but Severus asked her so she was going with him. When they ended up being in different houses she was at first worried that their friendship will disappear but they ended up still being friends and she was very glad for that.

The day with Severus was really fun. Lily loved Hogsmade the moment she saw it and they ended up going to every shop. When they got tired they planned to go to Three Broomsticks to rest but it was too full so they decided to find some other place. And at that moment Lily saw the tree and they went closer. Severus sat under it and asked Lily to join him.

She wasn't really sure at first, she was worried that it'll be to cold but in the end she sat next to him anyway. They were sitting there for a long time. They didn't really speak a lot the just watched the sky.

"It's so beautiful here," Lily said. "I don't understand why no one else it's here. It's so nice that you'd expect that a lot of people would love it."

"I think it's fine that way," said Severus. "There is more space for us because of that."

Lily smiled. "This could be our secret tree Sev. We should come here on every Hogsmade trip."

Severus smiled and Lily noticed that it was very rare that she saw him actually smile. "I'm fine with it. So we are meeting here every Hogsmade trip?"

And that's how this tree became special for them. They went there on almost every Hogmsade trip and something special happene every year. But as years went on they slowly started to grow apart. They didn't meet each other on their final Hogsmade trip in their fourth year and not on any in their fifth year. They both went to Hogsmade with their other friends and never together.

Lily started to notice how different Severus became. He started to become more and more like his Slytherin friends. Lily didn't like that but she still pretended that she didn't notice this. She really missed that boy who told her that she was a witch all those years ago. There were too many changes. She already grow apart from Petunia and now it seemed that the same thing is going to happen with her and Severus.

Because of all this she was very surprised when Severus asked her if they could meet at that tree. She was very happy about it. But now that she was standing there and waiting she started to get worried that he won't come. That's why she was very glad when Severus finally came.

They were quiet at first until Lily asked without moving her gaze from the sky: "How comes you wanted to meet me here?"

"Well... That is our secret tree right? It's where we promised each other that we'll go every Hogsmade trip," he said slightly uncomfortably.

"I know about that," said Lily moving slightly but still not looking at him. "I thought you were the one who forgot."

"I would never!" Severus said but it was still seen on his face that he was uncomfortable and also a bit afraid. "I would never forget something as important as this!"

"Is it really true though?" Lily asked. "I wouldn't be that sure about that, looking at how you were acting lately."

"Lily..." Severus said but he had no idea what to say while Lily finally looked at him. She was looking forward very much that they'll finally meet each other here again, but now that he actually came all those feelings of being unsure about what kind of person is her friend came out of her.

"I'm trying to be quiet about it. I pretend I don't notice anything. I always defend you when my friends ask me why am I even your friend. I still try to think of you as a person I met seven years ago." She paused a bit.

"Lily..." Severus tried to say again looking very afraid but she interrupted him. "I wish I could be sure that I'm right when I'm doing this. I wish I wouldn't need to be afraid and think that my friends could be right. Severus I noticed it. You changed so much in this year. Or maybe you finally showed your real self I never knew."

"You changed too," Severus said when he finally got over shock of Lily exploding. "You might don't realise it but you aren't same as you used to be either."

"That might be true. But at least I don't have that interest in dark arts," she said.

"Dark arts aren't used only for bad things. Studying about them can be for good purposes too," Severus tried defending himself.

"Good purposes? Like attacking other students? Sure that's good purpose," Lily said sarcastically. "I can really see now how good purpose those Slytherins you call friends have for using dark arts."

"You are the one saying. Your friends aren't any better when we speak about attacking other students," Severus said now getting slightly angry.

"At least none of them uses dark arts. And if you are talking about Potter and Black here – as I'm sure you are – you know very well they aren't my friends. And we already argued about that. I don't see any reason to do it again," said Lily.

"You started it," argued Severus.

"I didn't start talking about what your or my friends do. I wanted to talk to you about what you do. About our friendship."

Severus looked at her again. His anger was again started to be replaced by fear. When he didn't say anything Lily continued.

"I don't want to be unsure. I want to know it. Are we friends or not? Are you person I can trust or not? "

She herself was afraid when she asked those questions. She was afraid of what answer she'll get. She was afraid of growing apart from another person with who she was close. But even though she was afraid she wanted to truth.

Severus didn't answer immediately. She was looking at Lily's eyes. Those green eyes he loved so much.

"I'll be with you," he said then. "I don't care if we have different friends or go separate ways, I'll always be your best friend."

Lily smiled. Those words made her very happy. She stepped closer to him. "You promise?" she asked.

Severus didn't hesitate. "I promise," he said.

But less than half year later that promise was broken.