Severus and Lily
Looking at her hurt. I had never seen anyone so beautiful and free. She was quietly sitting in the meadow, swaying to the rhythm of the breeze, a flower standing in the middle of her palm. That's how I knew she was different like me. She looked so peaceful, I could watch her for hours. She came every day, as did I, but she never saw me. I was too afraid to disrupt her, she was in her own little world, and I couldn't take that away from her. I just silently observed her from a nearby tree, wondering what she was like. She had beautiful, long, wavy, red hair and gorgeous blue eyes. She had a light sprinkling of freckles over her petite nose and perfect, full lips. She belonged in the meadow, she practically blended in with the wildflowers.
I secretly hoped she would notice me one day and maybe come over and say something. Or maybe one day I'd have the nerve to show myself and say something to her. One day, however, I did get my chance, and I took it. Another girl came over, a Muggle. She wasn't nearly as beautiful and she looked as if she were a few years older.
"You're a freak, Lily!" She screamed, hitting the flower out of her hand. She didn't understand our extraordinary gift. I decided to defend her; she shouldn't be ashamed of her abilities. I climbed down from the tree and cautiously approached her. She looked so defeated.
"She doesn't understand; she's not like us" I told her. Her face lit up when I made a seed from the trees fly into her hands. In that moment, I knew that I could love her.
"I'm Lily." Her voice was kind.
"I'm Severus." And that was the start of our friendship.
My favorite memory with her was when we got lost in the woods and discovered the clan of Centaurs that live deep in the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest is off limits to all Hogwarts students, but that didn't stop us. Lily was the bravest person I had ever known. She feared nothing, which of course comes with its own consequences. It's good to fear some things; however, that day in the Forbidden Forest, her fearlessness saved us. We balanced each other well.
Lily and I were wandering the grounds one day. It was early September, the air was crisp and the leaves had begun their slow, beautiful death. The two of us ended up straying all the way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Lily and I just stood there, staring into the eerie fog that always seemed to sit at the forest's floor.
"We should go in." Lily whispered, as if someone could be listening.
"Lily, are you mad? We could die in there!" I screamed. I was really hoping she was not serious. But once Lily set her mind on something, there was no turning back, and I would never have let her go in alone.
She just turned to me and mischievously smiled. She was going in with or without me. I followed closely behind her into the mysterious woods, taking in all of my surroundings. The entire time I walked behind her I was coming up with a way to convince her to turn back before we ended up lost. This was never easy; Lily loved to explore and she had always been so fascinated with the Forbidden Forest.
"Lily, we shouldn't wander in too far, we may get lost and no one knows we're in here." The fear in my voice alone should have swayed her to turn around, but she hadn't heard me in that moment. Something in the distance had caught her attention.
"Severus, look! There is something watching us at the top of that hill!" Lily was so excited to have already discovered a deadly creature. Everything that lived in the forest could and would kill us the first chance they got. The creatures of the forest are not kind to strangers.
"Lily, we should leave the creature alone. You know how they feel about intruders; this is their home." I had hoped she would realize how bloody insane she was for wanting to approach an unknown, deadly being. Before I knew it, she was running towards it, and I was running after her. I think it was then when I realized how much I cared for her. I could have easily turned back and gone home to safety, but I couldn't leave her. If she was going to die, I was going to die with her.
We followed the creature at a safe distance for what felt like ages. I stopped recognizing the trees that now surrounded us; we had entered a part of the forest neither of us had ever been. I wish I had marked the trees or the ground as we followed this large creature, but I was too concentrated on keeping up with Lily. She had always been faster than me. As we started to slow down, we came upon a clearing. There was a pond of crystal clear water, glistening in a rare patch of sunlight and many of the same creatures lounging around it. The clearing was so out of place, it had a sprinkling of vibrant wildflowers and even a green patch of grass. It was bright and beautiful, unlike the forest itself. That's when Lily and I realized that we had been following a Centaur.. We had only ever heard myths about the Centaurs and were told that they lived deep in the forest and were to never be disturbed. This Centaur, however, wanted us to follow him. Lily looked at me in awe; she was so excited. I was too, but I still worried that they might make us their lunch. I didn't know what Centaurs ate, but I did know that they were carnivores.
The Centaur gestured for us to follow him down to his clan, and we obeyed. Lily didn't hesitate; she walked right up next to the Centaur and asked his name.
"What is your name sir?"
"I'm Firenze,, I am the leader of this clan."
He stood at least two meters tall, his eyes were as black as night and his voice bellowed when he spoke.
"How did you happen across this beautiful patch of land, in such a horrible place?
"We were driven into the forest many years ago by dark Wizards. We lost our land and our homes, this was the only place we had to go."
"That's horrible!" Lily practically screamed.
"It was devastating. We traveled through these woods for weeks, trying to find a place that resembled our old land. When we came across this watering hole, we knew that this was the closest we would ever come." He spoke softly, almost as if it had happened just the other day.
"I'm so sorry, Firenze." Lily was distraught, she couldn't fathom how cruel people could be.
"We've been getting on just fine. The Women of our clan brought seeds from our land, allowing us to plant this grass and these wildflowers. It has made us feel more at peace, knowing that there still can be such beauty in such a dark place."
"It is beautiful, it gives me hope that good will prevail in the end." Lily's eyes glistened, she truly believed that everything would someday be okay. And in that moment, I wanted to believe her.
"It's what makes us want to live. We now are patiently awaiting the day that we can return to our homeland. All we want is to survive."
"That's a horrible way to have to live your life. It's so unfair! Someday, you will be free to live wherever you please." Lily had always been protesting the mistreatment of magical creatures. They had always been misunderstood. And she was right.
"This is why I brought you here."
"I don't understand." Lily's eyes were bursting with curiosity as she closely studied Firenze.
"I don't want you to fear us, Centaurs. All we want is peace, just like you. If there is ever a war, we will fight alongside you." He looked down at Lily with kindness.
"Why did you bring us here? We're only kids."
"Not many good Witches and Wizards willingly enter the forest, when I saw you, I knew I had to take action." Lily's face broke out in an ear to ear grin, she was so happy to have been brought to the Centaurs' small patch of wonder.
"I promise you Firenze, we will notify our headmaster at once. We will not let you down." Firenze looked to his clan with great admiration and then back at Lily. He felt that he could trust her, like he trusts his own.
"I am grateful to you. Please, come." Firenze started down the hill and Lily accompanied him. I decided to stay back. I then watched as Lily was accepted by a species so unlike ours, Lily had a calming presence; she put me and anyone around her at ease. People always felt they could trust her. I remained more in the shadows, something I do best, as I observed Lily among her new friends. After a little while, she had realized I was no longer by her side, I saw her scan the woods for me and when she found me she smiled and mouthed to me to stop being a coward and to come join her. And I did. It was in that moment that I knew I would love her forever.