Disclaimer: Obviously none of this belongs to me...blah, blah, blah...

Please review! And in reviews, please tell me how I can improve. Seriously, you won't hurt my feelings if you say my writing's crap!!!

(Have just changed this to past tense, coz it makes a lot more sense! If I've missed anything please let me know!!)

6th March (just barely!): Am going through and editing, thanks to some wonderful feedback from Nynave, Tasha27 and some people on Unknowable Room. Thanks Guys!

1. The End

"Lily. Lily! Would you wait for one minute? LILY!!!"

Through her anger, Lily heard someone calling after her. She thought maybe it was Mary.

"Lily, James sa-"

"James!" The furious red-head spun on her heel. "JAMES!!! He humiliated my best friend! MY BEST FRIEND!! Who just called me a mudblood, A MUDBLOOD!" The entrance hall was silent, staring at her. Her face was nearly as red as her hair, her green eyes shooting sparks, and she was yelling what is generally considered the most offensive word in the wizarding world.

"Lily." It was no more than a whisper. Lily knew that Mary, like all the Gryffindor Girls, refused to speak to Slytherins on principle. But she also knew that Mary, unlike the others, only disliked Snape because she thought that he was using Lily.

"I'm so sorry Lil."

Lily could see Mary's lips moving with soft apologies and sympathies, but she tried not to listen. If she thought about what Sev- She could feel the tears welling, and grabbed desperately for her anger- "And what does he do? What does Potter do? HE ASKS ME OUT! Like he doesn't realise...Like he doesn't care..." Her voice trailed off.

"We were best friends Mary." She was talking about Severus, her lip trembling.

"Quick, we'll go to the dorms! They're coming inside. Lily!"

Lily heard Mary hissing, but she was caught in her thoughts, trapped in memories. She'd known it was coming. Known that they were changing, growing apart, but she didn't realise that the final split would be so abrupt, so painful. "He promised me," her voice broke, turning high pitched, hurt, "he said it didn't matter..."

Mary was tugging her hand, trying to get her to move. And then Professor McGonagall was there, gripping two boys by their robes. Three others were trailing behind. A tear escaped, rolling down Lily's cheek. And then all she could see was Mary's back, stiff and defiant, desperately trying to protect her friend.

Professor McGonagall had, if anything, gone more pale. James was shocked, opening his mouth, no doubt to say something stupid, but it was the look on Severus' face that told Mary that they heard what Lily said. His face was taut, desperate, two spots of colour high on his cheeks. It was his eyes though, that Mary would remember forever. Black. Deep and horrified, his usual mask had completely dropped away.

"No-" The word seemed to break from him without volition. His voice was raw, terrified. "Lily, please."

Lily blinked, as though realising for the first time that she and Mary weren't alone. She looked at Severus, already shaking her head.

"Please. I'm sorry! Li-"

"DON'T" Her eyes were blazing, with fury and tears, but she had her voice under control again. There was no break, no waver, as she swallowed and said softly, "Goodbye Sev."

She walked away. She didn't acknowledge her professor. She didn't respond to Remus' pitying gaze. She didn't even look at Potter, or Black, or Pettigrew. And she didn't look back as Snape called desperately after her. Mary looked back though, and, for the first time, she thought that maybe Severus Snape truly did care for Lily Evans.

Later that evening Lily was still crying. She clung to Marlene while Mary fetched ice cream from the kitchen-and dinner for the other girls. Lily didn't really want the ice-cream, she couldn't think of anything but the look on Sev's face when he yelled.

Marlene was whispering to her, "It's ok. Lil, it's gonna be ok..." She rubbed soothing circles on Lily's back. "He's not worth it. You knew you couldn't stay friends forever."

Viv went to sit on the bed as well, itching her foot absently. She held Lily's hand, "Lil, he's a Slytherin-"

At this Lily's head shot up. "So? That doesn't make someone bad! You guys are always picking on him!"

"You know that's not what she meant Lil..." Marly kept her voice low, comforting.

Viv showed more of her frustration, "Lily, when are you gonna wake up? His friends are death eaters! He can't wait to join up!"

Lily was shaking her head, trying to make the accusations go away, when Mary arrived in the doorway. She looked unsure, hesitant, running her hand through her hair. "Um, Lil?" She waited for Lily to look at her.

"Lil? Sev's outside."

Marlene was on the attack as soon as she saw Lily's face. "Why won't he just leave her alone? If he really wanted to talk to her he would have come earlier!"

"He says he only just got let out from the teachers. Lily, he says he'll sleep there if he has to, he wants to talk to you."

"I can't." Her voice sounded strange; thin and anguished. "Mary, please?"

"Lil, I think you should talk to him. He seems really upset!!"

Viv piped up again. "Ask him Lil. Go ask him...He won't deny he wants to join You-Know-Who!"

Lily stood up shooting an exasperated look at Vivianne. "Can't you say Voldemort? It's just a bloody name!" Viv looked surprised and hurt. Even in a temper Lily was rarely cruel. Lily sighed. "I'm sorry." She said, "It's just...I don't know if I can forgive him again."

Lily was lost in her thoughts as she walked down the stairs to the common room, Vivianne's words were pulsing through her head. She didn't see the marauders until Sirius called out to her. "Evans!"

"Mmm?" She was hesitant, unsure what they want from her.

"How is it that you forgive Snivellus everything, but you won't give James a chance?"

Lily stared for a second, before going through the portrait-hole; she couldn't think about it then. As she saw Sev, all she could hear were the words in her head; he wants to join you-know-who, he used dark magic...death-eater-death-eater-death-eater...