Summary: 'I heard – that awful boy – telling her about them. Years ago'. Perhaps it wasn't James Aunt Petunia was referring to.
The Guards of Azkaban.
The summer holidays had been rather good this year, Petunia was forced to admit. Even the fact she was forced to spend 4 weeks in the company of her rather strange younger sister, who talked no stop of ridiculous 'spells' and 'charms', Petunia had managed to enjoy herself. Relatively of cause.
"Argh!" Petunia screamed in shock as an owl swooped in through the open kitchen window, "Honestly, Lillian! What would the neighbours say? Owls swooping into out house in the middle of the day!"
Lily didn't respond as the brown barn owl came to rest of the table in front of her. Closing her book, she took the letter attached to its leg. She mumbled something under her breath before scrunching up the piece of paper and pocketing the letter. She gave an owl a pat, and returned to her book, as the owl flew away. She tried to ignore her older sister staring at her intently, but she could feel Petunia's eyes on her.
"What?" she finally asked, becoming irritated.
Lily was surprised to see Petunia looking a little flushed, as though embarrassed, "What was it?"
"What? The owl?"
Petunia gave a small nod, trying her hardest not to look interested.
"It was a letter, from a very very stupid boy. Most probably written by his friend, and spurred on by an equally stupid boy," Lily replied with a wry smile.
Petunia took a seat opposite her sister, almost reluctantly, but in doing so, silently requesting more information.
"There's this group of four boys in my year, call themselves the marauders. James Potter, he's the one who sent me the letter, he's so sure of himself! Walking around the castle like he owns the place. He and Sirius Black, Potter's best friend, go around hexing anyone who amuses them. Black probably got Potter to write the letter. He thinks it's funny, Potter annoying me"
"Can I please read it?" Petunia asked, barley above a whisper.
Lily shrugged and retrieved the crumpled note from her pocket, handing it to her sister. This was the most civilised conversation she'd had with Petunia in years, she was determined to keep it going as long as possible.
"It's rather romantic you know, sounds like he likes you" Petunia smiled.
"Ha! He's gone out with every girl the school. And that's were the third Marauder comes into this. Remus Lupin, the only decent one of them. It's too coherent to have been written by any of the others"
Petunia laughed a little, handing the note back to Lily, "You said there was four"
"Hmm?"
"These boys, you said there was four of them"
"Oh, yes. Peter Petigrew. Less said the better, really". Lily's comment closed that topic, as she returned to her book, but Petunia didn't move.
"What's that you're reading? Is it for school?"
Lily looked up, a mischievous smile on her face, "This? No, no. You wouldn't find this on Hogwarts reading lists. It's… a little darker than my Professors would like" she moved the book around for petunia to have a better view.
It was indeed a darker book than those usually seen in Hogwarts, more something that would be found in the Restricted Section of the school library. Lily laughed as Petunia let out a squeak at the picture covering the page in front of her, "They're called Thestrals. Only those who've seen death can see them, so of cause, I can't. But there's a boy I know who can. Only found out he could a few weeks before school let out, he was watching them on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Not much of a surprise, when I think about it really. You'd know what I mean if you ever met him. I wanted to know what they looked like, so he lent me this. Told me it had a lot more and more accurate information in them that the school texts."
"They… they're… horrible. Absolutely horrible" Petunia finally stuttered.
"Well, they are used as a metaphor for death. It's fitting. If you think that's bad, you should see…"
"…No, it's fine. Really, I'm done here" Petunia said forcibly, shutting the book before Lily had a chance to show her any more.
She needn't have bothered however, because at that moment a boy appeared in the doorway.
Petunia seemed lost for words, while Lily's initial shock was replaced with a wide smile, "Severus! What are you doing here?"
Severus seemed disoriented, as though he wasn't quite sure how he got there. He looked around, trying to recall why is was there, until his eyes finally came to rest on Lily. "Evans?"
"You right, Severus?" She asked, a little concerned. He could be strange sometimes, but disoriented wasn't something Lily would use to ever describe Snape.
"I… Yes, I um… You read my book?" he asked, as his gaze came to rest on the now closed book.
"I… Yes, thanks. I'm enjoying it. Severus." She stepped a little closed, praying Petunia wouldn't start on her anti-magical tizz, not in the presence of Severus. She noticed, as she got closer, his hands shook ever so slightly, and when she really looked at him, she could see his entire body shivering as though he was freezing. Underneath his usual black robes, she could tell he was skinnier than normal, and seeing as how he was normally very skinny, to the point it appeared unhealthy, she began to worry about him, "Where have you come from?"
Snape looked up, staring straight into Lily's green eyes, scaring her. His black eyes that normally reflected his ambition, his intelligence and passion, were nothing but empty voids, soulless tunnels. "Azkaban" Severus uttered, so quietly that Lily wasn't sure he'd spoken at all.