Heartbeat fast

Magic and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?

Severus watched her; her silky scarlet hair tumbling down past her shoulders; her milky pale skin so soft in the moonlight; her devastatingly beautiful sparkling green eyes, just like a snake, the snake of Slytherin. Even more proof that they should be together. It pained him to see her sorted into Gryffindor, the typical foe of all Slytherins. They were meant to be together, he knew it. "We'll still be friends, I promise," she had said. And they could have, it was true, if it wasn't for James Potter. He could have faced the taunting and teasing of all of the Slytherins in the common room, if it wasn't for James Potter. He could have spent every minute of every day with her, if it wasn't for James Potter. He could even like Gryffindor, if it wasn't for James Potter. He was an arrogant, infuriating, self-centred fool. He was a bully, and not just to Severus, to everyone he had ever met. He could not face her when he was around, he hated it. James would ridicule him; make a show of him, like everything else he showed off. Only one thing kept him trying to conquer James Potter.

Lily Evans. She was kind, gentle and soothing. She was empathetic, sympathetic and compassionate. Beautiful was not good enough; she was perfect, flawless, and absolutely picturesque. He was sat by the black lake, looking up at the Gryffindor tower, searching desperately for her, for Lily. He could not forgive himself for what he had done, but could she? No, never, he could never forgive himself either. It was getting late; he should probably get back common room. Whilst he walked, his thoughts drifted back to the first time they had met, wishing he could go back…

She sat in tears, saltwater droplets splashing down beside her. "How could he? How dare he? I told him it was doing him harm, yet he ignored me. Why?" Lily thought to herself. She was perched on the edge of the windowsill, tears falling silently over her rosy, blotched cheeks. She missed him badly, but he had betrayed her, tossed her feelings aside like an empty bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She must stay strong. She knew that he, just like she, would easily cave in attempt to see her again, but he must cave first. She would not weaken this time.

Severus was a close friend of Lily's. Her thoughts drifted back to the first day they had met with a sigh of longing…

We're in the playground near our house, just me and Tuney and some bushes. There is nobody here and we are quite alone. Nobody is watching us and I am swinging higher and higher! Tuney is swinging high too, but not quite as high as me! I'm going to do it!

"Lily, don't do it!" shrieks Tuney. But I've already let go at the very highest point and I have flown in the air. The sensation wonderful. The air rushes past me - my red hair blowing out in the wind behind me. I laugh out loud for joy! I soar like a trapeze artist and I stay up far too long and land far too lightly.

"Mummy told you not to!" Tuney has stopped swinging by dragging her feet across the ground and has leapt up, hands on hips, staring crossly at me.

"Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!" I giggle. I love the feeling of breaking the rules, it's almost easy, almost too easy.

"But I'm fine," I say, still laughing. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

She glances around, then advances. I pick up a fallen flower on the floor from a bush and wait until Tuney is near enough to see. She is torn between curiosity and disapproval. I hold out my hand, and there on my palm sits the flower. Except it's not normal now. It's strangely opening and closing its petals. Like some bizarre oyster sped up over time.

"Stop it!" Tuney shrieks and quickly steps back, clearly frightened.

"It's not hurting you." I complain but I throw it to the ground anyway.

"But it's not right!" But her eyes watch it's flight and linger on it. I sigh. "How do you do it ?" she added. I almost thought I could hear a bit of longing in her voice.

But before I had time to explain there was a loud noise behind us and a boy jumped out from behind the bush. I spun around and Tuney screamed and ran back to the swings.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" he shouted. I, although startled, stood my ground. The boy seemed to regret his outburst and blushed from embarrassment.

"What's obvious?" I asked. He seemed to be very excited about something and after glancing at Tuney, who was still cowering behind the swings. He lowered his voice and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I know what you are," he whispered, a strange glint in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"You're...you're a witch" he said, looking pleased with himself. I opened my mouth in astonishment. How dare he!

"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!" I growled. I turned around, my nose up in the air and marched over to Tuney.

"No!" He shouted after me, his great big coat flapping open in the wind. Looking like an enormous bat. We both looked at him, both annoyed and upset, clinging to a swing pole.