Title: Amortentia
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, romance
Main Characters: Severus Snape, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter
Main Pairings: Sirius/Lily, Severus/Lily, pre!Sirius/Remus
Setting: Hogwarts during the Marauders' sixth year
Summary: Severus Snape is in love with Lily Evans, but she only has eyes for Sirius Black. In desperation, he does the only thing he can think of, but will his bold move win Lily's affections, or will everything blow up in his face? Multiple pairings. Completely AU.
Challenge: the 7deadlysins community at livejournal
Prompt: #1, greed
Warnings: Violence, strong language, mild sexuality, slash.
A/N: R & R!
"Severus! Severus, wait!"
Severus Snape paused mid-step as he prepared to climb the platform to the Hogwarts Express. Glancing around, he managed to identify the face to match the familiar voice. He smiled; at least, he considered it a smile. His lips twisted into an expression that bespoke happiness, confusion, lust and shame all at once. He held out one pale hand, and his lips turned up ever so slightly at the corners.
"Lily," he breathed, emphasising her name as he helped his best friend ascend the platform. Together they entered the train.
"Oh, it's been so hectic," explained Lily Evans breathlessly as she threw her arms around his neck. Noting several onlookers, Severus made a face to indicate how unwanted her passions were, although that did nothing to prevent him from clinging to her in turn, nor from feeling a slight stirring in his groin at her touch. "I'm actually looking forward to getting back to school just to get a rest. N.E.W.T. classes can't be nearly as time-consuming as taking a summer internship."
She moved to the side to allow a few other students to pass, and Severus had the opportunity to look at her – really look at her – for the first time in a month. Her normally fair skin had a bit of a bronze glow to it, as though she had spent a significant time out in the sun. Her hair was a few inches longer, falling in a magnificent spill of curls down her back. The Muggle attire she was dressed in – jeans, and a brilliant green shirt that brought out the colour of her eyes – was flattering. Severus felt himself inhale a little too deeply as he looked her over, his heart quickening slightly as he raised his gaze to her face.
"I've missed you," said Lily as Severus led the way to an empty compartment. Giving a gaggle of second years a withering look, Lily closed the door, securing their privacy. "I can't believe I haven't seen you since July."
"You've missed nothing by not being home," Severus assured her drily. He thought, briefly, of his own summer adventures. In her absence, he had remained secluded in his bedroom most of the time. Hours had been spent idly toying with his wand, fervently wishing he was of age and could do something. A few times, he had allowed hope to get the best of him and had wandered around her neighbourhood – never quite daring to ring the doorbell at her house, though he had been there before and knew her parents by name – but Lily had not been out in the yard, or at the old playground where they had met. It had been an exceptionally lonely season, and he was more pleased than he cared to let on about the return to school, to her.
With a gentle sigh, Lily patted his hand. "Nothing sounds heavenly. Having a lie-in every morning, swimming in the Somerset's pool, going to movies, talking to you – my summer was madness. I've given up all ambition of working for the Ministry. If an internship is this overwhelming, I can't imagine what it's like actually being employed there."
At this, Severus nodded gravely. "I would think, given your talents, you could do better than to align yourself with the Ministry. Particularly, it is difficult to imagine someone of your parentage being content there. It is highly unfortunate that our leaders are so archaic."
Pursing her lips, Lily reluctantly agreed. "There was a lot of prejudice: gossip about whom was descended of whom; a near riot when Flout was nominated for Minister of Magic; proposals for blood-status tests – well, you know," she broke off with a shrug. "The same talk that circulates in the Slytherin common room."
Severus inclined his head. Slytherin House had never been a place tolerant to Muggleborn wizards and witches, and he had heard the typical biassed propaganda practically from the moment the Sorting Hat had sent him there. Mostly, he believed it was all codswallop. Lily was one of the brighter witches in their year. He bested her in Defence, but she could outshine him in Transfiguration, and they were equals in Potions. Her Muggle parentage had not lessened her abilities at all. In fact, Severus had noticed that some of his pureblood house mates were not quite up to Lily's standards. On the other hand, Lucius Malfoy did throw out some particularly challenging statistics, but...Severus shook his head, chasing the thought away.
"They're fools," he assured her, and felt his heart skip a beat at her smile.
"So, any summer romance over the summer?" Lily asked teasingly, changing the subject. Although she professed to be used to it, talk of prejudice against her kind always made her uneasy. She could endure the taunts of the most ignorant Slytherin students, but having her employers view her as a lesser being because of her mother and father had been disheartening to say the least.
Severus' smile disappeared like the sun behind a cloud. "No. Of course not."
"A shame," said Lily decidedly. "But I daresay you needn't worry. You'll meet someone eventually." The thought of Sirius Black drifted to mind and Lily felt herself blush awkwardly. She glanced down at her clothes and pretended to remove a speck of lint.
His dark eyes boring into her, Severus regarded Lily sternly. How can you not know? he wanted to ask. How can you not see?
Ever since meeting Lily as a young child, Severus had been infatuated with her. He had dedicated years to learning every detail about her life, no matter how mundane. Truly, he found her far more interesting than any of the preening girls of Slytherin House, or even the clever, cultivated Ravenclaws most of his house mates preferred. She had an enthusiasm that tingled his senses like a Pepper-Up potion, and yet she was nothing like the vapid, bubbly Hufflepuffs. Lily had spirit. Personality, beauty, brains, Severus accounted to himself, pursing his lips so they formed a straight line. Out of my reach.
"Oh," Lily said suddenly, looking embarrassed but delighted.
Severus felt his face burn, wondering if she had somehow acquired the skill of Legilimency and was reading his thoughts. A moment later he realised she was simply looking out the window at Sirius Black, who was blowing kisses at her. Sudden, unspeakable jealousy suffused him, and Severus directed a murderous glare through the glass, but it was too late. Sirius drew back the door and came in.
"Lily!"
Bounding into the small compartment, Sirius rushed over to Lily and scooped her up in a crushing embrace. His face brushed against her neck as he drank in the scent of her perfume. "Mmm, Lil, you smell gorgeous. You look gorgeous," he added, setting her back down onto her feet, where she straightened up her clothes and looked flustered. "Nice summer?"
"Fairly," said Lily with a dismissive wave of her hand. "And you?"
Ignoring Severus, Sirius tossed his knapsack onto the bench and squeezed into the seat beside Lily. He kicked up his legs, resting his heavy boots against the windowpane. "Excellent," he informed her, bursting with excitement. "Mostly I stayed at James' with that lot." He gestured through the door where, to Severus' disgust, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were huddled. "It was a lucky thing James invited me. Mum and I were at each other's throats the whole first week. We would've had constant rows all summer if I hadn't gone. Luckily, since then I've been shot of the place."
For the first time, he glanced over at Severus and grinned wildly. "Snivellus," he crooned, patting Severus roughly on the knee. "Lovely summer, wasn't it? 'Course, you might've not noticed. It looks like you spent the holidays hiding under a rock." He swept out his arm grandly, indicating Severus' customary pallor.
"Place a hand on me again, Black," Severus spat, "and I'll break every one of your fingers."
"Touchy," remarked Sirius carelessly. He turned back to Lily, ruffling her hair lightly when he noticed the look of dismay and reproached etched on her features. "I ought to join James and Remus," he said, giving her a brilliant grin. "Come and find our compartment if you get bored," he went on meaningfully, casting an amused glance at Severus' face. "Bye, Lily."
Raising her hand in a wan farewell, Lily watched as Sirius took hold of his luggage (he was none too careful and ended up dropping a heavy box on Severus' feet and hitting him in the crotch with the knapsack) and made his way out. Then she leaned back against her bench as if all the energy had been sapped from her.
"How can you stand that – that –" Severus began angrily, his words tumbling over themselves due to frustration. He settled on the most available defect of Sirius' character. "Gryffindor!"
"Excuse me, I'm a Gryffindor as well," Lily reminded him gently, but she was not upset. Rather, she felt quite sorry for Severus' mistreatment at Sirius' hands, plus a little abashed at liking Sirius so much when he was always so cruel to Severus. "Sorry about him. He can be a bit trying at times."
"A bit?" Severus asked, incredulous. He thought of the way Lily's eyes had shone when she had looked up at Sirius, and he suddenly wanted to break something. "He'd better stay close to that lot," he mumbled furiously, "because if I catch him unawares in a deserted hall one dark night, I'll –"
"Don't," advised Lily bracingly. She offered a smile that did not match her mood. "Let's find something more interesting to talk about than Sirius Black." Ignoring the slight shiver that went up her spine at his name, she turned her full attention to Severus. "How did you do on the end of term assignments?"
He wanted to rant against Black until the deep well of rage within him was spent, but Severus knew better than to risk Lily's temper by criticising her friends. It was maddening to him that she could consider the lot of Gryffindor boys her friends at all, especially Sirius and James. Pettigrew was an ignorant buffoon incapable of posing any serious threat, and Lupin was too quiet to draw Severus' attentions most of the time, but Potter and Black – Severus forced himself to leave off thinking about them, knowing no good would come from it.
Steadily, he raised his gaze and met her eyes. "Adequately," he decided. "I was finished before the month was out."
"It took me until August," said Lily, a tad morose. "There was so little time to study. I was absolutely swamped with work. Owls here, memos there, always having to take tea to Perkins – but you don't want to hear about that."
"I don't mind," said Severus under his breath. Anything to hear your voice.
She pretended not to hear him, being tired of the subject of the Ministry anyway. "I wonder what Slughorn will start us with in Potions this year."
"He assigned a number of restricted ingredients," Severus said, reaching into the pocket of his robes and withdrawing a battered looking parchment list. Having had precious little else to do, he had occupied his August painstakingly completing his start of term shopping. "Did you find everything that you needed for your kit?"
"Owl order," Lily confirmed. "There wasn't time to nip about in the stores looking for a handful of black beetle eyes or skeins of unicorn tail strands."
"You must have found your internship quite overwhelming," Severus decided. He debated a moment, then went ahead and asked the question that had plagued him all summer. "You were even too busy to write, it seems?"
Glancing up from the list she had been reading, Lily blanched, taking in the pain evident in Severus' eyes. She bit her lip and cocked her head, surprised, as Severus usually hid his feelings exceptionally well. "I'm –" she began, but she was interrupted by the sudden shrill sound of the train braking and the abrupt escalation in the noise level as students pushed and shoved their way out of the compartments, eager to escape the crowded train.
They had arrived.
