The Numinous Art

Lily Evans knew she would die at some point. Yet as all are in childhood, she undeniably believed she was the exception. Lily ran, she leaped, and when she jumped up high into the air, she flew, and the clouds themselves puffed up her skirts to keep her up a little longer. She would jump out of the towering limbs of the park's ash trees, and fall with the helicopter leaves. Always, the clouds would lift her skirts and she would hover in midair while giggling and kicking her feet until inevitably, she would come crashing down to the green grass where her ankles would roll and her knees would hit the ground with a big "oof!" Lily would lay there, her fiery hair in her mouth and around her head, minuscule leaf bits coating her eyelashes, and smile up into the sky. Only when her back began to ache from whatever position she was holding, or when Tuney would come pounding over the hill demanding she would come home for dinner would Lily haul herself up and trudge home, saying a little thank you to the clouds as she left.

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Lily found herself looking into the eyes of a very strange boy. If it had been anyone else she would have given a yelp, yet she just quite couldn't. The boy tilted his head, giving her an inquisitorial look that was almost reprimanding. Lily was instantly infuriated; if there was one thing she hated it was condescending strangers. She rolled over from under his gaze and stood up, hands clutching at the blue tulle fabric of her dress. The boy looked startled, as if a vase had jumped off of a table of its own accord. She looked at him once more; he was wearing a white shirt buttoned up to his neck (which all but set off his pale skin) with a gray jacket. His hair was long and his eyes were dark; they matched. He smiled at her, and spoke.

"I'm Severus." Lily took a breath and hesitated. Mum and Tuney had always told her not to speak to strangers; and by the looks of this boy, both would not approve. With them in mind, she decided she would definitely try to befriend the strange boy before her.

"I'm Lily," she said confidently, "it's nice to meet you." With a slight smirk, Severus replied,

"It's nice to meet you too." Lily smiled, wide and wicked, and asked mischievously,

"Do you like trees?

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Severus never joined Lily in the ash tree. When brought over by Lily and taught her process, he grimaced and shook his head, quick to point out the state he had found her in minutes before. She twisted her lips and simply said a quick 'Okay' and hopped up the nearest tree.

"You can watch from there!" she yelled, high from a branch, hoping Severus could hear. In fact, he could. He watched her legs swing back and forth to hit the leaves, causing them to spiral down in a dance and land in his hair. He sighed, ruffled them out, and called back,

"You're going to fall and kill yourself up there!"

Lily's legs stopped abruptly. Severus saw a gleam of red hair and blue fabric plummet towards the ground, and he lurched forward to catch her when- she stopped; everything did, really. Her skirt puffed up around her, her hair whipped around her face and laughter bubbled from her mouth as she, only for a moment, played in the air with the wind.

Lily plummeted to the ground as was expected, and she felt a twinge of disappointment that she had not stayed up longer. She hit the ground and rolled, and when her movement stopped, pulled herself up off the ground to meet a -wait, beaming Severus? She looked at him quizzically, raising her eyebrows in question.

"I knew it."

"Sorry?" she said, not quite sure if she had heard him right.

"I knew you were like me."

And with only a simple fall out of the ash tree, Lily Evans was introduced to what had been following her around for a very long time: magic.

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"There are real trolls?" Lily asked as they trudged back together towards home. "Like, the ones under bridges? In bedtime stories?"

"Well, some live under bridges, but most live in the mountains I think," replied Severus, hands stuffed in his pockets, which suddenly flew up as he exclaimed, "Unicorns too! Although I've never really seen one of those."

Lily looked at him, stunned. Severus had told her many an incredible thing over the last three days; yet she would not, could not, fathom that a unicorn could exist. Severus just grinned and nodded fervently, as if he knew what she had been thinking.

They talked for a while longer, taking a detour to go home (as they had done the previous days) which consisted of Severus ranting about the new world, and Lily interjecting only occasionally to voice her disbelief. They reached the front of her house and Severus stood awkwardly by the gate as she bounded up the steps. She heard him call her name, and turned around promptly.

"I-I'd really wish you'd stop jumping out of those trees," he said nervously. "Even with, you know…" he said, cupping his hand around his mouth and whispering, "magic... I'm still quite-well, quite scared you might die."

Lily tensed, then looked at Severus with a quiet, knowing smile. Lily Evans knew she would die at some point. She had figured that out long ago. Yet she tried to pretend, she pretended as hard as she could, that she was the exception, as we all do. But really, Lily Evans did know she would die at some point. She just happened to believe it would not come from falling out of an ash tree.

"Sev," she said, "the way I figure it, we all owe the universe a death. But I don't think I particularly owe it that right now; and I hope to God it thinks that too. Sev, you saw; the clouds are on my side, and I have magic now. I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you promise?" peeped Severus. Surprised Lily said back,

"Yeah, Sev, I promise. I'll always come back to you, 'lright?

"Always?" he asked holding out a hand.

"Always." she said, and shook it firmly.

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A/N: Hi everyone! I know this first chapter is a little rocky, but I'd really appreciate it if you gave it two things; a chance and a review. Thanks!