A/N: This is my first time going really in-depth into Lily, so I hope you like it. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think. (;
Disclaimer: JKR is completely and utterly made of awesome. (I just borrow her ideas to write about.)
The Witch's Hat
"Sev!" the ten-year-old exclaimed as she opened the door. She turned to let her friend in while he stood staring at her.
"Lily, what are you wearing?" he asked. The redhead giggled and twirled, showing off her hat to him.
"Oh, Mum's just fixing up my Halloween costume," she said. "I forgot to take the hat off. Do you like it?" The hat in question was a tall pointed witch's hat, complete with a spider web and spider resting on the brim.
"Well, it's nice, but what's it for?" Sev asked. Lily giggled again.
"For Halloween! When we go trick-or-treating." She paused. "You know… when we go and get candy from people in the neighborhood!" Sev shook his head, unsure of what to say.
"We have to go!" Lily said, excited. "I'm being a witch 'cause since I'm going to Hogwarts next year, I'd be a real witch there, and this is like a warm-up. Mum thought it'd be cute." She grinned, continuing. "Even Tuney's going, though she said last year she wouldn't do it again 'cause she's all grown up and stuff…"
"But I don't have a costume," Sev replied shyly.
"Let's go and see if Mum can get you something, then. She has tons of stuff upstairs!" Lily said, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs.
Lily slipped in the seat next to him, smiling as she did so. After giving him a kiss on the cheek, she began to pile food onto her plate.
"Hey, Lily," James said through a mouthful of food. She looked at him sternly, and he swallowed, smiling at her.
"What in the world are you wearing?" Sirius asked from across the table, his fork hovering halfway between his plate and his mouth.
"Thanks for being so positive about it, Sirius," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "It happens to be a hat I wore for Halloween years ago. My Mum sent it over."
"I think it looks lovely on you," James said, pulling one arm around her waist.
"We know you do, Prongs," Remus replied, causing everyone to laugh (except for James, who was too busy glaring at Remus.)
After a moment of relative silence, Lily felt like there was someone watching her. As she looked across the Great Hall she saw Severus looking at her. She met his gaze for a second before they both averted their eyes. It was, after all, the same hat she had worn when she was ten and they had gone trick-or-treating together. She remembered how Severus had said it was the best Halloween he had ever had. He must have been thinking about it too.
"You okay?" James whispered in her ear. She nodded and smiled, unaware that she had stopped doing so.
"The house elves outdid themselves again," Lily said, breaking the tension that was threatening to rise. "This must be the best Halloween feast yet, and we've had seven of them!"
Lily smiled as she listened to the giggles of one-year-old Harry and to the animal noises James was making as the two played together. She looked surprised for a moment as she picked up the worn hat, but then grinned.
As she walked past the brilliant sunset that was shining through the hallway window, she called, "Hey James, guess what I found!"
--
He approached the house, barring himself against any protective barrier there may have been. There wasn't one, which surprised him. Still, he knew he shouldn't stay long.
The man entered the house, his dark eyes avoiding the spot on the floor. The home was quaint, but it didn't matter to him. Instead, he listened. He could hear the faint echo of her laughter, of her saying his name.
There was a crunch beneath his foot. He looked down to see a hat – the same hat from so long, long ago. He froze, suddenly hearing footsteps approach him. He turned and disappeared, taking the hat with him by mistake.
The hat from all those years ago.
A final reminder of her.