"Hey Sev
"Hey Sev?"
Severus blinked, and looked over at Lily. He had just been sitting on the swing set in the park, staring at the sky. It had been a long summer away from Hogwarts. Away from the comfort and the feeling of accomplishment of brewing potions. Yes, it had been a long summer indeed, and the only thing that kept Severus sane was the same person who had kept him sane throughout the other four summers away from Hogwarts: Lily Evans.
She was standing near the swing set, staring at him with half amusement, and half confusion. Her eyes were particularly green that day, Severus noticed, and her hair was shining in the light.
"Sev!"
Severus blinked again. She had been talking to him, he realized, he just hadn't heard her. It was annoying enough that he fantasized about her every day, and now he was staring into her eyes, not even listening to what she was saying? What had become of this world?
She waved her hand in front of his face her eyes holding laughter, but her mouth set in a hard scowl. And her hands, as if they were molded out of clay, her fingernails shining, even though they were not painted or polished.
Her scowl deepened, and she walked around to the back of the swing. He was staring at the sky again, his lips set in a faint smile, still thinking of Lily, even though she was there with him. Then suddenly there was a warm hand on his back. He frowned slightly, and he began to turn around to see who was touching him, and just as suddenly he was pushed off of the swing onto the ground.
"Wake up, Sev! You must be dead, or something."
Pushing himself up on his hands, he spit out some of the sand that had gotten into his mouth. And her voice! Like musical bells! Or like... like angels singing! He was in love with Lily, but 'love' felt like such a little word. Infatuated was more like it. After he pushed himself up on his knees, he turned to look at Lily.
"You know, you're really sneaky." Severus accused.
Lily almost laughed. "Sneaky? I was practically screaming in your face! You call that sneaky?"
Severus blushed. "Yes." He murmured, looking down. That was one thing he didn't want Lily to see: Him daydreaming. How horrible.
Lily laughed again (and her laugh was like tinkling bells.) "I seem to have come here for something important, but trying to wake you from the dead has taken a toll on my memory." She sighed playfully. "I guess I'll just have to leave, then."
Severus scrambled to his feet, when Lily turned to go. He stumbled in his attempt to get to his feet, only to fall back on his knees again. Standing a bit more slow this time, he half shouted, "No!" Lily turned, and grinned.
"Oh no! What is the big, bad Severus going to do about it?" Severus started to blush again, and looked up at Lily.
"If you leave I'll... Uhm... I-I have a wand and I'm not afraid to use it!" He said the last as he pulled his wand out of his pocket, pointing it at Lily. She giggled and held her hands up as if surrendering.
"Oh no. A wand. I'm so scared." Lily said in a mono tone, managing to keep a straight face. Her hands began to lower behind her back, and she broke out in a sudden smile. "But guess what? I have a wand too." She pulled her wand out from behind her back and pointed it at Severus. "So now who's big and bad?"
"En garde!" Severus said, taking a step toward Lily. She answered his challenge by taking a step towards Severus, and putting her wand against his.
"May the best man win." She said, an ominous smirk on her face. "And let me assure you, she will."
They sparred for about ten minutes, each taking a step up the nearby hill each time their wands struck each other. When they finally got to the top of the hill, Lily poked her wand to Severus's chest, and said in a sing-song voice, "I won! Told you the best man would win." She smirked, and shoved Severus down on his butt. She laughed at his startled expression, and was still laughing when Severus wrapped his arm around her leg, and pulled so that she tripped and fell. They laughed with each other for a few moments, then grew quiet and watched the sky as the sun began to set.
"Hey Sev?" Lily asked, her eyes still on the sky.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think schools going to be like tomorrow? 'Cause, ya' know, it is the last day of summer."
Severus was quiet for a moment, thinking. What did he think being a fifth year would be like? Well a lot like last year, but he didn't want to tell Lily that. So instead he just shrugged, and watched the sun set. Lily stared at him for a moment more, staying quiet, then sighed and stared up at the sky.
"Lily!"
The distant cry was distant but distinct. Petunia, Lily's older sister, was calling her. Letting out an exasperating sigh, Lily closed her eyes, and tried to ignore her sisters beckon. With, unfortunately, no prevail.
"Lily Rose Evans!" Another sigh. There was no avoiding it.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She called back. Then turning to Severus, She said apologetically, "Sorry, I guess dinner's ready, or something." She smiled slightly. "See you tomorrow at Kings Cross?" Sev nodded hesitantly, wondering if he should save Lily from the wrath of her sister. Finally Lily stood up and started down the hill.
"Wait!" Severus shouted. Lily stopped and turned. Severus blushed and looked down, forgetting what he was going to tell Lily. "G... Good Luck..." Lily smiled despite herself, and then turned and walked down. Severus gazed after her, wondering himself if there was anything different that was going to happen this year.
--
James sat in his room, staring at the two-way mirror that he had come across a few years back. How could he be so stupid? Though it was nearly the end of summer, James was still brooding about not getting Lily Evans last year. What had gone wrong? What didn't he do right? You know what the real problem was? That Severus kid. Always coming between him and Lily as if he owned her! Pfft, what was up with that? Shouldn't everyone have a chance with Lily Evans? By everyone, he meant just him. Because he deserved to be with her.
Something large and heavy hit his head suddenly. James spun around cursing. "What'd you do that for?" He shouted. "I was listening!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and walked across the room to pick up the book that he had thrown at James. "Sure you were. So that was why you weren't answering me! Because you were listening!" He said sarcastically as he picked up The Monster Book of Monsters. The book snarled at him, and attempted to snap at him through it's bindings. "Bloody book." Sirius murmured.
James shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. "Fine." He sighed. "What were you saying?" Sirius grinned and replied,
"Why should I tell you now? Since you were listening, and obviously heard what I said, you obviously don't care what I was talking about" James slapped Sirius upside the head. "Just repeat to me what you were said." Sirius's grin grew wider, and he sidestepped away from James.
"All I was saying was that this year you should go after some different girls for once. I mean, you could really have some of those cute girls who lounge around the dorm, just waiting to be picked up."
"That's you who does that..."
Sirius held up his hands in surrender. "All I'm saying is forget about Lily Evans for once, and focus on other cute girls who will practically follow you around like puppies."
James made a face. "I don't want a girl who will follow me around. Me? I like a challenge."
"Is that what Lily is to you? A challenge?" The new voice came from James's doorway. Both of the boys looked up to see Remus Lupin standing in the doorway, a bag slung over his shoulder. One of his eyebrows were raised as if in a question. Sirius grinned and James winced. "You know, Lily would kill you if she heard you say that – no, she would cast a curse on you."
"At least she pay attention to the poor bloke." Sirius grinned, then ducked out of the way of a punch coming his way.
James glared at Sirius for a moment, then looked back at Remus. "How do you do it, mate? How did you get her to like you as a friend? I can't even get her to say two nice words to me." Remus shook his head, the slightest of smiles played on his lips. He opened his mouth to reply, when someone pushed him from behind further into the room.
"C'mon boys! Time to go to bed! You three have school tomorrow," James's mother poked her head in the doorway, smiling. "Its late enough as it is, so you better get to sleep so that you won't have to sleep on the train."
A chorus of two voices muttered, "Yes, Mrs. Potter." And a single voice uttered "Yes mum." She smiled.
After she had left the room, Lupin turned to Sirius and James, and said "I'll answer in the morning." He unrolled a sleeping bag that was stashed in the closet, and climbed in.
Sirius went on the top bunk, while James took the bottom bunk. Sirius leaned over the edge and whispered to James, "So what do we do with Snivellus tomorrow?"