That afternoon the Hogwarts grounds became more populated as the sun grew warmer. Students were sharing snacks in the courtyards, chatting away and practicing spells. It was one of the warmest days they had had all winter. Even some of the ghosts were enjoying the sun; Nearly Headless Nick was trying to partake in a game of catch, but not succeeding. Severus Snape turned his back to the crowds and headed towards a patch of hillside facing the lake, below a towering willow. He was glad the tree had shed its leaves for winter, and enjoyed the sun it let in instead of its usual shade. It was so warm that he was temped to remove his robe, but he remembered his sweater had a large whole in the back so he left it alone. He was going to ask Lily to mend it for him; he wasn't the best at those kinds of spells. But she could fix anything. She was a very talented witch. Severus pulled up his sleeves a little, but the hand me downs were so over stretched that they just slipped back down. He hadn't seen Lily since his way to Honeydukes or any of the Potter Posse. In fact, no one had said anything to Severus as he went about the castle; it was possible no one cared what had happened. But James would, he held grudges. Severus felt no guilt for what he had done, James started it. As always.
Severus settled into the damp grass, squinting into the sun. He looked to the clock tower; it was five till 3 o'clock. Every Saturday at 3 in the afternoon, Lily and Severus would meet at that very spot, below the willow. But today he wondered if she would come. Severus sighed and pulled his robes up his skinny pale leg, revealing his knee. It stung as he bent it, and dried blood coated scattered patches of torn skin. It was easily mendable but the cut was nothing; he was used to worse at home. Severus flicked his long hair from his face and double checked his cookies were in his pocket when footsteps neared him. He quickly turned and smiled. Lily Evans returned a smile and laid her robe down before taking a seat beside him.
"I thought you might not come today." Severus said, appearing nervous.
"I'll come every Saturday Sev, don't you worry." Severus relaxed a little.
"Sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to and I didn't ste-"
"I know you didn't steal. Madam Witshot is a kook."
"What about James, though. I know you two are friends." Lily was quiet for a moment as if pondering something. Her loose red hairs dancing about her face below her hippogriff beanie. She tossed a rock towards the lake.
"He can be an ass, he deserved it." Severus smiled a little.
"So, can I still count you as my friend?" Severus was paranoid he had lost his closest friend but Lily seemed to have never had the thought cross her mind. She smirked.
"Honestly, Sev? Why wouldn't I? That's a silly question."
"You can't count on people like that, Lily, to always be there." He blurted without thinking. Lily let out a quiet sigh as she read his drawn expression.
"I know you can't." The young witch bit her lip, wishing she could change the disjointed callous life Severus faced at home. The life that made his mind more restless and troubled than it should be. "But I'm not your family, Sev. I'm different then them, and so are you." She smiled and rested her hands on her lap, searching for a topic to cheer her friend. "Too bad you left the Honeydukes, James nearly toppled over. Apparently lollypops can make a pretty nasty hit." Severus smirked.
"Yeah, too bad. Did you get anything?" Lily shrugged.
"I bought some Treacle fudge and a Snow Frog. You want to try some? They taste even better than the regular chocolate frogs. And these ones turn into snowflakes when they hop."
"Interesting." Severus didn't even know what a chocolate frog tasted like.
"What were you buying anyway? I thought you didn't like Hogsmeade. I never see you there." Severus bit his lip.
"Well, it was something for you." Severus reached into his pocket; it was safe to give it to her. She said she would always be his friend. The wrapper crinkled and sparkled in the sunlight.
"You're so generous, Sev! We'll have to share them." Lily grinned.
"I ordered them special, see." As Severus was handing them over, Lily grinning as she read her name on the top heart shaped cookie, the baggy suddenly took flight and zoomed out of sight.
"What's this Snivellus?" James Potter spat. Severus jumped up, anger and frustration rebuilding inside him. Sirius stood beside James, looking just as smug.
"Give it back, Potter."
"Or what? Throw some candy at me again? Now I'm terrified." James smiled and tauntingly bounced the cookies in his hand. Lily popped up and stood beside Severus.
"James, don't."
"Come on Lily, don't pretend you like him. We all know you do it just to be nice."
"That's not true." Severus snapped as he stepped up to James, inches from his face. "She thinks you're an ass. She said it to me. She only pretends to like you." James flicked his eyes to Lily for a moment before deciding it wasn't true.
"I'm sure she said that. That's why we're going to the Valentine Dance together." James smugly rolled off his tongue as if it was the smartest thing he'd ever said.That had to be a lie. He knew Lily didn't like James that way. Or so he thought. Severus looked upon Lily's face, but there was no denial on her lips. He clenched his jaw, his hair falling around his face. James tossed the baggy in his hand. Severus shot Lily a glare, balling his fists.
"Sev, I-" James clearly didn't want to know what she was going to say to him in her earnest tone, so he barked a "hey snivells," and tossed the bag of cookies to Sirius.
"You want you cookies, you got to catch them." Sirius smirked and threw the cookies back at James.
"Yeah come on greasy, it's just a bit of fun." Sirius said as he caught the baggy.
"Stop it!" Lily snapped, but James didn't hear or chose not to.
"Snivellus want the cookies? You want the cookies?" He had pulled out his wand, and was using it to dangle the cookies in front of Severus, whose rigid infuriated face was reflected in the boy's glasses. "Come get them." As Severus tried to snatch them, James flicked his wand upwards than towards Sirius with a laugh, who spun them about in the air a moments with his wand before shooting them back at James. Severus knew he shouldn't, knew it wouldn't matter anymore if James read the words on the cookies, but his frustration over came sense. James let out a laugh as he spun the cookies back at Sirius, purposefully missing so they would slam into the trees, breaking into pieces. Severus didn't restrain himself and tackled James to the ground from behind, his wand pointing at the Gryffindor's throat.
"Severus stop it! It's just a bag of cookies! They're being idiots!" But Severus ignored her. James' laughing eased as the tip of the wand pressed harder against his throat.
"What, you gonna use one of you and your friends' unforgivable curses on me?" Severus felt Lily pulling on his arm.
"Sev, please!" James looked up to Lily, than noticed something behind her. A small crowd of students had gathered. James chuckled as much as he could with a wand pressed against his vocal cords.
"Looks like you've earned yourself an audience for the second time today, Snivellus." Severus looked up, the group hardly visible through his mop of hair. James used Severus' distraction to his advantage and pushed his thin form off of him. Now James too was pointing his wand at Severus, who was still on the mucky ground. Lily ran to James and turned his face to look at her, knowing it would distract him.
"Please James, leave him alone."
"I'm only defending myself. You know who his friends are, you know what they do, practicing the Unforgivable Curses." He faced Severus again who was getting off the ground. "Those Blacks, all Filthy Slytherins. No offense, Sirius." Sirius shrugged.
"Put your wands down, both of you." Sirius seemed to have sided with Lily, having experience with how arguments can go really bad when wands are involved, and was now body blocking James.
"Come on; let's go eat all your candy." James looked to him and began to lower his wand. Lily stepped up to Severus, reaching out to touch his hand, but he jerked it away.
"He's thick, Sev, but the pair of you need to relax. You're better than this. Don't listen to James." Severus looked into her green eyes for a moment, before reluctantly lowering his wand. The two of them looked back to James, who was glancing between Sirius and Severus.
"Please, James. I really want to eat the rest of your sugar quills." James fixed his eyes on Sirius.
"The rest of? You mean you ate mine?" Sirius shrugged again. "Why didn't you buy your own?"
"Why should I when you're buying them. Once it's in the dormitory, it's free for all. Pettigrew's Rule. I only follow it." He smiled smugly and tugged on James' robe as he began walking away. "Oh yea, hey Snivellus." Sirius said as he held up the crumpled baggy in his hand. "Still want this?" Lily snatched it from his hand before anything more could happen to the sad looking cookies, stashing her gift in her robes. Severus glanced at her pocket, knowing the cookies were ruined, unreadable, and now he surely lost her as a friend. Maybe his Slytherin friends were right; he shouldn't hang out with Gryffindors. Severus stuffed his wand away and began to head back towards the castle, furious and exhausted. But something caught his foot and he face planted into mud that had been dug up during their fight.
"James!" Lily barked, glaring at the wizard as he pulled his foot back in.
"It was an accident, sorry Snivellus." Severus quickly got up, and without a look behind him, pushed through what was left of the crowd.
"Move!" He shouted. He didn't stop to listen what students were saying to him, nor what Lily was shouting to him as he left them behind as fast as he could. He just wanted to disappear into the castle; his only comfort being the Slytherin dormitory was not far away.