That weekend Isabella and Crystal accompanied Severus to his mother's funeral. It was a cold winter day and the three stood among ten or so others in a light snow. They watched as each person past by the grave each setting a flower of some sort on her coffin. Severus had Isabella's hand clutched in his own as he watched the proceedings stoically. Isabella openly shed tears and cried over the woman who she barely knew. One by one the others left the cemetery; some were old friends while others were daily visitors to the late Eileen's apothecary. Soon only Crystal, Isabella, and Severus were left standing alone in the snow. Soon Crystal also left with a hand on Severus's shoulder and a whispered good-bye to Isabella.

Isabella conjured a simple while rose and laid it on Eileen's casket as well. "Requiescat in pace." She muttered before returning to Severus's side. Now with all the others gone he finally allowed himself to cry. Tears streamed in rivers down his cheek as his knees finally gave way and he collapsed into the powder beneath him. He reached out a hand and touched the cold unforgiving wood that now housed his mother forever. Carved into the sides of the casket were little angels depicted to be carrying a lost soul onto heaven. He traced the carvings before turning to the white marble tombstone.

Here Lies

Eileen Rosemarie Prince

July 16th 1939-November 30th 1975

Beloved Mother and Potions Mistress

You will be missed.

Isabella could do nothing but stand behind him as he wept over his mother. What was there that she could do she wondered. She couldn't bring back his mother. So she decided that the best she could do was listen to his mother's last wishes of her. She would stand by his side through thick and thin and be there for him should he ever need her. Not that she wouldn't already have done so of course but she vowed she would always listen to him and never make snap judgments about his actions. With that in mind she knelt next to him in the snow and took his other hand. A silent way of telling him she was here for him.

For the next two weeks Severus wouldn't speak a word to anyone except for Isabella and sometimes Crystal. One day when Lily came up to him when he was alone he sent her a glare and walked away. Shocked Lily tried talking to him again this time with Isabella present and received the same look. She turned to Isabella hoping for an explanation but all she got was a quizzical look.

"Who are you? Do you know Severus?" she asked the red headed girl. Lily looked at the Italian girl in genuine shock.

"What do you mean do I know Severus? Of course! He and I have been friends since before we came to Hogwarts." Lily told her. Isabella looked at her skeptically before looking over at Severus who was waiting for her at the end of the hall a question in her eyes.

"Friends? Severus has never mentioned you to me before and he tells me everything." Isabella told Lily simply before she skipped off to join Severus. Lily watched in shock as Severus pulled Isabella close with a hand on the small of her back. Isabella shot him a warm smile and said something to which she received an upturn of the lips from Severus. Lily could not believe what she had just heard from the young transfer student. Severus was her best friend he always used to tell her everything. Confused and a little hurt and jealous Lily returned to the Gryffindor common rooms.

During the three weeks of December before Christmas Severus and Isabella were nearly inseparable. Before there were times in which you would either see Severus alone or Isabella with a different group of people. During those three weeks one would never see Severus or Isabella without the other either beside them or close by. The only exception of course being classes which they had without the other and after curfew. In that time they got to know each other so well it got to the point where just a look from the other and they would know what they wanted. This came in handy when the two were brewing new potions or taking revenge on James Potter and his friends.

Soon it came time for all the students in the school to pack for the holidays in preparation for the winter break. Crystal was returning home to the states for the break while Isabella decided to remain at Hogwarts with Severus.

"You two have fun now ok? I'll see you when break is over. I'll be sure to bring lots of gifts. Severus try to keep Bell out of too much trouble will you?" Crystal asked the tall dark haired boy as she hugged the small Italian. Severus shared a smile with the tall American girl.

"No promises she is prone to accidents and trouble as clumsy as she is." He said. Isabella scowled and slapped her two friends' shoulders.

"Just because I'm short doesn't mean you get to make fun of me." She said with a pout at the end. Severus chucked and pulled the upset girl to his chest giving her a hug. Isabella hugged him back glad that he could act his old self again around the two girls. She just wished that was the case with the rest of the school around as well.

"Don't fret Bell we tease you only because we adore you so." He said. Isabella smiled and jumped into a spin so she faced Crystal.

"Be safe ok transatlantic travel is a pain. Don't forget to write us ok." Crystal nodded and the three exchanged good-byes before the taller of the two girls left to board the carriages. As Isabella turned around she came face to face with Lily. Surprised she let out a little scream and jumped back holding a hand to her racing heart. Severus alerted by her screams swung around as well and saw Lily standing there with a smile on her face.

Severus looked at the red head in surprise because in the past she always went home for the holidays.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" he asked her as Isabella returned to her place at his side. He sensed Isabella feeling uncomfortable and looked down to see her giving Lily her fake smile. He turned back to Lily just in time to hear her reply.

"What do you mean silly? I go to school here." She said. Isabella rolled her eyes not believing that one of the smartest girls in their year was this dim.

"I meant why are you still here? The carriages just left for the train station." He told her looking back at the tracks the carriages left in the snow. Lily just laughed and gave him a light slap on his arm.

"I'm spending the holidays here silly." Severus looked confused. Lily never spent the holidays at Hogwarts no matter how much he begged in the past. So now that she was staying he was confused because he was sure he saw Potter and his friends leave for home earlier.

"You never spend the holidays here Lily. Why are you here now?" he asked. He felt Isabella shiver beside him and realized they were still standing outside. He pulled her closer to him and began to walk back to school with Lily following.

"I wanted to spend the holidays with you silly. That and my parents and Tuney went to America to visit a relative for the holidays and won't be back till after the holidays." Lily explained as she stared at Isabella in contempt. Isabella just gave back a glare of her own while Severus was oblivious.

Severus just kept walking as he processed this information. Lily was here for the holidays and all her friends had already left to go home along with 99% of the school. The only person she knew that was in the fifth year was him. Of those that were left most were upper classmen who didn't care about the younger year's drama. The rest were those that could care less about the Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry.

That's when it finally clicked for Severus. Lily had no choice but to stay for the Christmas break. Because all her friends left and nobody left at school cared she deemed it safe to see him in public. Severus was no fool her knew that she only met him in the library at certain times was because she was ashamed of him. He tried to defend her to his mother but he knew she saw right through him. When he came back distraught over his mothers passing Lily didn't even think to come see him with her friends around. On the other hand Isabella wasted no time rushing to him. Isabella had no problem defending him and being with him in public. She ate with him at his house table risking alienation from her own. She studied with him not in the back corner of the library but at the front in view of everyone and sometimes outside.

Isabella would always sit next to him in class and walk with him to his or her own classes. She introduced him to her new friends with no hesitation. She helped him take care of his outward appearance. She even took the time to take care of his mother. Isabella was always there for him when Lily wasn't. He stopped in his tracks as he came to this revelation. Now he understood what his mother was telling him.

He looked down at the girl under his arm that was currently looking at him in confusion. Here right beside him was a wonderful, sweet, and caring girl who was willing to become his friend. In this small delicate Italian girl he had found the woman he wanted to spend his life with. With that realization he shot her a wide and true smile the first since the death of his mother a few weeks prior. He vowed to himself that he would show her how much she meant to him and hoped she would agree to become more than friends.

"Sev? Why did you stop? Come on lunch is being served and I smell chicken noodle soup!" Isabella said happily bouncing up and down in front of him. Lily stared at the hyper girl in confusion and slight contempt while Severus just smiled and led the dark haired girl into the Great Hall.