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His foot was tapping under his desk as Snape waited for Robyn to come in. He called her to speak after her final class because he needed to ask her some things. She looked like Lily, but could there really be another girl like Lily? Never had Severus met someone as beautiful, kind or brilliant as Lily Evans.
Last class had been out for ten minutes now and Snape was getting more anxious. For the first time in ages, he was anxious and excited. He nearly jumped when he heard a knock at his classroom door, to which he cleared his throat and instructed the knocker to enter.
The classroom was more lit this time, and Snape could clearly see it was Ms. Gardner entering and sitting down at a front desk this time.

"Hello sir," Robyn said kindly, "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," Snape said, looking her over, "I need to know your potions proficiency."
"I don't want to brag… but some have called me very bright and advanced for my year."
"Prove it now."
"Hm?"
"Now. Go into your text book and look for something you think you can concoct."

Robyn went into her bag and pulled her text book out and flipped to the back of the book and picked out a potion that would almost certainly spell disaster to any current students who thought to try.

"Start," Snape said simply as she watched the Gryffindor set up her workstation and get right to work.

Snape watched diligently as the girl worked on her potion. She had taken all the right ingredients and put them in the right order, right measure, and right way. She was taking her time, but defiantly getting along. Robyn seemed to enjoy the challenge and was doing quite well to match up to it.

In all his years, Snape could say only a handful of students who could perform so much more advanced work. The most beautiful being Lily.

Robyn could feel Snape's stare as she carefully worked. Other students had mentioned he was a very dark, strict and nepotistic instructor. The Gryffindor didn't really mind it at all, in fact, she was happy someone was taking notice. As she poured in a gooey-grey liquid and stirred it she began to let her mind wander and even chuckled at the thought of entering an advanced potions class.

"Is there something funny about your potion, Miss Gardner?"
"Oh no, sir. Sorry," Robyn said, stopping her giggle but still smiling at the professor for a moment before returning her eyes into her cauldron.

Snape could feel his mouth get a bit dry when she smiled at him. He was relieved when her gaze was averted, he wasn't sure he could handle it.
She was nearly Lily to a tee.

And like a rusted lock on a box with a long lost key found, all Snape's emotions seemed to spill and seep out to forefront. He always thought about Lily, how amazing and talented and beautiful and perfect she was; but now it wasn't just that. There was no recollection of her death, or James or anyone. It was just Snape imaging Lily like she was.
The kindhearted Gryffindor girl who befriended werewolves and creepy little boys alike. The clever girl who was well on the way of a potions mistress. The girl who was taken up by a bratty little boy who liked to play superior. That girl.
How vividly Snape remembered that girl. Her walk was carefree yet grounded; like she was lighthearted but knew when things needed to be taken seriously. Her eyes were a piercingly brilliant green and her hair was often mildly scented to butterbeer or the occasional chocolate. Poor Severus.

After what seemed like an eternity of daydreaming, Robyn finally turned and in her plucky young voice announced her completion. Slowly, Snape's daydream faded back to reality and he rose from his desk to check. He looked in the cauldron, which was bubbling a faintly pinkish-purple colored liquid.

"Tell me, Miss Gardner, if you are so proficient in my class; how do I test to see if this is really what meets the eye?" Snape said.
"You drop in a bird's feather and see if it reacts correctly."

With any student, he'd ask what the reaction would be, but in this case, he let it go.

"Here, Professor," Robyn said and pulled out a quill from her bag, "No need to waste your feathers."

Snape took the feather quickly from the girls hand and dropped it in the bubbling liquid. And as he expected (as if Lily brewed it herself), the strands of hair that made the feather all pulled from the stem and dissolved, leaving only the stem and point for ink floating a top. The potion was perfect.

"You may leave," Snape said.

"How'd I do?"
"You may leave," Snape repeated coldly.

The master looked at Robyn. She seemed to really understand her time was well past in the classroom and quickly collected her things and left, leaving Snape with a kind word before she shut the door behind her.

Snape just stood there for a moment before snarling wildly and slamming his hand across the desk, knocking the cauldron and its contents to the floor. The flustered man leaned on the desk using only the swung hand to support him. His legs were a bit weak and his teeth and other fist clenched to pain. Severus was panting in anger and bitterly looking at the spilt liquid and thinking of Robyn.

"This can't be… it can't be… this must be a trick…"

Alas, this was no trick. Robyn was as real as Lily was once mortal. But even so, still staring at the spilled potion, Snape noticed a single strand of the feather unharmed and settled on the floor but in the potion. It wasn't perfect, but damn near it.

The potions master eventually regained his composer and cleaned up his floor just in time for dinner. Coldly, and ignoring everyone around him he walked to the teachers table in the Great Hall, sat down next to Minerva McGonagall and began to cut a slice of meat on his plate.

"So how was your day, Severus?" the transfiguration teacher asked as she sipped her drink.
"Fine. And yours?"
"Very good, very good. New student, you know."

Snape ignored her and continued to cut his food up and slowly eat, trying to think of things beyond redheaded Gryffindor girls.

Snape kept his head low and rarely looked up from his plate or lap. He had gone almost all dinner without looking. Almost. As if a cruel twist, the first head he saw was Robyn's at the Gryffindor table. She sat there, giggling amongst a few others, chatting away and being the center of attention. Like an eerie flashback, there sat a lovely redheaded girl being showered in attraction and the apple of a good number of boys, and yet keeping her feet on the ground and heart of gold. Snape half-heartedly expected to see himself at the Slytherin table as he took a quick peer to his own houses diners. No one that struck the vaguest of illusions.

It was then Snape left the table. He quickly walked out and away, casting a breeze on the back of students. He left the Great Hall and went immediately to his own quarters.
His room was on the lowest level of the castle and sharing the floor with the Slytherin common room. It was well hidden and was only accessible by him and him only. The final door down a long, long corridor that had nothing on its walls led to one single, old and heavy looking door. The hallway was particularly dark with cold stone floors and walls. This was one hall even the most well-liked Slytherin didn't treat into.
Like an old man coming home from a long work day, Snape took his wand out, pointed to a knocker on the door and muttered the simple phrase, "Allow your master access." And stepped inside the room when the door opened for him.

Snape's room was much like a cross between the potions room and the Slytherin common room. It was made of old, grey stone with shelves of books, potions, and ingredients lining them. There was a nice sized bed with an old green blanket over it and a dresser and nightstand near the bed. Otherwise there was a desk, armchair, numerous candles and a few odds and ends that made it the professor's chambers.
The master went straight for the armchair and sat down heavily and tried to relax. He was thinking about her. Lily. He always thought of her, but this was very different. This time it wasn't as if she was gone both from him and from life. Snape closed his eyes and sighed, slipping his shoes off, putting his arms on the chairs arms and spreading out his fingers and trying to arch his back to stretch a bit. He sighed and ended the stretch to sink a bit.

With his eyes closed, the image of Lily was more vivid. He imagined her the last time he saw her. Grown up and ready to leave school for the final time. She was brilliant. She had grown up tall and beautiful. She wasn't just a little girl in red pig-tails and a curious grin like when Severus saw her after her sorting. No, by this time her red hair hung free and loose and her grin was not so much curious as caring and calm. She had really matured well. Snape could see it all. All the changes she went through. How she went from a small little girl to a beautifully tall, curved woman.

Snape growled lowly.

Severus imagined Lily if she was his. He knew he could give her better than James any day if he only had the chance. At least in memories. He thought about all the things he'd do and teach her and talk to her about. All the things they'd share and how'd he be happy. Just happy. How he'd have a son with Lily instead of James.

Snape growled once more.

The thought of him and Lily like that gave him some chills. To see her, to touch her and have her. It was all a young Severus Snape could want. The potions professor kept his eyes closed and kept imaging Lily. How beautiful and even sexy she was without trying. On her worst day she would be the single prettiest thing Severus could ever see. It was times like this, alone in his chambers with only a mental image of Lily to keep him company, Snape wished there was a chance again.

Snape gripped the arm of the chair as his thought wandered more.

Snape thought if he had Lily. All to himself. If it was he she made love to on her wedding night. If it was he she bore a son with. If it was he who died with her that night.

Those thoughts burned the most. Wore than James' torment and ridicule; he imagined if it was himself on top of Lily. Her emerald eyes staring into his deep, dark ones as they made love.

Snape growls turned to a hiss.

"Th- There is just no way…." Snape said, almost painfully as he tried to stop his thought on him and Lily.

But it didn't work. They progressed. He imaged what would happen, how it would. Everything.

By now Snape was so flustered he powerfully propelled himself from his chair and leaned with both hands on his desk, some of his hair falling into his face and over his shoulders.

"Lily is gone…" he said to himself dismally, "And she will always be..."

He stood there for a while, thinking deeply about it all. Why now? Why now was he in such a state? It was all because of that girl. That new girl. Snape was enamored with her. He tried to fight the thoughts, but soon the thoughts of a happy girl running around Hogwarts with a unusually kind heart was no longer Lily, but Robyn. Snape's eyes grew wide and his face was one of disbelief.

"No, no, no, no…" he whispered, "She- she-"

Snape's mind was running wild. Comparing every detail and everything about the two girls. Lily and Robyn, Robyn and Lily, Lily and Robyn, Robyn and Lily, Lily and Robyn, Robyn and Lily.

After what felt like an eternity; Snape finally got it. It was like an egg just hatched.

"….Robyn is Lily…."