5.

Severus had gotten up extra early today. The sun was weakly beginning to rise for it was dawn and Severus was 'giddy' with excitement as he made his way towards the Gryffindor Tower. The date- for he would always remember it exactly was January 30th. If anyone saw the precise steps of exactly one thousand, one hundred and thirty-two that Severus was taking that morning they would see that his hair was no so greased, his clothes looked fresh, newly cleaned (for he had done them by hand) and that there was a small bounce in his step, it was small, hardly noticeable but it was there- nothing- nothing could wreck this day for him, for it was the one day in the whole year that he could dedicate to Lily, one day that was absolutely, solely and purely her own.
He had sent her an owl that would specifically reach her bedside window at 6:03- the precise time she was born. Lily often found it sweetly unnerving that Severus remembered everything, but as she rest, unknowing that an owl would reach her in exactly four minuets, she dreamt of her hometown- so close to Spinners End…
Severus waited awkwardly in front of the sleeping portrait of the 'Fat Lady' holding the small package in front of him. He had thought about what to get her for weeks, every idea seeming an insult compared to her. Finally- with idea he thought not far as a week ago whilst he was producing a potion in the Slug Club- watching her- he had thought of it- the perfect gift.
Lily- still dreaming woke approximately at 6:03 in the morning to a soft yet sharp ruffle on her hair, her eyes opened widely to a glistening black owl, with mature green eyes and smiled, she wasn't afraid of animals. The glistening owl, seeing her, cocked his head as if studying her and then flew out the open window. She smiled and yawned, looking at the sleeping Gryffindor girls beside her. It was then, as the weak sunlight began to strengthen as the morning came quickly, that Lily Evan's noticed a note. It was written on incredibly rich parchment, decorated with white lace- she recognized the untidy yet elegant scrawl that she envied.

Lily Evans;

I would greet you a happy birthday- but that simply wouldn't be enough,

Take the appropriate amount of steps until you are outside.
It's a surprise, x.

Sev.

Severus's black owl hooted, in greeting and at this point Severus's nerves became almost unbearable. He waited there, his palms becoming sweaty. He was so nervous that he didn't notice much, not the almost inaudible swinging of the portrait, or the softened, muffled sound of the soles of shoes hitting the castle's stone floors.
"It was thirty-seven steps- I betted on three-hundred and ninety-four, but then I realised that would be too long wouldn't it." Severus almost jumped at the sound, Lily, Lovely Lily was smiling at him, that forgiving, pardoning smile, the very same smile that he first gave him those many years ago- and here, in their fifth year- that exact pardoning smile was still the same.
"Lily…"
"I forgive you." Lily replied automatically, the smile still on her lips, her green eyes glistening. Severus needed not be reminded of the cold shoulder she had been giving him for weeks- all because of Avery and Mulciber.
"For how long?" Severus answered, for he knew her too well.
Lily seemed to think about this for a moment. "We'll forget about it and move on from here." Lily seemed to find the words difficult to say- as if she wanted to say something more.
Severus beamed. "Happy Birthday, Lily Evans."
Lily looked up from her downcast stare and literally beamed at him. "Oh, Sev." She whispered, bravely hugging him.

Severus froze, the hug warming him right to his centre. "Let's go." Severus announced, feeling full of excited energy. Grabbing her hand, his free hand holding her present he ran through the empty corridors, there footsteps echoing.
"Sev, we'll get caught!" Lily tried to say, but her voice was too quite to carry on- for she didn't need her voice adding to the ruckus of their footsteps that were in unison.
Soon they were out on the grounds, tendrils of mist hanging thickly in the air, light powdered snow covering the grounds- smartly so Severus and Lily were dressed to embrace the occasion.
"Sev what are you-" Lily's last sentence was stopped short by the sight she saw. Under a leaf-stripped, bare tree was the deepest red picnic blanket she had ever seen- a startling contrast with the white of the ground floor, and there on-top of that majestic rug, was an open basket, filled to the brim with her favourite food, and a bottle of what she suspected was butterbeer
"Happy Birthday, Lily Evans." Severus repeated, not letting go of her hand as he placed her down on the picnic blanket and sat across from her.
"Oh Sev!" She cried, flinging her arms around him once more. Severus savoured that hug- forever wanting to stay in it- too soon she pulled away, here green eyes glistening with tears of happiness.
"One more surprise." Sev whispered, the nerves coming back to him. At this point he began untying the perfect bow of lace that held the box together and Lily watched with intense fascination. The box, unheld by the restraints of the perfect white lace fluttered open, and with the help of Lily's persistent Charms studies, the box turned, and folded itself into paper birds fluttering around her head, playing with her hair, Lily laughed playfully.
"It will only open at your touch." Severus muttered quietly, he moved his open hands closer to hers, a smaller box lying in his palms.
However Lily didn't reach for the box at first, she reached for Severus's hands gripping them tightly.

"Thank you Sev." And she meant each word, down to the last syllable.
As if they were connected, no longer different entities, the box dissolved into a glimmering of gold sparks, and all that was left in their palms was a light gold chain (the chain was the pattern of intertwining vines with small flowers) and then, the chain held a beautiful gold water lily, perfectly crafted.
"I- I- I- was- I was hoping, when you see this- you- you- you would remember me always." He stuttered nervously, unable to carry the zeal and confidence he always wanted around her.

"Severus Snape- I will always remember you." Lily replied with the exact zeal and confidence he was lacking.

…

6.

Young, nine-year old Severus Snape hang just outside his front house, not that his parents cared much for where he was, even in the dangers that was Spinners End, they would not notice, nor be bothered by the thought that he was gone. In the heat of the August rays he lay on the crusty, dead grass and watched the clouds roll lazily across the blue open sky.
"Yes," His mother hissed at the retreating back of his Father Tobias Snape, who wore an indifferent expression. "You go hang out with your muggle friends, and glorify in your muggle life."
"In case you were forgetting Eileen, I am a 'muggle'." He seemed to say without emotion, but the undertone hiss of 'bloody witch' was full of emotion, but only Severus heard.
"And you boy." He turned to Severus's lying body; Severus didn't bother to greet his Father in any form. "You aren't to be playing with anyone- stay inside with your Mother, were you two belong." Tobias emphasized the last bit loudly, placing himself inside his car and disappearing outside of Spinners End. His Mother didn't even bother looking at her Son before she begrudgingly walked into the house again.
Moments later, breaking the thick silence his parents had created in their wake, a young girls shriek bought Severus into an upright position. A frightened skinny girl with an incredibly long neck streamed down Severus's street on a rustic bicycle, screaming.

"Pet!" A voice yelled in response to the commotion, another girl, with thick red hair that billowed behind her came running after the screaming girl. Severus for some reason found himself frozen, right there on his front lawn, unable to move- and he couldn't comprehend why.
There was a crash and Severus was finally able to turn his head to the sound, the skinny girl with dark hair had fallen.
"Oh Pet I'm so sorry!" The red-headed girl apologized; she sounded as if she was almost crying…
"As you should be, you pushed me!" The other girl screamed back, not moving from her fallen spot on the pavement, right in front of Severus's house.
"Pet- Petunia I didn't do anything, I mean you were yelling at me, I got mad for only a second and then…" The red-headed girl's green eyes (green eyes with flecks of blue and surprisingly amber) seemed to glaze over with a tone of regret.
"Yeah of course, when I turn my head around, you sneak up and push me. Now we're here, in this poor, dirty place and all you say is sorry?" The skinny girl with black hair, got up, tenderly touched the graze on her right knee, glared at the red-head and began trudging with her bicycle back up the road, away from Spinners End.
"No, Petunia really I'm sorry!" The red-head called after the other girl, and eventually they were gone.
Severus sat there for a moment, pondering. I got mad…for only a second…and then…

Maybe. He thought to himself with reluctance. It could pass the time…
At this thought Severus removed himself from his lawn and followed in pursuit of the annoyingly bickering girl, and the girl with warm red hair…out of Spinners End…and into something unknown.

…

7.

"Snivy, Snivy, Snivy, what should we do with him boys?" James Potter asked, as Severus, overcome with fear backed himself against a tree.
"Mount his head to the fireplace?" Sirius suggested much to the snigger of Peter Pettigrew.
"Urgh, his hair is much too greasy, and that nose, I mean, people might mistake him for a coat rack!"
"I have a plan." Sirius replied, his smile was dangerous and the cowering Severus did not ever want to see that look on Sirius Black again.
"No- stop it, now." Remus Lupin interjected, a look of pity on his face, Severus was disgusted.
"Butt-out Remus, Snivellus here deserves it." Sirius coaxed, jumping towards Severus and he reacted with a cowering shake his response making Sirius howl with laughter

"Is your plan serious?" James asked Sirius, not taking his wand, or eyes away from Severus.
"Serious is my middle name." Sirius joked, winking at the still chortling Peter.
"Or your first." James smiled sarcastically, pointing his wand, ready.
A roar of laughter echoed from Peter, Sirius and the gathering on-lookers, anticipating what would happen next.
"Alright James, let's hang him upside down and remove his trousers, that ought to get a laugh." Sirius said, his tone challenging, daring James to do it.
James laughed menacingly. "I was thinking the exact same thing."
"No- Potter!" At this point Severus was suspended in the air, trousers down, Peter, Sirius and the crowd burst into laughter, pointing their fingers and shouting and calling names.
Remus Lupin took one look at the poor Slytherin; the pain etched on his face, the humiliation, and then Remus looked towards the laughing faces of his friends and he questioned them. They had gone too far. However, doing nothing to stop, Remus left the grounds and headed back to the dorms, the yells and pleads of Severus Snape burning in his ears.

…

8.

"Mummy loves you, Daddy loves you." Lily whispered to her crying son. Her heart swelled, knowing her husband had died tonight, knowing she would soon follow, hoping against hope that her son would not be soon after- the pain was heartbreaking- a gold water lily, which was perfectly crafted suspended inches from her chest and dangled in the air. Baby Harry outstretched his arm, through the bars of his crib, and with his small fingers held on-to the chain as he often did. Lily held her sons hand, holding the necklace with her son and- for the second time she no longer felt like a separate entity.
"Be safe Harry, be strong." She whispered again, letting go of her son and standing in front of him, the lily on her chain was withering, beginning to die as Lily's will for her own life dwindled to nothing. A flash of green light burst from the crevices of the door and it burst open, revealing a figure she had tried so hard to beat- to finish- she had lost.
"Step aside; there is no need for you to die tonight." The voice was cold, unemotional. Lily Potter knew she would not step aside, that she would not watch her son die before her, and then to die herself.
"Not Harry, please no, don't kill him, kill me instead-" Lily begged as she placed herself between Voldemort himself and her beloved son.
"This is my last warning." He replied coldly and sternly.

"Not Harry!" Lily cried, the tears pouring down her face. "Have mercy….please- I'll do anything."
"Advada Kedava!" Lily screamed at the pain, she saw images of her life flash before her eyes, her wedding with James, her first glimpse of her son, and Severus, her and Severus and the park...and then her last image was her son, with her eyes, and his father's untidy hair. She loved all these men (including her little boy) that impacted on her life. Lily Potter died on the floor right next to her son- her gold lily dwindling to black, and disappearing all together.

Oh- well there we go! Sorry the wait was so long- thank you everyone who reviewed and read it I love you all! I hope this lives up to the wait and also if I could interject a note- I like to think Severus first encounter was not the day Petunia called Lily a freak, but the fact he had been watching her for years, gathering the right answers which led up to that point. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy it! (Sorry to leave you on such a dark note)