Chapter 3
Things became very tense between Severus and me. He never let me out of his sight after that incident, which was really very annoying. I was forced to walk with him to and from class every day, and I was never allowed to talk to anyone, not even my girlfriends because he was sure that James would come up in one of our conversations.
The only time I was able to talk to someone was when I was in the Gryffindor common room where he couldn't possibly find out that I had talked to someone.
I was sitting on the couch feeling very gloomy and had my nose buried in a book when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up quickly wondering why someone would be trying to talk to me.
Why did it always have to be James? I thought to myself. "How are you holding up?" he asked me, as he walked to the front of the couch and sat down next to me with his hand still on my shoulder.
I just looked at him and started to cry.
James was being very sweet to me. He held out his arms and I collapsed in them, I didn't care who saw me at that point. I was just so tired of crying and so tired of being utterly and completely alone.
"Can't you just dump that prick?" James asked me.
I shook my head in his arms. "I've tried leaving him James, but he won't let me leave. He'll say he'll do the most awful things to you or any of my friends if I try." I sobbed even harder. "And he's even threatened to hurt me." I sobbed into James's arms.
"Don't worry Lily, I'll help you get free. One day; you wait and see." I shot up and looked at him with my red eyes. "No, James please, He'll kill you."
James shook his head. "No he won't, but if he does, then he does. I have to get you out of that relationship, it's tearing you up." I just nodded and he went back to hugging me.
"You know what it is," I whispered. "it's that stupid gang of his." James looked confused. "You know the 'death eaters.'"
That seemed to ring a bell and he nodded in understanding. "You're right," He told me. "ever since he joined he's been acting weirder and weirder. It's almost like he's been imperiused or something.
Shock spread across my face. "You don't think he has, do you?"
James just shrugged. "I don't know, but by the way he's been acting it sure seems like it."
I nodded in agreement. "You better go before someone sees us and blabs to Sev."
James nodded. "Of course, I don't want to cause you any more pain." He told me as he brought his hand to my cheek and brushed it gently. He let his hand linger on my face. "I stand by what I said to you the other day. You're so beautiful." He whispered and got up.
I blushed a deep red. I kind of liked this; James making me blush. Severus never made me blush. It was so sweet.
It was dinner time that evening and Severus was walking me to the great hall. The room was full and there were hardly seats left. Severus walked me; well more like dragged me, to the Gryffindor table. He spotted two seats open and he threw me in the seat so hard that the students sitting next to me looked up at him. "What are you looking at?" he barked.
"If you talk to anyone you'll be sorry." He hissed. "Don't leave until I come back to get you. Understood?"
I nodded my head as he walked back to the Slytherin table. I wasn't hungry so I didn't eat. I just put my head in my hands and started sobbing.
After a few minutes I felt a small hand on my shoulder. I knew it wasn't James because his hand was bigger. I shot my head up afraid that Sev was watching. I looked to my left. It was a small girl who looked to be about eleven years old.
"What are you doing?" I snapped at her. "If Severus sees you touching me he'll kill us both." I told her through my teeth.
She quickly withdrew her hand from my shoulder and looked down at her plate."I'm sorry, I didn't know." She whispered. "It just looked like you could use a friend."
I smiled down at her. "Thanks for trying, but I don't want you to get in trouble."
The girl nodded her head and went to finishing her dinner. It was silent after that.
I heard footsteps coming towards my table. I didn't chance to look back to see who it was. "Let's go, Lily." Sev shouted.
I shook my head. "I'm not finished." I told him realizing how hungry I actually was.
"You will leave when I tell you to leave." He told me.
The little girl next to me spoke up. "Hey, she said she's not ready to leave." I looked down at the little girl in awe. She was, for some reason, standing up for me.
Severus glared at the little girl and stormed to her side. "What did you just say to me?" he spat in her face.
The little girl cowered down in her seat. "N-nothing." She stammered.
"Sev leave her alone." I told him. "She didn't know any better."
The girl's head shot up; because really she did, I did warn her, but I wanted to protect her. She looked at me and I just shook my head. She seemed to understand. The girl went back to her dinner.
I sighed in frustration and decided I better just go. I'll just go hungry, I thought to myself. "Alright Sev, let's go." I told him as I got up from my seat. Severus grabbed my hand rather harshly and walked out of the great hall.
"I thought I told you not to speak to anyone!" he yelled.
"Sev, the little girl didn't know." I defended her.
"But you spoke to her." He spat.
"Yes, but the only reason I spoke to her was to tell her that she shouldn't be speaking to me. And anyways, I don't think it's your place to tell me who I can and can't be friends with." I told him. Which I realized was a huge mistake because anger flashed across his face.
He lifted his arm up like he was going to slap me again, which he did. I felt the sting as his hand hit me across my face.
"That will be quite enough Mr. Snape!" I heard Dumbledore call as he walked out of the great hall. "Miss Evans, would you please come here I would like a word with you."
I tried turning to him but Severus had a firm grip on my arm. "No!" he spat at Dumbledore. My eyes widened with shock. Did Snape just sass a Professor? I wondered.
Severus continued holding my arm tighter and tighter until my arm was white. "Sev please let go of me." He shook his head. "No." he said yet again. "Please Sev, you're hurting me." I cried.
"I believe the young lady asked you to release her Mr. Snape." Dumbledore said.
"I'm sorry Dumbledore, but I cannot permit you to talk to Lily." Snape whispered.
"Mr. Snape must I remind you that I am a Professor? I can and I will talk to Lily. Alone!" he shouted.
Snape shook his head. He brought his hand up to my throat and squeezed. "Sev you're choking me." I tried saying, as I gagged.
"You will come with me." He said through clenched teeth.
"Mr. Snape, are you trying to get expelled?" Dumbledore asked. "Because at this point you're heading in that direction."
Snape's eyes fell as he released his grip on my throat. He also released his grip from my arm and I was pulled back by Dumbledore.
Snape backed away he looked sad, I think he finally realized what he was doing to me. But before me or Dumbledore could say anything else he ran off.
"Miss Evans, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked. I nodded my head.
"Do you require any medical attention?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, I don't think so." I rasped still trying to clear my throat from Snapes firm grip.
Dumbledore nodded his head. "Alright then, if you're sure, please follow me into my office. I'd like a private word with you."
I nodded my head and walked quietly behind Dumbledore up to his office.
We were now in Professor Dumbledore's office and he closed the door behind me. "Please have a seat miss Evans." He told me.
"Thank you sir."
"Now, what in Merlin's pants is going on with Severus Snape?" he asked curiously.
I shook my head. My eyes were filling up with tears again. They spilled over as I started talking. "I don't know sir, he was fine the other day, but I noticed that something had changed. He's become violent"
Dumbledore nodded his head. "I quite agree. He used to be such a good student; very kind, in fact. So you have no ideas?" he asked me again.
"I have one."
"Yes, miss Evans."
"I think he's been imperiused." I told him.
He nodded his head again. "I thought that as well. Do you have any ideas as to who would have imperiused him?"
I shook my head. "No sir, I always blamed Severus's weird behaviour on his friends Crabbe and Goyle," I paused to take a breath. "but I didn't want to actually point fingers until I was absolutely certain."
Dumbledore was rubbing his beard with his left hand. "You were right not to point fingers. I think was it is best if we just try and let things unfold itself for awhile."
I looked at him in shock.
"However," he continued. "If he continues to harm you I will have no other choice but to detain him and expel him."
I nodded my head.
"Now, are you sure you're alright Miss Evans? He was holding on to you pretty tight."
"I'm fine sir." I lied. I couldn't stand the thought of going back up to the hospital wing.
"How's your arm?" he asked curiously.
"It's better sir, thank you for asking."
He nodded. "Good, good. Now Miss Evans, I think it's best if you return to your common room and don't leave it unless you absolutely must."
I nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Now, go on. I'm sure you've got some studying to do."
I nodded as he shooed me out of his office.
"Thank you sir."
"You're quite welcome. Please try and be careful. And remember to let me know if Severus tries to harm you again."
I nodded. "I will. Good night sir." I said as I walked slowly out of the room.
To be honest I was scared to death to be walking by myself to the Gryffindor common room. I realized I wasn't alone I heard feet scuffling on the floor. I turned around quickly. There was no one there. It was probably just my imagination playing stupid tricks again. There it was again. I thought to myself as I heard footsteps behind me.
Someone reached for my hand. I screamed and jumped in terror at the feel of it.
"Lily it's alright, it's just me." James assured as he tried to calm me down.
"James Potter!" I shouted. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. Don't you ever do that to me again."
"Come on I'll walk you to the common room." He said with his hand still enveloped around mine.
"Just give me a minute to restart my heart." I panted.
"I'm so sorry Lily. I didn't mean to frighten you." He apologized.
"It's alright James; I thought you were someone else."
He frowned at that. "I can't believe that Snape is being such a git."
I nodded my head. "I can't either. I thought he was crazy about me, but apparently I was wrong."
James nodded his head. "That stupid git."
I smiled at James. It was so easy to like him, and I could see why Sirius and Remus and Peter trailed after him all the time.
"Thanks for walking me James." I thanked him
James smiled. "You're welcome." He said as we reached the Gryffindor common room. We got to the portrait. "Password?" She sang.
"Fiddlesticks." James replied.
"Enter."
"Thanks again James for being so brave and sticking up for me." I told him.
James smiled again. "It's nothing." He said as he flicked his hair out of his eyes.
"James, I'm sorry to leave you like this, but I have some studying to do or else I'm going to fail my potions test."
"Do you need any help studying?" James offered.
I smiled again. "I'd love some. Just let me go up and get my books."
I came back down with my books and saw James sprawled out on the floor near the fireplace with his books spread out in front of him. He looked so adorable like that. I paused to watch James as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. I sighed, how I wished that I could be dating James right now instead of Severus. What am I thinking about? I wondered. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
We had been studying for nearly two hours when that small girl from dinner came up to us and told me that Severus was waiting for me out by the door.
I frowned. I really didn't want to see Severus at the moment. I was having to much fun studying with James.
"He says that he will wait for you all day and all night if he has too. He really really wants to see you." She said.
I sighed in frustration. What on earth could Severus possibly want at this time of night.
"Do you want me to go with you?" James asked.
I shook my head. "You had better not, he might hurt you."
He nodded. "Okay, just be careful." He told me.
I got up slowly from the floor and walked over to the door. I opened it just a crack to see if he really was there. He was. Severus was sitting on the step looking very sad.
I sighed again and opened the door all the way. I stepped outside and closed the door; afraid that he might spot James and hurt him.
"Severus?" I asked.
He looked up from his hands and smiled. "I thought you wouldn't come." He whispered.
"The thought did cross my mind the way you've been treating me." I told him.
"Lily I'm so sorry. I didn't know what I was doing. I think someone Imperiused me." He apologized. "Please, can you give me a second chance?" he asked
I shook my head. "Why should I give you a second chance? You nearly killed me, twice. Do you expect me to take you back every time you come crawling back to me when you've done something wrong?"
"I swear Lily it won't happen again." He whispered. "Please, just please give me one more chance." He begged.
I sighed. "Alright Sev, but this is the last time." He nodded his head. "If you pull another stunt like that again, you're out."
Sev grimaced. "Yes, of course."
He stood up and gave me a hug. "Thank you Lily." He said as he walked away.
I turned around and said "fiddlesticks." The portrait swung open. I walked slowly over to the couch dreading having to tell James that Sev was back to normal again.
James heard me coming and looked up from his books. "How'd it go?" he asked curiously.
I shrugged my shoulders. "Fine I guess."
"What'd he say to you, you're frowning?"
I nodded my head. "I took Sev back."
James's eyes fell. "James, he said he was so sorry. He begged me to take him back."
James grabbed my hand. "What were you thinking Lily? He'll start beating you the minute our backs are turned."
I shook my head. "I don't think he will. He said he was imperiused."
"But how do you know that?" he asked
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. But I have to try."
"Why?" James asked. "You can dump him. I'd protect you and he wouldn't be able to touch you."
"That's very sweet James, but please, let's just give him one more chance. If he hurts me one more time then he's gone. I already told him that."
James sighed. "Alright, fine. I guess I can wait." He said as he let go of my hand to brush my cheek. "But, know that I am waiting for you. I will never give up."
I nodded my head unable to say anything else as tears started to come again. Why did James have to be so charming? I loved it, but I had to give Sev a second chance.
"I'm sorry James, but I have to go finish studying." I told him as I pulled his hand down from my face to go get my books and head upstairs.
I knew that if I stayed downstairs with James I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I would most likely spend the rest of the evening thinking about him
