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Chapter Four

Breeana and Severus shared a room with each other for many years. The two of them were already such close friends, but now that Breeana was living at his house, the two of them had become closer than ever. They spent their days making up stories, sharing secrets, and playing near the river, where they were strictly forbidden to play, or at the playground that was down the street a couple of blocks from their house. They talked about going to Hogwarts together one day and about how they were going to become the greatest witch and wizard that there ever was. Breeana herself was beginning to show early signs of magic qualities. She could move things with her mind and light things one fire just by thinking about it. She knew she was destined to be a powerful witch. But then, she felt she'd always known that.

Every Christmas and every summer, Breeana spent a couple of weeks talking to a therapist at St. Mungo's Hospital. Every time she was there, she was offered the opportunity to visit her father and every time that she was asked, she refused. She always returned home very quiet, in an almost depressed mood and Severus gave her space for a couple of days until she got back to normal.

It was only a little while after Breeana moved in that she noticed the strange amount of attention that her cousin paid to a neighbor girl down the street. Her name was Lily Evans. As they grew older, he started paying more and more attention to her.

Lily Evans came from a Muggle family and Breeana wasn't the least bit interested in her. In fact, Breeana had an inexplicable, deep dislike for both Lily and her older sister, who was named Petunia. Neither of the girls had ever been mean to Breeana. Breeana didn't even know either of them particularly well. She just didn't like them. She didn't like that Severus was spending so much time talking about Lily, thinking about Lily, and watching Lily, too shy to actually approach her. It was during one of their night talks that Severus admitted to Breeana that he had a crush on Lily.

Breeana just rolled her eyes at him and held back a laugh, but she started to pay more attention to Lily. She could not wrap her head around how Sev had fallen for this unremarkable Muggle girl.

Lily Evans was a fairly quiet girl who always seemed to be smiling and pleasant. She had beautiful, straight, thick red hair and bright green eyes. She was the kind of child who you could tell was going to grow up to be beautiful just by looking at her.

"I think Lily is going to turn out to be a witch, Bree," Severus told her, the summer after Breeana's ninth birthday while the two of them were walking to the playground.

Breeana gave him a very skeptical look and stopped walking. She turned her head and looked at the playground in the distance, her hands on her hips and her head held proudly. "She's a Muggle, Sev," said Breeana, not bothering to hide the condescension in her voice. "Have you ever even talked to her?"

Nervously, Severus shrugged. "Well, no," he admitted.

Breeana tossed her head and glanced back at him. "And why not?" she asked, with a little smirk. "Why don't we go talk to the little princess right now?"

"I don't think so," said Severus.

"So if you've never even talked to the girl, then what makes you think that she's a witch?" Breeana asked.

Severus glanced at the playground. Then he shifted his eyes and looked further down the street, towards Lily's house. They could see the two Evans' girls walking down the street to the playground from the direction of their home. "Come on," he said, taking Breeana by the hand. He led her quickly towards a clump of bushes and they crouched behind them.

The two girls approached the play ground and headed straight for the swings. Breeana watched the two girls in their nice, new looking clothing and then, with a frowned, glanced sideways at her cousin. His dark hair was badly in need of a trim, but it made her smile a little bit. She'd have to take care of that later. His clothes were mismatched - his jeans too short, an odd smock-like shirt, and a shabby, overlong coat. Aunt Eileen and Uncle Tobias didn't have a lot of money, but Breeana found it hard to believe that they'd pay more attention to either her or Severus if they did. Breeana's own messy waves were pulled halfway back, the front held out of her eyes and bumped forward with a headband. She was wearing an old, shabby black dress that Aggy had made for her. Aggy had made this and a few other outfits just a bit too big to send to Spinner's End with the rest of Breeana's things so she had some clothes to grow into. She was lucky that she was slim, because it still fit fairly well. It wasn't too tight, but it was a little too short and it was starting to fade and wear out. She was wearing a pair of white woolen stockings that had a red floral patch over the right knee and a pair of slightly too-large black combat boots.

She almost laughed at the odd, raggedy looking pair she and her cousin made. It made her smile. Especially compared to the two much better dressed Evans' sisters. She could see something like greed in her cousin's features and it almost worried her. She followed his gaze to Lily Evans, who was swinging higher and higher.

"Lily, don't do it!" her sister Petunia suddenly shrieked.

But Lily had already let go of the swing when it got as high as she could get it. She flew into the air. She was laughing wildly. Instead of crumpling on the playground asphalt, she soared through the air, staying up far too long, and landed gracefully on her feet. Breeana frowned immediately.

"How did she do that?" Breeana hissed.

"I told you she had magic in her," Severus whispered. "I told you!"

"Mummy told you not to!" Petunia cried, sounding nervous and even a bit panicked. She stopped her swing and leapt to her feet, her hands immediately flying to her hips. There was an arrogant look in her eyes that rivaled Breeana at her worst. "Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

"But I'm fine," Lily protested, still giggling. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

Petunia glanced around, like she was checking to see if anyone was watching them. Thankfully, she didn't notice Breeana or Severus in the bushes. Lily picked up a flower that had fallen off of the bush behind which the two cousins were hiding. Petunia walked forward, curious despite herself. Lily waited until her sister had a clear view and then held out her palm. The flower sat in the center of her palm. Its petals fluttered open and closed.

Breeana's mouth opened in surprise and Severus shot her a smug look. Lots of young witches and wizards showed magical abilities before going to school. Breeana herself had developed early powers, but she was shocked to see this Muggle girl doing things like flying in the air and making the flower petals open and close.

"Stop it!" Petunia shrieked.

"It's not hurting you," said Lily. She threw the flower.

"It's not right," said Petunia. "How do you do it?" she added. Breeana noted the longing in her voice. She wished she could do it too.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Breeana heard a new voice. She glanced to her side and was half shocked and half furious to see that Severus was no long beside her. He had jumped out from behind the bush. Petunia let out a shriek and ran back to the swings, away from Severus. Lily, even though she did look surprised, stayed where she was standing. Severus immediately looked like he regretted his sudden appearance. His cheeks flushed.

"What's obvious?" asked Lily.

Severus looked nervous and excited at the same time. He glanced at Lily's older sister, who was watching them suspiciously, and then lowered his voice and said, "I know what you are."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're…you're a witch," Severus whispered.

Lily looked insulted. "That is not a very nice thing to say to someone!" she exclaimed. She turned, immediately, her nose in the air, and started towards her sister.

"No!" Severus exclaimed. His face was bright red now. He walked after the two girls. "Breeana, some help?" he asked, over his shoulder, when he saw the identical look of disapproval. With a sign of exasperation, Breeana rolled her eyes and she stood up as well. She walked around the bush, casually, and followed her cousin, her arms folded.

"You are," Severus said to Lily. "You're a witch. I've been watching you for a while. There isn't anything wrong with being a witch. My mum's a witch. So is my cousin," he added, pointing at Breeana, "and I'm a wizard."

Petunia gave a cold laugh of derision. "Wizard?" she laughed. "Wait a minute. I know who you are. You're that Snape boy!" She pointed at Breeana, who raised an eyebrow and then glared, coldly. "And you're his weird cousin that moved in two years ago."

Breeana smiled. "Watch it, Evans," she said, warningly.

"They live down Spinner's End, by the river," Petunia told Lily, ignoring Breeana's comment. Breeana could hear the sneer in her voice. Breeana knew that Spinner's End wasn't the nicest place. So did Severus. But it made her feel almost uncontrollably angry to hear this little bully of a Muggle girl talk to her, Breeana Watson, with that tone in her voice. Petunia turned back to the two cousins and asked, "What, have you been spying on us?"

"On you?" Breeana asked, with a laugh.

"We haven't been spying," Severus insisted. "Wouldn't spy on you anyway," he added, spitefully. "You're a Muggle."

It made Breeana smile to hear her cousin say it. Even though Petunia didn't understand the word, she knew it was an insult.

"Come on, Lily! We're leaving!" Petunia ordered, her tone clearly offended, and Lily, being the younger sister, obeyed her right away. Both of them glared at Severus and then turned their glares on Breeana, who smiled at them, amused. The two girls left.

Breeana draped her arm around Severus's shoulders and said, "Well, that went well, didn't it, cousin?"

"Shut up," he said, shoving Breeana away. There was a clear disappointment in his eyes. The second that Breeana recognized it, she instantly changed her tone. She didn't like to see him upset.

"I'm sorry, Sev," she said. "Lily will figure it out and she'll know that you were right all along, you know."

"So you believe me?" asked Severus.

Breeana pursed her lips and then smiled at him. "I don't like it, but I saw magic in that girl. Sometimes Purebloods don't even show magical abilities before they get their wands. Obviously, I cannot deny that, Sev," she said.