Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter franchise. I am making no money from this venture; it's just fun as hell.
Chapter Four: Spinner's End
Severus stood on the porch long after Lily had left his sight, the vision of her walking home with the dying sun setting her auburn hair ablaze burned into his memories. The shadows lengthened around him and soon the sky was a deep shade of purple. He barely noticed when his mother joined him, leaning against the door frame, looking out onto the dark and empty street. "She seems like a very nice girl," she commented casually. Severus started, whipping his head back and then rolling his eyes dramatically.
"Mum," Severus groused, turning around fully. "You're talking about her like she's a book."
Eileen blinked in feigned confusion, "But... you like books, Severus, do you not?"
"Ugh-it's not the same thing and you know it. She's not a book she's a-erm," he faltered and tapered off before he could say 'an angel'. He hadn't been to church, not since his father made him go when he was young, but he remembered hearing stories about angels flying around in the sky or whatever. He had no idea what they were talking about at the time, but now he was quite certain he knew what an angel looked like. He continued staring down the road where she'd gone until the street lights came on just a few minutes later.
"Severus," Eileen said finally, "maybe we should-"
"It's not fair," he said deliberately as if he didn't hear. He spun around and faced his mother, who looked like she was considering feigning ignorance again until she saw the expression on his face. Her mouth became a thin line.
"You're a Prince," she said, cupping his chin in her hands. He rolled his eyes, not eager to hear another spiel about their heritage. "Hey-look at me when I'm talking to you." He complied, eyes settling onto a pair just like his own. "If you think something is wrong then you do something about it. You don't stand around moping. When your father left how long would we have survived if I had sat around and moped because it wasn't fair?"
Severus mumbled something.
"I'm sorry?"
"Not long at all," he relented, his voice louder this time, but still muted.
"So then do something-"
"I can't-I don't know what to do!" he shot back, starting to get angry.
"Excuse me? Don't you dare raise your voice to me, young man." The two stared at each other for a moment, both of their tempers flaring, although Eileen had a better handle on hers than her son did. "Listen, Severus. I know you were observant enough to see that things for her are not necessarily as good as they are for you-ah ah, let me finish. Whatever it is you think you need to do to help her, you don't; I heard you two, talking and giggling. If there's anything you can do to help her, it's by being her friend."
A voice in the back of Severus' mind raised doubts about this advice; it seemed too easy, too simple, but as mother and son washed up after dinner that night, he realized maybe the simplest solution was the best one. Even if he still wasn't sure in the morning, he would still do his best to listen to his mother's advice; she'd always been right before.
xxxx
Morning came swiftly once Severus' excitement (and nerves) settled enough to allow him sleep. The routine since his mother pulled him from Muggle school for too many incidents of accidental magic to continue explaining away had been simple. They woke up, made breakfast together, cleaned for a little while, then began work. Since Severus' father left, his mother had taken up the mantle of breadwinner. Severus had imagined she'd take a job like his father had in years past and spend most of her days out of the house, but when she pulled out a large cauldron and several boxes, all covered in dust, his heart leaped. He had never gotten to see her use magic until the day Tobias left for good; even after Eileen explained her and her son's magical heritage she continued to have to hide it like she'd done before. It was something Severus didn't understand at the time, but he didn't pry. It was easy to forget to ask such things when going on your first trip to the magical world. Their trip had been only practical in nature, just a quick stop to the apothecary on Diagon Alley to replenish supplies that had become impotent sitting on a shelf for years, but it didn't matter a whit to Severus. He had gone from hiding his magic to being surrounded by people on every side just like him. He took everything around him in hungrily, and it was difficult for him to accept when it was time to leave. His mother had tried to give him a hard look for whining but only smiled. 'We'll be back', she assured him, 'many times to come.'
They still stopped at Florean Fortescue's before heading back home.
He learned plenty just helping his mother brew the potions that she sold to keep a roof over their heads, but afterward, they moved onto other fields of magical theory. When the City Council for Cokeworth sent representatives periodically to ensure Severus was receiving a proper education at home, he passed their tests without issue as well. It took only a little adaptation to manage it; most Muggle sciences and mathematics were simplifications of schools of magic, after all. Now that his father was gone, his mother had brought all of her hidden books on magic out and the possibilities seemed limitless. He learned the basics of charms, transfiguration, and hexes, both with his mother and outside of her teaching hours. It was challenging to learn only theory and no practical applications, but his mother had been dropping hints recently that she'd be taking him to get a wand of his own soon.
When Lily arrived just after they'd finished cleaning up from breakfast and he told her as much, her eyes went wide with awe.
"That's so cool! When will *I* get a wand?"
"Not until closer to your first year at Hogwarts," Eileen supplied when Severus glanced deferentially to her, no doubt hoping she might decide to bring Lily along on their trip to get her wand early as well. "It's not common for children with magical parents to get their wand early, but I want Severus to be prepared, and he's proven himself responsible enough. Unfortunately, with no witch or wizard in your home to supervise you and ensure your safety-and the safety of those around you-I cannot abide you having a wand of your own until it's time."
The two children exchanged disappointed glances, their eagerness to practice spells together quashed like insects. Then inspiration struck.
"What if she keeps her wand here? And practices with us sometimes?" Lily was vibrating with excitement.
"I've got some money saved! I can pay for it!" she added quickly, before that all-important subject arose.
Eileen hesitated. She hadn't expected this and certainly not so soon. While she was delighted her son had found a friend his own age, that's what she'd wanted him to do, anyway, when she sent him out into the neighborhood to socialize with the other children in the first place, she hadn't expected him to become so enamoured with one. Though she supposed she would be pretty with a cleaner head of hair and a smile on her face.
Despite her misgivings, the nagging voice telling her to urge her son to be cautious with the girl, she found herself nodding. The two children whooped and high-fived.
"Alright, you two, settle down," Eileen quipped with only a tiny measure of annoyance.
xxxx
Several hours passed. As promised, Lily and Severus helped make a large batch of Pepperup Potion, cutting and measuring ingredients and stirring the cauldron. Each and every step and ingredient was described in detail by Severus (with a few interjections from his mother ranging from clarifications to the occasional gentle correction from his mother) and Lily listened with rapt attention. He relished the attention, not only because it delighted him to have someone share an interest in something he loved, but because it delighted him to have her rapt attention. The feeling of her emerald eyes boring into him as he spoke was nearly overwhelming and ignited a fire in his belly, and each day that passed by in which they studied together, poring over the same books Severus had been reading and trying to decipher for years, understanding the more complex theories little by little after enough exposure to them. Once Lily had spent two weeks with him and his mother's books, reading for hours each day, she was beginning to understand the basics of magical theory as well.
"Are these curses... you would go to Azkaban for using them wouldn't you?" Lily and Severus were lying on their stomachs on the sitting room floor, propped up on their elbows, with books and notebooks strewn around them (Lily's notes were kept here with Severus and Eileen for safekeeping, just as her wand one day would be) poring over an old tome. The book was full of spells whose only use was to cause harm far greater than any of the small hexes they'd read about in other books. Jelly-Legs Jinxes and Full Body Binding Hexes seemed far less nefarious next to Blasting Curses or curses made to torture people.
"Well...that depends, I guess. On why you used them," Severus replied thoughtfully. "Sometimes the only way to protect yourself is to hurt someone who's trying to hurt you. That's not unforgivable. But there are three Curses that Mother says you'll be put in Azkaban for using no matter what. The Cruciatas, Imperius, and Killing Curses." He flipped through the pages until he landed on a section of the book that went into more detail about them.
"The three Unforgivables," Lily read breathlessly, filled with an exhilarating mix of fear and wonder. "Classified as unforgivable in 1717... but when were they invented?" she asked, looking up from the book to meet Severus' eyes.
He shrugged. "Dunno. A lot of the old spells don't have a date of origin established. Most of the original spells were just passed down by word of mouth; I guess that means they're really old then."
Lily propped her chin on her hand. "Well, that doesn't make sense."
Severus' brows knitted together. "What? Why's that?"
"Well, if they're really old then why did it take so long for them to be classified as Unforgivable? And why those spells and not others? We read about a Severing Charm yesterday. I mean, sure it can be used to cut anything and I guess people don't usually use it on other people, but the book said it could kill someone. Doesn't it make that spell just as dangerous when the wrong person uses it?"
Severus smiled broadly. He had heard these questions before because he had asked them before. His mother had chided him and told him not to question the law, simply to follow it, but those questions had never actually left his mind. "I know, it's weird. I mean, I guess it's because they're more direct? One kills someone no matter what, the other causes excruciating pain in every single part of the body all at once, and the other lets the caster make someone do whatever they want them to. I still think it's pretty silly, but that's the most logical reason I can see for it, anyway."
Lily made a thoughtful sound, leaning in, her eyes roving over the pages once more. "The Killing Curse can't be blocked... Avada Kedavra... it sounds like Abra Cadabra."
Severus blinked and looked at her strangely. "That's a... weird thing to notice."
"Huh?" They stared at each other in mutual confusion for a brief second before Lily realized what was wrong. "Oh, right, I forgot. Erm, when Muggles pretend to do magic they say 'Abra Cadabra'. And I thought that was pretty silly-"
"It is-"
"-okay, true, but think about it!"
Severus did. Then he nodded, frowning. "I guess there was a time that enough Muggles were killed by magical people that they started to learn the incantation-sort of. The Statute of Secrecy has been around for ages, though."
"Well," Lily replied with a shrug, "I guess some things just stick."
'Yeah... some people do too,' Severus thought, glancing to his side. He wasn't exactly antisocial, but he didn't particularly like or trust people easily-not with a secret to hide like magic and not after his father abandoned the family. When a display of accidental magic caught the eye of the neighborhood boys his mother insisted he try to befriend became fuel for them to pester him for more 'tricks' he added another reason not to trust people to the growing list. Lily, who unlike them Severus was sure was perfect in every way, felt like a gift from a higher power.
"Severus...Lily..." Eileen had appeared in the doorway to the sitting room, though Severus was sure she'd been there longer than they'd been aware. She had a way of appearing places suddenly and without being noticed, and it wasn't through Apparation or spells. He always envied this about her, heavy footed and awkward as he was, and hoped he'd grow to acquire this talent as well. "It's about time for you to head home, dear. I'm sure your parents will be expecting you for dinner soon."
Lily and Severus shared a glance; it was hardly three o'clock and Lily had never left before four. The mood in the room shifted immediately as the two children parted ways sadly, and Lily lingered in the doorway after she'd slipped her worn shoes on. "Bye, Sev," she murmured when he joined her by the door, her voice cracking with unshed tears.
"Bye, Lils," he replied, watching her walk down the steps and then away from the house towards her part of town. He would have stayed there until she was out of sight, but his mother cleared her throat pointedly behind him. That was why she'd sent Lily home early; something was wrong-or rather, his mother had something to be upset about.
Severus let out a forceful huff, trying to keep his temper from rising (although it already was) as he shut the door and turned to his mother. "Yes, mum?" he asked, hoping he sounded properly demure.
"I need to talk to you about your little friend...Lily."
"Oh...okay." He didn't like the way she said that, or how vague her choice of words was.
"Are you sure it's wise to be spending so much time with her?"
Severus was taken aback, and he felt anger bubbling up inside of him like a boiling cauldron. "What? Didn't you say she could study here? Didn't you tell me to-to go and be social?" he shot back.
Eileen held up a hand. "I am aware, Severus, my memory functions very well."
His eyes narrowed at her quip, but he said nothing.
"I simply want you to be cautious," she began, in a tone that warned she was not to be interrupted. "I don't know what goes on at her house, but she comes over improperly bathed and in old, shabby clothes. Whatever the reason for it, I'm sure it stems from some less than stable member of the family-likely a parent, but no doubt the rest. You do remember how your father reacted when he discovered your magic?" Severus nodded mutely. "Well, consider, then, what an entire family full of Muggles might do when they discover one of their children is summoning toys to them with their mind or closing doors or any number of things. And if her family is unstable, then she will be unstable too. And, Severus, I am willing to teach her because she needs as much guidance as possible, but you must be careful. I don't want to see you...hurt."
Severus was staring at her with wide eyes, his mouth agape. A thousand thoughts circled in his mind and he couldn't manage to pull a single one out of the mess and present it as a response. He sputtered a few times before finally he found his voice and manage to push something from the whirling cataclysm of thought out of his mind and into his mouth. "Are... you can't...honestly...Mum, why?" He knew she hadn't spoken ill of him at all, but hearing her say those things about Lily left him feeling like a knife had been driven into his chest.
Eileen's face softened as Severus' flowed from shock to sadness like a shifting tide. "Severus, my son, please. You barely know her. You cannot throw all of your faith and trust and-yourself into a girl you've just met. It...it isn't wise."
Severus clenched his jaw tight and nodded. It was the only thing he could do to stop himself from crying. His mother seemed satisfied with this, nodding towards the pile of books and notes strewn around on the floor. "Please be sure to clean this up before dinner."
"Yes, Mother."
Eileen turned and left Severus to his task, no doubt to begin making dinner. As far as she was concerned her words were heeded and even if Lily came around again, Severus would be more careful. What she did not know was that Severus had already done precisely what she told him not to, and he wouldn't, couldn't, change that now.