Chapter 6:

Saturday came by in a flash and as with all other activities at Hogwarts, the Quidditch game was on everyone's mind. It was Slytherin versus Gyffindor due to the injury of players in a practice accident earlier in the year. In the Great Hall, breakfast was being served and the chatter was at a higher decimal than moments before. James Potter walked in with his scarlet and gold sweater with the rest of the team behind him. The cheers from all the tables, but Slytherin, echoed through out the room. The Slytherin's table simply made seething sounds through their teeth in distaste of Potter's exhuberant entrance. Severus sat with Avery and Mulciber who were writing down a few strategy's for the Quidditch team captain. They glanced over at Severus who sat back, drank some pumpkin juice, and bitterly stared at James Potter. Avery and Mulciber looked at Snape curious as to his unusually sour mood. Avery spoke first, "What's the matter Severus?"

He relaxed a bit loosening his tightened grip around the cup. Severus chewed at the words, "Potter. He thinks he owns this place because he is the best Chaser, and soon to be Seeker. His brawn never outmatches his brain and yet..." His hands displayed how most of the student body were staring at the brown-haired boy's presence in awe. "I'd like to see his brawn taken down a notch. Then he'd have nothing to keep him on his high horse." Severus sipped at his pumpkin juice and lightly sat it down on the table in front of him. He slumped over the liquid with his hands folded together in front of him. His midnight black eyes shifted from Potter and the Gryffindor buffoons to Lily with a calculating stare. She was smiling brightly and joking with her dorm mates. What is your plan Potter? What does her trust give you over me? Besides everything...

Avery looked at Snape's frustration and grinned, "C'mon mate. The Gryffindor can't be that annoying. You have a knack for strategy. How can we win this one?" Severus thought for a moment on how to win in both ways. How to rend Potter unable to devise a plan and how Slytherin could win this match to be ahead in points and hopefully win this year. Snape shook his head at the simplicity of the idea but then countenanced darkly at Avery, "Take out the biggest threat and there is no way Gryffindor can win. They rely on him to get the snitch to win. If our Seeker has more time to get it, and if they use a less skilled opponent Seeker, than our chances of winning are almost doubled." Avery was wide-eyed for a moment and then started to laugh with Mulciber at the delicate idea, "Nice. I think we got our strategy for today."

"We need to get Potter." The captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team was standing proud in front of the strategy board. "Use usual formation to keep points on our favor but our goal today is simply this: Beaters to Potter. Use the bludgers as much as you can to keep him off balance and possibly knock him off of the broom. Do that and we can rack up points and have our Seeker get the snitch." The team nodded in unison grinning and muttering about Potter's soon to be demise.

The Gryffindor team was limbering up. Each member stretched out their morning woes as James Potter psyched himself for the game. The team captain touched Potter on his shoulder with a light tap, "You got this James. The snitch is all yours." James nodded repeatedly hoping to get the fact that the points were going to define their year as a team. The Captain's deep voice beckoned all to line up. "This is it everyone. Time to win, and crush Slytherin at the same time." They all cheered and raced out of their enclosed tent.

The Quidditch pitch was cover with a thick blanket of powder. It had been snowing since Thursday and as tradition, most players donned extra clothing to keep warm. The Gryffindor's current Seeker was out on sick leave and thus James Potter took over for her position. The usual Chaser took up his broom and flew around with his team. His hands were shaking with a fervor mixed with excitement and nervousness. The chilly, cold air interjected into his lungs with a sharp sting and his hazel eyes caught sight of the green Slytherin team. They all had a coy smirk brimming across from cheek to cheek. The Slytherin team stared intently on the replacement Seeker. The referee floated upwards with a slow tempo to avoid any high wind interference. "Clean game all, and try to make this a quick one. It's bloody freezing up here." The referee's fingers snapped quickly and out shot the Quaffle, Bludgers, and the Golden Snitch. The game was on!

Severus sat down next to Avery and Mulciber. His black eyes watched the back and forth between the two teams. Ten points to Slytherin, Ten to Gryffindor; he was hoping to see James Potter fall to his demise but to no avail. It was difficult to see anything in the high winds that whipped across the pitch. Both sides cheered loudly promising that as long as they were shouting, that their team would be in the lead. Just as it tied 80 to 80, Severus spotted the Golden Snitch in front of his long nose. He looked sideways to both Avery and Mulciber who then whistled lightly into the air. Snape followed the gentle gesture and the Slytherin's Seeker raced over to chase after the prize. James Potter watched the seasoned Seeker dash across the pitch and soon, he followed quickly after. The golden object darted across the field and the Slytherin's plan was soon in motion. The two beaters shot bludgers straight into Potter's pathway making him curl and dive trying to out maneuver the strikes. His eyes locked intently onto the snitch wishing to speed his way to victory. The Slytherin Seeker bumped into his broom with a swift elbow to the gut. Potter gasped for air trying to continue his pursuit after the 150 points to win the game. The Slytherin Seeker suddenly halted from the chase and James looked back curiously. Both Slytherin beaters took their short bats and hammered the nearest bludger towards the snitches projected path. The Seeker gave a farewell wave as a bludger struck James in the face with such force that he flipped backwards off the broom and hurled towards the white layered ground. James landed onto the compounded snow with a loud thud and the Gryffindors gasped with a sudden silence. A whistle blew lightly as the opposing Slytherins caught the snitch and won the game 280 to 90. The Slytherin student body cheered with a satisfied victory. Avery grinned widely and patted Snape on his back. "Good plan o' yours Severus. Good plan!"

Severus rushed over to the side railing and stared transfixed by the unmoving Potter. He was being turned over by a few teachers and the hit was a massive blow to his face. Glasses smashed, a broken nose, and blood exposed from every cut, the Dopplebeater defense nailed him with the bludger. Potter was out cold. His teammates all raced him to the Hospital wing while the Slytherin team took victory championing the Golden Snitch back to their common room. Snape followed his fellow Slytherins down the hallways and gave a few light smirks as they all danced in revelation of their newest win over the rival Gryffindors. Only a few knew the victory plan came from Severus and that was the way he had hoped to keep it.

Everything died down in the halls that evening as most went off to sit at the local pub, drink pumpkin juice, and talk about the game. The school almost felt empty to Snape as he went to the Library to study once again. There was a looming guilt filling into him as he realized Potter was not doing as well as he thought he would by now. It wasn't his fault James was destroyed by an accurate blow but it was his idea that manifested it. He shook his head trying to rid the guilty conscience from his mind. He sighed openly and pressed his right hand to the crook of his neck gently rubbing away the tension. A small touch flecked against his pale skin and he immediately jerked away. Lily sat down beside him quietly after his skittish spasm. "Are you alright Sev?" His body shrugged away and breathed out a deep exasperation. "As best as I can be. I have a Charms exam soon and as much as I do not worry, I am concerned about this exam." She nodded slowly letting the thought dull away in the back of her mind.

They sat in silence for a few moments waiting for the other to speak. Snape was unsure of what to say while Lily just didn't want to say anything. Their closeness brought a hotness to her cheeks and flushed her senses to attune to his. She didn't want to break the moment or the feeling. He felt his fingertips tense around the quill as he jotted down notes. Like several needles being pressed into him, a twinging was stinging into Snape's arm and finally coursed through his entire right side. Severus almost lost his grip on the writing utensil before leaving it to stay dipped in the ink. His voice cracked as soon as he spoke, "Lily." She shifted in her seat with a nervous gleam to her exterior. She looked up from a nearby library book. Her jade eyes slowly made contact with his and she looked plainly at his bang-covered face,. "Yes Sev?" There was a loud commotion in the entrance as if the world had come crashing down in front of the student body. People shouted and loud cheers echoed down the hallways. Both were distracted by the sounds as Severus stood up from his comfortable chair to view the commotion. A few students raced to Lily. They were wearing the red and gold scarf. "Lily! There is going to be a ball!" Her and Severus gave unsure glances at each other and then looked back to the first-years in front of them. Lily replied with an inquisitive sheen over her eyes, "Ball? For what?" The students giggled loudly. The red-head explained, "Professor Slughorn was absent for his usual Slug Club Christmas party, right? They just announced the ball! It's going to be at the end of the month! The 30th right?" Snape watched the girl's eyes verify the truth with the similarly red-headed boy. He nodded in satisfaction. Lily smiled sweetly and shooed her away with a light wave of her hand, "Well thank you Summer and Anton. I appreciate it the news! Thank you for telling me." Lily cocked her head to the side and bit at her lower lip staring at Severus slightly. His stance suggested he was thinking deeply. The Gryffindor first-years rushed off to spread the unusual but happy news.

Snape furrowed his brow in slight disbelief but sat down with a logical plan burning in his mind. How to ask Lily? She grinned at his deep analysis but then cleared her throat to suggest that there was someone else with him. His strong gaze broke at the abrupt sound and he shook the thought from his already tensed brain. Severus sat down in his previous seat with an analyzing lambency, "Interesting but why would the Professor throw a big party? He generally doesn't enjoy giving unworthy students his attention. Curious of him to say the least." Lily shrugged at his idea, "I like to think Slughorn has an open heart contrary to popular belief."

Snape wanted to bite his tongue, and not disagree, but his voice spoke anyways. "A man with an open heart has no limitations. His limitations, Lily, are good students. There is a reason you and I are in the Slug Club. We are his brand of student. Intelligent and..." His voice drowned out at the end attempting to hide his compliments from her. Severus just cleared his throat and continued to write in his books. Lily looked at him with an intense stare as if she was trying to gain clairvoyant passage into his mind. "Snape, are you upset with me at all?" His darkly lit eyes maneuvered over his right shoulder and gazed at her with an intense softness filling his pallid face, "Of course not. Why would I be?" She lifted her shoulders in an unknowing show, "No reason." Lily grinned to herself and stared at the library book in front of her. She wanted to smile and laugh at the silence but instead she just took quick glances of Snape when he wouldn't notice. Alternatively she just enjoyed the night of studying, the closeness between them, and the fact that he wasn't actually studying.

Severus was thinking of a elaborate plan to get her to go with him to the Slug Ball. He was thinking of how, when, and where. He was thinking of the surprise on her birthday. He was thinking of how much he loved her and how her 15th birthday would be a day she would never forget.