Seven: Closure
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nothings mine except the plot.
"Lily, relax," Remus told her. "Eat some potatoes."
"Can't eat potatoes when I'm this nervous!" she snapped at him.
"Carrots?"
"I won't eat."
"Then desperate times call for desperate measures," sighed Remus. He picked up a fork and dug some potatoes in it. "Someone hold her mouth open. I'm going in."
The Gryffindors laughed. Lily scowled.
"Come on, Lily," Alice said quietly. "Worrying like this won't help. It'll be like taking a plaster off if you just do it: painful, but quick. Eating will help. Like before Quidditch games: everyone's nervous but they eat so they can actually go through with the match and not pass out halfway through. You need to eat to get through this whole closure thing. Understand?"
Lily nodded mutely. James carried on. "This is your first ever feast at Hogwarts, don't spoil it by worrying about that piece of slime over there!"
"He's a git," added Issy.
"Eat, Lily!" screamed Sirius, in a typically Sirius fashion. "GOD DAMN IT! EAT!!"
Lily giggled and picked up a fork. "Thank you, guys," she murmured quietly and then started to eat.
***
"Lily," Issy instructed. "Human's need to breathe. So breathe!"
"Not helping," Lily hissed as they all stood outside the hall waiting for Snape to come along. They had been standing there for about 10 minutes when Sirius yelled, "THERE HE IS!" and tackled him to the floor. With a lot of resistance, Snape was dragged along the floor towards Lily, Grace, Issy and Alice. It took James, Sirius, Remus and a passing third year Hufflepuff who was offered 3 Galleons for his services.
"It's now or never, Lil," James muttered when he finally reached the girls, Snape in tow.
"I know that, James," Lily growled at him.
"Just sayin'," he whispered and then flung Snape at her.
"What do you want?" he sneered at her.
Lily took a deep breath and repeated exactly what Holly had told her, "Severus Snape, I no longer like you. I don't want to be your friend at all and this is the last time I will speak to you optionally!" She paused. "Or something like that, anyway..." she trailed off.
"Is that all?" Snape asked.
"Yes, Snivellus," Lily sighed. "That's all."
The Gryffindors laughed and Snape glowered. "Then I'll be going," Snape said, turned on his heel and stormed off.
"Snivellus..." Sirius said dreamily. "I like it..."
"Feel better, Lily?" Issy asked kindly.
Lily grinned. "Much!"
"Knew there was a reason Holly was put in Ravenclaw," Grace chirped. "I have smart friends!" She looked at the boys. "And then I have Sirius."
"Hey!"