September first arrived far too quickly for Severus. It had easily been one of the best summers of his life, and deep down he felt it would almost be worth dealing with his parents to avoid going back to Slytherin House and trying to climb out of the hole that he had got himself into.
The next day Severus and Lily were headed back to Hogwarts, and Petunia did something she hadn't done in years; she came to wave them off. She still acted somewhat distant, however, as though she didn't want to admit she was wrong this whole time, but she was definitely making an effort.
"Have a great term you two," chimed Mrs Evans.
"Thanks, Mum," beamed Lily.
"Thank you, Mrs Evans," he politely replied.
"Make sure you write home," said Mr. Evans sternly.
"I will, Dad," assured Lily, giving her father a hug. "I promise."
"You can write to me too, you know, if you want to," Petunia struggled to get out.
"I'll definitely write, Tuney," guaranteed Lily readily.
Petunia gave a noticeably forced smile at this.
"See you at Christmas," said Mrs Evans softly; hugging her daughter, before turning to Severus. "And Severus, hopefully, this year goes better for you. I hope you enjoy your term."
"Thank you, Mrs Evans," said Severus earnestly.
"See you at Christmas!" beamed Lily, before turning to Severus. "I'll see you when we get to Hogwarts Sev. I have to go to the prefects' compartment."
"Alright," said Severus. "I still can't believe that they made Lupin a Prefect."
"Come on, Sev," said Lily. "It's impossible to keep his friends in line."
At this Severus just held his tongue as he really didn't want to fight with Lily when they hadn't even made it to school yet. As far as he knew, Lupin didn't make any great effort.
As Lily walked away, Severus was about to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"May I have a word, Severus?" inquired Mr Evans.
"Of course, sir." He failed to keep the confusion off his face.
"Relax, I just want a word."
"Ok, sir."
"So, I recall that you said in June you were facing some consequences of your actions," stated Mr Evans quite matter-of-factly.
"Yes, sir," he said without preamble. "I got into the wrong crowd, and they didn't like me breaking away from them."
"I am glad you realise that it was the wrong crowd," encouraged Mr Evans. "Just remember, you always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear. Stick this out, and keep doing what you're doing. Things will eventually work themselves out; life has a funny way of doing that."
"Um, thank you, sir."
"It's Henry," smiled Mr Evans, before continuing.
Severus just nodded.
"Now, I'm being serious, Severus," stated Mr Evans. "It hasn't escaped my notice these last few months how much you've changed, and it's definitely for the better. Don't let those housemates of yours ruin this for you; it's your life and you need to be happy with who you are, not who they think you should be."
"I'll definitely try, si-Henry," replied Severus sincerely. "It almost cost me Lily, and being with them is just not worth it anymore."
"I'm glad," said Mr Evans. "Now, go enjoy your term, and learn lots."
Severus gave a quick nod, waved, and not much later was hurrying along the corridor of the Hogwarts Express towards the back, as it clattered through the countryside. He had taken the first opportunity to change out of his dreadful Muggle clothes and was already wearing his school robes.
When he walked by some compartments filled with his housemates he received glares, and he was notable not very welcome, so he had just kept walking.
At last, he stopped outside a compartment and went in. Frank, Alice, and Mary and Marlene were there, and Severus took the window seat.
"Snape," greeted Marlene, fairly warmly.
"How was your summer, Severus?" asked Frank. "You didn't say much in your last letter."
"Didn't have much to say," admitted Severus. "My summer was pretty good though. How did yours go?"
"My summer was brilliant," said Mary. "My family went camping for a week in the Midlands."
"Brilliant," he replied. "I've only gone a couple times; all with Lily, actually."
"It's a family tradition," stated Mary simply.
Around half-past twelve there was the usual great clattering outside in the corridor as a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
She had Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other things.
The group got some of everything and they split the eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts amongst themselves.
"They should make these in milk chocolate," stated Marlene, gesturing to the chocolate frogs.
"Why would they do that?" inquired Severus. "I think dark is a lot better."
"Not likely," Marlene said with a slight snort. "Milk is way better."
"Is not," stated Severus.
"Is too," retorted Marlene.
"Really you guys," laughed Alice. "You two are worse than Lily and Severus."
At this Severus said nothing and raised his eyebrows.
"What?" inquired Alice. "You two fight like an old married couple."
"I have to agree with, Alice," jeered Mary.
"We do not," stated Severus, mulishly.
"Yes you do," replied Frank.
"We'll just have to let Lily decide when she comes," said Marlene.
"Definitely," smirked Severus.
The conversation continued much like this and very civil for a good part of the train ride.
Towards the end of the end of the trip Lily finally, having met with the other prefects, and introduced herself to most of the first years, made her way to their compartment.
"All right, you lot?" asked Lily.
"All right," Severus replied.
"How was your summer?" asked Mary. "It sounded like you were enjoying it from your last letter. How are things with your sister?"
"She actually came to see me off today," said Lily. "She's finally starting to come around."
"I'm glad," chimed Alice.
"Me too," said Mary. "Maybe you can come next time."
"We'll see,"Lily said with a grin.
"And now that you're here, you can help solve this horrid situation which Severus and I have found ourselves in," said Marlene. "I can't believe he dared!"
"Oi!" he chimed.
"Dared to what?" inquired Lily. "Severus, what did you do?!"
"Nothing," retorted Severus quickly, causing Marlene and Alice to laugh. "It's her! It's completely ludicrous, it is!"
Lily just shook her head.
"He is under the impression that dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate," stated Marlene, pretending to faint, and fall of her seat.
"Oh dear," said Lily laughing.
"So dramatic," said Frank, laughing as well.
"Sev, here, has a weakness for dark chocolate," stated Lily.
"I wouldn't call it a weakness," retorted Severus.
"So if I offered you Maltesers right now, you wouldn't take them?" smirked Lily, slyly pulling out a box from behind her back.
"Err," stuttered Severus.
"That's what I thought," smirked Lily. "Here, have a couple."
"Thanks," said Severus going red.
"So Lil, milk chocolate or dark chocolate cauldrons?" inquired Marlene.
"I have to agree with Sev, and say dark, although the caramel milk chocolate is really good," said Lily. "How did this even come up?"
"They were talking about camping," stated Frank. "Then the cart lady showed up and Mary suggested they should have milk chocolate frogs."
"I see," replied Lily. "I think both would be good." She then turned to Mary. "How was your camping trip?"
"It was wicked," replied Mary.
"Brilliant," said Lily. "We didn't go this year, but I always did love camping."
"I know," Severus said with a smirk.
"What's that supposed to mean?" inquired Lily.
"Summer Nights; two years ago," smirked Severus.
"Oh no!" said Lily, laughing. "I can't believe you remember that."
"It was priceless," he said, bemused.
"Okay, you have to tell me what happened," cried Alice.
"I'd rather not," retorted Lily.
"Oh come on, Lily," grinned Mary.
"No," said Lily. "Never going to happen."
"Severus, would you mind enlightening us?" teased Marlene.
"Not happening," said Lily.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that Lily," teased Severus. "I might just, accidentally, have a slip of the tongue."
"You wouldn't!" cried Lily.
"Are you sure?" smirked Severus.
"Severus Tobias!" exclaimed Lily, playfully punching his shoulder.
"I can't believe you know Grease," stated Marlene. "Isn't that like illegal in your group?"
"Fairly accurate assessment," stated Severus. "I am a half-blood though, and honestly most of the Slytherins seem to want my head regardless."
"Fair enough," stated Marlene, and Alice nodded.
"What happened?" inquired Lily.
"Nothing," said Severus. "I just got glared at by a good chunk of Slytherin today."
"That's not good," said Lily.
"That's an understatement," said Severus. "Something tells me this year will make last year look like a piece of cake."
"Remember our deal, Sev," prompted Lily sternly.
"Lily –" started Severus.
"You promised, Sev," stated Lily. "If anyone tries anything like last year, go to Dumbledore... or I will."
"I swear I'll go to Dumbledore if things look like they are getting bad," swore Severus. There was no real point of arguing with her over it.
"Good," said Lily.
"You live near Lily, right?" questioned Frank, sensing the need for a change of topic.
"Yes," said Severus.
"Sev just lives a couple blocks away from me in Devon," Lily said.
"I see," said Frank. "I can't say I've ever been to that part of the country, though."
"Cokeworth is an old mill town in the Midlands," Severus explained, rather noncommittally. "Not somewhere you'd exactly gan on holidays."
"It's not that bad, Sev." insisted Lily, hearing the northern accent slip through, like it did whenever he was upset. She had to quickly reiterate what she meant when Severus shot her a questioning look, however. "Well, it's pleasant enough where I live, anyway."
"Ah, I see," said Frank, as if answering his own personal question, but what it was the Slytherin had no idea, which made him feel suspicious as to what it could be.
"Looks like we're here," chimed Alice, as the train came to a stop.
"Brilliant," said Lily.
After getting off the express they all took the same carriage up to the castle, and before they knew it they were seating and the Start-of-term Feast starting.
