Chapter 10. Lily's new pet.

It was only the third week into September. Lily felt as thought the month had purposely slowed down just to irk her. Lily was sitting in Transfiguration today with Snape. The two were to work on transfiguring a Small bird into a saltshaker. They would be graded on style, looks and hole size. Lily was having problems with it, since she kept thinking back over the last summer.

"Sev, I can't do this! I don't want to kill this bird!" Lily whispered to him.

Severus chuckled at her causing her to glare at him.

"What, you remember what happen!"

Snape smiled a bit more gently keeping his laughter inside. Snape placed a large callous hand comfortingly on Lily's small soft hand.

"I do Remember Li. I'm sorry for laughing about it. If you're so worried just ask Professor McGonagall if you can change it back after it's been graded."

Snape knew that killing the bird had hurt her desperately and now she loathed the idea of hurting any living creature.

Lily looked very pleased with such an easy solution to her problem.

"Thanks Sev, I can always count on you!"

James sat with his three friends two rows behind Lily and Severus. James was grumbling to Lupin who was seated next to him with Sirius and Peter in the two seats by theirs. Sirius was trying to help Peter with his transfiguration.

"No Peter, not like that! I keep telling you, hold your wand like this! Are you even listening to me?" Sirius was getting frustrated with Peter. All three boys would take turns helping Peter in the different classes. It was not something they ever looked forward to doing.

"Why is Lily, friends with that greasy git?" James asked for what seemed to Lupin a thousandth time in this class alone.

Lupin had just transfigured his small blue bird into a very pretty blue saltshaker with a light feather design and perfectly shaped holes.

James who was to busy watching Lily changing her own green bird into a cute round green shaker with hole that were a tad big for a shaker.

Lupin looked at them talking and Lily comparing her shaker to Severus's shaker. Snape had a red bird with black wings; his shaker was black with a red stripe going around its base, with holes just the right size. Lupin was impressed despite him self.

Lupin smiled softly he had not told James that he had seen them snogging after the dance by the entrance to the common room and was not willing to be the one to cause James to change Snape into a slimy slug and step on him.

James transfigured his own yellow bird into a shaker with yellow splotches all over it and the holes were too small.

"James stop worrying about it and concentrate on your work, your shaker is squawking at you." Lupin chuckled as the shaker started to shake on its own as though trying to take flight.

James looked down horrified at his mistake; he had never done so badly in class before.

"It's that stupid Snape's fault I messed up!" James growled.

"Yes right, we can see him forcing you to do it wrong!" Lupin said drolly. James glared as the other two laughed.

James was glad the class had finally ended. He had manage to get his shaker to stop chirping and trying to take flight, but was sure he would be marked down for having to take longer then usual

Lily was very happy about her shaker and McGonagall's assurance that she always transforms them back after she had graded them.

Lily was feeling good and had a bit of a bounce in her step after class. Lily then noticed that Snape was paying attention to James, Sirius, Lupin and Peter.

"What's going on Sev?" Lily asked him. He was clearly not paying attention to what she had said.

"What?" Snape looked back at her a curious look in his eyes.

"You seem to be paying close attention to those boys why?" Lily nodded slightly toward the four boys.

"I'm not really it's just they were talking about something called Marauders and map. I'm sure they are up to no good. I wouldn't be surprised if they are helping Lupin disappear all the time."

Lily laughed pleasantly. "Sev, you need to stop worrying so much about them, I mean who cares what they are up too." Lily walked on giggling girlishly.

No way am I going to tell him Lupin's a werewolf and that's why he leaves all the time.

Lily thought to her self since she knew Snape was always trying to get the four boys expelled from school.

Lily made her way to the library to look up a few more facts about transfigurations of animals in to inanimate objects. Severus went down to his common room with an apology to her. Libraries were very dull places to be in his eyes.

Lily knew he rather stay away from them and only went when it was necessary to look up something, other wise he rather read alone. Lily enjoyed the library and was often there to look up new facts about the subject they were currently learning.

Snape was down in the Slytherin common room with several of his friends.

"I got something to show you!" Malfoy lifted the sleeve of his robe to show a tattoo of a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.

"Wow way cool!" Crabbe answered as he looked at it.

"I got one too." Avery showed his arm to the other boys who all gawked at it.

"We are now part of the Dark Lords Death Eaters. He gave us this mark when we swore to serve him. We're going to get rid of Muggles' and Mudbloods' now!" Malfoy pulled out a mask from behind him. "Isn't this wicked cool; we wear it when we go to meet with him. There are several of us now in his family! You guys should come with us and join in too!"

Snape smiled his thoughts on how impressed Lily would be if he were strong and powerful and able to rid the school of people that the Dark Lord consider undesirable.

Snape pushed back the nagging little thought that said. Lily is Muggle born; she'd be one of them that Lord Voldermort would kill immediately.

"I'll join up!" Snape said to Malfoy who gave him a soft lopsided smile.

"I knew you would Snape your smart!"

"Hey I'll join too!"

"Yeah me too." Crabbe wasn't about to let Goyle join with out him. After all they were dating sisters.

Several others all chimed in to join the Death Eaters including Bellatrix and her sister. Malfoy was very pleased to see Cissy join in since he was thinking of asking her out before he left the school at the end of this year. Yes he knew his parents were encouraging it since they had told him once she is out of school the two shall be getting married. He wasn't to worried about that since he had dated many other girls through school and since his parents wanted to make sure he stayed with a pureblood girl he wasn't going to argue since she would be more to he Dark Lord's liking.

"Good, good, that'll please the Dark Lord very much to have such faithful followers." Malfoy chuckled softly. I knew these blokes would join once Snape did and was praised for it they are so simple.

Snape left to go out to the Great Hall to see Lily already at the Gryffindor table eating some dinner. Snape walked over to see her.

"I can't talk too long I just wanted to say I'll be kinda busy for a couple of day, but don't worry, you'll be proud of me!" Snape gave her a wink and walked off to his own table. Lily looked surprised and then her mind went in circles about what it could possible be that would make her so proud of him?

"What did that git want with you?" a voice came from beside her that sounded as though ice was flowing from it.

Lily glared up at James. "Why don't you go marry a troll?" Lily growled.

"Ah, come on Evans your really not trollish like honest." James laughed. Lily continued to glare at him.

"Like I'd ever marry a conceited git like you?" Lily scooted down several seats away from James as his friends roared with laughter.

Snape was smiling as he watched Lily move away from James. "That's my girl!" Snape muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Avery asked Snape who looked at him as though he was sure the guy was hearing things.

"What are you talking about?" Snape ask silkily.

"It sounded like you were saying something about a girl. Don't tell me a misfit like you has a girlfriend when a great looking guy like me doesn't!" Avery laughed happily.

Snape just raised an eyebrow at him.

"What ever." Snape mumbled he return his gaze to Lily who was reading and eating her food slowly.

The next couple of weeks went by rather quickly for Lily she was not seeing Snape as often. He was quite busy, as he had said he would be. Lily wondered where he had been going off to with his buddies all the time. She couldn't help but feel worried about him since the friends he was with were always getting into trouble and were always casting some dark spell on some unsuspecting student from another house.

Lily wished so strongly that he'd stay away from them.

The day came to go into Hogsmeade. Lily was thrilled since she was finally going to be able to buy her pet.

Lily had left the common room in great spirits as she made her way to the Great Hall.

Lily spotted Severus coming up from his common room and quickly walked over to him.

"Hey Sev, are you ready for our shopping trip to Hogsmeade?" Lily thought for a moment she saw surprise in Severus's eyes when she asked him.

"Sure of course I am." Severus smiled warmly at her. He walked with her to the Great Hall.

"I don't really feel like eating I just want to get into town and find my pet." Lily confided in Snape.

"You still don't know what kind you want?" Severus asked her.

"Not really, I use the school owls and I really don't think a rat would suit me and toads just seem dull to me."

"Toads are all the rage right now though!" Snape pointed out.

Lily laughed pleasantly. "I know they are and one girl in my house insist that you can get a spell to change it into a prince when you're ready to marry. She says one kiss after the spell is applied will do it, ugh. The thought of kissing a toad is so gross!" Lily stuck her tongue out and made gagging noises. Snape laughed uproariously. Lily laughed with him. She took his hand in her own.

The two walked on out of the Great Hall toward the front door where everyone gathered to leave after the were checked off the list, Filch though was not yet there The two stood there for a few minutes looking around in silence.

"We can eat in town if you'd prefer?" Snape told her, "leave now before the others."

Lily looked thoughtful. "I'd like that let's leave now the sooner the better!"

Snape looked around to be sure no one was watching as they made their way to the main gates and the road to Hogsmeade. Snape's mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts as he walked down the road with Lily. Snape had forgotten that he promised Lily he would go shopping in Hogsmeade with her and had made plans with his fellow Slytherins to get the Dark Mark today from Lord Voldermort. They had been very busy the last couple of weeks proving that they were worthy of becoming his followers. Snape was sure once he proved him self that he'd never have to worry about losing Lily.

There's only one thing I can do now and that's ditch her along the way and just apologize by saying we some how got separated and I couldn't find her and came back to the school to wait for her there.

Snape knew if he could steer her into a place like Honeydukes or The Three Broomsticks then he'd lose her in the crowds there. He figured she'd run into some girl friends and would be ok and still happy they spent most of the time together.

With this in mind Snape was ready to help her shop until noon when he was suppose to meet up with the others to then go and meet with Voldermort in a secret location. Malfoy was not telling where it was and was acting all the smugger for it.

Snape went with Lily into a little teashop where they had some hot tea and some muffins made with ever changing flavors. Lily was amazed every time she bit into one and had a new taste. First it was green beans, and then chocolate after that it was fish with pork following after that then vanilla with strawberry crème after that.

Lily suspected Severus had gotten a foul tasting bite from the face he was currently making.

"What flavor you'd get?"

"Liver, then dirty worms," Snape placed it down on his plate his appetite gone now. Lily tried to keep her laugh in but at the last moment it escaped her. Snape stuck his tongue out at her causing her to laugh even harder. The laughing was contagious and Snape was soon laughing with her.

They soon left the shop to head over to the store that sold all kinds of animals. Lily walked into the dark shop; only a few small candles were burning. Lily peered around the shop trying to see what animals were there.

Lily looked into large cages full of ravens, small cages full of baby toads and medium size cages full of kittens. There were only four left, they were dark brown, pure white and two orange colored kittens. The fur looked thick and fluffy on all of them but the one orange kitten's fur looked the thickest of them. He had a small flat face and looked very intelligent.

"What kind of kittens are they?" Lily asked of Snape who shrugged his shoulders.

"Babies?"

Lily laughed at that. "I can tell they are babies but what kind of babies?"

"They are mixed blood!" A stern voice said, from behind them.

Lily and Severus jumped and turned around to see an older gray hair woman with deep lines in her face. She looked as though life had been very hard on her.

"They have cats blood and Kneezle blood in them so they live longer grow up slower and are highly more intelligent then your average house cat."

"Oh." Lily turned back to see the one orange kitten looking at her with a very intense stare.

"I'll take him." Lily pointed to the kitten that was still staring at her unblinkingly.

The two left the shop with Lily holding a small furry kitten in her arms a bemused looking Snape watching her.

"So what are you going to name him?"

Lily looked thoughtful for several minutes. "I have no clue?" Lily kissed his furry little head.

"A good name hmm how about Crookshanks?" Snape asked.

Lily stopped in her tracks looking at him.

"After that wizard we read about that was responsible for saving a town of people from a giant invasion?"

"Yeah, that's the one. It was pretty courage's of him even if he did loose his life from it."

"You're right I will name him that!" Lily looked at the kitten he snuggled closer.

"I think he's pleased with it too!"

The two walked to Honeydukes, where Lily bought some extra sweets. Lily handed the bag of sweets to Snape. "Here these are for you, for helping me and for being so good to me." Lily felt a small blush creep along her cheeks.

Snape didn't say anything he was feeling way too guilty that he was going to leave her alone soon to meet up with the others.

"You do like sweets right? I got some of those great tasting chococreme balls and some strawberry flavored quills and ever-chewy licorice rope. I also picked up some of those glop clusters, and Jelly Slugs I don't know what they are like but you can tell me after you've eaten them." Lily went on talking, taking his silence as a sign that he didn't like sweets and she just blew it. Lily felt a blush creeping up her face as she tried to think of something to say to make up for it, when Snape finally spoke up.

"Thanks Lil, I do like sweets and I'll tell you what ones are best." Severus gave her a hug, causing Lily to shift her kitten to keep him from being squashed between them.

Lily pulled back and looked into his dark eyes for a moment she thought she saw regret there but it vanished so quickly she wasn't completely sure she saw it.

"No problem Sev. Like I said you're so great to me I just wanted to show some way how much I appreciate you." Lily grabbed his hand and started to pull him down the street.

Snape was feeling even guiltier for having to leave her and having a few second and third thoughts about joining the Death Eaters. Snape was then worried he couldn't figure out where his loyalties should lie. One part kept telling him to go and join them he would be so powerful that Lily would always be his. Another side of him kept saying forget the others stay with Lily.

The decision was taken from him as they walked down the street. Lily looked over at him.

"I'm going to duck on into the loo I'll be right back." Lily walked off to the public loo where many other girls were inside it already fixing their hair and chattering about the latest gossip.

Lily didn't know that out side several other Slytherins had found their friend and housemate. Who were glad to find him at last?

"Come on Snape, we gotta go or we'll be late!"

Snape's crooked smile though it was strained as he followed the others off toward the outskirts of town.

Lily left with several girls. As they walked outside Lily noticed that Snape was nowhere in sight.

"I guess he must be at the Three Broomsticks?" Lily muttered to her self. Lily followed along with the girls to the Three Broomsticks. They entered to find it was very crowded with Hogwarts students all laughing eating and drinking hot butterbeer.

Lily sat with other girls from her house all talking happily. Tara was still talking endlessly about her trip to the states.

"I couldn't believe it when my cousin said they don't get homework there during the summer and that they don't have Muggle born witches in the schools. They only take pure bloods."

Lily sat listening to her friend for the hundredth time and was once again glad she didn't live there since she would not have gotten to go to school and learn magic.

Lily was tired and wanted to get back to the school with her new kitten. She was disappointed that Snape was nowhere in sight as she walked alone back up to school leaving her friends at the Three Broomsticks.

Lily saw James, Sirius, Lupin and Peter up ahead of her all talking and holding a piece of parchment between them

"Nah we can't add it to the map there just isn't room for it."

"I think we should try though."

"No it won't work it has to stay some what simple so that we can use it easier."

Lily wondered what they were using since the piece of parchment didn't look special to her as she walked by and gave a curious look at it.

"Hey Evans want to go have dinner with us?" James called to her.

"No thanks." Lily waved back at him as she continued on her way to school.

Lily was sitting at the feast feeding pieces of meat to her kitten Crookshank. Crookshank purred happily as he ate and then curled in her lap to sleep. Lily was full when she left to go back to the common room. Lily looked over at the Slytherin table and could not see Snape there. Lily also noticed that the other four boys who constantly pestered her were not at the Gryffindor table.

Lily couldn't have explain it but she was feeling a bit lonesome and wasn't sure whose company she was wanting most, a guy she loved or a guy she found amusing in a odd sort of way.

Lily showed her kitten Crookshank to the Fat Lady so he would be able to get into the common room when he showed up. The Fat Lady was very pleased to meet him and promised her she'd always let him inside. Lily then crawled through her self and showed Crookshank where her bed was located. Lily lay down on her bed with her new kitten and was soon asleep with the kitten curled up around her feet.