Okay, so this is my re-submit. I lied, I am adding the part to chapter 11, not 22. I dd remove it from chapter 22 however, and just replaced and added it into this one, because it works better. The additional tidbit is at the bottom, and as always, Rowling's wording is italicized.
Hello again, I'll try to keep this brief. First off, I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, especially PinkRose111 because yours were particularly helpful. =) And you're right, I dispose stories with multitudes of grammatical/spelling errors. Meh, pet peeve.
Secondly, this one isn't that long or particularly exciting, so don't get your hopes up.
***Also, in case some of you have forgotten, in the last chapter when Lily hexes Potter and Black, Sirius complains about how it was the spell they use on Severus every Thursday. So when it mentions that little day of the week, that's what it's referring to.
As always, none of this belongs to me. =(
For the next three days Lily avoided Snape as much as possible. This caused her roommates to lean on the cheerful side of things, but Lily fumed every time Severus tried to come near her. Whenever he got close she huff and stalk off muttering some excuse to Alice and Mary about studying. Her friends knew better than to follow her or offer comfort, this was something she needed to work out for herself. Even Derik was keeping his distance, though he would shoot worried glances her way occasionally, seeming unsure of where the library's events had placed them.
It was on one particularly gloomy day that Lily heard shouts and whoops echoing down the corridor that led to the seventh floor - where the Gryffindor Common Room was located. The noise was an incredible mixture of ruckus between cries of fury, cheers of encouragement, and taunting jeers.
She rounded the corner to find a crowd around a Severus who dangling in midair by his ankles, a cackling Potter below him.
Oh. It was Thursday.
"Potter!" Lily barked.
He turned, an amused expression across his face. When he saw her his chest puffed out a little and that ridiculously cocky lop-sided grin appeared upon his ever-mischievous face. The Marauders sniggered, except Remus who looked – as usual – uninterested. He never participated with the Marauding pranks when it came to involving actual people, but he never interfered either.
"Evans, lovely as ever. What can a handsome bloke like myself do for you?"
"You can shut up and let my friend down."
Snape shot her a glare that was crossed between hope and irritation.
"Sorry, can't do that. Normally a good little jinx is enough for the hooked nose wonder but fortunately I found him sneaking about, trying to make his way to Gryffindor Tower here. Gotta set him straight see, no sneaky Slytherin is slipping in past our doors, am I right mates?" Potter turned to the audience, lifting his arms for feedback. Cheers and rings of approval rang through the crowd.
Fueled by the crowd's enthusiasm, Potter started to lazily bounce his wand up and down, the effect mimicking on Snape's figure, whose face was starting to turn a nasty shade of purple. His hair had grown out over the summer and it fell wildly down his face, partially obscuring his view as he thrashed midair, trying to reach his wand or strangle Potter, whichever his hands could find first.
Remus cringed slightly, as if debating whether he should intervene.
"Potter," Sev spat threateningly.
"Shut up Snevillus, what are you going to do? Coat me in oil?" Roars of laughter erupted as Severus flailed angrily, trying to get down. Lily opened her mouth to yell at Potter some more but –
"James Potter!"
The crowd parted at once, revealing a tightlipped McGonagall and grudgingly looking Slughorn trudging behind her.
"Potter, you set him down this instant."
Potter looked like he'd just gotten his Christmas presents taken away as he whined, "But Professor –"
"Now."
Grumbling, Potter flicked his wand and Severus tumbled to the floor, a murderous look on his face. He scrambled up and instantly pulled out his wand.
"Mister Snape," warned Slughorn.
Sev didn't lower his wand right away, looking back and forth between the teachers and Potter, as if trying to decide if the punishment would be worth it.
Setting his jaw, he slowly lowered his wand, his cold hateful eyes never leaving Potter's smug face. The purple shadows under his eyes emphasized his dark glare.
McGonagall turned back to Potter and Black and glared over her glasses. "You two! I've had enough of your nonsense. Detention. Three weeks – no Mister Black, I do not think that it is unfair. And thirty points from Gryffindor for this outlandish behavior. Each."
Cries of outburst erupted all throughout the corridor.
"Professor, he was trying to get inside Gryffindor Tower – !"
"James was only protecting –"
"Sneaking in to sabotage us!"
"Slimy git had it coming –"
McGonagall held up her hand firmly for silence and the hall quieted. "Enough. I stand by my judgment."
"And five points from Slytherin for Mister Snape's advances," added Slughorn. He gazed disapprovingly at his pupil. Black gaped open mouthed at Snape. "Five? That's it? Five bloody points!"
McGonagall ignored him and looked unexpectedly toward Remus.
"And you Mister Lupin, I suggest you keep a tighter leash on your friends' actions." She turned and left without another word, leaving a shocked Remus in her wake.
The crowd started to disperse, leaving the four Marauders, Lily, and Severus behind. Potter, Black, and Pettigrew all mutter grumpily like scolded children.
"Keep a leash on us indeed – I'd like to see her try and – "
"Ruddy witch, what does she know? Three weeks –!"
" . . . Spoils all the fun. Could've been worse though . . ."
The other two turned incredulously to Peter at the last statement. Black smacked him upside the head. "Oy! What're you going on about?"
Pettirgrew looked flustered, trying to figure out what he'd said wrong. "Well . . . All things considered . . . " he squeaked.
"Peter?"
"Yeah James?"
"Shut. Up."
" . . . Right. Sorry."
Potter sighed heavily, and then he seemed to remember Lily was still there. He brightened as he faced her again. He opened his mouth for a quirky remark, but she beat him to it.
"Save it Potter." His shoulder slumped and his mouth closed. "And you," Lily glared at Severus dangerously. "Come with me."
Spinning on her heel, she walked toward an empty classroom. Stopping short by the door, she crossed her arms tightly and narrowed her eyes, waiting for Sev.
"Ooooh, Snape-y boy's in trouble!" Potter and Black made kissy noises.
"Better run off or your Mummy'll leave you again. Wouldn't want to anger her, now would we?"
Snape snarled and his hand started to discreetly move toward his wand.
"Severus, now," commanded Lily.
Snape curled his lip snidely at the Marauders. It seemed to take every muscle in he possessed to turn away from them, his body tense and quaking with anger. He stalked into the classroom without even glancing at Lily. He stepped over the threshold leaving the brightly lit corridor, and into the classroom that was damp and dark without any source of light, save the one window in the upper right hand corner. It smelled of aged leather and old wood from the desks.
Lily shut the door loudly and crossed her arms again. "Okay. Speak."
Severus fixed an angry stare at her before saying, "In case you haven't noticed Lily, I'm not some animal who sits around awaiting orders."
Her narrowed eyes seemed to lesson a bit at this.
"Fine. But you still need to tell me what's going on."
"Tell you what's going on!? I don't know what's going on! You're the one who's been avoiding me for the past three days, why don't you speak first! I'm the one making the effort here. I even just tried to make my way into Gryffindor Tower before that fat-headed, brains of a Hippogriff Potter turned up."
"Yes and I have every reason to be angry with you! Barging in on Derik's and my conversation like that, making him feel unwelcomed. It was none of your business! . . . And it was rude."
"Stupid little Welmount is a good for nothing hag who tricks girls into liking him so that he can just snog them up in a broom cupboard and shag them later."
"Severus! You don't even know him – "
"I don't have to!" Snape spat. "I've seen all that I need to, the way he was groveling all over you. You could see it in his eyes; the way he looked at you. You should learn to keep better company than that!" He slammed his hand on a vacant desk collecting dust. Little particles flurried into the air and surrounded them. Without any torches lit within the empty room, the only light came through a heavily coated window full of grim and dust, making the single beam of a sunray appear as a blue and gray spotlight. It flooded in just behind Severus, making the shadows of his features deeper and his skin even paler.
"Look who's talking," Lily bellowed. "I've seen those Slytherin blokes you've become so chummy with. Mulcibar and Avery, they toil with the Darks Arks – yes, Sev, I saw you three!" she cut him off before he could oppose with some life of defense. "It's no secret that they both support You-Know-Who's views!"
Severus quieted and glowered darkly. They both stared at each other.
"So what if they do?" Sev finally asked in a quiet, threatening voice.
Lily's eye quavered as she stared at him. Her body became more relaxed as she started pitifully into his eyes. "Severus, how can you not see how horrible that is? Don't you know everything he stands for?" Lily whispered in a terrified voice.
Snape looked away to the corner of the room.
"Sev," Lily urged softly. "Severus, look at me." Her voice started to tremble slightly as she continued. "I don't want seeing my best friend turn into someone like that. It'd be . . . horrible," he voice cracked.
Concern filled her eyes as they silently pleaded a response from him. Snape however, ignored her imply and looked relieved. "So we're still best friends then?" he asked eagerly.
Lily looked taken back. "Of course we're best friends Severus, I just don't want you getting into anything dangerous."
"Same with you," Snape said immediately. "I don't want you getting hurt with this –" he paused and said distastefully " - Welmount character."
"So where does that leave us then?"
Sev thought for a moment, then said hopefully, "You never speaking to him again?"
Lily rolled her eyes dramatically, all her anger expunging.
"Sev . . ." she chuckled.
"Oh alright. We'll make a deal. I'll be careful around my company, and you just stay away from yours."
She raised an eyebrow. "Or," she began, "we both just be careful around both our companies – seeing as though we can't order each other not to see any of them – and you get to keep your nose intact. Agreed?"
Snape grumbled what Lily assumed was some sort of confirmation. She grinned.
"Good, now get out of here before any more Gryffindors find you lurking around."
He frowned but obeyed as he slid out the door. Lily sighed, glad it was over with and done for. But as soon he Snape closed the door behind him, a frown creased her features.
Lately it seemed that she and Snape were disagreeing more and more as the number of times they got to see one another other lessened. It was rather troublesome really.
The trouble, unfortunately, started all over again by the end of the week. They were due to meet in the library, but Lily had accidently fallen asleep completing her History of Magic homework. Mary, despising Severus as she did, tried to turn him away from the Gryffindor Common Room when he asked to see Lily because of the company he'd brought with him. His 'friends' attempted a new spell, but it missed due to the distraction of Potter yelling at them, and turned the Fat Lady into a crocodile instead.
The goal, evidently, was for Mary to turn into the crocodile, allowing them to pass as well as take a few snaps at Gryffindor ankles within the Common Room.
Two days later, after hearing that Dumbledore restored the Fat Lady himself, Lily finally found Snape heading to Care of Magical Creatures and ran to catch up with him.
"Sev,"she called. "Sev! Wait up!"
He glanced grudgingly over his shoulder. He didn't stop, but he did slow down, allowing Lily to fall into place with him.
"What was that all about?" Lily panted.
Snape glanced at her. "Oh you know what 'that's all about' is. Why are you still hanging around with those blokes? I thought you said you'd be more careful with them now! Bringing them to the Common Room? Are you mad?"
"And I thought you were going to meet me in the library."
She could tell his self-esteem was bruised from being neglected by her. She felt bad for falling asleep, really she did. But these accidents happened in life, and he'd have to accept a simple mistake.
"I know – I'm sorry. But that doesn't mean you have to run off to your 'friends' and attack our Common Room!"
They crossed into the castle courtyard, continuing with their argument.
"And you don't have to talk about them like that. I don't fancy those three you hang around with either, but you don't hear me making snide remarks all the time!"
Lily stared at him incredulously. "Yes. I do."
"Well - they shouldn't matter so much! I thought we were supposed to be friends? Best friends?"
"We are, Sev, but I don''t like some of the people you're hanging round with!"
Snape's face darkened at the repeat comment. Lily knew they had just had this conversation days ago, but this new turn of events was startlingly scary.
"I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary McDonald the other day?"
She reached a pillar and leaned against it, looking up into his thin, sallow face.
"That was nothing," Snape said. "It was a laugh, that's all – "
"It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny – "
"What about the stud Potter and his mates get up to?" he demanded. His color rose as he said it, unable to hold in his resentment.
"What's Potter got to do with it?" Lily asked. The way she saw it, Potter had saved Mary by confronting Snape's friends, making them miss and hit the Fat Lady.
Severus gave her a deadpanned glare. Lily grimaced. "They don't use Dark Magic, though. And I heard that Potter's the entire reason Mary's safe in her human form at this moment, heading to Divination. We're lucky he was there, who knows who she could have bitten, or how badly?"
"Potter's no hero! You're not going to – I won't let you – "
"Let me? Let me?"
Lily's bright green eyes dew to slits. Snape backtracked at once. He knew her wrath.
"I didn't mean – I just don't want to see you made a fool of – He fancies you, James Potter fancies you!" The words seemed wrenched from him against his will. "And he's not . . . everyone thinks . . . big Quidditch hero – " Sev's bitterness and dislike started to render him incoherent, and Lily's eyebrows traveled farther and farther up her forehead.
"I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag,"she said, cutting across Snape. "I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber's and Avery's idea of humor is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."
He didn't seem to be paying much attention, his body slacked and as they walked away he had a new spring in his step. Lily frowned, hoping that she'd gotten her message across before this turn in their conversation.
He seemed to be a lot more keen on bringing out the darker sides of Potter, and lighting himself up in comparison. She hoped it wasn't for the reason she suspected it was . . . Things between them – Lily blushed just thinking about the scenario – it, it would never work. Severus was her best friend.
But that was all he was.