**This part was researched. I was not alive in 1973. The song reference in this chapter is one of my favorites by one of my favorite bands. It is misspelled on purpose.**
"Alright, now I want everyone to promise they will stay together and that you will be model students while we are there." Professor McGonagall eyed the three teenagers in front of her. Professor Dumbledore stood behind them looking like he was up to no good. Severus saw her shoot him a warning look for him to be on his best behavior as well.
"We promise!" Severus, Sybil and Lily replied in unison.
"Oh alright, let's get on with it then!" Professor McGonagall waved her hand at the Headmaster who presented them with a torn up teddy bear. It was a pathetic looking thing, sad really. It only had one of its dull black button eyes, a big tear in his belly where the stuffing was pushing outward and one leg that had been mended with a scrap of lace printed yellow tablecloth. The three of them looked up at the adults for an explanation.
"It's portkey. It will get us there faster." Professor McGonagall explained. "Quickly now everyone take hold of the bear."
Without warning they were suddenly all spinning, going higher and higher as the ground disappeared. Severus, Sybil and Lily all exchanged frantic looks. Professor Dumbledore smiled knowingly.
"Let go!" Professor McGonagall cried out. The teens looked unsure. "Let GO!" They did, and each one went flying off in a different direction, landing hard upon the ground.
"Can we not do that again?" Severus coughed, trying to get the wind back in him.
"That was terrible!" Lily cried out as she dusted herself off and smoothed her hair.
"I've never had so much fun!" Sybil was laughing, her limbs still sprawled out on the ground where they had landed. Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore had much more sophisticated landings. They were both chuckling as they eyed them up.
"Traveling by portkey takes some practice." Professor Dumbledore extended his hand to help Severus stand. Sybil bounded back up onto her feet.
"Where are we?" Lily asked as she looked around.
"Do you smell that?" Sybil asked, her head turning from one direction to the next.
"Smell what?" Severus looked confused.
"SALT!" Sybil cried out excitedly as she ran to the nearest hill. "We're at the ocean!" The others followed behind.
"We have made allowances to stay for three days." Professor Dumbledore explained. "We have brought tents and will camp along the beach. I hear the local town has a nice a funfair planned to begin tomorrow."
"Oooooooo a funfair!" Sybil squealed as she clapped her hands together excitedly.
"The girls will be with me and Severus, you shall share a tent with the Headmaster." Professor McGonagall pointed to the old man who was surveying their surroundings.
Lily caught Severus' eyes and made her eyes go wide with her eyebrows raised. It was all he could do not to laugh.
"I believe I see a very nice spot for which to make camp!" Professor Dumbledore nodded in the direction he was looking. They all followed him, Sybil was skipping along happily.
The adults made quick work of setting up their tents. Severus, Lily and Sybil were amazed at how large they were on the inside. They had all come out of the tents to sit and look out at the ocean.
"This is great!" Lily sighed. "The waves and the smell of the salt, there's just something so calming about it all, don't you think?"
"Yeah." Severus shrugged. They both looked to Sybil, waiting for her to chime in. She was lost in her own world, digging in her oversized bag.
"Are you excited for the funfair?" Lily asked, her hair blowing freely in the breeze.
"I guess, I've never been to one." Severus replied honestly. There it was. Lily's eyes were heavy with pity. He hated pity more than anything.
"AH-HA!" Sybil screeched with joy, causing both Severus and Lily to snap their heads in her direction. "I knew I packed it!"
"What is that?" Lily asked as she dug her hands into the sand to push herself up.
"It's a record player, but it doesn't need plugged in!" Sybil was smiling so widely Severus thought for a moment she may break her face.
"Oh, far out!" Lily examined the seafoam green box Sybil was clutching.
"It was REALLY expensive, so we have to be careful, okay?" She sat it on the middle of the blanket, as far away from the sand as she could get it. Sybil moved back and began going through her bag again.
"Severus, look at this!" Lily motioned for him to come over quickly. Sighing he obeyed. He didn't see what the big deal was.
"Got it!" Sybil scrambled back to the blanket and showed them a large white square, before pulling out an LP.
"Awww, Sybil that's OLD music!" Lily looked disappointed.
"What?" Severus looked but didn't know what band it was.
"It is not! It's only a few years old!" Sybil defended her taste in music.
"Severus will you tell her?" Lily crossed her arms as she looked at him. He was very confused.
"Umm…I don't know who it is." He shrugged.
"It's a THEY not a WHO!" Sybil pursed her lips as she focused on getting the record to play. She pressed a button and the first thing Severus heard was a bit of crackling. He noticed she didn't start it at the beginning but placed the needle somewhere closer to the middle. Suddenly a wave of someone hammering on a piano blasted out of the small box, and a man began signing. Sybil squealed and jumped up moving away into the sand.
Lily was laughing as they watched Sybil dance. She was twirling, her hair and skirt flowing around her. Severus looked down at the box.
"What is an ob-blah-dee oh-blah-duh?" He asked Lily.
"I don't know." She shrugged laughing harder. "Severus do you know who sings this?"
"No." He shook his head.
"They're like a REALLY famous British muggle group." Lily explained. Suddenly, Sybil ran over and dragged Lily up to dance with her.
"Dance with us Severus!" Sybil cried out.
"I'm good." Severus laughed at them. He couldn't dance anyway, he never learned. But it was fun watching them.
When the song ended, he watched the girls lean towards one another whispering. He grew suspicious as they walked over to him, side by side. When they reached him, they both extended a hand to him. Reluctantly he reached up and took hold of both Lily and Sybil.
Giggling they pulled him towards the water.
"I have my shoes on!" Severus pleaded.
"Awe, come on!" Lily chuckled.
"Have some fun, we're on holiday!" Sybil cried out as they hit the water's edge. It was colder than he had imagined but the pulled him in until the waves hit their waists.
The girls began splashing him, and Severus held his arms up.
"Alright, I'll get both of you!" Severus shouted, a smile on his face. He waded towards them and in one jump he had a firm hold on both of his friends as he pulled them under the water.
"Severus Snape!" Lily cried as she surfaced. Her hair hung over her face.
"That was great!" Sybil shouted, as she tried to get her hair out of her eyes and mouth.
"I told you!" Severus was laughing as he swung his long black hair in one quick motion over his head and onto his back.
"Children!" Professor McGonagall was calling out to them from in front of the tent. "Come along and dry yourselves! It's time for lunch!"