CHAPTER 27: FASTIDIO
(Severus POV)
The raven-haired young man found it hard to process the many things that happened to him in one day, all in continuous succession.
First, his successful confession to Ilya. Their feelings were mutual, and were now together.
Second, the sweet little psychological torture on James Potter which the white-haired girl set up.
Yet while these two occurrences were already a lot to take in for Severus, even more amazing things happened. In a strange combination of circumstance and coincidence, five people, including the Alice Chaucer remaining members of the detestable Marauders, and Lily…Lily, turned up in the compartment. To top it off, the white-haired girl initiated one of her plans on them.
The plan his girlfriend set up was agreeable enough. Severus managed to give the Marauders a nice little payback, and while he did not exactly enjoy watching what was done to Lupin, Severus was especially pleased with the fact that he got the chance to utterly defeat James Potter in a clash of magic (thanks, of course, to Ilya training Severus ).
It was sad and disappointing, however, that Ilya's plan prevented Severus' attempt at apologizing to Lily Evans. Yes, that was one thing that the raven-haired young man wanted to do, and he lost the opportunity. After all that happened, Severus knew how much more difficult it would be to do so. Still…
…
"SEV, WATCH OUT!"
"Ilya?!"
CLANG
…
Something else unexpected happened. Alice Sera Chaucer was someone Severus was not particularly familiar of. While she was seen often walking together with Frank or Lily, and sometimes the Marauders, the raven-haired young man knew very little about her. And now that very person just tried and stab Severus in the back.
Severus actually felt it. He did feel the air tense up when the black-haired girl suddenly went on the offensive. Still, it was shocking, so shocking in fact, that had Ilya not intercepted the blow, Severus was sure that he would not have been able to move away fast enough, and would have been skewered.
Although Ilya told Severus that Chaucer did not actually intend to harm them, the fact that someone managed to notice and take advantage of their lowered guards was not something to be taken lightly. The black-haired girl, Alice Chaucer, was undoubtedly a good fighter, and if she really was aiming for a kill, as long as she manages to get close enough to a wizard, and too close for a spell to be successfully cast using a wand without the chance of it hitting the caster as well, it would probably spell their doom.
Yes, there was more to Alice Sera Chaucer than meets the eye, that was for sure, without a doubt. The revelation about her was indeed something of a mystery. However, all these ware nothing as mysterious as the fact that…
"I must say, these are, good," commented a black-haired girl, as she elegantly chewed on her second piece of pastry with a spicy meal inside them.
"I'm glad you like them, Alice," said Ilya, smiling. "They are called curry bread. I made them myself."
"You must teach me how to make one of these," muttered the black-haired girl, with slight jealousy in her voice, as she started on her third one. "By the way, Ilya, what else can you cook?"
"Oh," the white-haired girl began. "I know how to cook pork chops, beef steak, Italian pasta…"
Severus sighed.
Yes, as of the moment nothing could be more mysterious (and annoying) than the fact that Alice Sera Chaucer, a Gryffindor, a friend of the Marauders, and more importantly, the one who just tried to stab them with knives, was currently sitting with them in a train compartment, chatting cheerfully with Ilya, as if said events had never happened…
-BREAK-
(Marauders POV)
"I still can't believe it," gasped James.
"Same here, Prongs," said Sirius quietly, in a low growl. "Snivellus fighting against Death Eaters, now that's just absurd."
It took a while for Remus Lupin to explain everything that happened at the Evan's party to his friends James and Sirius, mostly because the two were shouting at the top of their voices at first, and the werewolf had to repeat certain points over and over again until the information finally managed to sink in.
"It's the truth, you know I'd never lie to you about something like this," said Remus. "Snape and that girl Emiya saved our lives. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't even be talking here right now. Ask Lily and Peter if you want, they were also there."
Sirius looked his werewolf friend straight in the eye, trying to find some form of deception, but couldn't.
"All right then, Moony, we trust you, so we'll take your word for it," sighed James. "But… that still leaves one thing unanswered… who exactly is that girl hanging around Snivellus, and why does she look so much like…"
Prongs suddenly fell silent, as all four of the Marauders turned their gazes towards Lily.
"Lily," began Remus, as the forgotten mystery now presented itself. "Do you know who she is?"
"I don't know," replied the red-haired girl slowly, in a quiet voice.
"Is she perhaps, your sister?"
"I don't know."
"Then, maybe a distant relative?"
"I SAID I DON'T KNOW!" shouted Lily, feeling exasperated.
A tense moment passed as Remus fell silent, for the red-haired girl with green eyes just screamed at him.
"I…I'm sorry Remus," said Lily sincerity in her voice. "I…I really have no idea who she is…"
A moment of silence passed.
"Back at Lily's, she introduced herself Ilyasveil von Einzbern-Emiya," said Remus. "Emiya. Do any of you know anyone aside from her who goes by that family name?"
All the other people in the room shook their heads.
"I thought so," sighed Remus. "So other than her name, her wandless magic, and the fact that she's almost like Lily's double, we don't really know anything about her…"
The train compartment fell silent for a while, as each person in the room was deep in thought, racking their brains to come up with theories and explanations to the mystery…
"But still," began Sirius. "She must be related to you in some way, Lily." The comment earned Padfoot a glare from the red-haired young lady. "I mean," the dog animagus continued. "Why else would she go out of her way to rescue you? Right guys?" Sirius turned to his Marauder friends, who nodded in agreement (Though there was look of mild shock in their faces, as they got a sensible theory from someone of whom it was least expected.).
"No, she did not go there to rescue me," said Lily, her voice cold as steel, which made the four other occupants of the room cringe. "She said that she couldn't have cared less if we were killed…The only reason she was there was because Sev wanted to save me, and she only went because she wanted to protect him."
"L-Lily?" squeaked Pettigrew, his eyes widening with shock, as the same reaction was happening with the rest
The room fell silent once again. It was the first time they heard Lily Evans talk about someone with such contempt in her voice. Although she had been cold and furious with many people, including James, Sirius and many of the Slytherins, it had never been at the level that it was in now.
"I guess that is probably true," began Remus slowly. "Snape may have the motive to try and save Lily… don't try and say it's not the case James, you know it's true." Remus shot a statement to his messy-haired friend to stop him from arguing, who grumbled instead. "As for the Emiya girl, whatever her reasons, it does not change the fact that it was because of their actions that we were sav… wait… she told you that Lily?"
Remus, who was processing a lot of information in his mind, did not immediately notice that aspect of his red-haired friend's statement.
Four pairs of eyes were once again focused on Lily Evans.
"If I recall correctly," Remus said quietly, but audible enough for the others to hear, "you called her Ilya back there."
The room fell silent once again.
"Lily, could y…" Remus began, but froze, as did the rest of the Marauders, when their red-haired friend suddenly stood up, with a chillingly cold look in her emerald green eyes.
"Remus," began Lily, her voice as icy as what the look in her eyes reflected. "I think it's time for us to do the rounds, don't you think? We are Prefects, after all."
"Wha…Whoa!" Remus tried to speak, but Lily forced him up, gripping one of the werewolf's arms tightly, in vice-like grip.
The rest of the Marauders wanted to protest, but couldn't. All they could was watch as Moony was dragged by the fiery-haired girl, whose aura was presently a contradictingly cold one, out of the train compartment.
-BREAK-
(Lily Monologue)
So many things had happened since the middle in summer, so many in fact that it was hard to count, and it was these events which led the red-haired girl to her confused state of mind.
"What do you mean when you say Dark Arts, or Dark Magic?"
Lily recalled the first time she and the white-haired girl Ilyasveil von Einzbern-Emiya first met, and that was when everything started going wrong for the red-haired girl.
"Severus Snape is as true a friend as can ever be…"
"He was true to you, but you were never true to him…"
"You never even saw Sev, did you? All you ever saw was yourself…"
"As far as you can tell, he was a nice piece of tissue on which you could dry your tears."
"… you only ever saw him as a tool."
"You."
"Used."
"Him."
"I'm right aren't I?"
Lily Evans remembered them clearly, every sentence that Emiya said to her that day at the park. And every single one of them hurt. Every single one of them was painful.
Lily wanted to believe that what the white-haired girl was false, that everything she said was untrue, but the worst part of it all was that…
'She was right. What she told me was the truth,' thought Lily bitterly.
Yes, Lily admitted it to herself. It was true. She did indeed use the raven-haired boy, as the white-haired girl pointed it out. But…
"He was true to you, but you were never true to him…"
'That's not true. Sev was really my friend. I was also true to him,' thought Lily.
Yes, it was true that Lily Evans did indeed depend on the raven-haired boy, but that was to be expected. Wasn't that what friends are for? And if Sev had needed someone to depend on, Lily would have been there for him, a Sev had been there for Lily, but…
"You never even saw Sev, did you? All you ever saw was yourself…"
'I never gave him the chance, did I?' thought Lily sadly.
Yes, it was true. The red-haired girl realized it now. Whenever she and Sev were together, all she had ever wanted to talk about were her problems. Yes, Sev told her about so many things, about the magical world mostly, but he had never shared with her, not even once, his own problems and burdens.
All Sev had ever told her were things which the raven-haired boy assumed was fun. It was true that Lily did not like Dark Magic, Deaths Eater and especially not You-Know-Who, and they were topics which Sev always loved to discuss with her happily. Now, however, the red-haired girl realized why. Sev, on reflex, must have thought that whatever made him happy would also make Lily happy. Yes, Sev told her about other things as well, especially issues regarding Potions.
Lily now recalled. In all the time they were together, Severus Snape had only ever cried once in her presence, and that was by the Gryffindor common room, when Lily decided to break all ties with him. The raven-haired boy always tried to keep a smile on his face whenever he was around her.
The red-haired girl actually wondered how different things would have been if the two of them were in the same House, even if both of them became Slytherins.
Lily's dislike and distaste for the Dark Arts and the members of the House of Snake was, after all, was instilled into her by peer influence. Yes, the red-haired girl believed that she was not wrong to do so, following the path of light. Yet, Lily now realized that the Slytherins also undoubtedly believed that they were the ones on the right track of things.
If that had been the case, if she had been Sorted into Slytherin, Lily was sure that everyone else would shun her, the members of the other three Houses because she was a Slytherin, and the members of the House she was in as well, because she was a Muggleborn… But who can say for sure? After all, members of each House look after their own, and who could say that there are no Muggleborns there who are just keeping quiet about the fact. Perhaps they were even accepted, as the other Slytherins, not believing that Muggleborns could possible enter their House, would definitely assume that they might have simply been halfbloods, or perhaps abandoned and raised by Muggles. Even Sev was a halfblood, and that fact was not hidden. Still, whatever would have happened, Lily was sure that Sev would have stuck by him despite all that…
"I don't need help from a filthy Mudblood like her…"
Yes, the words hurt Lily. But it was not so much as it was the fact that it was an insulting word to Muggleborns than the fact that it was her former best friend who said it.
Yes, Sev had been at odds against the Marauders for all the days they had been at Hogwarts, especially with one James Potter. At that time, Lily knew that the anger Severus felt was not really meant for her. However…
"Potter… fancies you… he fancies you Lily!"
So that's why, thought Lily, as she remembered the words that the raven-haired boy once spoke to her.
Yes, it was true. Lily could tell that James was definitely after her skirt. Unfortunately for him, however, Lily dislikes his bullying ways. Still, the red-haired girl thought that if only he wasn't hexing people all the time, he would have been quite a good guy. He had the looks, and he was a good flyer, which Lily couldn't help but admire, perhaps even liked him a little.
Sev must've noticed, thought Lily guiltily. But I'm not in love with that arrogant bullying toerag or anything.
The red-haired girl now remembered it. Back near the lake, she was indeed a bit flustered when James flattered her. Lily was now sure that it must've been visible on her face, and probably in the form of a blush. And that was what must've really hurt the raven-haired young man, much more than the humiliation being brought down on him by the Marauders, and thus he spoke the M-word, unable to contain his bitterness.
I was also at fault, thought Lily.
A decision was now forming in Lily's mind. She would try and heal the broken link between her and her friend Sev.
"Lily, Remus…James…Snivellus…white-hair…girl…need…help…"stammered a nervous-looking Pater Pettigrew.
Sev…white-haired…girl…no…it can't be…thought Lily to herself.
And thus, the opportunity presented itself. She did not really care that much about the other details. This was her chance. She had completely forgotten that she and Severus were riding the same train to Hogwarts. Lily was going to talk with the raven-haired boy, and accept his apology, then the red-haired girl will also apologize to him, and thus the broken friendship will be mended. It was the perfect opportunity…
Or not…
"Sev, Ilya."
"That's Mr. Snape and Ms. Emiya to you, Ms. Evans."
At that point in time, Lily finally realized something…
The first time they met, back at Lily's place, she was shocked, and the stranger felt like someone mysterious. However, when she saw said mysterious person standing with her former best friend by the park, something else rose up inside the red-haired girl. And now, having seen the silver-haired girl on the floor, and on top of the raven-haired young man, Lily was now able to confirm exactly what the feeling was, as it was greatly intensified.
Lily would not have cared. The fact that they looked almost like twins, the fact that she was shrouded in mystery no longer mattered. Even if the girl was not really a Dark Arts fanatic, even if the girl was actually a good person, even if the girl was actually on the side of Light, and even if she was a saint…
It's all her fault, everything is her fault… it's her fault…her fault… thought the red-haired girl.
It was true that Lily had never been on good terms with any of the Slytherins, and was only ever professional with her dealings with them (except for Severus Snape, who was her friend). It was true that Lily did not like the Marauders, as they were bullies, all that much (Potter and Black at least, since Remus and Peter were okay with her), as well as all of the other bullies in Hogwarts.
Before now, the red-haired girl never even thought it was possible.
Yet for the very first time in her life, for the first time in her sixteen years of existence, for the very first time indeed…
Lily Evans met someone who she hated with every fiber of her being…
End of Monologue
...
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Another Chapter up then people. Oh, by the way, I've done a but of reediting on Chapter 26. Just read the Author's Notes there and you'll understand just what kind of stupid mistake I made. And also... I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Later then, people...
