Chapter 35: The Outskirts Of Friendship

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

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The Grounds, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Weeks had passed since anyone had seen or heard from Severus Snape. He had stopped coming to class one day and then all traces of him had apparently ended following the final time Lily Evans had spoken to him about the circumstances surrounding her getting rid of his child. At first no one noticed that he'd been gone aside from the Slytherins, Regulus Black, and Remus Lupin. Rumors began to swirl around the school that Snape had been visited by several officials within the wizarding public and then a week after the encounter he disappeared. His belongings were removed from the dormitories and there didn't seem to be a trace of the wizard having attended Hogwarts outside of anecdotes from James Potter and Sirius about how they bested the lesser wizard and ran him out of Hogwarts.

The harmless jesting took a turn for the worst when Lily overheard two Slytherins speaking about finding a good deal of blood in one of the abandoned classrooms. Lily didn't think anything of it until she had gotten to Potions Class and Professor Slughorn took the floor to announce that Severus Snape was "no longer with them."

Regulus Black was the only true friend Severus had at Hogwarts since Lily had made it a point to turn her back on him and he wasn't exactly forthcoming with information despite the witch believing he knew about as much as she had.

Remus Lupin had been particularly inquisitive about Severus Snape's disappearance but was the recipient of a monthly supply of Wolfsbane Potion to curb his werewolf tendencies. The potion made his life a good deal easier and he began to embrace the final year with a small measure of hope and fondness despite the sadness he felt about not being able to atone for his treatment of Severus Snape during their earlier years at Hogwarts.

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The Black Lake, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Eyes of emerald scanned the dark waters of the lake as Lily Evans found herself recalling the amount of time she had spent on the bank of these very waters reading and discussing classes and strategies for learning with her former best friend. This had been their favorite spot when they were younger, a small reminder of their shared time back in Cokeworth before boarding the train to Hogwarts.

Severus had been a truly kind and loving boy back then. Lily never forgot when they first met. A sad smile filed across her face as she feared the worst when looking into the dark reflection of the lake recalling the darkness of her reflection in Severus' eyes whenever he looked at her.

"He isn't down there." said the voice of Remus Lupin startling the red head witch from her memories.

"I wasn't..." she began before catching herself. "I know."

"It's just not the same coming here and not seeing Severus brooding about in the corridors is it?" asked Lupin, ever wise for his young years despite his playful nature. "I try and think positive about where he'd end up...it usually helps with the immense guilt in the short term."

Lily treated him to a sad smile and sighed turning her attention back to the lake.

"I hurt him so badly." she admitted as the feelings of guilt set in.

"I believe we all did in some capacity...you and I are simply the only one's compassionate enough to admit to it." he replied.

"I suppose that says a lot about our House." replied Lily. "I wish him the best...I truly do...but I have to focus on my life now."

"Understandable." replied the sheepish werewolf. "There is bound to be a good deal of happiness to contend with."

Lily nodded stepping away from the lake.

"He's made his decision and I've made mine." she said attempting to strengthen her resolve.

"Of course." replied Remus dutiful. "I'll escort you back to Gryffindor tower if you'll permit me."

Lily took his arm and the two of them made their way back leaving the memories of Severus Snape and the black lake behind.

Regulus Black had been silent for weeks as he glared rather murderously at the so called Marauders celebrating the fact that Severus Snape was long gone from Hogwarts, the young Slytherin didn't know if it was for good or ill that his friend decided to leave but he felt he had failed him in some way. It only intensified his rage toward the group of self serving Gryffindor prats and he resolved himself to ensure they get their much needed comeuppance.

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The Black Lake, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

The sorrowful brown eyes of Regulus Black scanned the deep murky waters of the black lake. This had been Severus Snape's favorite spot to sit whenever class let out and he found himself on the grounds at Hogwarts.

The young Slytherin had not known what pushed Severus to leave Hogwarts but he was sure it had a lot to do with the red head bitch Lily getting rid of his child. His hatred for her knew no bounds as he watched her cozy up to James Potter and his ilk. From what the older Slytherins of his year had told him, the bitch pitted Severus and Potter against each other form the very beginning and only returned Potter's apparent affections when she realized that Severus was unpopular and quite impoverish a status that didn't suite well for her overall outlook in life further influenced by her mouthy Gryffindor housemates.

Poor Severus didn't stand a chance and knew next to nothing about the uphill battle he'd have to face for her affections and simply friendship.

Regulus didn't know how the two of them became romantically linked enough for Severus, a known traditionalist to get Lily Evans pregnant but he suspected it had something to do with Potter putting pressure on the girls to put out in his Hogwarts House and them in turn influencing Lily.

Before all of this, Regulus would have thought Lily Evans to have been an exemplary Gryffindor but her true nature caused him to recoil from that thought in mere moments. As the charming young Slytherin made his way back to the dungeons, he noted that it was abundantly clear that Severus Snape had lost the war for Lily Evans' affections to the wealthy Pureblood James Potter indefinitely.

For once, Regulus was glad his tormented friend had not been around to see it.