Chapter 38

"I read the letter," Lily says to me. "I-I like you too." She tells me and my heart begins to beat faster.

"Like like?" I ask her. "Or just like?"

"Like like," She tells me. "I have for a while, but that doesn't change anything."

"I know." I tell her.

"I have noticed you've changed and I do think that you're genuinely sorry," She tells me. "But that doesn't change what you said to me." She says and I nod, hope rising up in me. It sounds like she's willing to forgive me. "But I think we need to take things slowly now. I want to see that you really have changed." I nod again.

"I really am sorry," I tell her. "I'll wait for as long as you need."

"I want to stay just friends," She replies. "For now. If in a year, you really have changed and we both feel the same way about each other, then maybe it will be different." A year. I thought that it would be much longer than that until I could get Lily to trust me again. She must realise how genuine I am.

1 month later

"Severus, there's an owl for you," My mum says and I quickly run down the stairs, two at a time. It must be my book list and more importantly OWL results. Nerves flutter through my stomach as my mum hands me the parchment. I rip it open quickly, not bothering to read all the writing at the top, I look straight at my grades.

Ancient Runes - O

Astronomy – E

Arithmancy - O

Care of Magical Creatures – E

Charms – O

Defence Against the Dark Arts – O

Herbology – E

History of Magic - A

Potions – O

Transfiguration – E

I smile as I reach the bottom of the sheet of parchment. I passed everything and did better than I could have hoped for. I got five Os! And only got one A. I wonder if Lily did as well as me.

"Well?" My mum asks.

"O in ancient runes, arithmancy, charms, defence against the dark arts and potions. E in astronomy, care of magical creatures, herbology and transfiguration. A in history of magic." I tell her and she squeals slightly and hugs me.

"That's incredible, Severus," She tells me. "You're going to have a tough choice about what subjects to do next year."

"Is it okay if I go to Lily's and see how she's done?" I ask and mum nods hesitantly. She knows that something happened between Lily and I last year because we hang out a lot less now, but she hasn't pried. I quickly rush to put my shoes on and run to Lily's house. I haven't even rung her doorbell when the door opens.

"How did you do Sev?" She asks me.

"Five Os, four Es and an A," I tell her. "You?"

"That's amazing," She replies, standing aside to let me in her house. "One O, eight Es, one A and a P." She only failed one.

"You did so good as well," I tell her. "Do you want to hang out today to celebrate?"

2 months later

"Hey, Lily," Lily turns and sees Potter standing behind her. "Why are you hanging out with him?" He gestures to me, speaking as if I'm not even here. "He's a death eater, he hates people like you." My face begins to burn with anger. Has he not noticed how most of the other Slytherins treat me know that I've stopped bullying muggle borns and don't support the Dark Lord.

"He is not a death eater," She replied. "He's changed."

"Or he just wants to get his greasy hands up your top." Black muttered darkly from behind Potter. I turn on him angrily.

"What is your problem with me?" I ask, annoyed. "You hated me because of the things I did to muggle borns to earn respect of the other Slytherins, now I've stopped and the other Slytherins hate me, you still hate me."

"You've given my brother a death sentence," Black replied. "He thinks that You Know Who is the best thing that's ever happened. He's got in too deep. He doesn't know what he's doing."

"I managed to back out," I tell him. "He has to want to though. I can try and speak to him if you want. He's one of the few people in Slytherin that is still speaking to me." Black nods at this, not wanting to seem too friendly with me, but clearly grateful.

1 month later

"Severus," I turn and see Lupin behind me. "Sirius wants to talk to you." I groan internally.

"Why couldn't he come to tell me himself?" I ask, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.

"He thought you might walk away if he came up to you himself," Lupin replied. "He's down by the lake."

"Fine," I reply and Lupin leads me down to the lake where Black is waiting for me. "What?" I ask Black when we reach him. To my surprise, he is alone. Potter and Pettigrew are nowhere to be seen.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Black said. He sounds genuine. He has to be genuine, he's to proud for it not to be genuine. He'd never thank me unless it was real. "For trying to talk to Regulus. I get it now, why you wanted to be a Death Eater. I'm not saying it was a smart decision, it was dumb. But I get it. It's the same reason that Regulus is gonna become one. I'm sorry for judging you, for wanting to be Slytherin, you're not evil. Misguided maybe, but certainly not evil." It takes me a moment to process his apology. He must care about Regulus a lot if he was willing to apologise to me. "I'm not saying I want to be friends, old habits die hard, but we're cool, okay?" He smiles slightly holding his hand out to shake to start a truce. I nod, taking his hand.

"Okay,"