"Thought I'd find you here." Lily said upon entering the shack.
Severus looked up from his cauldron. "Ah, Lily, how lovely of you to grace me with your presence."
Her fists shot to her hips. "Don't start with me, Sev, what's wrong."
He smirked at her. "Nothing in particular, just had a rough morning. You just made my day infinitely better, actually."
She relaxed again. "Oh...well, glad I could help."
He gestured for her to join him and she did.
"Whatcha brewin'?"
"Migraine draught, for after your lessons."
"That's sweet of you, Sev...Hey, do you remember that woman, Kennewick?"
He blinked. "Hard to forget."
"She showed up at my house today. It was weird, she asked about the woods again, but she was dancing around topics like she thought I was a muggle. She didn't recognize me at all. She also asked if I had any idea where you were."
"Odd…" He agreed. He supposed the muggle children he directed her to would name drop them, they did go with them on their wild goose chase.
"I think something happened to her...did she hit her head when you went with her?"
"No, nothing like that..."
She looked worried. "Sev...what did you do?"
"It's almost done…" He stirred the potion. "Would you, perhaps, be interested in a lesson today?"
"Don't change the subject. Did you do something to her?"
He felt his face go warm. She had caught him, there was no way out of it. "I...maybe...sort of...obliviated her."
"Sev! That's dangerous! And without a wand-!"
"I borrowed her wand! I wasn't going to risk not using one for that…"
She glowered at him. "Why would you do that?"
"Firewood had to be hidden...I used it for the werewolf last night."
Lily suddenly lit up with nervous excitement. "You found it!"
"I did. It's a little muggle girl. She lives on a farm not far from here."
She covered her mouth with her hands. "The poor thing...Firewood?"
"I named the shack. It all worked out, though, I brought her here before she turned. Her family camped out with me just outside for the night."
"How'd that go?"
"Fairly well, all things considered."
"Is...is there anything I can do to help?"
"Well...Actually, I have been working on a potion. Something to hopefully stop the change. It's just a theory I can't test until next month, and I don't want to test it on the kid...And I think I have a test subject next month."
"You know another werewolf?"
"Sort of...anyway, I brewed a very strong pain potion for her yesterday, and I wouldn't mind some help with making more of that until I know whether or not the other potion works correctly."
She nodded vigorously. "Absolutely."
He smiled. "Excellent."
"Sev, there's no cure for lycanthropy. Nothing has worked to prevent or lessen the change. We learned that in class…"
"Who says something can't be created?"
She smiled at him. "If anyone can do it, it would be the most ambitious Slytherin."
"I hope so…" He mused, thinking of the borrowed invention of another that hasn't technically been invented yet.
"Do I get to know her name?" She inquired.
He looked up at his friend. He could trust Lily, she only ever wanted to help. She would not betray him or the innocent little girl, it was against her very nature. "You can never tell anyone."
She nodded "My lips are sealed."
"Megan Schultz."
She gasped. "I know her mum, Lenore. She used to watch me and a few other kids when we were little. The last year she watched me she was pregnant with 'Megan or Kevin' she would say, since they weren't sure what she would be. I believe they have another daughter as well, she's older than us."
"Yes, Haley..." Severus grumbled in distaste.
Lily went through an array of expressions, then settled on concern. "How terrible. How could this happen?"
"Well...when a werewolf bites a human-"
She smacked him, though it was hardly meant to harm.
"Ow." He rubbed his arm, feigning injury.
She scoffed at him.
"Since that's settled, I believe the potion is ready. That is, if you still wanted an occlumency lesson today."
She smiled. "Of course! That was why I came out here in the first place...It's like you read my mind." She smirked at her own joke.
"I'm about to." He countered.
She helped him bottle the potion and put the cauldron away. They settled back onto the floor and he held out his hands for her to take.
Lily was making decent progress. At this rate, she would have the basics down by the end of the month, or an equivalent timeframe of lessons. After that she would just have to keep up on her 'meditation' until it became a natural reflex to close off her mind.
Then they would start on imperio resistance.
He walked her to her street and she rewarded his efforts that day with a hug.
He practically skipped his way towards home until he saw Kennewick loitering at the playground.
When she noticed him, she looked at him curiously then started towards him.
Great.
"Are you Severus Snape?" She asked once she was close enough.
"Most of the time." He snapped. He quickly composed himself, reminding his vocal cords that even though he had met this woman, she didn't remember meeting him.
Kennewick introduced herself, more politely but decidedly more awkwardly than the first time they had met. She had been questioning the muggles...she thought Lily was a muggle earlier...she thought he was a muggle.
...How amusing.
She asked her question about strange happenings in the woods.
Severus was careful not to show any sign of cunning enjoyment as he purposefully examined her attire of 'muggle camouflage' for the second time. "You mean...like a werewolf?"
Kennewick twitched at that. He saw brief excitement turn to suspicion then to worry.
He decided casual dismissal would be the fastest way home. "I'm afraid they are fear of mine, you see, there was a boggart in the woods… Not to worry, though, I already took care of it. Have a good evening, Ma'am."
He walked away from the woman who's mouth moved but could not seem to form words.
