Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. This is written for fanfiction and entertainment purposes only.
Author's Note: Heather and Snape will hate each other in the beginning, but their friendship and relationship will eventually grow and develop during their time at Hogwarts. Hope you enjoy this story and please leave a review! :)
"Mum, Lily, and I are going to the playground!" Nine-year-old Heather Evans informed her mother. She and her older redhead sister, Lily, were about to walk out of the door.
"Alright, loves, but you will have Petunia come watch you two." Her mother, Susan, said from the living room. She was watching TV with her husband and they sat on the couch together, having their tea.
The three girls groaned. Especially, Lily and Heather who were the loudest. They hated being babysat by their older and snobby sister who thought she was better than everyone else.
But Heather knew Petunia wasn't always like that. Not to everyone. She could be nice when she wanted to. She didn't show it often because of how Lily was favored by her parents which caused resentment toward her parents. Heather would sometimes get the same treatment since she was the baby of the family, but even then, that got worn out. Their parents didn't like their other two daughters weren't like Lily.
Heather and Petunia got along because of the blatant favoritism. They only had each other to rely on and give the same love and affection that Lily would get from their parents.
"Mum, do I have to?" Petunia complained while she played was reading a book from the armchair.
"I am old enough that I can watch myself and Heather," Lily argued.
She was a year older than Heather and Petunia was two years older than her. Being the youngest of the family, Heather felt like she always get treated as a child.
"No, you're not." Their father, Phillip, retorted.
"Petunia, please watch them and make sure Lily doesn't do any of her...powers. We don't want anybody to think she's doing magic."
"But she does, Mum, because she's a-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Petunia Marie Evans!" Their father scolded.
Petunia huffed in annoyance and slammed her book shut. She put it onto the nightstand and got up, stomping to the entranceway where her two younger sisters were. The middle child, Lily, always got special treatment.
All the time Lily had the better looks, friends, popularity, and everything else. Petunia and Heather were just as better as Lily was, but they're constantly overshadowed by her achievements.
Deep down, Heather hated it, too, that Lily seemed like her parents' favorite.
Petunia did have better grades than Lily did. She always passed all of her classes with flying colors. Lily's weakest subjects were math and science. Except when Lily finally got an A plus on one of her math tests, their mother put it on to the refrigerator for the whole world to see. But any time Petunia got the same grade, it was ignored because it got too predictable for Petunia to get straight A's.
Heather may not have outstanding grades like her two sisters, but she was the most athletic out of the two. At least her parents would show up for her cricket games.
"You girls return home before dinner." Their mother said.
"Yes, Mum." The three girls replied and walked out of the door.
Even though Petunia was going to babysit Lily and Heather, Heather didn't mind the company of her eldest sister. Lily would flaunt her magic anyway without their mother around because she could.
No one knew that Heather had the same magic. She tried once, but Lily beat her to it on the first day.
Lily showed what she could do to Heather and Petunia. She discovered she could make a spoon unnaturally bend forward and backward as if dancing on the palm of her hand and then have it return to its original form. She proudly performed her act in front of her parents and they were amazed. Neither one of her family saw anything like it.
Heather knew she had magical abilities by accident. Beverly Welch bullied her one day at school, and somehow, Heather made Beverly lost her voice. She could no longer speak or say any mean words to Heather anymore. Her parents thought she got sick, but no one ever knew the real reason for what happened to her. Heather had magically made Beverly mute.
The three Evans sisters walked together for the playground. Lily was very eager to go so she hurriedly walked in the front while Petunia and Heather stayed behind to chat together.
"Why are you friends with Beverly Welch?" Heather asked her elder sister. "She made fun of me one time for how my teeth are ugly."
Heather had similar large teeth like Petunia and shared the same blue eyes. Her hair wasn't that dark red like Lily's, but hers were strawberry blonde. Compared to Lily, Heather had average, ordinary looks than her older sister's beauty.
Petunia stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious? I thought I told her to stop making fun of you. Bev is not that bad once you get to know her."
"Really?" She snorted. "I doubt that..."
Petunia gave her little sister a look.
"So, I heard Alfie Davenport fancies you," Heather smirked and it went wider when that got Petunia's attention. "His little sister, Helena, told me."
"And you think just because you heard something from someone else that makes it true?" Petunia asked sounding flustered, but her cheeks got red at the idea a boy likes her.
"Yes," Heather smartly answered. "What did you do to make a boy fancy you?"
"We just studied together at the library," She answered as if it was insignificant, but the bright gleam in her blue eyes read otherwise. "He liked the blue dress I had on."
Heather and Petunia giggled together like they always did when they gossiped about people, friends, and boys. Lily was independent and had a life of her own. The three of them used to hang out together and had a lot of fun, but ever since she displayed more of her magic, her parents praised her for it and she loved the attention more.
They arrived at the playground that was nearly empty except for them. The three sisters went to the swings and swung backward and forward. Petunia and Heather pumped their legs to go higher, but Lily went the highest than them.
"Lily, don't do it!" Shrieked Petunia looking panicked, but Heather wasn't. She knew her older sister was brave enough to do anything.
"I want to see." Heather encouraged and looked at Lily swinging higher and higher. She wanted to know if Lily would have the nerve to perform her magic in public.
Heather never showed anyone what she could do with her own magic. She thought her gifts were special and didn't want to turn out like Lily with a big ego about it. As much as she loved Petunia, Heather knew what she thought of Lily and that was a freak. Heather was very close to Petunia and didn't want to lose her as a sister because of her freakish magic. She only kept it to herself.
Lily let go of the swing at the very height of its arc and literally flown into the air with laughter, and lightly landed on the playground asphalt.
"Mummy told you not to!"
Petunia stopped her swing by dragging the heels of her sandals on the ground. She leaped up, hands on hips. "Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"
Heather continued swinging and watched her sisters argue. It was always like that between her Petunia and Lily. They'd fight while Heather silently watched being in the background being the observer and entertained.
"But I'm fine," Lily said, still giggling. "Tuney, Feather, look at this. Watch what I can do."
'Heather Feather' had been a pet nickname that her father invented. It stuck with the family ever since. Heather sort of didn't like it, but it became a soft spot for her when only her family used it.
Petunia glanced around. Worried if anybody else saw what her sister did. Heather knew that Petunia was so anxious about what other people thought of her and Heather hoped she wouldn't let that affect Petunia throughout her life. Heather wanted to have fun with her magic and perform it in public, too, but unlike Lily, she had tact.
Lily was just foolish and reckless to perform in public.
She picked up a fallen flower from the bush and waited until Petunia was closer to watch. She looked at her other sister who was still swinging.
"Come on, Heather!" Lily pleaded.
Heather made herself stop swinging by slowing down and jumped off when the seat swung forward at its peak. She jogged over to her older sisters to see what Lily was about to do next.
Petunia's face looked conflicted between curiosity and disapproval. Heather watched with vague interest. What else was there that Lily could do that Petunia or Heather hasn't seen yet?
Lily held out her palm and the flower sat there, opening and closing its petals, like some bizarre, many-lipped oyster.
"Stop it!" Petunia shrieked.
"It's not hurting you," Lily said, but she closed her hand on the blossom and threw it back to the ground.
"It's not right," Petunia said, but her eyes laid to the flower's fought to the ground and lingered upon it. "How do you do it?" She added with a definite longing in her voice.
Heather thought about all the times when she used her own magic. At least the ones that were under her control and not out of anger or fear. As much as she loved getting her revenge on Beverly Welch, she hated how something like her magic made her be out of control. Her magic was unpredictable and she didn't know how to discipline or restrain herself.
Lily seemed to play with it without a care.
"It's like your emotions control your magic," Heather answered observingly.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked being confused.
Heather didn't expose herself for any examples but used her own examinations while she studied Lily.
"You looked happy when you do magic and it reflected that by you landing on to the ground from the swing and when you played with the flower."
"It's obvious, isn't it?" A skinny boy emerged from the bushes. He had lengthy black hair and was poorly dressed and looking unkempt. His outfit was dreadfully ill-assorted: too short jeans, a shabby, oversized adult coat, an odd smock-like shirt. He appeared to be around Lily's age, looking sallow, small, stringy.
Petunia screamed and ran back toward the swings to hide, but Lily and Heather were clearly startled, remained where they were.
"What's obvious?" Lily asked.
The boy glanced at Petunia and Heather and conspiratorially said to Lily. "I know what you are."
"What do you mean?"
"You're...you're a witch," He whispered.
She looked affronted.
"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!"
She turned, nose in the air, and marched off toward her sister.
"No!" Snape said. His face was full of color.
He went after the two girls who were leaving. His coat flapped as he followed them looking ridiculously bat-like. Lily went to Petunia who by the swing poles holding on it.
Heather caught up to the boy. She understood what he meant. That did sound like the only plausible explanation. His voice did not indicate he was insulting Lily. He was merely stating a fact.
"He didn't say it to be mean, Lily," Heather said. The boy gave a mistrustful glance at the youngest sister. "It does make sense that you are a witch."
"You are," He insisted to Lily, having his focus invested on her. "You are a witch. I've been watching you for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My Mum's one, and I'm a wizard."
Petunia coldly laughed.
"Wizard!" She shrieked, her courage returned after she had recovered from the shock of his unexpected appearance. "I know who you are. You're that Snape boy! They live down Spinner's End by the river," She told Lily and Heather in contempt that Snape lived in a poor area. "Why have you been spying on us?"
"Haven't been spying," Snape said. "Wouldn't spy on you, anyway," He added spitefully. "You two are a Muggle."
Though Petunia and Heather evidently didn't understand the word, they detected his undertone.
"Lily, Heather, come on, we're leaving!" She shrilled.
Lily obeyed her sister once, glaring at the Snape boy as she left. Heather knew she should follow them, but wanted to know more. She didn't understand what the word 'Muggle' meant so how could she get offended? The Snape boy appeared to have a lot of knowledge about a world where there were witches, possibly wizards, too, and whatever a Muggle was.
"What's a Muggle?" Heather asked curiously.
His black eyes narrowed down at her in disdain. "Why should I let you know? You and your sister are one of them!"
"Heather, aren't you coming? Don't waste your time with Snape! He sees you and me as nothing and called Lily a witch! Come along!" Petunia commanded. Heather had no choice, but to obey her sister.
Before she left, she whispered to him. "I can do magic, too."
Then Heather followed her two sisters home unaware of Snape curiously reflecting what she had told him.
Lily had a newfound friendship with the Snape boy. Heather learned from her that his name was Severus Snape. Lily hung out with Snape more after the playground incident. According to Lily, he had apologized to her when they met at the playground again. Heather thought it was a good thing that Lily was forgiving because she befriended him. Heather rarely saw Lily after she became friends with Snape. She said that he talked to her about everything he knew of a magical school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At first, Heather wondered he fabricated an elaborate lie, but from how Lily explained it to her, the school and his magical world seemed legitimate.
Heather wanted to be with Lily and Severus to talk about magic and Hogwarts, too. She knew she should've been there with them. But on the other hand, she didn't want to because of how Severus talked down to her and Petunia like they were beneath him because he believed they weren't witches like Lily. However, that's only his assumption because Heather could do magic just like Lily, but she had more discretion. Since Snape acted like Heather was beneath him, she didn't want to know any information about magic from him. Heather knew she was a witch and might even go to Hogwarts. Eventually, she would learn on her own.
Lily wouldn't be the only witch in the family.
"Heather, do you want to check what Lily and Snape are talking about?" Petunia poked her head into her bedroom. Heather shared it with Lily. Her side was on the right and Lily's was on the left. Heather's was more artsy and colorful with a bookshelf and Lily's side got decorated as very feminine in a light pink color. Both of them shared a desk.
Heather sighed from laying on her bed. She was drawing in her sketchbook and didn't bother to look at her elder sister.
"Don't you mean spying on them?"
"...No." Petunia hesitated to answer her true intention. She acted like she didn't care what Lily and Snape did, but Heather knew she put on a horrible act. "Lily's with him. Can you believe that she's with him again? After he called her a witch?"
"I thought you didn't care what they did because they're freaks, remember?"
Heather knew Petunia would think of her as a freak, too, if she knows her magic. But Heather couldn't lose another sister. She lost Lily to her parents and now to the Snape boy. Petunia was all she had.
Petunia was nonplussed and didn't know how to respond for a minute. "I just don't know what Lily sees in that Snape boy anyway! He lives on Spinner's End!"
"So?" Heather didn't care where the boy lived and that he was poor.
"How will this look for me?" She asked as if that was such a horrible scandal. "That one of my sisters is frolicking with the poor boy from Spinner's End? Lily doesn't care that her and I will be a laughingstock! You're really not going with me?"
"No. You shouldn't care about what others think of you and what Lily and Snape do. Just leave them alone, Petunia."
"I can't! What if Snape uses his freakish magic to hurt Lily while I'm gone? I can't let that happen, Heather. I'm going." Petunia said stubbornly and walked away.
Heather just shook her head and let her elder sister go even though she thought it was a bad idea.
Hours later, Heather heard Lily's pleading voice and then a loud door slam. That dramatic door slam could only be from Petunia. Out of curiosity, Heather got up from her bed and went to the hallway to see what the commotion was about.
"Tuney, come on! Please, get out-"
"Don't call me Tuney!"
"What's going on?" Heather asked Lily.
"Petunia spied on Sev and I, did you know that?"
"Yes. You call Snape Sev now?" Heather asked in amusement at the sudden change.
"I do because we're friends and Severus is such a mouthful - anyway," Lily stopped herself from getting distracted. "Petunia spied on us and we caught her. She made fun of Sev's clothes and he...well, I believe he used his magic on her."
"How? What did he do?"
"He made a branch fall on her head," Then Lily threatened as if speaking to herself. "The next time I see Sev, he's going to get an earful from me! He shouldn't have hurt her!"
"You're right, he shouldn't," Heather agreed. "I don't know why you hang out with him, Lily. He belittled Petunia and I when we first saw him and called us a Muggle - whatever that is - and always looks down on us because we're not a witch like you. Now, he hurt Petunia. He's not a nice boy, Lily!"
"You sound just like Petunia, Heather. Severus is a nice boy if you learn to get to know him. He told me what a Muggle is. It's not a bad word, it just means non-magical people like you, Petunia, and our parents. That's all. If Severus apologizes, he will still be my friend because I'll forgive him. That's what good friends do."
Forgiveness was one of Lily's best and worst traits. She could forgive others when they didn't deserve it like Severus Snape for example. Heather wasn't sure what else would come out of the strange friendship between Lily and Snape.