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Summer Camp

Hufflepuff Cabin

WEEK 5: THE TALENT SHOW

It's time to show off your skills as we put on the camp talent show! Let's see what you've got! Task: Write about someone with a special skill

Optional Prompt:

5. (character) Mary McDonald

AN: playing any instrument is a special skill.

Word count: 1240

Severus Snape used to tell Lily Evans everything. Until he realised that slowly and surely, she was falling for his worst enemy, James Potter. Of course she was. He was charming and handsome and… Severus wasn't.

Among other things, Severus had this special ability to be able to play a lot of instruments with no real effort. It was like he was born that way. Sure, he was extremely good with Potions and a natural at the Dark Arts, but music was the one thing that he felt he was not only good at, but also pure. His favourite thing was playing the piano. He'd discovered the now empty Music and Arts wing at Hogwarts during his third year and now he always came back to it when he wanted to be alone. For some reason the Marauders would find him wherever he was at Hogwarts, except for this wing.

There was an old piano in one of the rooms, and he sat there for hours at the time and played. It was mostly music that he'd created himself. He didn't have any real music sheets and he didn't want to check any out of the library. The other Slytherins would mock him, and he'd have to watch his back even more and if he told Lily, she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret.

There was one other person who came about in this place and who had promised to never tell anyone that he came here as well. Mary McDonald. She was a Gryffindor, a year younger than Lily and him and somehow, his new friend.

He'd been playing a new piece inspired by an argument he and Lily had had during the day when he'd heard clapping. That was last year.

"I didn't know you could play so beautifully," a voice said. "Did you write that?"

Severus turned around.

"McDonald?"

"Hello Severus. How did you get here?"

He shifted in his seat. He didn't know if he wanted to leave or chance staying around. Mary McDonald was one of the few who didn't fawn over how great Potter and Black were and she was a sort of friend of Lily's. Maybe she was safe to remain around.

"A year ago, I was running away from Potter and his minions and I ended up here. Somehow, they never find me here. So I kept coming back."

"And play the piano?" she asked, smiling, sitting down in one of the chairs nearby.

Severus shrugged.

"I discovered I am very good with music. A hidden talent if you will."

She scooted her chair closer to the piano bench.

"Hidden talent? Severus, you're a genius! Your music is so beautiful! You should share it."

Then, he stood up and turned to her.

"Never! You cannot do that!"

She stood up as well, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Severus. I won't. I have been hearing you play for months now and I haven't said anything. I only now mention it to you because the melody you played earlier was so beautiful and heartbreaking; I really wanted to tell you how good you were."

"Really?" he asked, his voice somehow disappearing.

"Yes! And besides, I was tired of sneaking around you. I know you're Lily's friend, but we could be friends too."

Severus started pacing.

"If the other Slytherins see me with another Gryffindor friend…"

Mary started chuckling.

"You don't have to tell them. This could be our secret place. Besides, you know, you're not the only Slytherin who has secrets."

He stopped and turned to her, frowning. "What do you mean? You got any other Slytherin friends?"

She grinned slyly. "You can call it that."

Now, he knew she'd meant Mulciber. The guy was in love with one of the girls in her year and she'd caught them. She'd been helping them out ever since. If the senior Mulciber ever found that his son was in love with a Mudblood, there would be hell to pay. The man was a true follower of the Dark Lord and both the son and his girlfriend would be in terrible danger.

Mulciber had also learnt about him, and now all four of them were good friends. They'd come and listen to him play the piano weekly. He wrote music based on their experiences and on his own. He was getting better at it everyday.

Although, tonight he wished to be alone. He'd had another fight with Lily. This time about Mary and Mulciber, coincidence or not.

Mulciber had been under pressure to do "evil" deeds by his peers, in a similar way Severus would have been if he wasn't a Half-Blood best friends with a Mudblood. Mary had offered, knowing that Mulciber didn't want to hurt anyone. Together they'd devised it to be like a prank, just… with Dark Magic. It hadn't really harmed Mary and they'd had a laugh.

Lily Evans had heard about the incident and had used it as evidence to Severus that Mulciber was "creepy" with an "evil" sense of humour. He'd tried to tell her it was a laugh, almost giving the game away, but fortunately she'd gotten so mad she hadn't listened.

"I heard about the fight with Lily."

Severus turned around, and sure enough, Mary was behind him.

"Yeah, I almost gave you up. I'm sorry."

"Severus, it's okay."

"No, it's not!" he shouted at her. "I could have destroyed Mulciber, and you and Alyce. I just managed to make her mad."

"I didn't mean to intrude on your friendship with Lily."

He shook his head. "You haven't. She only sees what she wants to see and she doesn't really understand the pressure I'm constantly under or how Potter and Black are coming from me at every chance. She doesn't understand I'd be for weeks in the hospital wing if I didn't defend myself and no one would do a thing."

Mary sat down on the bench next to him, taking his hands in hers.

"They will get what's coming for them, Severus, I am sure of it. Karma is real and four to one isn't fun for anyone. They really should stop treating you this way."

Severus almost laughed. "I doubt that they will ever feel I do when they mock my second hand clothes or the fact that they're too large for me. They have everything they want, Mary. Except Lily. And I feel like I'm losing her too. "

There was silence and then a sigh.

"You may not want to hear this, but if you lose her, it won't be your fault."

He snorted. "Sure. If you say so."

"I do. And hey, for tonight, don't you want to share this talent of yours with me? How do you write the music and how do you remember all of them. I rarely see you with paper to write them down. Would you teach me?"

"To write music?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Yep. I could teach you to play guitar!"

Severus smiled at her and stood up for his backpack to grab an empty sheet of paper.

"I already know how to play that."

She swatted his arm playfully. "Of course you do, Mozzzaart!"

Their laugh echoed around the soundproof room before dissipating and being replaced by wonderful music being played out and Severus' instructions over what to write on the piece of paper. Lily and the fight, temporarily forgotten.