Chapter 9: Turning Eleven

It was a frosty day on the 9th of January 1971. The sun struggled to make any impact in spite of the clear sky, but the cold air only allowed it to make the smallest impact on the locals coming and going to work and school around Cokeworth.

Petunia and Lily were sat at breakfast, very keen to hear the latest news from Gabriel, as he was scheduled to deliver a letter from Severus as he received his letter to Hogwarts.

He was beyond excited to go back to Hogwarts and this time live his life happily there. He knew there would be complications along the way, in the forms of four Gryffindor boys, but he was hopeful that things would run more smoothly somehow. He was a changed person now, he would not connect himself to the future Death Eaters, would not socialise with them and would certainly not follow their example in abusive language and foul spells intended to maim and injure.

It was at this point, as Severus was finishing his letter to Lily, confirming that he had received his letter, that he realized that he had delayed his chat with her about the differences and more than elitist views of wizarding blood for too long. He knew that he had to forewarn Lily of the prejudices that she would have to endure during her time at Hogwarts, the fact that he omitted from her in his last life, and did not intend to make the same mistakes twice.

And so, he decided to write in the letter that he wanted to meet her at some point during the day, not just to receive a gift, but to inform her of something important. After adding this small addition into his letter, and signing it, Severus sealed the message and handed it to Gabriel, whom took it in his beak as it was only a very small journey back home. Lily would probably let him out again that evening to have some real fresh air and to exercise his wings.

Gabriel flew into the open kitchen window of the Evans residence, much to Rose's surprise as she was cleaning the breakfast dishes right by the window and narrowly ducked when he flew in.

"Honestly, Lily, you and that bird!" she snapped.

"Sorry, Mum." said Lily meekly and she opened the letter, feeding Gabriel the fatty strips of her mostly consumed bacon.

"Did he get his letter then?" asked Petunia with some restrained emotion.

"Yes, and…that's odd."

"What, dear?" asked Rose.

"He wants to talk to me today in the park…he says it's important. Do you think something's wrong, Mummy?"

"I couldn't possibly comment, dear. But if something were wrong about his letter, I'm sure he'd have come over. He's already proven that he knows it's best to talk of delicate matters in person, rather than in letter. Maybe that's why he wants to see you." said Trevor.

"I just hope nothing is wrong." said Lily worriedly.

Lily replied to the letter and she and Severus arranged to meet up after lunch at about 2pm. Severus also asked to see her alone, meaning that for once, Petunia was not invited. Lily asked Petunia how she felt about that, and Petunia, though slightly worried that she was not to be involved in this important talk, conceded and said she was fine with it.

And so, after lunch, Lily made her way to the park for the usual rendezvous, carrying two presents in her hands for Severus, one from her parents and another from herself and Petunia.

Upon arrival, Lily saw Severus alone on the swings and hugged him from behind.

"Hey, Sev!" she said cheerily. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Lils." murmured Severus shyly.

"Here. Open up." she said excitedly.

Severus couldn't even remember ever enjoying his birthday nor receiving anything for his birthday other than potion ingredients from Minerva McGonagall and some fluffy, colourful socks from Dumbledore, whom often said they were to bring some colour to his life as he was always dressed so drearily black. Of course, Severus never wore them nor thanked Dumbledore for them.

And so it was, with a smile of gratitude on his face, that Severus unwrapped his two gifts. The first was a knitted jumper, coloured a navy blue, as chosen by Rose to keep to his darkly dressed style. He smiled and put it on after shedding his new jacket.

It was then that Lily realized that Severus looked much more handsome and less of a pauper. He was wearing brand new clothing, and he looked as good as new himself. He even had less grease in his hair than usual.

"You noticed then?" asked Severus.

"Oh, um, yes." said Lily embarrassedly. "Presents?"

"Mhm." replied Severus. "My grandad bought me literally a whole new wardrobe, everything from Muggle clothing to wizarding robes! And he also got me my school robes for Hogwarts!"

"And your grandmother?" asked Lily, keen to hear more of Severus' continuing good fortune.

"She gave me wizarding shampoo and conditioner." laughed Severus. "She wrote in my card that she expected me to look grease-free at dinner tonight."

Lily giggled. "You do look much nicer, Sev."

Severus relished those words internally, failing to hide a small blush.

"What about your mother?" continued Lily.

"She said she'll give it to me at dinner. We're eating at my grandparents' manor." he shrugged.

"Ooh! A surprise!" Lily was bouncing with anticipation. Anyone would have thought it was her birthday. She was just so happy for her best friend.

"Um, Lily, I'm opening the next one." said Severus. Lily blushed again at her eagerness.

Severus unwrapped the slightly heavier gift and found that Lily and Petunia had bought him a book on wizarding ancestry.

"We thought, maybe, you'd learn more about your family and your old ancestors." said Lily.

"Thanks, Lil!" smiled Severus delightedly, hugging her close.

After half an hour of glancing through the book, Lily decided she couldn't wait any longer to hear Severus' important news.

"Um, Sev…what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" asked Lily.

Severus' face fell.

"Well, um…I need to talk to you about some things that might cause you some grief at Hogwarts." he said nervously.

Lily's eyebrows frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well…you know that you come from a Muggle family and yet you are a witch? Well, that makes you a Muggle-born witch." he began.

"I know that. What's wrong with that?" asked Lily standoffishly.

"Well, not all wizards come from any Muggle relations at all. There are three different groups of wizards." continued Severus. "There are Muggle-borns, like you. There are half-bloods, like me, as I have both a Muggle and a witch for parents. And then…there are pure-blood witches and wizards."

"Yes? And?"

"Well, the wizarding families known as pure-bloods are distinctly prejudiced against those who are not pure." explained Severus meekly. "Most of these families come from Slytherin, the house at Hogwarts that pride themselves on cunning and ambition."

"What do you mean by prejudiced?" asked Lily forebodingly.

"They think wizards and witches who are not pure-blood are a disgrace to the name of wizard." he went on sombrely. "Some pure-bloods take that hatred to the extreme, beyond foul language towards them…some think that Muggle-borns, half-bloods and Muggles should all be wiped out."

Lily clasped her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Would I be in danger at Hogwarts, then?" she asked petrified. "Would the Slytherins try to kill me?"

"No. Even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to do a thing to you whilst Dumbledore is in the castle. He's got eyes and ears everywhere somehow." said Severus.

"How can you say that so easily?" asked Lily.

Severus realized he slipped up here, and hastened to say: "Mum told me about him and how he is the one wizard that pure-blood extremists, particularly one, always fear the most."

"Particular one?" asked Lily, noticing the fear and hatred that suddenly sparked into Severus' eyes.

"Yes…there is one very evil wizard." said Severus, fearful that he might frighten Lily away from Hogwarts, but he wished to remain honest. "He is a Dark Wizard who firmly believes in committing genocide against all Muggles and Muggle-borns, if not enslaving them like animals. His name is Lord Voldemort."

"If he's such an evil man, how did he get the role of a Lord?" asked Lily nervously.

"He's not really. He fashioned that name for himself. Not many really believe that is his real name. He made up that name so that one day, every wizard and witch would fear to speak it. Only Dumbledore calls him by his name without fear, everyone else calls him You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named. His supporters and followers call him the Dark Lord, and even they fear him because he is notoriously merciless to those who fail him. It is said he has always been incapable of love and friendship."

"I almost feel sorry for him." murmured Lily.

"Don't!" snapped Severus. "After all the things he's done in his life, he deserves to be punished."

Lily was shocked at this outburst, and equally shocked when he recoiled, as though he was frightened of her punishing him for it.

"I'm sorry, Lily. It's just- I hate him! I hate him so much!"

"Oh, Sev." She hugged him. "I understand. He targets people like you and me cos we're not pure-blood. But we're better than him. And we'll prove it together when we get to Hogwarts!"

Severus nodded rapidly.

No matter what new mistakes he made, he knew he was never going to join Voldemort again, and equally certain that he wouldn't let the likes of an alternate James Potter get the better of him this time.

That evening, Severus and Eileen came to Lily's house. Severus had asked his mother as well as Lily's if she could come with him as a plus one at his birthday dinner out.

Once she was picked up, Lily happily went with them, dressed in a pale blue dress, with her hair accompanied with a flower to make her look good and presentable to Severus' grandparents.

Severus blushed at the sight of her and Eileen smiled knowingly.

They went back to Spinner's End and into Eileen's house. As they were not being accompanied by Petunia, Rose and Trevor, Eileen was able to escort them to the manor by Floo. Lily was hesitant as she had never travelled by Floo powder before, as she was Apparated by Septimus and Eileen the previous Christmas, and she decided there and then she didn't want to go that way again. But after instructions from Eileen and a demonstration from Severus, whom went first, she declared "Prince Manor" and zoomed rapidly until she stumbled out onto a laid-out carpet without falling over, almost like a natural.

Severus helped support her and dusted off the minimal amount of coal dust off her dress, still blushing…as did Lily. Eileen swiftly followed up behind them.

"Aha!" said a voice. "Here are our honoured guests!"

Septimus stepped into the room, dressed as though he were a head butler, and by Severus and Lily's judgment, it was a house fit for butlers, maids and many other enriched privileges.

The room they stepped out of was seemingly just a hall with a fireplace built in, but it was as large as the conjoined living room and kitchen of Eileen's house. The floor was marble and the walls were emerald painted and decorated with large frames holding moving portraits of ancestors of the Prince family. There were three crystal chandeliers stretched across the ceiling of the room, and a suit of armour stood to one side near an oaken door leading further into the house. The long carpet laid out all across the centre of the hall and looked comfy enough to lay on. Severus and Lily were awestruck at this evidence of the Prince family's wealth and couldn't wait to explore more of this vast residence.

Septimus smiled at their wide-eyed and intrigued faces. They hadn't been in this room at Christmas; they simply entered the dining hall that day.

"So cute, you two!" he chuckled. "Welcome, once again, to our humble abode. Come on through to the dining room. First class food coming out soon for your birthday, Severus, cooked by ten house elves and assisted by my overzealous and insistent wife."

Septimus felt rather jolly as he explained that his wife had never been too keen on having the house elves do all the work in the house and often insists on lending a hand with the cooking at the very least. The elves themselves have mixed feelings about that. Partly they were indignant that the mistress of the house should be doing any of their work for them, but partly they were also abashed at the honour of working alongside Desdemona and learning her many recipes.

Soon, Septimus led the three of them into the dining hall. It was as large as the hall they came in from. The portraits showed portlier looking Prince ancestors and there were candles floating above, very much like the candles that lit the Great Hall at Hogwarts, which Severus observed internally. The table was Chippendale, enlarged by magic to suit the size of the room and to entertain countless guests, not that Severus imagined his grandparents being quite so popular up until now perhaps. The fire was roaring pleasantly at the far end of the hall and through the doorway beside it, came the many odours and wafting scents of freshly cooked meals, almost ready for presentation at the table.

Severus also noticed that large banners were stretched across the walls, shining in emerald letters were the words: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEVERUS PRINCE.

Lily smiled as she looked at Severus. Already, he felt so loved, and she understood that for years, he had a huge lack of love in his life. She was so happy that her best friend was now loved, reconciled with his mother and grandparents, and no longer burdened by the presence or the name of his forsaken father.

Within ten minutes, Desdemona and four house elves came in carrying platters and platters of food. Severus blushed as his grandmother kisses his cheek.

"Happy birthday, Severus." she whispered.

The house elves bowed in unison and respect.

"Master Severus, a happy birthday to you!" they chanted kindly.

"Thank y-you." stuttered Severus.

Soon enough, the five of them were seated and dug into their food. It was a mixture of roast beef and chicken. Severus particularly liked the chicken. The vegetables were juicy and the potatoes were rich with honeyed flavour. There were many side dishes and Lily and Severus keenly tried them all. Some things were too rich for them to appreciate at such a young age, and Eileen found it hard to readjust to her stylish eating ways. The decorum of eating at a moneyed household was something that Eileen had long forgotten and the kids had never had to experience before. But Septimus and Desdemona showed no irritation, fully understanding the situation, and just enjoyed their meal, or at least Desdemona ensured that it looked that way, as Septimus showed some redness in his face watching his daughter eat like a common person, and it was nothing to do with the wine he was sipping at intervals.

Once they were full, they got to chatting while Desdemona excused herself to use the bathroom. Lily shyly spoke to Septimus of how she would also be turning eleven in a matter of three weeks.

"Close as that, eh?" remarked Septimus. "Looking forward to finally going to Hogwarts, Miss Evans?"

"Oh yes!" clapped Lily, losing her shy demeanour at his interest. "Although I still feel bad that my sister can't come."

"She was upset? She looked quite ecstatic in Diagon Alley." said Septimus.

"She was, but we only just started to patch up around that time, and she is getting used to the fact that she can't be a witch, but she still wishes for magic, and I intend to somehow give it to her. Severus and I have an idea already. But for now, I have to go without her, and it really upsets me cos I feel that I'm to blame sometimes. I know it was chance that I was born a witch…but why was I the lucky one?"

No-one could answer. But before the conversation could grow more awkward, the lights dimmed by the click of a Deluminator. Desdemona had used it and the lights emerged on a glorious sponge cake, coated in icing with red lions, yellow badgers, blue eagles and green snakes all over it.

Desdemona led the chorus as she, the house elves, Lily, Eileen and Septimus broke into song.

"Happy birthday to you…happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Severus! Happy birthday to yoooou!"

Everyone applauded and Severus had tears of joy in his eyes as he blew out his eleven candles.

The remainder of the evening passed with joy, contentment and more than enough cake. But the end of the evening brought about Severus' greatest joy of all. And that moment was when Eileen gave him his birthday present from her.

"Severus, before we head home, I need to give you your gift." she said as they began to get ready to leave.

Severus had forgotten all about this, and waited for his mother to present him with this long-awaited gift. What he didn't expect to happen was for Eileen to draw out her wand and point it fixedly in his face.

"You trust me, honey?" she asked compassionately.

How could he not? This woman wanted to relive her life with him, she was the only one who knew his secret. And she endured Tobias' abuse a second-time round, and had her heart broken yet again, for the sake of him. He nodded at her sincerely.

With a nod back, Eileen chanted the spell, "Episkey!"

Severus heard and felt a loud snapping and cracking, then a clicking. He thought at first that he was in pain, but now, he felt nothing, nothing except that something on his face felt abnormal, foreign and yet, dimly familiar.

"Look in the mirror, Severus." said Desdemona quietly, but with an air of excitement.

Severus went to look in the mirror and noticed the look of awe and joy on Lily's face, and it reflected off Eileen's face too. He looked in the mirror and gasped.

His nose wasn't crooked. It was perfectly shaped into the nose it had once been before it was first broken by Tobias and twice more after that occasion. Now he no longer had a beak for a nose, it would no longer stand out and leave grease marks on his papers as the Marauders would often tease. He burst into tears of sheer happiness.

Eileen hugged him so tight, as did Desdemona.

"Very elegant, dear boy!" appraised Septimus.

Lily came up afterwards and smiled. "You look so handsome like this, Sev. I never knew a broken nose would make such a difference. I almost don't recognise you!"

Severus blushed happily. He looked as good as he had ever done before in even his past life. And now he could safely say this was the best birthday he had ever had.

After thanking Eileen endlessly, as well as his grandparents for a perfect dinner and cake, Severus made his way to the fireplace in the hall to head home. He was to go first, followed by Lily, and Eileen last.

"Happy birthday, Severus." said Septimus and Desdemona in unison.

"Thanks Nan, Grandad." he replied happily.

With that, Severus disappeared in the Floo Network. Before Lily followed, Septimus halted her.

"I'm sure things will go fine with your sister in the long run, Miss Evans." he said paternally. "Just don't let any guilt you may have conflict with the education set before you. You're a bright girl, we can tell. So enjoy your time with Severus at Hogwarts, help your sister in any way you can, I'm sure this idea of yours and Severus' is a good one, and if you please, look after Severus while you're at school together."

"Or you'll hear from us." teased Desdemona.

Lily giggled. "Thank you, sir. Ma'am. I will."

Lily stepped into the grate and called clearly: "Eileen Prince's house!"

She soon re-emerged stumbling into Severus' arms, and Eileen brought up the rear with ease and cheeriness.

"Okay, now, I think we'd better get you home, Lily." said Eileen kindly. "It's nearly nine o clock."

Lily pouted and soon she was home at her front door, and she waved Severus and Eileen off as Rose took her inside.

"Thank you so much, Mummy." said Severus again, as they settled down inside their home.

"That's ok, honey. It's your birthday! Our last one together before you go to Hogwarts." Eileen sighed sadly. "I wish we had more happy birthdays together…in this life and the one before."

"This one makes up for it all, Mum!" said Severus quickly. "I loved everything about today."

His mother cried smiling and cuddled her son. "Promise me we will have more birthdays together, after you leave Hogwarts? I so badly want to make everything up to you. Including all the birthdays I wasted on your father."

Severus nodded. Then he thought of something.

"I wonder what I should get Lily for her birthday. Now I have money, I wanna get her something special." he said.

"We have three weeks to work that out, and besides, I believe Rose is taking Lily and Petunia on a girls' day out this weekend. We can go to Diagon Alley then." replied Eileen.

Severus agreed.

The following weekend, Severus and Eileen went to Diagon Alley by Floo and looked all over for something to buy for Lily on her birthday.

Severus considered a cat to go with her owl, but recollected that one can only bring one pet to Hogwarts. So he looked around for something else. Then he remembered that Lily in her past life exceeded the most in Charms, so he decided to buy her a book on Basic Charms and their Wand Movements.

He bought it and wondered with some concern whether or not Lily would like it.

But on the 30th January, a couple of weeks later, judging by the squeal of delight and the tight embrace he received from Lily, he decided that indeed, she did.

The day after Lily's birthday, Severus and Lily roused rather late, after they had such an actively fun time at the Evans house yesterday evening with Petunia, a couple of her friends as well as some of Lily's old friends had a celebrational Muggle birthday party. The cake was almost as lovely as Severus' had been, and Lily loved the book given to her by Severus as well as the homemade cookies Petunia gave to her; her first attempt at baking, which Rose was delighted to see needed little supervision. Her eldest daughter was a natural at cooking and gardening.

"We're finally eleven." Lily said cheerfully as she and her best friend swung on the swings together in the playground.

"Yeah, and in another six months or so, we can go and buy our first wands." replied Severus dreamily. "Mum says Ollivander won't sell any until summer, because young underage witches and wizards should not be allowed to handle wands this far off from starting school."

"Yeah." sighed Lily. "I just can't wait to go!"

"Nor me." agreed Severus enthusiastically.

It was true. He was excited. He was going to succeed in his years at Hogwarts this time. He would be best friends with Lily all the way to the end. He would win her heart. He would show James Potter and his lackeys.

Severus was certain now that life would be so much easier…at Hogwarts anyway. But he still feared the uncertain future where Lord Voldemort was concerned. Severus had another thought in mind. When he went to Hogwarts, he decided he was going to do a lot of research on souls and the magic surrounding them…light…and dark.

(Sorry this chapter is up late! Been busy being back at university! I'll try to update again this week! Chapter 10 coming soon!)