Chapter 6: Open
Lily I
Saturday, 30 October 1976
Lily awoke with a start as a cold chill passed through her body. It had been the same dream, the same nightmare, as the night before, and the nights ever since Sunday. She was in someone else's body, a boy's, but she had no control; all she could do was watch as the boy found and killed wild roosters in the forest. Every time she woke up, she would check to see if there was blood on her hands, only to find that they were clean. There hadn't been any reports of dead roosters yet, at least not when she'd visited Hagrid the day before yesterday.
Lily rolled out of bed and stretched her arms before grabbing her clothes and going into the bathroom. After showering and preparing for the day, she came back out to find Marlene frantically grabbing clothes and tossing them on the bed.
"Morning, Marley."
"Morning." Marlene's eyes were fixed on one of the outfits she'd prepared.
"Sleep well?"
"Not really."
"Hogsmeade today."
"I know." A smile appeared on Marlene's face as she finally grabbed something and hurried into the bathroom.
Lily couldn't help but be amused. Today was the big day: Marlene McKinnon's first date with Sirius Black… Marlene's first date ever, actually. At least the first official one; she wasn't sure if attending Slughorn's dinner party with Remus counted, but she decided it didn't for the sake of simplicity.
Lily sat at her desk and started writing to Tom.
Hogsmeade!
Hogsmeade, indeed. I assume Marlene is excited?
Obviously.
And Mary?
Of course, though I'm not sure which one's more eager.
I expect a proper analysis of their respective levels of excitement, Miss Evans.
Yes, Professor Riddle.
Lily?
Yes?
How are you feeling?
I had the same dream.
Have you deduced whose body you're in?
I see his face, but I can't remember it when I wake up.
What about his wand?
It's the same problem.
Have you asked for a dose of Dreamless Sleep?
No.
I think you should try it for tonight, just to see if it helps.
But what if I have to take it every night?
It's possible you won't have to. Maybe taking it once will snap you out of this cycle.
I'll ask Madam Pomfrey tonight. I have to go and check on Mary.
Have a good day.
Thanks.
Lily closed the book and got up, walking over to the bathroom door and calling Marlene. "I'm going to check on Mary."
Marlene shouted something incoherent, but Lily took it as an 'alright, Lily', although with considerably more syllables.
Lily left the sixth-year room and knocked on the third-year dorm. "Mary? Are you ready yet?"
"Yep!" The response was coming from downstairs.
Lily left the girls' dormitory and found Mary sitting on the couch, a large bag hanging from her shoulder and a bow in her hair. She was sitting across from Black, who seemed to be trying, and failing, to comb his hair.
"Bloody combs," Black muttered.
"You could do with a brush," Lily replied.
"I'm not a girl, Evans."
"From behind, it's hard to tell."
Black turned to face her, surprise in his eyes as he barked out a laugh. "You're growing on me."
"What's the plan?" Mary asked.
"Well," Lily said. "Firstly, you'll have to stay with the other third-years for the first half-hour, just so we can take a tour of the village. After that, we could start with Honeydukes."
"Remus would like that," Black mused. "Peter would too, but it might be better if he sticks to James."
"How come?" Lily asked.
"He's… getting a bit… round." The tall boy mimed having a large belly. "Might be good for him to cut down on sweets."
"That wouldn't do much good," Lily said. "Hallowe'en Feast is tomorrow night."
"Every bit counts," Black replied. "Anyway, how long will Marley be?"
"Not too long; she was just-"
"Coming!" Marlene all but tumbled down the staircase, staggering to a halt and brushing herself off of any dust. She was wearing a red dress decorated with white flowers, which was something Lily hadn't expected. She could've sworn Marlene had grabbed a blouse and pants.
Black's eyebrows went up at the sight, and he let out a low whistle. "McKinnon, you clean up well."
Marlene raised an eyebrow playfully. "Are you saying I'm normally unclean?"
"You two can flirt in Hogsmeade," Mary said, covering her ears.
"Sorry, Mary," Black grinned. "We'll spare you the details of our… saucy dealings."
"I'm ready," Remus said, descending the steps. "I think James is waiting in the courtyard."
"No Peter?" Marlene asked.
"He's getting a quick bite to eat," Remus explained.
"So much for watching his weight," Black muttered. "Anyway, we're all set, then?"
"I need to see Severus first," Lily said.
"What for?" Black's notable disdain made Lily want to send him through a wall.
"I'm just letting him know that we're going to Hogsmeade," Lily said defensively.
Black rolled his eyes and shooed Lily away.
As Lily left the common room, she heard footsteps following close behind. She turned and found Mary had caught up with her. "What is it?" Lily asked.
"Nothing. I thought I'd visit with you."
Lily would have raised an eyebrow if not for her confusion. "I didn't realize you and Severus were that friendly."
"We're not on a first-name basis, but he's alright. Absolute pants at Gobstones, though."
Lily smirked. "Alright, let's go see him, then."
Lily led Mary down the staircase and onto the fourth floor, making their way through the corridors until they arrived outside of Severus's room. Lily was about to knock on the door when she heard something inside.
"... it's fine, it's fine…. Alright, if she- no, no, I can behave. I can-" Severus sounded as though he had taken a breath, before letting out a sigh. "Right- wait. Wait…."
Suddenly, the door flew open, and Mary let out a squeak as she jumped back. "... Lily. MacDonald. Fancy seeing you here."
"Hi, Snape," Mary said.
"Who were you talking to?" Lily asked.
"Myself." Lily wasn't sure what bothered her more: Severus's answer or the fact that he looked absolutely serious.
"Well…." Lily completely forgot what she was about to say.
"Hogsmeade trip," Mary piped up. "Are you coming?"
Lily shot Mary a look, and Mary stepped back a bit.
"Right," Severus replied, going over to his desk and grabbing what looked like a pouch. "I need parchment and ink."
Oh, bloody hell. Lily hadn't meant to invite- wait, this was a good thing. Maybe, this could be a chance for the two of them to talk things out, and she could finally hear what he'd been meaning to say last year.
"Great!" Mary said. There was some hesitation in her voice, despite having been the one to invite Severus to Hogsmeade, something which Lily would have to talk to her about later. "Do you want to sit with-"
"No," Severus quickly said. He quickly glanced at Lily before looking back at Mary. "No, I'll… I'll take another wagon."
"With whom?" Lily asked. She had a bad feeling that he would be falling back into hanging around Mulciber and the other Slytherins.
"No one in particular," Severus answered.
"Just not us?" Lily challenged.
Severus was about to reply, but Mary cut in and said, "I don't think he'd get along with… you know…."
"They're putting in the effort," Lily said. "And I expect Severus to do the same." She looked back at Severus and quickly saw that he was avoiding her eyes. "So, will you-"
"Yes," Severus said, cutting Lily off. "Yes, I'll take your wagon."
"Good-"
"But I'm leaving as soon as I get ink and parchment."
"Why?" Mary asked.
Severus seemed to hesitate before saying, "I don't really have much else to do after that. Besides, standing around doing nothing isn't my idea of fun."
Mary shrugged. "You could still look around. Just walk and talk."
Severus gave Mary an odd look, and Lily wasn't sure what was going through his mind when he said, "Alright."
"... alright," Lily repeated.
Severus stepped out and joined Lily and Mary as they walked down the corridor, making their way to the courtyard where Professor McGonagall was gathering the visitors.
"Now remember," McGonagall called out. "Visits to Hogsmeade are a privilege that can be revoked!"
"Yes, professor," the crowd chorused.
"And- ah, Miss Evans, if you would join Lupin with the Gryffindors. Snape, with the Slytherins."
Lily and Mary walked over to Remus, who was standing with James and Black. She glanced over and saw Severus had walked to Talkalot's side, and it wasn't long until Black's brother moved closer and started talking to him quietly. Whatever Severus had said must've been disagreeable to Regulus, because the other boy gave him a disappointed look and looked over at Lily. Lily couldn't help but give him a smug smile.
The students eventually made it to the carriages, and Lily helped Mary up. She spotted Severus approach with notable hesitation, his eyes fixed on the front of the carriage as he stepped on. As he sat down, he turned his attention back to the castle for a moment before looking at Mary, who was sitting across from him.
"This is it!" Mary said excitedly. "We're going to Hogsmeade!"
Severus gave her a small nod, and Lily swore she saw his lip curl into a small smile. How close had Severus and Mary gotten, exactly? They barely knew each other until the year started, and now they were suddenly best friends… no, that was ridiculous. Severus was being polite, which was admittedly a big step for him, so of course he'd practice with someone whom he was normally indifferent to.
As Mary settled into her seat and began talking with Remus, Marlene, and the other students, Lily leaned closer to Severus and said quietly, "When we get to Hogsmeade, maybe we could have that talk?"
Severus turned to her with an unenthused look in his eye. "Are you sure?"
"Of course, I am."
"You're on-duty; shouldn't you be watching the third-years?"
"Are you trying to put off-"
"I'm not," Severus quickly said. "But…." He paused for a moment, and Lily could see he was trying to think of something to say. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," Lily said. She was still a bit light-headed, but the fresh air made her feel invigorated. "If you're worried that I'll pass out, I'm fine."
"Good," Severus said, nodding. "I'll walk with you just in case."
Lily felt a small smile on her lips as she looked at Severus. He'd been the same way during their first few years at Hogwarts, sticking to her as much as he could… before he officially started spending time with Mulciber in fourth year. How he could even… no, Severus was putting in the effort; he'd chosen to ride with the Gryffindors to Hogsmeade instead of the Slytherins. That had to count for something.
Mary I
Mary was bored. When she thought about visiting Hogsmeade with Lily, she hadn't taken into account that Lily had to supervise the other students as well. The initial tour wasn't so bad, as it allowed Mary to see what she would want to visit in the future, but Lily didn't have as much energy as she usually did. It didn't take long for Snape to notice, and he suggested that they visit Honeydukes to buy something sugary. It wasn't something Mary had expected from the Slytherin, but she also hadn't expected to become friends… actually, were they friends? If going by the past month, it would seem that way, although she wasn't sure if that was enough time for that to be the case.
Pushing out of her head for a moment, Mary followed them into Honeydukes, where they found Remus eating a freshly-bought Chocoball. The older boy spotted them and approached. "They're already out of Honeydukes Best."
"Anything good?" Mary asked.
"The pumpkin pasties are fresh," Remus answered. "How about you, Lily?"
"Anything sugary," Lily said. "Severus?"
Snape shook his head. "I don't like sweets."
"I think they have non-sweet items," Remus suggested. "Although the only ones I can think of are the blood-flavoured lollipops."
"Ugh!" Mary grimaced.
"Is it real blood?" Snape asked.
"Um… I don't know," Remus replied. "You could ask."
"... might as well have something to do around here." Snape walked over to the counter and plucked a blood-red lollipop from the jar.
"... anyway," Remus said, "How about you, Mary?"
"Maybe not chocolate," Mary said. "Something less rich."
"Well, there's a few flavors of No Melt Ice Cream," Lily suggested. "Actually, I might have one of those and a sugar quill."
"You must be fairly tired," Remus said.
"Came on all of a sudden," Lily said. "I woke up in the middle of the night."
"How about you rest while we're here? I can do your rounds for you."
"Are you sure?"
Remus shrugged. "Considering James and Peter are busy at Zonko's and Sirius is on a date, I don't really have much else to do."
"Lupin's right," Snape said as he returned, sucking on one of the lollipops.
"Does it taste like-"
"Like blood, yes it does." Snape pulled it out, the red dye staining his lips. "It's not real blood."
"I don't understand how you could enjoy that," Mary said. She had to look away to stop from gagging.
"Morbid curiosity," the Slytherin replied, sticking it back in his mouth. "Anyway, ice cream?"
"Yeah," Lily said. She grabbed Mary's hand and said, "Let's take a look."
Mary looked through the options present and decided on raspberry, while Lily chose mint chip.
"You like mint?" Snape asked.
"I want to try something new," Lily said. "Why don't you get something?"
"I'm fine with this."
"Pick something," Lily said, the demand fairly clear in her voice.
Mary heard Snape sigh softly as he picked out vanilla for himself. He took the lollipop out of his mouth and tasted the ice cream. "Good," he said blankly.
"Glad to see you're enjoying yourself," Lily said sarcastically.
Snape didn't reply, and the three of them, joined by Remus, left Honeydukes and made their way toward the village square.
"So, what next?" Remus asked.
"I'm going to sit here for a bit," Lily said, making her way over to a bench and sitting down to enjoy her ice cream.
"And you, Snape?"
"I'll sit with her," Snape replied.
An uncomfortable silence passed between the two, neither one of them making a move. Mary wasn't sure why, but it almost seemed as though something had happened last week. While they were cordial with each other, there was a certain restraint whenever either one of them spoke. As she looked at Snape, she noticed the vampire bite marks from the Hallowe'en party were still there. A bit odd he hadn't washed it off.
"Could we visit the Shrieking Shack?" Mary asked Remus. "I've always wanted to see a real haunted building up close!"
"You live in a castle filled with ghosts," Snape replied.
"You know what I mean," Mary said, grinning. "Besides, I heard the shack's more haunted this year. Whatever haunts it was screaming almost the whole summer!"
"That might be an exaggeration," Remus said, chuckling a bit. "There hasn't been much commotion recently."
"I'd heard the same," Snape commented. "Usually, it's only active once every month or so."
"Perhaps something else was renting the Shack over the summer," Remus replied. "Something a bit more active."
Mary saw Snape give Remus a look, and although brief, there was a flicker of what looked like hostility. "Well," Mary said, snapping their attention back to her, "it doesn't really matter if it's active or not. It's still fun to visit, right?"
"Certainly," Remus said with a smile. "Shall we?"
"Alright, Moony?"
Mary turned and saw Potter and Pettigrew approaching, the former holding a cup of mint ice cream and the latter looking glum.
"Just talking about the Shrieking Shack," Remus replied. "You?"
"Just looking around Zonko's, really," Potter replied. "Thought I'd- alright, Lily?" Potter walked over to Lily, who was still sitting on the bench and slowly eating her ice cream.
"Hi, James," Lily said.
"Sitting around while everyone else is-"
"She's unwell," Snape quickly said, walking over to Lily. He'd placed himself just between Lily and Potter, although not enough to block Potter entirely.
"I can speak for myself, Severus," Lily said coolly. She turned back to Potter and said, "I was just resting a bit."
"Take all the time you- oh, you like mint too?"
"What?" Lily sounded confused.
"Mint. It's my favorite flavor." Potter gestured to his own ice cream. "Not as good as Fortescue's, but it doesn't melt, so that's something."
"... right." Lily's confusion seemed to disrupt the flow of the conversation.
"... right, well, I'm heading back to Zonko's, then." Potter turned and came back to Remus and Pettigrew. "You coming, Pete?"
"I need to use the loo," Pettigrew said. "I'll join you later."
"Got it." As Pettigrew left, Potter said to Remus, "Oh, I spotted Sirius and Marlene at that music shop. Didn't go in, but I could see them through the window."
"How's he doing?" Remus asked.
"I think he's doing alright," Potter answered. "It certainly helps that he's tall, dark, and handsome."
"Jealous?"
"Oh, unabashedly," Potter said sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Remus. "Anyway, I'll see you later, yeah?"
"Yeah." Mary and Remus watched as Potter went back to Zonko's, and Remus said to Mary, "Now then, how about the Shack?"
Remus I
There were more people visiting the Shack than Remus had anticipated, and there was no shortage of chatter about how active it had been during the summer. Remus would've been intrigued by the news if not for the fact that he knew the Shack wasn't haunted, and that he was the spirit haunting it once a month, but the key fact was that it was once a month while he was at school. But knowing that the Shack wasn't haunted, and knowing he was the source of the shrieking, news that it had been active for the entire summer disturbed him. Someone else had been using the Shack for God knows what….
When Remus had made the remark to Snape that someone might have been renting the Shack, he had meant it to be sarcastic. Now that he was here, away from Snape, with a relatively cool head, he was beginning to realize that there might be some truth to what he'd said. Here were the facts: Snape had been at Hogwarts for the entire summer, and the Shack had been active for the entire summer. In addition, Snape's health was visibly noticeable; at the start of the year, he'd looked significantly healthier than at any point prior, and now, within two months, he'd taken on a sickly complexion. Whatever had happened over the summer seemed to have made him healthier, during the time the Shack was most active; and now, his health was deteriorating, now that the Shack was no longer as active. Given the information that he and Marlene had gone over, from the complexion to the scars on his neck to the- God, Snape had bought a blood-flavoured lollipop! If that wasn't enough proof, Remus wasn't sure what was.
Severus Snape was a vampire.
"Remus?"
"Hmm?" Remus was pulled out of his thoughts by Mary. "Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"That's okay. I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"It's about Snape."
Remus froze. "Yes?"
"Well, I noticed that he and Lily are… well, they used to be close. Do you think there was something between them?"
Remus furrowed his brow. "Do you mean… romantically?"
Mary seemed to hesitate with her nod.
"Um… well, I've never really paid attention to that. I've no idea how close those two are, aside from the fact that they live in the same town. Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Mary said. "It just seems like Snape's protective of her."
"James might be a factor," Remus explained. "James fancies Lily, and he and Snape have a strained past."
"You mean he bullied Snape."
"I'd…." Remus wanted to call it a rivalry, but he'd reached the point where he knew that was a lie. If ever there was a definitive sign of bullying, it was the dynamic between Snape and the Marauders. "James and Sirius, and Peter to an extent… what you have to understand is that neither side has gotten along-'
"I know what bullying is, Remus," Mary said. Remus caught something odd and accusatory in her eye; it bore a similar intensity to….
Remus sighed. "Alright. You're right, James and Sirius, and Peter, bullied Snape. But right now, they're trying to reform."
"How hard is it not to be a bullying arsehole?"
Remus let out a visible gasp. "Mary, that's a rather harsh way to put it."
"It's true," Mary replied. "They went out of their way to be as awful as they could. Any half-decent person could see that."
"Well, they're still young-"
"I'm three years younger than them."
Remus was out of ways to respond. How could he respond to something like that? "Fair. I'm curious."
"About what?"
"Until this year, you didn't care about Snape, not enough to get to know him."
"Well…." Mary went quiet for a moment before continuing. "Everyone told me that Slytherins were dangerous, and it didn't help when Mulc…." Her voice trailed off.
"I see. I'm not saying this to stop you from playing Gobstones with Snape, but just as a bit of advice. Keep an eye on him. And especially regarding the company he keeps."
"You want me to stalk him?"
Remus smirked. "I wouldn't quite put it like that. Just be watchful."
"I don't think he's the type to do whatever you think he would."
"Maybe," Remus admitted. "But it doesn't hurt to have a bit of caution."
Mary sighed and looked back at the Shack. "Alright, I'll be careful. To be honest, the Shack's a bit boring."
"Not as fun when it's not shrieking," Remus laughed.
Regulus I
"How's your first trip to Hogsmeade as a Prefect?" Lucius had only just touched his wine as the customers of the Hog's Head began to come in.
"There's something fulfilling about it," Regulus admitted. He was starting to enjoy the authority he had over his fellow Slytherins, especially when it came to leading the third-years around and showing them everything Hogsmeade had to offer.
"I remember my first visit," Lucius mused. "It was Dippet's final year as Headmaster. Those were better days." He took another sip as he said, "You will be attending the Christmas gala my father is hosting, yes?"
"Certainly," Regulus nodded. "Who else is attending?"
"Obviously, myself and Cissy. The guest list hasn't been finalized."
"I look forward to it." Regulus took a sip of water, and was about to say something before Lucius interrupted him.
"I noted Snape's health last weekend. He looks rather ill, yes?"
Regulus nodded. "I had noticed that as well. No one's sure what's wrong with him."
"How many people have noticed?"
"Everyone talks about him," Regulus explained. "The Heir of Slytherin, locked away in a separate room. Naturally, there are rumors, but most of it is hearsay without substance."
"I see…. Regulus, if you don't mind me asking, how often have you interacted with Snape, outside of your assigned duties and Slug Club activities?"
"Rarely, if at all," Regulus admitted. "Although, that might change with tomorrow night's feast. As it's mandatory, he would no doubt attend."
"Outside of some sort of debilitating illness," Lucius commented. "Speaking of which, there have been new cases of dragon pox recently. You should be careful."
"I doubt it would ever come to Hogwarts."
"Nevertheless, stay healthy." Lucius took another silent sip before setting the glass down. "The barman ought to clean these tables more often."
"The grime protects the tables from the elements," Regulus joked, earning a suppressed smile from Lucius.
"Indeed. How is Divination?"
Finally, they were arriving at the meat of the conversation. "I've had a good relationship with Vablatsky since I began. Our talks have mostly been about the aspects of astrological signs."
"Is that so? I never took Divination, so I know little of it. Was there anything in particular that interested you?"
"Well, one discussion we've had a few times already regards the relationship between one's astrological sign and the direction of one's life."
"I believe you may have mentioned this before. Has anything changed?"
"I don't believe so, although what strikes me is the concept of compatibility between two people based on one's sign."
Lucius smirked dryly. "I never took you to believe such things."
Regulus smirked back knowingly and replied, "Not just in the realm of romance, cousin. It also refers to invisible bonds, or affinity if you will. In terms of interpersonal relationships, there are a variety of signs that do well together or are incompatible. Meanwhile, when it comes to more… what's the word… symbolic may be the wrong word… kindred. When it comes to a kindred spirit, matching signs are common."
"Interesting," Lucius remarked. "If you and I were born under the same sign, then that would mean our paths would be intertwined?"
"Correct," Regulus confirmed. "The more similarities in general make such a connection stronger."
Lucius took another sip of wine. "I almost regret not taking the class. Almost."
"To be perfectly honest, I could have chosen to study it in my free time," Regulus admitted. "But, one must honor one's commitments."
"Speaking of which…." Lucius took out a silver pocket watch and checked the time. "Ah, I'm afraid I must leave. Cissy and I have a fitting soon."
"Of course," Regulus nodded. He finished his water and stood, bowing his head slightly. "I should return to my station."
"I'll write to you soon," Lucius said. "Enjoy your day."
"And you." Regulus watched as Lucius departed, the silent and still house-elf Dobby following close behind.
Regulus turned to Kreacher and said, "I suspect Mother and Father are expecting you back soon."
"Yes, Master Regulus," Kreacher confirmed.
Regulus put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a pumpkin pasty he'd wrapped in cloth. "Something for later."
Kreacher's face softened as he gingerly took the gift. "Thank you, master."
"You're more than welcome," Regulus said. "Don't let anyone catch you with that, though."
Kreacher nodded and Disapparated on the spot, leaving behind a faint crack in the air.
"No Apparition inside," the barman grumbled.
"My apologies," Regulus said half-heartedly. He was almost taken aback by how similar the man looked to Dumbledore… no, he was old. When a man reached a certain age, he could very easily be mistaken for another, even Dumbledore.
Thinking nothing of it, Regulus left.
Severus I
Severus sat quietly beside Lily as they ate their ice cream, although he'd eaten his as quickly as possible to get it out of the way before diluting the flavor with the lollipop… which he was starting to regret buying, but he wasn't about to admit it. Regardless, he found himself masking the pain that came with the brain freeze.
"Are you alright?" Lily asked.
"Fine," Severus breathed out.
"Brain freeze." It wasn't a question.
Severus grumbled a 'yes', which caused Lily to smile a bit; he felt a bit of warmth at that.
"You know it won't melt, right?" Lily asked. "You didn't have to eat it so fast."
"I know. Force of habit."
It had been a common ritual whenever Lily and Severus had gotten ice cream together, all starting from the very first time.
"Here!" Lily had returned from the ice cream van parked next to the Railview and jumped onto the bench they shared. "I got you Neapolitan!"
"What?"
"It's vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry."
"Why is it called Neapolitan?"
"I dunno. I think it's French."
"Sounds Italian."
"Do you speak Italian?"
"Not really, no. I know a bit of Latin."
Lily's eyes became saucers. "Like the Romans?"
"A bit. I'm named after Lucius Septimus Severus, founder of the Severan dynasty."
"... your name's not all of that, is it?"
Severus gave Lily a crooked smirk. "No, just the last bit."
"Well, try the ice cream, your majesty!"
Severus felt a grin spread over his face as he looked down at the frozen treat in front of him. It was starting to melt a bit, and he decided to taste the three flavors together….
It was awful.
Severus wasn't accustomed to sweet foods; his mother, bless her heart, never seasoned their watery meals, which was either groaty pudding, faggots, or porridge. But there was never anything sweet in the house, and the sweetest things Severus could knick from the grocer were sour apples.
Severus realized he'd slowed his mastication to a near-halt, and he also realized Lily was looking at him expectedly, her eyes alive with some sort of hopeful anticipation by whatever he was about to say. If not for the horrible flavor in his mouth, he would blush.
"How is it?" Lily's own strawberry ice cream had started dripping a bit.
"... bostin," Severus lied, forcing the ice cream down as quickly as possible. He could hear Lily giggling at his 'enthusiasm' as he scoffed the contents of the cone down, before diluting the taste with the cone itself. As he finished, a pain began to ache in his head, as though the blood itself was freezing.
"Severus, are you okay?!" Severus heard the splat of ice cream on pavement as Lily took his face in her hands and looked at him.
"My head hurts," Severus breathed out, squeezing his eyes shut. He was used to the sting of the switch, and fortunately that was only on his skin. But this was a new pain, something that came from deep within.
"Wait here!" Lily rushed away, leaving Severus on the bench in a near-curled position. After what felt like too long, he heard Lily's footsteps frantically return. He looked up and saw she had a cup of water. "Here."
Severus took the cup and started drinking it, but Lily stopped his hand and made him drink more slowly. Slowly but surely, the pain in his head subsided, and his breathing calmed. He looked down at Lily's ice cream on the pavement. "I'm sorry about your ice cream," he muttered.
"It's fine," Lily said. "I ate half of it, anyway."
"Does that always happen?"
"Only if you eat it too fast," Lily laughed.
"I didn't want it to melt," Severus lied. "It's a hot day."
"Do you want to go back to the spot?"
Severus nodded. "Sorry again about-"
"It's okay," Lily said, taking Severus by the arm and pulling him to his feet. "I'll race you there!"
As fast as Lily's legs moved, Severus's were faster-
"Severus?"
Severus looked up. "I'm just remembering the first time we had ice cream."
"You've said you don't like sweet things."
Severus nodded reluctantly. "Change of taste buds," he lied.
"Clearly," Lily said, gesturing to the lollipop as she finished her ice cream. "Can we talk?"
Severus looked around at the multitudes of students passing by. It wasn't particularly private, but at this point, he didn't care. "About… everything?"
"Yeah," Lily said. "How much time do you think we'd have?"
Severus shook his head. "I'm not sure. Talking is only part of it; the other part is taking time to process things."
"That sounds like it would take a while."
"It would," Severus said, "but I think it would take more than one conversation to fix… this."
"Right," Lily said, although something about her voice made Severus doubt her willingness. "And with studying, essays, and Prefect duties…."
"That's one thing I was thinking about," Severus said.
"What about the holiday?"
Severus was about to answer, but he stopped himself. The holiday would be the best option, although…. "I'll be going home to sort out the house, but… I think that would be good."
"Do you need help?"
The amount of time it took for Severus to answer was uncomfortably long. "No, I'd rather do it alone."
"If you need anything-"
"Don't worry," Severus quickly said. "It won't be too hard. Anyway, having our talk over the holiday works for me."
"What are you doing for Christmas?"
Severus blinked. He hadn't thought about that at all; his family didn't celebrate… well, any holidays. "I was going to… I'd thought I'd return to the cas…."
"Would you like to come over for Christmas dinner?"
As much as Severus wanted to accept the invitation, he knew it was a bad idea. Lily's parents, in the most charitable interpretation he could muster, didn't like him. "Would your parents object?"
"Well," Lily said slowly, "they know about what happened last year…."
"Right…."
"... and if I bring you to dinner, and you show how much you've improved, they might warm up to you."
Improved? Severus almost wanted to ask what she meant, but he knew better. "If they know about-"
"I'll write to them," Lily cut in. "If I write today, they'll have enough time to make up their minds. Also… I need you to do one more thing…."
"I have the distinct feeling I won't like what you're about to say."
"... when we go back to London… I want to spend the night at Tuney's."
"... no." There was only so much that Severus could tolerate.
"You're not even going to try?" Lily's hesitancy had vanished, now replaced with that familiar heat.
"Your parents adore me compared to how your sister sees me."
"I want us to make peace," Lily continued. "She's not as bad as you think she is."
"How so? She was jealous-"
"No, she wasn't!" Lily had raised her voice, and Severus held his tongue. As if she realized how loud she was, she lowered her voice. "She was upset that I was leaving her. She thinks I chose magic over her."
Severus wanted to say how self-centered Petunia was, but he realized that Lily would no doubt use his words against him. And realizing that she would use those words to point out his hypocrisy made him realize that he truly was a hypocrite. How self-centered had he been when… wait. Lily had wanted him to choose her over Dark Magic…. Severus cleared his head. It would do no good to think about this, if he ever wanted to reconcile. This was a conversation he wanted to have, but not yet.
Finally, breaking out of his thoughts, Severus asked, "Where does she live?"
"In a flat near Hyde Park. She doesn't have much room, but maybe you could sleep on the couch?"
How very generous of Lily to volunteer him to sleep- Severus stopped himself. He was starting to fall back into his habits. "Would she mind?"
"I'll mention it in my letter, and they could call or write to her. I don't think she'd appreciate an owl in the mail."
"It would probably be funny," Severus mused, which earned another smirk from Lily, breaking any tension he had.
"Would you try, then?"
Severus really, really didn't want to…. "I can try."
"... okay," Lily said, the relief on her face obvious to the naked eye.
The two of them sat in silence, watching the students. Severus could feel eyes on him every once in a while, although there was an odd feeling that a handful were focused on him. And with this sense of being watched came the familiar sense of impending danger. It was weak, but present, no doubt one of the Marauders' pranks. And yet it was somehow different….
"How are you feeling, Lily?" Lupin and MacDonald had returned from the Shrieking Shack, and Severus could tell MacDonald was somewhat bored.
"Better," Lily admitted. "How was the visit?"
"A bit boring," MacDonald admitted as they walked right up to them. "Not fun when it's quiet-" MacDonald let out a yelp as her feet suddenly slipped out from under her, causing her to fall back. Before he knew it, Severus had thrown himself off the bench, diving to where MacDonald would land and stretching his arms out to stop her head from hitting the ground. One hand found the back of MacDonald's head, while the other found the space between her shoulder blades, and the rest of his body found the hard ground.
"Mary, are you alright?!" Lupin knelt down to check on MacDonald, and Severus pulled his hands out from under her. He glanced at Lupin to find that the Prefect was giving him another odd look.
"I'm okay," MacDonald groaned, and Severus could see her eyes were watery.
"I can take her back to the castle," Lily said, helping MacDonald onto her feet.
"I'm fine," MacDonald insisted, but she winced as she straightened up.
"Where did you hit the ground hardest?"
"On…" MacDonald lowered her voice. "... on my bum."
"Tail bone?" Severus asked.
MacDonald nodded.
"You should check with Madam Pomfrey," Severus said. "It might be bruised. Nothing she couldn't fix."
Severus walked with Lily and MacDonald to the wagons, his steps slowing slightly at the sight of the thestrals. The skeletal black horses were docile, but the look a few of them gave Severus made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. It was an unceremonious reminder of the first time he'd witnessed death firsthand, of that night up in the Astronomy Tower, when Dumbledore, withered black hand and all, had pleaded with him….
You didn't kill him.
Severus remembered raising his wand, speaking unforgivable words that preceded a flash of green light-
You did not kill him.
Severus snapped out of his thoughts as Lily and MacDonald got onto one of the wagons. MacDonald turned back to Severus and asked, "Are you not coming?"
Severus shook his head. "I haven't bought my ink and parchment yet."
"Oh. Okay."
"We'll see you later," Lily said to Severus as the wagon left.
Severus stayed for a few seconds before turning back to Hogsmeade.
That wasn't an accident.
My thoughts exactly.
Pettigrew?
He went to the… loo….
A perfect chance to transform and apply the solution. However….
… he would need to revert to human form to apply it.
Unless partial transfiguration was involved. But he would need to access the vial or flask from his pocket.
I think an explanation is in order when we return to the castle.
Remus II
"... Merlin's beard." Sirius looked pale as Remus told him what had happened with Snape. They had chosen to meet in a secluded grove just outside of Hogsmeade. "So-"
"I'm convinced," Remus replied.
"And you really think he was responsible for Mary's slip?" Marlene asked.
"He went to catch her before her first foot was even off the ground," Remus said. "As if he knew what was about to happen." Most people wouldn't have caught what had happened, but Remus wasn't most people.
Everyone present, especially Peter, looked uncomfortable. James said, "In that case… bugger, we really don't have too much evidence outside of an eyewitness. Lily didn't notice?"
Remus shook his head. "She was a bit preoccupied with Mary slipping and almost hurting herself. As much as I don't want to admit it, it's a good thing Snape caught her. Any later, and she could've cracked her head open."
"That's a bit generous," Peter said timidly.
"I saw where she landed," Remus said. "Her head was right on top of a bit of jagged stone."
Marlene's mouth opened slightly as she looked at Sirius and said, "I need to check on her."
"Go for it," Sirius nodded. As Marlene hurried off, he turned to James and Peter and said, "How do we sort this out?"
"We need proof," James said. "So, nothing's changed. Anything, Pete?"
Peter shook his head. "No, it's just that… well… sometimes, he talks to himself."
"He really has lost it," Sirius muttered.
"I hear him when I'm approaching the door," Peter continued. "It's like he's talking to another person, but there's no other voice."
"Well, we need to figure out a way to prove…." James turned to Remus. "Wait. What you mentioned about the Shack: if what you're saying is true…."
"... where are the bodies?" Sirius finished.
"Actually," Peter added, "how come no disappearances have been reported?"
Remus couldn't answer either question. In theory, it made sense, but it was true that there had been no reported cases of missing persons in the area. And if Snape had truly been bringing his victims to the Shack, coupled with how often the screaming had occurred, there would have to be dozens of victims.
"... maybe he used Memory Charms?" Sirius suggested.
"That would only go so far," Remus replied. "He'd have to alter the memories of every single person in his victims' lives, or at least those close enough, before they had the chance to notice."
"I don't have to go back there, do I?" Peter sounded unsure about his role in all of this.
"If he hasn't caught you yet, you should be fine," James reassured him.
"R-right." Peter looked down at his feet and kicked a small rock. "Wait, what about Mary?"
"Right…." James took a moment to think about how to respond. "Maybe Marlene could warn-"
"Wait," Remus quickly said. "If we don't have proof and we accuse him of being something he's not, imagine how that would make us look."
"Like complete nutters," Sirius nodded. "Our best bet is finding any bodies we can. Maybe in the Forbidden Forest."
"Possibly," James said. "Right… we may need to get up to a bit of mischief, Moony."
"In this case, I fully understand," Remus said. "Just make sure I don't witness anything."
"Why not?"
"If I catch you, I have to punish you. It's the principle of it."
James nodded. "Right, that's fair. How was the date, by the way?"
Sirius grinned and said, "Not bad at all, mate."
As James and Sirius dissolved into a conversation regarding Marlene, Remus noticed Peter's lack of enthusiasm, as though the boy wasn't even paying attention. Something was wrong, but Remus wasn't sure what.
Finally, Remus said to Peter, "If you're nervous about going back, maybe we can find-"
"N-no," Peter quickly said. "That's not it."
"What's wrong, mate?" James and Sirius had stopped their own conversation.
"You…." Peter paused. "... I'm not too fat, am I?"
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.
"He knows, mate," James said quietly.
"Oh…. Pete, I'll be honest with you. You're getting a bit fat."
"I would've said disproportional," James said, "but yeah."
Peter looked down at his feet again.
"We're not saying this to hurt you, mate," Sirius said. "We just think that-"
"But I eat the same amount as the rest of you," Peter said defensively. "Okay, not Moony, but you know what I mean…."
"Look," James said, "I'm a Chaser, Sirius is… well, look at this man's build." He gestured to Sirius's taller, more muscular physique. "And Remus is… well, you know."
"We're saying this out of love," Remus said. "Honestly, if you ate less bread, you would probably be fine."
"... okay…." Peter said quietly.
"Also," Sirius added, "if you're running around as Wormtail, you might slim down a bit more. Rats are pretty fit."
Peter nodded. "Alright."
"So," James said, "Three Broomsticks?"
Mary II
Mary wished she'd done a better job of hiding her pain as she watched Hogsmeade move slowly away, the wagon being pulled by invisible forces back to the castle. Lily was sitting beside her, and a relatively sweaty Snape was sitting across from the two of them. He was gingerly holding his ink and parchment folder, glancing to the front before glancing back at Hogsmeade. He furrowed his brow and said, "McKinnon."
Mary turned and saw Marlene running up to the wagon, jumping on and slamming into Mary, causing the latter to wince as her bum slid on the wooden bench. "Hi, Marley. How was your date?"
"It was fine, how are you feeling?" Marlene wrapped an arm around Mary protectively, and the latter noticed the look the former was giving Snape. "Good catch, Snape."
"Hmm." Snape adjusted his grip on the folder.
"I landed a bit hard," Mary admitted. "But I should be fine."
"Atta girl." Marlene gave her a small hug before relinquishing her hold.
"You were really fast," Mary said to Snape.
"He's always been fast," Lily said. "I almost suggested he try out for Quidditch."
"I don't like Quidditch," Snape said.
"You don't like anything, much," Marlene retorted.
Snape looked at Marlene, an odd, uncomfortable light in his eyes. Mary wasn't sure how to describe it, but the stare was similar to the one he'd given Mulciber that time after Herbology… no, this was more intense than that.
"Severus?"
Snape was brought out of his stare by Lily's voice. "Hmm?"
Lily didn't say anything, and Mary turned to see that she was giving him a reproachful look. Mary looked back to Snape, seeing that the Slytherin boy had settled, the heat leaving his eyes and dulling over.
The rest of the ride back to the castle was quiet, although Lily and Marlene made a bit of small talk every now and then about the feast tomorrow night. Snape was completely silent, glancing down at his parchment and occasional to the front, as he had done before. Each time he did, he seemed unsettled, and his eyes darted just about anywhere that wasn't Lily or Marlene. On one occasion, he made eye contact with Mary, though she could tell it had been an accident based on his immediate need to look somewhere else.
At that moment, Mary realized that Snape wasn't scary; Snape was scared, despite making an effort not to show it. He reminded her of how she herself had been two years ago, just when she'd been Sorted and seated with the other Gryffindors. It was no secret that Snape had been Gryffindor's punching bag for the past five years, and while Mary never really knew why, she had assumed it was because he was trying to do something bad. But the person sitting in front of her didn't really look like a bad person; he just looked like he wanted to get away. To hide somewhere.
Mary remembered how Lily used to spend time with him, and how their relationship had disappeared around Valentine's Day last term. They had barely spoken until that day by the lake where Snape had called her a mudblood, which had let everyone know how he truly felt… about….
That didn't make sense. Snape was actively spending time with Mary, a mudblood, when he could've chosen not to, and if he was choosing to spend time with her…. Mary stopped. Why was he spending time with her? To win back Lily's friendship? Possibly, but he could do any number of things to do that, and Lily was hesitant in even letting the two of them spend time together, even when it was out in the open, and even after Snape had just saved Mary from hitting her head.
And yet, Snape was open to changing; he seemed willing to do things that he clearly wanted nothing to do with. If Snape was putting in the effort to make amends with Lily by any means necessary, then Mary was going to do more to help.
But only after her tail bone was sorted out.
Lily II
Lily didn't feel well as she and Severus walked Mary to the Hospital Wing. She thought the fresh air would have been good for her, but there was still that heavy feeling in her head, as though slightly weighing her down. A nap would remedy that.
The three of them arrived, and Madam Pomfrey looked up from a first-year Ravenclaw lying on one of the beds. She briskly walked over and said, "What is it now, Mr. Snape?"
"MacDonald," Severus said briefly, gesturing to Mary.
"Ah, I see. Sorry." Madam Pomfrey gestured for Mary to follow her, and Lily watched as Mary awkwardly explained what had happened.
Lily turned to Severus and said, "I didn't thank you for saving Mary."
"It's fine," Severus replied disinterestedly.
"No. Thank you."
Severus made eye contact with Lily with an unreadable look before responding. "Of course."
"Are you…?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you and Mary… friends?"
"You're not jealous, are you?" For a moment, Severus sounded amused.
Lily held back a smile and said, "You're spending more time with her than with me, so I was just wondering."
"We play Gobstones," Severus answered, "but outside of that… I'm not sure."
"You've also helped her outside of that."
"If you're referring to Mulciber-"
"That, and saving her life not an hour ago."
"More than an hour, actually-"
"Regardless," Lily said, "you're doing more than playing Gobstones."
"For the record," Severus explained, "the run-in with Mulciber was a coincidence."
"Doesn't matter."
Severus went quiet, and Madam Pomfrey walked over to the two of them.
"Miss MacDonald's tail bone is a bit bruised, but she should be better in an hour or two."
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Lily said.
"Of course, dear." Madam Pomfrey returned to Mary and began treatment just as Lily and Severus left.
After spending a brief time walking, Lily said, "I'm going to go lay down for a bit."
"Are you still not feeling well?"
"Sleepy," Lily replied. There was something off about the look Severus was giving her. "What?"
"Nothing," Severus said. "It's odd you're still feeling off."
"Maybe," Lily said dismissively.
"I'll walk you back to-"
"Don't worry," Lily interrupted. "I can make it back." Severus was still giving her that look. "I'm fine. Really."
Severus nodded reluctantly. "Go to Pomfrey if-"
"I know, go to Pomfrey. I'm not stupid." Lily hadn't realized the tone of her voice until after the words had come out. "Sorry, I don't know where that came from."
"You've always been grumpy without a good night's sleep," Severus mused, although the tension was still in his gaze.
"True," Lily admitted.
"Lily?"
"Yeah?"
Severus was about to say something, but he stopped himself. "Nevermind, I just answered my own question. Don't worry about it."
"Alright."
The two of them reached the staircase connecting the fourth and fifth floors, and Severus stopped. "I'll be coming to the feast tomorrow."
Lily looked at Severus, surprised by his words. "You are?"
"Mandatory," Severus said begrudgingly. "Also, it might do me some good to get out of my room."
"You know you'll be sitting with Slytherin," Lily said, reminding him.
"You don't trust me."
Despite Lily's best effort, she couldn't utter a single word in response. And she realized he was right.
"I'll eat quickly and leave," Severus said.
"N-"
"I understand; I don't blame you for being cautious." The defeat in Severus's voice was palpable. "I'll see you later."
"Alright." Lily watched as Severus disappeared down the corridor before making her own way up the staircase to the seventh floor.
As Lily arrived outside the portrait, she felt the familiar heaviness return. She spoke the password and entered, making her way into her dorm room and collapsing on the bed. She took a slow breath before forcing herself to sit back up, grabbing the diary and sitting herself down at the desk. As she opened it up, the words on the page surprised her.
When you return and we're alone, may I come out?
Lily didn't know what to make of the request. Tom had promised not to pop out when he could control it, but he'd woken her up in the middle of the night; she'd forgiven him, of course, because he couldn't control himself.
Only for a bit.
As she set the quill down, Lily turned to the spot where Tom usually stood, and her heart fluttered as soon as she laid eyes on him. The illustrations he made in the diary did him a disservice. He was hauntingly beautiful, his features noble and refined, his jet-black hair clearly cared for, and his pale skin unblemished.
"I can't help but-" Tom stopped, his eyes widening.
Lily froze. "Did… you…?"
"... I did." Tom covered his mouth. "I… you can hear me?"
Lily nodded, speechless.
Tom looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers before moving to pick something up, but his hand passed through it. "Oh… no touch…." His excitement quickly shifted to disappointment.
"It's… it's progress…."
"You're not comfortable with this, are you?"
"Honestly…" Lily thought it unkind to lie to him. "... it's a bit disturbing."
"How long do we have?"
"Marley's having lunch at the moment," Lily said. "We have… maybe ten minutes?"
"I won't stay long," Tom said. "I just wanted to test this out. Shall I leave you to… do whatever you were about to do?"
Lily nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to you later?"
"Certainly." Tom gave her a tired smile before vanishing.
Lily glanced at the open diary, seeing that Tom had decided not to write anything. She closed it, setting it with her other books before taking off her robe and lying down on her bed. She closed her eyes, and the heaviness began to subside bit by bit as she felt herself sink into her bed.
Severus II
Evening came sooner than Severus had thought; he'd spent the day buried in a book on alchemy. He was sitting at his desk when Wormtail wriggled under the door and scurried to his bed, reverting to his Pettigrew form. Pettigrew sat on the bed and said, "S-so-"
"You put Mary MacDonald in harm's way."
"What?"
"Her fall was no accident. It was the same solution you used just outside my room, the one resulting in my concussion. Do you recall?"
Pettigrew didn't respond verbally, so Severus glanced over to see that the fat boy was nodding. "I-"
"Let me make one thing clear to you," Severus said. "I tolerate your antics because I have more pressing concerns, but MacDonald has nothing to do with this."
"I-We would never-"
"If you ever involve her in any of your so-called 'pranks', I'm sending both letters. And there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent that. Is that understood?"
"Of course, I'd never-"
"You did."
"L-look, James and Sirius were just as upset, and Marlene-"
"I. Do Not. Care." Severus enunciated each word so that Pettigrew's feeble mind could understand. "Don't do it again."
"R-right, we won't." Pettigrew went quiet.
"Anyway," Severus said. "Have there been any developments?"
"Well… um… Sirius and Marlene are dating… James is still trying to get Lily…. Um… I'm being put on a diet…."
Severus could hear the hesitancy in Pettigrew's voice, and it didn't take Legilimency or foresight to know he was withholding information. "You're hiding something."
"What?" Pettigrew squeaked.
"I can tell. You're hiding something. I don't appreciate that too much, if I'm being completely honest."
"... okay," Pettigrew said slowly, his voice sounding forced. "Um… we think you're…."
"Go on."
"... a vampire."
Severus froze. A vampire. "Elaborate."
"Physical appearance, separation from the rest of the students, aversion to garlic, the marks on your neck, that blood lollipop earlier…." Pettigrew's voice trailed off. "They want me to spy on you…."
Severus took a moment to process what he'd just heard. They were spending time and effort trying to have a potential Dark Creature expelled, while at the same time having one in their ranks. He could almost laugh at the hypocrisy. "So, you believe I'm a vampire."
"... yes…."
"And how exactly would you go about proving it?"
"Um… just… spying on you."
"You realize that any information you gather from my room would bring more questions than answers, such as the means by which you can even get past the door in the first place."
"They… well, they also want to investigate the Shrieking Shack…."
Severus looked at the boy. Why would- The vampire theory didn't bother him, but investigating the Shrieking Shack in relation to him…. "Why?"
Pettigrew's eyes widened and darted around the room like a fool, looking for a way to escape. "It- I-"
"By all means," Severus said smoothly, "feel free to speak."
"... they think you murdered people over the summer."
Severus let out a tired sigh. "Alright then, you can go now."
Pettigrew quickly transformed and scurried out of the room, his pitter-pattering fading.
"Snarky."
Pop. "Yes, sir?"
"How's dinner coming along?"
Snarky snapped his fingers, and a bowl of groaty pudding appeared before Severus. "Prepared to Severus Snape's exact specifications, sir."
Severus nodded, taking a small spoonful to taste. The groats were soft, and the leek and onion was mild enough for his palette. The beef, sparse as it was, gave the meal a relatively rich flavor, but not rich enough to make him feel sick. "Excellent. Thank you, Snarky."
"Of course, sir." Pop.
Severus ate his meal gingerly, keeping pace with his appetite until he emptied the bowl. Dabbing his mouth with the provided napkin and downing the glass of water, he stood and walked over to an empty part of the room, laying himself down on his stomach and getting in a push-up position. It was embarrassing how difficult it had been for him to take Lily to the Hospital Wing, and if ever he had reason to carry her (almost wishful thinking, if not for the context), he needed an adequate amount of physical strength. He could've levitated her, but with how unpredictable his wandwork and coordination was, he couldn't trust himself. He could better trust his ability to carry someone for an amount of time… as long as he was strong enough.
After completing a few sets of calisthenics, from push-ups to squats to various stretches, his body felt sore. No doubt, he was performing abysmally compared to the average Muggle boy his age, another consequence of his philosophy on 'mind over matter' after coming to Hogwarts. His footspeed was reliable, or it was once reliable prior to his summer, so he would have to find somewhere spacious to run.
As Severus entered the shower and let the water relax his muscles, he looked down at his chest and stomach. Silver lines marred his skin, with some portions jutting in or out depending on how the scar had been gained. Without Professor Snape's presence, these would be the ones he was most self-conscious about; with Professor Snape, it was the Dark Mark that gave him the most trouble.
A sense of dread suddenly flooded Severus's body, his knees nearly giving out. He shut off the water and braced himself for whatever would follow, and he was met with the sensation of something twisting up his body, coiling and wrapping itself around his limbs like an invisible rope. As soon as the sensation came, it vanished, leaving him cold and naked.
I felt that.
It felt like a snake…. Severus looked down at his arm, the Mark unmoving. Do you think it's related?
No. Whatever this was, it's different.
Severus stepped out of the shower, ignoring the fact that he hadn't washed his hair. Before he could respond, he heard a distant knocking sound. Lily. He quickly pulled his bathrobe on, pulling his left sleeve down as far as it could go to cover the Mark, and hurried to the door. He opened it, revealing Lily on the other side.
"Hi… did I interrupt something?"
"I was just getting out of the shower," Severus half-lied. "How are you?"
"I was more tired than I thought," Lily said. "Mary's fine, by the way."
Severus nodded. "That's good. Would've been a bad fall."
"Right." Lily was still for a moment, and the feeling of dread began to return to the pit of Severus's stomach. "Anyway, I wrote that letter to Mum and Dad. I should be getting a response back in about a week. Muggle mail."
"No doubt," Severus confirmed. "That reminds me of the time we snooped around in Petunia's room and found that letter. I'd always wondered how Muggle parents could contact the school." As he said this, he noticed Lily's mood shift. "And… that was when Petunia started hating you."
"I guess some of it was my fault," Lily murmured. "We can talk about it when we see her."
"I suppose we must," Severus nodded reluctantly. "Well, we have the holiday to look forward to, then."
Lily smiled. "I'll see you at tomorrow night's feast?"
"Only if you're there," Severus said, quickly realizing how that sounded. "Wait, that came out wrong."
"I know what you meant." Lily stepped back. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night." Severus watched Lily walk away. He shut the door behind him, dropping his bathrobe by the wardrobe as he got ready for bed.
I've been meaning to say this for a while, but couldn't we acquire something better to sleep in?
I'm not wearing a nightshirt.
They're comfortable, economical, and efficient.
You didn't wear pants.
I'm not stopping you from wearing pants!
Severus rolled his eyes as he muttered out loud, "Fine, I'll… consider it."
Regulus II
Sunday, 31 October 1976
Regulus found a seat between Rosier and Talkalot at breakfast, finding a nice stack of pancakes with some sort of chocolate syrup. Smiling to himself, he took a pancake and a generous amount of syrup before eating, listening to Rosier's conversation with Mulciber, Avery, and Wilkes.
"I wanted to stay at the castle for the holiday," Mulciber said. "Maybe Father can have someone collect me at Hogsmeade for the evening?"
"Is that allowed?" Avery asked.
"I don't see why not. I'll ask Slughorn for permission. I guess I'm the only one staying?"
"So it would seem," Wilkes said, gingerly cutting some sausage before jabbing the piece with her fork. "My family's traveling to Greece, and it wouldn't do well not to go with them."
"I wish I could go to Greece," Avery muttered.
"You'll get your license soon enough," Rosier said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "Maybe you could treat us all to a bit of a Side-Along?"
"Get you a few female prospects," Mulciber grinned, slapping Avery on the back.
"Please," Wilkes scoffed. "As if Apparition could attract a mate for… well, him."
Avery let out a small sigh. "You don't have to say it like that…."
"You'll do fine," Mulciber said. "You'll get it this year. Just don't get… eager."
"Remain focused," Rosier said, "and you'll succeed. Only then will you have enough freedom to do… whatever you were trying last time."
"I thought we agreed not to talk about that," Avery said quietly.
"What, the 'Avery Offensive'?" Wilkes held back a laugh.
"I-it could work," Avery said quickly. "It's…."
"Look," Mulciber said, "let's face it. When it comes to inventing stuff, you're no Snape."
"... I miss him a bit," Avery said.
"Yeah," Mulciber agreed, although Regulus noted a strange hesitancy.
"He should be coming to the feast," Regulus chimed in, earning the eyes of the four upperclassmen. "I spoke with him earlier this morning."
"How is he?" Rosier asked.
"He's looking less pale," Regulus said.
"Really?" Wilkes didn't sound convinced. "He barely leaves his room."
"Can't believe he gets his own bloody room," Mulciber muttered as he swallowed some scrambled eggs. "Where's my room?"
"I dread what you would use that room for," Rosier said.
Regulus turned his attention away from Rosier's group, letting the voices of the Great Hall wash over him. Talkalot was chatting away to a group of younger Slytherin girls, clearly excited about the upcoming Quidditch match with Gryffindor. He might go to that, just so he could watch James Potter get knocked off his broom; it was wishful thinking, but a boy could dream. Then again, he could try out for Slytherin next year, assuming it didn't conflict with his schedule. He'd wanted to originally, but Prefect duties took precedence, especially when he had something to prove.
While Regulus was thinking about his next move, an owl descended and landed right next to his plate, feathers covering his pancakes. He held back a sigh at his ruined meal (Hogwarts really needed to modernize its mailing system) and took the letter from the owl's beak, offering it some bacon in return. The owl ignored the bacon and instead nipped some of the pancake, flying off.
"Letter?" Rosier's attention had turned to Regulus.
Regulus looked it over, the name reading 'Lucius Malfoy', but the handwriting was different. "I'll see what it is later. After break… fast…." Regulus looked down at the ruined plate. "Nevermind, I'm returning to the common room."
Regulus excused himself and left the Great Hall, making his way to the Dungeons and heading up to his room. He quickly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, and it was indeed not in Lucius's handwriting:
Regulus Arcturus Black,
You are currently reading what would appear to be a blank sheet of parchment to any eye but yours, and let me begin by commending you for your effort in bringing the book into the school and leaving it in the hands of Lily Evans. As to how I know her name, I have my ways.
You may be wondering who I am and what my role is, but I am afraid that I cannot tell you at this time. Know that I am an ally, and that I have spoken at length with Lucius; he and I have worked together on something you must not yet know of. However, you still have a role to play.
During the week before the Christmas holiday, on the 16th of December, you are to arrive in the Owlery at 7:30 in the evening and look under your owl's nests; you will find the book entrusted to you there. I need you to return it to Lucius without fail.
Sincerely,
A Friend
Regulus froze. No one, no one, should know about the book. He didn't know who the author of this letter was, but he knew that something was wrong. He set the letter down and took out his daily planner, finding the 16th and making a note. He quickly went downstairs, bringing his Divination textbook with him as Avery and Mulciber walked in.
"Hey, Black."
"Avery."
Mulciber lounged on the black couch, taking a bite out of the apple he was holding. "Rosier said you got a letter."
"Lucius," Regulus lied. "Nothing too important, just some things about the gala."
"Like what?" They were really pushing his ability to lie.
"Now now," Regulus bluffed, "I can't give away any secrets."
"Must be rather significant," Mulciber remarked, raising a brow.
Regulus smirked. "Naturally; never expect mediocrity from a Malfoy gala."
"Especially not when Narcissa Bl- Malfoy is involved," Avery mused. "Merlin's beard, she's breathtaking."
"I don't really get it," Mulciber replied.
"You don't like older women," Avery shot back.
"True."
"What do you think, Black?"
"About Cissy?" Regulus asked.
"Yeah; you're cousins."
"Oh," Regulus said. "She's exceptionally beautiful. Lucius is a fortunate man."
"I've noticed you're calling him 'Lucius' and not 'Malfoy'."
"Are we not family?" Regulus asked.
"Rosier's just as close to family as you are," Mulciber retorted.
"And I'm sure Rosier has the same privilege as I do," Regulus said smugly.
Avery tapped Mulciber on the shoulder and asked, "Hogsmeade?"
"I'll pass," Mulciber said. "I think I'll just steal some chocolate from a third-year."
Regulus drowned them out with the words in Professor Vablatsky's book. How or why Dumbledore had asked that foreign witch to teach Divination this year was beyond him… aside of course from the prophecy… actually, Regulus could understand. Perhaps Dumbledore was trying to figure out its contents, just as Regulus was, but it was difficult to believe that someone as formidable as him would need Vablatsky to figure it out. His mind must be deteriorating. It would almost be amusing for the old man to think Lockhart was a potential candidate, but it would also be a bit disappointing. But if that was the case, if Dumbledore had brought her here for that reason, then it meant there was no guarantee that Snape was the Half-Blood Prince, despite almost all evidence pointing to that conclusion.
All Regulus knew, at this moment, was that he needed more information before he could act. Who was the author of the letter? What was the significance of the book? What role did Lily Evans have in all of this? And, most importantly, who was the Half-Blood Prince?
Lily III
"... Lily…. Lily!"
Lily awoke, her whole body slick and sweltering. "Marley?"
"You're burning up," Marlene said. "Come on, you need to go to the infirmary."
"How…?"
"I don't know." Marlene helped Lily out of bed, the latter realizing her body felt heavy again. It was just like before, but this time something was off. It was as though the heat was trying to seep into her instead of radiating out.
"Wand," Lily murmured, and Marlene obliged and grabbed Lily's wand.
"I'm going to levitate you, alright?" Marlene asked.
Lily nodded, and Marlene conjured a stretcher for Lily to lie on. As Lily laid down, she felt herself float up and out of the room, descending the steps to the dorm. "What time is it?" Lily asked.
"It's past noon," Marlene said softly.
"... Hogsmeade…."
"Shh, don't worry about it. I'm going to talk to McGonagall and see if I can do your job for today, alright?"
"But-"
"It's alright," Marlene insisted.
Before Lily knew it, she was in the Hospital Wing, and she felt two pairs of arms lay her down on the bed. She recognized the familiar voice of Madam Pomfrey, though the words were muffled by her own fatigue. After some time had passed, she felt someone hold her hand, and she turned and found Professor McGonagall sitting beside her.
"Madam Pomfrey has told me about your condition," McGonagall said. "And Miss McKinnon has suggested that she perform your duties for the rest of the day, or at least until you have fully recovered."
Lily didn't have enough strength to argue, so she nodded her head. She hated that she was confined to a bed when she had things to do. She was already thinking about the next Slug Club party, meeting with Petunia once the holiday started, spending Christmas with her parents and Severus….
"Professor," Lily breathed out, realizing the act of speaking was tiring enough. "Sev… Severus…."
"What is it, dear?"
"I have to check on him before dinner. He promised-"
"I can visit him personally at 6:00, if you wish."
Lily nodded, her uselessness bringing tears to her eyes.
"You'll be alright, dear," McGonagall said softly. "You've been overworking yourself." With that, the Head of Gryffindor stood and left.
Lily drew her hand over the blanket that was somehow covering her, and she found that her badge was no longer pinned to her breast… oh, she'd removed her robe earlier. She looked up at the ceiling, her eyes glazing over as she struggled to focus on any one thing. She should've taken Severus's advice and visited Pomfrey beforehand; maybe then she wouldn't have reached this point.
As Lily's eyes started to close, she saw a dark shape flicker by her side, and she felt herself sink into the bed, her fatigue drawing her into a comfortable sleep.
Remus III
Remus was in the middle of his Defense essay on Dementors when Marlene came down the steps with Lily lying on a floating stretcher. He quickly got up and ran to them and asked, "What's-"
"She needs to go to the Hospital Wing," Marlene said, her voice filled with panic.
Remus helped her out the entryway and through the corridors, guiding her down each floor as she talked to Lily.
"What time is it?" Lily asked weakly.
"It's past noon," Marlene said softly.
"... Hogsmeade…."
"Shh, don't worry about it. I'm going to talk to McGonagall and see if I can do your job for today, alright?"
"But-"
"It's alright," Marlene insisted. "It's alright."
As they approached the Hospital Wing, Remus said, "I can take her in; you should get Professor McGonagall."
Without a word, Marlene turned and ran in the direction of McGonagall's Office.
Remus levitated the stretcher in, only for Madam Pomfrey to stand from her desk with wide eyes. "What's wrong with Miss Evans?"
"I don't know," Remus answered. "Marlene found her in bed like this. I don't-"
"Come, help her on the bed."
Remus assisted Madam Pomfrey in transferring Lily from the stretcher to the bed. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" Remus asked.
"I'll have to check," Pomfrey answered, "but I suspect it to be fatigue-related."
"That doesn't make sense," Remus said. "I thought she'd recovered by now."
"Well, regardless, she needs to stay overnight so I can keep an eye on her."
Remus nodded as Marlene and Professor McGonagall arrived. "Something's happened with Miss Evans," McGonagall said with a hint of panic.
"Fatigue," Pomfrey replied. She turned to Remus and Marlene and said, "She's in good hands now, but she needs proper rest."
"We'll leave," Remus said, leading Marlene out of the Hospital Wing by the arm and down the corridor. As he glanced at Marlene, he could see that her breathing was erratic, her eyes glazed over as though she couldn't focus. He found an alcove and had Marlene rest against the wall, holding her softly by her arms as he helped her regain control. "Breathe, Marley."
Marlene nodded, trying to steady herself as she closed her eyes. "I-I don't know- I should've done something sooner."
"She's with Madam Pomfrey," Remus said. "Everything's going to be fine."
"I can't imagine how James would react."
"He wouldn't conjure a stretcher, that's for certain."
Marlene nodded in agreement, a hint of amusement on her face. Before she could say anything, Professor McGonagall came down the corridor and stopped right outside the alcove.
"Miss Evans will recover soon enough," McGonagall said assuringly. "Miss McKinnon, for your actions, you will receive ten points."
"I wasn't fast enough-"
"You still acted in your friend's best interest," McGonagall interrupted. "And, given her condition, I will accept your request to fulfill her duties as Prefect. But only when Miss Evans requires medical attention."
Marlene nodded. "I'll get her badge." She gave Remus a sad smile before leaving the alcove.
"I am curious as to why you are not supervising the students in Hogsmeade, Mr. Lupin."
"Lily and I were going to work on rotation for the trips," Remus answered. "Today was supposed to be her day, but I thought she'd already left."
"I see," McGonagall said. "Well, in that case, perhaps you should accompany Miss McKinnon and teach her how to perform her duties?"
"Yes, professor," Remus said, leaving the alcove to follow after Marlene.
Remus made his way into the common room, where he found Marlene rushing down the steps, fumbling to pin the badge to her robes. He calmly walked over and took her hands, taking the badge away and helping her with it. "It's a bit tricky the first time," he said, keeping his voice gentle.
"Thanks," Marlene said quietly.
"I'll come with you to Hogsmeade," Remus added. "McGonagall wants me to teach you the basics."
"I can manage."
"I insist," Remus said. "Maybe we could get something from Honeydukes?"
Marlene shook her head. "I'm not really hungry."
"You can't do Lily's job on an empty stomach," Remus argued. "It's on me."
"... alright, then."
"I just hope Sirius doesn't get jealous."
Marlene let out an involuntary laugh, which made Remus smile. "I think he just might."
Mary III
M.M.
Owlery, 5:30 PM
Mary didn't recognize the handwriting on the note she'd received during breakfast, but she didn't need to. The fact that it wasn't signed was telling, and she knew that failing to show up would only make what would follow worse.
"Have you tried the Sugared Butterfly Wings?" Xeno asked. "They taste rather delicate."
"I… I don't think I'll have any," Mary said, Xeno's voice snapping her out of her head and back into Honeydukes. "Are they real wings?"
Xeno checked the box. "Yes."
"Why?"
"Well, perhaps they're making use of the lepidulce in butterfly wings?"
Mary almost asked what that was, but she stopped herself. But Xeno decided to answer her unasked question.
"Lepidulce is a sugary secretion on butterfly wings which asks as a sort of mating beacon. It's also a mild aphrodisiac."
"... why would you eat them, then?"
Xeno looked down at the box again. "They taste good."
"That-" Mary stopped as she spotted Remus and Marlene walking outside. "Give me a moment." She quickly left the shop and ran up to them. "Hey, Marley."
"Hi," Marlene replied. Her voice sounded hoarse.
"What's wrong? And where's Lily?"
"She's ill," Remus explained. "I thought she'd left early to meet with you, but Marlene found her in bed past noon. She's with Pomfrey now."
Mary noticed the Prefect badge pinned to Marlene's robe. "Are you taking Lily's job?"
Marlene looked down at the badge and said, "Just when she's ill. Remus is showing me the basics right now."
"And the first part of the job is to keep yourself vitalized." Remus nudged Marlene to follow him. "Chocolate, or something else?"
"I'll look around," Marlene replied.
Mary went with Marlene to find something, while Remus stayed by the counter and started an inaudible conversation with Xeno. Mary asked, "So, what're you getting?"
"Not in the mood for chocolate," Marlene replied. "Maybe something with pumpkin."
"Pasty?"
"Maybe. Or maybe some fizz." Marlene grabbed a bottle of the carbonated pumpkin juice and asked, "What about you?"
"I'll have the same," Mary said, grabbing another bottle and following Marlene to the front desk, where Remus paid for their drinks. The older boy was nibbling on a bar of chocolate as the three of them, including Xeno, left the shop.
"We'll see you in a bit," Remus said mid-chew as he and Marlene walked off.
"See you later," Mary called after them. She turned to Xeno and asked, "I can't wait for the feast tonight!"
"I expect it to be quite festive," Xeno replied, his head in the clouds. "I think I'll go to Scrivenshafts for a bit." Before Mary could respond, Xeno walked away.
Mary sat down on the bench nearby and took a sip of fizz. 5:30, in the Owlery, of all places. Mulciber had never written her a note before, but the fact that he had meant that whatever he wanted was important. She wondered if she should go to Snape about this, but she paused. He'd admitted that he'd only been passing by the last time Mulciber had her against a wall, and he wasn't known to be friends with Umbridge. But he used to be Mulciber's friend; for all Mary knew, they might still be friends. As ridiculous as it sounded, there was still some uncertainty in her mind about the whole situation with Snape. And she didn't know what Mulciber would do if he found out she'd told Snape….
Taking another sip, Mary decided she wouldn't risk it. Besides, with Lily in the Hospital Wing, she didn't want Snape to worry about both of his fr- She stopped herself. Technically speaking, Lily wasn't friends with Snape, and the same was even more true when it came to Mary. Still, Snape should only have to worry about one thing at a time. What was one meeting with Mulciber compared to hospitalization?
Severus III
The sense of dread that had plagued Severus had grown heavier ever since he'd woken up. Usually, after reliving his life as Professor Snape, he would find comfort in waking up, collecting his thoughts, and settling his emotions to a comfortable stillness. But this morning hadn't been a typical morning, not by any standard. Severus hadn't just relived the professor's life last night; he'd been reliving the night he learned of Lily's death, on Sunday the 1st of November, 1981….
Severus was busy grading the various potions handed in to him the day before, and he had just recovered from a headache relating to an incident in Hogsmeade; it had to be a new record of a student losing Hogsmeade privileges. He had the sneaking suspicion that grading potions wasn't particularly good for his mood, as he had the displeasure of grading the first- and fourth-years; between woeful inexperience and adolescent recklessness, he swore he would start getting grey hairs by the time the year had ended.
It had also been about a year and a half since Lily and her… family… had gone into hiding, and Severus was wondering how she was doing. Not that he would have anything to do with her life once the war was over, as she had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with him, but it would give him minimal comfort knowing that she could at least live.
It was during these sorts of thoughts that Severus wondered if he should've spoken to her the morning of the Ancient Runes O.W.L., or if it would make things worse. At one point, he even wondered if he should've gone to apologize to both Lily and Professor McGonagall for his behavior, but he quickly realized the timing would have been too poor. McGonagall wouldn't be in the mood, as her brother had been killed by Death Eaters the evening following the Black Lake incident, and his death had caused her to delay the Transfiguration O.W.L. to the following Friday; it didn't take much intelligence to know that she would have no room for forgiveness regarding an aspiring Death Eater. As for Lily… well, he knew how uncompromising she was.
As past regrets reared their ugly heads, Severus checked the time and realized it was almost time for the feast. He took a mental note of what he'd been doing and left his office, making his way to the Great Hall and finding Dumbledore already sitting at the table.
"Good evening, Severus," Dumbledore said, smiling.
Severus gave Dumbledore a slight nod before saying, "Headmaster."
"Busy with assessments?"
"Unfortunately," Severus replied as he took his seat. "But it doesn't matter. I've done this for a year; I can do it for another."
"A good mindset to have," Dumbledore agreed. "Of course, taking a step back and enjoying peace and quiet could do one good."
"Perhaps."
Soon, the other professors made their way into the Great Hall, along with a crowd of students, who all sat at their tables and waited for the feast to begin. After the Hall had filled its seats, Dumbledore stood and began his speech. Severus didn't pay too much attention to it, as it was like any other the Headmaster had given during his own time as a student; it usually involved saying something about finding time to make good memories when times seemed grim, followed by some nonsense that summoned the food to the plates. It wasn't the same as the feast on the 1st of September, but it was definitely more anticipated on account of the decor and ghost-related entertainment.
After the feast had ended, Severus returned to his office to grade potions. Just as he sat down, a blinding heat passed through his left arm, burning the flesh beneath his forearm, as though it was trying to escape. Severus gritted his teeth at the sensation; this wasn't like anything he'd felt before, even when the Dark Lord was angry. He rolled up his sleeve and watched as the ink serpent writhed uncharacteristically, the skull's eyes widening, as the Dark Mark began to twist and fade into nothing. Nothing.
Severus stared at his naked arm as his older scars became more visible. Gone. It was gone. The Dark Mark was gone. And if it was gone…. Severus rolled his sleeve down once more, hurrying out of his office and making his way to Dumbledore. He would've sprinted if not for the fact that students were passing by, and it would raise suspicion if Professor Snape sprinted. He began thinking about what this could mean: was the Dark Lord gone? Was he finally defeated? Who had done it? Not Dumbledore. He had been at the feast, and as powerful as he was, he doubted the old man could defeat the Dark Lord that quickly; if that had been the case, then there would have been no reason for the Order to be losing the war. He decided not to think about it; instead, Dumbledore could figure it out.
Severus arrived in the corridor where the gargoyle stood, only to find Professor McGonagall standing there as well. She turned at the sound of his footsteps and said, "Albus is busy at the moment."
"I see," Severus replied, Occluding his excitement. "Do you know when he will be available?"
"I am unsure," McGonagall answered. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing," Severus said comfortably. There really was nothing wrong. Not anymore.
"I see," McGonagall returned. "I'll wish you good luck, then, for the match tomorrow."
"You seem confident that Gryffindor will win," Severus said coolly.
"As I'm sure you feel confident in Slytherin's capabilities," McGonagall replied, with the same level of coolness.
Both were silent before Severus said, "Well, I won't keep you, then."
McGonagall inclined her head and said, "Have a good evening, Severus."
Severus had never been comfortable with McGonagall addressing him by his first name. Then again, they were effectively equals now. With his new station as Head of Slytherin, he had shown his ability to command by discouraging that stupid bloody House Nobility competition, rendering it nonexistent within his first month as a professor. In time, it would be forgotten entirely.
Severus waited for what seemed like ages, and he checked his pocket watch, only to realize it had stopped working. He muttered to himself and pulled out his wand and pointed it at the broken watch. "Tempus!" The numbers floated into the watch, and it corrected itself, and Severus could hear the familiar ticking once more. Almost midnight. Had he really been standing here this whole time? He decided to wait as long as he needed to for Dumbledore to return.
After some more time, Severus checked again. 3:00. He barely felt tired, but that might have been due to his overall excitement. The thought of Lily living and breathing, free from the Dark Lord's influence, was enough to flood him with euphoria. As he thought more about it, he was almost tempted to get back in contact with her to see how she was doing, but he quickly decided against it after remembering who her husband was. And it was even worse knowing they had a child together, which was something that made him feel physically ill.
As Severus mulled over his new feelings, the gargoyle suddenly stepped aside, and Dumbledore appeared, stopping just as soon as he saw Severus. Severus snapped himself out of his thoughts, and his wave of excitement returned, feeling it spread over his face. "Headmaster," Severus said quickly, "the- the Dark-"
"My office. Now." Dumbledore's voice was stern, but not stern enough to dissuade Severus.
Severus followed Dumbledore up the steps, his joy brimming and spilling over as he fought back the urge to laugh with relief. It was finally over! He was free, and Lily was safe! They arrived in the office, and as the door shut and locked behind them, Severus quickly blurted out, "He's gone, sir! He's finally gone!" He rolled up his sleeve, showing Dumbledore his pale-white arm. "I don't know what happened, but he's… he's finally gone! Y-you should contact Lily and let her know she's safe- no wait, there are still Death Eaters about. But I-I could help you-"
"Severus-"
"- I could help you identify them, if you need my testimony. I know a few of the names, just not whomever was spying on the Order, but we can figure that out-"
"Severus-"
"- do you think I should write to Lily, or do you think it would be too early? I wa thinking of sending her-"
"Severus!" Dumbledore's sudden aggression stopped Severus in his tracks, startling him into silence.
"I-I'm sorry," Severus said apologetically. "I'm… I'm just… I've never felt so-"
"Let me speak," Dumbledore said, and it was at this moment that Severus truly saw the old man's expression. He wore a hardened, grim face, as though something horrible had happened. Severus kept his mouth shut, waiting for Dumbledore's next words. "Lily and James Potter are dead."
"... don't be ridiculous," Severus replied, his voice wavering. The excitement that had been building was beginning to curdle and recede as a new feeling began to build. "That… that's…."
"I'm sorry."
Severus felt his breathing hitch at the conviction in Dumbledore's voice, and that feeling that was building began to seep out. He felt a tightness in his chest and throat as his limbs lost their strength, his arms going limp as he staggered forward. Before he knew it, Dumbledore had caught him from falling, helping him into the seat across from his own, but the old man chose to stand there. Severus could feel his eyes boring into him, and the truth of the situation had become clear.
Lily was dead.
Lily was dead, and it was his fault.
A sob escaped from Severus's mouth as he curled in on himself, burying his face in his hands. With each heave of his chest, a new, inhuman sob belted out, and his rapid breathing filled the room with sounds that would only come from a wounded animal. Everything inside him burned, the sensation only escaping through his screams and tears as he remembered the girl he had fallen in love with, the girl who laid beside him on the riverbank under the willow trees, the girl who used his jacket as a Sorting Hat, the girl who brought him food to share, the girl who helped him sneak into her room when her family wasn't looking. The girl whose fate he'd doomed.
His Lily.
Severus didn't know how long he'd sat there, how long he'd wept, but eventually, he looked up from his hands, staring at the desk in front of him as he said, his voice broken, "I thought… you were going… to keep her… safe…."
Severus brought himself out of last night and back into the present as his dread built. Taking his attention away from what he was doing, he began to control his breathing, but the dread only grew. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
Tired of waiting around, Severus left his room and made his way down the corridor, only to find Professor McGonagall approaching him. "Professor?" Severus asked, masking his unease.
"Mr. Snape, I was just on my way to see you."
"Is something wrong?"
"I just came to tell you that Miss Evans is in the Hospital Wing, and will most likely not be attending the feast tonight."
Severus's mask slipped as he felt his eyes widen. "W-what happened?"
"She has a high fever," McGonagall explained, "but Madam Pomfrey is certain she will be well by tomorrow."
"When did it start?"
"She was brought in around noon. I believe that, at this point, she might be sleeping."
"Can I-"
"It may be best to leave her be," McGonagall cut in gently.
"I understand," Severus said, although he didn't feel comfortable with the situation at all.
"I will visit you so you may come to the feast," McGonagall continued.
As much as Severus wanted to refuse, he nodded. "I'll be writing her notes for this coming week, if she's unwell."
"Are you certain?"
Severus nodded. "I have a good memory."
"Very well." McGonagall gave Severus a curious look before saying, "If you need anything, let me know."
Severus was a bit surprised by the offer, but he nodded and said, "Thank you, professor. And-" He stopped.
"Yes, Mr. Snape?"
"... I'm sorry to hear about… your brother."
McGonagall's eyes showed that she was surprised, but they relaxed as she said, "Thank you for your condolences, Mr. Snape. Now then, I'll be off." With that, the professor turned and left.
Severus felt his unease begin to dissipate, but not entirely, and he decided to return to his room. He sat down at his desk and ruminated over the news.
She's still ill?
It may be fatigue-related.
But this doesn't sit right with me at all.
Nor me. However, as long as she's with Madam Pomfrey, she should recover.
But what if she tries to move around too much?
She might, but the most likely outcome is that she sleeps through her illness.
Severus felt his stomach settle, only to remember McGonagall was coming later on to bring him to the feast. He wasn't such an invalid that he couldn't walk to the Great Hall, but he knew that he'd only ever set foot there once this entire term, at least during a meal.
Perhaps some revision will help take your mind off of things?
Severus nodded and opened his book on alchemy, reading over the properties of silver.
Mary IV
Mary arrived in the Owlery a few minutes before 5:30, her breathing unsteady with dread. She wasn't sure how long it would take for Mulciber to arrive, but if she was lucky, she would have enough time to mentally prepare herself-
"You're early."
Mary almost jumped out of her skin at the voice behind her, Mulciber's frame blocking the entryway. "I-I-"
"Don't worry," Mulciber said, smiling. "This is just for a bit of conversation. I was wondering if you were going home for the holiday, or if you were staying."
Mary was a bit surprised by the question. "I'm… going home."
"Hmm, pity." Mulciber looked disappointed by Mary's answer. "I was going to stay over the holiday as well. It won't be much fun being here without any of my friends. I was hoping for some company." A chill went down Mary's spine. "Yes, rather disappointing. I suppose I could write home and change my schedule. Maybe visit the coast. My first thought was visiting… Liverpool."
Mary's heart caught in her chest, and Mulciber seemed to notice somehow.
"Is something the matter?"
"N-"
"Remember to tell truths, not lies." Mulciber had taken a step forward, but not big enough to allow any space between himself and the stairwell behind him. "Is something the matter? Perhaps you feel uncomfortable with me visiting Liverpool… so close to your house."
"H-how-"
"I'm not the sort to share my secrets," Mulciber replied. "Are you?"
Mary didn't know what he meant, but she knew from his tone what he wanted her to say. And she had a better understanding of what would happen if she didn't. She shook her head.
"Splendid," Mulciber said, smiling again. "So, as we're already here, perhaps you'd like to let your parents know your plans? It would be your first Christmas at Hogwarts, after all." Seemingly out of nowhere, he procured an unsealed envelope, a sheet of paper, a quill, and an inkwell.
Mary carefully took them from him and wrote her message against the flattest surface she could find, before sealing it and sending it off. It took every ounce of what she had to keep herself composed. "You won't… you won't hurt them, will you?"
"Certainly not," Mulciber answered. "Well, I might be speaking in haste. It depends on your… behavior." He let the word hang in the air before giving one last smile and saying, "Ta." He turned and left.
Mary's breathing got the better of her, and she leaned against the wall at the thought of staying at Hogwarts, not knowing, or knowing too well, what Mulciber expected of her. She already had a good idea of what his family was like, so even if he couldn't personally hurt her family, his family could.
Mary waited a few moments before leaving the Owlery, making her way into the corridor… to find Snape standing in front of her.
Severus IV
It was 5:30 when Severus felt that same constricting feeling again, as though something was squeezing him from without and within. He stood from his seat, dropping his book loudly on the desk as he steadied himself. Whatever it was, it was worse than it had ever been, and he had no idea why. Without thinking twice, he threw his robe on and briskly walked out of his room, making his way to Dumbledore- damn it, he would be preparing for the feast.
As Severus was about to turn back, he had an odd sense. Something to do with Dumbledore… no, his office… no that wasn't quite right. It was close, though, and Severus had the feeling he would have a better idea if he went there.
Following your instincts again?
It can't hurt to check. Maybe, I'll be at ease.
Severus hurried down the corridor, making his way to the entrance to the West Tower, when MacDonald came walking out. He stopped in his tracks to avoid running into her, and he saw a look of surprise on her face.
"Snape?"
"Oh… hello." Only now did Severus realize he didn't think of a reason to be here.
"... why are you here?"
"Why are you here?"
MacDonald looked uncomfortable as she said, "I was writing to my parents. I'm staying for the holiday…. What about you?"
"... I fancied a walk," Severus lied. "I don't like being in my room for too long."
"I was going to go to the feast tonight," MacDonald said, clearly changing the conversation. "Are you coming?"
"I was going to visit the Hospital Wing," Severus said. "Although McGonagall expects me to attend."
"Okay. I'll see you there, then?"
Severus nodded. "I'll see you there." As the two tried to part ways, Severus and MacDonald quickly realized they were headed in the same direction. "Ah."
"Well, we can just walk there together, then," MacDonald said.
Together, Severus and MacDonald awkwardly walked down the corridor and down the staircase, with Severus stopping on the first floor and MacDonald continuing down to the ground floor. With that out of the way, Severus entered the Hospital Wing, where he found Madam Pomfrey speaking with Lily, who was now awake. That former sense of tightness had attempted to creep back around Severus, but it dissipated as soon as Lily laid her eyes on him.
Without waiting to be let in, Severus walked up to her bedside and sat in the empty seat. "How are you feeling?"
"Warm," Lily said, her voice a mix between weary and relaxed. "But I'm better than I was before."
"She's allowed to walk around," Madam Pomfrey said, "but she'll need to spend the night here so I can keep an eye on her."
"Marley's taking over my duties," Lily added.
Severus bit his tongue to stop himself from losing ten points, instead saying, "I'll take your notes for you if you need me to."
"No, you're busy enough," Lily said.
"It's not a problem," Severus insisted. "I really don't mind."
Lily gave Severus a small smile as she said, "Well, I don't think I can stop you."
"Not likely, no." Severus almost returned her smile, but he could feel Madam Pomfrey's eye on him. "I'll let you rest."
As Severus stood and went to leave, Madam Pomfrey followed him and stopped him with her hand. "One moment, Mr. Snape."
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?"
"Lily has told me of your arrangement for the holiday, but she might not be well enough to return home."
Severus's heart sank as that familiar dread began trickling up. "Are you certain?"
"It's only a possibility. Just keep that in mind as the term comes to an end."
Severus nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
"Of course, dear." Madam Pomfrey returned to Lily, and Severus decided to return to his room in case McGonagall came to collect him.
As Severus arrived, he found that she was, indeed, waiting for him impatiently. She turned her head at the sound of his footsteps and said, "Oh, there you are. I was beginning to think you'd passed out from studying!"
"I was visiting Lily," Severus said. "I might not stay for the full feast."
"Very well, Mr. Snape." As Severus and McGonagall walked, the latter asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Uneasy," Severus admitted. "Not medically, of course. I think it's just…. Lily's been unwell recently."
"I hadn't realized how much you cared for her," McGonagall commented. "And it makes me question why you would associate with your previous group of friends."
"... that's a fair question," Severus said. He had plenty to say about that particular topic, but he had the feeling that the conversation would turn against him. "I was planning on speaking with Lily over the holiday, just so we could work through the problems we've had."
"If that is the case," McGonagall said, "then I wish you luck."
"I'll need it," Severus muttered.
They arrived in the Great Hall, and Severus took an end seat closest to the entrance. He looked over and saw MacDonald sitting with McKinnon, and the former saw Severus and waved. Severus waved back, but quickly put his hand down as more students filled the Hall, going to their respective tables-
"Ah, there you are, Severus! May I call you Severus?"
No. No. No. Absolutely not.
Severus turned his head and held back whatever he was about to say as Gilderoy Lockhart stood right next to him.
"... and you are?"
"Gilderoy Lockhart, at your service." Lockhart did an elaborate bow. He stood up tall and proud as a peacock as he said, "Now then, rumor has it that you're quite the talented wizard, yes?"
"... perhaps."
"Well then," Lockhart continued, "I was hoping that we could compare notes sometime. We could learn a lot from each other, you know. I've been told that I'm rather outstanding at spell creation."
It was the mystery of the bloody century as to how Lockhart could become a worse wizard than he was at school. "Is that so?"
"Certainly. Also, it might do your reputation well to be seen with the Half-Blood Prince."
… Severus made eye contact with Lockhart at the sound of his name. "... the what?"
"Half-Blood Prince," the fucker continued. "Yes, you see there's a prophecy involving me taking on You-Know-Who, so you'd be welcome to join my ranks, if you wished."
Under normal circumstances, Severus would have laughed in Lockhart's face, if not for the glaring fact that this dunderheaded clown was using his name. "... I'll take it into consideration," Severus finally said, the veins in his head starting to throb.
"Very well!" Lockhart said triumphantly. "How about we meet up over the next weekend. You could bring MacDonald, if you wish."
"And what exactly does she have to do with this?"
"Oh, um…." Lockhart's confidence seemed to falter, but he quickly recovered. "Well, word has it you play Gobstones with her."
"That would be her decision, not mine." Severus took a sip of pumpkin juice, unfortunately, to help cool himself down. "But I will tell her," he lied.
"Excellent! Enjoy your meal, your highness!" Lockhart spun and walked over to the Ravenclaw table, sitting down with other members of his House.
Soon, the Great Hall was full, and the feast commenced. Severus found Talkalot sitting across from him, while Regulus sat to his side. They seemed to be discussing things with their friends, which was fortunate, considering that Severus couldn't be bothered to pay attention to any of them. That uneasy feeling he had was growing inch by inch, and it took more effort than it should have to keep his food down, even after growing more accustomed to richer foods.
Without a word, Severus finished and left the Great Hall, making his way to the Hospital Wing to check on Lily before retiring. When he arrived, he found her in her bed, fast asleep. Madam Pomfrey was standing up from her seat, and she walked over to him and said in a hushed voice, "She's only just gone to sleep again."
"Sorry," Severus said. "I'll come back tomorrow, then."
"Aren't you going to the feast?"
"I've eaten already," Severus explained. "Still getting used to richer foods."
"Very well. I'll be off as well. Have a good night, Mr. Snape."
"And you," Severus returned. He watched as Madam Pomfrey went down the corridor, leaving the handful of patients in the Hospital Wing.
After some time, Severus returned to his room, shutting the door and falling onto the bed to collect his thoughts. He stared up at the ceiling as he let his mind go blank, keeping himself calm and Occluded for as long as he needed to be. With each second that passed, he could feel the pit of his stomach beginning to well up, but he remained calm. Lily was resting in bed-
Severus jolted as he felt that familiar squeezing sensation around his body, his limbs feeling constricted as he clenched his fists. He tried fighting it, forcing himself to move from where he was with more difficulty than should have been allowed, until he was on his feet. Whatever was happening to him right now was enough to undo his efforts at Occlumency, and the wave of dread washed over him in full force as the sensation squeezed tighter and tighter… before vanishing entirely.
Severus found himself panting from the ordeal, his nerves near-fried as he struggled to form thoughts.
What the hell was that?!
It was the same as-
- the shower, I know. We need to tell Dumbledore that-
Severus stopped as something dripped on the top of his head. He touched where the drop had landed and inspected it. Blood. No, not blood: paint. He looked up at the ceiling to find it bare of any paint, and he felt another drop land on his forehead. He wiped it off, seeing the red stain on his hand. He staggered from the spot, running into the bathroom to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, and sure enough, he could see the paint on his forehead and hands. He turned on the faucet, rinsing his hands off before grabbing a towel to wipe his forehead, only to find that the paint had vanished.
This isn't normal.
Clearly. Go to Dumbledore.
Severus left the bathroom and looked at the grandfather clock in the room, seeing it was almost 8:00. Had he really been lying in bed for almost two hours? Ignoring that particular fact, he opened the door and was immediately hit with the same dread as before, soon finding himself on his knees, his breathing labored again. He forced himself to stand as he turned and went down the corridor to the staircase.
The closer Severus got to the staircase, the greater the feeling grew. Just as he arrived at the steps, the dread suddenly vanished, receding downward until he was left calm, save for an uneasiness. For some reason, he could hear students talking animatedly down below, maybe a few floors down, and many of the voices were growing louder; as they drew closer and grew louder, so did Severus's unease. Severus stepped to the side, stepping into an obscured portion of a nearby alcove, as he listened in on the passing students' conversations.
"You really think Snape did that?"
"He's the Heir of Slytherin; of course it was him!"
Heir? What-
Severus's heart stopped. After the abolition of the House Nobility competitions, there was only one other time when that particular title had appeared, and that had been….
… no….
As the students continued up the staircase, Severus slipped behind them and hurried down, his coordination more focused than it had been in a long time. He arrived on the second floor, sprinting to a certain wall near the disused bathroom, turning the corridor to find Dumbledore and the rest of the staff staring up at the writing on the wall. Severus felt their eyes on him as his eyes locked onto the letters, and he realized what had been the cause of his dread.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
This marks the end of the first part of Act II. Given the way things have developed, it's safe to say that Severus is in a bit of a pickle.
Currently, I estimate that there will be two additional parts to Act II, although I believe they will take less time to write compared to this one (this isn't a guarantee).
