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PATH to DARKNESS by Tyde
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Chapter Eight – The Consoler
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In the flurry of the brown post owls descending upon tables that cool May morning Lily looked up to see a small white dove that was heading her way. It had a black envelope addressed in silver writing held in it's beak. A slight breeze from it's wings ruffled her hair as the dove landed on the table next to her toast and pushed the envelope into her hand. She took it curiously and wondered if her parents had lost the family owl and had resorted to whatever they could find in the back garden. The message was short and anything but sweet.
Lily dear
There is no way nice way to say this – your father died this morning of a blood clot to the brain. It was very sudden and there was nothing anybody could do. I am looking after your mother and sister in this troubling time. Dumbledore will organise for you to return home so you may attend the funeral.
With sympathy, your neighbour
Arabella Figg
The dove flew to her shoulder and patted her with one of it's wings as if trying to console her. Lily dropped the letter from her hand as if it had burned her. She brushed aside the dove and looked at the rest of the Gryffindors. They were laughing and chatting, some opening packages of sweets from home and others blowing bubbles in their pumpkin juice. None of them had noticed she was swimming in grief. She found it hard to breathe and as the sobbing breaths filled her chest she got up from the table and ran out of the Great Hall.
James noticed her abrupt departure and not until his eyes rested on the dove and black letter did he understand. The dove fluttered up into the air and out the main door.
'Fellas – shut up! Lily got a Consoler!' he felt his stomach churn as he said the word.
They all turned their faces towards James in horror. A Consoler was the opposite of a Howler. Although you never wanted to receive a Howler because it would embarrass you, there was never a time in your life that you wished to receive a Consoler – it would break your heart. A Consoler was reserved purely for bad news, such as a death in the family. All the first year Gryffindors knew that Lily's dad hadn't been well and now due to the appearance of this Consoler their worst fears had been realised.
James strode purposefully out of the Great Hall to find where it was that she'd run to.
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Blinded by tears Lily didn't see as she ran smack bang into a Slytherin that had been running late for breakfast. Looking up at his shocked face she threw herself into the arms of Severus Snape, all past discretions instantly flung aside.
'It's not fair, Sevi' she sobbed into his chest as he held her tight.
'Lil' he held her at arm's length 'What's not fair?'
Her nose dripped onto the sleeve of his robes but he barely noticed.
'D-d-dad..he's..I..' she trailed off unable to finish, but she didn't have to because Severus had already figured it out.
'Oh Lil, I'm so sorry' he pulled her back to him and stroked her hair soothingly. 'Is there anything I can do?' He felt her nuzzle deeper into his warmth.
She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. 'Yes, Merlin yes. Get me out of this place and away from that bloody bird!' The dove had just fluttered into the Entrance Hall and was again attempting to console her.
With an arm firmly around her shoulders and shooting a nasty look at the dove, he lead her out into the school grounds and towards the front gates. Maybe something in Hogsmeade could cheer her up he thought.
James Potter stood at the great entrance door of Hogwarts and wrinkled his brow.
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Lily Evans went home for a week to attend her father's funeral and to grieve with her mother and sister. Although her sister Petunia still considered her a 'freak' the girls put their differences aside in this time of grief.
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Sev felt lonelier during that week than he had the entire time Lily was angry at him. He felt useless at Hogwarts and had almost asked Dumbledore if he could accompany Lily back to London. His new found respect in Slytherin did little to block the feeling that he should be miles and miles away from this place and doing something worthwhile, something helpful. He'd noticed James Potter had not picked on him all week and he wondered why. Was it because he was building up a particularly nasty and embarrassing trick? Or had Lily told James what a nice person Severus could be and how he should give him a chance. No he said to himself, Lily wouldn't talk about me to Gryffindors, she got so embarrassed when it came out into the open that we were friends. 'Oh Lily, when are you coming back? I miss you' he said under his breath to the moon that shined in through the library window. 'I'm terribly sorry about your father, truly I am, but you've got me. Always'. He packed his parchment rolls up and returned to his chamber in the Slytherin dormitories. Quirrell was already asleep in bed, having a rather loud dream about rats and how they made great friends.
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Lily returned to Hogwarts a quieter girl then when she had left. Instead of going to the library Lily insisted that Sev accompany her to the Astronomy tower. She would sit there for hours upon end just staring up at the stars and talking about the future.
'Do you think the stars can tell you about the future, Sevi?'
'Ah, I don't know. Don't really believe in all that divination stuff.'
'I think they can' she mused, as if she didn't really even hear him. 'I think they can tell you what you're going to be when you grow up and if you'll be happy. My dad didn't believe in the stars, do you think that's why he died?'
Sev looked up in shock 'Lil, it was a blood clot, you know that.'
'I know it was a blood clot Severus, but maybe the stars made him get it, maybe cause he didn't believe in the stars they punished him.'
'Lil, I don't think that's it at all.'
'Maybe cause he was a lawyer they didn't trust him so they thought that he just deserved to die.' She was starting to work herself into a frenzy. 'I'm not going to be a lawyer!' she shouted at the stars in front of her. 'Did you hear that? Not going to be a lawyer, I'm going to be an astronomer, or a lolly shop owner or a teacher or an Auror or something. I'm going to do something with my life that won't incur the wrath of the stars.' She started to shake in her effort to get the words out before the brimming tears would begin to flow. 'I'm gonna believe and I'm going to make a difference.' She collapsed into Sev's waiting arms.
'Lil, your father was a good man and he didn't do anything wrong. Things just happen sometimes.'
'What would you know? You never met him, how could you know him?'
'Because I've met you Lily Marie Evans, and that's all I need to know to see the type of man your father was. He was a good man with a kind heart and a beautiful smile.'
Lily snuggled back into the 12 year olds arms and she felt a small but significant release. There was a hole in her soul right now, but Severus Snape was proving to be a temporary patch for it.
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Author's note: Chapter 9 is..um, well you see it's kinda..I don't know. I may have writer's block. Don't freak out, it shouldn't last long. I'm attempting to write a quidditch match and that's just giving me stress. Could be a week, sorry :o(