Chapter 3
Outside the door stood a scrawny boy, his stringy black hair hung like a curtain over his face. His dark brown eyes were cast towards the floor, and his complexion had become pallid with fear and anxiety.
"Severus, what on earth are you doing eavesdropping on us?" Sirius demanded, rising from his seat.
"I wasn't eavesdropping, I was just passing by," Severus replied in a shaky voice. Sirius's eyes filled with spite. Severus glanced up at Lily from under several strands of his slightly oily hair. Lily smiled at him gently, and he diverted his gaze quickly.
"Hello, Severus," Lily said in a quiet voice. Severus looked up once more and smiled.
"Hi, Lily," he responded awkwardly. James looked between the two of them, rage glinting in his eyes.
"Get out of here you little twerp!" Remus piped up from his seat. Lily put her hand on his shoulder as though to quiet him.
"Do you have somewhere to sit?" Lily inquired.
"Who cares?" Peter demanded. Lily shot him a warning glance. Peter sank back down into his seat immediately.
"Do you?" Lily asked again. Severus could barely look her in the eyes. Slowly he nodded and then backed out of the compartment.
"Thanks, Lily," he added in a hushed voice, eying the Marauders nervously. James was about to open his mouth when Lily caught his eye.
"Bye, Severus," he stated through gritted teeth. Severus looked shocked and then he stumbled quickly out of the compartment, casting a sideward glance at Lily on his way out.
"You didn't have to be so nice to him, Lily," James blurted out as soon as Severus had left the compartment. Lily folded her arms across her chest sternly.
"Oh, didn't I? Well, you four didn't have to be so mean to him either," Lily scolded.
"Come on, Lily. Severus is a creep, and you know it!" Remus exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
"What makes him a creep?" Lily demanded.
"He just has that slimy quality to him," James stated defensively.
"Poor hygiene habits do not make a person a creep," Lily stated firmly. The boys burst out laughing at these words and Lily shook her head disapprovingly.
"Well at least we're all in agreement that he has poor hygiene habits!" Sirius said through bursts of laughter. Lily sighed and slid the door open to leave the compartment.
"Wait, Lily, don't go!" Sirius cried. "We'll behave, I promise!"
"You boys never behave," Lily countered with a grin.
"Fair enough," Remus stated, "but we'll at least tone it down for you." Lily smiled and took her seat once again. The sliding door opened, emitting a girl with wavy blond hair into the compartment.
Outside the door stood a scrawny boy, his stringy black hair hung like a curtain over his face. His dark brown eyes were cast towards the floor, and his complexion had become pallid with fear and anxiety.
"Severus, what on earth are you doing eavesdropping on us?" Sirius demanded, rising from his seat.
"I wasn't eavesdropping, I was just passing by," Severus replied in a shaky voice. Sirius's eyes filled with spite. Severus glanced up at Lily from under several strands of his slightly oily hair. Lily smiled at him gently, and he diverted his gaze quickly.
"Hello, Severus," Lily said in a quiet voice. Severus looked up once more and smiled.
"Hi, Lily," he responded awkwardly. James looked between the two of them, rage glinting in his eyes.
"Get out of here you little twerp!" Remus piped up from his seat. Lily put her hand on his shoulder as though to quiet him.
"Do you have somewhere to sit?" Lily inquired.
"Who cares?" Peter demanded. Lily shot him a warning glance. Peter sank back down into his seat immediately.
"Do you?" Lily asked again. Severus could barely look her in the eyes. Slowly he nodded and then backed out of the compartment.
"Thanks, Lily," he added in a hushed voice, eying the Marauders nervously. James was about to open his mouth when Lily caught his eye.
"Bye, Severus," he stated through gritted teeth. Severus looked shocked and then he stumbled quickly out of the compartment, casting a sideward glance at Lily on his way out.
"You didn't have to be so nice to him, Lily," James blurted out as soon as Severus had left the compartment. Lily folded her arms across her chest sternly.
"Oh, didn't I? Well, you four didn't have to be so mean to him either," Lily scolded.
"Come on, Lily. Severus is a creep, and you know it!" Remus exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
"What makes him a creep?" Lily demanded.
"He just has that slimy quality to him," James stated defensively.
"Poor hygiene habits do not make a person a creep," Lily stated firmly. The boys burst out laughing at these words and Lily shook her head disapprovingly.
"Well at least we're all in agreement that he has poor hygiene habits!" Sirius said through bursts of laughter. Lily sighed and slid the door open to leave the compartment.
"Wait, Lily, don't go!" Sirius cried. "We'll behave, I promise!"
"You boys never behave," Lily countered with a grin.
"Fair enough," Remus stated, "but we'll at least tone it down for you." Lily smiled and took her seat once again. The sliding door opened, emitting a girl with wavy blond hair into the compartment.