OK! so I posted this and apparently it never showed up, which is werird because I previewed it and it worked. this just goes to show that I suck at the Internet. OK so I own nothing and if you likey this story let me know so that i won't feel left alone in my world of supreme Dorkery!
Train Kept a Rollin'
Smoke from the cabin poured out of the speeding train. The wind sharply snapped across the opening. The young woman pulled her hair back with her free hand and held her cigarette tightly with the other. There had to be an easier way of doing this she thought to herself.
"If they catch you smoking in here, you're going to be expelled before you even show up." Maylin rolled her eyes at her companion. "I'll keep that mind, mother."
"Oh, don't start that 'mother' stuff with me, you sound just like James."
"Well, then, it seems we have something in common after all."
Maylin let out a thin stream of smoke and tossed the cigarette out the window.
Her friend looked less than pleased.
Maylin let her hair down and plopped into the empty seat next to Lily. Something was bothering her. She was never the type to hide her feelings well. Her face usually said whatever ever was on her mind.
"Alright, Lil' the cigarette's gone. What's up?"
"Nothing."
"Bull shit."
Lily flashed her green eyes and placed her head on Maylin's shoulder.
"I'm having issues."
"What's new?"
Lily laughed and pushed her friend playfully, "Don't' make fun of me, I mean it. I'm seriously distressed here."
"Oh what? Are you out of lipstick? Or perhaps your bra's too tight under all that god forsaken polyester?"
"Now you're pushing it."
Maylin removed herself from Lily's side and went back to her original seat. She leaned into Lily's space. Her face had changed as she brushed Lily's long perfectly combed hair from her face.
"What's wrong love?"
Lily looked across the cabin and into Maylin's eyes. She stuttered a moment then found her words slowly. "I think I like James Potter."
Maylin laughed out loud and leaned into her seat.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because," she replied, "He's all you've talked about all damned summer. James did this. James caught the snitch. James is hot. James is a jerk. James. James. James. It's no surprise you're into him. Is it a bad thing or something? You're not exactly tied down or anything you know."
"I know, it's just that I haven't really thought of him as anything but some pompous jock before – but then he sent me that letter this summer –"
"- The one apologizing about that Snape kid?"
"- Yeah, and - I don't know. He seems different somehow."
Maylin stayed silent for a bit, Lily looked out the window.
"It's just weird."
Maylin nodded. "Yeah."
They sat in silence for a moment staring outside the pastoral countryside.
"Which way are we going, Lil'?"
"North, I think. Hogwart's isn't on any kind of map that I know of."
There was silence again. Maylin never knew how to deal with all of Lily's little "issues."
The cute guys, the newest styles, Quidditch. To her it was all the same – things that existed to simply pass time. Maylin wasn't too keen on simply passing the time. She wanted to get out. Do things. See things. Be apart of something that didn't drive her mad. That was her issue. That and she was 16. Everyone had issues, why should she be left out?
Life to this point as a seer wasn't exactly the easiest thing she had ever dealt with. Every thought of every person she ever passed tried to invade the once safe compounds of her mind. She had to get away. She was trained to deal with the noise, and the dreams of others that made their way in at night. She hadn't had a dream that was her own until she was 14. She hoped she was ready for Hogwarts. There was only one way to find out.
"I don't think you'll be in Gryffindor," said Lily over the silence.
Maylin perked her head.
"What do you mean?"
Lily shrugged. "You don't seem like the type. I think you'll be in Ravenclaw. You'd mix well with them."
Maylin blinked. The House sorting thing. She had forgotten how "important" that was at Hogwarts. Like an adolescent caste system that would in the end determine if you were a good witch, a bad witch, or not a witch at all.
"Will I still be able to see you if we're not in the same house?"
Lily smiled. "Of course, Lynnie." We just won't have as many classes together and we won't be rooting for the same team. Quidditch is important at Hogwarts you know."
"I'm sure it is," Maylin replied dryly.
Lily in turn rolled her eyes. "Cheer up, you. Don't be so craggy about it."
Maylin stuck out her tongue playfully and fumbled with the cigarettes next to her seat. "So," Maylin continued. "What's there to do for fun at this place?"
"Well, there's Hogsmeade on weekends sometimes. Quidditch of course – "
"-Of course."
"You could always get lost and try to find your way back to where you began from. Oh, and there's the lake, but you can't swim in it, Gods only know what's in there." Maylin frowned.
"Look it's not so bad. You'll find things to do – places to smoke those horrid things," replied Lily lightly kicking Maylin's cigarettes.
"That's good to know."
Lily shook her head and leaned into her seat.
Maylin's head darted up.
"Someone's coming."
Lily cocked her head.
The door knocked.
"I swear Lynnie, that's just creepy."
Maylin smiled.
"It's unlocked," Lily called.
The door opened and a young man in a Rolling Stones T-shirt under a white, unbuttoned shirt stood in the door way. His dark jeans matched his pitch black eyes and his straight black hair, held out of his face by a pair of thin rimmed silver sunglasses, looked like something out of Cream Magazine. His sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows revealing a thin leather bracelet on one wrist and a studded watch on the other. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
Lily eyes opened wide. It couldn't be.
"Severus?"
"Hey, Lily, I was wondering if you had a moment?"
His voice rolled off the tip of his tongue.
"Cool shirt," interjected Maylin.
Severus Snape stared a moment at the auburn haired girl sitting across from Lily. He smiled and nodded her way. "Thanks, yours too." Maylin smiled back and looked down at her shirt. A faded Ziggy Stardust stared back.
Lily's voice cut their exchange.
"What do you want Severus?" A look of faint disgust crept over her face.
"Just a moment of your time, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."
Lily's eyes turned to small slits of intrigue. He sounded sincere. Severus Snape never sounded sincere. Something was most definitely up. "Ok," she said finally. "But only a moment.
"Fair enough. May I come in?" He was still standing in the doorway.
Lily nodded and the door shut behind him. He sat next to Maylin and folded his hands across his knees. Lily, looking rather judgmental, continued to stare out the window.
"I just wanted you to know, that I've been thinking a lot this past summer about the things I said and did to you." Lily faced him. He still sounded sincere. This was weird. Severus looked hard pressed for words. Something completely uncharacteristic of the Snape she had come to know. Maylin watched the akwardness from her corner with a hint of delight.
"I understand, if you don't accept this or even care about what I have to say. I haven't earned your respect and I know that," he continued. "But, I went through some personal things these past few months and I want you to know that I'm sorry."
There was another awkward silence. And then a laugh. A mocking laugh.
Lily laughed like she had gone mad. She fanned herself dramatically and choked down her chortle to speak.
"You're apologizing?! You don't apologize. You're Severus Snape. What the hell happened to you?"
Snape looked confused.
"Does that mean you accept my apology?"
"Accept your apology?" she retorted. "I want to know what happened that brought this on."
"It's personal."
"I'll bet. What you had a life threatening experience and boom! No more Mr. Mean Nasty Snape? C'mon Severus. That's not like you."
"Well, this may come as a shock Lily, but you don't know me very well."
"I know you well enough to know, that you just don't have a miraculous change of heart. What? Did the Who's down in Whoville teach you the true meaning of summer and your heart grew 3 sizes?"
"Leave him alone, Lily," Maylin interjected. "If he doesn't want to talk about it then you should leave it be."
"Oh, my apologies, mother."
"Touché."
Severus banged his head lightly against the back of the seat. "I don't think it's hardly appropriate."
"If it's personal Lil' it's personal."
"Personal?" Lily replied. "Since when are you on his side?"
"His side?" Maylin fought back. "What the bloody hell are you talking about – I don't even know him!"
Severus waived a cease fire between them.
"As lovely as it his to have two women fight over me, it is also mildly disturbing." Snape cracked a smile and lent his hand to the girl next to him.
"Severus Snape."
She took his hand.
"Maylin Hunter."
Severus leaned forward in his seat and got a good look at the girl next to him. She's a fucking fox, he thought to himself.
Sensing the thought Maylin smiled but made no advance, Lily would slaughter her.
"That's a beautiful name."
"It was my great-grandmother's."
Severus nodded and thought back into his name memory bank. He could only recall one Hunter family. "Are you related at all to Landon Hunter?"
Maylin perked up.
"Yes," she replied rather stunned. "He's my great-grandfather."
"Turn of the century Potion's Master?"
"Yeah."
"Cool, I'm a dork like that."
Severus smiled again her way as Lily rolled her eyes.
Just then Maylin sat straight in her chair.
"Someone's coming."
"God we're popular," Lily lamented.
Severus gave her a confused look as the door to the cabin knocked.
"Come in – it's open," Lily called less than enthusiastic about more company.
The door opened to reveal a tall pale man with piercing blue eyes and almost totally white hair. He was dressed to the nines with his dark fitted slacks and matching jacket. The air around him was pompous and rich - very rich.
His voice, like Severus's, was smooth.
"Pardon my interruption, but I heard a rumor of new blood on the train. Particularly, new and beautiful blood." He leaned into cabin and extended his hand to Maylin.
"Lucius Malfoy."
"Maylin Hunter."
He took the girl's hand and kissed it lightly.
Maylin noticed a faint tint of embarrassment on Severus's face.
He released her hand and stood back in the doorway.
"Hunter," he thought out loud.
"I don't' know any Hunter's nowadays. Who is your father?"
Maylin shrugged. "I don't know my father, Hunter is my mother's last name."
"No father?" Lucius asked seriously.
"Nope, not here anyways" Maylin replied. "What can I say? I must be the second coming."
Lucius smiled devilishly. "Well then," he retorted. "From what I understand about our friend Severus over here you best watch yourself then, with you being so lovely you just very well be – the "
Severus rolled his eyes and rested his head back for a moment. This is going to be a long year.
"Good day, Ladies – Severus."
Severus weakly raised his hand as Lucius closed the door behind himself.