Chapter 5
It was Severus's fifteenth birthday today.
"Look who it is boys, Snivellus!" James Potter mocked in the hall after Potions.
"Shove off, Potter." Severus sneered.
"I don't think so, Snivellus. You thought your little trick was pretty funny wasn't it?" Black asked, as he shoved Severus into the dungeon wall.
"Whatever are you talking about?" Severus asked innocently, knowing that he purposefully exchanged the asphodel for monkshood.
"Think you can get away with ruining our potions, just because your father is the teacher? You know that Dumbledore only keeps you and your father here, because there is not another sorry excuse for a Potions teacher out there." James said.
"Well, I was just about to say the same thing about Professor Lupin. Dumbledore is a fool for letting a scrounge of a wolf like his son in this school. Where is the other mutt anyway?" Severus said disgusted.
"Why you!" Sirius got defensive and raised his wand to his neck.
"Why don't you go back to your House, where people actually find your pathetic excuse for wit amusing." Severus said trying to escape the corner.
James raised his wand, and was about to mutter a hex, but Severus was quicker. Severus had just given James a cut on the back of his hand.
"You'll be sorry." James said as he covered up the back of his hand. Sirius came to his friend's defense and laid a thick punch in the middle of Severus's stomach. Severus groaned in pain.
"What in Merlin's name is going on here?" Severus father said as he emerged from the Potion's classroom. James and Sirius quickly backed away, to reveal Severus in the corner trying to stop a bloody nose.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor for fighting in the corridor, and twenty points from Slytherin for knowing better than to start a row." Severus's father hissed.
"Sir," James started.
"Yes Mr. Potter?" Dorian said, not at all amused.
"Come on Prongs, let's leave while we are ahead." Sirius whispered into James's ear.
"Never mind."
"Good then I suggest you go back to your house." Dorian said turning his back on his son, and slamming the Potion's door. Severus slumped against the cold stone wall, still trying to stop his bleeding nose, defeated.
"Do you need some help?" Severus heard a girl ask down the hall.
"No, leave me alone." Severus seethed, embarrassed.
"You should go see Madame Pomfrey. Let me help you." The girl offered.
"NO! I am fine." Severus wished that she would just leave, blood dripping down the back of his hand.
"What happened?" The girl asked still standing next to him.
"Bloody nose." Severus muttered. He glanced up at her, red hair, green eyes, Severus had never seen anyone that beautiful before.
"That is some bloody nose. Come on, you need to see Madame Pomfrey." The girl said, taking Severus's hand. Severus quickly pulled away from her touch.
"What's your name, your in my Potions class, aren't you?"
"Sniv.. I mean Severus." Severus said still upset.
"Well Severus, my name is Lily, it is nice to meet you." Lily said trying to make conversation.
"I need my book bag, can you point me to it?" Severus asked roughly noticing that she wasn't going anywhere, still pinching his nose with his head tilted up.
"Here, I will carry it for you, your nose is still bleeding, I think you should really go.." Lily started.
"Fine, but no girl is going to carry my bag. Severus said grabbing the bag out of her hands, while little drops of blood fell to the ground.
The two walked to the Infirmary in silence. Severus had never noticed this girl before. He was ashamed that he was even thinking that she was pretty, after all, no one liked Severus Snape, let alone found him appealing.
"I am sorry about my fellow Gryffindors, they think they are all high and mighty." Lily said as the climbed up the stairs.
"You're a Gryffindor?" Severus asked almost appalled.
"Yes, what House are you in?" She asked.
"Slytherin, you really do not know who I am?" Severus questioned unbelieving. The whole school knew who he was. He was the son of the evil Potion's instructor. No one talked to him, no one bothered to eat with him, and certainly no one ever tried to be friends with him.
"Sorry, am I suppose to?" She asked, still rather offended that he sounded disgusted at the fact that she was a Gryffindor.
"My father is the Potions professor." Severus admitted.
"Ah, Professor Snape's son. That must be hard." She said as they reached the door of the infirmary.
Severus looked at her, no one had ever said that to him, but it was true. It was hard being the son of a professor.
"Yeah, well I have managed well enough." Severus said as he closed himself off again.
"Yeah, a bloody nose and a black eye, you certainly have." Lily said again.
"What do you know." Severus said as he walked away from her.
"Madame Pomfrey?" Lily called out. Poppy came scuttling out from behind one of the curtains.
"Miss Evans, whatever do you need?" She asked, not seeing Severus sitting on one of the beds holding his nose.
"Um, it isn't me, it is Severus here." Lily said as she gestured towards him.
"Master Snape, again? This is the third time this month!" Madame Pomfrey tutted. Severus just turned away embarrassed.
"Who was it this time? Mister Potter or Mister Black?" She asked as she searched for a potion to stop the nosebleed, and something to help his black eye.
"It doesn't matter." Severus tried to ignore.
"Well, I should be going." Lily said as she watched Madame Pomfrey grab a cloth and sit next to Severus.
"Miss Evans, wait, I have another student that needs more urgent care, you however can help Master Snape." She said motioning for Lily to come towards Severus.
"Uh, I don't think I know what I am doing." She said nervously.
"Madame Pomfrey, I can do it myself." Severus said trying desperately to avoid more embarrassment.
"Hush Severus, Miss Evans, just hold this cloth over his eye for ten minutes or so." She said as she took Lily's hand and placed it over Severus's eye. Severus flinched at her touch.
"Sorry." She said meekly.
"I will be back shortly. Severus, do try and be more careful next time." She said as she disappeared back behind the curtain.
Lily and Severus sat next to each other, not speaking. Severus's nose had stopped bleeding now. With his good eye, Severus would glance over once in a while, to see if she was as uncomfortable as he was.
"Does it hurt?" She asked.
"No." Severus said.
"So, do you come here often?" She asked referring to what Madame Pomfrey said earlier.
"Not if I can help it."
"You shouldn't let them pick on you, you know."
"I shall keep that in mind the next time they corner me." Severus said sarcastically.
"You know, you're not so bad when you relax." Lilly commented.
"Look, why don't you just leave, and tell your Gryffindor friends how pathetic I am, I am sure they would enjoy that." Severus said irritated.
"I would never do something like that. Besides, I don't have many friends myself." Lily confessed.
"Saint Evans has no friends, now I have heard everything." Severus laughed a little, causing his side to hurt, from when he was punched earlier.
"Don't laugh it is true." She said as she hit his arm playfully.
"You know we could be friends." Lily said, taking the cloth off his eye, and looking as his dark spheres.
"There are an infinite number of reasons why we should not be friends, the first being that you have only known me for twenty minutes, and the second and more important is that you are a Gryffindor."
"I have seen you in my classes, I like you, different houses or not." Lily said.
Severus noticed that she smelled of berries and spring. He took her hand off of his eye, and with that the two fifteen year olds shared a kiss. That was Severus's best birthday ever.
SSS
"Hello Severus, I have been waiting for you." A familiar face smiled as she helped him up.
"Miss Potter, how kind." Severus said, his voice could not hide the pain.
"Lily, Severus, call me Lily." She said.
Severus looked around at the scenery. It was snowing again. A tree was lit up with fairy lights in front of him. There were two presents under the tree, and two tree stumps sat next to each other.
"Where are we?" Severus asked.
"Do you not remember?" Lily asked.
"It was a long time ago Lily." Severus said growing tired.
"It was Christmas 1975." She said looking into his eyes.
"The last time we were together." Severus said walking towards the tree.
"I have missed you." She said, staying back, watching him as he stared at the lights.
"How could you have missed me?" Severus stated.
"It may have not turned out the way you wished, but it doesn't change how I felt about you, and still feel about you." Lily said, touching him on the shoulder.
"Then why did you marry him?" Severus asked hurt.
"You were my first love Severus, not my only love." Lily tried to reason.
"You were my only." Severus confessed. He sensed that Heaven was like a natural Veritiseurm, things were seemingly coming out of his mouth, without restraint.
"I know." Lily said trying to get him to look at her.
"My father did not approve. I did everything in my power to make you hate me, just so my father and your Gryffindor friends would leave me be." Severus said again, thinking of the day when he called her a mudblood.
"I know your father did not approve, but I must confess that I could have never married you. You know that, in your heart you always knew we would have never worked out. You were too good for me." Lily sat down on one of the stumps, making sure her red overcoat hung over the edge of the cut tree.
"I was the one who was not good enough for you." Severus said letting out a sigh.
The two sat in silence for a while, Severus glancing over at her every now and then.
SSS
"Come with me." A younger Severus said.
"Where are we going? It is snowing outside." Lily said, grabbing her cloak as Severus practically pulled her out of the Great Hall.
It was Christmas break and all of the students were gone, except for Lily and Severus. Sirius spent the holidays with James, and all Slytherin students went home to their parents. The other students in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were around, but most spent the holiday in their common room.
"I have something to show you." Severus said.
"All right, but slow down, my legs aren't as long as yours." Lily said.
Severus was finally happy. He had grown three inches in the past three months, making him taller than his father. James and Sirius had also tired of their bulling of Severus, and left him mostly to himself. Severus would meet Lily in the library after classes, where they would help each other with classes. Severus would help her in potions, where she would help him in Transfigurations, a class he detested.
"Where are we going?" Lily asked as Severus led her down past the lake, on the Hogwarts grounds.
"You'll see." Severus said.
"Now close your eyes." Severus said as they approached the surprise.
"Severus! Are you insane?" She asked, half laughing.
"No, come on close your eyes." Severus said again, more serious.
"Okay, but you better not leave me out here." She joked.
Severus did not respond. He whispered a spell and Lily raised her eyebrows as she sensed light through her closed eyes.
"Okay, you may open them." He said. Lily opened her eyes and stood in awe. Severus had decorated a pine tree in a clearing. He had spelled fairies to light the tree, as well as a few decorations. There were two crackers under the tree, as well as two presents.
"Oh Severus, this is amazing. Where did you get the fairies?" She asked.
"I nicked them from my father." Severus said.
"What if he finds out?" Lily asked concerned.
"He won't find out." Severus said as he gestured for her to sit down.
"This is amazing Severus." She said again.
"Happy Christmas. I know you were upset about not being able to go home, but I come here every Christmas, I though you might like it too." Severus said.
"Thank you, this is the best gift ever." She said as she hugged him.
"Your welcome, but this isn't the gift. This is." Severus said as he handed her a rectangle box.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Just open it." Severus said, his eyes wide open. He had spent nearly all his savings on it. Lily ripped off the wrapping paper, and lifted the lid to the box. There it was, a cloak. A beautiful cloak with velveteen lining.
"This is beautiful, Severus." Lily said as she lifted it out of the box.
"Put it on." Severus said. Lily did what he said, and as she wrapped it around her shoulders, she noticed that this was not an ordinary cloak.
"My body's gone!" She exclaimed in surprise.
"It is an invisibility cloak." Severus said with a proud look on his face.
"Where did you get it?" Lily said in awe.
"I bought it, for you. Do you like it?" Severus asked.
"I love it. Thank you Severus, this is the best Christmas ever." Lily said as she drew him in for a kiss.
"Severus!" The two spun around on their seats. There in front of him, was his father.
"Miss Evans, go back to your house immediately! Mister Snape, come with me." Dorian yelled.
"Dad, please!" Severus begged, embarrassed that his father had caught him.
"You are to address me as Professor! I suggest you do not speak." Dorian hissed.
"Goodbye, Severus. Thank you." She whispered as she took her new cloak and left Dorian and Severus by themselves.
As soon as Lily had disappeared from sight. Dorian grabbed Severus by the collar.
"What the hell do you think you are doing? With a muggleborn no less." Dorian hissed.
"Let go of me." Severus said angered.
"No son of mine will date a mudblood!" Dorian snapped.
"What?" Severus said surprised.
"Did she not tell you? Of course not. She is a mudblood Severus." Dorian said.
"You're lying!" Severus yelled, confused. Lily had never told him that she was a muggleborn.
"You are not to see her again, do I make myself clear." Dorian said.
"I don't believe you!" Severus yelled, as he turned his back on his father.
Dorian grabbed Severus by his collar, but this time Severus acted first, and pushed his father to the ground. Shocked at his strength, Severus ran back to the castle, he had attacked his father, a Hogwarts professor. Severus may have gotten detention for it, but he stopped being afraid of his father's strength that day.
SSS
"You never opened your other present." Severus said, pointing at the other gift underneath the tree.
"I never had a chance." Lily said.
"Open it now." Severus said, limping to the gift.
"What will it change Severus?" Lily asked.
"Nothing now, but just open it, will you?" Severus said somewhat annoyed.
"All right." Lily said, as she pulled off the wrapping from the little box. She lifted the hinged lid, and saw a beautiful necklace with a heart shaped locket pendant.
"That is beautiful Severus." Lily said sincerely.
"It was my mother's." Severus said looking at it, forgetting how much he missed his mother.
"She gave it to you?' Lily asked.
"Yes, I told her that I wanted to give something special to a girl I liked, and she gave me this. I did not have picture of you to put in it, but I thought that you might have one." Severus said taking the locket in his hand.
"I am sorry things had to end that night." Lily said.
"You should have told me that you were a muggleborn." Severus admitted.
"I know I should have, but you should have told me that were only to marry a pureblood." Lily said.
"I never married, I could not, not after I knew what love was suppose to feel like. How I wanted to though, just to spite you. What did you see in him Lily?" Severus asked.
"He loved me, he made me laugh, held me when I cried. He was there for me when my parents died. He did not judge me." Those last words cut deep. Severus looked away.
"You gave him the cloak, which conveniently your son inherited. How could you? You changed." Severus hissed.
"He found the cloak, I never gave it to him, intentionally, but I loved James. I would not have married him if I did not. I still cared about you though, and James hated that." Lily said trying to touch his hand. He withdrew.
"You yourself changed after we left Hogwarts, and you talk as if it was all my fault. You joined the Death Eaters! Why?" Lily asked.
"You would not understand." Severus said upset.
"Try me Severus."
"You never understood me, you always acted as if you cared, but yet I scared you. You are right, we weren't meant for each other." Severus said.
"Why did you join them?"
"Because I would have never gotten a chance anywhere else. I wanted to prove my father wrong. I wanted to make something of myself."
"You were always something Severus, you just never believed. You never saw it in yourself." Lily said.
SSS
The two sat watching the fairy lights on the tree. No matter how much they fought, Severus still cared about her. It was the only thing that kept him from strangling Harry everyday in Potions class.
"Have you met your son yet? Here in Heaven I mean." Severus asked, looking up at the sky.
"No, not yet. I do not know if I will." Lily said.
"He died before me. The boy never got a chance to truly live. We knew both knew it would end that way though, how could it have ended any differently?" Severus said.
"Yes, but at least he lived for a time. I could not have bear to see my son killed in front of me." Lily said.
"I am sorry I could not save you, or your family. I tried, but James never trusted me after all. He did not believe me." Severus said.
SSS
It was Severus's 18th birthday today.
"Hey watch it Snivellus." James said as he ran into the teenager.
"Watch it yourself Potter." He nearly spat.
"What's this? Doing a bit of light reading?" James said, grabbing the book he was carrying out of his hand.
"Give that back, Pompous Potter." Severus snapped back.
"Ooh, The Divine Art of the Dark Arts, light reading my arse." James noted.
"Mind your own idiotic brain, Potter." Severus said, grabbing the book out of his hand.
As Severus grabbed the book, his sleeve fell down over his elbow, revealing a black tattoo on his left forearm.
"What the hell is that?" Potter asked.
"None of your business." Severus said as he quickly shoved his sleeve back over his arm.
"That's one of them Dark Marks my dad's been taking about." James said giving him an incriminating look.
"Shove off." Severus said turning to walk away from his enemy, but there stood Lily, with tears threatening to fall. The boy she once knew, was now a man she wished she didn't.
SSS
"I may have not agreed with choices as a teenager Severus, but I was happy that you saw the error in your ways. You did a lot for the Order."
"I did what I had to. I never told anyone, but that day when you looked at me, I thought part of me had died. I never cared what anyone thought, except for you." Severus said.
"I never meant to hurt you Severus." Lily said.
"Just tell me one thing, did you love me?" Severus asked.
"Yes Severus, I loved you."
"I am sorry I made mistakes. I was young and foolish."
"It was suppose happen, don't you see. There are no accidents. You were suppose to become a teacher. You were meant to help the Order, and you were meant to look out for my son.
SSS
It was Severus's 23rd birthday today. He was at an Order meeting.
"Severus, anything to report?" Albus Dumbledore asked.
"No sir." Severus said from the corner.
"Well, thank you everyone, keep safe, and remember keep one eye open." Albus concluded the meeting.
Severus got up and glided out of the room. He was tired and wanted to go home, but he was not alone.
"Severus, wait a moment, please." He heard her sweet voice say.
"What do you want Potter." He now called her, just to spite her.
"Lily? Are you coming, we really should be going, you need your rest." Severus heard James Potter say from the other room.
"I will be there in a minute, James." She said.
"What do you want with him?" James sneered as he saw Severus standing next to her.
"James, please, go talk with Padfoot." She urged.
"Fine, but no good can come from talking to HIM you know." James said as he turned and walked out the room. Severus made a face.
"Ignore him, he is just upset because well, he is under a lot of stress." Lily tried to explain.
"Stress is no excuse. I am under extreme amount of stress, and I somehow find restraint." Severus bit out.
"Yes, of course." Lily said, trying to show understanding.
"So, anything of importance, Evans or do you just wish to babble." Severus said annoyed.
"Well, you see um, James and I, well were are having a baby." Lily said half smiling.
"Ha. Good evening." Severus said not amused.
"I am not making this up, Severus I am serious." Lily said now also somewhat annoyed.
"I did not doubt you, I just do not see why this concerned me." Severus said, staring past Lily.
"I am worried something will happen, Severus I have a favor to ask." Lily asked.
"Make it quick." Severus said pulling out his pack of cigarettes.
"If something should happen, please look out for my child." She asked, now looking at him straight in the eyes.
As Severus went to respond, his forearm started to ache. He was being called. Severus quickly wrapped his hand over his forearm and turned to leave.
"Severus?" Lily asked.
"I have to go, I want no part of Potter's child." Severus said coldly.
"And what of my child?" Lily yelled.
Severus paused, closed his eyes and conceded.
"I will see that is safe, no more." Severus said, and with a 'pop' he was gone.
SSS
"I also knew that you would be there for Harry, when I was not. You were noble in life." Lily said taking his hand.
"I only did it for you, I looked out for him, even if I hated what he was, a Potter." Severus said.
"He looked just like Potter, it was a cruel joke really." Severus said as he rubbed his thumb over her tiny hand.
"I always told James that all Harry had from me was my eyes." Lily smiled.
"You need not remind me." Severus said, taking a deep breath.
"But, I hate to admit this but he had your heart, and it was because of it, I lived." Severus said looking her in the eyes.
"You know Severus, love never goes away, it just changes. I loved you at one time, I still love you now but it takes on a different form." Lily explained.
"I believe Albus told me once that, the ones who love us never really leave us. They are always here." Lily said as she put her other hand over his heart.
There she was, inches away from him. She still smelled of berries and spring. Severus pressed his lips against hers, and they shared a kiss.
"Dance with me Severus." Lily said.
"I do not think I can." Severus said pointing to his leg.
"Of course you can, come on." She said as she got up and held her hand out for him to join her.
The two swayed back and forth, until it had stopped snowing, but for Severus it only seemed like a second. Lily told him that it was time for her to move on, but Severus did not want to let go. She smiled, and walked towards the horizon. There went his first love, his last love, and his only.
A/N: I hope everyone had a happy holiday. Here is a late present from me. I hope you like it. I am so excited that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be out two days before my birthday. Only one person left in the story!!! Please review.