A/N: Not that much Lily this chapter, I am sorry about that but I have to center Severus in this one. It will just be for this chapter.
Thanks to the very few who reviewed.
It was neither raining nor sunny the day of the first Hogsmeade visit, but the enthousiasm of the students could not be tempered. It was a jolly crowd all excited, and plans on what to do firstly were made. Severus had made up his mind. He checked his pocket to make sure the letter he had received earlier was still there and blended in with the other students as they made their way to Hogsmeade.
It had been a week since he had been with Lily and their next study in the library would be in less then a week. How very much he wanted to be with her, having this over and done with was more important,curiousity was getting the better of him.
Students were leaking away, some of them strolling into the Leaky Cauldron, others making straight for Honeydukes. Severus however, strayed into Sardon Alley, one of the darker sides of Hogsmeade which, thanks to its reputation, was always quite deserted. Nevertheless he found the street extremely fascinating. The little things that blinked in the dark, creatures scutteling past, the mere smell of the place was filled with mystery. On that very moment an Imp hurtled past, trying to trick Severus who merely smiled at the Imps furtive grin.
Soon he came to a small corner between Sardon - and Perif Alley where he raised his wand in the air. Almost immediately a roaring BANG came echoing follwed by the arrival of a violent purple tripledecker bus flaunting a golden sign "Knightbus" upfront. A blackhaired pudgy man in equally purple outfit stepped forward ;
"Welcom o the Knighbus, rescue of the stranded Witch o Wizard. Me name is Pat Purkins and Im yer conductor. Anything ye need, just gives us a holler. Wheresabout do ye want to go?"
"Gringotts," hissed Severus.
Boarding , Severus paid 11 sickles for the busride when the conducter yelled "Take her away Ern!" at the young darkhaired driver, who put his foot down immediately.
The bus was not only a danger to the people inside but just about anything outside was in harms way aswell. Lamposts jumped out of the way, other cards moved aside when the purple horror came speeding by. A large three bend over when it nearly got knocked off its roots.
"First stop, downtown London" said the pudgy conductor to a hooded figure sitting across to Severus; who was hanging on for his dear life (and stomach). The figure got up and Severus thought the man had a strangely familiar look when the conductors voice bellowed: "Next stop, Gringotts". And the purple madness roared off again, chairs falling down, candles toppeling of their tables.
It took, to Severus like, too long before he arrived before the magnificent marble building that is Gringotts, which was gleaming in all its might. The feeble warning for strangers and thieves made Severus chuckle. Any talented wizard could get in ..."more then dragons" there or not.
Whipping out the letter from his pocked, he made his way to a particularly vicious looking Goblin who focussed him with beady eyes, quickly stuffing a sack of coins away.
"Severus Snape, I am here to receive the key to a vault that was assigned to myself"
The Goblin snatched the paper out of his hands, expecting forgery or fraude, only after having read the paper back and fort he said "Very well" and waved another of his kind over.
"Follow me", said the smaller but equally vicious looking goblin in his highpitched voice.
They reached a woobly looking cart wich Severus eyed wearily. The Knightbus had plagued his stomach enough already. Passing several darkmarble stonestairs they went, passing more vaults along their way, Severuscould swear he saw several pairs of yellow eyes gleaming from the cracks of the walls.
When they came to an end it was on a floor with very little vaults, all of them were big and made of stone. There was no handle or knob it any of them
"Vault 114. Please stand back." commanded the goblin, stretching a long finger ending in a razorsharp nail, wich now slashed through the heavy door of the vault, pausing only to hear an occasional "click". After a third click a keyhole appeared and the goblin pushed the key in.
The huge stone door opened lazily, with a bit of a grunt. Inside was.... a packadge... No gold, no silver, no bronze. Just a single carefully wrapped brown packadge lying on a small circular stone table. Bowing the goblin backed away leaving Severus to enter the vault.
Curious to the contents, Severus pocketed it quickly and allowed the Goblin to close the door and hand him the key before they made their way upstairs again.
Outside Severus wasted no time in lounging around and raised his wand again. His stomach turned as the roaring "BANG" came about for the second time that day.
- - - - -
Lily was slightly disappointed when Severus had let her know in between classes that he had made prior engagements that Hogsmeade day that prevented him to meet with her.
She had met Professor McGonagall and explained she would set of for her family in the upcoming holiday season, her Head of House was rather disappointed but told Lily to give her regards to her family anyway. Afterwards Lily had delighted an very small but energertic Scop owl by tying a note to its leg, in wich she was telling her parents to pick her up from Kings Cross Station for the holidays.
She was lost in thought for a bit when she looked up and saw she had walked into a grubby little street called Sardon Alley. It was definitely not one of the major alleys in Hogsmeade as there was nobody present and the shops looked a good deal less florishable. Clearly buissiness was much more favorable in the Main Street.
Her eye was drawn to a somewhat classy but older bookstore with a display that had notices such as "Ancient Charms", "Azian Hexes" and "Secretely Charmed".
She couldnt help striding into the shop. There were rows of stacked books,the whole place was packed upto its neck with magic and Lily found herself automatically going for a row of old and battered books. She picked up a velvet greencovered one called "Forgotten Charms" when a voice came from behind her.
"And what do we think were doing?"
The voice belonged to a woman, tall and slim, she looked vaguely familiar to Lily. Her bright green eyes were measuring Lily up and down, her long fingers tapping upon the counter lazily.
"Just looking", Lily said quietly.
The woman just stared, which made Lily feel even more uncomfortable then the drumming of her fingers.
"Are you one of those Weasleys?" she demanded of Lily.
"Sorry but I dont know what you are talking about" Lily honestly answered.
"I bet you are by the looks of you....that hideous hair of yours." The witch grinned as she came closer.
"Whats your name then?" she demanded again.
Before she could answer, a third voice called out.
"Lily!"
Turning about, Lily was immensely relieved to find Severus at the doorstep.
A smile now flickered on the ladys face, "Why hello Severus, it sure does me good to see you here".
Severus only nodded as he grabbed Lily by the arm and they both made their way out of the dingy alley. Only to appear into an equally dodgy one, where one light illuminated the rest of the street untill the very end where the merest flicker of a light appeared.
"Thank you", Lily whispered with a shudder. Severus remained silent, his hand locked hers in a possessive grip.
"These sorts of alley's are not safe for a... witch such as yourself."
"A mudblood you mean", she said, her voice rising again.
"Must we go through this again" he said softly.
"Sorry"
"They took refusge in a dark sidestreet where Severus took out his wand and tapped them both gently on their heads.
Lily felt a sensation not quite unlike hot liquid spiraling through her spine the next thing she knew her hand had become the same greyish colour the bricks of the house were.
"Desillusioment Charm",Severus answered her unasked question, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Once again she smelled like vanilla as he pressed his lips on hers and their tongues met again. He felt her knees buckle and tightend the possessive grip he had on her. His hands slid to her firm buttocks and rested each on a cheek. He bit her lip to wich she responded with an unvoluntairy shudder and leaning even more forward in his arms.
He broke up with the greatest dislike.
"Listen", he whispered," We have to get going again, meet me again this evening. 11 oclock.. our place. Use the charm to get past any...obstacles"
She nodded, smiling mischievously.
They broke off each going their own way, Severus watched her walk away when a strange undefined emotion came over him. He quickly ignored it.
Back at Hogwarts, it was with a stroke of luck that, that evening the Quidditch Cup Trials were held and Severus had the privacy of his darkgreen velvet four poster to surrond him. He packed up all he needed and made way towards the tapestry of Barnabas the Balmy. When he entered the room looked identical to how they had left it. He knew it would take 2 more hours for Lily to arrive so there was no reason not to. He tapped the packadge with is wand and it fell open easily, dropping its content on Severus lap.
There were four smaller packadges included, two of them wrapped in the same brown-coloured paper and the two others being sealed pieces of parchment. He decided on the first parchment and tapped the seal with his wand. A small glowing light led up from the parchement to his wand and the seal broke.
His long fingers opend the letter, he noticed his fingers were slightly trembling in a forebidding way and started to read.
Dear Severus,
If yo are reading this letter, it means I am no longer capable or even present to tell you this in person. Which, is something that saddens me even more then anything that I have come across so far or my furture has install.
I have granted Gringotts the permission to send you this letter two weeks before you turn 17 so that I could warn you, should anything befall me.
There will always be people that will force you to follwo a goal because of things that have been set long ago. I simply wish for you to grow up into the kind of person you want to grow into. Not "forced or "destined" or "born" to be.
Choose who you want to be Severus, chose your own ways, beliefs and ambitions.
My son, nothing saddens me more then not being there for you at the very moment.
Inclosed you will find some treasured memories of mine along with a few words of wisdom.
On prearranged floors
The second move is yours
It is neither moving or set
The prerequisits not met
Should it all fall apart take this wisdom at hart
Turn away from the stone And the King on his throne
Love,
Mum.
Severus had never felt more torn in a web of such emotions like now. There was warmth for his mother, confusion about so many things and a sudden odd sence of loss. He stared at the letter reading it at least twice more again before he dared to believe what was written. His selfcontrol snapped when he tore open one of the other small brownwrapped packadges, filled by the urge to know more...to have knowledge...
Pictures... The first pictures he had from his family...
A woman smiled up brightly at him while a small darkhaired boys snuggled cosy in her lap.
His mother...
He recognised her high cheeckbones as his hand glided over his own. Their eyes were identical, both as black as the night. Her hair looked just as unmanagable as his curtains of greasy hair.
Another picture....the same darkahaired boy making grabs for toys his mother had levitating infront of him. The woman was smiling warmly upto the boy.
And then .. a picture with a man in it. Hooknosed and menaced he had his arm tight around the same woman, he wasnt smiling anymore and the other arm commandinly around his son. The woman, his mother, didnt even remotely look the same anymore. There was no smile on her face, no kind or warm look in her eyes.
Oh how he hated that man. The last memory he could barely remember was full of hatred for the hooknosed man who had once more started an towering argument with his mother causing her to cower in fright and shield her son.
He could hardly tear his eyes away from the pictures but there was a stream of emotions flooding in his body, some parts of him screamed out for more...more knowledge...more memories. Though another part of him wanted nothing to do with it, wanted piece and to be left alone.
No! Delaying the pain will only make it worse. He had to continue.
The smallest of packadges turned out be... a ring. A shining silver band with a beautifull gleaming emerald. He pocketed the jewel quickly.
The last remaining was the second piece of sealed parchement. It was a thick piece of parchement wich looked like it had been torn out of a book. When his wand touched the seal nothing happend. Or rather, nothing happend at first glance. The tip of his wand ignited and green sparks were shot high in the air. When they had died out....the parchement flipped open.
That evening had held many suprises for him but what he was staring at now baffled him more then anything.
There was writting in a eleborate curly handwriting :
You will sever the goal and only that.
A cycle of servitude untill the cradle is filled.
Should the cradle not be forfilled a first, a second shall be needed.
A guardian shall be appointed to forfill the terms.
There was the beginning of a fifth line but it was to torn to be read.
The whole contents of the last parchment had raged through Severus mind more then anything that he has been through that day. He tried to fit tie it all together but nothing would fit, it all seemed too...weary...too surreal.
Resting his head on the top of the couch he wanted to sleep...sleep and forget about it all for the moment. But he couldnt. A little voice wich most people would call a consience roared out loud within him.
And then he heared her voice. It was soft and comforting .."Severus?"
He, ofcourse, didnt hear her come in and was startled by her sudden presence.
"Are you okay Severus?" she asked looking concerned.
In response he swepped her in his arms, she was a very welcome distraction indeed as her touch of Vanilla swearmed up his nose, her soft long hair flowing against his cheek. He sat them both down and she leaned into his lap, her warm body pressing onto his skinny frame. Somehow all the happenings that evening seem to fall back in her presence.
They spend a few hours talking, Severus kept what had happend to himself...for now.. he enjoyed her presence too much. He would tell her....later..