The summer holidays couldn't go any slower. He couldn't wait for his Hogwarts letter to arrive. Every day he would wait outside for the letter, and visit the Evanses to ask if Lily had gotten hers yet.

And then, after a wait that seemed to take forever, the day finally arrived.

That very special day, Severus woke up to the sound of ticking to his bedroom window. It went through his dream and woke him up. He was disoriented because he couldn't place the sound, but when he sat up he saw what had caused it.

There was a large brown owl sitting behindhis bedroom window, pecking at the glass to get his attention. Which had worked, since it had woken him right up.

He got out of bed and opened his window. The owl flew in and circled around the room before landing on his bed. It was carrying a letter.. He took the letter from the owl and opened it. The owl still sat on his bed, waiting for a treat, but Severus didn't pay attention to it.

Because this letter was a letter he had been waiting on his entire life. This letter was his Hogwarts acceptance letter!

He quickly went to his parents' bedroom and peeked in to see if they were awake. He saw his mother staring back at him so he entered, waving the letter. His mother certainly seemed pleased with the letter and flashed him a quick, small smile. It was more than he had gotten from her since he could remember, so he was quite happy to see her smile, especially since he had made her smile!

He quickly left the room again, in fear he would otherwise accidentally wake up his father. He ran down the stairs and sat down at the table. He took out the pencil he used for schoolwork and wrote a letter agreeing to come to Hogwarts. He left space for his mother's signature.

He ran back upstairs to get dressed to find the owl still there. "What are you still here for?"

Of course, the owl didn't verbally respond (it's an owl, after all) but it did stare at him, making him feel uneasy. He quickly decided to get dressed and leave the house. He would ask his mother about it later, he decided. Now he was going to bring the good news to Lily first. The owl could wait.

He was getting close to her house when a loud popping sound got his attention, and he quickly spun around, face to face with a stern looking woman. "How did you — where did you —"

The woman paid him no attention and was headed for Lily's house as well, it seemed. "Did you Apparate, miss?"

This made the woman stop walking. "Why do you ask?"

"Well you just appeared there and I figured maybe you're a witch."

She looked at him from over her spectacles.

"I'm a wizard," he said. "My letter came today. Are you here to tell Lily she's a witch? We're friends."

"Yes, it just so happens to be that I am about to do that. And I'd rather do it without interruptions, if you don't mind."

Severus took the hint and went back to his house, leaving her to explain it all to Lily, and more importantly, to her parents.

He entered the house and was greeted by his mother who had just signed his letter. "Did the owl linger around?" She asked.

Severus nodded. "It's on my bed. I didn't know what to do with it so I just left it there."

"On your bed! You're supposed to give it a treat, stupid boy," she muttered as she went upstairs to find the owl. Severus followed his mother.

The owl still sat on his bed. It was very moody now, and Severus' mother had to carefully approach it and give it several treats before it reluctantly took the letter. Severus was amazed at the intelligence of the creature.

It then flew off, carrying with it, the letter back to Hogwarts. It was official. He was going.

He ate breakfast with his mother and slipped out of the house before his father even woke up. He made his way back to the Evanses again and imagined already how easy it would be to visit her when they were both in Hogwarts. All they needed to do was go to the common room. Simple as that. No getting across town to get to the nice part at all.

And no father to make emergency escape visits necessary sometimes.

He arrived at the house and rang the doorbell, hoping the witch would be gone by now. Petunia, much to Severus' disappointment, opened the door and looked at him with hatred and disgust clear on her face. "Spinner's End is here," she called out as she saw him.

Lily rushed towards the door. "Severus! Severus you're right, it's true, there was this woman, this woman told us everything! She told us all those things you told me about magic and Hogwarts!"

"Of course she did, Lily! Because it's true. It is real. That's what I've been saying for years."

"I know, I know, this just... it feels like it's really come true now. Aarghhh I could be dreaming I'm so happy!" She was beaming in happiness as she stood in the doorway, talking to him.

Severus chuckled. "Well you're not dreaming. It's all real. It's all happening. I'm as happy as you. Come September I'll be out of here, for good."

"Aren't you returning for the holidays?" She asked him.

"Not if I've got a choice, I'm not. If I never have to see my parents again, it'll be too soon."

"Lily, either get inside with him or go outside to him but close that door!" Mrs Evans' voice called from the next room and Lily grabbed her shoes before shutting the door close behind her.

She sat down on the ground and started to put on her shoes. "You really hate your parents, don't you?"

"Yes. Yes I do. All my Mum does is sleep, eat and work a few hours a day. She never talks to me or anything, ever. Sure there's exceptions, but usually she doesn't do as much as wave at me. And don't even get me started on my Dad."

She sighed, and he saw her look at him, examining him, as if looking for new bruises. But there were none. Sometimes, there were long periods where his father wasn't violent. Only distant and angry, but he kept his hands to himself. But then, just as they thought it was going to be alright, he would lash out again. It was unpredictable. Now was one of those good periods.

He helped it would last until he was gone.

"How are things at your house then," she asked. "Not well, I take it."

"They're fine."

She got up, done with putting on her shoes, and looked at him in disappointment. "I'll take that as a yes, then."

He glared at her. He didn't want to talk about this. Why wouldn't she ever just give the subject a rest?

"Oh honestly Sev!" She called out when she saw him lately. "Things have never been fine with you. You really think that after all these years I'll fall for your lies?"

"Why d'you ask then, if you know it so well?"

"Because I want you to know that you can trust me."

"I know. I know I can trust you," he mumbled. She was she only person he had ever trusted. Except perhaps his mother when he was younger. But not now. Now it was just Lily.

"Good," she said, and they walked in silence for a while.

"Lily?" He asked as they reached their old primary school. It was weird to walk by it, knowing he didn't go to school there anymore.

"Hm?" She seemed to have been deep in thought, much like himself.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being my friend." He still could hardly believe she actually liked talking to him. She was the first, and only one, to do this.

"Of course I am." She said it like it was the most normal thing in the world. Like he was well liked and had tons of friends. Like she wasn't the only one who truly liked him and cared about him in his entire life.

He wasn't sure how he could explain to her what he was scared of. He knew she would make friends easily. She had a quite big friend group here in the town too, so it would only make sense for that to remain the same as they went on to Hogwarts. She was easy to talk to and a great friend, so he could see she was popular.

He was just afraid that she would forget about him when they got there. He was just afraid that when she no longer needed him, she would drop him like he was nothing, and move on with her other friends.

Leaving him behind alone. Because though he dreamt of other friends, and hoped to make some at Hogwarts, he knew none would be like Lily. Lily would always be special to him. Because Lily was the first. The first to care.

"Promise me that when we get to Hogwarts... That you'll still be my friend. That we will always be friends. Best friends," he whispered to her, hoping she wouldn't think his request to be odd or unreasonable. He didn't date look at her and it seemed to take forever before she finally opened her mouth to respond to his question.

"Severus..." she began with. Severus held his breath. "You don't have to be afraid that I'll leave you," she continued, and Severus continued breathing. "You're my friend, and you always will be."

"Always?" He asked her, just to be sure he had fully heard her and understood her. Did this really mean he would have a friend for life? He allowed himself a small smile at the thought, which quickly grew as he heard what Lily's answer was.

"Always."