Chapter 6 : Whisper of The Heart

Chapter Text :

Lily's POV

I've been sitting with this leftover lukewarm soup for a my evident hunger, I have lost my appetite. I miss Sev. I wish he was here and we could talk about the Potions assignment. If only there was a way to bring James and Sev together without having them wage absolute war against each other! I sighed for the umpteenth time and decided to take another spoon of the soup. The taste of the soup isn't helping the mood better either. I look around and see that I was the only one sitting in the entire dining hall. Weird, I could've sworn there were a bunch of ravenclaws when I entered the hall. Well Sev isn't here and even if he was, I doubt he would help me with the assignments. Considering Potter's inability to do any schoolwork, I better start doing the assignment.

"Miss Lily Evans"

I hear someone call my name and look up from my assignment to see Professor Mcgonagall standing there slightly out of breath and having a grimm expression.

"Yes professor?"

"Miss Evans I am terribly sorry to bear such sad news" Mcgonagall's face which was always stern had a very sad veil to takes a breath and continues. "Your mother was in a terrible accident. She is currently hospitalized."

It was almost as if someone punched me so hard in the gut that I couldn't even breathe. Everything around me was starting to spin. I couldn't concentrate. Why was this happening to me! Tears were trailing down my eyes but I couldn't say anything. Nothing would pass my mouth.

"Miss Evans, you will be excused from all classes for the next week and you will be taken to your mother today if you wish so." Mcgonagall told me with a sympathetic tone.

With great difficulty I asked, "Can I go now?"

"Sure. Let me just take care of a thing first and then I will take you to the Headmaster's office to floo"

In 30 minutes, I was in a hospital. I see my father sitting on a seat looking at nothing with his eyes completely unfocused as if he wasn't even there. He sees me but I don't think he has enough sense to even realize that I was there. I look through the door and see that Tuney was inside holding my mother's hand. I enter through the door and the moment that she sees me she gives me a snarling look and starts getting up.

"Look who decides to finally grace us from their high palace" Tuney says with so much disdain that it is almost sickening.

"Why do you have to be like this! I have come to see our mother and all you can be is so petty!" I scream with as much disdain as possible. The last few days have been absolute hell from start to finish and I am finding that my patience is running out. It seems like Tuney was a bit surprised with my outburst considering I never really scream out.

Tuney looked away and mumbled, "So, why did it take you 12 goddamn hours"

"I just found out and came as soon as possible."

Tuney hummed disapprovingly and started going out of the room. Why can't we get along together? We are sisters. We should be able to grieve together and be able to bond together. Why do we do this separately as if we are two dangerous ingredients in a potion class that will crash and burn if they are left together?

As Tuney was passing me I said, "You can stay here. We are sisters. We should be here together." As I went further with the request my voice cracked. I was on the verge of tears but seeing that Petunia doesn't even stop and leaves the room broke the goddamn dam of tears. I break down then and there and start weeping. As I grow up with Hogwarts, I feel like everything I used to have as a kid is starting to slip away. My best friend Severus already left me, Petunia hates me for some reason and now my Mother is dying.

I stayed there for a few hours before my father entered the room and found me curled up beside my mother. Father took me to the cafeteria to get something to eat. After eating I see my father going out and lighting a cigarette. I thought he had given up smoking when he married mother but it seems like that wasn't the case.

I decided to go home to change out of my clothes. I need a shower and maybe a bit of proper sleep. Father and Petunia will stay with mother today. I will stay with my mother tomorrow I guess.

My father dropped me to my home before he went to the diner to pick up some food for himself and Tuney. He asked me if I needed takeaway food as well but I declined. I wanted to cook to keep my mind from drifting to more unsavory thoughts.

The spaghetti or the attempt that I had in making spaghetti was pitiable. Sighing, I decided to throw it away and settle for some cheese and bread. The doctors still don't know when will mother recover or if she will recover or not. The blood loss was excessive and when I asked the headmaster if the magical institute can help her or not he said that the damage was already done and magical treatment will be just as effective as muggle treatment. Only if I had known it before. Sighing for the umpteenth time I decided to take a shower. Looking through my wardrobe I realized that I needed to go shopping. I was supposed to go with Sev during our break. I had finally convinced him to go shopping with me. I know his situation at home wasn't the greatest and his financial crisis but I would've had my dad carry out the expanses. Now that plan seems so distant.

After the shower I decided to make some tea to calm my nerves. The shower did wonders though. I feel infinitely more relaxed. Maybe it's because I am starting to realize there are so many things that are out of my control. Great! There is no milk in the house. I decided to start reading a book. A girly romance that Mary kept on bugging me to read. 2 pages into it I am bored out of my mind. My mind keeps drifting back to the thought of Severus. Is he at home? What is he doing right now? Can I meet him now?

Calling my gryffindor courage, I decided to visit him. Sev lived in the more unsavory side of cokeworth. The houses in here looked grim as if everyone in here is bound to eternal suffering. Ironic that the only person from here who was able to escape these shackles had their opportunity taken away. Just thinking about it makes my mood sour.

After a 10 minute walk I stood in front of a shabby looking house with a slightly broken roof. I decided to gather up the courage and knocked on the door. I don't know what I will say to Sev. I don't even know if he will open the door or not. What if it's his father who opens it? I may not know everything but I know that he is an abusive man. No…NO LILY! Don't overthink it. After some more knock I decided to try the door and see that it is locked. After 15 minutes more of knocking and shouting which caused a small crowd of people, I decided that I had enough so I started going towards the park that me and Sev used to go to.

I reached the park and sat on the swing. There seems to be a guy who was sleeping on the bench of the park. Looks like a homeless guy. I decided to ignore him and think back on my last encounter with Sev. Is he home? Is he purposefully avoiding me? Did he decide to not open the door when he saw me there? I was so engrossed by this miserable possibility that I didn't notice that the guy on the bench sat up and started coming towards me.

"Your that lass that the boy is friends with, ain't ya? The pretty miss from the clean side of the town?"

Hearing this I looked up and saw the guy's face. It took me a few seconds but I realized that it is Tobias Snape, Sev's father. There is some resemblance there.

"Yes." I sounded so meek. I was nervous. I am in a park with an alcoholic who has a history of abuse. This is bad. Thankfully I have the wand with me but I can't use it or else I'll have problems at school.

Seeing that I wasn't saying anything more Tobias continued, "Miss you gotta help me. That boy has gone crazy! He used that freaky magic to threaten me to leave the house! I have no place to go."

"Sadly I am not in any position to help your case. Me and Sev had a big fight so I am not sure if I can help you." The state of Tobias really makes him a pitiable site despite knowing that he has made Sev's life a hell.

Tobias's demeanor changed and it was as if he looked all over me. A disgusting shiver ran through me.

"Well if the lad ain't there, why not give his pa some attention."

Hearing that made me almost vomit. I gripped my wand tighter and seeing that he was bringing his hand close to my face I decided to punch him with as much force as I could. Thank god he didn't see it coming. I decided to start running without looking back.

That night no sleep came to my doorstep. The things with my mother didn't change either for the next 2 days and nor my stand with Tuney even after trying my best for the last 2 days. Things didn't change with the Sev situation either. His door was still locked. Today was especially bad. Me and Tuney had a nasty fight after she once again insulted me about my magical ability. Father had to separate us both and instead of sending Tuney home who by the way started the fight, he decided to send me home. Absolutely amazing! I decided to sleep for the rest of the day. The exhaustion of the last 2 days finally settled in. I ended up falling into a deep slumber.

There was a loud knock on the door. I opened my eyes from the slumber. The knock kept getting louder.

"I am coming" I shout out and hurry to the door. Maybe dad is home early. I opened the door only to be greeted by a hooded figure who cast non verbal magic at me to throw me to the other side of the room. I try to stand up and see the figure removing their mask. It's Sev. His face is twisted in a nsaty sneer almost as if he doesn't hate anything in the world as much as me.

I wake up screaming and sweating like a pig. My heart is beating so fast that it's almost as if it will leap out of my body. I try to wash my face to calm my nerves but it doesn't work. I look at the clock and see that it's 2 am. I decided to go out for a walk to settle my anxiety riddled mind. I took my wand just in case I had to face any unforeseen situation like the unpleasant encounter with Tobias Snape. It's a bit cold outside but I decided to ditch the jacket and go with what I was wearing. I want to feel the cool air to sober up a little.

Before I realized where I was going, I looked up and saw that I was close to Sev's house. Well since I am here might as well see if he finally opens up or not. My luck still seems unfavorable. The door still remains closed. Sighing deeply I decided to walk back to the porch and go home only to turn around and see the person of my desire looking just as shocked as me.

The momentary shock passed from Sev's face and he said "What are you doing here, Lily?"

Ending Notes: Dun Dun DUUUUN! Finally the prodigal son makes his long awaited return! Now I actually gotta write their confrontation! It started out so short and now it's going out of control. I wanted to end it with 7-8 chapters but now I doubt if it'll end in 15 chapters or not.

Recommendation Number 6 is Knight of Pentacles, Queen of Wands by jaderook ( /works/1807381/chapters/3878041)

I recently just completed it and my god it is a thing of beauty. Out of all the rebirth Sev fic, this one nails Sev's inherent bastard attitude to perfection. The way Sev is tethering on the edge of good and evil really adds up to it also I love that this doesn't take place in Hogwarts. Really great stuff!