They Didn't Know We Were Seeds

"He might be like us."

"How are we going to find out for certain?"

"Watch him."

-o-O-o-

Unsurprisingly, watching Cresswell is a nigh impossible task for Severus. The boy appears to go out of his way to avoid places Severus is and will be. Which must be quite difficult for him, since Severus spends so much time in the library. Does he beg mates into getting him textbooks he needs to reference for homework and essays? If so, it's another tick on his list for Cresswell being a time-traveler like himself and Lily. Why else would he keep such a distance from Severus when possible? He's never done anything to the Ravenclaw. Not in this lifetime, anyway.

Lily, thankfully, has better luck. Cresswell seems much less leery of her than he is of Severus. Perhaps because she's Gryffindor. Maybe because she's a Magical Madonna who died a pure and selfless death for her child. Either way, he's thankful. Lily reports back to Severus frequently about the things she sees Cresswell doing.

The most interesting observation she has to share is told to him a week before the commencement of the school-wide dueling competition between the champions of the seven years. "I've seen him practicing with Mei Wong in the courtroom outside," Lily tells him. "I think he's tutoring her."

Severus turns this information over in his head. "Interesting."

"He could just hate Slytherins for some reason," suggests Lily that same afternoon.

He nods. "But why?"

"Rosier doesn't like him, does he?"

"No."

Lily replies, "If Rosier's a prick to him, that could be why."

Severus sighs. "I wish I could get him alone for a moment and use legilimency to see if there's anything there…"

She wraps her arms around herself and shakes her head. "I really hate when you suggest plans like that. Your head should be the last place you have to worry about people getting into."

He scowls. "I wouldn't if another option were available."

Lily begins to drum her fingers along her thigh. "I could talk to him?"

"And say what? Hey, Cresswell, have you ever died before?"

His friend glowers at him. "I could think of something with more finesse than that."

Severus rolls his eyes and turns away.

She puts a hand on his shoulder. "Sev," Lily murmurs.

Reluctantly, he looks at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You don't have to be responsible for everything. I can handle this, okay?"

After a moment of hesitation, he agrees. "Very well."

-o-O-o-

Lily doesn't rush into things with Cresswell. She thinks about it. Perhaps even overthinks it. But she wants to do this right. For Severus. Considering how she can approach this puzzle, she looks for the most natural piece to use as a bridge between her and the Ravenclaw. Lost in thought a couple of nights later, she's pulled away from her conundrum when, from her armchair closest to the Gryffindor common room's fire, Lily hears Frank say, "Cutting it a bit close to curfew, aren't you, Wong?"

The little girl sheepishly looks at the scuffed-up leather of her mary-janes.

"I'd hate to give the first-year's champion a detention."

Quietly, Wong mumbles, "I'll be more mindful next time."

Frank smiles at her. "That's all I'm asking, thank you, Wong."

Lily knows exactly how she's going to get herself properly introduced to Cresswell.

-O-

The next morning, Lily makes a point of sitting next to Wong at breakfast. The girl jumps a little and looks at Lily with a dubious glint to her pretty brown eyes. Lily smiles. "Mei Wong, right?" she asks.

"Yes."

She offers the girl her hand. "I'm Lily Evans."

Dubious glint now outright suspicion, Wong still manages to be polite enough to shake hands with Lily. Doing her best to pretend as if she doesn't notice the girl's unease, Lily chatters, "So you're the first-year's champion, huh? That's pretty wicked. My friend, Severus, is fourth year's."

"The Slytherin," supplies Wong.

She nods. "The one with the long hair, if you want to be specific. I count Sage, the other Slytherin you've probably seen me with, as a mate these days too."

Wong doesn't say anything, just stares awkwardly at Lily, fingers inching toward the apple on her plate.

Lily sighs. "I noticed the other day you were practicing your dueling with Dirk Cresswell."

She freezes.

Hurriedly, Lily assures, "I thought that was very clever of you to do! Severus has been helping out a second year named Scabior himself."

Wong relaxes slightly. A little pink around the cheeks, she mumbles, "Really? Don't you think it's cheating? Elliot says it's not fair of me to be getting help when he and the rest of our year weren't for the preliminaries."

"No! Not at all. Abercrombie's just jealous."

The girl is smiling at Lily now. Her relief and pleasure palpable. "That's what my mum said in her last letter."

"She's a clever lady."

Wong blooms at the words. She chats easily with Lily for the rest of breakfast about her practices with Cresswell and the things he's teaching her. Some of the spells seem a bit advanced for a fourth year to know, let alone be teaching a first year, but Lily makes a point of not letting this show. She needs to gain Wong's trust just enough so that Lily may invite herself along on the next session she has with the Ravenclaw. When the girl begins to peter out, Lily asks, "How did he become your tutor anyway? Did you ask him to?"

"No," answers Wong. "Dirk saw me mock-dueling with some of my dormmates and he called me over after we were done and said he thought I had a knack for it." Blushing once again, she mumbles, "Then he asked if I'd like him to help me."

"You lucky girl," Lily teases. "He's not half-bad to look at either, is he?"

Wong turns bright red.

Lily laughs and thinks she may be right. Wong could fancy Cresswell. Or, perhaps, if the Ravenclaw is a time-travel he had fancied her once upon a time. Maybe they'd been married. Severus has said Cresswell had a wife and children. She gives the first year a nudge with her elbow. "I'm just having a little laugh at you. I'm sorry, Wong."

She smiles back at Lily. "It's alright."

"When are you due for your next practice session?"

The girl pulls back her sleeve to reveal a delicate gold-chained watch. "Um, in ten minutes."

Not even having to feign concern, Lily frets, "Oh dear. Will you be able to get wherever you're meeting in time?"

Wong fiddles with her watch, not answering.

Rising to a stand, Lily gently grabs the girl's arm and pulls her up. "Come on, I'll come with you and tell him it was my fault. I got you distracted telling me all about the work you two have been putting into the competition."

She doesn't fight Lily's grip, if anything, she relaxes under it. Taking lead, Wong guides them through Hogwarts until they reach a courtyard nearly on the other side of the school fifteen minutes later. Cresswell pushes off against the wall at the sight of them. "Mei– I– What are you doing here, Evans?"

"We were chatting about her practices with you over breakfast and lost track of time." Putting a hand over her chest, she says, "And that's probably my fault more than hers. So, I came to apologize."

Cresswell looks as if he doesn't quite believe Lily, but he doesn't escalate things and call her a liar. Instead, the Ravenclaw jerks his head in a way that one could describe as a terse nod. "It's fine."

Lily smiles with relief. "If you don't mind, could I sit over there and watch you two? I was really impressed by your skill when you were facing off against Severus the other day. I'd love to see what you're teaching Wong, here."

Wong is staring hopefully at Cresswell, whose expression has soured. It fades, however, when he glances at Wong and sees the longing in her eyes. Lily's quite certain the girl wants to impress her. She has a feeling not many Gryffindor upper years have given the first year so much as the time of day before her. He sighs. "Fine," he grumbles. "Just keep out of the way."

She beams and hurries to a pillar just out of what should be the casting range for either of the children. Even so, Lily puts up a shielding charm that will guard against the more basic spells they may cast.

From her place, she watches them slowly circle one another. Both wear calm, unreadable masks; faster than a snitch, Wong shoots off a hex in Cresswell's direction. The boy deflects it with a spell of his own and then casts one back, which Wong almost gets hit with when she stumbles.

"Pick your feet up when you move! Don't just slide them!" Cresswell yells at Wong.

The girl nods. They return to a ready-position and start to duel anew once again. Cresswell doesn't give Wong the chance to cast any spells this time, he sends them off at a surprising pace at her. Admirably, she blocks most, only getting clipped once with what Lily now recognizes at a cutting curse. The child hisses and puts a hand over her shoulder where her robe is sliced and she's likely bleeding.

Cresswell nods at her. "Good," he declares. "You blocked a lot more today."

Wong's not facing Lily anymore, but if the faint smile on Cresswell's face is anything to go by, Lily suspects she's grinning. The two cast jinxes and hexes at each other for the next twenty minutes, neither so much as pausing to catch a breath. It only ends when Wong manages to hit Cresswell in the knee with a Jelly-Legs Jinx.

He tumbles to the ground when it happens, but he goes down smirking. "Brilliant, Mei!" praises Cresswell. "You'll definitely beat Crouch if you keep this up!"

Lily can't keep silent any longer. "You're not worried about Scabior, are you?"

The Ravenclaw scoffs. "Why in Merlin's name would we?"

"Severus has been giving him pointers."

He scowls. "Of course he has."

She stares at him. "Are you really so surprised?"

Cresswell casts the reversal on his legs and stands back up on his slightly shaky legs. "No, I suppose I'm not."

"I must say, I'm a bit curious why you're taking an interest in Wong," replies Lily. "She's not even a part of your house."

His eyes drift to the girl, who's quietly fiddling with her wand as the two of them converse. "She's got talent."

Wong goes pink once again.

Lily smiles. "That she does. Wong, would you mind going ahead to the kitchen to ask the elves for some biscuits? I think you and Cresswell deserves a treat after such an impressive display." She looks at the boy. "Don't you agree?"

He's glowering at her, but nods. "Yes. Mei, you know how to get inside, don't you?"

"I tickle the pear?" she offers, sounding slightly uncertain as she answers.

"That's right," says Lily with a reassuring smile.

She nods. "I'll see you soon?"

They answer in the affirmative and watch her go. When Wong is out of sight, Lily returns her sights to Cresswell. "You could make quite the impressive professor someday," she tells him. "Or maybe a father is more up your alley?"

"What are you getting at, Evans?" he demands.

Heart pounding in her chest, Lily keeps up her fake-musings. "I think if I become a mother someday, and have a son, I'll name him Harry."

Cresswell's eyes blow wide. Then, they slant into dangerous slits. "Harry?"

"Yes," Lily confirms. Fingers so tight around her wand she's sure it will splinter any moment, she goes on, "Harry James. It has a nice ring to it, don't you agree?"

The Ravenclaw stares at her in silence for the longest time. Finally, he whispers, "You… You're from there too, aren't you?"

"The future?" she prompts.

Cresswell shakes his head. "It can't be the future. Things are far different from our past there."

She smiles wryly. "As I've said to Severus, it's impossible for things to stay the same when we've already lived this once before."

"Him too?"

She nods. "Everything makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it?"

He frowns. "Yes," he answers grudgingly after a moment. "…You trust him? A Death Eater?"

"A spy, actually."

"Spy?"

Lily takes a few minutes to explain all that she knows to Cresswell about Severus's role in the wars. When she's done, he stares at her as if he's having trouble believing her. "I know that what I just said sounds mad," she says, "but I believe it's the truth."

"No, no, I believe you…" he mumbles. "Some of the rumors I heard don't sound so insane now."

She wants to ask what the gossip about Severus Cresswell heard was, but she just dips her chin agreeably. Wong is waiting for them in the kitchen and after, Severus is waiting for her. Perhaps she can even convince Cresswell to come with her. "I'm glad," replies Lily. "Shall we go to the kitchen now? We've left poor Wong waiting long enough."

He doesn't answer, but he does start toward the doors, holding it open expectantly for Lily so she may follow him through.

I think this is the first time I've used Lily's perspective in TDKWWS, isn't it? What do you guys think of that? Is it Good? Bad? Would you like to see more from her perspective at a later date? Also! Cresswell! That mystery's been solved pretty darn quick. Though, the question now becomes does he know any more about how they came to be in the past than Lily and Severus?

Thank you everybody for reading :)