March 1, 1968 - Little Park, Cokeworth

"Sev'rus, are you there?" Cassiopeia whispered from behind a bush. There were other kids on the playground this time, and she was under express instructions from her da not to let anyone see her. She'd noticed a dark shadow resembling the quiet boy she had gotten to know a week ago, and was now trying to catch his attention.

"Sev'rus!" she whispered a bit louder, and saw the bush move as Severus startled in surprise.

"Cassiopeia?" he asked quietly, almost incredulously. He had lost hope of ever seeing her again, the thoughts of what her da might've done, mixed in with self-hatred and the thought that she had abandoned him for better friends.

"Yes, Sev'rus. I'm sorry it's been so lon', da–"

"It's okay, I'm not upset," Severus interrupted quickly, not wanting her to start crying.

To his surprise, she started giggling. "Sev'rus!" she mock-scolded. "Don't you know it's no' polite to interrupt a lady?"

Severus found himself grinning back. "An' did you take me for someone who cares about bein' polite?" he shot back, and was rewarded by another round of giggles.

"Sev'rus!" she whisper-shouted, while trying to stop her giggling. "We have to stay quiet, and I can't do that when you're makin' me laugh!"

"And whose fault is it that you can't seem to stop makin' that infernal noise?" he asked with a grin, and could almost see her sticking out her tongue at him.

"Wanna go walk near the river with me?" Cassiopeia deflected, and Severus happily agreed.

They talked in hushed tones over their favorite things for some time. The weather was finally starting to warm up a bit, and they enjoyed soaking up the winter sun's rays, though they stayed to the shadows whenever anybody passed by.

"Say, Sev'rus, when's your birthday?" Cassiopeia asked throwing a clutch of rocks into the water, and watching the ripples form with a contemplative expression.

"January ninth," Severus answered, feeling slightly uncomfortable. If Cassiopeia's birthday was soon he didn't think he would be able to find the time or money to get her something.

"Oh," she exclaimed a little sadly. "I missed it."

"It doesn't matter–" he was cut off by the girl's excited squeal.

"Say, Sev'rus, I've a great idea. Wait here and I'll be back in a secon'!"

Severus raised an eyebrow in question, a trick he'd picked up from his mother, and grumbled under his breath. "But it's polite to interrupt a gentleman?"

His only answer was a bout of breathless laughter, coming from a little-ways away behind his back.

He tried, really he did, not to turn back and see what she was doing, but eventually couldn't help but give in to the urge.

She was making a flower! With magic!

He whipped back around, but couldn't contain the large grin that threatened to split his face in half. They were both magic! Maybe they'd go to Hogwarts together!

"Done!" Cassiopeia exclaimed, and he turned around to face her, the grin still wide on his face.

In her hands was a gray flower, with simple petals and sepals, creating a kind of understated beauty.

"Thank you," he said softly, accepting the flower from her soft fingers. "It's beautiful."

Cassiopeia blushed and ducked her head, not knowing what to do with such thanks. Instead, she grabbed his arm and pulled him down to sit next to her. Then, he decided to break the subject.

"Say, Cassiopeia," he said, as casually as he could, unconsciously mimicking her speech, "would you happen to know of a place called Hogwarts?"

Big blue eyes went wide, and she scowled at him. "You cheated! I said not to look! I–"

Then she cut off, seeming to realize what he had said, and gasped, her eyes starting to glitter. "You're magical too, Sev'rus?"

He grinned again and nodded, almost not tensing when she threw herself at him in a hug.

"Oh I'm so happy," she exclaimed into his coat. "I'd wondered but I didn't dare to hope – and now – oh, Sev'rus, it'll be wonderful!"

He patted her back awkwardly until she broke away, still grinning.

"D'ya know any spells yet?" she asked enthusiastically.

Severus perked up, wanting to show his friend how much he knew. Admittedly, it wasn't so much – his mother only taught him when his father was away – but he'd been practicing the simple ones without her for a couple of years now.

"I know a couple," he admitted, blushing a little. "Me ma's teaching them to me."

"Really? I've been learning some from our library, but it's difficult to do by yourself," Cassiopeia replied a little self-consciously.

"Yeah, I've been practicing on my own, and it's always much harder than when ma's there helping me ground my magic, and remind me of the correct movements and pronunciations."

"Say, Sev'rus," Cassiopeia asked, in what he was quickly finding was her favorite phrase, "wanna help each other practice? I could try to sneak some books - we really do have a big library – and you could teach me the practical bits, the one your ma teaches you? Pretty please, Sev'rus?"

He nodded, some of his lank hair falling into his face. He tried not to seem too enthusiastic, but really this felt like a dream come true.

Cassiopeia grinned, and he felt an answering smile bloom on his own face. It felt weirdly nice to see her happy.

"Come," she commanded, grinning mischievously and grabbing his forearm, "Let's go see the mill. And 'long the way, you can tell me everythin' that you know."