Author's Note: I've been busy today and made fanart for this fic: harrypotter . sindiessiteoffun . com / artwork / moment . jpg (remove spaces) It's also on Deviantart. My username there is sindie11.
Since I've spoiled you with FIVE chapters in three days, I'm taking a couple of days off to recuperate. Can you blame me? ;) Maybe you can, but unfortunately, I have to return to work tomorrow.
Chapter Thirty
That same day, in the evening in the Gryffindor common room, Lily found Lupin sitting by the fireplace working on his Transfigurations homework. She sat down next to him.
Lupin stopped what he was doing and looked at her quizzically. "Hi, Lily," he said. "Is there something you wanted?"
"Actually, yeah," she replied in a hushed voice, not wanting James, Sirius, or Pettigrew to overhear. The other three boys were joking about something or other amongst themselves in the corner on the other side of the room.
"All right, then," Lupin said awkwardly, wondering why she was deliberating. He glanced nervously over at his friends and back at Lily.
"I just wanted to thank you for standing up to Black earlier."
"Oh, that," Lupin murmured, once again shifting his eyes from his friends to Lily. "It was nothing."
"It wasn't nothing," Lily stated firmly, perhaps a little too loudly, for the other boys glanced over at the pair of them. Lily, however, didn't seem to care about being overheard anymore. She wanted to make it clear what she was going to say next. "What Black said to Severus was just downright cruel."
This provoked the desired response. Sirius scowled at Lily and Lupin, shouting across the room, "Oi, what are you two talking about?" He made his way toward them, followed by James and Pettigrew.
Hands on her hips, Lily stood and glared at him. "You think you're so great, don't you? Between Potter and you, it's amazing you don't fly away as hot air balloons, what with such inflated heads."
"Hey," James cut in defensively. "I didn't say anything!"
"Maybe not this time, but that never stopped you before, Potter," Lily said heatedly.
James looked from Lily to Sirius, puzzled. "Just what did you say to piss her off this badly, mate?"
"I wasn't insulting her," Sirius explained exasperatedly. "She was with Snape. All I said was he's probably been crying over his dead mum the past couple of weeks. We've hardly seen him, after all." Sirius smirked, thinking he was amusing. Only Pettigrew's girlish sniggers came.
James frowned at Sirius.
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Sirius asked James. "Remus, did your seriousness rub off on him or something?"
Lupin sighed and put away his homework, standing up, figuring he would have to join the conversation. "I didn't say anything to James," Lupin replied. "But really, Sirius, that comment you said earlier was going too far."
Sirius's smile faltered. "You've got to be kidding me," he protested. "This is Snape we're talking about here."
"Yeah, mate, we know that," James replied impatiently, thinking of witnessing Severus with Lily earlier. As unhappy as he was with the truth, he couldn't deny what he saw. "Assuming your mum was a decent mother, Sirius, how would you feel if you lost her?"
Lily's eyes grew large, and she wondered if she was hearing correctly. James glanced at her knowingly and smiled slightly. She recalled him using her given name on more occasions lately to address her, starting with the day Severus and she had been attacked in Hogsmeade. Was he trying to win her over by being nice instead of a prick like usual? Or could it be possible he was actually showing signs of maturity?
During the whole conversation, Pettigrew stood there stupidly, not contributing anything but a puzzled look on his features. Sirius marginally looked at him, realizing he wasn't going to receive any backing up from Lupin or James. "My mum is an evil menace," Sirius muttered darkly. He crossed his arms over his chest and walked away, apparently having had enough of the topic of defending Severus Snape.
Lily, not knowing what to make of James, left the boys and dismissed herself for the evening, making the convenient excuse that she was tired. Once she reached her room, however, she couldn't sleep. While James hadn't outrightly defended Severus, he hadn't degraded him, either. Lily frowned to herself. She wasn't going to be fooled. For now, she tried to convince herself that it was nothing more than an act. James Potter was a pompous jerk, plain and simple.
Severus slowly felt himself returning to normal, although he knew he would never feel the same after losing his mother. It was bad enough he had lost her once before, but twice? That was too much.
He still couldn't understand why he hadn't been able to save her. Hadn't he tried so hard, and for what? Nothing? Despite his bitterness, Severus was more receptive to Lily's kindness. While his initial emptiness made him close up and close in and caused him to push her away, he knew better than to allow himself to go too far down the path of selfishness. He could hurt himself if he wanted, but hurting Lily was inexcusable.
One thing Severus also noticed in the following weeks was that the Marauders weren't together as much. He would see two of them together, but they were usually alone, which was odd indeed. Potter and Black had been inseparable for six years, and they had made sure he knew it, too. While Black would still mutter rude comments whenever Severus passed, he seemed to lack his vigor. Potter didn't so much as look at Severus, and Lupin had the audacity to try and say hello to him on a couple of occasions. If Lupin was pitying him for losing his mother, Severus would make sure to put the other boy in his place. He didn't need the werewolf's pity or false kindness.
It wasn't Lupin who Severus ran into after classes one afternoon in the hall, though.
Potter.
Severus frowned and made to head the other way, but Potter called after him. "Snape!"
With a long suffering sigh, Severus glowered at the other boy. "What do you want, Potter?"
"Have you got a minute?" Potter asked, glancing around uneasily.
"Fine," Severus muttered, curious to hear what Potter was itching to say, as he appeared uncomfortable.
"Do you really love Lily?" he blurted out.
Severus gave Potter an incredulous look. "That's not really your business, Potter," he sneered. "If you're here to start with the rude remarks, I have better things to do with my time-" He made to leave, but Potter had the nerve to actually grab his arm and stop him.
"Let go of me, Potter, or you'll regret it," Severus said between bared teeth, his wand ready.
Potter released him immediately and stepped back defensively. "No need for the wand, Snape. I only want to talk. Look, you know I've fancied Lily for years now, but if she's taken, I mean really taken, I want to know."
Regarding Potter skepically, Severus inquired, "And why is it so important to you?"
"I'll, uh... I'll back off if she's really with you," Potter blurted out quickly.
Severus gaped at him disbelievingly, but seeing how uncharacteristically humble Potter seemed at the moment, he wondered if Potter might be serious. "Then fine, yes, Lily and I are together," Severus stated, feeling his pride swell inside.
Potter nodded and turned, muttering, "Sorry about your mum." He was gone before Severus could formulate a reply.
Left wondering if the previous scene had really just happened, Severus pinched himself. Shaking his head dazedly, Severus headed for his room, wondering if this was Potter's way of apologizing for years of being such a git.
