Of Blood and Serpents

First year: Chapter Six

Serpents Tongue

Lily was busy trying to catch up in her potions class. So busy that she'd hardly had time to visit Hagrid, or spend much time with her friends Charlie and Tonk's outside of meal times. Between potions and finishing her time helping Madam Pomfrey she'd hardly had time to think no less make rounds to visit. As of a week ago though she finished being Madam Pomfrey's aid, the old woman actually looked like she might have missed her on her last night attending the ward.

Finally though she was making an exception as it had been a solid month since she last had seen Hagrid, or her secret garden. besides, she was sure that she could bring back some unique potions ingredients to please Severus. As Lily left the common room having dropped off her books there she saw Carmella walking towards her in the dungeon hall, Carmella's voice grew quiet as she noticed her averting her eyes as she passed. Lily watched her go by with minimal interest, she was already growing used to Carmella's sudden shyness. She knew it had something to do with her observing her mother's visit to the ward and their little conversation. Whatever the reason she was grateful, the other students also adopting a mild silence whenever she was near as well. Another girl approached from down the hall as Lily walked through the dungeons maze, this girl she had interest to see.

"Piper." She greeted Piper Fitz as the distance closed between them. Piper raised her eyes from a book she was reading as she walked blinking looking mildly confused as she heard her name called. Her eyes sharpened on Lily's face.

"Snape, did I forget we were studying tonight?" She asked her tone gentle lull. Piper was her second year study partner ever since she had been raised a level, she was the only person that referred to Lily by her last name as well. It had rubbed her the wrong way at first, but she began to warm to it once she knew the girl who was saying it did not mean it as a snarky remark.

"No, you didn't' forget, I was just saying hello. I'm going to visit Hagrid actually." Piper looked mildly interested.

"Oh, the half giant that works on the grounds you mean?" She asked, Lily nodded in response. " You have interesting friends." The girl stated then, giving a small laugh.

"I'll see you next session." Lily said, brushing off the girls comment the two continuing on their path of opposite directions down the hall. Her comment had prickled Lily a little, she knew that it wasn't very traditional of her to have friends like Charlie and Tonk's outside of her house but she enjoyed their loudness and silliness and the secret jokes they shared. They were almost the exact opposite in every way to most Slytherin's. Yet she felt an irritation, a tickle that wouldn't' be scratched. 'why am I so different than them? Am I even in the right house?' The thought drifted from the back of her mind to the forefront, the source of the irritation. Lily had felt alienated from her own house ever since the beginning some night she rolled restlessly in her cot she would stare up at the green and silver drapery and wonder. Lily pushed it all back down, imagery of putting a bottle stopper to the thoughts arising as she made her way to Hagrid's hut. When she suddenly felt a tickle on her leg she glanced down to see Bee trotting alongside her and marveled at how the little creature always seemed to find her so easily. as she exited the schools archways and the grass rolled greenly downhill she could see Hagrid's hut in the distance and she saw Himself looming among the pumpkin patch. The wing blew chills and goose bumps down her arms and tousled her lank black hair. Lily loved it though, feeling the cold nip and tickle her as she made her way to Hagrid as it were her old friend.

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Her nose was pink with cold by the time she arrived at Hagrid's door step her hair a mess, and her eyes pleasantly glittering in quiet pleasure.

"Well hello there!" Hagrid boomed in surprise when he turned to see her. Lily couldn't help but break into a grin as the half giant opened his arms to a hug. She stretched his arms part way around his great belly, her face pressed against his black furs which smelled of must and tree's and the cold. She breathed deeply in contentment as Hagrid patted her back gently. "I almost though' yah forgo' abou' me." Hagrid's belly vibrated with his deep rolling voice. Lily pulled away shaking her head.

"Don't be silly, I had some detentions and Severus has put me in second year potions. I've been swamped." She emphasized with a weary sigh.

"The firs' I heard of, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey didn'o mind the company." Hagrid's eyes twinkled . "Well bes' come in for some tea then!" Hagrid waved to enter the hut graciously, and soon her face was flushed with warmth from the fire and her nose was running from the temperature change making her rub it with the back of her sleeve. Bee didn't enter the hut with her though, lily watched her head to the dark forest for her own romping and mischief Lily knew she herself would be soon to follow. But first she longed for time with the half giant.

She told Hagrid about Carmella and what had happened in a quiet tone over her tea. Hagrid didn't have much to say about it but he saw the shame in Lily's eyes as she told the story. She told him about Tonks and Charlie then, her eyes lighting as she did so. then finally she finished by speaking of her excelling in potions to the point of being bumped into second year.

"Already been a busy year fer yah, I'm surprised yah made time for an ol' half giant."

"I'll always have time for you Hagrid." Lily said immediately in complete sincerity. Hagrid's eyes suddenly became damp and he blinked sniffling slightly as he gave Lily a warm pat on the shoulder.

"Yer a good kid." Lily smiled in response glancing shyly away. "Well I suppose yer be wantin' to go to yer little garden huh?" 'So much for a secret garden.' Lily thought somewhat amusedly to herself, nodding in response to Hagrid. "I've been keeping an eye on it, knowing you'd be wantin me too." She wondered about Firenze, if he'd noticed her absence and Hagrid's interventions. "Best we go now, before it gets too dark, unless yeh' dinna want the company?"

"I don't mind." she answered surely and stood, tipping the last contents of her tea into her mouth and swallowing.

Together they entered the dark looming edge of the dark forest. Hagrid having thought ahead already had a lantern on his arm, ready for the shadows of the darkening forest and for the darkening sky. It would be a few hours yet until they would need it, but they would surely use it for their trek returning.

A ways in they stopped for some gathering of the soft fuzzy leafed Hillywig plant that Lily had collected with Severus so long ago. The chill and quiet of the dark forest was one that seeped into Lily's very bones and settled comfortably there. she loved the sharpness of it though, her fingers and nose becoming numb in the cold, her breath visible in the quiet air. The area had changed some Lily noticed as she followed Hagrid, grateful for his presence. The forest she knew had a ways of shifting and changing and it was particularly noticeable to her since she had been absent. She often wondered if the tree's themselves could sense her and wondered if they approved of her presence in their forest. unlike most people she felt the forest while being misunderstood was also welcoming in its own unusual way.

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Hagrid had done a lovely job as keeper of her secret garden while she had been away. The ground was hard now with the cold and some had wilted away with the summer months which couldn't be helped. The fall plants were doing wonderfully and knowing she wouldn't be back a long while she took what she desired from the stems and flowers of the plants which could be useful in potions making for Severus and for herself. Hagrid helped her collect, taking some of which she handed to him as gently as he could with his huge hands, his large sausage fingers gently pinching stems between them. As they gathered Lily began to feel a presence, the weight of a gaze upon her. Hagrid seemed to notice it as well after a moment she saw him shifting and gazing at the woods beyond.

"Hullo there!" Hagrid boomed then and a long silence followed. Then out of the depths there was a crunch of leaves in response. A tall lithe sinewy body, covered partially in short reddish brown fur appeared at the edge of their little clearing. The darkened sky did not reveal his expression but Lily smiled at him recognizing him immediately.

"Firenze!"

"Hagrid, Lily." Firenze greeted them as he entered the clearing, bowing his head respectfully. "It has been many moons since I've last seen you." Firenze noted, his expression as usual was blank, but lily thought she detected some pleasure in his greeting. She rose and brushed her hands off on her robes giving a small reserved smile.

"I've started school." she gave as explanation. "Have you been enjoying the garden?" she asked, hoping he was.

"Yes, in fact I derived you may return soon, the sky has spoken to me of you." His tone carried a certain forbearance that made Lily nervous suddenly. Firenze had taught her some night in her childhood of the stars, but it often proved mysterious and confusing to her.

"Is it bad news?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"We are not to speak of what we read in the stars young Lily. I will however say this: Beware the serpents tongue." His blue eyes held her fixed as he said this, chills ran down Lily's arms. "Good evening to you both." Firenze left them then, Hagrid waving to him with a troubled expression.

"I wonder wha' he meant by tha'." Hagrid puzzled along with Lily both with furrowed brows.

When the dark came it descended quickly upon them. With Hagrid's light guiding them and their arms and pockets filled with linen wrapped herbs they made their way out of the dark forest. Leaving behind them the just opening night blooming flowers that Lily had planted for Firenze so long ago.

The hearth greeted them merrily warming their cheeks and hands. Although Lily loved the cold she took pleasure in the warmth of the fire still and took her time gathering all her herbs that she and Hagrid had collected into one satchel that she would take to Severus.

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It was very dark by the time Lily left Hagrid's happy warm hut and the cold cut into her as she gathered her parcel and left, waving at Hagrid who darkened the door way of his hut to see her out. She gathered her robes close to her as she walked up the steep winding path back towards the castle, her satchel hefted over her shoulder. The walk to the dormitories was a quiet one, the castle almost being ready for sleep. Finally nearing the dormitory portrait she was releasing a sigh when suddenly the portrait swung open, stopping Lily in her path as a dark clad figure stepped out.

"Severus," she exclaimed in surprise blinking then in embarrassment as she sought to correct herself." I-I mean Professor Snape, excuse me." she stuttered slightly. Severus turned his dark eyes on her, looking curious and relieved.

"I've been searching for you... been out for a walk?" He asked in a low curious tone. Lily shook her head.

"I was visiting Hagrid, I gathered some potion ingredients for you as well." She explained, 'from the dark forest' hung in the air between them unspoken. Severus took the parcel she unslung from her shoulder not seeming particularly grateful she knew that he appreciated it, he just wasn't one to note it.

"Were you looking for me?" Lily asked, curiously fixing her green eyes on his face. His expression twisted slightly, his eyes turning down as he reached into is long coat. What he retrieved was a pale white letter with spindly writing on the back. She couldn't quite make out the words until Severus handed her the letter.

"We've received an invitation." He replied with pause lingering on the last word and sounding particularly sour. When Lily could read the back she understood.

The Malfoy's with care to Lillian and Severus Snape Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

The green wax seal was broken but she could see it was stamped with a serpent insignia. Inside took a delicately perfumed letter, and took care to read the spindly elegant script in the ill light of the Slytherin corridor.

'You are invited to dine at Malfoy Manor on Christmas eve..' Lily read swallowing, her eyes finding Severus's dark ones.

"Must we?"

"We must."

"Why?" She asked exasperated.

"There are appearances we must keep." Severus snapped in a tone that she knew meant more arguing would bring about a sharp reprimand. So she bit her tongue and looked away with a nod. Although she didn't quite understand what 'appearances' they had to keep she had some inkling it had to do with her time before Severus, that dark time she didn't quite remember and that formed a knot in her stomach as if it was a stone.

"Very good then, I will take these." He gestured to the herbs and flowers she had picked. "And you are to go to bed."

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It was only once Lily was in bed that her stomach rumbled and she remembered she had completely missed dinner. A small reluctant sigh escaped her as she rolled over deciding to sleep through her hunger or attempt to. She barely managed after some time to fall into a fitful slumber, her mind filling with dark thoughts of a time long before Severus. In her nightmares a man spoke to her in a serpents tongue, an insidious whisper wriggling in her dreams.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for the new reviews as well, although they are small in number the words mean a lot to me and I hope to hear from more of you!