Of Blood and Serpents

First year: Chapter Seven

A present

The holiday's were fast approaching and Lily found herself with Tonk's and Charlie talking about it in the Library as she read over her second year potions book. She was effectively caught up, but the material of potions level two was much weightier then that of first year so she decided to keep studying.

"My family dinner is just like every year." Charlie said somewhat glumly. "Homemade sweaters and fruit cake too."

"Sounds like my family holidays, just no sweaters." Tonks said with a laugh shaking her currently long hair out. "What about you, It's hard to imagine Professor Snape being festive." Tonks said unable to keep a straight face at the thought and punctuating her words with a giggle. Lily shrugged, glancing shyly up from her book as she thumbed the next page.

"He's not. We've never really celebrated or anything. Sometimes I get books." Tonks hair became grey as she made a 'bleh' face and Charlie chuckled at that.

"I'm hoping to get a pet this Christmas, I've been asking for something for ages." Charlie told them with a slightly dreamy expression.

"I like books." Lily muttered, shooting a mock glare a Tonks who sniggered behind her hand at her. "I'm also going to the Malfoy family for Christmas eve dinner." Tonks expression became that of surprise.

"That's my mums family, Narcissa is my aunt. We were disowned though because of my da being a muggle. Why are you visiting them?" Before Lily could answer Charlie spoke, his tone quieter a shadow of a frown creasing his brow.

"I heard the Malfoy's were in with you know who. " A chill ran down Lily's spine she didn't quite know why, but suddenly she felt her heart constrict inside her chest and her mouth went dry. "At least that's what my dad says."
"One of my aunts is in Azkaban for it." Tonks shrugged almost casually, although her voice was whisper quiet.

"You know who?" Lily repeated the words, quizzically as her friends expressions morphed into shock and disbelief.

"Your dad never told you about you know who?"

"who is he?"

"Only the most evil Wizard of all time, we aren't supposed to speak his name." Charlie told her in a hushed voice. Even Tonks seemed unusually quiet and subdued around the conversation. "They called his followers death eaters, we were at war until years ago."

"Until the boy who lived." Tonks cut in unable to keep quiet for long. "Somehow a little baby boy named Harry Potter destroyed you know who, but not before his family was murdered. They say he lives with his muggle family now."

"That seems hard to believe." Lily said with a frown wondering if her friends were teasing her.

"It's true! ask anyone." Tonk's said primly and Charlie nodded along in agreement.

"Your dad ought to know, from what my dad says professor Snape was in the thick of it during the war." Lily had a hard time taking them seriously and was expecting Tonks to give a tell tale laugh at any second. When she didn't and their expressions both continued to be serious Lily's scowl lessoned a bit.

"How does your dad know all this stuff then?" Lily asked, testing Charlie.

"He works for the ministry of magic, he was around for all of the trials of the death eaters." Charlie explained and finally Lily allowed herself to take their words seriously.

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The constricting feeling in her chest stayed with her long after leaving the library and she found herself unable to focus her thoughts. Something about the conversation had disturbed her and it lingered like a pungent smell. She tried awhile to read in the common room, then unable to focus she tried to go to sleep early.

Unable to, she rose from bed feeling frazzled and angry. She found herself leaving the dormitories in a huff, her feet leading her while the beginning of a head ache pressed her temples. She realized only when she arrived where she had been going. Severus stood in his potions classroom looking busy tidying and arranging things that had been disturbed during the day by the students.

"Lillian." Severus said, sounding slightly surprised but not bothered. "It is getting late is it not?" He questioned her arrival tacitly.

"I tried going to bed, I couldn't." She told him her voice wavering. Severus took in her ruffled appearance and her tone of voice and he felt a touch of concern. He sensed something was not right within her as she stood before him tensed.

"What is the matter? You seem... disturbed." He wondered if that little brat Carmella had been bothering her again. Lily found herself looking away, staring hard at one of the desks as words tumbled from her.

"Today Charlie and Tonks and I were in the Library..." Her train of thought came out disjointed. "They talked about you know who." Severus shifted his weight, measuring her with his gaze. "They said you were a part of the war."

"And?" he sniped curtly and her eyes flickered to him surprisingly cold. For such a young woman she had always had an old stare.

"Who is he? What did you and the malfoy's have to do with him? Was he..." Severus cut her off with the raising of his hand, and Lily felt the agitation within her intensify, burning her insides.
"I've told you everything you need know, these are not questions I care to answer. Do you understand?"

"But I-."

"DO YOU understand?" Severus barked his voice harsh cutting Lily off sharply. She glowered at him and he could feel the intensity of her anger as clearly as he could see it on her face. She did not speak but instead turned heel leaving him.

The tightness in Severus chest abated after a few moments of ringing silence. He was relieved she did not press for he would have quickly lost his own temper. Alone again with only his thoughts Severus continued to organize his potions class in peace, having sense that the issue would not be forgotten only postponed. The child was all too stubborn, not terribly unlike himself.

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Severus left his potion class when he was satisfied with his work and began to head towards his chambers, abruptly though he changed his mind and went instead towards Dumbledore's office. It was a ways away from his own quarters and took some time getting to. He was confident Dumbledore would be awake however, as he often would find him late in the night doing paperwork.

As chance would have it he was correct. Dumbledore sat at his desk a feather quill pen scratching on parchment paper his phoenix watching him with lazy blinks.

"Good evening Severus." Dumbledore's scratchy deep voice greeted him. Severus gave a short nod, his greasy parted hair tickling his cheek at the motion. "What can I help you with this evening Severus?" Severus let out a small exhale before beginning.

"It's the girl headmaster."

"What about her, is she not well?" Dumbledore raised his piercing blue eyes and Severus shifted beneath them uncomfortably.

"She's questioning about the you know who, mine and Malfoy's involvement."

"And? she was bound make the connection sooner or later Severus. She is unfailingly curious that girl." Severus's expression twisted clearly displeased and Dumbledore sighed. "What have you told her?"

"Only that she was left to me years ago, that the man who left her was not a good man and that he was a very powerful wizard."

"So she perhaps already made the connection that Lord Voldemort is that man?" Severus flinched at the use of his name.

"I suspect so." he replied slowley.

"and I assume the truth is not something you would consider?"

"Do you find this amusing?" Severus's voice rose. "And should the dark lord return as you believe he shall you would have her know everything?"

"The simple truth is that she will seek answers no matter how we try to divert her." Dumbledore fell silent for a moment in thought. After a moment his hand raised and waved as if brushing off a gnat. "Tell her whatever you wish, do not lie but you must tell her something, If only to sate her curiosity.. but is the truth really so terrible Severus?" Severus's eyes were hard as he remembered long ago agreeing to Dumbledore's plan to protect Harry potter and to take Lillian as long as his reason Lily, his Lily was kept secret. He loathed Dumbledore for being so carefree about that wish. He took Dumbledore's last words as dismissal and left with a cold blank expression and with thoughts of red haired Lily Potter. He decided at some point on his walk back towards his chambers that he would wait for the girl to ask again to tell her about the dark lord, but would not answer questions about his own involvements her curiosity be damned

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The next time Lillian and Severus saw each other it was during her potions class period and there was no warmth between them. As usual she participated in class fully, asking questions and raising her hand to answer. Severus expected she would stay after class and was mildly surprised to find the room completely empty save himself at the end of the period. She was still fuming at him, although in her usual silent manner of doing so. Neither Charlie nor Tonk's seemed to notice that she was angry, but both were extraverts and understood little of the mind of an introvert. Interestingly enough it was Piper, her second year studying partner who noticed Lily's off mood.

"What is it then?" Lily looked up surprised from her potions notes blinking with owlish eyes at Piper who was sitting across from her in a leather arm chair in the common room. "What has you in a mood." She said with a low undertone as if asking a secret. Lily blinked again, finally catching on and looked away towards her notes shy at the sudden attention.

"It's nothing."

"It's had you worked up for days."

"How do you know?" Lily asked frowning slightly Piper smiled shyly and shrugged.

"You kind of glare off in the distance is all. Like your thinking of something that makes you angry." Lily flushed red and sighed. she felt a little relief though like the weight of something heavy coming off her chest and chewed her lip thought fully before speaking.
"My- Well Professor Snape. He's not my real dad, I don't know my real family. But I was left to him by someone years ago... during the war." She looked up to see Piper thoughtfully watching, her head tilted slightly and seeming keen on listening so Lily continued with a quiet hitch to her voice. "Severus- I mean professor Snape won't tell me anything about his time during the war, or about the man. I don't even know if he was my father or who he was or what they were doing." She finished voice tense with frustration and brow pinched into a frown.

"That does sound incredibly frustrating. I guess it can't be helped if he won't talk about it, but is he the only one you can ask?" Lily straightened at the girls words her demeanor perking considerably.

"Your brilliant! I can't believe I didn't think of it!" Piper smiled at the other girls apparent revelation pleased with herself. Contented both girls fell back into writing notes Lily smiling towards herself excited at this new idea and prospect.

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Lily's life was a blur of happy routine until the Christmas Holidays. Lily marveled at the decadent school decorations as she went to and from classes and the great hall. Her routine was much like any other students except that the addition of time she spent with Hagrid and Severus. Severus and her had found an uneasy truce, Lily did not speak again of their argument and neither did Severus so they went about each other slowly becoming comfortable again. She visited with Hagrid with some regularly ever since her time with Madam Pomfrey ended, she would bring dinner down sometimes twice a week or on Sundays when she wasn't with Tonk's and Charlie.

Finally though the holiday's arrived and Lily was leaving school with Severus. His home welcomed them with the smell of dusty familiarity. Both of them set to work to quickly tidy the house with a few swishes of their wands then set themselves up for some tea with intentions of getting groceries later. Lily had decided and already offered to take up the household cooking as something else to keep her busy on the two weeks she and Severus would be residence together, it was especially important because her garden had frozen over.

Shopping was quite the adventure, the two dressed in their best muggle clothing going out and about in the town. The two certainly received looks, but the female cashier smiled at the two friendly enough as Severus paid them with curious muggle coins. Lily also happened to notice that the cashier girl was quite pretty and was smiling specifically at Severus. Obliviously Severus paid and they were off with paper bags in hand. Lily clutched hers to her chest and nudged Severus with her elbow gently as they walked. He turned his dark eyes towards her questioningly as Lily kept pace.

"That grocery girl liked you I think." Lily told him with a small smile. Severus frowned with a puzzled expression as if she were teasing him.

"They're supposed to be friendly." He said in his usual deadpan tone.

"She didn't smile at the other people." Severus did not seem to appreciate this kind of talk and fell silent, Lily however could tell he was replaying their interaction with the girl in his thoughts if his pinched expression was any judge. She smiled up at him when he glanced back at him encouragingly. "She definitely liked you." She said firmly as the dreary winter chill assaulted them.

"She's a muggle." He said in a snide sort of tone and Lily rolled her eyes.
"Their a different sort but they seem alright."

"You've not met enough." Severus said in a dark tone looking away with thoughts of his own father running briefly though his mind before he snuffed them out. Lily didn't bring it up again, sensing her mentors dark turn of thought and instead focused on the lovely chill brisk walk home.

Lily made a simple pasta after Severus explained to her the workings of the stove and it was good enough, or at least Severus had no snide comments or remarks about it. Lily watched his expression intently, attempting to derive some sort of opinion out of his expression but only succeeded in causing him to scowl at her when he noticed her staring.

"What are you staring at?" He muttered over a forkful. Lily looked back at her plate embarrassed he'd caught her staring.

"I was wondering if you liked it." She mumbled over her plate taking a bite of her dish. Severus's expression cleared.

"Its positively.." Severus hung on the last word teasingly watching Lily squirm fretfully as she waited on the last word. Having paused long enough to watch her squirm to his amusement he relinquished the last word. "Delightful." He smirked as Lily beamed in pleasure clearly relieved. He had perhaps over praised, but he had supposed he had teased the girl sufficiently to deserve some sort of commendation.

They settled after supper with some tea and light reading in the living room, both happily claiming an arm chair and a lamp until it was time for bed.

This was their comfortable rhythm for the holidays sometimes interchanging their casual reading with school work or for Severus the potions curriculum and test scoring as well as Lily experimenting with potions per Severus's approval.

Christmas eve came and with it a golden wrapped package with a bow was delivered to their front door step. Lily peered at the box with some interest when Severus brought it in, drawn to the note with lovely elegant hand writing which Severus opened one handed brow raised as he read.

"Its for you." He said after some pause, flicking the note between two fingers and extending it to her. She took the note, and read the elegantly slanted script.

'Lillian, I saw the dress and thought of you, if it's to your liking I would love to see you in it tonight - Narcissa.'

Tentatively Lily unlaced the bow and unfastened the taped sides of the package and revealed a red box , the lid of which she quickly had off and then she was looking at it.

It was probably the most beautiful dress Lillian had ever seen and it looked like it had been made for her. It was green with silvered lace trimmings high necked with baubles and wisps of silver satin. There were no sleeves, instead there were long silvery gloves with a serpent emblazoned on the inside of each wrist. The box she realized must have been magical, for there was more beneath the dress where there should not have been room. a pair of black heeled ladies shoes to go with the dress. Lily felt some girlish excitement well from within her that was unlike her, but she supposed it was something of an special occasion. She found herself smiling as she looked up at Severus who had a peculiar expression on his face as he observed her.

"It's very pretty." Lillian admitted to him in quiet excitement.

"Will you wear it?" He asked.

"Yes I think so." She said, feeling the lush fabric between her fingers and the slippery satin.

"Best get ready now so we arrive on time then." He said shooing her away. She bundled the dress in her arms with the gloves and took the shoes in her other hands smiling to herself, her cheeks faintly pink as she ascended the stairs.