3. Their Day

Weeks later, in a small thicket of trees with a sunlit river glittering through their trunks, two children sat facing each other, cross-legged on the ground. The shadows cast by the trees provided a pleasant basin of cool green shade. In the heat Severus had reluctantly removed his coat, he was still very self-conscious of his clothing but Lily never brought it up. She had come to find him earlier that day, leading him to believe that their conversation in the park was not a figment of his imagination. He wasn't difficult to find as he spent most of his time laying behind the bushes by the park listening to the other children play. They had spent some time there sat talking about a huge array of subjects, most of which focused on Lily, until they finally reached the reason she had sought him out. Magic.

She had wanted to know everything there was to know about this wondrous secret world, and of course who else could she ask but Severus? He suggested that it was probably best to move away from the park and nosy children (namely Petunia who was doing nothing but pace the ground in front of the bush as if lost), so they had taken a stroll into the nearby public woods until Lily found a quiet picnic spot where they settled on the grass and talked for hours.

"…and the Ministry can punish you if you do magic outside school, you get letters." Severus announced.

He felt significant and intelligent while teaching her about the Wizarding wold, and it seemed that she felt that he was too.

"But I have done magic outside school!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide with anxiety.

"We're all right. We haven't got wands yet. They let you off when you're a kid and you can't help it. But once you're eleven," he nodded importantly. Lily's head followed his, her eyes widening as he spoke, "and they start training you, then you've got to go careful."

There was a little silence. Lily picked up a fallen twig and twirled it in the air. Severus' eyes followed her hands every movement. Then she dropped the twig, and leaned close. He felt his throat tighten, and his face began to flush. Her breath warmed his face as she spoke,

"It is real, isn't it? It's not a joke? Petunia says you're lying to me. Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts. It is real, isn't it?"

"It's real for us," Severus smiled as his embarrassment rapidly transformed to frustration. Petunia was so envious of Lily and resentful of Severus that she would attempt to ruin her own sister's happiness. "Not for her." He added quickly, "But we'll get the letter, you and me."

"Really?" whispered Lily.

"Definitely," he whispered in response, brimful of confidence in his destiny. Their destiny.

"And will it really come by owl?" Lily whispered.

"Normally," said Snape softly and thoughtfully. "But you're Muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents."

"Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?"

Snape hesitated. His black eyes widened, eager in the greenish glow, and moved over furrowed brow and pursed lips… He had to tell her. He should tell her, and he would tell her, one day. She didn't need to know just yet. What kind of friend would he be to take the magic of the moment away from her? Surely that would make him no better than Petunia.

"No," he said, speaking louder now. "It doesn't make any difference."

"Good," said Lily, relaxing. It was clear that she had been worrying about this for a while, and Severus was glad that he had chosen not to tell her. At least for now. Although, he knew he would have to face the consequences later, as he was all too aware how divided the wizarding world could be.

"You've got loads of magic," said Snape. Trying to distract himself as much as Lily. "I saw that. All the time I was watching you…"

His voice trailed away; why had he said that? 'Could you have tried to sound any creepier?' his conscience spat sarcastically. He cautiously turned to face her, thankfully she was no longer listening, but had stretched out on the leafy ground and was looking up at the canopy of leaves overhead.

He watched her, as greedily now as he had in the playground.

"How are things at your house?" Lily asked.

A little crease appeared between his eyes and he lay back on the ground next to her and gazed up at the leaves falling gracefully from the trees surrounding them. Home was as unpleasant as always, but at least he felt safe here, safe with her.

"Fine,"

"They're not arguing anymore?" came a sceptical reply.

"Oh yes, they're arguing," said Snape. He picked up a fistful of leaves and began tearing them apart subconsciously. "But it won't be that long and I'll be gone."

"Doesn't your dad like magic?" as she asked she propped herself up on her elbow to face him, her eyebrows contorted with concern and pity… he hated pity.

"He doesn't like anything, much," said Snape closing his eyes to avoid her enchanting gaze.

"Severus?"

A little smile twisted his mouth when she said his name, he had never liked it much but somehow she made it sound pleasant almost. However, when he opened his eyes Lily herself looked anything but happy.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the dementors again."

His smile faded as quickly as it had materialized and his eyes darkened.

"What d'you want to know about them for?"

"If I use magic outside school – "

"They wouldn't give you to the dementors for that!" he chuckled, propping himself up to mirror her. "Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too – "

He turned red again, but Lily simply raised her eyebrows and smirked at him. Being cursed by his conscience once more, he began once again to shred leaves although he couldn't help but share her contagious smile. Then a rustling startled them both: Petunia, hiding behind a tree, had lost her footing.

"Tuney!" said Lily blushing slightly, with surprise and welcome in her voice, but Severus had jumped to his feet. His face reddening with anger, and embarrassment and his fists clenching at his side. He wondered how long she'd been there… How much she'd heard, or seen.

"Who's spying now?" he shouted striding towards her. "What d'you want?"

Petunia was breathless, alarmed at being caught. Her eyes showed her struggle for something hurtful to say.

"What is that you're wearing, anyway?" she said, pointing at his chest. "Your mum's blouse?"

Severus took a step back as if suffering from a physical blow. He'd been a fool to let his guard down, to allow himself to be so comfortable that he'd forgotten his woeful appearance. He wished hard that she would just leave them alone, just then there was a crack. A branch over Petunia's head fell. Lily screamed. The branch caught Petunia on the shoulder, and she staggered backward and burst into tears.

"Tuney!"

But Petunia already was running away. Severus smiled to himself, but this smile was even shorter lived than the last as Lily rounded on him. She too was on her feet now, her eyes burning into his, and flaring brighter than ever.

"Did you make that happen?" she asked in a frighteningly calm tone.

"No." He looked both defiant and scared.

"You did!" She was backing away from him. "You did! You hurt her!"

"No – no, I didn't!" He reached out towards her. He knew he had caused it. But he didn't mean to!

Lily wasn't convinced and after one last burning look, she ran after her sister. Severus remained in the clearing, miserable and confused. That wretched muggle always found a way to ruin everything! How could she be so selfish, so loathsome towards her own sister? It was as if she fed off her sister's misery, or Severus'. Either way, he was finding her to be an unacceptable excuse for a human being.

Severus stayed there for the remainder of the evening, attempting to calm himself down. By the time he returned home his dinner was cold, his mother was out and his father was sleeping in the living room. He had no appetite, and so walked straight through the kitchen and up to his room to sleep.