The entire day, Severus and Lily sat in his new temporary room, Lily taking joy in decorating it. He had seen Lily's room as well and the girl very much enjoyed taking the time to beautify things. The two were talking about lots of things at Hogwarts: the teachers, the homework and how both of them would be relieved and upset when they left.
"Celosia says that the rush of being a graduated Hogwarts student who has accomplished so much is a great feeling." Lily smiled, organizing Severus' many books onto a white bookshelf. "The moment she stepped out of Hogwarts she wouldn't stop smiling."
"Until she encountered me on the train of course." Severus sneered and Lily sighed, shaking her head as she continued organizing.
"Don't say that Severus, she doesn't hate you as much as Tuney does." Lily insisted. "In fact, she took quite the effort to be close to you. She of course doesn't like your presence in this house but she isn't fussing over it like Tuney is. Celosia actually likes you."
"She did." Severus muttered, looking out the window. The view was crystal clear and he could see everything, even his own house. It stood out from the other clean houses on the street but he paid no attention to it. Inside he hoped his mother would be alright and come to the sense that she had a wand to use against her abusive husband.
"You'll just have to win her trust back." Lily said and Severus turned to her. "Be nice to her again, just like you were nice to me when we were younger."
Severus stared at the girl he fell in love with, who was fixing his bookshelf, sometimes pausing to look at the cover of the book before shoving it onto the shelf with the others. "Oh, and James is going to be over periodically so I do hope you'll behave even if he tries to pick up a fight."
Severus' heard nearly stopped those words. Right. She wasn't his anymore, she belonged to Potter and Severus knew that Lily wasn't going to change her mind about loving the man at all. He stared back out the window, his heart beating painfully in his chest. He had to get over her but he just couldn't.
A black convertible pulling up into the driveway took his attention and Petunia ran out of it happily, Celosia stepping out from the driver's seat with a grin on her face. At the sight of her the pain in Severus' heart seemed to stop, but before he could make anything of it, a voice from downstairs broke the silence.
"I DID IT!" Petunia had screamed from the bottom floor. Severus scowled, shaking his head at how the woman was so loud that even Severus and Lily could hear her from a level above. "MUM! DAD! I DID IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT!"
The slamming of the door from downstairs and a chuckle like bells made Severus stand up. "Calm down Nia, you were yelling at every single pedestrian on the road."
Footsteps rushing up the stairs made Lily and Severus turn to the open door, Petunia running passed it as Celosia walked calmly behind her, shaking her head with a smile as she stepped into Severus' room.
She looked around, pursing her lips at the look. "Need help?" She asked, looking over at her sister.
"None, it's fine." Lily smiled. "I'm actually having some fun."
"This guest room hasn't been used in ages." Celosia said, looking at Severus as Lily went back to work. "Potter comes over of course but never stays the night. He spends most of the time in Lily's room, which I am of course, against."
"We don't do anything!" Lily exclaimed, blushing as she furiously stacked the books onto the shelf. There sure was a lot of them.
"Good, as you shouldn't." Celosia smirked. "At least not yet."
"Celly, are you trying to give me sex education right now?" Lily exclaimed, turning to her sister and Celosia laughed. Severus glared at the carpet floor in jealousy at the conversation and mention of James again.
Petunia ran into the room, panting with the grin still on her face. "Where's mum and dad?"
"Out." Lily answered, putting the last book on the shelf as she stood. Petunia huffed and left the area, walking more calmly and slowly down the stairs. "I take it she got a job?"
"Yup." Celosia smirked, arms crossed as she sat on the bed. "I was quite surprised myself. I didn't think anyone would get back to her right away."
"She'll be out before you know it." Lily said, stretching and standing in the middle of the room, looking around and impressed with her work. "Good for her."
"When will you be out?" Celosia asked.
"Not sure." She shrugged. "I sort of want to stay for a bit."
"Move in with James." Celosia smirked and Lily glared at her sister, who only laughed. Severus sneered, feeling the jealousy in his heart again. It wasn't as harsh as it was before, when Celosia wasn't in the room.
"When are you going to get out?" Lily asked.
"I'm waiting for you to graduate."
"What are you going to do, Severus?" Lily asked, turning to the Slytherin. Celosia almost forgot he was in the room, and turned her attention to him. Severus stared at the two, before shrugging his shoulders.
"Not sure. I obviously want out of that house." He muttered gravely and Lily nodded, Celosia leaning on the bed so her hands were keeping her up.
"You got any money?" Celosia asked and Severus glared at her.
"That's none of your concern." He snapped and Celosia sighed, standing up.
"Just trying to help, Snape." She muttered and walked out of the room.
Lily frowned once she was gone, and looked at Severus. "What?" The boy asked defensively.
"I thought you were going to be nicer." She said, disappointed.
"I'm trying."
"Try harder, Sev." Lily said with a pleading tone in her voice. "I want you to be on good terms with my sister. Tuney is a lost cause for us since we're magical."
"Why is something like this so important to you, Lily?" Severus snapped. "It's not like we'll be friends forever. It's not like I'll constantly be over with Celosia downstairs all the time."
His own words hurt him. It's not like he'd be married to Lily, with a son and a daughter of their own.
"Are you saying we won't even be friends?" Lily exclaimed, hurt in her eyes and voice. Severus groaned internally. He just never said the right thing.
"I'm not saying we won't be friends but I'm saying that wherever we go in the future, your family probably wouldn't care." Severus said, saving himself. Lily nodded furiously before striding towards the door.
"I'm going to get a snack, do you want anything?" She asked, Severus knowing she was on the verge of tears. He shook his head and Lily nodded, leaving the room.
Severus sighed, going to his new bed and lying down on it, staring at the white ceiling. Everything in the room was white, and even with the curtains closed the room was too bright for his liking. At home his room was dark as night, and even at Hogwarts the dark green was soothing.
A couple weeks passed and Celosia was right about not being around during the day. Severus hardly saw her because she was working full time and so was Petunia. Rose was also was in the large greenhouse built outside and Henry was off working as well. It was only Lily and Severus and even then things were tense.
"I hear Professor Dumbledore is going to be Headmaster this year." Lily said as they both sat at the dining room table, eating lunch while Lily was looking over her Transfigurations book, Severus looking over his Potions one.
"Where did you hear that?" Severus muttered, scribbling things down on the pages as he chewed.
"Word around." She muttered, taking a bite of her food. "No surprise though. I always thought Professor McGonagall would be Headmistress, she's been Deputy for many years."
Severus merely shrugged, finishing his food and scribbling down in his book again. The front door opened and a few minutes later Celosia walked in. "Hey Lils, wanna go get the mail? There was a bunch of people there before so I couldn't get it."
"Accio it!" Lily exclaimed, finishing up her food.
"I'm not going to abuse my powers to get the mail." Celosia rolled her eyes and set her hands on her hips. "Muggles are all around the area Lils, what if one witnesses the mail flying randomly?"
Letting out a groan Lily stood, Celosia smiling as she held out the keys for her sister. "Coming Sev?"
"Tobias was one of the Muggles out there, Lils." Celosia said immediately, Severus looking at her in suspicion. "Just get it and get back quickly."
Lily sighed and nodded, Severus and Celosia in silence until the front door closed behind Lily. Once it did Celosia sat in the chair across from Severus, the boy looking up at her. "Something you need?" He raised a brow and Celosia glared at him.
"Your mother came into the shop today." She muttered and Severus' look softened. "She said that things are improving."
"Has she used her wand in a useful way?" Severus asked and Celosia shook her head, making him roll his eyes. "That's not an improvement then."
"I fitted her for one of her dresses, Severus. Her bruises are old, nothing new has come up as far as I could see."
Severus turned back to his book, flipping through the pages. "The least you could do for her is brew a potion to heal her scars."
"I'm not allowed magic outside of school."
"Allow me." Celosia said and Severus stared at her again. "Your mother is just as well mine as my mother is yours. Our families have a strong connection, don't you agree? Of course I disapprove of what your father does but I can't stop it. I can however help your mother."
"Of course you've only wanted to help my mother." Severus sneered, his back feeling oddly sore all of a sudden. His hand went to the back of his neck and he rubbed it, the action not unnoticed by Celosia.
Her eyes widened and she sat straight, leaning closer to Severus. His breath got caught in his throat and he didn't dare look at her. "Severus, your mother wasn't the only one Tobias hurt."
Severus glared at the ground. How was he going to escape this one? "Severus, look at me."
"You aren't my superior, Evans." He spat and Celosia blinked.
"Severus, if your father has been abusing you, tell me. Just because I can't do anything for Eileen doesn't mean I won't do anything for you." She muttered, her mind racing through the past she had with Severus. Mysterious boys were always the kind she liked but couldn't find. Severus was pretty much perfect for her.
The Slytherin closed his book, the scars on his back feeling uncomfortable. "Severus, I want to help you."
"What you can do to help me is leave me alone, Celosia." He sneered, whipping around to glare at her. "Whenever you try to help me, it does nothing good for my image like you think it does. I'm sick and tired of you making me look like a vulnerable fool."
Celosia raised her brows, taken aback. "If you really want to help me, never speak to me ever again." He snapped and grabbed his book, standing up and storming out of the room, leaving Celosia Evans staring at the spot he was at seconds before, a tear threatening to roll down her cheek.