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A few days after that encounter Eileen had taken Severus back home, which was excellent timing as James Potter came to visit Lily the next day. Celosia had stayed true to her word and stayed away from Severus, giving him the cold shoulder whenever she came over to drop something off to Eileen. Severus had assumed it was the potion that Celosia promised to make, and his heart fell slightly as he saw his mother get brighter every day. Why couldn't he have just shut his mouth that day? His back would be scarless and he wouldn't be physically sore.
Seventh year passed quickly for him and Severus found himself closer to Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort's circle. He would go back home for a few days then move in with the elder Malfoy, until he could find a stable job and get a place of his own.
Word had gotten out fast of Voldemort and the Order of the Phoenix forming. Severus kept in touch with these developments but didn't hear anything of Celosia Evans. The only time he saw her was in the summer, when he and Lily were walking in the same park they met at many years ago. Celosia had pulled up in her convertible, constantly honking and trying to get Lily to hurry up and leave him.
Severus had looked over at Celosia, the woman glaring at him with the hardest look he'd ever seen her give, even harder than the one she gave Sirius in his sixth year. Lily ignored her sister, smiling and continuing to talk to Severus. "Are you going to be moving out anytime soon?"
"Yes." Severus nodded and Lily seemed to frown.
"Stay in touch, ok, Sev?" Lily smiled and embraced him, Severus' heart skipping a beat. It soon felt broken. She still had James and he knew that the two weren't going to break up anytime soon if not at all.
"LILY MARIE EVANS, MUGGLE GAS COSTS MUGGLE MONEY!" Celosia roared from the car and Lily sighed, rolling her eyes. "Do you want to pay for my gas too, whenever I pick you up?"
"Calm yourself, Celly!" Lily yelled and looked at Severus, who was staring at Celosia.
"She really hates me now doesn't she?" He muttered and Lily sighed, nodding. She didn't know about what Severus had told Celosia a year before, and he hoped that Lily would never find out. It would surely be the definite end of their friendship if she did.
"It's ok, she'll be staying in the Muggle world for a little bit longer, she's so close to buying a place. She picked it out already." Lily smiled and Celosia honked on the horn again. "I should really go."
Severus nodded and Lily waved. "Keep in touch." She reminded and Severus watched as Lily walked towards an angry Celosia, the girl getting into the car. At that moment Severus felt his heart break as Celosia grinned at her sister, her mood happy again as they drove away.
A number of years passed since that day and Severus found himself in his father's house, Eileen Snape moving back to Prince Manor when Tobias died. Severus wasn't surprised at the death, good riddance. The house was his now and he had scolded his mother for allowing him to spend his childhood in the Snape house instead of Prince Manor.
A white owl had surprised Severus one day as he spent many hours looking over the envelope it had, his heart breaking every time he read it. So Lily and James had been inseparable and now they were getting married. And Severus was invited. He was invited to the wedding of the girl he fell in love with, and she wasn't even getting married to him.
It took a while to decide whether he would go or not and soon Severus found himself dressed in all black, standing awkwardly at the back as Lily and James made their vows. He had his emotionless mask on, even though he felt like breaking down and crying inside.
He remained standing during the after party, drinking several glasses of wine to try and cool his emotions. Things didn't get any better when he spotted Celosia and Petunia, both dressed in the light green bridesmaid dresses. The two sisters with chatting with their parents, Lily and her new husband with them as well.
As Severus kept staring, Rose Evans looked up, her eyes lightening up. "Oh, look, it's Severus!" She held her hand out, making a motion for him to come towards them. Knowing not to refuse the woman, Severus strode towards them, Petunia's face hardening as she excused herself. James was as stiff as a stone and Lily patted his arm, trying to make him calm down. Celosia watched as Severus stood across from her, taking a sip of her own glass of wine.
"Glad to see you're here, Sev." Lily smiled and Severus nodded.
"Congratulations." He said, although his voice almost betrayed him. He looked at James in the eye and the two shared a polite nod, Lily smiling.
"What have you been up to, Severus?" Henry asked as Celosia turned around, taking a refill of wine.
"Nothing new, really." Severus answered. "My father passed away recently and I've been given the house."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Rose said, only a bit of sadness in her voice. It was safe to say that everyone in that circle didn't approve of Tobias Snape. "Have you been working in the wizarding world?"
"Yes, Albus Dumbledore has put me in training to be the new Potions Master at Hogwarts in a few years."
"I wish you luck on that then." Henry smiled and Lily grinned, James feeling awkward as he excused the both of them. "Celosia has been working in our world for a while."
"Is that so?" Severus asked, looking at Celosia, who had drunk as many glasses of wine as she could to keep her emotions at bay. Over the years she had left the anger for Severus, but the hurt she felt was still there. "If I do remember three years ago, Lily had told me you were not far from buying a place."
Celosia gulped down the glass she had, holding it behind her back as another bartender walked by and filled it for her. "Yes, I was close but my expectations changed. I have a place currently but I didn't buy it, I'm merely renting."
"We're giving Celosia our place once we pass." Rose said with a smile.
"I assure you mother that will take a long time." Celosia assured and Severus noticed how desperate she was to keep her emotions down. Obviously there was something wrong with Rose and Henry but Severus didn't dive into it further.
"I only hope I'll still be here to see all of my daughters get married." Rose smiled. "Who's that dashing lad that Petunia is currently seeing?"
"Vernon, mum." Celosia said and they all turned their eyes to Petunia, who was sitting in a chair sipping at wine. She obviously couldn't wait to get out of there. The majority of people at the wedding were wizards, thanks to James being a pureblood.
"They'll get married soon." Henry said and turned to Celosia. "And when will you?"
Celosia blushed and took another sip of her wine at the same time Severus did. His eyes looked at her and she avoided his gaze. "Yes, how is that dear, what's his name, Andre?" Rose smiled. "Was he not supposed to come today?"
"Business trip, mother." Celosia blushed, hiding behind her glass as she sipped some more. "We're not anywhere close to getting married soon."
"You should, I'd love to meet all of my son-in-laws before I die." Rose grinned and Celosia laughed nervously, Severus downing his glass. The conversation was quite awkward and once he heard that Celosia had found someone, he felt angered. He didn't know why, he should have been happy. He was the one who pushed her away after all.
The conversation was thankfully cut short when Lily threw her boquet, the set of flowers falling into Petunia's lap. Many people clapped and Celosia grinned. "Looks like Petunia's gonna be Mrs Vernon Dursley sooner than we thought!"
She was very much correct about that statement a few years afterwards. Many things had happened since then and Severus was more involved with the Death Eaters than ever. He never saw Lily, James, Celosia or any of the Evans for that matter. He was too busy in the Dark Arts, killing for Voldemort to help cover up the sadness and rage he had for losing Lily to James and Celosia to this mysterious Andre.
Many years later Petunia Dursley sat in her living room on Privet Drive, her husband Vernon tucking their son Dudley in bed. Once Vernon walked downstairs and sat beside his wife did he notice what she was looking at. "What're you looking at that album for?"
Petunia flipped through the pages, the pictures of her, Lily and Celosia as little girls rather than the album of her son that she should have had in her fingers. "Just thinking." Petunia muttered and stopped at a picture of Celosia. "You know my sister Celosia? Recently her husband, Andre, was murdered and she had a miscarriage."
"The other witch?" Vernon asked and Petunia nodded. "And you're just telling me this now?"
"I was just thinking about it." Petunia muttered and flipped the page, the majority of the pictures on the page magically moving, making Petunia scowl. "That's why she's also Dudley's godmother. She never had a chance at having a child."
Vernon listened to his wife. He knew about their family and how Lily and Celosia were witches. He thought of them as freaks just like Petunia did, but not has harshly. If Vernon himself had a wizard or witch in his family when he was younger, he wouldn't feel ashamed. He would be quite proud.
The doorbell rang and Petunia looked up, Vernon standing to get it. Once the door opened his eyebrows raised in surprise. Celosia stood at the doorway, dressed in her Order robes, Vernon immediately taking notice she was a witch. Her black leather corset and black pants were covered by a long billowing robe, her tall black boots making her at about his height. She was soaking wet from the pouring rain outside. The look on her face made Vernon surprised.
"Celosia?" He asked and the woman looked him in the eye. It was obvious tears had been pouring down her face.
"I need to talk to Petunia." She whispered and Vernon allowed the woman in, knowing there was something wrong. If it had something to do with magic, Vernon and Petunia would both be furious.
Petunia stood, seeing Celosia walking into the living room. Her curly hair was damp from the rain and she was dressed in the strangest clothing, of course only being strange to Muggles. "Sia." Petunia greeted and then looked at her sister in the face.
"Tuney." Celosia whispered and let out a sob, a tear trailing down her cheek. Petunia was shocked. Never had her sister use the nickname 'Tuney'. It was Lily's nickname for her, Celosia had always called her 'Nia'.
"What's wrong?" Petunia asked, the want to help her little sister taking over the fact that there was a witch in her house.
"Lily." Celosia gasped out, tears falling down her face. "She's gone."
Petunia's eyes widened and Celosia closed the space between them, embracing her sister. Petunia hugged her back, shock still in her system as Celosia cried in her shoulder. Vernon watched from his place at the doorway, just as shocked but letting the sisters have their moment. "How?" Petunia whispered, knowing it was involving magic. But she wanted to know. She had to know.
"Th-the same dark wizard." Celosia explained, trying to calm down. "The one I told you about. The one that's a big threat for us. The one who killed Andre and my baby. H-he went to Godric's Hollow a-and-"
Petunia held her sister close feeling a tear fall down her cheek as well. "Why?"
"Th-there was a Prophecy." Celosia sniffed. "About their son Harry. Oh, you have to take care of him Tuney! I can't, I need to help avenge Andre and Lily and everyone who died because of that bastard!"
Petunia swallowed a lump in her throat, Celosia breaking into tears again. Petunia wanted to do the same thing, but tried to hold back. She had to comfort Celosia first. "Sh-she would want it." Celosia whispered and pulled away, wiping the tears from her face. "She wants you to take care of Harry. Please Tuney, you have to."
Petunia stared at her sister. Never had she seen her turn into such a mess, not even when they were children. Without thinking Petunia nodded. "Why can't you take care of him?"
Celosia sniffed again, looking at Petunia in the eye, Petunia looking at the same eyes Lily had. "I'm going to kill him if he comes back. I'm going to kill his filthy followers and him for taking away our sister."
"You can't Sia, I can't lose you too." Petunia exclaimed, starting to beg. If it hurt this much to lose Lily, she knew it would hurt more if she lost Celosia as well. They were her two baby sisters, she couldn't go on with them gone.
"Tuney, I'm strong." Celosia smiled, setting a hand on her sister's. "I've been doing this for quite a while ever since Andre died. I know what I have to do. I'll stay alive for you."
Petunia felt tears pouring down her face and she embraced her sister once again. "There will be magical wards put up around this house once Harry is carried through the door. They won't break until he turns seventeen. I'm going to keep you save too Petunia, I can't lose you either."
Petunia nodded, allowing her sister to walk out the door. Once the door shut and Celosia Apparated, Petunia fell to the floor, Vernon rushing to comfort her as she broke down. Lily, her baby sister was gone. The beautiful, smart, kind girl that Petunia had gave the cold shoulder to just because she was a witch. She was gone.