Fear
because everyone suffers from it
Severus lies idly under their tree; his fingers impatiently twisting and furling the lone thread that hangs from the end of his already tattered robe. He watches, his black eyes wide with greed and anticipation as Lily sprints across the field towards him; her face is flushed, her hair escaping from what was obviously a hasty bun and her clothes are covered in grass, but, to Severus, she has never been more beautiful.
"I've got to go," she mumbles, "Remus has organised a prefect meeting for everyone to organise Christmas."
Lily sprints off, and Severus knows he should be making an attempt on his homework or practising his latest spell, and instead he lays there, that little black piece of cotton still wrapped tightly around his finger. It, like he, is alone and being manipulated by others. It, like he, is afraid it will never be able to reunite with those it loves.
Giving thoughts to a thread was never something Severus had ever considered before, but it seemed to help ease the pain he was feeling. They were both alone, both plagued by fear that they would never see their loved ones in any sort of normalcy again.
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Because it's weird and vague and I wanted to share it with you.