Lily woke with someone shaking her. She rubbed her eyes and mumble a grumpy "What?"
She heard Millie's laugh, "Hogsmeade, hurry up and get dressed!"
Lily's eyes focused to Becky who was wrapping a black scarf around her neck. "Is it cold?" she asked.
"Very, it's the start of November!" Millie replied, "Don't want to sound like your mother but coats are a must."
Lily just gave Millie a look and began to get dressed. After them all getting their coats on, they walked down stairs into the common room. A few second and first years were hanging around but no one really.
As they walked down to the village, Lily's hands started to become icy cold so without thinking she shoved her hands into her coat pocket. She felt something slice her finger and she winced. Neither Becky nor Millie had noticed, Lily reached in and took out the thing that had cut her. It was the folded paper, her stomach curdled.
"Are you going to go then?" She heard someone say.
Lily looked up and shrugged, "Probably not-"
"Lily! You-" Becky started.
"-I don't have to… Why do you look so tired?"
Becky pulled her coat close and a strong wind whistled through the girls, "I just am…"
"Hmm..." Millie paused but then shrugged it off, "Lily, go, we'll come with you…"
Lily looked between her two friends and sighed, knowing they wouldn't back down, "Okay. But come here a sec."
She pulled out her wand as Becky and Millie moved closer to her and muttered an enchantment quietly. They grinned as the familiar sensation trickled down their backs and glanced down their bodies, knowing they wouldn't see them.
"Disillusion charm, hm?"Becky smiled, "Nice."
"Yup," Lily laughed, "Okay. Be quiet and follow me."
The three girls, only one being seen, made their way to the shrieking shack. It was starting to get colder and the tension just seemed to be building. Neither Becky nor Millie had said anything to Lily that really motivated her, but Lily was now just beginning to get curious as to why someone would want to talk to her. She froze as she neared the haunted building and Millie tumbled into her.
"Lily! Walking here!" She shouted
"Sorry," She didn't sound sorry, "Let's go back."
Both girls grabbed Lily either side, stopping her from going anywhere, "Lily, we just walked all this way. Just see who it-"
"What if it's Sever- Snape?" Lily shouted, her voice quivering.
Both Becky and Millie looked at each other; it was possible that it could be Snape.
"My owl would never let someone as greasy as 'him' touch her." Becky said smiling half-heartedly.
"Becky!" Lily shouted frustrated, Becky shrugged.
Millie looked behind and saw no one. "How about Becky and I go check it out, if it is Snape then you don't go, if it isn't, you do?"
Lily was about to shake her head when both Becky and Millie sprinted down the path. She only knew because medium-sized footprints were being trodden into the now-falling snow. Sighing she went to go look for the note in her pocket, only this time she couldn't find it.
"Oi, Padfoot," Remus nudged Sirius from under the invisibility cloak. They were standing in the middle of the deserted path, trying to find some way of making sure snow didn't settle on the cloak when Remus noticed the noises. Sirius looked to where he was pointing.
"What?" Sirius squinted and then saw on the ground, little footsteps appearing and getting ever-closer to them.
"Who do you think it is?" Remus whispered.
"God, I do hope it's Snivelly," Sirius hissed, "But it's two people. Whoever they are, they know a good Disillusion charm."
"Sirius, get out of the way then!" Remus said quickly and tugged on his friends arm, towards the trees. Sirius wasn't expecting it and yanked the other way to keep balance which made Remus topple over. The two figures making the footsteps were now meters away from them but the steps started skidding, coming to a stop.
"Waah-!" Remus yelled.
"Moony, get off-!"
"Ahh!" A girl's voice shouted as she tripped on the pair of feet that seemed to protrude from thin air. Millie shoved her hands out to break the fall and Becky almost screeched as Sirius' head bounded into view, attached to nothing. Millie grabbed her leg though which in turn, made her fall.
A soft water-like substance seemed to break Millie's fall as her hands closed on the thin material. Becky rolled over Millie quickly and seemed to hover in the air, however she felt what seemed like a very manly body underneath her. Millie yanked the thing in her hands quickly and Remus and Sirius were now in full view as the cloak was pulled off.
"Who's there?" Sirius shouted and waved his hands around, holding onto Becky's shoulders. Remus, who was underneath both of them, managed to wriggle his way out but knelt on Millie in the process who yelped.
"Mi-Millie?" He asked and Millie staggered on her knees. She stood up the same time Remus did who was staring in disbelief. A small figure was showing in the air before him, tiny snowflakes outlining it, making it more definite.
Millie raised a wand to her face to temporarily break the charm. She showed her face briefly and smiled then let it disappear again, "Yup."
Remus looked shell-shocked but quickly bent down, feeling around in the air. He caught the top of Becky's head, then her shoulder and helped her up as Sirius clambered up, grumbling. Becky was seen only because she started brushing mushy snow from her knees and arms and it fell in flurries.
"Becky, I'm guessing?" Remus almost laughed.
"What are you guys doing here? And why are you hidden?" Sirius demanded. Becky thought about Millie at the exact time Millie thought about Becky and it was as if they exchanged a worried look.
"None of your business." Becky said quietly and gently nudged Millie's arm who quietly started walking back.
"Hey, we can still see your footprints you know!" Sirius shouted over the wind and Becky yelled, "Run!"
"Ostendo!" Remus yelled, flicking his wand into the distance. Millie shrieked, further away but now revealed and carried on running.
"Ostendo!" Sirius repeated and as if a jug of water had been poured down Becky, the charm lifted, making them both visible.
"Sorry about this!" Remus shouted, "Immobulus!"
The charm soared in the air, cutting it like ice and hit both of the girls. They fell to the ground, rigid and Sirius and Remus ran up to them.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" He said as he got closer. Millie's face was frozen in some kind of grimace and Becky looked as if she was just about to blink. It was not very attractive.
"It's what James told you to do!" Sirius muttered, "If any girl tried to stop them meeting, just charm your way out of it!"
"Not like that, Pads," Remus squeezed his eyes shut and Millie and Becky both thought the same thing.
James is meeting Lily. Something bad could happen and there would be nothing they could do about it.
Lily had given up when it came to the note; it'd probably just flown out her pocket It's not like it was really the most important thing, she was here now. Lily was squinting where her two best friends had run off into and was getting slightly worried now, she was sure already been well over five minutes. Lily sighed, grabbed her wand and began to walk off into the same direction they'd gone.
"Lily?" she heard a voice call but she wasn't even sure she heard it right. Slowly she turned round and lowered her wand, her feet making a crunchy noise because of the thin layer of snow. Lily narrowed her eyes, "Was it you who sent me the note?"
James looked innocent, a bit too innocent as he said "I don't know what you're on about."
"What are you doing here then?"
"Just walking, Jenny and I had a fight so I was just clearing my head" he replied. Lily thought back to when he'd said the same thing to her a few nights ago, "Potter, you don't have much going on in your mind. I really don't think you need to-" Lily paused when she saw him grimace, she continued anyway "-Clear it."
"You'd be surprised, actually," He said from next to her. Lily paused and turned back on her heel, walking slowly back to the fence by the Shack. James watched her and then followed her. He stood next to her, leaning on the fence and Lily had to stop herself from shivering at how close he was.
"Go on then, tell me."
"What?"
"What are you thinking about right now?" She asked but continued to stare at the rundown of the Shack. She could see from peripheral vision that he had turned to look at her, his large brown eyes watching, "And tell the truth."
"Well... I'm thinking about... when I went in that-"
"Wait-?" She interrupted, "You've been in there?"
"Yeah," He replied and grinned slightly as she turned to him in astonishment, "A lot of times."
Lily's mouth opened wider, "James Potter, I could report you for that."
"But you won't," He smiled and reached out to poke her. Lily stiffened and hastily glanced back out to the Shack, shaking her head to eradicate any unsuitable thoughts about him.
He stretched back out and then mused for a while, "I'm thinking about Jenny."
"Oh," Lily eventually said in a small voice.
"And..." James paused and looked at Lily Evans. Little white flecks of snow were caught in her gleaming red hair, contrasting darkly with the white snow starting to gather around them. She was looking down, covering part of her face with a scarf to keep the wind off her face and her hands, with petite black gloves on, were held together, a little too tightly, "I'm thinking about you."
Lily felt her stomach flutter but also felt a little uneasy. How can he say he's thinking about his girlfriend and then deliberately talk about her in a smooth voice that was obvious he was smiling to himself? Lily felt a small blush creep up her face and was glad the coldness had already made it go red.
"What do you mean?"
"Well..." James contemplated telling her the whole truth and nothing but the truth, "Jenny and I... we're a bit... well, a lot rocky."
"Is that why you've sent me the note?" Lily said suddenly and her tone was hard.
"What note?"
"The note you took back off me and is in your pocket."
James blinked quickly, "Lily, there is nothing in my pocket-"
Lily turned and at once dug her hand in James' coat pocket. He almost jumped back but watched in amusement as she delved in both.
"Y'know, that kind of tickles-"
"Stop messing with me Ja- Potter!" She said crossly, "Empty your trouser pockets!"
James looked at her, eyebrows raised, but sighed, "Okay, Lils."
He shoved his hands in his pockets and pulled out nothing apart from his wand, "I have no idea what you're on about, but I don't have a note, nor did I write one."
"Then why are you here?" Lily asked.
"Well... to sort something out. But that can wait," He smiled and looked at her. She still had her brow furrowed and was chewing her lip but he reached out slowly. Lily didn't watch but shivered as soon as the back of his hand touched her face.
"Sorry, am I cold?" He whispered.
"Why do you keep having mood swings?" Lily whispered back but didn't move his hand.
"Potter, get off of her, now." A voice said from behind Lily. She span around and fell back into James, clutching his wrist in shock and he looked up to see Severus Snape, wrapped in a black cloak which was billowing in the wind, a small note clutched in his hand.
Remus and Sirius gave each other a knowing look. Remus carefully bent down to look between the two girls who were frozen.
"Erm," he awkwardly glanced to Sirius who was still standing up. "If we – er - let you go, you can't run off, okay?"
Remus looked at them intently and Millie began to feel uncomfortable under the stare.
"Right, I'll just take that as a yes…" Sirius crouched down as Remus grabbed his wand and muttered, "Transferam."
There was a bright flash and the two girls mimicked each other; they gasped then sat up, both looking very panicked. Millie and Becky looked towards each other then back up to the hill where they both knew Lily was.
"What the hell... what spell was that?" Millie asked in awe, struggling for breath.
"Well, you know," Remus responded smiling slightly at her tone. For roughly a second too long they shared a look. There wasn't much in the look but it made Millie's insides bubble. Becky and Sirius looked at their friends and rolled their eyes at the same time.
"Where's James?" Becky asked, she looked back at the hill then to Sirius.
"Why do you want to know where James is?" Sirius responded, curtly. Becky frowned at his tone but didn't say anything.
"Maybe because you've just immobilized us for no apparent reason, then changed your minds about it?" Millie said sarcastically.
"Sorry about that," Remus cringed, scratching the back of his neck. His beanie tilted forwards and Millie made an odd movement as if she wanted to replace it or go the whole hog and wear it. She retracted her arm hastily.
"What's he done?" Becky said, standing. Everyone copied her and Millie dusted the snow off her panda hat, shoving it back over her head.
"What do you mean?" Sirius said.
"Oh, come on, we all know he was meeting Lily." Becky rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, the note was a little obvious." Millie added. Sirius and Remus looked at each other, both mirroring puzzled expressions.
"What note?"
"Sirius!" Becky exclaimed and tapped his head, "We talked about letters last night, okay?"
Millie and Remus swapped looks this time and both said, "Wha-?" To the friends but were cut off.
"I don't know anything about a note." Sirius said in a bored tone and Becky looked at him squarely.
"Why is James up there then?"
"Uh-" Sirius looked at Remus who was oddly still, "He's just... Checking out some stuff..."
"You're so easy to see through!" Becky almost laughed. She grabbed Millie's arm and turned around, "I'm going to-"
Before Sirius or Remus could even try to stop her, she stopped out of her own accord. Millie nearly banged into her but she looked to where her friend was looking. Her face went pale as she saw a figure turn the corner into the path and start walking up to the shrieking shack.
"Snape," She muttered.
Becky automatically said, "Lily," at the same time Sirius said, "James." The four friends all started running towards the Shack, Remus tucking the invisibility cloak into his pocket quickly.
James stepped in front of her so fast, he nearly slipped over. Lily noticed he didn't reach for his wand but positioned himself slightly more in front of her. She didn't like this, he should be protecting Jenny, not her.
Just as Lily began to think of something to say, she saw Millie come running into the clearing, her cheeks and nose bright red. "Lily! It was Snape who wrote the-" She paused as she saw them all, "Right, I guess you know…"
Remus, Sirius and Becky all came rushing up the hill to join them. Becky, not being able to stop herself from running, ran right into the back of Sirius who slammed into Remus who stumbled on to Millie.
Snape gave a vile look to the four that had just arrived, "You all really are pathetic."
"Yeah, coming from the one who is a Death Eater, now that's pathetic!" Lily didn't even realize she had shouted that, not until she saw everyone look at her. No one had thought that she'd have the guts to say anything like that, she figured.
Snape's posture changed. He didn't do anything like Lily would expect. He didn't slump his shoulders slightly, or look down. He glared at her next to James, his eyes like cutting knives. James saw this look and automatically stepped in front of Lily, cutting off the eye contact.
"If you really value Lily's friendship to you, shouldn't you respect her choices?" He said calmly, but glared at Severus.
"I've got nothing to respect when you're... protecting her." He replied, his lip curling. Lily flushed and stepped in front of James. She shook him off as he tried to pull her back and walked towards Severus. He watched her, expression dropping back to neutral.
"Why did you want me here?" She whispered so no one else could hear her. The group of four friends watched anxiously as Severus blinked.
"Severus," Lily said, making sure not to trip and use the nickname, "What are you actually doing?"
"I-" He said back, teeth gritted, "I- I needed to talk to you. Alone."
"Why?" Lily said louder, so everyone could hear.
Snape looked cautiously behind Lily's shoulder and didn't raise his voice to the extent Lily had, "I wanted to talk about-"
"There's nothing to talk about" Lily drawled, "Severus, I'm not your friend anymore. Maybe… Maybe if you hadn't- If you hadn't messed with those people-" She paused as she saw him about to retort, "-and don't deny it. Either way I'm done with you!"
Lily began to walk back, she was a couple of steps away from him when she whispered, I give up…" With that she turned back around and began walking up the hill, "Goodbye Severus," she breathed.
Lily walked in the direction of Remus, Sirius, Becky and Millie to exit the clearing and James quickly followed, leaving Snape standing out oddly in the bright white snow, blanketing everything thickly now. James wanted to put his arm around Lily but Sirius sent a look which obviously meant, "You're not out of it with Jenny yet."
Remus, Sirius, Millie and Becky all paused as James went after Lily. Millie began to make a move to follow but Remus lightly grabbed her wrist announcing, "Let them have a minute, or two."
"But it's snowing, really heavily…" Millie whined, "And I'm cold."
Millie gave a mischievous look to Becky who just stared at Millie unblinkingly. Remus paused for a second then just opened his arms and said "Want a hug then?"
Millie didn't even nod or say yes she just hugged him right away, as if they did it all the time. Becky looked towards Sirius, eyebrows raised and a silent question prying in her eyes, 'when did that happen?'
"C'mon," Sirius said and they broke apart, Millie bright red.
Becky looked at where the figure of Severus stood still, staring where James and Lily exited. His posture was held oddly, back slightly arched. It reminded her so much of a dark raven that she shivered. Sirius slung his arm around her shoulders, grinning broadly and her attention snapped back to him, not before she saw Severus retract his wand and cast a disillusion charm upon himself.
"Am I ignoring you now?" He grinned.
"Guess you can't anymore," Becky said and smiled as he laughed.
"Kay, let's get to the Three Broomsticks, shall we?" Millie piped up.
"So, we friends?" Sirius asked as Becky looked at her feet. Her shoes were gathering snow on the ends and she flicked it off.
"Yeah. I guess." She said and smirked.