A/N: Sorry my updates are dreadfully slow – it'll get faster in a couple weeks, when school's over. :/ Anyway, I hope you like it! Feel free to leave me some feedback, if you would like.

Happy reading!

So Much More to Me

"Severus! Severus, wait!"

He heard her voice calling after him, but he couldn't face her, not now. He was still angry about Potter for his little stunt before, and he knew his temper wouldn't be able to be tamed in front of her. He needed the right moment to apologize, but if she confronted him now, he'd lash out –

"Severus, just wait a second." She pleaded, trying to catch her breath.

"Lily, we have nothing to discuss," he said stiffly, "You most obviously don't care about me anymore –"

"That's not true," she insisted, finally regaining her breath. "I would care about anyone who was being bullied, and I talked to James about it after class –"

"Oh, you're on a first-name basis now?" he spat sarcastically, "That's grand."

It was paining him to be so harsh, but he just needed her to leave him alone, just so he could get his thoughts straight again –

"It's not your business, Severus, and for the record, James isn't as bad as you think he is."

"What, so – you're friends now?" he exclaimed, furrowing his brow. The idea was preposterous.

She hesitated. "Well – yeah, but that's irrelevant. I just wanted to let you know that I won't let James bully you or anyone else anymore. Besides, I think he's changed. But still, you used to be my best friend, and –"

"Used to be?" he repeated angrily, absentmindedly taking a step backwards.

She frowned. "I thought you'd understand where we stand after last year, Severus."

"Well, obviously I don't." he replied bitterly, becoming breathless with panic. He couldn't lose Lily. She was the only thing he cared about.

"Well – we're not the same. We're not best friends. I thought you understood that, because I made myself perfectly clear. Now, if you still don't want my help, all you had to do was tell me – politely." She added, somewhat shyly, memories of the year before coming back.

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

She closed her eyes against the painful memory and looked back to Severus, who was staring at her with a pained expression.

"Fine," he finally said, "I see how it is. Just run off to Potter then, like you've always wanted to."

The he stormed off, his long cloak trailing behind him. Lily sighed in defeat and didn't bother calling out his name. She'd tried to reconcile to be at least acquaintances and they couldn't even do that.

So, she thought, I guess . . . that's the end of it. I'll never be friends with Severus again.

She watched his back grow smaller and smaller as she suppressed tears, walking back up to the castle dejectedly.

XXX

Walking into Defense Against the Dark Arts, her last class of the day, Lily saw the first of Bellatrix Black and her cronies. She'd been anticipating it, and anger boiled in her chest as she slowly sat down next to her friends, deepening her foul mood. She noticed Dorcas frowning at her and Mary was rubbing Alice's shoulder comfortingly – they were all thinking the same thing. What if one of them had killed the twins? They knew Bellatrix had been there, but that probably meant the rest of then, at least Rodolphus was there, too. They were all equally insane – well, Bellatrix and Rodolphus were the king and queen of crazy, though. Rosier, Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes, who were actually supposed to be in this class, were in the girl's year. Being a year above them, Black and Lestrange shouldn't be in the class.

Bellatrix looked up at her, feeling her stare, and then gave her the most twisted sneer Lily's ever seen. She swallowed and looked away.

"Mr. Lestrange, Mrs. Black, don't you have to get to Advanced Potions? Class has already started." The new Professor Rollan said, raising an eyebrow. Lily didn't know how he knew their names, let alone where they were supposed to be, being new, but she supposed he had special skills, considering what she'd heard of his background. She decided she liked Professor Rollan – he was relatively young, and she'd heard he'd been forced out of Auror training because of a severe injury. By the way he limped and the multitude of scars running across his face and down his neck, Lily wasn't sure she wanted to know the technicalities. He had his black hair tied in a ponytail at the nape of his next and he had an air of someone with power, having his hands always clasped behind his back.

Rodolphus and Bellatrix smirked and each other and Bellatrix said, "So sorry, Professor. We'll be on our way."

The two walked out of the room, but not without Bellatrix smirking in their direction again, and then chuckling at the look on Alice's face. Lily was so shocked and enraged she couldn't move for a moment, but then she slammed her books down and stood, starting to follow the girl.

"Mrs. Evans, what on earth is wrong?" Professor Rollan said, surprised.

The silence in the room was thick and every pair of eyes was on her. She pressed her lips into a thin line and looked back to the door.

"Lily." Alice said quietly, and Lily looked at her. She was calm, but had a few tears glistening in her eyes. Lily slowly sat back down and, after a moment, Professor Rollan started his lecture.

Alice grabbed her hand over the table and Lily met her eyes.

"I'm okay." She whispered, though another tear slid down her cheek.

She was okay enough, is what she meant.

XXX

"Mrs. Evans, could I have a moment?" Professor Rollan as the students started to trail out of the classroom.

Lily was surprised, but nodded. "Of course, sir."

Dorcas touched her arm. "We'll be back in the common room." She murmured and Lily nodded.

She walked to Professor Rollan's desk, where he was writing something a piece of parchment very carefully.

"Do you want to tell me what that was about?" he asked, actually giving her a choice.

Lily hesitated. "We – my friends and I – just think that Bellatrix Black and her group aren't that great of people – we . . . suspect some tings of them."

He stopped writing and looked up at her from behind his small reading glasses. "Oh? May I ask what, exactly?"

"Well, they're pretty intense accusations." She admitted nervously. What if he sent to her to Professor Dumbledore for such thoughts, even if they were true?

"Nothing will ever leave this office, Mrs. Evans. This is for my personal use only."

Lily still didn't know if she liked the sound of that, but decided to trust Professor Rollan.

"I think that they are working for – for Voldemort," She stuttered, wondering if the professor would scold her for using his name. But he didn't show emotion, and so she continued, "And we think one of them may be responsible for the death of the Prewett twins over the summer."

Rollan raised his eyebrows. "These accusation are intense, indeed. But I cannot say I'd quickly disagree, from what I've seen of the group," he said, and Lily got the feeling he'd seen much more of them than just this first day at school. "He does seem to be recruiting quite young . . . No matter – you are excused, Mrs. Evans. Thank you for your time."

She nodded to the professor and walked out of the room, feeling a little better now that an adult – a capable adult who had connections with Aurors, no doubt – knew of her thoughts.

XXX

"I was so close – SO. CLOSE. And then – and then Sirius had to go ruin it by picking on Snivelly! He's not even worth it, Padfoot!"

"Well, I'm so-rry," Sirius said sarcastically from where he was lounging on his bed, "I didn't know your relationship with Evans was at stake, not to mention the end of the world – my bad."

James scowled at his best friend, but before he could snap at him, Remus spoke up.

"Listen, James, Lily isn't stupid – she'll realize that it was really Sirius' fault. She probably just got caught up in the moment," he said, "I'd just give her time to cool off, and, if you need help, I can talk to her during rounds – but only if you really need it, James." He added at the look on his friend's face.

James wrinkled his nose. "But I want her to forgive me now!" he whined, slumping his shoulders.

Sirius chuckled, putting his hands behind his head, and leaned back against his headboard. "Oh, Prongs, you must be patient. Besides, aren't you the one who always says the ladies always come to you?"

"No, I believe that's you," Remus snorted, and Peter chuckled. "But James probably has a similar mindset."

"What are you insinuating?" James asked, putting his hands on his hips.

"Yeah?" Sirius added, raising his eyebrows.

"Just that you two are . . . cocky assholes sometimes." He said nonchalantly, flipping open his book.

Sirius and James gaped at each other as Peter broke out in stitches.

"Wow, Moony. I never thought I'd here you say . . . cocky asshole – ever." Sirius pointed out, frowning appreciatively.

Remus shrugged, and didn't reply, but as James climbed into his bed, he said, "Well, I still don't forgive you."

"You will by morning." Remus said airily, turning a page.

James gaped at him again and then scowled. "Why do you know me so well?" he exclaimed exasperatedly.

The three of them laughed, and James just shook his head, plopping down on his pillow.

XXX

A week went by, and still Lily didn't speak to James. James became more depressed every day and his pouting was driving his friends crazy. Lily's friends didn't really enjoy her disregard of James, either, since it made it awkward when they still thought of him as a friend.

Dorcas still hadn't given up on her plan to get James and Lily together – it had just been put on hold for a while what with everything going on. She now looked between them and saw the tension between them. She watched as James peered up at her at certain times shamelessly and as Lily glanced up at him inconspicuously a couple times. Dorcas rolled her eyes and kicked Lily under the table. Lily looked up at her with wide eyes and Dorcas canted her head to James with the same wide-eyed pointed glance.

Lily sighed and started to stand when Dorcas slapped her palm down on Lily's hand and whipped her head to James, who was sitting next to her.

"So, James, who are you taking to Hogsmeade?" Dorcas said rather loudly.

James gave her an odd look. "Dorcas, the first Hogsmeade trip isn't for two months." He said slowly.

"Well, I was just wondering if you had any plans on taking anyone." She said quickly, and saw out of the corner of her eye Lily sending her death glares.

"Erm, well, no. Since it's in two months," He added, confused. Then, he looked at her warily. "Dorcas, you're not – asking me out, are you?"

Dorcas grimaced. "You're kidding. No – I was just asking because it just so happens that Lily doesn't have any plans either!"

Lily cleared her throat loudly and hastily stood up, gathering her things. "Oh, look at that, I'm late for – for – yeah, that."

Then, she scurried out of the Great Hall, and Dorcas sighed, plopping her cheek into one hand. James sighed, too, and turned his gloomy attention to his food. Dorcas looked over at Sirius, who was sitting on the other side of her, as he chuckled, putting a hand on her knee.

"It was a good try." He offered.

She shrugged and let out an exasperated breath. "He needs to try harder."

"I can hear you." James noted, pouting.

"Good – then you heard the 'you need to try harder' part!"

"But – but Remus told me to let her cool off!" he said desperately.

Remus looked over at the sound of his name and shrugged at them. "I suppose she's had enough time now, and she's not doing anything. I suppose I could talk to her."

"And in the meantime," Dorcas added before he could get too happy. "You've got to try. She was irritated over summer because she thought you let everyone else prove you were a good person rather than yourself."

James frowned and looked down thoughtfully, but he didn't reply.

"So," Sirius said, smirking as she turned to him. "Do you have any plans for Hogsmeade in two months?"

She smiled. "I can't say I do."

"Well, then, would you like you go with me?" he asked, smirking, and he wondered if Dorcas would say yes even if she knew how nervous he really was.

"I'd love to." She said, smiling, and laughed, turning back to her food with a slight blush.

He took a sidelong glance at her and smiled, relief washing over him. Finally, he could reveal his true feelings for her, after all this time.