This takes place BEFORE chapter one. I hadn't planned on writing another chapter, but people seemed to like it so…yeah. Rated K+ to be on the safe side, there's only one really mild sexual reference. It's gone a bit AU as well, but I think it works pretty well. Thanks for reviewing etc., I really do appreciate it :)
Severus awoke, as he had every other night since he'd seen the announcement in the Daily Prophet, bathed in a cold sweat. He took out the clipping that he'd cut out and saved so carefully, even though the words were committed to memory as soon as he'd seen them. Almost without thinking, he stroked Lily's name on the page, trying to preserve its beauty before it was tainted with his name.
Potter.
He spat the word despite being alone in the room, tears falling down his cheeks as his voice fell to silence. If only he could transform the venom in his voice to a real poison-he pictured it coursing through Potter's veins, leaving Lily alone to be rescued…Severus slumped to the wall, consumed with self-loathing. How could he wish for such awful pain to be bestowed on his dear Lily?
He took a small chipped bowl from the sideboard, and raised his wand to his temple. Sighing, he watched the most painful memories swirl into the Pensieve, tumbling together like liquid. All those times she'd asked him to Zonko's and he'd refused, preferring to study his Potions textbook. Or that time she'd asked him to the Slug Club Christmas party, but he'd felt too embarrassed and left early. Or, he blushed fiercely, those times he'd thought of her whilst he was alone in bed at night, curtains drawn and biting his lip to keep himself quiet.
He could never eradicate every memory of her, but he managed to fall into an uneasy sleep, cradling the Pensieve in his arms.
He could mutter only polite greetings the next morning, nodding to his acquaintances as he strode down Diagon Alley. He needed nothing, but thought that he would go mad if he stayed in the same four walls any longer.
Everything he saw reminded him of her. Passing Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, he thought about how she had quickly learnt his order off by heart-a skill which had escaped Fortescue even after years of frequenting the shop. Seeing schoolgirls coming out of Madam Malkin's reminded him of her delight at her own first set of school robes. He caught himself smiling, thinking back to her eagerness and curiosity about everything in the wizarding world. Right down to the last brick in Diagon Alley it had seemed, everything had fascinated her. He stopped by the apothecary to stock up on ingredients-he needed to keep a good relationship with the shopkeeper even if he didn't need the bezoars and lavender he handed over a few sickles for. Not wanting to head home quite yet, he wandered down the street, stopping every so often to peer into the bright windows.
As he reached the entrance to Knockturn Alley, he felt drawn to the follow the dingy pathway to the more dangerous shops. He disliked the atmosphere there despite his interest in the Dark Arts, and hesitated for a moment before stepping under the archway. He knew how far he was becoming involved with Dark magic and the thought worried him for a moment, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
Almost straightaway he saw a sparkle from the window of Borgin & Burkes. A gorgeous blue, twinkling even in the dusty shop, a blue which he couldn't resist. He gasped as he realised what it was-a tiny daisy on a gold hairpin, opening and closing its petals, and immediately he was back in the playground on the day he'd told Lily about her powers. He could see her smiling face, astounded. Tears sprang to his eyes and he almost laughed, seized with the thought of presenting her with another such gift.
He rushed into the shop, pressing the bell on the counter impatiently, silently damning old Borgin in his head for being so slow. He needed that pin, and he quashed the tiny voice in his head that was telling him it was almost definitely cursed.
'Oh, Snape, good morning!' croaked Borgin, shuffling the last few steps to the counter. Severus was already at the window, pointing to the pin.
'How much?' he demanded, picking it up on the cushion and taking it to the old man so no more time would be wasted.
'What do you want with this? Very dangerous item, I can assure you…..it is said that whoever wears it will be cursed to die within twenty four hours!'
'How much?' Severus repeated, eager. 'I'm sure I can fix the curse, I'm practised in the Dark Arts, as well you know.'
'Very well, Snape. Four galleons please' he said, smirking and holding his hand out. 'Just watch you don't touch it, or you'll be sorry!'
Severus sat at his desk, a stack of books in front of him, and worked through the night to find some antidote he could prepare, or a spell he could perform to protect her and still give her such a treasure.
He didn't know what time it was when he finally found the solution. He sat back in his chair, knowing that he would do it. The words swam across the page and he closed his eyes, trying to block out thoughts of Lily so that he could think rationally. He couldn't do it, and her face kept appearing in front of him, and he smiled as he felt her stroke his cheek.
'Cursed jewellery maintains the curse relative to its size…a necklace will be able to perform its magic on several victims…..smaller items will only kill once. The item can be worn, or may even be effective if turned in the hands three times…'
He knew what he had to do. He spent the next few hours surrounding himself with photographs of Lily; her smiling face watching over him from every angle.
'This is for you.'
He took the pin in his hand and could swear he felt an electric shock from it, but otherwise he felt no effect. He turned it slowly three times between his fingers, his eyes filling with tears as he he said again,
'This is for you, Lily….Potter.'
He quickly stuffed the pin into an envelope, and apparated to the Church in Godric's Hollow.
He only had twenty four hours left.