CHAPTER: The Pig's Sty.
The house where Lily lived was a perfect two storey house nestled neatly between two identical houses in a perfectly muggle street. It was the last place anyone would expect the queen of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to be living. She dug in her hand bag, a symbol of maturity for female muggles, and took out a set of keys. She took one of the silver keys and shoved it into the key hole. She turned back to Severus and smiled. "A forewarning, just ignore anything that Petunia says."
He nodded. The truth was he was too nervous to talk. He was actually going to Lily Evans house. They were guys in Hogwarts who would give a testicle to be in his position. He looked at her as she pushed open the door and walked in behind her.
The house was a perfect muggle abode. He could already tell that Lily's family was better off than his. Then again his father was not a poor man; he was just a bloody alcoholic. And when he wasn't drinking he was gambling. He was certain that's Lily father did no such thing. Their house was well furnished and well kept. The first thing he noticed was the staircase. He knew a fair bit about how people designed houses and he was certain that Lily's bedroom would have been somewhere up there. He screamed in this head. He had never been in this close proximity to a girl he fancied bedroom. Then again she was the only girl he ever fancied, besides the brief crush he had on Narcissa Black that didn't last long. The girl was as dumb as rock and her sister may have psychopath. That was not a family he wished to marry into.
"Come they're in the living room." Lily said. She walked around the staircase and down a corridor.
He followed her, clutching his travelling bag in his arms into the living room.
"Hey, Mom, Dad..."
A woman with red hair and green eyes that were so similar to Lily's looked up in their direction. "Lily you're finally home, I was getting worried." She got up form the couch and walked over to her. "I see you brought a friend."
"Yeah this is the one I was telling you about," she said pointing at Severus. "Severus this is my mom."
She reached out and took the hand that he had extended and shook it. "Nice to meet you Mrs. Evans," he said. "You and Lily could be sisters," he added. He knew it was a always a good idea a to compliment the mother. And she blushed in delight.
"Oh thank you young man," She replied beaming. "Are you staying for dinner," she asked.
He looked at Lily and Lily looked from him to her mother. She went on to explain the whole situation to her. She shrugged. "He'll just have to stay the night then wouldn't he?" she said cheerfully. "Why don't you go call home Severus to make sure they don't worry."
"He's a wizard mom; he doesn't have a phone at his house." Lily corrected her. "He'll send an owl."
What a funny thing for them to assume that his parents would worry about him. His father was most likely passed out on the couch and his mother would have been labouring over a muggle washing board, trying to get the smoke scent out of his work clothes. No one would notice he was missing. He was about to tell them not to bother but then Lily spoke.
"Come on Severus; let's go up to my room so you can send that owl."
He was so lucky that he could hide his emotions because at this point he was dancing on the roof. He followed Lily up the stairs and down the corridor. She paused at the door. "Excuse the mess; I was in a bit of a hurry when I left this morning." She turned the knob on the door and pushed open the door with some effort. He had to admit that her initial warning was an understatement. Her room was a pig's sty. Everything was laying haphazardly on the floor. Jeans, dresses, tops, and oh god... underwear were all lying on the ground, actually he couldn't see the ground. The bed was unmade and covered in magazines and books. There was a small space that was clear, he guessed that was where she slept.
"Really, 'm sorry for the mess," she said picking up all the clothes from the floor. She began to attempt to fold the clothes by rolling then up in a ball and tossing them in the closet. "I really wasn't expecting company." She went through her routine very quickly. It made Severus stare at her in amazement. He had no idea that Lily Evans was this much of a slob. But he wasn't turned off by it, on the contrary, he fancied her even more, because she didn't seem so perfect anymore...or so unattainable.
She finished "folding" her clothes and turned her attention to Severus. "Yes, you need to use my owl." She pointed at the cage that appeared out of no where. There was a snowy owl in the cage flapping around excitedly. It must have been buried under the mess. She took it off of the floor and carried it to the window. "I'm sorry Ludwig, I forgot to put you near the window." She opened the window and let some air in.
She went to her bed that was now seen to be a large bed covered in blue and white linens and a mound of pillows. She picked up a role of parchment and tore it a sizable piece. "Here this should do," She handed it to him.
He examined the paper closely. "It's pink," he pointed out, "and scented."
"Well obviously," she said.
He wondered if all Lily's friends had received letters on parchment like this. She handed him a quill with a pink fluffy thing on the end. He wanted to comment on this but decided to start writing the letter. He wasn't surprised to see that the ink was actually a very bright pink.
Dear Mother,
Don't worry I am at a friends house for the night. I will be back tomorrow."
Severus
He folded up the letter and and tied it to the owls' leg and off it went. When he turned around he saw that Lily had changed. She was wearing a close fitting t-shirt and a pair of the shortest pants he had ever seen in his life. It was deep green with a yellow round the ends. He was certain that she saw his jaw droped to the floor.
"Took the opportunity to change while you weren't looking," she said.
He cleared his throat. "That was quick." he said.
They stayed there looking at each other trying to find something to say next. Then the door to Lily's bedroom burst open. "Lily do you have my hair brush... I told you not to use it," the voice said.
"I don't have your stupid hair brush."
The tall thin girl with blond hair eyes landed on him for a moment. Her face turned form him to Lily. "MOM," She shouted. "LILY HAS A STRANGE, UNATTRACTIVE MAN IN HER BEDROOM."