Sorry, no dancing in this chapter, that's next chapter now because this idea attacked me and held me hostage. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews as always!

Chapter Ten

Flying Fear

Severus Snape did not bother to wrap his cloak more tightly against the bitter, late November wind. His battered boots crunched on the frost on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. He was skipping class again, something he had recently made quite a habit of. He still showed up to Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, no amount of jeering could keep him from his favorite subjects, besides, Lily was in those classes. His marks were still top notch, for he did all of his homework in the dark corners of the library, but his teachers still gave him stern lectures and tedious detentions. He just could not take the abuse anymore, Potter's gang had made it fashionable for others to make his life miserable. The weird kid reading the frightening was not human, he was a plaything.

He reached in his satchel and threw pieces of raw meat to the eager group young thestrals. Magnificent beasts. Dark and veiled.

"You can see 'em, eh?"

Severus turned and saw an impossibly large man lumbering toward him. Hagrid, the gamekeeper. Severus always viewed him as a bit of an oaf but admired him for the appreciation of the strange and the dark. The man loved what others misunderstood and hated, Severus at least respected him for that.

"Yes, I can."

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yes," agreed Severus with a small smile as he patted one on its skeletal nose, "They're wonderful."

Hagrid suddenly sounded awkward, "Not many can, ah see 'em y'know, only a few…um,"

"Only those who have seen death," Severus said calmly.

Hagrid changed the subject, "This one here is named Bubbles."

Severus snorted, "You named it, I'm sure."

Hagrid puffed his chest proudly, "I did, known her ever since she a foal," he lowered his voice, "You could ride her over the forest a few times and no one would be the wiser."

Severus looked at the gamekeeper aghast. He had been sorely tempted to fly one of the thestrals, to taste freedom, but cowardice or some other reason kept him bound to the earth. A staff member, even a rather odd one, sanctioning it, shocked him.

"I know you been having a hard time in school," Hagrid said hastily, "With some rotten bullies and everything. Figured some flying would do you good. That's what I do…er would do—not allowed to use magic—but I would do it if I was feeling bloody awful about things."

Severus approached Bubbles and stroked the space between her wings. He looked at Hagrid who smiled, his black eyes twinkling with warmth, "Go on—just don't fall off. I'd hate to explain it to Madame Pomfrey."

Severus gave a rare, if small, smile and mounted the thestral. He held on to its bony neck and pressed his knees to her sides. The thestral whinnied and took off in a gallop. Once it reached the edge of the -forest, it spread its great, bat-like wings and soared into the cloudy mid-morning sky.

He whooped, it was the first whoop in Severus Snape's life. The thrill was unsurpassable. Each powerful beat sent lightning through his body. Each dip made him feel giddy. The thestral swooped and dived through the clouds, the tops of which were alive with sunlight. Severus could not feel his hands in the numbing cold, his fine hair was flying every which way…but he did not care. He did not care about anything else but the wild wind and the endless sky. Not Potter's gang, not Lucius's manipulative ways, not his 'friends' and their schemes, not even his own ugliness could faze him. He had not been so purely happy since the summer.

He clung close to the thestral and murmured in her ear, "Let's dive."

Bubbles screeched in enthusiasm, folded her wings and dropped like a stone. Severus saw the earth spinning at him and laughed. He dared it to hit him. What was death?

At the last moment the mare spread her wings and the two landed lightly on the earth. Severus slid off. He patted her back and she trotted off into the forbidden forest. Severus looked back at Hogwarts and held his high, he could face them, he knew he would soon be free. He walked quickly across the grassy field but his boot caught something soft and warm. He toppled over but scrambled quickly up when he saw what he tripped over.

It was Mary…something…from Gryffindor. Her eyes were staring blankly up at the sky. Blood was seeping through her blouse. He clutched her arms, Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin!

"M-Mary," he called to her shakily. She was unresponsive, she had been cursed.

When he removed his hands, he noticed two red marks on her blouse where they had been. His insides screamed with panic until he realized it was his own blood. Thestrals made their riders sweat blood, he knew. Those who rode them had a rather pale, deathly look for some time after. He wiped his brow, there was blood there too. His hair looked worse than Potter's after Quidditch practice, not that he noticed. He was too busy shaking, trying to figure out whether he should move her or run for help. He did not have to decide.

The doors of Hogwarts burst open and hundreds of students flowed out, chatting excitedly about what they would do at Hogsmeade.

--10--

Hell, Severus Snape decided, was not the entire student body thinking him a bloodthirsty, Mudblood hater. No, Hell was Lily Evans screaming at him with fiery hatred he had never before seen in her eyes.

"Lily, please," as he dodged a telescope being hurled at him.

"You cursed my friend, you nearly killed her," Lily screamed as she prepared to curse another heavy object in the astronomy tower, "Then you have the gall call me up here? Want to try to kill me too Severus?"

Severus ducked again, "Do you think if Dumbledore didn't believe me I would still be here?"

Lily faltered, "What happened to you? What happened? Three months from summer and you've turned into a…a Death Eater!"

Severus lunged at her and grabbed her wrists. She twisted, but his grip was too strong.

"A Death Eater!?" it was his turn to scream, "Do you even know what that means you naïve little girl? I have seen Death! What happened to you? When did you stop using your head? When did you start listening to everything these fools tell you?" He shoved Lily against the wall, where to his infinite guilt, she began to cry.

"Why do you think I'm here?" she sobbed, "I didn't want to believe. I couldn't believe you would do that to Mary. It's just…"

"It's just, what?" Severus breathed.

"Everyone is so afraid. Like I told you this summer. It catches hold. Everyone needs someone to blame," her sobs had subsided into heavy breaths, "Who would want to hurt Mary like that?"

"I don't know," Severus said quietly. Of course, I have a guess.

"What did you have to show me?" she asked.

In their battle he had almost forgotten, "Over here," he led her to the massive balcony.

Lily gasped as he climbed onto what seemed to be thin air, "Remember when we talked about thestrals last summer?"

Lily nodded weakly and took Severus's outstretched hand, "Hold on," he said, and the soared into the night.

As they glided silently around the towers, Severus told her his story. The thestrals, Hagrid, flying, his bloody appearance, tripping over Mary. She listened until they landed on the astronomy balcony and slid off the threstral. She felt the gust of wind as it flew off into the night.

The two looked at each other for several moments before Lily spoke, "Beautiful night isn't it?"

"…Yes."

"I skipped class that day too," Lily said, "I was looking for you. I've been so worried about you. I heard you were skipping class. I wanted to ask you something too."

Severus sighed, Lily was beautiful and she was looking at him with kindness again…he dare not say love, "What did you want to ask?"

Lily shook her head and smiled sadly, "It seems so stupid now. So childish. The wizarding world is falling apart outside these walls, isn't it? You deal with more shit in a day than I've dealt with in my whole life. I seems like nothing now."

"That's not true, you're strong," Severus said.

Lily shook her head again, "I wanted to ask you to the Yule Ball."

The Yule Ball? He had forgotten since he had not planned on going. He never thought…she?

"Yes—I mean, er, are you still asking me?" Severus stammered.

Lily nodded.

"I can't dance," he warned.

"I know," Lily said with a dryness that made his heart burst with pride, "Neither can I, remember? We do plenty of stupid dances at home though. We should dance like that at the Ball! Could you imagine?"

At the thought of other humans besides Lily Severus frowned slightly, "I never bought dress robes either."

Lily laughed, "Do you not want to go?"

"No," Severus said airily, "Just being negative. I know your friends give you a lot of crap for being my friend," they unconsciously locked hands and descended the astronomy tower, "It will just be worse now."

"I know you're not a bad person, Sev," Lily said simply, "That is all a need."

"Brats out of bed!" a voice crowed, spoiling their moment.

"Damn," they cursed as Filch rushed toward him, the word detention on his lips.