Chapter 6: The Left Side of the Street
The rest of the week seemed to have passed by quickly for both Lily and Severus. Soon Lily was in the living room and in front of the fireplace, holding a small draw-string bag of glittering powder. Her parents had moved the grate out of the way and were standing back, watching the grandfather clock as its hands moved closer to the ten o'clock position. Petunia had left earlier to work at the local soup kitchen.
"Now Lily," Harry Evans said in his stern, fatherly voice. "Remember to be back home by six o'clock tonight. Keep yourself at-ready in case any trouble comes your way, and don't be afraid to use any force if necessary to defend yourself and/or your friends."
"Yes Papa," she replied, already familiar with this speech, as it was the one given to all of his students at the Knights' Fencing Arena in Buckingham.
"Also," Adriana Evans added in, "remember to stand up straight and look the shop keepers in the eye, especially Madam Malkins. You know how tailors like to make sure they get accurate measurements of their customers."
"Yes Mama," Lily said, as the other familiar phrase came at her. This was much more common, considering her mother owned The Wedding March Bridal Shoppe in London, so she understood the hustle and bustle of Madam Malkins' robe shop.
Just then the clock struck ten, and Lily placed herself inside the fireplace, which had expanded to fit her height plus a few inches.
Taking a small amount of the glittering powder Lily threw some on the fire that had started around her and cried out, "Diagon Alley!". Then her parents disappeared in a swirl of color and sound.
She was soon slowing down and she got out of the fireplace inside a vacant room of The Leaky Cauldron. There, waiting for her at a small table was Severus and...
"Bellatrix Black?" Lily asked as walked over to where they were sitting.
"Princess Lily Evans!" Bellatrix answered in mock awe. "How good of you to join us! Has Severus told you his good news?"
"That is part of the reason why I came here," Lily replied incredulously while taking a seat close to her friend. "I have some good news to tell him as well, and we had planned to go shopping for our school supplies while we were here."
At this Bellatrix's eyes lightened up with dark humor and a sinister smile showed up on her pale face. She then said, "Well that sounds like a good idea. Why don't the three of us go together after we each tell our good news?"
One of Lily's eyebrows went up when she heard this suggestion. Why was her rival willing to be seen with them in her company? What was she planning?
After a few seconds Lily stated "We'll see", then turned toward her friend and asked, "So Sev, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
Smiling slightly Severus put his hand in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a silver, crest-shaped badge, just like Lily's. Except his had the Slytherin snake wrapped around the ornate-looking P, and it could only be distinguished by its emerald green scales because the rest seemed to have blended in with the silver background.
"Wow, Sev! I'm so happy for you!" Lily exclaimed then showed him her Prefect's badge. "Looks like we are going to be working together more often this year."
"Yes, we are," Severus replied, though his enthusiasim was not as prominate as Lily's.
"What's wrong, Sev?" Lily asked, a worried note in her voice.
Giggling, Bellatrix held out a piece of silver of her own and gloated "He's probably upset that he won't be the only Slytherin working alongside you, Princess Lily."
"Kindly refrain yourself from calling me that, Trixie Black," Lily countered in a not-so friendly manner, and would have got a bit of satisfaction to see the usual annoyed look in Bellatrix's eyes whenever that nickname was mentioned. However...
Bellatrix actually smiled wider and gave Lily a hearty thump on the back when she stood up behind Lily's chair. Looking at Lily and Severus surprised looks she laughed and said, "You know something, Lily? I think this year may not be so bad. You certainly have more spunk than I gave you credit for, and I like that in a potential new friend."
"What?" Lily asked.
"A potential new friend?" Severus quoted back.
Laughing harder and slightly more manical, Bellatrix responded, "Of course! I have decided to try to make the most of the time we have left at Hogwarts, starting this year. I mean, after all, we can't keep going around looking over our shoulders and wondering what fellow student is going to do to us. That type of behavior is for immature prats like James Potter and his 'Marauders', not for mature, highly skilled witches and wizards such as ourselves. Right?"
Severus shrugged slightly, and Lily answered in a wary voice, "Yes. I suppose so..."
"Great then!"
And with that, Bellatrix tugged at their elbows and moved them to the door of the private room. Once out of there, she lead the way to the back of the pub, out the backdoor, and into the small courtyard, while her "friends" trailed behind, sending each other silent messeges with their eyes.
"She's up to something," Lily motioned to Severus.
"I know," he motioned back.
When they got to her Bellatrix had already tapped the brick that formed the archway to the busy, brightly colored street of Diagon Alley. The street was busier than ever with many returning students and new ones trying to get into shops, meeting up with friends, or trying to stay close to their families. In some of the shops posters were propped up in the windows introducing new products, discounts on certain items, or reminding everybody to stay close and not to get separated unless necessary.
Halfway up Diagon Alley Bellatrix turned to the left and motioned for the others to follow. On the side of the wall that divided most of the street was a sign that read Knockturn Alley, which lead to a dark and enclosed street that scarcly had any movement.
Thinking quickly Lily said to her companions, "I'll meet up with you later. I have to make a quick run to Gringott's to exch-"
But Bellatrix looped her right arm in Lily's left, and guided/towed her towards the dark alley, smiling mysteriously sweet at her.
"No need for that, Lily. I will be paying for your supplies. After all, my family knows the shopkeepers around here, so it will be no problem whatsoever to get what you and Severus require. Besides, the eateries and robe shops around here are much better than the ones you have been used to in Diagon Alley," she said as they came to a robe shop called Tatters and Tattings.
"Here you will get fitted like royalty," Bellatrix said fondly as she pulled Lily inside while Severus followed closly, still suspecious as to what Bellatrix had instore for his heart's desire. There was no way he going to let Lily be harmed, so he was determined to keep close and watch for anything that felt dangerous.
"In a place like this, that is very likely," he thought as Bellatrix lead them further into the shop and where they stopped in front of a dark mahogany desk with gold trim. Behind the desk was a woman with dark brown hair and gray streaks, wearing a set of deep blue dressrobes. She was scribbling on a piece of parchment but looked up when she heard the door open.
"Miss Black!" the woman cried as she came from behind her desk. "How good of you to drop by my humble shop. Tell me, who are these young people with you? I do not believe I have seen them here before."
Smiling sweetly Bellatrix replied, "Hello Ursella! These are some of my fellow classmates. This lovely red head is Ms. Lily Evans, and this... interesting... gentleman is Mr. Severus Snape. They are first-timers here in Knockturn Alley."
"Interesting?" Severus thought bitterly. "Oh well. At least it wasn't an outright insult."
"Really?" Ursella replied with a greedy gleam in her eyes at the prospect of some new customers. "So, what can I do for you all?"
Turning with the shopkeeper Bellatrix gave Lily an encouraging wink, and stepped aside so she could tell Ursella what she needed.
Taking a deep breath Lily smiled at the woman in front of her and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. I would like to have a set of school robes for the upcoming year. The ones I got at Madam Malkins' last year have -"
"Madam Malkins!" Ursella gasped in shock. "Oh, you poor dear! It's a good thing Miss Black brought you here. Heaven only knows how you managed not to be laughed at with those rags she has been selling you. Come with me, my dear, and please call me Ursella."
Once again Lily was beening towed further into the shop, only stopping at a section marked "Witch Wear" where the older woman had her stand on a short stool, removed her belongings- the dark green purse and simple black cloak- and had them placed on a floating tray where a glass dome secured the contents.
Taking a violet tape measure and her wand Ursella set to work getting Lily's measurements, commenting every so often as it wrapped itself around her limbs and curves, saying things like "You really do have a lovely figure, Ms. Evans" or "Why didn't you come here in the first place? Malkins' robes do you no justice!" Finally she summoned a sleek-looking set of plain black robes and placed them over Lily's head.
Once Lily's hair was untucked from the collar, Ursella had it spread over her shoulders so that it framed her face, and small straight pins came over and starting pinning the black robes in place before the alterations took place.
Looking closely in her reflection Lily saw that the silvery pins were loosening the robes in certain places, like the arms and collar, while the rest were going in the natural shape of her body, showing off the mounds of her breasts, tucking around her middle and flowing out from her hips downward.
"The best part of these particular robes is that they clean easily and can loosen themselves so you can move around comfortably in them," the owner said in a motherly tone of voice. "Now, after these are done, why don't we see if we can alter your school uniform a bit? You are developing into quite the petite witch, Ms. Evans, and you need to give yourself more credit," she added with a suggestive wink.
"A-Alright, I guess," Lily replied blushing.
While this was going on Severus pulled Bellatrix to the side and asked, "What are you really planning, Bellatrix?"
"Why Severus, whatever do you mean?" she asked back in mock surprise.
"You know exactly what I mean!" he hissed. "You've liked Lily as much as I've liked Potter since first year. If you weren't trying to make some sort of substance explode in front of her, then you were trying to land her in St. Mungo's due to one of your curses. Now, what is it you have instore for her now? Trying to ruin her reputation or something?"
Making a laughing sound in her throat, Bellatrix replied, "I really meant what I said eariler in the Leaky Cauldron, Severus. I do want to be friends with her and leave this animosity behind us once and for all. I also think that your little lioness has potential, so it would be a grave mistake to have her as an enemy."
"By 'potential' do you mean..." Severus trailed off as realisation dawned on him.
Smiling at his expression the dark girl answered, "You guessed it, Severus. I believe Lily would make a fine Death Eater. If you help me with this, then, not only will her full potential grow, but you will get a chance to become more than 'best friends'. What do you say? Care to help me in Lily's transformation?" she asked, holding out her hand.
At this Severus thoughts started whirling at possibility of Lily becoming a Dark witch. He saw them together as the school's new power couple, holding hands and joining his other Slytherin companions at their House table. He could see her face light up with vengeful pleasure as she used the Cruciatus Curse on their enemies. Finally, he could see them living in a beautiful manor house, filled with guests as they toasted their hosts and Lily holding a lovely, black haired and green-eyed baby in her arms as they walked toward them.
Meeting Bellatrix's eyes he took her hand and said, "Of course", as he shook it in a firm grip.
After they were all fitted in Tatters and Tattings they went into another shop. It was called Wizadards' Familiars. This shop was almost similar to the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley, except it mostly contained bats, dark colored owls and...
"Snakes," Lily whispered as she approached a cage that contained a wad of dark brown rat snakes.
"Do you like snakes Lily?" Bellatrix said with a gleam in her eyes.
Blushing slightly and backing away Lily replied, "I'm not overly fond of them, but, yes, in a way, I do like snakes."
"Would you like me to buy you one?" the dark haired witch asked with a smile playing on her lips.
"Oh no, thanks," Lily answered. "I mainly want to have an owl, but my sister hates owls. Actually, she really doesn't like animals of any kind, which is really irritating at times."
"Alright, since when did you start opening up to Bellatrix Black? The only person you ever talked to about Petunia is Sev, and he would never tell anybody else," Lily thought with shock.
"Very well then," Bellatrix said as she looked through the rows of cages and their occuppants. "Shame though, that particular one seems to like you," she added pointing to a rather large, three-foot long, pale green boa that was gazing at the red head in a perculiar fashion.
"Or maybe he's more interested in one of the small birds in here," Lily stated turning away from the cage and went to join the others at the door when suddenly...
Crash!
The cage had fallen off the table and the boa was on the floor, slinking its way toward Lily, who remained completely still and calm, as her father had told her when a similar thing happened at the London Zoo almost eight years ago.
"Stay back, and don't use magic on it!" the shopkeeper exclaimed to the crowd.
"Don't worry Miss," a boy with wavy blonde hair said. "I read about how to deal with this sort of thing and I-"
"Sev," Lily said, cutting the boy off, "get the cage back on the table, and put it away from the edge. Bellatrix, could you come over here? I'll need your help with this," she asked while still keeping calm as the snake wound its way up her leg and around her middle.
Stepping toward the fallen cage carefully, Severus picked it up and moved it on the table, holding the door open. Meanwhile, Bellatrix stepped towards Lily agilily and watched as the serpent slithered its way around Lily's stomach and onto her outstretched arms. She had positioned herself so that her head was a few inches away, her arms were steady and palms up so the snake could coil around them without squeezing her in the process.
As its head came to the open palm of her left hand, Lily and Bellatrix moved closer to the table while Severus looked at the scene transfixed, stunned at the calm demeanor of the girl he loved. Finally the snake's head was inside the palm of her hand, and Lily tightened her fingers around it ever so slightly as her right slid under its belly, rubbing it gently before taking it into her hand.
Then she turned her eyes to Bellatrix and said, in a detached sort of voice, "Very quickly and gently unwrap the rest of his body from my arms, then slowly place him in the cage, tail first. I'll put his head in after."
Complying to the request, Bellatrix unwound the coils, going underneath her arms with her left hand and then tranfering the rest to her right over Lily's arms. Completing the motion both girls placed the snake back in the cage and Severus quickly shut and locked it.
Lily's sigh of relief was unheard by the others as the crowd that gathered around them clapped and cheered for their teamwork and quick thinking.
"Thanks you two," Lily said to Severus and Bellatrix with a smile.
Bellatrix smiled back and joked, "Well, if all else fails, perhaps you could get a job as a snake tamer or something."
"Maybe, as long as they're not poisonus, then my partner would be left do the work," Lily laughed back.
"What am I doing?" Lily thought again, but this time it was in a very faint voice.
Before Severus could respond to this turn of events, a voice came from behind them and said, "Great show, ladies and gentleman. Great show!"
Clapping toward them was a brown-haired youth with a slight build and a thin stubble on his upper lip. He was tall, wearing black dress jeans, a white collared shirt and black suade shoes. Beside him was a black-haired boy, a little younger than himself, with a pale grey collared shirt, deep blue jeans and white trainers.
"Rudolpus! Regulus!" Bellatrix squealed as she ran to embrace her boyfriend (Rudolphus Lestrange) and young cousin (Regulus Black). Then she had them come over and the two groups merged into discussion about what happened.
Kissing Bellatrix lightly on the cheek he said, "That was wonderful, love. Absolutely brilliant!"
"Thank you Rudo," Bellatrix smirked. "But the credit really goes to Lily here," she added, pulling Lily close to her in a one-armed hug. "It was her calm attitude and sharp wits that saved your father's prized snake from getting trampled on."
"Your father's?" Lily asked.
"Yes. My father, Claude Lestrange, owns this little shop here and that was his prized boa. He had a very important client come in the other day looking to purchase it," Rudolphus explained, smiling at the look of understanding on her face. "I hope you're up to receiving gifts, Lily, because my father would want to reward the brave woman that got his client's new pet out of harm's way without causing it any injury in the process."
"Makes you wonder what that says about his feelings for the customers," Lily thought sarcastically, but said aloud, "That really isn't necessary. I'm just glad nobody, or it, was harmed."
Shaking his finger at her, Lestrange replied, "No no Lily. My father will see to it that you will be rewarded, so if you see anything that you like while you're here, just tell me and I'll tell my father. Which brings me to why I'm here. Reg and I were just about to head to The Silver Tongue for lunch after looking at over the animals here, when we heard that crash and came around to see what it was."
"That," Regulus interjected, "was when we saw the snake move up your body like a tree. Naturally that idot, Gildroy Lockheart- a first year, naturally- tried to be the big hero and 'save the day', but once you cut him off we saw how you handled that situation."
Afterwards, as they went to The Silver Tongue, with Lily and Severus in the middle of the group, Regulus, who was beside Lily on the left, winked "Not too shabby there, Lily. You really are quite the snake charmer."
"Ah, thanks Regulus," Lily stammered, then joined the giggling throng as each recounted what happened at the scene back in the menagerie while Lily was preoccupied with the boa.
As they were nearing the entrance Bellatrix, who was next to Severus on the right of him, gave him a look that clearly said "Things seem to be going more smoothly than weanticipated." To which Severus returned with a smile.
"If this keeps up," Severus thought, looking at the green-eyed girl beside him on his left, "She will be one of us before fifth year is over."