Title: Blue October, Volume Two – Chapter Six.

Author: Woodland Goddess.

Rated: M

Author's Note: Thanks a bunch to those of you who've read or reviewed so far; I appreciate it a lot. Also, I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. The last few weeks have been fairly busy, as my band recently had a concert to perform. My writing may continue to be a little slow, though, because I've come down with a head cold since the concert and my brain has turned to mush.

Chapter Six: Static

Returning to Cokeworth was a mistake. Severus knew it as soon as his mother had graced him with an exhausted smile upon seeing him at the station and pulled him into a crushing embrace that startled him. Her embrace had lasted several long moments and then she had rushed him away, refusing to allow him even a moment to greet Harry and his wife. It had been strange. The continued distance between Mr Evans and Eileen was even stranger, considering how often the man wrote to him about the evenings he spent accompanying her to Diagon Alley, discussing anything and everything, while his mother went about her business. Just like Severus and Lily, they had seemed fast friends.

But that was far from the worst part.

Tobias seemed angrier than usual. His bursts of rage were explosive. It caught them unawares at times. He would be quiet and subdued one moment as he squinted at the paper, having stolen it probably, and the next saw toppled cauldrons and bellowed slurs, his hand and belt faster and crueller than ever. Obviously, Severus knew enough to know his father would have preferred him to stay away, and reduce their weekly expenses. He had wanted to spend the winter holidays at Hogwarts. He would have sacrificed anything to stay there, but the eager letter from Harry had ensured his return. It was the only thing that could have. His disappointment was not something Severus wanted on his conscience.

But Tobias was far from a fool: he knew better than to hit him where Mr Evans would notice at first glance. He knew better than to strike Eileen across the face.

Severus' only reprieve came in the form of Lily, who dragged him to her house more than once. Her excitement made it a simple matter to conceal his pained grimaces, and the stiffness of his back and legs, where Tobias punished him for returning home. It was far harder to fool Mr Evans, whose natural concern and observation knew no bounds. Just one grimace or wince in front of him would have revealed everything, but he managed somehow. He managed to keep the matter a guarded secret that would hurt no one and it remained a secret until the time came to return to Hogwarts for the next term.

Mr Evans took them both to the station that day, the pair of them squashed into the backseat of the car next to Petunia. Green eyes watched him through the rear-view mirror whenever Severus aborted a gasp, every bump jostling the black and blue and purple bruises and red welts decorating his back. The seat belt creaked in his grasp, his knuckles whitening. Sweat beaded at his temples, dampening his hair, and his skin grew paler under Mr Evans' scrutiny. Severus stared out the window, avoiding those observant emeralds. There was a continuous babble beside him as Lily waxed lyrical about the expansive grounds, the moving staircases, the portraits and the ghosts. Though she attempted to appear distant and uncaring, Petunia hung on every word.

Lily had confessed after midnight mass. She had confessed to having found the letter from Dumbledore when looking for Mr Evans' copy of Pride and Prejudice and that Severus had urged her to put it away, to leave the matter alone. It had ended with hushed shouts and anger, but Petunia had accepted the apology in the end. Accepted that Severus was innocent of snooping. Of course, that was not to say his relationship with Petunia had improved in any way; she still despised him and tolerated him for the sake of her sister, and her father, and perhaps the sake of an existence without arguments.

Severus released a pained sigh as he climbed out of the car, sparks of pain shooting across his back. He ignored the concerned glance from Mr Evans and muttered soothing words to his agitated familiar, Mordred. His raven hated being trapped in the car, its confines too small for his liking, and Severus could certainly understand that. He wanted nothing more than to give Mordred the freedom to fly, and feel the wind in his feathers, but that was not possible at present. He needed to keep Mordred safe until the time came.

Lily and Petunia led the way through the barrier, and Severus was about to push his own trolley after them when Mr Evans stopped him with a firm hand.

"Severus, we need to talk." A mass of serpents writhed within him at the grave tone, and his heart skipped a dozen beats as Mr Evans tightened his grip, turning him around to face him with expert precision. Crouching, Mr Evans searched his face for a long, painful moment that stretched forever, before finally murmuring, "The next time he hurts you, you come to our house, okay? You can stay with us for as long as you need to in future. Please don't suffer in silence like this anymore. Don't hide it way, like it doesn't matter to us or something. Promise me that much."

Nodding, Severus avoided giving his word aloud. He knew Mr Evans was being more optimistic than advisable: it was no secret that his wife despised him. Severus imagined Mrs Evans would have a few choice words about this open invitation to swing by, and stay for as long as he wished. Appeasing Mr Evans would have to suffice for now, until he could think of something else; another means of escaping Tobias' ire. Perhaps he would put his foot down next time, and stay at Hogwarts for the winter, away from monsters like Pettigrew, away from everyone that might do him harm.

Mr Evans stared at him for another moment or so, unhappy, and troubled.

Guilt and discomfort gnawed at Severus. Mustering a few scraps of courage, he pushed his trolley, the momentum pulling him out of Mr Evans' grasp and through the barrier. It took only a few moments to catch up with Lily, who was now introducing Petunia to Alice Burke and Mary MacDonald with great enthusiasm. His stomach knotted. His friend never introduced him to her friends. Seeing her do so now, with Petunia, stung more than he could express. But he pushed it down and away, buried it behind a blank mask as the girls glanced at him and inched away, distancing themselves from him.

Even so, Lily beamed at him. It was more than enough to put him at ease, his stomach unknotting, and his shoulders relaxing. Mordred gurgled within his cage. Absently, Severus stroked a finger over his smooth feathers, earning yet another gurgle as the raven stepped closer to push his head against Severus' hand. Another moment or so passed before Mr Evans ushered the pair of them away, helping them store their trunks in the first empty compartment they came across.

"Now, I want the pair of you to write to me," Mr Evans encouraged as he crushed Lily in his embrace. He ruffled Severus' hair when he withdrew, disgruntling him and warming him in the same breath. Sadness at seeing them go underscored the severity in his voice. "I want to receive a letter from each of you at least every week. There weren't nearly enough letters sent home last term and I worried about the pair of you all the time. I've been reading up on this school of yours, and frankly, it sounds terrifying. Are you aware that there's a room full of lethal weapons somewhere in that bloody castle? What on earth were they thinking?!"

Mr Evans might have continued his rant about Hogwarts for an eternity, but the blow of the whistle cut him short. He gave Lily another quick hug, and squeezed Severus' shoulder, and then vacated the train to join Petunia down on the platform. Lily opened the window, and started waving, shouting, "I already miss you, Tuney! I'll take loads of pictures to show you next summer, I promise! Give my love to Mum!"

When the train started moving, Lily pulled back and closed the window, settling down opposite him with a small smile that barely reached her cheeks. Never mind her ears. He knew the first few weeks back would be harder for her now, having had so much time with her family over the winter holidays. Severus would do his best to distract her, starting from that very moment as he pulled out one of his textbooks. The prospect of using magic always cheered Lily up. Of course, that was more than understandable: using magic was not unlike the coursing of adrenaline through one's veins. The young wizard pulled out his wand and began practicing some of the spells from the book's rear, where the more advanced spells dwelled. Lily, upon seeing him practice his magic, reached for her own wand and soon joined him.

"Do you think Dad would get me next year's books early, if I asked?" Lily wondered aloud sometime later, the loose tendrils of her hair frizzy with static from using so much magic. Outside the window, the darkness stretched as far as the eye could see and it signified the imminent arrival at Hogsmeade Station. "I bet he would. He spent half the holidays reading through the books I already have. Dad was fascinated!" Lily's face scrunched up. "All this would be so much better, if he were a wizard!"

"I know." Severus chuckled under his breath and watched as his friend petted the kitten now lounging across her lap, purring softly. A small smile reserved just for Lily curled across his mouth. "Could you imagine? He'd have had McGonagall pestered within a fortnight. Of course, he could also send howlers when we don't send enough letters to him. I can't imagine how dreadful that would be."

"That's true." A warm burst of laughter escaped Lily, and a smile bloomed to answer his. The smile stretched from ear to ear this time. Warmth surged inside him at the sight. "One day, when we're older, we'll have to bring him to Hogsmeade and show him around. Some of the older students told me about this sweetshop there, and it sounds amazing! I can't wait to go there." Her hand came to rest on her belly, an almost wistful expression crossing her face. "I want to try everything I can get my hands on! Fatten myself up on sweets!"

"We'd need a wheelbarrow to move you, and I refuse to push you around." Severus snorted in amusement at the indignation that crossed her face. She swatted him, the blow quick and sharp, and the ripple through him jarred his back. He swallowed the pained noise that threatened to escape, and reached out to stroke Arthur, allowing the soft fur to comfort him somewhat. "Potter," his mouth twisted around the name, releasing it on a sneer, "would probably volunteer in an instant. It's disturbing, the way he stares at you."

"I know." Lily made a face. "I wish he'd leave me alone. You'd think he'd get a damned clue. How many times do I have to tell him to piss off?"

"I've lost count of how many times I've wanted to shove him in the lake. Do you think the merfolk would do us a favour and eat him?" Severus laughed at the scandalized stare Lily directed at him. "What? You can't pretend you haven't thought about it. You mutter about him all the time."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'd do anything about it. Potter may be a toe-rag, but he doesn't deserve to get eaten." She dropped her stare, focusing on the kitten in her lap. Her fingers scratched Arthur between the ears. Her forehead scrunched up, wrinkling with contemplation. "Anyway, we don't even know anything about him. For all we know, he could have a rotten home or something."

"I doubt it." Another sneer twisted his features. Severus looked out the window, scowling at the trees and fields that loomed in the darkness before rushing past. Angry serpents coiled inside him and hissed and snapped with the need to surge forward and break free, but he corralled them into a corner and beat them into submission. He allowed only a measure of his ire to escape him on a snarl. "He's obviously been a pampered brat all his life. He wouldn't know hardship, if it came and bit him in the arse."

"Maybe, but sometimes...sometimes it's better to give someone the benefit of the doubt. He could be a somewhat okay person, you know, deep down. Like, way down."

A derisive snort escaped Severus. He might have said more on the matter, but for the train slowing down around them. Sighing, Lily secured Arthur in his basket as Severus stroked Mordred's feathers one last time. He hated leaving the raven behind. Mordred unfolded his wings, and gurgled at him. Severus and Lily vacated the compartment and exited the train in silence, glancing at each other every now and then as they followed the river of students to a vast collection of carriages without horses. They climbed into the first empty one they could find.

And Severus almost swallowed his tongue when Lucius and Narcissa joined them a moment later, taking the remaining seats and looking incredibly out of place. Vaguely, he noticed Potter looking mutinous outside before the boy skulked away, glaring over his shoulder at the carriage. But that hardly mattered compared to way Lily stiffened beside him and looked as though she were ready to jump back out of the carriage, and possibly take her chances swimming across the lake instead of sitting opposite Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black.

"Good evening, Severus," Lucius intoned in his usual silken tones as he crossed his long legs and folded his hands. He bestowed a brief and blank glance upon Lily and greeted her, before refocusing upon Severus. "I hope the holidays weren't too insufferable without classes to distract you. I suppose you're pleased to return?"

"Somewhat." Severus tensed under his scrutiny, his back red with agony. A spasm ran across his bruised flesh. It almost made him want to weep, but he scowled instead. Scowling seemed better than weeping, though his friend hated it when he did so; allowing Tobias that much power over him was not an option. Not now, and not ever again. He refused to let him win. "I missed the castle," Severus admitted slowly, almost reluctantly, and cast an uncertain glance at Lily, "and the library. I could live without the rest."

Lucius arched a questioning eyebrow, but changed the subject with particular aplomb; he dived into a discussion on the social functions his father had dragged him to over the break. The young wizard stared at the elder boy, wondering whether he was meant to care. It was impossible to fathom why he ought to care about this man's horrendous dress robes or that woman's atrocious hair, or even why so and so decided to match lime green tablecloths with canary yellow napkins. Such things were trivial.

Even so, Severus listened to every word and noticed the moment his eyes glazed over, boredom settling inside him like a disease. It slowly sapped his energy, reducing him to nought but weariness and growing irritation until his magic started crackling around him like static.

"Lucius, must we speak of such drivel," Narcissa asked as the carriage swayed to a stop, her tone as weary as Severus felt and yet fond amusement flickered across her features. "No one cares. Certainly, Severus and I don't. I'm not sure about..." The Prefect glanced then at Lily, her expression now as blank as the one Lucius had worn when addressing her, "...Ms Evans, here."

Stamping down on his errant magic, Severus closed his eyes at the indignant noise that escaped Lily beside him. He avoided looking at her, uncertain what he might see, and bolted out of the carriage before anyone could say another word on the matter. Now was not the time to get entangled in a quarrel with Lily, not with two ambitious individuals in tow. Not to mention Potter, who emerged from a nearby carriage, unscrupulous gaze fastened upon the lot of them. Severus sneered at him and hauled Lily away, as far away from Potter as possible. For once, she raised no complaints at being manhandled despite usually being the one to manhandle Severus. Neither of them said a word as they lost themselves in the river of black flooding the path up to the castle, which loomed in the darkness and glowed in parts with warm light.

The sight made his breath catch.

Yes, he had missed this. He had missed the towers stretching towards the sky, missed the scent of candles and creak of suits of armour, the shifting of the heavy staircases. Strangely, he had even missed the silent spectre of the Bloody Baron and his eerie staring, his helpful gestures whenever Severus found himself lost within the endless corridors. He was surprised to know just how much he had missed Hogwarts – regardless of Potter's insufferable presence there. He had never noticed the dull ache in his chest that vanished now, presented with his home away from home, the weight of the years stretching out before him like an open road.

Mustering his scraps of courage, Severus strode forward and whispered to Lily, "I'm sorry about the carriage. I wasn't aware he'd planned to join us."

"I'm sure that's true, but you could have told him to piss off."

"No, I can't. He's the Head Boy!"

"He doesn't have any jurisdiction before we reach the grounds!"

"That doesn't mean he wouldn't abuse that power," Severus answered pointedly, "when we reached the grounds. Why must we fight over this? I've already said I'm sorry!"

He knew he had said the wrong thing as soon as the words escaped him and swallowed a groan of frustration when Lily wrenched her arm free. She glared at him. Anger ignited her features, leaving them vivid and bold like the colours of her house – a hint of the witch she may yet become. Were it not for his recent exposure to such intensity, it would have startled him. Storming away, Lily disappeared among the flurry of students pouring into the Entrance Hall and left him behind without a word...

To Be Continued.

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