Severus,

Well, you know how things normally are. Petunia is so mad at me that its starting to scare me. I hate it when she's this angry at me. I can't believe that she is STILL that worked up about the whole Dumbledore letter thing. We only wanted to see what it said. Have you asked Dumbledore about your theory with the Wizards in the post office yet? You should, because I don't think mummy is going to let me get an owl this year either. I want one so bad. Thank you, so VERY much for my Christmas gift! Oh it was amazing, Sev! I've been using it since. Mummy and daddy don't understand the purpose of it at all, and Petunia just glares at it every time she sees it, but I think it's the most amazing gift I've ever received. And especially because its from the wizarding world. You really seem to know me now. You're great, Sev, really great. How did you like my gift? Don't leave anything out! Fill me in on everything that I've missed. Don't leave out a single thing, don't you dare! Thanks again for the cat. I named her Ginger. She's so sweet, Sev! How ever did you afford her? Don't take that the wrong way either. You know what I mean and you know I would rather die then make you mad or upset. Why don't you write your mother? She seems upset lately. She won't tell me why. You know how she is.

Yours,

Lily.

Lily signed the parchment with a flourish of her quill. She placed the feather back in the ink jar and placed the parchment in an envelope. She signed it to Severus Snape at Hogwarts, and hurried down below thinking that she would run off to Spinners End and ask Mrs. Snape if she could borrow their owl.

Maybe, Lily thought, Mrs. Snape will have a letter to send to Severus this time too.

"And where do you think you're going?" a voice demanded.

Lily turned, one foot on the top of the stairs, to look at Petunia who was standing in the door way of her room. Lily arched an eyebrow, her forehead crinkling in thought.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Oh like you don't know. You're going to that Snape's house!" Petunia declared.

"Of course I am. I have to borrow someone's owl, don't I?" Lily asked.

"No, you don't. Mummy said--"

"Mummy should get me my own owl then."

Petunia's face went pink.

"Who do you think you are?" she snapped.

Lily looked at her older sister with sad eyes. Lily looked away, turned back to the stairs, and began her descent. Not even half way down the third step she said just loud enough for Petunia to hear her,

"The real question is, who do you think you are?"

[X]

Lily pulled her trunk after her as she climbed off the Hogwarts train. She smiled gratefully at the help she was recieveing as the snow began to fall thicker down upon them. She thanked the man as he helped her heave her trunk into one of the horseless carriages waiting to pull the kids back up to the castle. It was an empty carriage, and Lily was completely happy with that. Ginger would want out soon and she was willing to do that now, but she was scared to do that on the train, because she was in a compartment with James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. She didn't want either one of them to comment on her new cat. Especially not James.

As the fat orange and white cat slipped out of her basket that Lily carried her in, the door opened and one more trunk was pushed in.

"Sorry, miss, but is there enough room in here for one more person?" the man asked.

"Oh, yes. Sorry. Don't mind me." Lily apologized, as she yanked her trunk away from the door.

There was shadowy movement outside the door before a boy appeared, his hazel eyes brightening when he saw who he was riding with. Lily wasn't paying any attention. She pulled her journal out from inside the basket that Ginger had been riding in. Ginger was a very well behaved cat, and didn't tear anything up at all. Except for the birds she had caught at home, but that's just a cat's nature.

She clicked her Muggle pen, she didn't like using ink and a quill when moving, and began to scribble away. The carriage lurched forward, but Lily didn't look up.

"How was your break, Evans?"

Lily jumped and stared at James Potter who was sitting across from her with an amused expression on his face.

"What does it matter to you?" Lily asked coldly.

James merely shrugged, and Lily glared at him. It was quite for a moment and then Lily went back to writing.

"I'm sorry."

Lily said nothing, but her pen paused over the page as she paused to listen to what the boy had to say.

"Sirius is a prat, and I guess I'm not much better. We don't mean to be rude to your friend or anything. We don't mean to be mean to you either. It just comes naturally. Remus really likes you, friend wise, and hates it when we're mean to you. So I guess we're done with that. I'm sorry, Lily, really. Maybe we could be friends now?"

He sounds so hopeful, Lily realized as she looked up at him.

"Yeah," she nodded, "maybe we can. If you behave yourself."

As the carriage began to slow James smiled and said,

"Of course I can."

Lily nodded and then the carriage stopped. James helped her get Ginger back in the basket. He lifted her trunk down to her and Lily thanked him as Severus and Sirius appeared. They walked a distance from each other and frowned hard when they realized they were going to the same carriage. Severus heaved a sigh, and Sirius rolled his eyes at James. The two boys went to stand next to their best friend. Lily had Ginger's basket under one arm and hold of her trunk with the other. James didn't have anything in his hands yet.

"Is that Ginger?" Severus asked.

Lily nodded, her emerald eyes shining.

"She's really amazing, Sev. Thanks again."

The boy only nodded as he eyed the two boys before them. It was quite for a moment as Lily watched James and Sirius mutter to one another. Silence followed their whispered conversation and then James turned to Lily.

"Well," he said holding out his hand, "I hope this is the start of a new friendship."

Lily handed Ginger's basket to Severus and placed her free hand inside James's.

"Yes. I hope it is too."

James didn't release her hand immediately.

"May I speak with you privately for a moment?" he asked.

Lily tried to hide her surprise when Sirius hissed,

"Don't, James."

"Sure." Lily nodded.

Severus leaned over and his lips brushed her ear when he whispered,

"Don't. Come on. Lets just go inside."

Lily shook her head.

"Wait for me in the entrance hall. I'll be right there." she promised.

Severus watched her for a moment then grabbed Lily's trunk handle and pulled it through the snow with Ginger's basket under his arm. Sirius didn't move right away. He stared at James for a moment, then after seeing what he said wasn't going to make a difference, he grabbed James's trunk and took off after Severus. Lily turned to look at James.

"Well," she said, "What is it?"

James hesitated then admitted slowly,

"I really do like you, Lily. Why don't you just give us a shot? Come on. It would be a really nice time, and I just really--"

"I'm sorry James," Lily interrupted.

It was silent for a moment.

"I like you too, but I just don't think I want to start that yet. I'm Muggle born, remember? I don't think I can handle a magical relationship like mine and yours would be yet." she went on.

There was a pause and then--

"So later on?"

Lily smiled and nodded,

"Yeah. Later on."

James squeezed her hand and then let it go.

"Well thanks, Lily. That means a lot." he said as they turned and began to walk back up to the castle. Lily smiled, said goodbye to him and Sirius, then turned to Severus who was looking sour. As the two boys disappeared up to the Gryffindor common room she studied her best friend.

"What is it, Sev?" she asked.

"You have to promise me that you'll never get into something with Potter." Severus said.

"I can't do that, Sev!" Lily objected.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"I really do like him, but I'm just not ready for that. I promise him later on, maybe. I'm not promising anything to anyone, though. I might or I might not. We'll just find out. We do have seven years and then you and I have the summer together. Who knows what's going to happen?" she replied.

Severus nodded and hugged her as they got ready to depart to their common rooms.

"Breakfast tomorrow? Slytherin table?" he asked as she stepped back.

"Why not Gryffindor?" Lily requested.

Severus made a face and she smiled,

"Sure. Slytherin."

Severus smiled back and Pat walked forward to introduce Lily to a new girl and help her with her trunk. Lily chatted away to the new girl, Mable, as they walked up the steps. Severus watched her go with something nagging away at him.

He knew what was going, but he didn't want it to. He wanted her to be with him.

No one else deserved her.