Disclaimer: Not mine.

His Calling

Chapter 35

Lily's Tears

Remus headed down to the lake to wait for the others. They were working on an essay about Boggarts and how to identify them that Remus had been excused from as he was the only one in the lesson to get a perfect score on the surprise quiz. Peter had sulked and pouted while James and Sirius had only shrugged their shoulders, admitting that it took less time to write an essay than to study.

He had planned to use the time to put the final changes on the map so it would be ready for Sirius to spell. Only two more tunnels had to be added, tunnels that Peter had found on one of his midnight forays. Looking for a place away from the second years that were taking the opportunity of the unusually warm weather to go for what may be the last swim of the year, he headed to the boulders that lined the shoreline. He was just starting to pull the map and quill from his pocket when the sound of crying came from the stand of tall wild grass just beyond him. Climbing down again, he started to look for the source.

"Lily?" He pushed the undergrowth aside and saw her sitting on the damp ground. "Why are you hiding here?"

"Go away!"

"Not until you get up and move some place dry," he said as he squatted down in front of her.

"I said leave me…"

"And I said you move." He frowned at her and took her elbow to help her stand. "You stay here much longer and you will be a muddy mess. The ground is too soft."

"I don't want him to see me." She wiped her nose on her sleeve and hiccupped.

"Who?"

"Snape."

"He is writing an essay. He won't be done for a while. Now come, sit up where it is dry with me."

She nodded and allowed him to lead her back to firmer ground and up onto the flat stone surface before slumping back down.

"He is awful, just awful. I have tried, really tried not to give up on him but I can't take it anymore."

"What happened? Did he…did he hurt you?" Remus studied her face looking for any hints of marks or bruises.

"No, nothing like that. He's mean and hateful. It's that Mulciber, he is turning just like him. I hate him! I hate them both!"

Remus looked around for someone else that could help. He felt out of his depth with a crying girl. Not knowing what else to do he patted her back and put his arm around her shoulder. Lily leaned her head down on him and began to cry in earnest, hiccupping and wiping her eyes with her sleeve until Remus took off his tie, transfigured it into a handkerchief and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said as she sat up and dried her face. "I didn't mean to carry on like this."

"It's okay," Remus whispered.

"He called me a fool."

"Oh." Remus swallowed down his grin and again looked around frantically hoping someone else would happen along. "I wouldn't take it this bad, you know how Mulciber is."

"No, Severus called me one. I don't give a rat's arse about Mulciber, but now he has Severus acting just like him."

"Maybe he was just… you know…sort of showing off for his mates."

"No, he meant it," she sniffed. "It's not just what he said. I mean, it's not like it's the first time someone has said something mean to me, but I thought better of him. He never acts that way when it is just the two of us, but then he shows off and acts the arse when there are people watching."

"He lives down in Slytherin, I'm sure it's hard to be a …. umm, to have a Muggle father and live down there."

"That's what I don't understand," she sniffed loudly. "It's not like he's a pure-blood. I know his mum is a Prince but he's not."

"Everyone is picking sides," Remus offered as he looked back at the castle hoping to see the others. "Maybe you could say something to Slughorn."

"That's a waste of time," she snorted. "He encourages them."

"Encourages them how?" Remus said quietly, his voice belying his anger.

"Not to join with Riddle, I didn't mean that. He tells them about dark potions, and encourages them to come up with their own spells and things. He just doesn't get it. He seems to think this whole thing is going to blow over and that by giving them freedom to do what they want he can somehow … I don't know … keep them interested in finishing school and not running off I think. You know some of the seventh years have already left. It's all they talk about at Slughorn's club meetings, that and the new potions and spells they are coming up with."

"Lily, you are better off staying away from Snape. Wait until the summer and try to talk to him at home, you will only make it worse if you say anything in front of his friends."

"I don't see him much at home. His dad is strange…scary strange. I met him once in town and … he talks to him as if he's dirt, but there is something more going on. Severus is scared of him. I think he only goes home because of his mum, and then leaves as soon as he is able. Last summer he was gone more than he was home."

'Yeah, well…come on you can help me." He pulled the map out and smoothed it flat on the stone surface, hoping to take her mind off Snape. "I wanted to get this done today."

He showed her the sketches of the tunnels, and explained where they would go on the map. Then he watched as she picked up his quill and began to draw them in a small precise hand. He pulled out his pens and began to letter the finishing touches, telling her the story of the pens and the trip to London to buy them.

"Guess that sounded kind of boring to you." He grinned, suddenly feeling foolish. "We don't get out to the real world much and for us it is sort of a treat. My real dad used to tell stories about it, but he wouldn't let me go."

"No, really…I've never been to London myself. We live in the north part of the country. Up where the mills are. There's not much to do up there. The only cinema stinks and there are only two places in town to go out and eat, the rest are just workingmens clubs, not real pubs."

"So what did you do when you were growing up Lily Evans, what did you like?" he said with a grin and leaned back on his arms.

"Well, sports I guess. Football mostly. My sister and I would go down and watch the games then we would go shopping, but we didn't get to do too much."

"You play football? I saw that a couple of times but it don't make a lot of sense, not like Quidditch does."

"There was a girls' team at my school, I played some, but you are right. Quidditch is more exciting," she smiled easily. "Severus said he made the team and will be playing this year. He is amazing on a broom."

"James made the Gryffindor team." Remus saw her face turn hard and was sorry he mentioned Potter. "He isn't as bad as you think, Lily. He is…I don't know… Potter is just …Potter."

"He is a spoiled brat."

"Yup, that's Potter," Remus said laughing. "He says things without thinking. He doesn't mean half of what comes out."

"I don't see how you can defend him," she said in a disgusted voice.

"He's my friend, like Snape is yours," Remus said quietly.

"At least Severus isn't a bully, going out of his way to …"

"To say mean and hateful things? Like calling you a fool?"

"That's different," she protested.

'No, what's different is him hanging on to the Malfoys. You know he goes there over the holidays, and meets Lucius in Hogsmeade. He and that Mulciber, both of them are getting in thick with the families known to side with Riddle. You need to keep a distance from that lot."

"He sees Malfoy, but … they were both in Slytherin, they are just friends." Lily bit her lip and looked at him hopefully. "Potter didn't like him from the beginning. If anyone is prejudiced against mixed blood it is Potter!"

"My father was a Muggle, he knows it and is still a friend," Remus reminded her. "I will admit that Snape being raised in the Muggle world is part of it."

"That's stupid. That should have nothing to do with who you like."

"No, it shouldn't, but it makes it different. Like my just going on and on about London and how exciting it was to see a cinema when you do it all the time or you not knowing anything about this world when you first came. It puts people off, makes them suspicious of each other and in these times … a little suspicion isn't that bad. You should be careful of the friends you keep, Lily." Remus raked his hand through his hair and looked out at the lake. "Potter's family is old money. They can trace their family back generations, like the Blacks and the Malfoys. It is important here but they don't really care who you are, not like some."

"That's wrong," she sniffed.

"Yeah, spoken as someone without money or generations of blood to brag about," he grinned. "Even my Mum can only go back five before the Muggles show up and we are flat-out broke, not like the Prince family that Snape comes from. It may bother him that he is considered a mud…a mixed blood here."

"Was the Prince family wealthy?"

"All the old families were at one time. From what I remember, the Prince family died out. Since Snape's mother married outside, they disinherited her, so she didn't get anything. It happens a lot."

"Maybe that's why she never came back here?"

"Could be," he shrugged.

"I thought mixed marriages were common. There are a lot here that have one Muggle parent."

"Sure, but in some of the older families it is like a death sentence. Families like the Blacks, or the Malfoys, and I guess the Prince family must have been the same way."

"That's stupid," she muttered.

"There are lots of the old prejudices still around. That's what is starting this whole thing, or rather that is the reason Riddle is giving." Remus said softly, looking out to the lake, and wanting to admit what he was, but not daring to test her reaction. "We do the same thing with the houses and other things only we don't say it out in the open."

"All I know is that Potter is an idiot and it will serve him right if he falls off his broom," she laughed at Remus' seriousness.

"He won't let on he is hurt if he does. He will blame it on someone else, or make a joke of it, but he will consider it bad form to let on he's in pain."

"Could you do it? I mean if you were badly hurt, could you pretend it didn't bother you?"

"I think so," Remus lied easily, unable to say anything about the pain he went though every month.

"That girl that was killed, the one you knew, did you ever tell her about yourself?"

"No, she wouldn't have understood, and there was more to it." Remus stood up and brushed his robes off. "Come on now, it's time we head back unless you want them to find you down here."

"I should be on my way," she sighed. "I was supposed to be down at the lake waiting for Diane."

"I'll catch you later," Remus said, grinning. "You okay now?"

"Yeah, I just let him bother me more than I should I guess. Maybe you are right about the money thing. Snape lives in a bad area and always seems to put on airs when he is up here. It is as if he doesn't want anyone to know how poor he is. It bothers him not to have more. At home, he never wears anything new, or that fits. He used to be teased all the time. I think his mother must have saved all his clothes money for new robes."

"Yeah?" Remus looked down at his own robes and grinned.

"Stop it, you look just fine," Lilly laughed at the look on his face. "They suit you."

Remus watched her walk away before turning back to the castle thinking that even the slowest student should have had enough time to finish an essay by now. He was not surprised to find Potter and Sirius sitting on the floor outside the library waiting for Peter.

"He is in there by himself," Potter said. "I can't believe how slow he is."

"Give him a break," Sirius chided. "You heard his dad."

Remus slid down the wall to wait with them. "What'd his dad say?"

"If Peter doesn't do well on his N.E.W.T.s he's going to pull him out of school," Sirius spat. "Fucker, he is in so thick with Riddle you can smell him coming."

"He won't be old enough," Remus said with a frown.

"He'll be sixteen before next term starts."

"I was just talking to Evans," Remus rested his head back against the wall, "if we ask her maybe she could help him with his potions."

"I tried," Potter said.

"Yeah, was that before or after your mission to nick chocolate pie from the kitchen?" Remus laughed. "Your idea of making him study lasts until he convinces you he is hungry."

"He has a point," Sirius said thoughtfully. "Did you get the map done?"

"Sure did." Remus pulled it from his pocket and handed it to Sirius. "All it needs now is your spells. Will it be done before the next moon?"

"Should be," Sirius said, studying the changes. "Who drew the tunnels?"

"Evans, she was down at the lake in a mood. Seems her and Snape are on the outs."

"Yeah?" Potter sat up straight, grinning like a five-year-old.

"Quit," Remus rolled his eyes, "she was crying about it. Guess something happened and he called her a fool, only knowing Snape he said she was acting foolish. Anyway, she is all worked up about it so I figured whatever he said it was in front of someone else."

"Come on Sirius," Potter said, grinning. "I think I should go comfort her."

"Ah, Potter, don't go telling her I said anything. She will be pissed at you and me both," Remus sighed.

"No, I'll just happen by."

"Right," Sirius stood up and jerked his head toward the library door, "wait for Peter. He should be done soon."

"Yeah, I'll read it over for him." Remus prepared to wait, determined to check Pete's essay before it was turned in.

As soon as Peter was done and Remus had checked his work, they ran to the classroom to hand it in, and then walked down to the lake to find the others. Remus was not surprised to see Potter pointing to Snape and whispering to Sirius sniggering and talking loud enough for others to hear.

"Hey, Pete!" Sirius grinned. "You get it done right finally?"

"I hope, if not I am screwed," Peter said sadly. "I only have two more years to go. You think I can…"

"We got Evans to say she would coach you in potions," Potter interrupted. "Remus is the best at runes and transfiguration, and we can try to find someone who can stay awake in history to help."

"Evans? Evans is getting so far up Snape's arse she doesn't even talk to me when I say hi to her in the halls anymore," Peter pouted.

James stood up and grinned. "Really? Maybe that Snape has to learn his place."

"Sit down," Remus hissed.

"I'm not planning to hurt him," Potter sniggered. "Just a little reminder not to pick on Evans."

"Right," Remus muttered, watching as James walked up the path from the lake.

Peter started to run after Sirius and James as Remus shook his head and walked slowly behind them, getting a bad feeling that something was going to go badly. He shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged along, grimacing when he saw a crowd of on lookers gathering. He knew that with an audience Potter would be in prime form.

"Come on James." Remus tried to grab his elbow. "Maybe there is still time to get to the Broomsticks. From there we can head to London and…"

"Hey Snivellus," James taunted, "Big bad Slytherin got to pick on girls."

Remus rolled his eyes and blanched when he saw Lily's furious face. He turned to go to her when the area exploded in laughter, turning around he saw Snape hanging up side down in the air and heard Sirius and James shouting insults to the delight of the crowd. None too soon Snape was back on the ground with Lily shouting at James and Sirius, until Snape squared his shoulders and told her to shut up, he did not need a Mudblood to defend him.

Remus snapped his head up hearing the term Snape had used, and saw Snape's eyes drift from Lily to him with a look of complete and utter hatred. Remus managed to pull Lily aside, and away from the lake, listening to her sobs and declarations of disgust at Snape's language.

"See?" she choked.

"He… Lily, James pushed him, what was he supposed to do?"

"I didn't see you stepping in to help!" She pushed him back with both hands. "You, the big talker just stood there. You could have stopped him, you're the prefect!"

Remus felt his neck growing hot, and knew it would soon climb up to his face, almost glad when she turned and stomped away. Hearing James and Peter's laughter, he shoved his hands in his pockets and started back to the castle, thinking of Lily's angry words.