Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Additionally, there is racism, sexism, transphobia, attempted gaslighting & manipulation, and abusive tactics. Finally, there is a death that could have been easily avoided but the character decided to not seek treatment. It is unclear if that refusal is from suicidal ideation or a final attempt to punish the rejection. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Just to address a few things, Hanahaki Disease in its original form is supposed to be a beautiful tragedy. However, the way it plays out in fandom is rarely that way, which is where it picked up a bunch of icky implications. Loving someone does not obligate them to love you back. No, not even if they'd die. And if JKR can pass off Snape's feelings for Lily Evans as "love", then I can do the same thing even as I call it as bull.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 16); MC4A (Year 5)
Individual Challenges: Ginger (Y); Red Bull; Red Wave; Happy Birthday; Infinite Cakes; Bi Rainbow; Rainbow Rainbow; Missing Rainbow; Gryffindor MC; Slytherin MC; Hufflepuff MC; Magical MC; Magical MC; Magical MC; Medic MC; Rowl in Her Grave; Rian-Russo Inversion; Ethnic & Present; Bi Bi Bi; Ship Sails; Hold the Mayo; Gender Bender; Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); Short Jog; Bucket Listing; Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon; Greatest Gift (Y)
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 16 – Assignment 12
Subject (Task No.): Notable Witches & Wizards (Task#1: Write about somebody being prejudiced against someone.)
Other Hogwarts Challenges: 365 Words [320](Nonsense); Insane House Challenge [820](No More Second Chances); Hogwarts Gardens [Equipment 05](Sympathetic)
Other MC4A Challenges: SpB [3D](Mud); TrB [4C](Unreliable Narrator); SuB [5A](Lake/Pond); Ship (Star Petal) [SpBig (Jewelry); SpMic2 (Blue; White; Yellow); SuMic2 (Red); 2C (Hanahaki Disease)];Chim [Dyx] "Running up that Hill" - Placebo; Race Bend; Lime; Life/Death; Hanahaki Disease; Hospital/Medical Ward);Hunt [Su Items (Jewelry)]; Fire [x3](); Garden [Flowers (Indigo; Gold; Silver)]; Harvest [A&B (Arguing/Debating; Sighing); Items (Earrings); Relationships (Former Friends); Tropes (Hanahaki Disease)]
Representation(s): Severus Snape; Black Lily Evans/Sirius Black; Genderqueer Sirius Black; Chim Song Prompt
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Brooms Only; Car in a Tutu; A Long Dog; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; Nightingale; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pear-Shaped; Bee Haven; Peddling Pots; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade); Demo 1 (Professor's Torment; Under the Bridge; Over the Hills); Demo 2 (In the Trench; Sitting Hummingbird; Mermaid)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: Once (Santa Fe; Inchworm); War (Orator; Monomania; Obstruction; Sanctuary; Ennui); SN (Rail; Negate); FR (Satisfaction)
Word Count: 1595 words

(^^)
No More Second Chances
(^^)

It started on an ordinary Tuesday.

The tiny bell-like blossoms of the glovewort were cloyingly sweet as Severus spat them out. The nausea that lingered afterwards was just as likely to be from that as it was the possibility of having swallowed some of the flower. Still, just to be certain, he packed up his books and headed off to visit Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

"Such a beautiful flower," the medi-witch tutted as she poured out the required dose of detoxifying potion, "but yes, quite dangerous if ingested. You were wise to come straight here, young man."

The lime-green potion took a while to work its way through his system. Because of the toxicity and potential for negative interaction with the magic that caused him to manifest the flowers in the first place, he was required to stay under Madam Pomfrey's supervision until she could confirm that both had cleared his system. Silently fuming at having his studies disrupted yet again (as the library had been taken over by the sixth year Gryffindors shortly before his unfortunate flower illness), Severus began to unpack his books to continue working.

Only a month into his sixth year and he was already behind. It wasn't entirely because of the increased work load associated with NEWT level courses. Studying had been easier when Lily was with him. He found everything about her soothing. Not to mention that having her close meant that he could be certain that she wasn't associating with the likes of the Marauders.

But Lily had steadily refused to see reason after their little tiff after OWLs. She clung to her anger like it had any sort of purpose. He had already apologized, multiple times now, and still she did not forgive him. Severus had always believed her to be more intelligence than others of her kind, as exceptional in that aspect as she was in beauty, but he was beginning to have his doubts. This whole situation was quite ridiculous.

"Do you know who the lucky wix is?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Severus grunted without commitment. From the choice of blossom and the timing of it, he had his suspicions. Lily's perfume had a distinctive scent after all, and she had confirmed the rumor about her dating Sirius Black not a full minute before the first blossom had appeared. Pomfrey tutted again. "Well, keep in mind that lily-of-the-valley is highly toxic. You should work on resolving the situation quickly."

"I already am," Severus snapped. He glared at the woman in her starched white uniform. Her expression softened with sympathy. "I am already doing everything to resolve the situation."

"I'll just make sure to keep the necessary potion ready, shall I?"

She patted his hand absently before leaving him be, not caring that Severus was pale with rage at the suggestion that he would need the potion to cure him of the flower infliction. He was perfectly capable of managing his emotions, thank you very much!

Severus just needed to let Lily know that this ploy to make him jealous was getting out of hand.

That was all.

(^^)

"I need to what?" Lily asked, sounding more confused than angry for once. Severus made sure to school his face into something like an encouraging smile. The conversation was going well for once. He would rather it not take a turn for the worst. Lily's brown cheeks darkened as she flushed with the same growing emotion that was making her emerald eyes glitter. The silver charms dangling from her earrings tinkled as she shook her head as if to physically clear her thoughts. The motion also made her dark red curls bounce. "No, I think I really do need you to repeat what you just said, because I'm not certain that I understood it correctly."

"You need to break up with Black," Severus stated, taking care this time to enunciate every syllable. Lily's hands clenched around the hem of her indigo blouse. The resulting bunching made the line of suns that were embroidered with yellow and gold thread ripple like a reflection in the waves. "You've successfully made your point. I upset you. I understand that. But it is now imperative that we put the past behind us."

"Do you understand why I was upset?" She tilted her head to the side as she examined him in the same fashion she did a potion that wasn't behaving as expected. Severus sighed as he tried to not get frustrated with her for making them rehash things yet again.

"I snapped at you when you were only trying to help." Severus reached out for her hand. She stepped back out of his reach. He took a deep breath to keep from snapping at her for continuing to act childishly. "I know better now. You do not have to keep punishing me, especially not by dating Sirius Black of all people."

"And what exactly is wrong with Sirius?" Lily asked testily, as if she didn't already know. She had to know, didn't she? The whole school knew!

"Do you really want to date some boy who parades about in women's dresses?"

"First things first," Lily said as she drew herself up to her full height (not that it did much as she was still appropriately short until Petunia who skirted the line at nearly six foot), "Sirius is not a boy. Secondly, dresses are not much different than robes, which you very clearly have no problem with." She made a gesture to the student robes that he was wearing, even though it was the weekend and a uniform was not required. She put both her hands on her hips. "Finally, who I date is of no concern of yours, Severus Snape! We aren't even friends anymore! Let alone anything more!"

"Not more of this nonsense," Severus protested. "I said that I was sorry! It was all just a misunderstanding. I realize now that you were not intending to embarrass me, that you only wanted to help. I shouldn't have called you a—"

"Go on," Lily ordered when he stopped himself from another unfortunate slip of the tongue. "Finish your sentence. Say it!" She paused but Severus was to distracted by the growing tickle in his throat to formulate a timely response. "Here. I'll even say it with you. Mudblood. You shouldn't have called me a mudblood."

"No, I shouldn't have," Severus agreed through gritted teeth. He swallowed hard to clear his throat as Lily glared at him like she could set fire to him with her eyes alone. She crossed her arms under her perfectly-sized breasts.

"And why not?" she demanded. "Isn't that what you call people like me? Why should I be any different than other wixen born to muggle parents?!"

"You are not like them," Severus argued. He reached for her only to have jerk back a few steps out of his range. He swallowed again. The aftertaste of glovewort made him desperate to get Lily to understand what was at stake. "You are not like them. You are beautiful and clever and—"

"Being an exception to a bigot is like driving a lorry full of dung." Lily hissed the words in a way that Severus would have said was impossible given the lack of sibilant syllables. "It still stinks."

"I'M NOT A BIGOT," Severus yelled. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out in a single huff. This conversation was getting off track. One of them had to keep a level head about things. "I love you, Lily. I will always love you."

There was moment of tense silence. Slowly, Severus opened his eyes to look at her.

"Obsession isn't love," Lily said, more gently than she had ever said anything to him before. Severus let out another frustrated huff.

"This is love," he countered. He took a breath to continue and ended up coughing as more lily-of-the-valley flooded his throat and mouth. When he finally was able to breathe again, Lily was watching him with pity in her eyes. "These are for you. Don't you see? This is why you need to break up with Black as much as anything else."

"I'm breaking up with Sirius," she stated firmly but not angrily. "Even if I did break up with him, I wouldn't date you, Severus, not after everything. I've already given you too many second chances over the years. It just wouldn't be healthy."

"What about my health?" Severus demanded. "The only way to stop the pining curse is have the love be requited. Everyone knows that!"

"They also know about the potion," Lily volleyed back at him as smoothly as ever. "One dram and a few hours and the curse is gone."

"Stop being so stubborn about this! Just break up with Black and we can finally be together!"

"No, Severus," Lily said with all the finality of funeral bells in her voice. "That's not going to happen. That is never going to happen." She spun on her heel and stormed back towards the stairs leading up to the entrance hall.

Severus stayed long after he could no longer hear the echo of her footsteps on the bluestone floors. When the dizziness grew too much for him to remain standing, he wobbly made his way to the bottom step and sat upon it. He decided that he wasn't going to visit the hospital wing for either of the potions that would treat his curse and its side effects.

It was the last decision Severus Snape ever made.