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I will be posting 2 chapters every week on Monday.
IT'S CHANGED! (SNILY)
CHAPTER 4 Lots of thoughts
Sirius Black now had made the decision, the headmaster of the school loathed him… Albus Dumbledore had something against him. Otherwise, why would someone leave him with Filch to torment him.
He had been in the trophy room for hours and Filch was still not satisfied by his work. It's not like he worked so often; he absolutely didn't know how to clean things. At his home, house elves did that.
And then this damn trophy… it didn't show any signs of getting cleaned soon.
Tom Riddle, Special Award for Services for the School.
Now… who the hell would require a trophy like that? It was out of his comprehension.
"Return to your work boy. Dawdle, and successfully achieve one more detention." Came a voice, definitely Filch's.
"Yeah… I am doing it" Sirius replied exasperated.
*Page Break*
"Psst… Psst, Padfoot, are you there?"
The mirror's reflective side went from black to foggy and the effortlessly handsome face of Sirius Black came into view.
"Yeah, mate" he grinned.
"Well… everything fine there? Filch not giving you a hard time, is he?"
"Don't ask Jamie, he is being absurd till any levels, has already asked me to wash the same trophy 14 times, and I am not exaggerating"
"Then we need to keep a prank ready, don't we?" James said giving a wicked smirk.
"Of course," Sirius said mirroring the smirk.
"At least, Sluggie is better. He just asked me to clean the potion shelves in the lab and now I am cleaning the book shelves in his office. I thought he will- wait, wait, wait, Padfoot just a minute"
"What is it, Prongs?" he asked with concern.
James had suddenly come across a book with a black strip at the side of it. He had seen this mark before too, but where? Yes, the place he had ventured all too much. The Restricted Section of the Library. But why would Slughorn keep a book from the restricted section here? And it wasn't even kept recently, judging by the layer of dust on it.
"Nothing, Padfoot, just a book from the restricted section"
"What's it called, perhaps, can help us with the prank?"
"It's- Secrets of Darkest Arts, something only Snivelly will read"
"No doubts there, mate" Sirius said shrinking his nose in disgust. "Hey, Prongs, Filch is back, I have to go"
"Yeah…" James said distractedly, his eyes fixed on the book in his hand. He kept the mirror aside and took the book in both his hands. It felt heavier than it looked… something calling… something in need… something beautiful… something seductive.
Without having any will to do so, James opened the book to a random page.
'Horcruxes', he mouthed it.
'The path to make your soul immortal can only be achieved by separating that from a mortal's body. Murder. It will divide the soul of the taker of life into another part and must be stored in an object. The object in itself will stay as a different entity. Another part of you. It will be possible by the spell-'
James hurriedly closed the book, horror-struck. The book was dark, it was evil. Why the hell did he even start reading it? He sunk to the floor his head in his hands, panting. The dark arts were not only used to destroy others, it also tainted the one reading it, it tainted the very soul of the reader.
And it was damn seductive, it attracts the person to open it, by the mere touch of the book. Why did he damn read it? It was awful. How did the Death Eaters practice Dark Arts, he would never know? It possessed the power to kill a person inside, and he was going to have nightmares about this for weeks.
*Page Break*
He sat collecting the perfect petals from the plant Professor Sprout gave him. She said Slughorn needed it for the seventh-year class. But he, of course, knew about the plant. He just couldn't remember the name. It had indigo and white flowers, beautiful… but some of them had a prick underneath the sepal, which on touch would spit a green liquid that caused skin damage. He needed to avoid it, to get the perfect petal. It certainly was a difficult job to work with this plant and Professor Sprout had trusted him with it for which he was quite proud of himself.
He would have told this to Lily, only if… His heart saddened again. And Professor Sprout chose the very wrong moment to start up a conversation.
"Severus, dear, are you quite done with it?"
"Yes, Professor, almost done" he said in a resigned voice, that made Sprout frown.
"Are you alright, Severus?" She asked, concern lacing her voice. She never disliked the boy, but then judging by the fact that she doesn't dislikes anyone, it wasn't something new.
But she certainly was aware of her students and their interests, she wasn't a Hufflepuff for nothing. They are damn observant. She knew about her students even though they were not in their own house.
And she indeed knew about certain company Severus had indulged himself into after the first year. He stayed happier before that, with his Gryffindor friend. But when did this school rivalry and Pureblood prejudices ever allowed it or accepted it? And now she knew something was surely wrong with him. He wasn't ever too much of a cheerful sight but he never even was so dull that sadness was practically radiating from him.
"I'm fine, Ma'am, thank you" he couldn't comprehend why would she ask that, perhaps, out of obligation.
"You seem quite dull, child" she said as if reading his mind.
Child. Child? Nobody ever spoke to him so… lovingly. Not even his own mother had that concern for him and that fact made a lump form in his throat.
"OWLs, Ma'am, they just got me a bit stressed up" he tried to assure her.
She came and sat beside him and looked at him straight in the eye, he hesitated under the scrutiny.
"You can tell me if something's bothering you, my Puffs never hesitate" she didn't fell for the excuse.
Well… he was not one of the Puffs, he was a snake who had to speak no more or less than is necessary. He merely looked down to his lap trying to escape from her view.
"You and Lily had a fight, didn't you?" that was the only reason she can think for his state.
His head jerked at the statement; how much did she know?
"Ma'am, I don't… You see…" he stammered, the lump in his throat only growing, threatening to choke him.
She kept a hand on his back to offer some comfort, she didn't know how to offer that to a Slytherin, who never showed their true self, her Puffs were so much easier.
He was going to jerk back from the touch, but felt that it wasn't any harmful so, he leaned in it. The gentle touch felt so parentally caring over that the question of Lily, the only person he loved, made his eyes sting with tears. Why was he behaving like a bloody Hufflepuff? Going to cry in front of a professor? Pathetic. She must have got such an aura to make him do so.
"Severus, child, look at me, what is it that has got you so worked up?" she could not see the students looking so miserable.
"Yes, we fought… I called her something and she would never talk to me again…" he whispered, making some of the tears escape his eyes.
Professor Sprout engulfed him into a hug, keeping his head on her chest. He laid his head, listening to her heart beating in his ears. It was so comforting.
"We all fight with our friends, Severus, she will forgive you"
It did not take much time for him to turn into a blabbering mess of tears. "I apologized to her, but she won't listen to me. It pains… you know? She was my only friend and now she is gone too…" he said between his sobs.
She let him speak his heart out while murmured non-sensical words to comfort him. She let him cry too while rocking him.
The rocking only made it worse, reminding him how his own parents were every time disgusted by him when he came crying to them as a child, he cried even harder recalling everything. He wrapped his own hands around her.
Tears kept on coming, of all the years he tried to keep them frozen from any view. His father beating him… his mother behaving cold with him… marauders bullying him… Lily not talking to him…
"I won't judge you, child, let it all out" she said in a hushed voice.
Why does she have to say all the things which made it worse? He then just cried… cried… cried, tears continued to fell for a long time, that it felt like hours.
"Shh now, shh… child"
He tried to bring his breathing into control, but it still hitched.
"Severus, you will make yourself sick"
He pulled back, embarrassed of his childish display of tears. But he would never admit this to anyone, it felt good, as if a great deal of burden was off his shoulders.
"No, need to be embarrassed over tears, child, we all have a right to them" she brought up her hands to cup his face, whipping the last trails of tears from his cheeks with her thumb. Such kindness. To him? What did he do to deserve it? That too from an adult? He could have dissolved in another fit of tears but he refrained himself. He had to get himself into control.
"You'll always get someone who loves you for yourself, Severus" she smiled looking at him. How much did he give out? Then to his surprise she kissed his forehead and with a last pat on the back of his head she said, "Now complete your detention, Mr. Snape, I don't want students coming to me saying I started making favorites."
He smiled at her.
*Page Break*
She's been thinking about this for days. But the question remained the same. Did she really smile at Severus being bullied? How could she? Her head had been a mess since Severus uttered those words of accusation. He was right, this is not how friendship goes. That means it wasn't him, it was she who was messed up. But he had associations with those people.
But still every time she thought of Severus, it brought only tears… of broken friendship… of betrayal… of her own cruelty…
He was all alone now, no one to talk to him like she did with him. No body to calm him during exams, to listen to his frivolous complains about stupid wrongly published books, to bring a smile to his face, to give him a hug when he felt low, to bring ointments for his bruises in summers which were caused by his clumsiness.
NO! He had those want-to-be-Death Eaters friends. But those weren't his friends, she knew that, they were just using him.
She stopped there. She can't be so soft and understanding for someone who called her a Mudblood. But she can't even stop herself from thinking about him? He had been her best friend for seven years and that was saying something.
Yeah… and she remember he also had his new friends, practically stuck to him by their butts. Had he already replaced her? NO! He couldn't have, she was his best friend, wasn't she? She certainly didn't behave like one. They were the one who came to save him, even though they barely knew him.
She had to talk to someone to lighten herself about the matter. She just needed the right people to talk with who are not exactly gossipy…
Marlene McKinnon, one of the muscly Gryffindor chasers, mostly stayed out of giving her opinion about people strongly, but she surely knew about all the drama that went around her.
"I already think he is into wrong hands, Lils. But if he apologized to you and you want still be friends with him, then forgive him. And then he saying that he believes you found him being tormented- hilarious, then what's the shame in apologizing. The shame must be on what you did wrong, I did not find anything funny in what happened" Marlene said not removing her face from the quidditch magazine.
"I really don't know what to do, Marlene?"
"I believe Alice is free. Ask her. She is the smart one not me. Come to me if you need help with Quidditch." She smiled from the top of her magazine.
"Thank you, Marlene"
"No problem"
Alice Fortescue and Mary McDonalds were the people Lily could have really asked for suggestions. Both remained mostly unbiased in conversations related to the Slytherins, it was just after the attack on Mary that year which made them wary and loathsome of the Snakes.
"Lily, I honestly don't believe them, I mean, I have nothing against the Slytherins, it's just the people who boast about being Purebloods, and he was one of their supporters" Alice gave an answer to her doubts.
"I know…but…"
"But you still don't want to give up on him" Alice began, voicing her thoughts. "It's understandable. So, the only thing you both right now can do is to talk. Talk it out, Lily"
"She is right, Lily- don't think I gave up… I still hate them for what they did to me" Mary entered the conversation. "He called you a Mudblood which was definitely wrong and you have all the rights to be upset about that-"
"And if you have actually smiled at what was happening, I have to say, Lily, you behaved rather cruelly to him while he was being stripped in public. That was almost as a sexual assault to someone." Alice looked at Lily with sheer disapproval and contempt in her eyes. "Would you have laughed if it were any girl from Gryffindor? No! You would have handled the situation in a way different manner. Hexed all four them!"
Lily knew she was about to cry on how dirty her faults were, but she did not even deserve that. Severus had endured so much, and on top of that her too. And then he just slipped a word, for which she was at fault too. She couldn't raise her eyes to meet anyone's. Self- loathe and shame was consuming her inside. She opened her mouth to speak but Alice hadn't had enough.
"I have many times asked the professors to see in the matter of the Marauders bullying others but they dismiss it saying it's some stupid school rivalry? They just don't understand!" Rage was blazing in Alice's eyes and she looked ready to murder.
Before she could do so, Mary took the lead. "What she is trying to say is that this is the first time Dumbledore had given them punishment for the bullying and I truly don't see the reason why, he is suddenly taking actions in favor of Snape. And if you ask me, he hadn't done anything against Potter and Black till now is because they belong to reputed families with wealth practically overflowing their hands. Dumbledore most probably wants to use it against You-Know-Who."
"See, Lily, I have no idea what Dumbledore is up to, but I do believe that faking ignorance wasn't something he must have ever done to gain favor." Alice grumbled. "Boy or a girl, Gryffindor or Slytherin, what Potter and Black were doing was wrong till any limits. And don't think they will stop here; they will have another trick up their sleeve to prank Snape or anyone else." She banged her fist on the side table of her bed in frustration.
Lily got up and wrapped her arms around Mary and Alice, tears flowing down her face once more. They kept a comforting hand on her back, while she spoke. "I am sorry… so sorry… I never saw how wrong they were… how wrong I was."
"Snape needs your apology not us and for Merlin's sake, please, talk this time, don't have a talented display in the vulgar profanity contest" Mary tried to Lighten up the situation.
They never saw that two more figures at the door had heard their conversation until they started speaking.
She was in need of desperate advice… well… not everyone's, some just butted in.
Daisy and Crystal had made an objective to make Lily get as far as possible from Severus. If things were in their hand, they would have asked to even kill him for calling her a Mudblood.
"Oh… that ugly shit, I always knew he was like all of them, telling you Lily you weren't at any fault" Crystal prompted showing her contempt on Severus' name.
"Crystal, I think-" Lily began whipping her tears when both Alice and Mary left giving her a last pat on her back.
"Lily, you are too innocent in such matters" Daisy took her hands in her own, her face twisted in -Lily knew it- fake concern. "He is a Slytherin, he will try to use you back, I don't think you would have smiled and even if you did, he fairly deserved it"
"How can you say that, Daisy?!" Lily snatched her hands back, anger bubbling in her eyes. "I was at the wrong! What he did was wrong too but I believe I must apologize"
"Whatever you say, Lily. But then at the end don't come to us crying when nothing will remain with us other than saying 'I told you so'" Crystal said, making another one of her atrocious faces. Lily turned to her heel and left, fuming.
She went to her dormitory to plan for the next.
*Page Break*
Shane and Selene were both looking at the scrawny figure of the boy with greasy hair and dark, black eyes, who appeared to be too interested in his book. It had been a week and a half since Snape has apologized to Lily for his slip of tongue, and still she gave no hint to continue talking with him again. He's been too quiet even for Snape since then, which infuriated Shane and Selene to any lengths.
He had even gone up till the way to avoid everyone, by hiding his face the entire day in library, only coming out for detentions, going out for the meals and retire to his dormitory at nights. Returning to the dorms was all and again a different situation in itself. Some of his housemates were ecstatic with his display of 'after all ditching the little mudblood' by the lake, but some who were against the prejudices sneered at him murmuring 'just the same bastard'. Severus was all too grateful to Selene for dealing with the situation most proficiently asking them in a very unique way to mind their own business.
Shane had since then tried to become a big brother to Severus, helping him stay calm. He tried to take him in an open space with everyone and do activities which would divert his mind from Lily and her awaiting forgiveness, but again Severus remained Severus and didn't even budge from the library. He barely ever spoke and continued to hunch in a chair near the corner.
"Snape, are you ever going to come out of your misery? Stop looking like that" Selene prompted but stopped after seeing the pleading eyes of Severus.
Severus would have felt too alone after Lily leaving him but his new acquaintances didn't let him feel alone. They were practically clung to him these days, let him know they were watching his back.
They had two more friends. One was a Slytherin girl named Charmaine who was called shortened as 'Charm', had shoulder length blonde hair with freezing grey eyes. The other was a Hufflepuff- Austin, whom Severus could give more credit to be tolerant than Charm had amber eyes, short black hair and dark skin. Both in the same year as Severus.
If he didn't know any better, he must have thought it was all out of pity towards him. He knew it wasn't. They all somehow understood how it felt like to be friendless because nobody likes you.
But he knew they wouldn't stay with him long either. Nobody ever did. They will soon get frustrated by his moodiness and leave him be, therefore he wanted to enjoy a genuine company to him. There lied the problem of he wasn't able to. He had dwelled too much on his broken friendship with Lily that he couldn't concentrate on any other thing.
Whenever someone brought her up, he just wanted to wallow in self-pity. But he couldn't afford to lay his guard down, to no one except for Lily… yeah even though these days it particularly seemed on edge. But sometimes to shut Selene up he had to use some Slytherin tactics and make her think he had let his mask drop. His eyes even had the power to melt her stony heart.
"Uh… how about we go out, the weather's quite good?" Shane tried a bit more tactful approach.
"Or how about we just sit here and read quietly and stay at peace?" Severus silkily.
"Really Severus, if only sitting quietly had brought you some peace, we could have" Austin came up in the conversation.
"Then, you all can go out there sit beside the lake. Why wait for me?" he asked
"Because, Severus, as I told you we are going to be with you even though you like it or not." Shane drawled.
"You'll anyways get bored and leave soon, why not now?" suddenly feeling too insecure.
Shane opened his mouth to speak but before he could Selene jolted from her chair which would have hit the ground if not only for Shane's quick reflexes, rounded the table and stood behind Severus. He was confused of what was she doing before she gave a good, smacked cuff on the back of his head, which caused him to flinch quite badly.
He looked at her through hardened eyes, which lost its effect behind the creeping colour on his neck of embarrassment, because he realized after a second that the cuff was a friendly one this time. He cursed his father for making him so fearful of every touch.
"Don't do that again" he said, hiding his face behind the book.
"Sorry" Selene said, frowning. "But, Snape, stop this, you are being no fun"
"Tell me something new" he said moodily, falling in the previous disposition again.
"Guys, guys, guys… let's not fight amongst ourselves-" Austin started but was cut by Charm banging her book noisily on the table causing Madam Pince to hiss in disapproval, and others occupants of the library to shoot her glares. Certainly, she got the attention she hoped for from the table she sitting in too.
Ignoring the glares of people she said with her nose in the air, "This is all about that Evans girl, isn't it?"
Severus opened his mouth, a sarcastic retort on tongue but was stopped by she speaking once more.
"These all are attitude induced girls, thinking quite highly of themselves." Disregarding the fact that she was behaving all the same, she continued. "You shouldn't be running behind for her Severus". She smiled keeping a hand on his forearm, it took everything of him to not flinch at the touch this time.
"Charm!" Shane exclaimed chastising her.
"What Shane!?" she retorted back, withdrawing her hand. "I asked you to leave that whore too, but you just had too much confidence in her love for you. I told you she'll ditch you-"
"Charmaine!" This time it was Selene, her eyes practically burning fire. "You will not speak to him like that ever again! Or else be ready to be on the receiving end of my wand"
"It's okay, Selene" Shane tried to coax.
"She knows what happened, Shane. How can she say that?"
"I'm sorry" came a small voice from Charm, perhaps she at last realized she said something that was wrong and offending to both Shane and Selene.
"It's okay, Charm, perhaps you got a bit carried away in advising Severus about girls" Shane tried to joke, well… but he failed terribly because Selene's eyes were now directed towards him.
"It wasn't nothing, Shane and nobody must have the right to speak about it so lightly!" she explained hotly.
"I said I'm sorry, Selene"
"Fine! But don't ever speak about it like that again"
"I promise" Charm's smile returned again.
Shane looked at Selene and opened his mouth to say something but was cut when an owl landed on their table.
It attracted the attention of everyone on the table, eh… except for Severus. He never got any owls, so, why even bother?
The others looked at each other. Austin was the first to take charge, he shrugged and extended its arm but the owl edged away from him.
"I don't believe it's for me"
Charm tried to do the same but no good, she shrugged, "Not me either"
"Well… its neither for me" Shane concluded after trying too.
"Damn, owl… not coming to me" Selene complained after a bite by the owl on her finger.
Wait… if it wasn't for them, then it was for… Everyone's eyes turned to a perplexed Severus and they grinned.
"Come on, Severus, it's yours!" Shane squeaked with excitement.
Lucius Malfoy was the heir of the Malfoy Estate. Master of many house elves. Till now any letter he had sent to Severus had been delivered by a house elf, he never wanted them intercepted. So, it can't be him. Then who?
He reached for the owl's leg and surprisingly the owl didn't respond negatively. Everyone's grins just got wider.
He looked at their grinning faces and then opened the scroll. It wrote-
Severus,
I need to talk to you, please meet me at the astronomy tower after curfew on Sunday. I'm a prefect so you won't be in any trouble.
Lily
He could surely have burst into tears of happiness and relief, if not only for Shane asking him what was it.
"It's from Lily" he managed, choking with relief.
Charm rolled her eyes, "And I thought my advice was being heard"
"That's great!" Shane was grinning so wide that his cheeks must be aching.
"Well… Its tomorrow" Austin said.
Severus nodded, finding it too hard to not look like a fool, grinning. Lily wanted to talk.
*Page Break*
One day went in the excitement of meeting Lily and now getting off his dorm seemed to be the biggest problem. He knew, giving an excuse to satisfy his fellow Slytherins was a task. That too after curfew. Nobody would believe any innocent excuse he would try to pass. They could follow him too. Damn! Slytherins were so unpredictable. Then sneaking after curfew would be tiring as well. Perhaps, he would cancel meeting Lily… Merlin forbids, if he even thought that to himself.
But Severus Snape always have plans.
To avoid all of that -HA!- he had the Invisibility cloak. That thought made him want to dance. And then meeting Lily… Oh Merlin, he would die of excitement. Yeah… he was nervous too, just a bit… okay… he was going neurotic.
He draped the cloak on his shoulders, and escaped the place as easily as he could. It's only that after coming back he would have to say something but till then he was at least out. He walked till the astronomy tower, escaping the eyes of Filch or any other professor. The last thing he wanted now was another detention.
He stood at the doorway, seeing those auburn hair, caressed by the gentle breeze of summer. She was turned around, he couldn't see her face, but she still looked beautiful. As soon as he stepped in the door, she turned giving a skeptical and wary look to her surroundings.
Severus understood, he was under the cloak, she couldn't see him. So, he removed it only to see her emerald eyes going as big as saucers.
"How did you get a hold on this?!" She squeaked.
He smirked despite of himself, then shrugged, "Oh… got this by an anonymous source who wished to help me"
"Have you checked it for any curses, what if it's a trick against you?" she took her wand out, muttering unintelligible words checking for any curses on the cloak.
Her concern warmed his heart. He chuckled, "Lily I have done all of that and believe me I know more spells against curses."
"Oh… right" she paused her wand wavings. Then for a few minutes they stood in awkward silence, both looking anywhere but at each other. Lily knew Severus wasn't going to start a conversation, so, she did.
"I- I'm sorry for what I did till now, Sev-"
He shook his head, taking her wrists gently by whatever courage he found. "No, Lily, I must be the one to apologize. And I'm sorry for what I said, it was never my intend to call you that"
Lily freed her hands from his grasp and then took his hands in hers. "Sev, I definitely am against your association with those people, but I believe what you said that time wasn't your own fault but mine." He cringed at that, but she continued. "You were under a… compromising situation and I was cruel to you not doing anything to help you instead doing what I did" her she hid her face in her hands, shame overpowered any emotion, she could also feel tears stinging her eyes again.
Severus took one step forward towards her before hurt flashed through his eyes. That means she did smile. Tears stinging his own eyes, "Why- Why would you do that, Lily? Did you find it funny?"
"No! No, Severus. It wasn't you." How could she say this? "IwasflatteredbyPotter'sattention" she rushed.
She said it too fast but he still caught it. This hurt too, he looked down, of course Potter "Right, Lily" A person who tormented him was the one to flatter her. Great.
"Don't think I have anything for him, Sev, I hate him! Loathe him!" she said hotly. She came near and kissed him on the cheek, startling him. He looked at her with confusion, trying to clear everything out. Perhaps, she was just trying to tell how much she detested Potter by the gesture. He recovered soon. "And I am really, really sorry for that, Sev. I should have done my duty as a prefect and a friend, but I failed"
"Lily, you were my best friend"- Lily winced at the use of 'were' – "that's why it hurt so much" his eyes downcast.
She kissed him on the cheek once more and whispered "I am sorry" in his ear.
He nodded and tried to address another one of his faults, "Lily, initially my association with those people was only to keep appearances. I couldn't live peacefully in Slytherin, fighting against them. But I admit gradually their respect for me did attract me towards their means, I was eventually getting what I wanted."
Tears made way down his face; he did not even attempt to hide them. "And that's why, Lily, I slipped out that wretched word. And I swear- no more craving for the fake respect and friendship from them." He broke into a sob.
"Sev…" she wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist. "Do you forgive me, Sev?" a small voice came, muffled by Severus' robes.
"Of course, Lily." He said, holding her face in front of his. And she breathed of relief.
"Am I?" he asked tentatively.
She nodded. "Yes, Sev, you are. Friends once more?"
"Best friends" he engulfed her into a hug again.
The place in Lily's arms felt so safe. He could have lived there forever. Her arms around his neck and shoulders, made him forget everything about the unfair world. He felt like he would be protected from anything that existed in the world, in her arms.
It felt right to Lily. Severus' arms around her waist, they tingled her. She never felt any more correct than now, hugging him. People do hug their friends, don't they? Do every one feels it to be so correct? Her body fit perfectly against his. She could have stayed here for eternity.
That is when they heard a blasting noise and something falling on them. They broke apart to see what it was. Shining and Colourful papers?
"Yay!" a shout came.
They looked in the entrance only to find Austin holding a confetti, Selene and Shane leaning on the door frame giving a content grin and Charm standing behind them, looking uninterested.
"Well…congratulations" Selene prompted.
"You both are best friends once more" Shane came and kept a hand on Severus' shoulder, grinning, while the others made their way in. Severus never knew they could be so embarrassing.
"You all were spying on me?" he asked narrowing his eyes, though did not do the effect because of the red rimes around them. He was irritated of them to pry into a private moment but can't bring himself to be angry after the warmth that filled his heart.
"Of course not, Sev, we just came here to spoil the moment" Charm said mockingly, though it wasn't so heated. "I asked them to not come here but- hey, you never told us about the invisibility cloak. We here came for you hiding from the entire school and you never even mentioned it" she pouted.
"Uh…I just got it… this is the first- no! the second time using it"
"Whatever, Severus, next time tell us if you have something so brilliant" Selene came forward, giving him a mock glare and then turned to Lily. "Hi, I am Selene Solace" she introduced giving a hand.
Lily shook it and then smiled at her. "I am Lily Evans-"
"Oh, we have heard so much about you" Austin elbowed Severus, who in turn blushed looking away. "I am Austin Preston, by the way"
"Nice to meet you, Austin" she shook his hand too. "And you are Shane Singh aren't you, who doesn't know you?" she froze, flushed, knowing she gave out too much.
Shane chuckled "That I am, Lily, and who all know me?"
"Uh… just heard about you from my dormmates, well… all of them once had a crush on you…"
"Huh… And here I am single, people never approach me. I have started to believe I scare them"
"Make them nervous rather, Shane" Selene muttered.
"You were never nervous in front of me, Selene?" he asked giving a wink.
"Yes, I wasn't" she said with her nose in the air, and everyone laughed.
"That makes two girls not nervous of me" Shane waved his hand between Selene and Charm. "Let's see if it can be three. You are not nervous of me, Lily, are you?" he asked jokingly.
Selene looked at Lily sharply, raising an eyebrow. "Uh… No! Definitely not." Lily answered flushing, and all of them laughed again.
"Hi, and you are? Sorry, I don't know many Slytherins." Lily asked looking at Charm, after the laughter receded.
"I am Charmaine Lynx." Charm said smugly. "But I don't need your introduction, Sev, almost told everything about you, didn't you Sev?" she leaned on Severus' shoulder asking him.
He stiffened, "Shouldn't we be going now, before Filch or Peeves catch us?"
Lily ignored him. "Well… anyways nice to meet you Charm" she gave her an exaggerated smile, pulling Severus away from her.
"So, let's see our way out, people… we don't want a mess now do we?" Austin suddenly jumped, giving a look to all three of them. Severus was the first one to comply.
"Obviously, now come on" he drawled wrapping the cloak around himself.
"Well… we are going to the same place, Severus, may I step in?" Charm asked sweetly, touching the cloak.
"Uh… I was going to ask- never mind. Selene, are you coming too?" Severus asked, but still had eyes on Lily.
"Oh… Of course, bye boys. Good night, Lily." Selene stepped under the cloak.
Everyone gave their Good Nights and walked to their common rooms. Severus after many days had a content sleep. But he still couldn't comprehend why did he behave like a sodding Hufflepuff this entire week. Was he going soft? … he gasped … Merlin forbids.
Hope you enjoyed it.