IT'S CHANGED (SNILY)
CHAPTER 7 Hogsmeade
The morning felt pleasant for many, where some couldn't escape their growing grumpiness. People dressed in light Muggle or Wizard clothes were roaming around the halls, some smiling and some scowling.
"Mate, what is wrong with you?" Sirius was irritated by James. Why could he for once forget about Evans?
"He just winked at her" James stabbed a fork in his pancakes.
"So, what? You know they are together"
"You won't understand, Padfoot" James looked at him and despite of himself, he gave a smile. "You are getting what you want, anyways"
Sirius flushed red. "Whatever you are referring to"
"Yeah, yeah… mate. Sometimes I wonder if I know you better than you know yourself" Sirius looked confused, so James elaborated. "That, Padfoot, you could have been a bit more subtle" he chuckled.
Sirius tried to look stoic but failed miserably. "Uh… I don't- what… you see? -um… are you still going out with McDonalds?" he stuttered.
"Yes, just because you fixed it" James smiled.
Sirius breathed in relief. "Well, fine then"
*Page Break*
"You are looking too happy today, Mary" Lily observed.
"What? No. Nothing, I mean, yes, perhaps" Mary smiled nervously.
"Just tell her, Mary" Alice came and sat beside Lily on the Gryffindor table. "She is going out with Potter today, that's what got her so flustered and giddy"
"Huh? Potter's going out with you?" It was disbelieving but she asked with a smile, happy for her friend. "Good. He's moved on after all"
"Yeah… I guess but I don't think he'll like me" Mary fidgeted.
"Mary, you are an interesting person, I don't think he can resist you" Alice encouraged. "And then if you'll be a bit open and not fidget like now" she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah" then Mary looked at Lily. "I heard you are going out with Shane Singh, that Ravenclaw boy?"
Lily laughed. "Yes… but we are just friends and that day -you remember the letter- he wrote Love, Shane, it was just for fun, just to see how many girls in Gryffindor fancies him"
"Ha! There would be plenty" Alice chuckled then frowned. "Your and Snape's feud is over or not? Hmm?"
It caught Lily off guard. "Yes. We are friends once more" she smiled to herself. "But he is going out with Selene today" a tinge of jealousy evoked in her.
"Oh? Yeah, I can see that" Mary peered at the Slytherin table, where they both were trying to keep Charm's blabbers shut.
A wave of pleased sighs came up from the Gryffindor table, they turned their heads to see what was it. Well… not a surprise for all the sighs. Frank Longbottom stepped in the Great Hall and came towards them.
He came and leaned behind Alice and wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders. She looked back and him smile grew. Another wave of rose but this time of grumbles from the girls and the boys when their lips met each other's. They pulled each other in a passionate kiss, which had to include the tongue. And in front of the entire Great Hall. Jealousy was thick in the air.
They pulled back looking pleased. Frank looked at them and smiled genially. "May I borrow your friend for today, ladies?"
Mary and Lily giggled. Lily raised a hand in giving a mock-permit and waved it. "Take her" she said seriously, though she was far from it.
Frank beamed and took Alice's hand in his pulling her to her feet. Alice looked back at them. "Bye, see you later" She left.
Well, that wasn't the end of Gryffindor table drama for today because just a few minutes later Shane walked towards it evoking another wave of pleased sighs from girls.
He came to Lily, taking her hand he brushed his lips on it.
Lily giggled while the others grumbled and sent her jealous looks. "Are you ready, Lily?" he asked.
"All for you" she said giggling.
When they were about to walk a blob of dirty dung met Lily's blue dress unexpectantly. She and Shane looked around to find a guilty face. Shane shook his head and pointed his wand towards her dress and said "Scorgify".
He gave the table a last disgusted look before walking away with Lily saying, "That was rather rude of whoever did that. It's disgusting"
*Page Break*
"This is what his plan is- to impress her by cleaning her dress with the Scorgify I choked Snivellus" James mused loudly. "I know I went a bit overboard but still that doesn't mean he is any better"
Remus shook his head, deciding that there was no need to say anything about this.
"Where's Peter?" he asked looking around.
It was Sirius who answered. "He has a grooming session planned. He is going to be occupied for the entire day" he smirked.
Remus frowned. "Okay, so, both Peter and James are not with us. Are you coming with me or you have a date fixed too?"
Sirius looked mildly flushed. "Uh… no. I am going with you, of course"
He smiled. "Thanks, I was looking forward to it. Out of the castle"
*Page Break*
"You have been looking at him for a long time and glaring. Go and say what you want to" Severus said frustrated of Selene's glares towards Shane and her lack of help in keeping Charm shut.
Selene's glower touched his eyes and he cowed. He would never know how she did that when she wanted to? "Now the entire school is going to think that they are together. What do you want me to say?"
"That you fancy him. Easy. Charm says that you are a simp, the biggest in the world" he casually leaned on the table, smirking.
"Charm has perhaps forgotten the hexes I can throw" she muttered and then glowered again, making him cow once more. "And I don't fancy that idiot"
"Oh? Then why are you so shaken that he didn't ask you for a date?" he bit back a smirk.
"I wasn't shaken. He must simply tell me about what's going on in his life. I am his friend" the friend came out as something unsure.
"He fancies you too. He is just doing this to see if you are jealous or not" he said as if it were obvious "You both are simps"
"I don't believe he does" Selene mused loudly. "And for the last time- I am not a simp"
"So, you do admit that you like him?" he teased.
"No!" came out too fast. "Who can like that half-cracked git?" she looked away.
"Apparently almost the entire female Hogwarts population" he leaned in. "But he fancies you" he said as a matter-of-factly.
She blushed but ignored the last statement. "They just like him because he is a pretty face, they really don't know the Shane I do"
"You do" he agreed, but did not pry anymore.
She turned to him smirking. "And now you don't tell me that you are not jealous of Shane?"
"Why would I be?" he feigned ignorance.
"Drop the role, Sev. The entire school knows what's between you and Lily" she mocked Lily.
"Yes, we are best friends" he still didn't give in, though a slight blush was creeping on his neck.
"We all know that you fancy her. But I would say it's so much more than a normal teenage infatuation" she said matter-of-factly.
He sputtered on his morning coffee. She was a true Slytherin. He dropped the role. "I am fine with being best friends. Unless she doesn't hate me and is well-alive, I am fine with everything"
"And you call me a simp" she snorted. "She likes you, she hasn't discovered it yet"
He looked at her wide-eyed but then they saddened. "As a friend, of course"
"Severus, you are not roaming around with me wearing this look on your face" she chided him. "You'll know about things when time comes"
He nodded when she took her jaw and made him look into her softened eyes.
*Page Break*
Austin came to the entrance gate where Marlene and the others were waiting for him. Every one smirked at him when they saw him wearing a hoodie and shorts. Casual wear, but Marlene obviously loved it, judging by the blush that blossomed her face.
Austin grinned. "Hi, guys"
Marlene looked too busy in gawking at him that she didn't even hear him until Lily shook her shoulder to bring in the present.
"Uh… sorry- I mean hello" she stammered.
"We see that you wore shorts, Austin" Selene winked at him.
"Oh… yeah, its hot out here, isn't it?" he flushed.
Severus saw McGonagall from the corner of his eyes, pursing her lips, but this time looked more from hiding a smile than in disapproval. He could have bet that he saw her mouthing something about 'young love'.
Austin took Marlene's hand so gingerly that made her say, "I am not made of glass, Austin"
"Oh, yeah. Of course, not" he gripped her hand tighter and smiled more confidently than he felt. She was wearing a light blue Muggle dress and her hair pulled back in a pony tail looked tamed in a better way than they always were in a Quidditch match. He thought she looked beautiful. He sighed while they walked in pleasure to their first date.
"Bye Selene, Severus, we'll meet you later" Shane winked.
"Yeah, Bye, Shane and Lily" she gave an exaggerated smile and gripped Severus' hand.
Before Selene could pull Severus to the village, Lily tip-toed and kissed Severus on the cheek and smiled. "Bye" she whispered and left with a very content Shane.
Now nothing could have destroyed Severus day. He silently felt the lips that lingered on his cheek a little longer than were meant to. His chest was about to explode with happiness when Selene elbowed him.
"Didn't I tell you? She just hasn't discovered it yet" she said smirking.
Severus couldn't contain his smile, he grinned broadly that his muscles ached but still it wasn't enough to define the sheer happiness he was feeling.
*Page Break*
James was holding Mary's hand this time, not she insisting on doing this. There was big smile on his face and they were running towards the Zonko's shop after having a long Quidditch conversation in the Three Broomsticks and having a praising each other-contest. Mary wasn't in the Gryffindor Quidditch team but she surely knew many things about it. Even though she was a Muggleborn, she had accepted the Wizarding World quite fondly. He liked her… as a friend. She wasn't Lily.
Mary had a slight tanned skin, blue orbs shinning in her eyes and her dusty-blonde hair spread over her shoulders. She was wearing an off-shoulder yellow dress. She was nervous about her appearance but James told her that she looked just fine as always. She had blushed.
They entered the Zonko's and went straight inside to their favorite column.
"You like pranks?" James looked at her.
She smiled. "I do" she said and then frowned. "But they must be harmless and shouldn't be humiliating someone's dignity"
James had the grace to at least look ashamed. He rubbed the back of his neck, becoming uncomfortable about the indirect topic she started. "I-I am s-sorry… um, about what we did. I do believe what we did was wrong but you don't know Snivelly, he hexes us too" he defended himself.
Mary pursed her lips, so much like McGonagall. "You should be apologizing to Snape, not me. What you did was no less than a sexual assault to him and you must be knowing that they call it sport"
"But, Mary-"
"No, James. They enjoy it and you were too. Tell me what's the difference between you two? None. You even gave the excuse of harming him was his existence, just like them" She looked away.
"Mary, I know I was wrong. I am not proud of what I did, now. But really don't know Snape" he called him Snape this time because her look on calling him Snivelly made him feel too childish. Suddenly, he felt too self-conscious.
Mary took his hands into hers and looked up into his eyes. "You know what Mulciber and Avery did with me at the starting of the year because I am a Mudblood-"
"Don't call yourself that" he said sharply.
She nodded "So you know? Yes? Right. And will you vouch for that?"
His face looked horror- struck. She really can't be comparing them to him. But now when Sirius wasn't here to shout on people who made sense, everything pointed towards his own disappointment in himself. Did he actually from a prankster went all the way till becoming a bully and cornering people?
He, of course, would never ever apologize to Snape but he could at least stop doing what he was.
"I believe I can spare my hexes for Death-Eaters and self-defense" he muttered.
"Hmm. Excellent. That's what maturity is all about." she smiled. "So, I see. You can understand things better when it's done sensibly and politely" she joked.
He laughed and put an arm around her shoulder absent-mindedly. She stiffened. "So, let's buy some fun pranks, shouldn't we?" they walked to see the new pranks.
*Page Break*
"Sirius, why are we here at Madam Puddifoot's?"
"Umm… because Three Broomsticks is full today" he managed.
"Oh… okay"
"Come, Moony, we can sit there" they found a table at seated themselves before ordering two butterbeers for them.
Remus looked at Sirius suspiciously. "You have a date here, don't you? That is why you are here"
"Well, yes, I have a date" Sirius winked.
"I knew it. I am most boring person, with whom nobody wants to stay. Fine then, I'll not disturb any of you" he crossed his arms on his chest. He was growing irritated, full moon wasn't much far.
Sirius kept a hand on his thigh. Only if he could take it a bit farther. "Moony, I was joking, I am going with no one today other than you" he assured.
Remus studied him and then nodded.
"Uh… Remus, I wanted to tell you something" Why was this being so difficult?
"I know"
"You do?" Sirius looked at him incredulously.
"Yes, I know that this summers you are going to stay at James' place"
"Yes" Sirius rolled his eyes "But that's not what I wanted to say" he whipped his sweaty palms on his trousers.
Remus frowned. "Then what?"
Sirius cleared his throat. This is harder than he thought. "You- you know we are really good friends. And I care about you"
Remus kept a hand on his thigh. And this was the worst moment he could have done that. Sirius stiffened. Damn! The blood rushed south. He could feel the growing swelling in his groin.
And now Remus was rubbing his thigh too! Oh, Merlin, he could die, of embarrassment and desire. He took Remus' hand and kept it on the table, who looked confused.
Fast, he had to think about something which could stop this… something less vulgar than visioning Remus stroking his penis… something less wild than him inserting his erection in Remus' arse. God damn! Stop thinking about this!
"Are you okay, Padfoot?"
Remus was making nothing easy. Fine… Regulus tap dancing… his forehead was breaking sweat… Slughorn drowning in his potions… McGonagall turning into lizard… Snape wearing a pink tutu… he laughed internally. That did it. The problem was solved for now. He sighed in relief.
"Yeah… I am okay"
"What were you saying, then?" Remus didn't look too satisfied by his answer but brushed it off.
Perhaps, he has to take it slow and more subtle. He looked at Remus and smirked, he will soon bend for him, wouldn't he? "Let's go to Honeydukes, we can get your favorite chocolates"
Remus sat totally confused. One minute he thought Sirius was going to say something -he admitted to himself- he wanted to hear and the other minute he talks about Honeydukes.
Nevertheless, he nodded.
*Page Break*
"I am not buying it"
"Severus, you need to really wash those hair of yours" Selene huffed.
"I bath, it's just that my hair gets greasy too often" he growled.
They were here standing in a shop specialized for wizarding shampoos. He never even knew it existed. And Selene insisted for him to buy that shampoo for too oily hair like his. She claimed that he himself would be too grossed by touching them, and well… that was damn true.
She grabbed her jaw and moved it side to side. "Well, your teeth are fine, will make a fine smile. But then considering the fact that you smile rarely, that too if we have our Miss Green-eyes beside us" she rolled her eyes.
He snorted. It had taken a great deal of self-restrain in his childhood from not touching his tongue to his gums after he broke a milk tooth. He didn't want to get crooked teeth like his father's, they were damn difficult to maintain. He was smart enough when he was a child. He praised himself internally.
"And you brush your teeth well too, I see" she gazed him critically and he suppressed a scowl.
"I maintain self-hygiene. Greasy hair doesn't mean I don't clean myself" he snarled.
"Then we just need to work on your hair. Hmm"
"Selene, I am still not buying it"
"Severus, I think-" she gasped all of a sudden bringing her hand to cover her mouth.
He suddenly turned wary. "What is it?" he asked seriously.
But she grinned and took her wand out. She pointed it on the bottle of the shampoo in her hand and looked around. Finding no one she whispered on the back of it, "Geminio" that produced a duplicate of the ingredients paper from the bottle.
"What are you doing?"
"Severus. Use your brains. We are just making it more exciting"
"How so?" he crossed his arms on his chest. Still not getting her point.
She clucked her tongue. "You love to make potions, don't you?" she whispered.
"Yes, of course" he said as a matter-of-factly.
"So, we'll make it, you fool" she swatted his arm. "And nick some ingredients from Slughorn" she smirked.
He stared at her wide-eyed. Was she suggesting stealing? "And what about the recipe?"
"I have my ways" she placed the paper in her robes and the bottle in its place. "Now, tell me what do you do for fun?"
It caught him off guard. He blinked. "Umm… Reading?"
She groaned. "Something that we would do here in Hogsmeade?"
"Oh… yeah, but I don't think you would be interested" he looked at her sheepishly.
"Just state it"
"Umm… eavesdrop at Hogs Head" that is what he usually did. He looked away to hide his embarrassment.
But she beamed. "You do some really interesting things, Severus" she patted him on his back in appraisal.
"What?! You are actually doing that?" he eyed her in disbelief.
"Yes, come on. It will be fun" she swatted him on the cheek. "And take that look off your eyes" she walked out of the shop followed by Severus and headed to the Hogs Head.
Selene extended her hand. "Money, Severus"
He frowned. "Money?"
"Yes, the one you stole from your father" she raised an eyebrow.
Severus sputtered. How did she know that he had stolen money from his father last summers before coming to Hogwarts? He had only used it to get a gift for Lily on Christmas and her birthday. And now he was planning to buy a book to live through these summer vacations.
Selene laughed and patted his cheek again. "Just assumed, Severus. I never knew you really did that"
He gave a nervous smile and shook his head. "You are an idiot, Selene"
"Then let's buy a book for you first then we'll go to eavesdrop"
"Right" he said confusedly. How does she know he wanted a book? He was perhaps losing it.
*Page Break*
Lily knew something was wrong. Since she and Shane had left Hogwarts, he's been chuckling at her. She asked him if something was there on her face, he denied but never stopped smiling. This had got her irritated till any limits. Now, they were in a book store and she was buying a book for Severus, so that, he could live through that abusive house in the vacations.
"What book are you finding?" Shane asked.
At least he stopped laughing like a maniac. She snorted to herself. "Just a book for Sev. Perhaps some potions or something related to DADA or a mystery novel" she looked at the column and smirked. "No one would guess he reads them, only if I spread a word"
And there it started again. Shane leaned on the shelf, kept a hand over his eyes and well, started laughing again. Lily had enough.
"Shane!" she called out. "Shane! Look at me! And now tell me what is this all about" she waved a finger over his face.
He looked at her, his eyes twinkling in a way which would have put Dumbledore's to a shame.
"Fine. I reckon I must break this to you" he sighed, smiling. "Well, from where to start?"
"That means there is something that I don't know about. I knew it" Lily straightened triumphantly.
"Don't look so smug soon, this may come as a shock to you, judging by the fact how oblivious you are" he rolled his eyes.
Lily knit her brows in confusion. "Now tell me what is it?"
"Well, I don't know what to call it subtle or a simp" Shane laughed.
"Subtle or a simp?" she muttered, trying to make sense.
Shane shook his head. "Don't you think one of these names will suit a person who you know?"
She smirked. "It's going to be a simp, Shane" she rolled her eyes and went back to searching a book.
It was Shane's turn to look confused. "Whom are you talking about?"
"Isn't that obvious" she rolled her eyes again. "You and Selene, Shane"
"What?! No, no, no. You are in a very wrong direction. And don't call me a simp." He huffed.
"The people I know who are in love with each other and not telling them are you two, no denying in that"
"We are not in love with each other" he diverted his gaze.
"Oh? You are not? But definitely Selene is" she gave a smug smile.
"Selene thinks I am a half-cracked git, do you really think she likes me anything more than a friend?" he looked disappointed.
"Shane, she does, it's just that she is waiting for you" she patted his arm.
"Well, but I don't like that obtuse idiot" he tried to look less disappointed.
Lily laughed. "Shane, I am not blind"
Shane got the way to come back to the previous conversation and he smirked. "But if I tell you what I was going to, you will definitely be defined as blind"
She huffed. "Say?"
"Severus is going to kill me for this but perhaps he'll later be grateful" Shane murmured to himself.
"Severus?! This is about Sev?" her eyes widened.
"Yes" he sighed. "He fancies someone and he isn't telling her because -as much as I believe- he doesn't want to destroy their friendship"
She felt disappointed by the news. Why? But anyways, she did. Sev was her friend, imagining him with someone else felt so… so… wrong to her brain.
"Who is she?" she whispered. Please don't say-Charm or simply say it's a joke, she prayed mentally.
Shane suppressed the glee which was about to overflow. "Well… she means the most to him, he would probably turn into a stone without her" he supplied.
Who can be so important to Sev? He generally didn't like people. "Shane! Give me the fucking name" she whined shaking his shoulders.
"Okay, okay. I'll give you another hint" Lily's brows were creased. "She looks lovely and currently our Mr. Sev is jealous of me"
"What?!" her eyes grew as big as saucers. "He likes Selene, but it's been just two weeks they have known each other" she looked at Shane's shaking head. "And you don't have any problem him going on a date with Selene?"
He held her arms. "Lily, Lily" he laughed. "I have actually never seen anyone so oblivious as you are"
"Huh?"
"It's you, Lily" he emphasized.
She stood perplexed. She couldn't form words. Sev fancied her. No. Shane said the girl meant the world to him. He loved her. Why hadn't she ever seen it? But she had to admit this that if it were true, Sev had been damn great subtle.
Now she could see all the hints that her friends threw at her. To notice what Sev wanted. And Sev himself blushing furiously every time she touched him or kissed him or complimented him. She had never noticed it, let alone return it. She always had thought that he was her best friend and these reactions were caused by his general awkwardness to people.
Sev never told her because he didn't want to ruin their friendship. He was so considerate. Because it could have been awkward. But now she knew it and also knew that she was going to see Sev in a very different light than before.
She looked at Shane whose eyes were fixed at her as if reading every thought of her.
"He told you this himself?"
"No" he leaned on the shelf. "It was evident that he fancied you but after your fall out he appeared to break any moment. He was miserable. And that is when I saw that there was more to it"
She looked at him but didn't speak a word.
"The question remains- do you?" he raised his eyebrows.
"I-I don't know. I have no idea" she stammered.
"Understandable. You just have to discover it yourself" he smiled. "But for Merlin's sake don't behave differently in front of him or he'll think that only the word has sabotaged your friendship. Your decision can be anything but don't let your precious friendship fall"
"I-I'll try"
"I know it's difficult but you'll come around" he opened his arms in mock-pride. "After all you live with two biggest simps who behave normally even after knowing about their feelings"
She laughed. "You admit it?"
"I do"
"Then it will be a help" she swatted his cheek. "At least the admission put your incessant laugh to a stop"
"Then let's find a mystery novel for Mr. Who-looks-adorable-when-blushes" He bumped an arm into hers teasingly. She blushed. She had to discover a lot about how she felt.
*Page Break*
A bald man with dark eyes sat drinking Firewhisky in a dark dingy corner of the pub, waiting for the coming order, but otherwise he seemed mostly oblivious to what's happening around him. He had done this plenty of times and gained success. He needn't had to worry about such trivialities.
Another man with long blonde hair sat opposite to him, holding the dirty glass filled with Firewhisky but hadn't touched his lips to it yet. Of course, the place doesn't suit his standards. He scowled at the quality of service they provided but actually his mind stayed somewhere where it was most needed now.
They couldn't fail the task. His lord wouldn't want that. This was the second time he was doing it and he had to be fully prepared for the attack. He looked around the place to see if everything was perfectly in place. He could be the best spy one could have from the Ministry but his Master was too insistent for him to lead such attacks. He sighed, not everything goes our way.
"Dolohov, at least pay attention to what's happening around you" the blonde man hissed.
"You are still a child, Malfoy, don't give me orders. I have many times done this before" Dolohov whispered darkly.
Malfoy opened his mouth to speak but before he could do so, another man in black walked to their table and sat casually, lest arose suspicions.
"After five minutes, attack, Malfoy. Understood?" Rookwood supplied.
Malfoy sat up straighter, a fearful expression taking over his face before he blanked it. "Yes" he managed.
Rookwood nodded.