IT'S CHANGED (SNILY)
CHAPTER 14 School starts again
He had started liking the chirping of the birds in the morning, doesn't mean he liked the owls howling insanely at the pet shops. And the cats there. He scrunched his nose. Merlin saves him from them, they were disgusting. He would never know how Lily liked them?
Then the toads. He gagged. Why in the blazes would someone like to buy them? Those will hop all over you, in your school bag, in your food- Yuck!
"I don't think I'll be buying anything from here, now, Sev" Lily came into his view and readily walked himself out of the shop with her and took a deep fresh breath.
"Merlin. I would never go in there, again" Severus exclaimed, keeping a hand on his chest.
Lily laughed and rested one of her arms on his shoulder. "Perhaps, I make my mind for the next year, Sev. Then what'll you do?"
He gave her a disgusted look. "Then I'll surely carry a sense-numbing potion. Ears and nose"
She laughed again. Like bells ringing. Severus had always liked that sound. He smiled.
Severus staggered back by a sudden force. He moved his eyes to see what it was. He found an excited first year trying to get up from the ground. He sneered. Can't they just walk properly? Over-excited kids running for the first time Diagon Alley.
The boy's eyes fell on him and he burst into tears, instantly wiping the sneer from Severus' face, converting it to a look of confusion. Did he hurt him that badly?
The boy ran away and he followed his way by his eyes.
"I couldn't have hurt him that bad" he argued with himself.
"Just a little, small firstie colliding with an intimidating tall and brooding figure. Obviously, that wouldn't have given him the scare" Lily smirked.
He made an exasperated sound. "You ask me to clean your table all the time when you had dirtied it. I never saw you scaring out from me" He never wanted that either.
Lily chuckled. "No, that's for those tiny kids. You seem cute to me" she kissed his cheek.
He flushed red. Someone would go entirely senile, looking at how fast can he change emotions. He cleared his throat, raising the list of things they had to purchase. It was mostly Lily shopping, he already had everything. He just needed to get some new uniforms and… he squinted, bothered if he read it wrong.
"Dress robes?" He questioned. "What do we need those for?"
Lily peered in her list. "How am I supposed to know? We need to buy them if it's mentioned" she shrugged.
"No way I am wasting my money on this ridiculousness!" he exclaimed.
Lily smacked him on the ear. "If you won't, I'll buy them for you"
"Absolutely not" he scoffed.
"Fine. Then you are buying" she dismissed.
"Fine" he gave.
But she could do without knowing that he was quite good at illusion charms.
*Page Break*
"Faster, Lily, we are already… oh, we are really early"
"See, I told you"
She started moving along Severus, but turned once more and ran to her parents. She hugged them tightly, all of them in tears. They wouldn't meet her before Christmas. He smiled sadly.
He had given his goodbye and thank you, already. They had done so much for him, he would love to revert it to them someway, someday. He sighed and looked away, remembering his mother.
She was so glad and proud of him when he was going to Hogwarts for the first time. He still remembered the day as if it happened just yesterday. His waving at him, till the train was out of view. He felt loved at that time. He mother rarely showed that. But he knew she loved him, unlike his father.
A hand snaked it way around his arm. Lily.
"You can take your time, Lily. We are already early" he whispered to her.
"No, I am fine" she gave him a teary smile. "Come on, through nine and three-quarters" she motioned.
They parted and one after the other ran through the wall with their trunks.
They were met by thousands of people ready to board on the train. Firstie's hugging and kissing their parents' goodbye. Second years looking excited but sad again to leave their families. Third, fourth and fifth years tried to stand stoic, not betraying any tear from their eyes but were immensely failing.
Sixth years, some like Severus were roaming without anyone with them, expect for a friend or two, others stood in corners with their families, lest anyone see their tear-stained faces. What would their crushes think about them? Seventh years looked at the train in longing. This would be their last year at Hogwarts, where they had created all their memories, good or bad.
Severus blindly followed Lily, through the crowd. His eyes suddenly stopped in a corner. A frail woman, looking older than she actually was, seemed as if searching for something or someone. She was wearing black from head to toe, nothing was visible more than her face, a part of neck and hands.
He gasped; his throat constricted.
Lily looked back and frowned. "What, Sev?" she followed his gaze and grinned. "Go, Sev, meet her. I'll be waiting for you" she encouraged.
Severus didn't take long. The next moment he was standing in front of the woman. His mum. Looking into her eyes, his mouth agape. He mother had never come drop or pick him after the first year. Why now?
"Severus, my child" she breathed and pulled him into a hug. He too wrapped his arms around her mother. Tears of joy leaked his eyes.
"Mum?" he whispered.
"Yes, Severus" Eileen whispered back.
"I love you" he cried.
His mother tightened her hold on him. "I too love you, my child" she pretended not to be crying. "And I am sorry for what happened, I really am, for not being able to hold your father back" remorse was evident in her shaking voice.
He wept. How could he tell her that just by coming here, she made him happier than ever? He couldn't form words.
"Shh… Severus. You'll make yourself sick" she rubbed his back and he pulled away, trying to control himself. She wiped those tears off his face. He smiled and kissed his mother's cheek.
"Do you even know how much love I have got in these days?" he said, hoarsely.
Eileen frowned.
"I have my own friends other than Lily and the I lived with the Evans'. They are great people" he explained, seeming much younger than his sixteen-year-old self.
She smiled. "I am glad"
He looked down and spoke shyly. "And I loved you being here… for me"
Eileen kissed his forehead. "Me too, son" she smirked then. "Don't you look handsome, Severus"
He blushed and looked away. "I-I- whatever, mum" he dismissed awkwardly and she laughed. His heart warmed listening to her laugh, he had missed that so much.
After her laugh receded, she held up a bag. He frowned. "What is it?" he asked.
"The unique and exquisite, robes of Prince's. It changes itself as per it would perfectly suit the wearer. It was mine but I don't need it, anymore. So, I believe you can have it" she explained.
"How do you know I need robes and I didn't buy them?" he addressed suspiciously.
She smirked. "Your letter still has the address of our house as you being the resident of there. So, the letter come to me. I sealed it again, after reading. And as for knowing you, I am aware that the money you stole from your father's jacket wouldn't be wasted on something like dress robes"
"Oh? Are you sure you are giving these Prince robes to me?"
She nodded confidently. "We pass it our heir, so, I do to you and hope to see them going to my grandchildren" she teased.
He blushed. "Grandchildren!" he muttered, repeating in her tone.
The whistle blew of the train, signing them to be on the train soon.
He looked at his mother. "Bye, Mum" he said hoarsely.
"Shh… child. Don't cry again, now. You'll truly get yourself sick" she hugged him one last time and gave him the bag of robes. "Bye, Severus" she whispered.
He kissed her cheek and walked away to Lily who was getting the trunks on the compartment. How he truly wanted the moment with her mother to have frozen forever. He didn't want to leave her.
"I'll help you there" he reached to Lily.
Lily turned to him. "Sev" she smiled. "You know, how much I love the new Sev?"
"New, me?"
"Yeah, the one who is a bit more open than before in showing his emotions" she said matter-of-factly.
He flushed red. She must have seen the tear-stains on his cheeks and his red and puffy eyes. Merlin. His face must be screaming of him being crying.
"Don't feel embarrassed, you haven't seen Shane and Austin, yet, they had rivers of tears flowing down their faces. Charm and Selene can hold proper composure though" she tried to console.
His face turned even redder and he looked away.
A sudden sharp object, raced from his waist to his upper chest, cutting his navy blue turtle-neck. His hand instantly flew up to prevent his t-shirt from flapping open.
He looked up and cursed. An OWL! He sneered. He just hated them, now.
Lily snickered.
"What's funny, Lily? An owl rips my t-shirt apart and you are laughing?" he narrowed his eyes in irritation.
She shook her head. "No, Sev, nothing's funny" she said in a mock-sober tone. "I suppose you must drag your trunk in a compartment and change"
He didn't reply just grabbed his trunk and bag and tried to drag them with one hand to an empty compartment.
Lily shook her head. He was so cute.
"Oh… you are here, Lily. Thank, Merlin" Selene came from Lily's back.
"What happened? Shane's fine?" she asked.
Selene sighed, tiredly. "I tried to comfort him saying it was only the last year at Hogwarts after that he can surely go and stay with his parents peacefully, and you can imagine what happened next"
Lily sighed and chuckled at the same time. "Yeah… this just made him sadder and he ran back to his mum"
Selene nodded. "Where's Severus?"
"Oh… he met his mum here too and then an owl came and ripped his shirt so, went in to change"
"His mum came? Was he happy to see her?" Selene asked incredulously.
Lily beamed. "He was ecstatic, couldn't hold back his tears"
"Good for him. He must pour himself out sometimes. Though, I shouldn't be saying that after being friends with Shane" she wiped her brows.
"I could say the same for you too" Lily smirked.
Selene straightened. "I am a Slytherin, we are not allowed to show weakness" she said stiffly, looking away.
"That's not true. Emotions doesn't make you Gryffindor, those make you a human and you are totally allowed to be that in front of your friends. That is what I explained to Sev too a long time ago, though he understands it now" she rolled her eyes.
"Right" Selene muttered, distractedly.
"Where's Austin, by the way?" Lily looked around.
"Crying on Marlene's shoulder" Selene shook her head.
The whistle of the train blew again. They looked at each other. "We must hurry" Lily said, hastily, picking her trunk up and walking into the train while Selene went away to see where Shane is.
She huffed. The trunk was heavy. She never thought about it being heavy while she filled up everything in. She rolled her eyes on herself.
*Page Break*
She saw a compartment, perhaps, that was empty. After a long way through the crowds. She dragged her trunk till there and opened the compartment door.
Merlin. The sight. Her eyes widened.
Severus stood there, his chest bare, his trousers hanging limply on his hips and the emerald green waist band of his underwear showing. He was shoving his uniform white shirt on one of his arms.
She closed the door instantly with a yelp, hoping Severus hadn't noticed her.
A forceful buzz went through her crotch. Blood rushed downstairs. She could feel the clitoris erecting itself under its pouch. Her nipples hardened under her bra and her vaginal lips swelled. Then the worst part. Her panties going wet gradually from the dropping of her natural lubrication.
Her face flushed red. Horny pictures ran through her mind. Closing her eyes shut made it only worse.
Severus didn't have any of those chiseled muscles like a Quidditch star, but the ones she saw took her breath off. Her heart started beating faster on the image of herself running a hand on his bare and beautiful chest.
Seeing his underwear like that made her weak from the knees. The urge to pull them further down was overwhelming. She took a shaky breath. Merlin. She never knew Severus could look so… sexy.
"What are you doing out here, Lily?" a familiar voice brought her out of her thoughts. He turned to the voice. Shane was standing with his bag thrown on one his shoulders and he eating a chocolate happily. Selene was standing behind him, rolling her eyes.
She was caught off- guard. "Oh… I- err… Sev is- well, changing inside, so, I was just waiting" her face flushed a deeper shade of red.
Shane gave a mischievous smile. He knocked on the door. "May we come in, Severus?"
"Yeah" an obvious voice came from inside the compartment.
Shane opened the door and stepped in. Lily kept her eyes glued to the floor; dare she look at Severus' face. And unfortunately, she was pushed by others to sit beside Severus. She closed her eyes, trying to suppress the feeling.
A hand brushed through her thigh and her hand flew to her mouth to suppress a moan that was trying to break out from her throat.
Severus' eyes turned to her at the reaction, filled with concern. "Is something wrong, Lily?"
She spared his face a glance. Then only Merlin could've told how her face didn't turn into ash after burning so furiously. The images ran through her mind again. Her knickers were soaking wet by now. He had aroused her so badly by just a glance of him.
She crossed her legs and squirmed uncomfortably. It felt so weird.
She dropped her gaze again, clearing her throat. "Everything's fine" she croaked.
"Fine, then" he shrugged. He brought up a hand and brushed her hair from her shoulder sending a chilly warmth down to her crotch.
She looked at him confusedly. He held up a leaf. Must have fallen in her hair, earlier.
Her lubrication hadn't stopped yet. She had started feeling overly hot and uncomfortable, she had to get out of the place and change. But… DAMN! She couldn't just grab another of her panties from her trunk in front of everyone. She squirmed. Perhaps, she'll just wipe herself up.
She eyed both Shane and Selene who had their feet on the seat and a book between them, supposedly playing tic-tac-toe. She walked out of the compartment. Only if she would have peered in the book.
*Page Break*
'Do you think something's wrong with her?' Shane wrote in the book propped open on his and Selene's thighs.
'Obviously, Shane.'
'Her face is flushed red and just look at Severus' face… he looks so confused' Shane laughed silently.
'Do you think she saw him while he was changing?'
'Oh, you have a very right point, brilliant'
'I knew that. I mean looking at someone's bare chest can arouse you'
'Eww… Sel, you are so disgusting' he wrote and scrunched his nose, mockingly, earning a smack on his head.
'Fine. Go and read the Tales of Beetle the Bard like small child would' Selene turned her face away in mock-dismissal.
Shane kissed her cheek and mouthed "Sorry".
She turned to the book again, as if never wanted to leave in the first place. 'Yes, so, must be having horny thoughts'
'Oh, just look Severus brushed her hair away'
'And her face… HA, beet red'
'Merlin, it was just a leaf'
'She crossed her legs'
'Must be getting wet'
'Have you ever?'
Selene glared at him. 'Obviously. If you haven't noticed I am a girl and proper 17, about to turn 18 in a few months'
'Just asking' he shrugged. 'Who gave it to you?'
She glared again. 'Myself'
'Oh. I thought…'
'Who?'
'…Never mind'
'No, now give me the name, Shane'
'No one, I was just wondering'
'Now… or I am not speaking with you'
'Fine. Afroze. Andrew Afroze'
'He is sexy, a bit, wouldn't you say so?'
'You are crushing all my self-esteem, Selene'
'No but I don't have any hots for him'
'Thank Merlin'
'Why, were you jealous?'
'NO! Absolutely not. I don't like him and don't want my best friend behind him'
'Oh?'
'Yeah… what other reason there can be?'
'None, obviously' she paused. 'And what about you?'
'What about me?'
'Who arouses you?'
'What do you care?'
'Just wondering, is it that the seeker of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team? Sara Chang?' her hand shook while writing.
'No. She is someone else. She is pretty'
'Who?'
'For her it's not very difficult to turn my mood up'
'Anybody can do that. Me too?'she smirked while writing.
'We were talking about arousal. But how? You?'
'Yeah… I was the one who got you chocolate when you were crying and not letting your parents go'
'If you keep on reminding me of them, you'll have to lend me a shoulder again' he sniffled.
'Shush, not again. You are done for one day. You'll be sick if you cry again'
'But I miss them'
'Shh… Shane, you are going to meet them in Christmas'she kissed him slyly on the cheek.
'Yeah' he blushed.
'Now, what?'
'Oh… see she is getting up'
'Yeah, and escaping'
'Escaping what?'
'Severus' hotness, of course'
'Now, you find him hot too!'
'Not in the way you think'
'Then?'
'Just in a cute brother type way'
'Oh? Lily has cool butts too, by the way'
'You think what?!'
'In a sweet sister friendly way to me'
'Whatever'
'Austin's in'
'Oh… he has nice legs too. Why am I surrounded with all the heart-breakers?'
'Selene… fu- you think Austin's got good legs. Who is left now? How do you think I am?'
'Oh… you? Crazy and half-cracked'
'I hate you'
'Yeah? I don't fall for people, for whom everyone does'
'Those people fall for you'
'What do you mean by that?'
'Nothing at all. Look Austin's giving us that strange stare'
'Then stop writing, silly'
'You too, idiot'
'Stupid'
'Keep the book now'
Selene slammed the book shut.
*Page Break*
"What are they both doing?" Austin whispered to Severus.
"I have no idea" Severus turned away from the window.
"They seem to be in a very intense…?"
"Tic-Tac-Toe?" he suggested.
"Perhaps" Austin gave Shane and Selene a look.
They kept their book aside and sat straighter, bringing their feet to the compartment floor again. They gave Severus and Austin an awkward, toothy smile.
Severus narrowed his gaze. "So, what were you both discussing in the notebook?"
"Ah… what- nothing, just playing… Tic-Tac-Toe" Selene made a petty excuse.
"Oh? Who won the most times?" Severus tested them.
"Selene"
"Shane"
Both Shane and Selene spoke up together, pointing towards each other and then flushed red. Severus and Austin smirked.
"We won with a fifty-fifty" both said together to cover up and looked at each other smugly for getting the correct solution.
"Oh…" Severus left it.
"Where have you been, Austin?" Selene inquired.
Austin looked away and blushed. "With Marlene" he muttered.
"Oh? So, you are ditching us for her?" Shane made a mock- hurt face.
Austin's face jerked up in alarm. "No! She is just my…"
"Girlfriend. The number of times you met her in the holidays, that's evident" Selene teased.
"Yeah" he flushed again. "But I am not ditching you all. Never think that"
Shane and Selene laughed. "We were just joking Austin" Shane told him.
"Right" he mumbled, embarrassed.
The compartment door opened and Lily walked in, looking way more comfortable and relieved than before. Austin got up and sat beside Selene, so that she could sit beside Severus.
She hesitated for a second but then sat there, a little distant from Severus.
Severus frowned. What was wrong with her? Anyways, he dismissed it.
"So, what were you all talking about?" Lily broke the silence.
"Nothing in particular" Severus replied, though he dismissed the idea consciously, he wanted to know what was wrong.
"Oh? You think-" she was cut instantly by a screech and the compartment door banged opened, revealing Charm.
She was panting, looking at them she grinned broadly. She quickly took a seat beside Severus, pushing Lily away in the ordeal.
Severus huffed as Charm's hair that were flying in all directions, went in his eyes, nose and mouth. He kept both his hands on her shoulders to steady her and then brushed all her hair from one shoulder to the other, away from him.
She looked at him. "Sorry" she muttered, still beaming. He gave her a mock-glare.
Lily's face seemed to burst any moment with jealousy. She looked away, can't see Severus touching any other girl. How could Severus do that? Didn't he love her anymore?
Fine. She fancied him back. She had to admit that to herself sooner or later.
He was cool but brooding, both mixtures ran right with her. He was so hot and sexy, and she couldn't believe she had been thinking about him like that for a long time, subconsciously. He was smart and attractive in his own unique way. She liked his dry humor too, that went unnoticed by many. He was harsh on the outside, but when you get to know him, he was the cutest person. And his blush just made her want to giggle every time. Her head was a mess, apart from the fact that she had hots for her best friend.
She blushed at the thought. Hell… she was losing her head.
"Something wrong, Lily?" Shane asked breaking her train of thoughts with an innocent-look that was definitely fake.
"N-No… I am fine" she replied hastily.
Shane nodded, giving her a wink and a smirk.
"Yes, so, what is it, Charm?" Austin asked.
Charm jumped with excitement. "Yeah…" she thrusted a newspaper in Severus' face. "This is that Wilkes, broken out from Azkaban just today, early morning. This paper hasn't even published yet. My house-elf nicked it from somewhere. Do you think we can…?"
"Spread that he is at Hogwarts" Selene completed, while Severus growled at her.
"Safety, people, safety. Muffliato" he huffed, waving his wand and getting an "Oh…" from everyone.
"Isn't that good to spread it as soon as possible" Lily spoke. "As per the newspaper, no one knows he is"
"Yes, right, because Dumbledore's here an no one would suspect him here and that is why he came here" Severus agreed. "A good thought complicated plan"
"Yeah… right" Shane said.
"So, what all we can say is…" Selene started.
*Page Break*
They separated ways from the gate of the Great Hall. The Hall looked just as grand as always. The house curtains were looming over their tables, impressively. Though, green seemed the most glorious to him. The teachers were lined up on their chairs on the staff table. Dumbledore sat in the middle on his throne-like chair.
Severus walked with Selene and Charm to his table but upon his arrival, there could've been heard many gasps. People started at him while he silently took a seat. Selene was suppressing a giggle and Charm did not seem any surprised by the reaction of others.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Selene gave a chuckle. "People are staring at you, Severus"
"Why?" he grumbled.
"Why do you stare at Lily?" she asked, smirking and thinking she was too smart.
Severus turned away from her. "I don't stare at her" he said stiffly, while his traitorous eyes searched her face.
"Uh-huh. You don't and you are not now even" she laughed.
"Fine. Keep doing this"
Selene leaned on his shoulder. "They find you attractive, Severus" she said as if it was the most obvious thing.
"Oh…" he blushed. "Why?" he asked more to himself. He knew his hair weren't greasy anymore and he wasn't as skinny as before but that doesn't still make him attractive. He still was ugly.
Selene scoffed. "Because, you just are. Let them be the judge of that"
Severus suddenly laughed after listening to Selene. "Look at Potter and Black. The astonishment. They look like fools"
Selene searched for them but instead saw Lily's blushed face. Perhaps, the Gryffindor table was talking about Severus.
"I always knew this was about to happen one or the other day" Charm prompted.
"What?"
"Finding you attractive, of course" she dismissed. "At least now can get someone better than Lily" she shrugged.
Severus opened his mouth to speak but was cut by the start of the sorting ceremony.
The new kids looked tiny and well… awed by Hogwarts, like every year. The students started to get sorted and welcomed by their new housemates.
Then came Dumbledore's speech.
"Welcome to the first years and welcome back to the older years at Hogwarts" Dumbledore smiled. "As always, it's lovely to see your excitement and a tad nervousness about the school. Work hard you'll get through. Now, I know you wouldn't want to hear the blather of an old man so, I'll make it fast.
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has some rules for the students. One of them is that magic is not allowed in the corridors and the others are written on a list pasted right in front of his office. The Forbidden Forest remain out of bounds and the village of Hogsmeade to all below the third years.
"Now, I have another announcement to make. Our school is hosting the event of the Triwizard Tournament this year…"
The chatter in the Hall rose. Severus looked at Selene and Charm, who looked exceedingly calm and smug.
"This is what you weren't telling us?" he asked, frowning.
"Yes" Selene answered back.
"We are holding the Triwizard Tournament. If my memory serves right, we haven't had this tournament in years because the constant deaths" he remembered.
"The very same" Charm agreed.
He was going to have an outburst. "Have our school gone senile. I knew Dumbledore did not possess an entire brain but the Triwizard Tournament? This is insane"
"I am aware it is dangerous, Mr. Snape" Dumbledore replied pleasantly, seeming to have heard Severus making him flush red when all the eyes landed on him. Why the fuck was he sitting so close to the head table?
"Now, if you all let me continue…" he waited for the chatter to recede. "This competition is held to improve our relations with the other countries. It was a friendly competition established seven hundred years ago between the three largest European schools- Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. It has not been held for years but we are making another attempt to start it again and Hogwarts have been given the opportunity to do so.
"The students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be our guests for the entire year and will be arriving on thirty-first of October. The competition will continue the entire year and so, I dread to say that the inter-school Quidditch Cup will not take place this year as our teachers will remain busy with the arrangements of the Competition"
The speech ended with the deflation noises from all four tables, especially from the quidditch teams.
"Now, now, students. Please welcome our new Defence Against the Dart Arts Professor. Professor Raquel"
The claps arose from the Hall when a tall and thin man whose skin seemed to be stretched on his bones, giving a long-stretched smile rose from his chair to show himself. He bowed a little to the students and sat down again.
"Now children, lets get the feast started" Dumbledore announced and their empty dishes filled with food and drinks.
And they dug in, excited or rumbling about the tournament and deflated or pleased by the cancellation of the inter-house Quidditch cup.