Lily began rubbing her eyes to shake the boredom of a last-minute refresher for her O.W.L.s. Something was always so claustrophobic about the Hogwarts Library being sectioned off by small study areas. It reminded her of how much more open and welcoming all the Muggle libraries she visited as a child had been. The only time the Library had proven a productive place to study was with a partner, usually Severus, to keep her mind back on track.
Her mind began to drift with a heavy sigh as she finished looking at her completed star charts for the constellation of Capricornus. Astronomy was an interesting class, but there was little need to keep drilling the star patterns into her eyes. Every question she had asked Alice about O.W.L.s stated that Astronomy was likely the easiest exam of all to do well on with just a basic foundation of star charts and planetary bodies.
Before she could turn her attention to her History of Magic notes, Lily's concentration was interrupted by a familiar, whimsical voice.
"Oh, hello Lily!" The warm whisper of Pandora greeted her by surprise.
"Hi, Pandora!" Lily whispered back softly, determined not to draw the ire of Madam Pince as she turned her attention away from a smudged series of notes on the Goblin Rebellion led by Ranrok in the late 1800s. Clearly based on the messiness of her usually neat handwriting, Lily had started to fall asleep during the lecture as so many other students had done before her. History was always more exciting to live for oneself than to read about in tomes that were eroded by time.
"Doing some last-minute studying for your exams?" The younger witch asked with a tilt of her head, revealing a lovely blue feather amidst her blonde hair.
Lily shut her notes to give Pandora her undivided attention. "You could say that. Most of this is committed to memory, I just wanted one last day to refresh my knowledge for my two weakest classes." She paused, pointing at the feather. "That's quite a lovely accessory. Does that belong to a Jobberknoll?"
Pandora stared at Lily for a moment before shrugging at the question, a quirk that Lily had quickly grown used to. If nothing else, it helped her practice speaking more properly when Pandora pointed out fallacies in how she phrased her questions.
"Technically it belongs to me. But if you're asking where it came from, yes, it's a Jobberknoll's feather. Hagrid's been letting me help him bring this little one back to health. He even let me name it."
"Ooh! That's nice of Hagrid! He's usually so quick to name his new friends, so he must trust you quite a bit. What'd you name it?"
Pandora's lips curled into a nostalgic grin. "I named him Sétanta. It's the childhood name for one of the most famous Irish heroes to have ever walked. I thought it appropriate since I got to name him the day after I officially met Severus in the Hospital Wing."
Lily's eyebrow perked up in confusion at Pandora's reasoning. She knew the girl had a crush on Severus, but clearly there was more to it. "Wait…you named the bird after a famous Irish hero? I'm missing how Sev fits into this."
The younger girl's cheeks reddened. "That's obvious, isn't it? Sétanta was a boy who grew into a great hero. And as I've already told you, Severus' aura is positively magnificent. There isn't anyone at Hogwarts like him. I'm sure he's destined for similar greatness as Sétanta."
"There it is again." Lily thought. "That aura she keeps talking about."
"I wish I could see what you see. How is it that you have an ability like that anyway?" she asked.
Pandora turned her head down to the first floor of the room, overlooking Madam Pince's desk as the keeper of the library began her usual watchful patrol for students who might talk even the slightest bit louder than appropriate. Not wanting to be thrown out with Lily, the girl quieted down and leaned in further.
"I've always had it. My mum was nearly taken by fairies when she was still pregnant with me. It happened when she wandered too far within a forest in Glenariff glen."
"Where's that?" Lily asked, fascinated.
"It's in Northern Ireland, where I was born. Mum's exceptionally ordinary, so that's likely when I got the ability. It's also probably the reason she wasn't snatched. They tend to want to play around with more peculiar people like my father and me."
Pandora looked down at Madam Pince once again as the old witch began glaring daggers at two Hufflepuff fifth year boys in the opposite corner.
"If you wanted to see Severus' aura, I could show it to you with a spell I created. But I'm afraid you might make too much noise once I use it. People's reaction to it tends to vary in intensity. Do you have any skill in Occlumency?"
"Occlu…what?" the redhead asked, embarrassed that Pandora apparently knew more forms of magic that she had never heard of. Lily prided herself on absorbing and studying relentlessly in Hogwarts. Her high marks had been the reason she now wore a Prefect badge, after all.
"I'm not surprised. Most students don't know Occlumency. It's a type of self-magic used to lessen the intensity of invasive magic cast on your mind. When you get really skilled, you can block it out entirely."
"Invasive magic. So things like the Confundus Charm and…" she paused, remembering the spell used to violate Mary's mind. "The Imperius Curse..?"
Pandora nodded. "All of that and more. You don't need to actually block me out if I cast my spell on you, but if you have no skill in Occlumency whatsoever, the effects can be…rather intense, you see. But Madam Pince will be sure to ban us for the remainder of the year.
The younger witch got to her feet and smiled down at Lily. "Shall we? I know the perfect place where we can do this in private. That is of course, assuming you're done studying."
She paused for a moment, her silver, Patronus-colored eyes squinting slightly, unfocused for a short period. After a few seconds, she blinked, focusing back on Lily, her adorable grin on display once again. "Hardly necessary anyway. Your remaining exams are all going to be graded with O's."
"And how would you happen to know that?" Lily asked, her eyes widening in curiosity as she began to gather her notes and place them within her school bag. Pandora had proven so different from her other friends in the short time she's known her, but her curiosity was piqued.
"Because I see things. Things like what I'm going to show you. It's a bit far though. Seventh floor corridor near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. It's my secret place for when I'm feeling lonely and Hagrid is away within the Forbidden Forest."
Lily frowned, feeling sorry for the poor girl. Someone as unique as Pandora Whittle should not have had such difficulty in making new friends. She was certainly an odd one, but odd was rarely ever a negative thing. If anything, like Severus, odd behavior made the young Ravenclaw much more interesting.
"All the more reason to get to know her more. She deserves better than to feel lonely." Lily thought before standing up as well.
"Alright then. Lead the way, Pandora!"
Once the girls arrived within the corridor, Lily's green eyes scanned the area for any sign of this mysterious place her new friend had told her about. She'd been down this hallway numerous times due to its proximity to the Astronomy Tower, but she'd always passed through in a bit of a rush. Still, if she was missing something, Pandora's hiding place had to be exceptionally well hidden.
Once the blonde girl stepped forward however, everything became clear as an iron door suddenly materialized within the stone wall opposite the tapestry of the dancing trolls.
"Wait a moment…is this the Room of Requirement?!" Lily asked in astonishment.
She'd heard rumors of course, from numerous classmates in the school about a room that had the uncanny ability to come and go, not just here, but everywhere within the castle. Whenever the nearest loo was too far away for a particularly needy student to do their business, a mysterious single bathroom would appear in their time of peril.
She'd even overheard the Marauders talking about a place where they'd sometimes stash their ill-gotten contraband that had been smuggled in from Hogsmeade. Once she became a Prefect, Lily vowed to find the room to catch Potter in the act, but had thus far been unsuccessful. Besides, with the myriad of events that had occurred as of late, Lily found herself thinking about James Potter considerably less than usual.
Once the door was opened however, Lily witnessed something beyond her imagination. Despite it being on the seventh floor, she and Pandora seemed to set foot into a grassy meadow, a small clearing amidst a sea of trees that were clearly older than Hogwarts Castle itself.
Hearing the soft crunch of the blades of grass under their feet, Lily shook her head in amazement. It was like a gateway to another world, a peaceful green sanctuary not unlike how her father described The Shire from the Fellowship of the Ring.
"I've come here a lot since I found it in my first year." Pandora explained. "Reminds me a bit of home ever since Mum and I moved to England. Anytime I feel sad, this room always seems to make me feel better."
"I can see why!" Lily gasped, absorbing every bit of the room. Taking a deep breath in, she noticed the air was fresh, not at all like the thickness that seemed to hang within most of the hallways and rooms within Hogwarts. The sky above, while mostly hidden by the trees surrounding them, had rays of sunshine peeking through the gaps of the tall branches above. There was even the gentle sound of rushing water, presumably from a stream somewhere nearby.
"It's incredible. And you created it from within your mind. That's amazing, Pandora!"
"Thank you, Lily." Pandora said with her usual grin, before drawing her wand. "Now, I'll warn you. I don't really know how you will react. If you don't have any aptitude for Occlumency, this spell is going to be particularly intense. Do I have your permission to show you?"
Lily shrugged. Even if it was a skill that she didn't know, she had little reason to believe that she had absolutely zero aptitude for it. She'd worked hard and done well in all of her classes, after all. "I think I can handle it, but thank you for asking."
Pandora gently touched her wand to her own temple before extracting what looked like a silver strand of liquid. "Normally with memories, people will put them into a Pensieve to let others view them. But I created my own spell to help others see it within their mind, almost as if they could live it. I'll leave out the details of what Severus and I talked about when I saw him for the sake of his privacy, but the aura…it's something you absolutely must see for yourself.
Lily nodded her head, amazed that such a young witch was so talented at crafting her own magic, much like Severus.
"They really would make such a good match…" Lily thought with a smile.
"Alright then. I think the memory's ready." Pandora explained, plucking the strand out so that the connection to her head was separated completely before pointing her wand at Lily. "Oculus Mentis!" she exclaimed, and the silver strand shot forward, instantly absorbing into Lily's head.
Lily shut her eyes, gasping as suddenly, a scene appeared within her mind's eye. She and Severus…or was it Pandora and Severus? They were talking in the Hospital Wing, although their voices were muffled and distant. It wasn't important. Nothing was important…
That wasn't true. One thing was very important. Before her eyes stood Severus, who stood bathed in nothing short of a magical, violet-colored inferno. It shone so wondrously, like twinkling stars in a night sky bathed in a purple-colored aurora…
She couldn't focus on anything else…didn't want to. There'd been nothing so beautiful…So mesmerizing…So hypnotic. Nothing at all like it within her whole life.
And it came from Severus. A mysterious boy who radiated that purple color so strongly that it nearly obscured him from her vision. It was so enchanting to gaze upon, to bask in, to even be in the presence of something so magical…
But Lily also knew what such a color represented. Sadness. Mourning. He was on the brink. Driven to the edge for a reason that she didn't know. And she knew that someone with an aura that radiant was a person worthy of her attention. More importantly, he was someone who needed love in his life…to change that aura from such a haunting color into something happier and more fulfilling. She could help…Lily could help him. She wanted to help him. Needed to help him…
Lily would regret it for the rest of her life if she couldn't help someone so beautiful heal the wounds of their heart. The rest of the world needed to see Severus as she did.
The scene changed and Lily found herself in the cafeteria, talking to Severus after making her way to his table. She marveled at the change in his aura.
Where before Lily saw a haunting color, so intense that it looked like someone who had nearly given up on life, now she could not contain her smile.
His aura blazed, somehow even bigger and more brightly than before, and the color! Merlin's beard, the color!
Severus was covered from head to toe in the most beautiful green she had ever seen, and considering she'd spent her childhood in the forests of Ireland, Lily's standard for what defined a lovely green was higher than most.
It glimmered like a sea of emeralds, and suddenly, words from Lily's time spent dreaming of fairies reminded her of what they called their home. Okeano Viridi. Viridi. Such a nice word…as lovely as the color which absolutely captivated her imagination.
It was such a healthier color than before. An aura which signified yearning and desire. And Merlin, did Lily desire him…such a mystery he was. But one that she wished to get to know…to learn more about. She envied the Gryffindor girl, Lily, who'd known him for so many years…how she wished she could have spent her years with such an amazing boy as Severus Snape.
"Wait…" Lily thought, or something akin to that amidst the haze of mindless bliss. "Lily..? I'm Lily…aren't I..? Why am I…?"
It all vanished as she looked back at Severus again, grinning at him happily, feeling her cheeks heat up with a blush that she didn't care to hide. It didn't matter to Lily if she was forward with him about her feelings and fascination. It was the only way to
"Up…Lily, wake up!" A girl's voice echoed, pulling her up to the surface of the Okeano Viridi she was content to drown within…
Lily's eyes snapped open with a sharp gasp, coming back to reality, feeling the grass on her knees. Somehow, during the process, she had lost her footing and collapsed onto the green floor of Mother Nature underneath her.
"Green…Viridi…Sev's aura…So beautiful…Amazing boy…" she chanted internally, recalling and losing herself within the memory once more. Her eyes began to glaze before being jolted back to awareness by the sound of fingers snapping.
Pandora's head tilted as she looked down at Lily. "I was expecting it to have a powerful effect on you, but dear me, Lily. You would be dreadful at learning Occlumency…I've never seen someone react like that to my spell before."
Lily's lips pouted childishly at the criticism. "Hey, I'm new to this! I'm sure I could do it with practice!"
Pandora shook her head. "Only if you had any latent ability in mental magic, which you clearly don't. You reacted so strongly to the memories that you lived them for yourself. I was only expecting you to recall them."
Lily shakily got to her feet, clutching her forehead for a moment as she tried to shake the cobwebs the spell seemed to leave within her mind. Even with the strange and soporific after-effects of Pandora's spell lingering within her mind, Lily couldn't help but admire whatever it was that had triggered that aura which she now recalled for herself.
"Thanks for showing me, Pandora. It was a really interesting spell you made! Just…maybe I'll pass on having it cast on me again." She chuckled with a sheepish grin.
The younger witch raised a finger of caution. "Whatever your choice of career path is…I'd recommend picking a safe one. Preferably where you don't have to fight any dark wizards. If you got hit with a Confundus Charm, or Merlin forbid, the Imperius Curse…let's just say they wouldn't release you from the spell like I did. You didn't want to wake up from that trance at all."
Lily regarded Pandora's words for a moment "I'll keep that in mind. Or…well, out of mind. But thank you again! It was a wonderful experience to finally get to see what you are talking about when you bring up Sev's aura. Do other people have their own?"
"From time to time in moments of extreme emotion, colors will flare up. But most of the time, like now when I'm speaking to you, it's just a faint, see-through gray aura. Severus though…" Pandora paused with a blushing sigh.
"For some reason, his aura is that intense all the time now. And it's quite a privilege to watch."
Lily nodded, understanding for the first time what it was like to be so overwhelmed by that feeling. That wonderful, entrancing, blissful feeling…
"Oops!" Lily gasped, pinching her wrist once she realized that she'd started to spiral back down into that state again.
Pandora's brow furrowed as she watched the redheaded witch's display. "I'm a bit jealous that you seem to be more affected by my memories than I am. And people say that I have my head in the clouds.
Lily giggled nervously as she and Pandora exited the Room of Requirement together. It had certainly been an enlightening experience to say the least.
"What's Sev up to I wonder…?" She dimly thought, recalling that green aura again.
Author's Note: Well well, seems our gifted Muggleborn witch isn't amazing at everything, is she? What little we know of Pandora Lovegood in the canon of the books says that she experimented with spells of her own making, so I decided to craft one here as well as make a trippy little scene of Lily overwhelmed and almost possessed by the memories Pandora has. It also helps the two girls get to know each other a bit more, help Lily see things from Pandora's perspective, even if only for a few moments. Even if that perspective seems to be a little bit sticky and persistent right now...
Once again, please leave your comments and feedback! It's the highlight of hours spent writing.