Sev's cloak

The next day, the day before the date, Lily was completely absent, struggling to concentrate in class, but as soon as she was careless for a moment, there he was, in her head. It didn't matter, she knew that as soon as they talked, everything would return to normal, maybe different, but more exciting than ever.

On Saturday she woke up very early and she couldn't go back to sleep because she was so nervous. She went to the bathroom quietly, because her companions were still sleeping, to take a long hot shower, and under the water she thought of getting ready in some special way for him.

She would have liked to wear some nice muggle dress or outfit she had, but she dismissed it because it would draw too much attention to her to be so dressed up to stay in the castle. Perhaps that expensive perfume that her mother gave her for Christmas and that although she never used it, she had insisted on putting it in the trunk. But she remembered that Sev, when he smelled it for the first time, made a disgusted face saying, "What muggle gooey have you put on yourself? You smell so much better of yourself."

For that very reason and because she would have had to borrow it raising suspicions, since she didn't have any of it, she didn't even think of putting on makeup.

As she carefully dried her red hair with her wand - it was a hassle to have it so long and thick, the Muggle hair dryer was much more appropriate, but the electrical appliances didn't work in the castle - she realized that if Sev had liked her so far as she was, naturally, she didn't need to make any effort to improve her appearance.

She went back into the room and dressed in the dimness in a clean uniform but without the Gryffindor tie, and looking at herself in the full-length mirror she couldn't help but compare herself to the stunning beauty who was now accompanying Sev in Potions, and who knows if in any other of the classes they did not take together too, wondering if he had already substituted her for Parkinson in his heart, and decided not to wear the robe, which would completely hide her soft but harmonious curves.

Her companions were still sleeping, she put the Potions book, scrolls, quill, inkwell and wand in her backpack, and when she went down to the Common Room to wait until breakfast time, she saw through the window that the sky was totally overcast and it was falling a light drizzle. Autumn had arrived.

'What a bummer!' she thought, because due to bad weather many more students would be staying at the castle instead of going to Hogsmeade.

In the Great Hall they looked at each other for a few seconds, and it seemed to her that Sev was studying her with some concern. He went out before her with several boys from his house.

She walked with her companions to the entrance hall as they prepared to leave for the village, standing in line for Filch to check her clearances.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Lily? It's the first outing of the year," Cecile asked.

"The weather is bad, I prefer to study."

"To study, to study, always studying," Bethany said. "But there are eight months left for the OWLs! Could it be that you have something better to do?"

"At least she don't waste the time, not like others," Cecile cut her off.

She might have been spared the trouble, but she wanted to make sure that the snakes Sev used to hang out with, not just those of his year but some of the higher grades as well, left, and that he didn't go with them.

When she saw them leave without him, she said goodbye to the girls and headed towards the Library with relief. As she expected, it was busier than usual on a Hogsmeade Saturday, but there was no one 'dangerous'. The Gryffindor quartet had also left for town.

She sat on the last bench, where they always sat together, at the height of the shelves of the Restricted Section, and she took the Potions book out of her backpack, ready to distract herself while she waited to arrive her... friend?

She managed to get absorbed for a long half hour, but from then on contradictory thoughts began to haunt her. 'Has he gone off to Hogsmeade alone and I haven't seen him come out? It can't be, he told me very convinced that he wouldn't go.'

At intervals she cast quick glances to the corridor. 'Maybe he agreed so I left him alone but he's not going to come. Well, actually, I haven't been here an hour and we didn't say when. But perhaps he has peeked in and since he has seen too many people he has not wanted to stay.'

From where she was she couldn't see the Library door. 'Perhaps I haven't seen him come in, or he arrives and he doesn't see me.' She moved to a bench near the entrance facing it, occupied only by a lone Ravenclaw.

'Well, he'll come when he wants.' She decided that she would wait for him all day if necessary, but without wasting her valuable time, concentrating back on the book, occasionally taking notes on questions she might ask him.

She spent about two hours like that, she needed to stretch her legs and headed towards the entrance hall, but not before gathering all her belongings and leaving her backpack on the bench, she knew that he would recognize it if he arrived while she was gone. As they passed the corridor that led to the dungeons, she peered out in case she saw him, lest they inadvertently pass each other.

The huge main gate of the castle was ajar, it was cool but pleasant, she could do with some fresh air. She went there and opened it a little more to go out to the threshold, a light drizzle was still falling, she deeply inhaled the smell of wet earth and looked around the landscape.

When she looked in the direction of the Lake, she saw his unmistakable silhouette, sitting under the beech tree, leaning against the trunk, absorbed in a book that he had in his hands.

'There is no one like him.' It was the first thing she thought, but right away, 'What is he doing there? We had appointed at the Library. And with this rain…'

She hesitated for a moment whether to approach. 'Maybe I'll bother him.' But on the other hand he was in another usual place for them. 'Where I laughed at his kiss.' She was still hesitating whether to go back for her backpack or to put on her cloak, as she wasn't planing to go out she was only wearing her uniform.

'What if he gets away from me?' So she started walking straight toward the ancient tree, cutting diagonally across the slope of the meadow, crouching, hugging herself against the drizzle, while she was torn between giving him a scolding or throwing herself into his arms for surprise.

But she had no chance to do either, for when she was still a few steps away from him he must have felt her coming, and raising his head from the book to her he almost shouted at her in surprise and alarm. "Lily! You're getting wet! Don't you know what an Impervius is?"

It was so unexpected and she felt so ridiculous that she stayed rooted to where she was, still outside the shelter of the tree, and she only managed to reply, "Hi… Sev…" with a small voice.

"Come on, come here," he told her, recriminating her kindly. "It doesn't rain under the beech," while he left the book aside, getting up.

Lily started toward him in small, fearful steps.

"And besides, you're cold," Sev continued, taking off his cloak as she began to bend down to sit on the grass. "Wait…" she stood up again as he put his long cloak over her, which brushed the ground. "The grass is wet," also throwing the hood and buttoning the collar. "This will keep you warm."

He took out his wand and made a few passes to dry a wide patch of floor, right where they used to sit when they went there together, while he continued to chide her gently. "Sometimes I think you forget you're a witch, surely you don't even have your wand."

It was true, she wasn't carrying it. She had forgotten it in the backpack, because her uniform had no pockets. She felt so embarrassed that she wasn't able to admit it.

"Come on, we can sit down now," Sev said. They did it at the same time, a foot apart from each other, facing the Lake, like that time.

"I thought we'd met at the Library," he continued.

Lily looked back at him between shock and fury. 'And he tells me that?' Sev was looking ahead.

"I've been waiting for you there for more than two hours," she reprimanded him without containing her anger.

He faced her, between surprised and embarrassed. "But… you didn't tell me what time… We always went in the afternoon."

He was right, except for the weeks before the end-of-course exams, when they used to spend the whole day there, if they arranged to study together they always did it in the afternoon, after class or dinner on school days or after lunch on weekends, taking advantage of free mornings to go for walks or to be with their respective mates.

"Yeah… it's true…" Lily whispered.

She had tradedher sudden anger for renewed embarrassment, looking down at the ground, realizing that she had shown him how eager she was to see him, while he didn't seem so at all.

However, Sev apologized. "I'm sorry, I should have stopped by to see if you were there. I wanted to be outdoors and I thought maybe you would go out too. '

'My… So he's been waiting for me, right in sight of the front door and in our favorite place.' She should have imagined it, Sev loved that weather, and hated sunny days and heat.

"And I guess you left your things there," he continued. "Were there a lot of people?"

"Quite…"

Sev thought for a second and jumped up. "I'm going for your things," holding out his black pine wand. "Here, it won't respond like yours, I don't think you'll need it either, but just in case. Don't move from here, I'll be back in a minute."

Lily barely reacted to take her wand and turn to see him walking at a good pace. A few meters from her he turned around without stopping to walk backwards to ask her, "Are they where they always are?" in a louder voice so that she could hear him.

"Nope! The green backpack on the second bench from the entrance."

"All right!" he turned and ran.

She watched him walk away from her until he disappeared through the castle doors.

Then she looked downat the ground, in the same posture, hugging herself. Not that she was cold, but she needed warmth, of another kind, warmth from him. His hood smelled of him and she realized that aside from keeping her warm, he had made it in order to avoid her being seen with him without alarming her.

Sev's mixture of reproaches and courtesies disconcerted her, but at the same time it made her feel protected, she felt him as a… father? No, it was much more than that. He had…class, elegance, self-possession. She remembered the Express, he always seemed to know what to do and say, he transmitted safety. Had him always been like this and just now she realized it? Surely.

And she… just the opposite, rushing in, without wrapping herself, forcing him to leave her his cloak, walking around without her wand, putting him in a bind when guessing she wasn't carrying it, he had left his, from which she knew he wouldn't part even to sleep. And she had still nabbed at him for not going to the Library.

Ever since she had fallen in love she had lost all poise about herself. She felt so inferior to him, a complete mess.

She looked back at the small book Sev had left by the trunk of the beech tree. It was turned by the back cover. She leaned over and reached out her arm as far as it would go to turn it around. 'Celtic horoscope of the sacred trees'. 'Horoscope?' she thought puzzled. 'But Sev thinks those things are silly.'

She took it and opened the cover. It didn't bear the stamp of the Hogwarts Library, but of Bowman, the second-hand bookstore in Diagon where he used to buy his textbooks. 'And he also bought it... how strange.'

She noted that there were three pages marked with the top corner folded. She opened it for the first one. The chapter heading read, 'The Fir Tree. From January 2nd to 11th and from July 5th to 14th. The mistery'.

'His tree…' Lily thought. Following was a detailed description of the species, but Lily only noticed what was underlined '…mystical light symbol?… Conifers in southern and central Europe…' The first of the words was circled.

On the next page, more profusely annotated, the personality of those born on those dates was described. This time Lily read with interest.

-Person of extraordinary good taste, sober, sophisticated?They loves everything beautiful.

-Temperamental, uncompromising, stubborn, demanding and sometimes selfish.

-They have a lot of dignity and is quite modest.

-Capricious.

-They take great care of those closest to him.

-They are very ambitious, hard-working and resourceful.

-Unsatisfied lover, of many friends and enemies.

-The winter ones are too demanding in love, the summer ones, more passionate.

-They are very reliable, reserved and loyal to his friends.

-In rather fragile health, although, in general, they enjoy a long life.

-They have talent and a fascinating intelligence that will allow them to succeed in the most diverse professions.

Lily thought that in addition to the fact that the horoscope was right about almost everything, Sev knew himself well. She was only surprised by the 'selfish' thing, he didn't seem to her that way at all. And she was very sorry that he had underlined 'unsatisfied lover' and crossed out the word 'friends'.

She turned the page, it was about the next calendar tree. She turned towards the castle. Sev could come back at any moment and she was more interested in reading another bookmarked page very close to this one.

When she opened the reading point her suspicions were confirmed. 'The Cypress. From January 25th to February 3rd and from July 26th to August 4th. The Fidelity.' The last word was circled.

'Mine…' And this time, turning back and fearing that he would come back, she began to read only what was highlighted by him. In the first section it said '...emblem of immortality...', '...conifers...' circled, and then '...anywhere in the world'.

And in the personal characteristics:

-They are a strong, muscular, adaptable person, they take what life has to offer.

-Optimistic, satisfied, they can become pedantic, always in search of recognition and money, quite materialistic.

-They are a passionate and demanding lover!, faithful, hates loneliness.

-They are easily upset, unruly.

-Vital and disinterested, happy with little.

-Somewhat messy and careless at times.

-They always retain a youthful appearance, their health, in general, is good, they suffer from minor ailments.

-Those born in summer, in general, are good friends and tenacious to achieve their goals. Winters tend to be less constant and more dissipated.

She turned back, Sev wasn't coming. She opened it to the third marked page, furthest from the others. It talked about the magical rites that the ancient druids performed on the indicated dates related to each sacred tree. 'Oh! So it's not just a horoscope, it's Ancient Magic.' And she understood Sev's true interest in the book.

She turned back in case he came. Since she didn't see him, she put the book back in the place and position it was in, she didn't want him to catch her spying on him.

So he kept thinking about her and his annotations were almost spot on. She wished he would share it with her, but she wouldn't tell him anything, she could put him in a bind, what she had just read was very personal and Sev was very jealous of his privacy. She was already regretting that she had thus discovered his innermost thoughts about the two of them.

She sighed deeply, hugging her knees now, losing her sight in the wisps of mist that tangled in the thicket of the Forbidden Forest. She preferred the good weather, but you had to admit that it was beautiful… a lot. She must have seen it dozens of times but she had never appreciated it like this.

She had long noticed that while her new feelings for Sev were being born, a more intense perception had arisen in her, as if her senses had developed and she was more capable of valuing beauty. And she thought that if both emotions were related, he, who had known love long before her, had been feeling his surroundings that way for years.

'He loves everything beautiful.' She understood a little better his self-absorption and the depth of his soul. She felt much better, because despite his apparent distance from her, she seemed to be closer to him than ever. She didn't hear him arrive.

"There you go." Her backpack fell to her left, scaring her to death. She turned to see him standing next to her backpack. "But I haven't found your cloak, that's why it took me so long."

Merlin! Another blunder.

"I didn't bring it..."

She expected another scolding, but he just said, not caring. "I figured it out. Have you warmed up yet?" He rubbed both hands up and down her back, a little too quickly and roughly, to make it clear that it was merely friendly and casual, but Lily loved it. How long had it been since he had touched her except her hand on the train, in that tense interval? The contact ended too soon.

"Better?" he asked as he sat where before, a foot to the right of her.

"Yes, yes…"

'Why did I say yes? With the excuse of the cold, perhaps he would have hugged me, as in the past.'

He held out his hand with a wry smile. 'What doeshe want?... Oh! His wand.' She handed it to him, lightly brushing their fingers together.

"You're welcome," he said sarcastically, but changed to casual, "I've verified that yours was in the backpack," and much more serious, "You can't leave it abandoned on top of the bench in full view of everyone, if it's stolen it will stop obeying you."

He was already reproaching her again, but her reflection and his snuggle had given her new courage and she answered him with great dignity, "Thank you, Sev."

"And go out without a robe or cloak... why haven't you gone for them?"

To this new taunt she couldn't answer him with the truth, that she was so anxious in case he escaped from her that she hadn't minded being cold. So she would return it to him, the lioness had woken up. "Well, you also arrive wet, you could have used my wand."

"Bah! If this doesn't get wet," sarcastic, "It only wets fools."

They both laughed at the lousy joke, recovering the connection.

Lily ventured forward, still teasing. "Well, you must be because your robe is wet," looking at him and groping his arm, squeezing it firmly. "You're going to get cold."

She faced him, Sev was looking at her very seriously, expectantly, he seemed to have been affected by her contact. She hadn't touched him either since... when?

"We're going to share your cloak," she continued, unbuttoning the collar, "It's enough for both of us," extending her arm and beginning to pass it over his shoulders.

He leaned away from her, catching her wrist, with just enough strength to pin her down without hurting her. He replied very sweetly, "Leave it Lily, I'm not cold, I'm wearing the robe, you're much less warm."

But we already know what Lily was like when she was stubborn about something. "Let me go, Sev, you're hurting me," she complained. It was a lie, to soften him up, he released her immediately. 'He takes good care of those closest to him,' Lily was inspired. "You are always taking care of me and you don't let me do the same for you," now she was the one who reproached, but more harshly.

"Seriously Lily, I'm perfectly fine," with his silkiest voice. "I'm wearing trousers and you skirt, if you open the cloak you'll have bare legs."

A difficult claim to refute, but his mention of her body part as such gave her new wings. He looked at her, noticing that, prompting her to resort to an argument he couldn't resist. She felt that she was playing dirty, that in a certain way she took advantage, but you know, 'in love and in war...' So she told him with a certain pleading tone, "I don't care about the legs, I'm used to it," adopting the same posture hugging herself and looking at the ground again, as if embarrassed, all pretended. "But in the body I do have a little cold..." She resisted without looking at him, she gave him time to decide, the ball was in his court. She, too, did not dare to see his possible countenance of censorship if he had realized that everything was blackmail.

After a few long seconds, she heard him sigh deeply and she felt him approach the span that separated them, he surrounded her shoulders with his arm, pressing her against his body. He breathed deeply, as if trying to calm down. "Better this way?" he asked her.

She ventured a little further, this time selflessly thinking of him as well. "Better that you also cover yourself, so the cloak will keep the heat." And separating herself briefly, she threw the garment over his shoulders. She expected new reluctance, but this time there was none. She tried to cross their eyes, but he attended to the movement, and when they were covered, in truth the cloak was so wide that it almost reached both of them, he held her tight again, rubbing her arm from time to time to warm her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, enjoying the intimate contact of their bodies, after… how long? Now she did calculate it, more than three months of absence, when before she had him almost daily without appreciating him.