THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP

Last night had been exhausting. As much as he enjoyed spending time with his mother, Lily Potter, he wasn't used to studying so much. And taking a shower had been weird, however there was no one he could tell that to or why.

So he sat there with Lily across from Petunia while Mrs. Evans, the grandmother he'd never known, got the stove going. He could already smell the bacon grease and pancakes.

Mr. Evans came into the room with robe, pajama bottoms, slippers and a news paper tucked under his arm.

Lily, "Father?"

He sat down and turned his head to the right. "Yes my little Lily?"

She giggled.

Petunia half rolled her eyes and was that a smile he saw trying to break through? Harry could barely believe it. But thus far this Petunia had proven to be a little more mellow than his adult Aunt.

Lily smiled, "Well Father. Calla and I were wondering if after breakfast we could go to the park?"

Petunia's brows furrowed.

"Have you all got your homework finished?"

Lily and Harry nodded.

Petunia, "As did I."

Mr. Evans gave a nod. An affectionate smile smoothing his features as if he'd just been trying to look stern. If that were the case then he hadn't done a very good job of it. But then Harry himself was used to the sternest of countenances.

"Then you may. As long as your mother agrees. Still I don't think she has anything planned so it should be fine."

Mrs. Evans glanced over her shoulder. "Petunia, could you be a dear and get the oranges out and start squeezing them?"

Petunia rose with a gracefulness that Harry didn't remember her ever having had.

He watched her walk to the pantry and grab a bowl of oranges and something out of a drawer.

Felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to gaze at the eyes that had always been like his own. For he got them from her. And he still found it odd that no one had ever mentioned her twin.

Was she dead? Alive? He shivered, or a Death Eater? Whatever she was or wasn't in his true time line, he wanted to find out.

First however he wanted to change a few things. To tip things in his favor against Tom Morvolo Riddle; against Voldemort.

Yet all he had done thus far was speak to a child named Severus and enjoy spending time with Lily Evans and even, shocking as it was, Petunia Evans and the maternal grandparents he hadn't known either.

As he waited to dig into the delicious smelling breakfast and fresh squeezed orange juice he hoped that Severus would be at the park as early as they'd be.

[line]

Carrying a tote bag his mother, the twin sister of the little girls body he inhabited held his hand. When she began to skip along he had no recourse but to do so as well.

Petunia called out to them. "Don't you two go getting lost."

Mrs. Evans chuckled, "They'll be fine Petunia."

Mr. Evans, "Why don't you join them?"

Harry wasn't sure he'd like that, but couldn't hear the rest as they'd gotten to far away to hear the rest of the conversation.

When Lily let go of his hand he continued to skip a few more feet before coming to a stop and turning around. "Lily?"

She grinned, "I'm getting the jump rope out. If your friend isn't here today then we can still play with Petunia."

"I don't know. What if he is?"

She quirked a brow at him. "The rope is big enough for two jumpers. Maybe even three. We can all play."

He didn't dissuade her, but he had a bad feeling about it. Petunia obviously didn't like Severus. Not when she called him horrible names like she had yesterday.

Feeling a tingle on the back of his neck he turned around. There wasn't anyone there.

He blinked as a memory brushed against the fores of his head. 'You're a wizard.'

Well perhaps thinking like a Muggle wouldn't get him anywhere.

Tilting his head back he stared up into one of the trees and noticed a sooty face. Which had a few streaks from eye to half way down the cheeks.

Old black clothes and greasy hair.

Poor kid.

'There's just something about him.'

"Sev?"

The boys face hardened and he looked away. "Leave me alone."

"Sev come down."

"No."

"Sev come on."

"Go away."

With a roll of his eyes he began climbing the tree. Not caring that it might tear the dress he wore. This time velvet green with a black belt.

"Calla!" He heard Lily gasp.

He glanced down. "I'm fine Lily."

He looked up, "Sev. What's wrong. Don't you want to talk to us? Play with us? We brought a jump rope and we could all take turns jumping."

He turned his head and frowned at him. "Why would you want to play with me?"

"Because I like you Sev. I thought we could be friends."

Harry reached out a hand to Severus.

Severus glared at the offered hand as if it offended him. But Harry knew the signs of neglect. Of abuse. Had suffered them himself too many times to count. And if only he'd had a friend, a real friend before Hogwarts then maybe he'd have been happier. Less lonely. Felt less like a freak as his Muggle guardians were always calling him.

Then, just as he was about to lower his hand Severus reached out to take it.

Harry smiled, green eyes lighting up. "See, that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Severus grunted.

Then directed a small smile at him.

'How precious.'

Lily called up again, "Are you two love birds coming down?" She giggled.

Harry felt his face heat up at the insinuation from one so young. Or from anyone.

Severus let go of his hand and stared down at the tree branch on which he sat. His face equally flushed.

Calla, "Lily, we're coming down."

He climbed down first. Not without couple of minor scrapes and getting his frock dirty.

Just as Severus landed on the ground as well Petunia walked up to them.

She did not look happy.

"Is he why you wanted to come to the park?"

Lily, "Well, he can tell us about magic."

Harry at the same time as her simply said, "Yes."

Petunia glanced from Lily to Calla and then settled her gaze on Severus.

"I'll be watching you, you little freak. Do anything to either of my sisters and you'll pay dearly. They're only paying any attention to you because of magic."

Harry frowned. "No we're not. No I'm not. I like Severus." He grabbed his friends hand. Sure mentally they weren't the same age. After all back home he was seventeen. Here he was seven or thereabouts. In a kids body. A girl at that. His mothers twin. He still had as yet to get over that.

Lily, "It's true we want to know more about magic. But we also want to be his friend."

Petnunia sneered and then her eyes widened as she caught sight of Calla holding Severus's hand.

The boy was either too shocked to move or trying to assess this situation. Even if he did try to free his hand, Harry wasn't about to let go.

"You let go of that filthy mongrels hand right now Calla! You don't know where its been. Look how dirty he is."

"Nothing a good bath wouldn't cure. If you don't want to be nice that's fine. But Severus is my friend and I'm going to play with him. If you don't like it you can play by yourself." He just hoped Lily felt the same.

Lily looked between them. Worried her lower lip betwixt her teeth.

Harry held his breath.

She moved to stand beside him.

He smiled.

Severus scowled at Petunia. Wanting to say something, anything, but couldn't stop thinking that he had new friends. That one of them had held his hand not once, but twice now. And was defending him.

Petunia sputtered. "I'm telling Mother and Father about this."

Harry bowed his head. "Go ahead."

With that she turned around and stalked off. Far less graveful than she'd been that morning.

Harry and Lily spoke together, "I'm sorry about that."

Severus blinked.

Harry chuckled. It was like Fred and George. The thought of them caused an ache in his heart. For Fred was dead in his true time. And this time he wasn't yet a twinkle in his mother's eye. None of them were.

Severus, "Are you quite well, Calla?"

Harry smiled despite the anguish of memories and the need to return to his proper place in time in his proper body, "Yes. Just worried what you must think of us, because of our big sister."

Lily, "We're not Petunia."

Severus, "No. You're not."

Harry grinned. "So... jump rope?"

AN: Do you think Severus will say yes to skipping rope? Should it dawn on Harry just who Severus is soon? Or at least will be? And just why was Calla kept secret from Harry all this time? The last question and more may take awhile to be revealed.