I own nothing of the Harry Potter world, only in my dreams...
Here is the 2nd chapter.
Edit 2024: welcome to the re vamped chapter 2. I hope you enjoy.
2. The Potion and the blunt Ravenclaw
Severus walked back to the castle, his mind retracing the exchange that just happened. He hadn't known much about Evangeline Easgriff before today, just a vague recognition of her as a Ravenclaw Quidditch player. But now, snippets of memory started to surface. Lily had mentioned her once. Easgriff and Potter got into a heated argument during a double transfigurations class earlier in the year. It ended with 10 points taken from both houses and, of course, detention. Severus frowned, finding it hard to believe that anyone, especially someone he barely noticed, could manage to get James Potter in trouble, although for the professor to be McGonagall was a relief, at least she could be fair, and she punished the pretty boy Potter. His thoughts were cut short by the sounds of his Slytherin 'friends' rushing towards him.
Mulciber was the first to speak, his tone a mix of curiosity and mockery "Oi Snape. Where've you been? Didn't see you in the common room or at breakfast this morning." Mulciber stood tall for his age, his brown hair neatly combed and dark eyes fixating on Severus. As if trying to sniff out information like a bloodhound.
"I skipped breakfast." Severus simply replied "Decided to revise for the OWLs on Monday."
Mulciber's eyebrow shot up, a chuckle escaping him "Really? Revising? You? Thought you had it all covered by now."
"I prefer to be prepared Mulciber." Severus retorted, slightly irritated by the questioning by his 'friends'.
Avery, who had been lingering just behind, stepped closer, his thin lips curling into a knowing smirk. Tall and wiry, with an air of superiority. Avery was perhaps someone Severus tolerated more than liked. He remembered Lily mentioning how the pair: Mulciber and Avery shared the same sadistic humor and saying they were horrid people. However, Severus defended them.
"Were you with someone?" Averu questioned.
Severus stiffened "I was not Avery. I prefer to revise alone."
"Oh, you were" Avery smirked, pursuing his 'interrogation further', clearly enjoying himself.
"It wasn't Evans now was it?" interjected Mulciber, his voice sharp and cold. "He would know better than to go with that Mud…Muggleborn, after what happened earlier this week."
Severus's face tightened at the mention of Lily, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Again, I was alone. Can we just leave it at that?"
"Alright, mate," Avery said with a shrug, though his smirk lingered. "Let's head back to the Great Hall. There's nothing to do out here anyway."
As they walked, his housemates launched themselves in the usual banter, girls, Quidditch, house cup, the dark arts… But Severus barely listened to their conversation. He focused on why Avery was so interested in knowing if he was alone. He knew Avery enjoyed a gentle torment, it was on brand for the Slytherin boy. Ever since the Mudblood incident, his Slytherin friends attempted to keep him close. And their words regarding the Dark Lord were tempting at times.
Once they arrived in the Great Hall, they sat at their usual seats at the Slytherin table. Severus's eyes scanned the room. They found Lily sitting alone for once. His heart skipped a beat, this was his chance to talk to her. To try and make things right.
Without a word to his friends, he stood and made his way across the hall, ignoring the occasional glances. When he approached Lily, she looked up with an emotionless expression.
"Lily," he began. Almost like a plea to be listened to.
She turned her gaze to him; her green eyes were now a mix of betrayal and fury. "What is it, Snape?"
The coldness and fury were evident in her voice "Snape?", he repeated.
"Yes." She said, her face void of friendship "Since you called me a Mudblood that makes us strangers now."
Severus attempted to stay composed but pressed on "Lily, I just wanted to talk to you. To say I'm sorry."
"That's not enough Snape." her reply was sharp, bitter, there was no warmth to her words as there once was. "I'm tired of standing up for you, defending you."
Severus was desperate as he stood there in front of her, just like he did in front of the Gryffindor tower days ago "I didn't mean for it to happen Lil it just…."
"Slipped out!?" she cut him off, her eyes flashing with fury. "Well it happened Snape, and sometimes 'sorry' isn't enough. I should have listened to the others instead of ignoring them."
Her words felt like a stunning spell to his chest. Lily, his sweet Lily was slipping away.
"You had choices you know Severus" she continued, her voice as firm as her position "And you made the wrong ones."
"What choices?" he said, his words breaking.
"Your 'friends' for one thing, and you little dark club." She stated
"Lily please..." he pleaded, sounding now almost like a painful prayer.
"No, I'm done here." She said shaking her head "We're both done here."
Before Severus could respond, Mary Macdonald appeared beside Lily, her expression a mixture of concern and determination. She gently took Lily's arm, and led her away from Severus, casting him a wary glance as they walked off.
Severus stood frozen as he watched them go, his heart shattered. He felt as though the ground had been pulled out from under him, leaving him with nothing but the bitter realization that the rift between him and Lily might now be irreparable. With a deep breath, he walked back to his seat. Avery watched the scene from a distance and could not help but comment.
"Get over it mate." Avery said in a firm voice "There are other girls far better than Evans. More beautiful take Brown or Totteloff, but if you wish to aim for purity may I suggest Bones but you know… Hufflepuff, or Goyle a year above us."
"Yeah Snape, you need to move on." added Black in a slightly mocking tone.
"Oi Avery for pure-bloods you also have Macmillan in Ravenclaw, and umm oh yes Easgriff." Said Rosier joining them at the table having overheard the end of the conversation.
"Easgriff perhaps" started Avery, but there was hesitation in his words "To be investigated, but she is a pure-blood."
Severus ignored them, he preferred not to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. Another heated argument with Lily and he still couldn't fix anything between them. The idea of moving on seemed impossible: Lily was irreplaceable. She was everything. But even as he desperately clung to that belief, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered doubts. Could he continue this way, chasing after someone who no longer wanted him in her life? Could he consider forming a new connection with someone else? He tried brushing those thoughts away. Lily was the only one, there could be nobody else.
Even so, he allowed just for a few seconds for his mind to wonder and imagine. He tried to visualize anyone else who could befriend him, or at the very least be an enjoyable acquaintance. His mind came up with a blond-haired girl from earlier, and he thought. Why would Evangeline Easgriff be his friend? They were not close, his first proper interaction with her was just a few hours ago. She was his opposite, she was blunt, loud, and openly friendly. It unsettled him.
He knew this was going to be a very long weekend with his friends bothering him about Lily, urging him to move on.
Monday morningcould not have arrived quicker. Severus, along with his friends, arrived in front of the Great Hall, where the other fifth years had already gathered. His eyes instinctively searched for Lily. He found her quickly, that red hair was like a magnet for his eyes. She was going over notes with her friend Mary, and surrounded by the Marauders.
Severus had an urge to speak to Lily again, despite their confrontation on Saturday, but the idea flew out the window. There were too many students around and with Potter there who would cut into the conversation, it seemed more suicidal than sensible. As he debated his options, he noticed Evangeline Easgriff and her group of friends arriving. His gaze locked on the young girl he met that weekend, as he recalled their interaction. She seemed to be looking for someone, her eyes searching through the sea of students; until they met his. To his surprise, a wide smile spread across her face and she started to approach him.
"Hello, hello Severus Snape!" she said, her loud and cheerful voice catching the attention of nearby students. Her arrival surprised Severus just as much as his friends, who exchanged puzzled looks.
"Um hello Miss Easgriff." he replied, his tone calm and measured.
Evangeline waved a hand dismissively. "Miss Easgriff is what the professors call me. Are you a professor Severus Snape?" she asked playfully, a teasing look in her eyes.
Severus remained guarded, his reply short and effective. "No."
Evangeline raised an eyebrow and smirked "That's what I thought. You can use Evangeline if you wish. Or even Eva, as many people do."
Severus hesitated, before he decided on the more formal version of her name "Evangeline, then."
"Much better," Eva replied with a grin, clearly pleased with herself. "Anyway, I've been meaning to catch you, do you think you could quiz me again on that Polyjuice Potion? Just for about five minutes, and just the second part."
Severus blinked, her straightforwardness catching him off guard once again. Offering help wasn't something he did lightly, especially not to someone he barely knew. That Saturday was an exception, surely not an invitation for more "tutoring". But before he could process her request, she was already thrusting her notes into his hands.
"Please?" she added, though her tone was more assertive than pleading.
Severus started at the notes forced into his hands and looked back at Evangeline. Her hands were on her hips, a small smile creeping on her face. Helping that one was all the interaction he thought they would have. He conceded "Fine."
Evangeline smiled even more "Perfect".
Severus quizzed her for about ten minutes. His questions were efficient and precise, and Evangeline's responses were confident and straight to the point. When she was satisfied, she thanked him, and hurried back to her friends, disappearing in the crowd. Severus turned to his own group; only to find Rosier staring at him, jaw nearly to the floor, while the others grinned.
"five…. four…. three…" Severus counted down in his mind, bracing himself for the group's reaction.
"No way!" Rosier exclaimed with shock and amusement. "You were with Easgriff on Saturday, weren't you?"
Severus's eyes narrowed at Rosier "I was not with anyone," he said "I was alone."
Mulciber raised an eyebrow, unconvinced "Alone you say? She seemed pretty conformable with you just now."
Avery leaned in, adding an unnecessary comment to the pile "Yeah Snape alone? Really? You want us your friends to believe that light citrusy smell we caught the other wasn't her. After that interaction? Just now?"
Severus felt the irritation boiling inside him, "I told you I was alone." He repeated "She just needed help with Potions, nothing more."
"Potions, eh?" added Wilkes with a grin, he was hiding behind Mulciber before making himself visible "And here I thought you offered assistance only to the special sort."
"And last we checked, Easgriff was not one of them, is that right?" Rosier added. "but hey, she's a pure-blood, so that's an upgrade, right?"
"Enough," Severus snapped "She is just another student, nothing more."
Mulciber was not ready to let this go "You sure about that Snape? Easgriff is a pure-blood as Rosier pointed out, plays Chaser for Ravenclaw, and she's decent in Potions. A complete upgrade from that Mudblood."
"I said shut it Mulciber!" Severus snapped.
Mulciber raised his hands, mocking a surrender "Ok fine no need to get on a hippogriff now."
Just then the doors of the Great Hall opened, and Professor McGonagall entered holding a long parchment in her hand. The students became silent, waiting for the professor to speak.
"Good morning to you all. I hope you have all studied well for this last week of the OWL exams. Now when I call your name you will come here and I will direct you to your seat. Please remember, you are called randomly to avoid any prearranged cheating."
McGonagall started calling the students one by one. Severus stood waiting for his turn; he looked around to see who was left.
"Severus Snape."
"This is it." He muttered under his breath as he walked up towards his Transfigurations professor.
"Here you are, row 3 seat 45." She said, pointing him to his designated spot.
"Thank you, professor." Severus replied with formality.
He made his way inside the Great Hall, now turned into a giant examination room. It was neatly organized, with desks spaced out to prevent cheating. As he walked to his seat, he noticed with a slight jolt that Lily was seated just one row away to his right. His heart tightened, but he forced himself to stay composed. Directly on his left, to his surprise, was Evangeline Easgriff.
"Severus Snape, we meet again I see." Evangeline whispered as he sat down, "Are you excited?"
Severus turned to her "Not really I just want to get this over with."
"Oh, well I'm sure you'll do great. Good luck!" she said with a wink.
"Thank you, good luck to you as well." Severus replied politely.
Eva nodded as the exam papers were handed out. Severus turned to his right for an instant, finding Lily with a surprised look.
Professor Tofty, the examiner, stood in front of the room where the teachers sat during the feasts.
"Good morning to you all, and welcome to the OWL examination for Potions. You have four hours for two written theories. Good luck to you all and begin."
Severus looked down at his exam paper; just as Evangeline said (according to the rumors) there was the Polyjuice Potion, but also another one: The Draught of Peace. Without hesitation, he started on Polyjuice, the one he knew best. The exam allowed him to block all distractions, the tension with Lily, and the interesting interactions with Evangeline. As he focused on the exam, a small, nagging thought lingered at the back of his mind, things were changing, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for what that might mean.
Four hours later Severus sighed. The exam had been more difficult than he had anticipated, but he was confident in his answers. He handed in his parchment and left the examination hall.
"Hello Severus!"
He turned to see Evangeline emerging from the Hall just moments after him. She looked confident and proud of herself.
"Hello." Severus replied, remaining guarded.
"So, do you think you brewed it just right." She asked
Severus blinked, slightly unfamiliar with the expression "Pardon me?"
Evangeline chuckled "I meant, did you do well?"
"Oh", he replied "I'm confident in what I did. I gave precise and clear answers."
"Great, you must have done well then. Thank you so much for helping me with the Polyjuice Potion. I'll let you know if I get an O. You might just earn yourself a reward."
Severus was unsure how to respond before simply settling on "We'll see."
Before he could say anything else, a voice called from down the corridor. "Hey, Eva, want to get going? We can stop by Dominic Maestro's, they might have that partition you were looking for."
"Sure David, I'm coming." Evangeline said, before turning her attention back to Severus. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Severus, in Care of Magical Creatures? I don't remember if you take it. If not, I suppose around dinner time."
"Perhaps" Severus quietly said, "Good day …Evangeline."
"Good day, Severus." She said before turning to leave with her friend.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Avery sidled up beside Severus and murmured with a smirk, "Getting cozy with Easgriff, are we?"
Severus gave him a sharp look "Shut it, Avery. Mind your own business."
Soon the rest of his friends arrived, Rosier noticed the exchange adding an additional comment. "Something we should know Snape?" asked Rosier
Severus's patience was wearing thin. "There is nothing to know Rosier".
Mulciber peeked from behind "On the contrary, I think there is." He said with a grin.
"Believe what you like," Severus snapped, "but there's nothing going on."
Sensing that Severus was reaching his limit, Rosier raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, we'll put this on hold, for now. I'm starving anyway. Let's head to the Three Broomsticks for a snack."
As they made their way towards Hogsmeade, Severus could not get the recent interactions out of his mind. Between the brief albeit friendly exchange with Evangeline and the teasing from his friends, he felt a tinge of discomfort in his chest. But it was not just these exchanges that bothered him, something was shifting. And that thought was unsettling.
~~~~~~~~END OF CHAPTER~~~~~~~~
I hoped you liked this chapter, don't forget to review please. Thank you for reading this and following it as well. PM me if there are some things that aren't clear, or weird.
Again thank you for reading this.
Until next time *takes firebolt* "To the Quidditch pitch!"