Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 84 - Harriet's Discovery

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Although they occupied the same castle, Severus and Lily hardly ever saw Harriet.

Before, she had often lingered after Potions class to chat with her parents or give Lily a hug.

After Cedric's death and the revelation of Voldemort's true evil, Harriet had shunned her parents as much as possible.

It nearly broke Lily, who spent many nights weeping in Severus's arms, but he faced the situation with admirable courage and stunning silence.

By no fault of the Snapes, it was Remus who ultimately made the irrevocable error.

Harriet had just wandered up the steps to ask Professor Lupin a simple question about the day's homework when she noticed him making his escape down the opposite staircase.

She narrowed her emerald eyes as she followed him for a while, curious about his destination while he left the castle, wandered across the grounds, and walked onto the hillside next to Hogsmeade.

Remus glanced around himself to make sure no one followed.

Harriet hurriedly ducked behind a heavy tree to avoid being seen, but she managed to glimpse him touching a single, hanging leaf on one plump bush that stood against the entrance of the surrounding forest.

She gasped as Remus disappeared a split second later.

Unable to contain her curiosity, as soon as she knew he had gone, she raced out from behind the tree, charged over to the bush, and touched that same, plump leaf.

A scream of surprise left her lips as she hurtled through the air to whizz through clouds and over forests.

In a horrible rush, Harriet watched buildings pass by until she dropped down to land gracefully on her feet right in the middle of a damask bedroom.

She panted for breath as she looked around.

The decor had aged terribly.

The green and black wallpaper peeled, the canopy bed's dark curtains had tattered and filled with dust.

Even the dark floorboards beneath her feet creaked tellingly as she slowly walked towards the door.

Desperate to continue her sleuthing effort, Harriet silently turned the antique door knob and stepped out into a long, eerie hallway.

Voices echoed from somewhere she could not see.

As she passed by another abandoned bedroom, she realized from the naked window that she stood on the second story of what appeared to be an old, dilapidated house.

Harriet carefully tiptoed down the hallway as the whispers grew louder.

She narrowed her eyes as she came to a scratched stairwell and peered down at the foyer below.

"She's not your daughter, Molly!"

Harriet frowned as she leaned over the railing.

"No, but she's as good as! Her and my Ron have been friends for years!"

Harriet's eyes widened as she recognized Molly Weasley's shrill voice.

Intrigued, she began to descend the staircase, until another voice stopped her on the landing.

"Filthy mudblood....."

Harriet whirled around.

Her eyes widened as her gaze fell on a scowling house elf, who busied himself by dusting a covered portrait that hung on the wall.