The Marauders: Year Two | #Wattys2016

A Chat with Severus Snape

Ali whispered to Natalie, and the smaller girl turned back and ran through the still-open portrait hole once again. Ali turned to look up at Severus. "I thought that Alice Bell was Lily's best friend?" She challenged.

Severus spat the word, "No." He felt his fists ball and his muscles tighten. "I'm Lily's best friend. I have been forever."

"Okay, jeez, I'm sorry," Ali said, waving her hands, "I didn't mean to get you upset. Relax."

Severus took a deep breath, adding that anger into his reservoir, too. Then Lily came through the portrait hole with Natalie and he felt as though he could never be angry again, seeing her green eyes. All the tension left his body and he felt soothed all over. "Lily," he breathed.

Lily's eyes weren't the sparkling masterpieces they usually were, though. She walked up quite angrily and stopped before him, glowering. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice hard.

Ali and Natalie exchanged glances and stayed right where they were behind Lily, backing her up.

Severus said lowly, "I need to talk to you, it's important." He glanced at Ali and Natalie. "Alone," he added.

Lily turned to look at the first years behind her. "Go on, you two."

"Are you sure?" Ali asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Lily answered, "I'm alright. Go on."

Ali nodded and she scrambled away, closely followed by Natalie. They were at the end of the corridor, clearly beyond where they thought Lily or Severus would be able to hear them, when Natalie asked, "He was a rather nasty boy wasn't he? I'm so glad I'm not in Slytherin!"

Lily stared into Severus's eyes and he realized that she'd grown several inches over the summer. She was a bit taller than he was now. And she'd obviously spent quite a lot of time at their pond, too, for she was quite tanned and her freckles stood out across her nose, brighter than they usually were. She hated those freckles, he knew, but he loved them. He'd counted them once, and thought up constellations for them, as though they were stars.

"What do you want?" She demanded now.

"Well, I haven't seen you in some time and --" Severus began, but Lily cut him off.

"Who's fault is that?"

Severus frowned. "It wasn't my fault, Lily."

Lily knew that, deep down. She folded her arms over her chest, refusing to admit it.

Severus sighed. "Aren't we friends still, Lily?" He asked. His voice was so sad and hollow that Lily couldn't possibly stay mad. He looked up at her, his eyes sad and brown.

"Of course we are, Sev," said Lily, the cold edge to her voice melting down, "I'm just cross, that's all, and truly busy and there's a lot going on this term... with Alice Bell dying and everything..."

Severus muttered, "You've got the time to be 'round Remus Lupin."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Severus shrugged, "Just that you've been talking to him, that's all. They say you fancy him." His n'voice had a jealous edge to it.

"Maybe," Lily said hesitantly, "I don't know." She hadn't realized that she fancied Remus until that moment. But with Severus saying it, it suddenly became quite clear and she felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought of it. She, Lily Evans, fancying a boy! It was quite weird to think of.

Severus saw it in her face. He felt sick at the thought of it. "I thought that --" he stopped.

"Thought what?" Lily asked, touching her cheek to feel the heat that had risen up there.