Chapter Twenty-One:
A couple of days later, I’d finally gotten the courage up to go ask my father if I could spend a bit of time during the summer with the Weasley’s, but I’d decided that I should wait until after supper so that hopefully he wouldn’t be quite so moody. I’d always heard my aunt say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so hopefully the same could be said for Professor Severus Snape.
By the time I was headed towards the Great Hall after a long day of classes I was a nervous wreck. I hadn’t gotten a chance to see or talk to Fred since the day he’d ask me to spend some of vacation with him, nor had I seen George. Ron had told me they were cooped up in the boy’s dorms working on some new project, so I didn’t pay any attention to it. I was still riding on my high from getting my crush as a boyfriend. It was better than I’d ever hoped to be, even if said boyfriend wasn’t around.
Nobody actually seemed to know what had happened, and I didn’t feel that it was my right to go around telling Harry, Ron or Hermione about it, at least not if Fred wasn’t around as well.
As I walked towards the dungeons, I began thinking over what I would say to my father in order to agree with me going with the Weasley’s for a bit during the summer holidays. Not that I had any doubt that he’d agree in the first place, chances were he’d be thrilled (as thrilled as he could get anyway) that he wouldn’t have to deal with me.
Knocking on the solid wood door, I waited impatiently for it to get thrown open. As always, I still expected Draco to be there, but instead I was pleasantly surprised at who was actually there.
“Harry?”
“Hi, Lily. What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” I smiled, looking over his broad shoulder to stare at my scowling father. “Good evening Professor Snape.”
“Lillith,” he drawled, not bothering to look at me.
Sighing I stepped past Harry as he moved out of the way, and went further into the class room. “What’s going on?”
“I’m teaching something to Mr. Potter, not that it’s any of your business.”
I gulped, feeling a semi-painful prick in my heart. The first time we’ve actually talked since I called him ‘father’ and he’s still acting the same way he’s always done. “Sorry for asking,” I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest.
“As it were, why don’t you make yourself comfortable, maybe you’ll learn something.”
“You shouldn’t talk to your-“ I cut Harry off, knowing exactly what he’d say, and while I was glad he liked me enough to stick up for me, I didn’t need him getting in trouble for it.
“It’s fine, Harry. Don’t worry about it.”
I smiled fakely, trying desperately to show that I couldn’t care less, but he didn’t look even close to convinced. Shrugging, I followed the two into my father’s office and sat down in a chair in the corner. I tuned out of their talking not understanding more than a few words. What was occlumency? Legimency?
Once, after several minutes most probably, I looked back up, it was only to see Harry and Professor Snape seemingly in a staring competition, looking completely frozen.
“Harry?”
He didn’t even blink, turning to my father, I waved my hand in front of his eyes, but his eyes stared back unseeing. Right before I really started to become concerned, they each seemed to snap out of whatever trance they were in. My father’s face became murderous, glaring angrily at the boy in front of him.
“Get out,” he growled menacingly.
“What was th-“ Harry started to question, only to have my father get directly in his face. They seemed to have completely forgotten I was even present in the room.
“Get out, Potter!”
Harry jumped to his feet, striding out of the room, looking confused and almost as angry as my own father looked.
The door slammed closed behind Harry, making me jump slightly.
“What was that about?” I asked, looking towards Snape as he pressed his head into his hands.
Jerking up, he glared at me before yelling, “Didn’t I say get out!”
“Sorry,” I muttered, dragging my feet towards the now closed door.
“Wait. I am sorry, Lillith. It has nothing to do with you, just go back to your dorm before you get into trouble for being out late.”
I grinned, I’d never thought to hear him apologize, and it made my heart swell to twice it’s size.
“Okay. Good night, Father.”
~*~*~*~*~
“You’re dating Fred?”
The moment I’d woken up, Hermione was by my side, questioning me all about dating Fred Weasley.
I simply nodded to her questions, not really paying attention. After all, it was a Hogsmeade weekend, the last one of the year and Easter holidays. It’d been three weeks since Fred had asked me to be his girlfriend, and though we’d spent time together, it was just the same as before I’d said yes.
Fred figured I would’ve told Hermione, Harry and Ron, but I thought he would’ve told them, so in the end, they were never told until last night after I’d already gone to bed. George spilled the beans. I slipped on my crappy tennis shoes as I turned back to Hermione. “Yes, we’re dating. For over three weeks now, I thought you knew already, so I’m sorry. Now, lets get down to the fountain before everyone leaves without us!”
It’s amazing how much of a normal teenager I’d become in less than a year. I had a boyfriend, I talked, I didn’t have as many nightmares and I had friends and a father who very rarely actually seemed to actually care. It was more than I ever could’ve asked for, and I was so incredibly happy.
Smiling, we did just as I’d said we should, meeting the Twins, Harry and Ron. Draco smiled at me as we walked passed and I waved my fingers in his direction.
I didn't have any money, but I didn’t much care, I was happy just looking. We split up the moment we’d gotten to Hogsmeade, Fred took my hand, pulling me along away from the group as George spotted Lee Jordan and went towards him, leaving Hermione, Harry and Ron alone as I’m sure they’d wanted.
I’d expected him to take me to Zonko’s, but we passed right by his joke shop and instead went to Honeyduke’s.
Immediately, Fred looked at me for several moments, obviously waiting for me to do something, though I had no clue as to what exactly he wanted me to do.
“Aren’t you going to get anything?”
I blushed, looking embarrassedly down at my raggedy shoes. “I don’t have the money, but that’s okay. Go ahead and get you something, I really don’t mind.”
“Lily?” I looked up into his twinkling eyes, “Get something.”
“But I already told you I do-“
“I’ve got it covered, this is supposed to be a date after all. It’s only right that the man buys, right?” He flexed his arm muscles at the word ‘man’, making me laugh.
I didn’t even realize that this was supposed to be a date, but we are alone, so it does resemble one, I suppose. Swallowing hard, I nodded, agreeing with him and together we went through the rest of the candy store.
As we sat inside the Three Broomsticks, sipping a butterbeer, I noticed a man sitting reading the Daily Prophet and at the top right hand corner it had the date. Sunday, April 26th. I didn’t even realize it, I couldn’t believe I had completely forgotten when my own birthday was. Tomorrow. Of course, nobody knew, I hadn’t told anyone at all, so how would they. Nor did I plan to tell anyone, I didn’t need them buying things for me as well, I already felt bad enough that Fred was doing there was no need for me to feel worse or them to waste money on me.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
The morning of my birthday dawned much too early for my own happiness, but I got dressed anyway. It was Monday, meaning I had Potions bright and early, yet thankfully that was my only class of the entire day. I still hadn’t been able to find the time to ask my father about spending a week or so with the Weasley’s though Fred had said that his mother had absolutely no problem with it at all. We planned to tell his parents about our relationship when I came down. Even if it was over a month away, I was still nervous.
Would Mrs. Weasley except me? She seemed nice enough, in fact almost too nice, but what if she didn’t want a poor-mannered, small, stick-thin girl to be with “Her Freddie”?
Shaking my head away from those thoughts, I stumbled into the Potions class right as my father had begun to speak.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, plopping down into the only available seat next to Nervous Neville.
I smiled at him, trying to get rid of some of the tension but Neville didn’t even look at me, he was much too busy writing whatever my father had to say with shaking hands.
As the students left the room, I waited behind, wanting to get the talk over with, and praying to Merlin that Professor Severus Snape said yes to my request.
“Why are you still here, Lillith?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Then by all means, ask away.” His voice was laced with poorly hid sarcasm, but I didn’t pay attention to it, I had something I had to do and nothing was going to stop me.
“What am I supposed to do for the summer vacation?”
“You’ll be staying at Grimmauld place.”
“Will the Weasley’s be there?”
“Perhaps. I’d think of asking them if I were you.”
“Would it be okay if I spent a bit of time with them at the beginning of the holidays?”
My father sighed, sounding undeniably agitated. “I could care less what you did with your time Lillith, but you're wasting mine. You’re nearly an adult by wizarding standards, I believe you’re quite old enough to make your own decisions.”
I nodded, trying to repress the painful ache in my chest. I knew he wouldn’t care, but I had hoped that he would, even just a bit, but that was too much to ask, he hadn’t changed much from the prick I had thought he was when I first came to Hogwarts. But I still loved him, so it didn't matter..
I nodded, turning away and heading back out when he stopped me.
“You and Weasley? I thought you could do better than that.” I clenched my fists, he had no right to talk about Fred or any Weasley, they were amazing people.
“It was him that could’ve done better than me.”
With that, I stalked out of the room feeling extremely ticked off. For my sixteenth birthday, this was surely turning out to be a terrible day, and I had a feeling it would only get worse.
---------
“What do you mean ‘they left’?” I ground out from my teeth, trying to hold in my tears of aggravation and sadness.
“They left school.” Lee Jordan looked at me sympathetically, looking on the verge of patting my back, but my glare undoubtedly stopped him from doing that.
Fred and George Weasley had dropped out of Hogwarts, for what reason is unknown, though everyone is sure it’s due to a mix between Umbridge and starting up Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. Neither even bothered to say bye to anyone. Pushing away my dinner, I wondered how my best friends could ever leave without at least telling me about their plans. On my birthday, no less. Not that they knew that today was my birthday..
“Lily, can I ask you a favor?”
I stared at the black haired, green eyed boy in front of me for a moment before nodding, “Go ahead Harry.”
“I need to talk to Sirius and Remus Lupin, but in order to do that, I have to use Umbridge’s fire since it’s the only one not being monitored, could you help Ron and Hermione be lookouts?”
I’d do just about anything to undermine the Toad, so I quickly agreed and followed them out of the Great Hall. Umbridge had already gone back to her office, so we ended up having to wait nearly an hour before she finally left.
As Harry entered, I hid in the shadows, keeping a lookout just the same as Ron and Hermione were.
For nearly twenty minutes everything was quiet until the distinct sound of clacking heels met my ears. Knocking on Umbridge’s door, I alerted Harry that he needed to wrap his conversation up and waited impatiently for him to come out. Ron and Hermione hid underneath the invisibility cloak, however we (Harry and I) had no such cover, so instead I pulled him into the shadows a bit away from her room and hoped that she didn’t see us as she passed by.
With a collective sigh of release from the four of us as she walked into her office , we headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
~*~*~*~
As days passed, I waited eagerly for a letter of some sort from Fred, only to be sorely disappointed when the mail came and I had nothing.
For six days we reviewed for OWLS, never getting a break during the day unless it was for lunch, and I’m sure we were extremely happy when reviews were over and done with, only for the tension to rise once again as we realized we now had to worry about the actual O.W.L.S.
I struggled for two weeks, trying to get good grades on those so that I could make my father proud. Even after he’d insulted Fred, I still strived to make him happier about having me around, hoping against hope that he’d want me more if I were smart, and for the first time I was envious of Hermione and her brain. If only I could be more like her.
As June fifteenth ended, I fell onto my bed with the biggest headache possibly known to mankind, and went to sleep still waiting for a letter from my boyfriend.
======================
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Wednesday, June sixteenth, I was happy to say I had no OWLS to worry about, I could just stay in bed and relax for the first time in a month. It was nice, in a way, but even though I was supposed to be relaxing, my mind kept wandering to Fred. Was he okay? Why hadn’t he written? Did he already forget about me?
Those worries were soon put to rest when I went down to the Great Hall for lunch, as Lee Jordan came up to me to explain everything that had been happening.
Umbridge wasn’t letting the mail owls through to anyone unless she had read and approved them first. It was infuriating, how I had spent the last couple of weeks worrying myself to the point of nausea about the Twins, only to find out it was the Toad's fault all along.
Unfortunately, nobody could really do anything as the Ministry of Magic had appointed her Headmistress and she could do whatever she liked. I glared at her as she sat in Dumbledore’s usual spot, until my attention was jerked away from her.
“Hey Lily.”
“Hi Harry,” I mumbled, staring intently down at my still empty plate. I hadn’t had the heart to actually eat anything in a couple of days, my mind too busy stressing over pointless things like if I had passed my exams. I had started four years behind everyone else, what if I wasn’t as smart as they were?
“We were going to go visit Hagrid and Grawp today, would you like to come?”
It was common knowledge that I still wasn’t exactly used to Hagrid, even after nearly nine months of having him for a teacher, his size terrified me, his hands could easily crush my bones and he was over two feet taller than my petite form, making me have to strain my neck just to stare at his mouth, let alone his eyes. Who could possibly feel normal around him? Harry, of course.
“Who is Grawp?” Harry, Ron and Hermione talked about Hagrid loads, but this was the first time I’d ever heard of this “Grawp” person. I knew he had a dog named Fang…perhaps he had another dog?
“Oh. I thought we’d already told you. Sorry. He’s Hagrid’s half-brother. So, what do you say?”
I didn’t particularly care for the half-giant, but anything was better than being stuck here and thinking of ways to hide the Toad’s body after I’d murdered her. “Sure, I’d like that.”
----------
Never again. Never again will I go anywhere with Harry that has anything to do with Hagrid. It was terrifying, mortifying, horrifying, frightening…whatever synonym you want to use for the word that still means ‘I was scared.’
When I imagined Grawp, I don’t know what I was thinking. Perhaps somewhere along the lines of an adorable ten year old or some such. Instead I found a giant…an actual giant who was bigger than Hagrid himself.
Not only that, but as we all came out of the woods where Grawp was being housed, she was there. The woman I had been trying to escape by going with Harry in the first place. She stood there in all her pink clothing, tapping her shoes impatiently while Professor McGonagall glared at the back of her head. Neither seemed very happy.
A few more people wearing dark cloaks with wands drawn stood even further behind them, looking menacing with the scowls on their faces, however Umbridge just looked as happy and sickly sweet as ever. She disgusted me.
“Rubeus Hagrid, you are hereby banned from Hogwarts grounds under suspicion of harboring a fugitive under the name Albus Dumbledore. You’re to go with these fine gentlemen who will escort you to your very own private room in Azkaban.”
What is Azkaban? It’s obviously not some posh hotel or some such, otherwise Umbridge wouldn’t be so happy about sending him there, but I’d never heard of it before. I’d have to ask Harry or Hermione later on.
“Sure, just, erm. Can I go grab something from my house?”
“Of course, though I don’t particularly see the reasoning. We’ll follow you!”
We four watched as McGonagall, Umbridge, Hagrid and the other unknown people walked quickly towards Hagrid’s hut, they all nearly had to run to keep up with the half-giants long legs.
It had happened so fast, that I can’t be sure that I even saw it correctly. One moment Hagrid’s going inside while the others wait outside, the next, Hagrid’s running across Hogwarts grounds with a giant blood-hound in his arms with the other’s chasing after him.
It was perfectly obvious that McGonagall was trying to delay the Toad and her minions, and eventually Umbridge seemed to notice too, and sent a spell towards her. As the bright red jet of light hit our Transfiguration professor, I could do nothing other than gasp as she landed on the ground in a heap, not moving.
I’d tried running after her, but Ron held me back, not letting me go to her aid, and that was probably for the best, as I might have stabbed Umbridge with my wand.
Hagrid had gotten away, and for that we could all be greatful. Slowly, regretfully, Ron turned me away from the scene that happened nearly a hundred yards away, leading me back to the school.
~*~*~*~*~*~
We heard that our stunned professor had been taken to St. Mungo’s which was apparently a hospital for witches and wizards. Somehow, I found it nearly humorous that witches needed a hospital, what with all the spells that you can use to heal people with, but like I said, I only found it nearly humorous.
I spent the rest of the evening with Harry, as Ron had been recruited to go to the library and help Hermione study for her last two O.W.L.S that she’d be working on tomorrow. Harry himself still had to take History of Magic, but that wasn’t until nearly two in the afternoon, so he wasn’t planning to study until lunch time.
“Harry, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, Lily. Anything.”
“What is…Azkaban?”
Harry stared at me through his round glasses, his almond shaped green eyes looking curious as ever, “You mean Sirius didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“It’s a prison. One he was in for twelve years.”
I could feel my eyes widening, not knowing how to respond. My biological father was in prison for twelve years. That would put him at getting out just a bit after I ran away.
I took the time to wonder briefly what would’ve happened if I had waited until I was thirteen or fourteen to run off. Would I have met him? Would he have taken me in as his own even then? But then I came to the conclusion that I’d probably be dead if I had waited any longer to leave number eleven Grimmauld Place.
“Why would he have been in there in the first place?”
“It’s complicated, to say the least, and would take me over an hour to explain everything.”
I sat back, relaxing in the chair next to the fireplace and looked around the completely empty common room, “Well…I have time.”
As he told the story, I couldn’t help but to feel hatred for this Peter Pettigrew, who took away the slim chance I had of meeting and living with my biological, non-abusive real father. But then…I never would have become so close to Snape, and I didn’t want to change our crappy little non-existent father/daughter relationship.
“That was an intense story, Harry.” I rubbed my face, not knowing what else to say. Dementor’s sounded awful, and I hoped that I never had to see one for the rest of my life. “I think…I should go to sleep now. That is a lot to take in. Good night, Harry.”
“Night Lily.”
Sighing, I practically crawled up the staircase leading to the girls dorms and collapsed into my bed fully dressed.
Only four more days until the end of the term.