Chapter 25
~ Muggle Town ~
Nothing much had changed back at Lillian's old street. Severus was right: the longer she supresssed it, the harder it's going to get. And so she decided to spend the summer holiday with Severus, no matter how painful it would be seeing her old home.
When the got off their train at King Cross station, Lillian half expected them to hail a taxi. But instead Severus took Lillian down into a dark alleyway, where an old bin compartment was.
"Step in, then." Snape insisted. Apprehensively, Lillian stepped in. When he closed the door, a light flicked on. Severus was close to her, very close. It began to move. The door opened again. Lillian was urged out, and before them on a grass field there was a portkey. Ahhh, now she understood.
"Here, let me take that suitcase." Severus stretched down to his right and took Lillian's suitcase from her. "Why you didn't just get it sent to you, I'll never know."
His voice. It was... soft. What was going on here, thought Lillian.
Severus's house had not altered much, noted Lillian. It was still dusty, cluttered, and riddled with books. It was sunny out, and Lillian was sweating. She still had her robes on as she had run out of clean clothes.
Severus unlocked his front door with the use of the wand then pushed the door open. Lillian was dying to look 'round. She was absolutely dying to look back and see her old house; the house she was brought up in as a child. The only good thing that ever came from that house, including Lillian's memories, was her mother. That's all.
- - -
"Lillian? Are you... um... hungry?"
"Yeah, I am actually."
Severus stood awkwardly at the foot of his stairs, looking up at Lillian who was at the top peering down. "Um... What do you want?"
"I don't know. What d'you want?"
"I'm not that hungry."
"Then just leave it, I'm not that hungry either."
Severus groaned. "Do you want food or not?"
"Yes!"
"Then what do you want and I shall organise it myself?"
"You can cook?"
"Yes, what idiotic being can't?"
"Me!"
"Oh..." Well this is getting more awkward by the second, thought Severus. "I'll send you something up but don't blame me if you don't like it!" he barked then turned away and entered his kitchen, wand at the ready.
He was not used to this sort of stuff.
- - -
~ Snape's House, back home ~
A week into the summer and Lillian had already received a message from Leo. She was in the midst of stroking Prince when suddenly she heard a toot at her window. She looked up and saw Severus's black owl staring at her through the glass, holding a letter. She opened her window stiffly and took the letter from the owl, after stroking its feathers first.
'Dear Lilly.
How's your summer going? Mine's is going OK, so far. My dad says he's gonna take me to the big Quidditch back that's coming up. How awesome is that? Things are starting to get a little shaky round here, people are starting to go missing - and not just muggles. My dad said that I shouldn't write to anyone 'cause he doesn't think it's safe, but I really wanted too. Anyways, I'm thinking (when we get back for next term) me and you go to Hogsmade? I want to buy my mum something. She keeps nagging. But she's been a little ill lately, so I thought what the hell, I'll buy her something to shut her the hell up! Oh, I saw Arostia the other day, she told me to tell you hi. So, hi. That's from her by the way.
See you soon,
Leo.
P.S: I think Snape's owl keeps mugging my owl. That's s bad owl :('
Lillian's cheeks began to hurt her from smiling. Instantly, she started to write back. One she had finished, she handed it back to Severus's owl - who had an evil look in her eye - then watched it take off into the distance. When the owl had completely gone out of view, Lillian stared aimlessly in front of her. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before. She was staring at her old house from across the street. She could see her old bedroom window. However, it no longer had her mauve curtains up; it was draped with dark emerald curtains. New people were in her old house. Lillian wished she could just see it for one last time, and say goodbye.
But she didn't think she was strong enough. Closing her mind, she picked up her book again - the same Transfiguraion book as always - and began to read herself into a sleep. She didn't wake back up until she heard someone knock on her bedroom door.
"Yeah?"
"It's me. I... I thought this might be of interest to you."
"Come on," Lillian rubbed at her eyes and pushed herself up against her headboard. Severus walked in slowly over to her window, holding a pile of books.
"I noticed you like reading books on Transfiguration. Well, I found these in my library. There's a favourite of mine in there, called: How to Train Your Animagi by Noah Whitshaw, wizard of the Serbia desserts. It's a comerical book, but he points out some strong issues involving the traits of Animagi's, and their human inner spirits. I thought you would maybe... want to... forget about it. Do what you want with them, I don't really care."
"Wait!" Lillian blurted. "Thanks, Sev. I'll read all of them!" Lillian rushed over and picked up the first book which was the one by Noah Whitshaw. "I love Transfiguration! I never thought you knew that," she mumbled in awe.
"Of course I do. One observes a lot when the main responsibility in their life is their child... Anyways, I have some protocols to carry out. I will leave you in charge of the house until such further notice that I am back. I... I'd advise you not to go out, Lillian, it won't do you any good."
Lillian's face dropped. He had finally ruined the moment. "What wont do me any good?"
"You know what. Look, there's a library downstairs full of umpteem books which I'm positive you'll enjoy. At least for today, stay inside."
Lillian was not going to give in that easy. After Snape left, what did she do? She went straight over towards her house; memory lane. Given two minutes of just standing in front of the house, her memories came flushing back. Their wide living-room window was dressed with white blinds and black swaying curtains. There was no car in the drive-way, however she could hear the sound of people out in their back garden. She could hear a young girl laughing. She walked down the road a little and peered over their fence - now she really did look like a stalker, huh? - there was a few kids playing in the paddling pool, with their parents in the background handing out stacks. Balloons were everywhere; it was a birthday party.
Lillian wished she had those kind of memories as a child, but she never. In stead she had the hiding in the corner type, counting the seconds until her father would leave for the pub and her mother would come in from night shift. Her father was a horrible, horrible man who should've been drowned at birth - that's what Lillian thought of him. Scum! Her mother, on the other hand, had always been her means of escape from that molester. She had only ever loved one person in this world, and it was her mother. Sure, she lusted for Leo, and she cared for Severus in an unusual, sort of worrying way, but never loved any of them.
~ The Cemetary ~
The girl could not hold them back. She cried silently into the sleeves of her t-shirt, then made her way down to the bottom of the road. A fifteen minute walk later, and Lillian had reached the cemetary. She wasn't too sure where to find their stone, but sooner or later, she found it. And she received closure. She stayed until it was evident dusk was deepening. As much as she got closure from visiting her mother's grave - disregarding her fathers engraved name - it tore her a part.
"I told you, you shouldn't have come, Lillian." A voice whispered behind her.
"I had to. I just had to!" She replied to Severus. "Anyway, I thought you were busy." She stood up and wiped her face.
"I finished earlier than expected. I knew you'd be here, or at your house. Come on, let's go." Severus was being kind again, gentle. Lillian sobbed a little and walked beside him.
~ Home ~
Back home, Lillian had made her mind up about an important issue which would surely change her life forever.
"I want you to obliviate the memories of my parents. I want you to erase them, please!" She begged.
With hard persuasion, Severus agreed and helped her. Now, to the both of them, Severus was all Lillian had. And a part of him was proud for that reason.
A few weeks later, Lillian returned from her holiday with Snape, and was back at school, feeling fresher than ever. Happier than ever, too.