Hogwarts December 1972

#3rd person pov#

In the cafeteria, sitting distractedly and nibbling on some boiled potatoes. A young man reflected on the latest events.

After a month in search of his new madness. Severus encountered several difficulties.

First, the potion's difficulty level is high; Lack of money for ingredients; The ritual requires high levels of arithmancy knowledge; Potter and his gang won't leave him alone.

"Look, look...Look who we have here, Snivillus. Evans happens to finally realize how greasy your snake friend is" James smiled in a sadistic, arrogant way.

Sirius smiled saying "HAHAHA true Prongs. Do you think when was the snotty's last bath?? He is such a coward he must be afraid of the soap"

A small gang of Gryffindors laughed at the joke. After all, how funny it was to make fun of the weird kid at school.

With venom, Severus said, "What do you want 'Potter'!??"

As if he had achieved his goal of pissing Severus off, James cracked his smile and said. "Nothing, just taking pity on disgusting snakes like you and telling them how stinky they are" holding his nose as if he felt something disgusting.

Severus gritted his teeth in indignation and when he was about to respond.

"Stop now, Potter. Why don't you leave my friend alone you cocky toerag," Lily snapped.

James frowned slightly and said, "Why Evans. I thought you already realized that your friend is unreliable. He's a stinky snot and future Death Eater."

Before Lily could respond, Severus ran from the courtyard awkwardly and nearly knocked over his books.

Sirius, James, and a group of students around laughed at him saying "See how cowardly the nasty snake is HAHA"

Lily shivered with a frown, huffed, and pulled her friend Mary away.

As they watched the two of them leave, Sirius reached James' side and asked.

"When are you going to work up the courage to ask her out Prongs? Haha maybe Snivillus has been a little cowardly to you," Sirius said with an amused tone.

Red with embarrassment and a slight rage he replied "Me? Coward? I'm a Gryffindor and not a nasty snake. Evans is a different and kind girl. I need to show her the true colors of her greasy friend first."

"Ehhh, if that's what you say," Sirius said with a smile and shrug.

'Just wait Snivillus, I'll show you how disgusting you really are to Evans' thought James.

# Pov Lily #

At night, after curfew. Lily was sitting on her bed chatting girls with her roommates.

I sigh "aahhh, I think I'm in love. Fabian and I are destined to be together." Jessica Colton said in a dreamy tone.

Horrified Lily said "Jessica, he's 3 years older than us. And we're only a second year, we should focus on our academic lives."

Jessica waking up from her reverie turns to Lily and says amused.

"Ohh, I'm sorry if I'm not in love with books like you and your 'Sev'. Tell me, did you guys ever make out in the library? Haha"

A slight pink on her cheeks, Lily hurriedly replied, "Gee Jessica. Sev and I are good friends and we don't have those kinds of thoughts. He and I are childhood friends."

All three girls in the room stare at Lily as if they have heard something funny.

"Seriously, Lily. I think you're pretty innocent if you think your Slytherin friend's thoughts are so pure," Mary says.

"The boy follows her like a lost puppy. He doesn't take his eyes off her when he passes by and last year you were almost inseparable" commented Jennifer Hilson.

"And you've done well to distance yourself from him, Lily. Your fellow Death Eaters are a danger and look... Before you say anything, I'm not here to judge you, but you have to admit your friendships are pretty worrisome." says firmly.

Jessica says "Yes, did you see what Mulciber and Avery did to the first-year Hufflepuff??"

"How absurd, my Sev is not like those monsters. I've known him for a long time and he doesn't agree with prejudices against us muggleborns" Lily defends her friend

"So why does he hang around with them?" mocked Jessica

"Well…" Lily struggled to answer but Jessica spoke first.

"Apart from his pursuits of dark magic, the entire school knows he is an avid student of this subject" - Jessica

Jennifer a previous victim of dark magic used against her by Slytherin students shuddered and said.

"You have to understand, Lily. You should rethink your involvement with this Slytherin. There are so many Gryffindor students to relate to, why not one of them?" - Jennifer.

"Merlin, what are you going to suggest now? So I can mingle with the marauders? No thanks! I'd rather throw myself into the Black Lake." Lily spoke angrily.

"Hey, no need to talk like that. They're not that bad, you know. A little silly I admit, but they're pretty funny." -Mary

"If funny you mean humiliates my friend, you can start by taking it back." Lily as red as her hair responds.

"Heyyy, relax a little. Sure, James can go a little overboard sometimes, but he's not that bad." - Jennifer.

"You know Lily, he does a lot of these things to get your attention. I have no doubt anything he's interested in you, have you noticed his glares? And you've exchanged some with him too that I know!" Jessica says amused.

Lily mortified with embarrassment shuddered before answering.

"Y…you've got to be kidding! Er….I admit the cocky boy can be…attractive. But I'd rather marry a hippogriff than take the toerag" -Lily

"Seriously, but just between us, Lily. If you were to choose between James and Severus. Who would you choose? And you don't even need to be smart to answer that question, huh?" Jessica said with derision.

Lily lay on her back to her bed and was silent, ignoring the girls.

She knew for sure that the friendship between her and Severus was very important. He was basically her introduction to life in the wizarding world.

While Petunia teased her calling her a freak, and when she couldn't seem to connect with the other muggle classmates at her school...

Lily found Severus.

He showed her a whole new world, full of dreams and expectations. It made her dream again that she could find a place to call her own.

Where people accepted her for what she was. That's why she's always fresh from those pompous Slytherin idiots.

When these blood purists call her with such contempt. She is angry and recent, but also sad.

Sad to know that even in the magical world things aren't a thousand wonders she envisioned.

With heavy, sleepy eyes. Lily muttered one last time.

"Sev..."