Lily in the Shadows

Chapter 15 (Edited)

Rushing down the hall with her History books, Lily, stresses about getting to class in time. She speeds up the dungeon steps, having gotten too distracted reading her Jane Austin book now she is running late. Turning the corner she freezes, seeing a figure laying on the ground, unmoving. Taking a step forward she recognizes the face of the child laying still on the floor, whipping around as she rushes out of the hall and backs down to the dungeon. Throwing open the door to the Potions classroom she pants, dashing down the center aisle, ignoring the looks of the students in the classroom.

Professor Snape looks up and stands at Lily's hassle. Stepping around his desk he crouches down to her level, holding onto her arms as she hyperventilates.

"Professor... a boy... hall... frozen..." She can barely get out the words she is breathing so hard.

"Lily, Lily calm down. Take a deep breath, I understand. Can you take me to him?" The Professor asks, patting her back. At her nod, he stands up straight, his face masking into a harsh glare as he surveys his class. "Go back to the common rooms and stay there!" The class swiftly gathered their belongings and filed out of the room. Snape goes to walk out of the room when he feels a tiny hand in his. Looking down he sees a paler than usual Kathryn, holding on for dear life as she guides him out of the Dungeons.

Turning down the hall Snape stops, seeing the body. He turns back to the girl, crouching back down. "Hey, hey look at me," her eyes turn to face him. "I want you to stay right here as I go check it out alright?" She nods. "Don't worry, everything's going to be alright." Snape stands and goes to look at the boy, grabbing his arm he checks for a pulse and sighs in relief at the gentle beat. Pulling out his wand he waves it and levitates the body, leading it behind him as he walks back over to Lily. Taking her hand they walk down the hall towards the infirmary.

Entering the room, Madam Pomfrey gasps at the boy floating through the air. They set him on a bed, flinching as something loudly hits the ground. Lily-Kathryn walks over, picks it up, and places it on the side table. She rushes back over to her professor, pushing herself into his side. He wraps an arm around her narrow shoulders, shielding her from the body. Turning from the room he runs a hand through her hair, encouraging her not to look but she can't help it, as they leave the room she turns back, glancing at the steaming camera on the side table.

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Walking down the hall together Lily sticks very close to Snape's side, not wanting to be alone at the risk of being attacked too. Binns' class has ended but Lily doesn't feel well enough to be around other students at lunch. Reaching the outside of the Great Hall, Severus goes to enter but pauses when he feels a tugging on his hand. He turns, Lily-Kathryn is frozen, eyes wide staring into the hall.

"What's wrong, Lily, you need to eat." Severus places his other hand on top of her head, worried about the fragile girl in front of him.

She shakes her head, "I can't- I can't be around... there are too many people... I just can't." Noticing her beginning panic, Severus nods in understanding. He leads her away from the hall full of students and down towards the kitchens. Tickling the pear he opens the portrait to the kitchens, leading her inside. "What are we doing here?"

"You still need to eat lunch, so I thought we could come here, where it's quieter." Severus picks Lily up, sets her on one of the tall stools, and asks one of the many house elves to gather the supplies to make sandwiches. Setting out all of the fixings on the table they begin to make their sandwiches. They eat their lunch, enjoying each other's company and talking quietly about their lives.

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"The Weasley twins put a pudding in your office and it changed your voice?" Lily giggles, trying to imagine her stoic professor sounding like anyone else.