Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 55 - The New Professor

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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As Harriet's fourth year of Hogwarts began, she headed back to school with a bright smile on her face, prepared for another year of adventures with her friends.

Regardless of her enthusiasm, things seemed much different than before.

Harriet had promised her parents she would make daily trips to her father's private chambers in the castle and check on Anuman.

They had agreed to move the snake to Severus's office for Harriet's convenience, since she wouldn't be able to come home every weekend.

Severus and Lily had made it quite clear her new pet was her responsibility and they intended for her to take his care seriously.

Harriet and Anuman had become wonderful friends.

She had no intention of disappointing anyone with how well she looked after him.

Besides the matter of her new pet, Harriet noticed that Ellery declined to sit with her on the Hogwarts Express and instead chose to be with his Slytherin friends for the journey back to school.

She shrugged her brother's decision aside as the train moved along its track, yet that didn't seem to ease the painful sting in her heart.

That night, after she had settled into her dormitory, she wore a deep frown as her quill scratched across the blank diary page.

Tom,

Ellery decided to sit with his housemates instead of me on the train. We've always been close.....Do you think it's something I've done?

Harriet drew a breath as her words disappeared only to be replaced by new ones.

Good evening my dear Harriet,

Of course not. Everyone must find their path. Is it not good to be back in the castle, regardless of what your brother chose to do or not do?

Harriet's frown lessened as she wrote back.

Of course. My brother and I are still friends....I have Ron and Hermione as well.....and my snake.

She watched her ink sink into the page before a reply appeared, letter by letter.

You have me too.

Harriet's frown morphed into a bright smile.

No matter how depressed or disheartened she ever became, during the two years they had written to each other, Harriet had learned that Tom Riddle, the boy in the diary, never failed to lift her spirits.

As she held the book in her hand, warmth bubbled in her heart.

Unbeknownst to Harriet, as she wrote to Tom that evening, a shiver ran down Voldemort's spine while he walked down the blackened corridor of one of his many hideouts.

His serpentine eyes glistened in the darkness for a moment as an ugly sneer crossed his hideous face.

After the brief, uncomfortable sensation passed, he shrugged it off and continued his walk.

Voldemort was not very fond of feeling anything, let alone an inexplicable chill.

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Hogwarts nearly lost its Potions Master to tardiness one morning as Severus lay in bed for an extended moment, with his lips on Lily's and his arms woven around her lithe waist.