the marauders- an inseparable bond

[17] severus and lily

Things got better between the marauders. They always did. Apologies were mumbled to Remus, hugs took place and new pacts were made. Sirius got a subscription to The Daily Prophet, along with the rest of the boys. They continued in their marauding ways, but they always kept in mind not to be ignorant. They were, at the heart, truly kind. When Orchid Brickstone's older brother was killed, they helped her with homework and offered to talk to her about it. When little orphan Jeremy Todd arrived for his first year, plagued by the loss of his parents and nightmares of the things he had seen, they showed him around the castle and introduced him to new friends. So things were normal. Well, as normal as things can be in a dark wizard's reign. It was around Christmas time that things changed. It was around Christmas time, that Lily Evans became their friend.

If you asked Sirius how it happened, he'd say she just showed up one day, out of the blue. Yet again, if you talked to Remus, he would talk about how it had been a gradual thing, one step at a time. And James? Well, for James, she'd been there the entire time.

***

"What're you doing on Saturday?"

Snape was getting something out of his bag, trying to sound casual.

"This Saturday?" Lily asked.

"Yeah..."

"Isn't it a Hogsmeade outing day?"

"Yeah..."

Her face brightened- it had been doing a whole lot of that lately, something Severus was pleased about, except for the reason of why it brightened.

"The boys and I need to hit Zonko's, we've got something big planned."

His heart fell; of course she was going with them.

"Why?" she asked.

"Uh, no reason, I just thought we could hang out, it's been a while."

This hadn't been his exact reasoning.

"Aw, Sev. I would invite you to come along, but..."

Severus Snape pressed his cold, thin lips together. He talked to James since... last year. When the stupid Gryffindor had "saved his life".

"It's fine. I'll go with Avery and Mulciber."

He saw the judgemental look pass through her face.

"What?" Severus asked sharply.

She said nothing, just half shrugged.

"Oh, I get it," he spat angrily, "so you're allowed to be all critical of my friends, but I can't say a word against yours?"

"There is a complete difference." she spat back, anger mirroring his.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes!" she cried, "James and the others' heads have deflated quite a bit, that's why I'm friends with them. Yours, on the other hand, are waiting to graduate so they can join a man, not even a man, with prejudiced views and a thirst for murder! How could you want to be a part of that, Sev? How could you?"

"It's not like that, you don't understand..."

"Then explain it to me!" she practically screamed.

When he said nothing, she went on:

"Look, I really meant what I said at the beginning of this year, but..."

"Oh, are you 'not going to be my friend anymore'? Because we both know how that ended last time. 'Oh Sev, I miss you!'" he mimicked.

This time, unlike the last, she let him see her tears, let him see the pain he caused her throughout the years.

"I did miss you! I really did! But I won't this time, not when that's the way you say goodbye. I thought we meant more to you."