The Year of the Revolution II. The Discovery of Friendship

28. Reconciliation

What a week it was that of Sev, that third of February. Beginning with Monday's conversation with Stevens, that same night she met Lauren to finalize the details of the night outing, since he couldn't on Tuesday or Wednesday because he was waiting for the date with Lily, which Cecile had to tell him over dinner, since it would have been suspicious for Remus to have anticipated the plans so far with the quartet. On Tuesday night he received a refusal. 'I'm afraid it'll be not possible...'

And on Wednesday in Arithmancy, again after finishing homework, Stevens asked him to conjure the Muffliato. "I suppose that you already fully control the syllabus of the Defense OWL. Would you give me a hand with that too?"

'The flower has set, he is going to ask me for the proof of the Patronus.'

"Sure, whenever you want."

"How about on Friday afternoon after school? I suppose you have somewhere to practice."

'Ugh... luckily I ended up appointing Lauren on Thursday night.'

"It suits me perfectly, and yes, I have a place in the Forest. Do you know the path that leads near Hagrid's hut?"

"I do."

"I'll wait for you there out of sight of the castle, I suppose you understand that it's better that they don't see us together."

Stevens smiled wryly at him. "That far I get. Okay, wait half an hour. If I don't show up, we'll talk. And thanks, by the way."

'Ugh... what an accumulation of work. If I see Lily tonight, which I want with all my soul, I'm going to spend two late nights in a row, and on Friday afternoon the acid test with Stevens. And besides, my supply of potions is running low, as I kept the minimum for myself and now I'm sharing it with Lauren several times a week. I should have brewed more in advance, now I will have to go to the Haven on the weekend to do it. What a lack of organization, it's getting out of hand.'

At least that night he had good news. Cecile signaled him over dinner, with a charming, excited smile, which he returned, that Lily would be coming to the Haven that night. 'Even so, it can go wrong and I can spend the night awake without her coming.'

He waited for everyone to sleep, dressed in the clothes she had given him, and brought his pajamas in his backpack just in case. He warded the canopy curtains with magic and made his way to the Haven more stealthily than ever.

When he arrived, she was already there. 'For the first time since I showed it to her four months ago, she is the one waiting for me.' This time they didn't hold back from running to hug and kiss passionately, they hadn't done it for a month and a half.

'She is precious. With her white summer dress printed with small red flowers with their green leaves, low-cut, with the bodice closed with a green cord. I had already seen it on her, but then the cord was white. She has changed it for me.'

"Forgive me for leaving you for so long..."

"It doesn't matter, Sev, I understand," she cut him off sweetly. "You must solve your situation, I'll wait for you whatever it takes."

'I never expected to receive so much understanding and disinterest from anyone, but of course, she's my Lily, it's for something that I've been madly in love with her for seven years, and now that it's mutual, she won't reserve anything she can offer me.

'She must have been waiting for me for a long time, it's already after one o'clock. We have four hours, since this time we're meeting Remus at quarter past five.'