I Am Severus Snape

I Am Severus Snape

Chapter One

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Lily was gorgeous, beautiful actually, her curly, red ringlets blowing in the breeze. Now all I had to do was talk to her. If I talked to her we could be friends. She'd be my first.

"You've got to move , Severus" I told myself. "Crawl out of the bushes. Go towards her." But somehow I just couldn't. Ten minutes couldn't hurt , right? I continued to watch them.

"Lily, don't do it!" shrieked the elder of the two girls, Lily's sister. .

But the Lily had let go of the swing at the very height of its arc and flown into the air, quite literally flown, launched herself skyward with a great shout of laughter, and instead of crumpling on the playground asphalt, she soared like a trapeze artist through the air, staying up far too long, landing far too lightly.

Amazing I thought, fascinated. A Muggle born with actual talent!

"Mummy told you not to!"

Petunia stopped her swing by dragging the heels of her sandals on the ground, making a crunching, grinding sound, then leapt up, hands on hips.

"Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

"But I'm fine," said Lily, still giggling. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

Petunia glanced around. The playground was seemingly deserted apart from themselves and, though they did not know it, me.

Lily walked towards the bush I was hiding behind and picked up a fallen flower.

Petunia advanced, evidently torn between curiosity and disapproval. Lily waited until Petunia was near enough to have a clear view, then held out her palm. The flower sat there, opening and closing its petals, like some bizarre, many-lipped oyster.

"Stop it!" shrieked Petunia.

"It's not hurting you," said Lily, but she closed her hand on the blossom and threw it back to the ground.

"It's not right," said Petunia, but her eyes had followed the flower's flight to the ground and lingered upon it. "How do you do it?" she added, and there was definite longing in her voice.

No longer could I contain myself, I had to make my presence known.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" I said , jumping out from behind the bushes. Petunia shrieked and ran backward toward the swings, but Lily, though clearly startled, remained where she was. Suddenly I regreted my appearance. My shaggy hair , and over large clothes. I probably looked like a stalker, but I couldn't help it, I wasn't exactly rich. A dull flush of color mounted my cheeks as I looked at Lily.

"What's obvious?" she asked..

Should I tell her? Should I tell her that she's a witch? With a glance at the distant Petunia, now hovering beside the swings, I lowered my voice and said, "I know what you are."

"What do you mean?"

"You're...you're a witch," I whispered giddily.

She looked affronted.

"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!"

Turning her nose in the air, she marched off toward her sister.

"No!" I shouted, highly colored and sweating. Making a quick decision I ran towards them, my coat billowing behind me.

The two sisters were looking at me, both united in disapproval, holding on to one of the swing poles, as though it was the safe place in tag.