The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Lily's Lonely Summer

Lily's Lonely Summer

Lily sat in the grass, staring at the reflection of the clouds in the still pond water, her chin resting on her knee. It was only a week into the summer and she was ready to go back to Hogwarts. Being home was far less exciting than she'd built up in her head when they'd been on the train back to London. She'd pictured long afternoons soaking up the sun beside Severus Snape and having long talks about the teachers and the lessons that they would be facing in their Second Year. She'd pictured Tuney having finally gotten over the terrible fits of jealousy, and getting along and her getting to show Tuney how cool magic could be by using the spells in Teen Witch to do their hair in crazy colors and styles like she'd done all through term with her friends at Hogwarts.

The dream had come crashing down, nearly immediately, when she'd received the notice as she stepped off the train that students weren't allowed to use magic at home until they'd come of age. Suddenly having the subscription to Teen Witch seemed more sad than exciting. Petunia had most definitely not gotten over her jealousy, either, which was instantly apparent by the news that she'd refused to come along with the Evans to collect Lily from King's Cross Station. Additionally, Tuney had demanded their rooms be separated and Lily arrived home to find that Petunia had moved out into a smaller room down the hallway and Lily was, once again, alone in a room meant for more than one person.

Top it off, Severus hadn't exaggerated a bit when he'd said that he wouldn't be home much. Lily had excitedly trekked out to their spot on the first day back from school, but Severus wasn't there waiting for her as she'd expected. Nor had he been any of the days since. Lily had taken her bicycle all the way down to Spinner's End to spy on the Snape house, but the windows were dark and silent and she saw no signs of Severus there. She didn't have any other friends at home, so Lily had found herself quite alone.

In one week, she had written to Alice Bell no less than three times, read the whole of Hogwarts: A History front to back, and braided friendship bracelets for each of her friends - including one for Remus Lupin, which she wasn't sure she'd ever give to him. She found herself blushing at even the thought of giving Remus the present, and thought briefly of making one for each of the Gryffindor boys but tying knots in colorful strings gets quite boring after a time and Lily found she just didn't want to spend her time on that.

The clouds in the reflection reminded her of the mirror and the adventures she'd had with the boys back at the school. It made her miss it even more. She laid back in the grass with a sigh, her ginger hair fanning out about her head, and closed her eyes.

"Lily!"

She opened her eyes and sat up. She'd fallen asleep - though she didn't recall having slept at all; she only knew she had because the sun was much lower in the sky than it had been before, and the pond water was grey with approaching night. Severus was coming toward her over the crest of the hill, though, his hair even longer and greasier than she recalled. He had his wand strung through the belt loop of his dirty, too-small-at-the-ankle jeans.

"Hey," he said, sitting down beside her. "I was hoping you'd be here."

"I've been here everyday this week," she replied.

"Sorry," he said, "I wasn't around."

Lily nodded, "I know. I went 'round your place."

"My place? Spinner's End? Why on earth did you go there?" He made a face.

"Looking for you," Lily answered, the answer plain.

Severus laughed, "Oh, I haven't been living there most of the time. My father's left us. Mother and I have been staying with - with family." He'd been about to say the Malfoys, but he recalled that not only was it a secret they were staying there, but the Malfoys were also a rather touchy subject between he and Lily. "How's your summer been?" He asked.