Thirty Years of Winter

1974

"Are you sure you won't come with us?" Lily's question is  said with such sincerity that Severus is tempted to agree. Holiday with  Lily and her family in Majorca, escape from another cold Hogwarts  winter.

But he knows that, as kind as Lily's parents are, they never  liked their daughter's friend. It wouldn't be comfortable for them to  have him in their midst, and Petunia downright despises him.

Besides, if he's going to make something of himself he  needs to be willing to sacrifice something as trifling as a holiday  abroad.

"No, it's all right. I have plans here."

Concern deepens Lily's green eyes. "What kind of plans?" Severus knows she disapproves of his Slytherin friends.

He reaches up and tugs a strand of her hair, the way he  used to do when they were children. "Potions." Not exactly a lie. He pushes  away the spark of guilt that arises with the thought that Lily will be  happier kept in the dark.

"You and your potions," she says fondly, with a laugh that  banishes the last of the guilt. "Here, then." She shoves a package  wrapped in bright green and silver paper into his hands; a concession.  Severus takes it automatically.

"What is it?"

"For your birthday. Don't open it until then, okay?"

Severus hides his emotions with a smirk. "I'm not so wholly  lacking in self control." Not like someone else he knows, who opened  all her Christmas gifts the moment they arrived the first week of  December.

So he waits. On the eve of his birthday he sits on his bed  in the empty dormitory room and carefully unties the ribbons, peeling  back the wrapping. He recognizes the name embossed on the leather cover  instantly as that of a premium potions supply chain. Undoing the clasp  and flipping the leather cover open, Severus sees three rows of tiny  glass vials, each of them filled with a different commonly used potions  ingredient.

You and your potions, Lily said. Severus allows himself to smile. She understands him well.