atelophobia • {HP universe} (BOOK 1)

~ eleven ~

Lily had gotten into the habit of doing the same thing everyday. Waking up, making breakfast, eating with Severus, taking a walk outside, eventually going inside to find a lunch made, drawing or doing some other activity, having dinner, showering, going in her room, sleeping. It had gotten quite boring after awhile, but the good thing that came out of it, was that Lily had gotten a lot closer with Severus.

That morning, while eating, she'd decided to ask a question.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we can go to Malfoy Manor today? Draco invited me to the party, and I'm sure you were invited too, and I really miss my friends, and—"

"No."

Lily was shocked.

"Why not?"

"Because people would suspect that we are- well, you know, in the same family." Severus responded. Lily rolled her eyes at this. "And what's wrong with that?" She asked. Now Severus was truly confused. Lots of things were wrong with it, on Lily's part. People would think he's just giving her good Potions grades because Lily's his daughter— even though it was simply because she was great at potions. He told himself many reasons why people couldn't know, but the true reason was hidden deep down. What if someone found out he used to be a Death Eater, and she was bullied for that? Though it was irrational, Snape also couldn't help but think she'd get bullied other ways. That him punishing other students during potions would cause them to hate her, that Potter would bully her because James has bullied him—

"Everything would be wrong with that." Snape responded. Lily huffed. "I don't know if it's crossed your mind, but I'm not ashamed to be your daughter." She said. This sentence touched somewhere in Snape's heart, though he refused to accept it or acknowledge it. "That's not the point, Liliana. I don't have to tell you why, I just make the rules, and you just listen and obey." He responded, which clearly angered Lily. She decided not to fight back, and instead she decided to owl Draco.

She reached into the desk with the parchment, and got a quill, too. She then made her way up to her room, and began writing.

Dear Draco,
        Unfortunately, my care-taker won't let me go to your family's party. I'm really sorry, I wish I could have gone, since I miss you, Pansy, and Blaise. (Don't wet yourself, I don't miss you that much) but anyways, I'm probably just gonna draw or try and think of something fun to do in my boring house. Tell Pansy I miss her a lot, and tell Blaise I can't wait to see him at school.
                          -Lily

She tied the letter to her owl's leg, and almost let him fully off, but there was a knock on her open door, then she heard someone walk in. Severus stood next to her, facing her open window. He looked like he was about to say something that was difficult to escape his lips.

"I'm- I'm sorry that you can't go, I know your... friends are going to be there." He looked as if he didn't even want Lily to respond, so he changed the subject quickly. "What did you name your owl?" He asked. Lily looked at her owl with sudden realization. "I didn't." She said, then a smile cracked on her face.

"Maybe i'll name him Owlbus Dumbledore." She joked, and Snape fought every urge to not smile at her joke, to not show emotion. So he didn't. Lily looked determined to get her father to crack a smile. "How about Owlmione Granger?" She asked. Snape liked the pun, not the person that she was talking about, so he didn't smile. "Minerva McGonagowl?" Lily asked. From this, a smile cracked on Snape's face, and he looked to the opposite side of Lily to hide it.

"I thought you were incapable of smiling!" Lily cheered, and Snape ignored that comment.

"What are you naming you owl?" He asked once again.