Always - Severus Snape (COMPLETE)

The Wallow in the Waters

It was getting late when the Hogwarts Express finally pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Lily had fallen asleep on Severus shortly after consuming seven Cauldron Cakes, and only awoke when Severus moved slightly in an attempt to see out of the window as they passed through the Scottish border. He had been kept awake by Lily's soft snoring and the rumble of his stomach. He'd refused to take any of the sweets Lily had bought, and instead sat and pretended not to watch as she worked her way through Liquorice Wands, Chocolate Frogs and many more.

Now, as they both stood to exit the train with their heavy trunks, Lily turned to Severus.

"You'll be with me?" She asked.

Severus' dark eyes met hers.

"I'll be right behind you," he assured.

She stared at him apprehensively. He spoke again, stronger.

"Always."

And so Severus tagged behind Lily as she manoeuvred the platform, slipping past older students and navigating through the crowd towards a giant in ruffian's clothing.

"First-years!" It bellowed. "First-years, over 'ere!"

Severus and Lily queued up behind the other timid-looking first-years and were awed by the giant's height. It, presumably a male, was eleven foot tall and had shaggy brown hair which flowed, or more likely tangled, into a bushy beard.

The giant led the way to a lake, where a fleet of boats were waiting. Across the foreboding black lake was a castle; a magnificent, colossal castle. Lights could be seen in every window, creating sparkling reflections in the water and turrets rose, spiralling into the sky. To Lily, it was a historic marvel, a remarkable feat of architecture, a fairy-tale hotel to stay in for the next seven years. To Severus it was a godsend: a place of warmth, comfort, more space than he'd ever had. He reckoned the castle could fit his house hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

Severus and Lily clambered into one boat, with the bullies from the train joining them, to their immense dislike.

"Hello Snivellus!" Crazy Hair sneered. "Ready to join your fellow snakes in the dungeons?"

He ignored them, choosing instead to focus on the luminescence in front.

"Maybe someone will drown him in the lake," laughed Slytherin Family.

"Brilliant idea!"

Before he knew it, Severus was in the icy cold water, the liquid filling his lungs and nose. He could not see and he could not swim and, for a moment, he panicked. What a way to die – drowning at the hands of the enemy, only metres away from a dear friend. But he soon regained control. He promptly shut his mouth and, with an anger he didn't know he possessed, kicked up from the bottom and emerged from the water.

He landed, by chance, on the deck of their small boat, coughing and spluttering. Lily, though anxious for Severus, shared the same awed look as Crazy Hair and Slytherin Family.

"What?" He mumbled, confused by their scared glances.

Lily moved closer to him.

"Nothing," she replied, giving him an odd look. "I can't believe you two just pushed him in!"

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged.

"It's only Snivellus," Slytherin Family pointed out.

Lily glared at them and helped him out of his soggy cloak before putting her own around his shoulders.

"Aww," the boys cooed, "Does Snivellus have a girlfriend already? He's so popular!"

Furious, he gritted his teeth and made a small circular motion with his hand. It was something he'd read in one of his mother's books and was supposed to make hair turn a different colour.

Slytherin Family suddenly yelped.

"Potter, your hair!"

"What is it?" Potter asked, horrified.

His hair was his most precious possession.

"It's turning green!"

"So is yours, Black!"

"What?"

Black got up precariously to check his hair in the reflection of the water.

"Stop it, you're going to tip us all in!" Lily exclaimed. "Use some sense!"

"Enough mischief over there!" The giant bellowed.

Begrudgingly, Black sat back down but glowered at Severus.

"This is your doing," he accused. "Do you really want another dunk in the lake?"

"None of us is ending up in the lake!" Lily said, suddenly angry. "Severus and I didn't do anything to your precious hair, it must have been one of you. Perhaps you can't control your magic."

There was a sudden guffaw.

Another boat was close to them and one of the boys at the back was laughing.

"Can't control your magic, Potter? What a disgrace to your parents."

Potter reddened and clenched his fists in anger. Severus laughed, realising that humiliation would get Potter and Black, if only temporarily, off their backs. Lily joined in and very soon both Potter and Black had turned their backs on Lily and Severus. Feeling grateful, Severus nodded at the boy in the other boat and the boy saluted back.

*

At long last, the boats pulled into a little cave and the giant instructed the first-years to walk up the slippery steps to a huge imposing door.

"This is where I leave you," the giant said grimly. "Good luck."

And with that, he knocked three times and, almost immediately, the door swung open.

*****

A.N. So............. It's been months, possibly a year. And I'm really sorry about it. I lied, I said I would update after GCSEs but I didn't. I received good results and I think this is partially why I didn't update. I wanted to prolong the illusion of peace and no work. xD

As a further note, this is going to be the last chapter of what is currently called Always. I'm planning on changing the title so that this will be a series. As a result, the first chapter of my next work will be McGonagall opening the door and Lily and Severus being sorted into their houses.

Thank you so so much for bearing with me in these months of absence and PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)