Second chance a new choice

A friend in need

Petunia's scream compelled everyone to the door, dinner forgotten.

"What is it?!" Lily rushed to her sister.

Petunia blanched and pointed a shaking finger. "I t-thought it was one of my f-friends."

Lily gasped and pushed Petunia behind her. The thing on the porch rasped and hissed. Its ghoulish skin, marred by ugly red patches, glowed in the gathering night. Deep, dark eyes stared from beneath coal black hair. Wait... Lily held back her fear and ignored the thing's soulless eyes and the trail of blood dripping from its mouth.

A chill gripped her heart. Severus...? Terror swept over Lily. What's wrong with you?

His eyes caught her, drew her into an endless tunnel of darkness. She tried to escape, gasp for air, but she couldn't. You're drowning me, Sev!

"Thank you..." Severus' words released Lily, and she dashed to him as he collapsed.

He's so light... I always thought of him as skinny until exams. Is it the way he walks now—straight, confident? "It's bad!" she said as her parents crowded onto the porch. Severus' limp body rasped louder. "Sev? Sev, can you hear me?" She felt his cold face. What does that sick rattling mean? Did he injure a lung—or both? Is it exhaustion? Oh, Merlin, what should I do?!

"That horrible man!" Her mother's anger exploded. "I knew it! I knew we shouldn't let him go back!"

"Calm down, Maggy," her father said as he knelt beside Lily.

"This is too much, Harold! We should call the authorities."

"Of course, we should," her father replied, voice calm. "But I don't think you should yell in front of Severus. We don't want to shock him more."

Her mother started to speak but stopped.

"Lily... do you mind?" her father eased open arms under Severus.

He's so... defenseless. The crook of her neck cradled his head and his breath hissed against her shoulder. Severus' face twisted in torment, and his cheek bulged unnaturally.

Lily surrendered him with reluctance.

"The boy's tall, but I didn't realize he was this scrawny," said her father.

Lily tagged close, eyes on Severus as her father took him to the living room and laid him on the couch. She knelt, took his cold hands and rubbed warmth into them.

"I'll call the doctor." Her mother left.

Lily ignored her family's harsh whispers as she wrapped Severus in a blanket.

"Lily," her mother called. "The doctor will be here as soon as he can. You can let go now."

"No." She held Severus' hand tighter.

"You didn't finish your dinner, dear."

"I'm not leaving him. He'll be terrified if he wakes up and I'm not here. That's what happened last... time..."

"I'm sure he appreciates that, but you don't have to sit on the floor."

"I'm not leaving!"

Her mother sighed. "I'll get you some tea. It'll do you good."

Just before Lily's mother brought the promised tea, some color seeped into Severus' cheeks and his eyes darted behind closed lids.

"Lily," he moaned in a voice almost unrecognizable.

"I'm right here." She squeezed his hand. "It's okay."