Chapter Text
9/1/1971, Autumn - Hogsmeade Station
Lily Evans had to stand on her tippy toes in order to wrap her arms around her mother, as well as her father, “Love you, mum. Bye bye, dad! I’ll be back for a while in the winter, and the summer, I promise. I’ll miss you. Remember to miss me back!”
Her mother and father both hugged her back and pressed a quick kiss to her auburn hair. Lily could hear her mother crying softly against the top of her head, and she could feel her father’s hands trembling against her shoulders.
Her mother sniffed, “You must write to us every week, understand, dear?”
Lily smiled, feeling her own eyes burn with contained tears, too, “Yes, mum.”
Lily went up to Petunia Evans, too. Lily started to open her arms for one last sisterly hug before she went off to Hogwarts.
Lily and Petunia had hugged and cuddled frequently, ever since they were very little girls. Younger Lily had always been the one to initiate such contact. At first, her elder sister, Petunia, had been hesitant to allow Lily into her perfectly tidy bed. But Lily always promised to be careful to not move around too much, and of course, kept her promise. As the years went on, sisterly contact between Petunia and Lily became more of a routine habit than a voluntary gesture. They were two peas in a pod. They intertwined naturally, like the stems and roots of petunias and lilies.
But recently, Lily and Petunia no longer intertwined as naturally, if at all. Ever since Severus Snape had come into both the sisters’ but mostly just Lily’s life, the sisters seemed to break apart. Lily thought a lot of things about Severus. She thought he was wonderful. He was the one who’d told her about magic, Hogwarts–all that good stuff. He was different from the other boys at her dull, as Severus called it, “muggle” school. The boys at Lily’s school were loud, crude, rowdy, and mean. Severus was quiet, shy, quite broody, and delightfully gentle with Lily. Severus didn’t tell Lily to “be careful” with her magic, or that she’d “get herself hurt one day.” He let her be. In fact, he even seemed to admire and watch her be. Nobody else looked at her like she was truly important. It’s a greedy thing to say or even think, Lily confesses to herself. But her mother and father were only ever concerned for her and her magic. Her elder sister scolded her. The boys at school were mean to her. The girls at school just saw her as one of them, except with a touch of oddness. Only Severus really looked at her like she was valuable. It sounded arrogant, but she didn’t mean it arrogantly. She meant it with excitement. For all those reasons, she quite liked Severus.
But she also didn’t like Severus for plenty of reasons. Severus, as she’d said before, was quite broody. Not only broody, but hotheaded. Sure, he was quiet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t easily-angered. Petunia had only teased him about his shirt once, and he’d made a tree branch fall on her viciously in response. Severus insisted that he didn’t make the tree branch fall on Petunia, but Lily knew better. If not Severus, then who? He and Lily were the only magical folk in their village. Lily had certainly not caused that tree branch to fall on her dear, beloved big sister. The wind couldn’t cause such an event coincidentally right when Petunia had angered Severus. Of course Severus had done it. Lily was only more angry when Severus continued lying to her face. “I didn’t do it, I swear, Lily!” Please, she knew just fine that he did do it. But she’d made Severus apologize to Petunia, so Lily wasn’t too upset anymore.
The real reason Lily held just a tiny bit of resentment against Severus was because she couldn’t help but feel like he had partially caused Petunia and Lily’s fall-out. She knew it was ridiculous–Petunia had gotten angry all by herself when she learned that Lily’s magic wasn’t weird, but actually good. Petunia was just too proud to admit it! Yet, the thought lingered: Had Severus made things worse? After all, it was Severus who broke the tree branch on poor Petunia’s back. After all, it was Severus who had suggested digging through Petunia’s things, which had resulted in Lily and Sev discovering Petunia’s letter to Dumbledore (which, for reference, pleaded with Dumbledore to accept her at Hogwarts). Petunia had been unforgivingly mad when Lily and Severus accidentally let slip that they’d found that letter. Her face had turned all red. It was terrifying.
But Lily knew it was mostly Petunia and her pride that caused the Evans sisters to fall apart. Petunia started hating Lily the moment she learned that Lily was magical. Petunia was jealous, it was quite clear. If it were any other girl who was jealous of Lily for being magic, Lily wouldn’t have really cared. Perhaps she would’ve been a little sad for a day, but then she’d forget it. But it was Lily’s beloved elder sister who resented her. Lily cried herself to sleep, more often than not. She wanted Petunia to hug her again. But Lily suspected Petunia wouldn’t, even if she asked a million times.
All in all, Lily liked Severus more than she resented him–substantially more.
So Lily hesitated, with her arms half-spread for a hug in front of Petunia. Petunia simply huffed, crossed her arms tightly, pursed her lips into a thin line, and then turned her head away from Lily. Lily’s heart dropped down to her stomach, and she slowly pulled her hands back to her sides.
Lily cleared her throat quietly, before forcing a bright smile at her mother and father, “Goodbye, mum and dad! Love you!”
Lily dragged her luggage up to the steaming, gorgeously red train. ‘The Hogwarts Express.’ It was beautiful. As much as she hated leaving her family, and was certain she’d get horribly homesick, she was also excited and a little glad to head to Hogwarts. Severus had told her how amazing Hogwarts was. There were moving staircases and dancing portraits, apparently, as well as doors that opened by a verbal passcode. Best of all–Severus and Lily had discussed eagerly about this, almost everyday down by the light river–Sev said that the dining hall’s ceiling was the night sky itself, and was lined with hundreds of candles. Of course Lily was enthusiastic. But she was also simply glad to go to Hogwarts. She wouldn’t have to deal with Petunia constantly making a point to avoid her in their own home, nor Petunia telling the other girls at school that Lily was a “freak.” Lily would have new girls at a new school to befriend. Nobody would call her a freak for being magic, because then everybody else at Hogwarts would also be considered a “freak.”
Lily reached a door to the Hogwarts Express and attempted to lift her bags up the steps. She squeaked and struggled, but was overall helpless. Where’s Sev? I could really use his help, with both fitting into this place and this bag, Lily thought, her bottom lip jutting out into a pout.
Suddenly, a pale, elegant hand settled gracefully onto the handle of Lily’s bag, almost touching Lily’s pinky finger. Severus’s hands were even paler, had a cut running over the ring finger, and moved much less gracefully. That wasn’t Severus. Lily startled, jerking her head up in surprise to see who this person was.
The person in question was a breathtakingly beautiful girl who seemed to be perhaps a year or two older than Lily–presumably, also a student at Hogwarts. She was wearing a clean, fresh uniform with a green tie. Slytherin. Sev told her about the Hogwarts houses, but he mainly only spoke about and well of Slytherin. Slytherin’s trademark color was green. They were ambitious, cunning, and sly. Sev really wanted to be in Slytherin. Lily wasn’t so sure she wanted to be described as “cunning” or “sly,” but she wouldn’t mind as long as she got into the same house as Sev (and, now, this gorgeous girl). Anyway, the elegant girl had blonde, deliberately curled hair that reached to only about an inch lower than her shoulders. Her big eyes were a piercing shade of icy blue, and her eyelashes were dark and long with mascara (though Lily suspected they’d be perfect even without makeup). She had splendidly high cheekbones and sharp facial features. She was tall. Lily couldn’t help but think that the girl was stunning–it was an objective fact, not an opinion. The girl’s pale eyebrows were thin, and her left one tilted upwards. She had raised her eyebrow, curtly, too, and worst of all, at Lily!
Lily experienced a mild panic, but she tried to keep herself collected. Cheerful, smart, and kind. That’s what she’d been her whole life. All she had to do was continue.
Lily tilted her head curiously, though a tad too stiffly from terrified admiration, “Hello! Um, can I help you?
Much to Lily’s relief, the girl’s eyebrow resettled, and she replied, “I actually was under the belief that perhaps I could assist you. Briefly.” The girl’s tone was cool and sharp, like she was above helping people like Lily, but decided to anyway. Her voice also had just the slightest hint of a French accent. Even her voice was cuttingly attractive.
Lily couldn’t quite read the girl’s expression–not yet, when she hardly had just met her. But Lily could perceive a hint of curiosity. Lily blinked, unable to register this perfect girl’s words, “Oh, sorry?”
The girl rolled her eyes, though with no genuine anger, “I’m offering to help you lift your luggage onto the train,” She smirked, “I saw you struggling here, for several minutes.”
Lily’s freckled cheeks flushed bright red, “Oh, well, haha, yes. Yes, please. Thank you. But, as a warning, my bags are quite heavy.”
The girl shifted her keen blue eyes from Lily to Lily’s bag, “Hm.” The girl promptly lifted Lily’s weighty bags up onto the train with amazing grace.
Lily’s green eyes widened in surprise, before smiling sheepishly, “Wow, thank you so much! I was afraid that I’d be stuck here when the train departed.”
The girl scoffed goodnaturedly, “You’re welcome, Evans.”
If the girl’s arm strength didn’t shock Lily, this surely did, “How do you know my surname?”
The girl appeared unimpressed, “Your name was written on your luggage. Rather noticeably, too.”
Lily laughed self-consciously, “Oh, right. Bubble letters! I like writing bubble letters, they’re cute.”
The girl snorted, somehow with great dignity, “Like you, carrot-top.”
Lily blushed furiously, “T-Thank you, but I’m not cute, and my hair color is perfectly acceptable!”
The refined girl seemed pleased with herself, before stepping up onto the train, walking past Lily.
Lily gathered her courage, “Wait, um, excuse me, but what’s your name?”
The girl paused, glancing back at Lily briefly before replying, “Narcissa Black.” The girl then promptly turned back around and left, aboard somewhere on the massive train now.
Narcissa Black. What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.
Suddenly, a couple of seemingly first-year boys pushed past Lily, breaking her out of her state of mesmerization. She realized that she was still standing in front of the Hogwarts Express train, and it’d be departing soon. She quickly hurried onto the massive, red, steaming vessel, pulling her luggage that was now on the train (with Narcissa Black’s help) into an empty compartment.
Lily attempted to lift or at least push her suitcase onto one of the spaces above the compartment seats, but it was no use. Now she was too weak and too short. She sighed and settled instead for carefully placing her bags onto a compartment seat.
She then immediately scurried out of the compartment and ran through the Hogwarts Express, calling out, “Sev? Sev, where are you?”
She searched for the black-haired boy with a hooked nose, but was unable to find him. She groaned, nearly ready to give up.
Fortunately, the black-haired boy with a hooked nose that Lily had been searching for in question entered the train, at that precise moment. Lily brightened instantly, grateful to finally find somebody she’s familiar with.
“Sev!” Lily marched up to Severus and threw her arms around his shoulders cheerfully, “I’m so glad that you’re really here–or, that we’re really here! I’m so excited.”
Severus’s pale cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment, unprepared for Lily’s casual physical contact. He awkwardly patted Lily’s shoulder, “Hello. Where do you want to sit?”
Lily pulled back, beaming merrily, “Follow me! I already found an empty compartment for us, actually.”
She skipped cheerfully over to the compartment she had found earlier and left her luggage in, feeling more confident now that Severus was here.
Severus followed Lily quietly, and they both entered the compartment.
Severus easily heaved his bags up to the space above the compartment seats despite his thin arms. He glanced back at Lily’s bags, resting on the seat.
He asked, “Do you want me to lift that up?”
Lily smiled sheepishly, “Yes, please. Thanks, Sev!”
Lily sat down into a compartment seat while Severus carefully slotted her luggage into a space. Then, Severus sat down next to Lily.
Severus frowned, “How did you get your luggage onto the Express?”
Lily perked up, unable to suppress a slight shy smile at the memory, “Oh, well, this cool older girl helped me,” Lily puffed out her chest a little with pride, “She said that her name was Narcissa Black. I think she painted her nails black–so mature! And she even addressed me by my surname! She totally acknowledged me.”
Severus’s eyes widened slightly. For a moment, Lily simply thought that Severus was impressed, too. But then she was reminded that such a reaction wasn’t in character for him when he replied, “Her name was Narcissa Black?”
Lily nodded, confused as to why he was so astonished. Was he perhaps familiar with Narcissa Black?
Severus looked mildly concerned, “Are you certain?”
Lily nodded again, with more conviction this time, “Yes, certain as I can be. Why?”
Severus explained, “The Blacks are a very high-profile, prestigious pureblood family. The whole lot of them are Slytherins, too.”
Lily wrinkled her nose, “Pureblood? What’s that?”
Severus said, “A child of two magical people. Either way, the point is, the Blacks are one of the wealthiest and most regal bloodlines in the magical world. So, they’re also quite full of themselves, and have been known to be a little–what you might call–evil.”
Lily frowned, “Oh, I don’t think I’d like the Blacks very much, though I can’t be sure. But Narcissa seemed nice, she helped me with my luggage! And she didn’t hurt or yell at me, or anything.”
Severus shrugged slightly, running a hand through his black, greasy hair, “Perhaps she’s the odd duck of the family.”
Lily considered it, “Then again, she moved with a sort of regal grace…”
Severus nodded, “Yeah, must’ve.”
Then, the trolley lady stopped by their compartment, “Do you want anything off the trolley, dears?”
Severus looked down at his feet, hiding his face behind his long hair as he often did when people he didn’t know talked to him, “No.”
Lily shook her head with a smile, “No thank you.”
The trolley lady beamed kindly before moving onto the next compartment.
Lily poked fun, “How come you always get all shy whenever adults speak to you, Sev?”
Severus glared lightheartedly at Lily, “I don’t get shy.”
Lily grinned, “You definitely do.”
Severus grumbled, “Do not.”
Lily retorted playfully, “Do too!”