The Green Flame Torch

Chapter 4: Mr. Emerald and Uncle Severus

Lilah sat up in her room in Surrey reading Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, it was a year later, and everything was the same. She picked up her journal and jotted down some notes about making a remedy for a chronic cough in her journal. The summer was here and in a day there would be two months of arguments at Token ahead of her. But, for the time being, things were pleasant. She looked out the window hoping to see her friends' parents cars pulling up. Lilah closed the book and opened the floorboard under her bed. She put the book in the floor among several other books on magic and newspapers. She pulled out a Daily Prophet, replaced the floorboard, and grabbed some scissors and glue. She began adding in a new newspaper clipping about Harry in her journal. It was titled, 'Potter Saves Philosopher's Stone.' She smiled as she cut it out.

"He's more brave than I could ever be." She said to Boo who was sitting on top of his cage.

Boo hooted rudely back at her. It seemed he was beginning to get annoyed of Lilah's slight obsession with Harry Potter. Lilah rolled her eyes and put the article in. She held it up proudly and sighed. She fell back on her bed and hugged the journal and rolled from side to side giggling with complete abandon. Boo hooted loudly at her and flew out the window.

"Fine, be that way! You have no consideration for a girls heart!" Lilah screamed out the window.

As she did so she saw a huge car pull up.

"Enita! She screeched.

She jumped out of her bed and ran downstairs. Athena was just approaching the door followed by Agnes, Frances, and Kathryne when Lilah answered the door. Athena was a tall, muscular spanish girl with very short brown hair, tanned skin and dark eyes. She was wearing a green tank top and black cut off shorts. Agnes and France were dressed similarly to each other, in matching plaid skirts and vest combos, but physically were anything but the same. Agnes was around 4'8" and had brown curly hair, dark features, and a tiny frame. Frances was just short of six feet tall, had crooked front teeth, light brown hair, and blue eyes. Kathryne was plump and wore large round glasses. She had her light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and was wearing a T-shirt with Scooby Doo on it.

"Hullo girls!" called a voice from the living room.

"Hullo Mrs. Snape!" they yelled back.

Lilah told them her mother was a widow so they called her Mrs. Snape.

"Come on all of you." said Lilah as she ran up the stairs beckoning the girls to follow.

The girls made there way up the stairs, as Imogen called out again.

"What is it mummy?"

There was no answer.

"Lord, she's deaf?" Lilah said to Athena, "I'll go see what she wants."

Lilah went back down the stairs as the girls went to her room and dropped their belongings off.

"What is it mummy?" Lilah asked as she entered the living room. Her mother walked up to her and hugged her tightly.

"I just wanted you to know how much I love you." She said as she hugged Lilah.

"Er, I know that mummy." Said Lilah a little annoyed.

"Okay, go off with you." Said Imogen with a solemn smile.

Lilah quickly ran up the stairs annoyed by yet another moment of her mother being odd. She went down the hall to her room. The girls were giggling when she entered and huddled up in a group.

"What's so funny?" Lilah asked.

Frances turned around and with a big smile asked, "Who's Harry Potter?"

Lilah's heart stopped beating, she looked at them shocked then realized the journal was left on top of her bed and Athena was now holding it and the Daily Prophet. Before Lilah knew what she was doing she ran across the room, flew over the bed, tried to tackle Athena, completely missed her, but some how grabbed the book before she hit the ground.

"I take it he's someone you fancy." said Athena calmly as she helped up Lilah.

The other girls were giggling.

"Er, maybe he is."

'Why didn't you tell me?" said Athena a little hurt.

"Sorry, Enita. I just-" Lily looked at the open door and ran to close it, "well, you don't know him."

Lilah leaned against the now closed door.

"So why so secretive?" asked Kathryne.

"Because, well-" Lilah couldn't find the words.

"Does your mum know him?" giggled Agnes.

"How old is he?"

"What does he look like?"

"What's a Muggle?"

"What's the Hogwarts Express?"

The questions were coming at her so fast. Lilah had no idea what to do. Was this the moment she had always dreaded? The time when her friends would find out she wasn't, normal. Lilah looked around the room for answers. She stared at her poster of Madonna but she couldn't help her.

"Well, you see, my mum went to school with his mum and-"

"And?" said Athena anxiously.

"And well, I'm afraid she'll find out. I guess he is almost twelve."

"Oh a younger man." joked Frances.

"Only by a year." reprimanded Athena.

"And he has black hair and green eyes." Continued Lilah.

"I love that combination." sighed Agnes, "Is he fit?" she added.

" I think he's cute," mumbled Lilah, "But, he is better described as the adorable type."

"Oh the kind you have to protect and hug all the time, like a lost puppy." Said Kathryne playfully disgusted.

"But what's a Muggle, and what was all that stuff in the article about wizards and such?" asked Agnes.

Lilah thought again for a moment and then an idea struck her. She took a deep breath and spit out the ideas as fast as she could make them up.

"Well you see Harry has this, er, sister who, er, who wants to be writer and one day while riding on a train this idea of this world of witches and wizards came to her. So, she took people from her life and made a fake, er, newspaper about them and made them all magical. The Hogwarts Express is the train that takes these people to this wizard world. Oh, and a Muggle is a word she made up for a person who doesn't have magical powers." She stopped, holding her breath. They would never buy such rubbish.

"Poor Harry, what a stupid sister." Said Kathryne.

"Yeah," giggled Lilah nervously, "Very stupid."

"So your mum knows about this Potter boy?" asked Frances

"Yes, but not that I fancy him. So don't mention him in front of her." Lilah quickly added.

"Well how are we going to talk about him tonight? Your mum is always around," said Agnes thoughtfully.

"Why do we have to talk about him at all?" drawled Kathryne.

"We would not be doing our duty as her mates to not get all the information about this boy as possible." Said Frances.

"Exactly." Agreed Agnes.

Athena smiled to herself as she got out a Japanese comic book her mother had bought her from her last trip to Tokyo. Athena's parents were very well off. Lilah sat next to Athena wishing they would let it go.

"We could give him a code name!" squealed Agnes.

"Brilliant!" squeaked Frances.

She then turned to Lilah, "Anything that stands out about him?"

"Well he wears glasses and, has a lighting bolt shaped scar on his forehead." Then Lilah sat up. Why did she say that? Now they will want to know how it got there.

"Lighting bolt, eh?" contemplated Frances.

Athena leaned over.

"How did he get that?" she asked

"Accident." Lilah blurted out nervously.

"Oh." Said Athena who then returned to her comic.

"Lighting bolt....Zeus!" giggled Frances.

"You're gonna call him, Zeus?" Said Kathy coldly.

"Mr. Emerald!" screeched out Agnes.

"Emerald?" all the girls asked.

"You know, as in his eyes," said Agnes as she pointed to her eyes.

"Whatever, just pick a name!" Lilah yelled.

"Okay, Emerald it is!" announced Frances.

The rest of the night the girls tried not to talk about Mr. Emerald as they started to notice it was annoying Lilah. But, after two minutes of silence their curiosity got the best of them. Lilah didn't have any peace that night.

****

Lilah fell back laughing on her bed as Athena read aloud a Japanese comic book about some girl sailor superhero. Agnes and Frances were listening as well and Kathryne was on Lilah's computer.

"Brilliant!" Agnes giggled, "Who would think about putting a superhero in a tux!"

"Enita your mother is here!" Imogen called from downstairs.

"Coming!" called Athena.

The girls made their way down the stairs.

"When you get back from your grandmother's you have to ring me." Said Athena.

"Yeah, and if you see Mr. Emerald, tell him we say hullo." Giggled Agnes.

"Ha, ha, ha." Said Lilah in monotone.

She hugged and kissed her friend's goodbye and headed for her room to pack.

That night Imogen sat in an armchair next to the fireplace waiting as Lilah pulled down the last of her things in her suitcase.

"Ready?" her mother, asked.

"Oh. Boo! I forgot his cage!" yelped Lilah as she ran back upstairs.

Lilah ran into her room and reached under her bed for the journal. She put it under the newspaper in Boo's cage and headed back downstairs.

"Okay. Ready." Lilah said with a smile.

"All right. Now take some Floo Powder."

Imogen handed Lilah a box full of green powder. Lilah took some powder and walked up to the fireplace holding her suitcase and Boo's cage in her other hand.

She threw the powder and announced, "Abundantia Manor!" and stepped into the flames. Within seconds Lilah was stepping out of the flames into the dark drawing room of Abundantia. She dusted herself off after setting her things down. Soon after her mother arrived. Grandmama was waiting for them. They hugged and kissed and soon Lilah made her way to her room.

"Hurry up for supper!" called grandmama.

Lilah threw her things down; she was famished and ran downstairs. She arrived in front of the dining room door and heard a familiar deep voice. Her stomach jumped. That voice always stirred fear and happiness for Lilah. She slowly opened the door and went in.

"Lilah!" called grandmama, "Look who's here!"

Lilah looked at the man who was sitting next to grandmama. He stood up and nodded to Lilah as she walked up to him.

"Hullo Uncle Severus." Lilah said quietly.

"Hullo." He said formally.

Lilah wanted to jump up and hug her uncle tight but he would never stand for that. He wasn't the hugging type. But still he was one of the people in the house she could really talk to and he usually if not always took her side in arguments. Severus patted Lilah on the head and sat down for dinner.

Lilah sat down next to him and examined his face. It was at least a year since she saw him last. His stays at Abundantia were always short, because he was a professor, but he seemed to never change. His hair was still long and greasy and his nose was still crooked and long as well. His skin was still sallow and pale. And, he never seemed to gain weight. She looked at her mother, who she always thought was pale. Compared to her brother, Imogen was tanned. Severus resembled his late father, Ignacius Snape, and Imogen looked like grandmama Bianca. Then Lilah thought, Why don't I look like anyone in here? Lilah looked down at her plate and found she wasn't quite so hungry anymore. She picked at her food as the adults made small talk.

"This year must have been very exciting for you Severus. With that trouble with the stone and having that Potter boy there." Said grandmama cheerfully.

Lilah sat up when she heard the name Potter and looked at Uncle Severus. He looked like he was frozen while trying to take a bite of chicken. He stared blankly at his mother and Lilah could have sworn she saw one of his eyes twitch.

"Exciting is not the word I would use mother. Aggravating would be more like it. Didn't you receive any of my letters?" Severus said fidgeting in his seat.

"Oh, yes all that nonsense about Harry being a trouble maker. You have an interesting sense of humor." grandmama said.

"Mum, you thought I was joking? Far from it! " Severus slammed his fork down, " The boy is a terror! He goes looking for trouble. He's just like his father!"

Lilah felt a small fire in her belly. No matter how much she liked Uncle Severus she couldn't stand for him to talk down about her Harry.

"I see, " said Imogen, "You are taking out your hatred for James on poor Harry."

Imogen had a mischievous smile on her face and slowly made eye contact with Severus.

"Honestly, Severus. Grow up." Sighed Imogen, " Besides if he is like James then he is probably quite sweet."

"Imie, my dear, you are talking about something you know nothing about." Severus said with a tone of finality.

After a short pause Bianca spoke.

"Well, Severus, your sister sends her love. Vivian wants you to visit her and your highly neglected niece and nephew."

"Neglected?" he retorted, " Mum, they live in Australia for heavens sake! I can't just pop over whenever I want."

Imogen leaned towards him and whispered, "And, I thought you were a wizard, Mr. Snape."

"Speaking of growing up, Imogen, don't you think you should. I mean you do have to be a role model to your daughter. Or are you still too much like your friends that you are beyond help." Severus calmly said.

"How dare you." Imogen hissed, "They're dead!"

"And who's fault is that?" he responded.

"Are you blaming me?" Said Imogen shocked.

Severus sat quietly for a second and softly said, "No. It's just that your association with them didn't do you any good. All that was left for you was illness, pain, and fear."

Lilah could of sworn Severus looked at her when he said, "fear".

"Imogen, Severus, now stop it. My head aches. Could you finish this, er, discussion later?" interjected grandmama.

* * **

Later that night Lilah was making her way to her mother's room to say goodnight. Only when she got there her mother was nowhere to be found. Lilah thought maybe Imogen had the late night munchies and headed for the kitchen. On her way she noticed the light was on in the drawing room. As she approached the door she heard voices from inside. Lilah recognized the voices as Imogen and Severus. She slowly opened the door and heard something she hadn't expected, laughter. Imogen was laughing with a half empty glass of wine in one hand and an open bottle in the other. Severus wasn't laughing. Lilah wasn't sure it was physically possible for him.

"Severus, you need to loosen up." Imogen said mid giggle.

She was seated next to her brother on a long blue fainting couch. Severus was staring at the fire in front of him. They both were at an angle from the door that they couldn't see Lilah.

"I'm sorry to laugh," she continued, "But, if your face gets anymore sour it will go inside out."

"No matter what I say to you, you take that boys side." He said with a tone of fatigue.

"Of course. I'm your sister. Siblings don't agree. It's a rule. But, I will let you vent out your anger, just so you don't snap at me again, like earlier."

"You asked for it."

Imogen looked at him disapprovingly.

"What do want for me? An apology? Fine, I'm sorry." He said.

"You're forgiven, but only this once."

"I keep forgetting how delicate you are."

Imogen slightly shoved her brother in response.

Severus said is a mocking voice, "Oh, why don't you grow up?"

Imogen laughed and finished her wine. Severus shook his head while softly smiling at her.

"Go to bed little girl," he said paternally to Imogen.

"Yes, big brother. Whatever you say." She obliged like a child, "Actually I am a bit tired. 'Night."

She kissed his forehead and got up, took the wine and the glass with her and headed for the door. Lilah moved quickly into the shadows and closed the door. Imogen left the room and headed up stairs. When Lilah was sure she was gone she went back to the door and tried to open it up again.

"Come in or go to bed." Severus said without looking at the door.

Lilah stood frozen in shock.

"How did you know, I was here?" she asked.

Severus turned around; "You're as stealthy as an elephant. Now, what do you want?"

"I was looking for mummy."

"I see. Are you sure you weren't making sure I hadn't forgotten something." He said motioning her to come closer.

"Maybe." She said with a smile.

"Sit down you cheeky beggar." He said as he reached for his wand, "I haven't forgotten about you. I was just waiting for you to be alone. I guess now is as good a time as any."

Severus raised his wand and said, "Apereo Riscus!"

Suddenly his trunk appeared next to him. He put his wand away and opened the trunk. Lilah was trying hard not to jump up with excitement. Severus reached in and pulled out around eight or nine books all tied up together. He placed them between Lilah and himself.

"Here you are."

"Thank you Uncle Severus." She said as she reached for her uncle.

He stood up and closed his trunk, avoiding her.

"Calm down. They're just books." He said, " I just don't think it is fair that your mother should deny you your proper education."

Lilah stood up and went to her uncle and hugged him before he could react.

"They're more than books." She whispered.

She looked up at her uncle who seemed to be smiling, but soon the smile faded away.

"Now off you go, to bed." He said as he gave her a little shove towards the books.

"All right." Lilah sighed as she tried to pick up the books with her thins arms.

"I'll help you." He said as if he was annoyed that she even tried.

He brought the books to her room without a word. Severus placed them on her bed. As he headed out the door he mumbled something and left. Lilah looked back suddenly. She thought he said, "You're welcome." She smiled to herself as she grabbed the first book of the top of the pile. She nestled herself in her bed and began to read The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, by Miranda Goshawk