Green

The Moss Growing On The Brick Wall

Severus Snape followed the drop of rain as it slid down the window, joined more drops as it decended, and disappeared inevitably into the water on the sill.

He turned with a sigh, to the matter at hand. Business had become a part of his life, dealing with customers and ingredients, money and grime, all forming to make day after day of his apprenticeship at Potente Potions, 21 Knockturn Alley, with Mr Imubru, the highly respected Potions master.

Potions had always fascinated Severus. The actions of mixing and measuring, allowed him to escape his troubles, and the reaction and the triumph of the resulting effects often calmed him. He admired the colours, contrasting with their use, the way some shimmered, others sparkled, or glowed, or did nothing obvious but once consumed unleashed the vast power to be found in each component. Their variety of forms, be they good of bad; their versatility amazed him! These were the reasons Severus wanted to master the art, so that potions would become his servants.

In spite of this, Severus did not enjoy being an apprentice. He had to work at the till, for hours on end, dealing with all sorts of transactions. It was only when the shop closed at five o' clock that he could learn from Imubru the mystery of herbs or stones in creating a positive or negative reaction. He could also bury himself in his books, though the action of potion making appealed far more to him.

Potente Potions was a very busy place these days. The ministry's sanctions on trade in an effort to decrease potential emergency situations had made (among other things) harmless ingredients illegal because of what they could be teamed with. Thus opened a huge underground market for common substances, materials and primary potions.

A lot of money could be made, if you had sufficient connections with ministry officials, and Imubru had connections.

The ministry had shut down several businesses in Knockturn Alley already this month, and had promised a crackdown on the entire wizard region of London. Though there was huge panic among any of these businesses (from Quidditch supplies to menageries), there was even more to be worried about for normal magical beings. Medicinal ingredients were in very short supply, as were those needed for gastronomic, hygenic and economic purposes. The fact that the ministry was continuing to turn a blind eye to Imubru's illegal activites meant that Potente Potions was now perhaps the busiest apothecary in all of wizard Britain.

Severus had carefully counted coins all day long. The customers always eyed him suspiciously through their hats and scarves, and when it appeared that everything was in order they'd snatch their jar of stewed fish heads or fried buttock or whatever it was from him without a word of gratitude.

"You're welcome!" Severus would call at those rude retreating backs, only to turn and deal with the next customer, perhaps a spotty teenage wizard who wished to buy yew hair, or a filled out red-haired mother who needed some baby salve, always ashamed of her presence there.

It was early December, and another valid reason for the crowds congregating at Potente Potions was that Christmas was around the corner. People were preparing for whatever sort of holiday they intended to have, though there was much less cause for celebration nowadays than in previous years.

The shop had become unbearably hot, and thick condensation had formed on the large shop windows.

It was then that Severus was staring at the stream formed by a single droplet on the window pane. Imubru had told him to take a five minute break.

"Lad, I'll take over, you count toads or something."

Just then something, or someone, caught his attention from behind the curtain of drops and the window pane. He looked at the clock. It was now four o'clock, and the unceasing rain had grown heavier, causing an earlier decent of darkness than usual. His eyes followed the figure as it walked by the shop front and - Severus lost sight of her for a moment - she entered the shop.

He could see her clearly, even through the dense crowds. She was the only figure that he could see in this pile of meaningless babble. He would know her a mile away. Her graceful movement - the way she seemed to flow rather than walk, her smell, her breathing. He breathed deeply as he watched her, absorbing her every detail.

Like most people in the shop, she was wearing the hood of her robes up. It was common practise, as one risked recognition otherwise. In the time that was in it, it was not safe to be seen in a public place, especially a person of her calibre.

She moved between people, glancing at shelves, somewhat nervously, Severus suddenly realised. He thought this slightly strange, as Lily never had seemed nervous about anything. Not when they were at school, at least.

When did he last see her? He didn't like to think of it. And yet, it seemed like no time had passed since. What was it, two years? Three?

Lily now seemed more urgent in her movement, and Severus watched her from his corner behind the counter. A toad leaped away from his lap and onto the windowsill.

"Go now, you're free," Snape grunted.

He was determined not to be seen by her. Why hadn't he slipped into one of the back rooms when he had had the chance? Because he was too busy being captivated by her, he realised.

Lily knew he had been watching her. She felt his eyes burning into her back, as she moved pointlessly from shelf to shelf. She knew exactly what it was she had come for. She had it, clutched in her hand. It was a small vial, no bigger than her forefinger, full of a bright green liquid. She knew that it must serve its purpose.

What if she just left the shop with the desired item in her hand?

Of course not. Shop fronts are charmed to detect any unsold good leaving the premises. That would be impossible. She needed it, but was determined that he, of all people, should not see what it was.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye, and saw him again. He appeared to be staring intently at a group of toads on the desk in front of him. He wasn't dealing with customers today!

The joy of knowing that she would not have to deal with him was enough to make her way quickly through the throngs and up to the counter. She recognised the owner, Imubru, from the newspapers. Not to mention the times in the past two days since she made her decision that she had stepped in the doorway and walked back out, from sheer nerves, she supposed.

Snape looked up. Lily was right in front of the counter, waiting to avail of Imubru's service. She was staring resolutely in another direction.

Severus did not know if she had seen him there. He bent his head further down, as if inspecting the toads closely. He stole another glance at her. Her pale skin was flushed slightly, her flawless features turned away so that he could not indulge fully in this feast of perfection. He felt something within him stir that he had not felt for years and then felt a huge remorse, a sorrow at the kind of double life he was leading, and the mark on his arm.

Lily had reached the front of the counter. There was one customer in front of her, an elderly man who was taking his time paying for stardust.

"A highly valuable commodity, you understand," she heard Imubru say to him. She wished they would hurry up. She glanced in Snape's direction. He had his head down still, though she was sure she had felt him look at her seconds before. She gripped the vial.

Severus cursed Old Duke under his breath. He wished Imubru would just deal with him and get on with it. Now they were talking about the price of candle wax. Candle wax! Just deal with her, Imubru!

Lily was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. It was so warm. Anything but encounter Snape.

Severus saw her looking down. He kept his eyes on her a second too long. She looked up, directly at him.

Imubru was not about to dismiss a very wealthy client of his too quickly. He looked up. He saw a young, beautiful girl behind his Old Duke. Physical appearance notwithstanding, he needed to talk business with this man! He became a bit flustered.

"Where is that Snape?"

Severus saw Imubru's head turn in his direction.

"You, deal with this young lady, right now!"

Lily froze as she watched Snape rise heavily out of his chair, the toads falling on the tiled floor. He came to the counter.

She was standing directly opposite him now.

"Well, what is it?" Severus asked, as he saw no article on the counter. It was up to her to acknowledge him. He would simply treat her as another inferior muggle-born customer.

Lily recoiled slightly at this indifferent remark. She had the vial. She put it on the lime countertop.

Snape stared at it, the green hues fizzling beneath the cork stopper. He knew exactly what it was. He also happened to know that this shop was the only outlet that sold it in all of England, and that such information wasn't widely known. He looked up at her, directly into her eyes. Her eyes, like green orbs of light in this dank miserable room. At that moment they were the only things he saw.

Lily knew that he would know. She had adopted the blank facial expression associated by some with occlumency, though she had never had any training. Her wish was to keep Snape out of her thoughts and feelings. If he had to know what it was she was buying so be it.

"How much?" she asked cooly.

Severus was taken aback by her sharp approach. He did not know why he was so shocked. He retrieved his own blank expression and quoted the price.

He took her money; and noted that she had given him the exact amount.

Severus watched her as she hurried out the door.

Lily turned and walked through the rain, past the soaked windows, her head down, through the wide puddles that flooded the street, ignoring the seeping wet around her toes.

Severus sat back down, and watched the beautiful figure glide elegantly past. The shop had suddenly emptied. He returned gaze at the raindrops, as Imubru locked up.

He turned to see Imubru drawing the shutters.

"Busy today!" said Imubru with glee. "Huge range of customers. That woman you served as we were closing, she was beautiful! Wasn't she?"

Severus murmered a reply. He knew Imubru didn't want an answer.

"Fine change she makes to the usual hags anyway! What was it she bought...?"

Severus said he couldn't remember.

Imubru didn't mind this. He was in a jolly mood, having secured yet another deal with Old Duke. He went to the backroom, to prepare ingredients for that night's class. He told Snape to wash up, that they'd have dinner in an hour, as usual.

Snape couldn't get the vial out of his head. The little amount of liquid that could prevent so much. He had noticed a slight rise in sales of that potion, due to, he expected, dangers in the country that were far too huge to risk - but could you call it a risk?

Risking the existence of someone?

Preventing someone from being born?

Just then, his arm burned. Not yet used to this sort of unexpected pain he had given a small cry. Still clutching his arm, he quickly informed Imubru that he would be back shortly, and Imubru rarely questioned such matters.

With that, Severus disapparated.