Trust and Betrayal: A Prequel

3. Unspoken Moments: Spring 1975 - Fifth Year

Peter
It was late spring, and the anxiety of Hogwarts' fifth-year students worrying about their upcoming O.W.L.s was mounting. Likewise, the Gryffindor common room was filled with increasing numbers of students staying up late, revising.

Peter sat in his usual corner with Sirius, James and Remus. Each had a book in his hands, but only Remus seemed to be actually reading. Sirius yawned and stretched, knocking his book to the floor, which he didn't bother to pick up. Instead, James took out his wand and transfigured his book into a bouquet of roses, which promptly turned brown, dying in his hands.

Peter was trying to read, but he found himself distracted every time his friends made a move. Finally, he gave up with a sigh of resignation and closed his book. He looked across the common room to see Lily Evans sitting next to the fire with her usual gaggle of girlfriends. Peter leaned into James, keeping his voice low. "Nice try, mate, but I think Evans would prefer flowers that were alive, don't you?"

Sirius laughed, and James' face turned red as he flung the dead roses at Peter. Unfortunately, the roses turned back into James' book, making direct and painful contact with Peter's forehead. This time, both Sirius and James laughed. It took just a moment before Peter joined in their laughter. He was used to being the object of their jokes. He didn't mind. He loved his friends and would do anything for them.

"Hey, Wormtail! How about a bit of Slughorn?" Sirius asked suddenly with a glint in his eye. This time even Remus looked up, curious.

Peter froze, feeling a flush of delight and a twinge of embarrassment. He'd never done his impressions before any of the other Gryffindors.

James chimed in, egging him on. "C'mon, Peter! This room needs some livening up! You're brilliant as Slughorn!"

James and Sirius put their heads together and chanted in a low voice, "Slughorn! Slughorn! Slughorn!"

Peter noticed that Remus had put his book down and was leaning back in his chair, looking hopeful and smiling.

Peter stood and put up his hand, silencing the little band of Marauders who waited with eager anticipation. He raised himself up to his full height, tucked his chin into his chest, opened his eyes as wide as they could go and put his arms behind his back. In this position, Peter waddled over to stand behind an unsuspecting second-year, who was slouching over his book.

"M'boy!" Peter-as-Slughorn boomed in full voice. "If you intend to turn yourself into a Quaffle, I'd say you've got a good start!"

The poor second-year flew out of his seat, panic in his eyes, and whipped around to where he clearly thought the Potions teacher was standing.

The entire common room erupted in laughter, applause and cheers. James and Sirius were clutching each other, laughing with tears in their eyes. Remus stood and bowed to Peter.

To Peter this was a new--and heady--experience, and with this encouragement, he pushed on. He strode across the room just as Slughorn did in class as he checked his students' potions, acutely aware that every eye was on him. Glancing at James, he stopped next to Lily, who was laughing with the others. Peter saw James' eyes grow wide.

"Lily, m'dear girl!"

"Yes, Professor?" Lily replied, playing along.

"My favourite student! The best potioneer Hogwarts has ever seen! You and Snape have become quite a team, haven't you? Concocting the most--er--creative potions!" Peter declaimed to the whole room.

"Why, thank you, Professor Slughorn! You are too kind!" Lily was enjoying this, but blushed all the same.

"As I hear it, you've cast quite a charm on most of the male students as well, Miss Evans! Well done! Ten points for Gryffindor!"

There were more hoots and cheers from the now much revived students. Peter noticed James was smiling, but had grown quite pale as well.

"Oh, Professor!" Lily said coyly. "You don't listen to rumours, do you?"

"Rumours, eh?" Peter-as-Slughorn leaned into Lily and, raising his eyebrows, scanned the room, making eye contact with each one of the older boys. They each turned bright red in their turn and looked away. The whole room erupted once more.

"Now, Lupin, over there," Peter-as-Slughorn said, pointing, "we all know he's been in love with you forever! Isn't that right, Lupin?"

Remus put on a love-sick face. Lily blew him kisses, which he 'caught', bringing his hands to his heart and swooning into his chair. More whistles and catcalls.

"And then, of course, there is Mr Potter!"

Lily blushed furiously and did not respond.

Peter froze when he saw James stand up and take out his wand. He was no longer laughing.

"Well, look at the time! I'd better be off to my rooms. I have a box of crystallised pineapple and a glass of sherry waiting for me before bed! Dear Lily! You should have been in my House instead of with these Gryffindor ruffians!" Peter-as-Slughorn turned on his heels, strode back to his corner, and sat down.

The students in the common room rose as one to applaud Peter's perfect performance. He flushed with happiness at the unfamiliar attention and the accolades.

Sirius and Remus walked over to Peter and shook his hand. "That was bloody brilliant, Wormtail!" said Remus. "You outdid yourself this time!" added Sirius, clapping him on the shoulder.

Peter, however, was looking cautiously at James, uncertain how to respond until he knew how James was going to react. Sirius followed Peter's gaze to see their friend looking flustered, but trying to appear as if nothing was really bothering him. James, however, wasn't as good an actor as Peter.

"It was well done, wasn't it, James?" prompted Sirius.

James always listens to Sirius, Peter thought.

James squirmed for a moment under Sirius' gaze, then relaxed and laughed. "Perfect!" said James, stowing his wand, which he suddenly realised was still in his hand. "More Slughorn than Slughorn himself!"

Peter beamed.

The common room quieted once again. Peter watched James pull Sirius and Remus off to another part of the room where they stood talking and laughing together. As he sat alone, the euphoria at being at the centre of attention and winning the approval of his friends evaporated as quickly as it had come. Without understanding why, he felt a momentary twinge of anger pop into his breast.

Peter sighed.

He picked up his book, and this time, not being distracted by his friends, he was finally able to concentrate on his reading.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lily
It was late afternoon in Gryffindor tower. Lily was in the girls' dormitory doing her Prefect duty by comforting an overwrought first-year, who was anxious over her first-ever exams. The poor girl was soaking her pillow in tears.

"I-I can't do it!" she wailed. "My parents will be so... so... so disappointed when I don't pass! Good marks are everything to them!" the girl wailed.

Lily looked at her watch, anxious not to be late for her Careers Advice meeting with Professor McGonagall. She sighed.

"Ingrid, dear, it will be all right! I'm sure you'll do just fine. Everyone is frightened at the end of their first year. I threw up at least half dozen times before my exams."

Ingrid looked up, surprised. She inhaled a huge, wet sniff. "You did? Really?"

Lily smiled at the memory. "Oh, I did, really! One time in Herbology--just before my exams--we were tending to our Abyssinian Shrivelfigs when I tossed one all over it. I still don't think Professor Sprout knew why that particular plant happened to grow so large." Ingrid laughed and Lily sighed with relief.

"So, get yourself up, now. You don't want to be late for class."

Ingrid got up, wiped her eyes and took her bag. "Thanks, Lily. You're the best!" Ingrid smiled as she left the dormitory.

Lily looked at her watch again, grabbed her own bag, and ran down into the common room. Hearing steps coming from the boys' dormitory, she turned to see Remus. He looked terrible. She went to him and, without a word, took him by the arm and walked him through the portrait hole into the corridor. They walked for a bit in silence.

Words weren't necessary. Lily was the first student that Remus had ever told about his terrible monthly transformations into a werewolf. That day in McGonagall's classroom, after Professor Dumbledore had told Lily she was an Empathic, Remus had looked at Lily in terror and blurted it out. Later on, he admitted that it was his fear that she'd 'sense' the wolf inside him that had compelled his confession. Of course, at first she'd been shocked, but when she had looked at small, frail, twelve-year old Remus, she was heartbroken that this poor boy had to live through such pain and horror. Every month. All alone. When he'd described how it felt, the precautions he had to take, Lily had felt Remus' deep sadness and aching self-doubt. And from his confession, in the telling of his secret, Lily became Remus' deepest friend. She would never betray him. She had also, on more than one occasion, sat for hours in the hospital wing after his episodes and helped Madam Pomfrey to care for him, to heal the self-inflicted gashes and wounds that appeared and re-appeared each month on his small, ravaged body. Lily was both relieved and grateful that he now had the company of his friends to 'look after' Remus in the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade each month, safely away from the school. Still, it was to Lily that he turned, both before and after.

"Have you had anything to eat today, Remus?" she finally said as they made their way down the stairs.

"Just some toast. Not really that hungry." Before Lily could reprimand him, Remus gently jabbed his elbow into her side. "My guess is you're going to talk to McGonagall about being a Healer, aren't you? You're annoying enough to be one," he said with a crooked smile. "You've got the nagging part down well enough!"

Lily ignored the teasing. "I have considered it, actually. I've enjoyed helping Madam Pomfrey helping you. But I suspect that it was the helping you part that I enjoyed more than the healing part."

Lily looked at Remus and was surprised to see his face turning red. She rolled her eyes and brought them both to a halt mid-corridor. "Remus. Look at me!" Lily said firmly.

Remus did. "I know! I know!" he said, his hands raised up like a shield in front of him. "Can I help it if I have no control over the blood rushing to my head? It's just..." Remus struggled to find the words. "It's still hard for me, even after all this time, to believe that someone like you can... care for me at all, knowing what I am."

Lily punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Ow! I've sustained enough damage this month without you adding to it, Miss Evans!" Remus rubbed his arm, smiling.

Lily shook her head, clearly exasperated. "Remus! Remus! You are such a GIT! How could anyone NOT care about you? When will you ever get that through your thick, wolf-like skull? I pity the poor girl who falls for you! I can just hear all the excuses you'll make about why she can't love you."

Remus started to open his mouth in protest, but Lily pushed him forward. "Let's get going. I'm definitely going to be late."

*****

A few minutes later, Remus had dropped Lily off at McGonagall's office.

"See you in Potions!" Lily waved him off.

As she walked in, she was surprised to see, not her Head of House, but the Headmaster. Standing with him was a man she guessed was in his sixties, practically a youngster standing next to Professor Dumbledore. He was not a tall man, nor was he short. He was lean, but fit, with short, brown hair streaked with grey atop a very kind face. Lily liked him immediately.

"Lily, I'd like to introduce Mr. Corran Masten," Professor Dumbledore said with a sweep of his arm in introduction. "Corran, this is Lily Evans."

Lily extended her hand. "Very nice to make your acquaintance, sir."

"Ah, Miss Evans. Albus here has told me so much about you!" He looked at her with a kind smile and a pinch of curiosity.

Lily raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore. Somehow, she knew specifically what it was about her that he had told Mr Masten.

"Mr Masten is here at my request to assist you with your Careers Advice session. I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty in doing so, Lily, but I somehow felt that the two of you would, as they say, hit it off!"

"No, sir, I don't mind at all." Lily and Masten continued to regard each other. Lily was now the one feeling curious.

"Good! So I'll leave the two of you to talk!" Dumbledore shook hands with Masten and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Shall we sit?" Masten gestured to two chairs in front of McGonagall's desk.

He took a seat and leaned towards her. "Miss Evans, what do you know about the Department of Mysteries?"

"Other than it's located at the Ministry of Magic, not much, sir. I suppose that's why it's so--mysterious!" Lily smiled and Masten laughed heartily.

"Right you are!" Masten winked.

"Shall I take a guess that you work there and you've come to talk with me about it?" Lily asked with a smile.

"You are as bright and quick-witted as Albus said! Yes, indeed, I do work there. Your Headmaster has suggested that I seriously consider inviting you to help us in our work. Albus thinks quite highly of you, Miss Evans, and feels you'd be quite an asset to the Department."

"You've come to recruit me?" Lily was intrigued. "To work as a - a..." She realised she had no idea what people who worked there were called.

"An Unspeakable, yes. I bet a smart girl like you can hazard a guess as to why we're called that?"

"Mmmm... you do something secret? That you can't talk about?"

"Right you are again!"

Lily was even more intrigued. She thought for a moment and then scrunched up her forehead, trying to make sense of this. "So... how do you talk to me about it if you can't talk about it?"

Masten nodded with a smile. "Yes, the recruitment of new staff in our Department always presents a bit of a challenge. Let me just say that we'll be able to provide you with bits of information as we go. Our recruitment process has many steps and several layers that continue on through your completion of studies at Hogwarts. Usually, the conversation we're having now doesn't even occur until your sixth year. However, given Dumbledore's recommendation, we felt that an exception in your case was warranted.

"At this point, Miss Evans, what I can tell you is that we do all sorts of research in the Department of Mysteries. We ask the questions that can hardly be formed and try to understand the answers that can't be comprehended."

Lily blinked, not knowing how to take this extremely odd bit of information. Yet something about the twinkle in Masten's eyes reminded her of Dumbledore, which reminded her in turn about their special 'lessons'. She took a deep breath and relaxed both her body and her mind and focused on Masten... and waited. It didn't take long. Almost instantly, she sensed within Masten both deep sadness and immense joy. She sensed as well the importance of his work. Importance and... something else.

"Your work is dangerous, isn't it?" Lily said after a moment, slowly interpreting what she had sensed. "It's about secrets that, if known, could be devastating to everyone."

Masten's expression registered a flicker of surprise, but only for a moment.

"Well, Lily--may I call you that?" Lily nodded and Masten spoke quietly. "I can't answer that question right now, but I can see that Dumbledore knows his students well. I believe that you would be an excellent candidate for the Department. If you are interested, I'd like to arrange for a special test over the summer to confirm my hunch that you possess a keen ability that would prove both valuable to our work and immensely satisfying to you."

Although Lily had barely any information to go on, she was surprised at her seeming certainty. "I am very interested, sir, and honoured that you consider me worthy of this opportunity."

"I'm so pleased!" Masten leaned back in his chair to get comfortable and smiled. "Well, now, let's you and I spend a bit of time getting to know each other better, shall we?"

*****

Lily felt a bit dazed as she left McGonagall's office. She had no earthly idea what it was she had just agreed to, yet she felt energised and oddly elated. No, she felt this couldn't possibly be a bad thing if she felt like this, and she trusted Dumbledore's instincts completely. She wondered what Alice would say about it. Lily smiled. If she had to keep her work a secret, it would drive Alice crazy.

She entered her Potions class, and everyone was mid-way through their final, pre-O.W.L. assignments. Lily started towards Slughorn. He was discussing something with Severus in the front of the room, but he waved her off.

"No need, Evans! Dumbledore has already excused your lateness. Proceed on to your assignment."

As Lily made her way to her desk, Garrett, a large and unpleasant Slytherin boy, pushed her aside roughly as he walked past, muttering something she felt certain was nasty. However, she was feeling too good to give it a second thought. She put down her books and glanced into the cauldron, bubbling with a potion-in-progress, then up to the blackboard to see what the lesson involved. Severus joined her at their desk.

"Strengthening Solution," he muttered.

"Hmmm... interesting colour," Lily noted as she took out her wand to stir the contents, which seemed to be required at this point.

"Lily! No--DON'T!" Severus yelled as he jumped back reflexively.

But she had, and in doing so the cauldron erupted violently, covering Lily with its entire contents.

Surprised, Lily saw herself covered in green goo and started to laugh at how ridiculous she looked. Mid-laugh, however, she went silent. The room began to spin, and she grabbed onto the desk.

"Severus..." she gasped. She tried to keep herself from drifting, but it all slipped away into blackness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus
The Slytherin common room was quiet with the sounds of quills scratching, pages being turned or crumpled, occasional yawns and sighs that signalled revision in progress. O.W.L.s were only a few days away, and the fifth-years were struggling to stay awake, to reread, to memorise, to practice and to suppress the panic they felt under the pressure of these important exams.

Severus was no exception, other than in his tendency to take the work more seriously and intensely than most of his Slytherin House-mates. He hunched over his notes and his books, working at a small table in a secluded part of the common room.

He heard them coming before he saw them. When he looked up, there was a small group surrounding him: Nott, Crabbe, Parkinson, Garrett and Cranford. He eyed them warily. It was never a good sign when Slytherins moved about in a group. They each pulled up a chair and sat down. Severus put down his quill and waited.

"Evening, Snape," said Cranford genially. "Surely, you're well readied for exams by now. We thought you deserved a bit of a break." He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on Severus' open book. Severus flinched at this gesture of disrespect as the dirt from the boots sullied the white of the book's parchment.

Niles Cranford was tall and lean with jet-black hair, bright, blue eyes and an air of assuredness that made for a commanding presence. He was clearly the leader of this group. Severus knew that his father was one of the Dark Lord's followers, which made Cranford... interesting. He, unlike his companions, was also smart and clever, which meant that he was also someone who could not be ignored.

"How was your Careers meeting with Slughorn?" Cranford asked casually. "Did he suggest some plummy position in the Ministry? Have just the 'right' contact for you there? Hmmm... let me guess... Portkey Office? No, better! The Misuse of Muggles Artefacts Office?" Cranford pursed his lips into a sneer, and the others sniggered. "Bet you've learned a lot about Muggles from Evans. Could be very useful there!"

Severus concentrated on keeping his breathing even, betraying nothing. He finally spoke. "The only thing I've learned from Evans is some pretty clever potion-making," he said flatly. "We don't talk about anything else."

Cranford pulled his feet down and sat up. "You don't, eh? Hard to believe after two years of being so... close!"

"C'mon, Snape!" piped in Nott. "She's a right looker! Don't blame you for wanting some!" They all snorted, leered and laughed.

Severus shot up out of his seat like a Bludger. "I don't WANT anything, you imbecile!" he shouted. "I won't--" He stopped, furious that they had gotten to him.

Garrett pounced on this opening. "You won't what, Snape? Going to defend the Mudblood's honour, are you?"

Severus sat back down, willing his anger under control. "I don't need to defend anything. Evans can take care of herself."

"Oh, can she?" Cranford said lightly, picking up a quill and twirling it between his fingers. "Sure about that, Snape? Pretty dangerous for Mudbloods these days."

"What are you implying, Cranford?" Severus practically spat out the words as he said them.

"I'm implying that you should decide, Snape, which side you're going to be on!" Cranford shot back at him. "You can't go around chatting up Gryffindors," he spat, as if the word itself tasted nasty, "especially that Mudblood, and expect to have any sort of future!"

Severus looked at him, not uncurious. "What sort of future do you mean, Cranford?" There was laughter again, only this time it was nervous laugher.

Cranford's voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned into Severus. "Don't play innocent, Snape. You know as well as I that the Dark Lord's forces and power are expanding and getting stronger. It's only a matter of time until he prevails. And when that happens, and make no mistake, it will, you will want to be on the right side." Cranford leaned back again and resumed his easy smile. "You're not untalented, Snape. I think you should put those talents to good use!"

Severus did not respond. He felt like Cranford was reading his mind, and he didn't like it. Severus knew his abilities and talents were numerous. He knew this as a fact, not as something to brag about, but important to him just the same. It was important that they be respected, that he be respected. Severus shifted uneasily in the knowledge that he had already thought about--imagined--how being of service to the Dark Lord might be the way to get the recognition he deserved. For now, though, he wanted to keep his options open, and he certainly didn't want Cranford to think it was his idea.

"I'm sure that, when the time does come, I'll be exactly where I'm supposed to be," Severus replied evenly.

Cranford looked at him quizzically, trying to decipher this enigmatic response. "Well, make sure you do, Snape. And put some distance between you and Evans--you wouldn't want any nasty rumours to start spreading. It wouldn't be good for your reputation, or hers!"

Without waiting for a reply, Cranford and his cronies slipped away.

Severus took a deep breath and tried to refocus on his book, but it was impossible to concentrate. As much as he didn't want to, he thought about Lily. Well, not in the way he was sure most people did. He knew that other boys his age were always falling in and out of what they called 'love'. He knew that many of them were besotted with Lily, especially that horrid Potter. Severus thought it unseemly that someone could behave in such an openly infatuated manner, although he did find it curious that Lily didn't seem to notice Potter mooning over her like a cow. She either didn't notice or didn't care. No, Severus didn't think he was besotted or obsessed or in love. He pondered over this mystery just as he would any other problem: he studied it.

He considered the way they spoke with each other and his reactions to these conversations. It felt different than the conversations he had with other students. Theirs were easy. Enjoyable, actually. She was at least as smart as he was, which of course made his studies more challenging. Severus liked and respected challenges. He definitely respected her. The fact that she was born to Muggles made no difference to Severus. He, more than most, knew that one's abilities had little to do with one's parentage. No, he admitted, she was more than smart. He could see and appreciate that she had many gifts. She was kind and non-judgmental and not swayed by the opinions of others; their first meeting was clear proof of that. And, unlike nearly everyone in Severus' life, Lily could give these things without an expectation of something back in return. Yes, this was what made him like her especially. Severus could be himself with Lily. She was a friend. A good friend. He liked her very much.

******

Severus froze, helpless, looking at Lily lying in a heap by her desk, covered in the green potion.

"Stand back, everyone!" Slughorn pushed through the students that had gathered around Lily Evans.

James Potter had also pushed his way through the crowd to get near Lily. "What happened? Who did this?" he cried, throwing Severus a piercing look that indicated he had already identified the culprit.

Severus ignored James and looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Garrett, Cranford and Crabbe nudging each other, sniggering. Cranford caught his eye and nodded.

Slughorn took out his wand and siphoned a sample of the potion into a small phial he had pulled from his robes and gave it to Severus. "Snape, give this to Madam Pomfrey so she can determine what has been added to the potion and prepare an antidote. Step back! Tergeo!" Slughorn incanted, and the remaining potion evaporated.

The students cleared the space, and Slughorn conjured a hovering stretcher and lifted Lily onto it. "Snape, please accompany Evans to the hospital wing. The rest of you, please take your seats!"

James Potter looked stricken. "Sir! I'd like to go with her!"

Slughorn dismissed him. "Snape is her Potions partner, Potter. He'll be able to provide important information to Madam Pomfrey." James glared at Severus.

"B-but, sir--"

Slughorn took James by the arm and led him away. "Don't worry, Potter. She'll be fine. Let's finish our lesson now."

********

Walking as rapidly as he could and guiding Lily's stretcher carefully with his wand, Severus felt shaken. Afraid. He knew precisely what had happened. He saw Garrett bump into Lily near their desk. Severus berated himself; why didn't he think to wonder what Garrett was doing over on that side of the classroom? He looked at Lily, who was ashen. Snape noted that his own heart was beating rapidly and loudly. She had to be all right. Slughorn had said she'd be all right. Whatever it was that Garrett had put into the potion had obviously reversed the spell, causing Lily to be severely weakened. But how badly? Why hadn't he noticed that the colour of the potion was wrong? Had it been meant for him? Had Lily been an accident? In any case, this was his fault. James was right to blame him.

******

Madam Pomfrey had, thankfully, been able to develop an antidote. Lily was still unconscious, but the matron assured him that she'd be all right and would awaken soon. Severus was profoundly relieved, but worried.

Pretty dangerous for Mudbloods these days.

He knew that Voldemort and his followers were targeting Muggle-borns, but somehow Severus had never thought of it in terms of a real person--like Lily. He looked at her lying there and suddenly felt his heart constrict. She was in danger. And he cared about her. This new thought angered Severus.

Don't be a fool, Snape.

At that moment, Lily's eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him. His heart leapt into his throat.

"Severus," she said, still groggy, trying to push herself to a sitting position. "What happened?"

He composed his features, took a breath and swallowed before speaking. "Stupid accident. My fault... put the ingredients in the wrong order. You'll be fine, although it did produce a spectacular visual display. Please forgive my blunder, Lily."

Lily looked genuinely surprised. "You put them in the wrong order? That's not possible!"

"Well, you weren't there, and you are usually the one who double-checks that sort of thing."

She smiled, bemused. "Oh, so it's really my fault, eh?"

Suddenly, the doors of the hospital wing flung open, and a full dozen people flew into the room and ran to Lily's bedside like a horde of bears targeting a hive full of honey. Severus stepped out of their way.

The first to reach Lily were Alice, Helene and Annette.

"Are you all right?" "It was terrible!" "Are you in pain?" "Can I get you anything?" "There's still a nasty bit of green in your hair!" "How did it happen?"

"That's what I'd like to know!" They all turned to see James advancing on Severus, who did not move or respond.

"What are you playing at, Snape?" James was shaking in anger. "For some stupid reason, Evans trusted you. How could you do something like this?"

"Potter!" Lily yelled, sharp. Everyone around the bed stepped back, out of her line of fire. "What are you going on about?"

James kept his eyes on Severus. Severus concentrated on keeping his breathing even and his eyes on James. He felt for his wand, certain that Potter was doing the same.

"He tried to hurt you. I've been telling you for ages to watch out for him, but you haven't listened!"

"James Potter," Lily said, her voice suddenly low and menacing. This seemed to have a startling effect on James, forcing him to turn away from Severus and face her. Severus noted Lily was shaking, very angry. He'd never seen her angry like this. This was curious. And interesting.

"But, Lily--" James started, but Lily tore into him.

"You are an idiot, Potter! It was an accident. I am fine. Severus didn't do anything, and if you and your equally juvenile friends could get your heads out of the dung heap long enough, you'd see that there's not an evil plot around every corner! And, by the way, what makes you think I need 'rescuing', anyway? I can bloody well take care of myself, and if you don't know that about me by now, I doubt you know anything at all!"

The sound of the wind blowing through the trees was very loud in the hospital wing. The rumble of a train was heard in the distance.

Severus permitted himself the tiniest bit of smile. James glared at him with more hatred than before, which Severus didn't think was possible.

"Feel better, Lily," Severus said. He returned James' glare and left the room.

********

As soon as he'd passed the hospital wing doors, Severus' elation at witnessing James' public humiliation was dampened at the sight of Cranford approaching from the other end of the corridor.

"How is poor Evans?" Cranford said, his voice dripping with mock sincerity.

"She's fine," Severus replied. He decided that confronting Cranford about this--episode--was a futile waste of time.

Cranford, surprisingly, raised it himself. He moved in, his face very close to Severus', and his voice dropped to a whisper. "It was actually meant for you, but even better that it happened to her. Take it as a real warning, Snape. Don't get involved in things that will hurt you in the end." He stepped back and smiled. "I say this as your friend, Snape. Listen to me. I can help you." As he started to turn, he added, "Oh, and good luck with your O.W.L.s, Snape. Although I suspect luck is something you have in abundance!"

Severus watched Cranford descend the stairs. Over his shoulder he could see Lily in her bed, laughing with her friends. Her real friends. Something he could never be. The warmth he had briefly experienced had gone. Despite the heat of the day, Severus shivered and, pulling his robes around him, walked away.