Five Sickles - a Snily fanfiction (English Version)

The countercurse

Lily and Severus spoke very little to each other when they went up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Seeing James, whose life was hanging by a thread, had disturbed Lily deeply. Severus, who was still in the appearance of Remus Lupin, became anxious at the thought that the effect of the Polyjuice Potion might vanish at any moment. He stared uninterruptedly at his tanned and scarred hands, fearing that they would immediately turn pale again.
"Godric Gryffindor." , Lily said, and the portrait guarding the entrance to her home’s common room swung to the side. Lily and Severus climbed through the portrait hole.
There was a terrible noise in the Common Room. Immediately, the two were inundated with countless questions. Of course, everyone wanted to know what exactly had happened and if there was any news. But Lily rushed past the panicked classmates with a smile. Severus followed closely.
"Moony! Where have you been?", Sirius asked, sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace while eating a Chocolate Frog. Severus tried to ignore Sirius' question and stayed close behind Lily. After all, he didn't know what to say. And he couldn't think of a good lie either. But Sirius had already jumped up and was holding Severus by the hood of his cloak.
"Moony, are you all right? You seem kind of mentally absent.", Sirius said, letting go of the hood.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...", Severus looked to Lily and saw her continuing to make her way through the raging mass of Gryffindors, "Lily is very sad about what happened to James."
Sirius smiled empathetically and hugged Severus.Severus stood frozen on the spot without moving, not knowing how to react.
"Prongs is a strong boy. He’s going to survive, trust me.", Sirius whispered into his ear.
"Remus, are you coming?", called Lily from across the room and waved him over to her. Severus pushed himself away from Sirius and smiled shyly. Then he struggled through the crowd to Lily.
Again, Severus didn't know why his heart was beating so fast against his chest, as if it was about to explode. As he looked into Lily's beautiful green eyes, the noise around him seemed to fall silent. Severus no longer felt fear.
No worries. No concerns about the Polyjuice Potion. Even the worry of not being able to find his book in the hustle and bustle of students had faded.
For a second, Severus felt free from everything negative in this world. As free as if he could fly through the air faster than a Hippogriff.
But suddenly Severus was ripped out of his rosy world when he tripped over a student's leg.
Roughly, Severus landed with his face on the floor, realising that he had landed back in the grey, dreary, and unfair reality.
A sigh left his pale lips.
Severus painfully picked himself back up, wiped some dust off his cloak, and walked over to Lily.
Without saying a word, Lily grabbed his wrist and pulled Severus up the stairs to the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory. Confused, he followed her, but didn't dare ask why they were going to the boys' Dormitory. When they reached the Dormitory, Lily rushed over to one of the five beds. She opened a dark brown trunk.
"What are you looking for, Lily?", Severus asked, leaning casually against the doorframe to hide his fear and insecurity.
"You'll see in a moment, Remus.", Lily replied dryly without looking at him. Energetically, she digged further in the trunk. After some time, Lily pulled something out, almost causing Severus to lose his balance.
It was a book. His book. The Book of the Half-Blood Prince.
With glowing eyes, he stared at the book which Lily held in her hand.
"I took a closer look at this book. It's really interesting. Someone must have really put a lot of effort into this.", Lily said, sitting down on the bed next to her.
Severus nearly tripped over his own feet with excitement as he joined Lily on the bed. With one finger, Lily pointed at a note.
"There's a curse that might save James' life. It's called Vulnera Sanentur."
Severus blushed and scratched the back of his head to fake confusion.
"This curse is supposed to heal deep wounds. It also says that it's the countercurse for...", Lily continued reading by turning to the next page, "Sectumsempra."
The storm outside slowly died down and was now heavy, cold rain.
Lily closed the book and left it on her lap. She looked up and their eyes met.
And there it was again. That feeling. That wonderful feeling when Severus looked into Lily’s deep green eyes. Miraculously, Severus feels so wonderfully weightless, as if the butterflies in his stomach were carrying him above the clouds.
"Remus?"
Lily snapped her fingers in front of his face. Severus blinked in disorientation.
"Remus?", Lily repeated, looking like she knew something seemed off. Severus gritted his teeth anxiously.
"Sorry, I'm just a little bit tired. That's all.", Severus lied, scratching the back of his head again. Lily continued to stare at him as if she knew it was a white lie.
Severus lowered his deep-red face in embarrassment.
He let out a tiny squeak as he saw his hands turning paler. Panicking about what to do now, Severus jumped off the bed. He grabbed his head and noticed that Remus' short brown hair was longer and darker by now. The effects of the Polyjuice Potion wore off. Lily looked at him confused, but didn't notice the changes on his body yet.
"What’s wrong with you today? You’re not usually like that." , she said, looking at Severus suspiciously from top to bottom.
"Give me the book, Lily!", yelled Severus in panic, and looked at the book which laid on her lap. But Lily got up quickly and hid the book behind her back.
"No, I can't! I’ll give it to Snape. I’m sure he knows how to use that countercurse. And Snape will give it back to the Half-Blood Prince!", Lily answered him and took a step backwards. A hint of fear shimmered in her innocent green eyes.
"Please, Lily. I need that book! It can't wait!", Severus pleaded, looking at the book again. Lily still held it tightly behind her back.
"Remus, stop that! I-" Lily, who had taken another step backwards, tripped over a pile of books.
Reflexively, she braced herself against the wall with her hands and the book fell on the ground. Severus, who had been watching everything carefully grabbed the book and ran briskly out of the Boys' Dormitory. Behind him, he heard the exasperated groans of Lily and the toppling of more books.

Severus just made it out of the Gryffindor Common Room before the effect of the Polyjuice Potion had finally vanished. Soaked in sweat, Severus leaned against the pleasantly cool brick wall next to the portrait, where the Fat Lady looked at him in amazement.
"I knew you weren't Lupin! I knew it!", complained the Fat Lady, and her round cheeks glowed in a deep crimson red.
"Shut up, you stupid portrait.", Severus gasped annoyed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. With a smile, he looked down at the book in his hands. Finally, he had it back. Severus pressed the book against his chest, ignoring the Fat Lady's reprimands as she gestured wildly with her arms.
Now all he had to do was obliviate Remus and switch uniforms with him. Afterwards, he would sneak into the Hospital Wing to heal James. And since there were no students or teachers in the hallways, these tasks shouldn't be too much of a challenge.
Euphoric, Severus started to walk down the stairs of Gryffindor Tower. But he stopped when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
It was none other than Lily Evans.
"Remus? Remus where are you?", Lily shouted hysterically.
Overwhelmed and in a rush of adrenaline, Severus ran down the staircase of the tower. And again, he wanted nothing more than just disappearing forever.
"Remus John Lupin!", Lily shouted again.
Severus felt like he was running for his life. What was he going to say to Lily this time? Was there any excuse at all that would sound plausible enough to explain the situation?
"Incarcerus!"
Within less than a second, thin, glowing threads were wrapped around Severus' legs. With a frightened cry, his snow-white face crashed on the edge of one of the steps.
He didn't need to look in a mirror to find out that his nose was broken. Lily hurried down the staircase. Her footsteps echoed throughout the tower.
"Remus, I'm so sorry! I didn't know-"
Lily hold her breath and her green eyes filled with tears as saw Severus' bleeding face and his broken nose.
She slapped her hands in front of her mouth. Slowly, Lily shook her head. A tear dripped onto the dusty stair tread.
"You lied to me. You used me. ", Lily muttered, hands still clasped in front of her mouth. Her voice trembled with anger and disappointment. A second tear dripped onto the stair tread.
"Lily, please hear me out. Please. I can explain everything to you. Please, Lily.", Severus groaned in pain and coughed up blood.
His black eyes filled with tears and his heart never felt this heavy and fragile.
"You used me, Severus. And for what? For a stupid book.", Lily growled, picking up the book that laid beside Severus.
Hearing those words hurt Severus more than anything else in this world. Not even an Unforgivable Curse would hurt Severus more than Lily talking about him like this. A tear ran down his bleeding face.
"For a stupid book.", she repeated and opened it.
Severus' eyes tensly focused on the book in Lily's hands.
"I should tear it up.", Lily muttered furious and her fingers slid over the pages of the book.
"No, please don’t do this, Lily. I’m begging you."
Severus' voice trembled and his body started to shake.
"And why shouldn’t I do it?", she histed and her green eyes were flashing dangerously.
"Because I’m the Half-Blood Prince, Lily."