Black Carnation

Black Carnation: Part 5

"How could she?" I whispered after she had left. We just kissed! And not just a regular kiss, but a passionate one where I could feel our emotions intertwining. I'm sure she loves me back, I'm sure of it. She wouldn't have kissed me like that if it wasn't true. I must come up with another plan to talk to her...but will she want to talk to me again? It doesn't matter, I'll make sure we talk about what happened. 

I strode back down the hill to join the rest of the students. All of them were waltzing around in their own little worlds. As my hair fell back down to cover my face, I walked in between them until I found the only two people who would talk to me right now. 

I found Mulciber and Avery entering the Hog's Head Inn inside the Three Broomsticks. Getting Butterbeer no doubt. I walked up to them and they shared a look of surprise.

"Sevie? I thought you weren't going to be with us today." Avery asked. 

"Plans changed. Butterbeer I presume?" I nodded towards the counter that they were heading to.

"Obviously," Mulciber mocked using my usual tone of the word. 

"I'll join you." I went over to a seat and sat down. "Three butterbeers please." I said raising my hand at the bartender. He nodded and started filling three mugs. I looked towards my two friends. "So what have the two of you been up to?"

"Well...don't be mad. We did something that would benefit us all." Mulciber hinted. I looked between the two of them and they both had guilty looks on their faces.

"What did you two do this time?" I bet they did something to Potter and his friends. Even after I warned them not to!

"You should have seen them! They were boisterous and foul! They were picking on some small witch who was trying to reach something in Gladrags Wizardwear! They had grabbed the camisole and were raising it out of her reach! They were a bunch of bullies!" Avery told him.

"That's not the worst part. Once she started crying, they started calling her a baby. No one did a thing." Mulciber said as he sipped his butterbeer with a faraway look.

"So what did you two do then?" 

"We might have...made it easier for her to reach her camisole." Mulciber winked.

"I kicked him in the balls is what I did." Avery said proudly. 

"And they let you go just like that?" I asked dumbfounded. They were vengeful to say the least.

"They couldn't see us. Remember that invisibility spell we found a while back? The one that would make us invisible for 10 seconds? Well, we put that into a melting tablet. We both took it and ran out of the store." Mulciber laughed. "Those buffoons were so confused! The look on their faces!" Avery started laughing now.

"You fools! They know it was you! Who did I say they were going to retaliate against? WHO?" I stared them both down. I'll get a punch in the face soon, that's for sure.

"But Sevie...they were bullying that poor girl. How could we just stand idly by? We had to do something! Right Mulci?" Avery asked her friend.

"Right. We weren't going to be bystanders. Look Severus. They have bullied for too long. Professors won't do anything since he's their Golden Boy. His talent in Quidditch overshadows his menace. He needs to be taught a lesson." He said with an upset face. 

"I appreciate you helping out that girl. However...thanks to your actions, I will now be on his list. They already bully me in small ways every day. It will only get worse." I explained. Their actions have now put me in peril. Potter and his friends will come find me soon enough. I have to disappear.

"We'll protect you Sevie. You're our friend!" Avery said paying for all of our butterbeers. 

"I can't be here any longer. I'm going to have to lie low before they find me." I started getting up as I heard behind me...

"Well look who's here! If it isn't our Snivellus and his puppets." Potter yelled behind me. Oh no, I'm done for. This is gonna hurt.

"Potter. Lupin. Black. I was just heading out." I said putting my head down and tried walking past. 

"I don't think so. It seems your puppets have made a mad mistake. I was just joking around when your friend kicked me out of nowhere! Now who told them to do that, you think?" Potter said as he put his arms around me. 

"It wasn't out of nowhere and you know it Potter! You were bullying that girl!" Avery yelled at him. 

"Me? A bully? Never!" Potter said. "I'm the sweetest man in the world. Aren't I boys?" He said smiling as he looked at his friends. 

"Of course! He would never!" Lupin and Black agreed.

"See? Why don't we show our Snivellus a lesson mates? Let's have a talk outside." He guided me unwillingly. I looked over at the bartender but he pretended to clean some mugs. Figures.

"Leave him alone!" Mulciber told them as he stood up out of his seat. Potter stopped and looked back at him. 

"I wouldn't say another word if I were you." Potter stared at him with threatening eyes. Mulciber sat down and looked at his hands. Protect me. How absurd. Weak. James guided me back out of the Three Broomsticks and circled me with his friends.

"So Snivellus. It seems your friends have made a grave mistake getting in my way. How shall we teach their leader a lesson?" He whispered in my ear.

"Let me go Potter. I haven't done anything." I muttered. However, I knew it was no use. They never cared. They just wanted to hurt someone, and that someone was usually me. 

"We'll see about that." He raised his hand and punched me right in the face. I was knocked back onto the snow nearby. I think they broke my nose. How DARE they! I got up and tried punching him back, but he was able to move out of the way before I made contact. I tried punching him again, but this time, Lupin and Black held back my arms as Potter was winding himself to hit me again.

"James? What are you doing?" Lily said behind them. 

"Lily! I thought you were with your friends." James stuttered. 

"I was but I came looking for you. What are you DOING?" She repeated. She looked mad. 

I smirked. Finally. She gets to see James for the bully he is. "Lily! He was punching me! Help me!" I shouldn't be this weak in front of her, but it's the only way she'll take my side now. I'll do whatever it takes.

"Let him go you two!" She walked up to me and caressed my face with her hands as soon as I was free. Her hands feel so soft. Her eyes are finally looking straight at me. Lily... She turned to face them and stood in front of me...as if to protect me. 

"James Potter. How can you hit Severus? What has he done to you?" 

"I...His...His friends kicked me in the balls for no reason. He's no good I tell ya. I'm sure he told his friends to hurt me. Trust me Lily, I haven't done anything to him to deserve it." James was looking straight at me. At that moment, Mulciber and Avery came up behind me.

"Liar! He was torturing a small witch at the other shop! She was trying to reach a camisole and he and his friends were bullying her! You saw what he was doing to Severus." Avery told my Lily.

"She's right." Mulciber said. "I was there. Why would we lie?" He refused to look at Lily but stared on to Potter. 

"Of course they would lie! They are aiming to be dark wizards! You've seen them do dark magic! Lily, trust me!" James was begging now. He could see how Lily was torn between believing her snogger instead of believing the truth. She can't run back to him. I don't think my heart can take it if I have to wait for her to be mine any longer. I reached for her hand. She looked down as our fingers started intertwining. Please believe me,  I pleaded with this gesture. Please...

"Lily? What are you doing?" James took a step closer.

"James...it's over. I don't tolerate those who look down on others. Go." She said confidently at James and his friends. They hesitated. "You heard me. GO!" This time they turned around and walked away.