Year 7 | This Game We Play

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         IT WAS A sunny and warm Sunday morning in July of 1990 when Severus Snape visited his goddaughter after months of being away at Hogwarts

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         IT WAS A sunny and warm Sunday morning in July of 1990 when Severus Snape visited his goddaughter after months of being away at Hogwarts. It gave him great anxiety to be away from her that long, not knowing if she was safe or taken care of or happy. Albus had assured him countless times during their meetings – which were becoming frequent as the Potters' eleventh birthday drew nearer. His reassurance did not console Severus much, but after many restless nights, tedious classes with oblivious mongrels and another House Cup win for the Slytherin house, he was happy to return home.

        But home for Severus Snape wasn't his dingy house in a spacious Muggle town and it definitely wasn't Hogwarts – it wasn't a physical place. It was her. It was his Lily. He watched from the corner bend of the familiar Muggle block as she emerged from the house where she and her adoptive family, the Denvers, resided. Every single home on the block was identical to the next; plain beige siding, bright green grass and empty milk bottles on the front steps, awaiting pick-up. Each house had diminutive decor or flowers to tell them apart;  34 Beacon Street had some flowers here and there, but Severus' favorite was a small footprint just at the end of the driveway. It was a child's footprint; seven year old Lily made it just after Mr. Denver finished paving the driveway. She earned a week locked up in her bedroom and no meals for two days for it.

        Ten-year-old Lily Potter stepped over this footprint with her hands in her pockets as she left the property and began walking down the street. She had a headset over her ears which connected to the Walkman clipped onto the hem of her ragged jeans. Casting a silent Disillusionment charm over himself, Severus set off after her, the corners of his mouth twitching as he listening to her humming. She stopped at a stand at the corner where a young man was selling popsicles and ice cream.

          "G'morning, Jerry." She greeted the man sweetly, "Can I have a cherry popsicle, please?"

          "Anything for you, Miss Lily." he took her coins and slipped her two popsicles in turn.

           She furrowed her eyebrows, "I only have enough for one."

           "That's okay. It's my treat." he smiled, "Just don't tell your brothers."

            Lily thanked him and continued up the street again, suppressing the urge to correct him: Mike and Mitchel were certainly not her brothers. But instead she turned her music up again, sat down on the curb up the block and took the time to enjoy her popsicle. After a moment of silence, to where Severus leaned against a nearby parked car, Lily was half-way through with her treat was she paused and took off her headset. She was completely still, staring at the hot blacktop, tuning out the swishing of water from a fire hydrant as a few local teenagers busted it open for a sprinkler.

        "Whoever you are, I know you're there." she spoke calmly, "You don't need to hide. I won't do anything."

         Severus had the urge to laugh – what could this little girl do to him? The irrational and rational parts of his brain fought with each other as he pondered over revealing himself to her. What harm could it do?

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