The Marauders. Bright Beginnings

Chapter Four: Professor Doge

To avoid Severus, whose odd behaviour was starting to get on her nerves, Lily almost ran out of the classroom after thanking Professor Slughorn once again.

She had almost reached the end of the corridor, when Severus came running after her. "Wait, Lily," he bellowed. "What were you thinking?"

Lily came to a halt and turned on her heel to face him, her face flustered and her green eyes glimmering dangerously. "What was I thinking?" she hissed. "What are you even talking about? You're the one who's been avoiding me!"

Severus was squirming under her intent gaze. "I haven't been avoiding you," he murmured. "It's just a bit... difficult right now. My friends- "
Lily interrupted him, even more furious than before. "Your friends?" she repeated incredulously. "I'm your friend too, if you remember. Not sure if you do though, the way you've been acting lately." There was sadness I her voice as she trailed off.

Severus looked as though she had smacked him. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse and he had a pleading look in his eyes. "Of course I remember. You're my best friend, Lily," he whispered. "I just don't want- don't want- "

"Don't want what?" asked Lily with sudden softness. Seeing Severus hurting pained her more than she would have cared to admit.

"Don't want to lose you just because you don't like my housemates and they don't like you," he mumbled.

"So you're admitting they don't like me 'cause I'm muggle-born?" asked Lily. She felt as though she had been punched in the stomach.

Severus gave a quiet nod, avoiding her gaze. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and then, "but that doesn't change anything between us, does it?"

Of course it did. It changed everything. Even considering to spend time with the likes of Avery and Mulciber had driven Severus far away from her, morally speaking. But he was too good a friend to break it off for such petty reasons. There was still good in him, Lily could see it whenever they were alone. The shy boy from Spinner's End, who had helped her come to terms with what she really was, still slumbered somewhere beneath the shell of hatred and hurt. If only she could wake him up for good.

"For old times' sake," Lily whispered and stretched out her hand.

A peace offer Severus gladly accepted. "For old times' sake," he confirmed as he shook her hand.

At that very moment, the bell rang, announcing the next lesson was to start in a couple of minutes. Over Slughorn's invitation and her argument with Snape, Lily had lost track of time. Tugging at the contents of her book bag, she managed to get a look at her new timetable.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," she announced in unison with Severus. A slight smile crept onto Lily's lips. Whatever insight into the Dark Arts Avery and Mulciber were offering her best friend, they would never have this natural connection one only attained through several years of friendship and shared experiences. Nevertheless, Lily had the feeling there was a wall between her and Severus, invisible yet very noticeable.

Together, they walked (or much rather, hurried) to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, that was several floors up. Neither of them were very sporty, so when they got close to the classroom, they had to lean against the corridor wall, panting and trying to regain their composure. They entered the room just as the bell rang, announcing the start of the lesson. The new professor was nowhere in sight, but he had already managed to give the classroom a somewhat personal flair, decorating the walls with the portraits Lily had wondered about a day earlier. With determination, the pair headed to the last free table, right in the front row. As usual, nobody had wanted to sit so close to the teacher, especially since this one was still unknown, and therefore hard to estimate. Lily ignored the glares from Potter, Avery and Mulciber as well as Mary and Marlene she got for walking in amicably with Severus. Funny how nobody seemed to approve of their friendship, yet for very different reasons, she thought to herself, stifling a bitter little smile.