Lily inhales tree dust.
-Memories Sequencing-
(Spring 1980, Potter Cottage, Godric’s Hollow)
The memory flickered on, and I found myself in the middle of the tiny, cozy kitchen of the Potter cottage. The soft evening light streamed through the window, casting everything in gold.
A beautiful woman with hair as red as a ruby stood in front of the sink.
That’s Lily.
Oh. My. God.
She looked nothing like the movies. Eshwara(by god), she was gorgeous. Wait—hold on—I know this face. Who does she look like? Emma something… Emma Stone! Yes! Exactly like her! But with even redder hair and those insane green eyes. Wow. Okay. This is so unfair. Some people just get blessed by the universe. Chei.
Anyway—back to the memory.
She had one hand gripping the counter, knuckles white. The other clutched a small piece of parchment with trembling fingers.
“Lils, I swear on Merlin’s left—”
A man—A deivam( a god /angel)—strolled into the kitchen.
His hair? Artfully messy. His jawline? Chiseled by the heavens. His entire existence? Not even remotely fair.
Oh. My. God.
He looked like Fawad Khan. I’m serious. If you don’t know who Fawad Khan is, pause right now and go look him up. I’ll wait.
Did you look?
Exactly.
I nearly forgot how to breathe.
James Potter was stupidly good-looking. What the hell.
“Lily?”
She turned slowly. Her green eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open. She swallowed hard.
“James… I’m pregnant.”
Dunn. Dunn .Dunn. sorry couldnt resist.
James blinked once. Twice.
“Oh.”
Silence.
I could see the exact moment James’s brain short-circuited. His hazel eyes darted down to the parchment in her hands, then back to Lily’s shocked face.
“Oh,” he repeated, much weaker.
Lily bit her lip, looking uncertain now.
SAY SOMETHING, YOU GOOBE.(in kannada means owl , but sometimes also means idiot)
James’s hands twitched at his sides. His mouth opened—then closed—then opened again.
And then he exploded.
“WE’RE HAVING A BABY?!”
Lily let out a startled laugh as James whooped, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around before she could even think to protest.
“James—James, put me down, you prat—!”
“LILS, WE MADE A GREMLIN—A TINY LITTLE US—”
“You’re going to drop me, you absolute menace—!”
James ignored her, still laughing, until she smacked him upside the head, and he finally set her back down.
God, they were adorable.
But then—just as suddenly as it came—his smile dropped.
Oh. Oh no. Oh no no no.
His entire body stilled.
He took a step back.
His hands fell to his sides.
And in that exact moment, I realized—
They were in the middle of a goddamn war.
Stupid Voldemort. Stupid Death Eaters. Stupid everything.
Of course they would be scared.
“James?” Lily asked softly.
James ran a shaky hand through his already disastrous hair.
“Lily… there’s a war.”
Lily’s smile dimmed.
No, no, bring it back—her smile was so pretty, come on.
James sank into a chair, rubbing his face. “We’re being hunted. Voldemort—he—” He exhaled sharply. “This isn’t the world I wanted for our kid.”
Damn right.
Lily knelt beside him. She reached out, taking his hands in hers.
“I know,” she murmured. “I know, James. But… we have to believe we’ll get through this.”
James looked at her, and for a moment, I saw it—the boy he had once been.
Cocky. Invincible. Untouchable.
But war had changed him.
And yet, despite it all—despite the fear and the grief and the uncertainty of tomorrow—James swallowed hard, cupped Lily’s face, and whispered,
“You’re right.”
His thumb brushed her cheek.
“We’re bringing a Potter into the world.” His lips quirked upward, just slightly. “And that kid is gonna be unstoppable.”
Lily laughed softly, pressing her forehead to his.
Then it went dark again.
And I, a ghost in the memory, wanted to cry.I could have had such gorgeous parents. But nooo I have to live with the ugly Dur- Oh wait I took care of that. Amazing Job [Redacted]
System why are you showing a memory before I was born?
-It was the time of conception. Wix tend to know immediately . and it was important for you to know how the parents felt about you as Jasmine.-
First of all eww, I didnt need to know it was conception. Second of all, makes sense.
(1980, Jasmine: Three Months Old)
The world blurred and shifted, colors fading into muted grays and deep shadows. I could hear the distant rustling of leaves, the faint hoot of an owl.
I was in a forest.
Cool.
Wow, the forests in Britain are so beautiful and so cold. Immediately, I was dressed in warm clothes.
Thanks, System.
-You're welcome. -
The air was damp, thick with the scent of moss and old wood. evening light cut through the canopy in golden hues, illuminating the two figures standing apart, neither willing to take the first step forward.
Lily Potter stood near a gnarled tree, her arms crossed over her chest, jaw tight. Defensive.
A very young-looking Alan Rickman—oh wait, no, that’s Severus Snape—stood a few feet away, half in shadow, his black cloak blending into the night. Guarded.
What the hell. This wasn’t in the Harry Potter books or movies for sure.
And why the hell is everyone so pretty? It’s not even a K-drama.
"I shouldn't be here," Lily said first. Her voice,uncertain.
Severus’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. "And yet, here you are."
Lily exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "You said it was important."
"It is." Severus hesitated, gaze flickering to the ground before meeting hers again. "I just... I needed you to know."
Something in Lily’s expression shifted. Ooh, is he about to confess?
"Know what?" she asked warily.
Severus’s fingers twitched at his sides, curling into fists before he forced them to relax. The words seemed to fight their way up his throat before he finally forced them out.
"That I loved you."
DAYUM. HE DID IT. HE ACTUALLY DID IT.
Lily inhaled so sharply that she snorted some tree dust.
And then she started sneezing like crazy. Not like those cute little sneezes. Full-on foghorn sneezes.
Bwahahaha! My mom is so cuteeee.
I could see Severus trying not to smile.
"Oh, I am so sorry," Lily said, utterly embarrassed, rubbing at her nose.
She opened her mouth, then closed it. She looked like she wanted to say a thousand things at once, but none of them felt right.
So, after a deep breath, she settled for the truth.
"Sev, I... I never saw you that way," she whispered. Her voice was gentle, but firm.
Severus let out a soft huff, something between a laugh and a snort.
"You see me as a brother right?" he said.
Lily nodded. "Yeah."
Severus gave her an exasperated look, rolling his eyes. "Silly woman. I’m gay."
I blinked.
Lily blinked.
WOT?
“"Wait—what?!" Lily spluttered, staring at him like he’d just grown another head.
Severus sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was dealing with an absolute idiot.
"Lily. You’re brilliant, but so painfully slow sometimes. My love for you was never romantic. I idolized you, yes. You were the only good thing in my life for a long time. So I wanted to keep you to myself. Which in hindsight was not a good idea .But I did not—" he waved his hand vaguely ,looking ill "—want to kiss you."
Lily just stood there, mouth slightly open, processing.
Then—suddenly—she burst out laughing.
Full-body, breathless, tear-inducing laughter.
“MERLIN’S SAGGY PANTS, SEVERUS! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ANGST I WENT THROUGH JUST NOW?!”
I knowww right?
Severus scowled, but there was no real bite to it. "Yes, well. You deserved it."
Lily was still laughing, wiping her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You absolute bastard," she wheezed. "Do you realize how much time we wasted on all this dramatic tension—?"
"Oh, trust me, I noticed," Severus drawled, crossing his arms. “ I wanted to be dramatic, You know this Lily Flower.” Omg what he has a funny silly side . What a fever dream?.
Lily snorted, still grinning. "Oh, I am never letting you live this down."
Severus sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "I suppose this is what I get for trying to have a sincere conversation."
They both sat down on the ground watching the sun go down
Lily nudged his arm with her elbow. "Hey. For what it’s worth… I’m glad you told me. And I am sorry for iceing you out. Are you still spying for the deatheaters."
Severus didn’t reply for a long moment. “ Yes, I had no choice”
“I am sorry” She said resting head on his shoulders.
The forest dissolved into shadows.
The memory faded.
System, give me a second. I need to recover.
-Processing recovery time... -
You’re so dramatic.
-And yet, here you are. -
Oh my god, not you too.
"That was a super plot twist," I muttered, staring at the now-empty void like it personally betrayed me.
Like—HELLO?! WHAT?!? Severus Snape, the undisputed king of brooding, the OG angst machine, the walking, talking definition of tortured pining, had spent all those years—FOR WHAT?!! FOR A DRAMATIC BUILD-UP TO A ‘btw, I’m gay’ moment?!
Nah. No way. I refuse.
I flopped backward, arms sprawled. "I need a second. Maybe a whole damn minute."
I mean—okay, let’s break this down. The whole Wizarding World, generations of fans, the collective internet—all of us—had spent literal DECADES debating whether Snape was a tragic romantic hero or just a dude with attachment issues. And now? Turns out he was out here having an entirely different crisis this whole time??
I covered my face with my hands. "Merlin’s saggy pants, I was not ready for that."
"Okay, fine, that was kind of iconic," I admitted, sitting up. "But still—THE DRAMA. THE WASTED ANGST. THE AMOUNT OF FAN THEORIES THIS SINGLE REVELATION WOULD HAVE OBLITERATED—"
Amazing. Then why all that angst and brooding and bullying of Lily’s boy?
Hmmm. It gets curiouser and curiouser( can you tell I am a book nerd , hehe).