Anthology Works

The sunset shined orange on Severus’s face. In the distance he could hear the first and second year students. Their laughter excited from swimming in the lake. The teachers had a net to separate the shallow parts from the deeper parts of the lake. This allowed the students to be safe from the magical creatures.

‘Oi! Sirius, are you coming!’

That was James Potter. Severus recognised that voice from afar. He looked at them. They were four boys in their swimming trunks. All were illuminated by the yellow and orange sky. James was fit from his quidditch practices, Peter was skinny and small, Remus had his shirt still on, and then you have Sirius. The wind gently ruffled his hair. He walked with confidence to James, there was a cheeky smile on his lips. He then rushed towards him and pushed him into the lake. He cackled as James sputtered in the water.

‘Severus!’

Severus twitched slightly. Gaius Mulciber was another person he recognized instantly.

‘Where have you been mate, we’ve been looking for you.’

Gaius sat down on the left side of Severus. On his right, Hadrian Avery took his seat

'You've been avoiding us ever since summer break. Do you want to talk about what happened at the Manor ?'

Severus tensed and it took him two seconds to respond. 'What is it you wish to discuss ?'

'The death of that muggle girl' Hadrian said as he stared at the second and first years students in the lake.

'I just think that it was an unnecessary death.'

'Was that the point of the ritual ?' Hadrian's voice was low.

'Hadrian' Gaius cut in. 'Lord Malfoy was very pleased with you Severus. A half-blood rarely falls in good graces with men like him. Are you truly going to give that up for a muggle girl?'

Severus stood up and dusted the dirt of his hands. 'I do not wish to have anything from Lord Malfoy, nor do I wish him any ill.'

Severus turned to the castle and began his walk to the entrance but Hadrian quickly got up and put his hand on Severus' shoulder. 'Severus, we are not finished’.

'Gaius and I did a lot to secure that place at the manor for you. You repay us with betrayal' Hadrian almost spat out the last word. 'You embarrass yourself by walking close to that blood traitor or that Lupin boy. How many times has Sirius hit you ? Yet you do nothing. You coward!’

‘I am not a coward!’ Severus said hotly. ‘It’s simple, you leave me alone and I leave you alone.’ He shoved Hadrian’s hand off his shoulder and walked towards the castle hurriedly.

But he was only two steps further, when he was pulled back by his collar. It is Gaius that forced him to look. ‘If you pull out, you are pulling us out with you. That will not happen s-‘

‘Severus, is everything alright!’

A few meters away, with the orange skies deepening the red in her hair and the prefects badge on her robes, Lily Evans was standing with her wand in her hand. 'Let him go Muliciber, five points from Slytherin for bullying a fellow student.'

'Oh great, your mudblood is here' Hadrian said under his breath. 'We were just having a chat Lily.’ Gaius said and Severus pushed himself out of his grip.

By the lake, some of the students were watching the exchange. James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius had stopped swimming. Sirius and James were already out of the lake and were walking towards them. ‘Do you need any help Lily ?’ James asked.

‘They’re bothering Severus’

Both Hadrian and Gaius looked at Lily and then each other. They gave Severus one more look and then made their way to the entrance of the castle. But Severus could still hear Hadrian when he said ‘we should have known that he’d run the second a red head get’s killed’.

Severus took out his wand and pointed it to Hadrian. ‘Levicorpus’. Hadrian was pulled up by something that bind his feet and he dangled upside down in the air.

‘Oh shit’ Severus heard Peter say in the background.

‘Let him go Severus’ Gaius said and took two steps towards Severus. ‘Let him go!’ He reached him and gave Severus a punch to the face. Severus fell down hard. The side of his face hurts. There were shouts and angry noises around him, but Severus could not focus on his surrounding. ‘Oi, Sirius!’ He heard James shout, and then a hand is on Severus side. ‘You okay Snape ?’ It was Remus that helped him sit up. The world around Severus moved slowly until his eyes land on Sirius being pulled of off Gaius by James.

Hadrian pulled Gaius up. Blood streamed out of Gaius’ nose and Hadrian had difficulty standing on his left leg. They quickly limped away from the group.

‘Severus are you okay?’ Lily helped him stands. She touched the side of his face where he was punched, gently. Red hair and faint freckles on her face, just like the muggle woman. Severus took a step back and hurt flashed through Lily’s face. ‘Severus please, what is going on?’ Lily asked. Her voice was high. ‘You are acting strange. You’re avoiding your house, you are avoiding me. What’s going on, please tell me what is going on!’ Lily started crying. ‘We are friends remember.’

Severus looked at lily with a frightened look on his face. The orange skies were nearly gone, there was only darkness that gradually became darker. ‘I need to go’ Severus said and his voice was faint. He turned away and walked towards the castle. ‘Severus’ Lily called out, but he did not turn around.