Autumn 1971
- lily evans -
"Come on Sev!" Lily bobbed and weaved through the babbling students on the jam-packed train, occasionally looking back to check that her friend Severus was still following.
"You shouldn't have stopped to help that muggle, Lily. Now all the compartments are taken." He grumbled.
"She couldn't pick that bag up by herself, she was elderly! Did you expect me to just let her struggle? And besides," she slid open the doors of an empty compartment, "here's one!"
Lily tucked her trunk into the overhead storage and sat down while Severus did the same. "Someone else would've helped her, it's not your responsibility."
"If everyone had that mindset no one would help anyone. And I noticed you called her a muggle like it was a disease, sometimes I think you forget I'm muggleborn, Sev." before he had a chance to respond, the sound of giggling emerged.
Their previously empty compartment now had two strange girls in it.
"Hi, um, we're really sorry..." one said, timidly, but still with a smirk. "...but everywhere else is full. Do you mind if we sit in here?"
"Actually--" Severus began.
"Thanks!!" chirped the other girl.
Lily thought they seemed wonderful. She didn't have many friends that were girls, she didn't have many friends at all - being homeschooled. Just Sev. She was delighted that she had the chance to make some friends before she had even reached her new school. "Hi!! I'm Lily Evans, it's so good to meet you."
"I'm Mary Macdonald, sorry if I seem a bit... crazy, I'm just really really excited to get to Hogwarts!" Mary had chestnut skin and dark brown curls that sprung from her head with as much enthusiasm as the girl herself. She had large but soft features, and looked as though she could be a model.
"That's my friend, Marlene McKinnon." Marlene was Mary's polar opposite. She was pale, and her striking blonde hair fell straight down to her shoulders. Her features were more harsh and her slim eyes were a glowing amber. Both girls were mesmerising.
"Hi!" she said. "And uhh... who's your friend there?"
The question was met with a scowl from Severus and Marlene shrunk back into her seat.
"This is Severus Snape, don't mind him. He's a bit antisocial though that doesn't warrant him being rude." that last part was more directed at Sev than the girls, and she punctuated it by giving him a light tap with her foot.
"What house d'you reckon you'll be in?" Mary queried. "I'm definitely a Hufflepuff. But I don't really like badgers..."
Severus had talked about the houses before, but Lily didn't really know much about them. She knew he wanted to be in Slytherin, but she didn't like the sound of it. She also had no idea what badgers had to do with anything. "Oh, I don't know... I'm not really familiar with the houses because both my parents are muggles."
Mary gleamed. "Oh my gosh, me too!! I just know about Hogwarts because my aunt is a witch. But you don't need to know about the houses, you'll probably pick it up quite quickly."
"What about you Marlene?" Lily asked. "Do you know what house you'll be in?"
"Oh uhhh..."
"Marls is DEFINITELY a Ravenclaw, because she's really smart. I keep telling her that but she wants to stay humble and modest." Mary rolled her eyes.
Marlene's cheeks flushed, "That's not true, I just don't think I really fit into any of the houses. Maybe I'll be in Slytherin."
"Oh no," Mary began. "There is no way I'm letting you get put with that nasty lot. They're a bunch of tossers who care about blood purity and how much money you have. Lily, I would definitely steer clear."
"That's it!" Severus shot up from his seat. "Lily, these girls are an embarrassment to Hogwarts and frankly incapable of intelligent thought."
Mary let out a sharp gasp and Severus' head whipped around to her.
"I suggest you leave NOW and go find somewhere else to sit." All three of Lily's companions turned to her for approval.
"I..."
The tension was palpable.
"Severus, we can't just kick them out..."
Lily sensed Mary and Marlene's muscles relaxing and Severus tensing.
"Fine, then you'll come with me to find somewhere else to sit?" The look in his eyes had been that of annoyance and loathing but now it had transformed into pleading. Just for a moment Lily thought she saw his lips twitch to form a soft 'please'.
"Please Sev, just sit down--"
He stormed out of the compartment, not bothering to get his things.
Mary cleared her throat, "Well he's a real charmer."
Severus was being so ridiculous. How could he embarrass her like that in front of two potential new friends? Still, he had been a good friend to her, her only friend at that, and she couldn't let him go just like that.
"He left his trunk, I should go after him. I'm really sorry." Lily pulled down his trunk and her own before passing through the compartment door that had been left wide open.
Before she could leave, "Hey, Lily?" Marlene called.
"Yeah?"
"See you at school, yeah?"
"Definitely!!" Lily waited until she was out of earshot to let out an excited squeal. She had new friends!