2
Lily Evens Snape and her husband Severus Snape had invited me over for dinner. Back in Oxford, I met the two in my studies. Me and Severus had got along quite easily as we had a common past. It tied us together. And since then, about a dozen years later, he had come to a fortune.
In that, he had married his high school sweetheart. All his dreams had come true, threw some otherworldly destiny.
So, when I got the letter of invitation, I knew I had to attend. If not for the fact that we had been friends for the fact that he had money. Lots of it.
Now, here I am, at his estate, admiring the absurdness of his construction. Dark like mine, but so very... how could I put this, American. Like the house demands your attention. Pride is the word that comes to mind while I stand outside these grandiose doors.
Finally, they opened.
“Oh- darling.” I broke into an uncontrolled smile at the site of the woman before me. She seemed to melt when she recognized it was me at the door. She had a way of making everyone feel so special.
“It’s been too long Reg.” she came in for a hug. She held me and before leaving gave me an extra little squeeze.
Her smell had sent me back in time. She smelt delicate, like a flower. Back in the day, we used the nickname Daisy to describe her. It still fits perfectly. Her power came greatly from her femininity, that is something that comes naturally from within her, you would never see Lily try. Her beauty is unconscious, and somehow that attracted any heart even more to her.
“I don’t want to intrude-”
“Nonsense!” She smiled and waved for me to come in. “Sev! Regulus Black is here!” Down the double staircase came Severus, elegant as ever. His hair was slicked back, and his suit properly fitted. Musky black and almost shining in this light. You could not find any speck of dust on Snape's suit. You could tell he was proud of that fact.
“Welcome, black. I must say- you have picked yourself up quite a bit. I hear you're working on a poetry collection? Do tell.” He started to guide us through the home. Holding onto Lily by the wrist. I did not mind it much thought.
“Well, I was but- I've left those dreams behind. I’m working on stocks.” Severus grinned and put his vacant hand on my shoulder; “Smart choice.”
I'm not sure that was what I wanted to hear. Well, that's not what any aspiring poet would want to hear. But nonetheless, my thoughts were interrupted by Severus once more.
“Right! I hope you don't mind, one of Lily’s friends is over for company as well. Mary Mcdonald? She hasn't known high society for long. Do be patient with her. Isn’t that right my daisy?”
Lily looked down at her hand and then back up at Severus. “Yes honey, but she is a good friend. You know that.” Lily’s emerald eyes were begging for Severus to understand her. Light glistened off them.
“Daisy. Don’t act like-”
“I don’t mind at all. You take me for a different man than I am Severus. If Lily's friends with her then, she must be an agreeable person, I'm sure.” I looked at Lily with a smile. I couldn’t really understand her expression. Now, I wondered, if it had been my place to interrupt Snape like that. He had gone silent after the ordeal and so had the rest of us.
We had come to a room with a lavish number of sofas. And on one of them sat a woman with a threatening low-cut skirt. And a long cigarette that accentuated her beauty. Once she saw us, she walked over like a cat. The shimmer from her dress makes her glow.
She extended her hand. “I'm Mary.”
Her voice had broken the whole facade that she had built up. She had this flirty fun voice that clashed with the sensual and sensitive physique she was trying to give off. But I preferred what I heard rather than what I saw.
I smiled back, “Regulus black.” I shook her extended hand.
“Black? Black... Black...Black... I think I met a Black around here. It can’t be you?” She looked a bit nervous like she thought she might have met me and forgotten. “Could it?” she smiled.
“Sirius black.” My brother. Who I have not seen in 20 years. Since high school, he was able to escape the grasp of my parents. He was never able to see me change. I’ve never reached out to him. He has never reached out to me. It’s simple.
“Right! Thats him! Quite a troublemaker if you know what I mean.” I did not want to think of that. The image burned in my mind like acid.
“Please Lily, tell your... friend to respect our guest. And the Black family.” Severus sneered at Mary while she smoked her Cigarette, unbothered by the comment.
I smiled--the best a black could--trying to free the tension. “Once again, I do not mind. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mary.” I shook her hand.
“Likewise,” Mary responded while Snape rolled his eyes and crossed his arms ready to say something else.
“Everyone! Dinner is waiting, what about we go get some?” Lily interrupted before things could be any worse.
The things that we talked about during dinner had been quite trivial at first. Nothing more than the weather or wealth. A mixture of gossiping about the riches of others and filler words on how hot it was getting to be.
In order not to get bored out completely, I entertained myself by filling my glass to the brim with Severses' expensive wine. Part of why the conversation had seemed so dull and forced was due to Lily’s silence. Her mouth formed a thick line the whole two hours that Snape had been entertaining himself with his own voice.
It wasn’t until Snape got a call that I finally put my glass down.
“I must take this.” He spoke. “Business.”
Once Snape got up and out of the room. Lily also excused herself saying, “I need some fresh air. I’ll be back in a bit.” She gave me a halfhearted smile and left for the outside balcony.
Mary, who had been busy with her 3rd or 4th cigarette, finally put it to bed and looked up at me. And without any warning, she said something, something that almost made me spill my drink.
“You know that mother fucker is cheating on her right?” I tried not to spit out my wine.
“Pardon?” She moved to the chair next to me and offered me a cig. I took one, while she turned on the lighter and I leaned in. She gave out a long sigh and sat down. Reading herself.
“You heard that right. He’s smitin with some flapper on the phone right now. Couldn't help himself.” She half laughed at herself. “Bastard.”
“And Lily knows.” I added, noting her response to his ‘business’ call.
“Of course, she knows. Every woman knows deep down in her gut when their being flunked. The worst part is, knowing her, she won't leave him. She sees this greasy prick through rose-colored glasses. Something about him. Must be his money- personality? No way. He makes me sick.”
Mary seemed very agitated having seen Lily leave like that. But it wasn’t just her.
“I’m going to check on her. I’ll be back.” I walked out to the outside balcony. Lily was leaning against the marble railings looking across the dock. Her red hair waved against the breeze like fire.
I came toward her in silence. When she finally noticed me, I was already beside her.
“May I?” She indicated for Mary’s cigarette which I was still smoking. “Of course.” I extended it out for her. Almost as a peace offering. I looked across the dock to where my house was. It was a little to the left and bearably visible in the dark.
“That house, it looks like a beautiful castle. I wonder what it’s like living in such a place. Could a person be happy? I mean, truly happy? I wonder.” I could tell she was trying to stay clear of the topic at hand. About her cheating husband. But I cared to much about her to allow her to settle for this.
“You know what sev-” She immediately interrupted me like she was exploding to say something.
“Sev is a good man. He’s got me this amazing house. And with him, I can have anything my heart desires. I’ve lived poverty. We have lived poverty. I’ve experienced how people see lower classes. As if we are less human. I know you think I'm joking but I'm not. I wish it was as easy as you believe it is. I know what he's doing. Who he's involved himself with. Regulus. I know. I just hope, really- I hope she'll be a fool. That's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”