year 1 chapter 7 - The Holidays in Cokeworth
As the months at Hogwarts passed, Lily Evans started to thrive. Her marks were very good, and she had made more friends than she ever had in her life. So as she got ready to go home for the Christmas holidays, she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
“I’ve already asked my ma if she minds you staying for a few days over break, especially at new years, and she said she didn’t mind at all.” said Emmeline as they were both packing their bags to leave.
All of the girls had been feeling a small sense of melancholy as they thought about how they would all have to separate for the first time in 4 months.
“We have plenty of room for all of you. Mary, Lily, she even said that she could send someone to pick you up either by portkey or by side along so that your parents don’t have to worry.”
“I don’t know if I can go because we’re going to visit family in Romania over the holidays,” Marlene remarked sadly.
“Boo, you can run away. Better yet, we'll kidnap you.” Mary said while giggling at her. She was sitting with her head hanging off of her bed, and her head got increasingly more red by the second. As she continued to hang, Marlene jabbed her stomach lightly and Mary fell to the floor with a shriek.
As the girls continued to roughhouse, Emmeline walked over to Lily and plopped down on her bed, laying her head in the other girl's lap. “Do you think your parents will let you come?” She asked her softly.
“I hope so, but I don’t think Sev will be too happy about it. We usually spend most of our break together.” She said with a slight tone of regret in her voice. “But maybe he’ll want to come along? If that alright with you?”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind him coming to the party, but they wouldn’t be too happy about me having a boy over to stay. I swear my parents are already concerned about my purity.” Emmeline said with an eye roll.
Lily's spirits brightened with the thought of Sev coming to the party with her. She would always feel more comfortable with her best friend around.
Finally, all the girls were done packing, and they were ready to head down to their last breakfast of the term.
*******
As Lily and Severus got off the train, she was practically bursting with the thought of telling him about the party. They walked over to her parents together, where Petunia was noticeably absent. But before she could Invite Sev, she first needed to ask her parents about it. As their car drove up the broken road of spinners end, Lily looked over at Sev. He seemed to be absolutely dreading going into that house.
She quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly three times. In her eyes, there was a promise. She would not let him get hurt there.
As she hugged him goodbye after helping him haul his trunks up to the door she whispered in his ear, "Meet me at the park tonight."
He just squeezed her tightly and nodded at her, before pushing open the door to that house.
When Lily opened the door to her own home, she was hit by the bright smell of delicious baking. That could be none other than Petunia. Her sister was marvelous at baking and cooking and all things like that. As she walked into the living room she was hit by the beautiful live pine tree sitting in the middle. Every year since she could remember her dad had gone and cut down a tree for their house for Christmas. They would all decorate it together. She was glad to see that they had waited for her to start.
Lily ventured into the kitchen in order to see her sister. "Hi, pet." She said softly. She and Petunia had used to be the closest of sisters until she met Sev and then things started to change. It would have almost hurt less if Petunia had decided at once to stay away from her, but the gradual drifting was what hurt the most.
"Petunia looked up from her baking with a soft smile. "Hi, Lil." She said.
"Do you want any help?" Lily asked her with a timid tone, "Would you be doing it with your death stick or with your own hands?" Petunia said while scrunching her nose. Lily knew she knew that she wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school, so she didn't even bother with it.
"It's ok, you would just spill everything anyway," Petunia said with a flick of her nose. "And no stealing!" She shrieked at her as she noticed Lily trying to get a bite of the dough. "Out, out." She shooed Lily out of the kitchen so she could keep working uninterrupted.
As they waited for Petunia to finish Lily was able to talk to her parents about her term. They wanted to know everything from her classes to her friends. It was kind of adorable for Lily to see their eyes shine in wonder as she explained quidditch to them.
Finally Petunia finished her cookies, and they were able to start the tree. In truth, while she was away she hadn't felt very homesick, because she had so many things to keep her busy. But as Lily was sitting and looking at the finished product with her parents and her sister there was nowhere else she would rather be.
*******
Later that evening, after dinner, Lily slipped out, careful to avoid the watchful eyes of her parents. Before she left she had been sure to grab some of Petunias cookies for him. The cold air hit her, but it felt invigorating. She could see the dim outline of the park in the distance, the skeletal branches of trees silhouetted against the twilight sky.
When she arrived, her breath clouded in the cold, and she quickly scanned the area, looking for her friend. He was already there, sitting on a bench, his figure slightly hunched, lost in thought. She knew that his afternoon definitely had not been as pleasant as hers. As she walked up to him she tried to walk slowly behind him. As she neared the bench, she grabbed his shoulders from behind and yelled, "BOO!" in a sad attempt to scare him. He looked back at her, and slowly said "Ahhhh, you scared me.
" She knew for a fact he was just pitying her. "Shove over," She said as she plopped onto the bench.
"I brought you something." She told him. He just looked confused. "You do know it's not Christmas yet, don't you?" He asked her.
Lily only rolled her eyes, and presented him with the cookies. Sev's eyes lit up. Petunias baking was the one thing he liked about the girl. As he started to dive into the cookies, Lily decided to ask him about the party.
"Sev, I have something I wanted to ask you. Well ok. Emmeline, you know Emmeline don't you?" She asked him quickly, he just nodded slowly at her.
"Ok well, Emmeline is having a party on New Years and She's invited us. Please say you'll come!" She cried at him.
You could visibly see Severus deflate. "Lily your friends do not want me at their party, and I don't want to be there. Besides we can just stay here. together. We don't need them." He scoffed.
Lily knew that Severus didn't like her friends all that much, especially since Alice's mistake and his new nickname stuck.
"But Sev I don't even think Potter and his mates will be there! Come on Sev just think about it. This would be our first wizarding party. Don't you want to know what it's like?" She asked him. “They’re my friends, Sev. And you’re my best friend. That’s all that matters,” she interrupted, her voice firm but gentle.
“You deserve to have fun too. We can go together, and I promise they’ll love you.” He let out a sigh, and Lily felt a flicker of hope. “What if they don’t?” “Then I’ll hex them,” she teased, nudging his shoulder.
"If I go LIly, It won't be because I want to get to know your friends. It would be for you. Ok?" He said while rubbing his face. "Yes Sev I know but I promise once you get there you will have the best time." Severus did not look convinced. "Ok well I should go back but I'll see you tomorrow ok? we can run into town and go see the decorations in the shops." Sev agreed with a small smile on his face.
******
Christmas was lovely this year. Lily awoke Christmas morning with Petunia, they rolled out of bed and downstairs to have breakfast with their parents. After that they headed to church for the service. Once they came home they opened their presents and Lily even had time to sneak off to give Sev his Present. She had been saving most of her money all term and she had managed to have enough to buy him a copy of advanced potions making. Presents from her friends were owled in as well. She thought she even saw a present from James Potter in the mix. It was a great Holiday.
In the end, Lily decided not to stay at Emmeline's for the few days before the party, but her and Sev went early in the day so that all the girls, plus Sev, could get ready together. Hours before Lily had been roaming through both of their closets in search of what to wear, but a note from Emmeline informed her that her parents had provided outfits for them. So they arrived at Emmeline's house. It was honestly quite more than a house. While Emmeline's family was not a part of the sacred 28, they were still very wealthy. Her father worked very high up in the ministry, and this party was going to be filled with very influential people.
Lily and Sev were very much so out of their comfort zone. But as they say the outfits provided for them by Emmeline's parents, they could hardly believe their eyes. Sev was given an extremely nice pair of dress robes to wear, and Lily the most beautiful satin dress. It was golden and made her hair shine like she had never seen it before. The other girls were also all dressed in marvelous gowns. As the afternoon passed the girls were all warming up to Severus, just as Lily had said they would. Alice felt terrible about being the first one to mess up his name, and surprisingly Sev seemed to handle it well.
Emmeline loved hearing the stories they told about their childhood, and all together the afternoon was a wonderful time. It wasn't until the party was starting that things went a little south. As all of the family were being announced at the entrance, it came to one family that Lily and Severus had not been expecting.
"The House Potter!" The announcer said. And at the top of the stairs stood two people Lily could only assume were James' parents, as well as four boys all dressed nicely in dress robes.
Lily looked over at Sev and saw the color leave his face, and anger fill his eyes.
This night was sure to be a mess, but Lily would do whatever she could to stop that from happening.