Nothing belongs to me. Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. This story is complete, originally posted at AO3, started on may 15th 2018 and finished June 13th 2018. English is my third language, I didn't work with a beta, but you'll just have to forgive all the mistakes I've made. This story will contain Marauder-bashing as well as some vicious Lily-bashing, and it is SSHG: if you don't like it, don't read.

A lot of quotes from Rowling, J. K., 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', Bloomsbury Publishing: London, 2007, chapter 'The Prince's Tale', pages 532—543 (Too many to mark, which is a bad habit, but I'll try not to make an academic essay out of this and aim for a story easy read).

Severus Snape, age 9, was watching them. He'd been watching them for a while. He'd seen two of the girls before, but the third one was new, he'd never seen her before.

The little red-headed and green-eyed girl was a witch: he'd seen her perform magic before. The older blonde girl, sister to the red-head, was not. Severus had kept an eye on them for a long time, afraid to approach them, yet longing to belong.

The third girl had brown curly hair, so wild it formed a halo around her head. She had freckles, large front teeth and brown eyes that seemed to sparkle with delight as she laughed. The girl picked up a lone flower, a dandelion, and raised it into the air: it floated, multiplied, and soon a whole flotilla of flowers coursed through the air. They plaited themselves into the girl's hair, and the two of them laughed in delight, while the third girl grimaced. It was beautiful magic, wild and innocent, and Severus could not resist.

The girls were dressed in summer dresses, and he felt miserably shabby in his second-hand clothes and in his father's old coat, but he had nothing better to wear.

The girl with the fluffy and wild brown hair was the first to see him. Her brown eyes were kind and sparkled with delight as she greeted him, approaching Severus with her hand extended. "Hello! I'm Hermione Granger, nice to meet you! Who are you?" The two others stood a little further back.

"I'm Severus. Severus Snape."

"I know you. You live at Spinner's End, by the riverside," said the blonde girl in a snide, sneering tone, but Hermione Granger seemed to pay her no mind.

"This are Lily and Petunia Evans", Hermione introduced the girls.

"You're... you're witches," Severus muttered, slightly frightened by her bossy tone. Lily and Petunia Evans looked affronted.

"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody," Lily Evans said.

"What do you mean, witches?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Witches. You can do magic. There's nothing wrong with that, my mom's a one, and I'm a wizard," Severus explained.

"Oh," Hermione said, smiling. "but I thought witches are evil. We're not evil."

"Nothing evil in being a witch or a wizard," Severus said.

"How do you know that?" Hermione asked, sitting down. Lily and Petunia sat in the swings and began swinging, and when Lily was swinging high, she let go and floated lightly to the ground, though her sister protested. Hermione clapped her hands at her, and Lily blushed and curtseyed, very pleased.

"I've been watching them for a while,"Severus confessed, "though you're new. I haven't seen you before," he told Hermione.

"You've been spying on us!" Petunia Evans chimed loudly.

"Haven't been spying. Wouldn't spy on you, anyway. You're a Muggle."

"Come on, Lily, we're leaving," Petunia said, insulted by his tone, and Lily followed her sister, glancing back at Hermione, who remained. Hermione waved at her friends as they went down the hill.

"I don't know what a Muggle is, but that didn't sound nice," she chided.

"It's a non-magical person. If your parents aren't witches or wizards, then you must be Muggle-Born."

Hermione nodded. "My parents don't do magic. At least I don't think so. They're dentists. Anyway, we just moved in. I live close to Lily and Petunia. Tell me more about magic? What's your mother like? Do you know any neat tricks? Are there any books about magic?"

Severus blinked at the barrage of questions, but he felt happy. She wasn't as pretty as Lily Evans, but she listened to him as he spoke for hours about magic. She always had more questions, but it didn't matter. He'd just found his first friend.

And she had very kind eyes.

Three children sat cross-legged in a small thicket of trees by a pool in Cokeworth, Manchester. Severus had removed his father's old coat, which was too warm anyway. Hermione Granger sat next to him, floating some flowers in the air in intricate lace patterns, while Lily Evans watched, fascinated, while they listened to Severus.

"So Hermione isn't going to get in trouble for doing that?" Lily asked.

"No. It's forbidden when we're older and we get out wands: then the Ministry of Magic can trace us and they send letters and punish you for using magic outside school. But as long as we don't have our wands and we're not trained, we won't get into trouble."

"I wonder why," Hermione said, frowning, as Lily took a twig and whirled it in the air as if it were a wand. "I should rather think that someone who is training is safer than someone who hasn't any training at all."

"It's the wands," Severus shrugged. He was used to this: Hermione always had a lot of questions, good ones too, some that he couldn't answer. "You can use stronger magic with a wand, and you learn spells. Real spells, like charms and jinxes and hexes and curses. Anyway, we're kids so you can't help using your magic."

"Is it all real?" Lily asked, dropping the twig. "Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts. It is real, isn't it?"

"It is real for us," Severus said, "Not for her. But we'll get the letter, the three of us."

"Really?" Lily asked.

"Definitely," Severus replied. "Hermione will get hers first, on her 11th birthday. Then mine in January, and yours last."

"And will it really come by owl?" Lily whispered.

"Normally. But you're both Muggle-Born, so someone from the school will come to your homes to explain to your parents."

"They'll come to me first," Hermione said, "so maybe you can come then, too, and meet them, Lily? Your parents will have someone visit later, but you'll be able to hear it all sooner."

"Oh yes, thank you!" Lily smiled at her, green eyes sparkling. "I'm so glad there's someone else there too, you and Severus. And you're Muggle-Born too Hermione, just like me. It won't make a difference, being Muggle-Born?"

"No," Severus said, thoigh hesitant. "It doesn't make any difference."

Hermione floated a flower into his hair and set it behind his ear, and the girls giggled as Severus scowled at the unwanted decoration. Hermione stretched her legs on the grass.

"It's nearly time for tea. Will you come, Severus? Mom and dad asked if you could join us. And you, Lily?"

Lily shook her head. "Can't," she said, "I'm expected at home. But we can walk together."

Severus stared at Hermione. "Are you sure your parents would be OK with me coming?" he said.

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed. "They said to invite you. They want to hear more about magic. Please come, Severus? Please?"

A small rustling noise in the bushes make them all jump: Petunia Evans was hiding in the bushes. Lily welcomed her sister, happy to see her, but Severus wasn't thrilled.

"Who's spying now?" he shouted. "What d'you want?"

"Leave her be, Severus," Hermione chided, tugging her friend along, before Petunia could say something nasty. The four children made their way toward the better side of the town, Hermione leading them while tugging Severus by the hand, bossy as ever, while Lily and Petunia brought up the rear, arguing in hushed tone.

"Are you sure I can come, Hermione?" Severus asked, still uncertain. "My clothes..."

"You're just fine, Severus. It's just tea and my home, anyway! There will be pie."

Severus felt his stomach growl: he hadn't had anything to eat yet that day, what with his parents fighting and his father having drank all the money for the week. "Oh, all right then..."

Severus Snape had two friends. Of the two, Hermione Granger was a much more frequent companion: it was rare that the two of them didn't meet somewhere, either in the playground, by the trees, or at the Granger residence, while Lily spent time with her sister, her family and some other friends. Lily had friends: Severus and Hermione only had each other. It wasn't that Hermione had been poor and shabby, like Severus: she was quite bossy and preferred reading and talking to Severus.

Severus never took either Lily or Hermione to his ugly and dilapidated home by the riverside, and the Evans family wasn't very comfortable when the shabbily dressed Severus had visited the Evans home, but the Grangers were very welcoming. They supplied their only daughter and her friends with hearty, healthy meals, although sweets were very rarely available and all the children were instructed to brush their teeth immediately after the pudding. Severus joined the table quite frequently: reluctant and shy at first, but Hermione's mother Jane had felt a motherly pity for the skinny boy and invited him over as often as he would come.

Hermione borrowed him her books: she had plenty, and she and Severus happily shared what she had. They happily read everything, including dictionaries. Severus learned to hide the books he borrowed after one incident when his father Tobias, in a fit of drunken rage, tore up one of Hermione's books. Hermine told him she didn't really mind and that she understood, but Severus felt terrible for weeks.

It was easy to talk to Hermione about his life at home. Lily knew some, of course, but she was too shallow to really understand or talk for a long time about something that didn't really concern her. Lily knew his parents argued, she knew that his father was a Muggle and a drunk, but Hermione knew about the beatings, Hermione knew how his father hit Eileen Snape and trashed their home, and she knew about the days when there was no food in the house. They had an argument when he thought Hermione felt pity for him, and they both stormed off in a snit, only to make their peace the next day by the river.

Severus spent his Christmas with the Grangers: they gave him a new, warm coat in his size. They sent a gift basket of food for his mother, though they'd never met her: Eileen Snape, nee Prince, was a proud woman who wouldn't have accepted charity, but the basket of fresh fruit made her happy, and she was careful to hide it from her husband.

And so the time passed for the three friends at Cokeworth.

When Hermione got her letter from Hogwarts on her 11th birthday in September, she invited both Lily and Severus over. The school representative was amused when she met not only one Muggle-Born witch but two and a half-blood wizard in addition, but she was a professional, and Lily listened in rapt attention while Severus pretended he wasn't doing the very same thing. The Grangers supplied a birthday party with a birthday cake, which was a whole new and enjoyable experience for Severus: though he remained skinny and lithe, the frequent meals at the Grangers were putting at least some flesh on his bones, and he no longer reminded people of a skeleton, though his skin was still very pale.

Severus had his own birthday party at the Grangers as well, with his own cake after a healthy and hearty meal, followed by the mandatory teeth-brushing, but he'd gotten used to that. Lily attended both parties, but Petunia refused the invitation when she heard Severus was attending: she didn't much like Hermione either, although the she was more acceptable in her eyes than Severus. She was very jealous of her sister, Hermione and Severus agreed: jealous that Lily was a witch and jealous of the time she spent with others.

When it came the time for them to shop at Diagon Alley, the Grangers met Eileen Snape for the first time: they gave her a ride to London in their car, and Eileen would guide them through the Diagon Alley in return. The Evans family followed in their own car, and so Severus, Hermione and Lily all got their wands on the same day. Joy glittered in the black eyes of Severus Snape when he first held the wand that chose him, and he and Hermione shared one of the smiles that were now easy between the two of them.

On the 1st of September 1971 Severus was with his mother in platform nine and three-quarters. They'd gotten a car ride from the Grangers again, which angered Tobias Snape a lot less than an Apparition would have. The Grangers were talking with his mother now, and though Eileen was still tense and reserved, looking a bit sour, she rather liked the Grangers, who were kind, gentle and understanding people. Hermione fussed, alternating between a nervous panic and trying to boss Severus and Lily around. Severus had learned to take it in the stride.

Lily was arguing with her jealous sister: she was trying to explain to her that she'd try to ask Headmaster Dumbledore to accept Petunia into the school as well. Petunia didn't approve: she pulled away from her sister and called her and her friends freaks and weirdos. Hermione and Severus glanced at each other and they both knew what the other one thought.

The platform was bustling with activity, and Mr Granger helped Severus and Hermione load their luggage into the train. A lot of hugs and kisses were exchanged: Eileen didn't kiss of hug her son, but Mr and Mrs Granger shook Severus' hand like he was a real grown-up and bade him good luck: they hugged and kissed Hermione, who clung to Severus in a momentary fit of panic. It had taken Severus some time to get used to being hugged for no obvious reason, but Hermione had cured him of that.

They found a compartment with space for three more: four boys were already in the compartment. They looked like they were the same age as the trio. Severus rushed to change to his school robes immediately, glad to be rid of his poor clothes, leaving Hermione and Lily to sit behind. Hermione reserved a seat for him next to her.

Lily was feeling quite miserable: she began crying just before Severus returned in his school robes, and Hermione tried her best to comfort their friend.

"Tuney hates me. She thinks we're all freaks."

"Lily, she's just sad because she doesn't get to go to Hogwarts," Hermione interjected optimistically. "You'll see her soon."

"But we're finally going!" Severus said, exhilarated. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!" Both girls smiled and Hermione hugged Severus in delight. Lily was beginning to feel much better already. "I hope we'll all be in Slytherin." Severus continued.

"Slytherin?" asked one of the boys, a dark-haired one with hazel eyes and glasses. The boy was dressed in clothes that were obviously expensive, though his short black hair struck to every direction. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he asked the boy lounging on the seat opposite to him. The boy also had black hair, although his was longer, curly, and obviously well groomed. His clothes also seemed expensive. He looked at Severus in contempt.

"My whole family has been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed all right!" the first boy said with a snicker.

The second boy grinned, but before he could respond, Hermione snorted loudly.

"I don't know where I'll be sorted, but I hope it won't be the same house as you!", she said, looking at the first boy. "You're rude and arrogant. Maybe there's a house for rude and arrogant prats."

"You'd be obviously material for Slytherin, except you're not pure-blood. What are you, half-blood? You're wearing Muggle clothes." the boy asked.

"Muggle-Born", Hermione replied through clenched teeth. "And it's none of your business what I wear."

"Definitely not Slytherin then," the boy sneered, and the other boys snickered, although the tallest one, a boy with sand-coloured hair, seemed a bit sheepish. "They won't take Muggle-Borns."

Hermione replied nothing, choosing instead to ignore the rude boys, and turned to chat with Lily and Severus, showing her contempt by turning her back on them. She had gotten a few Galleons from her parents for the journey, and she bought a few sweets from the trolley to share with Severus and Lily, refusing to envy the boys in the compartment who could afford to buy so much more.

Hogwarts was amazing. Though Severus had heard a lot about it from his mother and had told Hermione everything and Lily almost as much, it took their breath away. Not just the size but the sheer beauty of thousands of candles lighting the magnificent magical castle, the ancient stone battlements, the stained-glass windows, the stars shining on the surface of the lake as they crossed it in little boats, the charmed ceiling in the candle-lit Great Hall as they were led to be Sorted... Hermione clung to Severus and Lily stayed very close to them both as they all took in their surroundings.

The mass of students was startling: the trio felt very shy when they waited to be Sorted into their house tables. An elderly female Professor, who'd introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, deputy Headmistress, placed the Sorting Hat on top of each students' head. Lily was the first of the trio called. "Evans, Lily!" Professor Mcgonagall called, and Severus and Hermione held hands nervously as Lily made her way to the stool and sat. The Sorting Hat was quiet for a little while but very soon it cried "Gryffindor!" Lily bounced into the Gryffindor table with a slightly regretful smile.

Hermione held Severus closer and whispered: "I hope at least we'll get to the same house, Severus. I'll ask the Hat to put me in Slytherin too. But even if we don't, you'll always be my very best friend."

"Promise?" asked Severus, holding her close.

"Always!" she promised, hugging him once more before her name was called.

The Sorting Hat, when placed upon her head, spoke inside her mind pondering between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. 'But I want to be in Slytherin with my friend Severus!' she begged the Hat inside her mind.

'I'm afraid I cannot do that," the Hat replied tartly. 'I cannot place you into a house where you'd come to harm, and you need to be in a house that best expresses your character but also fills your potential and destiny... I think it will be...' "Gryffindor!" the Hat cried out loud, and Hermione let out a sad, disappointed moan that made Professor McGonagall glance at her sharply. Hermione had tears in her eyes as she slowly made her way to the Gryffindor table, where Lily gladly welcomed her.

To their growing dismay all the four rude boys from the train cart were sorted into Gryffindor, and Severus was sent to the Slytherin table, where an older boy with long blonde hair patted his back. Severus took a seat so that he could keep an eye on Hermione and Lily, and both he and Hermione looked very sad the entire feast, but Lily was already making friends with other Gryffindor girls of their year.

When the Feast ended and the Gryffindor first years were called, Hermione quickly dashed across the Hall to the Slytherin table to give a quick hug to her friend and assured him they'd meet the very next day.

As she'd promised, Hermione met Severus at the Great Hall for breakfast. She was shocked to hear that the Slytherin students were sleeping in the dungeons, but Severus claimed it wasn't that bad: the rooms had Warming Charms and the bed he'd been given was a luxurious four-poster with drapes. What could one expect, when Slytherin hosted some of the richest and quite spoiled pure-blood heirs and heiresses? He did share a room with four other boys, but he confessed it still was much nicer than his room at Spinner's End.

They were both dismayed when they heard they wouldn't be able to eat together: Slytherin students had to eat at their own table and Gryffindors at their own. They still met before each meal and after it left together, either to part ways on their way to lessons or bed, or to go together to the library or perhaps to study outside by the Black Lake, under a tree when the weather was tolerable.

Hermione and Severus worked together when they could. Gryffindor and Slytherin shared some classes together, such as the flying lessons and Potions. Severus was much better at Potions than either of his friends: Lily was as good as Hermione but preferred working with Marlene McKinnon, another Gryffindor first-year. Severus also surpassed them both in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Hermione was slightly more talented at Transfiguration than either Severus or Lily, while the three were almost equally matched in Charms. In all the other core subjects except flying Hermione and Severus were at the top of their year, a fact that seriously irritated many Ravenclaws. The flying lessons were dominated by others: while Severus was decent on a broomstick, Hermione could scarcely hover before a panic set in. James Potter and Sirius Black were the top of their year at flying. Hermione and Severus soon got a reputation as big and shameless swots, spending countless hours with their books in quiet research or hours of debating.

Lily had made a fast friend in Marlene, who shared the dormitory room with Hermione and Lily, along with Alice Prewett and Dorcas Meadowes. Marlene was bubbly and bright girl, not as academically driven as Hermione and Severus, and Lily seemed to prefer her company. She did call Hermione and Severus her best friends, but their seemingly endless academic banter often bored her to the verge of tears, while neither Severus nor Hermione found her gossip quite as interesting.

The four rude Gryffindor-boys from the train formed a gang of their own: they called themselves 'Marauders'. Hermione preferred to follow the rules, and while Severus wasn't adverse to breaking them if he wasn't likely to get caught, the Marauders cared little if they were. They had named Severus with the unfriendly name 'Snivellus', and teased Hermione for her bushy hair and her large teeth, calling her 'Beaver'. They began with the usual schoolboy pranks like tripping Severus as he walked by, stealing his books or his quills, and soon progressed to jinxing or hexing him. Lily and Hermione both detested them for it, but while Lily hated confrontations, Hermione wasn't above nagging them.

Her seemingly endless nagging had no effect on the four Marauders. Of the four, James Potter and Sirius Black were the worst, the ring-leaders: they invented the pranks and instigated almost all of the conflicts, while Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin mostly just watched and laughed. Pettigrew was a coward at heart and would join in on the prank when and if the target was down and defenceless, while Remus Lupin rarely joined, but never did anything to stop it either, standing on the sidelines with a small amused smirk on his face. Soon enough Severus began to retaliate, and the war escalated gradually between the Marauders and Severus, who began spending valuable study-time studying offensive hexes and jinxes.

When Hermione finally grew tired of the nagging, the Marauders themselves learned a few valuable lessons. The first one was that a sleeping Marauder, no matter their skill with a wand, was defenceless in their sleep. The second lesson was that while Severus couldn't threaten them while they slept in the Gryffindor tower and while the boys could not enter the girls' dormitory, nothing stopped a girl from entering theirs.

It all began when Sirius Black went to bed and found that someone had placed some very rotten uncooked eggs under his pillowcase. He only discovered it after his head hit the pillow, and he was forced to wash his hair several times to get the permeating stench out. His pillow and sheets were also ruined, although the house-elves changed those while he scrubbed his curly hair in the bathtub. He blamed James for the prank, though the other boys denied their guilt.

The same week James Potter was woken up from deep slumber in the middle of the night as his feet began jerking and dancing on their own: it took his groggy and tired dorm-mates a while to find their wands and to cast a Finite on the Tarantallegra-jinx cast on James. James, in turn, blamed Sirius, and the two boys moped at each other for a whole day.

They only began suspecting someone else when Peter's clothes and shoes were found glued to the ceiling above his bed, and were seriously alarmed when all four of them woke up as their sheets wound up around them and stuck them to the walls. It took their fifth room-mate Bill Stebbins quite a while before he could stop laughing enough to cast a simple Finite.

After their beds were charmed into garish shade of pink their suspicions were confirmed when they realised that each prank instantly followed a prank they had made to Snape, and that Hermione Granger was looking at them concealing a giggle behind her hand. They confronted her: she lied at them, but she was a lousy liar. And Snape, who was an excellent liar, looked at them and the corner of his thin lips turned slightly upwards as Hermione whispered something into his ear after glancing at the Marauders and giggling.

The Marauders began pulling back when all of Sirius' shorts went missing overnight and the boy had to go commando the whole day before the elves returned all of this pairs from the laundry, where they had been sent during the previous night. An honest mistake, of course...

It wasn't all just fun, games and pranks, of course. The castle could be quite cold during the long months of Scottish winter: the breezes in the corridors were chilling and the dungeons were almost freezing, until they began brewing, at which point the Potions classroom became hot and moist and they would sweat in their thick winter uniforms: and when they left the class, the corridors would feel that much colder. Dormitories had Warming Charms in them, but Hermione and Severus preferred to spend as much time together as they could, and neither of them could enter the other's dormitory or common room: it just wasn't done. During the spring and summer and early autumn some of the higher classrooms could be hot and the uniforms would itch and feel too thick.

They spent the first Christmas at the castle. There would have been a train home and Hermione's parents would have picked them up, and Lily went home to spend the holidays with Petunia and her parents, but Severus decided he'd rather spend Christmas at school than at home, where his father would inevitably drink and at worst take a leather belt to his hide. Hermione stayed with him: her parents were disappointed when they heard they wouldn't see her or Severus, but admitted the long train ride was tiring for just a short holiday, and understood without further explanations why Severus wouldn't wish to go home for Christmas. They posted a parcel to Hermione: there was an address where Muggle parents could send their letters and packages to, and from there they would be forwarded through Owl Post to Hogwarts. The package had been shrunk, and they had to ask Professor Flitwick's help to get it to its real size, but they also learned the Shrinking Charm 'Reducio' and its counter-charm 'Engorgio' in the process: both were usually taught in second-year curriculum. The parcel contained Muggle sweets, chocolate, gingerbread, cookies and presents for the both of them: new shoes, a new jumper and a few books for Hermione, and for Severus, new warm socks, a black jumper and a book of his own.

There was an old animosity between Slytherin and Gryffindor: the friendship between Lily, Hermione and Severus was unique. Slytherins and Gryffindors could be friends with Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws, but when the children were Sorted between the two houses, the friendships frayed and ended very fast. Even sibling bonds, if two children from a same family were sorted into different houses, suffered. Everyone expected it, but as weeks became months, their friendship continued. Lily Evans made friends in Gryffindor, and Severus Snape got along with people from his own house — such as Mulciber and Avery from his year — but Severus and Hermione were thick as thieves. Sometimes even Lily Evans was jealous of their friendship.

One of the Slytherin Prefects, a seventh-year Lucius Malfoy, had taken Severus under his wing. He taught the young half-blood boy some pure-blood manners and etiquette and tried to coax the northerner accent away: Severus was a quick study and respected Lucius. The only thing that Lucius couldn't make him do was ditch his friendship with the two Gryffindor girls. And since the two girls never harmed a Slytherin, they were relatively protected despite them being Muggle-Born — Mudbloods, most Slytherins would call them. When the word got out that Hermione Granger had hexed some of her house-mates in their sleep for hexing her Slytherin friend, there was even a some respect extended toward her. It didn't go far, but it protected her from the worst.

Of course there came the spring day when Severus used the word 'Mudblood' for the first time. He wasn't referring to Hermione or Lily: it was just an off-hand comment passing by, so he was surprised when Hermione stopped dead on her tracks.

"You'd call a Muggle-Born a 'Mudblood'?" Hermione asked in a tone that promised imminent retribution. Hermione Granger was a sweet girl, up until she was pushed too far, and then she became downright scary. It took quite a lot to push her that far — she was much more level-headed than her house-mates, who were usually known for acting rashly out of instinct and emotion — but everyone who knew Hermione Granger knew not to push her too far.

"I didn't mean you," Severus snapped back, "I wasn't referring to you!"

"I don't care! That's a foul name."

"Well I wasn't foul to you! Lots of my house-mates use it!"

"I don't care! Do not use that word, Severus Tobias Snape, don't you dare!"

The two were practically standing nose to nose at this point, eyes flaring in rage, until Hermione's brown eyes filled with tears and she stalked off furiously. Severus was seething in anger, but the fury died down quickly, leaving only regret and sorrow. He fled to the Slytherin dormitory to sleep for the night.

He was nervous the next morning: would Hermione forgive him? Would she meet him at their usual spot before breakfast, or had he ruined their friendship?

But Hermione was there when he slowly made his way up the stairs, waiting for him. She offered him a tentative smile and got one in return, and no further word was spoken about it.

Sooner than they thought, their first year at Hogwarts was over. Hermione had been an absolute nervous wreck as their tests approached: she studied in a flurry of panic, neglecting everything else, and Seveus had to drag her to the Great Hall on more than one occasion: there she would sit with a book in front of her, revising again and again although everyone but her knew that she was already more than familiar with the material, and the amused and exasperated Severus then had to push her to finish her plate and drag her from the table so that they could revise or practice together.

Both their scores were excellent, and both were content as they left the castle for Hogsmeade station in the black carriages that were pulling themselves. Hermione and Lily were thrilled to see their parents again, Lily was gushing about spending the summer with her sister and some of the friends she hadn't met in months, but Severus was less than excited.

The train ride was long, but they chatted amicably and ate snacks until they arrived in London. Lily was met by her parents and her sister, although Petunia was giving her glares and a cold shoulder, and she waved her friends good-byes and rushed off. The Grangers had promised to give Severus a ride home in their car: his mother was poorly, they said, although Severus could guess that she wasn't simply ill.

They saw Lily only occasionally that summer: she was busy trying to make her peace with the reluctant Petunia and spending time with her friends from the Muggle school. When she did turn up, she moped when they spoke about school subjects or books: she had quite a bit of the same qualities as her sister, Severus said, although Hermione forbade him from talking ill of their absent friend. Severus simply shrugged: he was used to saying what was on his mind, and Lily seemed to expect them to put their lives on hold for her, to be ready to speak about only the subjects that interested her and to be ready to do whatever she wanted at a moment's notice. Lily was more social than either of them: she was bubbly and social and vivacious, and she couldn't understand why Hermione and Severus preferred to spend all their long days in conversation by the river or in Hermione's room.

It was a nice summer, apart from those days when Severus felt he had to spend time at home. He spent many nights with the Grangers: they didn't seem to mind and Hermione enjoyed his company. When his father got drunk and started to look violent, he would dash out and run to Hermione's home, where he was always welcome. They listened to music, walked by the dirty and polluted river, held slumber parties for two. On occasion Lily joined them, but the conversation was easier with just him and Hermione. They shared so many interests and their personalities didn't clash much.

Oh, they did argue and debate on more than one occasion: Lily watched with wide eyes as they bickered over something she thought completely trivial and then forgave each other just as easily: Lily held grudges. It was a habit in her family: Petunia was completely unforgiving, and Lily could hold a grudge for ages.

The Grangers spent a week by the seaside and Severus was welcomed to join them: his father probably never noticed he was gone, and his mother didn't seem to mind. It was brilliant, though his pale skin got sunburned in two days. They learned to swim in the cold sea, ate ice cream and collected pretty stones and items that had been abandoned or forgotten on the beach.

It might have been the best summer of his life yet.