A/N: Been busy this past week, but finally finished this chapter.
Chapter Eleven: Patronus
Sunday 9 January
As Severus made his way down the corridor outside of the Great Hall, a hand on his shoulder made him jump. He turned to see Lily smiling at him.
"Nice to see you actually eating this morning."
"Well, kinda have to if I am going to keep living."
Lily initial smile fell. "What are your plans for today?"
He sighed. "Guess just get some work done. Maybe start on that stupid sciences project."
"I think it seems fun."
He gave a half-hearted smile. "Of course you would think projects are fun."
She blinked and grinned. "They can be."
He shrugged. "If you say so."
She waved her hand down. "Forget school today. It's your 17th birthday. That makes you officially an adult today."
"How thrilling." He spoke dryly.
"Not excited to be of age finally?" She quipped.
He shrugged again. "Just another day to me."
"Nothing you want to do today?"
He glanced over at a portrait that was staring at them and sighed. "I just want to sleep."
"Still not going to your dorm?"
They moved to the side of the wall to let some students pass. "Not unless I have to."
"Just staying in a study room?"
"Most of the time."
Lily sighed. "Well then, okay." She drummed her fingers on her chin for a moment. "I think I have an idea of something to do today."
He raised his forehead. "Do you now?"
She giggled. "I need to go up and get my cloak. You want to wait here or follow me up?"
He groaned. "Are we really going outside?"
"Not for long. It will be good."
"Great." He dryly answered.
"Trust me. It will be nice. At least the sun is out today even if it is a bit cold."
"Cold is cold, sun or not."
"I said not for long." She chuckled. "You trust me?" She simpered.
"Sometimes I wonder why I do." He grinned.
Lily half chuckled. "Doubt that." She sighed. "So are you waiting here or following me up to the tower?"
He shook his head. "I'd prefer to avoid your housemates. Going to the bathroom instead."
She nodded. "Okay. Then get your cloak and meet you at the door that will take us to the forest in 10 minutes?"
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "We're going into the forest? Are you mad?"
She chortled. "Trust me. It will be fun."
"Your ideas of fun sometimes concern me."
"What? Don't want see what I have planned?" Her grin was almost coy.
He sighed. "I guess I'll see what you have up your sleeve."
"See you in about ten minutes then." She hurried down the corridor ahead of him.
Severus watched her leave, her robes swaying behind her and sighed to himself. Always up to something. At least he probably would not be disappointed.
Lily returned to the busy common room upon retrieving her winter gear. As she wrapped her scarf around her neck Linda called her name. She turned to see her and Mary playing a wizard's card game.
"Are you seriously going outside? It's below 7 out there."
She shrugged her shoulder. "Want some fresh air." She continued to the entrance as she put her hat on.
"Meeting with someone?" Linda pursed her lips together and narrowed her eyes accusingly.
Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I don't get why what I do or who I may be with is such a concern to you."
"We all see you hanging around that nasty Slytherin snake." Tate spoke.
"Oh, piss off why don't you? No one even asked you!" Lily snapped and pivoted back towards the door.
As she exited the portrait and turned for the stairs, she nearly collided with the head girl.
"Headed out, are we?" The tone was not much of a question.
"Maybe." Lily frowned and moved to the side for her to pass. She did not move.
"A little cold for that, don't you think?" Her expression was dour and her tone accusing.
"Maybe I want fresh air. Not sure why it matters."
"It may if you plan to do things you shouldn't."
Lily stopped as she started down the stairs and turned to her. "Weird. Six years here and can't recall it ever being against the rules to go outside." She began to continue down the steps.
"If you are out with the Slytherin-"
"Wait." Lily interjected. "Are you saying I can't hang out with people in other houses? Now I know that's not against any sort of rule." She glowered at Rose.
"No. I'm not saying that. I'm saying you can't be out all hours with him."
Lily shrugged. "No idea what you are talking about."
"That's not what your dormmates say."
"Rumours are just that. Know what they say about assuming, don't you?" Lily spoke sardonically before she continued on down the steps.
Severus was waiting at the door with only his cloak. She sighed and handed him an extra hat and gloves. He eyed them and then her before taking them.
"It's -7 outside. Need more than that cloak."
"You said get my cloak."
"Well, yeah. I didn't mean only your cloak." She tittered.
"Then why are we going out again."
She simpered. "Because I want somewhere private to show you something."
"Can't be done indoors?"
"Outside is better. Besides fresh air is good. Been inside all week except to go to Herbology." She tossed a scarf over his neck. "You do this and we will get a hot tea and go chill in the study room afterwards."
He tried to bit back a smile at the thought. "I say we skip outside and do that instead."
"You won't regret it. I promise."
He sighed. "Okay. Trusting you on this."
"Come on then." She opened the door.
Severus followed her outside and the frigid air immediately stung his face. He wrapped the scarf tighter around his neck and face and caught a whiff of Lily's perfume. The ground crunched under his feet as they walked towards the forest. Bits of the hard-packed leftover snow entered through the hole in the sole of his shoe and dampened his sock. He grimaced as the cold hit his toes. No one else was outside. They were the only crazy ones.
"Excited for classes tomorrow?" She asked to break the silence as the crossed the grounds.
"That a trick question?"
"We have charms together tomorrow."
He smiled to himself.
"Surprised you didn't take Advanced Charms."
He shrugged as they entered the forest. "It was the same time as Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts." He also knew she would take it and after last year, he did not want to share it with her and Potter and Black. He was not telling her that though.
"I see. Still, you would have been good at it."
He grinned. "It's your best subject."
"I like it. Professor Flitwick is a great teacher."
"Yeah, he is. One of the few decent ones."
They reached a clearing and Lily stopped.
"You want to show me a tiny frozen pond?"
"No." She chortled. "Though they are showing us some cool things in regular Charms class, in Advanced Charms, we have been learning the patronus charm? Heard of it?"
"Yeah, I have. Heard that is."
"Ever done it?"
"No. Not sure point. Not like we will see dementors or anything."
She took out her wand. "Dementors suck the life out of you."
"Only through the kiss."
She shook her head. "No, I don't mean the kiss. I mean they suck out all the happiness."
"Yeah. So?"
"Producing a patronus is the only way to stop them."
"Yeah, I know that."
"But do you know why?" Her eyes implored his.
"There's a charm or spell to stop most things." He moved his eyes from her gaze.
"Because it's happy." She pointed her wand across the lake. "You can produce a patronus charm through a happy memory. It's not easy. It works by using your happy memory to repel the darkness that is a dementor."
He shrugged. "Okay. So what's the point of telling me this?"
"Want to try it?"
"What? A patronus charm?"
"Yes."
"You brought me out here to try out a charm?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I brought out here to try it with just us. Easier to focus that way."
"Easier to be out here in the cold instead of by a warm fire?" He pushed his hands into his pockets as the wind picked up and stung his face.
"It's easier to concentrate when no one is around." She sighed. "I haven't managed a full corporeal one yet. Came close once though." She pushed the thought of her wispy patronus that recalled a misshapen deer out of her head. "Still working on it."
"I'm sure you can do it."
"They aren't teaching in Advanced DADA?" She raised her forehead.
"Nah. Honestly, the current professor is rather terrible. Hoped for better."
"Yeah, I'd agree with that. He's rather awful. Maybe next year then. Seem to get a new one every year." She chuckled.
"Yeah, though don't know why they can't keep any of them."
"Perhaps it is cursed?" She grinned slyly.
"Funny."
"Never know."
"What is it?"
She blinked. "What is what?"
"Your patronus that you did once? What creature was it? They say when you do a full one it's usually an animal."
"Oh, um, it reminded me of a deer. But it wasn't complete so can't be sure. Perhaps it was an elk."
She shut her eyes and tried to think of a happy memory. "Expecto Patronum!" She called out and a silvery wisp emerged from her wand and stood in a thick, heavy mist. She sighed and cleared her throat. "That was a fail."
"I hear it's a difficult one to produce."
"Well, I will get it."
"You always were determined to get what you want." He smirked.
She glared at him and put her hands on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." He half-shrugged.
She scoffed. "You are such a bad liar."
He puffed up his chest a little. "I can lie with the best of them."
"Oh, you can fool our classmates and even our professors. It's me you cannot fool. I know you too well."
"Oh, do you now?" He sneered.
She closed her eyes and tried to think of a different memory. Her prior memory that managed the near corporeal no longer worked. Something where she was really, really happy. There was just one that came to her mind. One from a few years ago. She inadvertently blushed, though she did not know why. She concentrated hard on the feelings of that memory. "Expecto Patronum!" She called out. A silvery wisp emerged again from the wand and a semi-formed creature whisked across the pond. She squinted as she tried to figure out what it was. A deer? No. It was definitely not a deer though she could have sworn she conjured a half-formed deer back in November.
Severus blinked a few times as he watched the silvery mist become a creature. "Thought you said it was a deer or an elk?" He gibed.
She blinked and the creature became a mist once again. "Huh. Could have sworn it was before. Must have been wrong." She smiled slyly. "This one was better than that one anyway. Guess only looked like a deer."
"I'd say it's more like a mare." He grinned. "But you did it."
"Take out your wand." She half commanded as she lowered hers.
He groaned as he removed his hand from his pocket and pulled his wand out. "Really going to make me do this?"
"I'm not making you do anything. But you should try. See if you can."
"Expecto Patronum?" He mumbled.
"Yes, but first you must think of a happy memory."
He scoffed. "I don't have any."
"Not even one? Think hard." She moved closer to him. "Close your eyes and think about any happy memory."
"I don't think I can."
"You didn't even try. Close your eyes."
He sighed and shut his eyes.
"Think hard. Any time you were happy."
He tried to think and after a good minute, he opened his eyes. "I really can't think of much."
"Not even one?"
He shrugged. "Maybe kind of one. Not sure it's really that happy. Just a little."
She smiled. "Try it and see. Concentrate on the memory."
He shut his eyes once again and thought about a time he was somewhat happy. "Expecto Patronum!" A silver wisp spewed out from his wand. A mist hung. "Told you didn't have much happy memories."
Lily gripped his arm and glanced up at him. She took his hand over his. "Only a happy memory can repel the bad ones. Try again? It's hard. Most people can't do it. But you are a powerful wizard, Severus Snape. I believe you can."
His eyes brightened a bit. "Guess just need to try harder?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yes. I've been working on it for a couple months and it's still not perfect so don't fret. You'll get there." Lily pushed his hair from his face. He nearly jumped at the unexpected gesture. She moved her hand to his again. "Just point it forward steady and concentrate."
Severus cleared his throat and tried to not blush under her touch. She let go of his hand and he tried again. The silver wisp returned, but only a mist emerged. The mist was heavier than the last.
"Just not strong enough of a memory I guess."
"Don't give up." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "If you don't have feel you have a happy enough memory, we're just going to have to change that."
Was that a coquettish smile on her lips or was he seeing things? "How?"
"We make new ones of course."
"I'd like that." He put his wand down.
"Honestly, you did better than most. Some people can't even manage a mist that strong the first time." She sighed with a grin still on her face and reached into her pocket. She gripped his hand and put a black stone in it.
He raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"
"An obsidian."
"Why are you giving it to me?" He glanced into her eyes and gulped as he forced himself to avert them away.
"It matches your eyes." She smirked.
"You are giving me a rock because it matches my eyes?"
"Maybe." She chuckled. "Just take it with you next time you shower."
He blinked rapidly as he raised his forehead. "What?" He could feel the heat rising up his neck.
"It's cold out here. Want to go inside? Know the study rooms must have their fires blazing today." She turned and started to leave the clearing.
He did not see her start to leave as he ran his thumb over the rock curiously.
"Aren't you coming? I thought you hated the cold."
He shook his head and glanced to the empty area next to him. He turned to see her waiting by the trees. "Uh, yeah. Of course." He pivoted on his heel and caught up to her. They carefully exited the forest in hopes they had not been seen. Those hopes were realized thanks to everyone else avoiding the frigid temperatures.
Once inside, Severus imbibed the warmth as he removed the gloves and hat. He took off the scarf and handed them to her. She put them in her bag and they headed up to a spare study room. It was empty as he plopped down on the pallid couch. Lily set her bag down and sighed as she sat beside him.
"What's your plans for the rest of the day?"
He shrugged. "Do some more homework I suppose."
"Are you going to Hogsmeade next weekend?"
"Hadn't thought about it, why?"
"You should." She smiled at him. "Wanna come with me? Like old times?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Why not? We can window shop and have some lunch and butterbeers. Good to get away from this old castle." She put her hand on his shoulder. He glanced down at it.
"Yeah. You're right. Wouldn't hurt to get away."
She got up from the couch and went over to the radio and began to scan through it. "That was Hurt by The Manhattans. Stay tuned because we have Abba, Queen, Donna Summer and Wild Cherry coming up."
"The radio?" Severus asked with a huff.
"I like some music while I relax and study. You know that." She smiled at him coyly.
"You and the muggle music."
"Well, when wizards come up with some great non-chanting music, I will gladly listen." She smirked as she sat back down beside of him. "You look so exhausted."
"I do?"
She nodded. "I hate you aren't sleeping in a comfortable bed."
He shook his head. "I don't really trust them."
"Did they ever do anything?" She bit her lip as she glared into his eyes.
"Not really. Just little things here and there. I just would rather avoid them."
She paused a moment and nodded. "You wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes."
He raised his forehead. "Okay."
She returned several minutes later and pulled a pillow and a blanket out of her bag. "Don't worry, they are clean." She handed them to him.
"Why are you giving me these?"
"If you insist on not being in your bed, at least have something comfortable." She took a book from her bag and sat on the floor near the fire. "You said you wanted to sleep. Why don't you?"
"Seriously?"
"I'm just going to do some homework due this week. It's quiet right now. May as well relax. Is your birthday after all." She grinned. "If you are still asleep, I'll wake you for tea."
He laid down on the couch and put his head on the pillow. "That actually sounds nice. Maybe I will." He closed his eyes to the sound of Lily scratching her quill across parchment. The radio sang in the background as he relaxed. I am sailing stormy waters…to be near you…to be free. It was not such a bad birthday after all.
Lily heard some light snoring and glanced up to see him lying on his back sound asleep. She got up and tossed the blanket over him before returning to her schoolwork.
**Later that Evening**
Severus glanced around the bathroom. He heard some scuffling feet over in a toilet stall and sighed to himself as he entered a shower stall. He heard a toilet flush as he removed his socks and shoes. He took the stone from his pocket and set it on the bench. Once he heard footsteps leaving the bathroom, he removed his clothes and turned on the shower.
The warm water cascaded over him and he picked up the rock. As he wondered why she wanted him to take it into the shower, it started to spark and sizzle. He nearly jumped as a wisp of thick leathery stream burst out. A puff of smoke emerged and disappeared leaving a butterfly in his hand with brightly coloured stripes among the pastel wings. It flew up and landed on his head. A liquid emerged from it and just as he wondered what it was doing to his head, it flew up and burst into colourful bubbles under the shower head. He touched the liquid and rubbed it against his fingers. It was like soap, but as soft as a velvet. The bubbles pressed against his skin. He shivered at the smooth texture as each bubble burst around his bare skin and over his hair covering him. Once the last bubble popped and the water washed them away, he touched his hair. It was unusually soft as was his skin. He could not recall any soap or shampoo offering such a soft after effect or having such a calming effect. Whatever Lily had done, he liked it.