Chapter 25: Chapter 25. Understanding.
# Hogwarts #
"Ah, shit," I muttered as Lily ran towards me.
I dashed towards her in a split second, closing the distance between us. I pushed her against the nearby wall and placed a finger on her lips.
"Shhh!"
Confusion and worry filled her expression as I removed my finger and moved to lean against the wall for support.
She stepped away from the wall and stood in front of me, placing her warm hand against my cold cheek.
My heart raced at the very sight of her, overwhelmed by the emotions her presence evoked. But I couldn't let those emotions control me, not anymore, especially not in her presence.
"What happened to you? You look paler than usual! Your clothes are torn in many spots, and there's blood dripping from them. You even have dried blood on your cheeks and torn parts of your clothes," she asked, her voice shifting from tender to angry. "Who did this to you? No, first, Let's go to the Hospital Wing."
Her hands searched my cheeks, her eyes on the verge of tears. Her worry and care were evident in her words and actions.
It was comforting to see her concern, but I didn't want her to be here. So, I caught the hand that was caressing my cheek and lied, "I was trying to create a new spell, and it backfired. I'll make my way to my room. Good night."
I began to move away from her, but she shouted in anger and worry, "Sev! Wait, you big oaf. It's not the time for our fight! Just do as I say, let's go to the infirmary... please."
I didn't listen and continued moving, stumbling a bit due to exhaustion and blood loss. I heard her footsteps behind me as I stumbled further. She caught my arm and placed it around her shoulder.
"Don't be stubborn, Sev!" she whispered. "I know we're not on speaking terms right now, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. Even though you don't want me near you, please let me help you to the Hospital Wing," she pleaded, supporting me as we walked.
I simply nodded, too exhausted to argue. I didn't have any more blood-replenishing potions in my realm, so I had to visit the Hospital Wing anyway.
Memories of our secret nighttime adventures flooded my mind as her body pressed close to mine. I couldn't help but feel nostalgic, remembering how her warm hands felt against my cold ones.
How we sat by the lamplight, draped in a sheet, sharing tales of our imaginary fantasies... Those were the moments that I cherished, when Lily and I could forget about the world around us and simply be ourselves.
"I can't believe you're still at it, Sev," she teased, breaking the silence that hung between us. "This isn't the first time I've had to take you to the Hospital Wing because of your experiments."
I gave a slight smile, knowing she was right. Whether it was potions or spell creation, my constant experimentation often landed me in trouble. "If I stopped, then I wouldn't be Severus, would I?"
She chuckled softly, understanding my stubbornness all too well. "No, the Severus I know would never stop until he achieves what he wants."
As we reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey's worried gaze met ours. She hurried over to us, her elderly features softened with concern."What happened, dear? You're covered in bloodstains. Darling, lay him on this bed," she instructed Lily, gesturing towards the nearby bed.
Lily complied, carefully laying me down on the bed as Madam Pomfrey began examining my injuries. "The wounds have been closed, but you've lost a significant amount of blood. Your bones are broken," she informed us.
Lily's panicked voice filled the room, laced with hurt and worry. "What?!" she exclaimed. "Will he be alright? Can the potions cure this?"
Madam Pomfrey paid no mind to Lily's outburst and turned her attention to me, her tone stern. "Tell me, young man, how did you sustain these injuries this time?"
"I was trying to create a spell," I confessed, knowing I had to reveal something, even if it wasn't the whole truth.
"What?" Madam Pomfrey's expression revealed her shock. "Are you really telling me the truth, Severus?" she asked, a hint of familiarity in her voice.
"Yes," I lied, not wanting to disclose the full extent of my actions. And I was quite around here at the infirmary for spell creation.
She sighed, knowing that I was lying, "It is recoverable, but it will take time for you to get better and functional," she explained. "And you do know that spell creation is dangerous, don't you? This isn't your first time here for this reason. You should listen to this old woman's warning. Here, drink this." Madam Pomfrey handed me two potions, emphasizing the importance of heeding her advice.
By my side, tear-filled eyes nodded in agreement with Madam Pomfrey's words. Lily's anger at my reckless actions was evident, though she said nothing.
I drank the potions and felt the drowsiness wash over me. Slowly, I closed my eyes, succumbing to a deep slumber. Just before I drifted off, I felt a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I woke up the next day to the gentle sunlight filtering through the windows, and to my surprise, I found Lily resting her head on the bed beside me.
She must have stayed here all night, by my side. It reminded me once again why I could never truly hate her. Her care for me was evident in her actions.
Despite everything that had happened between us, she still remained by my side.
I sat up on the bed, causing Lily to awaken. Her almond-shaped eyes fluttered open, and she greeted me with a slight smile. "You look better than last night, Sev," she remarked.
I noticed her shifting uncomfortably in her chair, clearly wanting to ask me something.
"Go ahead, ask me what's bothering you," I encouraged her.
She took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. "I just wanted to know if your views on becoming a Death Eater have changed," she said hesitantly. "I know I have no right to ask, considering I broke off our friendship. But please, hear me out. I don't want you to become a Death Eater because it would destroy the boy who loved magic. You've always been fascinated by magic, whether it's light or dark. When you started delving into the Dark Arts, I was afraid that you were being consumed by the Death Eater ideology. I know I've been awful to you at times, but I genuinely care for you. I want you to do better for yourself. I don't want you to become a... Death Eater. Even though I surround myself with friends, I still feel alone, Sev. *Sniff* I miss the boy I met on the playground."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and I felt a pang of remorse. The atrocities committed by Death Eaters were enough to give anyone nightmares for life. It was understandable why she didn't want any part of it, and why she feared for me.
"Listen to me," I assured her. "I won't become a Death Eater." Her face lit up with hope.
"Really?" she asked, her smile illuminating her entire face.
"Yes, really," I affirmed.
"Really?" she asked again, her hope growing stronger.
"Yes, really. I will not become a Death Eater."
"YAAAAY!" she exclaimed, jumping up and enveloping me in a tight hug. I sat there, not quite knowing how to react, considering the pain we had caused each other.
As she pulled away, she seemed slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I got carried away with excitement. I know I messed up, and I have no right to ask this, but will you at least forgive me and reconsider our friendship? I couldn't continue to be by your side after you chose that path. I tried, I tried to make you see that you were heading down the wrong path, but you were stubborn, and it hurt me," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
I realized that our fight had hurt us both. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my emotions.
Opening my eyes, I gazed at her tear-streaked face.
"I'm sorry, Lily," I said sincerely, startling her. I had never apologized to her before. We had never encountered a situation where I felt the need to apologize.
"I have been a terrible friend as well. I shouldn't have used that word to refer to your friends, the Mudbloods. I have ignored many people due to my obsession with the Dark Arts and my research. Believe me, I still have that fascination with magic, but I now understand what I have lost because of it. If we are going to be friends again, we need to clear things on what happened and be on the same page," I admitted.
"Ask me," she implored, wiping away her tears.
"Why did you smile?" I asked, voicing the question that had been bothering me.
A sad smile graced her face as she replied, "I didn't smile at you. It was merely a fleeting expression that slipped out as the crowd laughed at something. When I realized what was happening and saw that it was you, anger consumed me. I was furious at them. I never had any intention of smiling at you or anyone in that situation."
She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Sev. Truly, I am. I knew you saw me at that time, but I couldn't explain it then because you never asked. Even though I was angry at you for your treatment of my friends, I still held onto the hope that you would change. That's why I waited for you. But when you called me Mudblood, I gave up. *Sniff* I'm not perfect, Sev. Despite your hurtful words to other muggle-borns, I was there for you because I was selfish. I wanted my best friend. But when you called me Mudblood, *sniff* I couldn't bear it anymore. I had to break our friendship."
Tears streamed down her face as she confessed her pain. It struck me that I had only seen her lips twitch, that she had been truly furious with them back then.
Reflecting on it, I realized that she had made attempts to help me afterward, though she never truly laughed. And yet, I lashed out at her when all she tried to offer her support. It was my own ego, fragile and wounded, that caused me to hurt her.
Wiping away her tears, I offered a genuine apology. "I am sorry for calling you that. I never meant to lash out at you. I should never have blamed you for the actions of your housemates."
I knew how deeply it had wounded her when I used that term against her.
"Thank you, Sev, for giving our friendship another chance. I know it may never be the same, but I hope we can work towards restoring it," she said, beaming brightly through her tears.
"I hope so too," I replied, smiling back at her. It was comforting to know that at least a few things in my life were going well.
I heard the door of the hospital wing open, and footsteps approached my bed. I turned my head to see who it was, and to my surprise, it was Cissy.
She glanced at me and then shifted her gaze towards Lily. In an instant, her expression changed from concern to her usual cold demeanor.
"How did you end up in the hospital wing? And what is this red-haired bit__ I mean Witch doing here?" Cissy asked, narrowing her eyes at Lily.
I had a sinking feeling that trouble was brewing.
"You…" Lily began, her voice seething with anger at Cissy's provocation.
I cleared my throat, interrupting their impending clash. Both of them turned their attention to me.
"We should maintain civility in the hospital wing, or Madam Pomfrey might throw both of you out. Cissy, this is Lily. And Lily, meet Narcissa. Cissy, Lily was the one who brought me here after my failed spell creation attempt. Perhaps you could introduce yourselves properly?" I suggested, hoping to avoid an argument between them. I couldn't handle their duel at the moment.
"Hello, Cissy," Lily greeted, her tone surprisingly polite.
I couldn't shake the feeling that Lily called Cissy "Cissy" just to get under her skin, to provoke a reaction.
"Hello, Evans. Only Severus is allowed to call me Cissy. We are quite close, you know. In fact, Severus asked me out on a date," Cissy stated, her words dripping with a smugness that sent a chill through the room.
Lily responded with a smile, one that reach her eyes. "Really, it seems you two are closer than I thought, Black. I hope it goes well."
"Thank you," Cissy replied, a smirk playing on her lips.
I couldn't help but notice the sparks between them. The situation was growing increasingly awkward, but thankfully, Madam Pomfrey arrived to check on me.
"You're looking better than last night, but I still insist that you rest here today. As for you, young ladies, it's time for breakfast. You should prepare for your classes, so please leave the wing," Madam Pomfrey instructed, shooing Lily and Narcissa away.
Once they had left, I contemplated the books and scrolls I had obtained from the Vault of Ice. I knew I needed to examine them later tonight.
Dobby was also scheduled to arrive tonight with updates on the progress among the house elves. I decided that I should brew some potions and store them in my personal space to prevent a recurrence of yesterday's incident.
-----
-Outside the Wing-
*3rd POV*
"He was lying about testing a new spell. I've seen him create new spells before, and those injuries were different. Something must have happened to make him change. Do you know anything?" Lily asked Narcissa, despite their usual animosity towards each other. She was genuinely concerned about what had caused Severus to change.
"Why should I tell you? Didn't you end your friendship with him? I don't think you cared about him," Narcissa provoked, her voice laced with coldness.
"I know you don't like me, but please, tell me what happened. I care for him more than you realize. Severus is skilled at hiding things and never allows people to help him when he's vulnerable. You're the closest person to him right now, please," Lily pleaded, hoping to gain some insight into Severus's situation.
She had spent a year trying to make him see his mistakes, but her efforts had failed.
'It seems this long-lost Weasley truly cares for Severus.'
Narcissa let out a sigh, acknowledging Lily's genuine concern. "He didn't tell me directly, but what you said is true. Something did happen. He appeared sad when he arrived at Hogwarts. He promised to explain it to me once I improved my Occlumency skills."
Lily felt a mixture of relief and curiosity. She had suspected that something was amiss, and now her instincts were confirmed. She wanted to understand what had made Severus so sad upon his return to Hogwarts.
Although she knew that Severus himself was proficient in Occlumency, she wanted to give him his space before their friendship could fully heal.
"Will you please help me learn Occlumency? I promise to repay you," Lily asked, a touch of desperation in her voice.
She would never have requested anything from Narcissa under normal circumstances, but she recognized her own limitations in Occlumency and the need to understand Severus's pain.
"Why should I? And do you truly believe you can repay me?" Narcissa raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident.
"You like Severus, don't you? I can share more about him, what he loves. It might help you on your date. I promise not to be annoying, just help me learn Occlumency so that Severus can confide in me as well," Lily cunningly suggested, revealing a side of her that wasn't typically Gryffindor-like. And this would allow her to see if Narcissa truly cared for her Severus.
Although it pained her to think of Narcissa going on a date with Severus, her primary concern was helping him. Lily understood the importance of learning Occlumency and the time it would take for their friendship to heal from past wounds.
Narcissa regarded Lily in silence for a few seconds, her gaze piercing. "Why should I believe you? From the look on your face, it's clear you like him. How can I trust that you're not trying to sabotage my date?" she retorted, her tone frosty, displaying the fierceness of a lioness.
"Yes, I do like him, but not in that way… maybe not yet. He likes you. I've only just regained my best friend. I don't want Severus to get hurt, and I don't want to be the cause of his misery. I'll even swear an oath to help you. I just want to see my best friend happy, even if it means you becoming his girlfriend," Lily spoke earnestly, prioritizing Severus's happiness over her own feelings.
Narcissa silently observed Lily for a moment before finally speaking. "Alright, it's a deal. I'll confirm the information with Severus later. Since he forgave you, I'm sure he'll tell you eventually. I'll help you, but don't complain about the process. Just be less annoying," she conceded, knowing that keeping her friends close and her enemies closer would serve her well.
Practicing Occlumency would also allow her to gauge if Lily had any intentions of coming between her and Severus.
"Thank you," Lily replied..
Both of them cared deeply for him and were committed to supporting him in their own ways.
—-
(A/n: Narcissa agreed to help Lily because she knew Lily understood Severus best, being his long-time best friend. On the other hand, Lily wanted to keep a closer eye on Narcissa while learning Occlumency to help Severus..)
Give me MY STONES.
Hey guys, Reviews.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone