lily and I walked toward the large, gnarled tree by the riverbank where a boy waited, his dark eyes scanning the area with suspicion. His thin frame was hunched, as if expecting something bad to happen, and his lank hair partially obscured his face.
"Severus," I began, gesturing to my sister, "this is Lily, my twin sister. She's a witch, just like me."
Severus's expression flickered with skepticism, his eyes darting to Lily. She smiled warmly and bent down, plucking a wildflower from the ground. With a small flick of her fingers, the flower lifted into the air, floating gently toward Severus.
He watched it in awe before carefully catching it, his wariness easing. "I see," he murmured, his voice soft and thoughtful. "You're like us."
"I'm glad you think so," Lily said brightly, her green eyes sparkling. "Petunia told me all about you and Hogwarts. What's it like?"
Severus straightened a little. "It's... magical. You'll learn about spells, potions, and creatures you can't imagine. There's nothing like it in the Muggle world."
They chatted for a while, their conversation filled with Lily's excited questions about Hogwarts and Severus's cautious but detailed answers. I watched as Lily's curiosity brought a rare softness to Severus's face.
Eventually, Lily sighed. "I have to go. I forgot I've got an assignment due tomorrow, and Petunia's going to scold me if I don't finish it."
Petunia, true to form, huffed. "You mean the one I reminded you about all week?"
Lily grinned sheepishly. "That's the one. Bye, everyone!" She waved and skipped off, leaving us behind.
Petunia and Severus stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then Petunia turned to him. "So, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine," Severus muttered, raising a hand to catch a falling leaf. As his sleeve slipped up, a dark bruise became visible on his wrist.
Petunia's eyes widened. She instinctively reached out, taking his hand gently. Severus flinched, yanking it back.
"Sorry!" Petunia exclaimed, stepping back. "I didn't mean to... what happened?"
Severus hesitated before answering in a quiet voice. "My father. He... he came home drunk again."
Petunia's eyes filled with tears. "Severus, that's awful."
He looked away, clearly uncomfortable with her reaction. "It's not a big deal. I'm used to it."
"That doesn't make it okay," she said softly. She wiped her eyes and changed the subject. "What's that you've got there?"
Severus pulled out a small stack of books. "They're my mother's. Spells, potions, and charms. She said I could borrow them, but you can read them too if you want."
Petunia was surprised. "She trusts me?"
Severus nodded. ".She thinks you're... nice."
Petunia smiled. "That's kind of her. Thank you for letting me read these."
Suddenly, a strange sensation washed over me. It was as though a rush of magic coursed through my body, leaving me momentarily breathless.
Severus noticed my discomfort. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, though I felt a twinge of pain. The system's notification echoed in my mind: * increased magical strength.* for gaining severus snape friendship and trust.
After regaining my composure, I turned to Severus. "Have you ever thought about reaching out to your grandparents? If your mom's parents are still around, maybe they could help. They might not even know what you're going through."
Severus looked doubtful. "They're strangers to me. What if they don't care?"
"But what if they do?" I pressed. "You have nothing to lose by trying. If they respond, you could leave... all of this behind."
He was quiet for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Maybe."
I handed him a small package. "Here. I made these soaps. They're handmade, and they'll be good for your skin."
Severus looked at the gift, then at me, a rare smile playing on his lips. "Thanks."
Over the next few months, our friendship deepened. Severus began to change. His hair was no longer greasy, his clothes fit him better after I altered them, and he was no longer malnourished because I made sure he had food.
We practiced magic together, even without wands, growing stronger with each attempt. We taught each other everything we knew, sharing knowledge from books and personal experience.
One evening, as the sun dipped low, Severus stood to leave. "I have to go. My dad might be home soon."
I looked at him with concern. "Will you be okay?"
He smiled faintly. "l will be fine. Don't worry."