The sun had reached its summer peak, hot and dry as it beat down upon the tile rooftops and pot-holed streets. The fathers were long since gone to work at the old mill, the egg from which the entire town had hatched. While the fathers worked, the mothers cleaned, and the children went to school. The summer sun had signalled an end of that routine, and so the children were free to explore the town.
The river was off limits, and for very good reason. The water was deep and fast-flowing beneath the surface, giving it the illusion of tranquility until it was too late. The banks were unstable, especially after the rains made the river swell so that it was higher, brushing closer to the tree strewn banks. A boy had drowned there last year, giving the warnings weight, but the river ran through the heart of the town, so it could not be forgotten completely. On brave mornings, the children flocked down to the trees that grew on the muddy banks and played.
“I wish you wouldn’t stare at me like that,” the girl said. She was a redhead, tall for age ten, with green eyes that regarded the boy with which she walked.
“Like what?” the boy asked, glancing at his shoes. He had been staring.
“Like I’m something strange. You see me every day. If I bothered you so much you’d have stopped seeing me.”
“That’s because you don’t bother me.” The boy looked back up into those green eyes.
“They why the look?”
“Because you don’t bother me.”
The girl laughed. “Severus Snape, you are the strangest boy I’ve ever met.”
The boy’s pale face was lit by a small smile as he picked his way over roots and fallen branches, careful not to be caught staring again.
On one side of the forest he could see the backs of the bigger houses in the town, and to the other there was the river.
“You wanted to show me something?” the girl asked. Her jeans were patched, but they did not rival the ones the boy wore, which had belonged to a much bigger boy or man, and had been cut off at the knee to compensate for the length. The boy had grown, though, and greying stockings could be seen in the two-inch gap between pant and trainer.
“Over here,” he said, nodding into the forest. “I found them this morning by the river. Only one was still alive, and I thought you might like to take it home. My mother won’t allow animals in the house.”
“What is it, Severus?”
“Hold on, Lily. Have a little patience, won’t you? Here.” Severus kneeled down next to a cardboard box on its side in the earth. Reaching inside, he removed a tiny gray haired kitten. It was halfway between being an infant and a cat, with thin tufts of fur and legs too long for its body. Taking the squirming animal in her hands, Lily stroked its head.
“What happened to the other ones?” Lily asked, eyes wide now. “What did you do with them?”
“I”I put them in the river.”
Lily clenched her teeth, clearly disapproving. “We should have buried them properly,” she mumbled, stroking the cat. “Shouldn’t we have, little one? With little crosses.”
Severus smiled slightly, not really listening to Lily’s words. He was staring again. “Cats make good pets, you know. They don’t ask much, just that you feed them, keep them warm, and pay them some attention every once and a while.”
Lily’s eyes twinkled. “Sort of like you, I suppose. You don’t ask for much, either.”
The boy shrugged, smile gone. “I don’t require much.”
“But friends are supposed to give one another birthday presents, and I don’t even know when your birthday is?”
“Before yours,” he replied evasively. “Never mind. It’s not important to me.”
“What is important to you, Severus?”
The boy was quiet for a moment. “You, I suppose. You’re my only friend, do you know that?”
Lily didn’t reply, but set the kitten on the ground. It took one or two looks around before darting off into the forest. “Oh no,” Lily said with a sigh. “Come on, let’s catch it back.”
They did not catch the cat before one of the neighbourhood boys did, though. As the freckled boy scooped the cat up, Lily’s heart began to beat fast.
“Kevin,” she said, “That’s my cat. Give it here.”
“I found it,” Kevin said defiantly. “It’s mine now.”
“Give it back,” Severus hissed.
“Or what? You’ll wipe your nose on me? No, I’m going to teach it to swim. Cats swim, right?”
“Kevin!” Lily yelled, eyes wide, as the boy took off at a run towards the river. Lily and Severus pursued.
There was a stone bridge that ran over the murky river, connecting the residential side with the mill side. They had long since built a new bridge out of concrete and girders further upstream, but the children still used the old bridge as a fort. It was here that Kevin stopped.
The boy stood on the old stone bridge stretching across the narrowest part of the river, face lit up with maniacal glee as he dangled a squirming tabby cat over the river. As the boy laughed, the cat ceased to move, aware of the boy’s intention. Perhaps its life flashed before its eyes, or perhaps it realized how little squirming did to improve its circumstances.
“Kevin! Stop it! Stop! Kevin!”
A crowd of children had gathered, mostly boys, but a few girls watched on with glee as the animal hung from Kevin’s fingertips.
Kevin let go, dropping the animal into the river. There was a small splash and an ear splitting cry as the little redhead, restrained by two other boys on the edge of the bridge, broke free. Lily sprinted over to the cat-killer.
“You MONSTER!” she wailed, ramming her fists into his shoulder. “You’re a murderer! Murderer!” Her voice broke on the last, and she dissolved into tears. Another girl, this one older and with dark hair, hurried onto the bridge.
“Jesus, Kevin,” she scolded. “Why’d you do that?”
“It’s funny,” he guffawed. “Stupid cat.”
“Lily, get up,” the older girl ordered. “It’s just a cat, Lily.”
“It’s not!” she sniffed. “It is, but it’s not. You didn’t have to drop it.”
“There, there,” the older girl soothed, rubbing Lily’s back. “Let’s go home.”
Severus Snape’s black eyes were expressionless as Lily passed him on the bridge.
“I’m sorry,” Lily said. “I tried to stop him.”
“You next, snakey-Snape,” Kevin called with a guffaw that was taken up by the other boys on the bridge. “Let’s see if snakes can swim. Come on, let’s catch him!”
Severus’ eyes widened once he realized they really mean to chase him.
“Run!” Lily yelled.
Severus ran. The other boys pursued him down the river a short ways before giving up. Severus kept running.
“Come on, Lily. And pull yourself together. If mum asks why you’re crying you’ll have to say something about the river.”
“I’m not going home, Petunia. Not now.”
“Lily””
“I’ll see you at dinner,” Lily said, shaking off her sister’s embrace. “I’ll be at the park.”
The June sun slipped below the horizon with a final gold flourish. Lily Evans watched it fade from her seat in an old tire swing at the park. She knew her father would be back from work at the mill, soon, and that she would be in trouble if he were home before she was, but she didn’t care.
“Lily?”
Lily glanced up, frowning immediately. “Severus Snape, why are you sopping wet?”
Coat dripping, Severus blushed slightly. His hair was stringier than usual, hanging lank and full of water on either side of his face. He was missing a shoe, and in his arms he carried a bedraggled, sopping cat.
“Severus, where did you find him?”
“In the river,” he replied. “I was running, and I saw him holding onto a branch in the middle. So I swam out.”
“You could have died,” Lily scolded.
Severus looked up, meeting Lily’s eyes. “So you’ll keep him?”
“Of course, I will.” Lily said. “I’ll make sure they don’t hurt him again. He’s rather adorable, isn’t he?”
“Who is?” Severus asked quickly.
“The cat, silly,” Lily drawled. “I will call him Socrates. Mum can’t possibly say no if I keep him in a milk crate in the front yard.”
“Do you want to play cards?”
“I’ve got to be home for dinner, Sev,” Lily protested. “And you! You ought to get home as well. You’ll catch ill running around in your wet things.”
“I’ll be fine. And you know I don’t have to be home,” Severus replied with a snort. “My parents could care less what happens to me. If I drowned in that river I’d be like that cat, Lily. No one would miss me.”
“I would,” Lily said.
Severus was silent, cheeks reddening slightly.
Lily pursed her lips. “I’ve got to go, Severus. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. Come on, Socrates. Here, kitty.”
“Bye,” Severus called as Lily scooped the muddy cat into her arms and set off up the street.
Lily lay on her bed, reading over the book Severus had loaned her. She kept it hidden, for she was sure her parents, and of course Petunia, would disapprove.
Modern Potioning was the title, and the text explained in a very matter-of-fact way how to brew certain potions and elixirs. Lily was not sure whether or not she believed that one could make love potions out of rose water and beetle eyes, but the foreignness and magic of it all was enough to pique Lily’s interest until she’d read the book cover to cover. Where Severus had gotten the book was beyond Lily, but it enchanted her. Lily was afraid of her mother’s opinion of this fascination she had with Severus and his strange books. She knew her sister’s feelings. Petunia thought Severus was a “bad influence,” and “creepy, to boot.” Feet thudded up the stairs and Lily shoved the book under her pillow, pulling a picture book from her bedside table to take its place. Mrs. Evans opened the door.
“That was just Mrs. Kairns who telephoned,” she explained. “Apparently, Kevin’s come down with a fever suddenly, and she’s wondering if you saw him get into anything?”
“No,” Lily replied evenly. “Nothing.”
“Very well,” Mrs. Evans said with pursed lips. “Oh, and that Snape boy’s in the front yard. I said I’d send you down when you were finished dinner, but I forgot.”
“Mum!” Lily yelled. “You made him wait!” Racing down the stairs, Lily threw open the front door and ran onto the miniscule front yard. “Severus?”
The pallid boy jumped to his feet from where he’d been sitting on the low garden wall.
“What are you doing?”
“Playing with Socrates,” he replied. “I was wondering if you wanted to go down to the river. I can show you where to pick nightshade and collect frog spawn.”
“Shh! We’re not supposed to talk about that stuff!” Lily hissed. “Have you heard that Kevin is ill?”
“Yes,” Severus said brightly. “It was just after he threw the cat in that it hit him. They were chasing me, and then they just stopped.”
“What did you do, Severus?” Lily asked, voice shaking.
“He tried to hurt Socrates! He tried to hurt me! I didn’t mean to do it, but you must agree, he deserved it.”
“Severus, you can’t just make someone sick. That’s impossible!”
“Lily, I can. You can, too. I just know it! Not that you ever would, of course. But you’re like me…I’m sure.”
Lily pursed her lips. “I am like you, but not like this. I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s like that book…”
“Yes! Like the book!”
“I shouldn’t have kept it so long. It’s foolish, Severus, to dwell on things like this. Kevin got sick. He probably caught something. Felicia Moore is sick, too. There’s a bug going around, I suppose.”
Severus let out an aggravated breath, kicking at the garden wall. “Forget about it, Lily. You’ll understand later.”
Lily frowned, studying her friend’s face. “Would you like to come inside?”
“No,” he replied, glancing at the door fearfully.
“Well, I can’t stay out at this time of night.”
“I know,” Severus replied with a heavy sigh. “But I made you something. Here. It’s for the cat.”
Lily opened her hand to receive a small loop of braided ribbon, attached to which was a small circle of wood, painstakingly engraved with the word, Socrates. “Thank you,” Lily said softly. “For everything, Severus.”
Severus cheeks darkened in the dim light. He was blushing.
“You’re a good friend, even if you are a bit odd.”
Severus smirked. “That’s why you like me, of course.”
Lily laughed. “Maybe. Severus,” she called, just as the boy began to walk away. Lily hurried over, kissing Severus gingerly on the cheek.
He stepped back quickly, stumbling over the garden wall.
Lily sighed, pressing one hand to her forehead. “You’re such a idiot, Severus.”
“Good night, Lily,” Severus said hastily, turning and marching off into the night.
Lily turned now to the cat, looping the collar around its neck and scratching it behind one ear. “You’re a good cat, aren’t you? I’ll take good care of you from now on. Nobody’s going to hurt you. And, of course, we have Severus Snape looking out for both of us, so there’s really nothing that can go wrong. We have a guardian, Socrates.”
Socrates purred.