The Promise - Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 – UNDER THE OLD CHESTNUT TREE


Severus could remember clearly one specific day of his distant adolescence. He remembered many, in fact, because bitter memories are more acutely carved in our skin and in our soul, and he had several of those that would never leave him, as hard as he could try to forget. IF he ever wanted to forget them – which he didn’t, because he believed those harsh memories made him the man he was, and he never sought to be anything else.

But the recall that particular afternoon was different. Not dark, but bright. Not sad, but soul-warming. Not long and fastidious, but overly swift… Not to cause him anger, regret or pain when he would remember it, but other things he would seldom feel during most of his lifetime: companionship, security, and love.

Of course, Lily Evans was the central character of the scene.

Severus was reading his mother’s “Occlumancia Ars” book, lying under a big chestnut tree, in a quiet meadow near their house. It was the summer holiday before he started his 3rd year at Hogwarts. The weather was hot, and the cool shadow and fluffy grass under him felt awfully refreshing.

Eventually, the letters started to dance in front of his eyes, playing with each other, his eyelids started to weight a little and he smoothly felt asleep over the book.

A deep sleep without dreams or nightmares.

He gently woke up later in the afternoon, when the heat was already being dissolved by the fresh shadows of the trees, with a light hand passing through his hair, and he slowly opened his sad dark eyes up into a pair of bright green ones and a smiling freckled face that had been staring tenderly at him for the last minutes.

-“Lily.” – he said, in a whisper. She was sitting right next to him.

-“Hi, Sevvie! You seem to have felt asleep!” – she said, in a playful tone. – “I knew I would find you here. I was looking for you!”

-“You were? Why?” - the boy sit, stretching his arms and trying to look respectable. Fortunately, he didn’t drool!

-“Just to chat.”

But she didn’t. She just sit there quietly, not talking about anything at all.

-“Chat about something in particular?” – he decided to ask, after a while.

-“Well, I heard that we are going to Hogsmeade in the first weekend after we return to Hogwarts.” She paused.

And then blushed.

-“And?…” – he asked, but feeling a chill growing on his stomach.

-“I was wondering if you would like to come with me. I mean… you are my best friend.”

She was still red, facing with particular interest the weed in front of her left knee.

And the chill suddenly turned into a yak filled up with guarana juice jumping frantically inside his stomach.

-“A…” – Severus started, completely overwhelmed with surprise. – “Lily… are you sure?” – he doubted it was truth. - “I mean…you have other friends – from your House.”

Silence followed.

Severus looked at Lily. She would be considering the situation. Of course. Why would she go with the Slytherin greasy haired boy? The Dark Arts’ lover, the library worm, Potter’s favourite prank victim?

He saw the colours on her face turn to their original ones.

It was overly obvious. She fell into reason. No one would think of going with Snivellus.

She could look him in the eyes now.

She did it for a few seconds, without saying a word, but his heartbeat was telling him it felt like decades.

-“Yes, Severus, I am sure. Will you go with me?”

He opened his mouth.

Then he closed it, but no word could find its way out.

He was wrong.

-“Why would you want to go… with me? – he asked, fearing an answer.

Lily came closer to him, her eyes sparkling right into his, the warmth of her body could be felt so near she was, the smell of her skin, and the flower scent of her shampoo.

Lily scent.

She took the lock of his deep black hair that had fallen on his eyes.

And all of a sudden she kissed him.

Severus thought his heart stopped at that very instant, but it seemingly didn’t, because he could still feel the lily scented shampoo, her body next to him, her right hand on his face, her left arm around his neck, her lips on his, her breath irregular, her heart beating loud, or was it his?

His own arms were now around her and time seemed to stop for ever.

Her hair was so soft, her skin so smooth, her taste so sweet…

When they broke off, Lily gently step back a few inches and he thought she would run away, screaming at him it had all surely been a mistake.

But Severus was proved wrong again.

She looked at him and smiled.

Her hand held his own hand and she pressured it a little.

-“I want to go with you because you are the one I trust. I know you will always be there for me. Even if you are in Slytherin.”

He smiled at her. It was truth.

She would always be in front of everything else in his life. He was sure of it.

She had always stood for him when Potter and his friends harassed him. She would never let him down. Never.

He was so sure of it then.

That 14 year-old boy was so mistaken.

They stayed like this –so close, hand in hand, the same fast heartbeat – until the day finally started to fall and the colours in the sky changed.

He wished this afternoon would never end.

He didn’t wish to return home, where his parents were fighting once again, his father drunk and violent and screaming as always, his mother dark and killing him with her eyes, but unable to do it with her hands, or just go away and leave it all behind.

He didn’t wish to go back to Hogwarts to be a prank puppet in the hands of most of the students, Potter and Black’s favourite slimeball, as they called him, thinking that the best way to gain others awe was by stalking the greasy boy.

He didn’t wish to go where Lily wouldn’t be this near to him. Why would he?

This very moment was his own – their own.

Severus kissed her again, not deeming it was truth, that Lily was so close to him, wanting him, believing him, trusting him.

Night was coming swiftly and they had to go soon. Severus got up and picked the book.

Lily stood up and gave him her hand to hold, but she didn’t move to go.

-“Severus.”-she said, in a whisper.

He embraced the girl, giving a gentle kiss on her forehead and then softly touching her lips with his own.

-“There is something I want you to promise me.” – she spoke, in a serious tone, her face looking a little paler than it should be, while she touched his determined eyebrows.

-“What is it that only I could do for you, Lily?” – the boy asked.

-“You will always be my friend.” – she exhaled. –“Even if…”

-“If what?” – he feared.

-“Even if I am not your friend.” – she said finally.

-“That’s nonsense!” – he laugh. – “You will never betray your feelings! – He trusted her so much! More than in himself!

-“I have betrayed them before”-she spoke seriously. –“And above all things I don’t want to hurt you. I need you to help me, and understand me. Can you promise such a thing?” – Her voice was a murmur now.

Severus was puzzled. What was the meaning of her words?

However, HE would never betray his own feelings. And he could answer her now with all the conviction in his heart.

-“Yes, Lily. I can promise you that.” - he answered, wholeheartedly.

He picked the weed next to them – a woodspurge – and he gave it to her.

She snuffled it and smiled at him.

They could go now.

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