unlikely chance -lily-

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

The Astronomy Tower was a desolate, isolated sort of place. So high and separate from the actual castle that it did not even feel like part of the congruous pattern of stone architecture of Hogwarts itself. Against a backdrop of black velvet sky, spotted with gossamer stars and constellations it could be a very captivating and celestial place. Possessing a sort of lonely beauty as a place of extreme solitude and star-gazing.

However mid-afternoon when the sun was high it only seemed rather archaic and intimidating, definitely not the place for those afraid of heights. Be as that may though, the Astronomy Tower was always empty during the day and it's wide expansive quarters made it a good place to study or work on practical spell work. Sometimes there were even under the radar duels taken place up here as well.

It was a clear Saturday afternoon and Severus Snape was awaiting the arrival of one Lily Evans in order to practice a bit of spellwork for Defense that she seemed to be having particular trouble with. He was dressed in a very dark green t-shirt and a pair of black slacks that looked rather shabby. He looked tall and imposing standing there in the harsh sunlight, hands in his pockets and a bored expression on his features.

Severus scuffed his shoe against the stone floor, frowning slightly. Where was Lily? It was not like her to be late, especially when it had been her who had asked him for the extra help.

[lily]

"Evans!"

It could have been any Evans really that the voice called out for as Lily made her way to the astronomy tower. There was a Calbi Evans in first year Gryffindor, and a Marie-Ann Evans in Ravenclaw, and she was sure that Hufflepuff had one or two Evans in that house...so any Evans could be being called right now. So she was going to keep walking and hope that Severus would forgive her for running a bit late after she'd gotten caught at lunch by a Hufflepuff Chaser who had insisted talking to her for fifteen minutes about why she should take him to the dance and duel she'd been invited to..

"Lily! Wait up!"

"Oh Bollocks..." She grumbled softly under her breath as she turned and smiled at a boy she's never met before in her life. It wasn't that she didn't like talking to other students, it was just that she was in a rush, and already late.

Getting the invite to the party Lily saw it as a chance. She'd wanted so badly to impress the professors that would be there. So she'd begged Sev to spend his Saturday working with her so she had a chance to make it pass the first round at least, and maybe from that learn enough to pass Defense She wasn't going to be bested by Black or Potter. Today she'd been so firm in her plans as she'd quickly dressed in her sister's hand-me-down bell bottoms and a plain white tee, her favorite corduroy vest pulled over it. Hair pulled up in a ponytail out of her face as she hurried across the grounds to the towers, the only student on the weekend sporting most of her DADA books. Most were out at Hogsmeade or getting ready to go...except this one...

His name was Henry something or other, and according to him they'd had Charms together for two years in row. She felt a little guilty that she couldn't remember him, but seeing as how he kept following her after she said she was in a rush she figured that she didn't have to feel to guilty as he babbled about the weather, and then classes. She was nearly halfway up the tower when he started to make it clear he had the same intentions as the boy she'd already shot down earlier.

"I hear it's going to be a pretty rad duel...I know you're allowed to invite another person to go, and you know...in case you want someone in your place to win it for you--"

"Wait what did you say?" Lily turned, god she hoped Sev wasn't waiting for her after this long. Maybe he was late too, but right now the annoyance that showed on her face, "Win what for who?"

"Well you know, your date duel in your place. I mean I doubt they expect you to compete against the boys really..." He laughed and apparently took not heed to the seething look that filled green eyes as Lily clenched her fists at her side. Merlin help her detention on a Saturday was not what she wanted as she bit the inside of her cheek and smiled.

"Henry I'm so sorry, but I already asked someone to take me to the party." The words were sweet as she watched the smiling boy suddenly lose all his confidence.

"Oh, so...you're..."

"Yeah, sorry, now if you excuse me I have to be practicing for the duel and I'd really hate to hit you with a spell by accident." The sweetness never faded as the boy turned and hurried down the step. Maybe he'd be quick to spread it around that she had a date...she didn't care who they thought it was as long as she didn't have anyone else try to invite themselves on her ticket. And to think he thought she needed someone to fight for her...oh it was so frustrating, she thought as she turned and hurried up the last few steps.

"I'm so sorry Sev!" She saw him and looked horrified that he probably had been just waiting up here for her while she'd been pulled aside over and over. "It's been such a crazy day. I just got delayed. Thank you for doing this..."

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Voices came to him from the stairwell and he turned slowly toward the noise, eyes sharpening keenly as he recognized Lily's own tone blended with that of an unknown male. Instantly it set him on edge, something that even though he was conscious of he attributed to mere curiosity. It was not Potter, that was a voice Severus would recognize anywhere, but even as he heard the simpering voice winding up the stairs he was filled with instant dislike.

It was not uncommon for Lily to be asked out, boys and girls seemed to be at that age when such things were of particular import. Severus didn't think much about these sort of matters, he knew himself far too well to allow passage into those corners of his mind. It was not as though he did not notice when someone was attractive, or could not appreciate aesthetics. It was that long haired boy did not put much value on looks, for he knew that vanity was nothing but a detrimental obsession with self and that beauty did not necessarily translate into talent or intelligence. The traits he valued in others were of a more practical nature and his understanding of what relationships were or could be was largely lacking.

His parents relationship was something that was a source of confusion and disgust on his part. Despite everything he did not know, it was clear to him that it was not a healthy one. His mother was violently dependent on Tobias, despite the fact that he was cold to her and seemed to have no warmth for his family. He hated magic and seemed to despise his wife which Eileen vehemently reciprocated. Severus had never seen any sense of love for the man in his mother, even though he supposed that they must have had something at one point, that there must have been a reason she had forsaken her pureblood family and lineage for a muggle.

Some of his earliest memories were of his parents fighting, the long, sharp shadow of his father stretching down the hall as Severus watched them yell at one another from behind the stair railing. He could not remember, though his mother often alluded to, as she yelled, that their had once been a time when Tobias had not been constantly out of work and sober. And he could not ever remember seeing his mother being anything but icy and spiteful towards him.

Sometimes he worried that the things he felt for his best friend were unhealthy as well, twisted somehow, that he was nothing but the dark creep everyone thought him to be. But Severus had never been told he was allowed to feel these things and therefore had a limited understanding of them. After-all his parents had once loved one another and look what they had to show for it, what they had turned into.

His morose train of thought ended abruptly as he heard Lily tell the boy off and an upward clattering of footsteps ensue. A fierce rush of pride ran through him, smirking to himself and imagining the dumbstruck look on the idiot boy's face. Lily had a sharpness to her when she wanted.

"You're late." He said raising an eyebrow and taking a step forward, "I was nearly about to leave." Of course he hadn't been nearly about to leave, but she needn't know that. He looked past her and toward the stairwell, scoffing, "Simpering excuse of a boy." Severus muttered, shaking his head lightly and turning back to eye her flustered features.

His lips tugged into a subtle smirk, a teasing note barely detectable the serious tone he took, "I'm surprised you did not accept his invitation. Surely he seemed to be a very interesting sort. My how chivalrous of him to want to fight for you. I would have thought you would enjoy such a compliment." The sarcasm practically dripped from his words. Knowing Lily she had most definitely found the "chivalry" highly offensive.

"It's no matter." He shrugged, "It's not as though I have any pressing engagements and I would rather hope you would be well prepared if you do intend to enter the contest."

[lily]

"I swear I wasn't trying to be!" Lily defended, not really angry or upset, but simply trying to ease whatever annoyance she might have caused. It was hard to tell with Sev if he was annoyed with her, but as he looked over her down the stairs she sighed once she'd caught her breath. He didn't seem so upset really even as he'd threatened to leave earlier, "I grabbed lunch with friends and took of at least twenty minutes ago, I swear. I was trying to get over here but apparently word has gotten around about who is invited to this party and it seems I am not lacking the options of people to ask. Still a ten minute walk should never have taken double that."

Sev's muttered words did not escape her as she shook her head, "He was fine until he opened his mouth about the duel. I know that some of us grew up in more "traditional" homes, but female witches have fought in battles and won as well. I've read my history enough to know. Personally as offensive at that was I can't figure out why I seem to have people inviting themselves to go with me. I thought these things made it my choice?" She gave a small roll of her eyes, "Thank you for not leaving me to flounder and scramble."

Really if there was ever trouble with school she'd hunt down Sev and they'd burn the late night oil until it was too risky of being out of the Houses. He'd always proven a loyal person to have at her side. "Maybe he just knew how bad I was at all of this. God if I make a fool of myself in front of professors and peers I think I may have to lock myself up here." She joked softly moving closer to Sev. Really she was so poor at dueling because it always worried her about hurting another student. She didn't know if she could be ruthless in a fight though she'd read many accounts of witches like her going into battle and coming out victorious, but could she mirror them in any way?

"Not to say I'd leave right away to do so from the party. After all I have to cheer you on as well with whoever you go with." She smiled as she dumped her books out and grabbed out her wand, "Win or lose it should be an interesting party shouldn't it?

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

"I'm sure he has read the same history as you Lily." Severus said offhandedly, gesturing for her to follow him and going over to where his things lay against the wall. "He most likely was under the impression you would find it flattering that he wanted to fight in your name and he is very likely ignorant of the fact that witches are quite as capable and.." He smirked, looking over at her, "Certain redheaded Gryffindor witches actually want to give barmy fools like him a good hex."

He slipped his hemlock wand from the pocket of his trousers, fiddling with it. It was a good wand and it had served him well. Olivander had said that the wand chooses the wizard and his hemlock wand had been no exception. Severus remembered the very day he had gotten it, Lily had been there. He remembered that they had spent the entire ride back from London with their heads bent low, whispering excitedly to one another in the back of the Evan's car.

"You have to loose that hesitation." He said quickly, Lily was not quite that talented when it came to dueling, although Severus knew she knew every spell they had studied by heart. On the written exams she did quite well, but she always seemed to freeze up when it came to the practical, "A duel is not the same thing as a battle, your goal is disarm your opponent not hurt them, however as you can never trust that your opponent is adhering to the same moral code as you it is prudent to be on your toes."

The dark haired Slytherin had not been planning to go to the party, even though he too had received an invitation.However he wondered, curious despite himself, as to who Lily would end up going with. Maybe had already accepted an invitation, he didn't know. She had not mentioned it to him.

"Who is it that is accompanying you then?" He asked, trying to make the question sound conversational.

[lily]

Lily flushed at Snape accusing her of wanting to hex people. She shook her head as fingers fiddled over the length of her wand, "No. I would never...he just...he was...." She pouted, cheeks puffing a bit, "You were listening in. Spy." She teased back, trying to distract that for a moment that she did indeed want to hex him into next week, or even the week after. Lily never would, no matter how tempting it was, it had just been a harmless little threat, and yet...

There were darker parts to Lily Evans then the hat told of. The parts that hated being called a freak by the sister she'd been so close to before, having to constantly prove herself over and over again.

Her thoughts almost left her without hearing Sev talking about dueling. Quickly her attention snapped back to the subject as she nodded. "Yes, yes...I know...dear lord I know." She'd already been stripped of her wand during several duels before in the Defense classes. Each time being the subjects of snickers and whispers. She choked rather easily when it came to casting to fight, the professor last year nearly making a break through as he tried to convince her of protecting someone and not hurting another. That year she'd won one round, and almost a second. It had been brilliant.

As the conversation went to the dance she let her head fall to the side as she chuckled softly, "So you heard that part too?" She asked, a little sheepishly digging her toe into the stone floor, "That wasn't exactly true. I mean I'm going to the party, but I haven't even asked a single person to go yet." She sighed as she scratched her head.

"It's not like I don't want to ask anyone. It's just that really it's a question of who. All of the people I would invite are going to be at the party already." She nodded to Sev, meaning at the same time the Ravenclaw Prefect who she'd become closer friends with, and no doubt they had people they wanted to invite already. "So I guess no one...maybe...it all rather just frustrating. What about you? Who is the special person you're taking to impress?" She asked mischievously as she smiled and swished her wand about as if testing the air before their practice.

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Severus was a good dueler, mainly because he was ruthless and he moved with no hesitation. Despite his shabby appearance, too tall and lean for his clothes, he had a subtle undercurrent of steel, something sharp and dangerous. Something volatile. He had a natural instinct for dueling, and in his repertoire were an impressive number of curses, jinxes and hexes. In Slytherin house he was rather known as someone who knew more dark magic than anyone else, which was both simultaneously true and false.

It was true in the sense that ever since his early years at Hogwarts he had been given access to the restricted section of the library in order to further expand his studies. Severus had loved pouring over the ancient, dusty tomes, awe-inspired as he read through pages of primeval spells that did unspeakable and unimaginable things. However it was false in that most of his knowledge of dark magic was purely theoretical, even if he did seem to be rather adapt with the few spells he had tried.

The dark haired boy had no real desire to enter the dueling competition, he much rather liked to observe and calculate others strengths and weaknesses. However, the idea of dueling James Potter one on one was undoubtedly very attractive. it would be the height of this year if he could wipe that self satisfied smirk right off the boys face. The Gryffindor rarely messed with Severus unless he had his little group of friends around. Severus knew that one on one they would be on a much more level playing ground.

He flushed slightly when she mentioned him listening in on her conversation and shrugged, "I could not help but overhear." Severus was ignorant of Lily's inner thought process about her threat, he was not a person who found fault with making ones point clear. "It is wise to be familiar with dueling, especially these days..." He trailed off, looking towards the soft outline of the mountains set against crisp blue sky. It seemed strange to think of the darkness lurking outside of this world that seemed so bright and vivid. Severus frowned lightly and turned back to look at Lily.

He was happy that she hadn't asked anyone, as selfish as that sounded in his own head, when she turned the question around to him he blinked and looked momentarily confused. He certainly had not envisioned himself asking anyone and to hear that she had assumed he would was a bit disconcerting. Who on earth would he ask? It was not as though his company was in high demand. He watched her with a calculating gaze, squinting as sunlight caught in brilliant red strands. What if.....

No. Severus mentally shook his head, his inner self giving him a very pointed, threatening expression. He knew that even though Lily was currently dateless it would only be a matter of time.

Even more reason to ask her yourself. A snide sort of voice said from within himself. But surely she would say no. And even if she agreed, it would be as friends of course. What was wrong with that? Thats what they were afterall. Lately his teenage brain was beginning to frustrate him, pepper him with all sorts of ridiculous thoughts and feelings.

"No one...." He said finally, looking pointedly away from her and twirling his wand in long fingers, "Seems like it would be a hassle, and rather inconvenient having to drag along another person all night." A pathetic answer, but far more agreeable than admitting out loud that no one would go with him.

He looked over at her from the corner of his eye. If he was going to ask her, his window of time was rapidly closing. He wondered how she would react, would she let him down easily? Would it change things between them?

Then again, things were already different between them.

"What if...." He heard himself say, "Would you..."

[lily]

Whoever thought a party and a duel in the same night was a good idea really must have been bored...or at least that is what Lily thought. She was fine with parties, with talking with professors and other students, dressing up. Dueling though, and the others she knew she’d be against did make her a little antsy. How embarrassing would it be to lose to Potter or one of his friends? Even making a fool of herself in front of Severus didn’t really make her feel to excited for the whole thing. Really with peers and professors watching it made her stomach to a flip and she hadn’t even started to think about practice yet.

“You are a nosy boy Sev. Might have to punish you...” Severus’ words made her stop her teasing, hesitating for a moment as she followed his gaze out the window. He didn’t have to go into detail about what he meant. She felt her insides go a little cold, twisting up as she gripped her wand trying hard not to think about it. Every time she left mum and dad, even Petunia she worried that one day the people who talked about lowly Muggles would get their way, she worried about trying to protect them. It scared her and she could feel herself trembling. “Sev stop it...please.” She murmured, looking down trying hard to find the calm that reminded her that right now this “movement” was nothing more than talk and snide comments from wizards not pleased to know that others could be just as good if not better.

Looking up once more she smiled, forcing away the dark thought, “Please, lets just focus on studies right now...no time for silly rumors of dark wizards. Whoever would want to do something bad like that...they’ll be caught.” Her voice got softer, though she kept smiling.

Fiddling with her wand more she swished it around a little bit, a few sparks popping through the air as if she was shaking the dust off of it. “I can defend myself Sev, you know I can...I know what I need to do.” It was putting into practice that was the issue, she could throw out a spell, but still...things were awkward in trying to do it and protecting herself at the same time. “I mean I just really don’t want to end up being laughed at for losing my first round and such. I would like to know more though...” Trailing off she signed, pacing a bit.

“So no date at all? It could be fun though Sev. There has got to be one girl who you want to drag around all night.” Stopping in her pacing she chuckled and brushed a hand down her t-shirt. Some part of her was happy he didn’t have a date, if she ended up without one it meant she didn’t have to spend the whole party avoiding Potter or sitting against the wall. However she’d be happy if he’d found some girl he liked enough to ask, it was probably better than losing him to those Deatheater friends. “I have all but given up on finding one. Still a little ways off...and I guess I should be so lucky to get invites, but still, it just seems stupid. I mean why go to all the trouble to chase a person down and try to invite yourself?” She sighed and shook her head turning to her books as she thought to check about protection charms as Sev spoke up behind her.

He seemed a little hesistant as she opened her book and began to flip through it. Her curiosity flaring up at hearing him being so cautious now. “What if I would what...Sev?” Looking over her shoulder she studied him, somewhere between showing hints of being the man he’d become and still the boy she knew so well in his manners, “I hope you aren’t about to suggest I sit out of the duel as well.”

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

He was rather taken aback by his own forwardness, genuinely surprised that he had said something incriminating like that. It was desperately unlike him, he was usually so controlled and usually able to compartmentalize all his thoughts. For a moment he blinked at her, a slight flush of color across the bridge of his nose. It was not a very attractive look for him. His skin was smooth and his complexion clear, but he was very pale and the color stood out strangely, looking blotchy and odd.

"Would you like to get started then?" He said, a little hastier than normal, trying to school his features back and cool the warmth pricking at him from around his collar.

He turned away from her swiftly, striding across to the other end of the long balustrade and feigning interest in the stone gargoyles perched along the architectural structure. They looked ready for flight, hindquarters tensed, strange, eagle-like heads looking out toward the horizon as though they were about to stretch out their wings and take off. Severus distinctly wished he could do the same sometimes.

Growing up in his family he had learned very early on that the majority of things needed to be left unsaid. It was not wise to say certain things, and despite knowing that it was under extreme circumstances that these lessons were learned, they applied to life. Lily knew more about him than anyone else, but there were things that he did not share, could not share with her.

Severus wondered if she knew what he felt, if she would think he was pathetic. She certainly seemed to hold no high regard for the other boys who liked her, would it be different since he was her close friend? Would she be nice about it, look at him with pity in her eyes? Severus stomach turned at the thought of being pitied. It was something he hated above anything else.

Then again, Severus did not have the same reasons as other boys did. Severus was not one to be swayed by beauty or charm. He saw these things in her, but there was so much more. Lily was genuine and good, honestly good even if she fretted over things; like wanting to hex someone for being a tool or trying to beat someone in a duel. She could look past peoples faults and see things in them that they had not even known existed, She was the only person whom he actually trusted and wanted to believe in when she said things would be alright or when she spoke in that frustratingly naive black and white way she did. Even though it prickled at him and made him talk to her in sharp retorts, a part of him wished he could think like her, wished he could trust people the way she did.

He had never been quite innocent and she had been refreshingly so, especially as a child. Severus had liked that immediately about her, that she was so far-removed from everything and anything he knew.

Severus did not have time for such dribble.

He glared out at the beautiful day as if it had personally offended him somehow and then turned sharply around to face her again. "Clearly if I am helping you with your dueling skills, of which you have had yet to tell me what you need to work on, then I am not suggesting anything of the sort. I see no reason for you to sit the duel out although I do question the logic of holding a duel in the middle of a formal dinner party." He said smoothly, striding toward her.

He stood close, looking down at her from his new height, twirling his wand between long fingers. "What is it that you would like to work on? What can I teach you that you do not already know?"

He smirked lightly, a hint of playfulness in his dark gaze, "Ask and you shall receive."

.

[lily]

Lily wasn't sure what she'd expected Sev to ask at first. It had occurred to her to maybe ask him to join her at the dance before, but she wasn't sure if he'd already had a date or not, and for a moment she wondered if he was going suggest the same thing. Often in their childhood their greatest mischief never needed words spoke between them, and maybe even after last summer they still had that connection. Though as he asked her if they wanted to get started she gave a small sigh looking at his redden cheeks and smiled gently.

She wondered if the thought of helping her frustrated him, but she didn't want to ask in case it did...didn't want to hear he had better plans for his weekends. The again she knew few who did want to hear that. "Yes, I guess we should get started." Another flick of her wand as she watched him walk across the room.

He seemed so stern now, a little less of the studious little boy consuming books just to read. Maybe she was right in joking he'd make a good teacher. However when he suddenly turned and started up towards her she took a sudden step back. Not for anything like he was scary to her, but so she could look up and have her eyes meet his with their difference. He was very tall, and distracting as with an ease of fingers his wand slipped between them.

Lily was quiet when first asked what she needed to work on, "Well...I mean I guess dueling in general but..." She murmured softly, looking around the room a bit as her thoughts wandered to what she always had to work out on in the past. "I just get under pressure to strike and I end up missing, or holding back. I know it's just a game, but I...I just..." Hesitation showed on her face. He already knew how she felt about fighting, however that was not really the issue that kept her from dueling properly. "I forget what to do. It's like everything locks up. I end up trying to pick between defending myself or fighting and I just end up on my back after." She admitted softly feeling a flush rise to her cheeks once more. Many times she'd ended up on the floor forgetting her counters to the spells, must to her peers amusements. She'd gotten better at least...

All the books and notes could barely help her though as she could practice the spells alone, but once faced with another person. Everything suddenly vanished at the thought of having to fight.

Protection...that was what Sev and her professor last year had both said, but when it was just a silly duel?

"Maybe you could just practice with me. Get me use to reacting to people?" Taking another step back she smiled at Sev moving to get into some sort of a defensive position with the hope that this would be somewhat easier with less people watching for now.

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

"Is it nerves?" He asked inclining his head in intrigue, "Do you feel as though that happens because you are nervous about hurting someone?"

Lily had always been very conscious, overly afraid of hurting someone to the point of not being able to defend herself and Severus found this worrying.

"Did you know..." He began, suddenly rather animated, "That wands are sentient beings? They know the difference between real battles and duels. They are so in-tune to the desires of their masters that they call actually feel when they need to hold back or when they need to modify the power of their attack." His eyes were strangely bright, the look he often had when explaining something fascinating to an interested audience, "That's why with a strong dark curse like the cruciatus you have to really mean it for the spell to have any real effect."

Not that he had ever used the cruciatus. The closest he had ever been to it was when an idle Bellatrix Black had used it on one of their housemates cat out of boredom. He could still remember the way it's little body had writhed in pain. He had found the whole incident fairly disturbing, but as Severus was rather desensitized to violence he had simply dismissed it.

"You need to judge your opponent, anticipate their next move." Severus stated, weighing his thoughts. Dueling instinct was not really something that could be taught, it had to do with natural ability more than anything, that special intuition. Severus was fairly sure that Lily was capable of such an intuition, but he felt as though she was probably thinking about it too hard.

"You are probably thinking too hard." He murmured thoughtfully, echoing his own recent sentiment. "You need to drown out all the interference."

He was not entirely sure how helpful all of this was to her, but he nodded at her suggestion and took a step back, obsidian eyes following her as she moved. Severus was very glad for the distraction though and the fact she hadn't pressed him about what he had said earlier. He rather felt as though she suspected something, he knew her too well to think she was not curious.

What if he asked her to the party as a friend? Surely she would not find anything abnormal with this, save probably feel bad that he hadn't actually found a 'date'. The black haired Slytherin had gone from vehemently not wanting to go to the dance, to wondering if Lily would go with him, to actually wanting to brave asking her. If he hadn't had the distraction of Lily raising her wand against him he would have cursed himself for his own clichéd anxiety.

But then...if he didn't ask her...who would. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

"Okay." Severus said, his voice softening as he raised his own wand, standing tall and straight against the sunlight. Dark eyes seemed to sharpen, expression giving nothing away.

They stood like this for a moment, wind blustering atop the tower, his long hair tossed untidily about by the gale. Finally without warning Severus struck, throwing a spell at her, a simple disarming spell.

"Expelliarmus." He said with force, only using a verbal spell to keep her more alert.

[lily]

Always count on someone like Sev to hit the nail on the head. Nerves were one thing, hurting another person a second, and then with the threat of looking foolish and humiliating herself came in a very close third. So yes, Sev was right thinking nerves the cause for all of this. She listened to him though as he went on about wands, her gaze going to her own as eyes slid over it. The wand-maker and told her it was the best for charms when it had first picked her...the fact that it had made her realize there was more to this then just a core and some wood.

"Oh Sev, I understand all of that. And you know I never try to mean it when I'm dueling but things..." She trailed off she'd seen students get hurt because someone gets too lively, "I lose focus and sometimes get too focused, and if that happened I just worry." She knew it was silly, she knew Sev knew it was silly as she fiddled around with her things trying her best to prepare.

Focus. She'd heard that so many times. Predict. Sev had the makings of a Defense Teacher how he talked about things she mused as she smiled and nodded trying to adjust her position as best as she could like it would help her do those very things. "Thinking too much. That is the first time I've heard anyone say that like it's a bad thing." She chuckled as she met his gaze that followed her.

It was surprising how against the sun, the way he held himself cast an impressive silhouette, she found herself just staring at him. He seemed more determined, sharper than most boys. To be helping her with this she respected him enough not to brag about her. In fact she couldn't think of a time other than the last summer they'd ever fallen apart, and now back together it was trying to figure themselves out again. Even now it was like the fight hadn't happened. He was around, easy to talk to, not pushy like the boys earlier asking to come be her escort to the dance...

This had to be the thinking too much part though as she saw him move, and heard his words. She thought to counter and paralysis him, but the words were only half out of her mouth when his spell hit her. A half second sooner and she might of had a chance. The little dark brown wand flew up into the air before clattering to the floor between them. Standing there quietly she looked at the wand and then at Sev as she scurries to go fetch it.

"Sorry, sorry...my mind went somewhere else then. I guess I'm still a little riled up from earlier about the dance." She replied softly, kneeling for a moment to get the wand, "Once more. I'll get it this time. You'll see Sev."

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Literally only a few seconds had passed since she had gone for the wand, but once she had bent to her knee there was suddenly presence beside her. It was Severus, crouched next to her, the tip of his hemlock wand pressed gently into the skin of her neck, "Never let your guard down when your opponent is still holding their wand." He said, at her ear and in a voice that was much lower and softer than the one with which he had previously addressed her.

It was unclear as to how he had managed to move that quickly, as she would not have seen it happen. However, Severus had known what her intention was the moment she had read the exchange between him and her wand and he had had enough time to react. He had not even needed to use legilimency, not that he would or ever had on her. Then again he had never needed it, he had always been able to read Lily quite easily.

"Even if you are wandless, you can't give away your intent like that Lily." He said softer still and stretching out a hand to pick up her wand with slender fingers. He handed it back to her as he stood, obsidian gaze fixed. "I knew what you were going to try before you even moved. You have to think of some way to distract them.... and therein lies the challenge."

"In a duel, losing your wand means the duel is over, but in a real battle, losing your wand means losing your life." His voice was very serious, and there was something in the depths of his dark gaze that seemed to sharpen. Despite his outward appearance, there was something hard there. Almost as though he had seen things beyond what others had, something provoking enough to have cultivated this edge.

However, as he took a step back and his lips tugged upward, the expression washed away it's intensity, leaving only a shadow of it in his dark gaze. "I believe in you." Severus said, his black eyes surveying her with something different....was it fondness? "Although I have to wonder, if you are so worried about dueling at the dance, why go through with it at all?"

And so they were back to party. He mulled around his thoughts, an inner battle waging between his mind, what he knew would be the least painless and mortifying, and his emotions, what he wanted to do.

"You know...." He said suddenly, eyes widening imperceptibly when he realized he was talking. There was a pause and he was surprised he wasn't the blotchy, ugly color of a tomato. "We could always go together....."

[lily]

Lily had thought she'd grab her wand and then they'd be back to dueling. She didn't want to wear down on Sev's patience too much with her constant losing her wand. Then again it was his fault with giving no warning or anything at all...

Her thoughts were buzzing about in their usual fashion until something cool and hard pressed to her skin. The voice was smooth and measured, but undoubtedly Sev's as she gave a small gulp, the movement in her throat pressing a little harder against the wand as he spoke so gently of losing lives like one would a wand in a duel. She watched fingers retrieve her wand for her as she knelt there still as stone until it was handed back to her. He was right and she sighed a little taking back her wand and pulling it close. The thing had become like another limb to her, to be without it, to feel the magic be separated from her...it hurt almost in a way.

"I'm not going to this party to just sit around and look pretty in a dress. I'm just as good as Potter and his friends. I'm can be as good as you I just...I don't want to show up and not be able to prove that. I'm glad you believe me though." She murmured sadly, trying her best to push it away as she readied herself for the next set of dueling. She was a Prefect, she'd fought her way to being close to the top of her class, the invite personalized to her to try her skills. She'd show him she really meant to do this duel.

Really there had been no pause called to their little mock-battle as she turned to look at Sev preparing herself once more as he began to speak. She focused and smiled as she flicked her wrist a little now....Now she was ready to fight as she called out her spell, "Flipendo!" She called out only a little too late as Sev's words reached her ears. It was too late to call back the spell as hands clamped over her mouth and eyes went wide.

Bloody idiot...bloody fool...why would you do that and to Sev and...and he just asked me to the dance?

Her thoughts were a mess, chaos as she hurried towards her companion. Had he really just asked her to the dance? Well either way the invite might be now revoked after that little stunt.

"Sev! Are you alright?! I'm so sorry..." Her words spilled over her lips faster then the rest of her could keep up.

[SEVERUS SNAPE]

Whatever he had expected as an answer, he certainly hadn't expected to be knocked back with a spell. The back of his head cracked against the stone floor, his back hitting it rather forcefully as well. The long haired Slytherin groaned, curling in on himself for a moment before pushing himself to his elbows and glaring in disgruntlement.

He blew long strands of hair out of his face as she apologized and looked up, wincing in the sunlight, "Bloody hell Lily..." He said finally, the back of his head throbbing, "If I'd have known you would attack me when we were talking I wouldn't have given you your wand back." Severus reached back and rubbed his head, grimacing.

If he had been an observer of this particular moment, it would have been highly amusing. However, seeing as though he was flat on his arse in front of his best friend and the girl he had just asked to the dance it certainly did not register as his finest moment. He burned with shame and frowned, eyes cast downward.

Maybe she hadn't heard him though. He rather hoped she hadn't. Severus cursed himself and pushed his lean frame off the floor, "it's fine." He said quickly, dissuading her apologies, "That was a pretty quick spell you used."