Lose You Again
[It was the world in Voldemort's power,where Scorpius was trying to persuade Snape to help him save thehistory.]
Part 1
Was that a Malfoy game?Snape peered at Scorpius with suspicion.
"Trust me,Severus Snape,the one who loves Harry's mother.You wereworking secretly for Dumbledore,weren't you?For Lily----to make it clear.I knowyou're a brave man.Please."Scorpius had shown his last card.
Snape was stunned.But he hid it well."Well then."His facesoftened,"Give me the Time-Turner."
Wait,what if I don't turn back to the second task to save Cedric butturn back to bring Lily instead?Snape thought quickly.Maybe I can save both myand others' world?If I got Lily...How wonderful...and Neville would be TheChosen One and he could defeat Voldemort with the help of Dumbledore...That'sit.
"You wait here,Malfoy."Snape murmured over his shoulders.
"But sir..."Scorpius called after him uncertainly but Snape'sbillowing cloak was already out of sight.
Snape went straight to the bank of the lake where was now under thegloomy canopy formed by Dementors.His lips curled into a wry smile as heflipped the Time-Turner.
Everything was swallowed by darkness...The world spun and then a bunchof light tore it apart.
A second later the sky was brighter with dazzling sun.It was theafternoon after an O.W.L.s exam."Hey,want to see something funny?"Aboy with jet-black hair called to his friends.Snape watched his old enemybehind a tree with gritted teeth."Levicorpus!"Shouted JamesPotter,pointing his wand at a rather sallow but definitely younger Snape.Theolder Snape saw himself being lifted into the air by his ankle,saw Lily Evansrunning to help him.Lily...Snape's head was swimming.No,steady yourself.Hecalmed himself and sent a "Silencio" curse to the younger Snape justbefore the latter was about to shout "Mudblood".The Time-Turnertickled and vibrated violently.With great agony,Snape was pulled back topresent.
He opened his eyes with great effort to see a still dark sky.Whathappened?Was Voldemort in control of everything?He tried to stand but fell.
"Dad?Oh sorry,I mean----Professor."A seventeen-year-old girlwith the same sallow but rather pretty face bent down over himanxiously."Why are you injured?Aren't you supposed to be at Potions?"
Snape gaped.Facing him was a girl surprisingly similar to himself withlong greasy dark hair.His heart gave a start when he met her greeneyes----Lily's eyes.
"For Dumbledore's sake!"He spluttereddisbelievingly,"I,I've got a daughter?Wi--with Lily?What's yourname,girl?"
"What's wrong?Are you all right dad?"The girl wasastonished.After a pause she said tentatively:"I'm Sissy.Sissy EileenSnape.Don't you remember?"
Snape was overwhelmed.He examined his child carefully andasked:"That's a wonderful name for you.Why are you still at schoolage?"
"Why,dad?Didn't you told me how difficult it was for mum to give birthat such an age?And mum said you didn't like children so it took you a long timeto make up your mind for my birth."
"Ah...poor Lily...Then why are you in Ravenclaw robe?"Snapehesitated when he made out the eagle badge on Sissy's chest.
"What?"Sissy was taken aback,"There is only Slytherinafter You-Know-Who came to power...But we students do have secret groupsstanding for other houses.And I'm the Head Girl in our own Ravenclaw house.'Witbeyond measure is man's greatest treasure.'You see?We do need enough wisdom tothrow down the current ministry."The last part of the words came as awhisper.
"Well,I think I should contact mum.You seem to be off your mind.Butthere must be a reason and I'll find out.Don't worry,dad."She addedapprehensively,"I have to hurry,the class is about to begin."
Snape stared with all his might but he swayed again and passed out.Itseemed that the world was leaning down against him.
"Sev...Sev..."A musical whisper met his ears.Faint sunlightpushed against his eyelids as he tried to open them."You allright?"The voice was on the verge of tears,apparently.
He struggled up.Sitting beside him was no more than LilyPotter----no,Lily Snape.Her aged face was still such a feast for hiseyes.Perfect long red hair and the pair of warm green eyes.And an air ofbemusement on her face.
Snape touched his left forearm shamefacedly and was pleasantly surprisedto realize the absence of the Dark Mark.
"Lily...is that you?"Snape's lips trembled.
"Yes,yes.Dear."Tears were trickling down her face.She bentdown gently and pressed her lips against his.He felt dreamlike.Her warmth wasspreading all through him from the spot where their body met.The scent of hermade it hard to breathe.He reached out a hand and caressed her everyskin.Snape's sulky face broke into a loving smile which was absent for decades.
It must be a long time before Lily broke the sweet silence."Sissysaid you're injured and off your mind beside the lake.How come?"
"I...I can't tell,sorry..."
"Sev,you must be very careful at Hogwarts while Umbridge iswatching.Or the whole plan of the Order of Phoenix is destroyed."
"Umbridge?Plan?What's that about?"
"Oh poor Sev...Umbridge is the headmistress.Horrible.And we arepreparing to fight.You're our spy at Hogwarts."
"Oh...How come Voldemort wasn't defeated at the battle ofHogwarts?"
"What are YOU talking about?There wasn't such a battle...Though Ihope there was.Neville,The Boy Who Lived,was killed by Quirrell in his firstyear...Then disaster came.Dumbledore couldn't hold Voldemort at bay for solong."
Snape couldn't believe it.Everything went wrong,except the return ofLily.But wasn't it obvious?If there was no Harry Potter,he wouldn't be thereprotecting The Boy Who Lived from the troll or in the Quiddich match.And thatmade all the difference...
Snape was torn between the two worlds,in one of which Voldemort wasdefeated and everything was at peace,in the other of which there was Lily.Lilyor the peaceful world?Couldn't I get both?Did I make the right choice?If I usethe Time-Turner again...Perhaps that could save the whole world from darknessbut Lily would be dead,and so would I...Snape pondered bitterly.No,I can't loseLily again...and so many years hidden behind the cold mask wasn't easy...I didit all for Lily but now I've already got her.All the same,isn't she going outof her way to save the world with the Order now?Snape was about to crack up.Hewould give up the whole world for her...but was that the least brave thing hedid?As a Mudblood,she would be in greater danger in Voldemort's world.
Forget about it...A howling creature was scratching Snape's inside.Hewas done for it.
Sissy came to a halt on the seventh floor at Hogwarts.Yes,there itwas.She walked back and forth three times,concentrating hard on onethought:"I want a place where we can carry on our secret Ravenclawmeeting."Suddenly it revealed----an ancient door to the Room ofRequirement.She pushed it open,facing a bunch of fellow students and adreamlike Luna Lovegood."Oh,here you come."Said Luna in a sing-songvoice.Luna's long dirty blonde hair was decorated with blinking little starsand her usual radish earrings were obscured by it."Fancy someGillywater?"She poured everyone a cup of what looked like some purplepaste,"Here's the latest Quibbler."The next hour was filled withreading and discussing.
"Sissy."Luna called merrily when others were filing out of theroom after the end of the meeting."Here.I've got something foryou."She reached out a palm and lying on it was a wired necklace----a corkone.
"Wow.Thanks a lot.I do like it."Sissy gasped.
"I wore it when I was about your age.People did not appreciate itas much as you do.It brought me good luck,anyway.You see,perhaps that's why Inever got lost while sleepwalking."Luna chuckled."But then it wasmissing until recently I found it on the top of a tree.My mum always said thatthings we lose have a way of coming back to us----though it's usually a waythat we do not expect."
"That's true..."
"Well...Hope it can give you guys luck...”Luna smiled a warm smile.
Sissy was about to leave when something caught her mind."Uh...I'mnot sure if it will.I mean,as the Order's spy,my dad's quite off his mind thesedays...He spends much more time with mum and is frequently muttering about whatseems to be a parallel world."
"That sounds funny.There must be such a world,right?"Luna saidwith great interest,"Nothing to worry about,though.Perhaps that's abrighter world.Your father is just as sane as we are."
Sissy smiled back,the cork necklace clutched tightly in her hands.Thankyou for being a gust of tender breeze and the silver lining of the clouds inour life...
Autumn stretched into winter.The world of pathos was covered insilver-white.The far-away melody of carols suggested that it was almostChristmas Eve.Two aged figures lay down in the snow.Together they heldhands,just like what they did beside a river in childhood.Time seemedfrozen.Each piece of swirling snowflake made the world too beautiful to bereal.
Being loved by Sev is just like this snowy day...spectacular,cold but heart-stroking.Lilysmiled to herself.
"Sev...will you be there till the very end?"Her hair wascovered in snowfall.
Snape shuddered,though it was nothing to do with theweather."Always..."The hand holding Lily's grasped moretightly,"I can't lose you again..."
"Again?"Lily was bewildered.
"But I can't put you in danger,either."Snape turned to herslowly,"Lily...If you must make a choice between the world and the one youlove..."
"Umm...That's tough...Sometimes the beloved one is yourworld...Only if it isn't this Voldemort's world... "
"Look...at...me..."Snape said,almost pleaded,abruptly.
Lily turned.The green eyes found the black.She was in a spin to see thatthe black eyes were full of tears."Sev..."
Sissy was running down a corridor towards the dungeon in the castle withher dark hair dancing in her wake.She pushed open an office door through whichher father dwelled,panting.
"No one has taught you to knock before you enter?Close the doorwhen you get out if there's nothing worth bothering me."Snape grumbled inhis usual cold and disapproving tone.He barely turned an inch toward the door.
"Sir..."Sissy hesitated.
Snape spun on the spot,facing the quiet elegant girl.His heart alwaysgave a leap whenever her profile,especially her soft green eyes,pushed awayeverything else in his mind.Though he would never admit it.
"It's you."His voice softened to a great extent.
"Yes,dad..."Sissy breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sit."Snape gazed at her as she took a seat oppositehim,"Well?"
"Dad...I,I reckon there must be something you are hiding fromme...about...about the parallel world."
Snape paused.How did she know?"So what?"
"Dad,I'm sorry to ask...but please tell me.I know you're torturingyourself."There's something so gentle flashed past Sissy's eyes that Snapecouldn't resist.She added tentatively:"You don't have to face everythingyourself.Better out than in,you know."
"You'll trust me?And you won't blame me for being acoward?"Snape trembled.
"Trust me.And I believe your every word.You're always my dad."
Snape looked into the pair of clear green eyes which bore his ownreflection.There were something beyond softness or warmth.He gazed until Sissydropped her head awkwardly.
"Don't let mum know.Your word?"
"Yes,sir."Sissy nodded.
"Fine."Snape muttered,"Follow me."
It was the trick of the swimming circle of light,or was there actually aglittering drop of tear on Snape's big nose?
It was more than teardrop or any other liquid.Something silver andinsubstantial was stretched from it and floated in midair.Snape caught it byhis wand tip and dragged out a stone basin----the Pensieve left by Dumbledore.
With a light flip of his wand,the memories slid into the basin andswirled dreamily,causing the ascendant fog to blur their view.
"In."Snape demanded curtly,putting a hand on Sissy's shoulder.
Sissy immersed her face into the Pensieve with a confusing glimpse ather father.
Spinning light surrounded her and formed into a park where she landedsoftly.Snape followed a second later.
......
"Come back,Lily!" Petunia was shouting toward a little girlwith long red hair,upon whose hand a flower was made blossom.
"You're a witch.And I'm a wizard."Young Snape in his oversizedand mismatched clothes stared at Lily,flushing at once.
......
"Will it make any difference if my parents are Muggles?"Lilyasked anxiously,lying beside Snape on the riverbank.
Snape hesitated for a moment."No."
......
"Evans,Lily!""Gryffindor!"
"Snape,Severus!""Slytherin!"
......
Now Sissy realized how much herself looked after Lily in spite of thehair.
"I don't like the people you're hanging around with,Sev."
"But Potter and his gang are worse."
"I know he is arrogant..."
......
"Levicorpus!"
"Stop!James!"
"M..."Snape's word was cut abruptly.At that time,there werethree Snape on the scene.
......
"Promise me,Sev.Never wade into dark art again."
"I promise.For you..."
A hug.Snape blushed.
......
Every moment Snape shared with Lily and every detail told by Scorpiusabout the parallel world unfolded in front of Sissy,together with the complextruth.
The world swirled and blurred.Sissy was pulled out of the surface bySnape,who was at a loss for words.
"Dad...that's so hard..."
Snape was perplexed for a girl with tear-stained face.After a long emptymoment,he pushed aside Sissy's curtains of hair and wiped her cheeks stiffly.
Sissy could stand no more.She flung herself into her father's arms andcontinued:"It was so hard and lonely for you to bear all the burdens andagony...Dad,you're fragile though it has escaped your notice.Anyway you've beenbrave in the meantime..."
Snape's brain stopped working for a while when her daughter's head wasleaning against his chest.
Fragile?Did she say?I've been keeping myself strong and invincible inmind all through the years...Snape couldn't think properly.But what were allthose sleepless nights about?Silent tears could only drip into his heart duringall the suffering time.
It felt like that glaciers were melting and streaming down his head.
Snape had made up his mind.He fumbled in his robe and took out a goldenchain unto which tied the Time-Turner.
"Take...it..."He muttered faintly,"Tell Lily...that I'msorry and give her my love...if you have time..."
Sissy held it in hand tenderly.Realization spread between them withoutanother word."Don't worry.I'll use it well."
She added hesitantly:"Dad...it may be the first and the last timeto say...I love you."She seemed to be more beautiful in tears."Idon't want to be a fool who only wraps feelings in heart like youanymore."
"Look...at...me..."Snape was also fighting backtears,uncharacteristically.
The green eyes found the black.They were both taking in one another'sfeatures,both knowing by heart that it was for the final farewell.
Silence is the most ample statement in the world.
Together they made their way to the lake.Words failed them whilestillness was flooding all around.It seemed to be an endless road.Sissy seizedher father's sleeve as she did in babyhood.She could feel his cold sweatbeneath it.Each step was heavy but dreamy.It must be a lifetime before the lakewas within sight.
"Bye,dad."Sissy said calmly after a long while,her reflectionswaying in the ripples.
"Go,then."Snape let go of her,every inch ahero,"Sometimes costs are made to be borne."
Sissy closed her eyes and flipped the Time-Turner.The surroundingsdissolved,along with her dad.
Brightness took place of the damp darkness in a flash of sunlight.Sissynarrowed her eyes.There they were.
"Want to see something funny?"
"Levicorpus!"
Each figure and word seemed unreal to her,until a tuft of red flashedpast ."Stop!James!"
Then the young Snape opened his mouth and in the corner of Sissy's eyesshe saw a familiar man in black raising his wand.Dad...Her heart lost abeat.Despite the vertigo,she sent a Shield Charm squarely betweenthem."Mudblood!"Young Snape shouted.Lily flushed and ran away like ahurt animal.
Sissy noticed miserably that her dad howled in pain when the insultingremark rushed out of the teenager's mouth.She ducked as the older Snape turnedto her direction.Flash.The spell of the desperate Half-Blood Prince missed herby an inch and hit the Time-Turner clutched in her hand.
Snape disappeared.No.Everything was wrong.Sissy gaped at the squashedTime-Turner fearfully as it buzzed loudly.Beat.She was pulled into it again allof a sudden.
Next second Sissy was blank to find herself lying on the lakebank.Whattime is it?How come I still exist?The world came into focus and a couple ofbright blue eyes was observing her curiously through a pair of half-moonspectacles.
"Professor...Dumbledore?"Sissy gasped as she scrambled up.
"Beautiful day,isn't it?Fancy a walk myself..."AlbusDumbledore chuckled and helped her up graciously,"Did we meet before,younglady?"
"No...I guess."Sissy felt that the gaze upon her was X-rayingher every cell.
"Umm...I suppose not."Dumbledore's eyes fell on Sissy'smismatched robe and badge,"May I ask your name?"
"S...Selene Clearwater."Sissy's fingers clung to the corkhanging on her neck subconsciously.
"I see..."Though Dumbledore sounded doubtful,"New tohere?"
"Uh...yes.My parents taught me at home for six years.But theydecided that I'd better attend school to take the N.E.W.T.s."
"If that is true...then we'll need a late sorting.You agree?"
Sissy nodded and added:"Professor...What time is it?I've lost trackof time since my watch's broken."
"Half past three,if you ask me.You'll miss the Halloween feast ifyou don't hurry up."Dumbledore winked,"By the way,it's 1977."
He knew!Sissy shuddered.
They were in the Headmaster's office.Sissy put on the shabby Sorting Hatwith shaking hands as those old headmasters and headmistresses were apparentlydozing off in their frames.
"Umm...not an ordinary girl...perhaps not belong to thisworld?"The Hat wheezed to her head,"...quite courageous...and havehidden ambition to prove yourself...Kind-hearted indeed...But look at such abrilliant brain!Tough one.Where should I put you?When all the qualitiesmixed...you do need a well-organized mind to handle with them...You don'treckon you're smart at all?No no no.Never say such rubbish to me.Though you'vegot a point----the more you've learned,the more stuffs awaiting you to explore.Sheer wisdom.Be confident,girl.Well then,better be RAVENCLAW!"
"Congratulations,Miss...Clearwater."Dumbledore clapped.
Sissy strolled half-heartedly along the corridors.Everything wasfamiliar but completely different at the same time from its darker version inVoldemort's world.She felt dazed and exhausted when she finally reached amagnificent door on the top of Ravenclaw Tower after climbing a spiralstaircase.There was no doorknob or keyhole.Only a bronze knocker in the shapeof an eagle was facing her.She grabbed it and knocked.
"Where do the lost ones go?"The eagle asked in an echoingvoice.
"Into our hearts."Sissy burst out.The answer seemed to beresting in her mind for a long time.
"Quite reasonable."
The door swung forward.She found herself beneath a painted starryceiling.Right in front of her was the white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclawwith the diadem.She stared,awe-struck.Outside those arched windows,mightymountains surrounding the castle unfurled a splendor.Sissy fell in love withthis common room and its best view of the ground at once.
She was looking into the distant blue horizon when sudden realizationhit her:there was a great flaw of the plan.Even though she prevented herparents getting married and there would be Harry Potter to save theworld,things would still went wrong since nobody had turned back to the secondtask of the Triwizard Tournament and stop Albus and Scorpius from meddling.Howcould I manage to correct it as the Time-Turner was broken?She gave a shudderand slumped down helplessly.The coldness of despair was pouring down herbody,unnerving.
Night descended.The Great Hall was in chaos with flooding students andghosts.The spectacular enchanted ceiling imitated a serene deep-blue sky. EerieJack-O-Lanterns were floating and casting orange pools of light.
Sissy joined the Ravenclaw table and picked a seat beside a skinny girlwith messy fluffy light-brown hair and a pair of triangular thick glasses.
People around her just beamed at their new fellow as if they had knowneach other since first year.This is definitely a graceful advantage of thoseRavenclaw geeks.
"Hi.Nice necklace,mate."The girl next to Sissy peered at hercheerfully,"I'm Mary Mayhew,by the way.They all call me MessyMayhem..."
"Selene.Selene Clearwater."Sissy smiled,reaching out a hand.
Mary didn't merely take it.She put her hand on Sissy's andmuttered:"Sunny snowy cloudy,may my vine wind around yours like pleasantwind...Well.People often make friends by chance,don't they?Thank fate."
She dropped her hand and stirred in her plate."Oh,would you like tolet me read your fate anyway?"She added and picked up a raw egg.
"Sounds cool...Go on."
"Here you go.Crack it."Mary handed over the egg.
Sissy cracked the egg and poured the contains into a bowl deftly.
"Now we observe it's yolk attentively...see?There's a white tinyrip which expended into the shape of a certain flower and...itdisappears...Tough,really."
She frowned and looked sideway at Sissy:"Your life seemsmagnificent in some way but fleet...There'll be a huge mistake if you don'tkeep your eyes open..."
"You believe in...fate?"Sissy was half curious and halfapprehensive.Her mind strayed.
"Maybe.Everyone has his destiny and those who find it and gofulfill it are lucky."Mary stared upward,sunk deeply in thoughts,too.
"True.I used to believe that we stand every chance to break anylimit set by fate.But...it turns out that we're just making our own choiceswhile seeking for freedom to the extreme under the limit of nature."Sissymurmured,more to herself.
Are our lives like stories already written in a book and partings orencounters are predoomed?
Through the thongs and across two tables Sissy made out two figuressnuggling up to each other.The boy with untidy hair was playing with his forkcasually in a show-off way.And the girl----a young mum,Sissy blinked----lookedat him disapprovingly,her red hair flowing down her shoulders elegantly.Nowonder loads of those boys fancied her...Though it was strange to see her mumleaning so close to a man that was not her dad.
Sissy withdrew her gaze and instinctively peered into the sea of silverand green around the table behind her.She found him without much effort,forSeverus Snape was also gazing toward the Gryffindor couple fascinatedly,hissallow face fallen.He was a bit more handsome in teenage-hood.
Something bitterly cold was striking Sissy's interior.Sympathy and griefgrasped her before she could manage to take control and even herself was shockedby her reaction.
Sissy rose to her feet and made her way toward him despite the fact thatshe was overdoing things.She paused behind him,feeling the cork necklaceautomatically.
Snape was alert enough even in the obsessed moment.He turned sharply,readyto pull an icy face.But he was taken aback in disbelief.He had a suddenillusion that his sister was towering over him before he remembered that he hadgot none.Then he met her green eyes----was that Lily in disguise?
He felt swimmy until the girl spoke up:"Sorry to botheryou,Severus.Uh...I'm Selene Clearwater."
"I haven't met you before."Snape buried himself into his badlyscribbled Potions book again,deciding that it was foolish to waste time on anew Ravenclaw girl,however she looked.
"Please do me a favor...the Half-Blood Prince..."She almostbegged.
"How do you know my name?"Snape burst out fiercely.
"I...just know."Sissy blushed,"Take a walk,shall we?Incase you're alone..."
Snape hesitated.The softness of her voice was too powerful to resist.Andthe earnest gaze from those green eyes...He made a curt nod,to his ownastonishment.
They pushed past some pointing and jeering Slytherins and foundthemselves bathed in moonlight after a short while.
Both of them waded in milk-white fog in silence,determined not to lookat each other.
At last Sissy broke the stillness:"...The kingdom ofisolation...and you're the prince..."
Snape wasn't listening.
"Fairly constant but delicate,you are."Sissy insisted.
Delicate?Snape glared to his side,but was mollified as soon as Sissycaught his stare.The misty light of night dimmed the color of her hair whilethe brightness of her eyes was magnified."Lily...I'm sorry..."Hemuttered dreamily in a barely audible voice,surrendering to the sorrow ofseparation.
"I understand."It was the most soothing reply in the world.
On and on they wandered.The moon partly visible among wispyclouds,dripping its light through leaves and gleamed on the lake.
"Reparo."Sissy pointed her wand at the Time-Turner for theumpteenth time during the week.Nothing worked."When in trouble,go to thelibrary."Sissy used to live up to this principle but now it failed.Shemade sure that each book involving Time-Travelling(rarely found any) oradvanced repairing methods had been read carefully over and over again."'Istrongly suggest you not to try Time-Travelling since it has caused loads ofaccidents and may reverse everything...'Rubbish.Never spare a thought to giveany practical guide for those who actually have tried?"
"Morning,Selene!Anything interesting to read?"Mary was barelyvisible behind a large pile of books like "A Conversation withMerpeople" and "Seen and Unforeseen in the Eyes of Centaurs".
Sissy hastily squeezed the book mentioning Time-Travelling into herbag."Uh...not much.I have some trouble with..."
"Oh,'A Thousand Way of Magical Repairing'!I've read thatbefore,quite a dull one."Mary placed her books opposite Sissy with a loud"bang","Anyway,do you have something to mend?"
"Yes...An intractable case.I've tried everything."
"Sounds exciting.Maybe I can help?Could you let me have a lookat..."
"Sorry,but no.It's...a secret and it's dangerous."Sissyfoisted the Time-Turner even deeper into her pocket.
"Never mind."Though Mary failed to conceal the disappointmenton her face,"I love secrets!By the way,have you heard about the Law ofUniversal Retrieval?It may help you fix anything out of ordinary!"
"Nope...What's that precisely?"Sissy was perked at once.
Mary seemed to be glad at her sudden attention and flowed on:"Itwas settled by centaurs,you know.They're undoubtedly the wisest race!It is saidthat to repair something beyond our power,firstly you need to stew acomplicated potion in a damp environment until it foams in gold.Then keep it ina bottle in your inner pocket and concentrate on what you need to mend everydawn and dusk at the exact time when the sun appears or disappears for sevenweeks continuously.Don't forget to add a petal which you believe is related toit at every Sunday night in the meanwhile.And on the last full-moon night,youshould sit beside a peaceful lake in pure moonlight and drip seven drop of thepotion onto the center of the thing.Wait for seven seconds.Then point your wandtip at the center and shout "Reparo Mirakkulously" while sketching aseven-pointed star in total belief that you can manage it."
"Wow...complex indeed...but it worth a try.Have you tried itbefore?"The more intricate a stuff seemed,the more activated Sissy got.
"Not yet...I don't remember exactly how to stew the drug...which iscalled Rehab Potion."
"Sounds challengeable...I'll work it out,anyway."Sissyscribbled down some points on her notebook,the cork necklace dangling on herneck.
Remembering it was her birthday,she added a smiling face and a cake onthe page along with a slanting seven-pointed star and made a wish with herhands over the cork.
Everything'll be fine...She assured herself.
The whole November was embraced by chilly winds and sleet.
Sissy scurried toward the dungeon in which students were dismissed aftera potion lesson just now.James Potter and Sirius Black hurried outnoisily,cracking wise.Then Lily brushed past with Snape trotting in her wake.
"Severus...excuse me."Sissy called to him over the uproar.
She caught Lily's accusing glance and saw she running away after a sharpturn.
"Lily!"Snape cried bitterly.
"I'm terribly sorry..."Sissy came to his side.Snape's facesunk.
"Oi!There you are,Severus!Hang on,my boy."Professor Slughorninterrupted,his paunch protruding through the door case."Oh,and you mayfollow,Miss Clearwater."He beckoned again.
The two of them glimpsed at each other awkwardly and stepped into thedeserted classroom.
"Ah,Selene,clearly you'd like to be our new member of the SlugClub?Tut,tut.Never have seen such a brilliant girl...except Lily,perhaps.Notbeing a Pure-blood doesn't matter sometimes..."Professor Slughorn lookedat Sissy up and down with appreciation.
"And you,dear Severus,always the most talented...especially inPotions.Umm...you'll make a decent couple someday."Professor Slughornturned to Snape without realizing that he was poking his nose aroundagain."Well...just a joke."He added hastily as Sissy's face grewscarlet and Snape's became distorted in pain.
"Sir...so what made you bring me back?"Snape asked,resistinghis indignation.
"Dear me!I almost forget..."Slughorn slapped a thick hand onhis forehead and fumbled in his drawer."I have something for our youngpotions master..."He pulled out a worn-out book named "A Must forTop-notch Potions-maker" and handed it to Snape.
"Thanks,Professor."Snape was spellbound by the bookimmediately.
Sissy twiddled the cork absentmindedly and decided to takeactions:"Professor Slughorn?Could I ask something?"
"Ask away,ask away.My girl."
"How do you know about the Rehab Potion?"
"Ah...That's quite an ancient one...and abstract as well...Are youintending to repair something beyond ordinary?"
"Yes or no..."There was ambiguity in her voice,"Could youplease explain how to stew it,sir?"
"Well then."Professor Slughorn stumbled into a jumbled boothand rummaged in a pile of parchments for a long while."Got it."Heemerged behind the mess drenched in sweat,holding an especially shabby scrollof yellowish parchment.
For the first time Snape raised his eyes in curiosity.
Written by YYQ
来源：预言家日报
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