"Did... did you prepare all of this?"
"To be precise, no. But in Hogwarts, you aren't the only one who maintains friendly relations with the house-elves."
The top of the Astronomy Tower was open to the sky.
One only needed to tilt their head slightly to see the enchanting stars twinkling high above, the vastness of the universe fully on display.
But if one looked down—
The steaming, delicious food laid out right in front of them would undoubtedly pull them straight back to the mortal world.
Feeling the purest joy rising from the mundane essentials of life—
Every rumble of the stomach was an urgent plea to the taste buds, impatient to taste this wonderful feast under the stars!
Taking a light sip of the warm pumpkin porridge, the slightly sweet taste made Lily's emerald eyes curve into crescents. While carefully minding her image in front of Snape, she couldn't help but take several more sips.
Snape didn't have as many concerns.
He sandwiched the steak and lettuce between two slices of bread, then spread raspberry jam over it.
One bite down, and the sweet and sour taste perfectly cut through the greasiness of the steak, replaced by the satisfaction of meat. Coupled with the spiritual fulfillment of admiring the starry sky, Snape felt the sense of urgency that had been pressing on his heart fade away in a trance.
No longer thinking about anything regarding the Death Eaters or future plans, he wholeheartedly enjoyed the midnight snack meticulously prepared by Fran at this moment, indulging his stomach to the fullest.
Neither of them spoke.
Only the stars twinkled, draping a veil of starlight over the boy and girl.
Until the last beef pie was split in half and shared between them, and they wiped the residual grease from their lips.
Amidst the uninvited, slight drowsiness brought on by a wonderful fullness, Snape and Lily lay on the floor of the silent and deserted Astronomy Tower, quietly admiring the countless stars dotting the night sky.
"Something happened, right?"
Abruptly—
Lily's murmured question broke the quiet air.
And Snape clearly had no intention of hiding it, nodding decisively.
"The Slytherin side has already started pressuring me to break off relations with you. It's time for our plan to begin."
"...It's really annoying. If only there weren't those scumbags in the world who are bent on bullying others, then we wouldn't have to be separated."
"You'll get used to it. There are many people in Gryffindor who are your friends; you won't feel lonely because of this."
"But they aren't you."
Lily looked sideways, her watery eyes holding only tenderness.
"I will miss you, Severus."
"Don't talk as if I'm dead. We can still sneak out to meet like this every night, can't we?"
Snape's grumpy response made Lily laugh out loud, yet a lingering sadness still hovered within it.
It took a long while—
Before Lily's voice, light as a cicada's wing, sounded again.
"Have you thought it through? What kind of excuse are you planning to find for us to separate reasonably?"
"Excuses are always easy to find, but what worries me more is whether you are ready. After all, until he sees me lay a hand on you with his own eyes, Seko won't completely relax his guard against me."
"Training for so long hasn't been in vain, not to mention having you there to help, right?"
"That's true."
The topic returned to a lighter note.
On this night that Snape had specifically created to leave a beautiful memory for Lily, they talked about many, many things.
Complaining about the terrible environmental problems in Cokeworth, critiquing the taste of tonight's beef pie, condemning the excessive homework assigned by various professors, arguing about how to treat Lily's sister, Petunia, correctly...
Most of the time, Snape just chimed in.
Lily, on the other hand, spoke with an enthusiasm as if she wanted to say everything meant for the next few years all at once. She tirelessly chattered about trivial matters in life, occasionally laughing and complaining about some laughable and amusing incidents caused by Gryffindor students' recklessness.
Until the starry sky faded, and drowsiness relentlessly came knocking.
When Lily yawned for the fourteenth time, Snape finally decided to put a period to tonight's night wandering.
"It's too late today. Even Filch has probably fallen asleep. Let's go back."
"Mm, but I feel like I can chat a little longer."
"That's just your feeling being wrong."
Carrying Lily on his back—
The girl on his back wasn't heavy. In a daze, she yawned drowsily, then rested her cheek securely against Snape's back.
Just as Snape had predicted, at this late hour, no matter how keen little wizards were on night wandering, they were already lying safely in bed, dreaming. And without prey, Filch wouldn't continue patrolling the corridors.
The faint glow from the wand in his hand caused figures in quite a few portraits to issue dissatisfied scoldings.
Snape's steps were steady, continuing to maintain the Lighting Charm until he stopped at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.
"Do you remember today's password, Lily?"
"...Mmhmm."
Yawning continuously, tears even seeping from the corners of her eyes.
The moment she left Snape's back, feeling the cold, Lily shivered, finally regaining some clarity.
Just as she was about to leave—
Snape felt a pair of arms embrace him from behind. A warm heat, accompanied by Lily's query—so timid, unlike ever before—drifted over lightly.
"Don't make me wait too long, okay?"
Unlike any previous contact Lily had with Snape—
This hug was so forceful it seemed she wanted to crush herself and stuff herself inside Snape. There was no trace of reserve, only an impulsive and sincere passion, conveying the attachment and reluctance deep in the girl's heart to the bottom of Snape's heart without a single error!
After a brief silence, when Snape spoke again, his voice had never been so soft.
"...Of course. I promise."
From a perspective Lily—finally at ease—couldn't see, a flame silently ignited in those eyes hidden in the darkness.
But Snape just firmly, gently repeated his vow once more.
"I promise."
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