Chapter 724 - Actualities Ⅳ

With some interest and trepidation after Ancient Runes, Rowan made her way to the D.A. class period that Severus and she shared with the Gryffindor's. Severus was already inside sitting next to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Their Care of Magical Creatures had ended rather early by Professor Kettleburn because one of the Thestral's had gone into labor, and as a result, he had canceled class for the rest of the day. With his apprentice in tow, Rubeus Hagrid, the two of them hurriedly went to the aide of the Thestral mare. Normally there would no need for such worry but the Thestral mare was carrying two foals. It would be precarious labor as there was even the possibility of the cords intertwining about the two foals' necks or even worse the tangling of limbs, a breech birth, etc.

Seeing his twin sister, Severus gave her a not-so-subtle nod. With a bit of a reluctant expression, Rowan sat down next to Lily and leans over to whisper, "Severus would like to have a word with you after class, Lily."

Lily's face instantly brightens up as she eagerly whispers back, "I was thinking the exact same thing! I was going to ask you to tell him during lunch-," She turns a bit green as she continues, "-but one of the first year's was throwing up, and I had to take him down to the infirmary!" And she violently shivered a bit with nausea at the mere recollection of the memory.

"Oh, goody," Rowan drily muttered to herself and began to pull out her things from her bag. She understood only far too well Lily's reaction as she also had the misfortune of dragging first years and several students feeling under the weather to the infirmary. Bless Madam Pomfrey's heart for being the matron because Rowan would have surely killed them otherwise.

Lily flashes Rowan a smile as she happily stares down at her hands. She had been rather downtrodden without her childhood best friend at her side. She hadn't realized just how important Severus was in her life, and how big of a void would be left in her life without his continued presence. But more importantly, she had realized just what he truly had meant to her all along.

Lily instantly blushed as her thoughts immediately race and recall Severus confessing his feelings to her. She had been so in shock that she had flatly turned him down. But she had realized that she had not exactly objected to the idea, she had merely never truly conceived the thought before, and which did mean that there was not something there to further be explored.

Biting her lips, Lily glances up at Severus to see him calmly nod at her, before turning to face the front. She flushes even more, before taking a breath to steady herself. Gryffindors were supposed to be brave and she didn't want to lose Severus again because of her cowardice! That and she really did miss everything about Severus. She missed their talks, his laughter, the way his onyx eyes sparkled when he spoke to her, or even how handsome he looked with the sun streaming through the windows in the hallways as they walked. He was an integral part of her life, and she was to blame for not truly noticing it until she had lost it! A fool, she was, but she wasn't going to remain one! She was going to fight for what was important to her and she wouldn't go down without a fight! She was a Gryffindor!

Lily is startled out of her thoughts as the tall, slender figure of Professor Prince sweeps in elegantly as usual. "I expect that all of you have finished your essay on Pixies and on how to deal with the nasty blighted creatures."

"Yes, Professor," the fifth year's answered in chorus.

Professor Prince says, "Now that is out of the way, we shall move on to a more practical subject. A spell, which is most useful to Auror's, and in various other types of situations." Instantly the males in the room perk up including a couple of girls.

"The spell is known as the Human Presence Revealing charm," Professor Prince explained. "I'm sure that many of you can see why this would be so useful to an Auror or to anyone who is searching for living beings in a nearby area."

Holding out her wand, Professor Prince says, "Homenum Revelio!" A blur-like wind emerges from the tip of her wand. Faint-like sounds can be heard as the colorless spell passes through each of them revealing their exact location.

"Naturally the spell use is far from being perfect," Professor Prince said. "In casting the spell, the caster also reveals their presence and existence to those he or she seeks. That is why Auror's only tend to cast the spell when searching for a single individual or to establish if it is a trap. Although it can be used in a variety of other situations as such searching for a lost child and so forth. Are there any questions?"

Seeing that there are none, Professor Prince goes on to explain the mechanics of the spell, and various other historical-related information about the creation of the charm. All too soon the class ends as Lily packs up her things, but before she can walk over to Severus, Rowan drags her away.

"Just follow me," Rowan murmured at seeing Lily staring at her in abrupt surprise including Severus. Rowan motions with her head for Severus to follow as she drags Lily to an abandoned corridor.

"Wait right here for Severus, he'll be along shortly," Rowan sternly instructed before hurrying rushing away to a nearby from which to conveniently peek at and overhear their conversation. She most certainly was not being nosey! She was just performing her duties as a friend and Severus's older twin sister. She had to ensure that everything ended up perfectly fine!

Lily clutches her books to her c.h.e.s.t and nervously taps her foot against the stone floor, before hurriedly patting down her hair. She didn't want to look too fl.u.s.tered when Severus arrived. All too soon, a familiar long gaited footstep can be heard causing her mouth to suddenly go dry. For some reason, she felt a bit light-headed and sluggish. What was she going to say! What was she supposed to say! All logical thoughts fled at the sight of her handsome childhood friend, best friend to be perfectly honest, who now wasn't her friend turned the corner.

Lily's eyes unconsciously widen as she takes Severus in. He was still himself, but at the same time he was not. He'd grown taller over the summer, and now looked more like a young man than a gangly youth. His hair was neatly pulled back in some sort of bun drawing attention to his handsome angular face and his onyx eyes that glittered like the brightest of gems. He seemed rather grown up dressed in an elegant style with just a touch of youthfulness. He'd grown up and changed without her even noticing.