Snape didn't know his reputation had suffered collateral damage.
And the conversation between him and Lily was actually subtly different from what her three roommates imagined. It could even be said that Snape was the one suffering torment.
"Can I come over now?"
"No."
"What about now?"
"Still no."
"Really?"
"..."
Just a moment of inattention—
Lily would quietly lean a step closer, repeatedly testing where Snape's bottom line of acceptance lay.
A helpless look appeared on his face, and Snape sighed inwardly for the umpteenth time.
Especially from the birdcage on the luggage—
Juliet, who was raised to be sleek and shiny, was still cackling, watching the excitement with schadenfreude from the side.
Before Lily could continue to pester him, Snape took the initiative to run through the brick wall in front of him.
Like ten thousand boulders rolling down from a mountaintop.
The unbearable loud noise lasted for only a few seconds before coming to an abrupt halt, replaced by the bright light of the outside world falling on Snape, bringing threads of warmth.
Taking a deep breath uncontrollably, Snape looked at the endless stream of people before him.
Among these ordinary people arrogantly called "Muggles" by wizards, no one noticed the peculiar sight of him suddenly appearing from the wall. This effect of wantonly distorting cognition was obviously some kind of magical ability.
"Can I talk to you now?"
The rare quiet didn't last too long.
With Lily appearing closely behind, her soft and gentle careful inquiry soon sounded.
"Walk a bit further. Leave quickly before others come out."
Noticing the faint grievance in Lily's tone, Snape softened his tone and said.
"Mmhmm."
This small concession made Lily show a look of joy, following closely behind Snape and disappearing into the bustling train station.
Walking on the road with an owl and a raven was quite eye-catching.
Along the way, Snape and Lily suffered quite a baptism of curious gazes. Fortunately, this uncomfortable experience finally came to a deliberate end after reaching the station exit.
"Long time no see, Mom. How have you been?"
"Very well, except for missing you often."
Eileen, whom he hadn't seen for a while, couldn't help but smile widely the moment she saw Snape.
Tobias was standing next to a brand new dark blue car. If Snape wasn't mistaken, it should be a luxury car recently launched by Mercedes-Benz.
There was also a smile on his face, showing no trace of the gloom and depression from more than two years ago.
"Hello, Dad. Your car looks nice."
"...This is all thanks to you and your mother."
The robust man smiled bashfully, but ultimately suppressed his sense of shame and said solemnly:
"Compared to the car, what makes me more proud is you two."
Both Eileen and Snape were stunned for a moment.
A few seconds later, when the man couldn't help looking away, Eileen, moved to tears, stepped forward and hugged the stiff Tobias.
"Me too, dear. Even in those hardest years, I never thought of leaving you."
Watching the scene of parents showing affection stronger than gold—
The corners of Snape's mouth curled up slightly, and he stuffed Juliet into the back seat himself.
His gaze inadvertently drifted far away. Not far from where Snape was looking, Lily's situation didn't seem to be going very smoothly.
For some unknown reason—
The reunion that should have been warm seemed fragmented. Vaguely, one could hear Lily's sister Petunia shouting with a crying tone, as well as Lily's awkward, quiet explanations and persuasion.
As if feeling Snape's gaze—
Lily revealed a pale, bitter smile to Snape, the cheerfulness and relaxation from not long ago gone.
Frowning tightly, Snape subconsciously rubbed the wand hidden in his cuff at all times. This was the position where he could draw it out fastest from his whole body.
However, before he could step forward—
Petunia was hurriedly persuaded into the back seat of the car by her parents with kind words. They didn't forget to smile apologetically at Snape, the boy they knew had a good relationship with Lily.
Lily's mood was visibly low.
After putting her belongings in the trunk, she sat in the front seat of the car alone, while her mother sat with Petunia to soothe her emotions.
"Severus, what are you looking at?"
Eileen's question interrupted Snape's silent gaze.
"...Hmm, nothing. Just happened to discover a problem."
Lowering his eyelids thoughtfully.
Without exposing the brewing emotions to Eileen, only Snape whispered to himself:
"Since a problem is discovered, a way should be found to solve it, shouldn't it?"
...
Petunia felt very wronged.
Clearly, she was the first to go on holiday, but when they came to pick her up, neither Dad nor Mom had any smiles. Instead, they kept laughing at the acne growing on her face recently!
Instead, when going to pick up that terrible wizard, they even brought cake for that guy!!
How unfair, and how foolish!
Petunia simply couldn't believe it.
Did these adults not understand that those wizards were a bunch of dangerous elements who deserved to be tied to a cross and burned to death? Did they not know that the three of them in this family should be on the same side?!
That guy should be isolated, locked alone in a room, and prevented from meeting that dangerous boy again!
No, no, no, this is not enough.
That school shouldn't let her go again either. After all, monsters will only breed monsters. She will definitely take revenge on us in the future!
What made Petunia despair was that her parents seemed completely indifferent to her advice.
They insisted on persuading her to let go of her jealousy and accept her sister's unusualness.
Ha!
What a joke!
What is there to be jealous of about a misfit monster?
Shouldn't it be her envying me? She can never think of integrating into the world of ordinary people in her life. Everything here is ten thousand times better than her weird magic!
With indignant anger—
Petunia flatly refused Lily's request to make up before going to bed. Wrapping the quilt tightly in burning anger, she waited for sleepiness to visit.
Time passed, until Lily's slightly tearful explanation at the door disappeared under her parents' persuasion.
Half-asleep, Petunia turned over.
By the moonlight, her blurry peripheral vision suddenly glimpsed a ghost-like figure sitting on the chair in front of her. With immovable indifference, he was quietly looking down at her from less than two meters away, unknown how long he had been there!
The horror that surged in an instant went all the way up from her tailbone, dissipating all of Petunia's sleepiness instantly, leaving her terrified beyond words!
But before she could scream aloud—
Petunia heard clearly that the black-haired boy, integrated with the night, was looking at her with eyes devoid of any emotion.
As if looking at a pile of lifeless meat, he whispered coldly!
"Good evening, Petunia Evans. I want to make a deal with you..."