"Always" (Severus/Lily) K+
A story about Snape and Lily's daughter Helera Snape. (This is my first time writing fanfiction, please leave some comments!)
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Prologue
A warm, golden light draped itself over the tender field where their story had begun. The gentle breeze carried hope, wrapping around the soon-to-be couple.
They stood close beneath the clear, open sky. Lily’s bright emerald eyes met Severus’s with a mixture of hope and fear.
“We must keep this hidden,” Severus whispered, his voice steady but tender, hope flooding through him. “The world outside is growing darker, and they would never understand us.”
Lily’s hand found his, fingers intertwining. “No matter what comes, Sev, we face it together. This love… it’s ours alone, away from the shadows. It’s different from the one I had with James, public, and … abused. I should have called the divorce earlier.” A trace of bitterness formed in her voice.
He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss. They stood together in silence. No cake, no bouquet, no ring, this love of theirs was enough to top a fancy wedding ceremony.
Golden light wrapped them in its gentle glow. In that quiet moment, beneath the fading sky, their love blossomed — fierce, secret, and unbreakable, just the two of them, no legacies, no betrayal, no lies, just Severus and Lily. Together. Always.
Chapter 1: The Letter and the Promise
Helera stood by the window, glancing at the owl-less sky. Hogwarts acceptance letters were coming out, and today was the final day of the process. She couldn’t bear to imagine the shame if she didn’t get one. Perhaps she could go to Durmstrang, or Beauxbatons instead?
She scanned the sky for any sign of a shadow. Her gaze wandered to a sleek black shadow sweeping into view. Helera’s breath caught. She opened the window, letting the owl in. It was a fierce-looking screech owl, a letter in her beak, sealed with the Hogwarts crest. Of course. She was being ridiculous to imagine not getting one. After all, she knew more magic than even Harry Potter did. Opening it, it read:
Dear Ms. Evans(of course the world knew her as Helera Evans, she thought, slightly bitter), we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
Helera sighed with relief. She had been accepted after all. She pocketed her letter and ran down the staircase, eager to share the news with her parents.
“What’s this?” Lily Snape asked, but from the tone of her voice, she already knew. When Helera showed her the letter, Lily’s eyes lit up, her already bright green eyes glistening in both the sunlight and her excitement. Severus Snape, on the other hand, merely looked satisfied.
“Very well. Before you head to Diagon Alley, I have some advice.” His black eyes darkened, not the unfathomable darkness Harry Potter had seen in them, but a kind of serene look, blocking his thoughts and secrets, his Occlumency so powerful not even the Dark Lord could penetrate it. “First, your parentage should not be revealed to anyone.” He paused, then continued. “Your ability to speak Parseltongue must also be kept hidden. I regret passing down that trait to you, though I had no choice. Parseltongue is related to dark magic, dark wizards. Despite the whole ‘Harry Potter the Parselmouth’ fiasco, inherited Parseltongue traits are still not exactly welcome in our community. And…”
He drew a slender wand from his pocket, not his, but yet Helera found it clearly recognizable. The Deathstick. The Wand of Destiny. The Elder Wand. “Harry Potter left it in what was supposedly my grave, containing a Gemino Charm since I faked my death, knowing Dumbledore wanted me to have it. However, ever since when we were practicing Stinging Hexes, even though you were using Lily’s wand, the time you managed to win, the wand answered to you. Meaning that this is now your wand. Don’t show it off, or boast of it. Luckily, not many recognize it, so this will be your wand for daily use. Be careful. One misstep, and you won’t even be able to see the dangers before they grasp you.”
Lily braided Helera’s hair, her warm touch soothing to Helera’s racing heart. “It doesn’t matter.” She tied Helera’s braid up gingerly, with a ribbon as green as her eyes. “You will be fine. Hogwarts will be home to you, whether you find yourself a Gryffindor, or a Slytherin, or any of the houses. You’ll find friends at Hogwarts.” She smiled, recounting her own memories. “Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who deserve it,” she said, quoting Dumbledore. “And you do.”
Helera looked into the sky, hope surging through her, her green eyes shining. Whatever came next, she was ready for it.
