Chapter Two - Redhead's Jealousy

In the last few weeks, some really strange things had happened since her best friend, Severus Snape, had greeted her in the potions classroom with a 'smile'.

The fact that in itself is already very strange!

Later, Headmaster Dumbledore summons him to a meeting with the high-caliber potionists (supposedly).

A week later the prophet arrives with a photograph of Sevy holding up a jar as if examining it.

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Apparently, his best friend was gaining recognition for being a prodigious mind. She always knew that Severus had talent, but she didn't imagine it was that much.

Another change she'd noticed was the fact that Severus wasn't spending as much time with her anymore. He claimed to be on "certain matters" or busy with one or another investigation, usually related to the creation or correction of a new potion.

She decided to take advantage of the absence of his Slytherin friend to get closer to James, whom she understood more with the days and, curiously, they were in a kind of "flirtation" since there was a certain attraction.

- "We will go with Sirius and the boys to Hogsmeade on Saturday, would you like to come?" - James asked.

- "It depends, what will you do?"

- "They say there are some new brooms in the Quidditch shop."

- "Pass, you will be dumbfounded in your toy store and I will feel out of place."

James stepped in front of her and took both of her hands. - "We could go somewhere else, just us" - He said in a charming voice. - "For one day that I am not with them, nothing will happen."

- "Would you leave your boys for me?" - Asked the redhead mischievously. - "Don't you think you're getting too close?"

- "I feel you far away."

Their faces were very close, the kiss seemed inevitable. Lily closed her eyes and parted her lips and...

- "LOOK IT'S JESSICA ROBB!!!"

The scream made them separate.

A tidal wave of footsteps echoed down the hall, students leaning out from balconies. The pair stepped aside to avoid being crushed. The bustle did not wait.

Lily took James by the hand and looked for a space to see this Jessica Robb crossing the castle courtyard.

- "She's beautiful," - Said a senior at Hufflepuff. - "Is she here for the school's Quidditch star?"

- "Idiot" - Replied his companion. - "It's obvious he's coming for the potionist."

- "That Severus guy" - He snorted. - "He's lucky, she will surely have a private interview with that goddess, they say there is no better reporter, she knows how to discover your most hidden secrets."

- "She can get everything she wants from me" - Said the young man mischievously. - "Perhaps, she will 'give something' in exchange for certain information."

Both young men laughed maliciously.

Lily focused her attention on the woman, she had a very beautiful face, fine features, and beautiful straight chocolate-colored hair, not to mention a dreamy figure that made the stupid hormones around her sigh. The very loose one wore a blue blouse that was very close to her figure and a skirt that was too short for Lily's taste.

How ridiculous! She regretted not being able to be present when she realized that her Sevy is not taken in by such vulgar charms.

She turned to see James. The very stupid was dumbfounded!

She got upset, her suitor had been about to kiss her and now he was devouring that reporter with his eyes. She turned around and went to her tower while listening as James called her back.

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- "Smug!" - James crumpled up the prophet and tossed it aside.

- "Calm down, James" - Lily replied.

- "You don't seem very happy either" - Potter said. - "Your little friend, Snivellus, is on the verge of fame."

- "It's not that!" - Lily jumped annoyed although she wasn't sure why. - "I don't like journalists who use their absurd charms to make others talk."

- "I doubt that Snivellus is entirely innocent!" - Sirius spoke, who at that moment was wrinkling again the prophet he had picked up from the ground when he saw James' annoyance. - "It's like James says, he was alone until recently, and now that someone is watching him he has delusions of greatness."

- "Maybe we should bring him back to reality" - James said.

- "What?"

- "Nothing, pretty, nothing" - James Potter said quickly. - "We have Quidditch practice, I won't see you until tonight. Can we talk in the astronomy tower?"

- "Seven o'clock would be fine" - Redhead said.

She seriously couldn't believe that those words written in the prophet had been spoken by his best friend. It was obvious that the reporter had behaved like a fortune hunter.

'Bitch!' - She thought angrily.

Why does it bother me so much? She should be happy for Severus, now he doesn't look bitter at the world and walks around full of life. He even found his Prince origin, now he has a mansion and a great fortune. Did that mean he wouldn't be her neighbor anymore?

She looked over to the Slytherin table where Severus was eating elegantly. When had he learned to behave like this? As far as she remembered, Sevy didn't have those marked movements or stand as straight when he walked.

- "Lily, Lily."

The redhead turned to her housemate, a brunette named Ruth Nolis who was sitting next to her and leaning towards her as well as Martha Burges who wanted to join in the conversation.

- "Yes?"

- "The prince of potions is your friend, right?" - She consulted, taking a look at the dark-haired man.

- "Yes" - She answered, feeling a little inexplicable anger inside her. - "Prince of potions?"

- "You know, Prince means prince" - Ruth clarified.

- "And from what I see he behaves like one" - Contributed her friend.

They both giggled, which to Lily were the screeching of crows.

- "The truth, I wanted to consult you, eh, well" - Ruth's cheeks lit up -. "Is he available?"

Exactly the thing she needed. - "Why do you ask me? You should ask him that!"

- "I've tried to get closer but it's not that easy, whenever I gave myself courage I've seen him accompanied by a blonde Ravenclaw."

So Severus hung out with the bland blonde while he put off being 'busy'.

- "I wanted to know if the blonde is his girlfriend."

- "As far as I know, Sevy doesn't have a girlfriend" - Lily reported with some emphasis in her voice. - "Also, he doesn't like blondes."

- "Cool! I am a brunette!"

'Fuck.'

She rolled her eyes and stood up. She hadn't finished lunch but she had no appetite.

She stayed outside the dining room to wait. After a few minutes, she found Severus coming out in the direction of who knows where.

- "Can we talk or now that you're famous you don't need my company?"

- "Lily, it's nice to see you" - Severus said, moving in front of her. - "What's going on? I see you are angry."

- "Maybe you would know what's wrong with me if you weren't avoiding me" - She reproached him.

- "I'm not avoiding you" - He emphasized. - "Where did you get that nonsense?"

- "I do not know! It will be because we haven't talked for more than a week!" - Severus froze at that, Is she complaining to him? - "I feel like I've lost you as a friend, you're always busy and you don't even attend potions class anymore where we were in a group."

- "I was exonerated" - Sevy defended himself. - "During those hours I can work reviewing some writings of the potionists I advise." - Lily didn't change her abandoned expression, Severus sighed. - "You're right, I've had you abandoned. I thought with Potter's company you would barely notice my absence."

- "James is special to me, but he's not my best friend" - She smiled.

- "He's more than special." - Severus put his hands on the Redhead's shoulders. - "He is your future."

Lily's eyes widened.

Was that Severus? The same one who a few months ago complained about dealing with James and his friends? Normally he got mad just hearing the Gryffindor's name.

For some reason, those words shocked her too much, she felt... No idea! Before, seeing her friend get angry made her feel valuable, because she valued her company and fought for it. Now... he has more company.

It was a reality, his friend's world had changed and no longer revolved around their friendship. Now he had a fortune, a mansion, fame, prestige, recognition, a better appearance, and dirty harpies asking about him.

Was that aristocratic bearing and features hidden behind his friend's mop of greasy hair and bland walk?

- "Lily?" - Severus' voice snapped her out of her trance. - "Hogwarts calling Lily."

She stared at those deep black orbs. She looked at his face carefully after years of friendship without bothering to do so.

Angular face, smooth white skin, long (now) fine, straight hair slicked back, upright posture, and athletic body. Athletic? Would he be exercising?

After her observation, she agreed with her housemates, he was a prince... one of peculiar attractiveness, since although he did not entirely fit the stereotype of a handsome man, he had...

- "I have to go" - Sevy said. - "However, I recognize my faults in the pact of friendship never pronounced between us. Do you have something to do on Saturday during the Hogsmeade outing?"

- "No, I have the whole day off."

- "Do you mind if we go out?"

- "Saturday then. Eight in the morning at the entrance of the castle."

- "Done." - Severus took the redhead's face in both hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. - "See you."

Lily watched him go.

Before, Severus used to be as happy as a fool when they agreed to spend a day together. Now... he seemed more distant.

She headed to the upper corridors, taking a mental note of the date on Saturday, she thought about James's invitation without any emotion, she preferred that he go with his buddies to the Quidditch shop. Anyway, she saw him every day in the Gryffindor common room.

Why did she feel this emptiness inside her?