Chapter 38

The school felt particularly deserted during the holiday, with few students around.

James, Sirius, and Peter had all gone home for Christmas, leaving Remus behind. Lily had also planned to go home but decided to stay because she was worried about me and my aunt.

We spent the rest of the holiday in the library and Professor Flitwick's office. He stayed at the school during the break and was thrilled to hear that we wanted to learn protective spells to safeguard our families. He praised us enthusiastically, nearly moved to tears. I was surprised at how someone as small as Professor Flitwick could contain such strong emotions; he seemed to get excited very easily.

Professor Flitwick agreed to teach us a house protection spell that creates a protective barrier around a house, preventing malicious people from approaching. However, the spell's effectiveness depends on the caster's ability. At our current level, if Death Eaters were to come, the spell would likely be easily broken. But combined with warning spells and magical items like sneakoscopes, it could at least alert those inside the house to danger, allowing them to seek help.

My original idea was to connect the fireplace at home to a safe place using the Floo Network, allowing a quick escape if necessary. However, Professor Flitwick explained that Muggles couldn't use the Floo Network independently, as it required both Floo Powder and magical support. I could connect my home's fireplace, but it would only facilitate my quick return home. For a magical escape, I would need to be present. The same applied to Portkeys; while I could use a Portkey with my parents, the person directly using it without magical support could be injured or even torn apart by spatial pressure.

Professor Flitwick suggested keeping constant contact with home, ideally through a pair of two-way mirrors, which Muggles could also use. However, two-way mirrors were expensive. While the potion shop had started making money, we didn't want to dip into those funds.

Finally, Professor Flitwick decided to teach us a spell that could link to the protective spell at home, alerting us immediately if the protection spell was attacked. This solution was also acceptable, providing basic protection.

For the rest of the term, we scheduled lessons with Professor Flitwick every Thursday evening in the Charms classroom. It felt like special tutoring, and Professor Flitwick seemed happy to provide it, welcoming any eager students from all houses, not just his own Ravenclaws.

After a few sessions, Professor Flitwick was pleased with our progress. Both Lily and I were doing well, and he believed we could master the spells by the end of the term. Learning alongside Lily, I found her understanding and control on par with mine, even though I had the advantage of an adult's mindset. Lily was truly talented.

I scrutinized Lily from head to toe, her beautiful deep red hair, bright green eyes looking back at me curiously, and her well-developed figure. Feeling my gaze, Lily defensively crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sawyer, what are you plotting now?" She looked at me like I was some sort of monster.

I held up my hands innocently. "Nothing. I was just thinking about the truth behind Potter's obsession and concluded that he has excellent taste." I nodded at her skeptical look. "Yes, I'm complimenting you."

"Ugh, you always leave me speechless." Lily had grown used to my teasing about Potter chasing her. She lifted her chin. "I'll accept your compliment!"

"Yesterday afternoon, I felt like someone was following us. They were quite good at hiding. Do you think it was Potter?"

"Probably. Who else would have nothing better to do but wander around?" Lily sounded exasperated.

"He used Disillusionment well, and he silenced his steps. If it weren't for the intense feeling of being watched, I wouldn't have noticed. My revealing spell didn't work. If it weren't for the footprints by the bathroom, I would've thought it was my imagination. But without proof, we can't confront him. Do we have to go to the girls' bathroom every time to shake him off?" It would be troublesome if he discovered our base, even if he couldn't enter.

"What else can we do?" Lily sighed, looking frustrated. "We'll just have to be careful. Let's make a bathroom stop before heading to the base!"

Seeing Lily so troubled, I decided to be kind and not tease her anymore, smiling quietly instead.

I thought we could avoid trouble by being careful, but Potter still found out about our base. Although we managed to evade his stalking, he then followed Severus after class, straight to the Room of Requirement. After Severus entered, the door disappeared, and Potter, finding it suspicious but unable to enter, kept watch nearby. Not long after, he saw Lily go in alone, which meant that by the time I was inside. To Potter, it looked like Severus and Lily were alone together in the room all night.

We had actually left through another exit before curfew, but Potter, unable to find a way in, grew more frustrated and waited outside all night. The next morning, with dark circles under his eyes, he confronted Severus in the Great Hall, demanding a duel.

Although few students were there for breakfast, those present were eager to watch the spectacle. The Slytherins wore grim expressions, seeing it as a challenge to their house. I nudged the still-stunned Lily, and we, along with the group—red-eyed Potter, his three half-asleep friends, a very annoyed Severus, and a mortified Lily—headed to an empty classroom. I locked the door and cast anti-eavesdropping and anti-spying spells.

"Settle whatever issue you have now. We have classes soon," I said, stifling a yawn.

"Severus Snape, I challenge you to a duel! The loser must stay away from Lily forever!" Potter declared, eyes bloodshot, pointing his wand at Severus.

Lily, hearing this unreasonable challenge, immediately bristled. "Why should something involving me be decided by a duel? What's gotten into you? Why do you suddenly want to duel? What happened?"

Potter looked hurt by Lily's scolding but quickly masked it with determination. He continued addressing Severus, "Snape, do you accept my challenge?"

Severus sneered, his lips curling. "For what reason?" He then tilted his head, almost pitying Potter. "I don't expect someone with a troll-sized brain to come up with a suitable reason to expend your clearly excessive energy."

Severus's tone and words infuriated Potter. Practically bouncing with rage, he took a deep breath, glared at Severus, then glanced at Lily and me before dramatically raising his wand again. "For Lily and Sawyer, to avenge their hearts that you toyed with!" Oh, how dramatic. "Take up your wand, Snape! Today, truth is on my side, you deceitful, two-timing scoundrel!"

Dropping my playful demeanor, I realized things had escalated unexpectedly. What on earth was Potter thinking? I saw Severus's eyes narrow, clearly provoked.

Potter continued his rant, "Scared, are you? Ah, typical Slytherin cowardice!" He laughed with his friends, though Remus tried to intervene, only to be held back by Sirius.

"Enough!" Severus growled, drawing his wand swiftly and pointing it at Potter's throat. "I refuse your foolish challenge, but you will pay for your insults!" Severus's wand tip began to glow, and a curse shot towards Potter, who barely dodged it by raising his wand just in time. Lily and I exchanged glances and rushed to separate them.

"Calm down, Severus. It's not worth causing trouble over this nonsense!" I tried to soothe him, turning to glare at Potter. "Explain yourself. What do you mean by 'toying with hearts'? What's this about two-timing? Are you trying to provoke Severus on purpose?"

Lily also demanded answers, hands on her hips, while the other three boys hurried to back up Potter.

"I'm doing this for your own good!" Potter retorted. "You've both been deceived by him. He's Sawyer's boyfriend, yet last night…" He glared at Severus. "He was alone with Lily in the same room all night!"

Hearing Potter call Severus my boyfriend made me momentarily breathless, feeling inexplicably guilty. But his next words left us all gaping.

So that's what happened. He must have followed Severus to the Room of Requirement and then seen Lily go in too but never saw us leave. This must have driven him mad with jealousy. The three of us exchanged understanding looks, while Sirius and Remus shot disapproving glances at Severus.

"If you're talking about the room on the eighth floor yesterday afternoon, I was there the whole time. I went in before Severus and left with him before curfew through another exit," I explained.

"What other exit? We've been there, and there's only one small room. We hid from Filch there. Are you still covering for him, Sawyer?" Potter looked at me like I was a deluded fool.

I felt utterly drained. "This is Hogwarts, full of mysteries. We don't have a complicated love triangle. It's a misunderstanding."

"And I am not Sawyer's boyfriend. Stop making baseless assumptions," Severus said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion.

For some reason, I felt a pang of disappointment. Was he so eager to dissociate himself from me? "Right, we're just friends. Who told you otherwise?"

Potter looked surprised, glancing at Remus, who accepted my reproachful gaze with an apologetic expression.

"Alright, everything's cleared up. It was all a misunderstanding. James, you should apologize to Severus for your accusations," Lily said.

Potter's pride wouldn't let him apologize to Severus. Predictably, he retorted, "He started it by attacking me, not accepting a fair challenge, just sneak attacking!" He sneered at Severus. "Hiding behind girls when his attack fails. I see you're used to being protected by Sawyer."

I was stunned by the harshness of his words. Looking back, I realized I had instinctively shielded Severus during the confrontation, perfectly fitting Potter's accusation. Severus's face turned even darker, and I quickly stepped aside, snapping at Potter, "You're crossing the line! It's not like that at all…"

Before I could finish, Severus abruptly turned and stormed out, his robe billowing dramatically behind him.