Hogwarts 70's: The Adventures of the Marauders | Headcanon

Winter, January 1970.

In the farthest part of the park, near the frozen stream, Severus and Lily were together.

"What are you doing?" asked Severus, letting out a nervous giggle. He had decided to wear his best coat; he had washed his hair, and now the soft black strands fell cleanly to his neck.

"Don't move, Severus!" Lily scolded him, her green eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Then tell me," he insisted, his voice sounding somewhat worried, though an involuntary smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"It's a surprise," she replied in that conspiratorial tone she used when she wanted to drag him into her adventures. She continued wrapping his head with her red scarf, winding it carefully until it covered his eyes completely, tying it with a loose knot to ensure he couldn't peek around the edges.

"Right… Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?" she asked playfully, holding up two fingers in front of his covered face.

"Well… I can't see, how am I supposed to know?" She burst into laughter. He finally asked, trying to sound indifferent, "Errr… Two?"

"Hey! You're cheating!" she scolded.

"Did you really put up two?" he asked, incredulous.

"Duh! Of course not, I was just joking," said Lily, with that bubbly tone that always made him feel like the world was a little less grey when she was around. "Come on, walk."

Severus snorted, but in truth, he was enjoying the game more than he cared to admit.

"If you make me trip, I'm going to…" Severus began, but his threat died in the air, drowned out by Lily's laughter.

"Trust me!" she interrupted cheerfully, giving him a gentle nudge to get him moving.

Severus huffed but didn't resist.

"I don't like walking blind," he muttered, more to himself than to her, though a slight blush crept up his cheeks beneath the scarf.

"We're almost there," she replied mischievously. Then she took his hand, just for a moment, and pulled him forward. "One more step, come on!"

The boy stumbled forward awkwardly, his breath forming small clouds in the cold air. Even though it had only been a moment, there was something about the warmth of Lily's hand that made his heart feel a little lighter.

Finally, Lily stopped. Letting go of his hand, she ordered him to stay still until she gave the signal. As the minutes passed, he began to grow impatient, but with a swift tug, the scarf fell.

"Ta-da!" she exclaimed, a triumphant smile on her face.

Severus blinked several times, dazed by the light. In front of him, Lily held a small cupcake, tiny, the size of a fist, decorated with green frosting. In the centre, a small green candle flickered in the cold breeze—it was clear she had chosen it with Slytherin in mind.

Severus stood in silence, awestruck.

"It's... lovely," he murmured at last, a hint of surprise in his voice. "You didn't have to, Lily."

"Of course I did! You're my best friend!" she said proudly, and he smiled at her words.

"Thank you," Severus whispered, barely audible, but Lily heard him. At that moment, he truly was happy.

"Come on, make a wish, Severus," the girl said as she held the cupcake in her hand. "Wish for whatever you want most."

"Anything?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes! Anything!" she nodded enthusiastically.

"Mm…" Severus paused, feeling a lump in his throat. "I wish for our friendship to last forever."

With that, he blew out the candle, and she smiled.

"Happy birthday, Sev," she said, handing him the cupcake.

"Thank you, Lily," he said again, blushing.

"What are you waiting for? Try it! My mum helped me make it," she told him, and he seemed touched by her comment, so he simply nodded.

As he got close enough to take a bite of the cupcake, she pushed it a little closer to his face, smudging some frosting on him. Only the tip of his nose ended up smeared with the green cream. When she realised her mischief hadn't quite worked as intended, she bolted, and he chased after her, trying to smear her in return.

"Lily! You've ruined my cake!" Severus protested, wiping his nose with his sleeve, though inside he was laughing.

Lily ran as fast as she could, laughing as she darted through the park, searching for a place to escape her friend's revenge. Her red hair floated behind her, and her laughter was the most infectious of all. Severus followed closely, his boots slipping on the snow, cupcake still in hand, laughing just as joyfully.

"Stop, Severus!" she called out between breaths as she ran. "I can't run in this snow! There are more cupcakes in the basket! I promise! Lots!" she shouted between laughs, glancing back just in time to see Severus nearly tumble.

"That's great!" he said, regaining his balance. "But only after my revenge!" he added mischievously as he chased her.

"No, Severus!" she cried out, watching him close in on her.

Spring, May 1970.

Lily and Severus ran through the narrow streets of Spinner's End, their footsteps echoing on the loose slabs of the pavement. She had never been so far from her own neighbourhood before, and though her mother wouldn't have outright forbidden her from coming here, she would have certainly pursed her lips in disapproval.

"Stay here," Severus asked, his breath heavy. "I won't be long. I'm going to get the photos from Hogwarts, alright?"

She nodded, watching as Severus disappeared through the peeling door of the house. The narrow, dust-covered windows looked more like open wounds in the grimy brick walls. A cold wind blew in from the nearby river, carrying with it a metallic smell and the scent of stagnant water. Although May promised warmer days, everything here felt colder, as if spring hadn't bothered to fully arrive.

Lily stood looking at the small strip of land in front of the house. The garden—if it could be called that—was nothing more than a barren patch less than a metre wide, with hard earth and a few scattered weeds. There were no flowers, not even grass, just bare soil, as if no one had ever bothered to tend to it.

She wandered over to an old, crooked bench placed at the edge of the so-called garden. She sat down anyway, swinging her legs nervously above the ground as the bench creaked beneath her weight.

It wasn't that late yet, but the lights inside the house were already on, and from where she sat, Lily could hear the shouting coming from within. She pressed her lips together. Severus had already warned her that it was "normal," but the voices were so loud and sharp that they made her stomach churn, sending a shiver down her spine.

After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and Severus emerged. His face was pale, his jaw clenched, as if he had been scolded. He held an old, faded album in his hands, his fingers tense around its worn edges. He said nothing, but he didn't need to. Lily offered him a sympathetic smile, and Severus simply lowered his head.

"Let's go," he murmured, and without another word, they ran off towards the park.

When they arrived, they both collapsed onto the damp grass, breathing heavily. The clouds covered the sky, but here, far from the gloomy houses, the world felt a little lighter.

"Not long until we go to Hogwarts, Sev," Lily comforted him with a soft smile, turning her face towards him.

Severus stared up at the sky, his arms spread wide, as if he wanted to catch the fresh air between his fingers.

"I can't wait!" Severus murmured, a smile creeping onto his lips. "We're already ten, Lily! It's getting closer!"

Lily smiled too, but a shadow of worry briefly crossed her face. Severus noticed the change in her expression and regretted letting her come with him to his house for the album. She had probably heard his father shouting at his mother… and it was all because of him.

Before the silence could become awkward, Severus hurriedly changed the subject.

"Look, this is Hogwarts!" he exclaimed, pulling out the old album and spreading it across the grass. She moved closer, so they could look at the picture together. It showed an impressive castle, surrounded by mountains and a dark lake.

"Sev! The lights in the castle!" she exclaimed in surprise. "They're flickering on and off!"

This time, the smile on her face was genuine, as though she had forgotten the gloom of Spinner's End.

"Oh, yes. Photographs in the magical world are enchanted. Even portraits talk," Severus replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a hint of superiority in his tone.

"Woah! Look at this!" Lily exclaimed, completely fascinated, as she turned the page. She pointed to the next photo, where a large sign with dancing letters read: Welcome to Diagon Alley. The people in the picture moved back and forth, adjusting packages in their arms.

"This is the place you told me about, right?" she asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "This is where I'll buy my wand, isn't it, Severus?" she added, excitedly pointing to a small shop in the southern corner.

Severus allowed himself a barely perceptible smile, enjoying Lily's excitement.

"Yes, Ollivanders is the best," Severus said with an air of expertise. "My mother bought her wand there, and so did my grandparents." He turned the page of the album and pointed to another shop. "And this is where they sell broomsticks."

"For that strange sport you told me about? What was it called?" Lily asked, frowning a little as she tried to remember the name.

Severus nodded. "Yes, Quidditch. But brooms are also used for travel, although... it's not the best idea unless you want a Muggle to see you flying and end up with a Ministry of Magic sanction."

Lily giggled. "Sounds exciting. Though I think I'd love flying more than playing," she added, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Well, I can assure you flying isn't as easy as it looks," he said, trying to sound like he'd done it a thousand times, though he'd never actually ridden a broom in his life.

"Oh, I bet I'd be good at it!" Lily said, leaning towards him with a challenging smile.

"We'll see..." Severus murmured, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. With Lily, even the idea of Quidditch didn't seem so absurd.

"It seems like a charming sport," Lily commented, her eyes still fixed on the broomstick shop as if she were already imagining herself soaring through the sky.

Severus scoffed, crossing his arms. "Of course not. There are far more interesting things than that silly sport," he said with a hint of superiority, though he couldn't hide the truth: he'd never had the chance to play it with anyone. "There's so much magic to learn at Hogwarts! That's what's exciting."

Lily gave him a mischievous look. "Well, at least now I know witches on brooms aren't just a fairy tale." She laughed, her laughter so clear and contagious that even Severus joined in with a small smile.

At that moment, Petunia came striding up behind them, her chin raised and lips pursed.

"I knew I'd find you here with him," she spat, throwing a disdainful look at Severus, as though he were a stain she needed to erase from her world.

"Mum says it's late. We have to go home," Petunia said, ignoring Severus as if he didn't exist.

Lily gave a sad gesture and handed Severus back his album.

"Tuney, it's okay, I'll come with you," Lily said, giving in to her sister's demand. She hurried to catch up as Petunia strode ahead, not even glancing back at Severus.

"Goodbye, Severus!" Lily called out, flashing him a genuine smile before hurrying after her sister.

"Goodbye, Lily," Severus replied, his voice a little subdued. Then, with his lips pressed into a tight line, he cast a resentful look at Petunia, who walked ahead with an air of superiority, as if he were nothing more than a bothersome insect.

"When will you talk to me again, Tuney?" Lily asked her sister as they walked away, their voices drifting on the air like distant echoes.

"When you stop talking to that freak," Petunia replied, not even slowing her pace.

"But Severus is my friend," Lily insisted, with that soft stubbornness that only she could have. Their voices faded, carried off by the wind.

Severus stood there, alone, but with a small smile on his face. For the first time in his life, he knew he had a true friend.