[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Evans' House.
...
...
"Then... what do you think?" Mr. Evans asked while standing in the garage.
Severus looked at the motorcycle next to the man's car as they talked.
"Have you thought about changing the carburetors? The original Amal ones are cool, but kind of temperamental. A pair of Mikuni VMs might give better response without losing the style."
"And what would a Mikuni VM be?" Mr. Evans asked curiously.
"It's a Japanese carburetor, sir. From the brand Mikuni. The VM model has a round slide piston — very simple and straightforward. They're used a lot in Yamaha, Suzuki... but some people are adapting them on Triumphs too," Severus said.
"There's no way I'd know anything from that side of the world, Severus," the man said, laughing.
"I got some information from Muggle magazines. I read a lot. Besides the carburetors, you can improve the ignition. Get rid of that Lucas system and install a Boyer or Pazon electronic ignition. It starts more easily and improves the spark.
"Man... and here I was thinking I just needed to fix the exhaust. I'm honestly very confused, you seem to know more than I do..." he said, quite intrigued by Severus' knowledge.
"I could tell you how to improve that too, but I'm not exactly designing engines, just studying them. I'm interested in other things..." Severus said.
"And what would that be?" the man couldn't help but ask, curious.
"I'm trying to build something new, something no one else has created..." he said, looking at the T140 engine, his eyes seemed to see through the metal, each of the structures inside the engine.
He needed to create something beyond what humanity could achieve in the coming centuries. But he wouldn't say something that bold and only gave a small smile to Mr. Evans.
"I see... I think." He felt that Severus wouldn't reveal anything more about it. And clearly, it was something big.
"Speaking of Japan... do you know what's going on in Tokyo?" the man suddenly asked.
"About that... I still don't know. I wanted more information. Did they say anything about it?" Severus asked.
The man just shook his head. "No... they say it's a meteorological event, but they haven't given any extra information... It doesn't seem normal... it even looks... Do you know what it is?" he asked cautiously, after all, news about Japan was on TV every day — the red sky for over a week was throwing the country into panic.
"I don't know... not even the wizards know as far as I've read. But I believe I have a bad feeling about it." Severus spoke in a serious tone. But he still couldn't go there to see for himself, while stuck with bureaucracy and problems.
"Anyway... I think I'd better go... This place is getting crowded with curious people." Severus said, turning his gaze to the houses along the street. There were people on the rooftops watching them — all, ministry employees.
The man just sighed. "Alright... Let's talk to my wife and daughter, I'm sure they'll want to talk to you before you leave. At least, say goodbye." he said, and both started leaving the garage before Mr. Evans paused for a moment.
"You know... I wanted to ask... I noticed that you and Lily seem a bit distant... I know you had a fight and I must confess I was furious with you when I found out the reason." He began.
"And rightfully so..." Severus interrupted. "I know what you're going to ask and you know how I used to look at her... But things have changed, Mr. Evans, in fact, I'm already engaged." Severus said, without mentioning it was to four women.
"Hm... I can understand." He said finally, not touching the subject again, though surprised—if Severus was committed to a woman, he wouldn't be the one to interfere.
In any case, they went inside, while Lily and Mrs. Evans were still cleaning the kitchen. Petunia had disappeared, and her parents were a bit worried, but as long as she was with Venom, they left it for them to work things out—just the two of them.
At the same time, Mr. Evans made it clear that Venom would hear a few things the next time they met due to his disrespectful behavior witnessed that day.
"You're leaving already?! It's early!" Mrs. Evans tried to intervene as soon as her husband announced Severus was leaving.
"Sorry, but I have a few things to organize and it would be a problem if I stayed any longer." Severus said calmly with a small apologetic smile.
"I understand... Well, let me give you a hug. It was great seeing how you're doing, you've become such a polite and confident young man, I like the changes in you. You deserve it." She said, hugging Snape as he returned the embrace.
"I share the same feeling... It's good to see you like this. I hope you'll be around again. Just send us a letter." Mr. Evans approached and touched his hand, giving it a squeeze.
"Lily, walk Severus to the door." Mrs. Evans said as Lily nodded, removing her apron and heading to the living room with Severus following close behind.
She didn't say anything and walked straight to the door. "Goodbye, Severus." She murmured softly as the door opened.
"Thank you, Miss Evans." Severus said as he began to calmly walk out.
Lily watched him leave while her mind was full of thoughts...
'How did things end up like this...?' She felt like a stranger as he simply walked away.
"Wait!" She shouted, and Severus stopped, looking back at her with some confusion.
"Sorry for that..." She said quickly, realizing she had spoken on impulse.
"If you want to say something, then say it." Severus said, turning his face toward her at the door.
Lily looked inside and saw her parents still in the kitchen, then she took a step forward and closed the door as she carefully approached Severus.
"I want to ask you something serious, Severus..." She murmured, stopping just a meter away from him, looking quite hesitant.
"..." Severus remained silent as Lily gathered some courage.
"My Sev... the one I knew before you... You know... He's still in there, isn't he?" She asked.
"I don't think we should be having this conversation, Miss Evans..." Severus said, starting to walk away.
"Wait! Please!" She quickly caught up to him and grabbed his arm in the middle of the yard.
"Sorry." She quickly let go of him, and Severus just sighed.
"What do you want, Miss Evans." Severus said in a tired tone.
"Stop calling me that... Call me Lily." She said timidly.
"Why should I, we're not close like we were in the past." He replied.
"I know you're still in there, Sev... Somewhere... I can feel it, even if you deny it, I know..." She said, looking into his eyes, and Severus could see her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
"You should forget me, Miss Evans." He said stubbornly.
"That's impossible!" She said. "My parents didn't have the courage to say it, but you helped so much more than just getting them out of that state in St. Mungo's... Did you know your potion cured my father's cancer?! You prolonged his life much more than we expected... When he could have died any moment in the coming years... how could I forget that, Sev?" She said. "So tell me that my friend... that boy I met in the park nearby, who told me I was a witch, is still in there..." She pleaded, tears now falling from her eyes.
"Severus didn't die completely... But even so, I can no longer be him. Lily." He said with a serious tone.
Lily opened her eyes upon hearing her name, and an emotion took over her heart, but she felt that something was wrong. "Why?" She murmured.
"Because you were the reason Severus Snape took his own life." Severus said in a cold tone.
"What?!" She immediately stepped back upon hearing that.
Severus only sighed. He also felt it wasn't right to say it, but it was still the truth... Maybe he should tell her. "Severus Snape lost the only thing that mattered in his life, his friend... And that was you. He deeply regretted calling you a Mudblood that day." He paused, while Lily was completely speechless.
"You didn't want to talk to him anymore, seeing you ignore him all the time, treating him like a stranger... It was too much for him. In Slytherin... he found himself surrounded by future Death Eaters, he had no choice but to join them, it guaranteed his survival, while the Potters and the others kept chasing him all the time... The only thing that kept him from going mad in that hell was you, the person he loved more than anything. More than his own life." Severus said in an oddly calm tone, memories seeming to overwhelm him.
"I..." Lily began to tremble... "I made him do that?!" The tears started to fall more intensely.
"Sorry for saying this... I don't blame you for it, but Severus really needed help, the boy had no one, he was being beaten at home, bullied at school, controlled by Slytherin, where he couldn't do anything without risking danger for being there with them... He truly lived a miserable life and I blame many people for it. You weren't necessarily to blame, and Severus never wanted to blame you for what happened, he loved you too much for that, but losing you was also unbearable for him..." He said in a sad tone.
Severus Snape... He became dark for many reasons... if he had truly had someone to help him, his only friend — and the one he loved more than anything — was a naïve girl who didn't even try to understand him... But he also couldn't expect too much from a teenager. Severus needed adult guidance, someone who could reach the boy's darkened heart.
He could have been a light wizard, the one Lily had hoped for... he could have had her love, but the circumstances were too dark for the boy. It was no surprise that he was the most talented student at Hogwarts, and ended up drifting into darkness and growing fond of the Dark Arts.
"I..." Lily began to cry desperately at that moment, starting to blame herself, but what she didn't expect was Severus stepping closer to her.
"You mustn't blame yourself for this, it's not like you were the one who put the rope around his neck." Lily heard him as she was embraced by Severus, who gave her a tender hug. It wasn't right to blame her for it, though Severus believed she should have been a better friend, one who could understand the old Severus — but placing the weight of the old Severus's death on her shoulders was far too cruel.
"I killed him..." Lily said anyway, her heart full of regrets. She should have been more understanding. He tried to talk to her so many times, while Lily pretended she was dealing with a stranger.
"If it helps you, the Severus Snape inside me says he wants to forgive you for everything that happened — that you are not to blame for his life. In truth, it was sorrowful, but only those truly guilty for his torment bear any responsibility for his suicide." Severus spoke calmly.
"I don't want you to carry guilt for this, live your life. I can no longer be that Severus Snape, but he didn't die forever after all — I will continue his legacy. And I'm sure he'll never forget you." Severus said gently.
People on the street gave strange looks at the two of them hugging. Lily cried, cried a lot in his arms, still blaming herself, and she didn't know how much time passed, but at one point Severus said he had to go, as he was already a bit late.
In the end, he left Lily there, still in tears, and began walking away from the yard, heading down the street.
And Lily remained there, blaming herself for everything, even though she had heard many times that she hadn't put the rope around Severus's neck. In the end, all she did was walk back inside, pass her parents — who immediately saw something was wrong and looked worried — before going up to her room, to mourn even more... the mistakes of her life.
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