❂

{ Meme.

❂ = wiping blood off their face } 

Severus didn’t say a word as Lily cleared off the blood seeping down his cheek. He sat so still one might have thought he’d been petrified, only the fury in his gaze as he stared at his own wand giving any sign that he was even presently aware of what was going on. His grip was white knuckled and his jaw was tight, but all the words he wanted to spit were locked firmly between his teeth. 

Summer was almost over. Soon they’d be going back to Hogwarts and they’d never talk about this. It was safe, right now, sitting on this porch as Lily dabbed some stinging muggle concoction to the cut to acknowledge what he didn’t dare to say at home.

“I could have, you know. Blasted him right through the damn wall – who cares if I’m underage, it’s self defense right? I don’t get why she won’t. I just – I don’t get it. He’s just a Muggle – “ He stopped, remembering how just beyond that door were two quite decent Muggles who happened to be the parents of his very first and absolute best friend. Shaking his head, he looked at her and rephrased, “When you have the power to stop something and you don’t – doesn’t that make you just as bad? I can stop him – with this, I could stop him for good,” He held up his wand, then settled it down again and sighed, asking her the question he had asked himself – of himself and his mother both – so many damn times since he’d first started school.

“So why didn’t I?”