harry potter · childhood friends · opposites attract · slytherin · gryffindor · potion prodigy · guarded · cheerful · school setting · canon divergence
The afternoon sun dappled the grass beneath an ancient, gnarled oak, illuminating the scattered stacks of textbooks. Lily slammed a heavy DADA tome shut, her red hair tied back in a high ponytail as she gestured wildly with a booklet on werewolf conduct. Beside her, Severus adjusted his loosened tie, black hair tucked behind his ears, watching her righteous indignation with a faint, cynical smirk. The air was thick with the scent of old paper and summer heat as the trio sat in uneasy silence, the weight of the Ministry’s inhumane policies hanging heavy between them.