Petunia turned and ran.
No matter how many times Lily called after her, she never looked back, disappearing down the hillside in a matter of moments.
Lily lowered her head, her expression filled with guilt.
“…I’m sorry.” “My sister isn’t usually like that.” Her voice was quiet and restrained, carrying a trace of embarrassment.
At the same time, she cautiously studied the black-haired boy standing before her.
It felt as though a door to an entirely new world had just opened.
Her heart was overflowing with curiosity and excitement, yet there was also an undeniable fear of the unknown.
After hesitating for a moment, Lily gathered her courage and walked forward.
She stopped a few steps away from Severus before looking up at him.
“So…” “Magic wasn’t just my imagination?” “It really exists?” “It does.” Severus nodded calmly.
“There are many witches and wizards in the world.” “You and I are simply two of them.” “They live alongside ordinary people, but for the most part they remain hidden.
That’s why Muggles rarely know anything about the magical world.” As he spoke, Severus naturally omitted many details that would only confuse her.
Instead, he continued with something far more reassuring.
“In a few years, you’ll receive a letter inviting you to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” “It’s a school dedicated to teaching young witches and wizards how to control their magic.” “There, you’ll meet hundreds of students just like yourself, attend classes, learn spells and potions, and even take examinations, much like any ordinary school.” Lily’s eyes gradually brightened.
“…That makes me feel much better.” She let out a long breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“For the longest time, I thought I might be the only strange person in the entire world.” After a brief pause, she nervously asked another question.
“So…” “We won’t be hunted down…” “Or burned at the stake…” “…Right?” Before Severus could answer— “Gah!” Juliet suddenly let out another loud squawk.
The unexpected cry startled Lily so badly that she nearly jumped.
Looking up, she saw the raven perched comfortably on one of the willow’s branches.
The bird was unusually handsome, its glossy black feathers shimmering with faint iridescent colors beneath the sunlight.
Most striking of all were its brilliant violet eyes.
For some reason, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that those eyes contained an almost human sense of amusement.
The raven looked as though it was laughing at everything unfolding before it.
Severus glanced at Juliet helplessly.
“That’s my pet raven.” “She’s also capable of delivering messages, although most witches and wizards prefer to keep owls.” Meeting Severus’s warning gaze, Juliet immediately fell silent.
She tucked her head beneath one wing, looking as innocent as though she had never made a sound.
Only she knew she was silently praying not to lose tonight’s dinner of dried rats.
Severus withdrew his gaze before answering Lily’s question.
“What you’re worried about may have happened centuries ago.” “But today, those stories belong more to history books than reality.” “The magical community is protected by laws and powerful enchantments that keep its existence hidden from Muggles.” “Most ordinary people simply don’t believe magic exists.” “Even if they witnessed something unusual, they would usually convince themselves there was a more ordinary explanation.” “So there’s no need to worry about witch hunts.” As Severus finished speaking, the anxiety that had lingered on Lily’s face finally faded.
Her shoulders visibly relaxed.
“That’s wonderful…” She smiled with obvious relief.
“I kept thinking…” “If everything I’d read was true…” “…then I might have to run away from home one day.” Severus raised an eyebrow.
“Run away?” Lily nodded.
“The books all said that witches were burned at the stake.” “And sometimes their families were punished with them.” “If that were really going to happen…” “I wanted to leave before I brought trouble to Mum, Dad, and Petunia.” “I didn’t want them getting hurt because of me.” Severus quietly looked at the girl standing before him.
For a moment, he found himself genuinely surprised.
She wasn’t even ten years old.
Yet she had already prepared herself to abandon everything she loved simply to protect her family.
No one knew how many sleepless nights she had spent wrestling with those fears alone.
She had faced mysterious powers she couldn’t understand, terrifying stories about witches, and the possibility of losing everyone she cared about.
Even so…
Rather than thinking of herself, her first instinct had been to protect her family.
That kind of courage was remarkably rare.
Perhaps that was precisely why the Sorting Hat would one day place her in Gryffindor.
Not because she was fearless.
But because she possessed the courage to act despite her fear.
Severus fell silent.
His own mind instinctively began analyzing the situation from a completely different perspective.
If he had awakened as a magical child with no knowledge of the Wizarding World, his first priority would never have been revealing his secret to anyone.
He would have hidden his magic completely.
He would have quietly studied and practiced in secret, strengthening himself until he understood enough about the magical world to protect both himself and those around him.
Only after possessing sufficient ability would he consider stepping into the open.
That was simply the difference between him and Lily.
She trusted people.
He trusted preparation.
The ideal approach would be to target someone powerful yet thoroughly corrupt, a person whose crimes were so numerous that no one would mourn their downfall.
Using magic, he would secretly gather undeniable evidence of those crimes.
Once everything was in place, he would force that person into a mutually beneficial arrangement while ensuring his own safety, exchanging silence for money, influence, and connections.
With those resources, he would quietly expand his reach into the lower and middle ranks of the government.
At the same time, he would deliberately cultivate a prominent public figure to attract everyone’s attention, allowing himself to remain hidden in the shadows.
From there, he could gradually influence more powerful individuals, carefully building a network until he reached the point where, even if magic were accidentally exposed, there would already be influential people willing to suppress the incident for their own benefit.
Throughout the entire process, one thing would never change.
He would continue studying magic.
Power was the foundation of everything.
Even if every one of his plans failed, as long as his own strength continued to grow, no one would dare move against him.
True security could never depend entirely on other people.
It had to come from the power he possessed himself.
Even without the advantage of knowing the future, if Severus had been in Lily’s position from the very beginning, he would never have allowed himself to become so vulnerable.
His first instinct would have been to hide, quietly develop his abilities, and prepare for the future before revealing even the smallest hint of his existence.
“Severus?” Lily’s gentle voice pulled him back to reality.
He blinked and looked at her apologetically.
“My apologies.
What were you saying?” “I was asking…” Lily repeated patiently, “what is life like for witches and wizards?” Their brief conversation had already dispelled most of the awkwardness between them.
Encouraged by Severus’s calm attitude, Lily walked a little closer.
Her bright green eyes sparkled with curiosity, eager to learn everything she could about the magical world.
At that moment, the clouds overhead gradually parted, allowing a few rays of sunlight to shine through.
The warm light illuminated her delicate features, making her fair skin seem almost radiant beneath the afternoon sun.
After a brief moment of thought, Severus sat down on one of the thick roots of the old willow tree.
Juliet fluttered down from a nearby branch and landed quietly beside him.
With a small gesture, Severus invited Lily to sit as well.
After organizing his thoughts, he finally began.
“The Wizarding World is completely different from the world Muggles know.” “Because of magic, nearly every aspect of a witch or wizard’s life is different.” Lily smiled.
“Then don’t call me Evans anymore.” “Just call me Lily.” She tilted her head expectantly.
“And…
may I call you Severus?” Severus paused for a moment before nodding.
“Of course.” Then, with a faint smile, he added, “Severus is fine.” He withdrew his wand from his sleeve.
Lily immediately fixed her eyes on it, unable to hide her curiosity.
Without saying another word, Severus gave the wand a gentle wave.
Wisps of silvery magic drifted into the air like ink spreading across water.
The floating strands gradually intertwined, forming an intricate three-dimensional scene before Lily’s astonished eyes.
Rows of bustling shops appeared one after another.
Witches and wizards in colorful robes strolled through the streets.
Shop signs swayed gently in the breeze.
An owl soared overhead carrying letters.
Children hurried after their parents.
A wizard stood outside a shop reading the Daily Prophet, while a nearby street vendor enthusiastically greeted passing customers.
Within moments, a miniature Diagon Alley had taken shape in midair.
Although the tiny figures were too small to distinguish individually, the lively atmosphere was unmistakable.
It felt as though an entirely different world had unfolded before her eyes.
“…Wow.” Lily couldn’t help letting out a soft gasp.
Her emerald eyes widened in wonder as she stared at the magical scene suspended in the air.
Seeing her completely captivated, Severus smiled faintly and began introducing the Wizarding World in a calm, measured voice.