It was an icy yet beautiful cloudless night. The full moon shone brightly, illuminating the stone facet of Hogwarts castle. The great edifice stood towering over the grassy grounds that surrounded it, casting a huge shadow. The air was chilly, and the one student who still sat on the grass outside felt cold. He shivered. But he wasn’t going to let the cold bother him. He was going to sit there as long as he wanted.

Severus Snape sighed as he gazed up at the stars. They looked very beautiful, twinkling against the inky black sky. He then looked down at his astronomy homework, which he had casually tossed on the cold ground. As he looked at it, he remembered the reason he was here in the first place. He hadn’t finished it, and the empty spaces in which the missing stars were supposed to go were still staring at him blankly. That’s why he has sneaked off in the first place: to fill in the missing stars.

He sighed again. Looking up at the sky, he saw an unusually bright star, shining more brilliantly than all the others. A little distance away was a star which he recognized as Crux, the North Star. Severus vaguely recalled something his Divinations Professor had told him long ago: “When the North Star and our neighbouring Venus shine together, more vividly than any of their fellows, be sure that what lies deep within your heart shall come forth to be fulfilled.” Severus had never put faith in Divination, considering it to be a useless subject, but right now he was desperate. He’d believe anything.

Severus snorted. As if what he wanted would ever happen. What he craved more than anything else- his deepest desire- was Lily Evans. She’s never going to come to me after what I did that day, the black-haired boy thought miserably. She’s gone. She hates me. I’ve lost her forever, and any chance I had is now history.

Severus’s face contorted in fury. Stupid Potter, he thought venomously. What he wouldn’t do to curse that disgusting face into smithereens. Strutting about the castle like he owned it… always looking for ways to insult Severus in front of the whole school. Severus recalled the spell he had just found out a couple of days ago: Sectumsempra. If only he could use it on Potter once… It’s all his fault, after all. He deserves it. All his bloo-

“It’s cold out here tonight,” a horribly familiar female voice said, the voice that made his heart beat faster than anything. My Lily’s voice. Severus spun around. There stood Lily Evans, wearing her Hogwarts robes, with her arms wrapped around herself. Her prefect’s badge was gleaming in the moonlight. As she exhaled, her breath rose like mist in the chilly air. Her face was cold, but Severus stared at it hungrily. Her beautiful red hair framed her fair face, which was slightly pale. Her lips were pulled thin, and she was frowning at him through her brilliant green eyes.

“Lily, I-” Severus began, but he stopped. He was at a loss for words.

“Forget about apologizing, Sev,” Lily said. Her tone was bitter. “I’m here to fulfill my prefect duties. It’s almost curfew, and I don’t want anyone getting caught, alright? Go inside right now.” She turned around and started to leave.

“Lily, please, listen to me,” Severus pleaded, getting to his feet. Lily stopped in her tracks. He slowly moved closer to her. “I didn’t mean to-”

“I said leave it,” Lily said firmly, turning to face him. Her hair spun, and he got the familiar whiff of her shampoo. Severus breathed in deeply, taking in the beautiful fragrance, and he felt his nerves tingling.

“Go to your common room.” Lily ordered. She shivered suddenly. Severus instinctively moved his hand towards her, but caught himself, knowing she wouldn’t ever forgive him after he had called her a Mudblood, even though it was so long ago. But he tried his luck anyways.

“Lily, look up, please,” he asked, hoping desperately she’d get it.

“What?”

“Please.”

Lily did as she was told. “Can you see Venus?” Severus asked, pointing at the bright speck in the sky. “And Crux? They are the brightest visible stars tonight.”

“Yes, I do. So what?”

“They say that when Crux and Venus shine together, a person’s deepest desire is fulfilled.”

“So what?” Lily repeated, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Lily, I-” Severus came forward. “I want you to know that I’m really very sorry-”

“Hey, Lily, what’s holding you up?” asked a voice. Severus turned around and saw James Potter, sauntering towards them with a broad grin on his face. Anger erupted within him, and he wanted to crush something. The sight of James-bloody-Potter just inflamed him; he wished he could strangle him with his bare hands. He hated everything about Potter, from the tips of his messy black hair to the soles of his gleaming brown shoes. Severus felt his face screw up in hatred.

“Nothing, James, coming,” Lily called out. Severus noticed that Lily had called him “James”, not “Potter”. Worst of all, she seemed very happy to see him, and that pierced him from within.

“Ah, if it isn’t little old Snivelly!” James said, smirking, as he came up to them. He has that mischievous glint in his eye. “What is it, counting stars?” Severus’s hand twitched as though he wanted to pull out his wand, but then he remembered Lily. Thankfully, Potter hadn’t noticed.

“Leave it, James, let’s go,” Lily muttered. She looked at Severus one last time, and walked away with James, holding his hand, not bothering to turn back. If she did, she’d have noticed the immense pain in the eyes of the person who loved her with all his might, the person who once considered her his best friend. But she didn’t. She went away with the person Severus loathed the most.

Severus stood there for a long time, watching them go, his heart yearning for Lily. He had lost her forever, lost her to the arrogant James Potter, who wasn’t even worth the dirt on the soles of his shoes. After what seemed like an eternity, Severus looked down at his homework, which still lay innocently on the grass below. He scowled. Picking up the parchment, he crumpled it up and threw it away with as much force as he could.

It was all a lie. Stars could never determine the future. What had just happened proved that.