Tales of Blossoms

The three returned home feeling empty. The lively atmosphere of the sisters' teasing and laughter had vanished completely, leaving the large house so quiet it felt desolate. Without Petunia around, it was as though most of the warmth had gone out of daily life. To fill the emptiness in her heart, Lily threw all her spare time into her business, or met Snape at the little park on weekends as promised.

Tales of Blossoms flourished under her careful management. The little general store on the street was expanded and renovated, growing steadily until it became the town's best-stocked and most highly regarded general supermarket. Its staffing gradually improved as well, expanding from a single clerk to six employees with dedicated duties. The operation became increasingly organized and mature.

To meet the growing demand for goods, Mr Evans rented a large warehouse specifically to store the steady stream of merchandise Lily brought out. Every day, the clerks restocked from the warehouse, put goods on the shelves, and organized them. The entire supply and sales system ran in an orderly fashion, and the supermarket continued to prosper.

Once the business was steadily on track, Lily did not stop there. She soon began thinking about opening a branch. Mr Evans supported his daughter's plans and accompanied her as she looked at various locations, repeatedly comparing their sites, foot traffic, and operating costs. After several days of detailed discussion, they finally settled on a prime storefront in the neighboring town.

Plans for opening Tales of Blossoms Branch No. 2 were officially put on the agenda, bringing fresh business opportunities and prospects. With profits at the main store steady and the branch soon to open, Lily's savings continued to grow. Despite her young age, she had accumulated wealth and financial security far beyond those of her peers. Bit by bit, through her own efforts, she was also laying the groundwork for a more secure and comfortable life for her family.

After Petunia left for Hogwarts, life at home became much quieter, and Lily's days grew especially dull and monotonous. At an ordinary village primary school, she had to keep her magic in check at all times and could not use it freely. Having to pretend she was an ordinary child no different from anyone else left her increasingly stifled and bored.

In the whole town, Snape was the only one like her. Over time, he became the person who spent the most time with her apart from her parents and schoolmates. He had once tirelessly told her everything about the magical world: Hogwarts' castle, its four houses, marvelous Magical Creatures, and all kinds of basic spells. He had gone over matters large and small no fewer than twenty times.

He vaguely feared that Lily might grow tired of listening, and gradually stopped repeating himself so much. Then, during a casual conversation, Lily happened to show a keen interest in Potions, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Snape immediately noticed what she liked and changed direction entirely. From then on, whenever they met, he would carefully bring along his treasured old Potions books to read and discuss in detail with Lily.

To Snape's secret excitement, Lily displayed an astonishing talent for Potions. Even when encountering obscure formulas, the combinations of medicinal properties, and brewing taboos for the first time, she grasped them with the slightest explanation and could apply what she learned to other things. Her sensitivity to herb properties, heat control, and the blending of magic was far beyond that of ordinary people.

This exceptional talent was something she had been born with, and he was the first person besides Lily herself to learn her secret. Looking at the extraordinarily gifted girl before him, Snape felt a hidden delight no one else knew about.

Time passed, and the Christmas holidays arrived as expected. As soon as Lily finished her school term, she threw herself into preparations for expanding with Tales of Blossoms Branch No. 2. She was busy coordinating merchandise, getting the shop in order, and sorting out operational matters, and her days were full and busy.

Meanwhile, Petunia returned from Hogwarts for the holidays. After several months away, she brought back a whole bag of novelties from the magical world, including Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans in all sorts of strange flavors. They were all snacks the Muggle world had never seen.

The dinner table was lively and warm. In the past, Lily had always shared interesting stories about magic and dreamed of Hogwarts. Now their roles were reversed, and Petunia told them all about her life at a magical school. She described Hogwarts' towering castle, its animated corridors, its wondrous classes, the professors and classmates with their varied personalities, and her novel experiences in Potions Class, Charms Class, and Flying Class.

Lily sat obediently beside her, listening intently and chiming in from time to time, her eyes full of longing. Mr and Mrs. Evans sat at the head of the table, quietly listening to their eldest daughter talk about the wondrous magical world, their faces full of pride and satisfaction.

After dinner, the sisters crowded into their familiar little room, missing each other after months apart. Warm yellow lamplight fell on Petunia's face as she smiled and told Lily that she had been sorted into Gryffindor House.

She did not insist that her sister join the same house. Instead, she said expectantly, "I really like Gryffindor's passion and courage, but you don't have to follow me. When you start school next year, just choose the house you really like and that suits you best. Wherever you go, I'll be happy for you."

That simple statement had shed her former sensitivity and narrow-mindedness completely. Lily looked at her transformed sister, so confident and radiant, and her eyes curved into a smile. She looked forward to starting at Hogwarts in a year's time more than ever.

Early on Christmas morning, as daylight was just breaking, the house was warm and cozy. Lily and Petunia rose early and gathered beneath the Christmas tree to open their presents.

Most of Lily's presents were little handmade things from her primary school classmates, along with clothes and snacks carefully prepared by Mr and Mrs. Evans. Petunia's gifts, on the other hand, were especially novel and unusual: little magical presents sent by her new classmates at Hogwarts, each with a distinctive touch of the magical world.

Looking at the presents before her, Lily suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart and found herself thinking of Snape. It was Christmas, and everyone had presents. The boy who spent so much of his time alone was most likely still lonely.

She decided to go out and try her luck at the little park they often visited, hoping to find him and give him the Christmas present she had prepared. She casually made an excuse, saying she was going to Tales of Blossoms Store No. 1 to check on the holiday stock.

Petunia was still buried in her pile of presents, examining them one by one. Mrs. Evans looked at the light snow outside and was about to tell Petunia to go with her sister so they could look after each other on the way. But before she could speak, Lily had already pulled on her thick leather boots, wrapped her cloak tightly around herself, picked up a small basket, and dashed out the door. Mrs. Evans gave a helpless smile and swallowed the words.

Fine snow was falling outside. It was not heavy, but the dense, soft flakes drifted down on the wind, brushing Lily's cheeks with a crisp, icy touch. With her hair in two braids, her little body wrapped in a dark cloak, and a delicate bamboo basket in her hand, she looked just like Little Red Riding Hood as she walked through the snow.

Lily walked briskly all the way to the town park, then stood in the empty snow and looked around. The familiar tree and bench were deserted, with not a soul in sight.

A touch of frustration gradually rose in her heart. It was Christmas, and Snape was probably at home celebrating with his family. She had likely made the trip for nothing.

Lowering her eyes, Lily slowly walked over to the swing and sat down. She swung her legs gently, gazing at the falling snow in a slight daze.

Just then, a faint rustling came from a nearby bush covered in a thin layer of snow, and a small, skinny figure emerged from it.

It was Snape.

The wind cut to the bone on that snowy winter day, yet he still wore the same thin, worn coat, with no thick clothes to keep out the cold. He looked cold and frail, and against the white snow, he seemed especially alone.

Lily let out a startled cry. Without thinking, she immediately got up, hurried over to him, pulled off her cloak, and draped it over his thin shoulders.

Snape lowered his eyes and stared without blinking at her slender little hands as she fastened the cloak around him. Her warm breath reached his face, carrying Lily's own fresh, sweet scent of lilies and a hint of the warm sweetness of baked cookies, dispelling the chill that always clung to him.

"It's so cold in the snow. Why did you come out without putting on warm clothes?" Lily looked up at him.

The tips of Snape's ears were faintly red in the winter wind. His voice was low, with a trace of stubbornness that was hard to detect. "I thought you might come."

He paused, carefully guarded hope in his eyes. "I come here to wait every day. What if you came by one day and couldn't find me?"

With that, he raised a hand slightly and drew an object from inside his coat, carefully and neatly wrapped in old newspaper. He held it out to Lily. The corners of the newspaper had been rubbed slightly creased; it was clear he had treasured it for a long time.

Perhaps because he felt the gift was too plain and humble, no match for other people's fine presents, his usually gloomy expression grew somewhat awkward. He turned his head slightly, showing a rare trace of embarrassment.

Lily showed no dislike at all. Her eyes sparkling, she accepted the gift with both hands and hugged it to her chest.

Then she handed him the little bamboo basket she was carrying. "This is your Christmas present. The whole basket is yours."

Snape looked down at the bamboo basket in his hands, his fingertips lightly touching its warm sides. It was a feeling he had never known before.

Lily did not dare stay long. She smiled and waved goodbye to him, then turned and walked away through the thin snow.

In the park, with snow falling all around, Snape was left standing quietly alone.