Rushing down the hall with her History books, Lily, stresses about getting to class in time. She speeds up the dungeon steps, having gotten too distracted reading her Jane Austin book now she is running late. Turning the corner she freezes, seeing a figure laying on the ground, unmoving. Taking a step forward she recognizes the face of the child laying still on the floor, whipping around as she rushes out of the hall and backs down to the dungeon. Throwing open the door to the Potions classroom she pants, dashing down the center aisle, ignoring the looks of the students in the classroom.

Professor Snape looks up and stands at Lily's hassle. Stepping around his desk he crouches down to her level, holding onto her arms as she hyperventilates.

"Professor... a boy... hall... frozen..." She can barely get out the words she is breathing so hard.

"Lily, Lily calm down. Take a deep breath, I understand. Can you take me to him?" The Professor asks, patting her back. At her nod, he stands up straight, his face masking into a harsh glare as he surveys his class. "Go back to the common rooms and stay there!" The class swiftly gathered their belongings and filed out of the room. Snape goes to walk out of the room when he feels a tiny hand in his. Looking down he sees a paler than usual Kathryn, holding on for dear life as she guides him out of the Dungeons.

Turning down the hall Snape stops, seeing the body. He turns back to the girl, crouching back down. "Hey, hey look at me," her eyes turn to face him. "I want you to stay right here as I go check it out alright?" She nods. "Don't worry, everything's going to be alright." Snape stands and goes to look at the boy, grabbing his arm he checks for a pulse and sighs in relief at the gentle beat. Pulling out his wand he waves it and levitates the body, leading it behind him as he walks back over to Lily. Taking her hand they walk down the hall towards the infirmary.

Entering the room, Madam Pomfrey gasps at the boy floating through the air. They set him on a bed, flinching as something loudly hits the ground. Lily-Kathryn walks over, picks it up, and places it on the side table. She rushes back over to her professor, pushing herself into his side. He wraps an arm around her narrow shoulders, shielding her from the body. Turning from the room he runs a hand through her hair, encouraging her not to look but she can't help it, as they leave the room she turns back, glancing at the steaming camera on the side table.

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Walking down the hall together Lily sticks very close to Snape's side, not wanting to be alone at the risk of being attacked too. Binns' class has ended but Lily doesn't feel well enough to be around other students at lunch. Reaching the outside of the Great Hall, Severus goes to enter but pauses when he feels a tugging on his hand. He turns, Lily-Kathryn is frozen, eyes wide staring into the hall.

"What's wrong, Lily, you need to eat." Severus places his other hand on top of her head, worried about the fragile girl in front of him.

She shakes her head, "I can't- I can't be around... there are too many people... I just can't." Noticing her beginning panic, Severus nods in understanding. He leads her away from the hall full of students and down towards the kitchens. Tickling the pear he opens the portrait to the kitchens, leading her inside. "What are we doing here?"

"You still need to eat lunch, so I thought we could come here, where it's quieter." Severus picks Lily up, sets her on one of the tall stools, and asks one of the many house elves to gather the supplies to make sandwiches. Setting out all of the fixings on the table they begin to make their sandwiches. They eat their lunch, enjoying each other's company and talking quietly about their lives.

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"The Weasley twins put a pudding in your office and it changed your voice?" Lily giggles, trying to imagine her stoic professor sounding like anyone else.

The professor nods, smiling gently. "Essentially yes, it was so unfortunate. ... Ruined a good blancmange." "What's a blankmage?" Lily inquires, furrowing her eyebrows at her professor's appalled look. "You don't know what a blancmange is, oh for shame. We will have to fix this right away. It is a sort of pudding/jello mixture. It takes quite a while to make but I assure you it is well worth it. It is one of the most delicious desserts there is." Severus said, reminiscing about having the dessert as a child, with his mother, before she went crazy.

Lily reaches over, pulling Severus' pocket watch from his vest pocket, almost without thinking. "Can we make one? We have time, and I'd love to try it. Besides, it would be something fun for us to do, a good distraction from all of the issues happening recently."

Severus masks his surprise, "I would be delighted, I shall retrieve the recipe from my study. Please excuse me for a moment." Severus leaves the kitchens, instructing Lily not to go anywhere. She is sitting there, happily munching on some grapes when she hears the sound of wood scraping against the tile. She whirls around to see Cedric Diggory emerging from a stack of barrels. He freezes, seeing the girl, and they stare at each other. Cedric gives a charming smile, sliding into the seat next to her.

"What's happening Gingersnap," He slings an arm around her thin shoulders. They exchange pleasantries, discussing their days. "So you found that Cullen kid petrified?"

"It's Colin, Colin Creevy. Yeah, I found him on my way to History of Magic, I was so scared he was dead, but Professor Snape said that he's just petrified."

"Well, I'm sorry you had to see that, it must've been upsetting. Just know that you are safe. What are you doing here alone?" Cedric gestures to the kitchens around them.

"The Great Hall was too much for me so Professor Snape and I came in here to eat lunch, and now he's getting a recipe so we both can make a blankmage. I've never had one before and they're his favorite." She shakes with excitement. "It's going to be so much fun!"

Cedric goes to respond when the portrait leading to the kitchen opens, and Severus Snape steps inside. Carrying with him a small book, looking very worn, some pages sticking out due to old age and use. They turn to him and Lily-Kathryn rushes over from her seat, throwing her arms around his waist. "You're back! We can make the blankmage now!" She jitters excitedly.

Severus chuckles, setting a hand on her head. "It's blancmange, Lily-flower, it's french. I got the recipe from my mother when I was a child, a lot of her recipes I have in this book. All right, let us get started. Mr. Diggory?" Cedric jolts to attention, standing up straight. "Are you staying to help, or do you have other things you wish to do?"

"I would love to stay if you would let me?" He fidgets with his robes, so subtly you wouldn't know unless you looked. He would never admit it but the professor makes him very nervous, he is so very intimidating with his cold demeanor.

"Very well, let us start," he turns to a house-elf nearby. "Tootsie, please gather whole milk, gelatin leaves, caster sugar, double cream, and almond extract." He treats the ordeal like a potions class, only without the belittling of his two pupils.

Together they carefully set an unused cauldron on a burner heating up the milk until it is very hot, yet not quite boiling. Lily then puts the gelatin leaves into a small bowl filled with cold water, letting them soak. When the milk is heated Cedric extracts the gelatin leaves from the water, squeezing out the water; guided under the watchful eyes of the professor. He adds them to the milk and Severus helps Lily mix the milk without burning herself as Cedric carefully pours in the sugar bit by bit. They stir until the sugar dissolves, and Severus measures out the double cream (whipping it gently) and almond extract. He lets each child pour their ingredients and stir until ready. He holds the jello mold still as the two carefully pour the liquid into the mold. He covers it in cling film and places a cooling charm on it. Setting it to the side, he gathers Lily into his arms, tickling her sides.

She giggles profusely. As they part ways; Severus to teach, and Lily and Cedric to their next classes; they promise to meet back up the next day. For the unmolding.

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The next day they all gather in the kitchens, ready to unmold. They dip the mold into warm water for ten seconds. Lily and Cedric hold a plate on top of the mold opening, Severus holding the mold itself. "Are you ready children?" He inquires, not wanting to ruin the dessert.

"Ready." They respond in unison.

"On three we flip." They nod.

"One." Lily is practically shaking in excitement and Cedric fights to keep the plate in place. "Two." Cedric begins to feel nervous, one slip of the hand can ruin everything they've worked for. "Three." They all go into action, flipping the mold. Cedric and Lily struggle under the weight of the jello. Setting the plate really carefully on the table the three-stop, looking in awe at their creation. Lily-Kathryn throws herself at her professor, shrieking with glee. "We did it, we did it!" They carefully cut four slices out of the desert and Severus carefully watches as Lily takes her first-ever bite. Her eyes grow wide.

"How is it?" He asks, anxiously worrying that their time has been wasted.

"It's so good," she shrieks, taking another big bite. "Can I take a piece to Draco?" At his confirmation she sets a piece on a plate, rushing out of the kitchen. She makes her way out of the kitchen and to the common room, having Draco try the desert. He is filled with nothing but compliments. And with the promise to make it again she gets ready for her day.