It was a sunny day, that meant that they could go out to the garden to spend time with Severus and enjoy the tranquility of the garden. She knew it was a bit risky to leave when surely her parents would be looking for her, but she really needed to forget everything that had happened in those last days and enjoy her friends.

Calynn got up and began fixing the bed when a woman entered the room.

"Don't worry about it, I'll fix it," Mrs. Evans whispered trying not to wake her daughter. "I brought you this."

The woman handed the girl a red blouse and blue jeans. The clothes were completely ironed and washed, the girl was very grateful to the woman. The girl left the room to change. When she walked away, the woman went to wake her daughter carefully.

"Lily, it's time for breakfast, and if you want your friend to stay, you have to get up quickly," the mother said softly to her daughter. "I don't want her to escape again like the other day."

While Lily got up, her mother finished fixing the girls' bed while giving her daughter a smile. Lily did not understand how her mother could hide the fearful expressions about having Calynn at home so well, she knew that the woman was not happy at all. She left the room with some sheets to wash when she met little Black in the middle of the road.

"You can give me the pajamas if you want and accompany me down to serve you your breakfast," her friend's mother said as the girl gave her the clothes that had just been changed and gave a smile, loved Mrs. Evans' kindness and in the bottom wanted to have a mother like her.

"It's very kind of you, but I must go."

"Please, I made a couple of toasts for both of you, I'm sure they'll like them," Mrs. Evans insisted.

"It's all right," said the girl. "Thanks."

Later, both began to go down the steps while the redhead joined them, had hurried enough, because what she most wanted at that time was to make her friend stay longer. She knew that this was the only way to make the little girl happy and get her away from any danger of her own family. They sat in two chairs that were together and where a couple of toasts that looked completely appetizing were waiting for them, the smell helped them whet their appetites.

"Good morning," the girl exclaimed when she reached the dining room and took a seat next to her friend.

"How did you sleep?" Asked both parents.

"Very well," said the two girls.

The girls were given a glass of chocolate milk to accompany their breakfast, there was still an empty chair, which corresponded to Lily's sister. Petunia who was still with a sleepy expression went down a glass of milk and went back up, with that she implied that she had no intention of staying for breakfast as a family. The parents served cereal.

When the whole family was sitting at the table they turned to see the guest.

"We have something to tell you," Lily's mother began with some difficulty. Calynn was scared, she didn't like that kind of talk anymore. She couldn't know if what they would say would be good or bad. "We had the idea that you stay with us as long as necessary until you go to school with Lily," said Mrs. Evans.

"You can't do that, I can't stay here for your sake," Calynn replied with a little anger and fear at the same time. She knew that all of that was a guess from Lily.

The parents exchanged glances and the mother continued without getting angry. Apparently the parents had also agreed to help the girl.

"We ask you to stay here for your safety. Lily is very excited to have you at home." Calynn turned to see Lily. "It will only be until you enter school, it will not be forever," the woman commented with a smile on her lips.

Calynn didn't know what to say, she was too grateful to that family. The reality is that she did not want to stay there so as not to put her friend at risk, but she could not discuss whether the parents had already made the decision.

"Yes! You will be here until September," Lily said with great joy and enthusiasm, she didn't think her mother would give her so many days, she was too happy.

"Isn't that much trouble?" The girl asked politely, she didn't want to be a nuisance any more than she was at home.

"Of course not, you're welcome," the mother said. "Now go out and play because you are late" she paused and added, "and be careful, will be at home to help you."

The girls took what they had left of the delicious toast that the woman had prepared and left the house. Lily closed the door carefully and looked both ways scrutinizing the street in search of one of her friend's parents, they were quite afraid that Druella was watching them. When she was sure she told Calynn to follow her. They reached the tree safely and behind it they found Severus sitting in the green grass. He had a book he hid when he saw his friends arrive.

"Hello, Severus," the girls whispered. Lily sat next to Severus and Calynn next to Lily. The boy noticed that the expression of both girls was one of tranquility, he knew they were better than they were yesterday.

"Hello," Severus replied as he passed his arm behind Lily, "how have you been?"

There was a small silence, apparently Calynn's expression changed as soon as she remembered what they had done only a few hours ago.

"I see, now what have they done to you?" Asked Snape, addressing the blue-eyed girl.

"I've been punished for spending the night with Lily," Calynn murmured, she really didn't want to talk about it, she was tired of suffering because of her parents.

"Do you remember the spells?" Snape asked worried, but at the same time attentive, he wanted to help his friend, he really wanted to do it, maybe explaining some spells he could do it somehow.

"Perfectly. It was the Cruciatus curse, a spell called Imperio and another called Legeremens that occupied it to read my mind," the girl said very seriously and making sure she didn't miss any.

"I can't believe they treat you like that. Will you come back?" Asked Snape incredulously, his face said it all, he didn't know what to advise little Black. "They torture you, control you and want to know everything you think; those are not the actions of real parents."

"I know, but Lily offered me her home," the girl said.

Severus averted his gaze to Lily's green eyes and she nodded.

Severus smiled at the redhead and withdrew Lily's back arm and took her hand while Severus blushed a little. His countenance changed a little when he looked down, the boy worried a lot about what could happen to the redhead.

Calynn watched her friends and although she said nothing she knew perfectly that they were hiding something from her, those looks that were shared between them did not reflect anything other than a love of children.

There was a moment of silence until Calynn broke it.

"What do you think my parents are capable of?" Asked the future worried Death Eater, she wanted the truth, it was better to know to get a chance to defend against them.

Severus and Lily looked at each other, they were both thinking the same thing, should they tell her the truth? Should they tell you that they seem to be able to kill their own daughter?

"Anything," Severus began, "it is very cruel to want to make the dark mark of someone at such a young age," he added in a serious voice. "In addition, they have shown you that they have no mercy for you, they will kill you if you give them the opportunity."

"But what is the dark mark?" Asked Lily and Calynn at the same time. The little girl wanted to know the reason why that mark was so bad and important for the child.

"It is a mark with a skull and a snake that is made on the left forearm. It is a mark made by the one-who-should-not-be-named to all his Death Eaters," he said. "Although it generally does to those who consider the most faithful, I think that is why you have no escape."

Calynn was horrified.

"And can it be removed?" Asked little Black in a trembling voice. She took her left forearm with some nostalgia. In addition to engaging in such horrendous things she had to have a symbol to show off their destiny, little Black really didn't want any of that.

Snape shook his head. The little girl just gaped and quite disappointed.

"It's like a scar," said the long-haired boy with some regret. "It's simply impossible, but you could hide it under your clothes," the boy finally commented with some melancholy.

Tears slipped down the girl's face, she didn't want to follow her parents' orders, she wanted her own life, she wanted to be happy in her own way and not with the obligations her parents wanted her to fulfill.

"Calm down," said her friends.

"There's still a lot left for that, maybe a year or more," said the redhead. "Maybe by that time you don't have to come back here, maybe you can spend the summer holidays with a friend from school."

"I'm sure it will be soon, she told my father, it's something they want to do to me instantly," Calynn said between sobs. "I don't want to, but my father doesn't understand it either."

"Are you sure?" the two children said with a greater concern in the voice, they wanted to avoid that in some way.

"I know, I am afraid that they will find me in your house and make me the mark, I am sure that if I return with them that will be what they will do to me for the rest of the months before entering school" Calynn said to Lily without stopping to cry a little, she was afraid that her insistence for that mark would be so strong that she would be forced into it during these days.

"But at Hogwarts you have the option of staying on Christmas holidays," Severus said, trying to cheer on his friend.

"But I'm sure they'll make me come back somehow," said the depressed girl. "They haven't needed much to have me under their control, just a wand and many threats," she continued. "They will make me come back, I'm sure."

"How do you know all that, Severus?" Lily asked curiously as if she hadn't heard little Black.

The boy lowered his head thinking about what to answer.

"I've read it in magic books that I have at home," he said naturally. "It's getting late, I think we should go home, don't you think?"

"It is okay." Lily replied as she rose from the ground holding Severus' hand, although she was not completely convinced of the boy's response.

They both said goodbye to a hug and then Lily returned with Calynn to go home. Calynn said goodbye to Severus and before they left the tree Lily looked sideways and quickly left for the house. They walked quickly through the garden without seeing any sign of the girl's parents and entered the house with agitated breathing. Once they calmed down, the redhead spoke.

"Surely my mother will come down to cook, let's go to my room to speak privately."

Before climbing, Lily took a napkin for her friend to wipe away her tears and climbed the wooden steps.