colorful venting (open)

[LILY ANNE EVANS]

Lily Evans loved to paint, no loved wasn't strong enough a word. She adored painting. Ever since she'd been a young child, her mother would set up millions of small little paint pots in the back yard before sending her youngest child out into their yard with a long, fat roll of parchment and a few brushes. The youngest Evans would spend hours outside, dipping her fingers, hands, feet and occasionally her face, into the paint and smooshing it onto the paper. She loved the way the colors would just appear on the page, the way certain ones looked together, and the way she could make anything she wanted out of it. But her favorite paint play time had always been when Tunie had joined in. She'd dip one chubby hand into one of the jars of paint and would carelessly shove her hand onto her sister's clothes, arms, faces and ears, leaving a sticky handprint. At first, Tunie had just stood stock still, before sending a furtive glance towards the house then joining in. Lily's fascination with the colorful substance continued on even after she left home for Hogwarts. In her first year, she'd often bring her paints and a few pieces of paper into one of the empty classrooms, and just paint her worries away. It was quite relaxing, and it never mattered if she ever got paint on anything, a few simple cleaning spells would rid the dingy classrooms of every speck of paint. She continued doing this throughout her first year, and on until the end of her 3rd year, where the paint episodes began getting fewer and farther apart. Eventually they stopped all together. The need to drain herself of stress was gone, as she now had a somewhat partial control over her temper.

However, she still missed feeling the raw emotions that splattering paint about a classroom gave her, and the way everything was covered in multicolored goop by the end of the activity. And so it was one rainy evening, just past curfew that she decided it was time to start up once again. So, taking the big box that was full of jars of paint, brushes and a few scraps of paper from under her bed, she went in search of an empty classroom. She wore one of her old t-shirts and a pair of ratty jean shorts, so much for staying within the dress code.

Lily wandered the halls, peering into classroom after dark classroom; until she finally came upon the one she had used since her first year there. She had no idea what it was used for, as she'd never had a class in it, but it was large enough that she could push the desks and chairs to the sides of the room and still have ample space to fling the paint.

Moments after slipping into the room, she had everything set up. Her paint splattered easel was in the very center of the room, a fresh sheet clipped to it, and hundreds of jars of paint surrounded her. Lily had poured some of the jars into pans, and others into little pots, while some were still in their jars. Only one paint brush could be seen, tightly gripped in the blonde’s fist.

She looked around her, making sure everything was set before sticking the handle of her paint brush into her mouth and pulling her unruly mane of red hair into something that briefly resembled a bun. No need to get her hair covered in paint.

And so the flinging began. She doused her brush in color after color, flinging it at the parchment, desks and ceiling, mesmerized by the whirlwind of colors. If one had chosen to look in on the scene, they would've seen a slightly paint covered floor, brown desks splashed with rays of color, a redhead, (equally covered in splashes), flinging paint like a madman, and in the very center, an almost clean piece of parchment. Her aim was pretty off, all those months not painting had obviously stopped her from being able to control were she sent the bright blobs, but it was still a heck of a lot of fun! So much fun, that she didn't realize it when the classroom door swung open, a human standing just inside the door frame.

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

To say that his fellow Slytherins were difficult to deal with at times would be the understatement of century. Down the corridor two first years were having a screaming match that was starting to look more like a wrestling match than an argument. A group was already gathering to take bets on who would win. Severus briefly lifted his long cold fingers to graze his cheek as he heard the impact of the first hit. He winced as cheers erupted from all around dancing echoing through the halls of the dungeons like banshees howling. With a sigh, he dislodged himself from the wall he’d been sitting against and headed down the stairs to his room. There was no way he was going to get any homework finished tonight.

Defeated, he unlocked the trunk at the foot of his bed and rummaged through it until he found an old tattered cloak and the potions book that had become a journal of sorts. He’d begun jotting notes in the margins and writing his own variations on brews and various spells early in his sixth year and had continued to do so this school year as well. It was a brilliant place to hide his thoughts as none of his roommates would ever open a schoolbook, let alone read one. He quietly slipped out of the room cloak in hand and tip toed past the mob of students watching the fight escalate. He welcomed the chill of the abandoned hallway as cold air sunk into his lungs. The dungeons always seemed much cooler when it rained and he loved how fresh it made everything feel. After a few moments he wrapped himself in the ratty old cloak, more so to blend in with the dark stone of the dungeons than for actual warmth, and headed up to the abandoned classrooms.

He paused at a window on the way to watch as the rain jumped between each of the roof levels like children playing leap frog. He could feel the rain pitter pattering about as he rested his forehead against the cool glass tracing the condensation on the windows with pale fingers. A slight grin graced his lips as he remembered summers spent watching storms roll in over the horizon. After a few minutes he found himself unwilling to part with the sound. He moved down a few feet to where the moonlight was shining through the clouds casting an eerie glow on the cold stone floor as it passed through the window and sat with his back pressed firmly against the wall. Peacefully, he paged through the stained pages of his old potions book allowing his eyes to adjust to the light before beginning to jot down notes on one of the blank pages towards the back with his quill.

To Severus, the rain was relaxing and he found himself again unable to focus on anything but the soft semi-rhythmic sounds as the rain came down a little harder. He closed his book once more and let his mind wander as the repetitive noise filled his ears. Once it began to let up a bit, he opened his eyes in confusion. The rain was slowing but he could still hear the noise of large drops of liquid hitting solid objects. Adding to his confusion, this newer noise sounded like it was coming from the nearby classroom. Assuming a leak had hit the classroom, Severus willed himself to stretch out his long limbs and stand up so he could investigate the damage.

To say the least, what he found once he’d opened the door was completely unexpected. Walls, desks, chairs, everything was covered in a swatch of rainbows. He smirked as his charcoal eyes found the red clump of hair.

"You know, the paint is supposed to actually make it to the parchment" he said in a low voice as he stepped into the room.

[LILY ANNE EVANS]

Lily had been quite content flinging paint about the small room and making a right mess of everything in the room. When she painted, it was almost as if she fell into a trance, nothing she saw or anything that happened really mattered until she feel from her trance. Sometimes it took a good shaking to get her to fall from her cloud, other times it required just a few words. In this particular instant, it took the few words Severus spoke to break her of it.

She paused for a moment, her paint brush in mid fling, shaking her head slightly. After a few moments, Lily realized someone had spoken, and whipping around, sent a few splatters of red paint towards the currently unknown person. Her green eyes swept over the door frame, a smile encasing her paint covered lips as she realized who it was.

Her smile widened before changing into a slight pout. "It wasn't like I was trying to get the paint on the parchment!" She explained, looking around the paint covered room before continuing. "Because if I wanted to hit the parchment I definitely could!" She stated solemnly, looking down at her paint splattered body before giggling. "Isn't it wonderful, Sev?"

Lily smiled at him, of course she knew he wouldn't think the classroom looked lovely, it was just the way he was. But to Lily, the classroom looked beautiful. The different paint colors were strewn across the room in swirls, lines, splatters and different shapes that would never and could never be recreated in a manner that matched the way it was now. That was part of the fun of painting, one could create something completely unique that could never be replicated.

The way the different paint colors melded together was beautiful, the room was so deep in paint that Lily's feet were almost ankle deep in the colorful substances. She giggled again as she lifted her feet up and down, a squelching sound emanating around the room as the paint squished between her toes.

Lily took a tentative step forward, well more of a squid forwards, before spinning around, sending the paint that remained on her brush around the room. She giggled again before skidding her way over to where Severus stood, almost falling over in the process, one of her paint covered hands landing squarely on Severus' shoulder.

"Wanna help me finish it?" She asked, "I have another paintbrush somewhere over there." Lily said, pointing at a jar of paintbrushes on the other side of the room that had sunk into the paint. "I know it looks kinda messy, but I swear I can clean it up afterwards! And I promise I won't tell anyone... please?" She asked, widening her eyes and sticking out her bottom lip, something she'd found to be very effective in the past.

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

Severus watched as Lily orchestrated the colors like a symphony. The way her green eyes lit up as the colors danced around. It really was beautiful, though, he’d never admit that out loud. Instead he just grinned and shook his head as she happily giggled.
“Isn’t it wonderful, Sev?”

He chuckled slightly as he took in the sight before him. She was completely covered in the stuff. He couldn’t help but notice the way the paint accentuated the freckles on her cheeks… or maybe that was just more paint. Either way, she was beautiful when she smiled like that.

He looked down as she squashed the paint between her toes. “That… is disgusting.” He replied trying to sound like he seriously meant it and failing miserably to do so. He watched as she spun around assaulting the room with yet another layer of paint splatter and winced as a particularly large glob of it landed on the doorframe just beside his face.

He swallowed as her hand came to rest on his shoulder. He watched as the paint soaked into the wool of his cloak and wondered what’d happen if he were to return to his room in this state, a colorful handprint much smaller than his own gracing his shoulder. On the other hand, she wanted to include him in her own little world of colors and happiness. He opened his mouth to protest but found his pale thin lips unable to form the words. He wanted so badly to a part of it all, a part of whatever made his best friend happy.

“Lily Evans….you will be the death of me.” He rolled his eyes as she stuck out her lip and added with a sigh. “Grab me the extra paint brush.”

[LILY ANNE EVANS]

Lily giggled again, sending another shower of paint over the room. Of course Sev would think it was gross, or disgusting. Or at least he would pretend that that was what he thought and felt. But she knew better, he really didn't mind. If he had minded he would've promptly walked away. She wouldn't have even bothered to ask if she thought he was in one of his moods, either. Sev was like that, and Lily had learned to interpret when he was in a good mood, as well as when he was in a bad mood.

"Of course it is," she smirked, a large smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Which is why you haven't complained about the paint on your cloak." Lily grinned, turning around.

Lily skidded back into the center of the room, almost tripping over a tray of paint that has half-immersed in the colorful substance before stopping and turning back around to face him. She really hoped he would say he'd join her, she wasn't really in the mood to whine about it.

A large smile danced across her face as he replied, stating that he would join in on the fun. She half walked, half slipped over to the jar, her sticky fingers wrapping around the brushes handle before slipping and sliding back over to where Severus stood.

Lily giggled again before hugging him, "Of course I will be! I've known that for ages! But you must admit, it is loads of fun!" She paused, stepping back a bit before holding out the paintbrush. "It's a pretty good stress buster to." She added.

She quirked one of her pale eyebrows, her forehead wrinkling ever so slightly as she waited for him to take the paintbrush. If she was lucky, it wouldn't take to much poking and prodding to get him to come back out of his shell.

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

Severus grimaced in an exaggerated fashion as he looked over at his shoulder to hide the smile upturning the edges of his pale lips. He watched as she slid across the paint-covered floor as if it were made of ice. He couldn't help but remember the time his mother had taken him skating when he was a young boy. The hand me down skates were much too big on him and he spent more time on his butt than on his feet, but it had been one of his favorite memories.

He snapped out of the thought when a certain redhead began sliding back to him, convinced that she was going to crash right into him. He closed his eyes and braced himself as if the brunt of the force would knock him over and opened one eye cautiously as he felt her embrace. The corners of his lips turned up in a smile as he breathed out a fake heavy sigh of relief and wrapped his arms around her so she wouldn’t slip taking them both down.

“No really, I don’t think you understand. You REALLY will be the death of me.”

He chuckled as she took a step back to hand him the brush and quirked a brow. It was clear that she was excited about this, and he’d happily comply if it meant that he got to spend the evening watching her eyes sparkle like that. Though he’d never admit to enjoying himself, after all, he had a reputation as a wet blanket to uphold.

“A stress buster huh?" He couldn’t help the smirk growing on his lips. “I could probably use some stress-busting about now.”

He accepted the brush after slight hesitation and stared at it as if he were holding some kind of terrible cursed object. He was growing more skeptical about this by the minute. But his agreeing had made her so happy, and he knew he’d passed the point of backing down now. “What now?” he asked as he canvassed the already paint splotched room.