"Okay class, settle down now and open your books to chapter 9." Professor Potter said as he entered the classroom. The class immediately quieted and turned to the chapter assigned. The lesson went smoothly with no interruptions and before long Professor Potter had released them to their next classes. While his peers were hurrying to put their belongings away and rush out of the classroom he took his time in putting his materials away and then instead of heading to the door, he walked up to the teachers desk. He cleared his throat since the professors back was to him. Professor Potter turned and upon seeing him, smiled. "What can I do for you, Severus?" he asked. Severus said nothing but handed his professor the homework that wasn't due until the next class period. "Oh, thank you" his professor said to him as he took the offered homework. His professor looked over it and as he examined it his expression turned amused. "I only asked for 8 inches for this assignment, Severus" Professor Potter said. "I know" was all Severus answered. "There's double that here" professor Potter went on. "Extra credit?" Severus asked hopefully. Professor Potter smiled at him and said, "I'll see what I can do." "Thanks, Professor" Severus replied as he picked up his book bag. "Wait, Severus" his professor called to him. Severus turned around with a questioning look. "Who's your next professor? This nice little chat of ours has caused you to be late and you don't need to be getting into unnecessary trouble over turning in an early homework assignment. "Professor Granger" Severus answered. Professor Potter nodded and began writing him a late pass. "Thank you, professor" Severus said as he accepted the note and turned to leave. When Severus was far enough from the classroom he let out a pleased sigh. Defense was his favorite class and Professor Potter his favorite teacher; one of few who treated him kindly. His father had been a Death Eater and so it was assumed that he would be one as well.
Severus walked into Muggle Studies and handed Professor Granger the note. She read it, gave Severus a little smile and told him to take his seat and get started on the assignment written on the board.
After Muggle Studies Severus had lunch. He ate with his only friend, Draco Malfoy; son of the Potions teacher at the school, Lucius Malfoy. They talked about their classes and homework and what they had done over the Easter holiday. Once lunch was over Severus and Draco walked to Potions class together and took their seats. Even though his father taught the class, Draco got no special treatment whatsoever. Potions was Severus' favorite class after Defense. There was something calming about mixing ingredients and brewing them that he enjoyed. It helped that his friend was also his lab partner. Right after they had taken their seats Professor Malfoy entered and gave them their assignment for that class period and Severus and Draco along with the rest of the class proceeded to make it. Five minutes before the end of class the professor was walking around, assessing everyone's potions and giving them grades for that day's assignment. Professor Malfoy was a hard but fair grader and with his tips and criticisms everyone became better and potions. After nodding at himself and his son and giving them their usual 'A' professor Malfoy told Severus to see him after class and with that dismissed everyone. Severus looked to Draco, wondering if he knew what his father wanted to see him about but Draco just shrugged and packed up his things. "See you" they said to each other and with that Severus gathered his things and walked up to Professor Malfoy's desk a little apprehensively.
"How are you today?" his professor asked him. "Fine, thanks" he replied, wanting nothing more than to end the conversation and be gone. He may be friends with this man's son and like the class he taught, but that didn't mean that he liked the man himself. "Have you given any thought to what I asked you during our last conversation?" Right. He wanted him to join up with the secret organization that was positive that the Dark Lord - also known as Grindlewald - was going to be resurrected. "I – I haven't, actually. I've been swamped with homework" he lied. "Of course, of course, I apologize. Take your time and get back to me." His Professor said. "Okay, sir" he replied and with that he turned and walked out of the classroom and to his common room. He settled on the couch by the fire and relaxed for a bit until it was time for his meeting with the headmaster.
Twenty minutes later he was starting at the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office. He muttered the password and the ascended up the spiral moving staircase to the headmaster's office. Before he could raise his hand to knock he heard through the door, "come in!" and so in he went. "Severus, my boy!" the headmaster greeted him, "come, have a seat, how are you?" headmaster Riddle asked him. "I'm fine, thank you" he replied, taking a seat before the headmaster. "How are your classes?" Riddle asked him. "They are good" he answered. "Has Lucius tried again?" he asked after a moment of silence. "Yes, today, after class. I told him I hadn't had a chance to think about it because I was busy with classes and he said to take my time" the headmaster nodded at him somberly. "Thank you" the headmaster said to him. He nodded and they discussed a few things further and then bid goodbye to his headmaster and headed to his last class for the day – Transfiguration.
Dumbledore greeted him as he entered the class and he took his seat next to Lily, his only other friend who was in Gryffindor. "How are you Sev?" she asked. "Fine, you?" he asked. "Good, thanks" she replied. She was the only one allowed to call him Sev. Dumbledore started the lesson and like all his other lessons that day, it went by fast. "See you at practice" Lily bid him as she departed. He knew where she was off to before quidditch practice – to snog her boyfriend for a bit, the pretty boy of Gryffindor house – James Potter. He put the thought from his mind as he headed to the common room to change into gear for practice. Once on the field he was more relaxed than he had been all day. Flying relaxed him more than potions ever could. There was something to being in the air that calmed his mind and made him feel like nothing could go wrong. His coach blew the starting whistle and he touched to the ground and formed a straight line with the rest of the quidditch players. There used to be a separate coach for each house but in recent years they made it so that one teacher coached each house. The new coach was a Ron Weasley. The Slytherins didn't like him, but Severus didn't mind him much. All the other coaches before him had greatly favored Gryffindor, but not Ron. Ron treated them all fairly and with respect. That was another thing he liked about the coach. They got to call him Ron instead of Coach Weasley. Ron instructed them to start the warm up routines and once that was done he mixed up players from different houses and had them practice against one another in mock quidditch games. An hour later, Severus was very tired, and sweaty. He needed a shower and dinner. He quickly headed to the locker rooms, undressed and stepped into the shower. When he was out of the shower he reached for his towel to find that it wasn't there. "What the?" he mumbled and peeked out the shower curtain. He was the only one in the locker room but there was no sign of the towel. He then looked around for his clothes and found them missing too. He heard laughter from outside and recognized it as belonging to Potter and his gang. He was so mad that he stormed outside to confront them but once he was outside there was no sign of them anywhere. "Dammit!" he fumed and ran up to the castle before anyone could see him nude. He thought he was in the clear when he reached the stairs to the dungeons, but then he ran into his favorite professor Potter. His Professor regarded him with amusement and asked with barely concealed humor in his voice "missing something?" Severus blushed and tried to cover himself. "You don't have anything I haven't seen before" Professor Potter said then added, "Come Severus, I'll make sure you aren't seen by anyone" and together they walked to Severus' common room where he hurried inside to change. He expected his professor to be waiting for him but when he went back into the hallway it was empty. He hurried to dinner and squeezed in next to Draco who asked him, "where were you?" "Potter and friends stole my clothes" he replied. Draco chuckled a little and then bit it down and said "okay, payback time" and that cheered Severus up a bit. He looked up to the staff table and saw Professor Potter staring at him. He smiled and nodded at his professor and then mouthed 'thank you' to which he saw his professor answer 'anytime.'
Weeks passed, turning into months and before he knew it Severus was a day from graduating from Hogwarts. He had top marks in his class along with a student from every other house and it was no surprise to him that Lily was top of Gryffindor. He didn't have many friends so his yearbook wasn't full of many signatures but he made sure to get some from his professors as well who were all more than happy to sign. "Come see me after the ceremony, I have something for you" Professor Potter informed him as he signed his book then handed it back to him. "Okay" he said as he headed for the door. He returned his yearbook to his packed suitcase than ran up the stairs to the astronomy tower to visit one last time with Lily. "I'm going to miss it here" she said and he replied, "me too."
"We're getting married in two weeks" she said out of the blue. "Really?" he asked, barely keeping his voice one of neutrality. "Yes" she answered and he nodded. "You're invited" she said turning to stare at him, concern on her face. "He allowed that?" he asked. "I gave him no choice" she said and smirked at him to which he smiled. He nodded again and said "I'll be there" The hugged and then parted ways.
The ceremony was nice and flew by quickly. Once it was over he hurried up to the top floor to see Professor Potter, eager to know what his professor had for him. He knocked and his professor called, "Come in!" and so he went. "Ah Severus, congratulations" he said to which Severus answered, "thank you." "Have a seat" Professor Potter said and Severus sat before his desk. "I have an offer for you" he said. Severus asked, "Is this what you wanted to give me?" "Yes" Professor Potter answered. "What is it?" Severus asked barely able to contain his excitement. "I'd like for you to be my apprentice" he waited for Severus' reaction. His face turned from one of excitement to bewilderment to joy. "Me? Your Apprentice? Are you sure sir?" he asked. "Quite" the man said. "I'd love to!" he all but screamed then added, "thank you, sir!" "You are quite welcome" the man said and added, "You can call me Harry, Sev" and he didn't mind the man calling him Sev. "Okay, Harry" he said and stood to shake the man's hand. As they traded grips they each leaned in to one another and slowly kissed. They parted and Severus looked up at Harry questioning who just smiled at him. "It's okay" Harry said, drawing Severus in for a hug. Severus returned it and all seemed to be right with the world.