REGULUS

September 1972 was all by itself an important month in my young life.

It was when I would join Hogwarts School of Wizardry and witchcraft. The day one became someone important in my household.

The day you started to matter.

Well, only if you got into the right house... in our case Slytherin. House of dark wizards and muggle haters. The house that stands for everything my parents have tried to raise me into.

I looked to my left and found Sirius walking beside me. Still my older brother, still a person I loved. Mother and father hadn't been able to push that out of me... Sirius had landed in the wrong house... well, wrong according to my family right according to him.

He'd smile real smiles when he told me about his house and his housemates... and I loved to see him smile.

He turned to me and gave me a small cocky grin before burying his hands in his pant pockets and resuming his stare at the floor.

Crossing the magical barrier made the butterflies in my stomach come alive once again.... everything I would face from now on, would shape who I would become and how I would interact with my family.... everything would change from now on.

"Wanna go meet my housemates?" Sirius offered knowing I didn't know many kids my age yet... I had socialized with the Malfoy's and the Zabini's and others. But I didn't have a friend... So I shrugged nonchalantly, like I didn't really care even when my heart was hammering. He wanted me to be part of his world. And he grinned once more. Starting to walk left with me following close behind.

Three boys were laughing. A wild haired boy with glasses, a thin blond boy with a lot of scars and a small pudgy one, munching on a chocolate. The boy with the glasses broke into a huge grin and I saw my brother's hand wave.

"Sirius!" The boy said walking forward and shaking Sirius hand. The blond kid turned a huge grin as well and he gave my brother a half hug, while the other boy just nodded.

"Guys, this is Regulus… my kid brother..." I looked from one to the other, a bit nervous. "Reg, these are James "The boy with glasses nodded once."Remus. "The blond kid smiled and inclined his head a bit."And Peter." The third boy waved shortly.

"Hello." I said softly. While they talked among themselves, I used the time to look around.

So many kids, so many people to meet.

And then, I saw you

And the day became important for a whole new reason.

You stood by an older boy and clung to his arm. You were dressed in a pale blue dress and an overcoat thrown over it.

Your hair was up in a ponytail... your dark eyes wide with curiosity. The older boy smiled down at you and said something that made you smile. And I envied him. I wanted to make you smile.

But your smile made me smile. You had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. An old lady before you smiled too.

"That's Snivellus..." my brother's voice said beside me and I jumped a bit turning to him.

He was looking toward the beautiful girl and the boy.

"He's got himself a girl?" James asked and I turned to look at him at once.

"Nah..." said Remus and I turned to him now. He was reading something from a piece of paper. "He said his sister would start this year..." he commented turning the piece of paper over."That must be her..."

"Let's hope she's not as nasty as he is..." Sirius said. I looked up at him with a frown. It felt like a personal insult to have them talk about you like that.

"Who is he?" I asked trying to gather information.

"Severus Snape..." he said his lip curling up in disgust. "A greasy git who thinks knows everything... and James hates him because Lily likes Snivellus better than him." I laughed softly when a hand slapped Sirius head. "Hey!" he said rubbing the sore spot. "Truth hurts, doesn't it, James?" he asked mockingly and took off running when James started chasing him. I watched them go, Sirius laughing aloud all the while.

"Don't listen to them..." I spun to find Remus smiling at the pair as well. "Severus is not a bad guy. I think it's the Lily thing that's gotten James and Sirius cross with him..." he said thoughtfully.

"Who's lily?" I asked confused. He looked around for a while, just as a very pretty red-haired girl walked by followed by three other girls.

"Hello Remus... Peter" she threw over her shoulder casually. His eyes went to mine for a second, one eyebrow rising.

"Hi Lily... how was your summer?" Remus inquired, and it struck me just how polite he was.

"It was boring, really..." she said stopping to make conversation with him."Yours?"

"The same. " Her eyes looked around.

"Where are the other two?" she asked, her nose wrinkling a bit.

Remus looked around and pointed to the two still running around.

"There." he said.

"Boys..." she said shaking her head and Remus snorted."I'll see you in school, yeah?" she asked and Remus nodded. She moved away from us, to Severus and you. And I wanted to go with her.

"That's lily..." he said and I nodded my eyes on you and your brother talking to her.

"And she's that Snape boy's girlfriend?" I asked.

"No... they're friends-...but it kills James that she gets along with a Slytherin while she can't even stand the sight of him..."

When it was time to leave, I was invited to share their compartment.

There was laughter and food and candy and I had never seen Sirius this relaxed... and all I could think about was you.

SERENA

A beginning of term meant that Severus would be up by sunrise and running around the house worrying about the coming school year and whether he packed everything he might need.

That September, when I opened my eyes sometime around 5 he was already up and running around and going a mile an hour about school and how wonderful it would be for me.

And just how amazing it would be for me to be there with him. He left out the word safe, but I knew that's what he was thinking.

School was safe haven for him, and I think mom wanted that for him as well, which is why she tried her best to let us go.

My family was not rich by any means and mom had to make ends meet for Severus to get his supplies. And now double her efforts so I could go as well. I had no trouble in using his old books and old robes… anything I could have from him I was only too happy to use.

Sev insisted on coming to the station half an hour early each year and mom always smiled patiently at him as he tried to eat breakfast, then ran her hand over his cheek place a kiss on his forehead and agreed.

Our trunks were packed, clothes folded and stored. Books littering the bottom. A supply of quills and parchments and homemade candies from mom. Nerves on high and that morning, Severus even smiled.

I had crossed the barrier each year when we came to say goodbye to Severus, so the station was nothing new for me.

There was almost no one there when we arrived. A few kids, a few adults… but the station was slowly filling up. More kids and more adults together than I had seen ever…

And then, I saw you.

There, among a small group of older boys who were goofing around, you stood wide-eyed trying to look like you weren't scared. Trying to see it all, to understand it all, to take everything in.

A lanky kid with hair dark as the night that smiling shyly at the older boys. One of them looked very much like you, so I assumed you two were related. Both of you stood straight and tall… perfect positions and I knew you came from a good family.

But there was something about you, like a weariness or nervousness that went beyond being among stranger or going someplace you had only heard of... it enveloped you like a cloak…it made you look like the rest of us, so unlike every other kid from wealthy families I had met … and I found it breathtaking.

"That's the smallest Black..." Sev hissed in my ear and I turned to him. "Stay away from those boys..." he said pointing to the older ones."They're Gryffindor's..." he spat out and I smiled up at him.

"What if I end up in Gryffindor too, Sev?" I placed a hand against his chest and he smiled warmly.

"Then… "He heaved a dramatic sigh "I guess I wouldn't mind..."

"The house does not make the person..." I said softly. "If they're bad or nasty, it's cause they were born like that..." Mom smiled and nodded.

"Hello, Severus..." A soft voice said behind us and I turned to see a pretty red-haired girl smiling.

"Hello, Lily..." He replied overly eager.

"Lily Evans!"

"Hi Serena... so, first year?" she asked cheerfully. "Exited?" She was standing next to Sev, who had eyes only for her and no one else in the school.

"Absolutely!" I grinned. Lily grinned back and then greeted my mom.

"So…I'll see you around then?" she asked both of us and I nodded, and Sev grinned like the love fool he became around her.

She walked away waving over her shoulder at us. I had to stomp on Sev's foot to get his attention back.

"Ow, Serena!" he whined.

"Oh, shut up… you looked like a fool with your mouth hanging open like that…" I snickered.

"Shut up." He ducked his head trying to hide his blush and I smiled at my mom whose eyes were bright and she looked a bit sad.

Saying goodbye to my mom was harder than saying goodbye to Severus had been all those previous years.

I clung to her and I felt her breath quickening.

"Be a good girl.." she whispered her hand rubbing comforting circled on my back. "And take care of Sev… and yourself." I nodded trying so hard to fight tears.

"Take care of yourself, Mom…" I begged and felt Sev's hand on my upper arm trying to pull me back.

Her smile was fake and she looked so sad I wanted to stay. But Sev kissed her cheek and placed an arm over my shoulders and brought me into the train that would lead us away from home and family.

Mom waved, and I waved back even after I couldn't see her anymore.

Sev kept his arm around my shoulder and I leant into his side. He kept saying mom would be fine. He promised we could write every day. He promised to teach me everything he knew and swore I would have a good time. And then he said time flew and before I knew it, we'd be back and everything would be alright.

I could only believe him. He was my big brother. So I tried to think of other things.

And all I could think about was you.