Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, obviously. What's the point of doing this damn thing? If I owned it I'd be writing the sixth book now, not a lame-ass fanfic

Authors Note: I just finished HP5. There are no REAL spoilers in this I don't think, so no worries. It's mostly in the past anyways. For people out there who feel sympathy for Severus Snape. And by the way, I wrote this while eating Hot Pockets and drinking Pepsi and listening to the Harry Potter soundtrack with my trusty Harry Potter: and the Order of the Phoenix sitting on my lap. For reassurance. I'm content. ^-^ Purrrrr.

Warning: there will be at some point be yaoi/shonen-ai or those Japanese illiterate, slash. This will happen especially in later chapters. You will see. FOR ONCE I do have some het. relationships going on here. Just read, you'll see. Enough for everyone. And don't assume you will know who the couples are. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW! Well, eventually. Guess, just guess! Who're the couples? Heehee...okay I'm a doof.

Fic:

SEVERITY

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In the closet sat a little boy, crying and weeping into his minute babyish hands. His pointy little knuckles held scabs and dried blood from beating against the door of the closet. A picture of derision if one could be taken easily. He heard screaming from outside the closet door, a woman's scream, and the little boy again pounded his bony little fists against the closet door.

"NO! NO! STOP! NO! STOP! STOP!"

"STOP!!!!!" Severus screamed as he sat up. He gasped for breath and mewled until he recognized where he was. He felt his face, his chest, looked at his knuckles.

No blood.

He wiped his face with his hands and rubbed his hands through his hair, then looked around.

All the beds were empty.

"Shit!" he cursed, and jumped up. He changed quickly and gathered his things.

He stumbled clumsily down the stairs, cursing himself and to the History of Magic room. He burst through the doors and everyone turned to look at him.

He felt like an idiot.

He was never late.

Professor Binns looked over to him.

"Mr. Snape, please take your seat."

Severus did so, silently, hiding his blushing cheeks behind his black tresses. He heard a sniggering from behind him. He scowled down at the parchment he was laying out on the desk.

He tried to listen to the lesson. He was normally a very diligent student; even though the History of Magic was a trifle boring when taught by Professor Binns, the particulars of the class were interesting. Severus was especially interested in Wizard Rebellion. He felt a strong bond to those long since dead Witches and Wizards they learned about; he felt they had a strength he did not contain but aspired to have.

Conversely, the class was particularly boring today. The constant sniggering and whispering behind him was beginning to pester him. He flicked his quill, the audacity of the boys behind him driving him mad. He rubbed his forehead as a stray piece of paper, crumpled and the size of his pinky nail, sailed past his ear. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore them and listen to the professor.

They got homework, a foot and a half to three feet about the Great Wizard Rebellion against Muggles in the year 1252 after reading pages 241-254 in their textbooks. Severus found this fascinating, so he began reading before class ended and was so engrossed in the battle of Lumoria and Bran Wingood's victory that he read as he made his way out the door and out of the castle for his break between classes. He ran hard into someone so he dropped his textbook. He snarled as he bent to pick it up. A delicate hand touched his own and picked it up for him. He looked up.

Lily Evans held out his book, brushing red hair from her face. Severus swallowed hard and took it quickly, letting his own hair fall in front of his own face.

"Sorry, and, um....this....this is yours. James and his mates took it from you while you were reading the section we were assigned, I took it from them...I didn't read it," she said. Severus felt his cheeks become hot as he took his journal from her.

"Th-thanks," he said softly.

"Well, see you later," Lily waved and walked off. Severus rubbed the back of his neck nervously. It was strange. Was she really being as kind as she acted? Or was she just being the Mudblood she was? Severus scowled as he thought about it and found a seat near (but not too near) the lake, under the shade of some bushes. He looked up and saw a flaxen handsome Slytherin surrounded by a few of his friends. Severus smiled and approached him.

"Hello, Lucius."

"What? Oh, Severus," Lucius said with a slight roll of his eyes. Severus' eyebrow quirked slightly.

"So, um...I was just wondering...if you needed help with your History homework? Three feet is an awful lot to write."

Lucius ran his hand over his silken gold tresses and looked at Severus off the end of his nose.

"Yes, it is isn't it?"

"Well, yes..." Severus suddenly felt very belittled.

"Sure, if you wouldn't mind, could you do it for me?"

Severus' shoulders sagged slightly. He'd hoped he and Lucius would be able to be alone. After all Lucius was the most popular Slytherin in the school. It would certainly make Severus look admirable to have helped Lucius one on one with his homework.

"Yes, yes, I'd love to. Need to keep myself busy, you know," he laughed nervously

Lucius' friends were watching him.

"That doesn't surprise me."

Severus felt himself blushing. He thought for a moment that one could only blush so many times in one morning. One more time and surely his face would rupture from too much blood.

"I'll, erm...I'll catch you later then," Severus said softly, backing up. He almost tripped over his robes, which were slightly too long for him. He heard Lucius and his friends chortle at him as he walked away.

He felt like an idiot.