Back when James Potter, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, and the others were in school, there was two sides: The Marauders and Severus.

There were truths: James and Sirius were best friends.

And there were lies: Sirius was on Severus's side.

It started the day that James hung Snape up by his feet and laughed at him in their 5th year. The rest of the Marauders were laughing and cheering, but Sirius stood behind them, a look of horror on his face. What are they doing?! His mind screamed at him. It's wrong! What did he do? He didn't do anything to deserve this!

Severus's eyes met Sirius's, and the latter's mind fell into place.

Quietly, he hexed the grass below James's feet to trip him. As James went down, so did Severus. The Marauders ran to help up their leader, and their target ran away. "Help James, I'm going after him!" the dog animagus yelled to his friends as he ran after the dark-haired boy.

Snape was fast. Severus probably wouldn't have caught him if he hadn't have stopped.

Severus stood, panting, behind a wall of the castle. "What do you want?" he weezed at the other boy as he came to a stop. "I…" Sirius was about to say, but paused at the sound of his friends voices. "Hurry up," James's voice said. "I think Padfoot went this way."

"S***!" Sirius cussed. He grabbed Severus and pulled him toward a hidden passage way. "Quick, or we'll be caught!" he said, a michivious smile on his face.

The future potions master stared at the boy as he was pulled along behind him. He was different from James Potter, who he hated so much.

The secret passage ended, and the two ended up in a cooridor, but they didn't stop moving. Snape was pushed into the nearest empty classroom, and the door closed and locked.

The mechivious face of the other turned to smile at him. "We did it!" he laughed, looking into the blank face of Severus. "Oh, come on," he said, sobered by the passive face of his rescuee. "Cheer up a little, they won't find us here."

The other boy didn't say a word, and so they stayed perfectly quiet until they were sure that James was no-where near.

For the next week, Snape was aware of Black's smiles or his glances at him when they had a class together. But they didn't talk until the following Sunday.

Severus was simply walking along when he heard a shout from behind him. "He turned his to see Sirius running towards him. "Let's go!" he said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him into a run. Glancing back, Severus caught the sight of James and Lupin.

"Hurry up, Sev!" The boy in front of Severus said, pulling him harder. They rounded a corner and ran hard for a large door in the wall that Snape didn't remember being there.

They dove in and as soon as the door was shut Sirius yelled out "Don't let anyone else in!" Seemingly to the room itself.

Breathing heavily, the geeky boy looked at Sirius. "Aren't you going to get in trouble?" he asked, sitting up from where he had fallen. "They saw you with me."

Sirius laughed. "I made a deal with them. I told them that I'd still be their friend, but when it comes to you, I'm on your side." Snape gave him a suspitious look. "Why would you do that?" he asked. Sirius looked him straight in the eye. "Because I want to,"

So some time after that, the two sat in the room of requirement talking. They learned that they both liked DADA and were good at potions. They liked the same food, and Severus thought it was cool that Sirius could become a dog, and Sirius said he like smart people. Severus was that taller of the two, but Sirius was older by two months.

"Does this mean we're friends now?" Severus asked Sirius unsteadily. The shorter one tilted his head to one side and smiled at him. "Of course it does."

How cute, Severus thought. Then he mentally slapped himself. Cute?! He's a guy! Idiot, get it together!

Suddenly, Sirius laughed. "W…what?" Severus asked the boy. "I know what you're thinking." He said. Sirius suddenly leaned in very close and kissed Snape. It was more just a peck, but Severus was so shocked that by the time he came back into focus, Sirius was gone.

Severus gingerly touched his lips with a finger. "Friends?" he said, a smile on the very same lips that Sirius had kissed. "Idiot," he breathed.