Severus looked along at the alarmingly large train. Having no brothers or sisters to see off on their way to Hogwarts, Severus had never seen the train before. It was red and alongside it read Hogwarts Express. Severus turned his head to look up at the clock: 10:47. He had told his father that they would be too early, but it seemed that Mr Snape wanted to be rid of his son as soon as possible – how loving. Severus pushed his trolley forward nervously, not quite sure how he was going to get his belongings onto the train. He had only a trunk and a cage with his pet owl in, but the trunk was very heavy; especially for an eleven year old. Severus pushed the trolley right up to one of the doors, and lifted his trunk out, dropping it onto the ground.
"Want some help?" Severus looked up to see where the voice had come from. His eyes came across a kind face that was smiling down on him. A boy, not much older than himself it seemed, who was reaching a hand down. Severus took the hand and pulled himself as he studied this boy carefully. The boy had messy jet black hair which reached just passed his ears and looked like it could cover his whole face if he didn't have it tucked behind his ears. He had blue eyes and wore slightly wonky glasses.
"I'm James," the boy offered kindly. "You look like you could do with some help." Without a word from Severus, James lifted up half of Severus' trunk and waited. Severus hastily reached down and picked up the trunk. Together they lifted it into the train. While Severus pushed his trunk into an overhead compartment, James ran back to get his owl.
Severus sat down in the empty compartment and James sat down opposite him. "You've got a beautiful owl," he said, stroking the creature through the cage bars.
"Thanks," Severus said uncertainly. "She's called Putri." Severus blushed as if it was an embarrassing name but James just smiled. "It means princess," Severus added quickly."
"I think that's a great name."
Severus scorned. "Yeah, pity my father doesn't think the same. He says it's too girly and pretty."
James grinned. "Hey, I don't see why it's just girls who get the pretty things!" Severus' hard face broke into a grin and he laughed; something which he had had no reason to do for many years. "You never mentioned your name."
"Oh, it's Severus. Severus Snape."
It may have been Severus' imagination, but he swore that James' face had changed as soon as he mentioned his last name. But after a moment it had gone, leaving Severus feeling confused. "James Potter," James said again, holding out a hand. They shook formerly, and then James stood. "Would you like to meet my friends?"
"You already have friends?" asked Severus, then bit his lip, realising that he must have sounded stupid.
James laughed. "Yeah, just the two. I only know them because by chance they happen to live near me." James walked out of the compartment with Severus close behind him. "Watch out for Lily," James called behind him. "She's a bit – well…fiery, I guess. But maybe that's just because of her hair." Severus was confused and was going to ask him what he meant by that, when the boy in front of him stopped. Severus nearly crashed into him. A boy and a girl were sitting opposite each other, discussing something at length. They stopped when Severus and James walked in. The boy grinned. "And where have you been, Jamesy?"
"He's probably just been annoying everyone, as usual," the girl answered. The boy laughed and James smiled quite strangely. Severus raised an eyebrow at this, but had no time to ponder over whether it meant anything because James began talking and the moment had gone.
"This is Severus," James said, indicating towards Severus, who smiled nervously. "This is Sirius –" James pointed towards the boy, "and this, most unfortunately, is Lily. She's the one I was telling you about," he added more quietly.
"Hey! I heard that!" protested Lily, glaring at James who laughed, assumedly happy that he'd annoyed her. James and Severus sat opposite Lily and Sirius, and Severus took a moment to take in his new acquaintances. Sirius had short black hair, but hair that was a lot tidier than James'. He had thick eyebrows which shaded his rather strange dark brown eyes. He had a kind yet mischievous face. Severus then turned to Lily. He understood what James meant with the "fiery" remark. Lily's hair was a deep red, and reached down right past her shoulders. It was wavy but not messy and glistened in the light overhead. To clash perfectly with her hair Lily had incredible green eyes. They were beautifully shaped, curving with the lines of her face. She certainly was a lot to take in, thought Severus.
"You want anything off the trolley, Severus?" James asked. Severus looked up and nodded, and the two got up and walked away to buy whatever their money could buy them. Sirius turned to Lily. "So," he started, "what do you think of the new boy?"
Lily laughed. "I wouldn't exactly call him the new boy! We're all new, aren't we?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and grinned, something in his face urging Lily to talk first. "Well," she began, "he seems alright. What did James say his name was?"
"Severus." Sirius shuddered. "I just hope to hell that he isn't Severus Snape." Now it was Lily's turn to raise an eyebrow. Being from a muggle family, Lily didn't know much about wizarding families. "The Snapes are a very old "pure-blood" family."
"What does pure-blood mean?" asked Lily curiously.
"Well, basically, it means that they don't have any muggles in their family. Like me and James. But a lot of families like theirs are really stuck up, saying that muggle-borns have filthy blood. They call them mudbloods," Sirius added quietly, as if he were saying the F-word.
Lily frowned. "So, I'm a mudblood."
"Yeah, but I wouldn't go around saying that. Mudblood is a really horrible term for muggle-borns." Lily leaned back. She didn't like the sound of that. "The Snapes are one of these families. Mine and James' dads really hate them, and so do a lot of wizarding families. They say that the Snapes practise the dark arts."
"And I assume that's bad magic?" Lily sighed. "Well, I hope he isn't a Snape. They sound really horrible." Severus and James came back into the compartment, hands loaded with sweets. They threw them down onto the table. "Are you sure you got enough?" asked Lily incredulously. "You'll get fat – no, wait, you don't have to worry about that James; you're already at that point."
Sirius laughed and James made a face. "Well, you better not have any, it'll only worsen your spots." Lily gasped and picked up some sweets, throwing them in James' face. James was laughing, and a few sweets flew straight into his mouth, making him choke. While they attacked each other like this, Severus stood and walked round to sit by Sirius. "Are they always like this?" Severus asked.
Sirius grinned. "Oh yeah, they're always fighting."
"Don't you ever think to stop them?"
Sirius shook his head meaningfully. "No. Don't worry – I have my own plans for those two."
"What does that mean?" asked Severus. Sirius simply waved his hand towards their direction. James had pulled Lily across the table and had thrown her half-purposefully, half-accidentally, onto the floor. Lily had pulled him with her, grabbing at his collar, and they were lying on the floor together, in a rather violent tickling fest. Severus looked back at Sirius. "So what?"
Sirius sighed. "Isn't it obvious?" Severus still looked black. Sirius grinned. "Well, don't you think they look pretty cute together? Severus looked back to Lily and James, and understood. Sirius was going to try and set them up. Severus smiled at Sirius. "Can I help?"
"Sure, why not. You work on Lily, I'll work on James. I'm sure that, in time, in a few years maybe, we…"
"Years?!"
Sirius laughed. "Hey, these things take time, you know?" By now, James and Lily had stopped fighting, and were now sitting side by side, scoffing down the sweets and ignoring each other completely. Severus looked back at his new friend and grinned. "However long it takes."
Sirius looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He sat back and looked down into his lap. "You never said what your last name was," he motioned, looking back up at Severus.
"Oh, it's Snape," Severus said quickly without thinking. The same thing that he had thought had crossed James' face now crossed Sirius'. Only this time the look didn't leave. It stayed there. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. No, I was just wondering. Snape is quite a strange name, isn't it? My last name's Black, quite boring and common if you ask me…" Sirius blabbered on nervously, the look of mistrust and uncertainty never once leaving his face.
~
Severus walked into the Great Hall with a great feeling of nervousness and anxiety. He had heard all about the four houses already from his father, of course. His father said that he would most definitely go into Slytherin, like Mr Snape himself and other members of his family. But Severus didn't want to go into Slytherin. His new friends had all said that Gryffindor sounded like the best house, and they all wanted to go in there. They told him that Slytherin was the worst house there was. Apparently, almost everyone in Slytherin went evil. Severus knew he wasn't evil. He knew that he was nothing like his father. Like his grandfather. Like most of the Snapes in his family. And Severus didn't want to be separated from his new friends. They were all he had.
"There's nothing to be nervous about." Severus looked to the left of him. It was Lily. He smiled at her but said nothing. "You'll be fine. All they do is put a hat on you and the hat can see into you or something, and decides what house you'd be good in."
Severus smiled. "You seem to know a lot. Have you got a brother or sister here?"
"Oh no, no. My parents are muggles."
"…You're muggle-born?" Severus asked in disbelief.
Lily's smile faded. "Yeah, w-why?"
Severus frowned. "My father always taught me that muggle-borns were filthy and…horrible. But – you're so nice, you can't be muggle-born…"
Lily laughed. "You know, just because he's your father doesn't mean he's always right Severus!"
Severus smiled shakily. This lovely girl, a mudblood? It wasn't possible. His father must have got it wrong… Either that or he had lied to him. Severus felt anxious now. Had everything his father taught him been a lie? But there was no time to ponder over this. Lily grabbed his hand to get his attention – and Severus melted. He felt weird. But not in a bad way. Then Lily took her hand away and laughed pointing up to the stage where a woman was standing, calling out names. Severus smiled. He couldn't remember ever feeling so happy with someone.
"…So when I call out your name, please step up to the stool and put on the sorting hat," said the woman up on stage. Severus thought her name might be Professor McGonagall. He couldn't remember. After a few names of Severus staring at Lily, Sirius' name was called out. "Good luck," Severus said, before Sirius stepped out, looking pale, and sat onto the hat. After a few seconds the hat yelled out: "GRYFFINDOR!"
Everyone on the Gryffindor table yelled out and applauded, as Sirius walked over and sat down, looking immensely please with himself. Severus gulped. That was one friend surely lost. After a while McGonagall called out, "Evans, Lily!"
"Wish me luck," Lily whispered. Severus smiled and she walked over to the stool. It only took a moment before the hat yelled: "GRYFFINDOR!" Severus sighed unhappily. It was such a shame. He hoped against all hopes that he would be put in Gryffindor as well. But he knew it was a lost cause. Practically ever single Snape since the 900s had been in Slytherin.
Severus began to get bored. Names were still being called out. A boy, "Lupin, Remus!", who looked like he was going to throw up pretty soon, had just been and gone, and was put in Gryffindor. Funny that, thought Severus sarcastically. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be the brave ones. Yeah, and Slytherins are the sardonic, cynical ones, said his brain. Oh shut up.
"Malfoy, Lucius!" Severus gulped as a boy with white hair and a sardonic look walked up on stage. Shit. Severus knew this boy. He was the son of a very close acquaintance of Severus' father. Except Severus knew this boy's father, and his didn't like him one bit. He was the kind of cruel, mocking, heartless person that no one wanted to get to know – unless you were just like them yourself. Severus' father had told him that Lucius Malfoy was going to Hogwarts. "You get to know him, boy," he'd said to him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "You get to know him well. Malfoy is a good man. Yes – you and Lucius will be good friends. Good acquaintances." Severus snapped back to reality in time to see Lucius walk over to the Slytherin table. His new best friend. Great.
"Potter, James!" James walked up and sat on the hat. Same thing that had happened with Lily happened with James. No sooner had the hat touched his head, when it called out: "GRYFFINDOR!" Severus watched with a great sadness as his friend walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Sirius and Lily. Three new friends, and he'd already lost them. Why would they want to be friends with a Slytherin? He knew what they'd said about Slytherins. Although, it was probably true. Look at his dad…
"Snape, Severus!" Severus took in a deep breath and walked up to the hat. He sat on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat onto his head. Severus closed his eyes (not that it mattered as the hat covered them anyway) and a voice sounded in his head. "Ah, another Snape. But…I'm not too sure…this one doesn't seem like a Snape…too kind…and he has a good soul…you seem brave, too, and don't sound so shocked… But I can see the spite, the sarcasm, the lust to prove yourself to others…well, I'm not sure, but…it'll have to be… SLYTHERIN!" Severus' heart melted as Professor McGonagall removed the hat from his head and gestured towards the Slytherin table where most of the Slytherins were standing and cheering.
Severus glanced quickly over to the Gryffindor where he received three sympathetic looks from his newly-found and sure-to-be-lost friends. He smiled at them wryly then walked the long, daunting walk over to the Slytherin table of which would most surely and much to Severus' annoyance make his father irritatingly proud.
Severus sat down in one of the last spaces available: next to Lucius Malfoy. The smarmy git held out a hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you again, Severus." Severus merely glared at Lucius, and didn't take his offered hand. Lucius drew it back. "What is it?" he asked in the smarmiest way possible.
"Look, Lucius," started Severus, "let's get one thing straight. I don't like my father, I don't like your father, and I don't like you. I am nothing like you, despite what our fathers say, so don't go thinking like that just because I was put in Slytherin, ok?"
Lucius smiled cruelly. "Fine," he said in a horrible tone where the person who's speaking sounds like they know something that you don't know. Severus hated it. He turned away and looked back up at the front table. Another Slytherin was being clapped and applauded, though Severus hadn't caught the name. He felt more than heard Lucius speak to him, up close to his ear. "I just thought that I'd let you know that you are wrong, Severus Snape. We are the same. We are both destined for the same things. You surely have heard of our father's plans with the master? Soon enough when we are older and wiser, we will be working together. And you don't want me as your enemy when that time comes, do you?"
Severus frowned and turned, pushing Lucius away from him. "I have no idea what you are talking about, and frankly, I don't care. Leave me alone." Severus turned away from him once more, burning with anger. He did care; he was annoyed that Lucius knew, or seemed to know, something that Severus didn't. Something that their fathers knew; something that Mr. Snape hadn't told Severus but that Mr. Malfoy had told Lucius.
The last few students approached the hat and were sorted, and the sorting ceremony came to an end. Dumbledore stood up and smiled around at the students. "Welcome, first years, and welcome back the rest of you. Just a few announcements. Quite a big announcement, first of all: as none of you have had a chance to explore the grounds yet I don't assume you all to know of our latest addition to the growth of our gardens. A tree has been planted near the forbidden forest. If you approach it the tree will attack you, so I advise you not to approach it. Anyone seen doing so will be handed a severe punishment and several scratches and bruises. The tree has been planted purely for experimental reasons and will not be approached by any of the classes.
"Secondly, I remind you that the forest at the edge of the grounds is forbidden, as it is much more dangerous than the Willow we planted. As many new things this year, we have a new caretaker, Mr. Filch, who has joined us this year. He will be around the school making sure none of you get up to any mischief." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled around at his beloved students.
"And last but not least, have a good year and enjoy the food." Dumbledore waved his hands and food appeared on various plates along the house tables. Students began spooning the delicious variation of food onto their plates and noise rose up steadily throughout the tables.
Severus shovelled his food down and ignored Lucius as much as he possibly could. A girl to the left of him kept sneaking glances at him (Severus could see her out of the corner of his eye) throughout the whole meal. After about ten minutes Severus looked at her and smiled. "Hi, I'm Severus," he said, introducing himself to what he hoped would be one of the rare, good-hearted Slytherins such as he believed himself to be.
The girl smiled shyly. "I'm Narcissa," she said in a small voice.
"I assume you're a first year, right?" asked Severus. Narcissa nodded. "Do you have any brothers or sisters here?" Narcissa shook her head. Severus smiled to himself secretly. It was hard to strike up a conversation with someone when the other person wasn't talking to you much. "Yeah, it's hard to come to a new school, first-time magic and all, and not really knowing anyone."
Narcissa nodded, and said, "Are you a pure-blood?"
Severus smiled again. "Naturally. I highly doubt they let anyone into Slytherin who wasn't pure-blood."
Narcissa's eyes went wide and then she looked back down at her plate, looking as if she were about to cry. Bugger, thought Severus. He sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I take it you have muggle parents?" Narcissa nodded. "Well look, don't worry about it, ok? Personally, I don't have a problem with muggle-borns." Narcissa looked up; her face looked eager but her eyes were still quite wary. "But it is quite rare I think for a muggle-born to be put in Slytherin. To tell you the truth I'm not too sure that the Hogwarts Hat is up to its job." Narcissa laughed, her face brightening. "It is quite an old hat now. My father said it was around when he came here, and my father's nearly a hundred years old!" Narcissa laughed again, and Severus found himself joining in.
When everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore gave instructions to the prefects of each house, to lead their first-years back to their common rooms, and everyone left the hall in a great rush of tired students and excitable first-years. Severus walked out of the room with Narcissa, but once outside he saw James looking around. "I'll catch up with you in a minute, ok?" Severus said. Narcissa nodded and continued up the stairs. Severus turned and walked over to where James was standing. His friend caught his eye and smiled warmly. "Hi," Severus said, suddenly feeling shy.
James grinned. "You knew you were going into Slytherin, didn't you?"
Severus nodded feeling horrible. James sighed. "Oh well. Hey, it doesn't mean we can't still be friends, does it?"
"It doesn't?" Now Severus felt confused. "But Slytherins and Gryffindors hate each other. You and Sirius and Lily all hate Slytherins."
James smiled. "Yeah, well, I'm sure we can make an exception for what I believe to be the only good Slytherin ever in history unless mine and Sirius' fathers are completely biased and told us a load of rubbish about pre-wars with themselves and their 'evil' Slytherin rivals."
Severus smiled. "Thanks, James," he said.
"That's ok." Severus began to walk away. "Hey, have you seen your time table yet?" called out James?"
"No, not yet," Severus answered, half-turning.
"Well we're bound to have some lessons together. See you around."
"Yeah, see ya."
Severus turned back round and ran up the stairs until he managed to catch up with his house.
~
Severus woke up to the sound of someone rummaging around in his room. He opened his eyes wearily and saw a boy unpacking some of his stuff from his trunk. Severus looked around to his bed-side table and glanced at his muggle-watch. It was 7:25. Not too early. Severus tended to wake up around 8am most days.
He swung his legs out of his bed and stretched. The boy who was unpacking and fully-dressed turned at the sound and nodded. "Hello," he said. "I'm Kiel Avery."
Severus frowned. "Do I know you? I thought I recognised your name."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Severus, Severus Snape."
Kiel smiled strangely. The expressions in his face were very similar to those of Lucius', and Severus hoped that he wouldn't be like Lucius. "Yes, we do know each other," Kiel said. "Or, at least, our fathers do."
Severus sighed. Oh well. Another one of his new best friends he presumed. "Yes, I remember now. Well, it was nice to meet you." Severus stood up and turned away from Kiel, getting his clothes out to change. As soon as he was done up in his new uniform, he turned to look at the other beds. All other three boys were still asleep. There was Lucius and two other boys he didn't recognise. The previous night he had been too tired to meet anyone properly.
Severus grabbed his watch and put it on as he walked out of his dormitory, completely ignoring Kiel. When he reached the common room he saw Narcissa sitting by the fire. She was gazing into it sadly, and Severus walked over to her.
"Good morning," Severus said, sitting down next to her in the warm green chairs. Narcissa glanced up. She returned the greeting and went back to staring at the fire. After a while, Severus said, "Are you ok?"
Narcissa nodded. "Yeah. Just feeling a little homesick."
"Already?" Severus smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"How do you know?" asked Narcissa. "Have you ever been away from home for this long?"
Severus squirmed. "Well, no…but thousands of children go to boarding skills and they get on alright so it can't be that bad. And plus, we get to study magic, which is so much better than all that muggle stuff you do!"
Narcissa turned back to the fire, her smile gone. "Severus, can you do me a favour?"
"Sure, what is it?"
Narcissa turned back to him. "Do you mind not mentioning to anyone that my parents are…are muggles?"
Severus blinked. "Er – sure. Why?"
Narcissa looked a bit uncomfortable. Severus did think it seemed a bit strange to want to hide your identity, and Narcissa looked as if she felt the same. "It was that thing you said to me yesterday at dinner. About Slytherins hating muggle-borns…"
She fell silent and Severus didn't make her go on. He wished he hadn't said anything now, but he'd keep her secret anyway. He knew how it felt to be different – especially being in his family. At that moment, as if on some silent cue, Lucius and Kiel walked down the stairs, talking together. Severus sighed and looked at Narcissa, warning her in his look that these two were trouble.
"Well, good morning, Severus," said a too-cheery voice. Severus didn't turn round. "Did you think about what I said to you yesterday?"
Narcissa raised her eyebrows at Severus who didn't answer her. He stood up and turned around, facing Lucius. "No, as a matter of fact I didn't. I didn't think it was really important."
Lucius' eyes flared and Kiel smiled. "Maybe you'll want to rethink that," Kiel stated.
"No thanks," said Severus. He turned to Narcissa. "You coming down to breakfast?" he asked her. She nodded quickly, glad to be going away from the two young boys whom on first impression she wanted nothing to do with.
The two friends hurried quickly out of the common room and walked through the dungeons silently until Narcissa spoke up. "What was all that about?" she asked, reminding Severus of the shy girl he'd met the previous day.
"Oh, nothing," Severus answered, not really sure himself. Narcissa and Severus exited the dungeons and walked into the great hall, Severus quickly waving over to his Gryffindor friends who motioned him over.
"Who are they?" Narcissa whispered before the reached the Gryffindor table.
"Just some people I met on the train yesterday," Severus whispered back. He smiled as he approached James who grinned back. "Good morning," said Severus cheerily. "This is Narcissa," he said, introducing his Slytherin friend. "Narcissa, this is James, Lily, and Sirius."
Narcissa smiled shyly. "Hi," she said quietly.
"How are you?" asked Sirius.
"I'm fine thank you."
Lily asked, "Are you in Slytherin?" Narcissa nodded.
Severus noticed two more people sitting with James, Lily and Sirius; they looked rather uncomfortable, as if they didn't know what to say. "I'm Severus," he said, looking at the two new Gryffindors. "Who are you?"
"I thought we didn't like Slytherins," whispered one of them to James.
James laughed. "Yeah, well these two are an exception." He turned to Severus. "This is Peter," he said, inclining his head towards a rather scrawny looking boy next to him who had just spoken. Peter smiled nervously. "And this is Remus," James said, pointing at the other boy who was sitting across the table. Remus looked like Sirius in many ways except for his hair which was a blacky-brown. He was a little less handsome than Sirius but had some of the same characteristics in his face.
Severus thought he liked them already. "How are you today, Severus?" asked the already familiar female voice.
"I'm fine thanks, Lily," replied Severus grinning. Narcissa gently tugged on the sleeve of his cloak. "Oh – um…we'd better go eat, or we'll be late for lessons." The Gryffindors smiled and bid them farewell as Severus and Narcissa moved off to their table.
"Severus, why were we put in Slytherin?" asked Narcissa.
"Why not?" Severus answered, sighing. "Well, I know why I was put in; my family is a horrible bunch who hates muggers. I am a Snape so I guess I must be the same as my parents. But I don't know about you; you seem like you're a really nice person."
"Thanks," mumbled Narcissa, burning red. "But we should have been put in Gryffindor. We're nothing like those boys we met in the common room…"
"Oh really?" Severus turned around to meet the face of Lucius, smirking at them. "You two are more alike me than you may realise. But it may take a while for you to see that."
"We are nothing like you, Lucius. Stop saying that we are."
"Never." Severus and Lucius stared at each other angrily for a moment before Severus turned away and he and Narcissa sat down at their table.
~
Severus' first lesson was Transfiguration. He and Narcissa walked to it eagerly, after first experiencing the wondrous post-delivery which involved hundreds of owls flying in to the Great Hall and dropping different letters and packages onto people's laps, and sometimes into people's breakfasts. Severus' owl Putri had come in, dropping a letter onto Severus' lap. Severus had stroked her, given her a bit of his toast, and she had flown away. The letter had been from Severus' mother, saying that she hoped he was enjoying himself so far; Severus' mother hadn't done well with parting from her only child, especially with only a harsh, vicious man like Severus' father for company. Severus had also gotten his timetable for his lessons and had been delighted to see that his first lesson was with the Gryffindors. He had really begun to like Lily, James and Sirius and couldn't wait (although he wouldn't have admitted it) to get to know the other two he had met, Peter and Remus. For the first time in my life, I have friends, Severus thought happily as he looked at Narcissa.
They approached the classroom and walked in slowly. Wow, my first lesson. Severus smiled as he saw James and he and Narcissa walked over. "Hello James," Severus said.
"Hey Severus." James motioned for them to sit down. Next to him was Sirius, and in the row in front sat Peter, Remus and Lily. "You remember this lot, right?" asked James grinning.
Severus nodded. "Hello," he said again, looking especially in Lily's direction.
Lily smiled. "Your parents are witches, right?" she asked. Severus nodded. "Have you done any Transfiguration before? I can't wait to do some!" She grinned and Severus felt like laughing at her happiness. Instead he just smiled and shook his head.
"No, I haven't done much of anything before, same as you." He was delighted in the fact that he and Lily had something in common. At that moment a tall strict-looking woman came into the classroom and looked around at them all. Severus recognised her; she was the woman who had sorted them all into their houses the day before: she was Professor McGonagall.
"Good morning, students," she said tightly. "Welcome to Transfiguration. I am Professor McGonagall as I'm sure you all know. Transfiguration is the art of magically changing something into something else." As was very popular with a lot of her first classes with new pupils, Professor McGonagall sat on her desk and changed herself into an cat. Everyone around the room gasped and talk bubbled up. After a while the ginger tabby cat changed back into the professor. "Of course, only registered Animagi can change into animals. It is a very difficult process, and if I find any of you looking at any books on 'Animagus' or attempting to change themselves into animals in any way… Well, I'm sure that the after-affects of trying this will be a punishment in itself. Turning yourself into an animal is a very messy process and most be done correctly or the consequences could be dire." Severus looked round at James and couldn't help noticing the mischievous look he was sharing with Sirius.
Throughout the lesson McGonagall showed the students how to turn a muggle pen into a quill. It was very hard and Severus somehow managed to give his pen a tail, although no one could quite figure out how. James did it perfectly. In just one swish of the wand his pen turned immediately into a quill. The only downside of this was having to endure taunts from Sirius about being "perfect".
The next lesson was Charms, which Severus also had with the Gryffindors. A very small man called Professor Flitwick tried to teach them a spell which was called "Wingardium Leviosa". They were each given a feather and Professor Flitwick tried to teach them how to lift their feathers into the air. "Wingardium Leviosa," said Severus with a flick of his wand, and his feather rose into the air first time. He grinned. Professor Flitwick congratulated him on being the first student able to master this spell. Next was Lily. Her feather rose gracefully into the air, and flew a lot higher than Severus'. He grinned at her and she grinned back.
Throughout that day Severus had Potions (which he happened to be excellent at, according to the Professor), Herbology (which he wasn't so good at) and his first Flying Lesson, taken with the Hufflepuffs. Severus' father had never let him had a go on a broom before, saying that he would most certainly "muck it up". But Severus was ok at it. His broom came into his hand on his third or forth "up" and he managed to float into the air quite successfully. At least he didn't fall off and break his leg like a girl in Slytherin called Jule Hunter did.
After dinner Severus was talking to James about their flying lessons. James had managed to be cockingly boastful at how great he was at flying while remaining to sound like a nice guy. Severus envied him for that. Lily came over to their spot by the lake and sat down next to Severus. His chest tightened. "Hi Lily," he said.
"What's new?" she asked.
"Not much."
"Has James told you how great he is at Quidditch yet? How he's going to play chaser for England when he's older? How he's going to be the best chaser ever? How…" Lily had been saying all this with heavy sarcasm, and was hastily interrupted by James throwing himself on her and pretending to pull her hair really hard. She thumped him in the shoulder, and Severus could tell from the way he winced that it hadn't been pretence. James stood up pulling Lily with him and she tried to run away. James chased after her and when he caught up with her he grabbed her by the elbows, they toppled over a stone and fell into the lake.
Severus stood up and ran over to the spot where they had fallen. "Lily! James!" he yelled. "Are you ok?" Lily and James had come up to the surface (both knew how to swim, that much was obvious) and both were laughing hysterically. Severus, despite any jealousy he was feeling, laughed.
~
Weeks past and Severus learned more and more in his lessons. It soon became obvious that he was at the top of his class in Potions, and near the top in Charms: Lily had beaten him in Charms - just. Soon it was nearing Halloween and Severus found he was spending more and more time with Lily, and enjoying it more every time he was near her.
Lucius Malfoy had barely spoken to Severus since their second day of school, and Severus had nearly started to think that he had given up on him. But no such luck was to be had. Surely enough, on Halloween, Severus was about to walk down to dinner with Narcissa when Malfoy, Avery, and two hefty boys called Crabbe and Goyle approached him in a long line, Malfoy in the middle. Severus hesitated at the doorway. "Severus, are you coming?" called Narcissa.
Severus chewed on his thoughts. Finally, he said, "You go on, I'll meet you down there." Narcissa shrugged and walked on but Severus could tell from the look on her face that she was worried…which wasn't exactly comforting. "What do you want?" Severus asked, facing the boys from his house. He knew that Crabbe and Goyle were both second years, and wondered for a moment why they were hanging around with Lucius and Kiel; but only for a moment. Why else but because of their dads? This worried Severus slightly. Something big was about to happen – he knew it. But he didn't know what it was, and this worried him even more.
"We're here to talk to you," said Lucius with a smirk.
Severus laughed to try to cover up his nervousness. "Yes, I had guessed that."
Lucius frowned. "Severus, I have left you time to think over what I said to you on our first day here."
Severus crinkled his brow. "And what was that again?" he asked.
Lucius steamed. "About helping our fathers to serve the master!" he said in a dangerously quiet voice. "About not wanting me as your enemy."
"Ah yes, that," Severus said slowly, trying to buy as much time as possible. "So, what do you want?"
"You know very well what!" Kiel said, walking forwards. "Will you join us or not?"
"What, is this a club or something?" asked Severus. "Ooh, do I get free membership because my Daddy's high up in the gang?"
Crabbe came forward then and took Severus by the collar of his shirt, pushing him against the wall. Crabbe's arm was digging into his neck and Severus tried as hard as he could not to show how much pain he was in. The other three came forward and Lucius walked up to Severus so that their faces were inches away. "If this is to be your decision, Snape, then I am afraid that you have made the wrong one. Your father will be very disappointed." Crabbe dug his arm into Severus' neck even harder and Severus started to choke. "However," Lucius went on, smirking. "If your decision is not to be a stupid pillock then there is no need for us to discuss this further." Somehow from the tone in Lucius' voice, Severus could tell that when he said "discuss" he did not mean sitting around at a meeting drinking tea.
"So, what's your answer?" asked Lucius.
Severus didn't answer, mainly because he couldn't because he couldn't get any air into his lungs, but also because he wasn't sure what to say. If he said no, he would most surely be beaten up, or even killed at some stage; but if he said yes, he was letting himself get into something he wasn't even sure he wanted in to.
Lucius nodded at Crabbe who released Severus who collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Lucius crouched down next to him. "I'll give you one more week. And that's it. Then I shall be writing to your father and my father, telling them of your answer."
As Lucius and the others turned to go away Severus managed to get out, "How am I supposed to agree to do something when I don't even know what it is."
Lucius turned back and grinned. It was not a happy grin. "You're a Snape; you shouldn't even have to think on it. You're a Slytherin; you should love malice and power. And that's what you would be getting. Goodbye, Severus. See you around." The boys walked out of the common room leaving Severus on the floor, clutching at his chest, in pain and terrible worry.
~
All that week Severus was alarmed and anxious. Every time he turned corners he expected to see Lucius, ready to remind him of how little time he had left. But he barely spoke to Lucius or Kiel all that week. In effect of not getting death threats from them, Severus felt all the more worried. He had no idea what he was going to do. Narcissa had noticed something was up, of course. All through dinner at Halloween he'd hardly spoken to her and he'd said he felt sick to excuse himself from dinner early. But Narcissa hadn't been the only one to notice something was wrong. Severus' Gryffindor friends also kept giving him strange looks, and had voted that James should talk to him; which he did.
"Hey man," he said, walking up to Severus. It was Saturday and Severus was sitting in his and James' usual place by the lake. Severus jumped as James called to him. He jumped to his feet but when he saw it was James he breathed out heavily, colour flooding back into his pale-face and he sat down again. "Hello James," he said quietly.
James sat down next to him and drew his knees up to his chest. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes I'm fine thank you."
James frowned. "What would you say if I told you that I didn't believe you?"
"I would say that it's none of your damn business."
Severus regretted the words as soon as they'd left his mouth. James looked hurt, and looked away from Severus. After an awkward moment he turned back, frowning. "So whose business is it, huh? Is it secret Slytherin stuff that you can't tell me about? Because I thought you said you despised the house you were in; or was that a lie?"
"Look, it's not secret Slytherin stuff ok…"
"Then what is it? And don't tell me it's none of my damn business. I'm supposed to be your best friend; and I'm worried about you. We all are. Don't think we haven't noticed how jumpy you've got."
Severus sighed. He assumed he'd have to tell James now. So he told him. When he finished James looked paler than Severus had all week. After yet another awkward silence, he said quietly, "So, what are you going to say?"
"I don't know." Severus sighed. "I mean, obviously, I don't want anything to do with whatever my father and his friends have planned… But if I say no, it'll probably mean hell."
James nodded. "You said that they said you'd be helping 'the master'. Did they say who exactly?" Severus shook his head. "Well, have you any idea who it might be?" Another shake of the head. James sighed. "Great situation this is, don't you think?"
"What the hell am I going to do!" shouted Severus suddenly in despair. "This is a definite lose-lose situation here."
James nibbled his lip. "Have you thought about going to Dumbledore…"
"No. Not Dumbledore. He'll probably only make things worse." The two friends sat in silence for a long time, each chewing over his thoughts. Finally, after almost half an hour, Severus said, "Do you mind not telling the others about this? I haven't told anyone about it apart from you."
James nodded. "How long have you got?"
"Till Tuesday. That means I have three days to come up with a plan."
James nodded again. "I'll help you." Severus smiled gratefully. They stood up and walked up to the castle in silence, side by side.
~
James and Severus spent all of Saturday night and all of Sunday morning either by the lake or in the library. As much as they thought, and as many plans they came up with of how Severus could get around the Malfoy situation, they always found a flaw in their ideas. On Sunday afternoon they were sitting in the library when Lily and Narcissa came in, closely followed by what were possibly the loudest first boys in the school: Peter, Remus and Sirius.
Severus smiled as he caught Lily and Narcissa laughing together at something Lily had whispered in Narcissa's ear. He liked it that his two favourite girls were practically best friends. They had other friends in their houses of course, but when the seven were hanging around together, Lily and Narcissa immediately teamed up. Severus supposed it was probably because they got annoyed at having to hang around with so many boys all the time.
James gave Severus a look that said, Oh well, we can't get rid of them; we'll do this again later. Severus nodded and Sirius leaned across the table at them with Lily leaning on his shoulder. "What are you two up to?" asked Sirius.
"Yeah, you've been in here all day," whined Lily. "Come outside and have some fun with us, it's a beautiful day!"
James smiled at Lily in a peculiar way. Severus could tell he desperately wanted to go outside but wouldn't, for Severus' sake. He'd never had a friend like that before. In fact, he'd never had a friend before at all. "Love to, Lils," said James, "but I promised Severus I'd help him with something."
"With what?" asked Remus, standing with his arms crossed. The shy little boy Severus had first met had certainly grown confident over the past two months.
"Homework," James said automatically.
"What homework?" asked Peter, who'd also grown a bit more confident, though not as much as Remus, being the smallest in the group including the girls.
"Herbology homework," Severus and James said accidentally answering together making their friends a bit suspicious.
"But, we don't have any Herbology homework, Severus," said Narcissa.
Severus and James had worked out that one two. "It's some extra homework that the Professor gave to me because he said I was talking, disrupting his class, and so on. I think he just doesn't like me."
"But James, you aren't even in Severus' Herbology class," Lily annoyingly pointed out.
"I know that, but who else is Severus going to ask for help other than Narcissa who he couldn't find?" James and Severus grinned as their friends looked at each other wonderingly.
James knew that they were about to let it go when Sirius surprised him by saying, "Ok, well we'll help too then."
"What?"
Remus grinned. "It's no fun without you two," he said as the five sat around Severus and James. "It's too hot outside anyway."
Peter picked up the book James and Severus had on the table before either of them could stop him. He raised an eyebrow. "'Evil Wicked People of the 20th Century' by Sarah Longman?" he asked. "What's this got to do with Herbology?" Severus paled as his friends looked to him and James questioningly. He looked to James for help but only got a shrug back that said Sorry, you're on your own.
Severus thought for a moment. "We were just having a break. We were studying Herbology but we got bored so we thought we'd look at a more interesting book to rest our minds which were hard at work." This seemed to satisfy the group, who went immediately into the gruesome facts and fantasies in 'Evil Wicked People of the 20th Century'. All but Narcissa, who came to sit by Severus.
"Are you alright?" she asked in a quiet voice, her black hair shadowing her dark eyes and the sides of her face in waves.
"I'm fine, thanks," answered Severus. "Why do you ask?"
"Severus, I'm not stupid, you know." Narcissa frowned at her friend. "I can see the worry in your eyes…" she reached up too push a random strand of long black hair from Severus' eyes. Severus shuddered at the touch. Narcissa left her hand where it was perhaps a moment or two longer than she had to before Severus reached up to remove it. His forehead tingled slightly from her touch.
"I'm fine," he repeated firmly. "Thank you though," he added more softly.
Narcissa looked away from him and leaned back in her chair huffily. Severus sighed. She knew something was going on. Which was true. Something was going on, but it was something that didn't involve her. But then again, it didn't involve James either…
So why hadn't Severus asked Narcissa for help? Was it because James was a boy? No, Severus wasn't that sexist. Was it because James was a pure-blood? No – even before Severus had met Narcissa he had found out from Lily that mudbloods could be nice, clean people, and so he'd trusted and liked Narcissa despite that fact. Was it because he'd become friends with James before Narcissa? No, that would be stupid; he'd only met James a few hours before Narcissa.
Severus stood up, rubbing his forehead. "I'm going," he announced before leaving the library speedily, offering no explanation. He had though perhaps someone might try to run after him, but maybe James had persuaded them that he was fine.
The first year Slytherin had been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he ran right into someone in the corridors leading to the dungeons. He fell to the floor and hit his head. "Sorry," he started. Severus stopped as he saw who he'd bumped into was smiling cruelly down at him. Severus stood up. "Lucius," he said, stating the obvious that Lucius Malfoy was indeed standing before him, although, with no bodyguards or accomplices around. "What do you want?"
"Time's up, Severus," Lucius said in a friendly-but-obviously-sarcastic tone.
Severus' heart began to beat. He tried not to show any fear or worry in his firm face. "You said I had a week. That was last Tuesday, and it's only Sunday."
"Hmm…let me pretend I care," Lucius said, and twisted his face into a sympathetic one. After a moment he un-twisted it and looked at Severus smiling. "Ok, I'm done."
Severus breathed heavily. "Well, I haven't decided yet."
"Oh, don't worry Snape – you have, oh, say, one minute, to decide before I bash your brains into the ground." Severus' eyes widened in horror; he knew Lucius wasn't joking. "The master is an impatient man, and he wishes to know where his loyalties lie." Lucius said this as if he were reading it from a books, but, of course, he held nothing in his hands before him. Lucius lifted up his wrist in front of his eyes to the glittering silver expensive-looking watch dangling from his too-small arm. "50 seconds…" he read.
Severus began to stutter. "But, but, you can't do this…"
"45 seconds…"
"My father wouldn't let you. He wouldn't. My mother…"
"Your mother has nothing to do with this matter," Lucius turned back to his watch and smiled. "35 seconds." Severus opened his mouth when Lucius yawned deliberately and dropped his arm back to his side. "Oh, I'm getting bored of this now," he said. He grabbed Severus by the collar and held him up against the wall. He smiled at him showing his perfect white teeth that matched perfectly with his unnaturally blond hair. "You see, like my master, I too, am an impatient man."
Severus frowned and spat in Lucius' face, shocking him but not making Malfoy loosen his grip on him. "You are not a man," Severus said in a steady voice. "You are a boy – you are only eleven years old, and you are meddling in things you should not be. Let our fathers play with power – we needn't get involved."
Lucius looked furious. "I know a lot more than you do," he whispered. He let go of Severus and punched him viciously in the chest. Severus dropped to the ground in agony and Lucius kicked him, hard, in the chest. Severus yelled out. "You have made the wrong decision," Lucius whispered cruelly.
~
Severus awoke to a pounding throbbing in his head, and aches and pains spread out all over his body. He tried to open his eyes, but they started to water immediately. He tried to lift an arm, but it felt as heavy as lead. He instantly regretted waking up; when he was asleep, at least he didn't have to feel this pain.
After drifting off to sleep for who knew how long, Severus woke once more to the same painful feeling. At one point in between consciousness and sleep, Severus wondered if he was dying. He certainly felt as if he were dying, he kept hearing faint voices surrounding him, kept on seeing blurry images move around him, and at once felt a painful blinding light shine in his eyes. It was at this point in which he opened his eyes.
"Severus? He's opening his eyes – look… Severus? Are you awake? Can – you – hear – me?"
Severus frowned in annoyance. "Of course I can hear you," he said to the blurry image, feeling confident, but when his voice came out he was surprised to hear that it sounded weak and frail. Severus coughed to clear his voice. "Where…" he started, but stopped, hearing that pathetic voice again and disliking it intensely. It sounded nothing like him.
"Oh thank God…he's alright…" Suddenly someone to the left of him burst out crying and Severus tried to widen his eyes more, even though they still hurt like hell.
"Lily? Is that you?" he croaked, recognising her voice. "Where am I?"
After Severus' eyes had finally begun to focus, he looked around with now fully-open and fully-workable eyes. He was lying in a bed, wearing hideous white clothes; Lily was kneeling on the floor next to him, and around the bed stood and sat several other people whom you can probably guess: Peter, Remus, Lupin, Narcissa and James. Severus grinned weakly round at everyone's grim expressions. "Why are you all looking so glum? It's me who has to bear all this pain here."
His friends' expressions brightened only a little at seeing that he was well enough at least to talk. At the sound of his voice Madam Martha, the nurse, rushed over to Severus' bed, shooing his friends out of the way. "Oh, Mr. Snape, you're awake. Thank Merlin – we were beginning to worry.
"Thank you, that's very reassuring." Severus began to laugh but it came out as a raspy cough. After clearing up his throat he said, "So…anyone want to explain some things here?"
"No." Madam Martha sounded very firm. "You can talk to your friends later. Now, you must rest. Besides, visiting hours have been over for a very long time now, and now that you're awake, they can go." Madam Martha shooed everyone out. Lily surprised Severus by giving him a quick kiss on his hand, before standing up and walking out with the rest of them. Severus raised his hands to his face and examined them carefully, wincing at what he saw. It was bruised. Not badly, but he could still see the damage. If his hand was that bad, how would the rest of his body be? Madam Martha gave Severus some pills to help soothe the pain, and then a drink which tasted foul and made Severus fall asleep almost instantly.
~
When Severus next awoke it was to find yet again, several people by his side. But not as many as before. It was just James and Sirius and Lily. "Hello," Severus said, leaning on his elbows to get in an upright position, and finding the simple movement painful; especially on his back. He sat up and leaned against his pillows, breathing out. "Where are the others?" he asked. "Where's Narcissa?"
"They're still asleep," James said, getting up from his chair from across the room to come and stand at the foot of his bed. Lily and Sirius were sitting on two chairs to the right of Severus. Lily glanced up as James walked over and then looked away haughtily. Severus caught Sirius' eye and could tell that Lily and James must have had some sort of fight. "It's only 7'o'clock," said James answering Severus' next question with a small smile.
"Oh." Severus wasn't quite sure what to say. "So… Who found me?"
"Narcissa and some other Slytherins found you on the floor on their way down to the dungeon. Madam Martha says you must have been lying there for a couple of hours, because you were so cold."
"James thought you were dead," Sirius said grinning. "You should have seen him; he was getting so worked up!" He laughed. "Anyway, who would want to kill you? You haven't got any enemies." It was a statement, not a question. Obviously Sirius thought he knew all there was to know, or perhaps he wouldn't have been so confident. And had he asked if Severus had any enemies, perhaps Severus would have told him the truth. But he couldn't. He felt so guilty; while Sirius was laughing at James who had begun to blush, Severus could feel Lily's worried eyes on his face. He turned to her and smiled. "It's not that bad is it?" he asked jokingly.
Lily blushed but didn't turn away. "Sorry…" she mumbled.
"That's ok." Severus shrugged it off.
"Madam Martha said she'd be able to make your face look back to normal, and make the pain go away almost completely." Severus nodded. Lily bit her lip, as if frightened of what she was about to ask next. And Severus bet he knew what that was. "Severus," she started slowly. "Do you know who did this to you?"
Severus hesitated. He glanced at James who held a steady stare back. Then Severus turned back to Lily. "Yes," he said.
"Well then," said Sirius impatiently. "Who was it?"
Severus sighed. "I can't tell you…" he said painfully.
"Why not?" asked Lily.
"Because…"
Severus was quite conveniently interrupted then by Madam Martha who hustled over and began talking to Severus in a high, flustered voice, giving him a drink and putting the tip of her wand on his face. Moments later his face had almost completely stopped aching, just like Lily had said it would.
~
The next day, Severus was allowed out of the infirmary. Apparently, he had been in there, much to his surprise, for nearly a week! His face had gone back to normal (they told him that he'd had two massive black eyes, that his lip had been split in two places and that he'd had huge cuts and bruises all over his body. They said that his rib cage had been broken as well, in two different places) but he still ached a little bit over his body, and could feel marginal parts of the pain return to his face when he laughed.
He walked to his common room and a few people saw him and ran over, asking him if he was alright, if he knew who had attacked him, if he knew why, and things like that. He denied knowing who or why it was. Severus didn't want to cause anymore trouble with Lucius. Narcissa rushed up to him, and people backed away, knowing that Narcissa and Severus were close friends. "Oh Severus," she said, hugging him tightly. "Are you ok?"
Severus released himself from her embrace after hugging her back and smiled. "I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me. It hardly hurts at all now."
"Severus…do you know who it was?" Severus opened his mouth to lie to her as he had done to others, but she cut across him. "Oh, and Severus, don't bother to lie, because I have a pretty good idea of who it was anyway." Narcissa gave Severus a painful look and he sighed.
"Fine," he said quietly. "Yes – you thought right. It was Lucius." Narcissa gasped even though she knew this it what he would say. "He just came up to me in the corridor and asked me yet again what my answer was."
"Well?" Narcissa prompted.
"I may have spat in his face at one point," admitted Severus.
Narcissa sighed. "Well, that was quite stupid, but quite understandable."
"Anyway, then he just starting punching and kicking me," Severus said in a whisper. "I thought he was going to kill me. I expect he would have, but they all need me alive so that I can change my mind and join them."
"Who is them?" Narcissa demanded.
"I don't know," answered Severus, much to Narcissa's shock. "But I wish that stupid fucking twat would leave me alone…"
"Stupid, fucking twat?" Severus whipped around at the new voice. A face smirked at him. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about me there, would you?" Severus' throat tightened, and he said nothing. Although he wasn't looking at her, he could consciously tell that Narcissa was moving a few steps back. Probably to alert one of the prefects that soon a fight would inevitably break out. Lucius just continued smiling. "I hope that through all the pain and the healing you have had some time to think about our little meeting yesterday."
Severus clenched his teeth together. "Oh, I've had time to think about it," he said dangerously. "That was stupid, beating me up; it only makes me hate you even more."
Lucius laughed, which is the worst thing you can do when someone threatens you, and Severus knew it. "Oh Severus," he said through the tears which his laughter brought him. "You miss my point entirely. It's the hate that I'm eager to let you find in yourself. Look around you." Severus looked around the common room at the boys and girls of different ages who were walking around, sitting down, talking, doing homework… "You see," Lucius whispered, coming up behind Severus and whispering dangerously, "we are nothing like this lot. We are much, much stronger than them. They are just weaklings. You must understand something, Severus; there is no good or evil in this world – there is only power, and those who know how to use it." Severus' brow tightened as his mind actually began listening to the words Lucius was saying. No, don't listen, don't listen… Severus thought, battling with his easily-persuaded mind. "Help us, Severus. It's what your father wants of you; it is what I ask of you…it is the master's wishes." Severus said nothing. "With us you could be so much more powerful than you already are," Lucius continued. He knew that he was winning. "With us, you could help to rule so much more than your dear little Gryffindor friends…"
Severus whipped round and saw the colour flood from Lucius' face. "Shut up," Severus said. "A man is nothing without friends, and all of mine happen to be perfectly fine on their own; I don't own them, they chose to be friends with me…"
Lucius smiled. "Ah, but do they, Severus? Do they? You say they are perfectly fine on their own…and you are right. They don't need you, Severus. They use you. Can't you see that? They use you. They are turning you against your own house, your own heritage. You can have friends, Severus. But do not be fooled into thinking that you are nothing without your friends. Friends can be useful…but enemies, enemies can be so much more powerful…" Lucius smirked as he saw the look in Severus' face that said it all; he had most certainly won. "I will give you perhaps another day or so," Lucius said, sounding as if he were genuinely being kind and generous. "But if I find you, and you again turn me away, or do not have an answer, do not expect me to be soft on you." Lucius put his mouth up close to his ear. "Remember what happened last time. We don't want a repeat of that now do we?" Lucius grinned to himself as he walked away, and Severus stared after him in shock. How was he supposed to know whether or not everything that had just come out of Lucius' mouth was a lie? But it had made sense…a lot of sense…
"Severus." Narcissa came up to Severus. "I was watching from over there. You didn't seem to be trying very hard to get him to leave you alone…"
"Well, maybe I didn't want him to leave me alone," Severus said angrily. "It's none of your business anyway."
Narcissa looked deeply hurt and troubled. "Severus, please, tell me you didn't agree to help him."
"For your information, no, I didn't." Narcissa's face brightened up. "I just said that I would think about it." Narcissa's face fell. "But think of all the power…" Severus said eagerly.
Narcissa slapped him and Severus stood the feeling stunned. The tingling in his cheek had returned and it hurt like hell. "Now you listen to me, Severus Snape," Narcissa said. "I didn't just become friends with you because you happened to be sitting next to me that night. I saw you turn away Lucius and I decided that maybe you weren't like all the others. Yes, I know all the stories; practically everyone who gets put in Slytherin turn out to be evil witches or wizards, right? Well, not me. I have morals. I have a sense of right and wrong. And I can tell who the right people to stay away from are. But you are not one of them, Severus. You are like me, not like them. Do not join them Severus. You don't belong there." Narcissa sighed. "Please. Don't join them."
Severus opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again. After a while he said, "Just leave me alone," and marched away and up the stairs to the boys' dormitories, leaving Narcissa with tears in her eyes and a feeling of foreboding.
~
James was eating his breakfast quietly at the Gryffindor table. Many of his friends were still asleep, and it was only Sirius who sat by him now, as they calmly discussed the up-coming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. It was going to be a very close match, especially with Ravenclaw's new fourth-year seeker, who had proved so far to be really amazing.
James turned his head as he felt someone approach them. "Oh, hey Narcissa," James said as she walked up cautiously. He frowned at her expression. There were tears in her eyes and she was fiddling nervously with her cloak. "Narcissa, what is it?" James stood up and faced her.
"Oh, James…" Narcissa burst out crying and James caught to get her as she fell onto him. He hugged her hard, whispering soothing sounds as she cried on his shoulder.
He felt Sirius stand up next to him. "Narcissa," he said softly, "what's wrong? What is it?"
Narcissa looked up from James' shoulder. "It's Severus…"
~
James sat very still in his seat. They were sitting in the Great Hall, in a space on the Gryffindor table. Severus saw how pale he looked and raised an eyebrow. After all, James didn't really care that much about him did he? Lucius was right. He'd been right all along. Why else would James be friends with him other than to use him against Slytherin?
"I can't believe it," James said quietly.
"What can't you believe?" asked Severus sardonically.
James turned to look sharply at him. "I can't believe that after all those hours I spent in the library with you, trying to help you to say no and not get killed, that you would…"
"Oh yes, yes this is all about you isn't it, James?" Severus said through gritted teeth. "This friendship has always been about you. You've been using me, just like Lucius said –"
"Just like Luicus said?!" James stood up in bewilderment. "Severus, listen to yourself – you're sounding like he's your boyfriend or something…"
"Jealous, are you? That I actually have a friend now who cares about me? Who respects me…"
"Who respects you so much that he beat you up!" yelled James.
"At least he understands me!"
"Oh, and I don't? And how can you say that I don't care about you? I came up to you that day on the station and helped you when I didn't even know who you were! I stayed friends with you even after you were put in Slytherin, even though I knew how hard it would be! I helped you in the library for hours – how does all that suddenly mean that I'm a selfish bastard?!!"
Severus clenched his fists into a tight ball. "Look," he said quietly, "I'm sorry that it turned out this way, but it had. There's no point saying no to Lucius. Either I join him or I die…"
"Or you fight." James folded his arms.
Severus shook his head. "You just don't understand, do you? There's no 'fight'. If I say no, Lucius will kill me. And if Lucius doesn't kill me, Kiel Avery will kill me. And if he doesn't kill me, the other Slytherins will. And if they don't kill me, my father will." Severus could see a slight shock of surprise on James' face when he said that. "And if my father doesn't kill me, then most probably the master will."
"Do you even know who the master is?" James asked.
Severus frowned. "That's not the point."
James gasped. "Holy shit, Severus – you've agreed to join this group which is apparently what I can only describe as a cult from the way you go on about it, you don't know who the master is, the only reason you joined is because they'll fucking kill you, and you've let them turn you against me!"
"Lucius showed me the truth, he didn't turn me against you…"
"This is stupid!" yelled James so loudly that practically everyone in the hall had turned around to watch, including the teachers, a few of whom had stood up in worry. "Severus, you're being fucking stupid! Why?"
"At least I'm honest!"
"When have I not been honest?"
"You lie to me all the time!"
"Oh, and who told you that? Lucius fucking Malfoy and his bunch of murderers?"
"You don't know anything about it James so just stay out of it!"
"No, I won't stay out of it, you're my best friend…"
"Correction, was your best friend you ignorant fucking git…"
James lashed out at this last sentence catching Severus by the arm and pushing him over. They collapsed over the chairs in a loud crash and started punching and kicking each other a lot more worse than Lucius had done to Severus earlier that week. Various people surrounding the two boys stood up and gasped as they stood watching the violent fight that they couldn't stop. Lily and Sirius stood by and yelled at the boys to stop but they were oblivious to anything around them; at that point, they probably would have killed each other if Sirius and Remus hadn't stepped forward at that point. James felt firm arms lift him up and as he was dragged away he spat in Severus' face. "Fine!" he yelled. "Join them and burn in hell, Snape! Your whole family are known for their incredible stupidity and murderous acts, and now there's another one to make the family name proud!"
Severus lurched forward but was held back by Dumbledore who had now intervened. He would have done so sooner, but he thought it best for the two to get out their feelings. It was at this point however that he realised how serious the fight was, and it was hearing the word "murderous" that made him step forward.
Struggling to keep the two boys apart, Dumbledore thought it best to keep his words to a minimum: "Boys, my office, now."
~
Dumbledore sat down wearily as he looked from one to the other. Mr. Potter and Mr. Snape were sat in chairs next to each other, but both were deliberately leaning in the opposite direction. Dumbledore observed the looks on each's face; Severus' was a great deal calmer than James'. Severus was frowning, in anger, perhaps, but also in a calm way, a way that said he didn't care. James' face on the other hand was purely in sadness. The lines on his forehead and the crinkle in his brow showed that he was trying to make people think he was more angry than sad, but Dumbledore could see through all that. He could see to the sadness that lay behind James' unwavering, set mouth, behind his pale cheeks.
Dumbledore sighed and leaned forward. "I shall ask you again," he said, "to tell me what happened." Again, silence. "You two, who I have watched the past months, you two, who seem great friends despite the house separation. I shall ask you once more, and only once more, to tell me what could have happened to start this fight, which I see is far beyond just a simple bawl."
James' eyes finally flickered towards Dumbledore. He looked back at the wall then at Severus who was staring at him with a murderous look. Then each looked back to their walls, and Dumbledore sighed for a second time. It seemed he could do nothing. "Ok then," he said, "you may leave." Severus stood first, glaring at James before leaving the office. James stood up more hesitantly, before slowly following the other boy.
Dumbledore turned sadly to the window as the boys left his office. He had hoped at last for a unity between Slytherin and Gryffindor. But yet again, past had gotten in the way of what could have been a promising future. He had known that war was upon them, but he had hoped it would not start for a few years yet. He had not realised that it had already begun.
~
a/n: hope you like it. Review please. Next chapter I'll be skipping ahead a few years. Please don't expect the other chapters to be as long as this one! I only made this chapter so long because I thought I'd put all of their first year into one chapter. Happy reading. ~rowanx