Written for The Houses Competition round 2

Ravenclaw

6th year

Standard [First line] It all started with a simple "Good morning", and went downhill from there.

Word count will be at end.

AN: This is a sort of AU and doesn't really stick to some facts.

It all started with a single "Good morning", and went downhill from there.

Severus Snape, a fifth year, hadn't seen anything coming. Of course, neither did his friend, Regulus, who always could tell when something was going to go bad. He wondered if, had Lucius seen what was going to happen, would he have warned him?

He had woken up, at six, and had made his bed. Next, he had shuffled out of his night clothes and slipped into his school uniform, tying on his shoes last. He had been heading to the bathroom when his roommate had woken up, slipped out of bed, and mumbled a "Good morning" to him as he passed.

Severus has replied with, "Morning to you too."

Once he was done in the bathroom, he quickly grabbed his bag and headed out of the dorm, passing several other dorm members. He saw Regulus, a Black in a younger year, waiting for him.

He made his way over to Regulus, Regulus saying, "Morning, Severus."

"Morning, Reg."

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

Regulus look concerned about something for a second before he schooled it and it became blank. "I heard that my brother and friends were going to do something that concerns you today," he admitted. "I don't know what though, so don't bother asking."

Severus groaned. "Thanks, Reg. I'll be on the lookout."

The younger Black brother nodded in response just as Lucius made his way down, joining their group. Then they headed off to breakfast together.

Today hadn't been going as well as Severus would have liked.

Already, in Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall scolded him for making too many rabbits appear. He hadn't meant to, it was just, Potter and his friends had been taunting him and his magic sort of went out of control.

Then, in Potions, he managed to botch up a potion. Him! Botch up a potion! It was unheard of really. Professor Slughorn had looked so devastated by the whole thing. Severus was, of course, his star pupil.

Don't even get him started on the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

The professor had gotten onto him about messing up the spell they had been learning, not even noticing that Potter and his friends (minus Lupin) were also messing it up. The professor never noticed them making faces and mocking him behind her back, instead taking the maddened look on his face for being directed towards her. She had taken twenty points, twenty points!, from him because of that.

All in all, today wasn't going so well.

He and the other Slytherins in his year, Lucius included, were making their way to Care of Magical Creatures, a class Severus disliked very much.

They had been stuck with the Gryffindors, like they had since year three and since year one in Potions class, and the two houses taunted each other mercilessly during Care of Magical Creatures. The Gryffindors always made it a big game to see who they could get to hurt themselves and get points taken away for being clumsy. Most of the Slytherins tried to get back at them by subtly casting hexes or jinxes when the professor wasn't looking.

It was always a form of entertainment to the ones who didn't like to join in, like Severus.

It was after the class had ended and they were all heading back when it happened.

Severus had been walking with Lucius when he heard Potter's voice, cocky and annoying as it was, "Hey, Padfoot, if it isn't Snivellus!"

Black had sniggered, adding, "His hair is so greasy, mate, do you think he ever washes it?"

He heard Pettigrew snort.

"Just ignore them," Lucius had muttered to him.

He tried to, honestly.

Then Black had grabbed him by the shoulders and whirled him around, snatching his bag from him as Potter raised his wand and cast, "Levicorpus!" Severus was lifted into the air, his cloak falling around his head, causing him to flail.

He heard them laughing, going, "He can't even protect himself!" and "Snivellus is weak, that's why!"

Then he heard a voice cry, "Potter, stop!"

"What? Lily, wait—"

"No!" he heard her cry again before he was then dropped to the ground. "Leave him alone, he never did anything to you!"

"Yes he did!"

"Oh?" she asked, planting her hands in her hips. "What did he do to you?"

Potter just turned red and spluttered.

"That's what I thought. Nothing."

She turned away from Potter, turning to him with her green green eyes and gave him a smile. She held out her hand, saying, "Let me help you, Severus."

He heard Potter mutter behind her, "He needs a girl to help him? Pathetic."

Severus's eyes hardened and, tightening his lips, he smacked her hand away and sneered, "I don't need help from a mudblood." He pulled himself up and grabbed his things, turning away.

He didn't see the hurt look on her face or the triumphant look on Potter's.

Severus tried to apologize to Lily later, after he had realized that he had called her a mudblood, but she wouldn't have it.

He never spoke to her again.

[word count: 857]