Hello, folks, I give you the prequel to my other story, The Darkness Brewing. I want to do this one first before I continue with TDB, to set some history for my story. You don't have to read this first, but it should make future chapters of the other story make more sense. This story explains why the Marauders pick on Snape. Probably no slash, but not for sure, as of yet. And, I'll warn you now, I'm a big Snape AND Marauders fan, so.. keep that in mind. Hope you all like it.

I'm going to Tennessee for the rest of the week, but when I get back there should be a subsequent update.

Disclaimer: Um. Isn't it sort of a given?

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Chapter 1- Just Getting Older

Don't bide your time

'Cause it is almost over

I know you're down

And I'll see you around

And I know it hurts

You're just getting older

And I know you'll win

You'll do it once again

^^^^^^^^

"Hey, Sirius, what's that noise?"

The boy addressed turned his head towards his sandy-blonde haired friend and shrugged. Squinting his eyes and straining his ears, he put out his hands to stop his three companions. After a moment, he frowned.

"Someone's crying, I think. Sounds like a boy."

One of the four, disheveled and bespectacled, frowned along with his friends, turning towards the noise.

"We should find whoever it is. Maybe we can help him."

The four eleven-year-old boys took off in the direction of the sound. They had met only the day before, and had clicked instantly. Certainly, the shorter, pudgier of the four had almost not made it, but they had taken him under their wing, sealing the bond of the group's friendship.

The closer they got to the sound, the more curious they became. Finally stumbling down the steps to the dungeon, they rounded a corner and cautiously approached a sniffling shadow.

The one called Sirius elbowed his two taller friends, and they looked, worriedly, at one another. Hesitating, the boy with sandy blonde hair stepped forward.

"Um, are you alright?"

The dark little head snapped up and black eyes stared wide up at him, darting between the four. He scrambled quickly to his feet, small fist rubbing quickly at his red eyes.

"What do you want?"

Exchanging worried glances with his friends, the boy with the glasses stepped forward and extended his hand. With an uncertain smile, he quirked his head.

"I'm James. James Potter. This here's Sirius Black," he pointed to the smirking boy, then averted his index finger to the sandy-blonde haired boy, "and this is Remus Lupin." Noticing the pudgy, excited face peering from behind Remus, he added as an afterthought, "And that's Peter Pettigrew."

The dark-haired boy did not receive the outstretched hand, but did seem to relax a bit. Though still cautious, he nodded to the Gryffindors. It was then they seemed to notice his Slytherin robes. He was almost certainly a first year, like themselves, but they handn't really noticed him at the Sorting. The boy tilted his chin, as if trying to retain some sort of dignity, and brushed off his robes.

"Severus Snape."

The four Gryffindors smiled wildly at him, and he slowly smiled back. After a moment of silence, however, Sirius piped up.

"Why were you crying?"

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Just yesterday

It always seemed like such a dream

We're unstoppable, indestructible

Nothing happens to our machine

And there's no harm

At least nothing we can see

As for you, not so true

You couldn't choose where this road would lead

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Severus stiffened and his expression hardened a bit. He looked much too callous for his age as he pondered these boys' reliability. But they had seemed trustworthy so far.

"My mother is home all by herself with Father, and.. I can't protect her anymore."

His eyes watered again and the Gryffindors' smiles faded. They didn't laugh or mock him, but looked a bit worried.

"What do you mean? What will happen to her?"

Severus glanced at James, and sighed. Fiddling the ends of his solid black hair, he looked at the ground.

"He.. He'll hit her. I've seen him. I've heard her screams."

A tear escaped down his pale cheek, and one of his new friends hugged him roughly. Looking curiously up at Remus, he sobbed into his robes until his eyes were dry, and the rest of the boys had embraced him, so that he stood in the middle of a giant bear hug.

"Th-thanks."

They nodded solemnly, and stepped out of the hug, each smiling sheepishly. Only Peter seemed put off, though no one noticed. They stood now in companionable silence as they waited, possibly for Severus's confirmation that he was alright. Finally he nodded, eyes now less puffy and red. Placing their arms around each other's shoulders, they began to march to the Great Hall in time for dinner.

From that moment on, the five boys were the closest of friends. Everyone knew to assosiate one with the rest of them, even though there were curious whispers why a pure-blooded Slytherin associated with four peculiar Gryffindors.

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What a loss

You just lost all your sleep

And we've always thought

That this could never happen, you see

That it's so hard

You gotta get up on your feet

'Cause the only way, I gotta say

Is to move on through the week

~Blink-182, "I'm Sorry"

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Short, but I intend to update often.

Rosebuds and Ashes,

Reiko