The first years had been sorted, and James was eager to get to the part of the welcoming feast which involved eating. As Dumbledore stood, he removed his arm from where it had been resting around Lily's waist, in preparation for the food that was about to appear.
"Welcome to Hogwarts! Now, I know we're all eager to begin the feast, however, there is one more bit of business that we have to attend to. It is my pleasure to announce that we have two transfer students joining 7th year. Mr. Hadrian Porter and Miss Lavinia Lennox!
There was a smattering of applause as two people entered the Great Hall, a boy and a girl. The boy had dark, messy hair, and wore glasses. He had a frown on his face, and muttered something to the girl. She had long, blonde hair, and held the boy's hand tightly.
Professor McGonagall, who was still waiting with the Sorting Hat, called out the girls name first.
"Lennox, Lavinia!"
The girl let go of the boy's hand, clearly reluctant, and walked over to the three-legged stool, taking a seat. The sorting had was placed on her head, and after a few moments, called out:
"Slytherin!"
With one last glance at the boy, she headed over to the green and silver table, taking a seat among her clapping housemates.
"Porter, Hadrian!"
Hands in the pockets of his robes, the boy sauntered over to the Hat confidently, and took a seat. A look of fierce concentration appeared on his face, and he seemed to be muttering under his breath. A minute passed… and then two…
"Slytherin!"
A triumphant grin appeared on his face, and he stood, handing the Hat back to McGonagall. Making his way over to the Slytherin table, he sat down next to a rather gaunt looking boy with greasy hair.
At the head table, Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly as Professor McGonnagall carried that Hat and the stool it rested on away. The students quieted.
"Now that we have our sorting done with, please welcome your new house mates, and let the feast begin!"
As he spoke, food began appearing at the tables.
And James Potter could be heard at the Gryffindor table, exclaiming, "Finally!"
Later that evening, once Hadrian and Lavinia had been properly introduced and politely interrogated, silence reigned in the Common Room. It was one of those silences that occur without purpose or planning, and after a moment, everyone laughed.
Near the fireplace, Harry sat in a green and black armchair. Luna was perched on his lap, and he was rubbing her back gently. Around them, their year mates sat in a circle. There were the boys, Desmond Greengrass, Thaddeus Nott, and Peyton Parkinson, and the girls, Bernadette Zabini, Theresa Davis, and Mildred Bulstrode.
They six Slytherins traded glances, as if all asking each other a question and simultaneously answering.
With a hushed voice, Greengrass spoke up. "Have you met Snape yet?"
Hadrian and Lavinia shook their head.
"Why? Who's he?" Lavinia asked, braiding a bit of her long hair absentmindedly.
The six all glanced over towards a dim corner, where a dark haired boy was writing furiously in candlelight. As if sensing them, he looked up and glared. Immediately, they looked away.
"He's always been a bit of a loner, Snape," whispered Davis. "Never wanted to spend time with us. Merlin knows how many times we invited him, though."
"Always with the upper years, when we were younger. I expect he wanted to learn more than he already knows, but he's bloody brilliant with the Dark Arts. I don't think even Lucius Malfoy or Bellatrix Black could have taught him anything," continued Bulstrode.
Here, they hesitated, as if not sure whether they should continue. Finally, Nott spoke up.
"You bunch of cowards. Anyway, Porter, Lennox: they say he's being courted to join the dark lord already. I heard he's going to be marked straight after graduation."
"I hear he's already marked." Zabini said, examining her nails with apparent boredom. Seven heads swirled to face the beautiful girl, who had been largely silent until then.
"Really?" Hadrian said, a bit of a smirk hovering around his mouth. Luna giggled a bit, sounding almost hysterical. "That's… interesting."
"So, you don't have a problem with the Dark Lord?" Nott asked, blunt as ever.
"We have yet to decide where we stand on that topic," said Hadrian delicately, while Lavinia giggled even harder. "While the Dark Lord has many opinions that we agree on, his methods are… questionable."
Several heads nodded in agreement.
"That's a popular sentiment," interjected Parkinson. "It seems that if the Dark Lord changed the way he went about things, he would have a lot more followers."
"I agree." Lavinia said, speak seriously for the first time. "Which is something we'll have to deal with, Harry dear."
Harry smiled tenderly, and leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on the back of her neck. She leaned against his chest, a content sigh escaping her lips.
An amused smile appeared on Zabini's face. "Well, I suppose I'll be heading up to bed. It's getting late, and we have class in the morning," she grabbed Bulstrode's arm, and tugged her along. Davis reluctantly followed.
Small talk carried on with the remaining 7th years, the seriousness of the Dark Lord seemingly forgotten. Soon enough, Parkinson, Nott, and Greengrass headed up to bed.
By that time, the only ones left in the common room were Lavinia, Hadrian, and Snape.
Lavinia stood, pulling Hadrian to his feet. They walked towards the dorms, but stopped as they passed Snape.
Hadrian stared at him for a moment, before speaking.
"Snape. Bring a message to your lord for me," he demanded.
"What lord?" Snape denied heatedly.
"You know. Tell him his equal has arrived." But thelast words came out as a long hiss.
Snape's eyes widened, and he nodded quickly.
"Good." Hadrian said, nodding. "Tell him quickly."
And he turned, and went downstairs, parting with Lavinia to head up to his dorm. She turned and waved cheerfully to Snape, before heading downstairs herself.
The next morning, Snape was looking more gaunt than usual on his way to breakfast, and kept twitching his left hand oddly. He sat down at the Slytherin table as far away from then newcomers as possible, and ate quickly, leaving for Potions as soon as he got his schedule.
Hadrian and Lavinia soon followed him, as well as Parkinson, Greengrass, and Zabini, all of whom were taking N.E.W.T. Potions.
"So, what' the potions professor like?" Hadrian asked, his arm wrapped around Lavinia's waist as they walked.
Parkinson sniggered.
"He's… enthusiastic." Zabini said, a small smile on her face. "He doesn't care much about Hogwarts houses, more about power and intelligence."
Greengrass nodded. "Yeah. He'll love you two. Mysterious, and probably talented. You'll be in the Slug Club for sure."
"Slug club?" Hadrian asked.
"It's his club for favored students. We're all members." Zabini said.
They continued walking in comfortable silence until they reached the potions classroom. Entering, they all took seats. Hadrian purposefully walked up to the front of the class, Luna trailing him, and sat next to Snape.
Snape paled.
The rest of the small class trickled in, consisting of all four houses.
Once they were all seated, Professor Slughorn entered. He was a cheerful man, wearing dark purple robes.
"Welcome to N.E.W.T. Potions, seventh years!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Today we'll be working on the Calming Draught, a useful potion often seen in the exams. The instructions are on the board, as well as in your books. Be sure to speak up if you have any questions."
The class started chatting amongst one another, while Professor Slughorn approached Hadrian and Lavinia.
"Now, Mr. Porter, Miss Lennox. I didn't want to put you in the spotlight in front of the class," he said, chuckling a bit. "But I was wondering if you two could tell me a bit more about your potions experience?"
Hadrian smiled jovially. "Of course, Professor. Well, Luna is fairly brilliant at potions. I'm not quite as good, but I believe we can hold our own in this class."
"Good, good. I see you've sat next to Severus. He's one of my more brilliant students, so feel free to ask him any questions that you might have."
And he bustled off to scold on of the Gryffindors for improperly grinding their valerian root.
Hadrian and Lavinia settled in to their class, and without a word to Snape, had properly brewed the Calming Draught, much to Professor Slughorn's delight.
"Wonderfully done, Hadrian! And you as well, Lavinia!" he said, patting Hadrian on the back. "I can see you'll have no trouble in this class."
Lavinia giggled a bit. "Thank you Professor," she said, bottling her potion. "I'm sure we'll enjoy your class very much.
Snape glared at them.
The two transfer students proceed to excel in the rest of their classes, all of which they shared with one Severus Snape, who seemed to grow more and more irritated by their presence.
But on their way to dinner, things changed.
"Sucking up to Slughorn again, Snivellus? I heard you were visiting his office at lunch. Give him a bit of a show? Though I don't understand what he sees in you. Doesn't dripping grease into your cauldron ruin the potion?"
The voice of Sirius Black echoed through the empty corridor. He was accompanied by Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter, who was furtively looking aroudn.
"Piss off, Black." Snape said, wand in hand. "I'm in no mood for your pathetic insults."
The Gryffindor looked quite angered at this, and flicked his wand. "Levicorpus!"
Snape deflected the spell easily, raising an eyebrow. "Is that all you have?" he taunted.
"Having some trouble, gentlemen?" came the voice of Hadrian Porter, walking down the corridor calmly, Lavinia next to him.
Clearly forgetting the events of the previous night, Snape snapped at them. "I can handle myself."
"I can see that. I only mean, isn't it a bit unfair? Four against one? You're completely outnumbered, Black."
Black sputtered, and Lupin chuckled a bit, even as an offended look appeared on his face.
"Why you-!"
"Come on, Padfoot. Ignore him. Let's go to dinner." Potter said imploringly.
"You're just worried that your precious Lily will catch you!" Black said, turning on his friend. As he began to argue with Potter about Lily Evans, Hadrian strode up to Snape, and slung an arm around his shoulder.
"Come on, Snape. Let's get into the Great Hall before Black pulls his head out of his arse," he said cheerfully.
Quite reluctantly, Snape allowed himself to be dragged away.
"And no hard feelings about before. But really, you are the easiest way to get a message across."
Snape stared hard at him.
"…No hard feelings, Porter. Lennox."
And so a friendship was born.