Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter related! That is owned by the wonderful J.K. Rowling!
Chapter Two
Severus' eyes opened and he stared up at the weirdly changing green lights reflecting off the stone ceiling. He turned his head and looked out of the floor to ceiling window that revealed that the House of Slytherin was partly under the lake.
A school of fish came up to the window, peered inside and then swam away again. Severus sighed and rolled out of bed, heading toward the bathroom.
The previous night had been terrible for him. After Lily was sorted into Gryffindor he didn't really get to see her for the rest of the night. But he watched her from a distance, making friends with the other kids at her table, including that horrible James and Sirius.
Severus had not made friends, nor even tried, with his new Housemates. He didn't care about relationships and doubted he ever would. What use were any of them to him?
He had stayed silent all evening; quietly eating dinner while the others talked around him. He had listened in on many conversations, learning quite a bit about his Housemates, though they had no idea he was paying any attention to them. That was the way he liked it.
He learned that one boy in particular seemed to be the most feared and respected in his House – Lucius Malfoy. He was tall and slender with perfectly mussed blonde hair and intense gray eyes. Those eyes had met Severus', when the younger boy was observing him. Neither boy looked away for quite some time. Finally, Severus had opted to break the gaze, though he knew it made him appear weak to do so.
He would keep an eye on Lucius Malfoy. He had sensed a darkness in the boy that reminded him of his own. And who knew? Lucius could prove useful to him some day.
After getting dressed, Severus took a seat on a bench that was in front of one of the lake-view windows in the common room. Slowly his Housemates were getting up and moving about. Breakfast wouldn't start for another hour.
Severus pulled out one of his textbooks from a ratty black bag he'd chosen to carry them in. It was a Potions book and he began to read through it intently, fascinated by what merely mixing a few ingredients together could do. It was very like the Muggle version of chemistry, but much more interesting and powerful.
A girl sat down across from him on the same bench. Their eyes met for a moment and then she looked away to stare out into the water.
Severus returned his gaze to his book but his thoughts were now on the girl. She was a first year like him. She had long black hair down to her waist with wavy curls. Her skin was ivory and she had a smattering of freckles across her nose. Her face was almost heart-shaped with high cheekbones and a narrow jaw. Her eyes were almond-shaped and a brilliant green, startlingly like Lily's.
He had seen her Sorting but as it had occurred after his, he hadn't paid too much attention. He thought her name began with a K, but he wasn't really sure.
He sat tensed for some time, expecting her to disturb him at any moment. Finally, though, she pulled out a book of her own and he relaxed and the two read together until breakfast time.
The girl followed him into the Great Hall and sat beside him at the Slytherin table. He ignored her and looked around the room until he spotted Lily coming in. He was relieved to see that she was not with any of the boys they had met yesterday. Instead it seemed she had made a female friend. The girl Lily was with was short and just slightly overweight, or maybe only appeared that way next to Lily's slender figure. She had a round face and short, dark brown hair.
The two girls were laughing and when Lily caught sight of him, she waved happily before taking a seat at the Gryffindor table. Severus did not return the gesture but sat sulking at his table, playing with the food on his plate but refusing to eat it.
"You can't make friends with a Gryffindor you know," the girl beside him whispered. He noted her accent was Irish.
He glanced at her coolly. "I didn't ask your opinion."
She shrugged, truly looking as though she didn't care what he thought. "I'm giving it anyway. Gryffindor and Slytherin have been enemies since Hogwarts was founded; or at least since those two founders fought and Salazar Slytherin left. But it isn't just for that reason that we can't be friends with people from Gryffindor." She stopped and returned to her breakfast, clearly finished even though she hadn't explained everything.
Severus was frustrated. Part of him wanted to tell her to bugger off, while the other part was curious to hear more. Finally he sighed and gave in. "Well, what other reason could you possibly give as to why I can't be friends with Lily?"
The girl looked at him in amusement. "Lily? Is that the red-head's name? Severus, Lily is clearly the epitome of what the Gryffindors are like, just as you are very much a Slytherin. They are goody-goodies, obsessed with doing what is right no matter what the cost. They are brave and loyal and true," she continued, voice heavy with sarcasm. She rolled her beautiful eyes. He was not oblivious to the fact that she knew, and remembered, his name.
"Basically, they like to get in our way. We seek power, knowledge and ambition. We will do whatever it takes to get where we want to go. The Gryffindors stand in our way most of the time. So if you want to get anywhere in this world, stay away from Lily and those like her. She will ruin you." The girl stood and began to walk away. Then she paused, glanced back and added, "I'm Keaira, by the way. Remember my name because one day you will need me." Then she left the Great Hall while Severus stared after her in confusion and annoyance.
He huffed and shoved his plate away, standing just as the bell rang for their first class. He pulled out his class list and saw that first up was a double Potions with the Gryffindors.
He slowly made his way back to the dungeons to find the Potions classroom, but he was lost in thought. Keaira had made several good points, he hated to admit, but she wouldn't keep him away from Lily. And who was she, anyway, to tell him what to do? She didn't know him! And he didn't want to know her.
He shook his head and decided to ignore her advice. Lily was his only friend and he wasn't going to abandon her for anyone.
Just as he thought that, a small hand slipped into his. He looked around in surprise and found Lily beaming at him. "Hello Severus! I thought since we are going to the same class we should walk together! This is Alice, by the way, Alice Hughes!" She nodded to the girl he had noticed with her earlier.
Alice smiled timidly at him and he gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment. He didn't mind the girl too much, so long as she didn't get between him and Lily. Especially if she was quiet.
The door to Potions was closed when they reached it and Severus' heart sank when he saw who was first in line: James and Sirius.
James' eyes lit up when he saw Lily but narrowed when he caught sight of her holding Severus' hand.
"Lily, I hope you had a great first night! I know Sirius and I did!" James bounced toward her like a happy puppy, stopping by her side. Sirius strolled after him, looking as suave as an eleven-year-old could look. Severus' eyes narrowed and his hand tightened on Lily's painfully.
She looked at him sharply. "Sev, you're hurting me! Loosen it up!"
Severus immediately let go of her hand completely and took a step away from her, folding his arms across his chest. He didn't like being told what to do; not by anyone.
James looked at him angrily. "Why would you hurt her?"
Lily shook her head and moved slightly in front of Severus, as though protecting him. "He didn't mean to, James. Leave it alone."
James glared at Severus but he obeyed Lily and decided to ignore the other boy completely. He began small talk with Lily, which Severus tuned out.
Instead Severus looked around the hallway, trying to look at anyone but James or Sirius. Sirius was not ignoring him at all, but was watching him in contemplation. His expression made it seem that he was plotting and Severus didn't like it at all. He knew whatever Sirius planned would end badly for him.
He then caught sight of Keaira watching him as she leaned against the stone wall. She gave him a knowing smile and he quickly looked away. She wasn't right! He would prove she wasn't right about him and Lily.
He moved to stand beside Lily again, catching Sirius' attention. Sirius reached out and shoved Severus back. "Stay away from my friends, loser."
Severus stumbled backward into the crowd of students. A few of them pushed him back toward Sirius.
Lily shouted, "Sirius, leave him alone!"
Severus glared at both of them. "Don't you dare defend me, Lily Evans! I can take care of myself!"
Lily turned to glare at him hurtfully. "Fine, see if I care if he beats the crap out of you then!" She folded her arms across her chest and moved away from the fight.
Sirius began to circle Severus, who turned slowly to watch him. Severus knew that he would never win in a physical fight. Maybe once they learned some spells he could win, because he knew he could outsmart Sirius any day. But Severus was not physically strong and he knew his limitations.
Yet Severus could not and would not back down. He was no coward and he would prove that to them all, even if it meant being beaten to a bloody pulp.
Sirius surged forward and slammed a fist into Severus' face. Severus felt his nose snap and he cried out involuntarily at the pain. He brought his hands to his nose, his vision going black as he sank to his knees and held his face.
Despite Lily's earlier words, he could hear her protesting, "Stop it, Sirius! Leave him alone!"
But Sirius did not stop. Once Severus was down, Sirius was determined to keep him there. He kicked Severus in the side and the smaller boy fell over, curling up into the fetal position to protect his vital organs. There was no point in fighting back; not only would he lose, he didn't even know how to fight. This had been a very bad idea.
Severus lost count of the number of times Sirius kicked him. He heard Lily's screams and the chants of the other kids, most yelling at Sirius to kick the crap out of Severus, though none of them even knew the greasy-haired boy. Severus hated them for it.
Suddenly there was the shout of a much deeper voice and Sirius mercifully stopped his torrent of pain.
Someone picked up Severus and rumbled, "All of you get into the classroom right now. Oh no, not you young man! You are coming with me. After I drop this poor boy off at the hospital wing, you're going to see the Headmaster."
Severus winced at every jolt of his body while the adult, whom he assumed was their Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn, carried him to the hospital.
"Professor, Severus started it! He hurt Lily Evans!" Sirius complained as he jogged along beside Slughorn.
"No, he didn't start it, Mister Black. Do not assume because you don't see someone that they can't see you. I watched the entire incident. Now be silent until you talk to Dumbledore!" That was the end of their conversation.
Even in his pain, Severus wondered at the man's words. If he had watched it all, why hadn't he stopped the fight at the beginning? Why had he waited for Severus to get so badly injured that he could barely move or breathe without wanting to scream in agony? It did not endear him to Severus.
After a few minutes Slughorn pushed open a door and laid Severus down on a bed. Severus curled up again as a commanding female voice asked Slughorn what had happened. Slughorn explained and then left Severus in the nurse's capable hands.
The nurse introduced herself as Madame Pomfrey and spoke softly to him while she examined his injuries. She applied salve to his bruises and healed the cuts with her wand and words of magic. Then she gave him a potion to help him sleep. "You'll stay here until dinnertime. You can ask one of your Housemates for today's homework assignments. But for now, I want you to rest."
Severus nodded in agreement, ready to sleep. Whatever the potion was, it was working.
He yawned and pulled the blankets up to his chin. His last waking thoughts were that he absolutely despised Sirius and one day he would get his revenge.
A/N: Thank you all for reading my first chapter! I hope you like the second one as well! I love reviews, whether they are compliments, comments or constructive criticism (hey, all c's!). I look forward to hearing from you guys!
Edited for spelling/grammar issues and a few additions to the story.
