Chapter 2

After Transfiguration the next day, Severus dropped his textbook when he was putting his things away. He scowled and swept his belongings into his bag, before leaving the classroom.

"Oi! Snivellus!"

He'd been hoping to avoid them. Gritting his teeth, he walked faster down the hall.

"Snivellus!"

He edged his wand out of his holster, just in case.

"HEY SNAPE!"

Severus whirled around, wand at the ready. "What?!"

Sirius Black gave him a lazy smirk. "What?"

"Oi. We hear you applied for the Young Adventurer's Club," Potter said. "Did you?"

"What's it to you?" Severus snapped.

"Only 'cause we applied, and we were wondering what you were thinking, applying," Black explained. "It's for adventurers, you know. Not really your thing. There'd be exploring, camping, and the next thing you know, your hair grease catches fire..."

They all roared with laughter, and Severus scowled.

"Oh, and you think they'll take you?" he spat. "Because you have such valuable skills in a survival situation."

Potter looked affronted. "More than you do."

"Oh really?" Snape sneered. "Look at the sorry lot of you. You have an irresponsible child who sleeps with anything on two legs, and quite possibly ones on four-" Sirius Black growled, and Lupin had to hold him back. "-an idiot who nearly failed Charms and can't see without his glasses, a delinquent who'd kill the entire club at full moon, and a sad-sack who hangs on the others' coattails." He sneered. "Did I miss anyone?"

"Don't," Lupin said, grabbing Sirius, who lunged for Severus. "He just wants us to get in trouble. Don't give him that power over you."

"You honestly think you're a better candidate for the Young Adventurer's Club that us?" Potter scoffed.

"I honestly think you shouldn't be applying," Severus said. He gave Potter a disgusted look. "Are you really going to put your life on hold and leave everything behind? Everyone behind?"

Doubt flashed across Potter's face, as he glanced back at Lily, who was talking to Professor McGonagall in the hallway. He turned back to Severus, who raised an eyebrow, and Potter bristled.

"How do you know she didn't apply, same as us?" he challenged.

Snape scoffed. "She'd sooner join the Dark Lord than willingly stop going to classes. If you think she'd ever consider it, you clearly don't know her as well as I do."

"Did," Potter corrected, glaring at him. "You certainly don't know her anymore."

"Nor do I want to," Severus lied. "Anyone who hangs around with degenerates like you isn't someone I'm interested in knowing."

Potter sputtered, and Severus strode away, not waiting for a response. He hoped he did get in – if Potter and Black got in and he didn't, he'd never hear the end of it unless he killed them in their sleep, and that seemed just a bit extreme.

Severus awoke to see a scroll hanging in the air in front of him with a green ribbon tied around it. He blinked up at it, before remembering the last time he'd seen a scroll hanging in the air. Suddenly awake, he lunged for it, ripping off the ribbon and shoving it open.

We are pleased to inform you, Severus Tobias Snape, that you have been chosen for membership to The Young Adventurer's Club.

Severus stopped breathing.

He'd gotten in. He'd gotten in. He'd gotten in-!

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he could not stifle the smirk spreading across his face. Even if Potter and Black had gotten in too, there wasn't a way for them to be better than him, at this point. And...

He shivered. He had his way out of the Death Eaters, now. Hopefully, he'd learn enough lost magic to make sure no one would mess with him when he had to come back, and he could open his own Apothecary without worrying about being raided by either party.

Forcing his mind back to the issue at hand, Severus continued reading.

Membership begins on Friday at 5pm on the Hogwarts lawn. We suggest you take the following week to revisit your family and friends, as you may not see them for a long time.

Enclosed, you will find a small bag with an Undetectable Extension Charm on it. Please put any belongings you would like to bring along with you into this bag.

In addition, new members are expected to obtain the following supplies prior to Friday:

1 heavy coat

4 sets of Muggle jeans...

Severus stopped. His supply list had been crossed out with a large X, and a hand-written note was scrawled in green ink below.

Don't worry about getting supplies. I'll have someone else get your necessities for you, if you include your sizes on the enclosed form. Instead, I have something more important for you to do before Friday. Hopefully you'll be up to the challenge.

We need Blood Replenishing potion, and a lot of it – 300 doses, to be specific. Any doses you make over that number will be kept on-hand for emergencies. Take these galleons and get the supplies you need. You can store the finished potions inside the enclosed box.

Good luck, Severus. I look forward to meeting you in a week.

A slow smile spread over his face.

He'd been singled out for his accomplishments already. Instead of scrambling about all week to get a bunch of clothes and camping supplies, he was to spend the week making potions.

Already, his mind was analyzing how many batches he could brew in a day with the available time he had. At ten doses to a cauldron, and three hours per cauldron, he'd need thirty cauldrons full, which would take ninety hours, unless he doubled up with the brewing...

Mind whirring, he picked up the heavy blue velvet sack that had fallen out of nowhere when he'd opened his letter and opened it.

"Merlin!"

There were galleons inside, as promised. Many galleons. An absurd amount of galleons, it seemed. Hands shaking, he dumped the little bag out and began counting.

300 bloody galleons!

Whoever had sent him this letter knew the ingredients for a dose of Blood Replenishing potion only cost six sickles, and about four galleons per cauldron...

Unless...

He blinked.

Well, he had been going on about his potion modification skills, hadn't he? He had not specifically cited the Blood Replenishing potion as one he'd altered and improved, but he'd explained his alterations to the Pepper-up potion, which had a similar base. Maybe they gave him so much extra money because they were expecting him to tinker and make the potions differently than was standard.

Curiosity sparked within him. Who were these people, that they put such trust in him already? Or was this a test, and if he failed, they'd kick him out?

Already resolving to impress the hell out of these people and pass their test with flying colors, Severus opened up the little box they'd sent. Inside were hundreds of little glass vials. Severus withdrew one, only to see it expand into a standard-sized potion bottle.

He smiled.

When he went down the Great Hall that morning, the hall was buzzing once again. Severus could see several classmates showing off their acceptance letters to their housemates, who looked on enviously. Smirking to himself, he sat down and helped himself to bacon.

"I hear the Young Adventurer's Club sent out acceptance letters today."

Severus looked up at Rodolphus, who was looking at him.

"You hear?" Severus repeated.

"I didn't get one," Rodolphus said shortly. He gestured over to his brother, who was grinning and shoving a piece of parchment in Macnair's face, who looked mutinous. "Did you?"

Severus took his time buttering his toast. "I did."

Rodolphus seemed to relax.

"Good," he said. "That makes three of us. Avery got in too."

"No one else?" Severus asked, keeping his tone casual.

"No. Bellatrix was livid." Rodolphus' face darkened. "I thought she was going to strangle Avery. No one really thinks much of his skill, you know."

"The Club must have seen something in him," Severus commented.

"Apparently. At least her cousin didn't get in." Rodolphus smirked. "Thank Merlin for small favors."

"I thought he couldn't," Severus pointed out. "He's not yet seventeen."

"Not Regulus," Rodolphus said, pointing across the hall with his fork. "Sirius."

Holding his breath, Severus turned.

Sirius was scowling down at his plate, and Potter was glaring at the wall. Lupin seemed to be trying to comfort them, a rolled-up scroll with a green ribbon setting next to his plate, but Sirius was having none of it. Lupin said something else, and Sirius snapped back at him, shoving two scrolls with blue ribbons at him angrily.

"What're those?" Severus asked Rodolphus. "He and Potter have scrolls. Did they send out rejections?"

"No," Rodolphus said. He smirked. "Technically, they got wait listed. They have the chance to appeal their decision on Friday. It's almost worse than being denied outright."

A small smile spread across Severus' face during the rest of breakfast, growing each time he glanced across the hall.