-1Aristocratic Tendencies

SSJP Fan Fiction

Alternate Universe Story

ObsessiveDevil23

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.

Sorry for the wait. I had to start this chapter again because I completely lost inspiration. Winter does that to me… But I'm listening to P!nk's new song, and that makes me insanely happy! *singing along*

Chapter 2 - Captivity and Freedom

Severus Snape had never thought of himself as an underachieving person, but equally he had never thought of himself as someone who just leant on daddy for support; especially since his father wasn't exactly an ideal role model. That was why Severus was happy to say he was a half-blood. He didn't run around after pure bloods like some love-sick puppy trailing after its master, like a few of the Hogwarts students he could mention, and he wasn't a scholarship student who had to rely on the kind-heartedness of a blundering old fool like Dumbledore to get them anywhere in life. The only people Severus owed any debts to were Abraxas Malfoy, and, by default, Charles Potter. Which, of course, was why he'd spent all of the summer lifting weights in his mother's dingy little background in Spinners End, thinking about two years time, when he would have finally have paid off his debt to Charles Potter, and, by default, Abraxas Malfoy.

He refrained from slamming his fists into the desk in front of him. The very thought of the name Potter made him sick. Sixth year was the beginning of preparing for NEWTS. Hogwarts' inventively named exams in opted subjects and 'social etiquette' classes. New Exams for the Warrant of Testable Sociability, NEWTS, were the bane of most Hogwarts students existence since Dumbledore had made them up when he was appointed headmaster. It was one thing he and Charles Potter had agreed on. While Severus had no problem with the academic side of things, testing is sociability was different, and as such, he needed a little more of a push - and that was how his little extra-curricular project had started.

Etiquette lessons and Severus Snape didn't mix, and since he was a student here on recommendation from Malfoy, Charles Potter was keeping an eye on him, and that meant Charles Potter had realised that Severus wasn't doing well in his etiquette lessons. That, of course, was bad, because in Hogwarts it was a perform well or get out basis. Severus had only just managed to keep his place by agreeing to one-on-one tuition for Social Acceptableness.

And that was how he found himself sitting at an abandoned desk at five to five, moody and brooding over why exactly he hated Charles Potter and anything related to him. Especially his daddies boy, stuck-up son James Potter.

He stood and spat on the cold stone floor just as the door opened to reveal the one person Severus really wanted to wrap his hands around the neck of. And squeeze. Hard.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Why was it every time James Potter opened those primped to perfection little cherry-bubble lips of his, Severus had this undeniable desire to cause pain to someone? He turned, slowly, to face the defiant looking bespectacled boy. James Potter was the same as ever; tall, slim, dark-haired and holding himself like he had a long pole stuck up his ass. He had the usual scowl that his face adopted whenever he and Severus were in the same room, and Severus had no doubt his own face mirrored it. Severus had about as much desire to be here as Potter did, but he had to do it in order to keep his chance at a Hogwarts Certificate of Social Education.

"Are you really so thick that you can't put two and two together Potter?" Severus snapped. He was happy to see James take a step back and shoot him an indignant look. He loved getting under the pampered boy's skin. It was just too easy. Severus let a small, slow smirk settle on his features. It was subtle and dignified, but enough to let James know he was about to be insulted. He'd mentally count to three, and if James hadn't managed to come up with a good comeback by then, he'd count his next comment as his point and case.

One.

James locked eyes with Severus, anger obviously boiling between the two.

Two.

James eyes narrowed, but didn't lower. He opened his mouth, but seemed to think better of it and closed it again. Severus' smirk grew.

Three.

James made an indignant sound in the back of his throat. It was obviously he'd made the connection as to why the two boys had been shoved into the same room unwillingly, but he had no response to it as of yet.

"That's right." Severus eventually said, slowly and deliberately, his voice the usually sardonic drawl that made James shiver involuntarily. "That's why you're here… You can't put two and two together."

James barred his teeth angrily, like a dog protecting its territory. Severus just rolled his eyes.

"Get the fuck out of my sight." The Gryffindor eventually snapped, crossing his arms across his chest. He refrained from stamping his foot like a child. He watched, anger threatening to bubble over, as Severus made no effort to move and leant back against the wall. James growled. "So what? My dad's made a stupid bloody mistake. I don't want someone like you as a personal assistant. Get out." He explained, congratulating himself on his calmness. He turned his back on the Slytherin, and certainly wasn't expecting to be pushed face first into the nearest wall.

"Lets get one thing straight Potter." breathed a low voice in his ear. James could feel the Slytherin's body pressed up against him from behind. He refused to move, even though it was uncomfortable having his face pushed up against the cold stone of the wall. His glasses were knocked askew so his vision was messed up and he couldn't really see anything. In return, his sense of touch was exaggerated, and he could definitely feel Snape's now muscular body keeping his in place. He stopped himself from whining pitifully. "Right now I am not your assistant. And I will never be your slave."

James struggled against the tight hold of the Slytherin, tugging on his hands, but found that Snape, as Sirius had suggested, had probably been working out.

"My father will hear of this." he snapped, craning his neck to see if he could knock his glasses back into place. Severus pushed him further into the wall. Something was pushing against his leg so hard that it hurt. A lot.

"Go ahead and run to daddy Potter." He all but shouted. "Do as you fucking wish during the week. Make my life a living hell - it's not like I'm not used to it. But keep in mind, that come this hour, the tables are turned. I am no longer in your control, and I don't intend to just put up with your shit. Understood?"

James groaned in spite of himself.

"You make a crap assistant." He spat. Severus, again, pushed him further into the wall, making the other boy groan louder. He leant in so when he spoke his lips almost brushed James' ear. This of course, made James shiver involuntarily, and resulted in a cut along the Gryffindor's cheek, since he was pressed up so much against the jagged stone wall. The thing that was pushing against his leg felt like it was ready to pierce skin too.

"Just keep it in mind. If you ever want to make mummy and daddy happy you're grades seriously need to pick up. This is a two way exchange, and if I were you I would not want to anger me."

He released his captive. James stumbled for a moment, bringing up his newly free hand to steady himself against the wall that had just been his prison. He heard the door slam behind him and bit his lip to stop himself from screaming his frustrations. Why on earth would his father set him up with that fucking bat? Charles had thought of James' needs? That was obviously bull! He let himself slip down the wall, now unwilling to leave what he'd been so desperate to escape just moments before.

So much for having a great time ordering some guy around and laughing it up with Sirius. He didn't want to admit he was in any regular contact with that grease ball, and after that little episode, he didn't want to be caught short again.

He could still feel where the bastard had pressed up against him.

It was disgusting.

He may have sat there, leaning against that wall, for a few minutes, or a few hours. He wasn't entirely sure. All he knew was that by the time Sirius found him later, he was still in the same position, still pondering over how his father could be so cruel. There was nothing for it, he was simply going to have to see his father on Saturday and tell him that there was no way in hell he was having that dungeon beast as an assistant or a tutor. He'd rather eat frogspawn.

"Hey James." Sirius said, suddenly coming into his line of vision, all windswept beauty and cocky attitude. Sirius shot him the famous Black grin. Both he and his younger brother Regulus were known for their arrogant charm. "Why exactly do you feel it appropriate to be sitting on what can only be described as a freaking freezing floor, with no one but your own self for company?"

James cocked his head to the side, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around Sirius and insist that the boy carry him back to his dorm.

"Wanna say that again in English?" he said, voice dry, probably from the fact that he hadn't spoken in awhile. "How long have I been down here?"

Sirius raised a well practised eyebrow, bending down to help his friend to his feet.

"I dunno, couple of hours?" He shrugged, "Were you out?"

James furrowed his brow, trying to understand his friends questions and finding it harder then usual. Was he out…? As in, was he unconscious?

"I don't think so." He said, steadying himself against Sirius. Why was it so hard to stand? Sirius held him firmly, looking at him with concern. He seemed to be debating whether he should ask his next question, and James took a timid step forward, leaning on his friend for support. Sirius walked with him.

"Snivellus was down here too… I saw him pacing the area just outside here." He paused as he felt James tense. "He left when I came towards him, fucking coward." James seemed to physically relax.

Snivellus was their nickname for Snape. In his mind James referred to the Slytherin as 'the bat' or 'the dungeon child', but the rest of the school knew the unpopular boy as Snivellus, after his greasy hair and unsociable attitude. Put frankly, James did not want another run in with the boy that night. Why had he been pacing? Was he debating whether to go in and attack James again? Or was he worried that James would blow up, and attack back if he did? James knew that Sirius was watching him carefully. Sirius always wanted to know more then was probably advisable.

"So what?" he eventually asked, trying to make it out as if he really didn't care what Snape was up to. Sirius shrugged as the two made their slow and deliberate way up to the Gryffindor Tower. James was having a lot of trouble staying upright, and the more effort he put into that, the harder it was to keep breathing. They had arrived at the corridor which lead to the portrait of the fat lady when James' legs finally gave out. Afterwards, all he heard was Sirius shouting.

"Oh fuck, James, your leg!" There was a lot of pain in his leg, but he hadn't done anything to it, other then whatever it was that had been pushing against it. He swore to god if Snape had drugged him there would be hell to pay. As it was, he could barely keep his eyes open. "Shit, somebody help!"

And then he blacked out.

- X -

The next time James awoke he was lying in one of the uncomfortable and so incredibly white hospital beds that Hogwarts' hospital wing used. The room was unbearably bright, so much so that he had to sluggishly lift his aching arms to shield his eyes from the light. Had he died?

No, he couldn't have. He was sure heaven did not having fussing nurses and the smell of disinfectant.

"You're awake Mr. Potter?"

Madam Pomfrey was nice enough, but very protective of her patients, to an extent that it was annoying, and her tone was always accusatory.

He moaned his response, showing that he was, indeed, awake. He heard a tutting noise from the nurse, as if his being awake simply wouldn't do.

"You're very lucky. You came this close to severing your Femoral." James looked up to see Pomfrey holding her fingers close together with a disapproving look on her features. She sighed. "You lost a lot of blood. You should be glad that Mr. Black can scream so loud."

James had to let out a little snigger at the idea of Sirius sat in a corridor with his bleeding body, screaming like a girl. Something like; 'Oh Gods! He's bleeding!'… and perhaps an 'ew' for good measure.

Madam Pomfrey did not seem so impressed.

"You're leg will take a while to heal."

James gave her a grin.

"But you're the best nurse in town!" he joked, revelling in the tiniest of blushes he received from the usually stern lady.

"That may be so, but like I said, you're lucky to be alive." she sighed, "Mr. Black hasn't told me anything, and I haven't asked, but James…" She trailed off, and James knew whatever she wanted to say was serious because she'd used his first name. He tried to sit up in bed, and managed, although just barely. His whole body seemed to ache all over.

"I don't know how it happened." He explained, not looking her in the eyes. Perhaps when Snape had been shoving him up against a wall…. But had the wall, or whatever it was against his leg, been so jagged as to pierce so much it could get his femoral artery?

Pomfrey nodded, and then the door to the hospital wing burst open. Charles Potter stormed into the room, followed by Dorea, Sirius, and, most surprisingly, Severus Snape.