Position

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Potterverse, and the characters, of course, unless I end up coming up with any original ones. And I'm not making any money on this.

Back at Hogwarts, Severus considered his new place in the Slytherin hierarchy. When he had first arrived, he had been at the very bottom. Even Walden Macnair, a low class, first-year half-blood like himself, had outranked him because the last actual Muggle in his family dated from the last century. Now Walden was on the bottom.

By rights, he should take Walden's area in the boy's dormitory, but Severus didn't want it. His own area was cut off somewhat from the rest of the dorm by a large stone pillar that stood about a foot out from the wall beside the head of the bed, and continued along almost to the foot of the bed. Because of the pillar, he had less space than the other boys in the dorm, but it was worth it for the additional privacy. Still, he would have to do something to assert his increased status over Macnair.

Next came Sherman Yaxley. He wore shabby robes and carried marked-in books like Severus, but the Yaxleys were almost pure-blood, and his father was a Ministry man. They were perpetually short on cash because they had gone into debt to pay for home school for Sherman, and Mrs. Yaxley refused to do anything to bring in additional income.

Tobias Snape, on the other hand, was a foreman at the cotton mill, and was proud that despite the downturn in the economy, he had kept his job. Eileen, like all the other mothers Severus knew from Spinner's End, contributed to the family pot. She had been able to stay home with Severus when he was very young by selling potions she brewed at home to an apothecary on Diagon Alley. When he started going to Muggle school, she had worked part-time for them. Now that he was away at Hogwarts, she would start full-time.

Severus figured that with Lucius as his patron, he was now at the same rank as Sherman. He figured that by the end of fall term, he'd outrank him. He would treat Yaxley as an equal for now.

Ludo Bagman was next. He was a crass half-blood, but the Bagmans were rich, and Ludo was rumored to be an excellent Quidditch Beater. He was certainly big enough - although he was just a first year, he was already as big as some of the seventh year boys. Severus figured that if he really did turn out to be a Quidditch star, Ludo would probably always be just above him. If it was all just bombast and bragging, though, that could change. He would keep an eye on Bagman.

Finally, at the top of the first year Slytherin hierarchy was Evan Rosier. He was from a rich, old, pureblood family, though not quite as rich or quite as old as the Malfoys. The Rosiers were patron material. Evan he would cultivate.

Tuesday morning was the first Potions class after The Party, and Severus arrived early. He leaned his back against the doorframe of the open dungeon classroom, partially blocking the entrance. One eye was on his Potions book and the other was on the stairs leading down to the dungeons. He hadn't waited long before Macnair showed up. Severus adjusted his position so that one shoulder leaned on one side of the doorframe, his back to the classroom, effectively blocking the doorway.

"Have a nice time last Saturday, did you?" he greeted Macnair, not bothering to hide his Manchester accent.

Macnair scowled and grunted. "Did you have a point, Snape?" he growled, "or did you just want to see how easy I could break your skinny legs for you?"

Severus smirked, and looked down his substantial nose at Macnair. "Just wanted to let you know that Rosier is my Potions partner now." And he threw a Silencing Charm at him.

As the other boy raged silently, Severus bored into him with his cold black eyes, and spoke softly, using his most dangerous voice. "It's a good thing I know you weren't actually threatening me, Macnair." He added a Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Walden collapsed to the floor, his back to the wall. "You wouldn't want me mad at you." Macnair's legs now stiffened from the Leg-Locker Curse.

Severus heard other steps coming down the stairs, and lazily pointed his wand at Macnair one last time. "Finite Incantatem," he said, and resumed his former position, with his back against the doorframe.

Macnair got up and dusted off his robes. "Why don't you go take your seat?" Severus suggested conversationally. Macnair glared at the tall thin boy, but did as he was told.

Evan Rosier was somewhat surprised but not unhappy to see that Snape had replaced Macnair at his cauldron. The shorter boy had seemed almost too obsequious, and Snape was already shaping up to be the best Potions student in the class.

By Thursday, news of Snape's treatment of Macnair had made its way to Lucius. The Silencing Charm, Jelly-Legs Jinx and Leg-Locker Curse weren't exactly advanced magic - but he'd never heard of a first year showing such easy mastery of them in his second week at Hogwarts. And Sluggy was already considering asking the greasy factory kid to the next Slug club meeting, based on his performance in Potions class alone. How much could this nobody from nowhere actually do?

Lucius had decided to enjoy the uncommonly sunny September afternoon by the lake, since he had no classes after two that day. Rodolphus Lestrange, a fellow seventh year, was with him.

"Roddy," he drawled, gazing with unfocused eyes over the lake, "do you think you could take Snape in a duel?"

"Bad idea, Lucius," his advisor answered bluntly. "You know I could, and it would prove nothing, except possibly to embarrass Snape. You know how status-conscious his kind are. I thought you'd taken him on?"

"Yes, yes," said Lucius impatiently, "and he's turning out to be even more ... interesting than I thought. I want to find out the extent of his capabilities. What do you suggest?"

Both young wizards sat in silence for several moments. When Rodolphus spoke again, it seemed to be on a totally different subject.

"Sirius is quite an embarrassment. Bellatrix was complaining about him the other day at dinner."

"He certainly is," agreed Lucius. "A Gryffindor, of all things. And taken up with Potter, has he? The blood-traitor Potters?"

"That's the word, yes. I don't think the Blacks would mind terribly if Sirius met a bit of embarrassment himself. Nothing too serious and nothing permanent, of course, but ... memorable."

"Hmmm," agreed Lucius. "Narcissa might enjoy that too. I think we could arrange something."

The two sat and looked out over the lake. Lucius was thinking how much nicer this would be if Narcissa were sitting beside him. Rodolphus was figuring out the best time to have a private meeting with Snape.