Disclaimer: It's all J.K Rowling's. Dammit...

A/N: Thanks to my brilliant beta who forbid me to say anything mushy, but can I help it if she rocks?

Rated for mild language and allusions to violence.

Remus' summer flew.

He spent almost all of it at the Potter's after Sirius finally had enough and ran away from home. His parents subsequently disowned him with a callous disregard for their eldest son's future, leaving him with absolutely nothing except the generosity of James' parents, who had practically adopted him by this point anyway. For all that he said that he was glad he no longer had to see the 'evil gits' (his family), both James and Remus were perfectly aware of the pain he was trying to hide. For all their mutual hate, the Blacks were still family and to be so publically cast aside even if he had ran away first, left its mark. He needed his friends around him to help heal the wound before it began to fester. So the pair of them made it their mission to distract him by whatever means necessary. James took him flying around the Potter estate every day, playing one-on-one quidditch while Remus cheered from below. Quidditch wasn't exactly his strong suit.

Remus shared his prized chocolate hoard, which caused Sirius to wonder loudly to James if they hadn't actually had a terrible broom accident and were really lying in St. Mungo's suffering from bizarre hallucinations. It was certainly an unprecedented event, Remus guarded his stash jealously. He also bullied them both into finishing their homework, reminding them that they were heading into their OWL year and couldn't afford to be complacent.

It was a pity that Peter couldn't be there (he sent an owl detailing a sick aunt), because this was definitely a bonding experience for the Marauders. Even if James and Sirius did turn Remus' hair green for the OWLs comment. His response had them waddling around as they tried to get used to walking with donkey tails. Remus enjoyed these months immensely, not least because their illegal use of magic during the summer went unnoticed by the Ministry due to the fact that the Potter's were a magical household. Though they almost had their wands confiscated by an irate Mr. Potter. Aurors, apparently, don't ignore these sorts of things.

It was only some inspired arguments by James and Sirius' doleful eyes that spared them, though the pranks were on hold until they got back to Hogwarts. But the close call highlighted one thing that settled Remus' nerves; Sirius was getting back to his old carefree self again. And that was worth a thousand parental reprimands.

oOo

Severus' summer crawled.

He finished his homework in the first two weeks and spent the rest either holed up in his room or out roaming the streets, anything to avoid his father's wrath. Things hadn't been going well for Tobias Snape. He'd found a job at the beginning of last year in the new meatpacking factory that opened on the other side of the river and for a time, things seemed to be going well. He'd found a bit of pride, working a steady job and his temper had seemed to abate a little. Unfortunately, after Christmas he'd hurt his back and was laid off, leaving him with nothing better to do than attempt to pickle himself in cheap beer and moan about his crappy life and why it was all Severus and his mother's fault.

Severus recognised the signs. His father was working himself up to a massive blow-out; stewing in toxic silence some days whilst other times, going over and over 'where it all went wrong.' His mother did nothing to try and avert the coming storm, at times she almost seemed to egg him on with her contempt and scorn. Which was why Severus was out of the house and its oppressive atmosphere as much as possible.

He distracted himself with the animagus book, doing all the preparatory steps and mediation but he didn't dare try his first partial transformation until he was safely back at Hogwarts. The last thing he needed was to be expelled for underage magic.

He only tried to visit Lily once. After that fiasco he stayed away. Her spiteful muggle sister he could just about tolerate but when Lily started on about his friends again, that was the last straw. He lived with them for Merlin's sake! Just how did she expect him to avoid them? And why should he, when she would barely speak to him at school? Sure he had Remus, though she apparently hadn't noticed that little detail, but he was a Gryffindor and the Marauders certainly wouldn't take kindly to him hanging around with them all the time. It was unlikely Remus would want that in any case.

To pass the time, he brooded about the mystery Gryffindor skulking around the dungeons to meet Lucius Malfoy. It had taken him a while to place the voice he'd heard, but he was almost certain he was right. There was still major holes in his theory, questions he couldn't answer, but he was confident that he had the bare bones of it right.

His latest dilemma: Should he tell Remus?

He didn't have to think it over very long before the answer presented itself. It wasn't his problem and Remus would never believe him anyway. The word of a former enemy he'd been on speaking terms with for only a few months against the word of one of his treasured best friends, a Marauder and fellow Gryffindor that he'd known for almost five years. No contest. And Severus wasn't going to risk Remus hating him and breaking the truce over something he couldn't even prove. The Gryffindor's company had been surprisingly tolerable, a welcome respite from Slytherin politics and he found himself hoping that the summer hadn't affected Remus' memory.

oOo

September 1st dawned clear and bright. King's Cross was heaving with muggles going about their daily lives and with older Witches and Wizards nonchalantly leaning against the division between Platform 9 and 10 and vanishing, while younger children took it at run, startling muggles and sending some to the nearby coffee vendor to procure a jolt of caffeine to wake themselves up.

On Platform 9 ¾, Remus took in the hussle and bussle around them and smiled fondly at the scarlet steam engine waiting patiently on the tracks. He loved going back to Hogwarts, it always felt like coming home.

Beside him, James stretched and looked over at Sirius. "Let's go grab a compartment before the train starts to fill up," he suggested.

"What about Peter?" Remus asked as they made their way across the platform, dodging tearful mothers and squirming first years.

"He'll find us," Sirius said carelessly, eying up a buxom sixth year. Seeing Remus' expression he relented. "Well if he hasn't found us by the time we've settled in, James can guard the compartment and we'll go look for him, alright Moony?"

James and Sirius engaged in a good-natured argument about which end of the train was better resulting in Remus choosing a compartment in the middle while there was still some left to bicker over. They quickly loaded their trunks before leaving James to stand guard while they went hunting for Peter. If possible, the platform was even more crowded than before.

"We'll never find him in all this, Remus," Sirius said disgustedly after almost being mowed down for the third time. "Let's head back to James. Peter will find us once he's on the train."

Remus looked around regretfully. "I suppose you're right," he agreed reluctantly. "Come on, let's—" He was cut off by a sudden clamour nearby and looked up to see a group of Slytherins hooting and jeering two figures in the centre. One had long blond hair, while the other...

"Look, Moony, a snake fight!" Sirius joked seeing what had caught his friend's attention. "Looks like Lucius Malfoy...and is that Snivellous?" Sirius looked faintly impressed. "Who've have thought he'd have it in him?"

"Don't call him that," Remus said automatically, watching the figure with long black, slightly greasy hair shove his way out from the group dragging his beat up trunk after him. Laughter followed him but he didn't look back, stalking resolutely towards the train, rudely shoving people out of his way. Even though he couldn't see his face, Remus could almost feel the anger boiling off him.

"I wonder," he murmured and Sirius tore his gaze from his cousin's smug, mocking face as he flipped his blond hair back over his shoulder and returned to holding court.

"Wonder what, Moony?" he asked cautiously, recognising that speculative look.

"I wonder if Severus would like to sit with us," Remus replied absently before taking off after the Slytherin.

"What!" Sirius yelped. "Moony, hang on a second! Moony!"

oOo

"Severus!"

Remus dipped and twisted through the crowd, hopping over abandoned trunks and edging around distraught parents until he finally caught up.

"Severus," he called again. "It's Remus."

Severus stopped and looked back, his face still hidden by his long hair. "What do you want?" he snapped. The hostility in his voice would have made lesser men quail, but Remus had grown accustomed to his friend's strange moods.

"I was wondering if you'd like to sit with us," Remus said pleasantly and thought he saw a dark eye widen slightly behind the veil of hair. His answer was interrupted by Sirius's arrival.

"Moony, don't!" he pleaded and Remus gave him a harsh look which he ignored with ease. "You can't want that greasy git slicking up our compartment! It takes hours to get to Hogwarts—hours! You can't seriously mean—"

"Sirius!" Remus growled warningly.

"Save it, Lupin," Severus said abruptly. "Just piss off."

With that he started walking again, and this close Remus could see how stiffly he was moving, taking careful measured steps. But he didn't examine that too closely, instead focusing on what he'd been called.

"Since when is it Lupin, Severus?" he demanded. "I thought we were past all this nonsense!"

Ignoring Sirius' muttered "Let's go, Remus," he stepped forward and grabbed Severus by the arm, causing him to drop his trunk, and spinning him around.

"I'm trying to be—Sweet Merlin!"

As he'd spun him around, Severus had let out a pained gasp as his knees buckled and his hair had flown back from his face to reveal heavy bruising and a split lip. All of a sudden Remus found himself supporting the Slytherin's weight instead of demanding answers. He barely heard Sirius' hiss of shock over the pounding of his own heart.

It was only a few seconds and then Severus was standing on his own feet and yanking his arm from Remus' slack grip with a vicious curse. He bent to grab his trunk only to miss as Sirius hefted it up.

Severus' glare could have curdled milk. "Black," he hissed menacingly, "give me back my trunk or I swear I will hex you right here!" His wand was pointed right at Sirius' nose. Remus hadn't even seen him pull it out.

"You know what Moony?" Sirius proclaimed grandly, ignoring the wand in his face with aplomb despite the fact that it was starting to spit silver sparks. "I've changed my mind. I think it'd be a good idea to have Sni—Sna—Severus sit with us after all. It's important to have variety in life, isn't that what I've always said?" Ignoring the fact that Sirius was normally talking about girls when he used that maxim, Remus gave his friend a grateful look.

Seeing that Severus' eyes had widened with rage, Sirius took off with the trunk calling back, "I'll just stash this and warn—I mean tell James about our visitor." Then he was gone, ducking into the crowd just as Severus let loose a hex that scored the pillar where he'd been standing.

Several people screamed and Remus immediately grabbed Severus' wand hand, forcing it down. "Calm down Severus!" he commanded the shaking boy in front of him.

Severus turned rage-maddened eyes on him and Remus fought a flinch. He looked terrible and if the way he'd been moving earlier was any indication, then the damage was more extensive than just his face. He must be in horrible pain but he never gave any indication of it. He shook his hand free from Remus'.

"I won't have it!" he spat. "I will NOT be mocked by you and you're merry band of lackwits! I refuse to sit with you and I want my trunk returned intact!"

"Severus..." Remus gaped at him. "Severus, we're not mocking you. Sirius isn't going to do anything to your trunk except stow it in our compartment. And, well, you don't have to sit with us, it's just I saw you arguing with the Slytherins and figured you probably wouldn't want to sit with them."

Severus flinched at the mention of the Slytherins but controlled it quickly.

"I mean, when I asked you I hadn't even seen..." he trailed off unable to continue.

"But Black only changed his tune afterwards," Severus spat bitterly. "And if he's not mocking me then it's because he pities me. And I'm telling you Remus," he hissed, suddenly looking him in the eyes, "that I will throw myself under this train before I accept pity from anyone, let alone Sirius-bloody-Black!"

The platform was slowly clearing around them but neither of them seemed to notice.

"Sirius would be the last person to pity you," Remus said quietly, "because he, more than anyone, understands. His family—" Remus bit his tongue hard. These weren't his secrets to tell. "If you never trust anything else I say, trust this" he said fiercely. "Sirius will not pity you. He will not judge you, not about this anyway," he amended smiling slightly. "He may be a pain in the ass at times but he's smarter than you give him credit for."

Remus was speaking from personal experience on this, though he could hardly admit to it.

A whistle split the silence between them. "It's the last call," Remus said quietly. "Come on, unless you want to miss the train." Severus followed, looking very tired all of a sudden. They barely made it through the door when the train started to move and Remus turned to face him.

"You don't have to sit with us, Severus," he told him sincerely, "but I for one would like it if you did."

He seemed to hesitate and Remus was about to turn away when he mumbled, "Everywhere else is probably full anyway."

Remus turned quickly to lead the way, so Severus wouldn't see his smile.

oOo

Black had obviously spoken to Potter for neither acted like a Slytherin in their compartment was anything out of the ordinary. He was pathetically grateful for that. He saw his trunk as soon as he'd stepped through the door, stacked with the others. It seemed untouched as per Remus' assurance but he wouldn't trust it not to explode when he opened it. Precautions would have to be taken. But that could wait until he was back in his dorm. He slid into the empty seat opposite Gryffindor's finest and Remus sat next to him. He was surrounded.

Trying to hide his discomfort, he sat back with a sigh, bowing his head slightly so that his hair hid his face, as the others made slightly strained conversation around him. He closed his eyes, exhausted. He'd evaded his father for so long this summer that he'd begun to selfishly hope that the inevitable explosion wouldn't occur until after he'd left for school. Unfortunately, Lady Luck was a cruel bitch just like his father always said. In some ways it was worse that Tobias hadn't snapped earlier in the summer, at least then he would've had time to heal up a bit like normal.

As things stood, he'd have to slip away before the feast to wait for Madam Pomfrey if he wanted to avoid the gossip. His stomach churned. As if Lucius Malfoy hadn't put paid to that already. Bloody pureblood prat took one look at his face and just couldn't resist poking his nose in a raw wound.

"How weak, Severus. Couldn't you even stop your filthy muggle father from beating you?"

Severus flinched as he remembered. It'd be all over the school in a matter of hours. He felt a slow burn of anger ignite in his chest and wondered if it was just that the idiot came from a magical household or if too many peroxide fumes had addled his brain. Was Malfoy even aware of the Restriction of Underage Magic Act?

He wanted revenge, craved it but as much as it galled him to admit it, he still needed him. It went against the grain to let something like this go and he idly wondered if hitting Malfoy where it hurt might be worth losing the precious introduction. But what could someone like him do to someone like Malfoy? Not much, at least not right now. He wouldn't forget though. Revenge was best served cold after all.

oOo

When he opened his eyes again, it was getting dark and the others were beginning to change into their robes so he did the same. Pettigrew was still missing. He paused for a moment before closing his trunk when he saw a vial holding a small amount of clear liquid. An inkling of a plan sparked in his mind and he grabbed the vial, stuffing into the pocket of his robes before closing the lid.

More alert now the pain had subsided a bit, he examined the others. Remus smiled at him over the top of his book. Black and Potter were playing exploding snap. By the amount of wrappers scattered on the floor, he concluded that the trolley had been and gone. Not that he could have afforded anything anyway.

His musings were cut off as a chocolate frog pack was stuck under his nose. He looked up to find Remus offering it, almost shyly. "I figured you'd be hungry."

Severus wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially when said horse is offering food and he hadn't eaten since sometime yesterday. Not to mention the fact he was going to have to miss the feast tonight. His stomach told his pride to stuff it, and he accepted the treat with a cool thank you.

Remus simply looked relieved that he hadn't bitten his head off and returned to his book as Severus made short work of the frog. Across from them the game of snap came to an explosive conclusion with Sirius the roaring victor.

"Take that Prongs!" he gloated as Potter groaned and grabbed an open pack of Every Flavour Beans as his consolation prize.

"Is there anyone brave enough to challenge me?" Black demanded and Severus rolled his eyes, the only silent form of derision he could show at present since it was too painful to sneer. "Remus?" Black continued, "Do you dare?"

Remus shook his head, laughing. "Last time we 'duelled', Padfoot, my eyebrows caught fire."

"Humph," he snorted. "Coward. What about you Sev, you up for a game? I'd like a chance to kick your Slytherin butt without having Remus get pissy!"

Severus almost choked. "What did you call me?" he snapped hoarsely. He saw Potter sit up, interested while out of the corner of his eye, Remus looked nervous.

Black rolled his eyes. "Well you can't expect me to call you Severus can you? For one thing it's too long, for another thing, bleh!" He made a face.

Severus was ready to hex him when his Slytherin practicality kicked in. Don't start a fight in the Gryffindor part of the train where you're horribly outnumbered. Not to mention that anything was better than Snivellous.

So he sneered, which he immediately regretted and let it go. Potter seemed a little disappointed there would be nothing to break the monotony of the journey, Sirius looked satisfied that he'd won whatever argument he'd thought they were having, Severus knew he looked bored and Remus just looked anxious.

"So," Remus began in an obvious attempt to break the silence, "has anyone seen Peter?"

Severus froze as the plan forming in the back of his mind suddenly became clear. He barely heard Potter explaining that Pettigrew had dropped his trunk off before they returned and stepped out to the bathroom. He knew how he could get Malfoy without him even knowing that he was behind it. If he was willing to take a risk, of course. His various wounds ached and burned, reminding him that the whole school would soon learn of his humiliation courtesy of Lucius.

He was aware of what a coup it would be for Lucius to bring any Gryffindor into the fold, but one of Dumbledore's beloved Marauders... If he could destroy that Gryffindor's usefulness however, well, turnabout's fair trade. Severus smiled a vindictive smile. He bet Malfoy would lose a lot of pull with the Dark Lord if he were to bungle this. He had no doubt he'd already informed Him of his success. Malfoy loved to brag. And better yet, if he managed to plant the seed of doubt without getting hexed off the train, the Marauders would do all his work for him.

"It's been a long time for a bathroom break," Black said sounding concerned. "Maybe we should—"

Severus snorted loudly, drawing their attention. "Oh please. I know exactly where your little friend is."