Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the wonderful woman JK Rowling

Here's the next chapter! Sorry for the wait!

Severus liked November. The air was brisk, and nipped at your nose, reminding you snow was on its way, if only you were patient. Frost covered the ground and made a funny crunching noise when you strayed from the path to roam on the grass. The leaves were turning their autumn colors of red, yellow, and orange, making the countryside surrounding Hogwarts a sight to behold. Yes, Severus liked November very much and it was only just beginning. He was contemplating this while walking to herbology with Lily on a particularly chilly Tuesday morning.

"Ugh this cold is really getting to me, Sev. How you are so unbothered by it is a mystery to me," Lily moaned, wrapping her coat more closely around her. Severus smiled, showing his newly white and gleaming teeth. Now that he had was unashamed to show them, he found himself finding even more reasons to smile. God, he was becoming soft.

Severus shrugged. "I guess I'm just a cold-blooded person." He unwound the red and gold scarf from his neck and handed it to her. He still found it very strange to be wearing Gryffindor colors, but they were growing on him. Lily thanked him and clutched it close to her freezing neck. Sighing, Sev put an arm around her and pulled her in, relishing the feel of her so close. Rubbing his arm up and down her arms to warm them, he asked, "Where are Remus, Peter, and Lyra? They're going to be late if they don't catch up soon."

"Oh, Peeves tripped Peter down a flight of stairs so they accompanied him to the hospital wing," Lily said. Severus snorted, when was that boy ever not a complete idiot?

They arrived at the greenhouses and took their places with the rest of the first years. Unfortunately James and Sirius chose that moment to venture over and have a chat with them while Professor Sprout droned on about mandrakes.

"Hello there Severus," Potter said, "fancy seeing you here."

"We are in the same house, Potter, and although I get advanced coursework we're still in the same classes." Severus answered, annoyed.

"Yes, well anyway I have something to ask you."

"Well spit it out! I'm trying to pay attention!"

"Care to help me and Sirius out with a bit of Christmas pranking? We could really use your help, with, you know, you being a genius and all."

Severus stared at him. Could he rally be this daft? "I told you the first day we arrived here that I had no interest in your petty tricks," he said coolly. "They are childish, idiotic, and stupid in the extreme. No please just bugger off and leave me alone!"

"Fine, fine!" James said, raising his hands in the air. At that moment Professor Sprout shushed at them loudly, glaring daggers.

"If you ever change your mind just let me know," and with that he waltzed back to Sirius, trying and failing to look nonchalant.

"You just love rubbing your advanced status in his face, don't you?" Lily accused him, looking half disapproving and half amused.

Severus grinned at her, knowing she was simply teasing. Lily had screamed in delight and given him one of her death grip hugs when he told her about that piece of news. "I'm so proud of you!" she had shouted. Those words alone made his heart soar.

Severus turned back to the lesson, but wasn't paying attention. Even with all his manipulative and cunning ways he had failed to keep Potter and Black apart. It was like there was some obnoxious, magnetic force between them that refused to break, and they had come together once again to be a thorn in his side; A bothersome, pestering thorn that was constantly devising new ways to torture him. It seemed, however, that it would just be the two of them for now. They were doing things on their own, and it appeared that the pranking duo would remain just a duo. He took some satisfaction in that he was able to bring four marauders down to two, but they were the worst two.

Remus and Lyra rushed through the door and, mumbling apologies to Sprout, took their places next to Lily and Severus. After another half hour of learning about mandrakes the bell rang and they all walked back to the school for transfiguration.

It wasn't until lunch that Peter rejoined them, hobbling along, nervously checking for Peeves over his shoulder. Lily waved him down and scooted over to make room for him on the bench.

"I really hate that poltergeist!" Peter exclaimed, dropping into the seat next to Lily. "All I wanted was to go to class and he just had to pull that rug out from under my feet!"

"I agree, he is absolutely horrible to first years, and he seems to have taken a liking to torturing you Peter" Lyra said, worried. "He'll keep coming at you unless you do something about it."

She was right. This was not the first incident Peter had had with Peeves. Just last week the poltergeist had pelted him with apples stolen from the kitchen, causing Peter to run headfirst into a wall covered by tapestry, which he had mistaken for a shortcut while frantically fleeing through the halls. The week before that Peeves followed him around all day making raspberries every time he tried to speak. By the end of the day Peter was a nervous wreck, and had to be escorted into the portrait hole by a concerned Lyra, fuming at the damn ghost. Even Severus felt a bit bad for him.

"You have to confront him or he'll keep doing it. Ignoring it won't work," Lyra told Peter again.

"No, no" said Peter, rubbing his head. "It'll be fine. No need to worry, he'll get bored eventually."

From the look on Lyra's face she seriously doubted that. Severus privately agreed, Peeves never got bored of torturing anyone, especially his favorites.

November passed and soon the castle was humming with Christmas spirit. Hagrid had dragged the usual twelve Christmas trees to the great hall, and they stood proudly twinkling with lovely enchanted lights and sparkling golden ornaments. Tinsel was everywhere- on the staircases, in the classrooms, draped from the ceilings and along doorways, even on McGonagall's hat. Ghosts glided through the corridors singing Christmas carols in harmony with coats of armor, and mistletoe was under every doorway. Even Dumbledore was looking festive in his sweeping red and green robes. Sirius and James had enchanted a great red Father Christmas hat to stick to his head and he wore it with an amused twinkle in his eye, taking it in stride.

On the fifteenth of December Severus strode towards the library, planning to finish his schoolwork in record time. He entered the dimly lit library and spotted Remus sitting alone at a table in the far back corner. He adjusted himself and walked toward him, hoping to study with the werewolf.

"Hello, Remus, mind if I join you?" Severus inquired. Remus jumped violently and slammed shut the book he was reading, a distressed and surprised look on his face.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's ok. Please, sit down," Remus said, eyeing him nervously. Giving him a weird look, Severus sat down opposite him, took out his parchment and ink, and began to write his charms essay. After a few minutes Remus relaxed and started to work on his as well.

"So what has you all shaken up?" Severus asked.

"Oh, nothing, I was just engrossed in my reading" Remus said, glancing back up at him. "So do you have yesterday's notes? I missed about half of them when I fell asleep."

Severus nodded, dug around in his bag, and handed them to him. He took the opportunity to study the werewolf while he was pouring over the notes. He looked a little worse for wear, his face was pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes that screamed exhaustion. Severus knew that the full moon had been two days before, but his condition had passed unnoticed among their group. He was hiding his furry little problem well so far. Severus felt very conflicted on what to do about it. Despite his previous convictions, Remus had become his friend. He could honestly say he liked him, and loyalty was something he never took for granted; especially when it was out of friendship and not a mutual advantage, to be discarded at any moment the arrangement was no longer useful. Severus was perfectly capable of making wolfsbane, but he dismissed the idea as idiotic and complicated. He would have to explain to Remus how he knew about him being a werewolf, and try to convince him that a potion not even invented yet would cure him. It was unappealing to say the least. But still, it made him uncomfortable to see his friend in pain.

They scribbled away in companionable silence for awhile. Eventually they finished and made their way out of the now deserted library. It was almost curfew and Severus and Remus were hurrying to reach the portrait hole before Mrs. Norris showed up to hiss at them for being out late. They were only a few minutes away when the sound of several pairs of footsteps came towards them. Severus halted, drawing his wand out of pocket. Noticing this, Remus copied him. Three bulky and menacing looking sixth year slytherins rounded the corner, sneering at the pair.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the tallest one jeered. "Two little first years out after hours, and gryffindors nonetheless!"

"Your powers of observation are superb, but I must say your sense of personal hygiene is pitiful. You smell like a troll that just went for a swim in the sewers," Severus scoffed. Remus let out a laugh that sounded far more confident then he felt; Severus could feel him shaking slightly behind him.

The three Slytherins looked at him in shock for a moment before the one Severus had insulted snarled and drew his wand. Severus quickly raised his own, and fired a hex at him before it got halfway out of his pocket. The Sytherin dropped moaning in pain, and his companions cried out in anger. He turned on the other two, but ducked as curses flew over his head. Remus leaped to his aid and starting firing spells at them, a determined look on his face. Together they fought the Slytherins, and though they were not as stupid as they looked, Severus easily knocked out the blonde one, but was shocked when an impedimenta jinx threw him into the stone wall with a sickening crack. Moaning in pain and cursing himself for being careless, he dove for his wand when a large shoe came down on his hand, crushing the fragile bones. He roared in pain, and looked up to see the last slytherin glowering down at him.

"Take this you little bastard!" he growled, raising his wand. Then suddenly he cried out in surprise and toppled forward. Severus dove between his legs to avoid being crushed and straightened up, panting. Remus stood with his wand pointed at the slytherin, who had face planted into the ground, frozen, with his arms and legs sticking out at add angles. Severus was shocked he was even still here, thinking he had run off to get a teacher the second he had gone down. Remus looked disgustedly down at his victim, then went to retrieve Severus's wand.

"You ok?" Remus asked, handing his wand back to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Severus said, amazed at the werewolf. "That was… well… thanks, Remus. I owe you one."

Remus gave him a small smile. "Anytime. What should we do with them?"

"Just leave them here, someone will find them." Severus turned away and strode back along the corridor they were in before, discreetly healing his hand before Remus noticed it was broken.

"You think they'll tell anyone it was us? We could get into serious trouble," Remus asked nervously, his eyes flashing back to the dark figures sprawled on the floor behind them.

"They won't, they'll never admit they were beaten by two first years, especially two Gryffindor first years," Severus assured him.

"Well, that was quite the midnight adventure," Remus remarked.

"Yes, it was," smirked Severus, climbing into the portrait hole after waking a very grumpy Fat Lady.

The next morning Severus awoke to the sound of James screaming his head off as a loose firecracker chased him around the dormitory. Crossed that the pompous fool could be so stupid as to unleash his own pranks on himself, and wake him up early on a Saturday, he watched in silent satisfaction as the firecracker wacked him in the bum a dozen times, burning him in unfortunate places. Sirius ran after James, laughing hysterically and trying to catch the firecracker at the same time. He looked over at Remus who was howling in laughter on his four poster bed with Peter in tears next to him, rolling on the ground. After ten minutes of watching the spectacle amusedly he picked up his wand and vanished the firecracker. An out of breath and thoroughly burned James Potter promptly ran into the wooden pole of his bed and collapsed with a large bump on his forehead. Sirius dropped to the ground in hysterics as Potter pulled himself up slowly, groaning.

"Phew, thanks Severus! That got a little… out of hand," Potter said gratefully. "Just a few more modifications and it will be ready for Flitwick next week!"

"You are completely insufferable," Severus declared. Potter shrugged, grimacing in pain from his burns.

Severus, Remus, and Peter strolled down to the great hall for breakfast, still chuckling at Potter's idiocy. Severus sat down next to his Lily, giving her a wide smile.

"What has you in such a good mood today?" she asked brightly.

Severus looked in her emerald eyes and said "Nothing, just Potter being a blockhead once again. He managed to give himself several burns in regrettable places in the boy's dormitory this morning before I put him out of his misery."

Lily rolled her eyes and heaped bacon and eggs onto his plate. Just as Severus was helping himself to some pumpkin juice the mail arrived, and he spotted the large school barn owl he and his mother had been using. Ever since the first letter they had kept up a constant correspondence. Severus treasured every letter she sent, for each was a reminder that she loved and cared for him, something he seriously doubted in his past life, but always wanted. As usual he excused himself to read it in private. Leaning against the wall of an empty corridor he unrolled the parchment and read:

My dearest Severus,

I am so proud that you're doing so well in school; I always knew you would excel at Hogwarts. I do hope you are getting into the Christmas spirit, the castle always looks beautiful this time of year. I do have something to tell you, however. It would be best if you did not come home for Christmas break this year. Please understand I want you to come home, but it would be unwise. I need to do something and you need to be as far away as possible when it happens. Please obey my wishes just this once Severus, it is very important that you not be anywhere near home right now.

All my love,

Mum

Severus stood shocked still. Every year in his previous life he had always chosen to stay at Hogwarts. Now the one time he did want to come home he was being told not to. This did not make any sense. What was this thing she needed to do? Even though his mother made it clear she would rather have him at home, it still stung that she wanted him to stay away, especially during Christmas. He had hoped for a nice, family Christmas once he kicked Tobias out the second he got home. Deeply troubled, Severus slowly walked back to the great hall wondering what on earth his mother was planning.

I hope you liked it! Please review! Up next: Christmas day, New Years, and some more of Peter.