CHAPTER FOUR – The Potter/Black Encounter.
Severus decided to write a letter to his mother later on that evening. He wanted her to know he had arrived safe and sound, although he knew that she would fret no matter what. Nothing would bring down her maternal instincts, no matter what. Lucius and Mcnair were talking to each other and didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He snuck out of his seat and into the hall. He would have to get to his trunk to get a quill and parchment. But he didn't know the location of his trunk. He had been told to leave it on the train and that it would be brought up to his room after the sorting. Well, he didn't know where that was either.
He decided to see if he could find some parchment in a classroom or something. He opened the door to a classroom and glanced inside. He couldn't have asked for a better place to write his letter. He seemed to have walked into a mini-library, and there was a stack of parchment next to an ink bottle with a dozen quills lying across a desk. In front of the desk there was a nice and comfortable chair, and there was even an owl in a cage, looking down on him. Sev grinned to himself at his luck.
He sat down in the chair and grabbed a quill. He dipped the quill in the ink and started to write the letter.
Dear Mother,
I have just arrived at Hogwarts, and so far things have been going great. Earlier this evening I was sorted into Slytherin, and I've already made a friend in the name of Lucius Malfoy. I don't know much about him, but he seems alright. This is a short letter because there is not much that I have to write about. Write back a.s.a.p. so that know you're ok.
With much love, Severus.
Seems alright, he thought to himself. He folded up his letter and stored it in an envelope. He crossed the room to the owl and let it out of it's cage. He tied the letter to the owl and opened a window. The owl knew what to do, it flew out and was soon out of sight. Severus closed the window and exited the room to head back to the Great Hall. He was, and forever would be, oblivious to the fact that he had just used the Room of Requirement.
When Severus got back to the Great Hall the students were standing up and leaving for their common rooms. Severus spotted Lucius and McNair, along with three others, and wormed his way into their crowd. A prefect led them to the Slytherin common room and told them that the password was Obliviate. Severus walked up the stairs to his common room and settled into a bed. He drifted off wondering about classes the next day.
#
Severus rose the next morning full of excitement about classes. He went down to the Great Hall for breakfast and ran into someone. It was Sirius Black, newly sorted Gryffindor. Severus had been on the same boat as him on the trip over to the castle via the water. Sirius forced a grin at him and kept walking. Severus knew not what to think of Sirius, he wondered if the two of them could be friends. Probably not, since Severus's first friend was no fan of Sirius.
Severus quickly forgot about Sirius as he took his seat at the Slytherin table. He glanced at a timetable and realised that he had Transfigurations up first with Professor McGonagall. After that he would have Charms, Defence Against The Dark Arts and double Potions. Potions was something that he was good at. His mother had been the top of her grade at whatever school she had gone to, and since he was too young to have a wand, there was little she could teach him. But Potions was one thing that did not require a wand, and Severus had been learning it since he was an infant.
After breakfast he headed with Lucius and Mcnair to Transfigurations. Severus realised he'd never talked to Mcnair ever. While waiting outside the Transfigurations classroom Mcnair and Severus introduced themselves to each other properly. Mcnair was very similar to Lucius, he had the same views on muggleborns as him and seemed to come from a rich family as well. Severus was grateful Mcnair didn't ask him about his family, he didn't want to go into details of his child-life.
Professor McGonagall turned up and led them all into the classroom. Severus took a seat in the corner next to Mcnair. Mcnair turned to Lucius and the two of them started chatting. Soon the whole class was talking to one another about casual stuff, but Professor McGonagall did not tell them to be quiet. She made a crackling sound with her wand in the air.
"Never," she said sternly, "Do I want to hear that volume of noise in my classroom. You are in school now, show some respect."
Half the class had jumped out of their skin at the sound. No-one was stupid enough to answer back at McGonagall. She took the role and then walked them through Transfiguration, telling them all about it. She demonstrated transfiguration by transforming her desk into a pig and then transforming it back. When she was finished James Potter put up his hand.
"Is human transfiguration possible?" he asked eagerly.
Professor McGonagall waved her wand and there was a pig sitting in James's seat. The class cracked up. McGonagall transformed him back.
"There are too kinds of human transfiguration," she said, "One is of course done with a wand, as I have just shown you. The other kind of human transfiguration is to turn into an animal and then to turn back. I must warn you however that the risks of this are more then you can ever imagine. Transforming into an animal is called Anamagi and anyone who wishes to try it must be of age and under supervision from the Ministry Of Magic. In the last few centuries only about three or four people have tried it, including myself for one."
With that Professor McGonagall disappeared and in her place there was a black cat. All of the class gasped. Severus was rather interested, despite himself. McGonagall changed back into her normal self.
"However you will not learn about Anamagi until your third year," she told the class, "Now take out your books and we shall proceed with the lesson."
#
When lessons were over Severus, Lucius and Mcnair all had a pile of homework. After dinner the three of them were heading back to their common room to get started on it when Lucius ran into someone. It was none other then Sirius Black. Him and James Potter had just come from detention with the Potions Master, Professor Taylor. Lucius sneered at them.
"Mugglelovers can never stay out of trouble can they?"
Mcnair laughed and Severus, despite himself, followed suit. His friendship with Potter & Black had just flushed itself down the drain.
"You Slytherins are always the teacher's pets aren't you?" replied Sirius, "Your parents should really teach you the difference between respect and sucking-up."
Sirius seemed to have touched a nerve. Lucius took out his wand and James had to restrain Sirius. James glared at Lucius.
"Don't worry about it Sirius," said James, "We know we could beat those loser Slytherins any day of the week."
"I don't think so," sneered Lucius, "Hasn't centuries of evidence proven that Slytherins were the best duellers there ever was?"
James snorted, "Why don't you prove it then. We'll have a proper wizard's duel sometime, just me, you, Sirius and your second!"
"How about tonight, is that ok with you Potter?" Lucius half-asked, half- sneered.
"Perfect," said Sirius, "Who do you want to be your second Lucius?"
Lucius glanced at Severus and Mcnair, deciding which one of them was smarter. He thought for a few seconds.
"We'll have the wizarding duel tonight on the Quidditch pitch," said Lucius, "Me and you Black, and Severus here will be my second!"
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A/N: That's another chapter down. Chapter five is coming soon. Thanks to all the reviewers.
Reviewers:
Iluska – I update around once a week, but it can vary. I always put the chapter up as soon as I finish it. Severus will enjoy a little romance in this Fic, unfortunately not a slash. I do have a romance partner for Severus in mind although it will not last very long. Thanks for the review, I hope you will keep reading :D
Messmarauder017 (review via email) – You're right, I reckon I do make my paragraphs a little too long, so in future I'll try some more paragraphing. As useful as editors are, I don't reckon I will ever use one, just takes up too much time. Yes this fic is a little "odd," it is nothing like yours and I hope that you will continue reading it because It will get better as time goes on. I always find the first few chapters a bugger to write. Keep in mind I am only thirteen years old.
Next chapter coming soon,
- atom-rocks