Disclaimer: Do not own. Mentions of severe abuse.

"Hey Severus," Juliette spoke in a soft tone after realizing that Remus was a werewolf. "Greasy hair emits a disgusting odour. Perhaps if you tried shampoo, your hair would look a lot cleaner, perhaps maybe the Gryffindor's wouldn't bully you because of it. You know, this is just a suggestion, although you don't have to carry through with it."

"I don't really get a chance too," Severus said, casting a silent muffliato. "I'm too scared to stay in the showers for too long. If I stay in the showers for too long, someone will notice the scars."

Damn him! He didn't mean to blurt that out. He was sure Juliette would tell someone his secret and people would judge him for it or he would be made fun of for not being able to stand up for himself when his father beat him up. He was going to say something else but the words were forced out of his mouth as if he had no control over them.

"What scars, Severus? Is there something you're not telling me?" Juliette asked, her voice raising an octave. She was afraid for her friend, scars were never a good thing. He could have gotten them from an accident, but in that case, he wouldn't be afraid of other people seeing them. In fact, they would have had to have been caused by something scary, something beyond ominous.

"My father abuses me. The scars are from when he whipped me with an actual whip and left me tied to a pole, surrounded in my own bodily functions. For two days, I laid in my own blood, hoping for someone to save me from my own father. That's when I realized that I would never refer to him as my father ever again. No father should ever do that to their child. No child should ever fear their own father. A father should be a role model, not someone that uses their own child as a punching bag," Severus blurted out before he could stop himself. What was going on? He didn't have any control over what he was saying anymore.

"Your father abuses you?" Juliette shrieked, in shock that one of her best friends was going through something as terrible as abuse at such a young age. No wonder he always looked so scared at the smallest things. Through subtle, the hints were there and if you knew where to look, someone would be able to find the hints. The black-haired boy appeared paranoid around adult men and would flinch every time someone came near him.

Severus nodded, beginning to cry, "The time he whipped me was the worst. Despite passing out and not being able to feel the pain while unconscious, I wouldn't have been able to fight him off. Usually if I mutter something that sounds like nonsense, he'll hopefully think it's a magical spell and back off. He hates magic and he hates my mother."

What was going on with him? He wasn't able to control his emotions now. He had trained himself not to cry in front of anyone and yet this school year, he had broken that personal rule thrice. He was too hardened from his past life too even feel powerful emotions. He didn't think he was capable of crying anymore and yet this year, that had been proven wrong.

Juliette could see the distress in his eyes and removed the muffliato spell, muttering, "We should probably go back to the Ravenclaw common room. We can talk about it there. You need someone to help you with this." She put her arm around Snape and began to take him out of the library when she saw two familiar boys. Sighing, she pulled out her wand.

"Hey Wormy and Snivellus. Wormy, is Snivellus so greasy that he's making the floors so greasy with his greasiness that he can't walk on them normally. He needs a girl to do his walking for him." James yelled, snickering at the two Ravenclaws.

"Shut up James. At least I can actually get a girl I like to carry me," Severus whimpered, still crying.

"Huh," muttered James. His voice grew louder as he yelled, "Looks like Snivellus can't even handle us without crying."

"Leave him alone," Lily Evans yelled as she approached the four of them, "Severus is clearly in pain, you don't need to accentuate that. Now if you don't leave him alone, I will hex you into next week. Don't think that I won't, James."

"Lily, you look so cute when you're angry," James snickered, "Also why does Snivellus need a girl to stand up for him."

Severus pulled his wand out and began to mutter something, he wanted to cause James as much pain as possible. That's all he wanted. James hadn't changed at all in this timeline and was still as arrogant as ever. "Stop it, Severus, they just want to upset you. Let's go back," Juliette screeched, not wanting anyone to get into trouble. She hated seeing others in trouble and today was no exception.

Severus nodded and Juliette and Lily were heading back to the Ravenclaw common room. Students of other houses were allowed in each other's common room, given that they had permission from another student of that house. Juliette slumped down onto a sofa and Lily sat next to her, Severus sat on the other side of the room, preferring to sit on a small chair. "Why are you crying Severus?" Lily asked, oblivious to the conversation that the two Ravenclaws had in the library.

Severus, once again casting the silencing charm, spoke weakly, "Before I went to Hogwarts, my father would abuse me. Thankfully not sexually, but the physical and emotional abuse were terrible enough. Don't tell anyone, if anyone found out, my father would kill my mother."

"I didn't know that!" Lily exclaimed, her mouth forming an "O".

"Please. My mom is leaving him soon." Severus said.

"How?"

"She got a job secretly."

"I see. You alway should feel free to stay at my house, should things get terrible at your house. Promise me that if things get extremely bad, you'll come over."

"I promise."