Nothing much is happening today, nothing out of the ordinary that is. I had classes, of course, which I enjoy, I suppose. Not that I am experiencing a particular thrill of joy during while listening to lectures, writing papers or demonstrating incantations, but it gives food to my mind and occupation to my hand, and keeps my head down and busy so that people cannot bother me.

Reading back over my previous entries was extremely embarrassing. I sound as if Lily is my sole defense against the hostile world, which is not true. Or if it is, I do not wish it to be. I do not need to be defended by her, I do not need to be defended by anybody, including myself. I am not under attack, that I am aware. This is just my life, my existence, and everyone hates me in it, and I hate everyone in return. I cannot think of a single person whose company I enjoy except Lily. I cannot think of a single person who does not feel the strongest revulsion toward me except Lily. So I suppose it is always Lily. It was then, and it still is now, and I suspect it will be for long after this.

Incidentally, I have made a discovery. I have suspected this for a long time, but it was not confirmed until recently, in a conversation with Lily. Lupin, one of the disgusting Marauders, even from the time when I first came into a position where I was aware of his existence, has been quiet and secretive. He disappears regularly each month ("he is ill", everyone says) and when he returns, usually from the hospital wing, he is in terrible shape. At first I suppose I attributed it to someone like my father, where being in his presence for three minutes meant injuries that would last for three weeks. I did not realize than that this was not normative. Or perhaps I did, but that is no matter.

At last it dawned upon me, because Lupin's disappearances were always corresponding to the moon's cycle. The creature is a werewolf, and he has been quarantined, as I suspect it, in the structure called the Shrieking Shack. I intended to investigate personally, but I spoke to Lily about it, since he is in Gryffindor, and now I am not so keen. The Shrieking Shack has earned it's name, no doubt, from his own screams, for there are rumors of the horrendous sounds issuing from it. The Headmaster tells us, when pressed, that it is haunted, but I, for one, was willing to stake a great deal on the fact that it is haunted by the Gryffindor concealing his lycanthropy. It is a pleasing discovery for me, as I have read that the soul of a werewolf cannot pass beyond the human plane, and thus, when dead, his spirit will perish as well. This is a fortunate discovery, as I have determined to try and get the Marauders expelled from Hogwarts this year. I have had enough of their pranking.

It is later in the same day, and spurred by my own record of resolve, I set out at once to try and catch Potter or any of his friends in the act of mischief making. It is not a difficult task. First of all I came across Lily, and told her what I was about.

Her face was serious. "I am surprised we haven't thought of this before," she said.

"In truth, I'm surprised the professors haven't caught them. There are more than enough of their collective pranks to have gotten them worse than detention long before this," I told her.

"You see, the professors are set on them being brilliant."

I snorted.

"Potter and Black especially. Therefore, they go a little soft on them."

"It's not a favor we can all enjoy," I grumbled. "I am certain if we can assure that a professor will witness a particularly vicious act of theirs, they can be expelled for it."

Lily looked grave. "You really think so?"

"Of course." I pushed some hair from my eyes. "That's what this is all about, isn't it."

"I mean, I think I know what you're thinking."

I nodded. "They can't keep from pointing their wands at me, so I have merely to present myself in their presence and be unobtrusive as possible; it is your part to assure that a professor is nearby."

Lily's eyes were sad. "I can't just let you be their bait, Severus. Who know what they'll do to you."

"I don't need you to concern yourself with me," I snapped. "Are you intending to help or not?"

She sighed. "Of course."

"Good." And then I took her hand, because I felt bad for speaking so harshly. She looked surprised, so I dropped it.

"What was that?" she asked quietly, not looking at me.

"Nothing," I said. "I just meant I am sorry."

"Are my hands cold?"

I shrugged.

"I just meant why did you drop it as if I had the plague?"

I fought back a smile. "I wasn't sure that it was alright, I'm not much for touching, but I thought –"

I broke off as she deliberately took my hand again and gave it a squeeze.

"It's alright."

I tried to pull away, even through my heart was beating fast at the fact that we were, in our wakeful consciousness, holding hands.

"Seriously, relax," she muttered, and we began to walk. My errand was forgotten for a mere moment, but unfortunately, I saw the werewolf come out of a nearby classroom, and catch sight of us. He nodded at Lily and pulled his forelock.

"Hello, Lily," he said and she nodded back.

"Remus."

"Why are you talking to him?" I hissed. "Don't you realize the creature is in league with them?"

"Of course," Lily smiled sweetly. "I could be playing a double-agent, or I could simply be being kind. He is actually rather nice."

A growl-like gargle rose in my throat but I suppressed it behind a cough, but I made no effort to keep the coughing polite, on the contrary, I gave it as much diaphragm as possible, and when I was finished, felt mildly soothed.

"Better?" Lily cocked a brow.

I nodded.

Remus was tracing a path across the quad toward the other two – Black and Potter, and they were shortly joined by Pettigrew, his hair peeled back from his face with some sort of pomade. Remus reached out a hand to touch his head, and he ducked, and laughter filled the group. How I dread that sound, I can hear it ringing even in my ears as I write this.

Lily whispered to me, "I saw Professor McGonagall in the other corridor. I'll just bring her here with a problem with my wand. She'll need to come into the sunlight to see it."

"Hurry," I told her, and deliberately sat down on a bench, aware that the Marauders had caught sight of me. Black was the first to bound over.

"Hello, Snivellous!" he exclaimed. "Let's see, shall we?"

He attempted to take my book, and I resisted. I hated his handsome face so close to mine. It was as if his mere existence was there to taunt me.

"It's just potions," I told him, keeping my book firmly in my hands, for it was my borrowed potions text, in which I have many secret notes. I am not one to steal, but I wish I could keep it after courses are over. I even put my name in the front; that is, the secret way I have of referring to myself.

Potter pulled out his wand, and pointed it at me. "Give it over, Snape."

"It's mine."

"No it ain't," Pettigrew vociferated. "He's borrowed it from the cupboards in Slughorn's room, it's no more his than the tri-wizard cup is mine!"

"Let me be," I said quietly, knowing I needed to draw it out, as Lily and McGonagall were still nowhere to be seen.

And then Potter hexed me with a particularly painful hex and when I recovered I had no choice but to scramble to my feet and respond with the first thing that came to my mind.

"Langlock!" I exclaimed, pointing my wand at Potter, and then at Black. Both of them immediately began to gag and claw at their mouths. Pettigrew was terrified.

"What have you done to them!" he screeched. "What is it?"

Remus crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched his friends. "He said lang-lock. Lang is a derivative of the old gaelic for –"

"I've sealed their tongues to the roofs of their mouths, you imbecile," I replied. "And it's from the French not the Gaelic. It will wear off in a matter of –"

"What on earth is going on here?"

McGonagall came sweeping across the courtyard. Lily was nearly running to keep up, her face pale.

"Snape has jinxed Sirius and James!" Pettigrew howled. "He's killed them!"

"What have you done?" the professor demanded, turning to me, after witnessing Potter and Black's continued melodramatic performances.

"It's just a jinx, like he said," I replied.

"Which?"

I shrugged. "I made it up."

And that is how I ended up in detention. Lily passed by the door and gave me a sympathetic look, but I pretended I didn't see her, though it wasn't her fault. I will come even with Potter yet.