Disclaimer: The plot is ours, but the majority of the main characters belong to the imagination of J.K. Rowling. We do not gain any profit from writing this story.

Summary: With the Grimoire in safe hands and James Potter expelled, Severus Snape, Lily Evans, and their friends expected that their remaining time at Hogwarts would be smooth sailing. Unfortunately, the intentions of a few detestable individuals will make their lives more arduous. With the help of a few new friends, they all must join together to fight against the rising tide of evil in the Wizarding World.

A/N: This story is A/U and is NOT canon compliant. If you don't like Sev/Lily fiction, don't read it.

Worst Case Scenario

The OneandOnlyEnigma

Severus and his friends were talking about how Black Donal showed up Dante back at the Hogwarts Express. Severus, Lily, Black Donal, Sirius, Regulus, and Remus were in one carriage. The others occupied the second one.

Sirius was still laughing as they made their way to Hogwarts. "Black Donal that was amazing!"

Black Donal gave him a simple nod.

"The rotten bugger deserved a lot more than to be thrown into the mud," Lily mentioned.

Regulus was a bit concerned, "I hope that nothing happens as a result of that."

Sirius looked at his brother, "What do you mean?"

Regulus saw that he had gotten everyone's attention, except for Remus who was looking out the window.

"Regulus, you can speak openly with us," Severus said.

Regulus sighed, "We lost the upper hand."

"What?" Sirius asked his brother.

"We lost the upper hand, Siri." Regulus leaned back in his seat. "Because of what Black Donal did, we gave Dante just cause to retaliate."

Sirius waved off his brother's concerns. "He didn't need a reason for that, he hates our guts already."

Lily figured out where Regulus was getting at. "But he was thrown into the mud in front of his friends and Sam's friends as well."

And now everyone in the carriage, including Black Donal, knew what that meant. "Now every single person in the United has probable cause to believe what vitriolic jargon that Dante has been spouting off about us."

"Well, not everyone. Sebastian and Bartholomew should have decent heads on them," Severus mentioned. "And there's Desdemona Yalarad, but I've never had a proper conversation with her."

"Well, from what I know Dante doesn't get along well with Slytherins all that much." Regulus looked at his brother, "Then there's Sam."

Sirius scoffed and turned to the window, "What about him?"

Regulus pointed out, "You two were friends once."

Severus and Lily were surprised to hear that. "What?! Really?" Lily asked aloud.

"That was a long time ago Reg," Sirius mused as he looked out the window.

"You'd probably still be friends with him if Potter hadn't entered the picture." Regulus' face snarled in disgust at saying the blighter's name.

"A lot of things would have been different if not for that Hippogriff's arse!" Sirius turned to face his brother. "When I started hanging out with Potter, Yalarad dropped me like a bad habit!"

Regulus shrugged, "I remember differently. Sam tried to get you away from Potter, but you wouldn't listen. And the rest is history."

"Yeah, ancient history. Me and him are in the past, and what he's been saying about Dad has hammered that fact home."

"Sirius, don't you think this is all a bit coincidental?" Regulus looked at everyone in the carriage. "Guys? Or, am I being a bit paranoid?"

Black Donal cleared his throat, "You're not being paranoid Regulus, just vigilant." He looked at everyone, "Coincidence or not, I will make sure that no harm comes to any of you."

Regulus leaned back in his seat, "Black Donal, sorry if I sound a bit pessimistic, but you can't protect us all. Your main concern is Severus' safety, and everyone else's safety comes second."

Sirius looked at his younger brother, "Merlin Reg, since when did you get so negative?"

"Since we got on this carriage." Regulus looked out and saw two more empty carriages stride towards Hogsmeade Station. "We could have waited! We could have let Dante and his friends just have these carriages! But no, thanks to Black Donal going off acting like John Wayne, we've got bigger targets on our back!"

Severus frowned, "I don't think that's fair Regulus!"

"On the contrary Severus, it is!"

As things were starting to get heated between the Slytherin housemates. Lily looked over and noticed that Remus was looking under the weather. "Remus? Are you okay? You don't look good."

Everyone noticed that he leaned against the door clutching his chest.

"Remus? Mate? What's wrong?" Sirius asked his friend.

"Stop the carriage," Remus muttered.

Severus replied, "I'm sorry?"

"Stop the carriage!"

But it was too late as Remus instead flung open the door of the carriage and began to sick up. After a quick release of his lunch a few hours earlier, Remus closed the door and wiped his mouth with his handkerchief.

"Remus? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" Sirius used broad terms to conceal Remus' condition from Black Donal."

"He knows."

Severus looked at Remus, "Who's he? Remus, what do you mean?"

Remus looked at his friend, "Dante! He knows, Severus!"

At that moment everyone, apart from Black Donal knew what he meant. "No, that's...that's impossible! He's been gone from Hogwarts for the past three years! How could he know?"

"Didn't you hear him? 'I sure hope there isn't a full moon tonight. Don't know what might be lurking in the dark!'" Remus began to panic. "Severus, if he knows then that's it for me! I-I can't…"

"Mate, it's going to be okay!" Sirius got up and went over to console his friend. "He was trying to get sympathy points for being left in the dirt!"

"No Sirius! That comment was aimed directly at me!" Remus said in a panic.

Black Donal looked confused, "Might I ask what you are concerned that Dante may know about you?"

Remus looked at Black Donal and hesitated. Severus assured him, "Black Donal is sworn to secrecy about anything he hears, Remus. Your secret is safe with him, should you wish to tell him."

Remus took a deep breath, "I suffer from Lycanthropy Black Donal."

"Oh, Remus I am sorry. To have to go through that at such a young age," Black Donal sympathized with him.

"Thank you, but it's all right. I've gotten used to it, I'm afraid."

"And, you are concerned that Dante has somehow learned about your condition? And will attempt to use it against you?"

Remus said nothing as he nodded his head.

"Is there anyone outside of your family, friends, and I'm guessing the Headmaster, the Deputy Headmistress, and The Matron, that know of your condition?" Black Donal asked Remus.

Remus thought hard about this, "Well I'm unregistered, so no I don't think so."

"When you were infected with Lycanthropy did you have to go to St. Mungo's for your wounds?"

Remus shook his head, "No. My father had a healer come by my house to take care of my bite."

"Do you know who this person is, Remus?"

"I'm afraid not Black Donal," Remus shook his head again. "I was only five at the time."

Black Donal sat back in his seat, "When you have a moment you should mail your father to see who that healer was. If Dante did indeed find out about your affliction, we must learn where he found it out, and fast!"

Lily shook her head, "We will do everything we can to protect you, Remus!"

Remus calmed down a bit as he caught his breath, "Thank you, all of you." He looked at his friends and knew that he was safe among them.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Once everybody arrived at the castle. They all took their seats at their assigned house tables. Severus looked around for Dante and The United, but he couldn't see them.

He saw Desdemona Yalarad down Slytherin's table. It appears she wasn't marooned back with her older brother. He looked over at the group of new students waiting to be sorted. He saw Sam's younger brother, Agamemnon, as well as Sam's other cousin, Vienna Dain.

Tav tapped Severus on the shoulder, "Come on Sev, let's get seated."

Severus nodded as he made his way over to his house's table, and took a seat. Tav and Dorian sat beside Severus on each side as Black Donal stood behind him. The sight of Black Donal behind Severus gave him a bit of unwanted attention.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Mary MacDonald sat beside Lisa Troyer. Daniel MacTavish was seated elsewhere away from the two of them. It took nothing short of a miracle, and every spare minute spent of her summer holiday with her nose in a book, but Mary MacDonald was back at Hogwarts.

She had been confined to her room studying without even given time to speak with Lisa, or her other friends. If she had any other friends. Her parents thought that now James Potter was expelled, things might be better. Before Mary left for Hogwarts her parents ushered her into her father's drawing-room. There Mary was given an ultimatum. Should she continue her ways and fail her classes for the fourth consecutive year, she would be pulled out of Hogwarts and shipped off to Beauxbatons without hesitation.

Mary frowned as she laid her head down on the table. Without Jamie, what was the point of it all? She looked down her table and saw Evans along with her reject friends. Mary couldn't stand those blood traitors! Starkey, Longbottom, and Black, and those Mudbloods, Pettigrew, Lupin, and Evans!

What Mary would give to enact any form of vengeance on those blockheads! She'd give anything! Sitting next to Mary was her friend, Lisa Troyer.

Lisa looked over at Severus' Black Cloak and sneered. "Can you believe that cowardly snake actually brought his own Black Cloak to school?"

Mary chuckled as Lisa insulted him. She raised her head back up to see Snivellus' new Black Cloak. "Why would he need a Black Cloak protecting him? If anything we need protection from him, and his wretched Black Magic!"

"Yeah!" Lisa agreed with Mary. "I still can't believe Snivellus' rotten Grandparents and Gold got those Order of Merlin's last year! That whole thing was nothing but a set-up! Them and Gold orchestrated that entire thing! They're all dark! Every last one of them!"

Down the table, Lily and her friends briefly overheard what Mary and Lisa were talking about.

Sirius shook his head, "You'd think McDonald and Troyer would learn to let it go by now?"

Peter nodded, "I mean with Potter gone, and MacTavish wanting nothing to do with them, they don't really have a good support structure to keep spouting off like that anymore."

Lily sighed, "Some people just never change."

At that moment the doors to the Great Hall swung open. Everyone turned to see Dante Yalarad stride in followed by The United.

He was dressed in another uniform as Black Donal ruined his last one. All traces of muck and mud, were vanished.

Whispers among the students flooded the hall.

"Who's that?"

"Is that who I think it is?"

"Dante Yalarad?!"

"I thought he got expelled after what happened to Ashdown?"

"Expelled? I thought he was dead!"

Severus frowned as he and his friends watched Dante stroll over to the Gryffindor table. The others in the United made their way to their seats. Sam, Michael, and Renner followed him. They passed Sirius and his friends.

With a coy grin, Sirius slid his foot underneath his seat and tripped Sam.

The Yalarad heir stumbled and nearly fell over. Were it not for his cousin catching him with the use of just one of his large hands.

"Thanks Ren," Sam thanked his cousin as he regained his balance, before turning back to face Sirius.

"Lose your balance, Yally Boy?"

Renner growled, and stepped towards the smaller Black boy. Before he could do anything Sam put a hand on his cousin's chest to halt his approach.

"Rather my balance than my head, Black." Sam gave Sirius an empty smile. "But more so than my head, is my honor. Which your father has none!"

Sirius snarled, and began to rise up from his seat only to be stopped by Remus. "Siri, stop!"

"You'd better listen to Lupin there, Black! After all, you've always had to rely on others to do your thinking for you. You stupid git!" Sam turned to Renner and Michael. "Let's go lads, the air has gotten stuffy 'round here!"

The three then made their way to where Dante was making his way over towards an empty seat. Next to a very shy looking second year student.

"Excuse me?"

The young boy looked up at Dante.

"Hey there, my name is Dante Yalarad, who might you be?"

The boy hesitated at first but answered him, "R-Roland Summerset."

"It's very nice to meet you Roland," Dante extended his hand with a warm and inviting smile.

Roland shook his hand, and felt more at ease around the Seventh year boy. He wasn't at all like James Potter.

"I see that you have a few empty seats next to you Roland. Would you care at all if my friends and I sat with you?"

"O-Oh, please do!" Roland gestured to the empty seats.

Dante smiled as he sat next to the second-year Lion. Sam sat next to Dante, and Michael and Renner sat across from them.

Then once everyone had gotten seated the sorting ceremony commenced. The ceremony took the standard amount of time sorting every new student into their house.

Agamemnon Yalarad was sorted into the House of the Lions, where he was greeted by his brother, sister, and two cousins.

However, the big surprise that night was where Vienna Dain wound up.

Vienna took her place amongst the Eagles at Ravenclaw table. She was incredibly intelligent for her age, and quite studious as well.

Renner looked over at Ravenclaw table. To make sure she had situated herself with Tom and Athena Braider.

Sam spoke to his cousin, "Relax will you? Vienna's going to be fine. She's with Athena and Tom."

Renner looked at his cousin and sighed. "I just hope she can make some friends."

"I'm not concerned, granted Vienna has been the quiet type, but I'm sure she'll have a gaggle of new friends by the end of the week," Sam assured Renner.

Renner gave a small smile in return.

Roland piped up, "I-I could maybe look after her from time to time, if you'd like?" He offered the lumbering Gryffindor.

Dante chuckled, "Well we don't want to put you out Roland."

The Second-year shook his head, "N-No really! It would be no trouble! First and second-year schedules run one after another! I could take a minute or so after classes to see how she's getting on!"

Dante smiled as he patted Roland on the shoulder, "That's very courteous of you Roland, thank you!"

Summerset beamed with a sense of pride and accomplishment he hadn't felt before.

After the last new student was sat the feast began. Large amounts of Pork Roast, lamb chops, and sausages piled high upon each of the tables. Buttered bread rolls and roasted veggies accompanied the selections of foods.

Down the table Frank got his friends' attention. "Don't look now, but Dante's already started his recruitment drive with Roland Summerset."

They all looked down to see Dante, Sam and the other Gryffindor United members getting friendly with Summerset.

"Damn, that arsehole works quick!" Sirius swore.

Lily frowned, "Should we warn Roland what kind of a person Dante really is?"

"The arsehole will let his facade slip, and Roland will realize by then…" Alice thought aloud, "But what if it's too late by then?"

Peter suggested, "Maybe we should wait until Roland is away from Dante and then tell him?"

"Good idea Pete," Remus said as he cut into his pork roast.

As the norm, at the end of the feast Dumbledore got up to the podium. He gave his usual speech about staying out of the forbidden forest, the ban on Zonko's products, and that there was to be no magic done in the hallways between classes.

"As it is the first night for all the first year students, I will dismiss you all so that you may all get settled in. So that you greet the day, and your classes, with a great enthusiasm and passion to learn!"

As the students, all rose from their seats. It appeared that Dumbledore forgot something and went back to the podium. "Oh, students. Do forgive me, but I've forgotten to announce a few items of interest."

Everyone stopped moving and sat back down in their seats.

"I would like to introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Gabriel Schell. And our best wishes go out to him for this year, good luck Professor!"

Gabriel rolled his eyes playfully, and stood up and took a relaxed bow.

Severus smiled as he saw Gabriel bow, he looked over to Gryffindor table. He saw Sam was just as happy as he was that Gabriel was here. Sirius was less than pleased by the look on his face. Severus looked over to see the look on Dante's face but was surprised to see him look straight at him.

Dante looked deep into Severus' eyes, like he wasn't at all bothered about Gabriel being the new DADA professor. He looked amused if anything which just put Severus in a snit.

"One more thing, I would like to introduce you all to your Head Boy and Head Girl for this year," Dumbledore announced. "Your Head Girl, from Ravenclaw, is Athena Braider!"

The Ravenclaws all gave thunderous applause for their newly appointed Head Girl. Athena stood up and gave a gracious bow. There were pockets from every table giving a loud applause as well. The most notable was Dante, he was amongst the loudest.

"And for our head boy, from Gryffindor…"

The entire hall grew quiet.

"Gryffindor? There's nobody in Seventh Year who has gotten good enough grades to become…" Dorian whispered aloud. "Unless…"

Tav's eyes widened, "Oh no…"

"Returning to us from his time at Beauxbatons…"

"Oh Merlin," Regulus put his head into his hands.

"Dante Yalarad!"

Gryffindor erupted in applause to match that of Ravenclaw's applause. There was a fair amount from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The same couldn't be said for Slytherin house. This was the worst-case scenario for them.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

After they were all dismissed a second time. Severus went down to the dungeons along with Tav, Dorian, Regulus, Emily, Jane, and Black Donal who was keeping watch over them.

Severus groaned and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course Dumbledore would pick him. Of course, he would!"

"We're boned, we are so boned!" Dorian groaned, "Could this day get any…"

Emily punched Dorian in the ribs, "Don't you dare finish that sentence, Dorian Andrews!"

"OWW!" Dorian rubbed his ribcage, "All right, but it could!"

"Yes, it could, which is why we need to be on our toes! Now more than ever!" Regulus instructed his friends.

They reached the door into Slytherin house where they noticed Sebastian Holmes waiting out front.

Tav noticed him first and scowled. "What do you want you, turncoat?!"

Sebastian frowned, "That's not fair, DeLuca."

"Oh ain't it?!"

Before things could escalate Severus got in-between him and Sebastian. "Tav, stop! Sebastian is good, remember? He told me about Dante over the summer!"

"He's with The United, Severus. Can we trust him?" Emily asked her friend.

"I should hope so." Everyone turned to the voice in the now open doorway. There stood Bartholomew Braider, a Slytherin Sixth-Year. His hair was medium-long, adorned with brown curls. He was rather thin for his age, but not sickly looking either. Tall, at around six foot, and had hazel eyes complimenting his hair.

"As you may trust in me as well," Bartholomew said. "Now, if you wish to have a snowball's chance to survive this year. I highly suggest you all come and find me after Slughorn's welcome speech for the first years."

He led the group into Slytherin House just in time for Horace's speech to his students. After that, everyone went around to find Bartholomew's room to speak with him.

They found Bartholomew's room, and Severus knocked on his door, "Bartholomew?"

The door opened to show Bartholomew in his uniform, without his tie. "Good, you're all here. Please come in."

Severus led his friends, and Black Donal into Bartholomew's room. It was a spacious suite. There were beds for three more students, but it seemed like Bartholomew was the only one occupying the space.

Regulus looked around, "Where are your roommates?"

Bartholomew sighed. "It would appear that Selwyn and Travers have decided not to return to Hogwarts. My fear is that they will join up with this Lord Voldemort everybody keeps talking about."

He shook his head, "But that's no longer my problem. What our collective problem is now, happens to be betrothed to my sister."

That threw everyone off.

Emily exclaimed, "Athena is betrothed to Dante?"

"Yes, and unfortunately for me, she happens to love the blighter, much to my chagrin." Bartholomew rubbed his forehead, "But that's not why we are gathered here."

Dorian looked at Bartholomew, "Can you help us with Dante?"

"Yes, I will do what I can." Bartholomew strode over to the bookcase in his room and began to put his books into it.

"Why do you want to help us, if I may ask," Jane asked him.

Sebastian raised his hand. "I can answer that one. It's because we hate his fucking guts."

Bartholomew was holding his textbooks when he admonished Sebastian for his choice of language. "Sebastian!"

"What?! It's true, innit?!"

Bartholomew gave him a soft grin as he went to sort his books.

Sebastian turned to Severus and his friends who were all chuckling. Even Black Donal cracked a soft grin.

"Anyways he hates me and Bartholomew because we're Slytherins, but more so, me 'cause Sam brought me into The United after Cassidy tried everything he could to keep me out." Sebastian went over to an ornately carved mahogany desk and sat down at it. "Anything we can do to bring him down a peg we'll be happy to do!"

Bartholomew noticed that Severus and his friends were still standing. "Oh I'm sorry, please make yourselves comfortable, you're my guests!"

Everyone did just that and sat across the vacant beds and chairs in the room. Severus sat at another desk chair, and Black Donal leaned against the wall. "Does Dante have any weaknesses," Severus asked him.

Bartholomew got up from organizing his bookshelf and wiped off the dirt from his knees. "I'm going to say this for your own benefit. Don't fight him, Severus, because that's what he wants." He thought for a moment, "But as for weaknesses. Well, the main one would have to be my sister. Dante would do anything for her."

Regulus thought aloud, "Would she even go so far as to tell him to give up any sort of vengeance against Severus and the rest of us?"

"Without a doubt, but she hates how Lord Prince had Dante ousted from Hogwarts. So she's not going to tell Dante to give up the ghost so to speak."

Severus groaned in frustration as he leaned back in the chair. "Why does everyone in your little gang follow Dante?"

Sebastian looked at Severus, "Follow? We don't follow him."

"And we aren't a gang, let's clear that up now," Bartholomew stated bluntly. "As to 'we', Dante only has a few staunch supporters in The United. The others all support Sam."

Everyone looked at Bartholomew.

"Who are these staunch supporters of Dante?" Tav asked him.

"There's Cassidy and my sister. Dante's brother Jonathan, maybe his sister too, but I doubt that…" Sebastian answered. He looked at Bartholomew, "Didn't he also have some lackeys as well?"

"Delsin Myers, and Ramsey Clarke, yeah. I've seen the two of them around Hogwarts, but not with Cassidy or Athena. They are both Gryffindor's, so I have a feeling that they are loyal only to Dante."

Severus sat up straight, "So those are Dante's only supporters in The United? Everyone else supports Sam?"

"Let me put it to you this way Severus, Sam's friends all hate Dante because of how he pushes Sam around. The only reason Dante has so much control over everyone is because he has Sam in his back pocket," Sebastian explained. "If Sam ever got wise of this, and found his spine; he could take over The United for himself!"

"So I just need to get his friends' support and they will help us with Dante? And convince Sam to dump him?"

"That's easier than it sounds Severus," Bartholomew warned him. "His friends are quite protective of him. They care about him. You'll need to gain their confidence and trust, so that they won't think you're the second coming of Dante."

Regulus stood up, "Who should we focus on?"

"Beg your pardon, but this is something Severus is going to have to do. If anyone else tries to do this for him it will make Severus's task more arduous. It will look like he isn't taking it seriously, if that makes sense."

"No, I get it," Emily said, as she sat on a bed next to Jane. "If others do it for him then it'll make him look like Dante, no offense Sev."

"None taken, but Bartholomew, where should I start?"

Bartholomew thought to himself for a minute before speaking. "Start with his friends first. More specifically, my brother Tom. I'll talk to him tomorrow about what you're attempting and he'll be able to point you in the right direction."

Sebastian nodded and looked at Severus. "You've got my support Severus. I'll do what I can."

"And if I catch wind of him trying to pull anything, I'll warn you," Bartholomew promised.

"Thank you, the both of you." Severus thanked Sebastian and Bartholomew.

With a plan in place Severus could rest a bit easier.

"Anything about Dante we should know," Dorian asked.

"For the love of God, don't play a game of Pool with him," Sebastian said

Dorian and the rest chuckled at that.

"I'm deadly serious," Sebastian affirmed his statement.

Tav looked surprised, "You're kidding me, right?"

Bartholomew shook his head, "He is crazy good at it. No matter what he says or promises if he ends up losing. Don't. Play. Him."

Severus rubbed his jaw, "What about Doherty? Now that Dante is back what sort of influence does he have?"

"Well, I believe that Dante will be taking a step back away from the limelight of being The United's leader. So, he would leave the day to day operations in Cassidy's hands."

"While telling him what to do behind closed doors," Severus added snidely.

"Precisely. Even though he won't declare himself to be the leader, he's still calling the shots," Bartholomew stated

"Does Doherty have any sort of weaknesses?"

"Oh yeah." Sebastian began to list them off, "His temper, his fervent love of fighting, and he has a bit of a bad habit, gambling."

Black Donal piped up, "How does Dante feel about Doherty's gambling?"

"He despises it," Bartholomew answered. Which is hypocritical, because whenever Dante plays somebody at Pool, he suggests that they play for stakes."

"Oh really?!" That sort of thing really pissed Jane off.

"He won't play for money." Bartholomew explained, "He'll play for something valuable that belongs to his opponent. Sentimental or monetary, it doesn't matter. So long as it holds weight with his opponent."

Severus walked over to Bartholomew, "Back to Sam for a moment. Would it be possible to form some sort of alliance with him and the rest of his friends after Dante is deposed?"

Bartholomew looked around and noticed that Severus' question got a couple of looks from his friends. "From the looks of your friends Severus, I take it you haven't brought this up with any of them yet."

Severus looked around to look at his friends, "Well I mean…"

Sebastian looked at him, "I think you should go and talk to everyone in your little group before you speak for them and see if they will go for this."

Severus sighed, it was true he hadn't consulted his friends about his desire to ally themselves with Sam after they dealt with Dante, but hopefully there won't be any significant pushback from this idea. Well apart from Sirius of course.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Sirius, Frank, Remus, and Peter all went up the stairs to the fourth year dormitories. McGonagall told them that they will be sharing an eight-bed suite with a few others this year.

Peter pondered aloud as he followed his friends, "I wonder who we'll be sharing the dorm with?"

Sirius grumbled, "It better not be Yalarad and his goons."

They reached their dorm, and sure enough. There in the dormitory, putting their things away was Sam Yalarad, Michael Ashdown, and Renner Dain.

Michael was the first time to notice their new bunkmates, "Uhh...Sam?"

"Yeah, Michael?" Sam responded.

"Remember what you said about Black and his friends being our bunkmates?"

Sam chuckled, "Yeah. I said it would be a nightmare."

Michael chuckled nervously, "Eh heh, well…"

Sam sighed as he closed his eyes. "Oh Merlin no," He muttered under his breath.

Renner turned around after putting his robes in his closet, and stared down Black, and his friends.

Sam turned around with his eyes closed. When he stopped, he opened them with a disappointing grunt, "Me and my big mouth."

"Well, Sirius said the same thing," Peter said in an attempt to break the ice with their new bunkmates.

"Peter don't talk to them," Sirius told Peter without breaking eye contact with Yalarad and his goons.

"Hey!" Sam exclaimed. "Pettigrew can speak his mind here, and you ain't the boss of him!"

Remus put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Come on Siri, let's keep our heads here!"

Sirius gritted his teeth and followed Remus, Frank, and Peter to the opposite side of the dorm to unpack their belongings.

Sirius opened his trunk, "Could this get any worse?!"

At that moment Daniel MacTavish the Third entered the room.

Everyone internally groaned as the rat-faced menaces trudged in.

And Sam said what everyone else must have been thinking. "You and your big mouth, Black!"

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

After the impromptu meeting in Bartholomew's suite. Professor Slughorn managed to flag down Severus and Black Donal. "Severus! It is good to see you, did you have a relaxing summer holiday?"

"Yes Professor Slughorn," Severus turned to introduce Black Donal to his head of House. "I'd like to introduce Black Donal, he's my Black Cloak assigned to protect me."

The Potions Professor shook the hand of the young Black Cloak. "It's a pleasure!"

"Thank you, Severus has spoken highly of you." Black Donal looked around. "I hope that my being here isn't going to be a nuisance."

"Oh no Black Donal on the contrary. With you here, some of my Slytherins will feel a bit more at ease...seeing as how Dante Yalarad has returned. And has been made the Head Boy, despite urgings not to elect him," Horace scratched his head. "Anyways let's not dwell on that. You will need a room to sleep in. We have a few rooms that can accommodate you."

"Are they anywhere close to where Severus will be staying?"

"Unfortunately, no. The closest room would be right near The Sixth-year's suite being solely occupied by Bartholomew Braider."

Severus looked at Slughorn, "Well, can I stay with Bartholomew?"

The Professor thought about it. "I have no problems with that arrangement, but I'll ask him to make sure he is alright with it."

Slughorn went off to speak with Bartholomew, and Black Donal leaned down to speak with his charge.

"Severus are you sure that's wise?"Severus looked at his Black Cloak, "Yes, I'm sure Black Donal. I can safely say that we don't have to worry about Bartholomew."

Black Donal had reservations about it, but trusted in Severus' judgment.

Slughorn had returned to the two of them, and said that Bartholomew had agreed to the idea. So, Severus and Black Donal moved Severus' belongings from the room he'd previously shared with Dorian, Tav, and Hugh Longworth into his new room. He explained to them that the reason for the move was because there was no room closest enough for Black Donal to stay in so he could be close by in case of an emergency.

The suite was rather spacious, as it was supposed to accommodate four students, but it was more than enough room for Bartholomew and Severus.

He carried Greymalkin's carrier into the suite and opened the carrier's door. Greymalkin loved the extra room and climbed up onto a bed of his own and made himself comfortable.

In the space of ten minutes, Severus was all settled in. Black Donal went to get settled in his own room next to Severus and Bartholomew's room. He bid Severus a good night and went off.

Severus got changed and was about to go to sleep. He looked over to Bartholomew who was doing the same.

"Bartholomew?"

He looked over to Severus, "Please Severus, call me Bart."

"Thank you, so tell me...if you know. Why is Sam so afraid of Dante?"

Bart sighed as he leaned back in his bed. "I don't know. I do know that whatever happened, happened when Sam was eight or nine."

"How do you know that?"

"Because before that Sam was a lot more outgoing and energetic. After that, Sam was more reserved and more introverted, but he only got that way when Dante was around. When Dante isn't around Sam is more relaxed."

Severus felt bad for Sam, things would be a lot different if it weren't for Dante

"Well, hopefully we can fix this, starting in the morning.*

Bartholomew smiled, "Yeah, I hope so too." With a wave of his wand, he noxed the lights. "Pleasant dreams Severus "

"You as well Bart," Severus said as he laid down in his bed. Greymalkin hopped over from the empty bed to join Severus. With Greymalkin situated in his arms, Severus nodded off to dreamland.

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