The rest of the train ride passed quickly enough. Lily excused herself to change into her robes when they heard an announcement that they were nearing the Hogsmeade station, and were expected to arrive in uniform. Severus and Remus were, of course, already in their school uniforms, so there was no reason for them to change. Severus privately wondered if Remus sometimes wore muggle clothes, or if he was one of those wizards who only wore wizarding robes.

He knew that most young witches and wizards from wizarding families wore only robes. It was another mark of distinction between them and the muggle world. All the same, with Remus also being a half-blood, his parents might not adhere to this.

Not that Severus was particularly interested in what his fellow first year wore before his acceptance letter came.

More for something to say, to avoid an awkward silence until Lily returned, he asked, "Where'd you go to school before you got your acceptance letter?"

Remus looked at the floor, briefly, before turning his gaze back at Severus. "My parents taught me at home. You?"

"The same," Severus answered, with a smile he didn't feel.

Well, his mum had done most of the teaching. His father, he knew, hadn't finished muggle school. Given the way Petunia had reacted to seeing his clothes, it had probably been a good thing that Severus had never had to go to a muggle school. They likely would have tormented him, and he'd had enough of that at home.

Remus didn't say anything else, so in order to fill the time, Severus spoke again.

"Do you have any siblings?"

Remus shook his head. "Do you?"

"No, it's just me."

And given how often his parents fought, he'd wondered more than once how they'd been intimate enough for him to have come into existence. The thought had often made him flush.

"I often wanted a brother or sister," Remus continued.

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Older or younger?"

"Either. Sometimes, both," Remus added, with a laugh. "How about you?"

"I...don't know, really," Severus admitted. Then, he continued, "Might have been nice to have someone to play with."

Of course, a brother or sister would have meant someone else for his father to be awful to. Beat, too, although he might have spared the rod (or belt, rather) in the case of a girl. He hadn't cared a whit about hitting his son, but Severus noticed that men could be odd about not hitting girls.

Then again, he'd certainly let his mum have it, so maybe it wouldn't have mattered.

To his relief, Lily returned then, wearing the black school robes that covered her from neck to just above the feet. Oddly enough, they seemed to suit her. Certainly better than his mum, from what he'd seen in school pictures. Her long red hair, maybe, and her excited expression.

Severus gave her an encouraging smile, and Lily grinned back.

"We're to wear these all the time, right? Even when we don't have classes?" she asked, taking her seat next to Severus.

"Some of us have different colored robes for the weekends, but otherwise, yes," Remus answered. "They'll tell us buy dress robes in a few years, but you won't have to worry about that for awhile."

Severus had known this, and he also knew that his mum was starting to save now for them. It was one thing to wear shirts out of her old clothes, but he couldn't wear her old robes. People would notice, would stare.

They both knew that.

Another message came on that they had reached Hogsmeade, and the three of them vacated their compartment. A very large man (had he been the victim of some dark curse?) called that they would be going across the lake by boat, and there should be no more than four to a boat. Severus stuck close to Remus and Lily, and another boy joined them. He was short, a bit overweight, and with a rather pinched face. He gave them a small smile and a "hello" which they returned.

The boats, thankfully, didn't need Severus or any of the students' help, so they could enjoy the journey in peace. His mum had told him that this would be their only year traveling to the castle like this. For the other six, they'd ride in carriages pulled by Thestrals, but you could only see the animals if you'd seen someone die. To everyone else, they appeared invisible.

Severus was relieved that neither Black nor Potter were visible from his line of sight, and a mean thought entered his mind that, perhaps, they'd fallen into the lake. But no, they were there when their year reached the castle, even if they weren't anywhere near him.

Professor McGonagall, who Severus had never met but seen pictures of, gave a short address about how they would participate in the Sorting. Severus already knew all about this, but he was surprised at just how many students didn't, based on their whispers afterwards. Were they all muggle born? Or, was this something that happened in more wizarding families-parents not telling their children about the ceremony, wanting them to go in blind? He felt a spark of gratitude that his mother had prepared him for this, and probably, other parts of the school that his classmates wouldn't know.

He didn't agree with a lot of muggle sayings, but the one that "knowledge is power" came to mind, and it felt very appropriate. The more he came into school knowing, the better off he was. Especially with a horrible father and a less than ideal magical background. Really, his father could be used as a cautionary example for why witches and wizards shouldn't marry outside of wizarding families. Or, at least, only marry another witch or wizard.

They lined up, but it didn't really matter, because the Sorting would be by your last name. Which meant, Severus realized with a start, that he would be nearly the last of his class. He loathed the idea of waiting for fifty or so other students to be sorted ahead of him, although it did mean that Lily, Remus, Black, and Potter would all be ahead of him. He'd know what to expect, and if Lily didn't make Slytherin or Ravenclaw, he could-perhaps-petition the Hat to put him where she was.

What if Potter and Black ended up in Slytherin? Black was likely to be there, if he hadn't been lying about all of his family ending up there. It would serve Potter right, too, if he was sorted there...probably not, though. If it was true that the Hat put you more or less where you wanted to be. No, Potter would end up in Gryffindor.

Severus kept his full attention on the ceremony as his classmates stepped forward and were sorted. Sometimes, the hat knew right away. Other times, it look a little longer. Black was among the first, and the hat seemed to take ages with him. When he left to sit at the Gryffindor table, Severus noted that there were a few faces at Slytherin who looked positively furious. Relatives, maybe. They had the matching dark hair.

He decided, then, that if Lily and Remus ended up in the same house, even if it was Gryffindor, he'd ask to go there. Even if it meant sharing a room with someone who'd called him Snivellus. He'd survived eleven years with his father, and he could fight back if Black tried to hex him. Right. It was settled, then.

Lily Evans went to Gryffindor without much delay, and then there were at least twenty students before it was Remus Lupin's turn. Also, Gryffindor. Severus stood up a bit straighter, squaring his shoulders. All right. This was it, then.

He almost changed his mind when Potter went to Gryffindor, but no, he would stay resolute. Remus was more or less his friend, Lily was his closest friend, and there were bound to be other male Gryffindors his year. In fact, he was fairly certain that the boy he'd shared a boat with was the same Peter Pettigrew who went to Gryffindor. There would be others in his house.

Besides, even if he went to Slytherin, Potter and Black might still find ways to torment him. Another muggle saying came to mind-keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

If Black and Potter were destined to become his enemies-and he wasn't entirely sure he believed in destiny-then it made sense to know where they were at all times.

When his name was called, it took all of his resolve and self-control to walk slowly, confidently, to the chair where the hat was placed. He held it in his hand for a second, taking a moment to examine it before putting it on his head. It was very patched and faded, and if it wasn't the thing that determined where students would live for seven years at Hogwarts, Severus suspected that the upper end witches and wizards would balk before putting it on their heads.

I want to be in Gryffindor, he told the hat.

Gryffindor, eh? Are you sure? I see a great deal of ambition in you.

Yes. Gryffindor, Severus insisted.

Well, the hat mused, you certainly are brave. Courageous, even, from what I can see in your childhood.

Severus wanted to take the hat off and throw it, but he'd never live that down.

I see loyalty, as well. Perhaps, you'd do well in Hufflepuff...

No. You just said I was brave. I want to go to Gryffindor.

Not a bad mind, either...well, all right, if you're certain..."GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat nearly shouted the last word, and Severus felt a wave of relief, accompanied by fear, as he made himself remove the hat calmly and turn to walk to the Gryffindor table.

Black and Potter, he noted with amusement, stared at him with open mouths. It was all he could do not to tell them they'd catch flies like that.

They regained their composure quickly enough. Black even moved to make room for him...or perhaps, he was moving away from him. Had he not been seated next to Lily, Severus would have taken a seat far away from him.

And Potter, who was sitting on the other side of him.

Remus was directly across from Severus, and gave him a grin. Lily threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Sev, I'm so glad we ended up in the same house after all!" she grinned.

Severus grinned back. All right, so he was a lion now.

He could do far worse than be in a house known for bravery and honor. He could be a useless badger, after all.

Now, if he could just stay out of Black and Potter's way for the next seven years, he'd be all right.

Author's note:

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! As I mentioned, this is my first fic with Snape as the narrator, and I'm finding it easier to write than I had expected.

If you're so inclined to check out my non-Snape centered work, I'm in the process of writing some other Harry and Sirius centered works. In "Harry's Adoption," Sirius Black never goes to Azkaban and received custody of him just before Harry turns five. Remus also lives with them as an uncle figure, but it is not a Remus/Sirius fic. In "Harry Potter and the Survival of Sirius Black," Sirius does not fall through the veil in the fifth book, and his survival means he's acquitted and allowed to take over guardianship of Harry.

Next up in THIS fic:

Severus privately deals with the potential aftermath of his rather rash decision, and tries to enjoy the Feast.

Continued feedback would be greatly appreciated! :)