Even with the established truce between Severus and James and Sirius, he wasn't sure if the three of them would end up as friends. At the Great Hall, Severus took a seat between Remus and Lily, with Pettigrew sitting on the other side of the table, next to James. Sirius was on his other side, and received dark looks from the likely relatives from the Slytherin table.

Well, Severus certainly wouldn't call attention to that, but James gave his friend a nudge in the elbow.

"What's up with them? At the Slytherin table?" he asked, softly enough that the entire table couldn't hear.

Sirius glanced over, then rolled his eyes. "My cousins," he explained. "The blonde is Narcissa. We call her Cissy. And next to her is Bellatrix, or Bella. The male Prefect by Cissy is Lucius Malfoy, who's not really related by blood, but Cissy has been seeing him for two years, and everyone expects they'll get married once she finishes school. The one not glaring, who looks like Bella?" Sirius grinned. "Andromeda, their other sister. She's the middle one, and my favorite. I reckon she doesn't think I am as good as a blood traitor now because I am in Gryffindor."

"Blood traitor?" Severus echoed.

He'd heard the term before. From his mum, about what her family thought when she'd married a muggle, and from his father, when he was being especially nasty.

It was obvious what it meant. Someone who went against the wizarding world, even rejected their magic and lived as a muggle. While Severus never believed that about his mum, he could believe it even less about someone who hadn't been sorted into the family house.

Sirius shrugged, but Severus could see the concern on his face. "Well, the worst Mum can do now is send a Howler."

"What's that?" Lily asked, taking a bite of her eggs.

"A screaming letter, usually from your parents," Severus answered, before anyone else could. "Gets sent to the Great Hall at meals, so not only do you have to listen to them scream at you, everyone else gets to as well."

Lily paled. "How humiliating!"

Severus wanted to say it was better than being whipped, but he didn't. He wouldn't say that just to Lily, and certainly not in front of his house.

"Don't worry, your parents wouldn't know how to," he reassured her.

"Mine do," Sirius said, grimly, playing with a piece of bacon with his fork before bringing it to his mouth.

"Well, that's silly, sending a humiliating screaming letter just because the hat doesn't put you where they want," Lily said, with passion. "I hope they don't."

It was proof that Lily was such a kind person, since she'd snubbed Sirius after her Sorting less than a full day before.

"Thanks, Evans," he said, with a bit of a smile.

She returned it.

Professor McGonagall came by a few moments later, timetables in hand. Severus saw that about half of their classes would be with Ravenclaw, two with Hufflepuff, and Potions with Slytherin. Nothing on the timetable about flying lessons, but his mum had said that those wouldn't be announced until after the first week ended. Severus was both relieved and disappointed that Potions wouldn't be until Friday. The Slytherin students really didn't look that nice, now that he got a good look at them, and their teacher was Professor Slughorn, the head of their house. He would be bound to favor them, too...

Their first class was Transfiguration. It wasn't as difficult for him as he had expected. After watching McGonagall turn her desk into a pig and back, they took notes before trying to turn matches into needles. He managed on his third attempt, earning five points for his house. By the end of the lesson, Lily, James, and Sirius had also managed. Another student from Ravenclaw had nearly managed, but his needle had the coloring of the match, so he didn't earn any points. Charms was next, where they learned how to make sparks with their wands, and everyone managed that by the end of the lesson.

After lunch, they had Defense Against the Dark Arts, taught by a squat but fierce looking witch. She introduced herself as Professor Virgil Armbitry, and while this was her first year at Hogwarts, she'd been teaching the subject at another wizarding school for ten years. She lectured them on the more commonly known dark creatures for most of the class, but Severus didn't find the lesson to be dull in the least. All the same, he hoped that they would have some practical lessons.

That was their final class of the day, and Sirius halfheartedly suggested going to the owlery.

"Are you going to write your mum?" James asked, as they trudged up a staircase that looked promising.

"Naw, my favorite uncle. He was a Slytherin, of course, but maybe he can make my parents see my sorting as something other than a complete repudiation of their values." Sirius looked unconvinced. "Anyway, I reckon it can't hurt."

"I need to tell my mum, too," Severus put in, although a it reluctantly. Unless Remus would come with them, he'd rather not be alone with James and Sirius. "I don't think she'll send a Howler, but it's better she find out sooner rather than later."

"You lot are downers," James complained. "Remus, what will your parents say?"

Remus chuckled. "Dad was a Gryffindor, so he'll be pleased. But he's only told me a hundred times that the hat knows where I will be happiest, so I shouldn't worry wherever I'm placed."

"Mind if he sends some of that wisdom to my parents?" Sirius grumbled. "Not that they'd listen."

After several wrong turns, and help from older students, they finally found their way to the owlery. There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of owls there. Severus was also pleased to see parchment, ink, quills, and other odds and ends for mailing. He selected some ink, parchment, and a quill, and sat down to write.

Dear Mother,

I hope you're well. I arrived to Hogwarts safely. As you told me, we traveled across the lake in boats. Fortunately, the weather was fair during our trip.

The Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor. I know this wasn't what we had hoped for, and I hope you're not too disappointed. Two of my roommates seem nice enough, but I don't know about the others. I will, of course, always have my wand on hand.

Give my best to Father, and see you soon.

Your son,

Severus

He read it over a few times before sealing it. He knew it sounded stiff to anyone else who read it, but his mother had never been the warm sort. Not like the Evans family, certainly. He wasn't sure if all pure-blood families were like this, or if it came from being married to an abusive muggle drunk.

Anyway, it conveyed the necessary information, and that was what mattered most. He handed it off to a tawny owl with a pat on the head. The owl gave a small chirp before vacating the owlery.

Lily finished a few moments later, and by the look of the parchment, she'd written far more than he had.

"You know you can write as often as you like," he teased, his tone dry.

Lily lightly elbowed him as she selected her owl. "Well, Tuney might consider me a freak, but Mum and Dad will want to hear all about my school."

"She'll come around," Severus said, although he doubted it.

Petunia Evans had been unpleasant from the first day, and it sounded as though Dumbledore's letter had been the final straw.

They leaned against the wall as they waited for James, Sirius, and Peter to finish their letters. Peter, by the look of it, had written a similarly long letter, although not as long as Lily's near novel (or, rather, biography). Sirius, Severus realized when the boy wrapped up two rolls of parchment, had written two letters. At Severus' gaze, he grinned and shrugged.

"I reckon I ought to tell my parents as well as my uncle. Even if they burn it up upon receiving it," he explained.

Severus nodded. "My mother won't be too happy, either."

Sirius' face took on an almost gentle look. "That's why you wanted to be in Slytherin? She told you all about how great it was?"

"Yes, she had me convinced it was the best house," Severus explained. "She said that Ravenclaw was decent enough, but only if you weren't good enough to get into Slytherin."

Sirius nodded in understanding, even briefly put a hand on his shoulder.

"I am sorry, Severus," he said, quietly. "For what I called you."

Severus felt his throat go dry. "It's all right, Sirius."

Two girls might have hugged at this point, he thought, but he wasn't about to do that.

They did stand next to each other as they waited for James to finish tying up his letter, and Sirius briefly put his arm around Severus' frame.

It wasn't entirely unpleasant.

Author's note:

Up next:

Lily gets a crash course in pure-blood hatred, and Severus hears back from his mother.

All constructive feedback is most welcome! :)