Chapter Three

As he was perhaps the only the seventh-year who did not go to Hogsmeade, Saturday passed uneventfully for Severus. He spent most of his time studying in the library for his Potions NEWT, idly wondering if he could get away with brewing a restricted potion for his next project if he claimed he was just investigating it for research purposes. After all, it was only a travelling potion when it came down to it; to be exact, it allowed the taker to be in two places at once, providing they didn't mind the nauseous pain of their head feeling as though it was splitting in two. Still, apart from that there were no side effects, aside from the vomiting, fainting and hopeless disorientation.

The brewing of restricted potions, and indeed the study of Dark Arts themselves had long been something that interested Severus. He had a great fascination with the concentration of emotions that was required to perform dark magic, something that came naturally to the focused Severus. There was power too, a highly intoxicating power that Severus had been exploring deeper and deeper into through his years at Hogwarts.

He was not, however, aiming to become a Dark Wizard - in fact, he planned to cease his study of such subjects upon leaving Hogwarts, when he would not so easily be able to obtain ingredients, spell-books, and ancient texts from Hogwarts' expansive library. Most of Slytherin house looked into Dark Magic while they were at school and Severus was no different, although his particular talent for the subject, especially when it came to the exact art of potion-brewing, was something that would make it far more difficult for him to give up when he left at the end of the year.

Still, despite his interest, there were those in the Wizarding community both inside and outside Hogwarts who were far more deeply immersed in Dark magic than Severus - he knew the Black family were famous for their impressive collection of dark gadgets, and of course, there were few families who could compete with the Malfoys when it came to Dark Arts

Lucius Malfoy had been a sixth year when Severus had first joined the school, and had immediately been impressed when he heard about the first-year loner who had successfully jinxed a couple of fourth-year Slytherin bullies so that every time they tried to sleep they awoke with the most gory of nightmares, causing them to embarrass themselves in the dorms when they awoke crying with fear, and several times, wetting not only their cheeks. The moody first-year whom the two had been pushing around had maintained the jinx until the two exhausted, humiliated boys had come begging him to lift it, promising to leave him alone forever. To ensure they left him alone completely, Severus did not lift the jinx until two days later, by which time his reputation was sealed and Lucius Malfoy had decided to take him under his wing.

After that, it seemed Severus was going to have an easy ride through school, respected by people much older than him for his ability with curses. However, Lucius and his gang left after two years, and Severus, who had relied on the older Slytherins for company, suddenly found himself left with only his contemporaries for company, whom he had not previously deigned to associate with, citing them as 'foolish idiots who wouldn't know a decent curse if it hit them in the face'. Disliked by his classmates and without the assured protection of Lucius, Severus had become something of a loner, and the favourite target of James Potter and his gang.

He often reflected bitterly that although the enmity between himself and Potter had been established from day one ('You're Snape, aren't you?' 'So?' 'So I've heard about you around school. You know dark magic. My dad said I should stay away from you and your family' 'Then fuck off, why don't you?' 'Watch your mouth!' 'And who are you anyway?' 'James Potter'. 'Ah, a Potter, that explains it.' 'Explains what?' 'Filthy muggle-lovers, all of you'….) the public persecution he suffered would never have happened under Lucius' watchful eye.

Thinking about Lucius reminded Severus of what he had been trying to put off thinking about all day; the upcoming 'gathering' Regulus Black had informed him of the previous day.

Voldemort. Now there was someone who was immersed in dark magic. Solid proof of the power it gave you. Severus had yet to decide where he stood on the issue of Voldemort, although many Slytherins were talking in loud voices of their families' undying support for him, even as Dumbledore made endless speeches to the school, imploring them to stand together against the rise of evil.

Sighing, Severus stood and stretched, reminding himself he had three weeks to make his choice. Regulus Black could wait - Severus may have been interested, but he was as yet in no hurry to declare war openly on Dumbledore -the headmaster may be mudblood-loving fool, but he did have Severus' grudging respect, whereas Voldemort still seemed to far away, too much of an idea to seem real yet.

Packing his books away, a sudden though hit Severus; lacewing flies. Substitute the rare and dangerously powerful fairy wings in the restricted potion he was researching with lacewings, and there would be nothing anyone could say to stop him - the potion wouldn't be nearly so powerful, and the two places the taker wished to be in had to be pretty close together, but it as it would lessen the pain and side effects so considerably, he could get away with it easily…

Forgetting for the moment about anything to do with Voldemort and the growing state of war, Severus made his way back to his common room in the good mood of someone who's just solved a particularly irritating problem.