My first ever Harry Potter fanfiction. Im attempting to document some rather mad ideas about Severus's years in Hogwarts, a little before and beyond as well. Please be nice to me, and be assured there is a lot more to this than will be found in chapter one...
Chapter One
Profesor Dumbledore could remember the day so well... no pensieve was needed to remember the confident yet sullen child that sat in teh middle of the hall and was prompltly placed with no hesitation into the house of Slytherin.
Almost immediatly the trouble started. A few days later two young children were dragged before him by a festering MaGonagall.
" Do you know what they were doing? Dungbombs! in the middle of class! I have never ever seen anyone with the nerve.."
" Please, Miss" The elder boy with dishevelled hair and now very smelly jacket. "He started it. Started calling me all sorts of names and threatened to cast a spell that'd do really nasty things..."
"Is that true" Dumbledore asked of the thinner boy, equally smelly.
The small boy looked straight at the headmaster.
"Yes"
"Why?"
"I was bored" His black eyes travelled the cupboards and drawers of the master's room with interest, stopping in delight on the pheonix roosting in the corner.
"Bored?" McGonagall looked close to eruptting "Bored?"
"Yes. Im not very interested in transformations. I want to be a raven, but you said no, so there is no point." he said distractedly, watching Fawkes
"No point..." she spluttered
Dumbledore smiled. "Professor, kindly take James back to his class. I will deal with this one"
Those dark eyes returned to the wizard, slightly worried, slightly curious. A small smile tugged at his mouth.
the door closed none too quietly.
The old wizard got up slowly, towering over the 1st year and wandered over to Fawkes. "You like him?"
"Oh yes, Sir. Ive never seen a Pheonix before. Only trolls and goblins and wyrven and..."
he grinned guiltily.
"You may stroke him if you wish."
Hesitantly the boy reached out to touch the burning bird. He flinched as if expecting his fingers to be burnt off any minute... but instead to his surprise felt only fuzzy feathers and began to pet the happy creature.
Yes... Dumbledore knew who this child was. Son of a proud and noble father, and a devoted but very ill mother. Both practiced dark arts... their alliegence was unknown... their future, uncertain. He took after his father with a thin body and long neck. A heavy nose and jawline, hidden under youth. Black raven hair that was tied back in a ponytail, a small bob. His eyes were his mother's, as was his smile... eyes shining and the smile growing as Fawkes responded to the child's petting. Perhaps there was hope left.
"Severus"
The boy turned
"What you did today was not right. You should never threaten another student, no matter the provocation. And dark magic isnt to be used lightly."
"But I can do it! Im good. I can hex you if you want" His enthusiasm lit up his eyes. The old man smiled "No thank you. You must save it for classes and nowhere else, understand? I know you know things most do not.. but do not boast or fool with it. Things go wrong sometimes, even for as experienced wizards as myself.. and yourself of course." He bowed slightly to the child who grinned.
"No more threatening mr Potter now, allright? Be friends."
"Ok" He said resolutly "Can I have that" He chirped, disregarding the past conversation as only children can do and pointing at a fallen feather from Fawkes.
"You may.. only if it with your promise that you wont get into any more trouble with Potter"
"Yup!" He grabbed the feather and ran his thin fingers along it, straightening out the tiny flame. "Thank you, goodbye!" He charged out the door.
"Mr Snape?"
He stopped
"That includes dungbomb fights."
He flashed a grin and ran down the corridor.
Indeed he kept to his promise. For the whole next week even Minerva could find no fault in him, except for his relentless wish to become a raven. But he was behaving, and no student seemed to be complaining of hexes. Instead something worse happened.
Back in his dorm he shared with five other boys, Severus played with the feather. It was like him, he decided, but different. So pretty and bright, changing colours and emotions, it looked dangerous, but was ok once you didn't try to hurt it or break it. He wondered what it was like to be a pheonix. Fun, he guessed.
"Oy!"
"Hmm?" The blonde haired kid from te bed next to him was looking at him. Lucius. He looked angry "What?"
"where did you get that? They are magical!"
"Professor Dumbledore gave it to me as a present" He announced, waving the feather as it left a trail of echoes.
"Yes, and Im a troll"
*you are* Severus decided
"You stole it, didnt you? You are a little lying thief!"
"No I am not. I was given it"
Lucius lunged across the bed grabbing for the feather that was on its way to being tucked inside its owner's cloak
"Give it to me!" he screeched
"No! Why?" Severus pulled it away from harm
"Cos you are a little prick, you are! Worthless rat! You dont deserve it, I do"
"Yes, right! I bet you are just a common mudblood" Snape sniffed haughtily.
Big mistake. Wihin seconds Malfoy and two others had leapt him. Biting and scratching the three of them roled onto the floor, watched in horror by a short rounded child who was having nothing to do with it.
Half an hour later, scratched and bruised, the four were hauled in front of Dumbledore.
"What happened?"
"He attacked us! Just because we wanted to see his stupid feather."
"I see, Mr Malfoy. Crabbe, Goyle?"
The two simply nodded.
"Mr Snape?"
"Its broked"
McGonagall frowned deeply.
"I ask you take these three away for detention. Their housemaster will decide on the punishment. Severus stays." Dumbledore told her.
With a gloat on his face, the blonde boy and his companions were led out.
Severus stared at the floor, studying the shag carpet intently, wanting to cry and knowing he couldn't. He wasnt weak. He loked at the speck of dirt on his shoe and saw his hem was coming loose too.
"Severus, you promised me." His elder's voice broke his silence wiht a sad note.
" I know, but it got broked." He sniffed to the floor
"Broked? what got broken?"
Hesitant and tears welling in his eyes his slender fingers pulled what remained of the feather. It was dull and broken and was not quite the beauty it had been before.
Dumbledore smiled "Ah."
"I didnt do it. They did. Im sorry, I liked it. But they werent going to get it and I dont like them."
"Part of going to school is learning to like those that are different from yourself. Be patient. With time I am sure..."
"No. He isnt a very nice person. He isnt good" The boy declared, looking down his nose. His professor sighed. "No more fights."
looking at the floor again, his voice a bare whisper "Ok. Can I have another one?"
"Not just now. But when Fawkes wants to give you a feather, I will tell you."
"Thank you sir"
And indeed, Dumbledore heard of no more fights for a long time.
*********************************************************
It was four months into class, everyone was settled and happily getting on with their studies.
Breakfast, a happy time for everyone. It was a Saturday and it was relaxed. Drinking his pumpkin juice, Dumbledore chatted merrily to McGonagall and to professor Sprout. Apparently Greenhouse three was becoming a bit of a rebel and kept trying to escape its glass walls.
Feeling especially refreshed today he looked around at the students he was so proud of. James Potter and his group of friends were causing mild chaos at their table having bewitched a cup to continously fill with juice. As a result it was pouring everywhere much to their anxiety. He grinned. Arthur Weasly noshing into a stack of toast, as was Longbottom. At the slytherin table, Malfoy was telling a tale of terror judging from the looks on his classmate's faces. Nothing unusual there. But...
Snape. Something was going wrong. Instead of drawing him out, the child seemed more and more inwards. His hair was loose and hadnt been tended to and now reached his chin as he hid behinds the locks. He was a lot thinner and alert... and whenever a clasmate asked his opinon he either ignored them or gave them a look that could have frozen Potter's overflowing mug.
Something was definatly going wrong.
Malfoy turned and said something to the group looking straight at the boy. They all laughed, maliciously. Snape cowed back, keeping his eyes firmly on his barely touched meal. Now why hadnt he seen that before? the boy's slow decline. At first he had kept his hair neat and clean, shiny and making even the girls jealous. His testimony of being a raven. Or a panther or a black dragon, or whater it was he hed felt like being that day. Dumbledore was glad he no longer was a panther. Poor Flitwick had been given such a fright when the child had leapt at him with an astonishingly realistic growl from the shadows those few weeks ago.
But this was not a boy who believed he was a bird. this was someone destroying themself. He knew it all to well.
Surprisingly enough it was Hagrid that confirmed his suspicions.
"I aint got a bad word to say for the kid, but he aint the same" The giant proclaimed over a bucket of tea in his home. "Used to be asking me all sorts of things... why couldn't a boy touch a unicorn and the like... quite took a liking to the tiny chap" He smiled through his beard " But things keep happening to him, Dumbledore, sir. And they are starting to get to him"
And the list began. Students constantly teasing, stealing homework, playing jokes and never letting him rest. Slytherin girls picking on him because of his slight stature and "ugly" looks... his love of darkness and dark creatures... and the lates blow, his friend in the making, Remus Lupin, stolen away by the "in" crowd of James, Peter and Sirius, while Severus was left alone again. He was becoMing withdrawn and as a result, mroe of a target for the bloodsuckers in the school.
"Malfoy is a bad piece... well, look at his family!" Hagrid muttered. "Gonna bring trouble if you excuse me saying so, sir."
And Dumbledore was in turn troubled.
"As we all now know... The art of dark magic is one as old as that of wizards... wizards have always used both for good and bad hence the yingyang effect..."
Severus turned away, bored. He knew all this. why, he could take the DADA class! And make it much better than this! why...
He looked across to the table to his back and left. A pretty Gryffindor sat there with long red hair. He rested his head on his arms and looked at her. She saw him and blushed. He stuck out his tongue as did she.
Aha! This was entertaining! He pulled a face. She crossed her eyes. He grinned and cast a small spell. A slytherin snake wound up smokily and looked at her. Her eyes widened, impressed.
"MR SNAPE!"
He yelped and jumped back. The professor looked mad.
"Kindly refrain from such activities in this class! Ten points from slytherin"
Oops.
He didnt glance back but dutifully copied all the notes down about Kappas. Kappas. They sucked. He wondered what it would be like to duel a minotaur. Quite cool, he guessed.
Class ended and he hurried after the girl as she exited.
"Hi" he smiled
"Hello" She answered, smiling also.
"Im Severus..."
"Lily. That was a neat trick"
"Yeah? The professor didnt think so!" He grinned even more.
She giggled. "Yeah, I know. Can you do other things? I heard you were good "
"I'm ok I guess. I can make a really funny itching spell, just learnt it. Its great" He snickered. "Im gonna use it on Potter's bed tonight... gotta get the password first though..."
"Oh" She hesitated... "Um. James is my boyfriend."
Severus stoped. Oops again. "Oh... "
"Oy! Slimeball"
Talk of the devil
. "Keep away from her, you slytherin! Get lost!" James ran across and hid the girl behind an outstretched arm. Ok then.
"Go on, get out of here!"
He slunk slowly past the mad boy and the startled Lily.
"Ps... its *starburst* she whispered and winked. Severus skipped the rest of the way to his dorm.
Snape the dragon liked his bed. The deuvets were warm and made a good cave. Pity it was difficult to breath. He sighed contentedly into the mattress, feelign the ache of he day dissipating. He couldnt wait till tomorrow when...
Smack
"Ow!"
Something hit him hard across the back
Smack
"Ow! hey!"
he turned to get up, and something heavy landed on him. Then he was being struck from all sides. It hurt badly. He couldnt get up , he couldnt move... he was running out of air and he panicked. It hurt so bad.
What seemed an eternity later, the weight suddenly moved and the pounding stopped. He flung off the blanket and sat up, taking deep cool gulps. Malfoy and the others were in their beds, reading peacefully and innocently. Snape felt a tear gather.
"Thats for losing us points" Malfoy said calmly.
*******************************************************************
Christmas came and with it, inches of crisp snow. Everyone loved it, snowball fights, skating and snowmen, not to mention the shrieks and yells fom the various girls attacked with too much vigour by their male counterparts.
Severus was building a snowman, adding twigs as hair as carefully as he could. He had been joined by a recent friend, Longbottom, from a couple of years above him. Slow but sensible, the elder boy was stable and safe and not prone to criticism or random beatings. Perhaps that's why Severus let him remain around him.
"We need to get him a carrot nose, Sev." Oliver declaired. "Make it a real snowman. Lets get one from Hagrid" Oliver ran across towards the gamekeeper's hut, his younger companion not far behind.
Fang didnt like Snape, nor did the boy care much for the dog. He was a cat person. So Hagrid kept the pair well away from each other and everything was fine. He let them pick a couple of carrots neatly stored in his shed.
Hagrid watched the pair. So different yet so fragile.
"Hagrid, may I show you some of my homework?" Severus asked shyly. Of course! Hagrid would love to see it1 The boy needed some kindness.
Snape carefully took a small bottle out of his tunic and from another pocket, a charcoal pencil made from a silverbark tree. Carefully he drew a pentogram on the floor "Dont worry, It will come off very easily" He nodded at the huge man's crumpled brow. That's not what Hagrid was worried about. This was not the magic that was taught at Hogwarts...
Carefully Severus poured a couple of drops of the potion onto the centre of the star. The charcoal lines changed to green
"Its so cooll!" Snape grinned innocently up
He took a tiny knife from his cloak. Hagrid made a mental note to have it quietly confiscated from him. The child nicked his finger, to the surprise of Longbottom and Hagrid, and touched the single drop to the centre.
"Cannis summinus Corvidae erritus!" The boy incanted. Out of the centre a raven appeared and flew to the sky before shattering into a hundred others, which in turn became drops of blood that fell to earth and vanished into smoke the instant they touched the ground.
"Cool, huh?" Snape snickered brightly . Its great. I like ravens! I ..." He frowned at Hagrid's odd expression
"Son... I dont know much bout this sorta magic... but Ive a feeling you shouldn't have done that"
Snape pouted, looking lost. "I only wanted to show you want I could do..." He sighed. "Im sorry." He hung his head, hiding behind his ever growing fringe, even more uncared for. Dissaproved of again.
"It was good, Severus, very good indeed, but I stil think you should be careful ok? You want something to do? Find a potion that can get rid of fleas from Fang. He seems to be sufferin an awful lot recently."
"Ok!" His enthusiasm returned. He pocketed the items and sucked the nick on his fuinger. One hand on each tiny shoulder he steered the child out into the bright sunlight and shooed them back out to play.
It was slightly later, when Hagrid was preparing to do a round in the Forbidden Forest when he felt something odd. He looked at the edge of the wood. About fifty metres from its snowless undergrowth, Severus sat alone, Longbottom having given in to the cold "I dont feel cold ever!" Severus had insisted, and stayed outside to look at snow and colour it with the potions meant for his next class, to see what happened. Hagrid smiled. The boy was ok. He knew a lot about the boy's father, who was causing a lot of controversy with his violent and dark ideas... but his son was ok... Just needed alot of guidance and caring.
Still...there was something wrong. It was too still, as if the forest was holding its breath.
And it was
It moved faster than Hagrid had expected... that out of place shadow, just inside the forest. So still and then so fast!
It rushed towards the child and was on him with a growl before anyone had time to blink. He cried out in terror as the creature bowled him over and pressed him into the snow with his body. It glanced around once, saw Hagrid and several other children, frozen there in shock, before biting into Snape's shoulder and lifting him high up above the ground. Hagrid was horrified to see him squrming there, the pain on his face. With a last look at the gamekeeper, the shadow-dog seemed to curve in on itself and was instantly in the forest.
Hagrid and Fang were there in seconds but there was nothing, no scream or sounds of feet running. The birds began to sing as if all was normal. Except it wasn't... for along the path the creature had run, was a trail of blood and no footprints. The blood seeped in and stained the snow.
Behind him, an older student gasped in horror.
"Get Dumbledore" Hagrid had croaked.
****** END OF PART ONE******
So what do you think so far? What was the beast? What was the spell Severus has learnt? What is happening with his Father and what odd turns will our Raven-child's path take??
Im away for a couple of days... but the next two chapters are already written and just need to be spellchecked. If everyone likes this so far, they will be here soon:)
Chapter One
Profesor Dumbledore could remember the day so well... no pensieve was needed to remember the confident yet sullen child that sat in teh middle of the hall and was prompltly placed with no hesitation into the house of Slytherin.
Almost immediatly the trouble started. A few days later two young children were dragged before him by a festering MaGonagall.
" Do you know what they were doing? Dungbombs! in the middle of class! I have never ever seen anyone with the nerve.."
" Please, Miss" The elder boy with dishevelled hair and now very smelly jacket. "He started it. Started calling me all sorts of names and threatened to cast a spell that'd do really nasty things..."
"Is that true" Dumbledore asked of the thinner boy, equally smelly.
The small boy looked straight at the headmaster.
"Yes"
"Why?"
"I was bored" His black eyes travelled the cupboards and drawers of the master's room with interest, stopping in delight on the pheonix roosting in the corner.
"Bored?" McGonagall looked close to eruptting "Bored?"
"Yes. Im not very interested in transformations. I want to be a raven, but you said no, so there is no point." he said distractedly, watching Fawkes
"No point..." she spluttered
Dumbledore smiled. "Professor, kindly take James back to his class. I will deal with this one"
Those dark eyes returned to the wizard, slightly worried, slightly curious. A small smile tugged at his mouth.
the door closed none too quietly.
The old wizard got up slowly, towering over the 1st year and wandered over to Fawkes. "You like him?"
"Oh yes, Sir. Ive never seen a Pheonix before. Only trolls and goblins and wyrven and..."
he grinned guiltily.
"You may stroke him if you wish."
Hesitantly the boy reached out to touch the burning bird. He flinched as if expecting his fingers to be burnt off any minute... but instead to his surprise felt only fuzzy feathers and began to pet the happy creature.
Yes... Dumbledore knew who this child was. Son of a proud and noble father, and a devoted but very ill mother. Both practiced dark arts... their alliegence was unknown... their future, uncertain. He took after his father with a thin body and long neck. A heavy nose and jawline, hidden under youth. Black raven hair that was tied back in a ponytail, a small bob. His eyes were his mother's, as was his smile... eyes shining and the smile growing as Fawkes responded to the child's petting. Perhaps there was hope left.
"Severus"
The boy turned
"What you did today was not right. You should never threaten another student, no matter the provocation. And dark magic isnt to be used lightly."
"But I can do it! Im good. I can hex you if you want" His enthusiasm lit up his eyes. The old man smiled "No thank you. You must save it for classes and nowhere else, understand? I know you know things most do not.. but do not boast or fool with it. Things go wrong sometimes, even for as experienced wizards as myself.. and yourself of course." He bowed slightly to the child who grinned.
"No more threatening mr Potter now, allright? Be friends."
"Ok" He said resolutly "Can I have that" He chirped, disregarding the past conversation as only children can do and pointing at a fallen feather from Fawkes.
"You may.. only if it with your promise that you wont get into any more trouble with Potter"
"Yup!" He grabbed the feather and ran his thin fingers along it, straightening out the tiny flame. "Thank you, goodbye!" He charged out the door.
"Mr Snape?"
He stopped
"That includes dungbomb fights."
He flashed a grin and ran down the corridor.
Indeed he kept to his promise. For the whole next week even Minerva could find no fault in him, except for his relentless wish to become a raven. But he was behaving, and no student seemed to be complaining of hexes. Instead something worse happened.
Back in his dorm he shared with five other boys, Severus played with the feather. It was like him, he decided, but different. So pretty and bright, changing colours and emotions, it looked dangerous, but was ok once you didn't try to hurt it or break it. He wondered what it was like to be a pheonix. Fun, he guessed.
"Oy!"
"Hmm?" The blonde haired kid from te bed next to him was looking at him. Lucius. He looked angry "What?"
"where did you get that? They are magical!"
"Professor Dumbledore gave it to me as a present" He announced, waving the feather as it left a trail of echoes.
"Yes, and Im a troll"
*you are* Severus decided
"You stole it, didnt you? You are a little lying thief!"
"No I am not. I was given it"
Lucius lunged across the bed grabbing for the feather that was on its way to being tucked inside its owner's cloak
"Give it to me!" he screeched
"No! Why?" Severus pulled it away from harm
"Cos you are a little prick, you are! Worthless rat! You dont deserve it, I do"
"Yes, right! I bet you are just a common mudblood" Snape sniffed haughtily.
Big mistake. Wihin seconds Malfoy and two others had leapt him. Biting and scratching the three of them roled onto the floor, watched in horror by a short rounded child who was having nothing to do with it.
Half an hour later, scratched and bruised, the four were hauled in front of Dumbledore.
"What happened?"
"He attacked us! Just because we wanted to see his stupid feather."
"I see, Mr Malfoy. Crabbe, Goyle?"
The two simply nodded.
"Mr Snape?"
"Its broked"
McGonagall frowned deeply.
"I ask you take these three away for detention. Their housemaster will decide on the punishment. Severus stays." Dumbledore told her.
With a gloat on his face, the blonde boy and his companions were led out.
Severus stared at the floor, studying the shag carpet intently, wanting to cry and knowing he couldn't. He wasnt weak. He loked at the speck of dirt on his shoe and saw his hem was coming loose too.
"Severus, you promised me." His elder's voice broke his silence wiht a sad note.
" I know, but it got broked." He sniffed to the floor
"Broked? what got broken?"
Hesitant and tears welling in his eyes his slender fingers pulled what remained of the feather. It was dull and broken and was not quite the beauty it had been before.
Dumbledore smiled "Ah."
"I didnt do it. They did. Im sorry, I liked it. But they werent going to get it and I dont like them."
"Part of going to school is learning to like those that are different from yourself. Be patient. With time I am sure..."
"No. He isnt a very nice person. He isnt good" The boy declared, looking down his nose. His professor sighed. "No more fights."
looking at the floor again, his voice a bare whisper "Ok. Can I have another one?"
"Not just now. But when Fawkes wants to give you a feather, I will tell you."
"Thank you sir"
And indeed, Dumbledore heard of no more fights for a long time.
*********************************************************
It was four months into class, everyone was settled and happily getting on with their studies.
Breakfast, a happy time for everyone. It was a Saturday and it was relaxed. Drinking his pumpkin juice, Dumbledore chatted merrily to McGonagall and to professor Sprout. Apparently Greenhouse three was becoming a bit of a rebel and kept trying to escape its glass walls.
Feeling especially refreshed today he looked around at the students he was so proud of. James Potter and his group of friends were causing mild chaos at their table having bewitched a cup to continously fill with juice. As a result it was pouring everywhere much to their anxiety. He grinned. Arthur Weasly noshing into a stack of toast, as was Longbottom. At the slytherin table, Malfoy was telling a tale of terror judging from the looks on his classmate's faces. Nothing unusual there. But...
Snape. Something was going wrong. Instead of drawing him out, the child seemed more and more inwards. His hair was loose and hadnt been tended to and now reached his chin as he hid behinds the locks. He was a lot thinner and alert... and whenever a clasmate asked his opinon he either ignored them or gave them a look that could have frozen Potter's overflowing mug.
Something was definatly going wrong.
Malfoy turned and said something to the group looking straight at the boy. They all laughed, maliciously. Snape cowed back, keeping his eyes firmly on his barely touched meal. Now why hadnt he seen that before? the boy's slow decline. At first he had kept his hair neat and clean, shiny and making even the girls jealous. His testimony of being a raven. Or a panther or a black dragon, or whater it was he hed felt like being that day. Dumbledore was glad he no longer was a panther. Poor Flitwick had been given such a fright when the child had leapt at him with an astonishingly realistic growl from the shadows those few weeks ago.
But this was not a boy who believed he was a bird. this was someone destroying themself. He knew it all to well.
Surprisingly enough it was Hagrid that confirmed his suspicions.
"I aint got a bad word to say for the kid, but he aint the same" The giant proclaimed over a bucket of tea in his home. "Used to be asking me all sorts of things... why couldn't a boy touch a unicorn and the like... quite took a liking to the tiny chap" He smiled through his beard " But things keep happening to him, Dumbledore, sir. And they are starting to get to him"
And the list began. Students constantly teasing, stealing homework, playing jokes and never letting him rest. Slytherin girls picking on him because of his slight stature and "ugly" looks... his love of darkness and dark creatures... and the lates blow, his friend in the making, Remus Lupin, stolen away by the "in" crowd of James, Peter and Sirius, while Severus was left alone again. He was becoMing withdrawn and as a result, mroe of a target for the bloodsuckers in the school.
"Malfoy is a bad piece... well, look at his family!" Hagrid muttered. "Gonna bring trouble if you excuse me saying so, sir."
And Dumbledore was in turn troubled.
"As we all now know... The art of dark magic is one as old as that of wizards... wizards have always used both for good and bad hence the yingyang effect..."
Severus turned away, bored. He knew all this. why, he could take the DADA class! And make it much better than this! why...
He looked across to the table to his back and left. A pretty Gryffindor sat there with long red hair. He rested his head on his arms and looked at her. She saw him and blushed. He stuck out his tongue as did she.
Aha! This was entertaining! He pulled a face. She crossed her eyes. He grinned and cast a small spell. A slytherin snake wound up smokily and looked at her. Her eyes widened, impressed.
"MR SNAPE!"
He yelped and jumped back. The professor looked mad.
"Kindly refrain from such activities in this class! Ten points from slytherin"
Oops.
He didnt glance back but dutifully copied all the notes down about Kappas. Kappas. They sucked. He wondered what it would be like to duel a minotaur. Quite cool, he guessed.
Class ended and he hurried after the girl as she exited.
"Hi" he smiled
"Hello" She answered, smiling also.
"Im Severus..."
"Lily. That was a neat trick"
"Yeah? The professor didnt think so!" He grinned even more.
She giggled. "Yeah, I know. Can you do other things? I heard you were good "
"I'm ok I guess. I can make a really funny itching spell, just learnt it. Its great" He snickered. "Im gonna use it on Potter's bed tonight... gotta get the password first though..."
"Oh" She hesitated... "Um. James is my boyfriend."
Severus stoped. Oops again. "Oh... "
"Oy! Slimeball"
Talk of the devil
. "Keep away from her, you slytherin! Get lost!" James ran across and hid the girl behind an outstretched arm. Ok then.
"Go on, get out of here!"
He slunk slowly past the mad boy and the startled Lily.
"Ps... its *starburst* she whispered and winked. Severus skipped the rest of the way to his dorm.
Snape the dragon liked his bed. The deuvets were warm and made a good cave. Pity it was difficult to breath. He sighed contentedly into the mattress, feelign the ache of he day dissipating. He couldnt wait till tomorrow when...
Smack
"Ow!"
Something hit him hard across the back
Smack
"Ow! hey!"
he turned to get up, and something heavy landed on him. Then he was being struck from all sides. It hurt badly. He couldnt get up , he couldnt move... he was running out of air and he panicked. It hurt so bad.
What seemed an eternity later, the weight suddenly moved and the pounding stopped. He flung off the blanket and sat up, taking deep cool gulps. Malfoy and the others were in their beds, reading peacefully and innocently. Snape felt a tear gather.
"Thats for losing us points" Malfoy said calmly.
*******************************************************************
Christmas came and with it, inches of crisp snow. Everyone loved it, snowball fights, skating and snowmen, not to mention the shrieks and yells fom the various girls attacked with too much vigour by their male counterparts.
Severus was building a snowman, adding twigs as hair as carefully as he could. He had been joined by a recent friend, Longbottom, from a couple of years above him. Slow but sensible, the elder boy was stable and safe and not prone to criticism or random beatings. Perhaps that's why Severus let him remain around him.
"We need to get him a carrot nose, Sev." Oliver declaired. "Make it a real snowman. Lets get one from Hagrid" Oliver ran across towards the gamekeeper's hut, his younger companion not far behind.
Fang didnt like Snape, nor did the boy care much for the dog. He was a cat person. So Hagrid kept the pair well away from each other and everything was fine. He let them pick a couple of carrots neatly stored in his shed.
Hagrid watched the pair. So different yet so fragile.
"Hagrid, may I show you some of my homework?" Severus asked shyly. Of course! Hagrid would love to see it1 The boy needed some kindness.
Snape carefully took a small bottle out of his tunic and from another pocket, a charcoal pencil made from a silverbark tree. Carefully he drew a pentogram on the floor "Dont worry, It will come off very easily" He nodded at the huge man's crumpled brow. That's not what Hagrid was worried about. This was not the magic that was taught at Hogwarts...
Carefully Severus poured a couple of drops of the potion onto the centre of the star. The charcoal lines changed to green
"Its so cooll!" Snape grinned innocently up
He took a tiny knife from his cloak. Hagrid made a mental note to have it quietly confiscated from him. The child nicked his finger, to the surprise of Longbottom and Hagrid, and touched the single drop to the centre.
"Cannis summinus Corvidae erritus!" The boy incanted. Out of the centre a raven appeared and flew to the sky before shattering into a hundred others, which in turn became drops of blood that fell to earth and vanished into smoke the instant they touched the ground.
"Cool, huh?" Snape snickered brightly . Its great. I like ravens! I ..." He frowned at Hagrid's odd expression
"Son... I dont know much bout this sorta magic... but Ive a feeling you shouldn't have done that"
Snape pouted, looking lost. "I only wanted to show you want I could do..." He sighed. "Im sorry." He hung his head, hiding behind his ever growing fringe, even more uncared for. Dissaproved of again.
"It was good, Severus, very good indeed, but I stil think you should be careful ok? You want something to do? Find a potion that can get rid of fleas from Fang. He seems to be sufferin an awful lot recently."
"Ok!" His enthusiasm returned. He pocketed the items and sucked the nick on his fuinger. One hand on each tiny shoulder he steered the child out into the bright sunlight and shooed them back out to play.
It was slightly later, when Hagrid was preparing to do a round in the Forbidden Forest when he felt something odd. He looked at the edge of the wood. About fifty metres from its snowless undergrowth, Severus sat alone, Longbottom having given in to the cold "I dont feel cold ever!" Severus had insisted, and stayed outside to look at snow and colour it with the potions meant for his next class, to see what happened. Hagrid smiled. The boy was ok. He knew a lot about the boy's father, who was causing a lot of controversy with his violent and dark ideas... but his son was ok... Just needed alot of guidance and caring.
Still...there was something wrong. It was too still, as if the forest was holding its breath.
And it was
It moved faster than Hagrid had expected... that out of place shadow, just inside the forest. So still and then so fast!
It rushed towards the child and was on him with a growl before anyone had time to blink. He cried out in terror as the creature bowled him over and pressed him into the snow with his body. It glanced around once, saw Hagrid and several other children, frozen there in shock, before biting into Snape's shoulder and lifting him high up above the ground. Hagrid was horrified to see him squrming there, the pain on his face. With a last look at the gamekeeper, the shadow-dog seemed to curve in on itself and was instantly in the forest.
Hagrid and Fang were there in seconds but there was nothing, no scream or sounds of feet running. The birds began to sing as if all was normal. Except it wasn't... for along the path the creature had run, was a trail of blood and no footprints. The blood seeped in and stained the snow.
Behind him, an older student gasped in horror.
"Get Dumbledore" Hagrid had croaked.
****** END OF PART ONE******
So what do you think so far? What was the beast? What was the spell Severus has learnt? What is happening with his Father and what odd turns will our Raven-child's path take??
Im away for a couple of days... but the next two chapters are already written and just need to be spellchecked. If everyone likes this so far, they will be here soon:)