Thanx to everyone that reviewed. To explain the gap between their fourth
year and now, I will write a companion fic to this. But for now, just read
my little thing about an alternative Hogwarts...
For Stargazer, the only one who has noticed my little test...
Chapter 3: Ramblings of a forgotten Prophet.
Severus was going to be late, that was obvious, five minutes before the designated time. The Snape hated being late, even being five minutes early was slightly annoying to him, particularly when the fault lay with himself. James looked questioningly at Sirius who shrugged: it was quite amusing that although the two men were now lovers and lived with each other, often, Sirius would have less of a clue than the others of the wherabouts of his partner. It was an unspoken agreement that the two men preferred it that way. The spice of life can come in many variations. Lily was deep in talk with Marie, Remus' wife. The two women were quite a contrast to each other: Lily's transulcent skin reddish hair and green eyes gave her an elfin quality. Marie, on the other hand, was dark and exotic, her beauty slightly unsettling, complimenting Lily's ethereal looks and Remus' worn qualities. Lily was bouncing a gurgling Harry on her knee, Marie was gently holding her own daughter - Andromencha -whilst Remus attempted to communicate with Andromencha's eager, twin brother, Sebastien. James winked at Lily, who beamed at him, before returning to Sirius. "He said he'd be here," Sirius said, a hint of impatience in his voice.. "Well, you know," James took a sip of Boulanger. "He's doubtless on his way. Relax," he added. "Oh, I'm not worried," Sirius grinned. "I'm just trying not to get too annoyed with him." James chortled and looked down his glass before taking another sip. "At least he had the decency to tell me he may be late." As soon as he had finished saying this, Marie and Remus looked up to the dark figure who was taking off a long black cloak and coming towards them. The person took off his hat as well, revealing shoulder length hair. "Hello Severus," Lily smiled. "You took your time." Severus looked up at Lily and smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry. I hope you weren't waiting." A flick of the eye in Sirius's direction. "Something came up." "Not another rampaging Hippogriff, surely," Remus quipped. "Nothing like that I'm afraid," Severus gave a mock-dramatic sigh before taking the seat next to Sirius. A waiter had seen the table was full and came round to take their orders. When the waiter had left, Severus and Sirius had began to converse, although in voices barely above whispers. James waited until they had finished. "It's been some time Severus," he began. "Since we all sat like this... together." Severus nodded. Sirius squeezed his hand, unnoticed. "Funny... even the taste of victory has it's price." James continued, in a quieter voice. Marie nodded slightly and sidled closer to Remus. "We have lost colleagues, friends, the people we have respected the most." James gave a slight smile around the table. "But, that's the lesson of the world, is it not? Everything comes with a price." Sirius slipped an arm around his lovers waist and squeezed. "But we survived," Lily added slightly louder, smiling mischevously around the table. Marie smiled shyly. The others smiled: Yes, they had survived. When the food arrived, normal chat continued: Remus commented on Harry's growth, Andromencha demanded - as gently as any toddler could - for a taste of her father's champagne, Sebastien took it upon himself to waddle over to 'Unca' Dev' (Severus) and eat some of his dish as well as pointing at objects and saying "Dee!" It was over desert, that the conversation had taken a turn into the topic of 'Where are they now?' They had begun to discuss Dumbledore. "He was a fool." Severus said quietly and simply, his voice laced with bitterness. James looked up suddenly, and Lily's face darkened slightly. Marie had to comfort a slightly worrying Harry and Remus merely gave Severus an impassive look. "You never like him anyway," Sirius muttered. Severus snorted. "True, but I used to respect him. Like, I said: Dumbledore was a fool." He sighed. "I know, I know... he was a powerful wizard... a Healer and a War-mage, yes. But magic doesn't stop one being the equivalent of an idiot. And I wouldn't say that if I didn't know better." "Why do you say that?" Remus asked calmly. It could be considered quite true: Severus wasn't the only one who had considered some of Dumbledore's moments foolish. Severus sighed. Sirius could tell he was itching to light a cigarette. "Do you remember Fischer?" Silence. "Hm," Severus nodded grimly. "You know that assembly we had when we'd started our fourth year?" James gave an audible sound of agreement. "That was about Fischer. He had committed suicide during the holidays before. Found swinging from an oak in the Forbidden Forest." Severus took a small spoonful of tart. "Left a note. Hence our assembly." Sirius sipped at his champagne. The silence was a stunned one, decidely unpleasent and rather sharp. Lily looked at her husband in wonder. James, however, was looking at Severus' face and meeting his rather shaky gaze. "I know... n-now wasn't the b-best time I could have.... told you," the man stuttered quietly. "I just had to say something... he sent an owl to Tern you see... and back then," Severus gave another rueful smile. "Tern was still rather fond of me. I didn't want to believe it... Tern only hinted at it in his letter to me." "That's awful," Lily managed finally. "It truly is...." she looked at her husband again who, this time, returned the look. "You don't think Peter knows anything about this?" That was when the little bridge collapsed. The little thing that could have been used to salvage innocence, gone. "No." Severus said shortly. "Why-?" "He was found with his throat slit this morning in Knockturn alley," Remus murmured, answering as Severus paused. "Am I right?" "Yes." Severus whispered. "Yes, that's right." His voice was hoarse.
* * *
Sirius closed the door on them, switched on the hallway light and quickly held his lover round the waist, resting his chin in the crook of Severus' neck. "Sssshhhh," he murmured. Severus had begun to shake. "Ssshhh..." He could feel Severus trying to take control again. "You know that I know about the nature of your business..." Sirius murmured. Severus choked. "And... I get the feeling that Pettigrew was...-" "-Stop," Severus breathed. "Fine," Sirius carressed his partners neck with his teeth, lips and tongue. "Now listen to me love, and please don't be stupid enough to interrupt me..." Severus was still. "Did he say anything to you...? Anything at all?" "Like what?" "Regrets... curses, you name it..." He turned Severus around to face him. His lover's eyes were clouded. "No," Severus hung his head. "He was expecting me." He gave a self- mocking smile. "He's become quite the photographer, Pettigrew has. Several of us at school... all in Big Brother sort of style... as well as other students... teachers... He was the one who got all those shots for the Daily Prophet, the ones of all those corpses... the ones for the Ministry, not really for the public, of course." "Of course," Sirius murmured, kissing Severus lightly on the lips. "You still love me?" Sirius swallowed a laugh and raised an eyebrow. "You were an assasin even before we got together." "True." Severus gave another small smile. Sirius found his quietness quite irresistable and kissed Severus again, only with more fire. Severus gave him a knowing look, his eyes filled with appraisal. "Sirius..." "Hm?" His hands began to wander. "Pettigrew..." "What about him?" Sirus bit softly on the skin revealed by Severus' black shirt at his collarbone. "He sends his love." Sirius stopped and looked into the dark pits that were Severus' eyes. The very phrase chilled him to the bone. Pettigrew was dead... and yet still, he managed to creep him out. To cause a trill of fear in him. Severus sighed. "Well," he started matter of factly, breaking the stunned pause. "The bedroom is upstairs, Sirius... you know how much I hate making out on the staircase..." The Snape led him up the stairs. To the bedroom.
For Stargazer, the only one who has noticed my little test...
Chapter 3: Ramblings of a forgotten Prophet.
Severus was going to be late, that was obvious, five minutes before the designated time. The Snape hated being late, even being five minutes early was slightly annoying to him, particularly when the fault lay with himself. James looked questioningly at Sirius who shrugged: it was quite amusing that although the two men were now lovers and lived with each other, often, Sirius would have less of a clue than the others of the wherabouts of his partner. It was an unspoken agreement that the two men preferred it that way. The spice of life can come in many variations. Lily was deep in talk with Marie, Remus' wife. The two women were quite a contrast to each other: Lily's transulcent skin reddish hair and green eyes gave her an elfin quality. Marie, on the other hand, was dark and exotic, her beauty slightly unsettling, complimenting Lily's ethereal looks and Remus' worn qualities. Lily was bouncing a gurgling Harry on her knee, Marie was gently holding her own daughter - Andromencha -whilst Remus attempted to communicate with Andromencha's eager, twin brother, Sebastien. James winked at Lily, who beamed at him, before returning to Sirius. "He said he'd be here," Sirius said, a hint of impatience in his voice.. "Well, you know," James took a sip of Boulanger. "He's doubtless on his way. Relax," he added. "Oh, I'm not worried," Sirius grinned. "I'm just trying not to get too annoyed with him." James chortled and looked down his glass before taking another sip. "At least he had the decency to tell me he may be late." As soon as he had finished saying this, Marie and Remus looked up to the dark figure who was taking off a long black cloak and coming towards them. The person took off his hat as well, revealing shoulder length hair. "Hello Severus," Lily smiled. "You took your time." Severus looked up at Lily and smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry. I hope you weren't waiting." A flick of the eye in Sirius's direction. "Something came up." "Not another rampaging Hippogriff, surely," Remus quipped. "Nothing like that I'm afraid," Severus gave a mock-dramatic sigh before taking the seat next to Sirius. A waiter had seen the table was full and came round to take their orders. When the waiter had left, Severus and Sirius had began to converse, although in voices barely above whispers. James waited until they had finished. "It's been some time Severus," he began. "Since we all sat like this... together." Severus nodded. Sirius squeezed his hand, unnoticed. "Funny... even the taste of victory has it's price." James continued, in a quieter voice. Marie nodded slightly and sidled closer to Remus. "We have lost colleagues, friends, the people we have respected the most." James gave a slight smile around the table. "But, that's the lesson of the world, is it not? Everything comes with a price." Sirius slipped an arm around his lovers waist and squeezed. "But we survived," Lily added slightly louder, smiling mischevously around the table. Marie smiled shyly. The others smiled: Yes, they had survived. When the food arrived, normal chat continued: Remus commented on Harry's growth, Andromencha demanded - as gently as any toddler could - for a taste of her father's champagne, Sebastien took it upon himself to waddle over to 'Unca' Dev' (Severus) and eat some of his dish as well as pointing at objects and saying "Dee!" It was over desert, that the conversation had taken a turn into the topic of 'Where are they now?' They had begun to discuss Dumbledore. "He was a fool." Severus said quietly and simply, his voice laced with bitterness. James looked up suddenly, and Lily's face darkened slightly. Marie had to comfort a slightly worrying Harry and Remus merely gave Severus an impassive look. "You never like him anyway," Sirius muttered. Severus snorted. "True, but I used to respect him. Like, I said: Dumbledore was a fool." He sighed. "I know, I know... he was a powerful wizard... a Healer and a War-mage, yes. But magic doesn't stop one being the equivalent of an idiot. And I wouldn't say that if I didn't know better." "Why do you say that?" Remus asked calmly. It could be considered quite true: Severus wasn't the only one who had considered some of Dumbledore's moments foolish. Severus sighed. Sirius could tell he was itching to light a cigarette. "Do you remember Fischer?" Silence. "Hm," Severus nodded grimly. "You know that assembly we had when we'd started our fourth year?" James gave an audible sound of agreement. "That was about Fischer. He had committed suicide during the holidays before. Found swinging from an oak in the Forbidden Forest." Severus took a small spoonful of tart. "Left a note. Hence our assembly." Sirius sipped at his champagne. The silence was a stunned one, decidely unpleasent and rather sharp. Lily looked at her husband in wonder. James, however, was looking at Severus' face and meeting his rather shaky gaze. "I know... n-now wasn't the b-best time I could have.... told you," the man stuttered quietly. "I just had to say something... he sent an owl to Tern you see... and back then," Severus gave another rueful smile. "Tern was still rather fond of me. I didn't want to believe it... Tern only hinted at it in his letter to me." "That's awful," Lily managed finally. "It truly is...." she looked at her husband again who, this time, returned the look. "You don't think Peter knows anything about this?" That was when the little bridge collapsed. The little thing that could have been used to salvage innocence, gone. "No." Severus said shortly. "Why-?" "He was found with his throat slit this morning in Knockturn alley," Remus murmured, answering as Severus paused. "Am I right?" "Yes." Severus whispered. "Yes, that's right." His voice was hoarse.
* * *
Sirius closed the door on them, switched on the hallway light and quickly held his lover round the waist, resting his chin in the crook of Severus' neck. "Sssshhhh," he murmured. Severus had begun to shake. "Ssshhh..." He could feel Severus trying to take control again. "You know that I know about the nature of your business..." Sirius murmured. Severus choked. "And... I get the feeling that Pettigrew was...-" "-Stop," Severus breathed. "Fine," Sirius carressed his partners neck with his teeth, lips and tongue. "Now listen to me love, and please don't be stupid enough to interrupt me..." Severus was still. "Did he say anything to you...? Anything at all?" "Like what?" "Regrets... curses, you name it..." He turned Severus around to face him. His lover's eyes were clouded. "No," Severus hung his head. "He was expecting me." He gave a self- mocking smile. "He's become quite the photographer, Pettigrew has. Several of us at school... all in Big Brother sort of style... as well as other students... teachers... He was the one who got all those shots for the Daily Prophet, the ones of all those corpses... the ones for the Ministry, not really for the public, of course." "Of course," Sirius murmured, kissing Severus lightly on the lips. "You still love me?" Sirius swallowed a laugh and raised an eyebrow. "You were an assasin even before we got together." "True." Severus gave another small smile. Sirius found his quietness quite irresistable and kissed Severus again, only with more fire. Severus gave him a knowing look, his eyes filled with appraisal. "Sirius..." "Hm?" His hands began to wander. "Pettigrew..." "What about him?" Sirus bit softly on the skin revealed by Severus' black shirt at his collarbone. "He sends his love." Sirius stopped and looked into the dark pits that were Severus' eyes. The very phrase chilled him to the bone. Pettigrew was dead... and yet still, he managed to creep him out. To cause a trill of fear in him. Severus sighed. "Well," he started matter of factly, breaking the stunned pause. "The bedroom is upstairs, Sirius... you know how much I hate making out on the staircase..." The Snape led him up the stairs. To the bedroom.