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PATH to DARKNESS by Tyde
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Chapter Nine – Trust Me
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Snape's second year at Hogwarts appeared to him at first glance to be rather dull. After gaining the trust and admiration of the Slytherin house in first year he felt there was nowhere else for him to go there. Lucius Malfoy seemed to be the only one that on occasion would doubt Snape, only for the reason that he wasn't standing as close to the confounding potion on the fire as had everyone else. Every now and then he felt it necessary to trip Severus or sneer at him for no reason. Snape pretended to ignore him but he itched to order something else from that Knockturn Alley catalogue. Maybe a Puppet Potion that would render Malfoy helpless and controllable by Severus. There was actually a much less troublesome way to go about it and he discovered it in the second week of school.
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'Snap..OUCH!' Quirrell blew on his hand as yet another snap card exploded under it. 'Are you sure you don't want to play a game of chess instead Severus? It's less b-b-burning on my fingers at least.'
'No Quirrell. This is far more entertaining' he smirked at the smoking fingers of his friend.
'You don't have to play games with that idiot to see him burn himself or worse' the voice of Lucius Malfoy came at them from across the room.
Although Snape liked to pick on Quirrell occasionally he was still his friend and he wasn't going to let Lucius insult him. 'What's your caper, Malfoy?'
'He's a disgrace to the name of Slytherin. Look at the stuttering little fool' Quirrell was indeed stuttering at this point, desperately trying to hex Malfoy but only coming up with nonsense words that shot sparks out of the wrong end of his wand and succeeded in burning his already red fingers.
'First you pick on me, now you pick on him? Why don't you try something shockingly new for you Lucius and try being nice for once, or at least vaguely friendly. A lot of us here don't like your constant attitude towards the people that are supposed to be your brothers, your school family. You're not winning any friends Malfoy.'
'Who said I want to be friends with you lot anyway?' He didn't notice a few sixth years coming up behind him with their wands poised ready to adjust his attitude for him.
'Because without supporters Malfoy, where are you going to get in the world? Your father is a big important man, am I right? And how do you think he got there? Not by belittling his friends or stooping to common insults of his Slytherin family. There is a reason that the Malfoys are one of the oldest and most powerful wizarding families in the world Lucius – I'd hate to see that stop just because Dicio Malfoy's son couldn't cut the mustard.'
Malfoy's face went a mottled shade of red. He couldn't decide whether to hex Snape or run away. His pride had been slashed apart in front of all his fellow Slytherins and Severus was right. He wasn't winning friends and his attitude was even starting to grate on his roommate Goyle who was as loyal as a puppy. Stupid as he was Goyle recognised that infighting within Slytherin wasn't a good idea and that Malfoy should shut his trap. Lucius looked at all the expectant faces peering at him. He emitted a sound that was a cross between a humph and a shriek and stormed off to his chambers. The common room erupted in applause and Severus Snape found once again that he'd gained respect from his fellow Slytherins. It was at this time that Macnair and Nott sat the new first years around the fireplace and told the story of Severus Snape's 'grandmother' Miliana Joxer. For the rest of the term Snape was showered with looks of awe whenever he caught the eye of a first year Slytherin.
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Potions lessons seemed to go slower than usual that term. A handful of the potions they were concocting he'd learnt over the summer from his mother and he tried to stifle a yawn. Professor Pomfrey noticed this and called him up to her desk.
'Do I bore you Mister Snape?' her tone was gentle but enquiring.
'A little' he admitted.
'You don't think a healing potion for first degree burns is important to learn?' she looked puzzled at his reaction – he was after all her best student.
'Oh it is, it's just that my mother was an apothecary and I know quite a few healing potions and this one was the first she taught me.' He looked down at his feet a little embarrassed. 'I..um..kept falling into the cauldron when I was a little mite.'
The potions mistress smiled. 'Perhaps while the others study this you would like to go to the library and find a more advanced book to go through? Severus almost salivated at the thought.
'A more advanced book? Do you mean something from the restricted section?' He could hardly believe his ears, wait until Quirrell heard about this.
She looked at him curiously 'Yes, but it's hardly dangerous. Just too advanced for students but I think you can handle it. I can see the greatness of a Potions professor in you Severus.' She scribbled on a piece of parchment and told him to go straight to Madame Pince and she'd find the book for him.
He climbed the last steps up to the library and walked up to Madame Pince. She seemed to be up to her eyeballs in books. Some were winding around her ankles, others were trying to trim her hair while one entitled The Life of the Dodo Bird was perched atop her head as if roosting. He stifled a giggle and got her attention.
'Um..Madame Pince, I have a note here from Professor Pomfrey, she wants me to get a book from the restricted section.' He held the note out so she could see it.
'Right, could you be a dear and look for it yourself. I really am a little busy with all these new arrivals.' She grimaced as the book about the dodo deposited something on top of her head. 'That better be an egg!' she threatened.
Severus opened the gate to the restricted section and went straight to the section marked 'P'. His eyes scanned the titles for one that said Moste Potente Potions by Penelope Pickleberry. He saw a plethora of exciting titles and was tempted to grab half of them and open them just to the contents page to see what they possessed but just as the thought occurred to him he saw the book he was sent to find. He wrenched open the cover and at once the book started shrieking at him like a banshee and lurching violently in his hands. Severus desperately tried to shut the book but it resisted and he looked around in a panic for something that would keep it shut. The shrieking was so bad he thought for sure that his ears were bleeding.
'Show it the note dear' the librarian yelled over the cacophony. Uncertain Severus held the note up to the book and at once it stopped the noise and settled down in his hands. 'It's a security measure dear, don't want just anybody grabbing those books do we. Mind you it only works on the book your teacher has approved that you be given. A little tiresome if you have a lot to check out but immediately effective.'
For the rest of Potions lesson Snape sat quietly with his nose in the book getting more and more intrigued by the various potions that it held. He would have to return to the library tonight. He'd seen too many exciting book titles to just leave it there.
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His eyes stopped at Perfectly Preposterous Potions by C. Putridious. The spine of the book glittered in the moonlight and he noticed it was bound in snake skin unlike the usual dragon hide or the remarkably stretchy bark of the scribbly gum. His fingers inched forward to grab the book when he remembered the Silencing Charm Lily had shown him in first year. With a flick of his wand the book was rendered mute and he had it opened on the table. A quick poke of the full stop after the title on the front page rendered it still. That Madam Pince proved to be quite helpful and chatty he mused. The contents page was filled with such delicious spells that he didn't know where to start. Severus heard a noise coming from the hallway and panicked. Muttering a shrinking spell at the bookcase he watched it shrink slightly to cover up the fact that a book had been taken from it. No tell tale gaps appeared now, it was as if nothing had been taken. Snape secreted the book under his robes and raced out a back exit to the library. His breath came in ragged gasps as he leaned heavily on the door to shut it. He realised he'd just stolen a book from the library and that someone was moving around just inside of the door ready to come out and catch him, landing him no doubt with a detention for his efforts. Scurrying away from the door he headed through the darkened hallways on the way to a staircase. Looking behind him fearfully to make sure no one was following him he walked straight into something with a pronounced OOF! Turning around in shock expecting to see Filch or even worse Dumbledore he was shocked to see that there was nothing there. He heard some rustling and what sounded like something groaning slightly under their breath. Spinning around quickly he scanned the corridor but could see nothing. Severus tentatively took a step forward and was relieved to find nothing blocking his way.
'Just going mad' he said under his breath and strode out towards the staircase that would lead to the dungeon.
Huddled underneath James Potter's invisibility cloak a relieved Black, Lupin, Potter and Pettigrew let out a sigh of relief. 'That's just what we needed, to have ickle Severarse spoiling our plans' Sirius breathed.
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Sliding through the stone door into the Slytherin common room Severus was surprised to find Lucius Malfoy sitting in front of the fire absentmindedly throwing owl feathers into the flame. Malfoy jumped, as did Snape, when they both realised each other was in the room. A loud thud was heard as the book Severus had taken from the library slipped out of his robes and landed on his foot.
'BLOODY HELL!' he mouthed in pain while his eyes rolled up into his head.
Malfoy picked up the book and helped him to a chair. He looked at the title with a curious look on his face. 'Where did you get this book from Severus?'
'Restricted section from the library. Thought it might be a great read.'
'You STOLE this from the library?' Malfoy's eyes widened as did his smile.
'Keep your voice down!' Snape hissed. 'Yes I did. What's it to you?'
'Wow. You're pretty cool you know that? Back when I thought you were a Mudblood I could never have imagined you'd do something like this. You surprise me' His eyes glittered with anticipation. The amount of damage they could do with that book.
'Trust me Malfoy, I've got a lot more in store.'
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Author's note: I panicked last week. I gave myself writer's block after Chapter 8. I thought I'd do a chapter on Quidditch and then look what happened! Granted, it isn't very original...but I try. I'm trying to get Snape to be friendlier with Quirrell and maybe they can have some funny dialogue exchanges but he's not letting me. I feel like a big cat with a little mouse called Quirrell and I just want to keep batting him around for a while. Oh and I decided that Madam Pomfrey was a Professor. I went back and changed it in subsequent chapters. In my world she was called Professor when she was teaching and then became the infirmary lady and relinquished her title cause she was no longer a teacher. That is all.