This story is the plot bunny posted on WIKTT by Totallycrazed. I thank her
for her idea and for letting me take liberties with it. I also thank her
for acting as a beta, though I'm looking for a second one, so if anyone is
interested, just email me or put it in your review.
Just so you know, much further down the road this is going to be SS/HG, so
if that bothers you, don't read this. Well, that's it. Read and Review,
pretty please. Oh, I don't own anything.
Shifts of Fortune
Chapter 1- The Beginning
"From quiet homes and first beginning, / Out to the undiscovered ends, / There's nothing worth the wear of winning, / But laughter and the love of friends."
~Joachim Du Bellay, Dedicatory Ode
Severus's 2nd Year, Sarah's 1st Year
Severus Snape was twelve years old. He was sitting in the Great Hall for the Start-of-Term Feast. It had not started yet, but he did not care. It was not the reason that he was so excited. No, the cause of his anticipation was standing among the other First Years, waiting to be Sorted.
He watched his sister, who was neatly dressed with her dark brown hair pulled into a smooth ponytail. She did not look in the least afraid, unlike the others surrounding her, but was composed and calm. Severus felt a thrill of pride at this. It was so strong that, if asked, he would have freely admitted to it.
He and his sister were close, much closer than one would expect if they knew the elder Snapes, who tended to be cool and remote to everyone, including their own offspring. He looked forward to once again having a flesh and blood person to talk to and confide in, as he didn't have any friends here. The few people that had tried to befriend him had either been repelled by Severus himself or, more often, been scared off by the group of Gryffindors called the Marauders.
After what seemed like an eternity, his sister's name was called. "Snape, Sarah." Glancing at the Gryffindor table, Severus saw James Potter's and Sirius Black's heads go together. He could not see Lupin's reaction. //If they *dare* hurt her// he thought savagely.
He turned back towards Sarah. Only seconds had passed, so she was just slipping the Hat on. It took nearly a minute before the Hat shouted, "Slytherin!"
Severus cheered. He had been afraid for a moment that she would be put in Ravenclaw. She had a bigger studious streak in her than him, and the Hat had considered that House for him.
He smiled at her as she sat next to him. She returned it fully. It was good to smile, they found so little reasons to do so with anyone else. "Good to have you here, Sari," he whispered.
"Glad to be here with you, Sev. I missed you terribly last year and was very jealous that you got to come here. Of course, I've already told you that, haven't I?" she replied quietly with a thread of amusement in her voice.
They went silent then because Dumbledore was making his Start-of-Term speech, content to sit there and eat, since the siblings were together once more.
**************************************************************************** **
Severus's 4th Year, Sarah's 3rd Year . . .
Sarah climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitories and knocked softly before stepping inside. "Oh, I'm sorry, Severus. I did not know anyone else was here," she said cooly. Lucius Malfoy, a boy a year ahead of her brother, was sitting with Severus on his bed, several books and pieces of parchment littering the bed.
"Do not apologize, Miss Sarah. Your presence is not unwelcome in the least," Lucius drawled in a manner that he must think charming.
Her lip twitched but she managed to repress the sneer that the Snapes were famous for. This was one of Severus's friends, after all, so it wouldn't do for her to offend him. Her eyes remained hard, however, even when she smiled winningly. "Be that as it may, I will talk with you later, Severus. Oh, and Lucius, I just remembered. Bellatrix was looking for you earlier. It seemed important."
"Do you have any idea what about?" Lucius inquired, not quite hiding his eagerness to know, which was odd, since he was usually the epitome of a Slytherin, showing nothing of what he was feeling.
Severus signaled at her unobtrusively to tell him what she knew. He knew her so well as to be sure that she wouldn't divulge her information otherwise. Sarah sighed and acquiesced. "She received a letter from her sister in France today. That is all I know."
Quickly Lucius scooped up his portion of the stuff from the bed and said, "I will see you later, Severus, Miss Sarah," and swooped out of the room.
When she was sure he was gone her composed facade faded away to be replaced by a look of anger. She stalked over and sat on his bed. "I don't like him, Sev. There is something very wrong with him."
"I think he's just fine, Sari," Severus defended him.
"What happened to sticking to your own values and beliefs, Sev? You know how the Malfoys are, just like out parents! Especially Lucius!" she exclaimed.
"Lucius and his friends like me, Sarah, isn't that enough?"
"They'll use you, Severus!" She used his full name the same as he'd used hers, indicating her own displeasure. "They'll use you and empty you and break you, and when they're done, they'll throw you away!"
"Is it so farfetched that they like me for me, and don't want to use me?" There was a hint of hurt in his voice.
"No, it's not, Sev, but they use people, you know they do. I'm worried about you is all, brother. Just be careful. Remember . . . remember that there is always a way out." She hugged him close, then stood. "I'll see you at dinner." She left him there looking confused and a little lost.
**************************************************************************** *
Please please please review! The next chapters already written and beta-ed and should be up in a couple of days.
Shifts of Fortune
Chapter 1- The Beginning
"From quiet homes and first beginning, / Out to the undiscovered ends, / There's nothing worth the wear of winning, / But laughter and the love of friends."
~Joachim Du Bellay, Dedicatory Ode
Severus's 2nd Year, Sarah's 1st Year
Severus Snape was twelve years old. He was sitting in the Great Hall for the Start-of-Term Feast. It had not started yet, but he did not care. It was not the reason that he was so excited. No, the cause of his anticipation was standing among the other First Years, waiting to be Sorted.
He watched his sister, who was neatly dressed with her dark brown hair pulled into a smooth ponytail. She did not look in the least afraid, unlike the others surrounding her, but was composed and calm. Severus felt a thrill of pride at this. It was so strong that, if asked, he would have freely admitted to it.
He and his sister were close, much closer than one would expect if they knew the elder Snapes, who tended to be cool and remote to everyone, including their own offspring. He looked forward to once again having a flesh and blood person to talk to and confide in, as he didn't have any friends here. The few people that had tried to befriend him had either been repelled by Severus himself or, more often, been scared off by the group of Gryffindors called the Marauders.
After what seemed like an eternity, his sister's name was called. "Snape, Sarah." Glancing at the Gryffindor table, Severus saw James Potter's and Sirius Black's heads go together. He could not see Lupin's reaction. //If they *dare* hurt her// he thought savagely.
He turned back towards Sarah. Only seconds had passed, so she was just slipping the Hat on. It took nearly a minute before the Hat shouted, "Slytherin!"
Severus cheered. He had been afraid for a moment that she would be put in Ravenclaw. She had a bigger studious streak in her than him, and the Hat had considered that House for him.
He smiled at her as she sat next to him. She returned it fully. It was good to smile, they found so little reasons to do so with anyone else. "Good to have you here, Sari," he whispered.
"Glad to be here with you, Sev. I missed you terribly last year and was very jealous that you got to come here. Of course, I've already told you that, haven't I?" she replied quietly with a thread of amusement in her voice.
They went silent then because Dumbledore was making his Start-of-Term speech, content to sit there and eat, since the siblings were together once more.
**************************************************************************** **
Severus's 4th Year, Sarah's 3rd Year . . .
Sarah climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitories and knocked softly before stepping inside. "Oh, I'm sorry, Severus. I did not know anyone else was here," she said cooly. Lucius Malfoy, a boy a year ahead of her brother, was sitting with Severus on his bed, several books and pieces of parchment littering the bed.
"Do not apologize, Miss Sarah. Your presence is not unwelcome in the least," Lucius drawled in a manner that he must think charming.
Her lip twitched but she managed to repress the sneer that the Snapes were famous for. This was one of Severus's friends, after all, so it wouldn't do for her to offend him. Her eyes remained hard, however, even when she smiled winningly. "Be that as it may, I will talk with you later, Severus. Oh, and Lucius, I just remembered. Bellatrix was looking for you earlier. It seemed important."
"Do you have any idea what about?" Lucius inquired, not quite hiding his eagerness to know, which was odd, since he was usually the epitome of a Slytherin, showing nothing of what he was feeling.
Severus signaled at her unobtrusively to tell him what she knew. He knew her so well as to be sure that she wouldn't divulge her information otherwise. Sarah sighed and acquiesced. "She received a letter from her sister in France today. That is all I know."
Quickly Lucius scooped up his portion of the stuff from the bed and said, "I will see you later, Severus, Miss Sarah," and swooped out of the room.
When she was sure he was gone her composed facade faded away to be replaced by a look of anger. She stalked over and sat on his bed. "I don't like him, Sev. There is something very wrong with him."
"I think he's just fine, Sari," Severus defended him.
"What happened to sticking to your own values and beliefs, Sev? You know how the Malfoys are, just like out parents! Especially Lucius!" she exclaimed.
"Lucius and his friends like me, Sarah, isn't that enough?"
"They'll use you, Severus!" She used his full name the same as he'd used hers, indicating her own displeasure. "They'll use you and empty you and break you, and when they're done, they'll throw you away!"
"Is it so farfetched that they like me for me, and don't want to use me?" There was a hint of hurt in his voice.
"No, it's not, Sev, but they use people, you know they do. I'm worried about you is all, brother. Just be careful. Remember . . . remember that there is always a way out." She hugged him close, then stood. "I'll see you at dinner." She left him there looking confused and a little lost.
**************************************************************************** *
Please please please review! The next chapters already written and beta-ed and should be up in a couple of days.