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A/N: "Hi again. Thanks SO SO SO much for your reviews. We love you very much for them!"-Chris
"We were shocked to get the response we did."-Lor "I just hope this chapter is up to your standards."-Chris
"You like us, you really like us!"-Lor
"And I hope it stays that way."-Chris
"We'll try to keep posting as often as we can, but we do have a few technical difficulties to work out. Namely I don't have internet."-Lor
"And I can only get on the net sometimes because the only comp here connected is down by my mom's room. Plus whenever I try to upload something to it doesn't put the dividers in. Sorry about that."-Chris
"But hopefully we can update pretty often."-Lor
Chapter Two: Optica Allura
"I'd like to make an announcement before we proceed with breakfast," Dumbledore called out to the Great Hall. The chatter among the tables died down awaiting his speech. "Today we'll be receiving a transfer student who will be finishing his seventh year out here at Hogwarts. I am pleased to welcome my great-great nephew and hope you will treat him well. Though, I trust you all would give any new student a certain amount of courtesy. May I present Sev Silvercrow...,"
A dark haired young man paced the entry-hall, awaiting Dumbledore to summon him. He caught his reflection in the window, and stopped to stare in amazement. The face looking back at him was quite different from the one he was used to seeing. His skin shown with a pale perfection; the once hooked nose was now replaced with a slightly crooked one. His hair remained its black shade, though not oily at all, reaching his collarbone in length. But his eyes stayed the ebony pools they'd always been. He sneered; however, his fuller lips had a less intimidating result than his previous trademark expression.
After the inspection, Severus departed from the windowpane, and resumed pacing in front of the Great Hall's doors. No sooner than he had done so, the doors opened to receive him. All heads swiveled around to catch a glimpse of him as he entered.
Dumbledore smiled and went on, "He has already been sorted in private; so... Gryffindors make room!" The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers at this news. Severus's gaze snapped at Dumbledore for the obvious insult of being placed in his rival house, but stayed silent as he claimed the only available seat by the incompetent Neville Longbottom. He was assaulted by slaps on the back and students all giving there congratulations at once. "Glad you joined us, mate," chorused Ron with everyone else. Harry extended his hand, and Severus took it reluctantly. Oh, great! I've the honor of being adopted by Potter and his fan club. "Name's Harry."
"I regret to inform you, though, that I have another less cheerful announcement." Silence fell once more. "Our Potions Master will not be teaching for the remainder of the year. Potions classes will be canceled until I find a suitable replacement." Barely suppressed applause followed this announcement. "But enough announcements, eat!"
"How lucky is that?" said Seamus Finnegan reaching for some bacon.
"I wonder why Professor Snape has left. Dumbledore didn't say, did he?" pondered Hermione while sipping on her pumpkin juice.
"Who cares? I'm just glad to be rid of the old bat," said Ron through a mouth full of eggs. Severus suppressed a snort at this. Surely you can do better than that, Weasley.
"Ron! Don't call professors 'old bats'! It's disrespectful. And don't talk with your mouth full, either. I just thought it was odd for a professor to leave after term's started."
Severus buttered his toast and said coldly, "Maybe it's none of your business." Hermione opened his mouth to reply, but Dean Thomas broke in, "Sorry about Hermione, Sev. It's just that you didn't have him so you don't know what he was like."
"Well, still, I don't know how you can say we're lucky, Seamus. We have our N.E.W.T.S coming up. We need the practice if we want to get up. We need the practice if we want to get top marks in Potions."
"Sorry, Mione, but I can't look at this negatively. Pass the waffles, please." said Harry.
"So where'd you transfer from?" asked Neville.
Severus straightened his robes and recited the history he had memorized the night before. "I've been home schooled for the most part. I've attended a few wizarding schools, but my parents are researchers who travel a lot. I accompanied them most of the time."
"Fascinating! Have you ever seen a-," Hermione began before being cut off a second time. "So why'd you decide to come to Hogwarts?" asked Ron.
"Well, that's obvious, Ron. He's Dumbledore's nephew. Weren't you listening?" Hermione piped up happy to get a word in.
"I know that. What I meant was why'd he decide to come now?" retorted Ron.
"Then why didn't you just ask that in the first place?" snapped Hermione.
"Oh, shove off! You don't know everything as much as you try."
"Humph!" Hermione expressed her disapproval.
Severus found their bickering slightly amusing. Someone giving it to prissy Granger, and Potter's sidekick getting it just as bad was an interesting sort of entertainment. "Actually my parents and I decided it would be best to take my N.E.W.T.S in a proper school."
At that moment the bell for classes chimed through the school. "Well, guess we'll see you later?" said Neville.
"Right."
"Silvercrow! May I have a word?" McGonagall's voice rang out as she approached the Gryffindor table.
oooooooooo
Walking to their classes Ron, Harry, and Hermione discussed the new addition to their house.
"Odd bloke. Didn't even say a thing about Harry's scar."
"Maybe he was just being polite, Ron. And I don't think he's had much time to socialize- traveling and all that," said Hermione.
Looking back at Sev over his shoulder, Harry commented, "Well, he's alright in my book. At least we didn't get another Slytherin."
oooooooooo
"Here is your schedule, Silvercrow." McGonagall handed him the parchment. Scanning the list his eyebrows shot up, "Divination! You can't be serious, Minerva."
"If it is on your schedule, you will be taking it. And it would be best to address me as 'Professor McGonagall'," McGonagall said firmly. Severus turned and walked towards the staircase muttering to himself.
"I am so looking forward to having you in my class. Oh, and take car that you are not late," she called after him.
oooooooooo
He arrived at the Divination Tower just as the rope ladder was being lowered. He ascended with the rest the class only to find the room uncomfortably hot and the perfume in the air far too heavy. He noticed Potter and Weasley waving him to a seat at their lace-consumed table. How am I going to make it? He made his way over resigned to his fate.
"Pull up a chair, Sev," said Ron. "So who do you support?"
"Excuse me?"
"In quidditch!" said Ron slightly exasperated.
"I'm in favor of Ireland anytime."
"Now is that before or after they won the cup?"
"Before, of course."
"Ah, their chasers are decent, but the Canons have got a spectacular team this year."
"Do you play?" asked Harry.
"Some."
"You should tryout then. We need a beater."
"Hold on a sec, mates," Ron turned to Parvati Patil at the next table down. "Hey, Parvati, can you spare me a quill?" He said with a wink. She looked pointedly away from Ron with a sniff. "What'd I say?"
Harry surveyed the room full of giggling girls looking in the direction of their table. "I think she's a bit miffed at you, mate. I think she wanted Sev here to sit by her." Harry grinned.
"Why's that?" inquired Ron obliviously.
"I think she fancies him."
Ron turned to Sev with a serious expression of his face. "Listen here, I've had my eye on that one for a while, and if you think you can just come in here-,"
"She's all yours," Severus said holding his hands up as if to say he meant no harm. Please, she's half my age! Not to mention, my maturity level. He looked around searching for a change of subject. "I thought your friend, Hermione, took this class."
"No, she dropped this class ages ago. Thinks it's all rubbish. As a point, so do we, but it's better than Ancient Runes, I say." Harry said.
"So you fancy her?" asked Ron.
"Who?"
"Hermione, of course."
"No!" He looked to Harry, "Aren't you two together?"
"Me and Mione? No way!" Harry laughed.
"Though she's not bad lookin', eh, Sev?"
Severus was grasping for an appropriate answer when a voice sounded right behind him.
"Good day, students," Trelawney spoke in her misty voice. Ron jumped and muttered, "I hate it when she does that."
"Today we shall be exploring the art of palmistry. The lines in your hands can tell a great deal about your futures. Some of you will be very adept at the skill, while others of you will not," She looked directly at Neville. "Yes, Miss Patil," She said as Parvati raised her hand. Her and Lavender were on the edges of their seats.
"I just wanted to tell you that we have a new student, professor."
"Ah I knew I felt an unfamiliar aura in the room." She swept over to Severus. "Turn in your books to page three hundred and forty-two and begin reading your partner's palm." She drew a fluffy cushion over to the table. "Give me your hand, dear," she addressed Severus.
"No, that's quite alright."
"Don't be silly, dear. No harm shall come to you. Now, I must insist." She grasped his hand firmly before he had time to withdraw it. Tracing the lines on his palm, she began to make her predictions out loud.
oooooooooo
Severus barreled down the hall in anger. "Some nerve she's got! Complete moron! Doesn't know what she's talking about. Shortest love line she's ever seen! Parading my personal life in front of everyone. How dare she!" he ranted to himself.
"Oy, Sev! Wait up, mate!" called Ron. "Don't listen to a thing that hag says. No one does."
"Except for Lavender, of course," interjected Harry "And Ron's girlfriend, Parvati." Ron shot Harry a look. "Anyways, Sev, I know how you feel. She's always predicting I'll die some gruesome way or another. You heard her. Saw my life line and said it 'deeply grieved' her." Harry said mockingly.
"Yeah, straight off her rocker she is." Ron added with a pat on Severus's back.
Why the hell are they being so friendly? But what Severus asked was what the next class was.
"Potions." Grinned Ron.
"A.K.A. free time." Put in Harry.
They looked at each other. "To the common room," they chorused.
oooooooooo
With an utterance of 'Jabberwocky' the fat lady's portrait swung open and the boys climbed in.
"How was Divination, Harry?" asked Hermione nonchalantly.
"Something awful," Harry answered.
Ron voiced his agreement. "She gave us loads of work."
"And what is your opinion on Divination?" Hermione questioned Severus.
"Load of rubbish," he growled.
"Here, here!" Hermione concurred. "Well," she went on haughtily, "Ancient runes was fascinating. You all should consider dropping Divination and take a more serious subject."
"Enough talk about classes. Up for a game of wizard's chess, Harry?"
"Alright, sure."
After the match began and it was obvious that there concentration was on the board, Severus saw no reason to stay in the common room. He decided to go to the library. Severus ran his fingers across the spines of the books, feeling much better now that he didn't have to make conversation. He remained there through lunch, and lest to go to Transfiguration.
oooooooooo
Professor McGonagall leaned on her desk as she addressed the class, "Say you wanted to hide something important. You would need a spell that would make it a small discreet object. That spell is called the Optica Allura spell. The motions are so," She lifted her wand and made a swishing movement followed by a flick. "Note that I went from left to right. Can anyone tell me why it is important to do so?" Hermione lifted her hand confidently.
"Mr. Silvercrow."
"Because, Professor, moving from right to left and saying 'Optica Allura' would make the object more prominent, which is the exact opposite of what you are intending to do." The new boy smirked as a few students turned to look at him. Hermione gazed at him in surprise as she heard the very answer she had planned on giving.
"Excellent, Silvercrow. Five points to Gryffindor," McGonagall beamed, taking the smirk right off of his face. "Alright then, collect a bag of leprechaun gold from the bin, and partner up to practice the spell and its counter spell."
"So, Harry, want to be my partner?" asked Hermione.
"Sorry, Mione, already with Ron."
"Okay, then," She turned around to where Sev was sitting. "How about you?'
"Haven't got much choice, have I?"
She looked around to see everyone already paired. "Right then. I'll go get our gold." They practiced a few times, even though they both got it right on their first try.
"So how do you like Hogwarts so far?" asked Hermione.
"Fine, I suppose."
"Are any of your classes giving you a hard time?"
He gestured towards the perfectly transfigured gold as an answer.
"No, I suppose not." She was quiet for a moment. "So what was traveling with your parents like?"
Unable to resist any longer, Severus snapped, "Do you always have to be such an insufferable know-it-all?"
"Do you always make assumptions about people you hardly now?" She countered.
"It was hardly an assumption. You were practically bounding out of your chair to answer that question earlier!"
"I was not! And besides what's wrong with knowing the answer? Besides some guys find intelligence in a girl attractive."
"Well, maybe they'd find you more attractive if you'd shut your gob." He retorted.
"Maybe you'd be more attractive f you never opened yours."
"Then why are we still talking?"
"Fine."
"Fine."
They both sat there not looking at each other until Hermione finally said angrily, "Optica Allura" and the bag of gold turned into a pin.
oooooooooo
Severus was glad when the bell finally cut through Professor Binns's long dry monologue after what seemed like an eternity. Now if only he could just get through dinner and go to bed, he'll have survived his first day of being a teenager again.
Down at the Great Hall, he plopped down between Dean and Ginny Weasley. Seamus nodded across from him in greeting. He half listened to the trivial conversation around him, only putting his thoughts in when the talk was directed at him, and made himself busy with his Yorkshire pudding.
Severus let himself be swept up in the crowds of student heading to their common rooms. There he spread his books out on a free table. He began skimming the assigned chapters in his Divination book, making an outline as he went. Then he started on his report for Professor Binns. An hour later he dragged himself halfheartedly up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. He stopped at the row of doors, realizing he didn't know where he was sleeping. At that moment Harry tapped him on the shoulder, "Seventh years are in here." Sullenly he followed Harry to the room.
"That must be your bed over there," Neville informed him.
Severus went over to the bed with an unfamiliar trunk with 'Sev Silvercrow' engraved on the front of it. He undid he buckles and pushed up the lid to find several Hogwarts school robes and some casual clothes as well as undergarments. He also found parchment, books, and a poster of the Ireland quidditch team zooming around. Dumbledore had gone to great lengths to make this look convincing. He was about to close the lid when a loose piece of parchment caught his eye. It read, "From your favorite uncle." Very funny, Albus, but I fail to see the amusement in it all. He frowned as he watched the boys change into their sleepwear.
"Hey, Sev, I heard you and Hermione had a row," called Harry.
"Ah, a lover's spat," grinned Ron.
"It was not! And how did you know anyway?"
"Oh, come on. She didn't say one word to you at dinner. A classic sign." Harry pulled his pajama shirt on.
"Don't worry. She's gotten mad at us loads of times. She'll get over it." Ron said as he flopped down on his bed.
"We know she can be a bit..." Harry struggled for the right word.
"Bossy?" Ron supplied.
Harry shot him a look that said plainly, "You're not helping." but he continued with, "Difficult, but give her a chance. She's alright."
Severus shrugged and crawled into bed already knowing that it would hours before he slept. He pulled the draperies closed around him.
"Night," Dean said to the room.
"Night," everyone but Severus called back.
A/N: Okay so I've revised it. Maybe it will be easier to read now, but if it's not then I have no clue how to fix it.
Reviews:
JoyceRenee: (We just made both up.) The eternal youth potion would keep his body eternally young. The age metamorphe elixir makes him have the appearance of being young, but yes, he could look different.
Anja: We wanted him to be in a hurry is why he 'bounds'. We just couldn't think of a better word.
Hp-lover-fifi: Thanks. We'll check out your fic sometime soon. First we have to work a bit on our fic, but we'll definitely see what it's about.
To everyone else: Thanks again. We are unbelievably grateful for your praise and advice.