A/N Hey. Thanks to my two reviewers, keep on reading! This story was inspired by my love for Snape, so I don't know how it will appear to you guys. This next part is more interesting (I hope) and longer (you're welcome PMH) so enjoy
Chapter 2 – Old Friend, We Meet Again
He had done the shopping all by himself. He had gone to the city before, but not in many years. On both occasions he had been with another family.
It was now the day to leave for school. His mother had taken him to the train station, and his father's words rung in his ears: "Don't screw up, boy."
He now stood alone on the platform, completely lost in a world he had never known. A small boy with tawny hair stood near him, hugging his parents good bye. The parents turned to leave, and the boy looked around at his surroundings. He spotted Severus watching him, and his cheeks turned a little pinker, his amber eyes looking to the ground. This is the time to make friends, Severus! a voice said inside his head. He nodded and started to head towards the boy.
"Hey, um, do you know what we are supposed to do?" Severus found his voice to sound very strange, but the other boy didn't notice. He looked up at this dark stranger who was about a head taller than he was.
"Well, we have to put our luggage on the train, and then it's going to be leaving in about five minutes" was the quiet answer from the shy boy. He shook his bangs out of his eyes, and looked back up to Severus.
"Alright. Thanks." Severus brushed his hair over his shoulder and then turned to get his luggage. As he walked over to his things, he noticed two black haired boys walking over to the train. They were laughing quite loudly, and one voice was familiar to Severus, but he couldn't place it right away. They stopped next to the tawny haired boy, talked to him, and then the three of them went onto the train. Darn it, they asked him first. What am I going to do now? He looked around at the others getting on the train, all of whom had friends. Something inside of him twinged as a red haired girl with brilliant green eyes strode past him. She smiled at him as she passed, and then stepped confidently onto the train.
All of the compartments were full, and something hurt inside as he passed the compartment with the three boys, who now had a fourth boy sitting in there with them. The fourth was small and mousy, and seemed to follow the boy with the glasses and wild hair. Of all the things on Severus' mind, making friends seemed to have taken first place. The feeling of being completely alone flooded over him, his chance to sit with boys his age gone. Standing outside of the compartment still, he stared at the tall black haired boy who seemed familiar. Severus had seen him before…it was killing him not to remember. This boy had an excellent smile, and a powerful laugh that brought smiles to all in the compartment. He looked out at Severus, the dark grey eyes meeting Severus' black ones, and Severus rushed down the aisle.
In the last compartment sat three students that were second years. They were talking and laughing, and Severus tried to pass on by but the blonde one saw him.
"Severus Snape, is that you?! Get in here!" The boy that had called out had white-blonde hair and cold grey eyes. Severus knew him as Lucious Malfoy. Lucious' father was an old friend of Severus' dad, and Severus' brother used to play with Lucious.
"Hey Lucious." Severus answered, quietly closing the compartment door behind him. He had never really hung out with Lucious, but he had always liked Severus.
"So you get to go to school with me, eh? We'll take care of you Snape. Stick with us, and we'll show you who is worthy of your presence." A sick smile crept over all three of the boys faces. "This is Crabbe and this is Goyle" Malfoy said pointing to the two boys with him.
The ride was long and Severus slept most of the way there. Malfoy was very happy to have him riding in the compartment with him, though the thought of being Malfoy's friend never crossed Severus' mind. Something about Malfoy made him uneasy, and many times he wished he had been in the compartment with the three boys instead of with Malfoy. If only he had gotten there first, maybe that other boy would be in here with Malfoy and Severus could be having a good time.
"Snape, wake up. When you get to school, they're going to sort you, so I'll see you in Slytherin." With this Malfoy got up and Crabbe and Goyle followed him out and off the train. Of course he'd want me in Slytherin. I probably don't have a choice but to be in it… Severus stood up slowly, stretched, and then sleepily walked out and off of the train.
He caught sight of the other three boys heading towards a very tall man with jet black hair and soft black eyes. He was calling out to the first years. Trying desperately to be by the boys, Severus pushed and ran to catch up to them. A girl with white-blonde hair and a turned up nose grabbed hold of Severus' arm. He looked at her strangely, but she just pulled him into a boat with her and some other girl.
"Um, what's your name?" Severus asked, and once again his voice sounded strange to him. The other girl in the boat turned to answer, but the one with white-blonde hair elbowed her hard before answering for herself.
"I'm Narcissa Black. This is Pricilla Parkinson. You're going to be in Slytherin, correct?" She asked, raising a thin eyebrow at him. Severus nodded, assuming it must be true since everyone thought he would be.
"Good, because you have to be careful. I heard they let mud bloods into this school! How am I supposed to know who I can talk to?" She clucked disapprovingly, shaking her head. Looking back at him she added, "You don't remember me Severus? I knew who you were right away." She stared at him for a few seconds, then realizing he didn't remember her, added "Our fathers are friends. I used to come over a lot when we were younger."
Racking his brain, a faint memory of him and this girl crossed his mind. There were three kids, playing tag and running around outside of Severus' house. There was Severus and Narcissa, and someone else… A young boy with a bright smile and a head full of dark hair was chasing Severus, causing Severus to run and hide and laugh too…
Severus sat back in the boat and started humming a Cat Stevens song that he had heard playing in the train station. Why walk alone, why worry? OH Why? Why must you waste your life away…you must live for today. Oh lover, I want to spend this time with you. I can't keep it in and I've gotta let it out… he knew it went something like that.
The first years were all ushered into a great big hall, and while a teacher was explaining the sorting process all Severus could focus on was finding those three boys. He wanted to look at them, see if they possibly could be in Slytherin with him. It was a strange feeling inside of him, this weird urge to be near them. All he knew was that he had to be in the same house as them.
The sorting started out by alphabetical order. Severus calmed down as he had a long wait until he would be called. The first name he recognized was Narcissa. She walked up confidently and sat down on the stool. The hat was barely on her head when it screamed out "Slytherin!" She smiled and walked over to the table where Severus could see Lucious sitting with Crabbe and Goyle.
"Sirius Black!" was the next name called, and it came as a shock to Severus. The tall boy with black hair went up to the stool, and something finally clicked in Severus' mind. This boy was the one who had played tag with him and Narcissa! This was why he looked so familiar. If he was related to Narcissa, and had been allowed to play at the Snapes' home, perhaps he would be in Slytherin… a boy can dream anyway.
Sirius got picked to be in Gryffindor. Severus couldn't believe it. The tawny haired boy's name was Remus Lupin, and he too was in Gryffindor. The third boy, James Potter, joined his two new friends to Severus' frustration. He wished so badly to be allowed into Gryffindor. He didn't care about Narcissa or Lucious, he cared for the three boys in Gryffindor, and his only chance to be their friend would be to be in that house with them.
His turn came to step up to the stool. Please put me in Gryffindor, please put me in Gryffindor! a frantic voice said in his head to the sorting hat perched upon it. Gryffindor you say? I never would have thought that you would want to be in Gryffindor… I don't know what's gotten into you, but I have to be true to you, Severus, and you are a true "Slytherin!" The name rang through the hall, and a defeated Severus trudged to the empty seat beside Malfoy at the table.
"That's my boy" Malfoy said, giving him a hearty pat on the shoulder. Never before in Severus' life had he wanted so badly to just hide. Why was the world so bent upon making him suffer so in life? He looked over longingly at the Gryffindor table where James and Sirius already fit in with the rest of the house. Staring back at his own table, Severus saw only shrewd, cruel faces with nasty smiles and wicked laughter. No one he was interested in getting to know. This was going to be horrible.