Battle of Wills

"One."

Severus focused on the spell he planned to cast and steeled his nerves. It would work this time.

"Two."

His father was sneering at him as if his failure was already a fact. This time it was going to be different. This time he was going to make his father use more than one spell to disarm him.

"Three!"

"Serpensortia!" Severus shouted.

Artalocus Snape smirked at the cobra slithering toward him. "Expelliarmus." The older man stated coldly. The resultant pulse of magic threw Severus across the room. His head snapped back to collide forcefully with the wall. He slumped to his knees then caught himself before his face hit the floor.

"Finite Incantatem." Artalocus stated calmly and the snake disintegrated. "Pathetic." Severus' father loomed over the boy, he tapped his wand against his thigh. "Unless your opponent is an undisciplined child Serpensortia gives them more than enough time to kill you then counter your spell at their leisure. At least I was forced to block that ridiculous jelly-leg jinx. I didn't think it possible, but your performance is actually degrading despite my best efforts. Get up."

Severus took a deep breath, ordered his stomach to behave then staggered back to the center of the room and saluted with his wand. He and his father counted paces then turned to face one another again.

"One – two - three."

"Stupify! Rictusempra! Tarantallegra!" Severus screamed. He watched in defeat as his father's shields absorbed each of his curses with no sign of weakening. His shoulders slumped, his wand dropped to his side. It was utterly hopeless; he was never going to win.

"Expelliarmus!"

Severus was spun around and thrown against the wall again. There was a sharp crack as he tried to catch himself with his hands. A wave of white-hot pain flowed up from his wrist and washed the room away. He curled around his broken wrist and whimpered, his consciousness faded in and out then a cool hand was resting on his cheek and a quiet spell took the pain away.

Severus watched his mother march away from him, her heels clicked angrily, as she went to confront her husband. "Are you trying to teach him or kill him Artalocus?" She accused. "He's a child. You are an adult. What were you thinking? You've got to check your power or does it give you some sort of sick thrill to batter your eleven-year-old son into submission?"

"I'll teach him as I see fit!" Artalocus growled. "If I have to use his survival instincts to drag more magic out of him I bloody well will."

Severus' mother sniffed disdainfully. "He has plenty of power, naturally. He just needs time to grow into it. He doesn't need to sell his soul for it." Then the fight seemed to go out of the tall woman. Her head dropped and she sighed. "What happened to you Artalocus? You used to say you didn't need much magic, that you could brew fame and bottle glory. Where did the man I married go?"

"I went no where Desmona. That was the problem. Look around you. Look at what relying on my own skills gained me: a crumbling ancestral manor stripped bare of most everything of value. Power, connection, money; those are all that matter in the end."

A defeated silence filled the room. Desmona returned to her son's side and helped him to sit up.

Artalocus disappeared into his lab for a few minutes and returned with a stoppered vial. "Bone-knit." He said as he handed it to his wife then he stalked to the far side of the room and stared out of the window.

"Give me your arm." Desmona said. "Derigomortus."

Severus hissed as the bones in his wrist realigned. Desmona opened the vial and passed it to him. He tossed back the medication then his screwed up his face in disgust. A tingling in his wrist told him that the potion was doing its job.

"If the boy doesn't think he can handle it I'll suspend the lessons." Artalocus said coldly without turning to look at his family.

Severus scrambled back to his feet. "I can do it!" He insisted.

"You are an utter bastard." Desmona told her husband. She stood and wrapped her arms around her son's shoulders. "Severus, listen to me. You don't have to do this. He's not doing it for your benefit, it is not a test you need to pass, it's a pathetically transparent manipulation of your pride."

"I can do this, you said I'm strong." Severus insisted. "I just need to try harder; to learn better spells."

Desmona let him shrug her arm off. "You're done for today." She said. "Your arm needs time to set properly. We'll talk about tomorrow."

Sirius paced the confines of his bedroom, his prison for the last four days. Kreacher brought food several times a day, his mother brought lectures nearly as often. Even being released for Christmas day hadn't been much of a reprieve because all of his relatives had been keeping such a close eye on him. He was completely caught up on his homework and had finished almost half of the book Remus had sent him for Christmas. He'd eaten all of the candy from Peter and James, and he was horribly bored.

On the plus side, he'd managed to curse both Regulus and Bellatrix during Christmas despite the adults' best efforts. Sure he'd gotten caught but it had been worth it to hear Bell shrieking like a banshee and to watch Regulus trip and upset the punch bowl on their Auntie Clarissa. Sirius snickered at his memories of the event.

His mother didn't look kindly upon new mischief before he'd even completed his previous punishment but so what? It wasn't like she would ever forgive him for being Gryffindor. Not that he cared; his friends and Housemates were much better than his family anyway. They were nice people; he didn't have to be ashamed of i them /i .

Sirius still remembered the Sorting ceremony from the beginning of the year with painful clarity. He'd been near the front of the line but there'd been enough first years ahead of him for Sirius figure out how it normally went: Professor McGonagall called your name, the hat went on your head and after a bit it shouted out your new house then, while most of the student body and staff clapped politely, and your new housemates cheered wildly, you were welcomed into your new home.

-------------- Flashback --------------

Sirius sat confidently on the stool at the front of the Great Hall. The Slytherin students exchanged anticipatory glances. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head and it settled over his eyes occluding his view of the room then a voice spoke in his head. "Well, you certainly aren't what I was expecting." The hat proclaimed. "Brash, brave, forthright, a certain tendency to disregard consequences… Really there's only one place for you. GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat's pronouncement was met with near total silence. The lonely sound of the Headmaster clapping only emphasized the frozen shock that held the rest of the room enthralled. Sirius pulled the hat off his head and gave it back to a stunned Professor McGonagall. Slowly the sound of confused muggleborn students turning to whisper with their neighbors swelled throughout the room. Sirius bit his lip and started walking toward his table. By the time he sat down shocked muttering assaulted him from all sides.

"A Black in Gryffindor?"

"Suppose it could be worse; it could have been a Malfoy."

"A Black's not much better."

"Maybe the Hat's broken."

"A Black, inconceivable."

Sirius sat down gingerly at the very end of the Gryffindor table and tried to disappear. An older boy with bright red hair stared at the small, lonely first year for a moment then a look of determination settled over his face. "Come on guys. The hat put him with us for a reason and we all get along with Andromeda well enough. Gryffindors have never let family background keep us from welcoming our new housemates before."

"Because there's nothing wrong with being muggleborn." One student muttered.

The redhead glared at the speaker. "Come on Molly." He said. He collected his girlfriend with a glance then they went to sit on either side of the newest Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall recovered herself and gave the pair of fifth years a proud look. "On behalf of my House, welcome to Gryffindor Mr. Black." She said then turned back to the unsorted first years. "Crabbe…"

---------- End Flashback ----------

That had been the first time Sirius had really understood that there was something wrong with his family. He knew there were a lot of things his parents disapproved of and he knew he drove his mother crazy because he was loud and rambunctious instead of a little suck up like Regulus, but that day was different. That day he'd realized that his last name could make people cringe away from him when they were supposed to be welcoming him.

Two days later his mother's Howler arrived with breakfast. She stopped just short of disowning him and when her venomous rant finally ended Sirius had been pale and shaking. That night he'd woken up screaming and stammering about being thrown away to starve.

A sleepy James Potter awkwardly patted him on the back and offered to share his parents with Sirius. The very next morning James had written home to ask permission for Sirius to spend Christmas with them. Sirius hadn't had any more nightmares. During the two days he'd spent at the Potters' Sirius had felt welcomed and happy. Then his teachers figured out where he'd run off to and they condemned him to spend his holidays with his relatives.

A light tapping on his door drew Sirius out of his thoughts. He opened the door to find his father waiting for him, the man looked tired.

"Hello Siri." He said.

"What do you want?" Sirius demanded. He stepped back to grant his father entrance then went to sit in the window seat and stared outside.

"This standoff with your mother is foolishness." Orion Black stated. "If you'd simply apologize for all the mischief you've caused she'd let you leave your room."

"Hell with that! It's not fair. I'm not going to apologize to that…"

"Sirius! You will watch your language young man." Orion ordered sharply.

Sirius crossed his arms and sulked.

"Whether or not you want to admit it, this is nothing more than a power struggle between you and your mother. Since you don't have any power in this situation it's in your best interest to swallow your Gryffindor pride and tell her what she wants to hear. Truly Sirius, would it hurt you to abide by the rules of this house for just a few weeks?"

"Why should I?"

"To keep the peace. Are we really asking so much of you?" Orion sighed. "Merlin knows your mother has her faults. She was out of line when she wrote to you, but if you'd just compromise a little bit we could repair our relationship."

"Who says I want a relationship with you people?" Sirius said.

"Like it or not we're the only family you've got."

"That's what you think." Sirius muttered.

"Think about apologizing." His father said. "I know you've got too much energy to cope with being lock up."

Severus poured over his spell books. His wand, which glowed from a simple lumos charm, was tucked behind his ear so that the soft glow would fall on the page. His candle had guttered out ages ago and he wasn't about to go wandering around the manor at three in the morning.

The house was cold, drafty and predominately unlived in. He and his parents kept to one wing while the rest of the place fell into disrepair. Severus was certain that a whole family of bogarts had moved into the north attic. He could hear them moving around up there. The creaks and groans echoed through the walls, especially after dark.

He glanced at the chair he'd braced under his doorknob before going to bed. There was no way anything was getting him while he slept, while his defenses were down.

Severus glanced back at the book in his lap and groaned. That was the whole problem. No matter how many hexes he learned he could never catch his father with his defenses down. Severus' reflexes and spell casting speed were improving by leaps and bounds but he was never fast enough.

He'd learned to start his first spell before his father's three count had finished and to time the last syllable of the spell to coincide with the end of the count but his father's shields were still waiting for him as solid and unbreechable as the walls of Hogwarts.

… But what if he? It wouldn't be fair but he was Slytherin wasn't he? Willing to employ any means, wasn't that what the Hat had said? Of course his father would be furious. Still if he won, even once… Whatever his father did to him it couldn't hurt more than breaking his arm had and he'd already done that.

It would be worth it.

Sirius took a deep breath to steel up his resolve and slipped out of his room. He walked downstairs to his mother's sitting room and knocked politely on the door.

"Yes?" Esterhazy asked. Sirius entered the room. "I don't believe I gave you permission to leave your room."

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about turning your guests' hair pink…" Sirius watched his mother's expression hopefully, after a beat he added. "And about making Regulus knock the punch bowl over… And about Bellatrix's necklace... And I'm really sorry about shrinking the buttons on Bellatrix's top so it kept popping open." Mostly because her boyfriend had seemed to enjoy it so much, Sirius added to himself. He tried not to fidget while he waited for his mother to pass judgment on him.

Esterhazy gave her son an appraising look.

Sirius had a brainstorm. "I only did Malfoy's hair because he was being a rotten guest." He added quickly. "He practically gave Sn-Severus a black eye and you told me to be a proper host to Sn-Severus."

Esterhazy sighed. "Yes that would be the Gryffindor version of tending to a guest. Not a single thought in your head as to which of their good opinions is of more value. Well, I suppose you can't help it. Sirius will you swear that there won't be any more pranks?"

"Alright Mother. I promise; no more pranks during this visit."

Esterhazy smiled thinly. "In that case you may consider your punishment completed."

"Thanks Mom." Sirius paused for a beat. "Could I go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"No."

"But you said…"

"Privileges must be earned."

"But I promised…" Sirius cut himself off sharply. The fact that he'd planned to meet up with James, Remus and Peter wouldn't help his case. "I told Severus I'd meet him there. You're the one who wanted me to make friends with him."

Esterhazy gave her son a piercing look. "I fully intend to verify your story before granting my permission."

"So I can go?" Sirius asked. "Thanks Mom. I'll see you later, I've got some homework to finish."

Sirius ran upstairs without waiting for his mother's reply. He scribbled out a quick note asking Snape to back his story then ran upstairs to the owlery.

"One – T…"

"Confoundus!" Severus yelled. Artalocus smirked as his son's spell spent itself against the shields he'd erected with his opening salute.

Severus blinked disbelievingly then something dark seemed to well up in his chest. He couldn't loose this time. "SEAR!" He shouted. A beam of red light erupted from his wand.

Unlike Incendio which caused the spell's target to combust, Sear simply burned through anything in it's path and continued on until the spellcaster's strength was spent. The spell impacted against Artalocus' blocking charm and for the first few seconds Severus' hex was absorbed. The boy continued to pour the dark throbbing power he'd discovered into his spell, gradually Artalocus' shields began turning purple. They held a few moments longer then collapsed with a bang.

Artalocus twisted to the side and Severus' spell shot past him.

"Expelliarmus. "

As usual Artalocus put enough power behind the spell to smash his son across the room with bruising force. "So, you do have some potential for the Dark Arts after all."

Artalocus offered Severus his hand and pulled the boy back to his feet. They walked back to the center of the room then stepped off the paces and turned.

"Expelliarmus." Artalocus cast.

Severus stared up at his father, shocked and betrayed.

"You were the one to dispense with formalities last time." Artalocus said. "Get up."

Severus stayed on the ground. "You're just going to start zapping me whenever?" He asked.

Artalocus smirked. "Most of the duels you fight won't be formal. If your opponent truly wants to kill you he won't wait for you to get ready to defend yourself. You'll learn keep shield charm on the tip of your tongue at all times."

"I can't even block your hexes when I am ready!" Severus exclaimed.

"I suppose you should have thought of that before dispensing with the count." Artalocus remarked.

An owl flapped into the room and landed in front of Severus. The boy looked at it as if he'd just received a death row pardon. He accepted the letter and made a perfunctory apology to his father for the interruption.

"Who'd send you mail?" Artalocus demanded.

"It's from Black."

Artalocus plucked the missive from his son's hand. "The brat wants you to cover for him with his mother. You'll claim that I will also be in Hogsmeade on the morrow and that I would mention it to Esterhazy should I see either of you without the other."

Severus sighed. Black hadn't been so bad on his own, but he doubted the Gryffindor wanted an excuse to spend the day in Hogsmeade on his own. On the other hand, if Severus didn't go he'd be spending the day at home serving as a target for his father's spells. "I'll go, I'll go."