Chapter Two: The Invitation
A/N: Please read and review! I really appreciate it so much.
Severus Snape's Sixth Year
Severus stared down at the transfiguration book, and rubbed his eyes as the words began to blur together. His exam was only in hour, and he could already feel the panic setting in. Up in the common room he could hear the familiar hoots of laughter and excited shouts. Tomorrow they would be going home for the summer, and it seemed that everyone was trying to fit an entire two months worth of mischief into a single day.
"Merlin forbid they actually study." Severus muttered, but in truth he was more jealous that annoyed.
Who cared if they studied? No doubt they had rich pampering parents at home, who didn't care whether or not they could transfigure a bottle cap into a dragon's egg. Transfiguration was his weak spot, and if he didn't nail this test..
Severus slammed the book shut. He couldn't panic, not again. Maybe a walk would clear his mind.
He reached for hiswell wornschool robes before changing his mind, and throwing them back down on the bed. There was always the danger of running into Sirius, Potter, and the rest of their moronic friends. Their last encounter had resulted in Severus nearly being expelled, and the mere thought of having to rely that piece of news to his father made him feel sick. Thankfully Professor Dumbledore had taken Severus' side in the matter, but he doubted that next time he would be so lucky.
Severus sat back down, and flipped the textbook back open. He heard footsteps running down the stairs, and rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling. The Slytherin boys in his years both hated and feared him, and took particular pains to taunt him whenever his wand wasn't near. He had dueled with nearly all of them, and always won. He knew more hexes that anyone, and thanks to Sirius and Potter was becoming an expert in counter curses as well.
He pretended to be deeply engrossed in his book as Avery, Crabbe, and Goyle, entered with a burst of noise.
"I told you that I've gotten one" Avery was saying, as he moved towards his trunk. "Even that little twit Black did."
Severus sighed at the mention of Regulus Black. The young boy was a particular thorn in his side. In his eagerness to prove that he was nothing like he brother, he had latched onto Severus like a nasty leech. He didn't want to admit that he was scared of the other boys, who had hexed him so badly for his brothers misdeeds that he missed the entire first week of classes.
"I swear that every pureblood Slytherin did." Crabbe said, slowly as always. "At least everyone who's worthwhile."
Severus glanced up, his curiosity peaked. He doubted they could be talking about anything interesting, but still...
"You got one, right Severus?"
The three boys looked his way, each smiling strangely.
"What you idiots talking about?" Severus sighed, shaking off a feeling of unease.
"The invitation...you did get one, right?" Avery said, suppressing his laughter with a mock sigh.
Severus sat rigid and still, sensing that he was about to be embarrassed yet again. He ignored them, and began to collect his books. They could think whatever they wanted.
"Oh come on Severus, don't be upset." Avery laughed. "Lucius Malfoy only wanted the very best Slytherins at his wedding, and I personally doubt that you qualify greaseball."
Crabbe and Avery burst into loud hoots of laughter as Severus attempted to hide his reddening face behind his dark hair as he walked quickly towards the stairs. He could have cared less that he had been left out once again. Lucius Malfoy had graduated five years ago, and have never paid any particular attention to Severus while he was here. He didn't want to be one of them anyway, not really. Stupid snotty purebloods who boasted about their big estates, their racing brooms, and which family that married into.
Severus charged into the common room, and slammed his book down in front of a group of first years.
"Move!" He growled, glad for someone to abuse.
The first years scattered, and he took a seat of the green velvet couch. He would finish studying, and the dunderheads he lived with would have to find someone else to mock. Before he had even opened his books he found Regulus sliding across the couch, so they were seated so close they were nearly touching.
"What." Severus said flatly, suddenly feeling very tired.
"I found this in Avery's trunk is morning, it has your name on it." Regulus whispered, shoving a crumpled paper into Severus' hand.
"What were you doing in Avery's trunk?" Severus asked, knowing the boy would not respond.
He was clever enough, but could be quite the little bastard.
"It's an invitation to Lucius's wedding." Regulus whispered, gleeful at his find.
"That's nice, but I'm not going." Severus said, staring down the other boy. "Now move."
Regulus looked shocked, and did not obey. Instead he stared blankly at him for a moment, before taking a deep breath and violently launching his words at Severus.
"You don't understand, you have to go! If you don't go..."
"Listen." Severus nearly shouted. "I am not, nor ever have been, interestedin even sharing the same air asthis pitiful group of bastards."
Regulus watched in a stunned silence as Severus shoved the invitation across the table at him and grabbed for his belongings before storming across the room in a rage.
If they didn't want him there, then he wasn't about to go. If was going to swallow his pride and beg for their friendship he would have done it years ago, when he really needed it. He didn't need them now, and was sure that nothing would ever change that.
Severus left Hogwarts the next day, expecting not to see his house mates until September. He had apperated home illegally, because his father couldn't be bothered to come to the city to collect him. This didn't bother Severus, he had been doing it for years. What bothered him was the sight that greeted him when he arrived home.
He quietly pushed open the kitchen door and dragged his trunk inside, hoping to judge his father's mood from a distance before meeting face to face. Tiffy, the family's house elf, scrambled towards the door.
"Young master!" She squealed, throwing herself around his legs.
Severus nearly yelped as a dampness spread around his knees, and was forced to push Tiffy off so he could get a better look at her.
"Lovley." He whispered, staring at the house elf's open wounds.
He couldn't stop his father from beating the small elf, but they couldn't possibly afford another.
"I'll take care of it." Severus said glumly, knowing there was nothing he could really do.
He walked cautiously into the darkened hall, moving towards the study. The air had a stale smell to it, as if the windows had not been opened in a very long while. He moved into the doorway, staring meekly at his father. The older man sat at his desk, his hands folded around his wand. Severus knew that he had been waiting for him, and this could not bode well.
"Severus, I give you chance after chance, and you never fail to disappoint me."
Severus blinked rapidly, as he tried to think of something that he had done. It was much too soon for his grades to have come, though his father could have written the school...but no, it couldn't be that.
"You're a pathetic waste of my time" His father said in a dangerous voice, rising slowly. "I expected so much of you, and again and again you fail me. Our family name will die with you, it will be worth nothing!"
His father's voice rose into a shout, and Severus started. It was his father's fault that his family had sunk into disgrace. They had once been rich and noble purebloods, but now they were as poor and ordinary as any muggle born. Their blood might have still been pure, but nothing else was.
Severus waited as his father calmed, but still kept a weary eye on his wand.
"If you could just tell me what I've done..." Severus began, but before he could continue something was thrown at him.
His stomach sank as he recognized the crumpled envelope...
"I was going to go." Severus said quickly, knowing his father's pride wouldn't allow him to turn down such an invitation. "I must have forgotten it. It was good was Regulus to send it."
"He didn't send it." His father said coldly. " Mr. Avery did, with a lovely description of how you have called them a pitiful group of bastards."
Of course, why wouldn't they use this to get him into trouble? By now everyone knew what type of man Severus' father really was, or had guessed well enough. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
Severus swallowed a growing lump in this throat. To his father appearances were everything, name was everything, blood was everything...
"Are you a blood traitor Severus?" He father asked, drawing his wand up in the air.
"N-No!" Severus insisted, stuttering as a sickening feeling of dread overwhelmed him.
"You have no respect for the our ways!" His father shouted. "You might as well be, you little twit!"
Severus shut his eyes, he didn't want to see it coming. He could hear his father's magic cutting through the air, a split-second of absolute agony. He would never know what spell his father had unmercifully set on him until it had passed, and even then it would take hours for the tremors of fear to leave his slight gangly body.
His father could justify he was toughening him, and one day it would serve Severus well. He would go from being his masters favorite pet to his beating post and then back again in a matter of hours.
He couldn't know this then, he only knew that his father should have loved him, but he didn't.