Suzanne- bows Why thank you,
Amandinka- I'll try, define soon! --;
Adi- Thanks! I was wondering much the same thing when I wrote him like that, I hope you enjoy the new chappy!
Amandamarsters- Thanks! It gets worse- Or better depending on how you think of it! XD
Kage Miko- Yes! grins
Caster- looks incredibly flattered at review
Kio- Thanks! Mew, I'll continue soon!
Ginny- blushes more at flattery
Jessie- Thankies! runs off to update
ChibiAngel16- Thank you! I admit though, I'm going to update slower now that school's started.
Crimson Symphony- Thank you! I'm glad you likey, your review encouraged me to update.
HPSlashFan4Evr-WOOT! runs off to update
Restless Mage- Okie Dokie!
mrs jdhappiness- smiles Thank you! Yes, Sirius is one of those characters where you hate to see him go, but you love to watch him walk away. - As for Erradane, thanks!
Cookie4monster24- 3! I love it when people I've reviewed review my stories! I'm glad to see you liked it and hopefully you'll come back for more!
Bluebird161221- Funny…I've never had to worry about my work being "Worse" or not the "worst"… I'm not sure whether to take this as a flame or not.
Dasai-Konomi- bows I hope you like this chapter just as well. I got supreme writers block on it.
Ch4- Bent
Sirius had never been a very patient boy. It was not enough for him to hear of Snape's transformation, he wanted to see it- again. It didn't help however, that the boy was avoiding him like the plague. "Erradane I want to talk to him!" he said with a pout.
Erradane, who had also inherited the Blacks' good looks, was unaffected and continued filing her nails. "You told me to make them stop picking on him, so I did. You never said you wanted to see him afterwards. Didn't you consider that without fear of being beaten up the boy would be in the dorms more often?"
"Damn it! I really didn't anticipate this!" growled Sirius.
Erradane looked up with those near blank eyes. "He still hides from the girls though. Smart one that is, girls are only trouble,"
Sirius looked up. "You know where he's hiding."
"I might." she said as she began to file the nails on the other hand.
"Tell me."
Erradane looked up and upon seeing the determination in her cousin's eyes wondered if she were truly being kind or cruel to the other boy.
XxXxX
Lily frowned as she looked at the three Marauders, absent of course was Sirius who was most likely looking for Severus, but that was too be expected. She had three choices for information.
James, who though handsome was a tad to amorous for her taste and enjoyed his virgins as much as Filch liked catching students and hanging them up by their feet. Not her first choice at all. She was, despite her flirtatiousness, a virgin and proud of it. James wasn't someone she wanted to deal with over all.
Peter, who though being most likely the easiest source of information she didn't envy the girls whose names mixed with his. It wasn't that he was extraordinarily unhandsome- though he couldn't compare to the other Marauders- it was that there was something chillingly fake and plastic about him. She didn't want to talk to him in general.
Remus… Remus was difficult, he'd know that she was delving for information. Though he'd be a total gentleman he would be the most difficult to procure information from. But that was her goal. She'd put on a modest amount of makeup and flattering but hardly scant robes. In her arms she held a Herbology book. When she sat down next to Remus he looked up with surprised golden eyes. It took him a second to brush his tawny hair out of his face before his mouth opened slightly questioning.
"Um…Remus, I don't mean to be rude, but I was curious if I could ask you a question on Herbology?" asked Lily politely.
A mild flush came to Remus' cheeks. It seemed she'd pegged his type of girl completely, though she had a strong suspicion that, like Sirius, Remus was more fond of boys. Either way it was working and soon enough she'd led him to a secluded corner of the common room- not noting that an infuriated Marauder's eyes were following them.
XxXxX
Blacks didn't wear comfortable clothes. True, Bellatrix and Sirius might have looked comfortable in their tight fitting but flattering robes, but they were made to be flattering. It was perhaps a reminder that in the Black family everyone was more comfortable without clothes doing decadent things behind closed doors with secret paramours.
Severus was once more reminded when he heard some girls chattering in the hall.
"Yeah! Black has a new target!" said the tallest one.
"How can you tell?"
"Because! He ignored my advances! He only focuses on one paramour at a time, so I know he has a new one!" she said.
Snape's heart jumped into his throat and he tried to concentrate on studying his brand new advanced potions book, but he couldn't focus. Not with those twits…twittering!
"Yeah! But who could it be that they lasted this long?"
"I dunno, I'd sure as hell like to know though! I'd rip out the bitch's hair!"
Snape fingered his hair nervously. "Boomslang." he murmured. "Two cups powdered Boomslang and-"
"Have you seen Severus Snape lately?"
"Yeah! I didn't know he had a face behind all that greasy hair! Much less such a good looking one!"
He flushed. Though twits, they weren't unattractive twits. "One ounce minced flobberworm," he said willing the blood to leave his face.
"…Supposing he's the one Sirius is out to shag?"
Severus' hand twitched severely causing his book to fall off the table as he paled. The girls grew silent for but a moment, but it seemed like eternity.
"No!" scoffed a female voice loudly. "It can't be!"
With that he released a slow breath as the chattering voices grew farther and farther away. He let out a sigh and went to pick up his book, only to be met with a resounding bang as he was shoved forward against the table. His wrists were restrained in front of him and a hard athletic body pressed against his back.
He knew immediately who it was. "Get off me!" he snapped trying to free himself from Sirius' hold.
XxXxX
It did occur to Sirius that he wasn't sure how to feel about being fought against. In truth it had never happened- all save with James, and that was because James was fixated on Lily- and afraid that Sirius would try to fulfill some of his rather painful suggestions.
"Get! Off! Me!" snapped Severus again.
"I suggest you stop rubbing against me Severus, somebody might get the wrong idea," growled Sirius. His robes were uncomfortably tight around the hips…
Snape froze completely still. His breath came out unevenly. Sirius was fine, mostly because it took little to no effort to pin the smaller boy. When he decided that Severus was calm enough he spun him around and pinned him to the bookshelf.
"So it's true," murmured Sirius, running his hand through Severus' hair. "Well well, who would have thought you could hide this from us for so long."
"I wasn't hiding anything!" spat Snape. "I just want to be left alone!"
"Hmmm," said Sirius lowering his face to the juncture between Snape's neck and shoulder sniffing at the sweet scent of the boy's freshly cleaned skin.
Snape couldn't help it, he leaned his head back whimpering, his sensitive skin was easily effected and Sirius clearly knew what he was doing as he nibbled along the side of Snape's neck. "Do you?" he purred. "What's the matter Snape? You've stopped struggling,"
Snape's dark eyes widened as he jerked back, slamming against the bookshelf. He lashed out.
Within seconds Sirius' eyes had widened as he put his hand to his cheek where Snape had slapped him. Realizing his serious error Snape took off in a panicked run, leaving his things behind as his face flushed violently.
He began to wonder when his life became a game for the beautiful to play.
XxXxX
Erradane saw the boy run off, panicked, furious, frightened. She once again had to wonder if she was doing him a favor. She knew love was not always gentle. Love was not always that of the traditional romance novels.
She placed a tentative had against the doorframe she was watching from. "I hope he's alright," she murmured emotionlessly.
It was then that she found herself shoved back in the room by her impatient blonde lover. "I think you have other things to be worried about lover,"
Erradane didn't make a sound as she was pressed against the wall roughly and hands explored her small figure without a whit of delicacy. She only let her eyes water a little as teeth sank into her shoulder seeking response.
Sometimes love was a dark place.
XxXxX
"Um…Lily, I wasn't aware you were having difficulties in herbology," said Remus. In fact, he knew she wasn't. Lily was a smart girl, and the only reason he'd accepted to tutor her is because he was curious. What could this girl want.
Lily sighed. "I believe you're on to my game Remus. You must know then, I came here to ask you something different,"
XxXxX
James left the library. Infuriated. True. Remus couldn't help who liked him. But that was no excuse for accepting to tutor Lily. Where James chased virgins regularly, and failed at times, Lily was different. Lily didn't refuse him her body out of some fear of pregnancy, a bad reputation, or anything of the like. She simply refused him. Not just bodily either.
Thus his fixation on her remained even as he continued chasing other girls to satiate his carnal needs. He still longed to have her though. He wanted her pale virgin body under his, he wanted her broken breaths as she squirmed uncomfortably brushing against the edge of pleasure. He wanted to make her experience the advantages of the flesh as she never had and never would again.
But she remained out of his reach, fiery hair and sparkling eyes assuring him that beyond her quiet dignity he could never ignore her.
As much as Remus was one of his best mates, the thought of Lily with him was so right, but so infuriating. Remus would be taken in by her shy beauty. She would blush gently and lean over slowly to initiate a clumsy kiss tinged with inexperience and a spark of passion. Remus would only touch her gently and her hands would be slow to explore, because Remus had to realize how precious she was, and she would explore knowing she was safe with him.
Any relationship initiated between the two would be beautiful and right. And it would destroy James from the inside out.
He slammed his fist into the wall violently, not noticing when the paintings slowly vacated their frames murmuring in fright at the strong athletic boy who had suddenly gotten violent against their wall. James wanted to stay angry.
It would make it easier to ignore the sheen of tears in his eyes.
XxXxX
Erradane knew her cousin would be waiting near the entrance to the common room to speak to her when she got back. So before entering the hall she took a moment to fix her hair and adjust her robes to conceal her bruises.
When she turned about the corner he almost plowed her over, but he caught her wrist and pulled her up, saving her dignity as he unwittingly pressed against one of her bruises, making her have an intake of breath that she was almost positive her cousin would notice.
But when she opened her eyes, it wasn't her cousin's face that greeted her. It was instead his friend Potter, James Potter. "Erradane," he said uncertainly.
"…Potter," she replied looking at him curiously. It was clear the boy was nervous and ruffled, that fascinated her.
"Black," he said, he didn't feel right calling this creature by her real name. But calling her Black was awkward as well. Either way he had to stand to his full height so he wouldn't feel she was looking down on him in the way the Black family tended to do. "I need a favor of you,"
She smiled. This couldn't be anything but interesting.
XxXxX
Remus listened to Lily carefully nodding each time. The girl was very insightful and was clearly a good friend and ally to Sirius. She was putting herself out on a limb by even talking to him and she was doing her best to cover Severus' back while she did so.
In the end he held up his hand to cut her off. "I see. I can see where Sirius' sudden behavioral change would worry Severus, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for you right now. I don't fully understand what Sirius is doing, mainly because I don't think he himself understands."
Lily nodded slowly. "I see. And I understand. But I need to know what to tell Snape. This situation is doing a lot of good things for him. But if he's going to be hurt by it," she shook her head as her brows knitted angrily. "I swear if he gets hurt by it, I'll throttle Sirius myself. It would break Snape."
Remus looked at her with empathetic golden eyes. "I know."
He had to wonder if she understood, from his view of the situation, Severus wasn't the only one in danger of being broken. Sirius was slowly but surely changing, and he still couldn't tell if it was for better or for worse.
XxXxX