Chapter 11 - 6th Year (Part II)
He always liked the Slytherin Common Room, although all-year-round it seemed inconsiderably drafty. He sat in front of the fire, contemplating what had happened nearly a week ago between the Marauders and Ria. He wished he could just allow the thought to escape his mind, and the perfect interruption came within minutes.
"You're brooding over that Ravenclaw," said a voice. It was a statement, not even close to being a question. "I don't know why you got so high strung off of her knowing those imbeciles."
Severus peered up at the speaker. It was Regulus Black, a good friend of his. Unlike his brother, Regulus was a natural Slytherin. He used cunning, wit, and his charm to his advantage… and usually got everything he wanted. Surprisingly, though he was young in Hogwarts years, many people knew Regulus was simply not a kid to mess around with. Everyone knew he had many contacts in high places, and nobody wanted to ever be on the receiving end from one of his "powerful" stunning jinxes.
"I don't know, Regulus. You know how my father is... he doesn't allow company and she was the only I had to communicate with at my manor," Severus said simply, looking over at his friend. "What's on your mind?"
"You're the one that told me to meet you here," replied Regulus, rather bored, "I had so much more to do... like meeting Jessica..."
Severus felt his nose squash up in disgust. He knew that Regulus had a new woman on his shoulder nearly every week. Slytherin girls in particular couldn't resist him; he was very handsome, though young, and a Pureblood. Being Pure got you instant success with the opposite sex in the Slytherin Common Room.
"Well, I had an idea in mind," Severus started, "And it deals with having a spy from Gryffindor who will assist us in destroying the Famous Four."
At the words of 'the Famous Four', Regulus' eyebrows raised interestedly. He never really had any grudges against the four, but if it was worth them being the fools for once instead of the Slytherins... then maybe...
"What do you have in mind, Severus?" asked the pale-haired boy, smirking as he sat in a flat-backed armchair. "Amuse me."
"I was thinking... if it were possible for the so-called best friends to perhaps... turn against each other." Severus proposed. "If we could... tweak things... so it seemed to make none of them speak to each other again... Slytherins would have no more problems from the likes of Potter and Black."
Regulus looked severely shocked at his friend. An odd smirk crossed his handsome features, and he threw his shoulder-length black hair over his left shoulder.
"Severus, I never would have known you could think up plots that simple... yet... cruel... in that twisted little head of yours."
Regulus' comment came as a surprise for Severus, and from the confused look on the older boy's face made Regulus burst into an unnatural chuckle. A few girls sitting nearby started to look at the two young men with interest. Severus assumed that by the way they were starting to stare that they had never saw the great Regulus Black laugh in such a way before.
"What do you think?" asked Severus in an undertone. "Should we attempt?"
"I think that you're demented," replied Regulus, still smirking quite unusually. "You amuse me, Severus."
Regulus stood to leave. Severus' brow furrowed because he knew he wasn't going to be able to fulfill his plot alone. He needed help...
"Reg... I have a spy." Severus pleaded, his voice unusually deep. "He tells me all that goes on with the Quartet... Trio I should say."
At those words, Regulus looked at him interestedly once more. Severus knew he had to keep talking if he was going to make his influential friend interested.
"And... if you think about it we could really repay those three back for all they've done to Slytherins."
"Don't you mean, you could repay their number back for all they've done to you?" teased the younger boy. A pale pink blush crept across Severus' cheeks. He fought the urge to blush and be embarrassed. There were too many girls nearby, and he didn't feel like being giggled at.
"Somewhat," admitted Severus truthfully, "But think of it. Gryffindors in despair... mangled Marauders..."
Regulus considered for a few seconds, and a very serious look appeared on his face. Severus never knew whether to think heads or tails of Regulus sometimes. Not a lot of people knew him on the level that Severus did, and Severus knew that his moods changed frequently.
"Sure," the raven-haired boy decided finally. "But I'll meet up with you later to discuss the facts behind this brilliant scheme of yours. They seem like they need... touching up to."
Severus narrowed his eyes at Regulus as he finally walked away from the chairs they were sitting in. The boy broke into one last smirk before he headed away.
"Besides, I can't dare stick around any longer. I told… what's her name? Jessica? Yeah, to wait for me behind the portrait of Mundungus the Mundane on the fifth floor... and she gets very moody when I'm late for our... ahem... meetings."
And without another word, Regulus bid one final nod to Severus, and left the Slytherin Common Room.
-x-
Ariana Tyne walked her usual route back towards the Hufflepuff Common Room. She was humming an unusual upbeat song that she had heard over her Wizarding Wireless Radio alarm clock that she kept on her nightstand by her four-poster. It was by a new group composed of two young men who called themselves Phoenix & Sphinx. The song itself was called 'Bubbly Brew' and was about a witch one of the members had recently dated who wasn't very... smart on an uptake, one could say. Ariana personally didn't know why she liked the song, but skipped along the hallway as she headed down the stairs towards her Common Room.
"'She was no good,' " Ariana sung to herself, "'She was a two-timing, Spell casting, Love Potion Brewing disaaaaster.' "
Suddenly, Ariana felt as if someone was watching her as she walked down the stairs. She turned around to check if she was being followed, and saw nothing. Wondering, she turned back around to continue singing and skipping when she saw something ahead of her that hadn't been there before. Ariana gasped, blinking.
"What're you doing here?"
"I have ways," answered the voice simply. "Are you doubting my sneakiness?"
Ariana smirked at him. She couldn't help being mad at him... he was too adorable to even have an argument with.
"No, Sirius Black," said Ariana simply as she walked closer to him, "I am in no way doubting your sneakiness."
Sirius backed away from her, half hidden in shadow. Ariana didn't know why he was walking away from her... but she hadn't spent any time with her boyfriend at all, and felt as if he at least deserved a kiss.
"Come kiss me," said Ariana, smirking. "You haven't seen me in days... and now you act as if you're afraid of women."
"I-I'm not," answered Sirius.
"Then kiss me," said Ariana, nearly an inch away from Sirius now. She looked up at her boyfriend, who she knew was a great deal "taller" than herself. But somehow... he looked shorter...
There was a slight pause, and then Sirius leant down and kissed Ariana like she had been wishing. Something was strange... Ariana thought to herself. There was definitely something different about the way Sirius was kissing...
And that's when she opened her eyes to find out; she wasn't indeed kissing Sirius at all.
"Who're you!" she screamed, pushing the unwelcome person away from her and wiping her lips on the back of her hand. "What the hell are you playing at?"
But the boy smirked, and ran away.
-x-
Phase one was underway. Regulus walked casually towards Herbology, following a group of Gryffindors that were a few years older than him and going to Care of Magical Creatures. He shifted his knapsack on his shoulder, and cleared his throat loudly. Most of the Gryffindors cleared a path to let him through as he walked, afraid of his reputation.
"Slytherin within seven feet!" murmured Sirius to James, as Regulus approached them. Everyone looked in the direction of the older boy, waiting on baited breath for some sort of drama to happen.
The three Marauders stopped, watching Regulus as he walked by. Peter wasn't around for some strange reason, and Lily decided not to walk with them because she was still angry about what happened between them and Mackenzie. Regulus kept walking, nodding occasionally to the sneering Gryffindors who glowered at him as he crossed the courtyard. When he finally got to the point that he was directly across from the Marauder's, Regulus stopped and looked at them interestingly.
"So," said the brown boy very casually, with a shadow of a smirk. He wasn't afraid of being in his brother's company in the slightest.
"Regulus," greeted James, nodding. Sirius and Remus exchanged looks on either side of James' shoulders.
"Indeed. But I haven't tracked over here to speak to you Potter," said Lucius, looking James in the face and turning his attention to Sirius. "I've come to speak to Black."
Sirius' brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms casually, "You speak as if we haven't got the same last name, little brother. But now, seeing as you've got my attention… speak.""Yes," said Regulus, "I came to ask… my dear brother… what are your views in trusting Hufflepuffs?"
Sirius surveyed his younger brother carefully, "Why do you ask, Regulus?"
"Oh," thought Regulus aloud, "I don't know. I never trusted Hufflepuffs myself, you know. They're kind of... brainless, wouldn't you think? They seem like the type that once they get a good thing going... to ruin it."
Remus became annoyed with the young Slytherin, "What are you trying to say? We have classes to get to, Regulus." He snapped.
"I'm just giving Black a head's up to watch that snotty little Hufflepuff girlfriend of his, is all." Regulus said so simply, that Sirius' eyes widened in horror.
"What'd you do to her?" he snarled, taking a step towards his brother who looked very calm.
"Nothing," replied the raven-haired boy, "But you'd rather consider thinking about this: what is she doing with your friends behind your back?"
And with that statement, he walked away.
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Sirius snarled as Regulus walked away from them. The young man didn't look back at them.
"Do you think something happened to Ariana?" asked Sirius worriedly, looking at James and Remus, "Maybe I should go check on her..."
"We can't - the Professor is coming and we're already late as it is. We can't just skive off a class," James murmured, grabbing Sirius by the shoulder. "C'mon, mate."
"Yeah," Remus chimed in, patting Sirius encouragingly on the back, "I'm sure what Regulus just said was an empty threat. We'll check on her as soon as this class is over."
Sirius nodded dimly nodded, looking back at the castle in the distance. He didn't like what his brother was saying about Hufflepuffs and took it as an omen... so he had no choice but to wait until Care of Magical Creatures was over to go see what Regulus actually meant.
It was the longest hour and a half that Sirius ever had encountered in his life.
-x-
Ria didn't know what to do anymore. She sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room, endlessly after classes. She had no friends, and basically nothing to do except turn to her studies. Life like that never really matted; it was basically the same type of lifestyle she lived at her mother's house. The only exception now was that she was studying in a dormitory fully of students. No one ever spoke to her because she was outcasted as a 'freak' or a 'weirdo' and she never spoke to anyone because they were stereotypical.
Once in a while, Ria would attend meals. She'd seat herself at the end of the table, where she would eat quietly. She even stopped trying to make herself look presentable: after a while her hair fell limply out of its braid, and even her eyes had seemed to lose some of their zest. She couldn't help it. Severus wasn't speaking to her anymore... even though he said he would be her friend and wasn't ashamed of her. Sometimes she spent her meals staring at him holding conversations to some of the people he knew at the Slytherin table. And other times...
The Gryffindor Table.
Remus Lupin.
Ria avoided speaking to him... she didn't want to face him after all that happened nearly three years ago. She was a new person, with a new identity. Remus didn't even want her to attend Hogwarts! And now that she was there...
She just couldn't stop thinking about him.
The bell for the beginning of the evening feast tolled loudly in the background. Everyone, famished from their rather short lunch began to head in the direction of the Great Hall, talking excitedly to one another. Ria got up from behind the table in Transfiguration and was bustled against the crowds as usual, as she walked head-down with a book clutched tightly and protectively to her chest.
Once she seemed to have broken free from the crowds, Ria let the grip on her book loosen slightly. She glanced up once to make sure she was going in the right direction, and then her eyes automatically went back down to the floor as she walked. Unfortunately, since she couldn't see too well anyway, she ran into something, and dropped her book. Whatever she hit made her sprawl over on her face, and the sound of her flesh hitting the marble made her stomach yank uncomfortably.
"Ouch," she complained, regaining her composure as she got on all fours and helped herself up. "Ow, ow, ouch."
Someone extended his or her hand to help her up. She grasped it and whomever it was helping her grasped her hand firmly and helped her stand.
"Thank you," she murmured, looking around for her book and not once yet at the person. "Have you spotted my Arithmancy Text?"
"I have it," said the person. The low octave of the voice made her jump surprised. A boy was helping her? What were the odds!
And her heart stopped, as she looked the boy in the face. It was the person she least wanted to see at that moment.
It was Remus. To his right were Sirius and James, both of whom were looking rather anxious.
"Please, Moony... get this over with. I have matters to discuss with Ariana." Sirius murmured, scanning the Entrance Hall for signs of Hufflepuffs.
"You guys go ahead, I'll catch up with you." Remus reassured them and clapped a hand on Sirius' shoulder. He could sense his friend's anxiousness and wanted to be there to see what Malfoy had meant. James and Sirius walked off in the distance, and Remus hurriedly turned back to Ria.
"Please," the girl complained, "I'm sorry for all that happened but after the accident... I couldn't tell you where I was."
"Why?" asked Remus, glowering at her, "What am I supposed to call you now? This... Ria Wallace character?"
"It's a new name, Remus, that's all." Ria explained, "If it makes you any happier I'll be glad to renounce Ria and go along with Alanze."
"Where'd you get the name Ria from anyway?" Remus questioned, folding his arms and looking down at the girl. "You... look different."
Alanze blushed at him. "I grew up. Filthy, but I still did. And... Ria's the last two letters of my middle name, Naturi. You see, the 'R and I' just with an 'A' on the end. Ria."
Remus grinned at her. "Do you... forgive me for being such an arse?"
Alanze blushed more when she saw that smile. She looked at the ground, then up at her childhood friend with wide, gaping eyes. She surveyed him.
Indeed, Remus had changed over the years. He was still very thin, but in a sense it fit the specific build that his body adapted to. He was tall, with long arms and he had sandy blonde hair, light hazel (almost amber) coloured eyes, and a brief amount of freckles across his nose. He was looking at her down in a hopeful expression of forgiveness, and she was melting in his gaze.
"Remus... like you said a while ago, a lot has changed since you were thirteen and I was eleven." Alanze said softly, looking up at the taller man. "And now that I'm fourteen and you're sixteen... if anything... we've only changed for the worse."
Remus couldn't quite understand what she meant. "Which means?" he questioned his old friend.
"No, I don't forgive you." Alanze blurted, bustling past Remus. "I don't, okay? And leave me alone!"
Remus watched her as she ran away, quite confused. He forced himself not to think too much about the situation, but still was in thought as he went to catch up with James and Sirius. He walked right by the Entrance Hall after speaking to Alanze, ignoring one solitary figure in the shadow nearby, which had been watching the old friend's whole scene.
-x-
"Ari!" called Sirius, accidentally shoving a third-year in the head as he rushed through the thicket of Hufflepuffs trying to get to his girlfriend. "Ariana!"
Ariana turned around, looking twitchy and frightened. She looked at the oncoming Marauders as her friends stopped to wait for her. As Sirius was almost near them, she hurriedly whispered something to her girl friends and they walked off, looking scandalized.
"Ariana!" Sirius called again.
"Sirry," Ariana answered him, looking him in the face.
"My brother, Regulus, in Slytherin… just told me something interesting." Sirius mused. "What does he mean by 'What is she doing with your friends behind your back'?"
"I don't know," Ariana said, nervously looking at James and Remus behind Sirius. "What do you mean... your Slytherin brother? I don't even know him on a talking level." She added incredulously.
"Well he said something about something you must've done to have him blackmailing you about it!" Sirius said, running a hand through his rather long bang. "What did you do, Ariana. Tell me. I won't get mad."
That was the understatement of the century.
"Sirius - I didn't know... I thought he was you," blurted Ariana suddenly.
"What. Happened?" asked Sirius bitterly, eyes widening.
"He had your voice and everything and I thought it was you in the light - it was dark and at night and..."
"WHO?" Sirius snapped, making a lot of people in the hallway look at him strangely. "Who was it? Who fooled you?"
"I don't know his name exactly!" claimed Ariana, running a nervous hand through her own bangs. "I thought he was you... and so I kissed him..."
"WHAT?"
"But once I knew that it wasn't you I pushed him away! I asked him who he was but all he did was laugh!" explained Ariana, now very close to tears.
Sirius looked beyond anger. He was shaking silently... James didn't understand the seriousness behind Ariana making a mistake, but he had to support his friend. Remus' brow furrowed as he thought.
"Do you remember what he looked like?" Remus asked, "Like any key features so we can figure out who he is?"
"Brilliant!" Sirius said suddenly, taking an abashed-looking Ariana into his arms and hugging her tightly. "Don't worry babe, I forgive you. That Regulus, however..."
"He... he was shorter than all of you." Ariana explained, "He had a long pointy nose... and... he kind-of babbled when he talked."
Remus exchanged another dark looked with James, before asking his last questions. "What colour was his hair? What house was he in?"
"I think it was a blonde... straw-coloured maybe?" said Ariana, sniffling and screwing up her face in a thinking expression. "I think he was with your house."
Suddenly, she looked as if a brilliant idea struck her. "I know who he was. He's one of you... the one you call... Worm... Wormy..."
"Wormtail?" James and Remus thought aloud, eyes wide.
"I'M GOING TO BLOODY MASACARE HIM!"
-x-
"Padfoot, calm down!"
"Padfoot, SLOW down!"
"I'M GOING TO WRING HIS NECK!"
James and Remus were rushing hurriedly through and past the Entrance Hall, following an infuriated Sirius and being followed by a nervous Ariana. Never in Remus' memory could he remember the atmosphere in the Great Hall so tense.
"Wormtail, a word." Sirius growled, reaching the usual end of the Gryffindor Table that all the Marauders sat at. Peter was chatting to Lily casually, but when Sirius entered the hall and yanked him out his seat by the back of his robes, his face turned magenta and he wanted to know what was going on.
"Pa...Padfoot..." Peter stammered as he was literally dragged and being choked by Sirius, who had him still by the back of his robes. "What's going on?"
"I have business to discuss with you." Growled Sirius, as James and Remus hopped ahead of him to open the grand doors. Sirius literally threw Peter out into the Entrance Hall, where he slipped and skid almost to the other side.
"Wh...what happened?" Peter asked, flinching as the doors shut themselves. Lily had joined the scene, along with a bunch of students from the other houses. Slytherins were jeering and now forming a circle around the Gryffindor boys. It wouldn't be long until a teacher came out to stop the bickering...
"I've just been told an interesting little story," Sirius started, folding his arms and looking down at Peter interestingly. "From Lucius Malfoy and Ariana."
"... Malfoy? About wha... what?" asked Peter, twitching. Remus saw his eyes dart towards a group of Slytherins, and when he got a better look at the lot he noticed Regulus Black and Severus Snape standing shoulder-to- shoulder. His brow furrowed as he wondered, but he had to keep focus on the fight. Even if Peter was wrong in doing such a thing to Ariana, he couldn't just allow Sirius to shred him apart.
"About you snogging my girlfriend, that's what!" Sirius roared down at Peter, who helplessly threw his hands over his face. He was afraid that Sirius would just strike down and hit him.
"Snog... I... not me... not to Ariana...!" Peter had tried to defend himself. His eyes kept darting over towards the Slytherins. Remus thought that was definitely odd...
"And who should I believe? You, or someone I care a lot for and actually trust?" snarled Sirius, "Why is he a Marauder anyway? What exactly does he assist us in doing?"
"Well..." Peter tried to input, "Maybe if... if... you didn't treat me like dirt... than I wouldn't be trying to get your attention!"
"Trying to get my ATTENTION?" snapped Sirius, "BY SMOOCHING MY GIRLFRIEND?"
"Well... whatever works!" said Peter boldly.
"I'M GOING TO WORK YOUR NECK INTO A KNOT!"
Before anyone knew what was happening, Sirius was indeed trying to carryout his promise. He had launched himself onto Peter nearby; wringing his rather large Quidditch hands around Peter's fragile neck. The crowd around them jeered as James spotted Professor McGonagall trying to make her way into the throng. With escaping a detention in mind, James launched himself into the fray, trying to pull Sirius away from the helpless Peter, who was trying to fight back. Peter managed to get a smack in, which made Sirius enraged once more - but by that time Remus had managed to grab Peter and draw him away. McGonagall now stood in the middle of the fighting boys, looking stern with her black hair falling out of it's bun.
"How dare... I'm outraged at this, Mr. Black!" McGonagall scolded, now taking Sirius by the shoulder too. Sirius glared up at her, then over in the direction of Peter and in the direction of Regulus who just muttered something to their cackling cousin, Narcissa.
"What else is new?" Sirius snapped at the Deputy Headmistress, who again looked scandalized.
"You're going to be put in a detention, this instant!" McGonagall said, looking very scandalized. "Twenty points from Gryffindor!"
"Who cares?" Sirius grumbled, as he was dragged away under the arm of James and aside McGonagall through a group of Ravenclaws.
Remus was holding a terribly shaken Peter, who was looking at the Slytherins with such a look of terror and disgust. He allowed himself to be led away from the scene by Remus, sporting a bleeding lip and swollen neck from Sirius actually trying to strangle him.
-x-
"Blood spill." He spoke the password bitterly, walking around in his Muggle clothing. The last thing he needed was someone to notice his house and figure out he wasn't one of the Common Room he was going into.
"I thought you would take up for me!" he shouted at the first one in his agreement that he saw, which happened to be Regulus Black. The young man looked up from the text he was reading into the bruised face of Peter Pettigrew.
"I never agreed to any terms like that." He added, a serene smile passing over his facial features. A few younger children nearby surveyed the scene and left for their dormitories.
"What do you mean? You both just stood there and allowed him to just plunder me!" Peter screamed, upset and running his hands nervously in his hair.
"It was very amusing." Regulus admitted, grinning. "But that little contract was between Severus and yourself. I have nothing to do with it."
"Well... I have to discuss these so-called terms with Snape, then!" cried Peter, actually bawling now.
"Are you... crying, man?" asked Regulus, his grin spreading further across his face. Suddenly, his expression became very serious again. "I don't know where Severus is."
"Well I'm going to go find him!" was all the blonde-boy said, before stumbling back out the Slytherin Common room.
"You do that," said Regulus, sneering, "Mudblood filth." He added, going back to reading his book.
-x-
Severus, however, was looking for Ria. He was very amused by the turn of events, even though he had given Peter his word that he would help defend him. Shrugging off that thought, he was heading towards what he thought he seemed to be the direction of the Ravenclaw Common Room.
"Where'd you think you're going?" snapped a 5th year Ravenclaw Prefect once Severus was on the fourth-floor.
"To your common room, if you don't mind." Severus replied, rather smoothly, walking right by the boy.
"Wait, you can't! You aren't a... a Ravenclaw!"
"Peesh."
"Wait!" said the Prefect, tailing behind Severus, "Who're you looking for, anyway?"
"The new girl, Ria Wallace."
"Wait here and I'll get her for you!" snapped the Prefect, "Just don't come near the common room!"
Severus stopped and folded his arms. "Okay. But hurry or I'll keep walking..."
"NO!" snapped the boy, "I'll get her!"
He ran around the nearest corner of the corridor as Severus waited. He was kept waiting nearly five minutes, and was about to start walking towards the common room again when Ria stuck her head around the corner curiously.
"Oh," the girl said simply, "Henry said a Slytherin was outside waiting for me. I didn't actually expect you to be here. I'm pranked quite often around here."
"Yeah, well... I'm here." Severus added, simply, grinning. "I've come to ask you some questions."
The girl sighed. "I thought you would be getting around to that. What?" she asked.
"What should I really be calling you?" he questioned, "Ria Wallace... or this... A-lay-zee person?"
"It's Alanze. Alanze Haru-Daniels... that's my birth name. My mother is an African Muggle." She explained to him, "And divorced. I'm a Half-Blood... I found out my father was a Wizard shortly after you brought me here. I looked him up in the directory."
Severus felt himself wince and his gut tighten as he found out she was a Half-Blood. That wouldn't make Regulus, or his father, approve of her in any matter. They disapproved on any Wizarding Blood that wasn't strictly pure.
"Okay," Severus heard himself say, "That explains most of which I want to know. How'd you meet my father?"
Alanze looked at Severus, as though petrified. "I can't tell you that."
"Why?" asked Severus, looking at her curiously.
"Because he'd know." Alanze said, eyes widening. "He'd know, and I don't want to upset him."
"What do you know that I don't about my father?"
Alanze ignored that question. "How are you, Severus?"
"Good," said Severus curtly, "I also came to ask... do you have permission to Hogsmeade?"
"Hogs... what?" asked Alanze, wrinkling her nose. "I think I do... but, why is everyone in the Wizarding World obsessed with hogs?"
Severus had to laugh at her statement. "I have no idea to tell you the truth. It's a small village outside of school. There are shops down there like a sweet shop and a bar and I was wondering..."
"Wondering?" said Alanze, calmly repeating Severus' statement, and blinking slowly. She didn't understand what he was implying at all, from having no past relationships with the opposite sex.
"Would you like a tour of it? I'd help you on you're first visit..." murmured Severus very smoothly, leaning against the wall and smirking. He looked very handsome indeed. Alanze blinked at him, still unsure.
"Er... okay," said Alanze, eying him as she began to walk back towards the Ravenclaw Common Room. "Meet me in the Entrance Hall... so I definitely won't be lost, alright?"
"It's a deal." Severus grinned at the still sullen Alanze. After a while, Alanze broke eye contact and hurriedly rushed back into her common room.
Severus began walking back to the Slytherin Common Room, smirking now. Phases one and two were now underway, and it was great. Pretty soon, things would be working in the way he had planned them out to be... unless...
"SNAPE!"
"Damn."
Peter Pettigrew walked up toward Severus in a pure blind fury. He looked as if he had rummaged around the entire castle, just looking for him. Severus stopped, sighed deeply, raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms as the Gryffindor rushed towards him.
"YOU SAID YOU WOULD PROTECT ME AGAINST THEM! YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE SO MY END OF THE DEAL IS OVER!"
Severus clicked his tongue slightly at the shorter boy and blinked calmly. Peter stormed over and steamed up at the Slytherin, positively pink now.
"Yes, I know."
"AND YOU'RE CALM?"
"Pettigrew, calm down." Severus tried to reason, "If you quit on the plot now, then you'll never get any of the goods in the long term."
Severus was lying through his teeth, really not knowing what he was talking about. Peter was so gullible, and just as long as Severus spoke something that sounded like a good bit-in for the spineless boy... the coward would help him again.
"What do you mean, Snape?" murmured Peter, glaring.
"If they all end up doing as I plan... then imagine what you could have. The popularity... a place among the greatest... and guaranteed protection." Severus added, with a smirk.
"But -"
"Pettigrew, just stick with me and I'll make sure that when the long term occurs, you've got your fair share, okay?" said Severus, crinkling his nose. "Now get out of my way, you've made me late."
"Late for... what?" asked a very (now pleased) Peter. "It's nearly ten at night!"
"Sleeping." Severus smirked, then walked away.