Tortured Fate

by Moon of Amethyst

“I lost you once… I don’t want to lose you again, Remus.” Since his bite, Remus never expected much from his life. Then Hogwarts came into the picture. Things only went even further downhill from there. His story thus far.

17. To Get Back At Them

Chapter 17 – To Get Back At Them

---

Author's Warnings:
This chapter holds very strong adult themes.
Also… this chapter might be very long.
Actually, 40 pages long…
but I promise it's well worth it…
-MoA

---

Alanze woke up to a tear stained pillow and with bloodshot eyes. She had been crying frequently ever since her mix-up on Christmas Eve, and not very talkative towards anyone. She hadn't been down to a meal since the little that she had ate at the dance, and she hadn't opened any of her Christmas 'presents' even though it was three days past Christmas.

Pulling back her blue-velvet curtains, Alanze gazed about her dorm. Sara had been the only other dorm mate that had stayed over the holidays, and she probably was at breakfast. Alanze's stomach growled menacingly as she put on her dressing robe and slippers. Maybe it was time to get at least something to eat…

No one was in the Ravenclaw Common Room, either. Alanze headed out towards the Great Hall very sluggishly. Her hands were in her robe pockets, and she did not care what she looked like.

Everyone else did. People stared as she went towards the Ravenclaw table. There were about fifteen other people there, who didn't speak to her as she sat by herself at the edge of the table. Sara, being the good person that she was, joined Alanze.

"You look… horrible. How'd you let yourself come down in public like that?" the girl questioned. Alanze looked up at her; Sara was already dressed in Muggle clothes and wearing her usual amount of makeup. She always looked pretty and prepared… and the sight of her perfection depressed Alanze a greater deal. Alanze lowered her eyes and helped herself to bacon and ham.

"Honey, you've got to stop being depressed… no matter what happened at the dance." Sara said gently, getting up to smooth Alanze's hair down. "You look as if a hurricane has… oh Merlin."

"What?" Alanze murmured darkly, looking at Sara. Sara, as though petrified, was staring at something or someone over Alanze's opposite shoulder. Alanze looked towards the direction she was staring in, and a nasty shock nearly made her retch up her stomach. It was Severus.

"It took you long enough to come out of hiding." He told her gently, caressing her cheek. Alanze almost wanted to pull away from him. Severus sat down next to her, and Sara backed away a bit. Alanze could tell she was still eavesdropping, though.

"What was wrong?" Severus questioned.

"I don't want to talk about it. To sum it all up… I had another row with Remus, is all." Alanze explained, grabbing a piece of toast and crunching into it.

"Ah." Severus replied, eyebrows furrowing darkly. "That's why you were so upset. It makes sense. That Gryffindor may not be the best thing for you, Alanze. You always seem to have some type of mood swings when he's about."

"I know." Was all the younger Ravenclaw had said. She avoided Severus' eyes and ate very hastily. She was still very hungry from not eating three days in a row.

"I don't know if this'll cheer you up… but I'd like to know if you'd want to visit me tonight."

Alanze looked up and over at him. He was blurry… and then Alanze remembered she hadn't picked up her glasses when she had left her dormitory.

"Visit you… tonight? Where, in the hallway?" she asked curiously.

"No." Severus chuckled, lightly. "You look more beautiful without those horrid spectacles on."

"Don't change the subject… and plus I need those horrid spectacles to see. My vision is horrible." Alanze managed a smile. Severus caught himself sincerely smiling at her, and then he dropped it. Why was he acting so different right now? Was it because of what she said to him three days ago?

"I meant… visit me tonight in the Slytherin Common Room. If it'd cheer you up, any." Severus told her, flattening down her hair. "I don't want you being alone any more."

Alanze smirked. "I'm not alone… technically. Sara's been trying to cheer me up. What'd you mean… Slytherin Common Room?"

"I'm the only one in the entire house that stayed over the break." Severus told her in an undertone, so that Sara could not hear him. "I would volunteer to visit you in the Ravenclaw house, but I don't think your lot with be very happy with the likes of me scumming up the blue and bronze."

Alanze snorted through her tea. She looked over at Severus, weighing her options again. The only one in his common room? He wanted her to be there with him… completely… alone?

"Sounds like you need more company than I do." She teased lightly, "But I'll go."

Severus grinned again. Alanze liked it when he smiled and meant it; it showed a gentler side to him that only she saw and understood. It made the hardcore Slytherin seem more innocent.

"Great!" the young man cheered, "The password is The Silent Death."

Alanze repeated him faintly, "The… Silent Death?"

"Yes. I didn't think of it, ask the Prefects. They thought it was hilarious, obviously." Severus smirked. "What time shall I meet you in the Common Room then?"

"Dunno." Alanze said, starting to reconsider now. "If I even decide to go… Just wait. I'll surprise you."

Severus' brow crumpled, and then he shrugged and started to get up. "Okay. I'll just wait for you, then."

"Good." Alanze said softly getting up too. "See you later, then."

And she was very lucky as she headed out the hall. The Marauders were walking in, singing some Christmas song they had altered with rude words at the top of their voice. Alanze narrowly ran into them… but as she avoided the four – she grazed eye contact with Remus who looked evidently fine. Maybe it was just a front, but her being in sorrow and him not even looking as if this whole ordeal didn't effect him… made Alanze even angrier.

She silently agreed to herself that she would indeed be visiting Severus tonight. Just because she thought Severus deserved her time more than Remus did at the moment.

-x-

Why had she agreed to even visit, again?

She didn't even know where the bloody Slytherin Common Room was!

Alanze had tried to research the location in Hogwarts, A History but it didn't surprise her that the location wasn't in there. Wasn't Slytherin the one founder all about secrecy?

She resorted finally to asking people for directions… but that wasn't really much more help than the book. So, instead, Alanze just headed down towards the dungeons where she thought the Slytherin Common room could've been. She began shouting at the portraits… the statues… the walls… just anything that she thought could've been the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

"The Silent Death." Alanze murmured, as she walked down the hall. Still no luck.

"THE SILENT DEATH! THE SILENT DEATH! THE-"

A wall nearby Alanze's right arm slid aside. Alanze goggled at it, trying to memorize where she was. The only respectable landmark that would toggle her memory was a nearby torch, which lit up the wall as it slid aside. Alanze smirked, proud of herself, and entered the now-found Slytherin Common Room.

It was nothing like the Ravenclaw Common Room. The chairs were stiff and it just looked… dreary altogether. Alanze sighed, adjusting her sweater as she looked about. She had been refusing to wear her Hogwarts robes, and now she wished she had them on. The Slytherin Common Room was beyond chilly, and Alanze assumed that she was underground.

Severus was nowhere to be seen. The Common Room itself was square, and not that big to begin with… and Severus was not there. Alanze glanced at a nearby analog clock, and the time read eleven-thirty at night. Alanze's heart twanged. Had it really taken her an hour and a half to find the Slytherin Common Room? She gulped and headed in a direction of a staircase… hoping that Severus would at least be in one of the dorms.

One staircase ascended and the other descended. Alanze headed up the left staircase first. She found herself surrounded by doors, and she turned the nearest one. Gazing around, Alanze noticed a few key things that told her that the upstairs dorms belonged to the girls. There was a random brush full of blonde hair nearby the doorway, and a handbag hanging nearby the furnace. Alanze shut the door quietly and headed back towards the main Common Room floor.

She noticed that the main house was utterly dark, except for one or two solitary torches that lined each hallway. Alanze then headed towards the lower staircase, grabbing at her elbows to keep warmth. Evidently, the boys' dormitories was scenically placed further underground.

The first door that Alanze saw, she turned the artic handle, and peered in. The room was vacant. There was a brass number 1 on the wooden door. Alanze paused, figuring out that the one could signify that this would be where the first years slept. She turned, and right across the doorway was a giant brass 2.

Thinking in numerical order, Alanze followed the wooden doorways with her eyes. At the very end of the hall was a sort-of cul-de-sac. It was the largest doorway, engraved with a serpent around the giant brass knocker 7. She headed towards it quietly, her sneakers creaking on the wooden floorboards. Quietly, she raised an arm and rapped once on the large door. No one responded, so once again she grasped the icy brass handle and turned to allow herself in.

There were rather-large black oak four-posters with genuine silk bed sheets and hangings. Alanze ran her fingers idly over the fine wood, observing the dorm closely. It was relatively clean for young men, with a fireplace at the opposite end of the room. There were embers still burning slightly, and by the fireside were a couple of silk-backed chairs. One occupant was sitting in a chair, closest to the fire. Alanze recognized the person as Severus.

His chin-length hair was in his face, cascading over his shoulders. He seemed to be brooding, deep in thought with his face in his hands and his elbows on his knees. He seemed as if he didn't even know Alanze was present in the room.

"Severus." Alanze called gently. Still, no response. She began walking over towards his direction, surveying the young man in the grim light of the waning fire. There was a small puddle of water near his feet. Had he been crying?

"Severus, I'm here," she said gently, laying a hand on his shoulder. The young man shook it off, and goggled at her wildly. His hair flung over his shoulder and he had a sort-of deranged look on his face. On the floor, laying sprawled open was Severus' copy of Advanced Potion Making. Alanze mildly wondered why he always carried that book around.

"Alanze, I have to tell you…" he started, talking as if he were going to be dying within the next few moments, "I've been having these… these strange dreams – and I end up sleepwalking at the end of them… looking for you."

Alanze paused, watching the young man as he gazed at her. He reached out an arm and cupped her cheek in his palm. She jumped slightly, his skin was icy… and she was so warm… Slowly, she felt his thumb rake itself across her left cheek, as she leaned onto his hand. She wanted to know more about him, know more and then to understand…

"I've been having odd dreams too." Alanze confessed, just as she had told Remus a while ago. "I always wake up in the dungeons, but I never remember why. It just seems as if I'm being summoned by someone… there's a voice calling me in my dreams and it keeps taunting me to go to him…"

"…And when you follow the voice you get to a final doorway before you wake up?" Severus concluded for her. "Yes. I've been having the same exact dream."

Alanze paused. "But how?" the girl questioned, "How is it that we've been having the same dreams? Is this why you haven't been sleeping, Severus?"

Severus let out a laugh that sounded like a cough. "Me? I could ask you the same question." He teased, smirking slightly. The two broke off into an awkward silence.

"It's cold, Severus."

It took the Slytherin a while to register what the girl had said. He raised his wand, seconds later, and murmured a spell.

"Incendio!" he pointed towards the fire, which sprung to life immediately. The change in the room was drastic, and Alanze could feel colour coming back to her cheeks.

"Thank you."

Severus didn't respond. He was too busy looking at what she had on. The caramel coloured-girl was wearing a fuzzy yellow sweater. She was also wearing Muggle jeans and sneakers, and looked more than a Hufflepuff at the moment than a Ravenclaw.

"You're going against your house colours, did you know?" Severus joked, finally releasing his hand from her face. Alanze secretly wish he hadn't moved… she was just starting to warm his hand up, after all.

"Clothing is clothing." Alanze answered simply, watching Severus get to his feet. The boy paced the length of the room twice before he came back and stood directly in front of her.

"I have to tell you this." Severus spoke, softly at first. He laid both hands on her shoulders, looking down at her.

"Tell me what, Severus?" Alanze asked, not quite eager. His tone of voice was beginning to disturb her a little bit…

"In those dreams… I feel as though I'm being confounded." Severus confided.

"Confounded?" Alanze repeated faintly, "I don't understand what you mean, Sever…"

"Brainwashed!" Severus yelled, making the smaller girl jump. "I feel as though I'm being brainwashed in the dreams – brainwashed to do things I know I shouldn't."

"Things such as… what?" Alanze asked. A second after the question popped out of her mouth, she regretted ever saying it.

"Such as harming you!" Severus barked, his teeth bared and the unhinged look back on his face. Alanze shrunk in his gaze, and recoiled from him. She couldn't believe he had just said that…

"No, Alanze, don't!" the boy tried to persuade the girl… but she had heard enough. Is this why Severus asked to talk to her alone, so he actually could harm her? There was no way she was going to let that happen… and the younger girl took off at a run.

Severus caught her swaying arm before she even moved two paces in the direction of the doorway. She resisted him, struggling as he pulled her back towards himself and the fireplace. He was much stronger than her, physically, yes. She still had to get away… she didn't want to be hurt…

"I'm not going to hurt you so calm down!" Severus snapped, looking at her. Alanze glanced at him and saw he was sincere, and he had a serene look of concern in his dark eyes. Her motions of rebellion slowed slightly, but she didn't like being held by the forearm in Severus' firm grip.

"Severus, please…" Alanze begged of him, wanting to leave now more than anything. "Let me go – I won't tell anyone of your dreams, I swear…"

"It's not because of that," the boy started, when he was interrupted by Alanze's sudden burst of tears.

"Please!" Alanze screamed, now struggling again, "Please, just let me go, I swear – I won't talk any of this!"

"Stop it, you're making a fool of yourself, Alanze!" Severus yelled at her, but he still was not keen on letting her go. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"Then let me go!" the younger girl was now in hysterics. Severus put his other hand to her chin, and tilted her shaking face up towards him.

"Look at me." He told her. She refused.

"Alanze." He started more firmly. "Look at me."

The whimpering girl finally drew up all her courage to look Severus in the face. He looked concerned down at her, but she didn't want to be fooled. She knew as soon as Severus let her go she would take off down the dorm and as fast as she could out of the horrid Slytherin Common Room…

"I promise not to hurt you if you promise not to run away." Severus told her, as she cowered under him. "Is that a deal?"

All that responded from Alanze was a whimper and new wave of tears. Severus sighed, and let her arm go.

She took off. Not knowing what came over him, Severus gritted his teeth and began to stride after the girl. He caught her by her waist as she tried to run up the staircase from the boys' dorms and began dragging her downwards, towards the room they had darted out from. It was all hell trying to get the girl back into the room… but Severus really didn't want to hurt her… or did he?

"Stop being daft!" Severus struggled, as Alanze clawed at his face. He narrowly dodged her sharp nails clamping down into his cheek as her hand collided with his face.

"LET ME GO!" Alanze screamed, wondering where in the hell her wand was. Fear overcame her as she realized the truth. She had left it back in the Ravenclaw dormitories.

"ALANZE, I'M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU!" Severus yelled over her crying and screams. He finally gained composure, and threw Alanze back into the 7th year dorm room. She slid halfway across the polished floor, looking up at the Slytherin in horror as he locked the door with his wand and began walking over towards her.

"Please." Alanze was begging again, now cornered near the fireplace, with nowhere else to go. "Don't hurt me, Severus. I haven't done anything to be harmed from."

"I know." Severus said lightly, his breathing irregular. He was silently wondering what came over him and why he actually chased after Alanze and threw her back into the room. "I just wanted you to hear me out, that's all."

Alanze was giving him such a look of fear and disbelief he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He fought the urge to retch as he avoided looking at the cowering girl. He couldn't bear it… his hands started shaking… and he hid his face in them as he tried to calm himself down.

In the meanwhile, Alanze had spotted Severus' wand on the edge of a trunk. She supposed it was his, as it had his initials 'S.S.' on it… but it didn't matter. Slowly… surely… she got up out of the corner and began tiptoeing towards the wand. She was grateful for the fact sneakers scarcely made noise on hardwood floors as she finally managed to grab the wand. Then, without warning, she took off again.

"ALOMAHORA!"

Severus looked up from his chair, to find his wand discarded at the door that was now wide open. His blood pulsed as he darted out the room and caught Alanze in the exact same place he had caught her before. Hauling her backwards towards the room, and locking the door with a different spell this time, Severus made sure his wand was hiding as he tossed Alanze to the floor. He was panting, and angry with her for trying to escape again. The feelings he usually had in his dreams were intertwining with his reality… and in anger; he went and grabbed the younger girl who was scrambling away from him across the floor in fear.

She screamed bloody murder as Severus picked her up with no effort at all. She hit him – she fought, screamed, scratched, bit… did whatever she could, but Severus did not falter in his step until he reached the front of the dormitory, near the fire yet again. This time, he did not set her down. Instead, he threw her abruptly on his four-poster and then, in turn, roughly hopped on her.

"NO!" screamed Alanze, horrified, now wriggling and trying to free herself under Severus' body weight. She didn't want this to happen…

To her surprise, Severus did not continue any other motives, other than laying on her. He was looking deep into her face, still panting from the struggle, hands stroking her hair, which had fallen free from her braid during their skirmish.

"You're beautiful." Severus told her, breathing heavily out of his nose.

What?

Alanze paused, racking her brain after all that had happened. Had Severus been telling the truth in saying that he hadn't wanted to hurt her, all along?

"What?" Alanze voiced her thought.

"You heard me, you're beautiful." The older man told her lightly, looking at her under him. "Especially in the reflection of the fire glow."

Alanze felt herself blushing. She too, was out of breath from fighting Severus… and his body weight was not helping her lungs reconstruct any better than holding her breath would've at the time.

"Alanze, I would never hurt you." Severus whispered to her, bending close to her right ear as he still stroked her hair gently. "I just want you to know that I care for you. I don't want you hurt, especially because of my sleepwalking."

Alanze felt the breath of Severus speaking on her neck. It was making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end… but she wasn't as scared of him as she was just moments before. She glanced at him the best she could, and realized that her arms were free. He wasn't even pinning her down… he was just… hovering on top of her.

"Alanze, I-" Severus spoke softly in her ear, but she yanked her head away from him. She hadn't meant to do it, but a trickling of blood from the side of Severus' face caught her attention and concern.

"I scratched you!" she whispered, horrified, taking her hand up to touch Severus' wound. "I hurt you!"

Severus laughed slightly, watching as she showed him the blood on her hand. He felt his own wound after she did, now knowing why he felt lightheaded.

"I reckon you did." He teased her, "You've got a firm punch, Alanze. And a fine scratch too for the matter."

"Oh Severus – I'm sorry!" Alanze apologized over and over again. Severus wouldn't hear of it, and shook his head to dismiss the matter.

"I deserved it for not explaining why I kept you here in the first place."

Alanze saw a look in his eyes that she didn't like. "What'd you mean?"

"I… I was lonely." Severus admitted, "It's true. I wished for company, and so I asked you to join me here tonight."

"Oh." Alanze replied, heart fluttering lightly. She shifted under his gaze and his weight, and her left thigh brushed in-between his legs slightly. He jumped, and she gasped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" she tried to explain, but her brain clouded. The last thing she remembered was Severus cupping her face in his hands and their lips meeting.

It was awkward at first. Alanze had never kissed anyone besides Mystère/Remus before, and kissing Severus was another situation entirely. Her eyes closed almost automatically, but she was taking mental notes as they kissed. His lips were firm and smooth, which was a surprise to her. They were a bit smaller than her own, but she didn't care. Their lips fumbled awkwardly with each other, before settling in a place where they both could relax and ease more into their hormones.

Severus took one hand and ran it wildly through Alanze's thick, ginger hair. Why hadn't he noticed this before? He loved it… he loved her… he loved everything about her…

His tongue searched for the inside of her mouth, and she allowed it to enter. Severus scarcely noticed when his left hand reached up and took Alanze's glasses from her face… they were getting in the way. They fumbled a bit more with their tongues, and Alanze dared to open her eyes. Subconsciously, she found herself holding Severus' body as close to her own as their torsos would allow. She had both her arms wrapped around his back, and took a deep shuddering breath as Severus broke their kiss and started trailing kisses down Alanze's chin and neck.

It was sheer bliss… just his lips on her skin made her want more… he sucked lightly at a point on her neck, and Alanze felt herself moaning. She caught the sound right in the middle of it actually happening, and purpled, embarrassed.

"Severus." She tried to interrupt quietly.

Taking the hearing of his name another way entirely, Severus reached down and abruptly pulled the sweater over Alanze's head. She looked surprised, and embarrassed as he tossed it carelessly through the floor. Alanze looked up at him and saw the hormones coursing throughout his system. She was scared. She felt as though she wanted this to happen… but after all, she was very young. It wasn't the right thing to do.

"Severus, no!" the younger girl shielded her bra and chest away from the hormone-driven young man. Alanze began backing away from him, her thigh bumping in-between his legs again. She recoiled more when she felt something in his pants that hadn't been there before… she was confused… no one ever took the time to explain hormones and men to her… what was going on?

"What?" Severus asked lightly, trying to regain some type of composure as he watched Alanze leap up from the bed and grab her shirt and glasses off the floor.

"Unlock the door, please." The younger girl begged, looking at Severus. "I shouldn't have let things carry on this far."

Severus shook his head sadly. "It's my fault, not yours, Alanze. I should've realized you would have been uncomfortable. You're not ready for this and I don't even think I am."

His honesty took Alanze by surprise, and she watched as he took his hidden wand out of his trunk and unlocked the door. He set it back down on the top of his trunk and sat at the edge of his bed, with his head in his hands, yet again.

"There." Severus murmured, sighing. "You can go if you want. I'm not going to force you to stay here with me any longer."

Alanze couldn't even remember why she had stayed, when she looked back on the event in the past. So many emotions welled up inside her… she wanted to be with him. Remus… who was he? It was like he didn't even matter to her anymore.

"Oh!" the girl cried, launching herself at Severus' feet. He looked down at her, astonished.

"I want to stay, I want to be here with you." Alanze whispered, in tears again. "I love you, Severus."

Those words. Those powerful, influential words…

He raised her head towards him again and kissed her. She rose to his level, and he pulled her up on the bed, climbing on top of her again and tossing the sweater (that she had never put on) uselessly out of her hands. Her glasses were flung off of her face again, and they clattered uselessly to the floor. One shaky hand rose to stroke Alanze's hair yet again, and the other raked rather frighteningly across her chest.

"It's okay." Alanze whispered, taking her hand and guiding his own. "I want you to."

Those were the final words Severus understood, until the night collapsed into itself. And then, for a while… all was nothing to Severus Snape and Alanze Daniels.

-x-

He woke up to find the fire burning low again. His wand was out of reach, and it was really cold. He shivered involuntarily under his covers, and drew the naked body lying next to him closer… preserving the heat of her body. His eyes snapped open, and it took a few moments to realize he was in his bed, with Alanze. Naked.

Guilt, horrible guilt, flooded into him like water in the lungs of the drowning. He sat bolt upright in bed, his bare chest hitting the chilly, underground air, as he began shaking and looking at the younger girl next to him in the bed.

What was he thinking!

He felt himself getting sick again, still panicking all the while.

What would Dumbledore say to him if anyone on the staff found out? He was a registered adult in the Wizarding World… and she was just… she was still… a child!

'Calm down' Severus thought to himself, forcing himself to lie back down. He surveyed the bare shoulder of Alanze, who was lying on her side towards him, and felt his stomach plunge. He stroked the skin on her shoulder slightly, before covering her up a bit more in his many layers of blankets. He gazed at her fondly, turning towards her and trying as hard as he could to block out the flowing memories of what just happened hours before…

He shut his eyes and saw them fighting… him tossing her to the bed… the first true kiss they had ever shared… their bodies in perfect motion with each other… just seeing the emotions on Alanze's face as she muttered his name in their ecstasy…

Guilt flooded into Severus yet again, and he found himself looking at he slumbering Alanze. She reached out, and began stroking her hair, subconsciously. He didn't know how long he was just gazing at the younger girl, but after a while he felt something wet on his cheek.

He was crying.

And then, that's when it hit him. If he had to say it aloud, this would be the only acceptable time to do so.

"I love you." Severus spoke loud, and clearly into the sleeping girl's ear. She faltered slightly, but didn't wake up.

"Did you hear me?" Severus said, a little louder now. Half of him wanted Alanze to awake, and the other half wanted her to stay sleeping.

"I love you!" he whispered fiercely into her ear, then going and kissing the sleeping girl, rather roughly. Alanze responded by subconsciously kissing him back, and then cuddling onto his chest as they lay in the bed, together.

"Things are only going to get worse from here." Severus spoke aloud, still running his fingers through a curl in Alanze's hair. "Things are only going to get worse, and I expect when the Gryffindors find out about this… because somehow they will… they won't be happy at all."

Severus contemplated what he had said for a few moments, before his eyes finally batted shut again and he hugged Alanze closer to him.

Things were only going to get worse from then on. Fate was intervening as the two teens lay slumbering and someone walked about the dorm, unnoticed.

Things were already getting bad. The fate of the two had been sealed the first moment Alanze stepped into the Slytherin Common Room.

And oh how right Severus' prediction was.

-x-

"Sev…?"

No answer.

"Severus?"

Still, no response.

Alanze opened her eyes and sat up in a hurry. It was freezing, and she didn't know where Severus was. She had assumed it was the morning after their little escapade. Her eyes glanced at the door hurriedly and she found it odd that it was flung wide open. Where had Severus gone… and how hadn't she noticed his departure?

"Severus?" she desperately called out into the silent common room now, eyes raking over the other empty beds. She pulled the sheets about her body as she climbed out of the four-poster and began to look for her clothing. Silently, she grabbed her glasses and forced them on her nose. Then, she pulled her underwear and pants back on, and was scrambling to find her shirt, tears streaming down her face.

Alanze secretly knew the past night events were too good to be true. She felt dirty and abused, just for being hoodwinked into staying with Severus. Alanze felt herself becoming sick, and she turned to a nearby wastebasket and retched. She couldn't believe that she was so gullible and so stupid last night…

Not finding her sweater, she opened Severus' trunk, which was surprisingly unlocked, and took out a long, black tee shirt from his pile of laundry. She tossed it on carelessly, and began to hustle out of the dorm as fast as she could.

A sharp, literal, pain her neck brought her to tears and to her knees. She had almost made it out of the dorm until the twinge of pains in the side of her neck made her almost faint. She looked at her hand holding herself up, as she propped herself up off the floor and marveled how pale she was in complexion. Panicking now, she removed her hair from the side of the neck on which she felt the pain, and examined the spot closely with her fingers.

Blood drained from her face as her fingers raked over and over the wound, not wanting to believe what it actually was.

There were two puncture marks on the side of her neck. She raised her hand to her eyes and saw that there was dry blood coming from the wound.

Where was Severus?

Did the bite… no… it wasn't a bite… Alanze shook out of her head. It was a wound.

Did the wound mean that Severus was a…?

Feeling dizzier and suddenly knowing why she was lighter in complexion, Alanze made her way towards the Hospital Wing as fast as she could. Maybe the nurse would know better than she did… but she was praying that the bite… 'No, the wound!' Alanze kept reminding herself had nothing to do with Severus.

Or even Vampires, for the matter.

-x-

Her eyes fluttered, but she didn't feel like waking up. She remained semi-conscious as she lay on the bed, hearing voices.

"A vampire, you say?"

"I'm positive of it, Headmaster. She has all the symptoms, and I've double checked her blood for signs of infection…"

"Inside Hogwarts… incredible. I thought I had all the student special cases down locked."

"Could it have been an outside attack?"

"Poppy, you know the barriers around Hogwarts make it impenetrable." The male voice replied, in a solemn voice. "Not to say that it wouldn't be possible… but I do know for a fact that there aren't any Vampire Clans about Hogwarts."

"But there was a clan in Hogsmeade before, Headmaster… if I do recall correctly." The woman replied. She sounded worried, and the girl heard her heels echoing about the bed she was laying in. Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse. Her eyes flew open.

They were blurry figures, but Alanze made out the figures of Albus Dumbledore, the school headmaster, and Madam Phompry, the school nurse. She watched them weakly, as Madam Phompry pushed a goblet of foul-smelling liquid up to her lips.

"No," Alanze refused, moaning miserably. Her insides felt icy – she felt as if she did not eat… no… drink… then she would just die.

"She won't take the potion. I don't know what to do… if she's been infected deeply then she needs the blood of the Vampire that bit her to survive."

Dumbledore's brow furrowed, and he paused, considering his options. "Maybe…" he started slowly, not wanting to draw to the conclusion he had thought up.

"Hmm?" asked the nurse, trying to get Alanze to drink the potion again. The girl still refused, and turned her head so that she would not have to drink it.

"Perhaps if we left her be… her attacker would return and give her the blood that she needs to survive. If… he or she didn't want Miss Daniels dead, just for spite." Dumbledore reported, stroking his beard.

"Would that be the right thing to do? We cannot just cure her? I doubt she wants to be infected… she's just a child, Headmaster!"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "Then… if you want to save her life… you must force her to take the potion. There are no other alternatives."

Madam Phompry sighed, and took out her wand. She stunned Alanze quickly and quietly, and forced the Blood Restorative Draught down the girl's throat. Dumbledore watched on as Alanze swallowed the potion with help from the nurse, and then dozed off into a very serene sleep.

"Watch over her like a hawk." Dumbledore ordered, glancing at the sleeping girl and then at Madam Phompry. "I do not want to take any chances in having the attacker come back and then try to undo the ongoing blood cleansing."

"I'll watch her as if she were my own." Madam Phompry responded, her face set. There was no way this student was going to have to suffer from her infection now… she would be safe in her care.

"I trust you to do so." Was all the Headmaster had said, before he gave Madam Phompry a curt nod and then left the Hospital Wing in a hurry.

-x-

"Alanze, dear?"

"Mmm…?"

"Wake up."

Alanze rolled about in her cot. She didn't want to wake up… she was too comfortable.

"Wake up. You have a visitor." The feminine voice spoke to her again.

"Visitor? Visitor who?" murmured the half-conscious girl.

"Mr. Lupin from Gryffindor."

Her eyes flew open.

"You are also discharged from the Hospital Wing!" Madam Phompry concluded cheerfully, "Completely healed and free to go whenever you please!"

Alanze nodded subconsciously, and tried to get her eyes to focus. At first, because of her missing glasses she couldn't see anything. Stretching out a hand, Alanze fumbled for her spectacles before finally finding them and placing them on. Hovering over her was Madam Phompry, and to the left of her bedside and sitting in a chair was Remus Lupin.

"Why are you here?" Alanze asked miserably, turning her back to him.

"Just because we had another row doesn't make you my friend any less. You've been out for a week, Alanze." Remus snapped back, folding his arms crossly. "I was worried about you."

Alanze sniffed hardly through her nose, keeping her back to Remus. She wasn't trying to be rude, but she couldn't bring himself to look him in the face. She still was feeling a regret from doing what she did with Severus the week before.

"It's great to know that you care." Remus barked, pushing his chair back and going to exit the room. "I brought you your work from your mates, and you've got an owl. I set them all on the night table over here… with your gifts and cards."

Alanze still would not turn towards him, as she heard him near the exit of the Hospital Wing. She felt ashamed, and could not tell him what she had done.

"I also came by to wish you a Happy New Year," snapped the Gryffindor 7th year, as he went to shut the door behind him. "Good bye, if you insist on being rude."

The door closed in a curt 'snap!'. Alanze pulled her bed sheets closer, back still towards the exit.

"Bye, Remus." She whispered into her pillow. "And thank you."

-x-

Severus woke up, his head pounding and his thoughts reeling before he even had a chance to notice his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that Alanze was not with him anymore. He wasn't even in the Slytherin Common Room.

'Where the hell am I?' Severus thought wildly, drawing back black-velvet curtains. He got a nasty shock of reality when he noticed a different fireplace facing his bed. He wasn't at Hogwarts at all. On the contrary, he was back at the Snape Family Manor.

Severus jumped out of his four-poster to find himself fully clothed. He looked wildly about the room for some means of escape… and found a nasty shock sitting at the foot of his bed. Why hadn't he noticed he was there before?

"Father." The Slytherin whispered, astonished.

"Severus." His father responded quite simply.

"Why'd you take me from school?" Severus snarled suddenly. He grabbed at his pockets for his wand, but found out it wasn't there…

"Simple." His father responded. "I wanted to talk to you. Sit down, Severus."

His father indicated two chairs, set by Severus' writing desk on the other side of the room. Idly, the older Snape walked over towards the desk and sat down in the first chair. He watched his son as he debated on what to do.

"Why?" Severus barked. "What'd you want from me?"

"I wish to talk." His father snapped, suddenly stern, "Sit down, Severus… or I will make you."

Knowing his father did have a knack for keeping his threats; Severus headed over towards the desk and sat down rather awkwardly across the space between the chair that held his father. He surveyed his father quietly, not knowing what this little "talk" was to be about. Severus definitely knew that his father wasn't the parenting type… so that had to mean that he was either in trouble… or…

"Have I ever told you how I met your mother?" his father started out. He spoke in a calm type of voice, like he had planned the whole conversation out a time previously.

"No, you know you haven't." Severus snapped, though taken aback by the subject.

"I just thought it would be polite to ask." Master Snape replied, folding his hands onto his lap.

"Well, I don't want to hear about your little vignettes, father. I'm supposed to be in school… term started yesterday!" Severus growled, rising to his feet.

"You will SIT and STAY until I am finished talking to you." Master Snape growled so viciously that halfway amid rising up from his seat, Severus sunk back down into the wooden chair. He glowered at his father angrily, and crossed his arms at the elbows as he waited for the story to continue.

There was a very awkward silence between the two Snape men as they sat, glaring at each other. An open defiance flickered about both of their auras, and even though Severus had doubted his father before… there was no uncertainty about him being a true Snape now. In ways he was now noticing, Severus looked, thought, and even acted in personality of what resembled his father.

"I am not a Muggle," his father spoke loudly.

"What?" murmured Severus. "Mum and I always thought you were-"

"I'm not."

"…How so?"

"I am going to start from the beginning. Severus, know that there are things in a man's past that he would always like to forget, but somehow, these regrets always seem to catch up to a person throughout their life." His father started. Severus was irked at the way he was speaking as if he were talking about his favorite subjects at Hogwarts.

"Certain things like what?" the young man asked huffily.

"Committing sins, Severus." Master Snape continued. "Sins that were damned by the Gods – sins involving women."

There was another awkward pause before Master Snape continued to talk.

"You see, Severus, I was maybe a little older than you… but still young and foolish. I didn't want to settle down, you see. I had too much on my mind… and my body wanted too much from women. I was in lust with every female I saw, at one time. I couldn't get enough of them."

Master Snape licked his lips.

"At one point, I caught onto my addiction and decided it had to stop. In doing so, I tried to turn the old me into someone new. I adapted to the name of Tiernan Pierce, and moved out of England to a new place… Germany. Then, with a few altering spells, I thus became a new man. My first wife was a petite little dame… very short with blonde hair and puffy cheeks. She had the name of Ardice Rice. We were wed, and stayed together for nearly a year… but I couldn't have it. She found me… once again… going back into the habits of my old addiction. Ardice reported me, and I was nearly hung for my sin in the village."

A few key words brought Severus to think. The woman, Ardice, reported his "sin" and he was nearly "hung" for it in his "village"?

"Wait a minute." Severus tried to voice, but his father shook his head curtly. The younger Snape fell silent, and continued to listen to the epic.

"Change is no big of a deal, especially with so many different countries around a growing world. Next, I tried to play my strengths up to par in Africa. It really wasn't hard to get there, me, being a Wizard and knowing apparition. I am a Muggle-Born, you see."

Severus stifled a gasp. He didn't know why it mattered; he was still a Half-Blood either way. He watched, eyes wide as his father continued the story.

"I ended up in Egypt, a city with history and full of knowledge, and that was where I tried my next commitment. The woman there was a dark-skinned girl… you know, with nice features. Myrrh was her name, and she was a servant in an inn ran by some wealthy man in the city. After a while, she eventually learned to love me… at the time, I had changed my name to Upton Finn, to sound more cultured. I admit, I did have nice times with Myrrh… but it wasn't what I was looking for in a woman. In the end, I ended up leaving her and breaking her heart. I couldn't stand Egypt any longer… there was something out there for me… something that I had to find. That was when I knew that my place was in England and that I could no longer hide who I was. I had always been a Snape… so why bother to fight what originally had been predestined? I returned back to the country… in Hogsmeade to be exact. It was there, when I met a man who changed my life forever."

Severus was still taking mental notes. "A growing world?"… What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"In Hogsmeade, this man… whom I still call Limaiti to this date… is the one who helped me turn my life for the better. He opened my eyes to a horizon of life that is eternal… yet still, damned. I never thought at the time about how horrible a gift like what Limaiti gave would be in the long run. I cannot regret my decision now. This decision brings me up to current times. Are you keeping up with me Severus?" His father asked suddenly. "Do you understand thus far?"

" 'Horizon of life that is eternal'." Severus repeated aloud, rubbing his chin. "Father, what are you trying to say?"

"I cannot die." His father answered simply.

Severus was taken aback. "Wh-What?" he stuttered.

"I cannot die." His father answered again, with a smirk this time. "Actually, I can, but how is not what I am explaining to you at this moment. Limaiti blessed me with a gift of eternal life and damnation."

"So… you're a Vampire?" the younger Snape questioned, disbelievingly.

"Yes, and no." Master Snape responded, thinking. "Yes, I do act in Vampiric Ways. I do not need to survive on blood, though the taste is quite fulfilling. I am a normal human, but not only that… but I also have gained Wizarding Powers along with my Vampiric gift."

Severus' head was swarming. His father? A Vampire? Then, slowly it all started adding up. He had questions that he wanted answered, and fast.

"That's why we live in- in this place – and that's why you would never let me wander the streets. Parasite Alley – it's an outcast town full of Vampires, isn't it?" Severus growled, now understanding. "Vampires hate Wizards. How the blooming hell did your Limaiti person just happen to mix the two together?"

"It's quite simple," the elder Snape drawled, amused now. "Limaiti invented the race about the same time the Hogwarts founders invented the school. He found an ancient Greek spell book in which gave the instructions to make a potion to transform willing witches and wizards into immortal beings resembling Vampires."

"Resembling Vampires?" Severus repeated faintly. "Wait. You said you were nearly human, am I correct?"

"True." Master Snape repeated softly. "This race of Vampire-Wizards is called Tremare. As somewhat humans, Tremare Witches can walk among the living as a human and as a wizard… with full magical powers. We eat, drink, sleep, and reproduce just as normal people would."

"Sounds nearly perfect." Severus whispered in awe. He couldn't believe he was hearing the sudden confession from his father. "Why do you think the decision you made is regretful?" he asked suddenly.

"There are drawbacks to everything, Severus." His father answered simply.

"Such as?" the boy cockily replied.

"No reflection." His father told, "Larger canines. A Tremare Witch can die by the stabbing directly into the heart or by instant decapitation. Spells usually do not harm the immortal Tremare, primarily because just like the Vampire – they are repelled. This is why there is a special branch at the Ministry of Magic that trains Wizards to kill Vampires through Muggle tactics. Magic is useless against Vampires."

Severus gathered all he could, trying to absorb the story in bits and pieces. Just when he thought his father was going to take a break, the older Snape just kept on talking.

"And on the stages of the moon… meaning the quarter, the crescent, the half, and the full… most Tremare Witches have an undeniable craving for blood. It's not that bad, and I really don't mind it. I've gotten used to it. After all, I have been a Tremare for some time." The older Snape chucked at his own expense.

The younger Snape was still a big confused. At the look on his face, Severus could notice his father was becoming annoyed with him. Before he even had a chance to raise a question, his father launched back into his tale.

"In Hogsmeade I went back to my original name of Snape. My family surname had no longer been blackened by my sin – I was free to live on as guilt-less as I had wanted. I lived in Hogsmeade for a good while of time – I even taught at Hogwarts in its older years. Those times were good… until change took effect, yet again. Things were modernizing, and with a gift of being immortal… I had to adapt. The dark wizard Grindelwald had just been defeated by an Albus Dumbledore by the time I came out of hibernation from the new world. It was a new century, and I thought I was ready to enter back into the world of modern Wizarding. I entered Hogwarts back in the 1950's. I stayed my full time, learning all I could. I had fulfilled part of my wishes, then. I knew all of my magic… but it still wasn't enough. There was something more to Hogwarts than I thought."

"And that something was?" Severus sneered.

"Love. I knew I'd find the one for me in Hogwarts. I waited and waited, until… I found her. And she was perfect. Nice proportioned with brown hair and green eyes… she was half Irish and half German herself. Her name was Eileen Fiorenza Prince. She was your mother, Severus."

Severus had never known his mother's actual name. He never took it upon himself to know. As his father described her, he pictured her calm, smiling face right in front of him. Murky brown hair and muddy green eyes… he remembered those eyes… and now, he had a name to match with his mother's beautiful face. Eileen Prince.

"How old are you?" Severus suddenly asked his father. He was curious now.

"I am over five-hundred years old." His father answered simply, smirking as his son's jaw dropped.

"What did you decide on your first name in being?" asked Severus, sounding like an over-excited adolescent instead of a young man. "I mean, after coming back into Hogsmeade, and all."

"Tobias. Tobias Demetrius Snape." His father replied calmly. "And I, was the last of the Snape bloodline, which died out 500 years ago. The reason I left Hogsmeade was for my sin… in which my family's name paid for. They went extremely poor, and starved to death in the streets during winter. With Limaiti's gift of eternal life, I knew I had a chance to restart the Snape generation during a time where I knew life would be getting better. When I found Emberlynn, I knew she was perfect for me to start a new generation of Snape's with. I sensed in her that together, we would have a powerful heir to continue the Snape bloodline. Naturally, the heir resulted in being you."

Demetrius took a great amount of silence in his story as Severus eyed him warily. Severus couldn't understand why Demetrius had waited so long just to have a child that would carry on the Snape name. If his father was over five hundred years old… why hadn't he started to reproduce centuries ago? The Snape bloodline would've been full by now! Severus was worried, and a conclusion from his father's speech was nagging in the back of his mind. He suddenly had an impulse to run as far away from his father as naturally possible.

"Did mother know you were a… a… Tremare? And a Muggle-Born?" he asked quietly.

"I told her when you were about five. By then, I had acquired a decent amount of money... and that's when the fights started. She began to wonder why I had taken our savings and suddenly moved out to Parasite Alley in the first place. I had to tell her that the Ministry had banned all Vampires to this horrid place. That day, I told her everything. She left me for years, and took you with her resulting that talk. Luckily, she did come back… and brought my heir back to me. About that time, you had received your Hogwarts letter. But since then, you have never left my manor." Tobias relayed, sighing softly, "I became harsh with you and turned you into a loner. I didn't want anything to happen to you after trying so hard to maintain what little pride I had left of me. I kept you here, and still have never strayed that far beyond my manor."

"I feel as though you're going to ask me something," Severus interrupted, sneering. "I know the story doesn't end on this type of note."

Tobias burst into laughter. With a look of satisfaction in his eyes that Severus had never noticed before, he glowered down at his son.

"That's my Severus. In fact, I do have something I was going to draw the story down to." The older Snape answered, the smirk fading off of his face. "And, I'm afraid that your answer is not optional."

Astounded, Severus goggled lightly at his father. His heart was beating in his throat, he could have bet a hundred galleons on knowing what his father was going to say next.

"I bet you're probably wondering why I launched into these explanations and why I brought you back to the manor during your break?" Tobias questioned with a light chuckle.

"Reasonably, yes." Severus snuffed loudly out the corner of his mouth. "Amuse me. Why?"

"A simple statement receives a simple answer." His father replied. "I want you to follow in my footsteps and also become a Tremare."

Severus could have laughed in his face. It took him a few minutes to gain his composure to actually be able to go ahead and compose words.

"No."

Tobias paused, not expecting this answer. His eyebrows furrowed together angrily, and he began to rise to his feet, fuming.

"NO?" he hissed, "What'd you mean by no? After all that I just told you by trying to preserve the Snape name you sit here and tell your father no?"

"That is my answer to your question, father. No. I will not be like you and become a Tremare." Severus repeated calmly, watching his father pale. "In fact, the last thing I want to do is become like you."

His father had the front of his pajamas gripped up in his left fist within the couple of seconds after Severus had stopped talking. His face was contorted in malice; and he now looked like the creature Severus had read about in plenty of Dark Arts books. The Vampire, an amazing creature that had suddenly appeared right before Severus' very eyes, scared Severus half to death. He knew his father could get pretty angry at times, but never in such a way like this. Tobias had such dark eyes that Severus could see his own reflection cowering in them. It was like looking into nothing… but he couldn't break the contact. His father's cheeks flew up as he bared his fangs at his only son. Then, without warning, Severus was shocked when Tobias' fist abruptly smashed into the side of his face.

"What I said was a statement, not a question or a choice, Severus." Tobias barked. "I want you to become a Tremare."

Severus, nearly his father's height, sat glaring straight into the eyes of a person who looked nearly identical to him. "I will not. It's my life and I shall do with it as I so please."

Highly upset, Severus thought Tobias would strike him again. Instead, in outrage, the Tremare turned back to the idol chair he had been sitting in, lifted it over his head with one hand and abruptly threw it onto Severus' four-poster on the other side of the room.

"DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THESE PAST SEVENTEEN YEARS HAVE BEEN NAUGHT BUT A LIE?" the infuriated Tobias yelled at his son. "HAVE I JUST BEEN WATCHING OVER YOU IN VAIN?"

Severus was beginning to feel angry, himself. All feelings of fear slowly relinquished as he heard his father talk.

"What'd you mean that the past seventeen years have been a lie? You mean to tell me that you've been watching over me all these years just to have a heir that would be a Tremare like yourself?" Severus growled, on his feet now, too.

"YES!" Demetrius screamed, raking his hair with his rather long nails. "THAT WAS THE POINT OF MATING WITH EILEEN! SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE MY POWERFUL HEIR THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME A TREMARE AND CARRY ON THE SNAPE LINE!"

Severus couldn't believe his ears. His heart was pounding a deadly rhythm in his throat.

"You're mental." The young man whispered to his father. "Over the past 500 years, you have never found anyone suitable enough BUT my mother to have a son who would be just as cracked as you are and join your league of Vampires?"

Tobias laughed at first, but then took three steps into Severus' direction. His long arm stretched and his fingers intertwined with Severus' hair. Severus winced in pain, and tried to fight off his father as he was being dragged towards the direction of his balcony.

"You're right." Tobias cackled, "Maybe I should start anew. That would mean, getting rid of the first son who turned out to be a traitor and finding a new woman who would… oh… no."

Suddenly, the pressure coming from being pulled by his hair was released, and Severus fell to the floor. His face was blood red, and he was once again glaring up at his father, who had an expression of utmost glee on his face.

"You see, I was going to toss you over the balcony and hide your body so that no one would ever worry about you ever again." Tobias explained, looking at his son. His facial features were much calmer now, and he returned back to looking like no older than twenty or so. "But now, I don't think that'd be a wise idea. I just realized… you could create heirs."

Severus thought things were finally looking up. He thought his father had realized that he didn't have to be a psychotic type of Vampire to reproduce and extend the Snape family line.

"I'd be happy to make heirs without agreeing to your whole Vampire-bit." Severus murmured, getting to his feet. His head was pounding…

"Oh… no." Tobias replied, a serene smile on his face. "It can all start with me… then pass through you. It could be some-sort of… of… tradition to swear allegiance to the Limaiti and to the race of the Tremare!"

"You're a dozy." Severus murmured, staggering towards his bed. "You're off making plans that'll never come true."

The laugh that Tobias belted out when Severus had his back towards him would be one thing that Severus would never forget in his entire life.

"If you will not join willingly, there are other ways to persuade you, Severus."

Severus stopped in his tracks, back still towards his father. "What're you on about?" he grumbled, heart hammering once again.

"There are many options to help bribe you into the way of the Tremare… and some options may involve certain people you care for… or… perhaps… a certain person that you maybe… love?"

Severus turned, furiously, in response to the threat he had just heard. He didn't want to play down to his father's level and agree to become a Vampire… he just had to play things cool and hope that his father didn't know about Alanze.

"What're you getting at?" answered Severus, coolly.

"I came to Hogwarts to transport you back to our manor. I didn't know you invited Alanze to come and visit you."

Severus' heart nearly stopped. "How do you know her name?"

"Easily. I saved her life."

"Don't jest." The young man snapped, eyes narrowing. "What'd you mean, 'saved her life'?"

"I plucked Alanze out of Parasite Alley when she had ran away from her guardian in Diagon Alley. I allowed her to stay at the manor, and because I knew she was a Muggle-Born, I didn't allow her outside. You met her in your fifth year and you knew she was magical. How else did you think she was about living in the manor if the only wizards in this whole village are you and I?"

Severus was vaguely aware of licking his lips. His mouth had gone unreasonably dry as he was hoping his father's story was all lies. It made too much sense, however. He had always wondered why Alanze was allowed in the manor, as she was a witch…

"You know, I actually have been hoping that you would feel something for the little ratty girl." Tobias then continued, with another great laugh. "I think Alanze is a powerful source to have a Snape heir."

He felt his jaw drop, and he knew he must've looked like a fish out of water. His face turned hot and cold all at once, and his stomach dropped to his knees as he heard his father speak next.

"I saw the whole arrangement. I was hidden in the dorm the whole time."

Severus, feeling abashed and embarrassed went for his wand on the nightstand. He flung it so that the tip was right in-between his father's eyes. There were silver sparks flying the edge, and Severus was inhaling deep breaths.

"I heard you say you love her." Tobias went on, with a smirk. He didn't seem phased by the wand at all. "Is it true… or is it just a jest?"

Tobias had to calm down. The last thing he wanted was Alanze to be drawn into this affair.

"It was a bluff," the boy murmured angrily, "Words spoken in the heat of the moment."

Tobias smirked one last time, before heading towards the doorway to exit out of Severus' room.

"Before I go, I shall leave you with this one final statement, Severus," his father finished quietly. "Think my offer over. There are a lot of nasty things I could do to you to make your life a living hell."

Out of anger, Severus couldn't help but to knock down the walls of his lies.

"You stay the hell away from Alanze!"

Tobias gave his son one final laugh as he turned the handle of the fine, wooden door. "It's a little to late for me to leave her alone. After all, I already tagged Alanze to have a blood-bond to me."

"Blood-bond?" Severus repeated in horror. "You… you made her one of you?"

"No, but I have her blood in my system and she has mine inside of her. This way, my dear son, I can know where she is all the time." The elder Snape told him.

And then, with a snap of the door, Tobias Snape was gone.

Severus sunk, shaken into his four-poster. His father knew about Alanze… he knew what happened… he wanted an heir from her…

"What the hell have I just gotten Alanze into?" he murmured, hitting his nightstand nearby in frustration and throwing himself backwards into his blankets and into his thoughts.

-x-

There was no other way to avoid Alanze getting hurt. Severus paced his dormitory, thinking quite silently. He tried thinking of alternatives to just breaking up with the girl after all that had happened… but… unless he wanted her to be involved in his father's biddings…

With a burden in his chest, he sought out to find her. He rummaged about school, and with catching a look at the clock he found it was nearly dinner. Panicking, he headed up the stairs, just scanning the hallway for signals of blue and bronze clad Ravenclaws.

And then she saw her. She was walking, looking a bit muffled… by herself. She was behind the usual throng of chattering girls she usually kept up with, and was walking as if she hadn't a care in the world. And then, that's when Severus saw them.

Quietly, Alanze turned about and shouted something over her head. Severus watched as they responded to her call.

How he loathed those Marauders.

James Potter and Lily Evans were hit items amongst Hogwarts. Handsome and talented, James the Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, and the leader of the Marauders had future planning to become an Auror for the Ministry of Magic. Lily Evans was a perfect addition to the Marauder family, for she was ingenious herself and sometimes chipped in on harmless jokes. She wanted to pursue a career in teaching Charms, the subject that she was most talented in… even though she received top marks in all of her O.W.L. tests.

Sirius Black was always a mystery. Strikingly adorable and full of wit, sarcasm, and intelligence were only some of the many aspects that drew most girls to him like bees to honey. He had a shaky on-again-off-again relationship with Ariana Tyne, a woman who was one year younger than he was. She wasn't fittingly spectacular, and she was quite jealous of all the female attention Sirius received daily. Quite a Quidditch Player himself (as he was a Beater), Sirius had no issues denying the female interest that seemed to follow him wherever he went. Severus hated the fact that Sirius Black and James Potter had a tight-knit bond and they only listened to orders given by each other. The duo even ignored the rest of the members of the groups sometimes to scheme against Severus on their own.

Peter Pettigrew was still loitering about the Marauders. He didn't really have a true place, because he wasn't a generally eye-shocker. Peter slouched as he walked and constantly mumbled and twitched. He walked as if he was paranoid of the world… and was always a few steps behind James. The only reason he managed to scrape his way into O.W.L. level classes was because the rest of the Marauder group (which was unusually bright for those who caused constant mayhem) was incredibly bright. It was a known fact that Peter was only part of the group because he was first a friend of Remus Lupin's and slowly made himself an attachment to the Marauder gang. Over the years, Severus noticed that none of the Marauders seemed to ever hold a constant conversation with Peter when it wasn't necessary. And even though his presence wasn't always welcome, Peter Pettigrew always was a few steps behind the Marauders… whether they noticed him or not.

And the last and most begrudged… Remus Lupin.

Oh how Severus hated that damned Remus Lupin.

The emotions didn't really appeal to Severus until he noticed he was the one Alanze was talking to. She turned, and gave a toothy smile to someone as she laughed at a joke. And then Remus walked over to Alanze… Severus' Alanze… and draped his arm around her shoulder as he laughed along with her.

Before he knew what was happening, Severus caught himself blindly running over towards the Marauder group, and actually shoving Remus off of Alanze's shoulder.

"What're you playing at, Snape?" Remus barked, alerting the other Marauders of the Slytherins presence. Severus watched as James and Sirius instantly tensed on his arrival.

"I wish to speak to Alanze." Severus told Remus. Both young men were being stubborn, and were making constant eye contact.

"I don't think she wants to speak to you right now." Remus sneered, watching as Alanze gave a soft whimper, and shielded herself behind Remus. Drawing himself to his full height, Remus was no taller than Severus, but all the while still looked a little threatening towards the Slytherin.

"It's not a matter of whether you shield her or not. This is urgent." Severus walked a semi-circle around Remus to peer at Alanze. "Alanze, I have to speak to you."

Alanze gave Severus the look of a person threatened with a wand between their eyes. "What's there to talk about, Severus?" she questioned softly.

"It has to do with… with…" Severus started, and paused. All the Marauders were listening avidly now, and he couldn't mention what happened between them. Alanze's eyes got as wide as saucers as she waited for Severus to continue.

"Do with what, Snape, you're fouling our time." James sneered, his own arm about a glowering Lily. She was surveying the couple strangely, and shaking her head in disbelief at Remus in-between them.

"It's none of your business," concurred Severus at last, "This has to deal with Alanze and me. Now, if you'd tell your little friend to move out of the way… then maybe you could finish your stroll to dinner."

Remus stood more solidly than before. "Whatever you can say to Alanze, you can say in front of me."

"What're you, her father?" Severus snapped, "Don't be stupid, Lupin. MOVE!"

Remus shoved him. Severus, surprised by the sudden act of violence, blinked and began to smirk.

"So things are on a rocky edge, eh mate?" Severus murmured softly, narrowing his eyes at Remus.

"I'm afraid so, Snape." Remus glared back, smirking now. "And I'm not your friend, mate."

"I just don't see the reason why you're preventing me from talking to MY girlfriend. Are you just jealous of what we have?" Severus provoked him. Remus' face grew bright red, and he made a motion to shove Severus again, but Severus dodged.

"Ah. So that is the reason you've got your knickers in a twist, isn't it? You're pathetic." Severus sneered, going to walk away. "I will talk to you Alanze… and hopefully, it'll be in a more… private… setting."

The Slytherin eyed the Marauders, and not wanting any conflict, he started on his way back down to the Entrance Hall. Behind Remus, Alanze just watched the scene, never speaking a word.

"I will talk to you," stated Severus, right before leaving the area completely. He was speaking more to himself than he was to Alanze and the Marauders.

"Or else."

-x-

For the next month, Severus had started going out of his way to try and get Alanze to speak with him. It was a hard task to do nowadays, especially since she had been keeping up close tabs with the Marauders and refused to leave the eyesight of Remus.

Severus had had enough. He caught up with Peter Pettigrew, and told him to trick Alanze with false information on a place where she was supposed to be meeting up with her study group. As the Ravenclaw walked into the library, she saw Severus sitting at her group's usual table instead of the mass of girls she usually studied with.

"Severus." The girl laughed shortly, as if she had never expected to see him in the same school as her. "What're you doing here?"

"I told Pettigrew to give you a message so you could meet me. Sit down. I need to talk to you." Severus motioned to the seat opposite him. "It's extremely urgent."

"I can't stay here, Severus." Alanze spoke to him, as she would've been speaking to an overemotional toddler. "I just broke my bum trying to get down to this supposed meeting, and I just blew off a chess session with Remus."

At the sound of Remus' name coming from Alanze's mouth, Severus' hand clenched and unclenched. Painfully, he stood up from his chair and strode around to Alanze, who fearfully backed away from him. She wasn't wearing a look of fear like she had once before… this was a new emotion. Severus paused before going any closer to her.

"What?" he questioned. She didn't answer, and that's when the truth dawned on him.

"You're… you've been avoiding me ever since we…" the sly Slytherin concurred, folding his arms. "Is this why you've been so… different… lately?"

Alanze's facial expressions smoothed over. "I don't know what you're talking about, Severus."

This expression pained Severus more than anything he had ever felt in his life. "You're regretting what happened between us, aren't you?"

"Lower your voice." Alanze barked, narrowing her eyes at him. "I don't want things to spread about what happened."

"What'd you mean, you don't want things spread? Something's going to happen unless you confront what you feel and just talk to me!" Severus threatened, "Bloody HELL!"

The librarian glowered in his direction, and he stressfully ran both his hands through his long, naturally oily hair. Severus felt hatred and sorrow all at once, and he actually felt like smacking sense into Alanze. All the while Severus battled with himself; the girl just calmly stood looking at him. Her behavior over the last few months made no sense…

Then, once again, Severus understood.

"You wished I was Remus when you were with me, didn't you?" the Slytherin blanched, not able to hide his frustration. "You wished I was him!"

Alanze looked appalled at the thought. "Severus, no! Don't you ever think that, I would never do something like that!"

"Then why do you keep avoiding me, Alanze? It was an intimate experience we had together and you won't even speak to me!" Severus growled, grasping her shoulder now. Panicked, Alanze backed away from him, into a nearby bookshelf.

"Shut up!" she yelled at him, at his sudden need for wanting to talk to her. "Shut up, and just leave me alone! I don't want to be with you anymore, okay!"

Severus heart shattered, his eyes darkened as well as his mind. There was no need to feel what he had for Alanze now… she didn't deserve his pity.

He watched as she ran away from him, obviously not as distraught as he was.

But little did he know, Alanze was in deep tears from the words she just spoke to him. She couldn't tell him what she suspected was wrong… and it hurt her to have to break things off with him so suddenly.

Little did she know, Severus hadn't taken her wordings lightly. As Salazar Slytherin was a founder, he was going to get his revenge.

Even if it did include embarrassing Alanze in front of the whole school.

-x-

It was nearly the end of the day's next-to-last class, and he had made up his mind. After checking for the fifth time that he was in the right corridor, he sat and waited. Once the bells tolled for class release, he set his mind on the task he was about to do.

The fourth-and-fifth year Muggle Studies class had let out, and so had the seventh year credit class of Ancient Runes. Severus watched, in plain view of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws heading his way from the left, and the Gryffindors and Slytherins heading towards him from his right. Standing right next to the stairwell, Severus spotted his victim and began to launch his attack.

"Hey, Alanze!" he yelled, sparking her attention at once. She stared at him, as if she was looking at a ghost, as well did her usual group of friends he was chattering with. "I need to speak to you!"

Sensing a scene, many of the students began to slow in their walking. A couple even stood behind Severus on the staircase.

"What?" Alanze hissed, glaring at Severus and heading in his direction. "Can't this wait? There are a lot of people out here!"

"I know," Severus smirked very deadly. "Which is why I wanted to draw to your attention that as of now, I want nothing to do with you anymore."

A lot of the girls gasped, and Alanze reeled about, watching the crowd's reactions. Her jaw dropped, and she raised her hand and actually shoved Severus in the shoulder.

"You can't break up with me, Severus!" she screamed at him, "You're just off your rocker because I broke the relationship off nearly a week ago with you!"

There was an oval of people about them now, just watching. Then, Severus heard the voices that he had been waiting for.

"What's going on?" questioned the voice of James Potter.

"Dunno, but I'm moving to the front." Sirius Black answered his best friend, moving through the crowd rather edgily. "Budge up, important people coming through!"

At hearing the familiar voices, Alanze began shaking her head slowly, and then faster at Severus. Her heart was hammering now.

"No." She barked at him, "Not here, Severus. Please. Anywhere but here… anywhere except in front of them!"

"James? Oh! Excuse me, oh, ouch, nitwit that was my FOOT! Ow! Oh, excuse me! James?"

Lily Evans stumbled out into the front of the crowd just as Sirius and James both reached the edge. James surveyed the scene, and exchanged a dark look with Lily. Sirius sensed something amiss, and called back for the person Severus wanted to see his scene.

"Oiy, Remus! There's something going on up here between Snivellus and your girl, man!"

"What?" came the hoarse voice of a certain Remus Lupin, rushing to his friends' side at the front of the crowd. "What's going on?" he voiced to Severus and Alanze.

"Not much, I'm just here to let everyone know how big of a harlot your Alanze truly is." Severus jeered, and the petrified look on Alanze's face and instant spread of rumors satisfied his mood even more.

"You watch your terms, Snape!" Remus yelled, taking a step forward.

"I'll call her what I want – she's the one who could've had better treatment from me… but obviously she doesn't deserve it," sneered the Slytherin.

"Severus – Severus, please." Alanze begged now. She was crying an endless sheet of tears, as she watched Severus ruin her reputation.

"What're you on about?" Remus snarled, "What'd you both know that you aren't telling me?"

"A few days after Christmas, Alanze and I had a little… escapade. She was a prude and fought at first… but eventually she… opened up to me." Severus jeered a large smirk.

A lot of the boys in the crowd catcalled, as Alanze looked around horrified. Blood drained out of the Marauder's faces, as they realized what Severus had meant.

"You're lying." Remus voiced, taking another step towards the smirking Slytherin and the now twitching Alanze. "Alanze, please assure me that he's lying."

"I lie to you not." Severus spoke loudly, drawing something out from under his robes. He flung it at Alanze, and it landed on her head. She fumbled for it, gazing at what the object was in sheer terror. The crowd waited for an explanation.

"Remember that sweater? She left it in my dorm the night she was with me," taunted Severus. "She couldn't find it because it was intertwined in my bedcovers."

A lot of rumors began to spread now. Alanze knew she was ruined… and had no escape into trying to create a cover-up story. It was done. Severus had got his revenge and it was nothing she could do about it.

Sinking to the floor slowly, the students watched as Alanze burst into a fresh batch of hidden tears. Slowly she began to whimper and crawl towards Severus on her hands and knees. It was very pathetic.

"I'm so sorry, Severus." Alanze begged, now on her hands and knees in front of the mighty-looking Slytherin. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize to me now, girl." Severus sneered, backing away from her and actually feeling sorry for telling half the school their secret. "You did this to yourself. You deserved it."

"She deserved you ruining her life at Hogwarts for the next two years, Snape? Is THAT what you're saying?"

Severus looked up from Alanze to an affronted Remus. The Gryffindor 7th year looked enraged, which is what Severus had been aiming for.

"Well, yes." Severus shrugged. "You lot should know how Slytherins are. You don't get one-up on us… we're the ones who get two-up on you."

"No one deserved what you've just done, Snape." Remus growled, his breathing deep and shallow. "I don't even know what she did… but even if what you say is true… you had no right to betray her trust like that."

"What're you on about, Lupin?" Severus waved him off, smirking again. "You don't even care for Alanze anymore."

"Just because we have differences never meant that I didn't care for her, Snape." Remus spat, nearly two feet away from the crying Alanze and the glowering Snape now. "Friends don't turn their back on friends!"

"Well, obviously you wouldn't have to turn your back on a friend, now. She doesn't even deserve that title now. I'd call her something more appropriate. Like… a cheap hussy." Severus grinned, maliciously.

There was a stunned silence, in which Severus saw James and Sirius exchange dark looks behind Remus' back. The sandy-blonde Gryffindor was looking at Severus as if he just spoke his own death sentence, his jaw sagging slightly as he took in the information. Then, all Severus remembered after Remus had met brief eye contact with him was a scene that had happened all too fast.

Remus' eyes looked dead hollow as he took three steps in Severus' direction, withdrew his fist, and promptly rammed it into the Slytherins nose.

Severus was stunned, but instinctively felt himself pinching his now blood-flowing nose with his right hand and reaching for his wand with his left. The dark haired boy scarcely had a chance to react by the time Remus had hit him again.

The Gryffindor shoved his fist into Severus' direction yet again, this time making contact with Severus' right eye. Shocked, Severus stumbled at the force of the blow. Forgetting he was right in front of a staircase, he trampled near the top step… faltered on his rather long robes, and began to fall.

People gasped. Severus tumbled down the marble stairs, spreading blood everywhere as it flowed freely from his nose and from new scratches on the right side of his face. Luckily, there were only fifteen or so steps until the next landing, and Severus stopped rolling in a heap of tangled robes. He weakly raised himself to his feet, staggering and grabbed onto the nearest banister as he glared up at Remus, who was now striding down the steps Severus had just fell down. Severus was never too good at Muggle dueling.

Remus was two feet away from the defenseless Slytherin, and Severus was almost expecting another blow… if it weren't for the rest of the Marauders holding Remus back.

"Leave him be, Remus!" Sirius yelled, tossing his shoulder roughly into the werewolf boy's chest. James had grabbed Remus from behind, an arm about his neck, trying to drag him back up the stairs.

"You've destroyed him, look… he's done." James coaxed, eyeing Snape wearily.

Remus wouldn't hear of it. He glanced up at the top of the stairs, where Alanze sat now with her head in-between her knees. She would be socially scarred now, all because of Snape…

"You've ruined the rest of her life, Snape!" Remus growled, not knowing why he couldn't calm himself down. His emotions were staked too high and perhaps he was overreacting. The only thing that he wanted right now was to send Severus to the infirmary.

"Let it go, Remus!" Lily screamed, looking hysterical. "You can't counter what's already been done!"

Severus wasn't going to take his pounding that lightly. He raised his wand, and pointed it at the band of Marauders nearby him.

"Aculeus!"

Lily shrieked, causing Severus to start. He hadn't actually meant to hit her – she was in the way of the crossfire. The trio shook violently until Sirius raised his wand and murmured the counter curse.

"You hit LILY!" James growled, rolling his sleeves up now. "NOW this is PERSONAL, Snape!"

Severus smirked. "Whatever you've got, Potter." He replied, wiping his bloody face with his sleeve. Lily glowered at him in fear, gripping onto James' wand arm. She hadn't recovered from the spell, yet.

"No James!" she whispered hoarsely. Sirius got his wand out by now, but once again, Remus was too quick. Reacting rashly once again, he strode over and shoved Severus. Severus, being caught off guard for the second time in a row, stumbled again and started to slide down the next flight of stairs. A lot of people were gasping as Severus tumbled for the second time… the Slytherin yelled out in pain as his wrist broke from under him as he landed on it the final time he stopped rolling.

"MISTER LUPIN!"

"Damn."

The Marauders paused, each looking guilty as the next as the Ancient Runes teacher marched over in their direction. Professor Colby was in her mid-thirties, with graying dyed red hair and harsh eyes. A relative of Professor McGonagall's, a lot of people paid Professor Colby a lot of respect. Just at the moment, however, Remus could've cared less if Dumbledore tried to end his rampage.

"What's going on here?" Colby stormed, her eyebrows knotted. "What happened to his boy!"

She rushed down to Severus, her robes billowing as she tended to his minor wounds.

"You need to get to the hospital wing, boy." She reported, helping Severus up. Smirking behind her back, he allowed himself to be pampered and sheltered by the teacher. He waited there on baited breath to see what punishment the Marauders received.

"Lily and James!" the professor scolded, "I would have thought better of you both! How dare you help attack another student! You're head boy and girl!"

Lily's lip quivered as she drew herself up to speak. "Professor Colby, I would never – and James had no part in this!"

"They were trying to end the fight, Professor!" Sirius nodded, noticing how their story was somewhat true. Both he and James were still restraining Remus somewhat – and Professor Colby's dark eyes surveyed him.

"And so am I right for assuming that this brawl is just between Mister Lupin and Mister…"

"Snape, madam. Severus Snape." Severus introduced himself, a look of false pain on his face as Colby turned back in his direction.

"He started it!" Remus snarled in the direction of Severus, wrenching himself out of the grip of his friends. "He started it – and now he won't live to see tomorrow!"

"Calm yourself, you are a Gryffindor." Professor Colby breathed at him, "It is not like us to act so rash! What exactly did Mister Snape do to deserve such a beating?"

"He berated my lady friend, ma'am!" Remus barked, pointing up at Alanze who was being soothed by her friends Dawn and Sara. "He called her out of her name!"

Professor Colby clicked her tongue at Remus, and then grabbed his forearm in turn. "To McGonagall's office, this instant, Mister Lupin! Fifty points from Gryffindor!"

James and Sirius scowled in the background. "WHAT!"

"You heard me. Fifty points… you better cooperate Lupin, or it'll be more." Colby added harshly. Silently, she turned to Snape who could skip with joy on his shaken knees. "You go to the hospital wing now, Mister Snape. Hurry along."

"You didn't punish Snape!" Remus shouted, now literally being dragged like a child behind Professor Colby. He towered a few inches over the professor, though she ignored the obvious.

"Well if I must…" Colby resumed, "Ten points from Slytherin."

"WHAT!" James had heard Remus scream as he was dragged about the corner, "ONLY TEN!"

And all that the remaining Marauders could remember after Remus being led away was Snape nearly running away from them in the opposite direction with a very accomplished smirk plastered upon his lips.

-x-

With nearly a month of detention to his name, Remus was scarcely seeing any of Alanze nowadays. O.W.L's (for Alanze) and N.E.W.T.'s were approaching, and the entire 7th year class were devoting themselves to crucial study time. If he wasn't with McGonagall (whom he spent his daily detentions with) then Remus was usually seen in the library, not wanting to be disturbed with his hands over his ears as he repeated data aloud to himself.

More months passed, and by the time Severus actually had half a mind to think about Alanze, it was now May. He decided to take a week off from his studying, and just attend regular classes until he drew up his N.E.W.T. study schedule.

It was a late rainy day, as the sun had just finished lowering into the horizon and the Advanced Double Herbology class was released. Avoiding the small number of Slytherins and Hufflepuffs, Severus walked a bit behind the class… soaking up the fair weather. By the time he strolled towards the Entrance, it was nightfall. He had no problem starting to head towards a well-awaited dinner… until he saw something he thought was a figment of his imagination.

It only took a few seconds, but Severus saw shadow dart out from behind a clump of bushes, bolt in the direction of the school, and enter the building. Severus stopped walking and paused for a moment, observing what had just happened and thinking of the consequences of him acting on impulse. After a few seconds, curiosity got the best of the Slytherin and he had a new mission… to see what this shadow was up to.

The shadow wasn't that hard to track. The person, Severus assumed it was a male from the height, moved very quietly and swiftly. This male kept walking until Severus noticed he turned into an empty classroom. Right before he was sure the person would notice his presence, Severus slipped into place behind a suit of armor. Severus hunched behind the silver, watching and waiting, until this shadow decided to make a move.

But, the shadow person never faltered. Not once.

Beginning to grow weary, Severus was about to subside on his mission… when he heard voices. Apparently, dinner was over and the students were starting to pile back to their dorms. The shadowy figure opened the empty classroom door to a fragment, so that he could see the students as they walked by. Many students silently chatted, oblivious to the fact that they were being watched as they headed towards bed. Severus didn't understand what the shadow person was waiting for… until he saw them.

"There is no other music than American Rock and Roll, Sar."

"You only say that because you come from America!"

"I do not, I'm a Brit if I say so m'self! I just vacationed there with my family in the section they call Massac…Massac…"

"It's Massachusetts, you dolt. Rock and Roll isn't that good, Dawn."

The last speaker was Alanze. Severus watched, struck with fear, as she passed by the door and then the armor he was standing behind… not noticing a thing. As Alanze and the two other girls walked down the hall, Severus also recognized that the trio was alone. The door that shadow was behind slowly crept open, and he began lurking in the shadows after the 5th year Ravenclaws.

Severus thought quietly to himself as he stalked the shadow person. He knew that Alanze herself wasn't doing too good. He had known that from the last he had heard from her – she had locked herself in her four-poster and blatantly refused to come out for classes or for food. From rumors that spread directly to him, Severus knew that most of the time, her friends left her trays and her homework assignments and books at the foot of her bed. It was rumored that the girl studied and ate at her own leisure and that she only ever came out at odd times in the morning to shower undisturbed. Severus thought these rumors were weird… Alanze looked fine. A little puffy perhaps, but Severus assumed Alanze was perfectly happy as she walked along with her friends.

A torch illuminated the dark hallway as shadow lurked behind the young girls. The shadow quickly passed the strip of light, and something clicked in Severus' mind. He reacted before he could've thought the situation out throughout.

In a few quick strides, Severus had gripped the shadow person up by the front of their clothing and threw the mysterious person against the wall. The person, obviously taken aback, did not fight at first. The trio of girls jumped, and then turned to observe the commotion. They were scared to see Severus attacking a person who they didn't know, both half-concealed in shadow.

"What're you doing here?" Severus hissed, "And why are you following Alanze?"

The person laughed. It was a very cruel laugh, simple and curt. The person smirked in response, towering over Severus by a few feet. He shoved the younger boy off of him lightly, smoothing out his clothing as he spoke.

"I told you I have tabs on her, Severus." The person replied, "It is of your own accord that you did not heed my warnings."

"I told you to leave her alone!" Severus had yelled, in outrage in the direction of the person who he now knew was Tobias Snape… his own father.

"And why would I listen to you?" Tobias questioned, flipping his dark hair over his shoulder, "You're just a boy after all."

"S…Snape?" one of Alanze's friends voiced. Both men looked in the trio's direction, and all the girls gasped.

"I never knew he had a brother!" whispered Alanze's other friend.

"Get to your common room girls… this man has been stalking you!" Severus yelled wildly, looking directly into Alanze's terrified eyes. Oh… how he missed those eyes…

"Stalking… us?" questioned Alanze softly, surveying the scene. She looked unsure of what to do in the presence of both Snape men, especially Tobias.

"Go to your common room, Alanze." Severus ordered. The girl nearly looked frozen in place, and Severus understood that his father's Vampiric charms could have been affecting her.

"YOUR COMMON ROOM NOW, GIRLS." The Slytherin yelled, wrenching his father away in the opposite direction. He heard the footsteps of the girls running to the next landing, and almost threw his father into the room he had just revealed himself from a bit down the hall. Severus knew that Tobias could overpower him with just one blow if he wanted, but for some reason he was allowing himself to be dragged by his own son.

"What're you here for – I should REPORT you to Dumbledore." Severus barked, glaring at his father.

"I'm here to keep tabs on Alanze." Tobias replied smoothly. "It's something you haven't been doing for months. I noticed a change in her… and now I come to Hogwarts often… as I do have a separate house on the outskirts of Hogsmeade."

"What do you know that I don't?" Barked the young Snape, his breathing becoming shallow. "Why are you stalking Alanze?"

"Isn't it obvious, son?" the older Snape replied, looking affronted that his son was clueless.

"Isn't what obvious, father?" Severus spat out his words.

"She's going to give the next heir that I'm going to turn into a Tremare." Tobias reported.

Severus felt his blood run cold.

"You made her pregnant?" He whispered, not really wanting an answer. "You raped her and she didn't even realize because you must've wiped her memory!"

Tobias marveled in how stupid his son's common sense was. "Don't you dare blame something like that on me. I'm already a pedophile as it is – being 500 years of age… but I don't little myself down to that small of a level."

"Then how?" Severus barked.

"You should've asked yourself that when you had your little shenanigans with her and not thinking about a proper protection to use." Tobias teased.

Severus' hands ran over his face, which had turned pale. Silently, he shook as he wrung his head in his hands, unsure on what to say. How could he have been so stupid! How could he have even let things carry so far on to the point he had forgotten about the consequences of unprotected sex?

"I should've given you a parent-to-child educational talk… I must admit… but I just never thought you would need one," the older Snape mused, smirking now. "You were a bit of a loner, Severus."

His blood pressure rising, Severus couldn't stand this. Why hadn't Alanze told him? She obviously had to know that something was going on with her body that wasn't normal…

"How'd you find out?" he asked his father sullenly. "And why wouldn't she have told me?"

"Because she lacks as much common sense as you do… which is why I think you two would be perfectly suited together." Tobias joked. "But seriously, I can sense it Severus."

"Sense?" Severus repeated vaguely. He… he was going to be a father!

"Yes. As I am a Vampire, I do have senses that you don't."

Severus sighed to himself, now knowing why Alanze seemed a bit puffy on her walk by. Things were going too fast… he wasn't ready for this…

"I'm proud of you Severus. You're going to provide me a strong heir, I just know it." Tobias murmured, turning his back to his son.

"You won't have an heir." Severus jeered angrily, rushing up behind his father. "What if I said I don't believe a word of your nonsense!"

"Then you're foolish." Tobias replied, just as Severus had made contact with his shoulder. Severus was about to slam his father into the nearest wall, but just after he grabbed his father's shoulder, the man vanished right before his very eyes.

"Bloody hell!" Severus moaned, running a nervous hand through his lengthy black hair. He eyed the dark room wearily, and then decided to enter back into the hallway. Naturally, as he had missed dinner, he was going to nick something from the House Elves and head back towards the Slytherin Common Room. It seemed like a simple plan… until Alanze interfered.

"Severus."

He nearly jumped at hearing his name called.

"Alanze." Severus marveled, "I told you to get into the Common Room."

"Yes, you did. But I didn't listen… naturally," Alanze crooned. "I could tell something was up when both Snape's were in one place. What's wrong, Severus?"

Severus couldn't even begin to tell her all the thoughts running through his mind. He looked at her, and sighed… unsure on what to do next.

"Why do you always hide your problems?" the young Ravenclaw asked, looking up at the Slytherin. "If you have something to discuss with me, ask already."

"You've matured." Severus stated the obvious, now goggling at Alanze in wonder. "Everything about you… seems different."

Alanze scoffed, but blushed all the same. "I know. I've been going through some changes."

"Changes?" yelped the Slytherin, "Of what kind?"

"I couldn't explain them… but I've been different lately. I've gained ten pounds." Alanze reported, knowingly.

"My father says he's been tagging you for a while. Have you known about him?" Severus rapidly changed the subject.

"No." Alanze said knowingly. "But if you want know something, Severus… just ask me for Merlin's sake. Stop avoiding the subject."

"Are…" Severus started, his nose wrinkling. He didn't want to say it, but he knew he had to…

"Am..?" repeated the girl.

"Are you… are you…"

"Am I… what?"

"Pregnant." Severus blurted finally. "Are you pregnant? With my child?"

There was an eerie silence, where Alanze collapsed to her knees on the marble floor. Severus rushed to her. He didn't want any harm to come her way – especially if she confirmed his father's assumption.

"I think so." The girl replied in no more than a whisper, "Things have been crazy these past months, Severus."

The Slytherin didn't reply, but threw his arms about the younger girl. She began to weep, and his heart seemed to melt. He just wished he hadn't agreed to date her back in December. Things would've been much easier now if he hadn't asked…

They sat in silence, in the hallway for what seemed like endless minutes. Alanze stopped crying after a long while, and allowed herself to be held in Severus' tight embrace. He never faltered, though his knees ached, his arms about Alanze's back, his forehead resting on the side of Alanze's own, his breath tickling her ear everytime he inhaled.

It was a surprise when Severus began to talk.

"What're you going to do… about… the baby?"

Alanze was so affronted; she pulled hastily away from Severus, and shoved him so that he fell over. "What am I going to do? I didn't have sex with myself, Severus – you can't make a baby alone!"

Severus mouthed wordlessly at her, not knowing quite what to say. "I didn't mean it… the way it sounded."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Alanze growled, getting to her feet.

"Don't make the situation based off of me! This is about you. You're carrying a baby!" the boy mouthed incredulously.

"And so I am – and you're the father! You have to accept responsibility for this baby too!" cried Alanze, wiping her eyes angrily.

"I never said I wouldn't!" Severus yelled back, scowling. "It's just the fact that-"

"What?" launched Alanze. "The fact that we're young? The fact you ruined my life twice over… the fact that I still have two years of school to bear with… the fact that-"

"That I don't want a baby!"

There was a dead silence between them, in which Severus got to his feet, looking ashamed. He reached out for Alanze's hand, and she jerked away from him.

"Alanze, I didn't mean…"

She looked at him, her heart breaking slowly. He couldn't believe how emotional this one girl was.

"I didn't mean it the way it sounded!" resounded Severus, watching as Alanze backed away from him in fear. "We could work something out, Alanze! I know neither one of us is ready for a baby, but…"

"You've said all you had to, Severus." Alanze whispered softly, a gaunt expression on her face. "I'll talk to you later."

"Alanze, wait!"

Severus watched as the girl ran past him, towards the lower halls instead of her common room. It was odd that she was going that way, especially so late at night and with a curfew for both of them in effect.

And since she wouldn't speak to him, it was the last he heard from her for nearly two days.

-x-

Those two nights later, Severus was sitting uneasily at dinner. The food was served, and he ate in silence. As usual, Regulus was nearby talking to a chattering group of adoringly second-year girls, and naturally… Severus was ignoring him. Gazing around the Great Hall, Severus was stricken dumb when he realized half the staff table was missing. Why hadn't he noticed the teacher's disappearances before?

Without warning, Severus nearly jumped as Professor Dumbledore swept back into the Hall, opening the giant oak doors. He looked extremely concerned about something, and was walking towards the staff table quite hurriedly. The students in the hall noticed his re-appearance, and the voices quietly began to die down. Severus glanced over to the Gryffindor table, and his eyes narrowed when he noticed the Marauders looking content with themselves, their attention already fully devoted to the Headmaster. Slowly, Severus' eyes raked slowly over towards the Ravenclaw table. He spotted the ditzy blonde and orange-haired girls Alanze typically sat between, but saw no Alanze. He sighed, troubled, and turned back towards Dumbledore.

"There has been a deep misunderstanding." Dumbledore addressed the hall, sadly and slowly. "It has just come to my attention that a student has tried to commit suicide."

There were a lot of whispers about the hall. All the blood in Severus' face quickly rushed from appearance. He suddenly felt dizzy and sick to his stomach.

"A reward will be given to any students who had a clue why this certain student decided to kill himself off in such an early age. This specific student had willingly drunk a fatal poison, stolen from our Potion's Master himself, and then preceded to stun himself while standing on the fifth floor tower window. Naturally, this student fell out of the window, and plunged to a deadly fate. Luckily, Professor Vector had stumbled upon this student during one of her nighttime strolls, or, as the student had planned… he would've been long dead."

Silence fell, and then whispers spread. Severus felt his face grow warm, a little hope being restored to him. If Dumbledore kept saying 'he'… could the student have been a boy?

"Professor, sir!" chirped up a Hufflepuff boy, younger than Severus. Everyone's attention turned to him, and the boy blushed.

"Yes, Gregory?" questioned the Headmaster.

"Who was it?" the boy, Gregory, responded. "Who was the person who tried to end their life?"

"Unfortunately, I have heard a lot of trouble surrounding this one student… which could have led him into thinking that he had to commit suicide." Dumbledore admitted.

"But who is it, sir?" called Gregory.

"Sadly, a Ravenclaw. Look amongst yourselves, bronze and blue. Who, can you concur is missing from your number?" Dumbledore paused, sighing. "If anyone has any leads on why this student would try to do such a thing… please come forward."

The Ravenclaw table was alight with concern. Severus watched as Alanze's orange-haired friend pointed in the direction of the Slytherin table quite openly. Then, Alanze's short brown-haired friend got to her feet and shrieked the most memorable words that Severus had ever heard.

"It's Alanze! Alanze's gone and tried to kill herself! And it's all because of Severus Snape!"

And Severus could've killed himself as he sat in the hall, as every person murderously turned his way to stare at him.