Chapter 4- Snapey

"I think we should call it a night," remarked the skinny student scratching his chin.

"Why?" whined the shorter.

"I don't think there will be many more costumers tonight," he answered back. "Besides I still have to finish my essay for History of Magic and you," his thin face looked at Harry "haven't even started yet."

"Don't be such a bore, Moony," Black piped up. "We made some great sales tonight." Harry was flabbergasted. He didn't know what to say, so he slid down the wall onto the floor and listened.

"You shouldn't tease Moony because he is interested in more than just pranks and girls," the red-haired girl said. "We did make a lot of money this evening, but you have to know when to call it a night."

"Well," the shorter squeaked "it is getting late…."

"Alright. Fine. You all win." Black replied. Moony and the girl started to collect some things that were around the room. Harry hadn't realized until then that they were in an old bathroom that had never looked used. The shortest of the gang came over and put his arm around Harry.

"You feeling ok?" he asked quietly.

"um, err, yeah…" Harry managed to say. Black came over and put his hand out. Harry looked up at him puzzled.

"Well?" Black asked. "Where's the money from your sales?" Harry's eyes widened. Sales? He stuck his hand in his pocket, pulled out three sickles and handed them to the stranger. "This is it? You didn't do very well today, Potter." With that, he tossed the coins up in the air for the shorter friend to try and catch--which he didn't. Black turned to the others. "I'm going to take Potter up to the common room. We will meet the rest of you in there." Before Harry could protest or even try to help the littler student pick up the money, Black had pushed Harry through the crawl space and out into the hallway. The boy stopped and waited for Harry to do something.

"Why are we stopping?" Harry asked.

"Well, where's the invisibility cloak?"

"I don't have it." Harry answered almost automatically. How does he know I have that?

"You didn't bring it?!" Black exclaimed. "Ugh, come on. We will have to be extra careful."

"Uh, Right."

"-And charming." he added winking at Harry. They took off quietly down the hall and up the main staircase. They made it up to the fourth floor without anyone noticing. Harry was about to head up the staircase to the fifth floor when Black grabbed him. Pulling him into a hallway, Black looked at his watch.

"What?" asked Harry.

"Wait for it…." The next moment, Black pointed to the staircase, which began to move.

"You have the staircases Timed?!" Black looked at him puzzled.

"You taught me." he replied. A few seconds passed and the staircase placed itself up against the wall. Right as they turned to make their way on it, Harry heard a voice that was high and squeaky, even more so than the shorter students' he met just moments before. He swirled around to see a gangly boy with long black hair that looked unkept and greasy.

"Where do you two think you are going?" the boy asked. Harry glanced at the student's tie. He was a Slytherin. Black spoke up and almost looked relieved to see the other student.

"Hey! Severus! What's happening?!"

SEVERUS?! This child before them was Professor Snape? One thing was for sure; if this was Black and Snape this can't be a good encounter. Last time the two talked- Harry remembered- they tried to kill each other. The student's lip curled.

"Shouldn't you be in your common room?" his voice cracked and broke.

"And what about you?" Harry heard himself say. If this was Snape, it was going to be the only time with he didn't have authority over him.

"You wouldn't want anyone to see you out after hours, would you?" he retorted back.

"You wouldn't want anyone to find out that you sleep with Witch Weekly under your pillow, would you?" Black told Snape calmly. Snape's eyes widened. It was obvious to Harry that Black wasn't making any of this up. "I think that we'll go up to our dorm and you can go back in the dungeons with the rest of your rats, um, friends. OK?" Snape just glared. Black and Harry started to move for the staircase. For once in his life, Harry almost felt sorry for Snape. "Oh, and Snapey, wash your hair; you are a mess!"

With that Black began to move upward and Snape moved down.

"You shouldn't be so hard on Pro- um, Severus." Harry told Black on their way up to the sixth floor.

"He doesn't care. He's done worse things to us. Besides when do you care so much about the welfare of Snapey?" They came upon the Fat Lady who blushed and smiled as Harry approached.

"Good evening, James. Password?" she asked, giggling madly. Black rolled his eyes.

"Maestoso," Harry rambled off. The Fat lady looked at him questioningly. Harry realized what he had done and began to laugh. She started to laugh with him. "Just joking!" Harry said, trying to act like James.

"Password?" she asked again.

"What does it matter?" asked Black. "The password is James Potter." Harry laughed again until he realized she opened the portrait hole.

"You two need to learn the correct password, but since I know you, you can pass. Don't be out so late anymore Mr. Potter," she told him as he moved to the hole.

"Um, right." Harry agreed. The common room was empty and Black moved his way up to the dorm. Harry followed. When he got into the room Harry flopped down onto the bed and said goodnight. What was going on? He must have gone back in time somehow. But how can that be? Harry pulled the objects out of his pockets and set them on the dresser. His mum, Snape and Black… were so young. Harry thought back on the night's events. He thought so long his brain hurt. He removed his glasses rubbed his sore eyes and forehead before falling into a deep sleep.