Hello! I am so excited about posting this chapter! I was so encouraged by all of your wonderful reviews that I sat down and wrote this today! It's short, but I'd rather post short chapter more often you people aren't left hanging and wondering like I am waiting for long chapters to update. I haven't done any cliffhangers left, but right now I'm just setting up the story and trying to show what kind of a character Severus is. I don't think he was evil at all, even before he joined the Order and became a spy, so I'm trying to show what life was like for him going to Hogwarts with the Mauraders so he can be believable. Also, I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:

AnEndlessWinter, collins, Padawan Jan-AQ, Kathrina, Kathean Yuki, and The Gypsy-Pirate Queen Teetering on the Brink of Insanity Past the Point of No Return Man Life Sucks

In this story, I'm going to give people a special thanks like I do Kyer below when they criticize the story, or ask a question. But thanks SOOOO much to everyone! And especially to The Gypsy-Pirate Queen Teetering on the Brink of Insanity Past the Point of No Return Man Life Sucks, for being the very first person to reveiw the story!

Kyer - you're absolutely right. I sometimes try to move the story along too fast so I can get to the exciting part, but I forget little details like that. Thanks for noticing (and that's not sarcasm, by the way). I love criticism, or else the story doesn't get better. Thanks for reviewing, and review again! -hint hint- XD (I'm so glad I finally learned what that meant. Thank you, Adi-Phoenix!

All right, so... here it is!

Chapter 2

Beautiful Rat Legs

"Who can tell me the incantation for changing a frog into a toad?" Professor McGonagall caught the eye of each seventh year student, almost daring someone to stay silent. "I must say, I find myself disappointed in all of you. This was your assignment just last night." A few murmurs and worried glances later, Severus raised his hand, after being glared at by many a Slytherin.

"A frog is no different than a toad, professor. Kettle Graggens described that in the essay we read, stating that their magical signatures are exactly alike. The different names are merely technicalities." Severus almost blushed under the scrutinizing look the professor gave him. She then gave him an approving nod.

"Professor, I disagree." Both McGonagall and Severus snapped their heads around to where the voice had come from. Lily Evans sat calmly in her seat, her face perfectly innocent, yet determined.

"Your argument, Miss Evans?" Lily shifted anxiously, but remained undeterred.

"Professor, Muggles have conducted many genealogically based tests on both frogs and toads, and each time, the findings were the same. The DNA in frogs differs from toads in four out of every seven molecules. Their molecular compounds are completely different, and that is what makes them different species."

Lucius Malfoy slammed his fist on his desk. "Muggles are barbaric, they don't know the first thing about science. They still have unmoving pictures, for Merlin's sake! Their word cannot be trusted." Several Muggle-born students protested this in indignation, but Lily plunged forward.

"It's been proven! There is evidentiary FACT to support it! Frogs and toads are DIFFERENT!" Lily's face had now turned into a deep shade of a violent purple, and her eyes were narrowed in rage. "The Wizarding World could learn a thing or two from Muggles."

"Muggles should be destroyed! They are useless!" Even Severus narrowed his eyes against this comment. Lily shrieked in outrage, grabbed her books and quills, and stalked out of the Transfiguration classroom, muttering to herself all the way. James Potter quickly stood up, inclined to follow her, but Sirius dragged him back down into his sead.

"Let her be, Prongs," he said almost gently. "She needs time. You no how important this is to her." Severus wanted to kick the dimwitted Gryffindor. Of course it was a touchy subject, the red-head was Muggle-born for merlin's sake.

"If I may have your attention? Could we perhaps continue on with the class?" Professor McGonagall snapped, looking slightly irritated. "Thank you! Now, what would the wand movement be to transform an eagle into a hawk? Black?"

Severus was headed towards the library for a study session when he saw a flash of bright red hair whip behind a tree. Quietly, the Slytherin crept up in front of the oak, and looked behind it to see Lily sitting with her back to the trunk, staring at a strange yellow stick in her hand. Severus sat beside her.

"What do you want, Snape?" Severus was taken aback, even if he didn't admit it. Usually he and Lily were on good terms. First-name terms.

"I was seeing if you were okay, Evans." At this Lily looked up, and Severus was surprised to see stains on her cheeks to indicate she had been crying. Sighing, Lily lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I've just been having a rough week. My parents told me I couldn't come back this summer. That cuts off all ties with Muggles, and it's a weird feeling. It like I'm completely witch now." Subconsciously, she leaned her head on Severus's surprised shoulder. After a moment, he relaxed and didn't say anything to her about it.

"What's that you're holding?" Lily glanced down at the stick, and gave a little laugh.

"It's called a pencil. Like a quill, but you can erase your words with the soft pink thing at the end. See?" The redhead quickly conjured up a black piece of parchment and wrote Lily Evans on it. Severus gave a sharp intake of breath when she erased it. He leaned forward, his eyes wide with fascination.

"That's brilliant! Where did you get it? I'd like to get one, that's amazing!" Lily laughed again at his eagerness.

"It's a Muggle thing, Severus." Severus immediately leaned back.

"Of course, I knew that."

"Right."

Severus nearly closed his eyes in boredom as Professor Slughorn droned on about the effects Kneezle hair would have on a Strengthening Potion.

"And, first you'd see bubbles rising from your cauldron." Severus mentally rolled his eyes.

"No, you'd see steam," he muttered under his breath.

"Then, you'd see bubbles."

"No, there'd be steam."

"The potion would turn green."

"Grey."

"Then, it would thicken."

"Liquidify."

"And then, it would bubble down and be fine."

"It would explode." Severus almost shook with irritation at the Professor's mistakes. The professor was skilled and certainly a Master, but Severus was better. He watched in amusement as the professor nearly chopped off his finger while demonstrating how to chop up rat legs. He inwardly laughed as several girls in the class shuddered as the legs broke off with sickening crunches. Severus watched entranced. It's so beautiful.