Title: Finding Severus
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: T
Warnings: see chapter one
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and write with the sole purpose to entertain.
"I say a few good punches are in order."
"Nah, too boring. Let's turn his skin orange again."
"Okay, okay," Sirius rolled his eyes as he held on tightly to Severus' collar. "We beat him up and then turn him orange."
"With green polka dots!" Wormtail's squeaky voice piped up.
"Excellent idea!" Potter complimented and the little rat beamed as if he had just been given a gift from the gods.
"Fine, but I want first hit." Sirius grumbled, flexing his wrists.
"I didn't make you use that charm on me; it's your own fault that you lost your wand," Severus muttered as he ineffectively tugged at Sirius' grip, finding that he would have had a better chance escaping a statue's grasp.
"Oh believe me, you definitely deserved this."
A fist buried itself in his stomach and he made a loud grunt upon the impact. He had no time to draw his breath when a fist caught him right on his nose. A sickening crunch sounded and he felt a warm gush of blood run down; he could taste the coppery liquid in his mouth.
"Hey, leave some for me!" James laughed and released him, causing him to drop on the grass.
Shakily rising, he got to all four but a foot caught him right in the ribs. He groaned and fell back down. Above him he could hear the Gryffindors laughing as another painful kick caught him in his side. He clenched his eyes shut and prayed for it to be over.
A startled croak made him open them again to see Pewter flying high into the air only to plummet back down into Potter's waiting palm; James was tossing the poor creature like a ball, catching it before hurtling it back high into the sky.
"No! Leave him alone!"
Spitting blood, he forced himself to stand but was too late to see a foot as it sped towards his face, catching him on the cheek. Wormtail squealed in victory before hiding behind Potter again.
"This is really stupid, guys," Remus tried to reason with his friends as he watched the toad rocket up and down. "You're going to get into trouble."
"Aw, stop being such a stick in the mud, Moony," James laughed. "Try it; it's really relaxing!"
Remus shook his head, looking around somewhat nervously.
Sirius went on to deliver more punches and kicks while James kept on juggling, the annoying rat's cheers growing louder with each toss.
Severus didn't know if he had blacked out or something but the next thing he knew he could hear cheering from other students; the bell had just rang and they now crowded around, placing bets and chanting James and Sirius' name.
"Whoops!" Potter pretended to 'accidentally' miss a very easy catch and Pewter landed with a pained croak on the grass. For a moment Remus moved to pick him up but James had grabbed him again and began tossing the poor toad once more, throwing him higher and higher.
"Who wants to see toad guts splatter!"
The students cheered their approval and the toad's flight became higher and higher.
"On three! One...!" He caught Pewter and propelled him high into the air.
"Two...!" The students called out. James caught the terrified toad and heaved him high once more.
"No!" Severus scrambled in a desperate attempt to save his pet.
"Three!"
Pewter was rocketed the highest he had ever been and James stepped back, obviously not intending on catching the toad. When Lupin again tried to save the toad Potter grabbed his arm, laughing as he watched the frog plummet downwards.
Unable to reach him in time and unable to watch, Severus dropped his head onto the grass, gritting his teeth when another kick almost shattered his now sorely bruised ribs.
Everything fell silent and he though he had passed out, but the pain was still there. Raising his head from where he had buried it in his arms, he blinked through the blood that flowed from a deep gash in his brow.
Potter stood where he had last seen him but now the wide grin had completely vanished, replaced by an open mouth and a kinda scared expression. His arm released Lupin who didn't notice. Even Sirius had stopped the assault on him. Wormtail was on the ground, cowering behind Potter; and for good reason.
Standing tall and lethal, eyes steel-blue and face stone-cold, was Lucius.
In his hand sat Pewter, having been caught by the blond before the fatal impact with the ground, shaking but safe.
"Never heard of picking on someone your own size?"
To his credit, James recovered, albeit with considerable difficulty, and a sneer of his own formed.
"You want to back those words up with your fists, pretty boy?"
The last two words struck a nerve and the blue eyes narrowed but Lucius remained silent.
Feeling confident that the blond was relenting, James continued.
"First day at Hogwarts and already you are playing hero? The new student who saves the day?" He took a step closer, purposefully invading the blond's personal space. "I've heard that the reason you came to Hogwarts was because you were expelled from your former school."
A collection of surprised murmurs broke out from the crowd.
"Prongs," Remus said somewhat harshly, coming to stand next to his friend though not fully supporting the other's behaviour or choice of words.
James ignored his friend's attempt to make peace.
"What happened? Body-guarding the weak as well?" he looked pointedly at Severus who had still to rise. "Or was it something else? Something of a more...personal matter?"
He smirked and reached out a hand to take hold of a lose lock of golden hair that swayed in the other teen's face.
Lucius' free fist clenched and he had to visibly restrain himself. With a dismissive snort, he slapped the hand away, hard. The surrounding students gasped; no one had ever dared to defy any of the marauders like that.
"You should listen more to your friend," he said, referring to Remus, "I am merely following school rules. Isn't there one that states 'No fighting?'"
"There most certainly is," spoke a voice from behind them.
Students parted to reveal Dumbledore flanked by several teachers. Amongst them were Syntrad and Gryffindor's Head of House, Professor McGonagall, whose lips were a thin, straight line as she took in the scene.
"I cannot begin to express my deepest disappointment. In all of you."
Dumbledore's ancient eyes swept over the whole crowd and many students lowered their heads in shame.
"You have brought shame to Hogwarts with your barbaric behaviour. At Hogwarts we are to look out for one another and yet I find you attacking a fellow student while threatening a second. Three against one, to make it worse."
"But Professor--"
"Silence, Potter!" McGonagall snapped. "I am absolutely disgusted with you! I warned you on your egoistical attitude! The both of you!" she pointed to him and Sirius. "The very first day of school and already you've managed to cause trouble! As much as I hate to do this it appears I must; 150 points will be taken from Gryffindor!"
A chorus of protests came from the Gryffindors in the crowd.
"But professor, we don't even have that many points yet!"
"I know. However it will be retracted from future points until it has been paid off."
Another wave of protest but her sharp glare shut them all up at once.
"As for you," Dumbledore pointed to Potter, Sirius and Pettigrew, "Fighting is not left unpunished. Go wait for me in my office. Not you, Remus," he said when the quiet teen gave the indication to go with the others. "You have done nothing to deserve punishment. It's best to go on to class."
Lupin looked indecisive but James just motioned him to go on.
"I need to copy your notes anyways," the bespectacled boy grinned slightly.
Nodding, the remaining Marauder took up his satchel and with a parting wave he set off towards the building.
Giving Lucius a challenging glare and Severus a look of pure hatred, James then turned and walked off in the other direction which led to the Headmaster's office. Sirius, lingering for a moment as he studied Lucius, then followed. As always Wormtail took up the rear.
Seeing as the show was over, and that many teachers were there, the other students started to slip off as well. The other teachers followed the students into the buildings, leaving Dumbledore, McGonagall and Syntrad behind.
Severus was barely aware of his surroundings but suddenly Pewter's big eyes came into his vision; the toad having been gently set down before him. He felt someone kneel next to him and he was gently helped to his own knees. A hand touched his face and he flinched in pain.
"Relax, Severus. Let me see," Lucius said softly but seriously. Tilting back his bloodied face, he studied the damage done and sighed.
"It would be best for you to go to the school nurse, Severus," Dumbledore advised as he came to stand before the two. "She will have you cleaned up in no time."
"Yet, tir," Severus mumbled, his broken nose affecting his speech.
"And I am very proud of you, Lucius. It was very decent of you to stand up for your fellow student. Especially since this is only your first day."
"Thank you, sir, but I was merely defending my friend," the blond said as he slowly got to his feet, easily lifting Severus with him.
The three teachers shared an incredulous but proud look.
They had tried time and time again to make Severus feel more accepted at Hogwarts but as long as the student shunned him, no amount of encouraging words could ever heighten his self-esteem. They didn't know how it was possible that Lucius Malfoy, son of the wizarding world's most aristocratic, not to mention arrogant, pure-blooded wizard, Malcolm D. Malfoy, would choose to be friends with Severus Snape, but they would do their best to encourage their friendship.
"I can take him to the infirmary," Syntrad stepped forward but Lucius shook his head.
"I can handle it. But I would appreciate if you showed me the way, sir."
Nodding his approval, he ducked beneath Severus' other arm and slung it around his shoulder. But Lucius didn't move at once. He turned to the two remaining professors.
"Could you please look about Pewter, ma'am? I fear he may have sustained some injuries."
McGonagall looked down to see the dishevelled toad sitting disorient in the green grass. Bending down, she picked up the poor thing and frowned to see that his front leg had indeed been broken.
"Those ruffians!" she said softly but angrily, "I've tried time and time again to put them in line but they keep on stepping out of it. Their attitudes have gone too far, Albus." She sighed. "Why can't Lupin's good nature rub off on his friends?"
"They will receive their punishment," he assured as he watched Lucius and Syntrad carry Severus into the building, a small smile on his ancient face.
"It is a miracle, isn't it?" Minerva asked when she saw the smile.
"I had feared that Lucius would be just like his father; arrogant, rude, uncaring and the likes. Yet he has befriended a person I know Malcolm would never even consider worthy. I don't know how or why, but those two will be fast friends in the near future."
"That is very good to hear. Severus had been isolated from the students for so long."
With that they both went their own way; Dumbledore to deal with the three Gryffindors who awaited him in his office, and McGonagall to find the Care of Magical Creatures teacher to heal poor Pewter.
"Well, that's that." Madam Pickle, Hogwarts' nurse and scholar in the arts of Herbal and Incantation Healing, prodded the swollen area none to gingerly. "Luckily, your nose isn't broken but there is a small fracture right here." She placed pressure on the bridge and he yelped in pain. "Stay put, I'll get you something for the pain."
Madam Pickle was what you could call a happy-go-lucky person. Her voice was like a chirping baby bird; one that he would love to shoot at the moment.
"Lay down and I'll be right back."
With a wide smile she trotted off, curly brown hair bobbing with each step.
"Lay down. Like I have a choice!" he grumbled, doing what she had said. In truth it was very good advise; sitting up was very painful and forced him to breathe heavily otherwise he would suffocate.
"I hope those three are as miserable as I am."
The marauders would get their due punishment, but that never really worked. They would carry it out and then start all over again, sometimes even before finishing their previous punishments. It was as if they had to humiliate him in order to live; they needed it like they needed oxygen.
He gingerly touched his nose and flinched. It was swollen and extremely sensitive, the smallest of contact felt like a sledgehammer and he was afraid to breathe too heavily because it was torture. His ribs were no better. He was also weak and light-headed. In fact, had it not been for Lucius' help he would have never been able to get to the infirmary.
"Lucius..."
The blond had stayed with him until the nurse had arrived and would have remained had she not shooed him off to attend class; it wouldn't do well for him to miss classes on his first day here. He had reluctantly left with the promise to be back as soon as he could since they had still had four lessons to go.
"Here we go!" Madam Pickle chirped, startling him as she seemed to suddenly materialize next to him, a large tray loaded with bottles in her hands. Setting it down, she picked up one and quickly measured the right amount.
"Okay, this will reduce the swelling and repair that small crack. Drink up."
No medicine ever tasted good and this one was no exception. Bitter beyond belief with a touch of sourness thrown in. His stomach immediately tried to reject it but he forced it back down, making a face as he handed back the empty cup with a trembling hand.
"What did you expect; root beer?" Madam Pickle giggled before going on to give him many viler tasting remedies. One for his bruised ribs, one for only the bruises, three for his black eye, one to remove the blood in his air pipe, one to fix his split lip and two to provide him extra strength for the healing process.
'I'm so full with medicine I can't even eat dinner!' he moaned to himself as he handed her back the final glass.
"Now just rest and let the medications do their work. You only have one lesson left for the day but I will send a letter to your teacher explaining everything. I will be back in an hour to check on you."
"Thank you."
With a flashing smile and swirling robes, she turned and trotted out, leaving him to wonder if she was intoxicated on herbal fumes; she never stood still!
He laid back down in the now empty infirmary. Outside he could hear the bell ring, signalling the final lessons. A bustle of students' voices and moving feet went on for many minutes before everything grew silent once more.
'I'm bored.'
He hadn't been lying for more than fifteen minutes but already he had grown weary of staring at the ceiling. Then again, he had spent many times in the infirmary doing just this. His visits were so frequent that he actually had his own bed; in the farthest corner yet with a great view of the mountains west of Hogwarts.
Simply watching the mountains and the late afternoon sky above them, he didn't hear the approaching footsteps. A hand landed on his shoulder and he almost tumbled from the bed in an attempt to get away.
"Severus, calm down. It's me."
Wrapping his arms around his ribs, which were angrily protesting against his movements, he looked up from beneath his tousled black hair into bright aqua eyes.
"Wha--wheeze What a-acough are you doing wheeze here?"
This time, he didn't have the energy, or the breath, to elaborate his curt words and prayed that Lucius would not take offence in them. Luckily, the blond understood what, and how, he meant.
"Our History teacher seems to have vanished," Lucius shrugged and removed his satchel, placing it on the foot of the bed before drawing a chair over and sitting down. "It would appear that someone named...Jeeves?"
"Peeves."
Severus had had more than his shares of unpleasant run-ins with the pesky poltergeist.
"Yes, that character. It would appear that he flushed our History teacher, or so they are saying."
Severus could tell that the news confused Lucius a bit so finding his voice, and a comfortable position that no longer aggravated his ribs, he explained.
"Our History teacher, professor Binns, is a ghost."
"From the others' reaction I don't think he is a favourite here."
"Well, he is kinda boring." He paused for a moment. "Actually, he's very boring."
"So we should be glad that he's been stowed away?" Lucius asked with a small smile.
"Yeah." He wiped his eyes wearily and hissed when his palm accidentally brushed his nose.
His hiss was cut short when he felt a velvety hand gently pull his own away from his face. Its partner tenderly touched his nose and he winced again though he was quite transfixed in the ocean blue eyes that studied his beaten face with anger.
"I do hope that professor Dumbledore give them their dues."
"He is generally a very soft-spoken man, but he has dealt out some of the most extreme punishments Hogwarts has ever seen. Most of them going to the marauders."
"The Marauders?"
"Potter, Black, Lupin and Wormtail. That's what they call their little group. Actually, it's really only Potter and Black you have to keep an eye on. Pettigrew is a little coward and Lupin isn't a trouble maker."
Lucius' brows raised at that and he shook his head, grinning in disbelief.
"It's going to take me forever to learn everything about this school. It's so different from..."
Severus waited but the blond fell silent, aqua eyes distant as they seemed to travel somewhere other than here.
Potter's words came to mind;
'...you've been expelled from your former school.'
From Lucius' reaction he could tell that that was true. But what did Lucius do? He didn't seem like the troublesome type, unlike certain Gryffindors.
"You must have something! You have to get rid of it!"
A boy's desperate voice rang out from down the hall though it drew nearer, somewhat pitched with worry.
"Stop over reacting!" Madam Pickle's soothing voice was surprisingly harsh.
Lucius blinked out of his trance-like state and Severus groaned as he recognized the voice.
"Oh no…"
"What is going on?" Lucius asked, turning in his seat to see the door as the noise drew nearer.
Sighing and leaning back, Severus stared up at the ceiling and crossed his arms.
"You'll soon find out."
Sure enough, the doors open and in came two people. One was Madam Pickle, a look of exasperation on her normally jolly face as she held onto a student who was covering his face with his hands. From the yellow of his uniform it was clear that he was a Hufflepuff.
"I'm deformed! I can never look at people again!"
"Cobblesworth!"
She forced him to sit on a bed nearby and taking a chair, she sat down before him.
"Now let me see what 'disaster' has befallen you this time."
With much effort, she managed to pry the hands away from the face.
Upon entering, the student's curly blond hair had been apparent. His face, now revealed, was good looking though it was streaked with tears. Yet that was the only imperfection to be seen.
"I don't see anything wrong with your face, Mr Lockhart."
"What! Are you blind! Look!"
He pointed to his chin.
With another sigh, she leaned forward for a closer look, the frown never leaving her face.
"Mr Lockhart, all I see is a barely noticeable redness of the skin. Why the big fuss?"
"Oh, sure! It's merely a little bit red now. By tomorrow it will have grown into a large, unsightly pimple! My reputation is at stake here, ma'am! You have to do something!"
Lucius blinked before meeting Severus' eyes who merely shook his head and motioned for him to continue listening.
"It is very normal for people your age to have a break-out every now and then."
"You don't understand!" the boy almost wailed, "Tomorrow the photographers of Witch Weekly are coming to take my interview and pictures for the article of me winning the Best Smile award last week. I can't have the entire wizarding population reading my story while being distracted by a gigantic blemish!"
"But if you..." she sighed, giving up. "Alright, I will go see if I can find something that can help this 'horrifying' dilemma."
"Will you really? Oh, thank you!" He hugged the startled nurse. "I will mention you in the article. In fact, how would you like to be in the magazines?"
"Flattered but uninterested. Stay here." She rose and passing Severus' bed she rolled her eyes to him in secret which he returned with a smile.
"What was that all about?" Lucius asked though Severus never got to answer.
"Snape?" The blond stood and trotted over.
Severus bit back another groan. First pain at the hands of the Gryffindors and now torture at the presence of the Hufflepuff.
Gilderoy Lockhart was a very colourful character, to say the least. Like all Hufflepuff students, his robes were black and yellow though it was barely recognizable beneath the long beisge overcoat. A lilac petticoat covered his torso and designer boots reached his knees; he had one for everyday of the week.
The only thing more important to the Peacock of Hufflepuff, as many called him, than his clothes was his face and hair. He would wake up an hour before his fellow Hufflepuffs and spent all that time in the washroom, applying layers and layers of hair care products and brushing his teeth five times, flossing them six, and gurgling for five minutes. There was not a student in Hogwarts more vain than him though it paid off; he had many little fan clubs formed by the female students.
"Well met, Severus! Dear me, what happened to you? You look paler than usual."
Severus knew that, though he was terribly annoying, Gilderoy wasn't mocking him in any way. The peacock was merely being himself, always giving out 'beauty-tips'. Inside he had a good heart but his obsession with vanity could really grate on one's nerves.
"I just had a run-in with someone."
"Potter and his merry men? Yes, I did see them coming out of Dumbledore's office on my way here. They looked rather glum. Poor chaps." He tsk'ed before turning his attention to Lucius.
"Oh, hello there! You must be the new exchange student that everyone is talking about. Welcome to Hogwarts!" He held out his hand for Lucius, who was looking him over with a certain amused look, obviously having never met such a flamboyant character.
"Thank you. Lucius Malfoy of Slytherin."
"Gilderoy Lockhart of Hufflepuff. I'm sorry that you have to see me like this." he pointed to the 'pimple' on his chin. "I guess I shouldn't have eaten that chocolate donut last night. I was just so excited; this is going to be my twentieth interview."
"About what?" Lucius asked despite Severus' look that pleaded him not to.
Pleased to have found someone to boast to, Gilderoy sat down on the edge of the bed, smiling broadly.
"I've been voted Best Smile by Witch Weekly. This is the third year in a row!" As if wanting to prove the votes correct, he flashed them a bright smile. "It was rather close, though not anything really worth fretting over. My closest rival was from Beauxbatons Accademy; a lass who had Veelan blood in her family. Her face may have been rather beautiful but when it cam down to it I emerged the victor!"
"Congratulations." Lucius said, shooting questioning looks to Severus who merely shrugged.
"Thank you. Say, have you ever considered a role as a model?"
Suddenly, being in the hands of Potter and his cronies seemed much more appealing. He had known that the peacock would ask Lucius that.
It took Lucius a moment to answer. "No, I'm not interested in that way of living."
"Not interested? My dear lad," he wasn't any older than them but they didn't comment on that, "Have you any idea how many wizards wish that they had our natural good looks? You've got a lot of potential! I have connections, if you want I can call up Belle. She's a good friend of my father's friend who is editor of Abra-Ka-Do, the number one hair care magazine. Why, I used to be their poster boy but I quit after a while."
"He was let go." Severus' muttered and Lucius raised a brow but said nothing and continued to listen politely to what the Hufflepuff had to say.
"What do you put in your hair? I bet it's from the Mandrake line of hair care products!"
"I don't put anything in my hair, except when I wash it."
"Honestly? Amazing! Even I, winner of seven different hair care awards, have to use mouse every now and then." Then, as a second thought, "But not too much, you know, I don't really need it."
The two Slytherins were spared more when Madam Pickle entered, her face in tired defeat as her eyes met Gilderoy's hopeful ones.
Holding up a small bottle in her hand she said, "I've just brewed this. It should kill any bacteria that may cause a pimple and will clear up the redness within an hour."
"Ah, excellent!" Gilderoy almost grabbed the bottle out of her hands. "Well then, I have no time to waste. I will see you around then!" He waved at the two Slytherins before hurrying out the room.
"That was...bizarre."
"Thankfully, he's one of a kind."
Lucius laughed.
"I must say, I have more interesting people today than I have in all my life."
The blond's laughed was intoxicating and he found himself chuckling also.
"Well, there are many more here at Hogwarts."
"Really?" Lucius looked outside at the late sun. Moving to sit on the edge of the bed he said, "We still have time before the evening meal. Do tell me more of those in Hogwarts."
They passed more than an hour with Severus describing many students and teachers while Lucius listened, asking questions every now and then. Severus found himself enjoying the rare attention bestowed upon him and for the first time in many years, he spoke openly, even telling small jokes here and there to which the blond laughed.
Watching Lucius, Severus thought to himself,
'I've never met anyone like him. He could become Hogwarts most popular student yet here he is talking to me. Maybe, just maybe, we could become friends...'
Tbc...
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