Title: Finding Severus
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: T
Summary: see chapter one
Warnings: see chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me so do not touch. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

"And this is the dining hall," Severus pointed out as they neared the towering double doors. "Each house has its own table and the teachers' table is at the front. Students can also come here to study or relax in between meals and during the holidays."

"Do you stay here for the holidays?" Lucius asked, looking around as he walked next to Severus, intently listening to his guide.

"Most of the time. It's better than...It's nice during the holidays."

If the blond had noticed his change in words he didn't show it.

Madam Pickle had released Severus from the infirmary 30 minutes ago which gave them enough time to make it to the dining hall before the evening meal began. Along the way Severus had done his best to inform Lucius where everything was.

However, as they neared the large hall, he felt the butterflies grow more restless in his stomach; did he dare face the other students? They would surely start their name-calling once he stepped through those doors.

'Too late to turn back now,' his mind said as they stood before the imposing doors.

"Do we wait?" Lucius asked when he didn't move.

"N-No. I was just lost in my thoughts," Severus muttered and mentally taking a deep breath he pushed the large doors open, wincing at the heavy rumble they made as they parted.

'Please don't make me, or someone else, make a fool of myself.'

Every head in the room turned as the two Slytherin stepped in. Lucius paid them no heed as he looked around, admiring the floating candles and illusionary evening sky above. He then looked back down at the tables and students before turning to Severus, awaiting his lead.

"This way," Severus said as he made his way to the Slytherin table. He could feel every eye on him and the hall was quiet with the exception of whispers from students. That was broken by a soft but resounding tap of silverware on glass as professor Dumbledore stood.

"A moment, lads, if you please," he said to the two newcomers. "Students, I would like to introduce all of you, as well as the teachers, to our new exchange student, Lucius Malfoy of Slytherin."

Applause came along with a unified 'Welcome'.

Lucius glanced at Severus who shrugged helplessly. Turning back to the headmaster, the blond nodded as the applause died down.

"I thank you, headmaster Dumbledore, and you all for welcoming me."

While the rest went on to applaud again, Severus searched for a seat but was surprised when a voice called his name. He looked up to see Lexington Wheeler waving him over as he and his buddies made room on the bench for them though he hesitated; none of the Slytherins ever played any pranks on him or called him names, but they usually just tended to ignore him for the greater part. Especially this group; the Slytherin Quidditch team.

"Come on! The food is waiting!" Lexington called and Severus, having no other choice, obeyed, Lucius following.

"Heard about what the marauders did today. You're okay?" Lexington asked as the two sat down.

"I'll live," was his suspicious reply.

"Good to hear it. So," he turned to Lucius, "welcome to Slytherin."

"Thank you."

"I'm Lexington Wheeler, captain of our house's Quidditch team." He then pointed to the rest, naming them as he went along. "Sean Ubernauch, Fritz Desras; our beaters. Thomas Koost and Monty Redtown; our chasers, along with myself. And that one down there," he leaned forward to point down the table to a girl amongst the rest, "is Shirley Slestchky; our keeper."

"Only six?" Lucius asked, "Where's your seeker?"

"Ain't got one," Lex shrugged his wide shoulders. "We had one last year but thanks to a certain seeker from the other team," he glared over at the Gryffindor table, "he won't be riding a broom for another year or so."

"Potter and him collided high above the field and crash-landed, Potter on top of him so he wasn't to hurt but our guy was mashed up pretty bad," Monty elaborated. "And Potter swears it was an accident but I saw him deliberately swerve into our seeker because we were about to win that cup."

Before anything else could be said the plates before them were suddenly laden with food. Lucius raised a brow and turned to Severus who had been sitting silently next to him.

"That's how they serve us here at Hogwarts," Severus said, feeling somewhat at ease. He wasn't stupid; he knew the only reason why the Quidditch players had invited him over was so that they could talk to Lucius. Still, it was better than sitting by himself at the end of the table.

"Impressive," Lucius admitted, green eyes searching the array of food before settling for the salad.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts so far?" Lex asked as he speared a huge slab of steak. Like all the others his plate was full of mashed potatoes and meat; Severus was always amazed at how they could eat so much yet never grew too heavy or bulky to fly a broomstick.

"I'm very impressed. Though certain students I rather not mingle with."

"The Marauders," Sean identified, speaking around the meat in his mouth.

Lucius nodded. "I've been told that that's what they call themselves."

"One very bizarre group if you ask me," Thomas said, cutting his second steak.

"Say, Lucius, do you play Quidditch?" Lex asked out of nowhere.

"I used to. Just for fun, though."

"What position?"

"Whichever," the blond shrugged, poking at the chicken in his salad.

"We're having a try-out for a new seeker. Why don't you come?"

Severus shifted, worrying where this was going. If Lucius was to join the team then the blond was sure to stop being his friend, being in a better crowd and all. Still, there was little he could do so he remained silent, pushing his food around his plate as he awaited Lucius answer.

"I don't see myself as anything great but I guess it wouldn't kill me if I do."

"Wicked. Tomorrow then, at 4 o'clock on the Quidditch field. Severus here will be able to show you."

"Hey, why don't you try for the position, Snivellus?" asked a smirking voice as Potter and his gang came up behind them, having finished their meal. "How about Beater? You can use your nose for a bat."

Severus sighed, awaiting more but then, to his surprise, Lex stood, well a foot taller then Potter and twice as wide.

"How about I use your head for a bludger?"

No one, not even from his own house, had ever stood up for Severus so the surprised look on Potter and his friends' face was justifiable. Still, not to be outdone, James sneered and turned to Lucius who had remained silent.

"So, trying out for Quidditch, pretty boy? You should be careful; it's a very rough sport and you may get dirty."

"I take it you play?" Lucius asked calmly.

"Gryffindor team's Seeker, the best our house has seen in many years."

"Which isn't saying much," Fritz quipped and his friends snickered.

"You want to make something of it, Desras?" James started forward but Remus held him back.

"Just drop it, Prongs. The last thing we need is you getting our house in even more trouble. Let's go."

Sneering at the Slytherins but knowing his friend was right, and the fact that the teachers were all very close-by, James nodded.

"Guess you're just going to have to learn the hard way not to mess with the Gryffindors." Spinning on Severus, his scowl only deepened. "You can't hide behind your new friend forever, Snivellus. Don't even think for a second that you are off the hook."

With that he strode off, Remus leading and Wormtail scurrying behind them. Once again, Sirius faltered, eyes intently locked on Lucius who returned it with a narrowed glare. After some tense seconds the Gryffindor finally turned and walked off, disappearing through the tall doors.

"Is he always like that?" Lucius asked the pale boy beside him.

"I wouldn't trust him if I were you. Sirius always has something up his sleeves."

The blond nodded thoughtfully before Lex asked him something, drawing his attention off Severus who found himself more unsettled by Black's attitude than Lucius. The Gryffindor was notorious and the look he now reserved only for Lucius was one Severus had seen him give others. Others he had wanted. Black was pinning for the new student.

'Lucius can take care of himself. Much better than I can," he assured himself. Any further thoughts were interrupted when Sean and Monty asked him something about the day's lessons.

Within a few minutes Severus was shocked to find himself smiling, even laughing at some times, with the other teens as they told jokes and ate. They spoke to him, not just to impress Lucius, but to honestly talk. Fritz and Thomas were truly interested to learn that Severus had a scorpion collection back home; both boys having a fascination for all things crawling and venomous.

Severus slowly felt himself being accepted by his house.

Something he had never felt before.

Dinner had ended and the Dining Halls had slowly emptied as the students returned to their rooms. The Quidditch team had night practises so it was only Lucius and Severus as they slowly made their way to the Slytherin common room, Severus still explaining the lay-out of the immense palace that was their school. The painting on the wall, a wretched pair of witches enjoying their tea and maggoty biscuits, snapped to attention as the two approached.

"Password?" the one to the left asked, a large wart with a single strand of hair poking from her crooked nose.

"Retched Reptile."

The witch nodded and the painting swung aside, revealing the doorway that lead to the common room.

"Interesting password," Lucius chuckled.

"They change often so you have to be alert. I once spent the entire night trying to get in."

Lucius laughed but nodded. They walked on through the large green and silver decorated area, Lucius having already been familiarized to it by Headmaster Dumbledore. As they reached the rooms Severus expected Lucius to bid him good night in the hall, having no doubt another room, but the blond followed him, most likely not ready to sleep and wanting to learn more of Hogwarts. Which was fine for Severus; it got quite lonely sometimes, being by himself in the otherwise empty room.

For the past three years he had been in a room alone which was partially due to the unequal number of Slytherins and mainly due to the fact that no one had ever wanted to be his roommate.

"I wasn't expecting anyone so my room is a bit of a mess," he admitted, hand on the doorknob but hesitating.

"From the rooms I have seen earlier I truly doubt it can be worse than them."

"Lex and his friends' rooms?" Severus asked, well aware of the pigsty the Quidditch players lived in. Clothes and robes everywhere, beds never made, books scattered on the floor, empty plates with some food left on them; those rooms were beyond messy so he felt somewhat more at ease.

Turning the handle, he stepped inside, lighting the torch near the door which magically lit the rest, each bursting into flames one by one until the room was well lit.

Like all rooms, this was actually meant for five people but it had always been his. Actually, it wasn't messy, but he liked to keep things very orderly so the slightest rubble would look dreadful to him. At the moment his desk had a few stray papers and some of the books were out of place. His bed hadn't been made as neat as he liked it; he had been more focused on finishing off his report. But other than that, everything was alright.

Except...

"Meow?"

Vanima raised her head from where it had been contently resting on the sheets of the bed next to Severus'. On that bed was also a travel bag and at the foot was a large trunk with the initial L.M. in golden letters on the shiny black leather casing.

Blinking, he turned to Lucius who noticed the stare.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, removing the tie at the end of his hair.

"Are those...yours?"

The blond nodded, confused at the look on the pale boy's face.

"I was assigned to this room. You don't mind, do you?" he asked. "If you want I can ask Professor Dumbledore to place me in another. I just thought it would be great having you as a roommate."

Severus couldn't blink. Was he even breathing?

"A roommate? You? With me?"

He had always secretly wished for a roommate, as it sometimes got very lonely, but now that Lucius was his roommate he had been scared. What was he supposed to do? What do roommates do? Talk? About what?

"It is okay, Severus. If you don't want I can leave," Lucius said earnestly, mistaking the other boy's reaction for disappointment.

Snapping out of the trance, Severus shook his head.

"No! No, it's all right. I'm really glad to have you as a roommate. I'm just a bit surprised. You see..." he trailed off, eyes slowly running over the remaining three beds.

Lucius followed his line of sight and understood.

"The others are idiots." He smiled at the black-haired boy who turned to him with a bemused look. "You are a very interesting and fun person to be around. The moment I had stepped into class this morning I only had to look at you to know that you'd be a very good friend."

"A friend..." Severus repeated, sitting down on his bed, still numb.

Seeing the boy needed some time to recuperate, Lucius took out his towel and change of clothes.

"I'm going to take a bath. Be right back." With another smile, he walked out the room.

Severus remained where he was, eyes now on the shiny trunk at the foot of what was now Lucius' bed. Vanima rose from where she had been sleeping and jumped the distance between the beds with ease, padding over to Severus before rubbing her head on his arm, demanding attention.

Stroking the content cat, Severus felt a smile come to his face and felt it slowly grow till he was grinning widely.

"A friend," he said to himself. "I have a friend..."

The jade-eyed cat merely purred, curling up into a furry ball next to him as she fell back to sleep.

Tbc...

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