A/N: next part.

Sorry for the delay, this was supposed to be up like three weeks ago, actually this was supposed to be up months ago, like last year, but my laptop quit on me and then I got a new job and I need to travel a lot for my job and then I'm usually just exhausted by the time I get home. I just kept pushing this one to the back of the list. You know what they say, ain't no rest for the wicked

Loved the reviews

I hope I answered some of the questions that were asked about the first chapter in this one. I got a review asking exactly how bad lord Cristea can be and the thing about Sebastian is that he's actually really really bad, the problem is that he doesn't know that he's bad. Which is actually kind of sad.

Oh my god that rhymed.

At this point I think it goes without saying I won't be able to finish this in two chapters, sorry about that.

Usual apologies

Disclaimer: see previous chapter

"Godric you're being ridiculous." Salazar said as he walked across the room taking a book from the shelf on the furthest side to walk back to his desk and sit down. Godric huffed out an angered breath, arms folded over his broad chest as he fought to stay calm.

"Why won't you listen? Why don't you ever listen to me?"

Salazar arched a brow at him, "You ask me that like you don't already know the answer to that question."

The redhead's eyes narrowed down into a glare, "There's something odd about him."

"Something like what?"

"I don't know! It doesn't strike you as odd that he knows so much about dark magic?"

Salazar huffed out a sigh as he looked down at the book he'd just taken off the shelf and started paging through it, "He's to be the new Dark Arts teacher, I think it would be more concerning if he knew less about dark magic. And besides, my knowledge on dark magic is just as advanced, are you trying to say that there's something wrong with me as well?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying but-"

"Godric, we start a new year in two months. You are the one that suggested that we get a new Dark Arts teacher so I could focus on the potions class, Rowena agreed and so did Helga. And yet now that I've found a perfectly suitable candidate, you're rejecting my choice."

"He's dangerous-"

"He's eccentric at best. I've made my choice Gryffindor. Damian is perfect, I'm not turning him away just because of your unfounded theories."

"Of course." Godric huffed angrily, "This has nothing to do with the slimy toad practically fawning all over you."

Salazar paused and his eyes narrowed down ever so slightly but still managed to turn into one of the coldest glares the blonde has ever given him, "Green isn't a good colour on you Gryffindor."

Godric paused, "I'm not jealous of-"

"Of course, you aren't. I've made my choice and as a fellow founder of this school you have no right to deny me." Salazar said bringing his gaze back to the book, "This conversation is over. Show yourself out."

The redhead's hands clenched and he resisted the urge to scream in frustration as he turned around and left the room. Contrary to what some might believe, namely Rowena, he doesn't actually enjoy fighting with Salazar. But the man is just so frustrating it drove Godric insane sometimes. He just wouldn't listen, he insisted on always being so...

The redhead stepped out the private rooms into the darkened hallway where he turned and was suddenly faced with a tall man with long blonde hair and ice blue eyes.

The redhead couldn't help but glare.

"Good evening master Gryffindor." Damian said in that strange accent that Godric still couldn't place as he gave the redhead a small smile, "I hope you are well."

"What're you doing down here?"

"Master Slytherin asked me to meet him this evening, to begin discussing a lesson plan for the new year."

"You can't do this in the morning?"

"I'm afraid he insisted." The blonde said and something about that smile made Godric want to punch him square in the jaw. He was contemplating just that when the door behind him suddenly opened and Salazar spoke.

"Damian, you're right on time." He said giving the younger man a warm smile before turning a dark glare on the redhead, "I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the room."

Damian shook his head, "No, it wasn't any trouble at all."

"Good, come in make yourself comfortable. There's much to do."

"Thank you master Slytherin." The blonde said stepping passed the redhead to slip inside.

"Damian please, call me Salazar."

"Of course, Salazar."

Godric was about to protest when Salazar shut the door in his face and he heard the lock slide into place. The redhead finally let out that scream that he'd tried so hard to keep locked in his chest. Roaring in frustration so loudly that it almost felt as if the walls shuddered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was like something out of a dream.

Lord Sebastian Sorin Cristea the fifth wasn't just beautiful. He was charming and thoughtful, generous and kind, witty and caring and just so intelligent that it didn't take all that long for Severus to start falling for him.

It's been about a month since Sebastian transferred to Hogwarts and in that time, Severus just seemed to fall deeper and deeper with every passing day. They spent all their time together, studying in the library, eating in the Great hall or even just sitting together outside in the courtyard. Severus didn't really understand it at first since the heir was just so unbelievably perfect. Severus didn't understand why the older teen was so eager to be around him that in that first week, he did all he could to avoid Sebastian and practically rejected every attempt he made to spend time with him.

It was just so strange.

Severus wasn't used to someone paying so much attention to him, other than Regulus and Narcissa of course but with lord Cristea it was just different. The way he looked at Severus was just so… intense. To be honest it scared him a little to suddenly have all that attention on him, suddenly having all those unknown emotions on him and focused only on him. Severus had no idea how he was supposed to act or even what to say when the heir suddenly sat down beside him in class or appeared beside him when they were eating in the great hall or when the blonde sent him owls almost every night before he went to bed.

He didn't understand.

Usually people ignored him, they ridiculed him and treated him horribly but lord Cristea – Sebastian – seemed to want to do nothing but make him happy. Not even his mother lavished him with so much love and attention. Though Severus knew his mother loved him dearly, she never really showed her affections for her son since Tobias just demanded so much from her. But Sebastian, he made Severus feel so secure and adored and… wanted.

One month into it, Severus just allowed the older teen around him. He decided not to fight back against the teens affections as hard as he was before. They studied together, ate together, Sebastian would walk him to his classes from time to time.

It was lovely.

Severus couldn't help but let his lips quirk up in the slightest smile, looking away so his hair fell over his eyes in a curtain of pitch black when Cristea suddenly reached out to brush his hair back and tucked it behind his ear. Severus blushed but couldn't look away as those ice-cold blue eyes seemed to melt right before him.

"It's true, Severus." Cristea said giving the younger teen a smile, "Everyone knows you're the most talented student in this school."

"I know." Severus said a bit cheekily and Cristea laughed as the teen continued, "I simply prefer not to bring too much attention to myself."

"And modest to boot." Severus' blush went one shade darker, as the older teen continued, "Where have you been all my life?"

"Right here?"

Sebastian looked down taking Severus' hand into his own as he spoke, "I mean it, you're an exquisite creature Severus."

The raven flushed darker and had to look away, "We hardly know each other. You can't mean that."

"I do." Sebastian said moving closer to the other as he looked him right in the eye, "I know it's a bit soon, but over the past few weeks I've come to realise that I simply can't exist without you Severus. I crave your presence when you're away from me. I want even closer when you're near. I adore you Severus."

The Slytherin's eyes went wide, "I-I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, you don't need to say a word." Sebastian said reassuringly as he tugged at the younger teen's hand urging him off his seat before he reached out to place a hand on the Slytherin's waist and Snape only stared with wide eyes as he was pulled into the older teen's lap.

"Sebastian, wait-" the raven said, glancing around himself nervously. The library seemed empty but you never know when a student might wander in because of some last-minute assignment. Sebastian however wouldn't let himself be deterred. He sat the teen on his lap, reached up to gently grasp the raven's chin and urged him forward.

Severus flushed even as he leaned in and their lips joined in a soft kiss. He put his hands on the blonde's shoulders, not knowing what else to do with them as Sebastian's hand went up into his hair and the other, stayed on his hips. The older teen deepened the kiss tilting his head to the side and working his mouth open to slip his tongue inside and all at once Severus suddenly felt…

Lightheaded.

Severus' body felt the slightest bit heavy almost drained. Sebastian's hands slid onto his waist, under his robes to grasp the younger teen just a bit tighter to pull their bodies even closer together. It got harder to breath. The raven broke the kiss pulling back to stare at Sebastian and had to shake his head as his vision blurred.

"Uh…"

"Severus are you alright?" Sebastian asked and Severus nodded his head once his vision stopped swimming.

"Yes, I'm fine, just… I'm fine." The raven reassured with a small smile and Sebastian smiled back as he leaned forward to press a kiss on the Slytherin's cheek. "Good. We should probably finish up, I want you all to myself later."

The blonde said and Severus nodded as he returned to his seat, he couldn't help but smile as Sebastian pressed a final kiss on his hand before they both turned back to their books.

So much affection, so much love.

It felt like a dream.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was like something out of a nightmare.

It was unbearable, excruciating, and absolutely intolerable. Oh yes, James Potter is in hell. Lord Sebastian Sorin Cristea the fifth wasn't just attractive oh no; the stupid git was also arrogant, obnoxious, smug, self-righteous and generally just a giant pain in the arse. It's no wonder it didn't take long for all of the marauders to absolutely loathe the blonde.

Why Snape insisted on spending time around the blonde was beyond him.

It's been two months since he first transferred to Hogwarts.

Remus pretended like it didn't bother him, he'd pretend like he didn't notice whenever Snape walked in through the doors of the Great Hall with lord Cristea by his side, he'd act like he wouldn't notice the two of them sitting huddled together in the library paying little to no attention to the books they had in front of them. He'd act like he didn't notice the two sitting together in the courtyard.

Remus would just keep his head down, nose buried in a book.

Sirius wasn't as restrained.

He'd glare openly at the two when he saw them together, hiss and growl insults whenever the blonde was in hearing distance and generally just made a fuss. Snape ignored them, though James would never admit that it seemed more like the teen was so absorbed in lord Cristea that he didn't even notice their existence.

James carried on the way he always did, he'd insult Snape and prank him. Although these days Snape barely ever acknowledged the insults and the pranks never really seemed to hit their mark. It was infuriating and he had no idea why.

Remus had no idea why.

Sirius had no idea why either.

It just annoyed them in the worst way how lord Cristea would fawn and moon over Snape, and Snape would accept all that attention with open arms before returning the blonde's affections. It grated at their nerves in the worst way and they had no idea why.

Then again, most things concerning Severus Snape was just confusing for the Marauders. He was just so…

So…

Merlin, James honestly doesn't know why Snape annoys him. They aren't in the same house, they don't have the same friends and they rarely ever spend time in the same places and somehow staying away from Snape and ignoring him was impossible. At first James thought the reason he hated Snape was because of Lily, because she was beautiful and smart. Snape didn't deserve to have her as a friend or even have so much of a fraction of the redhead's attention. But Evans stopped spending time with Snape ages ago, she barely paid attention to him anymore, but still, Severus' presence grated at his nerves.

"It's more that he exists really."

James doesn't think anyone really understands how true that statement was.

Severus exists and James can't stand it. He's not sure why it bothers him. Snape was just so… Snape. James just couldn't understand him and that infuriated him in the worst way. The stupid prat was just so difficult, he just wouldn't play along. He wasn't like everyone else. He insisted on being so different and weird and… fascinating.

It grated on his nerves in the worst way.

It was easy, pretending like the only reason he was so obsessed with Snape was because he was obsessed with Evans. It was simple because Lily was beautiful, confident, smart and everything a normal bloke could ever want from a girl. She could get along with almost anyone and had the loveliest smile. Snape was none of that.

He was pale and skinny. Snape was incredibly smart and he knew it, which made his arrogance somewhat warranted despite the fact that he rarely ever showed it. He had dark hair that would hang limply around his face, he wore second hand robes and used old ratty textbooks, yet that didn't stop him from being so infinitely talented in just about every subject in school. As far as his clothes were concerned, he didn't really seem to care. Every time James saw him, he was always reading some manner of text book concerning the dark arts without any care for what anyone around him thought.

It was just so…

He was just so Snape.

The rest of the marauders had a similar problem with the Slytherin.

With Sirius at first it seemed like he was only going along with James. Sticking with his new friend in order to maintain the popularity he seemed to wield so easily. Remus would try to dissuade them from meddling with the raven haired Slytherin and every time he'd fail, but he'd still tag along during their antics. Which didn't make a whole lot of sense. Peter didn't really seem to have his own opinion of the Slytherin, every comment he made was always just something that James or Sirius had said before, so he didn't really count in James' opinion.

At first Sirius seemed to only be following his lead but then James would catch the Animagus staring and watching. Sometimes he'd bring Snape up in conversations. He'd randomly complain about the raven-haired wizard even when they were nowhere near him.

"He's such a freak, isn't he? Just look at him."

"How does he know so many spells and hexes? It's not normal, it has to mean something."

"Well of course he's good at potions, it's a Slytherin class."

But Snape really was weird, he was so… abnormal so it was easy to ignore how Sirius' focus on Snape got worse and worse with each day that passed. After all you never really notice your own faults, Sirius' focus on Snape enabled and reinforced James' so it was easy.

Remus was… different.

He never really approved of how they treated the Slytherin, he never took part in any of the pranks or the teasing that they inflicted on Snape but-

He never tried to stop them either.

He'd speak up for the raven sometimes, usually when their pranks seemed like they were going maybe just a step too far, but he never really tried to stop them either. It was almost disturbing how he'd just watch sometimes instead of doing or saying anything. James brought it up once or twice, whenever Remus suddenly seemed to grow a conscience and told them to slow down.

"Going soft Moony?" James would ask with a smirk and Remus would look away.

"No, it's just I think… you might get into actual trouble if someone finds out."

That was two months ago. Sirius managed to get a hold of Snape's bag. James caught Lily trying to catch Snape's attention during class one day. He figured that that was a good enough reason to prank the teen. They'd only intended on throwing the bag in the lake, it was a low-level prank in James' opinion, but they never went through with it. When they got a hold of Snape's bag his advanced potions book fell out and they were surprised to see hundreds of notes written all along the margins and on the inside of the book. And suddenly they understood how it was that Snape always did so well in the subject while they did so poorly even when they were following the instructions perfectly.

There were corrections for every spell, notes to stir a potion clock-wise instead of anti-clockwise, crushing pixie wings instead of powdering them, substituting eel entrails with newt entrails. That much was distracting enough, but then there were spells. The marauders hadn't realized how powerful any of these spells were until they tried them out on one another.

Sirius had just cast a spell called a langlock on Peter and they were still giggling loudly at the effect the binding spell had on their best friend when James noticed another spell written along the margins with the note.

"For enemies." Sirius let out a bark of laughter as Peter forced himself up onto his feet and Remus looked over his friend's shoulder to get a better look, "Well, isn't that sweet. I knew he cared about us."

James' head gave a tilt, the marauders were the only enemy that he could think of. The hazel eyed wizard gave a snort at the thought that the Slytherin had actually designed a spell just for them, while something odd twisted in his chest at the same time.

"Sectumsempra."

He cast the spell, aiming for the herbology book on his bed only for his eyes to go wide and the room to fall dead silent when the book was split in half, as if some long sharp blade had cut right through it, going right through the comforter in his bed. They tried repairing it, using sticking charms and repair charms to fix it only to fail every time.

A cutting spell, that couldn't be reversed and clearly couldn't be healed.

"Did Snape make this for us?"

It's the darkest spell that any of them have ever cast, and yet somehow Sirius couldn't even make a snide comment about the raven being a death eater or how typical it was that Snape would create such a spell.

It was… horrifying and briefly James couldn't help but wonder why Snape hasn't used the spell on them yet. It was… haunting. They found another spell a few pages on, they didn't know what it did, but James made a mental note before slipping the book back into Snape's bag. Sirius hadn't wanted to put Snape's bag back where he'd found it but… James still felt so unbelievably uneasy at the vicious spell Snape created for "enemies"

Surely, he didn't hate them that much? Somehow the correlation between their pranks and Snape's dislike of them refused to register in his head, he refused to acknowledge that Snape's anger towards them was somewhat warranted.

He took back Snape's bag to the library in an attempt at penitence. Like returning Snape's property instead of destroying it despite what they found would somehow make up for it. Secretly, he knew it wouldn't, not by a long shot. But the idea of Snape actually hating them and hating them for good reason just felt so…

It was a week later when they used another spell. It was a stupid move. Beyond stupid actually but James wasn't exactly thinking straight at the time. He was already annoyed when he got up that morning and noticed that Snape looked, different.

Not overtly so, but enough that James could notice the difference. His robes looked different, they looked new. Usually Snape wore old, second hand clothing, it was strange seeing him in anything that looked even remotely decent. And of course, he heard the rumors. They liked to talk about it; how Snape was friends with Malfoy and Lestrange, Mulciber and Wilkes. Students that were clearly dark and obviously involved in shady dealings. Everyone knew that Malfoy had a soft spot for Snape as evidenced by the blonde sending the Marauders to Dumbledore's office and deducting hundreds of house points when he normally didn't pay them much attention at all. Malfoy had a soft spot for Snape, his family had plenty of gold to throw around, so it only stands to reason that Snape probably got his robes from the blonde as a gift, right?

It was an enormous stretch in logic, but Snape looked oddly different. That morning he looked almost pleased. James hated it. The moment the idea of new robes from Malfoy settled in his mind he somehow felt even worse than before and he decided that the robes need to go.

Sirius became annoyed when he noticed Regulus getting unusually close to Snape that morning, subtly handing him a velvet pouch before sitting pressed against the raven's side. It always annoyed him how well those two obviously got along. It irked him how his little brother could so easily just hang over Snape whenever the mood took him. They aren't even in the same year, but they always spent so much bloody time together.

It annoyed him in the worst way. That morning during breakfast after handing Snape that velvet pouch Snape gave the younger teen a small almost indiscernible smile after which they seemed to talk quietly with Regulus picking at his robes with a grin. Snape seemed to flush ever so slightly before shaking his head at Regulus. The entire exchange just… Sirius didn't know how to deal with the feelings that the sight brought in him. It occurred to him at some point between the time that Regulus started at Hogwarts and Sirius saw him wandering the halls with Snape, that he generally just didn't like the idea of Regulus around Snape. Not just because Reg is his younger brother but also because it was Snape.

What on earth did Regulus even see in him? Why constantly spend time around him? Snape wasn't even a pureblood. Merlin knows his mother would pitch a perfect fit if she knew that one of her sons was even looking in the direction of a half-blood, let alone befriended one. Why was Regulus so obviously comfortable around him? Why did he insist on spending time around him? Why did Snape let him?

That morning Sirius belatedly realized that Snape looked different. Although that's only after Regulus started tugging at his clothes and Snape almost seemed to smile at him. His robes looked new.

Remus didn't admit that he was annoyed. James could tell by the way the werewolf would growl just when Rosier walked by Snape in the hallway and flashed him a brief smile, Snape's cheeks tinged pink for the briefest moment before they both looked elsewhere. But really that exchange had them all feeling a little agitated.

Remus was mostly focused on how Snape's mood seemed a little different. The full moon was just about a week away. He noticed that morning that Snape almost seemed to smell like chocolate. Snape didn't seem like the type to like any type of sweet let alone chocolate. It was an odd observation he just couldn't seem to ignore all day. Snape smelled like chocolate and he seemed pleased. It irked at him, Remus wasn't sure why Snape's good mood would somehow unnerve him so badly. But it did.

He wanted to know why. Why was he so pleased? What did he have to be so pleased about? Was he really just having a good day? And why choose today to wear a new pair of robes. Remus didn't get it. Snape was always so different, he was always such a puzzle. It unnerved him. But he did what he always did as a manner to distract himself. He pretended not to notice and ignored James and Sirius' comments, their plans for pranks and their insults.

Acknowledging them meant acknowledging Snape's existence. And Remus just wasn't in any mood to unpack the impossible human puzzle that is Snape that day. Sirius and James were able to deal with that sort of obsession, but Remus couldn't. The full moon was a week away. He didn't want to give Mooney yet another reason to try and escape.

Human thoughts and desires often transferred over to his werewolf form in the worst way. Hunger would lead to him being insanely aggressive and ruthless, as evidenced by that one time he woke in the forest with what was left of two deer scattered around him. he didn't even want to know what Mooney would do with undefined unresolved feelings over Snape. He tried to ignore it.

Wormtail…

Honestly Peter just did whatever it is that they wanted to do, with James and Sirius never really needing to explain anything so Peter was easily ignored.

But then came charms. All the seats were full. Snape came in late and sat beside Lily. That was bad enough, but then James noticed the redhead slip Snape a note as she smiled at him before Snape did the same. If only briefly.

Somehow for James that was the last straw.

He said the first spell that came to mind, the spell he found in Snape's spell book. He got Sirius and Peter to do the same. And then they just froze.

It was horrifying. Snape was covered in cuts all over his body, thankfully most of them only cut through the raven's robes but James noticed that a few of them managed to cut through skin. It was horrifying that Snape may have designed that spell for them as well, but even more so that they'd actually cast it.

Snape ran from the room Flitwick deducted points before sending them to Dumbledore's office after managing to regain control over the classroom. Flitwick was less than pleased, especially since he could tell the spell was just on the edge of being dark. The professor almost screamed his rage in the headmaster's office, calling for the marauders to be punished.

"This can't go on Albus!" The half-goblin cried, "It's bad enough that they decided to disrupt my class again, but to use a spell like that on the boy?"

Dumbledore sighed and asked to speak with the boys for a moment. Not that they had much to say, they still hadn't recovered from the shock of what they'd done.

They were asked where they found the spell and why they'd use it against another student, despite the animosity between them and Snape.

"Sir it's not our fault, we found it-"

"We found the spell in a book in the library." James said cutting Peter off and the boy frowned at him in confusion as he continued, "I-… we weren't sure what the spell would do."

"And you still cast it anyway?" Dumbledore asked and Sirius swallowed hard.

"Yes sir."

As for why they used it against Snape they couldn't give the head master an answer.

Albus only sighed.

"This animosity you three seemed to have with Mr Snape is…" the man let out a soft sigh, "It needs to stop, you're sixth years, surely you've grown tired of this schoolyard rivalry?"

The three wizards didn't say anything to that, Albus kept his gaze steady.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you how delicate the situation with Mr Snape is since he knows about Mr Lupin's condition. If you aren't able to leave him be for your own sanity, then surely you can do so for your friend? You must realize that there's no logical reason for you all to be going on like this. It's nothing more than silly reckless behavior."

"But sir-"

"The spell you cast today was dangerous and if its creator had been the one to cast it, I'm sure I don't have to tell you the sort of damage it may have done. Though I doubt Severus would have actually ever used it against any of you."

The teens' eyes went wide, Albus gave them a half smile as he looked up at the three over his glasses.

"I know every book in Hogwarts library and I've never read of a spell like the one you described. A severing spell capable of dealing multiple blows in a single casting. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that there's only one student in school capable of coming up with something that inventive and finding a way to execute it. Which is all the more reason to stop this behavior." The white-haired man said looking at the boys sternly, "This dangerous feud you all have stops today. Professor Flitwick has expressed his wishes for a punishment. If anything like this were to happen again, he would be well within his rights to demand suspension or even expulsion and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. For the time being. You will have three weeks detention and one hundred points deducted from Gryffindor."

They got off easy, considering that they might have actually killed Snape if they cast that spell right. They didn't talk about it again that night. Pretended like it never happened, ignored the other students around them when they whispered about the incident in the halls and during the rest of the day's lessons. But they didn't speak of it. Narcissa Malfoy seemed to send them hateful glares whenever she caught sight of them and Lily, who had been warming up a bit towards James seemed to thoroughly ignore his existence. But that much was easy enough to ignore. They didn't like Narcissa much either, despite the fact that she was Sirius' cousin and as for Lily, James didn't find her quite as interesting when Snape wasn't around. However, they did notice that Snape didn't show up for dinner in the great hall that night.

Lord Sebastian Sorin Cristea arrived at Hogwarts the next day.

That's when things really changed. Suddenly Snape changed.

They've always noticed Snape, they've always paid attention to him. So of course, they noticed how lord Cristea basically ignored everyone around him only to focus his attention entirely on Snape. They noticed how Snape started to flush ever so slightly whenever the blonde sat down next to him or caught up to him to walk with him in the hallways. They noticed how cold, withdrawn, antisocial Snape would suddenly just be sitting there chatting endlessly with the blonde prat while ignoring everything around him. including the marauders.

It was distressing.

There are other things James could have focused his attention on. Things like the Quidditch game against Slytherin that's coming up in a few weeks. The potions assignment he hadn't even glanced at yet. But Snape and Cristea seemed to be the only thing he could really focus on, the only thing that any of the marauders could focus on.

This went on for almost a month and just seemed to get worse with every day that passed until-

It was late, James was wandering the halls under his invisibility cloak. He couldn't sleep, it seems his brain just wouldn't let him sleep so he didn't see the point in trying to force it any longer. He snuck out of Gryffindor tower and made his way along the darkened hallways heading towards the room of requirement, only to stop and pause when he saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eye. Further down the hall, two cloaked figures sneaking along the halls and doing quite a good job of it. James might not have even noticed if it wasn't for the sound of a door quietly opening.

Letting curiosity take hold he quickly moved down the hall and followed them. They moved through the halls, headed towards the exit and slipped outside. The cloaked figures were moving across the courtyard. It was unusually cold. James almost wished that he'd grabbed a jumper before the left the dorm room. Instead he cast a quick heating charm before he continued the two.

They were headed towards the great willow tree beside the lake. James frowned when he saw the figures stop beside the tree and had to cast a silencing charm on himself to make sure he didn't make any noise. As he got closer, he heard the figures speak and he almost froze in place.

"Bastian…"

Snape.

James could only stand frozen in place as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. The hood of a cloak fell. James couldn't help but grit his teeth in annoyance at the head of white blonde hair and those piecing blue eyes. Lord Cristea smiled as he reached out to the figure in front of him to lower the hood of their cloak to reveal a blushing Snape.

"There, now we have all the privacy we could want."

"This isn't exactly private." Snape said glancing nervously around them until the blonde took his face into his hands and leaned down to press a soft kiss on the raven's lips. Snape shut his eyes and leaned into it.

A bolt of shock went right through James. Sure, the marauders and just about every other student in school had already guessed the true nature of Lord Cristea's relationship with their resident greasy haired git. But there's a difference between suspecting something and having your suspicions confirmed right in front of you.

Cristea broke it, looking down at the younger teen with a soft smile, "You worry too much."

Snape gave a wry smile, "It's hard not to when-"

The raven was silenced when Sebastian suddenly leaned down and joined their lips together in a soft kiss. James eyes went wide.

"Relax."

And then they kissed again.

James wanted to leave. He wanted to turn around and walk away. But he couldn't. The strangest mix of feelings suddenly washed over him.

Lust, disgust and then to top it all off oddly paralyzing… rage.

James' hands clenched into fists.

Snape's arms went up to wrap themselves around Cristea's neck and he left out a soft moan. James felt his heart clench at the sound his jaw tightened. Snape broke the kiss with the softest smile, eyes hazy and glowing as he stared up at the older teen.

"Did you really just bring me out here for this?"

Cristea smiled back, brushing Snape's hair behind his ear, "You're much too clever for your own good darling." The blonde then looked up at the tree beside them, "I wanted to give you something."

"Give me what?"

The blonde smiled leaning in to press a soft kiss on Snape's forehead, "I adore you Severus."

Snape smiled as he looked up at the taller teen, "I know."

"You also know that I can't imagine ever being away from you. So, I wanted to give you this." Cristea reached into his robes and pulled out a small box made from some sort of dark gleaming metal. Snape's head gave a tilt as he watched the taller teen open the box only to suddenly blink in surprise.

"Bastian…"

"It's family heirloom, a promise ring." Cristea explained as he looked into the raven's eyes.

"A promise for what?"

"That you'll be mine and that later, once we're both of age we'll marry. I know it's a bit soon but I've always been a bit impatient."

Severus' eyes went wide, "Sebastian, I don't know what to say."

"Say yes, take the ring." Cristea said lifting the box towards the other teen, Snape's lips pursed together as he reached out to take the ring from its box. James' eyes went impossibly wide. That's not just a promise ring.

"Its very lovely." Snape said looking at the ring and tilting it between its fingers. Made from gleaming silver, studded with green and black gems. Even from where he stood James could see the infinity symbol carved into the side.

A bonding ring.

It looked like Snape was actually going to put it on, James moved before he could stop himself. he pulled out his wand and-

"Expecto Patronum!"

The two Slytherin gasped when the bright shimmering form of a large stag suddenly appeared before them.

"What on earth?" Sebastian said when the stag rushed at him and he stepped back out of the way when it stood between him and Snape. It shook its head, huffing and stomping its hooves at Cristea before it reared back on his hindlegs to ward him off yet again.

Snape was staring wide eyed at the stag when those same eyes suddenly started darting around them and his eyes narrowed down in annoyance.

"Who-"

"We should go." Severus said stepping away from the stag while Cristea continued to glare at the animal in frustration. "Where on earth-"

The stag reared up at the blonde again, Snape hissed as he pulled out his wand. "Enough. Expecto Patronum!"

James' eyes went even wider than before when a shimmering doe appeared from Snape's wand and almost immediately rushed at the stag to head butt it and shove it aside, before it huffed and stomped in return.

There were rumours that went around, that Severus Snape was one of the few Slytherin students in his year that could cast a Patronus. The marauders ignored all these rumours, since they'd never seen Snape cast a Patronus before, not even when they learned how to cast the spell in the DADA class last year. It was said that dark wizards couldn't cast Patronus' because it required such an abundance of light magic, it was fuelled by ones purest most precious memories. James froze for the second time that night when he realised that not only could Snape cast a Patronus but his Patronus was-

"Let's go." Snape said taking a hold of Cristea's hand as they headed back towards the castle. James watched them go, before looking back to the Patronus before him. The doe huffed one more time at the stag before suddenly disappearing in a wisp of light leaving James' stag alone, before it disappeared as well. The Gryffindor let out a heavy sigh as he tugged the invisibility cloak off and let the cool night air hit his skin.

A/N: Please review