Chapter 6: crying to no one.

James and Sirius had been up finishing their Potions homework late that night. Remus had already finished his and went to bed. And Peter it appeared that earlier he had to go to the hospital wing from a group of Slytherins that attacked him.

"You know we know who it was lets just go after them!" Sirius said closing his book at last.
James followed suit, "Well we are finished the work…lets see, and it was Rabastan again right?"

"Yep! And my dear young brother." Sirius said with distaste.
"Alright then! Let me get the cloak and let's go!" James said gleefully. Then he jumped up and went towards their dorm room.
"Wait! Don't forget the map either." Sirius warned.

The marauders had made a magical map that shows the secret places in Hogwarts and most importantly showing the people in the school. James also had an invisibility cloak too.
"Here we go." James whispered excitedly as he and Sirius disappeared under the cloak.

As they quietly walked along the halls searching the map for the Slytherins Sirius heard a sound,
"Hold it!" he breathed keeping James back.

There in a corner was a student huddled against the wall. It was a skinny boy in their black school robes and as well as a black leather jacket.
The boy sniffed and stared down at a slightly crumpled letter he was holding. He had his face hidden by black greasy hair.

Then the boy lifted his head and stared right at the spot where James and Sirius stood his face covered in tears,
It was Severus Snape.

"Who's there?" Snape snuffled staring around. He used to always try to get the marauders in trouble by following them; he also seemed to have a knack of spotting them, wearing or not wearing the cloak.

After a few minutes of Snape trying to locate them (not knowing it was them) and James and Sirius standing stock still with baited breath.
Then Snape stood up and threw the letter in a garbage bin. After one more glance around and one more sniff he left.
"Whoa that was close." James breathed out relief.
"What is that parchment he had?" Sirius said and with out warning he plummeted out into plain sight and darted forward to grab up the letter Snape had been reading.

"Listen to this," Sirius said once James had pulled him back under the cloak.

"It's a letter from his dad? Why?" James asked. "Read it!" Sirius said.

The letter was written in thick green ink, the letters were loopy and fancy. It told that Snape's mother had passed away and that it was most important that Severus came home.

"Wow…that must be terrible for him." James whispered. "Yeah well read on." Sirius said grimly, pointing back to the letter.

The letter continued stating that Severus would not keep up his studies at Hogwarts after his mother's funeral. He would not be going back to Hogwarts at all.

"Holy Crap!" James gasped, and Sirius nodded.
"It also says that Snape's mum died from suicide." Sirius said, "remember what he told us earlier? He said that he only went home for holidays because he wanted to protect his mum!"

"And now she's dead." James finished his jaw dropping.
"Yeah…it seems so…" Sirius said but he was cut off by someone behind them laughing.

They both jumped then James grabbed Sirius and pulled him into an open classroom.
As they watched they saw two Slytherins pass, a tall but rather chubby boy with pointy teeth and blonde hair. His name was Rabastan Lestrange.

Sirius gave an audible gasp to which James promptly covered his mouth with a firm hand.
The other boy was a few years younger then them stood beside Rabastan. He had black hair that was roughly cut and torn into spikes. He had dirty jeans on under his robes and black leather boots. His eyes were dark like Sirius's. His name was Regulus Black.

They watched as the two Slytherins continued walking then as the footsteps faded James spoke,
"Lets get back Padfoot." He said and Sirius nodded. Then they went back to their common room.

"Where were you two?" Lupin demanded the next morning.
"Look, just listen alright!" Sirius said roughly then he and James told Remus about the events of the night before.

"So do you know when he is leaving?" Remus asked in a soft voice after they told him everything.

"Well—"

"Excuse me? Weren't we supposed to meet?" a soft, sad voice came behind Sirius.

The marauders all jumped and turned to stare up at Severus Snape.
"Um…oh yeah…ahhh…sure." Sirius stuttered.

Snape sat down at the table and looked at the boys before him, "What are you staring at?" he tried to growl at them, but his voice sounded more pitiful and whiny.

"Nothing, just…" James trailed off not knowing what to say,
"Did you hear about Peter?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, Your brother and Rabastan were laughing about it earlier." Snape said.
"Well, James and Sirius tried to get back at them last night…and" Lupin was cut off by Snape though.

"Were you down in the old DADA class room hallway?" Snape demanded understanding what Lupin was trying to get across.

"Yes."

"WHAT?"

"Well you were just there crying. And then—"

"I cry in front of no one!" Snape said viscously.

"How about crying to no one?" Lupin asked softly.
"Please don't tell anyone!" Snape said in a pitiful voice flopping down in the seat beside Sirius.