Disclaimer: HARRY POTTER IS NOT MINE I simply borrow them for my own devious plans.

Authors note: This is my first fanfic so please rate and review. I hope to update once a week but that may change depending on whether we have online school... This is not a slash and I probably won't write and romance (I'm horrible at it) but it should just be friendship between the marauders and Snape.

Mentions of abuse but nothing explicit and mildly dubious language.

Remus Lupin, resident werewolf, was not scared at all. I mean it wasn't like Severus Snape, the Slytherin they had tormented since the first year, was spending summer with him and he had no idea why. Oh wait. That was totally what was happening. Sighing another distressed sigh he turned his attention to the inhabitants of the red and gold carriage that he was sitting in on the Hogwarts express. Sirius was the first to notice his glumness, "Cheer up moony, once the first two weeks have passed we can all visit you. Besides it's not like Snivelly can do and dark magic around you anyway, your dads an auror."

"Yeah," chimed in James, "when we come we can scare him into submission, although I have to say I'm bloody glad that mum and dad didn't offer to take him in. I wonder why he has to stay with you..."

"His death eater parents have probably gotten arrested," pipped up Peter from his corner of the carriage. Remus nodded slightly in agreement, although his brow was creased in thought, his parents hadn't told him why Snape was staying with them but they had sounded quite sympathetic and he doubted they would have had that reaction if his parents had been arrested for dark magic. Suddenly the train stopped and there was a great roar as students began to pile out of the doors seeking out their parents and chatting to their friends. Amidst the calls of promises to write and exclamations of how tall children had grown, Remus sought out his parents. Seeing them he waved a goodbye to the rest of the marauders, which was returned enthusiastically. "Remus!" His father called whilst he was brought into a hug by his mother. "We're so happy to have you home," she gushed, "how were your end of term exams?"

"And more importantly where is Severus?" His dad cut in. Spying the sallow boy just over his mums shoulder, whispering to his fellow Slytherins, Remus debated the merits of calling the boy over. Fortunately his decision was made for him as he made his way over to their small family huddle. "Mr and Mrs Lupin," Snape began politely, "I thank you for letting me stay with you, I'm forever in your debt." His little formal speech shocked them all for a moment before his mother, (probably already planning ways to feed the skinny little git up) broke the silence. "Really it was no trouble Severus and please call us Hope and Charlie, we were so sorry to hear of your loss." Snape's parents were dead? The boy in question had stiffened at that and his face gone paler that it was previously although his polite mask was still in place. Was that why Snape was staying with them? Feeling a little nauseous at the thought he shook his head freeing himself from those thoughts and began to follow his parents as they expertly lead the party through the throngs of people on the platform.

The journey had taken approximately half an hour, Remus really hated side along apparation (Merlin who would do that voluntarily?). As the familiar scents and sights of home enveloped him he started to relax, feeling safe and warm and glad as hell to be home. The Lupins lived in an isolated area surrounded by woodland. The house in itself was a modest thing, a wooden porch held flowers and herbs, thriving in the summer day, and the door was painted a cheerful blue, standing out amongst the red brick walls. Unlike most houses the garden wasn't confined by a fence or wall but instead was open and free, a large oak tree stood in the middle with a tire swing attached and hammocks surrounding it, hanging on other smaller trees. Next to this was a rickety shed, made of a dark wood and surrounded by beds of flowers and a kitchen garden. The inside of the house was painted an airy white and provided a welcoming shade from the hot sun, he noticed that Snape looked towards his parents and mimicked their actions as they took of their shores and placed them by the door. Remus had often wondered if there was something wrong with the Slytherin, he was obsessed with order and whenever the marauders wanted to really annoy him all they would have to do was mess up the order that so dearly craved. He was still musing this as the boy in question lined up his shoes perfectly and quietly followed his parents through to the kitchen. "Severus this is the kitchen, feel free to take anything if your hungry, or fine me or Hope and we'll fix you something."

"Thank you," came the quiet reply as dark eyes, sparkling with curiosity, darted around the room. "Remus why don't you show Severus your room," then (turning to Severus) she said, "his room is big enough for the both of you to share, there's a camp bed up and Remus can show you where to put your trunk." Nodding in thanks Snape turned to him and he began to lead the way out of his room. "Oh Severus wait…" Charlie reached out his hand to touch the boy on his shoulder. That's where it all went wrong. Severus suddenly flinched violently and curled away from the hand, as if expecting to get hit. Within a second he was wrighted again and his face a cold mask again, the fear that was apparent a few seconds ago concealed. "My apologies you startled me," he murmured, eyes fixed at a spot in the distance and a flush making its way up his pale face. "Not a problem," nervously laughed his father, "I was just going to say that we are eating in two hours." Remus hid his confusion as he turned away and began to lead Snape upstairs, he knew that the flinch couldn't mean anything good but maybe that was all it was, he got startled. After all, he reasoned with himself, it's not like Snape could be abused. Right?

Snape's POV

Severus Snape was not happy. After his father had killed his mother he had been angry for a while. Oh who was he kidding he had been furious. That bastard had killed his mother and was now rotting in a muggle prison, he hoped. He wasn't that upset about his mother and that didn't surprise him, she had never protected him and he had always resented her from not helping him, especially since she was the one with a wand. Abruptly he was shaken from his thoughts as the train pulled into the station. Grabbing his battered case and nodding to the rest of his housemates a made his way onto the platform, there he spied the Lupin housemates and turned to bade goodbye to some Slytherin prefects as he attempted to delay the inevitable. The wolf turned to look at him and in a moment of resignation he turned around and began to walk towards them, arranging his face into a polite mask as he went, it wouldn't do to seem rude and so he thanked them for their hospitality, inwardly laughing at the wolfs face, who was unused to seeing him anything other but angry. Then she brought it up. Talk about insensitivity. Severus could feel himself go stiff and the colour drain from his face as she broadcasted his loss and Lupin's face turned into one of confusion, so he hadn't been told, interesting.

The ride home was one of bumpy side along apparation and when the world stopped spinning and Severus found he could breathe again, he looked up at the Lupin residence. The house was quaint one might say, it was bigger than spinners end and definitely had a more homely feel to it definitely had a more homely feel to it. As he was led into the hallway he watched the Lupins out of the corner of his eye. At spinner's end it was dangerous to walk around without shoes in case of broken beer bottles but here the Lupins took their shoes off and placed them in a neat pile by the door. Severus had always liked order, it was a comfort in his often chaotic life, and so when he went to place his scuffed school shoes by the door he placed them neatly lined up. Mr and Mrs Lupin (or Hope and Charlie as they wanted him to call them) showed him the kitchen and told him to help himself if he ever needed anything. Gazing around wide eyed at the cozy kitchen he nodded slightly in thanks and resumed his inspection of his surroundings. There was a solid wooden table in the middle, surrounded by various shelves groaning under the weight of food stuffs, various books, plates and photos. An old aga wat the only source of heat, although at the moment it was cool and the heat that ,he was sure, usually spread from it was virtually non existent. He was just about to follow Lupin up the stairs when Mr Lupin reached out and touched him on his shoulder. That did not end well. He flinched violently and resisted the urge to raise his wand then, realising who it was, he straightened up, rearranged his face back into a blank mask and began to apologise, ignoring the flush that was working his way up his pale face. Damn emotions. An awkward silence ensued and Mr Lupin broke the silence, "I was just going to say that we are eating in two hours," he had nervously laughed before the wolf began to lead him upstairs once more. This wasn't going to go well was it?