Severus listened to Lily talk with excitement about Hogwarts. He looked through the car window, seeing the landscapes change quickly.

He knew if he wanted everything to work out, he needed the invisibility cloak. It would be best to not be in the same train coupe, even without needing the cloak. He thought bitterly. 'I don't want them to take any notice of me, if that would even be possible.'

With their trunks and their wands in their hands, they said goodbye to Rose and Ben. Who insisted on giving them both a hug.

Scrambling into the train, Severus looked around for places they could sit. He spotted a young Remus, fumbling around with his heavy trunk.

"Lily, wait." Lily had wanted to drag him to a compartment, in the direction James and Sirius where going, but stopped.

He tilted his head in Remus' direction.

"Need some help?" Before Remus could answer, Severus had already used a featherweight charm(that he had also used on his own trunk), and grabbed Remus' trunk for him. "Let's look for a free compartment." Severus walked in the opposite direction that Lily had wanted to go.

"T-thank you." Remus quickly followed his footsteps.

Severus paused.

"You're welcome".

With being friendly to at least one of the future Marauders, he could avoid being negatively treated in the future.

And he would have an actual reason for wanting to invent a potion that would help werewolves.

Also, Lily would've wanted legitimate reason to him not wanting to follow her, and he didn't see someone else that he could tolerate even remotely. At least Remus appreciated books and studying. And could be quiet.

He found an empty coupe, and he helped Remus and Lily with their trunks first.

After he put away his own trunk, he got out a potions book and prepared himself to read, while Lily introduced herself and Severus.

"I'm Lily Evans. And this is Severus Prince." When he turned 8, he asked Rose and Ben if he could use his mothers maiden name. The reason he gave them was that he didn't want to be like his father. He also changed his second name, to Benjamin.

"We're best friends." A warm feeling went through Severus. He had made sure that Lily and Petunia new earlier on, that he was not blood related in any way. That would be too strange for him. But best friends, that is what he always wanted to be. He gave Lily one of his rare warm smiles. She gave one of her one back.

Remus looked between them. "W-well, nice to meet you, my name's Remus Lupin."

Severus tried to ease his nerves. He knew that because of his 'condition' Remus didn't have any friend growing up. "Nice to meet you too." He extended his hand.

Remus took it. They shook hands.

"Hey, don't forget me!" Lily held out her hand. Remus quickly shook hers too.

Severus quickly thought about what to say. "What do you think will be your favorite subjects?"

Remus enthusiastically started to talk about defense and care of magical creatures. Lilly about charms. And Severus later joined in with defense and potions.

Then the witch with the trolley full of candy came by. He looked at Remus. He probably couldn't afford a lot. Severus, who had started a side business of pawning of transfigured goods years ago, didn't think that buying some candy would make a dent in his savings. He remembered when he used to be so poor, he couldn't even afford one piece of candy.

Severus, in something what he should have found total madness, purchased the whole trolley.

When the witch was gone, he simply said, "it's on me".

Lily started digging in, and when Remus still not looked sure, he gestured to the candy, saying "try some Cauldron Cakes or Pumpkin Pasties, they are probably the safest option". Then Lilly started asking question about the candies, and Severus hurried to answer them, while unwrapping some candies and demonstrating them. Remus listened in on the conversation, and joined in on the snacking.

More then an hour in, and he decided it was time for the 'cloak snatching'. He stood up, and grabbed his bag. "I'm going to the men's room and change into my uniform." He abruptly left the compartment.

Under the guise of some spell-work to let no one notice him, he used the 'point-me' spell to find the compartment James and Sirius occupied.

After he stunned them, he started looking for the cloak. After finding it he swapped it with a fake(a regular invisibility cloak), he then threw the cloak over himself, woke the duo up, erased their memories, and altered them.

He put them asleep with a spell, and flew out of the window using unsupported flight. He marked the window he came out of on he top of the train.

when he landed, he checked the time, and apparated to The Leaky Cauldron. There he took some Floo powder and traveled via the Floo network to the ministry.

After making his way to the time-turners, he grabbed some, and destroyed the rest in a safe way. Then he immediately used one of the time-turners to travel a back in time.

He followed the train and waited until it was the correct time to go back inside. He didn't forget to change into his uniform in the lavatory and put the cloak and time turner in his backpack.

Mission 'get myself an alibi' was accomplished.

One more thing of his checklist.

Now for the rest...

He went back to his compartment.

Lily and Remus where quietly snacking and reading when he sat down. Remus rose, "I think I'm going to change next."

Remus took his bag and left. Severus stood up. " I forgot to tell Remus something." He quickly said to Lily. She nodded from her book.

He went after Remus. "Remus, wait."

Remus stopped in his tracks. "Severus?"

"Here." He gave him a bag containing two brand new school uniforms, jackets, socks, jumpers, pants, pajamas, shirts, trousers a shawl and mittens. Basically everything Hermione promised him to get for Remus.

Now to explain it away.

"I bought al this stuff to wear for school, then I found out my guardian also did."

He shrugged. "So I got too much clothes."

Remus looked like he didn't know what to say or if he should accept it.

"They're brand new though, and from good quality." He showed the Dragon leather boots to Remus. Still no response.

He shoved the bag in Remus' hands. "Happy last birthdays I missed. I can't say that it won't happen in the future. Maybe I'll give you a more thoughtful gift when I do remember, next time."

Remus laughed, he looked amused. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go, so I can beat you at wizards chess when you're back." He pushed Remus in the direction of the lavatory.

He went back to Lily. Being friendly was exhausting, he thought.

When Remus came back, Severus did manage to win, even though Remus put up a good fight. And sometime into their game Lily went to change into her uniform, though they barely noticed.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Hagrid called out.

"Wooow, who's that?" He heard someone ask.

Hagrid introduced himself as the groundskeeper and led them to a fleet of small boats, they where then told to get into the boats in pairs of four. Severus was the first to get into a boat. (He may or may not have used some unsupported flight.)

Severus first helped Lily to get into the boat, then Remus. Then a girl asked if she could join them. With a shock, he recognized her as Marlene McKinnon, who's whole family was murdered by Voldemort in the past-future. He quickly helped her get into the boat.

...

The boat ride was just as magical as the first time around.

He looked at the approaching castle, and over the water. He felt Lily grab his hand. He looked at her.

"It's beautiful." She whispered. He smiled. Other people around them also expressed their awe.

Severus just enjoyed the moment. He then squeezed Lily's hand, and with his other hand, he shot sparkles. Then he said aloud "Expecto Patronum."

A blinding, dazzling, silver animal came out his wand. Lily gasped. It was a doe. It sprang over the water, and chased the sparkles between the boats.

It then stopped in front of Lily. She tried to slowly stroke it. The doe let her.

Remus looked at him in awe "That's a patronus! That's very, very advanced magic!"

People started looking at Severus.

He ignored it and cast his doe again. letting it dance over the water.

He just looked at Lily's ecstatic face.

He could later blame it on the after affects on consuming a lot of liquid luck potion in his last life.

For now he just couldn't care less.

...