Sirius Black's castration (for the lack of a better word) spread out like wildfire at the Slytherin table.
The students who sat nearby Severus and his friends all inclined their ears to hear the bizarre story, passing along the latest information to others in giggles and smirks. Regulus, the only other member of the family was cackling madly as Severus recounted his meeting with the disowned teenager.
"Bella would praise you for this," he wheezed out, slapping Severus' shoulder lightly in mirth, "well; he really should have seen that coming. You aren't a Slytherin for nothing Snape, and for once we're proud of it." He shared a satisfied grin with the rest of the students in green and silver before they all paid attention to what Mr. Crouch was about to say at the Great Table.
"As you are all aware, this student has finally returned after being missing since early August," the officer began, leering at the gangly boy who had lowered his head as if ashamed.
"He was caught by the Muggle authorities, not by their equivalent of our Aurors, but…" he paused, gauging everyone's reaction for a while, "…the Animal Control Department."
Severus noted gleefully as the Muggleborn students in each House gasped while the others were discussing what could it be all about. He then turned to see how his House members held themselves and smiled as they still tried to tone down their laughter. Now, Slytherins were mostly purebloods with some half-bloods here and there, and they might have looked down to the Muggles, but even then they knew better than to mess with their non-magical counterparts.
"This boy right here not only broke the Statute of Secrecy, but also didn't comply to the laws of Animagus processions, which is to register their forms upon the completion of their training," said Mr. Crouch, "Luckily, or unfortunately, someone managed to report his unruly behavior of abusing his powers to the Muggles and they of course had taken the right actions according to their law." His cold blue eyes pointedly staring at Sirius' lower half and he shook his head with a grimace.
"I would like to have him expelled right away, but I believe the punishment those Muggles did was more than enough, and if that still didn't deter you from challenging the Statute, I think I'd rather let them to deal with you. As of this, Sirius Orion Black-"
"He isn't a Black anymore!" Regulus shouted and everyone turned to him with various expressions of annoyance and contemplation. "Walburga Black had disowned him; he's a Potter now," he went on and just like that, the attention shifted to the only Potter in the school.
Severus barely could hold his smirk upon seeing James Potter's visage went snow white under the hundreds of gazes. Even Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew slightly scooted away from the arrogant boy.
"Well then, Sirius Potter-" Mr. Crouch continued calmly as if nothing had happened, "you will be given a collar that tracks if you're using your Animagus form within and outside Hogwarts. You will only be able to change when you finish your studies and even then I doubt you will actually use it for good. That will be all, thank you." He and his co-worker took out a red collar and fastened it around Sirius' neck.
Severus took note on how the disgraced boy's friends shared a horrified look with each other, seemingly had figured out that he couldn't join them on their monthly illegal crusade.
One down, three more to go.
Though maybe there was no need to apprehend Pettigrew about it; he knew just how cowardly the stout boy was and soon enough he would try to seek protection from other students. He wondered if Pettigrew was actually a Hat-stall during the Sorting.
After the Ministry officers walked out of the Great Hall, Sirius hastily strode to the Gryffindor table and along the way, his grey eyes locked with Severus' onyx ones and immediately the honorary Prefect gulped in silent fear.
Well, he thought ruefully as everyone went back to their dormitories after the eventful dinner, the peace was nice when it lasted.
It was only 6th September, yet Severus felt an eternity had passed by.
The Marauders were back, and he couldn't walk anywhere on his own. His group of friends mostly had deterred their effort of seeking revenge but even then they weren't always available.
He was currently in the library with some first-years after his classes were over for the day, the children were very eager to be in his company even when he told them to go off on their own. He admitted it was nice that they were willing to spend time with him, and would indulge in their questions as best as he could. Besides, they would make good witnesses if something were to happen to him, especially with how unpredictable Sirius Black had been since his return.
He glanced at his lunar chart for Astronomy and narrowed his eyes at the would-be full moon in two days. Should he act on his plan right now, or wait?
"Snape," someone called and he looked up to see the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Prefects approached his table. Apparently they were well enough to walk all the way from the Hospital Wing to meet him for a reason.
"Yes?" he queried.
They briefly turned to the tables where the first-years sat and nodded begrudgingly at him. "Uh, thanks for your help. Guess Dumbledore really was up to something when he gave you the badge."
Severus hummed in disinterest; he already anticipated that from the moment he saw them enter the room before continuing writing his essay. "Is that all?" he absent-mindedly asked.
There was a short pause. Then a fifth-year Hufflepuff spoke with a frown, "'Thought you Slytherins would need a favor from us in return?"
Severus stopped writing, immediately putting his quill in the ink bottle and stroked his chin. Slowly, he gave them a wistful smile. "Oh I will ask for one, just… not right now. I will let you know when the time comes." He winked and sent them away, noticing how they shared puzzled looks before leaving the library.
He then put his parchment aside, letting his writing to dry up and beckoned the first-years to his table, to which they quietly dragged their chairs to surround him with eyes bright with mischief.
"How close are you with your Gryffindor year-mates?" he started.
The Slytherins as per usual, frowned in utter disdain, while the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws actually gave reason that the Lions were alright if a bit boisterous during classes.
"Mind if you tell them I want to meet them here? My position told me I'm supposed to get along with all Houses, after all." He glanced down at his Prefect badge, in which there were three golden arrows that pointed to the silver snake, the bronze raven and the black badger mascots.
They then waited as three students from each House went to fetch the Lions. A blond boy from Slytherin asked Severus skeptically, "Why would you want to do anything with them?"
He simply smiled, and nodded as the students rejoined them with the Gryffindors in tow. "How'd you like to play a game?" he told them after they took their seat. "Don't worry, it's an easy one."
After telling them of his plan, they all smirked and nodded eagerly to execute it, determined to make the honorary Prefect proud of them. Before they knew it, Madam Irma Pince announced it was closing time and curfew would start in an hour.
"Prefect Snape," someone said and Severus turned to the group who already finished cleaning up their books, raising his eyebrow to let them continue.
"Will you still be taking care of us?"
That question certainly had caught Severus off guard. "Well, why won't I? I am an unofficial member of your Houses; you can just approach me if you aren't comfortable with other Prefects. I can't see why you can't be honorary Slytherins too," he reasoned. Much to his surprise, they all grinned and bade him goodnight before going on their separate ways.
As Severus led the young Slytherins back to the dungeons, a pleasant thought crossed his mind and he did nothing to refute it.
He really started to like their company, and wondered if this was what his other friend, Lucius Malfoy had felt too when he first arrived five years ago.
Besides, it wouldn't hurt for 'Severus Prince' to get all the support he would need in the future.
Severus watched contently as his young charges were taking notes from the Defense against the Dark Arts books he had recommended and discreetly shared knowing looks with him and each other.
The full moon had passed and sure enough, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew were absent from the Gryffindor table. Sirius Black was having his breakfast alone.
The boy's return had made the Lions' reputation went down the drain. Many had given him sorry looks and kept their distance from him, while others pointed out what he now lacked of whenever he entered their sight; which usually resulted in brawls and fights. Severus knew it wouldn't be long before he became the disgraced boy's next target, and could only hope he had prepared well to face him.
Severus finished up eating his porridge and went to the moving staircases for his Charms class as quick as possible. As it was, his luck never seemed to side with him.
"SNAPE!" Sirius' roar rang along the corridor of the third floor and Severus closed his eyes in resignation, sighing dreadfully before turning around, gripping his hazel wand tightly.
"Hello, Black," he started solemnly, "how can I help you?"
Severus waited as the boy's grey eyes searched over his face before snarling, "You set me up, didn't you?"
"I can tell you this much: I didn't even know it was you," the honorary Prefect said calmly with a raised eyebrow, trying hard to be reasonable. And it really had been the truth; wasn't it?
Sirius barely realized students had gathered around to see what happened as he shouted, "LIAR! You sneaky slimy snake, I just know the lot of you! Tell you what, Snivellus? I challenge you to a duel!"
Severus almost laughed at the sheer audacity of the disgraced boy. "A duel, Black? Will you actually be honorable and come up alone?" he taunted before leering down at the boy in gleeful disgust, "Oh wait, you're only brave when you're with friends, right? Who's the real man here, Black?"
Everyone in the vicinity gasped loudly in utmost shock at his blatant statement. Even Sirius was stunned by his words.
"YOU BASTARD-" the deranged teen started, raising his fist.
But his efforts were in vain as a voice suddenly spoke, "Stupefy!" and he keeled down onto the floor unmoved.
The crowd turned to see a Ravenclaw first-year had pulled out his wand in Severus' defense.
Severus blinked. "…I want to say that spells are forbidden in the corridors, but you're simply preventing this situation from escalating any further and I can't find any faults with that." He nodded in gratitude to the student who helped him and gave the crowd the slightest smirk before lifting Sirius' body with Mobilicorpus.
He would let Professor McGonagall deal with the boy, smiling as his usual entourage of first-years followed him to the Deputy Headmistress' room.
Lucius Malfoy thought highly of himself. He had quite an obscene amount of wealth from the past generations, a lovely fiancé he would marry in two years, decent connections with other people and a steady honest job in the Ministry for Magic.
But even the most content person would still seek protection from a stronger force, and he steeled himself by putting up his Occlumency shields before entering the library of one of the Malfoys' manors. The room was dimly lit by one candle, and there was a shadowed person sitting on a throne (Malfoys do value knowledge among other things, after all) with books neatly arranged on the table next to him. The only other thing Lucius could make out amidst the darkness was dark brown eyes that strangely shone bright, and which Lucius had no doubt they could figuratively and literally pierce his soul.
Lucius bowed down to the man and kissed the hem of his black robes. "My Lord," he said.
The figure shifted slightly in his throne. "Rise, Lucius," the shrouded man spoke; his voice came out cold, low and calculated.
Lucius got up and nodded before taking a seat on the armchair a distance away from the table.
"Tell me what's going on in the Ministry, or the Board of Governors," the cold voice started.
"My Lord, I have the most interesting news in Hogwarts," Lucius began with a soft laugh, "Sirius Black was permanently locked away from accessing any of the Black family vault; his brother Regulus had taken his place as the heir instead."
"And why is that?"
"Um… simply put, he couldn't produce any more heirs." There was a slight tinge of pink in the blond's face.
The man on the throne turned to look at him, brown eyes slightly widened in interest. "Do tell."
And Lucius talked about the circumstances he heard from Bartemius Crouch, who in return said he received the news about Sirius Black's unfortunate capture from an anonymous source. The man also told how the disowned boy kept muttering the name 'Severus Snape' while he was in recovery.
"Snape…" the cold voice repeated, "Is this the same boy you've been telling me about?"
Lucius only nodded.
"Hmm. Keep in contact with him. What's his status, again?"
"He's a half-blood, my Lord."
"What's his bloodline?"
"…He had never spoke of it."
The other man snorted softly. "Yes, I suppose I do see his reasoning. I will wait for more news from you, Lucius. You may leave now." With that, the blond bowed again before exiting the room, leaving the mysterious man to his thoughts.
Yes, patience is a virtue indeed. And he couldn't wait to reap the wonderful results soon.