Chapter 79: When Hormones Take Hold
{A/N: Here's Another Update...}
My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S
{"I believe I can see the future...'Cause I repeat the same routine...I think I used to have a purpose...Then again, that might have been a dream...I think I used to have a voice...Now I never make a sound...And I just do what I'm told...I really don't want them to come around, oh no...Every day is exactly the same...Every day is exactly the same...There is no love here and there is no pain...Every day is exactly the same"} Every Day Is Exactly The Same, Nine Inch Nails
SIX YEARS LATER...
The Corridors, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland, Wizarding World...
Silence filled the corridors as a 16 year old Phaeron Severus Sebastian Snape made his way toward the familiar Slytherin dungeons after his lengthy studying stint at the library. The tall, thin boy with lengthy raven hair and now traces of stubble upon his pale face had been one of his most rugged of features. He still donned the attire similar to his infamous Potions Master father, Severus Snape and of course acquired his avid interest in potions work. Of the many students that took the class during Master Phaeron's teaching term, Phaeron Snape had been his most prized pupil, so much so that the old Master had decided to make him an unofficial Potions Apprentice and offered him a full on apprenticeship once he had finished all his studies at Hogwarts. Hermione had been rather proud of her son reveling in the idea of him becoming as great as his father in the Potions Making art. Of course no one else knew that Snape also took his son on as an unofficial apprentice. He had been determined to teach his son everything he knew about the art of potions making, also it gave the older wizard something of an excuse to impart his knowledge on his son without it resulting in a rebellious row between the two of them.
Despite all that had happened between him and James Potter II during their first year, Phaeron often found himself being targeted by the New Marauders as much as he ever did then when they first met. Just as before, Phaeron bested them and made them look like utter fools in the process. Dumbledore had punished him more times for his mischievous antics than he ever had his father in a single year combined. Of course Phaeron made sure that he actually earned his punishments since it was a given conclusion that he would be punished no matter which of them had started the incident.
Becoming a regular in detention as well as visiting the Headmaster's office gave him a good deal of opportunity to converse with the various Headmasters and his not so thrilled to see him in detention, father. Occasionally, even Dumbledore would join in the conversations though he tried to stay in the role of an authority figure. Phaeron often noted the guilt that often showed behind the Headmaster's unsettling blue eyes.
It had been his sixth year here at Hogwarts and unsurprisingly, he had taken to passing time in his father's quarters whenever he was between classes and trying to avoid people. Namely the Marauders gang and of course, Ursula.
Ursula Black had developed into a beautiful, sensuous young witch with an appetite for destruction and a general need to cause mischief. She embodied the tact and poise of a true Slytherin but was more hands on or rather wands on than any of the other girls. She and Phaeron were officially in a relationship since their first year and if any other witch felt so inclined to speak to the younger Snape, Ursula would hex them brutally.
Ziare had gotten older as well. He spent a good deal of time sharpening his dueling skills, though he had not even come close to Phaeron's level. The tactical wizard made due enough to take the title of second best Slytherin duelist. He had grown into a handsome young lad as of late and had his pick of any and every girl at Hogwarts.
Following Phaeron's first year at Hogwarts, Scorpius Malfoy had come to the school of course being sorted into Slytherin and taking up arms right along with the others against The New Marauders. Making the Slytherin trio a quartet so to speak. All evenly matched against the continued attacks of James Potter III and his friends.
Draco had not been worried about Phaeron as much knowing full well just how capable the young wizard had been. He had been impressed with the growth of his god-brother right along with that of his own son. Scorpius had been a talented young wizard in his own right and less reserved than Lucius or his father. He was fiercely protective of his God-Uncle Phaeron as much as Phaeron had been fiercely protective of him.
Within another year yet another Slytherin joined the ranks in the form of Albus Severus Potter. Youngest son of wizarding war hero Harry James Potter and Ginny Weasley-Potter. At first Slytherin house gave a rather cold reception to the young Potter boy not at all liking his father and brother and incorrectly assuming he'd be just as pompous and cruel. Then upon witnessing James Potter II's apparent cruelty extended to his own flesh and blood, Phaeron intervened and the rest was history.
Albus Severus was welcomed into the Slytherin fold as much as Scorpius or Phaeron from that moment forward. A short time after Albus Severus arrived, Gryffindor had gotten a new witch in their ranks. Her name had been Lily. Lily Luna Potter, youngest daughter of Harry Potter and sister to both Albus Severus and James Sirius Potter.
Life at Hogwarts had never been dull as Albus Dumbledore himself began to keep close watch on The Potters, The youngest Malfoy, and the junior Snape. It became evident that Phaeron Snape was a good deal like his hot-tempered, quick drawing father especially concerning all things Potter related. Though he seemed to have a soft spot for Lily Luna Potter and Albus Severus Potter to some degree.
As Phaeron neared the Slytherin Dungeons, he found himself getting the sense of someone watching him. The raven haired Slytherin tightened his grip on his wand as he ventured close to the shadows. From what he had known of his father's memories, Snape himself use to take up this defense as much as possible when being set upon by the Marauders.
Without warning the Junior Snape let fly a few minor hexes in the direction of whom ever it was that was following him. The hexes were easily deflected which proved whomever it was had not been either of the Marauders. Blocking hexes from that level of accuracy had never been their strong suits.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were deliberately trying to hex me." said a female voice Phaeron recognized almost immediately.
Ursula Black emerged from the shadows with a self-satisfied smirk on her pale face. Her lengthy hair in curly spirals pulled back into a lack-luster pony tail that gave her the unsettling appearance of a young Bellatrix LeStrange. James Potter II had gone so far as to dub her "Little Bella", as a form of insult. The joke had been on Potter when Ursula embraced the idea as a symbol of her Slytherin toughness.
"Ursula?" said Phaeron annoyed that he had wasted a perfectly good attack on his apparent "girlfriend."
The young Slytherin witch grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into Snape's quarters before old Filch could come snooping by. The two of them tumbled into Severus Snape's quarters with Phaeron on his back and Ursula cackling rather wickedly as she crushed her ruby red lips into his pale ones. The teenage Slytherin had barely gotten to take a breath before she used her magic to start up buttoning his ebony frock coat. Their interaction had been heated and rushed as far as the young Slytherin was concerned and he gently pulled away from her.
"Ursula..." he said distancing himself from the needy witch before him. "C-Calm your self."
Ursula rolled her eyes and huffed angrily as she looked at him. He had been forever avoiding the big moment when they were actually going to behave like a real couple. Thought Phaeron seemed to be reluctant about that as well. She had been confidant that she would steer him into her line of thinking. She had enough force of will for the both of them, though Phaeron had been no slouch in the will department.
"Fine have it your way." said Ursula just a bit annoyed by his lack of drive.
Phaeron smirked noting that she had taken to pouting.
"Urs...come on.." he said getting to his feet as she did the same. "We'll have plenty of time for that after exams."
"That's what you said last year." she said still pouting.
"I mean it this time." replied Phaeron smirking. "These tests are killing me right now you have no idea the kind of pressure I'm under."
Ursula sighed understanding full well what he had been speaking of. Both his mother and father had been exceptional students when it came to the academic side of their studies, while he had been more hands on becoming an accomplished duelist at such a young age and holding his own in charms as well as potions, the expertise of both his parents, he was also athletic despite his father never having played Quidditch and his mother hating the sport all together. He had joined the Slytherin team back in his second year when his broom skills were showcased in yet another bitter battle with James Sirius Potter.
His father was notorious for flying without a broom and his mother feared them considerably. Often his god-father Lucius and God-brother Draco would attend the games and cheer on behalf of his father who could not attend for obvious reasons and his mother whenever she was swamped with work and couldn't make it.
"Plus I have a game tonight...there's no way Potter's going to show me up just because I wore my self out with a witch, even if that witch happens to be the most beautiful I've ever seen." said Phaeron smoothly kissing Ursula's hand in a bid to pacify her rage.
Phaeron had become quite the charmer, more or less due to watching his father get quite a few over on his mother over the last few years. The boy wondered if it was a Snape trait after all noting his own ability to get what he wanted using the so called charm trick.
Ursula softened some noting how adorable Phaeron looked when he believed his antics worked. She would of course make him pay dearly for his assumption later, but she had quite a few galleons riding on the up coming Quidditch match. Slytherin vs. Gryffindor and it was all anyone could talk about for the passed few weeks.
"You'd better make this up to me...Snape Jr. " she said bitterly not wanting him to get the idea that he was completely off the hook.
"Of course." he replied still with that smirk.
Ursula rolled her eyes and made her way toward Snape's sofa. She had always liked when they spent time in Severus Snape's quarters. It always meant that she would discover something amazing about her boyfriend that no other witch had been privy to. She had known since the day they met he looked up to his war hero father and often she had been there when the weight of his father's legacy seemed to be too much for him to carry. Through every death eater slur Potter hurled Phaeron's way and the truth about his father's past rule as Headmaster being a brutal time in the lives of many of his former students, he had to stand against their collective fears and insults when it came to their children attending Hogwarts with him.
Still, Phaeron had been proud to be the son of Severus Snape.
The young witch had been surprised when Phaeron confided in her of all people that his mother had remarried a muggle by the name of Sidney Sinclair though she still used the name Snape out of respect to his father, and she had given birth to another son. She had been surprised at how well Phaeron was taking the birth of another sibling well a half sibling. He simply told her that he was happy for his mother found some peace and stated that he obviously wasn't always going to be there with her so it was nice that she had someone.
"We'd better get to the dorm before Ziare sends out a search party." she said shaking from her thoughts.
"At least this time we are both fully clothed." he added.
Ursula narrowed her dark eyes in his direction.
They left Snape's quarters and headed back to the common room.
Common Room, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland...
Scorpius Malfoy had been helping an injured Albus Severus, who preferred to be called "Severus" or "Sev" by those closest to him, toward the leather sofa. He had been clutching his arm as if it had been broken. Ziare looked him over as the rage seemed to boil over in him. Phaeron and Ursula entered the common room and all eyes fell on them. Scorpius made his way over toward his god-uncle. A look of pure rage filed across his pale face.
"Where were you!?" asked The younger Malfoy.
Phaeron arched an eyebrow at him in the style of his father.
"Busy." he replied not at all liking his god-nephew's tone nor his line of questions. "What business is it of yours?"
Malfoy's gray eyes narrowed at Ursula and reverted back to Phaeron.
"Well while you were out with your token slut..." before Scorpius could finish his sentence Phaeron had grabbed him by the collar with murderous intent behind his obsidian eyes.
Everyone fell silent.
It was the first time Phaeron had ever showed any sort of aggression since the first year when he and Potter got into a muggle fist fight. Everyone had been walking on egg shells around the Junior Snape since noting just how much like his father he had been. Snape's reputation for dishing out nasty hexes and crippling curses was well known through out Slytherin house. His brutal nature had scarcely been witnessed as Snape hardly ever showcased this daunting talent. Phaeron had not been any different having inherited his father's ruthless brand of temper.
"Watch your mouth Malfoy." he said in a dangerous tone.
"I-I apologize uncle." said Scorpius shaking. "I-I meant no disrespect...I was just up set about what they did to Sev..."
Phaeron blinked away his aggression for a moment and focused on what he was being told.
"What happened to Sev?" he asked his voice dripping with concern.
"They happened." replied Scorpius Malfoy bitterly.
Phaeron released Scorpius noting that he too had been injured but only mildly so.
"Potter." growled Phaeron angrily. "Get Draco and accompany Sev to the infirmary. "
The Slytherins nodded eager to follow his instruction.
"Malfoy, Ziare, Ursula make sure no other Slytherin is touched, especially not the ones on our Quidditch team." said Phaeron. "If it's a fight Potter wants, it's a fight he's going to get."
"You know their being protected with the Qudditch match being so close." said Ziare. "Dumbledore isn't going to be too happy about you going after Potter again."
"He wouldn't have anything to say if he knew I was defending Sev." replied Phaeron. "Besides last I checked Sev was a Potter and that has to count for something other than the space between his ears."
Ursula rolled her eyes at his positively Slytherin outlook. He had been more Slytherin than any of the other members of the house that was for sure.
"You'd better not get detention." she warned angrily. "We still need you on the field, Snape."
Phaeron gave her a casual smirk before he tightened his grip on his wand and headed back out into the corridors. He had meant what he said when he spoke to Malfoy. If it was a fight Potter wanted, it was a fight he was going to get.