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'Why were you punching the wall?'

'I was…venting my frustration…?'

'At what?'

'The…weather…?'

Chapter 4: Original Introductions

I slammed my fists into the wall again and again, over and over until blood ran down my knuckles.

Why was I here? Why had I taken Ginny with me? Why the hell was I in Slytherin?!?

'What are you doing?' said a voice behind me and I spun round alarmed.

'Jesus Christ...' I whispered and the boy looked at me as though I was insane.

He was wearing long Slytherin robes with a scarf wrapped tightly round his neck, even though it was only early September and was clutching a battered potions book close to his chest. His black, greasy hair hung just below his chin and his skin looked as though it'd never seen the light of day… It was a 17 year old Severus Snape.

'Hello.' I said, trying to hide my knuckles behind my back as they clenched tightly. 'I'm… Harry Threston.'

'And I'm extremely busy' he snapped rudely 'so if you'd excuse me…'

I moved to the left to block his path.

'Look. I'm new here and I've just been sorted into Slytherin so-'

'And I really don't care-'he started to walk away swiftly but stopped and turned around sharply 'You've just been put in Slytherin?' he said very quickly.

'Yes but-'

'You're new?'

'Yes but-'

'You've never been to Hogwarts?'

'No, so-'

He snorted haughtily.

'What are you laughing at?' I snapped starting to get annoyed.

'Oh nothing… It's just that you've got a lot to learn that's all…'

He looked at me as though I was a bug on his shoe and I stared back.

Is this the 17 year old Snape? Is this the person I'm going to have to spend all the time that I'm here with? A moody bookworm with greasy hair and a rude attitude…seems to match Snape perfectly…

'So…' I said nervously. I might as well do what I went in Slytherin to do… 'Will…Will you show me around?'

He looked at me sharply with his beady black eyes and gave me that oh-so familiar look that made me feel as though he was reading my mind… I stood a little straighter and gripped my wand tighter…Just in case.

'I guess so…' he said grudgingly after a minute. 'But… You're on probation.'

I rolled my eyes. Still not exactly the most sociable person I see. What kind of person when they meet a possible friend puts them on 'probation'? I guess Severus Snape has never met a friend before…Though do I really count as one?

'What's your name?' I said to him.

'Severus.' He said grudgingly

'Severus…?'

'I am not going to tell you.'

'But why-'

'You still seem too much like a Gryffindor to me.'

How the hell can anyone look like a Gryffindor…? Mini Snape Is really starting to creep me out…Can that kid read minds at 17…? Surely not…

I followed him hurriedly as he set off at a fast pace and started to walk down the grand staircase.

'Well it's 4 o'clock now...' He said checking his watch 'so I shall show you your dorm and then go to dinner.'

'That sounds good.' I said cheerfully and he turned round to me and glared.

'What now?' I said and he just scowled and started walking again.

Is he going to do that every time I'm happy? Typical bloody Slytherin…

'Why were you punching the wall?' he said suddenly.

'Um…' I said blankly. 'I was…venting my frustration…?'

He raised his eyebrows.

'At what?' he said

'The…weather?' I said hopefully and we both stared out the window at the sun shining and the birds singing happily...

Why hadn't I thought of something else to say…?

He smiled, seemingly satisfied and I let out a held breath. Maybe it was normal to be angry at good weather when you were Severus Snape…

He led me down into the entrance hall and turned right, into the dungeons. We stopped at a seemingly blank piece of wall and he glared at me again.

'And you're sure that you're in Slytherin?' he spat

'Yes.' I said defiantly and he turned back to the wall.

'Thestrals.' He said clearly and the wall slid open. 'You better not forget that.'

I stepped inside and stared round at the common room I hadn't seen since my second year when Ron and I had impersonated a pair of Slytherins. It was practically the same. There's still the green leather sofas and arm chairs, still the same weak fire where about 10 kids are relaxing, still the same gloomy shadows cast by the torches hanging from their dusty brackets... Home sweet home from now on in…

'Come on' Snape growled and I followed him through a door to the right and up what was presumably the boy's staircase. We walked into a room with 6 green curtained four posters and an old heater in the middle that wasn't on, making the room as cold as ice.

I guess that's why Snape's wearing the scarf…

'That must be your bed.' said Snape, pointing to the four-poster nearest the door and flopping down on the one next to it. 'They mustn't have brought your things up yet.'

I looked at the base of my new bed and as he'd said, there was no trunk.

'I…I don't have any things.' I realised.

'What?'

'I didn't bring anything.'

'Well that was stupid.' He sneered lying back onto his cushions.

What am I going to do? I don't have any money and neither does Ginny!

Snape must have seen my expression and sat up smirking.

'Don't worry.' He sighed impatiently. 'There's a fund for people without possessions. I'm sure Dumbledore knows and he'll send down some clothes and money in the morning…'

'Thanks.' I said and I realised that Snape had actually been nice.

Not so bad then for a murdering, deatheater, bastard…though I guess he isn't a murdering, deatheater, bastard…not yet anyway…

'Who else is in here then?' I asked sitting down gingerly on my new bed.

'Well in that bed is McNair.' He said, pointing to the first bed 'He's a bit twisted really…Has a strange fascination with killing things…Small rodents and insects that sort of thing… He's fine as long as you stay on the right side of him…'

Walden McNair... Soon-to-be dangerous creatures executioner for the ministry of magic and a servant of Lord Voldemort.

'Those two beds' he continued, pointing to the next two. 'Belong to Crabbe and Goyle. I doubt they could make one brain between the two of them. They spend most of their time following Malfoy and doing whatever he wants…Total Neanderthals, the both of them.'

Crabbe and Goyle senior... The fathers of the Crabbe and Goyle I know and also soon to be deatheaters. They were there in masks on the night that Voldemort got his body back.

'And this...' He said pointing to the 4th bed. 'Is Lucius's bed…His father has a very high influence in most wizarding circles and he's got enough money to buy a small Asian country…Master Malfoy thinks he's Merlin's gift to witches… and has a broomstick up his arse about the length of Dumbledore's beard...'

'It can't be that much broomstick surely?' I smirked, warming slightly to Snape.

'Oh yes.' He sighed 'That and more…'

We both sat in silence and I looked over at the black haired boy who was watching the moving porn taped to Malfoy's bed… What a pervert…

'Are there any girls here then?' I asked grinning, knowing the answer.

'The question you should be asking is: are there any sane ones…'

'What are none of them quite to your taste?' I said trying not to smile. Never in a million years did I think I'd be having this conversation with Severus Snape…

'No.' he said sharply. 'Their looks are fine but… They all seem more interested in trying to marry Lucius then anything else which in my eyes lowers their status exceedingly…'

'Oh really…'

'They all want to keep 'the pureblood race' thriving, which means that in many cases most of them are willing to marry their cousins…'

'Ah. So you're not pureblood?'

'No, Halfblood.'

'Same here.'

'Then you'll be fine. If you were a muggleborn…Well… you'd be lynched in the common room before you could say 'abbra cadabra'.'

I laughed gently, he was right.

'So who do you hang around with?'

He seemed to bristle slightly.

'I prefer a more solitary existence…'

'Oh okay…'

'Though I suppose you may 'hang around' with me for the time being.'

'Oh…Thanks…'

I suddenly felt sorry for Snape as he frowned sadly up at the ceiling. He must be pretty lonely…

'Do you…Do you want to go to dinner now?' I asked, my stomach rumbling and he jumped as though he'd forgotten I was there before checking his watch and nodding.

'Yes.' He said and stood up 'There should still be some food still left over.'

We stood up and left, walking out past the common room and into the entrance hall. The great hall was practically empty apart from a few stragglers and a teacher snoring at the staff table.

'Do you always eat this late?' I asked as I sat down and grabbed a plate piling it with cold mashed potato.

'Mostly.' He answered stiffly as though not really wanting to answer.

'Why?'

He didn't reply, preferring to shove a large sausage in his mouth and chew slowly.

I bet he just wants to avoid my Dad, Sirius, Remus and Peter… I bet they still bully him… Though Remus said that my Dad bucked up in 7th year, he stopped taunting Snape and moved on… I guess it hasn't happened yet… Though I suppose I'll see what goes on between them tomorrow anyway. Then I can see for myself.

'Pass the salt.' He said and I snapped out of my thoughts.

'Oh, here.' I said, passing him the salt cellar and picking up my fork again.

'So… what lessons are you taking?' he asked

'Astronomy, DADA, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and…Potions.'

'So am I.'

'Oh that's good. At least I know I'll have someone in my lessons to talk to now… Well apart from Ginny…' I added.

If Ginny will talk to me…

'Who's Ginny?'

'My…My sister.'

'What house is she in?'

'Gryffindor.'

Snape started to cough loudly and I wondered if he was choking.

'WHAT?!?' he screeched, his face red.

'Jesus, keep your voice down will you!' I hushed.

The remaining people all turned and scowled at us before going back to their conversations.

'You've got a sister in Gryffindor?!?' he said in a loud whisper.

'Yeah…So?'

'That's social suicide!'

'Why? It's no big deal!'

'Oh in this school it is! Believe me I know. There's this boy in the year below us called Regalus and he's got a brother in Gryffindor…He never lived it down.'

I tried to keep a straight face but it was getting harder.

'The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is immense. Gryffindors hate Slytherins. Slytherins hate Gryffindors. It's just how things are.'

'But why?' I laughed.

It's so weird being told this by a Slytherin. Especially this Slytherin…

'It goes back centuries. Back to when the founders first split up. It's all about Gryffindors being muggleborn, muggle lovers and Slytherins being pureblood muggle killers.'

Try saying that 10 times quickly…

'Seriously Threston… This is not a good thing…'

'Ah well…' I said lazily, putting my fork back on my empty plate 'At least the Slytherin girls won't want to marry me…'

'I'm being serious Threston.'

'Well I'm not.'

'But you must!' He said forcefully. 'Things have changed! It is no longer a childish school feud but a way of life! We Slytherins are expected to have views that Gryffindors do not and if you do not conform to those views… Well…You're in a bigger danger than just being locked in with Moaning Myrtle…'

I stayed silent as he shook his head wearily at me. Was he referring to the deatheaters? Was he hinting about things going on outside of school? And if you do not conform to those views... Is he talking about the punishments for being different in a house of future deatheaters…?

'That's enough for today' he said, still looking at me concernedly. 'I'm tired. I want to go to bed. We'll talk more in the morning.'

'Okay.' I said and stood up slowly, following him back to the dungeons.

When we reached the boy's dorm there was no-one else there and with a glance at my watch I saw it was only 8 o'clock. I looked at Snape to see that he'd already retreated behind his bed hangings and blown out the candle.

'Um…Severus...' I said nervously.

'What?' he snapped

'I'm going to go for a wander… okay?'

No reply.

'See you later.' I said hopefully.

No reply.

'Bye.' I said forcefully

There was still no reply. I sighed, gave up and walked out the dorm.

So Snape's always been weird then… but who knew that being in Slytherin was so…severe…What fun it'll be to hang around with him for the next god-knows-how-many days…

I grimaced slightly as a vision of me and Snape hand-cuffed together floated into my mind.

Oh what fun this is going to be…

Hey! Since I was so chuffed at getting a review (Lily's lil sis) I've decided to add up another chapter! I mean why not? I know I'm quite easy to please since I know what some of you might me thinking 'Oooh! One review! Amazing...' but I was just so glad that i didn't get totally slated by something that I'm happy to post up another chapter! Cheers people! Hwyl

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