It was two weeks after Alex had landed in 1977. The rest of Slytherin had quickly learnt that Alex wasn't to be crossed and had actually come to respect him. He earned them points and didn't get into fights. However, he didn't follow the rules of being a Slytherin, he kept to himself, only put up his hand in class when no one else knew the answer, spent his free time in the library and was nice to people in the other houses. He was hated by the Marauders, but that was because he was a Slytherin and James Potter though that he liked Lily, and Lucius Malfoy, that was because Alex had turned the blond down when he had asked him out on his third day in the past. Malfoy had not been pleased; he had never been turned down before. By anyone. He shared a room with Snape and partnered him in all of their classes. Alex had found out on his first day that Snape never had a partner in class; he always struggled, working on his own instead. They talked little, usually about class work, correcting each other's technique or potions but they didn't argue. Alex was finding himself increasingly attracted to the raven-haired boy and was struggling to hide it. Little did he know that Snape was having the same problem.
As Alex left the Defence classroom he came across a familiar scene. James Potter and Sirius Black had their wands drawn on Severus Snape. Snape also had his wand drawn but it was still two against one. It seemed that Sirius had tripped him and his books were lying scattered on the floor around them.
"So, Snivellus what are you going to do now? There's nobody here to help you. Not that anyone would anyway." Black taunted.
Alex saw his godfather go to hex Snape and before he even knew what he was doing he had disarmed him. "Now that wasn't a very Gryffindor thing to do, Black. Two against one is hardly fair and courageous is it?"
Alex summoned the books and jerked his head to signal to Snape to follow him. He had turned to walk away when he felt a change in the air behind him and knew that his father had cast a curse at him. He reached out with his magic and reflected it without even turning around or casting a spell. After repeatedly facing Death Eaters in battle and teaching the DA you developed a sixth sense for spell casting. He heard James Potter hit the ground with the force of it. The boy had been too stunned to move out of the way. Alex smirked and continued walking.
When they got around the corner Snape grabbed Alex by the arm and yelled at him, "I can handle them myself. I don't need your help."
Alex could tell that he was embarrassed so he told him, "I couldn't just stand there and let them hex you. I've been in your position before and couldn't let someone else go through it. I don't want anything in return, I swear. Come on, we're going to be late for Transfiguration."
Snape looked at him searchingly, wondering what the true price for the protection was because no Slytherin did anything unless he wanted something but after a moment he looked away and mumbled red-facedly, "I'm sorry." He had seen nothing but honesty in the other boy's eyes.
"Don't mention it." Alex replied smiling widely.
He felt his heart skip a beat when he got a small smile in return.
Later that night, when they had gone to bed, Severus turned and half whispered, "Thank you," to Alex.
The other boy rolled over and looked at him, "You're welcome," he answered after a minute and then asked hesitantly, "Can I ask why they were doing that?"
Snape's expression became hard and he looked away. Alex was just about to take it back when the boy spoke. "They have always done that. They are in Gryffindor and I am in Slytherin. Therefore they hate me. Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew are a group of pranksters known as the 'Marauders'. They pull pranks on everyone, but me especially. Dumbledore favours them and he always believes them and takes their side when I fight back. You wouldn't think it but before Hogwarts Black and I were friends. Our families are distantly related, as are all pureblood families. When he was sorted into Gryffindor he started insulting me even though I tried to keep out of his way. He knew what would hurt me the most and used it in front of everyone. So I retaliated and there has been a kind of war between us ever since." He finished bitterly. Everyone already knew the story so Alex would have heard it soon enough any way. At least this way he knew what was being said about him to the boy who was the first person to ever willingly work with him during any lesson. Even in Potions where although he was the best in the year his bad temper had caused him to lose any chance of having a partner. When he had berated the boy for almost putting in an ingredient which would have blown up the classroom the time traveller hadn't batted an eyelid. Merely asked why it would have caused that reaction. Snape had been astonished. How could he not know? He calmed down instantly and calmly explained that the dragon's blood was an acid and would have reacted as a catalyst with the newt eyes causing it to combust. After he explained it in detail Alex had seemed to understand so Severus was careful to explain why something would happen at the start of the lesson in order to avoid explosions.
Alex's mind was reeling. Snape and Sirius had been friends? Sirius had started it? He didn't want to believe it but he knew it to be true. He could tell when people were lying and knew that Snape wasn't. "When I was younger, before Hogwarts, I never had any friends because my cousin would beat up anyone who so much as looked at me." Alex wasn't quite sure what had made him tell the Slytherin that but it seemed like it worked. The boy looked back at him and smiled faintly in understanding.
"Friends?" The ex-Gryffindor asked holding out his hand.
"Friends." The Slytherin agreed taking the offered hand.
As their skin met a spark of power shot through them. Neither boy showed any sign that they had felt it to the other and quickly let go. After saying, "Goodnight," they pulled their curtains around their beds and lay back, both of them looking intently at their hand, wondering what the spark had meant.
"Severus, why are we here? Who is it you want me to meet?" Alex asked tiredly. It was early on Saturday morning and he had been up for most of the night with nightmares. 'Thank Merlin for silencing charms.' The green-eyed boy thought with relief. He just hoped that it wasn't a girlfriend.' Or a boyfriend for that matter. Come to think of it I don't actually know what his sexuality is.' The Boy Who Lived was becoming more attracted to his future professor every day. He didn't dare to show his feelings though. He didn't want to loose the young man's friendship. He was his only real friend in this time.
"There are only two people in this world that I class as friends Alex and I'd like to introduce you to the person who has kept me sane for years." Was Severus' serious response.
"Ok. Where are they then?"
"Follow me."
Alex followed as the Slytherin led him to an unused corner of the library. He looked over to the comfy chairs and saw someone he did not expect. Lily Evans. His mother. The time traveller had not thought that he would get a chance to talk to her. James Potter would never have let him near the girl he loved.
"Lily Evans?" He asked his friend in confusion.
"Yes. We've actually been friends for years although when we are in public we act as though we can't stand each other." Lily answered for him. "We met on the Hogwarts Express. We were in the same carriage."
Alex was shocked. There was so much about his mother that he didn't know. Everyone always rushed to tell him stories about his father but never his mother and now he had the chance to get to know her himself. To be no longer condemned to second hand information but to have his own experiences and memories, although she would never know that he was actually her son. "Nice to meet you, Evans." He said to her smoothly, his voice not betraying the emotional conflict waging inside of him.
"You too. I was in the class you 'dropped' in on and have been dying to meet you ever since. Honestly how often does someone from the past or future appear?" She replied amused looking the boy up and down. It wasn't everyday that her Slytherin friend got a crush. Not that he had told her of course but she could tell from the look in his eyes. She also knew that he was trustworthy because Severus would never have brought him to meet her if he wasn't completely sure about him. The red-haired Gryffindor decided that she liked Alex and the two became fast friends. Alex discovered where his fiery temper and studious tendencies came from and Lily gained another study partner and a person to bounce charms ideas off, as Severus did not excel in Charms.
Alex found himself happier that he had been for a long time; he had finally gotten to know the mother taken from him at such a young age.
Severus on the other hand became more subdued and surly. A week later, after Severus had snapped at Alex in Potions for no reason again, he cornered him in the corridor.
"Why are you acting so weirdly, Severus? Have I done something wrong?" He asked hurt more than he let on at his friend's words.
"A word of warning Frost. Don't let Potter see you when you go to the library 'to study' with Evans." He spat back avoiding the question and managing to hide the heartbreak he felt. He didn't know why but he was falling in love with his best friend. His heart broke a little more every time Alex came back to their room, his face flushed, after being out 'researching' in the library as he said. Severus thought that Alex and Lily where an item because they got on so well and he didn't actually know which sex his friend preferred. The truth was that Alex actually was at the library. He was researching how to get back to his own time and often had to run back to the dorms because he had stayed too long. He had worked out what had reacted in his cauldron in order to make a tear in time and now only needed to work out how long the potions mistake would last. Since Severus hadn't been talking to him and was acting strange Alex had decided that it was better if he tried to get back as soon as possible.
Alex frowned at the way he had emphasised 'to the library to study', "I don't go with Lily and you make that sound like we're dating or something."
"Aren't you?" A faint hope rose in his heart.
"No! We are just helping each other with some problems." Alex explained.
"Such as…" Severus asked suspiciously. A little hurt that Lily would go to someone else when they had been friends for almost seven years.
"Well I can't tell you Lily's but she has been helping me work up the courage to ask out this person I really like." He replied staring at the wall behind Severus, his face heating up.
Severus's heart plummeted. Alex would be going out with this girl very soon no doubt. Locking away his heartache in the deepest part of his heart he simply said, "Oh," dispassionately and started walking towards the Great Hall. He didn't feel Alex's heated gaze on him as he left.
Harry and Lily's conversations
The Slytherin and Gryffindor were in the unused corner of the library with open charms books on the table in front of them. Severus would normally be with them but he had said that he had a potion he needed to try out this morning and had rejected Alex's offer to help him.
After Alex had stared at the same page for ten minutes Lily closed her book loudly. "Ok Alex what is wrong with you? You've been acting odd for days now. Tell me." Lily demanded.
"Lily, I'm gay." He confessed to his future-mother.
"Aha! I thought so. So what's the problem?" She asked with raised eyebrows.
Alex sighed, "I really like Severus. I want to tell him how I feel but I'm scared of rejection. I don't even know if he's gay but it's just so hard to hide how I really feel from him all the time. He's been acting strange lately. I don't know what's wrong with him."
"Don't worry. He is gay. You'll never know how he feels unless you tell him." She advised. "Besides I've known him for years and I've never seen him act the way he does around you with anybody else." She added with a wicked smirk. 'Honestly how stupid could those two get?' She thought as she remembered the looks they had given the other when they weren't looking. It was hilarious really. When would they finally realise that they were in love with each other? It was obvious to anybody who knew the boys well, which unfortunately was only Lily.
"Alex, I'm attracted to James Potter! I can't believe it! I hate him!" The girl nearly shouted at him the following night. Alex winced at the way her voice echoed around the empty library. Once again they had gone to study, Defence Against the Dark Arts this time. Severus had, once again, blown them off by saying that he had something he had to do.
Alex mentally grinned; maybe he was supposed to help his parents get together. "I understand how you feel but would it be so bad to just go on one date with him? Or just get to know him? You never know he might have matured somewhat since last year."
She frowned, thinking it over. Finally she replied, "Ok…just don't tell Severus, please. He hates James."
"Don't worry your secret is safe with me." He assured her.