Disclaimer: The usual story.

Note: Well, I'm not particularly fond of this chapter. Still, I was flabbergasted by the reviews- infinite thanks! Well, you can imagine what comes in the next chapter---howls. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter once again, and be sure the next one will be much more interesting!

'Lily.'

He greeted her quietly. Snape was completely still, even as he sat on the Hogwart's entrance stairs clothed in nothing but worn robes and a thin cloak which offered nearly no protection against the mounting blizzard. Specks of snow were dancing with the swirling wind, making his voice hardly audible above the violent howling.

'What's wrong Severus? You've been avoiding me for nearly two weeks!'

Lily exclaimed with a frown of concern, shivering as she gathered her cloak around her.

'I needed to think.'

'I've been really worried. Since the ball...'

The Slytherin stared at her as her voice died uncertainly, his face completely devoid of emotion. Tears begun to glisten in the girl's eyes mixed with a tinge of fear as she watched her friend's cold countenance.

'I have decided it would be better i-if- ' he faltered for a moment. His lower lip trembled slightly before he bit it down decisively and continued. ' If we stopped seeing each other.'

Dumbledore sighed morosely. It seemed the moment of separation he had foreboded had come, the ending of their friendship. It saddened him deeply to see the Gryffindor girl crying in such way; not understanding, not knowing the why of the sudden rejection, the reason for the abrupt upheaval of her life. And it brought a bitter taste to his mouth, when he saw the Slytherin's thin lip tremble hesitantly, before that cold determination took hold of him.

'You can't mean that.'

Lily whispered shakily. Her knuckles white as her grip on her cloak tightened, bunching the cloth between her fingers nervously.

'It's for the best.'

'How can you say that? We're friends.'

'You have other friends.'

He responded, his gaze settled on the floor between her feet. The Gryffindor took a step forward.

'But none like you.'.

He could see the love burning in her eyes, the silent promises of what could be. A real pity it was. And yet, Lily was perfectly content as Mrs. Potter, was she not? Perhaps it had been for the best after all.

She breathed softly. Her green eyes sad, swimming with tears.

'Lily- don't- . Forget me.'

'No! You can't simply decide to throw our friendship down the drain!'

She cried angrily, grabbing his jaw gently and pulling his face to meet hers. His eyes hardened and he tore from her grasp violently.

It brought a small pang, to see Snape's aggressive response. As he knew the reason behind it, the movement must have triggered the same memory he himself had seen moments before. He glanced at the man before him, studying him carefully. He was barely twenty years old, and yet, there were lines of anguish and anger on his face. In what world of illusion did they live, blinded by a fake light while others lurked, forgotten in the shadows.

'Look. You might be able to relinquish some of your glorious popularity but I cannot afford to lose the small amount of people who deign to speak to me, Evans.'

He replied harshly, and reaching inside his robes took out the pendant she had given him as a Christmas present. It was of diamond shape, sparkling with a red light as the blood swam between the crystal walls.

Albus analyzed the pendant carefully. It was but a purely symbolic object, greatly popular at one time. Although the Ministry had branded it illegal, after several revengeful friends had used the blood to control the other person.

He extended his hand for her to take it. Lily took a step backwards, tears running down her face unrestrained now.

'Severus. Please, tell me this is not true.'

She pleaded sadly, hand outstretched as though longing for him to take it. Snape took the opportunity to slip the pendant to her, nestling it in her palm.

'I-it is. Now leave Lily.

'You- you Slytherin! As soon as I begin to be an inconvenience you just do this-'

Her voice broke and a sob escaped her as she cast the pendant at his feet, where it shattered. She turned on her heel and ran from him, weeping loudly.

If only she would have noticed the quiver in his voice... she might have been able to break through and reach out for him. But it was too late, as she ran her tears washed away what remained of their friendship: nothing but broken crystal shards it seemed.

'Reparo.' Snape hissed. The crystal pieces lighted up and shook for a second before rushing to unite themselves, now smeared with blood on the inside. He pocketed it quietly then rose to his feet and strided through the Hogwarts grounds to the forest. As he entered the canopy of looming dark trees a moan escaped him and after a few more steps he collapsed.

Severus began weeping, his breathing ragged as desperate sobs shook him, tears running down his face as he moaned, his face pressed against the dirt.

'S-sorry...so...sor-rry, Lily.'

Dumbledore longed to comfort him, for he knew that even though the boy had made the pendant whole one more, their friendship was broken. It would have been painful for all, but even more for this lonely Slytherin who had no other close relationships with his peers. Guilt tore at his entrails, clawing through the ripped pieces playfully as Pity stretched languishly, knowing it was forever settled in his bosom regarding this young man. It brought tears to his eyes too, to see this act of Gryffindor-ish self-sacrifice in a Slytherin, revealing more of his favoritism and prejudice. He wondered if he might have lost less Snakes over to Voldemort had he been less blinded by the golden Gryffindor lion, Guilt taking a large bite.

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS

Fifteen-year old Snape swayed in his spot; clutching his head protectively, eyes squeezed tight against the pain as a drop of sweat glistened on his pale forehead. Sibilius lifted the spell.

'What are you doing?'

The man snarled angrily, though he looked unnerved. His eyes betraying the fear and uncertainty, drenched in the mad hatred that burned constantly within him.

'Occlumency.'

Severus sneered triumphantly.

At that stage of the boy's training, any moderately good Legilemens would probably have been able to force his way through into the child's mind. But it was obvious Sibilius Snape was not a particularly powerful wizard, at least regarding that specific branch of magic, and was not able to break through whatever obstacle the fifteen-year old had managed.

The man stepped forward and grabbing the boy by the neck, shook him forcefully and pinned him against the wall. Snape gagged and struggled weakly against his father's powerful hold before the man threw him, nearly missing the shelf of poisons, where the vials were trembling slightly as though moved by an invisible force.

Albus breathed slowly through the haze of pain, as Guilt lazily took a few large bites of his insides and Pity writhed, bathing itself in his blood and shrieked within him. A horrible, loud screech that seemed to echo in his ears and resound through his soul, even though he heard it only in his mind.

'Stop it, you filthy slime ball. Legilemens.'

The Slytherin's face contorted with pain, his fingers dug into his aching skull. Sibilius released him from the spell once more and advanced towards the smaller figure. His fist knocked against the child's jaw hard.

'You can't oppose me!'

He shouted harshly, kicking him in the ribs.

He worried with a slight feeling of dread about the possible effects of prolonged mal-use of the Legilemancy spell on a growing boy. Fortunately, it seemed not have affected him intellectually or in any other way.

Snape inhaled with difficulty then laughed, his mouth twisted in a mirthless smile.

'Think again.'

Severus said softly before laughing again, even as blood began to flow freely down his face from his broken nose.

'Are you laughing at me? Crucio!'

Snape shrieked as the curse hit him. His elbows, that had been supporting his prone figure, collapsed under him. The poisons behind exploded in a storm of colored liquids and shards of glass.

Dumbledore gasped in horror. He felt, for a few seconds, as though he had swallowed a goblet-full of Befuddlement Concoction. He could not begin to comprehend how a father would dare- would wish to submit his child to such pain as the Cruciatus inevitably proportioned. Even after all the horrors he had seen through the years, of mangled corpses at the hands of evil lords and their minions- he could not understand for a father to do that to his own son. He longed to rush and hug the undoubtedly traumatized young man seated before him. And yet, he could do nothing. He could have done it then, years ago. But now it was too late. The explosion, he pondered, was clearly accidental magic provoked by the child's anger and pain.

Sibilius roared in pain as little pieces embedded themselves in his skin. The scream died abruptly in the child's throat as the spell was lifted, but another cry was brought to his lips as he received a few forceful kicks from his father. In a few minutes, Sibilius left the room, blood trickling slightly down his own face and body where the crystal had cut him.

Snape slumped against the shelf pathetically as he panted for breath, robes soaked with poisons and blood and showered with the shattered vials.

'I still won Father. I am stronger than you, at least in mind.'

He rasped, voice hoarse. A smirk of satisfaction appeared in his face, even as a small trickle of blood ran from his mouth and nose, bruises blossoming painfully all over. He tilted his head back, though the smirk had died to be replaced by a cold expression, and rested it carefully on the wood. The memory hurried by to be replaced by another as blood dripped into the child's hair and he lost consciousness.

The old man raised a shaking hand to his face, and finally rubbed his left temple wearily. How could he ever dream of healing such hurts? Now he knew all the painful facts, yes, but years too late. Such deep wounds...engraved deep into the soul.

SsSsSsSsSsSsS

The sun shone brightly in the azure sky as it slowly began it's descent into the mountains. Casting golden beams into the sparkling lake and making the leaves glow with colors as they danced silently to the forest floor. Snape walked down the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch, shoulders stooped and head bowed. He could hear Antonin Dolohov, the Slytherin Quidditch team captain calling out names from a list, and arrived just in time to hear his own. There weren't all that many candidates for the Seeker position since Bellatrix Black had taken her NEWTs and left Hogwarts the year before. After about half-a-dozen students Severus stepped forward, someone handed him a broom.

Dumbledore reasoned quickly that this must have been the year right after Bellatrix Black had left, since she had occupied the Seeker position during the whole of her years at Hogwarts. She had been quite a good player, although James Potter had turned out to be undoubtedly better, managing to steal the Quidditch Cup from Slytherin a short time after joining the Gryffindor team.

He was about to mount it when the broom gave a shudder and lashed out, the fifteen-year old froze and stared at the broom with a frown. He tried to get on it once more when it began bucking, a girl let out a snort and began laughing. A few of the younger Slytherins guffawed loudly. Suddenly the broom gave a bolt, unbalancing Severus and sending him to the floor, then with a whiney it pranced around for a minute before speeding off towards the forest.

He understood, of course, that seeing it from an outsider's view it could be considered funny. After all, he himself had been somewhat amused by the Marauder's pranks at one time or the other. But he could also imagine the embarrassment of the one submitted to it, the pain resulting from the constant and relentless harassment. Well, he had a clear example before his eyes. Albus shook his head slightly, that was most of the pranksters (and the people who approved of them)'s fault, they failed to understand the feelings of the victim, which usually did not appreciate being the center of the jokes. I've failed in that too, he thought with a sigh.

'Oh, Snape, you are absolutely hilarious.'

Fredericka Travilla laughed annoyingly, as she swept up on another broom for her own try and Snape stood up.

'Someone tricked the broomstick.' Dolohov grumbled with a scowl, his eyes narrowed as he spotted a tuft of unruly black hair. Severus followed his eyes, his teeth baring as he discovered James Potter hiding behind one of the stands. He came out with a proud stance and grinning widely.

'Why hello Snape.'

He greeted, with a mock bow to the assembled Slytherins.

'How'd you get into our broom shed Potter?'

The Slytherin captain asked with a snarl. James just smiled all the more widely.

'Just a little bit of magic over here, stealth and brains over there.'

'Furnunculus!'

Snape shouted finally, a jet of light issued from his wand and hit the Gryffindor at unawares in the stomach. James doubled over as boils began erupting all over his face and hands.

'Petrificus Totalus!'

Potter bellowed, a boil near his lip exploding as he opened his mouth.

'Protego.'

The Staff and Caretaker had long since last count of the times they had caught the three boys dueling in the corridors and classrooms. Both Potter and Black had probably had more detentions than the rest of their year put together, though Severus had not been far off.

Severus hissed and the spell reflected, avoiding hitting James only as he ducked rapidly. He was about to raise his wand once more when a giant hand was placed on the Slytherin's shoulder.

'Wha's going on 'ere? Break it up you two.'

Yes, Hagrid was a truly great fellow. He hadn't had an easy life himself, struggling to mantain his giant blood secret, expelled even though he was nothing but innocent. Yet he still managed to conserve his cheerful readiness and good heart.

Hagrid pacified loudly, looking puzzled as Snape wiggled from under his grasp. He cast a look at James, his beard twitching.

'Ye better go to the 'ospital Wing James. And you, 'Everus isn't it, yer comin' with me.'

Snape glared at him. The other Slytherins raised their eyebrows, a fellow looking apprehensive, some simply curious. Hagrid turned around and began trudging down to his hut, Severus followed him hesitantly, still scowling. As they reached the wooden house Rubeous waved a hand for the boy to come in.

'Sit down boy, I'm not gonna eat ya.'

He chuckled as he busied himself with tea, and poured two big mugs of boiling water before adding the tea bags. Snape sat down finally, eyeing the half-giant suspiciously.

'I saw wha' happened over there, 'ere from me hut. Tha' wasn't very nice o' James.'

He said quietly, beetle eyes crinkled in a friendly way as he surveyed the greasy-haired boy. Severus stared at him, then lowered his eyes, then looked up at him again and nodded.

'No, it wasn't.' he acknowledged just as quietly.

'Yeh want some fruitcake?'

'Alright, thank you.'

Snape responded awkwardly, taking a sip of his tea.

'So how ye doin' with classes? Got yer OWLs this year, don't ye?'

They talked for a while, though it was obvious by the boy's guarded demeanor that he was still slightly suspicious and wary of the Gamekeeper. The sun was setting when the Slytherin departed.

'I liked talkin' with yeh, Severus. Come down to me hut for tea once in a while, will yeh?'

Hagrid said as he held the door open for the boy. Severus nodded and smiled slightly.

'Well, yes, I will. Thank you Hagrid.'

Albus felt another small surge of pride at Hagrid's attitude, his kindness and lack of prejudice. To have befriended a Slytherin, Severus Snape especially who was mostly despised. He had been able to see what he, the one known as the greatest wizard of the times, had failed to see; that behind that unpleasant exterior and sour attitude there hid a remarkable child. Now that boy had grown into a pitiable young man, lost forever perhaps, for even in the Light for he was cloaked in shadows.

SsSsSsSsSsSsS

'All right, Snivellus?'

Snape whirled around as he heard James' voice calling loudly. He dropped his bag and had his wand halfway into the air when it flew from his hand and landed with a soft noise in the grass behind him. He was diving for his wand when Black's spell hit him, knocking him off his feet. He lay panting on the ground, fighting against the invisible force tying him down.

'How'd the exam go, Snivelly?'

James asked mockingly.

'I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment. There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word.'

Sirius responded viciously, earning a couple of laughs from the crowd that had begun edging forward to watch the encounter.

It truly was unfair, Dumbledore realized suddenly, that Snape had been obliged to contend alone against the two Gryffindors. He had witnessed an improvised duel between only the two of them in the last memory and could not deny the Slytherin was more than a worthy opponent.

'You- wait.' the Slytherin panted, glaring at Potter with hatred, ' you- wait!'

'Wait for what? What're you doing to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?'

Snape let out a stream of curses and swear words at Black's cold words, before James' pink soap bubbles rendered him speechless, nearly choking him.

'Leave him ALONE!'

Perhaps nothing but broken glass had remained of their friendship, but the shards seemed to have cut deep- And such profound wounds always left scars.

Lily shouted finally, having left the lake's edge. Severus began inching towards his falling wand, spitting out the soap suds as he crawled while the two Gryffindors argued.

'OI!'

Sirius alerted suddenly, but too late. Snape pointed his wand at James and slashed it across the air, with a jet of light a large gash appeared on the boy's face, spattering his robes with blood.

A moment later Snape was hanging upside down in the air. Many of the people watching cheered as the Marauders roared with laughter.

Albus' nose wrinkled slightly as he frowned deeply, pursing his lips in indignant disgust on Snape's behalf. It was a despicable behavior on James Potter's part, after all, the Slytherin had done nothing to provoke them.

'Let him down.'

Lily ordered, James complied bringing the Slytherin down in a crumpled heap as he fell. He disentangled himself from his robes, wand poised, then keeled over as Sirius cast a petrification spell on him.

'LEAVE HIM ALONE!'

The green-eyed girl repeated angrily, taking her wand out. James sighed and muttered the counter curse after a short dialogue with Lily. Snape struggled to his feet.

'There you go,' James said, 'You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-'

'I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!'

Snape spat nastily. Lily blinked in surprise.

'Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.'

He winced at the acid words the two students interchanged; infected cuts it appeared, leaking with pus and blood.

She said coldly while Severus glared at her. Snape straightened up, arranging his robes around him as Lily and James argued, his wand ready to attack. Potter turned back as the girl left, looking furious, and before Snape could act he was once more hanging upside down in the air.

'Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?'

Dumbledore's eyes widened. He wouldn't?

James announced loudly, walking forward and eyeing Snape's clothes as though analyzing a dissected animal.

'You won't live to see the next sun rise if you do that Potter.'

Severus threatened quietly through the robes covering his face. The Gryffindor laughed and pulled the pant's waistband, letting it fall again with a snap. The students around clapped and laughed happily.

'Damn. Prongs, Mcgonagall's coming!'

The old man could not help but sighing in relief at the lucky stroke. He did not think the boy's pride would have been able to bear it. It was already more than abused, but that probably would have been the last drop that spilt the potion.

Sirius shouted hurriedly suddenly, as, indeed, the Transfiguration professor strided towards them with an angry frown.

'Lucky Snivelly.'

James whispered and jerking his wand up made Snape crumble to the floor once more. The other students left quickly, leaving Severus alone entangled in robes.

'Mr. Snape, what has been going on here? Are you quite alright?'

The Animagus asked upon reaching him, frowning slightly above her glasses. Snape pulled himself to his feet and glared at her angrily.

'Nothing. Nothing at all. I'm fine.'

He snarled at her and lunging for his wand and bag ran off to the castle, hearing Mcgonagall snapping 'Five points from Slytherin for your disrespect.' as he left.

He looked up and saw Snape was trembling with rage, a vein ticking rapidly in his jaw. His breathing was quick and shallow, lips parted slightly and glistening with drying blood where he had bit it earlier. He was not surprised at his rage, for he had been but an unwary victim of the two pranksters and yet it had been Slytherin the one to lose points.

Snape banged into the dungeons, hitting himself against the walls as he cursed under his breath, eyes burning with hatred. He threw his things on the floor and banged his fist into the wall.

'Freaking bastards. Stupid. Filthy Gryffindors.'

He spat, his face contorted with rage as he hit the wall. He whirled around at a soft sound to discover his pillow had exploded in a rain of feathers. Severus' snarled and collapsed on his bed.

Dumbledore noted, with a mixture of amusement and dread that Snape had seemed to have a predilection for making objects around him explode. It was, in truth, a worrying thing that he should suffer some much anger and pain to bring his wandless magic to that extreme.

'What have I done to them? Idiotic, brainless, dirty...'

He muttered, panting for breath as his head throbbed painfully. He let out a choked sob and glared at the wall, fighting back the tears. He closed his eyes tightly but still a few escaped, making a watery trail down his face, still white with rage and embarrassment.

He stared mutely at the young man, Pity squirming unpleasantly in his chest. He watched with a tingle of regret as the memory ended swiftly, for he was not sure he wished to see the ones that were sure to come next. He had committed, he saw now (too late unfortunately), countless errors... but he feared this one would perhaps be his greatest.