Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

A/N: I'm going to be working on this one for a while, because of the fact I still kinda want to follow the books, you know…with the death of characters and such…IF THEY KILL SEV I'M GONNA BE P.O.ED! I swear! I would then have to bring him back to life…changing my story…Argh! So right I'll work on this, it's interesting, eh?

Everlasting Sacrifice Beginnings

Chapter 3: Darkness

Cat

I've been doing okay now…Lil still won't leave my side whenever she can be with me.

…

"Miss Forest, what's the matter?" a soft voice asked me and I turned around to see Remus Lupin staring me in the face, "You look like you're having a bad day…"

"Don't you hate me because I'm a Slytherin?" I asked, looking up at him to meet his gaze with my own. We were outside and there was a cool wind blowing, it felt nice, really nice.

"No, why should I? You don't exactly act like a Slytherin nor do you sleep in that common room…you must really think the sorting hat sorted you wrong…" he said, "Besides, you're friends with Miss Evans…best friends for that matter, and she wouldn't be with you if you were a bad person."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because I know her well enough to know she's got a pure heart and a keen intellect, not to mention she knows her instincts…how long have you known her?" he asked.

"I've known her since I was about five, she was seven at the time of course," I said, sitting down on one of the steps outside.

…

"That's impressive…so, you think you're going to be friends forever?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do," I said, suddenly feeling slightly nauseous, "Why aren't you with the others?"

"You mean James, Sirius and Peter? Oh, well, they were doing some sort of prank and I didn't want to get detention before a test in transfiguration…" he explained.

"And yet you didn't tell on us either!" a voice added gleefully and soon Remus was being hugged around the neck by none other than James Potter, Sirius and Peter running up to us. I smiled sadly and wished for a minute Lily could be there but she was having a conversation with Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house.

"Well, that just means you'll get yours eventually," I said.

"No we won't! We never…" James began.

"Yeah, you kinda will," I said, "I'll dish it out myself if I have too…"

"That's a Slytherin for you," Sirius said, and scooted to sit himself next to me, "If you still want to go out, I'm more than game…"

"How old are you?" I asked, scooting closer to Remus, "You're merely two years older than me…you shouldn't be thinking about such things just yet!"

"But our teen hormones come into play about this time in our lives and develop into something we'll use for the rest of our lives as well…so why not start early?" Sirius cooed at me and I stood up.

"Well if that's how it is then I want no part of it," I said, "So knock it off smartass or else I'm going to come down on you and curse you into next week." Both James and Sirius laughed at me.

"You sound like Snivilus," James said, "Curse me into next week? Geeze, a newbie threatening upperclassmen. Especially a Slytherin newbie trying to threaten Gryffindor upperclassmen…"

"You two are arrogant and rude," I exclaimed, pulling out my wand and he took a step back as if he were afraid.

"Oh look, it's a little girl with a wand," James teased.

"Knock it of James," Remus said gently, standing up and placing a hand on my shoulders, "Cat, it's alright, they just haven't grown up yet." I had it with them for now; there was only so much crap from them I could take!

"Whatever," I muttered, "I'm going now, so go ahead and do whatever the hell it is you do. I can't believe these are upperclassmen."

"Consider that date offer!" Sirius exclaimed as I stormed back inside of the school, not even bothering to attempt to shut the door loudly behind me.

…

"Oh, hi Sev," I said, noticing Severus walking by me, his nose buried in a book, "Hello?"
"What do you want Forest?" he asked peevishly, "I saw you with those four…"

"Yeah, but nothing was gonna happen, they were acting like jerks, mostly James and Sirius though," I said, walking up to him, "So…what are you reading?"

"Nothing of your business," he said, "Go away."
"Don't you like me?" I asked, and he lowered his book and glared at me, his black eyes shimmering with things I couldn't quite put in place. He had fear in them, fear and hope and anger and pain.

"What will you do if I give you an honest answer?" he asked, "Would you leave me alone then? I know you're a Slytherin like me but no Slytherin is as annoying as you are."
"Alright then, if you're honest I'll try to be less annoying. Pardon me for being friendly," I whispered.

"No, I don't like you at all," he replied and began to walk back towards the dungeons.

"Wait SEV!" I exclaimed, I didn't really want him to leave. He was the only Slytherin, well male Slytherin that had talked to me without hitting on me and the only Slytherin in general who seemed to pay serious attention to me when he felt like it. Everyone else didn't really listen to what I had to say and none of the females in my house paid me any mind, although I heard murmurings of what they were saying about me as rumors. I thought that was low, if what I heard about the Slytherins was true being rejected by them must mean they either know I really resent them or they just really hate me.

"Sev," I murmured as I watched him disappear down the stairs. I saw pain in his eyes and I wanted to take away that pain…even if it was just for a moment. I was so odd, wasn't I? There was something about him…something that was different…more to him than a lot of other people. I liked complex people for some reason, more of a challenge and once they were your friends, they were for life. Like Lily, she was complex even if a lot of people didn't think so, but she was. I was so odd…

…

"Hey Cat, how are you?" Lil asked, coming down the grand staircase with a smile on her face, "You look like you're depressed."

"Nah, I just had some feelings going on, I'm fine hon," I said, returning her smile, "Why are you so happy?"

"I just completed a little homework and now I have some free time," she said, "Up for a game?"

"A game of what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, so now you've got that gleam in your eye, that mischievous glint in your eye… I don't want you to cause trouble," Lil said, "At least not that much…"

"Lil, I won't cause the kind of trouble those Marauders do," I said, "I've only been here a few weeks, not even that long…I won't cause that much trouble yet…"

"You're going to drag me into something, aren't you?" Lil asked with a sigh and leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "If it has anything to do with a certain Slytherin named Malfoy I'm in though…"

"Seriously?" I asked, "He hasn't hit on me for a while though, so not much to report there…I haven't been at this school for that long you know."

"Well then its good people are leaving you alone now, things have settled down," Lil said and dragged me to sit on the grand staircase, "Besides, it makes it so people won't notice all the advanced classes you're taking now."
"I know…it's not my fault I'm smart," I said with a giggle.

"Yes it is," she said, returning my giggle with her own, "You and your book smarts hon, it's going to get you into trouble or something."

"I feel like drinking," I sighed.

"You're too young for that Cat!" Lil said, "I don't know why you're even thinking that way…"

"I never said I wanted alcohol hon," I said, leaning against her shoulder, "I just want sugar or caffeine…or both."

"I got a little candy if you want some…" Lil said, pulling out a peppermint from her pocket.

"Lil and her magic pockets! Just what I need!" I exclaimed and took the peppermint, unwrapped it and popped it into my mouth, "Thanks so much!"

"No problem," Lil said, "You and your candy."
"No, me and my food, I like food…period," I said with a smile and Lil smiled as well. Friends were the greatest thing to have; I only wish a few people I wanted as friends wanted to be friends back…like Sev.

…

Lily Evans

Cat was so easy to please…a little bit of food and she was sated, most of the time at least. We were so close it was scary, like sisters almost. I wouldn't be surprised if we were related or something somehow… She carried such a burden on her shoulders, so much…and now she was here studying to understand magic better. I didn't get how she did it sometimes. Oh Cat, why put yourself through so much crap? I could tell she liked the Snape boy too…at the moment, she just wanted his friendship…but I could tell…she saw something in him, she saw something in everyone but this time…she saw something different and she would most likely fall in love with that. I knew…she'd end up loving him...just as I would most likely end up loving the most unlikely guy as well… We were two of a kind, we could see things in others that most would miss and well…I didn't exactly praise that gift. Sometimes it was too good for its own good…I think that's what led me to becoming best friends with Cat.

"Lil?" Cat asked me, and I turned to her and looked at her, her head on my shoulders.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'm tired," she whispered, "I wanna go to sleep…"

"Then go to sleep, it's the weekend hon, nothing to do for a while…" I said, "I don't mind."

"I don't want you to carry me anywhere," she said, "And I don't want to sleep outside."

"Wanna go to the library? You could sleep in the back of it there while I read a bit and I'd wake you up in time for dinner," I suggested and she yawned, causing me to grin, "Seriously, how could you be tired?"

"Dun know," she said, "I just am."

"You better stop burning yourself out Cat," I said with a deep sigh, "Alright, c'mon, we're going to the library for a bit."

"Alright hon," she whispered, "So long as I get to sleep…"

"You are such a paradox," I said, standing up and helping Cat get to her feet.

"How am I a paradox?" she asked.

"Maybe more true to you is the fact you seem like a doppelganger sometimes," I said and started to head up the stairs, "Two sides of yourself…"

"Whatever," she laughed and ran up the stairs, "I'll beat you there and fall asleep before you even arrive."

"Must not be that tired if you can race," I said, cocking an eyebrow before following quickly after. We had been through a lot already and we weren't even adults. Of course, it probably didn't compare to the future, and that I looked forward to.

…

Severus Snape

How come she was so persistent in wanting friendship? Stupid idiot girl…she wasn't like anyone else and that annoyed me. She looked at me like she wanted to take away the pain she thinks she saw in my eyes. How can she even begin to understand? How can she hope to understand? She might have though she saw pain in my eyes, but she had no idea what pain was…stupid idiot girl. And her nickname was Cat…what kind of a nickname was Cat? Like a feline, ever changing, double sided female with nothing deeper than her looks, no matter how many advanced classes she came into, she was still dumb. I didn't like her, I didn't like the way she looked at me. I guess I'd just have to avoid her now…she seems like some kind of poison…

…

Lily Evans

The library…peace and quiet at last. Cat was snoozing in a corner nearby next to a bookshelf and she looked so peaceful there. She really was tired, she fell right asleep the moment she got up here into her little corner…of course, it won't be till she wakes will she see I've put my sweater over her so she wouldn't get cold, but then again, she never got cold. She actually could be considered cute when she was sleeping, but only then.

"No…no…" Cat murmured amidst her snores and I glanced up and over from the book I was currently reading and saw her trembling a bit. She had better not be having any nightmares right now. It wasn't easy to deal with her nightmares and they haunted her sleep so much. At least they were only nightmares and not the blood curse of dreams. I had read about it in a book once, not much was known about it except it was really terrible, many didn't know they had it until a major injury came to them. There wasn't much information on it, even the cure to the curse was a little vague…but I did know it haunted the person in question's dreams…and Cat didn't need worse dreams than she would have occasionally now.

"Shhh…" I whispered, "Just sleep Cat…" I don't know what she would do without me to hold her together…she was almost fragile…almost.

"Zzzzz…" she slept on soundly and I turned the pages of my book ahead a little.

…

Severus

Going to the library was the last thing I wanted to do but I had to get a book for class. I prayed with every fiber of my being that I wouldn't run into the Marauders or Cat. I could do without meeting up with either of them.

"Ah, hello Mr. Snape, what book are you looking for?" the librarian asked me and I blanked at her name. I had a little bit of a bad memory remembering people I didn't care to remember…

"It's a potions book," I said, "I don't exactly remember the name." Okay, so I was forgetful, at least I wasn't as bad as some people I knew.

"Back there," she said, pointing to a line of books jutting out slightly and I nodded a brief thanks and headed over there, stopping when I heard a slight noise.

"No…please…" a voice whispered and I froze. It sounded like Forest! When I didn't want to run into her, I did…great.

"Shhh…sleep Cat, seriously," a teasing voice followed, "It's alright…" That sounded like Evans! Great, two problems in one day! And they were in the section with the book I needed to find…wait, was Forest sleeping? I glanced around the bookshelf and looked to see Evans had her face buried in a book and Forest was in a corner, a sweater covering her loosely and she looked like she was asleep!

…

"Please…leave me…leave me alone," Forest murmured and Evans set down her book and stood, walking over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder and sat down next to her. What was going on?
"The darkness doesn't have you Cat, c'mon, it's alright…" Evans whispered and ran her hand down Forest's hair. What is wrong with this Forest girl? How much of a freak could she be?

"No…no…" she muttered and I blinked at how ridiculous this looked, how ridiculous this really seemed. No one I knew suffered in their sleep or had violent nightmares. Not that it didn't happen of course but I never knew anyone until now if that was what she really had happening to her.

…

"I know you're there Snape," Evans voice spoke up and pulled my from my train of thought, "It's not that hard to recognize you, but I suppose you already knew that." I stepped out and walked over a little bit.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" I asked, nodding in the direction of Forest.

"Nightmares," Evans replied simply enough, "She has them sometimes."

"Why?" I asked and then cursed my curiosity. I didn't want to know about her at all! I didn't care why she had nightmares, I could care less if she yelled and disturbed the entire library!

…

"Sometimes she just has them," Evans whispered, "She knows what suffering is Snape, no matter what you think about her, she knows."

"How could she?" I asked, getting angry at her for whatever it was I could get angry at her for and angry at myself for asking another dumb question.

"She just does, just like you do, right? I know Cat probably sees something in you…I just have yet to notice it but I bet it's there, right? She sees you suffering and wants to take it away," Evans said, "And though I don't know why I'd bother with you she apparently does and even if I don't agree with it or like it, she sees something and I trust her. I'll be there for her…"

"That had nothing to do with the question," I responded.

"Oh, but it did, you just don't realize it," she said, "You asked how could she understand suffering and that's because she's suffered herself…a lot."

"I don't care," I said solidly, "Why should I care? You may say she understands, but I bet that's just a trick or something…how could she? She's just a child!"
"As are you and I know she sees pain and suffering in your eyes," Evans said, "Don't argue with me Snape."

"I don't have to stand for this," I said and turned around, "Filthy Mudblood…"

"Dirty pureblood," she shot back, "I don't know what she sees in you."

"I don't care," I said.

"Don't leave me…please don't leave me!" a voice begged and I looked over my shoulder to see Forest turning in her sleep uneasily. I watched Evans pick her up and cradle Forest against her, resting her head in Evans' lap, stroking her hair lightly.

"I'm not going anywhere hon," Evans said and I turned myself all the way around. She had said those words as I was planning to leave…was it just some part of the nightmare? Did she know I was here and wanted me to stay? Why…why the hell would she want me to stay?

…

"You have to be kidding me," I whispered and took a step closer. I could see tears forming on Forest's face and it looked like she was crying or about to cry or already crying. I couldn't tell, I don't know why I was even bothering to look and wonder about it.

"Nightmares," Evans repeated, "She has them…not too often but they're there…she handles them as best she can but she always need someone to help hold her together."

"What if there's no one there?" I asked, cursing myself for my curiosity before letting it drop. If I found out more I could just declare her officially nuts and avoid her at all costs.

"There's always someone, maybe not a human but she has other things watching over her sleep, staying with her when she needs them the most," Evans said, "And that's when I cannot be there for her too…I'm there whenever I can be."

"You'd waste your entire life helping hold her together?" I asked, "How ridiculous is that?"
"I value friendship Snivilus," she said, forcing my horrid nickname across her lips, the one those stupid Marauders had given me, "I'll be there when she needs me, whenever I can, however I can."

"Would you die for her?" I asked.

"Yes," came the reply and I stepped back, astonished at how quickly she had responded to that, without a second thought she would give up her life for Forest…

"That's stupid!" I declared and she regarded me with an amused look in her eyes.

"She'd do the same for me," Evans responded. I heard Forest begin to sob and I found myself walking up, kneeling and touching Forest on the shoulder. It was unconscious…I didn't want to do it but I was being pulled towards her.

"Did she have you shake over some stupid sketchbook?" I asked quickly, maybe Forest had enchanted it somehow…maybe it was like…a way she controlled people. If it was a forbidden magic I could report her and get her into trouble for using something like that.

…

"Sure, I signed over it, why wouldn't I? She and I are friends after all…" Evans said with ease.

"She's using it to control you!" I said suddenly, pulling my hand away and standing up, "That's what she's doing…"

"No, she's not," Evans said, "And if you can't see she's not you don't deserve her as a friend, nor do you deserve her as anything else."
"Who ever said I wanted her as something else?" I asked peevishly.

"No one ever said that, you obviously didn't. Go away then Snivilus, you don't care enough to be a true friend…I don't think you even know what one is!" Evans proclaimed.

"I have friends!" I defended, "Wait…I don't need to explain myself to you…goodbye mudblood." I turned to walk away.

"Yes, you have friends, but how many true friends do you have…ones that would be with you through thick and thin…bad times and good times?" Evans asked and I turned and glared at her.

"This is stupid; this conversation has no point to it!" I exclaimed and stalked away.

"Sev…" Evans said softly and I turned around once more.

"What?" I asked.

"All she's offering is friendship…no cost to you except to be friends back…" she said, "It's really a win-win situation, it's a pity you can't see that."

"Whatever Evans," I said and turned around again and left.

…

"What the hell was she talking about…both of them are equally stupid," I murmured to myself, the reason for even going to the library long forgotten as I stormed out, determined to get as far away from those two as I could.

Lily Evans

"Don't leave me…" Cat whispered and I stroked her hair gently.

"I'm not going anywhere hon," I whispered, "Sleep Cat, just sleep peacefully. I'm here…I will not leave you…I promise…"

TBC

A/N: See, I always end up coming back to Everlasting Sacrifice in its various forms. Eh…yeah, so you know the drill, read and review, and don't flame! I'll return to Everlasting Sacrifice (the first one) after I've done a bit more with this one. Sorry it took so long to update, please don't hate me!