Double the Charm
Severus
The rest of the morning and afternoon were more painful for Severus than the Cruciatus curse had ever been. He looked on in horror as slowly every semblance of normalcy was stripped from his life all because of this so-called Harry Potter. But he would endure it all, even if doubt were nagging at the back of his mind.
Harry just used him, like some kind of tool. That's all Severus thought about again and again in his head. His fellow Slytherin piers didn't know what was going on with Snape, but they chose to ignore it, he wasn't their problem.
'I should have known,' Severus thought as he looked out at the lake on the top of the Slytherin tower, 'he was always hanging around the Marauders. I'm so stupid. Why didn't I question him?'
'Because you didn't want to, you didn't want to believe that somebody that you finally called a friend would betray you like that.' Severus thought deep in his own memories.
FLASHBACK:
"Snape! Will you stop zoning out for more than fifteen minutes..." Lucious Malfoy snapped at him as the group headed towards their next class except for Snape whom had a free period.
"I was paying attention." Snape muttered defending himself.
"Then what were Goyle, Crabbe, and I talking about eh?"
"Um.."
"Thought so!" Malfoy replied rolling his eyes.
Severus sighed heavily. "Fine what were you three talking about?"
"That student walking around!" Malfoy replied annoyed.
"What about him." Severus countered. "He's probably just a transfer student."
"Whatever, do you mind getting out of my way so I can get to my Herbology class." Malfoy replied rudely as he strutted past Snape along with Crabbe and Goyle.
Severus just sighed out in frustration and walked down the stairs to head towards the library only to have somebody bump into him in the process.
THUD.
"Oh… sorry Sev, I was in a bit of a hurry, I'm gonna be late for my DADA class." Antonette replied running past him up the stairs.
Severus looked on in bewilderment but remained silent as Antonette left.
'Did she just call me Sev?' Severus thought sadly slightly smirking, 'such a pure heart shouldn't be with me least my own darkness consume her.' Severus turned away and averted his gaze, walking away heading towards the halls only to have somebody else bump into him.
"Watch where you're going!" Severus snapped at the boy annoyed.
"Sorry almighty one." Harry replied rolling his eyes.
Snape laughed at him as Harry stared at him utterly shocked.
'This is just my day.'
END OF FLASHBACK
"He did say he was sorry, get over yourself."
"Come to torment me, Potter? Perhaps throw me off the roof while you're at it?" Severus sneered at him.
Silence greeted his questions, as he expected. His senses weren't ones to fail him, but at least if he had been mistaken, there was no one up here to learn of his talking to Potter. He'd heard the stumble though–there was definitely someone behind him, and the only person who would come up to join him on the roof, the only person who would dare, was James Potter.
"I wanted to talk to you." James replied sitting on the edge of the tower while Severus stood a few spaces away from him.
His gaze, which had been directed very strongly at the lake, went quickly to scan James' face for any sign of trickery. So many times before James had said something and done quite the opposite, that searching was almost second nature to him. When he saw none, he sighed.
"Where are your minions?"
"Minions huh…" James replied eyebrows raised, "my minions are none of your concern, they're not even thinking about you." James replied back rolling his eyes.
"What do you wish to rub in my face now, Potter? Despite the obvious?" Severus said angrily back at him averting his gaze back towards the lake.
"Look, Snape, despite what you may believe, Harry didn't intend to uh… hurt your 'feelings'. I'm pretty sure he would have preferred not to have told you lies like that, but he does see you as a friend." James replied.
Severus didn't bother looking over at him. As much as he was loath to admit it, the boy had matured somewhat since their last year. It was a mixed blessing; he could no longer insult the Gryffindor without him understanding what was being said about him, but a repeat fiasco of the one after OWLs in their previous year was much less likely now, as well.
That entire catastrophe... it seemed so distant when he had finally come to realize just how deep the Marauders' bonds of friendship went. They had studied for years to become animagi just to secretly accompany Lupin on full moons; that was certainly something admirable, even though he still loathed all four of them. So stuck in thinking of the past he was, that he hardly noticed the raven-haired boy next to him trying to get his attention until he heard the door closing as James had left Snape alone to himself.
Marauders & Lily
Remus and James decided not to get a whole lot of food at the kitchen since lunch was only an hour away. The Marauders had decided to spend some more quality time with Harry before he left them for good tomorrow. When they were finished grabbing snacks they left the house elves and walked until they reached the room of requirements that they heard Harry talking about. They stepped inside after walking back and forth three times in front of it and immediately spotted Sirius and the others, minus Peter.
Rose and Sirius were kissing, of course, and Lily and Harry were talking. Both Remus and James walked over to the group.
"Hey, guys," said James.
Lily and Harry were the only ones who returned the greeting; Sirius and Rose remained engaged in their kissing. James looked at the couple and then back at Harry.
"How long have they been at that?"
"About a half-hour."
"Merlin," said Remus.
All eyes turned to the couple. Only a few minutes later, Rose pulled away, gasping for air. Sirius, however, was barely even out of breath. He looked up and noticed the others.
"How long have you two been there?"
"A minute or two," James answered as Rose looked behind her at the two.
"Hey, Lily. Hi, James."
"Hi, Rose," said Lily. "Hey, Sirius, you don't mind if I borrow your girlfriend, do you?"
"Sure, go ahead," said Sirius.
Rose pushed herself up off of Sirius and went to talk to Lily by the entrance door while the guys set up the food on a near by table.
"Thanks, Lily," she said. "I needed a break. Don't get me wrong, I love making-out with Sirius, he's a great kisser, it's just that when his tongue's down my throat, no air's getting through."
Lily laughed.
"It's no problem."
Back with the guys, James sat down on one of the chairs at the table along with Harry, Remus, and Sirius.
"So, did you do it?" Sirius asked James.
"Do what?" Harry asked grabbing a pastry.
"Yeah, I went and talked to Snape." James replied grabbing a pastry also as Harry chocked on his out of shock of what James said.
"What happened?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know… I don't even think he was even paying attention to me. I gave him a few words and he just zoned me out, so I left." James replied shrugging his shoulders.
"We should probably get back to the guys before they get to bored without us." Rose replied.
"Yeah, Sirius is probably suffering from Separation Anxiety from being away from you for so long," Lily laughed.
"Oh, ha-ha," Rose said sarcastically as both Aldrick and Remus walked out the door past them.
The guys were still where Lily and Rose had left them, only now, Harry and Remus were gone.
"Where are Remus and Aldrick going?" Lily asked as she sat by James and Rose sat on Sirius' lap.
"Well Aldrick went off to find Snape and Remus went to talk to Desiree about the summer ball, but we think he's secretly checking up on Aldrick to make sure he doesn't get killed by Snape." answered James.
"Some quality time this is." Sirius replied.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked him.
"Well Aldrick is leaving tomorrow night to go back to his family or school, whatever, so the gang and I thought we would spend some quality time with the squirt." James replied shrugging.
"Aw I didn't know he was leaving tomorrow." Lily said sadly to the group.
"What can we do about it?" Sirius replied shrugging grabbing a chocolate frog out of James hand.
"Hey, Sirius, stop eating my chocolate frog," said James.
"What if I don't? Are you going to hex me, Jamesy Boy", asked Sirius.
"Don't call me that Sirius, I hate that nickname" said James.
"Jamesy Boy, Jamesy Boy, Jamesy Boy," said Sirius.
James grabbed the first thing that came into his hand and chucked it at Sirius but Sirius ducked and the box of Chocolate Frogs hit a small boy with brown hair.
"Oh, sorry, Pete that was supposed to be for Sirius, not you", said James.
"N-no problem." Peter stuttered as he went and sat with the group.
"Where have you been Peter?" Lily asked him.
"Oh.. Ohm… nowhere special." Peter replied shrugging his shoulders.
Severus
"Snape? Are you still mad?" Harry asked quietly sitting in front of Severus way in the back of the library where Snape usually always hanged out.
"Go. Away." Snape replied not looking up at him from his book.
"Snape, please, don't sit there and be angry at me all day." Harry said to him.
"Don't tell me what I can and can not do." Severus snapped at him.
"What are you guys up to?" asked a voice. That voice was music to Severus' ears; he wanted to fall into that song, let it carry him far beyond his dreams . . .
Severus looked up and felt his face flush in embarrassment as he realized whom it was. "I – uh--"
"Hey Antonette, do you want to join us?" Harry asked her in his charming smile.
"Thanks I'd love to." Antonette Chariton smiled at them kindly, making Severus heart race when she looked at him.
Severus remembered her eyes as he remembered himself. Encrusted like a precious jewel, Antonette was inlaid with a mixture of emerald and sapphire eyes. They sometimes looked even like the stars on a clear night. Adorned with her starlight eyes were soft red lips, a perfect nose, all surrounded by blossoming brown hair. He loved those eyes, he loved that hair, he loved that face, he loved . . . her.
Severus shook off these feelings, his face returning to a normal color - he hoped - and gathered up the rest of his books and papers quickly, getting ready to practically run to the Slytherin Common Room.
"Severus wait!" Antonette said running after him as Snape had taken his leave out of the library.
"Yes?" Snape asked her stopping outside the library entrance.
"Ohm… well, you see. I uhm…I don't have a date for the summer ball…" Antonette started.
'She can't be actually asking me out can she?'
"I see…" was all Severus could get himself to say.
"Well… I know you probably have a date already, I … uh I was just wondering is all." Antonette replied making her leave.
"I don't." Severus replied to her behind her back just as she turned back around to face him again.
"Severus," she whispered softly after a few minutes of silence.
"Would you like to accompany me to the summer ball Antonette?" Severus asked her as Antonette broke into a huge smile.
"I'd love to." Antonette exclaimed.
Harry & Remus
"Finally." Harry replied to Remus as he watched the scene between Severus and Antonette unfold. Remus had been watching also hiding behind the bookshelves.
"How did you know I was here?" Remus asked him.
"Hello, I'm not stupid." Harry replied rolling his eyes.
The moment passed quickly between Antonette and Severus. Harry sat up, full of anticipation and excitement.
"This is really great for him." Harry replied walking out of the library with Remus.
Remus, who had averted his gaze from fear of making Harry angry, looked up and snorted. If James had been there, he would have undoubtedly elbowed them both in the ribs.
"Yes, but what about you?" Remus asked him.
"What about me?" Harry asked him confused.
"Do you have a date yet?"
"Gross! I'm not dating anybody here!" Harry said making a face.
A/N That was Chapter Thirteen...any questions or if you would like to compliment me ;) that would be great also.