Hey! Its pretty clear already but I don't own Harry Potter. You could sue me, but I have nothing and I admit its not mine so you really wouldn't gain anything.

Chapter Two

Once the figure of Lupin's back faded into the distance and began to blend in with the school Severus took stock of his position in things.

Severus felt so alone. He liked to sit at the lake, enjoyed the solace. He had never noticed before but Lupin did too. He would have to be partners with him all year. This was the first thing that Severus saw that they had in common.

He could barely stand the amount of contact they had already. sitting and sharing time in Severus' favorite class just wasn't okay. It was another intrusion on his life and personal rights.

It wasn't Lupin so much. It was the trash he associated with. Lupin was smart. He was dignified. Black was stupid, just like the inbred swine he was sprung from. They underestimated Severus. Severus had more muscle behind him than they knew.

He had given up. Last year he had gone to the dark side. The Dark Lord had been more than willing to except poor Severus, the half-blood whose parents deserted him. He had gone out of a desperation to not be underestimated anymore. The Dark Lord loved the concept of a young spy in Hogwarts. The fact that Severus was at the top of his class in everything and could out perform the potions master in charge of the instructions was just an added bonus to the formerly Slytherin mastermind.

He had underestimated himself though, because the next day he had gone to Dumbledore. He couldn't support a madman who wanted to kill Lily and everyone like her for who her parents were. He would hate to be judged based on his parents. He wouldn't let that happen to Lily.

He didn't love her the way everyone thought he loved her. He loved her with a brotherly passion, like a substitute family for the family he rejected and who rejected him. He wanted better for her. He wanted better than Potter at least.

Dumbledore had told him what to do. His Headmaster had told him to act as a double agent, and so he did. He already knew clemency, one of the only positive things to come from his home life. With a spy the Order, the group fighting Voldemort, would be safer and better prepared to both attack and defend.

Snape had no delusions of grandeur. He knew his life meant little to anyone. His dad made that very clear from the day his mom died, which just happened to fall on his tenth birthday. And if he ever forgot, heaven forbid, that know one cared the Gryffindors reminded him. If he ever dare be happy they put him back in his place.

He didn't feel his life was important, so risking it in Voldemort's lair was nothing compared to what it could do to save other, more valuable lives. Lives like Lily's were in danger and if he got a chance to help, help in anyway, the possibility of death was worth it.

Snape watched the sun set and thought of this war. It would change the world. Was changing the world already. He was fighting it now, with every breath. Black would never understand. It didn't matter that he was risking his life to protect the group that Black and the other so desperately wanted to join. He could stop the abuse, but no one could know so Snape would just have to suffer.

It reminded him of Goliath. Voldemort so out powered them. They were the long shots, severe underdogs and yet they kept fighting. They couldn't surrender when innocents were at risk.

It wasn't just the corrupted quartet that picked on him. Slytherins would only defend him against them as a matter of house pride. The gold and red lions couldn't win. Once it was just snakes back in the snake the pit they would gang up on him.

Black and Potter mocked his greasy hair. It was only greasy because he was only allowed to shower in cold water. In payment for his cold shower he would receive a severe beating. Because of this he tended to avoid the common room and dorm. This made showering difficult. If he were a prefect he could still bathe but Dumbledore didn't want to give him power over the golden boys of Gryffindor. He didn't get the privilege of wearing the badge and so didn't get the privilege of cleansing. He had trouble simply surviving with the hate coming from both sides of house lines. Showering was a low priority

He had needed a place to sleep, usually ending up falling asleep in the library. One day he had been pacing in front of a wall and a door had appeared, leading to a room with a bed and a shower. He had been showering recently, but that didn't register to anyone. They saw greasy whether it was there or not.

He had been sleeping too, which made it easier to stay positive about his life. Sleep does ones sub-conscious wonders. The calming effect of being both clean and comfortable was incredible. The concept of safety and sanctity while he slept in this magic room was, well, magic.

The sun had gone down and in its wake was a sliver of moon and a scattering of twinkling stars. He had never liked constellations much, never put much stock in Astronomy but his mom had loved it. Ophiuchus, the snake handler had always made his mouth feel dry. The concept of someone taming a snake, when he so clearly would be snake, was disturbing. His mother had been in Slytherin, as well as both of her parents, and grandparent back as far as could be traced. He was a serpent. His mom had often talked of Ophiuchus like one would talk about a historical figure, or someone who would come to the rescue.

Ophiuchus didn't bother him anymore. He was a snake charmer. He walked the line between sneaky and evil. He helped the lions control one out of control snake. He was fighting evil by embracing the snake like qualities that had been bred into him. The only part of the mythology that bothered him now was the fact that Ophiuchus would be fighting Serpens the snake forever. He just had to hope that with all the people fighting for the light that someday someone would kill the monster.

He actually enjoyed the concept of fighting Voldemort. If he died, at least he died for a good cause. He would be happy to affect the outcome. He never expected to matter. Everyone depended on him now. If he wanted he could clinch the war for Voldemort. Good for Dumbledore though, was the fact that once he made a decision he stuck to it. He decided to help the cause against Voldemort. Against the embodiment of evil.

He saw clouds, heard thunder somewhere close to his castle residence and chose to move himself and his thoughts inside. He would stop by the library. He needed a book on a dangerous potion. He would need to steal the ingredients, but he needed some more material on what it needed first.

Voldemort wanted to test Severus' potion making ability and was going to test it on a faithful follower. Something about Severus seemed to speak to what used to be the Dark Lords heart. He saw himself in the child of a mother who had a long line of purebloods and a father who was a dick. They shared both characteristics. Snape had decided he wasn't going home this summer. Voldemort had read this in his mind, because Snape had to let some things threw that would seem to personal to be an accident. He had let Voldemort see that he also had no where to go over the summer if not back to his abusive father. Voldemort had promised to fix a place for the young student with one of his followers. He had been promised a place in the heart of the beast.

Snape wouldn't go, but things had escalated at home. Verbal and emotional abuse were bad, but the past summer it had turned physical. His dad had actually cut him in a drunken rage. He would be dead if he didn't make a good blood replenishing potion. His dad was a bitter muggle and wouldn't miss him at all. His mother had been Eileen Prince. He embraced his half of Prince and referred to himself as the Half-blood Prince

He hadn't decided to stay with a fellow follower but he had a year to decide and anything would be better than his dad, especially in a world were Voldemort greatly appreciated him. He would be protected.

He trudged up to the castle, taking the same pace and path as Lupin had half an hour earlier. He met no one in the hallways and was not shocked to find the library nearly deserted. He went to the potions section, conveniently located right next to the restricted section. While the librarian wasn't watching he jumped the rope barrier and hid amongst the shelves. Another lucky break, in his life filled with so few, was that the book he needed would be in the very backmost corner, actually impenetrable save by one walk way the ran in opposite directions from a little makeshift room constructed of book shelves, outside it was surrounded by tables which lead to the distinctive shape and unique get away. Once in the 'room' he quickly removed the book he needed from the shelf and sat down to find the page.

He was minding his own business, using a spell to transfer the information into his notebook. He had just completed the copying and slid the notebook inside his robes when someone stumbled over him. This would be perfectly normal if this wasn't located in the restricted section. And, Snape figured, the fact that who ever it tripped over him did so while invisible had something to do with the incongruity.

Who ever it was took the book, evident by the floating tome, and something obscured Snape's foot for a fraction of a second. Snape knew DADA and reached out to grab the cloak. It fell revealing Lupin.

"Snape," Lupin greeted trying to sound nonchalant. He wasn't angry to see the Slytherin here, but he could tell the Snape was far from thrilled. His query as to the nature of Snape's foray into the restricted section died in his throat.

"Lupin," Severus growled furiously. He was unpleasantly surprised to see one of the Marauders high jacking his book, regardless of the fact that he already had a copy of the information. The Marauders always took the credit for what he did. Always ended with the school loving them more and ignoring Severus or worse. They also, often, pawned the blame off onto Severus' already overburdened shoulders. They weren't responsible for giving food poisoning to half of the school, it was Severus' fault for incensing Sirius Black.

"How lovely to see you,: said Lupin genuinely. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation, but he didn't dislike the Slytherins, or this Slytherin in specific. "I look forward to potions tomorrow." This, too, was true. Remus was sick of doing all of the work for the Marauders. If they were going to fail, it would be better for them to learn than copy up until the test and then fail. "I can't wait to be your partner." this was punctuated with the closet to a genuine smile as Remus ever got. He was trying to show Snape that he wouldn't be cruel, that he wouldn't torture him. Snape just took this as an early start on the torturing. He felt Remus must be using obviously fake smiles to try to win his way into his frozen heart so that the Marauders could pull another sick and twisted joke on poor Severus the put upon.

Snape wanted to protect the school from these monstrosities that had been released into the school. Black with too much energy and gumption. James with to much ego and pretension. Peter with…too little of anything to be anymore than their little marionette. Remus had never fallen into this category. Even Remus didn't feel he truly belonged with them. He didn't like there stupid, cocky torment of Snape or their other, weaker peers.

"Don't mess with me Lupin. What are you up to with dangerous potions?" The assumption that he meant the whole group hung in the air like a led balloon. O

"Its not we, its me, as alone." They both knew if it were just Lupin the bookworm who wanted the knowledge then there was no problem. But if there terrible twosome and there pitiful patsy Peter than there would be problems for Severus if not the whole school. "I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone." It was spoken in a distant manner, but under the surface it was Remus begging and pleading.

"Why? Why should I?"

Remus didn't meant to say it. He had been planning on never using this. He was desperate to keep this from the populace at large and from three dimwitted Gryffindors the most of all. "You owe me." It just slipped out.

Severus didn't understand but really wanted this explanation

"What do I owe you, Lupin?" It was a snarl, almost feral. It was like Severus had a reason to be angry at Remus. As far as Remus concerned Snape being angry was comical. He had enough on his plate with out dealing with a bitchy Slytherin.

Lupin's face grew dark, clouded. He looked angry and sad at the same time. He had never been happy-go-lucky to say the least, but Snape had never seen Lupin so unhappy. It was like on a color wheel if you could find happy, Lupin right now was its perceptual opposite. It was the same look that Snape's father had worn at the funeral, before things truly went sour. Lupin seemed to not be breathing, the pain to much to bear when combined with the pain of breathing.

Lupin's eyes cleared and focused on Snape. "I guess it would be too much to ask," he started, pausing for another arduous breath, "that you might be willing to just take my word for it." He didn't want to explain. No one cared but him, and yet he was being hindered by one who owed him dearly.

Severus laughed. "Hell no Lupin. You are cohorts with Black and Potter. I trust nothing of yours. I will not let it go, the potion or 'my debt'' he started just self-confident, but towards the end as the first words sunk in his words got snaky.

How was Lupin supposed to explain when he had so much to hide?

He decided to just not tell him. He would leave Severus the bought. He would be the bugger man and let Severus continue to believe the lies he spewed forth. The normally neutral face of Snape was drawn up in over-confidence. Lupin could take the wind from his proverbial sails in a heart beat, but until he could make the decision and be sure that anger was not a deciding factor he would not tell Snape. Right now it would be a malicious attack whether it was the truth or not.

Lupin was crushed. His adrenalin had stopped and if he didn't hurry he would be to tired to make any get away, much less the grand get away he so desperately craved. He needed to act on his self-sacrificing plan. He was beginning to wonder if he was capable of any other type of plan.

"Fine Snape," he said with more energy and aggression than he felt he had in him. "Take the book. If it is so fucking important take the damn book. I won't keep the book. I won't rat you out to the administration." Remus didn't know why but using the word rat instead of snitch seemed more appropriate. It almost brought a smile to his face, the thought of their resident rat Peter ever growing enough of a spine to ever rat on anyone. He almost laughed, the sick twisted irony adding more to his insanity in this conflict

He remembered Snape when he heard a shuffle of robes. No one had ever seen Remus this mad and Severus wanted to live much more than he wanted the book. Remus snapped at him simply, "Take the book," as he slammed into him with his full weight. He left the book behind, only sure that Severus had recovered partially from the blow because he heard no thud of an impact.

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