Severus was sitting silently, warily eyeing the uneasy (you better be rat-face!), bored (well too fucking bad Black!), and determined (damn you Lupin!) Marauders. He didn't bother- ::Dare:: 'Shut up!'- to look at Potter.

Unfortunately, the thrice-damned Marauders- in a rare burst of actual intelligence; surprise!- positioned themselves so that their back's were to the door, so that they were facing Severus, and thereby blocking the only way out.

Severus concentrated on not fidgeting; refusing to show that he was in any way intimidated. Which he wasn't, not even with four people who'd previously- 'Still do,' he thought rebelliously- made his life at school a living hell. Nope, not nervous or intimidated at all.

At least, that's what he told himself as he studiously ignored the bloody Spanish Inquisition Squad and studied his long, pale fingers with rapt concentration.

All was going perfectly fine; Severus was unnaturally still and was reciting potions ingredients alphabetically in his head, Pettigrew was shifting nervously and picking at a nasty pimple on his cheek, Black was currently in the process of seeing just how far he could open his mouth while yawning- ugh, he needs to brush his teeth. Nasty bastard- and Potter… well, best not think of that, or Severus would have to acknowledge the way his face flushed, red spreading down his neck and chest, in response to the way that Potter studied him, eyes never wavering from his face. No, best not think about that.

But then Lupin had to ruin it by opening his big mouth.

"Severus." He growled, and Severus had to physically force himself not to wince. "I have allowed you to avoid me for the past two weeks, but no longer. This needs to be discussed, beyond just a spiteful and hasty talk about consequences and sidestepping them, and we shall do so now."

Severus didn't just imitate a growl of anger, he actually growled, a deep, rumbling sound of displeasure echoing up through his augmented lungs and slipping through his clenched teeth. Pettigrew eeped! while Black jumped and stared at Severus in awe, which nearly made him smirk in satisfaction.

He didn't notice Jam- Potter!- flushing furiously. Lupin merely raised an eyebrow.

"And what, Lupin, makes you think that, even if we had something to discuss, which we don't, that I'd do it with you? Disclose anything with the fucking bane-of-my-existence Marauders? Has your excessive hours in the library amongst those copious amounts of dust-motes finally clouded your brain? That's, of course, assuming you actually possessed one in the first place." Every word was perfectly chosen and executed, causing Black and Pettigrew and very nearly Lupin as well, to flinch from the obvious blame, venom, and hatred practically dripping from every syllable.

But Potter- damn him!- merely stared at him in fascination from behind his round spectacles; as if he'd never seen a creature quite like Severus before.

Unfortunately, Lupin recovered fairly quickly. "Because, Severus," And there it was, the Alpha, and it made Severus, unwillingly, shut his mouth- and as such, any more poisonous barbs he might volley- and glower ferociously. "I am your Alpha, and you are my pack, and you are not getting out of this any longer. So you can cooperate, or this will become very unpleasant, very fast."

Severus didn't have time to marvel at this strangely dominant and assertive Lupin- why the hell did he grow a backbone now?- because he was currently scowling at the very thinly veiled threat beneath the words. Essentially, answer the questions of your own free will, or your Alpha will make you.

'Well,' Severus thought rebelliously, and with no small amount of maliciousness, 'If he thinks that I'll make this easy, he's dumber than even I thought. I'll play his game… let's see if he can play mine.'

Severus smirked and leaned back, relaxing into the chair, and motioned with his hand for them to proceed. And his smirk grew wider at their wide-eyed shock at his supposed easy-acquiescence. 'Insipid open-faced Gryffindors. Can't lie to save their fucking lives. Read easier than a bloody book.'

Lupin cleared his throat, obviously momentarily thrown off his game, before beginning, "So, Severus," Said boy inwardly sneered. When had he given him permission to use his name? Well, better than Snivellus. "Where did all those scars come from?"

'Well, no one can say Gryffindor's aren't blunt. Well, let the fun begin.'

"Are you really that stupid Lupin? I'm sure, if you're really curious, one of your precious books might impart to you this knowledge?" At their confused looks, Severus mock shook his head in shame, inwardly grinning. "Fine, it you really don't know, a scar is generally a mark left behind after the body heals itself from a wound, caused by either a blunt or sharp object, which broke the skin and induced bleeding. Unless it's a burn, in which the skin merely distorts upon the point of contact in the shape and/or size of the infliction. These marks may or may not fade with time."

Severus was pleased to note that Black and Lupin looked particularly sick with his clinical and detached deflection, while Pettigrew merely looked confused. Most likely he didn't understand half the words he'd said. Idiot.

And Potter, well… the pity and sympathy in his eyes was so much that Severus resolved to not look at him for the rest of this- he sneered- show-and-tell.

Lupin cleared his throat again, sounding decidedly more hoarse, "How did you get those scars?"

Severus sighed again in mock exasperation. "Really Lupin? I'd thought we'd been over this. A blunt or sharp object collided with a good deal of brute force, succeeding to break the skin and cause bleeding, therefore inducing the need heal and form-"

"Stop Severus!" Lupin cut him off, simultaneously shocking Severus. "Stop, Severus please… Just… who… who gave you those scars Severus?"

Momentarily Severus' face hardened as he was forced to think of… him. Then, "Let's just say, I've a great deal of experience with bullies and Neanderthals such as yourselves."

'Let them stew on that for a bit!'

Lupin and Potter- not looking!- at least, had the grace to look guilty. Pettigrew was picking at that whitehead again, while Black looked to the side and shifted, decidedly uncomfortable.

Lupin took a deep breath, and Severus had the foreboding feeling that he wasn't going to like the next question. And he was right, when Lupin turned his amber-golden eyes to look straight into his before asking, "Was it your father, Severus?"

Severus froze, completely and utterly. 'Shitshitshit he wasn't supposed to know!'

Severus opened his mouth, meaning to retort, to deny anything and everything that Lupin was and might be insinuating, accusing, before he remembered that, not only could a werewolf smell lies, but he- Severus- couldn't lie to his Alpha. Severus just sat there, mouth opening and closing most unseemingly, as Black and Potter's eyes widened and shock and understanding, and Lupin nodded as if every one of his suspicions had been confirmed.

Severus abruptly stood. "I grow bored of this ridiculous question-and-answer preschool moment, and I'm certain that if I have to endure your insufferable presence for a moment longer I shall lose my already tremulous grasp on my remaining sanity. Good day." And then he tried to make his escape.

But Black, who was sitting between Pettigrew and Lupin, leapt to his feet, nearly tripping over the rat, and grabbed onto Severus' arm. "Wait, Snape…"

But this time, Severus couldn't stop himself from flinching, hissing and wrenching his arm from Black's grip. "Don't touch me!" Severus growled menacingly. "Don't fucking touch me!"

Black raised his hands in a placating gesture, eyes wide in shock. "Alright, alright, I won't! But… how could… did he really…? I don't understand howyour dad could really do all of…" He made a wide motion, indicating all of Severus, and his eyes narrowed dangerously, "…that! I mean… it's you!"

Severus drew himself up furiously, suddenly and inexplicably filled with rage. Black stepped back as Severus' eyes flashed from black to a dark, gleaming forest green.

"You don't understand Black?" He spit out venomously, not even hardly aware of his surroundings enough to gain even the smallest bit of satisfaction from Black's stumbling backwards and Pettigrew's yelp of terror. "You don't understand how not everyone couldn't be as loving, as affectionate, as your perfect fucking little families? You don't understand anything about sacrifice, about real life and agony? Or maybe you don't understand how I could return to that shack to invite my fucking muggle father's wrath onto myself in hopes that he won't beat my weak, frail witch mother to death? Or perhaps, returning year after year to the school that should have been a refuge, only to spend the entire school year enduring persecution and pain from not only brainless, self-important Gryffindork bigots, who deny me even the possibility of having a friend, but also from my fellow housemates, for being a twice-cursed half-blood in a fucking pureblood house? Tell me Sirius Black, what, exactly, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Severus roared this last part as his temper exploded, shattering all the glass in the room and disintegrating the couches, tables, and all the furniture, dumping Lupin and Potter, who'd frozen in horrified shock, onto the floor; and revealing Pettigrew, who had taken refuge beneath the oak coffee table that had once separated Severus and the Marauders.

Wind swirled around Severus as he stood there, eyes clenched tightly shut, shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face and black robes whipping furiously around him.

Black, face set in determination, pushed and shoved and muscled his way through the gusting winds until he stood in front of Severus, hair whirling and hitting him in his eyes.

"SEVERUS!" Black yelled over the tempest. "PLEASE, Severus!"

Severus opened his eyes, black and green filled with so much pain and agony that Sirius' own eyes teared up and he choked out, "I'm sorry Severus."

The wind slowly began to ease, settling down gradually as Sirius' voice became louder and more sorrowful. "I'm so, so sorry." And he wrapped his arms around Severus, hugging him tightly, furiously, trying to convey everything he couldn't say through his closed up throat.

And Severus collapsed, sobbing silently, and something- everything- within him broke.

'Fucking pack…' Severus thought, before he passed out.