A/N: First of all, I would like to thank you for coming back for my second chapter, this is my first fan-fiction so my confident is not too high. Secondly, in case it was not completely obvious, English is not my first language so please forgive any minor mistakes, but feel free to point out the serious ones. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 2
A young Severus Snape was pacing the corridor, casting a glance around every few seconds. It was quite clear he was waiting for someone, and that someone was late. Shortly after, a young Sirius Black appeared.
"Sorry I'm late, James needed my help, and I couldn't say no."
"Of course, who can say 'no' to precious little Potter? Who cares if I've been waiting here for over 15 minutes.", the sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable, as was his resentment for James.
"Oh, come on, he is my best friend. And I said I was sorry." Snape looked rather unimpressed, if his raised eyebrow was anything to go by. "I promise I will make it up to you..", Black added then with a mischievous grin.
Sirius's eyes were fixed on their younger selves. Snape, on the other hand, was doing a pretty good job at looking at anywhere but them. He had been haunted by that memory for years, he was not about to put himself through that again. He was many things, but a masochist was not.
"Why don't you meet me at the shrieking shack later tonight? No one will bother us there. Just prod the knot on the Whomping Willow's trunk with a stick." young Black suggested.
Sirius drew a sharp breath. He turned his head towards Snape who avoided any eye contact. He looked back at the scene in front of him and came face to face with the most excruciating revelation, they had both been played. He was instantly consumed by anger. They had both been victims of some twisted plot, because that guy there, he sure as hell was not him. He couldn't have been. But whoever that fraud was, he had done his homework. He knew about Remus's condition and his relationship with Snape. A relationship not even his best friends were aware of. He studied the impostor to try to figure out who was, but to no avail. His movements, his tone, his posture, everything was spot on. But then, he got a glimpse of something that made his heart sink. No, this wasn't right... He took a few hesitant steps to stand right next to 'fake Sirius' and that's when his fear was confirmed. A long silver chain with a flying broom pedant was hanging from his neck. He thought he was gonna be sick. This couldn't be. He knew that necklace, he would have recognized it everywhere. He had bought that thing himself as gift for...
"James?"
Snape was lost in his own thoughts when he felt Black pulling him out of the memory.
"Why did you..", Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a crashing sound. Sirius had grabbed the first thing he had found on Dumbeldore's desk and threw it against the wall. "That fucking Bastard!" He was beside himself with fury. He went on tossing every single items he could get his hands on. "That disgusting son of a bitch!" And when he run out of objects to smash, he just flipped over the desk itself.
Severus Snape was rooted to the spot, he had no idea how to react to the scene playing before him. The Sirius Black in front of him bore little to no resemblance to the man that had gone into the pensive only a few minutes ago. This Sirius Black was like a wild animal, completely uncontrollable and utterly unpredictable. He reminded him of the unbalanced man the aurors had arrested 14 years ago, the one who was laughing like a lunatic after he had supposedly killed 13 people. The sight was unnerving, and made him feel completely helpless.
"Black, what is.."
"It was James.."
The name send chills down his spine. "What?"
"That wasn't me.. That was fucking James.. James.. He did it.. I can't.. How could this be.. I don't .. " He ran his hands through his hair and gripped it hard. "He destroyed everything.. fuck.. I can't.. " His breathing became labored, his mouth gasping as he struggled for air. A panicked Severus tried to calm him.
"Black, you need to calm down, you're going to hurt yourself... Black!" He grabbed him and held him tight in an attempt to soothe him. His soft and kind voice was a far cry from his usual intimidating tone. "Please, Sirius, you have to breathe. Please". It was the first time in almost twenty years he had called him by his first name, which didn't go unnoticed by the other man. Sirius's breathing slowed and evened. He then put his head on Severus' s shoulder, like he had done so many times in the past.
"We could have been happy.. we could have had a life together.. and he stole that from us." He almost sounded like a helpless child when he spoke. "Everything would have been different. You probably wouldn't even have.." He looked up. A sudden realization hit him hard, making him feel sick to his stomach and he prayed to whatever gods were listening that he was wrong. "That's what made you do it, isn't it? It was after that, you took the mark..". His eyes were almost pleading, begging Severus to tell him 'no', that he was being an idiot.
Severus averted his gaze and said nothing, he didn't want admit that his "lover's betrayal" had driven him straight to Voldemort and his cronies. That he had been so angry and hurt back then, he thought becoming a deatheater would give him a purpose, a place where he could channel all his anger into power. He was no longer going to be a victim. It was supposed to be a big "fuck you" to everyone who had ever wronged him. How foolish had he been.. His silence was the only confirmation Sirius needed. He suddenly felt completely worn out, like there was no fight left in him. His knees gave out and he slumped against the wall.
"He completely ruined our lives." A humorless laugh escaped his mouth. "Now I have two best friends in my resume that have turned my life to shit." No one said anything for a while. Snape opened his mouth a couple of times, but he was unable to form any words. What could he say anyway? He always believed Potter to be an arrogant bastard who considered himself a gift to humanity, but he never thought he could be outright sinister, at least not towards someone who called his best friend.
"Why?" Sirius's voice came as a whisper, but was loud enough to pull him out his thoughts. That's when Snape realized there were tears in Sirius's eyes. It was an unsettling sight, and only made him hate Potter even more. He wished he had him in front of him, he would really put in good use all the dark curses he had mastered over the years. "He was my best friend, my brother in all but blood. I was willing to die for him… I don't understand… Why would he do this?"
'Because he was a selfish bastard?' Snape wanted to say. 'Because he hated him? Perhaps he thought he was doing his friend a favor. Or he was just a cruel mother fucker who found pleasure in destroying others happiness'. He should know. Potter had managed to take away from him the only two people he had ever loved, both his best friend and his lover. But he refrained from telling Sirius so, and just settled for an unconvincing "I don't know".
Black couldn't help but snort at the answer. "You are such a lousy liar. How you were ever able to spy on Voldemort is beyond me."
An involuntary laugh escaped his mouth, even though there was nothing remotely funny about the situation. Snape approached the other man and sat by his side.
"There are many possible reasons behind his actions, but in the end, the only one with the answers is Potter himself."
None of them said anything else. They just sat there, next to each other. Both of them tired, dejected, angry, and with no idea where to go from there.
