Chapter 4: Troubled Dreams

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Severus held the vial up to his face for closer inspection. His long, pale, almost delicate, fingers moved up and down the glassy surface, trying to coax a reaction. Milky white liquid dripped down his hands and wrists. A pink tongue licked his lips in concentration. Suddenly Sirius was breathing hard and pooling sweat. The sight was so unexplainably erotic that he thought his chest might explode.

Severus glanced his way, gave him that "yeah, what are you going to do about it" grin, and the animal inside Sirius broke free. In one swift motion Sirius had Severus thrown on top of their desk and was kissing him ferociously. He didn't care if the whole class saw them shagging. All he could think was that the Hogwarts uniforms were far too thick, and why did they have so many buttons? When Severus' slim legs wrapped around his waist he tore at the fabric and attacked the long line of neck. A moan and grinding hips beneath him drove Sirius wild. He began to attack in full, licking and kissing and touching places he dared not go before.

All around him he could hear strange noises, almost like cheering.

"He's amazing!" It sounded a lot like Peter. "Look at that move!"

"Fifty points to Gryffindor. For a most impressive technique."

"Go, Paddy! Go for it! Go go go! Moonstone!"

"I said go get the moonstone!"

Sirius blinked. Was moonstone a term of endearment?

"Idiot!" Severus shouted. "The cauldron is boiling over! Honestly, I ask you to stir it for one moment and look! Two hours work about to be wasted! Wake up, dung for brains!"

Sirius shook off the last of the daydream. Or rather nightmare, for that could be the only explanation as to why he had just had a deranged, and very arousing, wet dream about Snivillus! In the middle of Potions class, too! He didn't even like the boy half the time. It didn't make sense.

Unless….

What had Professor Slughorn said about love potions? Sirius couldn't tell the difference between Amortentia and pumpkin juice. Suppose that's what the Slytherin was really brewing and he, Sirius, had been left to get a whiff full. What if Severus had been doing that all along? It would explain why the greasy git suddenly looked so appealing, why his usual snarky remarks made Sirius quiver.

"Ha!" Sirius shouted and delivered a kick that sent the cauldron flying. Someone shouted in pain and cursed.

Severus gasped, far too shocked to respond properly.

Sirius jabbed him with a finger. "That's right! Thought I was too stupid to figure out your little plan, didn't you? Well, you're off it, Snivvy! You won't be using your potions on me!"

The color began to return to Severus' face, first green, then yellow and finally beet red. He was shaking and gnashing his teeth in fury. His hands were balled into fists that looked ready to pummel every inch they could reach. Sirius could feel the boy's fury coming off of him in currents. Bravado draining away, Sirius took a step back only to discover that three more irate students, covered with burns and blisters, surrounded him.

He groaned. "Oh s––"

"––uch outrageous behavior, the likes of which I've never seen!"

They were in McGonagall's office. Severus, hunched up and brooding, was burning holes starring at the carpet. Sirius was battered and bruised and tending to an already swelling black eye.

"What in the name of Atlantis were you thinking, Black?" shouted Professor McGonagall. "Another of your frivolous practical jokes, no doubt. I've been far too lenient on you, turning my back whenever you and your friends caused mischief. Well, this time you've gone too far! Some of your fellow students were injured by your shenanigans."

"Oh come now, Minerva." Professor Slughorn lifted a pudgy hand, still covered in crystallized pineapple sugar. "Little more than a few minor burns. Nothing that a trip to the hospital wing won't cure. We can hardly hold Mister Black responsible for venting some of his pent-up, boyish energy. And I'd be happy to tell his most excellent mother, the noble Lady Walburga Black, that her good son is beyond reproach.

"However," Slughorn turned and waved his finger in Severus' direction. "I do have a problem with my own house's pupil. Really now, Mister Snape. Behaving like a rascal, challenging Mister Black to a bout of muggle dueling? Despicable. Like a common thug."

Severus did not look at him. He sighed heavily, as if this was a speech he had heard many times before and already knew how it would end.

"Really, Horace," McGonagall said. "You cannot excuse one student's bad behavior simply because of his family."

"My dear woman. We are talking about an ancient family that goes back as far as––"

"I don't care if it's gone back as far as Merlin himself! Black is in my house and I say that he is accountable."

"A misunderstanding, I am sure. A son of Lady Walburga Black would never behave in such a way. And besides, Mister Black is the obvious victim here. He has been the dupe of a savage attack led by Mister Snape, one of my star pupils, too! Shocking. Shocking. I shall speak to the headmaster immediately about a suspension from––"

"But he didn't do anything!" Sirius blurted out.

The professors ceased their bickering to look at him.

"My dear boy," Professor Slughorn said in a fatherly way. "Admirable of you to stand up for your fellow student, but we cannot simply allow someone like Mister Snape to––"

"What do you mean someone like Snape? What's wrong with him?" Sirius was angry now.

"Nothing. Nothing." Slughorn's tone softened, as if he was addressing a small and frightened child. "But really, it simply will not do for a man of his, uh, status, to go around attacking his betters. No, in this matter a severe punishment is the best course––"

"Snape didn't do anything!" Sirius shouted, furious at Slughorn and his bloated condescension. "I was the one who fell asleep in class and let the potion burn. I was the one who threw it across the room, for Merlin's sake! I would have hit me too!"

"And I for one would like to know why you did such a thing," Professor McGonagall said.

Severus finally looked up, anxious to hear an explanation as well.

"I…uh," Sirius stammered. "I thought it would be funny."

Severus' black eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

"You see?" McGonagall stated. "He admits to it. Reckless. Complete disregard for those around him. Detention, Black! And you are banned from Quidditch until further notice!"

"What?" Sirius said in a hollow voice. "But Professor…."

"You heard me, Black. I warned you what would happen if you did not improve your class performance."

"Really now, Minerva," said Slughorn. "That's a tad hasty, isn't it? What about Snape's dreadful temper?"

"Oh, you needn't bother yourself, Horace. Snape will serve detention along with Black."

"Professor," Sirius said weakly. "Snape shouldn't be punished for something I did."

She regarded him for a moment. "Whatever your actions may have been, Black, nothing excuses students from fighting in class. You will each serve detention after Potions, and I shall set the tasks myself just to keep things fair. If that's all right with you, Horace?"

The portly man coughed uncomfortably. "Very well, although I am most seriously displeased."

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"Why did you do that?" Severus asked once they were well away from McGonagall's office.

"Do what?" Sirius grumbled, his voice sounding very far away. He couldn't believe this. He was banned from Quidditch. His favorite sport in the world. What would James say when he found out?

"Why did you stick up for me like that?"

Sirius shrugged. "It didn't seem fair, did it? You getting in trouble instead of me just because of my birthright."

"Since when did you care about being fair? Especially when it concerned me? And this was not the first time you let Slughorn pass the blame onto me for something you did."

Sirius thought about this for some time. He could not deny it. How many times had he and James put a hex on Snape and then laughed it off while Slughorn reprimanded the Slytherin instead of them.

"I… I just couldn't stand how he was coming down on you for being poor, I mean, for not being born with a lot of money," he said quickly. "Like being a Black is so wonderful. If he knew what my mother was really like."

"You never used to care what happened to me," Severus snapped. "For almost five years now, you and your mates have caused me nothing but misery. What's changed now?"

Sirius was wondering that, too.

"I don't get you, Black." Severus ran a hand through his hair. The strands flowed through his fingertips and fell back just over his shoulders. "First you practically beg Slughorn into making me your new partner, then you twist my arm into inventing this potion, and then you go and sabotage it. Either you're a complete and total nutter, or you're hiding something."

Sirius stopped. "What do you mean?"

Severus scowled at him. "I mean, why did you really destroy my potion? You accused me of having a plan. Said I was using my potions on you. So, what did you think I was trying to do?"

Sirius looked away from those eyes that could see only too much. "It was a stupid prank. Really. I got bored. You know I can't stay awake for more than a few minutes in Potions."

The Slytherin pursed his lips. He did not look like he believed the story. "I used up the samples you gave me to make that batch." Severus muttered and began to walk down the hallway again. "You'll have to get more."

Sirius darted after him. "You mean you still want to be partners?"

"What choice do I have? Slughorn will fail me if I don't complete his assignment and I don't have wealthy parents to buy my grades for me. If this is not as important to you as you led me to believe it was––"

"It is!" Sirius grabbed Severus' arm and pulled to make the boy face him. "I want this to work. I do. What can I do to prove it to you?"

"Come with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

Sirius froze. Tomorrow was Saturday. Couples would be going into Hogsmead to enjoy the day, together. He realized that he still held Severus' arm and how warm it felt in his touch. "You mean… you want me… you want us to… to…."

"I am at a loss for ingredients," Severus said. "You can at last make yourself useful and use some of that inheritance of yours to purchase some new ones I wish to try. Now that you no longer have Quidditch to distract you, there can be no more impediments to our lessons."

"Get stuffed, Snape!" He shoved Severus away and turned to the staircase that lead to the Gryffindor tower.

"So you'll come?" Snape shouted after him.

Sirius grunted in reply. No more Quidditch, detention and a Hogsmead trip with Severus to look forward to. He couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

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A/N: I was watching Pride & Prejudice when I wrote this chapter and thought that Mr. Collins was a lot like Slughorn. He liked to kiss up to those with rich and powerful family connections, too.