Author's Note: First of all, I'm EXTREMELY sorry for taking so long in getting this chapter out. This week ended up being a lot more hectic than I'd imagined. In following weeks, I probably should be able to do at least 2-3 chapters a week.

duj – Sorry if it's coming across that way. She'll… be different later on, I promise. It's more just a matter of wanting to set up some conflict between them early on. And to be fair, Hermione too is under a LOT of stress, and rather competitive/academic minded. And from her own background, she didn't think the most of Snape. Her opinion WILL start to change once she sees certain events that'll start to occur in the next few chapters.

RawenclawBabe – Mmm, agreed. I suppose it's the whole "no counseling in fiction" trope. Frankly I'm quite surprised/horrified by how little Hogwarts seems to do for the psychological wellbeing of about … any of their students, who almost all of them have been through rather a lot.

Though, I wouldn't go so far as to call Hermione stupid. She's obviously quite intelligent in terms of her knowledge. But yeah, she does seem to hold a rather more rigid view of the universe; though thankfully that rather changes, at least to some degrees throughout the Deathly Hallows.

But yes, Snape is willing – at least in some areas – to "think outside of the box" more than she, or most others would. Which I think is a real credit to his character.

September 2nd, 1976

"Hermione, that was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Lupin had excitedly exclaimed, as the three Gryffindors were on their way together back to their common room following class. "Did you see the look on Snape's face? Never seen him like that before…! Well, not in Potions at least. He's usually the best. Looks like Gryffindor might have a fighting chance again. How… how did you do that?" He was nearly beaming by the end.

Neither Remus nor Hermione noticed the rather sad look that suddenly came across Lily Evans's face, though quickly dissipated.

"I… read it in a potions book actually. At my old school." Hermione responded flatly. Well, technically speaking, that was actually true. Somewhat ambiguous use of "old", but otherwise honest.

She almost frowned. Under normal circumstances, there was really nothing Hermione liked better than being recognized for her intelligence, but this was … troubling. She'd… done exactly as that book had said. The one from the "Half-Blood Prince". And it had worked of course. Just like she'd seen it in '96, but… Snape's potion had turned out exactly like hers. Slughorn himself had said that he couldn't even tell them apart. And … that might not have even been hyperbole.

Of course Snape was brilliant at Potions. Even now he'd have to be. Hermione knew that objectively but… it wasn't just a matter of studying the text here. At least not the text of the normal textbook. He knew it. He'd seen it. Somehow, in some way, Snape was connected to that book. The thought of which was quite… disconcerting to say the least. She hadn't been paying attention to his textbook during class of course; the thought hadn't even remotely occurred to her until … Slughorn's comments at the end.

So… did Snape have that textbook before Harry did? Was that why he was so good at potions…? Or… it was an uncomfortable thought, but was he himself the Half-Blood Prince? Maybe that was why the book seemed so… dark. Well, she couldn't know for sure. Not unless she saw his book firsthand of course… Which, she determined, she'd have to do. Well, she didn't have to of course, but… It was important to her, to know. It was a quite horrific thought that that's who'd been getting into Harry's head, but if she was to properly plan for the future – if she could even get back there – she'd need to know. Now she just needed to figure out some sort of ruse to look at it. Preferably without drawing too much attention to herself from either the professors or Snape himself. Whatever the circumstances, she'd still prefer to maintain her reputation as a good student, and… Snape already seemed maliciously suspicious enough at her as it was, without her giving him a reason to be so.

She noticed then that Lupin was looking at her expectantly. He… must have asked her something, and she'd been too caught up in her thoughts to notice. Hermione frowned. "Sorry, what was that again?"

"Oh, I was just asking where you'd gone to school before."

It… was an innocent enough question. Remus Lupin certainly wasn't one to act maliciously towards her. Innocent, friendly curiosity nothing more. She'd probably have asked at least as much if suddenly there was a new Gryffindor in her year. But… Dumbledore had already made it adamant; she was to tell no one the actual circumstances of how she'd gotten there.

"Umm," she began, trying to think of how to answer it. As honestly as possible would be best, without actually saying anything, she thought. "I … can't actually tell you sorry. See…" Hermione added a bit of a sad sigh, "Where I'm from, the world was getting increasingly dangerous. Especially for well, muggleborns like me. So I was sent here instead. Thinking it'd be safer. But I was told to tell no one the exact details, because that could put myself or others in danger and…"

Well, most points at least were technically true. The world she was from was quite a dangerous place. And while the Dark Lord and his followers existed now; well, as Hermione understood it, it'd be several years still until the First Wizarding War was at its height. Comparatively speaking, it was … slightly safer in the time she now found herself in. And Dumbledore did say that it would be potentially dangerous to tell anyone she was from the future. So yeah, it wasn't really a lie.

Still though, she felt a bit bad about it. Of the Marauders, from what she'd seen so far at least, Remus seemed the most like herself. The one she thought she could relate best to. And with a terrible secret like this, she wanted desperately to be able to confide in someone but, she couldn't.

Actually, in a weird way, that meant the two of them had yet another thing in common, didn't it? Remus was a werewolf. And while Hermione knew that… obviously Lupin wouldn't know that she knew such; and there'd be no feasible means of her explaining her knowledge if he did. So he too had a secret, one too terrible to tell her; despite on the surface of things, the two of them already seeming to make fair enough friends.

"Alright, sorry I asked." Lupin said, a bit of sadness in his voice; though Hermione wasn't entirely certain if such was because he believed or didn't believe her.

By now they were at the Fat Lady's portrait. "Aperi Januam" Lily spoke for the first time since they'd left potions, quickly heading inside through the corridor as the Fat Lady's portrait swung open, not stopping until she'd entered the Girl's dormitories, ignoring any of those in the Common Room who'd called out to her. Hermione knew better than to follow Lily; there was something about the way she ran off like that that she recognized. She'd done a better job of composing herself but… it was the same sort of sorrow that she'd had before her ill-fated trip here.

"Is something the matter with Lily?" Hermione had asked softly, genuinely concerned now. Well, she knew intuitively that Lily would end up with James. They'd be happy together – at least for a while. So things would improve for a time. And it probably was none of her business but it was just… indirectly, Hermione owed if not her life itself, her entry to the magical world to Lily's sacrifice. If she hadn't died protecting Harry, the Boy who Lived, Voldemort probably would have won. The world wouldn't be a safe place for muggleborns like her. At best, she'd never have gotten her Hogwarts letter. At worst… she didn't want to even think about it. So… if Lily was feeling bad, well, it concerned her. Still though, she knew better than to intervene. If a third party had come up to her in the state she'd been in; she'd only lash out all the more, it'd only make things all the worse. Better for now just to try and understand the situation for what it was.

"Oh…" said Lupin, biting his lip, looking quite uncomfortable. "She's been like that a while. Since late last year at least… Haven't seen it quite this bad though since it first started… "

"Since what first started?"

Hermione had never seen Lupin more nervous before. Just what was going on here?

"Since…" he sighed, not wanting to get into it, but realizing he'd already dug himself too deeply into that pit. "Since Snape, he started treating her particularly cruelly. I mean, he'd never liked Gryffindors or muggleborns in general but to her, it was just all the more cruel. She's … a nice girl. And took it worse than most would."

Hermione frowned at the answer. It… didn't tell her the most. Of course Snape hated Gryffindors and muggleborns; that was no real surprise. But why would Snape's actions effect Lily any more than anyone else who fell into such a category? Presumably he was just as hostile towards the Marauders, and Lupin didn't just go off running to his dormitory after potions.

And yes, Lily was a kind person, an incredibly kind person. She died to protect Harry after all. But what did that matter? She also seemed to be of strong character, so it didn't make sense that she'd let Snape – whatever it was he was doing to her – effect her so much.

There was obviously more to the situation than Lupin was letting on. She didn't think he was outright lying to her. Snape obviously had done something to Lily; something terrible. But what, and why? Well, not why in general – Snape was a malicious, cruel Slytherin just like all the others of their kind – but why Lily in particular. The thought really was beginning to make her blood boil. If not for Lily's sacrifice, she wouldn't be where she was today. And that hideous, spiteful Snape was going out of his way to hurt her, probably relishing it. As if she needed another reason to absolutely hate him.

If Hermione could, she was going to get to the bottom of this, and get some justice for Lily. It was the absolute least she owed her after all.

As Snape left Potions, he was absolutely fuming. How could that insolent girl have possibly been able to do that? Slughorn had said they'd been exactly the same. It was almost as if she knew; somehow knew exactly the modifications he'd made. His superior formula. It was beyond suspicion. It was absolute empirical fact now.

That horrid Gryffindor girl, Hermione Granger. She was here, on Dumbledore's orders. Purposefully after him. That little display in class silenced any possible doubt on the matter. She was here, after him. In a way it made sense. Dumbledore had always hated him; not for anything Snape had done initially. Just… for being a Slytherin – well, being an intelligent Slytherin.

Lucius had taken Snape aside in the latter's first year, explained to him where Dumbledore's bias against Gryffindor had derived. Years back, there'd been a Slytherin prefect who'd saved Hogwarts from what would have otherwise meant its destruction. And for his bravery and service to the school, he was honored. Dumbledore, however, who was at the time merely a professor, already had a strong relationship of enmity with this student, and refused to believe that the Slytherin had acted so nobly. Ever since that day a Slytherin was honored, Dumbledore had treated him with absolute cruelty and suspicion.

And that, Lucius had said, was the lesson to be learned. Dumbledore was not a fair man. Even if one in Slytherin did nothing wrong, sought to better themselves, protected others, acted as a better person; even that would not earn his favor. No, on the contrary, the spiteful man would simply despise you all the more for proving the fact that the Slytherins really were, on aggregate, a superior breed. Just like that heroic Slytherin in the past, Snape too had earned Dumbledore's wrath. Just… for being a superior being.

In a lot of ways, Dumbledore reminded Snape of Tobias. A jealous, spiteful being, unjustly put in a position of authority, who used the said power to spread misery to his superiors. He hated them; both of them. And hopefully Lord Voldemort would just hurry up and deal with both of them.

Still, by no means was Dumbledore a stupid man. He was vindictive, petty, malicious, but never stupid. The many, many cruel schemes he'd orchestrated should be evidence enough of both. And this whole business with Hermione just seemed to be the latest of many. Surely by now, Dumbledore had to suspect that the Death Eaters had interest in monitoring the goings on at Hogwarts. And obviously of all Houses, Slytherin would be most … sympathetic to their goals. Of all current Slytherin students, Snape would like to think that he would stand out as the most intelligent, the most competent, the most … logical choice for the position. That was all this was. Simply because he was so intelligent, so competent, and happened to have been sorted into Slytherin instead of Dumbledore's precious Gryffindor, he was hated.

Well, he thought. Like the Slytherin prefect from the past, he wouldn't let Dumbledore win. Dumbledore might have more power in the present than then. And things were accordingly that much worse at Hogwarts; but in the end, that changed nothing. The Dark Lord was more powerful yet, and no one, not even Dumbledore could stop him. By such actions towards those affiliated with the Dark Lord, he was only, in the end, hastening his own demise.

But the question still remained. How did Hermione know his research? Well, the immediate answer was from Dumbledore, obviously. But how did Dumbledore know? Sure he was powerful, sure he was connected, sure he had a vested interest in destroying Snape's life. All of that of course was true, but it still stood that, for the most part, Snape had done his research on his own. No one else should have known. No one except…

It was a horrific thought, but all he could think of. Prior to their devastating falling out at the end of last year… he'd often worked on potions with Lily. Helped her with her own. Shown her his new designs. He'd wanted nothing more than to impress her, to have her think of him as intelligent, powerful. So whenever he'd discovered a superior technique, she'd been the first, and generally only person to know. Snape was a very private person after all, and it'd amount to simple idiocy to freely share an advantage he'd worked himself so hard for; but Lily was different.

He'd wanted nothing more than for her to respect him, love him; feel for him what he had for her for so many years. She, in so many ways, was the inspiration for his work in the first place. So it was only right, only just that he shared his knowledge – shared everything – with her.

The end result of all this of course was that, from Slughorn's perspective, Severus and Lily seemed his two best potion students. Normally Snape would be averse to sharing power. Normally he wanted nothing more than to be respected, revered, seen as the best, the most powerful; if for nothing more than to make up for the years of being treated as worthless, like nothing. But again, Lily was different than everyone else. Out of everyone in this miserable world, she was the only one other than himself that he really had cared about. So seeing her praised, successful, happy. That meant the world to him. A simple smile and "Thank you, Sev" after class was worth everything.

He … couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe that Lily had fallen so far to… betray him like this. Yes, he'd hurt her. And he felt absolutely terrible about it, even if she coldly refused to see it. But he'd been her best, closest friend, done everything for her, for years. How could she possibly sell him out to Dumbledore – a man who wanted to destroy him – like this over a few words.

Gryffindor had done this to her. Turned his best friend in the world into a monster. Still, he couldn't hate her. Even if his worst fears were true; even if she was indirectly working with Dumbledore in all this. Somewhere, deep down inside, she was still the wide-eyed girl who'd laid down under those trees beside him, talking excitedly about Hogwarts. Dumbledore, the other Gryffindors, they'd all fed her lies for so many years. Confused her, terrified her. Beneath it all, the kindhearted friend he'd always had was still there, buried however deep. And… he'd save her.

He'd destroy Dumbledore and Hermione, expose their plan to the world. When it was public, out there, just how terrible, just how heinous they were… Lily was intelligent. She'd see reason. She'd realize how what she'd done had hurt her one true friend, just like he'd hurt her. Then they could finally apologize and reconcile, and all would be well.

Indeed. Dumbledore's plans had twisted Lily. And for that, they were even more unforgivable. If it was the last thing he could do, he would unravel Dumbledore's schemes, get his vengeance. For … Lily's sake as much as anything else. If he could still save her, he would. For the sake of her love and friendship for so many years. It was the absolute least he owed her.

It hadn't been until after lunch that they next ran into one another. Rosier had been prattering on and on like some damned idiot about how he'd hexed some first year Gryffindor's books so they wouldn't open. Alright, fine, so the mental image was a bit amusing. And sure, anything that hurt Gryffindor in some manner or another was good. But it just seemed petty, stupid. Certainly nothing to go on and on about when there was so much broken in the world.

Lunch was nearly over, and Severus was becoming quite irate, not so much at Rosier's actions as just… a spiteful anger that someone so … less competent, less worthy than himself, could be so happy when he felt so miserable. Yeah, sure, in whatever loose sense of the word existed, Rosier was his "friend", but at the end of the day, Snape had always seen him as inferior. Rosier couldn't invent magic, he barely could pass his classes. Just a stupid brute who happened to be pureblooded and had most of the world handed to him on a silver platter. Sure their interests aligned in supporting the Dark Lord, but for very different reasons.

"I'm going to go get books for next class…" Snape had said with a sigh, getting up and waving the others away slightly. And without another word or the slightest look back started his march out of the Great Hall.

He'd looked straight ahead the whole time, his mind elsewhere, making a deliberate attempt to focus precisely on whatever particular bit of the corridor happened to be right in front of him. Snape was barely out of the Great Hall when suddenly, someone collided with him. Evidently, also watching where she was going, also in a hurry to leave.

His potions book fell out of his hands, and he muttered a few general obscenities under his breath.

"Sorry." The other person had muttered.

In an instant, he recognized the voice. Hermione Granger. The two suddenly met each other's eyes with a quite sour expression, and rushed to pick up the textbook off the floor. To Snape's extreme derision, it had fallen closer to Hermione, and so she seized it, pouring through its contents. Furiously, Snape grasped her arm, trying to retrieve his book.

As if it couldn't get any worse a sudden, mocking voice came from behind the two of them.

"What's the matter, Sev? Don't want to share your book with a Gryffindor anymore?"

He'd know that horrid voice anywhere. It was James.