Scotland
September 2nd, 1991
Severus Snape had known Regulus Black throughout his entire school years. He was the perfect little heir of Black family; he was intelligent, very charming, handsome and he was from a rich family. Everyone loved him, including the woman Severus loved. Though in the end, the little perfect Regulus had faced a bitter end in death. A fate that he wished James Potter faced in his stead. Lily had loved Regulus very much and that little boy she died for that Dumbledore was willing to sacrifice if it meant a greater good.
No matter what happened, he swore, he would never have her death be in a vain. He would protect the boy with his last breath if it was the last thing he did before dying.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," Severus began, his dark cold icy eyes passing by each eleven-year old in the old portion classroom as he stalked left and right with subtle speed. His words came out of a whisper, low and deep as he stared hard at the newly arrived students. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
But that did not mean that he would be softer to the boy than all the others. It simply meant that he will help along his task to do the impossible that Dumbledore had deemed possible. Why exactly the old man expected the young boy to be able to do what thousands of brave and powerful men and women died trying to do, was beyond his understanding even with his clever, intelligent mind.
He knew of the prophecy, of course; he had been the one who had told the dark lord about it in the first place when the prophecy first came to be, something he would regret fully and wholeheartedly for his entire life, but no use in dwelling on that now, but no matter how many times he reread it in his mind or said it aloud, he could never understand why Dumbledore had such a firm belief in it.
No matter how he looked at the boy; this boy who looked so much like his perfect, pure-blooded father whom Severus had respected to some degree in his school days, he just could not see a powerful wizard that would one day, defeat the greatest dark wizard of the time. He could only see just a boy; a boy with his mother's forest green eyes that he had missed so much. A small boy who had been orphaned thanks to the war and the prophecy that came to be.
The last few years of her school days, Lily spent on ignoring him and continuing her secret romance with the perfect Slytherin prince. The last few days of her life, she spent on loving the man that was so different from the boy she knew in her childhood and yet just the same and the little boy that has been born out of their union.
Severus saw it, no matter how much he wanted to tell himself Regulus Black did not love her, he couldn't possibly have loved her but the truth was he did, he could not deny that fact. He saw it in his eyes whenever he opened the newly arrived letter from her at his home when he thought none was looking, when he passed by her in the school hallways and when he risked his position as a spy for the Order to protect her during a raid.
Regulus loved her so much and Lily loved him just as much in return. In the end, it has been a tragic fairy tale like romance that came straight out of a book. Even if he had even an ounce an of a chance to interfere, Severus did not think that he would have had the heart to do so such a cruel thing. He would rather see her with another man than making her unhappy. And truly, Lily had been the happiest she had been when she was with Regulus.
He had seen the way she smiled when she glanced at Regulus during school days when Regulus was not looking but he did; he had never seen such a beautiful person in his whole life, was what he thought when she first saw her smile in a way that was truly remarkable and one and only. He had fallen in love with all over again then, with that smile that was meant for the boy, he corrected, the man that would die for her future in the future.
James Potter had never understood that; that to love someone was not to be with them but to do the right thing by them that would make them the happiest, even if it was not with them. It was a great shame that Regulus had died when he much preferred for Potter to have died in his stead. Such a shame it was. He would have much preferred it if the story ended that way; James Potter died a hero and Regulus Black lived with his family for good ten years until the Dark Lord returned from the dead.
But such was the shame; things were not often as people wanted them to be.
"Weasley!" spat Severus suddenly just because he could; that damn woman has been irritating him too much lately with her demanding requests. Did he look like he was her personal potion maker? If she wanted a potion, she should learn to make it herself. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Though, he did not envy her children. To have such an overbearing mother must be a tough job for toughest of the men. His own mother has been a better mother than Molly Weasley ever would be despite her weak body and spirit.
Ronald Weasley had a stumped look on his face.
Hermione Granger, the brown-haired Muggle-born had her hand raised in an air.
His godson had a bored look on his face, a thing that was a usual occurrence for him. He expected a trouble soon. And beside him, his godson's dark-haired childhood friend smirked smugly at Weasley, whispering something to Hadrian's ear to which he laughed at. He could not be sure but he thought he heard something like, "Snape doesn't seem to like Weasley much, though I can't say I fault him much. The boy is a nasty sort, that's for sure," he said with a big grin. "I heard him bad mouthing Hermione, that little git,"
It was a really good thing that he had sharp ears, Severus thought as he waited for Weasley to answer though he did not expect a correct answer even if he somehow managed to give the name which he also doubted, he could find out the newest of information just for having them. So, Hadrian and his little group of friends; Theodore Nott and his grandson, also included Hermione Granger, that little Muggle-born girl who doesn't just seem to know when to quit?
When Weasley had remained silent for a good five minutes, Severus gave up. There was no saving Weasley today if there ever would come such a day.
He gave a deep sigh, shaking his head in a disappointment; though, really, it was just for the show. Let him feel less than the others, so he could actually do the homework himself as he expected Molly didn't in her own school days, and learn, what needs to be learned. "For your information Weasley,
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he tried again and hoped however futile it was that he at least knew that. It was such a basic knowledge; he himself learned in when he was at a tender age of seven, as was expected from him by his lady mother. She had a great love for potion-making and had expected for her son to be at least manageable when it came to potion-making.
"I don't know," he stated after a few minutes of silence. "But Granger seems to do though. Why don't you ask her? I am sure that she will tell all in great details, just like she did in Professor McGonagall' class,"
Soon enough, as he expected from such a load of dimwits, began to fill with laughter. Weasley joined in the laugh as if he made a great joke like he did not just make a joke out of another student's habit like it was something to laugh about.
Draconis and his group of boys stared angrily at Weasley, earning a smug look as if he accomplished something amazing. He sighed, there it was, the trouble of the day named Weasley. He expected that soon, Draco would corner him and insult him verbally as was his forte; nothing too hurtful, just enough to hurt his ego. Draco would never do something as cruel as to bully another human being; however he purposely sought out a trouble, he was a kind boy in heart. Though, he supposed that his definition of the word kind was a bit twisted from years of living in the service of the Dark Lord. It definitely went far away from everyone's understanding of the word.
"Enough! Sit down!" he snapped at the girl, just enough to make everyone in the room silent. If they thought that they could act as such a dimwits in his class, they were wrong. He would not tolerate such an insolence.
He gave a deep sigh, shaking his head in a disappointment; though, really, it was just for the show. Let him feel less than the others, so he could actually do the homework himself as he expected Molly didn't in her own school days, and learn, what needs to be learned. "For your information Weasley, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Severus stated, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Weasley."
Nothing made him happier than Gryffindor house losing more points. The damn house was too favored by the prejudiced Headmaster. It seemed as if sometimes, that he forgot that there were other far more worthy houses of the award. Like Slytherin and Ravenclaw, they were a far more intelligent lot than the others and less likely to get themselves into the trouble.
And even if they did, they were smart enough to not get discovered.
Scotland
September 2nd, 1991
"Don't raise your hand during classes," Draco stated as soon as they were out of the classroom, walking out the school grounds to the Great Lake where they could sit and have some peace. They hadn't since classes started early morning. "That's the rule number one. If you don't want to be a target of bullying and badmouthing, don't,"
"But I knew what Snape was asking; I read the book during holidays before school started."
"Doesn't matter," Theodore started as they turned the corner. "Draco is right. People don't like it when people know things that they don't and seem to be boasting about their knowledge. So, this is what will you do, Hermione. You won't raise your hand or try to answer unless you are asked. That's the plan, the most proficient plan. That way, you won't be bullied or looked bad."
"I don't care if I am looked bad," Hermione stated, her Gryffindor red tie hanging around her neck tightly. Harry wondered if it was not too tight, worried that she will choke on it one day. He should tell her to tie it less tight next time, he decided. "I don't care what they think of me. I just want to do well in school."
"Doing well doesn't mean that you have to raise your hand in every class, Hermione," Draco stated with a charming smile which, Harry noticed, she ignored altogether. He did not think that any other girl would have been able to do that; he saw the way girls of their school looked at Draco like they were in love. Slytherin or not, everyone adored his friend. "Just take your notes and answer the questions when you are asked and do well during exams. That's just all about it; the secret of doing well at school, academically that is,"
They walked out the school and were close to the Great Lake, walking together and passing by the crowd of the students that sat on the green grass. They sat on the green grass together, Hermione hugging her knees to her chest as was her habit and talked. "But, don't you think it was a bit strange the way Professor Snape questioned that red-haired boy? It doesn't seem like he likes him much," she stated. "Which is completely unprofessional by the way,"
"He doesn't like the boy's mother, that's what," Theodore told them with a shrug. "Which I can't really fault him for. Molly Weasley is a nasty, overbearing woman who's just as prejudiced as my own father if not more,"
"She's been an utter annoyance to Severus from what I heard from my mother," Draco stated beside him, staring at the distance coolly. "She's been bossing him around, demanding potions left and right when she can't even pay for it like he was her personal potion-maker from what I hear,"
Theodore shook his head in an amusement, smiling at the distance. "Narcissa really does know everything. I don't think I ever heard her not know something before,"
"Narcissa?" Hadrian questioned, a confused look on his face.
"Draconis' mother," Theodore said just to annoy him. "She has been ill and hospitalized at St. Mungo's for years now but really, even in her state, she is a playful spirit. Whenever we come to visit, she's always smiling or laughing at one thing or another,"
"My mother was very close with your father before he died, is what she told me," Draco started which as expected, got his attention which was more focused on which homework he will start tonight up till this minute. "He was like a little brother, she told me, whom she mourned greatly when he died. She even attended your parents' wedding, which mind you, was really secret affair to which only a few were invited to,"
Harry nodded his head thoughtfully, processing the information. So, adding all the possible information he could get at Hogwarts, he could also ask Draco's mother. Currently, she was the only person who knew his father the best and Remus, he added, the person whom he knew that knew his mother the best. He would ask them, though Harry had an uneasy feeling when he thought about visiting a hospital; he never did like hospitals. It reminded him of a death and all things unpleasant.
"I don't know about you guys but," Hermione stood up, collecting her things. "I am going to head to the library. I need to complete the essay Professor Snape gave us earlier," and walked out back towards the castle, her long curly brown hair swaying hard as she moved.
"So, what shall we do about Weasley?" Harry asked, staring at his two friends. "After humiliating Hermione in the class as he did, this matter cannot be left alone. An eye for an eye, right?"
"An eye for an eye indeed but that shall wait," Draco stated. "The punishment shall come in later time with or without assistance, Hadrian. Patience is the key to the success in a life. Karma is truly a bitch,"
Harry nodded his head though he never had an idea that Draco believed in a karma. He closed his eyes and thought about what could not be; his father, his mother and him, together and happy. Impossible thing.
Scotland
September 2nd, 1991
Pansy Parkinson liked, loved Draco Malfoy. He was her perfect prince; he was blond-haired like all the princes were supposed to be, intelligent and of a good family. Just the person her father wanted her to marry.
But the problem was, Draco Malfoy did not like her, like at all. He would rather hang out with ugly, bushy-haired Hermione Granger who was as mudblooded as they came with the dirty blood running through her veins. Pansy so much better looking and perhaps not smarter, but she was definitely someone whom Draco's father would approve.
Not like Hermione Granger, just the type Lucius Malfoy hated and would most definitely not want his son hanging around with. But of course, Pansy would not even think of telling his father about his inappropriate choice of friends; that infamous Hadrian boy who was, however, special he was, was a half-blood, that Nott boy who also did not like her and that was definitely not okay and that mudblood, ugh, even thinking of her made her want to vomit.
"Pansy, stop feeling jealous of Granger and come over here or we're leaving without you," Daphne yelled across the room, her long platinum blond hair swaying just above her hips as she moved to where she sat on the couch in the common room. "Look, I don't really care about your stupid, childish obsession with Draco but if he doesn't like you like you do, get over it. There are plenty of the boys who will happily like you for you. Like Blaise,"
"But they won't be Draco!" The thought that she will even come to marry, let alone date someone other than Draco was absurd. It has to be Draco. "It has to be Draco! Anyone else, I don't want! Even if that someone is Blaise!"
Blaise Zabini was her dark-skinned and brown-haired childhood friend whom she knew for a fact, had a big, massive crush on her. He was really handsome, really, just nothing compared to her Draco.
Daphne sighed, massaging the bridge of a nose. "Look I get it. You like a boy. But just, stop moving around and move around. Stand up. We're really going to leave you behind if you keep this going,"
Pansy got on her feet, sticking a tongue at her friend. "Try that, I say. You can't. I will murder you before you do," she stated and followed after her friend out the common room.