thanks to hypnotic ink and Alabaster Princess

6- Born to Boogie

The second year at Hogwarts started just like the first one had begun, with the journey from platform nine and three-quarters. There was a lot of shouting and cheering of students meeting their friends again for the first time after the summer. Lily was busy talking to her Gryffindor girls, telling them all about her holidays in Brighton. But when they boarded the Hogwarts Express, she joined Severus in the compartment he shared with Raven.

Lily almost envied Raven her tanned skin- she always turned lobster when exposed to the sun, and her fair complexion was marred with thousands of annoying freckles. On the other hand, Raven's now neatly cut hair had a very unfavourable length as it accentuated her round face like the halo of a full moon.

"You were in Italy?" She asked, casting a glance at Severus. He had, of course, told her of the postcard he had received- but had he already thanked Raven for that kind gesture? He was sometimes such an ignoramus when it came to showing good manners and he was a dilettante in the fine arts of socialising.

But Raven smiled at him- so she was probably not affronted- and then started talking about Italy. She told them about the famous sights she had visited in Tuscany, and of the small wizarding communities there.

Severus listened with interest. Actually, with so much interest that Lily soon got bored because it was obvious he didn't want to hear about her latest fight with Petunia. Feeling left out, she stared out of the window and watched the landscape passing by with tears in her eyes. Tuney had been especially mean to her today... and she had so hoped that after spending two wonderful weeks in Brighton they'd be thick as thieves again. But apparently not. As soon as they were back home, and she had gotten her book list from Hogwarts, things between the two sisters had taken to a down-swing once again. Oh, it was so very frustrating...

*

Severus, although often being considered an insensitive git by his best friend, did notice a sudden mood swing in Lily's behaviour. She seemed to be sad, the way she stared out of the window, and that reminded him of last year. Then, she had been so upset about her stupid Muggle sister that she didn't even want to talk to him, and he couldn't let that happen again. So he quickly turned a deaf ear on Lestrange in order to pay Lily his full attention.

However, he groaned inwardly when all that bothered her was Petunia once more.

*

Just like the year before, they reached Hogsmeade station after nightfall, but this year they weren't first years anymore and wouldn't be escorted to the castle by Hagrid. This year, they followed the elder students to a row of stagecoaches that were waiting for them outside the station.

As it seemed, these carriages weren't drawn by horses or anything, but moved magically. Nevertheless, Raven stopped to stare into thin air, reaching out a hand into nothingness. Was she seeing something that wasn't to be seen by anyone in their right state of mind? Severus wondered, thinking that Lestrange was acting more than just a tad strange.

"Thestrals," she whispered.

"What?"

"These carriages are drawn by Thestrals, Sev- oh really, you must have read about them in Hogwarts: A History. They're winged horses with reptile-like faces and necks, and a skeletal black body. Anyhow, I'm glad you can't see them- neither can I- because they're invisible to anyone who hasn't seen death yet. But they're gentle creatures."

She flashed him a bright smile and scrambled into the carriage before he could say, 'don't call me Sev.' It was futile anyway. Heaving a sigh, he followed her.

The coach began to move as soon as they were seated. A little later they were rolling through a huge wrought-iron gate that was flanked with stone columns. Now the carriage took on speed as it proceeded up the long, winding drive to the castle. It still looked magnificent to Severus, and he felt like coming home. Finally, they were back to Hogwarts.

The kids got out and made their way to the Great Hall. This year, they didn't have to endure being called up one by one for the Sorting ceremony; this year, they already knew where they belonged.

With an expression of loss in his eyes, Severus watched Lily hurrying over to the Gryffindor table as if she couldn't wait to be with her friends, and he briefly wondered if things were ever going to be any simpler between the two of them. At home, it was her stupid Muggle sister often ruining the mood, and here it were those mindlessly prattling chicks...

But when Lucius Malfoy jovially slapped his back in a welcoming gesture, he felt proud. Apparently, he had somehow managed to make an impression on the older boy, and his fellow Slytherins didn't fall silent anymore when he entered the scene. That, however, didn't mean he was being entirely filled in with what they were actually talking about, and that bugged him. Nevertheless, he had already figured out that it concerned a very powerful wizard- they reverently called him the 'Dark Lord'- who was the figurehead of a movement that demanded changes in the wizarding world. Severus wanted to find out more about that, simply because it sounded... promising.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Professor McGonagall; she was reading the list of first years that were to be Sorted. Cheerful hoots followed each name as the Sorting Hat cried out their respective houses.

"Black, Regulus."

Severus looked up to see a young boy who resembled one of his Gryffindor nemeses. Apparently he was Sirius Black's younger brother. He groaned inwardly- another haughty, spoiled little brat. On the other hand, the former Head Girl was a Black as well, and she was decent. Andromeda had always seen to it that the older students didn't shoo around the first years.

Under the cheers from his house mates, Regulus Black got Sorted into Slytherin. Narcissa Black, his cousin, stood to welcome him, while a loud 'Boo' came from the Gryffindor table.

Regulus shot a glance of anger mingled with frustration in the direction of his brother, then he shrugged and told Narcissa, "He's just mad that our parents think I'm the better son, because I do intend to keep up the tradition of our family."

"And that is a very noble intention, cousin. I am proud of you," Narcissa chirped, and she offered the boy to sit next to her. What seemed to be a small gesture was in fact a warning; she wanted to make sure everybody realized that her little cousin was under her special protection, so that no one would dare to harass him without having to fear the consequences. After all, she was sort of the Queen of Slytherin.

And Lucius Malfoy was her prince in shining armour. Narcissa couldn't have been more proud when Dumbledore announced him Head Boy. Oh, she was a very lucky witch. She would get a fair share of his privileges since she deserved special treatment, being his fiancée. As soon as she left Hogwarts, she would marry him, and although that marriage had been arranged a long time ago, she couldn't think of a better husband than Lucius Malfoy. He simply looked dashing and they shared the same ideology- but the best thing was, she loved him and he loved her.

*

The Royal Slytherin Couple ruled that year, and just like it was tradition in Slytherin house, they shooed around the ickle first years, using them as their servants. Well, everyone but Regulus Black. He was being treated like a little prince.

Severus, however, couldn't even stand the sight of him. Little Regulus was just as arrogant as his older brother, but since he was a house mate and under the Royal Couple's protection, he thought it wiser not to show his aversion if he wanted to stay in Lucius Malfoy's good books.

Lucius Malfoy was everything he wanted to be- he was smart, elegant, and he had that certain air... the one that didn't only smell of expensive perfumes, but of influence and power. If he were more like Lucius, those obnoxious Gryffindor bullies wouldn't dare to bother him.

Surprisingly, the first weeks of term had been strangely quiet. Of course, they taunted him and called him names, but there had been no attack yet. And that worried him. He was not so naïve to believe they had given up their stupid pranks only because Mrs Lestrange had had a word with Mrs Potter. No, Potter was still strutting the corridors as if the castle belonged to him- which wasn't precisely the attitude of someone who had been chided or even punished for his behaviour. Perhaps his parents had only given him a short moral sermon that went in one ear and out the other without leaving any impression on him.

So what was he and his gang planning?

Well, first of all, they had Quidditch on their mind. Potter did leave quite a mark in the try-outs and was nominated Beater of the Gryffindor team. In the match against Slytherin they didn't just win but trounced the other team as Potter scored goal after goal, and then their Seeker also caught the Golden Snitch. The celebrations afterwards, in which Potter was heralded Quidditch hero of Gryffindor, made Severus' stomach churn because even Lily cheered for that arrogant toerag- although she assured him that she still couldn't stand Potter. It was just her stupid Gryffindor pride. Also, she didn't want to be left out when all of her friends celebrated the victory. Nevertheless, Severus felt slightly betrayed.

On the other hand, he couldn't stop watching her- her cheeks all flushed with excitement, chanting merrily... she looked so full of life, so very, very beautiful it made his heart ache. He would have loved to spend more time with her, but she hurried towards Gryffindor tower in midst of all her other friends, leaving him standing out on the grounds, feeling lost and strangely bereft.

"You alright?" A soft voice next to him asked.

Lestrange! Recently, she seemed to have developed an uncanny habit of appearing from out of nowhere. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Sure."

"Well, I think that Quidditch is definitely overrated. It's a stupid game."

"You're only saying that because you're a lousy flyer, and you're scared of brooms." Severus replied scathingly.

"I'm not scared of a stupid wooden stick!" Raven snapped indignantly, before she continued in a softer tone, "I simply prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground when obnoxious Gryffindor bullies are around."

"Yeah, but the biggest bully is the hero of the day," he sulked, thinking of Lily applauding to every bloody goal Potter had scored.

"You know, Sev, I think being a hero takes so much more than throwing a ball through a loop."

He almost smiled at her words, but then he frowned. Had she been watching the game? He couldn't recall seeing her amongst the Slytherin crowd.

"Fancy coming to the library with me?" She asked, smiling at him, "We could study together, and I have a question about Potions."

"Only one?" Severus sneered, because she still hadn't managed to brew a single potion without making a complete mess of it. Nevertheless, he agreed to accompany Lestrange to the library since he had nothing better to do anyway. The mood in the Slytherin common room would be unpleasant at best, for Lucius Malfoy was likely to fume about the abysmal performance of his team, and he wasn't keen on experiencing that. It was wiser to avoid Malfoy when he was furious if you didn't want to be at the receiving end of his wrath. And Severus was in a difficult position in Slytherin house anyway- he was just a lousy half-blood among elitist pure-bloods, and he was friends with a Gryffindor Mudblood. But as much as he wanted to get the recognition of his house mates, he would not give up his friendship with Lily for them.

*

He was freezing, Raven noticed. The chill of winter was already in the air, and his hands looked painfully cold; he was rubbing them unconsciously. She felt the urge to take them and warm them in her own gloved hands, or to even borrow him her gloves. But she knew as well he wouldn't appreciate either, and he'd give her a sneer instead. Telling her he was alright (even if he was so obviously not) because he didn't like being treated like a charity case- when all she wanted was being nice to him, showing him that she cared.

On the other hand, Raven was well aware of the fact that her beloved orange, purple, pink and green striped gloves might look a tad ridiculous on Severus Snape. Of course, that shouldn't really matter when it was all about keeping one warm, but boys in general were difficult and he was a special case anyway.

Therefore she had suggested going to the library instead of staying out in the cold, talking about that stupid Quidditch match, and she beamed when he accepted her proposal. Raven loved spending time with him, and there was always a question about potions on her mind... well, most of all how to brew one correctly.

*

Spending the afternoon in the library with Lestrange was definitely an agreeable option- he had grown accustomed to her, and sometimes he even enjoyed her presence. Also, she was an agreeable study partner, given that she was capable of focussing on the subject ahead for as long as it took. Without complaining about teachers giving them too much homework, or trying to distract him with mindless prattle.

He appreciated that. Nevertheless, it didn't stop him from wondering about her, and in particular speculating why a girl, who was so obviously not a total dunderhead, was so utterly incapable of brewing the simplest potion.

"Can you show me?" She asked, looking at him as though she considered him more competent in teaching her the subtle art of brewing than Professor Slughorn, and he wasn't quite sure whether he should feel flattered now. Besides, it was also an issue of logistics. Even if he was willing to tutor her- which he wasn't (at least not yet)- they couldn't just use the Potions classroom for that. Although Professor Slughorn did allow that on rare occasions, it was a privilege he only granted his most promising students... the ones who would reward him with a good bottle of wine or tickets for his favourite Quidditch team.

Severus didn't have the money to bribe him, and even if he had, he wouldn't waste it only to show a clumsy girl how to brew a potion. There was still the unpredictable risk of her blowing up her cauldron like she usually did, and he didn't want to be responsible for wrecking the Potions classroom.

A sad expression ghosted over her round face when he rejected her request, and if it had been Lily, he would have given in to her pleading eyes without considering the consequences. But these weren't Lily's emerald eyes that were staring at him, making him feel guilty. It was Lestrange, and she averted her gaze in order to hide her dashed hopes without making him feel responsible for it. And somehow, that was even worse than Lily's glare.

*

Just like the year before, Severus stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas and he was happy he could spend his time in the library- there was a book Lucius Malfoy had mentioned in passing he wanted to take a look at. Unfortunately, though, it was in the restricted section- which only made it more interesting. There was some talk about the Dark Arts in Slytherin, of actually practising instead of fighting them like they did in their Defence against the Dark Arts classes. Naturally, he was quite curious about that, since both of the professors who had taught the subject so far (last year Ketteridge and this year Slinkholm) had failed in explaining what was so bad about the Dark Arts, while the elder students in his house spoke in awe about the powers the Dark Arts could give them.

Alas, they fell silent whenever they noticed him listening too closely, making him aware of the fact that he was still not being fully accepted in his own house. Severus wanted to change that; he wanted to belong. He wanted to become a powerful wizard who could stand his own ground when those four Gryffindor bullies tried to prank him again, and he wanted to impress Lily.

Last year, she had given him a fancy quill for Christmas. It had been his best Christmas present ever, simply because it was from Lily. But he had not given her anything since he wasn't used to making a present. This year, however, he had bought a box of her favourite sweets and had even made the effort of wrapping it. She had smiled so beautifully when he had given it to her, the day before she had left Hogwarts for the holidays, and he already missed her terribly.

She had presented him with a small pot of Colour-Change Ink, which was very kind of her although he preferred plain black ink. But he would use it when exchanging these little notes of when and where they would meet- sometimes the tension between their houses was so strained and hostile, it seemed wiser not to talk to each other in public, as their friendship was being frowned upon anyway.

To his great surprise, two owls landed near his plate while he was having breakfast on Christmas morning. One was a grand eagle owl, carrying a Christmas card with best wishes from Lucius Malfoy. He was slightly flabbergasted because he had clearly not expected the Head Boy deeming him worthy the effort of sending an owl, only to wish him a 'Merry Christmas.' Of course, he felt flattered- and one step closer to finally being fully accepted in Slytherin. A wry smile curled up the corners of his mouth.

The other owl, an ordinary beast in comparison to Malfoy's posh eagle owl and with noticeably less manners- it made a go at the bacon on his plate the moment it had landed and ruffled its feathers- carried a small parcel that seemed to expand in size as he unpacked it. It contained something black and woollen. A pair of gloves and a matching scarf, both made of a soft and yet very warm wool.

The scarf was long and thick- he could wrap it around his neck several times- and the gloves fitted his hands perfectly. They would keep him warm in the cold winters here at Hogwarts.

There was also a card, showing a Muggle Christmas scene with Father Christmas and a red-nosed reindeer. It read,

Dear Sev,

I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you're not feeling lonely all alone at Hogwarts.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Yours,

Raven

Lestrange, he involuntarily groaned. So the pampered little girl had bought him gloves- she must have noticed he didn't own any that day after the Quidditch match. That, however, didn't make him a charity case. He would tell her to mind her own business... then he discovered an irregularity in the knitting, only a slight disorder of stitches, and he came to the conclusion that she must have knitted the gloves. And that was... well, it left him kind of speechless, but fortunately he was all on his own and didn't need to speak to anyone.

*

There was something... strange... about Lestrange when she returned to Hogwarts after the Christmas break- Severus couldn't quite put a finger on what precisely it was, but she was behaving... well, differently. She seemed to hold her head a tad higher than usual, and she was humming all the time.

He wouldn't ask. It was already bad enough that he had to thank her for her Christmas present (and he would tell her to never do that again since he was in her debt now, which he didn't fancy at all) But then she spotted him wearing her gloves and she beamed all over her face. Oddly enough, he found he didn't have the heart to berate her for giving him unwanted presents.

That girl was a nuisance. Smilingly, she took the wind out of his sails, and all he could do was sigh with annoyance. Oh, and of course he didn't have to ask what got her in such a cheerful mood because she was bursting to tell him anyway. Her eyes were sparkling as she told him about a movie she had seen.

"A movie?" He asked incredulously. What was so special about Muggle flicks?

"Not just any movie, Sev. "

No definitely not. This one was apparently very special as it was about a Muggle music band named after a long extinct, distant relative of today's dragons: T. Rex, short for Tyrannosaurus Rex. They were a bunch of weirdos wearing platform boots, bell-bottoms and... glitter.

To be honest, it didn't sound all too exciting to him, but she was literally gushing about it, totally enchanted by their music.