I Walk Alone,

Chapter 15, The Most Magical Place On Earth

It felt to Severus as if the next few months were twice as long as others had been during his time at Hogwarts. Nothing significant changed from the previous year. The Gryffindor Gang Of Gits were still just as gittish as ever, and most of Severus's classes lacked challenge. The upside of his days involved working on crafting new spells with Heather and Raislen. Often, though, if they had no particularly brilliant ideas, they'd just exercise by playing on Dumbledore's stairs to get their thoughts flowing. They'd also help one another study. It was more like Severus helping Heather and Raislen study, because their classes presented more of a challenge for him than his own. He didn't mind, though. He did mind the time dragging its feet, however, because he was very much looking forward to visiting Raislen's library for the holidays. Often to pass the time, he'd try to imagine all the books he would encounter when browsing the shelves. While he had some ideas, the more exciting bit for him was the mystery. He knew there would be many surprises, books he'd never imagined. Raislen's family had books thousands of years old in their vast and ever growing collection, and thanks to preservation charms, in a few months, Severus would be holding them in his hands! For as long as he could remember, he'd always thrived on books much in the way a fish enjoyed water, so as the weeks past, his excitement nearly built to a fever pitch. To him books were opportunities, new windows to so many things! For the first time since his father was killed, Severus was looking forward to the Christmas holidays with the gleeful excitement that a child should, knowing that wondrous Christmas magic was just around the corner. Granted in this case he pictured towering book shelves rather than a sparkling Christmas tree whose branches spread over a pile of wrapped gifts, but it was just as magical to him. So busy with his friends and distracted by sugar plum dreams of Raislen's library was he that Severus could almost forget about the Gryffindor Gang Of Gits when they weren't planting themselves in his way in order to insult him with stupid words or obnoxious spells. Even those they chose to use as hexes were reflective of their mentality. Basic hexes like Locomotor Mortis, were not only easy to counteract but amusingly illustrative of the gits petty thought processes. Such elementary hexes only got the best of Severus during those times when he was distracted and caught unawares. Unfortunately day dreaming of Raislen's library was the cause of such more than once. The fact that the Gits had such a need to torment him was shocking. It was stupid to make enemies and assume they wouldn't attempt to hurt you some day. Severus wasn't about to give them that heads up, though. He simply countered what they did and retaliated with more advanced hexes that took them longer to remedy. Of course this meant they'd gang up three to one to make him pay later, but watching them squirm in his itching binds or terror tangles was always well worth it. It wasn't as if they could go and complain to any of the Hogwarts staff either, because if they did, they would only implicate themselves, considering they usually always started with Severus first. *Usually* because Severus did at times start with them first if he felt the need for a pay back. Such was the case if they managed to get the best of him three to one in something obnoxious that still took him longer to counter. A few times Heather or Raislen would come upon the Gits ganging up on him and help him fight against them. Then the fight was not only easy, it was pathetically easy! Heather and Raislen being two years older knew dueling tricks that Severus knew but the Gits did not. As it turned out, the Gryffindor Gang Of Gits didn't enjoy doses of their own medicine. They didn't enjoy being ganged up on and beat badly at their own game. They'd walk away from such skirmishes angry and embarrassed. Often they took it out on Severus later once they could get him alone again. Those times they made him pay for his own group victories with his friends. This only made him hate them more. He'd get them good some day, he vowed more than once over the first few months of his second year at Hogwarts. At those times, he always remembered his Mum's advice on getting one up on Lupin, but as of yet, he was able to make no progress in that endeavor. He kept an ear open when he could get close enough to the Gryffindor Gang Of Gits conversations when Lupin was around, but nothing was ever said about the three nights a month that he went to spend time with his ill Mum. Granted Severus couldn't often get close enough to hear their conversations unnoticed. They were in separate houses, thank all the gods, so during and in between classes were where his main opportunities could be found. He could attempt to spy on them after classes when they weren't in the Gryffindor common room or dorms, but in truth, he preferred to spend time with his own friends in the evening, rather than wasting effort on those Gits when he had better things to do. More than once, more than twice, quite frequently in fact, he reminded himself that some day he'd be a renowned and accomplished potions master, spell crafter and all around more powerful wizard than all of the Gryffindor Gits combined! The certainty of this made him feel powerful and got him through his rageful interactions with the prats. That and the support of his friends, of course. Though he'd far prefer to live in that future where he was already a powerful and esteemed wizard, Severus had to make the best out of being at Hogwarts for now. If exciting trips to Raislen's library were to be in his present, though, he could manage. Though term passed slower than Severus wished, it still eventually passed, and at last everyone was going home for Christmas. He felt a bit guilty being eager for Christmas to pass as well so that he could go to Raislen's and see that library, but it was probably the biggest library in the world, or at least the biggest personal library and he was beyond excited to explore its treasures. Knowledge was power, as Raislen himself often said. Severus wanted as much of both knowledge and power as he could get. Still he did miss his Mum, and she always put so much effort into giving him the best Christmas she could, that he tried his hardest to put his mind off the library during his time at home. It wasn't as difficult as he'd expected, because as soon as he exited the train and saw his mother waiting for him on the platform, her dark eyes, so much like his own, warm and full of love, he recalled just how much he'd missed her. Swallowing the lump in his throat he dashed toward her, lugging his trunk and waving with his free hand. "Mummy! I missed you so!"

"I missed you too, Baby," Eileen said, and laughing with joy, she caught him up in her arms, causing him to drop his trunk to embrace her in return. Even Grandfather Prince's sour disposition didn't dampen Severus's holiday...At least not much. He and his mum made Christmas cookies together on Christmas Eve and concocted their own eggnog, because she swore it was one of the most difficult potions to make. For Christmas, he got a brand new potions set. The cauldron came with a bat shaped stirring spoon, and there were six fat potion bottles with matching corks. Three were shaped like miniature cauldrons and three were shaped like skulls. Severus couldn't wait to take them to Hogwarts and use them in potions class while the other prats were stuck using their standard old boring cauldrons and vials. He went to Raislen's three days after Christmas. Eileen took him so that she could meet Raislen's parents. He packed his trunk for school, because he was returning to Hogwarts with Raislen on the train. Raislen's parents had gone to school with Eileen, but though they were in the same house, Eileen was four years younger, so they hadn't interacted much. As Severus and Raislen stood politely and quietly by, the parents got chatty. Mr. and Mrs. WestCraven invited Eileen to tea, and Raislen dragged Severus toward the library.

"Well come on," he said excitedly. "You've got to see our family's pride and joy! We both know it's at least one of the reasons you're here, after all." Raislen gave a good natured grin to Severus's eager nod. As Severus had expected, WestCraven manor was large, but unlike Grandfather Prince's home, it was decorated in comfortable warm colors. Though classy, full of heavy antique furniture and with medieval art on the walls, the place looked lived in rather than cold and frigid. It projected a welcoming feeling that Severus found comforting right away. And then they entered the library! The towering shelves of books were even higher than Severus imagined, and the room was so large, that he could not see where it ended! He stood for a moment just inside the door taking it all in and breathing in the delightful smell of old books. The floor under his feet seemed to hum with welcome as if recognizing an old friend. Severus had never imagined such a wonderful place, much less that he'd actually be standing in it. Of course he'd tried to picture Raislen's library, but his imagination hadn't even come close. Severus laughed with delight as he spread his arms wide. "Oh Raislen! It's so beautiful!"

Raislen grinned, green eyes laughing as he shrugged. "Well...That's one word for it, I suppose. I usually think amazing or awesome, but to each his own."

As Raislen spoke, Severus's gaze continued to hungrily drink in the room. Aside from the endless expanse of towering shelves, the library held a smattering of large square mahogany wood reading tables and comfortable looking arm chairs. There was a sofa along one wall situated across from a large fireplace. The sofa looked inviting. It was a rich maroon color that drew the eye and it looked quite comfortable. Yes, he'd sit there once he'd decided what to read first, Severus decided.