Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Severus listened to the seconds tick by on the large wall clock. His head was down on the desk, and he did not think he would be able to keep his eyes open much longer. He sat at the back of the small History of Magic class, as Professor Binns had decided to give a lecture on his life... once again. Thomas yawned next to him; he had fallen asleep and just woken up. Sitting to Severus's left, Marcus had his hand in the air, which caused Severus to frown. He had forgotten what day it was.
"Yes, Mr. Adams?" Professor Binns said once he noticed Marcus's hand.
"Please, sir, may I be excused for Quidditch?" Marcus asked, and Severus watched as those within the class sat up. Professor Binns seemed to frown at the request, quickly peering at the clock before turning back to the eager Slytherin.
"Very well, Mr. Adams. But I expect three parchments' worth on the development of legislation in the Ministry next week," Professor Binns' words were muffled as the class took this as a chance to leave. Students had all begun to pack their bags before hurrying out. Today was the big game: Slytherin vs. their bitter rivals, Gryffindor.
Severus shook Thomas, and the boy jolted awake once again.
"Quidditch?" he muttered as he rubbed his eyes.
"Quidditch," Severus reaffirmed, glad to see that he was not the only one to forget.
"Tad early," Thomas muttered as he peered over at the large clock while getting to his feet. Severus soon joined him, tossing his bag over his shoulder and following the boys out.
"Don't really know the rush; it's only Gryffindorks," Severus muttered, and Thomas nodded before smirking.
"Though if we're early, we can shove Potter into a locker," Thomas added, and Severus chuckled.
During their third year, the boys had ensured Slytherin's victory by shoving James Potter into a locker. The Gryffindors were a man down, and this struggled with their backup chaser. Severus enjoyed the disappointment on the Gryffindors' faces and the sore looks given to Potter after the match.
Marcus left for the locker room while Severus and Thomas made their way down to the dungeons. The entrance to Slytherin was nothing too special; it even blended into the surroundings and made it difficult for non-Slytherins to locate it. Thomas mumbled the password to the small snake carved in the wall; the snake's gemstone eye gleamed before the wall opened to reveal the tunnel into the common room.
Slytherin's common room had not changed since the first year. The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and a ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs. Rosier sat along with a group of other Slytherins.
Quidditch seemed like the only thing that brought students together. The inner-house tension seemed small next to the will to defeat and utterly crush the other houses. Severus gave Rosier a nod, and the boy responded with a small nod of his own.
The weather outside was nice. The hint of the cold winter just around the corner was felt but eclipsed by the warm glow of the sun. Severus found himself among the Slytherin stand, where he sat beside a large boy named Doyle. Quidditch had been the most popular sport in the wizarding world, with a young wizard wishing to be a Quidditch star at least once in their life. Marcus had entered the Slytherin team in his third year after fighting for a spot. He offered Severus a place, but Severus declined, stating he was not all that good on a broom.
Severus watched as the announcer called out the match. Slytherin flew in first, with Wilkes leading them. Behind him were Regulus, a keeper that Severus didn't know, Pace, and Marcus. After the Slytherins flew around a bit, they were showered in cheers from their supporters and boos from the Gryffindors. The roles were reversed as Gryffindor flew in.
"Well, would you look at that," Thomas muttered beside Severus as they watched the Gryffindor team fly in.
Severus was surprised to see Potter leading the team. The idiots had placed him as captain over Rothwell—a foolish move. The Gryffindors flew around the stadium before finally settling into their positions. Madam Hooch had been appointed as the moderator, and the match soon began with the release of the balls.
Severus spent the next thirty minutes watching people dart through the air, his eyes trying to keep up with the constant action on the pitch. The task was harder as the announcer screamed in one ear while the crowd roared in the other.
"ANOTHER GOAL SCORED BY ADAMS!"
A wave of cheers ran through Slytherin, and Severus let out a light cheer. The Gryffindor team responded soon after with a goal of their own. The back-and-forth went on; each minute caused the game to become tenser. The snitch was soon spotted, and the mad dash began as Regulus chased after it, followed closely by the Gryffindor Seeker.
"I... I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" the announcer shouted. "IT SEEMS THAT REGULUS BLACK HAS CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH!"
Slytherin responded by letting out a roar. A student declared a party within the common room, and the large collective seemed to agree as the crowd made their way off the stands. Severus had decided to congratulate Marcus and, along with Thomas, made his way towards the locker rooms. The vibe within the locker room was just as lively as the rest of Slytherin, with Regulus hoisted on the shoulders of two teammates.
"That took the wind out of the Gryffindorks sails," Marcus cheered as he strutted over to his friends and wrapped his arms around each one. "What do you lads say we celebrate with some butterbeer?"
"Aye, sounds like a plan, mate," Thomas said, grinning. "But you ought to think about showering first."
Lily Evans sat quietly among her group of friends, listening as they rattled on about the same subjects as always: boys and gossip. There were times Lily questioned if she belonged in Gryffindor. She wasn't particularly brave or anything; she was often smarter than most in her house, choosing to plan her actions out before carrying them out. It was no wonder the Sorting Hat muttered about Ravenclaw.
"What do you think, Lily?" Mary asked.
Lily snapped back to reality, only to stare blindly at the round face of her friend. She quickly composed herself, hiding her lack of interest in the subject at hand before requesting the question again. Mary rolled her pale blue eyes and let out a sigh.
"We were asking you if you found James hotter than Sirius."
Lily's brow furrowed, and she wished she had not been dragged into such a conversation. James Potter had been a thorn in Lily's side since third year, never leaving her alone and often requesting that she go on a date with him. Lily declined, like any sane individual would when faced with such a situation. That didn't work, and Potter only took that as a sign to try harder.
"Neither; both are horrid," Lily responded.
It seemed as though Lily was the only girl to share such views, as she was met with frowns from her friends. Who could blame her, though? They had been lucky not to deal with James every minute. It came as no surprise to Lily when she found herself enjoying Potter's humiliations throughout their school life, from when he was forced to puke up slugs in the fourth year to the time he was dunked into the Black Lake.
Lily's friends muttered something about her being weird and turned back to their conversation. Lily listened but soon found herself wandering off in thought. She was ripped from her thoughts when the entrance flew open and a crowd of Gryffindors rushed in with sour faces. Lily suddenly remembered that today was their first Quidditch game. Judging by the expressions on the faces of those who went, it did not end so well.
"Can this week get any worse?" Lily heard Sirius groan as he walked into the common room. "First our banner, then our parchment, and now the Quidditch match?"
Lily remembered the shock among Gryffindors at the sight of their missing banner. It was something of a talking point, with theories on who stole it popping up every day. But while most of the house worried about the missing banner, the Marauders had become frantic at the loss of a piece of parchment. Lily had asked them why it was so important, but Potter simply avoided the topic.
"We'll get them next time, Padfoot," James grunted as he took a seat beside his friends. His eyes quickly spotted Lily, and like usual, his hand ruffled his hair. "You alright, Evans?"
Lily frowned and muttered to her friends that she needed fresh air. She quickly got up and darted out of the common room, ignoring the cries of Potter as he attempted to get her attention. The walk outside was quiet, and she soon found herself in the school courtyard. She took a seat on the bench and proceeded to pull out her charms book.
"Fancy seeing you here," a voice called out. Lily turned to see Severus. He silently took a seat beside her, and Lily smiled.
"I was just trying to escape..."
"The madness of your house," Severus cut in. "I know. Too bad you guys lost."
Lily retorted that Gryffindor would bounce back, and Severus simply chuckled. The duo sat there exchanging words on a multitude of subjects, most relating to their upcoming O.W.L.S exams and how confident they were.
"I was always good at exams, even back in my Muggle school," Lily said, and Severus tilted his head in interest.
"Do you miss it?" he asked in a somber tone, and Lily frowned.
"Miss what?"
"The Muggle world, all that you've left behind," he muttered as he stared at her. Lily felt an odd sensation under his stare, as if she were comfortable being as honest as possible.
"I guess. I mean, most of my family are Muggles, and it can be annoying explaining everything," Lily muttered, peering down at her feet. "But this is where I belong, right? I can't really change it."
A silence fell, and Lily continued to feel Severus peer at her. She wondered if she sounded crazy. She hardly spoke to anyone about such things, but here she was with a boy she hardly knew. Severus didn't seem like the type to care or even listen. Hell, her own friends hardly did. But a part of her felt at ease with him, like he would not judge her for whatever she said.
"My dad's a muggle," he finally said, turning his gaze away from the girl and towards some birds skipping in the courtyard. He had a melancholy tone to his voice that caused Lily to feel sympathetic. She doubted he would want sympathy.
"Oh, I thought you were..."
"Pureblood?" he cut in. "Nope. To them, I'm simply tainted meat. My mum had me and ruined her chances with the purebloods."
Severus seemed to grow angry at the thought, clenching his hand into a fist as his eyes narrowed. "But who needs them?" he muttered, and Lily was sure he was measuring himself rather than talking to her.
"Do you know your dad?" Lily asked, and the boy simply shook his head.
"My mum hardly speaks about him, but I'm sure he's out there," Severus muttered. "I'll find him one day, just to see him."
Lily watched as the boy beside her seemed to fall into his thoughts, his dark eyes refusing to meet hers. She awkwardly placed her hand on his shoulder, and the boy turned. Several minutes of silence passed, and Severus finally let out a small chuckle. He apologized for getting soppy, and Lily simply told him that she didn't mind. Inside, she enjoyed the fact that someone was willing to have a meaningful talk with her and listen to her.
"You ain't half bad at listening, Red," Severus joked, and Lily raised a brow.
"Can't help it when you spill your personal issues on me," she quipped back, and Severus chuckled before getting to his feet.
"Best keep it to yourself, or else," he said, smiling, and Lily shrugged.
"You'll have to throw in an incentive."
Severus smirked and bent down towards her. Her face went red when he got close, and Severus simply let out a small chuckle before placing his hands into his pockets and walking off. She watched him leave, and despite his talk with her, Lily still couldn't get her head around Severus Prince.
Jane strolled around the messy common room. It was late into the night, and most people had passed out from excessive celebrating. Some had collapsed by a tower of empty firewhisky bottles, while others were asleep on the couches. She looked towards the entrance and noticed Wilkes slip out of the room. Curious about where he was heading at this time, Jane followed him out. The hallway was already empty. He couldn't have gotten far, she thought as she followed behind him. She kept a good distance, but the darkness made following the boy harder.
Jane followed Wilkes as he swiftly made his way past the library. He went up towards the isolated halls of the first floor, where he came to a stop beside a large cabinet. Jane hid around the corner. Peeking, she saw Wilkes pull out what seemed to be a mirror. She listened closely as she heard the light whispers of Wilkes's voice ring through the empty hall.
"It's me," Jane heard him say, and there was a response from the mirror. The voice was low and unrecognizable to Jane.
"Hogsmeade, in two months' time?" Jane heard. It seemed like Wilkes was surprised, but that feeling soon faded as he listened to the voice on the other side and responded that he understood.
"What about Prince?" Jane felt her heartbeat in her ears at the mention of Severus. When she first promised to keep an eye on Wilkes, she thought it was nothing. But it seemed that there were bigger forces at play. The voice in the mirror responded, and Wilkes hissed in anger.
"That's not possible. Why would our master be interested in the runt?"
The voice seemed to respond harshly. Wilkes immediately apologized in response, muttering something under his breath.
"I understand. I will gather the other Knights to discuss this," Jane heard him mutter before he pulled out a rusty old key from his pocket and placed it into the cabinet. Muttering a spell that Jane could not hear, he opened the cabinet to find it empty.
"It works,"Jane heard him mutter to the mirror.
Jane didn't take her chance, choosing to sneak off before Wilkes finished his secret meeting. The walk back was just as quiet. She slipped back into the common room, muttering that she had gone to the toilet when asked where she had been. Wilkes soon walked in. Jane watched as he walked over to those who were in the Knights and muttered something. The boys he talked to nodded in response, and Wilkes walked towards the boys' dorm.
Jane felt a sense of unease stir inside her. She silently watched those around her; the odd glance between the boys Wilkes spoke to made her frown. They were planning something. It seemed at first that Wilkes was in charge, but she had found out there was someone beyond that—someone lurking in the shadows, someone aiming for Severus.