The Importance of Being Severus Snape

The Importance of Being Severus Snape

Prologue

He could smell her fragrance as she leaned over to inspect her brewing potion. It was sweet, calming. She was probably born with that fragrance, and that's how her parents chose her name.

Lily.

He peeked over at her out of the corner of his eye. She chewed on some strands of her red hair as she measured out the correct amount of toadstool and sprinkled it into her cauldron.

He thought she was beautiful.

He thought she was smart.

But how smart could she be, to get herself entangled with that insufferable Potter?

"Oh, wonderful, Lily! Wonderful!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed, cheeks and ears turning pink with excitement. "You have a natural talent for Potions, and I'm sure you'll pass your NEWT with flying colors!" Slughorn peered into Snape's cauldron, gave him a curt nod, and scurried over to Peter Pettigrew's table where a strange, pink fog was emerging from his cauldron.

Mudblood! Snape thought to himself, as Lily concentrated on grinding some pomegranate seeds. But really, only a small part of him wanted to call her that. She may be muggle-born, but was as bright as any pureblood. Possibly brighter. Plus, she was one of the select few who truly appreciated the fine art of potion making. She was perfect. But he had to call her mudblood, had to use that defense mechanism. Otherwise, he would fall.

Truth was, he had already fallen.

Fallen hard.

But she was entangled with that insufferable Potter!

And that simply would not do.

He made some notes in the margins of his textbook. He scrunched up his nose, deep in thought, and brought it closer to the book to block wandering eyes from his new spell. The tips of his greasy hair skimmed the pages, leaving the faint trace of oil. A wizard could only take so much, could only stand so much, and then he had to fight back. And fight back he would! He would make them all pay; make them all regret the day they heard of Severus Snape!

Chapter One

there's always one reason to feel not good enough

The whistle to Hogwarts Express blew, the shrilly noise causing Severus Snape to lift his shoulders in an attempt to cover his ears. This was it. The last time he would have to ride the train to Hogwarts. The last time the horseless carriages would cross the grounds and take him up to the castle. The last time he would have to endure his classmates' taunting.

Hopefully.

Platform 9 ¾ was as crowded as always on September 1. First years shuffled their feet, looking nervous while their mothers fidgeted, anxious and emotional with the pending departure from Kings Cross. Upperclassmen, excited and jittery, chased each other on the platform to work off their excess energy and blow some steam before the long trip to school.

And then there was that foursome. The Marauders they called themselves. They stood around, joking, laughing and pretending they weren't calling everyone's attention to themselves on purpose. They loved every minute of it though.

"Mum, really. My collar can't get any straighter than it already is!" said an exasperated James as he ran his hands through his untidy hair, in the hopes of making it untidier. "Come on! Everyone is staring at me!"

"James, you're Head Boy. It's important you present yourself well. You represent Hogwarts!" Mrs. Potter said. She was a fair woman, both in demeanor and complexion. Despite being a few heads shorter than her son, her presence was much larger and felt by those around her. She was respected and admired by many, not just for her skills as a witch, but for her kind heart as well. Standing back to admire her handiwork, she finally decided her son's collar indeed couldn't get any straighter. "Merlin! I don't know what Professor Dumbledore was thinking, appointing you."

"Reckon he must've had a little too much butterbeer." A playful smile appeared on Sirius Black's face. James had a sneaking suspicion it was intended for the blond Ravenclaw a few feet away, rather than himself.

"Thanks, Padfoot. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Truth be told, James was quite nervous about his appointment as Head Boy, and had been scratching his head trying to figure out what possessed Dumbledore to make this choice ever since the owl delivered his badge. Surely he didn't think James could keep the rest of the Marauders under control. Heck, if Moony couldn't do that during their fifth year, no one could.

"Hey, what are mates for?" Sirius slung an arm around James' shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze. "Besides, you do enough flying on the Quidditch Pitch as it is. Someone's got to keep you on the ground everywhere else." He flashed his most brilliant smile and winked at the cute, blonde Ravenclaw as she boarded the train.

"Don't tell me you're getting all emotional over our last year at school. I didn't know you guys were the sentimental type. And you think you know someone..." Remus Lupin greeted the boys with a grin. His pale face was adorned with some healing scratches, but there was no mistaking the twinkle in his eye.

"Look who's talking sentimental," said Sirius, clapping his friend's back in a one-armed hug. "You know I call you 'Moony' because of the way you moon over me."

"Oh, yes, I bay at the moon at the thought of your irresistible Black charm." Remus rolled his eyes and turned towards James. He caught sight of the badge on his school robes and raised an eyebrow. "Head Boy, huh? Reckon Dumbledore's had a little too much butterbeer, if you ask me."

"Did you tell him to say that?" an exasperated James asked Sirius. He didn't get an answer though, as his mates were too consumed with laughter to respond. When they failed to calm down he said, "Keep this up and you'll be spending your nights with Filch in detention!"

"Oooh, did you hear that Moony? We'll be in detention." Sirius pretended to tremble with fear.

"Tsk, tsk, Prongs. You're not setting a very good example for me. You wouldn't want your prefects to just start handing out detentions now, would you? Besides, what would your mother say if she knew you were abusing your power before you even set foot on the train?" Remus raised his voice, hoping Mrs. Potter, who was nearby talking to his mother, might overhear him.

As luck would have it, she did.

"Excuse me, Emma," she said to Mrs. Lupin. She approached her son and his friends. Her face was stern but there was a twinkle of playfulness in her eyes. "James, I hope I didn't hear Remus correctly. Already handing out detentions!" Her son looked down at the pavement, awaiting his scolding, but instead his mother turned to Sirius. "And here I was hoping I would be sending you only one Howler per term."

Sirius' jaw dropped, and James and Remus laughed at the expression on his face. Mrs. Potter loved Sirius like a son, which meant directing some good-natured teasing his way now and again.

Sirius quickly recovered and smiled. "Only one? Aww, Mrs. P., you know how much I look forward to your Howlers!"

The older woman smiled. "Be that as it may, I want you all to mind yourselves and be careful. I'm serious. These days it's dangerous enough as it is. I don't want you deliberately putting yourselves in harm's way."

The trio exchanged glances. They never set much store by the rules, especially James and Sirius. But these were not the days of their first few years at Hogwarts. The threat had increased and many of their classmates had lost family members. It would be hard to ignore the thrill of the risks they loved to take, so they nodded their heads at Mrs. Potter, but refused to make promises they weren't sure they could keep.

"Very well. The train will be leaving soon. Do you all have everything?"

"Yes, Mum."

"Yes, Mrs. P."

"Yes, Mrs. Potter."

"Then you should get on board and find yourselves seats," she instructed with emotion in her voice. Her boys were off to their final year at Hogwarts. And while she promised herself before they left Godric's Hollow she wouldn't cry, she felt the rebel tears forming anyway.

"Peter's saving a compartment for us," Sirius told her. "So we're all set."

"Oh, honestly! The way you boys treat him! Why didn't you save seats?" she asked her son, her mouth set tight and one eyebrow raised.

"Mum, it's okay. He offered. Besides, you were straightening my collar." James sighed. His mother was always lecturing him on how to treat his peers. He found it annoying. He had great instincts where people were concerned and never failed to treat them exactly as they deserved.

"Mmm...very well. Come here." She embraced Remus. "Take care, and be careful."

"I will, Mrs. Potter," he said, returning the embrace. He smiled at his friends. "See you on board!" Then he walked over to his mother to say goodbye.

"Oh! My boys!" She pulled both Sirius and James into a big hug. "Now I want you to behave yourselves. No funny business." She swallowed the lump in her throat, wanting to wait until the boys were safely on the train before she let the tears flow.

"Who? Us?" Sirius asked in mock surprise, eyebrows raised, pointing at himself and then James.

"Never!" said James, shaking his head with a smile on his face. "We're perfect angels."

"Angels? Ha! That'll be the day." Mrs. Potter smiled and then embraced Sirius. "Have a great seventh year. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too, Mrs. P." Sirius nearly choked on his words, emotion flooding his voice. It wasn't the first time he wished he and James were really brothers, wished he was the Potters' son as well. But the lack of blood relation didn't stop him from feeling comforted and safe in the older woman's arms.

She pulled away, stroking his hair while looking him in the eyes. "You'll be careful?" He nodded. "Good. Now go get on the train," she instructed, patting his bottom.

As Sirius Black boarded the train, Mrs. Potter approached her son. "I can't believe it. My baby boy is all grown."

"Mum, please don't get all emotional. I'll be fine. We all will," James assured her, pulling her into a tight embrace. He shut his eyes tight, committing the moment to memory.

His mother squeezed him, as if hanging on for dear life. "I know you will. I just can't believe you're all grown, that this is the last time I'll see you off to school. Where did the time go?" She sniffled and pulled away from her son. She rummaged through her handbag, withdrew a hankie and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with it. "Your father and I couldn't be prouder of you, James. We couldn't ask for a better son. I love you so much." She kissed his cheek and then tousled his hair. "Now go get on the train before I really fall apart. Go!"

"I love you too, Mum." James bent down and his kissed his mother on the cheek, then turned and walked towards the train. He found Lily Evans, fellow Gryffindor, Head Girl, and keeper of his heart waiting for him.

"Is that your Mum?" she asked.

James nodded and waved at his mother. "Sure is," he said. He flashed a brilliant smile at Lily and boarded the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross for the last time.

Further down on Platform 9 ¾ a very different scene was unfolding. Severus Snape was double-checking the lock on his school trunk while his mother, Eileen Prince Snape, stood with her arms folded across her chest, foot tapping and an impatient expression on her face. "Oh, for Merlin's sake!" shouted his mother, throwing her hands up in the air. "No one is going to pilfer through your trunk and take your precious chemistry set. Now hurry up or you're going to miss the train."

Severus stood up to his full height and peered down at his mother, a sneer on his face. "Well, now, we wouldn't want that, right? Then I'd have to go back home with you." He folded his arms across his chest, feet spread shoulder-width apart, and with a penetrating stare dared his mother to say otherwise.

Home, if you could call it that, was a nightmare at best. His mother did what she could, sheltered and protected him as best she could. But it wasn't much, mainly because she couldn't even manage to protect herself. It just wasn't good enough. But then again, was anything ever good enough in the Snape household? His father was emotionally distant to the point of non-existent. He was always tired, always aggravated, and his fists and sharp tongue were the only ways he knew to let off steam. One parent didn't know him, and the other just didn't understand him. No one did.

The expression on Eileen's face softened when she saw the heat and anger in her only child's eyes. Sometimes, at a quick first glance, it was a bit like looking in a mirror: same sallow skin, same black hair, same thin lips, and same dark eyes, dark as night. But what she saw in her son's eyes tended to frighten her. He was much too young to be this angry, this jaded. He should be excited about his last year at Hogwarts. He should be running up and down the platform with his friends.

He should have friends.

Eileen Prince Snape was completely unprepared for motherhood. Everything about it caught her off-guard: the physical symptoms of moodiness and nausea; how the magic in her unborn child conflicted with her own, resulting in household items suddenly bursting into flames or shattering to pieces; and the swelling of her heart, full with love, along with a strong desire to do anything to protect her son. And that's why she had limited his interaction with other children when he was small. How would she explain to the other mothers in the Muggle village why little Johnny's nose had suddenly grown? Or how little Suzy's doll split in two, right down the middle? So she kept him safe, kept him with her, where he belonged.

It immediately became clear on his first holiday home from Hogwarts this course of action had backfired. Instead of excited and chatty like the rest of his classmates, Severus sulked as he disembarked the train. His shoulders stooped and his gaze fixed on the ground, he didn't make eye contact when she called his name and failed to return her embrace. He spent the summer holidays locked up in his room, experimenting with the chemistry set his father had given him first term, coming out only for meals. To her knowledge, he didn't receive any owls that summer, or any holidays following.

Her son was a loner.

"You know that's not true, Severus," Eileen said softly, her arms dropping to her sides and taking a step towards her son. She sighed. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. This isn't easy for me, you know. You're of age and entering your last year at Hogwarts. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself now."

"Really? Are there no extracurricular activities you could become involved in?

"Severus!" his mother whispered, but her tone was firm and filled with authority. "Watch yourself," she warned.

He nodded in response, his greasy hair falling in his face. "Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll find a way to occupy your spare time." The Hogwarts Express whistle blew, signaling the last call before departure. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to board the train." He turned quickly, his black school robes billowing.

"Severus!" Eileen called out again, a faint hint of desperation in her voice. She refused to allow him to leave in this manner, to just board the train like it was nothing, like this wasn't the last time they'd see each other. Because she knew, knew deep down, her son would not be returning home at the end of the year.

This was the last time she would see her son.

"Severus!" she called out for a third time. But it was too late. Her pleas were too late. He didn't stop, didn't even slow down, but did manage to raise his hand in acknowledgement. And then he boarded the Hogwarts Express without so much as a glance back.

~*~

"This 'patrols' business is not how I envisioned my last ride to Hogwarts," James said, a scowl on his otherwise handsome face.

"James, you've been riding the Hogwarts Express for how long? You must have noticed the Head Boy and Girl making rounds. Remus did them, too. How can you be so surprised?" Lily asked, her patience wearing thin. They had only been past a few compartments, but James had whined non-stop from the moment he stood up. She wasn't so sure she'd be able patrol the rest of the train without casting a Silencing Charm on him.

"I suppose I'm more annoyed than surprised, really. But seriously, Lily, you can't tell me you'd rather be patrolling than in a compartment with your friends." He gave her a pleading look, hoping to tug her heartstrings a bit. Maybe then she wouldn't mind speeding up the patrols so he could resume his game of Exploding Snap with Sirius. He had a tournament to win.

Lily sighed in defeat. "All right, all right. We'll make this round quick. But the next one will be thorough, no ifs, ands or buts about it." She poked him in the chest with her wand for good measure, just to make sure he knew she meant business.

"Hey! Take it easy on the new guy!" James covered her hand with his and lowered her wand. "It's going to take some time to completely convert from troublemaker to model student. These things don't just happen overnight." He took a step closer and smiled, the pounding of his heart picking up speed. Truth was, he didn't mind the patrols quite so much, as long as he was with Lily. He had fancied her for what seemed like forever, but really since the Sorting Ceremony first year. However, unlike the majority of the girls attending Hogwarts, she wasn't so taken by his charm. And the more he tried to win her over, the less she seemed interested, until finally he gave up. He swore to Sirius before they left Godric's Hollow this term would be different; no more chasing after Lily Evans.

But that didn't mean he fancied her any less.

"Honestly, I'll be surprised it if happens at all." She brushed her red hair off her shoulder and resumed walking down the corridor. "I have to say, Potter, I nearly hit the floor when I heard you'd been made Head Boy."

"Oh, it's Potter now, eh?"

"Reckon Professor Dumbledore's been hittin' the butterbeer."

James stopped abruptly and threw his hands up in air. "Blimey! You're the third person to say that today! Why is it such a surprise? I get good marks, I'm on the Quidditch team! You'd think I was a slouch who couldn't even manage to scrape an 'A' in Muggle Studies!"

Lily's eyes widened. She'd never seen such an outburst from her fellow Gryffindor. He was always so calm, cool and collected. His specialty was ruffling others' feathers. This James, the James who cared what others thought of him, the James with a hint of vulnerability, was a side of him she'd never been privy to. And she had to say, she liked it. "I'm sorry, James. I was just messin' with you. I didn't mean anything by it. Really," she added, when the look on his face indicated he had yet to be convinced.

"I can do this, you know. I--" James started to say, but a crash from a nearby compartment prevented him from finishing his thought. He turned around and peered in. He could feel Lily close behind him, trying to look over his shoulder. He closed his eyes in an effort to concentrate on the matter in front of him, and not the pretty redhead behind him. When he opened his eyes, he had to stifle laughter at the scene before him.

It appeared Sirius and Remus had been wrestling. Both were now on the floor, Remus lying on his belly, one arm pinned behind his back by Sirius, who sitting on top of him. Remus was using his free arm to poke Sirius with his wand, in the hope annoying him enough to let go. They must have gone back and forth from seat to seat before settling on the floor, though, because one of their trunks had fallen from the overhead luggage rack. Robes and textbooks were strewn all over, and there was a pair of knickers on Peter's head.

James caved in and burst out laughing.

"Honestly, James, it's not funny. Someone could get hurt!" Lily grabbed the door handle and made a move to open it.

He grabbed her hand to stop her. "No, they're fine. They do this all time. Let's just leave them be."

"Leave them be?" Lily asked, horrified. "James, you can't be serious. They could get hurt. And besides, it's against the rules to be rough-housing on the train." She grabbed the door handle again. "You can't do this, just let them get away with everything because they're your friends."

"Lily, really, leave them be. I have no intention of just letting them get away with anything. But they're only letting off some steam and not hurting anyone. Let's just finish our rounds and I'll take care of it when I get back." His eyes pleaded her to agree. He understood what she was saying, but just this once, she was wrong. Sirius was smiling, he was laughing. He deserved that every once in a while, and he had no intention of letting her interrupt it.

"James, look at them!" Lily folded her arms across her chest, a stern expression on her face. "This is unacceptable. What would your mother say if she knew? Or Sirius's mother, for that matter?"

"My mother would be happy to see him smiling. And his mother hasn't spoken to him in two years. You think she cares if he breaks a few lousy rules?" James sighed and pulled on his hair out of frustration. He had said more than he wanted to. Sirius's relationship with his mother was nobody's business, certainly not Lily's. Resigned to the fact he had some explaining to do, he led her by her elbow down the corridor. "Look, you can't tell anyone..."

"I won't," she promised, her eyes filled with concern. The expression on James's face had her worried. He looked pained and stressed.

"Sirius hasn't lived with his family since fifth year. His parents are into that pureblood nonsense. She called him a blood-traitor and he moved out. He has a house of his own now, but he spends holidays with my family in Godric's Hollow." There. Now she knew. "It's no secret he thinks all that pureblood business is rubbish, but no one knows he's left home, with the exception of Remus, Peter and Dumbledore." He sighed. "And now you."

"And now me," Lily said softly. She looked down at the floor. Her sister, Petunia, had always told her she was too persistent for her own good, that one day she would learn things she didn't want to know. It appeared that day had arrived. She swallowed hard, trying to digest the words James had spoken. They left a sour taste in her mouth. Purebloods, blood-traitors, mudbloods; she'd heard talk of it before. But she never took it seriously. Surely not one witch or wizard with an ounce of common sense would put stock in such rubbish! It seemed that was not the case, though. The Black family was an old and prominent one, and here one of their own had left. It made everything happening around them much more real. The threat was real. A threat that was, in general, against her.

"Hey," James said softly. He reached out and touched her chin, raising her head so her eyes met his own. "It's okay. I trust you. And not everyone thinks like Sirius's family. He's the only one in the lot that's not a nutter. It'll be okay. You'll be okay." So many emotions raced through his veins, mixed with his blood, traveled to his heart. And his heart ached for her. She was so smart, pretty, full of life. He could see the loyalty and bravery in her eyes. But there was also that flicker of fear, fear that someone would end it all, simply because her parents were Muggles. It made him heat up with anger, his temperature rising until he thought steam might pour from his ears. He closed his eyes to gather his bearings. He exhaled and when he opened them, he saw Lily's shining with tears. He put his arm through hers and started walking down the corridor. "Come on. Let's get you to loo to freshen up."

"No, no," said Lily, removing her arm from James's. "I'm fine, really," she insisted, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her robes. "Let's just hurry up and finish."

"Are you sure?" James asked, sounding doubtful, concern all over his face.

"I'm positive." She shook her head in an attempt the clear it and inhaled, closing her eyes. She held her breath for a moment before exhaling loudly. She opened her eyes. "Let's go," Lily said, and resumed walking down the corridor.

James watched her walk, shaking his head in disbelief. He wasn't sure if it was her Gryffindor bravery or just female stubbornness, but either way, he could tell Lily hated losing control over her emotions. And while part of him understood, another part of him worried. At times like these, it was no good to bottle everything up. He had his hands full as it was with Sirius, and it looked now like he would have to keep an eye on Lily, too. He started to follow her, peaking into each compartment as he passed by. He stopped short, though, at the sight of one to his left.

A greasy, dark-haired boy had the space to himself. His head was bent over a textbook and he was muttering to himself. James stared at him intently, concentrating on his lips, trying to figure out the words. If Snivellus was muttering to himself, surely no good would come of it. No good ever came of anyone that enthralled with, that knowledgeable of the Dark Arts.

"James!" Lily hissed, breaking him out of his trance. He looked at the Head Girl, startled. He knew what she would say, knew she would disapprove. He never could seem to get her to see Snivellus for who he really was. Maybe this year he would finally be successful.

"Shh!" he whispered, bringing a finger to his lips. He waved her over with his other hand, and looked into the compartment again. His classmate was still muttering to himself, more quickly this time. He was sitting up straight now, his eyes closed. No doubt imagining a scenario when he could use the spell. "One day, Snivellus. One day..." James whispered to himself.

"One day what?" Lily asked, standing next to him and peering into the compartment. When she realized who occupied it, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly, James. Can't you just leave him alone for once? He's not bothering anyone."

"Not yet, anyway."

"What is this fascination you have with Severus?"

James snorted. "I'd hardly call it fascination. It's more like concern for my fellow students."

"Oh? And that's why you act like a complete prat, teasing and bullying him mercilessly? What has he ever done to you?" She turned to face James, a fire in her eyes. Lily thought of herself as a tolerant person, but she had no tolerance or patience for the weak being picked on and abused.

"Nothing. I just don't trust him. Anyone who knows as much about the Dark Arts as he does is trouble. And I certainly didn't appreciate his treatment of Peter and Remus first year. My gut has never let me down, and my gut tells me Snivellus is trouble." James met Lily's gaze, a fire burning in his own eyes. He had that Gryffindor loyalty, had it in spades. He had no tolerance for the mistreatment of his friends, and all Snivellus had ever done was mistreat those he deemed weaker than him. James and Sirius made it their personal mission to ensure the Slytherin received the same treatment, ten-fold.

"Well, tell your gut to pipe down and leave him be for now. I don't wish to start the year by breaking up a duel between you and Snape. So let's just move along." She tugged on the Head Boy's elbow, trying to get him to follow her. "James!" she hissed. "Let's go!"

"All right, all right," he responded, admitting defeat, for now. Nothing out of the ordinary appeared to be happening in the compartment. But still, he would keep an eye out. "But take my word for it; he's trouble."

"But take my word for it; he's trouble," Severus mimicked, sarcasm in his voice and a sneer on his face. "You haven't begun to understand the meaning of the word 'trouble,' Potter!" He slammed his textbook, a worn copy of Spells, Jinxes and Curses: The Ones Your Mother Warned You About, shut. It wasn't easy, sneaking into Knockturn Alley to buy it, but he was finding the book to be well worth the effort. Not that he really needed it. He was quite adept at composing his own, original spells. But it never hurt to familiarize oneself with the basics, either. And now was as a good a time as any, now that they were on the brink of war.

The war. Perhaps it was senseless, meaningless. Perhaps this new side, the Dark Side, and its leader, would fail. But what mattered was being -- or at least appearing to be -- on the right side when the smoke cleared. And that's why he bought this old book and a few others in Knockturn Alley on that hazy day in August. If there was one thing his father had taught him, it was to be prepared for anything. Come to think of it, his father managed to teach him two things. (Imagine that!) The second one being never, ever, displays your emotions to anyone. Keep it all to yourself. Emotions are a weakness and will be used against you. And that's why he had dodged his mother, pretended to take a wrong turn on the way to Flourish & Botts. He needed to be prepared, and he knew Hogwarts would not teach him what he needed to know.

He would have to rely on himself, as usual.

And if it so happened that someone was targeted during this war, found himself outnumbered and at the mercy of someone stronger and more powerful, well...so be it. The war, no matter what the outcome, will have been worth it.

This was not his initial plan, to get revenge. Or maybe it was, but it was only now that a way, a means to an end, was presenting itself. Regardless, Severus recognized this was his chance; he'd be a fool not to see it. Sure, he'd made some mistakes in the past, tripped more times than he'd care to admit, along he way. But this was a new time, a new beginning. And he wasn't going to screw this up, not like he did before...

Eleven-year-old Severus Snape peered into the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express and gave a huge sigh of relief. Every other compartment had either been full, or its passengers made it abundantly clear he was not welcomed. He really didn't have much choice, the option to sit anywhere else, but he knew that wouldn't be an issue. He could take these two, if need be.

The two young boys quietly sat across from each other, hands folded in their laps, incredibly nervous expressions on their faces. The one on the right was lanky, as if he had missed a meal or two. If he had to describe him with one word, it would be 'shabby.' His robes were worn and faded, the hem at the bottom beginning to unravel and the edge of the sleeves were frayed. His face looked worn, giving the impression he was much older and had seen and experienced more than your average eleven-year-old.

The other boy was short, his feet unable to touch the floor. He was chubby, definitely never missed a meal, and his beady eyes darted back and forth. He had rodent-like features and his bottom lip quivered. He was a crybaby, no doubt.

Severus heaved a sigh and opened the compartment door. "Do you mind?" he asked, but failed to wait for an answer before taking a seat next to the chubby boy. They sat in silence for a few moments, and he rolled his eyes. "I'm Severus Snape," he introduced himself, sizing the boys up again. He concluded his initial assessment of them to be an accurate one.

"Remus Lupin," said the lanky boy, sizing up the new passenger in return. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the greasy-haired, hook-nosed boy sitting across from him, but the sudden chill in the compartment couldn't have been a good sign.

"I'm Peter Pettigrew." The chubby boy extended a hand for Severus to shake. Mrs. Pettigrew always said 'manners matter.' "Are you a first year, too?" He looked at the hook-nosed boy anxiously, nervously. He had to make some friends on this train. Just had to. Otherwise, he'd be picked on by his fellow classmates for sure.

Severus eyed Peter's hand cautiously and sneered. "No, I'm an eighth year." He rolled his eyes at this chubby boy's simple-mindedness. He would undoubtedly be an easy target, an incredible pushover.

"Eighth year? I thought Hogwarts was a seven-year school." Peter looked at Severus with a mixture of confusion and awe. It would be most beneficial to be friendly with an older student.

"It is," Remus interrupted, picking at a scab on the back of his hand. "I believe our traveling companion was simply being sarcastic." He scrutinized the sallow-skinned boy closely. There was something in his eyes, a flicker of something cold and sinister, something making him untrustworthy in Remus' eyes.

"Oh." Crestfallen and embarrassed, Peter hung his, staring at his hands, fingers wringing nervously. Surely, this was not the way to go about making friends. "I should have known," he mumbled, feeling the heat rise in his chubby cheeks.

"Nonsense!" Remus said, attempting to put the boy at ease. "Anyone would have been hard-pressed to find the humor in our traveling companion's voice." He turned his direction towards Severus, hoping to convey what he thought of bullies in one single glance.

"And only a select few can appreciate the subtleties, such as sarcasm," Severus sneered. Oh! To be making such a long trip with ignorant fools! They weren't worthy to study magic! "What, if any, magic can you perform?" he asked, delicately removing his wand from the pocket inside his robes.

"Magic? We're not allowed to do magic; at least not intentionally anyway," Peter replied, eying Severus' wand with a mixture of awe and fear. He coughed. "At least that's what my mother told me," he amended, not wanting to appear as a tattletale.

"How unfortunate," Severus said. "My mother, on the other hand, has been preparing me for my education at Hogwarts for as long as I can remember. For example," he cleared his throat, pursed his lips in concentration, muttered an incantation under his breath, and waved his wand with a flick of his wrist.

There was a flash of light, temporarily blinding the boys. Peter let out a shriek, and Remus immediately shook his head in an attempt to regain focus. He blinked three times, not believing his eyes. Bogies -- the size of bats -- were fluttering around the compartment and attacking Peter's face. His eyes narrowed and he turned to Severus. "What did you do?"

"Just giving our friend here a small demonstration of what magic can do." A sinister smile crept onto Severus' face.

"You're nobody's friend," Remus replied. He turned to Peter, whose arms were flailing about, and tried to help him swat the bogies away. "I'm sorry I don't know a reversal spell. Is there one?" he asked Severus, knowing the boy wouldn't give him an answer, one way or the other.

"Finite incantatem!"

The flying bogies disappeared and the three boys turned to see who had cast the spell. Standing in the doorway of the compartment were two young boys who looked to be first years as well. A dark-haired boy stood in front. His eyes were blazing with anger, but despite his obvious rage his hand was steady as he pointed his wand towards the sallow-skinned, hook-nosed boy. Behind him stood a lanky boy with black hair sticking up at odd angles. He had piercing brown eyes, their intensity in no way diminished by his wire-rimmed glasses. "Nice spell," the bespeckled boy commented to the one standing in front of him.

"Thanks. I never leave the noble house of Black without it." The boy laughed before redirecting his attention. "You know, if there's one thing I hate, it's a bully." He narrowed his eyes at the sallow-skinned, hook-nosed boy with greasy hair. 'Shouldn't be too hard to keep him in check,' he thought to himself. After all, if there was one thing his family taught him, it was how to knock someone down a few pegs.

"You and me both," said the bespeckled boy. He leaned over and offered a hand to Peter, who had been knocked down to the floor. "James Potter," he introduced himself. "And this is Sirius Black."

"Peter Pettigrew," the lump of a boy replied, exhaling a sigh of relief. These two boys were the kind he should be friendly with, who'd be handy to have on his side. "And thanks." He offered the boys a shy smile, a sign of his gratefulness.

"Don't mention it," Sirius replied, his gaze and wand never wavering from Severus. "It was my pleasure."

"I'm Remus Lupin," the lanky boy introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Remus," James replied. "Who's your friend?" he asked, nodding his head in Severus's direction, who had not moved since Sirius turned his wand on him.

"Severus Snape. And he's no friend of ours."

"Good call," Sirius commented. He redirected his attention back to Severus. "Just what did you think you were doing?"

"Giving the boys a demonstration," Severus replied. The expression on his face was calm and his voice was as cold as ice. But there was something in his eyes; they appeared to be almost seething with a mixture of hate and anger.

"With the Bat-Bogey Hex? You couldn't think of another spell to use?" James jumped in. He wasn't expecting an answer, though. At least not one he would like. Someone who would hex classmates he just met was no good, plain and simple.

"It was the first spell that came to mind." Severus shrugged and a careless smile slithered onto his face.

"I'll bet," Sirius scoffed. "Hey! A spell just came to my mind! Petrificus totalus!" He smiled in triumph as Severus's body went rigid and then fell backwards onto the floor of the compartment. "That ought to teach him a lesson."

"What did you do?" Peter asked with a mixture of horror and awe.

"Don't sweat it," James said. "It's not permanent. But he'll be like that long enough for you two to join us in our compartment. We've got an Exploding Snap tournament going on. Don't worry," he added, seeing the dubious expression on Remus's face. "He'll come out of it before we reach Hogwarts."

"You really think it was a good idea to hex him back, though?" Remus asked. He was sure there would be retribution for this. There was no way this boy would take it lying down, no pun intended.

"Definitely," James said, nodding his head to reinforce his opinion. "He has to know he can't just go running around the Hogwarts Express hexing people. It's not civilized. Nice choice, by the way," he complimented Sirius, clapping him on the back.

"Yeah, my mother would be so proud," Sirius replied, a frown on his otherwise boyish good looks.

"You're being sarcastic, right?" Peter asked, hoping he was right. The last time he was wrong his own bogies attacked his face.

"Unfortunately, no."

"Here, let me help you with your trunk," James offered. He reached up to the overhead rack and helped Peter bring the large piece of luggage down. Sirius turned and helped Remus bring his trunk down, as well. "Ready to go? We should get to our compartment before the trolley comes."

"Don't you mean before he comes to?" Peter asked, looking at Severus lying of the floor, stiff as a board, with trepidation. He feared there would be retaliation for this, and as one of the weaker of this newfound foursome, he would definitely be a target.

"Yeah, that too." Sirius shrugged. "Say goodbye to your little friend. Time to move on to greener pastures."

"Goodbye little friend," Peter said with a sing-song voice in a moment of bravery, waving to the boy on the floor, taunting him.

The boys laughed as they rolled the trunks out of the compartment. Sirius led the way, explaining the finer points of Exploding Snap to Peter and Remus. James paused in the doorway, though, and turned to get one last look at Severus.

"See ya. Git."

Then he slammed the compartment door shut.

Severus drummed his fingers on his book, frowning furiously at the memory. This time...this time would be different. This time, he would not be the one to end up on the floor.

* Chapter One subtitle from Sarah McLachlan's "Angel."