Snape the Younger

Authors Header Notes

I have written about Severus and Remus in previous novels, as adults and after the defeat but Severus Snape has always fascinated me so I thought I'd give him a voice and a back story. This is a series of short pieces that add up to a fairly substantial novel length fic but each 'chapter' can be read individually.

I have a new beta now, thank you Nathanial for stepping up, brave, brave person! Hopefully we can solve continuity problems and perhaps even conquer the comma dilemma between us.

The reason these notes are here is because they did not come in, in the original submission so I put them in later. Read on, enjoy and please, review, review, review. Thanks.

Bursting into the common room, Severus rushed through to his own room, the door slamming and locking itself after him.

"What's up with the blackbird?" someone voiced in surprise as the breeze of his passage dissipated.

Evan Rosier shook his head and shrugged as he pulled himself out of his armchair and lounged off toward the dorms. Knocking softly on Severus' door, he waited a few moments before trying the door handle. It didn't move, not even for a silently cast unlocking spell. Shaking his head in disinterested defeat, Rosier returned to the common room with a shrug. When Severus was in a temper it was usually best to leave him alone, unless you wanted to be hexed into oblivion. Quite a few of the teachers thought Snape was not very good at wand magic, and they were right, as far as they went. What they never seemed to realise was Snape didn't need to be any better than he was because what he knew was stronger and more vicious than anything the idiotic teachers would ever try to teach them. Wandering back into the common room, Evan settled back into a comfortable chair and continued to fire-watch, dosing before bedtime.

Severus lay sprawled carelessly on his bed, a pillow pulled over his head. He knew it was childish but for many years it was the only way he knew how to muffle sobs so his father - or worse, his grandmother - wouldn't hear his tears. He hated the weakness crying betrayed but knew no other way to get rid of the built up fear and hatred. It had served him well in enduring his past 'training' and it served him well now as he was betrayed by the one person he thought was incorruptible! Professor Dumbledore, the great adjudicator, had virtually told him his life was worthless, that he had better shut up and keep silent on the topic of his near murder at the 'hands' of fellow students.

Oh, he hadn't used those words, he had used words like 'prejudice', 'Ministry Edicts', 'expulsion' and of course 'silent secrecy or else'. All it really meant was that the Golden Gryffindors were to be released without penalty because a Slytherin's death was not worthy of consideration.

~~*~~

When he finally awoke, the sun was trying to peer in at the tiny window high in the wall of his room. He felt rumpled and dirty; and snotty, if he was perfectly honest. Grabbing clean clothes and a towel, he stormed out of his room and into the showers. Tossing his dirty robes aside, he untied ties and pulled tabs, tossing his very correct wizarding robes onto the tiles. He hated the confines of the under-robes and had managed to purchase a couple of pairs of Muggle-style underpants. It was not such a crime, or at least, it hadn't been until bloody Black and his gang of thugs had gotten hold of him. Damned bastard!

Last night his world had been changed for all time. This morning, in the light of day, with the hot water beating down on his head and shoulders, he could think a little more rationally about the situation he had found himself in last evening, full moon to be precise! He had always been curious about where Remus Lupin went every month and why he always looked like last week's cat vomit yet was strong enough to pull a first year out of a hole Peeves conjured under her feet, with one hand. He should have been bright enough to put the pieces together but for some reason he had not managed it.

Sirius Black had volunteered the information that he could find the answer last evening under the Whomping Willow and he had gone, all his learned caution thrown out of the window by his overwhelming curiosity. If not for that other arch bastard, James Potter, he would have been killed, or worse, Turned. That would have really put his grandmother's nose out of joint; a werewolf was not what she had been trying to turn him into until her death last year.

So then he had gone with a perfectly legitimate complaint to Professor Dumbledore expecting justice. And what had happened? Nothing! Sweet Merlin protect him, the old bastard had basically told him to forget the incident if he did not want even worse repercussions. So, the outcome of last night's little adventure was threefold. A Snape's life was worth less than a werewolf's comfort. He owed James Bloody Potter a Life Debt which would have to be repaid in all good conscience. Lastly, Sirius Bleeding Black was getting off with a slapped wrist instead of a one-way trip to Azkaban!

Sighing deeply, Severus flicked off the taps and stepped out of the shower, grabbing his towel and slinging it over his head. As he towelled off his hair, a pair of hands grabbed his waist, pulling him back into a hard body. He reacted without thinking, forcing protego between him and his assaulter, tossing the body aside and almost casting Sectumsempra on him before realising who it was.

"Damn it...! Evan, I could have hexed you into next week!" Severus yelped as his boyfriend sprawled on the tiles in a heap. "Merlin, did you really want to get splattered all over the walls?"

"Oh, you are touchy this morning, did you get out of bed on the wrong side or are you still pissed off about whatever upset you last night?" Evan asked, allowing Severus to pull him to his feet and then stepping closer to lay an exploring hand on Severus' chest. He was so pale and thin it fascinated Evan who was almost a foot shorter and much heavier built than Snape.

Severus sighed and allowed the caress, pulling the shorter boy forward to stroke his hair back from his forehead. He liked Evan well enough and enjoyed their lovemaking, had done for the last eight months but sometimes he knew there was something missing from the relationship. Besides, if his father ever found out Severus was diddling with Evan, he would go berserk! A shiver coursed through him as Evan found the soft skin behind his ear and sucked gently. Damn, the boy knew him too well!

Evan smiled into the pale skin when he felt Severus' reactions, he was so responsive, as if he had never been touched or held before Evan had pulled him down for that first kiss. Oh, he had watched Severus being courted by a couple of the girls around the common room. His complete indifference was a challenge to any female with enough oestrogen in her veins to make her human. It was that very indifference that made Evan bold enough to approach him in the first place, plus a twenty galleon bet from Nott. The rest, as they say, was history! Besides, it was possible to use pillowtalk to persuade Snape to brew rather illegal and very high quality potions every now and then, just for fun, of course, never for profit. Although if a few chaps wanted to contribute to the cost of ingredients, who was he to refuse?

The sound of approaching voices made Evan move back, knowing how sensitive to gossip Severus was. Not that he blamed his friend, he had heard Severus' nightmares on the few occasions they had spent the whole night together. He began to strip even as Severus hurriedly threw on his under-robes before scrubbing at his short stubble of black hair. Evan often wondered why Severus did not grow the half inch stubble to something like a reasonable length but Severus had merely muttered something about not providing hand holds if he could help it.

~~*~~

OWLs were over and sixth year was in full swing, those who had struggled to remember what day of the week it was were sprawled around the common room, moaning and groaning as if they were dying. Those who knew the value of effort were either head down in a textbook or away at the library, boning up as hard as they could as sixth year work laid the basics for their NEWTs. The lucky few were flicking through the pages, making a desultory effort to recap their studies, not really giving a toss about revision.

Severus was bored, as revision was an unnecessary waste of his time, and still steaming angry over Dumbledore's perceived favouritism to those Marauder bastards. He had quite liked Lupin before the night of full moon, liked his quiet studiousness and his shy, almost nervous smile if they encountered each other in the library. In fact, they had shared a book on a number of occasions and had struck sparks off each other when their hands touched in the process of turning pages. Severus had a feeling they could have been more than friends, given half a chance, but then Black and Potter had burst onto the scene with Pettigrew in their wake as usual and that had been the end of that.

Now he knew what Remus was, he did not want anything to do with him, or at least that is what he told himself as he entered the library and found his usual seat in the back of the room. Pulling a book out of his robes, he engorged it and flicked to the page he was interested in. This book was something special in the potions publishing world, the final year book from the College of Potions Makers curriculum and as far as Severus could see, it was pathetically inaccurate. He had already begun revising it, changing various stirring methods, timing and even interchanging potions ingredients. All he needed now was somewhere to brew so he could test his theories. One thing he had discovered very early in his school career was that most people were totally incompetent when it came to the fine art of brewing, and he was not.

A soft step behind him made him turn, his wand half out until he saw who was there; then it came out fully. "Stay away from me, you monster," he hissed bitterly.

Remus Lupin sighed and held both hands up in surrender. "Severus, I can't tell you how sorry I am. Sirius was way out of line the other night, way, way beyond the pale. You know I would never hurt you, if, if I was myself." He dropped his head and bit his lip as if to stop tears falling. "It's not like I want this, not like I want to turn into a monster every month. Merlin knows, I would give anything not to have it happen but, it does and I just have to live with it until it kills me, or the Ministry carts me away to Azkaban, or whatever they have planned for people like me."

"They wait until you turn then chop your head off with a silver axe and display your carcass at the Ministry until it's sent to the Apothecary and turned into potions ingredients," Severus told him viciously. "Azkaban is too good for the likes of you!"

Remus shuddered at the sheer weight of malice in the larger boy's eyes. "Just for the record, Severus, I am glad James saved your life. I would not forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me, and I wouldn't wish this curse on anyone, not even my worst enemy, and you are not my enemy, Severus. I had hoped you would be my friend, but I know that is impossible now. I won't disturb you again, only to say I'm really, really sorry, truly I am." He sighed a shuddering breath and walked away, leaving Severus torn between forgiveness and anger. By the time he decided what he felt Lupin was long gone and the shadows were thick and black.

~~*~~

"Hey Rosier!" the shout was cheerful as footsteps pounded in the corridor and the door was thrust open.

Evan turned his head and snarled at the intruder who was back-pedalling as fast as he could, apologising all the way. Sighing, the stocky boy stared down at the almost terrified expression on his partner's face and sighed again. "Well, that destroyed the moment, now didn't it?" he complained as he hopped off the suddenly flaccid youth.

Severus shuddered in real fear as he pulled the duvet up over his suddenly freezing body and curled into a tight ball. Luke Snape-Madrigal was a cousin of sorts and a gossip, as well as a telltale. News of what he was doing and with whom was sure to be broadcast far and wide at the next family meeting and the consequences were sure to be appalling! He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the world then they sprang open to pin his lover to the spot. "Why didn't you lock the bloody door?" he demanded furiously.

"Who cares if a stupid fourth year catches us? He's a cousin of yours, right?"

"Yes, Evan, he is a cousin of mine and that means he will go straight home to Mummy and tell her all about what he saw Cousin Severus doing and have a good laugh. Then his mother will tell her sister and her sister will tell her husband and my uncle will tell my father, and my father will demand an explanation from me."

"So tell him you were with me," Evan tossed over his shoulder as he pulled up his Muggle jeans.

Severus' jaw dropped at Evan's sheer effrontery then snapped shut, muscles bunching in his cheeks to stop the shrill spill of horror at the thought. Evan had no idea of how his family would react but Severus had a very good idea! In pureblood circles, sleeping with boys was not a crime per se; it was the lack of off-spring that usually occurred that would cause the problem. Unfortunately, the Snape family was not 'normal' for purebloods being totally bent in the head over the strangest things. His father had ordered one of his cousins to be castrated when it was found he had slept with his brother. Two of the girl cousins had been subject to the Cruatious curse when they were discovered kissing in the attic.

"Sexual relations within the Snape Family will be conducted between one man and one woman and no other combination would be tolerated in the Snape lexicon!"

He remembered that piece of the foam flecked harangue his father had screamed to the massed family gathering just last year. He remembered particularly as he had just discovered that Evan Rosier sucked cock better than anyone else he had ever imagined.

For a week Severus was almost physically sick every time he thought about his return home in less than a month. He knew full well Luke was going to spill the beans by the sly smirk and the giggling whispers that followed him around the corridors. Evan merely preened and simpered at the notoriety, unable to see why Severus could possibly be so silly as to fear gossip. Severus wanted to slap the silly smile off his face for all time but managed to restrain himself. Fortunately, an end of term party took both their minds off the problem for a short while.

~~*~~

"There's going to be a Halloween party at the Three Broomsticks this weekend," Evan told him excitedly, already rustling through his wardrobe looking for something to wear. "Everyone will be there, Severus, including a few Old Boys, and my cousins! You'll love them, they are so cool! Say, how about you brew some of your special concoction to spike the punch with?" Evan stopped his rummaging to shoot Severus a sly smile over his shoulder. "You know you are the best there is at that sort of stuff."

Severus sighed and pulled out a wine red robe for his excited friend. "Here, this one, it looks good on you. If I were to brew a potion for the party, everyone would know who had done it so no, I don't think so. Let everyone buy butter beer or whatever. The barkeeper would be a lot happier if we all spent money there rather than dipping it out of the punchbowl for free."

"Merlin, you are so straight laced, more like a Gryffindork than a Slytherin!" Evan held the robe against his chest and nodded agreement. "Oh well, there's bound to be some sort of recreational potions there, I suppose."

Severus just shook his head and sighed. Evan was getting very fond of what he called recreational potions, too fond in some ways. Still, he was Severus' friend so he could be forgiven and given some leeway.

The party was in full swing, the Three Broomsticks so crowded there was hardly room to breathe. All four houses rubbed shoulders with fair amicability while slightly older men and women mingled with the brash crowd of school kids with an air of sophisticated superiority that was almost palpable. The regular patrons had had enough sense to evacuate their usual haunt for the day.

Evan pushed through the crowd eagerly while Severus followed, most people having the sense to get out of his way before he had to move them. There was something about the tall, slightly shabby figure that repelled people without a spell being spoken. At the bar, the barman quickly filled an order for two butterbeers, refused Evan's request for a firewhiskey and turned away to serve the next patron.

Severus surveyed the crowd with a jaundiced eye, noting the clump of red and gold over by the far wall. Black had the beast tucked under his arm and the red haired mudblood was sucking on Potter's ear while Pettigrew seemed more interested in the contents of his beer bottle. Severus wondered about Pettigrew, always a follower, never entirely part of the dynamic duo, pretty much like the animal, just a tag-along. He had wondered if Pettigrew had had a crush on Potter but obviously Potter was just a breeder like any other, so that punctured that theory - unless it was a case of unrequited love. That idea amused Severus until he felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down with a sneer. The girl at his elbow was a Hufflepuff, Enid something, a third year with big brown eyes and toffee coloured hair.

"What do you want?" he demanded snidely, twitching his sleeve out of her grasp.

"I - that is - oh dear!"

Shaking his head Severus took an amused swallow of his drink, allowing the girl to stutter and mumble, digging a deeper and deeper hole in her embarrassment. "Aren't you a little young for this potion?" he finally asked in disgust when her circumlocution began to bore him.

"I - no - that is, I'm fifteen," she blurted out then bit her bottom lip to stop it trembling. "I - I just don't want to, you know...."

Sighing, Severus reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a tiny vial, flicking the seal off with a practiced thumbnail. "Five Galleons," he said emotionlessly. "It will take effect in fifteen minutes and be in force for twenty-four hours - not twenty-five or twenty-four and a half but twenty-four as of, now - understood? Give me the vial back, they don't grow on trees, you know."

He ignored her protestations of gratitude as he turned back to his drink with a sneer. He ignored Evan who demanded to know what the Hufflepuff had wanted. He ignored the speculative glances from a group of Ravenclaws and he even ignored the glares sent his way by the Gryffindor contingent in the corner, until Black was there spinning him around by the arm and slamming him up against the bar.

"Are you selling drugs to minors, Snivillus?" the belligerent Black demanded, thrusting a large fist up into Severus' face.

Placing a finger on the fist, Severus used a modicum of wandless magic to ease it away from his nose. "When did my business become yours, Black?" he purred softly.

"When you sell drugs to little kids, you arsehole!"

"Drugs? My, my, your imagination is certainly a wild and woolly place, and as clean as a sewer after a gastro epidemic," he added with a smirk, making the developing crowd snigger. "Go verify your facts, Black, before you make an even bigger fool of yourself than usual, if that is possible."

"Why you...," Sirius drew back his fist but could not slam it into the smirking face as it appeared to be stuck.

"Don't, Sirius," Lupin said, still holding his friend's elbow. "I have it on good authority that he is not selling anything harmful, quite the opposite," the werewolf murmured in Black's ears.

"Who's authority?" Black hissed, furious that he could not vent his spleen on the snotty bastard who had been the bane of his existence for the past five years.

"Lily's," Remus muttered, blushing furiously.

"Lily's?" Half the crowd turned to stare at the redhead who was draped under Potter's arm. She stared back, almost as effectively as a basilisk, green gaze locked with Snape's black over a gulf of feet and miles. Snape smirked even more and gave her a very slight bow before turning away and ignoring the crowd, simply moved off to a quieter corner.

"You handled the blood traitor with exquisite dignity," a voice murmured and a tall blond lounged forward, hand held out. "Lucius Malfoy," he introduced himself with a faint smile. "Are you selling drugs?"

Snape snorted slightly. "Contraception potions. It doesn't take the bright ones long to realise that drunken witches and wizards are not capable of pronouncing the charm properly or reliably, and that Madame Pomfrey will not hand out contraception potions without a huge lecture and only if the girl is over seventeen. Asking her to get rid of the result of an unfortunate encounter is liable to land you in front of the Wizengamot. So, the choice is simple, deal with Knockturn Alley, or the Slytherin Vampire."

"You?"

"Me," Severus confirmed haughtily.

"And are you?" the blond asked in amusement.

Glaring, Severus shook his head slowly, an evil grin curving one side of his mouth. "Sadly, no."

They exchanged smirks as Lucius offered the younger man a seat and a drink. Severus accepted the firewhiskey with a casual aplomb that made Lucius smile to himself, perhaps this boy was worth knowing after all. He had heard reports of the Snape's prowess with potions, how he was brilliant but nasty, with a tongue that could cut the hide of a dragon at fifty paces. Also that he was completely and truly homosexual, not the usual pureblood mix of casual bisexuality. The young man was no beauty, that was for certain but his bone structure was fantastically chiselled and that nose! There was a very crude saying floating around the traps and it would be interesting to find out if there was any truth in it. It would also be interesting to see what his fine dense stubble of hair looked like if it was allowed to grow to a reasonable length instead of being butchered off at less than a centimetre from the roots.

"Lucius, you came!" Evan bounced up like a rambunctious puppy, forcing his way in to get noticed as he pushed Severus aside and slid onto the bench. "I see you met Severus, he's terrific at potions. Whoa, is that whiskey, give me a sip," he exclaimed, grabbing Severus' glass and taking a gulp which promptly choked him. He coughed and spluttered spraying the area in whiskey. Severus winced in disgust as he rescued his glass and cleaned up the mess with a wave of his hand.

"Impressive, wandless magic without even an effort," Lucius murmured under the noise of his cousin's choking.

Severus frowned slightly then shrugged. "Just useful," he commented off-handedly then pounded Evan's back with an exasperated sigh. "Serves you right for being greedy," he said scathingly as the boy recovered.

"Well, how was I to know it was firewhiskey?" Evan demanded querulously, wiping his streaming eyes and attempting to glare at his boyfriend.

"Evan, be a good boy and run along, I wish to speak to Severus about something," Lucius said flatly, the boy standing immediately, a pout of discontent marring his usually handsome features. "Now Severus - do you mind if I call you Severus? - tell me about yourself, what do you like to do?"

Blinking as if he was unused to having his preferences asked, Severus sat back thoughtfully before beginning to talk.

"Snape! Professor Dumbledore wants you immediately! In his office!" Professor McGonagall snapped as she strode up behind the Slytherin table.

A frown pulled Severus' black eyebrows down as he rose to his full height, all but dwarfing the professor who instinctively took a step backward before recalling herself. He smirked as he half bowed to her, waving her to lead the way with exquisite manners that seemed a mockery when accompanied by a faint smirk. Glaring, Professor McGonagall strode off, not liking the Slytherin behind her at all. There always seemed to be a cold reserve in the boy that no one could reach over or breach to get close to him.

The Headmaster's office was exactly the same as always, it never changed, even when life changing decisions or threats were issued on that very hearth rug, Severus thought as he glided in and stopped a polite foot from the headmaster's desk. "You wished to see me, Sir?" he inquired politely as the headmaster wrote on a scroll.

Without looking up, the headmaster pushed a small vial toward him, Severus taking it and studying it carefully. It was of crude glass, the cheap vials available in any apothecary's store for a few knuts. The seal was chipped and a crack ran from one end to the other, indicating that the potion inside was probably tainted or had gone off. With an experienced fingernail, Severus flicked off the cap and sniffed cautiously at the brew, drawing his head back sharply as the smell assailed him, definitely off! A more cautious sniff identified it as one of the dream potions, probably a mild aphrodisiac with a hallucinogenic component too. He was about to dab some on his tongue when the Headmaster looked up and said 'no' quite sharply. One of Severus' eyebrows rose in question. "If you wish me to make a proper analysis, then I need to taste it. So far, I can only tell you that it is one of the dream potions, is off and not recommended for ingestion," he said formally.

"Then you admit to it?" McGonagall snapped in outrage.

"Admit to what?" Severus was genuinely bewildered.

"That you brewed and sold this to your fellow students in a flagrant disregard for the school rules and policies on banned substances," McGonagall all but spat.

"I should think not!" Severus said in horror.

"And you would never brew such a thing?" McGonagall said contemptuously.

"That rubbish? Merlin, no! For a start there is so much oil of Elm in there that it totally counteracts the hemp resin, and it has been boiled instead of simmered. Whoever made this is a hack and careless too, the seal was very badly placed and not even spelled for freshness. My potions are perfect!" Snape crossed his arms and sneered down his nose at the teacher in total disgust.

Dumbledore coughed slightly to hide a chuckle. "So you did not sell this to Mr Rosier?"

Severus' jaw dropped then snapped shut with a glare that would have melted lead. "I am not in the habit of selling inferior potions to anyone, certainly not that poisonous concoction."

"Then where did Mr Rosier get it if not from you? We know you brew...." Professor McGonagall broke off her tirade at Dumbledore's slight cough.

"Thank you, Minerva, we know what Severus does for the school population, without stating it boldly." He smiled at the head of Gryffindor before turning to the tall, glowering student who was obviously outraged at being accused of making inferior goods, although he did not deny brewing illegal potions. Albus just hoped Minerva had not actually caught that omission in her zeal to find a culprit. "Mr Snape, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw seventh year student have been taken to the infirmary after ingesting this potion,[Author ID1: at Sat Apr 15 23:42:00 2006 ] and that particular vial was found on Evan Rosier, do you have any idea of where they are coming from?"

"Not my cauldron," Snape reiterated in disgust. "If you have two idiots poisoned with this rubbish, don't give them arrowroot, it will only exacerbate the problem, give them accassia extract instead."

"As if you would know better than Madame Pomfrey," Professor McGonagall put in snidely but Professor Dumbledore was quick to floo the infirmary and asked the question. It was too late; both students had been given arrowroot and were vomiting blood.

"Remove their stomach contents by translocation and fill them with the accassia extract in a blood clotting potion," Severus said off-handedly, a very superior smirk on his face, especially when the same advice came from St Mungo's a few moments later. Snape merely harrumphed at being proved right, never uncrossing his arms all through the emergency.

"So, Mr Snape, you have been doing some extracurricular reading," Professor Dumbledore smiled at the sullen boy who simply nodded once. "Well done indeed, twenty points to Slytherin. You may go now."

Snape turned on a heel, his robes flowing around him in a cloud of darkness as he left.

"That boy....!"

"...is brilliant," Albus said gently. "Abrasive, nasty-minded and razor-tongued but still brilliant."

"Yes! That's what is so...so infuriating!"

Albus merely laughed and patted her hand as he poured some tea for them both.

~~*~~

Severus stormed into the common room and spied Rosier sprawled in an armchair by the fire. As soon as Evan saw him he tried to run but Snape was across the room in two strides and had him by the throat, lifting him bodily and throwing him into the far wall. The rest of the common room froze as Snape stalked the fallen boy and picked him up again until Evan was nose to nose with him and his feet were six inches off the ground. "How dare you! Not only do you lay false evidence, you also accuse me, me, of inferior brewing! Give me one good reason why I should not break you lying neck? Just one reason..."

"Snape, put him down this instant!" Larson, the seventh year prefect, stormed across and began prising Snape's long, thin fingers from the neck that was turning blue.

Finally, Snape let go and allowed Rosier to collapse coughing and gasping on the floor as he turned away and stormed out of the Slytherin dungeons and up to the Astronomy tower, ensconcing himself in an alcove overlooking the lake. Twice now he had been betrayed by people he had believed had his best interests at heart, first Dumbledore and then Rosier. He shivered, wrapping long arms around his thin torso to stave off the psychic chill. Didn't they say those sort of things happened in threes? Merlin, did he even know one more person whom he had put any trust in? Thinking deeply, he realised he didn't really trust anyone at all any more. Oh well, perhaps there was no number three after all, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not shake the icy cold hand that clawed at his gut.

The Hogwarts Express deposited its cargo of young witches and wizards on the platform right on time. Families reunited, hugs and kisses were exchanged and the crowd dissipated rapidly leaving silence in their wake. Severus shivered and sighed as he gathered his shrunken trunk and put it in his pocket. He had hoped his father would remember to send someone for him even if he had not replied to Severus' owl but obviously it was a vain hope, especially after two hours had crawled by. Shaking his head and gathering his robes around him more tightly, Severus slowly made his way out to the cross-over point into Muggle territory. He was not sure what he was supposed to do now but he had a feeling if he didn't try to rectify his problems himself he would be spending the next couple of weeks sitting on the platform waiting until school went back in January.

The hustle and bustle of Muggles pressed shoulder to shoulder was terrifying to Severus as he bit his lip and stared out over the sea of humanity. For a moment, he wanted to fade back into the platform but then his spine stiffened. He was a Snape; he was Severus Snape who had no one to rely on but himself and never really had! Holding his head up high, he breasted the tide of Muggles with the intention of making his way to the Leaky Cauldron.

He had barely gone ten feet when he realised he was completely turned around and had absolutely no idea where he was. Stopping in the middle of a crowd did not make him popular, someone snarling at him, another laughing when he jerked in surprise. Taking a deep breath, he was about to reach for his wand when he was buffeted hard in the shoulder from behind. Someone snapped 'bloody foreigners' as he was punched in the kidneys and turned around again. As he stumbled and tripped, he almost ran head first into a very familiar blond who caught his arm with a laugh.

"Severus Snape, isn't it? What are you doing in this poisonous brew of, er, Muggles?"

Severus blinked, then smiled tentatively. "Trying to get to Diagon Alley so I can floo home," he confessed miserably.

"Well, come on, let's get you out of here before you cause a riot in those robes," the blond laughed and guided the taller youth over to the side of the platform and into a quiet alcove. "Ever side-along apparated? Once is good enough; hold on tight now." Lucius Malfoy grinned and they were gone.

The Leaky Cauldron was fairly busy with people on their way home from picking up their children. Malfoy signalled for a couple of whiskeys and settled his catch into a quiet inglenook, plopping one in front of the pale, introspective boy. "Now, just how come you were left stranded on the platform when everyone else had been taken off home?"

Severus took his time in answering, taking a sip of the firewhiskey and holding it against his tongue appreciatively before swallowing. "I have to assume that they didn't get my owl and so were not informed of my arrival," he said flatly, staring into the blue flames that were reflected in the golden sparks in the liquor.

"Really?" Lucius drawled an eyebrow rising as the younger man almost dared him to contradict him. "Well, it could be that they had no idea on the return date from Hogwarts but that is not a very possible reality. Most likely they simply couldn't be arsed to come and fetch you."

Severus drew a sharp breath but even as he opened his mouth to refute his assertion, he closed it and took refuge in another sip of the fiery liquid. "Yeah, probably," he mumbled disconsolately. "Oh well, another three weeks and they can go fuck themselves."

"Oh, and what happens in three weeks?" Lucius asked meditatively.

"I turn seventeen and I will never have to go back again if I don't want to. Oh, my mother left me some money and a small property that was not part of the entail, just her own personal bequests. Once I am in possession of those I will not be dependent on my father for every damned thing and I can finally make my own life."

"Oh, a man of means then," Lucius teased gently and Severus snorted, amused.

"By no means, merely independence and enough to finish school then pay for my education at the College of Potions Makers."

"And that is your ambition, to become a potions maker?"

"A Master," Severus corrected haughtily.

"Oh, I see, and do you think you will be a Master one day?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm already a master; I merely need the paper to prove it."

Lucius laughed in delight at the boy's sheer overweening confidence in his own abilities. He noticed all the whiskey had gone and the boy was looking a lot more relaxed than he had when Lucius had stumbled over him in the station. Snape was not handsome but he was compelling, all black and white in his shabby school robes, pale cream skin and ink black hair. Even his lips were pale, thin and understated but his eyes were dynamic; as black as hot pitch, framed in long curling lashes and blazing with conviction. There was passion in the boy for his potions, and possibly for other things. Lucius was more than willing to find that passion and bathe in its fire. Still, first things first.

Rarely impulsive, Lucius smiled and pulled out a slip of parchment, using his wand to scribe something on the paper before folding it and passing it over. Severus accepted the slip and opened it, reading with one eyebrow raised. "Your floo address? Interesting! Do you want me to call you?" he asked with a knowing smirk.

Considering his impulsive act, Lucius shrugged, covering his back. "If you ever have need of another rescue, just call me, or I'll call you," he smirked back and signalled for another round of drinks.

Severus pursed thin lips and pocketed the parchment before raising his newly filled glass in a toast. "To friends; new and old."

"To friends."

~~*~~

The floo deposited Severus in his own suite at Snape Manor, the rooms well cared for and clean as the house elves always looked after them. There were a few books on the shelves and a few personal items scattered here and there but little to show that a boy had lived almost sixteen years in the same three rooms. Removing his trunk from his pocket, Severus left it out for his house elf to deal with and went straight into the bathroom, wishing there was a shower rather than just a tub. He had spent the rest of yesterday with Lucius at the Leaky Cauldron, sipping fine whiskey, talking and dining then sharing a room and a bed for the night.

Severus had thought he had learned a thing or two about making love to a man over the past few months but Lucius had showed him so much more he was virtually awestruck by the older man's expertise. Soaking in the tub, he relived a few of the highlights of the evening and night, a slow, satisfied smile curving his thin lips. Still, he was sure his enthusiasm for the learning had been enough to compensate for any lack of skill Lucius might have noticed. He had been puzzled when Lucius first commented that the nose did not lie but after the saying had been explained he could not help but laugh himself into a stitch. "In fact," he mused to himself, "it was the first time I have really laughed in... years!" Reasons to laugh for sheer amusement were few and far between in Severus' life but for a short time, in a rather seedy, run-down pub, he had found a kindred spirit; for a short, precious time.

Stepping out of the tub, Severus towelled off and went in search of something to wear that was not school uniform but everything he owned was too short by a good few inches in hem and sleeves, although they still fitted him in width. Pulling out his wand, he lengthened the hems to fit and checked the mirror before he put his wand away and opened his door. A house elf appeared immediately, cringing before him with tears in its huge eyes.

"Master Severus, your fathers is wanting you in the Great Hall as soon as you come out. Echy is so, so sorry but he has to tell you not to run away, you must not go away from Snape Hall and hide from your father, I am to not tell you this at all." The small creature whined and smacked its head into the nearest wall until Severus caught it by the dish towel and held it away from its self-punishment.

"Now Echy, you didn't tell me anything like that at all. In fact, you were very clear that you did not tell me, weren't you?" Severus said softly, a shiver of dread running down his spine. Echy was pretty much his personal house elf; having taken care of him after his mother and unborn sister were murdered by his father all those years ago. If the house elf had risked so much to warn him then it was going to be one hell of a meeting. Still, he wasn't a coward and he had faced his father's wrath often enough so he simply put the elf down and straightened his robe before striding forward and heading down the stairs to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was indeed huge, a long, wide room with a high, vaulted ceiling and buttressed columns to hold it up. Two rows of columns were set at fifteen feet from each wall making a central aisle of about twenty feet from the arched double doorways to the raised dais at the other end where his Grandmother's throne had always stood. Time and again Severus had made that hard, uncomfortable walk down the central aisle, the tables against both walls usually crowded with relatives, all craning to get a look at the Heir to the Earldom as he walked toward his doom. Today, the long tables were empty, only a few cousins and of course his uncles clustered at the far end around the throne where his father sat in all his wasted glory.

Straightening his spine, Severus drew a deep silent breath and began the walk, knowing it was going it end in pain and tears as usual. He walked with precision, each foot in a direct line with the last, no footfall breaking the silence, only the slight hiss of cloth on cloth marking his passage. He had always found that a silent step bothered his father more than any stamping approach, almost unnerving him sometimes, especially if Severus could get close without alerting him then make him jump when he spoke.

Today that would not happen as his father watched his approach like a vulture studying a tasty piece of carrion. His uncles were present, of course, leaning on their elbows as they peered around a column, their sons there too and Luke Snape-Madrigal with his father and brother. Severus did not bother to glance at them as he approached his father on his throne and bowed politely as he had been schooled from an early age. Straightening, he stood perfectly still, feet together, hands clasped lightly in front of him, eyes downcast.

"Well... well... well...! So you finally decided to grace us with your presence, did you?" his father mocked, a rough, cawing sound that always grated on Severus' ears.

"Since you forgot to send a carriage to fetch me, I spent the night at the Leaky Cauldron before flooing in this morning," Severus murmured, deliberately making his voice as soft and as musical as he could, which always seemed to annoy his father intensely.

Snape hissed and leaned forward, stabbing a finger at his son's chest. The magical equivalent poked Severus hard enough to bruise his breastbone. "And who with? A friend? Probably a male friend - or should I say a 'boyfriend' - perchance? I warned you about dallying with boys and coupling with them like some sort of animal! Disgusting... tainted... filthy...! Aaugh! Words fail me! I should have killed you with that bitch that bore you when I had the chance! You disgust me!" Spittle flew in foaming strings from his mouth as Thaddeus worked himself into a lather. "We've heard rumours about you, boy," his father hissed softly, lunging forward to grab a handful of his stubbly hair and dragging his head back so that his neck felt it was going to break. "You've been doing dirty things with other filthy boys, haven't you? Letting them do dirty things to you too, I'll be bound. I told you last time I caught you abusing yourself that I wouldn't stand for it ever again. One of these days you are going to produce for us a real heir to the Family and I will not let your interest in your own sex jeopardise that for anything. I swore that if you ever went near a boy again I would punish you. You know I am a man of my word, and that I am going to have to punish you, don't you? And there is nothing you can do to stop me, is there?"

Severus prayed to whatever gods were watching over him that the poison he had been systematically feeding his father over the years would kick in as his father uncoiled the whip he always kept under his chair. However, it was not to be. Magic, more potent than anything his father had ever flung at him suddenly snapped out. His arms and legs were torn apart tossing him spread-eagled face down on the flagstones as the first whistling crack of the whip sang out over his head. Turning his head ever so slightly, Severus caught a glimpse of Luke's horrified expression as the first blow landed; making him jump but not a squeak escaped his tightly gripped lips. He had learned long ago that to cry or scream only prolonged the attacks, that any sign of weakness on his part only encouraged his father to go further and harder.

All he could do now was hang on and endure as best he could until his consciousness left him or his father gave up. He had learned to ignore his relatives' gloating and the other small cruelties they heaped upon him whenever they felt safe enough to do so. He had also learned to go deep inside his own mind, away from the terror of whatever position he happened to find himself in at any given moment, to find his peaceful centre and dwell there until the horror was over.

Finally, it was over but Severus was completely unconscious, his father red-faced and panting, his breath laboured and harsh in the silence his mad fury had engendered. Everyone knew that a single noise could make them the next target of choice. Turning away, Thaddeus Snape signalled that the bloodied chunk of flesh could be disposed of. Luke glanced at his father who had sat in stony silence during the beating then over to where his father's cousins, his courtesy uncles were actually laughing and gossiping, ignoring the boy lying on the floor bleeding and barely even breathing.

"What now?" he whispered almost silently, sheer horror making him shake like a leaf.

"Now we wait," his father murmured back without moving his lips.

"For what? Until Sev dies?"

"For..., there..., we are now released. Let's get out of here," Acton Madrigal said flatly, gripping his son's shoulder and apparating them out as a small house elf was signalled to take the half dead boy away.

"I caused that, didn't I?" Luke whimpered later that night. "My stupid gossip caused Severus to be nearly killed, didn't it?"

Acton looked down at his son then sat down beside him as he had not for years. "Luke, the major branch of the Family is rotten to the core. Veraline was given to madness, Thaddeus was born to madness and Severus... well..., if he isn't driven to madness then it will not be for the want of his father trying. Learn a lesson from this, Luke. Even something that looks like harmless gossip can have horrendous results if spoken into the wrong ears, do you understand?"

"Oh Merlin, yes, more than I ever wanted to, I don't think I will ever forget!"

Nodding, Acton kissed his son goodnight and left.

The number three danced in Severus' head even as his back screamed at him, as he returned to consciousness. Three people had betrayed him, Dumbledore, Rosier and finally Madrigal. He did not count his father as a betrayal, he had never trusted his father or his uncles but he had thought some of his relatives were worth spitting on, but now he knew better, they were all against him, he was alone!

Something cool and soothing slid over his back and he mewled for the release of agony, letting the gentle hands pat him and pet him into ease once again. The soft, high pitched humming and wordless, mindless singing were so familiar he could not imagine being beaten and not gaining comfort without them. Echy was with him, tending him as always, soothing and healing him with the concoctions house elves had handed down through the ages. At least Echy loved him, if no one else. He slept again.

He woke again, thirsty and painfully, puzzled that he was alone in his suite. Usually Echy was present at all times until he was back on his feet but this time the elf was not there. Frowning, he levered himself to his feet, a cold ball of dread building in his gut as a strange odour came to his sensitive nostrils. It was not pleasant, reminiscent of wet earth and decaying meat and it was stronger from his sitting room as he pulled himself along toward the bedroom door. Opening it, he realised that Madrigal had not been his third betrayal, merely an unheralded incident along the way.

As if his strings were cut, Severus slumped to the floor too devastated to even gasp. Echy, his last living link to his mother, was carefully laid out on the hearth rug, each limb jointed, his head severed neatly from his neck, his waist from his hips. Greenish elf blood had stained the hearth rug, his innards neatly laid out to one side. Some idiot had tried to prepare the elf, as if for potions ingredients, but had botched the job totally, making the sacrifice useless. The needless slaughter was a slap in the face and a mockery of everything Severus had held dear. It was the last straw.

The screams of anguish and betrayal did not leave the confines of the suite, Severus' wandless magic not failing him at the last. He wept in desolation, unashamed that he shed tears for a mere elf, uncaring of the absurdity of the situation. He had nothing left, nothing at all, his existence was.... He had nothing left, not even tears, not even humiliation as he removed every dam in his soul and released every iota of fear, anguish, terror and hurt in a long and soul deep catharsis that left him exhausted and drained on the floor of his suite.

Time passed, he didn't know how much, he did not care. Someone tried the door but the wards held; none could enter his private rooms. The sun rose, the sun set, the sun continued its path through the sky but still Severus lay unconscious on the floor until the flames of his fire turned green and a blond head poked into the room, a cheerful smile turning to shock when Lucius saw the state of the place.

"Fucking hell!" he murmured as he forced his way through the wards that were trying to hold him out. Ignoring the stench of the decaying elf on the hearth rug, he hurried over to the boy who lay as still as death himself, casting Acclaro over him. Half healed whip wheals covered every inch of meat Lucius could see, his robes ripped to shreds. Slightly horrified but not particularly surprised, Lucius stared around the room, spied Severus' school trunk still packed by the bed and shook his head in disgust. His own family was no prize, Merlin knew, but at least they let each other unpack before they attacked, and they did not let it get so far out of hand that one of them was in danger of dying from injuries received before they forgave and healed.

Only half conscious, Severus muttered and fretted until Lucius stroked his head gently. "You're alright, Severus, I have you," he murmured softly to the boy.

"No I'm not, he nearly killed me this time, and he killed Echy. That's it, there is no one else to trust," the boy murmured sadly.

"Hush now, Severo, I know someone you can trust, I'll introduce you as soon as it is possible."

"You promise?" Severus questioned naively.

"I promise you," he reiterated as the boy went slack again.

Still shaking his head, Lucius re-shrank the trunk, popped it into his pocket, cast levi corpus over Snape's unconscious body and tossed more floo powder into the fire. "Malfoy London," he intoned, flooing through to his own flat in Chelsea where he put the boy to bed in the guest room before calling for help.

30.03.2006