A Little Manipulation

A Little Manipulation

It was a quiet evening in the library, the kind of Severus liked most. The Gryffindors were celebrating their victory over the Ravenclaws in Quidditch. Ravenclaws were in too bad mood to occupy the library as usual. Slytherins were celebrating that the Gryffindor victory gave them to little points to seriously endanger Slytherin heading position (Potter caught the Snitch a little too quickly this time). Hufflepuffs were too busy with being good little students and going to bed early. Perfect evening for studying long at night, for which a sixth-year Severus, Slytherin prefect, had a permission from Madam Pince and Professor Andermin, his Housemaster.

The only interruption was a seventh-year student, sitting across his desk and babbling excitedly.

"And did you see how he caught the Snitch? With both hands! Another would have fallen off the broom!"

Severus shut his eyes praying for patience. He didn't know what was worse: an essay on the origins of the Ministry of Magic in Great Britain for Professor Binns, or Victoria's rumblings about James Bloody Potter. He regretted that he went to the match. Quidditch was last on his list of interests, especially when Slytherin wasn't playing, but Victoria could be very convincing when she chose to.

"He was so focused this time, did you notice? As if this match was more important to him than the rest, I wonder what caused that... how do you think?" His best friend became thoughtful. This was one of her most recognizable traits, this drive to analyze people. A trait they both shared and one that made them close. Yet, it was becoming annoying when the object of her analysis was Potter.

"I'm certainly the best person to ask, Victoria. It's my goal in life to watch James Potter," Severus sneered. "If you didn't notice, I'm trying to study here."

"You don't need to; Professor Monday looks healthy this week, you will not have to cover his lessons."

"This is for Binns."

"You can take my notes." She dismissed the issue with a shrug. "He smiled to me when they were announcing the score."

Severus put his quill down on the parchment, resigned. "I seriously doubt it. Potter doesn't smile at Slytherins."

"Just because you can't stand Gryffindors doesn't mean he's the same."

"Of course he isn't. He's worse. I just think Gryffindors are fools. He and his gang think Slytherins are Death Eaters in waiting. I would advise not dealing with them at all."

She looked at him shrewdly. "You deal with them quite a lot. One might think that your goal in life *is* to watch James Potter and his gang."

Severus raised an eyebrow. The statement was true enough. From the Gryffindor point of view, his favourite pastime was mocking them and trying to make their life a living hell.

"But I am not in love with James Potter." He couldn't keep certain bitterness from his voice.

Did she even realize what it meant to him that she had fallen for Potter, of all people? She was his best friend. His only real friend, probably. Kind of an older sister he had just found out he would like to have instead of Augusta. The only person he didn't act with.

He hated it when she was talking about Potter. James this, James that... He was jealous and he knew that. Jealous of the time she was spending watching the Quidditch practices, instead of studying with him. Jealous of her praises.

Thanks Merlin it wasn't Sirius Black. He didn't think he would be able to handle that. Victoria's infatuation with Potter made him detest Potter even more than before, but had she fallen for Sirius Black, he would have hated not Black but *her*. Another argument for the theory that he knew nothing about true attachment. Friends were supposed to stick together no matter what, right? So, what kind of friend was he?

Why couldn't she choose somebody else? One of their own? There were many in their House interested in her. Evan Rosier for example. Why not somebody more... Slytherin? A Ravenclaw? Even a Hufflepuff, for Merlin's sake! Why somebody so Gryffindor to a bone? The personification of all the traits he despised and didn't understand? All of them, this showing off, this stupid 'bravery', this silly fair-play (the best way to loose a battle, according to Severus), foolish trust, pointless compassion, inefficient loyalty... They were totally alien to him. He had never experienced them and had difficulty grasping them intellectually. It was all weakness, and weakness was not something a Slytherin like him cherished.

Victoria was responsible for the only glimpses of trust and loyalty he had ever displayed in his life; he didn't know he was even capable of them. He still didn't understand them and considered them a weakness he should get rid of.

He just... didn't want to. It was... nice to feel that way.

If only she would get over Potter.

He observed her face. His last comment seemed to go deeper than he intended. She looked positively miserable.

"I'm pathetic, ain't I?"

As the matter of fact he thought she was, but had learned enough about normal social interaction to know that saying so would be of no comfort. His face however, must have been more than an answer for she smiled sadly.

"I would like to get over it too," Victoria said; her euphoria evaporated. "I don't know, if I just could try him... I'm sure he's not all that wonderful. He's Gryffindor, after all. A Gryffindor can't be good for a Slytherin, right?" She glanced at him for confirmation and continued, "I guess it's the want for something you can't have, a forbidden fruit, a curiosity for something different... But right now I love him and I can't help it..."

Severus watched surprised at the tears that shone in her eyes. She leaped to her feet abruptly and left the library without another glance at him. He didn't call after her; he knew tears made her uncomfortable. Well, they made him uncomfortable too, when they were shed by Victoria. Otherwise they made him disgusted.

And it wasn't as though he could offer any comfort. He knew nothing of love. Less than nothing.

*The want for something you can't have... curiosity for something different...*

Well, if she wanted him, she would get him. And she would hopefully get *over* him. A little manipulation here and there, a little persuasion, some blackmail if necessary... He was her friend, wasn't he? And if this was what it took to make her forget about Potter... then so be it.

* * * * *

On his way to Professor Monday's Potion lab Severus split from Evan Rosier and Alicia Wilkes and rushed to the most influential student at Hogwarts, who was standing with her friends in one of the niches.

"Narcissa, a moment of your time?" His cold voice echoed in the dungeon corridor.

The appreciation group around Narcissa stepped back cautiously. Every Slytherin knew that Severus Snape was better not to be crossed. Some of them found out the hard way, though it was the commonly known fact that he was easier on the girls. And he seemed to have some sort of understanding with Narcissa.

"What is it, Snape?" asked Narcissa distractedly. "I don't have much time. Though we could meet some later this evening, the prefects bathroom is going to be free after eleven... " She gave him a seductive smile.

He didn't return it. "Not this time, Future-Mrs-Malfoy." A reminder for her to keep her mouth shut. True, Lucius graduated two years ago, but he made Robert Lestrange his eyes and ears. "I need an information."

"What kind of information?"

"Nothing you would like to keep secret, don't you worry. I know all your secrets anyway." Actually he knew not only hers secrets, but it was something he kept for himself. "You have many classes with Lockhart."

The mention of the name made her grimace with disgust. She had made a mistake of accepting his invitation to the Graduation Ball. After all, the Slytherin Head Girl needed a company of the best, and Lockhart was the most popular male at school. Unfortunately he begun to spread the rumour that she had fallen in love with him, and the arrangement had to be cancelled. Graduation only half year away, and she still had no suitable partner.

"That idiot? I will help you any way I can to bring him down."

"I don't plan to bring him down. I need to use him. What class is he weakest at?"

Narcissa laughed. "All of them."

"Charms?"

"Especially."

"Would he accept help?"

"Not from a Slytherin, unless an attractive girl. Or a popular one..." She trailed off. "Wait, I'm not going to - "

"I'm not asking you to. Thank you." Severus turned on his heel and begun to walk away.

"Er, Snape..."

"Yes?"

"About our next... encounter?"

"Not this week, Narcissa. Perhaps later." He left her with her friends. He didn't have time this week, what a pity. He needed a practice, but the books Professor Andermin borrowed form the University of Avalon were to be returned in six days and he was not through them yet.

* * * * *

The plan was not going smoothly. Lockhart's head was so thick that he had problems with understanding Severus more subtle taunting. Snape had to make his words brutally transparent for him to catch the insinuation that the whole school laughed at him because of his lack of skill in Charms. It slowly begun to gnaw Lockhart, that there is something he wasn't a star at.

Too slowly to make him ask Lily Evans for help.

Time for plan B; target Evans.

* * * * *

The dinner in the Great Hall was a little less than peaceful. It was Snape again, picking on the Gryffindors. His cruelty rose to the new heights as he was commenting Lockhart's amorous misfortunes and insulting half of the school's female population for having a crush on him.

"Good one, Snape!" Robert Lestrange called from his seat at the Slytherin table. The statement earned him a punch from his girlfriend, Monica Rowlings. Evan Rosier stifled a laugh; his eyes off of Victoria Morley for once.

"Truth can be painful," Severus purred silkily, and his 'friends' laughed at such hypocrisy. It was a well established fact that Slytherins treated truth very, hm, openly. Snape shot a look at the Gryffindor table and was satisfied with the reaction he saw there.

"Did you hear what he said?" Lily was seething. "How could he; he really hurt poor Gilderoy!"

"What did you expect from Snape, Lily?" Sirius shrugged. "He's a bastard and we all know it."

"But Gilderoy is not his league! What business does he have to ridicule him so?"

"Calm down Lil; we had a couple good laughs about Gilderoy too. He's an annoying moron."

"But you were never cruel! And it's not his fault that he's so handsome!"

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Sirius Good she didn't compare him and Lockhart, he hated it. Remus laughed at this.

"Good James isn't here, Lily. He might get jealous."

Lily's eyes darkened. "It might do him some good. He takes me for granted. I'm his trophy girlfriend."

Remus shook his head.

"You know it's not true. It's only Snape's malicious comments. James loves you, respects you for your talents and would give you moon and stars if you wished."

"I don't need moon and stars," Lily said irritably. "I need a boyfriend who doesn't spend all his time at the Quidditch field."

Sirius and Remus looked at each other. Trouble in paradise. Again.

* * * * *

Severus watched his plan develop beautifully. Evans was mad at Potter because he spend more and more time practicing Quidditch. Armin Tansale, a captain of Slytherin team, was gently encouraged by Snape to make fun of Potter's skill as a Seeker. Gryffindors were so easy to work on.

Lockhart was so dim that he would never, ever realize that somebody was manipulating him. It was enough to hint that he would be more popular if he started to date the most popular Gryffindor girl, and he started showing interest in Evans. The last, but not the least, was the insinuation that she would be willing to help him in Charms, discreetly. If he knew what the word meant.

Evans was much more a challenge that this seventh-year nitwit. She and Potter were besotted with each other, nauseatingly so. It was going to take some effort to break them up.

Severus was on his best way to do so. With a little help of Lockhart.

* * * * *

"How dare you!" Evans shrieked. "You Slytherin scum!"

So much for the image of a perfect lady, Snape thought. She had too much of a Gryffindor temper and to little self-control to be one. He knew she would jump to Lockhart's defense, it was her nature to protect the weaker. Such a trusting, naive little creature she was. Pity she fraternized with Potter and his gang. Pity she had to be his enemy. He wasn't keen on hurting her.

Surprising. Since when was he considerate of other people's feelings? Victoria. It was all her influence. How she could be so friendly and open, given what she had to endure at home, Snape had no idea. She was a little unstable emotionally, but nothing compared to what his family did with himself.

"Oh, Evans, that was a very vocal defense of yours," he sneered. "Carrying a torch for Lockhart, don't you? I'm never going to understand girls, are you Potter?"

James was pale. He was ready to duel with Snape for what he said to Lockhart, but this mention of carrying a torch... It hit a little too close home. The way Lily was always defending that idiot... she thought him handsome, for crying out loud!

It was Sirius who took up a bait.

"Jealous, Snape? Gilderoy has people admiring him, people caring for him, unlike you, you greasy-haired git! If girls like Gilderoy perhaps you should be learning from him!"

Snape's face twisted into a grin.

"You mean I should drop to the bottom of my class in Charms, so that Evans could tutor me? I would if I was still required to take Charms. If I try hard enough I can fail Care of Magical Creatures, it's your second area of expertise, isn't it, Evans?"

Lily clenched her hands into fists.

"Don't you make it sound like a crime, Snape! The fact that I help Gilderoy is nothing to be ashamed of! And I would never tutor *you*!"

Snape's grin broadened at the expression on Potters face. So the cat was out of the bag. "Well, lucky me, I'm safe from you. Although I don't know about *poor Gilderoy*... You should guard your girlfriend better, Potter. Now, if you excuse me..." And Snape was marching down the corridor towards the dungeons. James and the rest of Marauders were too stunned to go after him and try to hex him. Lockhart disappeared somewhere in the middle of the *discussion*.

"You tutor Lockhart?" James's voice was incredulous, tinted with the smallest amount of anger. "I never thought you would do something like that to me..."

Lily saw red. "Something like what?!"

"Seeing Lockhart behind my back! All those times you had no time for me after I was back from the practice!"

"I was tutoring Gilderoy, not seeing him! And I was the one who had no time? Well, I had to find something to do when you were out every single afternoon!"

"You lied to me!"

"No, you never asked what I was doing! You weren't interested!"

"So you took up with Lockhart!"

"I didn't - , at least he shares his activities with me!"

Remus cleared his throat. "Listen to yourselves, guys..."

"Shut up!" Lily and James both yelled.

"I see it doesn't work, James," Lily stated firmly. "You are not thinking clearly. Perhaps a short separation would do us good."

"What?" There was a chorus of amazed gasps from James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.

"You want a girlfriend to rub your sore back when you come off your broom, find another one!"

James looked almost scared now.

"But Lily, listen..."

"Not another word, James. I don't want to see you at the moment." Lily began to walk away from the stunned boys but turned back for the last word. "And don't you dare to get back at Gilderoy for this. None of this is his fault!"

"Fine!" James yelled after her. "You can go to Lockhart, see if I care!"

When she was gone from his sight, James looked at his friends helplessly.

"How did it happen?"

* * * * *

Next day at the breakfast James was sitting at the table picking in his food miserably, while Lily, on the other side of the table, was explaining something to Gilderoy Lockhart. James was doing a tremendous effort not to look in their direction.

"Poor James," Victoria said seeing this. "He looks so sad... he's taking it really badly..."

Severus almost choked on his pumpkin juice. Poor James? Serves him right for caring more about the Quidditch than his girlfriend! If his list of priorities was in the right order nothing would have happened. How Victoria could still be pining for him was beyond Severus, but all was going towards straightening things out.

"Well, Victoria, he's free again. All yours to comfort."

It didn't took Victoria long to realize what he was saying. She smiled sunnily. "This is all your doing? You hate James... and now half of the school hates you for this thing with Lockhart."

Severus shrugged. "Half of the school hated me anyway so nothing has changed. You said you wanted him, you have him. Little price to pay for the best friend to come to her senses."

He was surprised when she hugged him; it was rather nice feeling though.

"Thank you, Severus. You're the best friend a girl can dream of."

"Don't forget it when you see what kind of an asshole Potter is," he replied gruffly.

"I won't." She inhaled deeply, glancing at James. "Wish me luck."

"He doesn't stand a chance. You're a Slytherin."

Severus watched as Victoria approached James and put her hand on his arm. Than she sat beside him and started a conversation. He winced when she hugged Potter comfortingly and left the Great Hall. He'd better make sure Evan doesn't see Victoria and Potter, he would hit the roof.

* * * * *

Severus skimmed through his notes on Potions. Nothing difficult tomorrow, Professor Monday didn't have particularly ambitious plans for his fifth-year Hufflepuffs. Good he didn't have to take Potions for the last two years, he would have gone mad if he had to endure the classes the good Professor prepared for his students. Assisting him was bad enough.

Well, he could concentrate on 'Paths of the Dead' by Leonardo Miriani he had taken from home this vacation. Oh, he knew the huge volume almost by heart, but the last time he read it he noticed several interesting references to the books he discovered in Restricted Section. He wondered if he could get Professor Andermin to sign the permission for borrowing those books from the library; he couldn't risk showing 'Paths of the Dead' to Madam Pince (or anybody else) and he had to make some comparisons...

The loud knock on the door interrupted his musings. Damn it, he agreed to be a prefect mostly for the luxury of his own room, so that he wouldn't be disturbed at two at night!

"Who is it?"

"Victoria," came a muffled reply.

Victoria? He almost didn't talk to her for the last two days, she was so busy with Potter.

He went to the door and let her inside. She looked... awful. Her hair was tangled, her nightgown rumpled, tears run down her cheeks.

"What happened?" gasped Severus. "Potter?"

She broke into sobs, not being able to choke out a single word.

"What did the bastard do to you?!"

"He... I... we... and he..."

"He came on you?!" Severus snatched his wand from under the pillow on his bed and was ready to sprint to the Gryffindor Tower.

"No, nothing... nothing like that..."

"So what?"

He saw he wouldn't be getting an answer anytime soon. He went to his trunk and took out a bottle.

"Here." He gave her the bottle. "Drink some."

She did, and spluttered. "Merlin, what is his stuff?"

"Vodka. Don't tell anybody I have it. Did it help?"

She sat on his bed and hugged her knees. "Yeah."

"Now can you tell me?"

She nodded. "But first give me some more of this vodka." She took a couple of sips and than laughed to herself, bitterly. "I was so stupid... I thought he could love me."

Severus waited patiently.

"I slept with him."

"What?!" Severus was stunned. Victoria was not the type of the girl to sleep with somebody after two days of dating, and he was sure as hell she and Potter weren't exactly dating.

"He was really nice, when I talked to him... and it was much easier to talk to him than I thought, he's so easygoing. He was so depressed about his breakup with Lily. He said I deserve better than him... Don't say it." Severus held his tongue and didn't say that she did deserve better than Potter. "I told him he deserves better than Lily who could leave him for a worthless piece of shit like Lockhart... I told him I loved him."

"And?" Severus prompted when the silence prolonged, although he had a fair idea what happened next.

"We went to his room... and then it happened."

Severus greeted his teeth. "He took advantage of you!" he hissed.

"I wasn't exactly unwilling, you know. In fact, I was ecstatic. We... made love. It was really wonderful, Severus, there is nothing more beautiful in the world than making love to a person you love." Tears shone in her eyes again.

He wouldn't know about it. "So what's the matter?"

"The matter... when we made to the moment... the moment... you know... the moment he..."

"He climaxed," Severus filled in. Victoria winced at the clinical term.

"Yes, it would be it... he screamed... he screamed: *Lily*."

Severus closed his eyes for a moment. Oh, shit.

* * * * *

Severus let Victoria cry herself to sleep on his bed. The feeling of hatred towards Potter was growing stronger every minute. Potter was not supposed to have sex with her, damn it! Potter, the good little Gryffindor, a loyal, *faithful* boyfriend to the next Head Girl! He was supposed to sit there and look tearfully at his ex, unnerving Victoria to no ends! Some piece of work he was... what he had done was to be expected from a Slytherin, but not the Perfect Gryffindor Prefect Potter!

He took out a small bottle of Sleeping Draught from his drawer; he had a feeling Victoria would need it later. He sat on the floor to pour the right dose the vial; she would need a considerably smaller amount that his insomniacal self. Done. Madam Pomfrey would not be pleased to hear that one of the students was using free such potent medications, but she was not going to find out.

He grabbed 'Paths of the Dead' but couldn't concentrate on words, so he put it away on his nightstand, bookmarking the page on the more obscure properties of some unmagical plants. He would have to try them, someday. Some of them could be found around Hogwarts; he wouldn't even have to go to the Forbidden Forest.

That's a good idea, a Forbidden Forest. Perhaps he would take Victoria searching for the unicorn's hair tomorrow night; she might use some distraction... Severus smiled at the memory of last time they sneaked out of the Castle. He only lately discovered that having company on his night excursions wasn't that bad; it doubled the amount of the findings.

"Severus?"

"Mhm?" She startled him and he had to resist the instinct to respond with a hex. But he did resist it and it made him proud. His self-control was getting better every day; there was no danger he would blast some wild dog with Cruciatus like it happened last year.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

He looked up, regarding her carefully. Victoria had honey-blond, curly hair, slender frame and peach-colored complexion. Oval face with large blue eyes completed the picture of a classic beauty.

"Of course." He wasn't one to give too many compliments. She knew well enough she was beautiful; lots of male attention assured that.

"Prettier than Lily Evans?"

"Absolutely."

"Than Narcissa?"

What was is it? Ten questions? But this was a rather tough one. The silver-blond goddess, Narcissa Walken, was considered the prettiest girl at Hogwarts, and, from the aesthetic point of view, Severus had to agree with the general opinion. A little lie had never hurt any Slytherin though.

"Certainly."

"Would you have sex with me?"

Severus stared at her blankly, dumbfounded. "What. Did. You. Say."

"I asked if you would have sex with me."

He inhaled deeply, to calm down. "No."

"Why not? You said I'm prettier than Narcissa and you have no qualms about having sex with her. Are you in love with her?"

Severus got up from the floor, alarmed. "And just how did you happen upon this information?" Suspicion was clear in his voice. There was no point denying, Victoria would not be fooled.

"The girls talk, you know. I'm a good listener."

"Narcissa Walken doesn't talk about her love affairs. This is why I chose her. Not because she's pretty, or because I'm in love with her -- you would be the first person to know if I fell in love, not that it's ever going to happen -- but because she's the most discreet person in those matters. How did you find out?" She wasn't fit for an interrogation, but she had caught him off his guard with her bizarre question.

"Melinda Drake."

Goddamn Melinda Drake. If she hadn't graduated already Severus would be plotting his revenge right now.

"Melinda didn't know about Narcissa."

"You slept with Melinda. She once slipped and mentioned to Janey Colianne that Jonas Ridge, he was her boyfriend then, wasn't half as good a lay as you. She said you were fantastic in bed and that Janey should try you, but Janey was afraid. Not many heard that, Melinda became quite tightlipped afterwards. Scared even." Victoria looked at him curiously; her mind taken off from her fiasco with James Potter.

Severus greeted his teeth; discussing his sex life wasn't something he found amusing.

"It doesn't explain how come you know about Narcissa."

"Oh, c'mon, Severus. I know you. I was watching you and I noticed some things that hinted you had a... hm, sexual affair, with Melinda. The pattern with Narcissa is very similar, although she's much more cautious. On the other hand Narcissa is my year and it's easier to observe and analyze her - "

"Enough." Well, he should have expected it. Never underestimate Victoria Morley. "I would appreciate if you didn't even mention it to anybody."

Victoria nodded, that went without saying, and the look of self-pity and desperation appeared on her face again.

"Melinda, Narcissa, and that's probably not all," correct assumption, Snape thought, "but not me. You never tried to change anything between us. If you did, perhaps I wouldn't have fallen in love with James." The last words came in hoarse whisper, filled with pain.

"Victoria, you would never fall in love with me if your tastes run to the likes Potter." He immediately regretted his harshness. She was about to start crying again. "I'm sorry."

"Why only the ones I don't care for fall in love with me? Why not you, or James..."

"Would you like me to? Fall in love with you I mean?"

"Yes... no. I want James to love me." A pause. And then a quiet question. "So, would you have sex with me?"

Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Victoria... please. You are my best friend, my only friend. Sex would only destroy everything we treasure about our relationship, trust me."

"Why? I'm a good lover; if the rumour is true you're way above the average, so why would some pleasure between friends destroy everything? I know you Severus, you're not half as tough as you want everyone to think. It... it might be a good beginning for us... we like each other, understand each other..."

"And this is the basis for friendship, Victoria, not for the affair! Why? Why do you want it?"

She hung her head, not daring to look him into the eye. "So that I would forget about James. That he screamed Lily's name instead of mine. That he loves Lily and would never love me. That all my dreams were shattered that moment and that I feel like I will never recover..." She was kneeling on the bed now, looking at him imploringly, "Help me, Severus, for all that's holy, help me..." she finished shakily.

The fear seized him. Her despair was breaking his heart... what if she didn't recover? Would he loose his best friend? He wanted her back, the merry, full of life Victoria, who wouldn't take no for answer... who would go to the Forbidden Forest with him, who would drag him to the Quidditch match.

"Is this what you really want?"

"I cannot have what I really want. Give me something else to cherish... please?"

He came to the bed and bent over it, so that his face was inches from hers. "All right... I will. "

* * * * *

He gave her pleasure, there was no doubt about it. There was probably no woman that would resist his ministrations, dear Severia had seen to that. For the short amount of time he wiped James Potter out of Victoria's mind.

He watched as she drifted away to sleep, exhausted. He didn't want to think about tomorrow. What would they say to each other, would she want to carry it on. He didn't know himself. He certainly had given her more tenderness and care than he had given to all of his previous lovers combined. He felt... used.

* * * * *

Next morning he woke up alone in his bed. A huge relief; the confrontation with Victoria would be postponed at least until the afternoon, after the classes. He would have time to analyze everything, to think it over with the clear mind.

'Paths of the Dead' was lying on the floor, opened on the poisonous plants page. He should be more careful next time and not leave such dangerous books lying around where somebody might see them and get him expelled.

He had some things to talk over with Professor Andermin, the Head of Slytherin so he had to hurry to catch him before the first DADA class. He was about to leave, when the wild knocking almost broke his door in half.

"Snape, holy Merlin, come right now!" he heard Narcissa's panicked voice. "It's about Victoria Morley!"

He opened the door only too see Narcissa's back heading towards the seventh-years dorm. "What are you waiting for?!" she snapped at him, to the horror of several first- and second-years present in the corridor. Severus wasn't about to argue. He hoped Victoria hadn't done too much damage and there was still a chance to reason with her, no matter what kind of mood she was this morning.

The Head Girl opened the door rather violently, which was very unusual. She wasn't a believer in displaying too much emotions. Victoria must have done something really bad to upset her so. Curious. Oh, and he would finally get to see the dorm of the seventh-year girls.

There were four girls in the room. One of them was sitting on her bed, crying hysterically. Three were standing around the bed by the window, not saying a word. They all looked up at him, fearfully, and backed away, letting him closer.

All colour drained from Snape's already very pale face. He looked positively like a ghost now.

Like Victoria.

She was reduced to the motionless body; her face snow-white like the sheets on the bed. Touching her cheek confirmed what he already knew. She was not cold yet but certainly dead. Being who he was, and what he was, he knew how to recognize death at the first sight. She must have done it no more than an hour, two ago. Right after she had left him.

"Do something!" he heard Narcissa exclaiming desperately.

"There is nothing I can do," he answered numbly.

There was a lot of things that could be done with a dead body or with the soul, but nothing could put the soul back to the body. 'Paths of the Dead' came to his mind. The book was lying on the floor, opened, while it should have been on his nightstand, closed and bookmarked... on the information that the right amount of common heather would convert the Sleeping Draught into a Draught of Peaceful Death. A rather simple potion, rarely used as a poison -- it was too easily detected, it smelled strongly and the results were too obvious.

A glance on Victoria's nails made him sure he was on the right track; they were already totally white. A side effect of the Draught of Peaceful Death. Why did the heather had to be her favourite flower? To most people it wasn't even a flower, and she was always keeping some, fresh or dried. What an irony.

He just managed to kill his best friend.

One of the girls was holding something in her hand. Corrine Wilkes, older sister of Alicia Wilkes, a girl from his year. One of his... partners in pleasure.

"I found this... beside the bed. Addressed to you." She handed him a letter.

It was the moment it struck him. A letter. It was all he had left. How could she do something so un-Slytherin? An overtly emotional Gryffindor could do it, or a Hufflepuff, but not smart, ambitious Victoria Morley!

He ripped the letter open.

*Dearest Severus*

*Forgive me. I know I cause you pain but I just can't take it any more. What I asked of you was wrong and now I know it. I saw it in your eyes and I recognized the truth of your words: everything was destroyed. I destroyed all we had. I saw how concentrated you were on giving me pleasure and how you hated every minute of it... I wonder if Narcissa and any other girl you do it with realize that you don't actually like it. And I... it was so different from what I had with James. Making love to the right person is not something that can be replaced. You will know it when you fall in love, Severus.

I feel so empty. I don't have James; I don't even have the hope that one day he would be mine. That scream of his is still ringing in my ears, cutting my heart like a knife. 'Lily'. Everything I am not and shall never be. There is just nothing to live for, Severus. You know what I'm writing about. Only dreaming of James was letting me through that nightmare at home, and you. Now I have neither. Living without love is not worth living.

Good bye, Severus. Remember me fondly, not like I was last night.*

He squeezed the paper in his pale fingers. You would always have me, Victoria, I am not James Potter to let something so trivial like sex come between us. Potter... Bloody, Fucking Potter...

Severus clutched his wand and stormed out of the room, his eyes blazing madly. Bloody, Fucking Potter. He almost knocked out the first two people who stood in his way. As he was nearing the Gryffindor Tower there seemed to be more and more obstacles.

He stupefied two Gryffindors who tried to stop him. He transfigured one into a chair and another into a wooden staff. He hexed two who drew out their wands at him right in front of the painting that must have been the entrance to their common room.

A moment later one Gryffindor was walking through the painting (it was the time everybody was getting ready for classes), so he froze him and getting the password from the Fat Lady was unnecessary. He burst into the Gryffindor common room like a fury from hell.

"Where's Potter?!" he barked at the astonished third-year. The boy gestured to the corner where all four Marauders were in the middle of process of getting up and drawing out their wands.

A fifth-year who tried to curse Snape was stupefied in an instant. "Don't even think of it, Black," Severus warned and pointed his wand at Lily, who appeared in the doorway. "One false movement, one twitch of hand and she won't be able to show up in the class for a week."

The threat worked, for James lowered his wand in an instant. The rest of Gryffindors followed.

"You know you just lost some two hundred points from Slytherin?" Pettigrew questioned, drifting behind Black and Lupin.

"What do you want, Snape?" Lupin, always the voice of reason. There was a time Severus thought he might even like Lupin... before he found out it was impossible, on the most basic level.

"Just to let you know something. Potter, do you recall, by any chance, a Slytherin seventh-year by the name Victoria?"

James paled and shot a guilty look at Lily, who was staring at the tip of Snape's wand.

"I see you do. Now, next time your girlfriend kicks you out of her bed, kindly don't run to a Slytherin for a lesson in the art of love. Some of them, unlike you, have feelings and some sensitivity! Or, at least, pick some girl that isn't head over heels in love with you!" Severus was rising his voice constantly. "And if you must, hold your tongue and don't scream *Lily* when you're climaxing! AND BLOODY HELL TRY TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T KILL HERSELF AFTERWARDS!"

Everybody was staring at him in silence. Lily's eyes widened in horror.

"What... what do you mean?" James managed to choke out.

"I mean that after you screwed her, used her as a replacement for Evans, Victoria Morley committed a suicide."

There was a couple of seconds of silence before his words sunk in.

"Oh, Gods..." Lily said tightly. "James how could you..."

"Yes, *James*, how could you?" Snape chimed in, in hissing tone. "I hope Evans will be happy with everything you learned from Victoria, because you won't have another chance of tutoring. You shall pay me for this Potter, you shall pay dearly!"

"Don't you threaten us, Snape!" Black was as furious as Potter was anguished.

"And you, Black. If you as much as lay your eyes on a Slytherin girl, you shall be very, very sorry."

"What will you do, Snape? Cast a Cruciatus on me? Or Avada Kedavra perhaps? Not enough training on the dogs?"

Snape wasn't going to wonder just how Black could know about the last year's incident."Don't tempt me, Black! One day I might loose my self-control and - "

"What's going on here?!"

Everybody's eyes darted to the source of the authoritative exclamation. McGonagall stood behind Snape and glared. She was seriously pissed off.

* * * * *

He lost two hundred points from Slytherin, for breaking into the Gryffindor common room and for cursing eight students. Funny, Pettigrew was right about something. Black was gloating at Snape being in the bad graces of all teachers. He didn't let pass any opportunity to jibe him, which suited Snape just fine. Verbal dueling was one of his strongest points; he had a tongue like a knife -- a poisoned one to that.

Potter steered clear from him; he was the focus of Snape's hatred and the tongue-lashing he received every time he happened to be in his vicinity was getting on his conscience. The fact that Evans refused to talk with him didn't help; Snape wondered how much of her present attitude was caused by the righteous wrath at Potter's insensitivity for Victoria's feelings and how much was it the pain of betrayal.

Professor Andermin was mad at him for the lack of his self-control, but most of the Slytherins didn't hold the loss of two hundred points against him -- Victoria was popular throughout the House. Evan Rosier was supportive of Snape's every action against the Marauders. He fancied Victoria and wanted to avenge her death almost as much as Snape did. He was one of the very few who dared to approach Severus right now, everybody else thought he became too creepy, worse than ever. Every word he said, to a fellow student or to a teacher, was more or less traced with venom.

Snape's entire supply of Sleeping Draught was confiscated. 'Paths of the Dead' was luckily undiscovered. Entire staff wondered how Victoria Morley knew how to make the Draught of Peaceful Death. Every time the subject was mentioned, their eyes picked Snape from the crowd, considering him suspiciously. And just how come was he able to transfigure two people into the objects? He was supposed to be a Potions whiz, not Transfiguration...

He wasn't expelled only because of the severity of events. When your best friend commits a suicide, you have the right to be upset.

Upset. Could his anger be any greater? Why did Potter have to deprive him of the only person who cared for him? The only person he cared for? The only person he... loved?

*Living without love is not worth living.* Wrong, Victoria. Love is only the source of pain. What did love bring you? Despair and death. What did it bring me? Loss and pain. Nothing else.

Severus examined the events that lead to Victoria's letter. His little manipulation.

Potter. It was Potter's fault. Potter's. Not his. Potter's.

The End