Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Eight: Hogwarts

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Severus shoved his trunk into the corner of the compartment, a book of antidotes tucked under his arm. Without glancing at Lily, he settled into the seat and began to read. After only a moment, he heard her click her tongue impatiently and her hand appeared over the top of the tome.

"Are you going to tell me what happened, or aren't you?" she demanded.

"I came home and he was disciplining Mum. I tried to stop him. I'll let you fill in the blanks." He lifted the book to eye level again, rolling his head impatiently to the side as it was pulled down for the second time.

"How bad was it?" she asked quietly. "I mean, you look fine now."

"Only thanks to my uncle," he said bitterly. "He locked my trunk so that I couldn't get to my Numbing Potion. Uncle Sebastian got some to me, then healed the gash I had on my head."

"He can't get away with this," Lily said angrily. "Somebody's got to do something. I'm going to owl Mum and Dad, and they'll get the police -"

"NO!" The vehemence in his voice must have startled her, as she stopped in mid sentence and stared, her mouth still hanging open.

"What?" she asked quietly. "Don't you want it to stop? Don't you want to see him punished for what he's done to all of you?"

"You can't get Muggles involved," he said wearily. "He'll only annihilate them. Don't you see? There isn't anything Rose and Albert could do. So don't drag them into this."

"But -" she was stopped again as the door to their compartment slid open, and a shy-looking boy stuck his head inside. It took a moment for Severus to recognize his face, but before he had a chance to speak, Lily had already done so. "Remus! Hullo again!"

"Hi," he said quietly, his eyes darting around the empty compartment. "Would you mind if I joined you? I couldn't find anywhere else, and -"

"Of course," Lily said immediately, gesturing towards the bench opposite Severus and herself.

"Thanks," he said with a relieved smile. He stowed his trunk with theirs, then sat down as the train began to pull out of the station. Remus looked out the window, waving wildly to his parents on the platform. Severus glanced up in time to see Mrs. Lupin fading away, tears rolling down her face.

"A bit melodramatic, isn't she?" he said snidely. "It isn't as though you're never coming back." Remus chose not to reply, but kept his eyes glued to the window as the scenery rushed by.

"It's exciting to finally be going, isn't it?" Lily asked, shooting a glare at Severus.

"Yes, I've been looking forward to it for ages," Remus acknowledged. "Mum and Dad have told me so much about it, I can't wait to get started."

"Neither can I," Lily said excitedly. The two began to chatter as Severus delved deeper into his book, not sure he could put on a cheerful pretense for the entire trip.

"Is he always this quiet?" Severus heard Remus ask quietly some time later.

"He's not had a good start to the day," Lily revealed awkwardly. Severus shook his head and continued to read his book, though it grew quite difficult when Lily placed her hand once again on the page. "Come on, Severus," she pleaded. "Let's practice some spells. It will help you blow off steam." Severus looked up at her, not bothering to hide his interest.

"All right," he conceded, "but I've got to teach you some jinxes first. That way, we can practice throwing them at each other." Lily's eyes were bright with excitement as she listened patiently to Severus' explanations of the incantations.

"I think I've got it," she said after nearly twenty minutes. "So you'll go first with the Shield charm, and I'll try and hit you with the Babbling Curse."

"Right. Now, if I don't get the Shield Charm up in time, you'll have to remove the curse. The incantation is -"

"Affatus Lente," she finished for him.

"Alright. You ready, then?" He stood in front of the window while Lily stood before the door of the compartment. They raised their wands, and as Lily opened her mouth to speak, so did Severus.

"Affatus Accelero!"

"Protego!" A spurt of purple light came from Lily's wand at the same time that an indistinct mist floated from his own.

"That was a start," Remus offered from his viewpoint. They laughed as they realized they'd both failed miserably.

"I think you need to swish your wand a bit more," Severus said between breaths. "And I need to stop worrying about what will happen if you hit me with it. Let's do it again."

After a dozen more tries, the pair had successfully cast each of their spells. They tried a few more for good measure, then decided to switch spells. Due to their practice earlier, it took only a few tries to master the opposing spell. The excitement of victory coursed through their veins, making them eager for more.

"Try a different jinx," Lily instructed as she prepared to cast her charm. "A stronger one. I want to see if it's going to make a difference in how I set up the shield." Severus frowned. Any stronger jinx would mean putting Lily in danger of getting hurt.

"I don't think so. I'll keep on with the Babbling Curse," he decided. Lily put her hands on her hips.

"Don't worry about hurting me, I'll be fine!" she insisted.

"If the shield doesn't stand up to a stronger curse -"

"It'll be alright," she insisted again. "Would it make you feel better if I threw it at you first?" She grinned impishly as he shook his head.

"I'd rather have both of us unscathed," he said shortly. She grinned at him again.

"Come on, Severus! Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Lily, this is ludicrous. I'm not going to hurl something like the Laniatus Curse at you. And that's the next strongest one I can think of."

"That sounds interesting," she said immediately, her eyes blazing with excitement. "What do you think, Remus?"

"If she wants you to throw it at her, why not?" Lily smiled her thanks, then turned expectantly to Severus.

"Lily, this curse -"

"I don't want you to tell me!" she cried shrilly. "I want it to catch me off guard."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Positive."

"Alright," Severus sighed, promising himself to aim above her, just in case. He raised his wand hesitantly, then spoke the incantation, "Lanio!" Just as the words flew from his lips, the door crashed open, sending two boys toppling over Lily. The sudden movement caused Severus to drop his wand, and the curse he'd performed hit one of the boys in the face. An ugly gash appeared immediately, and the two newcomers stood up, looking at Severus with outrage.

"Say! What are you playing at?" demanded the one with the gash. He was about Severus' height, with unkempt black hair and glasses covering his hazel eyes. His companion was slightly taller, with the same shade of hair, though his eyes were gray, stirring a memory of Lucius Malfoy. Severus felt his anger rise at the insolence of the boy's question.

"What am I playing at? You're the ones who came barging in here," he snapped, giving Lily a hand up. She brushed off her robes and looked at the duo scathingly.

"Who are you?" she asked with unconcealed anger.

"We didn't do it on purpose," raged the taller boy, ignoring her question. "It isn't as though we meant to crash through the door." He glanced at his friend, then looked at Severus angrily. "Go on, fix his face!"

"Oh, is he afraid his face is going to be scarred for life?" Severus goaded.

"No, just afraid it'll turn out like yours," the other boy spat. Severus' scowl deepened as he kept his wand raised.

"Why don't you just sod off?" Lily suggested, her arms crossed angrily over her chest. The two boys looked at the three inhabitants of the compartment, then turned to leave.

"By the way," said the boy with glasses, turning from the door, "I didn't get your name."

"Severus Snape," Severus said immediately. "And I'll wager you won't forget it."

"Well, Severus," the boy began, his voice filled with loathing, "I expect this time tomorrow you'll be back on this train, once I've had the chance to report you." Severus said nothing, but continued to glare at the boy. "C'mon, Sirius," he said finally, "Let's find a prefect." They slammed the door to the compartment as they left, the shorter boy's hand to his face. Lily kicked the door angrily before throwing herself down on the seat next to Remus.

"What a couple of nutters!" she raged, her cheeks flushed with indignation. "It isn't as though you meant to curse him! It was all an accident! The great prat! I hope he does tell a prefect! We'll set the record straight - there's three of us!"

"We'll have a terrific time explaining to the prefect why we were tossing around dangerous jinxes to begin with," Severus said flatly as he, too, sat down.

"But - we were just trying to learn on our own! They wouldn't punish us for that, would they?"

"Professor Dumbledore wouldn't throw you out or anything, I'm sure of it," Remus said quietly.

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Hours later, the trio stood with the rest of the first years in an enormous corridor, which they'd been led to by a very large and wild-looking man. A stern looking witch, who revealed herself to be Professor McGonagall, had instructed them to be still, so here they now waited. They weren't exactly sure what it was they were waiting for, but every pair of eyes was taking in the wonderful decorations of the Entrance Hall. All that is, save for two. The boys who'd crashed into their compartment were a few feet ahead of the trio, and the shorter boy's eyes were clashing angrily with Severus'. While he heard Lily and Remus exclaiming over the architecture and decor, his attention was focused entirely on the other boy. He allowed a smirk to appear as he saw that the gash on the boy's face was still an angry-looking red, and looked as though it would leave a scar if it wasn't seen to properly. Before he'd dwelt too long on the matter, the huge doors in front of the line swung open, and Severus glimpsed a bit of the room beyond. He forgot his new nemesis momentarily as they began to shuffle into the room and he saw the way that it was decorated. Four long tables lined the room, each filled with students wearing identical black robes and pointed hats. Lit candles hung from the ceiling, which in turn was reflecting the tumultuous night sky they'd just been ushered in from. At the very end of the hall was another long table, slightly elevated and filled with witches and wizards whom Severus assumed must be the staff. Dumbledore himself sat in the very center, in a high-backed chair adorned with shimmering stones.

As Severus was turning with the other students, he caught the headmaster's eye. The older wizard winked at the boy, causing him to stumble slightly with surprise. Had he really remembered Severus from the one meeting they'd had at Lily's house?

"Are you alright?" Lily asked quietly as he continued to stare at Dumbledore.

"Fine," he said absently, turning back towards the front of the Hall. In front of the line of students stood a battered stool, and upon it sat a hat, in even worse shape. From the looks of it, the hat was centuries old, and for a fleeting moment, Severus was confused. He looked back over his shoulder to the staff table, but Dumbledore now had his attention on the hat. So, it seemed, did the other students in the hall. He and the other first years were beginning to glance around at each other, unsure of what to expect. Then, out of nowhere, a tear near the brim of the hat opened, and it began to sing.

"As well you know,
Many years ago,
A school for magic there came to be.
Four houses created inside,
Wherein each a different virtue was prized,
The students clamored to see.
The choice is mine, but do not fret,
For I am not all I seem.
I'll delve into your mind
And decide where you ought to be.
Perhaps in Ravenclaw,
Where knowledge reigns supreme?
Or in fair Hufflepuff,
Where loyalty is king?
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where courageous acts are shown,
Or then again in Slytherin,
Where ambitious minds will go.
So step right up, and put me on,
And soon you will see,
That I am always right
When it comes down
To where you ought to be."

There was a tumultuous sound of applause from the staff table as the sorting hat's song ended, though Severus couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

"That was rubbish," he whispered to Lily, who elbowed him.

"Stop being so pessimistic," she chided as Professor McGonagall picked up the hat from its stool.

"When I call your name, please step forward," she instructed. "The sorting hat will be placed on your head, and will determine which house you will be in. Avery, Nikolas!" A short boy strode nervously to the seat, looking around anxiously as the hat was placed onto his head. It seemed as though the thing were debating where he belonged before it finally decided.

"SLYTHERIN!" The tear near the brim opened wide with the hat's answer, and the boy rushed off to join his fellow housemates. Severus watched him with amusement, but his smirk faded as he locked gazes with Lucius Malfoy. Severus turned away, feigning interest in the next student being sorted.

"Black, Sirius!" The taller boy from the train stepped up to the stool with confidence.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius looked surprised, but pleased, when the hat was removed, and he joined his house table with a smile. Severus was too busy eyeing Sirius with contempt to keep track of the next few names, but suddenly Lily nudged him. Apparently, McGonagall had just called her name, and she was making her way to the stool, a look of sheer excitement on her face. The hat had barely sunk over her head before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" She smiled at Severus as she made her way to the table, but made a disgusted face as she was forced to sit next to Sirius. Severus smirked, then turned his attention back to the sorting.

"Goyle, Geoffrey!" A rather tall, stout looking boy strode purposefully up to the stool. The hat had not yet touched his head as it shouted,

"SLYTHERIN!" Goyle's features twisted into a victorious smile as he rushed over to his table. Severus felt the urge to look toward the table, curious to see if Lucius was still studying him, but he remembered his uncle's words in Diagon Alley, and chose to ignore it. A small girl had been sorted into Hufflepuff, and another was sitting on the stool. "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

"Lupin, Remus!" Remus walked to the stool, unsuccessfully trying to hide his nervousness.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Severus started. Both of his traveling companions had been sorted into the house of courage? He doubted very much if he would be placed there. He turned back to the stool, his mind racing.

"McDowell, Marie!" A short girl with long auburn hair sat on the stool, the hat placing her as the first Ravenclaw of the evening. Severus' gaze flicked back towards the Gryffindor table, where Lily and Remus were whispering, their eyes shining. Instead of catching Lily's eye, as he planned, he caught Sirius', and he narrowed his gaze in contempt. Sirius finally tore his gaze away, and Severus followed it to the friend who still stood in line. "Potter, James!" The shorter boy walked to the stool, his hand going self-consciously to his face.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Severus shook his head with astonishment. Perhaps if that oaf had managed to get into the house renowned for bravery, Severus did have a chance. James sat next to Remus, though it was apparent he was not happy with the arrangements. He tried to talk to Sirius, but Lily continually blocked his vantage point, until James was seething two seats away.

"Snape, Severus!" Severus' attention was snapped back to the sorting as he made his way over to the chair. Would he be in the house which held both his companions and his enemies? Before the hat fell onto his head, he saw James glaring at him. Then the hall vanished, and he jumped as a voice began to speak in his ear.

"Scare easy, eh?" it said with amusement. Severus frowned.

"Didn't expect you to talk to me," he muttered angrily.

"Well, well. You certainly possess a quick temper," the hat observed. "Though your mind is equally so, isn't it?" But Severus had stopped listening. In his mind, the image of James Potter leapt up, and he felt a surge of anger and resentment. He was not going to let his school life mirror his home life. He would retain the footing he'd won over the boys. "An ambitious task," the hat stated dryly. "You'll do well in - SLYTHERIN!" The hat was taken from Severus' head, and he made his way over to his table, his heart beating painfully. Why was he so disappointed? Hadn't he expected to get into the same house his father and uncle had been in? Wasn't he glad that he didn't have to share a dorm room with Black and Potter? As he approached an empty spot near the end of the long table, a voice spoke from down the line.

"No, Severus. I've held your seat here, across from me." He looked over to see Lucius Malfoy, a cold, calculating smile on his face. Severus took the seat that was offered, then attempted to focus on the sorting ceremony once again. Lucius would have none of it. "Wouldn't want you to feel unwelcome, now would we?" Severus stared at him, his uncle's words of caution flowing through his mind.

"Thanks," he said quietly. The sorting ended fairly quickly, and Dumbledore stood to say a few words.

"There aren't many announcements this year," he said with a smile. "So I'll just go through them now, if you don' t mind. First of all, I'd like to welcome all of our first years to Hogwarts, and hope they have many happy years here. Second, though I know it is very tempting, the Forbidden Forest remains off limits to all students. And last, but certainly not least, I would like to congratulate all of our new prefects, along with our Head Boy and Head Girl. Now, tuck in!" The plates in front of Severus filled with a variety of food, and he loaded his plate as he suddenly realized he hadn't eaten a thing since dinner the night before.

He was just getting started on his roast beef when Lucius nodded towards the Gryffindor table. Severus turned in his chair to see Lily smile and give him a thumbs-up sign. James caught his eye as well, and he glared at him, his hand tracing the rapidly reddening gash.

"Your handiwork, I presume?" Lucius intoned. Severus assumed he meant the gash, and nodded. "Excellent job," said the older boy, his eyes snapping playfully. "The git tried to come to me to report you. I told him I'd take care of it." Severus swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat. He wasn't quite sure what Lucius meant by 'taking care' of the problem, and he didn't particularly want to find out. Lucius' eyes swept towards the Gryffindor table again, though this time Severus kept his eyes fixed on the other boy. "Hogwarts is going to the dogs," he muttered maliciously. "Why do they let filth like that in? They should have drowned her in the lake when they had the chance. Isn't she your neighbor, Severus? How do you stand it? I wouldn't be caught living that close to a Muggle." Severus' fists clenched to his sides, and his eyes filled with anger. Who was this boy to talk about his friend like that? He didn't let his father do it around him, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let Lucius get away with it either.

"Lily is my friend," he said quietly, but firmly.

"Oh?" Lucius raised an eyebrow with interest, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Slytherins do not befriend Gryffindors, Severus. You should take care to uphold the values of your house." Severus glanced back over at Lily, who smiled again before turning back to her conversation with Remus.

"I said, she's my friend," he said with a bit more force. His eyes fixed on the older boy's as he continued, "And anyone who tries to hurt her will have to get through me first."

"It is very unwise to disrespect those above you," Lucius warned, his cold gray eyes turning to steel.

"Show me that you're above me in any way but age, and maybe I'll remember that," Severus retorted, his eyes never leaving Lucius'. The table around the boys had grown quiet as the other students looked from one boy to the other. Neither boy looked away, and Severus had the unsettling feeling that Lucius was searching for something with his penetrating gaze. Finally, a smirk and a slight nod from Lucius ended the stand-off.

"I see that you are not easily dissuaded. You will do well in Slytherin." Severus opened his mouth to respond, but before he had the chance, Dumbledore was standing, and the students were dismissed to their common rooms.