Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Ten: Lessons Learned

Severus returned to his dormitory that evening, relieved to find it empty. Apparently none of his dorm mates had quite forgiven him for cursing Nikolas, which suited him just fine. Either that, or they were formulating a plan to get back at him. As a precaution against the latter, he made it a point to be sure his wand was under his pillow before he secured his curtains around the bed. The thoughts of what Lucius' plan for the following afternoon would entail, combined with the anxiety of his dorm mates' actions upon their return, served to banish all chances of sleep from the young boy. He gripped the wand beneath his pillow as he heard the door to the dormitory creak open, relaxing only slightly as he heard the boys' conversation.

"He didn't have to use that one," Nikolas was grumbling. "Madame Pomfrey said they'll be there all week!"

"Actually, I think it's an improvement," Geoffrey said with amusement.

"Yeah," Adrian quickly agreed. "It brings out your eyes!" The other boys let out audible groans.

"Yet again you prove how useless you are, Adrian," Geoffrey said scathingly.

"Why doesn't everyone just shut it and go to sleep?" Callum suggested, sounding as though he were already behind his own curtains. Severus assumed they had done precisely that, as no further conversation continued. He pulled his hand from his wand, thankful that they seemed to accept his actions from earlier as appropriate. With one less worry on his mind, he drifted into a fitful sleep.

---

The next morning brought with it the first Potions lesson of the term, a class he shared once again with the Gryffindors. Severus ate his breakfast quickly, then met up with Lily to walk to class.

"Where'd you rush off to after dinner last night?" she asked with concern as she studied his face. "From the looks of those bags under your eyes, you didn't get much sleep, either. What's going on?" Severus quickly and quietly relayed his and Lucius' conversation from the previous evening, his lips pressed tightly together as Lily frowned. "Sebastian did warn you not to get too close to him," she reminded him.

"I know what Sebastian said," he muttered as they reached the Potions classroom.

"Just be careful, Severus," she cautioned quietly as other students began to file in.

"Morning, Snivellus!" James greeted as he and Sirius passed their table. Severus gritted his teeth and appeased his anger by imagining which hex he could use the next time they turned around.

"Don't do it," Lily warned, as if she had read his thoughts. Severus looked at her in shock.

"Why not? You know they deserve it!"

"You'll only get into more trouble," she chided. Oh, so that's it, he thought. She's found out about Nikolas and the detention as well. He studied her face to try and determine if she knew why he'd hexed his dorm mate, but her eyes remained pointedly on the professor who had just entered the room. Severus turned his own gaze towards the man, and attempted to stifle his laugh as he recognized Professor Melison. The man looked as though he wanted nothing more than to shoo the children away and retreat again into his office.

"You are here to learn the precise art of potion making," he began, his strong voice echoing over the dungeon and commanding the attention of every student. Severus perked up immediately: if his voice belied his appearance, perhaps the lessons would not be a complete waste of his time, after all. "I would like to stress the importance of the term precise," continued Professor Melison. "If you are unwilling or unable to follow directions to the letter," he paused to look at each student to emphasize his words, "you will find yourselves failing this course. I do not offer remedial lessons, as I feel they are a waste of my time. And yet, failure will not be tolerated. That being said, I trust each of you will do your utmost to assure your success with me. If that requires you to seek outside assistance, then so be it. I do not feel my coursework to be abnormally difficult, nor do I have reason to believe it impossible to complete." The students began to look at one another, worry clear on their faces. No assistance from the professor aside from class? Severus snickered behind his hand as Adrian gave Geoffrey a stricken look. Professor Melison focused immediately on the noise, his head of gray hair whipping around with his gaze. "You, boy!" he barked. "What is your name?"

"S-Severus Snape," he answered, stuttering out of surprise.

"Tell me, Snape, which bit of what I've said do you find humorous?"

"None of it, sir," he answered honestly.

"Then explain to me," he said quietly, coming to stand directly in front of his desk, "exactly what you were giggling at." Two desks up, Sirius and James were rolling with silent laughter behind Melison's back, and Severus felt his blood begin to boil.

"I wasn't giggling," he said coolly."I was laughing at the dumbfounded stare of some of your other pupils when you announced you would not be teaching your lessons twice." He crossed his arms angrily over his chest and leaned back in his chair, awaiting what would no doubt be his second detention in two days. Severus felt Lily's astonished gaze, but ignored it, keeping his eyes on the professor.

"Indeed?" the professor stated sardonically, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't sure, but Severus thought he saw the corners of the man's mouth twitch before he spoke again. "Perhaps you feel you are above such worries, Mr. Snape? Alright then, let's see." He crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling for a moment, lost in thought. "Tell me, Snape, what would you add to a simple calming draught to switch it to a sleeping draught?"

"You wouldn't add anything, sir," Severus answered. "You would need to replace the aconite with asphodel, or it would be too potent. Unless that was your intention, to create the Draught of Living Death." Surprise settled over the professor's features as he gazed down at the boy, though he quickly replaced it with a smile.

"Well done, lad. It's clear at least one student has managed to read their textbook," he said to the class, his voice considerably lighter than before. "If you would all take them out now, we will begin the lesson." There was a scurry of movement as the class did as they were instructed, then waited for Melison to speak again. "Turn to page three hundred and ninety-four." The class broke out in confused whispers as the pages were turned. Severus heard a boy speaking directly behind him, and suppressed a smile.

"That's nearly halfway! Shouldn't we start from the beginning?"

"You have an issue with the way I teach my class, Mr. -?" barked Melison from behind his desk.

"P-pettigrew, sir. No, I was j-just -"

"Questioning my judgment?" Melison interrupted. Severus turned in his seat to see Peter cowering next to Remus, who looked as though he wanted to slink off and not be noticed.

"No, sir. I just thought -"

"Rule number one, Mr. Pettigrew, never question my judgment!" Professor Melison's voice thundered through the classroom , causing more than one student to flinch in surprise. He turned to face the class again. "I am the professor in this classroom. It is my understanding that all of you are here to learn. If that is not the case, you may take your leave now, before wasting any more of my time." He paused, looking over the classroom with disdain. "I thought as much. Now, if you've all turned to the desired page, and have looked at it, perhaps you will see why I directed you there. Read the page. Do not talk." Severus looked down at his own copy of Developing a Passion for Potions and grinned. The page they'd been instructed to read was headed: The Draught of Living Death. He looked at Professor Melison, already sure that he was going to enjoy this class.

---

By the end of class, there had been one explosion (Peter had added an ingredient too late), one implosion (Adrian's cauldron, it seemed, had been jinxed to swallow itself upon the addition of any ingredient), and eight of the twenty-odd students had been sent to the hospital wing for burns. Professor Melison had begun making rounds of the classroom, making comments on the remaining students' brew.

" Miss Renthorne, that draught should be red, not green," he pointed out to a weary-looking Gryffindor. "For next class, I expect a foot on what you did wrong, and how you could have still corrected it." Miss Renthorne scowled as his back was turned, then poured a bit of her potion into her phial and labeled it with her name. "Mr. Wingett, what exactly is that supposed to be?" A tiny-looking Gryffindor boy, trembling slightly at the professor's booming voice, looked at his potion morosely.

"A-a fever reducer?" he stammered.

"Indeed?" Melison inquired, his face lowering to the surface of the boy's cauldron. "This does not even resemble the potion I assigned. You will have the same homework as Miss Renthorne." He passed among the rows of desks, finally arriving at the desk Severus and Lily were sharing. He eyed the brew in front of Severus carefully, then looked at the boy with a smile of satisfaction. "It seems you have not merely read the textbook, but understood it as well. I believe this is the only time I've seen a first year brew a perfect fever reduction draught. Ten points for Slytherin." Severus tried to refrain from grinning like an idiot at the Professor's praise, failing miserably when Melison began berating Callum's work. "This is atrocious, Mr. Nott! You've gone from step one to step four, and then back to step two!" He waved his wand and emptied the boy's cauldron. "A zero for today, then, and two feet on the proper procedure to brew this draught. Carelessness will not be tolerated in my class." The bell rang to signal the end of the lesson, and the students quickly labeled their potions and set them on Melison's desk as they hurried to the door.

"Brilliant, Severus!" Remus stated as he, Lily, and Severus exited the dungeon. "Potions must be your strong suit, eh?" Severus shrugged indifferently.

"I suppose," he mumbled, though he began grinning again at the smile on Lily's face.

"Good work, Severus," she said approvingly.

"Yeah, Snivellus, excellent job," came a scathing reply from behind them. Severus whipped around to face them, his hand gripped tightly around his wand.

"Leave it," Lily warned quietly. James and Sirius were smiling broadly, apparently unconcerned about the effect they were having on Severus.

"Becoming teacher's pet already, Snivellus?" James sneered as the boys began to pass. Focused on James, Severus didn't see the phial in Sirius' hand until it was too late. He felt cold liquid trickle over his head, then a strange tingling sensation covered his scalp. His hand went immediately to his head as the two Gryffindors began laughing hysterically. He felt his hair sticking in all directions, and against protests from Lily, produced his wand.

"Foetidus Eternum!" he shouted, his body shaking with rage. The curse hit both boys as they were doubled over, and an immediate stench began to fill the corridor. Students who were still filing from the room walked past hurriedly, their faces twisted up in disgust as they hastened away from the smell. Severus smiled with triumph. "I'll meet up with you after dinner, Lily," he said, intent on getting away from his handiwork before he was caught. She nodded shortly, though her eyes were reflecting her disapproval, and walked hurriedly past. Severus sneered at his nemeses before proceeding to walk down the corridor. He was halted by a rough hand on his shoulder, and he was spun around, not to face his victims, as he'd assumed, but his Head of House. Professor Melison was looking at Severus sternly, though his eyes held a trace of mirth as he stared at the boy's hair. His gaze went to the Gryffindors, who were no longer laughing, but staring at Severus with loathing.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for fighting," Professor Melison intoned as he turned his nose up in disgust. "Get to the hospital ward, boys. I'm sure Madame Pomfrey can set you right. Snape, I'd like a word with you in my office." Severus watched the boys leave, their faces showing the triumph they felt. His heart sinking in his chest, he followed his professor through the door behind his desk.

Melison's office was filled with bookcases, and the similarity between this and his father's study at home caused his breath to catch. Professor Melison, however, kept tomes of a far less sinister nature on his shelves. The artifacts which lined his desk were merely jars containing potions ingredients, though on the far side sat an ancient-looking cauldron, seeming for all the world as though it would disintegrate if a fire were lit beneath it. Professor Melison sat on the edge of his desk, his leg dangling nonchalantly over the edge. "Have a seat, son." Severus obeyed, taking a chair directly in front of the professor. "What happened here?" His voice held no trace of judgment, causing Severus to feel slightly at ease.

"I cast the Foetidus Curse on them," he answered simply.

"That was glaringly apparent," Melison replied tersely. "I do not appreciate my students creating chaos near my classroom, Severus. May I call you Severus? " The boy shrugged indifferently. He'd never had an adult ask permission to use his given name before. The man before him certainly was unlike any he'd known. Melison cocked his head to the side and looked at the boy with interest. "It is curious, however, that Mr. Black procured a hair-raising potion."

"All he had to do was add rat tails and daisy roots to the fever reducer," Severus said morosely.

"Yet the potion sample he turned in wasn't nearly up to the standard of your own," Melison mused as he held out a phial to Severus. The boy took it, assuming it was the antidote for his predicament, and was proved right when he felt his hair fall back against his scalp. "I find it surprising that he knew to do that." Severus didn't want to admit it, but he was intrigued. If Sirius and James had managed to alter their potions for their own purpose, perhaps it wasn't going to be so easy to unsettle them. The thought both infuriated and interested him. All this meant was that he would need to find cleverer ways of getting back at them. This was going to get very interesting. He grinned without realizing it, incurring a disapproving glare from his Head of House. "Since you seem to find this all so amusing, Severus, perhaps it is best to release you on your way, before my temper finds an outlet in you. Five points will be deducted from Slytherin for fighting in the corridors. You may leave." Severus rose, no longer smiling. He'd lost points for Slytherin, and just last evening Lucius had warned him to tread carefully. What would Lucius have to say about his latest infringement?

---

Severus held his breath as the bell rang to mark his final class of the day. With a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach, he gathered his books and returned to the common room. Climbing the stairs to his dormitory, he dropped his bag onto his bed, sinking next to it almost instantly. Lucius had instructed him to meet at the edge of the forest after classes, and no doubt the older boy would be wondering what was keeping him. Despite that thought, however, Severus was loathe to leave the dorm. No doubt his loss of points would have reached Lucius' ears, and Severus knew the prefect would not be pleased. With a heavy sigh, he stood from the bed, resigned to his fate. It wasn't as though he'd be able to hide forever, and he may as well get it over with sooner rather than later. Ignoring the curious looks of the other students, he made his way out of the dungeons and up into the Entrance Hall. The bright autumn sunlight seemed to mock the turmoil of his mind as he strode reluctantly through the doors. He could just make out the brilliant white-blonde of Lucius' hair as he rounded the corner of the castle, and he headed towards him with trepidation.

"A word of advice, Severus," Lucius said coolly as the boy grew nearer, "Never keep me waiting again."

"I dropped off my books in the dorm," Severus protested feebly.

"And don't make excuses," Lucius chided as he turned away and disappeared into the trees. Severus followed, albeit hesitantly.

"Professor Dumbledore told us the forest was off limits," he said carefully. Lucius snorted.

"I do not allow Muggle-loving old fools to set my bounds," he sneered. The pair continued on in silence, foraging along a path Lucius seemed to know well. As they reached the edge of an immense clearing, Severus felt his eyelids droop. Try as he might, he could not lift them, until he stumbled onto the ground. All at once, he was fine, and blinking into the smirking face of Lucius. "Discretion, Severus. Discretion and vigilance. They are the key to survival in Slytherin. If you're going to curse someone, be sure they don't see it coming." He held out a hand to assist the younger boy to his feet, and Severus took it, excitement coursing through his veins. It sounded as though Lucius were planning on showing him techniques for cursing his enemies. His mind went immediately to Sirius and James, and he grinned. "Glad to see you're intrigued," Lucius drawled. "Now get your wand out - act as though you're going to hex me." Severus did as instructed, whipping his wand from his pocket. Lucius shook his head and sighed. "It's worse than I thought," he muttered. The older boy pushed Severus' wand idly aside. "How is brandishing your wand like a sword beneficial, Severus? The only purpose a wand serves is to channel the magic. It can be just as effective if hidden, say, beneath the sleeve of your robe." He waved his hand idly in the air at the same time a sharp pain began to spread along Severus' side. "You see?" Lucius smirked. "It's simple, yet highly useful. Give it a go."

Lucius lifted the curse as Severus stowed his wand inside his sleeve. Hands sweating slightly, Severus raised his hand as if to brush aside a stray hair, and watched as the tree to the far right of Lucius let out a squeak and grew a lovely pair of mouse ears.

"You'll need to work on your aim," Lucius observed dryly. "Otherwise, well done." Severus tried to contain his delight at being praised, though a small smirk managed to affix itself to his features. "Right. Now, to perfect your aim -"

---

The two boys toiled well over two hours in the clearing, at the end of which Severus was hitting his targets with a fair amount of accuracy. They paused only when Lucius declared he was too hungry to continue.

"Not bad for starters," he commended as the duo made their way back onto Hogwarts grounds. "We'll need to continue these sessions, obviously, until both you and I are confident of your ability to act inconspicuously. Same time tomorrow, then?" Severus nodded eagerly. The afternoon's activities had made him anxious to learn more, anxious to use every weapon available to him in his quest for supremacy over the Gryffindor boys. "One last thing, Severus," Lucius added quietly as they reached the doors. "Now that you know the basics of subterfuge, there should be no cause for you to lose additional house points. You'll find that some of your housemates are far less - forgiving - than I when it comes to such matters. Bear that in mind, won't you?" The younger boy nodded instantly, though it was more of an instinctive reaction than a conscious movement.

He followed Lucius automatically, taking a seat beside the older boy amidst his friends when it was offered. Severus looked at the faces surrounding them with interest. Lucius was the undeniable leader of this group, and the self-assurance he emitted swept over the table like a cloak.

"Severus, these are my associates," Lucius explained as a thin boy across from them hurriedly prepared a plate for the prefect. "This bumbling fool is Walden MacNair. We keep him around for laughs." The thin boy blushed as he placed Lucius' plate in front of him. "After Walden is Evan Rosier, next to him is Antonin Dolohov, then Rodolphus Lestrange, and this is Narcissa and her sister Bellatrix Black," he introduced, pointing to two stunningly beautiful girls beside him. Severus started at their surname.

"Did you say Black?" he asked with disgust.

"Yes he did," Narcissa answered tightly, her nose thrust into the air. "That dolt you have made enemies of is our cousin. My compliments on his new fragrance." Severus grinned, as did a few others of the group.

"Welcome to our little society, Severus," Lucius said brightly. "We are the best of the best, from the finest pureblooded families, representing the best of their respective years. You'll find that if you stick with us, your days at Hogwarts will be infinitely more fulfilling." A feeling of acceptance suddenly surged inside of the young boy's body. He'd felt this way with the Evanses, and now at school, less than a week into term, he'd found a group of students welcoming him into their midst. At last, he had found a place he could call home.

---

When he relayed the afternoon's events to Lily nearly two hours later, he received a different reaction than what he'd been expecting.

"He took you into the forest?" she questioned unbelievingly. "He's a prefect! He shouldn't go against Dumbledore's rules!" Severus refrained from repeating Lucius' remarks regarding Dumbledore, aware they would most likely prove to upset his friend even more. Besides, he wasn't quite sure he shared the older boy's feelings regarding the headmaster.

"Aren't you at least a little happy that I've found friends within my house?" he retorted.

"I don't think Lucius is your friend, Severus," she said quietly. "Remember what Sebastian-"

"You're always going back to what Sebastian said," Severus snapped angrily. "What has he ever told me that's helped? Lucius is teaching me how I can stand up for myself, defend myself against anyone who wants to hurt me. Why is that so wrong?"

"I just hope he isn't going to expect you to return the favor someday," she said quietly. "Even if you aren't taking your uncle's words seriously, I am. Sebastian's a good man, Severus. You, of all people, should realize that fact. I think you should listen to his advice a bit more carefully, that's all."

"I listened to his advice before," he replied, his voice low and hurt. "It didn't do me much good, though, did it?" His question was greeted by silence, and he could tell that she was battling with herself, determining what she should say.

"I'm writing home," she said finally. "Maybe you should send an owl to Sebastian." His gaze hardened as he opened his mouth to refuse. "So you can ask about your mum," Lily finished quickly. Severus' gaze softened slightly.

"She's never checked on me," he said tightly. "Uncle Sebastian will write if there's something I should know about."

"Is there anything you want to put into my letter to Mum and Dad?" she asked quietly.

"Just tell them hullo for me," he answered absently, his mind straying to his mother, despite his defiant protests that he wasn't concerned. Sebastian would write if something went wrong, wouldn't he?