Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Twenty-One: Return to - Normalcy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus wanted to run. He wanted to turn away from the wall, to put as much distance between himself and the Malfoys as possible. But his legs felt like lead, and he found that he could not move them. Rooted to the spot, the conversation he'd overheard whirled through his brain again and again. Lucius was his friend. Or was he?

A sound in the hall brought his attention back to his immediate surroundings, and he somehow found it in himself to turn away from the wall and go to the nearest bookshelf, grabbing a book at random and opening it. Lucius poked his head into the room, spotted him, and then walked over. Severus’ heart was pounding – would his friend see through his façade?

“Good, you found it,” Lucius appraised, nodding to the book in the other boy’s hands. “Find anything interesting?” Severus nodded, his fear diminishing somewhat. Lucius didn’t suspect anything now, and as long as he didn’t let on, he’d be fine.

“Yes,” the younger boy replied, his eyes on the page in front of him. “Very interesting.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The remainder of the week provided no more surprises to the boy, and Severus began to wonder if he’d really overheard what he thought he had. Lucius and Braeden were nothing but friendly to him, and they never pushed as his own family did. Severus soon found himself settling into life at the manor, and quite liking it. He'd even gone back to the library, where Lucius had pointed out several interesting books on hexes.

The conversation between his friend and his father was therefore pushed to the back of his mind as they arrived at King’s Cross, and he began looking for Lily on the platform.

“Come on,” Lucius urged. “What are you waiting for?”

“Just looking for –“ he paused at the look that came over Lucius’ face. “Never mind,” he muttered.

“The others are probably already on board,” Lucius observed, taking in the platform with a quick glance. “We’d best go and find them.” Severus followed his friend obediently, though still looking around for his neighbor.

They boarded the train and soon found their friends, as Lucius had predicted, already assembled. As Severus sat, he noticed there was one missing from their numbers, and it took a moment for him to realize that Rodolphus had been in his seventh year last term. Of course he wouldn't be here now. The others greeted the newcomers, and they began to discuss their summer holidays. Lucius left to go to the prefects’ meeting, leaving Severus sitting awkwardly with the rest of the group.

It was nearly halfway into the trip when Severus began to worry about Lily. He hadn't seen her on the platform, and he'd been watching the corridor since they'd left the station, but she hadn't passed by. Despite his companions' assurances that he would be better off to forget about her, he stepped into the hall in search of his friend. Peering into compartments as he went, the boy stopped outside one halfway down the train. Inside sat James and Sirius, along with Remus and Peter. Severus wrapped his hand around the wand in his pocket, getting ready to get a start on the year with one of the hexes he'd learned that week. A hand over his own startled him, and he turned to see Lily.

"All right, Severus?" she asked with a smirk. With a last longing look towards the boys in the compartment, Severus nodded.

"Didn't see you on the platform," he muttered.

"I was here pretty early," she admitted. "C'mon," she instructed after a moment's hesitation. "I want you to tell me all about your lovely stay with Malfoy." He followed her obediently down the corridor, to a compartment packed with giggling girls of all ages. Severus rolled his eyes.

"How are we supposed to talk in here?" he muttered as they entered. Lily ignored him as she introduced everyone. He tried not to notice the way they all looked at him - not one of the girls was in Slytherin. He nodded curtly as he took a seat beside his friend, wanting to tell her everything about his week with Malfoy, but the din had ceased upon their entrance. Nearly every face was turned towards the pair as he sat, brooding. One by one they left, his sour mood ruining their own excitement.

Finally, only one girl remained. Short and petite, the Ravenclaw sat next to the window, her nose buried in a book as large as she was. Her auburn hair was tied back into a not-so-neat ponytail, and she seemed completely oblivious to the other occupants of the compartment.

"Hey," Severus called, intent on ridding them of her presence as well. Lily laid her hand on his arm.

"Don't worry about Marie," she said lightly. "Once she's in a book, nothing distracts her." Severus cast a doubtful look towards the girl, but finally turned again to his friend. He told her about the trip to Diagon Alley, and Sebastian's appearance.

"Occlumency?" she questioned quietly. Severus nodded, and then continued to tell her about the conversation he'd overheard. Lily's face became set with determination, and then she opened her mouth to speak. The door of the compartment slid open before she uttered a word, admitting Lucius.

"We're nearly there," he remarked, ignoring Lily. "Best change into your robes, Severus." Lucius made no move to budge, and Severus rose from his seat.

"I'll see you after dinner," he promised his friend as he followed the older boy back to their own compartment.

“You’ll want to pay close attention to the sorting this year,” Lucius advised. “We have to earmark this year’s addition to our group. Best you learn what to look for – you’ll be choosing next term.” Severus stopped with a jolt.

“Excuse me?” he questioned, believing he’d misheard.

“Come now, surely you don’t think I’d entrust something as important as this to Walden, do you?”

“What about Antonin? Or Evan?”

“Evan is too involved in his Quidditch to be searching for just the right new Slytherin. And Antonin, well, let us just say that he is a bit too indecisive for his own good.”

“Why not Narcissa, then?” Severus asked, not at all sure he wanted this huge responsibility. Lucius smirked.

“Narcissa will have other things on her mind at this time next term,” he announced slyly.

“Such as?” Severus pressed.

“Such as things which do not concern you at the present time,” Lucius shot at him. “She isn’t even aware of them yet.” The boy furrowed his brow in confusion. What was his friend talking about?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus sat in the Great Hall, the excitement of the impending sorting coursing through his veins. Despite his earlier feeling on the train that this was an unwelcome task, as Lucius began to explain what to look for, he became more and more intrigued.

“First and foremost, Severus, is intelligence. Not always easily noticeable – with Walden, we settled for his gullibility. It makes him very open to – suggestion,” Lucius explained. “Pathetic, isn’t it? He’s the brightest Slytherin in his year.” Severus and the others laughed as Walden turned red.

“Next is skill. Again, not always recognizable immediately. Yours, however, were made clear the first day of term. That gash hex was very impressive for a first year.” Severus smirked, trying his best not to beam at the praise. His eyes sought out the victim of that hex, and they narrowed as he saw that both he and Sirius were staring at the Slytherin table. They returned the glare until Remus began to speak to them. Severus turned back to Lucius, a triumphant smirk in place.

“Thirdly, family history is essential. I could tell you anything you wish to know about any family - their strengths, their weaknesses, their standing in the proper circles – knowledge of a prospective member’s background is crucial.” Severus frowned. He didn’t know anything about these families.

“Lucius, I –“

“I haven’t finished, Severus. Fourth is confidence – one of the first things you can determine. Some, like Narcissa, exude confidence from their very being. You lacked confidence, but made up for it with your dedication and passion, which leads me to number five – passion. We do not desire to be involved with those who lack the drive to succeed. As Slytherin is notorious for those who value ambition, there is seldom a lack of this. Occasionally, one will come along – such as that oaf, Crabbe – but not very often.”

“Finally, but most importantly – loyalty.” Severus’ mind was thrown back to the conversation he’d overheard in Lucius’ home. What kind of loyalty was he suggesting? “You demonstrated this as well that first evening. It was one of the things which first endeared you to our group. Though you do not appear to share all of our ideals,” he cast a disgusted look to Lily, who was watching the Slytherin table with a frown, “those you have you remain attached firmly to. Most newcomers require a bit of a test to prove where their loyalties lie.” There was silence as the doors opened and the first years began to file in.

“Lucius, how am I to choose a suitable candidate if I do not know the history of their family?” he asked quietly, his eyes taking in the line of students.

“Be sure that you learn them, Severus.” The sorting had begun, and by the time it was over, the Slytherins had gained ten new students.

“Tell me what you observed,” Lucius directed. “Start with that small boy on the corner.” Severus thought to when the boy had been sorted.

“He was frightened,” he realized as he recalled the way the boy’s eyes had nervously darted around the room.

“What else?”

“He hasn’t made any friends – he’s sitting in silence, his eyes down on the table.”

“Precisely. He lacks confidence, and –“

“And cannot demonstrate his loyalty as yet,” Severus interrupted excitedly. Lucius smiled with approval.

“Good. How about the others?”

“That one, there, he’s chatting with the older boys around him – obviously confident, but he seems a bit on the slow side.”

Severus continued to assess the new students according to Lucius’ criteria, and by the end of dinner, they had narrowed the ten newcomers down to seven.

“We will observe them over the next month,” Lucius announced as they stood.

“And then choose?”

“Perhaps. It may take a bit longer – with Walden’s year, we held out nearly three months, hoping for an alternative.” Severus grinned again, then followed the remainder of the group down to the common room as Lucius stayed behind with the first years.

The group remained quiet as they walked the halls, as they were wont to do, though Severus thought he detected something unusual in his companions’ silence. Was it contempt? Were they disappointed and angry that Lucius had not appointed them to choose their new member? Did they even know? They had not been in the corridor on the train when Lucius had explained his new responsibility, but Severus realized that though it may not have been announced, there was no doubt his friends knew. Lucius had spoken to only him about what to look for in a new student, and aside from Walden, these students were no dummies.

He mumbled a good-night when they reached the dungeons, then made his way up to his dormitory. Most of his dormmates had already arrived, and they looked up as he entered. There were no cheery greetings in this dorm – all Severus received were icy stares as he made his way to his bed, stares which he steadfastly ignored.

“Heard you spent the week at Malfoy Manor,” Callum observed dryly.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Geoffrey advised as he entered the dorm room, Adrian close by his side. "Lucius will graduate at the end of this year, and then Snivellus will have nobody to protect him."

"I don't need Lucius to fight my battles," Severus retorted, his teeth clenched in anger. "Or shall I demonstrate for you, Goyle?" His wand was ready, held just above the sleeve of his robe as he watched his dorm mate's reaction.

"As I recall," Geoffrey purred, "That little - incident - was interrupted before it had a chance to really begin. There is no doubt in my mind that had I been given the opportunity, you would have crumbled in seconds." Severus' lips pursed in a thin line.

"You name the location, and I will gladly disprove your little theory," he snapped, a plethora of hexes and defensive spells already congealing in his mind. Geoffrey's lips curled into a cruel sneer.

"The Forbidden Forest," he said immediately. "The clearing, which I am sure you know very well." Severus' eyes narrowed. "But not now - this time next term." Severus laughed.

"Afraid to face me now?" he spat.

"Not quite," the other boy replied, the same smug smile on his face. "But Lucius won't be there to stop it, now will he?"

"I wouldn't bother to show if I were you," Severus said with a smirk. "Save yourself the embarrassment and hex yourself at dinner." Without another word, he climbed into his bed and drew the curtains shut. Things were definitely back to normal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~