Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter 28: Justice Done?
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The room erupted at Remi's confession, but Lucius had arrived at her side before any of the others. He exchanged glances with the group in the corner before taking the first year's arm and escorting her out of the common room. Severus watched them go, a cold feeling clutching at his heart. He turned to Narcissa as soon as the door had closed behind them.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"I don't know what you mean," Narcissa purred, meeting his gaze head-on. "That first year just confessed - didn't you hear her?"

"But I know she didn't -"

"Severus, everyone in this room heard that confession," Evan said emphatically. "Who are we to say why she said it? Just be glad that the finger is no longer pointed at you."

"I suppose it was her wand you used?" he asked, his eyes focused on Narcissa - though he was sure he already knew the answer.

"She'll be expelled, the inquiry will be over, and we can all go on about our lives," Narcissa answered with a smirk. Severus' eyes narrowed, and his mouth tightened into a thin line, but he said nothing as his eyes went around the group. Clearly, they'd been expecting something like this - not even Walden seemed surprised by the first year's outburst.

But Dumbledore will see through it, he reasoned. Dumbledore won't believe a first year did this.

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Nearly an hour later, Lucius returned, the other prefects and Professor Melison following close behind him. Severus noted with alarm that Remi was nowhere to be seen.

"I feel little need to explain what has happened," Melison began, "as I'm sure you were all witness to Miss Bagsby's alarming confession." His eyes traveled over the room, coming to rest on Severus and his surrounding friends. "All students are to report to the Great Hall for lunch, and then to their afternoon classes as usual." Melison exited the room, leaving behind a buzzing house.

No sooner had Melison left then every member of the Slytherin house gathered around Lucius.

"What happened?"

"Was it really Remi?"

"A first year did it?"

The chaotic outcries from the various students jumbled together, causing Lucius to lift a hand to silence the voices.

"As Bagsby has not returned, it would be safe to assume that she was the one behind Pemberton's death. Evidently, Professor Dumbledore felt the same. She has been expelled."

Severus inhaled sharply. He'd been so sure that Dumbledore wouldn't make a mistake - but apparently, he was easier to fool than he seemed. The second year couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

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Lunchtime had the school in an uproar. None of the students outside of Slytherin knew what had happened - all they'd been told was that the person responsible for Pandora's death had been expelled.

Severus picked at his food as the Great Hall began to buzz with rumors. He did his best to block them out, but couldn't help but notice how every pair of eyes came to rest on the corner of the table at which he and his friends were seated. From the looks of things, most were surprised to see the group intact.

He turned back to his plate, his hunger vanishing. Severus could feel Lucius' eyes on him as he stood to leave the Hall, but left nonetheless, intent on finding a private corner in which to think.

"Severus!" Apparently, privacy was impossible. He turned to see Lily excusing herself from a group of girls near the entrance to the Hall, most of them eyeing him with unconcealed suspicion. When she had reached his side, he resumed walking, saying nothing.

"What's going on?" she said immediately, her voice low as he led them aimlessly up the stairs.

"Someone confessed," he said simply, racking his brain for some secret niche to which he could run. He heard Lily gasp.

"Who?"

"A first year," he retorted flatly.

"So it wasn't -"

"Who?" Severus stopped walking and spun around to face his friend. "Me?" Lily's face fell slightly at his tone, but she continued to meet his gaze.

"I never thought you -"

"Then who did you suspect?" he pressed. "You obviously expected a Slytherin - who?"

"Severus, I didn't think it was anyone in particular," she protested. "I just thought it would be an upperclassman, at least. But a first year? Why would they-"

"I don't know! Maybe she was jealous that Pemberton was up for the group and she wasn't! Maybe Pemberton did better on a Charms test - how am I supposed to know?"

"What's wrong with you?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "You seem to take everything I say as an accusation! Of course I don't think you killed her, but don't you think it's strange that a first year cast a Clumsiness Charm and somehow managed to push Pandora out the window without you seeing her?" She stopped, her eyes searching his face. "I'm not out to foul you up, Severus. I just want to know what really happened."

"You know as much as I do," he retorted, his tone still sharp. "And apparently, Dumbledore believed it was Bagsby, or she wouldn't have been expelled!" Lily's face grew thoughtful as this last was presented.

"I suppose, but it still doesn't make sense."

"Not everything in life makes sense," Severus muttered, unconsciously repeating Dumbledore's words from that morning. Lily looked as though she wanted to protest, but instead scrutinized his face. Severus cast his eyes on the floor as he continued walking, unable to meet her gaze.

"It's Thursday," Lily reminded him. "Our afternoon's free."

"I know that," he responded harshly.

"I only meant - look, you're not going to wander the halls aimlessly all day, are you?" He shrugged noncommittally.

"Maybe."

"Severus, what do you want me to say?" she asked quietly. He risked a glance up to see that she, too, had averted her eyes. "I'm sorry if you think I'm blaming you, but I'm not. And I'm sorry if you're angry that you've been singled out again, but get over it." Severus stopped walking, and turned to her in surprise.

"What?"

"If you've done nothing wrong, then stop worrying so much about what people think you did. You don't even like those people."

"What do you think?" he asked quietly.

"Me? I think that you feel guilty because you were there. Don't forget - I know you, Severus. And if you could have done something to save Pandora, you would have." A heavy silence settled over them, broken a few minutes later by Lily's attempt to lighten the mood. "So you can just stop with the glowering and snapping at me, if you don't mind." For the first time in weeks, Severus smiled.

It wasn't easy to ignore the whispers that became bolder throughout the next few days, or the constant looks the other students cast over their shoulders when he was near, but Severus gradually tuned them out. He found solace once again in Professor Melison's private library, when his Head of House reminded the boy that it was open to him. It was there that he retreated on the weekend following Remi's confession, where his thoughts could be filled with potion ingredients rather than the incessant rumors flying around the school.

His letter to Sebastian, however, was never too far from his mind. Still unsure as to why his sister's eyes continued to haunt his dreams, he waited anxiously for any word from home. When it came that Sunday afternoon, it was not from his uncle.

Severus,

Uncle Sebastian told me I should write to you. If you're worried about Sabine, don't be. I don't know what exactly is going on - Uncle Sebastian keeps saying he doesn't know, but I think he does - but she's got some sort of built-in defense from Father. Whenever he gets close, or tries to cast a spell at her, she sort of glows.

Anyway, Father has a strange look when he's in the same room with Sabine now - he tried to sneak up on her, and as he touched her, he was blasted backwards a bit, and his hand looked like it had been burned! I don't think he knows what's going on, either, but at least she's safe from him!

When you come home for Christmas, will you show me some of the spells you've been learning? Sabine's alright company for a little while, but it gets dull without you here.

Tell Lily I said hullo!

Love,

Steven

Severus re-read the letter to be sure he understood it. Sabine could protect herself, so it seemed. And so he had nothing to worry about - Steven hadn't mentioned any punishment he'd taken on himself - though Severus wondered if his brother had purposefully omitted that information. It certainly wasn't anything to be announced. Even as he considered it, he knew it was not right. The tone of the letter implied everything was better than ever before. Severus wondered if it was due to his own absence that his father seemed less inclined to lash out. It did seem as though there were fewer outbursts when Severus was at school - but then, he wasn't there to experience his father's temper first-hand, either.

He made his way to Melison's office at six o'clock feeling better than he had all week. Sabine was safe - from his father, at any rate - and Steven seemed to be surviving as well. Hoping his elevated mood would aide in the Occlumency lesson, he arrived more confident than usual.

Melison nodded a greeting, and did not hesitate. As soon as Severus had shut the door behind him, his Head of House had already raised his wand. "Legillimens!"

Severus had not been expecting an attempt so soon - he felt as he had at the beginning of the last lesson as Melison broke the spell.

"You're regressing, son," he commented, voicing Severus' own thoughts. "You haven't been practicing. One would think, with the events of this past week, that you would want to clear your mind. Again. Legillimens!" This time, Severus was able to block the spell. He continued successfully through a few more casts, but the final round hit him with such force that he staggered back into Melison's desk.

His concentration faltered, and the pain in his back brought up images of his abuse at his father's hands.

No! Severus screamed in his mind, successfully pushing Melison out. The boy was sweating, and his head felt as though someone had used it as a drum.

"You - you did that on purpose," he accused, gasping for breath. His eyes narrowed as he focused on his teacher.

"That is the point of these lessons, son," Melison pointed out, his tone low. He met the angry boy's stare head-on.

"It was stronger this time! You knew I wouldn't be able to block it!"

"You are able to do anything you put your mind to."

"I'm not doing this anymore," Severus announced, straightening his robes and heading towards the door.

"Severus, you can only get stronger as we progress. I don't recall ever telling you it would be easy, or fun. Occlumency is, unfortunately, a necessity for those of us who are not afforded the luxury of a perfect life." Severus waited until his professor had finished speaking, but said nothing as he wrenched the door open and fled into the hall.

He felt as though Melison had tricked him, had betrayed him. Those memories were not there for him to view - if Severus had the opportunity, they would be locked away forever.

So intent was his fixation on Melison's perceived treachery that the second year didn't notice his least favorite Gryffindors before he collided with them. Secreting his wand in his sleeve as he disentangled himself from them, Severus glared as the boys picked themselves off the floor. If they wanted a fight, he was more than ready and willing.

"Watch where you're going, Snivellus," James sneered.

"What's wrong, Snivelly? You're a bit paler than usual," Peter observed with a grin.

"I think ol' Snivelly forgot to put on his makeup this morning," Sirius scoffed. The three of them broke into fits of laughter, and Severus noted that even Remus' lips twitched upwards.

"Get out of my way," Severus demanded, his teeth clenched. "Before I blast a hole through the lot of you!"

"That's not very friendly," Peter observed. Severus checked his wand placement, and then pushed past the boys, muttering under his breath when they refused to yield.

"Iacio diripo!" Instantly, the four were thrown away from him, each in a different direction. He was gone before they had a chance to retaliate, but he knew it wouldn't be long before they returned the favor.

"Finally!" she said with a smile. "I was beginning to think I'd missed you." He refrained from speaking, still fuming. "What's wrong?" she asked on seeing his clouded face.

"I'm finished with the extra lessons," he muttered.

"What? Why?"

"He's trying to get at my memories," Severus retorted quietly, glaring towards Melison's office.

"Well, that's what's meant to happen, isn't it? And you're supposed to block him. That's what Occlumency is!" He ignored her, continuing to glare into the distance.

"What are you doing down here?" Narcissa's sharp voice rang down the corridor, echoing off the stones. Her eyes were fixed on Lily, mistrust and dislike shining hotly.

"I've every right to be here," Lily said smoothly, straightening her back.

"In the Slytherin corridor?" Narcissa sneered, the act distorting her normally pretty face into an ugly mask. "Be careful, mudblood, or-"

"Is there a problem, Miss Black?" Melison's voice echoed from the doorway of his classroom, cutting Narcissa's threat short.

"No, Professor. Evans and I were just coming to an understanding. Weren't we, Lily?" Lily's eyes hardened - Severus couldn't remember ever seeing her so angry.

"Then there's no reason for you to hang about, is there?" Severus thought the comment was directed towards Narcissa, but found Melison's gaze was focused on Lily.

"No, Professor Melison," Lily responded after a glance at Severus. He watched as she silently turned and climbed the staircase, not once looking back. Severus glanced at Narcissa - she wore a look of supreme satisfaction - as though she'd just been proven right.

"That goes for the lot of you!" Melison announced, sweeping his gaze over the now crowded corridor. Severus followed his housemates into the common room with mixed feelings.

"She wasn't doing anything wrong!" he accused, stalking to the corner in which Narcissa sat.

"I've warned you about consorting with her," Lucius put in from her side.

"And I've told you that she's my friend."

"Which means nothing to us," Narcissa countered. "If you're so keen on protecting her, don't let her hang around the Slytherin dorms." Severus glared at her for a long moment, remaining silent. The sixth year met his gaze unwaveringly, and he finally retreated to his dorm room, the injustice of the night still causing his blood to boil.