That Was Then

Chapter One:

Madness is More Fun

Sirius hummed to himself as he tied several wet start fireworks together, slipped them into a box, wrapped it in lovely, happy birthday paper with dancing clowns on it, then finally tied the tag to it.

" Are you done yet?" asked James impatiently.

" James, I an nearly finished, but such a thing as this requires . . . delicacy," said Sirius placidly.

" Yeah James, didn't you know that?" Remus laughed, while Peter guffawed loudly.

Sirius finished tying the ribbon into a elaborate bow.

" I'll take this up to the Owlrey and send it." Mischievously "I'll see you three at breakfast!" With that Sirius hurried out of the common room, pulling James' cloak over his head.

Entering the owlrey, Sirius searched for the perfect school owl. He found one easily, an entirely nondescript brown owl. He tied the package to the owl's leg and instructed it to deliver it that morning with the rest of the post. "No sooner" he warned and the owl hooted reassurance. Sirius nodded and couldn't stop the wicked grin that spread across his face, as he glanced once more at the tag.

" To the birthday boy: Severus Snape, Happy 15."

Revenge was sweet.

1:00 a.m. (the next morning)

Teya draped her leg over the chair, while watching Lucius pace and occasionally throw her hate-filled looks. She was cold, the Slytherin common room was always cold once again she thanked the powers that be, that she was a Gryffindor.

" No!" Lucius's voice cut through her thoughts. The seventh years face was set.

"No what? Its not like you have a choice," Teya answered mildly, this, she suspected, was going to be harder then anticipated.

"No! We are not over. We'll continue as before, and from now on it only I who will have choices," Lucius stated firmly.

Teya stared at him totally shocked. Then she threw back her head and laughed. She laughed and laughed. Until finally she calmed herself enough to reply. "It is only you who will have choices?" she asked through her giggles "we're not over? You can't be serious, you almost sound like your going to force me."

" I would prefer that it didn't come that, but id its necessary so be it," said Lucius in a wanna be threatening tone.

His words, however rather then causing fear or at least sobriety. Poor Teya was now laughing so hard her whole body shook and tears of glee rolled down her pale face.

"Stop * please* its too much* No more funnies" she said gasping between each word.

"Why are you laughing?!!!!!" demanded Lucius angrily. Teya calmed herself a little then asked "Do you honestly you have the kind of power it would take to control me?"

"Of course I do. I'm a Malfoy. My family has been practicing dark magic since before Salazar Slytherin was born!"

Teya rolled her eyes and left the common room.

Sirius walked quietly along the deserted corridor. He couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes the dream came. Sirius hated the dream, it had been coming for three months now.

Down the hall to his left Sirius heard angry voices. He would have just hurried on his way if he hadn't recognized one of the voices. "Don't you dare walk away from me!!" it was Lucius Malfoy, a total jerk, not to mention a dear friend of Severus Snape. A girl's voice interrupted Sirius's thoughts "Why shouldn't I walk away from you? I'm done talking," The girl said sharply.

"Why?!!! Why?! Because I'm a Malfoy!!!!" roared Lucius, just then the two turned the corner; Sirius vaguely recognized the girl. He couldn't recall her name though.

"A Malfoy? So what?" laughed the girl.

Lucius looked ready to explode. The girl just looked annoyed.

"So what?!! My family is more powerful then you could possibly imagine!!!!" yelled Lucius so loud he'd probably wake the whole school.

"Oh yes, that's right, the powerful Malfoys, ooooh.

Everyone knows the Malfoys are just glorified butt-monkeys. Brown nosers of the underworld. Every Malfoy in history has found himself a powerful dark witch or wizard and latched on. Saying you're a Malfoy is like saying you're a parasite," hissed the girl Sirius smiled, he liked her.

"That's a lie, Teya, I am a powerful wizard, you said so yourself," Lucius said in a deadly whisper.

"Pillow talk, Louie pillow talk. You're nothing more than a cheap slut and I'm bored with you," The girl turned and began angrily walking away.

"Spartanize Halt Po Re!!!" roared Lucius pointing his wand at the girl and a flash of orange light exploded from the tip of his wand. The girl turned; fire blazing in her violet eyes. She didn't pull out her wand or even say a magic word. She just held up her hand and the spell stopped in midair, hovered for a minute then degenerated.

The girl grabbed her wand from her pocket and held it on Lucius. She muttered a spell but, Sirius couldn't hear it. A flash of blue light whooshed out and hit Lucius.

He froze, clearly unable to move. "Lucius," thundered the girl, "you will not, can not curse me! Now I hope you know which one of us was always in charge. Now go back to your common room!" Lucius turned, but his eyes remained on the girl and Sirius heard him say "Teya, why?" in a voice so filled with pain Sirius almost felt sorry for him.

Sirius looked at the girl, Teya, her eyes were icy "because Lucius, NO ONE cheats on me, especially parasites like you. Now Go!"

Lucius seemed unable to resist he turned and headed away. Sirius looked at the girl and realized there was a tear running down her cheek. Then she too turned and headed toward the Gryffindor common room.

Sirius stood feeling rather shell shocked and watched her go.