Forever Young

by MistressOfAmberAndInk

Summary:

Hogwarts is a place full of secrets, fun, friends and enemies – and no one knows this better than Severus Snape and the Marauders.
But in the shadows of the castle are more than just childish fights – choices that could change everything are looming.
Where does loyalty end, and where does betrayal begin?

Notes:

I have made an effort to include a lot of background information and explore the characters' emotions that R*wling either couldn’t or chose not to write.
(I reject J.K.R's hateful statements and clearly distance myself from such views.)

This is a Canon-Compliant Fanfiction about the first and the second Wizarding War Era with a special focus on Severus Snape and the Slytherins.
But the Order of the Phoenix will also have a share of chapters.
So if you've always wanted to know how Severus was introduced to the Death Eaters, or how the conversation between Sirius and Peter unfolded on 31st October — you're in the right place.

Now grab some cookies, an iced coffee, and make yourselves comfortable.

Enjoy reading! <3

Chapter 1

It was an unusually cold day at the end of August.
The sky was covered with dark, ominous clouds that blocked even the smallest rays of sunlight.
And the large, dirty, soot-covered chimneys of the old factory at the end of the deserted street added to the atmosphere.
To the left and right stood rows of identical small brick houses.
Each one more abandoned than the next. It was clear that this was a place where poorer people lived.
At the house at the end of the street, whose windows were adorned with white-grey curtains, the door suddenly burst open.
A small, thin boy with jet-black hair ran out and sprinted down the street.
His little face lit up with joy.
He ran along the steep, littered embankment that led to a small river and disappeared around the corner of a house.
A short time later, he appeared behind another corner of a house in the neighbouring town.
This area was the complete opposite.
Everything seemed peaceful, and the well-maintained houses had lovely front gardens, most of them full of flower beds with the most colourful flowers that could be smelled from metres away.
A few moments later, he approached a beautiful, light-blue painted family house and rang the doorbell.
The front door opened, and a tall blonde woman with a friendly smile looked down at him: ‘Hello, Severus.’
Severus, slightly out of breath, replied: ‘Hello, Mrs Evans. Is Lily home?’
She nodded and opened the door fully: ‘She’s in her room. You know where it is.’
He nodded, slipped past her, and darted up the stairs that led to the first floor.
Having arrived upstairs, he was just about to enter the room to the right of the staircase when the door to the room opposite opened.
A thin, ash-blonde girl stuck her head out: ‘You.’ Her voice was filled with disgust, and her brown eyes seemed to shoot lightning in his direction.
Severus glared back just as grimly.
He didn’t like Lily’s sister. Petunia had often insulted him—and especially Lily—in the worst ways. He was convinced that she was jealous and was taking it out on Lily.
His eyebrows were drawn together, and his deep black eyes had taken on a cold and distant expression: ‘What do you want?’ His voice sounded challenging.
But before the blonde could answer, the door behind Severus was opened so suddenly that he almost stumbled backwards.
And before he could properly regain his balance, a small red-haired girl had thrown her arms around his neck: ‘Sev! He's here! He's here!
A kind witch brought it over this morning.’ Her green eyes sparkled with joy, and her face was glowing.
Severus's expression brightened in that moment as she hugged him.
Every time she was near, his negative feelings disappeared, and he felt better.
When she also started waving an official-looking light brown envelope in front of his nose, his black eyes shone.
‘I got it too,’ he said, pulling the same envelope out of his too-large dark blue jacket pocket.
Lily hiccupped with excitement: ‘And now? Where do we go from here? What happens now?’
Severus had just opened his mouth to answer Lily when a contemptuous snort interrupted him: ‘If I were in your place, I would be ashamed. How can anyone be so excited about that? It’s disgusting! Revolting!’
The joy disappeared from Lily's face, and her shoulders slumped.
‘Don't say such things, Petunia,’ she pleaded.
And Severus looked at her angrily: ‘Be quiet if you have no idea!’ He didn’t want Lily to get hurt again.
Behind Severus's back, Lily nodded so hard that her red hair bounced.
The one addressed got bright red spots on her neck out of rage: ‘I don't have to take that from a little freak like you, Lily,’ her voice became shrill with anger.
‘What’s going on up there with you?’ a deep voice, obviously belonging to Lily's father, called up to them.
Lily swallowed her pain and anger: ‘Nothing, Dad, everything’s okay.’
She grabbed Severus's hand, left her sister standing there, pulled him into her room and, without giving her sister another glance, slammed her bedroom door behind her.
Petunia stared at the closed door with disgust.
Then she disappeared into her own room, trying to slam her door even louder than Lily had slammed hers.
Once in her room, Lily sank discouraged onto her bed.
Severus sat down hesitantly next to her: ‘Don't listen to her,’ he said softly.
Lily looked over at him, her eyes shimmering suspiciously, and she wiped her eyes with her sleeve: ‘Why does she say such things, Sev?’
The boy hesitated briefly: ‘She’s jealous. You... we’re something special and she’s not. We’ll go to Hogwarts and learn magic, and she won’t.’
He shyly placed his hand on hers, trying to comfort her.
He didn’t want her to be sad, but he also didn’t really know how to comfort someone.
He had never done it before and had never experienced being comforted himself.
His words didn’t fail to have an effect.
At the moment he said the word Hogwarts, her face lit up again, and she jumped off her bed: ‘Oh, I’m already so excited!’
She pulled the letter out of the envelope and began to read it aloud:
‘Dear Miss Evans,’ she giggled briefly, ‘Miss Evans… how that sounds.’
Then she looked up at him pleadingly: ‘Please tell me everything again that you know about Hogwarts, Sev.’
He smiled: ‘Well…,’ he made a small dramatic pause.
Lily was visibly so excited she almost burst: ‘Come on, tell me!’
Her voice was full of suspense.
She changed her sitting position and looked at him with big, shiny puppy eyes: ‘Please, Sev.’
He chuckled: ‘Okay, okay, stop that. I’ll tell you. I can tell you everything my mum told me and what I’ve read about.’
When she nodded, he took a breath and began to explain: ‘Hogwarts is a large, old castle and is located in the Highlands of Scotland. Muggles can’t see it because there’s a protective charm over the castle; they only see a ruined fortress.’
Lily, who had sat down on her fluffy, flower-patterned carpet in front of her bed, listened intently, her mouth slightly open.
Severus smiled down at her and continued: ‘Next to the castle, there’s a large forest you’re not allowed to enter because lots of dangerous magical creatures live there.’
Lily interrupted him: ‘Which ones, for example?’
‘Centaurs,’ Severus began listing, ‘and Thestrals,’ then added, ‘but also unicorns.’
‘Unicorns!’ Lily’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Severus nodded: ‘Yes, but they’re also supposed to be quite aggressive, especially towards men.’
‘Oh,’ she now seemed a little disappointed, but he smiled at her encouragingly: ‘But towards women, they’re said to be very gentle. My mum even petted one once.’
These words visibly cheered her up again.
‘There’s also a big lake on the grounds. A giant squid is supposed to live there, and there are lots of other magical water creatures too.’
‘Ugh.’ Lily shuddered briefly. ‘Sounds scary.’
Then she smiled: ‘And what about Hogwarts itself?’
He smiled at her excitement: ‘In Hogwarts, there are four houses: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor… According to my mum, Gryffindor is supposed to be really mean and arrogant. Each house has its own common room and dormitories for boys and girls. I want to be in the house my mum was in—Slytherin.’
Lily listened attentively: ‘Then I want to be in Slytherin too.’
Lily thought for a moment and then looked at him again.
‘And… how—how does it actually work? Do I have to take a test or something?’
Now she looked a little uncertain.
Severus shook his head: ‘No, don’t worry. Your house is chosen by the Sorting Hat who can talk.’
Lily laughed out loud: ‘A talking hat? I don’t believe you! Tell me the truth, Sev.’
‘It’s the truth!’ He looked at her a little uncertainly, and it was clear that he was afraid of upsetting Lily.
‘Okay, I believe you.’
Severus exhaled quietly, relieved: ‘Thanks.’
‘So how does it work with this strange hat?’
‘I don’t really know exactly. It just gets placed on your head, and then it somehow looks inside you and figures out your personality or something, and based on that, your house is chosen.’
‘That sounds kind of creepy,’ Lily laughed a bit nervously.
Severus nodded: ‘But don’t worry, it’ll all be fine, and we’ll both be in Slytherin, and everything will be great.’
He smiled encouragingly, but there was a trace of sadness in his eyes, and he didn’t sound completely convinced.
Lily now looked at him with concern: ‘Is it still bad at your home? How did your dad react?’
Severus pulled his legs up quietly with a sigh and hung his head: ‘Not well.’
In truth, it had been even worse.
Tobias Snape had told him that he regretted every single day of his marriage to his mum and that Severus was the worst thing that had ever happened to him.
Severus sobbed quietly and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
‘Oh, Sev,’ Lily hesitated for a moment, then climbed onto the bed and hugged him.
Severus hastily wiped his eyes again.
He didn’t want to show vulnerability.
Didn’t want to give anyone a chance to attack him: ‘I hate him.’
‘You’re amazing, Sev. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.’ Her voice was so firm that he knew she wouldn’t tolerate any disagreement.
He smiled shyly: ‘Thanks.’
Lily smiled back kindly.
‘And what happens next exactly?’
He looked briefly confused: ‘What do you mean?’
‘With Hogwarts.’
‘Oh, right. So my mum said that for Muggleborns, a teacher comes to them and takes them to Diagon Alley. You can buy everything you need there. Things like robes, schoolbooks, cauldrons, and of course potions ingredients, and obviously your wand. You got the list, right?’
When she nodded, he continued: ‘But you have to exchange your money for that.’
‘Why?’ she asked curiously.
‘Wizards have their own money. You can get it at Gringotts. That’s what the wizard bank is called.’
‘And that’s in Diagon Alley too?’
‘Exactly.’
Lily flopped back onto her bed and looked up at him: ‘That’s complicated.’
Severus smirked slightly: ‘You will do it. And you’re not alone. I'm there too.’
Lily beamed at him: ‘Thanks, Sevy.’
He blushed slightly: ‘Don’t call me that.’
Lily just giggled and then sat back up: ‘Can I ask you more questions?’
‘Of course.’
‘What subjects are taught at Hogwarts exactly? It’s a magic school, after all.’
‘For example, Potions.’ His face lit up with enthusiasm and excitement.
Lily grinned: ‘I’d guess you like Potions.’
Severus nodded, and his black eyes sparkled: ‘Yes, of course! I’m already really good at it. My mum has taught me a lot.’
‘Wow’ Lily looked at him, impressed.
Severus lowered his head to hide his red cheeks, but he couldn’t suppress a proud smile.
‘There’s also Herbology, History of Magic, Astronomy, Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures.’
He kept talking and watched as Lily’s excited smile grew wider and wider.
When he continued, he lowered his voice a bit: ‘I’m really looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts.’
Lily thought for a moment: ‘And the wizards who use dark magic to hurt others, they go to Azkaban, the wizard prison, right?’
Severus nodded, and as he spoke, his voice grew even quieter: ‘Right. You… I already know some curses.’
As Lily’s eyes widened, he nervously fiddled with his fingers: ‘I found an old book from my mum. It explains some spells,’ he murmured.
‘You want to hurt people?’ Lily’s voice sounded shocked.
Severus shook his head firmly: ‘No! Never! I don’t even have my wand yet. It’s… it’s just the only thing my father can’t control, but I can and it gives me a feeling of safety and that I can defend myself, once I have my wand.’
When he nodded, she continued: ‘Does… does your dad hit you? Or your mum?’
‘No, but he often yells at us or throws things at us.’
It was obvious that Lily didn’t really know what to say.
Finally, she said quietly: ‘I don’t really know what to say, Sev. I’m so sorry, you don’t deserve any of this.’
He closed his eyes and tried hard not to cry.
He didn’t want to cry, didn’t even want to think about it.
He just wanted to get away from his father.
To somewhere safe, where he could have peace.
Lily briefly hugged him.
Then she put on her cutest face: ‘Would you maybe come with us to Diagon Alley?’
This clearly cheered Severus up, but there was still a hint of uncertainty on his face: ‘Are you sure your parents would be okay with it?’
Lily nodded: ‘Of course. They like you a lot, and Tuni probably doesn’t want to come anyway.’
At that moment, the door opened, and Petunia stumbled in. It was clear she had been eavesdropping at the door.
While Lily almost fell off her bed in shock, Severus jumped up angrily and glared at the blonde: ‘Were you spying on us?’
Lily glared at her sister: ‘What is your problem, Petunia!?’
Petunia ignored Severus and turned to Lily: ‘YOU are my problem. You and your little wizard friend! Why would I want to come? To a place full of freaks and misfits. Just like you, Lily!’
The shelf above Lily’s door, lined with colourful porcelain pots of small cacti, wobbled threateningly and finally fell to the ground in front of Petunia with a loud crash and clatter.
With a shriek, Petunia jumped back and pointed at Severus with a finger painted in pale pink nail polish: ‘I knew it! He’s dangerous! He’s already attacked me before! The thing with the branch! Remember, Lily.’
Severus looked at her, startled, but her words turned his expression into anger: ‘That wasn’t on purpose!’
Lily looked at him with a mixture of confusion and doubt: ‘What do you mean by that?’
Severus looked at her, baffled: ‘How could I have done magic without a wand? That kind of thing just happens when you’re angry or scared. Something like that must have happened to you before too. It happens to many young witches and wizards before they learn to control their magic skills.’
Lily became thoughtful and nodded: ‘Once, I put out a fire like that. I saw the fire, got scared, and then suddenly there was a rush of water in the air that put the fire out. I didn’t even know that I was a witch at the time.’
Petunia stared at Lily, stunned and with eyes blazing with anger: ‘You don’t believe him, do you?’
‘I do,’ Lily shot back defiantly.
Severus couldn’t suppress a triumphant grin.
Petunia turned around furiously, slamming the door as she stormed out of Lily’s room with her head held high.
‘Tuni,’ Lily climbed off her bed, ‘Wait.’
With these words, she followed her sister into her room.
But Petunia was nowhere to be seen.
Severus came after Lily: ‘Leave her alone… I think she’ll lose it even more if she sees us here.’
But he couldn’t resist taking a curious look around.
Lily nodded slightly: ‘You’re right.’
Just as the two were about to leave Petunia’s room, Severus noticed something on the perfectly tidy desk that caught his attention.
There lay an envelope, identical to the one the two of them had received that morning.
‘Lily, look,’ he pointed at the letter.
Lily looked at him, surprised and a little sceptical: ‘Is-Isn’t that? But that can’t be… or can it? But why would she react like that if…?’
‘Go ahead and check it.’
Lily gave him a doubtful look but then walked over to her older sister’s desk, grabbed the letter and began to read.
Her eyes grew wider and wider with every word she read.
Just as she was about to put the letter back into the envelope, Petunia burst into the room.
She had obviously been in the small bathroom that was located opposite the staircase and right in the middle of the two bedrooms: ‘What are you doing here?’
Then her furious gaze moved from Severus, who was standing next to her wardrobe near the door, to Lily, who was still holding the letter: ‘Did you read it? How dare you?’ she hissed in rage, her face turning red with anger again, ‘You’re the worst! Ever heard of privacy?’
And before Lily or Severus could get a word out, Petunia snatched the letter from her sister’s hand, pushed both of them out the door, and slammed it shut.
Lily crept back to her room, visibly feeling guilty.
‘She’s never going to talk to me again,’ she said miserably to Severus, who had followed her and was now sitting back on her bed.
‘She will, I’m sure. Don’t worry, okay?’
He didn’t want her to be upset and was visibly trying to cheer her up.
Lily smiled faintly: ‘Thanks, Sev.’
He smiled back and then couldn’t help but grow curious: ‘What was in the letter, anyway?’
Lily took a deep breath and made a dramatic pause: ‘You won’t believe it, but it was a letter from Albus Dumbledore replying to a letter Petunia wrote to him. She apparently asked if she could go to Hogwarts with me, but since she doesn’t have any magical abilities, it’s not possible.’
‘Seriously?’ Severus, who had stood up, widened his dark eyes: ‘Really?!’
When Lily nodded, he said with a satisfied grin: ‘I knew it, she’s jealous.’
Lily stared over Severus’ head at the pinboard above her bed.
Severus followed her gaze and took a closer look at the pinboard.
Spread across the entire pinboard were photos of Lily and her family. Some were taken at the beach, some at a petting zoo, and others showed Lily and Petunia rollerblading or cooking with their mother. Between the photos hung tickets from various landmarks, like museums or lighthouses.
‘We’ve never been on holiday,’ Severus said quietly as he looked longingly at the photos.
Lily kept her eyes on the pinboard and looked over at Severus: ‘Why not?’
He shrugged: ‘No money.’
His expression made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about it, so Lily just nodded.
Then Severus noticed a particular photo on Lily’s pinboard: ‘Hey, I’m in this one!’
Lily smiled softly: ‘Of course. You’re my best friend, after all.’
He smiled happily.
As it slowly got dark outside, he stood up: ‘I should probably head home,’ his growling stomach interrupting him.
Lily smiled: ‘Would you like to stay and eat with us? My mum and dad won’t mind.’
‘Are you sure?’
When Lily nodded, he lit up with joy.
A few minutes later, after Mrs Evans had called them down for dinner, Severus and Lily bounced down the stairs side by side and entered the large living-dining room.
‘Severus can stay and eat with us, right, Mum?’
The woman smiled kindly: ‘Of course. Take a seat.’
Severus hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to Lily, who was helping herself to a pile of mashed potatoes and pouring some gravy over them.
Olivia Evans placed two large sausages on Severus’ plate, which he thanked her for with a happy smile.
Petunia had refused to come downstairs, so they ate without her, which lifted Severus’ spirits noticeably.
When Lily’s father, Henry Evans, also offered to accompany him to Diagon Alley and help them with the things they needed to buy, Severus felt happier than he had in a long time.

Chapter 2

A few days later, the old Muggle telephone in the Snape household rang.
Severus' mother, Eileen, immediately picked up and answered, ‘Snape?’
‘Olivia Evans here, good morning. The teacher from Hogwarts is here. We're about to go to Diagon Alley to buy Lily's school supplies, and we wanted to take Severus with us. He must have told you about it.’
‘I’ll send him over,’ Eileen replied and hung up.
She went upstairs to Severus' small room.
The window was open, and one could see him sitting on the roof, watching the factory.
‘Severus, for Merlin's sake! Get down here immediately!’ With three large steps, Eileen reached the window and looked at her son in shock.
Severus, quick as a weasel, jumped from the roof, through the window, onto his bed, and back into his room.
‘What is it, Mum?’ He asked, looking up at his mother with wide eyes.
Then his eyes widened further, and he visibly became uncertain: ‘Did Father do something again?’
Eileen closed the window. ‘No, don’t worry,’ she said, briefly running her hand through his black, wind-tousled hair: ‘Lily's mother just called. A teacher from Hogwarts is here and will now take Lily and her family to Diagon Alley. You can go with them if you want.’
Severus nodded excitedly and was already running towards the door but then stopped, turning around hesitantly: ‘Mum…?’ His voice was quiet, and it was obvious that bringing up this topic made him uncomfortable.
Eileen, however, seemed to understand: ‘Come.’
Severus moved as silently as a hunting predator behind his mother.
He clearly took after her—not only in his black hair, dark eyes, and hooked nose but also in his quiet, upright way of walking.
Upon reaching the kitchen, his mother retrieved a small, light porcelain jar that had been hidden behind several other containers and tins.
Severus watched her in confusion but said nothing.
Eileen opened the slightly dusty lid, reached inside, and then dropped a few coins into Severus’ small hand.
Severus was speechless; he had never seen so much money before.
He held the coins in his hand, staring at them with an expression of astonishment and concern.
A touch of gentleness lay in her gaze: ‘Don’t tell your father anything. I’ve been saving for a long time. You never know.’
His fingers closed tightly around the money, and an expression of grim determination appeared on his face: ‘Never.’
His mother nodded: ‘And don’t buy anything you don’t need. You don’t need the schoolbooks, and you don’t need a cauldron either—you can use my old school supplies.’
The boy nodded again: ‘Alright, thanks, Mum,’ he said before dashing outside and heading, as he had done so many times before, in the direction of Lily’s house.
A few minutes later, he stood excited and breathless in front of the Evans family’s house and rang the bell.
Lily, five seconds later, yanked the door open and beamed: ‘Sev! Finally!’
And with that, she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside the house before he even had a chance to say anything.
In the living room, Lily’s parents were waiting, along with a woman with a black hair bun and a dark green dress.
‘Good morning, Mr Snape,’ she said with a friendly smile.
‘I've heard quite a bit about you. You've saved me a lot of work,’ she was referring to the fact that he had already told Lily years ago that she was a witch.
He lowered his head slightly, embarrassed, and mumbled: ‘Yeah... I... I guess it was kind of obvious.’
The woman simply smiled: ‘No Problem. I’m Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House.’
Severus' expression shifted to one of slight suspicion, but not rejection: ‘Hello.’
Minerva McGonagall looked around: ‘Shall we head off, then?’
Lily and Severus nodded at the same time, and Lily's parents chuckled: ‘Of course.’
The professor glanced around: ‘What’s the quickest way to London? Apparition with so many people would be difficult.’
‘What is Apparition?’ Lily asked.
McGonagall paused for a moment, considering her words: ‘How do I explain this best... Well, Apparition is the ability to disappear from one location using magic and reappear at the same time at another. But don’t worry, you will learn all of this in greater detail in the coming years.’
Lily nodded enthusiastically, and it was clear that she would have loved to learn everything about it right away.
‘We could go by car or train,’ Henry Evans now answered the question McGonagall had previously asked.
She nodded: ‘Then it’s best if we take the car. You’ll need to buy a lot of things and take everything back with you.’
Shortly afterwards, Henry Evans drove the family car out of the garage, and the others got in.
Severus kept looking around in amazement; he had never been inside a car before, let alone driven in one.
Lily cast him a sympathetic sideways glance but said nothing.
A short time later, the small group had arrived in London and, surprisingly, had found a parking space quickly.
‘I’ve never found a parking space this fast. And in the middle of London’s city centre,’ Henry Evans marvelled, ‘That really is like magic.’
McGonagall smirked but said nothing.
After everyone had got out, Minerva McGonagall took the lead and guided Severus, Lily and her parents to a small pub that, strangely enough, no one but them seemed to notice.
Lily’s mother looked somewhat horrified: ‘In this... this dive, we are supposed to go?’
Lily and her father didn’t look very convinced either.
Only Severus examined the building with excitement.
‘Would you like to explain it, Mr Snape?’ McGonagall turned to Severus.
He was visibly proud as he replied: ‘The entrance is in the backyard. You have to go through the pub. There’s a brick wall, and you have to tap it in a specific sequence with your wand. Then the passage to Diagon Alley opens up.’
The three Evans nodded at the same time and entered the pub one after another.
McGonagall went in first and was immediately greeted from all sides.
Behind her, Lily stepped into the shop, followed by Severus, and lastly, Olivia and Henry Evans.
Olivia still wasn’t convinced and kept glancing around the dark, slightly musty room, eyeing the men who were clearly already a little drunk at their tables.
Lily, too, showed signs of relief when she finally stepped out into the backyard and felt the sunlight on her skin.
McGonagall raised her wand and tapped the wall exactly as Severus had explained.
With a crunching sound, the stones shifted apart, revealing the entrance to Diagon Alley.
A colourful, bustling scene greeted the small group.
Dozens of small shops and cafés lined up next to each other.
Narrow buildings with shop windows filled with the most bizarre things.
Lily and her parents looked around in fascination, and Severus, too, was amazed.
It was clear that he was enjoying being in a magical environment, surrounded by witches and wizards.
Severus and Lily curiously looked in all directions, and Lily, in particular, kept marvelling at the different things she discovered.
The colourful sunshades in front of some of the shops especially captivated her.
Only McGonagall remained completely unimpressed: ‘We should go to the wizarding bank, Gringotts, first so they can exchange their money for ours.’
‘Do wizards have different money?’ Lily’s mother inquired.
The professor nodded: ‘Yes, we pay with our own currency.’
On the way there, Lily’s mother asked numerous questions, all of which Minerva McGonagall patiently answered.
When they arrived at Gringotts, everyone was astonished.
‘Oh, wow,’ Lily looked around with an open mouth, and Severus was also fascinated, particularly by the large chandelier that had caught his eye.
Henry Evans leaned in closer to McGonagall and asked quietly: ‘What are those things?’
He gestured towards the counters that lined the large, bright hall.
McGonagall cleared her throat: ‘Those, Mr Evans, are goblins, and they really don’t like being called that.’
‘Oh… of course.’
Olivia Evans just rolled her eyes and stepped up to one of the counters that stood next to one of the large pillars.
‘Good morning, I... well, I would like to exchange our money for wizarding currency so that our daughter can buy her things for Hogwarts.’
The goblin looked up: ‘Your money.’
Lily's mother looked briefly confused but then realised what the goblin wanted. She pulled out her purse and placed a few banknotes in front of the goblin.
He took the money and handed Lily's mother some coins in exchange.
After Olivia Evans thanked him and put the money away, the small group left the impressive building.
McGonagall smiled: ‘If you find this impressive, just wait until you see the vaults and the underground passages and chasms.’
‘Vaults?’ Lily looked up at McGonagall with wide eyes.
‘That’s where witches and wizards store their money, right?’ Severus also looked up at her.
The faces of the two children seemed to almost glow with excitement and enthusiasm.
McGonagall nodded: ‘Exactly, Mr Snape.’
Severus smiled.
He was proud to already know so much and was visibly pleased that the others were listening to him.
Then he turned to Lily: ‘What do you want to buy first?’
Lily rummaged through her small crocheted shoulder bag and skimmed over the list: ‘The books,’ she announced with a bright smile.
When her parents and McGonagall nodded in agreement, they set off for Flourish & Blotts.
As the small group entered the shop, a satisfied smile spread across Severus’ face.
He loved the smell of books, parchment and ink.
Lily, on the other hand, wrinkled her nose and sneezed.
‘Bless you,’ came the response from four different voices.
‘Hello... can I help you?’ They were greeted by a bored-looking brown-haired man leaning against the counter, who seemed like he would rather be doing anything other than assisting Lily.
‘Hello, I'd like to buy my books for Hogwarts,’ Lily smiled and handed over the list.
The young man didn't move a muscle. ‘Ah.’
Lily glanced uncertainly up at her parents and the professor.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat warningly: ‘A little more customer service would do you good.’
The man pointed to a large shelf directly beside the entrance.
Neatly stacked in piles, various books were arranged there.
‘All the books you need are right there, one stack per student, and the price is listed above.’
Lily took one of the stacks of books and groaned softly, prompting her father to take the stack from her.
‘Do you need books too, Sev?’ Lily asked him.
Severus shook his head: ‘No, I'll use my mum's old schoolbooks.’
Lily just nodded, and Olivia Evans paid for the books, which her husband packed into a large cloth bag.
After the five of them had left the store, Lily reviewed the list again: ‘Now the cauldron, school robes, and the phials.’
The adults smirked at Lily's determined tone but followed her towards Potage's Cauldron Shop.
Upon arriving, Severus looked around enthusiastically.
McGonagall approached him: ‘You seem to like Potions very much?’
Severus nodded: ‘Yes, my mum has already taught me a lot.’
Minerva McGonagall smiled: ‘And who is your mum?’
‘Eileen Prince,’ Severus replied, proud to be half-magical and also a Prince, even though he didn't know his grandparents.
‘Eileen Prince? Of course! Now I see the resemblance. Professor Slughorn will be pleased.’
‘Who is that?’ Lily had meanwhile gathered the required items and rejoined McGonagall and Severus.
‘He's the Potions Master and teacher for Potions at Hogwarts.’
Both kids nodded simultaneously.
Once everyone had stepped back into the sunlight, Olivia turned to her daughter: ‘What else do we need?’
Lily rummaged through her list again: ‘The telescope, the wand, and the uniform.’
McGonagall nodded: ‘You should buy the telescope first. The other two shops are almost always the busiest.’
Lily looked slightly disappointed: ‘Oh.’
Her father smiled encouragingly: ‘The wand won’t run away, Lily.’
‘I know that.’
After Lily and Severus had each bought a telescope, Lily could no longer contain herself and pulled her parents, who were carrying all their purchases, behind her.
Severus and McGonagall followed closely.
At Ollivanders, they all looked around excitedly in the dark, dusty room, which was overflowing with wands.
‘Good day,’ McGonagall greeted politely and gently nudged Severus and Lily forward.
‘Good day, Professor McGonagall. And you two must be Lily Evans and Severus Snape, right?’
The two kids nodded: ‘Yes.’
The wandmaker smiled: ‘Then let’s begin with you, Miss Evans.’
Lily nodded excitedly: ‘Okay.’
The old man pulled a measuring tape from his pocket, and it immediately began to whirl around Lily on its own.
She squinted suspiciously at the measuring tape as it measured the distance between her nostrils.
‘Good, good,’ Ollivander said, putting the tape away.
He then pulled a box from the shelf behind him and handed Lily the wand inside: ‘Here, try it.’
Lily did as she was told, and immediately, the books on Ollivander’s counter tumbled to the floor.
She flinched and quickly handed the wand back to Ollivander.
‘Oh no, that’s the wrong one.’
The wandmaker placed another wand in her hand: ‘Try this one.’
Lily immediately gave it a swing.
Almost instantly, she seemed to glow.
Ollivander smiled: ‘This is the right one for you, Miss Evans. Willow, 10¾ inches, and unicorn hair core.’
Lily beamed with pride and excitement while she paid for her wand under the proud gazes of her parents.
Ollivander turned to Severus, who had been watching silently and attentively until now.
‘Now, let's get to you, Mr Snape.’
He smiled gently and looked at him with his icy-grey eyes: ‘I remember exactly when your mother came to buy her wand. 12 inches, dragon heartstring, and elm, if I recall correctly. And I remember every wand.’
Severus nodded, looking up at the wandmaker with equally large and curious eyes, just as Lily had done before.
Ollivander took out his measuring tape once more and began measuring, just as he had done with Lily a few minutes earlier.
Lily watched with great interest.
‘Hmm... well then, let's see.’
He walked over to one of the countless shelves, pulled out a slightly dusty box, opened it, and handed Severus the wand: ‘Here, try this one.’
Severus followed the instruction, and immediately, the lamp next to the entrance shattered, causing Lily to flinch and turn towards it.
Ollivander quickly took the wand from Severus' hand: ‘Oh no, no, no. This is not the right one for you.’
He set the wand aside, then went to another shelf, took out a different box, and handed Severus the wand inside: ‘Let's try this one.’
Severus swung this one as well, causing the shelf at the back of the room to topple over.
‘This one isn't right either,’ the wandmaker commented on the incident with regret.
Severus carefully placed the wand back on Ollivander's counter with his fingertips.
The white-haired man looked at Severus thoughtfully for a long time without blinking, and the boy stared back.
For a brief moment, the shop was completely silent; no one spoke.
The only sounds were the quiet breathing of the six people in the room and the muffled conversations and laughter of people outside in Diagon Alley.
When the silence became almost unbearable, and Lily began shifting from one foot to the other, Ollivander broke away from his thoughts and opened the drawer beneath his sales counter.
Slowly and deliberately, he pulled out a box: ‘This wand, Mr Snape, was one of the first I ever made. The core I used in this wand is unique—I have never used it in any other. It was more of an experiment, a test. Until now, it has never chosen a wizard or a witch. I had already given up on offering it to buyers,’ Ollivander said as he took out the wand and almost lovingly ran his fingers over the black, carved handle.
He handed it to Severus: ‘Ebony, supple and flexible, 12¾ inches, with a core of Thestral tail hair.’
Severus looked up at him with wide eyes: ‘Thestral tail hair?’
Ollivander nodded: ‘Give it a wave.’
Severus did exactly that, and immediately, he and the wand seemed to glow.
‘Wow!’ Lily gasped, staring at Severus with an open mouth.
Ollivander confirmed excitedly: ‘This is the right wand for you.’
Severus stared at the wand in his hand, fascinated.
Ollivander smiled in satisfaction.
After Severus had paid, the small group stepped back onto the brightly lit and crowded street.
Severus still looked amazed, and Lily followed close behind him.
Lily’s parents followed, with Professor McGonagall right behind them.
The Evans family looked around, equally fascinated.
Severus’ face also showed pure excitement and, in a way, pride.
‘We should go to Madam Malkin’s next. That’s where we can buy our robes,’ Severus said to Lily.
She nodded enthusiastically but still glanced at her parents and Professor McGonagall for confirmation.
When the professor gave an approving nod, the five of them made their way towards Madam Malkin’s.
On the colourful and overcrowded street, a couple and a boy about Lily’s size approached them.
A hint of arrogance and wealth surrounded the small family.
It was clear from their demeanour that they considered themselves superior, and the look they gave Lily, her family, and even McGonagall was full of pure disdain.
This prompted Severus to step protectively in front of his best friend, and for Henry to take Olivia’s hand.
The boy had a head of black curls, though his hair wasn’t as deep black as Severus’.
He had his hands buried deep in his trouser pockets.
McGonagall still greeted them politely: ‘Good afternoon, Mrs and Mr Black.’
The also black-haired woman demonstratively looked in the other direction, and the man pushed his chin forward and walked past them without a word, only a faint, contemptuous ‘Mudblood… blood traitor, a disgrace’ was heard.
Everyone could see that the boy found this behaviour extremely embarrassing and that he would rather be somewhere else, preferably far away.
Lily ducked behind Severus and looked at him uncertainly: ‘What did that woman mean, Sev?’
‘Uh… well… uh,’ Severus was visibly uncomfortable with this topic. ‘That was an insult. For Muggle-borns or witches and wizards who like them.’
‘But you said it doesn’t matter, Sev!’ Lily sounded accusing.
McGonagall came to Severus' aid: ‘It doesn’t, Miss Evans, but some witches and wizards take great pride in being pure-blood, meaning they come from an entirely magical family. And the Blacks are such people.’
‘Are there many of that kind?’ Lily's father asked worriedly.
‘Unfortunately,’ McGonagall replied, ‘But don’t worry, we do everything to protect our students.’
Mr Evans was still slightly uneasy but said nothing and then held the door open to Madame Malkin’s shop.
Severus and Lily stepped in behind him, looking around eagerly.
The entire shop smelled of fabric and lavender.
While Severus still looked around indecisively, Lily was already enthusiastically moving through the store, smiling as she admired the various robes in the shop windows.
A tall, curvy woman, wearing an elegant turquoise pantsuit floated around the corner.
‘Good morning!’ she greeted the small group with a friendly smile.
‘You’re here to buy your school uniforms for Hogwarts, right?’ she smiled kindly.
Both nodded simultaneously.
‘Then let’s start with you,’ she looked at Lily, who eagerly nodded and hopped over to her.
Severus and Mr and Mrs Evans watched curiously to see what would happen next, while Professor McGonagall examined the stands with the dark green robes more closely.
Madame Malkin had already started measuring Lily and swiftly moved through the shop, finding a school uniform in Lily’s size in no time.
Lily beamed happily and spun around on the small podium, making the fabric swirl around her.
Severus watched her with a smile.
‘Now it’s your turn,’ Madame Malkin said, smiling at Severus, who now looked down.
‘Is everything alright?’ she gave Severus a concerned look.
Severus lowered his voice so that Lily and her parents wouldn’t hear what he was about to say: ‘Do you… do you maybe have older robes that aren’t as expensive?’
He looked up at her shyly, clearly uncomfortable asking such a question.
In moments like this, he hated his father.
Madame Malkin looked at him warmly: ‘Of course, we’ll sort that out. Don’t worry about it.’
With that, she began taking his measurements: ‘Just a moment, please.’
She smiled at him kindly and disappeared into the room behind the counter, returning shortly with a school uniform: ‘This one should fit you. It’s from last year. I’d be happy to give it to you for half the price. Would that be alright?’
Severus looked up, relieved: ‘Yes, thank you very much.’
After putting on his school uniform and stepping in front of the mirror, he felt a sense of excitement and anticipation rise within him, which grew even stronger when he saw Lily, who was still wearing her school uniform.
It filled him, partly because he had been in love with Lily for a long time and partly because it was all finally beginning.
‘Now it’s starting, Sev,’ Lily voiced his thoughts.
He nodded: ‘Yes, now it’s finally starting.’

Notes:

Short explanation for Severus' wand:

Ebony wands can be used by Death Eaters and members of the Order. This type of wood is particularly suited to outsiders and the courageous. It also fits wizards who are determined and will not be swayed from their goals. Furthermore, it is well-suited for combative spells. In my opinion, this description fits Severus very well. Ebony is black, just like his wand.

I chose Thestral hair as the core because the other cores didn’t really fit. This core is ideal for wizards who can accept and must confront death in order to unleash their full power. Thestral hair is somewhat deceptive and works well for powerful wizards. Its owners may also use unfair means.

I chose flexibility because it can be used for a variety of spells and types of magic.

The size is average but not too large, which means the owner uses magic in an elegant and refined way, without large, sweeping gestures.

Chapter 3

And then the big day had finally arrived—the day Severus and Lily had been looking forward to so much.
Lily's parents had agreed to take Severus and his luggage with them to King's Cross.
Eileen had also come along to bring her son to the Hogwarts Express and to explain the way to the Evans family.
They were halfway to the station when Lily began nervously shifting in her seat: ‘We're going to miss the train, I'm sure of it!’
‘Don't worry, Lily, there's still plenty of time,’ her mother turned to her and smiled reassuringly. ‘Are you sure?’ Lily was still nervous.
‘Absolutely sure.’
Unlike Lily, Severus was calm and relaxed.
Even though he was excited, he also knew with certainty that he belonged in the wizarding world.
‘Do you have your ticket, Lily?’ her father now asked.
She flinched: ‘What? Ticket? No! We have to turn around—’
‘I have your ticket. Everything is fine,’ her mother interrupted her.
Lily sighed in relief: ‘Thanks, Mum.’
A short time later, they arrived at the train station, parked and Henry Evans unloaded Lily and Severus' luggage.
Lily excitedly grabbed a luggage cart and struggled to push the heavily loaded cart across the parking lot and into the station hall, refusing to let her mother or father help her.
Finally, Severus couldn’t watch any longer.
He stepped beside Lily and placed his hands next to hers on the handle to help her push.
Together, they pushed the luggage cart through the entrance hall and towards platforms 9 and 10.
The Evans family and Eileen followed behind.
As platform ‘9’ came into view, Lily stopped and looked over at Severus: ‘And now? Where is this platform 9¾?’
Eileen stepped behind Severus and pointed at the wall between platforms 9 and 10.
‘We have to go through there.’
‘Through the wall?’ Lily and her parents didn’t look very convinced.
Severus nodded, looked around in all directions, and once he was sure no one was watching, he started running.
Lily, still clutching the handle of the luggage cart tightly, had no choice but to run along with him. A blink of an eye later, they stood on the other side of the wall.
The chatter of voices and the steam from the waiting train greeted them.
‘Wow!’ Lily looked up in amazement at the old black-and-red steam locomotive and barely noticed her parents stepping through the wall behind them.
Lily’s father placed their suitcases into the open wagon and then hugged his daughter so tightly that she gasped, prompting her mother to come to her aid.
And she, too, hugged Lily tightly and quickly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye: ‘My little Lily, already so grown up.’
‘Oh, Mum,’ Lily also embraced her mother and then hugged her father, ‘See you next holiday.’
Severus stood next to his mother and watched the heartfelt farewell scene.
His mother briefly placed an arm around his slender shoulders: ‘Take care of yourself, Severus.’
‘You too, Lily,’ Olivia Evans instructed her daughter.
Both children nodded politely.
As the train let out a loud whistle, the two climbed aboard, and Lily waved wildly.
Severus gave his mother a small smile, which she returned with a gentle one of her own.
Slowly, the train began to move, and everywhere, waving people and farewell calls could be seen and heard.
The Hogwarts Express picked up speed, and soon the parents and grandparents, who had been waving after the train, were no longer visible. ‘Come on, Sev, this compartment is still free,’ Lily had turned away from the door and pulled her suitcase into an empty compartment.
Severus followed her with his luggage.
Lily stowed her suitcase and then sat by the window.
Severus pushed his suitcase next to Lily's and then sat down beside her.
Lily stared out the window in silence for a long time and was just about to say something to Severus when the door opened.
Two other black-haired boys, about Severus' and Lily's age, entered the compartment.
One of them wore round glasses, while the other was slightly taller and had a head full of wild curls.
Both exuded an air of wealth and were thus the complete opposite of Severus.
‘Hi. Can we sit with you?’
Lily just nodded absentmindedly and then turned back to Severus: ‘Tuni hates me, Sev. She didn't even say goodbye to me.’
Severus looked over at Lily and thought about what to say to comfort her: ‘Everything will be fine, Lily. Don't think about your sister right now. Think about Hogwarts. You'll see, we'll get into Slytherin and everything will be great.’
The two boys, who had been ignoring them so far, lifted their heads.
‘Slytherin,’ the bespectacled boy repeated, as if the word made him sick.
‘Yeah, Slytherin. Got a problem with that?’ Severus' tone was challenging and Lily also stared at him.
‘Well, I'd rather go straight back home than end up in Slytherin,’ sneered the other boy, looking at Severus disdainfully.
‘What do you have against Slytherin?’ asked Lily before Severus could say anything.
‘Slytherins are all selfish and evil and anyone who disagrees obviously has no clue,’ the bespectacled boy replied.
Severus sprang up: ‘You're the one who has no clue.’ The boy smirked mockingly: ‘Oh really... and which house do all the arrogant disgusting purebloods and muggle-haters belong to?’
Severus glared at him angrily: ‘There aren't more Muggle-haters in Slytherin than in any other house. The house has nothing to do with it.’
The bespectacled boy gave him a mockingly pitying smile: ‘But of course.’
‘My whole family has been in Slytherin so far,’ muttered the other boy quietly.
The bespectacled boy gave him a scornful look: ‘And here I thought you were alright. Guess I was wrong.’
‘Maybe I plan to break that tradition,’ the curly-haired boy grinned.
‘And which house do you two want to get into, if I may ask?’ Lily interjected.
The bespectacled boy struck a victorious pose and jutted out his chin: ‘Gryffindor, of course. Where courage and strength reign supreme.’ Severus couldn't suppress an amused snort. ‘What's so funny?’ he was snapped at.
‘Oh, nothing,’ he lied, but his grin betrayed him, ‘I just prefer intelligence and wisdom over pointless muscle power.’
The curly-haired boy jumped in to support his seatmate: ‘And which house do you belong in, if you don't have either?’
This earned a loud burst of laughter.
Lily jumped up, her green eyes flashing with anger.
‘Come on, Severus, we're leaving. The air in here is awful!’
Severus stood up as well, now even angrier.
The curly-haired boy mockingly imitated Lily, waving his hands dramatically in the air: ‘Come on, Severus, we're leaving.’
The bespectacled boy also laughed mockingly and stuck out his foot, making Severus stumble into Lily: ‘See you around, Snivellus!’
Lily slammed the door shut angrily: ‘What idiots.’
‘I told you Gryffindors are arrogant and mean,’ Severus was also angry.
Lily nodded: ‘Hopefully, they’re not all that nasty.’
Severus just shrugged.
Lily looked around: ‘Look, Sev, there's still space in that compartment.’
She pointed to a compartment where a blonde girl and an equally blonde boy were sitting.
She slid the door open: ‘Hello, may we sit with you?’
The girl smiled: ‘Sure.’
The boy also nodded.
Lily sat by the window and pulled Severus down next to her.
The blonde girl smiled: ‘What are your names?’
‘Lily, and you?’
‘I'm Charity.’
‘Nice name. Are you siblings?’ Lily curiously examined the two and twirled one of her red strands of hair around her finger.
The boy shook his head: ‘No, we just met. I'm Edmund Avery by the way. But just call me Avery. Everyone does.’
‘I'm Severus,’ Severus introduced himself now, which made the two nod in greeting.
‘And which house do you want to be in?’ the blonde boy asked curiously.
‘Slytherin,’ Severus said immediately, which made Avery smile in satisfaction.
‘Me too,’ he replied, which brought an equally satisfied grin to Severus' face.
‘I don’t really mind,’ Charity admitted. ‘I have nothing against any house.’
Lily shrugged. ‘And I just don’t know enough about the houses yet to decide. But I’d love to be in the same house as Sev.’
He smiled at her, and his black eyes smiled along.
‘How long have you known each other?’ Charity wanted to know.
‘About two and a half years,’ Lily answered and looked out the window. ‘How long does the trip take?’
‘We’ve probably not even reached the halfway point yet,’ Avery said, amused.
Lily looked disappointed: ‘Not even halfway?’
Avery laughed: ‘You should see your face.’
Lily wrinkled her nose: ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Severus looked over at Lily: ‘Don’t be disappointed. You got the letter, so you’re going to Hogwarts, even if it takes a while.’
Before Avery could say anything else, there was a knock, and an older, grey-haired woman stuck her head inside: ‘Anything from the trolley, dears?’
Lily curiously eyed the sweets: ‘This one, please,’ she pointed at the colourful sugar wands.
Charity picked out some gummy sweets.
‘I’ll take nothing,’ Severus said quietly, pressing his lips together.
He had decided to save money, yet it was still humiliating to watch others eat sweets.
Avery grinned at him kindly: ‘Oh, come on, I'll treat you.’
He picked out two Chocolate Frogs and some liquorice wands, handing half to Severus.
Charity and Lily also shared their treats with him, which made Severus thank his new friends with a sincere smile.
On one hand, he felt uncomfortable—he didn’t want pity. But on the other hand, for the first time, he felt seen and appreciated. He was looking forward to Hogwarts.

At the same time, the door to Severus and Lily's former compartment opened again.
A brown-haired, tired-looking, skinny boy with a faint scar on his temple peeked inside: ‘Hello, is there still room here?’
‘Sure… as long as you’re not planning to be in Slytherin,’ the boy with glasses grinned.
The brown-haired boy stepped in, closed the door, and sat down.
‘Charming,’ the curly-haired boy nodded at him.
‘I'm James Potter, by the way,’ said the boy with glasses.
‘I'm Sirius Black,’ introduced the boy with the black curly hair.
‘Like the star?’ the brown-haired boy looked at him with interest.
‘Correct!’ Sirius straightened up a little and grinned proudly.
James seemed about to say something but then changed his mind and instead asked: ‘Black? Your family won’t be happy if you end up in Gryffindor.’
‘Even better,’ Sirius smirked, his eyes gleaming challengingly, ‘You have no idea how glad I am to get away from them. My whole family’s full of these stuck-up Slytherins who think they’re better than everyone else just because they’re pure-blood. It’s unbearable. You’ve no idea how glad I am not to have to listen to all that "keep the bloodline pure" rubbish all day anymore.’ ‘Sounds tough. I have it better,’ James grinned. ‘My parents just do everything for me, and whatever I want, I get. And if I don’t get it, I make sure I do.’ A glimmer shone in his eyes.
‘How incredibly modest.’ This remark earned Sirius a friendly punch.
‘What’s your name, actually?’ The brown-haired boy was asked, as he had been staring out the window the whole time, biting his lower lip.
‘Remus Lupin,’ he answered.
‘Never heard of you. Are you a half-blood or Muggle-born?’ Sirius examined him curiously.
Remus hesitated for a moment: ‘Half-blood.’
Sirius and James nodded at the same time, but before either of them could respond to Remus, there was another knock, and the trolley lady peeked in: ‘Anything from the trolley, dears?’
James ran his hand through his black hair, which now looked even messier: ‘We’ll take everything.’
The woman looked surprised for a moment: ‘Everything? Are you sure? It's not cheap.’
James dropped a handful of Galleons into her hand: ‘I can afford it.’
The woman still seemed a little surprised but left silently, pushing the trolley into the compartment.
James now pulled it further inside: ‘Help yourselves, boys.’
Sirius grinned: ‘Cool move,’ and grabbed some sweets.
Remus was visibly surprised but also reached out eagerly, carefully inspecting the Chocolate Frog he had just taken out of its package.
As the spell wore off and Sirius simultaneously spat out one of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans that tasted like mud, the compartment door opened for the third time, and a small, stocky, dark-blonde boy stuck his head inside: ‘Hello, is there still a seat available?’
Remus was just about to slide over, but Sirius’ voice stopped him: ‘No, we don’t want you eating all our food.’
James laughed loudly: ‘Correct’ and with that, he slammed the compartment door shut.
Remus was visibly uncomfortable but said nothing.

Chapter 4

A few hours later, as dusk settled and the evening sky turned shades of red and purple, the train slowed down more and more.
Lily began shifting in her seat again: ‘Are we there? Are we there now?’
Severus also took a deep breath—now he was getting nervous too.
Soon, the next years of his life would be decided.
Only Avery remained completely calm; he was the only one in the small compartment who wasn’t eagerly standing by the window, looking outside.
‘I’d say yes,’ he answered Lily’s question and now looked out of the window himself, examining the small train station where the Hogwarts Express was pulling in.
‘Hogsmeade,’ he read aloud from the large sign on the platform.
‘Yes, we’re here. Come on’ he stood up, stepped into the corridor, and was immediately surrounded by dozens of other children and teenagers who had also left their compartments and were pushing towards the doors.
As the train finally came to a stop, Severus, Lily and Charity also stepped out into the corridor.
When the three of them exited the train along with the other students, the cool night air rushed towards them, and they all took a deep breath in unison.
Only now did they realise how stuffy the air in their small compartment had been.
Charity had just opened her mouth to say something when a booming voice cut her off.
‘First years, over here! First years, this way!’
The voice belonged to a huge man whose face was almost entirely hidden by a shaggy brown beard.
He waved his large hands in the air until all the first years had gathered around him, looking up at him excitedly.
‘To the boats. Move along! Move along!’ he stomped ahead, and the children followed him.
Charity looked over at Severus and Lily, excited: ‘We get to ride boats? How cool!’
Severus nodded, looking just as thrilled: ‘This must be the little surprise for the new students that my mum told me about, but she wouldn’t give me any details.’
Lily giggled: ‘Hopefully, I won’t get seasick.’
Charity chuckled softly, and even Severus seemed amused: ‘Oh, nonsense. You won’t.’
When they reached the boat dock, all the children climbed into the small boats one by one, forming groups of four.
Avery had rejoined Charity, Lily and Severus, now sitting next to Charity and behind Severus, gazing around in awe just like everyone else.
As the boats magically began to move and glided across the black lake, the whispering and murmuring in the boats died down, and a fascinated silence set in.
The only sounds left were the gentle rustling of the wind in the surrounding trees and the soft lapping of the water.
As the new Hogwarts students gazed up at the brightly lit castle, a few excited exclamations could be heard, and the hushed murmurs of anticipation resumed.
Charity nearly fell into the water from excitement but was just barely caught by Avery.
‘How beautiful,’ she whispered.
The others could only nod in agreement.
Severus felt that familiar rush of joyful excitement rise within him again as the light wind brushed against his face and tousled his hair.
He smiled at Lily, who returned the gesture with eyes wide with anticipation.
A jolt ran through the small boats as they reached the other shore.
One by one, the students climbed out of the boats and followed the giant up what seemed like an endless staircase.
‘Come on, come on!’ he waved them forward with his enormous hands, ushering them along.
Lily groaned: ‘How much farther?’
Severus took a deep breath: ‘Almost there!’
‘Oh, finally,’ panted Charity, struggling up the stairs behind them.
‘What’s your name, anyway?’ Lily asked as the giant walked past them again.
The man let out a booming laugh: ‘Just call me Hagrid. No need for formalities.’
Lily nodded and then took a deep breath of relief as they reached the top of the staircase.
‘About time,’ sighed Avery behind her, and Charity and Severus nodded in exhausted agreement.
Like everyone else, they were completely out of breath.
‘Watch out!’ Hagrid bellowed again, instantly commanding silence.
Then he led them into the castle and up another staircase.
‘Wait here.’ With these words, he disappeared.
Severus and Lily exchanged a confused look.
‘And now?’ whispered Charity, but she didn’t get an answer, as a laughing voice, which clearly belonged to Sirius, cut her off.
‘And, little Peterpiet. Dry again?’
And another voice, belonging to James, added, ‘Look on the bright side, at least you finally took a bath! About time, too.’
Laughter echoed around them.
Severus looked confused; he had no idea what they meant, but one thing was clear—he already despised those voices.
Avery answered his unspoken question. ‘Apparently, a guy fell into the Black Lake.’
‘Oh dear, is he okay?’ Lily asked worriedly.
‘Yes, the guys in his boat pulled him back in.’
‘Well then—’ she couldn’t say more because, at the top of the stairs, a familiar face appeared.
Severus and Lily exchanged a glance, and Lily whispered excitedly: ‘That’s McGonagall.’
‘Welcome, first-years,’ said Professor McGonagall.
At once, silence fell, and everyone looked up attentively at the elegant teacher as she continued speaking:
‘You will now be sorted into your houses. To do this, you will place the Sorting Hat on your head and then join your new housemates at your house table.’
With that, she turned around and, with a flick of her wand, the towering doors swung open, revealing a vast, brightly lit hall.
The first-years followed her down the central aisle between the long tables towards the front.
Lily gazed in fascination at the ceiling, which was covered in countless stars.
Severus grinned: ‘Welcome to the wizarding world.’
While Lily beamed, Charity dodged a floating candle and nearly bumped into Severus: ‘Oh, sorry!’
‘It’s okay.’
‘Alright. Let’s begin the ceremony.’
The hall fell silent, and everyone attentively watched the nervous first-years, who were huddled together in front of the teachers' table.
McGonagall placed a tattered old hat on a small stool.
It cleared its throat briefly and began a song about the different houses.
Some first-years’ mouths dropped open in surprise.
When the hat fell silent, the Great Hall grew quiet.
Everyone watched attentively, focusing on the excited first-years who stood closely packed in front of the large teachers' table.
McGonagall stepped forward again and reached for a long parchment.
Edmund Avery was the first.
The Sorting Hat took only a few seconds to make its decision and sent him to Slytherin, which pleased Severus.
But he barely listened and only snapped back to attention when McGonagall called out the name.
‘Sirius Black!’
As Sirius was quickly sorted into Gryffindor and welcomed with applause, Severus grimaced.
His mother had been right—the nasty people were in Gryffindor.
When Charity was sorted into Hufflepuff, it momentarily distracted him.
Then Lily was called, and as she stepped forward, he held his breath.
When she placed the Sorting Hat on her head and it loudly declared, ‘Gryffindor!’, he let out a quiet, sad sigh.
The dream of being in Slytherin together with Lily was over.
He watched as Lily smiled at him encouragingly and, under the renewed applause of the Gryffindors, made her way to their table.
Sirius immediately moved over, but Lily just tossed her red hair over her shoulder and sat down several seats away between two other girls.
Severus barely registered when Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter were also sorted into Gryffindor.
Then, a terrible thought struck him—one that sent a cold shiver down his spine and made his chest tighten.
What if Lily no longer wanted anything to do with him once she made new friends in Gryffindor? Then he would be alone again.
No one had ever treated him as kindly and attentively as she had.
She was the first person who hadn’t seen him as a nuisance and treated him like one.
When his name was finally called, he walked forward as if in a trance, sat on the small stool and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
As soon as he heard its quiet voice, he was instantly wide awake.
‘Hmm... where should I put you... tricky. I see a lot of courage, determination, leadership skills and loyalty. But just as much intelligence, a desire to prove yourself and cunning. Hmm yes… how about SLYTHERIN!’
Applause and whistles from the Slytherins echoed through the entire hall.
Severus, a relieved smile on his lips, walked over to the Slytherins and sat next to an older boy with long, platinum blonde hair, who greeted him with a friendly pat on the shoulder.
He glanced over at Lily, who gave him a small nod before turning her attention back to the Sorting Ceremony.
‘I’m Lucius. Lucius Malfoy.’ His seatmate once again caught Severus' attention.
‘I’m Severus… Snape,’ he replied with a slightly uncertain smile.
He felt overwhelmed by all the new impressions and, at the same time, wasn’t sure how Lucius would react to the fact that he wasn’t a pure-blood.
‘So, you must be a half-blood, right?’ Lucius asked immediately.
Severus nodded.
Lucius nodded as well and clapped along with the other Slytherins as Alexis Zabini was also sorted into Slytherin and took a seat on Severus' other side.
As soon as she sat down, Dumbledore rose to his feet, and instant silence fell.
‘That's the Headmaster,’ Lucius whispered quietly to Severus, who acknowledged him with a nod.
Dumbledore stroked his long white beard as he gazed attentively around the hall, carefully observing each new student.
Then, he cleared his throat and said, ‘Welcome to Hogwarts, everyone. I don’t have much to say except…’
He paused dramatically: ‘Enjoy your meal!’
With that, he raised his hands and, as if by magic, the feast appeared on the long tables.
Severus' eyes widened—he had never seen so much food before.
The tables were filled with sausages, roasted chicken legs, potato salad, pasties and various sauces.
Lucius turned back to Severus and asked, ‘And where are you from?’
‘I grew up in Spinner's End,’ came the reply.
‘Muggle world, then.’
It sounded more like a statement than a question, but not unfriendly.
Lucius continued: ‘Is your mother or father magical?’
‘My mother. She's a Prince,’ Severus said, visibly pleased that someone was taking an interest in him.
Lucius seemed impressed: ‘Wow… I know that name.’
Severus immediately seemed to sit up a little straighter, growing slightly in confidence.
Lucius smiled kindly: ‘My father, Abraxas Malfoy, was in the same school year as her.’
Severus smiled shyly: ‘I don't know.’
Lucius ran his hand confidently through his long hair: ‘Oh, I'm quite sure of it.’
Everyone eagerly dug into their food, talking and laughing, followed by cakes and other pastries for dessert.
During the meal, various ghosts were floating back and forth in the Great Hall, chatting with the children or simply amusing themselves by suddenly appearing and scaring them.
Lucius leaned a little closer to Severus, gestured toward the various ghosts, and explained: ‘That’s our house ghost – the Bloody Baron. He doesn’t speak much, and it’s best to show him respect. Even Peeves, the poltergeist, listens to him. Peeves is an annoying individual. Causes nothing but trouble. Best to stay out of his way. That’s the house ghost of Gryffindor – Nearly Headless Nick, or rather Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. Quite a vain ghost, always trying to explain how his execution was “not quite successful.” Ridiculous, if you ask me. The house ghost of Ravenclaw is the Grey Lady. She’s not here, though. She’s rather shy and tends to linger where no one else is. And then there’s the Fat Friar, Hufflepuff’s house ghost. There’s not really much to say about him. Typical Hufflepuff.’
After dinner, when the dishes and the remaining food had disappeared, Dumbledore stood up again and said: ‘My dear students, today marks the beginning of the rest of your lives in the magical world. And we will always be here to support all of you. Unfortunately, I have one more piece of bad news to deliver. The Quidditch pitch is currently unplayable, and therefore all matches are cancelled until further notice.’
A disappointed murmur spread through the Great Hall. Severus looked over at Lucius, who didn’t seem particularly bothered.
Dumbledore nodded in agreement and continued: ‘I know, I know. I’m just as disappointed as all of you. But I promise we’ll do everything we can to find a quick solution. But for now, go to bed and get some rest. You will get to know the faculty in the coming days. Prefects! Do your duty!’
Lucius stood up: ‘Come along, then.’
He led the way, and the first-years followed him through the dark corridors of the castle.
They descended deeper and deeper into the dungeons until Lucius stopped in front of a stone wall: ‘Remember this place. This is the entrance to our common room. The password is "Veritaserum."’
Immediately, an entrance appeared as two stone serpents slithered in a circular motion over the wall.
Everyone stepped through the small archway and took in the elegant, dimly lit room with dark leather sofas and small tables that shimmered with a greenish glow.
Severus immediately felt at home and looked around for Avery, who grinned at him cheerfully.
Each of the first-years gazed in fascination through the enormous glass windows, which provided a direct view into the depths of the Black Lake.
The water was murky and dark, filled with plants, but occasionally, a small aquatic creature could be seen darting through the vegetation.
‘The girls go left, and the boys go right up the stairs. And one more thing—this is for the boys… stay out of the girls’ dormitories, for your own good,’ Lucius broke the silence.
A slender blonde girl giggled quietly as she passed them and disappeared upstairs.
Lucius blushed slightly and watched the girl walk away.
The first-years stifled their giggles.
‘Now go up and settle in. The toilets are also easy to find.’
Severus entered the boys' dormitory along with three other students, and to his delight, Avery was one of them.
Avery didn't even bother unpacking; instead, he immediately slipped into his pyjamas, climbed into bed and let out a hearty yawn.
Severus and the other two did the same.
They introduced themselves as Bruce Mulciber and Evan Rosier.
Both were pure-bloods, as Severus found out, and had grown up in the wizarding world.
Everyone already knew just as much about the wizarding world as Severus and was especially looking forward to Potions.
A teacher, Slughorn, had founded a club, as Avery explained.
Only those who were particularly talented or had a promising career ahead of them were admitted.
Severus listened curiously.
‘Are you good at Potions, Severus?’ Bruce Mulciber asked him.
Severus nodded, though the others, of course, couldn't see it in the darkness.
So he added: ‘Yes, I am. My mum has already taught me a lot.’
‘Then you'll definitely join us in the club... it's going to be great.’
But over time, the conversations faded, their voices grew quieter and their breathing became slower and deeper.
Severus snuggled deeper into his new, warm, soft bed and also fell asleep peacefully.

Chapter 5

Notes:

Today (21.02) is.. would be.. the 79th birthday from Alan Rickman. 💔
Rest in peace Angel.
You will always be missed. 🕊❤️

When Severus woke up the next morning, the other three were still asleep.
He glanced at Mulciber's wristwatch, which lay on his nightstand.
It was just after 6:00 a.m.—too early to get up, but also too late to go back to sleep.
Sighing, he finally got up and got dressed.
Then he slipped quietly out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
He walked down the long wooden stairs and began exploring the common room.
Severus carefully observed the inside of the Great Lake.
The giant squid drifted by slowly.
Severus watched it in awe.
This creature had something mysterious and powerful about it, and Severus was immediately sure of that.
‘He is quite amazing, isn’t it?’ he heard a soft female voice behind him.
He turned around abruptly.
Behind him stood the slender blonde girl from yesterday.
Severus nodded: ‘Yes.’
The blonde smiled at him warmly and tossed her shiny hair out of her face: ‘I’m Narcissa, by the way.’
He smiled shyly: ‘My name is Severus.’
The blonde nodded: ‘Would you like to accompany me to the library? I wanted to get some reading material and could show you a bit of the castle on the way.’
He nodded: ‘Sure.’
Shortly afterwards, the two walked up the long dungeon stairs.
Severus moved silently like a cat beside Narcissa.
He looked around in fascination, studying the high walls and the elaborately decorated stained-glass windows.
Suddenly, he stopped abruptly when he heard the familiar voices of James and Sirius behind him: ‘Don't just stand there like idiots in the way.’
A glance over his shoulder gave him relief—it wasn’t him they were talking about.
The two Gryffindors pushed past two other first-years who had stopped in the middle of the staircase.
Then they ran towards the Great Hall without even sparing Narcissa and Severus a glance.
‘That’s my cousin,’ said Narcissa as she watched the two boys run off.
Severus' face darkened: ‘Which one?’
‘The one with the curls,’ Narcissa answered.
‘He hates Slytherins,’ Severus muttered, staring darkly in the direction where James and Sirius had disappeared.
‘I know, I never said that I liked him either.’
Severus' face relaxed again.
Narcissa walked up the stairs with Severus, not without reminding him to watch out for missing steps and to hold on tight in case the stairs moved.
He nodded and now walked more carefully, and it was clear that he was memorising every missing step.
Upon arriving at the library, Severus looked around in fascination and made up his mind to read as many books as possible.
He loved reading and immediately spotted several books he absolutely wanted to read.
Narcissa smiled: ‘Do you want to borrow something as well?’ She had noticed the sparkle in his eyes.
He nodded so enthusiastically that his black hair bounced, and he darted through the tall, packed bookshelves.
When he returned to Narcissa, who was leaning against the doorframe with two books under her arm, he was carrying five books with him.
Narcissa chuckled softly: ‘Are you sure you want to take all of those?’
Severus nodded, though Narcissa could only guess it behind the towering stack of books that covered three-quarters of his face.
She smirked: ‘Come on, I'll take a few for you.’
She took two books from him and handed him a parchment: ‘Here… you just need to write your name down and when you borrowed the books, and then again when you return them.’
After he had done so, the two left the library and returned to the dungeons.
When Severus re-entered his room, his roommates were gone.
The three had obviously already gone ahead to breakfast, as the large clock that echoed through the castle had already struck.
He carefully placed the books on his nightstand and then hurriedly left the room to make it to breakfast on time.
Upon arriving in the Great Hall, he first looked around for Lily.
He spotted her at the Gryffindor table.
Lily was sitting between two girls her age, chatting animatedly.
One girl had long, light brown hair, while the other had wild blond hair.
Lily noticed Severus’ gaze and cheerfully waved at him.
He waved back and then sat down with his friends at the Slytherin table.
The three barely looked up.
They all had their noses buried deep in parchments.
‘Hey, Severus, you'll be happy about this—we have Potions in the first lesson and then Herbology right after. Unfortunately, with the Gryffindors.’
Severus, however, was pleased.
Potions first, and with Lily—that was twice as great.
After sitting down next to Evan and a still-unknown boy with brown hair and square glasses, he let his gaze wander over the many dishes.
On the long tables, bowls full of bread, toast, jams, porridge, bacon, sausages and baked beans were packed tightly together.
Like everyone else, he filled his plate.
At home, there had never been so much food, let alone so much variety.
‘And did you sleep well?’ Avery looked at the others.
A unanimous nod was the answer.
‘Tell me...’ Severus turned to his friends, ‘What do you know about the Giant Squid? I saw it this morning.’
‘He's harmless,’ said Mulciber, ‘my dad said you can even feed him or carefully pet him.’
‘How cool.’
After breakfast, Charity suddenly appeared next to his and Avery’s seats, with a slightly taller girl beside her, who had very long platinum-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes.
‘Hello, Severus. Hello, Avery,’ she said with a smile, ‘This is Pandora; she’s one of my roommates.’
‘Hello,’ the four boys greeted her politely.
Pandora smiled: ‘Severus... that's a very beautiful name.’
She had a soft, melodic voice.
‘O-oh, thank you,’ Severus stammered.
The large clock struck again, and the Great Hall emptied abruptly.
Back in their dormitory, Avery, Evan and Mulciber immediately took a closer look at Severus’ book selection.
‘Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts, Medieval Potions, Poisons and Antidotes, Forgotten Potions, The Side Effects of Healing Potions,’ Mulciber read out loud, murmuring.
‘Respect, that's fourth-year material,’ Evan said, grabbing his school bag.
Severus seemed to grow a few centimetres taller with pride, yet at the same time, he didn’t know where to look or how to react.
He wasn’t particularly good at accepting compliments, most likely because he hadn’t received very many in the past.
Quite the opposite had been the case.
With utter disdain, he thought of his father.
He quickly shook his head to rid himself of that thought and forbade himself from thinking about his father any further.
Now, the only thing that mattered was the upcoming Potions class with Lily.
James and Sirius were already there.
They sat at the very back of the dimly lit room, amusing themselves by tossing small parchment balls into the cauldrons and trying to catch each other’s.
Mulciber threw his bag onto one of the chairs and looked over at the two with a smirk.
‘What exactly is that supposed to be?’
‘We’re practising,’ James said, casually juggling one of the parchment balls.
‘For what, if I may ask?’ Avery now joined in, ‘For the world championship of the most uncoordinated jugglers?’
Evan grinned.
Only Severus remained silent, too focused on saving the seat next to him for Lily.
James and Sirius, however, remained unfazed.
‘For Quidditch. And when we join the team next year, Gryffindor won’t lose a single game,’ James said, sitting up a little straighter as Lily entered the room.
However, as soon as she took the seat next to Severus, his face twisted in disgust.
Before Mulciber could say anything—most likely something unpleasant—the door opened again, and an older man in an old-fashioned suit with greying hair at his temples stepped inside.
Lily’s roommates and new friends quickly moved to the other side.
The classroom fell silent, and everyone turned their attention to the front.
The man adjusted his dark purple tie and cleared his throat: ‘Once again, a warm welcome to Hogwarts. I am Horace Slughorn, and I will be teaching you Potions in the coming years. I am also the Head of Slytherin House. But enough with the introductions—pair up in teams of two and open your Potions textbook to the first page. Read through everything carefully, gather the necessary ingredients, and then begin.’
With these words, he unlocked a small adjoining room filled with tall shelves. These were full of jars, vials and glass containers in which the strangest things could be seen.
The students immediately formed pairs.
Severus looked questioningly at Lily, who answered with a nod, which visibly relieved him.
Evan and Mulciber stood next to each other, as did Avery and the brown-haired boy Severus had eaten with that morning.
He introduced himself as Wilhelm Wilkes.
James and Sirius grinned at each other, while Remus looked a bit uncertain.
Eventually, he joined their roommate, whom James and Sirius jokingly called ‘Peterpiet’.
Severus opened the spellbook to the correct page, turned it so Lily could see as well, and began reading.
Lily stepped a little closer to him and started reading too.
Then she looked over at Severus: ‘And now?’
‘Now we get the ingredients,’ he replied, his eyes glowing with eagerness and excitement.
Lily nodded and walked beside Severus into the small ingredient storage room.
Severus looked around attentively and then began taking filled vials from the shelves, which Lily carefully took from him.
‘That's it,’ Severus climbed down the ladder, which was used to reach the higher shelves, and took some jars from Lily, whose arms were already full of ingredients.
As the two were just heading back to their workstation, James and Sirius moved forward.
‘You're in my way, Snivellus,’ James shoved him roughly aside.
Severus almost dropped one of the glass jars.
Sirius smirked mockingly: ‘Too dumb to walk straight.’
Lily glared at him angrily: ‘Fuck off.’
Sirius bowed with an overly sweet smile: ‘Of course. My apologies. Always at your service.’
Still bowing, he walked backwards until he bumped into Remus.
Remus gave him a reprimanding look but couldn't suppress a grin.
‘Sorry,’ Sirius grinned.
Severus watched the two walk away angrily—he already hated them.
They gave him the same feeling as his father.
Being unwanted, unloved, something repulsive, and—
Lily pulled him out of his darker thoughts.
‘Come on, Sev, let's get started.’
He nodded gratefully and reread the instructions.
The rest of the lesson was completely quiet in the classroom.
Everyone worked with utmost concentration.
The only sounds that could be heard were the gentle crackling of the flames under the cauldrons, the bubbling of the potions, and the excited whispers of the students.
Severus and Lily were completely in their element, whispering to each other the whole time while giving each other instructions and hints.
Severus chopped and crushed the ingredients with calm, practised movements, while Lily stirred in a clockwise motion and added the ingredients that Severus passed her into the cauldron at just the right moment.
Severus was completely in his element.
He felt light and relieved as he brewed—finally, he was able to shut off all negative thoughts, and every bad feeling seemed to vanish into thin air.
After an hour, Slughorn cleared his throat again.
‘Time's up. I will now take a look at your potions. Please turn off your flames.’
After the students followed his instructions, he walked from table to table, inspecting each potion.
For most potions, such as those of Lily's friends—who, as Severus whispered to Lily, were named Mary and Marlene—he nodded approvingly.
He also looked satisfied with the potions of Severus' friends, but when he reached the one made by Remus and Peter, his expression turned horrified: ‘What in Merlin's underwear is this?’
In the cauldron, a cement-like liquid was bubbling sluggishly.
Slughorn chuckled: ‘Well... don't be discouraged. This was just the first lesson. We'll get it right.’
James and Sirius laughed.
‘We told you to stir clockwise, not counterclockwise. Being able to read is a clear advantage.’
Remus smirked sheepishly, while Peter stared at his feet.
With James and Sirius, he also nodded: ‘Not bad.’
The two grinned at each other.
When Slughorn reached Lily and Severus' table, he looked delighted.
‘Excellent! This is exactly how the potion should be. Looks like we have two natural talents here!’
Lily beamed with pride, and also Severus smiled slightly.
Slughorn looked at them.
‘If you don’t mind, I would like to keep your potion for use.’
The two nodded.
‘Of course,’ Lily said, nodding so eagerly that her hair bounced.
Their teacher smiled warmly: ‘Thank you both.’
Shortly afterwards, the large clock struck for the next lesson.
Slughorn clapped his hands: ‘Up, up! Pack your things and head to your next class.’
The students hurriedly gathered their belongings and went outside to go to Herbology class.
Lily and Severus walked side by side, their bags slung over their shoulders, out towards the greenhouse.

Chapter 6

Severus kept looking around curiously as they walked.
He memorised everything, just in case he ever needed to escape quickly.
He had been doing this for a long time—he didn’t know exactly why, but knowing his surroundings gave him a sense of security.
Lily glanced at him from the side: ‘What are you doing?’
Severus, who had just been looking behind him to check the way back, turned back to Lily, looking slightly caught off guard.
He hesitated for a moment, thinking about what to say.
He didn’t want her to know the real reason why he paid so much attention to his surroundings—he feared she wouldn’t understand and might make fun of him.
So he simply said: ‘I’m just looking around.’
Lily didn’t seem completely convinced but didn’t press the matter. Instead, she changed the subject: ‘That Potions lesson was really great, wasn’t it?’
She was still excited and proud: ‘The way he said we were naturals!’
Severus smiled as well: ‘Yeah, that’s true. But what I like most is that we have classes together. That way, we can spend time together, even if we’re not in the same Hogwarts house.’
Lily nodded: ‘I can’t wait for the other subjects. I want to learn everything about the wizarding world!’
Behind Lily and Severus, James and Sirius were fooling around.
James jutted his chin forward and tugged at his collar: ‘I am your Potions teacher,’ he mimicked Slughorn’s voice, though he didn’t come close to matching his deep tone.
Sirius puffed out his nonexistent belly and drawled: ‘And I am the Head of Slytherin House,’ also failing to imitate Slughorn’s voice.
The two caught up with Lily and Severus.
James grabbed Lily’s hand and shook it exaggeratedly: ‘You are a natural talent, Miss Evans,’ once again missing Slughorn’s tone, ‘And you too, Mr Snivellus, but I won’t shake your hand—I wouldn’t want to catch anything.’
James and Sirius nearly collapsed with laughter.
Lily yanked her hand away and wiped it on her cloak: ‘Leave us alone, Potter.’
And Severus glared at them just as angrily: ‘And stop mocking Professor Slughorn.’
James pulled a dramatic pout: ‘Oh no, an angry little Snivellus is defending his favourite teacher.’
Sirius doubled over laughing.
Avery, Mulciber, Wilkes and Evan stepped up beside Lily and Severus. ‘Is there a problem?’
Mulciber was noticeably taller than the two Gryffindors, who now backed away and nearly bumped into Peter, who had been standing behind James and Sirius, watching them admiringly: ‘No problem… everything’s cool, man,’ James muttered as he and Sirius stepped back a little more.
Remus stood a few metres away, glancing at them now and then, but mostly chatting with another Slytherin girl.
James and Sirius walked over to Remus and pulled him away from the Slytherin girl.
Peter hurried after them.
Mulciber sneered after the two of them: ‘What cowards.’
A fivefold nod was the response.
Avery held the door to the greenhouse open for the others and let it fall shut right in front of James and Sirius’ noses, earning himself a dark look while James and Sirius exchanged a mocking grin.
A sharp clearing of the throat, apparently from a small woman wearing a covered apron at the front of the large greenhouse, stopped Avery from keeping the door shut any longer.
He stepped aside, chuckling quietly, and joined the others.
Lily looked up at Severus, who was slightly taller than her: ‘I’d like to work with Mary and Marlene for this lesson.’
He nodded and did his best to suppress the fear of being alone: ‘Sure.’
He stood next to his friends from Slytherin and was greeted with a pat on the shoulder.
‘Now, my dears,’ the small woman began to speak, ‘I am Professor Sprout. Welcome to Herbology class. I expect you to handle all plants carefully and attentively. Each one is important and fulfils its purpose only when it is in perfect condition.
‘Today, we will start preparing the new pots for the young mandrakes so we can repot them in the next lesson. Precision is absolutely essential!’
She pointed to a wooden shelf along the side wall of the large greenhouse, filled with plant pots, shovels, small rakes and sacks of soil: ‘Take what you need and begin.’
Immediately, a wild scramble broke out as students rushed to grab the best tools and the largest pots.
Severus held back; he disliked crowds and large gatherings, but his friends dived straight into the commotion.
The dark-skinned Slytherin snatched a large pot from James and smirked at him: ‘Too slow, loser.’
In response, Sirius dumped a small sack of soil over her dreadlocks.
The crowd gasped—then erupted in cheers as Dorcas punched Sirius in the face.
‘Give it to him, Dorcas!’ Mulciber shouted. Severus, who had also stepped forward, failed to completely suppress a satisfied grin.
Another voice, belonging to Professor Sprout, called out as well, but it sounded much less amused: ‘Break it up! What is this?! Ten points from Slytherin and five from Gryffindor! You, Miss Meadowes, out!’
The adressed girl looked utterly angry: ‘What! Why? He started it!’
The remaining Slytherins and Gryffindors grumbled angrily about the point deductions.
Sprout looked even angrier: ‘No objections!’
Dorcas glared at her with flashing eyes and, grinding her teeth, walked out.
Everyone looked back and forth between the closed door and Pomona Sprout.
She still looked furious: ‘What are you all waiting for? Get back to work.’
Everyone hastily resumed their tasks.
Only Sirius was still staring at the closed door: ‘I think I’m in love.’
A short while later, Sprout cleared her throat again: ‘Alright, those who are already finished, clean up your things and you may leave. It will be better if there’s a little more peace in here!’
Severus, who was already done, glanced at Lily and then over to his friends.
Lily was chatting with her friends and laughing softly.
When she noticed his gaze, she smiled and signalled that he should go ahead.
His friends grinned at him: ‘Go on ahead. We’ll catch up.’
Evan, whose face and hands were completely covered in dirt and soil, put the sack of earth back on the shelf, nearly dropped it, and then threw a handful of dirt at Wilkes, who laughed at him.
Before another dirt fight could break out and Professor Sprout could start scolding them again, Severus quickly slipped outside.
They now had some free time, so Severus took his time.
He strolled across the green meadow and finally sat down a few metres away in the grass.
He placed his brown leather school bag beside him.
Closing his eyes, he lifted his face to the warmth, enjoying the sunlight on his skin.
Severus took a deep breath of fresh air and listened to the soft chirping of birds and the rustling of the wind in the surrounding trees.
Everything about it calmed him.
Severus was exhausted and relished the peaceful, quiet surroundings.
The Herbology class had been chaotic and loud.
Severus hated that.
Even though he was skilled with plants and herbs, he preferred the structured routines and the clean, orderly environment of Potions class.
Severus pulled one of his borrowed books from his school bag and opened it.
He immediately sank into the book and was soon lost in his own world.
The sounds around him seemed to fade, and the surroundings blurred—only the information in his book mattered now.
He loved reading almost as much as he loved brewing potions.
A rustling and whispering tore Severus from his thoughts.
He immediately turned around, instinctively reaching for his wand, as he saw James and Sirius walking across the lawn.
Remus walked directly behind them and Peter stumbled after the three boys.
He didn’t trust any of them and wanted to be prepared to defend himself if necessary.
‘Hey, Snivellus,’ James shouted, and Sirius called after him, ‘What are you reading? How to Style Yourself Without Money?’
James laughed loudly, and Peter clung to James’ am, laughing, but was quickly shrugged off.
Only Remus didn’t laugh.
Severus shouted back angrily: ‘Leave me alone!’
‘Oh, or what? You’re alone, and there’s four of us!’
‘We see that a little differently,’ came the voices of Mulciber, Evan, Wilkes and Avery.
Lily also joined them and stood next to Severus.
James observed this with flashing eyes and growled softly: ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’
With that, the four of them walked past Lily and Severus and disappeared into the building.
The boys sat down next to Severus and Lily.
Charity and Pandora, who had also spent their break outside, joined them as well.
‘And what did you have just now?’ Lily asked Charity.
‘This morning, we had History of Magic first, then Transfiguration. Pandora is really talented at Transfiguration.’
Pandora smiled at her: ‘Oh, thank you,’ her long, platinum blonde hair shining in the sunlight.
‘You have class with the Ravenclaws, right?’ Severus asked.
Charity and Pandora nodded. ‘Yes, right.’
Lily smiled: ‘And Severus and I are really good at Potions. Professor Slughorn called us naturals. I already like the subject a lot.’
Pandora also smiled: ‘Oh yes, me too.’
‘Have you had Potions yet?’ Severus inquired with interest.
Pandora shook her head: ‘No, not until tomorrow. But I’ve already learned some things from my parents.’
‘Me too, from my mother,’ Severus now smiled slightly.
He was pleased to have discovered a common interest; it gave him a sense of being understood.
The rest of the day passed normally and uneventfully.
James and Sirius stayed away from Severus and Lily, instead occupying themselves by coming up with nicknames for the other Gryffindors and swapping wands to see what would happen when they cast spells.
At dinner, Severus was once again sitting next to Lucius, who was talking about something, but Severus wasn’t really paying attention.
His thoughts were revolving around Sirius’ comment from the morning.
It had affected him more than he wanted to admit.
He knew that his family was poor—very poor.
Sometimes, they couldn’t even afford two meals a day, and he barely had any clothes of his own.
His mother did everything she could to at least give him a decent life, but she was neither rich enough to leave his father nor brave enough to do so or to protect Severus from him.
Severus felt a wave of sympathy for his mother rising inside him, but at the same time, hot anger bubbled up in his chest.
He hated his father more than anyone else.
Tobias Snape had never had a kind word for his son.
Let alone a hug, though Severus wouldn’t have accepted one anyway.
He didn’t really remember his baby or toddler years, but he did remember his mother’s loving voice singing to him as he fell asleep.
But that had stopped quickly, and for the past few years, he had simply felt lonely.
That feeling had disappeared when he met Lily.
She gave him a sense of not being alone.
Of not being unwanted or unloved.
He smiled unconsciously, only to be pulled out of his thoughts by Lucius, who had now noticed that Severus wasn’t listening to him.
‘Severus… are you even listening to me?’
‘Oh, no… sorry. What did you say?’ He looked up at the older student apologetically.
Lucius smiled and waved it off: ‘Oh, it’s fine. I was asking if you’ve heard anything about the secret passages or the Room of Requirement here at Hogwarts.’
‘What is that… the Room of Requirement?’ Severus looked at him curiously.
Lucius smirked: ‘The Room of Requirement is a room here at Hogwarts. It only appears to those who truly need it or desperately want it. It always turns into exactly what you need at that moment. So, if you ever need to use the bathroom…’ Lucius grinned meaningfully.
‘Yeah, yeah, I get it. And it really only appears if you need it?’
Lucius nodded: ‘Yes, exactly… or if you want it badly enough… but that takes a lot of willpower. For example, once when Narcissa and I—’
‘No, stop… oh… oh no… now I have to think about that.’
Lucius gave him a disapproving look: ‘Seriously?’
‘Your fault.’
Lucius grinned: ‘I’ll admit it.’
‘And what about the secret passages now? Where are they, and where do they lead?’ Severus continued to ask.
‘I only know of one, but there are dozens here in Hogwarts. Some are said to even lead to the village, to Hogsmeade. And the one I know runs from behind the fireplace in the Great Hall to beneath the dungeon staircase. I have no idea what the purpose of that is,’ Lucius replied.
Severus nodded thoughtfully, resolving to explore the castle and discover the secret passages as soon as possible.
‘Are the secret passages known? Are there books about them, or are they yet to be explored?’
Lucius shrugged: ‘No idea. Surely some are known, but there are certainly others that no one… or at least not many know about. I'm not particularly interested in them. The passage I mentioned, I only discovered by chance.’
After dinner, Severus and his friends sat together in the common room.
Dorcas sat on the floor in front of Mulciber, who was sitting in a brown leather armchair, letting him braid new dreadlocks into her hair.
‘How do you even know how to do that?’ Severus looked up from his book.
The dark-skinned boy grinned: ‘I have sisters.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Severus asked.
‘That I always had to do it for them and learned it that way.’
Avery smirked cheekily: ‘His delicate little fingers are perfect for things like that.’
Mulciber grinned and threw a pillow at him, but missed and hit Evan instead, who hadn’t expected the force of the flying pillow and tumbled off the sofa.
Mulciber chuckled: ‘Delicate little fingers, yeah?’
Dorcas grinned: ‘What a bunch of idiots, huh, Severus?’
He nodded in amusement, which made the others gasp dramatically, clutching their chests and foreheads: ‘Oh, the pain… the pain!’
A short while later, the four of them were lying in bed.
The full moon stood high in the sky and illuminated the small room.
‘Can you sleep?’ Severus asked, sitting up.
‘Nope.’
‘Nah.’
‘No.’
Avery stood up: ‘Do you guys feel like exploring the castle? Lucius mentioned something about secret passages to Severus during dinner today.’
Severus looked over at him: ‘You were eavesdropping?’
‘Just a little. Sorry, but it was really hard to miss.’
‘It’s fine.’
‘Isn’t wandering through the castle at night against the rules?’ Evan interjected.
Avery sighed and let himself fall back down: ‘I’m surrounded by boring people.’
‘Just kidding. Of course, we’re in!’
Mulciber and Evan grinned, and Severus got up as well.
‘I’ll go wake Wilkes,’ Avery said, slipping out of the room and returning shortly with Wilkes. ‘Let’s go!’

Chapter 7

A soft, crunching sound could be heard as the stone serpents slithered up the wall, revealing the entrance to the dungeon corridor.
The five boys slipped out one after the other, pressing closely together as they crept towards the staircase leading upwards.
‘And where do we go first?’ Avery whispered.
‘Lucius told me earlier about a secret passage that leads from beneath the dungeon stairs all the way up to the Great Hall,’ Severus replied in a hushed voice.
‘Great idea,’ Evan murmured, and Mulciber and Wilkes nodded—though in the dimly torch-lit corridor, the others could only guess at their agreement.
Mulciber pulled one of the torches from its holder and took the lead.
His dark brown eyes sparkled with excitement and a thirst for adventure.
When they reached the staircase, they all looked around.
Severus and Avery crept towards the sides of the stairs, feeling along every niche.
Wilkes and Mulciber also scanned their surroundings attentively.
Only Evan leaned against the staircase, propping his elbows on the steps: ‘So where is this secre—whoa!’
He suddenly fell backwards as the wall beneath the stairs dissolved into thin air, revealing a hidden passage.
Now lying on his back, Evan looked up at his friends, who were clearly amused by his predicament.
Wilkes, trying to suppress a grin, extended a hand to him: ‘I’d say you just found it.’
With Wilkes’ help, Evan got back on his feet. ‘Hilarious,’ he muttered, but even he couldn’t hide his own grin.
One by one, the boys slipped into the passage.
Mulciber took the lead with the torch, followed by Evan, then Severus, with Wilkes and Avery bringing up the rear.
‘Careful,’ Mulciber hissed, coming to a halt. ‘There are stairs here.’
The others nodded and climbed slowly, constantly glancing around.
‘Look,’ Severus said quietly, pointing at the stair railing.
‘Wow… those are snakes.’
Severus nodded, piecing it together. ‘If these are snakes, then this secret passage most likely belongs to Salazar Slytherin… And if it really leads from the dungeons to the Great Hall—’
‘What are you getting at, Severus?’ Mulciber stopped again, looking at him curiously.
‘Well, if Slytherin had his own passage, then the other three Hogwarts founders—Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor—probably had their own secret passages that either start or end in the Great Hall. Depending on the direction.’
‘You’re a genius!’
‘That’s brilliant!’
Severus had to fight back a blush.
He couldn’t recall ever being praised like this before, nor could he remember a time when his opinions and ideas had been so respected.
He doubted they ever had been.
Not even Lily had done that.
The five continued climbing the seemingly endless staircase until they finally reached a wall with a small, serpent-shaped handle.
Mulciber pushed it down, and the door swung open, revealing the empty, dark Great Hall.
‘Wow,’ Wilkes whispered, his voice echoing off the high walls.
‘Shhh,’ Mulciber hissed, turning back to the group. ‘So, where do we start looking for the other passages? And where do you think they lead?’
The others shrugged and then all turned to Severus.
He stared back at them, confused: 'How am I supposed to know?’
‘Because you obviously have a knack for putting yourself in other people’s shoes and figuring out how they think.’
Severus hesitated: ‘Alright… let me think.’
The others remained silent, watching him curiously, waiting for his insights.
‘Alright… Slytherin’s secret passage led to the dungeons. Since it didn’t go directly to the common room, it’s probably the same for the others. I think the passages are more about something meaningful to the founder—something that defines them.’
The others listened, almost hypnotised, all impressed by how Severus Snape was able to piece things together.
‘I can’t say for sure where the secret passages lead or where they are, but we could make educated guesses. For example… the Ravenclaw passage might lead to the library.’
The others nodded thoughtfully.
‘Let’s first find out if any of them actually exist and then explore where they lead,’ Avery decided.
Immediately, the group got to work, inspecting every inch of the fireplace.
When they found nothing except the passage they already knew, they all turned to Severus again.
‘Again… how am I supposed to know?’ he asked.
Then, he slowly turned on the spot, scanning the room as if analysing every detail.
After a few moments, he looked back at his friends. ‘Check the walls beneath the statues.’
The others did exactly that, and only moments later, Wilkes let out a surprised shout. ‘I found it! Severus was right!’
He stood beneath a majestic lion statue, staring into a long passageway that disappeared into darkness.
Within seconds, Avery, Mulciber, Severus and Evan were at his side, also peering into the corridor.
Mulciber, still holding the torch, took the lead, and the others quickly followed.
‘There are more stairs,’ Mulciber called back to them, ‘They lead up.’
‘Then let’s go,’ Wilkes sighed, and they all hurried upwards.
‘This is taking forever,’ Avery groaned, ‘What floor do you think we’re on by now?’
‘Sixth, I’d guess,’ Wilkes replied, holding his side.
Eventually, Mulciber came to a halt: ‘There’s no way forward.’
He raised the torch, scanning the wall for a handle.
A moment later, he found it and pulled it open.
The five boys stepped out onto the seventh floor, glancing around curiously before continuing down the corridor.
‘Where are we even going?’ Wilkes asked, but before anyone could answer, hushed voices and approaching footsteps reached their ears.
‘Shit! Someone’s coming,’ Avery hissed.
They all looked around frantically, but there was no alcove, no hiding place in sight.
As the footsteps grew even closer and their nerves spiked, a faint noise came from just around the corner.
Without hesitation, the five Slytherins darted towards the sound—both to investigate its source and to avoid being caught.
A door had appeared in the wall.
‘Whoa… what is that?’ Wilkes stared at it in amazement.
‘Inside, now!’ Severus, already knowing what the door was, yanked it open and slipped hurriedly into the room.
The others followed him inside.
Mulciber glanced around the room, which looked like an old storage chamber, before turning to Severus: ‘You know what this place is, don’t you?’
Severus nodded and began explaining to his friends the true nature of the Room of Requirement.

At the same time, James, Sirius and Peter were fast asleep in their beds.
Only Remus’ bed was empty—but the three hadn’t noticed yet.
With a quiet snore, Peter rolled onto his side and promptly tumbled out of bed, landing on the floor with a startled yelp.
Rubbing his sore hip, he scrambled back onto his bed.
Just as he was about to snuggle back under his blanket, he realised Remus’ bed was empty.
Peter hesitated, listening into the darkness.
Nothing.
The moonlight was blocked by thick clouds, leaving the dormitory in deep shadow.
Finally, he slipped out of bed again, slid into his slippers and padded over to James’ bed.
‘James…’ he poked his friend lightly on the shoulder.
A muffled growl was the only response.
‘James!’ this time, he poked him harder.
James waved his hand in the air as if swatting away an annoying insect: ‘Ugh, what? It’s the middle of the night.’
Peter didn’t give up: ‘Remus isn’t here.’
‘He’s probably just in the bathroom. Let me sleep,’ James muttered, pulling the blanket over his head.
‘He’s not. I even waited for a bit. And his bed hasn’t been used.’
That seemed to convince James. He sat up. ‘You’re right.’
He grabbed a pillow and threw it in the direction where he guessed Sirius’ head was. ‘Hey! Sirius!’
Sirius jolted upright, looking around sleepily: ‘Huh? What? Is it morning already?’
‘No… but Remus isn’t here, and we have no idea where he is,’ James replied.
Sirius instantly became alert: ‘Then let’s go find him.’
‘Now? In the middle of the night? In the dark? After curfew?’ Peter asked hesitantly.
James, however, shared Sirius’ excitement: ‘Great idea. And if a teacher catches us, we’ll just say we’re looking for Remus. It’s not even a lie, and we’ll probably get away with it.’
‘And the darkness?’
‘You’re not scared, are you?’ James grinned mockingly.
‘N-No. Let’s go’ Peter was the first to head to the door, opening it quietly.
‘Alright then.’
James and Sirius slipped out, and Peter pulled the door shut as silently as possible behind them.
The clouds had drifted away, and the Gryffindor common room was now brightly illuminated.
The three of them crept towards the door, but suddenly James stopped so abruptly that Peter nearly bumped into his back.
'What is it?’ Peter and Sirius whispered at the same time.
James grinned and pointed to the sofa next to him.
A third-year girl had fallen asleep there, apparently while doing her homework.
She lay stretched out on the sofa, breathing softly, still holding her quill in her hand.
Sirius chuckled and whispered: ‘I know exactly what you’re thinking.’
He crept quietly over to the girl, carefully took the quill from her hand, drew a large moustache on her face, and then gently placed the quill back in her hand.
All three of them had to stifle their laughter, and Peter pressed a hand over his mouth to muffle his giggles.
They hurried out before the older Gryffindor could wake up from their suppressed laughter.
Out in the hallway, the three of them looked around carefully.
It was dark, dead silent, and completely deserted.
James glanced around: ‘We should do this more often… it’s actually really cool out here.’
Sirius nodded enthusiastically: ‘So quiet, dark, and empty.’
Peter, however, looked around sceptically and pressed himself behind James’ back.
James laughed: ‘You’re scared, aren’t you?’
Sirius smirked: ‘Of course he is. And if something does show up, it’ll take you out first.’
James laughed even harder: ‘You’re such a great friend, Peter. Ready to sacrifice me.’
Peter let out a nervous chuckle. ‘I would never. I promise.’
The three of them continued walking down the dark corridor, glancing around curiously every now and then.
Suddenly, James came to an abrupt stop and listened.
‘What is it?’ Sirius looked over at his friend.
James raised a finger to his lips: ‘Shh. Someone’s there.’
He gestured down the hallway.
Sirius listened as well: ‘You’re right.’
At the end of the corridor, shadowy figures were visible, and faint whispers could be heard.
‘There are five of them,’ Peter whispered: ‘We’re outnumbered.’
‘Don’t wet yourself,’ Sirius whispered back.
And James nodded: ‘They’re probably just our age. Let’s just ignore them.’
The figures disappeared around the corner.
‘See, Peter? They’re gone.’
Peter nodded, looking a bit more at ease.
A few moments later, all three of them flinched as Peeves the Poltergeist floated around the corner.
‘And what are you?’ James eyed the ghost-like figure.
Peeves grinned and waved a hat in the air that suspiciously resembled one of McGonagall’s. ‘Peeves the poltergeist!’
Sirius examined him curiously: ‘You’re not a normal ghost, are you? Not like the others who were once human and chose to stay behind after they died?’
Peeves sneered wickedly: ‘Swot! Swot!’
Sirius was outraged: ‘I am not a swot! Swots would never sneak through the castle at night!’
James and Peter burst out laughing.
Peeves suddenly looked as if he had just discovered the best present in the world: ‘Oh yes… almost forgot!’
He threw his head back and crowed loudly: ‘GRYFFINDORS BREAKING SCHOOL RULES! GRYFFINDORS ROAMING THE CASTLE AT NIGHT! GRYFFINDORS—’
‘Shut up!’ James and Sirius hissed at the same time, while Peter looked as if he feared that Albus Dumbledore himself would come around the corner at any moment to punish them for the noise.
But instead of Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey and Remus appeared around the corner.
‘Remus!’ they all sounded relieved, while the brown-haired boy gave them an awkward wave, trying to mask his nervousness.
Madame Pomfrey ignored the four students and instead turned a sharp gaze on the poltergeist.
Peeves immediately put on an innocent expression and hovered calmly in place: 'Good evening, Madame.’
‘What is all this shouting about, Peeves?’ she snapped angrily.
Now Peeves looked indignant: ‘I just tried to be nice and help out the esteemed teachers of this school, and suddenly that’s wrong too!’
‘You sound just like Filch,’ Poppy snapped.
Peeves looked as if he had been mortally offended.
Poppy Pomfrey made an impatient gesture: ‘Get lost, Peeves! NOW!’
Peeves cackled, waved the hat in farewell, and floated away, spinning in loops as he went.
Now, Poppy turned to James, Sirius and Peter: ‘And as for you three—what are you doing out in the corridor at this hour?’
Sirius gave her the same innocent look Peeves had worn earlier: ‘We noticed that Remus wasn’t in bed and got worried.’
Peter nodded and then turned to Remus: ‘What happened?’
Remus hesitated for a moment, then glanced uncertainly up at Poppy Pomfrey: ‘I… uh…’
Poppy placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder: ‘Remus wasn’t feeling well, so he came to me, and I took care of him. Now—all of you, off to bed.’
The four boys nodded and made their way back to the common room and then up to their shared dormitory.
Poppy accompanied them to the portrait of the Fat Lady before heading back herself.

As Madame Pomfrey’s footsteps faded away, the door to the Room of Requirement quietly opened, and Severus and his friends stepped out.
‘That was close,’ Mulciber sighed in relief.
The others nodded, and Avery let out a breath: ‘I was mostly afraid that Peeves would catch us. That little nuisance would’ve tattled on us instantly.’
Severus nodded in agreement, and Evan glanced around at the group: ‘Let’s head back before we actually get caught.’
‘Good idea. I think Filch is on patrol tonight.’ Wilkes shuddered: ‘His cat has it out for me. I swear.’
Severus smirked slightly: ‘Nonsense. Why would a cat have anything against you?’
Wilkes looked over his shoulder at Severus, who was sneaking along behind him: ‘No, really. That thing is creepy. It’s like it understands everything we say.’
Avery, who was walking at the back, grinned: ‘Barely a day here, and you’ve already made your first enemy, Wilkes.’
Wilkes merely snorted in amusement before coming to a stop: ‘Alright… this was the exit of the secret passage.’
He ran his fingers along the wall until he found the small indentation carved into the stone and pressed it all the way in.
Silently, the wall slid aside, revealing the entrance.
One by one, the five boys slipped inside, and as soon as the last of them was through, the wall shifted back into place.
They crept through the passage back to the Great Hall, then used the second secret passage from there to the dungeons, finally making their way back to their common room.
Severus yawned: ‘I think I’m going to sleep well tonight.’
The others nodded in agreement.
Wilkes gave a quick wave before disappearing into his dormitory.
Severus, Avery, Mulciber and Evan also climbed into their beds, pulling the blankets up to their noses to warm up.
They were all tired but content, knowing they had already uncovered some of the castle’s secrets.

Chapter 8

The next day was a Saturday, and it was thanks to this that Severus and his friends, as well as James and his friends, slept in.
All nine boys arrived at breakfast later than usual and still looking drowsy.
Severus stifled a yawn as he spread jam on his crossaint.
Lucius smirked: ‘Didn’t sleep well?’
‘Too little,’ Avery answered from Lucius’s other side, yawning as well.
Lucius glanced between the two first-years: ‘You’ll have to explain that to me.’
Avery grinned: ‘We went on a little exploration tour around the castle.’
Lucius’s eyes widened: ‘Tell me more.’
Mulciber leaned across the table and lowered his voice: ‘We discovered another secret passage that leads from the Great Hall to the seventh floor—probably built by Godric Gryffindor. And we also found the Room of Requirement.’
Lucius looked impressed: ‘Respect. Some people don’t find either of those in their entire time at school, and you lot managed to do it at the start of your first year.’
Mulciber grinned, clearly proud of himself.
After a hearty breakfast, the five boys headed outside, drifting across the green fields in the bright sunshine until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
‘I’m not going in there, lads,’ Wilkes said, stepping back.
‘Me neither… not voluntarily,’ Severus also took a step away.
Avery peered curiously into the dense foliage: ‘Oh, come on, you cowards,’ but then he suddenly jumped back, startled by a deep howl from within the darkness, ‘Yeah… let’s go,’ he said quickly and hurried ahead.
The others suppressed their laughter as they followed him, eventually settling down in the sun.
Lily emerged from the castle doors and walked towards the Slytherins.
A smile appeared on Severus’s face, and he hesitantly waved her over.
He was afraid his hopes would be dashed if she chose not to come to him, yet at the same time, he was excited to see her.
Charity and Pandora also came outside, quickly running after Lily so they could join her in approaching the Slytherins.
The three girls sat down with them, and Charity immediately turned to Severus with interest: ‘Why did you all turn up so late this morning?’
‘I noticed that too. Did you sleep badly?’ Lily also looked curious.
‘More like too little,’ Wilkes grinned.
‘Huh?’
‘We… explored the castle a bit last night,’ Severus answered Lily’s question.
Her green eyes widened as she looked at him, slightly appalled: ‘But that’s against the rules.’
Severus anxiously played with his fingers in his lap.
He felt awful—he didn’t want to disappoint Lily or have her look at him like that again.
Charity noticed and quickly chimed in: ‘Well, I think it’s totally cool and exciting.’
Severus looked up, he was now somewhat relieved but still glanced at Lily with a hint of uncertainty.
She just shook her head: ‘Oh, Sev…’
‘We were careful.’
She nodded: ‘Good. I don’t want you to get expelled.’
Pandora had started weaving a daisy chain and smiled: ‘No arguments, please. Today is far too nice a day for fighting.’
The response was a series of nods in agreement.
Pandora looked up from her flower chain: ‘And what are you all planning to do today?’
Lily smiled: ‘I’m teaching Marlene and Mary how to play poker.’
The others looked at her in confusion: ‘What’s poker?’
Only Charity and Severus nodded knowingly.
Lily chuckled: ‘It’s a Muggle game. My dad taught me years ago, and the two of them found the cards in my trunk and got curious.’
Charity grinned: ‘So you’re Muggle-born too?’
Lily nodded, delighted to have found an ally.
‘What about you, Severus?’ Charity asked, and six pairs of eyes turned to him with curiosity.
He shook his head: ‘I’m a half-blood. My mum is a pure-blood witch.’
Evan, Mulciber, Wilkes, and Avery exchanged a quick, uneasy glance.
‘What?’ Severus now sounded suspicious, and the three girls also eyed the four boys carefully.
‘Our familys don’t like Muggles and Mu-Muggle-borns… they’ll hate hearing that we’ve made friends with some.’
Lily’s expression cooled slightly: ‘But you’re not your dads.’
Charity and Pandora nodded in agreement.
‘You always have a choice. You’re not your parents’ property,’ Pandora said, her expression still open and friendly.
Avery seemed eager to change the subject, so he quickly said: ‘Anyway, to answer your question from earlier, I’m going to enjoy the sun for a bit and then head to the common room to do my homework.’
Wilkes groaned theatrically: ‘Don’t remind me.’
Evan rolled his eyes: ‘The old McGonagall gave Wilkes and me loads of extra work because we were talking in class.’
Lily smirked: ‘Serves you right.’
‘Hilarious.’
‘I’ll go inside later to read. I’ve already finished my homework,’ Severus said quickly, hoping to prevent another argument.
Pandora looked at him curiously with her light blue eyes: ‘What are you reading at the moment?’
‘Poisons and Antidotes.’
‘Sounds fascinating. Will you lend it to me when you’ve finished?’
‘Sure.’
‘You read things like that? Cool… I wouldn’t have expected that from you,’ Charity nudged her friend playfully.
Pandora placed the daisy chain on Charity’s wavy blonde hair: ‘Why not?’
‘I don’t know, you just seem so peaceful… poisons don’t really suit you.’
Pandora smiled and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead: ‘I think both can fit. Besides, I’m mainly interested in the antidotes.’
Mulciber stretched out his long legs and squinted up at the sun: ‘You know what bothers me?’
‘What?’ Everyone looked at him curiously.
‘That we only wear underwear under these robes and not proper trousers.’
Wilkes shrugged: ‘It would be way too hot to wear trousers as well as long robes.’
But Charity nodded: ‘It bothers me too. I always feel like someone’s staring at my bum when I walk up the stairs,’ she giggled, slightly embarrassed.
Lily shuddered: ‘Now I’m going to think about that all the time.’
As thick, dark clouds slowly drifted in front of the sun some time later, the eight first-years got to their feet and made their way back to the castle.
The Slytherins disappeared towards the dungeons after a brief farewell, Pandora hurried up the stairs to the library, and Charity turned to Lily: ‘Can I join you three for poker?’
Lily smiled: ‘Of course.’
As the two of them headed upstairs to meet Mary and Marlene for a game of poker, Avery, Evan, Mulciber, Severus, and Wilkes entered the Slytherin common room.
Several other Slytherins were already there: some sat in the large, dark leather armchairs or on the carpet, reading, doing homework, chatting, or playing chess.
The record player in the corner was playing music.
‘Under Pressure’ was playing, and Freddy Mercury's voice filled the room.
Narcissa, who was sitting in an armchair diagonally opposite Lucius, lightly tapped her foot to the beat and kept glancing up from her book towards Lucius as inconspicuously as possible.
‘You listen to Muggle music?’ Severus sat down next to Lucius and looked at him in surprise.
"Sure. Why not? Some of them have a really beautiful voice.
Severus nodded in agreement and rummaged the book out of his school bag.
Lucius smiled and moved his queen: ‘Checkmate.’
While his opponent muttered a quiet curse, Severus sank into an armchair, opened his book, and was immediately absorbed in it.

At the same time, Lily and Charity arrived outside the Gryffindor common room.
After Lily gave the Fat Lady the password, the two climbed inside.
Mary and Marlene were already there.
They sat at one of the small tables, drinking tea and chatting.
As soon as they spotted Lily, they waved excitedly: ‘Over here!’
Lily waved back and pulled Charity towards them: ‘Wait here, I’ll get the cards,’ she said before dashing upstairs.
‘I’m Marlene,’ one of Lily’s friends introduced herself.
‘I’m Mary,’ the other added with a friendly smile.
‘I’m Charity,’ she replied with a smile and sat down on the sofa.
Moments later, Lily returned and placed a deck of playing cards on the table.
‘Right, onto the game.’ She began shuffling the deck. ‘I’ll teach you the version my dad showed me. Texas Hold’em. Everyone gets their own cards, and then there are rounds where you can swap or receive new ones, depending on the variation—’
‘Wait… what do you mean by “hand”?’ Marlene interrupted, looking confused.
‘A “hand” in poker just means the cards you have and play with. For example, in Texas Hold’em, you get two private cards—that’s your starting hand. Then, five community cards are placed in the middle. Everyone can use them to make the best five-card hand. So, your “hand” is simply the set of cards you end up with and use to try and win!’
‘I’m lost.’ Marlene’s face was so bewildered and desperate that Charity burst out laughing: ‘Don’t worry. We can start by playing with open cards, and once you get the hang of it, we’ll play with them hidden.’
Mary and Marlene nodded, looking a bit more reassured.
Lily continued: ‘In Texas Hold’em, each player gets two private cards. Then, five community cards are placed in the middle one by one. You try to make the best combination of five cards. At the end, everyone reveals their cards and whoever has the strongest hand wins!’
The two Gryffindors nodded slowly, still processing all the new information.
Lily began shuffling the cards and placed them face up on the table, just as she had explained.
The four had been playing for some time when James and Sirius entered, followed closely by Remus and Peter.
‘Hey, Evans,’ James grinned and sat directly in front of her on the table.
‘Move it, Potter. You’re in the way.’
‘What are you playing?’ Remus peeked curiously at the cards.
‘Poker,’ Mary replied, while Marlene laid her cards down on the table: ‘And I’ve won.’
Charity smiled: ‘Congratulations.’
Lily and Mary congratulated her as well.
James and his friends were watching them.
‘Got a problem, Potter, or why are you still standing here?’ Lily asked.
James looked offended: ‘Can’t a guy just watch three pretty ladies celebrating?’
‘Not if he can’t count,’ Marlene chimed in, and Mary grinned, ‘I think he needs a new pair of glasses.’
James grinned: ‘Not at all. But she,’ he pointed at Charity, ‘she is friends with Slytherins, and someone like that is just plain ugly. Inside and out.’
‘At least I know what a comb is.’
Sirius burst out laughing and clapped James on the shoulder: ‘The little one really gave it to you.’
Charity glared at him angrily.
‘Watch out guys… an angry little gremlin… run!’
Peter laughed loudly, and also Remus grinned.
‘Shut up, Potter. And you, Black, wipe that stupid grin off your face,’ Lily had stood up, her red hair seeming to glow with fury.
Mary and Marlene stood beside her.
‘Do you really want to pick a fight with us, Potter? Do you?’
He smirked: ‘I’m a gentleman; I don’t use violence against ladies.’
Charity raised an eyebrow and turned to the others: ‘Him? A gentleman?’
‘You do know I can hear you?’ James sounded offended.
Marlene grinned: ‘At least he has clean ears.’
The others laughed, and James stormed off towards the exit of the Gryffindor Commonroom, sulking.
His friends hurried after him.
Sirius, who walked beside him, Remus, who was trying not to grin and Peter, who made an effort to cheer James up.
Lily exhaled: ‘Gosh, that guy is so annoying.’
Marlene rolled her eyes: ‘He thinks far too highly of himself. How I hate men.’
Mary and Lily laughed: ‘There are exceptions.’
Charity grinned: ‘Thank goodness.’
Then she stood up: ‘I’d better go. I’ve still got homework to do.’
The three nodded and waved: ‘See you later.’

At the same time, in the Slytherin Commonroom, Severus shut his book: ‘Done.’
Avery and Evan looked up from their chess game.
‘Done? That fast?’
The blackhaired boy shrugged and nodded: ‘Yeah.’
Then he stood up: ‘I’m going to look for Pandora. She wanted to have the book as well.’
His friends just nodded and barely looked up as he left the common room.
Severus climbed the long staircases, heading towards the library.
On the third floor, he came across James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Severus tried to walk past them, but James planted himself in his way, legs spread and arms crossed.
‘Where are you off to, Snivellus?’
‘Let me through,’ Severus snarled.
‘Oh, come on… We’re just trying to have a friendly conversation, and this is how you react?’
Severus glared at the two of them: ‘Let me past. Now.’
Sirius smirked mockingly: ‘And what if we don’t? What are you going to do? Run off crying to your friends?’
‘Then you’ll regret it.’
‘Oh, really? You’re all alone, Snivellus. There’s no one here to help you. No one’s coming to protect you. No one cares about you. No one wants you.’
‘I don’t need anyone to protect me.’
‘Oh yeah…?’
James and Sirius stepped closer, now standing on the step above him.
Severus didn’t move an inch, meeting their gaze with grim determination.
James raised his hands, ready to push Severus down the stairs with full force.
But Severus had expected this.
He quickly jumped to the side, causing James to stumble and tumble down several steps.
‘YOU’LL REGRET THIS, SNIVELLUS!’ James shouted from below as Severus ran up the stairs.
Completely out of breath, he arrived at the library and leaned against a bookshelf.
‘Hello, Severus. Are you all right?’ came Pandora’s concerned voice.
He gave a silent nod and handed her the book: ‘Here. I’m done with it.’
She smiled: ‘Thank you. Did you enjoy it?’
‘It was all right. But I noticed several inaccuracies.’
‘Inaccuracies? In a textbook?’
He nodded again.
Pandora looked at him with wide eyes: ‘Well, if I ever need tutoring in Potions, I’m definitely asking you.’
This made Severus smile slightly: ‘You won’t need tutoring, I am sure of it.’

Chapter 9

Severus hadn’t told his friends about the incident.
The words of James and Sirius had hurt him more than he wanted to admit.
At the same time, he was angry at himself for letting it affect him so much.
The two of them had hit his weakest spot—his fear of being alone, unwanted, and unheard.
That was how he had felt until Lily had come into his life.
She took that feeling away. She liked listening to him, and she took him seriously when he spoke.
Even in the evening, he was still brooding over it, finding it hard to fall asleep.
He had wished so badly to find peace at Hogwarts, to make friends, and finally be truly happy.
He had hoped to find a place here where he would be safe from his father, without having to fear being yelled at for saying the wrong thing or having beer bottles thrown at him.
And now, it was starting all over again.
He curled up more tightly, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw the mocking faces of James and Sirius.
Even reading, which usually distracted him, failed to bring him any comfort.
Finally, he sighed quietly, got up, and sat by the window, gazing at the starry sky.
He found a few constellations and watched them for a while.
When a shooting star streaked across the sky and disappeared behind the Forbidden Forest, he slipped back into bed and pulled the blanket up to his nose.
The next morning, he only woke up when the sun was already shining brightly into the room.
His friends' beds were empty, and he assumed they were already at breakfast.
Shortly after, he hurried to the Great Hall and sat down at the Slytherin table for breakfast.
Mulciber grinned: ‘Well, had a good sleep?’
He nodded: ‘Why didn’t you wake me?’”
‘We tried, but you growled like crazy, and we didn’t want to get bitten.’
‘Haha.’
‘No, really.’
After breakfast, Severus walked alone up the stairs toward the Gryffindor common room.
He wanted to ask Lily if she felt like going down to the lake with him.
His friends had already gone ahead to the lake, but he didn’t want to go without asking Lily if she would accompany them.
When he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, he knocked lightly, receiving a suspicious glance from the painting’s inhabitant.
A moment later, the entrance opened, and Lily stood before him.
‘Hello, Sev,’ she greeted him with a smile.
‘Hello,’ he replied, smiling slightly as well before asking, ‘Do you feel like going down to the lake?’
The redhead nodded enthusiastically: ‘Sure! But wait a moment, I’ll just grab my swimsuit.’
‘You want to swim in the lake?’
‘Of course! Why not? It’s such nice weather, and with the sun out, it’s wonderfully warm. Mary and Marlene went to the lake to swim too.’
‘Okay.’
He waited patiently until Lily opened the entrance again and climbed out, holding a large towel in her hands.
The two of them walked down the long staircases side by side.
‘Careful,’ Severus warned after a short while. ‘The second step from here is missing.’
Lily first looked at him, then down at the staircase, carefully stepping over the missing step.
‘How did you know that?’ she asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
‘I remembered it from the last time I came up here.’
‘That fast?’
‘Of course… I can also remember the contents of my books after reading them just once.’
‘Wow… I have to read everything at least three times. Depends on the subject.’
A few minutes later, they arrived at the lake and immediately spotted some familiar faces.
The beautiful weather had drawn many Hogwarts students outside.
Lucius and Narcissa were sitting under a large tree, kissing.
Mary and Marlene were sunbathing and lazily waved at Lily.
Severus’ friends were swimming, racing each other.
Severus glanced around once more, sighing in relief when he didn’t see James, Sirius, Remus, or Peter anywhere.
He let himself sink into the grass beside Lily, watching Wilkes as he cheered for himself after winning a race, only for Avery to attempt to dunk him under the water.
He failed miserably, as Wilkes was nearly a head taller than him.
Lily giggled softly: ‘What are they trying to do?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Are you coming into the water?’ Lily asked, pulling her school uniform over her head.
Severus shook his head: ‘I don’t have swim trunks… and besides… I… well—’
He felt uncomfortable at the thought of being seen half-naked by the others.
Lily didn’t ask any further questions; she simply nodded and ran into the water alone.
Mary and Marlene didn’t notice as Lily, now completely drenched, snuck up on them.
Severus watched, quietly chuckling to himself, as she positioned herself over her two dozing friends and wrung out her long, wet hair over them.
The two of them shrieked and shot up, immediately launching a tickle attack on Lily in retaliation.
She screamed with laughter, begging for help.
Severus remained unmoved, watching the scene unfold.
Lily squealed and giggled as her friends relentlessly dragged her toward the water: ‘Sev! Help me!’
He hesitated for a moment.
He wasn’t a strong swimmer.
No one had ever taught him, and in Spinner’s End, there had been few opportunities to learn.
Besides, he disliked the feeling of losing the ground beneath his feet, of having no control.
But then, after briefly considering the right spell, he transformed his underwear into swim trunks, pulled his robes over his head, and ran into the water as well.
His friends greeted him enthusiastically and immediately started a water fight, with Mary, Marlene, and Lily eagerly joining in.

Meanwhile, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter sat hidden in a bush at the edge of the lake, watching everything.
‘This really doesn’t feel right,’ Remus whispered. ‘I feel like a creep.’
‘The saintly Remus,’ James rolled his eyes.
‘Oh, don’t be such a killjoy,’ Sirius said, sounding annoyed, while Peter nodded eagerly.
Sirius held up a small glass jar filled with fire ants and grinned: ‘Let’s make them dance.’
‘You can’t do that! That could be dangerous,’ Remus looked horrified.
James turned to him, irritated: ‘You can leave if you want, you boring git.’
Remus fell silent and stared at his feet.
He didn’t want to anger his only friends and risk losing them.
‘That’s more like it,’ Sirius whispered as he snuck off, the jar in his hand, carefully looking around to make sure no one noticed him.
A short while later, he returned, grinning triumphantly: ‘This is gonna burn and itch like hell.’
James laughed maliciously: ‘They’re gonna look like swollen lobsters. We can’t miss this—let’s get a seat nearby.’
The four of them moved closer to the lake, trying to blend in while keeping a close watch on their classmates.
‘When are they finally going to get out…’ Sirius muttered impatiently.
Peter nodded excitedly, practically trembling with anticipation.
Only Remus looked miserable. He wished he could warn the Slytherins, but he knew that would only get him into trouble with James and Sirius.
Some time later, the Slytherins emerged from the water together, with Lily, Mary, and Marlene following closely behind.
Everyone was out of breath, exhausted but happy.
Lily dropped onto the grass, panting, letting the sun dry her.
Mary and Marlene sat down on either side of her.
Severus and his friends also settled into the grass.
Once they were somewhat dry from the sun, they pulled their robes over their heads.
Lily, Mary, and Marlene were just about to stand up and head back to the castle when suddenly, Severus, Avery, Mulciber, Evan, and Wilkes let out screams and jumped to their feet.
‘Into the water!’ Mulciber shouted, and all of them tore off their robes again and sprinted back into the lake.
Lily looked confused and was about to ask what was going on when James and Sirius’s laughter interrupted her.
They were doubled over, howling with laughter at the sight of the scratching, jumping Slytherins.
‘You’ll regret this!’ Avery yelled, scratching himself furiously.
Sirius clutched his stomach, laughing: ‘Slytherin—the noble house of snakes, huh? More like the house of filthy monkeys!’
James roared with laughter, and now Peter and even Remus joined in.
Lily turned to the four of them, furious: ‘What did you do!?’
James tried to look innocent but failed miserably: ‘Us? Nothing.’
He burst into laughter again.
‘It’s not our fault if they don’t wash theirselfs properly,’ Remus added, chuckling.
James and Sirius laughed even harder, slapping Remus on the back in approval.
‘The bastards put fire ants in our clothes!’ Severus shouted to Lily.
Without hesitation, she took off running: ‘I’m getting Madam Pomfrey!’
James laughed smugly: ‘Oh, I could watch this for hours.’
Marlene looked at him with disdain: ‘Don’t grin like that. Do you have any idea what could happen?’
James grinned cheekily: ‘Nope. And I honestly don’t care.’
Mary pulled Marlene, who was already rolling up her sleeves, back by the arm: ‘Let it go Marlene.’
‘Let me go, Mary. I have two older brothers who are just like that. I know how to deal with guys like them!’
‘Those four aren’t even worth getting your hands dirty.’
Marlene glanced at her bright red, freshly painted nails: ‘You’re right.’
James grinned: ‘Yeah, come on, little one. Relax. Or do you have your period?’
Before Marlene could either snap at James or charge at him, Lily returned with Madam Pomfrey.
‘Get out of there!’ Madam Pomfrey called immediately, handing each of the Slytherins a jar of cream, ‘You need to apply this. It will heal and soothe.’
Sirius grinned: ‘So now you’re all cream-covered crumb cake.’
Poppy spun around.
Her previously concerned expression was gone: ‘To the castle. NOW. This will have consequences, I promise you.’
She glared sternly at each of them in turn.
Sirius looked at her apologetically: ‘We’re really sorry. That was very immature of us.’
Poppy motioned toward the castle without saying another word.
Remus lowered his head slightly and started walking toward the castle first.
His friends followed him, but as soon as they were out of earshot, James and Sirius burst out laughing again.
James slapped Remus on the shoulder with a grin: ‘I almost bought it.’
Sirius grinned too.

Meanwhile, Severus, Evan, Avery, Mulciber, and Wilkes had smeared the healing cream all over their bodies.
‘Ah, that feels good,’ Mulciber sighed in relief, and the others all took deep breaths.
‘Are you okay, Sev?’ Lily asked, looking at him with concern.
He nodded: ‘I’m fine now.’
After Mary and Marlene said a brief goodbye, they headed back to the castle.
Also Lily, after Sev assured her that he was alright, made her way into the castle.
Poppy followed her, not forgetting to remind the boys to reapply the cream before going to bed.
Mulciber glanced at his friends. ‘We all agree that this calls for revenge, right?’
Everyone nodded.
‘They’re gonna get it back. Big time.’
When they entered the Slytherin common room, they were immediately stared at by everyone.
‘What happened to you?’ Narcissa asked, looking shocked at the five of them.
‘The Gryffindors put fire ants in our clothes,’ Wilkes said angrily, trying hard not to scratch himself again.
‘Typical Gryffindors,’ Lucius snorted, ‘Always acting like they’re better than everyone else.’
Narcissa nodded in agreement: ‘We Slytherins are just scum in the eyes of others. Get used to it.’
‘But not all,’ Severus said, thinking of Lily.
‘Don’t kid yourself, Severus. That’s coming,’ Lucius patted him on the shoulder, not noticing the uncertain and disappointed look on Severus’ face.
For the rest of the evening, Severus was quieter and more withdrawn.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Lucius’ words. What if he was right?
What if Lily started thinking the same way and turned away from him, stopped liking him?
He had already noticed that many of his classmates were colder toward Slytherins, but he had never paid that much attention to it before.
After all, it was his first week here.
Severus wondered what the other houses had against the Slytherins.
The ones he had met had all been friendly, comradeship, and supportive.
But there were also some classmates who were different.
With a small smile, he thought of Lily, Charity, and Pandora.
And that thought pushed away the dark, empty, and fearful feeling that had started to spread in his chest.
That evening, Severus, Evan, Mulciber, and Avery sat together on the large rug in their room. Wilkes was also there again.
‘So...,’ Mulciber began, ‘What’s our revenge going to look like?’
‘It has to be something that makes them just as ridiculous as us,’ Evan decided, and everyone nodded.
‘How about a spell?’ Wilkes suggested.
‘Then there’s a quick counter-curse and that’s it... no, it has to be something longer... something permanent,’ Avery disagreed, and again the others nodded.
‘Is there any potion, Severus?’ Wilkes asked.
Severus thought for a moment: ‘I can only think of one off the top of my head. It changes the voice and makes it high-pitched and squeaky.’
Avery laughed: ‘That’s good. And then they’d just have to do something really embarrassing or say something.’
Evan grabbed Severus’ book "The Side Effects of Healing Potions" from his stack and started flipping through it.
The others watched him: ‘What are you looking for?’
Evan barely looked up: ‘My dad once told me something... he was in St. Mungo’s, and after a healing potion, he was completely confused. He confessed his love to the ancient healer and then totally freaked out when the healers wouldn’t address him as “Master” and also commented on everything the healers did. Those were the side effects of the potion.’
Severus grinned too: ‘Give me the book. I think I know which potion your dad meant.’
Evan handed him the book, and after a short search, Severus found the potion.
He placed the book in the center: ‘This is it.’
Mulciber giggled as he read the side effects aloud: ‘Chatterbox syndrome, hallucinations, giggle fits, a flair for the dramatic, megalomania, and outbursts of rage. This is brilliant.’
The others also giggled: ‘And how do we get the potion?’
‘Slughorn probably has it in stock. We just steal it, and if he doesn’t have it, then Severus can brew it’, Avery said.
‘Me?’ Severus looked up surprised and skeptical.
He feared that this would only fuel the argument even more.
He sighed.
The only thing he wanted was peace and quiet.
Avery, who allowed no contradiction, nodded: ‘Of course. You’re the best in Potions.’
‘How about we mix both potions for these idiots? The squeaky-voice potion and the healing potion with the side effects,’ Mulciber said with a grin.
Evan laughed: ‘Awesome.’
Severus nodded: ‘That should work. The ingredients of both potions don’t cancel each other out or repel each other.’
‘What does the healing potion actually do if there’s nothing wrong with them? I mean, the four of them aren’t really sick or injured,’ Wilkes asked.
Severus flipped through the book for a bit and then replied: ‘It says here that it has no serious consequences. Maybe a little nausea, but that’s it.’
And as it got dark, the five boys sneaked out of their dormitory and out of the common room for the second time that weekend.

Chapter 10

They walked quietly along the corridor until they reached Slughorn’s potion storeroom.
Mulciber drew his wand, and with a whispered "Alohomora", the door creaked open softly, the sound echoing down the dark, empty hallway.
He grinned proudly that the spell, his father had taught him, even before Hogwarts actually worked.
Avery slipped inside and returned moments later: ‘No use. I can’t find it. Severus… you have to go in.’
‘Me?’ Severus looked at his friends uncertainly.
If they got caught, they’d all be in serious trouble—and Lily would be disappointed. But if he refused, he would disappoint his friends.
‘Go on,’ Avery whispered, and Severus crept into the small storeroom, emerging shortly after with the right potion: ‘Here it is.’
Mulciber grinned in satisfaction: ‘Perfect. Now for the voice-changing potion.’
Severus shook his head: ‘Slughorn doesn’t have it in stock—I already checked.’
‘Then you’ll have to brew it,’ Avery declared.
‘What?’ Severus looked shocked.
Evan nodded: ‘Avery’s right. You’re the only one who can brew it properly.’
‘But… we can’t just break into Slughorn’s lab.’
‘Oh, come on, Severus,’ Evan rolled his eyes. ‘You want revenge just as much as we do.’
Mulciber nodded: ‘Exactly. Join us, Severus—just think about that damn itching from those ants.’
Severus took a deep breath: ‘Alright,’ he said, still worried about getting caught—and, more than anything, about upsetting Lily.
But disappointing or angering others wasn’t an option either.
Together, they crept through the dark, empty dungeon corridor.
Not a sound could be heard.
Everything was silent and still.
Severus shivered slightly—the corridor was cool, and the torches on the walls gave off little warmth or light.
He longed for his warm, soft bed, yet at the same time, he wanted revenge. He was eager to teach James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter a lesson.
He wanted to show them that he wouldn’t just sit back and take it.
When they reached Slughorn’s laboratory door, Avery, who had been leading alongside Mulciber, pressed down on the handle and then turned triumphantly: ‘Unlocked.’
Severus muttered something that sounded like: "How careless can someone be" and followed his friends inside.
Evan closed the door quietly and switched on the lights.
They all glanced around the medium-sized room.
The walls were lined with shelves, filled with all sorts of things, just like those in the Potions classroom's storage room.
In one corner, cauldrons of various sizes were stacked, while at the head of the room stood a massive desk made of dark wood.
At the other end of the rectangular room, a complicated-looking experimental setup had been arranged.
Severus walked around it excitedly, inspecting every test tube, every tube, and every cauldron in detail.
‘What’s this?’ Wilkes stepped up beside him, eyeing the construction with curiosity.
Severus peered into a cauldron and then cautiously sniffed at it: ‘I think Slughorn is trying to invent a new potion. But judging by the way it looks, it’s not going too well.’
‘And how can you tell?’
‘See the shape of the bubbles?’
Wilkes nodded.
‘When they take this shape and smell this sweet, something’s wrong. They should smell more bitter.’
Wilkes looked at him, impressed: ‘And you can tell that so quickly?’
Severus nodded: ‘I’ve been studying potions for a long time. My mum’s been teaching me since I was four.’
‘Cool.’
‘If you two are quite finished...’ Avery cut in, ‘we need to get started.’
Severus nodded, rejoining the others and gathering the necessary instruments and ingredients.
‘How long is this going to take?’ Mulciber peered curiously into the cauldron.
Severus turned up the flame: ‘About an hour and a half. You’d better make sure no one notices anything.’
‘And how long will the effect last? You know, the squeaky voice?’
‘Thirty-six hours.’
‘Thirty-six hours! That’s brilliant!’ Evan laughed excitedly.
Avery and Wilkes stood close behind the door, listening carefully: ‘All quiet.’
Severus nodded and began brewing the potion, following the book’s instructions exactly.
After half an hour, the entire room started to smell like burnt hair with a slight hint of vinegar.
‘Ugh,’ Evan wrinkled his nose, and the others grimaced as well, ‘What the hell is that disgusting smell?’
‘The potion,’ Severus replied from behind the smoke, ‘I know, the smell is awful. But don’t worry... in pumpkin juice, you’ll barely notice the taste. And just one sip is enough for the full effect.’
All nodded, their eyes gleaming with excitement and schadenfreude.
The next hour passed in silence.
But only until Severus extinguished the flame, used a small ladle to fill two phials halfway with the potion, and then added the healing potion from Slughorn’s storeroom: ‘Done.’
Everyone immediately rushed over excitedly, and Avery carefully tucked the two phials away.
‘Now we just need someone to slip the potion to those four idiots. If we go anywhere near them, they’ll get suspicious straight away.’
‘Just ask Charity,’ said Severus.
Avery nodded enthusiastically: ‘Great idea. Besides, she looks innocent. No one would suspect her of anything like this.’
Mulciber grinned: ‘So she’s like our spy, poisoning our enemies.’
‘Poisoning… sure,’ Wilkes grinned.
Avery smirked: ‘Let us have our fun.’
Severus and Evan had quietly cleaned the cauldron and now placed it back where it belonged: ‘Let’s get out of here before we actually get caught.’
Everyone nodded and slipped out of the room one by one.
Severus cast one last glance at Slughorn’s experimental setup, then pulled the door shut.
A few minutes later, they were all back in their beds, full of anticipation for the next day.
The next morning, they were all awake even before their usual wake-up time.
After a quick wash and putting on their now ant-free robes, Wilkes was already at their door.
His eyes also sparkled with excitement: ‘And now?’
Avery held up the potion like a trophy: ‘Now we find Charity and convince her to slip a little something into the Gryffindors’ drinks.’
Severus grinned, his own eyes gleaming with anticipation and the urge to get back at the four Gryffindors. After all, they had caused him plenty of pain.
‘Convincing won’t be necessary. Trust me,’ he said.
Less than fifteen minutes later, the Slytherins stood in front of the great doors of the Great Hall, waiting for Charity.
She came up the stairs leading from the Hufflepuff common room, laughing and chatting with Pandora, heading straight towards the five Slytherins.
‘Hi boys, are you waiting for me or—?’
They all nodded, glancing between her and Pandora.
‘Uh… no offence, but could we maybe talk to Charity alone?’ Mulciber scratched the back of his head.
Pandora smiled: ‘Of course, I’ll wait for you at the table, Charity.’
Once she had disappeared into the Great Hall, the Slytherins looked around once more before pulling Charity into a small alcove beside the door.
‘Just so we’re clear… if this is an ambush, I’ll scream,’ the blonde girl grinned.
‘Nonsense. We just need you to do us a tiny little favour.’
‘What kind of favour?’ She looked at each of the five in turn, curiosity in her eyes.
Avery pulled the small phial from his pocket: ‘Can you pour some of this into Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew’s drinks?’
‘Of course,’ she said immediately, snatching the phial and turning towards the Great Hall for breakfast.
‘You’re not even asking what’s in it?’ Severus stared after her with a mix of confusion, astonishment, and a slight shudder.
‘Nope.’
‘Okay,’ he shrugged and exchanged a glance with his very satisfied-looking friends.
Once in the Great Hall, the five of them sat down together at the Slytherin table, their eyes fixed on the Gryffindor table, where Charity was now standing behind James and Sirius, chatting with them.
‘What’s with you lot?’ Lucius strained to look in the same direction but couldn’t see what was so special about the Gryffindor table.
‘You’ll see in a moment,’ Mulciber replied without taking his eyes off the scene.
At that moment, Charity said something, and James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all snapped their heads towards the entrance with curious expressions.
Seizing the opportunity, Charity discreetly poured a small amount of the potion mixture into each of their four glasses.
When the four Gryffindors turned back to her with disappointed looks, she simply shrugged and walked off towards the Hufflepuff table.
All five of them grinned, watching closely as the four boys—still clearly proud of their ant attack—grinned smugly back at them, exaggeratedly scratching themselves before clinking their glasses together and drinking.
For a short moment, nothing happened.
Then Remus sat up a little straighter, raised his arm into the air, and snapped his fingers as though trying to call a waiter.
When no one paid him any attention, he knocked his cutlery off the table and stood up with energy: ‘WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, GENTLEMEN?’ he squeaked indignantly.
Immediately, giggles rose from the Slytherins, and now the teachers turned to look over. ‘What’s going on over there?’
The Great Hall had gone quiet, and everyone craned their necks to see what was happening.
Remus hands planted on his hips: ‘This…’ he waved his hands dramatically through the air, nearly knocking over the drinks jug, then pointed accusingly at his goblet of pumpkin juice, ‘This concoction is revolting! I would like to lodge an immediate complaint!’
‘Indeed, my good man,’ James squeaked, adjusting his glasses.
‘It does not please my palate at all,’ he added, then giggled hysterically. ‘Please my palate... what a phrase. Palate. Palate. Palate. Palate. Say it really fast—palate, palate. Funny word.’
His voice, too, was unnaturally high.
‘Silence your mouth at once, you scoundrel!’ came Remus’s reply, still looking thoroughly offended.
Laughter echoed louder through the Great Hall now, as even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws began to laugh.
The Gryffindors—except for Lily, Marlene, Mary and Bertram Aubrey who were also giggling—looked mostly worried.
‘That’s quite enough. The joke has gone on long enough,’ McGonagall said as she stood up.
‘A joke?’ Peter looked deeply offended, ‘I must ask for some respect. Do you even know who you are speaking to?’
McGonagall now looked as though she might breathe fire at any moment.
She planted herself in front of the four boys: ‘And do you know who YOU are speaking to?’
Sirius smiled dreamily: ‘A beautiful… old… lady.’
McGonagall was momentarily speechless, and Mulciber fell off the bench laughing.
Now some teachers laughed too.
Professor Clearwater faked a coughing fit.
And even Dumbledore chuckled: ‘My dear Professor McGonagall… I fear these four are not quite in their right minds. It seems they may be under the influence of a potion.’
He turned to Professor Slughorn: ‘Are you missing any potion that might have such side effects, Horace?’
‘Not that I’m aware of, Albus. But several ingredients have gone missing,’ Slughorn replied.
Dumbledore smiled with amusement: ‘Then it seems someone has sneaked into your lab and brewed this potion themselves—quite the impressive feat, I must say. It deserves some recog—’
He was interrupted by Peter, who held his spoon up to his mouth like a microphone and spoke into it with his squeaky voice: ‘And now the only question that remains is… who committed this heinous crime, and will they ever be brought to justice?’
‘That’s an excellent question, my good man. You ask the right questions, if I may be so bold as to compliment you,’ James had also grabbed his spoon and squeaked into it.
‘Oh, you may indeed, and if I might respond by saying that I adore your hairstyle.’
Minerva looked over at Dumbledore, a touch of desperation in her expression: ‘And how long will this last?’
Albus Dumbledore turned to Horace.
Slughorn shrugged: ‘I won’t know until I can identify which potion was used. But anything from twenty-four to seventy-two hours is possible.’
‘Seventy-two hours?!’ McGonagall looked horrified.
Sirius still looked utterly enchanted: ‘Don’t furrow that pretty brow so much. It only makes you look older—and if I may add, you should wear your hair up more often because—’
The rest of his words were drowned in laughter.
Charity got the hiccups from laughing, Lily glanced over at Severus—who was also laughing loudly—and Marlene gave a thumbs-up.
‘We need to get the four of them to Poppy. They can’t stay here like this,’ Minerva had to raise her voice to be heard by Dumbledore.
He nodded, stroking his white beard: ‘A wise suggestion.’
‘Is this Poppy a friend of yours? And just as attractive as you are?’ Sirius asked, still smiling dreamily.
Meanwhile, James and Peter were giggling over whether McGonagall dyed her hair.
Remus, on the other hand, once again looked down at his juice in disgust and finally poured it over the head of the student sitting next to him: ‘A FRESH JUICE! IMMEDIATELY!’
Minerva hurriedly ushered the four of them out of the hall.
The laughter in the Great Hall only gradually began to subside—and it took the entire breakfast to fully fade.
After breakfast, Lily immediately came over to Severus and the other Slytherins.
‘That was brilliant,’ she giggled, still imitating Sirius’s voice, ‘“a beautiful… old… lady.”’
Marlene laughed: ‘That’s exactly how he sounded. It was wonderful. I never would’ve thought you lot had it in you.’
Mulciber looked up at her innocently: ‘How do you know it was us?’
Marlene grinned: ‘How stupid do you think we are? Those idiots played a really nasty and dangerous prank on you, you swore revenge, and the very next day the four of them are humiliated in front of the entire school.’
Avery smirked: ‘You can’t prove anything.’
Lucius looked Lily and Marlene over: ‘And you are?’
‘I’m Marlene McKinnon.’
‘And my name’s Lily Evans.’
‘My best friend,’ Severus said with a smile, clearly pleased to call Lily that.
‘I see,’ Lucius sounded bored and looked down at Lily with a hint of disdain, ‘Not a pure-blood then, are you?’
His tone made it clear the thought didn’t please him.
‘Does that matter at all?’ Marlene’s voice had gone cold, and Lily’s expression had also become distant.
Severus shook his head: ‘No.’
Lucius exchanged a meaningful look with the others that Severus didn’t notice, but he said nothing more.
Severus felt uncertain and tried to break the awkward silence by turning to Lily: ‘What class do you have now?’
He felt awful—torn.
He didn’t want to upset or lose any of his friends.
It didn’t matter to him that Lily’s parents weren’t magical.
He liked them both and had always felt welcome in their home.
He didn’t want the Slytherins saying anything bad about Lily, and at the same time, he could understand his friends taking pride in their pure-blood heritage.
Lily’s answer pulled him from his thoughts: ‘We’ve got History of Magic now, then Charms, and then Transfiguration and then Defense Against the Dark Arts.’
Severus’s expression brightened: ‘Then we’ve got Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts together.’
Lily smiled: ‘See you later,’ and with a final frosty glance at Lucius, she left the Great Hall with Marlene in tow.
Charity came hurrying over to the Slytherins, who quickly tried to put on nonchalant expressions.
Only Severus was still deep in thought, fighting an internal battle.
‘So THAT'S what was in the vial,’ she said, still amused and clearly delighted at the prank and the fact that she had helped pull it off.
Mulciber grinned: ‘You don’t know anything.’
Charity looked up at him innocently: ‘About what?’
Evan smirked: ‘Good girl.’
The blonde shot him a grin in return: ‘Call me that again and I’ll smack you.’
Evan raised his hands defensively: ‘I’ll be quiet.’
She grinned as well: ‘According to my timetable, we’ve got class together now. You coming?’
Mulciber, Avery, Wilkes, and Evan all nodded, but Severus was still lost in thought and had barely been listening.
‘Everything alright?’ Charity looked over at him.
‘Hmm? Oh… yeah.’
Charity didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t asked again.

Chapter 11

Severus enjoyed the lessons without James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
No one interrupted the class with laughter, chatting, stupid jokes, or snide remarks, and no one pelted him or other classmates with balls of parchment.
With the Hufflepuffs, things were noticeably more relaxed, quieter, and more orderly, since no teacher had to pause the lesson because of disruptions.
Severus liked it when things ran according to plan and he knew what was going to happen next.
Professor Flitwick walked around and placed a large white feather on each desk.
Then he smiled kindly and stretched himself a bit to appear taller: ‘Wands out!’
After everyone had drawn their wands and laid them in front of them, Flitwick nodded in satisfaction and then pulled out his own wand: ‘The first spell we’ll be learning together is Wingardium Leviosa. Repeat it with me.’
‘Wingardium Leviosa,’ the class repeated in unison, and Flitwick nodded again.
After having them repeat the spell two more times, he said: ‘Very good. Now for the movement. Watch closely.’
He demonstrated once: ‘Now copy it. But don’t say the spell just yet. First, just the movement. You need to get a feel for your wand.’
Mulciber rolled his eyes subtly and whispered to his friends: ‘How incredibly boring. I’ve cast enough spells to know how my wand feels.’
They all nodded, except Charity, who looked ahead enthusiastically and swung her wand with such gusto that she nearly poked Wilkes in the eye.
He ducked quickly. ‘Careful!’
‘Oh, sorry. Are you alright?’
He nodded.
‘Now… swing your wand just like before and say,’ he demonstrated again, ‘Wingardium Leviosa.’
Everyone copied him again.
Pandora watched her floating feather in fascination, while Charity jabbed her spinning feather in frustration: ‘You’re supposed to float, you stupid thing.’
Avery laughed quietly: ‘Watch. Like this.’
He showed her the motion, and when Charity tried, it worked.
She beamed: ‘How cool. Thanks!’
Severus watched her happy face and felt glad for her.
He knew exactly how he had felt when his mother first taught him to brew potions, and how happy he’d been when he had succeeded.
Evan leaned over to him and cast a curious glance at his wand: ‘Let me see. It’s really nice. Those carvings… what core?’
Severus held out his black wand: ‘Thestral tail hair.’
‘That’s still in use?’
Severus nodded.
He was proud of his wand and remembered every word Ollivander had said about it.
Before Flitwick could remind them to pay attention, there was a knock at the classroom door.
Flitwick nearly fell off the tall stack of books he was standing on so everyone could see him, but managed to steady himself against the large bookcase behind him: ‘Yes?’
McGonagall entered the room: ‘Good morning, Professor. Apologies for the interruption. I need to borrow six of your students for a moment.’
Professor Flitwick looked surprised: ‘What is this about, dear colleague?’
‘I would rather not say that in front of all the other students. Miss Burbage, Mr. Snape, Mr. Avery, Mr. Wilkes, Mr. Mulciber, and Mr. Rosier… come along.’
The six exchanged a confused glance and finally stood up, put their wands away, and followed McGonagall out.
Pandora gave Charity a questioning look, but Charity just shrugged and quietly closed the door.
McGonagall led the way down the long, empty corridors.
There was nothing to be heard except the muffled voices from behind closed doors.
The sun shone brightly through the large windows, and Charity squinted her eyes to avoid being blinded.
Arriving at McGonagall's office, she opened the door and gestured with a sharp nod for the six first-years to enter.
Her office smelled of candle wax, freshly washed fabric, and a hint of ink.
When the six had entered, she shut the door with a loud bang that made Severus flinch.
Almost instinctively, he tensed up and scanned the entire room.
He registered every niche, every hiding spot, and every possible exit.
He tried to calm himself, took a deep breath, and reminded himself that he was safe here.
The whole situation reminded him of his father's outbursts.
McGonagall's stern voice tore him from his thoughts: ‘Miss Burbage, Mr Snape, Mr Avery, Mr Wilkes, Mr Mulciber and Mr Rosier… I have been informed that the six of you were behind the potion attack on Mr Potter, Mr Black, Mr Lupin and Mr Pettigrew. What do you have to say for yourselves?’
The six exchanged a glance.
‘What do you mean, Professor McGonagall?’ Charity looked up at her innocently.
Minerva's sharp gaze met hers: ‘I believe you know very well what I mean, Miss Burbage.’
She shook her head: ‘No.’
McGonagall looked at each of the boys in turn, her gaze stern and piercing.
Each of them returned her look with an expression of innocence.
Now McGonagall switched tactics: ‘Miss Burbage… I understand. You wanted to avenge your friends, to help them. But that wasn't the solution. And if you admit it now, you won't be punished.’
‘I truly don’t know what you’re talking about, Professor McGonagall.’
The five Slytherins exhaled quietly in relief, and at the same time, Avery, Mulciber, Wilkes, and Evan made a silent promise to treat Charity no differently in the future — to keep liking her, no matter her blood status, no matter what their fathers might say.
She was different.
She was loyal like a true Slytherin, and they would treat her as one of their own.
Severus made the same promise, though he gave no thought to Charity’s blood status — or his own father.
Now Minerva McGonagall turned to Severus, who was standing just to the left of the blonde Hufflepuff.
‘Mr Snape… Professor Slughorn tells me you have quite a talent for potion-making. I can well imagine you were the one who brewed the potion. Were you persuaded? Did you sneak out alone or together to make it? Did you and your friends steal the ingredients from Professor Slughorn’s stores?’
Severus looked up at her openly: ‘What do you mean, Professor? We’ve spent every night here in our beds. At most, we left for a few minutes to use the loo. We don’t know who did it. Honestly.’
His friends watched him from the side and couldn’t help but silently admire their friend.
He wasn’t trembling, his breath was calm, and he neither blinked too much nor stared unnaturally.
Severus was a good liar — he knew that.
His father had made him one.
He had always had to lie to avoid his father’s outbursts.
At first, he had been terrified that his father would see through him and punish him even more harshly.
But Tobias Snape never had.
He had never noticed he was being lied to.
Over time, Severus had grown more confident.
Now, he could lie even more convincingly.
And McGonagall didn’t see through him either.
She nodded and then sighed: ‘Listen… I can’t prove it was you, but I still think some voluntary cleaning work this Saturday morning would do you all some good.’
‘WHAT?’
‘Why?’
‘Why us?’
‘But that’s not fair!’
‘We didn’t do anything!’
‘Why are we being punished?’
They all shouted over one another, clearly upset.
McGonagall looked sternly at the six first-years:
‘Because I don’t believe you, and Madame Pomfrey has confirmed several times that you five were planning revenge. So, would you rather lose house points, or help Filch with the cleaning?’
‘But that’s not fair! We wont't do it!’
‘Fifty points from Slytherin and ten from Hufflepuff.’
‘What!? And what about stupid James and his stupid friends?’ Avery was red in the face with anger.
‘What’s Mr Potter got to do with this?’
‘He started it. He and his friends put fire ants in our clothes!’ Mulciber shouted angrily.
‘Lower your voice at once, Mr Mulciber. And Madame Pomfrey, nor Mr Potter or any of his friends, have mentioned anything about fire ants. Now, leave.’
Her voice made it clear that the matter was closed.
The six stormed out, still boiling with anger.
‘I hate Gryffindors,’ Avery hissed, and everyone nodded in agreement.
‘‘All so arrogant,’ said Severus.
Inside, he felt burning hot with anger, frustration and helplessness.
It was so unfair – they were punished even though nothing could be proven, and Potter got away with everything, even though what he’d done was far worse, and he’d started it for no reason at all.
Evan Rosier added: ‘They’re all conspiring against us Slytherins. They stick together and hate us for absolutely no reason.’
‘All we did was defend ourselves, and what they did was much worse. My skin still burns and is still red and swollen.’
‘Mine too,’ the others agreed.
Charity nodded: ‘This is so unfair, and now we have to clean and have had housepoints taken off, while those jerks get away with it.’
‘And that's just because they're Gryffindors and we're Slytherins,’ said Severus, and the others nodded.
‘I’m in Hufflepuff,’ Charity interjected, but Mulciber waved her off and snorted angrily: ‘You’re friends with Slytherins, and they think that’s just as bad.’
The Charms lesson was over by now, and so the six of them sneaked into Professor Binns’ classroom to at least catch the remainder of the History of Magic lesson.
The ghost floated around the classroom, completely immersed in his lecture about a wizard and his third marriage, a subject no one had ever heard of.
The room was dimly lit, and thick layers of dust lay on the windowsills.
The whole room was stuffy, and Mulciber stifled a sneeze.
Charity sank down next to Pandora, who was struggling to keep her eyes from closing.
Severus sat down on her other side and began yawning after only a short time, while the rest of the students rubbed their eyes.
Professor Binns' quiet, monotonous voice gradually lulled everyone into a deep sleep.
Avery’s head nearly slammed onto the desk but was only prevented by Wilkes, who swiftly shoved his hand in between.
The blond boy yawned: ‘Thanks. Merlin, is it always this boring?’
‘Probably… oh man, having to sit through this for the next seven years without falling asleep is going to be nearly impossible.’
Mulciber, who was sitting in front of them and had overheard the exchange, nodded and turned around in his seat to face Avery and Wilkes: ‘Speaking of impossible… we really ought to get back at James and his stupid friends. The fact that they get off scot-free and we have to do cleaning duty is a joke.’
Severus, who had caught Mulciber’s words, shook his head: ‘We’d only get into even more trouble, and besides, that wouldn’t be self-defence anymore – it would never stop. I just want those idiots to leave us... me alone.’
Mulciber rolled his eyes in annoyance: ‘So we just clean? And do nothing? Let it slide? Gosh, Severus… you’re a saint.’
Charity leaned over to the two of them: ‘I think Severus is right.’
He gave her a shy, grateful smile.
He was relieved not to be standing alone with his opinion.
Dorcas, who was sitting all the way at the edge next to Wilkes, also leaned over to the small group: ‘Oh, by the way… I can’t prove it was you who pulled that prank on those four idiots… but just in case – it was brilliant.’
The six of them grinned and Mulciber said: ‘And just in case – thanks.’
They spent the rest of the lesson battling to keep their eyes open.
Severus took a few notes now and then, but most of the time he was absorbed in reading the book "Forgotten Potions".
So he only realised that break had started when Charity tapped him on the shoulder: ‘Severus, break’s started.’
He looked up and blew a few long, black strands of hair out of his face: ‘Oh… right. I’m coming.’
In the corridor, the six of them ran into Lily, Mary and Marlene, along with two other Gryffindor classmates who introduced themselves as Alice and Frank.
Avery, Mulciber, Wilkes and Evan had already headed out to the courtyard, but Severus stayed behind with Lily and her friends.
He watched his friends disappear around the corner, then turned back to Lily.
Severus wasn’t sure if she even wanted him there, or if he should’ve gone with the others.
But when Lily smiled at him, his uncertainty vanished.
Mary, Marlene, Alice and Frank walked off in the opposite direction, and Charity and Pandora also passed by the group of Slytherins together, gave a quick wave, and disappeared around the corner.
Lily looked up at Severus: ‘Everything alright? Coming?’
He nodded and walked alongside her, unsure whether he should tell Lily about the punishment McGonagall had given them – or not.
After a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath and decided to tell Lily everything that had happened: ‘We got punished for that potion thing… you know, the one that made Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew all hyper today morning.’
Lily looked surprised and a little confused: ‘I thought no one knew it was you and your friends.’
Severus nodded and sat down in a windowsill from which part of the castle grounds could be seen: ‘McGonagall didn’t either. But she said the punishment is provisional, because she’s convinced it was us. We’re supposed to spend the whole of next Saturday morning cleaning something with Filch, the caretaker.’
‘And what about Potter and his friends? They started it and caused way more damage,’ Lily asked and sat down beside her friend.
Severus snorted angrily: ‘They’re getting away with it. Nothing happens to them because no one can prove it.’
Lily’s green eyes flashed with anger: ‘But that’s totally unfair. Either you both get punished or no one does, and besides… who else could it have been? There was no one else there!’
Severus nodded: ‘We said that too, and for that we also had fifty points taken away.’
‘Fifty!?’ Lily’s eyes widened, ‘Why so many?’
‘Because we complained.’
Lily shook her head slightly, lost in thought, and looked down the corridor before she continued: ‘I really didn’t expect that from Professor McGonagall. She seemed so kind and fair.’
Severus snorted; his opinion of Minerva McGonagall had changed in the last hour: ‘She just hates Slytherins. Like everyone else.’
‘I don’t hate you, Sev,’ Lily said quietly, which made Severus smile.
The rest of the break, Lily and Severus spent out in the castle grounds, sitting in the sunshine and chatting about potions and their Potions lessons.
Severus clearly enjoyed the conversation and, for a while, even forgot about McGonagall and the punishment she’d given them, and how deeply unfair it all was.
Lily always managed, with her laughter and the curious, cheerful sparkle in her green eyes, to pull him out of his gloomy, dark thoughts and distract him.
He felt lighter when she was around.
Severus took a deep breath and enjoyed the sun on his skin.
Lily watched him for a moment and smiled: ‘Say…’
Severus opened his eyes again and looked over at her: ‘Yeah? What is it?’
Lily hesitated now, and her smile faltered slightly: ‘Can I ask you something?’
He, too, grew a little uncertain, since she was clearly dragging out her question: ‘Sure. What is it?’
‘Do you ever… well… get homesick?’
He shook his head: ‘Not at all. I’m glad to be away from there. Here I’ve got enough to eat, a warm bed and… and I don’t have to live in fear all the time.’
At that last sentence, he hesitated slightly, because he thought of James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Severus was definitely afraid of their attacks, even if he didn’t want to be.
He didn’t want to live in constant uncertainty and hurt again.
He wanted to live in safety and ease, the way he’d dreamed Hogwarts would be—but he still held out hope that things would get better and the four Gryffindors would finally leave him alone.
Lily gave a small nod and looked down: ‘I do get homesick. We haven’t even been here that long and I already miss my parents. And Tuni too.’
Severus nodded slightly and thought for a moment about what he should say.
Then he said: ‘You can go home for the holidays. And you can write to your parents. The school has its own owls we can use. And… I’m here too.’
Lily beamed: ‘I can write to my parents? Really?’
He nodded.
‘Thank you! You have to show me where they are as soon as possible.’
‘Of course. I will.’
Lily was still smiling: ‘Thanks, Sev!’
Her cheerful, relieved smile gave him a fluttery feeling in his stomach, and he was happy to be the reason for it: ‘No need to thank me.’
Not a minute later, they were already being called to their next lesson.
Evan, Mulciber, Wilkes and Avery made it quite clear to Professor McGonagall that she had lost the favour of the Slytherins. They participated only half-heartedly and responded rather curtly whenever she asked a question.
As a result, Slytherin lost another ten points.
Which, in turn, only made the Slytherins even more bad-tempered.
Severus tried his best to remain quiet, not to provoke McGonagall further and to avoid losing any more points.
Lily leaned over to Severus, who sat to her right: ‘You were right. Professor McGonagall really is in a worse mood than usual today. I hope nothing awful’s happened to her to make her so cross.’
Severus looked at his red-haired friend in mild disbelief.
He didn’t understand why she was defending McGonagall—but at the same time, he had to admit that this was one of the things he loved about Lily.
She always tried to see the good in people, or at least gave them a chance.
After a short lecture on the dangers and risks of the subject of Transfiguration, McGonagall handed out matchsticks and returned to stand at the front of the classroom: ‘Now then, today we shall be attempting to turn your matchstick into a needle. Do not be discouraged if you don’t manage it at once. We’ve plenty of time to perfect this spell, and I promise you that, with a few more lessons with me, you’ll master it beautifully.’
After a brief explanation of the incantation and the corresponding wand movement, she clapped her hands together: ‘Begin!’
At the end of the lesson, most students were frustrated and tossed their unchanged matchsticks back into the small box.
‘What a load of rubbish,’ Mulciber said angrily.
‘What’s the point of this anyway?’ Avery was equally annoyed.
Lily turned her slightly pointed matchstick in her hands: ‘Does this count as a partial success, or is it actually the opposite of what we were meant to achieve?’
Severus examined his matchstick, which had taken on a strange greyish hue: ‘I was wondering the same thing. But yours, at least in terms of shape, already looks more like a needle. Mine just looks like a burnt-out match.’
‘Well... we’ve still got time, and Professor McGonagall did warn us that we probably wouldn’t succeed on the first try,’ said the redhead as the group left the Transfiguration classroom.
‘Don’t get me started on that old cow,’ Mulciber muttered, rolling his brown eyes as he was the first to step into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Lily exchanged a meaningful glance with Mary and Marlene, who merely shrugged.
None of them felt like interfering – and besides, they liked their Head of House.
Upon arriving in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, everyone looked around curiously.
This room was the complete opposite of the History of Magic classroom.
It was brightly lit, smelled pleasantly of parchment, musk and chamomile, and on the desks behind the large wooden teacher's desk were stacks of books and the strangest devices and objects.
The lesson quickly made everyone — Gryffindors and Slytherins alike — forget their differences and the frustration from earlier.
They were given an engaging overview of the various topics they would cover throughout the year and immediately dived into the first subject.
The elegant witch, after a brief introduction, gave them a fascinating lecture on Auror training and promised that they would soon begin practising basic self-defence spells.
She was an Auror herself and would be teaching temporarily for the year.
Why, no one knew — but it disappointed Severus and his friends, as the tough professor with the kind smile and melodious, slightly husky voice had instantly become their favourite teacher.
Her lecture captivated everyone, and she answered every question with patience.
Lily unconsciously clutched Severus’s arm when the professor began describing the dangerous battles against Dark witches and wizards.
Severus, however, was so absorbed in her words that he barely noticed.
He had to remind himself to breathe, and his deep black eyes grew wider by the minute.
He loved this subject and resolved to study it even more.
He wanted to prove himself, to fight, to show that he had something inside him.
He wanted to be respected and make a difference.
When the school bell rang, it felt — unanimously — far too soon.
A wave of disappointed murmurs spread through the class, making the witch laugh: ‘No need for long faces. I’ll see you again in just three days, and then I’ll tell you even more — and as promised, we’ll begin casting spells.’
As the door closed behind them, a buzz of excited murmuring and whispering broke out immediately.
Everyone had thoroughly enjoyed the lesson and would have loved to hear even more or start casting spells right away.
According to their timetables, Gryffindors and Slytherins were now supposed to have Flying Lessons, so they all made their way outside.
Still caught up in enthusiastic conversations about the DADA lecture, no one noticed Professor McGonagall stepping into their path.
It wasn’t until Marlene, walking right at the front with Mary and Lily, nearly bumped into her that the students became aware of their teacher.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention, and once the chatter had died down, she said: ‘I’m afraid I must inform you that your Flying Lesson today has been cancelled. There has been a small incident in which Madam Hooch was injured, and the healing potion she needs is not yet fully brewed. No other staff are available to cover the lesson. You all therefore have the rest of the day off. However, I strongly advise you to begin your homework immediately. Trust me… you’ll need the time.’
With that, she turned and walked away.
Everyone waited until the strict professor had disappeared around the next corner before bursting into excited cheers and clapping each other on the back.

Chapter 12

Lily slipped through the crowd of students straight towards Severus, who was standing a few rows behind her.
‘Sev! Sev!’ she nearly tripped, caught herself, and skidded to a halt right in front of the black-haired boy.
Severus turned to the Gryffindor girl: ‘Oh hey. Are you okay?’
‘Yes I am fine. Can you show me where the owls are now, please? I want to write to my parents straight away.’
He nodded: ‘Sure. I just want to drop my school bag in my room first. I don’t feel like carrying all my stuff around... it’s just inconvenient. Come with me?’
She nodded eagerly: ‘Gladly. I’m curious to see what your common room looks like.’
The black-haired Slytherin smiled faintly: ‘I hope you like it. It’s actually quite beautiful. Come on, I’ll show you the way.’
With that, he led the way, slipping as smoothly as a snake through the still-lingering first-years, and headed down the corridor towards the dungeon stairs.
Lily followed close behind, looking around with interest as they descended the stone steps leading to the dungeons.
She shivered slightly: ‘Ooh… it’s cold down here. And so dark. I definitely prefer our common room – it’s warm and bright and just really cosy.’
‘I like it down here. I find it kind of calming – no noise, nothing distracting. Our common room’s cosy too. You’ll see,’ Severus replied.
He continued down the corridor until they reached the section of stone wall that hid the entrance to the Slytherin common room.
Lily stopped as well and looked around in confusion: ‘So where’s the entrance?’
Severus smiled mysteriously: ‘Just wait,’ he said, then turned back to the stone wall. ‘Veritaserum,’ he said quietly.
Instantly, the two stone serpents on the wall slithered upwards, revealing the arched entry to the common room.
Lily peered inside curiously, taking in the dark, grand leather sofas, the tall bookshelves, the fire crackling in the hearth, and the massive windows showing the underwater view of the Black Lake, through which the entire room shimmered with a soft green hue.
Then she looked over at Severus: ‘Are you sure I should go in?’ she asked, slightly unsure.
‘Only if you want to. You don’t have to. You can wait here if you’d rather.’
She hesitated for a moment, then straightened her shoulders: ‘No, I’ll come in.’
Lily stepped into the room ahead of him and sniffed the air lightly.
‘It actually smells really nice in here. I wouldn’t have thought... hmm... like damp stone, like after rain, a bit of leather... and something slightly bittersweet. Like a spice or a plant. What is it?’
‘Gentian,’ said Severus, sniffing as well.
Lily had described the scent of the Slytherin common room surprisingly well.
He liked that smell — it made him feel home down here. A save and comfortable home.
Nothing loud, bright, or otherwise distracting.
‘And what’s gentian?’ Lily asked.
‘It’s one of many herbs used in traditional healing potions,’ he said, sounding a bit like Professor Sprout.
‘And how do you know that? Have you memorised our textbooks already?’ Lily looked at him in surprise.
He chuckled softly: ‘No, but I used to brew a lot with my mum… whenever my father wasn’t home. We used gentian in one of the potions, and she taught me a bit about it then.’
‘I always admire your memory, Sev,’ Lily smiled.
He smiled back: ‘Thanks,’ her compliment clearly pleased him.
He hurried upstairs to drop his school bag in his dormitory.
When he came back down, Lily was standing — just as he had done on his first day — in front of the large window, gazing curiously into the depths of the Black Lake.
He paused briefly on the stairs, watching her as she studied every movement in the water, every swaying strand of underwater plant life.
‘Cool, isn’t it? You only get that in our common room.’
Lily flinched slightly: ‘Merlin Severus, you scared me!’
He gave her an apologetic look: ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to.’
She waved it off: ‘It’s fine. And yes, I have to admit… it is really cool. But maybe you should start wearing high heels?’
‘Why?’ he asked, looking genuinely confused, which made Lily burst into laughter.
Still giggling, she said: ‘So at least we’d hear you coming. You’re always so quiet… like a cat. Do you do it on purpose?’
He shook his head: ‘No, honestly not. I walk normally… I’ve always walked like this.’
The entrance to the common room opened again, and Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes came in, deeply engrossed in a conversation about Quidditch.
When the four of them noticed Lily and Severus, they came to an abrupt stop and fell silent.
‘Oh… You’re here too?’
Severus nodded: ‘I just dropped off my bag and now I’m going to show Lily the way to the Owlery. She wants to send a letter.’
‘Ah, alright… Well, have fun, and don’t let them nip you. Some of them are proper beasts.’
‘Oh dear,’ Lily said, casting a wary glance at Severus, but he waved it off.
‘Don’t listen to them. The owls are well trained.’
Avery grinned and dropped into one of the large armchairs: ‘Brilliant. We’ve got the whole common room to ourselves.’
The others spread out across the cosy leather sofas and chairs, laying out the parchment and books they needed for homework.
‘Time to be good little students and do our homework,’ Wilkes said with an angelic smile.
Mulciber yawned: ‘How boring.’
Lily rolled her eyes: ‘Shall we go, Sev?’
‘Sure.’
The two of them left the common room and bounded up the stone steps side by side.
When they reached the top, Lily blinked against the sunlight and stretched slightly.
‘Much better. How do you stand it down there all the time?’
He shrugged: ‘Like I said… I like it. It’s calming. And it’s not all the time.’
The redhead nodded and followed Severus through the corridors, glancing around curiously as they went: ‘How come you know your way around the grounds so well, Severus? You’ve only been here about a week… same as me.’
‘I just pay attention. Plus, my mum went here too — she described it all to me, and there was a map of the grounds in a book I read about the castle,’ he said.
Lily giggled: ‘A map? Really? You’re like an old man, Sev.’
He looked over at her: ‘What do you mean?’
Her comment had hurt him.
He didn’t want her to think he was ridiculous or make fun of him.
‘Well… what eleven-year-old looks at maps of school grounds?’
‘It’s interesting to see where things are or used to be. And besides, it was just in the book—I didn’t go out of my way looking for maps,’ he defended himself. Lily nodded, but it didn’t ease the uncomfortable flutter in his chest or the cold feeling that had crept into his stomach.
Lily tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and said, not without a hint of envy: ‘You really do have an advantage over the rest of us.’
‘Huh?’ Now he was genuinely confused.
‘I mean, your mum went to Hogwarts. She told you loads of things, you already know about the subjects and some of the teachers and stuff.’
‘But I’m not the only one. So I don’t know if it’s really such an advantage. Loads of the others have parents who were here too.’
‘You mean your Slytherin friends,’ she said, her tone a little cool, but not unfriendly.
He tilted his head thoughtfully and then shook it: ‘Yeah… no… I mean yes, I was thinking of them, but they’re not the only ones. In Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, there are loads of half-blood and pure-blood witches and wizards too, and their parents came here as well.’
She nodded again: ‘Yeah, okay. That’s true.’
Severus nodded as well: ‘Have you already written the letter, or are you planning to write it once we’re there? You probably don’t have the best setup for writing in the tower.’
‘I’ve already written it. Thought ahead for once.’
She pulled a pale blue envelope with fluffy white clouds from her jacket pocket and waved it playfully: ‘Nice paper, right? Mum gave it to me as a going-away present.’
Severus nodded, unable to stop himself from feeling a pang of envy.
She had such a loving family.
No violent, drunken father.
No constant fear or hunger.
And yet, he was glad she didn’t have to go through any of that.
Severus sighed quietly, lost in thought, fiddling with the sleeves of his school robes.
More than anything, he wished for peace and happiness.
And maybe—just maybe—one day, a family of his own.
Preferably with Lily.
He thought for a moment about what it might be like to have a family of his own.
What it would be like to have children of his own.
He could play with them and teach them little spells.
And he could cook with his wife and make her laugh.
Severus swore that his children would never grow up the way he had — not with shouting, threats, or fear, but in a home filled with love and understanding.
He wanted to do everything to make his family happy.
Lily noticed none of this.
She carefully slipped the letter back into her pocket, then pointed towards a tall tower now only a few metres away.
‘That’s it, right?’
Severus nodded: ‘Yeah, that’s the one.’
Her happy smile made his heart thud faster.
Once inside the Owlery, Lily looked around a bit uncertainly: ‘And now? What do I do?’
‘Call or coax one of the owls over, then tie your letter carefully to its leg. It’ll know where to go. That’s all there is to it. But when it comes back, you should reward it.’
‘How?’
‘Best with food. Or some gentle stroking.’
‘No, I meant—how do they know where to go?’
‘Honestly? No idea,’ Severus said with a small shrug, ‘I’ve never really thought about it.’
‘Huh… mysterious,’ Lily said, gently picking a beautiful light-brown owl with grey speckles from its perch.
She set it on the window ledge and carefully tied the letter to its leg.
The owl sat calmly, waiting patiently with one leg stretched out until Lily finished.
‘They’re so sweet,’ Lily said, giving the owl a fond stroke before watching it take off through the window and disappear beyond the Forbidden Forest.
‘Shall we head back?’ Severus asked quietly once Lily turned back to him.
It felt to him as though he’d intruded on a private moment.
But when Lily smiled and nodded, the uncomfortable feeling faded.
‘Thank you, Severus.’
He smiled back. ‘You’re welcome.’
He stepped outside first—then stopped so suddenly that Lily walked straight into him.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘We should hurry. Really hurry.’
‘Why?’ Lily asked, confused, ‘We’ve got the whole afternoon free, and the homework won’t take long—there’s hardly any of it.’
‘Look up.’
She tilted her head to the sky.
‘Oh. My. Gosh.’
The bright blue sky from just minutes ago had been replaced by roiling black and grey clouds.
The entire sky had turned completely dark and was almost black.
Not a trace of blue was left.
The sun, which had so recently warmed their faces, had been replaced by a biting wind that howled around the castle like a warning.
Lily immediately broke out in goosebumps, shivering: ‘Yeah, we definitely need to run. Quick, before the storm properly hits.’
She had barely finished the sentence when freezing rain began to pour.
Side by side, they sprinted back to the castle, holding their cloaks over their heads, just managing to reach the doors before the thunder began to roll.
It was thundering and lightning fiercely, the loud crashes echoing off the castle walls.
‘That was close,’ Lily gasped, breathless, and Severus was equally out of breath.
Soaked to the bone, the two of them stood dripping in the entrance hall.
Lily wrung out her hair, and Severus shook the water from his shoulder-length strands.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever run that fast,’ he said, still panting.
‘Me neither... I’ve got a stitch,’ Lily groaned, holding her side.
‘I’m going to go up and get changed into something dry,’ she said, glancing unhappily down at her soaked school uniform.
‘Yes, me too. And I still need to get on with my homework too,’ Severus replied.
‘Good luck then,’ Lily smiled, waved, and headed towards the staircases leading to the Gryffindor Tower.
‘You too,’ Severus said, watching her for a moment before turning and heading down to the dungeons.
Back in the dungeons, his friends were already waiting.
‘Well, got caught in the rain, did you?’ Evan smirked.
‘How incredibly funny,’ Severus muttered, brushing past him and heading upstairs to change.
A short while later, he returned—dry now, though his hair still damp—and found his friends exactly where he’d left them.
They hadn’t moved an inch.
Severus’s eyes flicked to the table where the four of them had their parchment, books, and quills spread out.
‘You lot haven’t started yet, have you?’
They all shook their heads.
‘Nah... couldn’t be bothered. We’ve still got time. I’ll do it tomorrow,’ Wilkes said, shoving his things back into his bag.
‘Same here,’ Avery added, tossing his books into his satchel with little care for order.
Severus sat down and unpacked his own materials: ‘Well, I’m starting now.’
He opened his Charms textbook to the correct page and got to work.
Some time later, the entrance to the common room opened again, and a wave of students came in as classes ended for the day.
The room gradually filled with the chatter and movement of returning Slytherins.
Some sank into the armchairs for conversation or homework; others headed straight to their dormitories.
Wilkes and Avery had set up a game of wizard chess and were loudly celebrating every captured piece, while Mulciber and Evan were loudly fawning over their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
Severus heard none of it.
He was fully immersed in his essay for Professor Slughorn, writing line after line with practised ease.
His eyes gleamed with focus, and his quill flew across the parchment.
Soon after, he closed the book with a satisfied thump: ‘Done.’
The rest of the week passed without any particular incident.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter hadn’t been seen anywhere.
Word had it they had stayed in the hospital wing for another two days and had then holed up in their dormitory, not showing themselves since.
The following Saturday, the five Slytherins got up in a foul mood.
‘What a load of rubbish,’ said Avery, ‘the others get to enjoy their day off and we have to clean.’
‘And all because the old McGonagall hates Slytherins,’ added Evan, yanking open the door to their dormitory so forcefully it banged against the wall.
Wilkes was already waiting for them in the common room, his face just as sour.
Together they left the dungeons and made their way upstairs.
Charity was leaning against the wall, looking equally disgruntled: ‘There you are. McGonagall was just here again and said that we’re to tidy the trophy room and polish the cups and everything,’ she mimicked McGonagall’s voice, ‘until they shine, Miss Burbage. Until they shine.’
Mulciber groaned in frustration: ‘Brilliant.’

Chapter 13

Notes:

Today is the 2nd of May.

We all know what kind of day this is.
So, wands up for our fallen heroes.
RIP. /*

The six of them walked up the stairs together.
All of them took an obviously long time to look at the paintings and lingered longer than necessary when steps were missing or the staircase moved.
‘The six of them were closely watched by every portrait they passed, and the inhabitants whispered excitedly.
‘I feel like I’m being watched,’ Charity grinned.
‘I wonder why,’ Evan grinned back.
When they arrived at the Trophy Room, they were greeted by a smugly grinning Filch.
Mrs Norris wound herself around his legs and hissed.
The cat locked eyes with Wilkes the moment he entered the room and seemed to pierce him with her red gaze.
‘Told you... that thing hates me,’ he whispered and stared at the cat in horror and subtly moved behind the slightly taller Mulciber.
‘Well well, look who we’ve got here? Unlucky, isn’t it? Rules aren’t just decoration on the wall,’ the old caretaker greeted them.
None of the five said anything but glared at him with hostility.
Complaining wouldn’t have helped anyway, and none of them wanted to risk another detention.
Filch stepped aside grinning and pushed a cleaning bucket towards them with his foot: ‘You know what you brats have to do. When I come back later, I want to see your hands bleeding,’ he grinned, ‘Now that’s a punishment I can get behind... though still a bit too soft, if you ask me. Oh, I tell you… back in the day, things would’ve gone very differently’, with those words, he left.
Mrs Norris jumped onto one of the shelves in a single leap and sat down.
Wilkes looked at the animal in horror: ‘That... cat... staying up there?’
Severus just shrugged and took one of the cleaning buckets: ‘Just ignore it.’
Wilkes also grabbed a bucket: ‘Easy for you to say.’
Evan, Avery, Mulciber and Charity each took a bucket too and began scrubbing the trophies.
‘Good grief… some of these are over a hundred years old. It’s about time they got rid of them,’ Charity groaned in annoyance.
The five boys looked over her shoulder to read the names on the trophies, then nodded: ‘Definitely. And if they did, we wouldn’t have so much to clean.’
Mulciber turned away again, furiously scrubbing at a spot and cursing quietly to himself.
‘Tut tut… that’s not very nice language,’ came a mocking voice from the door, and they all spun around.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were standing there, grinning smugly.
‘Get lost, Potter,’ Evan spat.
James just grinned: ‘Says the guy holding a cleaning rag.’
Sirius grinned too: ‘Isn’t cleaning supposed to be women’s work? Where’s the little blonde?’
‘You talking about me?’ came Charity’s voice from the other side of the room, and as Sirius turned towards her, he was met with her cleaning rag straight to the face.
All the Slytherins stifled a laugh.
But Sirius just grinned and brushed his dark, now slightly damp hair from his forehead: ‘Yeah, girl with a rag suits better.’
Peter squealed with laughter and James and Remus also grinned.
‘Shut it, Black,’ Charity hissed.
‘Or what?’ Sirius, who was over a head taller, stepped up close to the blonde Hufflepuff in a deliberately provocative manner.
Mulciber stepped behind her: ‘Pick on someone your own size, coward.’
‘What did you just call me?’
And with that, Mulciber and Sirius lunged at each other.
The other Slytherins, Gryffindors, and even Charity started cheering for their respective favourites.
Mrs Norris jumped down from the shelf and darted out of the room, which made Wilkes fall silent and look uneasy: ‘That beast’s off to Filch now, I bet.’
James laughed mockingly: ‘Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little ugly dumb cat.’
‘What did you just call my cat?’ came Filch’s rasping, furious voice from the doorway.
James flinched, but covered it smoothly: ‘I didn’t say anything, Mr Filch.’
Filch was trembling with rage: ‘Oh, you’ll pay for that, you little brat. If I had any say around here…’
‘But you do not, Mr Filch,’ came a stern interruption from an irritated-looking Professor McGonagall.
‘What is going on here? Mr Potter, Mr Black, Mr Lupin, and Mr Pettigrew... what on earth are you doing here in the first place?’
‘We... well, we... um... we,’ Remus began, but James jumped in to help, ‘We were just passing by.’
Mulciber, sporting a black eye, snorted angrily: ‘You were watching and mocking us.’
‘And your proof?’ Sirius, also with a black eye, grinned cheekily.
‘What in Merlin’s name have you two done?’ McGonagall asked indignantly, but before she could launch into another lecture or assign further detention, Filch interrupted her: ‘That little pest insulted my cat!’ he said, pointing at James.
James put on an innocent face: ‘Me?’
‘You—’
‘Mr Filch,’ McGonagall cut him off firmly, ‘take your cat and leave Mr Filch. You, Mr Potter and Mr Black, Mr Lupin and Mr Pettigrew, will come with me. And all of you,’ she turned to the Slytherins and included Charity with a glance, ‘will continue cleaning. Properly. Understood?’
She had already turned to leave when she paused and added, ‘Would you like to see Madam Pomfrey, Mr Black and Mr Mulciber?’
But both boys shook their heads.

When the six were alone again, Mulciber growled angrily: ‘If I get my hands on him again...’
‘What a bunch of arseholes... each one worse than the last,’ Charity spat, and everyone else nodded.
‘Typical Gryffindors,’ said Severus.
Charity scrubbed a plaque so fiercely that it wobbled: ‘I’m honestly surprised they’re still walking and not floating around, the way their heads are so far up in the clouds.’
Severus snorted with amusement.
‘Who’s got their head in the clouds?’ came a voice from the doorway.
Everyone turned, and a smile instantly spread across Severus’s face.
Lily was standing in the doorway.
She was holding a small tray in her hands: ‘From the elves,’ she smiled.
On the tray were six glasses of pumpkin juice, small pasties, and a few sausages.
‘Ooh!’ Evan eyed the snacks and glasses of pumpkin juice hungrily and helped himself straight away.
‘Potter and his friends have their heads in the clouds,’ answered Severus to Lily’s earlier question, taking a sip of juice.
She immediately rolled her eyes: ‘Don’t even get me started on those idiots.’
Severus’s expression relaxed at once, and he decided to change the subject: ‘Did you get the food for us, or were you just the delivery service?’
The redhead smiled: ‘It was my idea. If you lot have to slave away, then at least not on an empty stomach.’
‘Brilliant idea,’ Evan mumbled with his mouth full, and Avery added with a cheeky grin, ‘for a Gryffindor, at least.’
Lily huffed indignantly: ‘Tch.’
Severus bit into one of the small pasties to avoid saying anything.
He hated it when his friends argued.
He always felt torn and unsure, not wanting to upset either side.
So, he tried to steer the conversation elsewhere and turned to Lily: ‘Shall we study together tomorrow? I found a book that could help us finish the Herbology homework quickly and well.’
‘Sure. I’ve got to go now anyway.’
He nodded, and with that, Lily slipped out through the door.
A few hours later, McGonagall finally let the six of them off, and they were free to enjoy the rest of their Saturday.
Severus walked up the stairs to the library.
He wanted to return one of the books he’d borrowed.
On the way back, he was suddenly pulled behind a corner.

‘You bloody little coward!’ And with that, before he even recognised who it was, a fist smashed into his face.
He cried out in pain and rage, struggling with all his might.
But it was useless — four hands held him down with merciless strength.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter stood in front of him, their faces twisted with fury.
‘McGonagall got an anonymous tip that we were the ones with the fire ants, and now we’ve got detention. Just admit it was you!’
‘Let me go right now! It wasn’t me!’ Severus glared at the four Gryffindors with pure hatred.
‘Sure it wasn’t,’ sneered Sirius.
‘Let me go right now,’ he snapped, managing to break free and shoving James backwards before trying to walk away — but Sirius stuck out a foot, and Severus went sprawling.
All four Gryffindors laughed mockingly.
‘You’re right where you belong, Slytherin,’ James sneered, looking down at him and Peter laughed, ‘In front of us in the dirt.’
Severus was back on his feet in an instant: ‘You’ll regret this.’
‘Oh yeah? Look around you... you’re on your own, Snivellus. No one likes you. Go cry somewhere like the weakling you are... and you’ll see — no one will care. And do you know why? Because you’re just a ugly, disgusting little Slytherin.’
‘Just you wait…’
‘Come on then, loser,’ James laughed mockingly, and with that, the four Gryffindors disappeared around the corner.

Severus held his bleeding nose, glaring after the boys with pure hatred. He swore he would get his revenge — and at the same time, he tried his hardest to forget James’s words.
But it didn’t work out the way he had hoped.
He had always had self-doubts about his appearance.
He had never thought of himself as particularly good-looking, but he managed well enough, and in his opinion, there were more important things than looks.
James’s words had hurt him, and he hated James and himself for it.
He hated all four of them and at the same time couldn’t understand what they had against him.
After all, he had never done anything to them or attacked them for fun, the way they had done to him and his friends.
He walked slowly down the stairs, still lost in thought.
‘Good heavens, boy!’ Poppy’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts.
Severus looked up: ‘Hmm? Sorry?’
Poppy examined him with concern: ‘What on earth happened to you?’
He hesitated for a moment, then just shrugged.
Telling on James and his friends wouldn’t help him anyway.
They would just deny everything or no one would believe him in the first place.
‘Come with me, Mr Snape,’ the older witch said, walking ahead.
Severus followed her silently.
Once they arrived at the hospital wing, she gently pushed him down onto a chair and started rummaging through a drawer.
Severus watched her warily, but said nothing.
After Poppy had found the right tincture, she walked over to Severus and dabbed some of it onto a small cloth: ‘Clench your teeth... this is going to sting.’
As she gently dabbed at his blood-encrusted nose, he didn’t make a sound.
It did sting, but the pain and rage burning in his chest were far worse.
He took a deep breath in and out and didn’t open his black eyes again until Madame Pomfrey spoke to him once more: ‘Would you like to tell me what happened, Mr Snape?’
He shook his head.
‘Are you sure?’
Severus nodded: ‘Yes, Madame Pomfrey.’
‘Very well... but if you change your mind or if anything else happens, please come to me, all right?’
He nodded again, without any real intention of doing so.
He didn’t want pity.

While Severus sat with Poppy Pomfrey in the hospital wing, James was still trembling with rage: ‘That traitor.’
‘To be honest... it’s only fair that we got punished too,’ Remus offered cautiously.
‘Excuse me?’ James practically spat the words.
‘We started it, after all,’ Remus defended his point, and before James could reply, he quickly continued, ‘And why do you even hate him so much?’
‘He’s a Slytherin,’ said Sirius, his voice dripping with contempt.
‘What does Evans even see in him,’ James gritted his teeth, ‘She’s smart and pretty and a Gryffindor. He’s none of that.’
‘She doesn’t even like you,’ Remus pointed out.
‘Not yet,’ said James, a glint in his eye, ‘but I swear to you, she’ll realise he’s a disgusting Slytherin… just like the rest of them.’

When he returned to the Slytherin common room, his inner struggle must have been written all over his face, because Mulciber said immediately: ‘There you are at last. Where’ve you been? Something happen?’
Severus hesitated briefly, wondering whether to tell his friends about the attack, but then decided against it and said instead: ‘Nothing special. Just lost track of time.’
Mulciber simply nodded.
Severus sat down: ‘By the way, I’ve got news. I heard James and his stupid friends are finally getting in trouble over the fire ants thing.’
Evan looked up: ‘Seriously? That’s brilliant. How come?’
‘Apparently McGonagall got an anonymous tip-off.’
‘You’re welcome,’ said a female voice behind them.
The five spun around, and Narcissa, to whom the voice belonged, sat down beside them with a smile.
‘I just can’t stand injustice,’ she said, ‘and I wanted to make sure those four got what they deserved.’
The first-years smiled.
‘Thanks. That was a really cool thing to do.’
The next day, nothing in particular happened.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter stayed among the other Gryffindors, and Severus made sure not to go anywhere alone, having realised by now that the four only attacked him when he was on his own and outnumbered.
As they lay in their beds in the evening, each of them was lost in their own thoughts.
Mulciber and Evan were annoyed that they still had to do their homework, Wilkes was already asleep and dreaming of Mrs Norris chasing him, Avery was thinking about how to play a prank on Mrs Norris and Filch, and Severus was looking forward to studying with Lily the next day.

Chapter 14

The next morning, all five boys slept in.
When they stumbled into the common room late in the morning, still sleepy-faced but washed and dressed, Lucius looked over at them: ‘Good morning. If you still want breakfast, you’d better hurry.’
‘Is it that late already?’ Wilkes looked shocked.
Lucius just grinned and nodded: ‘You’ve completely overslept.’
The five boys glanced at each other briefly, then ran out together and up the stairs.
Out of breath, they collapsed at the Slytherin table and gasped for air before piling their plates with pies, rolls, eggs, bacon, sausages and anything else they could reach.
‘And what are you lot doing today?’ Avery asked his friends after taking a sip of juice.
Severus answered first: ‘Studying with Lily for Herbology.’
The others nodded, though not without exchanging a look first.
‘I’ve still got homework to do,’ Evan sighed.
‘Me too,’ Mulciber sounded just as annoyed, then turned to Severus, ‘Unless you let us copy yours.’
‘No way,’ Severus said indignantly, looking up from his jam-covered roll.
‘Oh come on, please.’
‘Yes, please, Severus,’ Evan, Avery and Wilkes now looked at him with pleading eyes.
‘But that wouldn’t be honest, and besides, you won’t learn anything that way.’
‘Oh, who cares. We’ve got seven more long years to learn.’
‘Exactly. Come on, Severus.’
‘Yeah, don’t be such a swot.’
He sighed: ‘Fine.’
‘Thanks, mate.’
After breakfast, the boys returned to the dungeons.
Severus to get his writing things ready for studying, and his friends to copy the homework.
Severus climbed the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room, glancing around as he went.
He registered every movement and then suddenly spun around.
He registered every movement and then spun around abruptly when he heard a noise.
But James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were nowhere to be seen, and the sound had been caused by Mrs Norris, who crept out from behind a corner and stared at him.
Severus stared back warily.
Wilkes had been right.
There was something uncanny about that cat, as if she understood every word.
The dark-haired boy looked around once more and then knocked on the common room door, which was watched closely by the Fat Lady, who gave him a sceptical look.
Moments later, the door opened and Marlene stood in front of him: ‘Hello. You’re here to see Lily, I suppose.’
He nodded: ‘Yes, exactly.’
Marlene turned to call for Lily and had just drawn a breath when Lily appeared around the corner.
‘Already here,’ she said with a grin.
Marlene shut her mouth again and grinned back: ‘Have fun – and let me copy your notes later.’
‘Forget it,’ Lily said, climbing out with Severus and walking ahead.
Severus walked beside her: ‘So your friends always want to copy your homework too?’
‘They do. But they can forget it,’ Lily said with a grin, flipping her red hair over her shoulder.
‘I let Mulciber and the others copy mine,’ he admitted.
Lily looked up at him: ‘But that’s dishonest... and they won’t learn anything that way,’ she said, sounding a bit upset.
‘I said that too... but they didn’t want to hear it.’
Lily sighed: ‘You need to stand up for yourself more, Severus. They can’t just walk all over you like that.’
He didn’t reply, but instead gently took Lily’s bag to carry them.
She gave him a warm smile: ‘Thanks.’
Severus smiled slightly in return: ‘You’re welcome.’
When they arrived in the library, Severus neatly laid out everything they needed for studying and placed the Herbology book he had told Lily about the day before next to the parchment and quills.
She immediately picked it up and flipped through it: ‘This looks really interesting.’
Severus nodded: ‘It is.’
He opened it to the right page and pushed the book over to her.
She skimmed through the page and her eyes lit up: ‘This is such a great summary of repotting mandrakes. I’m really looking forward to that lesson. It’s a shame we missed it last time.’
Severus nodded: ‘Yeah, true.’
They both dove into the book and began writing—almost in sync—the essay Professor Sprout had assigned them.
‘What to consider when repotting mandrakes’ Lily murmured to herself as she wrote, which Severus watched with a faint smile.
She glanced over at his parchment: ‘What do you think about using a spell or a potion to stun mandrakes before repotting? Which one’s better?’
Severus thought for a moment, then said: ‘Both have pros and cons. But I’d go with the spell in this case.’
Lily nodded: ‘Because a potion could affect their properties or contaminate the soil.’
Severus nodded again: ‘Exactly.’
Lily jotted something down and then giggled softly: ‘Do you think Professor Sprout was serious when she said we should make the mandrakes hot water bottles if it gets cold?’
He shrugged: ‘No idea. I mean, it sounds weird, but I actually wouldn’t put it past her.’
Lily was still giggling.
‘Excuse me… could you help me for a moment?’
Lily and Severus turned at the same time to face the girl who had spoken—a dark-skinned girl with short, wild brown hair in Ravenclaw robes.
‘What’s up?’ Lily asked with a smile.
‘I can’t reach the book I need for my Potions homework.’
Lily nudged Severus: ‘Go on. You’re taller than both of us.’
He stood up: ‘Which book do you need, and what’s it for?’
The Ravenclaw pointed to a high shelf: ‘We’re supposed to write an essay on the proper preparation of Skele-Gro, and it’s that one there.’
Severus shook his head: ‘That book’s useless. It’s full of mistakes and bad explanations.’
He reached a little further to the left, pulled out a different volume, and handed it to her: ‘Take this one instead. It’s better.’
'You really know your stuff. What year are you in?' the girl asked, looking up at him.
Severus was just about to answer when Lily cut in: ‘We’re both first-years. Severus is a natural when it comes to Potions. I’m Lily, by the way.’
He gave a slight smile: ‘You’re great at it too.’
Lily smiled at him.
‘I’m not at all. But I’m good at Astronomy and History of Magic. I’m Aurora, by the way,’ the Ravenclaw girl said with a bright smile, her teeth nearly sparkling.
She sat down at their table besides Lily: ‘I’m in first year too.’
Lily smiled back: ‘Isn’t it amazing here?’
Aurora nodded enthusiastically: ‘Totally! My mum’s been going on about Hogwarts for ages.’
Severus looked over at her: ‘Your mum’s a witch too?’
Aurora’s smile widened: ‘Yes, she is. What about yours?’
Severus nodded.
‘And your parents?’ Aurora now looked curiously at Lily.
‘They’re both Muggles,’ Lily said, with a slight edge to her tone.
She wasn’t sure whether Aurora would have a problem with it.
But Aurora simply nodded and smiled, already flipping through the book Severus had given her.
Some time later, the three of them walked down the stairs side by side.
Lily and Severus had spent the last hour tutoring Aurora in Potions, and in return, she’d told them everything they wanted to know about Astronomy.

On the staircase, they ran into James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Severus instantly felt uneasy but did his best not to show it.
James immediately grinned at Lily and ran a hand through his hair: ‘Alright, Evans?’
Sirius, meanwhile, eyed Aurora from head to toe: ‘You two sweethearts deserve better company. Come hang out with us.’
Lily and Aurora’s faces twisted in identical looks of disgust.
‘Get lost,’ Lily snapped at James.
The Gryffindors’ expressions darkened, while Severus’s face lit up with a faint, triumphant look.
The three of them walked past the four boys, who pulled faces before sprinting up the stairs without looking back.

When Aurora, Lily and Severus reached the bottom of the staircase, they decided to head straight to the Great Hall, as the lunch bell was about to ring and it wasn’t worth returning to their common rooms.
‘Who were those four idiots, anyway?’ Aurora asked, clearly referring to James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Lily rolled her eyes: ‘Just some Gryffindor boys who think it’s funny to insult people — especially Severus.’
Aurora scoffed: ‘I can’t stand people like that.’
‘Me neither,’ Lily agreed.
Severus nodded silently.
A second later, the great bell chimed, signalling the start of lunch.
‘Well then — bon appétit,’ Aurora smiled and walked ahead into the Great Hall, taking a seat at the still-empty Ravenclaw table.
Lily and Severus followed her in.
‘What are your plans for the rest of the day?’ Severus asked.
‘I think I’ll spend some time with Mary and Marlene enjoying the sunshine. I really need some fresh air. What about you?’
Severus nodded in understanding and replied: ‘I’m not sure what the others are doing yet, but I’ll probably tag along depending on what they’ve got planned.’
Truthfully, he had hoped to spend the rest of the day with Lily, just like they used to before Hogwarts — wandering around, chatting, and dreaming about Hogwarts.
But he knew she had also other friends now and she’d want to spend time with them too.
Lily gave him a small wave before heading over to the Gryffindor table and dropping into a seat.
Severus sat down at the Slytherin table and was surrounded by his Slytherin friends just moments later.
Mulciber took the seat to his right, and Lucius quickly sat down on Severus’ other side, snatching the spot away from Avery, who looked at him in indignation.
Lucius ignored him and immediately began to speak: ‘I wrote to my father yesterday and told him about you, and he’d like to meet you.’
Severus looked at him with a mixture of surprise, suspicion, and disbelief: ‘Me? And he wants to meet me? Why?’
‘He went to school with your mother, and apparently they were good friends. I also told him about your talent in Potions and how impressed Slughorn is with you. And since he knows Slughorn well too, he got curious. So, why not come to mine during the next holidays?’
Severus didn’t know what to say.
He was surprised and genuinely pleased by the invitation.
The Malfoys were one of the most influential pure-blood families, and they could certainly help him gain acceptance and respect in the wizarding world.
And besides, it meant he wouldn’t have to go home—to his aggressive father—or stay alone at Hogwarts.
Lily would most likely be going home to spend time with her family.
And this way, he might still get to see her during the holidays, without the constant presence of either her friends or his.
He glanced over at Lily, who was laughing with Marlene.
Mary and Alice were chatting as well, but since they were sitting right next to Lily, they couldn’t help but laugh now and then too—whether they wanted to or not.
Then he turned back to Lucius: ‘How long do I have to think about it?’
Lucius looked slightly surprised—he’d assumed Severus would agree immediately.
‘Until the holidays begin, I’d say,’ he replied after a pause.
Severus nodded.
That gave him enough time to think it all through—and to speak with Lily about her plans.
‘You won’t be angry if I say no, will you?’ he asked shyly.
He didn’t want to upset Lucius or seem ungrateful for such a generous offer.
The older boy waved it off.
‘Of course not. And if it doesn’t work out this holiday, then maybe the next one—or the one after that. You’ll be here at Hogwarts for a while yet, after all.’
Severus nodded, visibly relieved.
After lunch, the Slytherins sat in the Hogwarts garden together with Charity and Pandora, blinking into the sunlight.
Severus looked up as Aurora came out of the school building with a pale blond boy in Ravenclaw robes and walked over to them.
‘Hello, may we sit with you?’ Aurora asked with a friendly smile.
‘Sure,’ Evan yawned and gestured to the patch of grass next to him.
Aurora and the boy, who hadn’t said anything yet, sat down.
‘This is Xenophilius, by the way,’ Aurora introduced him.
He gave them a polite nod: ‘Hello.’
The Slytherins nodded back.
‘Hi,’ said Charity and Pandora with warm smiles.
‘Xenophilius… that’s a lovely name. It means “the hospitable one,” doesn’t it?’ Pandora asked.
Xenophilius nodded and smiled as well: ‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘You really know a lot,’ said Severus appreciatively.
Pandora gave a small smile: ‘It’s kind of a hobby of mine. I think names can say a lot about a person.’
After that, there was a quiet pause, and they all simply enjoyed the sunshine and the stillness. Nothing could be heard except for the distant shouts and laughter of their classmates.
It stayed quiet until Wilkes said: ‘Do you think we’ll have flying lessons tomorrow?’
‘Definitely. Professor Hooch has been at every meal the past few days and looked perfectly healthy.’

What none of them knew was that James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were talking about the exact same thing at that very moment.
‘I can’t wait for flying lessons tomorrow. I’m telling you... it’s going to be brilliant,’ said Sirius.
James nodded: ‘I love flying. It’s so... It... It’s just... you can’t really describe it. You have to experience it.’
Remus looked uncertain: ‘I don’t know... the idea of being up in the air with nothing solid beneath your feet sounds a bit scary to me. What do you think, Peter?’
But Peter looked just as excited as James and Sirius and nodded eagerly: ‘I got a broom for my last birthday and I’ve already had some practice.’
James waved a hand dismissively: ‘Last birthday? Please. I’ve been flying before I could even walk. And when I have a son, he’s getting a broom on his first birthday too.’
‘And if it’s a girl?’ asked Remus.
‘Then she’ll get a doll or some makeup or something like that.’
‘Girls can’t play Quidditch anyway,’ grinned Sirius, and both James and Peter burst out laughing.
Remus chuckled along awkwardly, but then said: ‘We’ll see about that tomorrow, whether the girls can fly or not.’
James grinned mysteriously: ‘Oh, we’ll see all right.’
Sirius smirked too: ‘And how we’ll see it.’
‘What are you two planning?’ asked Remus, giving them a suspicious look.
Peter also looked over at them, but his expression was full of admiration and excitement.
James grinned: ‘Sirius and I were in the library today. We were actually trying to spy on Evans and Snivellus, but then this brilliant book literally fell into our hands. It showed how to enchant other people’s brooms and control them. We went straight off and tried it. Worked pretty well already.’
‘But...’ Remus started to protest, but James cut him off, ‘Oh come on, Saint Remus. Let us have a bit of fun.’
‘Yeah. It’s just a harmless joke,’ added Peter quickly, and Sirius nodded.
‘No one’s going to get hurt… probably. Only the ones who deserve it.’

Chapter 15

The next morning passed quickly.
Charms class, just like the last few times, flew by.
By now, all the Slytherins and all the Hufflepuffs could make their feathers float and had mastered both the spell and the wand movement perfectly.
Professor Flitwick was thrilled and promised to start a new spell with them in the next lesson.
History of Magic, however, seemed to drag on forever.
Most students were quietly snoring, drawing, or reading.
Charity was lazily sketching a raincloud on her parchment, and Pandora, who sat next to her, painted a rainbow over it.
Professor Binns didn’t seem to notice any of it.
He drifted back and forth, reciting his lecture about the causes of the Goblin Wars in a quiet and monotonous voice.
Mulciber yawned: ‘Didn’t we already have this topic last week? I feel like I’ve heard this before.’
Avery, who had his head resting on the table, nodded: ‘Exactly the same topic.’
Severus, who had his nose buried in one of his books, whispered: ‘Even almost the exact same wording.’
Wilkes stretched: ‘Do you think Binns would notice if I just left now?’
‘No idea. But I wouldn’t risk it, to be honest,’ Severus whispered softly.
Eventually, the lesson did come to an end, and everyone rushed out of the dusty, dark room into the bright, warm corridors as quickly as they could.
During the break, Severus sat with his friends in the sun, trying his best to wake up again.
Charity and Pandora had stayed inside.
The two had run into Aurora and Xenophilius and wanted to keep talking for a bit.
After the break, the Slytherins had Transfiguration together with the Gryffindors.
McGonagall still had her students practising turning a matchstick into a needle.
So far, no one had managed it.
Severus had sat down next to Lily and was practising with her.
Just before the end of the lesson, Lily jumped up excitedly: ‘I did it! Professor McGonagall, I did it! My matchstick turned into a needle!’
She proudly held her needle up in the air.
Everyone turned their heads curiously to see whether she had really done it, and McGonagall came over immediately, inspected the needle, and then gave an approving nod: ‘Very good, Miss Evans. Ten points to Gryffindor.’
Severus grinned proudly: ‘Congratulations. You’re really talented.’
Lily beamed at him, and Severus instantly felt lighter and happier.
James turned to her and grinned: ‘Can you give me tutoring, Evans?’
Lily sat back down: ‘Did you hear anything, Severus? I didn’t hear a thing—except for an annoying high-pitched squeaking.’
Severus grinned even wider: ‘Same here. Really annoying.’
James turned back around with an angry look on his face, which made Lily giggle.
And Severus was still grinning.
He was relieved that Lily seemed to dislike James and his friends just as much as he did.
The fear that she might be impressed by his showy manner and his money was always there.
After all, Severus couldn’t offer her any high status as a pure-blood, nor did he have a vault full of gold, allowing him to buy whatever he fancied.
Still a little lost in thought, he tapped his matchstick with his wand, and this time, it transformed.
He looked up, thrilled: ‘I did it too!’
His friends glanced over with a trace of envy but also admiration.
McGonagall nodded: ‘Very good. Slytherin also gains ten points.’
Mulciber slapped Severus so hard on the back that it knocked the breath out of him.
James interrupted the Slytherins’ celebration by holding his needle up in the air like a sword: ‘I did it too!’
McGonagall inspected his needle and said: ‘Well done. Another ten points to Gryffindor. Your wand seems particularly well-suited to Transfiguration, Mr Potter. I expect you to do very well in my lessons.’
James and Sirius high-fived, and James looked over at Lily: ‘Well, Evans… looks like the two of us sweethearts are the best in class.’
Lily flipped her fiery red hair over her shoulder: ‘Severus still managed it before you. And you, sweet? Even Professor Sprout’s mandrakes are sweeter than you.’
Marlene and Mary who had overheard Lily’s words, nearly choked with laughter, and Severus and his friends couldn’t suppress their grins either.
James’s expression turned scornful: ‘Pure luck. You heard her… my wand is the one made for Transfiguration,’ and with that, he turned away abruptly and stared straight ahead.
After that came the lesson Severus had been looking forward to all along: Defence Against the Dark Arts.
And just as promised in their very first class, they began to learn and practise their first spells.
The first spell they were taught was "Expelliarmus".
Professor Clearwater had them push the desks and chairs to the walls so they could use the whole room.
Then she had the students line up in a row and demonstrated the wand movement several times.
One by one, the Slytherins and Gryffindors stepped forward and repeated the movement.
Those who performed it correctly were allowed to step aside and practise on their own, while those who hadn’t mastered it yet had to go back to the end of the line.
When it was Severus’s turn, she nodded approvingly: ‘Very good, Mr Snape.’
The blonde Auror watched him for a moment: ‘You really have talent, I must say. You should definitely pursue this further.’
Severus wasn’t quite sure how to react.
He felt happy and proud at the same time.
So he mumbled: ‘Thank you. I will,’ and stepped aside to continue practising.
After a while, everyone had more or less got the hang of it, and the professor nodded in satisfaction.
‘Now we’ll practise the movement together with the incantation.’
With a summoning spell, she made a few training dummies float over and arranged them at the far end of the room.
One after another, the students were now supposed to try knocking over the dummies with the spell.
They were getting better and better, and everyone was highly motivated.
When James’s turn came and he successfully knocked over a dummy – the first Gryffindor to do so – all the Gryffindors cheered for him.
James grinned proudly and lifted his chin.
Then he looked over at Severus: ‘Try copying that, loser.’
Sirius grinned: ‘No way he’ll ever manage that.’
Auror Clearwater stepped up to the two of them: ‘Twenty points from Gryffindor. I won’t tolerate that kind of behaviour, understood?’
The two nodded, and Severus liked the professor even more for it.
As Severus walked back after successfully knocking over his dummy to let Avery, who stood behind him, take his place, James subtly stuck out a foot, making him fall flat on the floor.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter burst into laughter.
Professor Clearwater helped Severus back to his feet and, after making sure he was all right, cleared her throat sharply: ‘Mr Potter… over here.’
James walked over and looked up at her with an innocent expression: ‘Yes, Professor Clearwater?’
‘Detention. You and your three friends. The Saturday after next, as I know the four of you already have detention this coming Saturday. Understood?’
James looked angry, but nodded: ‘Yes, Professor Clearwater.’
He was about to return to the line when the blonde Auror stopped him: ‘One more thing.’
‘Yes?’
‘You’ll be duelling Mr Snape.’
‘I’ll what?’
‘You heard me.’
Even Severus looked at his teacher in surprise, a little sceptically.
‘Make room for them,’ she instructed the rest of the students.
The Gryffindors moved to one side and the Slytherins to the other.
Mulciber whispered to Severus: ‘You’ll flatten him easily,’ and his other friends nodded in agreement.
Severus and James took their positions, facing each other in the centre.
‘Bow to one another,’ Professor Clearwater commanded.
The two boys did as they were told, albeit very reluctantly.
‘You will cast once for practice. The one who hits the other first and knocks him off his feet wins. Understood?’
Both nodded.
Severus’s eyes sparkled with fury.
He stood tall, gripping his wand tightly.
At last, he had the chance to show James what he was capable of — to get revenge for the bullying and insults of the past few weeks.
Now James had no friends at his side, wasn’t in the majority, and didn’t have his big mouth.
Now they were alone.
Now it was just James and him.
James, on the other hand, had gone slightly pale and was watching his opponent with a mixture of nervousness, suspicion, and caution.
His eyes flicked from Severus, to their DADA teacher, to his friends, and back again.
‘Begin!’
Severus snapped back into the present in an instant.
Before James even had the chance to open his mouth, Severus had already swung his wand and shouted: ‘Expelliarmus!’
Immediately, James — with a look of shock frozen on his face — was struck by the force of the spell, hurled backwards several metres through the air, and landed hard on his back with a loud crash.
The Slytherins erupted in cheers, and Lily gave a thumbs-up.
Amid the victorious shouting of the Slytherins, the slightly amused voice of the Auror cut through: ‘Are you all right, Mr Potter?’
James stood up, rubbing his hip and groaning softly: ‘Yes, I’m fine.’
Clenching his teeth, he took his place beside Sirius and whispered: ‘We’ll get him for that. He’ll regret the day he was born.’
Sirius nodded, glaring at the black-haired Slytherin with pure loathing.
‘Twenty points to Slytherin. That was very well done, Mr Snape,’ smiled the blonde professor — and to Severus, it almost felt like she had winked at him.
The little duel between Severus and James had been the talk of the entire break.
The Slytherins laughed about it and mimicked James as he was knocked off his feet, while the Gryffindors — all except Lily, Mary, Marlene and Bertram — tried to cheer James up.
After the break, the Gryffindors walked outside together, with the Slytherins, still laughing, following behind.
When they arrived at the training ground, a small wiry woman with short grey hair was already waiting for them.
‘A bit of hurry, if you please.’ She called out to her students, and everyone hurried over to her.
The first-years formed a semicircle in front of the teacher, as if they had rehearsed it, and she now studied each of them in turn with her piercing yellow hawk-like eyes.
After she had examined each of them, she said: ‘Welcome to flying class. I am Rolanda Hooch, and I will be teaching you how to fly. Now, each of you take a broom and then line up in two rows facing each other.’
Immediately, a scramble and scuffle for the brooms began.
Once everyone had taken a broom and the Slytherins and Gryffindors were standing opposite each other, Professor Hooch began to walk slowly down the aisle that had formed between them.
‘Place your broomstick on the ground to your right. Once you’ve done that, hold out your right hand over the broom and say “Up”. If you’re fairly skilled, the broom will fly straight into your hand. If not, don’t worry. Just keep trying.’
All of them gave it a try.
The only ones who managed it on the first attempt were James, Sirius, Mulciber and Avery.
The four were praised and awarded five points each for Slytherin and Gryffindor.
For the others, nothing happened at first.
After a while, it also worked for Wilkes, Evan, Dorcas, Marlene, and Mary.
Lily grinned at Severus, who was standing opposite her: ‘I think our talent lies elsewhere.’
Severus gave a small grin in return: ‘I think so too.’
Nothing could spoil his mood today.
From the Gryffindor side came an irritated: ‘Up!’
Peter nudged his broom slightly, as if urging it to finally move.
The broom wasted no time in retaliating — it shot upwards, but not to land in his hand.
Instead, it smacked him right in the forehead.
While Peter clutched his head and stamped the ground in frustration and pain, the others simply laughed.
‘Looks like you’ll need a bit more practice, Peterpiet,’ James laughed.
Sirius grinned: ‘We’ll find something you’re good at eventually. Might take a while, but we’ll find it.’
Madam Hooch looked over at Peter: ‘Are you all right, or shall I take you to the hospital wing?’
Peter shook his head: ‘No, no. I’m fine,’ he muttered, glaring at his broom, ‘Stupid thing.’
A few attempts later, it worked for Alexis, Severus, Lily, Remus, and the others.
Only Peter’s broom seemed thoroughly offended and didn’t budge an inch.
Madam Hooch cleared her throat: ‘Very well… You, Mr Pettigrew, just keep trying. As for the rest of you — we’ll now begin our first attempts at flying. Mount your brooms and push off from the ground. Don’t fly off just yet… just hover a little. Try to steer the broom using your body and experiment with how much you need to lean to the right and left.’
Everyone tried to mount their brooms, clinging tightly to the broomsticks.
Only James and Sirius leapt onto theirs with ease, pushed off from the ground and shot into the air, cheering.
Madam Hooch spun around at once: ‘GET BACK DOWN THIS INSTANT!’
The two of them did a loop-the-loop, nearly falling off their brooms in the process, before landing again.
The grey-haired teacher planted herself angrily in front of the two Gryffindors, hands on hips: ‘What exactly were you thinking? I demand an explanation. Can’t you follow even a single instruction? Do you even know what could have happened? You two will not be flying again today. Sit off to the side and wait until the lesson is over.’
James and Sirius threw their brooms onto the grass in annoyance and dropped themselves into the grass.
Then they put their heads together.
‘Place your bag so no one can see anything,’ James whispered, and Sirius rolled his eyes, ‘Oh please. Do you take me for a beginner at doing something secretly?’
James just grinned and then pulled out his wand, pointing it at Severus’s broom: ‘Get ready for something, my friend.’
He whispered something, and not a second later, Severus’s broom — which had just been lying calmly in his hand and which he had just been about to mount — reared up and jerked about wildly.
Severus fell off and then tried to climb back on.
This had no success, however, as his broom only resisted even more.
Now some of the Gryffindors began to giggle.
Mary and Marlene clapped their hands over their mouths, and even Lily looked slightly amused: ‘Are you all right, Severus?’
He didn’t get the chance to answer, as Mulciber’s, Avery’s, Wilkes’s and Evan’s brooms also began to jerk, and all four of them fell off.
Madam Hooch examined the five brooms with a frown: ‘That is highly unusual.’
She looked around suspiciously.
Her piercing yellow eyes landed on James and Sirius, who had their wands pointed at the Slytherins’ brooms and were doubled over with laughter.
Lily followed her teacher’s gaze, spotted the two boys, and her expression changed from amusement to fury: ‘IT WAS YOU?’
‘Over here. At once,’ Hooch’s voice was so sharp and uncompromising that the two of them came over immediately, ‘Detention. Two hours. And fifty points from Gryffindor. I have rarely been so ashamed of my own students. Now go back to the castle.’

The two of them nodded, got to their feet, picked up their school bags and walked back to the castle.
Once they were out of sight, they high-fived.
‘Revenge and an early end to lessons. That went brilliantly.’
Sirius laughed: ‘Did you see their stupid faces? That detention was so worth it.’
James nodded and laughed too: ‘Absolutely worth it.’

After the rest of the lesson, which went smoothly, the Slytherins walked back to their common room together.
Avery and Mulciber were plotting darkly, making plans to take revenge on James and Sirius.
Severus, walking a few steps behind them, was beside Lily and just as angry.
James and Sirius had humiliated him in front of everyone — yet again.
But he felt a flicker of satisfaction at the thought of the last Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.
And tomorrow, in Potions, he would once again be able to show what he was capable of.

Chapter 16

When they were back at the castle and just about to go inside, Severus suddenly remembered Lucius’ offer: ‘Hey Lily.’
The redhead stopped: ‘Yes? What is it, Sev?’ and to her friends she said, ‘Go on ahead. I’ll be right there.’
Once Mary and Marlene had disappeared into the building and headed towards the stairs, she turned back to Severus: ‘What did you want to talk about?’
‘What are you doing in the next holidays?’
Lily looked briefly surprised: ‘The next holidays? You do know it’s only the end of September? Christmas is still a while away. Halloween comes first. But why do you even want to know?’
‘Lucius invited me to stay with him for the holidays.’
‘Lucius?’ Lily said the older Slytherin’s name as if it tasted bitter.
Severus nodded.
‘Why are you even friends with him?’ the Gryffindor asked, clearly displeased at the thought.
‘I feel like he understands me,’ he said after a short pause.
‘And I don’t?’ Lily looked offended.
Severus paused to think about what to say.
He wanted to explain it to her, wanted to tell her that it was because Lucius was a Slytherin.
Lucius knew what it was like to be a Slytherin and to hear the whispers and see the stares.
The whispers that said Slytherins were evil and should be avoided.
And he knew what it was like to be excluded by most people, to have others turn away when you passed by in your Slytherin robes.
And also what it was like when classmates stopped talking as soon as you came near and only gave short, cold answers.
Lily didn’t know any of this.
She was a Gryffindor.
Gryffindors were liked, even admired, by everyone except the Slytherins.
Gryffindors were never excluded, and people never whispered behind their backs.
Gryffindors didn’t have a reputation for being evil or untrustworthy.
But he didn’t say any of that, and only said: ‘You do. But with Lucius, it’s different.’
And with that, Lily was satisfied and nodded.
The dark-haired boy quickly continued: ‘But I only go to him when you’re not there. If you go home for the holidays, then I’ll go too. Then we can build a snowman again, like we did in the last years.’
This seemed to cheer Lily up: ‘I’ll ask my parents.’
Severus nodded: ‘I’ll head downstairs then.’
Lily smiled at him: ‘And I’ll go upstairs.’
Severus smiled shyly in return: ‘See you soon. We’ll probably meet at dinner.’
‘Definitely,’ said the Gryffindor, and with that she walked upstairs.
Severus watched her briefly as she hopped up carefully, mindful of the missing steps, then went back down to the dungeons to the Slytherin common room.
When he arrived, he almost bumped into a tall brown-haired girl who was just coming out.
‘Oh, I’m sorry. Are you okay?’ she asked him with concern.
He nodded: ‘Yes, everything’s fine.’
She nodded, somewhat relieved, and then hurried up the dungeon stairs.
Narcissa Black also rushed out: ‘Andromeda! Wait! Andi!’
But the girl called didn’t turn around.
Only then did Narcissa seem to notice him: ‘Oh... hello Severus.’
He immediately noticed the sad look on Narcissa’s face and carefully asked: ‘Is—is everything alright? Who was that?’
The blonde sighed: ‘That was my older sister Andromeda. It... it’s a bit complicated right now. You’ll understand when you’ve been at Hogwarts longer or when you’re a few years older. But until then, don’t worry, alright?’ She tried to smile.
Severus didn’t want to press her for more, even though he was curious, so he just nodded, slipped past her, and went to his room.
The next morning, the first years, especially those who liked Herbology, were excited at breakfast.
Because today they would finally be repotting the mandrakes.
Lucius smirked as Dorcas quoted from the textbook about repotting: ‘You’ll see, Dorcas, it won’t be as exciting as you imagine. You take the bits out of the pot, get a headache straight away from the screaming despite the earmuffs, then shove them into a bigger pot, pour soil over them, and that’s it.’
‘I’m still looking forward to it,’ she said.
Alexis twisted her mouth slightly: ‘I find it disgusting… those things are just ugly, and I’ve just painted my nails,’ she looked unhappy at her pale blue-painted fingernails.
‘That’s more like it,’ Lucius grinned and got a playful elbow in the side from Narcissa.
Dorcas rolled her eyes with a grin: ‘So, Zabini, you’re not really into dirt, are you?’
The girl in question shook her head and blew a few strands of hair from her forehead: ‘Definitely not. I’m not getting my hands dirty. I’m too good for that.’
Narcissa smiled lightly: ‘Then you’d best marry a rich man.’
‘Good idea,’ Alexis replied cheekily and grinned too.
After the meal, they walked together to the greenhouse.
Severus walked beside Lily: ‘Shall we work together?’
She nodded: ‘If we’re allowed, I’d like that.’
The Slytherin nodded, relieved.
Lily was a constant in his life.
She was there for him.
He could — and always did — come to her when he couldn’t stand it at home anymore.
When he was scared of his father, when he had one of his outbursts or had drunk too much.
She was a sort of safe space for him.
Arriving at the greenhouse, Lily and Severus stood side by side.
Professor Sprout cleared her throat and asked for silence: ‘Listen up. Today, we’ll be repotting the mandrakes. You’ll each need a pair of earmuffs,’ she put on her earmuffs, and everyone followed suit.
Sprout picked up one of the larger pots and put some handfuls of soil into it.
Then she grabbed a mandrake and yanked it out sharply.
Immediately, a high-pitched screaming and shrieking filled the room, and everyone instinctively pressed their earmuffs tighter against their heads.
Sprout stuffed the mandrake into the larger pot, added several more handfuls of soil over it, and tapped it down lightly.
Then she looked around at the quiet: ‘Right. Now copy that. And always remember to keep your earmuffs on, or you’ll be unconscious for several hours. That’s because the mandrakes are still young.’
She placed her hands on her hips: ‘Who can tell me what happens with fully grown mandrakes?’
Lily’s hand shot up, and Severus, Remus, and Dorcas also raised theirs.
‘You die,’ said Sirius without raising his hand and belched quietly.
He received a reprimanding look from Professor Sprout: ‘Correct, Mr Black. But I would still appreciate it if you put your hand up and learnt some manners.’
Sirius grinned: ‘Why? Girls like ruffians.’
‘We don’t,’ came the almost unanimous reply from nearly all the girls.
Only a small, sturdy Gryffindor with long shiny light brown hair, whom Severus didn’t know, watched Sirius dreamily and nodded slightly, which Sirius didn’t notice.
‘Pair up and begin!’ Sprout ordered.
Immediately, a scramble for the best pots began, as in every Herbology lesson so far, and the Gryffindors and Slytherins paired up.
Lily and Severus were the only Slytherin-Gryffindor pair; all the others were made up solely of either Slytherins or Gryffindors.
Lily put several handfuls of soil into the large pot Severus had fetched, then looked up at him: ‘Do you want to repot the mandrake or shall I do it?’
‘I don’t mind. If you don’t want to, I can do it.’
After she nodded, he grabbed the mandrake and yanked it out sharply.
Ignoring its screaming, he stuffed it into the new pot, and Lily quickly poured some soil over it.
Together, they gently tapped the soil down.
When they were done, they watched their classmates.
Mary and Marlene were tapping down soil, while Severus’s friends struggled with the stubborn mandrakes that first refused to come out of the soil and then wouldn’t go back in.

James and Sirius, however, were waving their mandrake in front of Peter’s face.
‘KISS YOUR NEW GIRLFRIEND, PETER-PETER!’ Sirius shouted, laughing.
‘Exactly!’ James yelled. ‘She’s the only one who’ll ever willingly kiss you!’

Everyone except Lily and Severus laughed.
‘What idiots,’ Lily watched James and Sirius with disgust.
Severus nodded and almost felt sorry for them.
But only almost, as he remembered that Peter cheered on James and Sirius every time they insulted or physically attacked him.
When Sprout, who had been working on the other side of the greenhouse, noticed what James and Sirius were up to, she immediately came over and stood angrily in front of them to give them a telling-off.
The other Gryffindors and Slytherins continued working noticeably quietly and slowly, so as not to miss a single word of the reprimand.
From repeatedly not taking lessons seriously, to ignoring instructions, to bullying fellow students and disrespectful treatment of living creatures and lesson materials, everything was covered.
At the end, Sprout deducted 50 points from the Gryffindors, who gasped in outrage, while the Slytherins smirked maliciously.
After class, James and Sirius had to stay behind to sweep the room and tidy up everything left by their classmates, like pots and sacks of soil.
When Severus’s friends heard this, they deliberately left their workspace untidy.
The Slytherins walked slowly and relaxed behind the still annoyed Gryffindors.
Arriving at the Potions classroom, the Slytherins spread out across the back rows.
Lily hesitated briefly, looked between Severus and her friends, and finally sat down between Mary and Marlene.
Severus found it odd that this seemed to almost relieve his Slytherin friends, but he told himself he must be mistaken.
After all, Lily had never done anything to those five boys.
During the Potions lesson, however, he forgot this very quickly.
He was highly focused and completely absorbed in the instructions.
Today they had to brew a simple sleeping draught alone.
Severus only looked up startled when a cauldron belonging to a tall Gryffindor a few seats ahead exploded.
All the students standing in front, behind, and beside him hurriedly stepped back.
Pale green smoke poured out of the cauldron.
Slughorn quickly drew his wand and made the contents of the cauldron disappear: ‘What happened? What did you do differently from the instructions?’ he then asked the Gryffindor.
‘Nothing, Professor! I swear!’ The brown-haired Gryffindor student looked genuinely shocked.
‘But you must have done something differently, Mr Aubrey. Because normally, this doesn’t happen.’
‘But I didn’t do anything different.’
Slughorn made the contents of the cauldron reappear and cast another spell.
Above the cauldron, some formulas appeared in clouds of smoke.
Severus understood only that an additional ingredient, but the wrong one, had been thrown into the cauldron.
When Slughorn confirmed this aloud, Bertram Aubrey shook his head: ‘I’ve never heard of that ingredient before. Really.’
Slughorn thought for a moment, waved his wand again, made the cauldron’s contents vanish once more, and then let his gaze sweep attentively and piercingly over the class.
Everyone looked confused and curious at the same time, watching him.

From the second to last row, where James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were sitting, came a suppressed chuckle.
Slughorn stepped up to the four’s table: ‘Do the four of you have something to confess to me?’
Remus looked confused at James and Sirius, and Peter looked just as puzzled.
‘Did you put something in the cauldron?’ Remus sounded accusing.
James scratched his head: ‘Possibly.’
Slughorn shook his head in disappointment and looked sternly down at the two: ‘You two have caused nothing but trouble and disgrace for Gryffindor. You’ve been at Hogwarts less than a term and you’ve already cost Gryffindor more than 150 points deducted and have had more detentions than most seventh years here.’
James and Sirius hung their heads.
Slughorn’s reprimand and Remus’s disappointed look had their effect.
They did not want to bring shame to Gryffindor.
They wanted to live up to the house’s reputation for brave and honourable witches and wizards.
‘We’re sorry,’ said James, and Sirius nodded, ‘This time, really.’
Slughorn nodded slightly: ‘Still, I cannot let you get away without punishment. The cauldron could have exploded. The smoke could have seriously injured someone if breathed in for too long. At worst, the whole of Hogwarts could have blown up. I teach what I like to claim is the most dangerous subject at Hogwarts. I have to be 100% alert and watch everyone at all times, and students like you, who don’t take my subject seriously and don’t pay attention, certainly don’t make that any easier for me.’
‘Sorry again,’ Sirius said and hung his head a bit more.
He was still thinking about Slughorn’s words, how he was a disappointment to Gryffindor.
James nodded too: ‘Yeah, honestly.’
Slughorn nodded again: ‘You have made that clear. Still… twenty points from Gryffindor and you two will have detention again to clean old cauldrons so you see how complicated it can be when a potion goes wrong.’
James and Sirius made slightly sour faces but nodded in agreement.

After this whole incident, all the other potions were useless as the brewing time had been interrupted.
Slughorn said nothing more except to instruct everyone to place their half-full cauldrons in a corner of the classroom so James and Sirius could clean them next weekend.
This further lifted the Slytherins’ mood.

Chapter 17

The following weeks passed just like the ones before.
Severus studied a lot, borrowed new books on all sorts of subjects almost every week, and did his best to avoid James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Slughorn’s lecture had quickly been forgotten – at least partially.
James and Sirius, sometimes accompanied by Remus and Peter, had to serve detention nearly every weekend.
Sometimes it was because they had sprinkled itching powder into their classmates’ beds, other times because they hid their school things – especially Severus’s.
Still, they became more and more popular among the Gryffindors each week.
Even though they didn’t take classes very seriously, they were always among the best in their year.
They always had cheeky remarks at the ready – even if those often came at the expense of others – yet no one seemed particularly bothered by it.
Only the victims of their jokes felt increasingly uncomfortable week after week.
But no one seemed to notice or care.
Severus, in particular, became angrier over time and – though he hated the feeling – felt more and more helpless.
And even though his friends always defended him and helped look for his things, James and Sirius only mocked him more for it afterwards.
And that, all the Slytherins agreed, was just typical of Gryffindors.
Then came the day almost every Hogwarts student had been looking forward to: the 30th of October.
The day before Halloween.
It was a Saturday, and everyone was glad not to have lessons on the 31st.
All of Hogwarts was already decorated.
Pumpkin lanterns stood everywhere, candles floated through the corridors, fake cobwebs hung from the stair railings, the ghosts tried even harder to appear graceful or frightening, and the whole castle smelled of pumpkin pasties and butterbeer.
Only Peeves ruined the atmosphere.
He had somehow gotten hold of a fake skeleton – no one knew how or where from – and floated around dancing the waltz with it, or amused himself by placing it in students’ beds.
He only stopped when the Bloody Baron threatened to do unspeakable things to him.
After dinner, Dumbledore stood up: ‘I would like to ask for a moment of your attention.’
When everyone had fallen silent and was watching him eagerly, the headmaster smiled mysteriously.
He let a few quiet moments pass, simply looking around the Great Hall with a smile, studying the curious faces of his students.
Then he reached for his wand and made an elegant golden cup appear on the lectern, with silver writing on it.
A soft murmur ran through the hall.
‘My dear ones,’ he began, still smiling, ‘last night, I had a truly brilliant idea. I know, I know… praising oneself isn’t exactly modest, but I do believe this idea deserves a bit of credit.’
He paused again.
‘Tomorrow, there will be a Halloween party with a costume competition – and everyone will take part!’
Cheers erupted throughout the Great Hall, and some, including James and Sirius, clapped wildly.
Only the teachers didn’t join in the applause, as they had probably realised that “everyone” included them as well.
Dumbledore waited until the first wave of excitement had died down.
Then he cleared his throat to regain attention: ‘And of course, there will be a prize for the winners.’
He pulled out his wand once more, and a cascade of sweets in all shapes and colours rained into the cup.
‘There are no limits. Come up with group costumes or get creative on your own – it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that you have fun. The competition will take place tomorrow evening, during our little Halloween celebration. And now, have a lovely evening full of great ideas.’
With that, the meal was over, and everyone rushed out at once.
Everyone except the Slytherins.
Their table waited and left a little later – they didn’t feel like pushing through the crowds at the door.
Just past the entrance, Severus and his friends bumped into Charity, Lily and their friends – and James and Sirius.
Charity had clearly been waiting for her friends from Slytherin, while Lily and her friends were deep in an animated discussion about costumes, which was obviously being eavesdropped on by James and Sirius – not that the three girls paid them any mind.
‘Shall we come up with a group costume?’ Charity asked the moment Severus stepped through the door.
He turned briefly to the others.
All four nodded.
‘Sure, why not. But I have to disappoint you – I’ve got no idea at all yet,’ said Mulciber.
‘What are you going as?’ Severus asked Lily.
She smiled: ‘Mary, Marlene and I are going as noble ladies of the castle.’
Before Severus could say something nice about the idea, James and Sirius stepped forward and casually threw their arms around the girls’ shoulders.
‘Three fine ladies like yourselves surely need a pair of incredibly manly and handsome knights to protect them,’ said James, pretending to flex his muscles.
Marlene grinned cheekily: ‘Sure. Let us know when you spot any.’
Everyone laughed – everyone except James and Sirius.
Lily, Mary and Marlene shrugged the two Gryffindors off and walked off towards their common room.
‘And you, Snivellus – I bet you’re going as a vampire, right? Don’t even need a costume. You’re ugly enough already,’ James sneered.
‘Careful he doesn’t suck your blood,’ snapped Charity before any of the Slytherins could respond.
Sirius sneered in mock defence: ‘Oh no… the battle dwarf again. Let me guess… you’re going as the poison dwarf. For a bit of variety.’
Mulciber and Wilkes, the two tallest, stepped right up to James and Sirius. Mulciber was taller than both of them, and Wilkes was just as tall as Sirius.
‘And you’d better leave now. Got it… because nobody wants you here.’
‘Bloody hell… Slytherins really don’t understand fun at all,’ muttered James as the two walked off the same way Lily, Mary and Marlene had gone before.
Charity briefly squeezed Severus’s hand: ‘Don’t listen to those idiots.’
He flinched slightly but allowed the touch and nodded.
He stared after the two with hatred: ‘One day they’ll get all of this back. I swear it.’
‘They will,’ said Evan, and everyone nodded.
‘Shall we sit outside for a bit? To think, I mean. It’s still so warm,’ Charity tried to lighten the tense mood.
So the six of them went out into the castle garden.

At the same moment, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter did the same as the Slytherins.
They thought hard about what they could dress up as.
They wanted, no matter what, to win the cup full of sweets.
They had already rejected some ideas, like knights or ninjas.
‘It has to be something we can all do as a group,’ James decided, and Sirius nodded.
‘Exactly. Something that fits together. And it has to be creative and unusual.’
‘How about going as the band Queen?’ Remus suggested.
James started laughing: ‘Do I look gay? Definitely not. That’s more something for the Hufflepuffs… they’re all mad anyway. You can see it with that crazy little blonde.’
Sirius grinned: ‘But I’d definitely make a great Mercury,’ he said, pushing his front teeth forward and lispsing, ‘I’m Freddy. The “D” in Freddy stands for Dicks. Because I love dicks and especially yours,’ he wagged his eyebrows and winked at Remus.
Peter and James fell off the bed laughing.
Remus grinned crookedly: ‘Got it already. It was a silly idea. But what else should we go as then?’
James slowly calmed down and stood up from the floor: ‘It has to be something strong. Something cool and brave. It has to fit Gryffindor.’
They all thought for a while longer, and the room grew quiet.
The only sounds were the distant laughter and chatter of the other Gryffindors, and somewhere outside an owl called.
After a little more time had passed, Remus jumped up: ‘I’ve got it!’
‘You’ve got what?’ His three friends looked up at him.
Remus opened his bedside drawer, pulled out a book and threw it onto his bed: ‘We’ll go as the Three Musketeers.’
‘The three what?’ James, Sirius and Peter looked at Remus, not curious now, but deeply confused.
‘The three muscle what?’ James repeated, looking as if he seriously doubted Remus’s sanity.
‘Nonsense,’ Remus said, continuing quickly, ‘Not muscle. Musketeers. They’re the main characters in the adventure novel I’m reading. They’re three elite soldiers of the royal French guard and masters of fencing and fighting. Their motto is “One for all, and all for one.”’
His face glowed with eagerness and excitement as he imagined how they would look in the costumes.
For a brief moment, it was quiet again, then James and Sirius jumped up and simultaneously slapped Remus so hard on the shoulders that he went down on his knees.
‘That’s brilliant!’ James shouted.
‘Absolutely!’ Sirius shouted even louder, puffing out his chest, ‘We’re going as musketeers!’
‘And me?’ Peter, still sitting on the floor, looked at the three questioningly.
‘We’ll find something for you too. No worries,’ James waved him off.
Remus nodded: ‘You can go as D’Artagnan. He’s a very good friend and ally of the three musketeers and later becomes one himself.’
Peter seemed satisfied: ‘That’ll be great. The others will be amazed.’
James, Sirius and Remus nodded.
‘Oh, they will be,’ they agreed.

What the four Gryffindors didn’t know at the time was that the others would be amazed too — but even more so by the costumes of Avery, Charity, Evan, Mulciber, Severus and Wilkes.
The six of them were sitting under one of the trees in the middle of the castle garden, thinking.
‘It has to be something funny,’ said Avery.
‘But please nothing ridiculous,’ Severus chipped in.
‘Exactly. It should more show that we Slytherins think this whole thing is ridiculous. Since Gryffindors will win anyway,’ Mulciber added.
‘We could go as the teachers,’ joked Charity, giggling.
‘That’s it!’ Avery screamed.
‘Are you insane?’ Mulciber looked at him with a mix of amusement and scepticism.
‘I think it’s funny,’ grinned Wilkes, imitating Dumbledore’s voice in a deep nasal tone, ‘This will be a wonderful evening, my dear children... and the winners shall be my most beloved, wonderful, best Gryffindors, and no, I am not biased,’ then he stroked his non-existent beard.
Severus grinned: ‘And you, Charity, are going as McGonagall or what?’
She laughed: ‘Of course,’ she furrowed her brow and puckered her lips, ‘Ten points from Slytherin for that insolence.’
Evan laughed: ‘And that’s exactly what’ll happen if we actually do it.’
‘What he says,’ Mulciber still looked unconvinced, ‘I’m not up for detention again.’
Avery grinned: ‘It’ll be worth it. Come on, mate.’
‘I’m outnumbered anyway,’ he grinned.
‘So who I am is already decided,’ Charity smiled, ‘but you lot still have to pick.’
‘I’m going as Hagrid,’ Mulciber decided, ‘even if he’s not a teacher. He’s big and somehow responsible for us, and anyway, I’m the biggest of us all.’
‘Then I’ll be Flitwick,’ Avery, the smallest of them, grinned.
‘And Severus will be Slughorn. The future Potions Master and the current Potions Master.’
‘Me? Potions Master?’ Severus looked up surprised.
‘Of course. What else? You’re already a genius. You already have all of Slughorn’s knowledge… just missing the half-bald head and the belly.’
Severus had to smile reluctantly; it did him good to be respected, heard, and liked.
Those were some of the things he had hoped to find among the Slytherins.
‘Alright, then I’ll go as Slughorn,’ he agreed.
Evan thought for a moment and then shrugged: ‘That just leaves Binns for me, I suppose. Well… it could be worse.’
The rest of the evening and the next morning, all the students spent putting their costumes together.

Meanwhile, James had sent an owl to his father asking for three Musketeer costumes and one D’Artagnan costume, complete with real rapiers, and promptly received them.

Severus had borrowed one of Slughorn’s purple ties with the help of a quickly made-up story.
Slughorn had suspected nothing and willingly let Severus choose from his collection of ties.
The others got help from Calida Clearwater.
The young Auror was let in on their plans by the six of them, and after she finished laughing, she promised to get Charity one of McGonagall’s hats and Wilkes one of Dumbledore’s cloaks.
The rest of the little group had really made an effort as well.
Mulciber had fashioned a wild brown beard, and Evan had made himself and the old-fashioned clothes he’d specially picked out white-grey with the help of the house-elves, their magic, and quite a lot of flour.
In the evening, the six of them, who now really looked like miniature versions of their teachers, met in front of the Great Hall.
They had timed it carefully, waiting for a moment when no one was nearby, to make a grand entrance.
Mulciber looked especially funny — at the last minute, he’d decided to stick on wild eyebrows in addition to his fake beard. Wilkes kept stroking his homemade beard every five seconds.
His, however, was white with red ribbons woven into it, not brown and tangled like Mulciber’s.
Evan walked slowly beside them with a mournful expression, while Charity docked points from the Slytherins for breathing too loudly.
And Severus, who had stuffed a cushion under the pale lilac shirt he’d borrowed from Wilkes, adjusted Slughorn’s matching purple tie.
Wilkes, as Dumbledore, cleared his throat and said in a dignified voice: ‘Well then, my dear colleagues… let us go inside.’
Mulciber swung the door open with flair.
The decorated Great Hall impressed them all.
The long house tables were gone, replaced by a large open space where small groups of students danced or chatted.
In the corners stood large suits of armour covered in cobwebs, and on one side there was a huge buffet whose dishes sent tempting smells throughout the hall.
Big pumpkin lanterns and extra candles floated all over the ceiling of the Great Hall.
‘EVENING ALL!’ Mulciber shouted, coming quite close to Hagrid’s tone.
Charity tottered beside him in her long dark green dress, adjusting the ‘borrowed’ McGonagall hat.
‘You could be heard if you spoke more quietly, Hagrid,’ she scolded, struggling not to laugh.
Immediately, every head in the hall turned to them, and laughter and whistles rang out.
The real Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Hagrid came over to them.
Binns was nowhere to be seen.
Dumbledore, Slughorn, and Hagrid looked amused, whereas McGonagall appeared rather sceptical.
‘Well, would you look at that… we’ve got a little fan club,’ said Dumbledore, smiling as he stroked his beard.
Hagrid laughed loudly and slapped Mulciber on the back so hard he stumbled forward: ‘You look exactly like me when I was just a baby.’
Charity as McGonagall and the real McGonagall both gasped indignantly at the same time and put their hands on their hips: ‘Careful, Hagrid.’
McGonagall’s critical gaze landed on Charity, but before the real McGonagall could say anything, Dumbledore laughed: ‘Simply delightful, isn’t it, Minerva? Like looking in a mirror.’
Wilkes grinned: ‘That’s exactly what I was about to say.’
‘Is that my hat by any chance?’ McGonagall’s suspicious gaze fell on Charity, who blinked innocently up at her: ‘I found it.’
Before McGonagall could say anything or punish the Hufflepuff, Auror Clearwater stepped up beside the Head of Gryffindor House: ‘Don’t be cross with her, dear colleague, but I may have helped a little with the dressing up.’
Hagrid grinned broadly, and even Dumbledore and Slughorn were smiling.
McGonagall’s expression slowly began to soften: ‘I’m impressed, truly.’
All six first-years grinned.
Dumbledore chuckled: ‘But now tell me… who’s hiding under these truly excellent costumes?’
Slughorn chuckled.
He had realised who was beneath the costumes but said nothing.
‘That won’t be revealed,’ Wilkes replied cheekily.
‘Say,’ Severus as Slughorn interjected, trying to stop Wilkes from getting into trouble for not listening to Albus Dumbledore himself, ‘where are all the ghosts, anyway?’
‘Not appeared yet, Professor Slughorn,’ Dumbledore chuckled, enjoying playing along with the game.
Evan, as Binns, adjusted his collar and said in the same quiet, monotonous tone as the real professor: ‘Yes, yes… that reminds me of 1384. During the first Goblin wars… the river goblins’ side also didn’t show up and let the forest goblins go to the battlefield for nothing.’
‘Speaking of battlefields… I’m as hungry as a giant,’ Mulciber said, heading for the buffet, the others following him.
‘I don’t know whether to feel honoured or to give them detention,’ said Minerva McGonagall, shaking her head as she watched the six students.
Dumbledore smiled: ‘No detention today, my dear Minerva.’
Meanwhile, Severus leaned towards Evan: ‘Tell me… that bit about the Goblin wars… where did you read that? I’ve never heard of it before.’
‘No wonder,’ Evan giggled, ‘I just made it up.’

Chapter 18

The six students examined the buffet closely after the enticing smell had already spread through the entire hall, and they all agreed that it was impossible to decide what to go for.
The whole buffet had been prepared and decorated in a Halloween style.
Avery immediately helped himself to the candied apple pieces and little sugar pumpkins.
The others piled their plates with mini pumpkin pies, sausages, chicken drumsticks and small cheese casseroles.
The six were just about to sneak off to a quiet corner to eat when the door to the great hall was flung open again and James, Sirius, Remus and Peter strutted in side by side.
‘No more fear of the nasty Slytherins, my dear honourable schoolmates! For now, the brave musketeers are here to protect you!’ shouted James, and Sirius waved his rapier around.
Some girls giggled and the Slytherins responded with a collective eye-roll.
Dumbledore and McGonagall smiled, and now it was Slughorn who pulled a grumpy face and watched the four with suspicion.
Lucius and Narcissa came over to them.
The two had chosen a couples costume, a mix of elegance and eeriness.
They both wore old Baroque-style clothes.
Narcissa had on a long, Slytherin-green ball gown, and Lucius wore a black suit with a green pocket square to match Narcissa’s dress.
Both outfits were decorated with dark red bloodstains and stab marks, and the faces of the older Slytherins were ghostly white.
‘You look amazing,’ Charity admired Narcissa’s dress.
She stroked her updo proudly, clearly flattered.
Lucius swished his wand: ‘We know.’
‘So modest,’ grinned Mulciber, dodging Lucius’ wand.
Severus watched angrily as James pranced around Lily, almost taking her ear off with his sword.
‘What an arrogant tosser,’ said Evan, who had followed Severus’ gaze.
‘Typical Gryffindor,’ the others agreed, and Lucius adjusted his collar, ‘I told you that from the very start.’
Severus nodded: ‘My mum always told me that before I even came to Hogwarts.’
‘What did your mum tell you?’
Lily had appeared behind Severus and giggled as he turned around: ‘You really do look like a mini Slughorn.’
He wasn’t quite sure what to say.
In his eyes, Lily looked absolutely beautiful.
She wore a pinkish-rose dress that made a lovely contrast to her fiery red hair.
‘You look lovely,’ he finally managed.
Lily, just like Narcissa had minutes before, smiled and ran a hand through her hair: ‘Thanks, Sev.’
Mulciber eyed her: ‘What are you supposed to be, then? A fairy? A princess?’
‘Close. A noble lady of the castle.’
Mulciber just nodded: ‘Ah.’
Charity smiled: ‘Lovely dress.’
Lily smiled back: ‘Thanks,’ then grinned, ‘And how did you manage to get your hands on a real hat from Professor McGonagall?’
‘Professor Clearwater helped us,’ replied the Hufflepuff, and Lily chuckled softly, ‘Funny that she gets involved in things like this and helps you out.’
Severus nodded.
Mary and Marlene waved at Lily from the buffet table, carefully raising a pumpkin-shaped cup of Butterbeer.
‘Is there anything else to drink besides Butterbeer?’ Severus asked, eyeing the large barrel almost angrily.
‘I think there’s juice and punch too. But why don’t you want Butterbeer? It’s brilliant that we’re allowed to drink it today — and for free as well,’ said Evan, looking at Severus in confusion.
Severus hesitated for a moment.
He hated any kind of alcohol — and especially beer.
Beer was the drink his father downed in excess, which made him aggressive and had ruined both Severus’ and his mother Eileen’s life.
‘I hate alcohol,’ he said at last.
‘But there’s hardly any in it. Just a bit of beer. It’s totally harmless for us,’ Evan tried to reason with him.
‘Doesn’t matter how much.’
Lily understood Severus thoughts and stepped in: ‘If he doesn’t want any, he doesn’t have to. His reasons are none of your business.’
‘So you think you know Severus better than we do?’ Evan snapped.
Lily’s eyes sparkled: ‘Yes, I do, actually.’
‘You wish. You’re just a Gryffindor.’
‘Just a Gryffindor?!’
‘Is there a problem, Evans? Does the fair lady need rescuing?’ James and Sirius had arrived and positioned themselves behind Lily.
‘Back off, Potter. My life’s none of your bloody business,’ she snapped.
‘Yeah, get lost.’
The Slytherins and Gryffindors now stood facing each other like duelists — with the exception that Lily was equally furious with both sides.
Severus felt increasingly cornered and uncomfortable.
A pang of guilt mixed into the mess of emotions.
If he’d just kept quiet, Lily wouldn’t have defended him, and then she and his Slytherin friends wouldn’t have started arguing.
James and Sirius eventually moved on, and Severus cleared his throat: ‘No fighting, yeah?’
Lily simply nodded: ‘The wiser one gives in, as they say. See you around, Sev.’
With a wave, she slipped off to join her friends.
‘The wiser one gives in...’ Evan mocked Lily and earned an annoyed look from Charity and an angry glare from Severus.
He raised his hands defensively: ‘Alright, alright... I’ll be quiet.’
Over time, the Great Hall filled up, and more and more students arrived, wearing the funniest, most extravagant and most colourful costumes.
When almost all the students had arrived and helped themselves at the buffet, McGonagall turned on the record player and the first student couples stepped onto the dance floor.
After a good hour, almost all the students and teachers were on the dance floor, dancing wildly and joyfully to the music.
Only Severus had slipped outside and was looking up at the starry sky.
When he heard a quiet noise behind him, he turned around abruptly, suspecting an attack from James and Sirius.
But neither of them was in sight.
It was Pandora, who smiled at him: ‘Hello, Severus.’
He exhaled quietly with relief: ‘Hello.’
The blonde girl, who had carefully braided large feathers into her hair, stood next to him: ‘Is it too loud in there for you?’
Severus nodded: ‘You too?’
‘It’s alright. I prefer it when my surroundings are quiet and not so crowded.’
Severus smiled slightly: ‘Same here.’
It made him happy that he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
He didn’t like it at all when his surroundings were too loud, the light too bright, and people constantly came too close.
The two of them stood quietly side by side for a while, looking up at the starry sky.
From the Great Hall, the muffled sound of loud music and their classmates’ laughter and talking could still be heard.
When the music became quieter and the conversations faded, Pandora said: ‘I think the award ceremony is starting now. Are you coming back in?’
Severus nodded and walked beside her: ‘What kind of feathers are those?’
Pandora smiled: ‘They’re from a Hippogriff. Pretty, aren’t they?’
The black-haired Slytherin nodded again: ‘And where did you get them?’
‘From Hagrid,’ she giggled, ‘the real Hagrid. Really funny costumes, by the way. Very convincingly real.’
He grinned slightly: ‘That was Charity’s idea.’
Pandora laughed softly: ‘She already told me.’
When they arrived back in the Great Hall, Severus went over to his friends and Pandora stood next to Xenophilius and Aurora.
All the students looked eagerly at Dumbledore, who was now holding the trophy, from which a few sweets were already falling out.
‘We’ve been watching you and your costumes very closely this evening and have thought carefully about who put the most effort and creativity into their costume,’ the Headmaster began, looking around the Great Hall attentively as he spoke.
‘We’ve now chosen a winner, and the winners are...’ he paused dramatically and smiled, ‘Alice Fortescue and Frank Longbottom of Gryffindor, for their charming costumes as mouse and piece of cheese.’
Everyone turned to look at the two of them and clapped wildly, with the Gryffindors clapping especially loudly.
Only the Slytherins didn’t clap.
Severus joined in clapping at first, but when he noticed how grim his friends looked and that they weren’t clapping, he quickly stopped again.
Both waved a little shyly, and Alice adjusted her mouse ears while Frank, grinning enthusiastically, accepted the shiny trophy full of sweets from Dumbledore: ‘Thank you.’
Severus thought, even though he couldn’t admit it in front of his friends, that the two of them looked great and had rightfully won.
Alice had conjured on some whiskers and made herself a long mouse tail, and Frank looked like a big piece of cheese with two arms, legs and a head, and he smelled suspiciously of gouda.
Immediately, all the Gryffindors crowded around the two of them to help themselves to the sweets, but Alice and Frank didn’t allow it, as they had decided to save the sweets and, if anything, eat them themselves.
It was getting late, and Dumbledore made another announcement that first- to third-years now had to go to bed.
The fourth- and fifth-years could stay for another hour, and the sixth- and seventh-years would be allowed to decide for themselves when they wanted to go to bed.
The first two years grumbled a bit, but followed Dumbledore’s instructions.
Outside the Great Hall, Charity said goodbye to the Slytherins and walked down the stairs to the Hufflepuff common room together with Pandora.
Severus looked around for Lily, but she had her back to him and was laughing at something Marlene had said.
And so he walked off without saying goodbye, returning to the dungeons with his friends.
Once they had arrived in the dungeons, the five of them put all the things they had "borrowed" from the teachers into a pile so they could return them to their owners the next day.
Then they all crawled tiredly into bed.
His friends were still annoyed about the fact that Alice and Frank had won.
‘It was obvious no one from Slytherin would win,’ said Mulciber, and everyone nodded.
‘Just because old Dumbledore’s a Gryffindor,’ Avery added.
‘I’m telling you… most of the teachers hate us,’ Evan nodded. ‘At least the ones who weren’t in Slytherin themselves.’
‘And even when you try to be friends with people from other houses, you just get left out,’ Evan said, and explained, ‘Professor Clearwater told me today that she’s a Slytherin…’
‘That explains why she’s so nice to us,’ Wilkes, who had secretly stayed behind with them, interrupted.
Everyone nodded again, and then Evan continued: ‘Anyway, she told me that during her Auror training, she was bullied because she was a Slytherin. No one trusted her, and she was always excluded.’
The other five gasped in outrage.
‘And she stayed there?’
‘I would never have stayed.’
‘You try to be good, and it’s still wrong.’
‘And then they’re surprised we Slytherins don’t want to become Aurors.’
‘Exactly like my dad always says – they treat us like monsters and then act surprised when we become monsters.’
Everyone started speaking at once, complaining about the unfairness of it all.
But Severus was too tired to join in the conversation.
He had already pulled his blanket up to the tip of his nose and closed his eyes.

At the same time, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were still awake, going over the events of the day.
Remus and Peter had really enjoyed the evening; both were in a good mood, though very tired.
Only James and Sirius were still wide awake – and furious.
‘Mouse and cheese.’
‘Just picture it.’
‘How ridiculous… and they’re Gryffindors.’
‘We should’ve won.’
They kept ranting until Remus had had enough and sat up, annoyed.
‘Oh, just shut up already. It was still a lovely evening, and both of you have enough money to buy as many sweets as you want. And having a go at Alice and Frank like that – it’s not cool.’
As soon as the words had left his mouth, he suddenly felt a pang of fear at his own boldness.
He remembered how James and Sirius treated classmates they didn’t like or who got in their way, and he was afraid of now becoming one of those classmates – of having turned them against him.
He swallowed hard and briefly considered brushing it off as a joke, but that wasn’t an option.
After all, it was the truth.
But with each passing second, he felt more uncomfortable.
Only when James and Sirius grumbled quietly, lay down and pulled up their blankets, did he breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
‘Yeah, yeah… Saint Remus,’ James muttered, and the eye-roll in Sirius’s voice was impossible to miss as he added, ‘you ruin everything.’
They said nothing else, which eased Remus, even though Sirius’s comment had stung.
He couldn’t help but think of how they had mocked his first costume idea the day before.
But he pushed the thought aside, because the pride he felt over the fact that they had listened to and respected his opinion now far outweighed the rest.
The others fell asleep relatively quickly, but he lay awake for quite some time, unable to stop thinking about the upcoming full moon.
Eventually, though, tiredness overtook him. He snuggled deeper into his warm blanket and finally fell asleep.

Chapter 19

Severus spent the following day alone in the library, reading.
He needed some peace and time to himself.
The entire Halloween party in the loud, glaring, and crowded hall had stressed him out, and he felt exhausted and drained.
And the library was just perfect — it was quiet and empty, just the way he liked it.
And here, it didn’t smell of overly sweet or greasy fried food, but only of parchment, old books, and a hint of ink.
His friends spent the day outside, swimming in the lake or playing chess by the water.
Lucius and Narcissa had stayed in the common room, and he didn’t even want to know what they were doing there.
Charity was off with Pandora, Aurora, and Xenophilius, and he didn’t know where Lily was, though he assumed she was with Mary and Marlene.
Severus enjoyed the silence of the library and was completely absorbed in his book about creating one’s own potions.
He had stretched out on one of the sofas in the library and was completely unaware of his surroundings.
Only a mocking ‘Well, well, Snivellus’ made him jolt upright.
James and Sirius stood in front of him, wands drawn.
He knew it was too late to pull his own wand, and even if he had, he would have had no chance against both Gryffindors together.
‘What do you want?’ he asked, staring at them with hatred.
A dark, paralyzing, fearful feeling crept up inside him.
No one was around to hear what happened to him.
Severus no longer trusted them one bit — not even the library felt like a safe space anymore.
He could have cried — from anger, fear, and sadness.
But he forbade himself to do so.
He didn’t want to show any weakness, especially not in front of James and Sirius.
His father had drilled into him from a young age that crying was unmanly and that only losers cried.
Sirius grinned maliciously: ‘Us? Nothing.’
Severus narrowed his eyes into slits.
He didn’t believe a word they said.
James looked at him innocently — or at least tried to — but his eyes gleamed with malice. ‘We’re just trying to have a friendly and civilised chat with you, Snivellus.’
Severus stood up: ‘But I don’t want to talk to you.’
Sirius muttered a quiet spell and flung him back onto the sofa: ‘Nobody asked your opinion, Snivellus.’
‘And you call yourselves true Gryffindors? Two against one… how incredibly brave,’ Severus glared at the two of them angrily.
‘SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!’, James shouted hysterically, and to Severus, he looked more and more like a madman.
Sirius, too, was shaking with rage, but something else flickered in his brown eyes: ‘Don’t you dare talk about Gryffindors like that! Don’t you dare even speak about Gryffindor! We are the honourable house! Not the one everyone hates… and rightfully so!’
‘Rightfully?’, Severus jumped to his feet again and was immediately thrown back.
‘Yes, rightfully!’
‘What are you doing there?’, Bertram Aubrey stood between two tall shelves and eyed the scene suspiciously.
‘Get lost, loser!’, Sirius spat at him, but Bertram remained where he was, unfazed, ‘I’ll go get McGonagall if you don’t leave him alone.’
James and Sirius backed off without a word, brushed past Bertram on their way to the door, bumping into him roughly and shoving him aside as they disappeared.
Severus stared after them with hostility, and Bertram’s expression was anything but friendly, too.
‘Why does everyone like them…’, Bertram finally growled, and Severus shrugged.
‘Probably because they’re afraid of being bullied themselves. That’s how it always is in the films I know. The biggest school bullies are always popular. Just because they’re rich and supposedly good-looking,’ Bertram answered his own question.
Severus looked up: ‘Films? Are you a half-blood too or muggleborn?’
‘Muggleborn,’ Bertram replied, then looked at him curiously: ‘Did you grow up in the Muggle world? Because you know about films, I mean.’
Severus nodded: ‘Yeah, I did. My mum’s a witch and my dad’s a Muggle.’
‘That must have its advantages… knowing both worlds, I mean. I only found out about all this a few months ago,’ Bertram said.
The Slytherin hesitated for a moment.
Bertram had a point, really — and yet, he would have given anything to grow up entirely in the wizarding world and never have known — more endured — his father.
But on the other hand, he would never have met Lily.
So he simply said: ‘Yeah, you’re right.’
Bertram smiled at him kindly, took a book from the shelf and disappeared.
Severus, too, stood up quickly and hurried off, the book he had been reading tucked under his arm, making his way down the stairs towards the Slytherin common room.
After all, that really was the only place in the whole castle where James and Sirius couldn’t come and attack him.
He sighed quietly and thought about how much he had looked forward to Hogwarts, and now his time here was turning into just as much of a nightmare as his home.
Why couldn’t he live in peace anywhere, and finally have some happiness and joy?
Severus quickly wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and entered the Slytherin common room, heading straight to the room he shared with Evan, Avery and Mulciber.
Once inside, he lay down on his bed, opened the book to the page he had left off on, and began reading again.
When the great tower clock struck noon, calling the students to lunch, he looked up in confusion.
He hadn’t noticed how much time had passed since he’d started reading.
After pushing the book and the parchment with a few notes he had taken to the side, he returned to the common room, about to leave when he heard Narcissa arguing with her sister Andromeda.
‘Think about the consequences for once, Andromeda! I’m begging you,’ Narcissa’s voice sounded pleading.
Andromeda’s voice, on the other hand, was cool: ‘No one ever thinks about me. My wishes and feelings are always ignored by all of you!’
‘That’s not true! We’re only doing this because we care about you!’
‘But I love him, Narcissa. Can’t you understand that at all?’
‘No, I can’t! Not only is he a Mud—’, she stopped herself at her sister’s furious expression, ‘not only is he Muggle-born and in Hufflepuff… he doesn’t share any of our values. How could he? And he would destroy our family tree.’
‘And that’s why I’m supposed to act like Bellatrix and marry someone our parents choose for me?’
‘Bella and Rodolphus love each other, Andromeda.’
‘Yes, now they do. But they only got together in the first place because of our parents’ “arrangement”.’
‘But this isn’t about Bella and Rodolphus right now. It’s about you and Ted Tonks.’
‘I won’t break up with him, Narcissa. And you can go ahead and tell Mother and Father that, exactly like I said it.’
‘So you’re choosing him?’ Narcissa’s voice had grown resigned and quiet.
‘Yes. Yes, I suppose I am,’ Andromeda Black said, and with those words, she turned and left the Slytherin common room.
Narcissa watched her go for a long while, even after the stone entrance had long since closed again.
Then she bent down, picked up the prefect’s badge that Andromeda had dropped, and carefully placed it on one of the tables.
Severus stepped cautiously and quietly out of his hiding place, nervously tugging at the sleeves of his school robes.
‘Is… is everything all right?’ he asked softly, his voice a little uncertain.
Narcissa, who had seated herself in one of the dark leather armchairs and buried her face in her hands, looked up and hastily wiped a few tears from the corners of her eyes: ‘Severus? Were you eavesdropping?!’
‘I… er, yes… I’m sorry… I was just on my way to lunch.’
She waved him off: ‘Forget it. I suppose you’ve figured out what our argument was about... or rather, what it was about. She seems to have made her decision.’
‘I didn’t really understand what it was about,’ Severus said, looking at the older girl with some concern.
He could clearly feel that the whole matter was weighing heavily on Narcissa.
She sighed quietly and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair.
‘I don’t know if an explanation would help much… It’s about things that concern proud pure-blood families, and I’m not sure if you can truly relate to that — as a half-blood, I mean.’
Severus glanced briefly out of the window and into the depths of the Black Lake.
It was the first time he had ever felt like he didn’t fully belong in Slytherin.
Narcissa didn’t notice his inner conflict and continued speaking.
‘And I don’t even know if I should be telling you this… but it’ll probably be all over the school soon anyway, so what difference does it make?’
Severus turned back to face her, trying to push aside the empty, lonely feeling that had crept up inside him.
‘It’s about my sister Andromeda and her boyfriend Ted Tonks,’ Narcissa began, and Severus nodded.
Narcissa sighed softly and continued, carefully choosing her words: ‘We don’t like him…’
‘Why?’ Severus asked a little hesitantly, ‘Does he not treat her well?’
Narcissa waved the question off: ‘That’s not it… but he’s muggleborn.’
Confusion spread across Severus’s face: ‘And?’
He didn’t understand what the problem was.
‘We — the Blacks — place great importance on keeping our family pure-blooded. Well, if Andromeda marries this guy, then we won’t be anymore.’
‘Hmm…’ slowly, Severus began to understand what Narcissa meant, though he still couldn’t relate to it.
He thought of his mother.
The Princes had been a large and proud pure-blood family too, and they had disowned Eileen when she chose to marry the Muggle Tobias Snape.
Although, in that case, it might have been better if Eileen had listened to her parents.
Then she wouldn’t now be forced — almost entirely and certainly not by choice — to give up her magic, live in poverty, and be shouted at constantly.
Instead, she might have been able to live in the wizarding world, probably with a far better man — a half-blood or even a pure-blood — and she could have embraced her talent and love for Potions.
And Severus himself… he could do the same.
Or perhaps he wouldn’t even exist.
‘Severus?’ Narcissa’s voice broke through his thoughts, ‘Were you listening?’
‘I missed the last part,’ he admitted, looking at her apologetically.
‘I said that our parents are very strict when it comes to this kind of thing, and that they’ll disown Andromeda if she chooses him… which she has,’ Narcissa sighed quietly again and twisted one of her blonde strands of hair around her fingers.
‘And now?’ Severus asked somewhat uncertainly.
‘Now she can’t come home again… she’ll be disinherited… erased from the family tree… and we’re not to have any contact with her… all of that,’ Narcissa sighed for the third time.
‘Oh… I’m sorry,’ Severus said, looking at the older girl with sympathy.
The despair on her face was clear — but it quickly turned to anger.
‘But honestly… a Mudblood… what is she even thinking?’
Severus flinched slightly.
It was the first time he’d heard someone say that word aloud.
He knew, of course, that it was an insult, but he’d never imagined hearing it spoken with such hatred and disgust — and it made him feel deeply uncomfortable.
‘I– I’m one too…’ he said carefully.
‘That’s different,’ Narcissa replied in a firm tone. ‘You’re a half-blood, and your mother comes from an old pure-blood family. And you’re in Slytherin.’
Severus didn’t really know what to say to that.
What Narcissa said was true — but still, he suddenly felt like he didn’t truly belong anywhere.
Not in Slytherin, because he wasn’t a pure-blood and didn’t come from an ancient pure family, and because he was friends with Muggleborns — and not in any of the other houses, because he was proud to be half a Prince, and because he was friends with Slytherins.
Not in the magical world, because he was a half-blood, and not in the Muggleworld, because he was a half-blood. It was a dreadful feeling.
He sighed quietly and simply said: ‘Well… yeah… but—’
‘Exactly,’ Narcissa cut him off, not letting him finish, ‘And now let’s change the subject and go eat… the bell rang a while ago.’
Severus nodded and walked up the stone dungeon steps beside Narcissa and into the Great Hall.
Once inside, he sat down between Mulciber and Wilkes at the Slytherin table.
Charity waved at him from the Hufflepuff table.
Severus gave a small wave back and then helped himself to some food.
But he wasn’t really hungry, so he only picked at the casserole on his plate.
After a while, Mulciber leaned over to him: ‘Don’t you like it?’
‘No, I do,’ Severus replied and, as if to prove it, pushed a forkful of casserole into his mouth.
‘You sure?’ Avery, whose hair was still damp, also glanced over at him, ‘You weren’t down by the lake with us at all today either.’
‘I’m fine,’ said Severus, keeping his inner conflict to himself, ‘I just need a bit of quiet today.’
Avery nodded and didn’t ask any further questions.
After dinner, Severus retreated to his room to read.
Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes, on the other hand, went back down to the lake to swim and splash around some more.
Meanwhile, there was a knock at the door of Severus and his friends’ room.
He looked up: ‘Yes?’
Lucius stuck his head into the room: ‘May I come in?’
Severus nodded and sat up: ‘Sure. What is it?’
Lucius stepped inside and sat down at the foot of Severus’s bed: ‘I wanted to ask whether you’ve already decided if you’ll accept my invitation.’
Severus shook his head: ‘No, sorry. I’m still waiting to hear whether Lily will be around during the holidays or not.’
‘Why? What does she have to do with it?’
‘Well... I...’ Severus wasn’t sure how to explain it to Lucius: ‘I’d like to spend the holidays with her... like we used to. Before Hogwarts, I mean. But if she’s not around, I’d be happy to come to you.’
‘So I’m your backup plan?’
‘What? No—I... I’d really be happy to come to you.’ Severus’s eyes widened in alarm.
That was definitely not what he had meant, and the last thing he wanted was to upset Lucius.
Lucius grinned: ‘Relax, don’t worry. Take your time with the decision. Even if I don’t understand why you’d want to spend your time with... Evans.’
The cold, startled feeling in his chest quickly faded and was replaced by relief that Lucius understood him.
‘We’re friends,’ said Severus, and Lucius rolled his eyes.
‘Oh, come on, Severus... She’s a Gryffindor and a Mudblood. You’re better than her.’
‘Don’t call her that,’ he asked quietly and uncertainly.
Lucius laughed: ‘Severus... the great defender of the Mudbloods.’
And with that, the blond Slytherin disappeared out the door again.
Severus let himself fall back onto his bed.
He felt awful.

Chapter 20

Severus stayed in his room for the rest of the day and was quieter than usual.
He kept thinking about what Narcissa and Lucius had said.
He couldn't talk about it with his other friends, as he was certain they felt the same way as the two of them.
His friends did notice something was off, but they all agreed not to mention it, so as not to upset or anger him.
Even at dinner later that evening, he was deep in thought.
He didn't know what to do.
Ending his friendship with Lucius, Evan, Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes wasn't an option for him.
After all, they had always been there for him, had helped him, defended him, and he shared a room with them and had lessons with them too.
But he also absolutely didn't want to upset or lose Lily.
She meant so much to him.
After all, she had also always been there for him and had been his first friend.
And besides, Mulciber, Avery, Evan and Wilkes were also friends with Charity, and she was, just like Lily, muggleborn.
So they couldn’t really be that against Muggleborns.
And as for Lucius's remarks – he would just ignore them.
After dinner, he went to the library to get some new books.
He kept glancing around suspiciously, but to his relief, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were nowhere to be seen.
When he returned to the room, Evan and Mulciber were there alone, playing wizard chess.
‘Where’s Avery?’ he asked in surprise, looking around in confusion.
‘He’s still out with Wilkes,’ Evan replied, moving one of his pieces and capturing one of Mulciber’s pawns.
Mulciber ground his teeth in frustration: ‘Damn... I should’ve seen that coming,’ he muttered, then turned to Severus and added, ‘They said they wanted to try something, but didn’t say what exactly – and we didn’t ask.’
Severus just nodded and sat down next to Mulciber on the carpet, watching the two of them play.
He had never played chess before, and when he told Evan and Mulciber this, the two spent the rest of the evening teaching him how to play.
Still, Severus couldn’t really share their enthusiasm.
It was a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but he didn’t find it nearly as exciting or brilliant as his two friends did.
Later that night, Severus couldn’t sleep.
He tossed and turned for ages, threw off the covers and pulled them back on again, got himself something to drink, and eventually started reading under the blanket using the light from his wand.
He’d taught himself the spell for that and was quite proud that it had worked.
And when even that didn’t help, he finally got up.
He’d decided to get a bit of fresh air.
Just as he was about to leave the room, he heard Avery whisper behind him: ‘Can’t sleep either?’
Severus turned quietly and looked over at the wiry blond boy: ‘No... how long have you been awake?’
Avery ran a hand through his hair and yawned: ‘A while.’
Severus nodded in understanding, but before he could say anything, Avery whispered: ‘Do you want to go out?’
When Severus nodded again, Avery climbed out of his bed: ‘I’ll come with you.’
The dark-haired boy waited while Avery pulled on his dressing gown, then the two of them crept out one after the other.
The two Slytherins sneaked out of the common room and up the stairs.
Out in the corridor, Severus looked moodily out of the large windows: ‘Full moon... of course it is.’
Avery nodded: ‘I can never sleep during a full moon either.’
Then he seemed to perk up: ‘So? What shall we do now?’
Severus shrugged: ‘I just wanted to get a bit of fresh air and then go back to bed.’
‘Oh, come on, that’s boring. Let’s explore the castle a bit more – like we did at the start. Maybe we’ll find more secret passages,’ Avery ran ahead.
Severus followed with a quiet sigh: ‘It’s Monday tomorrow and we’ve got school. We should go to bed – and I still want some fresh air.’
Avery just rolled his eyes, continued down the corridor and finally stepped outside, taking a deep breath: ‘There’s your fresh air.’
Severus also breathed in deeply and briefly closed his eyes.
He got goosebumps almost immediately and pulled the thin nightshirt – which had originally belonged to his mother – tighter around himself.
He desperately hoped that Avery wouldn’t notice, or at least wouldn’t say anything.
Not like Petunia, who mocked him every time for it, and even Lily had teased him about wearing his parents’ old clothes, at least in the beginning.
His parents couldn’t afford clothes of his own.
The only thing he’d ever been given just for himself was a pair of second-hand shoes, since his father’s had been far too big for him.
Avery’s sneeze brought him back to the present.
It wasn’t especially cold, but the chilly wind swirling around the castle made both of them shiver.
Avery, wrapped in his warm dressing gown, was also trembling: ‘Let’s go back inside. You’re freezing too.’
Severus nodded in relief, and the two of them hurried back in.
Once inside, Avery looked around keenly: ‘So, what shall we explore first?’
Severus yawned: ‘Seriously? You really want to wander around the castle now? It’s well past midnight.’
Avery had just been about to call Severus a bore and uptight when they heard distant voices.
Avery grabbed Severus by the arm and pulled him behind a corner.
Severus had heard the voices too, so he said nothing, but pulled his arm back.
As the voices drew closer, Severus recognised them.
‘That’s Madam Pomfrey,’ he whispered to Avery, who was standing behind him and had to rise onto his tiptoes to peer over his shoulder.
‘And the other one’s that loser Lupin,’ the blond boy whispered.
Severus nodded: ‘Weren’t they out together last time too… you know, when we first started exploring the castle?’
Avery nodded, though Severus didn’t notice, so he quietly added: ‘Right. What are they always doing out here?’
Severus simply shrugged and hissed a quiet ‘Shhh,’ as Madam Pomfrey and Remus, who looked exhausted, were now very close.

‘Thank you very much, Madam,’ Remus was saying, and Pomfrey nodded, ‘Of course, Mr Lupin.’
Remus yawned and ran a tired hand through his hair.
‘Get some rest now, and you’re excused from lessons tomorrow.’
Remus nodded and thanked her again.
Poppy Pomfrey gave him a small bottle and added: ‘This is for the wound on your forehead. Apply the cream gently and sparingly. It works best if you use it once every hour.’

What Remus replied, the two Slytherins didn’t hear, as Pomfrey and the Gryffindor were already heading off in the direction of the staircase to the Gryffindor common room.
‘Wonder what Lupin’s done,’ Severus whispered thoughtfully.
‘Maybe he fell out of bed,’ Avery whispered back with a gleeful snicker at the idea.
‘No idea,’ Severus yawned again, ‘and I don’t really care right now. I just want to go to bed. I’m cold and tired.’
After Avery nodded, the two Slytherins quietly made their way back to their common room.
Once in their dormitory, Severus curled up in bed straight away.
He was still cold, but the warmth of his soft bed lulled him to sleep quickly.
The next morning, he was woken by someone throwing a wet cloth in his face.
He sat up with a start, spluttering.
But it was only Evan and Mulciber, who were doubled over with laughter: ‘Wake up, sleepyhead!’
As he grumpily crawled out of bed, he noticed that Avery’s hair was dripping too.
Apparently, the two had woken him the same way.
‘How incredibly funny,’ the blond boy grumbled, and Severus also rolled his eyes and wiped a few wet strands of hair from his forehead.
Evan and Mulciber were still laughing: ‘We thought so too.’
Once they’d calmed down, Mulciber asked: ‘Why are you two so tired anyway?’
Avery yawned as he got dressed: ‘Severus and I couldn’t sleep, so we went on a little exploration round the castle.’
‘I only wanted a bit of fresh air,’ Severus added, and Avery grinned.
Once Severus and Avery were dressed, they headed up the dungeon stairs with the other three to go to the Great Hall for breakfast.
As they walked, Severus suddenly remembered the brief encounter with Madam Pomfrey and Remus.
‘We weren’t the only ones out last night, by the way,’ said Avery, as if he’d guessed that Severus had just been about to say the same thing.
Mulciber, Wilkes and Evan looked at their two friends curiously, slightly confused: ‘Who else was there?’
‘Madam Pomfrey and Lupin,’ said the blond Slytherin.
‘Lupin? Why?’ asked Mulciber, as if Avery and Severus were expected to know the answer.
Both simply shrugged.
‘Maybe he was feeling sick,’ Severus guessed.
‘Or poor little Remus had a nightmare and needed a cuddle,’ mocked Mulciber, and Evan, Avery and Wilkes laughed nastily.
Severus gave a half-hearted laugh, but at the same time, he couldn’t help wishing he had someone who would cuddle him.
Who would hold him properly, lovingly, just once.
He couldn’t even remember the last time his mother had truly hugged him with warmth.
It had probably been years — and his father had never done so.
That much was certain.
It always seemed to him that everyone else had loving, caring parents — everyone but him.

At the same time, in the Gryffindor common room, Sirius pulled the blanket off Peter: ‘Up you get, Peterpiet!’
Peter grumbled but got up, yawning, and started slowly putting on his school uniform, still half-asleep.
James, already fully dressed, was standing at the foot of Remus’s bed: ‘Remus? Are you still alive?’
No response.
‘Get up, you lazy git!’
Still nothing.
James was beginning to grow concerned.
He stepped closer to Remus and leaned down: ‘Remus? Are you okay?’
Remus opened one eye halfway and then pulled the blanket over his head: ‘I don’t feel well. I think I’d better stay in bed and go to Madam Pomfrey later.’
Sirius, who had just been about to put on his shoes, froze mid-movement: ‘Then I’ll stay too. I can’t possibly leave you all alone, Remus.’
James grinned: ‘You just want to skive… Brilliant idea.’
Remus’s voice came muffled from under the blanket: ‘No way.’
Sirius looked offended: ‘Oh, come on, Remus… don’t be such a spoilsport. And besides, you’ll probably be incredibly bored.’
James backed him up: ‘Exactly. Just imagine it… lying here all day. Alone. In a quiet room. No one to talk to. All day long.’
‘Alright, alright… you win.’
James and Sirius high-fived, and Peter also looked thrilled and began taking off his uniform to put his pyjamas back on.
James stood in front of the mirror and put on a pained expression: ‘Yes, Madam Pomfrey… I’m feeling absolutely dreadful,’ he said, and gave a fake cough.
Sirius burst out laughing: ‘That was the worst fake cough I’ve ever heard.’
Peter and Remus, who still looked very pale, grinned as well.
A short while later, all four Gryffindors were tucked up in bed, covers pulled up to their noses.
Remus and Peter were both fast asleep.
Remus lay still in his bed, his Gryffindor-red pillow covering his face, and Peter was snoring quietly.
James and Sirius, however, grew bored quickly.
James began tossing a small red ball, which his parents had sent him by owl post, up at the ceiling and catching it again.
Sirius, after unsuccessfully trying to fall back asleep, had sat up in bed and begun writing a letter.
‘Who are you writing to?’ James asked, and as he turned his attention to Sirius, the ball smacked him in the face.
Once Sirius had finished laughing at his friend, he replied: ‘My brother.’
James nodded and yawned lazily: ‘What are you writing to him?’
Sirius grinned: ‘Something my parents will absolutely hate.’
James grinned too: ‘Sounds promising. What is it?’
‘That it’s brilliant here, and he absolutely has to get into Gryffindor, and that I’ve made friends with you and two half-bloods,’ he said cheerfully.
James got up and half crawled under his bed to retrieve the small ball that had rolled underneath.
‘Your parents really do hate Gryffindor, don’t they?’
Sirius rolled his eyes: ‘My parents hate everything that isn’t Slytherin, pure-blood, and a fan of You-Know-Who.’
‘Sounds like hell.’
‘It is.’
‘And your brother? What’s he like?’
‘Similar,’ Sirius began, and James already pulled a face in disgust, but Sirius continued,
‘I’m hoping I can have a bit of a good influence on him.’
‘Let’s hope so,’ said James, and Sirius nodded, ‘If he ends up in Slytherin, I definitely don’t want anything to do with him.’
‘Me neither. I stay well away from Death Eaters.’
‘Same here. Nothing more revolting,’ Sirius said, stuffing the letter into an envelope and scribbling something on it that James couldn’t make out.
Then he tossed aside his Potions book, which he’d been using as a writing surface.
James was just about to tuck himself in again when Sirius jumped out of bed with a mischievous glint in his eye.
‘Fancy sneaking off to the Owlery?’
James instantly perked up, wide awake: ‘You even have to ask? Of course!’
The two boys dressed quickly and quietly.
Then the two Gryffindors slipped out and pulled the door shut as silently as possible, so as not to wake Remus and Peter.
In the Gryffindor common room, they hid behind a corner for a moment, as some classmates – including Lily and Marlene – were returning to grab a few books they needed for the next classes.
The boys held their breath until their housemates had disappeared again.
James didn’t take his eyes off Lily, which Sirius cheekily commented on with a raised eyebrow and a wink.
James said nothing and simply pushed his friend out the door.
Outside, they looked around carefully, and once they were sure no one was about, they sprinted down the corridor and then down the stairs.
The Fat Lady looked after them, scandalised: ‘Shouldn’t you two be in class?’
But James and Sirius didn’t hear her anymore.
Once downstairs, they had to hide in a niche again as Peeves crossed their path.
He was dragging an old barrel up the stairs, and it was sloshing suspiciously.
‘That annoying little–’ Sirius began, but James quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.
Once Peeves and his barrel were out of sight and earshot, they slipped from their hiding spot, dashed down the corridor and then outside.
Constantly checking their surroundings, they darted towards the Owlery.
They felt like spies, and when they finally stood amongst the owls at the top of the tower, they high-fived each other proudly for not getting caught.
Sirius grabbed an owl, tied his letter to its leg and gave it a little push: ‘Off you go.’
Once the owl had taken off, he turned back to the bespectacled boy: ‘Fancy doing something else?’
James shook his head: ‘We’d better head back. If Pomfrey comes looking for us and can’t find us, and since we’re fully dressed, we can’t exactly pretend we were just in the loo.’
Sirius yawned with boredom: ‘You sound like Remus... always so sensible. But all right.’
The two dashed back into the castle and were just about to sneak up the stairs when they heard angry shouting, shrieks, splashing water, and Peeves’ gleeful cackling.
Sirius and James quickly slipped into a nearby niche by the staircase.
‘That stupid ghost flooded the stairs,’ James hissed quietly.
‘Bloody nuisance,’ Sirius was just as annoyed.
The two exchanged a look.
Neither of them had any idea how they were supposed to get back to their common room unseen – and more importantly, dry.
They waited until Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick had sent their students back to their dormitories to change, and Peeves had floated off, cackling gleefully.
Once they were sure they were alone, they sprinted up the stairs, along the corridor, and stopped – out of breath – in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.
‘Godric’s Honour,’ James panted, and the Fat Lady looked down at the two first-years: ‘You two aren’t skipping lessons, are you?’
James and Sirius looked up at her with innocent expressions: ‘No.’
‘And I’m supposed to believe that?’
‘We’d just like to go in. Now.’
The Fat Lady huffed irritably, but swung aside to reveal the entrance to the common room.
The two Gryffindors slipped inside quickly and ran up to their dormitory.
Once there, they hastily pulled their pyjamas back on.
James grinned at his two friends across the room: ‘Unbelievable... the two sleepyheads didn’t notice a thing.’
Sirius grinned as well: ‘How can anyone sleep that deeply?’
James grinned: ‘Like two little innocent babies.’

Chapter 21

The next few weeks flew by.
Not much new happened, but since almost everything was new for the first-years, they hardly noticed.
Severus spent most of his free time wandering through the snowy surroundings with Charity, Pandora, Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes.
He had discovered that James and his friends left him alone when he was with his own friends or other Slytherins.
When he wanted to be by himself, he retreated to the dungeons or to his room.
The dungeons were his safe space.
No Gryffindor ever came there willingly, and there were a few small hidden corners as well.
He also spent a lot of time with Lily.
Most of the time, they sat together in the library talking about Potions, or they went for walks or sat by the lake.
By now, it was mid-December, and a festive Christmas mood was spreading through the castle.
The Great Lake had started to freeze over, and the snow was falling constantly.
It was growing cold in the castle, even though the fires were burning around the clock in every fireplace.
All of Hogwarts smelled of cinnamon, star anise, cloves and oranges.
Hagrid had chopped down a great fir tree, and under the delighted eyes of the first-years, it was being decorated festively.
One Friday afternoon, Severus had just dropped off his school things in his room and was on his way up to the library to meet Lily when she came running towards him.
‘Sev!’ she stumbled, caught herself, and stopped in front of him, waving an envelope excitedly.
He looked at her in alarm: ‘Are you alright?’
She nodded and waved his concern away: ‘I’m fine,’ she panted, then went on quickly, ‘Guess what! We – my parents, Tuni and I – are going skiing over the holidays, and we’re going to stay in a mountain hut really high up in the mountains and cook our own food! Isn’t that cool?’
He froze for a moment as he realised what that meant – she wouldn’t be around during the holidays.
‘That sounds great,’ he forced a smile, then asked, just to be sure, ‘And you’ll be away the whole holiday?’
Lily nodded brightly, seemingly unaware that her best friend was disappointed.
He really wanted to be happy for her, but he couldn’t help feeling sad that he had hoped to spend some time with her.
He would have gone home, endured his father’s moods and drinking, just to be able to see her.
Spending time with her would have made all of that easier to bear.
Now, having to face it all alone again dampened his spirits.
But then he remembered Lucius’s offer – and that he didn’t have to go home after all – and that thought cheered him up quite a bit.
‘Can we maybe reschedule our meeting?’ Lily asked now, looking up at him pleadingly.
‘Why?’ Severus was confused.
Neither of them had any more lessons today, and Lily had only confirmed their meeting again that morning – she had discovered a controversial potion and wanted to hear his thoughts on it.
‘Well, I’d really like to tell Mary and Marlene about it. They don’t know anything yet,’ said Lily, looking up at him pleadingly with her big green eyes.
He forced a smile and nodded, trying at the same time to push away the dark, fearful feeling of being unwanted and pushed aside: ‘Of course. We can talk some other time.’
Lily smiled: ‘Thanks, Sev. See you,’ and with that, she rushed back up the stairs.
Severus watched her for a moment, then turned to head back to the Slytherin common room to tell Lucius that he’d be happy to accept his invitation.
He had just turned around when, as if out of nowhere, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter appeared.
All four Gryffindors looked at him with such disdain that he felt like some disgusting insect.
‘Well, Snivellus,’ Sirius sneered.
‘Did Evans ditch you?’ James smirked just as nastily, ‘If I were you, I’d get used to it.’
Remus and Peter laughed mockingly.
Severus clenched his fists and swallowed the pain and rising tears.
He would not cry.
Not now.
Not here.
And especially not in front of James and his friends.
‘What now, Snivellus? Gonna cry?’ Peter squeaked, and James burst out laughing, ‘I don’t blame Evans. I mean... just look in the mirror, Snivellus – if you can even afford one.’
Sirius nearly doubled over laughing: ‘Exactly! Hot girls like Evans want rich, good-looking boys like James or me – not a weakling who’s too poor for clean water, like you.’
That was too much.
Severus was blinded by rage and hurt, his insides burning like fire and leaving him breathless.
In a sort of daze, he had drawn his wand and shouted: ‘Expelliarmus!’
His spell sent all four boys flying several metres back, the force knocking them down hard.
Severus stood over them, trembling with fury and pain.
James and Sirius were back on their feet in a flash, ready to grab their wands and retaliate, when Professor McGonagall’s furious voice stopped them in their tracks.
‘MR SNAPE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?’
James and Sirius discreetly slipped their wands back into their pockets and pulled pained, fearful expressions onto their faces.
Severus looked up at the Gryffindor Head of House in alarm.
He had intended to explain that he had only been defending himself, but no words came.
It was as if his vocal cords had been ripped out, and he had to fight not to tremble.
‘Are you four alright?’ McGonagall now turned to James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
‘We’ll be fine, Professor McGonagall,’ James replied in a thin voice, looking up at her with big innocent eyes.
‘Best go and see Madam Pomfrey. She’ll have something for the bruises and knocks you’re all likely to be carrying.’
Once the four boys had left, McGonagall turned her gaze back to Severus.
Her concerned expression and gentle tone were gone in an instant: ‘Come with me.’
Severus followed her quietly, forcing himself not to scream in anger and pain.
This was so unbelievably unfair.
But why was he even surprised?
McGonagall was a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors always thought themselves the good and noble ones.
They hated Slytherins.
And he had even liked McGonagall.
Well, that was certainly over now.
The teacher walked ahead at a brisk pace, heading straight for Professor Slughorn’s office.
When they arrived, she knocked sharply, then stepped inside before Slughorn even had the chance to say "Come in", and slammed the door shut in Severus’s face.
He flinched and stood uncertainly outside, waiting.
For a moment, he considered just walking away — he had no idea what McGonagall was planning or whether he was even meant to stay.
But in the end, he decided against it.
Leaving would likely only make McGonagall even angrier, especially since she hadn’t given him permission to go.
A few minutes later, McGonagall emerged again and walked straight past Severus without so much as a glance.
As soon as she turned the corner and disappeared from view, Slughorn poked his head out of his office: ‘Ah, Mr Snape, there you are. Come in.’
Severus stepped into Professor Slughorn’s office and looked around curiously.
There were things in the room he had never seen before in his life.
Slughorn chuckled softly as he noticed Severus’s fascination.
Then he cleared his throat and attempted—though not very successfully—to put on a stern face.
‘From what I hear… you attacked Mr Potter, Mr Black, Mr Lupin and Mr Pettigrew.’
Severus turned to face him: ‘Well… yes… but I didn’t start it!’
Slughorn waved the comment away: ‘That’s beside the point for now. What I’m interested in is… is it true that you hit all four of them with one single spell? Or as my esteemed colleague put it—“hurled them backwards most violently”?’
Severus hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.
Slughorn’s expression looked so thrilled that Severus began to doubt the man’s sanity.
‘Mr Snape… I’m sure you’ve heard that from time to time I host small gatherings with a select group of students. Nothing serious—just a bit of food, conversation, and the exchange of ideas. And I think you’d fit in rather well. A young man as talented as yourself—in both Potions and Charms—is always welcome.’
He gave Severus a conspiratorial wink.
Severus blinked, surprised.
His Slytherin friends had already told him about the so-called Slug Club, but he’d never expected to be invited—especially not so soon.
Lucius, who was also a member, had told him that Slughorn usually favoured students from wealthy, well-known wizarding families.
‘Are… are you sure?’ Severus had to ask.
He still couldn’t quite believe Slughorn really wanted him there.
But the professor nodded and straightened his blue tie: ‘But of course. I expect great things from you, Mr Snape.’
The black-haired Slytherin gave a nervous nod, but the fluttering, excited feeling inside him quickly took over.
Maybe this Slug Club would be his chance to prove himself—and to finally feel truly accepted at Hogwarts.
But one question still nagged at him, and he couldn’t help but ask: ‘Are… are Potter and Black in it too?’
Slughorn’s expression darkened: ‘I offered it to both of them in their very first week here, but—quote—“We’d never join your stuck-up Slytherin bragging club.”’
He gave a rather indignant snort: ‘They don’t even realise what they’re missing.’
It was clear the rejection still bothered him.
Severus nodded, reassured: ‘Then I’d gladly to join.’
‘Splendid,’ said Slughorn, looking positively delighted—like a cat who had just been served its favourite meal.
‘I’ll let you know when the next gathering will take place.’
With that, he settled himself behind his massive wooden desk and began, as far as Severus could tell, reviewing the brewing instructions for Felix Felicis—the sixth-years’ latest assignment.
Severus nodded and shifted nervously from foot to foot.
Slughorn’s behaviour unsettled him.
He didn’t know whether he was allowed to leave or if Slughorn was going to give him a lecture.
Slughorn looked up: ‘Is there anything else you wish to discuss?’
Severus shook his head and twisted his fingers nervously.
‘Then you may leave,’ Slughorn said, sounding as if it was completely incomprehensible to him why Severus was still standing in front of his desk.
Severus breathed a quiet sigh of relief, nodded, and quickly slipped out.
The black-haired Slytherin was both glad and surprised at how the conversation with his Head of House had gone.
He had been certain he would get into trouble and perhaps detention, but none of that had happened.
On the contrary.
He had rather received a reward, in the form of an invitation to the Slug Club.
And the fact that James Potter and Sirius Black wouldn’t be there, nor join in the future, was doubly good.
Severus ran, glancing around suspiciously again and again, back to the dungeons and the Slytherin common room.
As he entered the common room, slightly out of breath, Lucius, who was just talking to Narcissa, looked over at him: ‘Hello, Severus. There you are.’
Severus took a deep breath and went over to the tall blond boy: ‘Hello, Lucius.’
Narcissa smiled kindly at him: ‘Hello, Severus.’
Severus smiled shyly in return and then said, addressing Lucius: ‘By the way, I’d like to come to you over the holidays, if the offer still stands.’
Lucius smiled calmly: ‘Of course. Glad you’re coming. It’ll be brilliant. You’ll get to meet part of Narcissa’s family as well.’
Severus widened his black eyes: ‘Is Sirius coming too?’
Both Narcissa and Lucius snorted dismissively: ‘Merlin, no. Nobody wants to see him here. I meant her older sister Bellatrix, her fiancé Rodolphus Lestrange, and his brother Rabastan Lestrange.’
Narcissa nodded: ‘Don’t worry. It’ll be a few relaxed and pleasant weeks.’
Severus smiled faintly and nodded with relief.
An excited, tingling feeling crept up inside him, just like back before Hogwarts.
He was looking forward to the holidays, and above all to not having to spend them alone in Spinner’s End.
Severus was just about to go to his room when Slughorn’s offer came back to him.
‘I’m in the Slug Club now, by the way,’ he said. ‘Slughorn just invited me.’
Lucius raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly impressed at Severus: ‘And that in your first year… respect.’
‘How did you manage that?’ Narcissa asked curiously.
‘He said he wants me there because I’m talented in Potions and also in spells, and that he expects great things from me.’
He deliberately left out the incident with James and his three friends.
Narcissa looked at him piercingly, as if she sensed he hadn’t told everything.
He nervously fiddled with the hem of his school uniform: ‘I think I’ll head upstairs then.’
The two older Slytherins nodded goodbye to him.
Lucius watched Severus as he walked towards his room and disappeared inside: ‘He’d make an excellent Death Eater, don’t you think?’
Narcissa gave her boyfriend a sceptical look and then began to list: ‘He’s only eleven. And half-blood. And friends with Mudbloods. And not exactly confident.’
Lucius made a dismissive hand gesture: ‘Not yet. I’ll take him under my wing.’
At the same time, Severus entered the room he shared with Avery, Evan and Mulciber.
The two were sitting on the floor playing wizard’s chess, as they pretty much always did in their free time.
Wilkes was there too.
He and Avery were teaming up against Evan and Mulciber and were just about to win.
When the four noticed Severus, they looked up.
‘Weren’t you going to meet Evans?’ Evan asked, glancing grumpily at the chessboard.
Severus nodded and then shook his head. ‘Actually, yes... but she had other plans. With her friends. And she won’t be around during the holidays either.’
Mulciber slapped him on the shoulder in a friendly manner: ‘That’s rough, mate.’
Severus shrugged briefly and said only to hide his disappointment: ‘There’ll be more holidays.’
The others nodded, and Avery triumphantly shifted a piece with a grin: ‘CHECKMATE!’
Mulciber then said a word that dropped everyone’s jaws.
‘You’re not a good loser,’ Wilkes remarked dryly, grinning.
Then they all turned to Severus.
‘What are you doing for the holidays then? Are you taking Malfoy’s offer?’
‘I already have,’ the black-haired Slytherin answered.
More nods were the response, and after they had talked about what the others were doing over the holidays, no one had any more topics left.
So Avery started, half-heartedly, to put away the chess pieces.
‘Oh, and...’ Severus began, and Avery, grateful for the interruption, let the chess pieces be and looked over at his friend.
‘I’m in the Slug Club now. Slughorn just invited me,’ Severus said.
His friends looked at him excitedly.
‘Wow.’
‘Already in first year?’
‘Respect.’
‘And you just mention it like that?’
‘Well... yeah. I—’
Again, he was interrupted.
‘How did you manage that?’
‘Exactly. Normally Slughorn doesn’t take first-years. At least, I’ve never heard of a first-year being accepted.’
Severus hesitated for a moment, then said: ‘Potter and his friends insulted and mocked me again and then… then I blasted them away with Expelliarmus. All four of them at once. McGonagall saw it and shouted at me and dragged me off to Slughorn. But he wasn’t angry at all. More like impressed. And then he invited me. He said because I’m so talented in Potions and spellwork, he could make good use of me.’
‘Respect,’ said Evan again.
Only Avery looked at him a little sceptically and incredulously: ‘So you got into trouble and those four Gryffindor idiots didn’t?’
Severus nodded.
Immediately, a tirade of hatred towards McGonagall broke out — how unfair it all was, and how it just went to show that the teachers, apart from a few exceptions like Professor Slughorn and Professor Clearwater, hated Slytherins.
Once the boys had calmed down a bit, they began planning how Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes could convince Slughorn as quickly as possible to let them into the Slug Club as well — and how they might get revenge on James, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
When it was time for dinner, the five of them, deep in conversation, made their way up to the Great Hall.
Severus glanced over at Lily, who entered laughing and chatting with her friends.
He wondered how he was going to tell her that he would be spending the holidays at Lucius’s.
She would be anything but thrilled.
Severus knew that she didn’t like Lucius or the other Slytherins.
She had made that clear more than once.
But on the other hand, she couldn’t really expect him to sit alone in Spinner’s End, endure his father’s moods and aggression, freeze, and barely have anything to eat — not when he could be spending the holidays at Lucius Malfoy’s.
It was a dreadful dilemma he found himself in.
After all, he didn’t want to disappoint any of his friends.

Chapter 22

And then the last day of school had come. Tomorrow, the holidays would begin.
All of Hogwarts was in a cheerful mess.
The students who would go home for the holidays were packing their things, tidying their dormitories and running after Peeves, who was having fun hiding their most important belongings.
Only the students who would stay at Hogwarts over the holidays were relaxed and looking forward to having the castle all to themselves.
Severus still hadn’t managed to tell Lily that he would be spending the holidays at Lucius’s place.
He had already written a letter to his mother, but it was different with Lily.
He didn’t want to disappoint her or see the look on her face.
But he also knew that he had to tell her.
Because lying to her or keeping it from her was out of the question.
So he had arranged to meet her and had firmly resolved to tell her the truth and, on that occasion, say goodbye in peace and wish her a nice holiday.
While he waited for Lily, he watched two Ravenclaw students run after Peeves, swearing, trying to get their pyjamas back while dodging the paper balls he was throwing at them with malicious laughter.
Just as the three of them noisily disappeared around the next corner, Lily appeared:
‘Hi Severus.’
She noticed the paper balls: ‘What happened here?’
‘Peeves thought it was funny to throw them at two Ravenclaws.’
‘Gosh, that ghost is so annoying.’
Severus nodded and then asked, a bit hesitantly: ‘Do you maybe want to go outside for a bit?’
The red-haired Gryffindor nodded: ‘Sure.’
The two of them left the school building and went for a walk in the snow.
‘So… why did you want to meet? So shortly before the holidays?’ Lily looked at the Slytherin with interest.
Severus hesitated for a moment: ‘I… wanted to wish you a nice holiday and tell you… something else.’
‘What is it?’ she tilted her head slightly and looked at him curiously.
‘I’ll be spending the holidays at Lucius’s.’
Lily’s smile faded: ‘Why?’
‘Well… he invited me and you’re not here and I don’t want to go back to Spinner’s End alone.’
Lily sighed quietly: ‘I do understand… but still. Lucius Malfoy? Severus... why him?’
‘He invited me… he’s always been nice and friendly to me and said he wanted to introduce me to his and Narcissa’s family.’
‘Alright then, I suppose I can’t change your mind. Have a nice holiday and don’t listen to Lucius if he speaks badly about others, okay?’
‘Promise.’
Lily nodded, reassured, and gave him a brief hug: ‘Then have a nice holiday and see you soon.’
Severus smiled faintly and briefly lost himself in her sparkling green eyes.
She just had the most beautiful eyes.
‘See you soon and have fun skiing,’ he added.
‘Thanks,’ she waved with a smile and then hurried back into the castle.
Severus looked up briefly at the snowy sky and then went back into the building as well to pack the rest of his things.
Once he reached his room, he was relieved to find that Peeves had apparently spared the Slytherins.
Most likely because he was terrified of the Bloody Baron.
He wondered what the Bloody Baron had threatened Peeves with, should the poltergeist get the idea to hide the Slytherin students’ belongings.
Severus packed the things he would need during the holidays into his mother’s old suitcase.
Then he suddenly paused mid-movement.
It was the first Christmas he wouldn’t be spending at Spinner’s End and that made him a little anxious.
He didn’t even know how the Malfoys celebrated the holiday.
Whether they gave each other presents and had a Christmas tree and what they might eat on Christmas Eve.
He had never received gifts before and the Snapes had never had a tree to decorate either.
What if the Malfoys expected him to give them something too?
He could never afford that.
And if he didn’t give them anything, they probably wouldn’t like him anymore and send him away and then he’d have to spend the holidays at Spinner’s End after all.
Severus took a deep breath to suppress the rising panic inside him and decided that he would simply ask Lucius.
It made him uncomfortable, but the older Slytherin already knew that he didn’t have much money.
He walked to the room that Lucius shared with three other fifth-years, whose names Severus unfortunately didn’t know, and knocked.
A tall, broad-shouldered boy with dark brown hair stuck his head out: ‘Yeah, what is it?’
Severus immediately felt even smaller: ‘Is Lucius there?’ he asked, annoyed at the same time that his voice sounded so thin.
His counterpart nodded and stepped aside to make room for Lucius, who had recognised Severus’s voice.
‘Hello Severus. How can I help you?’
‘I-I have a question.’
Lucius nodded and looked at him expectantly, one eyebrow raised.
‘How is it with you and presents? I...’ he hesitated briefly and braced himself to be sent away, ‘I’m afraid I can’t afford any for you.’
But Lucius laughed briefly: ‘Is that all it’s about?’
Severus looked up at him uncertainly.
Lucius waved it off: ‘We don’t have any traditions of that sort in our family. I get whatever I want anyway – so it’s rather unnecessary to exchange extra gifts and even wrap them. That kind of nonsense is something only Muggles do. We Malfoys spend the day together, make ourselves comfortable by the fireplace and finish it with an elaborate meal prepared by our house-elf. You can look forward to it, he’s usually quite useless, but he can cook.’
Severus smiled slightly, relieved at this: ‘That sounds good.’
Lucius nodded at him once more and then closed the door to his room.
Severus hurried back.
The dark and anxious feeling inside him had completely disappeared.
He felt light and was curious about how the next few weeks would be.
The next morning, Severus was the first to wake up and decided, after getting ready for the day, to make his bed.
‘What are you doing?’ Evan had sat up and yawned deeply.
Severus looked at him, a little puzzled: ‘I’m making my bed.’
Evan looked just as puzzled back: ‘Why?’
‘Dumbledore said yesterday that we should please leave everything tidy, so the elves have it easier cleaning up.’
Evan waved dismissively: ‘That’s what they’re for. No need to stress more.’
Severus shrugged, now a bit uncertain: ‘I always help out at home too.’
Evan laughed: ‘Seriously?’
Severus nodded and briefly thought of his mother.
Since his father forbade her to use magic in the household, Eileen Snape always had a lot of work with the dishes and the laundry, whose colours faded quickly without magic.
Evan was still amused: ‘Oh right... you were raised,’ he pulled a disgusted face, ‘in the Muggle world.’
Severus nodded again.
‘Well then, your good old mother has to deal with it.’
‘Don’t say a word against my mother!’ Severus had jumped up in anger, his black eyes practically glowing and his hands clenched into fists.
No one should dare insult his mother.
Evan raised his hands defensively: ‘Woah... alright, calm down. Sorry.’
Before Severus could reply, the door burst open and Wilkes stormed in: ‘You’ve got to see this!’
Avery shot up and almost fell out of his bed: ‘What’s going on? Is there a fire?’
Mulciber yawned: ‘And so what… it’s the holidays.’
Wilkes grinned: ‘Peeves has done something again.’
His four friends groaned in frustration: ‘Again?’
‘This time it’s actually funny.’
Avery jumped out of bed: ‘Well then, let’s go.’
‘Er... Avery?’
‘What is it, Severus?’
‘Don’t you want to put something proper on?’
‘Oh... right,’ Avery, who was still in his pyjamas, padded back and quickly put on his school uniform.
Mulciber had also got dressed by now and was adjusting his tie: ‘You’d better not have woken us for nothing, Wilkes.’
‘I haven’t. Promise.’
With that, Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Severus ran out and followed Wilkes, who was leading his friends towards the large entrance hall.
Even from a distance, laughter, squealing, shouting and excited voices could be heard.
The Slytherins, Wilkes excluded, exchanged confused glances.
He just grinned: ‘Wait for it.’
At the top of the staircase, the five of them suddenly came to a halt.
Peeves had somehow managed to flood the entrance hall including the staircase and then freeze everything.
The students who had noticed this were having fun sliding down the staircase or gliding across the entrance hall.
Severus spotted James, Sirius, Remus and Peter who were doing their best to push each other over or make each other fall.
He took cover slightly behind Mulciber, but, to his relief, the four Gryffindors didn’t pay him any attention at all.
Avery and Wilkes slid down the frozen staircase with a delighted scream.
Mulciber, Evan and Severus followed them immediately.
Lily, who was linked arm-in-arm with Mary and Marlene, waved to him as she slid across the ice, promptly fell over and pulled both her friends down with her.
Severus wanted to go and help her, but then he realised with relief that Lily was laughing loudly.
Charity, Pandora and Aurora, along with a few more classmates, also came over, drawn by the noise, and enthusiastically slid down the stairs again and again.
Severus was just about to slide again when a very angry McGonagall and a very cheerful Peeves appeared.
The poltergeist hovered just a few centimetres above the professor’s fingertips and found it extremely amusing that she just couldn’t quite reach him.
‘THAT’S ENOUGH NONSENSE! Go finish packing your things, tidy your rooms and then come to the Great Hall for breakfast,’ McGonagall’s annoyed voice echoed through the entire entrance hall.
Then she turned to Peeves, who was doubled over with laughter as she once again missed him by millimetres: ‘And you just wait until the Baron catches you.’
‘I’d prefer not to wait for the esteemed gentleman,’ Peeves giggled, bowed and floated away.
McGonagall adjusted her hat with an irritated huff and drew her wand: ‘Inside now or you’ll get wet.’
Everyone hurried to pull themselves up the icy staircase using the banister and then went into the Great Hall for breakfast.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were among the few students who took their time and walked calmly behind the others.
But they regretted it a few seconds later.
Spluttering, they were swept through the entrance hall by a great wave when McGonagall melted the ice.
Soaking wet, they got back to their feet and looked up somewhat incredulously at their Head of House, who turned around without a word and walked off towards the Great Hall.
The classmates who had witnessed this burst into loud laughter and watched their drenched peers with gleeful grins.
Sirius shook himself like a wet dog: ‘Wow, McGonagall’s really in a great mood, isn’t she?’
James wiped his glasses on his Gryffindor tie, which was still half dry: ‘She needs a holiday. That much is clear.’
Peter looked unhappily down at himself: ‘Now we have to get changed again.’
Remus nodded and brushed some damp strands of hair from his forehead.
Sirius looked back longingly at the flooded entrance hall as they walked towards the stairs: ‘I wish I could stay here over the holidays.’
‘What’s stopping you?’ James looked over at his best friend.
‘My folks,’ the curly-haired boy rolled his eyes, ‘you remember that business with the letter I sent my brother...’
James grinned and ran a hand through his hair as he remembered the secret outing: ‘Of course, and?’
Peter and Remus looked at the two of them in confusion. ‘What are you talking about?’ Peter asked curiously, leaning closer to his friends.
‘Don’t tell me you got into trouble at home because of that,’ James wanted to know.
Neither he nor Sirius had registered Peter’s question.
‘My mother exploded... literally.’
‘My condolences, mate.’
‘I’ll survive,’ Sirius grinned crookedly.
James clapped him encouragingly on the shoulder: ‘Look on the bright side... it’s only a few short weeks.’
Sirius nodded and his grin turned even cheekier: ‘Besides, I’ve already thought of some brilliant ways to drive her up the wall.’
Remus, who had caught that, said cautiously: ‘Wouldn’t it be better not to provoke your parents even more?’
Peter nodded in agreement.
Sirius snorted dismissively: ‘Nonsense. They love taking out their anger on me. So I might as well give them a reason.’
‘And what about your brother?’ Remus asked.
‘What about Regulus?’
‘Doesn’t he get into trouble?’
Sirius rolled his brown eyes in annoyance: ‘Never. He’s like the prince in our family. My parents practically worship him. They never tire of saying what a disappointment I am and how glad they are that their upbringing at least worked with one of their sons. Upbringing... right.’
James grinned: ‘And if he ends up in Gryffindor next year...’
Sirius grinned too: ‘I think they’ll turn to dust.’
Peter had a cheeky grin on his face as well: ‘Like vampires?’
‘Exactly like that.’

In the meantime, Severus and his friends were in the middle of breakfast.
Mulciber was just devouring his second roll with jam when Lucius pushed in between him and Severus, shoved him aside, and sat down.
Mulciber, who had just taken a bite, looked up at him indignantly: ‘Canft you pay fome attenfion?’
Lucius looked down at him and raised an eyebrow: ‘Haven’t you been taught not to speak with your mouth full?’
Mulciber just snorted angrily: ‘And why are you pushing yourself between us?’
‘I merely intended to tell Severus the meeting point for later, since he’s coming with me to the Manor over the holidays.’
‘I know.’
Severus looked over at Lucius: ‘Where am I supposed to come?’
‘We’ll meet in the entrance hall in front of the stairs. Our house-elf is picking us up, since I can’t apparate yet,’ was the older student’s reply.
The black-haired Slytherin nodded briefly and remembered the word "Apparate" from his first encounter with McGonagall, when she had explained to Lily and him what Apparition was.
Back then, she had made a helpful and friendly impression on him.
He suppressed a scornful snort.
How much one could be mistaken about people.
‘Is the hall dry again?’ asked Wilkes, who was sitting opposite Mulciber.
‘Dry?’ Lucius looked slightly confused.
Evan grinned: ‘Peeves turned it into an ice rink, but McGonagall was more into swimming and melted everything again.’
Avery’s eyes took on a malicious gleam: ‘Poser Potter and his stupid friends went swimming.’
Lucius grinned just as nastily: ‘It was about time those four blood traitors took a bath. Gryffindor Tower clearly doesn’t have such facilities, because I can’t explain the smell otherwise.’
Everyone grinned.
Mulciber laughed loudly: ‘Someone should warn Madam Pomfrey about a health hazard.’
The whole Slytherin table burst into laughter.
Dorcas, who was sitting a few seats further down, got the hiccups from laughing, whereupon an also giggling Alexis helpfully patted her on the back.
The laughter coming from the Slytherin table drew all eyes.
Lily looked questioningly over at Severus, but he didn’t notice, as Lucius had put an arm around his shoulders and blocked his view to the back.
Charity also looked curiously over at the two of them and couldn’t help giggling.
Her laughter also infected Pandora.
As everyone slowly calmed down again, Albus Dumbledore stepped up to his lectern and waited patiently until silence had returned to the Great Hall.
He smiled and stroked his beard: ‘It gives me great pleasure to see how much fun you're having... even though I suspected it was more the anticipation of your well-deserved holidays,’ he winked.
Some students laughed, and James and Sirius, who had entered the Great Hall together with Remus and Peter — albeit with some delay — nodded eagerly.
Only the Slytherins all looked unimpressed towards the Headmaster at the front.
Dumbledore waited until the students had settled down again and then continued smiling: ‘And since I’m already speaking of the holidays... get home safely and enjoy the time. And to those who are staying... I promise you, we too will have a lovely time. With that, you are... for now... dismissed!’
Applause broke out, benches were moved back and everyone rushed outside and to their rooms.
In the corridors and on the stairs, a huge push and jostle immediately broke out, and conversations about Christmas wishes and holiday plans grew louder.
Laughter echoed through the castle and the trunks, already packed and waiting in the entrance hall, were claimed by their owners.
Severus had already said goodbye to his friends and was now standing next to his trunk, waiting, as agreed, for Lucius.
Lily grabbed her trunks and waved at him again with a brief smile: ‘See you soon.’
He couldn’t help but smile back at her smile: ‘See you soon.’
Then Lily disappeared through the door.
James and Sirius appeared.
‘Well, Snivellus, crawling back into your filthy poor people hole for the holidays?’
Severus looked at the two of them with hatred and clenched his fists: ‘One day you’ll regret this.’
James and Sirius had just opened their mouths to make a not very friendly reply when Lucius and Narcissa appeared.
The two blond students positioned themselves behind Severus and Lucius placed a hand on Severus’s shoulder: ‘Are those two blood traitors bothering you?’
James and Sirius both gasped.
‘Watch it, dirty Slytherin!’ James’s eyes sparkled angrily.
Lucius smiled arrogantly: ‘Was that supposed to be an insult?’
Sirius’s eyes shone just as angrily, but before he could say anything, Narcissa intervened: ‘If I were you, Cousin, I’d be very careful what I say next. I’ve informed your parents about your behaviour faster than you can say Quidditch.’
Sirius went pale: ‘You wouldn’t do that, Narcissa.’
She smiled coldly: ‘Are you asking me to find out?’
James and Sirius grabbed their trunks, trembling with rage, and ran out.
‘Thanks,’ murmured Severus, while looking at the ground and fiddling with his sleeve.
‘No problem,’ said Lucius.
Narcissa nodded, smiling slightly, then stood on tiptoe to kiss Lucius on the cheek: ‘I’ll be going too. See you on the 24th.’
‘Until then, Cissa.’
Narcissa nodded to Severus once more and disappeared.
She left her trunk standing.
Lucius smiled after Narcissa and then looked around impatiently: ‘Where is that useless elf?’
Not a second later, a soft pop sounded behind Lucius.
Severus, who had never seen a house-elf before, looked at the little creature curiously.
He immediately felt pity for the elf, who wore only a dirty, ragged pillowcase as clothing.
‘Dobby has arrived, Sir,’ he squeaked.
‘About time, Dobby,’ Lucius sounded annoyed.
When he turned back to Severus, his expression was friendly again: ‘Have you ever apparated before?’
Severus shook his head.
‘You might feel a bit sick now, but that’s normal,’ the older student replied, then added, ‘but don’t worry, it passes quickly.’
Dobby cautiously approached Lucius: ‘Would you like to be taken home now, Sir?’
‘Yes. Drop us off in front of the main gate and make sure you bring our luggage up to the rooms. This —’ he gestured at Severus — ‘is Severus Snape. He’s one of my friends and will be accompanying me during the holidays. You will show him the same respect as us. Understood?’
‘Very well, sirs,’ with these words the house-elf snapped his fingers and the luggage of the two students vanished.
Severus looked impressed at the spot where the luggage had just stood.
Dobby hesitated briefly and then asked: ‘May Dobby hold onto the Master’s son so that Dobby can apparate you both safely?’
‘It has to be done, after all,’ Lucius answered gruffly, then said in a friendly tone to Severus, ‘You’d better hold onto me.’
Severus nodded and then hesitantly placed his hand on Lucius’s arm.
In the next moment, Severus felt as if someone was squeezing him and pushing him through a tube, and as a reflex, he squeezed his eyes shut.
When the feeling stopped and he opened his eyes again, his mouth fell open.

Chapter 23

Lucius, who had noticed how impressed Severus was, smiled with a mixture of pride and arrogance, but decided to say nothing — at least not for now.
The two Slytherins stood in front of a large, wrought-iron gate, which, with its ornate curves and pointed tips, gave off an enchanted impression.
To the left and right, it was flanked by tall, neatly trimmed hedges that enclosed the entire estate and extended further towards the back.
Now Severus realised that they were already standing in the middle of the estate, even though they hadn’t actually entered it yet.
As Lucius approached the gate, it opened automatically.
The two boys entered the large garden.
On both sides of the sandstone path were wide expanses of grass, bordered by evenly trimmed hedges.
Even the snow seemed to lie evenly distributed everywhere.
To the right and left stood fountains with elegant female figures made of white marble, from which, despite the cold weather, water was still gushing.
A few peacocks strutted through the snow, fanning out their tails.
Severus couldn’t stop marvelling and gazed, fascinated, at the birds’ beautiful plumage.
In the distance, a soft neighing could be heard.
‘You have horses?’ the black-haired boy asked, impressed.
Lucius nodded and looked as though it went without saying that they owned horses: ‘We have a few Lipizzaners.’
‘Wow… what other animals do you have?’
‘We also have a few greyhounds. My father enjoys hunting. Did you know... that fox hunting was originally a tradition of pure-bloods?’
Severus shook his head.
Lucius nodded and continued explaining: ‘Yes, it was. Of course, no ridiculous guns like Muggles use were involved — we used wands. My father says he won’t let some random Muggles take this tradition away from him.’
Severus was impressed.
The two of them followed the path through the vast, snow-covered garden towards the manor.
Everything had an enchanted and mysterious, yet welcoming feel to it, and Severus immediately felt at ease.
‘My father is thinking of placing some more hedges along this path,’ said Lucius, pulling Severus out of his thoughts, ‘and he wants to have arched gateways built into them so you can still get into the garden. What do you think?’
Severus, pleased that Lucius wanted to hear his opinion, looked around briefly and then said: ‘I like it as it is. You have a good view of everything this way. If there were more hedges, everything would seem even more hidden.’
Lucius thought for a moment and then nodded: ‘True.’
Only now did he truly take in the imposing building before them.
He had been so distracted at first by the garden and the animals, but now he couldn’t look away.
His gaze wandered over the bright building, whose towers with their pointed roofs seemed to stretch high into the sky.
The many windows reflected the sunlight, and the large entrance gate was already open.
Lucius and Severus walked for a while longer through the snow-covered garden, and Lucius gave Severus a short tour of the estate, during which the two talked about potions and the Slug Club.
‘Let’s go inside,’ Lucius decided after a while, as he was beginning to feel cold, and Severus followed him, not without turning back once more to glance at the garden.
On either side of the entrance stood suits of armour, which seemed to watch the boys with empty stares as they passed.
Lucius, who had noticed Severus’s wary, startled look, reassured him: ‘Don’t worry. They’re here for the manor’s protection.’
‘Oh, okay, good,’ Severus nodded.
But he had no further chance to concern himself with the armour, as he was immediately distracted by the magnificent entrance hall.
Everything in it practically screamed Slytherin and pure-blood heritage.
To either side, long stone staircases led upwards, and a grand chandelier hung from the ceiling.
On the wall, two long swords were crossed, and the entire entrance hall seemed to glow with a faint green hue.
Severus sniffed slightly; the scent reminded him of the Slytherin common room, only here there was also a faint woody note in the air.
Lucius headed towards the stairs: ‘Come on, your room for the holidays is upstairs.’
Severus followed him, not without glancing around in fascination again and again.
Once they reached the first floor, Lucius said: ‘Here are rooms like the kitchen—which doesn’t concern us—the dining areas, and also our large sitting room, complete with fireplace. The bedrooms are upstairs. I made sure your room is right next to mine.’
‘Thanks,’ Severus was still fascinated, though also a little overwhelmed.
There were so many doors here, and to him, they all looked the same.
A small smirk formed on Lucius’s lips: ‘Don’t worry. You’ll find your way around quickly, and if you ever get lost, just call for Dobby. He knows he’s to be at your service too.’
‘Thanks,’ Severus said again.
Lucius waved it off.
Once on the second floor, Lucius led Severus down the corridor.
On the walls hung various portraits, which, as Severus could read on the plaques beneath them, showed members of the Malfoy family.
At last, Lucius stopped in front of a door: ‘This is your room. Make yourself comfortable and then have Dobby bring you to the sitting room. We usually spend our evenings in front of the fireplace with a few things to eat.’
Severus nodded and then disappeared into his guest room.
Inside, his mouth fell open once again.
The room was even larger than the one he shared with Avery, Evan, Wilkes and Mulciber at Hogwarts.
On one side stood a huge, comfortable-looking bed; on the other, a small leather sofa set with a table, and through the large window he could see the entire garden.
All the furniture was made of dark wood, and everything had an elegant appearance.
He looked around curiously and was even more amazed when he discovered the adjoining bathroom, with a bathtub the size of a swimming pool, entirely for his own use.
When he heard a soft "pop", he returned to his room.
Dobby stood there with his suitcase and bowed: ‘Your luggage, sir.’
‘Thank you.’
Dobby’s round eyes widened, and before Severus knew what was happening, the elf began to sob heartbreakingly: ‘THANK YOU! SIR THANKED DOBBY! NO ONE HAS EVER THANKED DOBBY!’
Severus, unsure how to react, looked awkwardly from Dobby to the window and back again: ‘It’s alright… you can go.’
Dobby wiped his nose on his clothing and disappeared with a "pop".
Severus pulled the suitcase towards him and began neatly placing his few clothes into the wardrobe next to the bed.
When he was done, he pushed the suitcase under the bed so it wouldn’t be in the way.
Then he wondered how he was supposed to have Dobby bring him to the sitting room now that he had sent him away.
So he decided to simply try calling the house-elf: ‘Dobby?’
No more than a second later, the elf appeared with a "pop": ‘Mr Snape called for Dobby?’
Severus nodded: ‘I’d like to go to the Malfoys’ sitting room. Can you show me where it is?’
Dobby nodded eagerly and walked ahead: ‘Of course Dobby can, sir. Please follow me.’
Severus walked behind him.
The silence was a little uncomfortable, and he thought about what he could talk to the elf about.
‘Do you look after the Malfoys’ horses as well?’ he asked eventually.
Dobby nodded: ‘Yes, sir. The horses are very beautiful, but Dobby is still afraid of them.’
Severus looked down at the little elf in confusion: ‘But why doesn’t someone else look after the horses, then?’
‘Dobby must do it, sir,’ said Dobby. ‘My masters demand it.’
‘Hmm,’ Severus felt sorry for Dobby, ‘That’s really cruel, if they know you’re afraid.’
Dobby nodded—then realised what he had done, and his eyes widened again.
And before Severus could say or do anything, Dobby ran headfirst into the wall and began banging his head against it.
Severus stared at him in shock: ‘What are you doing?!’
‘Dobby must punish himself!’ Dobby cried, ‘Dobby was disrespectful towards his master!’
‘Stop it!’ Severus shouted, then had a sudden idea, ‘I command you to stop!’
Dobby stopped immediately and rubbed his head, and Severus let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Dobby looked up at him gratefully and then pointed to a door: ‘That is the Malfoys’ sitting room, sir.’
Severus nodded at him, then took a deep breath and knocked quietly.
‘Come in, Severus!’ he heard Lucius’s voice from inside, so he opened the door and stepped in.
The room was furnished in the same style as the rest of the house.
The furniture was made of dark wood, the sofas of dark leather, and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling here as well.
Along one wall, the fireplace gave off a pleasant warmth and bathed the room in golden light.
On the small table in the centre of the sofa arrangement were all kinds of snacks and finger food, their aroma filling the room and instantly making Severus’s mouth water.
Lucius’s father, Abraxas Malfoy, stood up, walked over to Severus and offered him his hand: ‘Hello, Severus. Lucius has told me quite a lot about you. I’m Abraxas.’
He looked exactly as Severus imagined Lucius would as an adult.
He had the same blond hair and piercing pale eyes as his son, and his voice was deep, with a touch of sternness.
Severus took the offered hand and smiled shyly: ‘Hello. Thank you for letting me stay here.’
An elegant, equally blonde woman with warm brown eyes also stood and shook his hand: ‘Oh, it’s our pleasure, Severus. I’m Melisande, by the way. Do sit with us.’
Severus slipped onto the sofa next to Lucius, a little nervous, but happy about the warm welcome.
‘Well then, let us begin,’ declared Abraxas, thus opening the meal.
Severus let his gaze wander across the table.
Spread out on silver platters were mini blinis with caviar and crème fraîche, mini beef Wellington bites, smoked salmon blinis, mini fishcakes with lemon aioli, cheddar shortbread with Stilton cream, roast beef rolls with English horseradish, and mini Yorkshire puddings filled with roast and gravy.
He also spotted lemon curd tartlets and treacle tart squares.
Somewhat hesitantly, he took a few items and began to eat.
Eating such expensive food felt a little disrespectful to him, considering his mother could probably feed herself for two months with what this meal had cost.
Melisande Malfoy smiled: ‘Do help yourself. There’s plenty.’
Abraxas Malfoy, who had just poured himself a glass of elf-made wine, leaned back in his armchair and looked at Severus with his piercing ice-blue eyes: ‘So, you’re Eileen’s son...’
Severus nodded: ‘Yes, I am.’
Abraxas took a sip and studied the slight, black-haired boy: ‘You really do resemble her.’
Severus looked up: ‘Really?’
The blond man nodded: ‘Very much so.’
A smile spread across Severus’s lips; he was deeply pleased.
His greatest fear was that he might look like his father – or worse, become like him.
Abraxas took another sip of wine: ‘A shame she married that Muggle,’ he said, his voice taking on a tone of disdain.
Severus couldn’t help but nod, for in that matter, he agreed with Abraxas Malfoy one hundred percent.
‘I told your mother time and again... marrying a Muggle is a poor decision. But she wouldn’t listen.’
Melisande, who had noticed that the topic made Severus uncomfortable, laid a hand gently on her husband’s forearm and changed the subject: ‘Lucius mentioned you’ve joined the Slug Club as well, Severus.’
Severus, grateful for the change in topic, nodded: ‘Yes, that’s right. Professor Slughorn offered me a place recently, and I accepted.’
Lucius’s mother nodded kindly: ‘And that already in your first year... impressive.’
Severus smiled: ‘Thank you.’
It meant the world to him to feel so valued and to get a glimpse of what real family life could be like.
Of course, Lily’s parents always treated him kindly too, and Severus was more than grateful to Henry and Olivia and liked them very much – but the Malfoys were something different.
With them, he could talk about subjects he was truly passionate about and knowledgeable in, like Potions or spells or the secrets of Hogwarts.
Or simply put, about magical subjects.
But whether he could truly trust the Malfoys, he still didn’t know.
‘Do you enjoy reading, Severus?’ Melisande asked.
He nodded. ‘Very much.’
‘He’s already read half the Hogwarts library,’ Lucius joked, and Abraxas turned to his son with an amused smile: ‘Have you shown your young friend our library yet?’
‘I was planning to do that after dinner, Father,’ Lucius replied, then said to Severus, who was now looking at him with interest, ‘We have our own library here in the Manor. I’m sure you’ll find the books fascinating.’
Severus nodded eagerly, and his dark eyes began to sparkle at the thought of having a whole library at his disposal.
After dinner, Lucius led Severus to the Malfoys’ private library.
Severus looked around curiously, then asked: ‘May I take books to my room?’
Lucius nodded: ‘Of course. I’ll leave you to read in peace. If you need help carrying anything, just summon Dobby.’
He was about to leave the library when something occurred to him: ‘One more thing... about tomorrow morning. We almost never have breakfast together, as everyone gets up at different times. Just have Dobby bring your breakfast to your room, and then come out to the garden. Narcissa and Bellatrix have decided to visit us tomorrow.’
Severus nodded.
Lucius gave him another nod, wished him a good night, and left.
Severus took his time browsing through the library, flipping through various books and either setting them on a small pile of ones he wanted to read or returning them neatly to the shelves.

At the same time, Abraxas and Melisande Malfoy were still seated in the drawing room, talking quietly by the fire.
‘What do you think of the boy?’ Abraxas asked.
‘He seems very clever and knows what matters. After all, he’s a Slytherin and already in the Slug Club,’ Melisande replied.
‘I’m not quite sure…’ Abraxas swirled the wine in his glass, ‘Lucius mentioned the other day that he might be friends with Mudbloods.’
Melisande looked at her husband as though he’d just announced Severus had caught something contagious: ‘Excuse me? Even if he’s only a half-blood, Mudbloods are far beneath his level.’
Abraxas took another sip: ‘That’s exactly what I said. We’ll see how things unfold. Lucius will keep an eye on him. And who knows – perhaps he’ll even be a good influence.’
‘That would certainly be desirable. And as long as he doesn’t somehow marry into our family, I’ve nothing against him.’
Abraxas nodded: ‘Quite right. And speaking of family – have you written to Walburga yet?’
Melisande nodded: ‘I have. Poor thing was in absolute despair.’
‘Understandably so. A son in Gryffindor, proud of consorting with blood traitors and Mudbloods – I wouldn’t want to imagine it.’
‘She’s holding on to hope that it’s just a phase, though I rather doubt it.’
‘Well, for her sake, let’s hope. Invite her and Orion for tea sometime soon.’
‘That’s a lovely idea. I’m sure they’d welcome a little comfort.’

Meanwhile, in the library, Severus had picked out a few books and was about to carry them to his room when Dobby appeared.
‘Can Dobby help Mr Snape?’
Severus jumped slightly: ‘Oh, it’s just you.’
Dobby nodded so vigorously that his ears flapped: ‘Yes, Sir. Just Dobby. Dobby didn’t mean to frighten Mr Snape. Forgive Dobby.’
Severus, who quickly calmed down at the sight of the little creature, waved it off: ‘It’s fine… I just thought it might be someone else for a second.’
Dobby looked at him with his enormous round eyes but dared not ask further.
Severus pointed to the pile of books: ‘You could help me carry these.’
Dobby lifted the stack with a soft grunt: ‘Whatever Mr Snape wishes.’
Severus quickly took a few books off the top to carry himself, which caused Dobby to sniffle again: ‘Mr Snape is so kind to Dobby… He helps him.’
Back in his room, Severus made himself comfortable and began to read.
It was a book about poisonous herbs and how they could still be used for healing purposes.
He was so absorbed in the text that he didn’t notice how dark it had become outside, nor how quiet the manor was growing.
Eventually, when he realised the hour, he slipped into the bathroom, got ready for bed, and crawled beneath the thick covers.
Though the bed was wonderfully soft and the warmth beneath the duvet was soothing, he lay awake for quite some time.
There were simply too many unfamiliar noises around him.
A soft rustling here, a creak there, the distant sound of the horses whinnying.
Severus lay still for a long time, listening.
But nothing happened.
And so, at last, he drifted into a deep sleep.

Chapter 24

When Severus woke up the next morning, he needed a moment to realise where he was.
Yawning, he finally got up and drew back the curtains.
The sun shone into his face and made the snow outside his window sparkle.
Apparently, it had snowed again overnight, making everything look magically enchanted.
He had no idea what time it was, and he was hungry too.
So he decided to ask Dobby and called out into the quiet of his room: ‘Dobby?’
Shortly after, there was a "pop" and Dobby appeared before him.
‘How can Dobby help Mr Snape?’ he asked, looking up at him eagerly.
‘Do you know what time it is?’
‘It’s just after nine o’clock, sir,’ Dobby replied.
Severus was briefly surprised.
He was quite sure he had never slept that long before.
‘I’d like something to eat too, Dobby,’ he said before the elf could disappear again.
Dobby nodded enthusiastically: ‘What would Dobby bring to Mr Snape?’
Severus thought for a moment: ‘What do you have?’
He didn’t want to trouble Dobby.
But Dobby stretched himself energetically and began to list: ‘Oh, everything, sir. Dobby can make scrambled eggs or fried eggs or plain eggs. There’s also bacon and sausages. Or would Mr Snape prefer bread rolls with jam or chocolate spread? Or a selection of cheese? Or pastries? Or—’
Severus, already overwhelmed by the plentiful options, interrupted Dobby: ‘I’ll have a bread roll with a fried egg and some bacon. Oh, and a pumpkin juice.’
Dobby nodded vigorously and disappeared as quickly as he had come.
When Dobby brought him breakfast and then left again, Severus stretched out comfortably on the sofa and ate.
After breakfast, he got ready for the day and, as Lucius had told him the day before, went to the garden to meet the others.
Severus felt a little nervous about meeting Bellatrix Black.
He clearly remembered the conversation between Narcissa and Andromeda, how Narcissa had reacted to the fact that Andromeda had chosen her fiancé, and what he had already been told about Bellatrix.
When he arrived in the garden, no one was to be seen.
Severus took a few steps further into the garden to look around and find Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix.
But all he could hear was the distant neighing of horses and the crunching of his footsteps in the snow.
Slowly, he grew suspicious, and a slight feeling of fear crept over him.
What if something had happened?
Or if the three of them had tricked him and were now secretly laughing at him?
After a brief moment of thought, he walked all around the manor.
The estate was huge, and the three could be anywhere.
After walking around the manor, he stopped briefly, surprised.
A glass, dome-shaped conservatory stood against the back wall of the manor.
Inside the conservatory, he saw Lucius, Narcissa, and a second slender woman with a gaunt face, long dark hair, and equally dark eyes.
That had to be Bellatrix.
All three were seated in the same elegant leather armchairs as those in the Malfoys’ sitting room.
Severus walked up to the conservatory and opened the door: ‘Hello.’
All three turned to him, and for a moment he felt intimidated by Bellatrix’s piercing gaze, but when Lucius kindly beckoned him over, the feeling disappeared.
Lucius placed a hand on his shoulder: ‘Bellatrix, this is Severus, and Severus, this is Bellatrix,’ he formally introduced them.
Bellatrix scrutinised Severus carefully and then looked at Lucius: ‘I’d imagined him... taller.’
‘Be nice, Bella,’ Narcissa scolded, but Bellatrix only let out a mocking laugh: ‘Nice...’
Dobby appeared and poured drinks.
No one paid him any attention, only Severus gave him a brief nod.
Of course, Bellatrix’s sharp gaze did not miss that: ‘He’s even kind to house-elves...’
She sounded as if this behaviour drove her to despair.
‘Why not?’ Severus looked up at her.
Bellatrix put on an almost maternal smile: ‘Let me give you some advice... Don’t be nice. Being nice won’t get you anywhere. You’ll never be taken seriously by others that way. You’ll remember my words, I promise.’
‘If someone is nice to me, it’s only fair that I’m nice back,’ Severus replied, feeling as if he had to justify himself.
But it was true.
Not many people had been kind and friendly to him, and those who were, he didn’t want to lose.
‘Good grief, Lucius... the little one will be a long-term project,’ she let out a shrill laugh again and took a sip of the dark red liquid in her glass.
She turned back to Severus: ‘Believe me... being nice is boring. You never get what you want by being nice.’
Severus, who had now sat down and taken a glass of juice, looked up suspiciously: ‘What kind of project?’
Lucius smiled reassuringly: ‘It’s nothing bad. I just want to help you... well, settle in better at Hogwarts and especially in Slytherin.’
Severus was still a little wary but said nothing more.
He had no idea what Lucius meant by that.
But one thing was certain: He wanted to be accepted at Hogwarts and in Slytherin.
His two greatest wishes regarding Hogwarts were to find good friends and to be truly accepted and respected.
He had definitely managed the first, but not yet the second, and if Lucius wanted to help him with that, Severus was happy to accept.
‘Where were we?’ Narcissa tried to change the subject to lighten the mood.
Bellatrix stretched out her long legs and took another sip: ‘Talking about the black sheep of our family.’
‘Right...’ Lucius drank as well, and Narcissa sighed, ‘I still hope Andromeda will come to her senses.’
Bellatrix rolled her eyes: ‘Give it up, Cissa. Once you’ve been corrupted like that, it stays with you. I mean... look at Sirius,’ she snorted scornfully, ‘he couldn’t care less what he’s doing to Walburga. And it’s the same with Andromeda.’
Severus’s grip on his glass tightened: ‘I hate him,’ he murmured quietly.
‘You’re slowly growing on me,’ Bellatrix grinned, ‘but I’d be interested to know why.’
Severus hesitated for a moment.
He didn’t really trust Bellatrix, so he decided to tell her only what was necessary: ‘He doesn’t like me and makes sure I know it.’
Bellatrix snorted contemptuously: ‘That’s typical of the little blood traitor. He’d better not come near my wand.’
Lucius swirled his glass just like his father had done yesterday: ‘Calm down, Bellatrix. Walburga and Orion will sort it out. We shouldn’t interfere.’
Bellatrix sighed dramatically: ‘Always so reasonable, good old Lucius,’ she yawned, bored.
Narcissa smiled at Severus: ‘And are you enjoying yourself?’
He nodded and forced a smile.
It was a lie, but he didn’t want to seem ungrateful.
But did these people have no other topics besides blood status or disagreements about it?
What would Bellatrix say if she found out he was half-blood... and friends with Muggle-borns, even in love with one?
She’d probably explode.
At the thought, he couldn’t help but grin slyly.
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow: ‘What’s so funny?’
‘Nothing,’ Severus lied smoothly, ‘I was just thinking about something Slughorn said.’
Bellatrix looked at him suspiciously but said nothing.
When they left again in the afternoon, Lucius showed Severus a bit more of the house and, at Severus’s request, through the stables.
As they walked through the stables and looked at the horses, Lucius asked: ‘So, what do you think of Bellatrix?’
Severus, who was just standing on tiptoe to stroke a horse’s neck, thought for a moment: ‘I don’t know... I feel like she doesn’t like me.’
Lucius laughed: ‘Bellatrix doesn’t like anyone who doesn’t fit her ideal image.’
Severus looked at him somewhat sceptically, but Lucius just smirked: ‘She doesn’t like me much either, but let me tell you this: You can do perfectly well without a Bellatrix Black — future Lestrange — liking you. You just don’t want to get in her way.’
Severus’s dark eyes widened: ‘Why?’
‘She has a slight tendency towards violence. She’s a fighter, but loyal like no one else. You’ve got to give her that.’
Severus nodded slightly, at the same time deciding to keep a healthy distance from Bellatrix.

As the two of them walked through the estate and the stables, Narcissa and Bellatrix headed back to the gate to apparate from there.
‘What do you think of him, Bellatrix?’ Narcissa wanted to know.
Her older sister answered: ‘I don’t trust him, Cissa.’
‘He’s eleven, Bellatrix. He’s still a child.’
‘That doesn’t matter.’
Narcissa rolled her eyes: ‘Don’t you think that’s a bit paranoid? I mean... he’s here willingly and happily, and Lucius trusts him.’
Bellatrix patted Narcissa’s arm, smiling mockingly: ‘Forgive me, Cissa, but Lucius’s opinion is not exactly... how shall I put it kindly... what I would call useful.’
Narcissa couldn’t help but snort: ‘You’re the one who mistrusts an eleven-year-old child.’
‘And rightly so, Narcissa. He barely took part in the conversation, and his silence says it all.’
‘When we were his age, we mostly had other things on our minds.’
‘And where did that get us!? Look at Andromeda! She chose her mudblood and turned against us. Her family!’ Bellatrix’s eyes seemed to glow with anger and hatred.
‘I know, Bella,’ Narcissa sighed, ‘but Severus is half-blood, and besides, none of us want to marry him.’
‘He’s a mudblood?’ Bellatrix looked horrified.
‘Half-blood,’ Narcissa corrected, but her sister cut her off, ‘It’s the same thing. And Melisande and Abraxas were still okay with him being here?’
‘Yes, they were.’
‘I don’t understand that.’
‘Abraxas was friends with his mother.’
‘That explains it... good old Abraxas is just far too nostalgic and emotional about these things.’
Narcissa smiled: ‘That’s true.’
‘Who does he hang out with?’
‘He’s good friends with the kids of Rosier, Avery, Wilkes and Mulciber. There are a few girls sometimes, but I don’t know them.’
Bellatrix nodded: ‘At least that much. I hope his friends have a good influence on him.’
Narcissa nodded: ‘And Lucius is still here too. He’s keeping an eye on him.’
Bellatrix nodded: ‘You’ve mentioned that before.’
Narcissa linked arms with her sister to be taken along when she apparated: ‘How’s it going with... well, you know?’
‘We won’t talk about that until the time is right, Narcissa,’ Bellatrix answered unusually seriously and disappeared.

On the 24th, Severus woke up far too early.
When he padded to the window and looked outside, he noticed it was still pitch dark, and the crescent moon was still high in the sky.
It was probably just after midnight.
He took a sip of water and then crawled back into bed.
But he couldn’t fall asleep because his mind wouldn’t rest.
Today, he would see Bellatrix again, and also her fiancé and his brother.
Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Lucius had told him, were very much like Bellatrix and also proud pure-bloods.
Severus sighed quietly; now he regretted coming here a little.
Since meeting Bellatrix, he felt he wasn’t good enough.
Worthless.
She had looked at him the same way James and Sirius always did.
They always looked at him like he was a disgusting insect.
He sighed again, snuggled further under the blanket, and drew his legs up.
But the empty, dark feeling in his chest, which he had been feeling a lot lately, didn’t go away.
Severus closed his eyes and tried to think of something nice, something comforting.
Lily’s green eyes appeared before his mind’s eye.
That pushed away the negative feelings and made him smile.
He hoped very much that she was having a lovely time skiing and looked forward to seeing her again and hearing all about her holiday at the mountain cabin.
And in the future, he would stay at Hogwarts during the holidays.
There, although he would be alone, he would at least have peace to do what he liked without fear of attacks from James and Sirius.
And the feeling of not being good enough didn’t come when he was alone at Hogwarts.
Maybe he could even persuade some of his friends to stay at the castle as well.
Then they would have everything to themselves and could, for example, keep searching for secret passages.
With these happy thoughts, he finally fell asleep peacefully again.
A few hours later, the winter sun was already shining brightly into the room when Severus was gently tapped on the upper arm.
‘Sir...’
When he opened his eyes, Dobby was standing before him, looking at him with big, round eyes. ‘Sir?’
He sat up: ‘What’s wrong? Has something happened?’
Dobby shook his head quickly: ‘No, everything is alright, Sir. Dobby was just sent to wake Mr Snape. An owl has arrived, and the envelope bears Mr Snape’s name.’
Severus, who had just been half-asleep, was suddenly wide awake: ‘An owl? For me? From whom?’
‘Dobby doesn’t know. He is very sorry, Sir. But the owl won’t fly away, so it seems an answer is expected.’
Severus nodded and quickly got up: ‘Where is it sitting?’
‘In the fireplace room, Sir. Dobby will leave Mr Snape alone now.’
With that, Dobby disappeared as quietly as he had come.
After getting ready for the day, Severus hurried to the fireplace room and asked Lucius, who was eating there: ‘Dobby told me an owl has come for me... Where is it?’
Lucius pointed to an open window: ‘The beast is sitting on the windowsill. But be careful. The bird is very moody. I count myself lucky to still have all my fingers. And our owl biscuits are obviously beneath this creature’s dignity.’
Lucius looked at the owl with disgust, causing the small brown owl to let out an outraged screech and flap its wings wildly.
Severus eyed the little owl sceptically, but then hesitantly stretched out his hand: ‘Hello there... owl. I suppose that letter you have is for me.’
Surprisingly, the owl stayed perfectly still as Severus took the letter from her.
Lucius snorted in disdain: ‘She clearly doesn’t like me.’
Severus, who was happy that the little owl liked him, shrugged and opened the letter.
Severus, feeling relieved that the little owl seemed to like him and hadn’t pecked him, shrugged and opened the letter.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he saw the letter was from Charity.
The little brown owl had been a Christmas present from her parents and suited her lively, cheerful nature, he thought.
While he read Charity’s Christmas greetings and questions about his holidays, the little owl tripped about excitedly.
Severus watched her amused; she seemed almost proud to have done her first job properly.
He put the read letter in his pocket and then asked Lucius: ‘May I borrow some parchment and a quill? I want to write a reply.’
‘Certainly. DOBBY!’
Severus flinched slightly as Lucius called out for the house-elf.
He immediately thought of his father and had to remind himself that here, his father couldn’t hurt him.
Dobby appeared at once and looked up at Lucius: ‘What can Dobby do for the son of the Master?’
‘About time, Dobby. Get some parchment, a quill and ink for Severus.’
Dobby nodded, disappeared, and reappeared quickly with neatly arranged parchment, a quill and a small bottle of ink on the table.
Severus nodded back at him.
He had stopped thanking Dobby to avoid another tearful outburst from the house-elf.
But Dobby understood.
He looked at Severus excitedly: ‘Can Dobby do anything else for Mr Snape or Mr Malfoy?’
Severus shook his head and glanced at Lucius.
Lucius also shook his head.
When Dobby disappeared with a quiet ‘pop’, Severus sat down at the table and began to write a reply to Charity.
Her little owl tripped about excitedly and let out the occasional shriek.
When Severus finished the letter, he stood up to carefully attach it to the owl’s leg.
No sooner had he done so than the owl flew off at a furious speed and vanished in a cloud of snow.
Severus closed the window again, and Lucius studied him carefully: ‘If I may ask, who was the letter from?’
Severus hesitated briefly and then answered vaguely: ‘From a friend.’
Lucius’s face showed a trace of suspicion, but he nodded and did not ask further.
Instead, he said: ‘Breakfast is surely ready by now. Let us join my parents.’
After a breakfast that was even more ample than the ones in recent days, all the Malfoys, including Severus, went outside for a walk.
The dogs came with them.
Lucius explained that walking the dogs was usually Dobby’s task, but on some days, especially in winter, Abraxas Malfoy liked to walk his dogs personally.
When the four returned to the manor after a long walk around the grounds, Dobby opened the door for them and said: ‘The Black and Lestrange guests have already arrived, Master. Dobby has served them some drinks in the fireplace room.’
Abraxas Malfoy strode past the house-elf with strong steps: ‘Don’t expect praise from me, Dobby. You’ve just done your duty.’
Arriving in the fireplace room, there was a warm welcome and Severus was introduced.
Once everyone was seated and lunch was served, the conversation turned to Bellatrix and Rudolphus’s upcoming wedding.
While the others talked about wedding dresses, jewellery, and what food would be served, Severus grew steadily bored.
He listened half-heartedly, while imagining how fun it would be to be with his friends at Hogwarts celebrating instead of here.
They would be talking about potions or Slytherin, not about boring pure-blood traditions.
He felt more and more like an outsider.
It was clear that the Lestrange brothers, as well as Bellatrix, saw him—as a half-blood—as an unworthy equal.
Severus stifled a sad sigh and poked at his food rather than eating it.
He had so hoped to be accepted in Slytherin at least, but that, too, seemed to be a vain hope—aside from his friends.
He looked down at his hands.
They were calm, as they almost always were.
He never showed much on the outside; he had learned that from his father.
A strong man did not show pain, and above all, he did not cry.
Never.
But inside, his thoughts were in turmoil.
All he wanted was respect and to be seen.
Lily was the only one who had done that before Hogwarts.
Now he did have other friends from Slytherin and Hufflepuff, but none of them were like Lily.
And others, especially Gryffindors like James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, still treated him like something vile.
Something unworthy.
And most of the Slytherins simply ignored him.
Now he let out a quiet sigh after all.
Lucius, who noticed how quiet Severus had become, spoke to him directly: ‘Severus, why don’t you tell Rabastan and Rodolphus a bit about what you already know about the Dark Arts?’
Severus looked up and felt the eyes of each one upon him.
Rabastan leaned back casually, and Rodolphus regarded him with a mocking, pitying look, as if he almost hoped Severus would fail.
But he wouldn’t do them that favour.
As he began to speak, his voice quickly changed from initial uncertainty to confident enthusiasm.
No one interrupted him, and Severus thought they seemed almost impressed.
And when Severus told them how he had blasted James, Sirius, Remus and Peter away, Bellatrix screamed with laughter and jealously regretted not having been there.
Severus glowed with eagerness and excitement.
This was exactly what he had hoped for: To be listened to, and for his interests to be taken seriously.
As it grew dark, everyone was still deep in conversation.
Dobby, who was serving dinner, was hardly noticed, and when Severus saw that for dessert there was chocolate gateau — his favourite treat at Hogwarts — he was thoroughly content.
It was well past midnight when Severus, utterly exhausted, crawled into his warm guest bed and fell asleep immediately.

Chapter 25

The remaining days until the end of the year passed quickly.
Severus enjoyed his time at the Manor.
He felt more and more at ease and spent a lot of time in the Malfoys' private library.
There were books that covered topics he had never even heard of before.
But he read each one of them, eager to learn more and more.
And then, it was already the evening of the 31st of December.
Severus had actually been looking forward to a quiet evening, but that wasn’t to be.
Lucius had just informed him, quite casually a few minutes ago, that, like every New Year's Eve, the Malfoys had been invited to the Ministry’s New Year's Ball.
Severus had been completely surprised and had told Lucius that he hadn’t known anything about it and didn’t even have any formal robes to wear.
The older Slytherin had merely waved him off and then ordered Dobby to bring over the robes that no longer fit him and adjust them to Severus’s size.
So now Severus was standing in front of the full-length mirror in his guest bathroom, while Dobby scurried around him, tugging the robes into place.
Dobby’s high voice snapped him out of his thoughts: ‘Does it fit Mr Snape like this?’
Severus looked down at Dobby a little uncertainly and adjusted the robe slightly: ‘I’m not sure...’
Dobby’s eyes widened: ‘Shall Dobby change Mr Snape’s robe a bit more? Dobby will change it just the way Mr Snape wants it.’
Severus shook his head: ‘The robe is comfortable like this. I—’ he hesitated for a moment. Should he really tell a house-elf what he was thinking? But who would Dobby tell, after all?
So he took a deep breath and said: ‘It’s just... I’ve never been to the Ministry before, and I’ve never been to a big ball either.’
Dobby nodded understandingly and tugged at his sleeve: ‘Dobby can’t say anything about that either.’
Severus nodded: ‘That’s fine,’ and then hurried to the drawing room where the Malfoys had already asked him to join them a few minutes earlier.
When he arrived, the fireplace was already prepared for Floo travel.
Lucius, wearing a robe that looked very similar to Severus’s, stepped into the greenish flames first, threw in a handful of Floo Powder, and after saying ‘Ministry of Magic, London’, he disappeared.
Once Abraxas had vanished in the same way, Melisande turned to Severus: ‘Have you ever travelled by Floo Powder?’
Severus shook his head, and Melisande gave him a gentle smile before instructing: ‘Don’t worry. Take a handful of the Floo Powder, step into the fireplace, throw the powder in, and speak clearly where you want to go. In our case, it’s the Ministry of Magic in London. I’ll follow you straight away.’
After Severus had done exactly that, he had to brace himself not to instinctively grab onto something, as it felt like a strong wind was whirling him through narrow tubes and pulling him backwards.
Blurry, unfamiliar fireplaces appeared to the left and right, but it was impossible to make out anything through them.
A few seconds later, he stumbled out of one of the fireplaces and had to sneeze from the soot that whirled out with him.
Lucius looked at him with amusement: ‘Are you all right, Severus?’
He nodded and then looked around curiously.
What he saw impressed him even more than Malfoy Manor had.
So he didn’t notice when Melisande also stepped out of the fireplace, brushed some soot from her sparkling silver dress, and said to her husband with slight indignation:
‘It’s a disgrace that we weren’t provided with a Portkey. We’re one of the families that contribute the most—both in time and money—to our Ministry.’
Abraxas and Lucius both agreed wholeheartedly.
All four of them walked in the direction of the growing murmur of voices, which became clearer with every step.
When they arrived at the Atrium, Severus’s gaze was first drawn to the enormous Fountain of Magical Brethren.
The lavish buffet, the elegant decorations, and the many people around him all seemed to blur.
He stared in awe at the golden statues of a wizard, a witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf.
Whoever had created that fountain had done an impressive job, Severus thought.
But probably was also rather full of themselves.
Because, from what he knew about centaurs, they would never behave so submissively towards witches and wizards.
‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ came a familiar voice behind him, though it didn’t sound at all like Lucius.
When he turned around, he was looking straight into Avery’s grinning face.
‘What are you doing here?’ Severus couldn’t help grinning back.
‘My parents were invited too and dragged me along. Evan’s here as well, and I’ve already seen Pandora somewhere.
All the families that have anything at all to do with the Ministry are invited.’
Severus’s grin grew even wider: ‘Then we’re almost all here.’
Avery nodded and then pulled a face: ‘Black’s here too.’
Severus’s expression darkened as well: ‘That guy has to ruin everything.’
‘True. But his brother is all right. We talked briefly earlier, before Black dragged him away like some jealous girlfriend.’
Severus’s mouth twitched upwards again: ‘Typical.’
Avery gave a cheeky grin, his eyes gleaming mischievously: ‘How about we find Evan and Pandora and then go back over to Regulus? Just to annoy Black?’
‘I’d rather not run into him.’
‘Oh, come on, don’t be such a bore. Besides, I’ll be with you.’
‘All right,’ Severus said, glancing around in search of the Malfoys, but since they were nowhere to be seen, he simply walked along with Avery.
A short while later, he spotted Evan, who was talking to a boy their age.
‘Hello Evan. Afternoon, Barty,’ Avery greeted, apparently knowing the other boy, and Severus raised a hand in greeting as well.
After Barty and Severus had been introduced to one another, Barty was called over by an older man—clearly his father—and disappeared, rolling his eyes.
Now the three of them continued walking, looking for Pandora.
The blonde Hufflepuff was standing beside her parents, who were talking to an elegant-looking lady.
All three boys grinned when they spotted Pandora, who was making a clear effort to stifle a yawn as discreetly as possible.
When they approached her and asked if she wanted to join them, she agreed enthusiastically right away.
The four of them strolled over to Regulus, Sirius and their parents, who were currently talking with Melisande, Abraxas and Lucius.
Narcissa, Bellatrix, and the Lestrange brothers were nowhere to be seen.
When Sirius noticed the group approaching, his expression turned hateful and his eyes seemed to spark with fury.
Regulus, on the other hand, raised a hand in greeting—still a little shy.
A quiet, hissed "Behave yourself", from his mother to Sirius didn’t do much to improve his expression, but he didn’t say anything.
Avery put on his most charming expression: ‘Good evening, Mrs and Mr Black. We were wondering if we might have a look around the hall with Regulus?’
Pandora, Evan and Severus nodded as well, all looking up at the dark-haired woman with their most angelic expressions.
Walburga’s mouth curved into a smile: ‘But of course. Isn’t that right, Orion?’
Her husband nodded: ‘It’ll do him good to keep respectable company. Especially now that he’ll be off to Hogwarts next year.’ With that, he gave Regulus a pat on the shoulder.
Regulus gave a brief, slightly uncertain glance towards Sirius, but the latter ignored him completely and stared determinedly in the opposite direction.
Melisande smiled kindly: ‘Have fun—but don’t forget to be back here by midnight.’
They all nodded and disappeared into the crowd.
Before the four of them vanished completely into the depths of the Ministry of Magic to explore, they made a quick stop at the buffet to stock up on all sorts of treats and snacks.
Giggling and munching, they looked around everywhere.
‘Are you sure we’re even allowed to be here?’ asked Regulus, though he couldn’t help peeking around corners with curiosity.
‘Why wouldn’t we be?’ Evan mumbled with his mouth full, popping another mini-pastry into it.
‘Exactly,’ Avery nodded. ‘What are they going to do... we’re only eleven.’
Pandora smiled: ‘And it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong or bothering anyone.’
‘Precisely,’ Avery grinned cheekily and stole one of the small boar bites Severus had taken from the buffet.
‘Ugh... they’ve got truffle sauce on them.’
Severus smirked smugly: ‘Your own fault.’
‘Doesn’t it feel a bit like we don’t belong here?’ Evan asked as they turned the next corner.
Severus and Regulus nodded at the same time, and even Avery agreed: ‘True... but that’s what makes it exciting, don’t you think?’
Pandora smiled: ‘I think it’s amazing here.’
Avery grinned: ‘It’s kind of unfair, though.’
‘What is?’ Pandora tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and looked at him questioningly.
‘You always look so sweet and innocent, but when it comes to stuff like this, you’re just like us.’
They all laughed and didn’t even realise they’d already reached the next corridor.
The long hallway shimmered in the faint magical light, almost blurring before their eyes. The air was warm and heavy, making everything feel even more like another world.
Behind each of the dozens of doors, it felt like countless secrets and dangers were waiting to be discovered.
But before they could open a single one, they heard two unfamiliar voices behind them.
‘Well, well, what do we have here?’
‘You lot don’t work for the Ministry... do you?’
When Pandora, Severus, Evan, Regulus and Avery turned around, they found themselves looking into the grinning faces of two red-haired young men.
‘I’m seeing double,’ said Avery, holding his head and then glaring at Severus, ‘It must’ve been that stupid truffle sauce of yours.’
‘Don’t worry, I see it too,’ Evan reassured him.
‘You’re twins, right?’ Pandora smiled.
The two men’s grins widened even further.
‘Us?’
‘No.’
‘We’ve only just met.’
‘We don’t believe you,’ the children grinned.
‘What are your names?’ Pandora asked.
‘I’m Fabian Prewett.’
‘And my name’s Gideon Prewett.’
Pandora, Evan, Severus, Avery and Regulus introduced themselves as well.
‘First year at Hogwarts, I take it?’ asked Fabian.
Everyone but Regulus nodded.
‘I won’t be going until next year,’ Regulus explained.
The brothers smiled kindly.
‘Well then, come along. We’ll walk you back. It’s nearly midnight, after all.’
The two brothers led the five children through several corridors.
Severus looked around: ‘The way here felt shorter somehow.’
Evan nodded: ‘Seemed that way to me too.’ He leaned forward slightly, eyeing the red-haired men with suspicion. ‘Why are we taking a longer route?’
‘We’re not,’ replied Gideon, and Fabian added, ‘It probably just felt shorter before because you were more focused on talking than walking.’
‘That makes sense,’ Pandora said, still smiling.
After walking a few more metres, the group began to hear the buzz of conversation and laughter from the ball once more.
‘Here we are again,’ said Fabian.
‘Just in time for the fireworks,’ added Gideon with a grin at the children’s puzzled expressions.
‘Fireworks? Indoors?’
‘Sort of,’ Gideon began to explain. ‘It’s magical fireworks.’
‘What’s the difference to the Muggle kind?’ Severus asked curiously. He of course knew what fireworks were and what they looked like.
Every New Year’s Eve, he’d watched the fireworks from nearby towns from the rooftop in Spinners End.
The Snapes themselves could never have afforded fireworks, but the view from the roof was good enough.
‘It’ll happen on the ceiling of the Atrium,’ Fabian explained, ‘but unlike Muggle fireworks, these are completely silent. There are no dangerous or hot bits falling down, and no rocket smoke clouding the view.’
Gideon nodded. ‘You’ll be amazed. This year it’s even bigger.’
‘You two really know your stuff,’ said Pandora, impressed.
‘Thanks,’ the brothers grinned, ‘We took Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, and our teacher’s wife was a Muggle – he got completely obsessed with fireworks after that.’
‘Muggle Studies?’ Regulus looked a little confused.
‘It’s a subject at Hogwarts,’ Severus explained, ‘You learn about how Muggles live and how they manage without magic.’
He smiled proudly when Fabian added: ‘Couldn’t have said it better myself.’
Back in the Atrium, Fabian and Gideon said goodbye, and the five agreed briefly to meet their families again.
Regulus and Severus walked back together, as the Blacks and Malfoys were still deep in conversation.
Sirius’s face had only grown darker, and if looks could kill, his parents and the Malfoys wouldn’t still be standing there smiling.
As Severus and Regulus joined them, Sirius clenched his fists — the sight of it made a lump form in Severus’s throat.
He swallowed, but the lump stayed.
Somehow, he knew — deep down — that Sirius, along with James, would make his life even more unbearable now.
Just for spending time with his brother.
Severus tried to push the thought away and focus on the fireworks about to begin.
But Sirius’s eyes felt like burning brands on his back.
The firework display eventually pulled his attention away.
It sparked general amazement, and when Lucius handed him a glass of juice to toast with, the lump in his throat slowly began to ease.
Because as long as he was with his friends, Severus knew Sirius — and James — wouldn’t touch him.
Not yet.
That night, it was well past midnight by the time he got to bed.
He was exhausted, but grateful he’d be able to sleep in the next morning. He soon drifted into a deep sleep.
But in the early hours, he woke with a jolt.
A nightmare.
Breathing hard and soaked in sweat, Severus sat upright in bed.
With shaking hands, he grabbed his wand and lit up the room.
He pushed a few damp strands of hair from his forehead and collapsed back into the pillows, drained.
He kept having to remind himself: James and Sirius aren’t here. They can’t hurt me.
But the dream had felt so real.
Every time he closed his eyes, he could still see their hate-filled faces — and their mocking laughter still rang in his ears.
The boy tried to breathe deeply a few times, but it didn’t help much.
Fighting the urge to clap his hands over his ears, he stood up and called out: ‘Dobby?’
The little house-elf appeared instantly and looked up at him, wide-eyed: ‘Mr Snape called for Dobby?’
Severus nodded: ‘Could you bring me something cool to drink, please?’
Dobby nodded at once, vanished, and reappeared a moment later holding a glass.
Severus accepted it gratefully, and after assuring Dobby he didn’t need anything else, the elf popped away.
Once he’d finished the drink, he got up again and made his way over to the sink.
Cool water ran over his arms, but when he looked up at the mirror, the voices in his head — shrill and cruel — returned, louder than ever.
They sounded suspiciously like James and Sirius.
“AWW, YOU GONNA CRY NOW, LOSER?”
“YOU’RE PATHETIC, SNIVELLUS.”
“LOOK AT YOU! YOU’RE WEAK!”
“AND UGLY!”
“NOBODY LOVES YOU!”
“NOBODY WANTS YOU!”
“NO ONE NEEDS YOU!”
“NO ONE WOULD MISS YOU!”
The once warm room suddenly felt icy cold and vast.
Goosebumps prickled along his skin, and a shiver ran through him.
He couldn't stop himself from sobbing — not this time.
All of their words came back to him, one by one, each one sharper than the last.
It was all becoming too much.
What had the two Gryffindors ever truly had against him?
He hadn’t done anything to them.
All he’d ever done was try to defend himself — and even that rarely worked.
But they seemed to take a twisted joy in it.
In mocking him.
In tormenting him.
In breaking him down.
He sank down onto the cold tiled floor, wrapped his arms around his legs, and cried.
Every now and then, he gasped for air like a drowning man.
They were right.
He was alone.
He had no one.
Even if he were at Hogwarts now, there would be no one there.
And if he were back at Spinner’s End, there would be no one for him there either.
His father would just get angry if he woke him up by crying and tell him he should be ashamed of being such a weakling as a son.
And his mother would try to calm his father down and send Severus back to his room.
He just wanted to be held by his mother once.
Really held.
Lovingly.
He wanted to feel safe and secure and be able to let go.
To the voices of James and Sirius in his head, now also joined the voice of his father.
“YOU’RE A DISAPPOINTMENT!”
“YOU’RE SUCH A WEAKLING! A MAN DOESN’T CRY!”
“YOU’RE THE WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE.”
Severus only cried harder, his lungs already burning, but he couldn’t stop.
He wanted to, but he couldn’t.
His face was streaming with tears.
He had long since given up trying to wipe them away.
Finally, trembling with cold, pain, and exhaustion, he crawled back into bed, curled up in the fetal position, and eventually fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Several hours later, he woke up again but stayed lying there.
Before getting up for good, he took a deep breath.
When he stood before the mirror, his reflection looked back at him sadly.
His deep dark circles and red swollen eyes stared at him.
Defiantly, he turned on the cold water and let it run over his forearms until they went numb.
Then he scrubbed his face with the cold water until his eyes were no longer swollen.
Once dressed, he gave the mirror one last look and vowed never to cry again.
He didn’t want to be weak or give James and Sirius any power over him.
He was not alone.
He had friends.
And he would show James and Sirius that too.
With grim determination, he closed the bathroom door behind him.

Chapter 26

The last days of the holidays passed quickly, and before they knew it, Severus and Lucius were standing once more at the edge of Hogwarts’ Apparition boundary.
The blond Slytherin huffed in annoyance: ‘Before the holidays, they manage to lift the Apparition barrier for a while, but not after the holidays? What kind of logic is that? Typical Dumbledore.’
Severus, dragging his suitcase behind Lucius, nodded.
Lucius snorted again: ‘Where are those useless house-elves when you actually need them?’
Severus said nothing.
He didn’t mind carrying his suitcase himself.
He helped a lot around the house, even if his father always insisted that it was "women’s work".
But Lucius complained the whole way back until they reached the common room.
There, he dropped his suitcase and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh.
Severus, on the other hand, walked to his room with his suitcase and began unpacking and putting his things back into the wardrobe.
He had just finished when the door burst open and Evan, Avery, and Mulciber came crashing in, dragging Wilkes behind them.
‘There you are at last!’ they greeted him cheerfully.
He grinned in amusement: ‘I’ve been here for an hour already.’
Evan, Avery, and Mulciber threw their bags and suitcases carelessly onto their beds and more or less tossed their clothes into the wardrobes.
‘Let’s go!’
‘Yeah, come on Severus! Charity and Pandora are probably already there.’
The black-haired Slytherin stood up and joined the others as they ran down the stairs and out through the exit.
No one paid any attention to the irritated Lucius, who was still sitting on the couch in the middle of the room.
The five of them ran up the dungeon steps, nearly bumping into Andromeda, who looked after them with an amused expression before heading towards the Hufflepuff common room.
In front of the barrels, they came to a stop, clueless.
‘Now what?’ Severus asked.
‘No idea,’ Evan shrugged.
‘You have to knock on the barrels,’ said Avery, pulling a self-important face.
‘And how?’ Severus wanted to know.
‘No idea,’ replied the small blond Slytherin.
‘Wow... how incredibly clever you are,’ Mulciber mocked.
‘You don’t know any better,’ Wilkes came to Avery’s defence.
Before Mulciber could reply, Charity’s head popped out of one of the barrels: ‘Hi! What are you lot doing there?’
All five Slytherins looked at her with a mix of confusion, astonishment and amusement.
‘The real question is... what are you doing there?’
‘In the barrel...’ Mulciber tried to peer inside, ‘Oh Hi Pandora.’
‘Hello Mulciber, hello Severus, Avery, Evan and Wilkes,’ came Pandora’s voice from inside the barrel.
Charity, who had now climbed out of the barrel completely, giggled: ‘You should’ve seen your faces.’
‘Well, how were we supposed to know you’d suddenly pop out of a barrel?’ Mulciber grinned.
Pandora was now standing next to Charity and grinning as well: ‘That’s the only way in or out of our common room, after all.’
‘That’s ridiculously complicated,’ Wilkes frowned, and Evan asked, confused, ‘And what do you do with your suitcases or bags? There’s no way those fit through.’
‘Oh, the house-elves took care of that for us. They magicked them in,’ Pandora smiled and Charity nodded, ‘They were really very kind.’
Severus grinned: ‘And Lucius and I had to carry our trunks ourselves.’
Mulciber laughed: ‘So that’s why he was in such a foul mood.’
‘Since we’re already talking about Lucius… how were your holidays at his place?’ Charity asked as she walked up the stairs beside Severus.
Severus thought for a moment and then said: ‘The Manor is amazing. Huge, elegant, and luxurious,’ his voice grew quieter, and the next words were more to himself than to Charity, ‘so the complete opposite of my actual home.’
The Hufflepuff girl gave him a sympathetic look, but she and the others continued to listen quietly and attentively as Severus went on.
‘I spent most of my time in the Malfoys’ library, and I also met Narcissa’s sister and her fiancé — and his brother.’
He deliberately left out the fact that he often felt out of place, especially around Bellatrix, and the breakdown he had the night after the New Year’s Eve party.
He didn’t want to be seen as weak or soft.
Charity smiled: ‘That does sound lovely.’
Severus nodded.

Meanwhile, Lily, Mary, and Marlene had also arrived back at Hogwarts and were settling into their room.
After a joyful reunion, Mary remarked in amazement at how tanned Lily had become over the two weeks.
The red-haired Gryffindor laughed happily: ‘The sun was shining every single day and I was outside the whole time. It was wonderful.’
Her friends were happy for her and then took turns sharing stories about their own holidays.
Mary had spent hers quietly at home with her close family, while Marlene had also gone on a trip with her family.
But unlike Lily, not to the mountains and snow — they had gone to the seaside.
She too was suntanned and had even brought back gifts for her two friends.
Beaming, Lily and Mary unpacked their presents.
Mary received a small pencil case decorated with seashells from Marlene, and Lily was given a crocheted book cover with a sea-themed design.
Both thanked her enthusiastically, and after a long chat about the presents they had received for Christmas, the three of them slowly began unpacking their things.
Lily sighed: ‘I hate tidying up.’
Her two friends laughed.
‘You’re the tidiest person I know, Lily,’ Mary giggled, and Marlene nodded, ‘I’m always so jealous. I really wish I were like that, and I do try… but every time I tidy up, it’s a mess again straight away — all by itself.’
‘All by itself, sure,’ Mary laughed and threw a pair of her socks at Marlene’s head.
Marlene threw them back, laughing, and hit Mary’s sock drawer perfectly. ‘Yes, by itself. And by the way, I hope for your sake those socks were clean.’
Lily grinned in amusement: ‘I just hate mess even more than I hate tidying. But I’m still normal about it — you’re just extremely messy.’
Marlene pulled a mock-offended face but couldn’t hold it for long and burst out laughing again: ‘You’re not wrong.’
Lily grinned: ‘If anyone is truly tidy, it’s Severus. It’s impressive how disciplined he is.’
Marlene grinned too: ‘And he's not obsessively tidy at all.’
Mary laughed as well.
Lily, however, didn’t laugh anymore: ‘He’s not.’
The other two immediately noticed they had gone too far.
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘It’s fine.’

What the three girls didn’t know was that four of their classmates — also unpacking their trunks in a Gryffindor dormitory — were talking about Severus as well.
Sirius was practically throwing his clothes into his wardrobe while loudly ranting about Severus and his friends: ‘And ever since that bloody New Year’s party, Regulus won’t shut up about how much fun he had running around with the Slytherins and Pandora, exploring the Ministry! If I had done that, I’d have been grounded for life. But the moment brilliant Snape and his pure-blood pals show up, Regulus is suddenly allowed to do anything — wander around the Ministry with them and Merlin knows what else. My parents are absolutely thrilled that he’s finally “making friends with the right sort”. All my lectures were a complete waste of time,’ he spat on the floor.
James nodded firmly: ‘Why Pandora hangs around with those idiots is beyond me. She’s way too good for them.’
Remus, who had so far been quietly unpacking his trunk, now looked up: ‘It was just one evening,’ he said cautiously, ‘Regulus is your brother, after all — not Snape’s.’
‘That would be the last straw,’ Sirius scoffed. ‘But I’ve already told him — if he ends up in Slytherin, he’s dead to me. Completely.’
Remus looked at the curly-haired boy, slightly shocked: ‘Why? He’s still your brother.’
Sirius looked at him as if that was the dumbest question imaginable: ‘Because the lot in Slytherin all think they’re better than everyone else, just because they’re pure-blood and rich. They treat people like dirt and get a kick out of seeing others suffer. Just wait — one day they’ll catch you on your own and then you’ll be their target. They’ll tear you down for everything — the way you look, your interests, all of it. They’ll use any excuse to attack and hurt you. It’s disgusting,’ he spat on the floor again.
Remus scratched the scar near his eyebrow, clearly unsure: ‘And… what am I supposed to do then?’
‘Then we’ll be there for you,’ James said firmly.
Remus nodded, a little more reassured now.
‘Why is Lily even friends with someone like that…’ Peter muttered quietly, ‘She’s so nice.’
‘She’s a girl,’ said Sirius.
‘Huh?’ Remus looked confused.
‘Well, girls are just blind and naive and fall for guys like that. They act all sweet, but they’re not — and the girls fall for it anyway,’ James explained, clearly annoyed that Remus didn’t seem to get it.
‘I don’t think Snape’s pretending,’ said Remus. ‘I saw the two of them in the library once. They got along really well, and it definitely wasn’t fake. Plus, they both like Potions — and they’re really good at it too.’
James and Sirius gave Remus an angry look.
‘Then why don’t you go and join Snivellus and Evans if you think he’s so brilliant?’
‘I didn’t say that,’ Remus replied, trying to calm them down.
James now flung his clothes into the wardrobe just as angrily as Sirius had done earlier.
‘I swear to you,’ he said, turning back around with a dangerous glint in his eyes, ‘Evans will realise what Snivellus is really like. Even if I have to make sure of it myself.’
‘Can we please change the subject now?’ Peter said, slamming his empty trunk shut.
‘Good idea, Peterpiet,’ James said. ‘Let’s talk about something cheerful.’
After chatting for a while about their holidays — with James listing off his impressive collection of Christmas presents — it was finally time to head down to the Great Hall for dinner.
On the stairs, the four of them ran into Lily, Mary and Marlene.
‘Hello, you three beauties,’ Sirius grinned.
All three girls ignored him.
‘Did someone say something?’ Marlene asked, looking right past him with exaggerated innocence.
‘I didn’t hear anything,’ Lily smirked as she walked past the boys with her two best friends.
‘I did… some high-pitched annoying squeal… must be my tinnitus,’ Mary added.
All three of them laughed.
At the bottom of the stairs, they passed their classmate Nicolas.
‘Hi, Nicolas,’ they all said with friendly smiles, and he returned the greeting.
As the girls disappeared around the corner, James and Sirius reached the red-haired boy.
‘Hi, Nicolas,’ Sirius mocked in a high-pitched voice, mimicking Lily.
When Nicolas tried to step aside, James stuck out a foot.
The boy stumbled down the last two steps and landed hard on the floor.
Letting out a choked sob, he clutched his arm. ‘What’s your problem!?’
James only sneered: ‘Listen to him cry like a little girl.’
Sirius and Peter burst out laughing.
Remus stepped forward to help him up, but Nicolas shoved him away.
‘Leave me alone!’
‘I was only trying to help,’ Remus said, raising his hands apologetically.
Nicolas scrambled to his feet and rushed off.
Remus shot James an angry look: ‘What was that for? He is a Gryffindor. He is one of us!’
He was truly furious now and emphasized every single word.
James and Sirius had no right to take their anger about Snape and the Slytherins out on innocent classmates.
‘Yeah, yeah… you’re right,’ James muttered, scratching the back of his head — his messy black hair getting even messier in the process. Sirius nodded as well: ‘Yeah… it was a shitty thing to do.’
Remus nodded.
He felt a bit proud of himself for making them see sense and was glad they respected his opinion.
Nicolas didn’t come to dinner.
When the rumour spread that he was in the hospital wing with a broken arm, James and Sirius exchanged a guilty glance — one that quickly turned to anger again when Lily offered to bring Nicolas some food and actually followed through.

At the Slytherin table, no one had any idea what had just happened elsewhere, as Dorcas was in the middle of impersonating her uncle, who had fallen into the punch bowl at their Christmas party.
Everyone was laughing loudly, and even Lucius allowed himself an amused grin.
Only Narcissa, sitting beside him, seemed lost in thought and barely listened.
Her gaze kept drifting to the far end of the Slytherin table, where her older sister Andromeda was chatting with another student.
When Lucius gave her a questioning look, she sighed softly.
‘She hasn’t spoken a word to me since then, and she doesn’t come home anymore either.’
Lucius placed a hand on her shoulder and said: ‘She’s made her choice, Cissa. And she chose against her family.’
‘I know that…’
‘She’ll come back to you once she realises what her precious Mudblood really is,’ Lucius tried to comfort his girlfriend quietly.
Narcissa looked up, a flicker of hope in her eyes: ‘Do you really think so?’
The blond Slytherin nodded: ‘Absolutely.’
Meanwhile, Mulciber choked with laughter during Dorcas’s performance, and when Evan tried to give him a hard slap on the back, he nearly hit Alexis Zabini, who just managed to turn away in time.
‘Oh, sorry,’ Evan said, grinning sheepishly.
She simply rolled her eyes and blew a strand of hair out of her face: ‘Typical boys. If it weren’t for my excellent reflexes, I’d be dead by now.’
Everyone laughed.
‘Don’t exaggerate, Alexis,’ Dorcas said with a grin. ‘Just hit back.’
Alexis grinned in return: ‘I’ll pass.’
Mulciber smirked: ‘Princess Alexis doesn’t like to get her dainty fingers dirty.’
‘Nope. That’s what I’ve got staff for,’ she shot back cheekily, and the table erupted in laughter.
‘Are you two alright, or are you ill or something?’ Mulciber asked Avery and Wilkes, eyeing them suspiciously: ‘You’ve barely eaten and haven’t said a word.’
‘Hmm?’ Wilkes looked slightly caught off guard. ‘No, we’re fine.’
Avery nodded as well: ‘Not ill. Just tired… not exactly excited for school tomorrow.’
Mulciber didn’t seem convinced, and Severus also doubted their words, but neither of them pressed further.
After dinner, Albus Dumbledore gave a brief speech, welcoming the students back to Hogwarts.
As he reached the words ‘and here’s to another wonderful year together’, and everyone raised their goblets, Severus suddenly remembered that his birthday was only a few days away.
He would soon be turning twelve.
His birthday had never been celebrated — they simply hadn’t had the money, and his father never even remembered.
Only his mother ever gave him a birthday greeting, and sometimes, when there was a bit of money left over, she baked him a tiny cake.
It wasn’t much, but to Severus, it meant everything.
He always saved the cake for as long as he could, but in the end, he always ate it.
And since he had met Lily, he had received homemade biscuits from her on his birthday, which he would always share with her as they sat together under their tree, talking about Hogwarts and the wizarding world.
He only came out of his thoughts when Charity, who had appeared at the Slytherin table among her friends, spoke to him: ‘Severus? Severus?’
‘Hmm? Yes?’
She smiled: ‘Did you even notice me?’
The black-haired boy looked at her apologetically: ‘No... I was just thinking about my birthday.’
His friends all turned towards him at once.
‘You’ve got a birthday? When?’
‘The ninth of this month,’ he replied.
‘That’s in three days! Why didn’t you say anything?’ Charity asked, having completely forgotten her original question to the Slytherin.
He shrugged: ‘My birthday isn’t really anything special to me.’
‘So you don’t want to celebrate?’ Charity looked almost disappointed.
He shrugged again.
On the morning of the ninth of January, just before breakfast, a knock sounded on the wall that led to the entrance of the Slytherin common room.
When Lucius stuck his head out and saw Lily standing there, he deliberately looked past her.
‘Hello? Strange... no one’s here.’
Lily rolled her eyes: ‘Hilarious. Is Severus in?’
Lucius acted as if he had only just noticed the Gryffindor.
‘Oh, there you are down there,’ he said with a grin, looking down at her before turning to call Severus.
The summoned boy appeared immediately: ‘Hmm? Oh, hello Lily.’
Severus smiled at her happily, forcing himself to breathe calmly at the same time.
His heart had skipped a little at the sight of her.
She had thought of him.
She had remembered his birthday.
He slipped past Lucius’s gaze and went out with Lily, walking down the corridor together.
Lily couldn’t help but grin at Lucius, a grin that only grew wider as she saw him snort and turn away, disappearing back into the common room.
Lily and Severus walked along the dungeon corridor, and once they were out of sight of the Slytherin common room, Lily stopped.
‘Happy birthday, Sev. And I’ve got something for you.’
He smiled and then looked at her curiously: ‘T-Thanks. What is it?’
She smiled and pulled a small bag of homemade biscuits from her pocket: ‘Here. They’re unfortunately not baked by me myself, otherwise they’d have gone dry by now, but the house-elves were so kind and baked them for me. Of course, using my mother’s usual recipes. Just how you like them.’
He took the biscuits and immediately ate one: ‘Hmm... heavenly. But you really didn't have to do that.’
Lily, who he held the bag out to, also ate one of the biscuits: ‘Wow... these are even better than usual.’
‘Probably thanks to the house-elves’ magic,’ Severus said thoughtfully, munching on another biscuit.
‘House-elves have their own magic?’
The Slytherin nodded and ate yet another biscuit.
‘That’s pretty cool. How does it work?’
‘No idea... but there must be books about it in the library, or you could ask one of the elves yourself.’
‘Good idea, Sev. I’ll do that.’
After a brief chat about the upcoming school day and arranging to brew together in Potions class, Lily went back upstairs and Severus returned to the Slytherin common room.
Back in the common room, his friends were now up as well and wished him a happy birthday.
Lucius handed him a small parcel, inside which was a non-fiction book about potions invented by dark alchemists.
And Charity and Pandora, who were waiting for them at the top of the dungeon stairs, gave Severus a chocolate muffin with a small green candle stuck into it.
Severus was genuinely happy.
He had never received so many presents before.
After he had eaten the muffin, Mulciber wanted to know how the girls had managed to get hold of it.
Charity grinned broadly: ‘We sneaked into the kitchens and baked it there.’
Every Slytherin’s jaw dropped.
‘Sneaked in?’ asked Avery in disbelief.
‘Into the Hogwarts kitchens?’ Wilkes added, equally stunned.
Pandora nodded: ‘Sneaked in.’
‘Into the Hogwarts kitchens,’ laughed Charity.
‘It’s like I said... it’s unfair,’ Avery grumbled—though he was grinning.
Charity looked a bit confused, but once Pandora gave her a quick summary of the Ministry New Year’s party incident, her grin widened again. ‘We’re extremely innocent.’
‘And I’m McGonagall,’ joked Evan.
‘Nah. Binns.’
Everyone burst out laughing as they arrived in the Great Hall.
Later, in Potions, Slughorn practically beamed with pride over Lily and Severus.
Both were quietly proud to still be the best in their year, and since James and Sirius ignored Severus apart from a few mocking glances, the day had turned out rather wonderful in his eyes.
The only downside was that they had Astronomy in the evening, which meant no early bedtime or sleeping in the next morning.
Up at the Astronomy Tower, Severus took a deep breath.
He loved being outside at night, breathing in the crisp air.
Up here, it was fresh and clear and smelled faintly of forest and rain—completely unlike Spinner’s End, where everything reeked of mildew, sewage, and smoke.
The black-haired boy breathed in deeply again.
‘Do you love the fresh air up here as much as I do?’ came a voice from behind.
Aurora was standing behind him, smiling.
He nodded: ‘Very much.’
The Ravenclaw girl smiled: ‘Me too. I often come up here to enjoy the air and look at the stars.’
A faint grin crossed his face: ‘Isn’t that against the rules?’
‘Er... yeah... but... please don’t tell anyone.’
‘I won’t. I’ve been out after hours a few times myself,’ he promised her.
Aurora’s nervous expression softened, and she smiled again: ‘Thanks... oh, and I nearly forgot—happy birthday.’
After chatting a while longer about their holidays, the lesson finally began and they hurried to their seats.
Severus had to try hard not to fall asleep on his telescope as he observed the constellation of the Great Bear.
He yawned and glanced over at Aurora, who looked alert and completely focused.
When she noticed his gaze, she gave him a brief smile, then turned her attention back to the stars.
‘How can anyone be that awake at this hour?’ muttered Avery, who had caught the look between Severus and Aurora.
‘No idea,’ Severus replied.
After the lesson, the students trudged sleepily and with great relief back to their common room and heading straight to bed the moment they arrived.

Chapter 27

Notes:

TW:
This (and the next) chapter touches the beginnings of an eating disorder.
If this is something that might trigger you, please consider skipping this chapter — or at least, don’t read it alone.

And remember:
You are beautiful and wonderful. Just as you are. 🩷

Exactly one week after Severus’s birthday, Slughorn asked him to stay behind for a moment after Potions class.
A murmur went through the class, and James and Sirius grinned mockingly and whispered — not very quietly — that they hoped he was in trouble.
‘What did you do, and why wasn’t I there?’ Avery asked curiously.
Severus shrugged: ‘Nothing that I know of.’
After the others had left the room, Slughorn still hadn’t said a word.
Severus nervously fiddled with the hem of his sleeve and went through everything he and his friends had done in his head.
But apart from the thing with the potion — for which they had already been punished, though there was no proof of their guilt — nothing came to mind.
Slughorn smoothed down his light blue tie and smiled kindly: ‘I just wanted to let you know there’s a meeting this afternoon,’ he said, winking conspiratorially at Severus.
He exhaled quietly and then nodded.
A pleasantly excited tingling spread through him.
‘When should I be there, and where do I need to go?’ asked Severus, relieved that it was only about the Slug Club and not because he was in trouble.
‘We’re meeting at 4 p.m. in my office. There’ll be a little something to eat as well.’
Severus nodded: ‘I’ll be there.’
‘Good,’ Slughorn said with a satisfied smile: ‘See you this evening, then.’
Severus nodded, then gathered his things and hurried off to the greenhouses.
He ran across the still slightly snow-covered lawn and arrived at the greenhouse out of breath.
The lesson had already begun.
‘Sorry, Professor Sprout—’ he took a deep breath, ‘Professor Slughorn wanted to speak to me.’
The teacher nodded: ‘I know. Your friends explained.’
Avery and Mulciber grinned at him.
He nodded and joined the two of them.
‘So, did you get in trouble, Snivellus?’ Peter shrieked, and James, Sirius and Remus laughed loudly.
After a stern look from Sprout, however, they quickly fell silent.
Severus could see Lily rolling her eyes from his place at the other end of the room, and suppressed a grin.
It reassured him that she disliked the four boys just as much as he did.
Once the class had quieted down, Professor Sprout cleared her throat and explained the task for the day.
The children were to explore the grounds and cut off a sample of every plant they didn’t recognise and bring it back.
Professor Sprout reminded them again to always wear gloves and to be very careful.
Mulciber grinned slightly: ‘Is she saying that because she’s worried about us or the plants?’
Everyone grinned, and Evan said: ‘I don’t think you stand a chance against her beloved plants, mate.’
‘And I believe you’re right.’
‘You know, Snivellus,’ said James with a mocking grin as he passed Severus and his friends, ‘if I were you, I’d start doing some workout, You’ve really got fat, and being out of breath after a short sprint isn’t normal. And if you ever want a chance with a girl, I’d suggest working out a bit. You’re probably going to die alone anyway, but it’s worth a try. Maybe there’s someone out there just as ugly and stupid as you who might take you.’
Sirius, Peter and Remus burst out laughing.
Peter laughed especially loudly: ‘Exactly! Girls don’t like fat slobs, Snivellus!’
Severus went pale with rage, and the next words came out of his mouth without thinking: ‘You know what’s even fatter?’
Sirius was still laughing: ‘Peter?’
‘Your ego. It’s a miracle your heads haven’t exploded yet. Typical Gryffindors.’
All the Slytherins started laughing.
‘Too right!’
‘One–nil to you!’
James and Sirius glared furiously at Severus, but Peter’s face — now just as pale as Severus’s had been — kept them from replying.
‘You’ll regret that, Snivellus,’ James muttered as they walked off with Peter and Remus.
Avery was still laughing: ‘Did you see his face? That really shut them up.’
Severus shrugged: ‘You really think so?’
‘Of course. It was well deserved. Just think how often those... those...’ Avery couldn’t think of a fitting insult and simply said, ‘Gryffindors have insulted you.’
Evan nodded: ‘It was about time you fought back.’
Mulciber and Wilkes agreed.
‘You’ve got to get nastier.’
‘Exactly. Don’t let them walk all over you.’
‘You’re a Slytherin, after all.’
Severus nodded.
His friends were right.
From now on, he would stand up for himself.
He didn’t want to be a victim anymore, and he was going to show those four Gryffindors exactly that.

While the Slytherins continued across the grounds looking for plants, James, Sirius and Peter were lying in the snow, staring up at the brilliantly blue sky and letting the winter sun warm their faces.
Remus, who didn’t want to risk a bad mark or getting into trouble, looked around and carefully collected a few plants and herbs.
James yawned and looked over at him: ‘What’s the rush? We’ll just grab a few bits on the way back and be done with it.’
Sirius nodded: ‘Come lie down with us.’
Remus didn’t pay them any attention.
He was still thinking about what they’d said earlier.
James and Sirius thought he was too fat.
His friends thought he was ugly.
He knew he wasn’t the slimmest, but until now it hadn’t bothered him in the slightest.
He’d felt comfortable in his own skin and had enjoyed eating the delicious food at Hogwarts — a lot of it, too.
Sirius looked over at him and grinned: ‘Wakey wakey, Peter.’
The dark-blonde Gryffindor looked over: ‘Yeah, what?’
‘He really wasn’t listening,’ Sirius said with a grin, turning to James.
James grinned too, but then noticed Peter’s unhappy expression.
‘You’re not still thinking about what Sirius said, are you?’ the bespectacled boy asked.
Peter just grunted.
‘Come on... it was just a stupid joke. Sirius didn’t mean it, did you?’
Sirius lifted his head: ‘Hm? Oh, rubbish. I just wanted Snivellus to agree so I’d have an excuse to beat him up.’
Peter nodded, but he didn’t really believe them.
Suddenly it felt like James and Sirius had thought that way all along.
After all, they were always making jokes at his expense.
‘Just don’t think about it anymore,’ Sirius said, stretching out his long legs and closing his eyes.
‘Exactly. Tell him, Remus,’ James prompted Remus, who was still bent over, moving through the grass, ‘Tell him Sirius didn’t really mean what he said earlier.’
‘He didn’t,’ said Remus, who simply wanted to get on with the task and paid little attention to his friends.
Peter nodded again, but secretly decided that from now on he’d eat less and pay more attention to his figure.
He wanted to earn James’s and Sirius’s respect — to be treated the same way they treated each other.
He’d show them that he was just as cool and strong as they were.

What none of the four Gryffindors knew was that they were being watched by the Slytherins.
‘Typical that they’re doing nothing,’ Mulciber growled, yanking a plant out of the ground and tossing it — not very carefully — into the basket.
Evan nodded: ‘And I bet they’ll get loads of house points later for the stuff loser Lupin’s collecting all by himself.’
‘A hundred percent,’ Wilkes agreed angrily.
‘It’s always the same. Gryffindor gets points just for existing,’ said Severus, placing his full basket on the ground.
‘And we Slytherins have to fight for every single point,’ Avery scoffed and said in a high, squeaky voice that was probably meant to sound similar to McGonagall's: ‘Oh, my sweet, dearest, brightest, most wonderful Gryffindors... here are a thousand points for tying your shoelaces all by yourselves.’
His friends laughed.
‘It’d be funny if it weren’t true,’ grinned Mulciber.
Back in the greenhouse, everyone placed their baskets on the table.
Under the curious eyes of her students, Professor Sprout began sorting out the duplicate plants, laying the rest neatly on the long table and explaining each one.
Everyone listened attentively.
When the lesson was over and the Slytherins were just about to leave, Sirius stuck out a foot, causing Severus to nearly fall flat on his face.
Wilkes just managed to grab him by the collar and hold him upright.
Mulciber’s dark eyes flashed with such fury they seemed to pop from his face.
With long strides, he crossed the room to Pomona Sprout: ‘Professor. I need to tell you something. Potter and his friends didn’t do the assignment. They spent the whole time just lazing around.’
James, who had just been about to walk out, spun around angrily: ‘LIAR!’
‘Not at all!’ Avery jumped in, ‘We saw you.’
Wilkes, Evan and Severus all nodded in agreement.
‘That’s a serious accusation,’ said Sprout, ‘especially since they brought back full baskets.’
Her gaze swept between the two groups of students before settling on Mulciber again: ‘Do you have any proof?’
‘We saw them. All of us.’
Before any of his friends could back him up, Sirius spoke up: ‘The Slytherins have been trying to get us into trouble all along, Professor. They keep making up lies about us to get us punished.’
James and Peter nodded eagerly.
‘That’s not true!’ Avery snapped angrily, ‘You’re the ones who mock us — and especially Severus — all the time!’
Severus nodded: ‘They’re just pretending to be innocent.’
‘We are not! Don’t lie!’ Peter said and let out a fake sniff.
Severus looked at the four Gryffindors with pure hatred.
He already had a feeling how this would end — and he was right.
Professor Sprout turned to Remus: ‘Mr Lupin... I trust you. What really happened?’
‘He’s friends with those three! He’ll never tell the truth!’ Wilkes exclaimed, looking at Pomona Sprout in disbelief.
But the teacher paid him no attention.
She simply looked at Remus, her gaze piercing.
He seemed to squirm under her eyes and under the expectant glances of his friends, but finally said quietly: ‘We weren’t just lying around. We did the assignment.’
James and Sirius grinned smugly at the Slytherins, who cried out in protest.
Sprout looked at the Slytherins, clearly disappointed: ‘I’m extremely disappointed in you. Telling such ugly lies about your classmates shows a serious lack of character.’
‘But it wasn’t a li—’ Severus began, but was cut off by his teacher.
‘Enough. You should be grateful I’m not taking points from you. Instead, you will all write an essay for me on which plants must never be used in potion-making.’
Furious, the Slytherins stormed out.
That afternoon, Severus was just about to leave his room to go to the Slug Club meeting when there was a knock at the door.
He glanced over at his friends, who groaned in frustration as they continued writing their punishment essays.
‘Are any of you expecting someone?’
They all shook their heads.
Before the black-haired Slytherin could open the door, it swung open on its own, and Lucius walked in.
He didn’t bother with a greeting and simply said: ‘Shall we go, Severus?’
Severus was briefly confused, but then nodded as he remembered that Lucius was also a member of the Slug Club.
As the two of them walked together down the corridor towards Slughorn’s office, Severus asked curiously: ‘What’s the meeting usually like?’
‘Since you were only recently invited, you’ll most likely be introduced to everyone first,’ Lucius began, and Severus’s eyes widened slightly.
The idea of being the centre of attention didn’t exactly appeal to him.
The blond Slytherin didn’t seem to notice and continued: ‘After that, we usually sit together and talk about the past week. Professor Slughorn also loves going on about former members, their successes, and how he’s benefited from knowing them. Oh... and you can definitely look forward to the food. When it comes to that, Slughorn has excellent taste.’
Severus nodded again.
With every step, he grew more nervous but forced himself to breathe calmly.
After all, this was exactly what he had been looking forward to all along.
He hoped very much that, just as promised, he could make good contacts in the Slug Club and thus be truly accepted at Hogwarts and in the wizarding world.
As the two of them entered the room, all heads turned towards them.
Severus recognised some fellow Slytherins, but there were also Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors present.
However, Severus had never really noticed most of them before, as they were several years older than him.
Professor Slughorn immediately hurried over to them enthusiastically and shook Severus’s hand.
‘I’m exceedingly pleased that you have come,’ he said, guiding Severus to the chair on his right.
Severus felt increasingly uncomfortable as he once again felt all eyes on him.
Slughorn cleared his throat: ‘My dears, as you have surely noticed, we have a new face among us. This is Severus. Although he is only in his first year, he already shows astonishing talent in potion-making and magic. Let us welcome him,’ he raised his glass, ‘To Severus.’
‘To Severus,’ the others murmured in chorus, raising their glasses.
Severus did his utmost not to look too embarrassed and fervently hoped he wasn’t blushing.
Slughorn, now seated, began a short lecture about two former members of his club who were now professional Quidditch players and got him tickets whenever he wanted.
Lucius, sitting on Severus’s other side, leaned towards Slughorn.
‘Professor? Since we’re on the subject of Quidditch... Do you know when the pitch will be playable again? We Slytherins must defend our cup, after all.’
Some of the others nodded, and a murmur of questioning spread.
Slughorn leaned back in his chair: ‘Unfortunately, no. But I’m afraid it will be a while yet. However, look on the bright side, my dears — the cup will remain in our possession without any effort at all.’
The Slytherins nodded in agreement, but the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors muttered quietly.
Slughorn chuckled: ‘Now, now, no grumbling. Since the school year is already halfway through, a fair schedule would be nearly impossible anyway.’
Nods were the silent response.
Slughorn smiled and leaned towards Severus: ‘Are you a Quidditch player too, Mr Snape?’
He shook his head. ‘No, sir. I prefer reading.’
That was only half the truth, but admitting that large crowds and loud noises often became too much for him was out of the question.
Slughorn nodded with a smile: ‘Still, I expect you to be present at our matches and cheer on your house.’
After Severus nodded and Slughorn had patted his shoulder approvingly, a clap from Slughorn made the food appear on the table.
A quiet murmur of appreciation ran through the room at the sight of the many delicacies.
Lucius had been right.
The food looked exquisite and was presented even more elegantly than the fare in the Great Hall.
Slughorn smiled proudly as if he had personally cooked it and said: ‘I instructed the elves to take extra care today, so enjoy.’
Everyone eagerly helped themselves, and Severus gladly did the same.
But just as he was about to bite into a candied apple, James’s mocking voice appeared in his head — so loud it was as if he were standing right behind him.
"IF I WERE YOU, I’D DO SOME EXERCISE! YOU’VE REALLY PUT ON WEIGHT, AND GETTING OUT OF BREATH AFTER A SHORT SPRINT IS NOT NORMAL! YOU’LL DIE ALONE!"
Was it true... he had gained weight?
It was true.
He had put on weight.
But he had always seen it as a positive thing.
Before Hogwarts, he had been almost too skinny, simply and solely because his mum could not afford much food.
Now he had a normal weight and had actually been quite satisfied with it until that very morning.
Just as he was about to bite into the apple again, James’s mocking voice rang in his head once more.
He fought the urge to cover his ears and tried desperately to think about something else.
It didn’t help as much as he had hoped, but at least it helped a little.
Severus finally forced himself to eat something, not wanting to appear rude.
He made sure to stick mostly to the healthier, fat-free snacks.
And as a balance, he decided he would simply skip dinner later.

Chapter 28

The remaining days until Lily’s birthday on 30th January were spent by Severus and Mulciber in the Hogwarts infirmary and the reason was a failed potion in Slughorn’s lesson.
The morning had actually started quite normally.
His friends had slept in late and therefore had to hurry to still make it to breakfast on time.
Severus still had to fight against James’s mocking voice in his head, which mocked him every time he wanted to eat something.
Most of the time his reason won and he ate, but after eating he felt worse and worse each time and the fear that James was right and that no one would want him because of his weight was added on.
After eating the five boys walked back to their room to get their things.
In the corridor they met Peter Pettigrew who, when he noticed the Slytherins, wanted to hurry up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.
Avery and Mulciber exchanged a look and then stepped together towards the fellow student.
Mulciber held him roughly by the collar: ‘Not so hasty, Pettigrew. Otherwise you might still fall.’
‘Well... Alone here?’ Avery, who was as tall as Peter, looked him straight in the eyes.
Peter twisted under the piercing look of the blond Slytherin.
Mulciber, who towered over him, grinned maliciously: ‘How does it feel... to be so alone? To be helpless? Tell us.’
‘I... Eh... I...’, Peter looked around helplessly and finally threw a pleading glance at Severus, who stood a few metres away between Wilkes and Evan.
Severus looked at him coldly: ‘You don’t really expect ME to help YOU, do you?’
‘Now suddenly you don’t have such a big mouth, do you?’ Mulciber looked down on him contemptuously.
Evan let out a fake cough: ‘Coward.’
Everyone laughed.
Peter looked increasingly desperate and opened his eyes in shock when Avery turned to Severus: ‘Any suggestions what we should do with him now? How about we lock him down in the dungeons? The cells are supposed to be really cosy.’
Wilkes grinned mockingly: ‘Or we could throw him into the Great Lake. He would surely be a tasty little snack for the squid.’
‘No.. Please—’ Peter began but was interrupted when Mulciber roughly shoved him backwards, ‘Stop whining and get lost. And if you lot hurt Severus again, think about how that feels. We have you in our sights.’
Peter picked himself up and hurried away.
Severus watched him go: ‘Was that really such a good idea? He’ll run straight to Potter and Black and tattle, and then I’ll get it.’
‘That little coward won’t dare. You can count on it. He knows exactly that we’ll find out and get our revenge on him,’ said Mulciber and everyone else nodded.
Severus still looked a bit sceptical, but Wilkes patted him on the shoulder and said: ‘Don’t stress. We Slytherins stick together. We’ll help you and you help us if need be. Slytherin isn’t called the house of true friendship for nothing.’
Avery, Evan and Mulciber nodded.
And Mulciber was right.
James and Sirius never found out about the incident, since Peter didn’t say a single word about it anymore.
The Slytherins had meanwhile fetched their school things and gathered in front of the potion classroom.
When James and his friends arrived there, Peter conspicuously inconspicuously positioned himself behind Sirius, which brought a malicious grin to the Slytherins’ faces.
Severus went over to Lily: ‘Shall we brew together again?’
Lily looked at him apologetically: ‘I wanted to brew with Marlene today.’
Marlene, who stood between Lily and Mary, nodded.
‘Oh... that’s fine,’ Severus tried not to look too disappointed.
Of course it was okay and understandable to him that she didn’t always want to brew with him, but he had actually hoped that at least in Potions they would remain a team.
After all, they were both top of the class and understood each other perfectly when it came to following the recipes.
When Lily read something and took a step, Severus had already, almost instinctively, prepared everything else needed for it.
Mulciber, who had overheard the short conversation, strolled over to Severus and came to his friend’s aid: ‘Then I need to brew with you. Your superbrain makes up for my being too small.’
Lily had to grin again: ‘Next time it’ll be the two of us again, Severus.’
Severus also grinned, nodded in agreement and rejoined the other Slytherins.
Then Slughorn appeared and the lesson began.
Today the Slytherins and Gryffindors were given the task of brewing a pain relief potion.
During the lesson, everything went normally.
Severus had more to do now than in the Potions lessons where he brewed with Lily, but he was completely absorbed in the brewing process.
He heard nothing except the bubbling of the potion, the soft crackling of the fire, and the slicing sounds of the knives around him.
Shortly before finishing the potion, Severus instructed Mulciber to add a knife-tip of the crushed eggshells to the potion and then stir counterclockwise until the potion became liquid.
Unfortunately, Mulciber misunderstood him and after adding the eggshells to the cauldron, stirred clockwise.
Severus’s shouted ‘No!’ came too late.
Dark grey smoke rose massively from the cauldron and in no time the whole classroom was filled with thick clouds of smoke.
Everyone stormed out coughing.
Severus and Mulciber, who had inhaled the smoke directly, just managed to run outside but collapsed unconscious as soon as they reached the corridor.
The last thing Severus heard before everything went black around him was Lily’s panicked scream and James’s excited shout.
When it became light again and he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw were Lily’s bright green eyes and Charity’s blond curly hair.
‘You’re awake!’ Both girls breathed out in relief.
‘How long... was I unconscious?’ Severus was annoyed that his voice sounded so weak, but he still felt extremely exhausted and tired.
‘It’s afternoon,’ said Charity and Lily added, ‘so about seven hours.’
Severus’s black eyes widened: ‘Seven hours? And how is Mulciber anyway?’
‘He’s fine,’ Charity smiled reassuringly, ‘don’t worry.’
‘He woke up about half an hour ago but fell asleep again almost immediately.’
Severus nodded, relieved by the fact that Mulciber hadn’t suffered any serious damage either: ‘That’s good.’
He looked around more closely.
He had never been in this corner of the Hospital Wing before.
Everything was cool and plain.
Only a few pictures hung on the white walls and everything smelled somehow clean.
Severus sniffed slightly and immediately noticed the scent of various pain relief potions, disinfecting potions and fresh bedding.
Lily brushed one of her red strands of hair from her forehead: ‘How exactly did it happen, Sev? Slughorn couldn’t figure it out because he had to vanish the cauldron to stop the smoke.’
‘Mulciber accidentally stirred clockwise after he had put the eggshells into the cauldron.’
‘And not counterclockwise,’ Lily nodded knowingly, ‘Oh right, of course...’
Charity grinned slightly: ‘When you two talk shop like that, I always feel completely stupid. I’m really not much good at Potions. Slughorn always despairs of me.’
Lily smiled encouragingly: ‘Don’t worry. You’re probably really good in another subject instead.’
Charity smiled back: ‘Thanks.’
Severus yawned again and pulled the blanket a bit more over himself.
He thought for a moment about how he could thank the two of them.
He was glad he wasn’t alone here.
‘T-Thanks for staying. You really didn’t have to do that.’
‘I never would’ve left you lying here alone. Got me in huge trouble with McGonagall, but I don’t care,’ Charity said indignantly, and Severus smiled slightly.
Lily also nodded: ‘And I couldn’t concentrate in class anyway, so McGonagall let me come.’
Severus nodded and yawned again.
Poppy Pomfrey came out of her office to check on Severus and Mulciber: ‘Ah Mr Snape... nice to see you awake again,’ then she turned to Charity and Lily with a stern look, ‘and you two will go now. Your friend needs sleep.’
‘But—’ Charity began, but Poppy, now with her hands on her hips, silenced her with a look.
‘Alright...’ the two girls stood up and said goodbye.
‘We’ll come visit you again soon. Oh and greetings and get well wishes from the others,’ Charity passed on the message.
Lily smiled at him: ‘Sleep well.’
Then they were finally shooed out by Poppy.
After the two had gone, Poppy Pomfrey stepped up to him: ‘Try to sleep a bit, Mr Snape, and get some rest. I’ve already told Mr Mulciber, but you’ll both be staying here for the rest of the week so we can make sure no delayed effects or side effects occur.’
Severus, far too tired to protest, nodded and quickly fell asleep again.
It was already dark outside when Severus woke up again a few hours later.
The curtains beside his bed had been drawn back.
Mulciber was sitting upright in bed, had a tray on his knees and was eating dinner.
When he realised Severus had woken up, he looked over at him guiltily: ‘How’re you feeling?’
Severus sat up as well: ‘Quite alright. And you?’
‘Me too. Sorry about that, by the way,’ Mulciber scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Severus waved it off: ‘You couldn’t have known. And at least nothing exploded.’
Mulciber dared a grin: ‘At least something, right?’
Severus nodded and looked hungrily at the tray sitting on the bedside table next to his bed.
‘Tastes great,’ said Mulciber, who had already emptied his plate.
Severus silently pushed his own plate towards him, but his friend waved it off: ‘I’m completely full.’
‘I’m not hungry either,’ Severus lied.
But his growling stomach betrayed him.
‘Come on, Severus,’ said Mulciber, ‘you’re already way too skinny... You need to eat something.’
He paused and smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand: ‘Hit me... I sound like my mother.’
Severus grinned slightly and finally ate a bit of the soup.
The warm meal felt good and relaxed him, and even James’s voice remained silent.
Mulciber looked at him piercingly with his dark eyes: ‘Why aren’t you eating properly?’
‘I am eating,’ Severus tried to talk his way out of it.
‘You know exactly what I’m talking about,’ Mulciber sounded annoyed, then realised, ‘It’s not because of Potter’s stupid comment the other day, is it?’
Severus didn’t answer.
Mulciber sat up.
His face had taken on a serious expression.
‘Don’t listen to him, Severus. That guy hates you for some completely made-up reason and just talks crap to hurt you. Half the stuff he spouts, he probably doesn’t even believe himself. You heard him. That guy and his even dumber mate even call their friends fat.’
Severus just nodded and tried to convince himself that Mulciber was right.
He had now stood up and pushed the tray more insistently towards him.
Severus didn’t touch it.
He was too afraid of hearing James’s mocking voice again.
Because that... he wouldn’t be able to bear for long.
‘You have a completely normal figure, Severus,’ Mulciber continued.
Severus nodded again.
His reason knew that was true — but James’s voice in his head didn’t.
Mulciber was still looking at him seriously and a bit worried: ‘My older sister had that once too, you know,’ he said eventually, and suddenly sounded sad, ‘she nearly died because of it.’
Severus didn’t quite understand: ‘She had what?’
‘Well, that she didn’t want to eat... She got really thin. You could see all her ribs and everything.’
‘Oh...’
Mulciber nodded and then tried to joke: ‘And since I can’t go through that again, you’re going to eat now.’
Severus grinned slightly, pulled the plate with the sandwiches towards himself and ate.
James’s voice in his head was just about to speak when another voice interrupted, one that sounded very much like Mulciber’s: ‘SHUT YOUR BLOODY MOUTH, POTTER!’
And it worked.
James said nothing more.
Severus briefly wondered if it was normal to hear so many voices in one’s head, but the delicious taste of the sandwiches quickly made him forget.
Once Severus had emptied the plate, Mulciber crawled back into bed and pulled the blanket up to the tip of his nose: ‘Oh man, I’m freezing.’
Severus looked over at him: ‘You didn’t have to sit here the whole time.’
‘We Slytherins protect each other. So yes, I did.’
Severus grinned slightly and pulled his own blanket over himself.
At that very moment, Poppy Pomfrey came in from the side room and walked over to the two first-years, smiling contentedly when she saw the empty plates: ‘Very good, you’ve eaten up. Now please also take this potion,’ she placed a small bottle on the tray for each of them.
Mulciber sniffed it and pulled a face: ‘Ugh... what kind of stuff is that?’
Severus also smelled the bottle and eyed it suspiciously: ‘I think it’s a strengthening potion.’
Madam Pomfrey nodded: ‘Quite right, and now down it goes.’
The two boys obediently followed the mediwitch’s command.
Poppy nodded in satisfaction and collected the two bottles again: ‘And now sleep. It’s already late,’ with that she disappeared back into the side room to go to bed herself.
Mulciber yawned: ‘Night, Snape.’
‘Night, Mulciber.’
Severus took a while to fall asleep, while Mulciber was already snoring softly.
The reason was James’s voice in his head, making him feel guilty and blaming him for eating the sandwiches.
And when another voice joined in — one that sounded like Mulciber — it turned into a full-blown argument.
Eventually, however, the voices became quieter, and after Mulciber won the argument, he finally fell asleep, exhausted.
It was already bright outside and the sun stood high in the sky when Severus woke up again.
From Mulciber’s snoring, he could tell with a grin that he was still asleep.
He had just stretched and swung his legs over the side of the bed when the door opened and Lily came in smiling: ‘Hello, Severus.’
Severus smiled slightly in return: ‘Hello.’
The red-haired Gryffindor sat down beside his bed, into which he had sat back down and pulled the covers over himself.
‘How are you?’ she wanted to know.
‘Actually quite good,’ he said as quietly as possible so as not to wake Mulciber, ‘but we still have to stay here. Madam Pomfrey wants to make sure there are no after-effects.’
Lily nodded knowingly: ‘That’s probably for the best. Just in case something does still happen.’
Severus nodded as well.
Lily looked at the clock and then asked: ‘Is there anything I can bring you or do for you? You must be really bored.’
Severus’s eyes lit up: ‘Oh yes. Books. Could you bring me some books?’
The Gryffindor girl giggled: ‘Why do I even ask.’
Severus had to grin too.
The large clock struck, prompting Lily to stand up: ‘I have to go to the next lesson. But after class, I’ll bring you a few books.’
After Severus nodded, she left the room again.
Hardly had the door closed when the door to the side room opened.
‘Oh Mr Snape... you’re already awake. Are you in any pain or do you feel any different than usual?’
He shook his head.
‘Then I’ll make sure you get your breakfast straight away,’ the mediwitch said and disappeared through the door.
Severus was about to object, but then decided against it when he remembered Mulciber’s sister.
There had been plenty of situations where he had wished he didn’t exist anymore — like when his father yelled at him again for being a mistake — but starving himself to death, that he would not and did not want.
The black-haired boy brushed his hair from his forehead almost defiantly and blew his nose.
He would show them all — all those who had ever mocked and insulted him.
They would all see.
One day, they would respect him.
The return of Madam Pomfrey pulled him out of his thoughts and, in turn, woke Mulciber.
‘Morning,’ the Slytherin yawned.
‘Morning,’ Severus replied.
‘Good morning to you too, Mr Mulciber. Your breakfast will arrive shortly. The elves were kind enough to take care of it.’
She had barely finished her sentence when full trays appeared on both bedside tables.
Mulciber immediately began to eat: ‘So good...’
Poppy Pomfrey smiled: ‘Enjoy your meal. Oh, and Mr Snape... Miss Evans asked me to give you this book and to tell you that she’ll bring more books later.’
The mediwitch handed him a thick book, which Severus received with delight.
‘The Greatest Alchemists of the Last Centuries and Their Achievements,’ Severus read the title quietly and was just about to start reading when he felt Mulciber’s disapproving gaze on him and immediately knew what he meant by it.
Rolling his eyes, he pulled the tray towards him and ate.
At the same time, he opened the book and began to read.
The many facts pushed away the guilt that rose in him while eating.
Nothing much happened for the rest of the day until the end of school.
Severus read, and Mulciber had a house-elf bring him a chess set and was working out new tricks.
With the final chime of the great tower clock, Charity, Evan, Avery and Wilkes came bursting in, and Pandora and Aurora were there too.
The rest of the day the eight of them spent chatting, playing chess and complaining about James and Sirius.
The reason for this was the latest stunt pulled by the two of them.
They had stolen and hidden their schoolbooks, which led to them getting into trouble with Professor Flitwick, who believed they hadn’t prepared for the lesson.
In the evening, while Mulciber was in the shower and Severus was alone in the room, Lily came in with a stack of books.
Severus smiled slightly when he saw her, but Lily’s face was cold and expressionless.
Severus’s expression immediately turned uncertain: ‘H-Hi. There you are.’
‘Here I am,’ she said, placing the books she had brought on the bedside table.
‘I-Is everything okay?’ Severus asked, nervously fiddling with the sleeve of his pyjamas.
‘That’s something you should be telling me,’ she replied coldly.
‘Me?’ Severus’s black eyes widened.
He honestly had no idea why Lily was angry with him.
But it was a terrible feeling.
A dark, cold and empty tug in his chest.
‘Yes, you.’
‘I really don’t know,’ Severus looked at her uncertainly.
Lily tossed her red hair over her shoulder. ‘I came by earlier this afternoon and overheard you and your fine friends talking about Gryffindors, and I figured I clearly wasn’t welcome.’
‘But you weren’t the one we meant!’
‘But I am a Gryffindor, Severus!’
‘Yes, but not that kind of Gryffindor,’ he defended himself.
‘Oh? And what kind am I then?’ Lily sounded hurt.
Severus felt awful.
The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt Lily.
‘You’re not like Potter and his friends… who think they’re better than everyone else just because they’re in Gryffindor and make sure everyone knows it.’
Lily sighed quietly: ‘I hate those two as well… They only bring shame to our House. I’ve lost count of how many points we’ve lost because of the four of them. But still, not all of us are like that.’
‘I know that,’ said the Slytherin, looking at her uncertainly.
Lily just nodded and then sat up a little straighter: ‘Now take a look at the books,’ she changed the subject.
Relieved by the change in topic, he reached for the books and read the titles one by one.
‘Alchemy Through the Ages, The Strongest Healing Herbs of the Century, Medieval Potions, Volume II,’ he nodded enthusiastically, ‘These sound really good. You’ve got great taste.’
Lily smiled: ‘I’m glad you like my selection.’
After a longer conversation about the potions they had already brewed and hopefully would brew in the future, Lily left the hospital wing again.
Right on time for the 30th of January — and thus Lily’s birthday — Severus and Mulciber were allowed to leave the hospital wing.
Severus had spent the entire morning wondering what he could give Lily as a present.
He had no money to buy her anything, and nothing else she might want or need.
Eventually, he had an idea.
He would conjure her a daisy made of ice — her favourite flower.
The black-haired Slytherin got to work on the idea immediately.
In the library, he searched for the right spell to transfigure natural objects.
Once he had found the right incantation, he bundled up in his winter things and went outside to look for a suitable icicle or something similar.
He found something after only a short while and drew his wand to shape it into a daisy.
Once he was satisfied with the shape, he hardened and sealed the ice so that it wouldn’t break or melt.
With the ice daisy in hand, he made his way to the Gryffindor common room and knocked.
The Fat Lady watched him suspiciously and let out a small startled gasp when the entrance to the common room suddenly burst open.
Bertram Aubrey stood in front of him: ‘Yes?’
‘Is Lily here?’
‘I’ll go check. Hold on.’
Severus nodded and waited patiently.
Not a minute later, Lily appeared in the doorway, her eyes sparkling: ‘Hi Sev. What’s up?’
He gave her a shy smile: ‘Happy birthday.’
She smiled back: ‘Thanks, Sev.’
Severus hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath — suddenly worried she might not like his gift. ‘I’ve got something for you.’
Lily looked at him curiously: ‘What is it?’
He handed her the ice daisy, which he had kept hidden behind his back until now: ‘Here. I hope you like it.’
The red-haired Gryffindor took it carefully and looked at the daisy with fascination: ‘Wow… You made this? It’s beautiful. Thank you.’
A look of pure relief and genuine joy spread across Severus’s face: ‘I’m glad you like it.’
After Lily disappeared back into the common room, Severus walked down the stairs, happy.

Meanwhile, Lily had just reached her dormitory to place the ice daisy on her bedside table when James appeared behind her: ‘Afternoon, Evans.’
Lily turned around and suppressed a sigh: ‘Yes, Potter?’
He grinned cheekily and ruffled his already messy black hair even more: ‘I heard it’s your birthday today, and I’ve decided to give you a little something.’
With a dramatic gesture, he pulled a large pink box out from behind his back and handed it to her.
‘What’s in it?’ She eyed the box as if it might explode at any moment.
‘Go on, open it,’ Sirius said, appearing behind James with a grin of his own, ‘I helped pick it out.’
Lily finally opened the box.
Inside lay a large, golden, oval mirror with elegant scrollwork around the edges.
She looked at the mirror, visibly sceptical: ‘A mirror?’
Sirius grinned: ‘Well, you girls like looking at yourselves, don’t you?’
‘And it’s not just any mirror,’ James added, clearly proud of himself, ‘it gives outfit and makeup tips.’
Lily shut the box again: ‘You two could use those more than I could. This just proves you don’t know me at all.’
With that, she walked off, the ice daisy still in hand, and closed the door to her room firmly behind her.
James and Sirius stared after her in disbelief.

Chapter 29

The months between Lily’s birthday and the Easter holidays passed uneventfully.
The snow melted, snowdrops covered the wide meadows surrounding the castle, the grass turned green again and it steadily grew warmer outside.
Lessons continued just as usual, only the homework started to pile up.
Severus spent his free time with his friends from Slytherin and with Charity and Pandora.
And Aurora was joining them more and more often.
He also spent just as much time with Lily.
The two of them often walked around the grounds together, talking, or they sat in the library for hours having discussions about Potions or Charms, which Lily was becoming increasingly interested in.
Severus’s eating habits had improved a little over the months.
He could eat again without hearing James’s mocking voice.
And yet, he still often felt guilty when he ate more than usual.
James and Sirius had to serve detention almost every weekend.
They made a habit of blocking his path and tripping him up, or making fun of his clothes and appearance.
However, they were given detention for things like throwing a stink bomb into the girls’ toilet and locking Dorcas and Alexis inside, or putting up notes all over Hogwarts saying things like "Professor McGonagall strips at night in the common room – entry 1 Sickle" and "A warning! The Snape-Plague is spreading! Anyone who speaks to Snape gets boils – magically contagious" and "Seen in the library: Bertram Aubrey hiding a book titled “Friends for Beginners”. Pity appreciated."
Severus did his best not to listen when they mocked him again, but with each insult, it became harder.
He often wished he could curse the four Gryffindors so they’d never dare say anything against him again and he could fight back, but that would probably be pointless and, he was sure, he’d be the one to get into trouble, not the Gryffindors.
His only comfort was that he wasn’t the only one suffering at the hands of the four boys, and the fact that Lily disliked James and Sirius just as much as he did.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance every time Potter strutted down the corridor with his entourage to draw attention to himself, which always filled Severus with quiet satisfaction.
The days and weeks all felt the same: breakfast, lessons, lunch, lessons, homework, free time, sleep – and then the whole thing all over again.
It was a daily routine that dragged on endlessly and Severus longed for the next holiday.
But it wasn’t until the tower clock in the castle switched to summer time and Lucius asked him if he wanted to spend the next holidays at the Manor again that he truly realised the Easter holidays were just around the corner.
This time, however, Severus declined the older Slytherin’s offer.
Right after Lucius had asked him, he went to his room, where his friends were planning to study, to ask them if they wanted to stay here at Hogwarts with him during the holidays.
If not, he’d just stay here alone and explore the area.
When he entered his room, Evan, Wilkes, Avery and Mulciber were sitting on the floor playing chess.
He grinned: ‘Weren’t you planning to study? So McGonagall doesn’t have another fit when you don’t even know the simplest Transfiguration spells.’
‘We did,’ said Avery, putting on an important face.
‘For exactly five minutes,’ grinned Mulciber.
Severus had to grin too: ‘McGonagall will be thrilled.’
Evan rolled his eyes: ‘Don’t get me started on her. The old cow can piss off… She snapped at me again yesterday because I was late… But when her beloved Gryffindors are late and come up with that stupid excuse that Filch held them up, she just said she’d have a word with Filch so he doesn’t hold her students back from class.’
They all snorted disdainfully.
‘Sounds like her,’ said Avery, and everyone nodded in agreement.
‘I actually wanted to ask you something completely different,’ Severus changed the subject.
All heads turned to him and four curious pairs of eyes studied him: ‘Yeah? What is it?’
Severus suddenly felt a bit unsure, but pulled himself together and asked: ‘The Easter holidays are coming up and I wanted to ask if you’d like to stay here with me?’
Wilkes, Avery and Mulciber nodded.
‘Sure. That’ll be fun.’
Only Evan shook his head: ‘Sorry, but my parents have already planned something with me. They didn’t say exactly what, just that I have to come with them.’
The others nodded, a bit disappointed, but were glad that at least they would be staying and would be together.
‘Shall we ask the girls too?’ Wilkes wanted to know, clearly referring to Charity, Pandora and Aurora.
‘Sure. Let’s go,’ Avery jumped up.
His eyes were shining with eagerness as he thought about all the things they could get up to and explore if they had Hogwarts to themselves.
‘Now? It’s already late… nearly curfew,’ Severus objected.
‘Doesn’t matter. They’re probably still awake and curfew’s never stopped us before,’ Avery replied with a grin.
‘Your responsibility,’ Mulciber got up as well.
‘Don’t act like you’re the sensible one among us,’ smirked Avery, ‘we all know that’s Severus.’
‘Me?’ Severus looked surprised.
‘Who else? It’s definitely not me,’ Avery grinned broadly.
‘Thats true,’ with that, Wilkes walked out the door to ask Charity and Pandora first if they wanted to stay at Hogwarts with them over the holidays.
The others followed the brown-haired boy with glasses.
The boys slipped out of the common room and walked down the dungeon corridor.
When they arrived in front of the Hufflepuff common room, they exchanged a glance.
‘And now?’ asked Evan, ‘Last time was easy, the girls just showed up. But now? We still don’t know which barrel is the right one.’
‘Who are you looking for?’ asked a female voice behind them.
When the five first-years turned around, a stocky, brown-haired Hufflepuff girl was standing behind them, someone none of them had seen before.
The prefect’s badge on her chest revealed that she had to be in fifth year.
‘We’d like to talk to Charity and Pandora,’ said Mulciber, and the others nodded.
‘And who exactly should I say is asking for them?’ asked the older Hufflepuff.
‘Mulciber.’
‘Avery.’
‘Evan.’
‘Severus.’
‘Wilkes.’
The girl smiled, ‘Forgive me if I can’t remember all your names. I’ll just go get them,’ and with those words, she quickly and skillfully climbed into the barrel that led to the common room and disappeared.
It took a short while, but then the faces of Charity and Pandora appeared in the barrel, and the two of them jumped out.
‘Hello guys. What’s so important that you need to talk to us this late?’ they were greeted by Charity, who looked at them curiously.
‘Severus had a brilliant idea about the holidays,’ said Mulciber, looking expectantly at the black-haired Slytherin.
‘I’m planning to stay here at Hogwarts over the Easter holidays, and Avery, Wilkes and Mulciber are staying too. So we wanted to ask if you’d like to stay here as well?’
‘Absolutely!’ shouted Charity immediately.
‘That’ll be great. My parents actually wanted to take me on holiday, but I find that boring anyway. I’ve been thinking for ages about how I could get out of it,’ she laughed.
Pandora shook her head regretfully: ‘I can’t, unfortunately. We’re visiting my grandparents, and I really want to go.’
‘Of course.’
Everyone understood, and then Avery, Evan, Mulciber, Severus and Wilkes said goodbye again to go ask Aurora before curfew.
Panting, they ran up the never-ending stairs to the Ravenclaw common room.
‘I feel sorry for the Ravenclaws,’ panted Evan, and Wilkes nodded: ‘Me too. All this exhausting running and having to do it several times a day is a nightmare.’
‘The Gryffindors have it even worse. Their common room is on the seventh floor,’ said Severus, who remembered a conversation with Lily about the locations of the common rooms.
‘I couldn’t care less about them,’ Mulciber said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Eventually the children reached their destination and paused for a moment to catch their breath, before Mulciber firmly knocked on the door knocker shaped like an eagle’s head.
Before anyone could say or do anything, a soft, mysterious voice echoed: ‘I am something people keep quiet about. Who talks about me, doesn’t have me. Who creates me doesn’t suspect it. And they who know me, don’t exist. What am I?’
All five first-years stared at the eagle-shaped door knocker, which had apparently asked the question.
‘Did that thing just say that?’ asked Avery, who seemed to doubt his own sanity.
‘No idea. But I heard it too,’ said Wilkes, and Severus, Evan and Mulciber nodded.
‘We have to solve the riddle to get in,’ Evan said to the group.
Severus shrugged: ‘But we don’t want to go in – we just want Aurora to come out.’
‘Looks like we’ll have to get her out,’ grinned Mulciber.
‘What was the riddle again?’ asked Avery, who had already forgotten it.
No sooner had he asked than the same soft voice returned and repeated: ‘I am something people keep quiet about. Who talks about me, doesn’t have me. Who creates me doesn’t suspect it. And they who know me, don’t exist. What am I?’
‘No idea, man. What kind of rubbish is that? Imagine being a Ravenclaw and not being able to solve the riddle. You’d have to sleep out here all night. Have fun with that,’ grumbled Evan, who was slowly getting impatient.
Severus quietly murmured the riddle to himself again and then looked around at the others: ‘I know it.’
‘You know what?’ His friends looked at him blankly.
‘The solution, obviously.’
‘Yeah, and what is it then?’
‘The answer is… a secret.’
‘Huh? How did you come up with tha–’
But before Evan could finish his question, there was a soft click and the door swung open.
‘You’re a genius, Snape,’ Wilkes nodded, impressed, and Mulciber patted him on the shoulder, ‘Respect. I wouldn’t have got that in a hundred years.’
Severus’s face seemed to glow slightly at his friends’ praise.
Avery was the first to step towards the door, but then hesitated a bit: ‘And now? We can’t just go in there.’
‘Oh, nonsense… Of course we can,’ Mulciber walked ahead, pushed the door open and stuck his head inside.
‘Hello? Does anyone know where Aurora is?’
No one seemed to pay him any attention, so he raised his voice a little: ‘Hello? Aurora?’
Only now did the Ravenclaws in the common room seem to notice him: ‘How did you lot get in here?’
Mulciber ignored the question and asked again: ‘Where’s Aurora?’
‘She’s in her room. They wanted to do some more studying,’ said a boy they recognised as Xenophilius.
A black-haired girl, whose robe was almost too big for her because of her small stature, stood up, ‘I share a room with her. I’ll get her,’ and with those words she ran off.
The Slytherins nodded to her in thanks.
Shortly after, she returned with Aurora by her side.
Aurora gave her a smile and then stepped out to join the Slytherins, pulling the door shut behind her.
‘What’s so important that you want to talk to me at this hour?’ she asked curiously.
‘We wanted to ask if you’d like to stay here at Hogwarts with us over the holidays. Charity’s staying too. Only Pandora and Evan can’t,’ replied Mulciber.
The Ravenclaw laughed: ‘Of course I’ll stay. But I’d have said yes even if you’d asked me tomorrow morning or tomorrow afternoon.’
The boys grinned.
‘We just couldn’t wait,’ Wilkes apologised for the group’s late visit.
‘It’s going to be brilliant having everything to ourselves,’ Avery was nearly trembling with excitement as he imagined all the things they could get up to.
They all nodded.
As Aurora was about to go back inside, she hit her forehead: ‘Oh shit… I really did shut the door.’
‘My condolences,’ Evan looked at the door knocker gloomily, ‘having to solve those stupid riddles all the time must be really annoying. I much prefer our system with the password.’
‘It’s not that bad. Often the riddles are actually quite funny or jokey,’ Aurora waved it off and knocked.
Immediately, the quiet voice sounded again and whispered mysteriously the next riddle: ‘Who makes me doesn’t say it. Who takes me doesn’t recognise me. Who recognises me doesn’t want me. Who seeks me will destroy me, yet I look like all the others. What am I?’
All the Slytherins stared first at the door knocker, then at Severus.
‘Why are you all looking at me?’ he asked.
‘Well, you solved the last one. Now solve this one too,’ Evan challenged him.
‘No idea,’ Severus shrugged.
‘But I do,’ Aurora smiled, and the boys looked at her incredulously.
‘What do you mean?’ Evan asked, ‘just like that?’
‘So what? What is it?’ Severus asked after Aurora nodded.
‘The answer is… a forgery.’
No sooner had she said this than the door opened.
‘Awesome,’ Mulciber nodded, impressed.
‘And how did you come up with that?’ Wilkes wanted to know, and the others nodded too, looking at the Ravenclaw just as curiously.
The girl smiled: ‘The riddle was: Who makes me doesn’t tell anyone because it’s forbidden and therefore secret. Who takes me doesn’t recognise me because a forgery looks like the originals – and that also solves the last part of the riddle. Now for the second part… Who recognises a forgery doesn’t want it because it’s worthless, and whoever seeks it wants to destroy it so that no one else can fall for the scam.’
When she finished her little explanation, there was a brief silence.
Then the Slytherins nodded, impressed: ‘Wow.’
Aurora grinned mischievously: ‘To be honest… I already knew this riddle. It’s an old Muggle-Riddle.’
The Slytherins looked at her indignantly, but couldn’t help grinning.
‘And then you act all clever and give us lectures. That was really very Slytherin of you,’ Mulciber teased.
Aurora was still grinning: ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘It was one.’
Aurora waved goodbye to the Slytherins and then disappeared into the common room.
The five boys waited until the door had closed and then ran back down the stairs and into the dungeons.
They just managed to get back to their common room before curfew began.
Once there, they quickly went to bed.
Everyone was tired, yet the excitement for the upcoming holidays kept them awake a little longer.
Severus’s last thought before finally falling asleep was that he absolutely had to ask Lily if she wanted to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays too.
He did so first thing the next morning after breakfast.
He waited in front of the Great Hall for the red-haired Gryffindor.
His Slytherin friends had already gone ahead and promised to bring him his schoolbag.
When Lily came out of the Great Hall with Mary and Marlene, Severus stepped up to her: ‘Hello, Lily.’
The three Gryffindors stopped and Lily smiled slightly: ‘What’s up?’
Severus hesitated and looked between the three girls: ‘I’d like to ask you something privately.’
Lily looked briefly surprised: ‘Oh… Yes, of course.’ She turned to Mary and Marlene: ‘Could you perhaps bring me my schoolbag? Then I’ll go straight from here to class.’
‘Sure thing,’ said Marlene, and Mary nodded as well.
After the two girls had gone, Lily looked up at him curiously: ‘So, what do you want to ask me?’
‘I’m staying here at Hogwarts over the next holidays and wanted to ask if you’d like to stay here too. Charity, Aurora, Avery, Wilkes and Mulciber are staying as well.’
Lily thought for a moment: ‘I don’t know… We’re not going anywhere for the holidays, but… you’d have all your friends here and I’d have no one.’
‘You’d have me,’ he contradicted, looking at her hopefully with his black eyes.
‘You know exactly what I mean,’ Lily sounded a bit annoyed, which made Severus even more unsure.
‘I’ll think about it, okay?’ she said finally, ‘But I’d ask Marlene and Mary first before I decide for sure. Because if you have your friends here too, I want my friends here as well.’
He nodded understandingly and hoped very much that she would decide to stay.
That morning it was Lily waiting for Severus.
When Severus came out of the Great Hall, she approached him: ‘Sev?’
His friends walked on chatting and only briefly raised a hand as he joined the Gryffindor: ‘Yes?’
‘I asked Mary and Marlene, just as I promised, and neither of them is staying here. So I’d be going home as well. Don’t be mad, okay?’ she smiled gently, ‘after all, we have the summer holidays to spend together.’
Severus nodded, trying hard not to show his disappointment: ‘Of course.’
She smiled at him once more: ‘And during the summer holidays, we’ll have even more time, though not here at Hogwarts but at home.’
He nodded again.
That was exactly why he had hoped Lily would stay here.
Because "home" didn’t mean safety or comfort to him the way it did to Lily.
For him, it meant stress, fear, and uncertainty.
Here at Hogwarts it wasn’t much different, but during the holidays James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter wouldn’t be here.
After a brief conversation, Lily cheerfully said goodbye.
After Severus returned her farewell, she walked off towards the stairs to go to the Gryffindor common room.
He gave her a brief glance as she walked away, then turned back to his own common room to read a little more.

Chapter 30

When Severus came to breakfast in the almost empty Great Hall on the first day of the holidays, sleepy and relatively late, he stopped in surprise.
Lily waved cheerfully to him from the Gryffindor table.
He immediately walked over to her: ‘Hello Lily, what are you doing here? I thought you were leaving for home this morning.’
She smiled: ‘Marlene spontaneously decided to stay because she had an argument with one of her brothers, so I thought I might as well stay too.’
Severus nodded and smiled; he was very pleased about it.
Now the holidays would certainly be peaceful and pleasant.
Just his friends and him.
No Potter, no Black, no Lupin, and no Pettigrew around to mock and insult him.
After breakfast, Dumbledore – who had also stayed at the castle – stood up.
‘I am happy to spend the holidays here at Hogwarts with you, and I promise we’ll have a wonderful time together. Professors McGonagall, Clearwater and Flitwick have also stayed,’ he said.
Mulciber pulled a face and whispered to his friends: ‘Oh brilliant... so Slughorn’s abandoned us.’
‘At least Professor Clearwater stays here with us.’
The others nodded.
By now, Dumbledore had continued speaking and was just saying: ‘Nevertheless, rules still apply during the holidays.’
A groan echoed through the Great Hall, and the Slytherins rolled their eyes in unison, which Dumbledore acknowledged with a smile.
‘The Forbidden Forest and the Restricted Section are off limits during the holidays just as they are outside of them,’ Dumbledore explained regarding the rules he had mentioned.
Mulciber, who had sat down next to Severus, whispered: ‘As if anyone with a normally functioning brain would go into the Forest... I, for one, don’t have a death wish.’
Wilkes nodded: ‘The Restricted Section, however, is something I’d be very interested in.’
‘Restricted Section?’ Severus had become curious.
While Dumbledore continued speaking – assuring them that curfew would be relaxed over the holidays and that a surprise was planned for the students who had stayed – Mulciber, Wilkes, and Avery explained to Severus what the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library was all about.
Severus’s eyes grew wider with each sentence, and his face more excited: ‘And how do you get in there?’
‘You need permission,’ said Wilkes.
‘Yes, normally,’ Mulciber contradicted, his eyes also gleaming.
Avery, who noticed this, grinned broadly: ‘Then we’ve got our goal for tonight.’
‘Whoever is on duty tonight is going to have a fit if he catches us... It’s going to be brilliant,’ Mulciber grinned just as widely.
‘We only have to watch out for Filch and his stupid cat,’ Mulciber shuddered.
Avery grinned: ‘You’re not still afraid of that beast, are you?’
‘Oh yes, I am... There’s something wrong with that thing, and one day I’ll find out what it is, and then you’ll all say, "Dear clever wonderful Wilhelm... We’re so very sorry. You were right. You’re always right."’
Everyone laughed.
‘You don’t even believe that yourself,’ Mulciber said, laughing, and slapped him on the back of the head.
‘I’m not coming with you this time,’ said Severus, and three disbelieving pairs of eyes stared at him.
‘Why?’ Mulciber asked, after recovering from the shock.
‘There are definitely alarm spells, and I’m not in the mood to get into trouble and detention again.’
But this time it had no effect on Severus.
He just poked at his breakfast a bit more and ignored his housemate.
After Dumbledore had finished his little speech – which none of the Slytherins had actually listened to – breakfast ended and everyone left the Great Hall.

Charity and Aurora approached Lily and Marlene.
‘Hi you two,’ Charity greeted them with a smile, ‘do you feel like doing something together?’
Lily and Marlene exchanged a look, then Lily nodded: ‘Sure.’
Dorcas joined them as well: ‘Mind if I join you?’
Charity smiled and nodded right away: ‘Of course not.’
Lily and Marlene looked at the Slytherin girl a little sceptically, but nodded as well.
Severus gave Lily a shy smile as he walked past with his friends.
Lily raised her hand briefly, then walked outside with Marlene and the others.
Once outside, Charity took a deep breath and sat down on the grass: ‘I wonder what the surprise Dumbledore mentioned is.’
‘No idea. I guess we’ll have to let ourselves be surprised,’ Aurora grinned.
‘That’s kind of the whole point of surprises,’ Marlene grinned too, but then grew more serious and turned to Charity: ‘Say...’ she hesitated a little.
‘Yes?’ Charity asked.
Marlene looked briefly from Lily to Aurora to Charity and back to Lily, who only gave her a questioning look.
It was obvious Lily had no idea what Marlene wanted to ask the Hufflepuff.
After a short pause, Marlene asked: ‘What’s it like... you know... being friends with Slytherins? Like, properly being friends with them.’
This resulted in Charity, Aurora, Lily and Dorcas all giving her a sharp look.
‘What’s that supposed to mean... "being friends with Slytherins"? Like we don’t know what friendship is,’ Dorcas said, sounding hurt, ‘Slytherin is, after all, the house of true friendship.’
‘Meaning you’re better friends than the rest of us?’
‘No, that’s just a fact. Ask the Sorting Hat.’
‘And I’m friends with a Slytherin too,’ Lily chimed in, trying to ease the tension.
Before Charity and Aurora could add their own comments, Marlene quickly said: ‘That’s not how I meant it.’
‘Oh really? Then how did you mean it? It’s you lot who always exclude us Slytherins... Without. Any. Reason,’ Dorcas’s tone had turned sharp.
Charity nodded.
‘Not without reason at all!’ Marlene defended herself, now also sounding annoyed.
‘Oh really? Name one.’
‘How about the fact that you Slytherins look down on Muggleborns and think you’re better than everyone else?’
‘We do not!’ Dorcas shot back, then added a bit more quietly, ‘At least not all of us.’
Charity nodded again and then said in a firm tone: ‘Exactly. And Severus, Avery and the others have never treated me like I’m inferior or made fun of me.’
‘They haven’t?’ Marlene looked genuinely surprised.
‘No. Otherwise I wouldn’t be friends with them. And neither would Aurora,’ Charity’s tone now matched Dorcas’s earlier sharpness.
There was a brief silence.
‘Why aren’t you saying anything?’ Charity suddenly snapped at Lily.
Lily looked at her in surprise: ‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. You’re friends with Severus too, aren’t you?’
‘With Severus, yes. But not with Mulciber, Avery and the others.’
‘What’s the difference?’ Charity looked at her, clearly not understanding.
‘Severus has never treated me badly in any way,’ Lily said.
‘And the others have never treated me badly either,’ Charity defended the Slytherins, ‘And I’m Muggleborn too.’
‘You’re Muggleborn?’ Marlene looked at the blonde Hufflepuff in surprise.
She nodded.
‘Then I understand you even less now,’ Marlene said, confused.
Charity stood up: ‘The others were right... You Gryffindors really are exactly how they always said.’
Aurora and Dorcas stood up as well.
Marlene also jumped to her feet: ‘Oh, and how exactly are we?’
‘Arrogant, shallow, judge people without knowing them, never give anyone a second chance or the chance to prove they’re not what you think,’ Charity began listing off.
Marlene’s eyes flashed with anger: ‘Shut your mouth!’
‘Or what?’
Lily stepped between the two blondes: ‘Stop arguing. It’s not worth it.’
Charity turned without another word and walked off with Aurora and Dorcas.
Marlene stared after the three girls, furious.
‘She’s already brainwashed,’ said the blonde Gryffindor.
‘What do you mean?’ Lily, who had also stood up, looked at her friend questioningly.
‘A Muggleborn Hufflepuff who’s friends with pure-blooded Slytherins... come on... that can’t possibly end well.’
Lily shrugged: ‘From what I’ve heard from Severus, and what I’ve seen myself, they actually get on really well.’
‘For now... Until the boys start letting their pure-blood families influence them and begin to hate Muggleborns too,’ replied Marlene, still staring in the direction where Charity, Aurora and Dorcas had gone, even though the three were long out of sight.
‘Like the Blacks?’ asked Lily, thinking back to that encounter with Sirius and his parents in Diagon Alley a few months ago.
‘Yeah, the Blacks are like that, and Sirius is no better. Even though he’s in Gryffindor,’ Marlene said grimly, ‘He also looks down on others and makes them feel worthless and disgusting at every opportunity. And Potter is just the same.’
Lily nodded.

At the same time, Severus and his friends had gone up the stairs to the fourth floor and entered the library.
One after the other, they crept through the tall shelves towards the part of the library where the Restricted Section was.
Wilkes was beginning to have second thoughts: ‘Are you sure we should be doing this? Severus had a point.’
‘Of course we should. I want to know what’s in there. Just not now... but tonight,’ whispered Avery, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
‘What kind of books are in there anyway?’ Severus whispered just as quietly.
‘All kinds of books on forbidden or particularly powerful or illegal potions, or dark and dangerous spells and their creators. Basically anything that’s banned,’ was Mulciber’s reply—though he didn’t whisper.
‘Keep your voice down,’ Avery hissed.
Mulciber just laughed: ‘Why? There’s no one here. Besides, it’s not forbidden to talk about the section... only going in isn’t exactly encouraged.’
They all grinned.
The Slytherins had just left the library and were heading down to the dungeons when they ran into Charity, Aurora and Dorcas.
‘Hello, you three. Why the long faces?’ Wilkes greeted them cheerfully.
Charity and Dorcas immediately told the four boys about the argument with Lily and Marlene and what the two had said about Slytherins.
‘Respect, you two,’ Wilkes said, genuinely impressed, and Avery nodded as well.
‘Thanks for defending our honour,’ he grinned.
‘Typical Gryffindor behaviour,’ said Mulciber.
‘Did Lily say anything like that too?’ Severus asked, though he was afraid of the answer.
He didn’t want Lily to think he looked down on her.
Charity shook her head: ‘No. She said you were different.’
Severus nodded in relief.
Mulciber laughed: ‘You should feel honoured, Snape... You’re a special Slytherin, not as evil as the rest of us.’
That made Aurora, Charity and Dorcas grin, and lightened the tense mood again.
That night, Severus was woken by Mulciber: ‘Come on... let’s go.’
He yawned: ‘I’m staying, like I said before. Go without me.’
At the same time, Avery had woken Wilkes and now returned quietly to the room with him: ‘Can we?’
Mulciber nodded and said: ‘I can. But Severus wants to stay.’
Avery rolled his eyes, and one by one, they crept out as quietly as they could, just like so many times before.
Severus turned onto his back and stared up at the dark ceiling.
While he tried to fall back asleep, his friends slipped out.
Their steps sounded unusually loud as they left the common room and entered the secret passage that led to the Great Hall.
‘Is it colder than usual in here?’ Avery was visibly shivering.
‘Seems like it to me as well,’ Wilkes whispered.
The three of them quickly slipped out of the passage into the Great Hall, from there into the dark, chilly corridor, and then walked one behind the other towards the stairs leading to the upper floors.
Once they reached the fourth floor, the Slytherins entered the library as quietly as possible.
Just like earlier that morning, they crossed the library and finally stopped again in front of the rope that separated the Restricted Section from the rest of the library.
‘And now? Is there some kind of alarm charm or something?’ Wilkes asked.
‘We’re about to find out,’ Mulciber slowly and carefully stepped over the rope.
Nothing happened.
Now he cautiously stepped further into the Restricted Section.
‘Nothing,’ Avery observed.
‘What if it’s a silent alarm?’ Wilkes suggested.
‘Don’t make me nervous,’ Mulciber said sharply and waved his hand to silence the bespectacled Slytherin.
When nothing happened even after some time, Mulciber looked around curiously and sniffed: ‘Come on. It's amazing here. Even the air here smells forbidden and mysterious.’
Avery and Wilkes also stepped over the rope and carefully looked around between the shelves.
‘Severus would like this book,’ Wilkes pointed at a volume about the most dangerous potions of the early Middle Ages.
Mulciber and Avery nodded.
‘He has to come with us next time,’ Avery said, disappearing behind a tall shelf, ‘This place is so exciting, and he’s such a scaredy.’
Mulciber nodded: ‘We’ll convince him the next time.’
The three of them wandered through the Restricted Section for a while longer, curiously examining everything.
But just as they were about to step back over the rope and return to their common room, a faint rattle made them freeze in place.
‘What was that?’ Mulciber hissed quietly.
‘Probably just the wood of the shelves,’ Wilkes whispered back.
Avery nodded: ‘Come on now. Before we actually do get caught.’
The three boys stepped over the rope and were just about to leave the library when a small, four-legged shadow appeared behind them.
They froze.
‘That’s Mrs Norris...’ Wilkes stared at the cat in horror, and the cat seemed to stare right back at him.
‘What do we do now? If that thing is here... Filch will show up any second,’ Avery said, looking over at Mulciber with a trace of desperation.
‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ the black Slytherins whispered back. ‘It was your idea to come here.’
‘Well, you didn’t say no either, and now you’re just as much here as we are,’ the blonde boy hissed back.
‘Yeah, unfortunately. Next time I’m definitely staying in bed.’
‘Go ahead then, you coward.’
‘Shut up,’ Wilkes snapped at his two friends, ‘Let’s just get rid of that creature.’
‘And how are we suppo—’ Avery began, when a scratchy voice interrupted him.
All three immediately recognised it as Filch’s.
‘Where are they? Have you found them already, Mrs Norris?’
Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes shot silently behind the tall shelves and tried to hide as best they could.
The very moment they ducked their heads, Filch entered the library and looked around suspiciously.
‘Well then, where are those little brats?’
His cat let out a soft meow and padded silently in the direction where Wilkes was hiding.
Filch followed surprisingly quickly.
He was practically trembling with eager excitement at the thought of catching and punishing a student sneaking around.
Wilkes held his breath.
He could already smell Filch and had to suppress the impulse to pinch his nose shut so as not to make a sound.
Out in the corridor in front of the library, there was a loud crash.
Mrs Norris and Filch turned simultaneously.
‘Ah... the little toads actually managed to sneak out and thought they could run away,’ Filch croaked and hurried out.
Mrs Norris gave Wilkes one last stare and meowed loudly.
But when she realised that Filch wouldn’t be coming back, she silently padded after her master.
Once they could no longer hear Filch’s footsteps, the three cautiously came out of their hiding places.
‘By Merlin, that was close,’ Mulciber wiped the sweat from his brow, and both Avery and Wilkes exhaled.
Wilkes cleaned his square glasses: ‘Filch was so close I could smell him.’
Avery shuddered: ‘What was that noise out there anyway? I hope there aren’t more people sneaking around, or we’ll still get caught.’
‘You won’t,’ Severus, who was wearing only a thin nightgown and his everyday shoes, poked his head in.
‘Severus!’ They all breathed a sigh of relief.
‘What are you doing here?’ Avery asked, visibly relieved.
‘I remembered earlier that Filch was on duty tonight and followed you just to be safe.’
‘I can’t say it enough... respect,’ Mulciber grinned with satisfaction, ‘And how did you get rid of Filch and his dumb cat? Was that crashing noise your doing?’
Severus nodded.
‘Brilliant, man! How’d you manage that?’
‘I blasted a portrait off the wall and let it crash to the floor.’
From outside, they heard Filch shout: ‘Peeves, you filthy little menace! How dare you damage the portrait like that! The frame is ruined! Ruined!’
‘Now’s our chance! Let’s get out of here!’ Mulciber commanded, and they all hurried down the corridor and disappeared as fast as they could.
The last thing they heard before jumping down the final steps was Peeves’s indignant voice: ‘Me? I’m the most innocent and obedient ghost in this whole school!’
Out of breath, all four reached the Slytherin common room and didn’t stop until they were in their dorm, gasping for air.
After a short pause to catch their breath, Wilkes said goodnight and went to his own room to finally go to sleep.
Once he had closed the door behind him, Avery, Mulciber, and Severus crawled wearily into their beds.
They were all exhausted and at the same time relieved not to have been caught, and fell quickly into a deep sleep.

Chapter 31

The next morning, Severus woke up before his friends.
Mulciber’s wristwatch showed that it was still well before 5.00 a.m.
After half an hour, in which he had unsuccessfully tried to fall asleep again, he finally got up.
After getting dressed, he quietly slipped out of his room, crept out of the common room and eventually walked silently up the dungeon stairs.
Once he reached the corridor, the black-haired boy paused for a moment and considered what he should do now.
He had just decided to go to the library to read something when Lily appeared behind him: ‘Hello, Sev.’
Severus spun around: ‘Hello, Lily.’
‘Sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you.’ The red-haired Gryffindor looked apologetically up at the taller Slytherin.
‘It’s all right. You didn’t,’ he reassured her. ‘I was just surprised that someone else was awake so early.’
Lily grinned: ‘I couldn’t sleep anymore. Marlene snores like a bear with a cold.’
Severus snorted in amusement: ‘Great comparison.’
‘Don’t tell her.’
‘Promise.’
‘What were you about to do?’ Lily asked curiously.
‘I was going to go to the library to read something. And you?’
‘I was going to watch the sunrise over the Great Lake. Come with me.’
‘Gladly.’
Side by side, the two first-years walked out and down to the lake until they had a good view of the rising sun.
They sat down next to each other in the still slightly damp grass and stretched out their legs.
‘Uh… it’s colder than I thought.’ Lily pulled her Gryffindor-red cardigan tighter around herself.
‘Would you like my cloak?’ Severus asked a little worriedly, already reaching to remove this part of his school uniform, which he wore even during the holidays.
He was also a little cold, but that didn’t matter to him in that moment.
‘I’ll be fine, thank you. Otherwise you’ll be freezing too,’ the Gryffindor smiled and drew her legs up against her body to keep warm.
Then, for a while, it was quiet, and the two of them watched reverently as the sun slowly climbed higher.
The sky turned orange-red and stretched purple streaks across the horizon, in the middle of which the sun shone as a bright yellow ball.
With the rising of the sun, life around the castle also seemed to awaken.
The birds, which Severus had hardly noticed until now, began to twitter, and from the Forbidden Forest came occasional sounds while the trees creaked and swayed in the wind.
The air was clear and smelled pleasantly of lake and forest.
Time seemed to stand still, and the magic radiating from everything around them was almost tangible.
It was just as Severus had always imagined and wished Hogwarts to be.
Only Lily and him.
Peace and quiet.
When the sun had finally risen, the two of them stood up and walked back to the castle to go to breakfast.
‘That was beautiful,’ said Lily, still completely fascinated, and Severus nodded as well.
Lily was right.
The sunrise had been something special.
When they arrived in the Great Hall, the two separated.
Lily went to the Gryffindor table and Severus sat down with his friends at the Slytherin table.
‘There you are at last?’ grinned Mulciber, and Avery, who was the most curious of them, immediately asked, ‘Where have you suddenly come from?’
‘I was with Lily down by the Great Lake. She had the idea to watch the sunrise.’
‘Romantic,’ grinned Mulciber, waggling his eyebrows.
‘Nonsense,’ Severus contradicted, rolling his eyes.
For the fact that he was in love with Lily was something no one would ever find out – especially not Lucius and his other friends in Slytherin.
He had sworn that to himself.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them… because he did.
At least, to some extent.
But he feared that their reaction to him being in love with a Gryffindor and a Muggle-born would not be very positive.
His friends grinned knowingly but said nothing more.
After breakfast, he walked over to the Gryffindor table again: ‘Do you want to come to the library with me?’
Lily glanced briefly over at Marlene: ‘Is that all right with you?’
She only shrugged: ‘Sure. If you want to go, then go.’
‘And that really is all right with you? I don’t want you to feel left out in any way.’
‘I won’t,’ Marlene grinned and rolled her eyes in amusement.
This convinced Lily, and she walked up to the library with Severus.
Once in the library, Lily immediately disappeared between the shelves of books that dealt with the subject of magic and spells.
Severus, however, walked to the back, to the Restricted Section, and stopped in front of the rope, gazing over at the shelves crammed with books.
He had to admit that the Restricted Section was indeed tempting.
What kind of knowledge might be hidden in those shelves?
He would love nothing more than to take a look inside those books.
Lily appeared again, as if out of nowhere, behind him: ‘What are you doing there?’
This time, he did not flinch: ‘I’m wondering what might be in the books in the Restricted Section.’
‘Why?’
‘I imagine it would be interesting and instructive,’ he replied.
A crease had appeared on Lily’s forehead and her green eyes looked sceptically into his black ones: ‘Why do you want to learn even more about dark and forbidden spells? You said you didn’t want to hurt anyone.’
Before Severus could say anything more, another voice sounded behind them: ‘Tell me, Miss Evans… how can one fight something one does not know?’
When the two of them turned around, they were looking straight into the bright eyes of Professor Clearwater.
The teacher looked down at them with a smile: ‘Well?’
‘No idea,’ Lily murmured at last.
‘Not at all,’ said Severus, earning an approving nod.
‘Quite right. Not at all. It is only desirable that pupils concern themselves with the Dark Arts and their defence,’ said the blonde Auror.
‘Defence, yes,’ Lily still looked somewhat sceptical.
The professor smiled: ‘And in order to do that well and effectively, one must study the Dark Arts, find out how they work and how Dark wizards think, what their motive is – and do so very attentively. But always with caution. For the danger that one becomes utterly absorbed by them and forgets one’s true aim is great.’
‘How do you mean?’ Lily asked hesitantly. ‘And what do you mean by motive?’
The teacher brushed some strands of her blonde hair behind her ear and then said slowly, carefully weighing every word: ‘The Dark Arts exert a peculiar fascination on many witches and wizards. It has happened more than once that those who studied the Dark Arts in order to fight them better eventually changed sides and decided, instead of fighting, to become Dark wizards themselves. And by motive, I mean the reason why they chose Dark magic. Some do it out of loneliness and despair. Others do it out of hunger for power, and yet others out of pure hatred. Those are the most dangerous. For such witches and wizards have no morality when it comes to whom they hurt or how they hurt them – because that is exactly what they want. To hurt.’
Lily’s green eyes widened and Severus’s eyes widened too.
‘But why do some who first fight against it themselves become Dark wizards?’ Severus wanted to know.
‘No one knows,’ answered the young teacher. ‘It takes an exceptionally strong will and even more courage to turn one’s back on the Dark Arts. But those who succeed go down in history.’
‘Who, for example?’ Severus asked curiously, and Lily nodded as well.
The Auror smiled mysteriously: ‘You’ll certainly learn that in time.’
Severus and Lily looked disappointed.
But the teacher only smiled to herself and then took her leave.
Severus watched her go.
The young Auror had just become one of his role models.
What she had said about Dark magic had deeply impressed him.
‘I like her,’ said Lily.
‘Me too,’ Severus agreed.
‘But I still say one shouldn’t concern oneself with Dark magic at all… because then there’s no danger of ever practising it in the first place.’
Severus, who did not know what to reply, only shrugged his shoulders.
After Lily had borrowed a book on plant spells and Severus one on the brewing of potions with the assistance of Muggles, the two of them left the library again.
Under the curious gazes of the portraits, they walked side by side down the stairs.
When they reached the bottom, Lily was just about to go outside to read in the sunshine when she suddenly remembered something.
Her voice stopped Severus, who had already taken the path towards the dungeon staircase.
‘Severus?’
He turned around: ‘Yes?’
The red-haired Gryffindor hesitated for a moment, but then asked: ‘Did Dorcas, Charity or Aurora actually tell you anything more about the quarrel between them and Marlene and me?’
Severus nodded: ‘Yes. They said that Marlene had spoken out against us Slytherins.’
‘That’s not true,’ Lily protested. ‘She only wanted to know what it’s like… well… to have Avery and Mulciber as friends, and then Dorcas got angry, then Charity joined in, and then they all started insulting one another. It wasn’t just Marlene.’
Severus did not look very convinced: ‘Why did she even start it at all?’
Lily hesitated again: ‘She just wanted to know,’ she said evasively.
Severus’s expression turned dismissive: ‘Yes, but why? I wouldn’t ask what it’s like to be friends with Gryffindors.’
‘That’s different.’
‘And why?’ Severus looked at Lily a little disappointedly.
He had always thought and hoped that she would not join in the hatred and mistrust against Slytherins – but it seemed he had been wrong.
‘Well… I…’ Lily didn’t really know what she wanted to say and regretted having brought the subject up at all.
‘Yes?’
Lily considered for a moment how she should explain and finally said: ‘Do you know who founded Slytherin?’
Now Severus was confused: ‘Yes, of course. Salazar Slytherin. But what does that have to do with anything?’
Lily nodded: ‘Well, he spoke out against Muggle-borns being allowed to attend Hogwarts at all and being allowed to learn magic…’
Severus still didn’t understand: ‘I know. I’ve read “Hogwarts, A History” too. But what are you trying to say?’
Lily was slowly growing impatient: ‘Do you really not understand?’
Severus shook his head.
Lily sighed: ‘Well… Marlene just wanted to know what it’s like to be friends with someone from a house that was founded by SOMEONE like that. It’s no secret, after all, that many Slytherins think the same way.’
‘But not all! And condemning everyone for it is unfair!’
‘So, like you Slytherins do with Gryffindors?’
She had a point, he had to admit.
‘But that’s why I wouldn’t ask you what it’s like to be friends with Gryffindors. And besides, Gryffindor is really popular, and we Slytherins are treated like monsters, even though not all of us are like that.’
‘Oh really? And who is different then?’
‘My friends, for example. And Dorcas and Alexis – and me as well.’
Lily’s expression turned dismissive: ‘I don’t trust your friends, Severus.’
‘And why not?’
‘They all come from families that hate Muggles and Muggle-borns, Marlene says.’
‘Because she knows so well and understands us Slytherins so thoroughly,’ he could barely suppress a snort.
‘Maybe she doesn’t know your friends personally, but she does know what Avery’s, Mulciber’s, Evan’s and Wilkes’s parents are like.’
‘So you believe her rather than me?’
‘It’s not like that,’ the redhead objected.
‘Then how is it?’ Severus looked somewhat hurt.
He felt betrayed.
Lily trusted a girl she had only known for a few months more than him, whom she had known for several years.
Lily sighed: ‘I just think your friends are pretending with you.’
‘Why would they?’
‘It’s only a feeling.’
Severus studied Lily: ‘Maybe your friends are pretending with you.’
‘They’d have no reason to,’ Lily shot back.
‘But my friends would have a reason?’ Severus didn’t understand her.
Lily sighed again, but before she could say anything more, Severus continued: ‘Don’t you notice that everyone is constantly speaking out against Slytherins and trying to turn you against me? For no reason? Just because they think they know everything about us? But they don’t!’
‘They only want to protect me,’ Lily murmured.
Severus’s eyes widened slightly in shock: ‘Protect you? From me?’
‘I just mean in general, from getting hurt. There are, after all, some students here who don’t like Muggle-borns.’
‘You know I’m not like that, don’t you?’ he asked.
He wanted Lily’s assurance that she trusted him – and at the same time, he was afraid of her answer.
Her nod relieved Severus greatly, and the cold ache in his chest that had been there throughout the conversation slowly faded away.
‘I’ll go outside then… to read,’ Lily said in farewell.
Severus nodded: ‘And I’ll go down to the dungeons and read a bit too.’
Lily lifted her hand briefly in parting and then hurried away.
Severus also turned and walked down into the dungeons.
With every step he took, he felt a little more uncertain.
He thought again about the conversation.
Could he have said something differently or expressed himself in another way…
Deep in thought, he arrived before the stone wall behind which lay the Slytherin common room.
Severus watched the stone snakes as they slithered across the wall and then finally entered the common room.
He watched for a moment as his friends sat together playing chess.
Avery and Wilkes against Mulciber.
Severus briefly thought of Evan and Lucius.
What might they be doing right now?
As for Lucius, Severus had to admit that Lily had definitely been right.
Lucius looked down on Muggles and Muggle-borns.
But not the others… or did they?
Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes had never spoken disparagingly about Muggles or Muggle-borns.
And they always treated Charity, who was a Muggle-born, the same – and Aurora and himself, both half-bloods, as well.
And in the eyes of true blood supremacists, half-bloods were considered just as much ‘Mudbloods’ and inferior as Muggle-borns.
He sat down next to Mulciber with a ‘Hello’.
His friends nodded briefly to him, returned the greeting and then immediately focused again on their chess game.
Severus sank into the sofa next to Mulciber and opened the borrowed book.
But he couldn’t really concentrate on it, as either Mulciber or Avery and Wilkes would grin triumphantly, groan in annoyance or let out a mocking ‘Ha’.
Eventually, he lowered the book and calmly watched his friends at their chess game.
Shortly afterwards Avery and Wilkes had won and grinned mockingly at Mulciber.
‘Won.’
‘That’s only because there are two of you,’ Mulciber grumbled.
‘No, mate, you’re just rubbish at chess,’ grinned Avery.
Mulciber only muttered and then, as if to change the subject, turned to Severus: ‘And what are you reading there?’
Severus silently showed him his book.
A nod was the reply.
When the black-haired boy still said nothing, Wilkes gave him a penetrating look: ‘What’s the matter?’
‘What should be the matter?’
‘You look as if something’s wrong.’
Severus only shook his head.
He didn’t want to tell his friends about the discussion with Lily, as he feared they would find it ridiculous and launch into another tirade against Gryffindors – and he really didn’t have the nerves for that.
‘Shall we sneak out again tonight?’ Avery asked eagerly, looking around, ‘I heard Professor Clearwater has supervision tonight, and she certainly won’t snitch on us.’
All of them, Severus included, nodded.
‘Shall we take Charity and Aurora with us this time? Charity would definitely be thrilled,’ Severus suggested.
The three other Slytherins nodded in agreement once more.
When the great tower clock of Hogwarts struck 10 p.m., the four Slytherins slipped out of their beds, crept out of the common room and quietly climbed the dungeon stairs.
Charity and Aurora, who had been told of the boys’ plans over dinner and had eagerly agreed to accompany them, were already hidden behind one of the suits of armour near the stairs, waiting.
When the two girls recognised the four boys, they quietly emerged from their hiding place and hurried towards the Slytherins.
‘And what do we do now?’ whispered Aurora, her eyes seeming almost to glow with excitement.
‘We could look for the secret passage of the Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws,’ whispered Avery.
The others nodded.
‘Where do we start searching?’ Charity asked in a hushed voice, and Mulciber answered just as quietly: ‘Best in the Great Hall. That’s where the others either started or ended… depending on how you look at it.’
So they all went into the Great Hall and eagerly began to search, tapping cautiously and expectantly on walls and tables.
Aurora, who was just examining the hourglasses closely, barely managed to stifle a small startled cry when a large section of the wall behind her suddenly slid aside.
At once they all rushed towards her.
‘Incredible… which passage is it?’ Avery immediately wanted to know, full of curiosity.
‘It must be ours… the Ravenclaw passage,’ said the dark-skinned Ravenclaw girl, ‘because it opened just as I was tapping on our Ravenclaw hourglass.’
‘Well then, in we go,’ the small blond Slytherin decided, and the others followed, slipping quickly inside before the secret passage could close again.
‘Where do you think it leads?’ Wilkes wondered aloud.
‘The Slytherin and Gryffindor ones led to the dungeons and the seventh floor, near the common rooms, so this one probably leads upwards, close to the Ravenclaw common room,’ Severus replied thoughtfully.
Mulciber nodded: ‘That would also support our theory that each of the four founders built their own secret passage, leading from the common rooms to the Great Hall.’
‘But what’s the point of that?’ Charity asked softly. ‘Is it supposed to be an escape route – or just a quicker way to get to meals?’
Everyone giggled, but at the same time only shrugged their shoulders.
‘There’s definitely nothing about this in "Hogwarts, A History",’ remarked Severus, and at once he felt all eyes on him: ‘What?’
‘You’ve read that thick, boring thing?’ Mulciber sounded horrified.
‘Of course. Before Hogwarts even.’
‘Merlin… you really had nothing better to do, did you?’
Severus’s curt and icy "No" shut Mulciber up at once, and he didn’t press the matter further.
But after all, he couldn’t know that Severus, whenever his father had one of his outbursts and his mother had sent him off to his room, had always read that book.
The anticipation of Hogwarts had always cheered him then.
And now he was here – and could hardly wait to finish school and finally be free of Hogwarts, and above all of James Potter and his friends.
Severus clenched his fists, unseen in the darkness of the secret passage.
Oh, how he hated Potter and Black – and now Lily was starting to side with the Slytherin-haters and distrust them as well.
He dearly hoped she wouldn’t let the Gryffindors manipulate her further, and that their friendship wouldn’t be damaged.
Lost in these thoughts, he didn’t even notice that they had already reached the end of the passage.
‘Careful,’ Wilkes muttered when Severus trod on his heels.
‘I didn’t mean to,’ Severus tried to apologise.
‘It’s all right,’ the taller boy grumbled, pushing his glasses back up his nose.
‘And now what? How do we get out? There’s no lever or anything here,’ whispered Charity, who had been walking at the front.
‘Let me,’ said Aurora, slipping past her friends to the very front.
She carefully felt along the wall in the dark.
The first-years could only hear a faint wooden scraping, a click, and then – just like in the Great Hall – a large section of wall slid aside.
‘How did you do that?’ asked Mulciber, impressed, as he slipped out.
‘You have to enter a sort of code,’ the Ravenclaw girl explained softly. ‘There are different buttons in the wall with Ravenclaw symbols carved into them, and if you press them in the right order, the door opens.’
‘Like a sort of timeline?’ Severus whispered, and Aurora nodded.
‘Wow,’ Charity was genuinely impressed, and Avery grinned: ‘Lucky for us we’ve got a Ravenclaw in the group.’
‘Speaking of Ravenclaw,’ Charity whispered, ‘the common room is just over there. So Severus was right.’
‘This is getting dull…’ Avery muttered, ‘I was really hoping we’d find a more exciting passage for once, and not always the same old route from the Great Hall to the common rooms.’
Nods were the only reply.
Only Aurora and Charity were excited.
‘It’s brilliant! Now we only need to find our own secret passage – then we can sneak from the common rooms straight into the Great Hall without anyone seeing us,’ Charity whispered eagerly.
‘Unseen, are you?’ came a woman’s voice behind the first-years, and they all spun round in alarm.
Calida Clearwater was standing there, grinning: ‘Good evening, everyone.’
‘Good evening, Professor Clearwater,’ the students muttered sheepishly, each of them making a great effort not to meet the young teacher’s eyes.
‘And where might you lot have come from?’ asked the Auror.
After a quick exchange of glances with the others, Wilkes ventured: ‘From the Ravenclaw passage.’
‘You’ll have to show me. I only ever found the Slytherin one in my school days,’ the blonde witch said brightly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
The first-years exchanged disbelieving looks.
Severus was the first to break out of his daze.
He stepped back to the spot where the hidden exit had been and carefully tapped along the wall.
A moment later, it slid aside again.
The teacher looked delighted: ‘And which of these passages have you already discovered?’
‘The Slytherin one and the Gryffindor one,’ said Wilkes.
She smirked. ‘And all of them by night, I take it?’
‘Er…’
Six innocent faces peered up at her.
The professor only laughed. ‘Well… it is the holidays, after all.’
The children nodded quickly.
None of them had the slightest intention of admitting they had crept through the castle at night during term-time as well.
But then her expression grew stern again: ‘Right then – off to bed with you. And I don’t want to see a single one of you before breakfast.’
The children nodded and scampered away, calling: ‘Good night, Professor Clearwater!’ over their shoulders.
Aurora dashed the last stretch to the Ravenclaw common room, while Charity and the Slytherins tore down the steps into the dungeons.
Within minutes, all six first-years were fast asleep.

Chapter 32

Notes:

TW:
This chapter contains scenes depicting forms of domestic abuse (shouting and intimidation).
If this affects you, please do not read this chapter/do not read it alone.
Take care of yourself. 🩷

The rest of the holidays went by quickly and everyday life at Hogwarts returned.
With the exception that it was now clearly noticeable that the summer holidays were approaching, and with them the end-of-year exams.
Especially the students of the fifth and seventh year became more and more nervous and also increasingly irritable.
The teachers grew stricter, the material more difficult and the homework heavier.
Severus was not bothered by any of it.
What did trouble him was that the library was no longer a quiet place where he could retreat, switch off and read in peace, for now all sorts of students constantly wandered about inside, discussing possible exam topics and arguing over the books.
He had no worries at all about the upcoming exams.
The only thing that gave him stomach ache was the thought that after the exams the summer holidays would come, and that he could not stay at Hogwarts during them.
He was forced to go home, to be alone there, to go hungry and to endure his father’s moods.
Lost in thought, he was just about to leave the library with a stack of books when his gaze fell on the borrowing list and he had to laugh.
Someone had written next to James Potter’s name: "is an idiot".
It looked suspiciously like Charity’s handwriting.
‘What’s so funny?’ asked Aurora curiously, who had just come in.
Still grinning, he pointed at the list.
Aurora had to laugh as well and wrote next to Sirius’s signature: "Legend in his own mind".
Severus laughed again.
Lily, who had just appeared from behind a shelf with a pile of books and had also intended to sign the list, looked at the two of them curiously: ‘What’s going on here? For something to make Severus laugh, it must really be funny.’
Aurora and Severus pointed at the list at the same time.
Lily glanced at it and had to grin as well: ‘Brilliant and so true.’
Then she looked at Severus: ‘You really must laugh more often.’
His heart gave a leap and he smiled shyly: ‘I’ll try.’
He watched Lily as she signed the list and then disappeared through the door with her books about magical herbs and plants.
Inside he was burning, but it was not a bad kind of burning.
It was the kind of burning that gave one energy and good cheer, and it even comforted him over the prospect of soon facing his father.
A few days later there came that which most Hogwarts students dreaded: the exams.
Severus, however, was completely relaxed.
He had already begun studying and practising weeks before and had always done well in lessons too.
And now he was sitting at a single desk in the middle of the Great Hall with a blank piece of parchment lying before him, his quill together with ink standing at the upper right side of the table, and he looked towards Professor McGonagall at the front, who was just announcing that they would have one hundred and twenty minutes for the History of Magic exam.
After she had given the signal to start, all that could be heard was the rustling of parchment and the eager dipping of quills into inkwells.
When the time was up and Minerva McGonagall gave the command to put down their quills, Severus’s head was buzzing with facts about goblin uprisings and the corresponding years, their leaders, respective causes and other data.
Lily was waiting for him by the door: ‘And? How did it go for you?’
Before Severus could answer, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter appeared behind them.
‘Extremely well. Thank you for asking, Evans, your interest honours me,’ James, who had overheard her question, grinned as he put an arm around Lily’s shoulders, ‘and as for you, Snivellus, I do hope your scribbling is even legible. The way you were hunched over the page, there must be dozens of grease stains on it. I could lend you my shampoo if you like.’
Severus stared at him with utter loathing: ‘I can do without your alms.’
Lily instantly shook him off in disgust: ‘And how you did, Potter, I couldn’t care less. Now get lost.’
James strutted away with his friends, still wearing his mocking grin.
Lily and Severus both glared after him with loathing.
‘I hate him.’
‘So do I.’
When the four had vanished round the next corner, Lily turned back to Severus: ‘Now tell me… how did it go?’
‘Very well. And you?’
‘Also really well,’ Lily smiled, and then looked a little uncertain, ‘you, Sev… may I ask you something?’
Severus, noticing her uncertainty, nodded, though his heart suddenly beat faster and he drew a deep breath.
For when Lily, who was usually such a straightforward person, hesitated like this, it meant, in his opinion, not really anything good or positive.
She hesitated a few seconds more and then asked: ‘Are your hair actually like that by nature or…?’
She did not even need to continue, for Severus’s suddenly defensive expression showed that he had understood what she meant to ask.
‘I do wash my hair,’ he said somewhat curtly, and then added, a little more conciliatory and quietly, ‘only I cannot afford shampoo… so I wash it only with water, and that doesn’t do much.’
‘The other Slytherins would surely give you some,’ said Lily.
But Severus shook his head firmly.
That was out of the question.
He would not accept charity.
His pride would not allow it.
Lily looked at him apologetically: ‘I’m sorry.’
‘It’s all right,’ he tried to smile, noticing her guilty expression.
Lily smiled, relieved that he was not angry with her, and changed the subject: ‘At least we’ve already got the most boring part of the exams behind us.’
Severus nodded: ‘That’s true. After the break—’ How Lily felt about the Transfiguration exam that would take place after the break he could not ask anymore, for now his friends from Slytherin appeared and wanted to know how the exam had gone for Severus.
Lily, who was hardly noticed by Severus’s Slytherin friends, took her leave briefly and hurried away.
The Transfiguration exam went just as well for Severus as the History of Magic exam had.
He stretched in relief as he left the Great Hall together with Avery, Mulciber, Evan and Wilkes.
Although more exams in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Herbology still lay ahead in the coming days, at least the first part was done.
‘And how did the exams go for you lot?’ Wilkes asked curiously.
‘Ghastly,’ groaned Avery, ‘I could hardly remember anything. McGonagall will have a fit.’
Severus grinned mercilessly: ‘Serves you right if you only started revising the day before yesterday.’
‘I did not start the day before yesterday,’ the blond Slytherin defended himself.
‘Then when?’ Severus wanted to know, and Avery grinned sheepishly, ‘Er… yesterday.’
They all grinned.
Mulciber gave him a friendly knock on the head: ‘Then don’t expect any sympathy from us.’
Avery only grinned: ‘Yeah, yeah.’
The next exams went just as well for Severus.
And then at last it was done, and the time of anxious waiting for the results began.
Severus learned his results when he was sitting outside on the grass with Mulciber, Evan, Wilkes, Pandora, Aurora and Charity.
Charity was lying in Aurora’s lap, letting her plait little braids into her long fringe.
Mulciber, Evan and Wilkes were talking about Quidditch.
And Pandora and Severus were having a discussion about potions and how difficult and dangerous it must be to invent one’s own.
Just as Wilkes had begun to ask whether anyone knew where Avery was, they already saw him.
The blond Slytherin came running out of the building towards his friends.
In his hand he was holding a piece of parchment.
He stumbled, caught himself, and finally arrived, out of breath, at his friends: ‘I—guys—I…’ he gasped for air and dropped onto the grass.
Pandora looked at him and smiled: ‘What’s so important, Avery, that you hurry to us like that?’
The others, too, looked at him curiously.
‘I’ve got our exam results… well, the Slytherins’ ones,’ Avery waved the parchment about, ‘it was pinned up in the common room on the notice board. I took it down.’
‘So what?’
‘Come on, tell us!’
‘Did we pass?’
‘Don’t keep us in suspense!’
All four of them spoke at once.
Avery grinned broadly and stayed silent a moment longer, savouring his moment of power.
‘Get him!’ Mulciber finally decided, and Wilkes and Evan pounced on him.
While they held the fiercely struggling Avery down, Severus snatched the parchment.
Charity, Aurora and Pandora looked on, grinning, quite unmoved.
Severus glanced at the parchment and exhaled in relief: ‘We’ve all passed and are moving up. No one from Slytherin has failed.’
Relieved and excited high fives followed.
‘Even Avery passed,’ Severus could not resist a mocking remark, and Avery grinned, ‘Hilarious, Snape.’
Charity, Aurora and Pandora, as they soon learned, had likewise passed everything and would be moving on to the second year.
Lucius and Narcissa, as well as their elder sister Andromeda and her steady boyfriend Ted, would not receive their results until the holidays, Lucius had told Severus—who later thought to himself that it would be a nightmare for him.
Having to wait weeks for a ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’, to endure the endless uncertainty of how things would turn out, sounded simply dreadful to him.
Lucius, however, was utterly relaxed and completely certain he had passed.
Lily and her friends had also passed, as they told him gladly when he asked.
James and Sirius, with smug grins, told him that they too had passed and were even among the best of the year.
That Severus also belonged to this group, as Professor Slughorn had told him with a pat on the shoulder, he kept to himself.
At the end of the week, the first school year at Hogwarts was over.
All the students gathered in the Great Hall.
The air was filled with excited chatter, laughter and shared memories.
The only one to ruin the mood was Peeves.
He had hidden himself above the doors of the Great Hall and was throwing down anything he could get his hands on.
Not even the Bloody Baron could stop him this time.
Only when Dumbledore himself scolded him did Peeves vanish, deeply offended.
When Dumbledore, smiling, stepped up behind his lectern, everyone fell silent at once and looked eagerly to the front.
Lucius whispered quietly to Severus: ‘Now the House Cup will be awarded.’
Severus nodded.
That this happened at the end of every school year he already knew from his mother.
Dumbledore smiled: ‘My dear students… another school year lies behind us all. I congratulate all of us on the exams passed, and to those who did not pass I wish to say that this is no disgrace. Your path is simply a different one from that of your classmates. Different, but not lesser.’
Applause interrupted his speech.
Albus Dumbledore waited patiently, smiling, until it had died down, and then continued: ‘But now… for I strongly suspect—and I am rarely wrong—that you have long and eagerly awaited this moment… the awarding of the House Cup.’
Applause filled the Great Hall again.
When it had faded, Dumbledore cleared his throat: ‘In fourth place is… Ravenclaw with 395 points.’
The other houses clapped politely.
Dumbledore continued: ‘In third place is Gryffindor with 410 points.’
Polite applause followed once more, but then everyone looked to Dumbledore at the front, eager to see whether Hufflepuff or Slytherin would win the House Cup.
Charity and Severus exchanged a brief glance.
‘And in second place is… Hufflepuff with 470 points,’ Dumbledore announced.
That Slytherin had therefore won, having collected 500 points over the school year, was lost amid the cheering of the Slytherins.
Applause erupted again.
It was clear, however, that this was purely out of politeness, and the other houses would have rather seen Hufflepuff win.
Severus and his friends were thrilled and visibly delighted.
And when Dumbledore additionally decorated the entire Great Hall in green and Slytherin banners, and Charity, Pandora, and even Lily nodded congratulatingly, Severus felt that there could have been no better end to the school year.
He resolved to give his best so that Slytherin would win again.
After the farewell feast, Professor Calida Clearwater was also formally bid goodbye, which all the Slytherins regretted.
The Auror assured them that they would certainly see each other again someday and wished all of Slytherin continued success and perseverance.
Severus, in particular, regretted that the teacher could stay for only one year.
He had felt understood by her.
She had been one of the few professors who had not treated Slytherins with disdain.
The next morning he sat beside Lily and opposite Charity and Pandora on the Hogwarts Express, watching Hogsmeade Station shrink behind them.
Mary, sitting on Lily’s other side, smiled: ‘I can hardly wait to come back here.’
Lily, Charity and Pandora nodded enthusiastically.
Severus nodded too.
But he felt a small lump in his throat when he thought of returning to Hogwarts.
How would the second year go… Would James and Sirius still make his life miserable… beat him up again or put up more insulting posters…
He briefly thought that there would be little difference whether he stayed at home or returned to Hogwarts.
The feeling of being worthless and unwanted was something he experienced in both places.
With the exception that at Hogwarts he had friends who listened to him and respected him.
‘And you, Sev?’ Lily asked.
Damn, he hadn’t even caught her question amid all his brooding.
‘What about me?’ he asked cautiously.
‘What are you most looking forward to next year?’ Lily repeated her question.
He thought for a moment and then said, ‘Seeing the others again, and Potions and DADA.’
Lily grinned and rolled her eyes in amusement: ‘Why did I know you’d say that?’
Severus shrugged a little uncertainly.
Charity and Pandora, noticing that Lily’s reaction had unsettled him, joined in.
‘I think it’s sweet,’ Charity smiled, and Pandora nodded, ‘you can tell your friends mean a lot to you.’
Severus relaxed a little, and before Lily could respond, Charity continued: ‘I’m definitely most looking forward to my friends too.’
Pandora smiled: ‘Me too.’
Then there was a moment of quiet, each of the five children lost in their own thoughts.
Severus was just thinking about having to change out of his uniform, because his father would certainly lose it if he saw him in it, when Charity asked, ‘Will you write to me over the holidays, Severus?’
‘That’s not possible. I don’t have an owl.’
‘But I do,’ Charity smiled, stroking her little owl that was dozing on her shoulder, ‘I’ll write to you and then you can just send your reply back with her, okay?’
He nodded.
It was already starting to get dusky as the Hogwarts Express pulled into King’s Cross Station.
One by one, everyone disembarked with their cages, bags and trunks.
It took some time for all the goodbyes to be said and for everyone to find their families.
Lily and her parents hugged warmly.
Severus, standing beside them and looking in vain for his mother, felt even lonelier than usual at that moment.
Olivia Evans smiled at him: ‘Come on, Severus, we’ll take you with us.’
‘Th-thank you,’ Severus followed the Evans couple and Lily, who was chattering endlessly about Hogwarts, Gryffindor and lessons, to the car.
When Henry Evans finally stopped in Spinners End in front of the little Snape house and had taken Severus’s trunk out of the boot, he looked at the small, slightly thin boy, whose black hair fell into his face, and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity.
He watched Severus as he hauled his trunk up the few steps to the front door and rang the bell.
When the door opened and Severus slipped inside, Mr Evans finally drove away.
Eileen looked at her son with a slight smile: ‘Hello, Severus. Let me have a look at you. How was your school year?’
Severus looked up at his mother.
She was paler than usual.
He narrowed his black eyes to slits: ‘It was fine… Did Father do anything to you, Mum?’
Eileen shook her head hastily: ‘No. But you’d better go upstairs and put your school things away so he doesn’t see them.’
Severus nodded and went upstairs with his trunk.
He had deliberately told his mother nothing about the incidents with James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, so as not to burden her further.
When he finally stood in his small room, he sighed quietly and nostalgically remembered the Slytherin-Commonroom, which had smelled so wonderfully of rain, with its fine leather sofas and large windows that looked directly out onto the Black Lake.
His own room, with its bare white walls, the stains on the bedspread and the dirty little window, did not share the same cosy grandeur he had enjoyed with his friends.
After closing the door behind him and placing his trunk in front of his bed, Severus opened his window and climbed out.
As he had done so many times before, he sat on the small ledge and gazed over at the old factory with its heavily smoking chimney.
This time, he climbed back in more quickly than usual, as a violent coughing fit had overcome him.
He had clearly grown accustomed to the fresh lake and forest air around Hogwarts and could no longer tolerate the poor air quality here in Spinner’s End.
Severus had just begun unpacking his trunk, putting his spellbooks, wand and Hogwarts uniform into the bottom of his wardrobe, when his mother called him for dinner.
He immediately ran downstairs and sat timidly at the wobbly table.
His father, Tobias Snape, was already eating the potato and vegetable stew.
Eileen and Severus also began to eat silently, as Tobias Snape could not stand conversation during meals.
After dinner, Eileen stood up and began washing the dishes.
Severus sat on the counter, watching her.
He liked watching his mother.
‘Which house are you in?’ Eileen asked softly.
‘Slytherin, Mum. Like you,’ Severus replied quietly.
A rare smile appeared on Eileen Snape’s lips, which immediately vanished when Tobias, still sitting at the table and finishing his beer, slammed his fist down and bellowed drunkenly: ‘Quiet, wife! In my house, I want none of this wizard nonsense!’
Eileen and Severus flinched at the same time and nodded.
Severus drew his head back fearfully as Tobias came toward him, about to seize his hair.
Terrible fear crept over him and almost paralysed him.
‘Look at you, boy! Get your hair cut. You look like a girl!’ Tobias Snape twisted his face and looked at him with disgust.
‘Go to your room, Severus,’ Eileen commanded.
Grateful to escape the situation, Severus bolted up the creaking stairs.
The last thing he heard before closing his door and collapsing onto his bed was his father shouting at his mother: ‘You spoil the boy far too much! If he becomes an arrogant little brat, it’s your fault!’

Chapter 33

When Severus woke up again the next morning, he had no idea what time it was.
He stretched sleepily.
The bed gave a quiet creak in response.
With a sigh, he finally got up and looked out of the window.
The sun was only just rising and the house was still completely silent.
As quietly as possible, so as not to wake his parents, he got up and crept to his wardrobe to take out his wand and a few books.
Just as quietly, he began to practise some spells.
So absorbed was he in his exercises that he did not notice how the sun climbed higher and higher and how late it had become.
It was only when his mother called him for breakfast that he emerged from his deep concentration.
Hurriedly, he stowed his school things back into the depths of his wardrobe and ran downstairs into the kitchen.
His mother was sitting alone at the table and looked up when he entered.
Uncertain, he stopped and glanced around: ‘Where’s Father?’
‘Not here,’ his mother said briefly.
He nodded.
"Not here" meant almost always that his father was at the pub.
Eileen Snape served her son a portion of porridge.
Severus hated this dish with a passion, but he still ate it every time, since he never knew when he would get his next meal.
He thought of the feasts at Hogwarts and instantly felt guilty.
He did not want to be ungrateful.
Silently, Severus finished eating, then put his plate and dishes into the sink, just as his mother liked it, so that she could wash up straight away.
Severus looked up at his mother, who was also putting her dishes into the sink: ‘May I go outside for a while?’
‘Of course,’ his mother nodded, then added, ‘but make sure you’re back by this evening at the latest.’
Severus nodded, grabbed the old jacket that had once belonged to his mother from the rusty hook beside the door, and slipped outside.
He walked down the street, jumped across the rubbish-filled ditch, and crossed the meadow towards the Evans’ house.
Severus sat down in the grass beneath the big tree where he and Lily always met.
He opened the book he had secretly taken with him and began to read.
So absorbed in the book was he that he did not notice the time passing, and slowly it grew late.
It was only when he began to shiver in the cold evening air that he realised how much time had gone by.
He jumped up quickly and hurried back.
As he approached his parents’ house, he could already hear them arguing.
He sighed.
Hogwarts was much more to his liking after all.
Even though he often felt just as unwanted there as he did here, and every time he ran into James and his friends he was terrified, at least at Hogwarts there was plenty of food, clean beds, comfortable rooms, and the fresh air of the surrounding countryside was far nicer.
Quietly, so as not to provoke his father any further, he entered the house.
Neither of his parents paid him any attention.
He slipped quickly past them and closed his bedroom door before his father even had the chance to say anything.
Severus crawled into bed and pulled the blanket over his head in an attempt to muffle his parents’ voices.
But it did not help much.
He could still clearly hear his mother accusing his father of spending all their money on alcohol, and his father retorting that he would not have to if he did not have such a disappointment for a son, and if he did not regret every day having married her and having Severus.
Every word from his father cut deep wounds into his heart, and he hastily wiped away the tears that rolled down his cheeks.
He hated crying.
But knowing that his father despised him hurt terribly.
More than anything James and Sirius had ever said to him.
He shivered with exhaustion and sadness and drew his legs up.
After some time, he finally fell asleep.
Just as exhausted as he had been the night before, he awoke the next morning to the sound of his mother knocking at his bedroom door.

At the same time, another knock came at Sirius Black’s door.
Walburga Black had been standing outside her eldest son’s room for a while and was growing increasingly impatient.
‘Sirius! Sirius Orion Black!’, her voice rang through the door.
Rustling and clattering could be heard inside, then the door opened.
‘What is it?’ Sirius, wearing a stained, oversized shirt, ran a tired hand through his messy black curls.
‘You ought to get yourself ready. It’s already late morning. And besides, Bellatrix and Rudolphus are coming for dinner this evening,’ his mother ordered.
Sirius pulled a face: ‘And why should I care?’
‘You, my dear, will sit at the table and, for once in your life, show an interest in your family.’
Sirius rolled his eyes: ‘I didn’t choose "my family", as you call it, so why should I?’
Walburga looked at him coldly: ‘Because I say so. Understood?’
Then she glanced into his room.
Clothes, crumpled parchments, some schoolbooks and leftovers were strewn about everywhere, his bed was unmade, and the shelves were coated with dust.
Walburga wrinkled her nose: ‘And tidy your room and make your bed at once. I never want to see such a disgraceful sight in my house again.’
Sirius only grinned cheekily: ‘If it’s your house, then you tidy it.’
‘No discussion,’ Walburga Black snapped, turning on her heel and Sirius slammed his bedroom door shut.
When Sirius, dressed and ready, making sure his Gryffindor tie was clearly visible, entered the dining room, his mother was sitting at the table.
Walburga had her head resting in her hands and was massaging her temples.
Her husband, Orion Black, sat next to her, speaking soothingly to her.
Kreacher was just placing a teacup in front of her.
As soon as Walburga noticed that Sirius was wearing his Gryffindor tie, she began whining again: ‘I’ve failed in raising him, Orion. Failed.’
Sirius’s father straightened to his full height and glared down at his son: ‘Change immediately. I will not tolerate,’ he twisted his face in disgust, ‘Gryffindor clothes being worn in my house.’
When Sirius did not move, Walburga shot up and screamed: ‘Immediately! I will not be embarrassed in front of Bellatrix and Rudolphus! It’s bad enough that you’re friends with mudbloods and blood traitors, but you don’t have to flaunt it in everyone’s face!’
Sirius stormed into his room, tore off the tie, and returned to the dining room.
Regulus had come down in the meantime and was now sitting alone at the table.
Walburga and Orion were nowhere to be seen.
When Regulus noticed his brother, his face lit up: ‘Hello, Sirius.’
Sirius flopped down next to his brother: ‘Morning, Regulus,’ he yawned, then watched as their house-elf Kreacher placed some slices of smoked salmon on Regulus’s plate.
With a silent, urging gesture, Sirius held his plate out in front of the long-nosed house-elf.
With pursed lips and eyes burning with hate, Kreacher placed a few slices of salmon on Sirius’s plate as well.
Then Sirius served himself some of the fruit salad, which had been presented in crystal bowls, some scrambled eggs, and finally bit hungrily into one of the freshly baked rolls Kreacher had just taken from the oven.
Regulus also took one of the rolls and some of the fruit salad.
But instead of scrambled eggs, he took some cheese, which, as every morning, was laid out on a large silver platter in the middle of the table.
Sirius looked at it with disgust: ‘I hate cheese.’
Regulus enjoyed a cube of cheese: ‘I don’t.’
Sirius grinned: ‘You have a terrible taste. You can tell just from the fact that you like Slytherins.’
‘Haha,’ Regulus grinned too and ate another cube of cheese, ‘better tell me more about Hogwarts and Slytherin.’
Sirius took another bite of his roll: ‘Oh no. Slytherins are boring, uptight, stupid, know-it-all, hateful, and they bully anyone who isn’t as "great and pure-blooded" as they are. Trust me, you don’t want to be one of them. But us Gryffindors are brilliant, Regulus. Everyone is really cool, smart, cheerful, and we accept everyone as they are. You’ll feel at home in Gryffindor, I promise.’
‘When I met Severus, Evan and the others at the Ministry, they seemed really nice,’ Regulus interjected.
Sirius rolled his eyes: ‘Are you really starting with that again? That was over half a year ago. And do you really trust them more than me? Your. Brother.’
‘Of course not,’ murmured Regulus, and Sirius nodded in satisfaction.
Kreacher, who had just come back in and had overheard Sirius’s words about Gryffindors, hissed softly: ‘My poor masters… Such a shame to have a son who associates with mudbloods and bloodtraitors.’
Sirius kicked the house-elf so hard he nearly fell off his chair: ‘Shut your filthy mouth, you disgusting elf.’
Regulus glared at his brother angrily: ‘Leave him alone, Sirius! If all Gryffindors are like you, I definitely don’t want to go there.’
Walburga, appearing in the doorway with Orion, looked down at Regulus and smiled: ‘Hearing you speak like that, Regulus, comforts me somewhat over the fact that my upbringing of my elder son has failed,’ she stroked his head.
Orion Black nodded and also smiled at the younger of the two brothers: ‘You will go to Slytherin, Regulus, make many decent friends there, and make us proud.’
Sirius rolled his eyes.
In the early afternoon, Bellatrix and Rudolphus entered the house and sat in the living room with Walburga and Orion.
Regulus and Sirius joined them.
Bellatrix and Rudolphus greeted Regulus kindly, but paid Sirius no attention.
He sat there, scowling and rolling his eyes, and had to listen, unwillingly, as his parents discussed the upcoming wedding of Bellatrix and Rudolphus, the Malfoys, and pure-blood ideals in general with Bellatrix and Rudolphus.
What annoyed the curly-haired boy the most was that Regulus listened attentively and, for the most part, even seemed enthusiastic.
When the conversation turned to Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Bellatrix made a spiteful comment about Gryffindor, he could no longer hold back and jumped up angrily: ‘Shut your foul mouth, Bellatrix. You have no idea.’
Bellatrix’s right eyebrow shot up and she let out her high, mocking laugh: ‘And you think you have any idea? You still have so much to learn, Sirius.’ She smiled sweetly at her cousin.
Walburga’s scolding gaze met her son: ‘Behave now, Sirius,’ and, turning to Bellatrix, she said, ‘Forgive me, Bellatrix. I simply don’t know what else to do with him.’
Bellatrix only nodded and gave Walburga a pitying look: ‘He is just a small, naive, foolish child who takes himself far too seriously, Walburga.’ She patted Walburga’s hand kindly.
Rudolphus, who had placed his hand on Bellatrix’s knee, also nodded: ‘Once the thinking has gone so wrong, there’s nothing more to be done.’
Before Sirius, his face already red with anger, could say anything more, Kreacher came in and bowed deeply: ‘Kreacher begs to excuse the interruption. Kreacher has only come to inform you that dinner is served.’
Upon hearing this, everyone left the living room and went to the dining room, taking their seats at the large table.
Kreacher had put in every effort.
There was a five-course menu with all sorts of fine and, above all, expensive dishes.
Everyone ate in high spirits and with a good appetite, and as the conversation turned back to Bellatrix and Rudolphus’s wedding, Sirius stifled a yawn.
How bored he was by these topics.
While Orion Black bragged about his newest luxurious elf wine, he rolled his eyes and glanced over at Regulus.
His younger brother, however, unlike Sirius, was not in the slightest bored and paid no attention to him.
Regulus listened attentively to the adults’ conversations and almost forgot about the food.

Severus had spent the previous and the following days outdoors.
As always when he went outside, he sat under the big tree, reading and practising magic.
A few days later, after breakfast—again, it had been porridge—he walked to the Evans house to ask Lily if she wanted to practise together.
When he arrived at their house and rang the bell, it took a while before anyone opened the door.
He was just wondering whether the Evans-Family had gone on holiday and why Lily hadn’t mentioned anything, and was about to turn away, when the door finally opened.
Henry Evans looked down at Severus with a smile: ‘Hello, Severus. You’re probably here for Lily.’
Severus nodded.
Lily’s father opened the door fully and let Severus in: ‘She’s upstairs. An owl just arrived for her and she’s writing the reply, but go on up.’
Severus nodded and did exactly that.
Lily was sitting at her desk and didn’t look up when he came in.
‘Hello, Lily,’ he said, ‘I wanted to ask if you’d like to come outside and practise magic with me.’
‘Hello, Severus. Yes, gladly, but I just want to finish the letter to Marlene first,’ she replied.
Severus nodded and waited patiently.
Only now did he notice the white owl with the black-grey speckles, sitting on the windowsill of Lily’s open window.
‘Is that Marlene’s owl?’ he asked as Lily stood up and tied the letter to the owl’s foot.
‘Yes and no,’ Lily answered. ‘Not her own owl, but her family’s.’
Severus nodded and watched as the owl pushed off from the windowsill and flew away.
When the owl was no longer visible, he asked again, uncertain whether Lily had even noticed his question earlier: ‘Shall we go outside and practise now?’
‘Of course,’ Lily said, reaching for her wand, which lay in the middle of her desk, grabbing her Charms book, and springing up.
The two children were keen to leave the house when Petunia appeared on the stairs.
‘Oh,’ she said disdainfully, looking down at Lily and Severus, ‘look at that. Freak-boy and freak-girl going outside together to do freaky things.’
Severus’s eyes flashed angrily: ‘Be quiet.’
Lily looked more hurt than angry: ‘Ignore her, Severus. Come on.’
The two of them left the house under Petunia’s glaring eyes.
Once they had settled under the tree, Severus looked at Lily: ‘Has she always been like that since you got home?’
Lily sighed softly: ‘She has.’
Severus nodded in understanding.
He knew that well.
His father hated everything to do with magic just as much.
‘At least you don’t have to hide your magical things and can practise openly,’ he said, trying to cheer Lily up.
Lily just nodded, but instead of asking how things were at his home and how his father was behaving, as she sometimes had before, she simply opened her Charms book: ‘Well then, let’s get started. Let’s practise.’
The two of them practised, laughed, and talked until it grew dark.
Severus felt, as he always did around Lily, incredibly comfortable and the negative thoughts, feelings and yesterday’s sadness disappeared.
It was only when the sun was almost gone that they stood up.
‘I have to go home,’ said Lily, and Severus nodded, ‘Me too.’
‘See you soon,’ Lily said, dashing off with her wand clutched tightly in her hand and her Charms book tucked under her arm.
Severus hurried home as well.
His father was, to his relief, not there.
The moment he entered the kitchen, a wonderful smell greeted him.
He sniffed it appreciatively.
‘You’ve made filled pastries, Mum?’
Eileen Snape nodded and first put some on his plate, then some on her own.
Severus ate with great appetite.
He loved his mother’s pastries.
After the meal, when the table had been cleared and the dishes washed, he was about to go upstairs to his room when his mother’s voice stopped him: ‘You’ve got mail today, Severus.’
He looked up, surprised: ‘Mail?’
‘Yes. A little brown owl had been sitting on your windowsill. I let it in. Make sure your father doesn’t notice when you write your reply and send the owl back.’
He nodded: ‘Thanks, Mum, I will,’ and hurried upstairs.
Charity’s little owl was dozing on his bedpost and barely looked up as he entered, first gently stroking its head and then untying the letter from its leg.
Sitting on his bed, he began to read.
It was a very kind and thoughtful letter.
Severus immediately set about writing a reply to Charity.
He liked the lively blonde Hufflepuff, even if her stormy nature sometimes overwhelmed him a little.
When he had finally finished the letter and put the Transfiguration textbook, which he had used as a writing surface, back in his cupboard, he stood up and gently tied his reply to the owl’s leg.
The little owl hooted quietly and patiently let itself be carried by him to the window.
Severus opened it, then leaned out, glanced carefully around the area, and when he saw no one, he let the little owl fly.
It shot off immediately, eager to carry out its task of delivering the letter.
Charity’s reply arrived just a few days later, and he responded to that letter straight away as well.
So the two of them wrote to each other back and forth throughout the entire holidays.
When the owl from Hogwarts finally arrived with the list for the second year, Eileen Snape was relieved to discover that they didn’t need to buy anything new, as Severus could use their old items.
And then the holidays were over, and Severus sat on his packed suitcase in front of his parents’ house, waiting for Lily’s parents to pick him up and take him to the station as promised.
His father had slammed the door behind him with the words, "Don’t come back so quickly."
His mother had hurriedly wished him a good time and then returned to the house together with Tobias Snape.
When the Evans family car came into view, Severus jumped up.
His suitcase was quickly loaded into the boot, and in the next moment—at least it seemed to Lily and Severus—they were already turning into the Kings Cross car park.
Both of them were incredibly excited for the start of school and the second year.
Just like last year, they shared a luggage trolley and pushed it together into the station and through the wall to Platform 9¾.
The Hogwarts Express was already ready to depart, and everywhere, parents and grandparents were saying goodbye to the students.
Severus looked around but could see neither his friends nor Mary and Marlene.
After Lily had also said goodbye to her parents—Petunia hadn’t come this year either—she looked around carefully: ‘There really isn’t anyone here I recognise.’
Severus nodded.
‘Well, then we’ll share a compartment again,’ decided Lily. She waved once more to her parents and then climbed determinedly into the Hogwarts Express.
‘Write to us more often this time, alright, darling?’ called Olivia Evans after her, and Lily nodded eagerly: ‘I will, Mum. Take care, and say good-bye to Petunia for me.’
After her mother nodded again and she had waved once more, Lily looked around attentively, spotted an empty compartment, and before Severus could react, she had pulled him inside.
Not a minute later, the Express began to move and left the station.

Chapter 34

After a few hours, the Hogwarts Express finally pulled into Hogsmeade.
Lily beamed as she caught sight of the station: ‘Second year, Severus… can you believe it? We’re already in our second year.’
Severus nodded: ‘True. Today the new first-years arrive.’
‘Yes, that’s right. This time we’ll get to watch the Sorting Ceremony,’ she said, smiling excitedly.
‘And we won’t be taking the boats to the castle, but carriages instead,’ the Slytherin remarked.
‘Sadly, yes. The boat ride was beautiful. And carriages? With horses?’ Lily asked curiously, then her eyes grew wide, ‘or even unicorns?’
Severus shook his head: ‘No, they move on their own.’
‘On their own? That’s impossible… or is it?’ Lily looked at him, slightly bewildered.
‘Apparently so. But which spell makes it happen, I don’t know either.’
‘We’ll find out somehow,’ Lily almost trembled with anticipation and determination, and Severus nodded.
When the Hogwarts Express finally came to a complete stop, everyone, including Lily and Severus, made their way to the doors.
In the crowd, Lily spotted Mary, gave Severus a quick wave, and then disappeared to join her friend on the way to the carriages.
Severus also hurried to the waiting carriages.
He had spotted Avery, who was just climbing onto one of the carriages.
The dark-haired Slytherin hurried to catch up with his blond friend.
Already seated on the carriage were Mulciber, Evan, and Wilkes, waiting.
When the four of them saw Severus, there was a lively greeting.
Avery, who had grown quite a bit over the summer but was still the smallest of them, grinned: ‘Come sit with us, Severus.’
Severus did so at once.
Hardly had he sat down when the carriages began to move, as if of their own accord.
He had just been about to ask the others whether they knew what spell made the carriages go when Wilkes asked exactly that.
‘No idea. Don’t care either,’ Mulciber grinned, and Evan nodded, ‘What matters is that they move. I’d have no patience for walking.’
‘You’re such a lazy sod,’ Avery grinned, and Evan grinned back: ‘And proud of it.’
Severus didn’t join in the friendly banter. He was far too busy looking around curiously, taking in the paths and the surroundings.
He still didn’t quite know why he always did this, but one never knew when it might come in handy.
After a while, the carriages finally came to a halt. The students climbed out, walked the last stretch on foot, and entered the castle.
In the Entrance Hall the greetings continued. Loud, cheerful voices filled the air.
A few steps ahead of Severus and the other Slytherins, Lily flung her arms around Marlene in a burst of delighted reunion.

James greeted Sirius, Remus and Peter just as cheerfully and the four Gryffindors immediately began telling each other about their holidays.
James had spent his holidays together with his parents by the sea in a wizarding hotel.
‘How cool,’ Peter said enviously and looked admiringly at the tanned Gryffindor.
James practically basked in the admiration but was brought back down to earth by Sirius with a shove.
The boy with glasses grinned and shoved his black-haired friend back: ‘Better tell us about your holidays and don’t hit innocent, well-behaved little children.’
Sirius smirked cheekily: ‘You are neither the one nor the other. And my holidays are not worth talking about. They were deadly boring. I spent them at home with my parents and my brother.’
‘Me too,’ Remus nodded.
‘Me too,’ said Peter. ‘But we are going on a longer trip in the next holidays.’
‘Yeah, yeah. But now change of subject,’ James decided, ‘We are in second year now... and you know what that means.’
‘No,’ Remus shook his head and Peter also looked at his friend in confusion, ‘No idea.’
But Sirius grinned broadly: ‘Of course. We are allowed to join the Quidditch team now.’
James grinned just as broadly: ‘Correct, my friend.’
‘That’s why you are making such a fuss?’ Remus sounded bored, ‘it’s only Quidditch.’
‘Only Quidditch?’ James clutched his chest, ‘only Quidditch?! Shame on you, Remus Lupin. Quidditch is the best invention the wizarding world has ever produced.’
Sirius nodded.
And Peter also looked excited.
Remus only rolled his eyes: ‘Even you, Peter?’
The smallest of the four friends nodded: ‘Yes, of course.’
James grinned: ‘See, Remus, Peter has good taste.’
Remus rolled his eyes again: ‘I honestly don’t get it.’
‘But you will cheer us on, won’t you?’ James asked.
Sirius grinned broadly: ‘Of course he will. So we already have one cheerleader. Now we just need a few hot girls.’
Remus gave him a look: ‘Keep dreaming, Sirius Black.’

At the same time, Severus and his friends from Slytherin were first greeted by Lucius and Narcissa, who were now in sixth year.
After the two older Slytherins, Charity, Pandora and Aurora pushed their way through to Severus, Avery, Evan, Mulciber and Wilkes and greeted them just as stormily as Lily had greeted Marlene earlier with a hug.
Severus was thoroughly overwhelmed by the hugs but made an effort not to show it.
When the wave of greetings died down and the first holiday stories had been exchanged, the students walked into the Great Hall, which was filling up quickly, and took their seats at the house tables.
‘When is it finally going to start?’ Avery wanted to know. ‘We’ve been here for a while already.’
Severus, who was sitting between Lucius and Mulciber at the Slytherin table, looked towards the door just as curiously as the others and shrugged.
He was just wondering whether it had taken this long for them as well, or if he had simply not noticed, when the door swung open and McGonagall entered, followed by the new first-years.
Severus recognised Barty Jr and Regulus Black, Sirius’s brother, immediately.
McGonagall, just as she had done a year before, picked up the list of names, and at once the Great Hall fell silent.
Everyone wanted to hear which houses the new students would be sorted into.

Sirius, who was sitting between James and Marlene, held his breath when McGonagall called out the first name: ‘Regulus Black.’
He watched attentively, at the same time crossing his fingers hard, hoping that Regulus would be sorted into Gryffindor with them.
Without taking his eyes off his little brother, who was now sitting down on the stool and putting on the Sorting Hat, he whispered to James: ‘Cross your fingers too. Our parents spent the whole summer going on about how proud they’d be if he was sorted into Slytherin and made "respectable" friends. At some point I gave up arguing with them. They’re beyond help anyway.’
‘I already am,’ the boy with glasses hissed back quietly and waved his hands, with his thumbs crossed, in front of his black-haired friend’s face.
Lily’s reproving look, as she wanted to listen to the Sorting in peace, hit the two Gryffindors.
At once James and Sirius sat up straighter, folded their hands in their laps and put on angelic expressions.
Sirius’s angelic look, however, slipped the moment the Sorting Hat declared: ‘SLYTHERIN.’
With tight lips and eyes blazing with anger, he watched as Regulus took his place at the cheering Slytherin table.
‘It was obvious anyway,’ Sirius spat with disgust, ‘he’ll turn out just like our parents.’
James patted him on the shoulder: ‘Sorry, mate. Some people are just beyond saving.’
Remus and Peter also did their best to cheer their friend up.
‘Don’t let it get to you, Sirius. You’ve still got us,’ Peter said.
Sirius just snorted and snapped at him irritably: ‘Oh, shut up.’

At the Slytherin table, however, the mood was excellent.
‘Congratulations on being sorted into the best house,’ grinned Evan, and those who had heard his words nodded in agreement.
‘Thanks,’ replied Regulus, still a little overwhelmed by the situation, and cast an uncertain glance in Sirius’s direction.
But his brother was deliberately looking the other way.
Once everyone had settled down again and continued following the Sorting, McGonagall called out the name ‘Barty Crouch Jr.’ and a quiet whisper ran through the Great Hall.
With a single look from Professor McGonagall, however, silence was restored.
The Sorting Hat deliberated for quite a while before finally declaring: ‘RAVENCLAW.’
Applause broke out at the Ravenclaw table, and the other tables clapped politely along.
When McGonagall called out the name ‘Caradoc Dearborn’, a black-haired boy stepped forward.
He sat down on the stool, visibly nervous, and the Sorting Hat was placed on his head.
It also took quite some time to decide in his case.
Eventually, the Hat chose Slytherin, which set off another round of cheering from the Slytherins.
Caradoc walked over to the Slytherin table amid their continuing applause and sat down between Mulciber and Wilkes, who was on Mulciber’s other side.
Mulciber welcomed him, just as he had Regulus, with a clap on the shoulder.

A few students later, McGonagall called the name ‘Sybill Trelawney’, whereupon a girl with thick glasses and a mane of dark-blonde frizzy hair stepped forward.
Sirius, still in an extremely foul mood, pulled a face: ‘Oh no… please don’t let her come to us. She looks like a proper, uptight killjoy.’
James nodded: ‘She’ll probably grass on everything we say or do… And she really ought to brush her hair.’
‘Exactly. She’s dead ugly. Gryffindor should only have good-looking people in it,’ Sirius went on grumbling.
‘And why are you here then?’ Marlene snapped angrily, having overheard him.
Sirius smirked at her mockingly: ‘You fancy me, little-one. Just admit it.’
‘Dream on, Black. I’d sooner date Dumbledore than you,’ hissed the Gryffindor and whipped back towards Lily so sharply that her wild blonde hair slapped Sirius in the face.
Mary choked on her pumpkin juice with laughter, and Lily, who was also giggling uncontrollably, patted her friend helpfully on the back.
Even Remus struggled visibly not to burst out laughing.
The Sorting Hat finally decided on Ravenclaw as Sybill Trelawney’s house, much to Sirius’s relief.

Evan yawned, not very discreetly: ‘Merlin, I’m bored… Did it take this long for us as well?’
Alexis’ reproachful glance struck him, and he fell silent just as quickly as James and Sirius had when silenced by Lily’s icy stare.
At last, only one pupil remained at the front.
She was small, her long brown hair plaited into two braids, tied with pink ribbons.
‘Dolores Umbridge,’ Minerva McGonagall called, and the girl immediately stepped forward and placed the Sorting Hat upon her head.
For her, the Hat required no time at all.
The moment it touched her head, it declared loudly: ‘SLYTHERIN!’
Once more, applause rang out, and everyone watched as the brown-haired first-year took her place at the Slytherin table.
When silence had returned to the Great Hall, Dumbledore rose and smiled warmly at the assembled students: ‘I am most delighted to welcome you all back to the familiar halls of Hogwarts.’
Applause interrupted him.
The Gryffindors clapped particularly loudly.
‘First of all, I have good news to share with you…’ the Headmaster paused deliberately for effect, ‘Quidditch may and will be held again this year,’ he finally continued, and the hall erupted in cheers.
Wilkes and Mulciber exchanged a high five over Severus’ head.
‘You want to try out for the team, don’t you?’ Severus asked.
Both nodded.
‘Of course.’
‘Naturally.’
‘I don’t understand the fuss,’ Severus shrugged.
The shocked looks of Mulciber, Avery, Evan, Wilkes, Lucius and Dorcas fell upon him.
‘What?’ he asked, looking puzzled.
‘You don’t like Quidditch?’ Mulciber sounded as if not liking Quidditch were a criminal offence.
Narcissa gave him a smile: ‘I don’t understand it either, Severus. Don’t worry about it.’
Alexis nodded in agreement: ‘Nor do I.’
‘We’re not even allowed yet,’ Regulus sighed.
‘Exactly. It’s so unfair,’ Caradoc agreed, ‘I mean, what’s really the difference between being in first year or second year? What changes?’
‘One year,’ Dorcas replied dryly, and everyone grinned.
‘But you really must watch a match, Severus. We couldn’t last year, but this year we’ll make a Quidditch fan of you yet,’ Evan said with determination, and the others nodded.
Severus looked unconvinced: ‘I’m not so sure.’
‘But you’ll at least cheer for Slytherin, won’t you?’ Avery pressed.
‘Of course,’ Severus replied.
Supporting his House and his friends was only natural.
And while yet another quiet discussion broke out at the Slytherin table about why Quidditch was forbidden for first-years and how unfair it was, Dumbledore gave his customary reminder that both the Forbidden Forest and the restricted section of the library were strictly off-limits to students.
After he had finished speaking and wished everyone a good meal, the feast appeared on the tables, just as it did every year.
The first-years’ eyes grew wide, and they grew even wider when dozens of bright stars lit up the ceiling of the Great Hall.
Severus, who hadn’t had a proper meal all summer, piled his plate high.
In his opinion, he had earned the feast fair and square, having spent practically the entire holiday hungry.
After the meal, the prefects were instructed to lead everyone to their dormitories.
This year, Severus and his friends had been assigned a larger room, and they were pleased that they would now be sharing it with Wilkes as well.
Once they had agreed on who would take which bed, Severus began unpacking his few clothes.
His friends, meanwhile, had flopped down on their beds in a relaxed manner.
Avery looked at the others, eager for adventure: ‘How about we try to find the Hufflepuff common room tonight or explore the grounds?’
Severus glanced over his shoulder at his friends: ‘I don’t know.’
‘Oh, come on… It’s Friday, so we can sleep in tomorrow,’ Avery tried to persuade him.
‘Alright then… I’m in,’ said the black-haired boy, feeling as though he couldn’t say "no" anyway, and suppressed a sigh.
Severus had been looking forward to the clean, soft beds at Hogwarts all along, and now he had to wait a little longer before he could finally lie down.
He yawned in frustration.
Once he had finished unpacking, the five second-years set off to the Hufflepuff common room to ask Charity and Pandora if they wanted to come along that night.
The two girls agreed immediately and Pandora, who had regretted not staying over according to Charity’s stories about the holidays, was particularly pleased.
Aurora, whom the seven asked shortly afterwards, also joined in.

At the same time, in the room of James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, who had managed to secure one of the few four-person rooms, James, still wide awake and just as eager for adventure, asked: ‘What shall we do tonight?’
‘Tonight? Curfew’s almost here,’ Remus objected, while also putting his clothes in his cupboard.
‘Oh, come on, Remus, don’t be such a spoilsport. Tomorrow’s Saturday, so we can sleep as long as we like,’ James persuaded him.
Remus finally agreed: ‘Alright, you’re right. I’m in.’
Peter grinned: ‘We could sneak into the kitchen or explore the grounds.’
‘Not a bad idea,’ James nodded, and Sirius’ grin grew even wider. ‘It was obvious you’d think about food first.’
Peter paled slightly and hastily leaned over his trunk.
Remus shot Sirius an annoyed look but said nothing.

In the room shared by Lily, Marlene, and Mary, Marlene was pacing back and forth, muttering to herself and occasionally kicking her bed.
‘What does that guy actually think… he thinks he’s irresistible… how much I hate him… he really needs a good hiding so that his stupid babbling and that disgusting grin disappear… AH!’
Mary and Lily watched her.
Lily clenched her laughter as best she could: ‘Are you really sure you’re not into him? You talk about him so much.’
Marlene spun around: ‘What?’ She glared at Lily furiously.
Lily, noticing that Marlene was not in the mood for jokes, raised her hands apologetically: ‘Sorry, it was just a joke.’
Marlene’s eyes blazed: ‘Just a joke? Just a joke? I don’t find it very funny that I’m not being taken seriously and that I’m the only one speaking up against Black’s and Potter’s comments.’
‘I do speak up too,’ Lily defended herself, feeling that Marlene’s accusation was unfair.
Marlene just snorted: ‘Yes, if it concerns you personally. A bit selfish, don’t you think?’
Slowly, Lily started to get angry too.
Marlene didn’t have to take out her anger at James and Sirius on her, and she made this clear to her friend.
Marlene glared at Lily: ‘It wouldn’t even be necessary if you were a bit more loyal to your friends.’
‘So I’m disloyal?’ Lily, now just as angry as Marlene, jumped to her feet.
Mary, who had stayed in the background the entire time and hated arguments, did her best to calm the heated emotions of her friends: ‘No fighting, please. I’m sure Marlene didn’t mean it that way, Lily, and I’m sure you didn’t want to make fun of her, Marlene.’
Neither of the two paid her any attention.
Marlene turned around silently and left the room with a slam of the door.
Lily stared at the closed door.
She was still angry and also a little hurt.
Accusing her of being disloyal had been mean.
Sighing, Lily sank onto her bed: ‘What a great start to the school year.’
Marlene had run downstairs in the meantime and sat in a recess in the corridor.
She was still seething with anger, but the initial rage had eased, and guilt began to creep in.
She regretted the words she had thrown at Lily.
At the same time, she justified to herself that there was some truth in them.
She sighed, drew her knees up, and rested her head on them.
She had no idea how long she had been sitting there when she heard approaching footsteps.
A glance over her shoulder revealed Dorcas.
‘Great,’ Marlene muttered quietly, doing her best to breathe as silently as possible so as not to be noticed by the Slytherin.
Dorcas, who was almost past her, noticed Marlene leaning her head against the stone wall behind her.
The Slytherin looked at the blonde Gryffindor with mild surprise: ‘What are you doing here?’
Marlene lifted her head: ‘What’s it to you?’
Dorcas’ gaze immediately went cold: ‘Get down, Blondie. After all, YOU are in the corridor to the dungeons, and APOLOGIES for asking. Worrying about a Gryffindor won’t happen again. Promise.’
With that, she hurried down the corridor.
Marlene had just been about to stop Dorcas and apologise, but the Slytherin was already gone.