Fanfiction

Saving Snivellus--by Atana

Saving Snivellus

A Severus/Marauders Fanfic
Sequel to "A Joke Gone Wrong"
By Atana

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The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling and not to me. This fanfic is for entertainment only and not for profit. This work is dedicated to Sarah, who kept nagging me to read the Harry Potter books until I finally did. PG-13, no slash, no sex. Major angst warning!

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Chapter 1 –Regrets

Remus Lupin shivered in the cold air, watching Dumbledore and Severus making their way toward them.

He was heartened to see that people were greeting Snape and making a fuss over him -- nobody ever did that for poor old Snivelly. The kid had even smiled back at them. Students as utterly unlovable and untouchable as Severus seemed rarely smiled at anyone, for any reason.

Remus stood behind Professor Sejanus Sartoris, Potions Master, and Professor McGonagall and tried to keep from getting underfoot. He overheard several of the adults talking, and learned that something was wrong with Snape's leg. He was being carried inside now, adults and children alike stepping back to permit them to pass.

"He doesn't look very good, does he?" a second-year Slytherin asked Lucius Malfoy, who continued to stand and watch, his face a carefully-arranged blank mask.

The night wind feathered his long white blonde hair over his green and white scarf and dark cloak. "Those damned Gryffs almost killed Snips," Malfoy said. "How do you expect him to look?"

Remus slipped past the older Malfoy and the Slytherins who had awaited the lost boy's return. They were a shifty bunch, although he couldn't say much for his own Gryffindor friends at this stage of the game.

It was a dark night for the Marauders, all right. Remus knew that as soon as Severus began telling his tale, it was the Headmaster's Office for all of them.

Lupin's heart was sore. He had been the one to gather up Snape's abandoned possessions, with the intention of keeping them safe for him. The memory of Snape's mindless and horrified shriek continued to send chills of dread down his spine.

Why, James and Sirius?

Lupin already knew the answers.

The girl James had his eye on for some time had shot him right down. All that disappointment and embarrassment had to go somewhere, didn't it? And what harm did it do to play a little joke on Snivellus, that depressed and ugly child whose parents never even visited him?

Sirius Black's reasons had been a bit more obscure. There had been talk about Black's old man taking out his rage onto Sirius; perhaps that is what fueled Black's hostile and aggressive treatment of Snivelly. If Black had been struck, Snape would be struck harder. In shaming him, Sirius would expiate his own shame.

It was one thing to know all of this, and another to tell.

Really, what else could Lupin have possibly done?

He had seen a small group of first-year students (most likely Hufflepuffs with their exaggerated sense of duty) make a dash for the Castle after watching Severus' ceremonial debagging. Remus was pretty sure they had been the first to tell. A little later, and before dinner had been served, Lupin himself had paid a visit to his own Head of House and had told Professor McGonagall what had happened. She had tried to find Snape, but without success. Fearful for the boy's state of mind as well as his safety, she had informed the Headmaster and Remus had retold his tale, hugging onto Snape's book bag as if it had been the missing boy himself.

He supposed he had ratted out his own friends. He felt bad about it, but he'd felt even worse about what had happened to Snivellus.

Really, it had been too much. It went way beyond their occasional hex match or fistfight or insult swap. Remus didn't know what he would have done if he'd been humiliated in such a manner. After all, any fifteen-year-old boy would have been traumatized by it. And Severus Snape hated no one more than himself, although he would never admit it. Remus felt that his unkempt appearance wasn't due to laziness, but due to the overwhelming feeling that he just wasn't worth the effort. Such a prank would have hit him doubly hard.

Remus could identify with that; he really could. His own life had been ruined when he'd suffered the poisonous bite of the werewolf. Why couldn't his parents have looked after him better? Lupin's own youthful joy had always been overshadowed by the sure knowledge that he would suffer greatly when the moon reached full blossom.

He could understand why the Slytherin boy never ran or played games or laughed out loud. Instead of a werewolf's toxic bite, Snape had suffered at the hands of a parent who should have loved and protected him but never would. The wounds from such betrayal cut deep.

Hiding his tears, hiding his bruises, hiding his shame. Snape had become quite adroit at hiding. It wasn't as bad as what happened to Remus Lupin once a month, but it was bad enough.

All a person could do right now is wait for the blow to fall. And fall it would, right on the heads of the Merry Marauders.

Sighing, Remus Lupin entered the Castle. He had the feeling that tomorrow would be a long day.

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Chapter 2 – Dies Irae

The next day proved worse than Lupin thought. Of course, he wasn't an athlete or popular, so it stung him less than it had Potter and Black.

Forty House points deducted from the Gryffindor total.

For each Marauder.

Detention with Professor Sartoris every single day for six consecutive weeks.

For each Marauder. No excuses accepted, which meant that both Potter and Black would be cut from the Quidditch team for the remainder of the season.

Professor McGonagall sympathized, but did not relent. Putting another student's life in danger mandated such a harsh punishment. She had also asked them whether they would have enjoyed the emotional torture they had inflicted upon young Severus. The boys only could blush and avoid her steely gaze. One did not discuss topics such as debagging classmates with a teacher, and a woman teacher at that.

The lunchtime discussion at the Gryffindor tables allowed a full venting of alternative points of view. Sirius felt that since Snivelly got in their way, he deserved what he got. James was of the opinion that the amusement value of the upending was well worth Snape's embarrassment. Most of the other Gryffs, however, felt that their two Housemates were full-blown idiots who would never make up for the sudden and drastic shortfall in points.

What really stuck in everybody's craw was that Slytherin House was now in first place for the House Cup.

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Sirius Black was absolutely furious. He swore under his breath the entire length of the long hallway as he strode. It was good that nobody was there to overhear him.

It was more likely than not that McGonagall and the Headmaster had themselves a little meeting before her calling the four boys to her classroom. Nice, gentle, kindly Uncle Dumbledore, who had gone out galloping around the Forbidden Forest looking for that nasty Slytherin brat while risking his own life and limb!

That nasty prat had been brought back to the Castle like a royal prince. Sirius had heard that the house elves had knocked themselves out stuffing the little jerk with food. And then came an overnight at the Infirmary, for Heaven’s sweet sake, all for an injured ankle and a bit of a chill! Dumbledore probably tucked him into bed with a lollipop!

Still swearing, Black rounded the corner and collided with Severus Snape. Both boys went down with a crash.

"Clumsy fool!" spat Severus.

"Clumsy? Wasn't me who failed to make the Quidditch team for five consecutive years!"

"It's bad enough you idiots broke my ankle. Are you going for a new record?"

"We didn't break your ankle, snake-boy! You broke it yourself running around the woods like the big sniveling baby you are."

"Best watch where you’re going," Snape said in his quietest and deadliest voice. "You’re in enough trouble as it is."

Black gasped. Imagine, that greasy-headed slimeball talking to him like that! Who did he think he was? "You haven't exactly been given the Gold Key to the Crapper, Snivellus. You're still the biggest loser in school and everybody knows it!"

"Get bent, Black," the Slytherin growled, picking up his books and dusting off his robes. "And thanks for the House points!"

"I hear Daddy Dearest was here this morning," Black said with a beatific smile. "I hear he wasn't too pleased that his own brave lad first gave the entire school a free peek at his skinny ass and then ran away bawling like a little girl." Of course, Sirius knew nothing of the kind, but long experience had given him more than enough ammunition of that sort in the Snivelly Department.

"Shut your mouth," Snape hissed.

Black grinned. "He's proud as punch of you, I'll bet!"

Severus' father had found out about the incident through his brother-in- law. Two of young Snape's cousins, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, were in Slytherin House and had naturally informed the family about what had happened. The Elder Snape had made it from Nottingham to Hogwarts in record time, making a beeline for the Headmaster's Office and demanding to be seen. Surely his own flesh and blood hadn't allowed such a prank to be played on him! Surely his own flesh and blood didn't run away and require rescue!

The meeting between Dumbledore and Snape Senior hadn't gone well. Severus knew this because his father had told him so. He had also told him that he continued to be a disappointment, a disgrace, and a black mark against the House of Snape, and that unless he wanted a couple of rounds of the ol' Cruciatus as well as the horsewhip next time he came home for a little visit, he had better not say or do anything that might further anger his father.

The Elder Snape hadn't been gauche enough to punch out his son in front of the Headmaster, but he had picked him up by the throat and tossed him across his bedroom in Slytherin Tower a couple of times. He left rather prominent marks on the boy's neck. Severus had covered them up immediately with a glamourie charm, but the deep bruises they had inflicted thudded painfully with every beat of the boy’s frightened heart.

Sirius Black grinned into Snape’s suddenly solemn face. "Let's count your teeth, Snivelly, to see how many Dads knocked out this morning!"

Quelling his panic, Snape did his best to change the subject. "You and your lionhearted friends are lucky not to have gotten expelled, Black."

"Oh, please," Sirius shouted. "As if we'd be expelled for the likes of you! You're a joke, Snivellus. You fail at everything you try, you're about as charming as a thestral, and your face could stop a Muggle clock. Remember, boy, that both our Headmaster and Assistant Headmaster are Gryffindor. Slytherin gits like you tend to forget that."

"Just stay out of my way," Severus retorted, fingering his wand. "Unless you'd like your ass where your head should be. As if anyone could tell the difference."

Time to end it. Sirius stepped closer to Snape.

"Listen to me, you sneaky little dark-arts creep! You are a hair's breadth away from becoming a grease spot on the floor. Because that is what will be left of you if our dear Headmaster or our dear Head-of-House comes out with one -- more -- edict -- " Black's handsome face was contorted in a snarl " -- one -- more -- way for us to suffer because you plague our school -- and that's OUR school, you worthless little turd -- with your presence -- "

Snape shrieked in pain as Black's fingers shot out and twisted, then tightened around the hair in front of his temple.

"If I hear that you've gone to Dumbledore or McGonagall with anything even resembling a complaint about me and my friends -- then I will rip your heart right out of your chest. Do you understand, you slimy little freak?"

"Let -- go -- of -- me," Snape growled in a whisper that was somehow more chilling than a shout.

Sirius' face blossomed into a terrible mockery of a smile. "Why, of course!" Black pointed Severus toward the gray schist wall, then rammed his face against it so hard that he heard the pop as the cartilage in the boy's nose gave way. Snape gave a horrified howl and doubled over, trying to staunch the stream of blood that poured over his hands.

"I want you to remember something, Snivelly," Black hissed. "And mind you, put it somewhere in that cesspit that passes for a brain so that it stays safe. Every beating – every awful, nightmarish atrocity you ever suffered at the hands of your old man -- " Severus' eyes widened in shock -- "every single one -- was deserved. I'm just sorry that the old bastard didn't finish you off a long time ago. It would have spared everyone so much trouble!"

Severus used every bit of his self-control to hide the panic that now trip hammered his heart.

Sirius' fist tightened in Snape’s hair. "Stop bothering Dumbledore and McGonagall. They don’t give a damn about you! Everyone here hates you. EVERYONE. WITHOUT EXCEPTION. Do us all a favor and just die, won't you?"

Untangling his fingers from the boy’s black hair, Sirius took the heels of both hands and shoved Snape away from him. The Slytherin fell to the cold flagstones, then curled into a ball and protected his head, leaving a nasty arc of blood across the floor.

Fighting the urge to kick in his ribs, Black snarled, turned, and strode down the hall, making his way to the Gryffindor common room.

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Posted by rockygirl at May 11, 2004 09:31 AM