Hi,

I don´t own Harry Potter or any of the characters. They are all J. K. Rowling´s (Yes, she is the genius!). This story is, however, all mine. I´m not native in English and I apologize beforehand for any mistakes left in the text. I try to be careful.

-EveryJohn

Severus sat on the castle wall, feet hanging over the edge, and let the spring wind blow on his face. It was still cold even though summer was just around the corner. He looked down to the yard, where several students hang around in small groups of their friends. His jet-black eyes followed their talking, playing and studying. The exams were already over and they seemed relaxed and worry-free. It was hard to imagine that only in couple of days, all of the students would leave the castle grounds and return to their families to spend the summer with them. Severus frowned at that thought. He felt nervous and nauseous while even thinking about the upcoming holiday alone with his father at Spinners End.

It wasn´t the only thing worrying him. Rosier had once again asked him to join in Deatheaters. Severus knew that now there was more threat attached to the plea than ever before. Things had heated up with the upcoming war and Voldemort seemed to be on strong. Severus suspected that eventually it would be either for him or against him. He cursed his Slytherin character. A Gryffindor could recklessly brush off the offer without sparing a moment to think about the consequences. Severus reminded himself of the reasons that had made him refuse Rosier´s earlier requests. Most of those had actually something to do with Lily, the girl whom he had loved for a long time.

One year ago, Lily had cut off their friendship because of one wrong word at wrong time. He could only blame himself as the cursed word had come from his own lips. Lily had not looked back since then.

Lily was obviously very happy with Potter. Her smiles were nowadays so bright that it hurt Severus to even look at her. Every day, he heard whispers in Hogwarts corridors about, how she and her quidditch captain boyfriend made a perfect couple and guesses of how long it would take after the graduation for them to marry.

Severus was reluctant to take part in Voldemort´s powergame even when Lily was out of the equation but Rosier would take his refusal even more badly now that the teenage hormones couldn´t be blamed for the lack of his reason. Severus pushed his long slender fingers through his greasy black hair and gave an exhausted huff. He understood painfully well that he would not have the privilege of staying neutral for much longer. Influential pure-blood families could afford that, but he, a nasty halfblood Slytherin, without friends, family (except from one abusive muggle father, who had already drank himself halfway to grave) or powerful connections to protect himself... No, he would most likely be the first one to be trampled in a war of two massive forces. It would be plain stupid and naive to try to stay neutral. If the war was to come, joining to either side would be better than remaining impartial.

The question that still remained was: Dumbledore or Dark Lord? Most of the Slytherins would be supporting Voldemort. Most of the Gryffindors, including Lily and the Marauders would side with Dumbledore. Had Lily still been his friend, Severus would have followed the girl to which ever side she chose without hesitation, but she wasn´t. Lily didn´t need his protection or concern. She had Potter for that. Marauders hated him. Most of the Gryffindors were sure that he had already taken the Dark Mark and joined in Voldemort´s followers. They would not trust him. Dumbledore would probably take him in, because the old man knew how useful he could be with his cunning and broad skill set (not to speak of what secrets he might have heard in the Slytherin chambers), but the headmaster had also demonstrated that he didn´t see his pitiful life worthy of much. Severus shivered, when remembering the werewolf incident... To the headmaster it had been simply a prank gone wrong. Sirius Black had been thoughtless and James Potter was a hero for dragging him out in time. Remus Lupin was the victim and Severus himself... Severus was apparently to blame himself for being gullible enough to fall in Marauder´s death trap once again.

Then there was Dark Lord´s side. They, too, found his skills worthy of pursuing. They would want to keep him alive as long as he proved useful for them. Were there ever a moment, when they thought that his cost was more than his worth, they would, however, abandon him as easily as a broken toy. Severus did not lie to himself. He knew that he should not expect an ounce of loyalty from them. That side would set him to fight against Lily. Besides, he hated the idea of being branded and bonded to a master. But Voldemort was very influential and he had money. The man was famous for sponsoring young wizards, whom he thought worthy of it. Maybe Severus could get a grant to study potions under a potions master in some foreign country, if he played his cards right. ... Altough, it would be a terribly dangerous game to play.

/

"S-snape?"

He heard a quiet voice calling his name and refocused his attention to its direction. His eyes met a long but slender young man. The deep brown eyes of the boy looked rather large on his delicate face. Fine neatly comped hair that reached his shoulders was dark brown. Those two traits gave him slightly girlish impression. He squirmed queasily, while Severus measured him with his gaze. Severus knew the name of the boy. Regulus Black. That damned dog-face Sirius was his older brother. Severus hadn´t ever really talked with the boy and therefore all that he knew about him was that he was an year younger than him and also sorted in Slytherin. Younger Black gave an impression of being a polite and studious boy, who, unlike his brother, didn´t really stand out from the crowd. Blacks were one of the oldest and most respected pure-blood families in Britain. Therefore Regulus´s standing in house hierarchy was fairly good. At least, he didn´t get teased for his looks or for any other reason.

Now this young man, Regulus Black, looked at him, with genuine concern in his somewhat sad eyes.

"You should come back in, Snape. It´s dangerous over there", the boy requested timidly.

An unamused smile came to Severus´s thin lips as he realized, what it must have seemed like for the younger boy to find him alone, sitting on the edge of a life threatening fall. Everyone knew, that he had been depressed since Lily cut off their friendship.

"I´m not going to kill myself, Black. That would be too much servitude to Potter and your brother."

The younger boy cast his eyes down, avoiding Severus´s sharp stare. His ears turned red. Severus had thought that the boy would get the message and disappear, but instead he hovered and gave Severus pleading and slightly pained glances like a puppy wanting to poop. Severus shook his head to the image.

"What is it, Black? Don´t you have anything better to do than stare at someone being miserable? If you have something to say, say it fast and get lost."

Severus was quite sure that his words could in no way be interpreted as "Come closer and sit down for a chat, if you please", but the boy began to clumsily approach him. Severus instinctively held his breath while watching how the younger boy swayed dangerously as he stepped on the stones of the wall. When Regulus Black sat down next to Severus, he, however, did it gracefully and dignifiedly as should be expected from a noble pure-blood. Severus was reminded that Regulus Black was famous for always conducting himself well. Regulus never used foul language or rose his voice or acted rashly. That was actually something that Severus kind of respected in him. He was curious to hear, what the boy had in his mind.

"I was just thinking...", the boy said, gaze turned to his lap, "that... maybe if you want. I mean, I understand if you don´t, but I happened to hear... I wasn´t eavesdropping or anything. Just heard it accidentally... That you feel reluctant to return home for the summer."

Younger wizard cast him a nervous look and licked his lips.

"I just thought, I would offer you... If you happened to be interested... In Black mansion we have enough space. Since my brother left the house last summer there has been one bedroom completely unused... My parents don´t mind. I told them that you are brilliant in potions and they were thinking of hiring a tutor for me anyway. Of course, they would pay for you. And there is a huge library in the mansion. Many of the books can´t be found even here in Hogwarts. At least not in the common section."

"Am I imagining things, Black, or are you asking me, if I wanted to live with your family in the Black mansion as your potions tutor during the summer instead of going back to my drunkard father?"

The boy straightened his posture.

"Yes. But you don´t have to..."

"And your parents would pay for me?"

"Yes."

"And here I was thinking, from all that stuttering, that you were trying to ask me out", Severus mumbled with a faint smirk. Younger Black turned red as a beetroot.

"I assume that I would sleep in your insufferable older brother´s room, in his bed?" Severus confirmed.

Regulus nodded silently.

"That would be kind of disgusting, but just thinking of that stupid Gryffindor´s face, when he hears about it, makes up for that."

Regulus´s face lit up.

"So? Do you take up my offer?" He asked breathlessly.

Severus frowned and pretended to hesitate.

"There has to be a drawback, but I don´t seem to catch it..."

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned subtly as he stretched out his hand to Black.

"You may regret this, Black. I utilize Spartan methods in teaching. I don´t stand for any laziness or dunderheadness."

Severus said that but his black eyes twinkled with dry amusement.

Regulus beamed at him and shook the offered hand.

"It´s my pleasure, Snape. Or should I call you professor Snape, from now on?"

He seemed a little shocked by his own bravery to joke with the gloomy upperclassman.

Severus´s sly grin just widened.

"Professor Snape?" He tasted the words on his tongue. "I like the authoritative ring of it."