Severus... Reformed / SNILY (COMPLETE)

Chapter Seventeen

It didn't take Severus long to realise he was being followed. He had exited the library after a pleasant study session with Lily and had been walking down the corridor towards the stairs that led to Ravenclaw Tower on the fifth floor. He had been passing a bracket on the wall when he noticed the large bulky shadow tailing his svelte one. He swivelled round at once.

It was a Slytherin, one Severus knew extremely well. A certain, evil first-year.

"Evan Rosier," he sneered. "Why are you following me?"

"I've seen that you spend a lot of time with a red-haired Mudblood and a filthy Half-Blood. And as Malfoy is interested in you, I figured I'd give you a tip-off," Rosier explained disgustedly. His hand was dangerously close to where his wand was currently sticking out of his pocket.

"What if I don't want to separate from my friends?" Severus inquired politely. He made no move towards his wand – he was counting on the first-year's total incompetence.

Rosier's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then I shall have to teach you a lesson." He went for his wand and Severus acted impulsively.

"Avis!" Severus conjured a multitude of colourful birds. This momentarily amazed Rosier, who took several precious moments to stare unbelievingly at the flock, and gave Severus the time to shout his next spell. "Oppugno!"

The birds flew at the Slytherin and clawed at his face. Severus stood there with a feeling of triumph.

"I would advise you to stay away from my friends," Severus said coldly, watching impassively as deep scratches were gouged into the other's face. "Otherwise, bad things will happen. And those bad things may lead in your life being terminated rather too soon. So, just be careful."

And with a manic grin, Severus left.

*

"You did something," Lupin decided, as Severus joined him at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. Lupin had been asking Lily about a particularly difficult charm that he feared asking his fellow Ravenclaw about.

"And why's that?" Severus looked directly at him and Lupin was alarmed to see no emotion in his eyes.

"The Slytherins are positively seething about something, Rosier is covered in scratches and you seem unnaturally calm this morning. Usually you're fairly irate," Lupin commented.

"I may have something to do with Rosier's facelift," Severus replied tranquilly. "However, I cannot account for Slytherin's disharmony. It is their fault if they send someone as stupid as Rosier to do their dirty work."

"What happened, Sev?" Lily asked worriedly. "What did they do?"

"They," Severus said, looking over at Rosier, "did nothing. But Rosier decided to tail me yesterday by request of Lucius Malfoy. I gave him an unpleasant goodbye."

Both Lily and Lupin gasped. They spoke simultaneously, worry evident in their voices.

"Why were you being followed?"

"What have you got yourself mixed up in?"

The latter question was Remus', who'd immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario. Lily had not encountered the large fourth-year outside DADA near the start of the year and had not seen the cold gazes that had followed. Severus answered the two questions as vaguely as a should-be-first-year would.

"I don't know why I was being followed, Lils," Severus answered, adopting a bewildered expression. It seemed to placate the young Gryffindor. "That Prefect, Malfoy, has been watching me since the first day. I don't know what's going on, and Lupin, I can assure you I'm not mixed up in anything. I've been focused on my lessons."

Remus snorted but Lily, who had no lessons except Potions with them, had no cause to doubt this statement. He would be having a word with Severus later about his deceit.

"Shouldn't you tell Professor Flitwick?" Lily questioned, her eyes large with concern. "Those Slytherins look like they mean business."

"It's fine, Lily," Severus reassured her. "Really fine."

Lily, finally comforted by Severus' words, turned to speak to Anna Brown on her left. Remus and Severus began to leave, but a Hufflepuff came running up with a letter.

"From Malfoy," the second-year squeaked, and left.

Severus unfolded it carefully, fully aware of Remus at his shoulder reading every word.

Meet me in the Prefect's Bathroom. I'm sure you know where it is, and I'm doubly sure that you'll have the password by this evening.

Be there at 7. We need to settle our differences. Don't bring anybody else – we need to work this out ALONE.

*****

A.N. Ooh! What's going to happen next? What has Malfoy got planned? You'll have to wait till next time, ObskurerName. :)

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