-------------------> SEVERUS FOUND THAT HE WAS RIGHT in the sense that the Court did not pay much attention to the first years. After the initial interaction, and the small conversation with some members of the Court that day before breakfast, the first years were left alone.
And that was a good thing. It had been a few months since they first came to Hogwarts, and they had all learnt the way of the Slytherin Common Room pretty quickly. Nobody was supposed to be present when the Court was in session, and nobody was supposed to ask the question of what had happened.
If you kept your head low, you would be perfectly fine.
However, while most of the first years were trying to avoid the attention of the most esteemed Slytherin Court, the upper years were trying to gain it.
Even some of the more ambitious first years were trying their best to get the Court's attention on them, in a good way of course.
The simple reason was because there were four seventh years in the Court at the moment, and the Court had to find replacements for them by the end of this academical year. Not to mention the fact that the position of being the Queen's second was open! Although, to be honest, Narcissa Black was most likely going to get promoted to be the Queen's second after Bellatrix Black graduates, and would also probably end up being the Queen's successor after Lyra Black herself, graduates.
Also, the position of Valarie Bulstroad and Patrick Parkinson were most likely going to be changed as well, since they would be seventh years then and would not have the time to help tutor the lower years anymore. And the two's current role cannot be replaced by the upcoming year's sixth year prefects since they were definitely going to be Lyra Black and Lucius Malfoy, who already hold the role of Queen and King respectively.
Nathanial Crabbe and Gregory Goyle would most likely continue serving in their same positions, as would Theodore Nott, Dennis Yaxley and Penelope Rowle. The rest of the the position's of the current members of the Court who would continue serving the next year would without a doubt be changed a bit.
But even excluding all that, in summary, four positions were going to be open, and that was a very big deal.
Every single snake would love to be a part of the Slytherin Court. It was rare but not unheard of for a first or second year to be part of the Court. Heck, the current Queen became the Queen during her very first year at Hogwarts.
Severus wanted to be in the Court, and he was going to try his very best to do so.
And for doing that, he had to do something big. Something worth hearing about. He had had an audience with the Court for speaking to muggle-born Lily, but now he needed to capture their attention in a good way.
How was he going to do that?
------> 0o0 <------
After almost three months of school, Severus was sure of two things: James Potter was his mortal nemesis and Sirius Black was the bane of his existence.
Severus Snape hated them both equally.
The two of them fit the image of spoilt princes perfectly well.
Sirius Black was second in line to be the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black (the most richest and politically strongest House in Europe). He was intelligent, powerful, charming, wealthy and handsome. In short, he had his whole life handed to him on a metaphorical (or literal, one can never be too sure with the Blacks) silver platter. He was also the beloved younger brother of the Queen of Slytherin, giving him diplomatic immunity and basically giving him free reign to do whatever he wanted.
James Potter was no less blessed. He was the Heir to one of the most oldest lines in Britain, and it was a common secret that the only reason why House Potter were not featured in the Sacred 28 List was simply because the then Head of house, Lord Henry Potter, had an uncanny ability to make people very angry. James Potter was also powerful, charming, intelligent, wealthy and handsome. He and Sirius were two sides of the same coin. Not to mention that he was also Lyra Black's god brother.
This put both Sirius Black and James Potter on the unwritten 'No-No' list. As in, if you hurt them, then Lyra Black would kill you in the most painful way possible. Nobody wanted to be the reason they found out if that statement was literal or figurative.
This was the reason that Severus Snape hated them the most. Because he knew that even if they were in the wrong, even if they started everything, to go against them would be practically suicide.
The first rule in Slytherin was that Snakes stick together, at least by putting up a united front. But every pureblood family had an unspoken rule that family came first. Not to mention that Slytherins would first and foremost look out for themselves.
Severus did not delusion himself with the thought that if the two Gryffindors hurt him first, and he evens it out, that everybody would support him.
He knew how things worked.
The two lions held advantages that he could only dream about having. For starters, they were purebloods, he was not. They were wealthy, he was not.
And in case of the turn of events against him versus them, the Slytherins would most likely support them. For who would go against the brothers of the Queen? A Black and a Potter at that?
This was why he tried his absolute best to avoid them. He was sure that if he was in the same place where Potter or Black opened his mouth, then Severus might lose control and hex him.
Unfortunately, this wasn't to be. And everything changed one beautiful November afternoon.
He doesn't remember the incident clearly, but he is pretty sure that Potter and Black started it.
Words were exchanged, the Lions on one side of the hallway, the Snakes on the other.
It's all a bit of a blur, and he doesn't remember what Black had said exactly, but he remembers feeling angry upon hearing it. The next thing he knew, a spell (a dangerous one) had spilled out from his lips, a crimson colour streak had flown out from his wand and het a laughing Sirius Black straight on his chest.
Severus remembers blood, so much blood. He could hear screaming and crying. But all he could focus on properly was Potter's horror stricken face as he looked at his bleeding best friend, and Severus felt a sort of sick pleasure at that sight.
They deserved it, he thought, for tormenting him.
"What is going on?" Lucius Malfoy's clear, cold voice rang at that moment.
It was then that Severus actually realised what he had done. He had cursed a classmate. Not just any classmate, but the Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black! The House of Black would be out for his blood!
Unfortunately for Severus, the real consequences along with the true weight of realisation of what he had done would not hit him until much later.
Severus watched as Lucius Malfoy's artic cool eyes took in each and everyone of them present in the hallway. Severus watched as Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at his still outstretched wand before roaming once again. He watched as the King of Slytherin's eyes froze upon seeing Sirius Black's fallen, bleeding form with James Potter desperately trying to stop the bleeding along with the help of a few other lions.
Lucius Malfoy's eyes widened, and Patrick Parkinson let out a gasp from behind him.
"Potter, stay with Black. Patrick, take Snape to the Common Room. Thomas, find the Blacks -all of them- and ask them to come to the hospital wing immediately. Drag them out of class, if you must. Everybody else clear out. Now!" Lucius Malfoy ordered, his voice frosty. Nobody moved, everybody's eyes were still attached to the form of Sirius Black who moaned in pain once again. "When I meant now," Lucius Malfoy explained patiently, breaking the trances. His voice was filled with anger and annoyance, capable of freezing glaciers with it's lack of warmth. "I meant currently, presently; or I will take fifty points from each and everyone of you for your failure to obey simple orders, incompetence and for simply, being beleaguering. Get out, now!"
Everybody scrambled away at that. It was sad to see that it was only the loss of house points which made them move.
The two Prefects immediately sprung into action after that.
Patrick Parkinson gripped Severus's shoulders harshly and all but dragged him towards the Common Room.
Lucius Malfoy immediately crouched down before Sirius Black and started muttering spells hastily. James Potter was in tears, but was still pressing his red and gold coloured Gryffindor Scarf (which was now solely red) tightly onto Sirius' wounds loyally, as he had been doing for the past few minutes now to control the blood loss.
The last thing Severus saw of them before they disappeared from his view as he and Prefect Parkinson rounded a corner, was Lucius Malfoy's ash-stricken, pale face as he levitated the unmoving body of Sirius Black and started walking hurriedly in the direction of the hospital wing with James Potter following behind him- his hands and clothes covered in the blood that belonged to his best friend.