Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

Another multi-chapter with Severus and James, Severus on top; simply because there isn't enough of this stuff, which means I have to write lots and lots and lots of them!

I'd given Sev a chance to be in charge, now it's James' turn again… If you liked Dependence, then you'll probably like this.

This is an AU story.

'Because I just can't stop fucking with you'

Chapter 1 - Hogwarts School for Ladies and Gentlemen

"James, sweetie." She said it cautiously, like whatever she had to say next was going to cause everyone in the room a lot of grief, yet what she had to say was unavoidable. Dorea looked at her husband for help, refusing to look at her son. Charles sighed.

"Alright son, let's get to the point." He started, his voice was stern but held an edge that suggested he always talked as such. "Your grades are slipping."

At this, James' shoulders sagged, and all at once he noticed the open letter in his mother's hands, the Hogwarts seal broken down the middle of the 'H', and his parents worried expressions.

James looked from his father, the multimillionaire owner of Hogwarts School for ladies and Gentleman (the prestigious school on invitation only, located in Scotland), to his mother, the plump chef who's mother had owned a five star restaurant in London and did most of the cooking herself. Dorea had inherited that business. It was rare for the two of them to be together, because they were always so busy. That, and this was The Pottery (his dad's favourite property with castle like attributes, near the coast of Scotland), and anything his dad liked, you could bet his mum wouldn't. And vice versa.

His family had inherited a few things from the long generation of Gryffindors. Godric Gryffindor being the founder of the family, and the founder of Hogwarts (back in a time when girls didn't go to school so it was one of a kind). Gryffindor had founded the school with three of his friends, but Gryffindor was the longest running blood heritage and as a result, Charles was the sole heir to ownership of the school. The school, of course, was only one amongst many things James' father had inherited, such as The Pottery, and Godric's Hollow (his mothers favourite property in the London suburbs, and his fathers least favourite). However, it was the school that took up most of his father's time. As the Governor, it would look bad if his son wasn't achieving the very best possible. Unfortunately, James wasn't exactly born to be academic.

The exams they'd had to sit last year, James' fifth year, had not exactly gone well.

"In my defence-" the boy began, but his father held up his hand to silence his son. Charles had a way of imposing power when needed.

"You're a pure-blood James, and son to the Governor of Hogwarts. While Dumbledore might think this is acceptable, we do not." He explained, gesturing between himself and Dorea. Dumbledore was the school's headmaster, and had been appointed on recommendation from a Potter family friend, the Malfoys. Charles hadn't wanted to offend the Malfoys, so had put Dumbledore as headmaster, however, most people viewed the man as senile and not quite there. Most pure-bloods anyway. James couldn't quite see what the Malfoys, another pure-blood family, had seen in the man. The Scholarship kids thought he was a saint. Then again, if it hadn't been for Dumbledore, the Scholarship kids wouldn't exist.

Hogwarts had a five scale hierarchy.

First were Pure-bloods; being old, influential families who had been invited from way back, when the school first began. Generations of these families had been through the school, such as the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Prewetts, the Crouches, and so on.

After them lied the Half-bloods; those families who had been recruited recently for their newly grown influence in society. These included the Changs, who had become popular within the sporting trade; the Lovegoods, who were creators of funky household objects; the Pettigrews, who were appointed on recommendation by the Malfoys, and the Longbottoms, who had connections with the police, but where also developing plants for cross-country trade.

Then there were the Scholarship kids, who got in because they were smart. This was a scheme thought up by Dumbledore when he first became headmaster. The Vances, the Evans', etcetera. They came from no money of social background, and didn't make much of a name for themselves in the world, nor did they know how things at Hogwarts worked. What annoyed James most, was if one child in the family got in on scholarship, so did any siblings that child might have.

Then there were the servants, whom had been labelled 'house-elves'. They were rarely seen by students, but were employed on a good rate. They came from families who could barely afford to live, and were always younger then ten. Once they turned Eleven they were accepted to attended Hogwarts as Scholarship students.

Then, of course, there was the lowest of the low. The social outcast families. Those families who had disgraced themselves, or that there was simply something a little bit odd about them, the Weasleys, and the Lupins, for example. These were the families James really didn't want at Hogwarts, because he was due to inherit and he didn't want a school for forming Ladies and Gentlemen for society, with families that had been rejected by society. However, as long as Charles and Dumbledore were in charge, there was not much he could do.

In other words, being a pure-blood, James had to set an example.

James sighed.

"I'll work harder." he promised, although he knew he had promised it a lot of times before. Charles shook his head, knowing this fact too.

"We've heard that too many times James." Said Dorea, shifting her hands in her lap to make her look more lady-like while she talked. That was the type of thing they taught at Hogwarts, along with the normal academic subjects, it was how to present yourself to society. James shrugged.

"I do try."

"We know you do." agreed his mother. For the most part, Dorea, with her long black hair and startling eyes, and her dazzling posture, was a very agreeable person.

Charles stood.

"We've arranged for a tutor James." He said, making James cringe. As if he hadn't had enough stuffy old men pointing at maths equations and trying (in vain) to explain how they worked. Every year Charles tried to set James up with a tutor; the boy would try them on for size, but refuse to see them again after three weeks. This year, however, Charles didn't seem like he was going to be lenient. "I have thought about your needs." He stated, as if this meant everything was okay. James furrowed his brow, not entirely happy with the way his father said that.

"What do you mean?" he asked, also standing, realising it was rude to sit while another stood. That privilege was left for the ladies in the room, like Dorea.

Charles ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair in a way that made it lie, if possible, even more perfectly. James stared at it wistfully. His hair was a birds nest, having seemed not to take after either of his parents, it stuck out at odd angles and made him look like he constantly had bed hair. After years of trying, Dorea and Charles had given up on trying to tame it.

"I mean you will see your tutor as a tutor once a week, as usual." Charles replied, "However, during the time he is not your tutor, he is being paid to be your personal assistant."

James stared at his father like he'd just said 'the end of the world is tomorrow'. It wasn't panic or anger, just a dull disbelief, like 'yeah… wait, what did you say?'. Charles took his son's hand and shook it.

"Hopefully it will give you enough time to really get to know him, so you wont kick him out after three weeks." He said, letting go. "Now, you'll be late for school. I'll arrange for Gimmick to give you a lift."

James forgot, school. He was visiting The Pottery at the weekend before school starts, and on the Friday morning (School always started on the first of September, no matter what day), Charles had dropped the bombshell that James would be getting a personal assistant - who, of course, doubled as a tutor. He was probably a really old guy with bad breath and a dodgy back who used an old fashioned walking stick to get around.

"When will I meet…" He trailed off, not entirely wishing to voice allowed that he was, say, a little excited about the prospect of meeting who it was. Just to curb his suspicions.

Charles was practically pushing him out the door.

"You'll meet him Monday, five O'clock in the normal room." He said, "It will be your first session, all will be discussed there. - Gimmick! - Now go son. I shall see you next weekend to discuss how you like this man."

Gimmick, the chauffer, was an older man with mostly grey hair (although James liked to reassure him that you could still see some of his old blonde), he had two very blue eyes and two slightly larger then normal nostrils. He was _very_ short. So much so that he had to sit on the edge of the seat to be able to reach the peddles, and his seat belt had to be specially fitted. Most of the time Charles wouldn't be bothered with a driver that needed special assistance, but Gimmick made up for it with a lot of enthusiasm and just generally being good at his job. He always knew the way to where you needed to be (without a sat-nav) and he never asked questions about _why_ you wanted to go there.

"School Master?" He said when James approached. He slide open the door to the limo easily, smoothly and professionally, and waited until James was in and seated before gently closing the door again. He settled himself in the front seat and looked in his mirror to watch James nod. Gimmick knew they needed to go to Hogwarts, but it was always right to get the Master's confirmation first. Especially since James did like to skive a lot of the time.

They sped off towards school with James in the back seat, wondering about who this mystery man was. It wasn't as if he hadn't had tutors before, but this one, even by just the sound of him, felt different. James waved if off as the fact that he would not merely be a tutor, but a personal assistant. Starting Monday, he'd know how his father felt. He'd been Charles son forever, but he never got the chance to bark orders and just have things done for him before. Perhaps it was superficial, and it was bound to inflate his ego, but he had to admit; he couldn't wait.

- X -

James' happy anticipation evaporated when he got to school. While it was nice to see Sirius Black (his best friend and Cousin), it was not so nice to see a particular lanky haired, hooked nosed Slytherin.

Severus Snape and James had been in a rivalry ever since Charles had come home saying they were inviting the Snapes to Hogwarts as Half-Bloods. The Snapes were medical scientists, mixing new cures and medicines. As far as James was concerned, that wasn't good enough. There were plenty of medical scientists in the world, and he didn't need half-rate do-gooders polluting his school. He knew, although his father didn't tell him, that they had been another recommendation from the Malfoys, who Charles was loath to refuse. When Severus had turned up to accept his invitation, James' suspicions had been confirmed. Snape was not a gentleman; he was an ugly bat-like little punk-boy who nobody was going to like, and could not be trained to be acceptable in society. Why, exactly, were they even bothering?

Not surprisingly, James and Snape did not exactly see eye to eye, and between the two of them, they made each other's lives at school a living hell. The amount of nasty little rumours Snape had been able to spread about James, which had almost cost him his popularity, were disarming. And James hated to admit they were the reason he spent a lot of time skiving off. On the other hand, James had physical strength, if he did not have the cunning Snape seemed to possess, and he was proud to admit Snape had a few extra bruises thanks to him. Not only this, but James had Sirius on his side, and Sirius was a ladies man; he made sure no person ever went near Snape romantically, despite the boy growing into something not quite as ugly as he had been when they first met at 11.

James shook his head, that was a stupid thought. No matter how tall Snape grew, he'd still be a pale, lanky-haired brat who wore way too much black. Vampiric, almost.

James scowled across the great hall, where all the students were enjoying a feast after the new students had been sorted into their respective houses (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, after the four founders - they were sorted by family ties and personality test results). James was sat comfortably at the Gryffindor table with Sirius Black (who had family ties to Slytherin, but had scored so uniquely on his personality test that they had to place him in Gryffindor). Snape was sat on the other side of the hall, on the Slytherin table, and was talking to a strikingly beautiful red-head girl.

The girl was Lily Evans, who was a Scholarship student, but one James was very lenient towards, mainly because she was so beautiful, but also because he didn't want her sister, Petunia, on his tail. He'd thought about her romantically, he wouldn't deny it, but when he saw her talking with Snape, he remembered that she'd never like him like that. Besides, Charles would not like the idea of his marrying someone of a lower class. Charles was completely against the Scholarship system, but also easily manipulated, and Dumbledore was good at manipulation.

Lily was in Gryffindor, and therefore shouldn't even be sitting at the Slytherin table. He clenched his fist. Okay, maybe this was one of the reasons James hated Snape. What the hell did that bat have that James didn't? How did _he_ get the attention of a girl like her, when James got repulsed looks and snide comments? What he wouldn't give to have a real conversation with her.

"You were staring, you know." Sirius said as they made their way up to Gryffindor tower later that evening. James blinked slightly.

"What?" He asked, and Sirius sighed, as if he'd been expecting that James wouldn't be following.

"At the feast, at Snape." He clarified, the long haired Black shrugged his shoulders. "He's gotten less skinny over the holidays hasn't he? Bet he's been working out… he'll want to be able to defend next time."

"Next time…" James wondered, then, "Oh, right. Nah, he's still a brat. We can get him just fine."

Sirius shrugged.

"You were still staring."

James rolled his eyes.

"So what?" He asked, and watched as Sirius peeled back the portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress, which was painted on the door to the Gryffindor common room. Sirius shrugged again, walking through.

"Anyone would think you liked him."

James let that sink in, standing on one side of the portrait, while Sirius was on the other. Anyone would think… that James, _liked_, Snape?

He scoffed.

"You need to get your eyesight checked." He said, trying not to show how much that little comment was freaking him out. After all, he had a reputation to uphold. What would happen if rumours started spreading about his feelings for that bat? Not that he _had_ any feelings for the bat. "I was looking at Lily." He reassured himself as much as Sirius.


	2. Chapter 2

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

**Sorry for the wait. I had to start this chapter again because I completely lost inspiration. Winter does that to me… But I'm listening to P!nk's new song, and that makes me insanely happy! *singing along***

Chapter 2 - Captivity and Freedom

Severus Snape had never thought of himself as an underachieving person, but equally he had never thought of himself as someone who just leant on daddy for support; especially since his father wasn't exactly an ideal role model. That was why Severus was happy to say he was a half-blood. He didn't run around after pure bloods like some love-sick puppy trailing after its master, like a few of the Hogwarts students he could mention, and he wasn't a scholarship student who had to rely on the kind-heartedness of a blundering old fool like Dumbledore to get them anywhere in life. The only people Severus owed any debts to were Abraxas Malfoy, and, by default, Charles Potter. Which, of course, was why he'd spent all of the summer lifting weights in his mother's dingy little background in Spinners End, thinking about two years time, when he would have finally have paid off his debt to Charles Potter, and, by default, Abraxas Malfoy.

He refrained from slamming his fists into the desk in front of him. The very thought of the name Potter made him sick. Sixth year was the beginning of preparing for NEWTS. Hogwarts' inventively named exams in opted subjects and 'social etiquette' classes. New Exams for the Warrant of Testable Sociability, NEWTS, were the bane of most Hogwarts students existence since Dumbledore had made them up when he was appointed headmaster. It was one thing he and Charles Potter had agreed on. While Severus had no problem with the academic side of things, testing is sociability was different, and as such, he needed a little more of a push - and that was how his little extra-curricular project had started.

Etiquette lessons and Severus Snape didn't mix, and since he was a student here on recommendation from Malfoy, Charles Potter was keeping an eye on him, and that meant Charles Potter had realised that Severus wasn't doing well in his etiquette lessons. That, of course, was bad, because in Hogwarts it was a perform well or get out basis. Severus had only just managed to keep his place by agreeing to one-on-one tuition for Social Acceptableness.

And that was how he found himself sitting at an abandoned desk at five to five, moody and brooding over why exactly he hated Charles Potter and anything related to him. Especially his daddies boy, stuck-up son James Potter.

He stood and spat on the cold stone floor just as the door opened to reveal the one person Severus really wanted to wrap his hands around the neck of. And squeeze. Hard.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Why was it every time James Potter opened those primped to perfection little cherry-bubble lips of his, Severus had this undeniable desire to cause pain to someone? He turned, slowly, to face the defiant looking bespectacled boy. James Potter was the same as ever; tall, slim, dark-haired and holding himself like he had a long pole stuck up his ass. He had the usual scowl that his face adopted whenever he and Severus were in the same room, and Severus had no doubt his own face mirrored it. Severus had about as much desire to be here as Potter did, but he had to do it in order to keep his chance at a Hogwarts Certificate of Social Education.

"Are you really so thick that you can't put two and two together Potter?" Severus snapped. He was happy to see James take a step back and shoot him an indignant look. He loved getting under the pampered boy's skin. It was just too easy. Severus let a small, slow smirk settle on his features. It was subtle and dignified, but enough to let James know he was about to be insulted. He'd mentally count to three, and if James hadn't managed to come up with a good comeback by then, he'd count his next comment as his point and case.

One.

James locked eyes with Severus, anger obviously boiling between the two.

Two.

James eyes narrowed, but didn't lower. He opened his mouth, but seemed to think better of it and closed it again. Severus' smirk grew.

Three.

James made an indignant sound in the back of his throat. It was obviously he'd made the connection as to why the two boys had been shoved into the same room unwillingly, but he had no response to it as of yet.

"That's right." Severus eventually said, slowly and deliberately, his voice the usually sardonic drawl that made James shiver involuntarily. "That's why you're here… You _can't_ put two and two together."

James barred his teeth angrily, like a dog protecting its territory. Severus just rolled his eyes.

"Get the fuck out of my sight." The Gryffindor eventually snapped, crossing his arms across his chest. He refrained from stamping his foot like a child. He watched, anger threatening to bubble over, as Severus made no effort to move and leant back against the wall. James growled. "So what? My dad's made a stupid bloody mistake. I don't want someone like you as a personal assistant. Get out." He explained, congratulating himself on his calmness. He turned his back on the Slytherin, and certainly wasn't expecting to be pushed face first into the nearest wall.

"Lets get one thing straight Potter." breathed a low voice in his ear. James could feel the Slytherin's body pressed up against him from behind. He refused to move, even though it was uncomfortable having his face pushed up against the cold stone of the wall. His glasses were knocked askew so his vision was messed up and he couldn't really see anything. In return, his sense of touch was exaggerated, and he could definitely feel Snape's now muscular body keeping his in place. He stopped himself from whining pitifully. "Right now I am not your assistant. And I will _never_ be your slave."

James struggled against the tight hold of the Slytherin, tugging on his hands, but found that Snape, as Sirius had suggested, had probably been working out.

"My father will hear of this." he snapped, craning his neck to see if he could knock his glasses back into place. Severus pushed him further into the wall. Something was pushing against his leg so hard that it hurt. A lot.

"Go ahead and run to daddy Potter." He all but shouted. "Do as you fucking wish during the week. Make my life a living hell - it's not like I'm not used to it. But keep in mind, that come this hour, the tables are turned. I am no longer in your control, and I don't intend to just put up with your shit. Understood?"

James groaned in spite of himself.

"You make a crap assistant." He spat. Severus, again, pushed him further into the wall, making the other boy groan louder. He leant in so when he spoke his lips almost brushed James' ear. This of course, made James shiver involuntarily, and resulted in a cut along the Gryffindor's cheek, since he was pressed up so much against the jagged stone wall. The thing that was pushing against his leg felt like it was ready to pierce skin too.

"Just keep it in mind. If you ever want to make mummy and daddy happy you're grades seriously need to pick up. This is a two way exchange, and if I were you I would not want to anger me."

He released his captive. James stumbled for a moment, bringing up his newly free hand to steady himself against the wall that had just been his prison. He heard the door slam behind him and bit his lip to stop himself from screaming his frustrations. Why on earth would his father set him up with that fucking bat? Charles had thought of James' needs? That was obviously bull! He let himself slip down the wall, now unwilling to leave what he'd been so desperate to escape just moments before.

So much for having a great time ordering some guy around and laughing it up with Sirius. He didn't want to admit he was in any regular contact with that grease ball, and after that little episode, he didn't want to be caught short again.

He could still feel where the bastard had pressed up against him.

It was disgusting.

He may have sat there, leaning against that wall, for a few minutes, or a few hours. He wasn't entirely sure. All he knew was that by the time Sirius found him later, he was still in the same position, still pondering over how his father could be so cruel. There was nothing for it, he was simply going to have to see his father on Saturday and tell him that there was no way in hell he was having that dungeon _beast_ as an assistant _or_ a tutor. He'd rather eat frogspawn.

"Hey James." Sirius said, suddenly coming into his line of vision, all windswept beauty and cocky attitude. Sirius shot him the famous Black grin. Both he and his younger brother Regulus were known for their arrogant charm. "Why exactly do you feel it appropriate to be sitting on what can only be described as a freaking freezing floor, with no one but your own self for company?"

James cocked his head to the side, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around Sirius and insist that the boy carry him back to his dorm.

"Wanna say that again in English?" he said, voice dry, probably from the fact that he hadn't spoken in awhile. "How long have I been down here?"

Sirius raised a well practised eyebrow, bending down to help his friend to his feet.

"I dunno, couple of hours?" He shrugged, "Were you out?"

James furrowed his brow, trying to understand his friends questions and finding it harder then usual. Was he out…? As in, was he unconscious?

"I don't think so." He said, steadying himself against Sirius. Why was it so hard to stand? Sirius held him firmly, looking at him with concern. He seemed to be debating whether he should ask his next question, and James took a timid step forward, leaning on his friend for support. Sirius walked with him.

"Snivellus was down here too… I saw him pacing the area just outside here." He paused as he felt James tense. "He left when I came towards him, fucking coward." James seemed to physically relax.

Snivellus was their nickname for Snape. In his mind James referred to the Slytherin as 'the bat' or 'the dungeon child', but the rest of the school knew the unpopular boy as Snivellus, after his greasy hair and unsociable attitude. Put frankly, James did not want another run in with the boy that night. Why had he been pacing? Was he debating whether to go in and attack James again? Or was he worried that James would blow up, and attack back if he did? James knew that Sirius was watching him carefully. Sirius always wanted to know more then was probably advisable.

"So what?" he eventually asked, trying to make it out as if he really didn't care what Snape was up to. Sirius shrugged as the two made their slow and deliberate way up to the Gryffindor Tower. James was having a lot of trouble staying upright, and the more effort he put into that, the harder it was to keep breathing. They had arrived at the corridor which lead to the portrait of the fat lady when James' legs finally gave out. Afterwards, all he heard was Sirius shouting.

"Oh fuck, James, your leg!" There _was_ a lot of pain in his leg, but he hadn't done anything to it, other then whatever it was that had been pushing against it. He swore to god if Snape had drugged him there would be hell to pay. As it was, he could barely keep his eyes open. "Shit, somebody help!"

And then he blacked out.

- X -

The next time James awoke he was lying in one of the uncomfortable and so incredibly white hospital beds that Hogwarts' hospital wing used. The room was unbearably bright, so much so that he had to sluggishly lift his aching arms to shield his eyes from the light. Had he died?

No, he couldn't have. He was sure heaven did not having fussing nurses and the smell of disinfectant.

"You're awake Mr. Potter?"

Madam Pomfrey was nice enough, but very protective of her patients, to an extent that it was annoying, and her tone was always accusatory.

He moaned his response, showing that he was, indeed, awake. He heard a tutting noise from the nurse, as if his being awake simply _wouldn't_ do.

"You're very lucky. You came this close to severing your Femoral." James looked up to see Pomfrey holding her fingers close together with a disapproving look on her features. She sighed. "You lost a lot of blood. You should be glad that Mr. Black can scream so loud."

James had to let out a little snigger at the idea of Sirius sat in a corridor with his bleeding body, screaming like a girl. Something like; 'Oh Gods! He's bleeding!'… and perhaps an 'ew' for good measure.

Madam Pomfrey did not seem so impressed.

"You're leg will take a while to heal."

James gave her a grin.

"But you're the best nurse in town!" he joked, revelling in the tiniest of blushes he received from the usually stern lady.

"That may be so, but like I said, you're lucky to be alive." she sighed, "Mr. Black hasn't told me anything, and I haven't asked, but James…" She trailed off, and James knew whatever she wanted to say was serious because she'd used his first name. He tried to sit up in bed, and managed, although just barely. His whole body seemed to ache all over.

"I don't know how it happened." He explained, not looking her in the eyes. Perhaps when Snape had been shoving him up against a wall…. But had the wall, or whatever it was against his leg, been so jagged as to pierce so much it could get his femoral artery?

Pomfrey nodded, and then the door to the hospital wing burst open. Charles Potter stormed into the room, followed by Dorea, Sirius, and, most surprisingly, Severus Snape.


	3. Chapter 3

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this. I don't own Golden Virginia either, by the way.**

Chapter 3 - James Wellbeing

Sirius Black was sat around outside Hogwarts castle, next to the lake, even while the September air was beginning to get chilly. He had his knees brought up to his chest while he fiddled with tobacco, rolling papers and filter tips. Nothing like a good bit of Golden Virginia to calm his nerves. He rarely smoked, though he kept the supplies on him at all times (for comfort purposes), and it was only when things went really wrong would he actually roll one up. He hated the idea of bad breath afterwards, and his parents definitely didn't agree with such bad habits… but fuck it, his best friend was in hospital and had nearly fucking died.

He put the poorly rolled cigarette to his lips and was about to light it up when the school's Governor himself stalked passed. Sirius spat out the fag and crushed it in his hands so that Charles Potter and his wife, should they look his way, wouldn't see it. As an afterthought he realised he'd just wasted a good cigarette… but his reputation with Hogwarts' Governor (and his best friends parents) was a little more important. The two parents, however, didn't seem at all interested in Sirius and his habits - and too right too, their son was hospitalised. Sirius stood and followed them into the castle. It wasn't as if Charles and Dorea would need to be shown the way, but Sirius wanted as excuse to go back up there and see James without Madam Pomfrey shooing him away. That, and Dorea would probably need comforting. He wished he could tell her how it happened, but as far as he knew, one minute James was in a lot of pain, but breathing and responding, and the next minute he was collapsed on the floor with so much blood gushing out of him it was positively horrifying. Not that Sirius would actually admit to being scared.

He followed Dorea and Charles all the way up three flights of stairs without the parents noticing they were being shadowed. They were almost at the Hospital Wing when they were joined by a third party. Snivellus.

Sirius shot the boy a disgusted look. Surely it was unsanitary for such a greasy git to be near a hospital? However, his look was rivalled by the lanky haired stone-skinned boy. Really, he was pathetic to look at, though Sirius had to admit he'd obviously been building some muscles over the summer. Even so, it didn't make up for the hooked nose and eerie, dead looking eyes.

Sirius didn't even notice when Charles and Dorea had disappeared into the Hospital Wing doors, but followed through them and realised he was hot on their tail. It was a relief and a half to see James sitting up in bed (despite the bandages round his leg and look of excruciating pain on his face). He offered the boy a smile, and was faintly (okay, really) annoyed to see it rejected in favour of James looking just past his shoulder, to Snape. Sirius couldn't place to look, it was sort of a mix between surprise and utter horror (which, at least, was normal.)

"James!" Dorea cried, flinging herself at her son. James caught her gingerly, too much of a gentleman to cry out or shove her away. However, Charles, luckily, saw the painful look cross over his son's eyes and pulled his wife away.

"James." Charles repeated what Dorea had said, though this time in a much more dignified way. "How are you feeling?"

James, Sirius noted, sent Snape a look. He couldn't tell what it was, after all, he wasn't a girl; he didn't know how to read emotions and other flowery crap like that. However, what he could tell from the look, was that Snape most definitely had something to do with why James was in hospital, and Sirius was _not_ going to let the grease-ball get away with it. Charles may have missed the insinuation, but Sirius got it loud and clear. That's what best friends were for after all.

James nodded, as if the answer to the question was yes or no, and Sirius got the impression he might be having a hard time speaking. Maybe he was feeling sick? Or faint? He _had_ lost a lot of blood. Without thinking about it, Sirius sat down on the bed near James' feet. One leg, the bad one, was elevated, so the bandages didn't bleed through as often or as much, and the other, the one Sirius had sat next to, was limp. He prodded it and James curled his toes on that foot. He hadn't lost feeling in his lower body then - that was good. Sirius would hate it if his best friend got paralyzed.

"Sirius." Said Charles is recognition, finally realising the boy who had followed them the whole way there. Sirius nodded his greetings.

"Hey James." He said, looking at his friend. James' glasses were on the bedside table, though he didn't seem to need them to know who was talking and where everyone was. He wasn't even squinting that much. His hair was messed up even more then usual, and Dorea absent-mindedly tried to flatten it down, despite her sons protests - a jerk to the side with his upper body and fairly impressive glare. Sirius grinned good-naturedly. "Glad you're awake man."

James nodded again, but didn't speak. He took a deep breath, shot another look at Snape, and smiled back at his friend (although his smile was much smaller and dimmer then Sirius' bright grin).

"James, what happened?" asked Dorea, and again, James could not help but glance in Snape's direction. Sirius glared at the shallow-skinned boy. James seemed to open his mouth, like he was about to say something, but at that moment Madam Pomfrey chose it an opportune moment to intervene.

"There are way too many visitors here, Mr. Potter needs his rest, and I will not have - oh, Governor… I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

It was an odd sight to see Madam Pomfrey go from stern and strict, to coy and blushing, in the space of less then two seconds. Sure, Charles was an attractive man (most Potter men were), but Pomfrey never allowed her judgements of people affect how she treated her patients. Sirius had even seen her turn away Dumbledore, on more then one occasion. Though, of course, Sirius had thought it was odd that Dumbledore had been visiting anyone in the Hospital Wing to begin with. On those occasions Sirius himself had been in the Wing, for minor injuries or a few times back in third year when he'd been in for panic attacks (long story), and the only other people who had been there was that Lupin kid from their dorm and some first years who were missing home.

But anyway, he was digressing.

"That's quite alright Poppy." Charles said, and Sirius didn't even notice the annoyed look Dorea shot her husband, though James did. It upset him that his father would be so callous in front of his mum, and it pissed him off as well, that his father and the school nurse were on first name basis. Sure, as governor of the school, Charles talked with a lot of the staff, but he always called them by their surname. But again, Sirius didn't notice any of this; he was too busy standing up and making himself look like he was just leaving.

"Sorry Madam Pomfrey!" he chirped. "Sniv - Severus and I were just leaving." He didn't dare call Snape the cruel nickname the school population had thought up for him in front of the Potters, but it was weird to actually call the boy by his first name. It felt foreign on his tongue. It was even weirder when he actually had to _touch_ the greasy git to get him to move. He dragged the boy along by the cuff of the sleeve to his long, black… what the fuck was it anyway? A cloak? Probably a trench coat, which, by the way, weren't strictly allowed by school rules - but then again, Sirius couldn't really lecture on school rules.

Once they were outside the Hospital Wing doors, he instantly let go and rubbed his hand on his trouser leg to try and dislodge some of the dirt he was sure he would have picked up. He looked around to make sure no one had seen him touching the git. Snape hadn't moved from where Sirius had deposited him, and for that, Sirius was glad, because he had to have a little talk with Mr. Snape, anyway.

"What the fuck did you do to James?" He asked, blunt as always, glaring the best Black Family Death Glare he could muster. Snape, on the other hand, seemed cool and collected.

"What makes you think I've done something to him?" The Slytherin asked, but Sirius let out a sarcastic bark of laughter.

"Please, it's almost like you've returned to the scene of the crime! Why the hell would you care about his _wellbeing_? You're just observing the damage you've done, aren't you? Probably really proud of yourself, you god-damn git."

Sirius, in one swift moment, found himself pinned to the nearest wall, with a face full of Severus Snape in his vision. He could see the boy snarling at him, his temper obviously having been lost, and while he could have no clue that James had been in a similar position the day before, he would now have every empathy of how he must have felt.

"For someone who thinks me capable of hospitalising someone, you must have a real death-wish to start insulting me."

Sirius struggled slightly against the hold, and unlike James the night before, was making some progress with detaching himself from Snape's grasp, though not yet enough to free him completely.

"You did it then?"

"Who cares what I do?"

"I care!" For one moment, someone passing by may have thought Sirius cared about Severus' wellbeing. Luckily for Sirius, no one passed by. "I care when you put my friend in hospital!"

Snape growled under his breath - an almost non human sound that put Sirius on edge somewhat. The Gryffindor continued to struggle against his holds.

"I should put you in a hospital too." The Slytherin spat, but at that moment Sirius was able to break free, and used his now available hands to form a fist and punch Snape. Right in his overgrown nose.

Severus stumbled backwards, clutching at his face and cursing loudly. He wouldn't be surprised if it was broken. Sirius stumbled away from the wall, and scrunched up his nose in a way that suggested his was disgusted with the sight before him, or that there was a bad smell in the air.

"Serves you right." He all but spat. "Ever go near James again and something drastic is going to happen." He warned, glaring heatedly, before stalking off up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower, and wishing he'd smoked his cigarette when he'd had the chance.

- X -

Severus had clicked his nose back in to place by the time he arrived back to the Slytherin Dungeon Dorms, and stumbled into the nearest bathroom to assess the damage in a mirror. His nose, of course, was bleeding, and probably more disfigured then it was before. He pinched it at the ends and best down over the sink so he didn't swallow (and choke on) any of his own blood. At least one of the lessons they taught here at Hogwarts had come in handy - basic first aid.

He really shouldn't have lost his temper, he thought as he watched blood drip into the sink. The murky red against the stark white was quite the contrast. He'd lost his temper twice now though, just in the course of four days being back at Hogwarts. Two days over the weekend and he'd been okay, just talking with Lily and keeping out of trouble, but come Monday, faced with that daddy's boy brat, he'd lost it completely.

It was something about the whole castle, the entire school, the atmosphere of all those aristocratic bastards that had never known anything but money and expensive toys, that put him on edge. It was enough to make him angry, make him lose control, make him use brute force against people who were obviously weaker then him.

Before now he'd thought physically attacking was a cheap trick; he'd ridiculed Potter and his little bodyguard Black for it. But now he couldn't control himself… whenever people made comments or spoke to him rudely, he wanted to hurt them - show them he was more then just some anti-social bat. It was Potter, though, that mainly got to him. Every time Potter was even in the room, and he didn't have to be talking, just breathing, Severus wanted to show him exactly how it felt, all those times he'd been beaten up by Potter and Black - he now wanted revenge.

The thing was, it wasn't like him. He'd never thought of himself as a violent person, and it was scaring him that now he was quite happy to inflict pain. Fuck, he'd even hospitalised someone! It was worrying him how much he'd grown to look like his father, and now what? He intended to act like the man too?

"Severus?"

Severus looked up from the sink, where his nose had stopped dripping into now, and took his hands away from pinching said nose. It had stopped bleeding altogether. The voice was familiar, but he was surprised when he found himself face to face with Lily Evans, the fiery red-head who he had known from his younger years, when he used to sneak into the town across from his - usually because he was escaping from his father.

These were the Slytherin Dorms though, what was Lily doing here? How did she even get it? Each house had a door man who asked you for a password, though admittedly, most of the time they just let you in because they recognised you.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his facial features softening from their usual scowl, to something that was impassive, but certainly not unfriendly. Lily smiled.

"I snuck in. I saw Black punch you. He's such a dick."

Severus loved it when Lily swore. When in classes and around the corridor, Lily had adopted the show of a prim and proper lady, so she could fit in with the pure-bloods and not get the usual prejudice that scholarship students usually received. Most of the stupid population of Hogwarts' upper tier seemed to think she _was_ a pure-blood who had a soft-spot for rejected individuals (like himself). Severus knew that James Potter knew the truth, being the Governors son and all; that boy probably new everyone in the school, their blood status, and their family pets - but Severus was also pretty certain Potter had kept it quiet. It somewhat sickened him to think that Potter might have a crush on his Lily. His best friend. His Lily who really wasn't a pure-blood, and whose common roots showed through in times like these, when she swore and cussed off the people she didn't like. It made him proud to know that Lily hated Potter with every fibre of her being - oh the choice words she used for him.

"It's fine." Severus told her. "You really need to get back to Gryffindor - they'll skin you alive if they catch you here."

"_They_ can try." Said Lily, but she reluctantly turned to leave. "You shouldn't let them hurt you like this - stand up for yourself!"

Severus looked back in the mirror, it was cracked down one side and had marks on it where it hadn't been cleaned in a very long time. _Don't worry Lily_, he thought, _I am._

**And there ya have it folks. XD Look out for chapter four for more goodies… XD**

**I'd appreciate your reviews, please, go ahead and tell me what type of things you'd like to see developed in this story, and perhaps some characters you'd liked to see introduced - I'll see if I can worm them in! **

**Much Lovin'!**


	4. Chapter 4

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

This chapter was like 'pfuu make it all JPSB like!'. So I did… It goes back to SSJP soon, I just couldn't resist the cuteness of this.

Chapter 4 - The Magic of Food

James Potter, it had to be said, hated hospital beds. They were itchy, annoyingly white (so much so that it was giving him a constant headache) and bloody uncomfortable. The curtains wouldn't shut right and the sun rose too early and woke him at the most annoying times, when everyone else in the castle (aided by blackout curtains) would still be very much asleep. He slept early too, from being so exhausted from waking up early and doing nothing. For anybody who has a brain can realise that sitting around all day is probably the most tiring thing one can do. Of course, sleeping early meant missing visiting hours, and he rarely got to see his friends. Truly, the only thing keeping him going was the single thought that as soon as he had regenerated enough blood to allow him to take the day in his stride once more, he was going to beat that slimy grease-balls, shallow-skinned, vampiric, hooked nose in.

Yeah!

"What are you day-dreaming about Jamie?" James snapped from his thoughts, which had spun from the uncomfortable spring poking out of the bed he was currently residing in. Sirius was sat next to him, quietly contemplative (something which has both shocked and worried James), and unusually docile. He shook his head, even after three days, unwilling to speak if he could help it. He tended to feel sick if he did. Sirius shrugged, checking the watch securely fastened to his wrist. "Oh, hey, Lunch time!" He exclaimed, leaning towards the two hampers he'd snuck in when Madam Pomfrey wasn't looking. It looked like James was finally going to find out what was in them. And find out he did, with every item that Sirius pulled from the hamper, like a diligent housewife (not that he'd EVER tell Sirius he'd thought that), his bottom jaw dropped just that little bit more, until it was practically resting on the floor.

It started with sandwiches being taken from the basket and placed down on the table next to the bed: Ham sandwiches; cheese; ham and cheese; chicken salad; egg mayonnaise; cucumber and cheese and pickle. Then came dips and spreads to compliment them: gooey jams; marmalade; small chunk pickle; love-me-or-hate-me marmite; Sirius' favourite peanut butter; mild salsa sauce and spicy crisps; creamy coleslaw and potato salad; cheese and chives; Philadelphia and pasta salad.

By this time James was well and truly amazed, but Sirius was still pulling more from his seemingly endless basket: Boiled eggs and spring rolls; crispy duck, pink prawns, tuna and salmon; cocktail sausages; porkpies; spicy pepperoni; mini scotch eggs; little chicken pieces; hotdogs; sausage rolls; cheese and onion pasties; crumbling crackers; monkey nuts, cashew nuts, salted nuts and dry roasted nuts. Followed closely by fruits: red raspberries, sweet strawberries, round blackberries and bumpy blueberries; ripe pears, pink apples and yummy tangerines; cherries, dates and pineapples; sharp oranges, plump plums and hairy kiwis.

Even if they had the stomach to eat all that, Sirius had also thought about desert: creamy yoghurts, yellow custard and rice pudding; lemon cake, strawberry cake, chocolate gateau, Victoria sponge and cheese cake; Angel delight and Turkish delight; Banana and Walnut Loaf and Jamaica Cake; Apple pie and apple fritters; chocolate ice-cream, vanilla ice-cream, strawberry ice-cream, banana ice-cream, mint ice-cream, hard ice-cream, soft ice-cream, ice cream so melted it was just cream-cream, watermelon ice-cream (just checking you're still reading); chocolate donuts and lemon donuts; mint humbugs, chocolate éclairs, and rainbow drops.

"How the hell did you do that? Where did it all come from?" James questioned, wide-eyed at the sheer feast that Sirius had brought. Surely, even a hundred people could not eat all that!

"Magic." Smirked Sirius, though James did not miss the smallest of hints of pink that graced his friends usually pale cheeks. It was cute, in a way, to see his friend embarrassed. He wondered how much work Sirius had put in to organising all this. Had he got the servants to prepare it all, or had he gone through the trouble of doing it himself? He wondered how much Sirius would beat the crap out of him if he told the boy he imagined Sirius would look cute in an apron. It was at this point that Sirius started looking nervous, casting long glances around the room, (still while James was too busy admiring the feast), and shuffling awkwardly. "Um, can you… uh… eat?"

Somehow, James managed to restrain himself from bursting into laughter.

"I think I can eat." he may have been sitting in a hospital bed for three days, but it was mainly his leg that was affected (plus the anaemia from the amount of blood loss), still, he could eat. What he wished for most, was the ability to back away, when Sirius leant in towards his friend, leaning over the bed, until their noses were almost touching. James pushed his head a little further back into his pillow, in some attempt to escape his friends scrutiny. He wondered if pushing the boy away would be considered rude.

"Here." Sirius pouted, shoving a ham sandwich into his friends hands and looking away, returning himself to the chair next to the bed, and not on it. James accepted the sandwich gratefully, slightly perturbed by his friends strange antics. It was almost as if Sirius was upset that James was able to eat on his own. He couldn't help but smile at the idea that Sirius might have wanted to feed him. That, after all, would have been cute.

Okay Potter, really need to stop perving on your best friend now.

He cleared his throat, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"It's good."

Sirius nodded, not willing to either take or brush away the compliment. Take it and admit that he'd made everything himself, or brush it off and make James think the servants had done it all and that Sirius couldn't care less. Hard decision, therefore, make none. Not that he was that concerned with what James thought or anything, on the contrary, all this attention was simply to open some doors and maybe get James to tell him exactly what Snape had done to him to get him in hospital. After all, Sirius had to have some form of proof before he could get the bastard expelled.

"So, Jamie…" He wasn't entirely sure how to approach the subject. James had been mainly asleep these past days when Sirius came to visit during visiting hours, but the times when Sirius had snuck in at other times, James had kept a tight lip about anything loosely related to Snivellus Snape. "Feeling any better?"

James took another bite from the sandwich, taking it slow so he would still be able to talk afterwards without feel nauseous afterwards. He wasn't in any rush for that feeling again.

"I guess." He took a breath and brought himself up so he felt a bit taller and fuller in the hospital bed. He was about to go on that he was excited for his release in two days, when something in the corner of the room caught his eye. Being laid down on the hospital bed across and to the right of James' was a sandy haired boy, looking weak and pale, and generally in a much worse condition then anyone else in the room. Madam Pomfrey sent the two Gryffindor friends a warning look before drawing the curtains around him.

"Isn't that the reject kid?" asked Sirius, "Loony or something?" James nodded his agreement, it was common knowledge that the boy was mental.

"Lupin." He corrected, as the son of the Governor, it was his job to know the names of every pupil in the school, and their blood status. Lupin was a blood traitor, or social outcast. Basically he wasn't generally accepted.

"He's always in here for some reason or another." Sirius detailed, dragging his gaze away from the curtains that had been drawn around the boy awhile ago. He gave James a grin, but it quickly fled at James' thoughtful expression. He took a deep breath and decided to just go for it. "Snape."

He didn't miss James jump a little. Hell, it wasn't right if James was scared of the prick. He clenched his fists at his side. "What did he do to you?"

James looked away.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't bullshit me James."

James swallowed. He closed his eyes and breathed, once, in and out.

"Snape has nothing to do with anything. I'd appreciate you not bringing that creeps name up when we were having such a nice time."

Sirius grunted his response, picking up a plum and taking a bite into it, avoiding the hard stone in the middle. Sometimes James reminded him to plums. Seemingly soft and bright red with emotion on the outside, then when you stripped away his defences, you found a hard, unmovable stone.

He smiled.

He probably wouldn't have him any other way.

- X -

If Remus Lupin knew one thing in life, it was that you didn't go to Hogwarts if you didn't know your place in the social hierarchy. Sure, the school boasted to be an accepting and wonderful school, but in the end it was just the same as everywhere else. Hell, he'd take every government run junior school and every social-services-rejected senior school put together compared to the crap he had to take at Hogwarts. It was like living in hell, except the devils in hell weren't rich. One moment had changed him from being a half-blood to a social-reject, and it hadn't even been his fault - why blame the child for the sins of the parents? Worst of it all? He'd been allowed a taste of the forbidden fruit before he was chucked down in to the pits of Tartarus. Oh, he could go on.

He lay there, in the hospital bed, listening through the heavy curtains that had been drawn around him, to the voices of his roommates chatting him about him as if he didn't really exist - or perhaps he was something unpleasant that had somehow wormed its way onto the bottom of their shoe. Either way, it wasn't very nice. You'd think after five and a bit years of living in the same dorm room, the boys would at least know his name. Besides, he absolutely _hated_ be called 'loony'. If it hadn't been Sirius Black, and he hadn't been hospitalised, then he was sure that he would have already been fantasying about kicking the jerks ass.

If he'd had the strength. And if it wasn't Sirius Black, because you know, you beat up the most popular guy in school and it's bound to have consequences.

How he wished he didn't have to lay there, with Pomfrey being her usual fussy herself, although not fussy enough to tell those idiots to shut their traps. Pomfrey advertised a caring nurse who didn't differentiate between patients, but it was simple to see that she was the same as every other woman, swayed by a pretty face and a full wallet.

Life would be easier if he was rich.

Life would be easier if he was a pure-blood.

Life would be easier if Sirius Black would shut up.

His arm reached out almost instinctively towards the ceiling, but fell back down over his eyes, blocking out the blinding white of the Hospital that he knew all too well. Every month of every year, one day. Just sitting in wait, probing the curiosity of his classmates and keeping his lips sealed shut in a imitation of mystery. If it wasn't so incredibly annoying, it might have been amusing. He would loved to watch Sirius Black follow him around like a lost puppy in order to find out the secret that was Remus Lupin. Wouldn't it be nice to have Sirius Black on his knees, begging to know the one thing he didn't have at the click of his fingertips? Wouldn't it be nice, to for once be in control of the tormentors that were so controversially loved and hated amongst the other pupils?

Darkness slowly crept over his eyes, letting them drop shut and drowning out the noises that plagued him. Almost as if in meditation, or a hypnotic trance; the sounds around him faded, making everything silent.

Another day laying in wait.

Another day in the white.

His jumper sleeves fell right down over his hands and made for a good pillow - a deep blue, which was a splash of calm amongst the stark white; indifferent in its abnormality.

A white room; white walls, white ceiling and white floor. In the white room is a white chair, in which sits a white man, dressed in white; a white shirt and white trousers, white shoes and a white jacket. He wears a white hat, and underneath, his hair is white.

He wondered if he should tell Madam Pomfrey that most people associated such whiteness with death.

He looked at the sleeve of his jumper, falling right down over his hand, laying motionless on the pillow next to him. It was a deep dark blue, breaking up the colourlessness.

He wished it was white.

He welcomed death.

**Even though all of Remus' angsting there was kinda needed for the plot, I felt like it was the most useless and emo piece of writing I've ever done… To make up for that, and my general lack of updating, here! Have a deleted scene!**

"Hey Sirius, have you ever noticed when you add 'too' to something it makes it instantly more ominous?"

"It's quiet?"

"Too quiet."

"It's happy?"

"Too happy."

"Yeah, I have. Me too."

"AH! You ominous boy!"

**I think you can tell why I didn't put it in. XD**

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 5 - Pleasantries and Civilised Conversations

Brown leather straps fastened by heavy silver clasps, secured tightly around his wrists and tying them to the railings round the side of the bed. The same to his ankles, keeping his legs strapped firmly down. They didn't want him to be able to move during the night. It was a scene right out of a horror movie. The white wash of the walls would soon be covered in his blood when the insane doctors started their grotesque experiments. He would scream as they operated on him alive, just to see how long he could stand the pain. He wouldn't be able to wriggle or escape from their scalpels and eventually, after hours of excruciating torture, he would die.

He sighed.

He really needed to stop his imagination running so wild.

They told him it was all in his mind anyway, but they didn't know. They couldn't feel the other heart begin to beat, they couldn't feel the other mind begin to take over. They didn't wake up to not remember anything in the morning, and have the undeniable urge to hunt. How could they understand what he was going through when they were just ordinary, plain and average human beings? They were just worthless, weak, pathetic creatures who tried so hard to play their solitary games and keep everyone locked up inside their own walls. They'd never understand how it felt when his eyes turned yellow and his heartbeat accelerated. They'd never understand the wild passion he felt. They'd never understand the feel of power and dominance when the moon raced across the sky, and he was once again, the wolf.

But Madam Pomfrey was not an insane doctor, nor did she have a staff who could be. Besides, it was the same old story that happened every month. He was tied up for his own good. Once the full moon had come and gone, in the morning, he would be glad that he had had his restraints. He certainly wouldn't have wanted to hurt poor little James Potter who was sleeping so peacefully on the other side of the room from him.

A smirk.

If only. Wouldn't that teach mr. daddy's boy a lesson? Feel the fangs of the wolf pierce his flesh, feel the claws of the wolf rip into his tendons, feel the excruciating pain as the wolf devoured him. If only he could rid the world of the plague that was James Potter.

But no, the human. The weak, pathetic human. The human knew better. The human knew that he couldn't attack James Potter, for after all, they were both humans and their human ties meant they could never kill another. Never devour another.

No matter how nice they might taste.

Potter would be moved anyway (unfortunately), to make sure that his secret was kept. They couldn't have the son of the school's Governor hearing his ordeals and getting scared, or worse, running to daddy and getting him kicked out of school. The school that was his prison, and where he would be kept until they could shove him off to a mental institute. They were trying to save him. Dumbledore was trying to save him.

But he couldn't be saved. A human could never dominate a wolf, he could never force the wolf down; or he would be devoured too.

If he tilted his head back the right way he could see outside the window, where the sun was setting and dying the sky a deep reddish purple. He could see just about all he would need to see. Once the clouds had disappeared and the moon was full and high in the sky, his transformation would begin.

He tugged experimentally on his restraints as he heard Madam Pomfrey work on convincing James that for one night only he would have to be moved to another room.

It was all for his safety after all. Leave the wolf, run from the wolf, or be devoured by the wolf.

- X -

Severus Snape was average height, with hair that fell in lanky curtains around his pale face. His fingers were too long, which made up for his bitten down fingernails; his feet were perhaps a little too large for his frame, but this was only noticeable because the boy was always staring at them. Before the summer he had been skinny, though this couldn't really have been proved because of the oversized and baggy clothes he wore. Either way, if he had had any fat on him, over the summer it had been turned into muscle. His eyes were too dark for his white skin and made them look too big for his face. His lips were chapped.

When all was said and done, he wasn't attractive.

James had just been released from hospital after three more days of rest. He'd missed out on a whole week of school, and yet he'd been realised just in time to meet the most detestable creature known to mankind for a second time as a tutor. This time he would be playing it safe. He felt weak and pathetic jumping around Snape like he was a time bomb, but what could he do, lest he want to end up hospitalised again? Snape hadn't been that strong before Summer, and if he wasn't going to involve Sirius in this, then he didn't have any backup. Sitting on a desk chair, staring silently at the blank paper and writing equipment on the desk in front of him, and wondering where his 'tutor' had wound up, he couldn't help but ponder on the dungeon child.

The door creaked open, and James swivelled round in his chair to meet the glare of the lanky haired boy. Snape seemed… exhausted, if James took the time to look at him. The boy skulked into the room and set down a question paper on the desk on top of the previously mentioned materials. James eyed it warily.

"Make your way through that, write your answers on the lined paper, labelling them by number, use black ball point pen."

James could barely believe that the git was actually making an attempt to act like a tutor and be, well… normal, after last weeks incident. Even though James had sworn to play safe, he couldn't stand up a chance to stab at the bastard.

"We use fountain pens at Hogwarts, though I don't expect common muck such as yourself to have the skills required to use one."

Snape wondered if he should inform James that no, he really didn't have the skill to use one. Every first year sat the fountain pen test to make sure they didn't smudge, and then were provided with a customary Hogwarts fountain pen. Severus had never sat that test.

"I'm your tutor, and I require you to use a ball point. There is one on your desk." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Get writing, you only have an hour."

James could barely stop himself from pouting. He hated this. He hated having to do as Snape said, but knew he'd have to unless he wanted to disappoint his parents yet again. He sighed, knowing tomorrow he could get his revenge on the sarcastic bastard. He picked up the test and skimmed some of the questions; heart dropping as he realised that question after question they became more challenging. He thought he could barely attempt the ones at the start, but by the time he read the ending questions, he was completely disheartened. Who starts tutoring someone with a test anyway? Though, he supposed it did make sense, to test his ability and see what they needed to work on… he didn't want to admit that Snape may be a good tutor though, and immediately put the difficulty of the questions down to Snape being a sadistic bastard who wanted him to feel worthless.

Snape tapped his watch. James got to work. And for almost an hour they were sat in silence, with James scribbling away with the ball point pen he'd been so against using, and Severus sat in the corner, periodically checking his watch and flipping the pages of the book he seemed so incredibly engrossed with. That was, until, James stretched, yawned, and said;

"Done."

Snape checked his watch again.

"You still have ten minutes. You should check your answers."

James made a face that could only be described as childish and fish-like.

"I don't wanna. My hand hurts and this is boring."

Snape crossed his legs, placing his bookmark between the pages and placing the heavy volume on his knee, keeping it in place by a loosely draped hand.

"You're never going to achieve good grades with that attitude."

"Sue me teach."

James banged his head on the table, wondering if what had just passed between them could be classed as civilised. And had he really just called Snivellus 'teach'? Cleary he was going insane.

Snape stood, making his tantalizingly slow way around the table to look over James' shoulder. No. Tantalizing wasn't the right word, for that would suggest that there was something appealing about the way he moved, that would suggest that James was tempted by him.

_Well, bugger that. _He thought as Snape leaned down, gently brushing his shoulder, to point out James' answer to the third question.

"X equals 12." He said, "This is why you should check your answers."

James could barely stop himself from pouting,

"But that's a math question, and I suck at maths."

If it was possible, Snape had just mastered the 'you're an idiot' look, something which James was not so happy about. He glared, his lips forming a thin line not unlike that of McGonagall, and looked away.

"You're supposed to be a fucking tutor, why don't you just tell me the answer and save us both a lot of time and trouble?"

Snape sighed.

"Because you're never gunna learn like that. I wont be around to give you the answers in the real exam, and you don't want to disappoint dear old dad do you?"

James' fist hit the table with a deafening crash so quickly Snape didn't even see it move. The ball point pen raced across the desk and onto the floor with a clatter. James stood quickly and looked up with such a look of hatred that Snape was instantly reminded of why they sparked all the time. Having spent an hour in the boys company, it was a miracle neither of them were critically injured, and he'd somehow forgotten that he and James were actually supposed to hate each other. The anger that now burned in the smaller boys eyes was now a reminder however.

"Don't talk about me and my dad like you know everything that's to be said." the Gryffindor shouted, turning away so he didn't even have to look at Snape. "Everyone's always saying how I'm such a daddy's boy and I wouldn't dare disappoint him and crap… like any of you know what it's like being the son of the school governor with him constantly breathing down my neck. Like I _want _to have some pumped up prick tutoring me every Monday when I could be playing sport or hanging out with some genuinely nice people!"

Snape was wondering whether he should be insulted, or complimented that James would lose his cool over matters of his father in front of him. He took a step back and stumbled into a unused chair, making somewhat of a crash. James spun around to look at him again as if he'd only just noticed that Snape was still alive and breathing, and he wasn't venting at a corpse. Which would be a scary sight, to say the least.

James sighed, sinking back down into the chair he had abandoned and running a hand through that constantly messy hair.

"Hell, I know my grades are bad but… I don't think any amount of tutoring is gunna change that. Goodness knows they've been trying for years."

Snape couldn't help but sit down on the desk, picking up James' test and pretending to skim read it like he was seriously considering the issue, though in his mind he already knew what he wanted to say. He needed to do this tactfully though; Potter was a versatile creature and if Severus even so much as hinted that he could use all the information Potter had just given him against him, or suggest that in some way Severus might be at an advantage, Potter would go off his nut.

"Perhaps you're going about it the wrong way." He finally muttered, rubbing the edge of the paper between his thumb and forefinger. James gave him an inquisitive look, looking up at him from where he was seating on a chair; sat on the table, Severus towered over him. "Perhaps you simply can't learn because you're looking at things from a very academic viewpoint. Perhaps it's time you did things more realistically, related them more to how they would be used in real life."

James rolled his eyes.

"I cant see how maths will ever be used in real life, we have accountants to do all the dry stuff for us."

It was Severus' turn to roll his eyes.

"You are the most singular minded person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting." He chastised. "From now on I'm tutoring you my way, and I seriously don't care what your father says. It's about time you were introduced to the real world."

James sighed in thought. As long as it didn't mean he would have to be seen in public with such a evil-faced wart.

**Somehow I think that Severus and James are slightly too civilised for this moment… Don't worry, they shall get right back to fighting next chapter. **

**I had fun writing Remus and the Wolf though. That'll be explained more in chapters to come! **

**Who would you like to see some more of? Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Regulus Black and Evan Rossier, Mary McDonald, Eileen Prince or Andromeda Tonks (nee Black) and three year old Nymphadora? **

**I already have plans for Lily and Peter in this story. : )**

**So, please leave a review with your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 6 - Let's Get Serious.

Sirius Black was sat at the back of the classroom. James was to the right side of him, fiddling with his fountain pen and pursing his lips in concentration. In front of him was another Gryffindor boy, Pettigrew, who Sirius would admit he knew little about, despite sharing a house with the teenager. Two Pettigrew's left was Lily Evans, and to her left was Snape. The classroom had four rows of four desks, but not all of them were filled. All classes at Hogwarts were small, rarely reaching about ten. This was one of the larger classes, of nine. Snape was sat behind two of his fellow Slytherins, and Mary, a Gryffindor girl, was sat on Pettigrews right. In front of the Slytherins sat a boy, at the front of the room, creating a row all on his own.

Sirius had seen this scene a million times before, even though Hogwarts students had every choice to move seats, most of them were too lazy to pick a different seat each time and ended up regulating back to the same desks as they always used. Sirius always sat at the back, with James on his right. Yet, it was not before now that Sirius had noticed anything strange about the lonely looking boy who sat at the front, three rows in front of Sirius, to the right. Loony, he'd called him, and promptly been corrected to Lupin, by James. Loony Lupin had mousy hair, calloused hands and hazel eyes that glinted gold in certain lighting. Not that Sirius had been looking close enough to see so. Of course, even if Sirius had seen those beautiful eyes, he may have been sidetracked with why the boy held his interest today.

His dark green, long sleeved jumper had shifted slightly, for only a second while Sirius had been idly gazing towards that part of the classroom. The sleeve had ridden up revealing a slender wrist, a wrist that was bright red in irritation and loosely covered in badly wrapped bandages (probably applied by Lupin himself). The bandages were so badly wrapped they did a terrible job of covering the wound. Such a distinctive wound.

Teeth marks.

Teeth marks that had drawn blood, if Sirius was seeing right.

A fight with a dog maybe? But it was so raw… where would Lupin have found a dog near Hogwarts, where they were forbidden? Besides, Sirius didn't like to say… He gulped. No, it didn't matter. It couldn't be.

James flicked a note across at him, which he caught stealthily, looking up at Professor Sprout, who was lecturing them on the Netherlands. Sprout was a kind lady who taught Geography during the day, but took a gardening club on the weekends. She was kind, but stern when it came to students not paying attention. Sirius made sure she had her back turned before he looked down and unfolded the note. Inside James had written neatly, his handwriting curly and precise which suggested at endless hours of practise as a small child.

_What do you think is wrong with Mary?_

Sirius looked across at the pale, dark haired girl on Pettigrews right, directly in front of James. Her hands kept sweeping across her paper, putting her pen down and itching upwards to cradle her head, before she caught herself doing it and they went to rejoin her pen and paper. They were shaking and pale and she had the beginnings of bags forming under her eyes that Sirius probably wouldn't have noticed had he not been looking for them. He glanced over at Sprout again, who had set them an assignment (though now Sirius didn't know what it was) and was talking earnestly with one of the Slytherins in the second row. She wasn't paying him any attention, so he quickly wrote back in his own somewhat refined handwriting:

_Headache?_

He passed it across and watched discreetly out of the corner of his eyes for James reaction. He saw the boy shrug and shake his head, but didn't know what to make of it. Besides, for all of his worrying about the physical state of the other students in his geography class, Sirius had yet to dwell on his own state of being. Not physically, for he was definitely fit, but emotionally. He let a small smile play on his lips; he knew he was fit, for all the girls said so.

If James had the ability to read thoughts, he would surely tell Sirius not to be so cocky.

Okay Sirius, let's get serious…

He snorted into his textbook, suddenly happy that James could NOT read his thoughts, for after all, making bad jokes about his own name was just embarrassing. Curse his mother for being so bad at naming her sons. Really, Sirius and Regulus?

Of course, it all came down to his mother in the end, he'd have to face it. During the summer, when he'd moved out to live with James… he paused; when he'd run away. A sigh drifted out past his lips before he had time to catch it. He'd run away in the summer, no longer being able to bear the snide remarks from his mother. Remarks about his grade, his house, his irresponsibility. It was a cruel and subtle form of abuse which was nothing compared with what she was truly like.

Walburga Black was twisted, that was for sure. She had no affection for her sons, only putting up with them to make sure they married respectable girls and had respectable grandchildren. She could never say anything positive to say about either of them, preferring to always point out their faults. Not to mention the punishments they got for the most ridiculous things. A slap for not being to dinner on time, or two days surviving on just water for being disrespectful in front of guests. Which would make more sense, had they been disrespectful. The oddest of rules applied to their home, whereas when Sirius had been living with James, they didn't exist. For example, at the dinner table, Sirius waited his turn to serve himself, and then took a little less then everyone else, for after all, he was the youngest to eat at the Potters. At home, Regulus was the one to take the least. James had found it odd and had started piling more on to his friends plate, complaining that Sirius didn't eat enough. And it was Regulus that had it the worst. As a Gryffindor, Sirius had managed to detach himself from the Black family, but Regulus was a Slytherin, and it was obvious that much more was expected of him; now the favoured son.

Sirius could remember begging his little brother to go with him when he'd decided to run away in the summer. He remembered clearly taking his hushed whispers with the boy, looking out of his bedroom window at what he viewed as freedom. But Regulus had just shaken his head, that annoying half-smile plastered on his lips.

_"She doesn't know what she does Sirius."_

Sirius wished he could believe, as his brother did, that their mother was simply confused and didn't know how to show her emotions. But he had seen the cruellest side of her that Regulus had yet to experience. Oh how Sirius wished he could just take his little brother away and hide him from her evil habits, but he'd received his ultimatum the day he walked out of Grimmuald Place's door.

_"Are you truly leaving Siri?"_

Sirius remembered nodding his head, grinning at his brother with his overnight bag swung over one shoulder. Regulus had frowned at him then, looking away, upset.

_"I didn't think you'd really go… I… I wish you wouldn't leave." _Regulus had shaken his head, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. _"I may never forgive you if you do."_

And yet Sirius had gone anyway. He walked out the door and left his brother behind with his mother. He'd left him knowing that Regulus would never forgive him, and he'd put his own freedom above his brothers happiness. What kind of brother was he? How could he?

- X -

James re-read the note that Sirius had passed back. Headache. It didn't look like a normal headache, although it was obviously something effecting her head. It was almost as if she was fighting a migraine, or she was hung over. Yet, that was a ridiculous thought, for Mary was a lady of Hogwarts. Ladies of Hogwarts never drunk enough to get hung over.

Speaking of drunk, there was a note screwed up in the back of James' trouser pocket that had been niggling at the back of his thoughts all day. His 'tutor' had been passing him in the corridor that morning when he discreetly passed it across. James hadn't looked at it until first period, and at last period, it was still bugging him. James had made every attempt to look above Snape when the two had passed each other today; looking angry and distracted and doing a very good impression of his father when he tilted his nose slightly upwards and looked down it. Yet, the note had given no impression of any rivalry that stood between the two. It almost seemed… pleasant.

And then of course there was the subject matter.

_Meet me at nine o' clock Friday night in front of the Helga Hufflepuff statue on the first floor, if you can spare your time._

His handwriting, in comparison to both his own and Sirius' was definitely lacking in social refinery. But why on Earth would Snivellus Snape want to meet him at all? For tea and biscuits? Somehow James thought not. A part of him wondered whether this was Snape's idea of organising a fight, in which case James was worried that he might lose. After all, Snape and hospitalised him once, and James didn't doubt he could do it again. Especially since the loss of blood and appetite last time had caused him to have prolonged anaemia. On the other hand, the note didn't seem threatening and it was almost as if Snape was… he blushed. Well, creating a meet up time for some sort of… date.

He grimaced at the thought. Snape? Even if he has any interest in men, he certainly didn't have any interest in slimy, greasy ones. If Snape really did think their relationship had 'progressed' to that level, James would be sure to tell him how wrong his was, with the use of his fists.

That way he'd get the fight he'd originally been worried about though. To be completely honest, the situation was downright confusing, yet James had no doubt he would end up going, just to see what Snape considered important enough to write down in note form and throw off James' entire day for.

Fuck, why were guys so god-damn confusing!

… He didn't just think that.

He stood as the bell went, collecting his things slowly and placing them neatly and precisely into his satchel style bag. He was taking his time, hoping that Sirius would leave the classroom before him so he could collect his thoughts before he had to walk. Besides, Snape was in the room, and Snape was always slow at collecting his things. If he took enough time, maybe he could arrange it right so that only he and Snape were the ones left in the classroom. That way he could get answers out of the boy without having to meet with him at nine, and without being seen with the bat in front of his friends.

It was only a matter of time before his prediction came true. Sirius had hung back for all of two seconds before decided that both boys had other things on their minds (as if James hadn't noticed his best friends broodiness!) and walked off, closely followed by Lily Evans. Within two minutes the class had all but disappeared, and Snape was still carefully placing his work into his rucksack and putting that ugly trench coat of his onto his shoulders, ready to slide his arms in. James padded up behind him, stopping a good three paces away so he didn't get any Slytherin germs, and cleared his throat.

Snape turned slowly and deliberately, only making eye-contact with the Gryffindor when he was fully turned around and leant lightly against the desk he'd been working at. The Slytherin folded his arms across his chest, lightly and nonchalantly, all of a sudden making James feel childish and naïve. James scowled.

"Look Snivellus, as much as I'm sure you're little bat friends appreciate you're love notes, I'm not one of them, so I'd appreciate it if you kept the hell away from me unless we're forced to be close, understood?"

Snape rose one shapely eyebrow.

Probably not a good time to realise how defined his eyebrows are James, the Gryffindor scolded himself, biting the inside of his lower lip to make himself stand his ground. Snape cocked his head slightly to the side, raising his chin up reminiscent of the way James had tried to act superior that very morning.

"I'd love nothing more then to keep away from you." He finally breathed, creating Goosebumps on James' back and arms. "On the other hand, I have a debt to fill, and you are in desperate need of help."

James frowned, slightly affronted by the other boys words. Sure, his grades weren't good, but at least he could have worded it nicer. His lips cocked in to a smile. Because he and Snape were known for being pleasant to each other.

"You have your set time to pay off your debt and it is not the time specified in your note."

Snape smirked, and James had to wonder when he'd become so adapt at the movement.

"Stop walking and talking like you have a stick up your ass will ya? I know I'm the one supposedly learning social etiquette, but you need to learn social normality."

James stared, wondering if that was the longest thing Snape had ever said to him.

"I know social normality!"

Snape shook his head, turning to leave the classroom.

"I shall see you at nine on Friday, and then we'll see what you know about social normality."

Suddenly, James had a really bad feeling about nine o' clock on Friday evening. Heck though, he knew he'd still go.

**Kill. Me. Now. **

**I am sorry it is late, but please don't get annoyed at me. Life officially sucks right now, so boohoo.**

**I really hope you enjoyed the crapity though, and reviews are always welcome. I promise you the next chapter wont be so bad. Probably. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 7 -

"Where are we going?" James asked as he was unceremoniously dragged down the first floor corridor. Having met with his rival at the designated statue, on time (for he actually cared about punctuality thank you very much!) he has been expecting an explanation for the secret rendezvous. So far, being grunted at by the lanky haired boy had not sufficed. When Snape took off down the Grand Staircase and across the Entrance Hall, James had not been hesitant to follow. Yet now, in the chilly September air, with Snape still striding purposefully across the school grounds, he felt it time to speak up. The straightforward answer given, however, was not what he had been expecting.

"France."

_ha, ha Snape. You're so hilarious. _James thought, sending sarcastic vibes towards the Slytherin.

"France?" He questioned aloud, letting his disbelief slip into his tone. Snape, James made out ahead of him in the dark, shrugged his shoulders - the movement was illuminated by the moons glow. Which, James reminded himself, was actually just reflecting the suns glow from the other side of the earth. Or something like that. He thought that was what Snape had said last Monday.

"Biggish kinda country, sort of looks like an old guy in a hat."

James stopped short, crossing his arms over his chest and placing his feet firmly on the floor, adopting a pose not unlike the stance of a stropping toddler.

"I _know_ what France is!" he pouted, turning his head away so that Snape couldn't see it, dark or not. "Unfortunately for you, we can't possibly go there! At least, not tonight."

At this, Snape turned round, raising one of his sharply defined eyebrows.

"Why not? We have the whole weekend before lessons start again, it won't matter as long as we get back before Monday."

James gaped at him.

"People will realise I'm gone from the tower. I realise people may not care about you, but I actually have friends! Besides, this technically still counts as term time! My father wont stand for it, and besides, even he did, Sirius most certainly wont!"

Severus sighed angrily, obviously he thought James' protests were wasting his time.

"So is Sirius your mother now? Really James, I thought you and that other Gryffindor brat called yourself Marauders, where's your sense of adventure?"

James paused for though, taking a step back, which seemed to come instinctively now he was spending more time with the Slytherin. He didn't notice his eyes slightly wider then normal, or his mouth slightly open. With the moonlight shining down on him, and the shocked expression, Snape would liken him to a deer caught in headlights.

James couldn't help but ponder what he would have to do to get Snape to call him by his first name again. It had certainly been unexpected, but strangely, it was not unpleasant. He didn't think he'd ever heard anyone say his name quite like that - with a mixture of amusement and contempt. It should have been mangled and painful to hear, but James would be lying if he said he was not pleased with the outcome. He knew, in that moment, he would stop at nothing to get Snape to say it once more. Unfortunately, given their history, it wasn't like he could just outright _ask_ the boy to do it again. No. He'd have to do this subtly. He'd have to _make_ Snape call him by his first name once more.

Resignedly, he took a few steps forward until he was almost inline with the Slytherin. He didn't overtake - after all, he had no clue where he was going - and stopped just short of being equal with the boy.

"Well, are we going?"

Snape nodded, turning on heel, letting that strange trench coat billow behind him. James followed behind him, thinking of the coat that Snape almost always wore. He'd never seen the boy out of dark colours like black or dark brown or dark green - it made him almost completely impossible to place in the dead of night. James could just barely make out his outline. And what was most odd about the coat? It billowed. As much as James knew about Trench coats (and he admitted he was not expert) was that they were made of heavy material. Heavy material could never flow so elegantly, the way Snape seemed to make his flow whenever he turned. Not that, of course, he'd ever tell Snape he found anything the slimy git did elegant.

It was only when Snape stopped in his tracks and looked back over his shoulders that James realised his had a fistful of the long coat. He instantly let go, blushing deeply and hoping the shield of darkness around them would be enough to cover it.

"Sorry. Tripped." He muttered, knowing full well that he had not tripped, and also knowing that Snape probably knew he had not tripped either. He could still feel the material in his hand, it was certainly light - almost more like some form of cloak. James snorted under his breath, like some old fashioned traveller or pretend wizard. Yeah, and Snape thought he had social normality issues.

They passed through the ground gates and James took one last look over his shoulder at the school that he called home. He guessed there was no turning back now. It was strange to think he was heading off to a weekend in France with Snape. It seemed like the type of thing you were supposed to do with someone special. He coughed a couple of times, eyes wide. Snape was most certainly _not_ someone special. Heck, James would be surprised if they hadn't killed each other by the time the trip was up. Besides, he still didn't know why they were supposed to be going to _France_ of all places! He chided himself mentally, he had a habit of blinding following strange men, didn't he…

He stopped dead.

Snape walked two steps more before realising he was no longer being followed. The boy turned slowly, obviously getting impatient with James' many different ways to hold them up. If the Gryffindor kept it up they would miss the train. He patiently counted to three, using the Mississippi rule to make sure he was being fair, then his shoulder dropped when he saw that James was probably not with him; mentally, at any rate.

Yes. James was definitely staring in to space. Daydreaming? Reliving a memory? The expression on his face looked almost… scared. It was one that Snape didn't get to see very often. He took the two steps back and placed a hand on the shorter boys shoulder, effectively snapping him out of his train of thoughts. James looked at him for all of half a second in a shocked daze, before he started glaring and batted the Slytherin's hand away.

"Don't touch me you bat." He spat, walking around him and defiantly taking the leading position in their little stroll. If Snape hadn't instantly recognised the defence mechanism of anger, he would have attacked back. As it was, Snape really wasn't in the mood, and so started tagging behind obediently, wondering how lost they'd get with James leading the way.

- X -

Lily Evans swore. It was something she didn't really do often in the company of the posh gits that made up the majority of the school. Usually she left the special privilege for Severus Snape, her best friend from the days before she came to this wretched school. Now, however, she genuinely didn't care who overheard her curse. Usually she'd try to keep up the pretence of a lady - it helped her survive the hierarchal prejudices. Now, however, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Mary McDonald, half-blood, lots of friends, cute and sporty and popular, she was one of the only girls Lily thought she could trust, simply because she was so kind. Yet, looking at her now, you wouldn't believe the description. Her face had become waxy and hollow, and her eyes were sunken and unnaturally dilated. Her hair hadn't been washed in days and she seemed to have a permanently paranoid look about her wherever she went. Lily had made up her mind earlier that day to follow her and see what was wrong - she couldn't stand seeing her friend suffering. Yet, seeing this, Lily only felt betrayed.

There she was, second floor corridor, outside the girls toilets that everyone avoided because that was where Mulciber and his gang hung out. The pure-bloods of the school were completely oblivious to Mulciber's wicked dealings, but everyone bellow them were not so naïve. Lily watched in disappointment as Mary was taken into a rough embrace by the big bully everyone only knew by his last name - Mulciber himself. Mary closed her eyes and slipped the large boy something, and in return Mulciber slipped her something back, and Lily had no doubt what it was. She sighed form her hiding place on the other side of the corridor. How could Mary get involved in these guys? What could Mulciber possibly have done to convince her his devilish ways were the way to go? Mary was such a sweet and kind girl, and now she had succumbed to drugs… It was possibly the saddest thing Lily had ever seen. The lively happy girl she had once known was actually this shell of a person she now saw before her? She almost refused to believe it had she not seen it with her own eyes.

She slowly started making her way down the stairs, making it out as if she was just passing by, and had not been spying. She deliberately kept her eyes trained on the artwork that decorated Hogwarts' walls as she treaded the stairs. She made it all the way to the Entrance Hall before the first tear slipping from her eyes, and she quickly hurried down to the dungeons. She may have the comfort of Gryffindor tower, but she preferred the Slytherin dungeons as her home here. This was where Snape was. She turned and leant against the wall next to where the door was to the Slytherin common room. The guard was awake, which was a rarity, and he eyed her warily.

She slipped down the wall and put her head on her knees, covering herself with her arms while she sobbed. How could Mary do this? She was taking it as a personal betrayal. Mary had always stuck by Lily's convictions that drugs were the devils work and destroyed people - had all of that been a lie, while she was secretly getting them supplied to her behind Lily's back? How long had this been going on? How long had Mulciber and Mary been laughing at Lily behind her back? She knew it was wrong, but her fists clenched as she thought how much she would like to get revenge for the betrayal. Her sobs quietened down and she breathed deep. She'd see Severus soon. He'd make it all better. He may not be able to do anything about Mary, but he'd certainly calm Lily down.

She looked up as she felt a calloused hand on her shoulder.

"S'cuse me miss?" asked the guard, asking at polite but looking for all the world like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Mind if I ask who you're looking for? You're not a Slytherin are ya?"

Lily shook her head. Her hands gripped at her knees and she sniffed.

"Sev… Severus Snape." She told the guard, and watched as he stiffened, looking around awkwardly. He obviously didn't want to be the bearer of bad news.

"Sorry miss." He said eventually, still refusing to look down at her. "But Mr. Snape… I think I last saw him heading outside with the Gryffindor he tutors now."

Lily furrowed her brow.

Snape tutored? Snape tutored a GRYFFINDOR? She sighed and stood up, brushing the imaginary dirt of her knees with her hands. She looked up and gave a large fake grin to the guard.

"Thank you very much for your help!" She chimed, before heading off up the stairs, trying to hide her disappointed look.

- X -

James had managed to lead them about three metres before he started going off track, so Snape subtly put himself in the lead again, trying not to draw attention to the fact. It took them about an hour to get down to the train station in Hogsmead, the little village close to the school where James' parents had property. James seemed to want to avoid going near there, and Snape could help but wonder if James was feeling like a kid outside after his curfew.

They had to wait another ten minutes for the train to arrive, which seemed a lot longer since the two were sitting in silence. It was particularly chilly out and James found himself sat on a station bench trying not to shiver and give Snape ammunition for teasing. He brought his legs up, knees bent, and hugged them close to his body, trying to conserve heat. When the train finally arrived a few passengers got off, but they were the only people getting on. James thought this might mean they would get compartments to themselves and he wouldn't have to share an awkward journey with the Slytherin bat, however, Snape easily lead him into a small compartment and told him that the train had many stops and many passengers used it, and that they shouldn't take up unnecessary room.

"I'm sure you're used to luxury private compartments, but I'm afraid when travelling with me this will have to do." he jibbed, looking out the window at the Hogsmead station. James glared at him, but realising he was getting no response from it he gave up and stared at the compartment door, wondering how long it would take them to get all the way to France, and how many times they would have to stop and take different forms of transport. Surely they couldn't get all the way to France by train?

It was only once the train had started moving that James realised that Snape had been carrying a small briefcase, yet he had no luggage at all - and they were going to France! After voicing his concerns, he'd had to wonder whether he'd ever seen Snape laugh before.

**Next chapter I will be introducing Lucius and Narcissus, and adding some more twists and turns! Oh, doesn't everyone just LOVE sub-plots? **

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think.**

**~Od**


	8. Chapter 8

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

I just noticed I didn't name chapter 7, for anyone who cares it was 'Blindly Following Strange Men'

Chapter 8 - From Calais to Caen

A little past midnight, as they were passing Liverpool, James fell asleep. Severus could tell he had been fighting the waves of tiredness for awhile, and in all reality was somewhat relieved when they boy's head dropped and he fell to the right, landing so he was laying a little awkwardly on the train bench. Severus doubted he was comfortable, but decided that one in such a tired state that they would close their eyes to an enemy was certainly not that bothered about comfort.

He took the time to study the boy he'd dragged from Hogwarts. It was obvious that James rarely went anywhere without some form of escort, be that escort his father, Sirius Black or some sort of servant. Severus mused that in a way he was now one of those servants. He certainly had never travelled working class. Hell, Potter probably had his own chauffeur or something. Since being sat on the train Potter had spent almost every moment with his nose pressed up against the window, despite it being dark outside and not being able to see very much. Given that fact it hadn't taken long for the novelty to wear off and James to get bored, and that was when he started getting tired.

He was still in his school uniform, though he had loosened the tie, and taken off his glasses about half an hour before hand. With Potters eyes closed Severus found it much harder to read the boys expression, but his hair was plastered to his head and he had a slight frown upon his otherwise unblemished features.

It wasn't as if Severus was likely to tell James that the Gryffindor was blessed when he came to looks. James was an aristocrat. He was slightly too pale, which showed he never had to do labour outside. He was slender, showing again the lack of physical work. His fingers were long and elegant and his nose had a slight bump to it, which kept his glasses in place. His eyes, when open, held a sense of superiority. The only thing that let him down was his hair. Whilst everything else about him screamed aristocracy, his hair would never lie flat and stuck out at odd angles. Charles Potter had his hair slicked back neatly, but no matter what James tried it always fell back to its messy state.

Severus liked the fact that there was something connecting the Potters to the working class, the real world: even if it was only James' stubborn hair.

He'd have to wake James up when they reached London and swapped to the train that would take them to France. He fumbled in the bag he'd brought and brought out two fake passports. While he had no doubt James had one, he couldn't take James Potter out of the country without questions arising, so James would have to deal with another identity through customs. It wasn't as if the French were particularly cautious anyway.

In the end it took a long time to convince James of his new last name, and what to say to the French and it wasn't like they were going into the country to wreak havoc, so he shouldn't feel guilty about lying to the custom officials. They spent from London, through Dover and all the way through the tunnel arguing about it in hushed voices, and Severus only had victory over the subject matter as they were reaching the French boarder of Calais. As expected neither of them had any problems through passport control and Severus took his small bag and started to roughly guide James through the crowd and into the world of France.

- X -

James followed Snape closely through the crowd in the train terminal into Calais, continuously glancing down at his new passport. It featured the same picture of him on his real passport (and goodness knows how Snape got his grimy hands on that), yet his last name had changed from Potter to Stanley. Granted, his family were not as well known in France, but surely someone would have picked up on the fact that he was not who the passport said he was? It was hard to stop dwelling on it, but Calais was quite a sight to see. James wondered whether he should tell Snape that France was a whole new experience for him, as the other boy was striding purposefully through the city towards a main road. He decided against it, not wanting to give Snape any reason to tease him. After all, the son of a rich Family should be well travelled.

He followed quickly and quietly, wondering when he had become so prone to trusting the bat-like boy. He had to stop next to him as they reached a main road that went south from Calais.

"We're hitchhiking." Snape said shortly, not turning to gain eye contact with his travel companion. James couldn't help but grimace.

"Can't we get a taxi?" He asked, he wasn't going to ask for a personal limousine, but surely a taxi would be better then getting into a car with unprofessional strangers who could easily only be giving you a lift to take advantage of you? He could already feel his legs trembling as Snape shook his head and stuck out his thumb to the side of the road - a universally recognised sign. He gulped. "I can pay!" He bargained, then remembered he had no money on him as he had left all his belongings at Hogwarts - as of that moment all he had were the shoes on his feet.

Snape sighed, starting to walk south along the road. James followed reluctantly. "Or we could walk." he supplied.

"To Caen?"

James didn't pretend to know the distance between Calais and Caen, but he could tell from Snape's tone that walking was not an option. He dawdled behind the Slytherin, his hands wringing themselves without his even noticing it.

"How about a bus?"

Snape sighed, turning on his heel and glaring at James.

"I don't have the money to spend on useless travel like busses. Especially since we're going to Normandy. Busses in France are slow and infrequent, we're certainly not going to find one this late - early - and I don't plan on camping out here. I realise hitchhiking isn't exactly high-class but you're living in the real world now Potter!"

James lowered his gaze to the floor, reluctant to tell Snape that his not wanting to hitchhike had nothing to do with class. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. He didn't see Snape stick out his thumb again, but assumed his did as they began their slow meander south again, following the line of the road. James sauntered on behind the Slytherin, praying that he turned up unlucky. His prayers were not answered.

"oú?"

The man was driving a large four-by-four and spoke heavily. His short sentence and bad accent alerted James instantly that he was not native. If there was one thing he excelled at it was Languages. He watched, slightly amused, as Snape tried to answer back in broken French, before standing forward.

"We wish to go to Caen." He swallowed, standing slightly closer to Snape without even realising it.

"You speak English eh?"

"You wanted to practise your French?"

The man shook his head, grinning. The action put James on edge and he took a step back before Snape grabbed his arm and held him in place. All of James fidgeting was making him dizzy.

"Hop in boys. Lucky for you I'm heading that way."

Snape had no hesitation of climbing into the back seat. He turned to pull James up and saw the boy had taken three long strides backwards. He sighed.

"What's you problem?" The Slytherin all but screamed. "This man is nice enough to give us a lift, don't keep him waiting!"

_Don't keep them waiting Jamie…_

James firmly shook his head, taking another step back. He bowed his head to hide his eyes, trying to fight with them to stop the tears spilling over. He hadn't been so concerned about this in such a long time, why did this all bring back so many broken memories?

In an instant Severus was by his side, gently guiding him into the car. He sat in the back seat, eyes squeezed shut and hand squeezing Snape's wrist. If it hurt the boy in anyway he was wise enough not to say anything. Snape manoeuvred both of them so that they were strapped in (heck, for all they knew this man could drive like a maniac), and signalled to their new driver that it was okay to go. The man looked slightly concerned about James antics but chose not to say anything, putting his car into gear and driving off.

Snape decided that this was just one more mystery he was going to have to solve during his time as James' tutor.

- X -

James fell asleep quickly after the drama, his eyes never opened from their defiant closing, but they relaxed and his breathing deepened, alerting Snape to his state. When they arrived in Caen Snape thanked the driver and ended up carrying the slender boy away from the road side. God knew he'd tried waking him but when James Potter wanted to sleep there was no stopping him.

At first he carried him bridal-side, but soon found down the twist and alleys of Caen, towards the place he was heading for, this was awkward and would probably end in disaster, so by the time they arrived at their destination Snape had done some juggling and had ending up with a heavy, asleep James Potter on his back, arms draped loosely around his neck and Snape arms keeping his securely in place by his legs.

"I wasn't aware you were bringing a toy with you."

Snape was glad to see the died blonde hair of Narcissa Black, despite the sarky comment. He juggled Potter on his back and motioned for her to take his briefcase, which had been dangling dangerously from his little finger for a long time now. She did so without protest.

"He's not a toy." Snape finally said, "More like unwanted baggage."

Narcissa smiled, and it was nice. It wasn't the smirk-like superior-looking snarl she kept for everyone else, it was a true smile that she reserved for Severus. She liked Severus, he was hardened and logical and not pompous.

"This is the boy you sold yourself too?"

Snape blushed furiously, happy that James was asleep.

"I sold myself to no one. I am just repaying a debt."

"I thought you were to teach him geography and math and other such academic subjects." Narcissa wondered, raising his eyebrow in a perfect arch. Snape shrugged.

"I am, but he isn't one for pen to paper. I am a teacher for my student."

Narcissa sighed.

"I never understood what that meant."

In truth Severus wasn't entirely sure what it meant either. His mother said it a lot when she taught him things while he was growing up. In basic terms he could suggest that the meaning meant she would adapt how she taught to help her student understand better. So, in this scenario, since James needed to learn how to apply things to real life, Snape would first have to teach him about real life.

He hated to think that he was thinking too much about how to help the git who had tormented him for years, but he had developed his love for teaching through his mother and couldn't help but want to see his pupil do well - despite the fact that his pupil was a loud-mouthed smarmy daddy's boy.

"It means he's coming to the concert with us tomorrow, and hopefully we'll get him so drunk he wont remember a thing in the morning."

Narcissa smirked.

"That does sound like a good idea." As they spoke they had made their way up many flights of stairs and Narcissa finally let them in to a small, slightly run-down, flat. Snape deposited James on the sofa. "Try not to get my cousin in too much trouble okay?" She asked, smiling a little fondly at Severus' unwanted baggage.

Severus nodded.

"Talking of Cousins." He said, not hiding the distain in his voice. As it was he didn't have to ask the question he was leading up to, because Narcissa tapped her foot and glared at him.

"Lucius is visiting Bella and Rudolphus, and no he does not know where I am. He thinks I am wasting my time on Andromeda." She sighed. "I know you don't like him Sev, but he is my fiancé now, and my mother approves of him."

Severus turned his head - how could she call him her fiancé if she openly admitted to lying to him as to where she was?

James stirred on the sofa.

**There we go, Narcissa and mentions of Lucius. Lucius will in fact have a BIT of a larger role in this story, but Lucius and Narcissa are really just a MINOR sub plot. **

**Erm, I have been to France twice and both times to Caen and the surrounding areas in Normandy. On the other hand, I have never been by train through Calais, so if details here are wrong please tell me. I can imagine they probably are. I just wanted to do it that way because I wanted to put the hitchhiking scene in. You can take a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, but then they'd already be in Caen and I wouldn't be able to put the hitchhiking in. So please take everything I say about Calais with a pinch of salt. **


	9. Chapter 9

-1**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I am not making any money from it.**

Chapter 9 -

Walburga Black was an enigma. She wasn't easily explained or understood. That was why she had to rely on those closest to her to stand by her side, despite her how angry she became, or her breakdowns late at night. Her husband, Orion would always be there for her. He may have married his slightly older cousin to keep his blood pure and give his unborn children a better start in life, but he knew that somewhere along the line he had grown into some form of affection for the woman. He hated to watch her pace the halls at midnight in a daze, tears falling down those oh-so-pale cheeks. He hated to see her grow in anger until she blew up at her sons, red in the face in her anger and her words so harsh. He hated to watch as slapped his sons for the stupidest things, but hated even more when she would sit and cry afterwards. He knew that Sirius believed she carried no feelings for any of her family, but he also knew that Sirius was wrong.

Walburga didn't know how to show the deep intense emotions she felt for her sons. She wanted them to do well in life, so when Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor it had been an even larger disappointment to her then expected. She was so passionate in her feelings that all she could do was to turn them into anger - a most passionate display. At least, that was what Orion hoped for.

Regulus knew.

Regulus watched his parents fight, watched his mother pace the halls in tears, watched her hit the walls till her knuckles bled. He watched his father try to calm her only to be slapped down. He watched his father stay up late at night to worry. He listened as his mother spat obscenities at him, and listened to the silence she was greeted with. Father could never say a bad word about her, no matter what she did to him. Regulus could understand that, he was exactly the same.

He wasn't like Sirius, he wasn't as brave or headstrong. That was why Sirius was in Gryffindor and Regulus was a Slytherin. Regulus wasn't going to rush into the situation, he was happy to step back and look at things before taking action - and that was why Regulus could see what his brother could not. That was why Regulus knew that his mother did care for them, but she didn't know how to show it. It was the same theory he shared with his father, though at the time he didn't know it. Walburga Black didn't know what she did. She was blinded by her love for her family that she wanted to show them in the most passionate way possible. That was why Regulus had grown to cherish the pain that she dealt out.

She knows not what she does.

She was blind and deaf to the world when she hit them or screamed at them. And how he wished that Sirius could see that too, for surely it was ripping Walburga apart not to have her most beloved son near her - and Regulus knew that too. Walburga cherished him, but not the way she loved Sirius. Sirius, her first born son, the connection that she shared with him; one sided, was by far greater then the love she had for Regulus. Regulus couldn't bring himself to mind, for he made it up to her in the love he returned, that Sirius did not. In the end, it was because Sirius had left, leaving Walburga to pine for him.

That was why Regulus could never forgive his brother.

Since Sirius had run away in the summer Walburga's fits had started coming more often, and they were worse. She scratched at Orion's face, punched and kicked the walls, attacked the servants and had started completely ignoring Regulus. Above all, she had started hallucinating. Regulus' had heard her calling one of the servants Sirius just before she attacked them. All of it was Sirius' fault: for abandoning her.

"So what do ya say?" Evan Rossier shuffled his feet, looking at the floor and clutching at his satchel. His blonde hair was ruffled, as if he had been playing with it. Regulus sighed, adjusting his own bag over his shoulder to make it more comfortable. He didn't know what to say.

When Evan had been kicked out of home he knew he would do anything in his power to help the boy. Evan was his best friend here at Hogwarts, and was a good anchor to reality. His parents hadn't been happy with his grades and they had argued, and now Evan was out on the streets. While he was at Hogwarts all was fine, but what would the blonde do during summer holidays? Remus wanted to help, but he knew if Evan ever found out about his mother his literal thinking mind would never think about the emotional aspects of the Black Family and he would try to convince Regulus to take Walburga to the police, or file for child abuse. Unfortunately, Regulus could never do that. He didn't view what his mother did as abuse, and even he did, he loved his mother and wouldn't ever rip his family apart the way his older brother had the previous summer. On the other hand, he didn't want to lose a friend…

"Evan… I wish you could stay with me, but… my mother…"

Evan shuffled again.

"Right. Your mother." He sounded upset. Regulus had used the same vague sentence when Evan had asked to stay last summer for a week or two and be introduced to the Black Family. If it had been Regulus, Sirius and Orion then the Slytherin would have been all for it. However, Walburga would always complicate things.

Regulus sighed again.

"I am sorry Evan. You know I'd do anything for you right?"

Evan shrugged.

"Anything so long as it doesn't involve your mother right?" He looked away. "How much are you willing to give up for her?"

Regulus bit his lip, chewed slightly, then stopped - remembering how Walburga had scolded him for the unsavoury habit.

"I don't want to lose our friendship." He stated and watched as Evan shrugged.

"I don't either. But what if one day you have chose between me and her? It stands to reason you'd chose her…" He trailed off slightly, seemed to be about to say something, but thought better of it and turned on his heel. "I'll catch ya later. I still have to find someone who will put me up this summer."

Regulus watched his friends retreating back, refusing to acknowledge the beginnings of resentment building inside him towards his mother. He didn't want to lose his friends because of her. He didn't want to lose everything because of her - no matter how much he loved her or how much she needed him. Had she not been ignoring him ever since Sirius' leaving anyway? He clenched his fists at his sides. Is this what Sirius felt? Was his brother forced to choose between his friends or his family? By human nature one would chose their family - the bonds we have with them are by far greater then those we have with friends. Yet… the pain of losing a friend is always red-raw, and if it isn't completely certain that your mother even cares for you, then… Regulus hated to admit that he could see why Sirius had to get away.

Who would he chose, when the time came?

- X -

"Petunia."

The girl had jet black hair and a face slightly to thin, as if she hadn't been eating for awhile. She was deathly pale and her neck was too long for the rest of her body. Yet, she wasn't unattractive. Her eyes were a light blue and her lips were naturally a flushed red. She was slim and tall and her floral dress hung delicately on her. She was nothing overtly special to look at, her grades were not good, and she was outspoken, but she was affectionate and she would not be talked out of something she believed true. Events in ones life can leave on bitter and ones trust can often be misplaced, yet even so Petunia's beliefs would never change - despite what she may say or how she might act on the outside.

As of that moment she ignored her sister, brushing past her.

"Sorry Lily, I am in a rush."

Petunia had never been best friends with her sister, as some little girls are. They had grown up in the same house, ate the same meals at dinner every day and even been accepted into the same school. Petunia had been accepted first, despite what most of the pure-bloods thought. It had been she who had won scholarship, in a stroke of luck. Most wouldn't believe it as Lily's grades were so much better then her own; but it was the truth. Yet Petunia and Lily had not grown into inseparable sisters. They were simply too vastly different.

Lily was red-haired, outspoken, collected and her startling green eyes caught the attention of quite a few of the men. She was confident and didn't mind playing on others emotions to get her own way - which Petunia thought was a very Slytherin trait for a Gryffindor. Lily had met Severus Snape at the young age and the two had instantly hit it off, whereas Petunia had entered Hogwarts with no friends or connections. Lily was talented in sports and academia; Petunia could knit fairly well.

"Petunia, it's important. It's about Mary."

Petunia brushed off her sister again.

"She'll have to wait. This is important too."

Lily stood still, watching her sister continue down the corridor, she huffed and called after the dark-haired sister.

"What's so important? Nothing you ever do is important!"

Petunia seethed on the inside but let it slide, continuing on her path towards the Ravenclaw common room, cradling her stomach with one hand and waving over her shoulder with the other. Mary, she knew, was one of Lily's friends. She also knew that Mary was not as innocent as she seemed; yet no one in Hogwarts was. The school gave off the impression of a prestigious school for Ladies and Gentlemen. It advertised the aristocratic background and well-to-do students, yet Petunia knew that it was filled with rich children and their over-dramatised problems. The drugs and Alcohol that littered the halls, supplied by one or two arrogant suppliers was enough to have all the ignorant aristocrats on their hands and knees begging for a little more of those strange substances they had never seen before in their shadowed and closed lives. At least it said something about the legitimacy of their backgrounds - not one pure-blood had been involved in drugs until the scholarship programme and brought in hardened street-kids who opened their eyes to strange knew worlds or Ecstasy or Cannabis or Opium. At least that told her that their families hadn't been involved in dirty dealings to get their money.

She lowered herself gingerly onto her bed once she reached the Ravenclaw, 7th year, girls dormitory; still cradling her stomach gently. It was sore since the operation, and she felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of what she had been through. It was so easy to make an appointment and go along - the operation itself barely took five minutes in her eyes. She'd been waiting for so long in the waiting room - dwelling on it. The counsellor, the tests, everything had made her want to change her mind. But now it was done, it was done. She was sore all over, considering the operation had only effected a little of her body. All she wanted to do was lay down and forget about everything. Everything. Lily. Vernon. Hogwarts and the students stupid problems. Mary. Absolutely everything.

She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes, her hand resting gently near the bottom of her stomach. Had she done the right thing? Maybe she'd never know. She thought about Lily. Her sister with the fiery red hair and confident attitude and the men falling at her feet. What would Lily have done? She thought about Mary, probably dosed up on Cannabis and clinging on to Mulciber, asking to be given just a little more. What would Mary have done? She sighed. Two very different personalities, and Petunia knew she was somewhere in the middle: average in everyway. What does the average girl do? What is right and what is wrong? She fingered the cross hanging round her neck, that neck that was slightly too long. Lily had one too. They were gifts from their parents when they were accepted into Hogwarts.

"You may be going off to learn to be ladies now, but you are still our children."

Their parents had always had very strong religious beliefs. Petunia wondered if that was why Lily was so very atheist. Lily wanted to defy everything - she wanted to be a girl of her own heart, and since their parents had tried so hard to instil their own religion on the girls, then it stood to reason that rebellious Lily would be so securely atheist. Petunia liked to think of herself as Agnostic. She had never completely believed her parents and longed for some proof of a God. On the other hand, she would like to have faith in something, be in a man in the sky or a dog in the water - she would like to have faith that things would get better, that their was someone looking out for her. No matter what people say, she truly believed that everyone wanted that deep inside. Really, wouldn't it be nice? Just to have faith that somebody cared?

She turned, wincing slightly. Especially now. She's like to know, like to believe that somebody cared about her. That their was a God, a God who cared for her, and who cared for the child she had just killed. She wanted to believe that the child that was meant to be was now up in Heaven, being cared for the way that she could not.

She finally allowed herself to cry.

She'd like to believe it, but after what she had just done. All faith she had once had had been shaken. How could she believe in God, yet take another life into her own hands? How could she ever tell her church going parents? Who could she rely on now? Vernon could never know what she had done and how would Lily react?

She had murdered her child, who could ever care for her now?

**Man. I am really anti-abortion so it's hard to argue it from the other side, but next chapter I'll be giving Petunia some justification. Also, I don't condemn you if you have had/are pro abortion, what I said above is a personal opinion. So, since I don't attack you about it, please don't attack me about it? Cool? I realise it is a controversial issue and that is why I am exploring it. Controversial issues need to be explored or else we'll always be in the dark. **

**Ah, subplots. I was really upset for Reggie when I wrote that, and then I started writing Petunia and got even more upset. *sad face* **

**Please leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter, it is greatly appreciated. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

**To Reviewers: I am so sorry I was unable to reply to your reviews, the links which lead to reply were broken. So, I have decided to reply to you here, but I hope it is a one off occasion.**

**SunshineAndDaisies : **Once again, thanks for the continued support and I am really glad you enjoyed Petunia's pov as it was quite the experiment for me.

**Serena90: **I completely understand you're view as I feel exactly the same. It's a life, there was a plan for that baby and we have no right to play God. (I understand my views are 'blinded' by religion though, so I am not opposed to people having another set of values)

**Ice007: **It is a very sad chapter for me because I do get very involved in the stories I write. On the plus note, I do think because I get so emotional about it all I can understand what I am writing better and hopefully that will make it more realistic for the readers.

**I forgot to name chapter nine… live has been busy. It was 'Enigma' as that was the term that started the whole idea for the chapter.**

Chapter 10 - History

When James woke up he found himself on a hard-backed sofa in a small room with the paint peeling off the walls. It certainly wasn't the Gryffindor dorms at Hogwarts. He felt a sudden jolt of panic at not knowing where he was, but calmed when he saw Snape across the room, on a hard-backed chair; sitting up, but asleep. Funny, he realised, that he was calmed by the sight on his worst nightmare. Then, of course, he rationalised that Snape was, while not exactly pretty, far from his worst nightmare.

It couldn't have been comfortable to sleep in that position.

"Oh good, you're awake."

James jumped at the sound of a female voice, but calmed as the recognisably dyed blonde hair of his cousin waltzed into the room. She seemed airy and her lightly flowing white dress suited her (though James was loath to admit it). She sent him a smile that was not quite a smile, but not her usual arrogant smirk. Narcissa only ever made that special exception for friends and important family members; and the Potter's were one of the richest branches of the family. The Black's, of course, _were_ richer, but Potter's came a very close second. As Snape was inevitably asleep, James thought it a good idea to acquire information from his blonde, older cousin.

At 21 years old, Narcissa was a beauty to behold - and she knew it; which certainly complimented her name. James knew she had recently become engaged to a Malfoy, another of the extensive chains of the aristocratic class. Malfoy was a family of old descent, not as old as the Black's, but not as young as the Potter's. They made their money through politics, rather then education, and were known universally as deadly opponents to have. James knew his father was working closely with Abraxas Malfoy to further Hogwarts' achievements in politics, and it was that mans son; Lucius, to whom Narcissa had evidently said 'yes'. At any rate, the engagement had been somewhat of a scandal for most eligible bachelors who fancied their chances with the Black heiress.

"Where am I?" He finally said, sorting out his glasses, which had become slightly skewed while he slept. Narcissa moved his legs and sat down where they had been. James instantly righted himself to a more socially-acceptable position; back straight, legs together, chin up.

"This is a little known holiday home I brought while I was here last year. It was very cheap."

James gave the place another once over; dank room, peeling paint, hard furniture, squeaking floorboards. Cheap was the word.

"Why on Earth would you want to holiday here?" Narcissa gave her cousin an almost pitying look. "And where is here? Are we really in France? I thought that was a bad dream…"

"No, we are in France. Caen. It's very pretty here. Somewhat rural on the outskirts, but the city centre is full of culture." She paused, sending her cousin another of those pitying looks. "Coming here must have been frightening."

James averted his eyes. Nothing was ever secret amongst family, and James had a very extensive and not quite so friendly family. He wrung his hands in and out of each other while he waited for his cousin to get the hint that he did not want to talk about it. The Blonde was happy to relent.

"Tea, James?"

James shook his head. He wasn't quite in the mood for tea. He wanted to know why he was in Caen; why Snape had felt it appropriate to take him here and what the Slytherins planned to do with him now he was. He found he was always jumpy in places he didn't know. He felt comfortable in his mother's London townhouse, and he was at ease in The Pottery. Of course, he always felt most at home when he was at Hogwarts. Here, he was at a completely loss, and he felt his heart speed up as Snape opened his eyes and adjusted himself to the situation.

"Potter. Narcissa." He greeted. Narcissa stood, giving Snape and curt little nod and walking into another room in the house. James watched her go before turning to his travel companion of last night.

"Are you finally going to explain why we're here?" He asked, trying to keep his foot from tapping impatiently against the floorboards. Snape shrugged.

"You're so persistent." The boy returned. "I am here for a social visit to a friend." He waved in the general direction that Narcissa had left. "You are here because I am obliged to teach you, yet you react only to situation you can apply to real life."

James shrugged.

"Well thanks for the thought Mr. Know-it-all, but if you hadn't noticed, I'm unlikely to find a real life situation in Caen."

Snape sighed.

"Perhaps it is you who is unaware." James never noticed how Snape seemed to shape his sentence structure and voice-pattern into something which didn't seem quite natural on the boy. Was that from years of being a commoner, only to have to try and keep up with the vocal-workings of aristocracy at Hogwarts? It almost seemed as if Snape wanted to clip words and use slang, yet he had trained himself to speak almost excruciatingly upper-class like. In a way it was ironic, as James himself spoke in mostly middle-class terms.

James' foot started tapping.

"My patience wears thin." He said.

"I am only saying that living the sheltered life you do, it is unlikely you know much about 'real-life' in general." Snape carried on, a little weary of James' 'patience' or lack thereof. "In order for you to learn how to apply what you learn to real life, you must first learn what real-life means."

James bit his lip, annoyed to think he was swayed by the logic. Snape was… God forbid; right. James hated to think that at one point this 'education' would not have been needed. Yet, he was so young when he had stopped being allowed out to frolic and behave as a normal child, it was almost as if he had never been allowed. James hated to admit he knew absolutely nothing of the world outside his parents protective clutches.

On the other hand, maybe he didn't want to know anything about the outside world. Maybe the outside world was not all it was cracked up to be, maybe it was everything he had nightmares about. Maybe all he was being shielded from he was being shielded from for a reason. Did he really want a repeat of…. His hands clenched into fists on his lap and he stared at them determinedly. He _did_ want to learn, to bring up his grades, and Snape was right to think he probably knew best on what was the best way for James to learn; as no other possibilities he had tried had succeeded so far. It was not impossible to think that maybe this way _could_ succeed; and that James would finally be able to please his father.

"James?"

James' head shot up as Narcissa called his name, he gave her a small smile, loath to admit he had been dwelling on the past so thoroughly over the last day or so. Perhaps it was the travelling? He had never really been outside of Hogwarts of his parents' separate residences - it would make sense that he was uneasy and that would obviously bring back those memories.

"What is it cousin?"

Narcissa smiled.

"We shall have to go shopping. Severus tells me you didn't bring any belongings with you."

James tried to glare at the Slytherin whilst simultaneously explaining that he had been _tricked_ into coming in the first place. He didn't mention anything about wanting to be returned home though.

- X -

Sirius had been having a pretty terrible first fortnight back; he couldn't seem to shake the constant thoughts he had of his brother. He wanted to make sure Regulus was safe from their mother's always tightening grip, and he was worried that the more time he spent away from his sibling, the easier it would become for Walburga to turn the younger brother away from him. That was, if Regulus had not already made up his own mind about Sirius. He wanted to do something to prove to Regulus that staying with Walburga was not, in fact, helping their mother, but simply misleading her into thinking her behaviour was right. Both Regulus and their father humoured her at the cost of their own pain and Sirius was not content to let this slide. He could deal with Orion doing it, for the man had chosen to marry her - but Regulus had been born into this, he had been _forced_ into the situation. Sirius could understand that his brother loved Walburga, she was, after all, his mother; and hell, Sirius knew that deep down he loved her too. But in acceptance of that fact came the realisation that Sirius would put Regulus before Walburga a thousand times over. Unfortunately, he had absolutely no way of convincing Regulus of that fact.

Furthermore, James had gone missing. The boy had started the year with a major fight with the Slytherin git Snivellus which had landed James in hospital and worried the crap out of Sirius. Even so, as soon as James was out of hospital he was sneaking off and refusing to tell his best friend where he was going. All the secrecy was beginning to get on Sirius' nerves. Now, after another little late night session of not-involving-Sirius, James had simply not returned to the dormitory. The other two boys they shared it with, Pettigrew and the weird Lupin kid, had kept themselves to themselves, and granted - Sirius couldn't care less about that as he started to search the castle for his friend. After the feeling to scouring the entirety of Hogwarts Sirius had confronted the headmaster. After all, a missing James Potter was slightly different to a missing John Smith - Sirius couldn't let the matter slide, and knew the police and all of the families private investigators would soon be involved to track down his cousin. (Although Sirius rarely thought of James as his cousin, and more of his friend.)

Despite all of his concerns and predictions, the headmaster had informed him that James was well looked after and while not currently in the castle, had promised to return by the start of lessons on Monday, and so Sirius could stop worrying and return to his dormitory. Dumbledore, while obviously brilliant, seemed unrelenting in his information giving and denied telling Sirius where James had been taken by the person who was supposed to be looking after him. Surely, whoever this person was would know the history and think not to take James far from the castle. It had taken long enough to allow James to get a pass into Hogsmead in his third year - no one would let him outside those boundaries. And so, despite being told to return to his dormitory, Sirius took one of Hogwarts secret tunnels into Hogsmead the first chance he got and began exploring the village. He couldn't help but worry - given the history.

When that search turned up blank he tried very hard to calm himself on the way back to Hogwarts. If James had not returned by curfew on Sunday then Sirius had every intention to bypassing the headmaster and going straight to the police - surely _they_ would understand the gravity of the situation!

He curled into his bed that night with anxiety fresh on his nerves. After five years of ignoring his other dormitory mates he was finally in a room with them and no James. It was strange, that now he could pay more attention to them, instead of the sleeping form that would be next to his bed. The Pettigrew boy, Sirius knew, was new money, and blessed with boyish good looks that made him quite popular in the new money of younger years, but pretty much a social outcast in his own years and the years above. Listening now, Sirius could hear his soft breathing as he slept peacefully - blissfully unaware of his surroundings and seemingly unaware of his social status. The other one, the Lupin kid, was a mystery in and above itself.

The Gryffindor dorms were lavish and big enough that sometimes it felt like all four boys were in separate rooms. Sirius and James had pushed their beds closer together to dispel that notion, but Pettigrew and Lupin often seemed like, while they were obviously in the room, they were from a parallel world, and therefore, not really there. Now Sirius could hear the breathing of Lupin on the other side of the room, it was medium-heavy and even, but with every outward breath there was a slightly gravely tone - almost like the boy was growling in his sleep. In the darkness of the room it sounded almost inhuman, and Sirius could not help but conjure up the image of the teeth marks imbedded in the boys wrist. He easily waved off the thought of the wound being self-inflicted - there was no way any boy had teeth sharp enough to pierce the skin to that degree. It would be almost vampiric if it was possible. Besides, the wound had seemed to raw and painful - and messy. Self-inflicted wounds are rarely so… animalistic.

No, it was impossible, he thought as he felt himself drift off to sleep at the boys growling breaths. He would certainly feel better when James was here, for then he could confide his suspicions in the boy and get a second opinion. That, and he would know the boy was safe and could stop worrying. He would have to confront James about the secrecy when his friend returned. That was, if he returned.

He managed to lightly smack himself before he fell asleep. There was no way he could start thinking like that now. The situation was different and James was a lot older. There would be no more unexplained disappearances - everyone related to the Potter heir had done absolutely everything in their power to prevent one, and Dumbledore himself had said that James was safe and well-looked-after, despite not actually being in the castle. Sirius nodded once before falling into unconsciousness, James was safe and would be back by the time morning classes started on Monday.

**This chapter is slightly shorter then usual. Hopefully I can make that up to you next chapter as I have one of my 'main scenes' coming up next. Please leave a review to tell me what you think. Thank you!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 11 - Vodka Shots

After a lot of time being dragged round the many clothing stores of Caen (which were little compared to giant British shopping centres, but a lot more in comparison), James was sitting in a small road-side café with his cousin fussing over her hair in one of those compact mirrors that girls always seem to carry around. Snape, James was glad to see, had opted out of the little shopping trip, and decided to stay in Narcissa's flat for the day. James was glad he had because he was fairly certain that if he had to spend much more time in the Slytherin's company he wasn't going to be able to tolerate it. Having said that, he had to wonder which was worse - Snape or clothes shopping? Especially with Narcissa Black acting as self-proclaimed fashion-advisor.

James didn't even want to look in his bags and see what he had been forced into buying. Having said that, they had been using Narcissa's card since James' money was one of those belongings he had left England without. Hopefully he could do one of those 'wear it once, don't get it dirty and return it' things. On the other hand, he had plenty of clothes that had been brought for him on a whim and been left in the back of the closet. It wasn't as if money was a problem.

"So." Narcissa stated once she was finally happy with how her hair was laying. She picked up the (fake; good quality fake, but fake nonetheless) Wedgwood and took a sip delicately. "I suppose Severus has told you of our plans for this evening?"

"You two got a date?"

He enjoyed watching his cousin splutter over her refined table manners. She shot him a well-meant glare.

"Funny Potter, I am an engaged woman." She paused for thought. "And I don't date boys five years my junior."

"You forgot to mention that you don't date slime-balls."

Narcissa sighed.

"You'd do well to be nice to him the way I see it." James felt his guard go up, Narcissa was good with gossip - despite James' best efforts it was likely she already knew of the situation he and Snape were in. Narcissa smiled her all-knowing smile. "I may not be at Hogwarts anymore, but I do indeed hear things."

James sighed. Bloody perfect.

"I don't see how that means I should be nice. If anything it should be the other way around."

Narcissa placed down the china, using her fingers to cushion it gently as she did so.

"Severus has a temper James."

James shrugged.

"So, what are you doing tonight?"

Narcissa sat back in her chair, surveying her cousin through long black eyelashes.

"We, as in all three of us, are going to a concert. It's part of Severus' teaching you about life theory." James raised a practised eyebrow and Narcissa almost instantly relented. "Okay, we planned to go anyway, but you tagging along is part of his theory."

James just shook his head disbelievingly - Narcissa had always been somewhat like her older sister Andromeda, who had wanted to explore everything the working class did for fun. Narcissa had done a lot of those things with her sister before Andromeda had been disowned. Narcissa was still a little sore about the subject because as far as she could see marrying a working class man for love was nothing to have such a huge family affair over. Narcissa loved her sister very much and so kept going to these things out of her memory - a little rebellion against her parents. Of course, now she had to do them with more secrecy, which was probably why they had had to travel to France simply to go to a common concert.

Well, at any rate, it would be interesting.

- X -

James was regretting saying that anything about this concert was going to interesting, by the time the band were playing their second song he was already getting a headache. It didn't help that he was dressed in the most ridiculous outfit, and God forbid, covered in something that James had seen Narcissa applying to her face that made his own face feel heavy. He knew this was working-class fashion, and looking around the crowed they certainly fit in, but it didn't make him feel any less foolish. If Sirius had seen him dressed like this the Black heir would likely laugh himself stupid. There was one word to describe his outfit, it was a label that he would never really associate with himself back in Hogwarts. Punk. He certainly wasn't feeling comfortable.

"You look fine." Narcissa whispered in his ear - which was actually a shout that sounded like a whisper because of all the noise. James wished he had a mirror.

Clad in a tight black t-shirt that had _The Sex Pistols_ scrawled across it, plus a dark denim jacket with no-sleeves that didn't even reach past his second rib in length. He'd been forced into tight jeans with rips and tears all over them, including some in places that made him want to keep his legs close together. He had chains dangling from his hips which served no purpose other then to add weight and jingle annoyingly when he moved, and a belt with dangerous looking studs protruding from it. Narcissa had tried to get him to put one round his neck but he had drawn the line. To top it all off he had exceedingly heavy black boots which were also covered in buckles and studs. James wasn't even going to start on what Narcissa had put on his face - but at least she hadn't shaved his head like a lot of other concert-attendees had done. How on Earth had Mohawks ever come into fashion?

She had, however, put some coloured hairspray in his hair to turn half of it green. James was not a happy boy. He would say he had fared better then Snape, who was clad in a similar outfit which seemed impossibly tighter and more dangerous, but Snape seemed to be enjoying himself - and what James didn't want to say was with Snape's new muscles the tightness of all the clothing actually somewhat suited him. But like I said, James wasn't going to admit that any time soon.

It was probably the strangest sight James had ever seen; over a hundred teenagers in punk fashion or disco fashion or glam rock fashion, all together in one place, mixing flares with studs and sequins with face-paint; all screaming for the next band to take the stage and make more noise. Over all the screaming and between all the jumping and sweaty bodies being pressed together, James couldn't even hear whoever was on stage - although he had a feeling it was a glam-rock band by the look of them. James made a lot of effort to attach himself to his older cousin (clad in a lot of make-up, short shorts and stripy socks, with large boots and a revealing shirt), there was no way he was getting lost in this crowd.

"C'mon." Snape said, which was a surprise as Snape had made no secret that having to baby-sit James was going to ruin his experience of the concert. James held no sympathy for him - it was Snape who had dragged him here in the first place! The Slytherin reluctantly grabbed the boys arm and steered him to the edge of the crowd near a small mobile drinks centre. Narcissa, who had followed went to order something which was probably illegal for the two minors to consume.

"What have we learnt today?" Snape hollered over all the noise. James gave a non-committal shrug.

"Concerts are loud?"

Snape rolled his eyes and grabbed the drink Narcissa offered him. James cautiously took the one offered to him. It was clear, but it bubbled a little, he sniffed at it and recoiled slightly. It smelt like nit-treatment. Narcissa tapped the bottom of his glass, which James noted was in fact plastic.

"Bottoms up cousin."

James took a careful sip and wrinkled his nose. He didn't miss Snape and Narcissa laughing at him.

"Here." Narcissa said, motioning to her own plastic glass. "like this." and with that she tipped the contents of it all into her mouth and swallowed quickly. She grimaced slightly but smiled soon after.

"Stuffs pretty strong." Snape commented, having just done the same. They both turned expectantly to James who looked at his drink warily. He didn't want to look stupid, but he didn't want to drink it either. It not only smelt like nit-treatment, but it burnt his throat. After a moment more of expectant watching James swallowed slowly, then tipped the contents of the glass into his mouth, throwing his head to swallow it all like a pill. A second or so later he was coughing and retching with his eyes streaming. He grabbed onto his cousins arm to steady himself.

"That." He gasped, "was disgusting…"

Snape snorted, though James couldn't hear it over the noise of _Slade_ starting up on the stage. James wasn't done though.

"Why on Earth would anybody drink that?" He asked, before continuing to rant at Narcissa while Snape fished out his fake-ID to go get them another round. The sheer amusement of watching James freak out was enough entertainment to make bringing the Gryffindor to the concert worth-while.

"What can I get ya?" Asked the man behind the mobile drinks-van. He was overweight and a little greasy and he didn't seem to care who bought from him. Snape got the impression a nine-year old could order alcohol and not be caught out.

"Three more Vodka shots please." He paused and smirked. "Make one of those a double."

"You got it boyo."

- X -

Petunia spent all of Sunday in the Ravenclaw common room, unwilling to leave the comfort of the silky chairs, and watched her classmates play a chess-tournament. Her thoughts, despite trying to will herself to focus on the chess, kept straying back to the unborn child she had killed.

Lily.

She had been going to call it Lily if it was a girl. She may not like her sister all that much, but she was her sister, and she couldn't say she didn't like the name. She'd always wanted a little girl of her own, but she'd aborted this child even before she knew if it what gender it was.

She hadn't thought of a name if it was a boy, in a way, that was probably a good thing. If it didn't have a name it was slightly harder to think of it as a life. Slightly easier to deal with the guilt.

"Petunia?"

Petunia looked round at the third year girl who was carrying a letter in her hand.

"A man was stood at the gates, asked if I could take this to you." She placed the letter in Petunia's outstretched hand and looked around nervously. "You know outside visitors are supposed to go through the main office and report to the headmaster and-"

"I know Elizabeth." Petunia interrupted. "You may leave."

Petunia didn't mean to be snappy with her, she thought, as she watched Elizabeth retreat, but she wasn't really in control of her emotions at that moment.

She glanced down at the letter. The messy scrawl confirmed her suspicions, Vernon had been waiting at the gates. She didn't want to open it - it would just be more abuse. Yet, this defiant part of her was quickly crushed as her fingers slipped under the flap and the letter was unfolded on her lap. Where would she be without Vernon? He was her only connection to the outside world now that she was back at Hogwarts. The summer had ended all too soon for her, she couldn't wait to get back outside the walls of the castle - she couldn't wait until the end of this year, her final year at the infernal school. Once she secured her Certificate she would finally have made her parents proud and be rid of Hogwarts once and for all. After that it was just a question of moving in and marrying Vernon, which she was sure would happen, for who else would take her in?

She quickly read the letter, all the usual profanities and the typical questions. His writing seemed laboured, like it was a chore to write to the girl he said he loved. Petunia gave a shallow laugh. Vernon was incapable of love, but then again, so was she.

There was a time she had once dreamed of a prince in shining amour come to save her from her imprisonment in Hogwarts castle and take her away and marry her and they would have two children; a boy and a girl, and then they'd never have to worry about anything - as fantasy often go.

She felt tears collect at the back of her eyes, the pinprick of trying to hold them back evident. That fantasy had seemed to have come true when she'd met Vernon at the beginning of the summer; he'd been sweet and charming and he was wise. He already had a job because he was a little older then her, and he was infatuated with her. Okay, so he was a little overweight and sometimes he had a bit of a temper - but Petunia had never been on the receiving end of someone's affections. It felt good to be brought things and told she was pretty. It felt nice to be asked how her day had been and for him to listen when she complained about how Lily was obviously the favoured sister without him telling her she was childish.

All that had changed when she told him she would have to go back to school for the year. He'd become… nasty.

At first it was just snide comments and back-hand comments that stung and hurt her feelings, but she had rationalised it to him being upset that he wouldn't see her for a lot of the year - which was sweet when you saw it like that. But then came the pinches and the bites, which Petunia had thought were meant to be intimate - and yet hurt more then anything else.

She hadn't wanted to bring up a child in those circumstances.

She folded the letter again, hiding his harsh words. Had she done the right thing? For her? For the baby?

**James at the concert downing shots was one of the scenes which inspired this story to begin with. XD I enjoyed writing that because that was my first reaction to a shot too (although admittedly my first shot was Bacardi shot which IS disgusting). Then some more on Petunia, and her justification on why she aborted the child, because she didn't want to bring it up in an abusive home (which as far as excuses for abortion go, is a pretty good one, at least she was thinking about the Baby's future.)**

**Please leave a review to tell me what you thought!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 12 - A House Elf

When James arrived back at the castle on Sunday night; well past curfew, but certainly in time for Monday classes (like Snape had promised) he'd quickly and quietly passed by the patrolling teachers; who seemed to know his situation and let him pass with no threats of detention for being out after curfew, and up to Gryffindor Tower. He entered the common room to find one Sirius Black in front of the fire place, playing with a pre-rolled cigarette that hadn't been lit. After all, smoking was banned inside the castle. Sirius was staring at the fire-place, rolling the cigarette between his fingers and chewing on his bottom lip. There were slight bags under his eyes that hadn't been there when James had left on Friday.

He made his way over to the boy, and was surprised when Sirius stood up to meet him. He attempted a smile, but it was wiped from his face when Sirius' palm connected with his cheek-bone. He stumbled slightly, then:

"What the hell?"

Sirius glared at him.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" He all but screamed. "You can't just take off and not give any clue about where you are!"

James averted his eyes.

"I'm safe, back here now, what does it matter?" Sirius raised his hand again but James caught it. "Stop attacking me! It was a little bit spur of the moment okay? For once in my life I'd like to know what it's like outside the garden gate!"

The few stragglers that were still in the common room were shooting the two 6th years anxious looks, wondering if a fight would break out. And what was the school's heir talking about anyway? They were sure a prestigious and well-bred gentleman like James Potter, son of the elite Charles Potter would be well travelled whilst simultaneous protected. Was Black not going slightly beyond the boundaries of acceptable best-friend attributes. From the sound of it James found the boy to be smothering. Sirius, for his part, sat back down. James followed, sitting on the sofa opposite his friend.

"You've never cared before. You're getting all secretive again James. It scares me… it scares everyone." He paused. His cigarette was laying on the table, forgotten. Again. "Everyone loves you James. I know you think it's just because your father is rich, but we truly care about you mate. Last time… I know it was a long time ago and I know you can't remember it, but for the rest of us all the memories are still fresh."

James' hands began to fiddle with each other subconsciously. That was one of the main things that caused tension. James had lost all of his memories of that time, but everyone else could remember clear as day what they had been feeling when he had disappeared. No one knew what happened, not even James himself. All James knew was that he was terrified of travelling with strangers and that since he was just seven years old his parents had been loathe to let him play outside of their watchful gaze. Even in his third year of Hogwarts it had taken Dumbledore a long time to convince his parents to give him permission to go into Hogsmead with his friends. He realised everyone was just worried about him, that they didn't want a repeat of what had happened, but after going to France he was certain, now more then ever before, that if he did travel, he might be able to obtain his memories of that time again.

He _was_ frightened, and he didn't know a thing about the world outside the clutches of his family, but being in the back of that man's car, with Snape sitting next to him and not saying a word, he'd managed to scrape a little bit of imagery he had not remembered before. He couldn't be sure if it was a memory or if it was a dream; but he was determined to find out.

"I'm sorry I worried you." He finally replied.

Sirius stood and offered a hand.

"I just don't want you keeping secrets from me." He admitted. "Back then was hard enough, and you didn't mean to do it so I could kind of look past it… but now… I don't know what's going on, and you're my best mate, so I should know right?"

"Sirius." James didn't really know what to say. He took the offered hand and pulled himself up delicately. Sirius looked away, and James didn't miss the emotional crack in his friends next words. It was rare to see the Black heir so worked up.

"You're my cousin right, which is why I know about what happened, even though no one outside the family does. But… You're also my best friend, so… whatever's happening I want you to know that… that I…"

"I trust you Sirius." Sirius' head whipped round so fast James could hear the audible click. The heir to the school grinned. "Stop being such a twit alright? I already told you I'm safe and I'm standing right in front of you. Being all emotional certainly doesn't become you." James thought not to mention that it didn't settle right, knowing that he was on the verge of making his best friend cry. Sirius grinned too, groaning loudly and mockingly.

"You posh git!" he yelled, chasing his friend up the stairs which lead to their dormitory. They were laughing again, which was good.

- X -

The next morning was difficult for James to awaken, having arrived so late the night before, waking up in time for breakfast felt like torture. He knew he should be feeling happy, since he'd managed a successful trip to France with Snape with no major accidents, and he felt like he was on to something regarding his memories. However, general lack of sleep meant the trek to breakfast that day was unbearable.

It was in that state of mind that James noticed something that was rarely ever seen in the halls of Hogwarts.

A House Elf.

The child was scruffy looking, in a grey t-shirt that was too big for him and glasses that hung limply on his face and were held together by a lot of tape. He'd emerged from one of the many secret passage ways that Hogwarts held and had taken three seconds to assess the situation he had been caught it.

The child had been seen by not just one, but two students. General rules stated that that should pretty much never happen. Once or twice was forgivable, after that any chance of gaining scholarship was lost. James had never thought the rule fair, as there was a lot of students in the school and the Elves had a lot of responsibilities. On the other hand, it was a rule imposed by Abraxas Malfoy, and one his father had little power to override. He watched as the boy gasped and ducked back into the passageway.

"How quaint." He heard a girl mutter, and James turned to see her staring at the empty space where the child had just been. That made three students who had seen him.

"Quaint is one word for it." Sirius joked with his friend. "He must be new or something. They look real young don't they? Makes you wonder whether this school even has morals."

James gave his friend a mock glare. He knew Sirius wouldn't have said that if James was likely to take offence, after all, he was due to inherit the moral-forsaken school. Still, he had to admit, seeing the child just wondering around was odd. The boy had looked dazed, tired and confused. The bruising around his eyes was also faintly worrying, and there was the fact that his glasses were broken. House Elves had free care for anything like dentists and opticians, so it wouldn't make sense for the child to worry about taping up the glasses when he could easily get new ones for free.

He'd have to bring it up with his father next time he was permitted to see the busy man.

- X -

"Petunia!" Lily chased her sister down the hallway, nearing breakfast time. She'd been waiting for the girl outside the Ravenclaw common room, but had been ignored by her since she had arrived. The darker haired of the two sisters rushed ahead, in no mood to talk to the other. "Petunia, will you listen to me!" Lily spun her around, but Petunia's eyes weren't on her, but rather the small child that had popped out of the shadows and disappeared back in to them a second later.

"How quaint." Petunia muttered, dazed by sight. Lily glanced around the area. James Potter, the insufferable Gryffindor due to inherit the school had glanced their way at her sisters words, but he also seemed dazed - lost in thought. It was rare to see the boy so contemplative.

"Yes yes, it's very odd." Lily sighed. "You can't expect them to be invisible all the time, they're only children."

Her sister flinched.

"I know that." She replied in a small voice. "For Heavens sake, what do you want?"

Her younger sister sent her a rosy glare.

"It's about Mary. You've been ignoring me lately, but I need your help."

Petunia sighed.

"Oh Lily, don't be so naïve. What can I do about Mary? What can any of us do? It's obvious that girl is too far gone." She turned her eyes away. Lily clenched her fists at her sides.

"So you knew? All this time, was I the only one who didn't know? What the hell?" She gritted her teeth. "I bet you loved knowing something I didn't, laughing it up behind my back. That's why you're the Ravenclaw right? You know everything, so aren't you supposed to know what to do with a scared kid, Mary doesn't know any better. Can't you help her?"

"I CAN'T HELP ANYONE!"

Petunia stared at her sister with tear stained eyes, her hand raised and shaking, and Lily's cheek red from being slapped. Petunia was breathing a little heavier than usual in her emotional. How dare Lily? How dare she assume that she could help? How dare she say these things without knowing the situation? Petunia couldn't help anyone, she didn't know how to care for a child, she couldn't save a scared kid, she couldn't even save a baby that she created. She couldn't do anything but kill and run away from her problems.

"Petunia…"

Petunia shook her head.

"You don't know anything Lils. You just rush into the place, guns blazing, swearing and spitting. You're not ladylike at all." She swallowed. "I don't understand why people like you at all. But, you at least, would not run away. All I ever do is run away, and you are the one who fights. So fight. Fight for Mary, or whoever you want. I don't care. This isn't my thing."

"Pet… You don't just run away." Lily stared at her sister, cheek stinging. "What the hell's wrong with you all of a sudden. You're the smart one, so I'm asking for advice and all you can do is sit there and insult me!" She glared, watching her sister shake.

"I… I ran away from something very important recently. Sometimes I wish I wasn't always the one giving advice. Why can't someone be there to give me advice?" She sighed. "Forget it."

Lily continued to glare, to stubborn to see her sisters hurt.

"Fine. Forget about my problems too." She spat. "Some sister you are."

She pushed past her sister, not seeing her flinch again. She glared her way down the corridor, seeing James Potter slip his way in to the great hall, but Sirius hang about, looking awkward but determined. Lily slammed her way into the hall and sought out Severus. At least he was back now, she could get some answers out of him about who he had been tutoring, and maybe he could help her about Mary. She made her way towards the lanky-haired boy, only to see James approach him. Oh no, not another fight. She walked forward, determined to use her prefect status to put some distance between the two boys, but stopped short when James shrugged, turning away, and (if Lily didn't know better) a slightly worried look on his face. She watched the boy take his seat at the Gryffindor table with no confrontation with her Slytherin friend.

"Hey Sev, what did he want?"

Severus jumped, turning to her.

"What, James? Nothing."

Lily rose an eyebrow. Since when was Potter 'James'?

"Right, so… where have you been this weekend? I missed ya." She smiled, happy to be with her friend again. "I really needed your help."

Severus cocked his head to the side.

"Sorry I wasn't here for you."

Lily didn't miss his way he avoided saying where he was.

"Ah, don't worry. You were probably helping someone else. Tutoring or something."

Severus gave a laugh, but it was obviously fake, if only for the fact that Severus didn't laugh.

"Don't be silly. Do I look like I get the grades enough to tutor someone? Let's leave that to the Ravenclaws shall we?"

Lily crossed her arms. Great, now Severus was lying to her too.

**Sorry it has been awhile since I updated last. I am going to try and keep to at least updating once a month from now on, since Family is finished now. So, you can look forward to Wolf-Remus, and confessions in French. :P Not next chapter neccessarily, but at some point in this story.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 13 - Saturday Night

Petunia sank to her knees in the cold entrance hall, hands over her stomach and tears winding down her pale cheeks quietly. She stared at the stone floor, her flowered dress rumpled and light pink cardigan doing little to converser any warmth she might have had, that the stone floor was stealing away. She heard a sigh above her and two expensive looking shoes stood in front of her vision. They were quickly followed by bent knees, and a hand was placed in front of her face. She looked up, despite her tears, to the smiling eyes of one Sirius Black.

He shrugged at her inquisitive gaze.

"It's not very lady like to be on your knees in plain view of everyone is it?" He asked, though Petunia knew it was rhetorical. She placed her delicate hand in his - hers skinny to a point of malnourishment compared to his strong, firm, calloused hand. He grasped her securely, dragging her to her feet when her knees did not want to comply. He steadied her once she was stood and offered her a black family grin - fishing about in his pocket with his spare hand. He made a small little triumphant noise when he found what he was looking for and held the item out to the girl. She took it gracefully.

"Thank you sir."

Sirius snorted unattractively at the girls professional front, as Petunia drabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief she had just received. Sirius shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning back on his heels almost childishly and not meeting his companions eyes as he gazed around the entrance hall - letting his tried eyes fall on the large doors leading to the grounds outside. In the early October air it was pretty chilly and no one was about in the grounds so early in the morning.

She didn't miss the bags under his eyes, or his pseudo-relaxed state, or the way his glance dotted between the outdoors and the great hall, yet he didn't move from the spot he was subconsciously swinging his weight about in. She curtseyed slightly - knowing full well that the Black's were one of the most powerful families that made up the society she was growing in to and wanting to make a better second impression than her obviously terrible first one.

"Forgive me sir…" She bit her lip, turning her gaze down, "Would you please accompany me for a turn in the gardens?" Her brow furrowed as she thought about how the sentence had turned out - not quite so eloquently as she had hoped. She raised her gaze slowly to see the man blink at her in surprise. He withdrew his hands from his pockets and corrected his posture in a way that suggested he'd spent a lot of time perfecting the stance as a child. He looked awkward in both relaxed and straight, like his natural form was somewhere in the middle. He held out his arm for her and she looped her hand through it, delicately holding on to his elbow. She would prefer to have a firmer grip, but that wasn't lady-like.

Sirius began walking towards the grounds, opening the door with one hand and leading his lady through with his other arm. Petunia bounced in to a little curtsey as she passed the threshold from castle to gardens and Sirius touched his forehead as the door swung closed, almost regretting that he didn't have a hat.

They made a slow way over to the lake where Sirius took off his coat, despite the chill and laid it on the ground. He sat on it, making sure there was still plenty of room for his company to join him and not ruin her dress. She bent her knees as she sat, then tucked them in behind her.

Hogwarts had at least one success case then, thought Sirius, glancing at the girl out of the corner of his eye, face turned towards the lake, where a cool breeze was gliding across the water.

"Apparently there is a giant squid in this lake." He stated conversationally, bringing his knees up and resting his forearms on them, ankles crossed and back hunched against the chill. Petunia nodded.

"You are one of the most likely to know sir." She agreed. Sirius just shrugged.

"Maybe." He sighed. "I don't think there is one, honestly. I've never seen it and they live… somewhere not in a lake." He grinned, trying not to laugh at his own inability to recall the information. Petunia opened her mouth to correct him instinctively - she was a Ravenclaw after all.

"Giant squids are deep-ocean dwellers. A lake is fresh water, though this is vast enough for it, the water isn't right."

Sirius nodded, lying back against the grass, despite putting his coat down to avoid getting dirty. He put his hands behind his head and looked up at the early morning sky. It was grey and though he could hear birds chirping, he couldn't see any. He sighed again.

"I dunno. Maybe if we had magic then it would all work out in the end." He shifted, glancing at his dark-haired companion, but her gaze was on the lake. He could only see her from the side, and even then it was a little bit from behind, but he could see the tears running down her cheeks again. The handkerchief he'd parted with earlier was being bunched up and fiddled with in her lap, but not used for its real purpose.

"I think we all wish for that." The girl murmured quietly, hands placed over her stomach almost protectively. Sirius sat up, heaving a deep breath and fishing something else out of his pocket. This time, upon production he made no victory noise, but waved it in front of the pondering woman's face.

"Hey, wanna a cigarette?" He asked, and smirked when a look or relief passed over the girls features.

"Oh Gods yes."

- X -

James slumped down in his chair at Gryffindor table. His two fellow dorm mates, whom he really had little to do with, were also sat there. Pettigrew was chatting animatedly to a girl maybe a year or two younger and them, and the other - Lupin - sat quietly, not touching much of the food that was on his plate. Which wasn't much.

James felt naked without Sirius by his side, stealing his food and poking his cutlery at the boy - but he'd obviously sauntered off somewhere after the incident with the house elf and he had not entered the hall with the boy. In a way he was happy. It had meant he could quickly try and get come information from his new tutor without alerting Sirius to the mans involvement with him, or his injuries at the beginning of the year. On the other hand, he didn't like the idea of Sirius leaving without even saying goodbye - he was used to knowing where the boy was at every moment.

Is this how Sirius had felt over the weekend? He gripped his spoon, which he was using to push around the cereal in his bowl, a little tighter. Sirius had probably felt all this, but at a much greater level. James had been away for much longer and with much less warning. James also had outstanding factors to take in to consideration that did not apply to Sirius.

He let go of his spoon and pushed his bowl away, having lost his appetite. He should probably apologise again.

On another note, he thought, since he could hardly go find the boy now, there was always the matter of Snape. He glanced across to the Slytherin table where Snape and Lily were both still standing. Severus gave a very fake sounding laugh, and Lily crossed her arms - obviously also picking up on the lack of sincerity.

He had absolutely no idea what he had done on Saturday night.

He knew he had been drinking - his first time trying something like that too - but he had woken with absolutely no recollection of the events of the previous night. He knew he had been to the festival/concert thing that his cousin and Snape had insisted on. He vaguely remembered thinking he looked stupid in his clothes and he couldn't understand why Snape did _not_ look stupid, but after that everything was a rather hazy blur. Narcissa had spent a rather large amount of time Sunday morning, before they used their fake passports to catch the train back in to England, inferring that something embarrassing had been said or done by the teen, but had been tight lipped on actual details.

James had even tried subtly interrogating Snape about it on the long ride back to Hogsmead, but Snape had also been conspicuously silent about what had happened.

Even outright asking had lead to nothing. He was about to push for more from the boy but had seen Lily striding towards them both determinedly with that 'I'm a prefect and I demand to know what's going on' look in her eyes, so had just shrugged and walked away.

It was so un-cool.

- X -

Severus finally managed to steer Lily off the topic, sitting her down where she was encompassed in conversation with Nott. Uncharacteristically. He shrugged at his good luck and tried to stop himself from staring across the hall at the messy nest of hair that made up the back of that annoying Gryffindor's head. He'd been about to ask again about what had happened on Saturday night, and Snape was happy that the boy had drank enough to completely wipe the experience from his mind. Though he himself had not been quite so lucky.

Luckily, or perhaps not so luckily, Lily had interrupted him, but Snape was sure that was where the boys conversation would go. He'd been fixated on it since Sunday morning, when Narcissa had stupidly aroused his suspicions. Severus knew that his whole point of dragging James to that concert had been to teach him about real life, and that lesson was useless if the boy could not remember it, but he was happy that the embarrassing details of their drunken states were not etched in to his memory - the same way they were etched in to Severus'.

Of course, at first James' antics had been funny. It had been amusing to see the usually uptight boy strutting about and relaxed. Then, of course, the boy had turned too off-his-face and Snape had been forced to drink more to counteract the boys more-than-just-suggestive-tone. And a lot more than just suggestive movements of his body. Dancing in a crowd is difficult and was always going to lead to friction that wasn't needed.

He crossed his legs, glaring at the back of the boys head.

It couldn't be classed as molesting if the boy was practically gagging for it, no matter how much he was under the influence, or how amateurish his come-ons were. A drunk James was about as fruity as the cocktails Narcissa insisted on drinking after her initial vodka shot.

It would have been great blackmail material had Snape not managed to get drunk enough himself to find himself with James, up against a wall, wondering hands and what-not.

The worst part? That bastard was in blissful ignorance to the whole damned, embarrassing, mentally scarring experience! It made Severus angry just thinking about how he was having to suffer because of Potter's lack on control when drinking (completely ignoring this was technically his fault).

His fist hit the table, making Lily and Nott jump, which made him finally tear his eyes away from James, who had just glanced over at him again. He turned to the people on his table and tuned in to their conversation, which tentatively started up again after he apologised. Which was probably why he found himself very surprised when he looked up to see James Potter stood in front of him.

Lily was instantly on edge, glaring at the Gryffindor. James, for once, paid her no attention.

"Oi Snape. I want you to do something for me."

He said it with arrogance, pride and confidence in his position. Snape was about to protest, what claim did Potter have over what Severus did or did not do for the boy? But then he remembered the contract he had drawn up with Charles Potter. He'd been gallivanting around, living off James' fear of the boy, but he knew that would come to an end at some point. He could do little but agree with James' whims at this point, though that would not stop him from extracting any revenge he might desire in his allocated hour come that night.

Lily began to protest but Severus silenced her with a practised wave of his wrist. He glared, but nodded at the Gryffindor boy to continue. James glanced around the hall, and noting he only had the attention of Snape, Nott and Lily, he was contented to continue. He dug in to his school bag in an attempt to seem like he hadn't planned this since he was sat on the train back from France and pulled out a wad of paper that looked heavy and boring and needed more than one staple to keep them all together, that he had prepared the night before whilst Sirius slept soundly.

"Look over these for me. Check dates and details. All of them." He bit his lip almost childishly. "My father will need to be informed of this by the end of the week so I would appreciate it back by Wednesday."

Snape glanced at the opening paragraphs. An account of their time in France? Was Charles Potter to alerted of his sons whereabouts every single moment of the boys life? He gave the by a raised eyebrow, storing the papers away. Lily began to protest again but Snape sent her a meaningful look.

"All details?"

James nodded, hoping that this would coerce Snape in to telling, or writing, what had happened on Saturday night. Snape nodded resolutely.

"By Wednesday then."

**Wow! I am so sorry it's been so long… I started writing a new story for a different fandom which has taken up a lot of time, but I am trying to update this at least once a month. So I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

** Please Review.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 14 - Parents

Charles Potter shuffled the papers, flicking through the report leisurely and adjusting his glasses. After skim reading a couple of paragraphs he looked up at the boy in front of him with his permanently set frown trying not to look intimidating. He rose an eyebrow.

"Thank you for submitting this report to me Mr Snape." He eventually stated, nodding curtly and dismissing the boy who was acting as his sons tutor and personal assistant. He would fully look over the plot of their time in France later. He couldn't say he completely agreed with the boys teaching methods, but given that he had received a formal apology, along with this extensive report and a note from the boys Cousin Narcissa to explain the situation and that James had been perfectly safe, he couldn't say he could completely complain. He'd thought for a while that James was in need of a more diverse geographical education, but Dorea had been relatively adamant that ever since that incident James should be under 24 hour surveillance and should not leave the confines of their separate houses or Hogwarts.

Severus nodded back, swiftly turning and leaving the room, feeling ultimately awkward as the Potter chauffer, Gimmick, opened a car door for him. He wasn't going to pass up a free ride back up to Hogwarts (heavens knew the walk was long enough just from Hogsmeade, and The Pottery was a good mile further from the castle), but it still felt far above his class to be sat in the back of the posh looking car while an elder gentleman drove silently and professionally.

He supposed Potter was used to treatment like this. Spoilt rotten. Used to being bundled in layers and cuddled softly, as it were. He wondered, for possibly the 100th time in that day, why exactly James was so overprotected. He knew that the family was rich and powerful and there was a chance of a possibly kidnapping and ransom, but James was a healthy teenage lad, he had enough strength to look after himself - as Severus very well knew from countless years of the boys unjust bullying - and the family and friends of the boy seemed to borderline hysterical whenever James was out of their sight for barely a moment. And there had been the boys terrified expression as they tried to hitchhike a ride to Caen.

In a way he wondered what all the secrecy was for. It was obvious that only the relatives knew, but the old families were large and all interconnected. Potters, Blacks, Lestranges… Narcissa knew, though she was conspicuously tight-lipped about it, so did that mean that once she married Malfoy his family would be let in on the secret?

He wondered also, if it had been the right decision to hand the report directly to Charles, without first letting Potter Jr check all the details. Not that he had much faith that James could remember many details of their time in France. In a way it had been a little rebellion. Insubordination. James had specifically requested he hand it back to him by Wednesday because his father would need it by the end of the week. While he found ridiculous that any father would really want an account of his sons whereabouts at every given moment, he had come to realise that the boy was very overprotected, and besides, he could always be looking at the whole situation through tinted lenses. Simply because his father didn't care about him did not mean James was in the same predicament. He'd possibly wanted to get back at the boy for having such a loving family by bypassing his judgement and taking the report straight to Charles. Giving James no time to check for any details about what had been happening Saturday night.

He'd noticed James' original report had not mentioned any intake of alcohol. Well, as a good and loyal personal assistant he'd had to correct his boss' mistakes right? Even if Charles might get mad that he and James had drank alcohol and become intoxicated at a young age. Or perhaps even more mad that it had lead to some not-so-innocent activities.

Why exactly had he felt the need to include that again?

Did he basically just admit to his boss' father that they had found themselves drunk and making out on Saturday night? Oh yeah Severus, that was a great way to keep your job, and by extension your place at Hogwarts, alive.

He slumped down in his chair as the car drew closer to the castle, not wanting to be seen arriving in such a fashion.

What was so special about James Potter anyway?

He saw the boy, flanked by his cousin and best friend Sirius, dishevelled hair and everything, as soon as he stepped from the car, and James, probably having spotted his father's signature vehicle, glanced in his direction and caught eye contact.

It would have been amusing to see the boy's face fall if it wasn't for the fact that Snape did not want to admit he had accepted a lift back in his employers, James' fathers, car. He watched as the Gryffindor explained something briefly to Black, and Sirius turned, shrugging, on his heel and started walking the other way, like an obedient lackey. James began to jog in his direction, so only Severus saw his cousin turn back and glare in their direction, watching with distrusting eyes.

Severus wasn't about to give James the heads up that he was being stalked by his own best friend.

"Where have you been!" the boy all but yelled as soon as he was in earshot, he jogged a little further until they were standing opposite each other. James a little shorter, Severus a little fuller. He began to form an answer but the messy-haired boy held up a silencing hand. "Don't even answer that with one your smart assed remarks. Why was my father's car dropping you off, and on that note where is that report I asked for?"

Severus shrugged, waiting for the hand to be withdrawn. He was calm now, around the pampered boy. He'd spent years being scared of him, still more hating him, but after their weekend in France he had little desire to be around the boy, but no abject real hate for him. A simple disliking that could be satisfied with ignoring and avoiding.

It was a whole knew Severus Snape. He'd spent the summer working out and hitting random objects so he could finally get his revenge on this rich kid, and now one weekend in France had maybe not wholly crushed that desire, but calmed it to a point of normal living.

James finally removed his hand, glaring up at his companion.

"I corrected your report to fill in the details of your escapades on Saturday night, including everything that was consumed, as you seemed to make a note of detailing things that were consumed before Saturday I simply took this as your lack of remembrance as to what took place that evening." He replied professionally and watched in sadistic amusement as James breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's great." He all but smiled, completely catching Severus off guard to a point of physical reaction. He'd always had control over his expression before, but upon the others innocent, genuinely delighted tone he could not stop his eyes from widening. James Potter did not act so friendly towards him. It was simply a rule of life. "Can I have it?" He added, holding out a hand. Severus tried very hard to stop himself from smiling at the crushing statement he was about to utter.

"I already submitted it to your father to save you the trouble."

Oh, James' face was a picture.

"You… you what?"

Severus just continued to smirk.

"I assume this was correct? Or perhaps you did not really want your father to read this report…?"

James began to stutter, which was infinitely more amusing by the fact that it was James Potter and it was Severus Snape who had so blatantly and easily caused his discomfort.

"No! I mean… err, yes. I do… b-but what if the grammar wasn't… correct? I don't trust your education!"

Severus snorted in pure amusement.

"My education is that which your father supplies. The same as yours." He replied. "I assure you it is correct, I amended any spelling eras you made and corrected your grammar. Let's remember I am the tutor and you are the student."

He wondered if it was strange for view the boys embarrassed blush and strangely endearing, but then shook his head to clear the thoughts. What exactly had that weekend in France done to him? He was acting as if there were things he couldn't remember and his subconscious was trying desperately to remind him of. Though he doubted it.

"I can't believe you did that. You fucking knew didn't you." James started, in a quiet voice. "You fucking prick."

"Such language from a gentleman. You should be ashamed of yourself."

James spat on the ground, and Severus knew it was just to make a show of his masculinity, because he was far to upper-class to do it out of habit. In fact, he only knew one person who was lowly enough to do it out of sheer habit, and that was his father.

"You told my father I drank alcohol! He's gunna be so pissed!" James shouted at his comment, biting his lip in annoyance. Snape shrugged.

"Among your other activities that night. If you thought you'd have to apologise for it you shouldn't have done it." He verbally attacked. It was bullshit, he himself didn't believe it. Sometimes the only way to live was to do something and apologise later.

James hopped from foot to foot, aggravated and his fists closing and opening in an attempt to try not to hit the boy. Severus thought he could take Potter if he started a fight, but not if Black was watching and decided to help out.

"I don't even know what I did! And you told my father but not me? What a fucking… bat. You're a bat! Fucking Snivellus! I bet I didn't even do anything embarrassing and your just trying to embarrass me!" He yelled, and Severus, though he would hate to admit it, saw red at the nickname Snivellus, which had always cut deep, striking right at the wounds of his childhood, when he spent most of his time hiding in a corner avoiding his father's blows. Snivelling.

Before he knew it James was up against the exterior wall of the castle and Snape's tongue was in his mouth.

Which was possibly the weirdest way of starting a fight he had ever tried.

He felt the boys hands pushing against his chest, and with his eyes slightly open, but barely actually seeing due to his rage, he could make out James', wide, deep brown and shocked. One hand caught his and pushed them back against the shorter boys chest, and the other tangled itself in the messy hair and used it to yank the boys head back, giving his easier access to the hot, wet opening. He scraped his teeth harshly against the other's tongue, catching it between them and swiping his own against the underside of James', before removing and letting go of the Gryffindor completely.

He watched, passive, as James slid down the wall, back of his hand over his mouth and eyes open in righteous terror. His knees drew in to himself and he could not take his eyes off the man in front of him.

"Still not remember anything about Saturday night?" Severus asked, readying himself to leave James in his pathetic state, shocked and terrified about what Snape might have done to him. Sure, that had just been a slightly aggressive kiss, but the point stood that James had been useless to do anything but weakly struggle and whimper. The Slytherin turned, but stopped dead in his tracks, blanching at the sight of the headmaster, smiling with his usual twinkle highly evident in his eyes.

Oh, he was amused alright.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" Both boys flushed slightly. Dumbledore continued to smile, but upon a real eyeful of James' shocked state, and then averted his eyes to Severus, his face fell and was replaced with a deep set frown. "I am sorry Severus dear boy, I have news from St Mungo's. They would not tell me much but asked me to contact you, they said it was about your mother."

Severus felt his heart speed up a bit. St Mungo's was the expensive hospital run by the Longbottoms. It was how they had built themselves up in the world, along with their advances in medical science. Why would his mother be there?

He nodded, following Dumbledore away from the scene he had made with James. He didn't look around to see anyone who was in Hogwarts who might have witnessed their, though he was luckily it was relatively quiet outside the grounds in the October air and that those who had been braving the cold had not really been paying attention to the two sixth years.

James watched him go from his seat on the cold ground, back against the cold wall. That was the second time Snape had lashed out at him and shoved him against a wall in anger and this time had been so very, very different from the first. His lips stung. He dragged his hand away from them and stared at it as if it would answer all his questions, and seemed a little angry when it didn't.

He could still feel the rough tongue tickling the underside of his, and he closed his eyes, trying to stop the heat from rising in his cheeks and blaming it on the cold.

There was absolutely no way he had not so much minded what had just happened!

He sighed as he watched Gimmick pull back in to the car park area and come to a stop directly in front of him. The chauffer removed himself from the car and held out a hand to his boss' son.

"Your father wishes to see you regarding the report you PA handed in mr James."

James nodded solemnly. Might as well get it over with, find out exactly what had happened Saturday night… hopefully not much more than what Snape had just demonstrated.

**D: I am horrible. I am so sorry! I keep forgetting this fic exists.**

**Anyway. I have update tonight and I hope to update again tomorrow, but please don't hold me to that.**

**Exams. Feh!**

**Anyway, :P Snape getting all freaky on James there… I can't wait to write Charles' reaction next chapter.**

**Also next chapter there should be a scene with Eileen and Snape and the scene with James and Charles. I am not sure if I will be able to fit it in but I also have a Remus scene… but that might be the chapter after. Anyway, that's what you have to look forward to.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 15 - Parents

"James Marius Potter!" Oh lords, his mother was there. And she'd used his despised full name, his middle name being after her elder brother. He was in so much trouble. He plodded in to the living room, catching eyes with his father, who was sat in his favourite armchair with a deep set frown heavy on his features. Charles sighed deliberately, closing his eyes and turning his head from his son. James looked now to his mother, who also had a deep frown and worry lines etched in to her other wise pretty face. She waved his own report in his face, before placing it on the small, probably vintage coffee table that distanced her from his husband. James, conscious of what had taken place just moments before Gimmick had retrieved him from school, licked his lips subconsciously, and then tried not to blush and he realised he could still faintly taste Snape's weird, strangely alluring, taste on them.

"Mum you have to-"

"Let you explain?" Cut in Charles heavily, crossing his legs and staring at his son. James averted his eyes. "I believe you took a whole five pages explaining. I must say son I am confused. I realise we always taught you that honesty is the best policy, but there are some things your parents simply don't want to know."

Again, James was trying to control his own body-temperature, and of course, as one was destined to, failing.

"I know I just-"

"Just what James?" interrupted, this time, his mother. Dorea furrowed her brow as she looked at her teenage son. Sixteen years old, slightly on the skinny side, pale. "Oh sweetheart, you must understand. We're very proud that you're, urm, getting along with your tutor."

The messy haired boy wasn't entirely sure where this was going, it was a large assumption to say he was getting along with Snape, but his mother seemed to be lost for words and he decided to take advantage of the silence to not be interrupted again.

"Snape wrote that report… I mean, I thought you'd be happy that you knew… I didn't want to go to France mum I-"

Dorea stood, a sure sign she wanted silence, and obediently, as he had been trained as a child, he instantly shut his mouth. Dorea sighed prettily.

"We're not angry that you went to France James, although if your friend Severus wishes to keep his job, and his place at Hogwarts, he will contact us next time he wants to take you out of the castle. I believe your father has already had words with him on the matter. Severus has already explained to us his… peculiar teaching methods. And I must say, as his employer I believe his honesty to be simply outstanding. That is not to say that I can completely condone his… your relationship."

James took his glasses off his face and fiddled with them in his hands. Charles was eerily quiet during his mothers spiel, and he had no idea what she meant by his 'relationship' with Snape. He was glad they weren't angry that he had been taken to France, which only left the discussion of what he had been up to Saturday night. He already had a plan to get around that one, look like he was on Snape's side whilst simultaneously getting the boy kicked from his job (and possibly Hogwarts.)

He was about to start talking but held his tongue at a stern look from his parents. They were firm believers that children should be seen and not heard, and while he had no doubt that they loved him, and were generally nice towards his generation, he had grown up in their presence that dominated and left no room for any of his interpretations. Dorea gave him a shaky smile.

"James dear… I am so very glad you get on with your tutor." Again with that assumption. "But really, you should have told us if you were, erm, that way inclined."

That way inclined.

As in?

"Woah, I'm not-"

"Listen to your mother James." Charles demanded, not moving from his spot on his armchair and not allowing his son to jump to his own defence. His voice was calm, but powerful. He wasn't shouting but it was above normal level. James shut his mouth, trying to find another way to convince his parents that whatever they had read in Snape's report was not to be believed. Dorea shrugged daintily, carrying on.

"As I was saying. I don't mind that you're starting this… relationship. It's just that…" She paused, searching for the right word. "It's just, unprofessional."

Unprofessional.

He wondered when he would get the chance to explain himself. He wondered if all his parents really cared about was professionalism.

His parents looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath, readying himself to lie to his beloved parents. He lowered his eyes to his shoes, replacing his glasses over his eyes and fiddled instead with the hem of his school shirt.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I don't know what Sn- Severus wrote in that report, he submitted it directly to you. But it's my fault, because I was trying to get him to loosen up a little. I told him it's fun to, you know, play practical jokes. I said he could play them on me because I wouldn't get upset… I didn't realise he would involve the both of you." He looked up, daring to look his mother in the eyes, but avoiding Charles' altogether. "I'm sure whatever he wrote that has made you believe that Severus and I are… more than just friends… is a joke. We didn't do anything… immoral while we were in France." He tried to stop himself from shivering at the idea of the two of them being more than just friends, and gave a short, fake chuckle.

"What's funny?" asked Dorea. James swallowed.

"I just… I'd almost like to know what he wrote. He's so socially awkward you know. It's kinda cute that he's developing more and starting to tease me back."

He thought it strange that the sentence was truth. Now that Severus could retaliate to James he was more of a challenge, nowhere near as pathetic as James had first believed him. Okay, so 'cute' was a stretch, but it was slightly more appealing than the anti-social bat he had previously known and hated.

Dorea nodded, handing him the report and fully believing her son.

"I see. Oh James I am sorry but I'm so glad you're not… homosexual."

James blushed at the word.

"I can't believe you thought I was." he muttered, taking the papers. He still didn't look at his father, knowing the man didn't believe his lies. He never had. James didn't know why the man didn't call him up on it, perhaps it was better to live with lies then the possibility that his son might be gay. Not that James was gay. Obviously everything he may or may not have done on Saturday night had been done under the influence of heavy drinking, so he couldn't be held consciously responsible.

Probably.

- X -

Severus Snape travelled in a overly sized posh car for the second time that day, arms crossed and wrapped in thoughts about how much his mother might have been suffering since he arrived back at Hogwarts. A month had yet to go by, but he felt insanely guilty about not sending a single letter. Usually he would have sent two in one week, in his woes about being back at school and leaving her at home with his lowly, abusive father. He was terrified that her condition was serious, that perhaps she was lying, alone and in pain, without him there to hold her hand and help her through the tough times. She was so frail and dainty, he dreaded to think about what his father might have done to her.

That was why when the car, provided by Dumbledore, pulled in to the hospital car park, he hardly let it stop before he jumped from it's confines. He rushed into the reception, somehow using what little social etiquette he had learnt from Hogwarts to not shout at the poor nurse behind the desk and managed to retrieve what room his mother was being held in.

The stairs seemed to be an impossibly long way away. The room itself even further.

His mothers name, Eileen Snape, was printed on a small card slotted in to a holder on the door, and he stopped dead as it swung open to reveal his fragile mother laying on a bed far too large for her. She was pale, with her hair in lanky locks around her sullen face. A frown was etched deeply in to her features as she stared out of her high hospital window. She was half sat up, her legs stretched out and a needle sticking in to her arm, which was pale enough to show all the veins in them. Severus couldn't blame her for looking depressed, with such an abusive husband and a good-for-nothing son. She'd been brought up a Prince, pure-blood and loved, adored. She'd gone to Hogwarts too, though people seemed to often forget that.

"Mum…" He said tentatively, stepping in to the room. His mother, his dear, sweet mother, who had been so popular and strong when she was in Hogwarts, now lay angry and depressed in a hospital bed, having been abused by her pathetic husband. A street rat who'd impregnated her just moments after she left Hogwarts. Eileen Prince had had her whole life ahead of her when Tobias Snape had ruined it all by creating him. Severus Snape.

A nothing. A half-blood social outcast. A dungeon bat.

Eileen turned her face towards her son and offered a weak, closed mouthed smile. Severus saw the deep bruise on her cheek which had previously been turned from him. He gasped when he saw the evidence of his fathers attacks.

If he'd not been so wrapped up in getting his weird own back on James, if he'd sent letters and received replies, if he'd _been_ there… what would be have been able to do? He may have worked on growing some muscles to fight his bullies over the summer, but he was still no match for Tobias, who spent all the time he wasn't beating up innocent women practising boxing techniques and working out.

He was amazed his mother didn't blame him for her sorrowful existence. He sure did.

"Oh Sev, sweetheart." She started, and Severus could see it pained her to talk. "I fell down the stairs."

He sat down next to her bed and took her pale, tiny hand in his. He'd always thought he was pale, but he seemed positively tan when he held her hand in his. His were rough, large, marred by calluses and scars from where he'd cut himself preparing ingredients. Heck, the only classes he was really good at in Hogwarts were cookery and Self-defence. And cookery was only because he made all of his own meals and meals for his parents when he was at home. Eileen was giving him a meaningful look, after everything she still didn't want the authorities to know about what Tobias did to her on a regular basis. Snape nodded, knowing that a nurse was hovering outside the door.

"Really mum, you're so clumsy sometimes." He replied, shoulders shaking and bringing her hand up to place it against his forehead in some kind of comforting gesture. He sighed, trying hard not to cause her any more worry than she already had. He needed to find a way to help her. He couldn't do anything while he was in Hogwarts, he was stuck doing mundane lessons and babysitting some rich-kid brat….

Potter.

Potter was overprotective to the point of distraction, he was followed everywhere by undercover bodyguards that were noticeable to everyone except the rich pounces who were so used to their existence since their birth that they didn't seem out of place. There was a whole network of, effectively, spies reporting on the daily on-goings of the school and the majority of it centred around James and his precious little cousin Sirius. Hogwarts was the biggest part of British Community, the heart of all that was upper-class in their obviously divided social-hierarchy, and James Potter was the son of one of the most important people in Britain, just a few spaces bellow the bloody queen herself.

He hated to think about it, and above all else did not want to find himself in more debt to the Potters, but this wasn't for him, it was for his mother.

He could barely admit it without feeling physically sick, but if there was one person in the whole world who he has access too, who might possibly be persuaded by a lowly animal like himself, if there was one person in all of Britain who could help his mother, protect her from Tobias Snape, who wouldn't alert the authorities because he knew the social etiquette of marriage and how no one but the wife and husband were truly entitled to meddle with their affairs… if there was one person who would protect her because he knew she was a former student of Hogwarts and because it was his duty as the son of the governor, and it was Hogwarts who had instilled these stupid practises in her anyway, if there was one person who would help protect her because he owed her son for being a first-class bully, if there was one person who could help him at all… it was James Potter.

**Uwaaaaa~ah! Please don't kill me for not updating, like, ever! D: -It's my birthday tomorrow so at least wait until after that before you start throwing toasters at me-**

**I am really sorry… I don't even know if people still read this since I am so terrible at updating. DX**

**On the plus side, those who asked to see a bit of Bella and Rudolphus, and those who like Remus scenes, both should turn up on the next chapter, or the one after that FOR SURE.**

**Also, there is this TOTALLY AWESOME Remus scene I REALLY wanna do, I just can't quite fit it in to anywhere yet, so that might be in three or four chaps time.**

**This story might go on for a while… I kinda just wanna finish it. Meh, perseverance! **

**Lots of love my sweeties~!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 16 -

"Potter!"

"I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now Snivellus."

Snape winced at the horrible nickname, reminded, yet again, that this pumped up prince thought of him as nothing more than a bat. A bat, made from a street rat. James kept walking, not even bothering to look round at his tutor/come personal assistant. He would hardly be using the man for any form of gain again. Not that he could say the last time he'd tried to get Snape to do his job he'd seen any form of gain.

Severus kind of regretted that. The lecture he'd received from Charles had not been pleasant.

James managed to get across the hall, Severus could see him about to call out to that annoying cousin, Sirius Black, but stopped short when Sirius chose instead to walk in the other direction with a dark haired girl, who Severus kind of recognised as Lily's sister.

It had been two days since he had arrived back from visiting his mother in hospital, and their arrangement of meeting on Mondays had been shattered in to a million tiny little pieces, but Severus had made no move to arrange a new time to get any studying done for the heir to the school. He took the time to walk leisurely over to the Potter namesake and stood next to him without saying a word for a moment.

They both watched Sirius Black listen, without saying a word, to the quiet mutterings of the elder Evans sister. She seemed sad, he seemed understanding. Severus remembered the pain of popping his nose back into place when Sirius had punched him at the beginning of the year, and wondered if maybe Black had some form of hero-complex.

He sighed.

"I'm sorry."

James sighed too.

"It's not your fault."

"Actually, I was talking about submitting the report to your parents without checking with you first." Although, he had a feeling Sirius ignoring James might have been his fault too. James coloured slightly, realising he might have just hinted at his conflicting feelings.

"O-Oh." Perhaps the boy would not be as willing to forgive for that occurrence? The Gryffindor shuffled his feet awkwardly. "What do you want then?"

Severus might have made a show about James thinking he was only nice when he wanted something, but he was not prone to theatrics and besides, the messy haired boy was right on the mark.

"I need protection." He stated.

James shrugged.

"So what do you expect me to do? You get mixed up in something nasty?" Severus was highly surprised the other boy didn't add a spiteful 'bat' on the end of that.

"It's for my mother."

"What she do?"

Severus averted his eyes, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his long coat. He was unwilling to admit his once proud mother was abused by his lowly father. He was loathe to admit he was powerless to stop it, to help his own mother, without this boy's help. He chewed on the inside of his lip, wondering how to answer the question, when James sighed dejectedly, refusing to meet eye contact with the boy and instead choosing to staring up at the ceiling.

"Your mother's a Prince right? Or, she used to be…" Snape nodded, maybe a little too enthusiastically. He all but fell over in shock at the boys next utterance. "I'll talk to my cousins about it. The Black's have connections with some informants who can keep you posted."

"Sirius? Your dog been reporting what's happening to my mother?" He asked, trying to keep the bitterness out his voice. He didn't like knowing that James knew his mother was an ex-Prince, didn't like knowing James had information on his family, but was trying to remind himself that the boy was doing a favour.

James shrugged again.

"Not Sirius. Bellatrix married Rudolphus and inherited the information system from them. I'll talk to them and they might be able to get one of their lackeys to report to you…" He turned, beginning to walk away. "It's a big 'if' though, Sev."

Snape wanted to know when they'd progressed to the point where he could ask for favours, not be shot down and even referred to in a preferable way.

James was probably just going a little bit insane.

- X -

Petunia kept her gaze low as she spoke, once again, with Sirius Black - famous, infamous, Sirius Black. He was, as always, calm and collected. His parents would be nothing but proud of him, as he spoke to her with cool, professional level words of encouragement, she thought, though admittedly she knew little of what his parents thought of the eldest Black. He was a gentleman when they spoke in public like this, but she could not wait to see if he would ask her, as he had done time and time again, to sneak outside with her for a cigarette.

She all but fell over her own feet when he did, voice low and eyes darting around the corridor in search of any easy listeners who might hear his tempting offer. He placed his large hand on the small of her back and gently steered her out of the entrance hall and into the grounds. The door was held open for them by a rough looking teenager, covered in bruises and scrapes, and Petunia dipped a curtsey to him instinctively. Sirius, on the other hand, brushed by the man, and was rewarded for it with a heavy scowl.

"You really should be nicer." Petunia mumbled under her breath as they carried on their way. "He hardly looked happy with the treatment."

Sirius shrugged, leading her further out into the gardens. Although he was courteous and perfectly civil with her, Petunia had known, way before they had started with correspondence, that Sirius was not so polite to everyone in the school. She couldn't help but revel in how supremely special this, the way he treated her, made her feel. Sirius was a good looking man, a powerful man, and he was polite and gentlemanly to her, while simultaneously helping her feel at ease when he was around. She had no doubt that had she not already known she would eventually be coerced into marrying Vernon, Sirius would undoubtedly steal her heart.

He probably already had, but he did not know that, and he certainly would never feel the same way, which was the only reason why she was still in her pathetic courtship with Vernon.

He passed her a cigarette leisurely, easily falling into their usual routine when they were in the privacy of the shadows of the forest students were not actually permitted into.

"He was a social outcast." The man eventually explained, once again pulling his jacket from his back and placing it on the ground for Petunia to sit, despite the chilly air that greeted him. He, too, enjoyed just talking with Petunia. They never went too far into their personal lives, only civilly discussing the weather, their classes, or what the expected would be served for dinner that night. Sometimes they would catch themselves sharing anecdotes about their little siblings, but every time they did the air would suddenly go cold and one of them would make an excuse as to leave. It wasn't that they didn't want to discuss their family life, there was simply an unsaid rule between them that the issues were obviously awkward. They couldn't afford to have awkwardness between them, for the simple fact that they were each others escape from awkwardness.

"I never truly understood why there were such a thing." Petunia confessed. "What makes a person an outcast in a society such as this? Especially when there are so many people who should be outcasts, but are not."

She fiddled with the ends of the sleeves of her dress, this one long sleeved, down to her knees, and a dark grey. The colour made her seem paler than she actually was, and the long sleeves did little to compliment her, but no one could say she was difficult to look at. She was pretty, if not beautiful, with a sort of clumsy grace that Sirius could not say was wholly dissatisfying. He pondered her question truthfully, in a way no other girl could entice from him. Petunia was not special, she was not clever, or funny, or confident. She was painfully shy and uncomfortable in her role as a lady, and Sirius was unnaturally obsessed with her development at Hogwarts. Especially given the scene he had witnessed that morning, her diffident attitude was a welcome release.

He lit his cigarette and then handed the lighter to her to do the same.

"I wouldn't ask me that." He eventually replied. "I'm just your average student here. I just go with the crowds, trying to be accepted. Making friends with those deemed worthy, and ignoring those who aren't."

Petunia shifted.

"Am I deemed worthy?" She sighed. "I don't see how you can say as much, you are best friends with the governor's son, and the most popular boy in the entire castle."

Sirius laughed, thinking of the governor's son, and how exactly Charles would react to James' antics that morning.

"You're just like me Pet," He reassured. "You're not an outcast… the only reason I take you all the way out here is so we can have some privacy." He waved the fag in his hand around and ignored her other comments.

Petunia's fingers flung to her hair, slipping the strands through her fingers as she took another drag. She blew it out before speaking again. This time, on a more personal topic. She knew it broke their unwritten rules, but if she couldn't tell this boy, she felt she could tell no one.

"I am in courtship." She started, slowly. Sirius turned to her, a surprised look on his face she might have been insulted at if it was anyone else. "His name is Vernon, and he works not far from the castle."

Sirius shrugged.

"You aren't allowed personal visitors here." He muttered. "What does it matter where he works?"

He wanted to ask how old he was, what he looked like, where his family came from, if he actually earned enough to give her what she wanted, but knew that the one thing he had already said had sounded far too bitter. It wasn't that he held romantics feelings for Petunia; she was a year older than him, socially awkward and emotionally distressed. He could have his pick of any girl and when he did he hoped to find one without much psychological baggage, but he was oddly protective of the elder Evan's sibling, and would not have a man unworthy of her in the picture.

"I know as much." Was her reply. "Truthfully, I have no wish for him to even see this castle."

Sirius, undoubtedly, could relate to this sentiment. A lot of the time the very name 'Hogwarts' could put off a potential date, fearing you to be far to upper-class for them. However, Petunia had not said it with regards to disliking the castle, and that much was painfully clear on her face.

"This Vernon… is he not… what you first expected?" He tried to tactfully ask. This was territory they never went into, and he was unsure of how to proceed. Petunia, slowly, shook her head, drawing her knees up to her chest and placing her forehead on them.

"He is…" She shrugged. "He has his practical uses. One day he will make a good husband."

Sirius was not entirely sure of what she was trying to hint at, but he shook his head.

"But not for you. If you are dissatisfied you should break the arrangement."

He was met with a bitter laugh.

"Oh? I am growing older every day, and I am not a woman meant to use qualifications and create a career…" She sighed. "I fear there will be no one else who will have me."

She hadn't meant for the conversation to lead in this direction. She hadn't meant to confess her fears for her future. She knew she was not cut out for a career, despite the idea of equality, many woman are not job-seekers, but home makers. A home maker was all she had ever wanted to be. Her shoulders shook as Sirius' rested a large hand on one of them.

"You are a pretty girl Petunia, you have smarts and a very unique charm." He comforted. "Any man would be lucky to have you, you have no need to settle for someone you dislike."

He winced as she heard her sob.

"Oh Sirius…" She began. "I am spent. No man will take me, for I have done something so horrible."

Sirius once again shook his head.

"Who are you to judge the inner workings of a man's mind?" He asked gently. "You know I would have you, had you not just confessed to another man's courtship."

He was lying, or at least being creative with the truth. A relationship with Petunia would not be completely unfortunate, but it was not something he dwelled on often. When he did, he merely crushed the thoughts because they barely knew each other, and because Petunia was merely Petunia, and she was not special.

"You are a liar Sirius Black." Petunia sobbed. She could see right through his attempts at comfort. "I am a murderer. I was blessed with the promise of a child, and I had it aborted."

Sirius' hand's stayed on her shoulders while she shook. He wasn't entirely surprised. He knew she was emotionally wrecked over something, but he had not known what. With the development of a lover that was not what she was pleased with, and he knew there was probably a lot more to it than a simple disinterest, he couldn't say he was shocked.

He pulled her tear stained face up with a firm finger under her chin, and, without knowing what else to do, comforted her the only way he knew how. With kisses.

**Yey! Sirius and Petunia! Why do I love this pairing so? I have absolutely no idea… D: **

**I kinda really hope I'm not the only one though. I'm not sure how these two are going to pan out, since Sirius was originally going to end up with Lily… **

**I'm going back to James next chapter, and since Bella and Rudolphus weren't able to get in this chapter, they will next chapter. Which I am about to start on, so hopefully there will not be such a long wait this time.**

**Please remind me why I actually write this story with a review. XD I complain about all of my stories all the time, but I am still proud of them when I am done, I just need to help to get to the finish line.**

**Muchos Loving!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

**I don't own twisters either, and if you don't know what they are, you are missing out. Type in twisters ice cream to google images.**

Chapter 17 - Twister

James sat opposite his cousins in their chintz home, the type of house with sofa's that had spindly feet that you weren't sure were actually going to hold you up; let alone you and somebody else. He and his tutor come personal assistant sat on one of these sofas, while Bellatrix and Rudolphus sat on the one opposite them, both imposing, seemingly dark people - Bella with her mass of curly dark hair, and Rudolphus with his perfectly shaved goatee and sharp, striking features. James felt like he was in an interview, not just visiting his cousins. It was made impossibly more awkward by the fidgeting Slytherin sat next to him, who his cousins were surveying with a look of pure disapproval.

It had been just a matter of days until he had been able to secure an audience with Bellatrix and her husband. They had had to wait until the weekend not only because of their studies, but because both Bella and Rudolphus had very highly paying, but very demanding jobs to attend to. As a result, James had been spending more and more time in Snape's company, under the pretence of wanting to do well in his exams.

Both boys could tell it was because Sirius had been ignoring him for the last week, but neither were willing to take him up on it. Severus, understandably, was confused as to why James did not take his pick of the millions of other willing people to spend time with, opting instead to hang out in the dank dungeons with a social reject.

James knew he was just looking for familiarity, and being able to insult Snape relentlessly without any form of revenge being taken was usually quite fun entertainment. He'd be more weary if their had been a repeat of Snape's display of strength at the beginning of the year, but with this meeting looming over them to secure protection for Severus' mother, the boy had been unusually docile.

"And your mother was a Prince before she married - ah…?"

"Tobias Snape." James reminded his female cousin. He's already warned the Slytherin next to him not to speak unless directly spoken to, with the use of his name. Snape had seemed more than happy to oblige.

"And you believe she is being… roughly treated, by this Mr. Snape?"

Domestic abuse was not a term used in high society. There was a pregnant pause while neither of the Hogwarts students could figure out whether that was in reference to Tobias, or whether she was directing her question at Severus. James nudged the Slytherin with his toe when Bella turned her gaze on the lanky haired boy. Snape snapped his head up, gulping.

"Err… yeah." He replied. James rose an eyebrow. Usually Snape's speech was far more articulate, but it seemed that nervous or under pressure he relapsed into mumbling and slang.

"And you went to James Potter for help… why?"

James spoke up, despite the fact that Severus was clearly the one being questioned.

"Severus is an acquaintance of mine. I offered help." He lied. "I know it is a bit to ask, but she was a Prince and… it isn't as if anyone would have to intervene. It would just be helpful to know if things were getting worse or better." He added, trying to subside his cousins. He looked to Rudolphus, who said little, and when he did, often said things of great importance. The man surveyed him now and nodded stiffly.

"It will not be an inconvenience."

That was all they heard from him for the rest of the meeting, and by a few more probing questions by Bella later, they were under the promise that one of Rudolphus' intelligence agency would report to James on the matter of Eileen Prince. As they made their way from the smart town house on the later Saturday afternoon, James reassured his tutor that he would inform the informant to report directly to Severus instead.

They walked a little further down the road, watching the cars go by, and the ice-cream stand across the street become increasingly more popular on the lazy atmosphere, then Severus turned and said something which shocked James.

"Thank you."

First a sorry, and now a thank you? Severus was being almost civil, and something about the thought made James want to hit him and shout insults. Instead he made his way across the road, motioning for his companion to follow, and joined the hubbub of the ice-cream parlour.

"I've always wanted to try one of these. It was really popular when we first came to see Bella's new house as well." He briefly explained as they joined the cue. "We have a little time before the car comes to take us back to Hogwarts anyway." Severus guiltily looked around at the price list and fiddled with the very small amount of change in his pocket. It pained him to think he didn't even have enough for a 99, and James was likely to order the most expensive thing on the menu, adding to Severus' discomfort in his poverty.

"I am not a great fan of sweet things." he mumbled as an excuse, keeping his head low. It was untrue, who didn't like ice cream? But he had no wish to appear poor in front of the governor's son. James shrugged.

"Honestly, I've never tried ice cream before at all…" He confessed, making his companion raise a brow. That was just sad.

"Something your family disapprove of?" he enquired, unsure whether he was overstepping boundaries or not. James seemed to come to his senses and looked away.

"It wasn't something we had in the house." He answered ambiguously, but he seemed to brighten up as they drew closer to the counter. "Are you sure there's nothing you want? I'll pay."

Severus frowned.

"I don't need your -"

"It's not charity!" James hastily assured. He fiddled with his own change inside his pockets, far more than he was sure was in Severus'. "I'd just rather not eat alone."

There was a short pause, then James spoke again;

"You're my assistant right? So, I'm ordering you to chose something, and not the cheapest thing on the menu." He confirmed, showing a set of pearly white teeth as they drew up to the counter. "In fact, I'll put my faith in you and let you chose mine too."

Severus sighed, knowing that if James was pulling the assistant card he could hardly get out of the predicament. He turned to the clerk, who was looking at him expectantly. He glanced at the bespectacled boy standing beside him and made a decision.

"Two Twisters." He ordered, "Please."

He notices James' eyes instantly scan the menu for said ice-lollies, but he was unable to find it by the time they were presented to them and he handed over the money - a note far too large for the items they had received, and was returned with the right amount of change and a clerk with a baffled expression. Severus took the two sweets over to a table and handed one to James.

The boy took it, sitting down with a look akin to concentration as he fingered the packet, figuring out which side to open it from, before ripping the plastic away and holding the stick triumphantly in his hands. He briefly noted that he was being fed something green before looking up to his partner.

His jaw fell.

In the hot lazy afternoon, doubled with the fact that the stores freezers were set a temperature too low to keep the ice cream solid for long, the cream coloured swirls of Severus' twister had melted down onto his fingers, and the boy was licking it away with a expression concentration. Once was he was happy that his hands were relatively clean he travelled his tongue up the sweet and sucked the red tip into his mouth.

James gulped audibly, unable to take his eyes of the scene, even when his own treat began to melt into his hand, making it sticky and cold.

Eventually, Severus paused in his ministrations to stare inquisitively at James.

"You don't like it?" He asked, noticing the boys untouched ice cream. James jolted, transferring it to his left hand so he could suck away the mess on his right hand quickly. He blushed when he thought of the look on Severus' face when he too had been using his tongue to clean his hands invaded his mind, and suddenly thought he should use a napkin. Upon inspection of the table, however, he realised this place probably didn't even know what a napkin was.

Worst day to not think about bringing a handkerchief, he summarised.

"It's lovely." He supplied after a long pause. Severus just rose an eyebrow, keeping his eyes on James as he once again set to work on the green and white treat. James tried to remind himself it was just an ice cream, but he couldn't stop his eyes from darting to the pink tongue that swiped out to taste the sweet, cold, cream. Severus practically pushed the entire thing into his mouth and drew it back out again, eyes still on his companion, before James broke into a fit of coughing, realising exactly what he was fantasising about.

He would never be able to look at Snape the same way again, and he suddenly had no desire for his own ice cream, even though it did taste heavenly. His mind was shot back to Severus' tongue invading his mouth at the beginning of the week, in a much more aggressive way then he had been treating the sweet. He was unsure exactly why he hadn't punched the living day lights out of the bat for even trying such a move, expect according to Snape he had only repeated what James had done to him while under the influence of alcohol in France.

Urgh, even he could tell there was an uncommon amount of sexual tension flying around them, made worse by the fact that Sirius was ignoring him and James felt he had no where else to turn. Contrary to popular belief, James was only known by association. He knew no one outside his family, so if he cousins were ignoring him then James was very much alone.

Hanging out in dungeons was hardly his idea of fun, especially when his only entertainment was insulting an unresisting Snape. Not only was Severus not pretty to look at, but his personality was disagreeable and he was clever enough to make James' pride shrink in fear. Which was not a good trait. James had been feeling important since he was born, Severus could be nothing but a rival.

So why the hell did such a greasy, hooked nose, arrogant twat make him want to lean over the table and lick away the cream that was resting peacefully on the side of his mouth? He'd felt sexual tension before, usually in the most inappropriate of moments. He was used to desiring what was unobtainable, but he was not used to wanting what was ugly. He was not even shocked by the unavoidable fact that Severus was a man. Heck, he'd had a fair few random fantasies about Sirius, made worse that the boy was his cousin, so he knew his body reacted to men. He knew that his body was more likely to react to something he simply couldn't have. It was probably why he had been after Lily for so long. Not only was the girl beautiful and clever and funny, but she wouldn't spare him a second glance, so naturally he wanted her.

Severus, on the other hand, was probably so sexually starved that he'd submit to anything remotely sensual. James couldn't imagine anyone had ever shown the boy any affection. He stopped the train of thought before it could really begin. You didn't know how to kiss like Severus had known without some form of practise, so he couldn't truthfully say the boy had never been touched. He glanced at the man again, who by now had finished his ice cream and was licking the remains of it from his fingers and lips. He felt an all too familiar coil tighten at the base of his stomach. Never before had he desired someone he had not thought of as at least mildly attractive, but there was no denying that Severus was as unattractive as they came. There was also no denying that James desired him, possibly more than he had desired many of his nightly companions.

"You really should eat that, it's getting everywhere." The Slytherin supplied, motioning to the half melted ice cream in the boys hands. James slurped at the cream, still regretting not bringing a handkerchief, and quickly finished up. He'd wanted to savour it, for it truly did taste good, but every time some of the cream melted into his hands he was hit with images of licking something else off the very same digits. His cheeks flushed even as he thought about the boy across from him, covered in unrevealing dark material, hooked nose, lanky haired, swallow skin and all.

Nothing about Severus Snape was sexy, but James had the undeniable urge to sleep with him nonetheless.

It was a long way from the only desire to beat the living daylights out of him mere months before, and he was sure that if Snape knew any intention of his thoughts he would not only be laughed out of the café in a humiliating display, but he'd also be smacked around a bit for entertaining such fantasies.

It truly was humiliating. He thought, feeling his stomach clench uncomfortably as the two made their way back outside into the hot air and Severus stripped one of his layers. Now he had seen the boy in a sexual light it was all but impossible to un-see it. Everything Severus was doing, either innocent or not, was only causing to arouse James more, and even though the boy had seen his car about to turn the corner onto their street to pick them up, at that time Severus had clicked his neck to the side, massaging it with one hand in a casual gesture and the Gryffindor lost all control.

He pushed Severus into a side street just before Gimmick could spot them, and the car drove past slowly, looking for any sign of the two teenage boys. James watched it go, making sure to not make the two of them visible, and then pushed Severus further along the alley way to a spot where they would not be found.

"What are you doing?" Snape asked, and received the answer in the form of a hungry, needy, kiss.

**So I am enjoying ending my chapters with kisses at the moment.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternative Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 18 -

James moaned into the kiss as he forced his tongue urgently into the taller boys mouth and was met with a reciprocating hand on his smaller back, pulling him flush against the other, who's shirt he had balled into his fists in a pathetically bad attempt at control. He ran his tongue along the teeth baring his entrance into the hot cavern - typically uneven, but at least clean. Once parted, he could taste the remains of the sweet ice cream on the other's tongue as they battled about their mouths, and he was easily reminded of the image of his partner giving the ice cream all he had. One of Severus' hands tangled itself into James' hair, snagging slightly in a painful way, making sure the boy was either kept in place, or manipulated to Snape's will, so that Snape would be the one to dominate this kiss. The other, boldly, travelled south, taking a good handful of the younger's jean clad bottom in hand and squeezing, before attaching to his thigh and pulling it up so that James' legs were spread.

James broke away, gasping, as Severus rocked his body forward between the boys legs, creating torturous friction within their clothed bodies. He'd been right to assume that Severus had been touched before, their was no way one could be so confident, and so skilled, without some practise, and he felt a strange swell of something not unlike jealously within him at the idea of someone else touching what was his. Because Severus was his; he was his tutor, his assistant, his enemy, his to control, his to be controlled by. In this instant; his lover, and he would not be entertaining thoughts of anyone else who might have touched what was his while he was consumed by his lust for the man.

While Severus continued to rock against him, James leant up to attack his neck with pecked kisses that were not exactly the boy's best work. He prided himself on his ability to go slow, and show a girl, or a man, a good time, but this time he was far too concentrated on what Severus was doing to be able to stop himself from being far too rough with his lips. He latched on to the man's neck and sucked hard, licking and biting and gasping and breathing against it as the other rutted against him. They were animals, dry humping each other in broad daylight, down a dark alley, and trying not to make too much noise lest a curious Londoner found their way into their alcove of lust. But Gods James could not stop the high pitched keen that broke free from his throat as Severus was able to force a hand down his tight jeans to fondle him through his boxers. He panted against the boys neck, already seeing his earlier attentions there beginning to form into a small bruise. Marking what was his. Again, animalistic. Again, practically necessary.

He whimpered, only slightly, as his jeans were loosened and the material was pushed down over his hips, to fall and pool at his ankles, making a rush of air flutter about his sensitive regions. James tried valiantly to work the buttons loose of the taller man's dark shirt, able to get half down before he gave up and just pushed his hands up under the shirt, running them over the boys now defined chest. Severus had definitely been working out over the summer, that much had been obvious as soon as he had looked at the boy when term had begun, now it was confirmed under his fingers and the messy-haired teenager could hardly get enough of it. He gripped tightly at the other boys sides, not even conscious that where he dug his fingers in he might leave more tiny bruises, as the Slytherin worked his member with long, obviously talented fingers.

He knew he was supposed to be quiet, but guttural moans couldn't help but be vocalised as he bucked into the almost impossibly tight fist. A deep flush was spread across his cheeks and down most of his body, making him feel uncomfortably hot all over. It wasn't a pleasant feeling and he didn't feel in control in any way as Severus' fingers worked him, the other hand keeping James' head in place, nestled into the crook of the Slytherin's neck, while he was jerked off. It wasn't refined, it wasn't romantic and it wasn't even the best hand-job he'd ever received - although it certainly wasn't the worst. They were in the back of a dark alley and this only served to turn James on more, if that was possible. The danger of the entire situation, of possibly being caught with this unattractive Slytherin, taking pleasure in what Snape was doing to his body, thrilled him beyond compare, and he wasn't entirely sure he could hold out much longer.

But he would die of embarrassment if Severus' hand-job was actually enough to make him come so easily, and he travelled his hands south, fiddling with the button of the taller man's crotch, trying to repay the favour.

Then all attention to his nether regions stopped, and he was forced to look up in an attempt to ask why. Severus was staring at him so intently it was completely unnerving, and James suddenly wanted very much to pull his jeans up and find a way to get that gaze off of him. He wasn't even completely exposed - Severus had been pumping him with his boxers still on, creating even more friction then James had thought capable, but he still felt as if the Slytherin's dark eyes could see right through him.

He was ripped away from the man without a word, then turned and pushed against the wall. Severus' hands, one that had been in his hair and the other that had been on his member, stilled James' hands against the wall, folding over them neatly.

"Lean against here." He mumbled into the Gryffindor's ear, in a deep, low voice, and James felt his fingers bend, scraping against the stone of the wall, as his boxers were pulled down, going to join his jeans on the floor. He flushed furiously when large, calloused hands gripped gently at his hips, but no other movement was made. He wanted to look over his shoulder to see what Severus was doing, what he was looking at. He'd be terminally humiliated if Severus was just stood there, staring at him with his arse bared. But despite being a descendent of Gryffindor, somewhere a long the line, he couldn't find any courage, and instead just burnt in shame as he was surveyed from behind.

Eventually the boy's hand returned and began to pump him, oh so lazily. He felt breath on the back of his neck, hitched and uneven, and it was all he could do to hold his own breath and let it out again with tiny, pathetic cries of pleasure. His fingers were bending against the wall, as if trying to find something to grip, but in the end it was only creating tiny cuts on their tips as they brushed against the rough surface. Severus' erection, still fully clothed, rocked against him from behind; slowly, torturously so. Not creating nearly enough contact for it to be really pleasurable, simply stimulating. His concentrated efforts were on James' penis, clutching, pumping, teasing him there.

The boy threw his head back, onto Severus' waiting shoulder, and the Slytherin only had to gently angle his own head so he could suck on the boys earlobe sensually. He squeezed the boy's tip, revelling in the moans he received, and eventually, when James' back arched and he bucked into the waiting hand erratically, riding out an orgasm that had him shouting incoherently, semen hitting the wall and dripping out through Severus' long fingers.

Severus grinned against the boys ear, humming his satisfaction with the Gryffindor's reactions. He would be lying to say he hadn't been expecting this sudden change from the boy. He had not been oblivious to how James had been staring at him in the ice cream parlour - and he was not afraid to admit, in his own head, that he may have taken advantage of this, using the twister to his own advantage once he had realised what the boys attentions had been focused on. Sue him. He may not have craved James the same way the messy haired boy evidently craved him, but he was not against sexual encounters and he could not deny the love he felt being able to control the bully.

And it was easy to control Potter when he was aroused. He had admittedly not expected James to break so easily after his little show in the parlour. Honestly he had expected at least a day or two before the Gryffindor cracked under his lust and sought Severus out. Which was not to say he was complaining. Like he said, he too, contrary to popular belief, enjoyed a good sexual fantasy, and he very much enjoyed being in control of someone who had tormented him for so many years.

He knew it would be no longer enough, to simply show violence and watch James become wary of him. It was no longer enough to hold over the boy's head that he was his tutor, a position of power, especially not, when in return for said role, he was having to give up his pride and become the boys assistant. No, now he had something that didn't work both ways. James would have to give and give and give and Severus had no plans to provide anything in return.

It had been cute, in a way, when James had so valiantly tried to get into his trousers, quite literally, but he would not open up in the same way Potter seemed so willing to. This would not only become great blackmail, but a sick source of pleasure for Severus. He could bare James, physically and emotionally, for the taking, any time he wanted, with a little manipulation here and there. And James had already proven through the ice cream that it hardly took much to manipulate him.

He felt justified with this. He was hardly hurting the boy, for Potter was obviously in want of the advances, and after five years of constant bullying, it was time he truly got some pay back. It would pleasure them both, it would simply be that while James would feel he was getting all the physical pleasure as time and time again Severus would make him cry out in orgasm, Severus would be getting a more of a psychological pleasure, taking a sick satisfaction as he watched James become more and more needy for him, until in the end the Gryffindor would be unable to get his pleasure anywhere else but him.

Would it ruin James Potter?

An evil smirk slipped it's way onto his features without his consent. He sure hoped it would.

- X -

Petunia Evans lay on the floor of the Forbidden Forest, as it was affectionately dubbed by her fellow students, not even caring that this time she did not have Sirius' jacket to stop her dress from getting dirty. It had been almost a week since their last meeting, in which she had confessed everything to the boy, only to be comforted by his strong hold and stronger, demanding kisses. When she had come to her senses she had made her excuses as to why she should leave and she had been avoiding him. She talked more with her sister, although never more openly, and always made sure to be busy if Sirius asked her for her company in the gardens. It was not that Petunia didn't wish to spend time with the charismatic Gryffindor, but that she was afraid they had far overstepped their unwritten boundaries, and that Sirius too would come to his senses and reject her.

For that reason, she still had yet to break off anything with Vernon, and she was pained to think she was committing adultery - another sin on her growing list.

Now, she lay down next to him, no jacket because he was not wearing one in the lazy Saturday heat that had suddenly come upon England. Although Sirius had jokingly offered to take off his shirt, he had soon seen that this flirting was not getting him anywhere. Petunia seemed troubled, so they had laid together, simply talking in hushed, quiet voices.

"Truly, you must not really have feelings for me." Petunia insisted once again, and Sirius had to agree with her inside his head. "I am not your type. I am too anti-social. I am not someone your mother would approve of."

Sirius laughed, glad he could be honest.

"My mother would not approve of you, but I have no care what my mother thinks." He agreed, grinning. He wasn't in love with Petunia, at least not yet. He felt a deep affection for the girl, and the overwhelming urge to protect her. He knew he often felt jealous of the most inappropriate things, such as if another man glanced at Petunia. So she wasn't stunning, but she was pretty, and men could easily be attracted to her understated charm. He knew it wasn't love, probably just a reaction to his need to see her happy, but he was happy to play house with her until the year was up. She would be gone at the end of the academic year, and after that Sirius had no plan to stay in contact, but Petunia was a constant at the moment, and if keeping her close meant pretending to love her, he was happy to oblige. She, however, was not so easily convinced. It amused Sirius that there were no words from her mouth of not being attracted to him, only disbelief that he might like her. Truly, it was an ego trip if nothing else.

"I still don't-"

Sirius leant forwards and kissed her gently into silence. He didn't think any of his words would convince a woman so deeply self-hating, and ran a hand up and down her cheek sensually. The forest was alive with the chatter of birds and the warm breeze rustling the trees, but there was not another pupil in sight, and Sirius took the afternoon laziness as an excuse to press closer to her in their private setting. She hummed appreciatively as he entered her mouth with his tongue. She did not believe in his intentions, but she could hardly deny her own want for him to touch her. They both rolled, naturally, so that he was almost on top of her, running his hands up and down her sides, until eventually they slipped underneath her flannel style dress and teased her with light, tickling fingers.

It did not take long to have her moaning, long legs travelling up the back of his thighs and wrapping around his back. Sirius kissed her deeply, well versed in this particular dance, running a hand through her wavy hair and pressing his lips to any part of bare skin he could find. He pushed her dress further up her body, her legs still wrapped firmly around him to reveal lacy underwear.

"Expecting something?" He whispered to her, and although it was teasing, he said it with no malice. Petunia still writhed awkwardly at the tone, so Sirius gently calmed her. "Don't be embarrassed. I love - them."

He'd almost said 'I love you' and paused a moment to recollect himself, wondering why he'd almost slipped the tongue. He kissed her forehead caringly as one of his hands went further, drawn to the warmth of her breast. The other stayed low, hooked into the pretty knickers, and pulling them slowly from her hips.

"C-condom." Petunia gasped out, and it was Sirius' turn to show that he had been expecting something, drawing one from his back pocket. Petunia took it from him gratefully, not wishing to be caught in the same situation as before. She wondered briefly, if Sirius had been the one to get her pregnant, whether she would have kept the child, but stopped the depressing thoughts and sat up on the ground, fingering the button of Sirius' trousers and pulling down the zipper. She kneaded him lightly through the material before the two of them pulled them off altogether, underwear going neatly in toe.

Both of them were unaware that they were soon to be caught by a student that had travelled to far out of the castle in search of their sibling. Lily Evans' mouth fell agape in shock as she found her sister, moaning and gasping on the floor while the infamous Sirius Black rocked into her body. She covered her eyes and instantly turned around, making her way back up to the castle, not wanting to see any more of her sister's sex life. She had sought out Petunia to ask once again about Mary, to see if there was anything Petunia could suggest, and also to ask if Petunia was okay, for the woman had been distant. To see that scene had shocked her, for surely Petunia was not the type of sleep around, but Sirius most definitely was. No one had ever heard of the Black having a long term relationship, and wouldn't Petunia tell her if she was involved with the boy?

She bit her lip. Sirius was obviously manipulating Petunia in some way, and she would get to the bottom of it. She was not a great fan of either Sirius or James, both known for their disregard for the rules and love of nightly adventures with women, and she would not let her sister become involved with either of them.

**And before everyone goes 'omg, Lily is meddling again', no, she is simply worried about her sister. Give her a break. **

**My love for Sirius and Petunia must be strong, since that was very, very close to a Heterosexual smut scene, and I barely ever write those!**

**I am getting upset at not being able to write Sirius and James interactions, so next chapter will have Sirius confessing he saw Snape kiss James! Can't wait! XD**


	19. Chapter 19

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternative Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 19 - Confrontation

**Check out my profile for a poll I would like all my Harry Potter readers to answer, please. **

James stumbled into the common room later that evening, after a very awkward car drive home. Gimmick had been predictably professional, not thinking to mention the obviously ravished appearance of his employer, or the fact that he had been forced to drive around the block three times before he could find a parking spot on the busy London street. Instead they drove in silence, depositing the boys at the school, where they instantly went their separate ways - one down to the dungeons and the other up to Gryffindor tower. Gimmick didn't even hint that he knew what they had been up to, but his slightly disapproving stare after the Slytherin was enough of a give away.

"Where have you been?" Sirius asked as soon as he stumbled through their secret entrance to the common room. Others gave him a wide berth as he made his way over to the fire and stood in front of his best friend.

"I thought you weren't talking to me." James replied, trying hard not to cross his arms in an obviously defensive gesture. Sirius shrugged, not even looking at the messy-haired Gryffindor.

"Well now I am. Where have you been for the last week?" He asked. He knew that James had not been with anyone that Sirius was in regular contact with, for they would have undoubtedly have bumped into each other far more then they had done, and in all honesty he had his doubts about how many people James actually had the confidence with to attach himself to. It was no secret, at least within the Purebloods of the school, that James was a sheltered case, and he was known mostly through association of being the Governors son, and then secondly as a friend.

"I've been studying." His friend supplied, which sounded like a blatant lie, and practically was. Although Snape had tried on many occasions to get James to put pen to paper, it was difficult for the Potter heir to concentrate on his actual academia.

"Not with Snivellus?" Sirius inquired, so offhandedly that James almost shrugged and let the cat out of the bag. Although, from the entire situation, what Sirius had just said, it was rather obvious that the cat had already escaped on its own. He gulped, feeling like a child being scolded.

"You knew?"

They kept their voices quiet, wary of the other students around, all desperate to hear a little of the conversation of the most popular and powerful men in school. Sirius shrugged, as if the whole affair was no big deal, even though it definitely was.

"Frankly, I'm a little disgusted." He said, even then with a terribly fake smile on his features. James winced.

"It's not as if I want to." He mumbled. "I'm being forced into this."

Sirius rose an eyebrow, and suddenly his hand was on James' shoulder. Angry at the words to the point he was gripping too painfully on his cousin. James hissed at it, but refused to try and dislodge the man, to show how serious he was about this. Sirius, however, even didn't notice his friends discomfort, or didn't care.

"That bastard!" He scowled. "Don't worry Jamie, I'll make sure he never goes near you again." Probably already thinking of the millions of ways he could cause the lanky-haired Slytherin some serious pain.

James' brow furrowed.

"How would that help?" He muttered. "It's best to just get it over with quickly isn't it?"

A chill suddenly ran through the room. James felt his cousin shaking where they were still connected through the slightly taller boys hand on his shoulder. He gasped, only slightly, as he was roughly pulled into a one armed, rugged hug, before being yanked along until they were in the privacy of their own dormitory - vacant of their other two dorm mates so early in the evening. He was sat down on the bed, both of Sirius' hands on his shoulders.

"That's not the right attitude Jamie. I thought we'd managed to get rid of that."

James looked at him so intently, but so innocently, it was difficult to keep pace.

"It's just tutoring."

A pause. A slack jaw. A surprised, if maybe not so happy, laugh. And Sirius sunk to his knees, hands travelling to James' knees weakly. The boy gasped through his chuckling, shoulders shaking with the stress of trying to stop the reaction.

"God, you scared me." he mumbled, temporarily forgetting his initial anger. He grinned at his friend. "You're getting tutored by that bat? Who would force you to let them tutor you?"

James blushed a little at his own inadequacy to achieve acceptable results.

"My parents are the one forcing me, not him." Sirius gulped, about to carry on his question, to get to the real reason he had confronted James, having ignored him for a week, but James carried on before he could. "What did you mean before?"

"What?"

"When you said you'd managed to get rid of my attitude?"

Sirius bit his lip. James was under the impression that his own memories had been lost during a kidnapping incident in his past. Most of the less important branches of the family were under the same impressions. It would be crushing for him to learn the truth now, after so many years of hiding it from the boy. For the greater good of the family, for James' benefit, they had hid what had really happened, but he still had no doubt the Gryffindor would be insanely angry if he ever found out. Instead he used his initial resentment as a distraction, if not an excuse.

"Why were you kissing Snape?" He asked, off the bat, quickly retreated out of range in case James reacted violently to being caught out. He expected vehement denials, despite having seen it with his own eyes not a week ago. He had expected to be shouted at for even suggesting something so disgusting. He had wanted to hear such anger. What he hadn't expected was for James to go bright red and cough out his protests in a pathetic attempt at a cover up. Even the Potter heir could figure out he was doing a terrible job, as Sirius just rose a sculpted eyebrow, and James calmed.

"That was forced too." He mumbled. Sirius glared, having already had that shock, and having shown it clearly, he was not entirely sure if James was telling the truth or whether he was using Sirius' over protectiveness to his advantage. He refused to be caught out if that was the case. He tapped his foot patiently on the floor, but James carried on. "He's a freak. A nutter. I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually in love me or something. It's sick."

It wasn't difficult to fall back into insulting the Slytherin. He still wanted to insult the boy. Their moment of passion had not changed his feelings towards Snape, and he still held the lanky git with as much contempt as possible. Okay, so he could admit his body was attracted to what Severus could do to it, but rationally he knew Snape was ugly and disagreeable. If all it took to convince Sirius that he was not a willing participant in his interactions with Snape was a few insults, then he would gladly do so. It would be easy to keep of the farce of being tutored by the boy (for after all, he was) and during that time he could take his physical pleasures as well.

He stopped as he realised he was planning ahead for more encounters with the Slytherin. He had thought their moment in the alley had been a one time thing, but apparently his body disagreed.

Did he crave Snape? He could take his pleasures with anyone, what was special about Snape? Because it was dangerous to think so?

Sirius felt his anger deflate as he watched James fall more and more into his own thoughts. Proof enough that what he had seen a week prior had been forced. He hadn't stuck around to see it's conclusion, but he had noted at the time it had been a little rough. James' insults and the fact he was obviously pondering over what Sirius had said was more than enough evidence.

"I'll kill him." He said, easily, with no hint of teasing or joking. James looked at him, slightly frightened as he took in his cousins anger. Sirius was on the hunt, that much was clear.

"Don't." He ordered easily, before realising his wish to keep Severus healthy would break his lies. "I've already taken care of it." He sighed, seeing Sirius still upset.

"No one forces you into something you don't wanna do and gets away with it James." He growled. "You're a Potter, no half-blood blockhead should even be allowed to touch you."

James was shocked to hear a distinct amount of jealously in the boys voice. He blinked, trying to come up with a plan to dispel whatever unrighteous anger Sirius was thinking. The boy had always been very protective of those he thought of as friends, even going as far as to not wish to share them with anyone, especially a potential lover.

"Just think how easy it'll be to keep that worm in control though." He ordered, standing. "I've got his own sick crush hanging over his head at all times. I can use this to my advantage."

Sirius seemed to seriously think about the advantages of Snape's supposed 'crush'.

He had reciprocated after all, maybe Snape really did feel something for James. Although, James had initiated, and he certainly felt nothing for the greasy git.

"It could be awesome." Sirius stated, slowly, as if trying to reassure himself. After all, blackmail material related to one's love interest was always the most productive. James nodded along in agreement.

"Yes. Yes." He nodded happily, glad Sirius was falling into his trap, even as he felt guilty for lying to his friend. "He'll be a quibbling mess by the time we're done."

It was a promise they always made to each other when they had beaten him up in times gone by. Sirius grinned at the familiarity.

"I still wanna kill him."

James smiled, and he was not surprised to see it was genuine.

"Plenty of time for that later." He promised. "Once I'm done with him."

He was sure the two of them could have carried on plotting horribly things to tease and humiliate Severus about, regarding the boys imaginary crush on James, but at that moment their dorm door was opened and Lupin shuffled in awkwardly. He sent a small glare towards Sirius, although nothing towards James, which was abnormal - considering the two of them (James and Sirius) went together, and if one was unhappy with one of them, it usually meant they were unhappy with the other.

He was about to comment when he noticed Sirius glaring back.

Oh, there was definitely something going on here. He wasn't the only one keeping secrets. Sirius sighed, almost as if inwardly scolding himself for seeking to the social rejects level. For Lupin was a social reject, although James honestly couldn't tell you why, the boy was simply weird, with no friends. He was smart, getting average, or above average, grades in most lessons, but his etiquette left much to be desired.

Sirius, however, was thinking about his earlier encounter with Petunia. Her words were wringing in his mind. She was a lady to everyone, and she hadn't even brought up in high society. As her boyfriend, for he supposed he had made himself her boyfriend, he would have to show her his good side.

It was the least she deserved.

And he could start with this reject. He'd already been interested in the boy, and he could see now the bandages under his long sleeves, despite the hot day. He'd been momentarily distracted by Petunia, but now he had the perfect excuse to merge the two together, and he could keep an eye on them both.

"Sorry." Sirius said, biting the word out as if he hated the taste of it, of which everybody who knew him had no doubt he did. "For earlier."

Lupin turned to him, eyes flashing dangerously yellow. He snarled angrily at the two popular boys he was forced to share this living space with, and Sirius noted his hands, also wrapped in badly done bandages, twitching at his sides.

"Forgiven." The boy spat back, voice husky, with the same expression on his face that Sirius had when forced to say sorry. The two of them were obviously upset that they even had to talk to each other, but they continued nonetheless. Lupin could tell the wolf was close to the surface, and his murderous intent for Sirius Black just grew more and more as the month drew to it's close. The only thing stopping him from pouncing on the boy was his cousin, infuriating innocent in his anger, standing close. James Potter was not perfect, but Remus hardly had time to be angry at both boys at once.

At least Potter knew his name. And so, Black would have to be the first to go.

It would be so, so easy, to just let the wolf devour him.

**Remus and Sirius' relationship is pushing me to my limits, not going in quite the way I wanted it to. Mainly because Petunia took up far more time then I had expected.**

**Other than that, please review, and I shall try hard to get Sirius and Remus back on the right track.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 20 -

James sat at the back on his chemistry class, quietly contemplating how he was going to turn the bunch of chemicals he had in his phials into the compound that McGonagall actually wanted from him. The teacher was the type of woman that had been born old, but still held a sort of sarcastic, articulate charm that made her attractive, even at her advanced age. James wasn't saying that he was sexual attracted to her, because that would just be weird, but she definitely had a sort of dangerous charm that would make men her age very attracted to her. Yet, she was a chemistry teacher, no-nonsense type of woman, and James had never heard her talking of a husband or children (possibly grandchildren). Although he had heard his father speaking quietly with his mother regarding a failed relationship with the Scottish woman.

He briefly reflected that non of these ponderings were going to help him solve the mysterious case of the chemicals, and rubbed his thumb over the note he had been passed from Snape on his way in, while the Slytherin made his way further into the castle proper in order to his Classics class.

Hogwarts classes were mainly normal. A mix of sciences and humanities, with the spices of literature and catering that most schools boasted. On the other hand, forgoing Physical Education, Hogwarts jumped straight to Self-Defence. It also had special classes of Social-etiquette, (nicknamed Charms by the students), and flower-arranging - which was optional and mainly attended by girls, which replaced what most other schools would call 'art'.

He flipped open the note and read the contents again while McGonagall was paying attention to one of Pettigrew's dangerous looking experiments again.

_If you wish to continue your education, this time focused on maths, which you appear to be struggling in, you may meet me in Hogsmeade this evening._

James bit his lip, thinking of having to spend another evening in the company of the Slytherin. The month was rapidly drawing to a close, and the moon was beginning to look completely full in the sky. That night, according to his calendar, would complete the cycle, and he wished he could just curl up in the Gryffindor common room at Halloween crept in. It wasn't that he was scared of ghosts and ghouls, but he'd spent two months meeting with Severus at every moment the Slytherin thought it appropriate, and felt like he had no control. Their original arrangement for tutoring was to meet once a week, but that had been shot down after the very first attempt, and now he just had to rely on these notes to know when he was supposed to further his education.

Sirius would be pissed they couldn't stay up telling horror stories as well; and the full moon happening on a Halloween was a perfect opportunity for the age old tradition! He frowned. He wanted to tell Snape to stuff it, but there was a coiling at the base of his stomach that warned him that if he passed up the chance to be alone with the Slytherin then his body would never forgive him.

It made him feel physically sick just thinking about how his body was inducing fantasies of the next time he and Severus might meet.

"Mr. Potter." McGonagall stood right in front of his desk as he continued to stare dully at his phials. Her lips thinned as she noticed that not only had he not completed the practical, but his question sheet was blank but for one question, which was not correct. "Am I to assume you find my lesson difficult?"

The whole class turned to see the happenings. James always sat at the back, not wishing to draw attention to his own academic failures, but McGonagall had a particular habit of picking on him. Probably because she was the only teacher who had enough backbone to tell the governors son he was failing.

He glanced around the room before bringing his eyes back to the teacher. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she wore a high-necked, long-sleeved, long-skirted dress that struck a Victorian feel.

"I…" He looked down at his desk. "I can't do it." he added, quietly, scrunching up the note he had been distracted by in his hand and stuffing it back into his lap bellow the desk before his teacher could notice it. McGonagall simply hummed; dissatisfied with his response.

"You can do it Mr. Potter. You just can't do it yet." She berated, "Why is it you did not ask for help if you were struggling?"

By now the entire class was enthralled by his failure, some craning their necks to see his reaction, some sniggering behind their hands. He felt his ears burn as he kept his eyes trained on his desk and mumbled. So much for clear, coherent speech. He could hardly string two words together without stuttering.

"I was… I wanted to…" It was humiliating. It had never been humiliating before. He'd always been able to scrape through on the minimal effort required to establish an average or usually slightly bellow average, but still acceptable grade. Now he was staring at the chemicals and couldn't remember which one was what, and how you could tell, and all the questions on the paper just seemed completely daunting. He'd never asked for help before - although he had it forced upon him many a time, but it was mortifying that the entire class were learning that he couldn't even figure out this simply experiment. He just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"I… I-I…" He clamped a hand over his mouth when his voice broke and he was unable to utter anything but one syllable repetitions. The class were still staring at him and he felt like their eyes were stabbing him. He was not shy, in fact, he was confident, but he was terrified to speak, lest he get it wrong. His mouth was dry, he throat constricted, and he felt sick to his stomach at the thought that he couldn't figure out something so simple.

"Mr. Potter?"

He knew he was shaking, and was trying to stop it, but clenching his muscles only made it worse. It felt like… it felt similar to the feeling to sheer panic he felt when he had to travel with strangers.

"James?"

He also knew, in a sort of calm interior that that was Sirius, expressing his concern.

A strangled sob escaped him, much to his humiliation.

"I can't do it." He repeated. "I just can't. I… I-I can't. I'm sorry." He couldn't stop himself from shaking, and the wish to apologise for his failures, to beg for forgiveness was overwhelming him. He didn't know where these feelings were coming from, and he knew it ran a lot deeper then the slight embarrassment at not being able to solve the equation in front of him. He closed his eyes, willing the sickness to go away, shoulders still trembling uncontrollably, and was only anchored when he felt a rough hand on his head.

"Come on James." Sirius instructed carefully. "In, and out. Just breathe."

He did as told, hands clenching on his lap as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He repeated this a lot of times, trying not to let his breath hitch and start hyperventilating, before he was calm enough to open his eyes.

Sirius was staring at him with a concerned look, and the rest of the class were staring just as openly, mainly curious. A flash on panic struck him, but he squashed it down quickly, despite knowing the whole school would be talking about this episode by the end of the day. He gulped and reached up to dry his eyes with the back of his sleeve - although he didn't remember actually beginning to cry. He felt pathetic and washed out, and stupid for getting so wound up over a chemistry problem, but he also felt one step closer to the truth.

The overwhelming urge to apologise was not how he felt, ever. He was too proud to utter the word 'sorry' more than was absolutely necessary. However, at that moment of sheer terror his pride had been damned and he had just wanted to beg for forgiveness - asked to be spared from pain.

He didn't know where these feelings had come from, but he knew they were similar to the panic he felt when he was travelling, and he had no doubt they were the beginning of his surfacing memories from whatever had happened when he was a child.

Looking at the curious stares of the classes still frightened him and he kept his eyes trained on Sirius - confused, innocent, scared.

"Shall I send for Madam Pomfrey?" asked McGonagall, quietly. As teachers often do when a student has a panic attack in their class, she felt somewhat guilty for drilling him moments before. James shook his head, picked up his pen and set back to work on the questions that seemed to daunting. He ignored Sirius trying to get his attention, and waved the boy back to his seat - not taking his eyes off the paper so that he wouldn't have to look at the curious class. He tapped his pen on the sheet as he tried to decipher the question, but only ended up making little dots on the page, and not actually achieving a clear frame of mind to work out the formula needed step by step.

He was never going to pass this class.

"If you add this chemical to the mix and then use a catalyst you'll get the desired result." He was told, a redheaded girl pointing at his page to where his table of elements was, and then down to where the question he was trying to figure out was. He nodded at her. Lily was smart - very much so, but he was rare that she would take the time out to help him. She had sat next to him this lesson, which was a miracle in and of itself, and now she was willingly giving him answers?

She probably pitied him, he thought dejectedly, thinking of his little freak out.

He coughed.

"Uh… thanks."

She surveyed him, just as curiously as the rest of the class, for a little while. He turned away, cheeks going red as she continued to stare.

"If you are struggling with Chemistry I am sure you could find a tutor." She suggested after a pause. He jolted at the thought, trying to will his heart to stop beating so fast. His breaths were beginning to come in a little shorter, and he had no doubt he'd be laughed at by Snape when the news got around to the Slytherin. Not only did he suck at maths, but sciences too, and he was not good at remembering dates for history or case studies for geography. The only academic subjects he actually excelled at were Literature and catering. And neither of those were going to get him a job in the future.

"I already have one." He told the girl quietly. "But we haven't covered this yet."

They'd hardly covered anything. Snape was trying to teach him about life - and while that was great to improve his literature and sociology a little more, it did little for purely academic subjects like science and maths. Maybe he could talk to the boy about it? Ask to see if Snape had any other approaches to teaching that would help with remembering how to work with numbers and details.

"Is that so?" Lily asked thoughtfully. She frowned slightly at her own experiment when it started to fizzle earlier then she had expected, and wrote down something on the note book she carried with her. She paused for a moment, deep in thought, and then conversationally carried their encounter on as McGonagall went back to trying to sort out the mess Pettigrew had made. "You haven't been picking on Severus as much lately." She stated.

James shrugged, wondering where she was going with the line of thought.

"Sirius and I have to focus on our NEWTS, I suppose." He mumbled back. "Snivellus is a simple nuisance I'd rather be out of my life."

Lily rose a brow.

"But before you'd seek him out just to bloody him up. And even at the beginning of the year I saw Sirius dislocate his nose!" She replied. It was James' turn to be surprised. He hadn't known Sirius and Snape had had a running at the beginning of the year. It seemed a long time ago, but it was less than two months. He felt a strange need to defend Sirius from Lily's wrath over an incident he didn't really know much about, but he knew what had happened at the beginning of the year between he and Severus.

"Well, Snape put me in hospital, so we're even."

There was a small, tiny pause as James processed what he had said, loud enough for the teenagers on both side of him to hear, before his eyes went wide and a cold shiver passed down his back and arms.

"He did what?"

"I knew it! So he was the one that almost killed you!"

James turned to Sirius, completely ignoring Lily.

"N-no!" He protested, and even he knew it was weak after what he'd just said.

"I should have punched him harder! And you know what, after what he did to you the other week…" Sirius trailed off, brow furrowed, probably demising an evil scheme to see Snape's downfall. James put a tentative hand on his cousins arm, and felt it shaking with rage. Sirius had always been far too overprotective. "I'll kill him." Sirius mumbled, and repeated it.

James frowned.

"Sirius." He warned. "I told you already, I've taken care of it. Don't hurt him because you'll just get yourself in trouble."

"He almost killed you James." The boy returned. He held up his thumb and finger until they were almost touching. "That close James. That much further to the right and you wouldn't be here to tell me to spare him." He whispered dangerously.

James nodded.

"I know. I know." He reassured. "But… but your anger is going to get you into trouble that you can't get out of one day Siri and that… that worries me."

He hadn't admitted it before, but it was as good a time as any and it calmed Sirius enough to stop a murdering spree. He glanced back at Lily, but she was deep in thought.

It was obvious to her that Snape was James' tutor, from all the information she had gathered thus far. It was also obvious that Sev wasn't exactly docile when the two were together, and he had no reason to be. As far as she was concerned he was simply implemented a well needed revenge on the popular Gryffindor.

One mystery solved… roughly. Now on to Sirius and Petunia, which was a much more pressing matter. For now she felt Mary was a lost cause, but if she could get Petunia away from Sirius, an obviously bad influence, maybe the two of them together could convince Mary that she was in the wrong and she needed to get off the drugs. But she would need someone with a clear level head, like Petunia, and that meant making sure she was not around someone as bad-boyish as Sirius Black.

**This chapter is… um… yeah. But NEXT chapter has some James Snape interactions, and the build up (at LEAST) to my Remy Siri scene that I've been waiting for.**

**Hopefully.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 21 - Dogweed and Deathcap

**A/N: Wouldn't it be nice to have a bouquet of flowers that represented you, made especially for you? Tell me what flowers would be in yours! And next chapter I'll you what my bouquet would be like, deal?**

The rain started pouring down as it grew closer to the time James was supposed to meet Severus near the gates to the castle grounds. Eight o' clock, as he had been told in a second note, which had realised the first's shortcoming's and had been a more detailed… invitation. If one could call it as such.

James watched the rain from the tower out the window. Sirius was pacing back and forth, obviously frustrated about something, although unwilling to tell his best friend what, and James was waiting for his usually brilliant mind to come up with an excuse as to why he would be gone for the evening. It was unusual for him to want to spend time with Severus over Sirius… and unusual was probably the understatement of the year. He used his index finger to lightly trace the scrunched up not in his right hand, and ran his left one through his unruly hair, keeping his gaze trained on the outside as the clock ticked ever closer to eight. Given the size of the castle and grounds he reckoned it would only take him roughly seven minutes to get to the gate - but that was if he took it at a jog, and used the shortcut behind the tapestry on the fifth floor. Currently they were in one of the towers connected to the seventh floor, one of the highest points in the castle, and he'd also have to negotiate the grounds at night - where it was easy to accidentally walk from the black lawns into the giant black lake.

Especially when it was raining so hard there was no 'dry land'.

He frowned at the thought. He wasn't exactly the best of swimmers, and the idea of getting caught in the numerous plants and creatures that lived in the loch and being unable to be seen in the dark, was slightly sobering.

At quarter to eight Sirius gave up, throwing his hands in the air and muttering under his breath. They were the only ones in the room again, despite curfew being just around the corner, and he waved over his shoulder as he left the dorm. James gave him another three minutes to make sure he wasn't coming back, and then quietly crept after him. If he was lucky he could disappear while Sirius was out, and would not have to think up any excuse for his absence. With this thought in mind, he stole across the common room, trying not to be noticed by anyone, but at the same time making note that his best friend was not in his usual chair by the fire.

He took the first two floors at a jog, and then slipped behind the tapestry and down to the second floor quicker than anticipated, just before Filch could come round the corner and chase him back up to Gryffindor Tower. He slid down the banister of the grand staircase, and out the front doors, into the rain.

He was soaked instantly, and he began to walk slower across the ground. It felt gravely under his shoes, but he still shuffled them awkwardly as he made his way forwards. He'd be worried about people looking out of the windows and seeing him, but he was probably completely invisible in the rain and the darkness.

It felt like it took him an hour to get to the gate, but when he arrived at the gate Snape made no comment on tardiness. In fact, he didn't make a comment at all, opting instead to wave a hand at the boy, a gesture to follow, and swept his way through the metal contraption, James a step behind, as they braved the long walk down to the village. James didn't know how this was going to help with his maths, and he had another strange swell of déjà vu as he followed the man - clad in his usual long black coat, but he kept going nonetheless, with hardly a second look back at the castle that served as his home for most of the year.

When they reached the village most shops had been closed for hours, and their doors were firmly locked and lights turned off. Hogsmeade was predominantly a trading town, but at night it seemed eerie and creepy - not having it's usual stalls lining the street. They passed Honeydukes, a popular sweet shop amongst the Hogwarts Students, which was dark inside, but the streetlights outside lit up the array of treats. Further on they ducked low as they passed the Three Broomsticks, just beginning to get lively with the villagers doing their nightly drinking, on the other side of the street the lights were also on in Madam Puddifoot's, but it was noticeably less crowded here - probably because of the rain, and the fact everyone would want a more warming beverage on a night like that one. James pulled his shirt a little closer around him - cursing his decision to not don a coat.

Towards the very end of the high street James could see the tell-tell signs of lights on inside a building, although only faintly, and it looked as if that was where Snape was heading. James had never gone this far towards the end of the high street before - he and Sirius usually stopped once they got to Zonko's and had filled up on stink-bombs - and as they pulled up outside the store he tried to read the sign through the rain that had collected on his glasses.

"Dogweed and Deathcap?" He mumbled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dogweed is a flower; small, yellow in colour, often found in desert areas." Severus supplied. "And Deathcap is a highly poisonous mushroom."

That being said, he pushed his way through the door and announced his presence, only keeping the heavy wood and glass door open enough for James to slip through, letting it bang shut behind the Gryffindor. The lanky haired boy leant across him, flipping the sign from open to closed and twisting the key that had been left in the door until it clicked locked. James took the opportunity to see where he was being locked in, raking his eyes over the rows of buckets filled with flowers of all different colours, and plants of all different sizes. Some were in more direct light, and others were out of it completely, happy in the dark. The lighting, at most, was dull, and the wildlife gave off a feeling of being of the rare variety.

"Meister? You here?" Severus called, although he did so in a stage whisper, almost as if afraid his voice would shatter something fragile that hung in the air. James knew he, at least, felt that way.

A small, hunched back man ambled in from a curtain behind a makeshift till area. Meister, James presumed. He had a balding head and eyes which seemed impossibly large for his face. He rubbed his hands together as he made him way from behind the counter and limped towards them. James noted the dirt under his bitten down fingernails, and thought if the man smiled his teeth would probably be crooked. Meister looked all the part to be a villain in childrens cartoons, but when he spoke, it was with the friendly air of the grandfatherly type of man.

"Ah, Severus, you made it." He said friendlily, waving the two boys over. His voice was strained with age, and in the proper light of the shop James could see brown patches on his balding head that whispered at his advanced years. The man leant against his counter and surveyed his two guests. "And who do we 'ave 'ere?"

James jolted at being referred to, rather than being addressed. He stepped forwards and took the man's hand in his own, shaking it lightly.

"James Potter, sir."

The old man raised a grey eyebrow, squeezing back at James' fingers and shaking it a little more thoroughly.

"One of that lot then, eh Sev?" He asked. Snape nodded, only once, and Meister sighed, shrugging his shoulders, that creaked as he readjusted them. "Well, I kept the shop open for ya, so 'ave a look around. Call me when you're done. I'll only be out back."

Snape nodded again, mumbling an awkward sounding thank you as the old man limped back the way he had come. Then he turned to James.

"I assumed you brought some money with you?" James shrugged, dipping into his pockets and pulling out a fifty pound note nonchalantly. Severus rolled his eyes, snatching it from the boy and replacing it with a twenty. "To help your basic maths I think it is time you learned budgeting." He explained. His voice was quiet, but at least well pronounced.

"So…" James frowned, unhealthily aware that Snape's hands were still connected with his, despite the fact their money had already been exchanged. "You just want me to buy things?"

Severus rolled his eyes at the question.

"I want you to create a bouquet, something worthy of giving to a girlfriend, with the money given to you. I warn you, this shop isn't cheap, so you will have to think creatively, and as you go, add up how much it is costing you." He took a deep breath as he finished, and finally removed his hands from James'.

James folded the twenty over with his fingers. He could imagine it would be rather boring for Severus, having to watch him pick out flowers, and he was slightly curious to see the type of bouquet the Slytherin would create.

"Okay… but you use that fifty and do it too." He ordered. Severus coughed.

"I believe I am the teacher here."

"Yes." James agreed. "But I'm the boss." He added, a little jolly at finally being able to say it.

"Why is it your orders seem to revolve around me spending your money?" The lanky-haired boy asked, although James supposed with how he got caught in the rain, his hair was probably quiet lanky too. He looked down at the ground, remembering the last time Severus had spent his money, and how he had treated the item he had bought. He gulped, trying to calm down, as he remembered the events that happened afterwards as well.

"Just do it." He ordered, giving the taller boy an experimental push to the chest and smiling as he watched Snape shrug and get to work analysing flowers, and, more importantly, their price tags. James gave himself a moment to just bathe in his little victory, before turning to the exotic plants. Each had a special lure about them that was unmistakably unique and inexorably pricy. He moved deeper into the rows, away from his colleague, in his search for any flowers and plants which might make a passably bouquet for under twenty pounds. He hadn't taken the flower arranging class the school offered, and he had no wish to, but his basic knowledge taught him that most bouquet's - the decent ones at least - were a little more expensive. Not only that, but the pressure of having to make sure he'd get his calculations right was building up. He'd look undoubtedly stupid if he couldn't even count to twenty, and he had no wish to again be humiliated by the Slytherin.

Speaking of, the bouquet also had to be passed by his greasy haired companion, so the usual bunch of roses wasn't going to cut it. Decided to forgo the price for now - he could also adjust any ideas he might have later upon inspection of how much the flowers cost -, he set to work, instead, on thinking of a bouquet that would suit Severus Snape.

It was difficult to compare flowers - fresh, pretty and nice smelling - to the boy.

On the other hand, the flowers he now found himself in front of, in the dim light of Dogweed and Deathcap, were all of the dark, more exotic variety. His eye was instantly drawn to a big, almost black flower, sheltered behind an array of more colourful, smaller buds. He reached forwards the brushed the purple whiskers aside to read the sign bellow.

_Tacca Chantrieri _was apparently more commonly nicknamed as the 'bat' flower, or the 'bat head lily'. It usually flowered a very dark maroon, but was often mistaken for pitch black. With it's purple head and large almost black leaves, closely resembling wings, it was not difficult to tell why it had such a nickname. The flowers themselves were large, but the plant they came from was well over two foot. Thin, purple whiskers flowed down from deep inside the leaves. It was a marvel to behold.

He didn't even look at the price, opting instead to walk further into the darkened store, coming across more rare flowers on his way. A bright shine of light was on a particular set of _Amaryllis_'. They were not unduly special, but the sign underneath told him in the language of flowers _Amaryllis_' represented pride, and he was drawn to the flowers with velvety green petals - not paying much heed to the same flowers, with petals of pink, whites and reds. Again, he bypassed the price and walked further into the darkness. It was harder to see now, and he couldn't shake the feeling that some of the plants seemed to be watching him. He moved rhythmically to the back corner, where no light seemed to be _reaching_, and yet light seemed to be _reflecting_. An eerie, ghost white.

A ghost white coming from ghost white flowers, thriving, even in the pitch black around them. They had hanging heads like blue bells, but were stark white, and had scale-like leaves and stems. They seemed all at once highly depressing, but strangely beautiful. _Monotropa Uniflora _He was staring at them in something somewhat akin to bewilderment when a bony hand touched his shoulder.

James jumped, and might have crashed into Severus behind him, had the Slytherin not had the good sense to step away quickly. The messy haired athlete turned to his companion, eyebrow raising at the already formed bouquet in the boys long-fingered hands.

"What are you doing all the way back here?" Severus asked, impossibly civil. James looked over the other boys arrangements. Whites, with mixes of dark purple and deep reds. It seemed warm and rich to look at.

"How much are they?" He asked, not answering the question which had previously been posed to him. Snape shrugged.

"I chose popular flowers, but the bouquet still comes to less than the fifty pounds you gave me. Meister's place is a cheap shop." He explained. "You are wise to be looking here. Although rare flowers are often more expensive, these are ugly, and so unpopular, and thus cheap."

James felt as if he should be taking offence that the flowers he found unexplainably beautiful were classed as ugly by this boy. This boy who obviously wouldn't know beauty if it winked at him in the mirror.

Not that it ever would.

He glanced at the boys bouquet, a wonderful mix of warm colours that James could not deny were pleasing to look at, even if overdone and overpriced. Okay, maybe Snape had some idea of beauty. Just James was sure that stopped at flower arranging.

On the other hand, he would make a bouquet that proved to Severus that beauty could be found in the strangest of places. He turned back to the strange ghostly flowers, checking their label, and their price-tag.

**I've resigned myself to the fact this fiction will go on FOREVER. Anyway… The flower thing is just… because I want to. More interaction between Sev and James, and because it will show James that just because something doesn't look conventionally pretty, doesn't mean it's ugly. Often it will have a unique allure that should not be ignored. For example, Tacca Chantrieri and Monotopa Uniflora are beautiful flowers, but quite strange at first look. Google them.**

**Amaryllis is only in there because you can get green Amaryllis' and because they mean pride. Makes James' eventual bouquet a little more Slytherin. Add that to the 'bat' flower and the 'ghost' flower that has 'scale like leaves', both worrisome to look at, but with a hidden beauty, and you have yourself a very Severus-esque bouquet. ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 22 - Memories

Amaryllis meant pride; green in colour and silky to the touch. Monotropa Uniflora was unique and it's leaves felt like scales; the ghost flower. Tacca Chantrieri were scary to look at first, so similar to a bat, but held a unique charm that James couldn't put his hands on. The bouquet was undoubtedly Severus - a mix of monotonous colours, splashed with a sense of pride that could get him in trouble. It was divinely attractive that it also held the 'bat' flower. The athletic Gryffindor pulled the bouquet together and tied it with a ribbon, liking how the splashed green mixed with the blacks and whites, and deep dark purples.

By his calculations it came to eighteen pounds and forty-nine pence. The flowers had cost a little more, because the main body was quite rare, so his eventual bouquet had ended up quite small - no where near as impressive as the deep red and purple bunch Severus had put together. He presented it to Meister, who took it gratefully, turning it this way and that in order to asses the price. He smiled a little.

"The ghost flower turns black with age." He told them. "It's a pity really. They will grow anywhere, a brilliant, almost eerie white - but let them get to old and they sour."

Severus shrugged.

"The good die young I suppose."

Meister nodded in agreement, and James was loathe to say it, but he secretly agreed as well.

"That will be twenty pounds and seventy pence."

James' head snapped up, and Severus sighed. The boy who's math's skills were under question flushed in embarrassment. He really couldn't even count to twenty. It wasn't that he didn't understand the theory, but he simply couldn't work out all the numbers in his head - by the time he got to the end of the number he had forgotten what the first one was. He shied away as Severus asked for a pen and paper, and asked James to do the sum again, on paper. It took a little convincing, but with the intensive stares of the old man, combined with the Slytherin's own black-holed gaze, he picked up the pen and scribbled out the maths on the paper.

It took a few moments, but eventually he arrived at the same conclusion as Meister. His ears burnt red as he presented the problem to his tutor. Severus seemed to want to say something, but thought better of it, just presenting the extra seventy pence and leaving the store with their purchases. The rain had eased up and they walked back slowly, their boots splashing in the puddles that remained after the downpour.

"You can do it." Severus stated. James was trailing a little while behind him, holding on to his unique bouquet almost protectively from the wind, thus, the Slytherin did not see when his companion shrugged in response. The boy sighed. "If it's easier for you to do it on paper then do it on paper. The technique is right."

James shuffled his boots awkwardly.

"It takes a lot longer then what most people can do in their heads though." He argued. Severus conceded the point, but it made no difference if James continuously arrived at the wrong answer trying to do it all mentally.

"No one's above the pen and paper James." He replied. "Everyone has days where they just can't keep it all in there and need to remind themselves about what they're actually doing."

He continued on, but stopped when he realised he'd left his tutee behind. He turned, seeing James standing their in the wind, cradling his flowers to his chest lightly. He took the few steps back so he was in hearing distance of what the boy was trying to say.

"You… called me James."

Snape blinked.

"Did I? So what?" He asked, acting as if trying to cover up his slip. In reality James was playing in to the palm of his hand. The boy was being forced to spend more time with him, he was infatuated with the fact that Severus had used his first name - the Slytherin was having to be nice in order to get his companion to the state at which he was eating out of the palm of his hand. From what he could tell it wasn't going to take long before Potter was completely ruined.

He'd make the boy infatuated with him, be able to take his pleasures nowhere else, and, eventually, he'd break the idiot's heart.

James seemed to catch himself, realising he was probably acting far too puppy-struck over the idea of Severus using his first name, and glanced down at his bunch of flowers, inhaling their unique scent through the wind. There was a pause in which neither of them wished to resume their slow meander back up to the castle, and Severus decided it was as good a time as any to further his plan. He had the perfect ammunition as well.

Three steps towards the boy, a hand on his lower back, pushing him so that James was in the lead. He felt sickened at the thought of touching the bullying prick with such tenderness, but knew the physical contact was necessary to induce the Gryffindor's lust for him. Besides, if all went to plan, then he would be touching the boy a lot more. James stumbled forwards at the push and resumed walking up to the castle, although Severus would make sure they were diverted before they actually reached the entrance hall. He knew the perfect place to implement this part of the plan, and the grounds of Hogwarts created such an alcove that was needed.

"I heard about your panic attack in Chemistry today." The boy confessed. James seemed to freeze, shoulders tensing, but Snape had put him in the most comfortable position he could be. He had already assessed that James was not comfortable having to follow others, or, worse, being in cars with them. Admittedly, he didn't know any details on this, but if it meant the boy baring his scars, Severus would make him as comfortable as possible in order to see it happen. He pulled the boy further into Hogwarts' grounds.

James found his voice.

"It wasn't anything big. Just…" He shook his head. Severus shrugged, as if he wasn't really interested.

"If you need to go over some chemistry sessions, I am available." He assured. James nodded once. Severus paused, allowing the information to sink in, before: "I am only interested, because it seems very similar to how you reacted to transport in Caen."

James pushed passed him, not even trying to head towards the castle, but in the direction Severus wanted him in, and the Slytherin smirked evilly.

"I don't enjoy travelling with strangers, get over it." The boy snapped, but Severus caught his arm, clenching painfully at his wrist and turning the boy to look at him.

"Don't take that tone with me." He ordered, watching mercilessly as James struggled in his confine. He tightened his hold for a moment, before releasing. "I was simply concerned. If I am to be spending an excessive amount of time with you, as it seems I will have to be, I should hope the mention of chemistry isn't going to make you start crying."

"I didn't cry!" James exclaimed, embarrassed, remembering that he actually had; though he couldn't remember initiating or ending, he remembered drying his eyes afterwards. Snape smirked, suddenly in the boy's face, pushing him up against a massive tree. Nicknamed the Womping Willow, due to it's epic size, it felt rough against the boy's back, and James gasped at the contact. He remembered the feeling from somewhere before - something painful being lashed against his back. When he thought about it he had marks on his back; small scars that went red when he had a hot bath, or bright white when he became too tan, and they didn't. They were small, jaggedly circular marks, and his mother had always told him they were the remains of the chicken-pox he had as a child. But now he could remember the pain - repeated lashings… "I'm sorry."

Severus paused, stopping himself from just ripping off the boy's clothes and taking him against the tree. James' entire aura had changed - his flowers fallen to the floor next to him and his usual surly features at the idea of having to spend time with Snape replaced with a genuinely scared expression. Severus didn't think it was anything he did consciously - they boy was staring off into space, as if wrapped up in memories. The Gryffindor's hand stretched upwards and wrapped itself around the material of his heavy trench-coat. He doubted a boy that was frightened of him would take physical reassurance from him.

"Potter?" He asked, holding the other boy by the elbows. James repeated the apology that Snape had no idea what was for, and then seemed to snap out of his trance, looking up into the other boy's eyes. He leant heavily against the back of the tree and was overwhelmed in the urge to confide in the man in front of him. Sure, Snape was his sworn enemy, an evil bat-child from the dungeons - but the boy had always been honest with him, flinging insults of hate over the usual remarks of sweetness he got from everybody else.

He swallowed, leaning up and giving in to his urge to just touch the man in front of him. Twice now he had initiated an encounter between them, this time pressing his nose firmly against the other's neck and just breathing in the other boy's scent. He smelt like flowers, probably from being in Dogweed and Deathcap all night. The culmination of every different smell of the flowers mixed together was both overwhelming and intoxicating. Addicting.

Severus instinctively wrapped his arms around the other boys waste - gentle, despite himself. He wanted see James Potter broken, but _he_ wanted to be the one to do it. It pained him, almost, to see Potter freaking out over something that had nothing to do with him, and in order to make his plan more successful, he would have to be comforting when the boy was distressed over other things.

James kissed his neck sensually, obviously not out of practise, and pushed his hands down the boy's side, under his coat. Severus held them together easily, and his companion stilled his notions - probably remembering the last time, and wondering if he was about to initiate this against a tree.

"They lied to me." He confessed, in a small voice, against the taller boy's chest. Severus drew circles in the other boy's lower back, slowly, deliberately, and comfortingly. James just rested his head against the man's chest, no longer feeling the need to be touched, or touch, now that he'd gone and said it. He knew now, that he'd been lied to by his parents - and probably by a lot of people. If they covered up the scars that he knew had been inflicted by some sort of weapon, what else had they covered up? Why was he not allowed to know about his own past?

Snape sighed, realising his companions lack of reaction to the touch. James was no longer sexually distracted, but only needed assurance.

"Who lied to you?"

James shrugged. Severus felt it against his chest. He looked around the area; it was dark, mainly, and their paid for bouquets were resting, where they had been dropped, on the floor. The willow seemed more imposing than ever, and he could see a few lights that remained on inside the castle. By this point at night teachers would have stopped patrolling as well, and would be nestled up in bed, maybe reading a little, or doing some marking before bed.

"My parents? Everyone?"

Severus bit his lip.

"Not everyone lies to you." He stated. James nodded against his chest. He seemed to fit there easily - perfectly.

"You don't lie to me." He agreed, unaware that Severus had an entire plan against him. It was good to know that the Gryffindor trusted him so completely already. James, as most rich kids are, was obviously a lonely, and insecure child. He trusted easily, and was fragile - he could shatter by a little betrayal. And Severus planned to make a large one. He was already on wobbly ground just thinking that people in his life had lied to him.

"What have they lied to you about?" He asked, curious. James shifted in his arms, and Severus pressed a kiss against the boy's wet hair. A simply gesture like that might lead to a further trust. It would be easy to convince the boy that Severus had fallen for him, and from there, easier to convince James that he loved the Slytherin back.

"My past." Was the reply. "I don't have many memories of my past."

"Why not?"

This could be a major breakthrough. The Gryffindor was known for not talking about his life outside of school; would Severus be the first to know why? James seemed to consider the question carefully - obviously he knew this was a major deal to be telling his supposed enemy as well. Still, they betrayal he thought of one out in the end, and he decided he could trust Severus more than anyone else right then.

"They told me I lost my memories due to a kidnapping when I was a kid." He said. "But they didn't tell me any details."

Severus almost swore. Trust rich kids to go and get kidnapped.

"Do you think that's the case?" He asked. James sighed.

"I think I don't like travelling with strangers, but that I was trained to be scared of strangers." He confessed. "I think I have scars on my back and I keep apologising without meaning too."

He didn't add that Sirius had let slip that 'they' had managed to 'get rid' of an attitude trait he apparently had. Some things needed to be kept to himself, otherwise the ball would be completely in Severus' court.

Which was not to say that it wasn't already.

Snape patted the boy's head in a way that some would describe as affectionately, if it wasn't between James and Severus. He pulled the boy back towards the castle, giving him the bouquet he swept off the floor, and clasping their hands together on the thought that no one was around, and it would make James feel better if he was giving a little bit; his patience and kindness.

He pulled the boy into the entrance hall and into the dungeons.

"Not against a tree." He muttered, perking James' interest. "But I want you so bad right now."


	23. Chapter 23

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 23 -

It was a relatively easy affair to sneak James into the Slytherin common room; the guard had fallen asleep at his post awhile ago. After that it was simply making sure no stragglers were still hanging around the common room. To make up for the fact that the Slytherin dorms were in the dungeons they had their own separate rooms - which came in handy when a students libido outweighed their common sense.

Severus pulled is captive into his own bedroom - a relatively simple affair with white washed walls and Slytherin coloured bedding on the slightly larger than single bed. He imagined it was the same as every other Slytherin bedroom, but as all teenager's room were, it had a little touch here and there that were uniquely his own. For example, the cook books in a pile in the corner, or the photo of he and his mother on his small bedside table. He cross the room and turned the frame down; not wishing to allow his mother, picture or not, to watch what he was about to do with this rich Gryffindor.

James seemed to be still in a state where he was willing to be manipulated - or at least, he had bolted at the idea of what Severus intended to do to him, and the lanky haired boy had thought he had made it clear exactly what his intentions were. Instead he ran a hand through his hair, trying to comb through the locks that had lumped together in the rain. Severus took the opportunity to tie his own up in a hair-band, as he usually did when he was studying late into the night and his chin length locks started to annoy him. A lanky strand managed to escape and trail down the side of his face; completely unattractive, but for once he was able to say he was not the only one. Potter's hair was sticking to his head, and he had taken his glasses off, leaving little red marks each side of the bridge of his nose. His eyes seemed a little strained and blood shot when they weren't hidden behind the magnifying glass, and he seemed impossibly skinny in his wet uniform.

It was pathetic really. They were drowned rats, not seductive beasts.

He guided his companion to the bed and dropped to his knees, pulling at the laces of James' heavy boots to try and dislodge them from the boy's feet. He was soaked through, still in his school uniform (white shirt and black trousers, choice of footwear), and the boy hesitantly began to unbutton his shirt. Severus angled his head down as he smirked. James had been anticipating this - not expecting it, but wishing for it. It was all he could ask for.

He pulled the boots from the boy's feet, followed by his socks, and watched as the toes in front of his curled uncomfortably. He pushed himself upwards, crawling onto the bed over James, and surveyed what was being presented to him. He'd hardly been looking in the alley-way, but now he had the whole night to take his own pleasures. James was not skinny, but he was not fat or overly muscled. Toned, as females would say. His shirt lay unbuttoned, but not taken off completely, squashing its dampness into his sheets. He himself seemed unsure about what he was about to do, but resolute to complete what he had started. Severus descended, initiating a slow, lazy kiss. He had all night - he intended to keep James all night if possible. If he could keep the boy from running away it would initiate a further trust that the Gryffindor had for him.

James responded just as lazily, bringing his arms up to wrap around Severus' neck, and the Slytherin felt their wetness seep into the folds of his collar. As if realising he was still clothed, he stripped his top layer, the heavy trench-coat, and let it slip to the floor, before carrying on their slow make-out session.

He was honestly surprised he wasn't having to exert any more dominance than what he was. James had spent so long hating him, and vice versa, it was strange to think that the athlete was not completely adverse to his advances, and again, vice versa.

He ran his hands up the boy's sides, tugging the shirt from his shoulders and pulling it out from underneath the natural arc in his back. He couldn't help but smirk into the other man's mouth as James instinctively wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him forward so that their crotches met awkwardly, but not unpleasantly. He adjusted his knees so that he could support himself again, and trailed his fingers down his companions chest and stomach, until he was able to flip open the button to the other's school trousers, which were also sopping, and remove those from his person as well. To compensate he removed his own T-shirt, as well kicking off his shoes and socks. His toes curled into the bed sheets, no longer able to deny his growing erection at the half-naked boy on his bed. No words needed said between them, they just shifted to compensate the other - both almost burning with lust for the other, despite their better judgements, and they began rocking together, trying to control their instinctual want to moan or cry.

Then it was all broken, when James lost control and uttered a single expletive.

"Fuck."

And Severus brought himself back to reality. They didn't meld together perfectly, they might have a mutual lust, but there was no love, and Snape had to remind himself that in order for his plan to work he had to hold back, and allow James to be the one giving over the parts of himself that were weak. He couldn't allow the promise of a good shag to cloud his judgement. He stripped the boy in front of him of his boxers and watched as his companions obvious lust appeared, his body flushing with embarrassment of being bared before his enemy - again.

He unbuttoned his own jeans, holding one of James' hands in his own in what would be tender if it wasn't completely fake, and descending his head to press butterfly kisses to the other's chest. Once he had rid himself of the restricting material he used the other hand to search his bedside table for where he knew he had a pre-prepared bottle of lubricant. It wasn't anything fancy - just the type of nondescript, does-the-job-and-that's-all-it-does stuff that you could discretely buy from a seventh year Hufflepuff on the third floor on Sundays. His hand closed around it and his brought it back to the bed with him, popping the lid and pouring a liberal amount on his other hand. James watched his closely, having noted what the boy was doing, but not discouraging the plan.

Severus pressed a small kiss to the boy's now closed mouth. If he rushed this he could break everything, and James wouldn't trust him again. At the moment he was in a position to make or break the relationship, and to continue the charade he would have to be excruciatingly slow about this. He rested his forward against the pillow next to James' head and whispered almost directly into the Gryffindor's ear.

"Are you ready for this."

There was a pause, a brief silence, while James considered his options, and what he was about to agree to. Then, Severus felt a very small movement against the left side of his face. He gulped, almost not believing his luck. A nod. The Gryffindor had actually agreed to this.

He sat up, using his un-lubricated hand to position James' legs correctly, revelling in how the boy blushed at the idea of Severus looking at him. Just to make the boy squirm he took extra time staring at what was presented to him between the boy's legs, before leaning forward to distract the smaller boy while his fingers went to work loosening James up.

It didn't hurt, as James had thought it would. It was uncomfortable and highly embarrassing, despite how many times he'd done almost exactly the same thing to the women he would take back for a night. There was something different about it when you were on the receiving end, and the person doing it to you was someone you said you hated. Despite that, he still found himself clinging onto the boy's shoulders while he was subjected to immoral torture from the man's hand. He flushed deeply as fingers were added periodically, trusting in and out lightly, and spreading slightly to loosen him up for what he knew to be a much larger finale. He winced as a fingernail nicked at the side of his walls and Severus twisted his fingers to try and avoid a similar situation happening again, making his companion squirm.

He knew the feeling of lust that pooled at the bottom of his stomach and made him feel slightly sick, but this sickening sensation was intensified tenfold when a burst of electricity seemed to pass through him, followed by the squelch of Severus pulling his fingers back out. He gasped a moment to late, trying to figure out exactly what had just happened to him, and tried to sit up, as if this would help explain. Severus just pushed him back down with his other hand though, pulling out his fingers on the feeling that if James was so active he was likely to be ready.

"This is a better position for your first time." He mumbled to the boy's protest. James just whined, trying to shove the boy off him - but not in a panic or maliciously, but because he was desperate to know what that feeling was and if Severus had caused it. As far as he knew a 'G' spot was female-exclusive.

Severus spread the lube over his member while James was distracted, and held the boy steady as he began to push in. The messy haired athlete gasped at the feeling - a lot bigger than the two fingers Severus had spared on stretching him, and forgot all about the electric feeling. Again, it wasn't a constant or instant pain, but it was amazingly uncomfortable, and the feeling of being stretched apart so thoroughly was intense, to say the least. He put a hand on the other's chest and used his other arm to level himself.

"St-stop!" He demanded, even though Severus was only half-sheathed. James gasped as his command was actually listened to, rolling his head back slightly at the feeling. He honestly didn't think there was enough room to allow the boy any more access, and vocalised as much. He didn't expect a laugh in return.

"Th-That's what you're worried about?" Severus asked between laughs, a genuine smile on his face. James flushed heavily, although he couldn't deny it was somewhat endearing to see the boy's lopsided, uneven smile. Still, he averted his eyes, embarrassed that he had even voiced his concern. Severus was meant to be the virgin here (although with continued experience he was re-thinking this conclusion), not him. Snape calmed enough to reassure his companion. "It's okay James." He mumbled, excited at how simply using the boy's name could calm his Gryffindor.

"But…"

"It's fine. We're going slow. I promise I wont hurt you."

James thought it was strange how his heart caught in his throat at the words, and pulled the green covered pillow over his head, inhaling Severus' scent from it, and using it as a shield so that he didn't have to look at the Slytherin as he continued to defile his body. He felt Severus pull back out, and then push in slowly again. He went just a millimetre further than before, and continued with his pattern until he was fully in, pulling the entire way out before rocking all the way back in. Slowly, gaining a faster pace as they continued.

James clutched to his pillow as a life-line, legs wrapped around the Slytherin, and feeling Severus' hands holding his steady - one on his hip-bone, and one holding the lanky haired boy up on the bed, next to James' head, as he continued to rock back and forth at an increased pace. James couldn't control his gasps and moans of pleasure, as Snape seemed to find that something inside him that sent electric shocks through him, and his dick rubbed almost painfully against the other man's stomach.

He knew it wouldn't be long before he mortally embarrassed himself by being unable to keep control and come between them. All it took was for Severus to be nearing the same conclusion, using a breathy voice, thanks to the exerted effort he was putting into this, and ask;

"Do you want me to come inside you?"

James couldn't really answer, being far too shocked by the image, and how he thought the idea sexy as hell - if not exactly clean, and subsiding into breathy moans and high keening, shocked screams as Severus continued to ride him and he came, squashing his seed between them. In retaliation Snape had little time to care for his needs, watching the image, and hearing it, and following his companion.

They rode out the aftershocks together before collapsing on the bed; James wondering if he'd alerted the other Slytherin's of Severus' company by how loud he had been, and Severus wondering if he was crushing the boy underneath him, but being far too lazy to move. He struggled to pull out, tracing a line down James' cheek as he shifted his body to the side so that the Gryffindor might breath easier. The boy's eyes were slipping closed, easily trusting his supposed enemy not to take advantage of him during his sleep. At the beginning of the year James wouldn't have even turned his back on the Slytherin, now he was able to bare his naked body to the man, and fall asleep in his presence.

He hated himself for doing it, but he turned on his side, clutching at his companion as he felt the layers of sleep fall over him, trying to ignore the sticky sensation between his legs where Severus' spunk was leaking out. Severus watched him fall asleep properly, wondering how early he would have to wake the boy in order to sneak him out before the other Slytherin's woke up, or before Sirius noticed his little cousin was gone from his ever watchful sight.

He knew this was all just a plan in order to break the boy's heart, and he knew he should be more disciplined over his own thoughts, but he couldn't help but think the boy cute - sweaty from sex, greasy hair from the rain and naked in his arms. He was also curious as to what had made James chose to trust him over his family; the boy had always been family orientated and suddenly it seemed as if the Gryffindor had changed his mind about whether the Potter's, and all their different branches were trust worthy.

It made him slightly worried, thinking that one of those branches was in charge of keeping an eye on what his father did to his mother, but he decided it best not to dwell on it too long. He didn't want to get involved in James' problems - he would have to continue to pretend to care for a little while, but he had to remember that in the end it was all to make sure James was carried to the highest point before he could watch the Gryffindor crash and burn.

Yes. All this was to make sure James would crash and burn. And he would enjoy the show.

He hoped.

**Hope y'all enjoy that! Please leave a review.**

**Oh, by the way, my bouquet would be tiger lilies and gypsophila, and a snapdragon - because I can. : - )**


	24. Chapter 24

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 24 – A lot Worse

Sirius paced the corridor with a heavy heart. He had left the tower many hours before, leaving a worried looking James staring out of the window at the ferocious rain. Now he was pacing near where Dumbledore's office was, debating whether or not he had the courage to go in and start manipulating situations again. It wasn't that he was malicious, or wanted to see his cousin hurt. The fact of the matter was that James was the most important person to him at that time in his life, because the boy was his best friend and the only normal person in his family – James also gave him someone to protect, and since he felt he had failed in his duty to protect Regulus, that made James even more precious; which is why he felt the need to talk to someone who could get him in touch with a branch of the family about James' evidently returning memories. The boy's attitude towards people using him was proof enough, but his attempts to continuously apologise for his failures during his breakdown in Chemistry had been the final straw. Sirius had always been told James would suffer if his memories returned, and now it seemed to be especially true – James was suffering and drawing into himself because of the past that haunted him. And he couldn't allow it to continue to go on. It was his duty to protect those he could – he hadn't been able to help Regulus, so instead he would have to do his best for James.

But James had told him he wanted to regain his memories, and therein laid the dilemma. Did he do what he thought was best for Jamie, or what he had been told was best by his mother, when he still thought of her as his mother – or did he do what James thought was best for himself? Did James really want to regain his lost memories? Even if they caused him harm?

Sirius sighed, continuing his pacing. He was unable to make a decision. All he had to do was go up to Dumbledore and ask to put in contact with his parents, but even that was holding him back – because he didn't think he would be able to face her again without breaking down. He thought it was going to be easy to leave and stay at James', he'd thought he wouldn't care what she said about him after that – how she felt about his disappearance. But he had been wrong. It is a difficult decision to leave one's own mother behind, and every time he saw his brother about he wondered if he should go back – to make sure the family was still doing okay without his presence there.

He leant back against the wall for support. It was way past curfew by this point, so he was in a cubby hole – big enough for frustrated pacing, but little enough that the teachers often forgot to check it for wandering students after hours. From where he was he had a good sight of the corridor where Dumbledore's office was situated – the high windows of the castle illuminating it with the light of the full-moon. The rain had obscured it, but it was finally beginning to fade away and the light was shining in, making the corridor eerily lit up. As he watched, a familiar figure made its way down the corridor.

Sirius wouldn't say it was walking, or dawdling, or running or striding, or any other form of human movement. He seemed to move with a grace that was much more dangerous than anything a human could achieve. He stopped, looking up at the high windows and the sky they created, and seemed to sniff the air, and then, to Sirius great surprise, he twisted his body from the hips, feet planted firmly on the ground, and looked back over his shoulder at the exact spot Sirius was hiding.

"Are you going to come out of there Black?"

Sirius gasped, still thinking he was hidden, before slowly stepping out of the alcove to meet the boy in the corridor. The teachers must have already finished their rounds, because he seemed confident he wasn't going to get caught. As the black haired boy drew closer to the one who had called him he noticed the leather bounded buckles on his wrists, ripped and torn from whatever they had been tied too. It had to take some display of strength to rip leather, right? He also noticed how the boy's eyes seemed yellow again, and his teeth, when he smiled, unnaturally sharp. The grin itself seemed manic – as if possessed by something far more dangerous than the boy Sirius was seeing in front of him. Was that normal for a human? Something against the entire situation warned him to keep his mouth shut and just get out of there, but instead he said;

"How did you know I was there?"

Remus' grin, if possible, grew wider, showing an impressive array of white, pointed teeth. His eyes flashed as he took in the boy before him, who seemed so uncertain of his entire presence there: so unlike Sirius Black, who was continuously certain of his whole existence, at all times.

"I could recognise that infuriatingly sweet cologne you use anywhere. Custom made especially for yourself, if I am correct?" He rambled, his voice unnaturally low and gravelly. He continued on without waiting for confirmation from his companion. "Although often I also smell a lingering of it on Potter, and recently, Petunia Evans."

Sirius reacted to the mention of his two friends. The way he had said Petunia's name gave Sirius a sick feeling he might have done something, or was planning to do something, terrible to the girl, and in retaliation, he instantly grew angry.

"You stay away from her!" He growled, but Remus seemed unperturbed, instead he just shrugged his shoulders, holding his palms out nonchalantly.

"Yes, yes. Mr Black's grows angry at the sheer idea of something… unfortunate, happening to his little girlfriend." He nodded along happily. "And Mr Black's words should always be obeyed, shouldn't they?"

Sirius might have been about to yell again, but at that moment the sandy haired boy displayed an amount of speed that was completely unnatural, along with a strength that such a youth should not possess, and the Black heir found himself pinned to the wall with one hand around his neck; stretched in a mock of control. Sirius clawed at his confines, choking at being held by his airway, but was only lifted up so that his tiptoes barely brushed the floor. It left him eyelevel with the beast-like boy, and Remus proceeded to invade the rich boy's personal space, brushing their noses together, with a smirk on his lips and in his canine-like eyes.

"Such a pretty mouth you have, Sirius."

Said Gryffindor struggled fiercely, trying to bring his legs up to kick or knee his captor, but Remus his own legs to hold them still – tangling them in what could have been describe as a sexual position, if it wasn't so terrifying. Remus let go of the boy's windpipe, letting him drop to the floor unceremoniously, and watching in amusement as he tried to untangle himself from their long limbs being tied together so effectively. It had taken just one look into the boy's eyes to know what he was taking an incredible pleasure out of this attack.

He was dragged up again, this time turned around and pulled flush so his back was against the boy's toned chest. He felt hot breath against his ear and tried to squirm away – but stopped dead when sharp teeth clamped down.

"Do you like listening to your own voice Sirius?" Remus asked, tasting the blood in his mouth and smelling the tell-tale signs of salty tears about to leak from the other boy's eyes. Having your cartilage broken tends to hurt somewhat, Remus supposed. The wolf grew happy at the taste of blood, but ever more hungry for the rest of the flesh Black promised, and when the boy tried to struggle away, he was only turned in the stronger man's arms, and the two of them crashed to the floor, falling into the alcove Sirius had previously been hiding in, so they were out of sight of any teachers or students that might have been wandering passed. Remus surveyed the boy beneath him hungrily, licking his lips as he did so, making Sirius try even harder to run away.

He gasped when he shift was lifted and his chest assaulted with licks and bites – it was strangely arousing, but far too scary to fully excite him, because he knew Remus was not going this out of sexual desire. He bit his lip as his bared nipples were assaulted in what would have been pleasurable, if it wasn't so painful.

"The – the bite marks!" He yelled, making Remus stop for a moment to hear him out. "The bite marks, on your wrists…?"

Remus grinned, licking at a cut that he had made, sucking up the blood happily before replying.

"To sate the wolf's appetite, you have to be prepared to make sacrifices." He admitted, and made the boy beneath him yell again when his shirt was ripped from his body by strong hands with unnaturally long, sharp, strong nails. Remus, or the wolf, licked up the boy's neck, moaning delightedly at the salty sweat that had gathered there in the boys fear. "Now don't make another noise, okay? Or things will get a lot worse."

With that warning, the boy went back to devouring Sirius' body, making his prey squirm at the combined feeling of panic and wanton need. The black haired boy's hands travelled to his mouth to stop him from crying out at every little nick and cut, but then Remus went lower, burying his nose between the boy's legs and nuzzling his crotch hungrily – and Sirius was no longer able to help himself, giving a long, pleasured moan to the almost empty corridor. He was allowed a moment to revel in the feeling, before his hips were slammed down against the floor with large calloused hands and Remus was back in his face with an angry snarl.

"You really can't keep your trap shut, can you Black? You want some brat to come running to find you taking your pleasures with the wolf?" He snapped in a hissing whisper. He dragged his teeth along the other's jawline, before carrying on. "Perfect, bloody, Black." He spat, spraying the boy with saliva. "Wouldn't it be nice if the most influential boy in school couldn't spout his lies any longer? Wouldn't it be gratifying to see you be silenced for once? To not be able to get away with all the shit you do, just because you sweet talk your way out of it?"

He travelled back up to his ear, the other one to the one he had previously assaulted, and bit down on the lobe, taking a chunk back with him as he withdrew and making the boy underneath him cry out – tears falling down his cheeks again. He was beautiful like that, lying on the floor – dominated and broken. So long as he kept quiet Remus could pretend it wasn't really his most hated person, but someone he could devour happily, and sexually. But Sirius just kept speaking, his annoying voice only feeding the anger that Remus felt inside him.

He spat the chunk of lobe from his mouth, but licked the blood up happily, and smirked at how red the boy's ear looked, bruised and bleed crimson. He leant down and nuzzled the boy's nose in a mock affection gesture.

"You are pretty." He confessed tenderly, and gently kissed the boy, allowing Sirius' hands to try and push him away, but instead pushing his tongue inside the boy's, and coercing Sirius' back into his mouth, scraping his teeth along it. Their eyes stayed open, Sirius' searching the wolf's desperately, and Remus' sending the message of what he was about to do. He bit down very gently, but still enough to draw blood, and it was then that it hit Sirius, he mouth filling with the metallic taste of his own blood, of what Remus had planned for him.

The wolf was going to bite off his tongue.

Sirius wanted to panic, to shove the boy away and scream and shout and kick and run away, but he was terrified any movement might make the boy on top of him clamp down and take his speech away. Instead his fingers just clawed into tight fists around the other boy's shirt, his eyes filling with tears that released easily; unable to stop the blind panic that was running through him, he just continued to cry silently as the wolf rubbed their crotches together in a weird sexual crave, all the while holding his tongue hostage. He tried to slowly pull his muscle away, but was only rewarded with the teeth getting a little tighter about their hold.

And then it was over as quickly as it had started. The corridor went dark as clouds overhead blocked out the moon, and Remus wrenched himself away from his prey, sitting up and staring at the boy for a moment – covered in bruises and bike marks, drying blood everywhere and still crying uncontrollably in panic, before he stood and fled from the scene. Sirius didn't know where he was going, or if he would be back, but he was unable to move. He tried to push his feet into getting him up and carrying him back to Gryffindor tower, but all of is energy had been sapped. He was left on the floor in a place no one would find him until at least morning, panicked and painfully aroused. He hated himself for it, but he couldn't stop shaking or crying, knowing he had come so close to having his tongue bitten out. His ears were a mess and his entire chest was aching from the finger mark bruises and the bites and cuts he had received, and he couldn't do anything but lie there and cry.

He wondered how fast morning would come.

"S-Sirius?"

Was he back for more? Had he changed his mind?

He heard the footsteps getting closer and closer to his hiding place, but was unable to look up even as he heard them turn the corner into the alcove. He heard a gasp, then a;

"Dear God, Sirius, what happened to you?"

Something red-haired and pale entered his vision, as Lily Evans bent down beside him and tried to pull him up. He felt stupid to still be crying in front of her, but she only smiled and traced the cuts, pulling her jacket from over her shoulders to dab at the more heavily bleeding ones. Sirius may have wondered what the girl was doing wandering the castle so late at night, or how she had known to call his name from the other side of the corridor. He might have questioned why she was being so tender with him now, when before she had not cared to even associate with him, and he might have thought about how pretty she looked in the half-darkness, her red hair shining brightly despite it, but instead his thoughts were preoccupied with how much pain he was in, and how he was still shamefully aroused.

"Let's take you to Madam Pomprey." Lily suggested, "Can you walk?"

Sirius shook his head, drying his tears and not really trusting himself to speak – or perhaps he too afraid to.

"I'll go get her then."

Again, he shook his head. He opened his mouth to make a request, but as soon as he did he could taste the other boy on his tongue, and the metallic taste of swallowing his own blood, and instead only began to cry again. Lily put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You want me to get Potter?" She tried, knowing their friendly relations. "Or another teacher?"

Another shake.

"P- Petunia." He spat out, shaking badly and not looking at the girl he was with. He felt sick as soon as he spoke, and was wondering if it would be considered rude if he tried to spit the taste of Remus out of his mouth, when Lily spoke again, but this time sadly.

"Petunia?"

Sirius nodded, but Lily shook her head, putting both hands on his shoulders and leaning forward, kissing him thoroughly.


	25. Chapter 25

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 25 –

James snuck out of the Slytherin dorms just after three o' clock in the morning, feeling ashamed and disgusted with himself. He knew Sirius would be upset that he hadn't returned back to the tower the night before, having not told the Black heir he was leaving at all, and was annoyed with himself for being so damn fragile and easy to manipulate that he had actually ended up sleeping with the Bat. And worse, he had enjoyed it, and could not help his ever wondering mind wondering when the next opportunity for more similar encounters would be.

He'd become completely obsessed, and he hated it, but he also loved it.

He'd made it all the way up to the fifth floor, well on his way to the tower without being caught by an early rising teacher, when a pale girl with a neck impossibly too long for her seemed to emerge out of nowhere. James knew it was a small alcove that the castle was full of, and usually he wouldn't have stopped – except the girl was crying.

She was an average girl with curling dark hair and pretty red lips, but was far too skinny and boasted nothing that every other girl did not also boast, and more. The tears travelled down her cheeks, bringing with them the modest amount of eye make-up that she had probably applied the day before, and had ended up sleeping in. James slowed his pace until he stopped, bringing up a hand to rest gently on her shaking shoulder, and then manoeuvred her so that they were still walking in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

"Tell me what bothers you." He demanded as he walked, his voice hushed in case they alerted anyone of their late night (or rather, early morning) stroll. The girl shook her head, but peeped up through her eyelashes at him, surveying who he was, how he looked, what, perhaps, he was doing. Then she leant forward, using a long fingered hand to reach up and pull him down from the back of his neck, and brought him forward for a kiss.

It was slow, sensual and nice. Despite the early morning her breath was not stale, her cheeks were wet against his because of her tears, but it did not distract from her obvious talent for kissing. James had no idea who she was, although he had a vague memory that she was a Ravenclaw, and that she was somehow related to Lily Evans, but this didn't seem to matter. She was kissing him in the middle of the night, in a deserted corridor, and she was good at it.

And although he could admit she was good at it, she was not as fiery or passionate as Snape was, not as skilful with her hands, nowhere near as dominating or breath-taking. She was pretty, although in an average way, but she was far nicer to look at than the angry Slytherin, but she was not instilling the same passion as the man did. With this in mind, he began to kiss her back feverishly, trying to wipe the Slytherin from his thoughts and replace her with this random girl who was so obviously up for it. But even then, when he pushed her further into the corridor, up against the wall, in order to push his hands underneath her understated dress, he still had the images in his mind of what Severus had done to him earlier.

Sirius had pushed Lily away, and he had tried to shout at her for taking advantage of him in that situation – he had tried to be angry at her, but had instead only felt sick at the reminder that Remus Lupin had tried to bite out his tongue. Every time he opened his mouth to speak he was reminded of the taste of the wolf, or the panic of the threat. He stood, pushing past the redhead into the corridor, only to find the girl he had asked for, the woman he had spat passed the bile of sick in order to speak her name, was being led away by his best friend. He walked after them, wanting only to touch her, but stopped when he saw her kiss him. Petunia kissed James.

And it didn't stop there; James returned it with the same intensity, pushing her to the wall and slipping his hands under her dress. He probably thought it was understated; pretty, but not stunning. He would have no idea it was her best dress, the one Sirius loved her in the most. He wanted to feel angry at what was happening – he wanted to feel angry at James for kissing her, but he had seen her kiss him first, and had had not had the courage to bite past the bile and call out, to demand that they stop. He wanted to be upset that James would betray him like that, but couldn't help but remember that they'd barely been talking since the beginning of the year and so James simply wouldn't have known that the dark haired woman kissing him was actually his best friend's girlfriend. On James' part there was no betrayal, but he couldn't look past the fact that on Petunia's part there was plenty. And on his part there was a bit too.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, smooth to the touch and feminine, with long manicured nails and soft plumpness in the palm; it wasn't sweaty or hard. Petunia's hands were calloused where she worked in the garden and wrote long impressive letter's to home. He turned as it lightly massaged his shoulder to see the youngest Evans sister staring at where her sister and James were making out in the hallway, a peculiar look on her face that he couldn't quite place. She looked on for a moment more before turning to Sirius.

"C'mon." She whispered, running her hand down his arm and nodding her head in the other direction. Sirius didn't say anything; he didn't have to say anything. With one last look at his girlfriend and best friend he linked his hand with Lily's and let her lead him back down the corridor. It was obvious where they were going, and what they were going to do. There were a million unused rooms in the castle just waiting for wild students to find their potential; tonight the two of them would discover an old unused classroom somewhere and forget about the world.

It wasn't as romantic as the secluded forest. Lily was more beautiful, more fun and more wanted than Petunia was – but Petunia was more inspiring, more loving and more needed than Lily. He knew exactly what they were going to do, and he wished he was with Petunia. The time he had spent with the woman felt so much more natural than just walking down the corridor with Lily did. But Petunia didn't want him, Petunia wanted James. So he'd have to settle for second best.

He wondered if Petunia knew he thought of her sister as second best. He wondered if she knew that in the short time he had thought of himself as her boyfriend, he'd truly begun to develop real feelings for her, enough feelings to want to see her, and her alone when he had been attacked. He wondered if she'd ever had any real feelings for him.

He followed the girl round the corner and into the unused classroom, and didn't protest this time as she clasped their lips together in a fierce kiss that was more teeth than tongue. He dragged her forwards by her hips, but she was too short, too plump. Most would say she was slim, or at most pleasantly curvy. But next to her impossibly skinny sister, she felt wrong.

They broke apart for air.

"What's wrong? Say something." The girl whispered, voice husky, as she kept her long fingers at his neck. She was gently pressing them there, but each one felt like a dagger against his jugular. Sirius just shook his head, closing his eyes and allowing her to kiss him again. He ran a hand up her side, seeking the warmth of her breasts, and the other he let travel lower, playing with the clasp of her jeans. Lily wore jeans. He'd never seen Petunia in anything other than a dress – usually shapeless, more often than not patterned like old curtains and usually just below the knee. Lily's jeans left a lot less to the imagination.

He hoicked her up on one of the desks, spreading her legs as he worked the shirt over her head to reveal a lacy bra; rose pink, with only thin straps to hold her heavy breasts still – or perhaps the point was that it did not hold them still, drawing attention to them. He ducked his head, kissing her collarbone and travelling further down, leaving a love-bite just below it.

"Sirius…" Lily breathed, tangling her fingers into his hair and yanking a little as he worked the jeans from her hips and over her knees. Her nickers matched her bra, and it was certainly a nice touch. She panted across his face as he reached around himself to remove his own clothing. It was hot in the classroom and as he took off his trousers the skin on his legs was already flushed, an arousal showing through his boxer shorts. Lily skilfully ran her hands across his torso, and then down, kneading him through the material.

He was reminded of Petunia doing the same thing in the forest, and briefly thought that she had done it better, with more precision and a gentler touch. He'd thought she was just timid, but Lily's pseudo-aggressive hold was not as nice. It was still appreciated, but not up to the same par as her sister. He gulped, trying to clear his thoughts of the dark haired sister, the same sister who was in the hallway with his best friend, doing something very similar to what he was doing with Lily, and slipped himself from his boxers, also slipping the girl from her underwear.

She was wet already, warm and inviting to his erection that had protested to the light breeze in the room. He didn't even bother to prepare her before gently and slowly slipping in side, keeping hands on her bare hips as she slipped off the desk slightly to meet him. She gasped, he gasped. She was so hot and her inner walls seemed to dance around his pleasantly. She didn't move him quite as expertly as Petunia had… but it didn't matter. It wasn't about Petunia anymore. It was about Lily, and her feisty fragrance and inviting heat, and the tightness when her legs wrapped around him to keep her up, and guide him properly to somewhere where she would get as much pleasure as he would.

It was over with quickly though, and soon Lily had called out into the near empty classroom as she bucked slightly against the man, and he bit down on her shoulder hard to stop himself from making a sound, even knowing it would leave a nasty bruise in the morning, and then pulled out as soon as he realised what he was doing and released against her inner thighs.

He stepped away quietly, but Lily didn't seem bothered, collecting her things and pulled her nickers back up around her now sticky thighs. She coughed slightly, pulled her jeans and t-shirt back on and ruffling her hair a little. She could do nothing about her bruised lips and now slightly burning shoulder, but she was still a reputable enough woman to clean herself up a little before leaving the classroom, despite no one being around to see her entrée into the hallway.

Sirius watched her go, feeling disgusted with himself. He stepped back into the wall, sliding down; completely naked, and suddenly feeling cold. He had bit her, he had left a bruise on her the same as all the bruises he had littered around his own body, and it had helped him forget that the wolf had done to him for two seconds, until he realised he had used his own mouth to do something similar to her.

He felt sick just thinking about it.

James found himself up in Gryffindor tower, void of Sirius and the strange quiet boy who sometimes seemed to growl in his sleep. But it was not void of Pettigrew, so when they finally fell through the door James flew a hand out to stop the girl he had brought with him. She gasped, but otherwise did not protest, and James pulled them back down into the common room.

They sat on the sofa, near the dying fire, and James brought the girl's legs up and began massaging them softly. Before either of them knew it she was crying again, but neither of them wanted to start their previous activities again, and instead they just sat their quietly, staring into the dying bristles of the fire. Until suddenly;

"Lily has always wanted what I had." James drew a circle on her leg with his finger, sighing. He knew there was something going on as soon as she kissed him – the perfect stranger doesn't just come out of nowhere without bringing any luggage with them. He listened though, because in a little while he might want her to listen to him. She carried on. "I suppose he knew that, he was probably just using me to get to her. I mean… she's much more attractive than me, right? Oh, who am I kidding, you're James Potter, of course you know. You've chased after her for years, but I doubt you even know my name."

James traced another circle, blinking the sleep from his eyes that seemed to have come out nowhere and made a home.

"You're name is Petunia Evans, elder sister by one year. You were the sibling who won the scholarship in the first place." He explained, but if Petunia was surprised by his knowledge she was far too upset and wrapped up in whatever had taken place to make her upset to show it. "Who hurt you?" James asked quietly. There was no one else in the common room, but still they kept their voices low, since Petunia was a Ravenclaw and wasn't strictly supposed to be in there at all.

"My boyfriend." She replied. "Or I thought he was… maybe I was just kidding myself."

"You know, I can get anybody chucked from this school at my choosing." James assured her, only half joking. "All you have to do is say the word."

Petunia laughed, but it was bitter and unpleasant. Not the type that Sirius loved to hear, but the scathing fake sound she used when more angry than upset.

"I doubt you'd kick your present cousin from this school."

"S-Sirius?"

She nodded.

"You don't believe it. I don't believe it." She mumbled. "He made me think I was special. But I guess he just liked Lily."

"Sirius doesn't like Lily."

"That's right, he told me you two had hardly been talking." There was a reflective pause in the room. "He's so smart though, figuring out the best way to get her to come to him."

James sighed, forgetting about his supposedly comforting circles he was tracing in the girls legs and he just looked at the dark haired, understated beauty. There were dark circles around her red eyes where she had been crying and her make-up had run, and her side-fringe was beginning to get greasy where she ran her hand through it too often. She was impossibly pale and skinny and James could not see what Sirius had seen in her. Perhaps the girl was right, maybe the boy had just been using her as a stepping stone. And yet, he didn't think Sirius was really capable of just using a girl so. If there was one thing the boy prided himself on, it was ability to treat all his girlfriends, despite how short their relationship ultimately was, right.

"I don't… I didn't think Sirius would do something like that."

Petunia shrugged. She was obviously tired, but unwilling to sleep.

"Well, where is he now? In some unused classroom with Lily, while I'm up here spilling my guts out." She shifted; turning so that her legs were curled in behind her and her head was resting on the boy's shoulder as they continued to stare longingly into the fire like it would evaporate their troubles. And then; "So what about you? What's your deal? No one just accepts a kiss from a stranger without there being some serious emotional damage going on their right?"

James paused. Did he really want to open up to her? She was right, she was a stranger. But she had trusted him, and sometimes it was best to talk to strangers, rather than people who had expectations of you. He highly doubted she was the type of gossip, if she had managed to keep a relationship with Sirius Black under wraps.

"I… I'm… confused."

Petunia laughed, and this time it was a little airier; cute, in a 'that's so platonic' kind of way.

"You're gay?"

Another pause, this one a little longer than the last. He wasn't entirely sure how she had instantly jumped to that conclusion from one simply sentence, and she clearly didn't believe her interrogative true, by the tone of her voice, but…

"… Maybe."

**And there you have it. This one took a while, since it is so rare for me to write heterosexual 'sex' scenes. Hopefully I will be able to continue to write a lot more of this over the next few weeks, so please leave a review to let me know you're there!**

**On another note, if you happen to also like/be reading Dependence, I would be very grateful if you could check out a poll on my profile in regard to a possible planned sequel to that story, which may or may not be written after I have officially finished AT. **

**Again, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to seeing you again next chapter, where things get a little crazy between James and Sev when they see each other in the hallways. ; )**

**~Od**


	26. Chapter 26

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 26 – Closer

"What the fuck happened to you?" Was the first, oh so eloquent, thing that fell from James' mouth later that day, once he has caught up on sleep and finally rendezvoused with Sirius. The boy was a mess; bruised all over and caked in dried blood. His first thought had been to confront the boy about any sexual relationship he might have conducted with Lily whilst simultaneously leading Petunia to believe he loved her. He found it odd that he was more concerned about the immoral connotations of Sirius' act than he was that his best friend might have slept with the girl he had been chasing for a long time, but in the end all thoughts of either Evan's siblings were swept from his mind upon seeing his cousin's appearance. Sirius, in reply, turned his head away, and was met with a scandalised gasp as James saw the mutilated state of the Black heir's ear. There was a short, silent pause, in which James assessed how Sirius seemed far more shaken up from this than any fight he had been in before and tried his hand at being the sensible, care-giver for once. "Um, don't worry… girls dig battle scars and stuff."

He expected Sirius to yell at him, to tell him that his ear had been completely destroyed, and that was a little more than a scar, and the Black heir had opened his mouth as if he intended to do just that, but in the end had only clamped it back shut, going deathly pale.

James knelt in front of his cousin, suddenly worried. Things had to be bad if the boy wasn't willing to laugh it off and joke about it, as they had done so many times before in younger years, coming back from 'proving' themselves by beating up on Slytherins. He'd slept the entire day Tuesday, the day before, missing all his lessons, and that day, Wednesday, he'd avoided everybody like the plague. He could barely look at anyone as he sulked through lessons, and skipped meal times all together, in case he ran into Severus. He'd not seen Sirius all day, and now he could tell why – the boy had probably been hiding somewhere, trying in vain to clear himself up. He leant up to touch the broken ear, but Sirius flinched from the touch.

"What happened?" He asked again, softer this time, surveying the boy in front of him properly. His ears were trashed, and his clothes, the same clothes he been wearing on Monday, had been torn to shreds and were hanging off his body badly, the same body that was positively covered in bruises and … bite marks? "Did an animal do this to you? Sirius, we need to get you to a hospital."

At this comment the usually cheerful boy shook his head forcefully. He also refused the offer of Madam Pomfrey, or any of the other teachers or people of authority. Eventually James soaked a soft cloth in hot water and cleared the dried blood from his friend, and helped his shakily change into some more substantial clothes. The early November air was cutting, so James forced him into another jumper, despite the long sleeves irritating the bruised and sensitive skin. At least it made him look better, even if under the shield of the knit he was still battered. The bespectacled boy ran a hand through his cousin's hair, so that it fell down slightly over the disfigured ear, hiding it a little.

He sighed.

"I'm gunna go… well…" He was going to go find Petunia, or Lily, or both. The three of them needed to have a chat about their messed up love triangle, and they all knew it. But he paused; he'd hate it if Sirius got involved in whatever he had going on with Severus. He stood properly, crossing his hands behind his hands behind his back and gently pressing his arms into the long thin scars he had there. They both had things they didn't want the other involved with, it seemed, and James was beginning to feel more and more like he couldn't trust his family – which meant he didn't know who he could trust. He didn't know which of the Evan's siblings loved Sirius more. He was undoubtedly bias towards Petunia at that moment because she too knew his secrets, but that didn't mean Lily didn't also have a side of the story. "Just… just stay here."

He left the dorm, and out through the common room, completely missing that Lily was hanging around just outside the entrance to the stairwell to the boy's dorms, and found himself on the other side of the castle, on a spiral staircase. He knew it well, he'd explored the castle so often he knew where every common room was, which was how he and Sirius had been so able to ambush the Slytherins they wished to attack. This was the Ravenclaw tower. His feet had taken him there instinctively. The Ravenclaws were known for letting anyone into their common room, openly, so long as they could pass a test. And the tests were known for being damn near impossible to pass.

But it seemed that James was luckily, because as he came to the top of the tower, panting slightly from the climb and the fact he hadn't eaten in two days and was physically exhausted, Petunia was coming out of the common room, a letter in her hands and a worried look on her face. She, however, looked up at his heavy breathing, her facial features morphing to that of pleasant surprise, though James wasn't sure if that was just a mask.

"Mr Potter." She greeted, sending the Ravenclaw guard an apologetic look as she moved out of the doorway. She linked her arm with James' and starting leading him back down the stairs with the airy comment, "you look like Mr Darcy, all out of breath like that. Keep that up and my sister might spare you a glance."

However, as soon as they were out of the sight and hearing range of the guard, they stopped and Petunia unlinked their arms. She was dressed in a simple red cotton dress which bunched under her breasts and fell down to her ankles in straight, mostly shapeless folds.

"Why are you here?" She asked, and James held his hands up in mock defence at her glare.

"I thought we made a real connection the other night." He teased, but relented at her continuing evil eyes. Really, sometimes she and her sister were so alike – they even had the same taste in men, it appeared. He hadn't been entirely joking though. They had made a connection that Halloween night/1st of the November morning; which was why his brain had subconsciously taken him to the Ravenclaw common room, as opposed to the Slytherin common room, where his body wanted to be. He looked at the pale girl in the red dress in front of him, and briefly considered telling her about his scars, about how he was beginning to wonder whether his not having any memories of time he had been kidnapped, was because he hadn't really been kidnapped at all, but then;

"Have you spoken to Sirius? I saw him in the corridor. He looked terrible, how is he?"

James nodded, and in that moment knew, that no matter what Lily said, he'd be taking this girls side on the matter. Petunia knew, she had seen Sirius kissing Lily, and yet she was still concerned about his welfare. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the stairwell and along the corridors. This girl was the girl that Sirius wanted to see, even if the boy himself didn't know it yet; he could refuse medical treatment, he could refuse James' kindness, but he knew that faced with a woman who loved him, and it was clear to James that Petunia did love Sirius, then the boy would be powerless.

"Where are you taking me?" Asked the girl, but she knew all too well, and tried to pull her hand away. "I don't want to see him. Not like this, not with you."

James stopped, looking back over his shoulder at the girl. She was holding that letter, scrunched up in her hand, and worry lines were running along her furrowed brow. Her eyes were shining in a conspicuous way that James didn't like. They'd turned sea coloured thanks to the water gathering there and James, not wanting to make anyone cry, let go of her hand.

He cleared his throat.

"He needs to see you."

Petunia nodded.

"I know the password from the other night, and I'm wearing red – they'll let me in." She explained, smoothing out non-existent creases in said red dress. "I-I'll go; but not with you. There are things Sirius and I need to discuss, and while I am grateful for your help, Mr Potter… I think there's someone you also have to see."

As she said this she brushed passed him, nodding in a direction behind the Gryffindor. James watched her head off towards the Gryffindor common room, and then turned to see who it was. As he did, his breath caught in his throat and he felt stupid for even turning around.

Snape. Severus Snape, the boy he was supposed to be avoiding, was stood casually leaning against the wall, looking sideways on at James. He was dressed in his school uniform, plus the usual heavy trench coat, pale skin and big nose still intact, but hair tied back and off his face, which looked a bit better. Not much, but a bit. James was left wondering, once again, what exactly he saw in his ugly creature. And then Severus spoke, and it all came rushing back;

"So, looks as if Black's got some explaining to do. Lily has just been crying on my shoulder over the whole ordeal, but fascinatingly you're taking the other sisters side?" He scoffed, "Is this the wisdom of a scorned best friend? Annoyed your little lapdog slept with your crush?"

The Gryffindor shook his head slowly, not trusting himself to speak. How was it Severus could act so natural when James had opened up his very heart and soul to the boy, allowed himself to be taken control of so easily just two days before? His heart was racing in his chest, and he felt sure it would burst right through his ribcage if he wasn't careful. He hadn't expected to see the Slytherin again so soon, he was terrified the boy was only there to gloat, to show he'd managed to convince James he could be the one in control, and now he was done James was going to be discarded.

He wondered when exactly that had turned into his worst nightmare. When exactly, in this whirlwind of adrenaline and lust the two had been in since term began, had he developed the fear of being tossed aside? Snape was his usual snide self, but James couldn't muster up the courage to fight back, he couldn't find the courage to tackle whatever he was feeling head on and instead was left with knowing that Severus was completely and undeniably in control.

He took a fistful of the man's long, trench jacket as Severus came to stand closer to him. Too close; not close enough, and pressed his forehead against the other boys shoulder so that he wouldn't have to look him in the cold, dark eyes. It terrified him that Severus' touch was as gentle as it was as he brought his hands up and circled them around his back.

"I'm sorry I'm such a snarky git." The Slytherin mumbled. "Old habits die hard."

James shook his head lightly, making his head tickle the other boy's chin.

"I am annoyed that he slept with Lily." He admitted. "I'm really annoyed because we had promises, and they got broken. And because he cheated on Petunia and she deserves more than that." He continued, rambling and clenching and unclenching at the material he had in his hands. If anyone had come around the corner into their corridor they would have been spotted, there was no other way to explain what they were doing expect for a strange awkward hug, and the Gryffindor wondered when their relationship had gone from casual sexual encounters to canoodling in the hallway.

There were _feelings_ involved in this type of thing that James didn't want to dwell on.

"You worried me." He heard the lanky haired boy say. "You said things on Monday that are worrying, and you didn't show up to classes on Tuesday."

"You were worried? About me?"

Severus nodded; James felt it against the top of his head. He took the step closer and wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, trying to get as close as possible without stepping over the limit from non-sexual to sexual. He wanted this to be innocent, he wanted to know he could be around the boy without having to be lusting after him, and he felt Snape press his hands a little closer into his back, reminding James of the scars there.

"… Can I…" He paused, he wanted to ask, he wanted to know, but he didn't want to break the moment.

"Can you what?" Severus replied, rubbing circles against the small of James' back and making the Gryffindor swallow and close his eyes. Before this school year he would never let his guard down in front of his enemy, and yet now he was basically putty in the boy's hand.

"Can I… trust you?"

Severus smiled, though James couldn't see it.

"I wish you would."

"**What the fuck happened to you?" was pretty much what I thought you guys must be thinking about where I'd gotten to, yeah? Well, I went through I really shit break away from someone who I really trusted, and they were kind of my muse of this fic, so it was really kind of difficult for me to get back into this. Buuuut… I am hoping to try and get back into it, and I've got a double update for you to make up for not updating in months!**

**Also…. I'm thinking I should probably have put this as a Petunia/Sirius fic. I swear they're taking over. D: I'll try and get back onto the Sev/James stuff, but the next chapter is pretty much all Sirius and Petunia (with some INSANE stuff happening between Sev and James at the end! So DO read it!)**


	27. Chapter 27

**Aristocratic Tendencies**

**SSJP Fan Fiction**

**Alternate Universe Story**

**ObsessiveDevil**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I am not making any money from this.**

Chapter 27 – Changes

Everyone is scared of change. Sometimes it comes suddenly and all the actors in the play get swept away and forget their lines, and characters who were supposed to hate each other can end up falling in love, and those who were supposed to end up together, end up cold and lonely by the side of the road, trying to remember what was so special about the girl on the other side. Other times, the more scary times, it sneaks up on you. Change is the most silent, deadly of predators, and the times when it sneaks up on you, there is no way to escape.

You find out your friend is on drugs, your sister is sleeping with a playboy and the man who was supposed to be in love with you is in fact probably fucking your best friend. At times like these, rationality goes out the window. It appears to you that no one cares about you, so why should you care about anyone else?

The redhead pondered this as she slowly climbed the stairs, having watched Potter vacate the dormitory. Sirius was still up there, still battered and bruised and still not talking. She had thought at first that he had found her repulsive and hadn't wanted to speak because of her, but having explained the situation to Severus, when the Slytherin could spare her a minute from whatever he was planning with Potter, they had come to the conclusion that whatever had attacked him had left him psychologically damaged, and he was highly unlikely to speak unless something else could shift his brain back on the right path. It suited her fine, if he wasn't able to tell people about their activities then all the better.

A small smirk, reminiscent of her Slytherin friend, fell onto her face as she knocked on the door and let herself into the dorm. She held up a hand as Sirius opened his mouth, even though they both knew no sound would come out. She pushed the door behind her, not noticing it hadn't actually clicked closed, and walked forward, swinging her hips slightly to create an aura of sexiness; and all the time not breaking eye contact with the Black heir. When she grew close she pressed one finger to his silent mouth in a mockery of the 'shhh' sign, and licked her own lips.

"I just want you to listen, Black." She reasoned. "I know you enjoyed yourself the other night, and no one has to know about this. I don't expect any chivalry or courting or whatever – it's a simple exchange. You have sex with me, and I have sex with you. We'll keep each other satisfied, and you won't even have to talk to me outside these four walls." She explained. She knew it sounded slutty, and it was slutty, she knew that all too well. There was one thing she wanted, and one thing she didn't want. She wanted to be anchored to earth, to not be swept away by the change that she could tell was beginning to sneak up on them, and she didn't want Sirius sleeping with her sister. When she'd slept with the man she'd forgotten, just for a moment, all the things going on around her, and if she could keep the man intoxicated with her, then he would have no need for the plainer, less able Petunia.

But Sirius pushed her away. He shook his head, eyes darting to the spot on her neck where she still had a slight bruise from the other night.

"You didn't hurt me…" she explained, spotting his gaze, but still he refused her. Soon she grew impatient, what type of man refused the other of sex with no strings attached? Was it her? Was he really truly repulsed by her? He couldn't possibly prefer Petunia, who wore shapeless dresses and never bothered to do anything with her hair past brush it, could he? "Am I just… not good enough for you?" She asked, and in an instant Sirius was on his feet, hands smoothing her hair and shaking his head in an attempt to answer her question.

Lily was beautiful. There was no denying it. She was smooth, fiery hair and pale, but not unhealthy skin. Lily knew how to please a man, both mentally and physically. She was smart, energetic, funny and most of the time she was kind. But Sirius had already been unfaithful once and he had no plans to do it again. He didn't care if Petunia preferred James, he still thought of himself as her boyfriend and he would prove to her that he was better for her, that he could provide more for her, and most of all, that he loved her more. If he had to fight for the woman he loved, then so be it. He'd had two days to think on it, and although James had been kind when they had reconciled just moments before, he couldn't bring himself to show the same kindness in return, due to how much he envied that Petunia wanted to be with him.

But he also didn't want Lily to feel she wasn't good enough, not just for him, but for anyone. No woman should feel like that, but especially not someone as beautiful as Lily. He kissed her forehead lightly, running a hand up her side to catch her hands as she tried to bring the two of them closer together. He was trying to get his point across, without the use of words, and only actions, that she was a stunning woman, and if they had been born in another time, or another a place, he would have easily have taken her – and treated her right, not just sex. She was better than just sex. But as it stood their relationship was far too complicated to survive in the time and place they were born. Even if James hadn't had the crush on Lily, and even if he didn't know that deep down Lily was only doing this because she was missing the affection James used to throw her way, they still wouldn't have survived, for the simple fact that Sirius was completely, and irrevocably, in love with her sister.

And Lily did understand, in that moment, without words. Sirius had affection for her, but it wasn't love, and she knew why. There was another Evan's sister that she had been trying to get him away from, and the fact that he had refused her – shown a strength he hadn't shown before – was enough proof that he had far more affection for the other sister. It wasn't something that sat comfortably with Lily – it had been a long time since she had been second best to her elder sister, but she could find peace with that. A smile grew on her face – small and simply accepting at first, but slowly growing to its true radiance. She had been truly wicked these last few days, and she had some making up to do. There were other men who could distract her from the change that was coming. And slowly, upon realisation of her thoughts, and what her smile meant; Sirius grinned back. Glad he hadn't broken anyone's heart, or made anyone feel worthless.

- X -

Petunia stared at the scene before her. She'd known. She known that Sirius had wanted Lily, she'd seen them do this before – but it didn't make it any less hard. She'd come to find the courage to confront him. She'd wanted, at least, the dignity to be the one to break with him. She'd even dressed in red to find her strength – her bloody bravery -, and yet she stood outside the slightly ajar door, unable to move as Sirius pressed a kiss to her sister's forehead and ran his hands up her side in a loving gesture.

She'd hoped it had just been sex; she'd thought maybe she could forgive him if it had just been sex, for after all, who could resist her redheaded sister's pretty charms? Stronger men than Sirius had undoubtedly fallen for them. But this was more than that, this was affection, this was care. She'd thought he had had those things for her, and certainly the gestures looked similar – but it is so much harder to find affection in sometimes eyes when those eyes are looking at you, and so much easier to find it when they are looking at someone else.

She felt wetness stain her cheeks, they didn't even have to speak – there was a connection there that Petunia would never have with the Black heir, and she knew that the pretty, more enigmatic sister had won, and that Sirius would be happy with her, and that they were, beyond question, perfect for each other, and yet it did not make her stop crying for, or wanting, or loving him.

She turned, dropping the thing she had been clutching in her hand, unable to stand looking at the two of them - happy -, and slowly made her way down the stairs again. She ghosted out of the Gryffindor common room, down the many flights of stairs in the castle, and out of the grand doors into the grounds. The bitter November air cut at her skin, with the thin red cotton dress doing nothing to shield her from the wind chill factor, but kept going, until she was on the other side of the grounds, at the gates that lead to the path that would get her to Hogsmeade station.

Trains rarely came there, mainly just the school train, but it was also a good place to collect taxi's, and Petunia slid herself into the back of one duly, muttering directions and pulling out money from her purse that she would give to him when the car eventually arrived in London. She looked out the window as they drove, watching as the trees and the lake and the castle slowly slid out of sight. It would take them the best part of the day to get to London from Scotland, but she doubted she would be getting any sleep, as she started to think that she hadn't packed any clothes, or warned anyone that she was leaving. She wondered whether she would regret dropping out of her last year at Hogwarts. Was the six and a half years of torture to be for nothing? Would she not even get her certificate now? Was this the right decision? Was she willing to give up everything just to avoid the face of a boy?

But she rationalised that it was not just to avoid the face of one boy, but to make sure that she would eventually have a future. She was a broken woman, used and worn, who had sinned and sinned again. The man she thought had loved her had not loved her, and now time was running out. She didn't have time for regrets now – she didn't have time for leaving notes and packing. She didn't have time for promises of bravery and forever. She didn't have time for the promises to be broken.

Now it was time, as she had always known it would come down to it, to get back in touch with Vernon.

- X -

James stood in the Slytherin's private dorm for the second time in just as many days, this time less lustful and much more nervous. Severus was sat on his bed, trench coat thrown over the back of a chair and top three buttons of his white school shirt undone. It wasn't doing much for relieve the Gryffindor's nerves, but nonetheless he was a member of the house of bravery, and he slowly began to undo the buttons of his own shirt. Severus watched on in mild interest, one eyebrow raised, and making the shorter boy blush, and turn away.

When he was finally done with the fiddly buttons, he lowered it over his shoulders, back to his company, and let it drop to the floor. He flinched at the gasp that filled the room, despite knowing he'd done the same thing to his cousin just hours before. And yet he flinched again when the boy's bony fingers began to trace the long, thin scar lines. He didn't really mind if people touched them; his mother used to stroke them when he was younger, and Sirius would often run a finger along them to see if they were still sensitive, but Severus' touch felt different. Lighter, and colder.

"What happened?" he asked in a hushed whisper, and James felt his heart skip a beat. He turned, and Severus' hands were still at the scars on his back, so he wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, and this time pulled him down for a slow, sensual kiss. Being met with no resistance he tried to go further, but then Severus broke away. "James, what happened?"

James buried his head against the folds of Severus' shirt and shrugged awkwardly in their embrace.

"I don't remember." He mumbled, and then; "I mean… I don't really know if I remember or I just don't know or…"

Severus put a steady hand on his head, using his other hand at James' hip to easily guide the boy to the bed, and sat them down. The Gryffindor instantly tried to start kissing again, but Snape ducked away. He ran a cold, bony finger down the other boy's face in an almost loving way.

"Not tonight James, not after what I've just seen."

James broke away from the hold.

"I knew it… it's repulsive."

He stood to leave but the Slytherin grabbed his hand.

"That's not what I meant." He explained. "I don't view you as repulsive and haven't for some time now."

"Then why -?"

"Because you're broken James, as much as neither of us wants to say so." The boy sighed. "And I don't want to break you anymore than you already are."

James slowly, excruciatingly slowly, sat back down. He placed his hand on top of the other boys and Severus entwined their fingers, offering a small smile; an actual smile, not a smirk or a sneer, but a small, reassuring smile.

James looked away.

"But… you love me don't you?"

_Love?_

**Aaaand have fun trying to figure out which one of them thought that last line. XD**

**You could always review me your guess.**

**And I kind of got distracted during this chapter to write wedding vows instead for a Sirius/Petunia fic I am in the planning stages of. (Along with like a billion other fics), so if you are LIKING my random little obsession with those two, I am liking to be filling up my account with Sirius/Petunia stuff once I am finally done with AT.**


End file.
