Snape Gets Revenge
Chapter One: Snape Gets Revenge
Sirius POV
When trying to avoid becoming flobberworm guts for Snivelluses next potion, one might think that Sirius Black would have stopped and thought 'should I provoke him without backup, when I know he can duel all 4 of us at once?'
Of course he didn't. Then he'd be more like his parents with that thinking-first-act-after high horse that most slithering snakes ride in on! And he wasn't a damn Slytherin.
Unlike the raging sneering sad bastard (who he was dodging rapid fire curses from). At least he wasnt in any REAL danger, under pretense of a legitimate duel. Overseen by Flitwick in dueling club, but still... he was without his second.
Or third, or fourth backup.
Because they were all in detention. He just had to go and wind up in the hospital wing long enough for the boys to get bored without him.
How dare they!!
Probably James idea. But still.
How dare they!! He whipped out a quick horn tongue hex. It rebounded off of Snapes protego and had he not ducked fast enough would have hit him cleanly in the face.
"YIELD." Snape demanded. "Instead of this farce you call dueling. All those rich tutors feeding you on a silver spoon, Black, and not a one taught you how to fight a proper duel?" His way of talking, all deep tenor (though only recently coming out of its prepubescent squeeks and breaks), and nasally enunciations irritated Sirius horribly. It reminded him of his Mother. Not the tenor but the tone. The sneering down the nose. The look of scrutinizing his every move.
"I enjoy the exercise. Just trying to make it last long enough to be worth getting paired up with the likes of- Immobolus!"
He aimed at Snapes second, Evan Rosier who sure enough, popped up a Pretego and the curse rebounded just as a leg-locking jinx started to form color on the tip of Snapes wand. The spell landed right on his back. He fell forward from the force of the hit.
Even Sirius flinched at the sound of the crunch as his face hit the floor before anyone could think to react to his fall.
Rosier turned as green as his tie.
Sirius had to press his tongue into his cheek, to keep the giggles from unsticking his mandrake leaf from his mouth. Well, there went Snapes lovely straight roman nose. Sirius wondered absently if he'd end up with a hawk like or acqueline shape once Pomfrey fixed him up.
Cartilage was far harder to fix than bones, after all. And though she was good at her job, multiple factors would come in to play.
He ignored the clapping from the onlookers, and the escalating ringing in his ears as he held his breathe to hold in his giggles.
"Alright, alright. Next up to try to defeat our reigning champion?" Mr. Flitwick called to the crowd, as if Crouch weren't levitating Snapes immobile form out the door. Probably a smart idea. He'd try to otherwise kill Rosier the moment he was free.
Amos Diggory stepped up, like the proud little pureblood he is. They bowed. Sirius noticed him glancing at a girl in puff yellows as if showing off for her as they started off with some mild harmless charms. Sirius could have rolled his eyes for how distracted his opponent was, if he wasn't about to use it against him.
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James POV
James, Remus, and Peter sat un-transfiguring the buttons back to beetles from McGonagalls 2nd year groups that had managed to become stuck as buttons. Had they managed to get so many stuck when they were younger? He was bored with the process, doing them faster than his friends. Their house head sat nearby grading. He wanted so badly to raise his hand and ask if they could leave yet. He sighed forlornly, another beetle done and placed in their respective bottles then floated into one of her cabinets along the wall of the classroom.
"You all may go. Just remember, next time you seek out revenge for your friend. Don't." She said sternly as she came around her desk to stand there and look them each firmly in the eye. They all nodded and James certainly scrambled faster to get his bag and leave. He had to ask Sirius about how duel club tonight had gone!
Once the door shut behind them James let his innocent mask slide and scoffed "Don't, she says. More like, Don't get caught. Not our fault Filch is always right where you don't want him. Remus, did you find where our map got off to?"
"Peeves had stashed it in Myrtles bathroom. Behind one of the pipes on the sinks. Found it after Myrtle flooded the bathroom yesterday and I was nearby on the 2nd floor, when she screamed about Peeves putting things where they dont belong. He was still in there and kept going on about how we would 'endeavor to splendor the song of the snakes if only our map knew the way it takes' or some such nonsense." James decided if he spent every moment wondering what that poltergeist got up to, he'd never have enough mind left for anything else. "Huh." He said in response "Odd."
They made the trudge back up to Gryffindor tower. Where Sirius was lounging next to the fireplace, his long limbs draped carelessly in slumber. Peter started to move forward to wake him but James grabbed him by the back of his robes. "Leave him be, Pete. I'll work on my potions essay and bring him up whenever he stirs." Remus huffed "If you're caught up past hours again, Gryffindor will never win the cup at this rate." James just gave him a look and the taller boy rolled his eyes, dragging Peter up behind him.
As soon as the boys disappeared from view, he pulled the cloak out of his bag and draped it across his shoulders and over his head. He sat and stared at his best friend in peace.
Sometimes, in secret, James would do this. Just stare. And wonder how a boy could be prettier than the brightest witch of their year (Lily, of course). Mom had always told him that in order to be happy he'd have to find the brightest of the lot, because though Potters were brilliant... they'd need someone to match and guide that brilliance.
He wasn't so sure he'd ever really understand what she meant by that, but he was trying his best. Lily still hadn't come around to his attempts at courting her, but that was okay. She was muggleborn. It was to be expected that she wasn't the most aware of pureblood customs.
Sirius though, was under more and more under such pressure lately. His parents just this last summer had spoken of upcoming contracts being prepared. He could tell his best friend was more terrified than he let on.
He was on one hand, sympathetic. Nobody would want to go and end up betrothed against their will. On the other hand, there were worst things right? Sirius shifted, his long black hair falling back and away from his face to further fan out beneath him on the red plush of the couch. Red really brought out the contrasting colors of his pale skin, his black hair, and were those silvery blue eyes open - James knew he'd find them sparkling with mischievous energy, looking lighter than mercury against the red swaths of color surrounding them and opposing all the etchings of gold with their depths.
Prettier than even the greenest eyes he'd ever seen.
He should probably keep that thought to himself. He had asked his parents just a couple years ago if the history of marriages between men that had been in many of his tutorship lessons about Wizarding traditions were still practiced. Father had told him this had fallen out of standing with the placement of the statute of secrecy due to the church movement amongst muggles claiming that such acts were against the laws of nature.
"Preposterous nonsense, of course. Since they believe also that magic is against nature, when in contrast it's the very essence of nature itself. They define such bonds as sinful, and yet claim love is above all else, what with the stories of their messiah. Yet it is that desire for love that leads such bonds. Hypocritical if you ask me. My inclinations may not fall such a way, but we have a scattering of such ties all over the family tree. Magic makes gifts when love is of pure in heart."
Again, he probably wouldn't ever really understand his father's ramblings. But it was nice to know that if he announced his feelings for Sirius, he might at least have some understanding from his folks. His biggest fears were of course regarding the Blacks. And how they might treat Sirius if he came forth with any proposals. For being as anti-muggle as they claimed, their biggotry knew no ends.
He could hope. He just had to find the bravery and courage that he supposedly has in spades as a lion to get there. So many of their muggleborn classmates and friends had, after all, made some snide and derogatory comments to them over the years as if their friendship was strange and unethical due to how close they were. Over time, their tactile friendship had fallen into moments more private and hesitations made when in view of others.
James isn't even sure when he fell asleep. These thoughts skittering around in his head even in his dreamless, restless, sleep drawing images in his mind's eye of ever changing glimpses of silver and green. As if in war of each other.
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Severus POV
Holding open his most cherished possession under one palm, he stirred his cauldron with his other hand with a crystal rod. The agony of his earlier defeat hadn't just bruised his ego, but the blooming purple also lingered on his nose. Pomfrey had insisted that a bruising paste would leave lingering side effects on his cartilage but damn her if she thought he would go to the great hall tomorrow to have his latest defeat painted on his face for all to see. What was a little bump in the nose versus this awful gastley bruise and swelling? As he finished the clockwise motions for the paste and let it cool in order to see it set correctly for applying, he moved to his second cauldron, thankful that the dungeons common room had a few accessible private labs for the students to 'practice' in, should there be a need to. (He had learned from several of the ghosts that this was a feature in all the houses, but hardly a single student in recent decades found these rooms, lest they went seeking).
He aimed his wand upon the second cauldrons fire, adjusting the temperature as he watched the coloration closely. He had read the theories for this concept from every resource he could get his hands on in the library but the execution had yet been successful. On one hand, if he got it to work - it'd be a shoo-in to secure himself an apprenticeship through any number of ministry contacts for a position as an Unspeakable (oh, to be able to create and disassemble entire mysterious things from all realms of magic; everything from potions to charms and all in-between). On the other, if he was caught as the source for its upcoming use... he might be expelled. Or worse, Lily would know. And probably hate him for getting caught up in the Mauraders drama.
Still, revenge on Black... OR even Potter, should all things go to plan.... felt entirely justified. He would stand aside as no one's fool any longer. If he could fight back, he would. Teach them that Severus Snape was smarter than their four minds put together, because he was sure they only shared one braincell put together.
He flicked his book with one hand carefully as his wand held the cauldron under stasis. He reasoned through his notes as he devised any necessary changes he may need to enact through these final steps. He sprinkled in the bicorn horn til it changed to the desired color, but the consistency was still too thick... he added more augmenti in controlled teaspoons til the clumps dispersed. Then, in an act that would have caused Slughorn a heart attack, but his Lily would have swooned over since she had helped him understand muggle sciences... he enacted a spell they had created together during their 2nd year to siphon out any impurities through an invisible tube to enable the purified solution into an airlock beaker (still invisible to the naked eye, only designed by pure magic and intent) that would then slowly fill the potion bottle of choice with the final product. No contamination of the potion with metallic or porous wooden stirring rods or ladels. Such miniscule contaminates could have huge lasting impacts to potions, and yet most overlooked the fact entirely.
He admired the color changing effect this potion had, and scribbled additional notes on the finished product in his book. Much like the color changing effect the Wiggenweld hosted upon completion, from green to purple. This was a green to red distillation. He wondered at the implications and made several thought notes:
'Could signify the changes upon ones person, depending on magical strengths'
'Could also be dependent upon genetical factors'
'Could be a purified quality (subject to change when dropped into future substance) / to hide the product - chameleon like quality? Will need to test first'
Now to find a willing test subject.
Lockhart from Ravenclaw a year below him, owed him a favor, after he had kept the boys exploits in the restricted section secret. He'd make a fine test subject.
He pulled out his robe and with a flick froze and secured the fabric in place then pocketed the vile into a secured (if illegally magicked) undetectable expansion charm as carefully as he could so when he accio'd it into his hand later he'd do so with purposeful precision. Filled to the brim in his various potions for all circumstances, he admired his stock for a moment before he returned the pocket back to normal size and smoothed it against his person.
Now to get a few hours of sleep, before breakfast. His revenge just a short duration away.
He aimed a spell to bottle up the bruise paste and stock it into his trunk upstairs with a quick transfer charm. Leaving one dose left that he rubbed gently onto his nose. He then put the cauldrons into their location marked 'for elf cleanup please place here' and headed up to his room.
When he lay down the soreness of his nose was long gone. The throbbing that induced a steady headache, no more. Sleep came swiftly.
But little did he know the swelling had lingered, and would never be gone. And the bump would keep, impervious to future magicle means for fixing.
Little bump, indeed.
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Regulus POV
As the spare to the Black male legacy, one would expect little Reggie to be the more mature despite his younger status, what with his older siblings infamous personality.
While he was definitely the better suited to act as a good pureblood should. Regulus would hardly write himself in any dictionary under the terms 'proper' or 'well-behaved'. Especially as he waited Sunday evening quietly eating dinner and watching diligently for the best event he was sure to happen this week... probably this month! School had barely been in session a month, Samhein just a couple weeks away and already the Mauraders drama had roused a revenge act out of Snape.
He had been studying that morning with his best study partner, Gilderoy, when Snape had hovered over their table and snatched away the blonde boy under the preposterous nonsense of potions tutoring. (That's what Golderoy had Reggie for! And as far as he was aware, Snape and Gilderoy hadn't ever lingered in each other's presence before). So like a good, nosey little brother is wont to do... he cast a disillusionment charm and followed.
And he witnessed the funniest thing to date. Well, second only to most of his big brothers pranks. But he felt for a Snape attempt it was pretty good. He could appreciate the older males ingenuity.
Gilderoy's hair had turned neon yellow, his skin flecked in freckled of gold, and his voice when he went to wax poetic about how he "Really suited the colors, like he knew he would" came out sounding like a bird was stuck in his throat - chirping every few words.
Harmless, really, but still. He could appreciate the way Snape took vigilant notes as he studied the effects and tested various factors and timed Gilderoys' fading hair and flecks.
"NOT what I had intended, at all. But maybe the person's biology is a bigger factor than I thought..." Snape mused aloud. "Too right, too right. Or maybe the person's spirit! I am far brighter than most people suspect, and clearly your potion saw to the heart of that truth!" He admired, as they stood in the boys bathroom and he recounted out loud how many freckles remained on his face. "Oh drat! 3 hours in and already so many have disappeared."
Snape hummed, noncommittal to Gilderoys sad tone.
Regulus had disappeared shortly after as he realized that they were absorbed enough that he could have left much sooner, but we'll- curiosity about most things had bigger control on him than most.
The mandrake leaf in his mouth was testimony to that, since his brother had roped him into it.
On the surface, they got along as best as a cat and dog would (that is to say - not at all).
But anyone who has seen a cat and dog bond in a hostile environment where all you have is each other, knows how little that analogy can mean.
His animagus process through meditation had already formed his animal in his mind's eye. He had yet to find a moment with Sirius to ask about their form, but well... he had an intuitive way of knowing.
His musings were interrupted by a sudden howl from Lupin at the Gryffindor table. The boy looked horrified as he covered his mouth. The silence in the hall that fell immediately allowed Reg to hear Potter ask in his perfected nonchalant tone "Someone put a prank on your pumpkin juice there, Remus?" But as the question tapered off he too ended it with a huff that came off very dog like. He shook his head, as if to shake off the confusion the sound caused him, and he growled in derision as if something happened that no one else could see that had managed to get under his skin.
Sirius's bark-like laughter started up at that point (the kind that had always been his tell for being nervous) but when he couldn't stop barking, his eyes got wide, he covered his mouth, and started whining. That caused the whole table to erupt with laughter. A younger year Reg didn't recognize asked "Someone's managed to prank the pranksters! Looks like karma's work to me, mates." Reg noticed Pettigrew was sitting there shaking uncontrollably, his side effects were much quieter than his friends had been.
"Yea! Well done, well done, whoever you were. This is gonna be bloody inconvenient during Quidditch practice, ain't it - boys?" Potter quipped, as antlers sprouted from his head. He growled as he grappled with them.
Lupin nodded, hands still over his mouth. Wirey curls of gray hair had sprouted along his whole body. Pettigrew was simply shaking as his eyes darted around wildly. His smaller fatter body really hadn't changed much, but his nose looked more pronounced...maybe?
As suddenly as they grew the antlers disintegrated into gold dust. Potter sneezed like a dog, his chestnut curls coated in the stuff and his hazel eyes glaring despite the forced smirk of amusement his lips formed.
Sirius was panting something quietly into James' ear, as he white knuckled the edge of the table. Potter nodded slowly and whispered something back.
The majority had already turned away from the spectacle. Reg glanced at last to Snape who was watching with avid, unabashed interest. Potter leaned over and spoke quietly to the other two just as McGonagall approached the 4.
"Gentlemen. Let's get you to the infirmary, shall we?" She looked resigned. It was, afterall, usually these 4.
When they stood up that's when Reg noticed the shadows of blood on the back of Sirius's black cloak. Most wouldn't have, but he was unfortunately more aware of looking out for signs of an injured Sirius. He waited a few moments, and then slipped quietly into the hall and cast another disillusionment charm for a second time that day and hurried after his brother.
He hoped Snape had missed noticing the stain. But he knew better. The last glimpse of his face had been far too satisfied with malicious glee.
He lingered in the shadows as Pomfrey scuttled out from her office and asked her questions. McGonagall left her to it, figuring that such a harmless prank was worth no more worry.
Sirius was the last to get her diagnostic scan charmed to their person. The results had her surging forward and grabbing his arm and ushering him to a bed further away from the others. Potter called out worriedly "Whats wrong with Sirius?" But when he went to follow, he bounced off a protective barrier shield she had placed around the curtain she had drawn closed behind her to place for privacy.
As blood kin, Reg knew he could bypass that shield, and hurried to it.
"Let's see it, dear. Just drop your trousers. All above board. I just need to make sure you won't need a blood replenisher potion. Or an antibacterial paste."
Sirius flinched and shook his head in protest but the older woman was insistent. "Either you do it, or I do, you choose how difficult this gets to be."
He flushed crimson, and turned- carefully maneuvering his robes out of the way and dropping his trousers enough for the big black fuzzy tail to pop up and out the back. It, however, was clearly not the source of the blood. Pomfrey made clear that she had noticed this as well.
"I... I am... whatever caused this," Sirius's tail waged a bit before he whimpered again and the clear scent of metallic tinged with a bitter order permeated the air "broke through my menstruation charms, ma'am."
"MENSTRAUTION CHARMS!?" Pomfrey said incredulously. "Boys don't menstruate, Mr. BLACK." The emphasis on his name even made Regulus flinch.
"Well, I do." He growled, tail tucking and his posture showing his fear. This was a heavily guarded family secret. His parents had only brought him in on it when he had to floo for the family healer under his parents orders and then subsequently been taught the obliviation charm under his father's thumb, to destroy the healers findings when they found it fit time for his services to conclude.
Sirius, as it turned out, was - in that healers terms - an 'in-between'. Everything about him had appeared male up until his final stage of puberty had hit over the summer. Ironically just after talks of marriage contracts had been discussed a few weeks before. Then, his magic had started 'malfunctioning under extreme duress' and puberty had gifted him with a second set of genitals.
All the healers words. "More commonly recognized in purebloods of... your pedigree." The healer had stated maliciously, as they had glanced between his parents.
Regulus had later gone with Sirius to a muggle library in London, after their own had only created more questions than answers, while their parents had been out long enough and discovered that muggles had long since discovered the 'science of inbreeding'.
The book they had sourced had declared him likely barren.
Sirius had tried so hard to hide his hurt, but Regulus had sensed it, and consoled his brother quietly. (Because yes, he still felt male, despite his body's newest 'problems').
"Pants off." She demanded "I'll need to give you a pelvic examination in that case." Sirius shook in fear, and suddenly Regulus could stand by silently no more. He would NOT be one to be made to stand aside again while his brother was tortured under the hands of a healer who took and prodded and ignored the screams of pain of their patient.
"That won't be necessary." He hissed at her as he stepped in front of his brother protectively. "Why, I never! Stand aside, I only need to ensure that his claims are true and to-" but Regulus is a Black, and he wasn't going to waste words with a know-it-all. He obliviated her memory immediately, then placed a charm (legal, untraceable and similar to the imperious curse but with more success in natural occlumens, as it enforced the casters will instead of subsuming over the will of the charmed persons will). "You healed the tail protrusion, the source of the bleeding, you're to retrieve the blood replenishment potion as the final step to Sirius Blacks ailment. You've more important matters to tend to, like finishing your potion supply inventory for Slughorn to procure." She nodded "I was never here." He flicked his wrist as she abruptly went through the other side of the curtain and they heard Potter asking Pomfrey if Sirius was okay. He heard a sob behind him, and he turned. He cast a cleansing charm, and several more to repair Sirius's clothes from the blood spill. "You'll be fine. Just replace that charm if you can." He soothed. "I can't. Something is the matter with my magic. It's acting all erratic!" He fretted, flinching as a fresh wave of that smell assaulted their noses. "I can't go out like this, but if I stay Pomfrey will figure it out again and... and..."
"Let me go get Cissy. She'll know what to do." Regulus begged. He was just a boy. These things were way over his head! "NO! She'll have blackmail over me." He tugged at his long black hair "Ugh! Why couldn't Andy still be here!" Regulus rolled his eyes. "She's still a Black, she'll understand it's a family secret. You know family comes first. Always."
"She's already practically a Malfoy!" Sirius growled.
"She's born a Black, she'll always BE a Black." Regulus argued. "FINE. But how do I keep Pomfrey off of me in the meantime?" Regulus cast another cleaning charm. "Easy. I'll put up a forget-me barrier up until I get back. Just sit tight...or, well..." Sirius rubbed his face tiredly "Good. Good thinking. Thank you Reggie. Now go! And Don't let James or the others see you!"
"You got it!" He saluted sarcastically and slipped back out into the room and out. Where Potter was pacing on the otherside of the barrier impatiently.
Now if only he could remember his cousins whereabouts.