Sev's Gang

 “Evan was worried about you.”

Severus glanced at Wilkes and curled his lip as he slunk into his dormitory. “Then you weren’t, I presume?”

Wilkes shrugged. “There’s little point worrying about the inevitable.” He paused. “I imagine spending the night was little fun... If you want we can go looking for lions to torment.”

Severus smiled just a little but shook his head. “I’m grounded,” he drawled. It was unusual when Wilkes took much notice of Severus, but not unheard of. Severus was unsure if it felt nice to be sympathised with, or worrisome.

“Me as well,” Wilkes smirked. Of course he would find being grounded amusing; he thought everything was funny. “So I am glad I’m not going to get myself into trouble by running off somewhere. How about we hone our duelling skills for a bit? You can imagine I’m *him* if it makes you feel better.”

Severus snorted. “You’re not much competition and I doubt you could be mistaken for a Malfoy.” He was surprised that Wilkes was really trying. What was he after? Or did he really feel bad for what he thought Severus had experienced?

Wilkes rolled his eyes. “You undervalue me,” he smirked. His engaging sneer ebbed and a more serious expression sat on his face. “If Evan was still here he would ask if you want to talk.”

Severus quickly schooled his expression to nonchalance but examined Wilkes’ face from under the cover of his unusually clean curtain of hair. Wilkes seemed strained yet genuine, but looked relieved when Severus said, “I don’t.”

“Good,” Wilkes said. His lips pursed ever so slightly in a thoughtful way.

“Why are you comparing yourself to Evan?” Severus asked.

Wilkes shrugged. “He’s more competent than I am with people and I don’t want you to resent me for involving you in last night.”

“You think you can make up for what happened last night with Malfoy?” Severus asked.

Wilkes paled and Severus held back the smirk. It cost nothing to ensure Wilkes cut him some slack in the future.

“My cousin taught me a cushioning charm,” Wilkes said. “For the ...hiding. We can’t use it at meals because Malfoy might notice, but it will make classes easier.”

Despite himself, Severus had to make an effort to staunch the rush of blood intent on colouring his face. He succeeded of course. Severus had no need of the cushioning charm because he alone had not been officially disciplined. He had no other reason to need to cushioning charm this morning either, despite what Wilkes might assume. It was embarrassing to have anyone picture that scene. Still, the charm could be useful in the future. Severus quickly picked up the lesson.

“Of course you would learn so quickly,” Wilkes commented, not entirely unkindly. “It took me more than twenty minutes to get that right.”

Severus shrugged. There was not really anything to say. And it was a more tolerable silence than the one that had followed Wilkes’ insinuation that Malfoy had raped Severus earlier.

Especially since Malfoy had proved not to be a monster last night.

Wilkes moved away and headed for the door. “We should go down to breakfast.” A slightly awkward shadow touched his eyes and the corners of his mouth. “I think you overdid it with that glamour you know. You don’t normally look so groomed.”

“I’m not wearing a glamour,” Severus said, touching his hair unconsciously. “Malfoy made me shower before I left.”

Wilkes read things into that which embarrassed Severus further. “No luck Snape,” Wilkes said sympathetically.

Severus shrugged. He did not want to discuss this. “Let’s just go down to breakfast.”

*

Breakfast was not the most comfortable affair that Severus had ever endured, but mealtimes had never been particularly comfortable anyway. Wilkes was less harsh in making Severus the butt of jokes to Avery and Severus was not sure how to feel about that. Evan was not at the table, but that was not unusual.

Avery said Rosier was having some pretty Ravenclaw kiss the fresh welts on his buttocks better. Severus did not want to know any further details.

Malfoy had taken his seat beside Severus and Bellatrix was on the blonde’s arm, laughing prettily at appropriate moments in the table’s conversation and shooting Severus haughty looks. Severus stared at his bony wrists and the sleeves they sprouted from. He was trying hard to avoid making his jaw visibly tense or his brow visibly furrowed as Bellatrix made a point of emphasising how influential she was in the present company.

Severus blinked in surprise as Malfoy’s large, warm hand settled over the top of his own. Severus inhaled shakily as the hand showed no sign of moving. Somehow this seemed worse than if the hand had rested on Severus’ shoulder or even his thigh: it was a mixture of public and intimate that made Severus uncomfortable.

It was nice though: the warmth of Lucius’ hand. Severus did not experience an excess of casual touching.

Severus fought the heat threatening to creep up his face as he saw other Slytherins notice Malfoy’s hand on his. Was it worth trying to move it?

Severus sensed rather than heard Bellatrix’s laughter falter for a note when she noticed the hand covering Snape’s.

Lucius stared straight ahead as he squeezed Severus’ hand.

Bellatrix looked irritated for a nanosecond before pouting mildly huffily and rolling her eyes at the silly antics of a young man suited to her bloodline.

Lucius turned to her and smiled courteously.

“Must you do that at the table?” Bellatrix asked through curved lips that Severus knew were not smiling.

Lucius lifted his hand and rested it on the side of Severus’ head for a moment, toying with wisps of clean, dark hair. He brushed his thumb over Severus’ cheekbone before smiling widely at Bellatrix and moving his hand to his goblet.

“I am certain you need not be jealous of my bitch, Bella,” Lucius said lightly as he raised his drink to his mouth.

Bellatrix seemed inwardly offended, but it only lasted an instant as she caught the flinch of the half-blood.

“I’m not used to eating so near anyone’s *bitch*,” Bellatrix replied, “forgive me.”

Lucius tilted the goblet at his lips and drank for a moment. “I have high standards. My *bitch* is worthier than most to sit at my side.”

Bellatrix laughed off the warning but the conversation shifted away from Severus.

Severus felt his pulse racing and willed his hands not to shake. Being insulted thus made him feel as though he was burning and he wanted little more than to hex Black off of the face of the planet.

But he couldn’t do that.

It would be nice to hex Lucius too, whilst he was at it. Speaking about him like that! Severus bit his lip to prevent his breathing quickening.

Lucius turned to him. “Are you not going to be late for class, Severus?”

Severus barely shot Lucius a glance and swung himself off of the bench. “Sure,” he grunted.

Malfoy snatched his wrist. “I’ll see you afterwards.”

Severus had a double period in a classroom close to Malfoy’s second class. The boy sighed and nodded. He just wanted to leave. He turned to do so and felt his yearmates get up to form an escort around him.

He said nothing about it and kept walking.

The other boys filed into the classroom and filled the desks in a ring around the seat beside Wilkes. Severus was expected to sit there.

He straightened out of his slouch as he saw red hair enter the room. Lily saw him standing there and smiled.

Severus shifted his satchel on his shoulder and crossed over to her. “Hi.”

Lily smirked. “Did you remember your house are jerks?”

“How could I forget?” Severus replied.

“Good,” Lily said. “Pull up a chair beside me.”

Severus did and pulled his supplies from his bag in time with Lily. He could smell her hair as she rustled around for a quill.

“I’ve missed you,” Lily said, finally emerging triumphantly from her bag.

Severus huffed out an almost-laugh from between his lips. It felt good to be missed by Lily.

Lily turned to him with an unthreatening scowl. “You missed me too, right?” she demanded.

Severus gave another weak snicker. “Perhaps.”

“You did too, Severus Snape!” Lily snapped playfully.

Severus almost grinned but schooled his expression into a much cooler demeanour. “Did I?”

Lily ranted something in reply, but Severus was distracted by the clump of dried ink dropping onto his desk. Wilkes had thrown it; Severus did not need to see the pureblood do it.

Severus held back a sigh, because Lily would hear it, and felt a little less sick about the prospect of Slytherin retribution when Evan wandered into the classroom and deposited himself in the seat beside Wilkes.

Severus pushed the dry ink around his desk as Lily nattered on affectionately. Perhaps he could make some excuse about not desiring to be sitting in prime view of everyone after his punishment?

But Lucius hadn’t actually punished him. And he was going to be displeased in two hours time when he heard that Severus had dared snub the Slytherins in favour of a muggleborn.

Severus threw his head back and swallowed a moan.

He felt a finger prod him. “What is up with you?” Lily asked with wide, innocently concerned eyes.