The Black Heir

Severus Snape adjusted the I'll- fitting, second hand robes that clothed his body. He was weary, but Hogwarts. After, it wasn't everyday that one started Hogwarts.

"Come on Sev!" The almost musical tones of Lily Evans echoed around in his ears and Severus smiled, following after the young red- head.

The Evans family had been kind enough to escort him to the kings cross station, and after saying goodbye to his mother this morning, Severus was more than happy to start the first day of his schooling.

Dragging his trunk along after him, Severus let out a breath of surprise when the edge got caught upon the train steps. Blood rushed to his face as he hastily pulled at the handle, desperate to catch up to Lily and not get singled out on the first day of school. He did not want to be known as the kid that couldn't even get his trunk on the train.

"Need a little?"

Looking up, startled, Severus took in the student before him. He was older, already sorted into Slytherin by the tie dangling unknotted around his crisp white shirt. The boy was irritatingly pretty, with high cheek-bones, grey eyes and a charming smile. Pure-blood, no doubt about it.

Before Severus could snap that no, he didn't need any help, the boy had already snatched up the other side of his trunk, bustling him onto the train. Severus didn't even get a chance to say anything, be it a thank you or order for the boy to get lost, because his helper had jumped back down onto the platform, where he was attacked by two smaller forms. Both looking very similar. Siblings, I sorted, and the younger one looked exceedingly dejected to be seeing his older brothers off.

It was a sickening show of family affection, one that Severus wanted no part in witnessing. So he turned on heel and followed after Lily.

Or rather, in the general direction he hoped she'd gone.

.It wasn't until a hour into the train ride that the boy reappeared, opening their compartment dirt and smiling at them both.

"Hello there. Just thought I'd pop by and see if you have any questions on Hogwarts?"

Severus sneered, taking in the messy topknot upon the boy's head, a few loose strands framing his face. He looked effortlessly pretty, and it burned Severus inside to know there were people out there like that.

"Really?" Lily's head had shot up out of the book she'd been reading, bright green eyes wide as she took In the older boy that'd helped him. A blush dusted her cheeks ever so slightly, carefully marking her place in the charms textbook before bouncing to her feet.

"Lily Evans, first year."

"Turais Black, third year Slytherin. At your service." He pressed his lips gently to Lily's knuckles, looking up at her from under those thick lashes and Severus felt his stomach turn to ice. No, he would not allow this boy to take his one friend. Lily was his best friend, he reduced to let her be taken away.

"Severus Snape." Cutting off Blacks vision of Lily by standing before her, Severus grimaced. He half expected the obvious rich boy to the handshake. To his shock, the boy happily shook his hand before sitting down in the bench.

"Okay then, what can I help you with?"

"How do we get sorted? Sev's mum wouldn't tell us."

Black laughed, and Severus was disgusted to find the sound as pleasing as the rest of him. The boy was the kind of perfection that he wished to rip apart, to ruin. Someone like him should not exist.

"Sorry little lady, I can't tell you that one. Consider it as a right of passage. Though if you'd like to do me a favour, could you mention I'll be by the usual time for a chat? You'll understand when you get sorted."

Lily blinked, confusion evident in her green eyes. And then she seemed to remember there was no source on the magical world that she'd yet to exhaust now sat before her and she all but vibrated in her seat.

"What kind of spells do you know already? Will we learn anything in first year that's not in the books? Oh! What's your wand made out of?"

Black winced at her last question, as did Severus. He knew, from his mother, that it was highly insulting to ask about someone else's wand, it wasn't only impolite but it could also be taken offensively. Most pure-bloods would be highly insulted by the question, and judging by the heir ring on the boy's finger.

"I wouldn't ask anyone else that question Red, it's very improper to do so. Asking after someone's wand core could be taken as if you were planning to harm them. There's a few booking on wand-lord that'll explain why, they're a good read, so I'd recommend them. As for my wand, well, I kind of have two. I got one from Ollivander's like everyone else, but I so. The alliance of another wand. I suppose I can tell you about that one, because I try not to use it, and the usual attempt to fault a wizards wand won't work on that one. The core's Thestral tail, the only one in existence."

"What's a Thestral?" Lily appeared to have forgotten her other questions, latching onto the bit in the sentence she'd not understood. Begrudged as he was to admit it, Severus too was interested. He'd not heard of a thestral before, his mother had never mentioned them.

" it's a breed of winged horse, skeletal kind of body, sorta reptilian in its features. Not too comfortable to ride, but nice enough."

"Have you rode one before?"

Black, seemed was almost hesitant to answer this question. And when he did, it was in a slow, controlled manner.

"Yes, I have. There's a pack of them at Hogwarts, but I doubt you'll see them."

Lily looked crestfallen .

"What, why? Are we too young? Are they not friendly?"

Severus sneered, about to lace into the boy who'd gotten Lily's hopes up of seeing a new magical animal. Instead though, he stooped at the look on Black's face. It's not Thea the wasn't smiling, but it was that he looked almost sad as he did so.

"Sorry, I put that badly. It's not that you can't be introduced to them, it's just I'd rather you not be able to see them. The only people who can see Thestrals are those who have witnesses death." There was silence in the cabin now, if one ignored the two breaths the first years had sucked in.

Black stood, dusting non-existent dirt off the seat of his pants as he did so.

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave you for now, there's a lot of first years that probably have a few questions as well."

.Lily had sat in silence after that,staring down at the floor of the compartment for the next five minutes. Severus was starting to get concerned.

"Lily? Are you okay?"

"I don't know Sev. It's just really sad. He wasn't that much older than us, and he's already seen someone die."

Severus bit his lip, scowling. Black was incredibly inconsiderate, just blurting out facts like that. Didn't he consider it might have upset Lily? Didn't he think at all? Before he could respond, the door was thrown open and a face peered in. For a second, Severus thought that Black had the nerve to show his face, but realised it was actually the relation he'd seen earlier, probably a younger brother"

Hey, seen my older brother? Same face as me, but not quite as good-lookin?" There was a duo of startled laughter, from both Lily and the bespectacled bot behind Black's younger brother.

"Yes. The inconsiderate dunderhead passed through here not five minutes ago. Good riddance."

"Severus!" It was because of Lily's cry of outrage that Severus missed the howl of anger from Black's brother, who drew his wand and fired a curse at him. Not felling and different, Severus opened his mouth to taunt the boy, only for nonsense words to fall right out past his lips.

"Don't speak about my brother like that! Turais is bloody brilliant and he could wipe the floor with you!" And then Black slammed the door to the cabin shut, leaving Severus fuming as Lily frowned at him, but nevertheless began looking through the textbooks for the counter curse.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sirius smiled at his new friend James Potter, his grin threatening to split his face as the boy told him all about the time his accidental magic had accidentally iced over the ballroom floor in the Potter manor. The welcoming feast was just finishing up, they'd just been given marching orders to go off to their common room, and Sirius could feel the ice in his stomach leaping around. He was almost dreading it. He'd known since Turais left for Hogwarts what house he wanted to be in, dreamed of his mother's no doubt furious, and probably hilarious, reaction. But dreams and reality were two very different things.

"Hey puppy, feeling okay?"

Head snapping up, Sirius stared at the form of his older brother, who'd just finished smiling at one of the third years in his house. Alice something if he remembered correctly.

"Hey Turais... You aren't mas, are you?" An arm was thrown over his shoulder, his brother's knuckles digging gently into the top of his skull.

"Brat, I never got angry when you and the little kit used to crawl into my bed at night with your cold feet, why would I be mad at you now?"

Blushing as James laughed at that little tidbit of information, Sirius punched his brother in the arm.

"I mean it. You're not upset I'm not in Slytherin with you?"

"Nah. you wouldn't do well there, I've known for a while you'd end up in Gryffindor don't worry about mum, I've already talked this possibility over with her." Sirius knew this.

He and Regulus had been using Kreacher to eavesdrop on Turais whenever his older brother was involved in the 'grown-up conversations.' He knew Turais had threatened to leave the family again if the dared to berate Sirius should he not go to Slytherin. He hadn't realised it the first time, but he knew.

The House of Black could not afford to drive Turais off, not when he was obviously so magically powerful and a parselmouth to boot. That didn't stop Walburga from hitting Turais every time he brought it up. Turais was constantly at odds with their mother, who now knew he'd take a certain level of abuse in order to protect his siblings before he actual went through his threat. Sirius knew what his brother did for him, which was why he'd curse that greasy git that'd insulted him. Turais was as far from inconsiderate as anyone could get. No one would ever be as good as Turais in Sirius eyes. The boy had taken them out camping over the summer for a week, just the three of them in the woods a half hour walk away from uncle Alphard's cabin. Sirius had never had such a fun parent-free week.

"Thanks Turais."

"Don't worry puppy," the hand was back in his hair, messing up the curly strands. Sirius had let his hair grow to the same length as his brother's, but didn't bother to tie it back in a top-knot like Turais did.

"You'll tell me if anyone tries to bully you?"

"Of course."

Turais smiled, ruffling his hair one last time. They'd been walking to the Gryffindor common room, and the first years all seemed to have gathered around Turais as the followed after the prefect. It was obvious why, Turais had hone to the trouble of introducing himself to everyone on the train, so he was a familiar and friendly face.

"That goes for all of you of course." The prefect snorted.

"Yeah, Black here is about the only decent Slytherin you'll find."

"Oh Pearson, you flatter me."

"Erm, Mr Black?"

Sirius grinned at the red head who'd laughed at his joke on the train, the one who'd been sat with the greasy git. Even Turais seemed amused by the title.

"I'll have you know that's heir Black to you!" Sirius said as snootily as he could, thumbing his nose up in the air and earning a gasping laugh from James and the quiet boy he'd sat next to at the feast, Remus something. The re head frowned, blushing slightly but Turais just gave an amused shake of his head.

"Just Turais will do Miss Evans. How can I help you?"

"I told the hat you'd be by to talk to him. He said-" she paused, blushing, "-a few not very nice words."

Turais laughed again, stopping as they'd arrived at a portrait housing a rather plump woman.

"Thank you Miss Evans. i must be going. Be good Sirius, and don't forget to write to Regulus."

And with that, his older brother was gone.

.

Once they'd been given a little introduction to house of Gryffindor, Sirius found himself in a dorm with three other boys. James Potter, the boy he'd met on the train that love practical jokes. Remus Lupin, who'd sat next to him at the feast and seemed nervously shy. And Peter Pettigrew, who just seemed socially awkward.

"Your brother's cool, you know, for a Slytherin." Sirius let out a bark of laughter grinning at James.

"Turais is great. He's not like the other Syltherins. When he was in his second year, that prat Malfoy tried picking on a muggle -born in front of him. Turais hit him with a banishing charm. the thing is, they were on the third floor so the pompous git goes soaring out the window, land smack in the middle of Black lake. He hot detention for two months, but he says it was well worth it."

James was laughing hard, clutching at his stomach, whilst both Remus and Peter looked awe-struck.

"He stuck up for a muggle-born? B-But, the Black family-"

"Turais isn't like our parents," Sirius snapped, grimacing at the very thought, " he says we should form our own opinions. He's blood y awesome."

"I-Isn't Lucius Malfoy a -s-sixth year?"

"Yeah, so?"

James gaped at him, as did Remus and peter

"But that would mean he's three years older than your brother! There's no way he could have managed to throw him out a window!"

"Please, Turais has been casting magic consciously since he was three, I think. his first bit of accidental magic was minutes after he was born. He can cast the patronus charm wandlessly and has been able to since he was six! And that's just the stuff I know about. Turais is a genius." Making sure his dorm-mated were fully aware of just how awesome his brother was, Sirius grinned.

The best part as, his brother would never say not to him if he asked for help with his homework. Not to Sirius Puppy Dog Eyes!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Severus Snape could only watch helpless as the older students emptied his trunk in the common room, laughing over the fact the vast majority was second hand. His hands were held behind his back by one of the older boys, forcing him to remain still even as he struggled to get free. He was praying for a miracle, that they wouldn't find the 'good luck' letter his ill mother had wrote for him to read on the train. It was stashed in one of his books, and from the look on the boy's face.

"Hey guys, listen to this!" He cleared his throat and Severus felt his stomach drop, horrified that hos mother's tender words were about to be aired before his entire house.

Or rather, it would have happened, had snaked not suddenly flooded the common room.

They were everywhere, rising from the stone carvings, the carpet, the ceiling. Hell, even the chandelier was looking less elegant as it's silver decoration wrapped around the legs of one of his tormentors. The Slytherin holding him back had loosened his grip due to shock, and Severus too the opportunity to rip his arms free, no quite willing to risk the pit of snakes to sart gathering his things. But appeared he didn't need to, the snaked were doing it for him, placing all his belongings back in his trunk.

"What is going on here." The deadly cold tone was not voicing a question, but more of a demand.

Heads whipped around, and Severus was surprised to realise who the source was. It was the awful Black bot. who was leaning against the wall of the common room, right by the exit. Only, he wasn't looking as friendly as he had on the train. In fact, he looked downright vicious. The only light in the room currently came from the grand fireplace, and it was casting dark shadows across the boy's face.

"Black-" one of the boys started out, holding up his hands to show he meant no harm. Snake raced up is body, pinning the limbs to his side and effectively silencing him.

"For two years I've seen this house belittle other. I thought you all couldn't sink any lower. But actually doing this to a fellow snake? I'm disgusted. You know how I stand on the issue. So I'd like to remind you. Avery, what decorate you bed hangings?"

A dark haired boy stood of to a side, who'd not participated but just watched, gulped as all attention shifted to him, waiting for an answer.

"Erm, snakes?"

"Vaisey, what's etched into the stone wall in your dorm?"

"S-snakes Black."

Black was striding forwards now, by no means the tallest student, perhaps not even the tallest of his year. But power seemed to ooze from his every pour as he approached the bleach blond, Lucius Malfoy.

"Malfoy, What's on every surface in the house?"

The older boy sneered, but there was fear in his eyes. Especially as the stone snake coiled around his torso brushed it's tongue across the thick blood vessel in his neck.

"You already know Black. Snakes."

"Yes, snakes. And snaked should protect their own. Obviously though, as a parselmouth, they answer to me."

Sweet Salazar, Black was a parselmouth? Of course he was, how else would the snake obeyed him so easily?

Black plucked his mother's letter from the older boy's hand, frowning sternly at him before passing it back to a shell-shocked Severus, not looking at it once.

"you know where I stand on bullying. Yet you continue to show that perhaps good breeding does not always mean good judgement. So I'll let you in on a secret. There are engravings, carvings of snakes, all over this castle. I will no longer let you get away with slap on the wrist. I don't care if your life goal is to kiss the boots of the hypocritical madman that dare not share his name while he's terrorizing the magical world. that does not mean you can torment other students. the next person I catch doing any such thing, will have the grand pleasure of being the first non parselmouth to enter the chamber of secrets, Oh yes," the boy smirked at the astonished and almost fearful looks that were directed at him, "I've found it. And you'll learn exactly how dangerous a pet Salazar liked to keep. We wouldn't hear for you again. Salazar's pet is no doubt very hungry after years of seclusion." Black paused, turning to the other first years, who'd been stood wide eyed at the edge of the common room.

"This doesn't just apply to Slytherin house. If anyone else dares to bully you, tell me and I will do something about it. Detention mean little to me." And the the boy hissed. It wasn't out of anger, nor annoyance. But instead and intelligent language that no else could understand.

Parseltongue

An involuntary shiver ran down his spine as all the snaked retreated to their previous resting places. but everyone now knew they were there, waiting to be used again. Black took one last look at them all before the icy persona left him.

"i hope I don't need to give you all another reminder. It will be significantly unpleasant for the both of us if so. Good night." And then he disappeared down the stairs.

.

letting out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding, Severus retreated into his dorm room, which he'd walked into ten minutes before to see his trunk being stolen by the upper years.

"Merlin, he was terrifying."

"he's a parselmouth, what did you expect?"

" I thought my sister was just pulling my leg! I didn't believer her!"

Turning to look at the boys that were muttering to one another, Severus raised a low brow at the comments. It was true though, that first comment.. For a moment, Black had been someone more than human, something truly terrifying.

He understood the younger brother, idiotic Black now, how he'd said Turais Black could mop the floor with him. He didn't doubt it, clearly he was the one with the most power in Slytherin, no matter how much the upper year clearly resented him for it.

Severus needed more information. And now.

.