GOOD DOG || Sirius Black

(Eleven: Only Us)

Severus Snape.

The name echoed in Alex's head, cancelling out all other noise, including that of the professor trying to hastily gesture over the greasy-haired boy from the other side of the room, though Merlin knows he seemed too absorbed in his work to notice if a hypogriff charged through the room dragging behind it the Once and Future King of Camelot.

Alex sometimes associated odd things with people, without even meaning to. With Logan, it was pine trees on a cold day, where you can feel the wind on your cheeks and it wakes you up just that little bit more. With her brother, it was a baby monkey in a travelling circus, constantly cartwheeling and flipping and making all the spectators go "Awwww!". With Severus Snape, it was the stabbing pain you get in the stomach after eating one of those red berries that Alex's mother always said were grown for the birds.

"You can't put her with Snivellous." Sirius Black's sneer cut through the fog forming behind Alex's eyes.

"Charming as you are, Black." Slughorn said to the boy, "Severus is simply the best there is. Unless you would prefer to teach Miss Fawley?"

Sirius spared a glance at Alex, and then his chest swelled, "Why not?"

"Well," Slughorn spluttered, "For starters you can barely brew a Strengthening Solution correctly."

"I could learn." The Gryffindor protested, heedless of Alex's puzzled expression. He leaned forwards, pressing the heels of his hands into the pliable wood of the desk.

"As splediferous as that would be, Mr Black." Slughorn smiled widely, "The aim of this exersize is to increase Miss Fawley's aptitude at potions, though I am sure I would be most impressed to see your own accomplishments soar."

"Interesting." Severus Snape had moved next to Alex without her noticing. She jumped, trying not to look too long at the boy's sharp features that seemed to be directed with narrowed eyes at Sirius Black. Without extending so much as a 'hello', Severus turned to Alex, "Your first session will be tonight, here, at eight o'clock sharp. Bring your dragon-hide gloves."

And he strode away, leaving Alex's eyes tracing listless circles in the air behind him.

{===}

"This is bad."

"I know."

"Like, really bad."

"Padfoot, I know."

"Like, steady decent of Doctor Who's writing quality bad."

"Sirius Black. Calm. Down."

"Do you think he knows? That she might be a werewolf? Do you think he knows?"

"Severus? I think he suspects."

"Shit. Shit. What are we going to do?"

"Oh, great. Latch onto the one thing I don't know, why don't you?"

{===}

The smell of potions was drifting down the corridor, like warning stripes on the back of a poisonous animal that Alex could see even before the soft glowing lime light creeping around the edges of the classroom door reached her eyes.

Potions, no matter what they contained, always presented an air of stuffy offices, and libraries filled with those leather volumes that no one is ever meant to touch. The dragon-hide gloves chaffed at her skin where she clutched them tightly in her left hand, picking at the frayed cuffs with a single, frustrated fingernail. Before pushing open the door, Alex leaned her eye close to the break between the frame and the wood, where it had been left slightly ajar. Severus Snape had his head bent low over the cauldron, muttering ingredients to himself between stirs. The brilliantly acidic light shadowed his face eerily, throwing his cheekbones into harsh illumination, sending glowing sparks dancing across his too-shiny black hair.