IT'S CHANGED! (SNILY)

He Helped?!

"Severus!"

He turned around to see that Potter was panting, his hands on his knees and he looked well... coming through a marathon.

"Yes, Potter?"

James came closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "Is what Sirius saying true?"

Severus looked around. "I am a competitor to you, Potter, would you believe me?"

James rolled his eyes. "I will" he stated confidently.

Severus eyed him incredulously. "Well, then, yes, he was saying the truth"

"What?" James shrieked. "I was hoping it to be a joke just like the other ones he's been cracking to scare me"

"I saw them myself, Potter, the dragons are real and we'll have to face them. Get past them, probably, or something like that" he shrugged.

"And you look so chilled out about the entire thing"

Severus gave a mock-evil laugh. "You never know, Potter. Slytherins are good at concealing"

James rolled his eyes. "Well, thank you for telling me. I have to learn things to get past it. And mentally prepare myself"

"Yes, I have a class too... after a little later"

"Boys!" a soft but disappointed voice spoke. They both turned their heads to see Professor Raquel's face and tried to suppress a squeak.

"Professor..." they exclaimed.

"Mr. Potter, I believe you have a class in a few minutes, please leave for it" Raquel motioned James to leave, who did after giving Severus an apologetic glance. "Mr. Snape, you will be coming with me for now"

Severus swallowed and followed him to his office, that looked oddly normal.

Once they were settled, Raquel started speaking once more. He had his fingers interlocked on the table and his eyes shone with disappointment. "You went to check what the first task is?"

Severus looked down in his lap, searching for an answer. "I-I, sir, didn't know that-"

"So, you accidentally found out that the first task is with the dragons" it wasn't a question.

Severus nodded. He had already started to feel suffocated and out of breath. His forehead had started beading sweat.

"And you told that to Mr. Potter" Raquel narrowed his eyes.

"I..." he thought about giving Black away but he didn't feel like doing it. "I did, sir"

Raquel smiled. "I see, you have the first quality of being a champion. Fair play"

Severus swallowed hard. He had not done any such thing and, that is why, he didn't even deserve to be called a champion. But who cared about, what Raquel believed.

"I can only hope you get past the dragons well, Severus"

Severus. The usage of first name. The manipulation starts here. "Thank you, sir" he was ready to get up and leave but this certainly wasn't the time.

"So, what have you thought to be doing?" Raquel asked casually.

"Uh... I don't know, sir. I'll have to research some"

Raquel laughed. "You know what we are, Severus?"

"We? Sir?"

"Oh... I forgot to tell that I am a Slytherin too" he winked.

Severus sucked in breath, that was being difficult to do because of his sudden congested nose. Slytherin. He'll have greater and more well-made plans to kill Severus than he had initially thought. He'll have to be more vigilant.