𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧

━ one

OVER THE COURSE OF five years, many things changed. Eileen Snape had ran away, and was presumably dead. Maddilyn Snape knew Remus Lupin's secret. Severus Snape started hanging out with the wrong crowd, and the war looming over the horizons was starting to make everyone open their eyes, knowing that at any second, the fearsome Lord Voldemort could strike. But many things stayed the same, like James Potter hounding after Lily Evans, the Marauders tormenting the school with their pranks, the rivarly between Gryffindor and Slytherin never stopped, but most importantly, the sibling relationship between Maddie and Severus never changed. Severus still took as many blows to keep Maddie safe. Severus still fed Maddie more than he did himself. He still kept himself on the Marauder's radar so Maddie wouldn't be. He still helped her do her homework. He still was the same brother, who stuck with her through thick and thin. 

Maddie loved her brother for that, but she wished he would stop sacrificing himself for her. Maddie wished that she could protect him from the world for once. Maddie loved and trusted her brother so much.

They were each others anchors, they kept each other on the face of the earth. Which helped them more than they would ever be willing to admit. 

The Snape siblings weren't emotional people. They learned that to live, you had to be strong, all the damn time. You couldn't show your fear. You had to keep up your walls up to keep from breaking. That was perhaps the most valuable thing they learned from their father.

And it was a good thing the Snape siblings had each other. Because while the Wizarding World shattered, Maddilyn and Severus Snape stood together, like always. Ever since they were young, it was them against the world. 

SIRIUS BLACK KNEW THERE was only one girl in the world that would become friends with him, Sirius Black, for being himself, and not one of the most handsome boys in Hogwarts. It was the rare type of person one could find, who didnt covet him like he was a god. It wasn't like he objected the hero-like warship, but it was nice to have someone who gave him a sense of self.

Her name was Maddilyn Snape, and she took shit from nobody. She was brutally honest and to the point. The fiercest student in the Fifth Year, most likely the whole school.

The only problem was she hated him. 

Sirius couldn't blame the Slytherin girl. But pranking Severus Snape was one of the top things that actually kept him occupied. By pranking the elder Snape sibling, he had ruined any chance of friendship with the younger Snape.

Sirius, however, wanted to get to know the girl that Severus Snape so fiercely protected. And Sirius Black wasn't known to give up.

While making fun of Severus Snape was what the Marauders did on a daily basis, Sirius wanted to actually get to know Maddie Snape. Maddie had made a lasting impression on him, that fateful day five years ago, on the train. She'd defended her beliefs of the Slytherin House, even though James Potter was a staunch Gryffindor loyalist and Sirius and grown up to resent the Slytherin House with a growing passion.

An added bonus? If Sirius did somehow befriend Maddie, it would rile up Sirius Black beyond belief. 

That was why Sirius made it his mission to become friends with the raven-haired girl. 

"HAVE YOU TWO BROKEN up again?" Maddilyn Snape said in exasperation to her two best friends, Silver Gray and Leo Reese. 

Her only response was a grunt from Leo. Maddie facepalmed. "You two really need to get your priorities in order." 

At that moment, Maddie's older brother, Severus Snape, stalked in. He grumpily took a seat next to Maddie.

"Hey, Sev," Maddie said. Noticing her brother's expression, she looked over to to where Severus was glaring at. Of course, the Marauders pulled one of their stupid pranks again. It seemed that Severus was their only target that brought them joy, and to be honest, it disgusted Maddie. Wasn't Gryffindor supposed to be the House of the Brave? There was nothing brave about pulling pranks on unsuspecting students.

The Marauders were consisted of four of the most popular boys in school, the charming but dimwitted James Potter, the handsome but bad-boy Sirius Black, the smart, softspoken Remus Lupin, and the shy but good-hearted prankster, Peter Pettigrew. Maddie would never understand how a seemingly nice guy like Remus Lupin would hang out with idiots like James and Sirius. 

James and Maddie always clashed. Their rivalry had reached so high, that people cowered when they saw each other in the hallways. Luckily for James, the only person who restrained her from scarring James Fucking Potter irreversibly was Lily Evans, Maddie's closest and oldest friend.

Maddie Snape was a prankster, and although the Marauders didn't like to admit it, she was a good one. As good as them, and she was only one compared to four. If not better. 

Maddie was one of the top students, surpassing the likes of the Ravenclaws, and an amazing dueler, who had beaten Bellatrix Black once or twice. 

She was not somebody you wanted to cross. 

In the beginning, she never wanted to fight anybody. She was only trying to protect Severus. Severus saved her so many times, she figured it was her turn to save him. But as time went on, it was clear the self-proclaimed Marauders would never stop their pranks.

"What did they do this time," Silver asked in disdain, looking over at the Gryffindor's table, where the Marauders were laughing, not discreet at looking over at their table at all. 

Severus sighed. "It doesn't matter," Severus said tiredly. As long as him being tormented kept Maddie out of the Marauders' way, then he would take the pranks a thousand times over. It didn't, however, help that Maddie often tried to get revenge on them. 

Maddie watched the Marauders frolicking around. Sirius turned, feeling a pair of eyes on him. Sure enough, a pair of coal black eyes were on him. 

When their eyes met, Sirius felt his heart speeding up, as he held Maddilyn Black's stare with his own dark eyes.

Sirius watched as Maddie gathered her things. She gave him a discreet middle finger, and then stalked out of the Great Hall.

At that second, Sirius wanted to give up any hope of becoming friends with the Slytherin. But then he thought again. C'mon Sirius, when do you give up?

MADDILYN SNAPE HONESTLY HADN'T planned on punching Golden-Boy James Potter in the face. Though she didnt regret it, it hadn't been on her itinerary for today.

A second later, practically everyone had swarmed around her, some fangirls who hated her for hurting their 'baby' and some congratulations from those who also hated James Potter. It was amazing how gossip traveled around Hogwarts. 

She had gotten detention for a week. It was a small price to pay to see the look in James Potter's eyes.

Boy, Severus Snape was angry. "What in Salazar's name were you thinking?" Severus asked his sister. 

"He's an ass, Sev," Maddie said dismissively. 

Severus couldn't argue with that logic. "Just try to keep under the radar," Severus begged his younger sister. 

Maddie sighed. "Listen, Sev, I can protect myself," Maddie said. "It's far time somebody decided to put the Marauders in their place."

"I'm pretty sure prefects aren't supposed to punch anybody," Severus told her. 

Maddie shrugged. "I could care less. If Dumbledore lets them off scott-free, why shouldn't he turn a blind eye to one of the best students in the castle?"

GETTING DETENTION WAS A regular occurrence for Sirius Black, but this time it wasn't exactly intentional. Sirius was trying to sneak into the Kitchens earlier that day, but was caught by a Prefect who gave him a week of detention, which in Sirius's opinion, was a little much. 

Which was why, on a Friday night, instead of drinking a bottle of firewhisky and out pranking with his friends, he trudged down to Professor McGonagall's office. It was a suprise when Maddie Snape showed up about two seconds after.