Five Sickles - a Snily fanfiction (English Version)

The mission

"That took a while", said Remus Lupin, smiling softly.
Severus' jaw dropped open. What was he doing here?
Remus jumped down the stairs of the Slytherin Common Room in a good mood and stopped in front of Severus.
Severus took a step back. What in Merlin's name was going on here?
"Tadaaa! Mission Save-Severus-Snape-from-suspension!", shouted Remus, pointing at his chest proudly where his prefect pin sparkled.
Severus took another step backwards and pulled out his wand as a precaution. Remus Lupin, who wanted to see Severus dead a few hours ago when he was on his way to the Hospital Wing, seemed changed.
"B-But I thought you were going to kill me!", Severus stuttered in fear, holding his wand with both hands. The unpleasant smell of wet dog was in the air.
He could not believe that Remus had suddenly changed his attitude towards him and apparently even wanted to prevent him from leaving Hogwarts.
"Oh", Remus whispered in embarrassment. On his scarred cheeks appeared a pink glow.
"I have lost control of myself. One night before the full moon, it's hard for me to control my emotions. And Padfoot kind of got me to attack you. But to make amends, he followed me down to the dungeons. It's pretty scary down here."
"I wonder how you get to keep a dog, even though they are not allowed as a pet?", asked Severus and raised an eyebrow.
The pink glow on Remus' cheeks was shining like fire.
"Oh, it's not that important", Remus muttered shyly, winking at Lily, who was standing next to him.
"Anyway", he continued, "I have heard of Slughorn's verdict. It's a shame old Horace just decided to suspend you from Hogwarts! And since we're friends, I figured I'd stand up for you. As a prefect, I might be able to help you."
Severus' heart, which until a few minutes ago was still cold and heavy as a rock, made a small leap of joy. Remus Lupin wanted to maintain his friendship with him. And it meant more to Severus than he ever expected. It felt good.
"Thank you", Severus stammered and smiled softly.
For a moment there was awkward silence.
Lily cleared herself and when Severus looked over at her, her face turned red.
"Of course I'm going to join you, Moony!" she said resolutely, her eyes glowing with euphoria.
And again Severus raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"Moony? Who or what is Moony?"
Lily smashed her hand in front of her mouth and immediately fell silent. She looked as if she had just accidentally insulted someone.
"It's okay, Lily. Snape helped me with the Wolfsbane Potion and knows I'm a werewolf. He also has the right to know that's why my nickname is Moony.", Remus explained.
Uncomfortably, Lily scratched the back of her head and nodded silently.
Severus was amazed and fascinated at the same time that Remus trusted him so much. He wondered if he would have done that. Would he have had the courage to tell Remus he was the Half-Blood Prince? Severus' mind denied, but deep in his heart he knew Remus would never reveal any secrets about him.
"Well then", Remus said, clapping his hands once, "Let's prevent Snape from getting kicked out of Hogwarts. Because I-"
"And how exactly are you going to do that? Do you just want to walk into Dumbledore's office or what?", Lily interrupted him and the soft smile on her lips disappeared.
Concerned, she crossed her arms and blew a ginger-colored strand of hair off her face.
"That's what we're going to do. If anyone shows understanding, it's Dumbledore!", explained Remus, turning aroud to Severus.
"Just trust me, Snape.", he said and patted Severus on the shoulder.
Although he knew Remus and Lily were prefects, he couldn't believe Dumbledore would change his mind.

The three students sneaked down the hallway to Dumbledore's office. There was still this relaxing but terrifying silence throughout the castle. The freezing wind caused Severus' nose tip to become numb and bluish. Lily was so nervous, she almost tripped over her own feet a few times. Remus was caught up in his own thoughts that he kept muttering something to himself.
The corridor seemed endless. How long have they been walking?
Maybe a few minutes.
Or maybe a few hours?
Severus felt like they had been walking for at least several decades.
"There it is!", Lily gasped, pointing to the large golden Stairwell Gargoyle marking the entrance to the office.
She frowned and stopped.
"Do any of you know the password?", she asked coldly.
Remus swallowed and grasped his head in disbelief. He hadn't thought of that and had completely forgotten that a password was needed.
"Oh, you again!", cried a raspy voice.
Severus, Lily and Remus turned around in disorientation. Who was talking to them?
Severus blinked confused.
He knew that voice.
But where did it come from?
"Over here, you fools!", the unknown voice growled.
Remus put his head back to look up so that his scars shone in the faint candlelight.
High up on the wall was a painting. A red-haired and old wizard had rested his arms on the picture frame. He looked down at them angrily and inspected Severus from head to toe. His old face was now focused on Remus.
"Is your ugly friend dropping out of school too?", he asked, laughing amused while holding his stomach with both hands.
"Ugly?!" Remus shouted unsettled.
Lily giggled quietly, drawing the attention of the old wizard.
The wizard leaned a little more on the frame and looked down to Lily with his tired and glassy eyes.
Her giggles died immediately.
She stepped backwards and hid behind Severus.
His heart starts racing as the smell of Lily rose in his nose. Severus had a hard time describing Lily's smell.
Sweet and blissful, like a hot summer evening.
Fresh and intense like a coniferous forest after a heavy rain storm.
Warm and cosy like sunlit foliage in September.
"You are a pretty girl.", said the wizard in his raspy voice.
Severus got torn out of his thoughts.
The wizards's eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, as if they could pop out off his face at any moment.
Lily blushed in shame and buried her face in Severus' shoulder. She definitely didn't feel comfortable being gnawed at by a grim old wizard in a rangy painting.
"Who even are you?", Severus muttered furiously and his black eyes sparkled.
The red-haired wizard raised his head and stroked his way through his ruffled hair.
"My name is Professor Amrose Sw-"
"It doesn't matter who this idiot is!", Remus hissed annoyed and rubbed his neck, which had become stiff from constantly looking up, "He should just give us the password and that's it."
The wizard groaned indignantly.
"Ungrateful scar face.", he whispered angrily, and his pale and yellowish face turned dark red.
Remus sighed and gnashed his teeth nervously.
He crossed his arms and turned to Severus. Lily still hid anxiously behind his shoulder.
Severus thought carefully about how to get the red-haired wizard to give them the password to Dumbledore's office.
And as time was pressing, Severus came up with a simple but effective plan.
"I'll make you an offer, sir.", he said after a while of silence.
"An offer, yes?", asked the wizard, leaning clearly disinterested against the frame of his painting.
The redness, which was still glowing in his face a few minutes ago, faded slowly.
"Yes, an offer. You get the girl and I get the password.", Severus said dryly, brushing Lily off his shoulder.
Remus' jaw dropped in shock.
"What?", Lily shouted in fear while blinking confused.
Severus grabbed Lily by the wrist and placed her right in front of him, like an object for sale.
Wimpering and frightened, Lily waved her arms and closed them in front of her chest. She then looked over to Remus, hoping he would save her from this unpleasant situation.
"Her name is Lily Evans. Gryffindor and prefect. She's incredibly beautiful, isn't she?", said Severus, circling Lily, "Her smile is also charming. And so are her stunning eyes. A wonderful green. Deep, bright green. Like grass in a hidden forest. And she enjoys playing Gobstone."
The red-haired wizard leaned down even further, so that he almost seemed to fall out of his painting.
He pinched his wrinkled eyes and scanned every inch of her body. Apparently, he was thinking hard about if Lily was worth the password to the office.
"And? Do we have a deal?", Severus asked coldly and stopped behind Lily, "The girl for the password?"
"Are you completely out of your mind now, Snape? Have you gone mad?", Remus shouted infuriated as he could no longer stay silent.
But Severus ignored Remus. Instead, he waited patiently for the reaction of the old wizard.
A few minutes passed in silence.
"All right. I'll tell you the password. It is...", the wizard scratched his red hair, "Fizzing...Fizzing Whizzbees, yes!"
The golden Gargoyle started to move beneath the painting. Lots of small dust clouds were formed under the movement of the Gargoyle. It didn't take too long when a spiral staircase appeared - which led directly to Dumbledore's office - appeared.
"Now hand over the girl!", ordered the old wizards. And a sly grin dominated his wrinkled face. He greedily clutched the frame of the painting with his bony hand.
"You don't really think I'd give you the love of my life, do you?", Severus asked sarcastically and smiled happily.
Remus frowned surprised. Lily turned to Severus in confusion. Her eyes were filled with tears.
"What do you mean, kid?", the red-haired wizard asked. His mouth twitched impatiently.
"I thought you're smarter.", Severus mocked happily, hugging Lily from behind and pressing her on his chest, "I would never give you that wonderful girl. For nothing in this world!"
The wizard's yellow fingernails dug angrily into the wood of the picture frame. Severus had successfully tricked him.
"You lied to me.", the wizard hissed and his glasy eyes narrowed, "But you will pay for that!"