And oh, is he going to give it to them good! Draco should have, but he got cocky . . .and now he'll pay for it.

I love Hagrid and always felt he was underrepresented, so I've made him the wise mentor here, so Severus has someone to talk to and understand him.  It just seemed wise to me.

The bullying Marauders are andalways have been, a sore point with me, in canon.  I do agree that Lupin wouldn;t have participated actively in hexing or beating up Severus, i think the bullying was both physical and magical, but sometimes the worst wrong is to watch and do nothing, especially when you know it's wrong.  So he's guilty by association.  The three main perpetrators are  James, Sirius, and Peter, and while I think Severus could handle them okay one and maybe two on one--three on one when you're alone is too much for anyone and you'll end up getting pounded.  I'm speaking from pesonal experience here.  I was tormented for most of my elementary school days by a gang of bullies-boys and girls--popular, arrogant, ones with nothing better to do than pick on the less popular students, like me, the shy bookworm, and even though I knew a few self defense maneuvers, it didn't matter if someone's got your arms or legs pinned and is holding you down.  That description in Snape's Worst Memory made me detest James and Sirius big time--old memories were roused there--and I know what it's like to be in Sev's place.  I don't think the Marauders just played pranks on people--they might have said they did and Dumbledore might have thought that was all they were doing--but I highly doubt it.  And as for Severus knowing dark curses, I'm not following that line, it's just too convenient an excuse, like the old "All Italians are in the Mafia, or know someone" . . .it's prejudice, and I'm Italian American.  Not all Slytherins are bad just because some are evil.  "Well, we were only fooling" is a standard bully line, I heard it so many times and it was a lie.  I tend to think it was the same with the Marauders, they were awful at school but something made them change and grow up. 

Wonder what it was . . .I have an idea that I put forth in this story as to why they changed, well Peter  didn't, but the others did.  And that's rare, it doesn't happen that way in RL.  I'd bet those who bullied me are still the same nasty people. Hopefully they don't have kids.

Thanks!