Chapter Text
Today, without a doubt, was an awful day. Severus Snape sniffled, burying the remains of his unspoken apology into the recesses of his mind. Moonlight stalked through the arched windows of the seventh floor, curling around the hall like lanky fingers. Draped under the muting light, time stood still for the morose boy. Seconds, minutes, hours, the concept of time bounced off the nocturnal limbo that imprisoned him. He stood there, pinned in place by her venomous words. A slip, a moment in anger, it was never intended with sincerity. Not for her, never for her. That sincerity was reserved for a different audience, through his sly smirks and nods of agreement.
“Lily, please, I’m sorry. Hear me out,” Severus pleaded in earnest.
“Why should I, you’ve said everything you needed to at the lake!” Lily spat with a vindictive snark.
“I never meant to call you that word. It just–”
“Slipped out? It’s too late. I’ve made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends…You-You’ve chosen your way. I’ve chosen mine.” Lily hissed harshly. Her eyes began to mist, how she hated this. It was all in front of her, the house of cards had fallen and the veil was lifted. Regardless of the truth, the wound in her heart festered and ached. Sev–no, Snape–was a budding Death Eater and a liar. Once upon a time, in a small tattered town, in a small tattered park, near a tall tattered tree, he promised her that it wouldn’t matter. Witch or wizard, muggleborn or pure-blood, it would be irrelevant at Hogwarts.
It would be irrelevant to him.
Maybe she was the fool to fall for his tricks, but the Sev she remembered was not the person in front of her. The Sev she knew, or perhaps never knew but hoped, was not a Death Eater. Betrayal and anger rushed in waves as Lily stood in front of the common room entrance.
Along the seventh floor hall, the many portraits of Gryffindors days bygone watched on anxiously. Hushed whispers were traded amongst the painted phantoms, with portraitures gossiping between canvases, and landscapes filled to the brim with juxtaposed figures.
Did he lie, did he change? No, that didn’t matter. Not now, maybe not ever. That was not the point. The person who stood in front of her was not the boy that she called friend, her best friend. With conviction fueled by the flames of grief and rage, Lily took a step back. A firm click-clack reverberated against the ancient castle stone, dampened only by the portraits and gryffindor tapestries lining the hall. With a might deceiving of her frame, Lily slammed the door.
“Oh my word!” exclaimed the Fat Lady, jostled by the door's extraordinary closure. A thud echoed down the dark empty hall, the displaced air briefly flickering Severus’ hair. The Fat Lady fanned herself, as if wafting the excitement out of her magical countenance. She looked down at the boy, a wretched thing she thought. His eyes were rouged with unshed tears, and his posture cowered by defeat.
“Quite a conundrum you two caused, and at this hour,” the Fat Lady said cautiously.
Severus did not respond, his eyes unseeing and unfocused. A row with Lily was not uncommon, especially within the last few years, but it never reached this intensity…and it never led to the end of their friendship. For the first time in his life, Severus felt lost. A creeping chill caressed his heart, its grasp unyielding and unkind.
The Fat Lady waited, and waited. The boy, hiding under a greasy curtain of hair, stood uneasily still. He would have made a better portrait than her in this current state.
“Ahem, it’s rather late now. I believe it’s time for you to return to your dormitory. Given your...situation, I won’t report your squandering after hours,” the Fat Lady chirped, slowly rapping her nails against a wine glass. An impatient clink filled the silence.
The cacophonous ringing halted the whirlwind that screamed in Severus’ mind. He raised his head and sneered.
“I was just leaving,” growled Severus, his words full of spite.
The moonlight danced around him, bending as he stalked towards the grand staircase. Sculpted by the thousands of students that graced Hogwarts, the absence of light made it particularly treacherous. He swore at his luck, taking extra care to navigate the ever changing staircase.
As he descended towards the lower floors of Hogwarts, moonlight grew scarcer and darkness took its place. The slow jaunt towards the Slytherin dormitory soon became a frantic sprint. Swallowed by inky black, Severus ran head first into the bowels of the castle depths.
Lily leaned against the common room door, resting the back of her head against the wood grain. Her long copperish red hair cascaded down her shoulders, pinched between her back and the door. Closing her eyes, she waited and listened. Only the muffled laconic words of the Fat Lady could be heard through the door. Taking a deep breath, Lily set her path towards the girl’s dormitory. The Gryffindor common room, the boisterous soul of the house, was unnervingly empty. Even at this hour, at the end of the term, there would be at least a squadron of students chittering away or a shambling corpse of a post-NEWT seventh year, mourning potential erroneous answers. Only the gentle crackling of firewood accompanied her; the Scottish highlands were unreasonably cold even during the last leg of spring. The Gryffindor hearth crackled to a lonesome tune, its flames bathing the scarlet room in a yellow undertone. Lily sighed, she just knew this would be the topic of the day in the morning. What an excellent way to end the year.
Composing herself for the inevitable barrage of inquiries and “I told you so!” she was going to receive from her friends, Lily adopted an extra slow pace to her room. Unbeknownst to her, as Lily weaved through a mélange of aged but well loved furniture, a pair of small beady eyes stared at her. Hidden beneath the looming shadow casted by a corner bookshelf, a particularly rotund brown rat stalked Lily, with an intelligence betraying its appearance. As Lily began her trudge up the staircase to the girl’s dormitory, the rat scampered across the floor, in the direction of the boy’s dormitory.
The fire waltzing in the hearth began to calm, lethargically waving and sputtering embers. Eventually, the dance reached its finale, leaving silence and a soft dying glow in its wake.
“Prongs, would you be a dear and explain why you sent out Wormtail…when you have the means to hide yourself, which, by the way, is far more fool proof, and less-I don’t know-risky?” questioned Remus, rubbing his eyes with an exasperated expression carved onto his face. Remus paced back and forth in their dorm room. The two other boys in the room glanced at one another. Laying on their respective beds, the boy with mischievous gray eyes flashed a roguish smile. “Moony, if I may, good sir. In my most humble and astute observations, I would think a stag in the common room would raise an eyebrow. Just voicing my opinion,” said Sirius, overly innocent with his hands raised in a surrendering motion.
“I’m being serious.”
“And I am Sirius, the one and only.”
“Could you please stop. Prongs, do you have no shame? You invaded her privacy by eavesdropping on her conversation and sent Wormtail to do your bidding! Do you expect me not to say something?” bemoaned Remus, frustration flooding into his voice. Remus halted his pacing, stopping in front of James’ bed. James adjusted the glasses resting low on his nose with his thumb and with a sigh, sat himself up from his resting position.
“Okay, I see your point. I’ll be truthful, the only thing I’m ashamed of is not showing Snivellus’ true colors earlier. Before you say anything, yes, I agree that I may have gone a little overboard. Padfoot and I were just caught in the moment, you can’t say the snake didn’t provoke us. He would have done the same exact thing,” replied James, articulating his hands in tandem with the cadence of his voice.
“I’m not going to argue with you about that, I’m aware it's a losing battle. I made my point, but about what happened just now with -”
“Honestly, Moony, be realistic. Everyone who’s alive, hells even dead, will be talking about this tomorrow. It’s not like it’ll be a secret, we’re just finding out earlier than everyone else. Sure, it’s morally questionable, but it’s not some kind of secret from Dumbledore himself. Us getting a first hand account of the event won’t change anything that’s going to happen tomorrow,” lectured James, arms now folded across his chest. “And Wormtail? It was the smartest choice. Yes, I could have used my cloak but I don’t think I could stand there without cheering. Could you Padfoot?”
“No way, I would’ve hexed him just for being near the Gryffindor tower. Make sure he really remembers what happened today,” Sirius said, now upright, prepared to join the conversation in earnest.
Remus looked at the boys with a deadpan stare, he would not win this battle. To be frank, he could not recall a time where they ever agreed on the treatment of one Mr. Severus Snape. An awkward silence filled the room, like fog on the Black Lake. The three boys reached an impasse, neither parties moving from their moral high ground. The scutter of small nails on stone bled into the room. Each boy looked expectantly at the door, knowing whom this scampering belonged to. A rather round boy barrelled through the entrance of their room, gasping for air as if he were drowning moments ago. Peter Pettigrew, the final member of the Marauders, stood hunched over in the doorway, with his hands on his knees and his mousey brown hair damp with sweat.
“Hu..llo…she’s…done..wit-”
“Don’t kill yourself now, catch your breath. Good things come for those who wait,” said James as he rushed over to Peter, Sirius in tow with a chair in both hands. The two boys crowded the puffing boy, seating him in front of them as they looked on with great anticipation. To Remus, now leaning against a wall across the spectacle, they looked like two cats that caught a canary…or a snake in this case. With one final gasp, Peter began regaling his latest spying exploits.
“Sorry, I ran as quickly as possible. Snivelly was standing there for a bit, waiting for Lily. I’m certain he was trying to apologize, I couldn’t hear him too well-blubbering something about ‘sorry’-she, absolutely, was not having it. It was a quick row, but I - I’ve never seen her that angry before. She - she shouted at him. Called him a death eater, I’m sure, and said ‘you've chosen your way. I’ve chosen mine,’” said Peter, breathing heavily and waving his hands at each sentence.
The boys were certain Peter ran as fast as possible to get here. In brutal honesty, they were not sure what was faster; Peter on four rat legs or Peter on two human legs. A cruel smile began to blossom on James and Sirius. With an athletic jump of glee, the two struck each other's palm in a thunderous handshake.
“Lord Potter, I say with great admiration, that we have finally done it. The character of most ignoble and slimy Sir Snivellus Snape has been revealed to fair maiden Lily Evans. I shall raise three cups of butterbeer to you at once,” Sirius declared pompously, exaggerating his dictation on each word. The handshake did not stop, nor did it slow. In fact, it increased in fervor. Sirius’ thick wavy black hair bounced with each spirited shake.
“No, no, no, good Lord Black of a house most Noble and Ancient, it is I who should be raising three cups to you! If it weren’t for your genius spontaneity, this would just be a fantasy within our dreams,” exclaimed James. The handshake finally broke, and their attention resumed onto Peter, who managed to calm his breathing.
Remus felt a headache creeping on the horizon. Some days, he wished they weren’t like this.
“Peter, are you sure?” James inched closer as he questioned the sitting boy.
“Absolutely certain, I wish I could share the memory of Lily slamming the door on his face!”
“She slammed the door on his face?” said Sirius, a scandalized look on his face.
“Bloody hell, I couldn’t believe it myself!” Peter replied. The three cheered and whooped, but the last of the Marauders could not share their merriment. Sour, bitter guilt ate at his throat. Severus Snape had a target on his head, for as long as he could remember. Impoverish, Slytherin, and nasty in demeanor, Severus Snape had few cards in his favor. He was an unpleasant boy but, the back and forth between him and the Marauders was akin to a runaway train waiting to derail. As a prefect, he felt a responsibility for the entirety of the situation. With wisdom born from age, Remus would continue to feel this embittering guilt and ponder on the hypothetical what-ifs.
“Alright, that’s enough. It’s late enough as it is, it’s best we return to bed for the night,” said Remus. Pushing off from his spot on the wall, he ran his hand through his thin light brown hair. Mentally preparing for another sleepless night against the wolf, Remus turned to march towards his pillowy prison. Troubling times always made it rear its head in his dreams.
“Okay, okay. Yes sir,” James and Peter said simultaneously. James saluted to Remus before leaping into his bedsheets. Remus shook his head with a chuckle, he should have never shown James what a salute was.
“Yes father, I shall retire promptly,” grumbled Sirius, with a faux-angry snark.
The Marauders once again settled for the night, three giddy for what the morning would bring and one dreading the moral conflict that was sure to come. A pleasant, slumbering silence settled in the room.
“Pop-pop, I have coal in me lungs,” whimpered Sirius, completing the act with a horribly fake cough. Chuckling erupted in the room.
Remus groaned, it was going to be a long night.
Lily raised her hand to knock on the wooden door. Before she could finish her regular three knock policy, the door opened abruptly on the first knock. A pair of arms pulled her into a warm embrace.
“Lils! Is everything okay, are you alright?” asked Dorcas, pulling her closer, and into the dormitory. Some of Dorcas’ beaded braids fell over Lily’s shoulders, the bright red and gold ornaments contrasting against Lily’s dark robes. The sudden embrace and kind words broke the frigid facade on Lily’s face. Tear droplets that hung on her eyes began to fall. Lily returned the hug, dropping her head on Dorcas shoulder.
“Yeah, it’s just…hard,” Lily whispered hoarsely. The infernal rage and betrayal burning inside her left ashes of grief in its wake.
“I know, it’s going to be hard for a while. It’ll get better. I’m proud of you Lils,” Dorcas said gently, releasing her from the firm hug. Lily wiped the tears from her face, she didn’t feel very proud right now.
“Did you drop that arse wipe finally? About damn time!” Marlene said from her place on the dormitory rug. She laid across the floor on her side, a baggy shirt blanketing her figure. Her blonde shoulder length hair was still wet from the shower. With a flick of her fingers, a gobstone flew towards the center of a board. The stone slid past a nest of rings and onto the rug, Marlene grumbled.
“Marlene! That’s insensitive!” said Mary. She absentmindedly flicked her stone, sliding it perfectly in the center.
No longer interested in the game, Marlene sat up (subsequently admitting defeat). Folding her legs together, she gave Mary an exasperated look.
“Come on Mary, you know it’s what we all want to know. I’m just being truthful.”
“You didn’t have to say it like that,” mumbled Mary, the younger girl turned her head towards the rug. Worthy of a good petting, she ran her fingers over the plush surface.
Dorcas rolled her eyes at their antics, turning her attention back to Lily. Her dark eyebrows furrowed in concern for her friend.
“It’s alright Mary, it’s over…everyone was right about him,” Lily whispered. She shuffled over to her bed, her cheeks wet with sadness. Moving past the trio of girls, all Lily wanted to do was to curl up in her bed and rest. Maybe for a few days, weeks even.
Too tired to change out of her school robes, Lily unceremoniously plopped herself onto the bed. Face first, into a soft pillow.
A look was shared amongst Dorcas, Marlene, and Mary. Relenting, Marlene sighed and stood up. Stretching her legs slightly, and stepping over the gobstones board, she made her way to Lily’s bed. With the grace of an Olympic diver, Marlene dove into the spot next to Lily. The sudden weight caused Lily to bounce up and off her mattress, her eyes widening at the unexpected bed mate.
“Hey, do you want to talk about it? I’m sorry if that was too harsh. I’m proud of you too, that takes some courage to do,” Marlene said gently, once again lying on her side. Dorcas and Mary joined the two girls, though with a much less energetic entrance. They sat themselves on the edge of the bed, now circling around Lily.
“It’s alright, I just need some time to process this all,” Lily responded with a dour frown as she stared at the maroon canopy above her bed. At one point, it was perhaps a vivid red but the years gone by muted its vibrancy.
“We’re here for you Lily, if you need anything at all,” said Mary, with an affirming squeeze of her hand.
“Who needs him! He doesn’t deserve a flying fuck from you. You have us, your real friends . I bet you won’t miss him one bit once he’s out of your system,” encouraged Marlene. Lily giggled at her expressive friend, Dorcas and Mary on the other hand sighed at her antics.
“I think we had enough excitement for the night, it’s getting late. Please Lily, remember we’ve got your back. If you want to talk about this more, we’re all ears,” said Dorcas, gently ushering the other two off Lily’s bed. “Mary, do you want me to walk you back?”
“I should be alright! Thank you for the offer,” replied Mary, as she skittered over to the rug, moving towards her gobstones set. A few stones laid haphazardly on the carpet, shot off target to an intense degree. Collecting her belongings, Mary left the room, waving goodbye to her friends.
“I’ll be fine tomorrow, don’t worry,” Lily said, getting up from her bed. Tomorrow was the final day of the term, it would do her no good to look like a mess. Changing from her school robes, Lily waved her wand. A flurry of clothes and other personal assortments flew into her trunk, neatly packed for travel. Fatigued by the events of the day, Lily crawled back onto her bed. She grimaced, suddenly remembering a distasteful detail. Her parents would certainly offer Sev-Snape, she reminded herself-a ride back to Cokeworth. She bit the inside of her bottom lip, a habit she had when she was nervous or thinking. His parents were never at the station. She recalled one time seeing Mrs. Snape during their first year send-off, but aside from that, nothing. For the sake of this one time, the last time, she wouldn’t say anything about it. Mentally groaning, she would have to explain their new relationship status too. Her parents were bound to notice his absence in the summer…and generally her life. The thought felt sour, the acidity burning her.
Lily closed her eyes, nestling deeper into her blanket and pillow, willing her sad bitter thoughts into silence.
From the dim gloom that haunted the dungeons of Hogwarts, the faint sound of worn shoes against stone drifted through its corridors. Cast iron sconces along the walls offered little light to Severus as he ran. Running, it was not a foreign concept to him. In fact, a familiar friend if anything. The earliest memories he could recall involved running away from Tobias, a futile attempt against his fist and belt. Hogwarts offered no refuge, trading Tobias for the Marauders and sometimes his own Slytherin housemates.
Turning left here, making a right there, and slipping past the ominous cells that may or may not have held prisoners at one point, Severus seamlessly navigated through the dungeon’s maze. Having memorized the location of the Slytherin dormitories, a secret that even the alumni kept decades post-graduation, his brisk pace did not slow. Abruptly stopping at a seemingly mundane barren wall, Severus whispered.
“Purus”
His pronunciation warbled slightly due to his quick, harsh breaths. The consequences of running down multiple floors of Hogwarts seeped into his heart and lungs, adrenaline tapering off into fatigue. Nevertheless, the wall accepted his answer. The heavy stones rearranged themselves, like a snake slithering out of its skin, forming a grand archway. The aged stone and gothic style reminded him of the entrance of an Anglican cemetery back in Cokeworth. He frowned at the thought, a link between Cokeworth and Hogwarts seemed sacrilegious. Then again, Lily was another link to Cokeworth and Hogwarts.
The thought of Lily stopped him mid-step into the Slytherin common room, the wall-arch hissed aggressively at the boy. Out of the few things he held dear in this world, Lily was amongst the top of the list. He would try again, hopefully, she had to understand. Taking a deep breath, Severus continued forward.
It would be no good for him if his fellow Slytherins saw him unsettled and weak. They had a habit of smelling blood in the water, ready to prey on vulnerability.
A mossy glow encased the room, coming from the gaudy green lanterns above. Set in between two opposing fireplaces, a path to the dormitories was highlighted by a long ornate emerald rug. Antique armchairs, sofas, and tables filled the two halves of the room. Made of the finest fabrics, and carved from exotic woods, the furniture was the throne of numerous Slytherins, of infamy and obscurity. Those entering and exiting the common room were more or less herded towards the central path, left to the judgment of the metaphorical snakes stalking from their nests. Severus presumed it was by design, to encourage a specific behavior amongst those of the serpentine house-or a pompous pureblood from the Tudor era rearranged the furniture, forcing their peers to witness frivolous displays of wealth.
To his luck, it appeared most of his housemates returned to their rooms. Perhaps gossiping about their summer plans or whatever nonsense they would no doubt vaunt about tomorrow morning.
“Ah, Severus, I see you’ve returned.”
Cursing his luck and lack of awareness, Severus paused midstep. He turned his head, scanning for his unwelcomed audience.
Maleficus Nott had an unalarming, polite smile etched onto his face. Nestled into a wingback chair and illuminated by the warm glow of a nearby lamp, Maleficus casually closed his book with a muffled thump. How nonchalant and unassuming Severus thought, he knew better than to let his guard down.
“I did not expect a guest at this hour, perhaps three to four hours ago, but certainly not in the dead of night. How unexpected, and out of character of you. Although it may be my last day as a prefect, rest assured I am not one to forget sworn duties,” lectured Nott, languidly walking towards Severus. Maleficus Nott was a tall young man, the path towards Severus should have taken a handful of strides. Purposeful small steps took their place instead, as if he were a snake slithering towards a paralyzed mouse.
“Good evening, Nott. I was…preoccupied with an arrangement. It unfortunately took more time than I expected,” responded Severus, stumbling out his partial lie. With his feet rooted into the emerald rug, Severus waited for Nott’s interrogation.
“And a good evening to you, Snape. I see, and who did you meet with? Surely not a certain Miss Lily Evans, I was quite sure she made it clear that Snivellus is no friend of hers. While I am your elder, my memory has not withered away yet!” Nott joked in a saccharine tone. It was sweet as the salt of Saturn. Maleficus looked down onto Severus, a head taller than the boy.
The reminder of Lily’s hurtful words at the lake nipped at his heart. Hearing that dreadful name from her mouth stung harsher than Tobias’ belt. Severus had no reply to Nott, a moment of weakness the young man took advantage of. Maleficus’ polite smile transformed into a more mischievous grin. With his sharp features, dark hair, and angular nose, Maleficus took on a far more sinister appearance.
“It’s rather rude to leave a question unanswered. Did you learn proper etiquette? I take no offense of course, I cannot fault you on your heritage and upbringing. Nevertheless, it is getting rather late. Given it is the end of the term, I shall be lenient and leave you with a warning. Please prepare such escapades with more awareness around curfew. Welcome back, and have a good night,” said Maleficus, nodding his head slightly to Severus. Taking his leave, he wedged his book between the crook of his elbow and body.
Severus mumbled a “thankyouandgoodnight” to Nott, following the seventh year into the boy’s dormitories. Walking behind Maleficus felt like a funeral march, thought Severus. He kept his gaze down, the medieval stone of the dungeons far more interesting than Nott’s back.
Maleficus stopped abruptly, Severus nearly collided into his back. Just managing to halt his momentum, Severus stared questioningly at the back of the young man’s head. The fifth year boy’s dormitory was only a few meters away.
“Before we retire for the evening, I must admit I had more selfish motivations. I have a letter from Lucius; he preferred a personal delivery due to…its sensitive nature. Seems you have caught the attention of the proper members of society,” said Maleficus, fishing out a letter from his robes. “An impressive accomplishment, for a half-blood.”
Paralyzed by the connotations of Nott’s words, Severus stood deathly still. His thoughts were garbled by the emotional one hundred and eighty degree catastrophe surging within him. The irony was not lost to him, the day he was removed from Lily’s life was going to be his first step into pure-blood society. He pursued their coattails for her, to show her that he could be something more, to show her that poor Severus Snape was more than the boy from Cokeworth. It was for her, as much as it was for him.
At least, that is what he told himself.
With a sharp, elegant spin on his heels, Maleficus handed Severus the letter. The sleeves of his robes lifted slightly, revealing the head of a snake etched onto his wrist skin. Distracted by the letter, Severus paid no mind to the tattoo. The letter weighed heavily in his pale, thin hands. Encased in an unassuming envelope, the deep green of the wax seal taunted Severus as it sparkled in the dim light. How odd, thought Severus. It carried no designation for who it was for, and the wax seal lacked the Mafloy family crest.
The Lucius he knew would never leave an opportunity to display his family’s honor unanswered and ignored.
“T-thank you, did he–was there anything else he said?” Severus stammered out lamely. The day was becoming more and more overwhelming. The thought of his bed was turning into a strong temptation.
Maleficus turned his body, taking his leave from the conversation. He completed his task, there was no need for him to linger near the half-blood any longer. “I believe that letter will answer most of your questions,” he said politely.
Severus nodded, taking it as his queue to leave. Proceeding forward with his plan of sleeping-and-hopping-this-was-a-nightmare, Severus gripped the door handle to his room firmly. He could hear the muffled snores of Mulciber, Avery, and Crabbe. Oafs, all of them.
“Remember Severus, everyone has a place in the upcoming golden age. While you could have landed with more decorum–I would hope those muggles taught you landing on your head is not healthy–putting that filthy mudblood in her place was the proper course of action. It is about time you drew the line. You have chosen your way, she has chosen hers. We will rise with the Dark Lord, they will fall,” said Maleficus, never stopping from his calm pace.
Unsure if he should reply back, Severus opened the door to his dorm, entering its premise. Blasted by the trumpetting snores of his roommates, Severus tiptoed towards his bed and tossed the letter into his trunk, locking it with his variation of the locking charm. Not bothering to change out from his school robes, he settled himself in and weaved a web of protection spells. His slytherin green bed sheets encased him in a soft cocoon.
Exhaustion creeped into his body like a dementor’s chill. He had to earn Lily’s trust again, his only friend. Sometime during this summer, when they were both removed from Hogwarts’ influences, he would try once more. With the mysterious letter, he felt like he had a second chance. To earn Lily’s trust, and to show her that he could be more. More than the Marauders, and more than the pure-bloods that jeered at her.
It was only up from here. What else was there to lose? He was already at the end of an abyss Severus thought, wiping the dried residue of unshed tears from his eyes. Tomorrow would bring a better future.
Little did Severus know that this day would be the start of an expansive list of tragedies. His return home to Cokeworth would lay the foundation of the bitter soul that is Severus the Man.