Chapter 1
The Great Hall was filled to the brim with people, like a bottle of Butterbear ready to over flow its contents. People were milling around waiting for the ceremony to begin; navigating their ways through the rows of chairs that had replaced the standard four House tables. The parents of the students were now seated quietly in the chairs as they watched their children go up to the front of the Great Hall and receive their diploma from Dumbledore. It was graduation day at Hogwarts, and all of the students’ families had come to support them. All but one student. Severus Snape had given up on the prospect of his parents coming to see their only son graduate. They didn’t seem to care that he was graduating with the best grade in Slytherin, nor, did they seem to care that he had received a record score on his N.E.W.T. exams. Snape might have been a little more disappointed if he wasn’t accustomed to his parent’s indifference, but he still would have liked them to come.
“Severus Snape,” called Dumbledore’s voice through the Great Hall. Snape came out of his reverie and went up to receive a long and skinny rolled up piece of parchment. A few claps emanated from the crowd. As Snape stepped down from the stage and made his way back to his seat he felt small and mundane.
The ceremony ended and Snape felt uncomfortable amid the crowd, so he decided to go outside for some fresh air. He felt jealous of all the other students whose families cared enough to come. He now stood at the edge of the cliff, looking over the calm, still waters of the Black Lake. Many thoughts passed through his head while he was standing there. What was he was going to do now that school was over. He certainly didn’t want to have to stay at home any longer than he had to; but where would he go? All of these thoughts ceased quickly when a soft voice same from behind him.
“Congratulations,” the voice said. Snape turned around to find a tall girl with deep red hair, and bright green eyes standing there. Lily Evans now stood beside him, staring over the peaceful lake as well.
Snape’s mind was swarming with things he wanted to say to her; but he didn’t seem able to get his mouth open to form the words. He always was somewhat enamored of Lily. She was always very nice to him, even though he often times wasn’t to her. Their friendship never developed over the years at Hogwarts, and now, Snape really regretted it as he was standing next to Lily, trying to think of something nice to say to her.
“So, what do you have planned now that school is over?” asked Lily, finally breaking the silence between them.
“Um… well… I’m not sure really,” replied Snape honestly. He was relieved to get those first words out of the way.
“Oh, well, good luck in whatever it is you decide to do,” said Lily.
But before Snape could answer, Lily was called over by a group of her friends.
“Oh, well I guess I should go over there; looks like they’re taking pictures. Well… good luck… bye!” Lily said, and started to walk off.
“Wait,” said Snape. Lily turned around. “Thank you, Lily.”
Lily just smiled warmly, said bye one more time, and continued over to her friends. Snape wanted to tell Lily how much that really meant to him. He never had a friend that even cared about what he was going to do. Sometimes, someone can change the fate of a person, just by a few simple words.
However, the fate that awaited Severus Snape was anything but good. Immediately after he left Hogwarts he went home, and turned around and left the next day, never to return there again. He struggled that year, working a couple of low-end jobs, trying to make it through. His life changed when his friend, Avery, convinced him to join the Dark Lord. Avery inveigled Snape into joining the Death Eaters, telling him of the rewards he would receive in his service. Snape was trapped in a life of destruction and rapine; he had forgotten all about the ambitious Snape who wanted to an Auror one day. He was lost; with only the Dark Lord to guide him. He was a Death Eater.
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“Lord, give me another chance,” said Severus.
“You failed to succeed at your mission, Severus. You have on last chance,” hissed the dark figure of Voldemort.
“I shall do anything you ask of me, Master,” said Snape calmly.
Voldmort was quiet for a moment. Snape stared around the dark room that they were in. The dark moon shone into one of the open windows ominously, casting a faint light on Voldemort’s pale snake-like face.
“I have a mission for you, remember, this is your last chance, Severus. This was meant for Wilkes, but unfortunately, he went and got himself killed. You must succeed.”
“I will do my best, Lord. What is the mission?”
“I want you to kill someone,” said Voldemort softly. Snape’s stomach clenched.
“Who?” asked Snape timidly.
“Albus Dumbledore.”
“Dumbledore… but, Lord, he is a very powerful wizard, he’ll”“
“Shut up, Severus. It is your choice, but you know the consequences if you don’t accept.”
Snape was silent. What had he gotten himself into? He was now going to be sent on a mission to try and kill the only wizard the Dark Lord ever feared. There was no way he would succeed.
“When do you want it done, sir?” asked Severus, his stomach muscles relaxed a little.
“Soon Peter will tell me when Dumbledore ventures out of Hogwarts, and I’ll send him to tell you when you are to complete the assignment.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Snape left the small cottage that Voldemort was now taking refuge in, feeling miserable. He had gotten himself in too deep… he would certainly die on the mission. He went back to his house that night and waited for word back from Voldemort; it was like waiting for his death to come.
Weeks went by before the rat-like Peter Petigrew showed up at Snape’s front door, telling him that Dumbedore would be at Hogsmeade that weekend, interviewing someone for a job at Hogwarts, and that Voldemort had ordered him to go then.
“Keep yourself hidden. Dumbledore is not thick, he will know you are following him if you get too near,” said Peter.
“You would know,” said Snape, sneering.
Peter looked more rat-like than ever. “I give valuable information to the Lord, Severus. I am his most important servant, he told me so,” said Peter. He was excited and started ranting on about his rewards he would get; his wheezing got louder and faster as Snape slammed the door in his face. Not long ago Snape remembered hearing the same thing from Voldemort; but now he was about to be killed either by him, or by a wizard just as powerful.
Snape ran through the muddy streets of Hogsmeade, making his way to a dingy looking pub under the waning moonlight. He couldn’t help think that he would have been better off to just let Voldemort kill him and get it over with. He entered the small pub known as the Hogshead, and looked around feebly. He didn’t see Dumbledore anywhere; maybe Peter was wron. Maybe he would be the one that got killed for passing Voldemort false information. But Snape had no such luck; he saw the back of Dumbledore enter up a small staircase, which led up to the rooms. Snape stood there for a minute, daring not to move, and then summoned up enough courage to make his way slowly up the stairs after Dumbledore. He made his way through the narrow hallway, trying to hear Dumbledore’s deep voice. He came to a halt beside a door when he heard what sounded like Dumbledore’s voice inside; he bent down and pressed his ear against the cold keyhole, listening intently.
He heard a clashing sound, and then another strange noise. Snape pressed his ear harder on the keyhole. Dumbledore’s voice finally came from within.
“Miss Trelawney… Miss Trealwney. Are you feeling okay---”
But he was stopped short by a voice that sounded anything but human. It was deep and guttural. It sounded as though she was being strangled and could barely grasp the words out.
“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…”
Suddenly the voice became muffled, as if someone had stuffed the keyhole with something. He pressed his ear harder, but he couldn’t make out what the voice was saying. He repeated the words that he heard over and over in his head, trying to memorize them. I will be rewarded above all the others when the Dark Lord hears this, thought Snape, excitedly.
The door suddenly flew open and Dumbeldore was standing over him, with his wand pointed at Snape.
“Severus Snape, what were you doing here?” asked Dumbedore angrily.
“I”I’m… I can’t tell you, Professor,” said Snape, pathetically.
“Surely you can stop calling me Professor, Severus. It’s been two years since Hogwarts.”
Snape was silent.
“What did you hear?” asked Dumbledore.
“Nothing… just someone talking… that’s all,” Snape said nervously.
“And why were you listening through the keyhole?”
“I”I,” but Snape couldn’t think of an answer to give him. Just then a very confused looking woman peeped around from behind Dumbledore’s robes.
“Ahh, Miss Trelawney, I’m sorry. We will continue your interview momentarily,” said Dumbledore. He then turned his gaze to Snape saying, “Severus, can you leave me and Miss Trelawney to finish our interview in private?”
“Yes… I’ll just be going,” said Snape shyly.
Dumbledore’s eyes flashed as Snape got off of his knees, and went down the hall quickly. He felt like the hall was getting smaller and smaller with each step he took. He ran down the staircase, and went back out into the cold, wet night that surrounded him.