Severus shifted his gaze from what he considered to be her almost sickening grin and looked down at his cauldron. His Draught of Living Death was just as perfectly simmering away in his cauldron, why did that…that, Mudblood always insist-
Lily’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Severus?” He looked up. “Did I do it right?”
He looked grudgingly into her cauldron at the pale pink concoction and nodded. She beamed.
“I knew I could get it right! See, all I needed was a little help from you!” She jumped out of her seat and headed down to the front of the classroom to fetch Professor Slughorn.
Severus watched her procession, her red hair gleaming in the dim light of the Potions dungeon. Perhaps he was too harsh in calling her a Mudblood…aside from himself, she was the best potions maker he had seen, and he had to admit, he quite liked spending time with her and Professor Slughorn in their Advanced Potions Class. No other fifth year could do advanced potion making, James Potter certainly-
His train of thought was broken as Slughorn clapped him on the shoulder. “Very good Severus! You and Lily certainly do make a good pair!” he beamed genially.
Severus looked up at Lily who smiled at him. He attempted to smile back at her…and yes, there it was, a smile. Lily’s grin widened and she sat down next to him as Slughorn began to list the effects of the Draught of Living Death.
Severus had to admit, he was quite enjoying school at the moment. He was receiving top marks in all his classes and was quite sure he was heading for an Outstanding O.W.L in every subject. And Lily Evans…well, his classes with her and Slughorn couldn’t be better. He turned down the seventh floor corridor, feeling a slight smile play across his mouth, as he resolutely ignored the bickering sounds of his fellow schoolmates. Suddenly he stopped dead in the middle of the corridor.
He knew that voice, it was Lily’s…he peered around the corner, trying to make out the person she was arguing with…his blood boiled. It was Potter of course, it was always Potter. Severus knew Potter had a crush on Lily, and it gave him great satisfaction to know that she couldn’t stand the ground he walked on. Give it up, Potter! He thought derisively, as he crouched behind a statue to hear what they were arguing about.
“Come on Evans!” James voice made its way up the corridor. “Just one date and you’ll see what you’re missing…” His hand swept through his hair as Lily looked at him scornfully.
“Eat slugs, Potter.” She made to move past him but he held out an arm.
“Come on, I don’t see what the problem is!”
Lily turned to face him, and prodded him in the chest. “The problem, James Potter, is that you are arrogant…and, and…rude…and-”
“And not Severus Snape?” James cut in.
Lily stepped back as if stung.
“You can do better than him Evans! I see the way he’s always lurking around you, trying to get you to notice his great Polyjuice Potion.” The sarcasm in his voice was evident. “You don’t actually see anything in him do you? I can see how he’d have a crush on you but-“ He paused. “It’s pathetic Evans, have you heard what he says about…” his voice softened conspiratorially, “Mudbloods? Not that I would ever say that word if he hadn’t-“ he began hastily.
Lily cut him off sharply. “For your information Potter, Snape has as little chance as you. He’s just good at Potions! I’d never touch a Slytherin!”
“Mr Snape!” Severus jumped as a voice rang out from directly above him. “What, pray tell, are you doing?”
Severus looked up from behind the statue at Professor McGonagall leering down at him. Behind him, he saw Lily and James stop their conversation and turn around. Severus jumped up, mumbled something to Professor McGonagall, and tore off down the corridor, absolutely livid, as James’ self-satisfied smirk played through his mind.
Hurling himself through the common room, past startled glances and murmurs of annoyance, Severus continued to see images of James’ smirk as he crashed into his dormitory. Not even savouring the fact that it was for once empty, he began hurling his possessions across the room. His sneakoscope exploded satisfactorily against the wall, his A History of Magic landing on top of it, pages ripping out and floating to the floor.
He grabbed his dress robes, pausing as he tried to decide what damage could be done with them. A hoot sounded from his window, and still holding his robes menacingly above his head, he wheeled around. An owl rested on the windowsill, its beady eye gazing at him magnanimously. Severus let the dress robes drop to the floor and stalked over to the bird. He yanked the card from its foot roughly and opened it, as the owl watched from its perch.
Happy Birthday,
Your Mother and Father
Severus read the three lines carefully, and then, just as carefully, placed the card on his bedside table. Reconsidering, he picked it up again and sat with it down on his bed. Slowly and methodically he began to tear the card into tiny little fragments. When he was done he placed the pile of confetti on his bedside table and stared at it.
“It was my birthday three months ago,” he said, quietly. ‘It was my birthday three months ago!” he bellowed. And picking up the discarded dress robes he threw them angrily on top of the owl still sitting on his windowsill.
“Er...Severus, dear boy…” the voice of Horace Slughorn trailed off.
Severus pulled his uncomfortable Muggle jacket closer to his body to ward off the cold and remained where he was sitting, huddled up against a brick wall on Platform 9 and ¾. He showed no recognition that anyone had spoken to him. He was deep in his private thoughts; replaying a scene in his head again and again, Potter and Black’s stupid prank…how they had used his own spell…the spell he had invented! They had used it against him as though it were their own! As though they could ever come up with anything worthwhile, as though they could do anything near as powerful as what he could do…his thoughts continued to drift, until they settled on the familiar territory that was Lily Evans. He thought of Lily’s face when he had called her a Mudblood. And before that, Lily’s words, snapped angrily at Potter, “He’s just good at Potions! I’d never touch a Slytherin…”
Slughorn moved his enormous figure into Severus’ direct line of vision. “Look, my boy, technically the Head of House cannot leave until every last student from their house has safely left the platform but…” He cleared his throat. “It’s getting quite late and…well, I was rather hoping to get home in time for a nice drop of Firewhiskey before I headed off to bed…were you expecting anyone to come…?“
Severus jumped hastily to his feet. “I’m going,” he said shortly, and bending down, fished around in his trunk for his wand.
“Severus-”
Severus stopped abruptly and looked up at his Head of House.
“The train came in some hours ago, perhaps there was something your parents had to attend to…?”
Severus let out a short laugh. He extracted his wand from a pair of robes, and pointing it at his trunk, murmured, “Locomotor trunk.” His trunk rose slightly in the air and followed him as he began to make his way across the platform.
Slughorn’s voice followed him. “Perhaps you could catch the Knight bus-“
“I’ll walk,” Severus threw over his shoulder, not lessening his stride in the slightest.
“Dear boy-“
“I’ll walk,” Severus snarled, and turning the corner, disappeared from Horace Slughorn’s sight.
Lying back on his bed, the youth lazily flicked his wand at a fly perched on his ceiling. The fly plummeted to the ground as Severus sat up and looked around at the dank den that had been his home for the past two weeks. Two weeks since school had finished and he was just itching with boredom.
He looked out his window listlessly and his eyes alighted on a shape heading towards his window, steadily growing larger. Could it be…? The owl swooped through his window and landed on his desk, hooting placidly and holding out its leg for Severus to detach the securely tied letter.
He jumped up hurriedly, fumbling in his haste to remove the rolled up parchment. He unfurled it quickly and scanned its contents as the owl gave a docile hoot and flew out into the clear sky.
Finally! Finally! He’d been waiting…and it was good news! It was great news! An emotion coursed through his body that he could not immediately place. Happiness! Yes, he was happy for the first time in…longer than he could remember. Happy and proud and…his hair flew around his face as he threw his bedroom door open.
A woman’s voice curled its way up the staircase and Severus paused on the landing, his jubilation halting abruptly.
“Tobias, he’s just a boy! Severus doesn’t mean-oh!“
Severus heard his mother cry out and began his descent down the staircase, knowing, with a sinking feeling in his stomach that just seconds ago had been soaring with joy, what he would find.
He stopped on the second landing and gazed down into the kitchen at the figures of his parents. His mother was slowly sinking to the kitchen floor, her face bearing a red mark and her eyes wide, her husband poised threateningly above her. Tobias grabbed his wife by her shirt, preventing her from slipping any further and drew his hand back.
Anger rolled over Severus in a crashing, continuous wave. “STOP!” he roared, pulling his wand from his pocket and throwing himself down the remaining stairs three at a time. His grip on the parchment tightened, and he lifted his wand, pointing it directly at his father’s back.
Tobias let go of Severus’ mother and span around to face his son as his wife slipped to the floor, clutching her head in her hands. Tobias moved over to his son, a smirk playing across his face. “Or what? You’re going to jinx me? Hide behind your wand?”
The young man faced his father, his greasy black hair curtaining the defiance etched in every line of his face, his wand now pointed at his father’s chest.
“Severus…please.” The voice of his mother floated dimly to his ears, but he remained steadfast, his eyes boring into his father’s.
“Severus-“
‘Shut-up!” snarled his father, casting an angry look at his wife. “He thinks he can stand up to me, let him try.” He turned to Severus. “Come on son,” he drawled sarcastically, “let’s see what you can do with that wand of yours.”
Severus attempted to keep his wand level, as his hand visibly shook.
His father laughed derisively. “What will it take boy?” His cruel eyes focused on his son. “Next time your filthy mother tries to protect her precious son maybe I’ll just have to teach her a more worthwhile lesson. Maybe that will make you show some kind of backbone.”
Severus’ hand shook again, his wand slipping slightly.
His father gave him a disgusted look and threw his hands up. “Well? What will it be? Going to use that worthless thing on me?”
Severus made no move and Tobias sneered at him, disdain dripping from every word. “Don’t worry son, I wasn’t expecting much.” He turned on his heel and made to leave the kitchen. Pausing at the doorway, he turned, and looked down scathingly at his wife still crouched on the cold, stone floor.
“See what kind of a son you’ve raised Eileen,” he spat, and without a further glance at Severus, he strode out the door.
Eileen looked up at Severus who was breathing heavily, his wand pointing at the empty doorway his father had just vacated. Eileen got up slowly and pulling herself to her full height, touched Severus on the shoulder.
Severus made a jerking movement and pulled away from his mother’s touch. “You shouldn’t let him treat you like that,” he snapped.
Eileen withdrew her hand from the empty space between them and looked for a moment at her son’s cruel profile, so like his father’s. Her face hardened and without a word she left the room through the same door as her husband, leaving her son standing stock still in the middle of the kitchen.
Severus remained where he was for a moment, tightening his grip on his wand, feeling the wood cut into his hand. Suddenly becoming aware of the piece of parchment still grasped tightly in his left hand he hurled it to the ground and ran from the room.
The piece of parchment fluttered to the ground, shivering slightly in the cold breeze from the open kitchen window. The words at the top of the parchment were just visible in the gloom of the deserted kitchen:
SEVERUS SNAPE HAS ACHIEVED-
*****
Severus skulked along through Diagon Alley, throwing threatening glances over his shoulder at passer-by’s. If anyone even thought of talking to him…he thought moodily. He kept walking aimlessly until he realised he had no idea where he was. He began to wander vaguely down the nearest street when a voice behind him made him stop in his tracks.
“Can’t say I’m surprised to see you lurking around Knockturn Alley, Snivellus.”
Severus whirled around quickly, his wand halfway out of his pocket before James had even finished his sentence.
James Potter and Sirius Black were lounging against a wall several metres behind Severus. Upon seeing his wand, Sirius said lazily, “I wouldn’t be trying anything if I were you Snivelly…unless you want to get thrown out of school.”
Severus looked around at the passer-by’s giving curious glances at his drawn wand, and lowered it slowly.
“That’s it, Snivelly, put the wand away,” Sirius said laughingly, “There’s a good boy.”
Severus kept the wand by his side, knowing that it would take just one simple movement if they tried anything.
“So what are you doing in Knockturn Alley anyway?” James persisted. “They don’t sell underpants down there.” He looked round at Sirius, who merely raised his eyebrows.
Severus, however, let out a low growl and took a few paces towards James.
“Yes, Snivellus, that’s right, people actually buy new underwear every now and then.”
Severus, who still burned with humiliation when he thought about that last encounter, moved another step closer and said menacingly, “Shut your mouth Potter.”
“Or what?” James laughed sardonically. “What are you going to try in the middle of the street?”
“You’d be surprised,” Severus said softly, “what I would be willing do where you’re involved Potter. You and that Mudblood girlfriend of yours.”
James lunged in his robes for his wand as Sirius pulled him back. Severus laughed satisfactorily as he watched James struggling with Sirius.
“Forget it, Prongs!” Sirius snapped.
James stopped struggling and glared at Severus, who continued to laugh. Sirius grabbed James by the back of his robes and began to drag him away.
“If you were worth it Snivellus, we’d take you in about three seconds,” he said coolly over his shoulder. “And James was right…go get yourself some new underpants.” He and James disappeared around the corner as Severus wheeled around, angrily picturing himself cursing those hated Gryffindors into oblivion.
Preoccupied with visions of James and Sirius’ horrible fates, Severus ran face first into someone. Not looking up, he snarled angrily, “Watch where you’re going!” and kept walking.
“Severus Snape…” came a sleek voice. “Well, well, I must say I prefer it when you’re taking your anger out on those Gryffindors than on myself.”
Severus turned around and looked straight into the face of Lucius Malfoy. “Lucius!” he said, walking back towards him. “I didn’t recognise you…” his voice trailed off as he looked at the older boy. In all honesty, Lucius Malfoy had been something of an idol to him when he had been at Hogwarts. He had graduated several years before, but Severus still heard stories amongst his fellow Slytherins about his skills at the Dark Arts. He hadn’t even thought Lucius knew his name.
“I like the way you made that Potter boy squirm back there, although if you asked me, a well-timed spell could have sorted matters out more quickly.” Lucius was speaking in his usual cool manner, looking over Severus curiously. “I always admired your talents, Severus,” he said suddenly, “although they were wasted perhaps on trivial matters such as schoolwork. Just out of curiosity,” he added, still in the same cool tone, “how many Outstanding O.W.Ls did you get?”
“Twelve,” muttered Severus.
Lucius looked impressed. “Twelve…” he repeated, “although, like I said, schoolwork isn’t always everything. I often wondered when you might progress to more…important things.”
Severus looked up at Lucius, at his sleek blonde hair and finely pressed robes. “Have you ever been tempted, Severus,” Lucius continued softly, “by the Dark Arts?”
Tempted? thought Severus. Of course he had. More than tempted he thought contemplatively, when one considered the time he spent hiding in his room from his father, creating his own complex spells. When one considered his attempts to become better at everything than anyone else in his year. Although that wasn’t exactly saying much, he thought scathingly, with idiots like Potter and Black…
“Yes,” he said to Lucius, “I’d have to say I have.”