Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter world.

Severus Snape was dying. He lay in the Shrieking Shack, his fingers pressed against the wound in his neck trying to staunch the bleeding but it was hopeless. He had no strength left after giving Harry the memories he needed except to gaze into those emerald eyes… her eyes. Then he was thinking of her, her round face sprinkled with soft freckles and her silky flaming hair, her soft giggles and her sweet voice when she said his name… Severus…

"Severus!"

He blinked and was shocked to see the very face he was remembering just moments before his painful death. Lily Evans stood above him, her fiery hair framing her face as she leaned over him, poking his shoulder trying to wake him up.

"Good, you're awake! I was afraid I would have to resort to more desperate measures." She said slyly with a smile. He almost fainted right then and there. He never expected to see Lily smile again. Was this heaven? If it was he liked it so far but he thought they would be older. The Lily in front of him was only eleven years old. He must be dreaming, he was probably still in the shrieking shack and this was a delusion induced by the snake venom. He promptly pinched himself. Nothing happened. He pinched himself again. Still nothing happened.

"Um, Sev, what are you doing?" Lily asked, frowning

"Pinching myself because this can't be real." He answered.

"Well of course it is! We're finally at Hogwarts, this is so exciting I can't wait to see the castle with my own eyes!" she rambled on happily.

It was slowly dawning on Severus that this wasn't a dream. He sat down slowly and wonder spread through him. Somehow he was now eleven years old again, with Lily, who was certainly not dead. Suddenly he realized that he was nothing more than a first year, he hadn't killed Dumbledore, or became a death eater… and he hadn't called her a mudblood. They were still best friends! She was still the Lily he loved and wasn't married to Potter, nor will she ever be. He would not make the same mistakes he made last time. This lifetime would be different.

"Sev you're not listening to me! I've already got my robes on but you need to change quickly we're almost there." She said, annoyed he wasn't paying attention.

"I'm sorry Lily, I will always pay attention to you." He told her truthfully.

"That's ok, just hurry… why are you staring at me?" she asked self consciously

He was still processing everything but he couldn't stop looking at her. She was beautiful, a true angel. Her flaming red hair cascaded down her back and her emerald eyes were shining with excitement. He had spent hours before just thinking about her eyes. She was small for a first year, but made up for it in her temper. Somehow she was even more gorgeous when angry. He felt all the love he had for her and he was having a difficult time stopping himself from running at her and kissing her senseless, apologizing for everything and telling her he loved her. However that would be inappropriate as they were so young, maybe in third year.

"Alright while you get your wits together, I'll wait outside" the door closed behind her with a click and instantly the world became darker. Not wanting to be away from her for long, he quickly change into his wizarding robes and almost ripped the compartment door open.

He spotted her in the mob of students moving through the train. He jogged over to her, pushing several people aside in his haste. She smiled and tugged him off the train and into the station.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" the booming voice of Hagrid called out of the darkness. The half giant lumbered towards them with Fang barking at his heels.

"Is this everyone? All the firs' years here? Good, now follow me." Hagrid turned and led the way down to the lake. Lily was bouncing with excitement and he couldn't help but smile at her. God, he missed her so much. He still couldn't believe she real. They slipped and slid down the path until they reached the boats.

"Four to a boat! No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid's voice shouted at them as they all scrambled for seats.

"Come on" Severus muttered and dragged Lily to the nearest empty one. They were joined, thankfully by a tiny blonde girl in pigtails and a boy with sandy hair. He did a double take, it was Remus! He had on his usual shabby robes and he looked a little worse for wear, with dark circles under his eyes. He nodded in his direction and then faced the castle. Severus had always hated Remus the least of the marauders, mostly because he failed to stop any of them from pulling pranks on him. He had worked with him later on a few projects for the order and his anger had dimmed into indifference after seeing what the wolf went through each month. He mentally shrugged, he wouldn't see much of him this time around.

As they sailed across the lake the gears in his brain were whirling at full speed. He was sent back somehow to his eleven year old body, but why? He needed to remain calm and collected and not make any rash decisions. He hadn't seen Potter yet but when he did he wasn't sure if he could stop himself from hexing his arrogant face until it resembled swiss cheese. The marauders would be back no doubt, and he groaned out loud. He did not want to deal with them again, but if the time came he would be the better man. He was almost thirty eight for crying out loud! He could handle some pathetic children. He hadn't been a spy for years for nothing.

The boats at last pulled up to shore and they were greeted by Professor McGonagall. He almost laughed at her stern expression. She was one of the few teachers he respected, and he had enjoyed their rivalry when he was teaching.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" she announced to the group at large. "Shortly you will walk through the great hall and be sorted into your houses. You house will be like your family. There are four, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin…"

It occurred to Severus that he would be put into a different house, there was no way he was going back to Slytherin. Which one would he be put in then? He glanced at Lily next to him, who was holding on to McGonagall's every word. Perhaps ravenclaw, yes that would make sense, he was older now with a vast expanse of knowledge. The hat would most likely put him there.

The scared first years and Severus were ushered into the Great Hall up to the front where the hat sat on its stool. Severus's eyes sought Dumbledore on the staff table and there he was, beard and all. He was dressed in purple robes with gold stars for the occasion and his bright blue eyes were twinkling at the new students, and new minds to manipulate he thought bitterly. Dumbledore would not control him this time.

Severus was silent throughout the hat's song as it told the newcomers a little about each house and clapped respectfully with everyone when it was over. He wasn't nervous about his sorting at all like some of the first years; he knew where he was going. It was the only choice.

"Severus," Lily whispered to him with wide eyes, "What if we aren't in the same house?"

"It'll be ok, we'll still be best friends no matter what." He answered, smiling at her. He had smiled more in the last hour than he had in the last ten years, if only his students could see him now. They would probably die of shock.

"Black, Sirius!" a boy with shaggy black hair swaggered up to the stool. The second the hat touched his head it shouted: "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Dennis, Henry!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"You promise?" Lily asked quietly.

He turned to her. Looking deep into her eyes he said, "I'll never leave you Lily. I'll always be with you." She grinned at him, reassured.

"Evans, Lily!" After one last glance at Severus, she walked up to the hat and after a brief moment it shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Severus watched her bounce off the stool and scurry over to the cheering Gryffindor table.

"Green, Samantha!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Hughes, Alexander!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Holmes, Jacob!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Severus tuned out the sorting and watched Lily instead. Vaguely he heard each member of the marauders sorted into Gryffindor. At last he heard his name called.

"Snape, Severus!"

He strolled up to the stool and sat down, and the hat was placed on his head.

Hmmmm, a difficult one to be sure. Living your life over I see? I've only sorted two others like that since I was created… No desire to be in your old house I see… your knowledge is vast, quite incredible…

Severus sat calmly on the chair, surely the hat would scream ravenclaw any second now.

But your bravery outweighs even your intelligence… better be GRYFFINDOR!

Severus was in shock. He couldn't be in Gryffindor, there was a mistake. No way was he going to spend seven years around idiotic, arrogant prats, who ran headfirst into danger. Slowly he took off the hat and handed it to McGonagall and sat next to Lily, hardly hearing his house cheer him on.

"Oh, Severus this is wonderful! We're in the same house, so there's nothing to worry about!" Lily exclaimed, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back grateful to be able to hold her again. The food appeared and everyone dug in. Maybe this won't be so bad he thought, watching Lily pour herself a glass of pumpkin juice. He'll be around Lily more and he can keep Potter away from her more easily now that they're in the same house. He had been in the Gryffindor common room more than once and had always thought it comfortable, though of course he never said it out loud…

"So does anyone like quidditch?" a loud voice called across the table. Severus turned to see James sitting across and the left of them next to Sirius, with Peter on his left.

"I do!" Sirius said while enthusiastically stuffing his face with mashed potatoes. "Best game in the world that is!"

Severus snorted. They looked over at him quizzically. "You don't like quidditch?" James asked shell shocked.

"It's fine, I just don't see why it's such a big deal to some people." He responded. They just stared at him. Severus shrugged, he really didn't care what James Potter thought of him.

"Well, if you aren't looking forward to quidditch are you excited for classes?" asked a curious Remus Lupin from directly across him.

"Yes, I especially enjoy potions" Severus responded.

"That's nice, perhaps we could study together." Severus paused. He never liked the werewolf, but didn't see the harm in giving him a chance.

"That would be great, Lils can join us as well" he said, glancing over to her.

"I can't wait! This year is going to be incredible, I can feel it. I'm Lily Evans by the way" she stuck out her hand to Remus, who shook it.

After the feast, and usual announcements from Dumbledore, Severus stumbled up to bed with the rest of his fellow students. He said goodbye to Lily at the staircase and found himself in his dorm with four people he hated in his past life. He ignored James and Sirius and crawled into his four poster bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

This is an interesting twist I thought of. Snape in Gryffindor, I can't wait to write this. Leave me a review please! I appreciate constructive criticism, I'm new to writing. Up next: Sev tries to break up the marauders before they begin, starts classes, and makes his first change.

If anyone is wondering, they won't be teasing him very much in this story purely because he is in Gryffindor and they are loyal to their house.