The Secret Life of Severus Snape

Prologue

The sound of skipping steps drew David's attention upwards as Jane made her way across the tarmac towards him. His best friend looked happy, actually. Jane always looked happy to see him. They'd been friends since infants and until David had received his letter from Hogwarts this morning, it seemed like they'd spend their entire schooling together.

Jane hadn't been happy with him for not telling her that he'd be going to some school in Scotland, and there had been tears and anger and - well, she wasn't sure why he'd never said anything. As David had explained to Jane, he didn't know until this morning that he'd been accepted on a full bursary, and wasn't sure he wanted to go away to school either, but that they'd always be friends, best friends.

Holding hands with Jane as she sat down sadly beside him on the bench, David scuffed his shoes on the hard surface under his feet and picked at a loose thread on the crease of his grey wool shorts. There really was nothing David could say to make Jane happy and so the friends just simply sat in the sunshine not talking as David allowed his mind to wander, knowing that he couldn't say any more because most of it was a secret. Life just wasn't fair and David had never wished more in that moment that Jane could come away to Hogwarts with him.

But it was not to be. David had always known that he was different - magical. His mum had always emphasised that David keep it as a family secret, this magic stuff. Dad didn't understand it, but was far more interested in understanding that it was a gift that David would have to develop and be trained to use responsibly. David knew that his dad loved him and after the family discussion over breakfast this morning, made it very clear that he, David, was loved just as much as dad loved mum. It made a difference from the hazy memories he had of his first father. David remembered his temper and hacking cough, the drinking, cursing, spitting and perpetual smell of coal, soot and smoke that lingered like a cloud throughout the house.

And he remembered how timid and scared his mum was at that time, and how she always made sure to send him on an errand to the corner shops whenever his father came home on the rare occasions when he didn't stay in the pub just near the pit entrance. Seeing him was, at times, unavoidable, but his mum, Eileen, always made excuses for him and sent him to his room when his father was the worse for the drink. David couldn't remember much else about his father except that after he'd died, dad married his mum and they'd moved away from the dank dreary atmosphere of Spinner's End to Harrogate. His father had scared him as his dad never did, and his father never took him anywhere like his dad. There were never any football games or family picnics and his father was hardly ever home long enough to suggest any family activities like taking David tramping around the countryside, or to the head of the natural spring just outside town. His dad did all that and more and David loved him for it. But the best times for David were when his dad took him to work and let him look through all the interesting cupboards and nooks in the hardware shop. And if David was good and didn't make too much mess, there was always the large jar of sweets his dad kept in the top drawer of his desk behind the counter.

But, there'd be no more of that fun until school holidays and so David was determined to enjoy these last few weeks before he went down to London with his mum to shop for his books and uniform and then his first magical journey to Hogwarts. There was excitement and fear all mingling together as David tried to think what it would be like to be so far away from his mum and dad. Mum had made it all sound so special and good that he'd been accepted, and she'd made such a fuss of David understanding that Professor Dumbledore, the current Headmaster would do everything to protect David from the nebulous but hushed whispers of a darkness descending on that fantastical and magical world. Dad was just dad, but even David could feel a tension between his parents that he'd never noticed before.

Anyway, there'd be time for all that organising in the weeks to come, but the precious time was now with Jane, his plain Jane Jones, not that David was anything other than average looking, except for his huge Prince nose. He hated his nose, but his ever practical mum always made a point of saying that he'd grow into it eventually, and that along with his dark hair and dark brown eyes they were distinguished features. David hoped that he would grow into his face soon, but patience had never been a particularly well developed family trait.

Had he realised in that moment just what his mum had planned for him by taking his distinguished features to extremes, David might just have turned his back on the world that would be at times be his saviour and prison in almost equal terms.

AUTHOR NOTE: This was written for Sunnythirty3 for the recent 2013 SSHG Exchange, but could not be completed in time to post. The first part is complete and the second in the process of being written. If you're looking for hawt sexxors, then this isn't the story for you. There is some swearing, along with the judicious use and misuse of canon.

Many thanks to the fabulous team of Scattered Logic and Magically25 who have helped me get the story to the stage it is at currently. Without their input, I doubt this would be half as good. I am truly very, very lucky to have had their continuing help. Any remaining mistakes (yes, my comma fetish) are mine alone.