Hello everyone! This is the new and improved version of My Simple Life. I have completed and redone the entire story.

I will be updating on Mondays.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, it would have been far dirtier and not as well written.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it!

Severus Snape had always wanted a simple life. In the past, he spent his mornings sneaking down to his dungeons. He would slide into his bed wishing he could have spent his morning having a simple breakfast of toast and coffee but, no matter how much he wished otherwise, he was doomed to spend his mornings sleeping away the sins that came with being a Death Eater. Now, the war is long over, and Severus Snape is finally able to have his toast and coffee. He silently spread the strawberry jam on his toast, just as he did every other morning.

He looked up at the sudden sound of laughter, caused by a group of professors entering the previously silent Great Hall. He watched them take their seats and took note of the empty seat beside him, as he has so many times before. Tonight, during dinner, that seat would be taken by the new Muggle Studies professor. He had heard many rumors as to who would be filling that seat and he hoped them to be just that, rumors.

He had heard the position would be filled by a muggle named Jonathan Collins, who had a sibling that had attended Hogwarts some years ago. He had also heard it would be taken by Stacy Miller, a young witch who had previously held a position with the Department of Muggle Studies and Research at the Ministry.

Severus took one last sip of his coffee, and started to quick journey down to his dungeons. He supposed it wouldn't be so bad if Miss Miller was chosen to fill the position. She was smart enough, and most definitely attractive enough, and in Severus' opinion, would be the perfect candidate if it were not for one flaw; she was notorious for her troll like breath. It was hard to hold a conversation with the woman, for no matter where you stood it felt as if you were talking in a land fill. But, then again, at least she wasn't a muggle. It was not a sense of superiority that tainted his like for muggles, but the fact that he found them so bloody annoying. The castle has had its fair share of Muggle Studies professors that did not know magic. They always insisted that their way was correct and that because they had lived without magic, he could too.

He strode into his office and instantly set up his wards. With a swish of his wand, a door appeared on the previously empty wall before him. He slid the door open and marveled at his most prized possessions: hundreds upon hundreds of little glass jars filled with what Severus knew to be his own memories. These were the memories too dark, painful, and shameful to show Albus, and, mixed among them, the ones that were too vital and good for Voldemort's eyes. When every aspect of his life had been planned by two leaders in a war and everyone knew where he was and why, these were the only secrets he had. They were all his and that made them precious. Severus knew he could spend days looking through his memories and decided it would be a convenient distraction. One that would get him so distracted he may even lose track of time and forget dinner. The less time he spent with the new staff member the better.

Severus heard a faint yet distinctive tap on his office door. "Leave me." Severus said, knowing the owl would hear him. Tap, tap, tap. "Come back another time." He almost shouted. Again, he heard the tapping of the owl. The tapping continued until Severus wretched the door open and a small grey owl carrying a letter flew in. He snatched the letter and quickly shooed the animal out of his office. It was obviously from Dumbledore; who else's owl would be so bloody persistent? Scowling, he carefully opened the letter and began to read.

Severus,

I did not get a chance to see you at breakfast and remind you that we will be introducing our new professor to the rest of the staff tonight. I hope to see you there and in good health.

Albus

Severus gave a sigh and threw the note down on his desk. That man knew him far too well. But, then again, what could he expect from a man with such intelligence? Though in Severus' opinion, Albus had outdone even himself when he faked his own death.

Severus made his way to the glass jars and carefully picked up one that had been dated five years earlier. He poured the memory into the pensieve placed in the corner of his secret room. He lowered his head and felt the familiar pull of being sucked into a memory.

The memory was set in Severus' own office. Nothing had changed except for the slightly younger Severus Snape who was currently First Year papers. It was obvious the papers were from First Years by the amount of red ink on the parchment coupled with the murderous expression on Severus' face. There was a slight knock on his office door and Severus glared at his clock. He didn't know who would have the nerve to call upon him at this hour, but whoever it was would end up with an entire week of detentions.

"Enter." He called in a cold, chilling voice designed to scare off any wayward students, even ones brave enough to knock on his office door in the first place.

"Severus?" The voice was one the professor knew well; it was the same voice that haunted his dreams at night. But no, it couldn't be; Albus Dumbledore was dead, and he was the reason.

Severus looked up to see the tall man standing before him, "Are you a ghost?"

"No, My Dear Boy, I am just as alive as you are." Severus flinched at the name bestowed upon him. Albus had always used it when things seemed almost too much to bear. The sentiment, once comforting, now felt like a crucio to his heart.

"You can't be alive. I – I murdered you." Severus said his voice a mere whisper. He knew that if he spoke any louder his voice was sure to break and the steady stream of tears cascading down his cheeks would become all the more visible.

"You didn't murder anyone that night, Severus. You did as I asked and ended the life of someone willing to die. You set someone free of pain." The twinkle in his eye was as evident as it had always been, but there was no way this man could be Albus Dumbledore. "Do you remember a man named Sam Pennington?"

Severus nodded. Sam was a Ravenclaw in the year above his own.

"Well, I found out that he was ill and I paid him a visit. The poor lad had cancer, I'm afraid."

"You are under the polyjuice potion. There is no way you are Albus." Severus said as the tears flowed freely down his face.

Dumbledore gave Severus a look that he knew well; it was the look Dumbledore had given him every time Severus had tried to interrupt while he was trying to tell a story. He continued, "One day he told me that he was not ready to die. His sister had been tortured and murdered for being a muggle born, and Sam vowed to avenge her. I knew of his sister, and I knew she had died during a battle. I thanked him for his family's sacrifice. It is a shame that such sacrifices have to be made. I even told him my own tale; I told him of how I am to die to set things in motion. That is when he offered to take my place. He was going to die, and by taking my place he would get the revenge he vowed. I gave him polyjuice potion and he died in my stead. I argued at first – no young man should die for an old one like me – but he insisted that this is the only way his death would have meaning. I am truly sorry I had to deceive you, My Dear Boy."

"Albus -" was the only thing Severus could say as he wept.

Severus was thrown back into his present office. He stood for a moment, alone and glossy eyed, as he processed the memory. He let out a deep sigh before taking a seat at his desk. With a wave of his wand, the secret room was hidden and Severus was able to focus on writing his lesson plans for the year to come.

Severus looked up from his daze when the enchanted clock on the wall announced that it was time for dinner. He quickly made his way to the Great Hall and silently took his seat, watching the other professors whisper amongst themselves.

"Isn't this exciting, Severus? I wonder why Albus left us in the dark." Minerva said more to herself than Severus. He was about to respond with a dry, sarcastic remark about exactly exciting it was when the doors to the Great Hall opened and everyone started at the sight of the new professor standing in the entrance.

Suddenly everyone started cheering and talking excitedly; well, everyone except Severus, that is, who found himself suddenly wishing the rumors had, in fact, been true.

Thank you all so much for reading the first chapter of My Simple Life. Cookies to anyone who comments!

I will have the next chapter up next Monday!

Megan