Sometimes one would truly believe that Severus Snape was actually what he pretended to be. That is, if they hadn't seen him as I did that day, so very long ago. Most would scoff at the thought of him being anything other than the so called 'Bat of the dungeons'. Most have never known him other than his facade, one put up so very young. Those who are old enough to remember him as a student either saw him very little, literally and figuratively. Ah, one would expect his head of house was one of the few to have seen him as him in his youth. No, the fool was far to caught up in his little club. Perhaps his classmates? Unfortunately, very few. He kept to himself mostly, as those four were quite persistent in their little feud. And said feud was ignored by the other two House Heads, and the Headmaster,fools. Those of his classmates that he did associate with, well, the closest is dead(Oh, she was so very gifted in my class!), and the other lead him down a path he now regrets. That day I truly realized, involved myself emotionally, as more than a teacher? His fifth year was hard, and while on a walk around the lake I saw just how much. There is something about a boy saying goodbye to his dog( for it was his, no matter where it came from,) for the summer as if it was one of many times, despite the quite obvious fact that it could have been the last. It was.
Sadly no one else will ever again witness or know the true Severus.
It is far, far, to late.
For even though he died only a few days ago, his heart has long been dead.
Buried with a dog, innocence, hope and a vivacious, green eyed redhead.