Severus Snape did not have a fun childhood. His parents constantly fought over money when he went to bed every night. They thought he couldn't hear their cursing, but the walls were as thin as paper and soon they fought right in front of him, disregarding his presence completely. He avoided the house, waiting ever since his acceptance letter that the Hogwarts year would start. The days lengthened as September first arrived. Severus left with his mother and waved her goodbye from the train, watching his life whiz past from the windows. He hoped she would be okay while he was gone.
He shared his train compartment with Lily Evans, a friend he had made over the summer months, the only friend he had made in his whole life.
She was his everything.
They sat in silence, nervousness clouding the compartment.
"Which House do you want to be in, Sev?" Lily asked, turning her eyes to him, breaking the silence.
"I dunno.. what about you?" he lied.
Lily smiled, a blush crossing her cheeks. "I'd like to be a Gryffindor."
Severus forced a smile, he had wanted to be a Slytherin. He wasn't sure why the house attracted him so much. Maybe it was the prospect of possible friends.
What if he was alone at Hogwarts too?
No, Severus. Don't be foolish. You have Lily, and there's bound to be someone who will talk to you, he thought. His first glimpse of Hogwarts caused a gasp to escape from his lips. It was magnificent. And he would stay there until summer, when he would go back to his old life..
He didn't want to think about that now.
He emerged from the train, Lily alongside him. He desperately wanted to hold her hand. With this thought his cheeks flushed red.
Stop thinking, Severus, you idiot.
He walked alongside her to the shore and clambered into a boat, floating towards the castle across a pitch-black lake. He noticed a grizzy-looking teenager who took up a whole half of a boat. Severus avoided looking into Lily's eyes the whole time, gazing into the murky depths beside him. He could have sworn he saw a fish or two..
Just then a pair of warm, soft hands clasped onto his. They were Lily's. He looked up to her. "Sorry, Sev. I'm just nervous.."
"It's fine, I'm nervous, too," he replied.
Severus looked over a few boats away, blushing. He saw a pale boy with glasses and messy black hair glancing at Lily. And glaring at him. Great, thought Severus, someone already hates me.
But he couldn't draw his eyes away. The way the boy's dark hair fell into perfect tufts..
He reluctantly looked back to Lily. What was wrong with him? His face went even redder, noticing her hands still wrapped around his. The one time she was holding his hands, and he wasn't even paying attention.
"Who's that?" Lily asked curiously, glancing over, her face going red.
Damnit.
"I have no clue," Severus replied honestly, looking back into the water.
"We're almost there!" Lily said, pulling her hands away, pointing to the castle. Not long after, the boats pulled up to shore and they were welcomed in. They waited to be Sorted impatiently with the other first-years. The others stayed silent, nervousness clouding the air. They were all thinking a mile a minute, all about the same thing, probably, he assumed. He sighed and avoided looking at anyone as they were lined up by last name. He was by the end of the line. Soon, they shuffled forwards slowly and eventually he could see the golden Great Hall, the older students smiling reassuringly at them. He soon was seated at the stool, the hat on his head. It thought for a moment.
"SLYTHERIN!"
He walked over to the Slytherin table, avoiding looking at Lily, whom was now seated at the Gryffindor table. He allowed his eyes to meet hers and she, surprizingly, smiled. He smiled back and gave her a thumbs-up.
That was five years ago, and now Severus was in his sixth year. Alone.