A Man and His Child
Well this is the story! Haha, hope you enjoy! It's a bit dry in the first chapter, but I promise it will get better!
Serverus Snape staggered into the great hall minutes before the opening feast. His eyes tired, but he wore his normal scowl. Perhaps this was his way of telling those around him to leave him be, as he preferred it. His greasy, pin straight black hair slid down to his broad shoulders in a silky line. He covered his entire being with black fabrics that twisted around him grimly.
'Serverus." Dumbledore smiled gently, as a warm welcome back to Hogwarts.
He managed to twist his lips carelessly. Hogwarts to him was a mere addition to his hopelessly lost life. He couldn't remember the last he truly felt happy, though he was sure it was sometime with Lily. Alas, those times were years ago, long faded away into the deepest pits of his memories.
Students tumbled into the great hall to Serverus' great annoyance. The soothing silence was murdered brutally by what he viewed as nuisances.
"Dunderheads." He muttered to himself as the Gryffindors took there habitual spot in the center of the great hall.
"Arrogant little buggers." He shot again, this time attracting the attention of Professor Sprout, who unfortunately sat beside him.
She rolled her eyes, but paid no attention to his insolence, as she, like many other professors, had grown accustomed to it. She was more interested in the new first years nervously wondering into the great halls, as Serverus. To him, this was his favorite part. He would get a look at his new students who needed to be "broken in".
They deeply took in the new surroundings, devouring the astonishing scenery that laid before them, for it was unlike anything they had obviously ever seen. What seemed like millions of voices crowded the air, silently suffocating Serverus' already low patience.Dumbledore, the beloved headmaster rose to his podium to speak. All grew quiet, and Dumbledore's raspy, aged voice echoed through the hall. It was filled with excitement, and happiness.
"Welcome back for another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is my honor, as well as a pleasure, to go about the school year beside each and everyone of you. To watch you grow, as your magical ability increases, as well as your desire to learn. It warms my heart to be in a room filled with each and everyone of you whom I have met in the past, and those who I meet now. Will all first years please step forward so we may sort you into one of our four houses, Gryffindoor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw," His voice chimed through the walls for the great hall.
It seemed the only man he had respect for here was indeed Dumbledore. Though the personalities of the two differed greatly, he could not help but look to Dumbledore as a great man, with qualities he wised he had. Such as loyalty, and the knowledge of what was right, and the desire to do what was right. Serverus seemed to take hits to his self esteem and continued to drown out the mutter of those who stood before him. He searched deeply into his poisoned memories to think of Lily, and a moment they had shared together. He needed to push out the negativity that so often swept through his well used mind.
Her fierce red hair contrasted with the set of white teeth she hid under her rosy pink lips, which he desired to brush against his. Serverus at this time was a young lad, barely at the age of thirteen. His heart beat a little faster with every elegant step she danced towards him. The freshly fallen snow hit her gently, and the moonlight illuminated her radiant green eyes, which he greedily thought was just focused on him. Her cheeks stained scarlet as the night grew colder, only matching the hair Serverus wished he could reach out and stroke. He had never known such a warmth that Lily provided him from the moment her laid his dark eyes on her. She seemed to be flawless, and he would admit quite easily the most important person in his life.
He stopped himself, any more of this pointless reminiscing only brought him pain for later on. He focused on the array of various foods on his white plate, colorfully lighting the blankness. He brought his golden goblet to his lips, which he had poured fire whiskey into. He already knew he was in for a long, sleepless night of agony and despair. By the time he had lost his train of thoughts, the last of the first years was sluggishly moving her way onto the stool. She had black hair, much like his own, though it shined from a fresh wash, and looked much more lively. Her face read a mixture of things. From what he could read, he noticed the obvious fear, but nervousness and doubt, in herself. He remembered back onto the first day of his first year, and how he had felt the same thing.
He brushed it off his mind, this obviously was what all first years thought waltzing up to that wretched stool. He would pay no attention to her any more than the other twerps he was forced to teach, for she was just a face in the crowd.
"What a good mind you have, the best I've seen in a quite a while." The sorting hat hummed in an impressed tone. "A desire to prove yourself, very nice…" he muttered to himself, his voice trailing off.
"You most certainly belong in the house of your father, Slytherin. Though you are not a thief, and you do not have bad intentions, you are cunning, and smart, and very clever. You would not fit in with Ravenclaws, and you are not ordinary enough to be a Hufflepuff. Gryffindor would not know how to harness such a talent as yours!" He chimed, letting her go.
Serverus glanced back at the black haired little girl, what was so special about her? Surely, she couldn't have been any smarter than the rest of the bunch. He wouldn't lie, he was absolutely pleased she was in the Slytherin house, just because it was the best house. She was lucky to be placed in the greatest house in all of history. He smiled smugly as she shook the hand of the Prefect of the Slytherin house, and sat down next to a fourth year Goyle, who forked his third serving of food down with his bare hands. You could see the revolt seeping through her eyes, but she kept calm.
"You, Sprout," He demanded the attention of the witch sitting next to him. "What was that girl's name?" He asked curiously, hoping this had not come across as though he was interested.
Sprout paid no interest to it, "Shawna Zemphoria."
He looked away from her, and tilted his head towards the students who were starting to finish the food they had hauled onto the plates. A flood of relief poured through Serverus' old bones. Finally, they poured out the doorway from which they came. As for Serverus Snape, he went back to his dungeons to sleep.