Hello everyone! I just wanted to write a short story that focused more on Snape's actions that helped change the course of Harry's life. I have always enjoyed how J.K. Rowling weaved the two men's pasts together that helped create the wonderful Harry Potter books. Hopefully my short story wont change the way she wrote her books to much. I tried to keep the characters as true as possible while adding a twist of my own. However, my writing style is completely different from J.K Rowling. I trying write in a mixure of first and third person views as I write the future chapters you will be reading soon.

So, without further ado, here is the first chapter of the story.

LD

The October evening came relatively quickly as the cool afternoon air turned cold as soon as the sun had set for the day. There was a hint of a chill in the air that signaled an early snow was on its way before Halloween this year. All around the castle, lanterns suddenly went alight allowing the students of Hogwarts to freely move around the vast castle amidst the chilly evening shadows kept at bay. Aromatic wisps of food filled the surrounding hallways that merged to meet the Great Hall whilst chattering students could be heard in the distance as students gathered for their evening meal that Monday evening.

It was a week before Halloween and the first message about the Hogsmeade village visit had been posted in all common rooms in the early morning hours on this day. Since Halloween would fall on a Monday this year, Professor Dumbledore thought it would be best to give the students an extended weekend for once. This had never happened before and the students were all very excited at Hogwarts. There would also be a Quidditch match in the morning before many students left for Hogemeade to enjoy the remainder of the day until the annual Halloween Feast began.

The library slowly began to get louder as students passed by its open doors. Madam Pince swiftly stood up in her office to go and shut the grand doors that marked the entrance to her precious library. There were students in there still trying to complete some of their work. It was here that the Gryffindor trio could be found.

Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to finish some of their research in the library at half past seven. The three Gryffindors became more and more frustrated as time passed. It was past time for the start of the evening meal. Ron threw his book down in frustration and sighed. Off in the distance, he could hear faint sounds as students happily conversed over dinner that was now halfway finished.

Harry on the other hand was very anxious about his detention this evening with Snape. Normally, he wouldn't have cared about detentions with Professor Snape simply because Snape always made him clean the dirty cauldrons without magic when the greasy haired teacher was the potions professor. Now, Professor Snape had gotten the post as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and there was no telling what his detentions would be like. It wasn't like Harry tried to get into trouble either. His afternoon went rather well up until the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson began.

Harry and Ron decided that it would be best to help Hermione try and find some information on the half blood prince. The two boys felt that if they could find a book that talked about him, then maybe Hermione would become more comfortable about Harry using his old potions book. However, all the history texts about famous potions masters revealed nothing of the mysterious man. This helped further Hermione's distrust of the so called Half-Blood Prince.

Ron looked at his watch with a grimace on his face. "Hermione, we've been here for hours and still have not found any information about a half blood prince! Dinner is almost over. Let's just go eat!" he whined. Ron's stomach growled in response to his comment as if it too was in agreement that Hermione was being a bit ridiculous with trying to find research on the half blood prince when there was warm food waiting for them in the heart of the castle.

"Fine! We'll go eat." Hermione huffed. "It's not like I'm trying to force you to stay here against your will." she replied sarcastically.

Harry and Ron looked at each other while Hermione was in the process of slamming her books shut. They knew she was in a bad mood. It was best not to anger her much as she was stressed out about her other activities that she was doing around the school when she wasn't in class. They wondered how she managed to stay sane after all these years with her heavy school workload. Ron and Harry gathered their things in turn to head towards the Great Hall for dinner. Hermione left them behind in an attempt to find them all a spot to eat.

Harry and Ron were half way to the great hall when Harry stopped suddenly. "Crap!" Harry said rather loudly, causing Ron to jump. "I forgot my book up at the Library."

"Bloody hell Harry. You scared me there for a moment." Ron replied. "I wasn't expecting you to half yell like that!" It looked like Ron had wanted to put his hand over his heart, but never made a move to do it. Harry glanced at his friend, studied him for a quick moment before dropping the subject. Ron wouldn't have elaborated anyways as to how Harry's comment suddenly scared him like that if Harry asked.

"Sorry." He mumbled back. "I'll meet you and Hermione in the Great Hall as soon as I get my book. Save me a plate of dinner?"

"Sure thing. I'll let Hermione know where you went." Ron replied, half glancing at his watch. "You'd better hurry mate. You got less than twenty minutes to eat your meal before you head up to Professor Snape's classroom for detention."

Harry knew that Ron would try to wait as long as he could for his best mate to arrive at the dinner table before he would start to scarf down his own dinner for the evening. Hermione would look at Ron with slightly narrowed eyes before beginning her own meal as well. Harry knew it would be best to hurry back to the Great Hall as quickly as possible.

Harry didn't want to be late for detention this evening. He felt it was unfair that he was being punished because Malfoy could not look where he was going before tripping over Harry's bag that was on the floor beside Harry's desk. Snape however, did not listen to Harry as harry tried to explain that his bookbag was placed right beside his desk and out of the main aisle between the desks. Snape practically blamed him for trying to trip young Mr. Malfoy. He gave Harry detention. His reason, that no student should leave their stuff lying all over the place like they owned the placed. As a result, he would serve detention with the fuming professor that same evening at eight pm.

Harry thought about the days' events as he turned on his heels and half ran back up the stone steps to where the library was. Harry did not pay any attention to his surroundings or he would have noticed he was being followed by Malfoy and his personal posse: Crabbe and Goyle.

Upon his arrival to the Library wing, Harry quickly hurried inside. As quietly as possible, we went to the spot that the trio was using minutes ago. Lying there was his potions book that he carelessly left behind. He knew he had to be more careful with where he laid his things. Madam Pince hated untidiness in her own library.

Harry rushed back down the hallway that led from the library. Five minutes had already passed. As harry turned the corner to walk/run to the steps that would take him to the great hall, he was unable to quickly move out of the way of the fist that connected to his face; knocking his glasses of his face while his eyes showed fury. Malfoy and his gang smiled maliciously at Harry who was now being cornered by the angry trio.