Severus looked up at the group of first years walking in. He sneered when he saw a head of tangled black hair that looked exactly like James Potter. He knew he would have to deal with Potter's son eventually, but he didn't expect him to look identical to his father. Then he saw his eyes. They were emerald green. It was if Lily's eyes had been preserved in the body of that boy. He felt himself begin to creep to the verge of tears at remembering her. He turned away and looked at the blank blackboard. Composing himself, he turned around again. The boy was sitting not far away from his desk. He whisked past him and started class. He would just have to throw on a tough exterior around the boy.

He walked up to where the boy was sitting and asked him the use of a bezoar. He obviously didn't know the answer, Severus could tell by the look on his face. Out of his peripheral vision Severus saw a bushy haired girl raise her hand exuberantly. Ignoring her, he asked the boy again for the uses. After another moment he turned away. He retracted points from his house and dismissed the class.

He watched for the last student to leave and sat down at his desk. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a muggle photo. In it was a young Lily. Back when they had first met and hadn't gotten Hogwarts letters. She had looked so beautiful the day he had taken that picture. With her red hair braided and a flower behind her ear. She had on a white sundress, but she had gotten it dirty when she had pulled him down a short hill, tumbling downwards with him still in her grasp. Her eyes look then like the boy's did now. So bright and full of life. He couldn't think about them without crying, so how could he live for seven years seeing them every day? He sighed and put the photo back. This was going to be a very long year.


Obviously the photo and memory are made up.