As a sheltered child of a muggle father and pureblooded mother Severus Snape did not enter Hogwarts happily.

Eileen Prince raised in fortune and prestige rarely moved in circles that contained anyone but the most elite of society; it was no different when she met Tobias Snape. A muggle businessman born into equal if muggle wealth; a man who had tripled the fortunes left to him within the first two years of inheriting them at the tender age of twenty-three. A man who always followed through with his conquests and who never took no for an answer.

Eileen Prince escaped the often-oppressive nature of her parents' circles one evening to experience the forbidden fruit of the muggle world with her closest ally; her cousin Walburga Black.

It was unavoidable that well-established families had to deal with the muggle world from time to time, especially considering that vast amounts of the Prince and Black fortunes alike were earned in the muggle world. And it was very occasionally that those half bloods that saw to the Prince assets in the muggle world were invited to dinner after a business meeting. The Princes were not barbarians after all, and while they were perfectly happy to be apart from muggle filth, they had no real inclination or desire to actively hate those people.

It was at one of these dinners that Walburga Black met Timothy Barrett; an ordinary half-blood who had no real fortune or aspirations at greatness but was pleasing to the eye and kind to the often teased Walburga.

"Of course, he is not quite beautiful, and his name and station are so very ordinary, but I find, Eileen, that it doesn't quite matter to me as much as it once did. And even though I'm betrothed to Orion I think I'm quite at risk of losing my head and running away with Timothy."

Eileen lifted an eyebrow as she sunk into the chair at her dressing table, affixing the plainest earrings she owned, a set of pearl studs. "Of course, leaving Orion isn't exactly a difficult decision to make. In fact I think you should leave him anyway, even if this thing with Timothy doesn't work out."

Orion Black, Walburga's cousin on the other side of her family was, simply put, a bit of bastard. He was cruel and belittled Walburga at every turn. The man was handsome and had always had his pick of bedmates; he did not appreciate the match his parents had made for him. While Walburga was not particularly ugly she would never be anything more than plain, her dark hair was course and brittle, her eyes a flat brown and her pale skin prone to spotting. The girl was a little overweight to be sure, but what seventeen-year-old still experiencing puberty wasn't.

Well, Eileen wasn't, but her frame had always been small and her dark hair had always been the smooth sheet that Walburga coveted. And her skin though pale, was of that kind of ivory skin that went so well with the dark depths of her eyes. No, Eileen was uncommonly pretty, but Walburga begrudged her softhearted friend none of it.

Walburga remained silent from where she sat on Eileen's bed. She could only agree, but bemoaning her fate had never been something she took pleasure in indulging.

Walburga had been dressed for half an hour now. The red dress bringing out what little colour she had and the few hair potions that Eileen had pinched from her mother and charms that Eileen was able to perform had transformed ordinary Walburga's hair into a mass of dark, perfectly shaped ringlets.

Eileen finished and the two girls moved silently down the hall, their heels in their hands as they tiptoed down the stairs and past the drawing room where their parents were entertaining the McNairs.

Eileen was able to activate the floo network silently and the girls slipped on their heels before stepping through the passageway and into the Leaky Cauldron. Quickly, they checked their faces and dresses for unwanted blemishes of soot and hurried outside to where Timothy Barrett was waiting.

It was the summer before Eileen and Walburga's last year of Hogwarts and they were ready to be independent, and the shyly charming Timothy Barrett was just the man to help them along their way. He was much older, nearly twenty-eight, but he didn't look it and really, what seventeen-year-old girl doesn't appreciate an older man.

Timothy extended both his arms and each girl took hold and were happily led into a taxi.

"You both look lovely this evening." Timothy smiled, and wriggled in his seat so that he sat against the door and was better able to see Eileen and Walburga beside him.

"Thank you," Walburga giggled and Eileen could only smile. Walburga did not giggle often. It was adorable.

Timothy's grin widened, "A muggle business associate of mine is throwing a house-warming party for himself this evening, I thought that that would be the best place for you to experience some muggle culture."

"And everyone there will be a muggle?" Eileen couldn't help the pure excitement that laced her every word.

"Yes, as far as I am aware I am the only magically inclined person of Tobias' association. But you'll soon see that the muggle upper classes are not so very different from the wizarding kind. There's prejudice, and dripping wealth, and obscene pride in every society," Timothy said soberly.

Eileen couldn't help but like Timothy Barrett. He was kind, and he was intelligent and he seemed to genuinely like Walburga. There were worlds of difference between him and Orion Black.

The house that they arrived at was nothing short of a country mansion and Eileen was impressed that the muggles could do things as well as wizards, in terms of flaunting one's wealth.

The party wasn't like the parties that the Slytherins threw in their common room, there was no wild dancing or rapid forbidden jazz, and there was no drunken debauchery. It was all very civil and (apart from the lack in magic and house-elves) Eileen felt like she was at another of her parents' society gatherings. Of course being seventeen Eileen by now had at the very least an appreciation for these parties if not a fondness. She admired the silver tongues that spoke inanities to one another but truthfully revealed volumes about not only their business ventures and their familial events but also their deepest characters.

She appreciated the way that the lovely society maidens and matrons flitted about the room and made men fall in love with them with a carefully placed laugh, look or smile. It was all so deviously innocent and Eileen felt right at home, if occasionally a little desirous of a darkened room to dance wildly with Gilbert Hibertwaight, the heartthrob of seventh year.

But she forgot all about the Slytherin Common Room when Timothy Barrett introduced her to Tobias Snape. The man was tall and distinguished. His nose was, truth be told, rather large and hooked but it matched his face and demeanor so perfectly that Eileen couldn't help but find it uncommonly handsome. His hair dark, and eyes so piercingly blue that Eileen could feel herself go week at the knees.

Tobias Snape looked deeply into her eyes as he bent over her hand and he knew that Eileen Prince would be his newest acquisition.

Eileen didn't know what happened to Walburga and Timothy for the rest of the evening because she spent it lost in Tobias' eyes as he told her everything about himself, and questioned her about her own life. She only just had enough presence of mind to edit out the bits that were too magical for him to understand, and was surprised when it didn't take much effort at all. Tobias truly understood her position in life. And he truly matched it.

Within an hour Eileen had fallen in love and had decided that she would give this man anything he ever had the condescension of wanting from her.


Severus Snape at seventeen stood two inches shorter than his father. He was much thinner than his father had ever been, having inherited his mother's physique. He was thin, and frail and for many years his mother worried about her son's health.

When Severus was seven years old, his mother died. Severus couldn't really remember her very well, but he could remember faintly sparkling dark eyes and full lips that quirked into crooked smiles whenever Severus attempted to explain to her about his Legos or books.

Severus had always known that he was a wizard, just like he had always known that his father wasn't and that while Severus was in the muggle world he was to behave like the only child of an affluent businessman. When he turned eleven and received his Hogwarts letter there was no excitement; it was a fact of life. Severus would go because his father had promised his mother before her death, but being a wizard was not Severus' goal, and after school he would come back to the muggle world permanently and go to Oxford or Cambridge and take a degree, and then learn to take over his father's business interests.

On the second of September 1971 (the second day of Severus' magical education) Severus knew that he could never go back. He never told his father, and never planned to do so in the future. He would just quietly disappear.

Being the sickly child that he had been Severus never left the safety of his father's sprawling country estate. He met other children, but they were brought to him and Severus had no desire to play with them after his mother's death. Content to merely sit in his room and read.

Boarding the train to Hogwarts for the very first time had been a taxing experience for Severus, because it had been his first time leaving the estate, ever. And even though his back had remained ramrod stiff and his chin high above his boots, he had been terrified to be so alone for the first time ever.

And it hadn't helped that he'd been the immediate target for bullies with his awkward gangly figure, and still too large nose. But when he'd arrived at Hogwarts and had that magic seep into his bones for the first time Severus felt like he was coming home, even if it wasn't to particularly friendly faces.

Severus Snape had always been alone, but now he was lonely as well. His upbringing by a wealthy Englishman had made him reserved, and quiet. Had made his interests intellectual and had made him into a hybrid of mature man and awkward little boy. It also made him a social outcast in the cruel world of eleven-year-old snot nosed brats.

It wasn't until second year when a boy with windswept blond hair and pretty blue eyes sauntered into his lonely cabin on the train that Severus made a friend. Regulus Black was Severus' only friend, but he was the best he could have had. The boy spent the next six years of Severus' life at Hogwarts gently teasing him, encouraging him to take part in social events, sitting with him at dinner and defending him from idiotic stunts perpetrated by the very likes of his own elder brother.

Severus was cold, he was always cold, and having struggled since birth with illness he was very careful about his health. On September the first 1977 Severus stood on platform 9¾ in a heavy black wool coat and with his father by his side.

"We'll discuss your plans for next year at Christmas." Tobias said, setting down his son's trunk. Tobias was in the habit of doing most things for his child; ensuring that Severus didn't overtax himself and encourage further illness.

"Yes, father."

"Good." And with a nod, Tobias left the platform.

Severus sighed and pulled his trunk after him onto the train, making sure to secure an empty cabin before settling down to wait for Regulus to join him.

The sliding of the cabin door was expected, what wasn't expected was James Potter darting into the room and closing the door firmly behind him. Potter sunk to his knees, facing the door and peeked out the window that was banked into the door.

Severus cleared his throat and Potter jumped; evidently he had thought he was alone in the compartment. Severus kept his face perfectly blank and waited for Potter to explain himself.

Severus didn't know Potter well; only that he was close friends with Regulus' brother Sirius, and he was in Severus' year but the stoic boy rarely lifted his nose out of a book to be bothered with most of the people around him. And after the very early years Sirius and his gang had ceased their attentions on Severus. Bullying a person who was too reserved to show any sort of reaction got old fast.

Potter was surprised, but his face turned softer once he looked Severus over and offered him a charming crooked smile that made something inside of Severus' soul crack just a little bit. "Hullo."

"Hello," Severus said quietly.

"I hexed Sirius, he isn't very happy." Potter explained, quickly turning to glance out the window before looking back at Severus.

Severus kept his face perfectly neutral.

But being silent apparently made Potter talk all the more, "It was harmless really." Potter turned to stare out the window into the corridor again. "I just turned his hair silver… and his skin green. But really it'll wash off in a few days. He's such a baby."

Potter sighed, stood up and drew the blind across the window. He moved to sit on the bench across from Severus. "Wha'ch'ya reading?," Potter said, peering curiously at the book in Severus' hands.

"A muggle book," Severus answered.

Potter lifted an eyebrow, and nodded his head slowly. Severus could tell that Potter was thinking hard about something when his head tilted to the side and his tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek. Eventually he said, "Why come to Hogwarts at all if you hate the wizarding world so much?"

Severus had a lot of experience in keeping emotion off his face, so his expression remained carefully blank as he examined Potter's face. Potter was frowning a little and his stare was entirely sincere.

"I don't hate it," Severus admitted at length.

"Well, your family does at least." Potter's head tilted to the other side.

Severus didn't say anything.

Potter sighed, frustrated. "You make it very difficult for someone to have a conversation with you you know."

Severus' expression didn't even flicker.

"Sometimes I think you're a robot. No one can be so casually blank all the time. It's impossible." Potter scooted forward in his seat as if examining Severus at a nearer distance would give him the answers he wanted.

"You know about robots?" Severus said, deciding to at least give Potter something.

Potter grinned, "Yeah I do. My dad brings all sorts of stuff from the muggle world home when he goes to his business stuff. Mostly magazines and things, and one of them was all about the newest technological advancements and what the muggles hope to be doing in the next twenty years. It's absolutely fascinating."

Severus bit his tongue for a moment, deciding if he really wanted to go down this path, but he heard Regulus' voice in his head urging him to be more sociable.

"Why do you bother if you hate the muggle world?," Severus said.

Potter frowned at the sudden change in topic, "I don't hate the muggle world. I think it's really interesting."

Severus raised an eyebrow, trying to let Potter's own words communicate for Severus where he could not.

Potter's smile of understanding was full of boyish charm, "Oh really? You still find it so fascinating after six years?"

"More than that," Severus closed his book and put it beside him on the bench seating.

"How so?" Potter tilted his head to the side again, concentrating on the words slipping from Severus' highly guarded tongue.

"It's a part of who I am, in ways that the muggle world can never be." And then Severus had to literally bite his tongue. Confessing things like this to relative strangers was going to get him into trouble. He knew how much his father hated it when Severus was too open.

Potter leaned back in his seat, "Yeah, I get that. I mean, I find it all really interesting, but if I had to choose I know which world would win."

Severus inclined his head in agreement and Potter grinned. "You're not so bad Snape."

Severus didn't move a muscle.

Potter giggled a little, "You always seem so stuck up and like you think you're better than everybody else. But really you're just all reserved and shy aren't you."

Severus couldn't actually do anything to stop the blush that suffused his cheeks.

Potter giggled some more, "See I knew it. Well, don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Potter winked at him and then screamed bloody murder as the compartment door was flung open and a Slytherin green Sirius Black stormed inside, his wand pointed directly at Potter.

"You little bastard!" Black shouted.

"Oh come on Sirius! It was just a joke!" Potter said in a pitifully high tone of voice as he cowered in the corner of his seat.

Severus sat perfectly still.

"It won't come off! I've been in the bathroom for ten minutes trying to scrub this off of me." Black complained, and threw himself in the seat beside Potter. His wand stashed in his robes, Black buried his face in his hands.

Potter moved from his corner to sit properly again and gave Severus a secret smirk before looking towards Black, "It'll come off. Don't worry."

"When?" Black sounded positively pitiful and Severus couldn't help the silent laugh that lived inside his chest.

Potter choked on a giggle, "A day or two."

Black whimpered, "I'm ugly."

The door swung open again to admit a laughing Regulus Black, when he saw Potter and Black sitting across from Severus he could only laugh harder.

Black looked up and glared, but ultimately buried his face in his emerald green hands once again.

"I was just coming to tell you Severus," Regulus managed between chuckles, "But he's here already. It's brilliant!" He threw himself next to Severus much the same way as Black had done to Potter. Potter lifted an eyebrow at the action but Severus just stared blankly back.

"What are you doing in here anyway?" Black complained.

"It's our compartment." Regulus said absently, picking up Severus' discarded book and flipping through the pages, "Really Severus? Again? How many times are you going to read this?"

Severus was feeling a little too out of his depth with the two relative strangers in the room to give his usual response so he remained motionless.

"I have to get out of here. I can't bare to look into his smug face anymore!" Black erupted pointing his finger (rather rudely) in his little brother's face.

Regulus made a face but said nothing, laying Severus' book aside.

Potter sighed, and laughed a little, "All right. I'll see you later Snape," Potter said the last bit a little too casually as he followed Black out the door.

Regulus turned to Severus, frowning in curiosity, "Care to explain that?"

Severus could only smirk, "Only if you tell me why Laurel Bones wrote to me this summer about how much she loves you."

"She did what?" Regulus sat up straight, genuinely intrigued.

Severus couldn't help laughing, "You're so gullible."

"You're a twit." Regulus huffed, and lightly punched his much scrawnier older best friend in the arm.