The Prince's Tale

Entirely revamped! Things have been added, entire sections have been taken out, this won't count as an update so you might not ever become aware of this, yay!

I do not own Harry Potter.

"What part of, 'I love him,' don't you understand, Sev? You're not going to change my mind!" Lily hissed over her shoulder, clutching her books to her chest as tightly as she could as she pumped her legs down the empty corridor.

"He's just using you, Lily! As soon as you give him what he wants he'll be off chasing some other gullible skirt!" Snape replied bewilderedly as he hurried after her.

Lily spun around, her red waves flying and her eyes burning. "Oh, that's nice, insult my intelligence and my boyfriend in one go. First of all, we've been dating for nearly five months, and he was chasing after me for years. Second of all, Snape, if you must know, I've already given him, quote, what he wants, end quote, and he's still here. So why don't you stop giving me your 'friendly advice' and go fuck yourself!"

He simply stood there in shock as she strutted off, her chin high and her back ramrod straight. He didn't want to think. She and James- oh, god. He hated James Potter. For everything. Everything!

As he summoned the will to move, he thought back to the first time he'd ever met James Potter, to that first day on the train. He supposed that it started out as jealousy. There was a good-looking boy who was smart and strong, confident and funny, lovable and companionable. Snape had triumphed when Lily didn't show interest, because he had always feared that she would be stolen away by this type of good-looking smooth-talking boys. But she wasn't. In the beginning, at least.

X

He knew that the beginning of the end started sometime around when the Marauders made the entire Great Hall into a swamp on the first weekend of seventh year. Instead of staring James down as she usually would have (especially when she saw the, "Welcome home, Slytherins!" sign), Lily laughed lightly and clapped her hands together as she and Marlene scrambled into a small paddleboat and pedaled out to where they usually sat on the floating Gryffindor table, where they docked and began to congratulate the Marauders on their success.

She didn't even spare Snape a single glance except to giggle as he almost fell into the murky water. And he knew it wasn't a fond giggle, but a slightly malicious and well-deserved giggle. He could tell from his sopping position across the hall that Sirius was shooting his mouth off about him showering. Oh, the joy.

Well, maybe the beginning was far before that. After all, she had befriended Marlene McKinnon when she had switched dorms at the very end of their fifth year, after that row the two of them had had. He remembered how difficult is was to just watch as the two of them (Marlene and Lily) became inseparable early in 6th year, the way HE and Lily had been in the years before Hogwarts, and perhaps more so.

Marlene could be a slightly jealous friend, and she despised Snape. She was, after all, somehow vaguely related to Potter, and living with him. Snape knew that Marlene was Lily's voice of 'reason,' telling Lily 'what really happened,' and turning her against him. It seemed like all the Gryffindors had joined in some sort of conspiracy against him.

X

When Lily and James first got together, it was not a large public affair until the next day. Apparently he had simply asked her out at breakfast. As simple as that, he had won.

Snape had been slightly disappointed. He had accepted the possibility that Potter might harbor some sort of true affection for Lily, somewhere in his subconscious mind. But the he didn't' want to know it or recognize it. His mind was a fast moving force, wiping away what he knew to be true and telling Snape that it was all a show.

Even as he saw them, quietly holding hands as other people finally began to notice, he grasped at hope. Lily had hated James for six years! And then, the week after New Year's, they were the IT couple. It was all too fast, he told himself skeptically. But no one else noticed.

They were always together, and James seemed to love touching her. His fingers in her hair, her hands in his, her forehead to his shoulder, his knee on hers, their arms linked, his arm slung over her shoulders, everything all the time. He was glad that neither of them seemed all that keen on the PDA Of The Grotesque, because their close proximity and quiet affection was already enough to make him sick to his stomach.

He had hoped that they wouldn't last long, that they would just be a fling, like the vast majority of James' previous relationships. But they held fast to each other, arguing over the pettiest things like an old married couple and making up in seconds. They worked disgustingly well together. At the end of the year, they were voted, 'Most Likely Couple to Stay Together.' The worst part was, that title wasn't even a jinx.

X

Snape would no longer attend Quidditch games- not that he'd enjoyed them all that much to begin with. He had always thought that he and Lily shared an intense dislike for the game. Of course it turned out that Lily had just been afraid of heights and didn't understand the game. Of course it had been James and not Snape who opened the door to that world for Lily. Another bond between the two of them, lost to that ruffian with the crazy hair.

But at the prodding of his fellow Slytherins, who promised that he'd enjoy this game more than any of the previous ones, he reluctantly decided to go. The muggy April air slugged into his lungs, and he knew that it would rain soon. He could see that James and Lily were already there, behind the locker rooms, and she seemed to be talking to him calmingly. He was shaking his head. She whacked him up the side of his head, and Snape could see his pathetic pouting.

X Out of Snape's earshot X

Lily slapped the side of James' head. "We both know that my presence doesn't make you angry. You're just being stupid.

"I suppose it might add to your charm." And she took off her coat, revealing an old Spanish soccer jersey, which she had modified to carry his name and number, 17. Then she kissed him long enough to make Severus look away and pranced into the stands.

X Back with Snape X

Snape almost fled the scene when Lily initiated the kiss between them. His stomach dropped and he froze. He'd seen the handholding and the cheek pecking, but he'd never seen them full out kiss. The green beast inside of him had gone forth and multiplied, and his shock turned to anger. Potter just stood there, smiling goofily at Lily's retreating backside.

But as Snape's face hardened to a glare, James seemed to sense his eyes upon him. James turned to face him, his face set in a disapproving frown. They stared each other down for a moment, and Snape eventually looked away. He walked towards the Slytherin seats, hating himself.

AQUI

The game was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, and the playing was brutal. Potter and his fellow Chasers scored goal after goal, but they didn't have time to gloat before the Slytherin beaters started shooting at them again. Sirius flew around skillfully, throwing the Bludgers right back at his green-clad counter-parts. The rain that Snape had mentally predicted came in a storm. Remus Lupin had to scream into the microphone to be heard above the din of the pounding rain.

Snape did not see what was making this game special. If there had ever been a chance at him enjoying himself, it had died as soon as the rain began.

Mercifully, the game ended suddenly as Marlene, the Gryffindor seeker, snatched the Snitch from between the Slytherin seeker's (Bailey Gresteftsky) outstretched fingers. The Gryffindors congregated together on the field, the mud sloshing around their ankles and flying everywhere.

Having no wish to witness any Gryffindor celebrations, Snape straightened his scarf and turned heel. He want to look up and see Lily fighting to get to James or to see Sirius and Marlene collide in mid-air. But he could not help but see the sky-illuminating bolt of light that erupted from Avery's wand and what it did to James' limbs. All of the bones in his arms and legs, gone. For a moment the bright lights of victory danced in front of Snape's eyes.

Until he saw Lily's face. She was panicked, frightened, and angry. And suddenly, he realized that this was what he was supposed to be enjoying. This was what the others had had planned all along, whether the Gryffindors won or not. He looked at Lily's face and wished even harder that he'd never come.

Of course, with his luck, he caught a nasty head cold and was confined to the Infirmary, with James and his tower of gifts just across the aisle. Re-growing bones was painful stuff, and Lily seemed to have the need to be right there constantly. The couple and their friends barely even noticed Snape- certainly not enough to acknowledge his presence or dire wish that they would just leave.

He lay there, hating that he had to witness this. James' mother even dropped in, and showered both of her 'babies' with kisses. You would have thought that an axe-murderer had set his eyes on both James and Sirius, which wasn't all that far off. "Just don't try for revenge, boys," she lectured. "You've got to be the bigger people."

Sirius giggled at the unintended innuendo as Lily swallowed a smile..

X

James got out of the hospital wing immediately after Snape did, two weeks after the game. At first he was unbelievably glad to be free of that hell-hole these sick people called an infirmary. Then he learned that McGonagall, perhaps one of the most fair and level headed professors on campus, had taken a vacation and left Holly Potter in her stead. Fantabulous.

*Holly Potter 3rd Person*

Holly Potter ran a hand through her pixie cut dark brown hair. She had known Minerva McGonagall for ages. When her husband, William, was at Hogwarts in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, she had asked Dumbledore if she could stay in the castle to remain with her new husband until they began their Auror training the next year. That was the same year Minerva began to teach Transfiguration. They became good friends. (When Minerva unwound, that is, which she never did in front of the students.)

James had known Minerva outside of school since he was a young boy, which meant that Minerva met Sirius outside of school as well. She knew when Sirius left the Blacks as quickly as she had been informed of James' first steps. (And flight, which occurred the following day.)

So when Minerva asked Holly to sub for her, Holly hadn't hesitated. Dumbledore had welcomed her back with open arms, saying that Hogwarts would always be open to one of its favorite students, even if she was a student no longer. However, Holly was a little anxious. Although she could control her son and adopted son as a mother, she wasn't sure how it'd go when she was their teacher. She wasn't the kind of mother who would intentionally embarrass her child, but if Sirius or James did not treat her with respect worthy of their teacher, she had many years worth of extortion material.

The first-years were easy- Holly remembered what it had been like when James was that age. The second through fourth years followed in suit, happily tripping out of Transfiguration without homework. Holly practically gave the fifth years a free day, per Minerva's request. But the sixth years were just annoying, and one idiot named Dedalus Diggle annoyed Holly the most. He giggled and jumped about, shooting stars everywhere, until she flicked her wand and hung him upside down by the ankle.

The sixteen-year-olds stared as Dedalus swung back and forth, his giggles slowly subsiding. They behaved for the rest of the class.

Then came the seventh years. They all knew that they had a substitute by then, and most were expecting an elaborate scheme from the Marauders, who liked to play around with most subs. As they trudged into their last class of the day, Snape was not exactly sure what to expect, seeing as the sub was Potter's mother, but no matter what happened, he lacked the same anticipation of being entertained. He found their harassments immature and foolish, predictable and easily avoided for the most part.

Holly stood in the corner of the room, invisible. She could see her sons, first James and then Sirius, looking at her with amusement in their eyes. Lily, the girl her son was in love with, nudged James and whispered something to him. He nodded in Holly's direction and Lily 'Oh'ed.

Snape situated himself at the back of the class. The sub appeared in the corner as the bell rung. The woman looked like a female Potter, her features softer and less angular than his. She was pretty and thin, crow's feet lining her old eyes. She looked younger than McGonagall by only a few years, and you could tell that she had aged gracefully due to the few silvery strands in her hair.

And then she had to speak. "Hello, seventh years. Yes, a few of you know me, don't you? I am Mrs. Potter, or just Professor, if you prefer. My boys are sitting right there," she gestured towards the Marauders (minus Peter, who was in a lower class for Transfiguration despite James' many tutoring attempts). "And they are going to be on their best behaviour today, don't you worry. Now. NEWTS are coming up, as I'm sure you all know by now. If you don't, I'm sorry, but you're a lost cause and you might as well leave now, because I'm not sure anyone can teach you."

A boy named Mark Hooch hesitantly stood up, eliciting laughter from the majority his classmates and an eye roll from Snape. Holly looked at him pointedly, but he continued standing. "Can I go to the bathroom, Mrs. Potter?" Someone snorted at the oddity of the interrogative statement, but Snape was not impressed.

"Can you?" Holly snipped. "Mark, hon, I thought we were already potty-trained. You just came from the hallway. If you had to go, you should have asked me before the bell rang. I would have allowed you to go. You'll just have to wait for a break in the lesson. Please, take your seat."

Sirius and James were averting their eyes.

Of course, soon the day would come when Holly subbed for the vacation greedy DADA teacher.

Holly had decided on a different lesson plan than the one presented by Professor Gronich. If that man wanted to teach these kids about Stuptefy (again), HE could do it.

First, they'd be facing the boggart. She went first, reminding her students how you battled one of the terrifying creatures. She stood in front of her house, the Dark Lord's sign barely visible above the leaping flames. "Riddikulus!" Suddenly, clowns traipsed around the house and the skull choked on the snake, turning many interesting shades of purple-red.

Snape tensed as Lily approached the boggart, smiling. He wondered what it would be, and then winced as he realized that he might not like the answer. Lily stepped forward and Snape craned his neck to see…

James Potter, laying on the floor, his neck broken and blood oozing… behind him, a pile of bodies including a horsy blonde, Lily's best friend Marlene, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and a number of other people. Lily stopped breathing. Snape was puzzled. A horrifying scene, composed of all the people that Lily loved, dead. "Riddikulus!" She squeaked, and the pile of bodies stood up and performed an extensive dance routine that looked like it belonged in Singing in the Rain.

Holly clapped nervously, egging James to move in where Lily had been. Snape looked at the floor. The people that Lily loved the most… and Snape was not there.

James Potter's boggart was similar to those before him, as was Sirius'. Snape wrinkled his nose. In times of war, with Voldemort rising, this was bound to be many people's worst fear. He was glad that he didn't get the chance to go before they moved on to Patronuses- he didn't need everyone to see that his greatest fear was Lily Evans telling him just how much she hated him.

Holly conjured her first, the sleek panther delicately blinking twice and then disappearing back into her wand. Snape watched in envy as The Marauders, Lily, and Co. conjured theirs within the first few tries- he knew they'd all done it before. Lily's silver doe stood next to James' regal stag, and Remus' wolf stood stoically next to Marlene's sleek Labrador. Sirius' large, bear-like dog watched the others closely, itching itself.

How accurate, Snape thought wryly. He focused on that memory of Lily and him behind that bush where they so often met, her laughter as he described Nearly Headless Nick's ridiculous attempts at joining a selective league of men who had actually been decapitated. "Expecto Patronum!"

A silver doe slipped out of his wand. He quickly banished the memory and the doe disappeared before anyone could see it. He grinned to himself, feeling like a schoolgirl. (Not that he knew what that sort of thing felt like…)

He loved Lily.

But his joy was short lived. He might love Lily, but she seemed to be irreversibly in love with James Potter, who belonged with her, as evidenced by their coordinating Patronuses. Could he ever win?

Everything he saw when they were together was a reminder of how "perfect," they were together. It reminded Snape that he'd never have that with Lily. But it also reminded him of how imperfect all the other relationships in his life had been- his parents, his conditional friendship with his fellow Slytherins, and his impending servitude to the Dark Lord. Focus on that, he told himself. Focus on that.

X

Snape shifted in his position on the cold metal fold out chair. He frowned and transfigured his chair into a large leather armchair. One of the other Slytherins mother glared at him as her chair shifted, and he deadpanned back.

Lily and James stood up at the Heads' Table in all their glory. Lily shone like a beacon to Snape, obscured only by James' presence next to her. She spoke bravely of unity and hope, and Snape could see James swelling with pride as she waved her arms and struggled to hold back tears.

When the ceremony was done, Snape stood in a quiet corner of the hall. He had no parents to witness his graduation, no one to hug him and cry. The Marauders and Company, on the other hand, were surrounded by a mass of well-wishers in need of Kleenexes. He craned his neck to see into the crowd. Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon were joined at the hip with Lily and James. Lily had her arm linked with Marlene's, and the four of them were laughing as Sirius's cousin, Tonks the Two Year Old, pulled at Remus's hair. Snape stretched out on his tiptoes and watched as the Potters took pictures of the seven of them, Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Marlene, and little Tonks.

HE knew more about Lily than any of those blood-traitors, he thought to himself assuredly. He knew he loved Lily, and he knew everything there was to know about her. Right?

X

Snape could remember a lot of things. He could remember hiding in the shadows as their wedding took place. He could remember seeing their baby announcement in the paper. A boy- Harry James Potter. Snape hadn't known that Lily wanted kids. But, he thought miserably, James Potter had.

As he lay there dying, Snape knew that he didn't want to be hated. He didn't want to die being despised by these people- the children and fellows of those he had despised with all of his heart.

Snape didn't know if there was a heaven or a hell, or which one he was going to. But as he looked into the last remaining piece of Lily Evans that was left on this earth, he sighed. And then death wrapped around Severus Snape, finally giving him peace.

Hopefully if anyone reads this after having read the original, they'd agree that it is indeed better. Review, por favor!