The Betrayal and the Payback

By Zero Flower 333

AU Fourth year. Lily abandons Snape not only because of his "practicing" the Dark Arts, but also because of her various selfish reasons of not wanting to associate herself with the dirty half-blood boy. With Lily's betrayal and with no true friends to rely on, what should Severus do? Should Snape forgive Lily for her betrayal or dish out revenge and find true love in the process? Would Severus join the Dark Lord or become a better man than the Marauders and Lily Evans combined? Would Lily and the Marauders regret their actions against Severus Snape or will they hate him for being sorted in Slytherin for eternity? Powerful Severus, Major Gryffindor/Dumbledore character bashing

On my previous fanfic, The One Death That Affected Many, will be updated soon. I am currently busy with college studies, studying the NYSTCE exams, and preparing to become a teacher at the same time. So please forgive me if I do not update quickly.

On a side note, Harry Potter is copyrighted by J.K. Rowling, I own nothing

Prologue: Lily's Betrayal

Third person POV

It was during the middle of fourth year that Lily Evans decided that Severus Snape was no longer worthy of being her friend, even though he acted like a true friend to her. It was during fourth year that Lily began to fall for James Potter and his charms. Lily Evans even heard of the pranks that James and his friends did to Snape. At first, Lily felt guilty that Snape was targeted, but after a few weeks in February, Lily's conscience was seared where Snape was concerned and whether she thought about her friend at Spinner's End, she thought of him with hatred and that she was thinking of dumping him because of his poverty as the main reason, not his "practice" of the Dark Arts, which she had seen her Gryffindor buddies do whether they were confronted with the Slytherins. Lily told Snivellus to dump his friends because she wanted him to suffer in both Gryffindor and Slytherin, not even caring about his life. She knew that Snivellus was a target of the Marauders since first year and she fully approved of it because she wanted to amuse herself at Snivellus' suffering, even though he was true to her and she knew about his love for her, but only had feelings of loathing and hatred at him that was undeserved in the first place.

What Severus Snape did not know was that Lily Evans was a very bad best friend, a betrayer and a hypocrite to boot. Even in the middle of fourth year she conspired with James Potter and told him everything about Snape, including his poverty, abuse at home, and his practicing of the Dark Arts, when she knew very well that Snape, no Snivellus was using them to defend himself against her confidante, James Potter and his friends. Hell, she even told him of his spells. James laughed at everything Lily said and they both smirked at the humiliation that Snivellus was going to receive. Snape did not know that Lily got letters from James Potter taunting him and Lily laughed at the letters James gave her. Her conscience was seared whether Snivellus was concerned. Little did Lily knew that her betrayal would shake Hogwarts foundations and the Wizarding World forever. She also never met up with Snivellus or supporting him during his abuse and misery in the summer. As a result, Snivellus was left alone with unloving parents and an unhappy prospect in the summer, believing no one cared about him or his existence. Little did he know that his pessimism was right off the mark whether Lily Evans was concerned.

Fifth year was the best for Lily Evans. Lily realized that she loved James Potter because of his charms, money, and influence of the Wizarding World. She realized that she no longer needed Snivellus or whether James called him, Snivelly and the Slime Ball, as a best friend or as useful support any longer. When Sirius Black told her of the werewolf incident, she agreed with him and even told him in full confidence that she wished the slimy Slytherin would die so she would not get hassled any longer with his slime. Sirius agreed and Lily began to become friends with him, not even giving a thought of Snivellus trapped alone with a werewolf. James even approved of the plan and all three of them laughed at the thought of Snivellus peeing in his pants and being alone in the same room with a fully enraged werewolf. That gave the three a pleasant smile in their faces. Unfortunately, something happened which made James Potter regret his actions.

As a result, James rescued Snivellus and Dumbledore told Snivellus that he owe James Potter a life debt, which made Snivellus sworn into silence or he would be expelled. Since he had to watch over Lily (an evil best friend), he agreed to the oath. But no one knew that this so-called life debt would bound back to Dumbledore and James Potter, since life debts do not work when one planned the ambush. As a matter of fact, the life debt would be paid in double by those who planned the prank, especially Sirius Black and Lily Evans, because they angered the force of magic by forcing their poor victim to suffer without any good cause other than to see him humiliated and silenced. Magic does not like to see her powers use like that and little did Snivellus knew, the Unbreakable Oath he sworn was not valid because of unjust reasons. Only when an Unbreakable Oath is agreeable and fair to both parties would it work, not when it benefited only one person. When Snivellus mentioned about the werewolf incident, Lily was trying hard not to laugh and in the end, showed no concern for Snivellus' well being and discussing about Mary's well being instead, which caused Snivellus to weep, believing Lily never cared about him or what he tried to warn her. When he left in discomfort, Lily smiled and smirked at his suffering that he would receive, not even caring all of the times Snivellus helped her whether she was feeling down because of Petunia. As a matter of fact, the help Snivellus gave to Lily would become life debts that she would be unable to repay, since she betrayed her best friend in a horrible manner and Magic does not like to see her people being tormented unjustly by other wizards.

In the Lake incident, James Potter was flirting with her. She saw Snivellus hanging upside down with his underwear and smiled at both his suffering and James' antics. When Snivellus called her Mudblood, she relived her true feelings of loathing for him and called him Snivellus with a smile. Afterwards, Snivellus begged her for forgiveness outside the Common Room, but she smirked at him and looked at him with contempt with James Potter standing next to her, saying that he is scum and was no longer useful to her, a Death Eater in training who does not even deserve to live, that she hated him because of his poverty, and that James Potter is the only one for her, not the slime ball who always followed her around. She even told him to kill himself and she would not even cared a bit if he died. Lily also told Snivellus that she was tired of his excuses, when she knew that he had more excuses than her in keeping the friendship, and gave a laugh when she saw Snivellus' tormented expression. Afterwards, James Potter followed her to the Gryffindor Common Room and was comforting Lily, who was still laughing at Snivellus' sad face and even slapped his face and kicked his stomach for good measure, which made Snivellus fall to the ground, crying with sadness. James Potter just laughed and gave a smirk that promised further retribution, with Lily laughing out loud and with both looking at Snivellus with contempt and hatred. James Potter closed the portrait hole, not knowing that this event would cause massive change in the Wizarding World forever.

As for Severus Snape, his heart was broken into pieces by his ex-best friend, who finally revealed her true self to him. He now realized that he no longer loved the image of her because of her cruelty toward him with Potter watching. He cried in the portrait hole and left with a broken heart. His parents never wanted him because he was a freak and now Lily, no Evans, did not want him because he was not like James Potter, who was rich, talented, and powerful. He realized now that no one cared about him and now that Evans revealed her true self to him, he cried harder and left the Gryffindor quarters, thinking to either kill himself because of despair or plan his revenge against the betrayal, but his mind wanted to forgive his so-called best friend, but that part died out with her harsh words and uncaring toward him and his existence with her love of James Potter and as a result of Lily's betrayal, the Wizarding World would face many problems that had not appeared since the end of the goblin wars and another side of the war was beginning to emerge with the betrayal outside the Gryffindor Common Room…

What do you think about this fic? About Lily Evans and James Potter? Do you think she is OOC or in character? Probably this is one of the alternatives why Lily Evans so readily abandoned Severus in fifth year because of his poverty, not the people he hanged out with. With the selfish moral attitude of Lily Evans, who knew what she was thinking during the post-Shack incident? So I decided to write a scenario on why Lily Evans never believed Severus about the werewolf incident. Lily is not stupid, she is just hateful and wants to curry favor and love with James Potter and his friends, at the expense of her ex-best friend whom she never cared about after fourth year. What do you think would happen because of this outrageous betrayal? Keep in mind that Lily never valued Snape's friendship in the first place and only kept it so she could better herself and her station while being joyful seeing her best friend humiliated at the same time.

In this fic, Lily is not a saint, nor would Severus join the "light" side because of the sufferings and betrayals the "light" side had given him because of his "existence". Also, this Lily is not under the Imperius or any sort of magic spells, she hates Severus out of her free will. She hates him because of his poverty and not as good as James Potter. The Dark Arts is just an added factor so Snivellus could suffer hatred from his housemates while Lily, James and all of the Gryffindors laugh in the background. So it could be said that this Lily is like canon Lily, only more judgmental and unreasonable toward Snivellus.

Lily is not a true friend to Snape, nor would ever be with her selfish and self-righteous attitude. She would even AK Snape if she knew that she could get away with her actions, that is how much she hates him because of her negative impression of him and the influence of her housemates since Year One. Terrible of Lily, but real life always had backstabbers, especially in the heart of best friends. With friends like Lily, who needs enemies? Probably Severus would be better away from her and her real friends, but only time will tell. Wonder if her parents and sister approve of this behavior or not?

What should Severus do? Should he forgive Lily, kill himself, or plot his revenge? Do you think Lily deserves forgiveness? Or do you think she should be punished for her actions toward Severus? Do you think Lily should had done better regarding Severus or just behaved like she did in this fic? Do you think her attitude toward Severus was overboard, morally superior, or just normal? What is your opinion?

To various replies: Snape would be a Grey Lord, not the Dark Lord, since he is disillusioned with both sides. He knows that the Slytherins use him for homework and good grades while the Gryffindors hated him just because he was sorted into Slytherin and for no other reason. Why would he want to join either side? So if Severus becomes a Lord, he would be a grey one, who would cared for his loved ones and leave the others to rot because of their hypocritical behavior. Despite that he knew cruelty at Hogwarts, he probably might join the Dark Lord because of power, but probably not because he wanted to prove to his ex-best friend and her Gryffindor friends that he would be better than them, in both behavior and custom. What do you think? Maybe he might ally with the Dark Lord, if it provided him benefits. With the betrayal he suffered, who knows what will happen?

Lily knows that Snivellus is silenced, but did not know that the Unbreakable Oath is not valid, since she heard every prank from James and every time Snivellus suffers, she just smiles, hoping to join in. Probably she would get her wish in sixth year after publicly humiliating Snivellus, but before then, James Potter plans to keep her as a secret weapon for keeping tabs on Snivellus. Lily agreed because she just loved to see her best friend suffer, even though he only defended himself with the Marauders starting all of the attacks. Anything that hurts Snivellus would make Lily happy, so if Snivellus comes back to Hogwarts in sixth year, it would be 5 vs 1, not 4 vs 1, with Lily Evans joining the side of the Marauders. Do you think Snape should attend Hogwarts in this situation or leave the institution as an expelled student?

Also keep a note that not one Professor at Hogwarts, especially Slughorn and Flitwick cared a wit about Snivellus, since they think he was a bad apple from Day One because of being sorted to Slytherin. This will eventually bite them back in the butt when their evil deeds would be revealed.

Lily, James, Sirius, and anyone except Snivellus would have a good time at Hogwarts, but it would not last, especially since the tide of the war had changed as a result of Lily's betrayal toward Snivellus.

What punishment do you think Lily, James, Dumbledore, and Hogwarts deserve in this fic?

Next chapter: Snape's Confusing Feelings

Severus (Snivellus to the Gryffindor fans) would get his POV revealed! What do you think it would be? What do you think his feelings for Lily should be? Love her despite her betrayal and physically harming him outside the Gryffindor Common Room with James Potter watching or hate her for her actions? Do you think he would take revenge or kill himself for being abandoned by the only friend he had ever known, despite her bad behavior toward him?

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