Never Forget

A/N: Your reviews truly inspire me. Thank you. Please feel free to continue with your critiques and suggestions –Chesca

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Chapter 1: Sorting the Fiery One

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September 1st fell on a Wednesday that year; it came faster than Severus could have ever hoped for. It was almost dinnertime, and the brats would be in the castle any minute now. He sat right next to the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore in the High Table, pensively awaiting he inevitable.

"Snape," a firm but calm voice broke into his reveries, as a sandy-haired man with bright amber eyes slid into the seat on his other side.

"Lupin," Severus frowned. A forced truce with the wolf did not mean that he would all of a sudden want to sit next to him at meal times. He shot the newly-appointed Defense teacher a glare. Remus Lupin noticed this and laughed uneasily.

"Relax, Severus. This isn't permanent. I'd just like to keep an eye out for Harry on his first night back. He has been taken ill on the train because of Dementors, you know –"

Severus tuned him out. But of course, Lupin would want to keep an eye on the Potter brat, especially with that Sirius Black out and about. He would be worried too, but for a completely different reason. Let it just stand that he did not adore the Boy-Who-Lived like the rest of the Wizarding World did, but he did not hate him either. After all, Harry Potter may be half-James Potter, but he was also half-Lily Evans –and that single fact meant a lot to Severus.

Just as he finished evaluating his position on harry Potter, the main doors of the Great Hall burst open, permitting entrance to the older students who were returning. The Potions Master absently fiddled with his napkin, which was folded like a swan.

"Bored already, my boy?"

"No Headmaster," Severus stopped playing with the linen and turned to face the man who, in the past decade, became his mentor and champion. Albus' eyes twinkled merrily.

"I hope not. This may be the most interesting year yet,"

Severus knew not to take the old man's words seriously every time. But just this once, he had an inkling that the great wizard spoke truthfully. He contemplated on the cryptic pronouncement until the doors to the Great Hall opened once more.

In came Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, along with this year's wave of first years. From his seat, the Head of Slytherin House could already pinpoint which of them would most probably end up in his house. His fathomless obsidian eyes carefully scanned the group of little brats for any indicators of possible abuse, essence of dark magic and questionable backgrounds. He was no Sorting Hat, but more often than not, those three factors won out in favor of the House of Snakes for they developed the intrinsic traits of cunningness, shrewdness and self-preservation that Salazar Slytherin prized in his students. He managed to feel out a few before the brats began to line up and Minerva called out their names one at a time.

"Allen, Julia!"

A small girl with brown hair in pigtails eagerly stepped forward and placed the battered hat on her head. Seconds later, she was declared:

"RAVENCLAW!"

Two seats from Severus' left, tiny Professor Flitwick clapped merrily for the newest addition to his house.

"Birmingham, Samantha," was the first Slytherin of the year. The girl was too small for her age, with brilliant blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. She was one of those that Severus sensed would be in his care. She timidly walked to the long table farthest to the left, her head bowed low. The Head of Slytherin clapped politely as he watched her with keen eyes; the girl reeked of abuse.

"Creevy, Dennis," turned out to be an overly-excited and eager mousy boy. Severus scoffed. He did not even need the Sorting Hat to tell him that the boy would be a Gryffindor. A mere thirty seconds later, he was proven right. Everything was going as expected –surely, not the 'interesting' start for the year that Albus spoke of earlier.

But then, something happened that threw off the supposed normalcy of that day.

It started with Minerva calling for the next student to be sorted.

'de Noir, Seraphim Michel,"

A relatively small boy with ebony hair, fiery red but thin lips and pale alabaster skin came forward. The boy moved with grace befitting a pureblood. With understated poise, he sat on the stool and placed the Hat on his head.

Severus watched the scene with little interest. Contrary to popular belief, prim and proper purebloods did not end up in Slytherin; they were almost always sorted in Ravenclaw. For some reason, the Ravens were also favorable to cultivated manners, not just keen minds. And personally, to Severus, 'de Noir' sounded like an old French pureblooded family.

But when the Hat sat longer than two minutes on the boy's head, the Potions Master should have heeded that as a sign of the disruption of that day's otherwise subdued dynamics.

The Great Hall waited in silence, curious as to the cause of the boy's sorting delay.

Then, the brim of the dirty, tattered hat opened wide.

"SLYTHERIN!"

A delayed but enthusiastic applause from the Slytherin House table jerked their Head of House's thoughts. Severus willed himself to clap and nod at the newest and most unexpected addition to his house. As Seraphim de Noir walked past the High Table to join his fellow snakes, the boy nodded back to the Potions Master.

That was when Severus noticed.

Emerald eyes.

Hauntingly familiar, brilliant, emerald eyes.

He froze completely.

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"SLYTHERIN!"

The word was yelled out to the rest of the Great Hall. Seraph sighed as he replaced the Hat on the stool and glanced around. After a beat, a cheerful applause came from the table farthest from the left. AS he made his way towards it, he caught the eye of a man with ebony hair, pale skin, a rather prominent nose and deep onyx eyes. The man nodded at him and Seraph nodded right back as he neared him. Then, the man froze.

Seraph frowned at the man's peculiar reaction as he took his seat with his fellow snakes. Samantha Birmingham was instantly beside him.

"Oh Seraph, I'm glad you're in Slytherin too," she whispered. They met on the train and sat with Dennis Creevy. "I thought it would be awful, but these guys seem to be nice,"

Seraph smiled at her.

"A House does not make a person evil, Sam –that's just ridiculous. No matter what Dennis says, not all Slytherins are bad. You're not. I'm not. And we're Slytherins –"

"That's the spirit," An older girl wearing a silver badge on her chest approached them. She smiled at Seraph. "Welcome to Slytherin, young snakes. I'm Melissa Jones, 5th year prefect,"

"I'm Seraph. This is Sam,"

"Nice to meet you two. I'm happy to see people who aren't prejudiced. I won't lie to you –the road ahead for us Snakes is extra tough in this school, but keep that positivity up. It will help you." She grinned at them. "Well, I'll see you and the other firsties after dinner. We'll be having our first House Meeting with our Head of House, Professor Snape before we turn in for the night."

"Professor Snape?" Seraph asked curiously. Melissa smiled.

"You might have already heard of him on the train." The fifth year discreetly gestured towards the Head Table. "See that man in black robes next to the Headmaster? Mind you, he's always wearing black. That's Professor Snape. He's the Head of Slytherin and our Potions Master too –don't let the reputation faze you. He's stern but reasonable, especially with his Snakes.

Seraph nodded at Melissa and then turned his attention towards the man in question. Professor Snape still had his onyx eyes on him. But when Seraph's own emeralds met them, the man looked away.

Seraph shrugged as he turned back to watch the rest of the Sorting Ceremony, his Head of House' weird reaction and interest in him, pushed to the back of his mind.

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'That boy!'

Severus' breath hitched as realization dawned on him.

It was the boy from his dream.

He carefully followed Seraphim de Noir with his gaze until the boy reached the Slytherin House Table. The rest of the Sorting Ceremony came by, unnoticed, to the Potions Master. He watched the boy interact with Samantha Birmingham and prefect Melissa Jones.

'It –it cannot be right!'

No matter how his mind tried to reason out that it was but a mere coincidence, Severus Snape was most definitely not a man who believed in coincidences.

He let his eyes fleet over the boy until those brilliant emeralds met his half-way. The Potions Master averted his gaze. His mind rushed through all of the possible reasons –but not one thing was coming together.

"All right my boy?"

Severus faced the concerned countenance of the Headmaster. Albus' eyes twinkled. Heck, they twinkled all the time. He sighed before looking away.

"Just –thinking, Headmaster." After that, the Head of Slytherin focused his attention on the food that had apparently appeared on his plate. He needed to eat. If he were to make any sense to this madness that Fate seemed to have suddenly thrown at him, he needed all the ammunition he can get, so to speak.

As he cut through his chicken, the Potions Master formed his resolve.

'I have ignored it for far too long,'

He had always known that there was something he was missing; something big, something important, and something integral to his being. Suddenly, the occurrence of those peculiar dreams seemed a bit clearer –purposeful. For eleven years, he paid it no attention; but now that it started to spill over to his consciousness… maybe it was time to make the connection amongst Lily, a still unnamed little girl, himself, and… a certain Seraphim de Noir.

The Slytherin Head sighed deeply.

Now he was seeing the 'interesting' year Albus had so rightly predicted.

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A/N: Meh, short again. But I'm posting this the way I have it pre-written, and I have to admit that the first few chapters are kinda like this long. But worry not, by chapter 6 it starts to get longer. In the mean time, please let me know what you think of it so far –Chesca :)