Disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter.


Six-year-old Severus Snape was sitting down in front of the telly, trying to block out the sounds of shattered plates and the loud curses his parents hurled at each other coming from the kitchen. The fighting seemed to go on for hours until suddenly the front door slammed so loudly the small estate house shook, followed by the car door violently closing and the car rumbled out of the driveway.

Eileen Snape made her way to the living room and lit a cigarette before taking a seat on the couch.

"You know, I was beautiful before I became pregnant." Eileen slowly dragged on her cigarette, looking down at her son coldly.

"I know." Severus stared down at his feet as he answered his mother.

"You ruined me, Severus."

"I know." Severus lowered his head, looking away with great shame.

"Your father and I were young and happy together before you came along."

"I know," Severus repeated as the weight of guilt and shamed burdened his small body, and he began to curl into himself.

"You brought shame to your family's name."

"I know," the young boy bit his lip, trying to contain the sobs that threatened to escape. He could not cry in front of his mum; she would whack him if he dared.

"You better grow up to be someone great and powerful, to make up for all the damage you've done to me, to your father and this family." She told another long drag of her cigarette.

"I will Mum."

"You better," Eileen warned as she flicked her cigarette butt into the nearby ashtray, "Now go play outside. I'm going to hide your father's heart medication. That should teach the bastard not to fuck some whore he picked up in the pub."


Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, carefully pouring brown sugar on her oatmeal. Happily taking a spoonful, she ate her breakfast and mentally prepared herself for the day. As she peeled the skin of an orange, she felt two people squeeze in on either side of her, effectively caging her in.

"Happy?" The snarling voice made Hermione jump a little. She looked to either side of her, finding Ron on her left or Harry on her right. A large lump developed in her throat and her eyes widened apprehensively.

"Good morning," her voice high and affected, hoping to keep the peace, however, it did not stop the look of fury Ron gave her.

"Don't play dumb with us," Ron raised his voice, making the girl more nervous than before. He pointed his finger at Hermione's face, with a cross look on his face, "we have detention because of you!"

"Wh... What?" Hermione said with a look of disbelief on her face. Never in her old school had anyone received detention for picking on her before, no one ever believed her. A small smile threatened to break through though as she realized that Professor Snape had believed her last night. He must have convinced Professor McGonagall to give them detention.

"Oh, like you don't know! You crybaby tattletale! You lied to McGonagall about us." Ron jabbed Hermione's arm so hard with his finger; she was sure it would bruise. "Now because of you, I can't watch the Quidditch game today, and Harry is banned from playing! He was going to debut as the youngest seeker in a century! Now those bloody snakes are going to win, and it's your entire fault."

Hermione slowly turned to face Harry, his head nodding in agreement as he also wore a cross expression on his face. While he was angry, Harry was not as upset as Ronald was.

"Just because you have no friends doesn't mean you have the right to ruin everything for everyone else!" Ron yelled his face mere inches away from Hermione.

"Is there a problem here?" A cold, baritone voice drawled behind them. The two boys suddenly jumped from their bench and their heads whipped around to see their cold, nasty Potions Master staring down at them with his large hooked nose. His arms were crossed as he sneered down at Potter and his idiot sidekick.

"Sn... Sn... Snape?" Harry was the first to speak up. Ron looked so petrified even his brain was unable to think of any way to respond. Severus turned to Harry, with a glare.

"Professor Snape, Potter. Five points from Gryffindor," Severus snarled, making the boys even more nervous as he eyed them both. "I suggest you two fools finish up with breakfast quickly and make your way to detention. Mr. Potter, you will have detention with Professor Quirrell and myself, Weasley, Mister Filch will be waiting for you in his office. I'm sure he has something … unpleasant for you." With that, the Potions Master turned on his heel, his robes billowing behind him as he made his way out of the Great Hall. It was then that Hermione noticed that the man was limping.

"He's limping," Hermione said sadly, the two boys smiling malevolently as they too noticed the limp.

"I hope it hurts something awful! What a greasy git!" Ron said almost as if he was praying it was, while Harry nodded in agreement.

"That's horrible!" Hermione said horrified, causing the two boys to stare back at her.

"What? Going to tell on us again, you little swot!" Ron teased.

"No, I mean... I know Professor Snape isn't nice to Gryffindors, but he saved me from the troll last night."

Harry's face was suddenly etched with concern at Hermione's revelation, while Ron just smirked. "So, you believed that since you think you're so clever that you could fight a troll?" Ron laughed spitefully, happy that the little know-it-all was finally being taught the lesson she deserved.

"No, I wasn't there because I wanted to fight the troll. I was there because I was upset."

"You were crying? About what? The fact that you have no friends and you're nothing but an ugly, buck-toothed know-it-all?"

"I am not Ronald Weasley! I was crying because you're nothing but a big bully!"

"So what? Why should I feel guilty because a little crying baby cannot handle the truth?"

Harry just sat there impassively as Hermione and Ron fought at Gryffindor table. He did not know whose side to pick, so he stayed quiet. He had never had a friend before, and he did not want to risk the chance of losing Ron, his first friend. He felt guilt creeping into the pit of his stomach as he watched Hermione run out of the Great Hall crying as Ron's cruelty.

"What a baby! Can you believe her? She'll never have any friends if she keeps being such a nightmare," Ron said as he stuffed his face with eggs, and Harry just sat next to his friend complicity and poured himself some pumpkin juice.