L ily's half

Of all of the things that Severus Snape hated about Lily Evans's power over him, he hated that it had made him half-Gryffindor. "Sometimes I think we Sort too soon," Dumbledore had said and thought it would be a compliment.

Blood traitor. On his father's side. Traitor. Teacher. Murderer of Albus Dumbledore.

More than any of it, he hated that she had made him half-Gryffindor. Half Lily's chosen side, devoted to her son while despising her husband. Dumbledore's most trusted servant while glorifying Malfoy and the elitist boys' club of Slytherin. Death Eater and Order member, suspected by both and trusted only by the leader of either.

It was Gryffindor foolishness through and through – to do everything for a woman who had rejected him soundly, for a woman who married his greatest enemy, for a woman who died despising him. Gryffindor romanticism to think that she knew or cared, to think that she would forgive.

But would Gryffindor heroics have made any of those fools brave enough to kill Albus Dumbledore? To label yourself his murderer for the meager goal of keeping Hogwarts from sliding completely into the darkness? He thought not.

He was only half-Slytherin anymore, and Lily's half was Gryffindor.

Severus Snape divided his life between two women: for his mother he scorned Muggles like the father she was shackled to, for Lily Evans he became nothing but a tool for Albus Dumbledore to do what was necessary without question.

Half for Eileen Prince, the Halfblood Prince, magnificent among purebloods.

Half for Lily Evans, Snape the Potionsmaster and Murderer and Headmaster.

Slytherin for his mother, Gryffindor for Lily. He split his life down the middle for the only two women he ever loved.