Fem!Severus named Sylvia Marie Snape.

Black Blood

He died. That was the end of it. Bitten and mangled by a huge poisonous snake because the Dark Lord thought he might have been the possessor of the Elder Wand.

And then he wasn't dead.

At least it seemed so.

The last thing he saw were a pair of familiar green eyes framed by odious glasses and the forgiveness in them made the passing from life to death easier, as the last bits of him that still clung to life due to the honor debt was appeased before his sacrifice. Harry Potter would have to make do with what was given to him. If he couldn't get rid of Voldemort before the pile of bodies lying themselves at the idiotic boy's feet started to stench, then Severus would simple resign himself to asking Lily forgiveness from his cozy spot in hell.

Then, as if all his torment was a mere figment of his delirious imagination, he wasn't in pain anymore. Who knew in the end dying hurt so much? If there was no more pain, it meant he's passed over at last.

Or so he thought until the horrible compressions started.

Let it be known that he re-entered the world screaming… and with all the dignity being soaking wet and naked allowed him.

The day dawned cold and a bit dreary on that January 9. Inside the hospital ward, the cold wasn't felt as much with the heater blazing warmly and the healthy, beautiful glow that enveloped the two main characters in this scene.

A new mother and her recently born child.

"Congratulations ma'am, it's a girl"

"… what?"

"Seven and a half pounds! As healthy as they come" A baby's wail filled the maternity room.

… The child's father stared almost incomprehensively at his wife. They traded stupefied glances before he managed to articulate the sentence that changed everything.

"We were expecting a boy!"

"There is a very remote chance of this kind of thing happening, but we must account for the error margin. Sometimes it simply happens Mr. Snape" The nurse who beckoned the new father spoke to the bewildered man as he regarded the baby he thought would be a son.

"A daughter. Eileen and I have a baby girl?" The tall, burly man's hand went up to the back of his brown hair – he was quite handsome, in the nurse's opinion, and the glow of the life his wife just delivered made him even more radiant.

His large hands extended to receive the baby from her, the seasoned woman automatically tutoring the new father on how to properly hold his daughter, spoke with good humor in her eyes. "It seems so, sir, good luck with this one, she was a screamer"

And scream she did. Until the poor thing was passed to her mother's bosom and nature followed its course. The newborn had its fill of mother's milk and then fell into a mild sedated state. Large baby grey eyes peered up at the world from a wrinkled little face and the adults couldn't help but coo.

Eileen, the mother, just stared at her husband, sharing with him through eye contact just how surprised she was as well. "A girl" She breathed out, obviously exhausted from the birth and longing to just roll over and sleep for a while. "We can't name her after your Grandfather anymore"

"I guess not" Tobias grunted, entranced by the soulful moment of having that tiny little thing in his arms. She was living and breathing thanks to him and his wife – mostly his wife – but she was half his, and she was beautiful. Shaking his head, the man reluctantly handed his daughter back to the nurse, who still had quite a few more exams to perform on the newborn. "How about Sylvia?"

The mother blinked back surprise. Sylvia was her late mother's name, and to her hidden delight, it was also a perfectly respectful Wizarding name. Yes, her baby girl would fit right in the Enclaves when she came of age. Now, how to tell her husband she was a witch and so could be his daughter? "Oh Toby, Sylvia is a lovely name" Eileen smiled up at her husband, dark eyes shining. "Sylvia Marie Snape" She finally conceded, sharing another smile with Tobias.

Marie was his mother's name. It was only fair after all.

Sylvia was an eerily quiet baby.

She just laid there on her precious baby cot and observed unnervingly whoever came to attend to her at the time.

As soon as the couple moved back to Tobias rundown house in Cokeworth, they settled down their new baby and agreed to raise her the best they could in such poor conditions – after Tobias re-painted the previous nursery from a light calm green to a cheerful, sunshine yellow shade.

As for Sylvia… As the years passed, so did she grow.

Her eyes darkened to deep pools of endless black – just like Eileen's eyes – while her hair had just the right amount of wave to make Tobias swear from up to down that his daughter would grow to have his hair – currently, Sylvia's hair was thin enough that it could pass as being brown, but Eileen knew her daughter would have her coloring.

Another thing that baffled the Snapes about their new baby was that, as soon as she could see, little Sylvia just hated being in her father's arms. The wives around Spinner's End told Eileen that maybe little Sylvia was just uncomfortable, but her action spurred Tobias to call up his own mum from Cardiff and ask if she could come live with them – Eileen agreed… for as much as she was a powerful witch, she's never had to deal with children before, and her mother in law had three babes in her tally.

So silent Sylvia-the-daddy-hater met her grandmother.

And both Eileen and Tobias would swear that the expression on their daughter face when she met Marie Snape for the first time was complete and utter surprise.

Reliving one's childhood.

Perhaps not so uncommon a desire.

Severus Snape could record several instances when he dearly wished to be able to relive his life. He'd spend nights half drunk on Fire-Whiskey, laid on his chamber's couch in front of a roaring fireplace and reminiscing about all he did wrong that he so wanted to fix. The echoes of the sound the flames made deeply imprinted in his memories. It was a sound he associated with Lily, for she was as intense and warm as fire.

He got his wish, in the end.

Only in not the exact way he'd been asking.

Well… Somewhere along the way, his chromosomes got confused. Or something. Because generally, when one experiences literal rebirths, one expects to remain the same merlindamned gender! He couldn't remember, in all his years as Albus' pawn, ever seeing Fawkes come out of the ashes as a girl.

He was a boy Phoenix. End of talk.

But perhaps he wouldn't be bored out of his mind as he first thought – the moment the odd smelling giant (a nurse) handed his tiny, shivering body to his mother, he could instantly connect to that homely smell. Eileen smelt of magic, of dust motes found in the darkest corners of Spinner's End and of her favorite brand of Muggle soap that she never stopped using even almost twenty years of misery under magic hating Tobias Snape.

And he wouldn't be bored for one simple but astoundingly significant fact.

He was born a girl.

And he never met his grandmother the first time around… Grandmother Marie died of a pneumonia not diagnosed in time when he was perhaps two. She lived in Cardiff and only visited sparsely thanks to her failing age. However this time Tobias got so bungled out by his daughter strange behavior that he ran to the best source of comfort that wasn't his still recovering wife – his mum.

Plus, in the middle of all confusion generated by this alien babe, Eileen decided to postpone her talks of magic to her already confused husband… In Severus' first life, his mother told Tobias about magic a little after returning from the maternity ward. The man took it seriously bad and from then on, their lives spiraled from bad to worse.

Now he only had to learn how to be a baby girl and stop freaking out his family.

Sylvia was barely one when she snarled her first word. It was snarled, because apparently Eileen's baby knew more about potions than her mother.

Eileen' secret potions lab, covertly installed in a basement Tobias never bothered to visit and locked to the brim with a muggle repelling door. The witch only ever descended to her lair when her husband went out to work and her mother-in-law decided to take a little afternoon nap. The woman was getting in on her years and wasn't as springy as she used to – keeping up with Sylvia was tough once the girl started to crawl.

Of course that keeping an eleven years old babe cozily basking under a magic shield so powerful it would be able to withstand one of those muggle bombs, in the middle of her potions lab, seemed like a good idea for a bored, stay at home witch.

Alas it proved true.

Distracted for a second, Eileen was about to toss powdered Beetles without the customary counter-clockwise stir – the Luxurious Hair-Care potion would have been ruined – but Sylvia had to open her cute button mouth and snarl with all the indignation her little face could muster.

"Mu No!"

The witch honestly didn't know how to explain that one to her husband and mother-in-law, but in the end both understood that the occasion could be attributed to being another one of Sylvia's idiosyncrasies.

Living with Muggles was harder than she thought, maybe she should write a guide book for foolish witches who wished to run away with their handsome muggle neighbors in the future. Yeah, that was a sound plan.

At least until Sylvia started displaying Accidental Magic. That would go well, too, Eileen thought blithely.

Tobias Snape stared at his wife. Baffled, confused, hurt.

Marie Snape stared at her daughter in law with a suspicious amused light glinting in the back of her eyes.

Sylvia Marie Snape stared at her mother with what amounted to a huge dollop of plain horror.

Wife, Daughter-in-law and mother stared at her family with a blank face. Eileen Prince-Snape was not joking. "Yes, I have magic, yes, I am a witch, and yes, so can Sylvia be as well"

"And you hid this from me for all these years? Eileen?" Tobias grounded out between his clenched jaws. The only thing preventing him from exploding was his elderly and sick mother sitting just an inch to his right. He was also holding onto Sylvia – who in a rare moment of understanding allowed her father to hold her without making a fuss.

The second one to burst was Sylvia. "Mummy!" She cried out, an admonishing tilt to her tiny features that spoke loudly of berating her mum. The expression seemed to scream 'how could you?!' so acutely the adults just decided to ignore the child known for such oddities.

The last one to speak was Marie, who was smiling so largely she could have contended for Cheshire Cat position and won. "Finally! Another witch in the family!" The old lady beamed proudly.

"Mother!" Tobias' shocked eyes met his mum's. "What?!"

"What…?" Sylvia grunted, black eyes so wide they looked like plates.

"What?" Eileen's intelligent response joined them.

"Oh Toby… I never told you about grandmum Stella, did I? My mother's name was Stella Nott, and she was a Squib (is that the right word dear Leen?). Her family disowned her and she fled to London where she met my dad. Old man fell in love and soon my sister and I were born…" And on Marie went, talking about her sister Rosa until… "And one day during dinner (it was Rosa's birthday too!) An owl knocked on the window and…"

And Great Aunt Rosa ended up being a witch. Unfortunately Sylvia's great aunt was long gone. "Dragon Pox, whatever that is…" according to grandma Marie.

The night ended with an open bottle of bourbon shared around those between 3-63 and Eileen hesitantly asking if she should cast a couple of diagnosing charms on her mother-in-law – catching the developing disease and controlling it in time with a heavy potion prescription.

Tobias was so thankful – if not still a little hurt – that he could careless about magic being the work of demons if it could give him a couple more years with his mum. His own aunt has been a witch! Who was he to complain about his wife?!

In a contented little doze, baby Sylvia basked in a well won victory.

Even if it came as a big surprise to her as well.

Who knew? Sylvia wondered. In Severus' first life, Grandma Marie was never involved because Tobias didn't want his mum ashamed of him and his unnatural wife and son. Oh the shame! They never went to visit the old lady in her house in Cardiff and Tobias always refused to receive her during the hols until poor Marie kicked the bucket without ever having met her grandson.

Tobias was the reason Severus hated muggles. Muggles only, please. He had nothing against muggleborns – quite the contrary, actually.

As Sylvia, however, she was seeing a whole new, undiscovered side to Tobias Snape.

He was a good dad.

He was a good dad.

The monster of her destroyed childhood was giving his second life the best second childhood ever.

He was a good dad. And Severus couldn't begrudge Sylvia the luck she's had with their father, although he sorely wanted to… (The only reason he didn't was because he was Sylvia, hah!)

All in all, living in a girl's body wasn't so bad for an almost forty years old Wizard.

It was a bit awkward. True. But by far the pros outnumbered the cons – If Severus was being honest with himself, the only con he could see so far was also the major pro in his life as Severus…

Lily.

He loved Lily.

A deep passion that went from tender care to an ugly obsessive fixation at his rock bottom moments… Sometimes, as Severus, when he looked at Harry Potter in those rare moments in which the boy displayed behaviors so characteristically Lily, the bitter man couldn't help but imagine what a child borne between him and Lily would be like.

Now as Sylvia, that was an impossibility… Oh, he could try and sway Lily's romantic heart toward Sylvia – but Severus was never a seducer and he'd honestly miss Harry. The trice damned boy and his catching stupidity wormed their way into his frozen heart. Lily deserved her son, she deserved to watch him grow and live through all the happiness she was deprived from the first time.

"Vee?" His dad called. Severus shook his head, mindful of the myriad of ribbons his mother tied to Sylvia's thick, straight hair and looked at his father with a moue of question to his now pouty, pink lips. "What flavor do you want tot?"

Oh right.

They were at the local park, talking to a Gelato stand and ordering Ice-cream. Lily and her family was also standing right across from them. "I want dark chocolate daddy" Severus forced himself to produce the cadencies of a little girl's voice talking to her father. It gave him more metaphysical cavities than the Ice-cream ever could.

The vendor handed Sylvia the dark chocolate cone. Tobias received his portion of plain vanilla and paid for their treats. "Eat your Gelato tot, then you can go play with the other kids" The father told his daughter when he noticed the oddly intense stare she was directing at the nearest family of four. There were two little girls about Sylvia's age.

Thus Tobias deduced his baby girl wanted to play.

Severus wished he could get away with strangling his father. In more ways than one.

It only got worse when Mark Evans approached them first with a large smile on his face and his family behind him. "Hello. I'm Mark and this is Holly, we live just down the street." A little red haired girl tugged on his pants. "Oh! And this is Lily! She was wondering if she could play with…"

"Sylvia" Tobias grinned, shaking Mark's hand and proving to Severus that yes, he could hate his father even more. "And I'm Tobias Snape"

Lily remembered a little bit of when she was four and a half and her daddy took their family to the Park. It was Sunday and the day was wonderful to be spent outside, not even Petunia was complaining about gaining more freckles!

They bought Ice cream and were enjoying the impromptu out under the shade of a park tree.

"Want to play chase Tuny?" Lily asked her sister. And since Petunia was already seven and a big girl, she thought it wouldn't do to be seen cavorting like a little kid with her baby sister.

"No. Why don't you ask someone else?" The older sister denied, their mum watching the scene and sensing a temper tantrum from Lily, rapidly took the younger sister by the arm and pointed to the nearest kid her age she could find.

A thin, raven haired little girl who was already in the process of acquiring Ice cream for the summer day… She was wearing a pretty white and green dress, with her long straight hair done in green satin ribbons.

"What if she no want play with me too?" Lily pouted. Holly Evans turned to her husband with exasperation written all over her face. The dad nodded quickly, grabbing Lily's hand and dragging her over to where they could all see the other pair of father-daughter.

"I'm sure she will love to play with you honey. Let's go ask her"

"You ask her daddy"

Now, about a year have gone by and the two girls were starting school together in the community center near Spinner's End – a choice came upon both set of parents when they noticed the childishly adorable friendship (mixed with puppy love from Sylvia's part) between the girls.

"We're witches" Sylvia told Lily.

Lily's eyes were wide, and she had a displeased crease between her auburn colored eyebrows. "But I want to be a princess" The red head pronounced sullenly to her best friend.

The raven haired girl shook her head. "No Lily. Listen. We can do magic, you remember the time you broke your mum's vase…"

"Petunia said she'd tattle on me and I started crying and then mummy came home and Tuney ran over to her and I panicked…"

"And the vase wasn't broken anymore. You fixed it, with magic!"

It was amazing, Lily decided not to get offended at being called a witch. She could still be a princess when she and Sylvia played play pretend. Sylvia always let her be whatever she wanted – but now the two of them were witches! "We're going to be good witches! Like the Wizard of Oz and Gandalf!"

Severus did not remember how much of a brat little Lily could be.

Perhaps in the burrows of his boyhood memories, he'd already framed Lily with a bright golden halo that sanctified the girl through the eyes of a misguided boy. He didn't remember how pushy the red head was, or how she'd always want to have her way. It was, he realized in annoyed epiphany, just like any other annoyingly healthy child he ever met.

Though Lily was not worse than Draco Malfoy. That boy would always take the cake. Always.

Petunia was another surprise.

Once he could see beyond the bitter, jealous woman she became and the fact she'd abuse Harry out of spite – and see the developing potential in the older girl, he regretted his brattish behavior in excluding the older sister just because she was muggle… that and almost crushing her with a branch. He regretted that, yeah.

This time around, although Petunia made airs of importance, she absolutely adored to play around with Lily when she wasn't in one of her moods. Subsequently, when Sylvia joined them for play time, the older girl would take the reigns of most of their games and dictate the rules. To Severus' new eyes, Petunia Evans was as much a Slytherin as he was.

Petunia was still tall and thin. Her hair was a light strawberry blonde color, more blond than red, that was getting increasingly lighter every summer Petunia spent outdoors.

Severus would one day bite his own tongue before admitting this but…

He liked Petunia this time around.

When his eyes were not clouded by prejudice and Petunia's view of magic haven't taken a turn for the worse.

Oh… she was still jealous of their magic, but with a bit of cunning and reverse psychology, Sylvia managed to convince Petunia that not having magic was a good thing for her. Lily had to be manipulated as well though. The ongoing argument went like this: "Lily and I are witches, thus, you are going to be the princess this time!"

If there was one thing Petunia Evans adored, was being the center of attention.

"If Tuny is a princess, then I'm one as well, we're sisters!" went Lily's logic. Sylvia didn't have the heart to object – she didn't mind being the evil witch at every round and turn if it meant the Evans sisters were happy and content with him and each other.

Now that Eileen knew that her husband didn't hate magic, and consequently her, all thanks to the untimely intervention of her mother-in-law (the old lady already returned to Cardiff) – the witch' suggestion that she participated in their home's income was met with only the slightest bit of hesitancy.

"I can brew from the basement" Eileen said to Tobias over the dinner table. "Sylvia is old enough that she doesn't need enough supervision, and while she's at school and you're away in the factory, I can work on some potions orders"

Tobias was hesitating because he's been raised to think women didn't have to work. His own payment from the Factory was only barely enough so they wouldn't go without home and food. But Sylvia was a growing girl, and he consciously realized that any boost on their family's income was welcome.

Even if it meant his wife would be working as well.

"Potion orders?" He asked instead of wondering if she'd have time for the house chores. He noticed soon enough that living with a witch entailed a life of untold comforts in a way. With a silly wave of her wand, all indoors chores were done in a spell. Not Literally. Of course. But spelling the broom to sweep by itself was easy enough for his wife and so on. She'd told him about her secret potions lab that he was forbidden to wander into unless she was around – he took it with a grain of salt – but in the end it was a nice pastime for Eileen since it kept her in the house and he didn't mind her keeping her lab that much after all.

Eileen nodded. "I garden in the mornings" She beamed at him, proud of her small garden and he smiled back. Their house was old but the garden was pristine. "And while Sylvia is away at school, I can fill some simple potion orders, I do have my NEWTS" That didn't answer his question. His wife noticed and kept explaining. "My old potion master owns an apothecary, they are always in need of potion makers to prepare pre-made potions for selling. It won't be much, but I want to help you, Toby"

And that undid him. His witch only wanted to help him.

He thought of something else. "Has Sylvia shown any sign of magic at all?"

Both parents turned to their daughter. Said daughter just swallowed her bite of pie and smiled at them, that little secret smile she seemed to reserve for when they asked ridiculously obvious questions. "I have magic daddy, mummy…look" With a wave of her tiny hands, Sylvia floated off the dinner chair and rose softly to the ceiling where she waved down at her parents. "Lily has magic as well; may I call her over tomorrow to play Gobstones?"

Way to drop the news.

After Sylvia's relatively shocking revelation to her parents that yes, she had magic, and yes, she was highly aware of what it was since she wasn't a simpleton, and yes, she's already told Lily – Tobias and Eileen Snape together with the Evans couple came to an agreement quickly enough regarding their daughters' magical studies.

"What about normal school?" The Snape father asked with something like doubt wavering in his voice. He wanted his girl to at least finish school so she wouldn't be taken advantage of. It was also a nice opportunity to find a good husband for her too. A good boy from a good family in the community… one look at Sylvia had him convinced of one thing though, not happening.

Eileen, having the sole privilege of being the only one amongst them who had a complete magical education, piped in, trying to sound as soothing as possible. "There are untold possibilities for careers in the Enclaves. Sylvia and Lily are two smart girls, and I'm sure that opportunities for them both won't be short" she pointed out.

"What kind of careers are we talking about?" Mark Evans asked after being nudged by Holly.

The Snape witch hummed under her breath, absently tapping her lips in thought. "It really varies." She started "For example, should they excel in any given subject, they could invest in a mastery course for it and work as private consultants or even teachers. The Wizarding World has its own version of Doctors, though they're called Healers – and there is a special police force as well… They could also seek apprenticeship in any given trade, become researchers – such as spell or potion development, curse breakers, ward smiths, barristers, politicians… really! Anything!"

Looking interested, Eileen's husband and their friends nodded slowly.

"It seems that opportunity won't be a problem at all!" Holly remarked, eyes wide. "Imagine Lily as a… what was it you said Eileen? A Healer? Imagine Lily as a Healer!" It was as good as a Doctor according to Eileen, and they knew how smart Lily is.

The only one who still had a bit of doubt was Tobias, since his military father and his stay-at-home-mum educated him with that mindset – it was a huge stretch and proof of his faith in Eileen that he'd allow her to continue working, but his daughter? He only wanted Sylvia to find a good husband and…

If he knew his Sylvia right, she'd bend the very rules of their lives as always and leave him with his mouth hanging open while she mocked his perception of reality.

"Sylvia is really good with Potions" That was an understatement. Since diapers days Sylvia was already keeping an eye on her mum's potions, but Eileen was all smiles and he smiled with her.

Tobias took a deep breath. This was it. Truth time.

"When is that letter you talked about arriving again?" He asked Eileen while she beamed proudly.

They were eleven and their Hogwarts letters just arrived.

Sylvia stared at the school owl with a sort of detached interest, Eileen noticed. Not reacting like a normal child just receiving the Letter. For it deserved a capital. The Letter sat there by the owl, unopened and ignored since Sylvia's dark eyes were trailed on the owl.

"Mum, I think the owl has my Hogwarts acceptance letter" The eleven years old told her mother, face changing into an expression of sincere bewilderment – as if she could hardly believe The Letter was there.

"It does" Eileen Prince-Snape confirmed slowly, reaching out for The Letter and wondering in what moment of her life would Sylvia act as expected.

In another house a few blocks over, Lily was opening her own Letter.

"Where is mine?" Petunia asked, eyes bright with unshed tears and face tight in anger. But then, before their parents could say anything, Lily remembered all the times Sylvia managed to turn Petunia's jealousy around and in their favor.

"Do you think that if I really become a witch I will be as pretty and smart as you are, Tuny?" The small red head spoke quickly, diverting her older sister's attention to something that was bound to pick her interest. "I still don't understand how you got rid of your freckles!"

Blatant manipulation. Holly Evans gaped for a single second, not believing her ears – her little bratty red head was doing damage control in a level worthy of Sylvia…

Oh. Right. Who was Lily's best friend again?

Thirteen years old Petunia sniffed, but Holly could see how her mood was changed from dangerously explosive to reasonably pensive. "I'm sure Tuney can teach you her tricks so you don't have to resort to a magic spell, Lily" The mom commented, eyeing as her eldest daughter seemed to come to a realization.

"And maybe Sylvia and I could make more friends… Tuny has lots of other friends now that she's in upper school" Lily continued as if Holly hadn't spoken. Because only Holly knew how Lily was unmanageable when she was in a mood. Only Petunia and Sylvia were able to keep up with Lily – she intimidated the other girls too much and the ones brave enough to approach, were ran off by Sylvia herself.

"Perhaps…" Petunia allowed, swallowing down the vile feelings that were creeping up her chest. She also wanted to try magic, to be special… but… "I will help you with your freckles before you start school" the elder Evans sister offered tremulously, eyeing Lily's letter with a small envious cloud in her bright, teary eyes.

Mark and Holly traded looks. They were a little weary of Petunia's temper.

The first time he saw her was as she made her way through the Hogwarts Express in search of a free compartment. In his own, there were only three other boys and there was space enough for her.

He waved, but she never even looked his way.

It was as she passed through his compartment that he noticed a second girl following behind the first.

The second girl did more than stare. She glared. Glared with the hatred of Nemesis, as if she couldn't wait for the chance to dance upon his grave.

"Hey mate, are you alright?" Sirius called. He'd met the other boy in the station and they found themselves quickly becoming friends. His mum and Sirius' mum were cousins or something like that - maybe that's why they never met growing up.

"Yeah… just excited and all"

"Me too… What house do you think you will be in?"

"Not Slytherin! If I'm sorted in there I think I'll ask my dad to transfer me out!"

"Huh…" Sirius sighed. "My whole family has been in Slytherin… I hope I'm not"

"Slytherin!" The hat cried out. The little red haired girl jumped off the stool and grinned nervously as her previously plain black school robes turned silver and green, all the way to her tie. After the magical color theme change, the red head girl walked giddily to her new table, meeting the eyes of her housemates and later, waving at her best friend when she was also sorted in Slytherin.

That night in September first, 1971 when the pair of friends met in a giggling mess inside their dormitory, was when Severus (as Sylvia) finally understood what was going on.

Lily Evans was in Slytherin.

Now… It was quite common to assume that because of Salazar Slytherin's infamous spat against Godric Gryffindor, that he was also against all things muggle. It was an exaggeration, since Slytherin house had muggleborns sorted into it as much as the other houses. The difference was that Slytherin muggleborns, after their first night in the dungeons, would never, ever admit to being muggleborns for fear of simply being overlooked for the more prestigious, known family names.

They understood early on what they had to do to stay on top. Simple as that.

During his life as Severus, he tried to convince Lily to be sorted into Slytherin. And for all she said she would go to the house of snakes to be with him, Lily was not silver and green material. She was hot headed and brash, and for all her smarts, Lily could be obtuse and slow in certain cases – she would be eaten alive in the snake house.

Thus the hat saved her by placing Lily in Gryffindor, where her personality matched more.

Now this Lily. Sylvia's best friend Lily since they were four. This Lily learned how to be cunning by observing Sylvia. By playing with her and adopting the subtle art of manipulation (mainly their parents and Petunia) to attain their own mean, and simply because the bond between two girls ran in a different level than the bond between a girl and a boy… There were things that as a boy he could never share with Lily without being the king of awkwardness.

As Sylvia, Severus understood several of Lily's temper tantrums and consequent issues. Having a more stable family life than her male counterpart also served to help Sylvia understand the world Lily came from and relate to her better. This understanding bridge went both ways. Consequently Lily started to mimic Sylvia the way children mimicked their closest friends in habits and mannerisms.

Lily Evans was a baseborn Gryffindor wearing Slytherin clothes.

And Sylvia couldn't be happier.