Severus's fifth year, after Lily did not accept his apology:
Astonishing , Severus thought to himself in the abandoned dungeon he locked himself in, simply incredible. Amazing. Five years and Potter and his gang never made him cry, and not for lack of trying. But now he was crying, not because of them, although Potter had recently broken a record in being a swine, but because of Lily. Lily was furious with him! She was rightfully furious, perhaps, but he could not believe it was over, just like that. He never got a chance to tell her the truth, to explain his side of things – could he have, even if she had given him a hundred chances?
Now he was crying. Six years of friendship, gone, every hope - dashed. The only good thing about his hometown, the only real friend he had, turned her back on him and disappeared behind the Fat Lady's portrait. All because of his big mouth… and Dumbledore.
Should I just end it? Who will even care?
The door moved. Severus was startled – he thought it was Black. Well, it was a Black – his brother, Regulus. Great. Just what I need, another Black to mock me . "Err, sorry" he said, and before he ran out, Regulus said: "I am not my prat of a brother. No need to flinch away from me."
Every year, the Blacks hosted the official Ministry Examiners for dinner after the OWLs. This year was no different, except for one thing - it was Sirius's OWL year. Yet nearly every examiner Regulus saw raved about a certain Slytherin student of no repute, who had apparently brewed complicated potions in record time, could cast non-verbal spells in his OWL year, whose charms work was impeccable, who appeared to have no idea how unusual it was. Abraxas Malfoy boasted that his Lucius had been singing this student's praises since he came to the school, that he had apprenticed under him already, and that he expected great things of him. What was even more interesting was how much it infuriated Sirius, who scored well in Transfiguration and in DADA, and did well in general, but had not accomplished anything the examiners considered noteworthy, despite the fact that they all knew him since he was a boy. When somebody asked Sirius if he knows Severus Snape, and are they friends, by any chance, for what felt like the 100th time, Sirius excused himself and Regulus could swear he never heard the door in his room slam so loudly before - and that was saying something. Severus Snape? The one he'd caught sobbing alone in the dungeon after the DADA test? He had just assumed the infamous Slytherin half-blood was in a state because he'd failed everything. But anyone who had the examiners raving like this, who stirred such hatred in his idiot brother, was worth keeping an eye on.
Two more years and I'll be out of this cesspool forever, Severus told himself as he returned for his sixth year. Two more years… all you need to do is stay far away from Potter and his gang. Severus found himself spending most of his time in the library or in the Slytherin dungeon, alone. Trying not to think of her , condescending, judgmental her , pretending she does not know him all summer, with her friends and her money and her family and her… everything. She was just another one of them now. Yet when he thought of what he'd called her his insides turned. She didn't know the truth about Black and Potter and the werewolf, did she? How could she have?
It was best to drag his many books into the empty dungeon he made his own and not think about it, to stay away from everyone – especially the lake… just thinking about the lake made him want to drown himself in it. He heard a knock. "What do you want?"
"You don't own this room, do you?" Regulus said.
Black. He probably does own this room. His great great grandfather must have actually built it. Terrific. "I don't own much of anything," he spat. "Well, what is it?"
"I just wanted to sit here, but if it's so hard for you I can go somewhere else!" Regulus left, huffing, leaving a very perplexed Severus behind.
The two sat in silence, and studied. Severus occasionally commented on the younger one's notes, but most of the time they were quiet. Severus no longer flinched at the sight of him. In fact, he finally realized why everyone talked about how handsome his brother was – the gravity-defying cheekbones, the gray eyes – and he was confused. When Black reached for his ink bottle their fingers touched for less than a second, brushed against one another, and this startled Severus so much he knocked the bottle over, but Regulus seemed not to have noticed or to be upset at all about having to start his essay over. "Evanesco," Severus muttered, and they stayed there, Severus, deeply ashamed, and looking as though knocking a bottle over was an offense punishable by whipping, and promising to be more careful next time, and Regulus, bewildered by Severus's reaction, long after both had finished their essays, though neither of them had admitted it.