A Change of Heart
By: the Mirror of Erised
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they belong to J.K. Rowling.
Severus sat in the dungeon, flipping through an old yearbook. Suddenly he paused at a picture of a Gryffindor girl. She had curly red hair like flames that lit up his chilly dungeon, as well as his cold heart. Her sparkling emerald green eyes was like the ray of sun light that was always missing his dungeon and his life. She was smiling and waving at him, Severus couldn't help but shrank back into the teenage boy that he once was, his memories flashing before his eyes.
He was such a hateful boy; he hated everyone, everyone but her. Everyone hated him, everyone but her. She was the only one that didn't call him by the name "Snape" in the mocking way that everyone else did, he despised everyone that did so. Yes, he fancied her, but he wouldn't admit it. He was too arrogant to do it. He convinced him self that he didn't like her, so that he could fill his heart with complete hatred. How he regreted that.
"Ding-ing" the bell had rung, he gave the picture one last look and shut the yearbook. Yes, I'll have the Gryffindors, and the Potter boy. Snape's lips curled at this thought, picking on Harry Potter seems to give him much satisfaction.
Snape stood at in the dungeon as the students rushed in. Now Potter where are you, ah, looks like he and his friends are going to be late, Gryffindor is going to lose ten points…
Much to his disappointment, Harry, Ron, Hermione came in just before the bell had rung. Behind them, there was someone else…She had curly red hair, and emerald green eyes, she had just taken a seat beside Potter.
She, she and Potter… Severus felt his body shook violently as he stare at them. For a moment his eyes blurred, Harry's green eyes had turned brown. Lily, Lily and James Potter sat before his eyes. Snape felt himself shrinking in to that teenage boy again.
James Potter, the
Quidditch captain, the Head boy, top of the class, the girls' charmer. Potter had everything, and even Lily. He
hated him. James doesn't deserve it, he doesn't deserve Lily. He, Severus Snape
was nothing but a boy with slimy hair. But no! He is not that boy any more, he,
is the poison master. He, Severus Snape can punish them, torture them.
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" Snape barked after staring at her for so long, everyone in the room jumped.
She glared at him, "Lilia" she said casually.
Lilia, Lilia, the name, and the glittering green eyes, he can't stand it.
"THIRTY POINTS OFF GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!" Snape bellowed, no one in the room made a sound. Now satisfied, Snape turn around, about to start teaching.
"Why?" said a cold, calm voice.
"WHAT?!" He screamed, turning around. His eyes colder than ever. She stared straight into them.
"W-h-y d-i-d y-o-u t-a-k-e p-o-i-n-t-s o-f-f G-r-y-f-f-i-n-d-o-r?" She said slowly and steadily, making every word loud and clear. Everyone was thrilled.
"Are you question me?" said Snape murderously.
"Yes Severus." She said coolly, then paused "Don't you remember me, Serverus?"
The rest of the class was in complete shock, no body speaks to Snape like that, let alone calling him by his first name.
"GET OUT OF HERE! ALL OF YOU!" Snape roared as he returned to his desk, shaking all over.
"Severus, why are you…" Before she could finish, Harry, Ron, and Hermione dragged her out of the door.
*****
Severus sat in
the dungeon, staring at Lily's picture, figuring a little box in his pocket.
Yes, he thought, she looks just like her, she looks just like Lily.
The door creaked, she came in with a large
box. Facing her, once again turned him into the young boy he used to be. This
time, however, he stayed that way.
"Severus, it's really cold in here." She shivered.
"Not as cold as I am." He murmured.
"Why then? Why are you so cold and um- hateful?" she whispered gently.
"No one, no one ever loved me, or
liked me even! I never received any kindness from anybody! Why should I be kind
to the others?" He said loudly.
"Sure you have received kindness, Severus. Like when Dumbledore let you teach here, it was nice of him to over look your um- past. And what about you parents?"
"Dumbledore, he never liked me, for four years in a row he had not given me the Defense Against Dark arts position! My father left me when I was three. And my mother, she never cared about me, all she cared about was my phony sisters." He said.
" I'm sorry, I never knew"
"OF COURESE YOU DIDN'T! NO BODY DID! WHO CARES ABOUT THE KID WITH SLIMY HAIR ANYWAY!" Severus shouted.
There was a long silence before they
spoke again.
"Severus, if you show kindness toward the others, I'm sure you will be liked, or even loved. It will make you happy, trust me."
"No, the only thing that makes me happy is to make anyone I come across miserable." His lips curled again at this point.
"You are wrong Severus," she said shaking her head "The only thing that can do to you is to ease your own pain and misery, it makes you more cruel than you already are and less lovable." She continued, "You have closed your heart which is full of hate, you have no place for love."
"Love means nothings to me!"
" I know, you were never loved… you had no um- friends"
" No, I have none…"
"Well, now you do." She open the box, held out a dozen of lilies, "I have to go now Severus. Don't forget me." She walked towards the door.
Severus held the lilies, a surprised impression hung on his face. He noticed a card among the white lilies, it read:
Dear Severus,
I hope that you will learn to love and to be kind, I wish you would find happiness in your future. Please open your heart and fill it with love. Remember, I will always be your friend.
Love,
Lily
"Lily?"
"Lily." She smiled a smile identical to the one in the yearbook, and turned to leave.
"Lily, wait!" Severus ran to the door, figuring the little box in his pocket. "Um- Lily, I've always wanted to give this to you for the past twenty years. Now that we are um- friends, I can finally give it to you". He handed her the box.
Lily opened it, an emerald bracelet with sliver lilies lay inside. She smiled again and disappeared in the darkness of the hallways.
Severus sat in his chair, opened the yearbook. There, under the name "Lily" he saw a picture of a red haired, green-eyed girl wearing an emerald bracelet with silver lilies waving and smiling at him.
******
Severus stood in the dungeon, teaching the Gryffindors, eying the lilies on his desk from time to time. She wasn't here today, and apparently, no one remembered her. But Severus knew that it wasn't a dream, he can feel that he is being loved, and that had meant everything to him.
"Very good Neville, ten points to Gryffindor…