I am 250+ into this fic and have a better understanding where I am taking this fic, so here are a few notes:
-First, this story is told from the perspective of Penny, however, further in there is an exert from Snape. But the point of this story is to follow Snape's journey from a perspective from someone other than Harry. This story does follow cannon events, but where ever Snape is during cannon you can expect to find Penny there, so she is not following Harry and I'm trying not to re-write events we already know what happened, but fill in gaps with the story I have imagined. This means that Penny will be at Hogwarts during their 7th year while Harry is off finding horcruxes.
-While I try to follow cannon as best as possible, I have made some changes, Harry having a twin being an obvious one. Some deaths will be different, and I have changed some characters because I wanted more diversity in this fic and representation.
-Inspiration for some of my plot points incorporate ideas or themes from Attack on Titan and Full Metal Alchemist and have been melded together and altered for Penny's story, so if you notice these, yay!
-This is not a Snape replaces Lily story, I did not make Penny resemble her mother for that plotline. Lily's appearance serves more as a reminder to Snape about his poor choices and how they impacted many lives and challenges him to strive to be a different man within the bounds of his character.
-I try to write Snape as in character as possible, however this story is not written from Harry's perspective so there will be natural deviations because every interaction is not laced with their animosity. I have also endeavored to write some realistic growth into the man and like to place him in funny situations he has to navigate ;)
-This is a Snape centric fic, but there are some other main players including Lupin, Malfoy and Cedric.
-Please take note of tags, warnings on the chapters, I do my best to make sure everyone is informed before proceeding. But this is a mature fiction, not graphic by any means, but some themes and experiences, such as violence, depression and grief, could be hard for some readers.
-Currently this is a mentor/student relationship. Snape and Penny are not romantically involved and I will not be taking them that way until well after the end of the second war. However, they do still share a close, meaningful relationship. But Penny will have other romances in this story.
-Lastly I actively oppose the transphobic remarks by JKR, this is a safe place and I'll delete any comments that attack or perpetuate that kind of nonsense.
Thanks for joining and happy reading!
Penny Potter could have never imagined the way her life would turn out. She was the younger twin sister of Harry Potter, had grown up with him at their aunt and uncle's on Privet Drive and never knew she was a witch until her and Harry's Hogwarts letters arrived the year they turned eleven. It had been a magical year, learning about who their parents truly were and finding their home at Hogwarts. Both Penny and Harry were sorted into Gryffindor, they become closer, but also more independent. Harry found instant friends in Ron and Hermione. The three were inseparable. Everyone whispered when Harry walked by, he was after all, the boy who lived. And Penny, well she was just his twin sister. She had survived because Voldemort died trying to kill Harry.
It was strange having grown up in a normal life, never knowing how famous Harry was, to then be be transported to such a different reality. She always knew her twin was special, had loved him fiercely and felt for his annoyance being the center of attention. She understood why he clung to his close friends, commanding such deep devotion, but it didn't mean she hadn't been jealous. Needless to say, it had been an adjustment, going from being Harry's best friend to a secondary thought. Everyone worried about the boy who lived. It had made Penny determined, she would do all she could to be worthy to stand beside her favorite person.
Penny was a bit more sociable than Harry, being charismatic "like her father," as many people liked to remind her. Unlike Harry, Penny had no close friends, but she did have many friends. No one turned down her company so she made a habit of being the entertainer, giving her a name throughout Hogwarts, one only Fred and George rivaled. Her peers liked her, even the Slytherins, they seemed not to think of her as a 'Potter,' (which was in and of itself, still irritating.) Her flare for drama helped her popularity, motivating her to set up the Hogwarts drama club early in her time at Hogwarts, after some of her followers had begged her upon visiting her live readings, where she would narrate various muggle tales. Everyone loved to listen to her renditions, and she practiced often. Professor Dumbledore asked her to read a Christmas Story to the small gathering of people who remained at Hogwarts over Christmas break in their first year. He complimented her fiercely, and even Professor Snape seemed to have nothing negative to say. Penny Potter found her place at Hogwarts, and it sufficed to keep her content.
It was the first day of her fourth year and she settled down for double potions. Her red hair fell over her shoulder. She examined it, thinking of how often people told her she was a clone of her mother. She looked towards the back of the classroom, searching for Harry, who was known to look like their father, James. She wondered what it had been like for James, entering his fourth year, what his dreams had been. She smiled at Harry and turned to face forward. Harry had Ron and Hermione sitting on either side of him, trying to hide from the view of Snape, who always seemed to have a grudge against Harry. Penny sat alone towards the front of the classroom. The front was usually occupied by the Slytherins whom Snape obviously favored. Penny knew Harry couldn't stand it, but Penny had an easy time ignoring it, but Snape never harassed her the way he harassed Harry. Interestingly, she found Snape left Harry alone more often when she sat away from him, and nearer the front. Something about the sight of them side by side grated on his nerves.
Her location didn't bother her and people never minded taking the space next to her, from either house. It was generally pleasant to have people coming and going, but she never did travel in a set group, like most of her peers. Today, Malfoy sat beside her.
"Penny, have you heard the Triwizard Tournament is being held here this year," he said in a drawl.
"What's that?" she asked.
"I always forget about your upbringing," he said, glancing back at Harry.
"What a charming thing for you to say" she said sardonically.
He smiled at her, she knew he always found her to be amusing, even though he tried very hard to be bored with most of Hogwarts.
"It's an international competition between schools. My father says only the best wizards from each school are chosen."
"And witches," she corrected him.
"Are you planning on entering then," he smirked.
"I daresay the wizarding world could do with a female champion," she said, her eyes gleaming.
"Quiet down, out with your summer homework" Snape said, moving through tables and sweeping essays away with a flick of his wand.
He stopped beside Penny, "Ms. Potter, did you not think your homework was worth doing this summer?" he said, peering down at the empty space in front of her. He flicked away Malfoy's large stack and waited for her response.
She returned his stare with her own fierce look. "It's Penny."
"Excuse me?"
"I have told you, I prefer to go by Penny, I am not a possession of my father, last names are an archaic way of enslaving women to their male counterparts," she told him, matter-of-factly.
"Another feminist tirade, I thought you'd at least wait until the second day of class for one of those," he smirked.
The class laughed, but Penny turned away from him, refusing to answer.
"As I was saying, your homework," he pressed, his eyes glinting with dangerous excitement.
"I'll answer you, Professor, when you address me as I have asked to be addressed."
The class stopped chuckling, waiting with bated breath for Snape to explode. He was a strict teacher and hated back talk. The Gryffindors shook their heads, while the Slytherins gaped, wide eyed.
"I think we can agree that being a product of your father is a most unfortunate predicament," he said cooly, peering back at Harry. "Nevertheless, Penny," he said, stressing her name with the utmost delicacy, dark eyes capturing hers when she finally turned back to face him, "your homework," he finished holding out his hand.
She gave him a charming smile and reached for her bag. He looked taken aback by the sudden change of mood.
"Well, Professor, about that, I had some issues with your assignment."
"Issues," he said quietly, eyes narrowed, "do tell."
"I think there were some failings with your prompt, and requirements for the assignments, particularly in reference to the use of moonstones in droughts. What did you mean by droughts? Because as a potions master I know you know, there is no real category known as 'droughts' and unlearned people simply just clump together these potions by brewing methods, which makes no sense in and of itself, but that's another topic to be discussed. But, were you asking about all of them, the polygeneous ones or the amonious antidotes that rely on moonstones?" she demanded, pulling out a stack of parchment larger than the one in his hand, and handed it to him.
"What is this," he hissed.
"I wrote your paper on each of these subcategories because you did not specify. I simply cannot allow my grade to be at the mercy of your carelessness."
The class gave a collective snort, looking from one to the other. Malfoy even nudged Penny in the side, clearly afraid for her.
"While I can empathize with having a severe case of anxiety, overachieving will get you no bonus points in my class. We will discuss this after class," Snape sneered.
"I am sorry you feel as though a serious student in your class is looking for free points, I merely wrote the essays from my own meager understanding of potions," she replied pointedly.
Snape looked back at her, his mouth twitching ever so slightly. The two of them seemed to enjoy this back and forth, but many people wondered at her ability to get away with such snark in the face of such a severe professor. Yet, Snape never punished her the way he did others. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact she did actual work, but it was more than likely related to Penny's resemblance of her mother. Albeit, the man never did reveal in what capacity he knew Lily, the topic only crept up in bizarre moments.
The school body, however, saw it very differently. They speculated wildly, how could the infamous Penny Potter had charmed even the heartless Severus Snape? It seemed to only add to her allure. Professor Lupin often told her that charm and cheek was that of her father, James and she would do well to keep it in check so as not to spend as much time in detention as he. Penny thought nothing of the warning, she challenged everything she learned, and questioned her professors at every chance she got-to Snape's disdain.
"You're insane," Malfoy whispered in her ear.
"Accept nothing at face value."
"I like it."
Penny's eyes turned and fixed on Snape, who began talking after dropping the papers on his desk.
"Today we will begin to look at antidotes, which means half of the class will be brewing poisons and the other will be brewing antidotes to those poisons, at the end of the class we will be testing them."
Penny nearly leapt out of her chair with glee, jubilant to finally get a chance to try her hand at antidotes.
"You will be brewing a poison," Snape said coldly, dropping an ingredients list for a poison in front of Penny.
"But Professor!" she cried, clearly devastated.
He turned back to look at her, "They require enough fear of their poisons."
"That isn't even fair."
"Then be dumber," he said with a shrug.
She scowled at him as he walked away. Thankfully the man had pulled out Trickling Teft, a meticulous brew that would lull the victim into slumber before melting away their insides. It had been very popular with housewives in the 60's, who wanted to murder their husbands, because it was virtually undetectable at the time. Now it was notable by the way it turned the back of the throat grey, and was easily remedied with a simple antidote, within 2 hours of administration.
Malfoy gathered his ingredients and started on his potion, almost adding the wrong ingredient before Penny kicked him in the shin,"Those are grey skinned beetles, you need green!" she hissed.
He was quickly rushing off to find the correct beetles when Snape finished his intimidation rounds and stopped again beside Penny.
"Why have you replaced the pickled frog leg with the bark of sandalwood," he asked, staring down his hooked nose at her.
"Because pickled frog is a stupid ingredient, it's evident in this potion that its purpose is to slow the acidic property of the teft to allow for an agonizing disintegration of the insides. However, its use has numerous downsides, one being the way it gives the fluid a purple hue, making it more detectable. The sandalwood serves the same purpose, but actually neutralizes any colors in the fluids due to the presence of the flobberworm," she replied, carefully measuring her next ingredient, stirring it two times counterclockwise and then immediately removing from the heat.
She turned to stare at the professor who was considering her curiously. "Do you disagree?"
"Do you trust yourself enough to be sure his antidote will cure whatever you have just created?" Snape replied.
"I trust your vested interest in not letting your most fascinating student die," she replied smugly.
"I would not discount my belief in pain as a useful learning tool."
"Oh, believe me, I haven't" she said, glancing around at her stressed classmates, their brows furrowed in anxiety. "I don't think you've made nearly enough rounds to make Neville cry today, you must be feeling cheerful because it's the first day of term."
"I am never cheerful."
"Aren't you?" she said, looking up at him with a smile.
He leaned lazily on her desk, his arms folded. "I trust you have been timing this? If it sets too. . ."
"Yes Professor, I did read your instructions, I do, from time to time find them useful."
"Then you'll be delighted to know you left your stirring utensil in your cauldron and it's made from aluminum, and by now it has contaminated your potion," he said with a horrible smirk.
Penny's eyes bulged. "No," she said in horror.
He left her to dwell on it, moving to harass her brother instead. Penny was too caught up in trying to think through her mistake to hear what he was saying, but from time to time, she'd catch the Slytherins snickering. Beside her, Malfoy was having a bad time with his antidote, it had turned a shade of purple instead of pink.
"Help!" he begged quietly.
She glanced over at his cauldron and then down at his list, trying to determine what he had done wrong.
"I think you can save it, if you go get some dillyfae and cut it really small, like really, really small and mix it on high heat," she said quickly, as Snape glanced up from the stack of parchment he was reading, his expression full of disgust. He narrowed his eyes, looking between the pair. Penny looked away innocently, pretending nothing was amiss. It took her the better part of 30 minutes to realize Snape had made up her mistake and just intended to stress her out for his cruel pleasure. She yelled out furiously when it dawned on her.
"Sorry, just really invested here," she mumbled, when the class turned to stare at her. Everyone burst out laughing, telling her they loved her and wouldn't let her die from her own poison.
Penny and Malfoy finished first, leaning back to let things simmer before bottling it for testing.
"So how many people compete in this Triwizard Tournament?" Penny asked, leaning on her elbow to watch Draco.
"One person is selected from each school, my father said Beauxbaton and Durmstrang have been invited. We will likely get more details tonight."
"Isn't that where VIktor Krum goes?"
"Don't tell me you have a crush on him like every other girl," Draco said with an eye roll.
"I mean, you know what they say about good flyers," she said in a sarcastic tone.
"Well then, guess I'll be out on the pitch tonight, if you care to join me," he said flirtatiously.
"You can take Ms. Potter-" Snape began, "Penny" he corrected mid-way through, seeing her furious expression, "out to satiate your teenage hormones if you manage to cure her with your antidote, Malfoy. I trust you will not disappoint me, but do let her suffer a bit before administering, girls never like a boy who is too eager, " Snape drawled.
Malfoy and Penny both flushed and looked away from each other. Satisfied with his efforts to embarrass them, Snape moved on.
Everyone prepared and traded their potions. Ron ended up puking so profusely he could not drink Harry's antidote, and was carried by him to the Hospital Wing. Snape made Penny wait ten minutes after taking her Trickling Teft, to try Draco's antidote. Draco had become rather nervous watching her change several shades of green from the discomfort, that could have been mistaken for a bad case of food poisoning. Penny furiously began writing down everything Draco described about her appearance until Snape snatched the quill away from her and forced the antidote down her throat after she said she'd like to see what else would happen if she waited longer.
Penny was packing up when Neville's sobs reached her. She looked around the empty room to where Snape was standing over Neville telling him he'd get a 0 for the day because everyone had refused to test his antidote.
"I'll try it, Neville."
"P-Penny, you sure?"
"Of course Neville, everyone deserves a chance to learn," she said, shooting an angry glance at Professor Snape.
He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms impatiently. Picking up the Withering Draught Seamus had made, Penny tipped it back. As soon as it hit her throat she began gagging. She felt every surface that had made contact with liquid begin to contract in a horrible fashion. Without realizing, she was clawing at her throat, eyes watering from the pain of it. Terrified, Neville passed her his vial with a shaking hand. Penny took it without a word. She knew instantly it would be bad, her eyes darting to Snape, who's smooth black one's looked over her with a knowing smile. She doubled over in pain, reaching for Snape's cloak as though it would make the pain go away.
'P-Professor, will she be okay," Neville said in little more than a squeak.
"You have successfully poisoned her, you buffoon. You have received your marks for the day, are you happy? Now get out so I can deal with this!" Snape said in a hard tone, pulling Penny up to look at her.
She was breaking into a cold sweat, her body felt like it was on fire, and the feeling of choking would not relent. It now moved to her uterus which felt like it was shrinking inside of her. She tried to cry out in pain, but she could not get anything out or in. Her throat had closed, squashed together as though it would never open again. Snape dragged her to his desk and sat her on it, turning away to wave his wand, ingredients soaring over towards him in response.
"Your insides have contracted and will continue to contract until your vital organs shut down. All of your nerves is on fire because every fiber of your being pushes against them, it's quite painful isn't it?" he said in mock concern, eyes glinting.
Still clutching his robes, she gaped at him and his choice of a teaching moment. He seemed to relish being vindicated.
"I don't even know what the Longbottom boy gave you, perhaps we should wait and see what symptoms come from that. . ." said Snape with a terrible grin.
Penny shook her head violently, unable to utter a sound. Another painful twang in her abdomen nearly sent her to the floor, Snape all but holding her upright. He pushed her lulling head backwards for access to her mouth. With green goo lacing it, he placed his finger firmly under her tongue and held it there firmly for five seconds before handing her a vial to drink, which miraculously went down her throat, (having sprang open just long enough to let it pass. )
Penny continued to cling to his robes, panting from the effort to breathe. Snape stood silently and watched her, every once in a while feeling her head, he lingered for a moment, taking a stray strand of red hair and looking at it. Curiously, she looked up at the dark eyes that were so very lost in thought, which then turned away from her hair and gazed back down at her, his brow furrowed.
"Lily," he said quietly, as thought Penny could not hear him.
"I'll admit I often look at my hair and think of her too," Penny whispered, trying to focus on his face.
It swam across her vision, his expression impossible to read, it almost seemed sad? But she had to look away, refusing to let go of him, feeling as though she were falling over. He was silent, acknowledging, in his own way, their shared feelings. Penny was use to this, over her years at Hogwarts she admittedly had spent much time with her potions master, though he tried hard to off-put her. Penny was always been an eager student, and was instantaneously with her potions master on her first days of double potions. She asked many questions, which seemed to startle the man. Something about the way he had looked at her when she first walked into his class, as though he were seeing a ghost, and the way his face softened when no one else was around, it made Penny feel like she wanted to know more about the sallow-skinned man.
Their dynamic was generally a back and forth, pupil demanding, and teacher exasperatedly trying to teach. But he never denied her the opportunity to learn, and from time to time, these quiet exchanges would occur. He refused to comment, but she knew he heard her. Penny never pressed him, demanded to know how he knew her mother, she just accepted the pieces of his sorrow.
"You have so little faith in me, you think I'd let that buffoon of a kid kill? Next time, do not waste my good graces for that," he finally replied, handing her a glass of water he summoned.
She took it, downing it in a single gulp. The pain was easing, allowing Penny to sit up. Several minutes had passed, him standing silently before her, careful not to touch her legs that dangled over the side of his desk, her hand the only thing breaking the barrier between them.
Finally releasing the connection between them, she wiped sweat from her head.
"I told you, you're cheerful today," she smiled, moving to stand on wobbly legs.
He stepped back, allowing her space to stand. " I told you-"
"You lied," Penny cut across, "you're an open book, you can't hide all the time, and it's obvious when you slip, " she continued, glancing at his perplexed expression.
"Are you a psychiatrist now too?" he said, his thin lips pursed.
"No Professor, I do not have to be, I simply pay attention to you."
She gave him a sad smile, and grabbed her bag, headed off towards transfiguration, she was already going to be late. Snape made no reply, the only sound to follow her being the light thump of the dungeon door shutting behind her.
Penny was determined, one day that man would finally admit it, they were friends.
