Author's Notes

Welcome to Act II of The Gestaltation of Severus Snape.

Sorry for the delay; real life circumstances and writing issues were involved. Also, by the time this chapter has been released, I will have enabled PMs in case you wish to PM me for some reason. I will be cross-posting this work onto AO3 as well, so for those of you who use that site, you should be able to find this work there, although slightly edited.

For those who've come straight from Act I, be prepared for a longer act; the previous act was set during about half of the final month of the school year, and considering the school year is from September to roughly the third week of June, the difference may be significant (assuming I give the same coverage as with Act I). As a general outline, this act will solely encompass the sixth year (with exception to the first chapter). In addition, I've decided to release Act II in segments, for the sole purpose of making sure you don't wait too long. I'll add an end note on a chapter for when there will be another break; like Act I, I'm doing this in bursts.

Just as a forewarning, the story going forward will also contain some heavier topics (I won't specify just yet), so there may be points where you feel a bit uncomfortable. I'll be sure to include warnings either at the beginning of the chapter, or at the beginning of the POV.


ACT II: SECRETS

Chapter 1: Chosen

Severus I

1976

Severus Snape awoke to the smell of dust, and the sight of a cracked ceiling. Unfortunately, he recognized the interior from his, or his, memories: the Shrieking Shack. Occluding the thoughts, he took a shallow breath in and out as he began to move his fingers. They should have felt sluggish, and yet… somehow, they were in perfect working order. A bit sore, for some reason, but functional.

As Severus took in more of his surroundings, he realized his bedsheet was damp, presumably with sweat (he hoped), and there was a full tray of food on the nightstand beside him. Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, black pudding, fried potatoes…. He didn't know how they'd been feeding him, especially if the food he could see and smell was any indication of his intake. He tried to sit up to take a bite, only for a sharp pain to pass through his entire body. The pain subsided, growing into an uncomfortable ache that spread. His body was tense, his muscles bulging-

Severus froze. Muscles? Gingerly, he moved his hand to feel around. It wasn't much, but he could definitely feel he had put on lean weight. Testing his range of motion, he carefully moved the covers off of his body and tilted his head as far as he could, lifting the collar of his shirt to look underneath. The sallow skin and bone frame he was accustomed to was gone, replaced with a fuller, healthily looking torso: nothing particularly impressive to look at, but a clear sign of improvement. He rested his head back down and stared back up at the ceiling, letting out a sigh.

There was a pop.

Severus turned his head slightly to the source of the sound, only to find a house-elf standing by the side of his bed. His eyes widened slightly, as did the house-elf's, as they remained frozen in place. The house-elf was short and spindly, with massive ears and long fingers, as well as a large, hooked nose and a permanent sneer.

The house-elf crawled onto the bed and leaned over Severus, looking him over as he squinted. "Hmm," the house-elf said, "Severus Snape is alive."

"... clearly," Severus replied, his aching voice barely a whisper.

"Severus Snape's voice is damaged. Snarky will feed him a potion." The house-elf, apparently named Snarky, waved his hand, and a bottle of yellow liquid appeared. With a wave of his other hand, the liquid within Vanished.

Severus felt something… odd… in his stomach. As though it had somehow become more full. "What-" His voice was somewhat soothed, clearer. "How did you do that?"

"Snarky is a house-elf, sir," Snarky replied.

"Right." Severus turned his head, realizing his body was less sore. "Snarky, why am I in pain?"

"Snarky delivers food to Severus Snape and cleans his clothes and bedding… so many smells…." The house-elf's eyes glazed over before he shook his head. "Snarky does not know Severus Snape's condition."

Severus nodded, sitting up with a bit of difficulty. "Thank you."

The house-elf's oversized ears perked up, although his face remained sour. "Snarky lives to serve Hogwarts, sir."

Severus slowly pulled his legs out from under the covers, standing up and testing his balance. His legs were sore, but he could manage. "How long have I been in bed?"

"Which one, sir?"

"Pardon?"

"The hospital bed or this bed, sir?"

"I was in hospital?"

"The Hospital Wing, sir. Briefly, when Severus Snape was sedated. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Madam Poppy Pomfrey chose this place as a more permanent residence."

Severus looked around again. "Not very clean."

"Apologies, sir. Snarky has not yet cleaned today." Snarky waved his hand, and the dust cleared away. "Does Severus Snape wish to eat?"

"I will." Severus was about to touch the plate, but he paused. "Snarky, was I fed this every day?"

"No, sir. Snarky delivered a variety of nutrient-rich foods for Severus Snape."

"How did you feed me?"

"Like this, sir." Snarky took one of the sausages and bit into it, chewing it before swallowing.

Severus felt the sensation return to his stomach… and he gagged, covering his mouth.

"Is Severus Snape alright?"

Severus suppressed the urge to vomit, before lowering his hand. "Never… never do that again."

"Very well, sir." Snarky ate the rest of the sausage.

Severus saw a glass of pumpkin juice sitting beside the plate. "Could I have water instead?"

"Certainly, sir." The juice Vanished, replaced by water.

Severus took hold of the glass but paused. His hands… didn't feel right.

"Is something the matter, sir?"

"Nothing. I'm still adjusting to… movement." Severus lifted the glass and brought it to his lips, taking a sip. Even the act of drinking felt foreign. He finished the glass, and he asked, "Where is my wand?"

"In the drawer, sir."

Severus opened the drawer and found his wand lying there. He picked it out, shutting the drawer, and he touched the glass with the tip. "Aguamenti."

Nothing happened.

Severus froze. "Aguamenti."

Nothing happened, again.

"Shall Snarky fill the glass, sir?"

"No, thank you." Severus set the glass down and tried again. "Aguamenti."

Nothing.

"Snarky shall inform Madam Poppy Pomfrey of Severus Snape's condition." Pop.

Severus was still as he looked at his wand. Why can't I do anything?

You may be fatigued. Try a simpler spell.

Severus nodded and focused on one of the strips of bacon on his plate. "Wingardium Leviosa."

The bacon remained still, completely unmoving.

Perhaps Poppy will know.

Pop.

Snarky returned, holding Madam Pomfrey's hand. The matron's eyes were wide as she quickly rushed to Severus. "What are you doing out of bed?!"

Severus quickly laid back down, forgetting he was still sore, and he stiffened upon impact with the bed.

"You see?! Reckless! You could've injured yourself." Madam Pomfrey took out her wand and waved it over Severus. "Well, aside from muscle soreness, you're relatively healthy now. Just avoid too much movement."

"Thank you…. Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes, dear?" Madam Pomfrey's voice was… surprisingly gentle. It was a side of her he'd never seen before.

"Um…" Severus almost froze up. "... what exactly happened to me?"

"You had some sort of episode in the headmaster's office," Madam Pomfrey answered. "When I arrived, you were screaming. We had to relocate you here, on the headmaster's orders."

"Why?"

"To be perfectly honest, and I'm not proud of this… we can't diagnose you. And the headmaster thought that placing you in St. Mungo's would only raise more questions."

"Ah." It seemed Professor Snape had been right. "Well… aside from the cause… what happened to me?"

"Well," Madam Pomfrey said, taking a deep breath, "nothing that anyone should ever go through, let alone a sixteen-year-old. You've been bedridden and completely unresponsive since the 13th of June. The main symptoms while sedated were profuse sweating and chills, which were exacerbated during the heatwave this summer. Whenever you had regained consciousness, you began convulsing and suffering from full-body muscle spasms, which induced cardiac arrest."

"Right." Severus remembered that… unfortunately. "Anything else that- did you say cardiac arrest?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Four major instances, and three minor ones. Stress-induced. Don't worry, I've managed to remedy the damage done to your heart tissue."

Severus sat in bed. "... and I'm still alive?"

"Well, of course. Nothing a bit of potioneering and healing can't fix. Do you need anything else, dear?"

Severus looked at the empty glass of water beside his bed. "For some reason, I can't use magic."

"What?" Madam Pomfrey furrowed her brow before taking Severus's wand out of his hand. She attempted to fill the glass with water, but nothing happened. "Oh dear, it seems your wand isn't working properly. I'll inform the headmaster. Wait one moment. Snarky!"

"Yes, madam." Snarky took her hand, and the two Disapparated.

Severus remained seated. … four heart attacks…?!

I believe we've established that, yes.

Well… I'm still alive, so… I suppose I can't complain. Severus looked around the room once more. We died here….

yes.

Does dying hurt?

Depends on the manner. But, if you recall, I was killed by that bloody snake, so… yes, it was painful.

I thought so. It looked like it.

I'm surprised you didn't feel it.

I-

Pop.

Dumbledore and Snarky Apparated beside the bed, the former holding Severus's wand in one hand and his own in the other. Before Severus could say anything, Dumbledore Conjured a chair for himself and sat down. "Severus, how do you feel?"

"... sore," Severus replied.

Dumbledore nodded and handed Severus a Galleon. "Forgive me for suggesting you undertake such a task."

We almost died because of you.

"Yes." Dumbledore said nothing else.

"No," Severus said. "It was my choice, and the professor complied."

A choice you would never have made if not for Dumbledore's suggestion!

"You could've refused," Severus countered.

Professor Snape didn't respond.

"We chose this," Severus continued. "Now, we have to come to terms with it. We've spent who knows how long confined to bed."

Speaking of which… our time infirm has left us disoriented. What day is it?

"Today is the 29th of August."

Severus opened his mouth to speak but stopped.

two months?

"Two and a half months, yes." Dumbledore put away his wand and took out a handful of letters from his robes. "I've taken the liberty of reading letters addressed to you from the Ministry-"

You have no right to that!

"Due to recent circumstances, I do. It might be better if you read them."

"Why not just tell me?"

"If you wish." Dumbledore put the letters back where they had been stored. "I'm afraid your father has passed away…."


Lily I

Sunday, 29 August 1976

Lily and her parents arrived in London at approximately 2:15 PM. They had been delayed when Dad had gone through another one of his coughing fits, something that had almost canceled the trip entirely. Mum had insisted that they stay in Cokeworth, and when ignored by her husband, even offered to drive; that had shut Dad up, seemingly curing him. And so they had driven from Cokeworth to London, arriving in the cleaner, more sophisticated city.

Lily was tempted to move here, just as Tuney had. London had everything she could ever want and more: clean(er) air, sunny skies, white clouds, traffic… oh… traffic. She had never gotten used to traffic; one of the benefits of living in Cokeworth was that not many people used cars, with most people opting to either walk or ride a bicycle. Foot traffic was one thing, but compared to that of the automobile… no, she couldn't quite get used to it.

It took the Evanses some time to find a decent parking space outside of the apartment building Tuney was staying in. Lily looked up at the tower of brickwork, wondering how anyone could live in such a place. It must be murder in the summer, let alone the heatwave this past holiday.

"I think we made fairly good time, all things considered!" Dad wore a smile on his face to mask the clear discomfort in his breathing.

"Shouldn't we have gone to the hotel first?" Lily asked.

"We won't be long," Dad replied. "Hopefully."

Lily helped Dad up the stairs to the fourth floor, with Mum following behind in case he fell. They eventually found themselves outside of Tuney's door, and Lily did the honors of knocking. Shortly after, the door opened, revealing one Petunia Evans.

"Lily," Tuney said flatly. She looked past Lily and to Mum and Dad. "Mummy! Daddy! So good to see you!"

"Good to see you too, dear," Mum said, coming in to kiss Tuney on the cheek. "We thought it would be good to visit. Your father and I had hoped the four of us could spend some time together before your sister went back to school."

"Oh." Tuney's cheerful demeanor nearly-vanished. "I see- well, I don't have any room for guests. If I'd known-"

"Don't worry, love," Dad said, smiling. "We figured that might be the case, so we arranged to stay at a hotel nearby."

"W-well, come in for now!" Tuney backed inside and gestured for them to come in. "I'll put the kettle on."

"Lovely." Mum and Dad entered, Lily following them.

Lily hadn't known what to expect of the interior, but it was surprisingly clean and orderly; it was a bit warm though, and she could tell that Tuney had gone out of her way to mask whatever smell had previously been here. A bit small, but the little room inside was all her sister seemed to need to make it feel… well, she wasn't sure what word to use. Domestic? Domestic.

Tuney set three cups of milky tea out on the small table in front of the small couch; beside the cups was the teapot, a milk pourer, and a bowl of sugar cubes. "So," Tuney began, "how was the drive down?"

"It was rather nice," Mum said. "It's good to get out of Cokeworth once in a while."

"I don't understand why you don't just move to London. Much better for your health."

"Expensive as well," Dad replied. "Cokeworth is affordable. Besides, I still have my job at the mill."

"You should retire," Tuney said. "You shouldn't be working in your condition. Lily could get a job to provide for you."

"I plan to," Lily said.

"Doing what? Magic tricks?"

"Actually, I was considering working at St. Mungo's as a Healer. They have a training program I'll be joining after graduation."

"I thought we'd agreed not to talk about your world!" Tuney's voice was sharp.

"Pet," Dad said, "Please."

"Sorry, Daddy." Tuney grew quiet.

"I was thinking," Dad said, "maybe we could spend a day together. You should know London better than any of us here. How about giving us a tour?"

"I…" Tuney hesitated. "I'm afraid I can't for long. But perhaps we could go through Hyde Park?"

"Sounds lovely," Dad said, smiling. "Fresh air."

"As fresh as London can muster," Tuney said with a forced smile. "So, how about you drop your things off at the hotel, and we can go straight to the park after?"

The Evanses sat in Tuney's apartment, continuing their conversation until they had decided to go to the hotel. Tuney came along with them, helping with the luggage, before they all went to Hyde Park.

Lily had never been to the park, despite the number of times they had come to London. Granted, she had come here for school supplies and to take the train to Hogwarts, but that had never been a good excuse not to come. Mum and Dad seemed to enjoy the fresh(er) air, walking arm in arm. Dad's breathing was much steadier here, something that put her at ease.

"So," Lily said to Tuney. The two of them had chosen to walk behind their parents, with enough distance to speak in private. "How's your typing course going?"

"Do you actually care?" Tuney was characteristically stiff.

"Believe it or not, I do," Lily answered.

"Well," Tuney replied coolly, "the office is rather stuffy. The heatwave certainly didn't help. It should take a good month before the smell goes away."

Lily smirked. "Must smell better than Cokeworth, though."

Tuney turned away, but Lily could see she had cracked a small smile. "I wouldn't quite say that…. How's…?"

"Yes?"

"... how's school?"

Lily was surprised. Tuney had never asked before. "I'm doing… it's complicated."

"How so?"

"My studies are going well. I passed all my exams this year."

"I see. What makes it complicated?"

Lily hesitated. "... it's… it's about me and… Severus."

"Did he hurt you?" Tuney had turned her attention back to Lily, and Lily could see a rare protectiveness in her.

"He…."

"I told you. I warned you about him and his ilk."

"Let me finish. Please."

Tuney huffed. "Fine. Continue."

"... we've been growing apart ever since our first year. And this year… well, we're not friends anymore."

"Is that right?" Tuney almost sounded happy. Almost. "What did he do?"

Lily hadn't been prepared to have this conversation with Tuney. "... he called me a Mudblood."

Tuney didn't say anything for a while. "I assume that's some sort of derogatory term."

"... yes."

"Is that the only reason?"

"... there were other things-"

"And yet, the first thing you say is 'Mudblood'." Tuney was beginning to sound less sympathetic. "Of all the other reasons to get rid of him, of which there are plenty, that's what you choose? A silly little word?"

"It's more than a word! It's a way for people to discriminate against others based on their birth. It's like…."

"Like what?"

"Like when you call me a freak."

The two of them had stopped walking at this point, simply standing side by side, barely looking at each other.

"Do you know how much it hurts me?" Lily chose to turn and face her sister. "To have your own flesh and blood reject you for something you can't control?"

"Hurts you?" Tuney matched Lily's eyes. "It's always about you, isn't it?"

"What?" Lily didn't know where this was coming from.

"You're all Mother and Father talk about when you're not home. It's never about what I want or what I'm doing; it's always about you. Do you think I moved to London for work? I could've done a typing course in Birmingham if I wanted, but I chose London, because it was about as far away from you as I could get without leaving the country. And then you show up, reminding me that, as much as our parents 'love' me, I'll never compare to you!"

"We came down a day early to spend time with you!"

"Right. The first time they've taken an interest in what I'm doing with my life, and I had to move away for that to happen." Tuney looked away, crossing her arms as she continued walking. "And of course, they choose to do it when it's convenient for them. After all, you're going back to that wretched school by train. God, I should've moved to Surrey!"

Lily kept pace with her. "What do you want from me?"

"I just wanted you to choose me!" Tuney had spun around suddenly, Lily almost running into her. "You left me behind."

"But you said you didn't want to go-"

"I wanted my sister to stay with me." Tuney's voice was harsh, but….

Lily met her eyes, realizing, for the first time… Tuney didn't want any of this. "Tuney-"

"It's too late, now." Tuney broke eye contact and turned away. "We've both made our choices." Despite the finality of her words, she didn't move.

"... I'm sorry."

Tuney didn't seem to expect that. She turned her head slightly. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I didn't know… I didn't realize how much this affected you. I thought you hated me."

There was a silence between them, for the briefest of moments, before Tuney spoke. "... do you mean it?"

"Of course, I do. But that doesn't mean I have to put aside the things I want. Just as much as I don't want you to put aside what you want." Lily wanted to take Tuney's hand, but she was hesitant. "If… is there some way we can make things right?"

Tuney let out a sigh. "Perhaps…. Perhaps we can try."

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Really?"

"But," Tuney said quickly, "not right now. Maybe at a later date. I want to focus on my work."

"Tell me about it some more. You mentioned clerical work?"

"That's what I'm hoping for, yes. I've heard Grunnings may be looking for someone, so I'll try to get a job there."

"What's Grunnings?"

"Some sort of drilling company, I think. Anyway, their office has a few vacancies."

"I hope you get the job."

Tuney let out a soft cough. "Well… yes, I hope so, too." Lily caught a small smile on her lips.

The two sisters continued their walk, keeping some distance from their parents, as they talked.


Severus II

Bastard.

That was the only word in Severus's mind when he had heard what his father had done. Even thinking of him as flesh and blood made the word louder. Severus had never been close with his mother, even before his father had become such a… bastard… but she didn't deserve… this. And then, after finally, finally, being sentenced, he'd taken the easy way out. He deserved so much worse for what he had done to his mother, for what he had done to him-

Severus stopped and Occluded. Over the summer, he had seen what would have happened to him, had he chosen to return home. It was so much worse than what Professor Snape had implied… and he fully understood why joining the Death Eaters had become so much more appealing. For any human being to do what that bastard had done to a child, let alone his own son….

"Take you time, my boy." Dumbledore's voice was gentle.

My boy. His boy. That was the most bizarre portion of everything Dumbledore had told Severus: he had adopted him. Severus Snape, son of the witch-murderer Tobias Snape and the late Eileen Snape nee Prince, had been adopted by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Severus was sure this would be front page news in the Daily Prophet, especially if that horrid Skeeter woman was involved-

A thought occurred to him. This… how did this happen?

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked.

As you are aware, our father was never arrested for assaulting a minor. And yet he was.

"I see…. So somehow, things have changed."

Due to my presence, yes. But how it happened, I am unsure.

"Well, was there anything you've done that could possibly affect your father?"

of course.

"What is it?"

The 4th of June. We left our dorm and spoke with Regulus Black regarding summer housing. We mentioned-

"-domestic problems," Severus finished. "And he was confused about our address… and we gave it to him."

"How do you believe Mr. Black may have interfered?"

"He mentioned writing to Lucius Malfoy."

"And?"

"Malfoy's a Death Eater."

"I see." Dumbledore didn't seem surprised. Then again, he was fairly hard to read when he was plotting. Severus waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"So… are we going to do something about it?"

"I believe it would be best to wait."

"For what, exactly?"

"Mr. Black's behavior when he returns to Hogwarts. As a Prefect-"

"What?!" Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing. "He- you can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious, Severus. For one thing, there is absolutely no evidence from the Ministry's investigation to implicate either Malfoy or Mr. Black, aside from our theories. And in addition, with Mr. Black as a Prefect, I can keep a closer eye on his actions."

"How?"

"I have my ways." Dumbledore didn't elaborate.

Severus sat silently for a moment. "So… if we're not doing anything about Malfoy and Black… then I only have to focus on winning Slughorn's favor again."

"Is that all?"

Severus kept his mouth shut. He knew where Dumbledore was going.

"Severus… I realize-"

"I know what you're going to say," Severus said, interrupting him. "I know. I'll try. But if I'm going to protect her, I have to prioritize her safety over her opinion of me. If the opportunity arises for us to reconcile, I'll take it. But I won't neglect what I have to do."

"You have time on your side, Severus. Take advantage of it."

Severus let Dumbledore's words hang in the air. Deep down, he wanted what Dumbledore was suggesting, as much as he had protested during the last term. But the memories he had endured, along with the memories that had been pulled to the front of his mind… he didn't feel the same. Something within him hadn't changed, not really, but it felt more… pronounced.

Why do we do this, Severus?

Severus knew, and he didn't even need to reply. He made to stand from his bed, balancing himself. "Sir," he said, "before we do anything further, perhaps I should see to my school supplies?"


Remus I

"Can we go tomorrow, Tad?" Remus had finished packing the last of his belongings, at least what he already had, for the next term. "I'd rather avoid the crowds."

"I wish I could, but I have work then."

"Since when do you work on Mondays?"

"Since Amos wound up in hospital. He'll be indisposed until the 31st, according to the Healers. I'll have to work his shift. Sorry."

"It's fine. Today works, right?"

"Certainly." Remus's dad finished writing a letter addressed to Amos Diggory, a get-well card, and gave it to the owl. "I'm ready when you are."

Lyall Lupin hadn't been the same since Remus's mum, Hope, had died. While he tried to hide it, Remus knew too well when his father was in pain. His dad's strength had helped Remus get through the worst of the loss, something he would never wish on his worst enemy, but he could tell it had taken its toll. His dad's eyes were tired and slightly bloodshot, something which didn't at all match the demeanor he was trying to show the world. When Amos Diggory, a family friend, had suggested that Lyall take some time off, Lyall had refused outright, only agreeing when Amos reminded him that his son needed him.

"I'm ready as well." As Remus made his way to the sitting room to floo with his dad, he saw the pictures, all non-animated pictures, of the three of them on the mantle of the fireplace. He could remember when each picture had been taken, even the ones before… well, before that night.

The earliest one was of Lyall and Hope standing side-by-side, with little Remus sitting on their shoulders, his tiny legs resting between their heads. All three of them were wet, with sand covering Hope's and Remus's faces. It had been the first time both Lyall and Remus had gone to the beach in Cardiff; Lyall had learned, very quickly, that he was not fond of swimming, while Remus had almost leapt headfirst into one of the waves. Hope had taught them both how to build sandcastles, which Remus naturally excelled at according to both of his parents.

The next picture was of his fifth birthday…. He remembered that one too well. Both Lyall and Hope were standing behind him, while Remus sat in front with a cake and five candles. One of his little legs was bandaged, only exposing his toes to the air. Despite the ordeal that had transpired, the boy still wore a smile on his face. Only now could Remus see the sadness in Hope's eyes, and the guilt in Lyall's.

There were two pictures that shared the same frame; one picture showed a slightly older Remus and Hope on a swing set, while the other showed a horribly off-centered, out-of-focus picture of Lyall and Hope. That was the first picture Remus had ever taken, and it was one of Hope's most prized possessions….

Remus joined his father, stepping into the fireplace first as he took some floo powder. "Diagon Alley!"


Severus III

Severus and Dumbledore arrived in Diagon Alley with the assistance of Snarky, allowing them to bypass the Anti-Apparition Charm and Anti-Disapparition Jinx set upon the area; according to Professor Snape's memories, these had been taken down after the demise of the Dark Lord. It was a sensation Severus wasn't, and was, used to; he wasn't sure if it was because of his inexperience with Apparition, or because of how strangely his body was behaving. Every movement, every sensation, felt… wrong. As soon as they had started walking, Severus had nearly lost his balance, only to be caught by an invisible hand.

"Snarky will assist Severus Snape in walking," Snarky said.

"I'm fine."

"No, I must agree with Snarky, Severus." Dumbledore had started supporting Severus by his arm. "It would seem that your time in bed has made you rather uncoordinated."

"Then why did you bring me here at all?"

"You insisted."

Damn it. "What exactly do you suggest? That I have a house-elf walking me around like a puppet?"

"Support you, yes. No one will know. Snarky, among other house-elves, is quite skilled in his craft."

Severus looked down at the sneering house-elf. "... fine. But if anyone notices…."

"Snarky will be sneaky, sir." Snarky's ears went up, but his face twisted at the word 'sneaky'.

"Very well, then." Dumbledore released Severus's arm, and Severus swayed, only to be supported once more by forces beyond his sight. "How about I purchase and deliver your school supplies to the school, while you find a replacement for your wand?" He handed Severus his old pine wand.

"I…. thank you, sir." Severus wasn't sure what to make of this. Albus bloody Dumbledore was buying his school supplies for him…. "Where should we meet?"

"How about outside of Gringotts?"

"Very well. I'll see you later, sir."

As the old wizard left Severus and Snarky, the house-elf asked, "Shall Severus Snape and Snarky proceed?"

"Yes." Severus began walking, with Snarky close behind. His body was sore, but the feeling was manageable; it felt good to breathe… relatively fresh air, as well as feel solid ground beneath his shoes as he walked. His movements, previously hindered, were now more fluid and coordinated, but… it felt wrong. Wrong. That word kept coming back with each step. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

"Is Severus Snape feeling well?"

"I feel fine so far," Severus lied.

"Snarky believes something troubles Severus Snape."

"Not up for discussion."

"Very well, sir." The house-elf's ears drooped out of the corner of Severus's eye.

"... you've done nothing wrong," Severus added. "I'm still adjusting."

Snarky nodded, the droopiness disappearing. "Snarky understands, sir. It is good to see Severus Snape well."

"Don't speak of it in public," Severus said, his eyes darting around. "But thank you."

"Of course, sir."

Severus and Snarky arrived outside of Ollivanders, the seven Galleons in his pocket for the purchase. It had been… well, it was a bit hard to judge how long it had been, considering the conflicting memories. He, or he, had owned a total of three wands throughout the course of his life: pine with unicorn hair, walnut with dragon heartstring, and finally vine with unicorn hair. The third one had been purchased soon after Lily's….

"Sir?"

Severus looked down at Snarky, realizing he had been standing in place. "Right. I was in my head for a moment. Let's go in."

Severus and Snarky opened the door and walked in, the bell suspended above the door ringing. The two approached the front counter and rang the bell on the desk. A wispy old man appeared from behind one of the shelves of stored wands and approached.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Snape." Ollivander's gaze had always bothered Severus. Even as a master of Occlumency, he couldn't help but feel the old man could see right into him. "I assume you are here to purchase a wand?"

"Yes." Severus carefully took out his own wand and set it on the counter. "My old one isn't working."

"Hmm." Ollivander took the wand in his thin fingers and looked down its length before placing it next to his ear. "I see…. It is suffering."

Severus wasn't sure how to respond to that. "... suffering, sir?"

"Indeed. The unicorn hair has wilted. It's not dead, not yet, but it will die with prolonged use. I will hold onto it, so that it may heal."

"You do that?"

"Of course, Mr. Snape. Any wandmaker worth his craft listens to the needs of his work." Before Severus could respond, Ollivander said, "Wait right here while I find a replacement."

Severus waited while Ollivander went back behind the shelves and began shifting through the many wand boxes.

How good was our replacement before?

You saw our work, yes?

I did, but how did it feel?

Liberating. As though I was unshackled. And yet….

Yes?

I felt bound to it. And it, bound to me. Not in a literal sense, but I became too attached to it. To what it let me do.

is that why you snapped it?

yes. And…. Professor Snape didn't finish his sentence, but Severus knew what he was about to say.

Do you think we'll get the same wand as before?

Do you?

Severus thought about it. Probably. But something didn't feel right. It was… off.

What is it?

What are the odds we'd get the same wand again?

A valid point, but-

They were interrupted when Ollivander returned with… two wand boxes. "Here we are," Ollivander said. "I've narrowed it down to these two. Pick a box."

Severus looked at the two boxes Ollivander had set down on the counter, starting with the box on his left.

"Mahogany, unicorn hair, 13", pliable." Ollivander looked at the box, then back to Severus, with what appeared to be a growing curiosity.

Severus thought nothing of it, and he took the wand out. "Sir, should I just… test it?"

"By all means."

Severus raised the wand and pointed it at-

"No, no, nevermind." Ollivander all but snatched the wand out of Severus's hand, setting it back down in the box. "No, I was mistaken. Try the other box."

Severus, confused, opened the other box and pulled out the wand.

"Hawthorn, unicorn hair, 13", unyielding." Ollivander's voice wavered slightly.

Severus felt the wand in his hand and moved it around, no intention of performing any tests. The movements were smooth, accommodating, even though his body wasn't in form. But with a bit more movement, he realized that his wandwork was definitely, and unfortunately, lesser than before.

"How does it feel?"

"... smooth," Severus replied. Neither of these wands was his original one, even though this was the exact day and time in which he had bought his original replacement. "... sir?"

"Yes, Mr. Snape?"

"... why is my old wand unresponsive?"

"Well," Ollivander replied, "the most likely explanation is that you are different now than you were before. Situations such as yours have happened in the past."

Severus took a moment to think. Professor Snape had died because of the Elder Wand's allegiance…. "Sir… can wands change allegiance?"

Ollivander's response was slightly delayed. "They can, yes. It depends on what both the wizard and wand have been through."

"Are they all the same?"

"No. No, each wand is different in its temperament, although it depends on the materials used."

"Sir?"

"... I'm afraid I'm not typically one to divulge wandlore."

"I see. I was just curious, is all…." Severus almost finished his thought. Almost. "Sir, when you brought out the two wands… what I mean to ask is, why did you bring out two instead of just one? I've always wondered what makes wands… behave as they do."

Ollivander gave Severus a quizzical look. "Not many people have asked me such a question…. Well… I suppose I can explain these two wand woods to you." Ollivander held the mahogany wand in his hand. "I'll begin with mahogany. In a purely utilitarian sense, it is a naturally pliable wand, naturally suited for Transfiguration; however, it also possesses unique abilities. On occasion, mahogany wands may Transfigure an object into a different form, but the object in question will retain its original properties. Take, for example, Transfiguring fire into a snake. It will look like a snake, sound like a snake, and behave like a snake; however, it will burn everything it touches.

"As far as compatibility, mahogany will only perform properly in the hands of a duplicitous witch or wizard. The nature of this duplicity must be entirely without moral quandaries or hesitation. Thus, an ideal owner would be a perfect actor… or spy."

Severus almost froze at the last word. "And what of hawthorn?"

"Hawthorn is a paradoxical wood, with a very, very high affinity for dualistic witches and wizards. Or rather, those whose nature is conflicting. This manifests in the owner performing well in seemingly opposing magical disciplines, those which may complement each other."

Severus nodded. "I see…. I think I understand."

"Do you?"

"... conflict." The word felt natural.

Ollivander's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Perceptive of you, Mr. Snape. Yes, inner conflict. This is why I chose two wands, or rather, why two wands chose you; both wanted to test you, but the mahogany felt your inner conflict and rejected you. But it is surprising that it should even consider you in the first place…." Ollivander let the words trail off.

Severus looked down at the hawthorn in his hand. He couldn't complain much about how it felt, so he supposed it didn't matter. "In any case, thank you." He dug his hand into his pocket for the Galleons.

"Ah, you won't need to pay."

Severus paused. "I'm sorry?"

"You've exchanged your old wand for this new one; therefore, it's free of charge. However, should you wish to retrieve your old wand, for whatever reason, I will charge you full price."

"Oh…. Thank you, sir."

"Of course, Mr. Snape. Take care."

Severus and Snarky left the wand shop, Severus eyeing the replacement. He had barely noticed the support the house-elf was giving him as they walked, but he soon noticed when he felt his body deviate from his desired direction to avoid foot traffic.

"Severus Snape must pay attention to where he's walking," Snarky said.

"Right." Severus slipped the wand up his sleeve, and he could feel the extra length… it felt a bit awkward, if he was being honest, but he was accustomed to keeping his wand at hand in case Potter or Black chose to ambush him. As he lowered his hands, there was something off in the air.

"Is Severus Snape well?"

"I'm fine… I think." Severus couldn't put his finger on what it was. It felt as though someone was watching him. He glanced around at the other people in the alley as he and Snarky walked… and his suspicions were confirmed. He was being watched.

By everyone.

As soon as Severus had looked up, everyone in the alleyway avoided eye contact with him, going on their way, while a few glanced back.

What's going on? Severus couldn't… wait…. That… bloody woman.

Severus asked Snarky, "Has anything happened within the last few months involving… my name?" His voice was low.

"Well, yes. The Snape murder. And also Severus Snape's adoption by Headmaster Dumbledore." Snarky made no effort to lower his voice.

Severus grumbled to himself. "Snarky, lower your voice. The last thing I need is-" Severus stopped as he heard a few people whisper among themselves. "Nevermind. Let's go."

"Certainly, sir." Snarky's voice was a whisper.

Severus and Snarky continued down Diagon Alley, until they finally stopped outside of Gringotts. Dumbledore was nowhere to be found, no doubt still buying Severus's supplies. And it hit Severus once more that Dumbledore was buying school supplies for him. A man who had favored Potter and his gang at every possible turn, going so far as to make Potter Head Boy. A man who had essentially manipulated Severus into servitude, using Lily's death as a means to weigh on Severus's soul, as though her death hadn't been enough. A man who had raised a child, her child, to sacrifice himself for the Greater Good. He could forgive the favoritism. He could forgive the emotional blackmail. But he could never forgive sacrificing her son. How could-

Severus Occluded, bottling the memories. He wasn't about to have another breakdown, especially not in public. He didn't need more attention. He just needed to wait for Dumbledore in front of the bank, and-

Something else was off. There was that feeling, the same feeling when someone was coming or watching. But what it was, he wasn't sure-

Severus erred on the side of caution and moved out of the way of the bank's entrance, prompting Snarky to follow and support him. He had barely turned around when he spotted James bloody Potter and Sirius bloody Black walking out of the bank, along with an elderly couple. Severus didn't recognize them, but they seemed to be related to one of the two rogues.

"Sir-"

"Quiet," Severus hissed.

Snarky was quick to shut his mouth.

Severus watched as Potter and Black, along with the older couple, stopped in the middle of the alley as two other people approached: Remus bloody Lupin, along with a man Severus assumed was Lupin's father. Both father and son looked weary, which didn't really mean too much to Severus, but it seemed to warrant the older couple to dote on the Dark creature. All they needed was Peter bloody Pettigrew to show up, and- oh, well, look who it was! Peter bloody Pettigrew appearing out of one of the shops with his mother! Brilliant, perfect timing-

"Ah, I see you're ready, Severus."

Severus audibly gasped as he suddenly noticed Dumbledore's presence. How he had failed to see him approach, while in his line of sight, he would never know.

"My apologies. I should have made myself known. Are you ready-"

"Albus!"

Severus froze, and he could hear Professor Snape groan as the elderly couple approached, along with… the others. Fantastic. Of all the people to see him, of course they had to be the first ones.

"Good day, Monty. Mia." Dumbledore smiled and greeted the elderly couple. "How are you both?"

"Pushing on!" Monty replied, returning the smile.

"And… this must be…." Mia looked directly at Severus.

Severus couldn't move. Everyone- Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, their families- everyone was looking at him. He almost spoke, but-

"Snape." Lupin was the first to break the silence. Of course he was.

"... Lupin."

"Ah, so this is him then, Albus?"

"Indeed. Forgive Severus, he's not feeling too well at the moment."

"Of course." Mia approached Severus and suddenly rested her hand on his arm. "You've been through so much, dear."

There was absolutely nothing that could've prepared Severus for something like… this.

"Ah, apologies; we should introduce ourselves. Fleamont and Euphemia Potter." Fleamont… Potter… held his hand out to shake.

Severus stared down at the hand. On the one hand, he didn't seem particularly unkind. On the other… he was a Potter. "I…." Severus slowly raised his hand to shake it, eventually meeting Fleamont. "Severus Snape." He couldn't remember the last time he had shaken anyone's hand, let alone… Potter's grandfather.

Euphemia gently patted Severus on the arm. That was a sensation he wasn't accustomed to either. "You're in our son's year, yes?"

Their… son? Potter?! Severus's eyes darted to… him… and then back to the Potters. "... yes." He remembered now. Fleamont and Euphemia Potter… doomed to die of Dragon Pox right after their son's marriage to Lily…. He stopped and Occluded.

"I see. And how do you two get along?"

Severus put his other hand in his pocket to conceal his clenched fist. "... we're in separate Houses."

"Ah. Ravenclaw? Albus has told us that you're particularly intelligent."

"... Slytherin."

Fleamont and Euphemia were silent for a moment. Then, Fleamont said, "Ah, so you're a bit more ambitious, then?"

"Um.. yes." Severus was slightly surprised. Fleamont and Euphemia were nothing like their son. He had always assumed… well, it didn't matter. Potter was a bastard regardless.

"Well, as long as you don't lean towards… well, You-Know-Who."

Ah, there it was. "I-"

"Severus has had difficulty separating himself from others in his House who subscribe to such beliefs." Dumbledore wasn't technically lying.

"Understandable," Euphemia said. "Well, Severus, it's been a pleasure to meet you, but we have to go. Say goodbye, James."

Severus felt ice flow through his veins as Fleamont and Euphemia stepped back. Potter… Potter… stepped forward and extended his hand. "See you at school, Snape." Potter wore an infuriatingly casual face, and his eyes showed he was almost disinterested.

Severus almost smacked Potter's hand away, but he felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder, causing Severus to tense up. Damn it…. Severus, very reluctantly, took… Potter's… hand and shook it. "Likewise," he gritted out.

Severus and Potter withdrew their hands, and the Potters, along with Black, went on their way with the Lupins and Pettigrews.

"You did well, my boy." Dumbledore patted Severus on the back. The words made Severus feel unwell. "Now, shall we return to Hogwarts?"

"You already got my things?" Severus would have been more surprised at how fast Dumbledore was, if not for the mind-numbing rage he was Occluding.

"Oh yes. It's so much simpler when you buy most of the supplies in advance."

Severus turned his head. "... come again?"

"I had already purchased most of your supplies before you had awoken. All you really needed were some potion ingredients from the Apothecary. They weren't in stock until today."

"... right. Oh, Ollivander didn't charge me for the wand." Severus took the Galleons out of his pocket and handed them to Dumbledore. "I traded my old one in for now."

"Keep the money," Dumbledore said. "Think of it as your allowance."

Severus was confused. "Allowance?"

"Of course. I'm your guardian, so I find it only fitting that I give you pocket money."

"... parents do that?"

Dumbledore seemed to be dumbstruck. "... Severus, we'll need to have a serious discussion about your homelife when we return."

"I thought the memories I had shown you would have sufficed."

"Well," Dumbledore said, patting him on the shoulder, "we may discuss it at your discretion, then. Come."

Snarky took Severus and Dumbledore by the hand, and they began to Disapparate. Just at the last moment, Severus heard words he'd never, ever, expected anyone to say.

"-Half-Blood Prince."

Suddenly, Severus found himself, along with Dumbledore and Snarky, in the Headmaster's Office. Both Severus and Dumbledore stood in place, while Snarky said, "Snarky will bring Severus Snape's things to his room, sir." Pop.

"Sir," Severus asked calmly. "Who is the Half-Blood Prince?"


Remus II

"You're not having more?" Peter was wiping ice cream off his shirt. "You'd eat Fortescue's empty, if you tried."

"I don't want to spend too much," Remus replied as he licked the two scoops of double-chocolate and fudge. Their parents had left the boys at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor to give them some breathing room.

"I could buy it for you, mate," James suggested.

"Ice cream?"

"Fortescue's."

Remus snorted. "Of course, you would."

"Are we just ignoring the erumphant in the room?"

The table went silent at Sirius's words. "What do you mean?" Peter asked.

"Snape."

"Padfoot-"

"No," Sirius said, cutting off James. This wasn't particularly common. "No, I don't get why we're playing nice with that greasy git!"

"You know why," James said sternly. "I thought I'd already explained it."

"But-"

"Sirius. Are you with me on this?" James's voice shut Sirius up.

Sirius nodded, glaring at his peanut butter ice cream.

"Look mate, this…." James paused. "You have to realize that what we're doing- what we've done- isn't the way to go. I thought it was, but… look, do you trust me?"

Sirius nodded again. "Of course, I do. Wormtail?"

"Doubly," Peter answered. "This really is for the best. No more random hexings in the hallways. Honestly, I'm a bit relieved."

"Why'd you join in?" Remus asked.

"Well…." Peter didn't answer.

"Anyway," James said, "what's done is done. All we need to do right now is move forward. Hey, if I'm lucky, maybe Evans'll join me in Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day?"

Sirius barked. "Right. And Sniv-" He stopped himself. "Buggering…. This won't be easy, will it?"

"Afraid not," James said, playfully punching Sirius's arm. "I might have to keep you in check."

"Don't put me out of a job," Remus said, grinning.

"Fine. I'll just become Head Boy; that way, we can share."

"You? Head Boy?!" Remus almost laughed out loud. The idea of James Potter being Head Boy was inconceivable.

"Sure!" James grinned mischievously. "It's all part of my deliciously evil, masterminded plan. After seducing the lovely Lily Evans, slowly but surely, she and I will become Head Boy and Girl, I'll propose, we'll marry, and ride off into the sunset." His grin broke into a laugh.

"Old Moldy might have some competition," Sirius joked. "The Dark Lord James Potter, vanquisher of Lily Evans." The smile vanished from his face.

"What?" Peter looked concerned. "Paddy, what is it?"

"... Reg."

Remus looked out the window, along with James and Peter. Regulus Black was looking at them, or rather Sirius, completely still. After a few seconds, Regulus turned and walked away.

"... he's gonna tell Mother," Sirius whispered.

"No, no Padfoot, they're not taking you away, alright?" James wrapped an arm around Sirius. "You're not alone in this. Mum and Dad'll protect you."

"I- I can't keep leeching off of you-"

"You're not a leech," James said. "You needed help, and we helped. And we'll keep helping for as long as you need. Alright?"

Sirius nodded.

Remus could see the distress on Sirius's face, and the complete calm on James's. James seemed to always be calm when it came to these sorts of situations. When one of them was hurting, James was always the one to anchor them, to tell them things would get better. He was an uncommonly strong person.

"Right," James said. "Now, you want some chocolate mint?" He offered Sirius his cone.

"I hate chocolate," Sirius said, forcing himself to laugh.

As they spoke, the bell above the door rang, and Remus heard a group of children come in and order ice cream.

One of the boys said, "Anyway, that's certainly what it has to mean, isn't it? I have to say, I was a little confused, but nothing gets past me."

"You're making a mountain out of a gnome-hill, Roy," another boy said. "It's just something that nutter muttered to herself. She doesn't remember it."

"Look, I think I recognize a sign when I see- or rather hear- one. Think about it: born in the first month to Muggle and witch-"

"Yeah, that narrows it down," a third boy remarked. "And you think-"

"Well obviously, it's about me!"

"Isn't it always?" This was a girl's voice.

"There were witnesses, I tell you! There was-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know. It's about the tenth time you've said it."

"Is it? I thought it was the seventh…. Anyway, I'm serious about this-"

"Clearly."

"But it has to be me! Who else would it be?

"Literally any half-blood that matches that description. Just because you got the month and parentage right doesn't mean you're this so-called 'Half-Blood Prince'."

The group of children left the parlor, with Remus wondering where he'd heard that voice before.


Regulus I

Regulus couldn't have gotten away from the ice cream parlor any faster, even if he could Apparate. It had been almost two months since he'd seen his older brother, and between his parents' shared wrath and his own problems, Regulus hadn't been doing well at all.

"Is Master Regulus ready to depart?" The ancient house-elf appeared out of nowhere, startling Regulus.

"Kreacher! You can't just sneak up on me like that!"

"Apologies, Master Regulus. Kreacher will be more conspicuous in the future."

"It's alright," Regulus said, nodding.

"Did Master Regulus enjoy his ice cream?"

"Yes," Regulus lied. "It was very good."

"Is something troubling Master Regulus?"

Regulus didn't want to answer, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to Kreacher. "... I saw Siri at Fortescue's."

"Filthy blood-traitor," Kreacher spat. "Nasty, mudblood-loving-"

"Kreacher. Language."

"Apologies, Master Regulus." Kreacher always had the habit of breaking out into fits of profanity when angered enough. And Sirius was always a sore spot. "Shall Kreacher report Sirius Black's presence to-"

"No," Regulus said quickly. "No, I… no. It's only a few days until we go back to school. Not worth spoiling that last bit of the holiday."

"Of course. If Kreacher is questioned, however, Kreacher must answer."

"I understand."

"Kreacher will omit Master Regulus's name."

Regulus smiled. "Thank you, Kreacher."

Kreacher's big ears perked up, and his sneer grew longer. "Of course, Master Regulus…. Does Master Regulus wish for Kreacher to bring him ice cream?"

"But I said I had some-"

"Kreacher knows, Master Regulus."

"... only if it's chocolate."

Pop. Kreacher had Disapparated, leaving Regulus with some time to think. And there was… a lot to think about. Or rather, there was a lot to think about, regarding one thing.

The prophecy.


Severus IV

The Half-Blood Prince has come…. A timeless soul, teacher and pupil, greater than his sum, born in the first month to Muggle and witch, shall face the Dark Lord…. Neither will fall until both kneel, and neither will rise until one dies…. The Half-Blood Prince comes to face the Dark Lord….

"... I hate prophecies." Severus could only think back to that damn night when he'd endangered Lily, and he could only curse himself. Had anything changed prior to that moment, just one thing, he may have never been there, and the prophecy would never have existed. And yet, here he was, listening to Dumbledore recite another bloody prophecy, this time made without his presence.

"Based on what you've shared so far, I believe I understand."

"Indeed." Severus said. "And now… it seems I'm the Chosen One."

"Yes, it appears so. I'm curious as to why your name is-"

A nickname I gave myself. For my blood status and mother's maiden name.

"I see…." Dumbledore took a seat at his desk and took a lemon drop, putting it in his mouth. "Well… I believe I can safely say that this changes things."

Who were the witnesses?

"Pardon?"

Who overheard the prophecy?

"Apart from Ms. Trelawney, who was incapacitated, there was myself, Professor Slughorn, Regulus Black-"

"Black?!" That wasn't a good sign. Black would certainly tell Malfoy, and if the latter was as close to the Dark Lord as Professor Snape's memories showed…. "That's… this is bad."

"Yes, it's quite unfortunate, all things considered."

If the prophecy has been made, then everything's already in motion.

"Yes, but it doesn't sound like we'll win," Severus retorted. "One of us has to die. And when he finds out it's me-"

"I wouldn't be sure of that."

Severus turned his attention back to Dumbledore. "What do you mean?"

"It's possible Voldemort, or any of his servants, may misinterpret the prophecy and believe another to be the Half-Blood Prince."

"Oh really?" Severus should have known better than to doubt Dumbledore, but the man wasn't infallible, especially not after the memories- He Occluded.

"We only know that the Half-Blood Prince must be born in the month of January to a Muggle and witch, but no year is specified. Voldemort's target could be quite literally any half-blood matching those specifications."

This would certainly delay the inevitable.

"Indeed. For now, perhaps you should settle into your new room."

And why exactly do we have a new room?

"Considering your condition, I thought it best to seclude you from the other students."

"How would we explain it?" Severus asked. "It's not common for a student to be granted their own room."

"Quite simple, actually. You're unwell, and your condition, which you don't care to divulge, prevents you from living in the Slytherin common room."

"And you're planning on announcing this to the entirety of the school?"

"Certainly not. However, the Prefects will be told that, in the event you are found wandering the corridors past curfew, you are to be brought directly to me."

"Might seem like favoritism. Then again, you don't have a problem-" Severus stopped himself.

"Is there something you wish to say, Severus?"

Severus bit his tongue. "Nothing important, sir."

"If you insist. Let me show you to your new room." Dumbledore stood and offered Severus a hand.

"I can manage," Severus said.

"Can you keep your balance?"

Severus took a small step. While he did manage to keep balance, his body was almost fighting against him. "I may need Snarky to-"

Pop. "Does Severus Snape require assistance?" Snarky was holding a dirty rag.

"... yes." Severus had never felt this helpless before, and the feeling made him feel sick.

Dumbledore and Snarky led Severus down from the Headmaster's Office and through the castle, making their way through-

"Headmaster!"

Severus froze as Dumbledore turned his attention to the voice. Severus did likewise, and he found himself looking at Frank Longbottom and Alice… well, Alice Longbottom, at this point. All he could see was their son… Neville…. The memories that came with- He Occluded.

"Ah, good afternoon, Alice! Frank!"

Alice was about to say more, but her eyes fell on Severus. "... hello, Snape." She didn't sound particularly happy to see him, although there was no hostility in her voice. If anything, she sounded more surprised.

"... hello."

"Sorry to hear about your parents," Frank said. "It can't be-"

Alice elbowed Frank in the ribs.

"It's alright," Severus said cautiously. He couldn't recall ever having spoken to either of them- well, that wasn't true, Alice had spoken to him as a Prefect- when she were sane….

"We heard that you were staying for the summer holiday," Frank said. "Funny we never ran into you."

"I didn't get around much," Severus replied. "I was… unwell." He hated that it wasn't a lie.

"Oh…. Sorry to hear that."

Severus looked at Alice. He couldn't tell if she was being sincere or polite. "If you'll excuse me," Severus said, "I'm feeling unwell right now. I should-"

"Of course," Frank said. "Take care of yourself."

"Snarky," Dumbledore said to the house-elf, "If you would."

"Of course, Headmaster." Snarky led Severus away from the three, the invisible hand supporting Severus's movements.

Severus found himself on the fourth floor, in a disused classroom. He looked around with uncomfortable surprise. The room was partitioned into a few sections. Near the entrance, there was a small potions lab set up, with shelves stocked with a variety of ingredients; across from the lab was a sitting area with a table, two chairs, and a couch. Near one of the back corners was a writing desk, a wardrobe, and four-post bed with a green curtain, and there was a door by the bed that presumably led into a private bathroom. The remaining corner was completely bare, save for what looked like some sort of training dummy; it held a wand in its hand, though whether it was a real wand or simply for show, he was not sure. And beside it, there was a large mirror….

"Does Severus Snape approve of the room?" Snarky was looking up at Severus with a quizzical look.

"It's very… spacious," Severus said.

"Too spacious?"

"Um…." Severus wasn't in a position to complain. Dumbledore and Snarky had gone through the trouble of setting up this room specifically for him, probably while he was still unconscious. What do I say?

It's too much.

But we have a private lab. And an area to practice our wandwork.

a fair point.

"Not too spacious," Severus replied.

"Very good, sir."

Severus looked at the mirror sitting by the training dummy. "Shouldn't that be closer to the bed?"

"Oh." Snarky looked at the mirror. "Snarky was instructed to relocate the mirror last."

"Why?"

"Snarky never asked."

Severus studied it for a moment. Do you know what this is?

yes.

What is it?

The Mirror of Erised. It shows us our deepest desires. I would have thought you had seen that particular memory.

I'm Occluding.

Do you wish to look?

Should I?

I suspect it was left here by Dumbledore intentionally. No doubt some sort of self-reflection scheme.

So-

If he wants us to look, we might as well go along with it.

I'm… a bit surprised you're so willing-

Either he drags us into his manipulations, or we walk into it. Your choice.

Severus nodded. "Snarky, can you give me a minute? I'll call you if I need anything."

"Of course, sir." Pop.

Severus felt the support leave his body, and he barely managed to catch himself through his newfound strength. He had a feeling of dread, looking at the mirror. He didn't know what he would see, or if what he saw would… be too much. Carefully, he walked over to the mirror, his legs moving… unnaturally. He tried adjusting the way he walked, but he found it nearly-impossible to keep balance. He returned to his usual gait, and after what felt like ages, he arrived in front of it. He didn't see anything other than himself.

Closer.

Severus, nervously, took a single step forward, and he saw… it.

Severus's appearance looked as it did on the day of the DADA O.W.L., his hair greasy and his complexion pale and somewhat gaunt. He was also as thin as he had been back then, imagining nothing but skin and bones beneath the clothes. He didn't quite understand why he saw what he did, until he turned his attention to Lily.

Lily stood by Severus's side, wearing her dressing gown, just as she had that night outside of Gryffindor Tower. But she wasn't angry with him… in fact, she wore an almost sad smile on her face. Severus didn't want her to be sad…. Why would the mirror show him this?

And then her lips moved, and he understood.

Lily mouthed three words to him, tears streaming down her face. And Severus felt a similar sensation on his own, devoid of any stinging from the shock, as his body trembled.

"... say it again," he whispered to her reflection.

Lily mouthed the words again, more tears falling.

"Do you mean it?"

Lily nodded, her immaterial hand taking his.

Any strength in Severus's legs left him as he fell to the floor, shaking. He covered his mouth with one hand as he shut his eyes, sucking up whatever tears wanted to flow out. He couldn't do this now… not yet. Stifling a sob, he took a deep breath in and out, Occluding. Without opening his eyes, he called out, "Snarky!"

Pop. "Severus Snape needs Snarky, sir?"

"Remove the mirror."

"Of course, sir." Pop.

Severus opened his eyes, Snarky and the mirror gone. All that remained were the three words echoing in his head.


Lily II

Wednesday, 1 September 1976

"Hey, Mary. Marley." Lily had finished her patrol on the Hogwarts Express, secretly using it as a way to find Marlene. Marlene was sitting with Mary, and the two of them were playing Gobstones, much to Marlene's apparent chagrin. Mary loved the game, as did most younger witches and wizards, but Lily knew she would eventually grow out of it when she got older. She had gone through a similar phase, but she had lost interest in her third year in favor of Quidditch. Marlene, on the other hand, was never keen on the game, mainly due to the gobstones squirting liquids at whoever lost points.

"Lily!" Mary looked up and smiled. "How was the holiday?"

"It was alright," Lily said, sitting down. "I think I may have made up with Tuney."

"Really?" Marlene looked up with confusion.

"It's complicated," Lily explained. "She wants to focus on her life right now, so it'll take some time before we can properly reconcile."

"What's gotten into you lately?" Marlene had sat up, putting the game on hold. "First, you write to me about Snivellus, and now you're making peace with your sister."

"Firstly, his name is Severus," Lily said, eliciting a surprised look from both Mary and Marlene. "And secondly… I know why Tuney's been behaving the way she has. And I want to make things right."

"Doesn't she hate you?" Mary asked.

"She… did. But there was a bit more to it. She didn't want me to leave."

"It's your life, not hers." Marley sounded less than sympathetic.

"I know," Lily said, "And I told her that. Just like how it's her life, and not mine."

"And I bet you'll try the same thing with Sniv-"

"Severus." Lily wasn't about to lose ground on this.

"... Snape. You'll try the same thing with Snape?"

"I'll try, yes."

"Is this because of what happened to his parents?"

Lily almost answered, but the words caught in her throat.

"Lily, he's going to get you to pity him again. You think he wouldn't use their deaths to do that?"

"He wouldn't do that!" Severus wouldn't do something like that, surely.

"Wouldn't he? Didn't he keep guilting you with that 'best friends' nonsense?"

Lily… couldn't deny that. It had been one part of their friendship that had bothered her. "Look, this isn't why I'm here-"

"Then why are you here?"

"To say I'm sorry!" Lily's voice startled Mary, and even Marlene flinched. "I shouldn't have written what I did-"

"You think I'm upset?"

"Marley, you didn't respond after that letter. Of course, you were upset."

There was a pause before Marlene responded. "Do you honestly believe it's because you hurt my feelings? I'm not that soft."

"Then why-"

"Because I'm worried about you, and you won't listen." Marlene sat up from the floor and sat next to Lily. "Forget how I feel about Snape, alright? It's about what he's done to you, and what he might do if he gets another chance. You were right to end it."

Lily heard Marlene's words, but she couldn't set aside what she knew about his family.

Marlene continued, "Set aside feelings for a moment and think about it. What did he do when you spoke to him about what he was doing? With Dark Magic, with his friends, and with blood purity?"

Lily didn't want to answer, but she did anyway. "He… he made it about Potter."

"Exactly. He's never taken responsibility for any of that, has he?"

Lily shook her head. "But-"

"If he wasn't willing to change for you in seven years, why would he do it now?"

Lily wanted to answer. 7:30. "I…." She trailed off, unable to say it. It wasn't because of how it would make her look, although that was part of it; it was because she knew Marlene would applaud her for leaving him up there. "He wasn't always…."

"Well, he is now." Marlene took Lily's hand. "Can you promise me that you'll be careful around him?"

"Marley-"

"Please. Promise me that." Lily felt Marlene's hand squeeze hers.

"... I will." Lily didn't want to say it, but she couldn't deny anything Marlene was saying. "But-"

"-what?"

"If… if he's changed-"

"Lily-"

"If." Lily wasn't backing down from this. "If he's changed… would you think better of him?"

Marlene drew her hand away from Lily's, but Lily grabbed it and held tight.

"I don't want to keep fighting about it," Lily continued. "And I don't want to lose you as a friend. I just need to know that, if Severus can change, you can… somewhat tolerate him."

Marlene sighed. "... I can't promise that… but I'll lay off on him for now. Or I'll try to."

Lily smiled. "Okay. That's all I can ask for." She turned to Mary, who had been watching silently the whole time. "And you, Mary?"

"... okay." Mary didn't sound as reluctant as Marlene, but her tone was undeniably different. It was less a matter of disdain and more a matter of fear. Mary, understandably, wanted nothing to do with Slytherins.

"Okay." The three girls sat in silence for a moment before Lily spoke again. "So… who's winning at Gobstones?"

The remainder of the train ride involved Lily watching and laughing as Mary utterly humiliated Marlene at Gobstones, the latter exercising as much self-control as possible. Marlene had always been a sore loser, very much so, but she was never someone to lash out at Mary over a children's game. It was good for them to have some semblance of normalcy now.

It wasn't until they had arrived in Hogsmeade Station that Lily returned to the Prefects' carriage to gather her belongings… and she still hadn't accepted the fact that Regulus Black had become a Prefect. Yet there he was, sitting where she had been sitting, no less, having moved her smaller bag off of the seat and onto the ground.

"Black," Lily said sternly. "You've touched my belongings, I see."

"Ah," Black replied calmly. "Apologies. I'm not fond of sitting in-between others, so I chose a window seat instead." He stood from where he sat and grabbed Lily's bag. "Here."

Lily took the bag out of his grasp. "It's rude to touch other people's belongings without their consent."

"Likewise, to store one's bag on a perfectly usable seat." Black gave Lily a bland… disappointed look. As though he was a Head Boy chastising a lower Prefect.

"Apologies," Lily gritted out. It was worse, knowing that he was right. "I'll remember in the future."

"Excellent." Black gave her a curt nod and an obviously-fake smile. "Well, in any event, we should tend to our duties."


Regulus II

Wednesday, 1 September 1976
L.M.
I've done it
R.A.B.

Regulus had sent the short note as soon as he'd had the chance, which was right after all Prefects, as well as the Head Boy and Girl, had been called to the Headmaster's Office… regarding Snape. For some reason, he was staying in a separate room for health reasons, whatever that meant, and that in the event he was to be found roaming the corridors when he shouldn't, he was to be brought directly to either Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey. Regulus had never heard of such an arrangement, and this was separate from Snape somehow gaining summer housing. It must've been due to his father's….

Regulus felt sick at the thought. He had read what had happened in the Daily Prophet; the whole school had. The most shocking part of the article wasn't the news of Mrs. Snape's murder and Mr. Snape's suicide, nor was it the egregious deeds the latter had committed over his lifetime, nor was it even that Albus Dumbledore himself had adopted Snape. It was that no one, aside from perhaps Evans and himself, had known that Snape was a half-blood. Rosier had seemed surprised, and he was the fool who'd browsed through Snape's file. Even Slughorn, Snape's Head of House, had been surprised.

And Snape's blood status brought another thought to mind. The prophecy. He didn't know how many half-bloods attended Hogwarts, nor did he know their exact parentage, but he was expected to. Aside from delivering the diary to its intended target, he had also been assigned by Lucius to identify any persons of note that happened to match the prophecy's description. It was paradoxically both easy and complicated.

The complicated part was the fact that half-blood parentage was more complicated to sift through than that of purebloods and Muggle-borns; purebloods were pureblood on both sides (with a possible exception of one half-blood parent), while Muggle-borns, obviously, filthily spawned from two Muggles, or perhaps a Muggle and Muggle-born. But half-blood status was nuanced; it could be any number of combinations that deviated from these two paths based on blood status and the sex of the parent.

Fortunately, the easy part was that the specificity of the prophecy had narrowed down the number of potential candidates to a smaller list, even going so far as to give the sex and month of birth. If only the year had been listed….

As of right now, Regulus had no leads, or nothing concrete. The only thing that even qualified was… no… no, that couldn't possibly be. There hadn't even been that many witnesses, and the odds that he would be one of them and the Half-Blood Prince were astronomically-low; it had just been Dumbledore, Slughorn, himself (obviously), Trelawney (technically, though she didn't remember), and…. But then again, the chance of even being present during the utterance of a prophecy was low to begin with. But the fact that he'd been so adamant about it, going so far as to spread the existence of the prophecy to others- No. No, absolutely not.

Regulus refused, with every fiber of his being, to believe that the Half-Blood Prince was Gilderoy bloody Lockhart!


Author's Notes

Severus Snape (Slytherin)
-Wand: hawthorn, unicorn hair, 13", unyielding

Regulus Arcturus Black (Slytherin)
-Hogwarts Years: 1971 - 1979, Prefect (1976 - 1979)

Alice Longbottom (Gryffindor)
-Date of Birth: 1 September 1957 - 31 August 1958
-Hogwarts Years: 1969 - 1976, Prefect (1973 - 1976)
-Wand: chestnut, unicorn hair, 11"

Frank Longbottom (Hufflepuff)
-Date of Birth: 1 September 1957 - 31 August 1958
-Hogwarts Years: 1969 - 1976, Prefect (1973 - 1976)
-Wand: alder, unicorn hair, 12"

Gilderoy Lockhart (Ravenclaw)
-Date of Birth: 26 January 1964
-Hogwarts Years: 1975 - 1982
-Wand: cherry, dragon heartstring, 9"

Mahogany: the wand wood information is almost entirely non-canon, with exception to general Transfiguration affinity and flexibility

The scene where Severus looks into the Mirror of Erised was inspired by Lancun's Viridi, one of my favorites.