"Good evening.

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Yes. It is me.

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Yes, it... it is good to hear you, too.

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I am not interested in what she says. I am not interested in what anyone says.

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Oh. I understand.

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Asked you to what? Look if there was something wrong in my-

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Yes, I am still there.

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I get the feeling that Minerva knows me quite a bit better than I expected.

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Oh, for years. We've known each other ever since I came to Hogwarts. She was my teacher,

you know. Transfiguration. I wasn't exacly very... talented when it came to changing animals

into water goblets and all that stuff, so she gave me extra lessons. Helped me with my exams

for instance. She even scolded Potter once, because he'd shot a nasty remark at my feathered

guinea pig.

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Don't tell me you're writing down his name.

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Well, it is a waste of time, because I am certainly not getting into the subject. He was an

arrogant piece of scum and I do not wish to discuss him or any of his annoying friends with

you. They belong to a part of my life I'd rather not be reminded of.

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My time at Hogwarts, yes. More precisely, my time as a student there.

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No.

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Forget it.

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Not falling for it.

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Still not falling for it.

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Well, if you must know - I hate them because every time I met one of them something would

happen to me, such as my books vanishing out of the blue, my robes suddenly catching fire,

or - even more unpleasant things. I hate them because every time we met I had to endure

nasty remarks about my looks, the way I moved or the house I lived in. In short, I hate them,

because they made my life a living hell. And they haven't stopped. One, you see, is a

werewolf and needs a potion every full moon to keep him sane, and-

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More interested in Potter, are you? I should have known. I shouldn't have mentioned him. He

was a bastard. Believed himself a cut above the rest of us. But- no, he is dead.

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You sound surprised.

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Well, I can't say I was terribly upset. Shocked, yes. But - in some ways he deserved it. Got

stabbed in the back by his best friend, you see. Nothing like that could ever happen to me.

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That remark was neither funny nor clever, missy.

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Very funny. No, there is some truth in it, but I chose this life. I chose to be alone. Not to make

any friends. Not long ago, by the way. I abandoned all my former friends and didn't... bother

making new ones, basically. Friends are most people's greatest weakness.

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Minerva? Oh yes.

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Friends, yes. But that's something entirely different. You can't... can't really get rid of her

once she's decided to bless you with her friendship. I tried. Several times. But I just... it just

didn't work like with all the others. She simply... refused to take offence at my remarks.

Quite astounding, come to think of it. A remarkable woman.

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Yes, I suppose you could say that I - I like her. She's a very capable colleague and an

excellent chess player.

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Yes, and a very good friend. Now stop this nonsense.

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You won't give up on him, will you? James Potter was an annoying little brat! Nothing more!

He certainly never played an important role in my life! And neither did that... that Black

fellow. Now, could we talk about something else, please?

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Thank you. Though... is there anything left I haven't told you? I seem to think not.

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The stranger, ey? I was sure you'd come back to that. Well, allright then. I'll tell you what

happened the day I left my home. Is that what you want?

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I thought you'd say that.

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Actually, it all began the evening before. It was some time near the end of July, and I was

sitting in our bedroom on the four-poster bed, reading an exerpt from "Liquids to Love" from

Arsenius Jigger. You know him?

...

Hm. Well, all of a sudden the door bursts open and my father enters, rigid with fury. He grabs

me, beats me up and shouts a lot of stuff I don't quite grasp. I was busy covering my face, you

see. Ever since he'd broken my lower jaw I have been more interested in avoiding his straws

than in hitting back. I -

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Yes, of course he did. What did you expect? You think he was a loving husband and father?

Haven't I told you enough by now? Can't you estimate what our life was like when he was

there?

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Yes. Yes, he had a reason. For a change.

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It was - about my grades, you see. The exams didn't go very well. I... I think... He'd

expected some more O.W.L.s. Arithmency didn't work out. Nor did Transfiguration.

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Yes. Yes, he did. That's what he was like, you see. Brutal. And highly inconsiderate. If

Mumary hadn't stopped him... why, who knows what might have happened? Don't know

how she did it, myself. She just entered and... He was surprised, I suppose, because she told

him that a guest was waiting in the hall. The Master had arrived.

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Listen, I am really telling you quite a lot already. So would you please stop trying to persuade

me to say his name? Because I won't. No one does. I have no idea why you haven't heard

about him, but let me tell you that he was... no, sorry, that he is the mightiest wizard in the

world - apart from Albus Dumbledore, that is. Now, if you consider yourself equal to

someone who performs the killing curse twice an hour, I am happy to hear you say the name,

but I won't.

...

Of course I saw him. I told you. But not... I didn't go downstairs immediately. I was bleeding

too badly. Mumary helped me get up and dragged me into the bathroom so that she could look

after my wounds before allowing me to go downstairs.

...

My father and the Master had gone into the living-room. I made to follow them, but Mumary

held me back.

...

'Don't,' she whispered. 'He'll kill you.'

So I stopped and moved closer to the door, to be able to overhear the conversation.

'You still owe me an answer,' said the Master. 'I won't wait much longer, Snape.'

'Well, it's not an easy decision to make is it?' replied my father almost haughtily. 'You give

me reason to believe that you won't... er... stay within the limits of decency with your plans.'

'It is not a matter of decency,' the Dark Lord hissed irritably, 'It is a matter of taking sides

now, Snape, before it is too late. Once the war is decided I will not forget those who believed

in me. But I won't forget those who did not either, be sure of that.' It sounded like a thread.

My father laughed nervously.

'Now, you are not really going to challenge old Dumbledore, are you? I have never seen a

mightier wizard, and I've met quite a lot.'

'Are you going to join or not?'

'Not if you're going to openly defy Dumbledore.'

'You do not believe me when I tell you I'll kill him as soon as I get the chance? You do not

believe I am perfectly capable of getting rid of that Muggle-loving fool who prefers to stay

headmaster when he has been offered the Minister of Magic post? You think he cannot be

defeated?'

'That is indeed what I think,' said my father.

'You realize that in case of a war I'll have to kill you then,' the Dark Lord whispered. 'You -

and your entire family.'

The door burst open. I fell backwards. From the back of the room my father was watching me

with some surprise.

'Severus,' he then hissed, 'I believe I told you to stay in your room?' He had. I stared at him,

without answering. The Dark Lord's eyes gleamed at the sight of me. My father, however,

ignored him, grabbed my collar and pulled me back to my feet. He took my face with a

pincer-like grip, made me look straight at him and hissed, 'You just wait until we are alone.

You just wait.'

'No,' I panted, 'I won't. I will leave. Today.' I turned towards the Dark Lord, who didn't

await my question.

'Yes,' he said, 'you may come with me, young Snape, and pay the tribute your father refuses

to give me.'

My father went pale. 'You won't... I don't allow it!'

'The boy is all I demand for recompense. I shall not burn your home if he comes with me,' the

Dark Lord said and gave a hissing laugh. My father shook his head. I'd rather see this castle

destroyed in war. He stays!'

They argued for a while, but my decision was made. I was going to leave. And so I did. Only

half an hour later.

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Pardon? No, sorry, I... oh, I see.

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No, he wasn't happy. I told you what he shouted after me - he'd agreed to let me go at first,

you see, but changed his mind. And I believe it was Mumary who put him off following us

and starting another fight. Anyway, that's how things went. That's how I came to join the

Dark Lord. Not exceedingly spectacular, I should think, but that's how most people came to

join him. Through situations like this one.

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Your silence is very off-putting. But I need to go anyway. It is very late. And if Minerva finds

out I am still calling you...

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Yes, I know I said I don't care. But that... that was a lie. Good night.

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..."