Walk A Little Straighter Daddy
By
Snivellus aka Heather Granger
"He stumbled in the gym
On graduation day
And I couldn't help but feel
So ashamed
And I wasn't surprised a bit
When he didn't stay
He stumbled out before they called my name"
It was finally here, graduation day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Severus had been working for seven long years for this day. He had set the new school record for number of OWLs received as well as the number of NEWTs. The only subject that he did not pass in his OWL was Transfigurations, mainly because he found the subject rather boring. He was never interested in turning a couch into a bed, or a porcupine into a pincushion.
He appreciated the more refined subjects, ones which required time and detail. The Dark Arts called to him, echoing a sense of belonging. He loved the feeling that he got when he produced a dark spell. The delicacy, the attention to detail that strung together many elements together, how emotion and mood can dictate the success of the spell. He took great pride in learning how to master his emotions.
"Severus, have you seen my hat?" Another Slytherin girl from his year asked in their common room as they prepared for the ceremony.
"How should I know, I am not your personal house elf." Severus snapped.
"Fine, perhaps I shouldn't tell you that your robe is tucked into the back of your pants." She said nonchalantly.
"Sod off." He hissed as he pulled his robe from his black pants. It would be an understatement to say that Severus was not in a good mood, in fact he was boiling. His mother had written him an owl informing him that she would be unable to attend, because she was to attend to some mysterious business in France, all though she had written briefly that his father was going to attend.
The moment that meant so much to Severus was to be interrupted by his disgrace of a father. Severus turned to look in the mirror that one of the girls had transfigured in the Common Room and made sure that there were no other errors in his clothing before he set off for the Great Hall.
"Mr. Snape." Severus turned to see that the Headmaster was addressing him.
"Yes, Headmaster?" He questioned.
"Congratulations, quite impressive 12 NEWTs, I believe that you have surpassed myself." Albus complimented.
"Yes, sir." Severus was unsure what else to say.
"Will your parents be in attendance?" He asked the boy.
"Unfortunately no, my mother had business in Toulouse." Severus explained, secretly hoping that his father would have passed out on the couch and sleep through the whole event.
"Pity, I am sure they are quite proud of you." The Headmaster offered.
Severus looked into the man's eyes and for a brief moment silently cried out in anguish, wishing that he had loving parents. He quickly glossed his eyes over with indifference.
"You know Mr. Snape, that with knowledge comes power." He stated.
"Yes, sir." Unsure where this was going.
"What will you choose to do with that power? People may remember evil, but from goodness comes heroes, who are irreplaceable." He said ominously.
"Sir."
"Mr. Snape." They parted ways, and it would be the last time that the two spoke until the day in which he pledged to be a spy to the Order.
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"Everyone, everyone!" Minerva McGonagall shouted over the commotion outside the Great Hall.
"Please get in order by House. Quickly now!" She added once she had the students attention.
Severus fidgeted with his tie several times, running his hand down the silk cravat repeatedly. His was afraid, afraid that his father would actually show up.
Unfortunately, for Severus, his last name put him last in his house, and right in front of Black of Gryffindor.
"Hey Snivellus!" He chided.
Severus did not respond. He knew Sirius was trying to get him stirred up.
"Snivellus, your mum here?"
Severus sneered, still with his back to Black.
"Or how about your father? No, did not love you enough to show? Pity. Who would want to come watch a grease ball like you." He egged on.
"Your one to talk Black, your mum must be ashamed of you, a Gryffindor in the House of Black?" Severus snapped back.
"At least I don't stick my nose where it doesn't belong, unlike you whom can't help but stick your ugly pointed nose in those dark books of yours."
Severus was about to respond, but was stopped when Minerva silenced them and opened the doors to the Great Hall.
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As Severus took his seat, and waited the start of ceremony, he looked into the crowd.
'So far so good.' He thought no sight of his father anywhere.
Severus glanced over to Evans. She was looking intently at her Muggle parents, who were sitting close to the front row. They were smiling and crying for their daughter. Severus was so angry; nothing in the world could describe his feelings. He was jealous, jealous of a stupid mudblood and her family. A family who had no appreciation of magic, a family who did not even understand the complexity and oppression that wizards have gone through over the thousands of years in which Muggles and Wizards lived together.
He could not fathom how her parents could even understand, and show this kind of emotion, emotion that he himself was always denied.
Just as they were about to start calling off names to come present their wands for activation, and a decree of their accomplishment, the Great Hall doors opened loudly to reveal the one man Severus was praying not to see.
There stood his father, obviously drunk. He stumbled into the hall, loudly climbing over five witches and wizards to find an empty seat. The Headmaster had to pause, disrupting the entire ceremony.
Everyone turned to look at the man. Severus felt the blood drain from his face. He quickly looked away, feeling tears trying to press their way up to the surface. Severus refused to cry; he refused to let the stupid man win. Evans glanced his way, obviously sensing the resemblance. She looked concerned, but quickly looked to the floor when Severus turned his back to the audience.
Albus had gotten through the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, and was about to start the Slytherins, when Severus watched silently as his father was passed out in the chair. Severus thought about the offer that Lucius had written him about last week.
Dear Severus,
I am writing to inform you of a new opportunity that I think might intrigue you. A new wizard is very powerful, and very intelligent is interested in the pureness of magic. He himself is a half-blood, but feels that because of his father who was in fact a Muggle that he was made weak. He is the Heir of Slytherin, he has shown I and several others proof of this.
As a Slytherin, and as a powerful wizard yourself, I was wondering if you would be interested in joining him. He pays well, and the work is fascinating. You could learn far more than what you have read in books my friend.
If you are interested, please meet me next Saturday night at Bartlemnes in Knockturn Ally.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
Severus was at first unsure of what to think of this offer. He was not one to follow others. He was independent, and wanted it to remain so. He worked for one person, and that was himself. Everything he had ever done was for himself, never for his parents, never for his friends, because he had few.
As Severus sat and thought about the offer, he realized that the knowledge he would be able to gain could be unthinkable, irreplaceable. Lucius had also mentioned that he would be willing to fund anyone in advance. This meant that Severus could move out, live on his own, something he wanted more than anything.
It was decided, he was to take up Lucius offer, and little did he know at the time what he was about to get involved in. He went in looking for knowledge and a way out of his father's unwanted shadow, what he found was oppression and darkness.
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"Severus Snape." The Headmaster called out.
Severus slowly stood, and walked towards the Minister and the Headmaster. He felt like he was being stared down. As he waited as his wand was fully activated, he noticed the silence. Everyone else had gotten applause or a shout, but he got nothing. Severus glanced over to where his father was seated, and saw an empty seat. Stephan had left, leaving him alone. He saw his father only once after this, and that was at his funeral.
"And I thought
Walk a little straighter daddy
You're swaying side to side
It's not just me who's watching
you've caught everybody's eye
And you're tripping and stumbling
and even though I've turned 18
Walk a little straighter daddy
You're still leading me."