On the 20th July, 1967, Severus Snape got an owl. He had never got an owl before. It was addressed in green ink;
Mr. S. Snape
The Smallest Bedroom
7 Mortcroft Place
Wiltshire
His mother caught his eye and smiled at him across the table. He quickly sat on the letter as his father walked in. He ate his cereal hurriedly and rushed up to his room to open the letter.
Dear Mr. Snape,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of al necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy headmistress
Severus could hardly contain his excitement. He had often heard Lucius speak of Hogwarts, and he had been wondering what it would be like to go there for almost four years now. Now he was definitely going! He eagerly tipped out the rest of the contents of the envelope. There was only one other sheet of paper, which was the books and equipment list.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Uniform
First-year students will require:
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Set Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Perfect Potions (Volume 1) by Nicholas Yardley
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
First Counter-curses and Jinxes by Maurice Boulter
Other Equipment
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
He was poring over the list so intently that he jumped when his parents entered the room, both looking proud to his relief.
"Oh Severus! I'm so proud of you!" said his mother, hugging him. "We'll have to take you shopping to get all your books and-"
"I will take Severus to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies."
"But Alabastor! I- I haven't been out of the house for over 10 years now!" she pleaded
"I will take Severus to Diagon Alley" repeated Alabastor in such a final tone that she was discouraged.
"Why can't she come too, father?" asked Severus innocently.
"Don't question me, Severus" warned his father. "Hurry up and get ready. Come on, Celine."
The first place they visited in Diagon Alley was Ollivander's. Severus almost glowed with pride as he picked up the first wand Mr. Ollivander placed in front of him.
"Give it a try" he said. Severus waved the wand and a frail puff of black smoke was emitted from the end. He looked at it in surprise.
"Oh," he said, "Was it supposed to-"
"No. Try this one." Mr. Ollivander snatched the wand from his grip and placed another one in it. This time nothing happened when Severus waved the wand. Nothing happened for the next few, either, until Mr. Ollivander pressed a black wand into his had. This wand felt somehow different under his fingers. He waved it. A shining streak of something silvery hung in the air for a moment, before morphing itself into a serpent and then exploding like a firework. Mr. Ollivander smiled at him, gazing with misty eyes as he spoke to Severus;
"Fourteen inches. Ebony and unicorn tail-hair. I hope I shan't see you in here again, young sir. An Ollivander's wand will last you a lifetime, if you take care of it!"
"Thank you" said Severus. His father paid for the wand and they left the shop. They visited various other shops, to buy his potions ingredients, books and robes.
"Let's have a drink" suggested Severus' father. Severus hesitated. Although young, he was old enough to see his father for what he was - an alcoholic. He followed Alabastor into the Leaky Cauldron nevertheless. His father ordered a firewhisky and a butterbeer for his son. Severus tasted the butterbeer gingerly, and found it delightfully warming, almost spicy but still sweet and creamy. He licked the foam from his lip and looked up to thank his father.
"That's alright, son. Would you like to try a bit of this?" he indicated the firewhisky. "It's a man's drink. Try it."
"Okay" answered Severus shyly, taking the whisky glass from his father and taking a small sip. He coughed. The amber liquid felt like it was searing his throat all the way down. He quickly took a large gulp of butterbeer. His father laughed at him and clapped him on the back.
"Well done, son." He decided to have another one. Severus, knowing his father wouldn't be this good-natured when he'd had a few more, tried to interest himself building a house of beermats. After a while, father and son left the pub and went to open a bank account. After that, Severus' father told him to wait while he went and did some 'important business'. "And don't wander off!" he called as he strode off round the corner. Severus assumed he was either doing something illegal, or going to have some more drink. He kicked a stone about moodily for a while, hands in his pockets, watching some boys about his age who were crowded around another boy who was explaining football to them. After a while they started to kick a small ball around and Severus moved to avoid being hit by it. He sat down on the kerb and examined his wand carefully. Even this lost its merits after a while, though, so he wandered into a dingy alleyway with shops that looked... much more interesting than the ones he had visited with his father. He stopped himself. "Don't wander off!" had been the last thing his father had said to him. He struggled internally for a few more moments before his curiosity overrode his conscience. He peered closely into a shop window displaying shrunken heads and ever-snarling stuffed leopards - but mutated leopards. Something was wrong with them. Severus peered closer, trying to work out what it was, when suddenly somebody else was peering back! Severus jumped back in surprise, crashing into his father, who quick as a flash had him pinned up against the wall around his neck.
"I told you to wait back there!" he snarled, his face very close to Severus'.
"I-I'm sorry, father!" he choked. He wondered briefly why no-one in the almost deserted street seemed to notice or care how his father was treating him.
"I've been looking for you everywhere! Why didn't you do as I asked?!" Severus could smell the alcohol on his breath; evidently he had had another drink then.
"I don't know! Why do you drink so much?!" he shouted, struggling. His father slapped him across the face.
"Don't you speak to me like that! We're going home!" he growled, dropping Severus and pushing him towards Diagon Alley and the muggle world. Severus got in the car and immediately looked out of the window, stubbornly staring all the way home.