Severus Snape died among frenemies at the filthy floor of the depressing shrieking shack, 1998. Except, he in fact, did not.
When he opened his eyes again, he found out that he was sitting in Hogwarts express. He was not alone, as somebody else was sitting right next to him, to close for his liking; So He was quite alarmed as this felt abit shady; people did not wake up in afterlife sitting in Hogwarts's train you see. There were only two possible ways that the afterlife experience was supposed to go and none involved this. Something was definitely wrong.
So he took a squint of the other person in the car.He felt his breath caught, This was Lily in flesh and blood, Lily freaking Ann Evans was next to him, laughing at something he might have said at some point. She was wearing that bracelet he made for her when He was about 10, to wear at Hogwarts for good luck or some utter shit like that. He looked at his hands and they were small. Too small for being a 38-year-old, actually. They were about his 11 years old hands, he hastingly looked at the back of his hand, there was no sign of that ugly burning mark left by his bastard of father's cigarette when he went home after his first year.
Was this a cruel joke? One last nasty joke at his expense that the universe sent his way? Was he sent back at time?
When Lily tried touching his shoulder, He flinched back, hard, hitting his back to the seat and hurting his newly healed belt mark, courtesy of his fucking father.
Lily's eyes widened in horror: SEV, are you okay? Did I scare you?
But Severus couldn't, wouldn't take it AGAIN. He had fought in not one, but two freaking wars that left him with nothing, nothing but ashes and tears. And even his tear ducts dried at last year. So he shot from his sit and ran. Ran away from Lily, from this train, from the reality he seemed to be trapped in. He tumbled and fell to the floor two or more times. How in hell was he supposed to live it all again? Lose his mother again, Lose Lily again, Lose Regulus again, Lose Charity, kill Albus and Lose his sanity and humanity bit by bit. He did not have the energy to go through all that. Severus did not even understand that he was crying his eyes out, sobbing painfully until he went right into some unfortunate guy's stomach.
Oof!
because the voice was girlish, so the person who he had hit was a miss and not a mister.
He looked up and upon seeing said girl, burst into tears again. And who would blame him? With the kind of year, he had, and now finding he had to experience it anew.
The girl was in fact a 17 years old Amelia Bones, the dead head of auror office who was mangled beyond recognition by that sodding brute, Greyback. When he was tasked with getting rid of the body, He had cried then too.
Amelia, alarmed by firsti's sudden tears, tried calming him by hugging the scrawny boy with large obsidin eyes. Then shushed him softly. But the guy was either hurt or scared. From what or whom she was not sure. She was not being too head girly, was she? Then she looked closer.
The boy's nose was broken. No wonder the poor dear was wailing like that. As the train was somewhat dark, she did not notice that, or the blood all over his front. She cautiously held the boy in her arms, and left him up. He was so in pain, he did not stop sobbing. And Morgana's curly hair! Was the boy light! Were they themselves this thin and little, or the firsties were getting smaller each year?
First, she yelled out her counterpart, Malfoy's name, to help her deal with the situation. But the arrogant Lord to be was no where to be seen. Probably was having oh so important speeches about politics with pure blood sodds or snogging his lady friend. No use whatsoever that guy had. One would assume he was a delicate flower with the way he manicured his nails, or carefully styled his blond mane. Merlin knew even his girlfriend to be fiancé Narcissa Black, the Ice Queen herself, was not this vane.
So She went into 6 years compartment praying to every deity not to be ambushed by a prank or two, called the two trouble troop AKA Fabian and gideon Prewatt.
They were there, thankfully: oooh, how is bossy Bonsy doing here, Fab?
But then they saw the boy, clutching her robes and quietly weeping.
One went to find a calming draught, while another put the boy to sleep, his nose break did not look good, and it certainly needed Pomfery. They spent the rest of the ride together, in silent, in order not to wake the pale looking raven haired boy in their care.
When Severus woken up, it was nearly the end of the ride. He felt calm and collected. But his nose felt funny.
He sat upright and saw a pair of warm brown eyes. The Prewatt twins...
His mind went into the past ( or future) where he had cut George's ear. He felt like crying, but found out he was on a calming draught. He scratched the back of his head: umm, hello?
: hey!kiddo! How are you, sleeping beauty?
: 'm not pretty!
: right, don't get your knickers in a twist, handsome fellow, care to share the name? Me name Gideon, and that's me dumb and far less pretty twin, Fabian.
Fabian protested while batting his eyelashes at him rapidly: oooh, you wound me bro, hey darling am I not the better looking one?
Severus wanted to laugh( he horribly found out that his body had the functions and feeling of an 11 years old, this meant he had to go through freaking PUBERTY too!!!!) but he realized his nose hurt, like a lot: ouch!
" Young Sir, I dunno, but is your name Ouch?
: no, me name Severus
: oooh, hear hear this young mister is a wanna be emperor brother! Can he Fabian?
: Ickle firsty is a sharp one, going right to head girl's arms and gaing the fiesty and mighty Bones support, and name's Severus. Like Septimus Severus, the Roman kingsie. Why can't he?
When he wanted to say he was going to leave their car, thank you very much, he realized they had transfigured his shirt to robes, put a disguise on his face and readied his cloth from the blood, all the while distracting him with talks.
He smiled softly: thanks. For calming draught and robes and disguise.
That took them by surprise, as first years were not accustomed to magic yet, except purebloods( they being pure blood themselves probably knew all this year bunch from when they were in nappies, so they knew he is either a muggle born or a half blood), Fabian whistled: oooh!aren't yard a genius!
Severus felt reddened up to his ears: thanks. I gonna get out of yor way...
:nope!
: not gonna happen, Bones will have our hides!
: first we ganna have a chat with dear old tabby, to get you sorted first..then...
Severus refused: no.
They looked at each other, confused: what? Why!
Severus calmly said: that will just put a target on my back, if you two , light pureblood heirs , have my back. And Miss Bones too, as she is a powerful light witch. And as a lowly half blood...( he tried to show fear in his face) they will haunt me down. The political climate is against...( pause for emphasis, trembling lips, loath as he was to do so) ..my kind. And ...
Fabian looked worryingly to Gideon, thinking that maybe the kid's nose break was not a total accident, a sharp half blood with potential, and wits about him, and Merlin the boy had that! Recognizing disguise charms and calming draught as well as their subtle aversion... they nodded to him: alright Severus, after the feast we or the big bad girl herself ganna come and get ya to Pomfery, alright buddy? ( he tryed so much not to ruffle the boy's somewhat oily hair, which was totally down to being poor and being washed by soap instead of shampoo, because he smelled like peppermint and baby soap)
Severus nodded and left the compartment.
Some minutes after he went to go to his first car, but hearing Potter, Black and Lupin laughter ( he would not ever forget their sound, as they had laughed at his expense too many times) he decided against it. So Lily had again fucking chosen Potter against him, she had seen the way he left the car, and she still remained in her fucking seat, chatting up the sodding marauders. Not that he had been her friend , had her back and defended her against her sister. Not that he had put his life on the line for her bastard son. She did not even respect him, liked him enough at this point to come get him? Or be a little worried? He knew if the roles were reversed, he would not sit like a hen and do nothing. Was he this delusional about her friendship? Clinging to her scraps of kindness, she showed him out of pity and saying oooh, look at me! I AM SO GENEROUS, I AM SHOWING THIS LOSER Kindness! How Great I am!
He made a decision then and there, fuck her and Potter , He would be the hero this time.
So He needed allies.
So which house? He needed to remain unnoticed, under the radar...may be all house's hands on?
He smirked, wasn't he lucky? Already met Bones and Prewatts?
He first wanted to make sure his robes remained like robes and not muggle things he wore, but he need not worry. The twins were good, and it would last till the end of night.
Arriving at the gate, he took a glance and went in the boat occupied by Frank Longbottom, benjamin Fenwich and Charity Burbage. ( He was good friends with charity in that life, why not now?). He did not spare a moment to that chit named Lily or her future husband ( nor to the stupid meddling headmaster or his biased deputy), when he was called, the hat hummed.
: ooh, a surprise! Gonna have to put ya in Slytherin, are we?
: shut your gub you worthless hat. I dare you to put me there! With sodding Mulcibor of all people!
: so Gryffindor?
: no, Not a chance in hell. Put me in Hufflepuff.
: but..
: Hufflepuff, or I swear I will find the basilisk, and soak your old threads with its venom and destroy you even if its the last thing I would do in my life.
The hat almost Shrieked: Hufflepuff!