Morning came by, and Severus opened his bleary eyes; wincing at the sunlight that flickered through the curtains. He felt slightly sore due to last night but when he glanced aside, his lips curled into a small smile.
It was almost two years since his savior (and… lover?) took him in yet Severus still couldn't believe that he wasn't alone, that there was someone willing to spend their time with him and cherish him unconditionally despite his misfortunes in life. He too was ready to do anything for the man sleeping beside him.
However, there was a niggling thought in his mind.
Severus was not superstitious by any means, but following what he had faced in the past with his family breaking apart when he was seven years old and Lily Evans breaking their seven year-long friendship, there bounds to be something similar happening in the near future.
And oh, how he dreaded what Fate had in mind for him. Shouldn't he deserve some happiness, too? Hadn't he suffered enough in his short life?
His hand brushed away the few strands of hair that covered his lover's visage and Severus stared at the man's handsome yet pale face. He couldn't afford to lose anymore.
Then Marvolo's red eyes opened, alert as always. "What's troubling you?" he spoke, his voice too controlled for someone who just woke up.
Severus' face instantly went red. "I- It's nothing," he said and the man frowned before chuckling good-naturedly.
"You should get ready for your ceremony, hmm? The youngest Potions Master in history." Marvolo grinned and kissed his forehead. "If only they know what they had lost… Dumbledore considered you're meaningless, but for me… you are everything."
Severus could only smile, even as Marvolo helped him rise from the bed and getting ready for the day.
It would be fine, as long as the man remained by his side.
Inside a dilapidated house within Spinner's End, Cokeworth was a sallow-skinned, raven-haired woman who had the day's newspaper in her hands. Her calloused fingers traced over the photograph of a young man that was featured in the main page, whose onyx eyes and facial features resembling her own except for the hooked nose.
The headline made her heart clenched in pride and guilt. How she wished she was with him too, where his hard work was applauded and praised by others. She wanted to step away from the somber neighborhood and made a new life elsewhere, yet the fear of new gossips and scandals frightened her. What she did nearly two decades ago was more than enough to teach her a lesson. That her parents and family were right.
That Muggles were dangerous and needed to be contained.
She had read about people disappearing without a trace of course, and hoped the new movement will come to free her. Was she a coward? No, but there were things out of her control. Perhaps her fate was set the moment she defied her family's teachings and ran away.
A series of knocks brought the woman out of her reverie and she rushed to make herself presentable before opening the front door.
"…You," she muttered, eyes widened in utter surprise and dread.
It was the man who had accompanied her son before he left the house almost two years ago.
He smirked, "Yes, Eileen Prince." Then he looked around, mirth and disgust clear in his brown eyes. "Still living in this hovel? You know a prince deserve better places."
Eileen's ears went red and she backed away from the newcomer. "W- What do you want?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Surely you know of the youngest Potions Master in recent history."
"And…?"
"And what? No congratulatory words over his achievements? Not even to visit him?"
Eileen avoided his piercing stare and rubbed her arm subconsciously. "…He doesn't want me anymore. I chose to stay here; make of that if you must."
"I will tell you what." The man strode over and grabbed her shoulders. "He waited for you. The Malfoys are kind people, bless them, but doesn't a child want their parents to be there, to celebrate his efforts? You and I know how he's like. All brash words, but have a fragile heart."
She blinked. Oh, how true those words were. Her child, her son… he had learnt too early how cruel the world was, but unlike her he used his circumstances to rise above poverty and made a new name for himself.
"Even a letter soothed his heart," Severus' friend (was he really her son's associate?) said and that was all it took for her to summon her wand and rushed out of the house, only to stop at her tracks when she saw a figure in black standing before her.
"Severus," she almost stammered.
Her son gave her a hurt look. "…Ma."
Eileen didn't know what to say. Should she really congratulate Severus? Her eyes fell onto his robes which were well-kempt and shone against the light. He seemed to carry a proud and determined aura and his onyx eyes stared at her in silent contemplation.
"…You live well now," was what escaped her mouth.
He looked stunned for a brief moment before shaking his head, his eyes hardened. "I'm here to give you an ultimatum. I know it's your choice to stay here, but… who do you love more?"
Her eyes bulged. She should have seen this coming, yet…
"Don't wallow in your guilt, Ma. You don't deserve the scorn from him and other people. He ought to know your worth as his… wife, but he didn't. But I know. You're my mother. You had protected me in the past. Let me help you now. The Prince cottage might not accept you, but there's an apartment room I can find for you to live. You can make a new life there with our kind. But if you still choose that man… consider this our last interaction."
Eileen's heart lurched. She didn't want her child hating her too. What Tobias Snape kept spewing out of his mouth was terrible enough. Was this her last chance? She looked into Severus' eyes and saw how hopeful he was, wanting her to accept his offer.
So, she mustered up her courage and said, "I… Alright."
The smile in Severus' face convinced her it was the best choice she had made.
Aberforth Dumbledore grunted as a customer flicked their Sickles onto the table before leaving, using his wand to levitate the coins into the cash register machine. He was not as enthusiastic with Muggles' inventions as his brother was, but he couldn't help thinking those non-magical folks were certainly creative.
He had established the Hog's Head Inn as a way to distance himself with his brother, but as it was, the Headmaster of Hogwarts during the 1940s, Armando Dippet had called Albus Dumbledore back after the whole Gellert Grindelwald fiasco was over and now he was stuck as a spy per his brother's orders, seeking discreet information from the various patrons of the bar and inn.
The war between the two factions – Light and Dark – continued to ravage the wizarding world for nearly four years already, and the Dark side seemed to be winning with their numbers increasing each day. Aside from his observations of Tom Riddle and his friends decades ago, Aberforth never actually encountered the Death Eaters but he also knew secrecy was the key to success for those people.
The bell above the entrance door rang and Aberforth looked up to see a young man cloaked in black taking his seat nearby the stairs.
"Oi, you're here to drink or something?" he asked.
The newcomer raised his eyebrows. "I'm here for the job interview," he said.
"Hogwarts?" When he didn't answer, Aberforth frowned and flicked through the notes from the Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. "Severus Snape, eh?" he went on.
The man only hummed and Aberforth put the notes away. As always, there were people trying their luck to apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position despite many others had suffered terrible fates near the end of the school term. Those who survived the ordeal often regarded as legendary, especially when the curse was caused by the rising Dark Lord that sought to 'improve' the world.
It was almost half an hour when Minerva finally showed up alongside a wispy woman who dressed in light brown robes and adorned with numerous bracelets and necklaces.
"Mr. Snape, I'm so glad that you're willing to come," she said. Aberforth didn't miss how she gave the other woman a sour look before remembering that much like his brother, she too disliked Divination.
Snape remained silent and followed the two women upstairs while Aberforth entertained the few customers still inside the Hog's Head. But when almost an hour passed and neither the three people returned, he decided to bring the guests a drink and see if there was anything amiss.
It was then did he see Snape walking down the stairs, his pale face looked stricken and in a trance.
"Something happened up there?" Aberforth queried, suspicion making its way into his heart. Was Snape a spy from the other side?
The young man gave him a glare, "It's none of your business."
Snape left with a billowing of his black robes and Aberforth narrowed his eyes, ready to inform the strange circumstances to his brother.
Lord Voldemort was in Malfoy Manor's ballroom, discussing the various information his spies had gathered while waiting for his favorite to return.
It was a rather lengthy argument when he suggested Severus Prince to apply for the cursed Defense Against the Dark Arts position but it was prudent to have a spy within Hogwarts as well as recruiting other students for their movement. Severus understandably, refused the plan too many times until the Dark Lord told the young man that he only needed to come for the interview. If he was accepted, Lord Voldemort himself will disguise as Severus using the Polyjuice Potion for the year in the school.
A series of frantic knocks banged against the mahogany doors and with a flick of his wand, he and the Death Eaters turned to see Severus Snape, whose onyx eyes were in distraught and terror as if something horrible had happened. And he needed to know what it was.
"Leave us," Lord Voldemort said with a wave of his hand.
The other Death Eaters scurried out of the ballroom until only he and Severus remained.
Severus stumbled as he approached the throne and that only rouse his curiosity. "What happened?" he asked.
"A- A… A prophecy…" the young man finally stammered. "Oh Merlin, it's just what I thought, I-"
Lord Voldemort froze. "Tell me."
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who had thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"
Silence fell into the room with both men trying to make sense of the foreboding news.
"…Who told this prophecy, Severus?" Lord Voldemort asked.
"Sybil Trelawney; she said she was a descendant of Cassandra Trelawney."
The Dark Lord hummed. "Such cryptic yet detailed prophecy… don't tell me you used the Potters' Invisibility Cloak to eavesdrop on them?" In spite of the dreadful news, he couldn't help praising his favorite's brilliant mind.
"I- Yes." Severus bowed his head. "McGonagall asked for Trelawney first; I imagine she wouldn't want to dally on the Divination job position any longer."
"Do you get the job?"
Severus blinked. "…She told me to wait for the Ministry's approval."
"We can do that. But until then, find whoever the prophecy refers to," he urged. "Find them for me, Severus."
Severus looked up to him and Lord Voldemort watched as those onyx eyes flickered before hardening with determination and his magical aura flared around the ballroom.
"I won't let them take you away," he said adamantly.
At that, the Dark Lord smiled fondly. "That's my Silver Serpent.