Before we explore the events, of that fateful day, let us take a step back to the beginning of Severus's school career and delve into the world of Slytherin politics.
Slytherin students were well known for embodying the traits of their house, they were naturally cunning and ambitious but they were also keenly observant. Lucius Malfoy was no exception and epitomised his house.
There were rumours of a new Dark Lord, a powerful wizard with the vision, charisma and power to restore purebloods to their proper place and create a better world for all wizarding kind.
As a rich and influential pureblood from an ancient and noble family who were firm believers in pureblood supremacy, he had already been encouraged by his father Abraxas Malfoy to follow this new Lord.
He was due to receive his dark mark when he came of age, he was charismatic, rich, influential and as an older student had already been tasked with scouting out and luring in new talent to the ranks. To this end, he always keenly observed the new students and took a keen interest in the sorting ceremony and all the young Slytherins, in 1971 one Severus Snape caught his interest.
In spite of the young Snape's attempts to hide his past, the older Malfoy was able to read him like an open book. It didn't take much to connect the dots, his old robes, small stature, skinny frame and sullen nature all pointed to a deprived childhood. The Snape name was definitely not a pureblood family and the fact that he had been sorted into Slytherin and already knew a large number of hexes indicated his status as a half-blood. This, along with his sorting into Slytherin, led him to believe that he had been neglected and most likely abused, and there was little doubt in his mind that this was most likely from his muggle parent.
Yes, Severus Snape was a powerful young wizard brimming with barely contained anger and bitter resentment at the circumstances he had forced upon him. If he could only harness and direct this rage towards exacting revenge on the muggles who had wronged him, he would have a powerful future recruit in the young boy, his master would most certainly be pleased.
All of this information was filed away as he worked on the young boy. It was all too easy to ensnare the boy he was young, friendless and silently craving attention. By playing the part of a sympathetic older brother, he was able to groom him without too much effort, with a bit of flattery and praise to stroke the ego, encouraging his talent for the dark arts and potions, a talent that was overlooked by their own head of house. He spoke freely of the young Lord Voldemort, well aware that even though the boy feigned disinterest he would be listening, hanging on his every word.
He told the same story he did to all the younger years of how their lord talked passionately of rebuilding the wizarding world and restoring wizards to their proper place without muggle interference all the while skirting around the true darker purpose and name of the group.
The trap was set and now to bait it and lure him in with the promise of power, respect, riches and ultimately acceptance from a lord who was always looking for talented young wizards. He knew these were all things the young boy silently craved and lavish gifts provided a further powerful incentive for the young snakes of what they could have as well as backing up his words. It was all too easy snaring the young snakes.
All of which left Severus feeling conflicted as he grew older and struggled between his increasing desire to follow his housemates and follow someone who promised the better world he'd always longed for, who would appreciate his talents and gift him the power and recognition he had always longed for. The other side of this was his friendship with Lily who strongly disapproved of his housemate's activities and was convinced that the true purpose of this group was much darker than they let on and somehow connected to the increasingly frequent and violent attacks on muggles and muggleborns.
He laughed off her concerns feeling certain that they could not possibly be related, this Voldemort person promised a better world for wizardkind after all. Besides which he told himself that he didn't really care about most muggles after their harsh treatment of him yet he couldn't quite dismiss the knot of guilt that was twisting his gut insisting she might be right and reminding him that Lily was his best and truthfully his only friend and her family were muggles the only people to really care about him and show him true affection.
Author's Notes:
Short chapter but I wanted to shed a bit light on how I thought Severus might have been enticed towards the Death Eaters. All of this is leading up to the big plot line, things will be heating up the next few chapter.
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James Birdsong:
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