The gossip mill in Hogwarts traveled really fast, especially when there were talking portraits at nearly every corner and ghosts roaming around the castle in a regular basis. And within two days, literally everyone wondered just what had made Francesca Zabini fell for Severus Snape of all people.

This of course, not including the Slytherins who knew the real truth and decided to keep quiet of it.

They all watched with intrigue as the two students talked as if they were close friends, with the beautiful girl had joined Snape's group of friends on a few occasions during mealtimes but ultimately was happy enough to simply be with the stand-in Prefect alone.

A few scandals also rose due to the event, mainly with people talked about the possible usage of the Amortentia Potion, but that was discarded as quickly as it came; why would Snape use such concoction to the older girl? Or was it the other way around?

Some of the students, especially the girls had made bets as to see how long the unlikely Snakes' couple would last; a few said two weeks while others who thought a bit more positively betted on about a month.

They were all wrong.

It was near the end of April, and Lily Evans was in the library, observing silently from afar as Severus was whispering animatedly to his (supposed) girlfriend, and felt a twinge in her heart when Francesca tried hard to stifle her laughter. The two Slytherins then took out their wands and swished them, to which two silvery forms emerged and they watched happily as the slender spider climbed over the bird's head before the avian took the arachnid on a flight for a few laps.

Lily couldn't help but to wonder how exactly the pair managed to produce such beautiful Patronus. Severus, yes, she could believe it, but Francesca Zabini? Not a chance. Yet the proof was right in front of her eyes.

Lowering her gaze, Lily decided to start writing a letter to her ex-best friend about her many regrets, considering he had warned her twice to get out of his sight. Sighing, she hoped he would at least take time to read it before chucking it away as she tied the letter to an owl's foot later that day.

Suffice to say, she was somewhat glad that Severus didn't throw it as soon as he got it the next morning and she certainly didn't expect to get a reply. But it was exactly what he did, and Lily sobbed as she read his final words to her:

Our seven years of friendship was nice when it lasted. And just for that, I forgive you.

Lily was in a daze when May arrived and during the Prefects' meeting, she could barely hear whatever issue was being talked of.

"Well then; let's get started to our main discussion," the voice of Amir Shafiq, the current Head Boy finally broke her trance, "Who'd like to suggest a name for the next year's Head Boy and Head Girl?"

"Come on, Mir; we already got our new Head Boy here," someone said and all heads turned to the lone figure of a boy at the farthest corner of the table, who was bending over his book with a frown. Lily almost lifted her lip into a smile upon seeing his predictable antics.

It took about three minutes before the boy noticed them and hissed, "…What are you looking at?"

"Fancy being the big guy next year, Snape?" Shafiq asked, to which Snape's frown only deepened.

The stand-in Prefect rolled his eyes as he snapped shut his book, "No thanks. I'm taking ten N.E.W.Ts; I certainly won't want to have another load of work. Even humans have their limits, you know?"

Some of the Prefects hummed in understanding. Lily still couldn't believe the boy had taken so many subjects; even she took seven subjects, just enough to pursue getting the Charms Mastery. Just what would he want to work as after graduation? She knew his main ambition was to be a Potions Master, but being an Unspeakable was really up to his alley too.

"But the kids look up to you," a Hufflepuff girl spoke timidly, "They certainly could use having a great leader to follow."

Snape only sneered. "What good would a leader do if he keeps being targeted for 'pranks'?" he spat out the last word bitterly, "Get someone else who's actually respected by others, for once."

"You are-"

"No, and that's my final word. Goodbye." With a huff, the honorary Prefect slammed the door open and walked out of the room, his school robes billowing behind him.

Shafiq sighed, "Well, that was a good try. A shame, though." He shook his head before continuing the discussion.

Lily didn't know what to expect when they all chose her as the new Head Girl. All of them gave reason that she was well-liked by other students, being clever and had quite the looks. When they all left half an hour later, she just hoped whoever was picked as the Head Boy would actually be nice and not insufferable like James Potter.

Yet deep in her heart, she knew it would exactly be just that.

Severus held out a sigh when he finally reached his room and landed on his bed straight away, wondering just what had made the other Prefects want to make him the Head Boy for next year's school session.

He wasn't charismatic, sometimes stumbling over his own words and just generally being plain. His hair could be quite stringy at times, not to mention the usual sheen he got due to the potion fumes from what he worked on a daily basis thanks to Professor Slughorn (no, he didn't hate the man for that); and he didn't dare to buy so many new clothes, afraid of them getting ruined so quickly by his accident-prone actions or the relentless bullying by James Potter and his cronies…

…Well, maybe he was just that self-conscious, but it was pretty much the truth. He couldn't see himself as a leader. He worked best at the sidelines; contently watching and observing the happenings around him. Just being another nameless person in the huge ocean of people. So, no; he didn't want to be the Head Boy, thank you very much.

But on the other hand, he could follow into Tom Marvolo Riddle's footsteps. It had been years since there was a Slytherin Head Boy; surely it was time to break the tradition? After Riddle, the position was mostly held by Gryffindors, with the occasional Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws in between. The current one was a Ravenclaw, who was all-around a nice guy. But there never had been a Slytherin in recent years.

…Though that's probably due to Marvolo also being the student who had set out the basilisk nearly twenty-five years ago, so Severus couldn't complain with that. Even Lucius Malfoy hadn't been one, despite his best efforts to work hard and sweet-talk the teachers and fellow students for the position.

For a moment, Severus wondered if Lord Voldemort will find it funny that he had managed to become the Head Boy. Oh well, he would just wait for the result in the upcoming summer.

He got up and pulled out a book from inside his satchel. It was taken from Prince Manor, talking about Occlumency and its usage. Severus found Occlumency to be exceptionally helpful, especially for his supposed memory-storybook project. He really liked the idea of being able to stay calm even in arduous events, to be able to think with a clear mind about himself and control his emotions no matter how grim a situation could be.

And he wished that he had learnt it before his worst humiliation nearly a year ago; which despite his best efforts to suppress the horrible event, still appeared in his head every now and then.

It was the reason he hid himself away after Peeves poured oil on him, even though the 'prank' was relatively tame compared to others he had suffered in the past. He hated the possibility of hearing loud, boisterous laughter, of being helpless and the degrading words that usually followed afterward were more than enough to scar him.

How Severus wished to be able of wiping the terrible memory out of everyone else's mind, but even the greatest wizards had their own limits. After all, memories were part of someone's soul; people would die, yes, but their memories live on. Sometimes on his illegal visits to Prince Manor, Severus could hear Septimus Prince crying and screaming over his loved one who betrayed him for another.

Severus hoped that if his current project succeeded, he could help the ghost finally find his peace of mind.

After spending about half an hour trying to clear his mind, he found himself thinking about the Chamber of Secrets. Why had Marvolo set the basilisk out? Was he a victim of bullying too? Severus suspected that Marvolo had been, practically being a Mudblood in the Snakes' pit during his school years.

But then he wondered just why Marvolo – Lord Voldemort – was preaching about the importance of ancient wizarding culture. The Dark Lord had discarded his old name; even Severus had thought he was special by being allowed to call the man 'Marvolo'. Was it a means made by the Dark Lord to fully integrate into the wizarding world?

…Severus supposed he couldn't find any fault with that. After all, what's wrong with the sense of belonging? Even now, despite all his efforts to bring peace and order in Hogwarts, he still could hear some remnants of people whispering of his blood status, telling him how unworthy was he to be put in the Slytherin House.

With a defeated sigh, he put the Occlumency book aside and opened his school trunk to take out another; this one was grey in color. Its leather cover was as soft as ever, with the pages still looked relatively new and clean despite being a store-bought notebook.

He supposed the grey book would be his version of Marvolo's diary; the black notebook's magic had been his main inspiration. He had carefully carved some runes on the leather cover, those of both protection and perseverance. The slender goblin-made dagger he had taken from Prince Manor since last year's summer and the basilisk venom was also important to his current project.

The grey book was actually a present from Lily Evans nearly eight years ago. Back when Severus and Lily were two magical misfits in Cokeworth. Back when they were still close friends, who shared of anything and everything about themselves. (He tried his best to conceal his parents' problem but knew her enough to be curious and investigate it.)

(He didn't let her to.)

Severus never used the book. Oh, he had had many gifts from Lily as years went by, but he always cherished the simple, plain, Muggle book. Simply because it was the first of the many presents she gave.

Until now, that is.

His current project, the so-called memory-storybook idea he had told Professor Slughorn of, was actually revolved around the idea of removing his memories of Lily Evans. He knew there were lots of risks; just how could someone destroy their own memories without going crazy? Multiple Obliviates certainly didn't work, as seen with Septimus Prince.

But ultimately, he didn't care. If Severus Snape had to be a mad man simply to be free of his mental shackles, so be it.

And then, he could finally be Severus Prince.

Albus Dumbledore was conflicted.

Before the beginning of the school year, he had thought Severus Snape would immediately abuse the power of being the stand-in Prefect, simply to taste the position of a higher-up for once. And he had considered choosing James Potter as the Head Boy because of the boy's influence within the student body. Being the Gryffindor Quidditch captain was quite admirable, after all.

How wrong he had been.

Just that day, he had heard of Amir Shafiq's request to vote for Severus Snape to be the Head Boy. And he knew just how many students had hoped for the same. Why not? Snape had managed to gain literally everyone's support by simply telling them the truth of Remus Lupin's condition. And he still let the werewolf be; only re-Sorting him to the Hufflepuffs.

Severus Snape was in fact, actually doing the given job in earnest. Even after hearing the story of the honorary Prefect getting drenched by oil in the middle of the school, Albus couldn't help but to be astonished that Snape didn't lash out. The boy had only given Peeves and the students a threatening warning, though apparently it was more than enough.

Hogwarts, much and not to his surprise, was actually happy with the Slytherin boy's efforts. He could feel the ancient walls and numerous portraits thrummed with life and were willing to bow down to the boy if he wished so.

Albus sighed as he massaged his forehead. "What do you think, Fawkes?" he asked his pet phoenix.

The beautiful bird only clicked its beak and he chuckled softly.

The old headmaster could only hope it won't be such a terrible mistake again.