The Secret Life of Severus Snape

Chapter Two

David didn't have to act when he and his mum found themselves on platform nine and three quarters early on the morning of the first of September. He was in a foul mood, surly and uncommunicative because he'd been forced to change his appearance, not only lengthening his hair, but making his much hated large hooked nose appear even more prominent on his small face. He was small for his age, thin and with very pale porcelain coloured skin tones. The only thing David could count as a positive was that his perpetually reddened cheeks had been smoothed away with the foul brew his mother had made him drink. Not even the memory of going into Diagon Alley for the first time last week could erase the dark mood swirling around him. Everything was second hand, except his new wand, procured from Ollivander's. It just looked like a crooked dark twig to David, though he did get the most wonderful warm sensation from holding it the first time, so he supposed that once he learnt the right spells he'd feel less like a twat waving it around. It was safely packed away in his school trunk, along with the hated robes and old tatty books his mum had altered and magically manipulated. The best one of the robes had been packed into his bag and taken onto the train with him, so he could change just before arrived at Hogsmeade station.

They'd all travelled together as a family from Harrogate as Peter used the occasion for a last fancy meal in a hotel close to Diagon Alley, and to shore up some new contacts in London, as well as catching up with old friends. It had been an uncomfortable journey, no one speaking to each other more than necessary and David was content to stare vacantly out the window of the train as it sped through the countryside. Peter couldn't even come to the station with Eileen and David, mainly because Eileen had told him that he couldn't get onto the magical station to wave David off, but also because Eileen had felt it best not to draw too much attention from their farewells. Her suspicion and paranoia was becoming very irritating and Peter felt they'd be in for a good long chat once they returned home to Harrogate. Peter was still annoyed with Eileen for managing to cajole David into assuming an odious role in a play Peter felt was beyond their son's comprehension to understand fully.

But, Eileen, of course, had made a powerful case that David would find the best protection at Hogwarts and that a full bursary meant they'd not have to worry about trying to find school fees for the next seven years. So, Peter and Eileen had come to an impasse, one that they were steadily trying to work around in order to keep their previously strong marriage together.

Peter just hoped that Eileen's faith in Albus Dumbledore was well considered and justified.

David couldn't stop gawking and turning his head as though on a swivel when he and Eileen made their way onto Platform nine and three quarters. The steam billowing from under the scarlet steam engine, along the sounds of countless familiars all hooting, purring and hissing added to all the sounds of children and parents saying their goodbyes. Eileen spared a wry smile for David's reaction, as it was remarkably similar to her own reaction when she'd first taken the train to school all those years ago. The Hogwarts house elves were busy loading the trunks onto the train and it amused her to know that David had never seen any creatures like them before. She wished in that moment she could freeze this point in time so that David could remember his first real taste of understanding that he wasn't so different from all the other children milling around the platform. After all, next year, this would all be very familiar to him and the awe and excitement she saw as he looked all around him, would never really be repeated.

But the whistle on the large engine effectively ended Eileen's thoughts as she put her arm around David's shoulder and guided him towards his carriage along with a large number of other excited eleven year olds off on their first great adventure. Stopping while just out of earshot, Eileen nervously brushed over David's shirt and hugged him tightly. Smoothing her hands over his upper arms, Eileen pulled away all the while reminding her son to only answer to Severus, not David, and to remember that he would be safe at Hogwarts. That reminder effectively ended David's excitement at seeing all the new things in front of him and though he hugged his mum goodbye, he climbed onto the train in the full awareness that his dual roles had already begun, and it wasn't nearly as much fun as he'd thought it might be. Not even the hope that he might come across the girl he'd met in the rundown park in Spinner's End improved his mood appreciably. He thought he'd caught a glimpse of Lily Evans amongst the other children lining up to board the train, but maybe not. If it had been her, she was surrounded by a whole group of other boys and girls and he didn't feel like trying to seek her out in such a large group.

The journey was uneventful other than the sounds of over excited children running up and down the aisle outside his partitioned rows of compartments in the carriage. Several times the door had opened noisily, but on seeing his scowling face, no one had ever stayed long, other than one boy who asked if he'd been born with such a nasty look on his mug. Using one of his mum's patented looks, David merely stared at the intruder until he shrugged his shoulders and went off to torment someone else. The only really interesting point in the whole journey, other than arriving tired and hungry at Hogsmeade station, was the sound of the squeaky wheel on the food trolley as it came along the aisle, its owner calling out the names of foods he'd never heard of before. He'd got up and had a look when she stopped as did a large number of other children, but as he couldn't afford to try any of the treats, it soon lost its appeal.

Sitting back down, David opened the large paper bag containing the sandwiches and flask of cordial his mum had packed for him and discovered that his dad had added a pound note, a large slab of Dundee cake, and a packet of sweets. Forgetting all about the sandwiches, David fished out the cordial and cake, and demolished both of them in short order. Feeling full and with the steady rocking motion of the train, it wasn't long before all the anxiety and excitement of the day saw David fall asleep, only waking when the engine whistle blew announcing the train's arrival at Hogsmeade station.

The smug prat he'd come across on the train pushed David out of the way to get into the same boat as Lily Evans and two other boys. All of them laughed at him as the boy waved and blew a kiss as the little boat headed out across the lake towards the castle on the other side. David spent the entire ride across the lake thinking of how he would enjoy learning all the new spells if it meant he could beat off the smirk on the face of the boy who dared to tease him so. That or David felt he might just resort to punching him instead - sooner rather than later.

Once his own little boat had made it to the far side of the shore under the darkened turrets of Hogwarts castle, a tall thin witch came out and directed all of the children into two rows in alphabetical order. David nearly gave himself away in that instant as he tried to initially line up with the 'G's', before he remembered that his surname was Snape not Granger. Moving down the rows to find his place, David didn't speak but was too busy watching where Professor McGonagall was leading them and gasping in awe along with everyone else as they first spied the ceiling in the large hall they were admitted to.

David remembered very little of the sorting other than someone prodding him in the back when it was his turn to move forward and place the Sorting Hat on his head. It was all a jumble of half remembered phrases, but what he did remember clearly was the hat telling him he could see ambition, secrecy and cunning very clearly, placing David in Slytherin at that moment. He wasn't sure it had been meant as a compliment either. Not feeling particularly cunning or ambitious, yet knowing he was holding in a very large secret, David made his way to the Slytherin table passing close to the Gryffindor table where he gave Lily a shy smile, which she returned.

Once the feast was over and the Slytherin prefect, Lucius Malfoy had gathered David and five other first years, he lead them down the winding paths of the lower levels of the castle to the large dour looking tapestry guarding the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Once inside, all of them were lined up so that the upper years could be introduced to the newest serpents individually. David's isolation and fear of discovery increased as each of his house mates all echoed that they were Purebloods and from long illustrious families. Polite clapping welcomed each of them into the Slytherin fold, but when Lucius looked at David, he stumbled over his name, and once he mentioned that his father had been a Muggle, no one seemed interested in hearing anything else. His second hand robes, stuttered words and obvious inability to name an illustrious family to back up his claim to membership of Slytherin made him feel even more isolated and he wondered just what the stupid mouldy old hat had been thinking when it put him in a house where he obviously wasn't welcome. Wiping his eyes lest anyone see how upset he was, David made his way to the dormitory area of the common room and changed for bed. Feigning sleep, David waited for the other boys to extinguish the lamps, growing more unsettled at their scathing and not quietly voiced ire at a loser like Severus Snape ending up in their house.

AUTHOR NOTE: This was written for Sunnythirty3 for the recent 2012-13 SSHG Exchange, but could not be completed in time to post. The first part is complete and the second in the process of being written. If you're looking for hawt sexxors, then this isn't the story for you. There is some swearing, along with the judicious use and misuse of canon.

Many thanks to the fabulous team of Scattered Logic and Magically25 who have helped me get the story to the stage it is at currently. Without their input, I doubt this would be half as good. I am truly very, very lucky to have had their continuing help. Any remaining mistakes (yes, my comma fetish) are mine alone.