Note: Mention of mature-theme and use of harsh language.

October 1978

A few months had passed since the death of Tobias Snape and the Snape household had an overwhelming air of neglect. Eileen Snape had resigned herself to her bedroom following the death of her husband, further shutting herself in from an already gloomy life. As a result, Severus Snape, her only son, felt obligated to remain in the household, brewing potions whenever she fell ill which was a now a frequent occurrence.

The death occurred shortly after Severus' return from Hogwarts. Hearing about the death of his father stirred no pity, grief or any emotion in Severus Snape whatsoever. They never had a relationship to begin with apart from the occasional deprecating remark or beating. His father, being the pathetic muggle he was, despised magic – and everything else for that matter - causing a huge strain on the relationship.

As a young boy, Severus was often elated at the prospect of leaving for Hogwarts, hell-bent on securing a powerful place for himself, without the need to return to his home in Spinner's End.

During his Hogwarts years, many students were terrified of the young recluse who constantly had his nose in the dark arts. The Half Blood Prince gradually became acknowledged amongst the aristocratic, Pure-blood Slytherins for his vast knowledge of the Dark arts, adept skills at Potion making and thus, struck an impressive figure as a recruit for the Dark Lord. As it is, Severus' ideology was already compliant with that of the rebellion. And now, having completed his final year at Hogwarts a few months ago, Severus Snape stood a full-fledged servant to Lord Voldemort.

Upon becoming a Deatheater, Severus had quickly reached the ranks of Lord Voldemort's most useful servants. He felt part of an organization where his skills were valued and honored much to the envy of others. After years of his pathetic lowly life at Spinner's end, beatings at the hands of his filthy muggle father and being ostracized as a teenager, it was only likely that Severus would attempt to gain an important position where he could prove himself powerful - and very rightly so. Severus was precise, cunning, controlled and detached – all in all the prefect qualities required in a spy and a powerful dueler with an abundance of dark curses to choose from, having created quite a few of them himself. As well as this, he was now completing his skills as an Occlumens and a Legilimens.

AUROR, JOHN SETH CAPTURED

'Of course …' Severus murmured as he read the headlines of the Daily Prophet. He had, after all, found out the information that led to the auror's whereabouts.

Severus was now waiting on further orders as he set a goblet down on the rickety table and poured himself some Elderwine. He wasn't one to read the Daily Prophet, believing it to be full of Ministry infiltrated and other lies so as to sell itself but he was ordered to do so to see the take on the raid that they had carried out the previous night. Having spotted the article, he skimmed through it.

MUGGLES TARGETED – DEATHEATERS CLAIM RESPONSIBIITY

The Ministry of Magic confirmed late last night that an attack was set yet again on a Muggle pub – '1969' by none other than the Deatheater rebellion…..7 unidentified death eaters carried out the raid which resulted in the killing and torture of several muggles….'..we are doing everything we can to round the criminals up….urge the magical society to remain alert in these unpredictable times,' said Bartemius Crouch Senior, Head of the Department of the Magical Law Enforcement –

Ironically, his own son, Bartemius Crouch Jr. had led the raid. He scanned through the rest of the paper to see if anything else was written on the raid.

REFORMS AT THE MINISTRY …. TORNADOES WIN THIS QUIDDITCH SEASON ….TRAGIC DEMISE OF AUTHOR, HELGA BRADLEY –

Upon seeing a pair of startlingly green, almond-shaped eyes staring at him, Severus froze. They were eyes that he had not seen in months – they were beaming at him, shining with happiness …

ANNOUNCEMENT: JAMES POTTER WEDS LILY EVANS

His mind froze.

He read the headline again knowing full well that it would remain imprinted in his mind forever.

JAMES POTTER WEDS LILY EVANS

A terrible wave of fury stabbed at his hurt.

He looked over the photo as his insides began to boil with rage. James Potter, with his usual smug expression – disgustingly self- satisfied as ever, holding Lily Evans in his arms. She looked up at James adoringly then turned back towards Severus. There was absolutely no denying the glow on her face, the spark in her eyes as James held her, looking both content and overjoyed.

And tonight, they would ultimately consummate their love, if they had not already and just the mere thought of it sent a sickening surge of anguish through Severus.

His insides seethed with rage as he dropped the prophet out of his shaking grip and threw himself onto the armchair behind, burying his face in his hands.

He had lost her.

He fell deeper into the armchair, weighed down by his heavy heart, disturbed by his anguished mind. It was hard enough having to see the image of her reproachful eyes everyday in his mind. He tried to forget about her but still fed himself on the hope that one day… one day, perhaps, she would see him as someone powerful, as someone worthy, worthy of what he had always so desperately craved for. He had partially given up hope when she started dating James Potter but this … was an outright blow to his ego, to his heart … And it was tearing at him.

Fuck her! He told himself furiously. Filthy mudblood!

There were other women of purer blood…worthier of him…

But when did her blood ever matter to him?

"Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?"

"No … It doesn't make any difference."

He gripped his hair in frustration. Perhaps if he had just listened to her, if he had just told her that he –

No!

Without another glance at the picture, he picked up the prophet from the wooden floor and threw it into the fireplace as he watched with a sickening pleasure, the newspaper catch flames with his gaze fixed intently on the green eyes.

He swore to himself it was the very last time he would ever seek those very eyes again. Those eyes that had the capacity to set his mind stirring, make his heart bound or drop, instill him with greed and longing and make his insides squirm with fear and hate. Those eyes placated him, soothed him, softened him and he would always find himself lost within them.

But never again.

"You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

And he had very well chosen his way. What did it matter what he was in her eyes, when he was highly valued and considered one of the most loyal, by none other than the Dark Lord himself.

He felt a sensation of heat where the dark mark was branded into his skin and with that, Severus disapparated, his eyes still undeniably plagued with a glint of sadness.

Note: This is my interpretation of how Severus would react, quite similar to his humiliation in SWM. I just think it would have been a terrible ego killer for him when Lily married James. Hope you guys like it! The next chapter will take off from where Chapter 5 (The Last Birthday) finished.