The Lost Years Of Severus Snape

The Lost Years Of Severus Snape

Chapter Two

Severus looked down into the casket at his mother's face. She looked so pale. Pale and cold.

"Come on," his father said, harshly.

Ten year old Severus followed his father's quick, long strides, not looking back at his deceased mother.

As they entered the house on Spinner's End, Severus shivered. It was just like how he had remembered it: cold and dark. The last few years his mother and he had lived together in peace, not having to worry about Tobias Snape. But, then she had gotten sick. That's when everything had changed.

Severus' father gave him a shove into his old room. "Don't come out till dinner time. And if I catch you doing any magic," -the word was said with about as much disgust as he could manage- "then you'll find yourself on the street in a second." With that, he slammed the door, leaving his son alone.

Severus sighed, falling back onto his bed. He hadn't cried since he was five years old and he wasn't going to cry now. Still, it just hurt so bad.

He pulled out his wand, turning it in his hands. His mother had gotten it for him on his ninth birthday. It was eleven inches exactly and made from a Redwood tree. It was very rare, with a Centaur's tail hair in it. He'd never heard of one quite like it before.

Severus tried reading, but he didn't seem to be able to concentrate. Unlike most children, he didn't like books with pictures or story lines. Rather, he liked any sort of book that taught him about something. Currently, he was reading a book on life giving potions, a subject most ten year olds had never even heard of.

Meanwhile, Tobias Snape sat down in his chair, angry. Why him? Why did he have to have a freak for a son? And for a wife? A dead wife, actually. Eileen...

No, he wouldn't think about her. She was a liar. A deceiver. A witch. But, still, he felt a pang of sadness enter his heart. Eileen...

Tobias sighed. No, that wouldn't do. He shouldn't think about her. Especially not now that he knew what she was. But, there had been a time when he'd loved her, hadn't there? Her and their son. Severus.

Tobias had always thought it was strange that Eileen had chosen the name Severus. "It means 'severe' in Latin, doesn't it?" He had asked her, when she had chosen the name, shortly after giving birth.

"Yes," she said. "It suits him, don't you think?"

Tobias had felt sadness then, too. The sadness that perhaps Eileen hated their son, because she hated him, too. Severus. What a horrible curse of a name to give a child!

Tobias had never been a great father. But, now he had to be. Eileen was gone and he had to raise Severus now. Perhaps he shouldn't be so rough with the boy. After all, it wasn't his fault he was a... wizard.

Tobias sneered as he thought the word. Wizards. Freaks, really. After learning about what Eileen was, he had felt fear, anger, and... jealousy? No, not possible. Why would he be jealous of freaks? Of magic? No, that couldn't have been it.

~*~*~

A few months later, Severus sat in his room, bent over a book as usual. His father burst into his room. "Here," he said, tossing him a letter. Then, he left.

Severus opened up the letter. His admission letter to Hogwarts.

This was one of the happiest moments of his life, though his face didn't show it. Finally, he would be around people like himself. Witches and wizards. Maybe he'd have friends, too.

Yeah, and maybe I'll become the king of England and my father will pay attention to me once in a while, Severus thought, grimacing.

After being alone for so long, how could he possibly learn to be sociable? He'd probably try to make friends with someone and get hexed for it. Besides, he didn't like people his own age. Then again, he didn't care much for older people, either.

Severus looked at his calendar. It was three days till his first day at Hogwarts. A long, three days...

He went back and forth between smirking and sneering. Smirking because he would finally be able to prove to his father that he was worth something. Sneering because he knew it would bring up much more problems for him.

~*~*~

Severus walked to the train station, his father by his side.

"Alright," his father said. "I'll be here to pick you up next spring." With that, he turned and walked away.

I'll be here to pick you up next spring? What sort of goodbye was that to your son that you wouldn't see for almost a year.

Then again, Severus thought, it is my father I'm talking about.

Severus sat down in a compartment by himself. He had considered joining a group, but he preferred solitude.

A few minutes passed before the door slid open. "Do you mind if we sit here?" a girl with red hair and beautiful green eyes said.

Severus shrugged. He didn't care.

A girl with dark hair and a shy looking boy with large, brown eyes followed.

"I've read all about Hogwarts," the red haired girl said. "In Hogwarts a History and a few other books. My sister told me that the whole magic business is stupid, but I don't think so."

A Muggle born, Severus thought. Just a step below me...

"Ugh... Muggles," the dark haired girl said. "Will they ever learn?"

"Not all of them are like that," the shy boy said, in barely more than a whisper. "Some act even less like Muggles than some witches and wizards I've met. My dad's a Muggle. He doesn't know a lot about magic, but he's not against it."

"Hmm... Yes, I do have some friends back home that would appreciate magic," the red haired girl agreed. She looked at Severus. "What about you? Any Muggles in your family.

"No," Severus said, quickly. He'd rather die than let them know the truth. Well, maybe not die, but still...

"Me, either," the dark haired girl said. "Actually, I have a great-uncle that is. But, he's not related by blood. Just marriage. And he and my great-aunt never had children."

"I can't wait to start learning spells!" The red haired girl said. "It'll be so fun!" She turned to Severus. "Don't you think?"

Why does she keep talking to me? Severus thought. "Yes," he replied, simply.

"I wonder what house I'll be sorted into," the red haired girl continued. "I've heard that Ravenclaws are very smart, but that Griffindores are brave. One or the other, I suppose."

"Just as long as you don't get into Hufflepuff," the dark haired girl said. "I've heard some bad stuff about Slytherin, too. Then again, there's something bad about all the houses, aren't there? Personally, I could see myself in any of them."

I wonder what house I'll be sorted into, Severus thought.

Just then, the compartment door slid open, three boys peering into the space.