Snape's Point of View 2: Post-HBP PTSS version.

[Billywiggy]

Originally Posted by zgirnius

The ease with which I cursed him on the tower
Is all the proof I need that he was wrong.

Great job, zgirnius! I like how you show the guilt and self-doubt with one line.

[subtle science]

zgirnius--Thank you! Welcome aboard--and thanks for making your own contribution to the great reading on this thread.

[CathyWeasley]

Great job zgirniusTnat was very moving and I love the James connection!

[Serpentine]

At last I've come around to catch up properly on the pieces added here since I last posted... um, quite some time ago.

eVaNeScEnCe , Sineed , subtle science , The Black Adder (subtle and TBA, you're both plain awesome in terms of in-character writing! And TBA, I loved Snape's dragon, reminded me of the Hogwarts crest and motto... be afraid, Dark Lord, be very afraid!), Hermione_Snape , MoonysAngel (loved the James/Bella mirror), Nyctalus (nice observations on the spy assessing the danger and stoically checking off Crucios during the lesson, may well have been the case), Billywiggy (acupuncture? Original, and well-written too), Sly_Lady (any continuation in sight?), random_musing , Inkwolf , thestralgrin (care to link to the story to which that touching snippet belonged?), LouisaB , CathyWeasly , zgirnius - thanks to everyone, great writing all!!

[arithmancer]

I enjoyed the touch of humor in the middle of this post, amidst the suspense.

Originally Posted by Hermione Snape

"Snape how do you spell that dear?"

"S N A P E," I said.

"Ooh I likes names that's spelt 'ow they sound, it makes it so much easier don't you think!"

"Alice Cooper fan then?"

"Who's she then?" I asked.

"

"I was a punk sixteen or so years ago funny how people can change isn't it."

Especially this last one. He doesn't know the half of it!!

[Billywiggy]

OK, OK - I get it - no questions!

Originally Posted by Hermione Snape

"I won't bite you tonight Severus," Remus said.

I like how he qualifies this statement with the 'tonight' on there. No promises for the future!

Originally Posted by Hermione Snape

I had to face the Order looking like a seventies disco reject!

Snape, the disco-reject. I love it!

[Hermione Snape]

Zrginius and Billywiggy thank you very much for liking my story so far.

Believe you and me the next entry gets even better I think just have to think things through a bit more thoroughly as well as writing my own proper story. (Handwritten 100 pages of narrow ruled A4 since the beginning of the year and this is a story I have been writing since 1996! Before I even read Harry Potter!)

[Billywiggy]

Ok - a little angsty bit exploring Snape's feelings for Lily. . .

Severus heard the footfalls and knew who it was before even looking up. How strange that he would recognize her individual tread. He smiled to himself at the secret knowledge. He was ensconced at a little study table in the corner of the library that afforded a clear view of the entryway through a slit in a row of bookshelves. ‘They’ usually left him alone while in the library, but it didn’t hurt to be careful and keep an eye out on the entrances all the same. He took advantage of his position to look at her secretly. She was so damn beautiful. Lily. Just like the flower, white and pure. He frowned a little as he noticed her looking around warily, her steps now hesitant. When she finally came around the corner where she could spot him, he heard a small startled gasp before a broad, warm smile stretched across her face. He could swear the room just got a little brighter.

“I’m so glad it’s you, Severus!” she exclaimed in greeting. “But I should have known – who else would spend a Sunday afternoon in the library?” His eyebrows shot up a little at that remark.

“Oh? Looking for me, or avoiding someone else?” Severus asked by way of reply. Then, his eyes widening in shock, he finally noticed what he had been unable to see from a distance; Lily was sporting a vivid bruise on her left eye.

“What happened?” he asked at once, daring to reach up to her face, turning it so that he could more easily assess the damage.

“It’s nothing, Severus,” Lily answered, laughing lightly. He looked at her face, trying to read her expression – was the laughter forced, her tone of voice a little too bright?

“I got hit by a stray Bludger down at the pitch last night,” she continued. “I didn’t want to disturb Madam Pomfrey so late, so I waited until morning. Bad idea – she’s out until this evening. So, my vanity is making me hide out here, I’m ashamed to say. I must admit I’m glad that you’re here though – you can keep me company in my self-imposed exile!”

“An accident?” he asked with skepticism, “I take it you were with him?” His voice was very quiet now. He didn’t like the implications of this. If that bast- . . . if he hurt a hair on her head . . .

“Yes, you ninny, I was with him!” Lily rolled her eyes in exasperation. “You can say his name, you know. James. Say it after me, Ja – “

“Stop. Please just stop,” Severus interrupted her. He looked away and down at the table in front of him, his fingers resting very still on the book he had been reading. He had to consciously make an effort not to ball his hands into fists.

“All right, sorry,” Lily responded, gently. “Maybe I should go . . . “ she said tentatively, and started to pull away. His mind was frantically racing for something to say in the awkward pause, something to make her stay, if only for another moment.

“You know, my mum would call what you’ve got a real blue beauty - a true cold rose.” At her look of confusion, he added, “you know, bruises that bloom overnight . . .” Oh God, why did he say that? What possessed him to say that? He closed his eyes and groaned inwardly. Unbidden, memories flashed through his mind; his father screaming at his mother, his mother’s countless bruises, her stammered excuses, the healing charms Severus learned to perform, when she couldn’t heal herself.

Lily was looking at him with a strange mixture of compassion and pity. He didn’t want pity, and especially not from her.

“Look, I . . . I know this certain spell for anti-bruising,” he stammered. “Here, why don’t you let me – “ and he pulled out his wand and gestured toward the bruise on her eye. She looked at him a moment, then nodded slightly. He murmured the spell and saw the color drain from her eye, the swelling recede.

“Just like new,” he said. She reached up a hand to touch it, and smiled at him.

“Thanks,” she said to him, then added teasingly, “Severus Snape, healer-in-training, who could have guessed?”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “You know, you can tell me . . . anything, right?” he asked hesitantly. Would she tell him? Would she tell him if James had done this to her? She’d seen how they overpowered him. Would she think he couldn’t do anything for her?

“Yes, Severus,” she replied, a sweet smile on her face. The smile faded a bit as she added, “you know you can too, right?” And there was that look again. Pity. Emotion threatened to overpower him - he couldn’t stand to have her looking at him that way.

“I’ve – ah – got to get back to my homework here,” he said. He would rather she slapped him in the face than give him that look she was giving him right now. His eyes were lowered, his body already twisted away from hers.

“Oh, all right,” she replied, a note of hurt in her voice, “I’ll leave you to it then.”

He kept his eyes on his book while he listened to her footsteps as she walked away from him. When he heard her nearing the entryway, he looked through the slit in the stacks. She paused there, her hand on the doorknob, a worried frown on her face as she looked towards the back of the library, in his general direction. Then, turning, she opened the door and was gone. Severus stared at the doorway for a long while after she’d gone, lost in thought. Lily. Sweet, perfect Lily. He will never deserve you. He will never love you like I do. And if I find out he’s hurt you, he won’t live to see another day. Then, with a heavy feeling in his heart that he was quite used to by now, he bent down his head and continued to read.

[PotionStudent]

Wow, good one, Billiwiggy! realistic

[arithmancer]

Nice job, Billywiggy! It was both sad and sweet...
I really liked the way you worked in some details about Snape-like his choice of table in the library. Very on target, in my opinion. And I loved the bit about his mother...

Originally Posted by Billywiggy

“You know, my mum would call what you’ve got a real blue beauty - a true cold rose.” At her look of confusion, he added, “you know, bruises that bloom overnight . . .”

I have to ask, is this a phrase you have come across somewhere, or did you make it up? It is just so...chillingly perfect. I loved it, and how you fit it into your story.
ETA:
I've been working on a young Snape POV myself. (I know thestralgrin did a sorting POV...but hers was a memory of Current Snape, and, well, mine is different in other ways too). It is a bit long, I was thinking of breaking it up, but I can;t see where to do it. Apologies...


“Severus,” said the tall, pallid woman, “You go on, I’ll follow right behind you. Remember, just walk straight through the barrier. Don’t stop, and don’t think about it.”
They were standing between Platform 9 and Platform 10 of King’s Cross Station.
Her son nodded brusquely as Eileen finished, causing his longish black hair to swing forward and momentarily obscure his sallow, hook-nosed face. His dark eyes rolled slightly, hinting at the eleven-year-old boy’s aggravation with his mother’s fussing. He shoved the luggage trolley forward with a vigor that belied his skinny frame and vanished into the barrier. His mother followed.
They emerged in rapid succession next to Platform 9 ¾, where the Hogwarts Express was already waiting. It was still a good twenty minutes before the scheduled departure time, so the platform was half-empty. Severus noted with grim satisfaction that there appeared to be plenty of empty compartments available. He had hated, on his bus rides to the Muggle elementary school, the humiliation of always having to force his company on one of the other less popular children who already had a seat. (Sitting next to one of the popular ones, though seemingly a good revenge, was not worth the trouble it caused, he had determined.)
Eileen put down the cage she had been carrying, which contained a most ancient and decrepit-looking owl.
“Here, you take Hekate,” she said as she drew her wand.
Flicking it in the general direction of the luggage trolley, she spoke the incantation, “Locomotor Trunk”.
The heavy, battered trunk the boy had been pushing rose obediently into the air, and hovered, seeming to await further instructions.
“Where to?”
“Let’s go in that car,” the boy suggested, indicating a car towards the middle of the train.
He set off, resettling his heavy knapsack on his right shoulder and picking up the cage with his left hand. His mother directed the trunk into the compartment Severus selected, and watched as he settled the owl down above his seat.
“Well, this is goodbye, then,” she said with a sad smile. “Have a nice trip, sweetheart! I’ll want to read all about your first day at Hogwarts, mind. Do keep in touch, it’s why I’m sending Hekate with you, you know.”
Grateful that no one had observed this conversation, Severus responded, “Sure thing, Mum. I’ll do that.”
Eileen put her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him for a moment, before enveloping him in a tight embrace. The boy hugged her back awkwardly.
“I’ll miss you, Mum,” he mumbled as she released him.
“Goodbye, Sev,” she said, opening the door, and stopping to let a couple of older girls pass by, chattering animatedly about the past summer’s activities.
As she passed out into the corridor, she waved at Severus, who returned her wave with a suspiciously hoarse “Bye, Mum”.
Severus sat down by the window and watched her walk away back towards the entrance to the Muggle station. As she turned back one last time for a final look at him, he returned her wave, willing his tears not to come. Then she was gone.

The platform was now boiling with activity. Families in both Muggle and Wizarding attire crowded around the train, seeing their children off. A red-haired girl in Muggle attire peered into his compartment consideringly, then headed onwards. A couple of boys clearly older than he glanced in as well before selecting other seats. When the whistle blew, signaling departure, Severus was still alone in his compartment.
From his mother’s stories, he knew it would be a long ride, so he pulled out his knapsack to pick out a book to pass the time. His eye landed on the used book he had picked out at Grandfather Prince’s the day before. He never enjoyed those visits, but could not deny that this one had been necessary. The flat in London was not too far from Diagon Alley, where his mother had taken him to shop for school equipment and his own wand. A smile flickered across his face at that memory as his eyes passed over the wand tucked into an inner pocket of his bag. If he was to have only one new piece of school equipment, he was glad it was his wand! And his grandparents provided some of the other required equipment, including a banged-up old cauldron. Grandfather had also given him a box of books to choose his back-to-school present from, and had even deigned to voice gruff approval of his selection. As he had he looked into his grandfather’s cold, black eyes, though, Severus, not for the first time, could swear he had sensed an unspoken rejoinder of ‘as if the half-blood will ever get good use out of it’.
Carefully he pulled the old book out of his bag and started reading. Only a few pages later, Severus looked up at a commotion in the corridor. A couple of boys, laughing loudly at some comment he had missed, walked by his compartment, pulling their trunks behind them. One walked right by. The second, a boy perhaps Severus’ age with unruly black hair and glasses, stuck his head in the compartment.
“These seats taken?” he asked with a smile.
“No, you can have them,” Severus responded politely.
The boy stepped back out and shouted, “Hey, there’re free seats here. I don’t want to lug my stuff any further”.
He pulled his shiny, brass-bound trunk into the compartment, and Severus stood, thinking to help him stow it away. The other, a remarkably handsome boy with long, wavy black hair, followed him in and grabbed the trunk. Together the two boys wrestled the trunks into place, while Severus sat awkwardly back down.
“We’ll be back in a bit with our owls-had to leave those up front while we looked for a spot,” the boy explained as they both left.
Deprived of his traveling companions, Severus returned to his book. After a long while, the two boys returned, and stowed their owls’ cages as well. Severus was not surprised to note that Hekate did not even wake to observe her new companions. They sat down. The boy in the glasses, who seemed more talkative, smiled and addressed Severus.
“Hello. I’m James. James Potter,” the boy introduced himself.
“I’m Severus Snape,” he responded.
“And this here is Sirius Black,” said James.
“Hello,” said Severus to Sirius.
“We’re first years,” said James. “You too?”
“Yes, I am,” responded Severus.
The boy named Sirius was eyeing Severus with interest.
“Snape…Snape…” he said. “My mother drives me nuts with all her Wizarding genealogy, but the surname is not familiar. Say, you wouldn’t be a Muggleborn, would you? That would be brilliant. I’ve never met a Muggleborn before!” he said enthusiastically.
Unsure how to react to this sudden enthusiasm from the previously taciturn Sirius, Severus hesitated. His father was a Muggle, which this odd boy might find interesting. However, he didn’t really want to talk about his father; and anyway he did not particularly care for the way the boys were now both looking at him, as if he were some sort of exotic zoological specimen.
“Oh, there will be plenty of them at Hogwarts, I am sure,” he responded. “About a quarter of the students are, you know. But I’m-”
A great clattering in the corridor cut off the rest of Severus’ explanation.
“The food cart!” exclaimed James, and opened the compartment door.
“What will you have?” asked the smiling witch pushing the cart.
As James and Sirius made their selections, Severus rummaged around in his bag for the sack lunch his mother had prepared.
“Anything for you?” asked James.
“No, thank you, I’m all set,” responded Severus as he unwrapped one of his sandwiches.
The subject of Severus’s ancestry was dropped in favor of lunch, and an animated discussion of Quidditch matches the other boys had seen. Severus had never seen a professional match. Nor did he play himself. He actively disliked brooms, the cursed things seemed to have minds of their own, but as this did not seem a useful contribution to the conversation, he kept it to himself. James was clearly a fan and a player, and he enjoyed recounting Quidditch stories. Severus reopened his book and resumed reading.
After some time, apparently even the subject of Quidditch had lost some of its allure, and there was a lull in the conversation.
Then James turned to Severus and asked, “What is that you’re reading?”
Severus gamely shut his book and showed it to his companions.
“’Curses, Hexes, Jinxes: Dark Arts for the Intermediate Student’,” read Sirius.
Severus realized immediately this had been the wrong move. James’s smile turned cold. “It’s a Death Eater in training we’re sitting with,” he exclaimed to Sirius, tossing the book carelessly to Sirius.
“My, my, so it is,” he drawled lazily as he snatched it out of the air.
Severus could not decide which made him more furious: the ludicrous accusation or the careless handling of his new book. Unthinkingly he reached into his bag for the brand-new wand and took it out.
“Give that back!” he shouted.
“I don’t care to,” responded Sirius coolly.
“I’m serious, give it to me,” Severus demanded.
“Or what?” asked Sirius, grinning at James.
“Maybe he’ll drip grease on you from that hair of his,” commented James drolly. “You might want to consider returning it.”
Severus leveled his wand at Sirius, but Sirius tossed the book to James and drew his own wand from inside his jacket pocket. Severus turned to James.
“Give me that!” he said.
“Make me,” responded James.
“Capillotorqueo!” yelled Severus as he waved his wand at James.
Immediately, James’ hair grew down below his waist, and curled itself into tight ringlets. A slightly panicked look replaced his smug smile. Severus grinned.
“Expelliarmus!” yelled Sirius as he pointed his wand at Severus.
Severus was relieved to note that this had no effect on his wand. However, it did send James’ half-empty bottle of pumpkin juice crashing into the window. As it shattered, James and Severus both ducked to avoid shards of glass and drops of the thick, sticky, orange juice.
“Curse it!” exclaimed Sirius as he lunged at Severus.
They both fell to the ground with a crash. The taller, heavier Sirius soon had Severus’ wand as well. He put it away inside his jacket and stood up, keeping his own wand trained on Severus.
“Sorry about the juice, mate,” said Sirius with a sheepish grin. “My cousin Andromeda despairs at my wand motion, but I really thought I had it figured.”
“That’s all right,” replied James, pulling his own wand out of his jacket pocket.
As they spoke, Severus picked himself up off the floor, shaking his right wrist gingerly. He turned sideways, trying to keep an eye on both opponents at once.
“Put his hair back to rights,” Sirius demanded.
“First, give me back my book,” insisted Severus.
Sirius looked uncertainly down at his own wand, which Severus also eyed warily. Apparently discouraged by his initial lack of success, Sirius tucked away both wands.
“All right, James, give it here.”
James lobbed it across the compartment to Sirius, who made as if to hand it back to Severus.
“Nah, I don’t feel like it,” he said with a smirk as he tossed it back to James.
Severus lunged for the book, as James threw it rather wildly back in the general direction of Sirius, and the door to the compartment.
At that moment, the door slid open to reveal a much older boy. He wore had a green and black Prefect’s pin on his chest. The blackness of his school robes set off his long blond hair. The boy flicked his wand and the book stopped just short of his face and dropped into his hand. His cool blue eyes surveyed the scene languidly, though a hint of a smile played across his pale face as he observed James’ luxuriant curls.
“Sirius Black,” the older boy said, idly flipping open the book. “I might have guessed. Please do introduce me to your companions.”
Sirius shot a sullen look at the new arrival, but complied.
“Lucius Malfoy, this is my friend James Potter,” he indicated. “James, this is Lucius.”
“Oh dear. Let me help with that,” said Lucius, as he waved his wand at James.
Nothing happened. Lucius’s eyes widened, then he nodded appreciatively at Sirius.
“And you would be Mr. Prince, then?” he asked Severus, having read the inscription on this inside cover.
“Severus Snape,” answered Severus. “My grandfather gave it to me,” he explained, extending his hand towards Lucius.
Lucius handed back the book, which Severus clutched it to his chest.
“Well, I trust that ends the disturbance,” Lucius said.
Sirius coughed meaningfully and nodded in the direction of James. “Sirius, you really ought not to try hexes to which you do not know the counters. It would be most unfortunate if your friend James here had to be Sorted in ringlets,” Malfoy told him with a smirk.
James blanched at the prospect. Sirius flushed. Since no one else seemed inclined to, Severus spoke up.
“I hexed him when he took my book,” he explained.
For the first time, Lucius seemed to really notice him. Severus became uncomfortably aware of the contrast between his juice-bespattered jumper and Lucius’s immaculately tailored and clean school robes.
“Well, then, Severus, I assume you can show us what James’ hair usually looks like?” asked Lucius. Severus’s face turned bright red. He wished he could just disappear, instead of being forced to admit in front of the older boy that he had been unable to prevent Sirius from disarming him. He turned to Sirius.
“My wand?” he asked.
Wordlessly, Sirius drew his wand out of his jacket and handed it back. Lucius snorted, suppressing laughter.
“Capillorestituo!” said Severus as he flicked his wand at James.
His hair seemed to grow back into his skull and straighten, as it returned to its usual length and straightness.
“Well, that looks rather better!” said Lucius, smiling at Severus, who put his wand away in a pocket with a flourish. “I expect you both to leave Snape’s things be for the remainder of the trip,” Lucius said to James and Sirius.
He gave Severus a long considering look before leaving to continue his patrol. A hostile silence descended on the compartment. James glared at Severus, who glared back, then ostentatiously opened his book and resumed reading.
After a long moment James broke the silence.
“Who is Lucius?” he asked.
Severus paused in his reading. He was curious to learn more about the self-possessed boy who had rescued his book and displayed such enviable facility with nonverbal spells. Even if this Lucius couldn’t undo his hex.
“Huh, Lucius Malfoy,” said Sirius dismissively. “Well, he’s a Malfoy, don’t you know. An old pureblood family, live in a freaking Manor, wouldn’t you know, my mother’s crazy about them. ‘Our kind’ and all that rubbish, I get sick of hearing that stuff all day. Oh, and Lucius is a Slytherin prefect, along with my cousin Bellatrix.”
“Oh, Slytherin. The Dark Arts house?” replied James.
“You got it. And the Black house, too. All the Blacks have been Slytherins, to hear my mother tell it. I hope I’m in Gryffindor!” he finished fiercely.
“Me, too! Though Ravenclaw would be all right as well, I suppose,” James agreed.
Severus thought to himself that he would settle for any House, as long as neither of those two were in it. The train seemed to slow a bit.
A voice in the corridor said, “Hogswarts Station, five minutes! Leave your bags on the train; they will get taken up separately!”
Severus as he climbed up on his seat to extract his best school robes from the trunk overhead. He pulled them on over his jumper, and checked on Hekate. She still seemed to be resting comfortably. As he put his things away, he saw the other two boys had gotten on their robes as well.
“C’mon, let’s go!” suggested James to Sirius, as he slid open the door to the compartment. “So long, Snake!”
“Good riddance,” Severus muttered under his breath as the door slid shut. The train came jerkily to a stop, and he got up to leave the train.
Outside, it was dark and cold.
“Firs’ years! Firs’ years, to me!” a voice was shouting.
Severus turned to follow this instruction, and saw an impossibly enormous man, his face almost entirely obscured by long and shaggy hair and beard. He walked nervously towards the man, already surrounded by a group of students, including his erstwhile companions and the red-haired girl who had walked by his compartment on the train.
“Follow me, first years!” the man instructed, and led the way down a steep path.
From his mother’s description, Severus recognized this as the path down to the boats, which would take the first years into the castle through the subterranean entrance.

A stern-faced woman who wore her black hair pulled back severely from her face had met the students inside the castle. She had been introduced by the enormous man as Professor McGonagall. She had led them into a room and explained the House system. Then she had left, instructing them all to wait.
Severus looked around the room at his fellow students. Most of them looked as nervous as he felt. Sirius and James were on the opposite side of the room, whispering to the red-haired girl. Apparently, they had said something funny, as she giggled quietly. A girl with long blond hair looked disapprovingly at them, and whispered something to the two other girls with her. Severus thought he heard the word “Muggleborn”.
Then Professor McGonagall was back. She chivvied the students into a line and led them out into the Great Hall. All of the older students were already seated at the long tables, waiting for the Sorting to begin. Severus looked around at the Hall. It really was as splendid as he had imagined it would be. He didn’t pay much attention to the song the ragged old Sorting Hat on the stool began to sing-there was so much to see. As the Hat ended its song, the students all applauded.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward.
“As I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted!” she said. “Adams, Thomas”.
A tall, somewhat chubby boy stumbled forward, then put in the hat and sat down.
“HUFFLEPUFF!” shouted the hat.
Thomas got up and joined the table of enthusiastically clapping Hufflepuffs.
“Black, Narcissa!”
The blonde Severus had noticed looked back at her friends, then walked confidently to the stool and seated herself, clapping the hat in her head.
“SLYTHERIN!” shouted the Hat.
The Slytherin table erupted in wild applause as Narcissa, beaming, walked down to join them.
“Black, Sirius!”
Sirius swaggered up to the stool next, but Severus thought he saw some underlying tension in his shoulders.
As he clapped the hat on his head, it shouted, “GRYFFINDOR!”
Sirius pumped his fist over his head in triumph as he went to sit at the Gryffindor table.
Severus glanced back at the Slytherin table, which Narcissa had reached by now. A tall and strikingly beautiful young woman gave her a hug that lifted her feet clear off the ground. Her face and long dark hair reminded Severus strongly of Sirius Black. He remembered what he had said about the Blacks-these girls must be his relatives.
He looked back to see the red-haired girl sitting on the stool with the hat on.
“GRYFFINDOR!” shouted the hat. The girl jumped off the stool with a broad smile and walked down.
“I didn’t catch her name,” Severus whispered to the boy standing behind him.
The boy seemed startled to be spoken to.
“Lily Evans”, the boy responded with a shy smile. “And I’m Remus Lupin.”
“Severus Snape. And, thanks!”
When Remus’s turn came, he strode diffidently forward. The hat seemed to take a longer time to make its decision. Severus wondered nervously whether it could happen that the hat would be unable to decide.
“GRYFFINDOR!” shouted the hat. Remus looked surprised at the enthusiastic applause this engendered at the Gryffindors' table as he walked down to join them.
Severus watched, growing more nervous, as several more boys and girls were sorted. There were, he reflected, disadvantages to being towards the end of the alphabet.
“Potter, James!”
Severus watched as James straightened his hair and walked forward. His lip curled as he remembered Malfoy’s comment: “It would be most unfortunate if your friend James here had to be sorted in ringlets.”
“Gryffindor!” shouted the Hat. James grinned broadly and ran down to sit next to Sirius.
“Powers”…,”Raines”…,”Rosen”…, “Sheldon”…, “Singh”…, and then-
“Snape, Severus!”
Severus could feel the eyes of the whole crowd on him as he walked forward, placed the hat on his head, and sat down on the stool.
A little voice spoke into his ear, “Hmmm. What to do with you? Difficult, difficult. A fine mind, certainly, no lack of talent. “
Severus remembered with alarm his thought during Remus’ sorting.
“Quite the need to prove yourself,” the hat continued. “Oh, and plenty of courage.”
Remembering a snippet of the hat’s song about Gryffindors and courage, Severus closed his eyes and thought, as hard as he could, Not Gryffindor!
“Well, if you insist, make it SLYTHERIN!”
Relieved at his narrow escape from Black and Potter, Severus hopped off the chair and removed the hat for the next student. The Slytherin table were all cheering his sorting, and he walked down to join them with a spring in his step.

[Vasheba]

Originally Posted by zgirnius

“Snape, Severus!”
Severus could feel the eyes of the whole crowd on him as he walked forward, placed the hat on his head, and sat down on the stool.
A little voice spoke into his ear, “Hmmm. What to do with you? Difficult, difficult. A fine mind, certainly, no lack of talent. “
Severus remembered with alarm his thought during Remus’ sorting.
“Quite the need to prove yourself,” the hat continued. “Oh, and plenty of courage.”
Remembering a snippet of the hat’s song about Gryffindors and courage, Severus closed his eyes and thought, as hard as he could, Not Gryffindor!
“Well, if you insist, make it SLYTHERIN!”
Relieved at his narrow escape from Black and Potter, Severus hopped off the chair and removed the hat for the next student. The Slytherin table were all cheering his sorting, and he walked down to join them with a spring in his step.

I absolutly LOVE the parallel to Harry's sorting at the end. Great work!

[MoonysAngel]

Wow!

Billywiggy, that was wonderful. I can really see Snape hiding out in the library like that. I love Lily's comment about "healer-in-training."

Zgirnius, you must write more. I mean more stories, not more to this story. It was long, but well worth it. Maybe you could do more of Snape's first year? The parallel to Harry is superb!

[LouisaB]

I agree that you should continue the story of young Snape. As you have probably seen from my signature I have been doing one myself and one of the most common things I am told is that there are far too few good stories about young Snape out there.

I am sure people would be happy to have one that is updated far more frequently than mine is.

And the longer the better - mine is 70 pages in Word already and far from done.

If you think it is getting far too long you can always post it in Flourish and Blotts and leave us the link here.

[UselessCharmMaster]

Just popping my head here and there, to see new stories... and wow. The Black Adder, subtle, Billywiggy, Cathy Weasley, zgirnius, everyone - great job!

[subtle science]

Billywiggy--I like Snape's finding a strategically perfect spot for studying...

zgirnius--And that's pretty much how I imagined the initial encounter between Snape and the Marauders to go...I liked the touch that the 7th year didn't know the countercurse--hence giving rise to Sirius' charge in later years...

[Billywiggy]

Thanks, PotionStudent, zgirnius, MoonysAngel, UselessCharmMaster, subtle science! And Serpentine as well for the comment on my earlier story. It’s so nice to get feedback!

I’m so glad you liked the line, zgirnius! It was something I heard in a song, and the juxtaposition of the words evoked powerful imagery for me – so I put them together. I’m still not quite sure if the lyricist had the same idea or not – most likely he did - the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, though.
Here’s the lyric:

Ryan Adams, ‘Cold Roses’ She don’t love who he choose/And she don’t need what she use/Daylight comes and exposes/Saturday’s bruises/And cold roses.

Originally Posted by zgirnius

“Sirius, you really ought not to try hexes to which you do not know the counters. It would be most unfortunate if your friend James here had to be Sorted in ringlets,” Malfoy told him with a smirk.
James blanched at the prospect. Sirius flushed. Since no one else seemed inclined to, Severus spoke up.
“I hexed him when he took my book,” he explained.
For the first time, Lucius seemed to really notice him.

Great job! I love how Snape comes to Lucius’ notice – very believable! I also really liked the sorting hat parallel with Harry’s experience. Well done!

[Hermione Snape]

Billywiggy - Now it is my turn to ask you a question... what year were they supposed to be in I was confused. Otherwise it was very good and very touching, that kind of forbidden love shining through. And I am all to in sympathy with Snape hiding in a corner in the library to avoid the bullies as that is what I used to do before the last year when the main bully actually got expelled, no such luck for Severus even though Black deserved it!

Zgirnius - Like everyone else I adored the parallel between Snape's sorting and Harry's sorting, I also love the fact that Snape didn't hate Remus straight away. And that bullying scene is all too familiar to me as that is what happened to me when I was at school (minus wands and spell books but that sort of taking my things and not giving them back.) Good job!

You'll get the next entry within a few days I have to just think the scene over more thoroughly.

[arithmancer]

Thanks Vasheba, UselessCharmsMaster, and subtle science for your kind comments!

MoonysAngel, LouisaB, I really had fun writing that (my first try at fanfiction...) so I hope to try another soon. I don't think I am up for a longer fic yet, though...that seems pretty intimidating at this point. Thanks for the encouragement!

Originally Posted by billywiggy

Great job! I love how Snape comes to Lucius’ notice – very believable!

I just figured Lucius has been seeing Slughorn in action for six years now...it could have rubbed off. And thanks for your response about your piece...I agree with you totally, somehow that image really sticks with me.

Originally Posted by HermioneSnape

I also love the fact that Snape didn't hate Remus straight away.

Thanks! They struck me as two boys who would have been standing off in the corners of the room-so they could have ended up close together in line...

[Billywiggy]

Originally Posted by Hermione Snape

Now it is my turn to ask you a question... what year were they supposed to be in I was confused.

Turnabout is fair play, eh?
They're supposed to be in 7th year. They've gotten over the 'mudblood' incident, and become friends through NEWT Potions. However, Lily is now dating James, which doesn't please Snape. Just exploring the possibility, anyway.

[CathyWeasley]

Billywiggy - just wonderful - great angle! Loved it!

Zgirnius - Brilliant! - like everyone else loved the parallels to Harry's sorting - and the lunch on the train parallel to Ron!