If we were to describe Severus Snape in one word, what would it be?
I think, for me, it would be: 'Misunderstood'.
He was misunderstood his whole life, wasn't he?
This story begins from his childhood, and goes on to describe what he went through in...
"WHAT DO YOU THINK you're doing?" I asked, stepping forward, my hand suddenly shaking a bit. Black perked up and stared at me, a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smirk plastered on his face. Potter turned around slowly, grinning, and I wished I could curse him with the worst spell I knew.
"Nothing much, just having a conversation. What's your problem?" Potter said.
"Nothing much, just wondering why you're disturbing her for no reason." I retorted.
"Disturbing? It's you who interrupted."
"Severus, come on, they're not worth your time." Lily butted in, stepping forward, grabbing my hand and trying to drag me away. But I wanted to stay. I wanted to fight. I wanted to hurt. Potter scoffed and Black rolled his eyes, which only infuriated me more. But I couldn't reply as Lily tugged on me a bit too hard, and I fell to the ground, my satchel opening and all my books spreading everywhere. My hand was slightly red because of how hard Lily was holding it, and I couldn't help but look up to shoot daggers at her with my eyes.
But then Potter and Black's laughs reached me.
"Too weak to even get up, Snivellus?" Black taunted, and I sighed, numbing my emotions once more. They just wanted to enrage me so I took a wrong step and ended up making a fool out of myself. Clenching my jaw, and quietly picking up my stuff, I saw Lily gather my stationary too. She handed them to me and her hand lightly brushed mine. That warm feeling erupted once more and heat travelled up my neck. I got up, took Lily's hand this time, and gave Potter and Black one last death glare.
"Running away, huh?"
I just smiled and shook my head. "People like you aren't worth my time."
I didn't wait to see their reactions and turned around, back to the right passageway which leaded to my Transfiguration class.
"I have Potions, I should get going." Lily muttered, and I realised I was still holding her hand. I let it go quickly and cleared my throat.
"I'll see you at lunch, then." I said and went on my way, but her voice stopped me.
"We have next class together."
"And?"
"N-nothing, just--"
"You don't need to speak if you don't want to. I know you're awkward."
"I...thank you."
She went towards her class and I hurried to mine. But the teacher had already come and was beginning her lecture. I stood at the door and she turned around to stare at me, raising an eyebrow.
"I lost my way, Professor. Took a wrong turn and--"
"It's quite alright. Go find your seat, and try not to be late next time."
I nodded my head and went to the very back to get away from all the people staring at me. I didn't like attention. Or maybe I did. I just felt uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes. I took out a piece of parchment and dipped my quill in the ink to take notes.
This was going to be interesting.
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"Don't forget the essay I mentioned!" McGonagall called out as we left. Transfiguration was surprisingly fun, and I enjoyed answering before anyone else could, like I did in Potions. Professor McGonagall seemed impressed by me, like Slughorn, and I felt even more prouder than before, my ego inflating. I smirked to myself as I followed the other students outside to the Hogwarts Grounds. They looked amazing. The sun shined high, and sparkling blue spread over the canvas of the sky, contrasting with the swirling clouds and their white colour. The lush green grass spread over the ground, and I spotted the Black Lake in the distance, shimmering as the rays of light fell on it and reflected the water. I spotted a hut in the distance and it looked vague, standing there all alone.
Soon, however, we arrived at the Herbology greenhouses and what I saw astonished me. Plants of all shapes and sizes, oozing out weird gels and shooting out from their pots. It was so...otherworldly.
And truth be told, I loved it.
That impression changed after a while, though. The Gryffindors were a bit late, so I'd already acquired a seat and saved one for Lily too. I searched for her amongst the mass of red and yellow, and spotted her green eyes wandering through the crowd that had just arrived in the greenhouse too. Her eyes met mine, and she walked over to where I was sitting, her auburn hair swaying behind her.
"Can I sit down?" she asked, and I nodded. Why was she acting weird?
"Is something wrong?" I asked, to the point.
"I-I don't know."
"What do you mean 'I don't know'?"
"I just--"
"Is it Potter and Black?"
"No, well, yes. They catched up with me when we were heading to Potions and Potter said bad things about you. About how you were a Slytherin and people like you can't be trusted. They wanted me to befriend them, instead. And I don't know how to feel about that."
Something snapped inside of me, and that taunting voice came back. Was she going to abandon me just because I was a Slytherin?
Like Tobias did because I was a wizard?
Was she going to become like one of those prejudiced Muggles who look down on people like us just because we're not like them? Just because we're different?
What does it matter, whether I'm Slytherin or not? Can't someone sporting the green and silver colours inside of Hogwarts be treated equally to the rest, or do people here follow the same bigoted thinking? Being a Slytherin isn't insulting, and people like us do not have to be bad.
But at the same time, I'm prejudiced against Gryffindors.
I didn't know how to comprehend it all. At one side, Gryffindors were favoured for no reason at all. Like in the books about the Houses that I read, the authors seemed to be more sympathetic towards the Lions. On the other hand, Slytherins were looked down upon, and some of the Darkest wizards came from this very House.
Did that mean we were bad? I don't think so.
Does the favour Gryffindors get make them bad? Yes.
I mean...no. But yes. Yes. It does. The Slytherins look down upon the Gryffindors. I should too.
But Lily Evans is a Gryffindor.
Should I look down upon her too?
I glanced at her, seeing her rather worried expression. I gazed into her beautifully entrancing green eyes, more bewitching than a sorcerer's spell. I looked at her smooth red hair, and the strands that fell on her face.
