Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The fire roared around him like a living, furious creature, licking the walls, consuming everything. The flames reflected on the young face of Severus, only twelve years old, who was crying, struggling to breathe, his eyes wide at the most terrifying sight of his life.

His mother lay on the ground, partially covered by a fallen pillar. Her lips were still moving, her eyes locked on his in desperation, trying to say something — but there was no sound. Not a single word reached him. Only silence, muffled by the crackle of burning wood and the roar of the flames.

— Mother... — Severus sobbed, desperate, kneeling beside her, pulling at the heavy pillar with both hands, not caring about the burning of his skin, the blisters forming on his thin fingers. — Please... please...

She kept trying to speak, her mouth moving, her eyes pleading, but he heard nothing. Nothing. And that was worse than any scream. Worse than any pain.

Suddenly, a crash. The door burst open. A shadow moved through the thick smoke, and his father’s hateful voice cut through the air.

— Freak!

Severus turned his head, eyes wide with fear. He tried to scream back, to protect his mother, to run — anything. But his body didn’t respond.

Then the world shook, colors warped, and everything vanished in a cloud of darkness.

Severus woke with a start, gasping, his body covered in sweat. The room around him was vast, luxurious, and far more comfortable than anything he could remember. The great bed felt like a strange refuge from the turmoil in his mind. He was disoriented, his heart still racing, trying to process what he had just experienced. His face was still wet with tears, but the memories of the nightmare slowly dissolved like mist.

He ran a hand over his face, the sensation of the fire’s heat still burning on his skin — but there was no fire. Nothing. Only the comfort of a beautiful, silent room.

— It was just a nightmare... — Severus murmured to himself, his voice muffled by the darkness of early morning. He lay back down, but sleep did not return so easily. Even in his safe bed, the feeling of the flames still clung to him, burning from within.

The hallway was silent, except for the echo of Severus’s light footsteps as he descended the dark staircase of Malfoy Manor. Morning light streamed through the tall windows, casting shadows across the cold marble floor. He could still feel the sweat drying on the back of his neck, his heartbeat slower now, but far from calm. The nightmare still weighed on his shoulders, as if part of him hadn’t fully woken up.

In the dining room, Lucius Malfoy sat at the head of the long table, impeccably dressed even this early, leafing through the Daily Prophet while eating his breakfast with studied elegance.

— Good morning — said Severus in a neutral tone, sitting without ceremony at the other end of the table.

Lucius looked up from the newspaper and gave a slight nod.

— Good morning. Have you packed all your trunks?

Severus rolled his eyes, grabbing a slice of bread and spreading butter on it with a bit more force than necessary.

— Yes. I’m not twelve.

Lucius ignored the tone.
— Just making sure. Narcissa left early, went to visit her father — he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. — But she’ll be back before the train to Hogwarts.

Severus only nodded, chewing slowly. The manor was too quiet without Narcissa. She was fun, and she didn’t treat him like he was made of glass.

The scent of jasmine tea lingered in the air, mingling with the faint bitterness of coffee. Severus kept his eyes down, focused on his plate, while his mind still wandered through smoke, silence, and the words his mother had never managed to say.

When they finished breakfast, Lucius rose unhurriedly, folded the newspaper with meticulous precision, and said, without looking directly at Severus:

— Come with me. To the study.

Severus sighed quietly but followed the man through the halls of the manor to the study lined with bookshelves and dark tapestries. He sat down across the desk when Lucius gestured with a subtle motion.

The initial silence was heavy, as always. Lucius liked to make words wait. At last, he laced his fingers over the mahogany desk and stared at Severus with that cold, calculating expression he even used when giving advice.

— This year, I want you to stay out of trouble. No duels, no provocations, no scandals.

Severus raised an eyebrow, offended.
— I don’t get into trouble. I defend myself. I’ve always—

— If anyone finds out the truth about you — Lucius interrupted, in a more serious, lower tone — you’ll be killed. Simple as that. For the sake of your own life, Severus, it’s better to keep your distance. Pretend. Pretend all the time.

The words hung in the air, and Severus felt anger burn beneath his skin. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it. Not even the tenth. But hearing “the truth” said like that, with such weight, with that cruel certainty, still hurt.

He thought about arguing, but… he was tired of fighting with Lucius. Tired of hitting the same cold wall.

So he simply nodded, his eyes fixed on some random spot on the desk.

Lucius let out a lighter sigh, almost satisfied, then raised an eyebrow with an ironic smile.

— Oh, and please... wash your hair at Hogwarts. Just because you cut it doesn’t mean you can stop washing it.

Severus turned his head with a murderous glare, his lips pressed into a tight line of fury.

Lucius let out a low chuckle, completely unfazed.

— I’m serious, Severus. Walking around looking like a wet bat doesn’t help your case. You already scare people enough with your stare alone.

— Go to hell, Lucius — Severus snapped, rising sharply from the armchair.

— With that attitude, you’ll scare off even the ghosts — Lucius commented, still laughing, as Severus walked out of the study without looking back.

He went up to the bedroom and began rummaging through the trunks. He looked for potion vials, hygiene products, the pills hidden among the clothes. Everything needed to be in order. The world demanded perfection from him: clean appearance, controlled gaze, silenced feelings.

But as he closed the last trunk, Severus could still smell the smoke clinging to his memory. He took a pill to make it all go away.
* * *
I saw Severus arrive at the station with his usual serious expression. He looked impeccable — like everything around him ever since he moved in with the Malfoys.

He said goodbye to Narcissa, who kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear. Severus merely gave a slight nod in response. Then Lucius Malfoy said something in that condescending tone only he can pull off and let out a low chuckle. Severus scoffed, visibly annoyed, but I caught the moment when Lucius added another jab, and this time Severus replied. I couldn’t hear what was said, but the venom in his eyes said enough.

Since last year, Severus has been living with the Malfoys. Everyone knows that — what no one knows is why. Lily told me once that his father disappeared. That’s all. But I know there’s more to it.

After being “taken in” by the Malfoys, he changed. A lot. His clothes now look tailored — probably are. His teeth, which used to be yellowed and crooked, are now white and straight. His hair… that eternally greasy hair is now always clean, shiny, even looking soft. And the weirdest thing is, it doesn’t feel fake. Just… natural.

He’s also put on weight. Nothing drastic, just enough to lose that sickly look. His sharp face has filled out a bit, and even his nose — which I always thought was way too big — now... fits. Like everything finally came together.

His skin looks like porcelain. Smooth, pale, flawless. Almost poreless. And those dark eyes with those ridiculously long lashes — why does someone like him even have lashes like that? — stand out even more now. His lips changed too. They used to be cracked, flaky, kind of pale. Now they’re pink, full… they look soft.

Not that I pay that much attention to him, of course. It’s just that… anyone would notice these changes.

Charity Burbage came up to him with a huge smile and hugged him. And he… hugged her back. Just like that. In public. Since when does Severus Snape show affection in public?

Who knows.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Sirius suddenly showed up, talking loudly:

— This year’s going to be insane, you’ll see.

I smiled and nodded, walking with him onto the train — but not without one last glance over my shoulder.

* * *
Severus and Charity said goodbye to Lucius and Narcissa at the station and started walking along the platform. A few steps ahead, they found Avery, Mulciber, Wilkes, and Aurora already gathered near one of the train cars.

— The Snape Gang is finally complete! — exclaimed Charity, clapping her hands with a grin.

Severus rubbed his face, smiling awkwardly.

— That name is so embarrassing...

Aurora smiled and crossed her arms, looking amused.

— Give it up, Severus. We’re the Snape Gang, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Mulciber gave Severus a slap on the back.

— Deal with it, man. It’s time to move on.

Wilkes, clearly embarrassed by the fuss, mumbled:

— This year, we could change the name to The Clowns... might suit us better.

Avery sighed, exasperated.

— Let’s just get on the train before we get left behind

The Great Hall of Hogwarts buzzed with the excitement of a new school year. Students were scattered across their House tables, chatting about the holidays, professors, subjects, and what lay ahead. Amid all the noise and movement, something unusual stood out: Severus Snape was... smiling.

And it wasn’t a smirk or a stiff half-grin. It was open, genuine, accompanied by easy laughter. He cracked jokes, spoke loudly, and gestured with enthusiasm. Sitting between Bruce and Avery, with Wilkes, Regulus, and Evan Rosier across from him, he looked like a completely different person from the one so many were used to — reserved, shadowed, silent.

Stares followed him from every direction. Some students whispered behind cupped hands, others simply watched in disbelief. This Severus wasn’t the Snape they knew — the one who slunk through corridors in silence, hidden behind his hair and sarcasm.

Unbothered by the attention, Severus turned toward the Hufflepuff table. He spotted Charity chatting cheerfully and called out loud enough for half the Hall to hear:

— Charity! Come over here — to the Slytherin table!

She turned, surprised and amused. Before she could respond, Severus raised his voice again, now looking toward Ravenclaw:

— Aurora, you too! We need some light around here. Avery and Evan are a couple of brutes!

Laughter burst out from the Slytherin table. Charity stood without hesitation, a mischievous smile on her lips, and made her way over. Aurora exchanged a glance with a friend, shrugged, and followed, taking a seat beside her.

Severus looked at them for a moment, pleased, then said with a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth:

— See? Much better. Now this group has beauty and brains.

More laughter followed. The mood around them was light, easy. And for the first time in a long while, Severus looked like he was exactly where he wanted to be.

James watched Severus with a furrowed brow, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. Since last year, Snape had been changing — but now, he seemed like an entirely different person. Too much change, too fast. And the strangest part: no one seemed to care.

Snape doesn’t laugh, James thought. Snape doesn’t even smile. He’s miserable by nature.
That guy making jokes in the Great Hall had to be an impostor.

He gripped his fork tightly, chewing irritably, barely responding to his friends' chatter.
— Snape’s gone mad — he muttered eventually.

Then he saw him stand and leave the Hall. James exchanged a look with Sirius, and the two of them followed — just to pull a harmless prank to start the year off. Nothing major.

In the corridor, Sirius raised his wand and cast a quick spell.
— Aguamenti!

A jet of water hit Severus squarely in the back. He stopped, turned, and looked at them with clear exhaustion before rolling his eyes.

— Seriously? Now? You couldn’t wait until tomorrow?

— Oops — Sirius said with a smirk. — My bad, Snivellus.

Severus stared at them with pure contempt, as if he were looking at something vile on the ground. He made a small flicking motion with his hand, and just like that, his clothes and hair dried completely.

— What was that show in the Great Hall about? — James asked, arms crossed.

Severus yawned, glanced at Sirius, shrugged, and turned to leave without a word.

Just then, Professor McGonagall appeared at the end of the corridor, as stern as ever.

— What’s going on here?

— Nothing — James snapped, avoiding her gaze.

As she walked off, James turned his eyes back to the corridor where Snape had disappeared. His expression was tense, confused. Peter, who had been watching quietly the whole time, spoke in a low voice:

— He ignored you completely, James.

James said nothing, his eyes still fixed on the empty hallway.
Back in the Gryffindor dormitory, James paced back and forth, fists clenched, mind boiling. The red curtains seemed to suffocate the room, muffling the sounds and trapping his anger like steam in a kettle about to burst.

— That wasn’t Snape — he said, stopping abruptly in the center of the room. — You saw it. You heard it.

Sirius shrugged, sprawled out on his bed with a mocking grin.

— He just cut his hair and brushed his teeth, Prongs. Not a crime.

— That’s not it! — James snapped, his eyes sparking. — He... he smiled. He made jokes. He looked happy. Snape never looks happy. He looked like... someone else.

Remus, seated with a book in his lap, glanced up cautiously.

— People change, James.

— Not like that — James shot back. — It’s like they ripped out the real Snape and put a cheap copy in his place. Something’s wrong. Really wrong.

Peter mumbled:

— He didn’t even look at you...

James turned to him, barely containing his anger.

— Exactly! He always responds. Always snaps back. Today he... he didn’t care. He ignored me like I wasn’t even there.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

— If that is Snape, then something serious is going on. And if he’s involved in something dark... if he’s dangerous—

Sirius scoffed.

— I’ve always thought he was dangerous.

James looked at his friends, determination blazing in his eyes.

— Then we find out. Whatever he’s doing, whatever he’s become... we need to know. For Hogwarts. For safety.

Remus frowned.

— Seriously, James. Forget about Snape.

James ignored him.

— We make a plan. Starting now, we watch. Follow. Listen. Find out. And when we know, we take action. Against that masked snake.

Chapter Text

The next morning, the Marauders sat down with a clear plan: keep an eye on Severus Snape.

— Slytherin table. The show’s started — Sirius muttered, biting into his toast while glancing sideways.

James didn’t reply. His eyes were locked on the figure at the center of the green-and-silver table.

Severus Snape. Short, tidy hair. Well-kept clothes. A half-smile.
A smile. That simple gesture felt like blasphemy.

He was surrounded — Charity, Mulciber, even Barty laughed at the jokes he made with effortless charm. Light, knowing laughter. A sociable Snape. A likable Snape.

And then Aurora walked in.

James saw Snape’s expression light up as if someone had cast Lumos directly on his face. Aurora walked with confidence, her curls loose, and for the first time in a long time, no braids in her hair. She looked free. Beautiful.

And Snape saw her.

— Merlin... Aurora, you look absolutely divine — Snape said in that smooth, unexpectedly charming tone.

She blushed. Mulciber and Charity laughed, teasing his boldness.

— You’ve always been beautiful, but today... even the ghosts fell silent — he added with a sly grin.

James felt the spoon in his hand bend. Literally. The silver spoon warped under his fingers.

— Yeah. That’s definitely not Snape — he muttered through clenched teeth.

— He’s flirting now... — Peter said, stunned.

— And with style — Sirius admitted, frowning.

Remus watched quietly, but his eyes were on James’s face.

— Are you sure you’re not just angry because he changed — he said softly — and now he’s no longer your enemy?

James didn’t answer. He was too busy watching that polished copy of Severus Snape steal laughs and admiration as if they were rightfully his.

But he knew the truth.
That wasn’t the real Snape.
And he was going to prove it.

The first class of the day was Potions.

James walked into the dungeon with Sirius and Remus right behind him, still turning over the morning’s conversation in his head. His eyes instinctively searched for Snape — or rather, the impostor.

There he was. Sitting next to Wilhelm Wilkes, all smiles, casually touching Wilkes’s hair. Brand-new equipment, a gleaming cauldron, even his measuring spoons were silver.
The Malfoys were clearly spending a fortune on him. Since when did he look so... comfortable?

James froze in the middle of the room when he heard the laugh.

A little laugh.

Low. Ironic. Almost charming.

— He laughed — James hissed, staring at Sirius, who looked just as confused.

— Snivellus doesn’t laugh — Sirius replied, eyes wide. — He growls. Maybe scoffs at best.

They watched. Snape — or whoever it was — tilted his head in an almost elegant gesture, murmured something to Wilkes, who gave him a playful tap on the shoulder before laughing out loud.

James felt his blood boil.

Then he noticed: Snape hadn’t even looked at Lily.

Nothing. No slip. No sideways glance. No clenched jaw.

Just two years ago, Severus Snape had been crawling after her, tripping over excuses, letters, and wounded stares.
Now... now he acted like she didn’t even exist.

— This isn’t normal — James muttered, jaw tight. — He’s way too different.

— What if it’s Polyjuice Potion? — Peter whispered, already lowering his voice like someone might overhear. — It makes sense... a disguise. Someone pretending to be him.

— But who on Earth would choose him as a disguise? — Sirius frowned. — He’s an easy target, total trash reputation. Not exactly anyone’s first pick.

James didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on the dark-haired boy now stirring his potion with smooth, almost graceful movements.

That posture, that voice, that faint, knowing smile...

That wasn’t Snape.

It was a ghost.
An illusion.
A lie wearing his skin.

And James knew he had to find out where the real Severus Snape was — before it was too late.

James was at his breaking point.

During class, the professor instructed us to prepare the Acceleration Potion — a complex formula used to temporarily boost reflexes and physical speed. As usual, Severus answered every question with absolute precision.

At one point, the professor posed a theoretical question, and Lily was the first to raise her hand.

— Caladium — she answered. — It can be used to speed up metabolism and reflexes, especially in short-duration potions.

Severus gave a slight smile and added calmly:

—Conium maculatum is more effective, though potentially lethal. For a longer-lasting version of the potion, you can use Acmella oleracea. However, when combined, these two ingredients can reverse the effects — slowing the body down or even causing death. The "upside" is that the user wouldn’t feel pain, thanks to the plant’s analgesic and sedative properties.

Professor Slung looked ecstatic.

— Exactly, Snape! Brilliant, my boy!

As if that weren’t enough, Snape was also the first to finish the potion. The color was perfect, the viscosity spot on, and the scent indicated a flawless balance of compounds. Slung approached, inspected it proudly, and smiled. Snape returned the smile — and went a step further:

— Of course... I only managed because I had an excellent teacher.

James felt his stomach turn.

No matter what he did to try sabotaging the bastard’s potion — nothing worked. He tried to drop a salamander eye into the cauldron, but the bastard caught it mid-air before it could touch the liquid. As if he knew. As if he expected it.

And then he looked straight at him. And asked:

— Need a hand, Potter?

But even as he looked at him... it was like he wasn’t.
The eyes — they were wrong.

Snape’s eyes had always been the one good thing about him — dark, beautiful, expressive. But now… James couldn’t even describe them. There was no light. No sarcasm. Just emptiness. Like someone had ripped out whatever was alive inside him and left a cold mask behind.

Remus was uneasy too. He didn’t have to say anything — James could tell by the way he kept staring at Snape, then at his notebook, then back again. Like he was trying to piece together a puzzle that no longer fit.

Lily, sitting a few rows back, was pretending nothing was happening. She was taking notes, but kept sneaking quick glances — like she was waiting for him — the real Snape — to look at her.

But he didn’t.

Not even once.

Something was wrong.

This year, everything was wrong.

Snape walked out of the Potions classroom with a casual — “See you later” — smiling at Wilkes like some kind of idiot, and James immediately moved. Not too close — he didn’t want to get caught. But close enough to watch.

— Probably heading to Ancient Runes, — he thought. — Of course. Same old nerd...

On the way, he ran into Aurora Sinistra — the Ravenclaw. She was part of that weird little group with Burbage and the Slytherins. Nothing new. But the way Snape — or whoever the hell that was — greeted her almost made James trip.

— Hello, princess.

Princess?

PRINCESS? Snape doesn’t use cute nicknames. He never has. Not even with Lily. Not even when he was crawling after her last year, begging for forgiveness like an idiot. Not with his own friends. He’s rude, curt, sarcastic. And now he comes out with a “princess” like he’s... like he’s bloody Sirius?

Aurora stopped and looked at him.

— Princess?

And the bastard had the nerve to smile. A real smile. Almost playful. Looking her straight in the eye, not glancing away or down at the floor like the real, awkward Snape always did.

— All my friends are princesses, — he said, casually.

Sinistra raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. But she didn’t say anything else. They kept talking about something too boring for James to understand from where he stood. But one thing he did notice — Aurora thought something was off too. Only she seemed... concerned. Not scared. Like she knew something. Like she wanted to protect him.

They entered the Ancient Runes classroom. James looked at his watch.

Muggle Studies.

— Shit.

He couldn’t miss it. This year, he needed perfect grades to get into the Auror program. But this wasn’t over. Not even close. He was going to find out what was going on. He was going to figure out where the real Severus Snape had gone. Because that guy walking around handing out smiles and sweet nicknames — that wasn’t him.

It was lunchtime.

The Snape Gang showed up all casual, laughing like the world was a safe place. Ridiculous. How could no one see there was an impostor sitting right in the middle of them? The girls — Burbage and Sinistra — sat again at the Slytherin table. Like they belonged there. Like the real Snape was someone who shared jokes in the middle of the Great Hall.

Snivellus — or whoever it was — was eating. Actually eating. Not with his nose buried in a book, not picking at the food like it disgusted him. He was there, piling up his plate, laughing at some joke from Mulciber, cutting food and stuffing his mouth.

James nearly choked.

The world froze for a second.

Snape bit into a chicken leg.

Chicken.

Snape doesn’t eat meat. Lily once told him — in that tone of hers, part pride and part affection — that he was vegetarian. Vegetarian. Said he hated meat, that it didn’t belong in the body. And now here he was, eating meat. That damn impostor wasn’t even trying to fake it.

One of the friends even asked, half-laughing, why he was eating chicken now.

Snape — the impostor — replied, laughing too:

— Oh, my taste has changed.

My taste has changed. What kind of answer is that?

James felt a knot in his throat. Burbage looked sad too. She was vegetarian, like the real Snape. They always talked about that. And now he says this? James saw when Snape turned to Burbage and, after a second, put down the chicken.

— Sorry, angel — he said, with a soft smile.

Angel. He called Burbage angel.

James pushed his plate away. He couldn’t. He couldn’t eat anymore. Nobody changes that much. Nobody.

That was an impostor. It had to be.

It was break time.

I followed that impostor out of the castle.

He and his little friends sat by the lake, chatting like nothing in the world weighed on them. I stayed at a distance, hidden among the trees, watching. That’s when I heard Snape say, clearly:

— Let’s go for a swim.

Aurora answered immediately:

— No way. It’s forbidden this time of year, because it’s the mermaids’ breeding season.

He just laughed and started taking off his robe and uniform, until he was left in nothing but his trousers. His bare chest fully exposed.

He wasn’t the usual scrawny Snape anymore. He’d definitely gained muscle. In silence, he took off his shoes too, while Mulciber and Burbage joined him — though the girl kept the top half of her uniform on.

Aurora scolded him:

— Severus, don’t even think about taking off your trousers!

He burst out laughing.

— There’s nothing on my body the whole of Hogwarts hasn’t already seen... thanks to Potter.

I feel a tightness in my chest. A stab in my gut. Everything started falling apart after that day.

I hear Mulciber suggest:

— Let’s bet on who can swim across the lake the fastest!

These people are insane.

Snape was never one to show off his body. His clothes were always old, far too big, like they were meant to hide everything. But when he turns around, I’m completely stunned.

There’s a tattoo — Merlin, a tattoo — of a spider, just below his neck. In the exact spot where the uniform collar would hide it. He planned this.

The idiots count to three — and jump into the lake.

I didn’t even know that lunatic could swim.

Aurora yells, telling them to get out of there. Remus looks visibly nervous, because the lake is dangerous — and he’s right. As Head Boy, I should go over there and stop that stupidity. Take action. Enforce some rule.

But the weight in my stomach only gets heavier. Like something is deeply wrong — and I just can’t bring myself to react.
Mulciber was in the lead, pulling ahead, while Snape and Charity swam side by side. Aurora was cheering enthusiastically for Charity, Regulus and Evan were shouting support for Snape, and Avery just watched it all with a bored expression, like he thought the whole competition was utterly stupid.

In the end, Mulciber won the race, followed by Burbage. Snape — the impostor — stopped in the middle of the lake, motionless. And then the Ancient Runes professor appeared — thank Merlin — furiously demanding that Snape get out of the water immediately.

Snape just laughed, floating on his back, arms wide open, eyes fixed on the sky.

— Just cooling off, professor. Relax…

He floated as if the world didn’t exist, as if he were completely at peace. Until suddenly, something seemed to startle him. His body tensed — and he sank.

I was already running toward the lake when the professor stepped in. The girls screamed in panic, and the professor, clearly worried, waded in up to his waist to rescue him.

But before he could reach him, Snape resurfaced beside him, whispering boo, calm, smiling, as if nothing had happened. The professor, caught off guard, jumped back and fell fully into the water. Snape burst into loud laughter, like he’d just pulled off the greatest prank in the world.

The professor, drenched and furious, gave him a detention and took twenty points from Slytherin. Snivellus still tried to argue:

— It was just a joke, professor… a harmless prank…

Sinistra smacked the back of his head.

— Idiot! You scared the hell out of me!

That’s not Snape. It can’t be.

Severus Snape would never disrespect a professor like that. He’d never mock a serious situation. The Slytherins in the group looked visibly frustrated over the lost points — even the closest ones seemed unsettled.

Where is the real Severus Snape?

The Great Hall was buzzing with dinner, candles floating above the tables as always, and students chatting excitedly about the first day of classes.

Before Severus entered the Hall, Charity was the first to say what was obvious:

— Severus isn’t acting normal. There’s something wrong with him.

Wilkes nodded, but offered cautiously:

— Yeah… but maybe we should wait for him to open up.

Aurora, still shaken, added:

— Earlier today, he called me princess. Sevs called me princess.

Avery rolled his eyes.

— We should be direct. Just ask him what’s going on.

Bruce nodded in agreement. Evan, who had been silent until then, looked around to make sure no one else was listening, and spoke in a low voice:

— My father mentioned something in the last few days… that Snape’s father was arrested. Accused of killing his mother… and trying to kill Severus himself. That’s why he’s under the Malfoys’ guardianship now.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group.

Bruce was the first to speak:

— His mother died when he was about twelve… Maybe finding out that filthy Muggle was the one responsible just… changed him.

Aurora agreed, but added:

— And the physical change is obvious. He’s being looked after now. Fed properly, treated with care. Narcissa already sent two notes asking if Severus is eating well.

Another silence. No one said what they were all thinking: when they looked into Severus’s eyes… it was like no one was there.

Then he walked into the Hall. Tall, confident, smiling like nothing could touch him.

And they all changed the subject.

Severus walked alone through the doors of the Great Hall, his hair now shiny and well-groomed, his steps steady and carefree — as if he hadn’t just lost twenty points from Slytherin for pulling a prank on a professor. It was like the venomous stares from his housemates simply slid off him, leaving no trace. The Slytherins sitting near the end of the table exchanged glances and whispered in tones of disdain. Losing points on the first day was unforgivable — especially coming from someone like Snape, who had always been so disciplined…

But he didn’t seem to care.

With a lopsided grin and a cheerful “Good evening!”, he sat down casually next to his friends. He skipped the main courses entirely and went straight for a generous slice of chocolate cake, cutting it slowly and savoring it as if he were at a sunny picnic, not in the middle of a furious house. For the first time since he returned, he said nothing — his expression was calm, almost pleased.

That was when Regulus entered the Hall. With his uniform immaculate, as always, and a posture worthy of a Black, he strode in with his head held high, his eyes scanning the room with a mix of arrogance and vigilance. As he neared the Slytherin table, his gaze locked with Severus’s.

— Good evening, baby Black — said Severus loud enough for everyone to hear, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

Several students turned, surprised. Regulus froze, clearly caught off guard, and a reddish hue crept up his neck and into his ears.

— I’m practically an adult, Severus — he replied, trying to keep his composure.

— You’re definitely a baby — Severus shot back without missing a beat — and absolutely adorable. Especially when you’re blushing like that.

The table erupted in laughter. Even Avery let out a reluctant chuckle, Aurora gave a light tap on the table, and Charity and Bruce laughed openly. Regulus sat down with a theatrically outraged look, arms crossed — but his eyes were sparkling with the kind of anger that wasn’t really anger. It was more embarrassment than anything else.

— When you make that face, it’s precious. Makes me want to bite you — Severus added, clearly amused.

— I’m going to curse you in your sleep — Regulus muttered, unable to hide his flustered smile.

Evan Rosier leaned into the conversation, draping himself over the table and looking at Regulus from above.

— I completely agree, Severus. That level of cuteness should be registered.

Lily watched from afar, her fork frozen mid-air. James didn’t blink. And Remus, a frown creasing his brow, seemed to be searching for any logic behind what he was seeing.

None of it made sense.

Right after dinner, Snape decided to go for a walk. He felt strangely good — maybe this was happiness. He remembered how afraid he had been to return to Hogwarts... and now, coming back seemed like the best decision he'd ever made.

That Gryffindor weirdo — James Potter — was still following him. The idiot had stuck to him the entire day. He should probably return Lupin’s parchment already. Still, he chose to ignore him. No doubt he’d try another stupid prank... as long as it wasn’t another murder attempt, that was fine.

He had taken another dose of his meds back in the dormitory. One a day was enough. Today had been a good day. Only now did he realize he hadn’t seen Lily — and maybe that was for the best. Being her friend was complicated. She was probably happier this way. And so was he. Keeping things cordial and respectful — that was the plan. Only talk to her when strictly necessary.

He walked a bit more, climbing all the way up to the Astronomy Tower. The silence there was comforting — almost welcome. No pain, no mental noise. A peaceful mind.

But the peace didn’t last.

Potter showed up. And, as always, came charging in with dumb questions:

— Who are you? What did you do with Snape?

Snape, already out of patience, yawned. He glanced out the window for a moment. Birds flying free. He envied them. They could leave — go anywhere.

Distracted by the thought, he didn’t see it when Potter shoved him hard. He fell backwards onto the floor. It hurt, but he didn’t feel angry — not even offended. Actually... it made him want to laugh. Potter’s expression was ridiculous, desperate.

And so he laughed.

When he noticed Potter was about to cast a spell, he raised his hands, still laughing:

— Chill, man. It’s all good.

But Potter was only getting more agitated.

— Who are you?! — he demanded, furious.

Unintentionally, Snape yawned again. He was tired. It had been a long day. Then, with a calm tone, he answered:

— How’d you figure it out, Potter? I thought I’d dumped Severus Snape’s body somewhere far away...

He paused, raised his eyebrows slightly, and with a soft smile on his lips, added:

— You know... it’s always been my dream to be a poor, nerdy, weird half-blood who gets bullied.

And he stayed like that — hands raised — as if he was in no rush to change a thing.

Chapter Text

James froze at the very first sentence. He stared at Snape, lying on the ground with his hands raised as if he’d surrendered — and smiling, clearly mocking him.

He took a deep breath, gripping his wand tightly between his fingers. The urge to hex that impostor was almost unbearable.

— Stop talking shit, you son of a bitch! — he snapped, furious. — If you’re really Snape, then why the hell are you acting like this?! What’s your deal, huh?!

Severus, who had been looking out the window again, turned to face him, still smiling.

— I don’t get it, Potter… Enlighten me: what exactly did I do?

James took a step forward, his face twisted in frustration.

— You’ve been acting insane all day, that’s the problem! You called Sinistra a princess, and before that, you were practically drooling over her with compliments in the Great Hall! You called Sirius’s brother a baby, Burbage an angel, you went into the lake, stripped in front of everyone, ate meat, kept laughing and cracking jokes... You even pulled a prank on the professor!

Severus watched him with amused eyes, his tone almost mocking:

— So... my great crime was being kind to my friends and making a joke?

He smiled at James with ironic amusement before continuing:

— Aurora has self-esteem issues because of her hair. Thanks to some idiots. Probably jealous — because she’s beautiful, smart… You know, there’s always some weirdo who picks on other people’s hair. Ridiculous, right?

His smile widened, dripping with sarcasm.

— And I’ve always called Regulus “baby Black,” ask him. Charity’s always been an angel to me. And I wasn’t naked — I had my underwear on. And, well, you don’t really have the moral high ground to talk about my nudity, do you? As for the meat... my taste changed. What can I say?

He shrugged, light as ever.

— And the prank… that’s all it was. Just a joke. For laughs.

— Enough, damn it! — James shouted, his voice shaking with anger. — It’s not just that!

He stepped forward, wand clenched tightly in his hand, eyes locked on Snape, who was still sitting on the floor with his hands raised and that damned mocking smile on his lips.

— The real Snape is a greasy freak who slithers around like a slimy snake, not some idiot flirting with everyone and acting like this! — James pointed furiously. — Can you stop staring out the bloody window, for fuck’s sake?! Look at me!

Severus let out a deep sigh, slowly turned his head, and looked at him. He rolled his eyes, completely unbothered.

— I really don’t understand what my change has to do with you, Potter.

— You’re out there practicing dark magic, I know it! — James shouted, unable to hold back. — It’s a Gryffindor’s duty to keep the peace! We’re supposed to stop dark wizards like you!

Severus looked at him… and yawned. Then let out a mocking laugh.

— Sorry… it’s just hard to believe you’re still playing hero and villain. Actually, can I switch roles? It’s exhausting being the villain who gets bullied every day — he said with biting irony, glaring at James with disdain. — Maybe you’re getting sick of it too.

James stepped forward, furious. Severus stood up at once, took a step back and raised his hands, like in a little play.

— Go on, start over. I swear I’ll be serious this time. You’re the hero doing good, and I’m the bad guy. Got it — Severus said with a cynical smile.

That was the last straw.

— Depulso! — James cast the spell without hesitation. The blast of light hit Severus squarely, throwing him against the wall. The impact echoed through the tower. Severus slid down to the floor, panting, eyes wide.

— I’m not joking, damn it! — James growled. — Where’s Snape?!

Severus stared at him, outraged.

— Jesus… why are you so violent? You should really get that checked out. I could’ve been seriously hurt! And if you honestly think I’m some impostor, why don’t you take that paranoia to the Headmaster and leave me the hell alone?

James stepped even closer, his face inches from Snape’s.

— Snape was a lot of things… but he never backed down from a fight. And you — you're just dodging it like a coward.

Severus looked him up and down, unimpressed.

— Well, Potter… I grew up. And apparently, so did you. — He paused and raised an eyebrow. — Look at that, you had the guts to come alone… without your mutts. I should give you a prize for bravery.

And then he smiled. A slow, ironic, provocative smile. The kind that drove James absolutely mad.

Severus reached for his cloak.

James, on edge, raised his wand again, ready to cast another spell.

— One more move and you're dead! — he growled.

But Severus raised his eyebrows, unfazed, and replied with perfect calm:

— Chill out, Merlin... I’m just grabbing your little werewolf friend’s parchment. — He pulled out the rolled-up paper and waved it in the air. — He must’ve dropped it while spying on me at the lake. Oh, and tell him the potion ingredients are wrong. The boiling time too. The handwriting... well, it needs work. And aside from two spelling mistakes, it wasn’t the worst essay I’ve ever read.

James stared at him, speechless.

— What the fuck are you even talking about?!

Severus huffed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world:

— The essay, obviously.

James’s head was pounding. His chest was heaving. None of this made any damn sense.
The real Snape would’ve already fired off thirty curses. He’d be yelling, swearing, fury burning in his eyes.

But no.

This absurd calm, that mocking tone... it drove James completely out of his mind. No — worse — the indifference, the almost amused reaction, made him lose it.

Furious, James lunged forward. He shoved Severus hard against the wall, pinning him there with his arm pressed against his neck. They were so close their breaths mingled.

— Look at me — James growled.

Severus raised his eyes to meet his, and for a second, James froze.

A sharp chill ran down his spine.

Those eyes... they weren’t the same. They couldn’t be. The real Snape’s eyes — no matter how much he tried to hide it — had life. They were intense. Expressive.

These weren’t. They were dull. Empty. Almost dead.

James pressed his wand to Severus’s throat, his voice low and seething with rage:

— You’ve got ten seconds to tell me who you are… and what you did to the real Snape.

Severus looked at James and sighed.
He couldn’t feel anger — not even any real negative emotion, to be honest.
Laughing, he knew, would only piss Potter off even more.
Maybe it would’ve been smarter to react with violence. But Lucius had been clear: don’t get into trouble. Having a bounty on your head was a pain.

Severus glanced up at the ceiling, distracted by a thin crack in the stone. Was that water damage? In Hogwarts? Could that even be possible…

Finally, he looked back at James and said, with a lazy smile:

— I already told you the truth, Potter. I killed Snape… and dumped the body.

James pressed his wand harder against Severus’s throat, eyes burning with fury.

— Time’s up, you piece of shit impostor.

Severus stared back, his eyes empty, cold. His voice was low but sharp:

— What exactly are you waiting for, Potter? Go on, curse me already. I’ve got better things to do. And honestly… if you don’t kill me now, your breath might. Did you brush your teeth today?

James flushed with rage, already starting to pronounce a spell, when a female voice cut through:

— What’s going on here?

The Ravenclaw prefect had approached with a frown, eyeing the scene suspiciously.

James let go of Severus with a light shove and replied sarcastically:

— Nothing. I was just… congratulating Snape on finally learning how to wash his hair.

Severus smoothed the wrinkled collar of his robe and smiled:

— Thanks, Potter. I hope you follow my example… and learn how to brush your teeth.

James stormed into the Gryffindor common room, visibly frustrated, angry — with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Sirius and Remus were sitting by the fireplace, playing Exploding Snap. Sirius noticed him first and gave a mocking smile:

— So? How did it go?

James flopped down on the couch next to them, running his hands through his hair, messing it up even more, irritated.

— It’s not Snape — he growled. — I mean, physically he looks like him... but he’s not. I know he’s not.

Remus frowned, confused:

— What do you mean?

James pulled a crumpled parchment from his pocket and handed it to Remus.

— Here. Snape said the ingredients are wrong, the brewing time is wrong too... and he even pointed out some spelling mistakes. But overall, he said it wasn’t the worst essay he’s ever read.

Sirius stared at him, stunned.

— What? How did he get your essay, Moony?

James ran his hand over his face, irritated.

— He found it near the lake — James said, running his hand over his face, irritated. — He knew we were watching. And he just... ignored it. Did nothing. Didn’t care.

Remus looked at him attentively.

— And what happened next?

James stared at the ceiling, thoughtful.

— That... thing pretending to be Snape doesn’t care about anything. Doesn’t react. Doesn’t curse, doesn’t threaten, doesn’t try to hex anyone. It’s like... like he’s dead inside. Too calm. Irritatingly calm.

He sighed, turned to his friends, hesitated for a moment, and asked with a serious expression:

— Do I have bad breath?

Sirius blinked.

— What?

Remus choked on his own saliva.

— James...

— He said if I didn’t kill him with a curse, my breath would — James muttered, visibly offended.

Sirius burst out laughing.

— Well, that sounds exactly like Snape.

Remus smiled, trying to hold back his laughter.

— Well... looks like there’s still a bit of him in there, yes.

James, however, didn’t laugh. He stared into the fire for a few seconds, his expression serious.

— Whoever or whatever that is... there’s something very wrong with Snape. And I’m going to find out why.

Severus returned to the Slytherin dormitory, deep in thought. Potter is definitely going to keep following me around like a lunatic. He chuckled again, remembering the ridiculous accusations. Seriously, sometimes he really outdoes himself.

He wanted to finish his Ancient Runes essay — topic: “The best way to use them in modern times.” Easy. But still, who gives out homework due on the very first day of class?

When Severus entered the Slytherin common room, he found Regulus sitting in front of one of the gothic windows, arms crossed and a monumental pout on his face.

“Aw, the baby’s still sulking…”

Severus approached silently, leaned in from behind, and whispered:

— Boo.

Regulus jumped and turned around with a mix of anger and embarrassment on his face.

— You’re such an idiot, you know that? Now no one takes me seriously! Any minute now they’ll start calling me Baby Black in the corridors! This is your fault!

Severus held back a grin — but not for long.

— But you really are a baby — he teased. — You’re cute even when you’re mad. Like a wet pure-blood kitten.

Severus looked at Regulus’s flushed face and let out a dramatic sigh, still smiling.

— I’m sorry, Regulus. It slipped out, won’t happen again. Okay? — he said sincerely.

Regulus looked at him like he was considering hexing him on the spot, but after a few seconds, he sighed and looked away.

— Fine... but only because you’ve been acting way too weird to ignore.

— Weird in a good way or weird like “I'm sending you to St. Mungo’s”?

— Still deciding — Regulus muttered, but his expression softened.

Severus laughed, satisfied.

The next morning, Severus woke up early. Still sleepy, he made his way to the bathroom, took a shower, and brushed his teeth. When he came out, he noticed his roommates were still fast asleep — and couldn’t suppress a mischievous grin.

It was the perfect chance to get revenge for the prank back in second year.

With his wand in hand and a playful glint in his eyes, he muttered:

— Aguamenti Glacius.

The spell hit the beds directly. The effect was immediate: everyone woke up screaming and leaping out of bed.

Bruce tumbled to the floor with a shout, soaked and furious.

— Bloody hell, Severus! What the fuck is this?!

Severus simply crossed his arms and replied calmly:

— Second year, you all thought it was hilarious to throw water on me, remember?

Then he gave a triumphant smile and added:

— Now I get it... it really is quite funny.

Without giving them time to retaliate, he strolled out of the dorm whistling and made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

The hall was nearly empty, except for Aurora and a few other students, who were quietly eating as she read a Transfiguration book.

Severus approached with his usual teasing tone:

— Good morning, princess.

Aurora looked up and, with a slight raise of her eyebrow, replied,
— Good morning, Severus.

He sat down beside her — at the Ravenclaw table, no less, which was already unusual — and began helping himself to chocolate cake and yogurt.

Aurora watched him with a subtle smile.
— Nice to see your appetite’s back.

Severus shrugged and answered with his mouth half full,
— Must be puberty.

Aurora laughed and rolled her eyes, turning back to her book. But before the silence could settle, Severus asked,
— Why did you tie your hair up today? It looked… nice yesterday.

She glanced down at the toast in her hand and replied simply,
— No reason. Just felt like it.

Severus watched her in silence for a few seconds. He didn’t push. Though he had a feeling some idiot had said something stupid to her.

After a while, his friends showed up and sat with him at the Ravenclaw table. Avery looked at Severus, clearly annoyed, and said:

— Just wait. What’s coming to you is well on its way.

Severus looked at him with an amused smile and replied:

— You don’t scare me, Mr. Avery. Severus gets threatened six times a day.

He laughed out loud at his friends’ incredulous expressions and added:

— Dobby, the Malfoy family’s elf, is kind of a masochist. You have to see it — it’s hilarious. He’s always saying something ridiculous or trying to punish himself.

Wilkes rolled his eyes, sat down, and muttered:

— Clown.

Soon, the table was filled with loud chatter and jokes about the prank at the lake. Severus laughed along, but suddenly made a face as he remembered:

— I’ve got detention tonight. Ugh.

He sighed and added:

— I don’t even get why... It was just a joke. That Runes professor definitely has no sense of humor.

James woke up and the first thing he did was check the Marauder’s Map, looking for Severus’s name — which was already in the Great Hall with Sinistra. He jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom, brushed his teeth (still irritated by Snape’s comment about his breath), and yelled loudly:

— Wake up! We’ve got an impostor to spy on! Get up, now!

Sirius groaned, covering his face with a pillow. Remus rubbed his eyes, exhausted, while Peter kept sleeping soundly.

The Marauders arrived at breakfast already suspicious: Snape’s gang was sitting at the wrong table — or rather, the very wrong table. James quickly shoved a student aside to get the best spot to watch the so-called “impostor.”

— That idiot doesn’t even bother pretending to be fucking Snape! — James growled under his breath.

And the worst part? No one seemed to care. He tried to eavesdrop on the Slytherins sitting at the Ravenclaw table, but it sounded like they were just telling stupid jokes.

— Who the hell makes that much noise this early in the morning? Rude bastards… — he muttered.

Sirius leaned in and said quietly, squinting:

— This new Snivellus personality isn’t that bad, honestly.

James shot him a furious look and snapped:

— That impostor is not fucking Snape.

The owls swooped down, dropping letters onto the tables. Severus received two: one from the Malfoys and another from the Black family.

Charity picked up one of them with curiosity and asked:

— Why is Mrs. Black sending you letters, Sev?

Severus, his mouth full, finished chewing and replied:

— She’s been sending me letters since last year. Apparently, she knew my mother… and now she wants to be part of my life. Or something like that.

Aurora glanced at the Malfoy letter and asked:

— Can I open it?

Severus shrugged, and Aurora opened the envelope. It was simple and straight to the point:

> "Hello, Severus.
I hope you are well.
Yesterday, I received word that you got detention for a foolish joke, which is unfortunate, as I had made myself clear about staying out of trouble.
I expect you to behave more responsibly from now on — or I’ll have to inform Narcissa about this behavior.
Be well. And stay out of trouble.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy."

Aurora finished reading, and everyone was already smiling.

Severus finished eating and said with a calm expression:

— At least Cissa doesn’t know. That’s already a win.

Charity looked at him with a mischievous grin and asked:

— And what about Mrs. Black’s letter? Can I open it? Pretty please?

Severus nodded, and Charity opened the letter with anticipation. She read aloud:

> “Dear Severus,

I hope you’re doing well. I found some old photos of your mother, from when we were kids. I can’t wait to show them to you. I thought about sending them with this letter, but I want to see your face when you find out how mischievous your mother was. So, forgive me for keeping you in suspense.

By the way, I heard you got into some trouble on the very first day of school, and all I could think was: like mother, like son.

I want to make it clear that you can count on me. If you need anything, just send an owl — I’ll personally take care of those bastards bothering you.

Oh, and I already informed the Malfoys that you’ll be spending the holiday at my house. We can even watch one of those Muggle films you’re so fond of. I assume that disgusting interest of yours comes from your blood. Your mother loved that crap too.

Take care, and I hope to see you as soon as possible.

From your heart-mother who loves you as if you were my own flesh and blood,

Walburga Black.”

Bruce stared at Severus in shock:

— Wow... she adores you! I’ve never seen her write such a sweet letter, not even to Regulus.

Severus shrugged with an ironic smile:

— Yeah. Since last year she’s been extremely kind. Gives me gifts, tells me stories about my mother…

He paused dramatically before adding, with sarcasm:

— At first, I thought she wanted to use me as an ingredient in some potion, since I’m a half-blood and friends with Regulus. But no… Mrs. Black is a true angel. Super sweet, gentle, and kind. Just like Regulus.

The others burst out laughing as Severus calmly reached for another slice of cake like nothing in the world could bother him.

James looked over at Sirius, who was gripping his knife tightly, visibly shaken. His mother had never shown him an ounce of affection — the only letter he'd ever received from her, back in first year, was one telling him how ashamed she was to be his mother.

James’s gaze drifted back to the “impostor.” He seemed calm, like he had absolutely nothing to hide. After all, he'd let his letters be read out loud — right in the middle of the Great Hall.

Suddenly, Sirius stood and walked away from the table, his heavy footsteps echoing off the stone floor.

James watched him go, then turned a suspicious glare on Snape. He leaned toward Remus and Peter and muttered:

— Can you two go check on Sirius? See if he’s okay?

Remus nodded and got up to follow. Peter, a bit slower on the uptake, grabbed a slice of pie before hurrying after him.

James turned back to face Severus. The Slytherin noticed the look, raised an eyebrow with a lazy smirk, and — with theatrical flair — picked up a piece of fried egg from his plate.

— Ugh, this is rotten… — he said loudly, pulling a disgusted face. — Still smells better than some people’s breath.

He waved a hand dramatically in front of his face, as if to clear the air, drawing loud laughter from his friends. Then he chuckled too, eyes locked on James with a glint of mockery.

James followed Severus to History of Magic class and sat a few desks behind him, watching the impostor closely as he pulled the book out of his bag. He looked around and noticed there were few Gryffindor students present. Of course, he thought. This class is a snoozefest. Only nerds choose it.

Professor Binns floated through the wall, as usual, and began his monotonous lecture on the Revolt of 1639 — a conflict between wizards who believed unicorns were sacred beings and others who wanted to use their blood to achieve immortality.

The fake Snape sat there, quietly taking notes on his parchment. James kept observing him with suspicion, until a note suddenly appeared out of nowhere on his desk. He unfolded it warily and read:

"Stop being weird and go to your own class. I know you’re not enrolled in this subject, you freak. — SS"

James froze. He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing toward Snape. How did he know? He didn’t look away, determined. He needed to find some proof that this wasn’t the real Snape.

He stayed there, stiff as a statue, until — suddenly — he heard his name.

— Mr...?— said the professor in his sleepy voice. — I believe you’re in the wrong class. Your name isn’t on the list.

James blinked, startled. Everyone was looking at him with barely concealed smirks.

— It’s just that... I decided to enroll last minute, professor, —he replied, trying to sound convincing.

Professor Binns simply floated higher, mumbling something about misfiled paperwork, and returned to his lecture. James sank into his chair but didn’t take his eyes off Snape. He was sure. Absolutely sure.

At the end of class, Severus approached Potter with a mocking smile.

— Want my class schedule? Might make your stalking easier, — he said casually.

James stared at him, visibly annoyed, but replied with sarcasm:

— How generous of you, Snape. Actually... I’d love that.

Severus grinned wider, pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it to him.

— Well, as you can see, I have Herbology now. If you want, we can go together... or you can keep following me like a psychopath. Or a lunatic.

James sighed and looked him in the eye. And something inside him twisted.

He was overcome by a strange sensation — a weight in his chest, an overwhelming pressure. His throat tightened. It made no sense. That guy couldn’t be the real Snape.

It wasn’t just the way he acted — it was the eyes.

The real Snape’s eyes were breathtaking. Looking into them was like staring into the vastness of the universe, losing yourself in a star-filled abyss. They were, without a doubt, the most beautiful eyes James had ever seen in his life.

But this one’s... were dull. Cold. Empty.

There was no light, no depth. Nothing.

And that “nothing” irritated him.

James watched Snape walk away, his silhouette heading for the door. And of course, he followed him.

Sooner or later, he thought, this impostor is going to slip up. And I’ll be there to catch him red-handed.

Chapter Text

James stared at the Marauder’s Map, brow furrowed. The name “Severus Snape” remained motionless in the Slytherin dormitory. He sighed and turned to a folded piece of paper beside him — Severus’s class schedule.

Remus, lying on his bed, watched his friend with a tired expression.

— What is it now, James?

James looked up, impatient.

— This fake Snape isn’t taking Muggle Studies or Care of Magical Creatures.

Remus raised an eyebrow, incredulous.

— And what does that have to do with you?

— Everything! — James snapped, waving the paper. — The real Snape could be out there, I don’t know, dying or locked up somewhere, while this impostor walks around Hogwarts pretending to be Snivellus.

Remus ran a hand over his face, sighing.

— I know he’s acting different — I thought it was weird too. But come on, James… if it were really someone else, don’t you think his friends — or Dumbledore himself — would’ve noticed something?

James shook his head, clearly frustrated, and returned to studying the schedule.

— I don’t know what to do. I might drop Care of Magical Creatures, but Muggle Studies is a prerequisite if I want to become an Auror.

Remus looked at him like he’d gone insane.

— Wait... you’re changing your subjects just to keep spying on Snape?

James nodded firmly.

— Arithmancy, Remus. He picked Arithmancy! That thing’s a nightmare. And remember — last year he started skipping Care of Magical Creatures. Now he didn’t even sign up for it.

Remus stared at him for a moment, then let out a long, tired, and resigned sigh.

— Fine… do whatever you want. But this is getting out of hand, James.

— Tomorrow I’m changing my schedule — James declared with conviction.

Remus just shook his head and lay back down.

Sirius and Peter burst into the dormitory, laughing loudly. James looked up from the Marauder’s Map and shot them a suspicious glance.

— Where were you? — he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Sirius flopped onto his bed with a lazy grin.

— Mate, you’ve got the Map. And you still have the nerve to ask where we were?

Remus muttered from the corner:

— James only uses the map to stare at Snape’s name.

Sirius frowned for a second, then relaxed.

— Right, right… the impostor.

— For good reason — James replied calmly.

Remus huffed.

— He’s been staring at that map for over an hour.

Peter, curious, walked closer.

— Did he do something suspicious?

James’s eyes lit up.

— He spent more than thirty minutes in the bathroom today.

Peter’s eyes widened.

— And...?

— The real Snape never takes that long. Fifteen minutes, twenty tops. This fake Snape must have some kind of issue — James said with conviction.

His friends stared at him, baffled.

Sirius whistled.

— You really know Snivellus’s bathroom habits, huh?

James turned his eyes back to the map, ignoring the comment.

— Just being cautious. This impostor might be dangerous.

Peter let out a snicker.

— Did he do anything else besides overstay in the loo?

— He was polite to the Divination professor — James said with a look of disgust. — You all know the real Snape hates Divination.

Remus rolled his eyes.

— That’s enough. Let’s go to sleep, it’s late.

Sirius left, reeking of alcohol, saying he was off to the bathroom. James lay down, but sleep wouldn’t come. Later, restless, he glanced again at the Marauder’s Map. Snape’s name was no longer in the Slytherin dormitory.

He frowned, scanning the secret passages until he found it: Snape was leaving Hogwarts with his usual little group. His heart sped up.

Without thinking twice, James grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and bolted out, determined to follow them.

When James caught up to them, they were already far ahead. He tried to keep his distance even under the Invisibility Cloak. Loud laughter echoed along the trail. Snape suddenly stopped and looked in his direction. James held his breath, frozen. Had he been seen?

Snape scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Charity, next to him, also looked toward where James was hiding.
— What is it? — she asked, curious.

Snape shook his head.
— Nothing important — he replied, starting to walk again.

They kept laughing like idiots, as if they were at home and not out in the middle of the night, beyond Hogwarts grounds.

Near Hogsmeade, Avery went into one of the taverns and came out a few minutes later with some bottles of firewhisky and a crooked smile on his face.
— It worked! — he said triumphantly.

Worked what? James thought, following the group cautiously.

They headed toward the Forbidden Forest and, after a few minutes, stopped in a clearing. Snape stepped away from the group, drew his wand, and said:
— Lacarnum Inflamari!

A fire sprang to life in the center of the circle, lighting up the excited faces of the Slytherins. They all sat around it, drinking and loudly talking about their holidays. Soon, they were singing out of tune.

James watched from a distance, eyebrows furrowed.
That’s it? They’re just getting drunk in the middle of the woods? It’s late. Don’t these idiots know the Forbidden Forest has that name for a reason?

Snape was laughing loudly, spinning with Charity to the rhythm of a lively song playing from an old record player. The campfire in the center crackled with vivid embers, casting golden shadows over everyone's faces.

Avery and Mulciber were animatedly arguing about Quidditch, their voices overlapping with taunts and stats. Wilkes sat near the fire, roasting marshmallows on a stick, laughing at something Aurora had just whispered in his ear.

Suddenly, Charity tripped over her own foot.
Severus caught her by the waist quickly, stopping her fall.

— Careful, babe — he said with a mocking grin before bursting into laughter, dragging Charity with him.

They collapsed onto the thick rug they'd brought from Hogwarts, laid out over the cold grass.
Severus rested his head naturally on Charity’s lap, eyes half-closed, still laughing.

Hidden among the trees beneath the Invisibility Cloak, James watched.
His jaw clenched, fingers tight around his wand.

What the hell are these people doing?
Bloody impostor.

Charity leaned down, laughing, and whispered something in Snape’s ear.
He chuckled in response, and she took another generous swig of Firewhisky.

Then Severus jumped up with sudden energy.
— Hold on, that song’s done. Time to change the mood — he said, walking over to the record player.

With a crisp snap, he switched the record. A slower, sultrier beat began to play. The group cheered with whistles and rhythmic claps.

James, frozen in the shadows, felt his chest tighten.

This couldn’t be real.
The Snape he knew would never smile like that.

Severus turned to the group with a grin.
— Everyone, listen up — he called. — As you know, this is our get-together before... changes.

He paused dramatically.
— I can’t go into detail right now... we’ve got a stalker nearby.

Avery looked around, suspicious.
— What stalker?

Severus let out a sarcastic little laugh.
— Nothing important. Don’t worry about it.

He took a sip of his drink and raised the cup.
— What matters is that this is our last year at Hogwarts, and we’d better enjoy the hell out of it.

— HELL YEAH! — Mulciber shouted, raising his fist. — And we’re gonna WIN the Quidditch Cup this year!

Severus laughed.
— That’s right, Mulciber. You guys are gonna crush it.

Aurora rolled her eyes and muttered, sulking:
— Bloody hell... can we save that talk for the end of the year? I still can’t believe I won’t be seeing you idiots every day anymore.

— Ooohhh, she’s getting sentimental! — Wilkes teased, laughing.

Severus burst out laughing.
— Go ahead and cry, I don’t mind. But just know: even after Hogwarts... none of you will be free of me.

But James, hidden behind the bushes, felt a knot tightening in his stomach.

Snape raised his glass.
— Let’s do a challenge — he announced. — Whoever drinks and makes a face…

He placed a hand on his chin, pretending to think, then continued with a crooked smile:
— …has to take on a dare.

Aurora raised her hands, laughing:
— I’m out! I’m terrible with alcohol!

Snape laughed out loud.
— Then you’re our survival supervisor, Aurora.

— I’ve already won this shit! — Mulciber shouted confidently.

Snape looked at him with disdain:
— Oh, please. I can hold way more liquor than any of you. It’s in the blood, damn it.

Avery, ever competitive, was already setting up the glasses. Charity grabbed hers eagerly. They all looked at each other and drank at the same time.

Snape didn’t flinch. Wilkes, on the other hand, widened his eyes and started coughing:
— Bloody hell! This shit’s way too strong!

Snape burst out laughing.

Aurora raised her glass with a mischievous smile.
— Perfect, Wilkes. You’ve got to take the dare.

Severus was doubled over with laughter as Wilkes went pale as a ghost.
— Alright, alright... what’s the dare? — he asked, already regretting it.

Charity and Aurora exchanged conspiratorial glances.
— You have to give Avery a lap dance — they announced almost in unison.

Severus’s eyes widened, laughing even harder, while Wilkes froze, looking like he might faint.
— I don’t know how to dance! — he protested.

Avery looked at the girls in panic.
— You’re joking...

Mulciber howled with laughter.
— We need a sexy song! — he said, clapping, thoroughly enjoying the chaos.

— You better sit down, Avery — Severus said between fits of laughter. — How else is he supposed to lap dance?

Wilkes remained frozen like a statue.
— Come on — Mulciber encouraged. — It’s just a dance! You won’t die.

Aurora crossed her arms and asked with a teasing grin:
— What’s the matter, Wilkes? You chicken?

Wilkes huffed, grabbed another shot, downed it in one go, then took a deep breath, stumbled toward Avery, and began dancing — awkwardly, more like trying to move to the rhythm than anything remotely seductive.

Severus whistled and shouted:
— You gotta sit on his lap, or it doesn’t count as a lap dance!

— Shut up, Snape! — Wilkes yelled back, red all the way to his ears.

Avery tried to hold back his laughter as Wilkes, burning with embarrassment, finally plopped onto his lap with a defeated sigh. The whole group burst into laughter.

James, still hidden, watched it all with wide eyes.
What the bloody hell is going on? he thought, somewhere between scandalized, fascinated, and unsure if he was annoyed, confused… or curious.

At the end of the “dance,” Wilkes stood up abruptly, still red-faced.
— I’m done! — he panted.

Everyone cracked up even harder, especially seeing both Wilkes and Avery looking completely mortified.

Aurora, merciless, was already preparing the next round.

On the second round, no one flinched. Aurora watched like a hawk, eyes sharp for any twitch of pain or discomfort.

On the third, Charity faltered — just a slight grimace, barely noticeable. But Aurora caught it.

— Your turn, angel — she said with a mischievous grin.

Severus burst out laughing at Charity’s defeated expression.
— It’s gonna be fine, loser — he teased.

Charity gave him a playful slap on the shoulder and sighed.
— Damn it...

Wilkes, already slurring his words, yelled:
— She has to do a lap dance too!

— No — Severus said immediately, crossing his arms. — Charity’s a baby.

— She’s seventeen, Merlin — Wilkes shot back.

— Still a baby. And repeating dares is boring — Severus replied firmly.

Aurora raised an eyebrow.
— Enough. I’ve got a better one.

She turned to Charity with a grin like she was about to drop a bomb.
— You’re going to do three cartwheels with one hand… while holding your glass. Not a single drop allowed.

Charity shrieked excitedly:
— That’s so easy, fuck yeah!

First try: the glass flew across the clearing.
Second try: she landed flat on her face.
Severus and Wilkes nearly died laughing. Charity got up laughing too, determined.

On the third attempt, she nailed the first cartwheel, but on the second, the glass smacked her straight in the forehead.

— Ow, fuck!

On the fourth, she landed dangerously close to the fire — and the ends of her hair caught fire. Aurora quickly put it out with a spell and said, still trembling with laughter:

— Okay… maybe that dare was a bit much.

— Nonsense — Severus said, wiping a tear from his eye. — She already paid her debt just with the show.

Wilkes was on the ground, laughing on his back. Mulciber was crying with laughter. Aurora, still grinning, was setting up the next round.

Charity was trying to drink and laugh at the same time — failing miserably.

In the next round, everyone was steady, serious, focused.

Another shot. Another sip.

Mulciber cracked. Just the tiniest wince — a twitch at the corner of his mouth — but it was enough.

Avery jumped up like he’d scored a Quidditch goal.
— I got it! I know the dare!

Everyone turned. Severus raised an eyebrow, curious. Aurora crossed her arms.
— What is it?

Avery pointed as if delivering a prophecy:
— Mulciber has to French kiss Snape.

The world froze for a second.

Charity let out a “OH MY GOD” and choked on her drink.
Wilkes fell off the rock he was sitting on from laughing.
Aurora’s eyes went wide and she howled with laughter.

Severus… stayed completely still.

On the other side of the clearing, behind a tree, under the invisibility cloak, James Potter nearly dropped dead.

WHAT?
WHAAAAT?!

Severus still hadn’t said anything. Mulciber seemed to be processing it too.

James, wide-eyed, felt his stomach twist.
This cannot be happening.
This is not happening.

Severus turned red instantly, trying to laugh it off — but it was clearly out of nerves. Avery, with that mischievous grin and the slurred voice of someone who’d had way too much to drink, went on:

— I always knew this day would come. Ever since third year, when you two said that if you ever dated a guy, it’d be each other.

The clearing exploded in laughter. Mulciber looked at Severus with the same teasing grin — but there was something curious in his eyes.
Severus stood still, hands in his pockets, unable to meet his gaze.

Aurora crossed her arms and said firmly,
— This is a great challenge. Come on, boys. We don’t have all night.

Charity could barely hold back her laughter.
Wilkes added:
— Come on already. And just to be clear: it’s a French kiss. With tongue, got it?

Severus lowered his head, avoiding everyone’s gaze—especially Mulciber’s, who was now slowly approaching, still smirking.

James, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, felt his stomach churn. A cold shiver ran up his spine. His muscles tensed. He could barely breathe.

Mulciber was already very close.

Severus still hadn’t moved.

James whispered, almost soundlessly, through clenched teeth:

— Incendius.

A burst of flame erupted just a few meters from the group—tall, sudden, and far too alive to be natural.

— SHIT! — Wilkes shouted, jumping back.

The group panicked. Everyone tried to put out the fire with their hands or by tossing the remains of their drinks, but they were far too drunk to do anything effective. Screams, stumbling, breaking bottles.

Severus turned immediately, his eyes going straight to where James was hiding. His gaze narrowed, scanning the air as if sniffing out the invisible presence he somehow sensed.

James held his breath.

But Aurora, as sensible as ever, pulled out her wand and extinguished the flames with a sharp flick.

— That’s enough. It was fun, but now it’s gone too far. Let’s go back. It’s late.

Still laughing, though slightly shaken, the group began to gather their things. James followed them, silent, uneasy.

On the way back to the castle, they dropped Aurora off at the Ravenclaw entrance, then staggered down to Hufflepuff, where they left Charity. She was still giggling, glancing back over her shoulder:

— Tomorrow we need to pick a theme for the party. Masks? I love masks!

The boys waved, laughing, before heading toward the dungeons. But just before going down the stairs, Severus stopped again.

He looked straight into the darkness where James was still hiding.

And smirked.

— Sleep tight, weirdo — he said.

And vanished into the shadows of Slytherin.

James remained still for a few seconds. His face burned. His heart felt tight in his chest.

“Snape or the impostor… kissing someone? I’ll never let that happen.”

With that bitter certainty, James slowly made his way back to Gryffindor Tower.

When he entered the dormitory, he found Sirius and Remus still awake, playing cards.

Sirius grumbled:

— Finally. And you didn’t even invite me to explore, you bastard.

Remus looked up with more interest.

— Where were you, James?

James hesitated. He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to sound casual.

— Just walking around.

Sirius scoffed but didn’t press. Remus raised an eyebrow, suspicious, but didn’t say anything either.

James threw himself onto the bed, pulled the blanket up to his waist, but didn’t extinguish the light from his wand. He slowly took out the Marauder’s Map, spreading it across the sheets. Touched his wand to it and whispered:

— I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

The map unfolded with its dancing lines. His eyes went straight to the dungeons.

The dot labeled “Severus Snape” was there. Still. Inside the Slytherin dormitory. Thankfully, far from Mulciber. They were in separate beds.

James let out a shaky sigh of relief.

He folded the map carefully and tucked it beneath his pillow before turning onto his side and closing his eyes—though sleep was slow to come.

Deep down, something still felt wrong. Very wrong.

And he wouldn’t rest until he found out what it was.

Severus was stacking boxes at the market, irritated. He thought, bitterly, how much easier everything would be if he could use magic — but there, among Muggles, it was impossible. As he bent down to grab another box, he felt an unwanted touch on his waist. He turned around quickly.

A man, apparently around 48 years old, was smiling in a repulsive way.
— What's your name? — he asked.

Severus replied with evident disgust, which only seemed to please the man even more.

— Can you help me carry some boxes to my car?

Severus sighed, resigned, and nodded.

The man walked out of the market, pointing to where the boxes were. Severus picked one up — heavy — and followed him. The car was parked a little farther away. The man opened the trunk and placed a box inside. Severus did the same.

That’s when he felt his arm being grabbed forcefully. The man pulled him close.

— It’s alright, sweetheart… you’re gonna like it…

A wave of suffocating dread hit him hard. Fear. Disgust. Rising like a black tide.

Severus jolted awake, disoriented, eyes wide, the room steeped in shadows.

"It was just a nightmare," he muttered to himself, trying to believe it.

His breathing was fast. His heart raced. His head throbbed. A knot was tightening in his throat.

The nausea crept up. He staggered to the bathroom, tripping over his own feet. He threw up into the toilet, trembling. When he finished, he rinsed his mouth and lifted his eyes to the mirror.

He looked terrible.

Chapter Text

Severus shoved his hands into his pockets, desperate. He was looking for the medication — but it wasn’t there.

He felt his chest sink.

His breathing started to quicken. That horrible feeling was crawling back, slithering under his skin like a familiar poison.

He ran to the bedroom, tearing through everything in a rush, not caring about the noise. He was getting dizzy.

When he finally found the vial, he yanked the lid off with trembling hands, tossed a few pills into his mouth, and swallowed quickly, barely breathing.

His mind was spinning, out of control. But the effect was almost immediate — warm, chemical, comforting.

Soon, everything felt... right. Stable.

That’s when he noticed Mulciber sitting at the edge of the bed, watching him silently.

Severus looked at him and let out a wry smile.
— Take a picture, it'll last longer.

Mulciber smirked.
— You okay?

Severus chuckled, shoulders relaxing.
— Sorry about that. Guess I made too much noise.

He grabbed his wand from the nightstand and muttered,
— Tempus.

Golden numbers appeared in the air. It was already past eleven.

He sighed.
— Looks like... we missed breakfast.

He walked out of the room slowly, not in the mood to talk. He just wanted silence.

Mulciber stood up and simply said,
— Okay.

Severus stopped in front of the window. Outside, the lake stretched into a dark, silent depth.

He sighed again.

Everything was fine.
At least, for now.

Severus was walking briskly across the grounds, his eyes scanning the area for Barty. He found him near the Quidditch pitch, along with Evan and Regulus, all three tormenting a Hufflepuff student.

He approached silently, his steps firm and cold. Without warning, he raised his wand.

— Expelliarmus!

Barty’s wand flew out of his hand, and he landed on the grass with a surprised thud.

Regulus looked at Severus with a half-smile, trying to smooth things over.

— It was just a stupid joke…

Severus replied with a calm, dangerous smile.

— I know. I’m quite familiar with this kind of joke. In fact… if you find it so funny, how about I make you throw up slugs too? Just like him?

Evan, clearly uncomfortable, raised his hands.

— No, thank you…

Severus then turned to the Hufflepuff, still curled up on the ground, and asked:

— Are you all right?

The third-year student looked at him with irony, his eyes filled with anger and shame.

— Oh, fantastic. Can’t you tell?

Severus just smiled.

— Regulus, Evan, he said firmly, take him to the Hospital Wing. I need to talk to Barty.

Regulus frowned.

— About what, exactly?

— I’ll tell you later. Now go. And remember: no jokes, no teasing, no other crap aimed at the kid. Got it?

Regulus rolled his eyes and muttered:

— You used to be more fun...

Even so, he and Evan obeyed, helping the boy and heading toward the castle.

Severus approached Barty, still on the ground. He gave his leg a light kick.

— Quit being dramatic. Get up.

Barty looked up at him, furious.

— You cursed me!

Severus sat down beside him in the grass, unfazed.

— You were tormenting a third-year, Barty. In a group, like a coward.

His eyes met Barty’s — steady, but with a faint smile.

— And now… I need a favor.

Barty scoffed, incredulous.

— You curse me. Give me a bloody lecture. And now you ask me for a favor?

Severus looked up at the sky, sighed with an ironic half-smile, and replied:

— Exactly.

Severus glanced discreetly over his shoulder. Even though he couldn’t see anyone, he rolled his eyes and said to Barty, with a smirk:

— Let’s go back to the Slytherin common room.

Barty, still annoyed, crossed his arms.

— Why?

Severus narrowed his eyes, scanning the area as if expecting someone to step out from the shadows.

— That psychopath Potter’s been following me since the first day. Like a maniac. He’s convinced I’m some kind of impostor and won’t leave me alone.

Barty looked around skeptically.

— He’s not here.

Severus huffed and started walking.

— That’s what it looks like. But I can feel it... this chill down my spine. I’m sure that lunatic is hiding somewhere, watching me.

Barty let out a short laugh.

— Or maybe you’ve just gone paranoid again.

As they walked toward the castle, Barty suddenly pulled out his wand and shouted:

— Expelliarmus!

Severus was caught off guard and went flying, landing on the ground.

— What the hell, Bartemius?! — he exclaimed, eyes wide.

Barty shrugged, laughing.

— You started it.

Severus summoned his wand back with a spell, and the two of them continued toward the dungeons. Once they reached the Slytherin common room, Severus flopped into an armchair and sighed:

— I need you to find out who the fuck keeps talking shit to Aurora about her hair.

Barty glanced around, taking in the décor of the common room, and commented with irony:

— Why would I do that, if you're not letting us have fun anymore?

Severus rolled his eyes, impatient.

— Look, you're in Ravenclaw. You're closer to her than I am, so I’m sure you know who’s doing it.

Barty flopped onto the couch, relaxing.

— Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t. Depends on what I get out of it.

Severus gave him a sideways smile and asked:

— What do you want?

Barty looked directly at him, a glint in his eye.

— I want you to teach me that cutting spell.

Severus raised an eyebrow, surprised.

— That’s it? Then fine.

Barty smiled, lying back on the sofa, clearly satisfied.

— Frédéric Walter and Will Garden. Two Mudbloods who’ve got this annoying habit of picking on her.

Severus rubbed his face, exasperated.

— Thanks. Super helpful. I’ll show you the spell later.

He stood up, walked to the Slytherin exit, checked both ends of the hallway, and slipped out. The moment he left the common room, that uneasy feeling returned. The prickling at the back of his neck. He glanced behind him — nothing. Still, he quickened his pace, certain he was being followed.

Turning a corner, he spotted Charity.

— Charity! — he called, running up to her. — I know who it is!

She smiled, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

— Then let’s get those sons of bitches.

I had been following Snape for hours. He kept looking over his shoulder, clearly suspicious. Burbage glanced around, and for a moment, it almost looked like she wanted to laugh at the situation. She placed her hand on Snape’s forehead, like checking for a fever, and I heard him say:

— I’m not imagining things. Someone’s following me, and I’m sure it’s that lunatic Potter.

Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the corridor — and, of course, I followed.

The impostor stopped suddenly, looked straight in my direction with narrowed eyes, as if he could see me, and sighed. Then he kept walking, and I crept behind him.

Charity Burbage opened the Hufflepuff common room door and dragged Snape inside. The door closed, and I stood there, staring at it.

Then I pulled out the Marauder’s Map.

That’s when I saw it: they were going upstairs… to the girls’ dormitory.

What is he doing there?

How can he even get in, being a guy? The magic on the stairs should’ve stopped him. Or maybe… maybe that impostor isn’t even a guy at all? Or worse — maybe he found a way to bypass the school’s protections?

I stared at the map.

The names Severus Snape and Charity Burbage were close together, side by side, in the girls' dormitory.

What are they doing?

And who are the “bastards” Burbage mentioned? Me?>

Could this be some kind of revenge plan? Are they plotting something against me? A spell? An attack?

p>

Before I could think any further, I saw Sirius hurrying down the corridor, that classic troublemaking look on his face — tense shoulders, determined eyes.

I looked at the map one more time. Snape was still with Burbage. He was probably going to be in there a while...

I let out a deep sigh and folded the map. Then I went after Sirius.

He’s been acting strange since breakfast. Upset. And an upset Sirius is a dangerous Sirius.

Severus threw himself onto Charity’s bed, arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

— I told you, Charity... It was definitely Muggle-borns who were talking shit about Aurora.

Charity, sitting on the floor and rummaging through her shelf full of vials and papers, huffed:

— Why do they do that? What a disgusting thing... Now Muggle-borns are the first people I actually hate!

Severus let out a low, ironic laugh.

— Well, racial prejudice is pretty common among Muggles. Like... here, pure-bloods hate Muggle-borns and half-bloods, right? Out there, they divide themselves by race, religion, skin color, even accent.

Charity rolled her eyes.

— That’s fucking disgusting. In the end, everyone’s the same.

Then she paused, thought for a second, and her face lit up.

— At least in the Muggle world, you don’t face prejudice, right?

Severus burst out laughing.

— My love... I’m mixed in the Muggle world too! Like, my mother was part Japanese, because of my grandmother. That makes me mixed. Even on my Muggle birth certificate, it says: mixed race.

Charity looked at him with an amused expression.

— Merlin’s tits... You’re obsessed with being mixed!

Severus laughed even harder, rolling around on the bed.

— It’s my trademark.

— Found it! — Charity suddenly shouted, holding up a vial triumphantly.

Severus took the vial from Charity’s hands and smiled even wider.

— One drop of this potion... and those two will regret ever being born.

Charity looked at him, a bit concerned.

— This isn’t going to kill them, right?

Severus shook his head calmly.

— No, of course not. In the right dose, it’ll just give them unbearable itching and a stomachache. Nothing serious.

Charity smiled, relieved, but still curious.

— I wonder why Aurora never said anything?

Severus sighed, still staring at the vial.

— Because she’s too kind. She doesn’t want us — or any of our friends — to get even angrier at the Muggle-borns. I think she keeps it to herself, hoping they’ll stop being purist on their own someday.

Charity shook her head, resigned.

— Yeah... that sounds like her. But... you’re sure it doesn’t cause even a tiny bit of pain?

Severus chuckled and grabbed another vial from the shelf, shaking it gently.

— Well... if we mix this one with the first...

He looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

— ...the effect is even more interesting.

Charity raised an eyebrow, suspicious.

— And what would that effect be, my good sir?

Severus sat up on the bed, excited.

— They’ll stick to each other. Literally. Like... skin fused. And they’ll have such horrible diarrhea they won’t even remember anyone at this school has hair!

Charity burst out laughing.

— Merlin, you’re sick.

— Thank you — Severus replied, with a satisfied little grin.

Severus looked at Charity with a lazy smile and murmured:

— We’ve got a little problem.

Without saying anything else, he lay back down on her bed, his eyes wandering across the ceiling, which looked like an enchanted garden. The walls were decorated in shades of green, pink, and lilac, with floral details on the curtains and pillows — everything there felt soft, delicate.

Charity settled on the mattress beside him, hugging him. She rested her head on Severus’s chest, letting out a soft sigh.

— What’s the problem now? — she asked, her voice low, almost sleepy.

Severus ran his fingers through her blonde curls affectionately, almost absentmindedly.

— Potter. He’s the problem.

Charity laughed, shaking her head against his chest.

— You really think he’s following you?

Severus let out a long sigh.

— It’s not that I think... It’s that I basically gave him permission to follow me. I gave him my schedule, let him know everything. I thought... that he’d ignore it. But he follows me all the time. I can’t even go to the bathroom in peace.

Charity burst out laughing.

— Potter’s always been obsessed with you, darling.

Severus closed his eyes, tired, and murmured:

— I used to think he was obsessed with Lily... not with me.

Charity let out a playful laugh.

— You stopped being friends with Evans at the beginning of fifth year. And after all this time, Potter never went after her. Yet he’s still hunting you down like a lion stalking its prey.

— I need to find a way to give these potions to those idiots... — Severus said, feeling light, squeezing the vial in his hands. — But if Potter keeps following me, my plan’s going to fall apart.

Charity lifted her head from his chest, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

— I’ll give them the potion — she suggested, with a sly little smile.

Severus shook his head, firmly refusing.

— No. I know the exact dosage. It’s better if I do it myself. If I overdo it, things could go bad... But — he suddenly stopped talking and a slow, wicked smile spread across his face — what if we blamed it on Potter?

Charity sat up on the bed, excited.

— That’s a good idea. But how exactly are we going to do that?

Severus stood up with a conspiratorial air and began pacing the room.

— I don’t know yet, my angel. But Potter follows me all the time, right? We just need to set up a situation where he looks like the culprit. He gets detention, and I’m free from that shadow for a few days. Everyone wins.

Charity burst out laughing, giving a soft round of applause for the wickedness of the plan.

That was when the dormitory door creaked open. Pandora walked in and stopped when she saw the scene: Severus standing with that scheming look; Charity sitting on the bed like an accomplice.

— Good afternoon — said Pandora, raising an eyebrow.

— Good afternoon — Severus replied, straightening up with a smile. — I was just leaving. See you later, Charity.

But when he tried to pass by Pandora, she stepped right in front of him, arms crossed and wearing an inquisitive expression.

— What’s the spell you use to get past the girls’ dormitory protections, Snape?

Severus stopped, looked at her with a smile, and answered in a calm voice:

— None. It just... doesn’t work on me.
Pandora wrinkled her nose and made a face, one hand on her hip.

— So how do I join your gang, Snape?

Severus and Charity glanced at each other for a second — and then burst out laughing. Charity fell to the side on the bed, laughing so hard she could barely breathe, while Severus had to brace himself against the nearest piece of furniture, his head down, laughing uncontrollably.

Pandora stood still, crossing her arms, visibly embarrassed with her cheeks flushed.

— I only asked a question — she mumbled, awkwardly.

Severus took a deep breath, trying to pull himself together. He wiped the corners of his eyes with the sleeve of his robe and, still smiling, said:

— Sorry... it’s just that you sounded like we’re an actual criminal gang.

Charity was still giggling under her breath when Severus added:

— Our “gang” has one goal: studying the Dark Arts. To join, you have to like it. Simple as that.

Pandora looked at him more boldly, lifting her chin.

— And who says I couldn’t like it? I could totally be a dark witch.

Severus almost choked trying to hold in his laughter. But Charity didn’t hold back — she burst into a new fit of giggles, covering her mouth with her hand.

Pandora huffed and rolled her eyes, already regretting she’d said anything.

Severus, still with a mocking smile but a trace of fondness in his voice, said:

— Sorry, love. But you’re way too sweet for that. Too innocent to be a dark witch.

Pandora turned her face, trying to hide the sulky smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

— You all underestimate people too much...

Charity raised an eyebrow.

— Only after they ask how to join a secret gang.

Severus straightened up then, feigning solemn seriousness, and crossed his arms over his chest.

— Well… if you really want in, you can. But you'll have to go through an initiation — and prove you have real knowledge.

Pandora lit up instantly, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

— Okay! What’s the initiation?

Charity glanced at Severus with a suspicious little smile. He just winked subtly at her before turning back to Pandora, as if he were about to share top-secret information.

— I’ll give you the full rundown later, alright? For now, start studying the Dark Arts. That’s essential.

Pandora nodded with a determined expression, as if she’d just been recruited for a life-or-death mission.

— You will study. You’ll see!

Severus just gave her a sly smile, clearly pleased with his little performance. He turned and left the room calmly, trying not to trip over anything on the way out. When he reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, he paused for a moment, discreetly peeking down both ends of the corridor.

Nothing.

The hallway was empty. Silent.

Potter, it seemed, had finally given up — or gotten tired of tailing Severus.

Severus sighed in relief and walked off slowly, a wide grin spreading across his face, finding everything he saw suddenly hilarious.

James caught up to Sirius in a few strides, grabbing him by the arm.

— What’s going on, Sirius? What happened to you? — he asked, serious.

Sirius licked his lips and let out a loud, drawn-out laugh. That’s when James noticed: the red eyes, the heavy stench of alcohol in the air.

— Bloody hell, Sirius… — James muttered, frowning. — Have you been drinking?

Sirius laughed even harder.

— Oops! Busted. What now, Mr. Prefect? Gonna give me detention?

James didn’t answer right away — just stared at him with a mix of irritation and concern.

— Why the hell are you drinking at this hour? If a teacher or another prefect catches you, you’re screwed, Sirius.

— Relax, no one saw me — Sirius replied, throwing an arm lazily over James’s shoulders, his grin crooked. — I just came to grab another bottle or two. Nothing serious…

— No. You’re going back to the dorm right now — James said firmly. — Before McGonagall shows up.

Sirius made a face and huffed.

— Nooo… I’m heading to the special cellar to grab something decent. Now step aside, Prongs.

James gripped his wrist tightly.

— I said: we’re going. Now.

Sirius looked at him with a drunken, teasing smile.

— You’ve always been such a bloody control freak, you know that? — he said, letting himself be led. — That’s why Snivellus keeps calling me a dog.

James rolled his eyes and pulled the Invisibility Cloak over the two of them, but Sirius kept rambling:

— You remember, right? Last year? That bastard tossed a bone at me in the corridor! Then he complained that you hadn’t trained me properly. "Useless dog can’t even do a trick," he said… greasy bastard.

James sighed, choosing to ignore the remark, and began guiding him back toward the dorm at a brisk, silent pace.

— Why the hell does that woman like him? — Sirius muttered, stumbling slightly as he climbed the stairs with James’s help. — I mean, I don’t care. Really, I don’t give a damn... But, you know, Prongs? It makes no sense. He’s a half-blood, he’s poor... greasy, weird, and ugly. And I’m very handsome.

James gripped his waist firmly, supporting his weight.

— It doesn’t matter, Sirius. Your mum’s crazy, you know that. Snape — or this fake Snape, whatever the hell he is — just fits her stupid elitist standards. That’s all.

Sirius let out a bitter laugh, his red eyes still glassy and reeking of alcohol.

— You’re right... Snape’s a bloody purist. Just like that bitch.

James merely nodded, picking up the pace and dragging Sirius along the empty corridors.

Severus was walking down the hallway with a goofy smile on his face, his eyes shining as if the whole world had suddenly become funnier. Halfway through, he ran into Aurora and Avery, who were coming from the opposite direction with clearly suspicious expressions.

— Did you... drink? — Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow.

Severus laughed.
— No.

— You’re laughing like a psychopath — Avery muttered, folding his arms.

Severus let out an even louder laugh, the world spinning around him.
— I didn’t drink! I’m just really happy!

He tripped over his own foot. Aurora caught him before he fell, with Avery’s help.

— Ahhh... you guys won’t believe what happened — he said, leaning on them. — Pandora wants to join our gang! You should’ve seen it... she said it like we were mobsters, like dark lords or something!

Severus laughed again, and for a second, everything looked more colorful.

— Are you sure you didn’t drink? — Avery asked. — Did you take something?

Severus looked at him with a sleepy smile.
— What are you, the police?

And burst into laughter again.

Aurora and Avery exchanged glances.

— Let’s take him to the secluded greenhouse — Aurora suggested.

As they walked, Severus kept talking, excited:
— Then I told her: you have to study, because there’s going to be an initiation...

He laughed hard.

— And she believed it!

Aurora stopped abruptly.
— What do you mean you told Pandora there’s a test to join the gang?

Severus nodded, was grinning like he’d just escaped from a circus act. He could barely walk, his eyes gleaming, his steps wobbly.

— Oh, Merlin... — Aurora muttered, rubbing her face. — Now we have to come up with an initiation!

— What? — said Avery. — Severus was just messing with her.

— And what if she tells people there wasn’t an initiation? — Aurora shot back, annoyed. — Then our whole dark wizard reputation goes down the drain, and we’ll look like idiots!

Severus was bent over laughing, barely able to breathe.
— But it was a joke! We’re friends, not a gang! You guys came up with that name to bully me!

Avery laughed too.
— It’s not bullying... it’s because you’re our leader in the dark arts.

Aurora, arms crossed, looked ahead and muttered:
— And what’s gonna happen when Pandora finds out we’re not even dark wizards?

James was sitting on the edge of the bed with the Marauder’s Map open in his hands. His eyes scanned the tiny moving dots until they stopped, fixed on one name.

Severus Snape – Greenhouse 4
Accompanied by Sinistra and Avery.

James clenched his jaw.

— He’s there with them — he muttered to himself.

Beside him, Sirius shifted under the covers, still groggy.
— I found out my mum took Snape and Regulus to the U.S. last summer... — he complained, voice muffled by the pillow. — And I didn’t even know about it.

James didn’t react. His eyes stayed glued to the map, fingers pressing the parchment as if he could crush the dot labeled Severus Snape.

— Pads — he said, jumping to his feet. — Stay here. I... I just need to step out real quick, alright? Just a minute.

Sirius turned his face toward him, eyes tired.
— Do you think my mum would trade me for Snape?

James froze. Took a deep breath. All he wanted was to run. Run to the greenhouse, to that impostor, to anywhere that would make the tight knot in his chest stop twisting.

But instead, he slowly ran a hand through Sirius’s hair — a near-automatic gesture.
— Get some sleep. I’ll be back in a bit.

— Don’t leave the room... — Sirius murmured, already drifting off again.

James didn’t answer.

He grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and the map, and darted out into the corridors, heart pounding in his ears.

Chapter Text

Severus was dizzy, delirious, seeing several bright lights flashing in the shapes of animals. His body felt both heavy and light at the same time. He was laughing like a fool. His hands tingled in a funny way, and he moved them in front of his face as if it were magic, while giggling like an idiot.

In the distance, Avery’s and Aurora’s voices sounded muffled:

— I’ll stay here with him… we have no idea what the hell he took to be this high — Aurora muttered.

Severus looked at her with groggy, enchanted eyes. He staggered toward her and hugged her tight — far too tight.

— You’re so beautiful… so cute… so perfect… I love you! — he declared, before laughing loudly.

Then he let go of Aurora and stumbled toward Avery, tripping over his own feet.

— Ed! Ed, my love! — he called, voice choked with emotion. — Don’t be jealous, okay? You’re handsome too… real handsome… even wearing those glasses that remind me of… you know who…

Avery rolled his eyes.

— Okay. Thanks, Severus. Now sit down here and tell me what you took.

But Severus completely ignored him. He turned back to Aurora, enchanted, and said:

— She’s so cute… why is she so cute?

He grabbed her cheeks with both hands and squeezed hard, laughing like a child fascinated by a stuffed animal.

Severus kept laughing, lying on the bench, staring up at the ceiling, then at his hands, which he was shaking rapidly as if they were covered in invisible sparks.

Aurora glanced at Avery and said:

— One of us has to go find Bruce and Wilhelm to take Severus back to the Slytherin dorms.

Avery looked over at Severus, who was now biting his own hand and grinning like a lunatic.

— They’re at practice for the match, he replied with a sigh.

Aurora groaned in frustration.

— Then we’re gonna have to get him there without any professors or prefects seeing.

Avery walked over to Severus and pulled his hand out of his mouth — it was already starting to bleed.

— What the hell… Aurora exclaimed. — He’s not even feeling pain?

Avery examined the hand and said:

— Apparently not.

Severus looked at him with watery eyes.

— I’m hungry… he said, almost crying, then immediately smiled like nothing had happened.

— Okay, Avery replied with forced patience, but you’re not eating your own hand, got it?

Aurora added:

— Right, we need to get him something to eat. You go, and I’ll stay with him.

Suddenly, Severus jumped to his feet and ran to a corner of the wall, slamming into it hard.

Aurora rushed after him, alarmed:

— Severus, careful!

Severus stopped, staring curiously at the empty air, and murmured:

— It’s Potter… he’s here…

Avery looked around, concerned.

— No, kid. Potter’s not here. You’re hallucinating.

But Severus kept staring at nothing and insisted:

— No, I’m not… that crazy bastard’s here.

Avery left, leaving Severus and Aurora alone in the greenhouse. Aurora watched him, already impatient with his altered state.

— Sev… what did you take to be this happy? — she asked, crossing her arms.

Severus, smiling as he watched the glowing butterflies that only he could see, replied:

— I took happiness. — He laughed, trying to catch one in the air.

Suddenly, he stopped, looked at Aurora, and said:

— I saw you.

Aurora furrowed her brow.
— When?

Severus looked away toward the wall.
— When I was dying… I saw you. I saw Charity, Bruce, Ed… I saw all of you. You saved me. Thank you.

Aurora stepped closer, concerned.
— When was that, Severus?

He lowered his gaze to his hands and murmured:
— My father hates me.

Before she could respond, Severus let out another laugh and ran after the imaginary butterflies.

Aurora followed him with her eyes, feeling the growing weight of the conversation.
— Did your father do something to you, Sevs? Tell me.

Severus stopped, smiled bitterly, and replied:
— I’m a freak… that’s why he hates me. It’s not his fault.

Aurora felt her blood run cold.
— No, Severus. You’re not a freak. You’re perfect. And your father… your father is a monster.

Severus tore off like a rocket, and Aurora sprinted after him, gasping for air.

— Severus! Wait! Stop moving!

He just laughed, arms flailing, and shot out of the greenhouse toward the forest like a maniac.

— The rabbits are talking! The rabbits are talking! he screamed, eyes wide. — This is it! Wonderland’s this way!

— You’re losing it again! Aurora yelled, dodging branches and trying not to trip. — I swear, stop right now or—

But Severus didn’t even hear her. He veered into the trees, bouncing off roots and branches, disappearing into the forest like a wild animal. Aurora tore after him, dodging low branches, sliding over roots… and then he was gone.

She skidded to a halt, hands on her knees, panting, then slapped one hand to her face and groaned:

— Oh, fuck… oh fuckfuckfuck…

James followed Aurora, running after Severus through the forest. The other was sprinting like a madman until, all of a sudden, he stopped, looked up, and broke into a maniacal grin.

— I’m gonna get you, you idiot! he yelled at nothing.

Bloody hell… this fake Snape’s finally lost it, James thought.

He looked back — no sign of Aurora. She must have fallen behind.

Without warning, Severus started climbing a tree. James sighed, shoved the Invisibility Cloak into his robes, and barked:

— Snape! Get down here, now!

Completely ignoring him, Severus kept climbing as if he were hunting something invisible. James cursed under his breath and began climbing after him. Severus was so far gone James couldn’t decide if he should yell, drag him down, or just wait it out.

When James was almost within reach, Severus looked down with a dreamy smile and said:

— Look… four-eyes… a glass bird…

Then he jumped from the top.

— SHIT! James leapt after him, trying to catch him midair.

They crashed through branches, their chaotic descent only slowing when James cast a spell to soften the landing. They rolled across the ground, and James, ready to start yelling, froze when he looked at Severus.

The other was lying in the grass, smiling up at him.

With a gentle motion, Severus touched James’s face as if it were the most curious thing he’d ever seen.

— You… you’re a funny-looking bird.

James closed his eyes as he felt Severus’s touch, his heart racing, almost leaping out of his chest. A moment later, he felt a gentle pressure against his lips. He froze completely, the world around him disappearing, every breath and heartbeat amplified. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked at Severus and felt his stomach churn—Severus’s eyes were glazed over, dull, lifeless.

— Did… did you get high? he asked, voice breaking as he swallowed hard, the question trembling on his lips.

Severus just laughed, standing up and looking around without answering. He took a step but wobbled and fell.

James hurried over, grabbing him by the arm before he could try to run again.

— Come on. — He started walking back to the castle, holding him firmly.

Severus muttered disconnected things about birds and glowing rabbits when Charity appeared in their path.

— Potter — she said firmly — hand over Severus now.

James shot her an annoyed look.
— I just saved that idiot’s life! He’s clearly drugged, and as a prefect, it’s my duty to report this to the professors.

Charity rolled her eyes, ignoring his formality.
— Do that, I don’t care. But Severus isn’t going anywhere with you, you lunatic.

James got heated:
— Did you hear the part where I said I saved him?

Ignoring him, Charity pulled Severus, who hugged her, laughing and touching her face.

— Come on, Severus. You need to eat something, everyone’s looking for you — she said, trying to guide him.

Severus just laughed, trapped in his own world.

— Sit here, Severus, Charity said, pulling him down onto the couch.

Curious eyes turned toward him.

— I saw him take some pills this morning, Bruce blurted out.

— And now you mention it? Aurora shot him a murderous glare.

Bruce shrugged. — Didn’t seem like a big deal.

— What time? Avery leaned forward, looking tired.

— Around eleven-something.

Wilkes, trying to push more food toward Severus, was already losing patience with the constant stream of compliments Severus kept throwing at him.
— So? We wait it out? Give him a potion? Or drag him to Pomfrey?

— Wait, Aurora cut in. — If we give him anything without knowing what he took, it could make it worse. And if we take him to the infirmary… another detention.

Charity’s head snapped up as the thought hit her. — Shit… he’s got detention today.

Silence. They all looked at each other.

Avery ran a hand over his face and said, tired:
— It’s late already. I better go tell them that Severus has a stomachache, that’s why he can’t attend today. Simple.

Aurora took a deep breath, worried:
— Severus said he almost died… and that he saw us. He said we saved his life. He also mentioned his worthless father. I think his father did something to him.

Under the Invisibility Cloak, James held his breath at that.

Bruce raised an eyebrow.
— What do you mean?

Wilkes clenched his fist, furious:
— What the hell… Besides killing Severus’ mother, that disgusting muggle still hurt him . I hate that bastard.

Charity, sitting next to Severus — who now didn’t move, just stared at the ceiling with a distant smile — murmured:
— That must be what happened… Remember? Severus came back different last year. And now… he’s unrecognizable. That could be it.

Bruce helped Severus to his feet.
Severus looked at him and said, with a crooked smile:
— Bloody hell… you’re handsome.

Then he laughed and touched Mulciber’s face, completely enchanted.

— Where are you taking him? — Charity asked, eyes alert.

— To the dormitory. See if he can get some sleep — Bruce said firmly.

Charity nodded silently. James stood frozen, watching Mulciber and Avery carry Severus, each step echoing in his mind. The kiss—not just a peck—Snape kissed his lips. He brought his hand to his mouth, heart racing. Why did Snape kiss him?

Back in the Gryffindor tower, he found Remus sitting on the bed.
— Sirius is out cold — he commented, unaware of the storm James carried inside.

— Must’ve raided the professors’ storage — Peter laughed, thoughtlessly.

James entered, trying to appear normal, but every step felt heavy.
— Where have you been? — Remus asked, curious.

— Investigating — James replied, voice firm, face burning.

— Investigating or following Snape again? — Remus pressed, eyes piercing.

James felt his blood boil. He swallowed hard, trying to stay composed. Then he said, almost in shock:
— You knew Snape’s father killed his mother?

Remus frowned.
— No… — he murmured. — It must be hard, having a father like that.

James sat on the bed, weighed down, feeling every memory of Severus hit his chest.
— Yeah… — he murmured, not knowing what to say.

Peter, curious, leaned forward.
— So that means he’s the real Snape?

James didn’t answer. His mind was trapped on Severus’ touch, his cheek, and the kiss he still felt on his lips.

Severus woke up with a headache, staggered to his feet, and went to the bathroom. It was still dark. Facing himself in the mirror, he muttered under his breath:

— Damn…

Back in the room, he saw Avery already up with his wand in hand.

— Don’t even think about running off again — Avery warned.

Severus raised an eyebrow.

— Why would I run?

Avery stared at him.

— Are you sober?

Severus sighed, exhausted, and sat on the edge of the bed.

— Mate, I don’t get drunk that easily. The ones who got drunk were Wilkes and Charity, not me.

Avery narrowed his eyes.

— Severus… do you know what day it is today?

— Saturday — Severus replied, rubbing his aching forehead, his vision still blurry.

Avery sat down too, letting out a heavy sigh.

— No, for fuck’s sake. Today is Wednesday.

Severus blinked, stunned.

— What?

— Yeah, you heard me. You’ve been high for four days.

Severus ran a hand down his face, incredulous.

— Shit…

— Exactly. Classes have been a disaster. Oh, and you got two more detentions… plus losing fifty points. Everyone wants to kill you.

In the morning. Severus was buttoning his shirt when Bruce asked,
— What the hell did you take to stay high that long? What were those pills?

Severus didn’t look at him.
— Wasn’t the pills. Potion gone wrong… not important.

He stood, clearly done with the subject. Wilkes piped up,
— Oh, by the way, Pandora wants to know when her initiation is.

Severus frowned.
— Her what?

Avery, tying his shoe like it was an act of war, said,
— You told her she could join if she went through an initiation.

— Excuse me? — Severus narrowed his eyes.

Bruce added,
— Yup. And Aurora’s pissed. Good luck.

At breakfast, Severus ignored the stares as he sat down.
— Why is everyone looking at me?

Charity dropped her tray with a loud clack.
— You flooded McGonagall’s classroom. Said you needed an ocean for Moby Dick.

Severus blinked.
— What the f—

Aurora slid into the seat across from him.
— You sober?

Severus, embarrassed,
— Yes.

— Good. Then figure out Pandora’s damn initiation. And make it good.

Charity crossed her arms, staring straight at Severus.
— Do you remember anything else?

Severus frowned, trying to pull up a memory.
— Not much… — he replied slowly. — Nothing too clear. It’s all kind of scrambled in my head.

They left the hall and walked toward the garden. The brightness made Severus close his eyes. Charity took a deep breath and broke the silence.
— We have something to sort out.

Severus glanced up at the cloudy sky, then back at her.
— I know, it’s about Aurora, right? — he said, waiting for confirmation. — By the way, do you have any idea for Pandora’s initiation?

Charity smiled with a hint of amusement, but quickly turned serious.
— No, I don’t. But tell me… do you remember running through the forest?

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to piece things together.
— Parts of it, yes.

She looked at him intently, as if assessing something.
— It was Potter who brought you back. You were fine, at least physically.

A quick glance was cast toward the castle.
— I have to get to class… and please, try not to take anything else today.

Severus nodded, a shadow of determination crossing his face.
— Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that problem.

Now alone, he walked to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, feeling the shock sharpen his mind. How had he spent so many days in such a vulnerable state? It was a miracle he’d only gotten two detentions.

He barely noticed James approaching silently behind him. The boy stopped at the doorway, checked his breath, then stepped inside. He watched Severus splash his face again and again.

Suddenly, James moved forward, shoving Severus against the wall. The impact made Severus lift his gaze, eyes heavy with exhaustion but still sharp.

— Hi, Potter — he said, voice hoarse.

James didn’t look away. His voice came out firm, laced with accusation:
— You sober?

Severus tilted his head, dismissive.
— I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Without letting go of his face, James pressed a bit harder, forcing Severus to look him straight in the eye.
— I know damn well you’ve been high these last few days. I’m not an idiot.

A slow, ironic smile curved Severus’s lips.
— So now I’ve gone from impostor to junkie. Is that an upgrade or not?

James, impatient, raised his wand and pressed it against Severus’s neck.
— This isn’t the time for jokes, Snape.

Severus chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender.
— Okay, okay, relax. Why are you always trying to curse me?

James took a deep breath, struggling to keep calm.
— What have you been taking? Is that why your personality’s changed? Do you remember anything?

Severus took James’s glasses, slowly lifting them, and met his eyes with an unexpected gleam.
— You have beautiful eyes — he said, almost in a whisper.

James stared at him, confused, his heart beating in a strange rhythm.
— What?

Taking advantage of the distraction, Severus discreetly slipped a small vial into James’s pocket.
— If it weren’t for these glasses… — he added with a mischievous smile.

James stared hard at Severus, searching his eyes for any truth.
— Who are you?

Severus gave a dry laugh.
— So, am I back to being an impostor? Or now am I a junkie impostor?

Suddenly, James was yanked back forcefully. Severus smiled and said:
— Thanks, Bruce. But you didn’t have to — Potter and I were just talking.

Bruce, pointing his wand at James, asked Severus:
— Talking about what exactly?

Severus shrugged with a smile.
— Oh, he was asking if I’m sober. I think now he believes I’m a junkie, not an impostor. Or maybe he thinks I’m a junkie impostor.

Severus smiled in satisfaction while James, annoyed, pointed his wand at Mulciber, ready to curse him.

Severus stepped into the bathroom stall, glancing at the others with a restrained smile.
— Look, I need to use the bathroom. Can you wait for me out here? I’m a bit shy.

James rolled his eyes and left the bathroom, visibly irritated.
— I’m going,— Bruce muttered, getting to his feet.

As soon as Severus left the bathroom, he headed straight for the library, seeking out his idiot Ravenclaw targets. He spotted them sitting peacefully, reading and sipping tea.

He lingered there, watching intently, until the boys got up to fetch another book, leaving their tea on the table.

Seizing the opportunity, Severus approached silently and, with quick, practiced hands, slipped two potions into the tea, stirring them in swiftly. Then he moved away at once, keeping a satisfied smile on his lips as he observed from a distance.

Suddenly, a shiver ran down his spine. He turned his head and saw Potter staring at him intently. Severus chuckled under his breath, thinking to himself that everything was going perfectly.

Just then, a distracted Gryffindor girl walked past them.
— Confundus! Severus exclaimed, making a quick flick of his wand.

The girl stumbled and crashed into Potter, who dropped the vial as he fell. It rolled right to Madam Pince’s feet, and she picked it up immediately, reading the label with a severe expression.

At that very moment, the two Ravenclaw boys found themselves stuck together like Siamese twins, screaming as they tried to pull apart.

James stood up, taking in the chaos, just as Madam Pince addressed him in a firm voice:
— Mr. Potter, what is this?

James replied irritably:
— It’s not mine!

Madam Pince crossed her arms, her gaze hard.
— You are in very serious trouble, Mr. Potter.

From across the room, Severus pretended to be reading a book, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

Severus tried to sneak away quietly, but was stopped by a firm voice:
— Mr. Snape, Mr. Potter will be serving detention with you.

He turned, frowning.
— Detention?

Madam Pince sighed, as if she were already tired just from looking at him.
— Don’t give me that innocent face. You’ll be showing Mr. Potter what to do.

Severus arched a brow, incredulous.
— Madam Pince… I forgot. Could you remind me what I’m supposed to do? And… why exactly am I in detention?

— You mean you don’t remember? — she shot back, already impatient. — Transfiguring the first-years’ book to scare them.

Severus glanced to the side, feigning embarrassment.
— I’m sorry… I was just joking.

James, still keeping his hawk-like eyes fixed on the vial, burst out:
— Madam Pince, this is Snape’s doing!

Severus widened his eyes like the most innocent creature in Hogwarts.
— What? You know this guy never leaves me alone! And now he’s accusing me?

— That’s not true! — James shot back, outraged. — He’s the one who’s always bothering me!

— Me? — Severus gave a short laugh. — You’re the one who follows me around like a lunatic.

— Enough! — Madam Pince cut in, her voice like the snap of a book slamming shut. — Someone take these two to the infirmary. And you two… you’re in detention. You’ll organize the full list of students since 1900.

James blinked, incredulous.
— WHAT?!

Severus sat next to Aurora in Runes class, already muttering under his breath.
— I can’t believe I’m stuck in detention with that idiot Potter…

Aurora smiled, looking at him with an amused expression.
— It’s a shame, but at least he did a good deed, right?

Severus returned the smile, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
— I guess he gets it right sometimes. You should’ve seen them—those two came storming out of the library, terrified.

Aurora’s eyes went wide, hand covering her mouth in surprise.
— They… got scared?!

Severus nodded, chuckling quietly.
— Yep.

Then he grew serious for a moment and asked:
— Aurora, can you give me a summary of everything I did these past four days?

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
— I can… as soon as you tell me what you took.

Severus glanced aside, yawning lazily.
— I already know what Pandora’s initiation is going to be.

Aurora rolled her eyes, smiling like she’d expected that answer.
— So you’re really going to dodge the question, huh?

Severus grinned at her confidently.
— We’ll meet in the Slytherin common room tonight. By the way, you look stunning.

Aurora smiled, a little flushed.
— It’ll take me a while to get used to your constant flattery.

Severus laughed, looking at her.
— I’m not serious, you look even more beautiful with your hair down.

At that moment, James entered the classroom, staring directly at Severus and Aurora. She shot him a wary glance.
— I thought Potter had Muggle Studies at this time.

Severus shrugged, unconcerned.
— At this point, nothing surprises me… this guy’s completely insane.

Severus looked at everyone and said:
— Well, as you all know, we’re gathered today to plan an initiation for Pandora. I was thinking of a little prank in the Forbidden Forest.

Severus handed a scroll to Charity.
— Give this to Pandora.

Charity, sitting and eating a cookie, commented:
— Are you serious? You’re really going to do this?

Aurora, serious, said:
— He has to do it.

Avery asked:
— So… what kind of prank?

Severus replied:
— I’ll tell her to fetch the dryad’s cloak. She won’t have the courage… she’ll get scared.

Wilkes, who had been quietly watching, asked:
— Okay, but what if she doesn’t get scared?

— If she doesn’t get scared, we’ll keep going, Severus said. — And we need to find out why she wants to join the gang.

Charity added:
— Pandora told me she wants to learn new spells.

Aurora, flipping through the book, questioned:
— Then why doesn’t she study?

— She said Severus invents his own spells. That’s what’s fun about it.

Severus laughed and said:
— So that’s it, purely for knowledge.

Bruce commented:
— Now Severus is going to get even more full of himself.

Wilkes sighed:
— Sometimes I miss the old Severus, the one who could barely talk to anyone. This version just shows off because he thinks he’s clever.

Severus smiled, amused:
— I’m not clever. I’m a genius, a prodigy. I am above the clever.

Chapter Text

James, Marauder’s Map spread out before him, stared unblinking at the tiny ink dot marked Severus Snape moving around the Slytherin common room with his friends.

Sirius rolled his eyes, exasperated.
— You’re obsessed.

James huffed, not looking up.
— You saw it the other night. He was drugged, I don’t even know how the professors missed it. And today… today I think he snapped out of it. But it’s not the real Snape. It’s a fake.

Sirius stood, snatched the Invisibility Cloak.

James shot him a look.
— I’m going to need that.

Sirius scoffed, waving him off with disdain.
— I’ll be quick. Then you can go back to stalking Snivellus.

James watched him leave, then returned his focus to the map. Just then, Remus walked into the dormitory, pausing at the strange scene.

— What’s wrong with Sirius? he asked, then gave James a pointed look. — Again, James?

James let out a shaky sigh.
— I don’t know… Sirius is always pissed off, but I’ve got this feeling. That Snape is planning something. Just today he managed to pin something on me and I ended up in detention.

James flushed, his voice faltering as he added:
— And… Snape said my eyes are… beautiful. Without glasses.

Remus blinked, frowning.
— What?

James finally looked up, dead serious, no trace of a joke.
— That’s exactly what he said.

Remus burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.
— Snape? Severus Snape said you had beautiful eyes?

But his laughter died when he realized James wasn’t laughing with him. James’s gaze was fixed, heavy, serious.
— Exactly, James said firmly.

Remus swallowed back the laughter, shaking his head in disbelief.
— Well then. That’s it. Proof absolute this isn’t the real Snape.

James ran a hand through his hair, agitated, as if trying to rip the thought out of his skull.
— It’s not funny, Remus! He said that, he took my glasses and… He stopped, swallowing hard, his breath faltering. — He kissed me.

The world froze for a moment. Remus went rigid, eyes wide, body stiff. Then he sucked in a breath sharply, like he’d been punched.
— What did you just say?… Severus Snape kissed you? His voice was louder than he intended. — And what did you do? Tell me everything, James. Now.

James flushed, torn between shame and anxiety.
— You remember that day when he was completely out of his mind, running through the Forbidden Forest? That’s when it happened. He kissed me.

Remus dropped into the nearest chair, stunned.
— Are you sure you weren’t hallucinating too?

James stepped forward nervously and slammed the Map down on the table.
— I’m sure!

Remus met his eyes, gaze sharp now, almost accusing.
— You didn’t… you didn’t do anything else with him, did you? Because if he wasn’t conscious, James, that could be considered… you know.

James spun around, wounded by the suspicion, his voice burning with indignation.
— I didn’t do anything with Snape! I swear! I just want the truth! Do you really think I’d be capable of that? That I’m that awful?

The silence fell heavy between them. Remus looked away, expression thoughtful, guilt mingling with exhaustion. Then he murmured quietly:
— We’ve done bad things to him. That’s true. But it doesn’t mean we’re bad people. There’s still time to change, James. You can start by leaving Snape alone.

James didn’t answer.

Severus narrowed his eyes at Pandora, his expression a mix of caution and disbelief.
— Are you sure you want to do this? His voice was low, but heavy enough to cut through the silence. — You can still back out.

Pandora, resolute, crossed her arms and lifted her chin with an almost defiant smile.
— I’m going. Just grab the dryad’s cloak, right?

Severus gave a slow nod, then glanced at Charity. She was shifting nervously, biting her lower lip as if trying to hide her anxiety. Beside her, Aurora kept her eyes on the dark line of the forest, where the shadows stretched with the approaching night.

— It’s getting dark fast, she commented, her voice tense. — You’d better be quick.

Severus turned back to Pandora, more serious now.
— Dryads are peaceful creatures, he explained, each word loaded with warning. — They don’t attack without reason… but if they feel threatened, they won’t hesitate.

He stepped forward, as if trying to imprint the next instructions in her mind.
— You just need to grab the ceremonial cloak and return. Fast. We’ll be nearby. Got it?

Pandora took a deep breath and stepped into the woods. The air seemed to change the moment she crossed the shadowed line—thicker, heavy with moisture, and carrying a sweet scent that didn’t come from any visible flower.

The ground was covered in dry leaves that crunched beneath her boots, but strangely, the sound didn’t seem to carry—it was as if the forest itself swallowed it.

She glanced over her shoulder one last time. Severus stood motionless, arms crossed, eyes alert to every movement. Charity and Avery also watched her, tense, as if any unusual sound could signal danger.

A branch snapped to her right. Pandora spun around, heart racing, but there was nothing—just an ancient tree, its trunk twisted and moss dripping from its roots. Still, the feeling of being watched grew stronger.

The light filtering through the canopy grew scarce. With each step, the greenery closed in tighter around her, as if the forest itself were shaping to hide her from the outside world.

Suddenly, a cold gust of wind brushed her neck, accompanied by a soft sound, almost a whisper. The words were indecipherable, but the tone seemed filled with curiosity… and warning.

Pandora swallowed hard.

Pandora followed the sound of the stream, just as Snape had instructed, until she reached the hollow-trunked tree. She entered silently, wand held firmly in hand, and spotted several cloaks stored inside. She approached cautiously and grabbed one—but at that exact moment, a snap of branches shattered the forest’s silence.

Startled, Pandora rushed out of the tree. Outside, a dryad watched her with a curious and suspicious gaze. Instinctively, Pandora tried to hide the cloak behind her and began to back away slowly. But she tripped, falling to the ground.

Then she realized: the tree’s roots were moving around her, as if the forest itself were breathing, alive. Her heart raced. Pandora took a deep breath, forcing herself to get up and retreat step by step.

The dryad, however, lunged as soon as it saw the cloak in her hands. Pandora raised her wand and shouted:
— Depulso!

The spell struck the creature, sending it flying backward. Wasting no time, Pandora ran at full speed. But soon, she heard more footsteps, more whispers among the leaves. She glanced over her shoulder—now several dryads were chasing her.

Severus saw Pandora emerge from the trees, sprinting full speed, with the dryads close behind. A satisfied smile formed on his lips as he noticed one of them about to reach her.

— Expelliarmus! — he shouted, and the red beam of light struck directly, sending several of the creatures flying backward.

Pandora paused just long enough to raise the cloak above her head, her eyes shining with pride.

— I did it! — she gasped.

Severus returned the smile but kept a practical tone:
— Good. Let’s head back.

The sound of snapping branches announced that the chase wasn’t over yet. The dryads got back up, furious, resuming the pursuit. Severus quickly snatched the cloak from Pandora’s hands.

— Run to the castle. I’ll meet you there. — His voice was firm, but a glint of amusement shone in his eyes.

Without hesitation, Pandora dashed toward the lights of the castle. Severus, on the other hand, ran into the heart of the forest, drawing the creatures away from her. The smile was still on his face—until he collided with someone.

— What the… — he started, looking incredulous. — Damn, where did you come from?

James stood before him, wand already raised.
— Depulso! — he commanded, and a dryad was hurled into a tree trunk, vanishing into the shadows.

Severus froze for a second, staring at him, the shock clear on his face.

The echo of James’s spell still vibrated through the forest as he turned to Severus, eyes narrowed.
— What the hell did you do, Snape?

Severus adjusted the folded cloak under his arm, breathing fast but keeping his composure.
— Nothing much, just enjoying the forest.

James took a step forward, ignoring the sound of the dryads approaching again.
— Don’t play dumb. Why are half a dozen dryads trying to rip your head off?

— I don’t know, maybe they just don’t like me — Severus replied, with a half-provocative smile. — And now, if you don’t want to find out what it’s like to be strangled by living roots, you better run.

Before James could retort, a thick branch moved like a snake, whipping through the air between them.

Severus dashed toward a cabin, and James didn’t hesitate for a second before following him. They both entered almost at the same time, and Severus slammed the door shut, as if he wanted to lock the world outside. The sound echoed through the small space. He tried to control his breathing, shoulders rising and falling rapidly.

James positioned himself beside him, helping keep the door closed. They were extremely close… dangerously close.

Severus suddenly turned and found himself facing James’s arms braced against the door, one on each side of his body, unintentionally pinning him. James was breathing fast; his heart seemed ready to burst from his chest. His gaze fell on Severus’s lips and edged closer, centimeter by centimeter.

Before their lips could meet, Severus murmured something too softly to understand. James stepped back slightly, hesitating:
— Do I have bad breath?

Severus looked at him, tense.
— Your heart… it’s beating fast. I… can hear it.

There was something in his tone that made James, almost without thinking, grab Severus’s face and force him to look. The world seemed to shrink into those dark, intense, expressive eyes. James felt his heart race even faster.

— Th… those are your real eyes — he murmured, confused. — Snape… you’re you again.

Severus shoved him away sharply, looking away.
— Don’t annoy me, Potter. You’re annoying me with that talk.

James stepped closer again, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and relief.
— I’ve wanted to see your eyes for months… How is this possible? I don’t understand.

Severus rolled his eyes, his hand trembling slightly. He clenched it into a fist, gripping tightly to restrain himself, and cast a quick glance toward the window.
— The dryads have left. I’m leaving now.

Severus left the cabin without looking back, soon hearing the sound of the dryads echoing closer and closer. James suddenly pulled him behind a thick tree, trying to use the shadow as cover. Darkness had already swallowed the forest, and branches moved like tentacles, trying to grab them.

Severus wrenched free and dashed toward the castle. Upon spotting it, he let out a sigh of relief — but when he turned, he saw Potter being entangled by twisting roots and branches.

— Stupefy! — he shouted, and the branches released James.

Severus ran back, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him without ceremony. They reached the castle laughing, still out of breath, their blood pumping from adrenaline.

— Seriously, Potter? — Severus said, raising an eyebrow. — Hiding behind a tree to escape dryads?

James adjusted his glasses with a quick gesture.
— You managed to make peaceful creatures want to kill us.

Severus let out a short laugh.
— It’s a natural gift… everyone always wants to kill me.

James swallowed hard, looking away.
— You’re exaggerating.

Severus stared at him while putting the cloak away.
— Am I?

James quickly changed the subject:
— Why were they chasing you?

Severus raised an eyebrow.
— I thought you knew… after all, you’re always following me.

— I’m just looking out for Hogwarts’ safety — James retorted, irritated.

Severus let out a short laugh.
— Going to start with that line again? Look, you can follow me all you want… I just ask for some privacy in the bathroom.

— I’m not following you to the bathroom! — James retorted, visibly irritated.

Severus laughed, sarcastically.
— That’s not what it looked like today.

Before James could respond, a flock of birds suddenly took flight, cutting across the orange sky. The sunset cast a golden glow over Severus’ pale face, and he got distracted, watching them drift away, almost in a trance.

Annoyed, James stepped forward, blocking his view.
— Didn’t your parents teach you manners? — he said, irritation evident.

Severus let out a brief laugh.
— Well, my mother died when I was twelve… and my father’s in prison. I don’t think he was very well-mannered.

James felt his stomach drop.
— I didn’t mean… look, I’m sorry. I heard… about your father killing your mother and…

Severus stared at him, confused.
— Where did you get the idea that my father killed my mother?

James hesitated, awkwardly.
— I… heard it.

Severus let out a humorless laugh, clenching his fist; his hand was shaking badly.
— Doesn’t matter. — he said, walking away slowly.

James, still watching him, asked:
— So why are you like this? Why have you changed so much?

Severus turned his face, avoiding his gaze.
— My change really bothers you, doesn’t it?

Severus ran a hand over his face once more, feeling the effects of the potion weakening. His vision still blurry, he turned around as if trying to escape, clenching his fists to stay steady. He needed another dose urgently to regain full control.

James, however, wouldn’t let him. He grabbed Severus from behind, firmly.
— I just want to know the truth… what happened? — his voice mixed concern with impatience.

Severus took a deep breath, shoulders tense.
— Nothing happened, Potter, — he said almost in a whisper. — People just change… that’s life.

He tried to pull his arm away, but his head throbbed, and the world seemed too loud again. James, stubborn, didn’t back down.
— Why do your eyes look like that? — he insisted, his voice heavy with confusion and frustration.

Severus stared at him, dark eyes flashing with irritation.
— Forget my damn eyes and go mind your own life! — he snapped, his patience running out.

James stepped even closer, firm and determined.
— Just a moment ago you seemed normal… and now you’re not. What are you, Severus? What’s going on?

Without thinking, James grabbed his arm tightly. Severus rolled his eyes, exasperated.
— Potter, nothing’s wrong! — he yelled, nearly swallowing his anger and exhaustion — It’s all in your head! You need to stop with this madness!

When he saw Professor Sprouse approaching, Severus didn’t hesitate: he jerked his arm away in a swift motion, stepping back from James, teeth clenched, breathing heavy.

Professor Sprouse called him, and Severus followed without looking back. Each step felt heavy, his body slightly trembling. Upon entering the greenhouse, he took a deep breath, trying to maintain composure. His hands trembled almost imperceptibly, but he clenched his fists tightly, as if he could control everything through sheer self-discipline.

“Does she know?” — the thought cut through his mind like a sharp spell.
“Did she notice that I took those mandrake leaves for the experimental potion? No… no one saw, no one could possibly know…”

Severus blinked several times, feeling his vision blur, as if the warm air of the greenhouse were suffocating him. “Calm down… I’m behaving properly. I’m practically a model student. The smartest in the class. There’s no reason to suspect anything.”

He forced a polite smile and stepped in, lifting his chin, trying to appear completely in control.
— What’s the matter, Professor Sprouse? — he asked, his voice low but clear, almost gentle.

The professor looked at him with bright, welcoming eyes, and in that moment, relief washed over Severus’s chest. She didn’t know. She suspected nothing. Everything was fine. At least for now.

Sprouse adjusted her glasses, smiling.
— Severus, do you remember that last year you asked to help in the greenhouse?

He nodded slowly, recalling the real reason behind that request. At the time, the desire for unrestricted access to all those ingredients had been almost an obsession. He quickly thought of how to respond without revealing anything.

With a controlled smile, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his neck, he murmured:
— I… offer myself again. I want to… further my knowledge. — He paused briefly, his mind calculating each word. — After all, my goal is to become a master of Potions… and to do that, I need to understand Herbology deeply.

Sprouse’s eyes sparkled even more, and she seemed genuinely excited.
— Perfect, Severus! If you want, you can start this year. It will be wonderful for your development. After all, in the seventh year, it will be your last chance to gain this practical experience.

Severus nodded, but inside, his heart raced, blood pounding in his ears. Part of him was relieved… but another part knew he was treading dangerous ground. Access to the greenhouse could be useful for his secret experiments — but it also meant that any misstep could be costly.

He smiled discreetly, trying to hide his anxiety, and simply replied:
— Then… I accept.

But as he said it, a single sentence echoed in his mind:

“I cannot make mistakes. Not now.”

Upon entering the Great Hall, Severus noticed Pandora sitting at the Slytherin table. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he approached and settled beside Bruce and Wilkes.

Bruce was the first to speak, excitedly:
— We’re planning a welcome party for Pandora.

Severus chuckled softly, a low, restrained sound, and said:
— That’s great.

Aurora looked at him with a mix of disapproval and concern:
— You’re forbidden from drinking or doing drugs, Severus.

He stared at her, indignant, one eyebrow raised:
— I’m not a druggie! It was an accident, Aurora.

Pandora, distracted, lifted her eyes curiously and asked:
— What are you talking about?

Severus smiled, that subtle, ironic tone he always carried, and replied:
— Nothing, just some meaningless nonsense.

Charity laughed quietly, amused, while Avery added:
— The party will be Friday night.

***

The History of Magic class dragged on amid the stifling heat of the classroom and Professor Bills’s sluggish voice, who that day was unusually excited about a surprisingly fascinating topic: birds and their importance to witches and wizards — and even to Muggles.

— Owls, as you know, are fundamental for communication in our world. But Muggles have also developed similar methods. They used carrier pigeons to send messages, can you believe it? — he said, with a nostalgic smile. — These birds have been domesticated over centuries. However, there are birds that have never been domesticated… although some have been trained. Can anyone tell me which ones?

Severus raised his hand immediately, wearing the usual calm smile he used whenever he was certain of the answer.

— Birds of prey, — he said.

— Exactly, Snape, — Bills replied, animated. — Birds like falcons, hawks, and eagles have been trained, but their species have never been domesticated. Can someone explain the difference between a domesticated animal and a merely trained one?

Severus raised his hand again before anyone else could respond.

— Domesticated animals go through an evolutionary and genetic process over many generations. This changes the species’ behavior as a whole, making it more docile and suitable for human companionship. Training, on the other hand, is individual — the trained animal’s behavior is not inherited by its offspring, which must be taught from scratch.

The professor beamed widely.

— Excellent, Snape. Fifteen points to Slytherin.

Severus chuckled, satisfied, while a few heads turned toward him with sidelong glances — especially a pair of brown eyes belonging to James Potter, who rolled his eyes in disgust.

Damn show-off nerd.

— Now, — Professor Bills continued — there are also animals that can be neither trained nor domesticated. Can anyone name a few?

Severus raised his hand for the third time, and James ground his teeth impatiently.

— Some examples from the natural world would be hippos, sharks, and the Tasmanian devil, — Snape replied. — In the magical world, I can mention the Roc, the Garuda, the Ziz… and, of course, the phoenix.

The professor nodded enthusiastically.

— Excellent! These creatures can never be tamed. Not even the phoenix can be truly controlled.

— Professor Dumbledore has a phoenix in a cage in his office, — James muttered, unable to hide the sarcasm.

Severus calmly turned to him, a lazy smile on his lips:

— It’s there because it wants to be, Potter. Not because Dumbledore forced it.

— Exactly, Snape, — Bills reinforced. — The headmaster’s phoenix has a special bond with him. But that’s the exception, not the rule.

Severus gazed out the window, momentarily distracted.

— I think birds are incredible. Most of them can fly far away, whenever they want. It’s… a dream.

James watched him, expression dark, and in a cold tone replied:

— If a human really wants to trap any of these animals, they can.

Severus turned his face slowly, eyes half-closed and mocking.

— Potter… not every creature was made to be domesticated or trained. The beauty of some lies exactly in that: in being free.

James leaned back in his chair and stared at the board with disdain.

— I’m just saying that if a human truly wants it, they can. My grandfather always said, “Nature doesn’t matter. What matters is perseverance.”

Severus arched an eyebrow, teasing:

— I doubt it. Sometimes, what matters is nature.

James smiled, but the light in his eyes held no humor.

— Dragons are colossal. They breathe fire. And yet, they’re still confined in Romania.

Severus stared at him with a mix of disdain and curiosity.

— What’s your point?

James leaned in slightly, his voice low, threatening:

— That anything can be trapped. And domesticated.

Severus held his gaze as he heard the last phrase:

— Even you.

The silence that followed was heavier than any spell. Even Professor Bills noticed that something was happening between them. But, as always, he chose not to interfere.

Severus frowned at James’s words, but soon let out a muffled, almost ironic laugh.

— Well, Potter… I completely disagree with that mindset of yours. People — and some creatures — will never be domesticated. The very idea is absurd.

James turned slowly, his eyes heavy with frustration.

— Of course it’s an absurd idea. Yet, even if immoral… it’s true.

Severus shifted his gaze to the window, where a group of birds cut through the gray Hogwarts sky. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

— The greatest prison is our own mind, — he murmured. — No human being can be domesticated, Potter. We are thinking creatures. The closest that has ever happened — and has happened among Muggles — was slavery. One of humanity’s greatest crimes. Or even the Holocaust. Something frighteningly close to your… disgusting thinking.

James clenched his fists on the desk, replying with barely disguised irritation:

— Look, Snape… I don’t agree with those ideas. Quite the opposite. In fact, I’m surprised you’d present yourself as a defender of freedom, given your pure-blood history.

Severus turned slowly, staring at James with mockery.

— Potter, I’m not going to waste my time explaining myself to you. It would be a waste.

— You have no explanation, — James shot back, his tone venomous. — You’re just a bloody purist.

But Severus merely smiled.

— I never said that people can be domesticated.

The silence in the classroom thickened. Some students around pretended to copy notes, but their eyes were fixed on the two of them.

Professor Binns, floating in the middle of the classroom with his perpetually distant expression, surprised the class by interrupting:

— The idea of enslaving any people or person is, without a doubt, wrong. And you are right, Snape… The greatest prison is our mind. And the best way to keep someone trapped… is to make them believe they are free.

James ran a nervous hand through his hair, turning his face forward, rage contained.

— Doesn’t matter, — he muttered.

Severus smiled faintly, looking at Professor Binns with the air of someone about to give a small side lesson.

— About three years ago, there was a bank robbery in Sweden, — he began, his voice measured and confident. — The robbers held four hostages for six days. The curious thing is that, over time, the hostages began to show empathy toward the kidnappers. They even protected them and later refused to testify against them.

Some students turned in their seats. The topic seemed, in fact, more interesting than most of Binns’s lessons.

— Psychiatrists and psychologists called this Stockholm Syndrome, — Severus cast a direct, meaningful glance at James. — I believe this is what Potter meant by “domesticating.”

James kept his eyes fixed on him, tense, not looking away.

— But — Severus continued — this has nothing to do with natural obedience. It’s a survival response. When someone lives under constant threat, even the smallest gesture of kindness can seem like salvation.

Professor Binns scratched his ghostly chin, impressed.

— I didn’t know about that… Very interesting, Snape.

Severus nodded soberly.

— It’s a recent phenomenon. It happened not long ago. Some professionals consider it a pathology, although the World Health Organization has not yet officially recognized it.

James then leaned forward, a half-ironic smile on his face.

— So you’re admitting that even people can be trained?

Severus rolled his eyes with visible impatience.

— Potter, don’t be foolish. That’s not training, it’s brainwashing.

— Now it’s brainwashing? — James raised an eyebrow, dripping with irony. — I thought it was Stockholm Syndrome.

Severus looked back at him, his voice calm but thick with condescension.
— Potter, although I believe the two have much in common, Stockholm Syndrome comes from within the person… you know, the mind trying to protect itself. Brainwashing, on the other hand, requires placing someone in a controlled environment — controlling the information, isolating the person, manipulating everything. It’s total manipulation. — He tilted his head, a cynical smile appearing on his lips. — But, anyway, my apologies… I know you have a certain intellectual difficulty.

James suddenly stood up, angry, throwing his wand onto the desk. He just wanted to wipe that cynical smile off Severus’s face with a punch.

Severus didn’t move; on the contrary, his smile widened at the reaction.

Professor Binns stepped between them.
— Sit down, Potter.

James took a deep, irritated breath.
— That greasy bastard is acting like he’s better than everyone else or smarter again.

Severus raised his eyebrows and, in a falsely polite tone, said:
— Oh, forgive me, Potter… I didn’t mean to insult your limited intellect.

James arrived at the Quidditch pitch, practically breathing fire, still irritated with Snape, who seemed more unpredictable by the day. He ruffled his hair angrily while Sirius watched, curious:
— What happened now?

— That greasy bastard made me look like an idiot in front of everyone in class! — James exploded.

Remus, who was at the pitch just to watch his friends play, frowned:
— I thought you were going to leave Snape alone.

James looked at him, indignant:
— Did you hear me? He started it, I was fine!

— You were the one who swapped your classes just to keep an eye on Snape, — Remus reminded him.

Peter, distracted while eating a sweet, commented:
— So, Seeker? Learned anything new?

James clenched his jaw, irritation clear:
— No… I’m just more confused about that idiot’s behavior.

— Then why don’t you pretend to be friends with Snivellus? — Peter suggested, his usual mischievous tone in place.

James looked at him incredulously, making a grimace:
— Are you insane, tail?

Sirius, raising an eyebrow, added:
— No… wait, he’s right. That way you’d get closer to him and could learn more about him.

James adjusted his glasses, reluctantly:
— Snape’s not that stupid.

— I think this new personality of his is easier to fool, — Peter said, biting his sweet. — As the saying goes: keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.