Chapter Text
Severina has a lot of things to do today. First, she has to nag Elena Greengrass to go and get the ingredients from the Twilight apothecary. Then She has to figure out a gift for Cissa, not only for her upcoming baby shower but also for her birthday. Narcissa is her best- and only- friend. She had stayed the last summer in her cottage when even Lucius did not know about.
As much as she wants to forget about last summer, she can’t. her mother had died last year, meaning she had to suffer Tobias doubly. With no Lily Evans to escape when things got bad, she was forced to remain where she was, even if Tobias was nastier than usual. She was so lucky Narcissa decided to send her elf to get her, suspecting things were worse than she told her.
So she had happily stayed at the sunny little cottage, where Cissa came when she could and they talked about anything and everything. It helped her a lot, to just cry and scream and be heard. She was not that angry at the world now.
She decided to brew a new potion she heard of, a Spanish potion master came up with. It was supposed to help people conceive, but was super expensive and the brewing itself was hard. Cissa was thrilled. She accepted all expenses, even if it did not work.
It worked, obviously. When Cissa hugged her and told her that she was with child after 5 long years, her tears were not just because of hormones as she said. She was happy. Severina had to deliver another bunch near the end of pregnancy, but she insisted to make it in advance. Who knew, maybe the batch would be ruined and she did not want to mess with Cissa or the life of an infant. She wanted to have time to brew another batch if it ruined.
The problem? She was in school, the ingredients were only delivered to a super high-class shop located in the upper district, where no half-blood or muggle-born were allowed. It was private property and neither ministry nor Dumbledore had a say in the matter. She was so busy this term she had not even given a thought about Lily, or their fallout. Even that one time that Black wanted to trick her into going to the shack at full moon, she had used her tact, an incredibly powerful invisibility spell, and followed him. She found out they were all animagi and Lupin was a werewolf. She had used it as blackmail material and got them out of her back. She had finally a peaceful term with no pranks.
It hurt her a lot that even a werewolf was allowed to have friends and kindness. It hurt her that Lily chose a bully over her friend of 7 years, that she was cursed because of her looks. Because she was a nobody who non cared about.
But she had to simply go on. At least Cissa had her back, and told her she would sponsor her apprenticeship if the child was healthy. Severina was confident the potion would work, so No need to go crawl to the said dark lord. As she had worked her ass all summer, brewing the potion and some orders from saint mungo, she had saved up a little. She had options now.
And again. what was Elena taking time for?
“Snape, I can’t.”
What? Why! She thought it was a done deal between Cissa and Greengrass.
“It seems I’ve got the flu, the stomach flu”
Again? Was she kidding? She had it last month too! But one look at the miserable girl and she knew it to be true. Oh, bugger! Now who would go and get the package? The snobby shop would not deliver by owl, elf, or floo. Only in person. It said that their goods were too pricy to risk other transformations, and the quality would reduce by “ a non pureblood “ touch. Rubbish! She had molested all of them and the result was fine! The stupid sick bastards!
“So what can I do?”
Elena thought for a moment.” you need to look like me,”
Severina thought her hearing sense had gone wonky” What?”
“You need to wear my clothes and do your hair. We are the same height, and we both have dark hair”
Severina crossed her elbows” And there will be no id? No check if I am who I say? You do know we're not alike”
Elena smirked” Of course not! Asking an heiress for identification? What a scandal”
In the end, she won. Her elf had done Sev’s hair and she borrowed a robe- a grassy green- with Greengrass insignia from her wardrobe .
“You can keep that, I won't wear it again anyway”
Severus scuffed. Sodding purebloods! Did they think she was unclean? That she had a disease? And to imagine that Greengrass was considered to be the tamest of them!
Alas, she needed the robe, and by some modifications, she could wear it at a baby shower. There was a chance Narcissa would choose her as godmother whether Malfoy liked her or not. She couldn’t accept the role in a tattered worn-out robe. It was far nicer than anything she had, she was a Slytherin after all.
She never had done her hair, even for the traditional yule ball the last two years. She had saved up every sickle to move out of Tobias' den. She had nearly exhausted herself with brewing potion after potion. At least after getting her OWLs, she could choose a master. Narcissa said she would cover that as well. Her dowry was worth something about half a million, and all her needs would be covered by 2000.
She dared to glance at her picture in the mirror. She wouldn’t believe what she saw. She looked exactly like herself, but with her eyes brighter, her lashes longer and her lips fuller. The robe fitted her like a second skin, the color suited her natural paleness. Her nose suddenly wasn’t the center of her face but completed her royal look. She wanted to cry and wash her face off the makeup. She wanted to tear the robe and burn it. How unfair it was that she was almost a normal girl- on the pretty side a bit- with just a touch of care?
Ok.I am strong, I am independent. I am a nerd, a genius, a sodding hardcore. I won’t be checked out by a simple makeover.
She made her way out. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend.
James was bored. It had been months since they pulled a prank on Snivvy. His blood boiled when he thought about the trick Snape had done. He gave the witch that, she was clever. She had efficiently blackmailed all of them with just one move. Wasn’t that the prank of the year?
He was still cross with Sirius. What was he thinking, goading Snape like that? Did he give care if it got Remus into a problem? Did he take a second to think about if Snape was hurt? Turned? Or worst..
His eyes burned. No, he was not crying. He had said he hated Snape for her existence, but really he had said it in the heat of the moment. He never wanted her to die or hurt like that. He had sometimes gone further that was ok, but the witch just didn’t admit defeat! He would make her cry, humiliate her, and then after a week, she was back. With a new curse, hex, or potion to add to their food. She was simply brilliant.
James wanted to just ignore her, honest. The witch was just un-ignorable. She would throw insults, press her foot where it hurt, and bring their worst features into view. James was indeed an arrogant spoilt brat, Sirius was a tad mad and cruel, and Remus was a bit spineless. Why Snivvy didn’t stop it?
Was it their dance? Their thing?
James had no idea whatsoever.
And Lily. Dear sweet Lily. James was forever undecided whether she liked him, or her rejections were just a form of flirtation to sweeten the deal. Why all the girls weren’t like Snape? At least with her, he knew what to do!
He was sitting all alone in three broomsticks. Remus was busy with his homework, still upset about almost getting fired or worst. Sirius was sulking in his dog form because Remus was ignoring him. And Peter was where he was these days.
Then a glance.
There was a girl in Greengrass robes, but NOT a Greengrass. He knew the heiress, and she never walked like that. She walked like she was fearing an attack. Who would attack an heiress in plain sight? But the girl was heading for the upper district. What a contradiction! He approached her slowly, and bingo.
What?
What in seven hell?
Snape?
He could not believe his eyes. The girl was obviously Snape, but not Snape-like. She had her shiny black hair in a complicated updo. Her robes fitted her perfectly and she looked lovely.
Lovely, a word he thought that he could never associate Snape with. But those lips and cheekbones and eyes…
He gulped. There must be something in the fire whiskey.
His wand itched for a bit of tease. A tease right? Because he would never flirt with Snivvy.
Right?
So he approached her from behind and surprised her” boo!”
The witch turned with an inhuman speed, her wand came to rest on his heart. Her eyes were a bit afraid.
“Potter!”
He smirked,” missed me?”
“as if. Did you forget our deal? Why are you following me around?”
Wait, following? He had just Seen her a minute ago.
“Delusional, are we? Why I must..”
Then he saw her eyes widen, her breath quicken and her hand coming to strangle him. Then why his neck was intact and his lips .. oh.
But why her hand was on his lips? Why she was pushing him down to a dark alley?
He wanted to distract himself from the smell of pines and mint on her. her soft hands on his lips.
“Shouldn’t I be the one pushing..”
She hissed.” Potter use your brain! I know you do have some somewhere in that enormous head. I am never not cautious and my sixth sense is never wrong! So when I say I was being followed..”
“Why would anyone follow you?” he asked, confused.
“Why would anyone? You do know I am a half-blood? With a muggle father?” she spat the muggle word as if it physically burnt her.
A half? But how she handed in Slytherin then? He thought she was a squib born or something with all the knowledge of the curses she had! It wasn’t possible, was it? True, James never paid attention in that stupid class they had, the one reciting all pureblood lines, and Sirius was always dozing, but they were not that wrong. Snapes had a witch for a mother, so his father was not a squib who changed his sir name? A muggleborn? But a muggle? how? Those Snakes called Half-blooded ones M too…
He felt guilty, was snape afraid and she learned those curses just because she wanted to, he didn’t know, maybe to protect herself? Of course, It was a silly thought and he squashed it. She left in the muggle world, near Evans. What could hurt her in the muggle world?
“It's your problem Snivvy.”
And he attempted to leave the alley when suddenly, a bunch of masked men, men yes, James could tell, apparated near them, blocking the way. His gut told him nothing good will come out of this.
“All right chaps, she is yours. I'm gonna walk..”
And one of them sent the first hex.
“Now you’ve done it”
He delved into battle, happy to welcome the rush of blood in his veins. Of course, he bluffed. James would not leave a girl at the mercy of grown men. He fancied himself a gentleman.
“Know anyone, Sniv? Any of your death eater buddies?”
She answered him while burning a man’s hand” You have some nerve, Potter. My buddies? I just told you I am a half! You must have hit your head to think those purists would allow me to touch them let alone hang out with them!”
James was getting nervous, these men seemed trained for a mission.” Oh? But I am as pure as it gets and I touched you loads. Pulled your hair that other day!”
The witch’s face was angrier than he remembered. “can't you just be serious..”
He wanted to tell her that Sirius was moping somewhere and he was James, but his head hit a very hard thing and his vision darkened. His last thoughts were about the concussion he was going to get and surprisingly worry.
For snape.
He really had hit his head hard.