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“I don’t need help from filthy mudbloods like her.” As soon as I said those words, I felt a sense of horror pass over me. I felt that I had crossed a line, from where I knew that coming back would be hard if not impossible. But I had more faith in Lily, and knew of her loyalty, probably better than anybody. But her reaction surprised me – I got nothing but a blink, and then words I never thought I would hear from her – “Fine. I won’t bother in the future. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.”
Had I not fallen to the ground unceremoniously, I would have definitely fallen down again with a huge gaping mouth. But my current position somewhat saved me from showcasing my emotions. I could not believe what I just heard. Was it the same Lily that was saying these things? I almost pinched myself too, just to make sure that I was not in an alternate reality or that I was not hallucinating but caught myself just in time. This feeling that swept through me was both of devastation and betrayal. Devastation that I had said those words, which I never ever meant and betrayal that that was all it took for our solid friendship of around a decade to break. I was then shaken out of my thoughts when I was suddenly suspended in the air once again. Thank Merlin that I had picked up my wand once again. I disarmed all of them and then righted myself. Once that was done, I threw their wands at their heads and started running after Lily. Unfortunately for me, I caught her just as she was entering the Gryffindor Tower and couldn’t catch up with her to apologise.
Over the next few days I tried my level best to catch up with Lily, but she was surprisingly adept at staying away from me. I tried to catch her in the last minute classes that we had, at meal times, at the library, even when we were just passing each other in the corridors. All of those times she was with her other friends and would pretend not to see me, although I knew of this. The people that she chose to hang out with seemed to be all the more hurtful of me and made me feel hesitant in even approaching her with anyone near. I was also starting to lose sleep over this, because I desperately wanted my best friend back.
Just when I was starting to lose all hope of ever reconciling with her, I saw her approaching me at the Library where I was seated, desperately trying not to seem as if I was stalking her. My heart was almost quite literally in my throat when she approached me. “Hello Severus,” she said. I swallowed a few times and mumbled a greeting. She somehow seems to understand correctly what I was feeling and put her hand on top of mine. I felt all words escape me. She said “I am so sorry that I left you so abruptly Severus. It was completely uncalled for and wrong of me. I hope you will accept this as my apology.” My heart settled, and I almost told her that she need not have bothered, but then some sense of self respect that I apparently possessed reared its head. I took a deep breath and said,
“I understand that we are in different warring houses, Lily. I also know that James has been pursuing you non-stop, which is something that you are tired of. It is also clear that if we hang out, then James is bound to know of the same and taunt me even more. Is this something that you can tolerate? Because I have had a very hard time trying to just be here, particularly when I am the victim here. Having said this, I do understand that I was in the wrong in having called you that despicable term and I deeply apologise for that. But I also want to cover all my bases that something like this does not happen again.”
I maintained eye contact with her all the while I was speaking. She seemed a bit surprised that I seemed to be not accepting her apology right away. But then a look of pride spread across her face and she stretched across the table to give me a hug. I was too shocked to return the hug and just sat there with my arms stiffly at my side. She then released me and with a big smile said, “I do realise the situation we are in Sev. I can tolerate all this and more for my best friend.”
Somehow when she said that I sensed a shift in the air. Maybe it was the deep sense of relief that swept through me talking, or it probably was something tangible that Lily felt too. But she never let me know about it. Later, as I sit writing this, I recognise it for what it was. It was the first feeling of love that I felt for her. Now, do not get me wrong. She was my best friend and I definitely did love her. But that moment changed that feeling of love into something deeper and something more appropriate for a bond with her. That feeling never really went away and kept strengthening in all these years. We eventually got together in our seventh year. There was never much of a change in the relationship. She was still my best friend, and I was still hers. This was so different from all the relationships that I had been privy to, that I was deeply afraid of entering into it. I kept thinking about what would happen if it did not work out. But Lily knew me well enough that she took charge and confronted me about it. I could not help but pour out all my fears to her. She then sat me through and explained what she was feeling as well. She agreed to feeling the same way but also assured me that even if the relationship did not work out, we would not lose each other as friends. Knowing that both of us were in the same boat helped in assuaging both our negative feelings. We decided to take the plunge and here we are three years later, waiting for our baby to be born.
In these three years, she and I both became respectable Masters in our chosen fields – her in Charms and me in Potions. She and I started working as well. She worked as an apprentice to Professor Flitwick at Hogwarts. She has been planning on taking over from him, once he retires. Knowing her, she will be terrific in her job as well. I started my own apothecary in Diagon Alley, which has now become the sole supplier to St. Mungo’s. To keep up with the demand I ended up hiring people as well. Surprisingly, one of them was Lupin. Despite his lycanthropy and the fact that he had tried to kill me, I knew that he was a competent brewer and that he could help me out ably to brew the potions. I was wholly coerced and even forced into this at first by Lily, but deep down I also knew that he was not to be targeted for his being. He was the victim, and his condition was not something that would be supported by the Wizarding World at large as well. I grudgingly offered him the job, but now it seems to mutually beneficial. This was particularly so when I got the Wolfsbane patented, and could offer it to him as well.
I also found that I was the sole heir to my mother’s family and although she had been disowned, I had not and hence I was allowed to inherit the same. That meant that I had the Prince Manor and a host of other properties across the world. We decided to rent most of those out, except the Manor, and get an additional source of income, for none of them really suited either of us. Two such properties was conveniently at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, which meant that I could use them for business purposes. This ensures that I ended up making a significant amount of money, all the while charging nominal rates for the potions. This inheritance also allowed me to legally change my name to Severus Prince – a good riddance, if I may say for the Snape name.
Lily and I also got married in this period too. We had the muggle marriage as well as the magical bonding. The marriage was a small one in the Church close to Spinners End, so that the muggles could attend. We had very few people in attendance. Both my parents had passed, so there was nobody from my side. Lily’s parents and a few of her other relatives had been the only people in attendance. Petunia had already married someone by the name of Dursley and had refused to come to the marriage because ‘she took pride in being ordinary and would not stand her freak of a sister and her freakish ways too.’ She had said much more hurtful things as well and it took me almost an entire day to calm and pacify Lily. By that time, she had arrived at the conclusion that that bridge had been burnt quite savagely, and swore to not spend any more time on that relationship. The day of the marriage dawned on a bright and cheerful day. The few people that were present were all cheerful and happy to see us married to each other, and our wedding could not have been better. We had scheduled an appointment the day after our marriage at Gringotts for our magical bonding. We had a select few humans there – Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and the two of us. Gribblehirk happened to be the account manager for both of us and was also the performer of the ceremony. We both stood in the ritual circle with our hands clasped which allowed for both our bodies to be used as a conduit for magic. The professors stood as witnesses for both of us, as per the Ministry guidelines. Those consecutive days were a source of nothing but happiness for the both of us.
Just a week before our marriage, we had moved into a good neighbourhood that had just the right mix of both wizards and muggles. The house that we bought through our collective funds was a medium three storeyed house that was close to Diagon Alley. It had four rooms, a spacious and well-lit kitchen with a separate dining area, a basement that I converted to a potions laboratory, and one small room that could double as a study for the both of us as well.
Now at 21 years old, we are awaiting the birth of our child. She is in the ninth month of her pregnancy and we both agreed that we would rather be surprised with the gender. These nine months were a ride of all sorts of highs and lows, but not once did we ever feel anything but happy at the thought of our child. At her six month check-up, we once again got another surprise – He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had finally been vanquished in a raid conducted by the Aurors. This left the entire Wizarding World overjoyed and relieved that they would not lose many other loved-ones.
My child, when you read this, know that your mom and I love you. We are so happy that you are our baby and we will cherish you forever. You are the most precious bundle of joy in our lives, and I thank you for letting us become parents through you. You already have us wrapped around finger, although you have not come out yet. Know that you can be anyone and anything, my sweet child, for you have your parents constant support and unquestionable love.
Signed: Severus Snape
Date: 30th July, 1980.
UPDATE: You turned out to be a son and we have named you Harry Evelyn Prince.