A/N: Hello all. I've had a bit of writer's block and so wrapped myself in the world of Harry Potter, particularly the second half of the last book/movie. I have come to the conclusion that Severus Snape is the most amazing character ever. I also came to the conclusion that I must write him (like one of my french girls? O.o EH?!)

This story will be a combination of Snape's memories and the present book. Book one is the Sorcerer's stone, book two will be the Chamber of Secrets, and so on. Italics is his memories and regular text are what's going on in the story. I'm going to try to be as canon as possible, so no there will not be any slash or anything like that, but there may be swearing and of course much later there will be dark stuff so I'm going to rate it accordingly.

Please Read and Review? I'd love some pointers!

The sun was setting over the Black Lake, the light shining like diamonds off the murky surface. The sky was lit with pink and purple hues, streaming into the sky, tie-dyed darker and darker until the blackest part of the sky mingled with the dark air. Off in the distance a billowing cloud of smoke signaled the arrival of the train. A man stood at the shore line of the lake, it's cold waters lapping slowly a few inches from his feet. His hands were tucked into his pockets as he glared toward the train. He wore all black, trousers, shoes, cloak, even his over-shirt was black, long sleeved and buttoned up all the way to his neck. The only ounce of color in his wardrobe was a long sleeve white undershirt visible at his collar and at the end of his sleeves. He had pale skin, black shoulder length hair and black eyes. This was Severus Snape.

His cloak billowing behind him he sharply turned from the sight of the train and began his trek back to the castle, large and proud, stood before him, the torches were lit, welcoming the students from their long lips pulled downward, a sneer as he neared the building. First years would be running about the castle soon, oh how he loathed it. The teachers were eagerly awaiting the arrivals, and as he found his seat at the Professor's table the elder students made their way inside, the cool of the night escaping their thoughts as they excitedly picked up from last year. Severus stared at the door for a moment, thinking of how it had been his first year.

Severus peaked his head out from behind the tree in the meadow beside his house. He had been hiding in the tree for the last hour, waiting for the wrath of his father to subside so that he could go home. He had been peacefully ignorant of everything around him until a shrill voice echoed toward him. His black eyes scanned the area and found himself looking at two girls his age.

"Freak! You're a freak!" the skinny brunette was yelling at the red-head. The red-haired girl began to run away, up the hill to the tree waiting at the top, the same tree Severus was hiding behind. "I'm going to tell mummy exactly how much of a freak you are! Frea-" She stopped as Severus escaped from his hiding spot.

The brunette squeaked, running off in the direction she came from. Severus turned to the red haired girl, she was pretty with emerald green eyes. He frowned however when he noticed a crumpled flower in her hand and tears streaking down her cheeks. His expression was soft as he looked at her curiously, "What's wrong?"

"My sister doesn't like me." She managed, a sob constricting her throat. With a questioning look his eyes drifted to her hand. She had dropped the flower and instead found herself wringing her hands, trying not to cry.

"She's just jealous because you're special." he grinned. She looked at him as he bent over, plucked a small flower and spun it in his hands. Her eyes grew wide as he pushed it from him and it slowly drifted to her fingers, still spinning as if he twirled it in his own.

Severus looked around for a moment, he was distracted as Albus began chatting with Minerva about the new first years. There was a hush running through the now filled Great Hall, something about the boy-who-lived. Severus cast his eyes toward his plate, recalling how many days it had been since Lily's demise. Ten years. Ten years of dismal teaching had passed since he had last seen her beautiful face. His gaze lifted, setting into a deep scowl. Now he really had to be careful, he knew that Harry had his mother's eyes, his dear Lily's eyes, but that wasn't what worried him. If he looked anything like Lily he was sure he'd have to quit on the spot.

Quirrell was sitting beside Severus spouting off some nonsense about his travels over the summer. His constant stutter was really starting to wear on him, so instead of blasting the defense teacher straight across the room he recalled his memories to him once more.

"You got your letter too?" Lily asked excitedly. She had run all the way from her house to their spot and was clutching the letter to her chest, her smile from ear to ear. He grinned back waving his own letter.

"Of course!" He smirked looking over the letter once more, finally there would be an escape for him and he was able to bring his best friend Lily! There was nothing that could ruin his mood today.

"So the train leaves next week, and mum said we could go get our things from Diagon Alley tonight!" She squealed dancing around happily. Severus could only laugh as she spun around on the spot.

"I've already got my things." He peaked his head out from beside the tree, looking carefully from side to side and then slowly pulled out his wand from his coat pocket. "I've got my own wand too."

Lily's eyes grew wide as she stared at it, it was sleek and black, the wooden handle was inlayed with beautiful silver spirals and braids. She looked around too and inched closer to him, "That's your wand?" He nodded feeling very proud of himself, "Thirteen and one half inch Dark Harwood, Dragon Heartstring Core." He watched Lily examine it carefully and pull away with a smirk.

"I bet mine will be even better." Lily grinned which only made Severus roll his eyes.

"Yeah and I'll own a hippogriph by years end." He scoffed carefully replacing his prized wand back into his pocket. She stuck out her tongue and they sat at the tree for some time before Lily had to leave.

"Good luck with Ollivander!" He yelled, waving as she headed down the path.

"Who?"

"S-severus?" Quirrell asked softly.

"Hmm?" Severus quickly snapped his attention back to Quirrell.

"I-I-I asked i-if you knew a-anything about Harry P-P-Potter." Severus lifted an eyebrow and waited for an explanation. Quirrell turned toward the Great Hall doors as they opened, hushed and excited whispers came from both the upper years and the first years as they trotted their way to the teachers table. Severus scanned the group but shrugged as Quirrell looked back at him.

"I just hope he isn't as moronic as his father." Severus said softly, his eyes landing on the jet black mop of hair that was the boy. Anger swelled in his stomach, pulsing through his veins as he watched the boy look around in wonder. He was the exact copy of Potter! A scowl on his face Severus watched the boy as he looked at each professor's face, he had smiled at Hagrid and watched Albus in wonder, recognition when his eyes landed on Quirrell.

The scowl instantly fell from Severus' face, a look of curiosity and kindness emanated from the boys eyes, the eyes of Lily Evans, causing him to stare at him, mouth slightly parted, until Quirrell began his onslaught of stories once more. His black eyes trained on Quirrell, he began to think over how exactly the same they were. The perfect shade of emerald, the kindness and curiosity he had only found in her eyes. The way those eyes crinkled and brightened as she laughed, he found the boy shared this as he giggled quietly with his friends.

A hush washed over the crowd as he stepped forward to be sorted. The room was silent for some time, the boy was whispering to himself, and the sharp s of his whisperings echoed in the Great Hall. The hat was mumbling back to him and everyone stared at the pair intently until, shocked, they reeled backward as the sorting hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The boy's eyes brightened and he hopped off the seat and to the Gryffindor table. Severus' sneer returned. Bloody Gryffindors. His godson Draco was also in amongst the first years and Severus smirked as the blonde boy strutted up to the sorting hat and sat down. The hat barely hit one wispy hair on his head before it hollered, "SLYTHERIN!" Severus looked between the boys and saw they had also caught each other's eyes, sneering at each other. Well that was familiar.

Lily gripped Severus' hand tightly, butterflies fluttered in his stomach and he wasn't certain it was just nerves. The pair trotted up toward the teachers table, their new robes stiff and their eyes darting from sight to sight, lingering for a moment when they looked up at the enchanted ceiling. The two were grinning ear to ear as they stood silently waiting. As Professor McGonagall began reading off the names Severus watched in fascination, the student would go up to the chair and the hat would be put on their head.

The hat was yelling different house names as it came into contact with the first years heads and he found he was enjoying the sight. Until Lily's name appeared on the teachers lips and her hand left his own. Fidgeting nervously he watched as Lily sat there with the hat upon her head, it slipped far down her forehead and nearly covered the entirety of her pretty green eyes. "Gryffindor!"

The hat cheered as Lily grinned and hopped off the seat. She gave Severus a huge grin before running over to join the rest of Gryffindor House. He stood there waiting for his own turn, sneering as James Potter strutted up to the seat. The bloody idiot started a fight with him in front of Lily on the train. He was a right foul git and it only made Severus fume more as the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Turning to watch the boy strut over and sit right beside Lily. She looked at Severus sadly and showed him her crossed fingers. She was hoping he'd be right there next to her and turned to glare and hush the black haired boy beside her. He glared at the boy as his other friends joined them, they had all had a part in Severus' and James' fight and he knew immediately who the enemy was to him.

"Severus Snape?" Severus jumped as his name was called, turning sharply on his heel and gliding up to the teachers table. Sitting himself upon the seat he looked at Lily who was shoving her hand in James' face trying to get a good look at her friend.

He caught her eye and he smiled at her. "My dear boy!" Severus' smile fell into a terrified stare as he heard the voice. "Let's see what house you should be in...high intellect...clever mind...and a thirst, to prove yourself...but were to put you?" Severus looked hopefully at Lily as she smiled up at him. He wouldn't mind red and gold, they weren't terrible colors after all. The best part would be that he and Lily could hang out all the time! His eyes drifted to James who was glaring daggers at him and Severus sneered, bloody git.

Needs to be taught a lesson. He deserves to be put in his place.

"Ah...better be SLYTHERIN!" Lily's face at that moment was the saddest he had yet seen. If Severus could be any paler he probably would be, he had heard many stories of Slytherin. His own mother had been part of Slytherin in her schooling as well, and though he prided himself in that fact he also found the sadness spreading and hollowing out his chest. He sat a little farther down than he thought and found himself sitting beside an older student, a blonde one who smiled down at him and patted him on the back encouragingly, "Welcome to Slytherin, I'm Lucius Malfoy."

"Severus Snape." he said softly, offering his hand. The two began conversing but Severus couldn't help but continuously look over to the Gryffindor table. Those green eyes staring back, pleading and sad but hopeful and kind.

Those same green eyes were looking at him in confusion as Severus stared at the boy. It was the glasses that shone over those eyes that brought him back from his daydreams. Instantly Severus glared down at the boy and he smirked as he shrunk in an attempt to get out of his view, the boy then leaned over and gently tugged on the Prefect Percy Weasley's robe. A small finger swiftly pointed toward Severus and he in turn began eating. He knew what the red-haired boy was saying, 'that's Professor Snape. He's the potions master here, he teaches in the dungeons and is Head of Slytherin House. Careful 'round him, he's not too keen on Gryffindors.'

Or at least that's what he thought the red-head would say. He stabbed at the meal before him only to turn his hooked nose to it in the end, the anger boiling in his stomach at the spitting image of the boy he always loathed quelled his hunger. Oh it was going to be a long year, Severus pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened to the chatter around him.

His eyes opened slightly, focusing on the Gryffindor table once more, however this time he looked freely as he watched the youngest Weasley shovel food into his mouth like a pig, the mousy haired brunette girl was seated right beside Potter and was talking his ear off. Severus' lip tugged into a smirk. He enjoyed the distress the girl seemed to put him in, hopefully the little chit would continue to be an annoy accomplice.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Albus' voice rang out, instantly silencing the crowd. Severus even turned to look up at the old Headmaster as he began his yearly welcome back speech, something he had heard continuously throughout the years but the man always drew attention. "I have just a few start of term notices for you all before you can retire to bed. First years please note that the dark forest is out of bounds to all students. Also our caretaker , would like me to remind you all that the third floor corridor is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."

Severus smirked as he watched the pink cheeks of the students suddenly whiten. If being a Headmaster wasn't so much work he would most likely have asked for the title, he loved seeing the students so scared. He turned back to Albus who smiled sincerely and waved a hand, "Good night to you all."

"First years follow me!" The prefects began shouting. The students slowly exited the Great Hall, their footsteps hindered by full stomach and sleepy eyes. Severus collected his things, a simple journal filled with potions, and stepped down from the table, retiring to his own chambers. His cloak billowed out behind him and the sea of students parted as he walked through them, the Prefects and Head Students also skittering to the side to allow the potions master by. Severus flew past the Slytherins, giving a small proud smirk to them as he walked by, and straight to his chambers.

He stared at the portrait for a moment before the man turned to him, "Password?"

"Sectum Sempra." Severus drawled. The man in the portrait nodded before bowing his head and allowing the door to swing open. Severus stepped through the threshold and sighed slipping off his cloak and undoing the buttons of his shirt. If there hadn't been any tension in his shoulders before there was certainly tension there now. His white undershirt freed Severus pointed his wand at the fireplace and lit it silently, the warmth instantly filling the room as he sat down in front. Her son was finally at Hogwarts, it had seemed like such a short time since he filled his spare time with every little thing he could think of. Research, brewing potions, pulling the painful memories from him and storing them away. Those wasted years finally came back to him, pouring themselves into his muscles, straining his shoulders and pulling at the gaping hole in his chest. Ten years without her. Ten years turned traitor.