Harry Potter: I became Snape

"Shut up, Snape!"

Sirius Black slammed the copy of The Daily Prophet onto the table, rising abruptly and positioning himself in front of Severus Snape.

In the front-page photograph of the newspaper, a werewolf cowering in a corner seemed startled by the sudden jolt, its ears twitching uneasily.

"Oh, our dear Padfoot," Snape said, stepping closer and lowering his voice near Sirius's ear. "I wonder if you still have that little crystal vial I gave you. I have a feeling you might find it useful."

"Back off," Sirius retorted, stepping back with a scowl. "If you're looking for trouble, we'll give it to you."

"Trouble? Oh, no, no, no," Snape said, waving a hand dismissively while smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from his robes with the other. "I'm the Head Boy, you know. Maintaining order is my duty."

"Then get out!" James Potter snapped, his wand pointed directly at Snape.

"Look at you, still so hot-headed," Snape said coolly, gently pushing James's wand aside while keeping a sharp eye on his lips for any sudden spell. "I merely overheard your conversation during my rounds."

At that moment, Snape noticed Remus Lupin at the far end of the compartment.

Lupin had clearly seen Snape standing at the door. He hurried inside, positioning himself between James and Snape.

"Calm down, James," Lupin said, his voice laced with exhaustion.

Snape's gaze drifted back to the newspaper.

"Damocles invented something remarkable," he said, tapping the photograph of a wizard adorned with an ornate Merlin medal, holding a faintly steaming goblet. "His Order of Merlin is well-deserved, don't you think?"

He shot a pointed glance at Lupin. "I believe it could do wonders for your friend's… furry little problem."

"What's it to you?" James growled, trying to sidestep Lupin.

"What's it to me?" Snape mused, feigning thought. "Potter, with your performance in Potions, even the smallest furry problem will remain just that—a problem."

He turned to leave, then paused as if struck by a sudden thought. "Oh, by the way, I'm off to meet the new Head Girl. We'll have a nice chat about this year's duties in the Head compartment."

He lingered, watching James's face flush red. "It's been nearly half an hour since I last saw Miss Evans…"

A streak of red light burst past Lupin's attempt to block it.

Snape instinctively tilted his head, and the spell grazed past his ear, blasting a small hole in the compartment's ceiling.

"Detention, Potter," Snape drawled, lazily waving his wand. "Reparo!" The damaged ceiling instantly mended itself.

He turned to face the compartment. "Starting tomorrow, one week. Let me think—perhaps the Forbidden Forest?"

He shook his head. "No, Filch's office suits you better. I'm sure he'd love an assistant. See you later, Potter. Behave yourself, because I'll be watching you like a stag to see if you step out of line."

"Get out!" Sirius shoved Snape out of the compartment and slammed the door shut.

In the final moment before the door closed, Snape caught sight of James furiously throwing his wand to the ground while Lupin held his shoulder, saying something.

Humming a tune about "Potter, the little fool who can't cast a spell," Snape sauntered back to the Head Students' compartment.

Sliding open the door, he found Lily already inside, holding a copy of The Daily Prophet.

"Everything go smoothly?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Very smoothly," Snape replied, pointing at the newspaper in her hands. "Oh, and a bonus—there's an article about Damocles inventing the Wolfsbane Potion…"

"Hm?" Lily glanced at him.

"You know," Snape said, "we learned how to identify werewolf traits in third year. I've done some foolish things before, but now I want to be a good person. As Slughorn's top two students, perhaps we could do something for a certain classmate."

"We can wait for the next issue of Practical Potions Master. It'll have the full recipe," Lily said with a slight nod. "Until the train arrives, there's nothing else to do. You can go back to your friends, Severus."

"Want to come along, Lily?" The words slipped out before Snape could stop himself.

Lily stared at him for a few seconds before replying, "No, I'm going to find Mary. Don't forget to help Hagrid with the first-years when we arrive."

Back in the compartment with Pandora and the others, the food trolley had already passed, and the table was piled high with sweets. His friends were busy trading Chocolate Frog cards.

"Hand me one," Snape said, grabbing a Chocolate Frog and plopping down next to Pandora.

He tore open the wrapper, bit off the frog's head, and glanced at the card. "Here, Abbott, it's Ptolemy, the astronomer. Isn't that the one you were missing?"

"Wow, Severus!" Patrick Abbott exclaimed, taking the card with delight. "What luck! Now I can claim that prize from Mr. Flume—free Honeydukes sweets for a year and a trip to France!"

"You're welcome," Snape mumbled through a mouthful of pumpkin pasty. "Not like you need the money."

"It's not the same!" Abbott said gleefully, tucking the card into his robes. "I'm writing to The Daily Prophet to tell them I've completed the set. Some people even said Honeyigten dukes didn't make all the cards…"

The train chugged northward, rain pounding fiercely against the windows.

As the sky darkened, the compartment's lamps flickered on, and the silhouette of Hogwarts loomed in the distance.

Finally, the train slowed, and the corridor filled with the sound of footsteps and dragging luggage.

Snape stood, adjusting his robes. As Head Boy, he had to maintain order during disembarkation.

Opening the door, he was greeted by the rumble of thunder and torrential rain. He and Lily helped Hagrid calm the first-years.

"First-years, over here!" Hagrid bellowed, his voice nearly drowned out by the downpour.

"Hagrid," Snape said, pulling on his cloak and raising his wand to Hagrid's throat. "Sonorus!"

"First-years!" Hagrid's voice boomed, startling a few nearby students who nearly slipped. He quickly lowered his volume. "Oh, thanks, Severus."

Once all the first-years were accounted for, Hagrid glanced worriedly toward the Black Lake. "Blasted weather. Can you two keep an eye on a few boats?"

"Fine," Snape said, exchanging a look with Lily as the rain poured down like buckets of cold water.

Lily tapped their clothes with her wand, murmuring, "Impervius!"

"Nice!" Snape said, leading the first-years to the nearest boat.

The poor first-years were dazed by the rain, some even swaying with their mouths agape.

"If we don't drown," Snape shouted to Lily, "I'll see you at the feast!"

As the boats reached the lake's center, the storm peaked. A bolt of lightning illuminated the towering waves ahead. Before Snape could warn anyone, a massive wave crashed toward their boat.

The wind tore across the lake's surface. Behind Snape, four first-years clung to the boat's sides, their faces etched with terror.

"Hold on!" he roared, his voice nearly lost in the howling wind.

The boat lurched upward, almost vertical, then slammed back down, sending a wave of water crashing over everyone.

A small wizard let out a scream as his slight frame was thrown toward the edge.

"Help!" His cry was cut short as a massive wave swept him off the boat, swallowing him into the dark waters.

"Damn it!" Snape cursed, pointing his wand at his face. "Bubble-Head Charm!" He was well-practiced with this spell, though he regretted not having a Triwizard Tournament to show it off.

A transparent bubble encased his head. Taking a deep breath, he dove into the churning lake.

The icy water engulfed him. Snape waved his wand. "Lumos!"

The wand's tip glowed, but the light only pierced a few feet through the murky water.

He swam deeper, his ears filled with his own rapid breathing and the gurgling of the lake.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure darted past the edge of his vision.

Snape spun, wand aimed forward.

In the faint glow, he saw silvery-green scales glinting in the darkness.

Merpeople—at least five or six—armed with spears, their powerful silver tails propelling them swiftly toward him.

Their skin was iron-gray, their matted green hair wild, their yellow eyes glinting, and their broken teeth equally yellow. Pebbles strung on rough ropes adorned their necks.

"Stay back!" Snape tried to shout, but his voice was muffled into a garbled hum within the bubble.

He gripped his wand, ready to cast—when the lead merman, with a green beard and a necklace of shark teeth, suddenly veered downward.

Following the merman's movement, Snape spotted a small figure sinking slowly in the depths.

The boy was no longer struggling, his limbs limp, bubbles streaming from his mouth.

The merpeople swiftly surrounded the boy, lifting him with their strong arms and pushing him toward Snape.

Snape grabbed the boy—his face pale, lips purple—and quickly cast a Bubble-Head Charm followed by a Reviving Spell.

The boy coughed violently within the bubble, expelling a stream of water, then began to breathe faintly.

Snape turned to the merpeople, pressing his wand to his chest and making a gesture he'd learned from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: a circle over his heart, then an outward flourish—the merpeople's sign for "thank you."

The lead merman tilted his head, baring sharp teeth, then led his group back into the dark depths.

Holding the boy tightly, Snape kicked toward the surface.

With a splash, they broke through, another lightning bolt illuminating the lake.

Gasping, Snape scanned the area and spotted the nearest boat a few yards away.

Lily stood at the bow, her wand raised, its light casting a glow over the surrounding water.

"Severus! Over here!" she shouted.

Snape swam toward the boat.

The other students scrambled to pull them aboard.

"Is he okay?" Lily asked anxiously, immediately checking the boy's condition.

"Choked on some water," Snape said, panting as he dispelled his bubble. "The merpeople… they helped."

The fleet pressed on, and soon, Hogwarts Castle's silhouette emerged ahead.

As they stumbled onto the shore, Hagrid's massive figure loomed through the rain, his beard dripping and his beetle-black eyes full of worry.

"Thank Merlin, you're all safe!" he said, clapping Snape's back so hard he nearly fell into the mud. "How's the little one?"

The young wizard was awake, shivering but with color returning to his face.

"Right, kids, get inside and warm up!" Hagrid said, ushering the remaining students ashore. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start!"

They splashed through puddles, racing up the stone steps.

"I can't believe we're crossing the lake in this weather," Snape muttered, drying the first-years' robes with a spell. "Ancient traditions and their absurd stubbornness."

"Oops!" A large red water balloon fell from the ceiling, bursting over the first-years' heads.

The drenched students stumbled and fell, while others screamed and shoved each other.

Snape looked up to see Peeves, the poltergeist, floating ten feet above, wearing a belled hat and an orange bow tie, holding another water balloon.

"Peeves!" Snape shouted, drawing his wand. "Get down here!"

Peeves cackled, raising the balloon. "They're already wet, aren't they? Take this, you little brats!"

Snape pointed his wand. "Waddiwasi! Silencio!"

With a whoosh, the burst balloon shot upward like a bullet, lodging in Peeves's nose, while his throat was silenced.

Peeves choked, flipped in the air, dropped the balloon, and flailed as he fled.

Professor McGonagall hurried over, casting a disgusted glance at Peeves before leading the first-years through the Entrance Hall into the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was as grand as ever, decorated extravagantly for the new term. Hundreds of candles floated overhead, illuminating the four packed House tables.

Snape glanced at the staff table. Aside from McGonagall's and the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's empty seats, the other teachers were present.

Dumbledore sat at the center. When his eyes met Snape's, he gave a slight nod.

————

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