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The Moment It Began by sindie11 [Reviews - 2]

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As people filtered into the castle through the main doors, Severus felt like he was on another planet, let alone living another life. He dazedly held Lily's hand, not caring what anyone else thought, and in the sweet oblivion, he didn't notice the scowl that crossed James Potter's face. When everyone was in the Great Hall, Severus forced himself back to reality when Lily spoke.

"I guess we'll need to go to our tables now," she was saying. "The Sorting will begin shortly."

"Wait," Severus whispered, "can I see you later... tonight?"

Lily smiled. "Our usual meeting place, ten o'clock?"

Severus nodded and brushed a kiss on her cheek as they parted. His public display of affection was a newfound ambition. Even at the end of his sixth year, he wouldn't have done something like that. Now, Severus felt bolstered. What did he have to be ashamed of? He knew he had made the right choices this time around, and a pride like he had never felt before filled him. He wondered how long it would last.

Several of the younger Slytherins were gazing at him, although Severus noticed a mixture of emotions displayed on those faces. Like the amiable Hufflepuffs, some had nothing but admiration to show, perhaps because Severus had proven that not all Slytherins would turn rotten and join ranks with Voldemort. Some were fearful, their eyes trepid, and Severus didn't know how they might react to him as the year went on. They were most likely undecided in where their loyalties lay. Some, however, were defiant and even glaring with anger and hatred at Severus, their pure loathing of him and what he stood for obvious. What a disgrace to the proud name of Slytherin to be in love with a Mudblood and go against the Pureblood ideals of Voldemort and Salazar Slytherin himself!

Sobered by the last group, Severus sat down and gazed toward the front of the hall, his eyes fixed on the Sorting Hat. It seemed ages ago when Severus had taken a seat on that stool and been Sorted into Slytherin, the house he had desired to join for years before arriving. His mother's tales of Hogwarts, of striving to be someone great and important made him long to be placed into the house that would help mold his dreams into reality, especially for a little boy who had been told repeatedly he was a nobody.

He allowed himself a momentary sad smile for his mother's memory, realizing Eileen Prince had probably never felt like someone great or important. To him, though, she would always be his mother. She had done the best she could for him, and that, in the end, made her great and important to him.

Sitting right behind the Sorting Hat was Dumbledore, and Severus frowned, recalling Dumbledore's words: "You know, sometimes I think we Sort too soon."

Those words had never settled right with him, even now. He knew he had been brave, but he didn't think he was a Gryffindor by any stretch of the means. Besides, why did a person have to be in the supposedly noble and courageous house to be brave... or in Hufflepuff to be loyal, or in Ravenclaw to be intelligent? Severus was all of these things and more. He realized now how much he hated the Sorting, how dividing people into houses did less for encouraging inter-house cooperation and more for causing large divisions among the students, into their adult lives. He stopped looking at Dumbledore and his Gryffindor ideals and the blasted Sorting Hat and found Lily's eyes, the only truth in the whole place.

Through the whole Sorting, Severus kept his eyes fasted on Lily, and she gazed back at him with just as much assurance, conviction, and strength. Their love had broken down so many barriers and even transcended time and space. This, Severus knew, was a real love. What else could have brought him back to life?

After the Sorting, the usual announcements took place, and from her seat, Lily wasn't listening any more than Severus. When the feast's beginning was given, Lily's concentration on Severus was broken when James Potter broke in, "Hey, Lily, what's wrong with you?"

Lily shook her head and forced a smile. "Nothing, James," she said in a falsely-sweet voice, annoyed at him for interrupting her connection with Severus.

"So, you're Head Girl, huh?" he asked. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," she replied civilly.

"Remus told me Snape was made Head Boy. Is that true?" he questioned.

"Yes," Lily stated defiantly, daring him to protest.

"Hmmm, an interesting choice," James muttered. "Not what I would have expected."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lily questioned delicately, trying to keep her temper in check. If James dared to insult Severus in front of her, he would be receiving a kick and a hex under the table.

"Well, it is surprising, you must admit, Lily," Mary Macdonald suddenly cut in.

Lily had to concede the point true and fair enough. Not so long ago, Severus had been going down a path she was afraid would lead to joining ranks with the Death Eaters, but his sixth year had proven the complete opposite. She wondered how she could have been so wrong about him during fifth year, when it seemed they had been growing apart. Looking back, it seemed any arguments they had had back then were long buried in the past and had no bearing on the present.

"Well, I'm glad he was made Head Boy," Lily said proudly, beaming in Severus's direction for a moment. "I'd say his house needs a little encouragement, a little uplifting."

"Encouragement to do what?" Sirius Black spat bitterly.

Lily glared at him. "What will it take to convince you that not all Slytherins are bad, Black? That Severus isn't evil?"

"I'll kindly ask you to remember a little incident not so long ago, Evans, when your precious Snivellus cut me open several times and almost let me bleed to death. He almost kills me and he's made Head Boy?" he asked incredulously.

"And I'll ask you to recall that Severus healed you and that it was an accident," Lily hissed at him. "I should've defended Severus more during fifth year when he told me about your supposed little 'prank' that almost resulted in his death."

Several students nearby gasped. It was not common knowledge that Sirius had pranked Severus during fifth year, as it had been at night, and even Lily didn't know all the details.

Sirius opened his mouth like he was going to protest, but closed it again. He muttered something to James and went back to eating. Lupin cast Lily an apologetic look, but she only glared at him as well. He couldn't even say something to shut his friend up?

After dinner, the students left the Great Hall and went to their dormitories. Severus thought it odd he would have his own room again, but first, he would go to the Slytherin common room and help where needed.

A third year, who Severus knew was Mulciber's younger brother, came up to him and hissed, "You got my brother expelled. You think you're really going to win, do you?"

"Mind your own business," Severus said sternly, thinking the youngster nobody threatening. "You're too young to even understand what you're talking about."

"He knows what he's talking about," a normally quiet fourth year girl, whose name was Rose Clearwater, said softly. Her large eyes and wispy tone reminded Severus of Luna Lovegood. She offered Severus a timid smile. "I meant, you know what you're talking about," she stated, indicating Severus.

"Thank you, Miss Clearwater," Severus replied, "but go on to your room now."

The oddity of students speaking directly to him as an authority figure was strangely familiar, and he half-expected them to call him "sir," but he knew he wasn't their professor... nor did he have any desire to be.

Once the students were in their rooms, Severus left the prefects in charge and went to find his room. Contrary to the rumors, the Head Boy and Head Girl did not have rooms anywhere near each other. Also, just as boys weren't allowed to enter girls' dormitories, so it was the same with the Head Girl's room. Severus found his room on the second floor, a considerable distance from the dungeons. His personal belongings were already inside, so all he had to do was unpack and organize his things.

Looking at the time, he realized it was nearing when he needed to meet Lily. By the time Severus got to their broom closet, it would be almost ten, so he left his room and began heading in that direction.

When he entered the closet, he found Lily already inside. She reached for him and pulled him close the instant he stepped inside, nearly knocking him over. A couple of brooms did fall over, however, rattling as they hit the floor. For a few minutes, they held their breath, wondering if the noise had alerted any teachers. When they heard no footsteps, Lily giggled, her hand muffling the laughter as it covered her mouth. Severus grinned, finding it ironic that he was out after curfew, but they were Head Boy and Girl, after all. They couldn't get in trouble, but he supposed if the teachers found them in this closet together, they would be accused of not setting a good example for the rest of the students.

As if anyone would ever know, Severus thought, imagining he would have been the likeliest teacher to find the Head Boy and Girl snogging after dark.

"Well, that was a close call," Lily breathed finally.

"I'd say," Severus murmured, roping his arms around her.

"How's it going so far?"

"Fine." He shrugged.

"Fine?"

"Mulciber's younger brother tried to act all defiant in front of the rest of the students, trying to put me in my place, apparently," Severus said, unfazed by the incident.

Lily's brow, however, creased with worry. "Well, he might not be a threat, but, Sev, you need to be careful. I know your old friends are gone, but you're bound to be met with opposition by certain people in your house."

"And what about your house?" he asked. "Surely there's opposition to my appointment, but a different kind."

"Well, yeah," Lily admitted, thinking of Sirius, "but you're above that."

Severus recalled his earlier feeling of invigoration. How had he momentarily fallen into thinking he would be admired? Even though some of the students apparently did admire him now, he wouldn't fool himself into thinking he was popular with everyone. Since when had he cared what others thought of him, though? Entwining Lily's hand with his own, he felt his heart beat with a solid purpose. He had Lily, and really, that was all the mattered.

"That, Lily, is only because of you."

"That's not true, Sev," she said gently, caressing his cheek. "Your choices were always yours to make."

"Were they?" Severus asked in an uncharacteristically small voice. He sounded almost like a child. He thought especially of his other life, of serving Voldemort and then Dumbledore, but always serving Lily out of his love for her. He told himself that she was his reason for going on in his pathetic life, for fighting on the side of Light. Had time changed him?

It was a hard truth for Severus to swallow, but he realized he had given his father another chance now. He had helped his mother. He no longer had any desire to entangle himself with Voldemort's ilk. The evil he had witnessed as a Death Eater now disgusted and disturbed him. Life, he realized, was more valuable than anything, and only love made it worth living.

"I wish... I wish I were dead..."

"And what use would that be to anyone?" said Dumbledore coldly. "If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear."


His way forward was clear.

Dumbledore's words from another lifetime so long ago reached across time and space. He had tried to understand them then. He had done what he could, but only now did Severus fully understand.

His life had been valuable... and not just as a pawn to an evil overlord or a manipulative headmaster. His life had been valuable because he had loved.

His life was valuable because he still loved, only now did he feel the value of his life, for that love was returned.

"I love you, Lily, so very much," he whispered shakily into her ear, his hands gently stroking her long hair.

He saw a tear form in her eye and fall, but he kissed it away.

"Don't cry," he said softly. "This is something to celebrate."

And she kissed him.

The Moment It Began by sindie11 [Reviews - 2]

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