Lily Evans-1969
In the Snape household, everyone knew—or at least suspected—what happened behind those walls. It was like an open secret that darkness enveloped the home and seeped into every corner, impossible to ignore.
The mother, a woman trapped in the ruins of her own illusions, seemed to have convinced herself that it was better to live in the safety of her fantasies than to face the harsh truth. Fear kept her imprisoned, and her frustration overflowed in the form of reproaches and cold stares directed at the one who least deserved it: her son, a living reflection of lost dreams and unhealed wounds.
The father, on the other hand, was a shadow of what he could have been, a man marked by disillusionment and resentment. Bitterness had adhered to his soul like a second skin, and alcohol, his only solace, helped him forget—or at least try to. He sought not redemption, but oblivion, even if it plunged him deeper into his own abysses.
And in the midst of them, a child suffered the consequences, too small to understand but perceptive enough to feel the weight of a grim future. He would be the one to carry the scars of a broken family, the only innocent in a world that seemed to have turned against him from the very beginning.
Until one day, that child discovered a spark of light in the midst of his darkness, a light that came in the unexpected form of another girl. She was Lily Evans, and in her eyes was a warmth he had never known, a sweetness that baffled him and, at the same time, drew him in with undeniable force.
Over time, Lily became more than just a companion; she became his refuge and eventually his best friend. By her side, the world seemed less harsh, less cruel. For the first time, he could envision a future different from the one he had learned to fear. Lily showed him that there was something within him worthy of love, that amid his shadows, there existed a part that could be illuminated.
She was, in many ways, his salvation. And though he didn’t know it yet, that friendship would be an anchor in the turbulent waters that awaited him.
Severus Snape found himself wedged in the hollow of a tree, his temporary refuge from the outside world. The hours felt eternal, stretching like shadows in the twilight, as his mind wandered between despair and the longing to return home. Hunger gnawed at him, a constant reminder of the misery he had left behind, while his body ached, every muscle and joint crying out for rest and relief.
The bruises that his oversized coat barely concealed were a silent testament to his battles, both internal and external. Pulses of pain resonated against his skin, reminding him of the brutality of his home—a house where love had become a muffled whisper, almost unrecognizable. Each blow, each reprimand, left marks not only on his body but also on his spirit, a map of suffering that seemed to grow with each passing day.
In the solitude of the tree, Severus longed for more than just a physical shelter; he wanted to escape his reality, to find a place where pain and sadness wouldn’t follow him. But reality was unavoidable, and the return home, though feared, slowly approached, like a specter always lurking.
His mind drifted toward the inevitable when suddenly, a sound broke through the gloom of his thoughts.
—“Lily! Mom said not to do that!” exclaimed a child’s voice, scolding and bossy, resonating with an authority that seemed excessive for her age.
—“Just have fun, Petunia!” replied a second voice, filled with laughter, light and carefree.
Driven by a mix of curiosity and desperation, Severus cautiously peeked out from behind the tree. That’s when he saw her: a girl with hair dancing in the wind and eyes shining like newly born stars in the dark. He had never witnessed anything like it; those eyes sparkled with an energy that captivated him and filled him with wonder.
In that instant, the world around him faded away. The harshness of his daily life blurred, replaced by the innocent joy radiating from Lily's laughter. Something in her called to him, as if her light could illuminate even the darkest parts of his soul. For the first time, Severus felt a glimmer of hope in a place that had previously been filled only with solitude and pain.
He watched in awe as the red-haired girl, Lily, closed her eyes in a gesture of concentration. With a gentle wave of her hand, she made a small flower bloom from nothing, its vibrant petals opening to the light of day. The spectacle took his breath away, and a spark of admiration blossomed in his chest.
In that moment, something resonated within him: She is like me. Despite the differences that separated them, the worlds so distinct in which they lived, there was a deep connection he could not ignore. Lily, with her magic and her light, was a reflection of what he longed to be.
Severus felt a mixture of envy and hope. While she created life and beauty, he struggled to survive in a bleak environment. But that flower, delicate and beautiful, symbolized a possibility: that despite the shadows surrounding him, there was a place for beauty and magic in his life. In Lily, he found not only a glimmer of light but also a glimpse of what he could become, a reminder that even in his darkness, there was still room for wonder.
With hesitation, Severus Snape stepped out from his tree shelter, feeling the excitement bubbling within him, pushing him to take a step into the unknown. He planted himself in front of Lily, his voice trembling with a mix of surprise and joy.
—“You’re a witch!” he exclaimed, his eyes shining with the thrill of the unexpected.
The air between them seemed to vibrate with new energy, as if the words had created an unbreakable bond in that instant.
And that was the beginning.