Chapter 2 : Setting Goals( short chapter)

First things first, though," Desmond said, looking at his reflection in the mirror. "I need to get stronger. Smart and cunning will only get you so far when you're surrounded by people who can blast you to pieces with a flick of a wand."

He decided right then and there: he'd study magic, but not just the Dark Arts. He'd learn everything. Potions, charms, transfiguration, hexes, dueling—if it was magic, he'd master it. And if that meant hitting the library for hours on end, so be it. After all, he was Severus Snape now, and Snape was nothing if not determined when it came to his studies.

But it wasn't just about power. Desmond had something that Severus didn't—knowledge of the future. He knew what was coming: the rise of Voldemort, the Death Eaters, the wars, the deaths. And he also knew how it would end for Severus if he didn't change things. Desmond clenched his fists, feeling a surge of resolve. He wasn't going to let that happen. Not to himself, and not to the people he could save.

"Alright, so let's make a list," he said, grabbing a quill and parchment from the desk. "Step one: Avoid joining the Death Eaters. That should be easy if I just... don't do it. Step two: Make allies, but not the kind who'll stab me in the back the first chance they get. Step three: Learn as much as possible about everything—spells, potions, magical creatures, everything. Step four: Try not to die."

The last one earned a dark chuckle from him, but it was true. Surviving Hogwarts was going to be a lot harder now that he was aware of all the dangers lurking beneath its enchanted surface. But he had something no one else did—meta-knowledge of this world and its events. That gave him a fighting chance.