New partner and tragedy
London, 1974.
He had just left Ollivanders wand shop, his new wand in hand.
Driven by curiosity, Severus made his way to the "Magical Menagerie," a magical pet shop that promised exotic and fascinating creatures. Upon entering, a cacophony of sounds engulfed him: the hooting of owls, the meowing of cats, the croaking of frogs, and the hissing of snakes. Cages of all shapes and sizes filled the space, each one housing a more peculiar creature than the last.
Severus strolled through the shop, carefully observing each animal. Cats with falcon eyes, winged snakes... magic seemed to have no limits. Suddenly, a feeling of oppression washed over him, one he had only experienced in his dark arts practices.
Following the source of this dark energy, Severus found himself in front of a cage.
Inside, a raven with feathers that made the black shine like the night was watching him with intelligent and penetrating eyes. An aura of mystery and danger surrounded the creature, intimidating the animals nearby.
Intrigued, Severus approached the cage.
When he tried to touch the raven, it reacted fiercely, trying to bite him. A sly smile spread across Severus's face. "Oh, it seems like someone thinks they're very tough," he muttered.
With a subtle movement of his wand, Severus released a small amount of his magic. The raven, sensing the energy, calmed down immediately, lowering its head in submission. Snape, satisfied with his demonstration of power, approached the shop owner.
"How much for the raven?" he asked indifferently. The woman, visibly relieved, replied: "Nothing. Just take it. That raven has been causing me problems with its cursed aura. It scares the customers and the other animals."
Without hesitation, Severus opened the cage and the black raven came out docilely, then perched on his shoulder.
Night fell upon London. Severus Snape, with his new companion Zyrus by his side, headed to the bus stop to take the night bus back home. A presage of tragedy hung over him, the scent of blood in the air putting him on alert.
With a watchful eye, Severus arrived home, each step bringing him closer to a scene that would mark his life forever. Upon entering, a sepulchral silence enveloped him, broken only by a slight drip from inside.
His heart raced as he entered his parents' room. The image that awaited him left him stunned: his mother, Eileen, lay bloodied on the bed, the victim of multiple stab wounds. Her pale face, with a bluish-gray hue, reflected the pain and agony she had suffered.
Beside her, Tobias Snape, his father, wielded a bloody knife, his eyes filled with rage and madness. The scene was incomprehensible, an inexplicable act of violence that had taken his mother's life.
Without hesitation, Severus quickly approached Tobias, delivering a precise blow to the solar plexus that knocked Tobias unconscious, paralyzing him on the spot.
Severus rushed to his mother's side, searching in vain for a way to save her. But it was too late, life was slipping away from her.
With tears in her eyes, Eileen spoke her last words: "Severus, my little boy, always remember to eat well, try to make many friends. I'm very proud of you."
A knot of pain gripped Severus. Although his relationship with his mother had not been idyllic, the soul transmigration had created an emotional bond that was now abruptly broken. With one last kiss on her forehead, he watched her leave for her eternal rest.
His gaze turned to his father, consumed by fury and alcohol. A whirlwind of emotions invaded him: anger, pain, confusion. Why? What had his mother done to deserve such an end?
Any spell would alert the Ministry of Magic, bringing with it interrogations and suspicions.
Severus: "You will pay dearly for this,"
Severus said with a face devoid of emotion.
The night progressed, shrouded in a funeral silence. Tobias awakens and tries to loo
k around, only to realize that he is tied to a chair. Then he looks in front of him to find his son eating an apple with great tranquility.
"You took a long time to wake up."
Tobias: "Let me go, you damned monster, you're a curse, you shouldn't have been born."
Severus, with a mocking expression, says, "Well, there's some truth in what you say, and that is that I am your curse, because I will make you go through hell."
Severus was serving himself dinner when a thought struck him: he needed to wash his hands before eating. He headed to the bathroom, where the daily routine turned into a macabre scene. As he glanced to his right, Tobias's remains were dissolving in acid. The man's hands and feet were devoid of nails, and a burnt odor permeated the air.
The marks of hanging, the tears, and the blood spread across the floor, a stark reminder of the act that had sealed his fate.
With a turn of his head, Severus averted his gaze from the scene and headed to the table, determined to satiate his hunger. The trip to Diagon Alley, the torture, and the plans swirling in his mind had exhausted him.
Now, in possession of his mother's wand, magic unfolded before him without limits. With a precise movement, he cleansed the corpses and erased the traces of horror.
He then began to remodel the house, still limited by his magical energy.
The gloomy dwelling transformed into a functional space, with a training room, a library, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms. Comfort now permeated the atmosphere.
With a bit more free time, Severus immersed himself in reading and practicing the spells he had learned during his four years at Hogwarts. His will manifested in every page, in every movement of the wand. Magic became his refuge, his tool to face an uncertain future.