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[recovery-zero-blog]

The Snake’s Apprentice

Pairing: Snape/Reader

Word Count: 2661

Chapter: 1/?

Summary: After finding your acceptance letter from Hogwarts your father had hidden from you, you make the decision to attend the school against his wishes. As you're placed in Slytherin, some of your housemates don't take to kindly to the fact you're a half-blood in their midst. Years pass, and as you age, you become unlikely companions with one of the most feared professors in all of Hogwarts. What will become of you as you realize just what you feel for your teacher, and how could you have even let this happen?

~~~

You stood at the front of the Grand Hall, hands shaking, as you watched the other first years before you were being called forward to be placed in their houses. You took in their gleeful smiles as their new house names were called out and loud applause rang through the Hall after every placement. To be honest, you had no clue what you were even doing here. Sure, your father was a Wizard, but he wasn’t considerably open about it. He’d hidden your acceptance letter to Hogwarts from you, and the only reason you’d stumbled across it was because you’d gone snooping in his office.

Seeing your name written beautifully on the front of the letter, you couldn’t help yourself. You opened the note and felt your mouth fall open in surprised as your eyes glided across the words. Hurt coursed through your veins at the fact that nobody had spoken a word of this to you. Crumbling the letter in your closed fist, you’d stormed out of the study and rushed over to where your parents sat at the dining table on the first floor of your house. “What is this?” you demanded.

You noted the way both your parents’ eyes widened at the crumbled paper in your grasp. Finally, your father spoke. “How did you get that?” Anger sparked in you about the fact that he had thoroughly dodged the question and was simply more concerned about the fact that you’d found it.

“I found it in your study, father. How could you hide this from me? This is my future, not yours. If I want to go to a school for wizards, then I feel I should.”

 “Autumn Wolfe.” Hearing your name called out snapped you back to the present, and on legs that felt as though they’d turned to noodles beneath you, you stepped up to the professor holding the Sorting Hat before you. Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you felt the warm fabric being placed on your head. All was silent for a moment aside from the quiet mumblings from the hat above you.

“Hm, yes, I see. You’re definitely a bold one with huge ambitions. Do I put you in Gryffindor? No, no. I know. Slytherin!” There was muted applause as you glanced to the green-robed students clapping half-heartedly for you. As the sorting hat was removed from your head, you numbly made your way over to the table and took a seat beside one of the other first years girls that had already been placed in your house.

Dumbledore made his way behind the podium in the front of the hall after the last student was placed in their house and began his speech. The man’s words moved you, but you couldn’t help the nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you just didn’t quite belong here. All too soon, the man’s speech was over and the head of your house that had been introduced earlier as Professor Snape stood before Slytherin’s table.

The man’s eyes grazed over all the students, but he paid special attention to the first years as he began speaking. “Remember this,” his smooth, low voice began, “Slytherin will not tolerate disgrace.” As he spoke, you couldn’t help but feel as though his eyes lingered on you slightly longer than the rest of the students. With those encouraging words, your house prefect gathered up all the first years and began leading you all through the halls to the Slytherin common room which was located in the freezing dungeons of the school.

Hugging yourself to try and retain at least a little bit of warmth, you were ushered through the welcoming process and sent off to your dorm. You made your way to your designated room and carefully began unpacking what little belongings you had brought with you to the school aside from the necessary school supplies your father had begrudgingly taken you to buy. “So, Autumn, was it?” a female voice caught your attention. You glanced over to see a fair girl with jet black hair staring at you with her arms folded across her chest. Quickly, you recognized her as the girl you’d sat beside in the Great Hall.

Placing the textbooks that were in your hands on the nightstand, you faced what you figured to be your new roommate. “Yeah, Autumn Wolfe. Pleasure to meet you . . .” you trailed off, not even knowing the girl’s name.

“Molly, Molly Shuppert. And seeing as how we’re going to be roommates here, we might as well get to know each other a little better.”

Eager to make a new friend finally, you and Molly stayed up later than what you should have unpacking your things and just simply chatting. You could sense this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

 ~

Glancing down at the schedule in your hands and back at the ominous door in front of you, you began questioning if you had the right room. You were supposed to be on your way to Potions class, but there was no way the class was being held down here in the dungeons. The thought of it made you uncomfortable, and just as you were about to turn around to find Molly for reassurance, a familiar voice sent cold chills down your spine. “Wolfe, are you just going to continue staring at the door hoping it opens for you before you are late, or are you actually going to get to your class?”

Spinning on your heel, you faced the head of your house with trepidation. “Professor Snape,” you began, not wanting to admit to the man that you may possibly be lost. All hope of that went out the window as he raised a single blow brow at you, prompting you to continue speaking. “I wasn’t sure if this was the right room or not.”

In the dim lighting, you couldn’t exactly tell, but it looked like the man’s eyes darkened as he continued simply staring at you. Finally, he spoke, “Still can’t navigate your way through the halls? Pity. Seems like Slytherin may be easily disgraced this year.” You felt blood rush to your face, tinting your cheeks red. Before he could hopefully see it, you turned away from him, hiding your embarrassment. With a sigh, Snape stepped forward, brushing past you and opening the door you’d been questioning for a while now and stepped in.

Glancing up, you saw students scattered across the room sitting at workstations. Thankfully, you took notice of Molly sitting at a table by herself and you rushed in, quickly sitting beside her. She sent you a quick look of pity before focusing on Professor Snape making his way to the front of the room. You couldn’t help but watch as the man gracefully navigated his way through the aisle between the desks to his rightful spot. With a flair and his cloak billowing about his form, Snape turned and faced his students. You felt your cheeks flush once again as his dark gaze settled on your seated form. “Now that you are all finally here, let us begin.”

You heard snickers throughout the room and as you glanced around, you noticed it was your own house laughing at your expense. Your professor simply glanced in their direction before addressing the class once again. “Open your books to page 18.” Finally glancing away from Professor Snape, you did as instructed and quietly hoped you could make it through the day without any more embarrassment.

~

Months had passed, and you were sitting in your normal seat in the back of your potions class. It was now well after Christmas break and the chill that always hung in the air was amplified by the cold air outside. It was already a miserable day, and just as you’d expected, it was only going to get worse. Snape hadn’t yet entered the room, so it was still just the students. Your head rested against your hand, keeping yourself propped up, and in an instant, your arm was swiped out from beneath you, and your face fell flat against your desk.

In an instant, you were out of your chair and on your feet facing none other than Rhett Devine. Over the last two months, he’d taken it upon himself to make your life a living hell after he found out you were a half-blood whose wizard father practically disowned her after you ran off to attend Hogwarts. At your sides, your hands were clenched into fists, and the temptation to grab your wand was completely overwhelming. If you were anywhere else in the castle you would have, but you knew better than to do anything of the likes in Snape’s classroom. Instead, you settled for simply berating the male. “Nothing better to do than harass me yet, Devine?”

With a smug grin, Rhett turned to face his two lackeys that had sauntered up behind him. “Can you two think of anything more fun that hounding the outcast of Slytherin?” He faced you once again. “Because I sure can’t. Nothing better than making your life a living hell, half-blood.” You took a step forward, ready to rearrange Rhett’s face with your fists, but a hand on your arm stopped you. Glancing over your shoulder, you saw Molly giving you a pitiful, but disapproving look. This only egged Rhett on more. “Don’t know how you managed to sneak your way into Slytherin the way you are. Your own father doesn’t even want you, leaving only your muggle mother to care for you.”

“Shut your mouth, Devine before I shut it for you,” you threatened, shaking out of Molly’s grasp.

“I’d like to see you try, Wolfe.”

Just as you were about to lunge forward, fists at the ready, the door to the classroom flew open and Professor Snape stepped through, dramatic as always. Instantly, your hands flew to your sides as you faced your teacher. “Does anyone care to tell me what exactly is going on here?” Snape asked, his eyes glancing over the scene before him before settling solely on you.

Setting your jaw, you took a deep breath. “Nothing Professor, Devine simply had something to tell me.”

You barely caught the flash of doubt that crossed Snape’s features as his eyes narrowed at you. “See me after class again, Wolfe.” You sighed before nodding at your professor. Staying after class with him had become a bit of a regular thing for you as of late. “Now, all of you take your seats.” You sent a quick glare at the males still standing there sneering at you before shuffling back into your seat.

The class passed by in an uneventful blur, your fury still rearing its head within you, and finally, the rest of the class was dismissed. You remained in your seat as your classmates stood and made their way to leave. Some of them sent you pitying looks as they passed your desk to leave the room. Molly was the last to leave, and she gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder before leaving. As soon as the door shut, Snape folded his arms across his chest and his gaze zeroed in on you. There was a thick silence between the two of you before he finally spoke up. “Care to tell me just what was going on in my classroom Wolfe?”

Why did you have to be cursed? Why did Snape have to be the teacher that caught you and also be the head of your house? You quickly debated over telling him what actually happened and decided against it. “I already told you sir; Devine just had something he really needed to tell me.”

The man’s face remained completely blank as he stared back at you, seemingly unamused. You couldn’t tell if he’d taken the bait. “And just what was so important that he absolutely had to tell you?”

Crap. You hadn’t thought this far ahead and came up with a lie on the spot. “He forgot his homework and needed help.”

Snape began walking down the aisle toward where you still sat behind your desk. His gaze burned holes through you as he neared your form. “And of all people, he asked you?”

“Yes Sir.”

“The student, who as of late, has had some of the worst grades in my class?”

You worried your bottom lip slightly at his demeaning words. “Yes, Professor. It’s not like I’m trying to fail. I’m doing my best, really.” You could immediately see the disbelief roiling in the depths of his black eyes. To be perfectly honest, that stung. You really were trying your hardest in his class, but for some reason, everything always went wrong. You followed the directions for every potion perfectly, but recently, without fail, something would go horribly, impossibly wrong.

There was yet another long pause from Snape as he mulled over your words. “Would you like to tell me the truth Wolfe, or shall I break out my stores of Veritaserum to weasel it out of you?”

The weight of his words sank in. He truly didn’t believe you, and you didn’t know if you were truly willingly to call his bluff. He wouldn’t use the serum on a student over this . . . Would he? Was he even allowed to? You could simply tell him the truth, but then you’d look weak in everyone’s eyes. More importantly, you’d look weak to your favorite professor. You refused to let that happen. “Is this really that important, Professor?”

Snape placed his hand on your desk, idly drumming a single finger on it as he continued to stare at you. “I will not stand for liars and insubordination in my house, Wolfe.”

You couldn’t tell if he was talking about you in specific at this point. Finally giving in, you gave him a simple blanket statement as you hoped to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of him. “Well, Devine found out some things about me and refuses to leave me alone now.”

“I don’t see what the problem is that would cause you two to disrupt class in the manner you did.” For a brief moment, you pondered the meaning of his words. Had Snape seen the fact that you were about to pummel your classmate into a bloody pulp? Surely if he had you would be in detention right now and not sitting here having a conversation with the man.

Simply dodging his insinuations again, you gave him an easy, “You’re right Professor. It won’t happen again.”

Seemingly pleased with your quick compliance, Snape finally removed his hand from where it rested still on your desk. “I’d recommend not, unless you wish to spend a week’s worth of your evenings here with me in detention.”

Your eyes widened in surprise. As much as you’d begun to look up to your Professor, you couldn’t think of a worse way to spend your evenings. Surely, he’d have you doing meaningless, grueling tasks just to watch you suffer. “Of course not, Professor.”

“Very well,” Snape said as he turned away from you. He made his way back to the front of the classroom, and you couldn’t help but watch his flowing black cloak billowing around him as he moved. “You are dismissed, Wolfe.” Quickly, you gathered up your belongings and clutched them close to your chest as you made your way for the door. “Oh, one last thing.” Snape’s voice caused you to halt a few steps from the door, and you spun to face him. Snape was standing in front of the board with his arms crossed, signature glower in place. “Figure out your grades Wolfe. I don’t accept failure in my house either.”

With a nod and a simple, “Yes sir,” you were out the door and on your way to your next class. Your mind was reeling with the actuality of what just happened.