Chapter Text
Lily Potter died giving her life for her sons. Charlie was named Survivor Boy, Harry was forgotten. Only Albus, James, Sirius, and Remus knew the truth. They believed their own lies. James especially. After all, Charlie loved to fly, had the family black hair and brown eyes. While Harry understood snakes. Lily said it was okay, but after she died it was also forgotten. By winning her attention and losing her, it was as if James had lost his feelings for her as well. He had to move on, after all.
The Dark Lord was pronounced dead. Though many of his supporters avoided punishment, oddly enough. Barty Crouch Jr. admitted to attacking the Longbottoms and several other families. He was kissed by a Dementor. The blame for the rest of the attacks fell on Antonin Dolohov and Rabastan Lestrange. They were saved by their lawyers a few years later. Severus Snape took the blame for the information stolen from the Ministry and the murder of Igor Karkaroff. Albus pulled him out of Azkaban, excusing his sins.
The Ministry of Magic did its job. They kept quiet about all the other attacks. The Dark Lord is gone. No need to worry anymore. It never occurred to anyone that the Death Eaters would have each other's backs.
And, of course, no one thought that the Dark Lord had once treated his followers with respect. He wanted to keep wizards safe, especially children. So that no one would have a childhood as cruel and miserable as his own. But over time, he began to change. He became cruel and began to torture and humiliate his supporters. They could not understand what happened to their powerful and determined Lord.
What the light wizards didn't know was that the Lestranges, who were reeling from their Lord's torture and constant pressure, had attacked the Longbottoms almost out of their minds. That Barty had dragged them out from under the noses of the aurors, hidden them, and taken the blame to protect them. When Bella finally came to her senses, she was sobbing in a way that made the others' hearts cringe. They had lost Barty, too.
They had lost Reggie. The quiet and soft Regulus, who should be making plans in the office, not running around on the battlefield. His death was blamed on the Death Eaters themselves. Cissi cried for several days. Her beloved cousin was no longer with them. This only made Bellatrix more unstable, because she suffered from an ancient Black' gift she could not control.
Laughter at the shared table, plans for the future, squabbles between Regulus and Fenrir. When the werewolf offered a bite at the general meeting and Regulus swore at him, Narcissa grabbed her heart and Rodolphus proudly patted Reggie's hair. That was all in the past.
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Until the choice is made, there are only possibilities ahead. Why do people regret their choices, Sev?
Because they made the wrong choice, didn't they?
But it's their choice. The right choice doesn't exist.
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The wind is changing. How funny.
It's so hot right now the sidewalk is melting, Reggie.
It's strange that you can't see. Why haven't you had your gifts checked?
My mother was banished from the family. The family magic has left her, you know that.
Hmm. Listen to the wind, though, Sev.
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Severus blinked his sleep away. Why did he dream about Reggie? It was so long ago. It was like another life. He closed his eyes with a sigh. What would Regulus say if he saw him now? What would Lily say?
The friend they could not bury. And the sister he still loves. Initially he thought he was in love. But he just loved someone dear to him. Who he himself had betrayed.
When they had a fight, the two of them didn't forgive. She didn't forgive the insult, he didn't forgive the laughter. They were both angry. He joined the Death Eaters, she married Potter. When he apologized to her, he didn't want to lose her. But he was doing it for himself. When he realized that, he stopped. She deserved a sincere apology. He thought that one day he would apologize to her for real. But that day never came.
He took an oath to help Harry because he thought of her. But he felt something was wrong. Was that why he was dreaming about Regulus? Choice. He had made so many oaths and choices, but only the last choice he didn't regret. But Reggie was right. What regret could there be if he had chosen it himself?
Severus stretched out his left hand. The red thread of the oath flashed on his wrist. His hand had begun to go numb a couple of years ago. Albus said Harry was just having a slight misunderstanding with his family, nothing serious. But that's what he always said. When Severus' mother died, because her health was damaged by her eternal quarrels with his father. When the Dark Lord asked permission to stay at Hogwarts for the summer because he didn't want to go back to the orphanage.
What are you hiding, Albus? Severus didn't believe him one bit. Severus knew that the Death Eaters thought he was a traitor because Dumbledore had helped him. They didn't know that he too had protected them to the end. He didn't tell them that because he wasn't sure he wanted to be with them anymore. But he doesn't want to be on Dumbledore's side either.
Severus knew that Harry was the real chosen one. Albus said the boy had to grow up away from the glory so he would be safe. Severus only senses lies. Dumbledore was hiding something from everyone.
Reggie.
The ancestors of the Black family had the gift of divination. But now there were only echoes of that gift, driving them mad. But Regulus said things that made sense later. Severus suspected that he had that gift. He didn't know what had happened to his friend.
Had he been murdered? Reggie couldn't have just run away, but... If something unexpected had happened? Something made him disappear. Regulus never regretted his decisions. What would he do now?
Severus knew the answer. He would find the boy alone.
Hmm. Listen to the wind, though, Sev.
Gifts. Severus knows his gift is in potions. Is there some more? He could ask the goblins for a good price. If think so...
Severus has always wanted to get rid of his father's blood. He dreamed of brewing potions somewhere away from England, even opening an apothecary. To live a quiet and measured life.
Severus finally got out of bed. Regulus does not appear even in dreams by accident. Snape's subconscious was trying to tell him something. Perhaps at Gringotts he would know the answers.
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When his father's blood left his body, the blood of his other ancestors rushed through his veins.
His eyes took on a dark blue hue. His hair became shiny and soft. His nose became straighter and smaller. His skin took on a milky color without an unhealthy hue. But the scars from the Dark Lord and the missions became more visible.
Reggie was right all those years ago. Severus realizes this even before his hereditary test appears on the parchment.
Severus Octavian Ravenclaw Prince
Mother: Eileen Snape nee Prince
Gifts:
Potions \ Air Magic \ Legilimency \ Occlumency
Bloodline:
Prince Lord \ Ravenclaw Lord
Relation:
Slytherin - one branch, divided 304 years ago into the Prince and the Gaunt families
Vault:
107 \ 207 \ 344 \ 563 \ 598
Property:
Snape House \ Prince's Mansion \ Ravenclaw Castle
-I'm related to the Dark Lord? - Severus said tiredly. It was too shocking news so early in the morning.
-Very distant, - the goblin replied. - The Gaunts were the main branch of the family, and the Princes were one of the side ones.
-How did I get the title of Princes?
-Your mother was disowned, but not you. You are the only heir to the family, so the fortune and title passed to you automatically when your grandfather died.
-Vault 598 under the name of Snape. Transfer money from it to 563 and close it.
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-I, Severus Octavian Claw Prince, ask Lady Magic to declare the oaths of silence and life debt taken by Severus Tobias Snape no longer valid. I allow Lady Magic to judge.
Severus felt a warmth in his wrist and grinned. Albus didn't know what he was asking of him. Not only was the oath of silence illegal, but with it he covered the debt that supposedly owes Potter. After all, the silence about the incident in the fifth year saved Potter, Black and Lupin from being expelled from Hogwarts. Besides, Severus was sure that in fact Potter was saving his friends, not Severus, and Magic was in agreement with him.
There are only two oaths left. About helping Harry. And serving the Dark Lord.
Severus sighed heavily. He didn't believe until the very last moment that the Dark Lord would kill the children, so he only asked for Lily to be spared. But Voldemort was no longer the righteous leader he had followed in the first place.
He had failed Lily himself. He had to make sure her son was all right. Except something was getting in the way. Severus looked thoughtfully out the window. With an oath like that, he should have sensed if the boy was in danger. But his wrist went numb in a weird way. Perhaps Albus had placed a charm on the place where the child lived. But why? Who had he left Harry to? Severus had a bad feeling about this.