A Meeting of Souls

Welcoming Feast

Severus Snape found the welcome feast the most abhorrent part of his job. All the children were hyper off sweets from the trolley and blubbering to their friends about 'what fun they had over the summer'. It made him want to do his head in already. The matter was exacerbated by the fact Harry Potter was now going to school here.

Not to mention the sorting ceremony ruined his life. First, he was sorted into Slytherin which he thought was wonderful, until both the girls he loved were sorted into another house. Not just any house either; it had to be Gryffindor of course. His enemies, his foes, the bane of existence.

When the giant double doors opened revealing the new first years, Severus had to hold in an eye roll. They looked all the same to him. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to start their classes and learn magic. The whole lot had no idea how cruel and terrible the world would be to them.

He didn't try to fight the sneer that curled his thin cracked lips as he looked over the new students. He recognized many of the pureblood children. Their parents vying for him to tutor them, too have a leg up on their classmates.

As if he wanted to spend more time with snot-nosed vermin than he already had to. Ten months is more than enough of his time, he already had to mold these dunderheads into mediocre adults.

Seeing Harry for the first time in a decade, felt as if someone poured a bucket of ice water over his head. His heart raced, his chest tightened painfully at the sight of him. He felt sick to his stomach already, regretting being here, as if he had a choice in the matter.

He couldn't have stopped being thrown back into his memories of Lily and Juliana. The two Potter girls that stole his heart. Both are formidable witches in their own right. Lily was as sweet as springtime honey. Juliana, oh sweet Salazar, Juliana. She was fierier than the blazing summer days. Both women were whirlwinds in his life. There one minute, changed everything he thought and felt. Then they were gone the next, all because of his stupid mistakes.

He was pulled out of the trance when Harry was placed into his house. Gryffindor, which was no shock to him.

He caught the look of disappointment on Quirrell's face when it was announced. Anyone who thought it would be different was an Idiot.

He continued to stare, almost longingly at the boy. He had his mother's beautiful emerald eyes. His untamable black hair and long nose were softer than his idiot fathers'. He looked much more like his Aunt Juliana, than he had expected. It made Severus' heart thump harder in his heart.

The rest of the ceremony went by agonizingly slow. His dark eyes roamed the hall, looking for any troublemakers. He winked at Malfoy and almost smiled, proud to finally have his godson here.

At least he'd have Malfoy to soften this year's blow. A sweet boy, if only he wasn't so intent on being like his father. Lucius Malfoy wasn't the worst father ever; he clearly cared for his family. Though his beliefs were extreme for Severus' taste. The Malfoys were the closest thing he felt to a family in a long time.

Besides Minerva, who always bickered with him about who would win the Quidditch cup. Yet, she always cared for him almost as a mother would. His gaze moved to the older woman a bit further down the table. She had the widest smile bragging that she got the 'Harry Potter' in her house.

Professor Quirrell attempted to speak with him, his back turned to the students. Severus tried not to outwardly groan with annoyance and hex the man. The stuttered ramblings gave him showers of spittle with every repeated syllable.