Innocent

It's alright, just wait and see

Your string of lights is still bright to me

Oh, who you are is not where you've been

You're still an innocent

September 21st, 1987

"Minerva?" Severus approached her in the staff room one afternoon after it had emptied. At a mere twenty-seven, he had only been teaching for six years but was slowly becoming accustomed to his position. It had taken time to earn the respect of students, given his age in proximity to their own. But it had been almost peaceful... for once in his life. No Death Eater cabals or sneaking around playing spy for sides of a war he had never wanted a part in.

Hogwarts had always been more of a home to him, despite the terrible things that occurred in its walls - it paled in comparison to his childhood home.

"What can I do for you, Severus?" He believed Minerva judged him for his part in the war. And honestly, he judged himself. There was nothing he could do to reverse the past.

Albus had mentioned to Severus how close Minerva had once been with his mother. These meetings often felt more like required therapy from Albus rather than anything of substance, but the comment regarding his mother had stuck.

Over the years, he had grown to resent her. She either slept, wept, or disappeared. The idea that Minerva had once been friends with her, a shell of a woman, surprised him.

"I was informed that you were familiar with my mother, Eileen Prince." He watched as the witch stilled.

He sat beside her, awaiting her response.

"I did. A very long time ago," her voice clipped.

"I apologise; I thought I would ask. I know very little about my mother."

Minerva eyed him sympathetically, the ornate wooden chair creaking as she leaned back.

"I had not made the connection until your fourth year, though the resemblance is uncanny. Eileen and I were... close during our seventh year. We became animagi together."

His brows disappeared into his hairline. He had not known his mother was an animagus.

"I had not known my mother was capable of that level of magic. She never exhibited anything of the sort to my memory."

Minerva grimaced. "Yes, well... Her parents did quite a number on her. She felt she had to leave the wizarding world once and for all. I wasn't aware she married a muggle, but I am unsurprised. She wanted to do something her parents abhorred so they would disconnect themselves from her entirely. You know how the pureblood culture is..."

Severus considered this. "I had always thought she was disowned for a reason due to her hatred for magic. My father hated what I was, and my mother was less than forthcoming about her past."

Minerva studied him appraisingly.

"Your mother was a phenomenal witch, one of the best in our year. Her parents were part of the group that supported Grindelwald, and when they caught wind of Riddle's goals, they encouraged Eileen to join. She refused. She was, well... something terrible happened after that. I never saw or spoke to her again."

"Thank you... for telling me this. It's of comfort to know she was once happy. I do not understand how she managed to find herself with my father after leaving this world. It doesn't make sense." And it didn't. He thought of all the potential paths his mother could have taken, and none of them led to the muggle drunkard Tobias Snape.

Minerva sighed. "Sometimes we leave the devil we know for the devil we don't. It isn't something we can truly understand. Are you sure you want to know all of this, Severus?"

He nodded. "Perhaps knowing more of her will allow me to see her for who she truly was rather than regard her with...contempt."

"Very well. Let's start with the good," Minerva smiled at him. "She excelled in transfiguration and probably could have had my job if she'd stuck with it."

He smirked at the prospect as she added, "You were an excellent student as well. Your NEWT project, if I recall correctly, surrounded major conjuration."

Inclining his head in acknowledgement, "It was."

As Severus and Minerva continued their conversation, Severus found himself experiencing a mix of emotions he hadn't anticipated. There was a sense of closure, finally understanding aspects of his mother's life that had always been shrouded in mystery. He also felt a newfound appreciation for her resilience, though it had faltered over time, which, given the circumstances, was understandable. He had experienced that exactly, his resilience slowly deteriorating over time.

As they reminisced, Severus began to see her in a different light, not as the distant and troubled figure from his childhood memories but as a talented witch who had done her very best with what life had dealt her. Minerva's anecdotes painted a picture of a young woman who had once thrived within the magical community.

Through their conversation, Severus also realised the impact his mother's choices had on his life. He saw parallels between her defiance of her family's expectations and his journey, navigating the complexities of the wizarding world and ultimately choosing his path, even if it meant making difficult decisions and enduring hardships.

When their conversation drew to a close, Severus felt a newfound sense of connection to his mother and a deeper understanding of his own identity.

"Thank you, Minerva." He gave her a rare smile. She took his hands in her own before she responded, tears beading behind her spectacles.

"Your mother was one of a kind, truly. I miss her every day."

He allowed her the moment and bade her farewell. As Severus left the staff room, he felt that one of many weights on him had lifted. He still had many unanswered questions and wounds left unhealed, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a bit hopeful for the future.

At the end of the day, 1987 marked the year Severus Snape became determined to heal from his past, one way or another. It's what his mother would have wanted.