Severus Snape x student LOVE STORY

Chapter 21 - the New Regime

As the school year began at Hogwarts in Year 7, the once vibrant and welcoming atmosphere of the castle was replaced by an oppressive and fearful silence. With Voldemort's takeover of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts had become a dark and twisted version of its former self, no longer a sanctuary for learning but a stronghold for fear and control.

The most immediate and visible change was in the school's leadership. Severus Snape had been appointed as Headmaster, a position he took under the guise of loyalty to Voldemort, while the Carrows—Amycus and Alecto—were installed as the new Deputy Headmasters. They were both cruel and sadistic, eager to implement Voldemort's ideology within the walls of Hogwarts.

Amycus Carrow took over as the Dark Arts professor—a subject that had previously been Defense Against the Dark Arts. The class was no longer about defending oneself from dark magic but about practicing it. The students were forced to perform the Cruciatus Curse on one another, a horrific exercise designed to break their spirits and teach them cruelty.

Alecto Carrow was given control of Muggle Studies, but this was no longer the introductory course it once was. Instead, it was a platform for anti-Muggle propaganda, with Alecto spewing hate-filled lies and venom about Muggles, calling them subhuman and inferior. Students were expected to parrot back these lies, with any dissenters facing harsh punishments.

The corridors of Hogwarts were patrolled by Snatchers—Dark Wizards loyal to Voldemort—along with the school's own students who had been recruited to act as enforcers. These student enforcers, often from Slytherin, were eager to prove their loyalty to the new regime, reporting their peers for the slightest infractions or perceived disloyalty.

Students who were caught whispering about resistance or showing any signs of defiance were dragged away to the dungeons, where they faced torture under the Carrows' cruel supervision. Detentions were no longer about lines or chores; they involved the use of dark curses and physical punishments that left many students traumatized.

Despite the fear, there was a growing undercurrent of rebellion within the school. Dumbledore's Army, once a secret club formed to practice defensive magic, had transformed into a full-fledged resistance movement. Led by Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood, the DA operated in the shadows, sabotaging the Carrows' efforts, providing aid to persecuted students, and spreading messages of hope and defiance. The Room of Requirement became their headquarters, a safe haven where they could regroup and plan their next moves. The room provided everything they needed, including food, shelter, and a place to practice their magic. It became a sanctuary for those who refused to bow to the new order. For most students, daily life was a constant struggle. The once lively Great Hall was now a place of anxiety, where students ate in silence under the watchful eyes of the Carrows and their enforcers. Meals were tense, with even the slightest misstep potentially resulting in brutal punishment.

Classes had become something to endure rather than enjoy. The curriculum had been twisted to align with Voldemort's ideology, and students were often too scared to ask questions or participate fully. Homework now included essays on why Muggles were dangerous or how to properly cast a dark curse, and failure to comply meant severe consequences.

Even the castle itself seemed to have changed. The walls, once filled with portraits of friendly witches and wizards, now seemed darker, the portraits either silent or glaring down at the students. The very magic of Hogwarts felt different—darker, colder, as if the castle itself was mourning the loss of its former joy.

As Headmaster, Snape was a figure of mystery and contradiction. To most students and staff, he appeared as a cold, unfeeling enforcer of Voldemort's will, a man who had fully embraced the darkness. Yet there were moments, brief and fleeting, where some students thought they saw something different in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or sorrow.  Snape walked a dangerous tightrope, playing his role convincingly to Voldemort and the Death Eaters while subtly protecting the students whenever he could. He steered punishments away from the most vulnerable, and while he outwardly supported the Carrows' brutal regime, he was always watching, waiting for the right moment to act in defense of the school he had once served under Dumbledore.