Second chance a new choice

Exams and a different kind of fullmoon

Severus woke and squinted through hazy morning vision. This isn't my bed. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. Too much light in here. A bulky sixteen-year-old boy snored in a bed ten feet away. Slytherin dorm! No wonder. But what on earth am I doing here with the students? He focused, but the previous night blurred. Why did I sleep here?

Severus slid out of bed. The instant his feet hit the icy floor, everything came back.

I died...

Nagini's bite, Voldemort's triumphant blood-red eyes—he remembered them too well.

Oh, Merlin! He ran damp hands through unruly hair. I can't go through school again. It was bad enough the first time. And I made so many mistakes—but I won't do that again. He smacked a fist into the mattress. All the pointless name-calling, the taunts. It's so stupid! Why must I be degraded to the same level as all those snotty dunderheads? Just yesterday I was Headmaster! Not that I want that again, but such change... It happened too quickly. He gripped a fistful of blanket and groaned.

Without waking the snorer, he slipped from bed to bathroom. The image in the mirror was the same as yesterday if a bit messier. What a pretty picture. He pushed tangled hair out of his face. Still scrawny . And awkward.

He fumbled to turn on the faucet. Big hands miscalculated, and he knocked a knuckle on the sink.

Ouch! At least it gets better... eventually. He waved away the sting then wiped a sheen of grease from his face and cleared sleepy eyes. A fresh set of robes under one arm, he headed for the shower.

The rest of the dorm stirred.

As he finished his shower, he relished the feel of hot water and clean hair. If I'm changing things, this might as well be one of them. He toweled dry. Though clean now, he didn't feel it. His bare arm offered some comfort. That's a mistake I'll never make again. He glowered at the unmarked skin in a silent vow before he returned to his dorm.

"Morning, Severus," said one of his dorm mates.

He gave the speaker a dark look. Avery.

"Done crying to the mudblood?" Avery taunted with a smirk.

"We don't use that word here," Severus said, voice firm.

Avery looked surprised. "Come now, Severus. She's just a mudblood."

"I said, we don't use that word here." He gave Avery a look so stern the other young man's mouth clapped shut.

He left the dorm without another word to Avery.

Dread built as he neared the great hall.

Lily waited there. She searched the crowd and brightened when she spied him. "Morning, Sev," she called across the hall and smiled.

My angel—alive again. He choked down the lump in his throat as he drank in the sight of her. "Good morning, Lily," he said, voice thick.

"You all right, Sev? You look a little pale."

He crooked an eyebrow.

"Well, you're always pale, but... you know." She felt his forehead.

Severus tensed.

"No fever," she said. "Seriously, are you all right?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Riiiight. Know what? Let's sit together." She took his arm and led him to the table nearest them, occupied by Hufflepuffs.