The first day at Hogwarts was, unfortunately, quite eventful, especially with Potter around. In the morning, Hermione and I walked together to the common room. Suddenly, Potter grabbed me by the collar, lifted me slightly off the ground, and started shaking me. No one was protecting me. Except one person… Hermione shouted, "Harry, what are you doing?! Let the girl go!" She tried to pull me out of Potter's grip, but she wasn't strong enough. Just as I started feeling breathless, Hermione yelled, "Depulso!" and pushed Potter away from me.
At that moment, the Weasley twins and Ronald Weasley himself came running from the boys' dormitory. Potter was about to attack me again, but they held him back. Hermione helped me stand up. I yelled, "What's your problem?! Is that scar on your head messing with your brain?!" Potter looked at me confused for a moment and then burst out laughing mockingly.
"Didn't they tell you, Snape? Your mom had a crush on my dad! And your disgusting dad was obsessed with my mom! I knew about your dad, but your mom… your whole family is crazy!" Before anyone could react, I pressed my wand against Potter's throat.
"Listen here, you arrogant fool! Instead of talking about my family, look at your own! Didn't you know? Your godfather is Sirius Black! If my family's crazy, then your godfather is a murderer!" I pulled my wand away from Potter's throat and stormed off to breakfast, not really to eat, but to teach Draco, my dear father's godson, a lesson. Most likely, it was him who told Potter about this early in the morning.
I approached the Slytherin table and stood in front of Draco. Quickly, I delved into his mind and those fake friends of his, and I found something — Pansy Parkinson! She was the one who had leaked the news to Potter. Right now, she was glaring at me with that bulldog face of hers, annoyingly. "Hey Parkinson, go to hell!" I shouted and turned back toward the Gryffindor table.
I felt Pansy's poisonous glare burning into my back, but I ignored it and sat down. My hands were shaking; my anger hadn't faded yet, but at least it was under control. My heart was still pounding fast — from anger and maybe... shame. Potter's words echoed in a corner of my mind. My mom… my dad… How much do I really know about them?
Hermione sat beside me quietly. She didn't say anything, but she placed her hand gently on my knee under the table. That small touch calmed the storm inside me a little. Maybe there really were good people in this world. Maybe I could be one of them. Ron was still glaring at me angrily, but my being with Hermione silenced him.
I reached for my food quietly but had no appetite. After a few bites, I put my fork down. The buzzing around the table was like nails scratching my ears; every glance felt like it was burning me. I was tired. Tired of everyone. Tired of everything.
Then it happened. The Great Hall doors opened, and Professor McGonagall entered. With firm but somewhat worried steps, she came straight toward me. My heart raced again.
"Snape," she said briefly, her voice serious and controlled as always, "the headmaster wants to see you."
My eyes widened. Suddenly, everyone's attention turned to me. As I got up, I wondered what Dumbledore's summons meant. Had Potter complained? Or was it my father…?
Hermione looked into my eyes anxiously. "Don't be afraid. I'll be with you," she whispered. I lowered my head. I was so grateful to her… but couldn't say a word.
McGonagall led the way, and I followed up the stairs. The stone walls of Hogwarts closed in on me like my dark past. Finally, we stopped in front of the door with the lion's head. McGonagall stopped and said the password, "Lemon ice cream." The door opened, and I stepped inside.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, his eyes behind his glasses studying me with his usual inscrutable expression. For a moment, I thought he would judge me too, but there was no judgment... just curiosity and a hint of sadness.
"Come here," he said kindly. "Please, sit down."
I sat silently.
"I heard about what happened today," he said. "I want to hear your side. There is no judgment here… I just want to know the truth."
I took a deep breath.
"Potter attacked me. I don't know why. Maybe someone told him something about my mom and dad, but… what he said… was very hurtful. I was just defending myself."
Dumbledore nodded. "Harry still struggles to control his emotions. I will speak with him too. But your courage… and your effort to control your anger… that was important."
My eyes filled with tears. No one had ever talked to me like this before — a grown-up who cared about my feelings… it was strange but healing.
Then he added, "The burden of the Snape name may be heavy. But you have the power to rise above that name. Remember, who you are is what you choose to be. It's not where you come from, but where you want to go that matters."
At that moment, I couldn't hold back my tears. All those feelings I had bottled up for years silently ran down my cheeks. He said nothing else, just handed me a handkerchief.
And right then… I made another decision inside myself: Instead of fighting my past, I would write my own future.