Cokeworth, Spinner's End, England – July 3, 1975
The air in his room smelled of dust and dampness, and Severus hated it. He groaned as he opened his eyes and slowly sat up on his shabby bed, staring into nothingness.
It had been five days since he had returned home for the summer holidays, and he already wished to go back to Hogwarts. He got up reluctantly and walked to his small desk, rummaging through the drawers until his fingers found the calendar he had hidden. He opened it, seeing the marked date: July 3 – Go to the library.
He frowned with annoyance and sighed. Dragging himself to the bathroom, he showered. When he came out, he stopped in front of the fogged mirror. The first thing he noticed were the scars: some the result of his father's drunken beatings, others bitter reminders of the Marauders' pranks. Then he examined his face: black eyes, hooked nose, sallow skin, and greasy hair. He had never cared much about his appearance, but sometimes he admitted that, among everyone at Hogwarts, he was probably the ugliest.
He let out a bitter laugh.
"How am I supposed to make Lily fall in love with this face?" he muttered.
He dressed in the best clothes he had—which happened to be his father's old, worn-out garments, much too big for his thin body. Fully dressed, he went downstairs through the dull, silent house. His father was gone—a blessing. His mother, apparently, was still asleep—even better, he thought as he entered the kitchen.
He ate what little he found: a piece of stale bread and a cup of watered-down tea. When he finished, he began searching for money in his father's hiding places. When he found some, he took it all and left the house quietly.
As he walked along the dirty pavement, he briefly thought of visiting Lily, but dismissed the idea at once. Instead, he headed for the bus stop. He had a purpose in mind: to look for information at the library that could help him create a new spell. Sitting on the bench, he watched as the sky grew darker. It would rain soon, he thought. Just then, the bus arrived. He slowly climbed aboard, walked to the back, and sat by the window.
During the ride, he watched how the gray, dilapidated houses of his neighborhood slowly gave way to more colorful and lively buildings as he left Cokeworth behind. Thirty minutes later, he got off the bus just as it began to drizzle and ran toward the library.
Upon entering, he bumped into a man, and they almost fell to the ground.
"Watch where you're going!" the stranger snapped angrily.
Severus lowered his head, restraining himself. He walked around the man, biting his lip, and muttered under his breath:
"Bloody Muggle."
Then he went deeper into the library, wandering between the aisles, lost as he tried to find the medical section.
"Maybe I should've asked for directions before coming in…" he whispered to himself, just as a hand rested on his shoulder.
A boy with long black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes looked at him with a neutral expression.
"Need help?"
Severus almost said no, but held back and nodded."Yes."
"What are you looking for?" asked the boy.
"Medical books," Severus said quietly.
The boy raised an eyebrow, then nodded and guided him through the aisles. As they walked, the boy glanced at him sideways.
"So, you live in the Muggle world, don't you, Severus?"
Severus froze."Do we know each other?" he asked seriously.
The other smirked mockingly."You're not the only one who goes to Hogwarts, you know?"
He grabbed a thick book titled The Functioning and Parts of the Human Body in Depth, handed it to Severus—who stood silently—and then walked to a table, signaling him to follow.
Severus hesitated for a moment but followed. They both sat down. The stranger opened a business book he had brought in his backpack.
"What's your name?" Severus asked, still puzzled.
"Marcus. Marcus Venator," he replied without looking up.
"What house are you in?"
Marcus rolled up his sleeve, showing a small eagle-shaped emblem.
"Ravenclaw," Severus said softly.
"That's right. And you… Slytherin," Marcus replied with a half-smile. "What a curious meeting."
Against his will, Severus allowed himself a faint smile.