Harry Potter: I became Snape

The tranquil weeks of school life passed quickly.

James Potter had returned to classes. Apart from being noticeably quieter, he seemed no different than before.

However, whenever Severus Snape glanced his way, he inevitably met James's eyes, brimming with loathing, like the Black Lake overflowing in the rainy season.

It seemed Sirius Black hadn't used that bottle of Amortentia on James after all. Whether Sirius had discarded it or kept it remained a mystery.

This uncertainty made Snape even more cautious, taking care to avoid being alone whenever possible.

On the first Friday evening of April, as Snape and his dormmates returned to the Slytherin common room after dinner, they noticed several sixth-year Slytherins gathered by the crackling fireplace, engrossed in conversation.

Approaching the notice board, they spotted a new announcement detailing the schedule for the Apparition Test.

The notice stated that students aged seventeen or older could register before the first test on April 24th to attend specialized training in Hogsmeade, under strict supervision.

Patrick Abbott read the notice and slumped into an armchair like a deflated balloon. Despite being of age, he had yet to successfully Apparate, and his hopes of passing the test felt painfully slim.

"Ugh…" he sighed. "Looks like I'll be taking the train home for the holidays again. No chance to surprise my family…"

Snape, on the other hand, had managed to Apparate a few times. He didn't mind the prospect of riding the Hogwarts Express.

"We won't have many more chances to take the train, will we?" Snape said, pulling an empty chair from the fireside and sitting beside Patrick and Barty Crouch Jr. "I'm a bit reluctant to give it up. Even if I pass the Apparition Test, I think I'll still take the train home."

Warmed by the cozy fire, they chatted for a while about the fleeting days of their student life before confronting the harsh reality: a mountain of homework.

N.E.W.T.-level assignments were tougher than ever. Even a seemingly simple question could require digging through stacks of references.

These days, Snape found himself visiting Madam Pince more often. Each time he borrowed or returned a book, she would lean her wrinkled face close to the pages, meticulously inspecting for any mistreatment of her precious volumes.

On Sunday morning, Snape and Patrick waited in the Entrance Hall.

Soon, Pandora approached from the western corridor, where the Ravenclaw Tower was located.

Once they were together, they set off for Hogsmeade to attend the Apparition training.

The weather outside was pleasant, brimming with spring's warmth. A rare blue sky dotted with white clouds stretched above the castle.

In Hogsmeade, they followed floating purple magical arrows through the streets, heading toward the village's edge near the mountains.

The distant peaks, once capped with snow, now wore a faint green.

Wilkie Twycross, pale and wiry, stood near Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Beside him was a petite witch wearing a striking magenta wizard's hat, likely his assistant.

On the ground nearby lay an old-fashioned Comet Three broomstick, its handle marked with the wear of years.

A few students were already gathered, flipping through small booklets in their hands.

"Come on over!" the petite witch called enthusiastically, waving them forward.

"Hello, I'm Cilly Polk, Mr. Twycross's assistant from the Apparition Test Centre," she said, pulling several booklets from her bag and handing them out. "These contain everything you need to know about Apparition."

"Of course, the most crucial part is what Mr. Twycross will teach you: the three Ds—Destination, Determination, and Deliberation."

Snape took a booklet titled Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and flipped through it.

Beneath the Ministry of Magic's initials—M.o.M.—the cover featured a cartoon wizard with hair as translucent as Twycross's. The figure flickered across the page, appearing at the top one moment, the bottom the next, politely bowing to readers.

"Listen up," Twycross said, raising his voice to draw everyone's attention after Polk confirmed all the students had arrived. "Today in Hogsmeade, you can relax a bit and practice Apparition."

He paused before continuing. "There's no anti-Apparition jinx here, so even if you're a bit off, there's no need to worry too much."

"But I must remind you of your target—" Twycross pointed to a large area outside Madam Puddifoot's, circled in red ink. Compared to the wooden hoops used in practice, this space was impressively vast. "I still expect you to aim for precision."

"After all, in real-world Apparition, even a small mistake can lead to serious consequences. The booklet details these risks, so give it a read."

"We'll have more practice sessions next week and the week after," he added. "By then, the target circle will be reduced to the size used in the final test. Now, line up, one at a time…"

When Snape's turn came, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and visualized the red circle, making sure to include his hair as part of his body.

With a soft pop, he successfully Apparated into the circle. In the attempts that followed, Pandora also succeeded, though her foot landed right on the edge.

Snape and Pandora's success gave Patrick a surge of confidence. Clutching his wand tightly, he stood beside Twycross, eyes fixed on the target area.

Then, he vanished.

But no one appeared in the circle.

The scene erupted into chaos.

"Stay calm!" Twycross said coolly, bending to pick up the Comet Three and mounting it.

The broom rose shakily into the air, true to its modest performance.

As the students watched, Twycross circled above, squinting as he scanned for any sign of Patrick.

Suddenly, he pointed toward Hogsmeade Station and shouted, "He's there!"

Snape followed Twycross's gesture and saw Patrick jogging up the slope toward them.

When Patrick finally reached them, panting heavily, Snape stepped forward. "Where'd you go?"

"I Apparated to The Three Broomsticks," Patrick said, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.

"On purpose or by accident?" Snape couldn't help but ask.

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