Disclaimer: I do not own HP in anyway if I did I would be writing this on a beach in Hawaii while sipping on a Margarita.

I have read a few stories where Severus goes back in time to make things turn out for the better, but most of them focus on him simply going back to the point where Harry starts school, I decided to let good old Sevvy go back much, much further. His first year at Hogwarts to be exact. So let's see how our dreaded potions professor reacts to once again being eleven year old shall we…

The first six chapters of this story have not been edited by a BETA.

Chapter one

A New Beginning

His body went numb, he wasn't sure if it was from the venom or his will to simply die, but the excruciating pain that was once riddling his body was suddenly gone. The dim light that surrounded him began to fade, darkness set in and then…

"Sev, Sev, wake up, we're here."

He could hear his name, his nickname. No one had called him that since… And that voice it sounded like hers but… So young.

"Sev, come on, we're here at Hogwarts."

Suddenly, Severus Snape's dark eyes snapped open. The image was blurry at first, but then he blinked and quickly her form came in view.

"L-Lily."

The girl in front of him giggled. "Of course silly, who else would it be?"

So he was dreaming or delusional or was this some sort of odd afterlife. No matter what however, he was with his Lily—finally, but she was a child, and so was he. He studied his small hands before looking down at his body, his hand-me-down robes draped over his scrawny frame. Slowly standing he looked over at the love of his life; a wide smile filled his alabaster face. He was seeing her alive for the first time in twenty years. She was as beautiful as ever, her dark red hair framed her heart-shaped face, her emerald eyes sparkled like the brightest stars and twilight.

Severus raised his hand, gently cupping Lily's cheek. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to look into your eyes."

"Sev?" His action had surprised her, Severus rarely touched her, outside of occasionally holding her hand and when they hugged she always initiated it. As surprised as she was however, what he did next completely confused her.

Severus leaned in toward the girl he had fallen in love with so long ago, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Lily Evan's had absolutely no idea how to react at that moment. Her best friend had just kissed her. Why? "Sev, you kissed me." She said after seconds of hesitation, placing her fingers to her just kissed cheek.

Severus took Lily's hand in his, smiling sweetly up at her. "I did. I hope I did not offend you."

Lily suddenly felt her face warm. Lily had always cared about Severus, he was brilliant and sweet, and they had so much fun together, but she had never really thought of him-like that! Then again maybe that's not what he meant by it, but that's what girls and boys do when they like each other, right, they kiss. This was…confusing.

"I can understand if you are surprised by my affection but I can assure you it is genuine".

"Um, okay." Was all she managed to say, looking away, awkwardly.

"Come." He said taking her hand. "It's time to go."

Lily was still in a bit of a fog when they exited the train; however her attention was soon pulled away from Severus' confusing behavior and towards a very large man who was calling for the first years. "That's us, Sev."

Severus still had his fingers intertwined with Lily's as they headed over to the boats. He still wasn't sure exactly how he ended up in the past or alternative universe or wherever he was, but he knew one thing for sure, he was going to make the most of the time he had.

Severus let go of Lily's hand as they entered the boat and found themselves sitting next to one of the most cowardly men he had even known. How Pettigrew had been sorted into Gryffindor he would never understand.

"H-hi, I'm Peter." The chubby, curly haired boy extended his hand towards Severus, who reluctantly accepted it. "I'm so nervous." Peter admitted. "I hope I'm in Gryffindor, my parents were in that house, and…I-I just don't know if I'm brave enough."

"I'm sure your parents will be proud of you no matter what house you are in." Lily tried to reassure him.

"I-I hope so."

Severus suddenly wondered if the first time around Pettigrew had asked the hat to place him in Gryffindor simply to pacify his parent's wishes. He was suddenly reminded of Neville Longbottom, a nervous boy who simply wanted to please his Gran, but rarely could.

"The hat will put you where your personality best resides. You wouldn't want to end up in a house with individuals you cannot relate to." Severus wisely stated.

"I guess," Peter shrugged his eyes moving out to the dark waters of the Black Lake.

Soon Severus, Lily and the rest of the first years were escorted through the Great Hall, the older students wasted no time in sizing up the firsties. As for what house Severus would be in he couldn't say, he was still ever the Slytherin however in the past twenty-seven years since his first sorting he had changed quite a bit. In all honestly he could care less, first off because he really wasn't sure how long this fantasy world would last and second because no matter what house he was in he would not make the same mistakes twice. He would not befriend the likes of Avery, Mulciber and Malfoy and he would most certainly not become a Death Eater. If this reality was in fact just that, reality, then Severus had some serious changes planned for his life and not just concerning his relationship with Lily.

"Black, Narcissa."

Severus watched as the girl who he once considered a sister approached the stool. She had been so full of life those first few years of school and then Malfoy came into her life. She had so many wonderful plans. She wanted to travel the world when she graduated and then move to France where she would make and sell her own line of robes for which's.

"Slytherin." The hat shouted. The blond, blue-eyed girl smiled softly as she headed over to the table of snakes, her older sister Andromeda (who was a seventh year) among them.

Not many people knew but Narcissa wasn't really a Black. Neither of her parents had ever been faithful to each other and in fact the only one of the three sisters that was born from Cygnus and Druella Black was Bellatrix. While Andromeda and Bellatrix took after their mother in looks, Narcissa looked little like either of her parents, however she only became aware of her true lineage when she was twelve. She had overheard her parents arguing one summer evening, they had no idea Narcissa had been standing outside their bedroom the entire time. She had sorrowfully confided the truth in Severus. She just had to tell someone and she knew he would keep her secret to the grave—and he did.

"Black, Sirius."

Severus watched with a sneer as the disgusting mutt confidently walked up to the stool. Out of all the Marauders Sirius had been the one that had given him the worst time. Yes, Potter had stolen his Lily, but Black had tried to feed him to a werewolf, and had little remorse after the fact. Bloody arrogant bastard!

Sirius just knew he would not be placed in Slytherin like the rest of his family. He was nothing like them—nothing. He never bought into that pureblood mumbo jumbo, and he wasn't at all shy about expressing his feelings.

Severus rubbed his chin as he contemplated, he had never preformed a wandless, non-verbal Confundus charm before, and in truth he didn't even know if the hat could be confounded, but he figured he could at least give it a shot. So he focused his gaze intently on the hat, concentrating all his will, strength and magic into the spell.

Sirius smirked as the hat was placed on his head. The smirk quickly vanished however and replaced by an expression of pure shock and disgust.

"Slytherin!"

The handsome, black haired boy suddenly looked as pale as any ghost. Slowly he slid off the stool and walked over to his house table.

Severus grinned in pride. He had broken up the Marauders. Goodie! He watched as Sirius sat solemnly next to his cousin, who then whispered something into his ear. Sirius simply shook his head before dropping it to the wooden table.

A couple more people were sorted before "Evans, Lily."

Severus gave his best friend a reassuring smile, which she returned. It took only seconds before the hat called out Gryffindor.

The hat continued to sort the students and everything seemed to be going just as Severus had expected. He allowed Lupin to go to Gryffindor, without interference, without Black there to influence him he didn't see the harm. Next was Peter Pettigrew. At first Severus wasn't going to interfere in the rats sorting, hoping his words of advice would have given the boy something to think about, but at the last minute he decided he didn't want to take the chance.

"Huffelpuff!"

Peter looked surprised, but not upset. Eventually he just shrugged and headed over to join the rest of the students in his new house.

"Potter, James."

What to do with Potter? Obviously Severus wasn't about to let him anywhere near Lily, but where to put him? Not Slytherin that was for sure, he was too head-strong for Huffelpuff so that only left one place.

"Ravenclaw!"

Potter definitely looked shocked. The messy haired boy swallowed hard as he made his way over to the house of Ravens.

After three more students were sorted it was finally Severus' turn. Taking a deep breath he approached the stool. The hats response to his thoughts were instant.

"Ah, well, well what do we have here? Aren't you the lucky one, a chance to live part of your life over? I haven't come across one like you in nearly two hundred years."

"So, this has happened before?" Severus asked, surprised but also curious.

Was it possible that all this really was real, that it wasn't just some delusion, some dream. Oh, Merlin he hoped so.

"Oh yes, but it is rare indeed, and I must warn you, do not take this opportunity for granted. You have a chance to change so much and for the better".

"Yah, I'll keep that in mind." Severus had no intention of doing anything for, as Albus so often put it, 'the greater good'. He would serve no masters this time. This time Severus would think only of himself and his Lily. Let the war fight itself. He refused to get involved.

"Good. Now let's see where to put you. Hum, no not Slytherin, not this time. Yes, that will work… "RAVENCLAW!"

Severus smiled as he jumped off the stool, giving Lily a wink he headed over to the Ravenclaw table. He would have Potter in his house, but he would be easy enough to ignore. He doubted the twerp would bully one of his own housemates anyway.

XXX

Severus found Ravenclaw towers nice enough. He had been in the common room a few times in a professional capacity as a professor, but never in the student's rooms. The common room was wide and circular with arched windows. The walls are hung with blue and bronze silks and the domed ceiling was painted with stars, which are echoed in the midnight-blue carpet.

Tables, chairs, and bookcases cover the expanse of the floor, and a white-marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw sits next to the door that leads to the dormitories above. The rooms themselves were also circular, the beds surrounding a large furnace, which sat in the center. Next to each bed was a bedside table with a single drawer, on the table was a small bronze lamp with a blue shade.

Severus found it quite comfortable and a dramatic change from the dark dungeons. Too tired to do much else, Severus Snape, dressed in his pajamas, crawled into bed, and as he closed his eyes, he gave a silent prayer, that all this wasn't just a wonderful dream. That he would wake up in the morning and he would still be eleven. His Lily would still be alive, and that he would have his entire life ahead of him.

A/N: So tell me what you think. Good/Bad/Otherwise. Should I continue the story or delete it. Oh, and the description on the Ravenclaw common room was taken from the words of JKR.

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