They rode the train together in silence, fingers intertwined. They stood together waiting to be sorted, hands in the pockets of each other’s robes. And when the hat called out Gryffindor, both their eyes watered at the impending separation.
He watched jealously across the hall as Potter, James patted him on the back, then as Pettigrew, Peter shook his hand. And when Lupin, Remus smiled shyly at him from across the table, Severus felt his heart breaking inside his chest.
But it wasn’t until he stood next to James, laughing, that he knew what it was like to really hate.