When he was very, very young, everything Snape saw was gray and bleak.
His father was a Muggle, while his mother was a Pure-blood Wizard.
Ever since he could remember, they had always been arguing.
Living in Spinner's End, a place even more chaotic than Knockturn Alley, combined with a discordant family, had made for Snape's unhappy childhood.
Yet one day, while he was out avoiding his parents' quarrels, he saw a girl.
Her eyes were very beautiful, as though they possessed some magical power.
The young Snape began silently watching her every move, until she accidentally awakened her magic, frightened several playmates, and was driven away by them like a freak.
The girl ran beneath a tree, and he thought he no longer needed to hide.
"I'm just like you. Don't be afraid..."
At that moment, Snape's eyes finally saw color.
But when the beautiful memory ended and he came to his senses, the face before him was one he utterly despised.
"Get lost!" Snape slammed his forehead hard into Lupin's nose.
Sober? No, he was still living in the past.
Lupin let the blood flow from his nose, keeping a death grip on Snape's hands.
Just as Snape was about to do it again, a large hand viciously pressed his head into the grass.
Vincent snatched away his wand with his other hand. "Professor Snape, we haven't confirmed his identity yet. Calm down first."
Hermione, who had arrived with them, raised her Gunblade and steadily aimed its muzzle at the little black shadow in the cage.
At that moment, the slowly moving clouds could no longer cover the moon, and thin strands of moonlight spilled down.
Finally, finally, they could see the small figure inside the cage clearly.
It was smaller than a palm, covered in filthy black