The world had changed in ways that Severus Snape, now Severus Prince, had never imagined. His life had taken a trajectory few could have foreseen, rising from the ashes of defeat, from the whispers of betrayal and loss, to stand as a towering figure in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. The name Prince had become synonymous with success, and Severus had, in every sense, reinvented himself. But there were still those who remembered the old Severus—the bitter, misunderstood boy with the sharp tongue and darker inclinations.
And none of those memories were more tainted than the ones held by James Potter and his Gryffindor friends.
James Potter had always thought of Severus Snape as nothing more than a shadow, a dark figure lurking in the corridors of Hogwarts, someone who had obsessed over Lily and who had never truly understood what it meant to be part of something larger than himself. James had never been particularly kind to Severus, but he'd never truly understood the depth of the pain he had inflicted, or the way his actions had shaped Severus's future. After all, in James's mind, Severus had always been the enemy—the Slytherin who had mocked his friends, who had stood in opposition to everything James held dear.
Yet now, as Severus stood as a testament to success—both feared and admired—James couldn't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. Pride, certainly, in the fact that Lily, his wife, had once loved someone so deeply—though James rarely acknowledged how complicated his feelings on that matter were—and resentment, because Severus's rise felt like a subtle reminder of the cruel words that had once been exchanged between them.
James was seated in his office at the Ministry, looking over a stack of paperwork with a furrowed brow, when the Daily Prophet landed on his desk. He glanced at the headline, and then his heart sank.
Severus Prince's Global Tech Firm Partners with Muggle Governments for Magical Sustainability Solutions.
The article was a glowing account of Prince Enterprises' latest achievement, a new partnership with Muggle energy conglomerates to introduce magical innovations into the Muggle world's most pressing environmental concerns. Severus had built something groundbreaking—something none of them, not even the brightest Gryffindors in their prime, could have imagined achieving.
James crumpled the paper in his fist.
"Damn him..." he muttered under his breath, though a part of him knew the words were empty. Severus had earned this, deserved it, and James had nothing left to hold against him—except for the bitter taste of old wounds, wounds that went far beyond a rivalry at school.
Meanwhile, Sirius Black, , was facing a similar realization.
Sirius had heard of Severus's success, but the news came slowly to him. It wasn't until he reunited with James one quiet afternoon in a Muggle café that the full weight of it hit him. James had always been the loud one, the life of the party, but this news had knocked the wind out of him.
"Severus... he's better than us, James," Sirius said, staring into his coffee cup with a grim look. "He's built something we couldn't even dream of, and we're stuck here, trying to make ends meet."
James laughed bitterly. "Better? You're telling me Severus is better than us? After everything?"
Sirius glanced up, meeting his friend's eyes. "You think this is about us?" he asked. "It's about him. He's built a legacy, James. A real one. I know we all hated him when we were younger, but come on. He's turned into something the rest of us can't ignore anymore."
James shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "I didn't hate him, Sirius," he muttered, but there was an edge to his voice. "I just never understood him. But now..."
James's words trailed off. He thought of the old school days, the constant insults, the bullying, the way they had mocked Severus for his love of dark magic and his obsession with Lily. Back then, they had thought it was all a joke. That Snape was just a weird, pathetic little Slytherin who needed to be put in his place. But now that Severus had risen to such heights, James couldn't help but feel like they had pushed him away, left him to rot while they all basked in their own glory.
It was Lily who had the hardest time reconciling her feelings for Severus. For years, she had seen him as the tragic, misunderstood figure—a boy who had once been her friend but who had turned into something darker, more dangerous. But the man Severus had become—Severus Prince—was not the bitter boy of Hogwarts. He was a visionary, an innovator, a success. He had surpassed them all in ways none of them had anticipated.
Sitting at home, tending to Harry, Lily found herself drawn into a strange mix of emotions as she thought of Severus. He had always loved her. That much was certain. But she had married James, and her life had taken a different path. And yet, she couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt whenever she thought of the way she had rejected Severus, the way she had turned her back on him.
Now, as she read the latest Prophet article about Severus's accomplishments, she found herself comparing her life with his. James was a respected Auror, but their family's wealth had dwindled. They had only a small home in Godric's Hollow and no great business ventures. It was a good life, but it wasn't the kind of success Severus had achieved.
"Do you think he ever thought about me?" Lily asked James one evening, her voice quiet, as if she were speaking to herself more than to him.
James, who had always been the protective husband, looked over at her with a furrowed brow. "Who? Snape? Of course he thought about you, Lily. He was obsessed with you. Always was."
Lily hesitated. "No, I mean... now. Do you think he ever thought about me when he built all this? When he became... this?"
James's gaze softened. "I don't know. But I do know this: Severus found something—someone—he wanted to build a future with. Lorelei Prince, right? She's with him now. And whatever feelings he had for you, Lily, I think they're in the past now."
But Lily couldn't let go of the thought. The truth was, she was jealous—not of Severus's success, but of the way Lorelei stood beside him, a beautiful, successful partner in every sense of the word. Severus had built his own future, and it was everything that Lily had once believed he could never achieve.
But the reality was that Severus had never given up. And that was something none of them, not even the Gryffindors who had tormented him, could deny.
Severus, on the other hand, remained blissfully unaware of the discomfort he had caused in the old Gryffindor circle. He had long since left behind the need for validation from those who had once taunted him. His world was now filled with his wife, his son, and the empire he had built—a world of progress, innovation, and the power to shape the future.
For Severus Prince, there was no looking back. There was only forward.