Lily was still in touch with Severus, but not very often anymore.
The Death Eaters' recruitment banquet was a grand affair, and a reporter from the *Daily Prophet* had been invited inside, so photographs of Severus naturally leaked out.
Unlike other recent graduates who were still wearing their Hogwarts robes, young Severus and Lucius, standing right beside Lord Voldemort, looked rather out of place.
Lucius Malfoy was the heir to a prominent pure-blood family, and his father, Abraxas, was also one of Lord Voldemort's most trusted right-hand men.
But who was this young wizard...?
Abraxas stood between Lucius and Lord Voldemort, while Severus... stood directly by the Dark Lord's side!
The next day, rumors flew everywhere. Lord Voldemort had taken Severus to several banquets, where tactless witches who approached them were ruthlessly rebuffed by the Potions Master with a dark scowl.
Lord Voldemort had originally been sitting on a sofa off to the side, surrounded by Death Eaters. He had casually hit any witch who dared approach with a Dark Arts curse, sending them fleeing in complete disarray.
At that moment, Severus walked over.
Catching sight of Severus out of the corner of his eye, Lord Voldemort immediately stood up, prompting everyone else to jump to their feet as well.
Everyone, that is, except for Abraxas, who sat securely in his seat, looking at his junior with an expression of all-knowing contempt.
*Hmph, how did he manage to learn everything else, but fail to pick up this? He's smooth enough with witches, so why does he turn into a complete fool when it comes to another wizard?!*
Lucius was gathered with a group of young Death Eaters, with Narcissa on his arm. The elegant Miss Black was fending off all unwanted romantic attention for Lucius.
Severus glanced at Lucius; he was holding up fine.
Severus himself, however, was in much more trouble. After the reporter's photograph leaked, the Dark Lord had not only failed to stop it, but had actually let the rumors grow increasingly wild.
Impatiently pushing aside a witch standing next to him, Severus walked over to the Dark Lord.
"Lord, I am feeling a bit unwell..."
"Then come here."
Lord Voldemort said to Severus. The young wizard nodded and, under the gaze of numerous Death Eaters, walked over and sat down in the seat previously occupied by the Dark Lord.
Abraxas was seated to the right of Lord Voldemort's former spot.
Lord Voldemort sat down and announced casually to everyone with a relaxed expression, "Severus, my Potions Master, will be taking his Potions Master examination very soon."
Severus showed not a trace of excitement at the Dark Lord's praise; his expression remained calm, and he showed no reaction to the scrutinizing gazes of the people around them.
"Have you seen enough?"
Severus said coldly, which actually caught Abraxas off guard. In the past, this boy was either studying at Hogwarts or locked away in Voldy's bedroom, so he truly hadn't seen how the boy dealt with outsiders very often.
He only knew that the child was constantly put through the wringer by Voldy, leaving him terrified, horrified, yet immensely talented...
Severus, for his part, didn't think much of it. Some of these people would be his colleagues in the future, while others would be dead before he even became their colleague.
Only a few would be new colleagues, though they were probably just a bunch of Trolls with their heads stuffed with Mandrake, stupid, arrogant, conceited, and entirely too full of themselves.
"Severus Snape."
Severus simply stated his full name in a flat tone. Although those who needed to know likely already knew it, he said it anyway.
Lord Voldemort sat back down. Severus and Abraxas flanked him on either side. The luxurious sofa did not look crowded, and Severus, with his understated and natural demeanor, even managed to exude a touch of aristocratic elegance.
As a Potions Master, Severus was extremely arrogant. When it came to dueling, most people present probably wouldn't last a single exchange against him. When it came to potions...
Forgive his bluntness, but if these people could manage to brew a single acceptable batch of Felix Felicis, he would concede defeat.
Some of them couldn't even manage to brew Polyjuice Potion—even that Muggle-born Granger had managed to read a book and brew it in her second year!
The Malfoy family could be said to understand Severus's abilities better than anyone. Watching Severus project an aura that kept everyone at a distance, Abraxas raised an eyebrow quietly. *Well, well, he actually looks three parts like Voldy.*
"Severus, aren't you going to get acquainted with your future colleagues?" Lord Voldemort asked. Severus replied coolly, "There is no need. A bunch of idiots who waste potion ingredients."
Some of these people would later incur the Dark Lord's wrath beyond all redemption. Even during his most muddled moments, Severus could always find a way to calm the sanity-deprived monarch down.
At least temporarily.
"Haha, Severus, you mustn't talk about our colleagues like that," Lord Voldemort said. Most of the Death Eaters here were around the Dark Lord's age or slightly younger, and in their past lives, most of them had been blockheads who couldn't even understand basic orders.
Severus, wearing a cold expression of sheer exasperation, handed a vial of golden, liquid-gold-like potion to the Dark Lord.
"This is..."
Someone in the crowd gasped. A perfection-grade Felix Felicis!
This was something only a true Potions Master could brew!
Lord Voldemort raised an eyebrow, examining the luck-bringing potion, and concluded...
"Congratulations to our Potions Master."
A low murmur of commotion involuntarily erupted all around. A Potions Master!
Every single Potions Master was precious beyond measure, yet most of them were quite advanced in years or had limited mobility.
Severus, a student who had just graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had actually become a Potions Master!
Just how old was he?!
This was the epitome of the youngest-ever Potions Master!
Severus calmly accepted the Dark Lord's praise, and as a result, finally found some peace and quiet, as the Dark Lord did not allow anyone to harass the person he favored.
Seeing the Dark Lord's attitude clearly, the Death Eaters stopped harassing Severus, though an occasional glance still left the Dungeon Serpent King feeling annoyed.
However, he knew very well that staying by the Dark Lord's side right now was his best option; tactless fools wouldn't dare approach, and if any did, the Dark Lord would intercept and punish them.
Sure enough, the annoying witches vanished. Content with the quiet, Severus sat peacefully by Lord Voldemort's side, deep in thought over potion formulas.
"Severus? Severus?"
At some point, the Dark Lord addressed the person beside him. Severus snapped back to reality with a start, looking at the Dark Lord with confusion in his eyes.
The surrounding Death Eaters fell silent in an instant. The Dark Lord hated people who didn't pay attention during meetings above all else...
Just a moment ago, seeing him deep in thought, they had assumed he was listening intently—how absurd!
To the absolute shock of everyone present except Abraxas, however, Lord Voldemort simply repeated himself, "We anticipate needing at most thirteen more attacks to take the French Ministry of Magic. We must take it within thirteen. All matters concerning potions will be left in your hands, Severus."
"Yes, Lord."
Severus nodded, maintaining his cool and composed demeanor.