(Transmigration: I Woke Up Suddenly as Severus Snape)
By Duke Imperio & FINA
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A Plan in the Shadows
The candlelight flickered over the parchment as Eric hunched over the desk in the Slytherin dormitory. The other boys were asleep, their rhythmic breathing the only sound besides the scratch of his quill. He had copied the ritual word for word, adding annotations in the margins—notes not from Snape, but from Eric Dillan, tech-minded and creatively dangerous.
"If magical essence follows intent and symbolism... then modern intelligence should count as an archetype of its own. What if I encoded digital memory patterns into runes? Mimic circuitry through magical lines?"
It sounded mad. But what part of this wasn't?
He tore another page from the diary and began sketching a sigil. A hybrid rune: half ancient Norse, half binary logic. If he could fuse magic with computational thinking, maybe he wouldn't just understand technology—he could recreate and adapt it magically. A magical phone, perhaps. Or a memory archive. Or... an AI familiar?
Eric grinned. For the first time since awakening in this world, he didn't feel helpless. He felt potential.
But potential had a cost.
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Blood of Three Houses
He read the line again: Blood from three houses.
How in Merlin's name was he supposed to get that? It had to be symbolic. Not a murder ritual, but a symbolic offering. He needed a drop of blood—willing or not—from a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, and a Ravenclaw.
He had to be careful. No dark marks on his record. Not this early.
Eric wrote a side plan.
Gryffindor: Maybe Potter himself. One errant punch in a corridor might give him what he needed.
Hufflepuff: Friendly. Maybe a plea for help with a potion project.
Ravenclaw: Curious, easy to bait with theoretical charm work.
He tucked the notes away and looked in the mirror again. Still Snape. Still oily-haired and ghostly pale.
But tomorrow, that could start to change.
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The First Encounter – Lily
The next day's Transfiguration class brought Eric face to face with Lily Evans.
He arrived early, needing time to adjust to his surroundings. Professor McGonagall, young and sharp-eyed, was organizing a pile of transfigured quills into tiny foxes. He found a seat at the front—not typical Snape behavior, but strategic. He wanted to observe.
Then she walked in.
Lily.
She paused when she saw him. "You're early."
Eric blinked. Her voice was like warm tea on a winter day. Her smile... genuine.
"I—uh—yeah. Trying something new."
Lily tilted her head, eyes narrowing just slightly. "You sound... different."
Eric coughed. "Didn't sleep much."
A beat passed, then she gave a small nod and took the seat beside him.
They worked together on a basic transformation spell—teacup to turtle. Eric's hands shook slightly. His wand felt alive in his grip, but not obedient.
Lily corrected his technique. He caught her scent—lavender and ink. When she laughed after his turtle scurried off the desk, his heart felt like it might shatter.
But then he heard it.
"Snivellus and Evans, huh?" Sirius Black sauntered past behind them. "Studying love potions, are we?"
James Potter followed, smirking. "Careful, Evans. His greasy hair might hex your grades."
Lily rolled her eyes. Eric felt fury rise, unbidden, not just from him—but from Severus. Snape's bitterness bubbled under the surface, ready to snap.
Eric turned slowly.
"Is bullying part of the Gryffindor curriculum?" he said, his voice calm but razor-edged.
James blinked. Sirius stopped mid-step.
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"You've never talked back like that before," she whispered.
Inside, Eric trembled. Outside, he was composed. Confident. Sharp.
James stepped closer. "What did you just say?"
"I said," Eric replied, standing, "is it something you practice between quidditch and posing in mirrors?"
A few students chuckled.
Professor McGonagall's voice sliced the tension.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black—unless you plan to transfigure your egos into humility, kindly sit down."
Sirius mock-bowed. James glared. But they obeyed.
Lily looked at him. "You're different."
Eric offered the faintest smile. "Maybe I'm just starting to wake up."
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Aftermath and Reflection
Later that evening, Eric sat alone by the Black Lake. The wind tugged at his robes. He clutched the ritual notes, now hidden in the folds of a new notebook enchanted with a Muggle-style lock: a number combination derived from his old phone passcode.
He had plans.
Secure three blood samples
Locate a focus object that represents his "true self"—he considered using his old YouTube logo, hand-drawn as a pendant
Explore the Room of Requirement for ritual space
Investigate the Mirror of Unveiling—if it existed, it might be tied to Hogwarts' secrets
The stars reflected off the lake. The world was bigger here. Older. Filled with power.
And he, Eric Dillan, now Severus Snape, was going to master it.
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