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Moreover, Draco's era of Slytherins look like they respect and even love their Head of House as he is the one who protects and stands by their side while everyone else seems to have prejudice against the Slytherin House. Understandably, in Draco's era, the Slytherin House was associated with the side who lost the First British Wizarding War, so like every post-war atmosphere, the "winning" side gears up against the "losing" side. Therefore, for them, Professor Snape who does not take points off of them in a school where other Professors don't look favorably at them, Professor Snape who never points out their flaws in front of other houses' students who don't like them, Professor Snape who always takes their side, and "coddles" them - is someone who they would understandably love and respect a lot.

Furthermore, Slytherin House by nature is the most political house in Hogwarts as every interaction in there seems to be political. It also has the most amount of students whose families and themselves support "purist" beliefs and few students whose political beliefs are not known (who could support the muggleborns' rights for all they know). So to them, a Professor who used to be a Death eater, but was also exempted from imprisonment due to his role as a Double Spy, who neither the Light side nor the Dark side knows the true allegiance of - is the perfect grey ally to them.

In short, Severus' position among the Draco's era of Slytherins had been very well established and Severus' protective attitude toward the Slytherin students demanded nothing but love and respect from his students.

On the other hand, for Lucius' era of Slytherins, there has not been a war yet. The Slytherin House in Lucius' era, I believe, does not face the same scrutiny as it did in Draco's era. (It had not lost any wars yet). Sure there seems to be certain prejudices about the Slytherins, but it's nothing undeserving, as most students in Slytherin house are purebloods from wealthy and politically afluent families and most students are openly aggressive and assertive about their "purist" beliefs.

The Slytherin house remains highly political, still, with Voldemort's beliefs gaining traction inside the House and practically swallowing up every student in that house. Also, Hogwarts itself is turning into a boiling point as the British Wizarding society seems to be waiting for a civil war to erupt due to different beliefs and resource allocation (from purebloods to muggleborns or half-bloods or the "light" pureblood families).

And right in this critical times, the Slytherin House gets a new Head of House and Hogwarts gets a new Potions Professor.

Severus Snape (who time-travelled to the 1970s - not that others know) would be a half-blood Professor whose origins are not clear. The Slytherins don't know where he studied, where he came from, or who he is. He is just a nobody with a muggle surname to these students. Hence, as soon as Dumbledore announces Severus Snape as Head of the Slytherin house, the 7th year Slytherins would be waiting to eat Severus alive.

This is where Severus' handling of Lucius' era of Slytherins and Draco's era of Slytherins would differ. Severus would not take points off of his own house and he wouldn't criticize or reprimand any of Lucius' era of Slytherins in public. However, as soon as they are in the Slytherin Common Rooms, Severus would dish out harsh reprimands and punishments. Moreover, he won't take any disrespect from the Slytherin purebloods. Due to this, Severus will receive mixed receptions from these specific Slytherins.

Lucius' era of Slytherins would at first be slighted and offended by this half-blood. But at the same time, they recognize that their new Head of House is there for them in ways Slughorn had never been there for. Maybe some of Lucius' era of Slytherins wouldn't appreciate it and might even feel offended. However, they can't help but believe this half-blood Head of House of theirs is quite special - more special than others of his "kind".

He is incredibly smart and talented at dueling and Dark arts. He is extra harsh to students of other houses, especially the Gryffindors, and outside of Slytherin. He always takes the Slytherins' side (going as far as to defend Yaxley and Carrow from Dumbledore when they were caught performing illegal dark magic).

In my opinion, while it isn't exactly the love and respect Draco's era of Slytherins held for Severus, Lucius' era of Slytherins would hold cold contempt, calculative intrigue, and begrudging respect for their new Head of House.

But best of all, Lucius' era of Slytherins would start noticing their Professor's strange behavior and it only fuels their intrigue and obsession with their Professor.

Like how Severus would sometimes praise or imperceptively smile at them, only to stop, as if to catch himself, his face smoothing into an impassive expression.

(Severus would find himself smiling at his students, but would carefully school his expression back in line. These Slytherins were nothing like his kids).

Like how Professor Snape would sometimes look at them with the strangest expression on his face, almost as if he is searching for something, someone they don't know in them, an echo into the future perhaps - just to look away from them, as if he was disappointed when he couldn't find whoever he was searching for in them.

(As each day passed, Severus would remember. That Draco Malfoy's condensending smirk and false bravado were nothing compared to Lucius Malfoy's hard eyes and cool smile. That Theodore Nott's snide comments and quiet calculation did not compare to Walter Nott's vicious remarks and his simpering fake smile. That Blaise Zabini's almost lazy indifference were unlike Belladonna Zabini's enigmatic games. That Pansy Parkinson's mean temper were child's play compared to Percival Parkinson's sadistic glee.)

Like how Professor Snape would watch them sometimes with his lips pressed into thin line, dissatisfied, like he could see what was wrong and broken in them and whatever he found seemed to cause him pain.

(Severus would see students like Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, and Bellatrix Black and he can't help but try to reconcile the children they are with the adults they will grow up to be. He wonders if he should damn them for the crimes they have yet to commit. Or if he should try to steer them away, fix what is broken and has rotted inside of them before these students slip away into murder.)

Like how Professor Snape would watch some of them with a pensive stare, his eyes looking through them to stare at something else, a tale that happens in places they can't ever seem to follow him to.

(Evan Rosier and Wilhelm Wilkes - alive, younger than he remembered, and dressed in Quidditch uniform - greets Severus Snape as they walk past him on their way to the Quidditch pitch. Severus doesn't realize that he had been watching them with a strange look in his dark eyes, before Wilkes tilted his head to question his Professor.

"Professor?"

Severus blinks and takes one last look at his students' faces before he gestures them to keep walking and turns to leave.

Wilhelm Wilkes watches their willowy Professor walk away with his head still tilted in curiosity while Evan Rosier stares at the back of their Head of House's raven head, lost in thought.

"Do you feel like he's never looking at us, even though he's looking at us?"

"Professor Snape?" Wilkes asks, turning to look at his blond roommate.

"Yeah," Rosier shrugs. "I always feel like Professor Snape is looking at something else through us."

"Like a lost lover?" Wilkes asks with a grin.

Rosier scoffs as he continues to walk to the Quidditch pitch, not giving an answer to the other blond.