Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Seventy-Five

:)

Remus returned to the compartment shortly after that, without Lily, to which Sirius made trumpeting noises, and James looked downtrodden. "Did she talk about me over the holidays?" he asked hopefully.

"We spoke once," said Silvanna, biting into a cauldron cake, "And I told her to go home because there's a war on and she's a target."

Sirius snorted. "Bit harsh," said Remus. Silvanna shrugged.

"But did she mention me?" James pushed.

Silvanna sighed - there really was no getting through to him when it came to Lily Evans. "You're worse than my brother," she said, shaking her head. "And by the way, that's what we were talking about. He was trying to recruit us."

"For the Death Eaters?" asked Peter, horrified. A sudden stillness fell over them all, interrupted by the train being jostled by the tracks, and the yell of a second-year down the corridor.

"My brother's not a Death Eater," Silvanna said firmly. She'd know if he was, Merlin, he'd never shut up. "He was just talking about the 'right people', telling us we need to watch our backs."

"From what?" asked Peter with a frown.

"Some of us aren't purebloods, Pete," Silvanna reminded him gently, with a look at Remus. His face was still and neutral. "The only reason my brother's 'safe' is because he hangs out with Avery and Mulciber."

"And he was suggesting you do the same?" asked Sirius, propping his feet up on her lap. Silvanna shrugged and nodded. "Who's this Jim fellow, anyway? Someone Moony should be worried about?"

"Sod off, Sirius," said Remus, throwing a chocolate wrapper at him. "You know Jim - the one she was writing to all last year?"

"Thank you, Remus," said Silvanna with a small smile. It was nice to know she wasn't completely ignored. "Just some muggle bloke from near me," she added at Sirius's confused expression. He nodded and left it there.

"Maybe," said Pete slowly, "Maybe she'll like you more because you're Quidditch Captain now?"

Sirius snorted quietly. "Fat chance," he said, grinning. "It'll probably make it worse."

"I didn't know that," said Silvanna, smiling James's way. "Well done. Marlene'll be jealous."

"It's got to work in my favour," argued James. Silvanna and Remus exchanged an unconvinced look, before turning back and nodding encouragingly. "I mean, come on. Leadership skills, and discipline, and encouragement-"

"Sounds like a job interview," said Silvanna, before rummaging in her bag for Numerology and Grammaticca.

*****

Silvanna got a good look at David McKinnon when he spent two and a half minutes sat in front of the Hogwarts population during the Sorting ceremony. "Hufflepuff," said Sirius firmly. "He's definitely a Hufflepuff."

"Shut up, that's a Gryffindor if I ever saw one," James hissed at him across the table.

"Nah, he'll be in Ravenclaw," Marlene whispered, leaning over and joining their game. "Never stops pelting me with bloody questions."

"Oh, Marlene?" asked Peter quietly, "Do you know who the new girl is? Is she in our year?" Silvanna cast another glance at the thin, brown-haired girl sat next to Lily. Her eyes were fixed sharply on David, and her back was completely straight, as if she wasn't allowed to relax. Her silky hair shone in the candlelight, and was tied neatly in a ponytail with gold ribbon.

"Yeah, she's an exchange from Beauxbatons," Marlene whispered. "Her name's Louisa."

"She's a bit of a fox, isn't she?" Sirius whispered to the group, at which Marlene retreated back to Mary. Silvanna looked again at Louisa; yes, she was very pretty. She had a neat row of freckles over her nose, and Silvanna saw now that she wasn't holding herself stiffly, but more elegantly and gracefully. Like a lioness might walk among their pride.

"If that's your sort of thing," said Remus nonchalantly, staring fixatedly at the front, where the hat had just announced, "HUFFLEPUFF!" David scurried over to one of the centre tables, returning Marlene's wave.

"Yes!" hissed Sirius, overly excited. "Point to me."

The next kid was called up, and at once, Remus, Silvanna, and Pete chorused, "Slytherin," half-heartedly.

"Can't argue with that logic," said James with an approving nod, "Sent me a filthy look as he got up there."

"I hate Slytherins," growled Sirius, glaring across the room.

Silvanna kicked at him under the table. "He's eleven."

"And he's not even been sorted yet," Lily hissed down the table. "So shut up." She and Louisa started giggling quietly, and Silvanna turned back to Sirius, who had his arms crossed and appeared to be pouting.

*****

Silvanna didn't even bother going to unpack, because she knew that she'd have lessons tomorrow, and she could be bothered with the questions about her clearly-infected wound. Madame Pomfrey was not impressed. "I'm sure there's a way we can find it so you don't have to climb trees anymore," she said as she picked at the wound with a pair of tweezers.

"It's fine," said Silvanna. She really couldn't be bothered with an argument today.

"Are there any more I should know about?" asked Pomfrey, pausing in her work. "Anywhere else?"

"Nowhere that still hurts," said Silvanna honestly, "Just this one. Can I go back to my dorm?"

"Let me finish," scolded Pomfrey. "Do you want me to work while you tell the portrait the password, or-?"

"That's the first years settled down," said the voice of Professor McGonagall as she swept into the hospital wing. "I meant to ask you, Poppy-" She paused as she moved around the curtain to see Silvanna sat next to Madame Pomfrey on the bed. "Oh. Hello Snape."

"Hi, Professor," said Silvanna, with a sort of grimace-smile. Merlin, this was a bit awkward, wasn't it? "Good summer?"

McGonagall gave her a rare smile. "Not as good as yours, I see. What is it this time? Hit by a car? Attacked by a rabid dog?"

"Still climbing trees for me, I'm afraid," she said.

McGonagall's smile had quickly turned into a pitying look. "Yes, well. Should your brother be joining us?"

Oh, could it get any worse? "Uh - I don't really know. Sorry."

"Don't worry, don't worry," said McGonagall quickly. "I'm sure Professor Slughorn's on the case. Shall I come back later then, Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yes, I think so," said Pomfrey, setting the tweezers aside and picking up a familiar purple paste. McGonagall nodded and walked briskly away. "You know the drill, this'll sting a little-"