Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Eighty-Three

Fuck me, I love these characters :)

The following Tuesday, Silvanna had wanted to get to lunch early, because she wanted to edit her Herbology essay one last time. They'd started grading them, and Herbology was just about the only subject she was getting consistent 'A's in. Even Runes she was getting Es half the time. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be, as Professor Slughorn called her behind.

"Everything alright, Sir?" asked Silvanna as everyone else filed out for lunch. She pulled herself up to sit on a bench.

"Oh, yes, yes," said Slughorn, re-stacking their essays on the uses of Chinese Chomping Cabbage. "Well done on your last essay, one of the only Os in your year."

Silvanna was a little confused by this. She'd been getting Os in her essays all year so far. "Thanks," she said with a small smile.

"Yes, well," said Slughorn. "I have a student in here who isn't doing quite as well as you. His essays are adequate, but his knowledge and skill in class require some serious adjustment if he wants to pass."

"Right," said Silvanna slowly, wondering where he was going with this.

"I was wondering if you would be so kind as to spare some of your revision time to help him?" asked Slughorn, smiling at her. "You're one of my most talented pupils, and you've demonstrated a complex understanding of the subject. And I believe he'd be more comfortable learning alongside you than say, Miss Evans, or your brother."

"Oh," said Silvanna, taken by surprise. He was very careful with his flattery she could see. But what was the harm in agreeing? After all, explaining something back to someone else wouldn't hurt, would it? It would probably be good for her. "Alright then. Who is it?"

"Mr Pettigrew," said Slughorn, beaming at her. "I have a list of topics I feel would be most beneficial for him to go over, and I can open my classroom up for you on Tuesday evenings?"

"Tuesday works for me," said Silvanna. "See you, Sir."

"Oh, one more thing," said Slughorn, grabbing his briefcase from his desk. "The Slug Club are having a meeting on Saturday afternoon. Just some cakes and tea. Would you be interested in coming to that as well?"

Silvanna had heard the Slug Club discussed before, in the common room, at Gobstones, pieces of conversation fluttering by in the corridors. A lot of the most ambitious students longed for an invitation, for that network into the world of work. Whether it was professional quidditch, Ministry work, researching - it was highly beneficial to any student that joined. And highly selective. Hannah had been a member before she left, Silvanna remembered, and Slughorn had managed to set her up with a professional club.

So there was no harm in saying yes. In fact, it would probably help her decide what she wanted to do with her life. "See you there," she said, before finally leaving for lunch.

*****

Silvanna was not nervous by the time Saturday rolled around. In fact, she was half looking forward to going to the Slug Club. She spent the morning in the Quidditch stands, going through Ancient Runes revision with Remus while they watched Marlene and James practice. She even managed to get a word in with Pete about their revision as they walked up to lunch.

"I'd there anything on the list you want to cover?" she asked, as Remus was pulled aside by the others for help on 'unusual tactics'.

"Oh," said Pete looking around nervously. "I don't even know where to start. I can't believe he's making me do it. Please don't tell the others."

This surprised Silvanna. "Why not?"

"Well - you know," he began, scratching his head, eyes still flitting around. "It's a bit embarrassing."