Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Ninety-One

Favourite Hogwarts professor?

Mines Minnie :)

People had heard that the tower had exploded. Not by the rumour mill, but it had been so loud they'd instantly heard it. Or felt it. McGonagall had arrived first, dressed but messy, and had put Silvanna on a stretcher. Then came Dumbledore and Snippet, each in quick succession. They took care of the Slytherins. The whole time, Silvanna held firmly onto the banners - with her left hand, because she couldn't move the right - as though it were those that were her lifeline.

Madame Pomfrey was furious. McGonagall was worse. She could hardly string a sentence together to berate Silvanna, or Snippet and Dumbledore for allowing it to go ahead.

Silvanna was treated for burns, breaks, bruises and cuts all over her, and confined to the Hospital Wing for what felt like forever. Sirius and Louisa had split the days into four shifts of six hours while she was there, and by the sounds of things had made good progress. They'd moved into the office on the second floor corridor, and told Silvanna how by now the bell tower was practically as good as new. On Christmas day they both came individually, and told of how the Hufflepuffs had made camp outside the Slytherin base, so they couldn't leave. The day after Louisa excitedly told her all about how they'd taken the Hufflepuff's banner and replaced it with a fake. So three down, one to go.

She also had some post that weekend. A crumpled letter from her mother, wishing her a happy Christmas. A letter from Marlene too, detailing how she'd spoken to Lily on the train, and she seemed to be coming round about the Severus thing, she was just too proud, and sorry for taking so long to post it but she kept forgetting. And then a letter from Remus, saying Sirius had told all of them everything, and he was so mad, and he'd tried to come right away, but his parents had made him stay at home for Christmas, but as soon as he got back he was going to snap her brother like a twig. That gave Silvanna a good giggle.

On the Sunday, the other Slytherin boy was admitted to the Hospital wing, having tried and failed to sneak past the Hufflepuffs for water. He had about sixty arms growing out of him now, and he looked painfully exhausted. Prick.

That evening, Silvanna was allowed out, and went straight to their new base - invisible, of course, so she wasn't followed. Sirius was there when she arrived, playing something on a record player and thoroughly enjoying himself as he did some essay or other. "Hello," he said as she went in. "Enjoy your holidays?"

"Piss off," she said, sitting down; she was still a bit stiff. "And update me."

"We just need the Slytherin flag now," he said. "Luckily, the Hufflepuffs nabbed it this morning, and they don't realise how easy it is to get into the kitchens at night, because the house elves are sleeping."

"Right," said Silvanna. "So we just go and get it?"

"Not quite," said Sirius. "Louisa's currently set up a fake base in a spare classroom downstairs, with two fake flags inside."

"Two?" asked Silvanna, eyeing the red, blue, and yellow banners on the walls. "Oh, because the Puffs don't know we have theirs yet."

"Exactly," said Sirius. "She'll give a signal by sending sparks up if she sees a large number of them trying to do what they did to the Slytherins."

But no such thing happened. And even if it had, it was no use going to the kitchens, because Silvanna followed two of them from outside their common room and to a store cupboard on the first floor. So she spent all day, watching and waiting for it to be left vulnerable, to no avail. And Sirius spent the next day, watching and waiting.

Finally, on Thursday night, they decided enough was enough. A plan needed to be made. It needed to end today. "I say, someone grabs the fake, someone grabs the Slytherin, and someone stays here," Silvanna suggested. "Divide and conquer."

"That works," said Sirius. "So you'll stay?"

"No!" said Silvanna. "I might be injured but I've got other ways of getting about."

"You two do know the castle better than me," Louisa said thoughtfully. "I will stay."

"When do we go?" asked Sirius, looking excited. There was no way he was going to let Silvanna take the Slytherin one, she could see that.

"Early tomorrow morning. Like three. Catch them off-guard," she explained.

So, at two-thirty the next morning, Silvanna and Sirius left the spare office, going their separate ways so they arrived from different directions. When they reached the secret store cupboard, it was to find it unguarded. Well almost. A few charms needed dismantling, but that was all.

No sooner had they opened the door, when there was a cry of, "Petrificus totalus!" and Silvanna had to duck to avoid it. She grabbed one, and sprinted off down the corridor, away from the Hufflepuffs and Sirius, and into the Grand Staircase. It wasn't a fair fight really, she thought as she flew up a few flights of stairs before the people chasing her had even entered the room. When they did, she had to run normally, but being so stiff slowed her down. They were gaining on her, she knew it.

She turned into a doorway, not really paying attention, to find more stairs that she sprinted up. She was already halfway up when she realised; this was the astronomy tower. This thought had only just sprung into her head when two Puffs began thundering up the stairs, and she had no choice but to keep going all the way to the top.

It didn't matter really. She'd grabbed the fake one. Except she hadn't, and in her hand she saw the emerald green cloth. The pair barrelled in after her, and she backed toward the railing. "Whoopsie daisy," said one. "If you give it back we won't be mad. Promise."

"No way," she said with a laugh.

"What are you going to do?" asked the other. "You can't go anywhere."

"I could fight you," she said quietly.

"After being in the hospital wing for days?"

"Good point," said Silvanna, before launching herself backwards off the railing. She saw them rush forward and lean over, their eyes following her down. She caught herself just before she hit the ground, but from that distance it just looked like she'd landed. The faces disappeared with quiet, echoing yells, and she scrambled to her feet, hurrying around the castle to find an entrance.

Sirius was already back before her, and grinned when he saw the banner in her hand. "Well, we've got to go and wake him up," said Sirius, practically skipping as they went down the halls.

"Snape," a low voice called behind them. She turned to see Professor Dumbledore there, plum dressing gown somehow shimmering, and a ghostly white Professors McGonagall and Sprout behind him.

"What - explain yourself," said McGonagall. "I have just had Macmillan and Abernathy telling me you jumped from the astronomy tower!"

"Can it wait?" asked Silvanna quietly. "We've just won."

"This game - we are never doing this game again," said McGonagall, shaking slightly with panic or rage.

"I, however, Minerva, have found it to be an excellent practical exercise," said Dumbledore, remaining completely calm. "Silvanna, did you jump off the astronomy tower?"

"Yes, Professor," said Silvanna.

"Well, problem solved," said Dumbledore, turning to face the Professors. "I think I will go back to bed then." And with that, he swept down the corridor and out of sight, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.

"I - Snape, explain yourself at once!" said McGonagall, attempting to collect herself once more.

"How did you survive that?" asked Sprout.

Silvanna shrugged. "Cushioning charm?" she suggested.

Silence for a moment. "I'm going to bed," said McGonagall firmly. "This is clearly some sort of fever dream."

"Before you go," said Sirius, grinning. "Do you think you could escort us to Snippet's office?"

Professor McGonagall didn't bless that with an answer, instead shaking herself from her death stare and striding away.