Thicker than Water (Marauders Era)

2 June, 1972 - Home

Lavinia had never been so stressed in her life as she was when exams began. She studied constantly, neglecting her social duties in favor of hours in the library or abandoned classrooms. She was almost always accompanied by Eloise and Snape. Alexandra, who preferred to study alone was usually a few tables away, or else nowhere to be seen at all.

There was an air of extreme tension among the Slytherin dormitories. Even the figures Lavinia had come to know as rocks of calm were starting to stress. Narcissa Black, who had become like an older sister to Lavinia, was prepping for her OWLs and when Lavinia approached her to ask a question about a charm she didn't understand, Narcissa snapped at her so forcefully that Lavinia spent the rest of the week tiptoeing around the older girl.

On the morning of her first exam, Lavinia felt like a wreck of nerves. She'd received four letters from her parents in the last two days reminding her of the importance of doing well and giving her tips for her studying and exam day preparation.

She followed their advice to the letter.

That morning, she got dressed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, chin up, step proud as though she hadn't a thing in the world to worry about, just as her mother had instructed. She spooned porridge into her bowl, with fruit on top to make sure she got a filling, healthy breakfast, lest she be hungry and distracted, as her father had warned.

The rest of the first year Slytherins began sitting down around Lavinia, faces tight, backs stiff.

"Please remember to report to your exam rooms in half an hour, everybody, half an hour," boomed Slughorn as he made his way up the Slytherin table. Glancing around, Lavinia saw the other heads of house doing the same, reminding their students where to be and when.

Lavinia finished her breakfast and left, swinging her bag over her shoulder. She went out onto the ground, pulled out her study sheet and got some last minute cramming in while relaxing, so she wouldn't be so stressed as to forget anything, a helpful hint from her father.

She arrived early to the exam room, and waited outside the door, study sheet in hand, trying not to panic.

She needn't have worried. By the end of her Charms exam, she was staring almost disdainfully at the parchment in front of her. She'd finished almost 45 minutes early and was utterly convinced she'd answered everything correctly.

Afterwards, as they made their way to a classroom on the 5th floor to study for their next exam - Potions - Lavinia, Eloise, Snape and even Alexandra compared answers and Lavinia felt her confidence buoyed.

"I wasn't sure about the question about the wand movement for the softening charm," Alexandra was saying as she wrung her hands together. "Would you call it more of an 'S' movement or a '5'?"

Snape shot Alexandra an exasperated look, then glanced at Lavinia, who shrugged. She'd never seen Alexandra as high stress as she'd been the last few weeks.

"It's the same bloody movement, Alex," Eloise said impatiently. "And can we just talk about that godawful question about how Nox was discovered? I mean honestly, he mentioned it maybe once in class!"

Lavinia didn't say anything. She didn't want to be rude to her friends, but she knew it had been on her study sheet. Flitwick had mentioned that they would need to know spell origins.

Snape, however, just shrugged. "I made something up about how once they'd invented Lumos they couldn't just leave their wands lit forever."

Lavinia chuckled lightly. He wasn't far from the truth, if she was honest, and she had no doubt that Snape knew exactly what the correct response had been.

Eloise rolled her eyes. "Your parents will kill you for that," she muttered.

Snape shrugged again. "I doubt they'll even look at my grades," he said simply.

Eloise, who often forgot that most people didn't have parents like hers and Lavinia's, seemed to shrivel slightly. She didn't apologize - Lavinia doubted she'd ever apologize for anything, but Snape seemed not to care much. Or perhaps he was just distracted since they were studying his favorite subject.

The rest of her exams went without too much trouble, though she didn't step far enough back when tending her spiky bush in the practical and it stabbed her rather painfully. It wasn't anything too terrible though and Lavinia had continued as though nothing had happened, praying Professor Sprout hadn't noticed.

Sitting on the grounds in the hot sun after their last exam - Transfiguration - Lavinia felt comfortable, confident and relaxed for perhaps the first time in weeks. She was certain she would get top marks in everything except Potions and Flying - and maybe Herbology. Potions of course, couldn't be avoided. Severus was too bloody good. And thankfully, her parents didn't care about flying. It was far too middle class for them and only useful if you intended to play Quidditch, which of course, wasn't suitable for girls in their opinion.

"I can't wait for the holidays," Alexandra sighed wistfully from where she lay on the grass, eyes closed, beaming up at a clear blue sky.

Lavinia made a non-commital noise, Eloise said something soft and polite and Severus outright snorted. Typical Alexandra, Lavinia thought, forgetting that everyone else doesn't want to leave.

But leave they did. The next day, Lavinia was with everyone else on the train back to Kings Cross, where Charles was waiting for her. She had two blissful weeks of holidays and it was just as if she'd never left for Hogwarts. She played in the grounds with William, read her books, and sketched, just as she had before she'd left for school.

After two weeks, her exam results came back and she got the scolding of a lifetime.

She'd been right. Top marks. In everything except Potions and Herbology. She'd been second in Potions - tolerable, if not ideal, her mother had informed her as she sat, straight backed in the living room. She must work harder to impress Slughorn.

But fifth in Herbology.

"What kind of foolish, second class, stupid girl can't even tend a plant!" Rhea Selwyn was currently yelling. "Did I raise an idiot!?"

Lavinia who was standing shocked, eyes wide, felt like she didn't have a single word in her head; terrified as she listened to her mother's tirade.

"Did I!?" her mother repeated. Lavinia just stared. "Answer me, you useless little girl! Is my daughter an idiot?"

Lavinia shook her head, her senses slowly returning to her.

"Say it," Rhea hissed.

"I'm not an idiot," Lavinia whispered, fighting to keep the shaking out of her voice, which sounded rather higher than usual.

"Good," said Rhea, suddenly chipper. "Then do better darling. I won't deal with this as graciously next time."

Lavinia nodded, desperate to leave.

"Oh and dear," called Rhea, as Lavinia approached the door. "I've invited the Malfoys for dinner. Go straighten yourself out: you look dreadful."

"Yes, mother," Lavinia murmured.

Back in the relative safety of her room, she plopped down in front of her vanity and looked in the mirror. She sighed. Her mother was right of course, she did look terrible. Though she supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Her mother was rarely wrong.

So she washed her face and brushed her hair and made herself look presentable.

It wouldn't happen again, she promised herself that. She would work harder, be better. Be everything her parents wanted - no - needed - from her.

She settled back down in front of the mirror and looked at herself again.

She would be perfect.

A/N: I edited the chapter titles of this part and all previous parts because British dates are a thing and since I'm trying to be accurate, I may as well keep that detail in line. Also they look nicer this ways so... that's fixed. 

Also October 3 is not Halloween and it also definitely doesn't come after October 31. Please forgive my typo, which has now been fixed :) Also I'd love feedback if y'all have comments! Thanks!