Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Twelve

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The end of November was nearing, and while the rest of the school had trudged out to watch a quidditch match (Gryffindor versus Slytherin), Silvanna found herself in the library once more. Although today, it was much quieter. Black had offered to stay and help, but she assured him he'd done his part, and she didn't need him anymore.

The night before, he'd snuck out of the common room just after curfew when the corridors were quietest, and down to one of the Potions store cupboards along with a list of things Silvanna needed. He'd brought all the ingredients, along with a handful of storage tins and vials to keep the potions and pastes in. Silvanna was only now taking the book out the library so it didn't look as suspicious.

She quickly found the one she needed, hidden in the dusty Muggle Studies section, with the pages bookmarked for the ones she needed. There was a bruising paste, that was essential. Along with a wound sealant that didn't look too complicated. She'd considered a wound cleaner too, but none of her injuries had ever actually been infected. And also a blood replenishing potion, but it wasn't really necessary and looked way too tricky to try just yet.

She hauled her book up to her dorm's bathroom and began to brew, laying a towel out and sitting on it, and using the edge of the sink as a chopping board.

When she was just letting the bruising paste settle so she could pour away excess water, the door to their dorm opened, and in came Mary and Marlene, giggling away to themselves. "What is that smell?" came Marlene's voice. "It's like a dungeon in here!"

"That's me," called Silvanna, and Mary's head appeared round the doorframe. "Just practicing potions."

"Ooh, let's see!" said Mary, diving down and snatching up the library book. "Bruising paste? What do you need that for?" Silvanna didn't miss the look she exchanged with Marlene.

"Oh, nothing," said Silvanna casually, taking the book back carefully. After her fiasco with Lupin, and finding out that not everyone beat their kids, she decided it was something best kept a secret. "Just practicing."

Mary didn't look convinced but Marlene grinned. "Well it stinks," she decided. "I'm opening a window."

*****

With two weeks to go until the end of term, a blanket of snow had been laid upon the lawns, and Hogwarts had been decorated in line with the festivities. Great trees with silvery and white ornaments lined the Great Hall, and there was tinsel and fairy lights (with actual fairies) in all the classrooms. In the Gryffindor common room, a tree had been put up overnight, decorated in crimson and gold and reaching the ceiling. The older years had started a competition to see who could get a paper ornament the highest without using magic. It really was a sight to see when there was nothing else to do, and Madame Pomfrey had banned it two days in, after a sixth year broke her collarbone. They carried on anyway.

Lupin had been through yet another full moon, but Silvanna hadn't needed to duplicate her notes because it fell on a weekend. He came back looking as sore and tired as ever, and the boys pelted him with questions as they had the month before.

McGonagall had been around with the list for who wanted to stay, and had asked Silvanna three times, clearly forgetting she'd already asked her, until Potter had made a joke about forgetting things as you got older, earning himself detention until the end of the term. He loudly announced that it had been well worth his while.

On Thursday morning, Silvanna received a letter in the post, delivered by her mum's owl. The owl was older than her, she was sure, and the boys frequently made jokes about how it was always forgetting where she sat because of its age, but now making sure McGonagall was out of earshot first. It landed in front of Marlene, who untied the letter, handing it to Silvanna with a smile, before giving the bird a bite of bacon.