Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Eighty-Nine

The Saturday morning was complete chaos as everybody rushed around, trying to figure out what they needed to take home with them and what they could leave behind. Silvanna and Louisa spent their time on the former's bed, flicking through library books on defensive wards and spells they could use in capture the flag, mostly to defend against summoning and revealing charms.

"I saw something very good on concealment charms," said Louisa, rifling through a few feet of parchment. "Some that protect against the spells."

"Cool," said Silvanna, taking a look. "Remus found me this book on runed warding in the library, too." She looked up, remembering something as Louisa took the heavy volume from her. "Oh, shoot, Mary, I never spoke to Remus for you."

Mary looked up, startled and halfway through sitting on her suitcase to fasten it. "Don't worry," she said with an an obvious and nervous glance in Lily's direction. "It's all blown over now."

"I thought you fancied him," said Silvanna, grinning teasingly. "And his luscious locks?"

Mary forced out a laugh that was obviously fake. "Yeah, well, I'll get over it."

"Really?" asked Marlene, pausing from polishing her broomstick. "Why the change of heart?"

"This and that," said Mary vaguely. Silvanna, Louisa, and Marlene exchanged unconvinced looks. Lily was still awfully quiet; Silvanna couldn't help but think she'd pushed Mary away from Remus, but what she'd actually said, she'd never know. She should really stop interfering all the time, it was infuriating. "Enough about me, though, how was your date with James?"

Silvanna let out a howl of laughter and clapped her hand over her mouth. "It was not a date," she said firmly. "I only took him so it wasn't so completely insufferable."

"Well, you looked like you had a prime time," said Lily stiffly from where she was folding some clothes on her bed.

"I did thank you, Lily," said Silvanna, smiling out of politeness. "How was your evening with Severus? I saw Malfoy was there, did he introduce you?"

Lily turned pink and hurriedly hid her face. "Well, no, but-"

"Oh? Well, I hear he's good friends with Regulus Black - did you talk to him?"

"No, but-"

"Or Crouch's dad was there, I spoke to him," Silvanna pushed, well aware of what she was doing. "He's quite high up in the Ministry, I think. Surely you and Severus spoke to him?"

"Severus did," said Lily quickly. "I went to get drinks."

"Oh," said Silvanna, pretending to process the information. "So the pair of you didn't talk to anyone? All night?"

"Well, he knows a lot of people, and I don't really-" Lily began.

"James knew lots of people, and he still introduced me," said Silvanna, raising her eyebrows. "Sounds to me like Severus doesn't hold you in a very high regard."

Lily snapped her case closed, scowling and red in the face. "Piss off, Silvanna."

"Just saying-"

"Well it's not your business to say, is it? It's not your place! You're just determined to demonise your brother by any means possible. Have you got any idea what that does to him? He's looking out for you, and he's looking out for me, and all you do in return is hex him in the corridors." Silvanna really had not expected it to go this far. In fact, she felt a little bit bad now - not for Severus, for Lily.

"Silvanna has got a point," said Mary gently. "Did you hear he put a third year in the hospital wing-?"

"No, I didn't," snapped Lily. "I trust him to tell me things, and quite frankly I don't need you lot - my friends - going around and spreading rumours." She stood, looking at the four of them, daring someone else to speak. "Happy Christmas," she said stiffly, before picking up her bag and sweeping from the room.

There were a few moments of silence, before: "She is very silly," Louisa said, shaking her head and returning to the books.

*****

The Defence classroom wasn't very full. There were a few Hufflepuffs, a handful of Ravenclaw's of different ages, two Slytherins, including Severus, and then the three Gryffindor fifth years. Snippet stood at the front, going over the rules again. Louisa listened, Silvanna twiddled her wand, and Sirius - Sirius had spent the whole night decorating their banner and was now trying not to get gold glitter everywhere.

"So remember, first house with all four flags wins, get it?" said Snippet, to a bunch of nods. "On your marks, get set, go!"

Silvanna knew her brother very well, because the only really difference between them were the choices they made. Meaning their thought process was the same. Meaning when he sent a cutting charm at Sirius to make him drop their banner, while the other Slytherin tackled the Ravenclaws, Silvanna was more than ready. She deflected it easily, while Louisa and Sirius bolted out the door, and one of the Hufflepuffs swore, very, very loudly.

"Flippendo," she cried, aiming at a table, which consequently flew at her brother.

"Phortantus," he yelled back. Silvanna ducked, narrowly missing it, and turned to see it had melted the brick in the wall behind her. So that's how they were playing?

She transfigured a set of quills into daggers, before sending them flying in his direction. Severus managed to dodge most of them, but one ripped his sleeve, and one sunk into his leg. "MOTHERFU-!" He was cut off by her silencing charm, and the other Slytherin stopped battling the others to face Silvanna.

"Fumos!" she cried, filling the room with a thick blanket of smog. She darted quickly out the door, as best she could without bumping into anything, sprinting down the corridor. Invisible, for good measure.

Now all she had to do was find the others. They hadn't agreed on anything firm, just discussed good spells to use. Until the meeting, Silvanna hadn't expected they'd get separated right away.

So, think, where would they go? Nowhere well-known, and she was sure Sirius knew more about the castle than his actual subjects. The music corridor? But that was obvious if you weren't a teacher, and close to Ravenclaw tower. Muggle studies on the first floor? No, there was a girls loo there, people went there. Silvanna didn't really - she didn't have any lessons nearby.

History maybe - people hated it there. And the entrance to the Bell Towers was there, that could be brilliant, but it was quite close. Or the unused languages classrooms above the Hospital Wing? She was pretty sure there were two spare offices on the second floor, they could just lock down in those. Where to? she thought, as two Hufflepuffs ran past her, unaware of her presence.

But her problem was solved as Sirius rounded the corner, frowning as he looked up and down the corridor. "I'm sure it said here," he muttered to himself, pulling out a worn sheet of parchment.

Silvanna snuck up behind him, made herself visible and whispered, "Well, well, well."

Sirius jumped out his skin, pointing his wand at her. "Fuck me, Snape, I thought you were Snivellus."

"Well that was the general idea," said Silvanna as he led her away. "What's that you've got there?" she added, as he stuffed the parchment in his pocket.

"Oh, nothing." She raised her eyebrows. "Trust me on this one, it'll help us, but it's a secret."

"Fine," said Silvanna. "Where are we set up?"

"Bell towers," said Sirius predictably. "High up, good vantage point for people coming through the Transfiguration courtyard - which is the only way in or out without brooms." Or magical flying abilities.

They arrived shortly after that to see Louisa waving her wand and setting up the last of the barriers. "That is good against summoning," she said. "And those charms from this morning I have set up to conceal us."

"Great," said Sirius, giving the banner - which was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor - a kick to check it was still there. "So I'll be in attack first, Louisa, you defend. And Silvanna hit the books? Or get some lunch? Meet back here at nine tonight."

And so, the game began.