Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Twenty-Two

Dumblwhore slander welcome :)

 Silvanna was not liking the familiarity of Dumbledore's office. She'd been in here before a few times, and was under the impression that most students never saw its inside. Yet here she was, sucking on a sherbet lemon, waiting for Dumbledore to finish filing away the letters that had been scattered on his desk. Despite her best efforts she hadn't been able to catch a glimpse of them.

 "Thank you for taking the time out of your lessons," said Dumbledore. He had a small line between his brows, and his usually shining eyes seemed dull. "I've debated whether to speak on this topic with you for a while now, and it seems I've been left no choice." Silvanna didn't ask any of the questions in her head, trusting they'd be answered regardless. He continued.

 "You've seen the newspapers, I'm sure - Bartemius Crouch has been promoted to head of magical law enforcement...drastic measures are being put in place...and still muggles are dying all over the country every day." She was yet to see what this had to do with her. "The issue is, many of the witches and wizards responsible - the Death Eaters - are well-networked. They've got many old family friends, close, impenetrable circles."

 "Ah," she said as her mind clicked into place.

 Dumbledore stared at her. "It seems we understand each other," he said, folding his hands on the table.

 "You want me to go back to the Princes," she guessed. "You think they're involved."

 "Yes," he said. "And no. Going back to the Princes is the best way for you to gain access to such circles - taking up their family name may give you additional help. But that won't be enough. You need to access the circles here at Hogwarts. The ones Severus has."

 "You want me to make friends with my brother?"

 "I want you to do what he's been asking of you and Miss Evans all these years. I want you to allow him to protect you, in so many words. From there I want you to build relationships with his friends, their friends, their families, and eventually help us collect intel."

 She silently considered his words, keeping her face neutral. Professor Dumbledore wanted her to fight in the war. He wanted her to do what trained aurors could not. She was the perfect candidate; she had the invisibility, was reasonable with her wand, the elite pureblood family, and was yet to express any form of politics by working for Dumbledore or the Ministry.

 "I'm not sure I can," she confessed. "I don't think I'm ready."

 He nodded once. "I'd like you to expand."

She swallowed. "They're horrible, Professor. I don't want to see what they do - I don't - I don't want to watch them do to someone what somebody did to my mum."

 Her words hung in the space between them. "Unfortunately Silvanna, a day may come - sooner rather than later - when you do not get a choice." He shook his head, and she felt the last of her sweet disappear. "Make no mistake - I don't expect you to waltz into the Slytherin common room and declare yourself a Death Eater. These things take time. Withdrawal from Gryffindor life, an olive branch to your brother, a letter to one of the Princes - one it's easy to believe you may trust-"

 "My Aunty Edith," she said, "She interfered less than the others."

 Dumbledore nodded, a smile faintly threatening his features. "Precisely."

 "I'll give it due consideration, Professor, really," she decided. "But I don't think I can. Ever. I don't want to leave my friends."

 "I understand," he said, and Silvanna believed him. "While you think I'd like you to start the process of withdrawing from them - so it isn't so sudden if you decide to take it up." She nodded. "Just remember - you doing this could do a world of good. You could save a world of people."

*****

 Silvanna knocked on Slughorn's office door, in a bad mood because she'd sat only next to Peter during dinner, and hadn't spoken a word to anyone. She vaguely remembered doing this once with James and causing havoc at his Christmas party. But now, as she stepped inside and took a seat opposite him, she saw that it was far smaller than the last time she'd been there. A cauldron full of something that smelled like vanilla - banishing butterflies potion by it's creamy pink appearance - was bubbling in the corner behind his desk, and there was a stack of essays covered in red ink next to him.

 "Silvanna!" exclaimed Slughorn, and she returned his smile. "Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you going out of your way. How were things with Professor Dumbledore? Everything in line I presume?"

 Silvanna knew it was best to lie. "Yes, sir, all fine," she said. The best lies were told when offered information was kept to a minimum - her dad had taught her that.

 "Good, good," he muttered. "Well, I've spoken to Lily as well, and she's agreed. I wondered if you'd be interested in competing in the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship? It's at the end of February, and you have to be seventeen, which both of you are. It only happens every seven years so it's a fantastic opportunity for you. What do you say?"

 Silvanna had never heard of it. "I don't see why not. Will both of us compete?"

 "Yes, separately," he said. "I can enter three students but nobody else of age seems up to it, I don't think." She noted that this meant - despite him being just as good at potions - Slughorn had decided against her brother competing. Interesting.

 Silvanna nodded. Unlike Dumbledore, who would merely continue speaking, this threw Slughorn off. "Yes, yes. I'll get back to you with the exact date - it's all very last minute." She nodded again, and he looked around the room for some strange reason. "Well, I daresay you'll want to head back to your common room, won't you?"

 "Yes, Professor," she said, climbing to her feet. "Thank you for considering me."

 "Not at all," he dismissed. "Goodnight!"