Chương 78: Chapter 78: Silver Tongue (5)
Severus Snape harboured mixed feelings about attending Slughorn's parties. On one hand, he despised the need to dress up, which always highlighted his poverty and subjected him to weeks of sarcastic remarks from his classmates. On the other hand, he recognised these events as valuable opportunities to network with wizards and witches of influence - an essential consideration for his future career. Being the son of a Muggle, his family had provided him with no avenues to establish connections. He knew nothing of his mother's relatives and doubted they would have supported his ascent in the Wizarding society.
'Otherwise, they would have visited Mom at least once over the years.' – he reasoned bitterly – 'Still, I wish she'd relent and at least reveal her maiden name... If she'd been sorted into Slytherin, maybe her pureblood lineage would satisfy those idiots and they'd leave me alone.'
"Sev? Where are you?" – Lily's sweet voice snapped him out of his self-pity.
"Sorry, got a bit distracted. What were you saying?"
"How flattering that you're thinking about other things while I'm talking!" – Lily complained, pouting slightly – "Anyway, I was just asking if you'd seen Slughorn when you went for the drinks?"
"Oh, yeah. He was busy parading Greg McMahon around like a prized pig for a group of Ministry men." – he answered, mentally noting that these parties weren't entirely unbearable since he got to enjoy Lily's company. Plus, being seen with the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts allowed him a moment of respite from the usual mockery.
"Nothing surprising." – chuckled Lily – "Poor Greg! Did you happen to see Catherine there too?"
"Not there, no." – Snape replied cautiously, preferring not to mention that he'd spotted the black-haired witch with Lucius Malfoy – "There are some quieter spots where we can sit and avoid the crowd. Shall we?"
"Alright." – agreed the Gryffindor, scanning the nearby guests, undoubtedly searching for any sign of her classmate.
Snape's plan, however, didn't unfold exactly as anticipated. Upon reaching one of the largest sitting areas tucked into a corner of the dungeon, he and Lily realised it had already been claimed by Evan Rosier, Isolde, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange, Aelia Greengrass, Thorfinn Rowle, and Ambrose Travers. They were engaged in lively conversation and imbibing what appeared to be wine, despite most of them being underage.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically when the group noticed Snape and Lily. The Slytherins' faces displayed a range of emotions, from disdain from Travers and Greengrass to outright mockery from the Lestrange siblings.
"Looks like tonight's entertainment just walked in, lads!" – Rabastan chuckled, rising to his feet.
Instinctively, Snape positioned himself to shield Lily, swiftly calculating how many of his fellow Slytherins he could handle before being disarmed.
"Oh, my!" – Aelia giggled – "No need to be so defensive, Snape. It's not like we're planning to touch that dirty Mudblood of yours. We're still eating after all!"
"Yeah, and it shows!" – said Lily sarcastically, her gaze fixed pointedly on a rather conspicuous stain on Aelia's light-blue dress.
"It's wine, you filthy Gryffindor bitch!" – screamed Aelia, furious that the other witch had noticed the misfortunate wine spot she had acquired earlier by gesturing a bit too enthusiastically while holding her glass.
"Whatever! I'm not planning to 'enjoy' your company any longer! Sev, are you coming?" – Lily asked, raising an eyebrow at Snape's indecision.
"I… I think, I'll stay here for now." – mumbled the young wizard quietly.
"Suit yourself!" – The red-headed girl replied tersely before turning on her heel and leaving.
'It's for the better!' – Snape tried to console himself – 'It's going to be much worse for both of us if they see how much I favour Lily. I can't put her in danger! This way it's just going to be a bit of mockery for me. I can soldier through!'
"Don't be so gloomy, Severus!" – Travers chimed in, patting his housemate's back seemingly in a friendly manner – "She's way above your league in terms of looks, but she's still a Mudblood! You can aim for something better. I mean, you clearly don't have the money to afford a proper witch from a good family, but at least seek out another half-blood!"
"Come on, Ambrose! Severus will think we don't like him!" – Rabastan intervened with a sly smile.
"I won't think that." – Snape replied flatly, though his thoughts were far from cordial.
'I bloody know that you don't like me, fucking bastard! You made that abundantly clear when you destroyed my only decent set of clothes while I was in the shower, claiming you mistook them for trash and were doing me a favour by getting rid of them!'
"Naturally, we, the older Basilisks, only want to guide our little snakes and ensure they stay out of trouble." – Lestrange continued with a satisfied smile, misinterpreting Snape's silence as submission to his authority.
"And what was that guidance besides humiliating Severus and destroying his property?" – Lucius Malfoy's voice startled them all.
Rabastan's expression quickly softened into a more pleasant demeanour as he turned to his classmate and friend, flashing a goofy smile. "Well, I did think I was doing him a favour! How could I know those were his 'good clothes'? It was a cultural misunderstanding between purebloods and half-bloods!"
"It's fine, Lucius." – Snape intervened, unwilling to prolong the uncomfortable conversation and wary that further intervention by Malfoy would only lead to more humiliation and pain when the older wizard wouldn't be around. – "I don't particularly enjoy dressing up anyway. I prefer my school uniform."
"Dressing up? When have you ever dressed up?" – Rodolphus Lestrange burst into laughter, ignoring the warning expression from his older brother.
"That's enough!" – Lucius's voice rang out above the laughter, causing all the Slytherins to quickly avert their gazes to the floor, unwilling to meet his eyes – "Severus, a word please."
The two wizards walked away from the rest of the Slytherins, and Snape couldn't shake the discomfort of being once again saved by Lucius.
"You do know that you need them, right?" – the seventh-year broke the silence – "After I leave Hogwarts, you'll have to stand up for yourself and earn their respect!"
"I don't care about their respect. They are just a bunch of stupid kids!" – Snape snapped.
"Even if they are, those people all come from established pure-blood families, and most of them will occupy high positions in every aspect of life." – Malfoy explained, smiling at the sullen expression on the younger Slytherin's face – "You can't succeed in this world based solely on your talent, Severus."
"You're the only one who sees this talent anyway." – mumbled the black-haired boy, his voice barely audible.
"You can't just wait for others to recognise you! This is not the Slytherin way! You need to fight for what you deserve and what belongs to you by right!" – proclaimed the older wizard, his grey eyes flashing.
"I know, but it's going to be very hard once you're out of the school." – admitted Severus.
"I'll still be around. There are certain duties I may take from my father regarding the school, and I'm still going to stay connected with the Basilisks, so naturally, we'll see each other, especially if you manage to climb your way and become a member."
"I'll try my best." – promised Snape without much enthusiasm.
"I have faith in you!" – Malfoy assured him before adding – "However, you do need to make some sacrifices, Severus. You can't just go around snapping at your housemates, let alone attacking them for some insignificant things. And yes, I know it was you who cursed Volumnia and Tullia."
The black-eyed boy looked at the other wizard daringly. "So, what if I did? I had warned them to leave Lily alone, and they didn't listen!"
"That's the other thing." – Lucius frowned – "You should not demonstrate such favouritism towards a Mudblood. I know you like her, and maybe in the future, when you're properly settled and connected to a good pure-blood family, you can even have her. But this is not the time to showcase whatever relationship you may have with Lily Evans, my friend!"
"Isn't that a bit hypocritical, Lucius?" – Snape asked angrily, the very idea of not being close to Lily driving him insane with rage.
"What do you mean?" – retorted the Head Boy.
"I mean that the whole school's talking about how you're stalking this shameless, arrogant excuse of a witch Catherine Plantier!" – hissed Snape, his black eyes bravely fixed at his friend's face – "Just today, I saw her in your lap! How's that any different, if not worse? You have a girlfriend, not to mention you must be pretty sick to be attracted to someone like her!"
"Watch your mouth, Severus!" – Malfoy warned him softly – "I'll let it slide this time because you're clearly agitated. However, you may want to use your impressive spying abilities elsewhere. My private life is not anyone's concern. But for your peace of mind, I'll tell you that you're greatly mistaken regarding my interest in Catherine Plantier."
"You're too young to understand, but there are certain experiences in life which could bring you much more pleasure than sneaking kisses with someone and later engage in a sloppy intercourse. One day, I'll probably tell you more about this, but for now, just know that I adore the confusion, fright, and lack of control reflected on Miss Plantier's face every time she sees me. It gives me the utmost satisfaction to watch all those emotions playing in her eyes. She has such a reactive face! All her feelings are in clear view when you push her boundaries just enough. You'll understand better after a few years. I can see you have it in you. And no, I don't fancy playing with lanky, undeveloped girls in other ways. I have much better toys for that purpose."
Snape started at Lucius with his mouth agape. He wasn't sure that he understood even half of what he had just told him, besides the fact that the older wizard liked it when Catherine Plantier was confused and not in control. The third-year felt strangely uncomfortable, being surprised by such an honest outburst from Malfoy. While Severus wondered how to change the topic, his eyes fell on Professor Slughorn, looking a bit drunk, leaving the dungeon accompanied by none other than Catherine herself.
'What in Merlin's name is she up to now? Lucius could say whatever he wants; she's nothing but trouble. I've never met a more annoying person than Catherine Plantier!' – the boy thought, shaking his head.
***
Catherine emerged from Slughorn's office just past eleven, finding herself pleasantly surprised by the strength of the Bacchus Bliss Elixir. Not only had the Potions Master provided her with a detailed book containing the exact recipe, but he had also imparted intricate brewing instructions, leaving her brimming with confidence about successfully concocting the Animagi potion once all the necessary ingredients were assembled.
'And the best part is that he wouldn't remember any of this. Plus, I can keep the book!' – thought the girl and couldn't help but grinned widely.
"Where have you been?" – she suddenly heard when she exited the Dungeons.
Greg McMahon, dressed in impeccably tailored silk robes, was leaning against one of the walls, staring at her with clear annoyance.
Catherine met his gaze coolly. "I see no need to account for my whereabouts to you!" - she retorted, her tone frosty - "And what concern is it of yours to be prowling the corridors after curfew?"
"I know it's after curfew. That's precisely why I'm here—to ensure your safe return to Gryffindor Tower." - Greg replied tersely - "I wouldn't dare leave you to wander alone at night, especially after what transpired on Halloween."
His words stung, causing a twinge of guilt to prick Catherine's conscience. Clutching the Guide to Rare and Dangerous Potions tightly to her chest, she fell into step behind her brother, silently acknowledging his concern.
"Thank you for looking out for me." – she finally mumbled softly as they made their way down the corridor towards their Common Room.
Greg's surprise was evident, but he offered a reassuring smile in response. "I'm just glad everything turned out alright tonight. Did you acquire a new book?"
"Yeah! Slughorn gave it to me as some extra preparation for the upcoming lessons. The party was really nice!" – the young witch blabbered a bit too joyfully.
"It was fine." – Greg replied, a hint of suspicion colouring his tone.
"I'm not letting you in after curfew, you know?" – the Fat Lady interrupted them, prompting both Gryffindors to stare at her in disbelief.
"What do you mean you won't let us in?" – Catherine protested – "We know the password. It's Elderberry!"
"Correct! However, Professor McGonagall instructed me not to let anyone in or out after the curfew tonight because she suspected students would try to sneak to the party of Professor Slughorn!" – explained the portrait with a certain pride that she was given such detailed information by the teaching staff.
"That's unacceptable! I'm not sleeping outside!" – Greg's voice rose with anger – "Let us in this instance!"
The Fat Lady attempted to argue, but her eyes lost focus and she swung backward, allowing the surprised students to climb through the hole and finally enter their Common Room.
"What has just happened?" – Greg asked, bewildered.
"It's not the first time for me." – Catherine recalled – "During the Welcoming Feast, I left early and didn't know the password. I told her to let me in and she just did! I wonder what's wrong with her?"
"Perhaps it's because we're heirs of Hogwarts." – Greg suggested in a hushed tone, glancing around at the few students still awake, engaged in conversation and games – "I wonder if it works on other portraits as well?"
"We should test it!" – the young witch grinned.
"I've had enough excitement for one night. I'm going to bed. We can experiment another time." – Greg declared, dragging himself towards the boys' dormitory.
"Good night!" – Catherine bid her brother farewell. Then she waited several minutes, ensuring no one was watching, and darted towards the boys' dormitory herself, eager to share her triumph with her friends.
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