The Slytherin common was near silent, save a clock ticking and the soft moan of wind sneaking in through a cracked window, and the mirror placed cleverly across from the clock yawned and called the time. Moonlight spilled across a few swank leather chairs, stopping short of a pair of slim ankles that poked out from behind a sofa.

"Severus?"

Severus Snape looked up, trying to catch the attractive girl's eyes. He failed, placing his hand under the cuff of her scarlet pajamas and atop hers. "I'm sorry, Ty."

"Is it James, again?"

He looked away from her and didn't answer, but Ty Filine had the idea that she had hit the nail on the head. She just how well he and James Potter got on.

"Maybe if you didn't always get them back, Severus..."

"It's not as if I can just leave it alone," His voice was low as to not attract attention. "They just prod and prod-they love to push buttons."

"It's not as if you don't push just as hard," Ty said softly. Severus finally caught her eyes and something like betrayal flashed behind them and his mouth pursed. After a moment, his face softened and he looked away again.

"I know."

Ty hated to see defeat in his face. She squeezed his hand an smiled.

"Don't fret, Sev. Just think, it's almost the holiday. Two whole weeks of no classes and less mutual aggravation," She smiled. "You can spend the holiday not fighting with James Potter and Sirius Black, and running about with me."

Something fresh crossed his face, and Ty knew that James Potter had finally been purged from his mind.

"With you? But, what about-"

"I've decided that I want to show you off."

The mirror somewhere behind them made a loud, sputtering cough.

"Twelve forty-five, Mr. Snape. Time to show your Gryffindor friend back to the hallway."

Ty looked a little more than rushed by the reflective glass, rising. "I need to get back anyway, Severus. Tomorrow is the last Transfiguration class before the Holiday, and I need to finish up the last of my homework."

He gladly followed her, but reluctantly let her go as the portrait hole opened.

"Goodnight, Ty," He gave her a true smile and kissed her forehead.

"Sweet Dreams, Sev," She whispered to him, looking down the halls. She rounded the corner as the portrait hole swung shut in front of him.

"Morning, Ty."

Ty looked up and into a pair of apple green eyes. Lily Evans took the seat across from her at the Gryffindor table and helped herself to some toast.

"Morning," She stifled a yawn and smiled as best she could. Before Lily had arrived, she'd been in serious danger of dipping into her bowl of grits.

"Late night, Darling?"

Ty blinked stupidly. Lily had a knack for getting right to the scandalous point.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lil," She said finally, reaching for the pewter cream boat.

"Suuuure you don't," She smiled slyly. "You didn't come in to the dorm until after midnight. I'm sure you weren't back to the common room before then. Wren paced in front of your bed all night." She causally spread Marmalade over her toast, giving her the same easy-going eyes that the little kitten, Wren, usually gave her. "Who's the lucky wizard, Ty?"

"Lil, think about what you're saying," Ty scowled at her, finding a twinge of wanting to tell her somewhere far down inside.

"I am," She scoffed. "It's fifth year, and I know you didn't go to the Gryffindor Christmas Bash last year, so I'm thinking that-"

"Oh, lord, Lily!" Ty set the boat down with force. "You didn't go either!"

"Only because I had no date," Lily set aside the marmalade and took a small bite of her toast. "You, on the other hand, had about three chances to go."

"You were asked."

"Oh, by James," She said, rolling her eyes. She glanced down the table and caught sight of him, running a hand through his hair. He smiled at her and waved. Ty saw her mouth twitch.

"What'll you do if he asks you again?" She sipped at her orange juice, watching Lily over the cup's rim.

"What?" Her eyes jerked back to the girl in front of her.

"You heard me," Ty smirked. "I can see a little bit of appreciation in those sour candy coloured orbs of yours."

Lily smiled a little. "Point made, Ty."

Ty grinned in triumph. "Thank you."

Lily settled into the last class of the day, Transfiguration, still lost in thought from that morning. She really liked Ty Filine, but felt just now that she was hitting too close to the pin-ended truth.

And speak of the devil, in waltzed the girl herself. She stood tall as she could at 5 foot even, with toffee coloured skin and long silvery blonde hair with eyes close to match. As exhibited by her unnatural hair colour, she was quite extraordinary with her wand and even showed a bit of talent in her Potions classes. Ty pulled out her chair, setting her bag down and flashing a kind smile across the aisle. She had also proven herself one of the few people to get along with any of the Slytherin students.

"It must be in your blood, gal," Lily eyed the other fifth year students. "I don't know how you do it."

"Bad pun, Lil," Ty glanced at her while pulling out her books and parchment. "The ones who don't like me mostly don't like that blood that enables me to like the ones who aren't them."

Lily gave her a sad smile. Ty tried to be friends with everyone, but She knew herself that it was hard to befriend the people who hated your blood. Ty had grown up in a quiet home in a non-assuming neighborhood, even though her father was a talented Wizard who had married her muggle mother when they were both young, and for years they had thought her a muggle as well, until her letter arrived. They had been thrilled; She was just a little muggle girl then, as far as she knew, with pale eyes and dark hair. But mostly they'd been thrilled because she had never shown any talent of interest in magic.

Well, no interest until she knew that she could do it.

Lily watched Professor McGonagal inch up the aisle, throwing glances up and down their rows to see who looked guilty and empty handed, and who had their parchment and wands at the ready.

"Now, seeing as we've all successfully vanished our ravens-"

"Which I believe is," Ty whispered to Lily, "a direct insult to our dear Ravenclaw sisters."

Professor McGonagal paused long enough to give Ty a somewhat strict eye, then continued in a somewhat merry way.

"As I was saying, now that we've successfully vanished our ravens, the next step is to vanish an actual person."

Murmurs of excitement went through the class. Ty saw James turn to look back at Severus and felt a twinge of anger that was only dampened by disappointment when Severus sneered back at James. She looked to Lily, who only shrugged helplessly.

"Now, there is good news and bad news. Several pieces of it actually. The first bit of bad news is that this is a very difficult process. We won't vanish with actual classmates until you are properly practiced. The good news is that I will be present to assist you even then."

"And the other news?"

Professor McGonagal looked to the question. Remus Lupin looked at her quizzically, his eyes hiding a smirk behind them. She smiled at him, and saw that smirk disappear. A few moments later, her wand was raised and Remus Lupin matched the vanished smirk.

Sirius and James leapt to their feet, outraged. She could not discern their words, and felt it was probably better that she didn't, but smiled in a polite way.

"Please, take your seats gentlemen," She waved her hand in a invitation. "I assure you-Sirius, sit down and please stop talking before I have to actually consider what you are saying! Now, I assure you Mr. Black, you will receive your Mr. Lupin in the very condition you last saw him."

"Appareo," Professor McGonagal said clearly. With a flick of her wrist, Remus reappeared with a soft *pop*.

James stared at the professor with something like admiration while Sirius gaped at Remus.

"Are you all there?" He asked, prodding his shoulder. He ran a hand through Remus' hair as he turned to him with a look of disbelief. "Are you missing any organs or anything?"

"Did she just do what I think she did?" he asked Sirius softly. He glanced back but ignored the sound of Lily and Ty unsuccessfully holding back laughter.

"What was it like?" James leaned back hastily. "Where did you go?"

"I don't know," Remus furrowed his brow in concentration. "I know I was gone, but I wasn't really."

"Exactly, Mr. Lupin," Professor McGonagal nodded approvingly.

Remus looked up at her for a moment, then continued on as if nothing had stopped him. "But what about the other news?"

"Ah, I see you're not to be deterred, as usual," She looked out over the class. "I am pleased to inform you that you'll not be starting this next lesson until after Holidays."

The class moaned in a perfect unison.

"How is that good?" James asked, disappointed.

"It means you won't try to vanish your classmates over the break," Professor McGonagal said simply. "That is very good news for we teachers; there will be far fewer emergencies.

"Now, since we won't learn that *exciting* lesson for a while, I'm assigning a reading for this class period. Homework will be a foot of parchment on the possible dangers of the Vanishing spell, especially in the case of vanishing human beings,' She swept up the aisle to her desk, settling down behind a pile of their last assignment.