Summary: Tahlia meets Remus' friends and has another chat with Severus. Review!

Chapter Two: Meeting the Marauders — and Final Negotiations

Remus came to a compartment and opened the door in front of Tahlia. She walked in and Remus followed, closing the door behind him. Sitting inside were three boys. On one side, she spotted two of the most popular boys in school. Sirius Black and James Potter. This ought to be good! They were laughing at the stumpy boy sitting across from them. He had a horrifying look upon his face and green goo oozing from his nostrils.

"It's not funny! And it HURTS!" shouted the smaller boy. This must be Peter.

"Okay, Okay. Just... just let... just let me catch my breath!" James spat while laughing and clutching his stomach, almost falling over. After a few moments and a flick of a wand, the laughing ceased, as well as the oozing. Remus took the seat beside Peter. He looked over at a nervous Tahlia then stood up and gestured at her.

"This, gentlemen, is my sister. She will be joining us this afternoon because she doesn't have any friends," Remus said, as he struggled to not laugh. Tahlia's eyes widened as her jaw dropped.

"I have friends, Remus!" she shouted defensively. "They all are just… busy." She pinched the inside of her cheek between her teeth. Remus sat down and motioned Tahlia to do the same. She took the empty space between James and Sirius.

"By the way," Remus faced Tahlia with a confused look upon his face, "was I mistaken or did you arrange a date with Severus Snape?" he asked. Sirius and James looked at each other then at Tahlia.

"GROSS! Are you REALLY going out with Snivellus?" Sirius asked, as he contorted his face into what looked like a raisin.

"NO!" You idiot, Remus! "He's going to tutor me in Potions and help me get into the Slug Club," she spat, as quickly as possible. "That's all." she looked at Sirius and his face began to go back to its normal, lovely self. Both he and James extended their hands to her. She shook them and smiled.

Sirius grinned and nudged Tahlia with his elbow. "It's strange that we've never spoken before." He turned to Remus, who was rummaging though the contents of his trunk. It rather looked as though he was sorting pebbles. "What are you doing?" Sirius asked, half laughing. Remus looked up and realized how strange he must have looked.

He gave a small laugh. "I'm looking for my new Charms book." Then, realizing that that must have been even more confusing, he went on, "I shrunk my trunk." Tahlia giggled as Remus found the right speck in his palm. "Engorgio!"

"Alright, Moony, why haven't you introduced us to your little sis' before?" Sirius looked back at Tahlia, flashing a flirty smile. Remus looked up to find Tahlia biting her lip and giggling as Sirius dipped his head up and down, trying to catch her eye.

"That is exactly the reason why I haven't introduced her," he said timidly, as he rolled his eyes back to the book in his lap. Sirius looked to James and gave him a devilish wink. James fought the urge to laugh and instead leaned forward in his seat.

"You're friends with Lily, aren't you?" James whispered to Tahlia.

"Yes, she tutors me. I don't know if she considers me a friend, but I consider her as one." Tahlia lowered her eyes, humbled.

"You have a lot of tutors for being in Ravenclaw," Sirius said, and then winked at her. He winks more than anyone on earth. I'm sure of it, she thought.

"I am in Ravenclaw, but nobody pays attention in History of Magic. Well… besides Lily. However, I'm not bad in Potions. In fact, it's my best subject. It's just that I want to be in Slug Club. Besides, Severus has agreed to help m-"

"He is actually going to help someone!" Sirius implored, shocked. "Why didn't you just ask Lily to tutor you? If she is your friend, it should be no big deal, and then you won't have to hang around the likes of that thing."

"Well actually, that was my initial plan, but Severus offered his help before I even got a chance to talk to Lily about it. And to be totally honest, Severus is better in Potions," Tahlia reasoned.

James let out a little huff of air at Tahlia's last comment, then turned away and tried to engage in a conversation with Peter. Sirius seemed to be pondering something, and then an odd, smug smile made its way across his face.

He turned to the other three boys in the compartment. "D'you think Snivelly has the hots for Mini-Moony?" he shouted. His face turned red as he cackled.

"Ew," mumbled Peter. Tahlia turned nervously in her seat. Not knowing why, she felt oddly excited entertaining the thought of Severus liking her.

"What would give you the impression that he likes me?" she asked, hiding her excitement, trying only to sound curious. No one has ever 'liked' me. What am I thinking! It's just Snape. Even if he liked me, I don't like him. Not in that way, or any way for that matter, she thought.

"No, he doesn't. He doesn't like her, I mean. Just leave her alone," Remus said, noting Tahlia's nervousness.

A few hours later, Tahlia heard another overhead announcement. They were to arrive at Hogwarts in just a few minutes. Pulling her trunk out of her pocket then sorting through the tiny items, she found what she was looking for. "Engorgio!" she commanded, pointing her wand to her lap.

A long black and blue fabric hung across her knees as she put her trunk back into her pocket. Standing up, Tahlia slipped her robes on over her clothes and sat back down beside Sirius. Within a few minutes, the train came to a stop and students began pouring out onto the platform. Tahlia looked around for Lily. Where is she? Damn it! I have to sit alone in the carriages, too, I suppose? Just then, she spotted Severus by himself, making his way to a carriage. She ran to catch up with him. Slowing down as she came closer to him, then walking next to him, she tapped the boy on his shoulder.

"Do you mind if I sit with you again?" she asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes. I wonder if he thinks I'm pretty. The boy turned to her and nodded as they climbed into the nearest carriage. "So about the tutoring, how much is this going to cost? I'll have to write my Dad, but I'm sure we can work out a good sum," she said as she smiled and hopped on the seat next to him. Ignoring her, the boy looked out of the window. She continued, "I'm really excited, you know?" Tahlia said shyly.

The boy turned and watched her. She was fidgeting with her buttons again. She isn't bad looking. It's too bad she's stupid. I wonder how she got into Ravenclaw. Her hair looks nice in this light, he thought to himself. Averting his eyes, he looked at her hands. "You don't have to pay me. Just buy your own supplies and ingredients," Great, nice way to lose out on some easy money. Certain ingredients can be expensive though. "And I don't want anyone to know about this," he said quietly, as he returned his gaze back out the window.

"Thank you so much, Severus!" Tahlia screeched. Just then, the boy felt a warm, gentle touch to his cheek. Did she just kiss me? he thought, embarrassed.

"I said I would tutor you, not be your boyfriend! I don't even know your name!" he spat, as he wiped his cheek with his sleeve. Tahlia giggled and folded her hands in her lap.

"It's Tahlia."

"What?"

"My name! It's Tahlia. But no jokes, okay?"

"I don't know any jokes about your name. Do you know any jokes about Severus?"

"I'll meet you in the library, then? Or where?"

"Well, there isn't much of a Potions lab in there. I'll ask Professor Slughorn if I could use his classroom. We'll have to do it later then. He has classes after lunch," Severus said. He turned to Tahlia, again averting his eyes from her face and focusing on something less dismaying to his ego. Watching her ankles cross over each other, he began, "Meet me in front of Slughorn's classroom after dinner on Friday. Bring your Potions book and some parchment and a quill." Just as he finished, their carriage came to a halt. They exited it and made their separate ways up the path.

After the sorting and the start of term feast, Tahlia made her way upstairs to the Ravenclaw tower following a prefect and the first years. When she arrived at the dormitories, she settled into her usual corner, away from the four other girls.

I'll have to spend yet another year alone. Remus may have his flaws, but at least he has friends to support him. Five years in this school and I haven't been able to keep a friend for longer than one. Only a couple tutors. I can't wait to get out of here and go back to London. I miss Mum and Dad all ready. I wonder what Severus is doing right now. He doesn't seem to have very many friends, either. Maybe the Malfoy bloke, but I've only seen them together at meals. And what the devil does 'Snivellus' mean? Tahlia thought as she drifted off to sleep.