Summary: Tahlia receives two long awaited invitations. Review Please!

Chapter Four: Two Invitations

A large slither of light crept through the window curtains of Tahlia's dormitory, and right across her eyes. Still half asleep, she stirred in bed and let out an angry groan. It's too early! Unfortunately, she had always been a light sleeper. She sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Ewww... She peered around and found that she was the only one left there. After completing her usual morning routine, and packing her potions notebook into her satchel, Tahlia made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. She looked up and down the Slytherin table but couldn't find Severus anywhere. He must have already made his way down there. Shite. How late am I? She walked to the back end of the Ravenclaw table and grabbed two croissants. She made her way through the front hall and out of the main gate then spotted him at the edge of the water. He sat under two huge trees, a small black speck among a great green and blue backdrop. She walked to the tree and sat beside him. He was reading, but stopped and looked up.

"You're early," he mumbled.

"Oh, good! I thought I was late… Did you eat?" She pushed the croissant towards him.

"No I didn't." He raised his eyebrows. "Thank you." Severus closed the book and took the croissant. After a few minutes, they had both finished eating. He wiped his mouth and reached next to him. He held a deep brown, leather bound journal. "This is my notebook. Did you bring yours?" he asked, never looking directly at Tahlia.

"Here it is!" she said brightly. She held out an embroidered, bright red, satiny diary. Severus thought that it much resembled a kimono. "Why don't we trade books for a while, then, if it's all right with you, I can copy down a few tips?" she suggested.

"That's fine."

They traded notebooks and began to read. Tahlia's notebook was by far bigger and contained more writing. As Severus read, he discovered that almost half of what Tahlia had written was new to him. "When did you find time to do all of these?" he asked, shocked at how much information her notebook contained.

"Well, I do most of them over my summer holiday; I don't really have many distractions then. Like I said, Kim and I 'lost touch' —I guess you could say, before school let out. We didn't see much of each other out of school anyway. I suppose I spend most of my free time working on potions." Tahlia looked out over the water. She could faintly see Hogsmeade through some trees across the lake. "Do you have many friends?" she asked.

"No."

He continued flipping through the notebook. "May I borrow this?" She looked over at him, confused. Oh, the notebook, she thought.

"Oh, sure." He closed the book and smiled weakly. It still slightly resembled a sneer, but it was definitely an improvement. Why must she insist on looking at me when she talks to me? He looked down at a patch of grass and began to pull on it.

"I don't need to borrow yours," she said as she handed back his journal. "I knew how to do all those by the time I was in my fifth year," she said, feigning the boy's voice. She stood abruptly and put her hand out to him. "Want to have a walk?" she asked.

"No. I was meaning to go to the library and start studying for the N.E.W.T.s.," he said, focusing his eyes on the Quidditch pitch. "I haven't been there all week."

"I go there every day; after all of my classes. Do you go there often? ...I mean, besides this week," she said, rolling her eyes and putting her hands in her sweater pocket.

"I go there sometimes," he admitted as he stood and grabbed the few books he had by his side.

"Would you mind if I went with you? ...I have some homework due Monday, I was going to go anyway," she asked hopefully. "That is, unless I'd be a distraction." She grabbed up her satchel and slung it around her neck so that it rested against her opposite hip. "I understand if it is... Sometimes I have a hell of a time trying to study, even in the library, so no hard feelings." They began to walk up the hill towards the main door.

"You can come if you'd like," he said out of the corner of his mouth. I suppose she could be a real Ravenclaw. he thought. "Oh, before I forget" — Severus reached into his pocket, pulled out three phials and handed them to Tahlia — "your Tractus Confuto... It really is quite useful. I used it to study for my O.W.L.s two years ago." She took two and left one in his hand.

"You can keep one. It was your moonstone." She smiled. He must be one of the tallest boys at Hogwarts, she thought.

The next month breezed by. Almost every day after their classes, Severus and Tahlia would sit in the library and study together. Then, every Friday after dinner, they would work on a new potion. One weekend they even sat by the lake and talked about Potions most of the day. Severus made his crude remarks more often than not, but Tahlia would just laugh them off. She thought he took himself too seriously.

At dinner on the second Saturday in October, Dumbledore announced that there would be a trip to Hogsmeade in a weeks time. Here's my chance, Tahlia thought. Even if he agrees to go with me just as friends... It's better than nothing. Tahlia had made it a habit of sitting with Remus for all of her meals.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade?" she asked her brother.

"I suppose. I may have to study, but I hope I'll be able to... Why? You can't tag along with us, if that's what you mean to ask," he teased.

She rolled her eyes and replied, "No. I'm not sure if I'm going or not."

"Oh, by the way. Lily asked about you yesterday. This whole time I thought you'd been around with her, but she says she hasn't seen you since last year. Where have you been?" Remus asked.

"I've just been busy, that's all."

Tahlia set her cutlery down and stood up from her seat. She began walking away when she heard her name and turned around to see Sirius beckoning her. She walked back to her place but didn't sit down.

"You've never been to Hogsmeade, Tahlia?" he asked innocently. What is he getting at? He wants to tease me some more, no doubt, she thought.

"No, never."

She shifted her weight onto one foot and placed her hands on her hips. "Is that all then?" she sighed.

"No, it's not all… Fancy going with me?"

Just then, a large clanking of metal startled Tahlia. Remus had dropped his fork onto his plate and icily scowled at Sirius. He then looked up at Tahlia and a blank look fell upon his face. Wait... is he actually asking me on a date? Sirius Black is asking ME on a date? Tahlia excitedly mused.

"Ye... of cor... Sure I will!" she spat eagerly.

"Good." He winked yet again and continued; "I'll see you at breakfast then." He bit his lip mockingly then smiled. She turned away and sauntered off. Just as she was exiting the Great Hall, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.

"This is for you, ugly." Severus smiled smugly and handed her a heavy beige envelope with a wax, snake seal. She rolled her eyes then took the letter. She opened it avidly, unfolded the parchment and began to read:

Dear Miss Lupin,
I have been most impressed by your
skill in my class, AND by Mr. Snape's
insistent pleas to invite you into my
club. 'Slug Club,' as I'm sure you know,
is an exclusive group of advanced
students...

She looked up at Severus reading the letter over her shoulder. "Is this an invitation?" she asked, aghast.

"Yes, that it is. I feel sorry for you though... You won't get to see me as often," he said sarcastically.

"That is hardly loss," she said matter-of-factly, and giggled.

"You know, I won't ever go to that stupid Club with you, just so you know." She rolled her eyes and pushed on the boy's shoulders. She couldn't help but smile. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he winced.

"Thank you Severus. It means a lot to me!" She let go, placed the letter in her satchel and began walking to the library. She stopped when she noticed the boy was not following. She turned around and saw him standing in the same spot.

"I'm glad that you're no longer infatuated with me," he sounded almost let down.

"What does that even mean? I was never infatuated with you!"

"Well you couldn't keep your greedy lips off me!" he spat back. "Fine. Just don't ask me for any favours ever again. I help someone, and what do I get in return —"

"Nothing," she finished, "I only kissed you once you know." He scoffed as they continued their walk upstairs.

"You're lucky that I'm so sympathetic towards intellectually disadvantaged people, such as yourself. If I didn't feel sorry for you... Well, I wouldn't be here to help you study," he assured her.

"You're the git." Tahlia hit the boy in the shoulder again. They turned the corner and she curtly grazed his cheek with a kiss before he shoved her face away with both hands and scowled. "I should be tutoring you," she scorned.