Disclaimer: All ideas are based on characters and events belonging to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

Calm Before the Storm

Chatper 4: Confrontations

Olivia sighed as she looked out of one of the many windows in the library. She was sitting at her and Lucius' table toward the back, away from the wandering eye, the sun was starting to go down and dinner would be served soon. She had been in the same spot, along with her Potion's essay, waiting on Lucius to come and help her for over an hour now. Finally, she gave up on him showing so she got up and started packing her things away. She was reaching for her Potions book when a figure walked up next to her table.

"Olivia."

Olivia jumped as she looked up at her visitor. "Oh, Severus, you frightened me." Severus Snape was a strange character indeed. She had only met him when she was with Lucius on a handfull of occasions and hadn't really ever had a conversation with him so she couldn't figure out why he was approching her now. She looked at him warily, she was not oblivious to the hatred and competition between him and the Mauraders. "Can I help you with something?"

Severus was starting to make her nervous. He was just standing there, staring at her. Finally, he looked down and picked up her essay, read for a few minutes before he looked back up at her. "This is awful, you know?"

She snatched her essay back away from him, "I already know I'm bloody horrible at Potions, I don't need you reminding me."

She went to put her essay in her bag with the rest of her things but Severus stopped her. "I can help you. You know, if you want me to."

Surprised, she brought her gaze up to meet his. "Umm, Lucius is supposed to help me, but thank you for the offer."

Severus sighed. He knew Lucius was supposed to be here, helping her. He also knew where Lucius was. He was unsure whether to tell her or not but decided that the concequences of him telling her would probably be very regretable and he knew he needed to stay on Lucius' good side. Though he hated to admit it, he felt sorry for Olivia. She was young and innocent. She didn't realize what she was getting into with Lucius. "Lucius sends his regrets but he got caught hexing a Ravenclaw and has to have Filch's office clean before dinner. He asked me if I would come assist you with your essay."

"Oh." Well, at least that explained Lucius' absence, and she had heard that Severus was brilliant in Potions. "Ok. Yea, Severus, I'd love some help." She pulled all of her things back from her bag and laid them out on the table around her as Severus took a spare chair, not too close but close enough to be able to see the book.

In record time they had Olivia's essay finished. She couldn't believe how smart Severus was on the subject. He was able to explain everything to her in a way she was able to understand. Not only that, but surprising to her, she found that she liked the shy Slytherin. She found him interesting and creative. He was polite with her and not obnoxious or 'overly friendly' like so many others. They read over the essay one final time before she packed it and the rest of her things away.

She looked out the window, the sun was down. That meant they were probably late for supper. "Thank you, again, Severus. I've never actually understood anything in Potions, even my own essays. You make a very good teacher."

Severus avoided her gaze as his cheeks tinged a bright pink. He wasn't used to compliments, especially from girls, and found Olivia's compliment particularly endearing. "You don't have to thank me, I was happy to help. If you ever need help again, just let me know."

They walked together to the Great Hall, finding dinner in full swing. They parted at the doors, each sitting at their respective table. Olivia was bombarded as soon as she sat down.

"Where were you?"

"We looked everywhere for you."

"Was that Snape you were with?"

Olivia looked at Kiley, deciding to answer her question first. "Yes, that was Severus. And James, we were in the library, he was helping me with an essay, not that its really any of your business. And Sirius, apparently not everywhere cause you didn't find me." Finishing her explination, she winked at Sirius to let him know she wasn't mad, just joking, and he smiled back in return before him and Remus continued their conversation about OWLs.

Kiley waited for James to readvert his attention as well before she spoke back up, "Where was Lucius? I thought he helped you with Potions."

"He got caught hexing a Ravenclaw and had to clean Filch's office so he sent Severus to help me."

Kiley poured Olivia a glass of pumpkin juice, which she accepted thankfully. "Thats funny, I could have swore I saw Lucius heading toward the Quidittch pitch about an hour before dinner."

"Hmm, I don't know. Are you sure it was Lucius?"

"Well, no. I'm not positive, but it definately looked like him from a distance." Olivia thought about what Kiley said and found her gaze drifting to the Slytherin table where Lucius and Severus were having what looked like a heated conversation.

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"I already told you Severus, my and Olivia's relationship is none of your business. You didn't tell her where I was did you?"

"No, but I would suggest you schedule your little rendevous at times other than when your supposed to be with your girlfriend." Severus reached for his pumpkin juice, trying to hide his irritation.

"A man has needs Severus, and I would suggest you stay away from Olivia."

Severus sat his pumpkin juice back on the table with much more force than was necessary.

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OWLs were fast approaching for the fifth years, just two weeks to go, and some were feeling the strain more than others. At any time during the day, except for her classes, you could find Lily Evans in either the common room or the library with her nose in a book and Remus wasn't much better off. The fifth year Gryffindors arrived back in their common room from Defense Against the Dark Arts and they all took seats around the fire, getting comfortable to either study or play games of chess or exploding snap.

The girls were nestled on the couch and various arm chairs with books propped up on their legs ready to try and pack their brains full of things they thought would appear on their OWLs. While Remus looked much like the girls, curled in a chair with his books around him, he was beginning to get annoyed at the other fifth year boys who were currently pestering him to go outside with them.

"Come on, Moony. Its so warm outside, we can study out by the lake."

"For some reason, I think if we go outside you lot won't let me get much studying done."

"We will. We promise."

Remus looked at them, each giving him the cheesiest smile they could muster. "You lot go on, I'll stay here."

Sirius scratched his head in frustration. "Moony, it won't be the same without you! Come on."

"Why don't you just leave poor Remus alone and go be misfits somewhere else."

"Gosh, Evans, why don't you tell us how you really feel."

Lily rolled her eyes and went back to reading her Transfiguration book. Another fifth year girl, Scarlett, looked at all the guys in turn, finally landing on Sirius. "Why do you have to be so rude to everybody?" Sirius stopped pestering Remus and gave her a questioning look. He didn't think he was so rude. "You think your so special just because half the girls in school want you but your nothing but an obnoxious git who needs to learn a few manners. Maybe then you could attract a girl with half a brain instead of mindless zombies."

By this time, Sirius' mouth was slightly hanging open. Who did this girl think she was? She knew absolutely nothing about him. She was simply judging him on what she'd probably heard from Evans. He'd only had one serious girlfriend before, though there was the occasional fling but they were all nice girls, not zombies, they just didn't have compatable personalities to match his so it didn't last.

Right as Sirius was getting ready to retort, Olivia and Kiley came down the stairs from their dorm. "Hey guys, whats going on?"

Remus, who wasn't exactly sure what to think of the exchange, looked up from his book. "Scarlett was giving her opinion of Sirius." He didn't add that he didn't at all agree with Scarlett's opinion. He knew that Sirius sometimes came acrosss crude and even rude at times but he also knew the side that not everybody got to see, and he thought it had been unfair of Scarlett to judge Sirius prematurely.

Kiley snorted, "And what would that opinion be?" It was no secret that Scarlett, along with two other fifth year girls, Mary and Abigail, didn't care for Olivia and Kiley. They still weren't sure what Lily Evans thought of them. Neither of them liked her or disliked her, though Olivia resented her for the way she treated James.

"That he's a rude, obnoxious git who needs to learn some manners."

Olivia listened as Scarlett went on for a few minutes listing what she thought was Sirius' bad qualities. Finally, she'd had enough, "Scarlett." The name rolled off her tongue sweet as honey as she smile at Scarlett who had now turned her attention to Olivia. "What gives you the right to judge anyone? You don't even know Sirius cause if you did you'd know that yea, he may be rude at times, but he's brave and loyal and no matter how bad your day has been, he can always make you laugh."

Olivia remembered once when she was ten and hadn't even started Hogwarts yet, Sirius had come and spent a few days with James, like he did every year now, but it was the first summer and Olivia had felt left out because her brother was playing with someone else. Sirius had went inside to use the bathroom and heard her in her room, crying. He came in and they started talking for the first time. Though Olivia wouldn't tell him what was wrong, he was able to guess, and wanted to help so by the end of the day he and Olivia was playing pranks on James and she didn't think she'd ever laughed that hard in her life. Every summer since, she had always looked forward to Sirius' little visits.

"The fact that you choose to judge people before you even know them, what do you think that says about you? Well, I'll tell you. It says your an uppity, snobby bitch."

The room's silence was soon broken by Kiley's laughter. She was so glad Olivia finally told the girl exactly what she thought. They never did understand why the fifth year girls didn't like them. Scarlett didn't say anything, she simply stood up and ran up the stairs to her room.

Remus was the next to break the silence. "You know, guys, I think studying by the lake sounds pretty good afterall." He stood up and started packing his things into his bag. James walked over to his sister with a blank expression at first before his face broke out into a huge smile.

"Wow, Livey. That was pretty awsome." He, too, gathered his things, along with Peter and Kiley and they all left the common room leaving Olivia and Sirius. The other fifth year girls had left the common room, with dirty looks, to go and check on their friend.

They stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before a smirk sneaked onto Sirius' face. "James was right, you know? That was pretty awsome. You didn't have to though."

"I know I didn't have to, Sirius. She was just getting on my nerves so bad. She had no idea what she was talking about."

Sirius smiled down at Olivia for what felt like forever before he finally spoke again. "Well, for whatever reason, thank you. Now, come on, they'll all be waiting for us."

Sirius stuck his arm out in an escort manner for Olivia to take as they made their way down to the lake to meet their friends.

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Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you think. -PJ :-)