A/N: I'm going to try to get a second chapter up this week, but promises were made to be broken, xox gossip girl

Chapter 5: Slug Club

Lily stared in her mirror. She was going on 20 minutes at this point, and should just suck it up and go. But she didn't want to.

It was the first Slug Club meeting of the year. The Slug Club was an elite group of students hand picked by one of the professors. She was due to be there in two minutes. But yet, Lily stood in front of her mirror. Her head was spinning with a rumor she had heard from the Head Girl, a sweet Ravenclaw who was also in the slug club. Supposedly, Severus Snape, her ex-best friend, would be attending this meeting.

Lily combed her fingers through her hair one last time. She felt a lump in her stomach, knowing she was going to be spending two hours in the same room as Snape. All the childhood memories they shared couldn't make up for him deciding that her life was worth nothing to him. He had decided that keeping company with Death Eaters was better for himself.

By the time time she arrived to the dungeons, she was the last of the Slug Club to arrive. She had expected this due to being 43 minutes late. The only available seat available was to the immediate left of Professor Slughorn. She assumed he saved with her in mind. When she entered the room, he stood, elated.

"Lily, so glad you could join us. Was getting worried you may not make it," he pulled out her chair for her, "Everybody, this is Lily Evans. Gryffindor. Prefect. Top of her class. Oldest member of the Slug Club, if I'm correct, she's been a member since her third year. You all could learn a thing or two from her."

A few of the other students rolled their eyes. Lily tried to smile through her embarrassment. Think of the homework deadline extension, she thought to herself. Lily gave a polite wave to the other students. Two of them she didn't know, one of them she recognized as Sirius's younger brother, and one of them was Snape. There were three others who she recognized from previous meetings. Lily caught Snape's eye for a moment from across the table, and she was quick to look away.

"Lily, we were just discussing career goals. What are you thinking of doing after school?" Slughorn asked.

The truth was, there were a lot of bad things going on in the world. There was only one thing Lily wanted to do. She wanted to help protect innocent muggles and muggleborns. The media was making an attempt to keep murders quiet. In the Gryffindor Tower they discussed it among themselves often. When Professor McGonagall asked them what they wanted to do after school, they all told her the same thing. "We want to fight You-Know-Who." McGonagall had formed a meeting with them and gave them a stern talk. She advised them to focus on their schooling.

Instead of saying all this to Slughorn, who always got awkward when it came to politics, Lily said, "I'd like to become a healer."

Snape snorted from across the table. Lily's head snapped to his direction.

"That is very noble," Slughorn said. He shoot Snape a warning look as to not offend his favorite student. "Healing is tough work, Ms. Evans—" and then he went into a lengthy story about a student he once taught who went to become top healer in the country.

The meal was five courses. Lily once again found herself wishing she knew Dorcas's nonverbal vanishing spell. She whispered this to the head girl, beside her, who agreed with a giggle.

Lily was always the last to leave these meetings. She made sure of it for a couple reasons. The first was to thank Slughorn for his hospitality. The second, at least this time, was to ask for a deadline extension on her latest homework assignment. He gave it to her graciously, saying he understood how difficult it could be to be a sixth year. Lily was relieved. There was one thing off her shoulders.

When she left Slughorns office, there was a new thing to confront her. Or would it be an old thing?

Severus Snape.

He was waiting for her in the hallway. He had his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall across from the door to Slughorn's office. His hair fell into his eyes. Lily looked at him for half a moment, and decided the best way to deal with him was to pretend like he didn't exist. So she turned, and walked.

He pushed himself off the wall to follow. "Lily—"

She didn't bother to turn around when she spoke, "You've already said more than enough."

She turned a corner, then began climbing stairs. She knew this would be the quickest way to loose him. Slytherin's weren't as used to climbing as many stairs as Gryffindors.

"Lily, just head me out," Snape pleaded, "I have so much to offer you, please—"

She tried not to laugh. She didn't want him to know she was actually suffering through hearing the words he was saying. She could tell her was already beginning to get winded.

"Evans," A friendlier voice echoed down the hallway.

Lily stopped walking and turned to look left. She had never been so thankful to see Sirius Black before in her life. She stopped walking as he approached her.

"Isn't it past curfew?" She accused him.

"What's your excuse?" he countered.

"Slug Club."

Sirius saw Snape.

"Is he harassing you?"

Lily saw Sirius's hand slip into his robe, clutching his wand. Lily reached an arm out to stop him. She didn't want to cause a scene. Lily gave Snape one last look of disgust. He deserved a jelly legs jinx.

"I didn't even realize he was there."

She turned back to Sirius with a shrug. Sirius slung his arm around her shoulder. They walked back to Gryffindor Tower together. Sirius may or may not have hexed Snape to have a wedgie once they turned their backs to him. Lily may or may not have pretended she didn't notice.

When they got back to the Gryffindor Tower, they went their separate ways. Sirius had important 'Marauders Business' to tend to, and Lily was exhausted. She just wanted to sleep. She went up the stairs to her dormitory, where Dorcas and Marlene were laying in Marlene's bed. They were gossiping about a Hufflepuff girl. Lily threw herself onto her own bed and groaned.

"How was the meeting?" Dorcas giggled.

"Snape was there." Lily said, monotone.

Dorcas and Marlene got up from Marlene's bed and rushed to Lily's side. Dorcas ran a hand threw Lily's hair. Marlene took Lily's hand in her own. Lily was thankful to have such great friends.

"He's a git," said Dorcas.

"I'm not sure he'll be invited back, to be honest. Slughorn seemed unamused when he made fun of me when I said I wanted to be a healer."

Dorcas threw her head back and laughed, "You? A healer? You're way better than that."

"There's nothing shameful about that!" Marlene defended, "I wouldn't mind it. I've been thinking about talking to Madam Pomfrey. Asking if I could shadow her after the christmas holidays…"

"That's great, Marlene. I think you should," Lily encouraged with a smile. "But I wasn't going to tell Slughorn I was going to fight Voldemort. Especially with three Death Eaters in training sitting at the table. Not smart."

"You're so wise." Dorcas admired with a yawn. She stood up, "I'm going to bed. G'night, girls."

She walked over to her own bed and drew her curtains. Marlene looked to Lily, nervous. Lily squeezed her hand.

"I think you'd make a great Healer. Really." Lily said quietly, so Dorcas wouldn't hear.

"Thanks, Lily." Marlene said, "Sorry about Snape."

Lily shrugged, "Sirius saved me from him. He was wondering the hallways after curfew."

"He's such a rebel, that Black," Marlene said with an awkward laugh.

She avoided Lily's eye's. She went to stand up but Lily pulled her back down.

"Do you like him?"

"What? Me? Black? No!"

"Not convincing, McKinnon." Lily said, then pushed Marlene off her bed with a laugh.

"Don't tell Dorcas, she'd kill me if I didn't tell her myself," Marlene pleaded from the floor.

"Your secret is safe with me,"Lily promised her.

Marlene thanked her and went to her own bed. Lily rolled over, and fell asleep in a moment, still in her robes. That night, she dreamt of being a healer. She was terrible at it. But Marlene, being her associate, always come in and saved their patient at the last minute.