Author Note

Hey! I know it's been a minute since the last update but I have GOOD NEWS! This fic is now COMPLETE! *cue excited screaming*. I'll be posting 1-2 chapters a week until it's all up, Author's promise! Also, if you had previously read the first 4 chapters, they might be worth a re-read. They have been updated and there might be a few new details and plot points in them you might not want to miss. Thanks for sticking around and reading!

Chapter 5: Slug Club

True to my word, I do indeed show up to Slughorn's 'little party' on Saturday night, the one he'd informed me and Severus about the very first day back. He calls us – all his 'special' select students – and our get-togethers the 'Slug Club', a name which I think really leaves something to be desired. All the students belonging to the Slug Club received fancy scrolls of parchment tied with black satin ribbons and formally inviting us to our first meeting during breakfast this morning, delivered via owl post. Barnaby came soaring down to me as I was spooning eggs onto my plate and studying the staff table – still no Professor Dumbledore. It was starting to get concerning. How long was he going to leave Potter and I without any guidance?

I took the scroll from Barnaby's leg while he helped himself to my freshly-dished up breakfast, then ruffled his feathers importantly before flapping off. I think he was really quite pleased with himself to have delivered his first piece of mail. It also reminded me I really do need to write Mum in the next few days. The muggle school she teaches at starts on Monday and while she loves it, the first week is always a bit hectic. It'd be good to let her know I'm thinking of her.

Beside me, Alice also received her invitation. As a student bearing an old wizarding family name, Slughorn could hardly not invite her, and her shining aptitude in the greenhouses has made her valuable enough to keep on. Frank Longbottom, sixth year prefect and another legacy name, also got one.

None of the Marauder boys did, though it certainly isn't for lack of trying on Slughorn's part. He's been dying to get Potter and Black to join Slug Club practically since we arrived at Hogwarts at eleven. Their names preceded them; Potter's family, apart from being yet another famously pure-blooded wizarding line, apparently got filthy rich off the invention of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, and Black came from yet another well-renowned and talented family line. And then after they got to school, Potter's and Black's unmistakable natural skill in pretty much every subject had Slughorn just a step shy of begging them to join his little club.

But, to no one's surprise and to Slughorn's utter despair, neither Potter nor Black had any sort of interest in spending time with a group of students called the Slug Club, especially not when there was so much mischief to be made. He finally gave up inviting them in our third year, after Potter and Black charmed all the many invitations he'd sent – and they'd apparently kept – to fly around the Great Hall one afternoon at lunch like a great flock of paper-white birds, confusing everyone momentarily in thinking the post was being delivered for the second time that day.

Over at the Slytherin table, Severus was also reading his own ribbon-wrapped invitation. When he finished, he looked to me and his face lit into a smile when he saw I was already looking at him. He lifted his scroll to me, and I waved mine back.

Now, we're all gathered in Slughorn's office. As usual, I can't decide whether he charmed it to feel bigger than it actually is, or if he somehow finagled a larger office than any of the other professors' that I'd seen. Either way, the space is nearly as large as a classroom and the couple dozen people in attendance fit comfortably.

It's nearing eight pm. Winston Diggory did indeed show, with his son Amos who had graduated a few years previous and landed a ministry job right out of school, and lectured us all for the first half hour about all the courses we should take and how great working at the Ministry is, but now the gathering has loosened up. A few of the more politically-ambitious students have cornered the Diggorys, but the rest of us are in much more relaxed conversation circles, mostly catching up about summer holidays. Slughorn bounces from circle to circle, encouraging us to eat and drink more, using the word "excellent" a lot, and clearly feeling excited to be back in his element again. If his energy wasn't enough to indicate as much, his maroon velvet waistcoat, buttons straining over his stomach, sure did. A half dozen house-elves flit about, so small among us that it makes the trays of hors d'oeuvres they're bearing look like they're levitating around the room.

"- don't really have Ministry ambitions," Alice is saying. "You, Frank?"

Frank shrugs. "I mean, I don't much trust the Ministry right now."

"What do you mean?" I ask. I've been having a hard time focusing on our conversation for the past ten minutes, alternately worrying about running into Severus but also wanting to talk to him again to better solidify the tentative truce we established. He's been tucked into the corner with a couple of his Slytherin buddies all evening, all of them whispering together and not paying attention to anyone else, not even when Mr. Diggory had been speaking.

Frank looks around. A couple younger Gryffindor students, still new to these events, hover nearby, casting us anxious looks like they need guidance. I'll go over and help them in a moment. "My dad," he says, "you remember he works at the Ministry, yeah? He's an Auror – anyway, he suspects You-Know-Who has people who have infiltrated the Ministry. Could be a very bad time to get stuck working there."

Alice nods and Frank continues. "Still, I always thought I'd grow up to be an Auror just like him. I think I'd still like to, but I don't know..." He shrugs again. "I mean, I'd have to get accepted first too, and that's a whole other obstacle."

Alice smiles. "Oh, I don't think that'd be an issue for you, Frank! Everyone knows you're a fantastic dueler." Frank, who's generally pretty soft-spoken and never calls attention to himself, blushes red and stammers out a 'thank you'. "Plus," Alice goes on, "it'd probably be good to be on the inside, wouldn't it? More risky," she muses, "but you'd be in a good position to keep close tabs on suspicious activity within the Ministry itself..."

Frank agrees, and I leave the pair of them to carry on their conversation and tend to the younger students. I introduce them to some of the other younger students from the other Houses. Timothy Llewelyn – third year Ravenclaw – is excitedly disbelieving that I can address him by name. I lead the conversation for a bit, asking them all about their classes and schedules and even begrudgingly throw in a little Quidditch talk I've picked up from hanging around Marlene until the lot of them are happily wrapped up in conversation about the World Cup coming up next summer.

I gently extract myself from the group and turn to scan the room, intending to rejoin Frank and Alice, but I smack right into Severus instead. He's carrying two glasses of butterbeer, and they both splash all over us.

"Oh!" I exclaim. I look at both of us, soaked and sticky down the front. "Sorry," I say, and pull out my wand. "Here - Cibum Mundar!" The spell tidies us up, and I follow it up with a Drying Charm, leaving my robes warm and smelling faintly of lavender.

"Thanks," Severus says. He looks down at the cups in his hands and gestures with them. The little liquid left inside sloshes perilously. "One of these was for you."

"Well, I appreciate the thought," I say, and take one of the near-empty cups from him anyway. I sip the tiniest of sips from it and stare out across the room, suddenly not at all sure what to say.

"Having a good evening?" Severus asks, after a pause not quite long enough to be called awkward.

"Yeah," I say. "You?"

"Yes," Severus agrees, and then we lapse back into silence again, taking minuscule sips from our near-empty glasses.

"What have you and your – er – friends been chatting about all evening?" I blurt, because it's been bothering me and because I have absolutely no grace when it comes to awkward circumstances like these.

Severus raises an eyebrow.

"You know," I say. "You and Lestrange and Rosier. You three have been all hush-hush in your corner all night. Planning your ascension to the Ministry?" I force a laugh.

"Hardly," Sev says.

"Where are they now, anyway?" I ask, looking around. I find Alice, now standing with some of the Hufflepuffs we know. When I make eye contact with her, she purses her lips and narrows her eyes at me. Of course I filled her and Marlene and Em on how Potions had gone yesterday. All of them were highly skeptical and a bit incredulous I was entertaining this friendship again, but Alice had been the most vocal. "Lily! After fifth year? I just don't understand you!" Her disapproval had been annoyingly similar to Potter's. I look away.

"Over there," Severus says quietly, nodding. I follow his gaze to find Rodolphus Lestrange, Evan Rosier, and Regulus Black – Sirius Black's very Slytherin little brother – back in their corner, holding their own glasses of butterbeer and watching us. They look as unimpressed as Alice to see Severus and I together.

Severus frowns at them and deliberately turns his back. I can still see them though, whispering together and staring hostilely at me. Rosier catches my eye and mouths "Mudblood," clear as day, and I bite my lip to keep from asking Sev for the hundredth time why he's even friends with these people. We're on way too new and fragile ground to open that can of worms tonight.

Instead, I too turn away from the other Slytherins and ask, "So, come up with any new spells lately?"

Severus relaxes, also obviously eager to discuss something other than his Housemates, especially if the topic is magic. He'd been cleverly crafting his own spells since fourth year. "Yes, actually. Here, watch this." He pulls his wand from his robe pocket. "Muffliato," he says.

I wait, but nothing happens. "Umm... cool, I guess?"

He smiles, knowing I don't get it. "It's an Anti-eavesdropping Spell," he explains. "If anyone tries to listen in on our conversation now, all they'll hear is a little buzzing in their ears."

"Really?" I ask, intrigued. "That's dead useful. Can you do it so I can see?"

"Sure," Severus says, looking around. "I'll just need someone to talk to... ahh. Okay, wait here a moment." He walks over to Professor Slughorn, easily engaging him in conversation. Flattery goes a long way with him; I'm sure all Sev had to do was casually compliment his choice in refreshments to get Slughorn going.

Because I'm watching for it, I notice when Severus casually flicks his wand at his side. Sure enough, when he glances back, he gestures for me to come over. I meander across the room, trying to look like I'm studying the many photos of past Slug Club members hung on the wall, while really trying to listen in on what Severus and Slughorn are talking about. But even though I get right up next to them, standing directly behind Slughorn and pretending to peer intently at an enthusiastically waving portrait of a curly-haired witch, I can't pick up a thing they're saying. Instead, my ears buzz, like a fly is threatening to land on my head.

"Brilliant!" I exclaim out loud.

"What's that?" Slughorn asks, turning to me, and the spell is broken, I assume because he's now addressing me and not Sev. "Ahh, Miss Evans! Delightful! Enjoying the party?"

"Very much so," I assure him, letting myself get pulled into the conversation. Severus is looking very smug; he knows he's impressed me. "Very enlightening to hear from Mr. Diggory, sir. Great insights for those with sights set on a Ministry career."

"Much like yourself, if I'm not mistaken?"

"That's correct, sir. I plan on pursuing the path to becoming an Auror after school this year."

"And a right brilliant one you'll make," Slughorn booms. "And what about you, Mr. Snape? Auror ambitions as well?"

"I don't think so, sir."

I look curiously at him. I'm not surprised to hear Severus doesn't want to be an Auror, but I'm not sure what he does want to do after Hogwarts. With his magical talents, he could probably do whatever he wanted. I open my mouth to question him further, but he cuts neatly over me. "Lily ought to consider the Potions division of the Auror department, don't you agree, sir?"

And just like that, the conversation gets away from me. We spend the next long while listening to Slughorn name all his connections he could hook me up with, the different potions I should look into to be prepared, and a long rambling story about a student he had a decade ago who was now a very successful Healer, but had started, like me, with interests in becoming an Auror. And I can't help it, I get totally swept up and forget about my questions for Severus. It's all very interesting information and, while I think I'm more intrigued by the Defensive branch of the Auror office, Slughorn's got me thinking about the Potions one too now.

"Oh, goodness!" Slughorn finally exclaims, looking at the clock on the wall. "We really have let time get away from us." It's 9:30 pm, past curfew for the younger students, and rapidly approaching ours as well. He raises his voice for everyone to hear. "Thank you all for joining us tonight! And let's have a hand for the Diggorys!" He sweeps a velvet-clad arm in their direction, and we applaud. "Off you all go, then. Good night, and I look forward to our next meeting!"

Everyone claps one more time and then heads for the doors, talking together as we file out.

"Slughorn had some really great information about the Auror department," I say as we join the crowd. "The whole evening was really good, wasn't it?" I ask Severus, but when I turn to smile at him, I see we've been joined by Rosier, Lestrange, and Regulus Black, also making their way out.

"Better watch yourself, Evans," Rosier sneers.

I raise my eyebrows. "Bit bold to be making threats so soon after our cozy little party, isn't it?"

Rosier smiles, but his lips pull too wide and he looks almost feral. "I only meant about being an Auror. Tracking Dark wizards can be very... dangerous work."

I scoff. "I think I'll be alright. Keeping you lot in line has been more than adequate practice."

Rosier pushes closer to me and I can't help but draw away a little. He towers over me – all of them do – and with the three of them scowling down at me, fear tickles tight in my chest. "Just be careful," Rosier says softly. From anyone else, it might sound considerate – concerned, even – but from him... not so much.

Then, to the others, and making sure to lock eyes with Severus in the process, he says, "Let's go."

The three of them push past, shoving some of the younger kids out of the way to get out the door first. I look to Severus, eyes wide. He gives me an sad, apologetic smile and mumbles, "Sorry." Then, before I have time to respond, says, "I'll see you in Potions Monday." And without looking at me, he, too, sweeps away, following Rosier, Lestrange, and Black out the door and out of sight.