In the beginning of February, the snow melted, but the winter still lingered in the haunting freezing breath of the wind, coming from the mountains. The sorrowful landscape of grey and brown was occasionally decorated with patches of ice, left on the ground as if they were pieces of broken fairy glass. Sometimes, a brave robin dared to land on the skeletal branches of the nearby trees briefly singing a song of hope and spring, just to swiftly fly away into the crisp air.
Students at Hogwarts spent most of their time inside the castle. Those who needed to go outside for some reason tried to cover every centimetre of potentially exposed skin with cloaks, scarves, gloves, and hats. Hence, the two second-years, dressed in Muggle sporting outfit, and jogging around the frozen Black Lake, appeared to be quite an unusual sight.
Catherine and James were adamant not to miss a single workout, each of them for reasons of their own. For James, the reason was the upcoming important Quidditch match against Slytherin; for Catherine, running provided a welcomed relief from her troubles and anxiety. The situation with Sirius hadn't improved, surprising even James, who had hoped that the storm would pass in a day or two. The constant unspoken tension among the group resulted in prolonged periods of awkward silence and many more hours spent in the Library, doing homework.
"I need to catch my breath." – wheezed the young witch, stopping next to the biggest willow tree growing near the frozen shores of the lake.
"You've improved a lot." – commented James, patting her on the back – "Still need to work on your endurance, though."
"Will…do…" – panted the girl and gazed at the tranquil water in front of her, sleeping under the ice. The silent Sunday afternoon was disturbed only by the lazy splashes of the Giant Squid, playing somewhere far from the shores, where the waters of the Black Lake had managed to resist the merciless grip of the ice.
"We shall get going before we catch a cold." – suggested James, taking a few steps towards the main path. He suddenly stopped and dashed forward with a cry of joy. In less than ten seconds, he returned to Catherine, holding something in his hand.
"Look, Flame! These must be the first flowers for this year! I can't believe they managed to survive here in the cold!" – exclaimed the boy enthusiastically and showed the girl the two delicate snowdrops in his palm.
"That's why snowdrops symbolise renewal and rebirth. They're indeed the first flowers to appear even before there are any signs of spring" – noted the witch, gently caressing the pure white petals with her fingertips.
Unexpectedly, James extended his hand and attached the flowers to the young witch's ebony braid.
"There, now you look like the spirit of spring!" – he chuckled.
"What a touching scene!" – the two children heard behind them. They turned back to see Lily and Snape who were watching them from a few metres away. The Slytherin boy was wearing something that might have been a woman's coat once, but now looked like a greyish sack, draped on his thin body. His sarcastic smile, however, was of top-notch quality.
"What's the matter, Snivelly? Finally embracing your female side and starting to wear women's clothes outside too? Is it possible that you also want a flower in your hair?" – James mocked him, as the black eyes of Snape started sparkling with rage, his smile turned into an angry grimace, revealing his yellowish, uneven teeth.
"Why are you always so immature, Potter?" – hissed Lily, looking pleadingly at Catherine.
"I'm immature?" – asked James in disbelief – "If I remember correctly, your pet-bat was the one who started talking to us in the first place, Evans!"
"Come, James," – said Catherine, placing her hand on his shoulder – "He's neither worth the efforts nor the breath."
With this, the black-haired witch turned her back to Snape and Lily and headed towards the castle. She hadn't taken more than three steps and her foot got caught in something, causing her to lose her balance and smash head-first to the ground.
"Flame!" – screamed James and swiftly ran to his friend's side – "What did you do to her, greasy bastard?"
"How's my fault that Plantier can't use properly these huge feet of hers?" – said Snape derisively.
"You did something! I'm sure of it!" – shouted the Gryffindor boy, trying to stop the blood running from Catherine's nose.
"It couldn't have been him!" – insisted Lily, who had also couched next to her classmates, producing a clean handkerchief out of her pocket – "He hasn't even touched his wand."
"Right… and this dry root, which was not here before, decided to move on its own accord." – hissed James, seething with furry.
"James, please, help me back to the castle." – asked Catherine quietly, pressing Lily's handkerchief to her face.
"Do you want me to come with you?" – asked Lily worriedly.
"No…you can continue your walk." – responded the other witch flatly and moved towards the castle with unsteady step. James shot a look full of hatred at Snape and quickly sprinted after Catherine.
"I'm sure it wasn't Severus. You've got to believe me. I was right next to him, and he didn't have his wand anywhere near." – insisted Lily in a hushed tone during Herbology on Monday.
"I really don't want to discuss this." – whispered Catherine angrily, busy with putting on her protective gloves while Professor Sprout was arranging a bunch of pots with purplish green plants inside.
"I know you're upset but I'm just trying to say it was an accident, and we just happened to be there. It was nobody's fault." – continued Lily.
"You know why I'm really upset, Lily?" – hissed the other girl – "You refused to speak to me on several occasions because you claimed I was mean to Snape. However, I don't see the same reaction when he's mean to me."
"This is not true. I did scold him for starting an unnecessary fight." – Lily attempted to justify herself.
"I'm sure he must be devastated and quietly reflecting upon his actions." – scoffed the black-haired girl.
"Why do you always have to be sarcastic?" – snapped the other Gryffindor – "If you just…"
"Would you girls mind continuing your discussion after the lesson is over?" – Professor Sprout asked with a displeased tone.
While the class was giggling, Lily and Catherine, both with their faces red, turned their attention towards the Herbology teacher, who was now handling earmuffs to the students.
"Now, after Miss Plantier and Miss Evans are also present in body and mind, let's start by answering one simple question. Can anyone tell me what these plants are?" – asked Sprout.
Catherine took a second look at the pots, and her eyes grew wide with excitement. She immediately raised her hand.
"These are Mandrakes, and fairly young ones, I believe." – the girl answered, casting a side glance at Sirius and James, standing nearby, who were also paying very close attention.
"Correct, Miss Plantier. Five points to Gryffindor." – smiled the Herbology teacher – "Indeed, we have just obtained these plants, and they are only seedlings. But, in several months, we're going to have a batch of full-grown Mandrakes. Does anyone know what the properties of the Mandrakes are?"
"The roots of the Mandrakes are invaluable for returning people who had been transfigured or cursed to their original state." – Catherine promptly responded.
"Right again, Miss Plantier. Another five points to Gryffindor." – nodded the professor – "Despite their nature as an antidote, Mandrakes or as they are also known, Mandragoras, are extremely dangerous because their scream could be fatal. Fortunately, the seedlings do not yet possess such power. However, their screams can easily knock you out for a good several hours."
"Screams?" – asked Lily confused.
"We're going to repot them today, so please make sure you fully cover your ears with the earmuffs and wear them during the whole time."
The students hurried to oblige, and when everybody had their ears properly protected, Professor Sprout firmly grabbed the stem of one of the plants and pulled. Instead of roots, the Mandrake had something which resembled a human baby, covered in mud. It was screaming angrily, kicking, and swinging its little fists. Professor Sprout quickly moved it to a bigger pot and covered it with soil and dragon manure. She then gestured towards the class to get to work.
After approximately half an hour of struggle, all the assigned seedlings were repotted, and the Gryffindors could take a breather and clean themselves. Catherine used the opportunity to approach Sprout without anyone around.
"Excuse me, Professor," – the girl said politely – "I have a question regarding the Mandrakes."
"What is it, Miss Plantier?" – asked the teacher.
"Professor McGonagall mentioned that some plants, including Mandrakes, could be used in transfiguration. I was wondering what the various techniques for that are."
"Did she?" – smiled the older witch – "Indeed, Mandrake leaves are important elements of some more advanced transfiguration spells."
"Professor McGonagall gave Animagi transfiguration as an example for such use." – carefully probed the girl.
"Ah, well, of course." – nodded Sprout – "In this particular case, one would need to keep a leaf in their mouth for a month before using it."
"For a whole month!" – Catherine exclaimed with well-played surprise – "But how would you be able to eat and drink without swallowing it?"
"There is a spell used which encapsulates the leaf in the mouth, and it is impossible to swallow it." – explained the Herbology teacher.
"I presume the leaves should come from a fully-grown Mandrakes?" – requested the student.
"Yes, of course. Are you interested in Animagi, Miss Plantier?" – asked Sprout suspiciously.
"Oh, not particularly in Animagi; I'm rather interested in combining different branches of magic, such as Transfiguration and Herbology." – lied Catherine flawlessly.
"It is a fascinating topic, of course," – agreed the teacher – "but nevertheless, you need to be careful and avoid experimentation because it could be very dangerous, especially for young students."
"I completely understand, Professor! I only wanted to discuss the theoretical base with you." – smiled the Gryffindor with a not-so-Gryffindor twinkle in her eyes.
The day of the second Gryffindor Quidditch match surprised the students with a new layer of snow. The winter came back with a vengeance, and the freezing wind blew mercilessly in the faces of the students, trying to reach the Quidditch stands.
"Aren't they going to cancel the match?" – asked Remus anxiously, staring at the white furry up in the sky.
"Probably not." – answered Peter enthusiastically – "At least, they wouldn't have for professional players."
"But they are not professional players." – continued Remus, wrapping himself more thoroughly in the thick woollen scarf, Catherine had gifted him for Christmas.
Catherine herself, standing behind the boys with Lily and Mary, thought that Remus did have a point. She looked at her fingers, which were starting to turn blue, and quickly donned a pair of red gloves she was carrying around but had almost never used. As usual, not being able to feel the cold proved problematic during winter.
'On the other hand, considering Sirius' sullen mood this morning, a tough and dangerous Quidditch match and a well-deserved victory might prove to be exactly what he needed.' – debated the witch internally and sighed.
She truly missed him. Their friendship had started weirdly, and she was still not quite accustomed to his sudden emotional outbursts, but Catherine felt lonely without his constant laughter and jokes. She missed him just being there for her, even when she didn't need him.
Feeling burning tears brimming in her eyes, the second-year attempted to distract herself and directed her attention to the crowd on the stands. Most people were wearing red and golden colours, and just around one-fourth of the attendees were decorated with green and silver.
The teams were ready to start, and Patrick Blackwood shook hands with the new Slytherin captain, the fourth-year, Emma Vanity - or at least it looked like they did, since the scenery was enveloped in the white blizzard. Madame Hooch's whistle signalled the beginning of the match, and fourteen brooms flew into the sky. The frozen crowd cheered enthusiastically.
'Nothing can stop the Quidditch fans at Hogwarts.' – thought Catherine – 'Rain, shine, or a bloody snowstorm, the sports rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin always attracts every living soul in the castle to the stands.'
From the very start, both teams displayed incredible skill and agility, each seeking dominance in the air. Sirius, Patrick, and Marigold demonstrated amazing teamwork, passing the Quaffle with incredible speed between each other. After a perfectly executed Dummy Pass, Sirius succeeded in tricking the Slytherin Keeper, Corban Yaxley, and the first goal prompted the crowd to roar.
Slytherins didn't wait for long to take the initiative, but Greg proved to be a better Keeper than Yaxley and thwarted Slytherin's attempts to score, earning cheers from the Gryffindor supporters. The result was 40 to 0 for Gryffindor after a little more than fifteen minutes of play. At this point the bad weather conditions started to affect the game.
Dominic Woods made a mistake and send one of the Bludgers towards Patrick, instead of the Slytherin Chasers, causing the later to drop the Quaffle. This time Greg was not able to block, and Slytherin got back in the game. In the next ten minutes, they managed to return two more goals, throwing Gryffindors off their game. This apparently affected Sirius more than the others, and he started executing more and more dangerous moves.
Eventually, he attempted to stop the Slytherin attack by flying full speed against Valeria Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's younger sister, who was darting with the Quaffle, straight towards the Gryffindor's goal posts. The girl suddenly dived down, surprising Sirius, who couldn't stop in time and collided with Greg, almost knocking him off his broom.
Down on the stands, Catherine tasted blood in her mouth and realised she was biting her cold, dry lips so hard that they had started to bleed. Disregarding such minor inconvenience, she focused again on the game up in the air. In the chaos after the incident between the Gryffindor's Chaser and Keeper, Slytherin managed to score three quick goals, and they were now in the lead.
At this moment, two tiny figures, circling above all the players, almost simultaneously dived towards the ground.
"The Snitch!" – screamed Peter.
Catherine couldn't see the small golden ball in the snow, but she was sure that both James and Emma, who was the Seeker for Slytherin, had their eyes firmly locked on it. They were flying neck in neck, but when the referee's whistle sounded to announce the end of the match, it was Emma who was holding the Snitch. The crowd in green and silver went wild, while most of the other fans looked in disbelief at the scoreboard. The stellar team of Gryffindor had lost with a score of 210 to 40.
Catherine left the stands with everyone else and waited patiently in front of the Quidditch changing room. The Gryffindor team eventually got out, with their heads low.
"Where's Greg?" – asked Catherine, quickly scanning the group.
"Madame Hooch sent him to the Hospital Wing for a quick check up, but I think he was not really injured, just a little dizzy." – explained James quietly.
"What about Sirius?" – the witch inquired.
"Trying to drown himself under the shower." – groaned the black-haired boy and adjusted his glasses – "He thinks it was his fault."
"And was it?"
"Of course not." – snapped James – "We were too cocky and allowed to be easily distracted. The weather also didn't help. Excuse me, but I really need a cup of hot tea."
Catherine glanced at the gloomy James sprinting to catch up with the rest of his teammates. She hesitated a little and entered the changing room.
The girl couldn't hear any running water, so she took a deep breath and entered the main premises.
"Just go away, James. No point to argue anymore. I know what happened up there, mate!" – mumbled Sirius, who was sitting on one of the long benches, wearing only a towel across his hips and looking at the ground. His head was resting on his hands, and water was dripping from his still wet hair.
"Care to share with me then?" – asked Catherine, crossing the room.
Sirius jumped from surprise, staring at the young witch in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?" – he asked, then suddenly blushed – "I'm naked, for Merlin's sake!"
"Big deal!" – laughed the girl, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"Did you come to scold me because I injured McMahon?" – asked Sirius, finally remembering they were not on good terms.
"No, I came to scold you because you're a troll." – answered Catherine with a deadly serious face.
"What?" – Sirius blinked a few times, confused.
"You, Sirius Black, are a troll. You're loud, inconsiderate, thick-skinned, stubborn, childish, and you act before you think. The only difference is that you do smell better." – the green-eyed witch said with a wicked smile.
"Are you nuts? You came here after the hard time I had to insult me?" – shouted Sirius in disbelief.
"You wanted honesty." – the girl said – "This is my honesty. I'm moody, hot-tempered, sarcastic, vengeful, manipulative, and quite likely dangerous to be around. Frankly, I'm a Slytherin through and through, but the Sorting Hat thought I needed to find my courage in Gryffindor. I can't tell you many things about myself, but I was and always will be honest about you and about our friendship, even if you don't like what you hear."
"Yeah, it's not very flattering to be called a troll." – noted Sirius.
"So?" – asked Catherine, feeling increasingly anxious, observing Sirius' stone face.
"I guess then the choices are either I accept you and your secrets or lose you and be as miserable as I felt in the past few weeks." – said the boy sullenly.
"I didn't mean it like that, it's not an ultimatum, I just…" – Catherine attempted to explain.
Suddenly she found herself scooped off the ground and twirled around the changing room. Fighting the raising nausea, the young witch heard Sirius' musical laughter in her ear. Dizzy, she looked into his grey eyes, with a still questionable expression.
"Keep your secrets if they are so important, Flame. As long as we stay honest about us, it's fine by me. But I'll still listen if you change your mind." – said Sirius, finally letting go of his classmate.
"Are we good then?" – Catherine asked cautiously.
"We are!'' – grinned the boy – "I feel like a huge burden was taken off my back. At least this fucking day wasn't a complete disaster after all."
"Sirius…"
"Yes?" – asked the young wizard, looking at the slightly blushing witch who was avoiding his gaze.
"As long as we're being honest…you've lost your towel."
As Catherine and Sirius made their way into the Gryffindor Tower, a palpable sense of gloom pervaded the room. The muted ambiance hung thick in the air, with students exchanging only hushed whispers. The dominant sound was the intermittent crackle of the fireplace, casting dancing shadows across the sombre faces. In one dimly lit corner, James, Remus, and Peter sat in silence, their presence casting a subdued aura over the entire room.
"Who died?" – asked Sirius, having a seat on a large cushion placed on the floor, next to James.
"Our chances for the Quidditch Cup, most likely." – mumbled the other boy, depressed.
"Maybe we can still make it if we beat Hufflepuff and with some luck." – Catherine tried to console him, also taking a seat on the floor, next to Sirius.
"Are the two of you speaking to each other again?" – asked Remus with a glimpse of hope in his voice.
"Yup! We decided Flame could keep her darn secrets, as long as she stays ours forever!" – chuckled Sirius.
"I don't remember agreeing to such terms." – flatly remarked Catherine.
"Merlin be thanked! At least something good happened today!" – exclaimed James with relief, ruffling his messy hair and gazing at the hearth – "Slytherins would be impossible to stand! They were already acting like they had won the Cup. Some people complained they were verbally abused and pushed around by the fucking snakes on their way to celebrate in the dungeons."
"I haven't noticed." – admitted Catherine, quickly scanning the room – "Where's Lily?"
"I think I saw her going up to the dormitories." – said Peter helpfully.
"I'll go check on her. I'll see you all later." – the girl quickly declared and swiftly left the room.
'I hope she didn't have any issues with Volumnia and Tulia again.' – thought Catherine, taking two steps at once.
The girl's dormitory was silent and dark due to the large amount of snow covering the windows. The young witch needed a few moments before her eyes could get used to the dim light. She looked around the bedroom and sighed, seeing Lily, lying face down on her bed, not making a sound. The black-haired girl slowly approached her friend and sat on the edge of the bed. Gently, she caressed the soft red hair, cascading down Lily's shoulders.
"What's the matter, Lils?" – Catherine asked softly.
Lily didn't answer and continued to lie perfectly still. The other girl waited for a little bit, then decided that her classmate might prefer to be left alone. Therefore, she stood up and prepared to leave when she heard a weak, almost pleading voice.
"How do you do it, Daisy?"
"How do I do what?" – asked Catherine, confused.
"How do you manage to not care if they call you… a Mudblood?" – mumbled the red-headed girl.
Catherine felt a sharp pang of guilt. With time, she got used to her fake name and background, so she didn't need to be constantly alert to avoid a slip of her tongue. Nevertheless, it had always been hard when she needed to pretend, she understood what Lily was going through. On one hand, the black-haired girl was subjected to the same treatment as her friend. On the other hand, however, it didn't affect her quite the same way because she didn't doubt her worth as a witch over her blood status, like Lily did.
"I don't know. I just ignore them. It's a word. If you don't give it power, it doesn't mean anything." – Catherine finally said.
"I know you're right, and I'm trying to ignore the jackasses who only care about someone's blood, but it gets harder and harder." – admitted Lily, now seated on the bed, some red spots on her face clearly showing she had been crying.
"If you tell me who offended you, I can make sure they won't be using their mouth in a while." – Catherine suggested darkly.
"There's no point. We're just going to end up with another out-of-control situation like around Halloween." – the red-haired girl shook her head – "Plus, even if you hex them, it's not going to change their perception. I've never imagined it would have been like this… you know, coming from a Muggle family."
Catherine's heart clinched with pain. She was trying to disregard her raising anger and be there for Lily, who appeared extremely miserable.
"It shouldn't be." – Catherine said decisively – "You shouldn't be ostracised for being Muggle-born. This isn't a reason to be ashamed, and you should be proud of having magic in you, in addition to the craftiness and adventurous spirit of Muggles. I don't know what's happening in the Wizarding society for such behaviour to be tolerated and spread around, but we should fight it, don't you agree?"
"The emanation of the Gryffindor's fighting spirit!" – chuckled Lily – "You're spot on, Daisy! We made it to Hogwarts, and we have the right to stay! We can't be intimidated by some spoiled rich kids!"
"Like who?" – casually asked the other girl.
"Forget about it." – smiled Lily – "But you can do something to help me feel better if you're up for it."
"Sure, you name it!" – agreed Catherine happily.
"Let's have lunch outside next Sunday."
"Okay." – nodded the black-haired witch, a little puzzled.
"You, me and Severus." – clarified the red-haired girl.
"What?!" – shouted Catherine in disbelief.
"I need all the support I can get, and whether you like it or not, Severus is my friend and has been my friend for years before I came to Hogwarts. He told me I was a witch and opened the gates of this world for me." – said Lily, her emerald-green eyes shining – "I promise you, he's not that bad. All this is his way of defending himself. I do attempt to show him where he acts wrongly, but it's difficult with his classmates putting so much pressure on him. It appears that Slytherin is a very different place compared to Gryffindor. Give him a chance, Catherine! I don't want to be caught in a middle of your fights anymore. I need you both on my side. Please!"
Catherine sighed deeply. She was completely certain that despite Lily's noble intentions this 'lunch date' would be a disaster, and yet she couldn't find it in her heart to say no to her friend when she was feeling so vulnerable.
"Fine, I'll have lunch with the two of you, but you make him shower the day before." – the black-haired girl finally agreed sulkily.
The following week appeared endless for Catherine. While she was happy her relationship with Sirius was back to normal, she would have appreciated if he hadn't allied with James to make fun of her and the planned 'date' with Snape and Lily. The young witch was secretly hoping that Snape would put his foot down and refuse to participate. Lily's joyful face and good mood, however, told a different story.
'Whatever, it's just for an hour or two. I can control myself for this long.' – the girl reassured herself and buttoned up the elegant pink coat her mother had bought for her from Paris during her last trip. While pink was not necessarily her favourite colour, Catherine rather appreciated how it looked on her, and the cut was really flattering. Also, it provided some variety after wearing black robes for the entire school week. The second-year finished arranging her hair into a long single braid and smiled with satisfaction at the result, reflected in the mirror.
Lily and Snape were supposed to wait for her in the Entrance Hall, so Catherine picked up the basket with the cake she'd made and the orange juice she had taken from the Kitchens earlier and left the Gryffindor Tower, ignoring the 'Have a blast!' shout, coming from Sirius.
The young witch trudged listlessly through the staircases and corridors of the castle on her way to the Entrance Hall. As a result, she arrived five minutes late, and the other two students were already waiting there. Catherine immediately noticed the frozen discontent on Snape's face. He was wearing the same ugly coat James mocked him for, as well as a pair of boots that looked a little bit too large for him.
''Hi, I'm sorry, I'm…" – the Gryffindor tried to apologise, adamant to be at her best behaviour.
"You're late!" – hissed Snape, not willing to let her finish.
"Thank you, Mister Obvious!" – snapped Catherine, her green eyes flashing with irritation.
"Enough! None of you is allowed to be sarcastic today!" – Lily scolded them – "The weather is perfect, so let's have a nice stroll around the lake until we're hungry. I'm dying to try this chocolate fantasy of yours, Catherine. She's quite a baker, Severus!"
Snape grunted something inaudible, and they left, the crisp air embracing them as they stepped outside. The children walked for several minutes without talking. Catherine revelled in the rare sunlight, kissing the surface of the Black Lake, and igniting a dazzling display of diamond-like sparks.
"Every season is so beautiful at Hogwarts!" – Lily finally broke the silence – "It's not the same in Cokeworth, is it, Severus?"
"It's an utter crap hole." - followed the elegant answer.
"Well, I wouldn't describe it exactly like this, but it's not a very nice place, indeed. Especially on Spinner's End, there's a lot to be improved. They really need to fix your pipes."
"The best improvement would be to not go back there." – mumbled Snape, mostly to himself.
Catherine observed him with curiosity. She knew enough about the boy from Lily, although the red-haired witch was discreet and never really provided any concrete details. Growing up in a poor family, with a Muggle father who didn't appear to care about either his son or wife, must have been challenging. Catherine thought that regardless of her own family issues at least she never had to worry about money. Her parents did care for her, despite the young witch having her own doubts about the reason behind it. She recalled how Snape had always ignored the trolley aboard the Hogwarts Express and how all his books were second-hand, without needing to comment on his atrocious clothes.
'It must be tough in Slytherin; if he's half-blood and also doesn't have gold, they're probably not making him feel very welcomed.' – noted the girl internally.
"Would you mind stop staring at me like I'm some exotic animal in a Muggle Zoo?" – Snape's cold voice, interrupted Catherine's thoughts.
"I wasn't staring; my gaze was just directed that way and you happened to be there." – stuttered the witch, mentally cursing herself for being so transparent in her thoughts.
"Stop fighting!" – shouted Lily, casting a fearsome look at the young wizard.
"I wasn't fighting." – he said with a much meeker demeanour – "I just asked politely."
'Apparently, in the dictionary, they've changed polite to mean passive-aggressive.' – thought Catherine but kept silent.
The stroll continued surprisingly peacefully. Lily and Snape were chatting about potions. Catherine found herself tempted to intervene, but she was worried that the very sound of her voice would irritate the Slytherin, and they would end up fighting again. He was completely different when talking about things he loved. He was witty and insightful. His black eyes were gleaming and even his voice was different, much deeper, and pleasant, to the extent a pre-teen boy's voice could be. Catherine was astonished to find that she didn't really mind being around that Snape.
'I guess, this is how he's usually with Lily.' – she thought – 'Too bad that at some point, he'll remember I'm here as well.'
Almost as to prove Catherine's point, Lily turned towards her and asked cheerfully: "What do you think about that, Catherine? Shall we be allowed to work on our own potions?"
"Umm, I guess it can really help some students," – answered Catherine, noticing the immediate change on Snape's face – "but on the other hand, you hardly want someone like Peter to be left to experiment with potions."
"I was certain you would prefer to follow the official instructions." – Snape said triumphantly.
"Well, the instructions are there to be followed." – shrugged the black-haired girl.
"A true power is understanding magic on a deeper level and not blindly follow what others had already come up with." – exclaimed Snape, casting a glance at Lily.
"Why are you so obsessed with power?" – asked Catherine, half-curious, half-annoyed.
"What a Gryffindor question! Power is everything! It can provide you with gold, a place in the society, the admiration of the others." – Snape answered, although the black-haired witch had the impression this answer was not really meant for her.
"In my experience, power mostly leads to fear." – Catherine mumbled.
Snape looked at her with such a condescending expression, that the Gryffindor girl needed to use all her self-control, mastered during the years, in order to avoid hexing him. Noticing the change in the mood, Lily quickly suggested they sit under the tallest willow tree on the shore and have lunch there.
"It's going to be too cold to sit on the ground." – Snape noted.
"We thought about this in advance." – answered Catherine while Lily was spreading a blue and white checkered blanket.
"Velouraegis!" – said the black-haired girl, pointing her wand towards the blanket.
"Isn't it brill!" – smiled Lily, immediately taking a seat – "Catherine came up with this spell that creates a warmth shield. It's perfect for having a picnic in the winter!"
Snape's face didn't change while he tentatively joined Lily on the blanket. Nevertheless, Catherine noticed with satisfaction that he glanced at her direction a few times with something between curiosity and appraisal.
The three students had great appetite and finished all the sandwiches Lily had brought. Catherine proudly took out her impressive chocolate cake which Lily praised accordingly. Snape didn't say anything, but he ate it which was a good sign in Catherine's book.
"I really don't know how you can be such an amazing baker, Daisy!" – sighed Lily happily after finishing her second piece – "My mom tried to teach us how to make simple things, but I'm hopeless. Tuni was much better, even at my age. I keep forgetting ingredients or steps I need to complete."
"You probably just have a mental block. But I promise you, it's really enjoyable. It helped me a lot when I was forced to stay home with the hou… with the servants. You're so good at potions, there's no way you're bad at cooking. The skillset is the same." – reasoned the other girl.
"Pff, the skillset is the same?" – snickered Snape – "What are you trying to do here, Plantier? Persuade Lily that she's destined to be a good housewife?"
"What are you talking about?" – snapped Catherine – "I refer to a basic human skill. We all need to eat. Why won't you enjoy the process of preparing your meal as well?"
"Some people can't be picky about what they eat, let alone savour the moment of creating a fancy dish. Ask your…servants!" – hissed Snape with disdain.
"I'm well aware of that!" – shouted Catherine and stood up. Her face was red, and she was truly enraged, partially because this could have easily been avoided if she didn't have that slip of her tongue regarding the servants.
'Thank the Light, I didn't say house-elves.' – she thought. Somehow, she was positive that Snape could tolerate more easily the fact she was rich due to her Muggle-born status. If he had known the truth, Catherine sincerely doubted that he would have sat anywhere near her, despite any pleads by Lily.
"Of course you are! That's why you graciously let us eat that cake, didn't you?" – Snape's voice brought the Gryffindor back to reality – "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"
"Are you comparing me to Marie Antoinette?!" – shouted Catherine, attempting to decide whether she was offended, amused, or impressed by Snape's knowledge of French.
"He's not!" – intervened Lily, horrified that her perfect plan was turning into disaster.
"And what if I am?" – asked Snape provocatively.
"Then you have a lot of nerve to challenge a queen!" – answered Catherine, her green eyes flashing.
A vague shadow of a smile appeared for a split second on Snape's thin lips, but later Catherine thought it must have been her imagination because in the next moment, the wizard had his wand drawn out.
"Locomotor Mortis!" – he shouted, and the black-haired witch felt her legs being bound and paralysed. She lost balance and fell headfirst into the cake leftovers, which decorated her pink coat with lavish brown stains.
"No!" – cried Lily desperately, but it was too late.
"Tarantallegra!" - Catherine managed to shout with mouth full of chocolate, finally having a hold of her own wand.
While Snape was trying to stop dancing in a weird quickstep rhythm, Catherine somehow stood up, still under the effect of the Leg-locker Curse. She lifted her wand at the same time as the Slytherin, fully aware that she couldn't afford to give him a breather or she would suffer the effect of another curse.
"Expulso!" – someone shouted from behind. A loud bang echoed through the silent landscape, and a powerful blast threw Snape into the Black Lake.
"Finite Incantatem!" – Catherine recognised Sirius' voice, while feeling her legs finally returning to their normal state. She turned around and saw all four of the Gryffindor boys running towards them.
Lily was helping Snape get out of the water. Apparently, the effect of the Dancing Feet Spell was nullified, but he had lost one of his shoes in the lake. His lanky, thin frame was clearly visible under the drenched clothes, and he was spitting out water and sand. His sopping wet black hair now reached a little bit below his shoulders, emphasising the boy's hard facial features and prominent nose. All in all, Severus Snape looked quite pitiful. Nevertheless, he growled and clung to his wand with all his might, ready to fight them all.
Catherine was livid, but, to her surprise, mostly due to the interference of her classmates.
"I think the picnic is over." – she stated, turned her back to Lily and Snape, and left with all the dignity she had left, considering the cake in her hair.
"Hey, wait!" – shouted James and ran after her, but she didn't slow down.
"Why are you angry that we came to save you?" – asked the boy finally catching up with his friend.
"Nobody asked you to help me, James Potter!" – Catherine snapped, turning abruptly, and facing the very surprised James who was blinking in confusion.
"But he was about to curse you again!" – he tried to justify himself.
"Yes, and I had a wand in my hand!" – she shouted, releasing all her rage – "There was no point of interfering. He's not that scary that we should face him five against one!"
"Don't be angry, Flame!" – Sirius attempted to smooth the situation – "We didn't have much time to assess what was happening. James just wanted to protect you!"
Catherine screamed in utter frustration, turned around and disappeared in a flurry of pink cashmere and chocolate cake in front of the stunned faces of her classmates.
"At least you did have a blast, didn't you!" – shouted Sirius after her and grinned at James.