Hermione finally wrote to Orion after she was invited into Professor Slughorn's 'little club' known colloquially as the Slug Club. She was certain that her portly Potions Professor thought that it was a high honor, but Hermione was unsure if the Blacks would want her to participate, especially because Regulus had not been invited as well (though, personally, Hermione thought that he was more than talented enough in Potions to warrant an invitation).

Orion replied back with a rather lengthy letter, mostly asking after how she was finding school, getting along with the other students in Slytherin, and enjoying herself. It was so sweet, normal and fatherly that Hermione had to pinch herself to be sure that she had gotten the sender correct. He had even included a note that both he and Walburga were looking forward to her return to Grimmauld Place to celebrate Yule!

At the end, he included a note that she should attend the Slug Club party, with a caveat that Slughorn probably wanted something, and she should remain wary of his intentions. If he asked too many questions, she was to inform Orion at once and cease to attend further meetings until she had permission.

A part of her wanted to rankle at needing to get permission from Orion Black, but mostly, it just felt like a tremendous weight off of her shoulders to be told what to do for a change. She didn't have to agonize over her future knowledge and what she should be doing with it. Instead, for one night, she could just exist as an exceptional student who was being recognized for her talents.

Before she accepted the invitation, Hermione still ran it by Regulus to be sure that he didn't mind that she attended. Maybe it was years of walking on eggshells Ron as a friend that made her feel that she should be less excited about her own achievements — that she should downplay them.

Luckily, Regulus was not in the slightest put out at not receiving an invitation. Instead he just smirked at her. "Oh yeah, Severus goes to those usually," he said. "It sounds boring, but if that's how you want to spend your night..."

To her surprise, no one else from Slytherin had been invited to this exclusive party, except for Severus Snape, whom Regulus extracted a promise that he would look out for her. Hermione tried reminding her brother, for the one thousandth time, that she truly did not need anyone to look out for her. She could handle things just fine on her own — she almost longed to tell him just how well. She'd faced a basilisk, werewolf professor, and fully grown Death Eaters. Voldemort had been lurking around the corner every year since she'd attended Hogwarts, she knew she could handle some small talk with a Professor with perpetual gin blossoms on his cheeks.

But, she could not tell Regulus all of that and so she agreed to walk over to Slughorn's quarters with Severus.

The wizard who would one day become her potions professor was no better as a teenager than he was when he was teaching. While he didn't have it out for her the same way that he did when he was Professor Snape, Hermione got the impression that he did not think very highly of her.

Well, it wasn't just her it seemed. He didn't think highly of anyone and conversely seemed to hold himself in a very high estimation, despite the fact that it left him relatively friendless. Even though he got along okay with Regulus, they were not friends in the way that her brother was with Rabastan or even Bernie. And, Severus didn't seem to be much closer with the wizards in his own year. And as for witches... well, Hermione hadn't even been there for three months and even she could tell just how hung up on Lily Evans he was.

"So, have you been to one of these dinners before?" Hermione asked Severus cautiously, hoping to fill the empty silence between them while they walked through the dungeon.

"Yes, I've been invited since I was a fifth year," he said, brushing his long black hair out of his face. He had obviously cleaned up for the occasion, but Severus was not a very good looking wizard and his bad attitude only highlighted it more.

"I can't understand why Professor Slughorn would ask me," Hermione said with a frown. She was an excellent student, of course, but as she'd progressed with the Potions curriculum, things had gotten more and more difficult. She did not always end up with a perfect potion (though, often the best produced in the class).

"Yes, I can't imagine either," Severus said, uncaring that it was likely to hurt her feelings. "Don't fish for compliments, Granger."

"I wasn't fishing for compliments!" she argued back, her cheeks going pink. "I just meant that... well, surely Regulus should be going in my place."

Severus stopped abruptly, turning to look at her. "He probably should, but it is no secret that of the three of you, you have the most academic talent," he told her matter-of-factly. "Slughorn wants to collect people that he thinks might have influence... people who might be able to do favors for him some day. Regulus is undoubtedly better suited to that role, so I wouldn't be surprised if you should find that your invitations dry up and Regulus begins to get them instead."

Hermione scoffed, thinking that it was no wonder he didn't have any real friends when he was so rude. "You know, some thoughts are better kept to yourself, Severus," she said, staring him down even though she had to crane her neck just to look him in the eye. "You might say something that you can't take back."

"Don't worry, I know all about that," he said, a sour look coming over his face.

She was reminded of Harry's attempt at learning Occlumency with Snape and all the terrible little memories that he'd learned from it. Salazar, she wished that he'd been more forthcoming with the details! All she knew was that something had happened between him and Lily.

"This is not even a formal invitation to the Slug Club," he revealed after a moment. "Slughorn is just vetting you to see if you are worthy of being included on a permanent basis. Just remember that you will still have to prove that you can pass muster."

She drew her eyebrows together. While she did not think that Severus and her were suddenly friends, she understood that this was his way of looking out for her. He was trying to help her make a good impression, if she could.

Before they could talk about it much more, they had arrived at Slughorn's quarters and were ushered inside to find seats around a large round table for dinner. Even though they did not particularly like one another, she and Severus ended up sitting next to each other. Slytherins had to stick together, after all.

Other students filed in, selecting seats around the table. It seemed that not many students had made the cut so far, but there were a small handful of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Another sixth year Gryffindor who Hermione recognized from Transfiguration joined them. He was not very smart, but Hermione understood that his father was very high up in the Ministry. Last to arrive was Lily Evans and Remus Lupin.

By some act of fate, the only two remaining seats were next to her. Lily took the seat further away, leaving Remus to sit in the seat next to her. The redheaded witch gave the tall werewolf an apologetic look, but it seemed like she wanted to keep as much space between her and Severus as possible (not that Hermione blamed her).

Remus waffled for a moment, before slipping into the seat. Underneath the table, she could feel how stiff his legs had gone, as though he was afraid that he might casually brush against her and offend Sirius in some way. It was almost enough to make her laugh, but she took the unspoken action on its face and did her best not to touch him either.

Slughorn was quick to welcome them and the first course of dinner was served. He took him time, singling out each individual student to talk about their accomplishments one by one. Hermione found it all rather boring and so she focused instead on the soup in her provided bowl. She was nearly caught off guard when Slughorn finally addressed her.

"Miss Granger," he said, grinning at her while she brought her spoon to her lips. "The mysterious new addition to the Black family. How did you come to live with Orion and Walburga? You know I taught them as well, and most of the rest of your family."

"Oh, not mysterious, I promise," Hermione said, blushing when she felt all eyes on her. "My parents were unable to care for me anymore and my cousins were so generous to take me in and have treated me as their own since then. I'm very grateful to both Orion and Walburga."

She knew that it was not the answer that anyone wanted to hear, but Hermione was not going to expound on it anymore. She dropped her eyes to the table once again, hoping that Slughorn would move on quickly, even if it meant that she was never asked back to this stupid club ever again.

"Ah, Severus!" the Professor said, turning his attention to the dour seventh year beside her. "And how are you finding your prospects?"

It was strange watching Severus almost come alive, sitting up straighter and even giving him a hint of a smile. "I too am grateful for the generosity of a benefactor," he bragged. "The Malfoys continue to take an interest in my studies and I endeavor to prove that they have put their faith in the right person."

"Excellent," Slughorn said, indulgently. "I've always known Abraxas Malfoy to be an excellent judge of character."

"I am sure that like recognizes like, sir, as you are well aware," Severus said. "You have always been able to tell which students are going places."

"Quite right," Slughorn said, sounding excessively pleased with himself. Hermione wanted to sink under the table and wondered why she'd ever agreed to come to this stupid party in the first place. "And is it still your intention to open an apothecary?"

"My first intention is to complete a potions mastery of course," Snape answered smoothly. "Though after I still plan to open an apothecary to fulfill customers' more unusual potions requests. Specialties only, not the sort of thing that you could find at a garden variety apothecary."

Hermione's ears perked up at that. She wondered if she had somehow caused Professor Snape to deviate from his original path. Only, that didn't make much sense. She barely crossed paths with him in the first place. Maybe saving Regulus from the Dark Mark (for now?) had somehow interfered?

"Apothecary?" she found herself asking, without thinking. "I thought you would pursue teaching."

From beside her, Remus Lupin snorted before he could stop himself at the idea.

Severus glared at him. "I do not think that I have the necessary temperament for teaching, unlike our esteemed host," he said smoothly, though his feathers were obviously ruffled. "I think my talents are better suited elsewhere."

"Oh," she said, feeling rather like she'd made a horrible mistake. Of course, Professor Snape had not been the best professor and he didn't seem to like children much. She supposed she never thought about the circumstances that had led to him being their professor in the first place. "You are so gifted a potioneer. I just thought you'd want to share it with others."

"I will share it by selling potions that others wouldn't be able to brew themselves," he said, jutting his chin in the air. "Though, I suppose I do have many options available to me. Some people, Lupin perhaps, are not so lucky to have so many job prospects after school."

"And what's that supposed to mean, Snape?" Lily demanded, acknowledging her former friend for the first time that evening.

She was so very beautiful, it almost hurt, Hermione thought. But, she really did have the same eyes as Harry. It hurt to have them narrowed at her in suspicion. Apparently, she was guilty by her vague association with Severus in the Head Girl's eyes.

"Oh nothing," Snape said with a malicious smile. "Just that I don't have any trouble in potions, from aconite to wormwood, unlike some of my classmates."

His eyes did not drift to Remus, but they did not have to for Hermione to hear the lingering way he said aconite. Wolfsbane. He knew what Remus was and now Remus knew that he did, too. Remus's head hung down, unwilling to look at anyone at the table.

Hermione wanted to reach her hand under the table and give her future Professor's hand a squeeze under the table. Kindly Professor Lupin, he was such a good friend to her in her future, a mentor that she looked up to immensely. But he was not yet Professor Lupin. This was still Remus, who hid behind his friends and mistrusted her because that's what Sirius said he should do. Her act of kindness would not be well received.

So she did nothing and she felt the guilt roil away in her belly.