Chapter 3
“Cate! Wait up!” Samiya called out as she and Lily caught up to her in staircase, after leaving the classroom. Cate slowed down a bit as the two girls reached her.
“What was that all about?” Lily asked, noticing how Cate had stormed out the classroom door. She usually waited for them but hadn’t even given her or Samiya a second look.
“Sorry. Snape was just being a git.” Cate sighed as they headed outside for their afternoon break. “He was the one that made Potter and Black’s potion explode.”
“Well I could have told you that.” Samiya laughed. They were all used to the ongoing feud between the Marauders and the Slytherin boy. No one really knew why it had began in the first place, but it had started back in their first year hadn’t come to an end yet. “But really, Cate, it’s not like they were innocent to begin with. They probably deserved what happened to some extent.”
“I just think it’s dumb,” Cate replied, shrugging lightly as they took a seat under one of the trees near the edge of the lake.
“Why do you care so much anyway?” Lily asked. Usually Cate just rolled her eyes and ignored the actions of the boys. She never talked to either the Marauders or Snape much anyway.
“I don’t care,” Cate protested. “Their fighting is just really immature. I mean we’re seventh years. They need to grow up!”
“I think you like him.” Samiya grinned teasingly. Cate looked at her, surprised.
“Like who? Snape?” she asked bewildered. “I’ve hardly said two words to him.”
“You’re just in denial.” Samiya grinned, enjoying egging her friend on. It was hard to get Cate riled up but it was fun when she finally did. “I mean think about it, Lily. She’s probably never even spoken to Snape until yesterday on the train. There she defended him against James and Sirius. Then today she’s his potions partner.”
“You’re insane!” Cate declared, blushing slightly.
“She does have a point, Cate.” Lily grinned. “This could be the start of a beautiful relationship.”
“Ugh! I can’t believe you just used the word beautiful in relation to Severus Snape!” Samiya groaned, making gagging gestures. Cate just rolled her eyes and laughed at her friends.
“Well if I like Snape so much, then you two must be desperately in love with Sirius and James,” Cate said, turning the tables on her friends. She wasn’t about to let them get away with teasing her. Samiya fell back onto the grass, acting like Cate had just killed her.
“Even if James was the last boy on earth, I still wouldn’t look at him twice,” Lily argued, shuddering slightly. The thought of falling in love with James Potter was too much to bear. “I mean he’s so in love with himself, he wouldn’t have any love left over for me.”
“That’s not true, Lily. He’s been asking you out since first year,” Samiya chimed in, looking up at her friend.
“And have I even once stopped to consider his offer?” she replied with raised eyebrows.
“I don’t know, have you?” Cate asked, grinning. Lily looked at her with a sickened expression. “I’ll take that as a no.”
“Well I would probably date James before I would date Sirius, if I had to choose,” Samiya said thoughtfully.
“Are you kidding? James is so much worse then Sirius,” Lily argued. She couldn’t imagine anyone even thinking of dating James.
“At least James knows how to treat a girl for the most part. Sirius has a new girl every few weeks. Potter has at least stayed committed to you even though you two aren’t even in a relationship,” she reasoned.
“You know, she does have a point,” Cate stated. James would make the better boyfriend when comparing him to Sirius. Sirius had dated most of the girls in their year, except for the girls in Slytherin. The rivalry was too strong for him to start looking in the Slytherin house for any possible snogs.
“Oh shut up. You like Snape!” Lily shot back. Cate looked at her with wide eyes as Samiya burst out laughing. The look on her face was just too much!
It was later in the evening when Cate finally made her way back to the Slytherin common room. After dinner, she had retreated to the library to work on her homework, while Samiya and Lily headed off to Gryffindor Tower. Cate was one of the few students using the library that evening since it was only the first day of school. It usually took a few days for the students to get back into the schoolwork mode. Cate preferred having the library to herself. There were fewer distractions and the more time she took, the less time she had to spend with her housemates.
As she walked down into the dungeons, where the Slytherin rooms were located, she prayed that no one would be around. At least the specific people who had decided to make her life hell, that being Narcissa Black and her little group. Her prayers were, unfortunately, not answered as she slipped into the common room. Taking up the seats on the black leather couches were Narcissa Black, her best friend Janet Armstrong, Wilkes, Avery, and Severus Snape.
“Well, well. If it isn’t the Gryffindor wannabe.” Narcissa sneered as she noticed Cate trying to slip by, heading towards the stairs leading to the girls’ dormitory. Cate cringed as the snickers of her housemates. Luck definitely was not on her side tonight!
“With your family being such strong purebloods, I can’t imagine why you would want to hang around with Rosa and Evans. I guess you’re just the black sheep of the Bajer household,” Narcissa continued. Cate glared at them but didn’t respond.
There was some truth to what the blonde Slytherin said. Her parents didn’t approve of her choice in friends. In fact, they chose to ignore the fact that she was friends with a Muggle-born and the daughter of an Auror. Narcissa’s group laughed and jeered at her as she made her way to her room, desperate for some solitude. She didn’t even notice that there was one person who did not join in the teasing, that person being Severus Snape.
Deepest Star of Night by Muinthil
Chapter Notes: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Let us know what you think of this next one!!! Chapter 4 will be up soon.