Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Forty-Seven

The reason Evelyn wanted Silvanna to have a lot of sleep was because she had another event to attend that afternoon after lessons. This one alone.

"I'm heading into London with Colette this afternoon, so I can't go with you and neither can she, and obviously Floyd and Quintin have the house and accounts to manage and Edith - well, I'm not sending Edith, she'd not blood. I suppose Severus could go with you, he might like it actually..."

Silvanna, who had been complaining while she did her makeup, turned around and said, "I suppose I can manage on my own. It's just - doesn't it look bad?"

"Well, you went for cream tea with Mrs Black a few weeks ago," Evelyn said nonchalantly, "What difference does it make if you have it at their house instead?"

The difference was that Regulus knew she was a spy and had probably given her up and now they were all going to murder her in the most painful way possible. Oh Merlin, what if they thought she knew something that could help them fight the Ministry and they wanted her to give them information? A million gruesome images flashed through her mind at their best ways of extracting information, that made her shudder and squirm.

"Stop fidgeting," Evelyn called from where she was by the window. Silvanna stopped, and looked at herself in the largest of her mirrors. At least if she was going to die she'd die in a gorgeous dress and huge diamond earrings.

Silvanna never thought she'd have any diamonds.

*****

Grimmauld Place, as always, was cold. There was very little sunshine today, so it looked extra gloomy and dull, no matter how everything gleamed and shined, and the lit fireplace bounced a warm glow around the room. It was always sterile, everything clearly done to make a point, or be just-so.

Today it wasn't just herself and Walburga, which had made her feel momentarily better, until she realised it was Orion and Regulus that'd be joining them, and really she was just outnumbered this time. Regulus had complimented her dress, perhaps that had been a gesture of goodwill, or maybe he'd just been lowering her guard.

She wanted to ask about the Aurors so that she could finish her letter to Marlene - she'd already done most of the details from last night, aside from the letter and her confrontation with Regulus - but she couldn't find a way to wiggle it into the conversation without it being obvious that she was being nosy. Even if she asked how they were, and then added 'after last night', it was still very clear what she wanted.

She resorted to waiting for them to bring it up, which they didn't. It wasn't important anyway; if Dumbledore had sent the Aurors he'd know what had happened. Nothing had even been in the Prophet this morning, she'd had a look. Either the Ministry didn't want people to know no arrests had been made, or the Blacks had some very good lawyers.

Probably both.

The conversation, therefore, was dull. They talked very briefly about school, but clearly wanted to skirt around the fact she was Gryffindor and had been friends with the better of their sons, and all the rest of her so-called 'tainted' history.

"Of course," said Orion, who had looked bored for most of the conversation, "being so reserved is an admirable quality. But I feel we've spent enough time together to drop the formalities - you've become a good friend to our family."

She wanted to tell him to go and fuck himself. Then it occurred to her this might be some kind of test. So she said, "Thank you, Mr Black."

He waved his hand, sitting back. "Oh call me Orion, Silvanna. You don't mind if we use your name do you?"

"Not at all." She offered a stiff smile, which was returned.

"Do you know what you'd like to do after school?" Walburga asked, changing the subject.

"I haven't got any plans," she admitted. "I'll probably take up a job somewhere in the Ministry."

"The Ministry?" Orion repeated. "I thought you didn't support them?" It sounded accusatory, and she thought back to one of the many dinner parties over the summer. She had said something along those lines.

"I don't support the Auror Office," she contemplated out loud. "But I think change has to come from the inside."

"So you plan to stay in your career for a few years then?"

She nodded her head to the side, miming weighing up her options. She had every intention of a long and fulfilling career after the war, but she had no intention of sharing that with them, especially when an engagement to Regulus would open so many doors for Dumbledore. "I suppose so. Until I settle down."

Nobody said anything, but the nod of Walburga's head and the way Orion shifted in his seat suggested she'd passed some kind of test or quiz. They nattered for a little longer until Regulus said, "Did you see the dragon that stampeded a few days ago? They're saying it was the Death Eaters."

Silvanna had seen it in the Daily Prophet, along with a picture of the village it had attacked. If you squinted at it, you could see the top half of a child's doll lying on the floor. The article had said there hadn't been any survivors.

He was watching her intently, having opened a door for her to step through. "I think if they're so intent on taking power, they ought to target the muggle politicians a bit more." She didn't feel so bad saying that, knowing that each major politician probably had about six aurors nearby at all times, without even knowing it. "There's little point in getting third parties involved like that, it just causes more aggravation."

"So you don't support the war?" The question came from Orion, and they continued to watch her carefully.

"Wars happen," she said simply, "They're important for the development of society, and that's what's happening. The way the Prophet paints it the Death Eaters are constantly growing, so there's obviously a lot of support for them."

"Do you support them?" he pushed. It was a direct question, and tricky to answer. She needed to say something along the lines of 'yes' but someone who meant it wasn't just going to come out and say it.

"I can certainly see the benefits of their ideals," she said. It wasn't a 'yes', but it wasn't a 'no', and that seemed to satisfy them once more. They retreated for good this time, the hunger for her stance filled.