The Half Blood Princess

Chapter 18: A Secret Never To Be Told

Every waking moment where she wasn't in class, Talia was hidden away in an empty classroom pacing backwards and forwards trying to plan her next move. She hadn't planned to kiss her Professor at the Masquerade Ball but there's just no going back now, she had done it, yet he had no idea it was her. Leading into her sixth year at Hogwarts, she put all of her focus into studying for her NEWTs even going as far as studying almost religiously with Hermione and resuming her position as Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team although now it was a lot more fun since her cousin, Harry was team Captain. It was also easier that she wasn't being distracted by either Fred or George who had decided at the end of their fifth year that they would go on to open Weasley Wizard Wheezes. It wasn't until the first match of the season where Gryffindor faced off against Slytherin that Ginny sensed something was off with her teammate. "I guess since Oliver just kept me as a reserve Chaser it's just first match jitters is all, I'll be fine once we get into the swing of a match" Talia shrugged as she brushed past Ginny into the changing rooms. "I'm not buying it, Lia. You've been working yourself almost to the bone, you barely eat, Hermione says you're barely sleeping and it's been like that since your mum's ball..." Ginny trailed off as she followed after Talia, determined not to lose sight of her. "I don't know what you're on about" Talia scoffed as she began to get ready for the match. Ginny eyed her up and down for a moment and then let out a gasp, "Something happened at the ball didn't it?" Ginny questioned, her eyes wide with shock as she grabbed Talia by the wrist forcing her to look Ginny in the eye. "I-" Talia went to protest but even she couldn't deny it to Ginny so she just made moves for her broom. "Oh my Merlin! Something did happen! Did you and George-?" Ginny pressed as she followed Talia around the room. "Ugh! As if! You know George and I broke up just before the end of last year, that's why I wasn't as upset as Rachel when they announced that they weren't going to stay at school" Talia hissed as she tried dodging the subject of her now ex-boyfriend. "Yeah, thanks for that by the way, now it looks like I'll have Angelina Johnson

for a sister in-law" Ginny snorted in irritation. "She can't be any worse than Phlegm" Talia pointed out as she finally took a moment to sit down since they still had time before the match. "Ugh don't remind me" Ginny groaned as she too began to prepare for the match. With Ginny seemingly distracted for now, Talia hoped that she could avoid the subject of the ball and the events that preceded it for at least a little while longer.

At breakfast a few days later, one of the school's owls dropped a letter in Professor Snape's breakfast. Without looking at the letter, Professor Snape threw the owl a piece of bacon in gratitude before it flew back to the Owlery. No one knew the contents of the letter and Professor Snape wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing his reaction either as he slipped the letter into his robe pocket without another glance and then seemingly carried on about his day as if the letter had never arrived. It seemed to be all that people would talk about, although they never dared to mention it in his presence as the fear of it being from Lord Voldemort was enough to earn him that privacy at least. No, he instead chose to open the letter in between his classes so that none of his students could pry more than they already had into his private life.

That night, Talia couldn't sleep so she snuck down to the classroom that had become her hideaway. She kept checking the watch that Remus had gotten her for her birthday that year and it seemed that her restlessness was almost for naught the closer it got to midnight but then just as she was about to give up all hope and she heard all the clocks throughout the Castle strike midnight, the classroom door creaked open announcing the arrival of her guest. "You came" she breathed finally as though she had been holding her breath for hours. "You called" came the reply as the figure made his way into the candle light. "I wasn't sure that you would come, I wasn't sure I would be able to stay hidden from Filch and his horrid cat" she rambled slightly as she edged towards him nervously. He didn't say anything for a moment but he kept his eye on Talia as she reached out her hand to him. He took it without saying a word and allowed her to pull him to the window. "I didn't expect it to take you this long to call me after our last little meeting" he spoke as he looked in her eyes, ones that he recognised immediately. "You knew it was me?" Talia questioned as she looked down at their intertwined hands, surprised that he hadn't let go yet. "Of course I knew it was you. I knew it was you the moment you entered the room, you hold yourself differently to everyone else and I can not deny that I felt a pang of jealousy seeing you on the arm of that Weasley boy" he hissed, eyes darkening remembering the scene. "I tried to deny how I felt for you for so long which is why I dated George but from that first moment I saw you there was just something about you and I had trouble looking away" Talia sighed, a small breeze emanating from her as she took a seat on the book nook that she had created in the window. "Talia, you know that any word of this meeting and the one before at the Ball can not be repeated to anyone else. We are walking on dangerously delicate eggshells." "I know. This hasn't gone exactly as I had planned, I was hoping to be able to hold out until after NEWTs at least-." "But, I too am at fault. I shouldn't have kissed you that night" he spoke, cutting her off mid sentence. They watched each other for a moment, who knew when they would get a time like this to themselves ever again? "When did you know exactly, or at least suspect?" Talia questioned in a quiet voice. He studied her for a moment, this was the most quiet he had ever known Talia Black, the one always trying to cause havoc for Argus Filch, Delores Umbridge and Gilderoy Lockhart just to name a few, but it seemed as though even she had her boundaries. Just like Hermione Granger she always had something to say and so just for a moment he allowed her to sweat before answering her. "I had spoken with Professor Slughorn just after he had started teaching here again, he tells me you sat with Potter and Weasley where he had placed in front of you one of three potions; Draught of Living Death, Felix Felicies and Amortentia. Unfortunately for you, you just so happened to be sitting behind the Amortentia potion. Professor Slughorn happened to glance at your notes as he was doing his rounds and noticed that you had scribbled what you had smelt when the Amortentia was sitting in front of you and he came to me to enquire about some of the things he had spotted. Cauldron polish, old leather bound books and various ingredients to potions that even a sixth year student should not yet know. I denied anything of course but I did have a slight guess before then." he explained, taking a seat opposite her, careful not to tear his cloak. "I never would have guessed that you paid that much attention to anything" Talia chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling in the candle light as she did so. "Just because to everyone else I seem to skulk about the Castle like some overgrown bat does not mean that I am short of anything but receptive to my surroundings, Lia." he huffed in annoyance although he could not tear his gaze away from the reflection of the flames in her eyes. For a few moments they sat in silence just enjoying each others' company, until they were snapped back to reality by every clock announcing that it was one o'clock in the morning. "Well I guess that means our time is up" Talia muttered sadly as she watched him stand and make his way to the door. "You must get some sleep, don't think I haven't noticed you studying rigorously for you NEWTs. If your OWLs are anything to reflect upon I don't feel as though you have anything to worry about" he smiled softly as he reached out his hand to help her up. "I just feel as though I need to prove myself in all subjects, I don't want to do well just because I'm the second Black in a generation to be sorted into Gryffindor. I know Malfoy and his cronies would have much preferred to see the Black name returned to Slytherin" Talia grumbled as she begrudgingly headed his warning. "I hadn't realised until tonight how much you remind me of your Godfather. I see your parents in you of course, that's undeniable but the need to fit in and do well, well that's always been Remus' thing." "I forget that you were all at school at the same time. It feels weird that I'm 21 years your junior and yet, strangely enough at the same time it doesn't seem to make a damn difference." "I shall escort you back to the Gryffindor Common Room stairs so that Filch doesn't pitch a fit, if he asks I'll just say that you were serving detention with me" he spoke, his old gruff tone returning as he dodged the subject of their age difference. "I'm sorry if I upset you, Severus. I didn't think" Talia apologised swiftly, taking a moment to stop him just for a beat as she thought she heard something from behind them. "It'll be that ruddy, Mrs Norris. Quickly before she reports back to her master" Severus whispered in a hushed tone. Luckily they rounded the corner and leapt up the correct staircase just in time to see the tail of Mrs Norris enter where they had just left. Chuckling quietly amongst themselves in relief of having avoided Argus Filch for the time being, they soon found themselves at the bottom of the Gryffindor Tower. "Well, this is me." Talia chortled awkwardly, unsure of what move to make next. "I expect to see you in my classroom having had a decent night's sleep come Monday, Lia." Severus warned, looking around to see if anyone was around, especially that pesky ghost Peeves. "I can't make any promises, some grouch Dark Arts professor lumbered us with a tonne of homework" Talia quipped as she double checked the corridor. Once they were certain they were alone, they shared a quick, chastised kiss before Talia made her way back into bed.