Chapter 29

After the holiday ended, the students returned to Hogwarts with renewed energy and a lingering hint of winter in the air. During the first week back, I received an unexpected invitation. It was for a dinner hosted by Professor Slughorn on Saturday evening in his office in the dungeons. To my surprise, Lily and Severus had also been invited.

"The Slug Club? What a dreadful name. Why would Professor Slughorn call it that?" Lily wrinkled her nose in distaste. This gathering was just a dinner, inviting many people, not exactly a Slug Club meeting. Perhaps Professor Slughorn planned to scout for talented students to join his club at the dinner?

"Who knows, maybe it's a peculiar hobby?" I shrugged, jokingly, "We all got invitations, which means we must be good enough to catch Professor Slughorn's eye."

Lily giggled, "Believe me, you're definitely good enough. Madam Pomfrey's anonymous disciple, the new queen of Hogwarts' hospital wing! People are wondering if you'll stay at Hogwarts after graduation or head to St. Mungo's."

I was astonished, my eyes widening. Was I really that well-known? I laughed exaggeratedly, touching my chin, "Hmm, it's something to consider... The hospital wing only has Madam Pomfrey, and it can get pretty busy sometimes—oh, but isn't it too early to think about this?" I ruffled Lily's hair playfully. "Come on, it's time for class! I'm partnering with Severus for Potions. Lily, will you be okay on your own? Or maybe Potter would love to partner with you." I grinned mischievously.

"Oh no... Partnering with him would definitely mean a blown-up cauldron. I'd rather work alone!" Lily made a face of mock suffering.

"Exactly, if he partners with you, he'd be so excited his hands would shake, and of course, the cauldron would explode," Severus added dryly.

"He loves making a fuss, not at all steady," Lily shook her head, rolling her eyes inelegantly. "Sawyer, why are you partnering with Severus? He usually works alone."

"I want to watch Severus brew potions; it's a great way to learn. I made a lot of progress during the break," I stated confidently. "If I brew potions myself, it's a mess. I've learned to let those good at something do it. Isn't that right, Severus?" I winked at Severus, remembering his advice when I struggled with potion-making principles and couldn't remember the steps. He had told me this then.

Severus seemed to remember that moment too, giving me a faint smile. I found it hard to look away. I suddenly realized that Severus, who seldom smiled, looked quite handsome when he did.

As we chatted, we arrived at the Potions classroom. Professor Slughorn was already there. We thanked him for the invitation and expressed our eagerness to attend the dinner. The cheerful, plump old man nodded kindly, and we took our seats, ready for class.

At eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the three of us descended from the eighth floor and ran into Potter and Sirius in the entrance hall. They had been invited too. It wasn't surprising; both came from prestigious families. Despite Sirius being labeled a pure-blood traitor, he was still the eldest son of the Black family. Both were talented, young, vibrant, and promising—qualities Professor Slughorn admired.

Seeing the two of them, I had to admit they looked quite decent dressed up. Their clothes were well-tailored, simple yet elegant, exuding an old-family aura with impeccable manners. No wonder many girls in school liked them; I'd overheard several discussing them.

But Lily seemed immune to his charms. I'd never heard her praise Potter; she often called him immature, arrogant, and rowdy. I felt Lily was more frustrated by his behavior than genuinely disliking him.

"Lily, would you go to the dinner with me?" Potter asked hopefully.

"I don't think so. My outfit doesn't match your dress robes," Lily pointed out the most obvious discrepancy. We were all in school uniforms and hadn't bothered to dress up for the dinner since we didn't have any family honor to uphold.

"It doesn't matter! Sirius is going with his new girlfriend, and I'm alone..." Potter managed to sound both pitiful and urgent as he shot Sirius a pleading, almost demanding look. I noticed Sirius receiving the hint, discreetly signaling back. Potter's expression briefly showed disgust before he reluctantly nodded. Sirius turned around with a victorious smile and offered a charming smile and gentlemanly gesture to a passing fourth-year Gryffindor girl. "Lovely lady, would you do me the honor of joining me at Professor Slughorn's dinner?"

Ignoring them, I turned to Severus, laughing behind my hand. So that's how friends are used. I took Severus's arm and continued walking. As we passed Potter, I teased, "If that's the case, Lily, have mercy and accept. After all, it's just a dinner!" I raised my eyebrows at Lily. "So, Severus is mine for tonight. We're off! Enjoy the dinner!" I heard Lily's complaints behind me, making me laugh even more.

"Enjoying yourself?" Severus asked, his tone neutral. Realizing I was still holding his arm, I quickly let go, making a face. "It was fun. Potter's only bearable when he's with Lily." I tried to sound cheerful, ignoring the slight disappointment I felt when I let go.

Severus didn't respond. I turned to look at him, unable to read his expression in the dimly lit dungeon corridor. We were almost at the Potions Master's office, where the sounds of chatter and music were escaping.

Inside, it was crowded and stuffy. We were the youngest there; most attendees were older students. I spotted the unmistakable blond head of Malfoy and his elegant companion. That must be Narcissa Black, my cousin by blood. I thought bitterly about my complicated family background, shaking it off. Severus and I walked along the edge of the crowd, sipping our drinks.

Professor Slughorn, with his beer belly, mingled with various groups, chatting here and there. I saw him speaking with Lily, his face full of praise, occasionally turning to say something to Potter, making them both laugh. Lily spotted us in the corner, said something to Slughorn, who then looked our way and waved us over warmly. Resigned, Severus and I made our way through the crowd.

"Sawyer and Severus, why are you standing in the corner? Come join us." Slughorn, in his kindly elder manner, patted our shoulders. "Oh, Sawyer, you're the most talented healer I've ever seen, already Madam Pomfrey's trusted assistant at just fourteen. Even Pomfrey only began delving into medical magic after her O.W.L.s. You know, she was one of my early students, and I always had high hopes for her..."

I put on a genuine smile, responding with polite compliments. It was a harmonious scene. Out of Slughorn's sight, I cast a resentful look at Lily, 'I was wrong, but you didn't have to drag me into this…' Lily's returned gaze was unapologetic, 'Shared joy is double joy.'

Then Slughorn brought someone over. "Let me introduce Damocles Belby, a soon-to-graduate Ravenclaw with remarkable talent in Potions. Severus, you two should have a fascinating, scholarly discussion!" The plump Potions Master toasted us before moving to another group.

Mentioning Potions, Severus's eyes lit up. They exchanged greetings and began discussing their shared interest. I listened at first, but soon their conversation delved into topics I couldn't follow. Nearby, Lily was chatting with Potter, who seemed to be trying hard to amuse her. Left with no choice, I stood beside Severus, maintaining a polite smile while my mind wandered.

My thoughts drifted back to Severus. I turned to observe him—his focused expression, his dark eyes glinting, his lips moving confidently. I realized I was once again drawn to him. This was unusual. I started to confront my strange feelings.

That afternoon, we had just finished our final exams. That evening, after the other girls had fallen asleep, I sneaked out of Gryffindor Tower. After wandering aimlessly around the castle for a while, I climbed up to the Astronomy Tower. I lay down in my usual spot from Astronomy class, basking in the moonlight and lost in thought.

Half a semester had passed since my initial attraction, which led to secret observations and eventually an irresistible pull. Okay, I finally admitted to myself—I had fallen for Severus Snape.

The boy who used to wear ill-fitting clothes and hide in the shadows while watching other kids play, the boy I always considered a little brother, had transformed into a tall, confident young man. His focused attention while brewing potions, his patient explanations, his occasional smirks, his rare blushes, the genuine smiles he reserved for Lily and me... I closed my eyes. This was my first time liking someone, and the unfamiliar feeling left me at a loss. What should I do next? Tell him? The thought made me nervous. Maybe we're too young, and it's not the right time. I tried to convince myself.

Thinking of Severus again, was this infatuation? Covering my face with my hands, I finally acknowledged it—I had indeed fallen for Severus Snape.