Lauralie Black and the Cloak of Destiny (YEAR 1)

Chapter 13: Year's End

The stands erupted into cheers. Green banners waved everywhere. Slytherins all over were abandoning their usual cool persona in favor of complete hysteria. It was beautiful.

"Any other Slytherin would have let him be knocked unconscious," Remus said.

"You really don't have a very high opinion of us do you?" Lauralie asked over the din of the crowd.

"Not all of you, just most of you," he answered. "And you, Lauralie, are not included in the majority."

"Come on Laur, let's go down to the field," Narcissa said, grasping Lauralie's arm and leading her down the stands.

"I can't believe we lost," Audrina said, glaring at the cheering Slytherins.

"I can't believe Sirius and his crudely planned attack on Snake," Lilly said. "I don't like the boy any more than the rest of you. But still…"

"Didn't work either. I guess Snape's made out of tougher material than he looks," Remus said. He watched the first year Slytherin girls run out onto the pitch, as they slowly made their way down the stands.

And they arrived on the field just in time. Severus and Sirius were locked in a verbal battle that was about to turn physical.

"It wasn't' against the rules Snake," Sirius snapped. "You'd know that if you'd ever picked up a rule book in your lifetime."

"You are nothing but slime Black. Had to cheat to have a prayer of winning," Severus hissed. "And despite it all you lost."

"It wasn't cheating you parentless GIT!"

Severus let out a growl and moved forward in anger. Lauralie stepped in front of him, and placed her hand firmly on his chest to stop him. "It's not worth it Sev."

"Oh look, his girlfriend has come to rescue him."

Lauralie turned sharply around and Sirius seemed to fall to the ground of his own accord. He looked up at his sister, shaken.

This time it was Severus to reach out and prevent Lauralie from ripping her brother to shreds.

"You know what Sirius, you're right. I don't have any parents," Severus said over Lauralie's shoulder. "But at least I don't have a mother who cheats on my father."

Lauralie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Though she admitted that it was a possible answer to the mystery of the cloak, she wasn't quite ready to admit it to herself.

"What are you talking about Snape?" Sirius shouted.

Lauralie glared at him before turning and walking away from the crowd.

Severus released a heavy sigh as he watched her retreating back, silently cursing his short temper.

"It's OK, it's been in her head all along," Narcissa said. "She just didn't want to accept it."

"Come on, let's go celebrate," Lucius said, steering them towards the castle.

"What the HELL do you think that was supposed to be about?" Sirius asked once they were gone. He was fuming. Remus was quite sure that smoke was going to start billowing out of his ears at any moment.

"Calm down Sir," James said. "He was just trying to get under your skin."

"And by the looks of it you are letting him succeed," Lilly added.

"Not that you don't deserve it," Audrina said. They all turned to gape at her. "Oh, Spare me those looks. How can you not agree even a little? Those not quite legit offensive tactics. Then the crack about Severus not having parents. What would you have done? Just laid down and let your ego be kicked to bits?"

"She's got a point Sir," Remus said.

"Why are you two always defending the Slytherins?" Sirius snapped. "Are you, or are you not Gryffindors?"

"I defend where defense is merited," Remus answered calmly. "It is not, and never was, along house lines."

"Doesn't matter," James interjected. "Let's just get out of here."

* * *

It was quite a while before Lauralie wandered into the victory party that was taking place in the Slytherin common room. Rita Skeeter was occupying the attention of Severus and Lucius. Or at least trying…

"Oh Severus, I can't believe how well you played, especially after taking that hit," she heard Rita coo.

Lauralie rolled her eyes and wandered off to find Narcissa, Anastasia, and Katia. They were, as it seemed, the most subdued people present. They had gathered in the chairs by the fire and were sipping Pumpkin Juice and chatting quietly.

Lauralie slipped into one of the green apolstered chairs. They didn't ask any questions, didn't interrogate, just drew her into the conversation.

"Skeeter's being even more annoying than ever," Katia said.

"She's a glory feeder, she has no glory of her own so she leeches it from other people," Lauralie said. "Sickening isn't it?"

"Oh you have no idea," Lucius huffed, taking a seat on the hearth. "She's still got her claws in Severus. I only just got away."

The girls snickered.

"I can't believe Quidditch season is over," Narcissa said.

"Yeah, the school year will be done soon enough," Anastasia said.

Lauralie groaned. "No more avoiding going home."

"No worries, we'll all see each other over the summer," Narcissa said.

"I could curse her," Severus said, sitting down beside Lauralie's chair so that he was hidden from the room.

The girls laughed again. "We were just talking about how fast the rest of the year is going to pass by," Lauralie said.

"Unfortunately, it's going to pass by," Lauralie said.

"Unfortunately, it's going to just fly by," he agreed. "Wish it wouldn't, summer isn't exactly my favorite time of the year."

"Oh, why don't you stay with us for the summer?" Lucius asked. "You know my mother wouldn't have offered if she didn't mean it."

"don't want to impose on anyone, Lucius."

"You are so stubborn!"

"You have to at least visit over the summer," Lauralie said.

"I will. Trust me I will. Wouldn't want to spend my entire summer in that dratted place."

* * *

à a few weeks laterß

"I'm going to fail the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam," Narcissa said, taking her seat at the Slytherin table. "I just know it."

Defense Against the Dark Arts is easy. Especially compared to Transfiguration," Lauralie commented. "In class, I couldn't get my jewelry box to stop ticking like a clock."

"You forgot to mention the fact that it still had the numbers 1 through 12 on it too."

"But we're beginners," Katia said. "McGonagall can't expect us to get it perfect can she?"

The other girls gave doom-laden looks. "Ugh." She said, shrinking back in her chair.

"I'll tell you what exam I'm not looking forward to: POTIONS," Anastasia said over-dramatically.

"That's easy!" Lauralie and Severus exclaimed in unison.

"To you two perhaps," Narcissa said. "You guys do it for fun. Weirdoes."

Everyone at the table laughed.

"Don't worry guys," Lucius said. "The exams never turn out to be half as bad as you expect."

"Oh no! I'll still fail," Katia moaned.

* * *

With studying (more like cramming) for their exams, the last weeks of the school year faded away in a blur. And soon they were seated in the Great Hall for the end of year feast. The banners were green and silver in celebration of Slytherin winning the House Cup. The students were talking loudly, the stress of exams finally lifted off their shoulders.

Dumbledore stood up at the head table and cleared his throat loudly to silence the hall.

"Another year at Hogwarts has passed. For some of you it was your first, for others your last. There were quite a few surprises. Some that even I wasn't expecting." Severus could have sworn he saw the Headmaster's eyes flicker towards the Slytherin table for just a moment. "And I promise you, the next year will bring even more. I want to say I'm proud of every one of you. Have a great summer Holidays. Try not to get into too much trouble. Goodnight."

Lauralie, Narcissa, Lucius, and Severus spent their evening by the reminiscing.

"OK, favorite memory of the year?" Lauralie asked, she was lying on her stomach playing chess with Severus.

"When peeves hid in Binns top desk drawer, nearly gave the old man a heart attack," Lucius said.

"When Lauralie told off Potter," Narcissa said with a laugh. "I'll never forget it!"

"Sev?"

Severus' first impulse was to say his favorite memories were his and Lauralie's late night chess matches over Christmas Holidays. But instead he went with. "Winning the Quidditch cup…"

"What about you Lauralie?" Narcissa asked. "Don't think you are gonna get away with not answering your own question."

"The Sorting ceremony," she answered, with a small content smile.

"Ah, the surprising Sorting ceremony," Lucius said.

"Well, it surprised some people," Lauralie said.

* * *

The Hogwart's Express moved quickly through the countryside. Students in each of the compartments were enjoying their last hours together.

Lauralie was walking back to her compartment from the girl's washroom when she heard someone call her name from behind her. She turned to see Remus Lupin emerge from one of the compartments.

"Hullo Remus," she greeted him.

"Just wanted to say good-bye," he said, walking up the aisle towards her.

"Good bye?" she laughed. "I know I'm going to see you over the Holidays. Or are you not going to come and visit Sirius?"

"Oh, James, Peter and I will be coming to stay for a while," Remus said.

"Oh Lord," she said. "I have to deal with all four of you infesting my peaceful house?"

Remus laughed. "Well, you survived the year."

"Indeed I did. And had a bit of fun along the way," she said. "Well Remus, I must say you are the nicest Gryffindor I know."

"I could say the same to you about Slytherin."

"I suppose," she said with a smirk. "Well Remus, I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, soon."

The each returned to their respective compartments.

* * *

As they exited the train, the little group of Slytherins began to split as they each found the people there to pick them up.

"Dad's sent the butler again," Lucius grumbled, he turned and bowed towards Lauralie. "All hail the Queen of the Slytherins."

Lauralie laughed. They hugged. "Bye Lucius, I'll write you," Lauralie called as he walked off.

Narcissa wandered off too. "See you soon."

Severus was the last to leave before Lauralie. She turned to smile at him.

"You knew all along that I'd be sorted into Slytherin, didn't you?" she said as they walked.

Severus seemed to ponder this for a moment. "It's not so much that I knew, more that I … hoped."

Lauralie threw her arms around him and gave him a hug before he could even move to stop her. "You are my best friend Sev. You know that?"

"I know, I know," he said, wrenching himself away from the very un-Slytherin like display.

"You have to come visit," she said. "Promise you will."

"Severus, time to go," hissed a shrill voice. They looked up to see a sever looking woman towering over them. "Come along!" she snapped.

"Oh believe me, I promise," he called as the woman led him away by his arm.

Rainelda Black had sat and watched as Lauralie bid farewell to Severus. She had to admit it was strange to see the Cloak of Destiny again. Especially on the young frame of her own daughter and not on…

Rainelda shook the thought from her head as her daughter turned and spotted her standing there with a very annoyed Sirius. ("Can't we just go?!?")

"Hello dear," Rainelda said.

"Hi Mum."

"Have a good year?"

Lauralie smiled. "The best!"

They walked out to where their car was waiting. Sirius raced her to the front seat and won, so Lauralie climbed into the back. She felt a tinge of sadness that the school year was over. It had been a fun, surprise filled year.

But it turned out that the year's surprises were not quite over. As Lauralie reached into her bag to pull out some owl treats to feed Salazar, she found a scrap of black parchment. And written on it in silver writing were the words:

"You are the Heir of Slytherin."

Fin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

OK, now I know a LOT of you read and don't leave reviews. So says my FFN statistics at least. So, even if you've NEVER left me a review, just leave one this time so I know you guys have read this story. It always makes me feel good to know people are looking forward to my next installment.

Don't forget, Part 2 of the series (Lauralie Black and the Dragons of Yorkshire (YEAR 2)) debuts Valentine's Day!!

Sincerely, Lauren Snape