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"MERLIN, I KNEW HE WAS AN ASSHOLE BUT THIS IS SOME NEXT-LEVEL SHIT."

Mattheo and Atlas were chortling as Este told them about what she saw. It was the first day of the Easter holidays, and it was a rare moment when they had a free chance to speak to one another. Este gave them a look of loathing, "You guys are such fucking cunts."

Atlas wiped a tear, "Sorry, Es. It's just funny to imagine Snape being bullied. Maybe that's why he takes it out on you, bit pathetic if you ask me."

Este felt as though the memory of it was eating her from the inside. Este knew Sirius was a cunt, but not to this extent──and her mother, Este had imagined she was someone half decent──good even. And when she was a little girl, Este idolized her mother. It was easier to love someone you never knew──it was easy to create fake memories, to lie to yourself about their character. And it was much easier to love a dead mother than a living one because mothers and daughters were mirrors of one another──Every daughter represents what her mother could've been and every mother reminds their daughter of what they could end up as. It's like staring at your reflection in a lake──only, it's a little murky and blurry.

Este tried to make a case for Snape having deserved what he had suffered at James and Sirius' hands — but hadn't Lily asked, "What's he done to you?" And hadn't James replied, "It's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean?" Hadn't James started it all simply because Sirius said he was bored? And Rhiannon had even defended James, which confused her more than anything. Why did Rhiannon defend James, she even blew him a kiss──a sudden horrible feeling flooded her as she imagined them perhaps dating.

The weather grew breezier, brighter, and warmer as the holidays passed, but Este was stuck with the rest of the fifth and seventh years, who were all trapped inside, traipsing back and forth to the library. Este pretended that her bad mood had no other cause but the approaching exams, and as her fellow Slytherins were sick of studying themselves, her excuse went unchallenged.

Este walked around the library miserably, her thoughts mirky──but it cleared at once as she found Harry, looking just as miserable, if not more miserable than her. Este knew it was because of what they saw, but part of her wondered if some of it was because of his row with Cho Chang, something that had spread around the school quite quickly. "Harry, hey," Este said, lightly, greeting him, she frowned as he ignored her, "Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" Harry whirled around and found Este. "Oh hi," said Harry, pulling his books back toward him.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked Este quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Harry gruffly.

"Don't lie to me, you look like shit," Este persisted. "You know, I'm sure if you just talked to Cho . . ." She wanted to see if that really was the problem.

"It's not Cho I want to talk to," said Harry brusquely.

Her heart leaped, "Who is it, then?" asked Este, now knowing the answer well.

"I . . ." He glanced around to make quite sure that nobody was listening; Madam Pince was several shelves away, stamping out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott. "I wish I could talk to Sirius," he muttered. "But I know I can't."

"Well," said Este slowly, pulling out a bar of chocolate and handing some to Harry, "if you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it. . . ."

Come on," said Harry hopelessly. "With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?"

"The thing about being a Black," said Este thoughtfully, "is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve. And Money and connections, of course."

Harry looked at her. Perhaps it was the effect of the chocolate — Lupin had always advised eating some after encounters with dementors — or simply because he had finally spoken aloud the wish that had been burning inside him for a week, but he felt a bit more hopeful. . . .

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

"Oh fuck," whispered Este, jumping to her feet. "I forgot —" Madam Pince was swooping down upon them, her shriveled face contorted with rage.

"Chocolate in the library!" she screamed. "Out — out — OUT!" And whipping out her wand, she caused Harry's books, bag, and ink bottle to chase him and Esrte from the library, whacking them repeatedly over the head as they ran.

♰

As though to underline the importance of their upcoming examinations, a batch of pamphlets, leaflets, and notices concerning various Wizarding careers appeared on the tables in Slytherin Common Rooms shortly before the end of the holidays, along with yet another notice on the board, which read:

CAREER ADVICE

All fifth years will be required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House during the first week of the Summer term, in which they will be given the opportunity to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below.

Este looked down the list and found that she was expected in Professor Snape's office at half-past two on Monday, which would mean missing most of Divination. She and the other fifth years spent a considerable part of the final weekend of the Easter break reading all the career information that had been left there for their perusal.

"Well, I don't fancy Healing," said Theodore Nott on the last evening of the holidays. He was immersed in a leaflet that carried the crossed bone and wand emblem of St. Mungos on its front. "It says here you need at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean . . . blimey. . . . Don't want much, do they?"

"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" said Atlas absently. He was poring over a bright pink-and-orange leaflet that was headed so you think you'd like to work in muggle relations? "You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles. . . . All they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies. . . . 'Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!' "

"Cousin," Draco said, "Are you joking? A Black working in Muggle Relations? The blasphemy." He was halfway through a pamphlet on Wizard banking. "Listen to this: " 'Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure, and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting Curse Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad. . . .' They want Arithmancy... Quite a nice career choice, Eh?"

"I don't much fancy banking," said Este vaguely, now immersed in have you got what it takes to train security trolls?

And as she fell asleep, the only thing on her mind was her career options. Este awoke very early the next day, feeling anxious. Today was going to be the first time he would be in close proximity to Snape since Snape had thrown her and Harry out of his office, as they had Potions that day. After lying in bed for a while thinking about the day ahead, Este got up very quietly and moved across to the bathroom where she got ready for the day.

History of Magic was as boring as usual, but Este spent it trying her best to be distracted. She even wrote notes, in hopes that maybe she would be able to distract herself from what was to come. When Este arrived at the dungeons, she shot Harry a look before taking a seat beside Atlas. Snape, meanwhile, seemed to have decided to act as though Este and Harry were invisible, and Este was grateful she had to suffer nothing worse. She completed her Invigoration Draught perfectly and was very pleased, sure she would receive an Outstanding.

At the end of the lesson, she scooped some of the potions into an unbreakable flask, corked it, and took it up to Snape's desk for marking. As she walked back, she passed Harry who looked quite pleased with himself. When Harry placed his flask onto Snape's desk, Snape sneered, and just as Harry turned away when Este heard a smashing noise; Draco gave a gleeful yell of laughter. Harry whipped around again. His potion sample lay in pieces on the floor, and Snape was watching him with a look of gloating pleasure. "Whoops," he said softly. "Another zero, then, Potter . . ."

Este rolled her eyes, "Bad luck, Harry... He's obviously still pissed."

Harry gruffly said, "It's alright, I'll just get some more. Force him to mark it." He strode back to his cauldron, intending to fill another flask and force Snape to mark it, but saw to his horror that the rest of the contents had vanished.

"I'm sorry!" said Hermione with her hands over her mouth. "I'm really sorry, Harry, I thought you'd finished, so I cleared up!" Harry could not bring himself to answer and when the bell rang he hurried out of the dungeon without a backward glance.

During lunch, Este tried to eat as little as possible, worried that she might puke at the thought of spending a whole lesson alone with Snape, discussing her future. And when it was time for Divination, Este trudged down to the dungeons and to Snape's office. "Professor Snape," Este greeted, tensely as she closed the door behind her.

"Sit. Down. Black," Snape said smoothly, his face cold.

Este reluctantly sat down in front of him.

"Well, Black, this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you might have, and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into sixth and seventh years," drawled Professor Snape. "Have you had any thoughts about what you would like to do after you leave Hogwarts?"

"I don't really know what to do," Este said truthfully, shrugging as she did so.

"Ah, of course," Snape said softly, "The Little Princess Estele Black should never lower herself to work, is it?"

Este went pink, "It's not that I don't want to work, it's just that I dunno what to do. There's nothing I'm that passionate about."

Snape's lip curled, "Perhaps an Auror. You'd need top grades for that," said Snape, extracting a small, dark leaflet from under the mass on his desk and opening it. "They ask for a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, and nothing under 'Exceeds Expectations' grade. Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It's a difficult career path, Black; they only take the best. In fact, I don't think anybody has been taken on in the last three years. Maybe a bit too ambitious for you."

Este scowled, "It sounds quite nice actually." you vicious cunt, she wanted to add. "What about a ministry worker? Like I dunno the department of Magical Law Enforcement? Blimey, I'd like to wear those Wizengamont hats."

Snape smiled crudely, "A ministry worker? Miss Black, a ministry worker, more specifically, the Wizengamont requires perfect grades."

"Which is something I have," Este snapped.

"And, you will be required to learn about the wizarding laws, and will be required to take even more tests."

"Sounds like a dream."

Snape's lip curled, "You'll want to know which subjects you ought to take, I suppose?" he went on.

"Yes," said Este. "Defense Against the Dark Arts, I suppose?"

"Naturally," drawled Snape. "I would also advise Transfiguration, and I ought to tell you now, Black, that Professor McGonagall does not accept students into her N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level. She tells me you're averaging 'Outstanding' at the moment, so I assume you'll be fine. Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Yes, Black, Potions. And If you want to continue, you ought to polish that attitude. Poisons and antidotes are essential studies for every career path. And I will tell you that I refuse to take students who get anything other than 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L.s. You are sadly averaging an Outstanding so I suppose you will be stuck with me until you leave Hogwarts. You are one of the top students this year." Snape gave her a look of utter loathing, his face wrinkled as if those words left him a bitter sort of taste.

"Any questions, Black?"

Este shook her head, "No."

"That concludes our careers consultation."

Este stood up and dipped her head slightly, "Thank you, sir." She turned her heel and left, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

rather short chapter sorry lads</3