Taming the True Fire (HP)

Catherine stood in the middle of High Street, unsure of what to do next. For a fleeting moment, she considered turning around and heading back to Hogwarts. Most of the students were buzzing with excitement; Valentine's Day coinciding with a visit to Hogsmeade was a highlight for many. But Catherine wasn't among them.

Almost all of her friends had dates, except for Mary, who had chosen to stay behind, still recovering from her last relationship. Remus was busy in the flower shop, and Sirius and Marianne were wandering around, stopping every few steps to snog. The sight made Catherine's fingers itch with the urge to conjure true fire.

Professor Slughorn had reserved Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop for the afternoon and invited some of his favourite students for a tea party. After her experience at the last Slug Club event, the young witch was reluctant to attend. But what else was she supposed to do in the afternoon?

"Hey, there you are." – James' voice cut through her thoughts, startling her – "Wondering why we're the only ones in this bloody village without dates?"

"That depends." – she replied flatly.

"On what?" – the wizard asked, puzzled.

"On whether you're about to suggest we go on a date." – Catherine said, an amused smirk playing at her lips.

"Right, because that's exactly what I need." – James scoffed, throwing an arm around her shoulders – "Then I'd have to move out of the dorm because I wouldn't dare sleep in the same room as Sirius."

"Why? Planning on dating Marianne too?" – the witch asked, trying to sound casual, but James noticed the sharpness in her tone.

"Look, I couldn't find the chance to properly bring up the subject with him, but I'm certain there's some explanation." – the boy replied earnestly.

"What's there to be explained?" – Catherine shrugged – "Marianne's beautiful, and Sirius is one of the most attractive boys at school. It's natural they'd like each other."

"It's not just about looks." – James insisted.

"Easy for you to say." – the young witch scoffed – "You don't have a date because you don't want one. Plenty of girls like you. Gwendolyn Boot couldn't stop staring at you in Charms last Thursday."

"No, it's not easy for me to say." – the boy snapped – "So what if Gwen was watching me? She's not Lily! And yes, I really believe looks aren't everything. I have to—otherwise, I'd stand no chance against McMahon."

Catherine studied James, carefully weighing his situation. They all teased him about his obsession with Lily, but she couldn't deny his persistence. Seeing her together with Greg had clearly hurt him, yet somehow, James managed to stay positive, clinging to his belief in a future with the red-headed witch.

"Want to come to Slughorn's tea party with me?" – the black-haired girl suggested, hoping to distract him from his heartache – "Fair warning, though—there'll be plenty of stuck-up, unpleasant people. But hey, free sweets!"

"Why not?" – James shrugged – "It's not like I have other plans. Besides, maybe I'll get a chance to let off some steam."

"By drinking tea?" – the young witched chuckled as they started walking toward Madam Puddifoot's.

"I was thinking more along the lines of finding a reason to hex a few Slytherins." – he grinned.

"Oh, there'll be plenty of them there, but count me out." – Catherine warned – "I'm sick of spending my evenings in detention."

Unfortunately, James' desire to hex someone was put to the test sooner than expected—without a Slytherin in sight at that point. Right in front of Madam Puddifoot's, Lily Evans stood in a stunning light-blue winter coat, clutching a bouquet of red roses. Greg leaned in beside her, whispering something that had Lily's face flushing a shade as deep as the roses.

Catherine felt James halt abruptly beside her, and she braced herself to grab him if he showed any sign of doing something reckless. But the trouble for her brother came from another direction.

"You really are dating him!" – Snape's voice rang out, high-pitched and furious. He had just emerged from the tea shop, his black eyes boring into Greg, whose arm was now wrapped possessively around Lily's waist.

"How does this concern you?" – Greg asked cooly.

"I'm not talking to you!" – the Slytherin hissed, half-angry, half-pleading, his gaze locked on Lily, who refused to meet his eyes and looked on the verge of tears.

"I don't give a damn who you're talking to, Snape!" – the aristocrat snapped – "I've tried to respect the... strange relationship you have with Lily. For some reason, she insists you're not so bad. But when you show up like this—screeching and making her anxious—I will intervene. You need to understand you'll never have her the way you want! If you truly value your friendship, accept it and stop acting like a jealous boyfriend. Know your place!"

Catherine instinctively gripped her wand beneath her cloak. The situation was spiralling out of control. Though Greg was technically right, she recognised the cold fury in Snape's eyes—a fury she knew all too well, one that made her skin crawl. His face was pale, almost mask-like, and his entire frame seemed to vibrate with raw magic. Did Greg have any idea what kind of trouble he was stirring up?

Her thoughts were cut short by a sudden, forceful gust of wind that nearly swept her off her feet. James lunged forward, holding his friend tightly as debris whipped around them.

"Greg, no! That's enough!" – Lily's cry made Catherine glance over James' shoulder. She saw Snape on the ground, with blood streaming down his face, surrounded by shards of shattered ice. He was panting heavily, but his eyes burned with a readiness to continue the fight.

The fifth-year was still standing, though his appearance was far from unscathed. Dust clung to his clothes, and broken branches and stones lay scattered around him, some of which had clearly made contact. For once, the flawless façade he usually maintained was visibly fractured—his expression a mix of surprise and anger.

"This is unacceptable!" – Lily shouted, tears glistening in her emerald eyes – "We're going to settle this right now! Sev, come with me. I need to talk to you!" 

"I don't think that's a good idea." – the young lord interjected, his gaze locked on Snape, assessing his every move.

"It's the only way!" – the red-headed girl exclaimed – "I refuse to hide our relationship anymore! He's my best friend. He will accept it, but I have to be honest with him!" 

With that, she helped a shaky Snape to his feet and led him a few steps away to talk in private. Greg watched them intently, his eyes never leaving their retreating forms.

"The fuck was that?" – James hissed – "How can they fight so recklessly? What if they'd hurt her?!"

"Well, the roses certainly didn't survive." – Catherine noted, eyeing the smashed flowers rolling in the dirt, their red petals scattered like blood on the cobblestones.

"And that wind… I don't get it." – James frowned as they finally stepped inside the tea shop – "I didn't see Snivellus use a wand."

"I wonder..." – Catherine muttered under her breath.

Surprisingly, the tea party was pleasant. There weren't too many Slytherins, and Professor Slughorn was in high spirits, showering everyone with compliments. Even James received praise for his Quidditch skills, and he and Slughorn had a brief chat about the upcoming game with Hufflepuff. Thankfully, Snape never returned, and no further incidents occurred.

As they were leaving, the Potions Master approached them with a fatherly smile, leaning in to whisper to Catherine. "It seems you've caught the eye of many wizards, my dear! Enjoy yourself, but when it's time for serious decisions, I'd be glad to introduce you to some distinguished wizards from good families—ones who can complement your talents with the right name and connections. Not that Mr Potter isn't charming, of course, and his father is quite well-known for Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, but his family do lack certain ties."

Catherine managed a polite nod, but it took her a good ten minutes to process what he had just implied.

'He thinks of me as some broodmare who turned out to win races but lacks pedigree.' - she thought, stunned - 'Now he wants to ensure I procreate with the right family to enrich the Pure-blood gene pool. How sick is that?'

The young witch glanced at James, who walked beside her, blissfully unaware of Slughorn's parting words. She shuddered, imagining how the professor would react if he knew who she truly was.

'Now I understand why Greg avoids him so diligently.' – she mused, her mind drifting back to the strange scene earlier. She had to admit she was impressed that Snape managed to hold his own against the heir of House McMahon. But something bothered her – 'That wind felt odd. Could it be that he's strongly inclined to air, like I am to fire? But I couldn't control my outbursts, and it seemed like he did. Should I tell Dumbledore?'

"You seem tense." – James observed as they left the village, heading back to the castle – "Still brooding over Sirius and Marianne?"

"No, I was thinking about Snape." – the girl admitted honestly.

"Eww! Why?" – James exclaimed with disgust.

"What happened earlier was very strange and I thought he might be like me – having strong elemental inclination but to air." – the young witch said with a shrug.

"Too bad he's not inclined to water. Could have helped with his overall hygiene." – the other Gryffindor snorted, earning a smirk from Catherine – "I mean, it's possible. You said everyone's inclined to some element. But it's pretty weird if he's a potential Air Mage yet can't keep his pathetic arse on a broom."

Catherine scoffed sarcastically. "You're right. I'm overthinking it." – she brushed the thought away decisively – "I don't give a damn who's inclined to air and who's not. We have to focus on winning next Saturday!"

"That's a given!" – James grinned – "We fly like pros even without being Air Mages. The game is ours!"