FIC: Aftermaths, Part 43

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 43
Rating: NC-17 overall, but most chapters are closer to PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise, and a few other minor pairings
Word count: ~8,790
Warning: AU; written pre-HBP
Author's notes: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising
Summary: The Career Fair continues; Snape, Lupin, and Lukas have a confrontation with Amos Diggory.

Part 42 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

Theodore had calmed down, and he and Blaise were talking to a curator from the museum when both Lupin and Snape joined them. "So you might consider applying to work as a docent at the museum this summer," the curator was saying, handing Blaise a brochure. "Ah, hello, Professor Snape. Didn't you say that your son had an interest in Ancient Runes?" When Snape nodded, the curator added, "You might also consider applying for a job with us, then, young Mr. Snape. We can always use someone to translate old texts and runic carvings, but you'll need more advanced training for that. An apprenticeship with a Master of Rune Lore, perhaps..."

Lupin relaxed, and they chatted with curator for awhile, then Snape led them away, saying, "I want the two of you to talk to a colleague of mine from the Laboratory for Spell Research. Professor Blackmore's parents used to work there."

"Er...and weren't they killed there? Didn't the laboratory explode?" Theodore asked nervously.

"Yes, but that was the Dark Lord's doing, and had nothing to do with the research they were conducting," Snape said briskly. "The laboratory was rebuilt years ago. Don't worry; it's perfectly safe."

"Yes, sir," Theodore said obediently, if a bit dubiously.

"I think you'd do well at research, Mr. Zabini," Snape continued. "You're patient and methodical, and have an analytic mind. Of course, those qualities would also serve you well at the museum, if that's what you prefer..."

"I do like history," Blaise said. "At least, I enjoy reading about it. But Professor Binns is...well...er..."

"Boring," Theodore said bluntly. "It's all I can do to stay awake in that class."

"No disrespect intended," Blaise added hastily, but Lupin chuckled and Snape smiled sardonically.

"I remember pinching myself to stay awake in that class," Lupin said nostalgically. "I think Sirius actually fell asleep once, and started snoring loud enough for even Binns to notice."

"Yes, the Headmaster planned to replace him when he died," Snape said, "but unfortunately, he kept showing up for class even after he was dead, and the old man was too softhearted to fire him. I suppose it's difficult to fire a ghost, anyway."

"Intending no slight towards Professor Binns," Lupin said, "but it seems to me that the students might learn more if they had a teacher who made the subject seem a bit more interesting."

Snape shrugged. "You'll have to take it up with the Headmaster." Then he grinned--his most evil Potions Master grin. "Besides, learning isn't always meant to be a pleasant experience, Lupin."

Lupin laughed. "It isn't always necessary to terrorize your students in order to be an effective teacher, Severus."

"Why change a method that works so well, Lupin?" Snape retorted, and Lupin laughed again, slipping an arm around him. "Damn it, Lupin! How many times do I have to tell you not to maul me in public?!"

Meanwhile, Dylan and Hermione were talking with Mr. Jigger, who was trying to convince them to take over his Apothecary shop when he retired. "It would be nice to bring in some new blood," he said coaxingly. "It would bring some life to the place, to have a young couple running it, instead of a dried-up old stick like me!" Dylan grinned at Hermione, who smiled back at him, blushing. They simultaneously reached out to clasp each other's hands.

"No fair stealing my future assistant, Mr. Jigger!" Morrigan De Lacy protested, but with a smile.

"But look at what a beautiful couple they make!" Jigger argued, motioning to the pair, who were still holding hands. "It would be a shame to split them up!"

"They can be a couple, but still hold different jobs," Morrigan pointed out. "Mr. Rosier could easily run the shop alone."

"But the shop should be a family-run business," Jigger said, winking at Hermione and Dylan. "Run together by husband and wife, and perhaps passed down to their children..." Hermione's blush grew even deeper.

"Putting the cart a little ahead of the horse, aren't you?" Morrigan asked, looking amused.

"Oh, not by much, I think," Jigger said, winking at the young couple again. "They'll have to finish school first, of course. I was thinking Miss Granger could apprentice with me for a year while Mr. Rosier completes his studies at Hogwarts and passes his Potions N.E.W.T., then I could step down and they could run the shop together."

"What about your plans to help the house-elves?" Morrigan asked Hermione.

"But it would be so much fun to run the shop together," Dylan protested. "With two of us there, we could take on more work, and sell actual potions in addition to ingredients, maybe even charms and counter-curses. And...I really do want to work with you."

Hermione looked torn. "I really love Potions, and I want to work with Dylan, but I also want to fight for house-elf rights!" Then she said hopefully, "But the house-elves can't afford to pay a lawyer, so I'd still need to support myself. Maybe I could do both?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just take on additional cases at the law firm?" Morrigan asked.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "But I don't want to take on just any type of case. I mean, I couldn't take on a case that I felt morally opposed to. And, well, not to be cynical, but those are the types of cases that pay the most, aren't they?"

"I doubt that anyone will ever get rich defending house-elves," Morrigan agreed. "But trying to hold down two jobs at once will not be easy."

"I can do it," Hermione said in a determined voice.

"If anyone can, Hermione can," Dylan said confidently.

"The world's first Potions Mistress-slash-lawyer?" Morrigan asked, raising her eyebrows. Then she smiled. "Well, perhaps you can do it, after all. The young woman who fought Death Eaters and tamed giants should be able to handle just about anything!"

Hermione, whose coloring had just returned to normal, turned red again. "Oh, I'm not a Potions Mistress yet!" she said. "I haven't even passed my N.E.W.T.!"

"Aw, come on, Hermione," Dylan said, "you know you'll ace it."

"But I want to get my Master-class qualification, and I know you do, too, which means further study after graduation for both of us."

"Professor Snape will be able to assist both of you with your studies, I'm sure," Jigger assured her. "And I'll do my best to help you as well, although his skills far exceed mine, I'm sorry to say. I have my Master qualification, but young Severus is a true genius at Potions, a Master even among Masters."

"That is true," Morrigan agreed. "I suppose Severus will be upset if I take such a promising young student out of the Potions field entirely. Shall we agree to split Miss Granger's apprenticeship, then?"

"You drive a hard bargain, Morrigan," Jigger said, but he held out his hand and she shook it.

"I'll work you hard, Miss Granger," Morrigan warned. "And I suspect Mr. Jigger will, too. You'll be pulling long shifts, and sometimes working six, even seven days a week, especially when a case is ready to go to trial."

"I understand, Ms. De Lacy," Hermione said, her eyes shining. "Don't worry, I won't let either of you down!"

"Hermione thrives on stress," Dylan said, laughing.

"We may have to get you a time-turner," Morrigan said.

"Never again," Hermione muttered, shaking her head vigorously.

"I was joking, Miss Granger," Morrigan said, giving her a puzzled look.

"And what do you mean 'again'?" Dylan asked.

Hermione laughed nervously. "Oh, nothing. I just said I'd never use a time-turner; they're way too dangerous, and besides, where would I get one?" The other three gave her suspicious looks, and then they simultaneously glanced over to where Dumbledore was chatting with Bill at the Gringotts table.

"Well, never mind," Morrigan said with a smile, and dropped the subject. "I doubt that I would be able to get authorization to use a time-turner, so you'll just have to work hard in real time, Miss Granger."

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Recruiters for several Quidditch teams had come to the Career Fair, but to the annoyance and disappointment of the other Hogwarts players, they were mainly interested in recruiting Harry. "I can guarantee you a bonus for signing with us, Mr. Potter," said a recruiter for the Tutshill Tornados, and named an amount that made Ron's eyes go wide and saucer-like.

Harry, however, didn't care about the money; he had plenty in Gringotts. He did love Quidditch, but could he do it for a living? Sure, he had done well on the Gryffindor team, but was he good enough to be a professional? And he'd wanted to become an Auror; playing Quidditch seemed a little trivial compared to fighting Death Eaters...but the Death Eaters were defeated, so did he still want to be an Auror? Kingsley and Tonks seemed to think he'd make a good one, and he would enjoy working with them...

"Well, I haven't really decided what to do after I graduate," Harry said. "I was thinking of becoming an Auror..."

"A fine and noble profession," the recruiter said, "but surely that can wait a few years now that You-Know-Who is dead. You could play Quidditch professionally for, say, five to ten years, then join the Ministry after you retire..."

"Think of the fame and fortune you'll gain," another recruiter enthused.

"He's already rich and famous," Aric pointed out sourly.

"Well, you'll be even more rich and famous!" the recruiter said, undaunted. "And think of all the young ladies who will swoon over you--"

Suddenly a career in Quidditch no longer seemed so appealing to Harry; the last thing he wanted was to be more famous than he already was! "Come on, Ron, let's go see what Hermione's doing," he said hastily.

"She's still talking to the Apothecary," Ron protested, but Harry grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away, ignoring his objections.

"Think of your civic duty!" the recruiter for English national team called out. "England needs your skills, Mr. Potter! You could play in the next World Cup--which is coming up next year!"

That caused Harry to pause long enough for the recruiters to press their business cards upon him. "I'll think about it," he said, then hurried off.

Ron took the cards from Harry and began looking them over. "Just about every team in Britain wants you, Harry," he said enviously. "The Tornados, Puddlemere United, the Chudley Cannons--boy, I'd love to play for them!"

"I want to play Quidditch," Harry said, "and I'd love to play in the World Cup, but I don't want to be famous. It's bad enough as it, the way people stare and point at me now, calling me the Boy Who Lived and the Savior of the Wizarding World. I just want to be...normal."

Ron smiled. "Sorry, Harry, but one thing you are not is normal!"

Harry sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"And a good thing, too," Ron said, throwing an arm around Harry's shoulders, "or You-Know-Who would be running things now! You're already famous, Harry, like it or not, so why not be a little more famous? And think of all those girls swooning over you!" Harry laughed, and Ron was pleased that he'd managed to cheer his friend up.

They met up with Hermione and Dylan, who were still sitting with Mr. Jigger. A few other students had gathered around them. "Well, no job openings here," Terry Boot joked. "None of us can compete with Granger and Rosier in Potions expertise."

"I'm no good at Potions at all," Seamus Finnigan said ruefully.

"Oh, don't go away, gentlemen!" Jigger said. "It's true that I'm taking on Miss Granger and Mister Rosier as my apprentices, but I can still offer employment to a few adventurous young souls--no expertise in potion-brewing required!"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"My shop is always in need of rare ingredients," Jigger explained. "You don't think I go out and gather dragon blood or snake venom myself, do you? And one of my best suppliers is recovering in St. Mungo's at present; an unfortunate incident with an Erumpent in Africa. It seems he'll be laid up for several months."

"Erumpent? Ron said.

"A rhinocerous-like beast," Hermione immediately explained in a didactic tone. "The horns of the males are filled with an explosive fluid. They frequently blow each other up during mating season and are, for obvious reasons, an endangered species."

"I don't like the sound of that," Ron said, turning a little pale, but a few of the bolder students looked intrigued.

Meanwhile, across the room, Liam and Damien Pierce sat together at a table, with no prospective employees in sight.

"Tell me again why I'm here," Liam said to his son, sounding rather disgruntled.

"Because Professor Lupin twisted your arm and talked you into coming to the Fair," Damien said cheerfully, arranging a display of cauldrons on the table in front of them.

"I don't know how I let that fast-talking little Gryffindor werewolf convince me to do this," Liam grumbled. He was a foreman at a cauldron-making factory, a respectable enough job, but he knew that the wealthier Slytherin families regarded it as "middle-class" and beneath their dignity. He'd tried for a Ministry job after graduation, but he just didn't have the wealth or connections necessary to get one. He actually liked his current job, but he was still enough of a Slytherin to be a little ashamed of it, and he didn't really fancy the idea of seeing his son's housemates looking down their snooty little noses at him.

Damien just laughed. "Oh, Professor Lupin is very good at talking people into doing things. He managed to talk Professor Snape into being his lover--that's quite an accomplishment, don't you think?"

"Damien!" Liam scolded.

"Well, it's not like it's a secret," Damien said. "Lupin's always cuddling up to Snape at the head table during meals, or in the stands during Quidditch practice." He rolled his eyes. "The girls think it's all very cute and romantic." As if to prove his point, Lupin was at that exact moment putting his arm around Snape's waist, while the Potions Master barked at him and tried to disentangle himself.

"What is the world coming to?" Liam sighed, then shook his head, looking a little puzzled. "Lupin always seemed so shy and meek when we were in school; how did he grow up to be so bold?"

"Dylan and Theo told me that Snape is always saying that Lupin is sly as any Slytherin, and that the meekness is all an act," Damien said with a grin.

"Hmm," Liam said thoughtfully, staring at the werewolf with new respect. "Well, I still think this is a waste of time," he said. "No one seems to be interested in a career in cauldron-making."

"I'm sure someone will come along, Dad," Damien said loyally, and a few minutes later, Neville Longbottom strolled by and stopped to take a look at the cauldrons.

"I've given you a lot of business," he said with a sheepish smile. "I must have melted about a dozen of these things over the years! I don't suppose you can come out with some sort of extra-strength model?"

Just then, a few Ravenclaws walked towards the table--Michael Corner, Lisa Turpin, and Padma Patil, joined by two Gryffindors, Padma's sister Parvati, and Lavender. "That's my girl, Dad," Damien whispered to his father, subtly motioning towards Parvati. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

"She's a Gryffindor," Liam pointed out, a little sourly.

"Yeah, Dad, I did kind of notice that," the ever-irrepressible Damien replied. "The red-and-gold crest on her robe is a dead giveaway. But she's a pureblood and her family is pretty well off, if that makes you feel any better." Damien winked at his father. "It could be worse, Dad. I could be dating a Muggle-born, like Dylan, or a werewolf, like Snape."

Liam glared at his son, but by now the students were within earshot, so he was unable to carry on their conversation any further. "We'll discuss this later, young man," he whispered, a stern expression on his face.

Damien introduced his friends to his father, and Parvati smiled charmingly and held out her hand, saying, "It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Pierce."

Liam was not really thrilled about his son dating a Gryffindor, but he shook her hand and said gallantly, "It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Patil. I can see why my son is so smitten with you."

"Dad!" Damien protested, his face turning red, and Parvati giggled and fluttered her eyelashes coyly.

"Well, I can see where Damien gets his charm from!" she laughed.

"Can I interest any of you young people in a career in cauldron-making?" Liam asked, not very hopefully.

Lisa picked up one of the cauldrons on the table and began examining it carefully. "These things melt so easily--" she started to say.

"Tell me about it," Neville said, flushing.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, you weren't the only one," Michael said with a friendly smile. "I melted one, too, in first year Potions class. I knew you were supposed to take the cauldron off the fire before adding the porcupine quills, but I got so nervous with Snape hovering over me that I forgot and, well...there went my cauldron."

"It just seems like there should be a way to make a stronger cauldron that won't melt even if you botch your Boil Cure Potion," Lisa continued. "An enchantment, or a stronger alloy, or a combination of the two."

"But if it were that easy, wouldn't someone have already come up with one?" Padma argued.

"Not necessarily," Parvati replied, then smiled a little slyly at Damien's father. "You sell a lot more cauldrons this way, don't you?"

Well, the girl was clever as well as pretty, Liam mused. Perhaps she wouldn't be such a bad match for his son, after all.

"But you could charge more for a stronger cauldron," Lisa pointed out. "And it would be a lot safer in class, too--you wouldn't have to worry about people getting hurt by spilled potion or molten metal."

"And since we've been taking Advanced Potions," Michael added, "I've been thinking it might be good to have different types of cauldrons for different purposes. I mean, for most people, a standard cauldron is fine, but when you're working on more complicated types of potions, like the Wolfsbane Potion, for example, the cauldron often needs to be kept at a specific temperature. For the Wolfsbane Potion, which needs to be kept hot, you could have a cauldron that conducts and holds heat easily."

"And there are other potions that will be ruined if they go above a certain temperature, and for those you'd want a cauldron with the opposite effect," Lisa continued.

"This has certain possibilities," Liam said, looking interested. "But such cauldrons would have rather limited appeal."

"Probably only serious potion-brewers would want them," Lisa agreed. "But that means you could charge more for them, maybe build them on commission."

"Well, we'd have to figure out the cost-effectiveness, but it sounds promising," Liam admitted. "So is this all theoretical, or have you specific ideas for enchanting these cauldrons?"

"Well, Lisa and I have come up with some ideas, sir," Michael said enthusiastically, "but we haven't been able to try them out, since they involve placing the enchantments on the cauldrons as they're being forged, and Hogwarts doesn't have a foundry..."

"Have a seat," Liam said, "and tell me about your ideas."

Damien leaned over and whispered, "I told you it wouldn't be a waste of time."

Liam smiled at his son. "You should go around and talk to the other recruiters, too. You'll be needing employment in a couple of years yourself."

"Great idea, Dad!" Damien said. "Come on, Parvati, let's go talk to the Quidditch recruiters!"

"That's not what I meant!" Liam shouted, but his son was already running off, followed by a giggling Parvati.

Lupin strolled by, accompanied by a sour-faced Snape. "Hello, Liam," he said with a cheerful smile. "Thank you for coming. How are things going? It seems like you already have a few potential recruits."

Liam groaned and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Every time I talk to my son, I feel more gray hairs sprouting!"

Lupin chuckled. "Well, you still don't have as many as me!"

"It's more likely I'll tear it all out before it grows completely gray," Liam grumbled. "You're his Head of House, Severus; can't you talk some sense into the boy? I asked him about his career plans earlier, and he told me in all seriousness that he wants to be a Quidditch star!"

"He does quite well in class when he applies himself," Snape said. "The problem is getting him to apply himself. Unfortunately, he seems much more interested in Quidditch and girls than his studies, although his grades have gone up since he and Mr. Rosier starting rooming together."

"He's a strong mage," Lupin said in Damien's defense. "He was able to cast a full Patronus and hold his own fighting the Death Eaters. But I don't think he'll ever be able to hold down a desk job. Something a little more adventurous would be better suited to his personality; a curse-breaker, perhaps, or maybe an Auror?"

Liam frowned, and Snape noticed. Most Slytherins felt a little uneasy around the Aurors, having been regarded with suspicion during both wars. "The thought of Mr. Pierce being an officer of the law is a little scary," Snape said in a sarcastic voice. "However, my mother's cousin, Ali Bashir, is looking for a few apprentices. The job entails a great deal of travel throughout Europe and Asia, which should appeal to Mr. Pierce's sense of adventure, and there's relatively little danger involved."

"Relatively?" Liam asked suspiciously.

Snape shrugged. "Traveling with a wealthy merchant, there's always the possibility of being attacked by thieves, but Ali takes all precautions, and Mr. Pierce seems to have a talent for combative and defensive magic. And occasionally an irate customer who feels he's gotten the raw end of a deal will cause a fuss, but there haven't been any serious incidents that I've heard about. Certainly it's still safer than being an Auror."

"Hmm," Liam said thoughtfully, "well, perhaps I'll talk to Mr. Bashir later. Thank you, Severus." Then he turned his attention back to his Ravenclaw recruits.

Lupin and Snape wandered away. "Liam has always been serious, practical, and sensible, even as a boy," Snape said. "It's no wonder that his son drives him to distraction."

"Clearly Damien doesn't take after his father," Lupin said with a smile.

"No, I think he takes after his mother in more than his red hair," Snape agreed. "Aileen had a bit of a mischievous streak herself back in school. She and several other Slytherin girls, including Narcissa, once got detention for sneaking out of the dorm after hours to meet some boys. And another time, she managed to get hold of a love-letter a Gryffindor girl had written to Lucius Malfoy and posted it on the bulletin board where the entire school could see it. Which gave me the idea to do the same thing to Potter later." Snape grinned wickedly. "Lily Evans and her friends laughed their heads off, and made fun of his bad poetry. That was my payback for that little incident beside the lake after exams in third year."

Lupin smiled, pleased and relieved to see that Severus could recall that incident without the usual pain and rancor. "A Gryffindor wrote a love letter to Lucius?" he asked.

"Well, I don't think she really intended to give it to him," Snape said. "She was just pouring out her feelings on paper, or whatever it is that lovesick teenage girls do. But yes, some of the Gryffindor girls quite fancied Lucius, apparently. He was very handsome, with all that beautiful blond hair, and I suppose the allure of the forbidden appealed to them."

"Did you ever fancy Lucius and his beautiful blond hair?" Lupin asked lightly.

"Never," Snape instantly replied. "I've never fancied anyone but you, Lupin."

Lupin sighed happily and linked his arm through Snape's, leaning over to rest his head on Snape's shoulder. "Well, aren't you the romantic, Professor Snape?"

"Lupin, will you cut that out?! Honestly, you're a Professor now; try to act like one, will you?"

Lupin laughed and released Snape, but not before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. A couple of girls passing by giggled, then went pale and hurried off when Snape glared at them. Snape huffily continued on his way, his long stride causing his black robes to billow out behind him as Lupin followed in his wake, grinning widely. They stopped at the table where Ali Bashir was sitting, a large crowd of students gathered around him, watching a miniature flying carpet circle above their heads.

"Ali," Snape said in a disapproving tone.

"It's perfectly legal, Severus," Ali said. "It's only a model, so it's classified as a toy. I was just trying to give these young people an idea of what a flying carpet looks like, since they can't see the real thing."

"It would be cool to ride a real flying carpet!" Ron said enthusiastically.

Ali smiled, looking like a plump cat regarding a bowl of cream. "Then perhaps you could drop a suggestion into your father's ear, young Mr. Weasley," he purred.

"The Minister is rapidly going to grow sick of seeing and hearing from you if he hasn't already," Snape said in his sour, sardonic voice.

"I'm counting on it," Ali said, still smiling smugly. "Eventually he's going to give me what I want just to make me go away!" Snape let out a little snort of laughter, and let Ali continue regaling the students with promises of wealth and adventure in distant lands. "You'll meet many lovely, exotic women," he promised the boys, then winked at the girls and added, "and many handsome men, too!" They giggled. "My family has a long history as adventurers--I'm a direct descendant of Ali Baba, you know."

"As in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves?" Colin Creevey asked eagerly.

"That's the first I've heard of it," Snape muttered.

"Then you are woefully uneducated about your family history, Severus," Ali said without missing a beat. "I shall have to speak to your mother about it."

"I'll be sure to tell her you said so," Snape said with a malicious smile, causing Ali's composure to falter just a little.

"Ah...perhaps I spoke too hastily," Ali said. "Of course your mother would focus on educating you about your Snape heritage more than your Bashir heritage since you were the Snape heir. It would be churlish of me to chide my dear cousin for it, especially when she is still grieving for your father. Please do not trouble Selima with my foolish words."

"As you wish," Snape said with a little smirk. He turned to leave, then added, "Oh, and Uncle Ali? I'm not going to hear any complaints from the parents of my students about you, am I?" His voice was pleasant and casual, but there was a menacing glint in his eyes.

"Of course not, Severus!" Ali assured him.

"Good," Snape said, then walked away. Lupin winked at Ali and the students before following after him.

Ali made a show of wiping sweat from his brow and sighed. "My, Severus certainly takes after his mother!"

"Really?" Colin asked curiously. "What's she like?"

Ali glanced around to make sure that Snape was out of earshot, then began, "Well, my cousin Selima is a most formidable woman..."

Snape and Lupin heard a combination of girlish squeals, barking, and raucous music from across the room. "Must be Cassidy," Lupin said with a grin, and sure enough, it was his old friend from school, showing off some of his inventions: the magical music boxes and toy wolf cubs.

"Oh, it's so cute!" Portia exclaimed as she hugged a squirming white wolf cub. It barked and licked her face. "I'm going to ask Mummy and Daddy to buy me one for Christmas!"

Dylan and Hermione had finally left the Apothecary's table and come over to see what all the fuss was about. When Dylan saw Allegra and Chloe playing with a brown wolf cub, he grinned and said, "That one looks like Professor Lupin!"

"Really?" Allegra said. "Then that's the one I want!"

"Perhaps I should have you pay me royalties, Cass," Lupin joked. "I'm glad to see that your new toys are a big hit."

"Maybe you should make one that looks like Master Bleddri," Allegra suggested brightly.

"Master Bleddri does not wish to have one modeled after him," Lukas growled.

Allegra jumped a little at the sudden appearance of her teacher, but she smiled up at him cheerfully. "Oh, but why not? I think it would be fun! Say, is a werewolf's fur always the same color as his hair? I mean, Professor Lupin's hair is brown--well, brown and gray--and the wolf's fur is brown, so does that mean that your wolf form is blond, Master Bleddri? Real wolves aren't blond, are they?"

Lukas just stared at her dumbfounded. "Yes, that was my reaction when I first met her, too," Snape told him dryly. "She comes from a Slytherin family, but she has no instinct for self-preservation. I wasn't really surprised when the Sorting Hat put her in Gryffindor."

Allegra blinked, looking a little confused. "I'm sorry, am I talking too much again? Mummy says I do that a lot. And so does Blaise. Anyway, I didn't mean to offend you, Master Bleddri."

Lukas shook his head. Children who weren't afraid of werewolves; what was the world coming to? "No, child," he sighed. "I am not offended. And yes, my fur is blond when I'm in my wolf form, and no, real wolves are not blond. They are mostly gray, and occasionally white or black. And there is one North American species that is a reddish-brown." Then he walked away, still shaking his head.

"Oh, how delightful!" Professor Flitwick said, picking up one of the toy wolves to examine it more closely. "So very lifelike!"

"High praise coming from you, Professor," Cassidy said. "I recall that toymaking was a hobby of yours."

"Still is," Flitwick said. "But it's just a hobby. These are far advanced beyond anything I've ever made. Oh, Mr. Malfoy, come over here for a moment!"

He waved at Draco, who came over, looking a little depressed. He'd spoken to several potential employers, but the responses he'd gotten had been lukewarm at best. Not many people were eager to hire the son of a deceased Death Eater. "Don't call us, we'll call you," had in essence been the response of most of the recruiters, phrased in varying degrees of politeness.

"Draco helped me out last year with some toys I was building for charity," Flitwick said, kindly not mentioning that he had only helped out because it was a detention assignment. "He has a good eye for color, and a nice touch with Charms."

"Really?" Cassidy said with interest. "The Charms that animate the wolves are complex and require a delicate touch."

"Mr. Malfoy is one of my best students," Flitwick said.

"And he's quite creative," Lupin added with a mischievous grin, and Draco flushed a little. "Actually, I was thinking he might be suited to a career in advertising, but I'm sure he would do well as an apprentice to you, too. I'm sure he'd be able to come up with many clever ideas for more inventions."

"My business has been doing well," Cassidy said. "A little too well--I'm having trouble keeping up with demand." He hesitated, giving Draco a speculative look. Cassidy had never liked Draco's father, but his old friends Remus and Sirius seemed fond of the boy. "Why don't you have a seat, Mr. Malfoy?" he finally said. "Let's discuss this further, if you're interested."

Draco smiled at him shyly, feeling relieved that someone--anyone--was interested in employing him, even if he'd never imagined a career building toys or music boxes. "I have one of your recording spheres, sir. My mother bought it to record my Quidditch matches."

Cassidy smiled, looking pleased. "Yes, I've heard many people have used them for that purpose. People started bringing them to professional matches, but they've been banned by the International Association of Quidditch."

"They want royalties, do they?" Draco asked with a cynical smile. "Like the groups that record songs for your music boxes? Well, it could still prove profitable...at least for the really big games. I bet there are a lot of people who would have paid for a copy of the last Quidditch World Cup game."

Lupin and Snape left Draco and Cassidy deep in conversation, but Snape was frowning. "I hadn't realized that Draco's options were so limited. I suppose people are shunning him because of Lucius."

"There's nothing wrong with building music boxes and toys," Lupin said.

"It would be a waste of his talent," Snape said.

"Maybe he would actually enjoy it," Lupin said. "Flitwick said Draco enjoyed working on those toys during detention last year, even though he pretended that he didn't."

"Well, if that's really what he wants do, fine," Snape said, still frowning, "though I still think it's a waste. But I don't want him to take the job just because he can't find anything else. I could pull a few strings to get him an academic or research position, or I could find an advanced studies program for him. Maybe Kamiyama would be willing to take him on as an apprentice. And after a few years, things will have died down, and the stigma of being a Death Eater's son won't be so bad. I suppose if worst comes to worst, I could ask Ali to take him on, but I can't really picture Draco as a merchant."

Lupin smiled at him tenderly. "The students wouldn't be so scared of the big bad Potions Master if they knew what a softie you really are, Sev," he said.

"Keep your voice down, Lupin!" Snape hissed, his face turning red. "Haven't you humiliated me enough today already?"

"You're so irresistible when you're being all concerned about your students," Lupin cooed into his ear.

Snape gave Lupin a suspicious look. "The next full moon is two weeks away."

The werewolf smiled and gave him a come-hither look. "This may come as a surprise to you, Severus, but I don't need the full moon to make me desire you."

"Now?" Snape said incredulously. "In the middle of the Fair? Which was your idea, might I remind you?"

Lupin shrugged. "Dylan's obtained an apprenticeship--an entire business, in fact, and Theo has a few promising positions to choose from. So the boys are fine, and everything seems to be running smoothly. I think they can manage without us."

Well, if the werewolf was getting amorous, for whatever reason, it would probably be wise to leave before Lupin embarrassed him further, Snape decided. "Fine," Snape said. "Let's go."

Takeshi took a break when his last group of interested students left, and went to say hello to his mother and grab a snack. The Sakura's table had attracted a crowd, due in part to the fact that Haruko was handing out free samples of food. "How are things going?" Takeshi asked, grabbing a riceball and biting into it. "Is anyone interested in working for you, or are they all just hungry?"

Some of the students gave him sheepish grins, but Haruko just smiled serenely. "It doesn't matter. If nothing else, perhaps we will gain some new customers!"

"The food is really great!" Ernie Macmillan said enthusiastically with his mouth full.

Aric drifted over when he saw the young mediwizard. "How did the talks with the Quidditch recruiters go?" Takeshi asked.

Aric shrugged. "They were mostly too busy fawning over Potter to notice anyone else. One of them had actually seen me play at Durmstrang; said he'd keep me in mind the next time they were holding tryouts, but I don't really expect anything to come of it."

"Why aren't you on the Slytherin team?" Takeshi asked curiously.

Aric flushed a little. "Oh, I'm too busy with the N.E.W.T.s coming up and all," he said casually.

"And you ticked off the team captain," Patrick Parkinson snickered under his breath.

Aric glared at the younger boy, and in an attempt to diffuse the situation, Haruko asked, "I don't suppose your friend would be interested in a career in the restaurant business, Takeshi."

"I have dibs on him, Mother," Takeshi said with a grin. "I'm trying to recruit him for St. Mungo's."

"Professor Lupin told me that your restaurant was a family-run business," Aric said. "Why do you need more employees? Are you planning to expand?"

"Well, actually, it's run by my husband and I, and a few friends who came over with us from Japan," Haruko replied. "But yes, we are planning on expanding the business. We thought we might start offering take-out and delivery food, but we'll need more workers to do it."

"What method of delivery are you planning to use?" Hannah Abbott asked, looking interested. "Owls?"

Haruko shook her head. "No, there's too much chance of the food being spilled or damaged in flight."

"Then you'd have to hire delivery people," Hannah said, then giggled. "I saw a really cute Muggle film about a witch who runs a delivery service, carrying packages on her broomstick. That looked like fun."

"Maybe you could cast a charm on the food containers," Ernie added, "that would keep them from spilling."

"Muggles," Aric muttered disgustedly.

"Actually," Takeshi said pleasantly, "I think I know the film in question. It's Japanese, isn't it? 'Kiki's Delivery Service' is the English title, I believe."

"Oh, you've seen it, too?" Hannah asked delightedly.

"A-are you Muggle-born?" Aric stammered.

Takeshi smiled at the shocked expression on Aric's face. "No, but the Japanese wizards make more use of Muggle devices than you British wizards do. And I find Muggle literature and films to be quite interesting, particularly their take on what they think witches and wizards are like. You should be more open-minded, my friend." As Aric continued to gape at him, the mediwizard said, "By the way, Mother, have you seen Remus? I wanted to discuss some clinic business with him."

"Oh, I saw him leave a few minutes ago with Professor Snape," Haruko replied.

"In the middle of the Fair?" Takeshi asked, looking puzzled.

Haruko lowered her gaze demurely and coughed delicately. "I think that they have some personal business to attend to. It would probably be best if you did not disturb them right now."

"Oh!" Takeshi said, his face turning a brilliant shade of crimson. "Ah...it's not really that important. In fact, I can discuss my business with Lukas instead. Thank you for the food, Mother."

Takeshi immediately set off in search of Lukas, with Aric following behind him. "Please tell me that you're not thinking what I think you're thinking," he said. Takeshi opened his mouth to reply, and Aric hastily interrupted, "Never mind, don't tell me; I don't want to know!"

"What was that all about?" Ernie asked, looking confused.

"Boys," a blushing Hannah said, shaking her head. "They can be so dense sometimes."

"Huh?" said Ernie.

Haruko smiled and changed the subject. "Now, I believe you two had some ideas for the delivery service..."

"Oh, yes!" Hannah said, looking greatly relieved.

***

The next morning, as everyone was gathering in the Great Hall for breakfast, Filch came up to the head table and said, "Amos Diggory is at the gates, and refuses to go away until he speaks with Master Bleddri. I told him to make an appointment, or at least come back after classes are over, but he raised a huge commotion; I'm surprised you couldn't hear him in the castle." The caretaker looked mightily irritated. "I don't know what the world is coming to these days; people think they can just march into Hogwarts without a by-your-leave! First that pompous idiot Terrence Nott and now--"

"Just a moment, Argus," Sprout interrupted, looking a little offended. "Mr. Diggory should not have been rude to you, but he's been going through some hard times since Cedric died. Let's show a little compassion towards him." She included Lukas in that statement by directing a pointed look his way. So far she had not spoken out against her fellow teacher, but Amos Diggory was a former Hufflepuff, and the father of a fallen hero of that House, and her sympathies seemed to be leaning towards Amos.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Filch," Lukas said, giving Sprout a quick glare. "It seems that my aunt's little chat with my uncle did not go well. I'll go talk to Amos and send him away."

He rose from his seat, and Snape stood as well, saying, "I'll go with you." Diggory was unlikely to go away just because his werewolf nephew told him to, and Snape thought he ought to go along just to make sure that no harm came to either Diggory or Bleddri. He didn't much care what happened to Amos Diggory, and he knew that Bleddri was more than capable of defending himself, but he also knew that if Bleddri attacked Amos, even in self-defense, Amos would likely press charges against him. And Snape knew he would never hear the end of it from his mother or Lupin if Bleddri was arrested and sent to Azkaban. Perhaps a similar thought had occurred to Bleddri, who was usually a little prickly about accepting help from other people, because he nodded and gave Snape a grateful look. Lupin, of course, got up and followed them as well. Snape glanced over at the Hufflepuff table on the way out, and saw Tristan Ames-Diggory staring after them, looking worried and unhappy.

The trio walked down to the gates, and found Amos Diggory waiting there, red-faced and fuming with anger. "You have some nerve, offering to give me my own house!" Amos shouted as soon Lukas walked into view.

"It was only because the thought of you being thrown out on the street seemed to distress Gwen," Lukas replied in a contemptuous voice.

"You impudent little mongrel!" Amos shouted. "What happened to your protestations of 'I wouldn't take the title if you handed it to me on a silver platter'?! I knew all along what you really wanted, that you intended to steal the inheritance--"

"It was you who stole it in the first place, Uncle," Lukas said, his voice hard and cold. Meanwhile, Snape unobtrusively positioned his hand near his wand; it was fortunate that the gates were between Amos and Bleddri right now, because it was stopping them from physically attacking each other, but spell blasts were likely to go right through the gaps between the bars. Or maybe not--the entire school was heavily warded with protective spells, the gates included, but Snape felt it was better to be safe than sorry.

"That inheritance belonged to my father," Lukas continued. "You complain that I offered to let you keep your own house? That is more generosity than you showed me, Uncle. You and my grandfather did not even leave me that much; Gwen told me how you tore down my father's house and sold the land it stood on. You took from me everything--my name, my inheritance, my home!"

"The head of a family has the right to name--or disown--an heir," Amos snarled. "My father would have disowned Cynric if my dear brother had not been blackmailing him, threatening to go public with your lycanthropy and ruin the family name! Cynric was not worthy of the title! He squandered the family wealth, risked our reputation--"

"From what I have heard," Lupin interrupted in a quiet voice, "Cynric did all these things for love of his son. You are a father; can you not put yourself in his place? What lengths would you have gone to, if Cedric--?"

"Don't you dare speak my son's name, you beast!" Amos cried, and groped in the pockets of his robe for his wand, blind with rage.

Snape's wand was out and pointed at Amos in an instant. "Calm yourself, Diggory," Snape said in a voice that was quiet but filled with menace.

"You dare threaten me?" Amos spluttered.

"You reached for your wand first," Snape pointed out. "I can claim self-defense. Do you really want to go up against a former Death Eater in combat?"

Amos went pale, and seemed to come to his senses; his hand dropped down to his side, and Snape lowered his wand. "It's no surprise that a Death Eater would associate with werewolves," Amos said bitterly.

"These werewolves risked their lives to fight the Death Eaters," Snape said pointedly. "I don't recall seeing YOU anywhere on the battlefield!"

Amos flushed. "Dumbledore might think you have reformed, Snape, but I don't," he retorted. "Once a Dark Wizard, always a Dark Wizard. If you switched sides at the end, it was only because you saw that your side was losing."

"As if the opinion of a coward matters to me," Snape said scornfully, and Amos's face turned even redder with both anger and shame.

"That's enough, Severus," Lupin said, giving Snape a stern look.

"I know you won't believe me," Lukas told Amos, "but I'm not doing this for the money." He took a deep breath, and forced himself to speak calmly, wanting to make his uncle understand how he felt, even though he knew that the attempt would be futile. "I'm doing this for my father. I had resigned myself to being an anonymous werewolf, but I want to be Cynric Diggory's son again. And I want to prove that a werewolf is the equal of any pureblood."

"You're right," Amos said, giving him a hateful look. "I don't believe you."

Lukas fought down the urge to growl and bare his teeth. "I hate you, and you hate me," he said, glaring back at Amos. "That will never change. But one last time, I ask you, for Gwendolyn's sake: will you call a truce and settle things with me amicably? I have agreed to name your nephew as my heir, and you know that it will only cause your sister pain to see her family feuding in court."

"If you want to spare Gwen pain," Amos said curtly, "then drop your ridiculous lawsuit! No court of law will ever name a werewolf heir to a pureblood family!"

"Morrigan De Lacy seems to think otherwise," Lukas retorted. "Like all Slytherins, she is ambitious and self-serving, and she would not take my case if she did not think she had a good chance of winning."

"And the new Minister of Magic is a known friend of werewolves," Snape added. "It was he who pushed through the equal rights bill after the war ended. You're fighting a losing battle, Diggory. If you were wise, you'd give up now, rather than suffer public humiliation." Snape hesitated; his first impulse was to taunt Amos and rub his face in the fact that Arthur Weasley, whom Amos had always treated genially but with a hint of condescension, was now his boss. However, that would hardly make him more inclined to accept Bleddri's offer of a settlement, so Snape attempted a rare bit of diplomacy; it was a pity that Lady Selima wasn't here to see it. "You could put a good face on things," Snape said in a conciliatory tone. "Make it seem as if you were doing it willingly, ceding the title out of integrity and generosity, welcoming your long-lost nephew back into the family fold. If nothing else, it would gain you the goodwill of your sister and the Minister."

Unfortunately, Snape's attempt at diplomacy failed. "I promised my father that I would protect the family honor," Amos said, unmoved, "and I will keep that promise." He glared at Lukas. "Even if you turn my sister against me. She was just a little girl when Cynric died, and she idolized him, so my parents and I tried to shield her from the sordid details of his life." Lukas began to growl, and his yellow-green eyes glittered dangerously. Amos took a step back, but continued, "Clearly that was a mistake, as you've taken advantage of her naivete and love for her brother to poison her mind against me, but in time, she will see that I am doing this for the good of the family."

"Then it is war between us," Lukas snarled. "I will see you in court, Amos, and you had best hope that I never find out you had anything to do with my father's death, or a lawsuit will be the very least of your worries!"

Amos turned and ran off, making a show of turning on his heel and stomping off angrily, but Snape could see how pale and frightened his face looked. "Don't openly threaten him, Bleddri," Snape said disapprovingly. "He'll only use it against you. You have to learn to be more subtle; if you snarl at him that way in court, they'll believe Amos's claim that you're a dangerous beast."

"I know, I know," Lukas sighed, then scowled. "I suppose I'll have to let Lady Selima polish my manners and show me how to be a proper pureblood." Lupin chuckled, and Lukas snapped, "It's not funny, Remus!"

"I'm sorry," Lupin said, still laughing, "but I think it's funny how even werewolves and former Death Eaters are intimidated by Lady Selima!"

"Yes," Lukas agreed dryly. "If Voldemort wanted to rule the world, he should have recruited Selima, then he need not have bothered with all the other Death Eaters!"

Snape shuddered. "My mother, the ruler of the wizarding world...now that is truly a scary thought!" Then the three friends laughed and headed back to the castle together.

***

That weekend, Hufflepuff played against Ravenclaw in the second match of the season. Tristan's parents came to the match, but Amos and Helen Diggory did not. Although Tristan was hurt by his uncle's absence, and upset about the feud going on between Amos and Gwendolyn and Bleddri, he managed not to let it affect his performance on the Quidditch Pitch. In fact, the game proved a welcome distraction, and he took joy in speeding after the Snitch, letting the exhilaration temporarily wipe his worries from his mind. He flew with great daring and agility; the Snitch suddenly dived straight down and Tristan followed it without hesitation, although the Ravenclaw Seeker pulled up to avoid hitting the ground. Tristan reached out and grabbed hold of the Snitch, so close to crashing that the tip of his broom handle brushed against the ground before he managed to pull up and straighten out at the last second.

The Hufflepuff students burst into elated cheers, and the Ravenclaw Seeker came over and shook Tristan's hand. "Good game," he said, with a smile that was both rueful and respectful. "I don't know whether you're gutsy or crazy or both, but I can't deny that you deserved to win this one!"

Tristan's parents came down from the stands, his father beaming proudly and saying, "Great job, son!" while his mother alternately hugged him and scolded him for that last risky play.

"You could've broken your neck!" she cried. "No game is worth killing yourself over!" Then she burst into tears and hugged him again.

Even Master Bleddri came over and congratulated him, patting him on the shoulder a little awkwardly. "Good work, Tristan, but next time try not to make your mother cry, all right?"

"Yes, sir," he said, beaming up at his teacher/cousin.

Up in the stands, Snape frowned and said sourly, "Just what we needed--another child prodigy! Hufflepuff could actually be a threat this year."

"A little competition makes the game exciting, Severus," Lupin said with a smile, and kissed Snape on the cheek.

Part 44