FIC: Aftermaths, Part 45

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 45
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: ~9,730
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: Unrest between Gryffindor and Slytherin leads to a romantic encounter between Dylan and Hermione on the Astronomy Tower; Lupin prepares a shopping list; and Hagrid teaches his students to care for Porvoras. I wish I could claim credit for inventing the Porvoras, but they come from the "Jing: King of Bandits" manga by Yuichi Kumakura (in volumes 2 and 3). As soon as I read the manga, I thought that this was exactly the type of animal that Hagrid would love!

Part 44 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

Meanwhile, Dylan saw Allegra safely back to her dorm, and Hermione came out to meet him. They went for a walk, and ended up climbing to the top of the Astronomy Tower. They looked down on the castle and grounds; everything was covered with a glittering layer of snowflakes.

"It looks so beautiful, doesn't it?" Hermione said with a smile.

Dylan thought she looked beautiful, her cheeks flushed from the cold, and her long, wavy brown hair lying loose across her shoulders. He hated to spoil the moment and her good mood, but he brought up Blaise's concerns and asked her to watch over Allegra.

"Of course I will," Hermione said, "but do you really think that's necessary?"

"She's a very talented witch, but she's just a little girl," Dylan said grimly. "And she's a little too trusting; I suppose that's why she ended up in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. I'm a much more experienced mage than she is; I even know a great deal of Dark Magic, and I still nearly got killed on the Quidditch Pitch."

"Do you really think it was a Gryffindor who cast that hex?" Hermione asked unhappily.

"Would it make you feel better if it turned out to be a Slytherin?" Dylan snapped, then immediately felt guilty when he saw how hurt she looked. "Sorry, 'Mione," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her cheek, which felt cold beneath his lips, and she shivered a little, and he pulled her closer, wrapping the folds of his robe around her, although he knew that it wasn't just the chill air that was making her shiver. "I didn't mean it," he said apologetically. "I guess we're all on edge, not knowing who did it, or what they might try next."

"I know you don't want to think it's one of your housemates," Hermione said, "any more than I want to think it's one of mine." She leaned into his embrace, and Dylan felt relieved that she wasn't angry at him. "And I know that being a Gryffindor doesn't automatically make someone a good person. Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor, and he became a Death Eater and betrayed his friends."

"Well, he does seem to be the exception to the rule," Dylan admitted, and was rewarded with a small smile from Hermione. "And actually, I wouldn't mind if the culprit turned out to be Aric, because then the Professor could expel him from Hogwarts!"

Hermione laughed. "Well, I don't like Aric, either, but Professor Lupin's friend, the mediwizard, seems to like him, so maybe he's not all bad."

Dylan sighed. "I wouldn't go that far, but I don't really think that Aric did it. He hates me, but he hates Theo more, and I can't understand why he'd hex me instead of Theo, or how he could have managed to hex the ribbons in the first place. And I don't know of anyone else in Slytherin who would want to hurt me."

Hermione frowned, looking worried. "It could be a Gryffindor," she said reluctantly. "Some of us act without thinking sometimes, like Sirius. You know about the prank he played on Professor Snape, sending him to the Shrieking Shack when they were kids?"

Dylan nodded. "Yes, the Professor told me about it."

"Well, Sirius didn't really mean for Snape to get hurt or killed," Hermione continued. "But of course, that wouldn't have made Snape any less dead if Harry's dad hadn't managed to rescue him. So, maybe the person who cast the hex was just playing a stupid prank, and didn't realize how dangerous it could be."

"It would make me feel better," Dylan said, "to know that it was just a stupid prank that got out of hand, and that whoever's behind it didn't really want to kill me. If that's all it was, hopefully the prankster has learned his lesson."

Hermione sighed, looking annoyed. "I admit, that's the kind of stupid thing a Gryffindor might do--the boys, anyway. The girls are a little more mature." Then she grinned at him. "Besides, all the girls adore you; I'd be more worried that they might hex me to get rid of the competition!"

"Oh, they haven't wasted any time pining over me!" Dylan laughed. "Parvati's already seeing Damien, and I suspect Lavender will start dating Seamus soon, if he ever gets up enough courage to actually ask her out. Even the girls in Slytherin have given up: Millicent and Miles Bletchley are apparently an item; he sends her long love letters by owl every week. Pansy hasn't found a boyfriend yet, but she's been looking over boys in all four Houses; she said now that it's all right to see people from other Houses, there are a lot more guys to choose from! And even Yvonne has been making eyes at Dietrich recently."

"Poor baby," Hermione teased. "Your fan club has deserted you!"

"Women are so fickle," Dylan sighed.

"It serves you right," Hermione said with a merciless smile. "I like you, Dylan Rosier, but sometimes you get a little full of yourself. You like being the center of attention and having everyone look at you."

"Ouch!" Dylan cried, pulling back a little and placing his hand over his heart. "Hit me where it hurts, why don't you?" Hermione giggled, and Dylan stared at her with mournful, wounded eyes. "Just because I spend more time getting dressed and fixing my hair in the morning than you do..."

"You're the most beautiful student in the school and everyone knows it," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Including you. You're a bit of a peacock, Dylan." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "But I love you anyway."

They stared at each other, rendered speechless for a moment. It was the first time either of them had actually said the words, "I love you," and Hermione seemed as startled as Dylan was by them. Apparently the words had slipped out without her intending to say them.

Well, Dylan didn't intend to let this opportunity pass. "I love you, too," he said softly, then leaned forward and kissed her. Their lips touched, lightly and hesitantly, as if they were kissing for the very first time, then the kiss slowly deepened, and Hermione seemed to melt in his arms. He suddenly felt very warm in spite of the cold winter air. Despite the fact that they had lived in the same house for two weeks during the summer, they had not really had a chance to spend much time alone together. Snape and Lupin had allowed them a certain amount of privacy, and they'd had a few make-out sessions in the library at Grimmauld Place, but things couldn't go too far, for fear of someone walking in on them. After a certain amount of time had passed, Lupin had usually found an excuse to come down to the library and get a book--knocking politely on the door to announce himself first, of course. Nor had they been able to sneak into each other's rooms after everyone had gone to bed: Hermione had shared a room with Ginny, and Dylan had shared one with Theo. They could have snuck into one of the empty rooms, of course, but Theo's nightmare had given Snape and Lupin the perfect excuse to check up on them in the middle of the night--just to make sure that Theo was all right, of course. In a way, Dylan had enjoyed those late-night visits, and the way Lupin would gently pull the covers up over himself and Theo, tucking them in as if they were still little boys, and the way Snape would sometimes reach down and stroke their hair in a brief, affectionate caress if he thought they were asleep. It made him feel a little embarrassed, because at sixteen, he was probably too old to want to be tucked in and kissed goodnight by his parents, but he had found it comforting after everything he had endured during the last two years--being inducted into the Death Eaters, awakening the vampiric roses with his own blood, watching Karkaroff die, fighting in the final battle and watching his mother die... After all that, a part of him wanted to be protected and comforted like a small child once again.

But the other part of him--the part that was a teenage boy with very healthy teenage desires--had found it bit a frustrating. And of course there was even less privacy at Hogwarts; Dylan envied Blaise and Theo, who had their own room and could be together anytime they wanted. He thought, with a touch of ironic humor, that the other students would probably be shocked to learn that the playboy of Hogwarts School, son of the infamous Evan Rosier, was a virgin. It wasn't as if there hadn't been opportunities, particularly with the Slytherin girls; Snape was strict in the classroom, but he didn't closely monitor the romances that went on in the dorm, so long as they were discreet about it. But while Dylan had enjoyed flirting with all the girls, there had been only one that he truly wanted, and it had been unsafe to pursue her up until now.

But she was in his arms now, her lips soft on his. Her hair smelled sweet, like wildflowers, and he wondered if it was from the shampoo she was using, then wondered why he was thinking about shampoo at a time like this. He let his hand slowly slide up her waist and across her chest; he could just barely feel the curve of her breast through her thick winter robes. She trembled in his arms, but did not pull away...

And then he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and they hastily jumped apart. A moment later, Professor Sinistra reached the top of the landing and said, "Ah, good day, Mr. Rosier, Miss Granger."

"Good day, Professor," Dylan replied, trying to regain his composure; he could see out of the corner of his eye that Hermione looked red and flustered. "It's a little early for Astronomy Class, isn't it?"

"I just wanted to make sure that the telescopes were in good working order," Sinistra replied. "There is an interesting alignment of the stars tonight that I wished to show my third-year classes. And what are you two doing outdoors on a cold winter's day?"

"Just enjoying the view, Professor," Dylan replied innocently.

"It will be even better when the stars are out," Sinistra said. "You two are welcome to join my third-years tonight if you have the time. But make sure you bundle up; you're both looking a little flushed--I think you had best go back indoors for now. You wouldn't want to catch a cold, now would you?"

"No, Professor," Dylan and Hermione murmured obediently, then ran down the stairs together. As soon as they were out of earshot of the Professor, they burst into laughter.

"Well, scratch the Astronomy Tower as a trysting place!" Dylan said ruefully.

Hermione giggled nervously, her face still red. "I'm not sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved that the Professor interrupted us!"

For a moment, Dylan didn't didn't know whether to feel hurt or amused. Then he laughed; that was typical Hermione--honest to a fault! And in truth, it made him feel better to know that she was as inexperienced as he was. He had thought she had been seeing Viktor Krum during her fourth year, but it didn't seem like things had progressed very far between them; probably no farther than things had gone between himself and Lisa Turpin.

Feeling a little more cheerful, he slipped an arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. "We can take things slowly, Hermione," he said, although his body was not in complete agreement with that statement. He took a few deep breaths and used the calming techniques he had learned in his Occlumency lessons; that helped a little. "I don't want to rush you into doing something you don't want to do."

Hermione smiled at him gratefully. "I do want to..." She hesitated and blushed most prettily. "...be with you, Dylan. Eventually. But...properly. Not sneaking around up on the Astronomy Tower or under the Quidditch stands."

"You're right," Dylan said, repressing a sigh. "It should be something special--because you're special to me, Hermione." The words rolled off his tongue easily, partly because of his long-practiced charm, which had become second nature, but also because he sincerely meant them, even though he was a little disappointed about having their tryst cut short.

Hermione's warm smile made up for that disappointment. "I'm so glad you understand, Dylan."

"So, Miss Granger," Dylan said lightly, "will you grant me the honor of escorting you to the Yule Ball?"

"Of course, Mr. Rosier," Hermione said, with mock-dignity, pausing to curtsy to him, then giggled. "I wasn't really planning on going with anyone else."

Dylan bowed to her in a courtly manner. "A gentleman never takes a lady for granted. It is only right and proper to ask you formally." Then he grinned rakishly. "I wouldn't want some other guy stealing you from under my nose!" Parvati and Lavender had passed on some gossip to him, about a quarrel Ron and Hermione had once had over Hermione going to the Ball with Krum because Ron had failed to ask her until the last minute. Dylan didn't intend to make the same mistake.

Hermione smiled at him, looking very pleased. "A lady hates to be taken for granted. I would be honored to accompany you to the Ball. But for now...it's almost time for dinner; would you escort me to the Great Hall, Mr. Rosier?"

"It would be an honor, my lady," Dylan said, and gallantly held out his arm. She took it, and they strolled arm-in-arm through the castle and entered the Great Hall together. Every eye in the room was upon them, and they were both aware of it, but Hermione did not chide him for his vanity. She merely gave him an amused little smile and played along, holding her head up high, walking by his side as gracefully and regally as any pureblood lady. He stared at her admiringly, his silver-gray eyes filled with both laughter and awe, and felt even more in love with her then than he had before.

***

Lupin was disturbed by the undercurrent of suspicion and animosity running beneath the outward facade of peace among the students, while Snape was still troubled by the fact that they had never found the person responsible for the hex that had nearly killed Dylan. However, when no further incidents arose, they relaxed their guard a little and became distracted, as everyone else was, by the holiday flurry--there were tests to be given, papers to be graded, not to mention Christmas shopping to be done, and not enough time to do it in.

Lupin was sitting at the desk in Snape's quarters, bent over a piece of parchment, a look of intense concentration on his face. Meanwhile, Snape was testing his students' Hair-Raising Potions on Kiseki. He splashed a few drops of potion from one vial on the rat, and Kiseki's fur grew out long and luxurious, until he resembled a walking toupee. "Hmm, very good," Snape murmured, and marked down the student's grade in his notebook. He sprinkled a few more drops from the next vial on the hairy rat, and suddenly all Kiseki's fur fell out, leaving him pink and denuded. Snape shook his head and muttered, "Looks like we may have another Longbottom on our hands," and gleefully marked down a "0" next to the student's name--a Gryffindor, of course.

Kiseki let out a loud, indignant squeal, causing Lupin to look up. "For Merlin's sake, Severus, stop torturing my rat!" he scolded.

Snape shrugged and flicked his wand at the rat, who was quickly restored to normal. "I need to test the potions on someone," he pointed out, "and I thought it would be more humane than testing them on the students."

"Come over here for a moment and be helpful," Lupin ordered, sounding a bit distracted. "What should we get your mother for Christmas?"

"What does my mother have to do with your DADA assignments?" Snape asked. "Aren't you grading papers?"

"No, silly," Lupin said, gnawing on the end of his quill. "I'm writing out a Christmas shopping list."

"End of term is coming up soon," Snape said impatiently. "Don't you have more important things to be tending to?"

"But this IS important, Severus!" Lupin protested. "There's only one scheduled Hogsmeade day before school lets out and we go to Snape Manor--"

"Which is your fault for accepting Lady Selima's invitation," Snape pointed out.

"And that's just not enough to time get all our shopping done!" Lupin continued. "We need to at least place some orders ahead of time, and maybe pop in to Diagon Alley next weekend. I thought we'd get some new robes for Dylan--he's a bit of clotheshorse, and he needs something to wear to the Yule Ball, anyway. We should order those ahead of time, since they'll need to be custom-made. And I thought we should get Lukas a set of robes, too--he'll need some new clothing for his court appearance, anyway. I'm not sure what to get Theo; we already got him a broom for his birthday. Of course, he's so delighted to be your heir that I don't think he really cares what we give him, but I would like it to be something special. I was working on a carving for him, but I'm not sure I'll finish on time; things have been so hectic lately."

"Lupin--"

"Hmm," Lupin said thoughtfully, his expression brightening. "Since he took up carving this summer, we could get him a set of carving tools. And maybe an advanced text on runes, since he seems interested in pursuing that as a career."

"Lupin--"

"But I have no idea what to get for your mother," Lupin said, looking worried. "Something expensive and tasteful, of course, but the purebloods seem to have rather widely varied ideas about what they consider tasteful. What do you think?"

"LUPIN!" Snape shouted, and his lover finally stopped babbling. "I can't answer your question if you won't let me speak!"

"Sorry, Severus," Lupin said with a sheepish smile. "I guess I'm a little nervous. I want to make a good impression on your mother. So what do you think she'd like?"

"For me to a marry a pureblood woman," Snape replied sarcastically.

"Come on, Sev!" Lupin protested. "Be serious!"

"Well, how would I know, Lupin?" Snape sighed. "We've only just started speaking to each other again after being estranged for years."

"Well, what did you used to get her for Christmas when you were still living at home?" Lupin asked.

Snape shrugged. "An expensive scarf or piece of jewelry or bottle of perfume. It all seemed a little pointless, since I was buying my parents gifts with the allowance they gave me. I hated my parents, Lupin, so I didn't waste a lot of time worrying over whether they'd like my presents or not. And they always gave me the same thing for Christmas every year: new robes and a pouch of Galleons. Gift-giving at Snape Manor has always been very impersonal." Lupin sighed dispiritedly, and Snape regarded his lover curiously. "Why are you getting so worked up about this, Remus? You know my mother isn't going to approve of anything you give her."

Lupin sighed and laid down his quill. "I know Lady Selima barely tolerates me, and I know we have a lot of work to do here at school, and I shouldn't waste so much time fussing over a shopping list. But...it's our first Christmas together as a family, Severus. I want it to be special."

Snape looked at the wistful, anxious expression on his lover's face and felt his irritation vanish. He bent down and slipped his arms around Lupin and murmured, "Don't worry, Remus; everything will be fine." Lupin still looked a little worried, so Snape sighed and considered Lupin's original question seriously. "Well...my mother is fond of fine art," he finally said. "She was the one who initially invested in that art gallery that the Snapes own; it was sort of a pet project of hers."

"What sort of art?" Lupin asked, perking up a little.

"All sorts," Snape replied. "Paintings, tapestries, sculptures...but nothing too gaudy. She likes things that are simple, tasteful, and elegant." He thought further. "The Snape crest is a serpent, similar to Slytherin's. A sculpture or figurine of a snake or dragon would be in keeping with the decor at Snape Manor. Something Asian, perhaps..."

"Ah, yes!" Lupin said, his eyes lighting up. "I saw several items like that in one of the shops we visited while we were staying in Japan with Professor Kamiyama! I'll write and ask him for help. Which reminds me--we need to get the Kamiyamas something for Christmas."

"I'll order a jumbo box of assorted sweets from Honeydukes," Snape promised.

"Thank you, love," Lupin said, giving him a kiss. Then he picked up his quill and began composing a letter to Kamiyama.

Snape chuckled and let him be. If the werewolf was still neglecting his students' papers, well, at least he was happy. And then it suddenly struck Snape that Christmas was only a little more than two weeks away, and he hadn't decided what to get Lupin yet. He usually got Lupin robes for Christmas, but the werewolf was no longer impoverished and now had a respectable wardrobe. No, it should be something different, something special...something that showed Remus just how much he meant to Snape. It was their first Christmas together as a family, after all. Snape fretted over the matter for a few minutes, forgetting about the potions that he was supposed to be grading. Then suddenly an idea occurred to him, and he ran into the bedroom to compose a letter of his own.

***

Meanwhile, Aric walked into the Slytherin common room and found most of his housemates gathered around the couch. They were lining up to hand Pansy Parkinson coins while Millicent Bulstrode dutifully recorded the amount in a notebook.

"What on earth are you doing?" he asked.

"We're collecting money for Professor Lupin's Christmas present," Millicent informed him briskly. "How much shall I put you down for?"

"Count me out," Aric sneered. "I'm not buying anything for the werewolf!"

"But I want the present to be from everyone in Slytherin!" Pansy pouted. "I thought it would be nice to show the Professor that we think of him as one of us now."

"It can be from everyone but me," Aric said firmly.

"It's only because of Lupin's soft heart that Snape hasn't had you expelled yet, you know," Draco told him in a cold voice.

"So what?" Aric retorted, feeling a brief flicker of guilt, and then resentment towards Lupin for making him feel guilty in the first place. "I didn't ask him to do me any favors!"

"Aw, come on, Aric," Yvonne wheedled, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Just a token amount, say a Sickle or two, so that we can say it's from everyone."

"Are you all in on this?" Aric asked disgustedly.

"YES!" his housemates shouted emphatically.

"Shhh!" Pansy hissed. "If you make that much noise, the Professors will come to see what's going on, and this is supposed to be a surprise."

"I think you've all gone mad," Aric said, "and I don't want any part of it." He turned on his heel to walk away, but Serafina rose to her feet and pulled two gold coins out of her pocket.

"If you won't contribute anything," she threatened, "I'll put in these two Galleons in your name. And I'll make sure to tell Professor Lupin that you contributed them personally."

"Then I'll tell him you're lying!" Aric snarled. "You don't want to hurt your precious werewolf's feelings, do you?"

"It won't hurt his feelings," Serafina informed Aric calmly, "because I'll tell the Professor that you only said that because you're embarrassed that word got out. I'll tell him that you secretly enjoyed working at the werewolf clinic, and that you're grateful for all the times he defended you to Snape. I'll tell him that you only pretend to be mean to him to make Theodore mad, and because your family would disapprove of you befriending a werewolf." Aric stared at her, a look of horror filling his eyes, and she smiled at him maliciously. "And you know that Professor Lupin will believe it, because he always wants to believe the best of everyone. Or...you could hand over the money voluntarily, and we'll just sign the card 'from everyone in Slytherin House,' and I won't mention your name specifically."

Aric spluttered furiously, knowing he was trapped. "That's blackmail!" he shouted.

"That's the Slytherin way, Dietrich," Serafina replied serenely.

Aric reached into his pockets and flung down a handful of coins, without bothering to count them or see what they were. "There!" he snapped. "Now leave me alone!" Then he ran out of the room.

The remaining Slytherins stared at Serafina in awe. "That...that was magnificent, Avery!" Draco exclaimed.

"The most impressive bit of manipulation I've ever seen," Theodore agreed.

Dylan grinned mischievously. "Even better than the way Lupin manipulates Snape!"

Serafina smiled proudly, and the Slytherins burst into laughter. Pansy knelt down to pick up the coins on the floor. "Three Sickles and six Knuts," she said. "Bit of a cheapskate, but at least we can say everyone in Slytherin pitched in. Okay, let's get on with it! We've got to get the money collected and send in the order as soon as possible if we want the present to be ready before school lets out!"

***

Hagrid proudly told his seventh-year Gryffindor-Slytherin class, "I have somethin' special for yeh today."

"That sounds ominous," Draco muttered under his breath. "I wonder what it is this time--venomous snakes? Fire-breathing dragons?"

Harry and Ron glared at him, and Hermione hissed, "Shh!"

"Now be very quiet," Hagrid told the class. "Yeh don' want ter scare these little fellers." He led them behind his hut to a small enclosure that contained several small creatures frolicking in and around a small pool of water. They looked like round little furballs about the size of a Quaffle, with tiny, clawed hands and feet; pointed, fox-like ears; a thin, curly tail topped off with a tuft of fur that resembled a pompom; and large, round dark eyes that stared up at the students soulfully, as vulnerable and appealing as those of a puppy in a pet store begging to be chosen and taken home.

"Ooh," sighed Lavender. "They're so cute!"

"For once Hagrid chose nice animals," Parvati said, sounding surprised. "What are they?"

Hagrid very slowly and carefully picked up one of the creatures in his huge hands, and cradled it gently. "This is a Porvora," he said. "They're very rare."

"Porvora," Hermione said, frowning thoughtfully. "That sounds familiar; I'm sure I've read about it somewhere..."

"Porvora?" Draco cried, and the furball in Hagrid's hands started to quiver.

"Shhh!" Hagrid said, sounding alarmed, and gently stroked the creature, crooning, "There, there, it's all right."

Draco lowered his voice to a whisper, but still sounded frantic. "Porvoras are living bombs! How could you bring those things to Hogwarts? Are you trying to kill us?"

"Bombs?" Lavender said, her eyes going wide.

"I knew it was too good to be true," Parvati groaned.

"SHHH!!" Draco and Hagrid said in unison.

"Now I remember where I read about them," Hermione whispered. "Their blood is an ingredient in certain explosive potions. It's very difficult to gather, though, since the Porvora will explode if it feels frightened or threatened. Or if it gets too close to fire; it's highly flammable. Or an explosion can be triggered by a very strong vibration--"

"We get the picture, Hermione!" Ron hissed, looking very pale.

"For obvious reasons," Hermione finished, "they're very rare."

"I know," Hagrid whispered proudly. "I can't believe I was lucky enough ter get my hands on a whole family of 'em!"

"Does Dumbledore know you have these?" Aric whispered. "What if you blow up the castle?"

"That's why I'm keepin' 'em out here, away from the castle," Hagrid told him cheerfully.

"Oh great," Theodore grumbled softly, "so you'll just blow US up!"

"Nobody's goin' ter get blown up if yeh handle 'em properly," Hagrid replied. "Now, yeh handle 'em very gentle-like, and don' make any sudden moves or loud noises that might scare 'em. They usually live near water." He pointed at the pool. "That helps lower the chances of an accidental explosion."

Ron was making small whimpering noises, and Hermione said reproachfully, "Shh! You'll scare the Porvoras!"

"Yeh put earplugs in their ears at night," Hagrid continued, "so that they don' explode if some noise startles 'em and wakes 'em up suddenly. And--" He pulled a bar of chocolate out of his pocket, unwrapped it, and handed it to the Porvora he was holding, who immediately began nibbling on it. "Their favorite food is chocolate. But it has to be sweet milk chocolate, not bitter chocolate, or--"

"They might explode," Draco finished wearily, a glum expression of resignation on his face.

"Come on now," Hagrid said cheerfully. "All of yeh step up and take turns feedin' 'em."

"Do we have to?" Ron moaned softly.

The students reluctantly lined up and accepted the chocolate bars that Hagrid gave them, and fed the Porvoras. Lavender and Parvati very gingerly stroked the animals they were feeding, and the Porvoras made soft little purring noises.

"They really are cute," Parvati whispered. "It's too bad that they're...well..."

"Living bombs?" Draco finished sarcastically.

Theodore went to his father's quarters afterschool and indignantly reported that Hagrid was making them handle living bombs, but Snape's reaction was not quite what he had hoped for.

"Porvoras, hmm?" Snape murmured, an acquisitive gleam in his eyes. "They're extremely rare. I wonder if Hagrid would let me gather some of their blood?"

"Father!" Theodore protested in a wounded tone. "Aren't you worried about Hagrid blowing up your entire seventh-year Slytherin class, not to mention your heir?!"

"I notice you aren't worried about the Gryffindors," Lupin chuckled.

"Let McGonagall worry about them," Theodore said sulkily.

"Yes, yes," Snape said in a distracted tone. "I'll speak to the Headmaster about it. But I'd like to get some of their blood before Dumbledore makes Hagrid send them away."

"How do you gather Porvora blood, anyway?" Dylan asked curiously.

"Oh, it's not really that difficult," Snape replied. "Just feed it some chocolate laced with sleeping potion, take the blood while it's asleep, then treat the wound with a little healing salve so it won't feel any pain when it wakes up. The Porvora wakes up none the worse for wear, and doesn't even realize what's happened, so long as you don't take too much blood. Most of the explosive potion recipes only call for a small amount of the blood--a few drops, usually. It's very potent. Of course, you have to be very careful to store it properly so that it doesn't explode..."

"And why would you need to make an explosive potion, Severus?" Lupin asked.

Snape shrugged. "I don't need one now, but you never know when it might come in handy, Lupin. They can be used for benevolent purposes, you know--to excavate a mine or clear a rockfall, for instance." He looked over at his sulking son. "Just bear with it for a little while, Theodore; the term's almost over, anyway. As long as you handle the creatures gently and don't make any loud noises, it should be fine. I'll prepare some extra batches of healing potion and salve, just in case."

"That's very reassuring," Theodore muttered under his breath, and glared at Dylan, who fell over on the couch, laughing.

***

Lukas felt that his Physical Defense classes were progressing well--maybe a little too well. Some of the Gryffindor and Slytherin students seemed to take a little too much pleasure in beating on one another, but perhaps it was better for them to work out their frustration in the classroom than outside of it. At least there had been no further "pranks" played on either side since the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match. However, for today's exercise, he thought it would be best not to tempt fate, and paired up the students within their own Houses.

"Today," he announced, "we will try something new. You've done well in your physical combat exercises, but since you are wizards, it is far more likely that you will face magical rather than physical attacks."

"So what's the point of this class?" Aric grumbled under his breath.

"The point, Mr. Dietrich," Lukas said sternly, "is that you need to be able to fight even if you are disarmed of your wand. Your opponent will think you helpless, but you will not be, and that might give you enough of an advantage to gain the upper hand. So I will pair you off, and you will take turns attacking one another--one with magic, and one without. Stunning and blocking spells only, please--nothing dangerous, or you will spend what's left of the term in detention."

Lukas noticed that Daphne Greengrass seemed especially skittish and jumpy today; more so than usual, and he wondered what was wrong. He paired her off with Blaise, who was unusually gentle and patient for a Slytherin. She was able to dodge his spell, although she failed to disarm him of his wand, and when they switched places, he neatly sidestepped her spell, and knocked her wand out of her hand, but gently. Lukas suspected the boy was holding back a little, which normally he would not have approved of, but Miss Greengrass seemed to require a more delicate touch than the other students, so he let it slide. He could step things up after she acquired a little more self-confidence. In the meantime, Blaise seemed to be handling her well; he picked up the dropped wand and offered it to her with a friendly smile, and she tentatively smiled back.

There was an uneven number of Slytherins, so he sparred with Aric for a couple of rounds, but it wasn't really a fair contest, with Lukas's werewolf reflexes, so he began rotating the Slytherins, having them switch off partners. They seemed to be having fun; Pansy shouted triumphantly when she was able to stun Goyle, who just grinned good-naturedly when he was released from the spell. "Hah!" Draco said with satisfaction when he was able to lunge forward and knock Theodore's wand out of his hand before he could get his spell off.

Theodore rubbed his hand and gave him an only slightly grudging nod of respect. "Not bad, Malfoy," he said with a smile, "but you'll scandalize your bloodline, engaging in physical combat."

Draco just grinned and handed Theodore's wand back to him. "The Snapes are creating quite a scandal, themselves!" he said, and both boys laughed. Daphne seemed marginally less tense, although her offensive abilities were still far behind those of her classmates. She was actually quick and nimble on her feet, and good at dodging, but no good at attacking, her blows light and ineffective. As much as their ingrained pureblood arrogance annoyed him at times, Lukas felt a certain affinity towards the Slytherins, because they tended to be predators by nature, most often with the sly, calculating temperament of the serpent that was their House crest. Aric actually had a bit of wolfish nature in him, which Lukas found ironically amusing. But Daphne made him think not so much of a predator, but a spooked, frightened rabbit, which puzzled him. For one thing, he wondered how a rabbit had ended up in Slytherin, when she would have been more at home in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. And for another, he saw no reason for her fear. Her housemates were not particularly friendly to her, but neither were they hostile; for the most part, they simply ignored her, which seemed to be what she wanted.

Still, she seemed to have settled down a little, so he let the Slytherins continue rotating partners, and eventually she came face-to-face with Draco Malfoy. Lukas had turned his back on the Slytherins for a moment to dispell the Impediment Curse that Dean had hit Neville with, so he did not see how pale Daphne's face went when Draco raised his wand. He did, however, hear her scream, and turned around in time to see black ropes shooting out of Draco's wand and binding themselves around Daphne as she fell to the floor, screaming and struggling hysterically.

"Didn't I say stunning or blocking spells only, Malfoy?" Lukas asked irritably.

"It's just a binding spell," Draco protested. "It's purely defensive. Geez, Greengrass, there's no need to get so worked up about it! Finite Incantatum!" The ropes vanished, and Draco leaned down to give her a hand up.

Still blind with fear, Daphne didn't see that Draco was trying to help her, and when his hand brushed against her arm, she reacted instinctively and lashed out, striking him square in the nose with her palm. Draco let out a howl of pain and fell back on his rump, clapping his hands over his wounded nose.

"Hmm," Lukas murmured to himself, raising his eyebrows. "Pretty good reflexes. Maybe she just needs a sufficient spur of fear in order to attack effectively."

"Ow!" Draco wailed, as thin streams of blood trickled between his fingers. "I thing you broge my node!"

"What?" Goyle asked, scratching his head.

"'I think you broke my nose,'" Theodore helpfully translated.

Daphne blinked, seeming to come to her senses, and her eyes focused on the wounded Slytherin boy, then went wide with horror. "I--I'm s-sorry!" she stammered, then burst into tears and ran out of the room.

"What just happened here?" Lukas demanded of his class. The Gryffindors looked startled, but the Slytherins looked positively shocked, their jaws hanging open in disbelief.

"G-Greengrass hit M-Malfoy," Pansy stuttered.

"Yes, I can see that," Lukas replied sarcastically. "But her reaction seems a bit excessive. Accidents do happen from time to time in this class, and Draco's not the first person to suffer a bloody nose."

Which set Draco off again. "My node!" he wailed.

"It's not fatal," Lukas told him unsympathetically. "Mr. Snape, take him to the hospital wing."

"Yes, sir," Theodore said, looking a little amused, and led Draco out of the classroom.

"I can't believe she did that," Pansy said, still looking stunned.

"She's such a mouse," Millicent said. "Who would have thought she had it in her?"

Since he didn't seem to be getting any useful responses out of them, Lukas dismissed the class early and went to the dungeon to see if the Slytherin Head of House could shed some light on the matter.

***

"Well, at least we got out of class early," Pansy said as they filed out of the room.

"Guess we'd better go check on Draco," Crabbe said to Goyle, who nodded.

"Wait a minute!" Hermione cried. "Shouldn't someone make sure Daphne is all right?"

The Slytherins all stared blankly at her. "It was Draco got hit in the nose, not Greengrass," Goyle pointed out in a puzzled voice.

"I mean that she seemed very upset," Hermione said impatiently. "She ran out of the room in tears! You're her friends and housemates--shouldn't you be concerned about her?"

The Slytherins stared at each other. "She's a housemate, but she's not really our friend," Millicent said with a shrug. "We don't hang out together outside of class or anything."

"She's not really in the same social circle," Pansy added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked in a disgusted voice, and the girls blushed, looking a little ashamed themselves.

"Daphne kind of keeps to herself," Blaise said in a placating tone, although he looked a little guilty as well. "She's probably just worried that Draco will be mad at her. I'll go talk to him, and make sure he doesn't take it out on her. It was an accident, after all, and I'm sure he'll calm down once Madam Pomfrey heals him."

"Malfoy's no threat now, anyway," Aric said contemptuously. "He can't sic his daddy on anyone anymore."

"Oh, stuff it, Dietrich!" Crabbe told him.

"Never mind him," Blaise said. "Let's go check on Draco."

Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise went off in the direction of the hospital wing, while Aric, Pansy, and Millicent headed to the Slytherin dorm.

"You're such a git, Dietrich," Millicent said.

"Yeah, like you haven't thought Malfoy was full of himself at times?" Aric retorted.

"Well, the Slytherins don't seem too concerned about Daphne," Hermione said disapprovingly. "So you'd better go check on her, Ron."

"Me?" Ron protested. "Why me?"

"You know her better than the rest of us," Hermione pointed out logically. "She's been tutoring you afterschool."

"We only talk about plants," Ron argued. "It's not like we're friends or anything!"

"Besides, weren't you supposed to have a tutoring session after class today, anyway?" Hermione reminded him.

"Yeah, but I doubt she'll show up for it," Ron said dubiously.

"Well, go check," Hermione ordered. "Besides, she spends most of her free time in the greenhouses, anyway."

"How do you know that?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"I pay attention to what's going on around me," Hermione replied, in a slightly patronizing tone.

"Then why don't you go comfort her, if you know so much?" Ron grumbled.

"Oh, just go, Ron!" Hermione ordered impatiently.

"It's probably just what Blaise said," Harry told his friend. "You know how all the Slytherins used to be scared of Malfoy. Maybe it's just habit, you know, like the way I jump when Snape gives me the evil eye, even though I know he's not really a Death Eater now. Just go tell her that Zabini's going to calm Malfoy down."

"Okay," Ron sighed. "Will you two come with me?"

"She's kind of shy," Hermione said. "I think she might feel intimidated if all three of us are there. She's used to seeing you, Ron; I think it's best if you go alone." She gave him another impatient look when he hesitated. "It's not like there's anything to be scared of!"

"I'm not scared of her!" Ron said indignantly.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Hermione demanded. Harry just shrugged and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Fine," Ron sighed, and headed to the greenhouse.

***

Snape's final class of the day was exiting the room when Lukas reached the dungeon. "Severus?" he said. "I need to talk to you."

"Oh no," Snape sighed wearily. "What have my Slytherins done now?"

"It's Miss Greengrass," Lukas said.

Snape looked puzzled. "Miss Greengrass has never caused any trouble before; she's the meekest of my Slytherins."

Lukas explained what had happened in his class. "The whole thing doesn't make any sense; why on earth is she so jumpy? I know that people used to fear the Malfoys, but the other Slytherins don't seem to feel intimidated by Draco anymore. And how did such a meek girl ever wind up in Slytherin, anyway?" Lukas frowned. "She's always skittish, but she seemed more jumpy than usual today..."

Snape frowned in thought for a few moments, then comprehension filled his black eyes. "Ah," he said softly. "I think I know what the problem is. It's a very long story, Bleddri, that starts before the first war and the rise of the Death Eaters..."

***

Ron found Daphne in the greenhouse where they usually met for their tutoring sessions, kneeling on the ground weeping between rows of fragrant flowers. "Daphne?" he said softly, crouching down beside her.

She looked up at him and swiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm s-sorry Ron," she sniffled. "I don't think I can tutor you today."

"It's okay," Ron replied. "My Mimbulus plant is doing a lot better, and I think I've got all those 'wort' herbs down pat. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"I'm okay," Daphne said, still weeping.

"You don't look okay," Ron said skeptically, then grinned. "Punching Malfoy in the nose is not a big deal--I've wanted to do it lots of times myself!" Daphne started crying harder, and Ron said in alarm, "It was just a joke! Listen, if you're scared of Malfoy, don't be. Everyone knows what happened was an accident, and Zabini said he'd talk to Malfoy, make sure he doesn't give you a hard time about it. Besides, I know you lot used to be scared of Malfoy, but he can't really do anything to you now that is father is dead. If Malfoy gets out of line, let me know, and I'll take care of him!" Then Ron abruptly fell silent, wondering if he had really just offered to defend a Slytherin girl. Well, he supposed that Daphne was okay for a Slytherin...she didn't seem to be stuck-up like most of them were.

Daphne seemed just as surprised by Ron's statement as he was, startled enough to actually stop crying, which was a relief, although she didn't seem to be especially reassured by his words. Attempting to lighten the mood, Ron laughed--although it came out sounding a bit nervous--and said, "Or better yet, we'll tell Lupin, and he'll have Snape make Malfoy behave himself! According to Hermione, Lupin has Snape wrapped around his little finger--but don't tell Snape I said that, okay?"

That actually won a small smile from Daphne. "Okay," she said in a soft voice, then began wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve. Ron fished around in his pockets for a handkerchief, but came up with only a couple of Knuts, a piece of toffee that was somewhat squashed, a crumpled homework assignment that had come back with a less-than-satisfactory grade, and a stray chess piece he had found in the common room--but no handkerchief. His mum had told her children that they should always carry a clean handkerchief, and for once he wished he'd followed her advice.

"Sorry," he said apologetically. "I'd offer you a handkerchief if I had one. Guess you wouldn't want to blow your nose on my homework--although with the grade I got, that's all it's good for. Um...you could use my tie, I guess; it's okay, I've got extras."

Daphne giggled. "No, that's okay, Ron, but thank you very much." She gave her face one last swipe with her sleeve. "I'm okay now, really."

"So...what happened back there?" Ron asked hesitantly. "Why are you so scared of Malfoy?" She hesitated, and Ron's voice sharpened as he asked, "Has he done something to you?"

But Daphne shook her head and replied, "No, Draco's never done anything to me. He barely notices me, really. I'm...beneath his notice."

"So what's the problem?" Ron asked, feeling confused.

Daphne bit her lip and hesitated for a long time. At first he thought that she wasn't going to answer him, but she finally replied, "I've always been afraid of Draco and the other students who come from Death Eater families, because the Death Eaters killed my older brother exactly seventeen years ago today."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "But...you're a Slytherin! Was your brother a Slytherin, too?"

"Yes, but not all Slytherins supported the Death Eaters," Daphne replied, then sighed. "It's a very long story; do you really want to hear it?"

"Yes," Ron said. His curiosity was piqued; he knew that not all Slytherins were Death Eaters, but most of them had seemed to support, or at least failed to oppose Voldemort. And he was curious to know why Daphne had wanted to enter Slytherin if she was so afraid of the Death Eaters. Well, perhaps the Sorting Hat had put her in Slytherin against her will, but both Harry and Hermione said that they had asked the Hat to put them in Gryffindor, although the Hermione could also have gone into Ravenclaw, and the Hat had wanted to put Harry in Slytherin. From what Allegra had said about her own Sorting, it seemed that students often argued with the Hat about what House they should go into, and the Hat usually acceded to their wishes.

"The trouble all started during my grandmother's time," Daphne said. "When she was a young woman, just a year or two older than me, she became pregnant and refused to name the father, not even when her parents threatened to disown her. It caused quite a scandal, and people began spreading rumors that her mysterious lover might be a Muggle-born or a half-blood; Grandmother never confirmed or denied those rumors. In the end, my great-grandparents didn't disown her, because they had no other heirs, but from that day forward, our blood purity was in question, and our standing in society started to decline. My father suffered a lot of taunts and insults from his housemates in Slytherin when he went to Hogwarts. By the time my brother went to Hogwarts, things had died down a little, although people occasionally sneered at him behind his back. But he was handsome and charming--according to my parents, anyway; I never really knew him, of course--and he was fairly popular at school.

"By the time he graduated, the Death Eaters were openly at war with the wizarding world. My family wasn't important enough to be recruited by the Death Eaters; partly because we're not wealthy or powerful like the Malfoys, but probably also because of the rumors of our tainted blood. My family tried to stay out of the war; they didn't want to see people murdered, but they were afraid of what the Death Eaters might do if they supported Dumbledore--that would have been an instant death sentence. The Death Eaters hated the Muggle-born, but they hated purebloods who were 'traitors' even more. Most of the lesser Slytherin families were neutral during the war, you know--like the Pierces and the Zabinis. They were just as scared of the Death Eaters as anyone else."

"I didn't know that," Ron said, feeling a little surprised.

"Well, it's true," Daphne said. "But most of the Death Eaters were Slytherins, so people assumed that all Slytherins were Death Eaters, or at least Death Eater supporters."

"So...what happened to your brother?" Ron asked hesitantly.

"It was near the end of the war, when both sides were getting desperate," Daphne said. "Some of the Death Eaters came to my brother and asked him to join them. Well, maybe 'ask' is the wrong word--they told him to prove that his blood was pure by joining them in ridding the world of Mudbloods and half-breeds. He refused, so they killed him." Daphne's eyes filled with tears.

"So that's why you were so upset today?" Ron asked softly. "Because it's the anniversary of his death?"

"I never really knew him," Daphne said wistfully. "I mean, I was just a baby, so I don't remember him. But I almost feel like I do, because my parents told me so much about him, and I have lots of pictures of him." She tugged at a chain around her neck, and fished out a gold locket that had been tucked out of sight beneath her shirt and robes. She opened the locket, revealing a photo of a handsome young man with red hair who was holding a red-haired baby in his arms. "That's me and my brother, Gabriel," Daphne said. "He was supposed to be the heir to the Greengrass family, not me."

"I'm sorry," Ron said awkwardly.

Daphne closed the locket and slipped it beneath her shirt again. "My family was terrified that the Death Eaters would come back and kill the rest of us. Maybe they would have, eventually, if You-Know-Who hadn't been defeated. That's why I've always been scared of Malfoy and his gang, even though they never did anything to me. That's why my parents pulled me out of school last year, after the second prison break at Azkaban. I wasn't really sick; they just didn't want me at Hogwarts, in Slytherin House, while the Death Eaters were loose."

"Then why on earth did you become a Slytherin in the first place?" Ron asked. "Couldn't you have asked the Hat to put you in another House?"

"The Hat didn't want to put me in Slytherin," Daphne told him. "It said I should be a Hufflepuff. But everyone in my family has always been a Slytherin. All those insults that my dad had to put up with as a kid really bothered him. So it was important to him that we become Slytherins, to prove that our blood was pure."

"But Tom Riddle--You Know Who--was a half-blood," Ron protested, "and he was a Slytherin!"

"Yes, I read that in the Daily Prophet, after the war ended," Daphne said. "It's still hard to believe. Maybe he was, but at the time, no one believed that someone with Muggle blood would ever be admitted into Slytherin. After all, it was Salazar Slytherin himself who said that only purebloods should be taught magic."

"It must have been awful, living in that House and being scared all the time," Ron said sympathetically.

"It wasn't so bad at first, back when everyone thought You-Know-Who was dead," Daphne said. "I was quiet and tried not to attract attention to myself, and everyone pretty much left me alone. I didn't really have any friends, but no one bothered me, either. Then I started getting nervous, with all those strange things happening at school, with Professor Quirrell trying to kill Harry, and the Chamber of Secrets opening. And then me and my family got really scared when the Dark Mark was cast at the Quidditch World Cup, and it seemed like the Dark Lord really had come back."

"But now he's dead," Ron said gently. "For good, this time. I promise; I saw it happen."

"I guess, after all these years, it's hard to believe that I'm really safe," Daphne said quietly. "I mean, people thought he was dead before. And Draco and his friends are still here even though their dads are dead or in prison."

"I never thought I'd say this," Ron said, "but I think Draco is okay. I mean, I still think he's an obnoxious git--" Daphne smiled, just the slightest bit. "--but I don't think he's a Death Eater. And Dumbledore and Lupin and Blackmore all seem to think he's okay. I might suspect Lupin of being a little soft, but Blackmore--" Ron shuddered. "I don't think she'd hesitate to turn Malfoy into a toad if she suspected him of being a Death Eater."

Daphne's smile grew a little wider. "I guess you're right. I don't think a Death Eater would have saved Dylan's life at the Quidditch match, come to think of it, especially since he turned out to be a spy like Snape." She shook her head. "It's still hard to believe that Snape wasn't really a Death Eater."

"Same here," Ron agreed. "But Hermione swears she knew he was okay all along, and she never lets us forget it!"

"Why did Hermione think he was okay?" Daphne asked curiously.

"Well, actually she did suspect him at first, too," Ron said. "But then we found out that Dumbledore trusted him, and she figured that Dumbledore couldn't be wrong." Ron shrugged. "I don't know; I figure everyone can be wrong once in awhile, no matter how smart they are, but Hermione was convinced. And I think she actually liked Potions class, even though Snape was always mean to her. But Snape always hands out lots of homework, and Hermione just loves homework!" Daphne laughed, and Ron grinned. "Glad to see you're feeling better."

"I do feel a lot better now," Daphne said with a shy smile. "Thank you. It's been hard, not being able to talk about this with anyone. It's especially hard around Christmas; it's supposed to be a happy time of year, but my family always feels a little sad because it makes them think of Gabriel."

Ron suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable. "Uh...yeah, no problem. Are you gonna be okay now? I mean, if you're still worried about how Malfoy will act, maybe you could talk to Lupin or something--"

"I'm still a little nervous about facing Draco," Daphne admitted, "but I think I'll be okay. I'll apologize to him, and hopefully he won't be too mad."

"Listen, if he tries to shove you around, just punch him in the nose again!" Ron said firmly.

Daphne laughed again, then said in a more serious voice, "I can handle being shoved around, or being teased and called names. What I was really scared of was the thought of the Death Eaters or their allies coming after me and my family. But I'm not so scared anymore. Thanks again, Ron."

Ron felt a little weird about comforting a Slytherin girl, but on the other hand, it felt kind of nice to have helped someone. He'd been able to help someone, even if it was just by lending a friendly ear--not famous Harry Potter or brainy Hermione, but himself, plain old Ron Weasley. It felt good. "No problem," he said again.

"We could still have our tutoring session if you like," Daphne said hesitantly.

"Um...okay," Ron said, pulling out his Herbology text and settling more comfortably on the ground next to her. "I guess I could do with more studying; Mum will kill me if I flunk Herbology." He looked down at the scattered items he had pulled out while searching for a handkerchief, and began putting them back in his pockets. "Er...would you like a toffee?"

Daphne smiled and accepted the piece of candy.

Part 46

***

Afterword: I've created an Aftermaths gallery in my LJ Scrapbook where I uploaded a couple of pictures of the Porvoras, along with some character pictures. Back on Yahoo Groups, someone asked me how I pictured the characters, and I said that I saw Lukas as looking something like Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in LOTR (with blond hair, of course), and Aric as looking something like Chris Carmack (Luke in the TV series "The O.C.") with black hair. I couldn't find an actor who really matched Takeshi (although I suggested Japanese rock singer Hyde as a possibility), but I found a picture of the character Clow Reed from the Card Captor Sakura anime/manga that almost perfectly matches my vision of Takeshi. And of course I'm already using singer Ben Jelen as my icon for Theodore.