FIC: Aftermaths, Part 61

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 61
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: ~10,660
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: Lupin talks to Isabelle and reflects upon the past; Draco broods; and the Longbottoms hear some troubling rumors from their fellow Aurors.

Part 60 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

Lupin went for a stroll after classes were over one afternoon. Severus was busy testing potions, and the boys were doing some research in the library, so Lupin's time was his own. There was still snow on the ground, but the day was sunny and clear, much too nice to spend cooped up indoors. Besides, it was close to the full moon, and the wolf was feeling restless.

A few of the younger students were having a snowball fight in the courtyard, and Lupin smiled and waved at them as he passed by, but didn't stop to join in. After all the unpleasant excitement following the Quidditch match, things had finally begun to die down, and Lupin felt the need for a little peaceful solitude.

His meanderings took him by the lake, although he normally avoided it, since it tended to bring back unpleasant memories of the time that James and Sirius had attacked Severus there, and of how Lupin had failed to stop them. It did look very beautiful, though, with a sheet of glistening ice covering the water. He paused to admire the view, then noticed someone sitting on a large rock beside the lake. It was Isabelle Laroque, bundled up in thick, warm robes, staring out pensively across the frozen water, chin resting in her hands, elbows propped up on her knees. She didn't seem to notice him, and Lupin was suddenly struck by the thought that this was probably the first time that he had caught her in such an unguarded moment. Normally the Hufflepuffs were quite straightforward and open, but now that he thought about it, Isabelle reminded him more of the Slytherins and the way they tended to present a mask to the world. Isabelle was always smiling, always polite and respectful, yet Lupin never really knew what she was thinking, and he didn't know her any better than he had at the start of term. He hesitated for a moment over whether to intrude on her privacy or not, then decided that this might be an opportunity to get to know her a little better. He knew that Severus considered her a suspect in the string of pranks, although this was more guilt by association due to her uncles' murders and her friendship with Stewart than anything reflecting on her behavior, which was so far impeccable.

He walked forward and said, "Hello, Isabelle."

She looked up, startled, and said, "Oh, good afternoon, Professor. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you," Lupin said with a smile. "I tend to walk quietly; it seems to be a werewolf trait." She gave him a polite, noncommittal smile, and Lupin added, "You really shouldn't be out here alone this far from the castle. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, but with things the way they are now..."

Isabelle nodded and said, "I know, I'm sorry. I just wanted to be by myself for a little while and...think."

Lupin smiled. "I guess we had the same impulse, then. And I know it can be hard to find privacy in the dorms." He crouched down next to her, the wolf resting easily in what might have been an uncomfortable position for a human. "I'm sorry to intrude, but would you mind a little company?"

"Of course not," Isabelle said politely.

"Actually, in a way, I'm glad to have run into you out here," Lupin said. "We haven't really had a chance to talk. Your uncles were friends of mine..."

"Yes, you were all in the Order of the Phoenix. Maman--I mean, Mother told me."

"We can speak French if you like," Lupin said in that language, and Isabelle gave him another startled look. "My parents emigrated here from France before I was born," he explained, "and I grew up speaking French at home."

"Thank you," Isabelle replied, "but I should get used to speaking English now that I live in England."

"It's a big change, moving to a new country and a new school," Lupin said sympathetically. "It must be difficult, but you seem to have adapted very well."

"It wasn't really that hard," Isabelle said with a shrug. "Mother always wanted to come back to England someday, so we mostly spoke English at home, although of course I spoke French at Beauxbatons. She was overjoyed when the war finally ended, because it was always her dream that I be able to attend her old school."

"You must miss your friends at Beauxbatons, though," Lupin said.

"Yes, but I've made many new friends here," Isabelle replied. "Everyone in Hufflepuff has been very nice to me and tried hard to make me feel welcome."

"Loyalty to one's housemates is a Hufflepuff trait," Lupin said.

"Yes, that's what Mother said, too," Isabelle agreed. "I'm happy to be in Mother's House. Gabrielle is much more homesick than I am, and comforting her makes me miss home less, somehow."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lupin said. "But if you ever need someone to talk to, please feel free to stop by my office."

"Thank you," Isabelle said in a voice that was perfectly polite and respectful, yet managed to convey the impression that she was never going to take Lupin up on his offer. Lupin was disappointed, but he had encountered similar--and sometimes less polite--resistance when he had first tried to befriend the Slytherins. What puzzled Lupin a little was how cautious and guarded Isabelle was for a child who had not experienced the war firsthand. It was true that her uncles had been murdered by Death Eaters, but they had died before she was born. Also, Voldemort's reach had not extended as far as France, so she would have grown up in relative peace and safety. Of course, some of the French wizards and witches, such as Madame Maxime, had realized that Voldemort would eventually become a threat to them, too, if he was not stopped, but most of them had not even really believed that the Dark Lord had returned. Of course, Emilie had lived through the war, and had probably conveyed her fears to her daughter, but most people had a hard time truly believing in something they had never experienced themselves.

Isabelle stood up, and Lupin thought she was going to walk away, but she hesitated at the last moment and asked, "You said that you were friends with my uncles--can you tell me a little about what they were like?"

Lupin rose to his feet and walked alongside her as they slowly headed back to the castle. "Well, your Uncle Gideon was a Gryffindor, so I knew him a little better than Fabian, who was a Hufflepuff. Fabian was a typical Hufflepuff, serious and hardworking, steadfast and loyal. He would have given the last coin in his pocket and the clothes off his back to a friend in need. He was the oldest child, so perhaps that's why he was always so responsible. As for Gideon, he was impulsive and adventurous--perhaps a little too much so for his own good, like most Gryffindors. He tended to act on his impulses without stopping to think about them, like the time he was dating a girl in Ravenclaw and tried to sneak up to her room--by scaling the outside of the Tower, since he didn't have the password to enter the dormitory from inside the castle. He slipped and fell, but fortunately it was winter at the time, and the snow broke his fall, so he only suffered a broken leg. Professor McGonagall told him that she was sure he would have broken his skull as well, if it had not been so thick."

Isabelle actually giggled a little. "Mother said Uncle Gideon used to get into lots of mischief, but she never told me that story."

"Well, it happened before Emilie entered Hogwarts," Lupin said. "How is your mother doing, Isabelle? I didn't have much of a chance to speak to her at the Yule Ball."

"She's very happy to be back home, sir," Isabelle replied. "She's spending a lot of time getting caught up with some of her old friends."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lupin said. "And your father? How is he adjusting to life in England?"

"Papa worked at the French branch of Gringotts, and he was able to get a transfer here," Isabelle replied. "He says that as long as Mother is happy, he's happy, too."

"He must love her very much," Lupin said.

Isabelle smiled, with a little more warmth than she normally showed. "Yes, he adores Mother. Papa says he fell in love with her at first sight." By this time, they had reached the castle, and Isabelle said, "Well, thank you for walking me back, Professor. I promise I'll be more careful next time."

She headed off in the direction of the library, and Lupin headed to his quarters, lost in thought. Isabelle's guardedness bothered him, because it indicated that she might have something to hide. It could be merely the natural reserve of a student adjusting to a new school, but Lupin thought it was more than that. And if she was hiding something, was it a personal problem, or was she really involved with the pranks that had hurt Dylan and Theo? It was difficult to picture the quiet, well-behaved Hufflepuff girl casting hexes that could hurt, possibly even kill someone. She had never even expressed any suspicion or hostility towards the Slytherins--but was that suspicious in itself, considering her family history? Lupin sighed; distrust and paranoia were more Severus's forte. Lupin cared about all his students, and he hated regarding them as suspects. Even during the last months of war, knowing that some of the Slytherins had grown up being indoctrinated by their Death Eater parents, he had still steadfastly believed in them even when some of his fellow Order members expressed doubt, as if by believing in them, he could make them believe in themselves. And it seemed to have worked; none of the Slytherin children had gone over to the Death Eaters in the end. So why was keeping the peace proving to be harder than winning the war? And these mysterious pranksters--Lupin was torn as to what he should be doing about them. The teacher in him felt that he should try to win them over and make them see the error of their ways, but the wolf simply wanted the threat to its cubs gone. Severus would certainly have no qualms about expelling the pranksters at the very least if he could catch them, while Lupin was loathe to simply write off them off, as so many people would have written off Draco and the other Death Eaters' children as lost causes. On the other hand, it certainly wasn't fair to put the other students at risk. Of course, this was all a moot point right now, since they didn't know who the pranksters were--at least, not for sure, although Severus had a few suspects in mind.

Lupin's thoughts drifted back to the Prewett brothers, Gideon in particular. What he had told Isabelle was true: Gideon had been impulsive, nearly as reckless as the Marauders. He had been a kind boy, so he had never pulled any mean-spirited pranks as James and Sirius sometimes had, but he had been just as heedless of the consequences of his actions as they had been. Gideon had been more than willing to risk his life by joining the Order of the Phoenix, but Lupin didn't think that he had ever stopped to consider that he might be risking his family's safety as well, although he thought perhaps Fabian had, judging by the worried, brooding look that had often been on his face. Of course, someone had to accept the risks, or there would have been no one to fight the Death Eaters. Most of the Order members had been aware of those risks, and had taken what steps they could to protect their families, although those efforts had not always been successful--the Death Eaters had managed to slaughter Edward Bones's family and nearly the entire Potter clan. Lupin had talked things over with his parents before he joined the Order, and they had given him their blessing and told him to do what he must. But Gideon had never quite lost his youthful idealism, and had seemed convinced that the nobility of their cause would somehow protect him, despite the ample evidence to the contrary. That had worried Lupin, because he was afraid that it made Gideon take chances that a more cautious person would not, because he was convinced that good would always triumph in the end. Lupin had tried several times to disabuse Gideon of the notion that life was like a heroic ballad or tale--and in any case, many of those heroes died at the end of the story--but he had never been successful, and he often wondered if that had contributed to Gideon's death. Maybe Lupin was being unfair; Gideon and Fabian had been outnumbered five to two, tough odds for even the best of mages, and had fought bravely up until the very end.

But still, Lupin couldn't help but wonder if Gideon's recklessness had put the brothers in a dangerous situation. And for the first time, he wondered if the Prewett family--or the other Order members' families, for that matter--had ever resented their loved ones for putting them in danger. It wasn't really fair to make your relatives a target when they hadn't signed up for this fight, but on the other hand, it wasn't really fair to preserve their safety at the cost of innocent lives. How many more people would have died if the Order had not stepped up to combat the Death Eaters? Lost in thought, Lupin walked through the dungeon without paying attention to his surroundings...

***

"Oh, I'm sorry, Draco!" Lupin exclaimed as he nearly collided with the Slytherin boy in the hallway. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's okay, Professor," Draco said. "Neither was I."

Lupin gave him a vague, distracted smile, and continued on his way, and Draco felt a little hurt, somehow. In the past, Lupin would have noticed that he was brooding, stopped to ask him what he was thinking so hard about, and perhaps invited him in for a cup of tea. When Draco was still a Death-Eater-in-waiting, Lupin had worked hard to win his trust and friendship. Maybe now that there was no danger of Draco becoming a Death Eater, there was no need for Lupin to befriend him. But as soon as that thought entered his head, Draco knew that it wasn't really fair. Lupin had continued to look after him after the war ended, and had invited him to visit during the summer; Draco knew that it was partly Lupin's doing that Dylan and Theodore had decided to remain friends with him. It was only natural that Lupin was a little distracted these days, along with Snape; their son had nearly been killed less than two weeks ago. It was stupid to feel hurt just because Lupin and Snape were concerned about someone besides him.

Except that Draco didn't have a father to worry about him. Not that he had ever been his father's main concern. He had thought differently once, but after his father had tried to use him as a shield during the final battle with the Order, it had become painfully clear that Lucius Malfoy's number one concern was himself. Draco rated a poor second at best, and probably not even that. Draco knew that his mother loved him, of course, but she was going through a hard enough time as it was, and he didn't want to burden her further by whining about his hurt feelings. It would make her feel guilty that she had killed Lucius--even though he deserved it, the bastard--and the fact that Draco was no longer Snape's favored student would probably only remind her about their loss in status. Draco was the Lord of the Malfoy estate now; it was his job to be the man of the family and protect his mother.

But it still bothered him that he wasn't really first in anyone's thoughts but his mother's. He was no longer Snape's favorite, but just another Slytherin. He still sort of retained the same circle of friends, but he was no longer their leader. In fact, it was more like they let him hang out with them, and he doubted that they would really miss him if he was gone. Crabbe and Goyle were best friends, as were Damien and Dylan, and Theo and Blaise. For the first time, it dawned on Draco that he didn't really have anyone he could call a best friend. He had never minded the lack before, but now it made him feel lonely. Well, there was Serafina...but he wasn't sure if she counted as a "best friend," since he still wasn't sure how she felt about him. He had confided in her, even confessed his love for her (although under the influence of the spiked punch), but she mostly listened and rarely said much in return. Hell, she probably liked the damn cat better than she liked him!

{I can't believe I'm jealous of a stupid cat!} Draco thought to himself in disgust.

***

The other Slytherins noticed that Draco seemed rather moody and out of sorts that evening. Pansy still felt a little sorry for him, because of the way that the other pureblood families, including hers, had turned their backs on the Malfoys after the war, so she tried to distract him with a little gossip. "Do you know what I've heard?" she asked in a conspiratorial tone.

"No, what?" Draco asked without much enthusiasm.

"That Master Bleddri--I mean, Master Diggory--has a girlfriend!"

The other Slytherin girls immediately clustered around Pansy, squealing, "Really? Who is it? Someone from the school?"

Draco snorted. "Oh please! Most of the female teachers are at least twice his age! Can you really picture him dating, say, McGonagall?"

"Well, Professor Blackmore's young and pretty, but she's married," Yvonne said.

"Not to mention scary," Damien added.

"And she only looks young," Draco interjected. "She taught our parents, remember?"

"Could it be Professor Sinistra?" Millicent mused out loud. "Come on, Pansy, tell us who it is!"

Pansy smiled, pleased to be the center of attention. She also noticed that her tactic seemed to have worked and distracted Draco from whatever had been bothering him. "Well, I don't really know who it is," she said, "but I don't think it's a teacher. My mother was having lunch at the Leaky Cauldron the other day, and she heard that Master Diggory always comes there after his court sessions and rents a private room. And that a mysterious lady always meets him there."

"Maybe it's just his lawyer," Dylan suggested practically. "It would be natural for them to discuss the case over lunch, and they probably wouldn't want everyone listening in on their conversation. By any chance, is this mystery lady a pretty woman with red hair?"

"No one knows!" Pansy said, taking great satisfaction in refuting Dylan's suggestion. How boring and unromantic it would be if Master Diggory were merely having a business lunch! "The lady always hides her face and wears a hooded black cloak. His lawyer wouldn't need to disguise herself, now would she? Nor would she have to sneak up to his room; she would just come in openly with him. From what my mother heard, Master Diggory always comes alone, and the lady meets him later."

"Your mother hears a lot of gossip," Aric said sarcastically.

"Yes, she does," Pansy said proudly.

"That wasn't really a compliment," Aric muttered under his breath.

"Do you think Master Diggory is seeing a married woman?" Yvonne asked eagerly. "Why else would she have to disguise herself?"

"Hmm, that's true," Damien mused. "He's single, so there's no reason why he couldn't openly date a single woman."

"Maybe it's someone who doesn't want to be seen in public with a werewolf," Millicent said. "Say, a pureblood woman whose family might object."

"I don't think Bleddri's had much chance to meet many pureblood women," Draco said skeptically.

"Diggory," Brad corrected. "He's changed his name, remember?"

"Maybe Master Diggory and his hypothetical girlfriend just don't want people gossiping about them," Theodore said pointedly.

"Too late!" Pansy said cheerfully, and the other Slytherins laughed.

"Well, if he's trying to hide his affair, he's doing a piss-poor job of it," Damien said with a grin. "I would've expected him to be a bit better at sneaking around, from the rumors I've heard about his shady past."

"I still think it must be a pureblood," Millicent insisted.

"What pureblood woman would date a werewolf?" Yvonne asked, and the Slytherins all looked at each other. "Well...okay, Professor Snape is a pureblood, and he's living with Professor Lupin," Yvonne admitted. "But he's not a woman."

"Same principle, though," Dylan said. "Of course, the Professor doesn't really care what anyone else thinks of him, which is sort of rare for a pureblood..."

"Hey, I heard that your mum danced with Master Diggory at the Yule Ball!" Patrick said. "Maybe she's his mysterious girlfriend!" Everyone in the common room laughed uproariously at the idea of snooty Narcissa Malfoy dating a werewolf.

"Watch your mouth, brat!" Draco snapped. "That's my mother you're talking about!" But even he couldn't help but laugh a little at that outrageous suggestion. Neither he nor any of the other Slytherins stopped to think that just a year ago, they would have found the idea of Snape dating Lupin just as preposterous.

***

Frank and Alice Longbottom returned to work at the Ministry in early February. After finally being restored to sanity after the deaths of Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange, they had spent several months recuperating and getting up-to-date on everything that had happened while they were incapacitated, not to mention taking some time to get to know their son, who was a virtual stranger to them. But now that Neville was at school, they no longer wanted to sit around the house doing nothing but getting caught up on past history and mourning the years they had missed seeing their son grow up. The Healers at St. Mungo's cautiously pronounced them fit to return to duty, but suggested that they be kept on office duty until they got "back on their feet again." The Longbottoms did not object, as even doing paperwork was preferable to brooding at home, and gladly returned to work.

Their colleagues greeted them warmly, but the ones who had known them during the first war were a little shocked by how frail they looked, and thought to themselves that perhaps the Healers were not being overcautious, after all. They were in their early forties, but their hair had gone almost completely gray, and they looked worn and haggard. But color and animation gradually filled the Longbottoms' faces as they talked with the other Aurors about their current cases, and their old friends exchanged quick glances of relief; work was probably the best medicine for whatever ailed them.

"Things are fairly quiet right now," Kingsley Shacklebolt said. "Rabastan Lestrange is still at large, of course--" The Longbottoms' faces paled, and he hastily added, "But he seems to be lying low, and is too busy hiding to cause any trouble at the moment." Kingsley motioned to a large stack of paper on his desk. "I could really use some help sorting through the rumors and tips we've received as to where he might be, but if it brings back bad memories..."

"No one wants to see Lestrange caught more than we do," Frank said firmly. "We'll be happy to do anything we can to help." Alice nodded in agreement.

Kingsley handed them the stack of paper. "I'm afraid that most, if not all of these, are probably nonsense. We haven't had one firm lead yet so far."

"We'll sort through them," Alice said, "and see if we can find anything that looks promising enough to follow up on."

"You can't really say it's quiet, now can you, Shacklebolt?" Williamson said sharply. "Or is a Death Eater sighting at Hogwarts no big deal to you?"

"That's funny," Kingsley retorted. "As I recall, few years back, when a real Dark Mark was conjured at the Quidditch World Cup, you and the rest of the Fudge's cronies swore up and down that Voldemort could not possibly have returned. Now some child pulls a nasty prank and suddenly you're seeing Death Eaters behind every corner."

Williamson's face turned red with anger, but before he could respond, Dawlish said in a quiet but cold voice, "Perhaps now it is you who refuses to see the truth, Kingsley. Maybe it was merely a prank, maybe not, but would it not be wise to at least consider the possibility that this might be a serious threat?" He turned to glance at the Longbottoms. "Especially since the culprit tried to implicate Frank's and Alice's son?"

"We are looking into it," Tonks assured the Longbottoms. "In fact, we're going to meet with a friend of Lukas Bleddri--er, I mean, Diggory--who might be able to help us track down the tape recorder that was used in the prank." She gave Dawlish, Williamson, and Kingsley stern looks. "Let's not forget that we're all on the same side and that we're all supposed to be working together. And let's not forget to keep an open mind. The false Dark Mark could have been cast by a Death Eater sympathizer, but it could also have been cast by someone who wants to make the Slytherins look bad, perhaps someone who lost a loved one in the war and wants to cause trouble for the Death Eaters' children in revenge."

"Let me take a wild guess," Williamson said sarcastically. "Was that Professor Snape's theory?"

"It is, and I think it's valid," Tonks said in a level voice. "I also think it's possible that the culprit might be trying to harm Severus personally, through his students in general and his sons in particular."

"I still think it would do more good to search the students' rooms--the Slytherin students in particular--than to try and track down the Muggle device," Dawlish said impatiently.

Tonks glared at him. "You already searched the homes of the Death Eaters quite thoroughly during the summer and confiscated a few Dark Magic books and artifacts, but found nothing to implicate their children. Actually, I wouldn't mind searching ALL the dorms, but you know we can't do so without a warrant. Besides, I think the culprit is smart enough not to keep any evidence lying around in their room--that's why they used someone else's wand to conjure up the false Mark." She smiled at Frank and Alice. "Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this eventually--er, no pun intended."

She and Kingsley left, and Dawlish said to the Longbottoms, "Tonks means well, but I think her judgment might be a little clouded by her friendship with Snape and Lupin. And of course her cousin Sirius Black is Lupin's best friend, not to mention Narcissa Malfoy's cousin."

Frank and Alice frowned, looking uncertain and a little confused. "Sirius had cut off all ties to his family back in the old days," Alice said.

"He's reconciled with them," Dawlish explained. "Believed he could help Narcissa and her son reform, I think. A noble goal, but--" He shrugged. "Call me a cynic, but I'm not so sure that people like that can really change. I think his marriage to Branwen Blackmore might have influenced him; the Blackmores always had strong ties to the old Slytherin families."

"I never doubted Branwen's loyalty, despite her strange ways and her family's reputation," Frank said. "She risked her life many times during the war."

"But what a shock," Alice said, "to find her returned from what we thought was certain death, looking as if she hadn't aged a day!" She smiled, a sad and ironic smile. "While we awoke to find ourselves looking so old and our baby boy nearly a man, like those fairy tales where someone falls into an enchanted sleep and wakes up a hundred years later to find that everything around them has changed."

"Well, at least it was only fifteen years and not a century," Frank said comfortingly. "Most of our family and friends are still alive, and we still have time to get to know our son."

"Yes," Alice agreed softly, "we can be grateful for that. I thank Merlin every day that Neville grew up safe and healthy. My last conscious thought was that the Lestranges might find and hurt our baby."

"Your son has grown up into a fine young man," Dawlish said politely, and Alice smiled.

"We're very proud of Neville, of course," Frank said. "But this recent incident at Hogwarts worries me; I always thought the school was a safe place."

"How can it be, with Death Eaters' children among the students, and the Head of Slytherin a former Death Eater himself?" Williamson asked.

"It was a shock," Frank said, frowning, "to find out that Snape was actually a double-agent. I had always assumed he was a true Death Eater, but Albus trusts him, and I'd trust Albus with my life."

"I have nothing but respect for Albus Dumbledore," Dawlish said, "but no one is infallible. Even Dumbledore can make mistakes: he thought that Black was a traitor, same as the rest of us, and a Death Eater posing as Mad-Eye Moody taught at Hogwarts undetected for nearly a year."

"Neville says that Snape is a harsh teacher, but that he respects him and has learned a great deal from him," Alice said uncertainly. "Do you truly believe that Snape's loyalty is suspect?"

"I think it is wise to be cautious," Dawlish said. "Someone who has changed sides once can easily do so again. And he seems to be looking after the children of his former comrades very closely; he has even adopted two of them. Don't you find that a little strange, that he would be so concerned about the children of his enemies, or that they would allow themselves to be adopted by the man who betrayed their fathers?"

The Longbottoms looked concerned, but remained silent, and Dawlish decided not to press the point. He had planted a seed of doubt in them, and that was enough for now. He didn't want to alienate them by pushing too hard.

Later, the four Aurors had lunch in the cafeteria. They had just sat down to eat, when a glum-looking Amos Diggory walked by, carrying a tray. "Amos!" Dawlish called, waving at him. "Care to sit with us?"

Amos came over to their table and pulled up a chair. "Hello, Amos," Alice said, smiling at him pleasantly. They had been friendly in the old days, though not especially close.

Amos smiled wanly in return. "Hello, Alice, Frank," he said. "It's good to see you back at work."

"Thanks, Amos, it's good to be back," Frank replied. "How are Helen and Ced--" He cut himself off, looking horrified. He had nearly forgotten that the Diggorys' son had been killed three years ago. He had been informed of it, but it still didn't seem real to him. The years in St. Mungo's were like a blurry dream, and in his mind, Cedric was still a toddler, happy and healthy. He often had to stop and consciously remind himself that fifteen years had passed since the time he last remembered. "Oh God, Amos, I'm so sorry!"

"It's all right, Frank," Amos said, looking sad but sympathetic. "I know it must be difficult for you. Helen and I...we miss Cedric, of course, but we've come to terms with his death. Our nephew, Tristan, has been a great comfort to us, but now..." He sighed heavily.

Frank and Alice looked uncomfortable. They had read in the Daily Prophet that Amos was being sued by his late brother's son, but were not sure how to react or whose side to take. It was yet another shock, to discover that Cyril Diggory was not only still alive, but that he was a werewolf.

Dawlish and Williamson had no such doubts, though; their sympathies lay firmly with Amos. He was a colleague at the Ministry and the head of a respected pureblood family. Also, the fact that Lukas Bleddri/Cyril Diggory was not only a werewolf but a friend of Severus Snape did nothing to endear him to them. "It's shameful, that the werewolf's lawsuit even went to trial in the first place!" Dawlish declared. "The court should have dismissed it out of hand!"

"Absolutely!" Williamson agreed. "But I'm sure that you'll win the trial, Amos. There's no way they'll ever hand the title over to that werewolf!"

Frank and Alice exchanged another uneasy look. In the past, they had regarded werewolves as creatures to be feared or pitied (or perhaps both), depending on the circumstances, but they had not given much thought to the matter, since they had not known any werewolves personally--or so they had thought. Yet it seemed that Remus Lupin had been a werewolf all along, and he was one of their former comrades, someone they liked and respected. And even stranger was the fact that Remus and Snape were lovers, and had apparently scandalized the wizarding world by making their relationship public!

"Is there no other way to resolve this, Amos, no compromise that can be reached?" Alice asked gently. "In the past, a werewolf was a danger to himself and the people around him, but Albus says that is no longer the case, due to the new Wolfsbane Potion..."

"I appreciate your kind thoughts, Alice," Amos said, a stubborn, implacable look on his face, "but there can be no compromise between myself and my...nephew." He grimaced as he said the word, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "He is determined to revenge himself upon me; he has gotten it into his head that I am somehow responsible for his father's death. Cynric and my parents had a very...adversarial relationship, shall we say, and Cyril grew up with a rather distorted image of our family. His father taught him to regard me and my parents as the enemy, I'm afraid."

"And the Wolfsbane Potion does not make werewolves safe, precisely," Dawlish added. "It allows the werewolf to remain sane during the full moon, but it does not halt the transformation or render the werewolf's bite harmless. The werewolf is not compelled to bite, that is true, but could still bite and infect a victim if he or she chose to do so."

"But surely no sane person would want to deliberately infect someone!" Frank exclaimed.

"One could just as easily say that no sane person would want to practice the Dark Arts and murder people," Dawlish pointed out. "And yet You-Know-Who had no trouble recruiting Death Eaters."

"Werewolves are Dark Creatures," Williamson declared. "It's in their nature to kill. I don't trust them, equal rights bill or not."

"But they helped fight the Death Eaters, didn't they?" Alice asked.

"That is true," Dawlish reluctantly agreed. "But I think that they are still dangerous. People capture and train lions and tigers to perform in zoos and circuses, for example, but they are still wild animals and can never truly be tamed. Even if they're born in captivity, there is always the danger that they will turn on their trainer without warning. I think we need to be cautious of the werewolves in the same way. Bleddri's pack did something astonishing that I had never seen before--they were able to provoke a transformation when the moon was not full. And--I was glad that they were fighting on our side, because it made me shudder to watch them. I saw one of them tear out a man's throat with a single bite; I saw several of them band together to fell a giant, as a normal pack of wolves might bring down a deer. Imagine what would have happened if they had lost control of themselves and turned on their allies! Imagine the threat they could pose if they could change at will and consciously direct their attacks! Just a single rogue werewolf could do incredible harm, and a whole pack of them--I don't even want to think about it!"

"But surely it's not fair to condemn them just because they have the potential to become a danger," Alice objected. "Any human wizard is potentially a danger, after all, if they choose to turn to the Dark Arts and use their magic for ill."

"That is true," Dawlish said placatingly. "I'm not saying that they should all be imprisoned or anything like that." Amos said nothing, but the expression on his face made it plain that it would be perfectly fine with him if all werewolves were locked up. "However," Dawlish continued, "I think it unwise to dismantle the Werewolf Registry. At the very least, we ought to keep track of them to make sure they're taking their potion and not posing a threat to anyone."

"I don't know what to think," Frank sighed. "So much has changed; it's a lot to take in all at once."

Dawlish changed the subject, much to the Longbottoms' relief, and they talked of pleasant, trivial matters for the rest of their lunch hour. But the doubts that Dawlish, Williamson, and Amos had raised still remained. When Frank and Alice returned home, they went through some of Neville's letters, scrutinizing them more carefully for mentions of his teachers. He had nothing but praise for Lupin, who was "the best teacher in the school" as far as Neville was concerned; he said that Lupin's classes were always interesting and fun. He was less enthusiastic about Snape, but they detected no hint of fear or hostility in Neville's letters: "Snape is pretty hard on the Gryffindors, but I think he likes Hermione--he actually gave her ten points in class today, and Snape never gives points to the Gryffindors! Of course, she is dating his foster son, and Hermione and Dylan are his top Potions students...We got word that Professor Snape's father died today. I never liked Snape much, to be honest, but I felt sorry for him; he turned white and looked like he was going to faint. Hermione says that Snape was estranged from his family for a long time. I wonder if he regrets that now? I hope he got to make up with his dad before he died...Today Snape said, 'You seem to have brewed your potion adequately today, Longbottom'--that's high praise, coming from Snape, at least for me! I'm a little worried about my Potions N.E.W.T., but I think I'll do okay. I haven't made any mistakes in Potions class since the start of term, when I almost messed up the Fire Shield Potion." As for the Physical Defense instructor, Neville's letters said, "Master Bleddri is a tough teacher, but at least he's fair. He didn't go to Hogwarts, so he doesn't play favorites with the Houses like some of the other teachers do. I'm not really that good at the physical combat--not like Harry is, anyway--but as long as you work hard and try your best, he doesn't scold you. But I like his Interspecies Relations class much better. We're learning lots of interesting things about werewolves, and about other types of non-humans, too."

"Well, at least Neville doesn't seem to be afraid of either Snape or Cyril Diggory," Alice said. "Although he might be holding back, not wanting to worry us. He didn't tell us about the threatening note that was sent to Harry Potter, after all. We only learned about it from the other parents at the Quidditch match."

"Albus swears that they're both trustworthy," Frank said. "I don't want to question his judgment, but..."

"Perhaps we could go to the school and have a friendly chat with Remus," Alice suggested. "Just to catch up on old times and discuss Neville's progress. And perhaps get some insight into Snape and Diggory."

"He's likely to be biased, from what Dawlish said," Frank replied.

"Yes, well, Richard seems to be a bit biased himself," Alice said dryly. "Perhaps by hearing from both sides, we might be able to get a more realistic picture and draw our own conclusions."

***

So they made an appointment to see Professor Lupin in his office the following afternoon. "Frank, Alice, how good to see you!" Lupin said warmly.

"It's good to see you too, Remus," the Longbottoms replied. Lupin shook Frank's hand and gave Alice a kiss on the cheek, then motioned for them to take a seat.

Lupin poured tea for everyone and set out a plate of cookies. "So what can I do for you today?" he asked cheerfully.

"We just wanted to check up on Neville," Alice said casually. "I suppose we're being a little overprotective, but...well..."

"No one could blame you for that, after being parted from your son for so many years," Lupin said kindly. "If I were separated from Theo and Dylan..." His voice trailed off, and he turned a little pale. Then he quickly shook his head and smiled again. "But we were talking about Neville," Lupin said briskly. "I assure you that he's doing extremely well in my class. I don't have any doubt that he'll pass his Defense Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T. with flying colors. I believe he's doing fine in his other classes as well, although you'd have to ask Professor McGonagall for more details."

"And there have been no other...ah...incidents since the Quidditch match?" Frank asked.

"No," Lupin replied in a more serious voice. "I don't blame you for being worried--many of the other parents have already expressed their concerns in much more vocal terms. But I promise we're doing everything that we can to protect the students. We've set a curfew so that the students won't be wandering around after hours, and the teachers are taking turns patrolling the halls in the evening."

"But you still haven't caught the person who cast the Dark Mark at the match," Frank said.

Lupin sighed wearily. "No, we haven't, and I am just as concerned about it as you are. I have two sons attending Hogwarts myself now, and both of them were injured by these vicious pranks. There has been a great deal of hostility directed towards Slytherin by certain members of the other Houses, and I'm almost sure that's the motivation behind these pranks. I remember how nasty the House rivalry could get at times when I was a student, and things have been exacerbated by the war. I thought things would get better after the war ended, and they have, a little, but I suppose that there are still many unhealed wounds."

"Your sons?" Alice said, sounding a little surprised.

"Well, technically they're my foster sons, but I think of them as my own," Lupin said, smiling proudly. He pulled a slim folder out of one of the drawers in his desk; it contained photos clipped from the school paper, of two boys playing Quidditch, and a picture of one of the boys posing with a girl at the Yule Ball. "This is Dylan," Lupin said, pointing at the latter picture; the boy was stunningly handsome and bore a strong resemblance to Evan Rosier. He pointed at another picture, this one of a lanky, dark-haired boy on a broomstick holding a Quaffle. "And this is Theo." Lupin looked thoughtful and said, more to himself than to his companions, "Hmm, we ought to take an official family photo, maybe I should talk to Colin about that..."

"Dylan Rosier and Theodore Nott," Frank said in a carefully expressionless voice. He had fought with their fathers on occasion, and had seen the victims they had murdered.

"Theodore Snape now," Lupin said pleasantly. "Severus legally adopted Theo as his heir."

"Yes, Neville mentioned that in his letters," Alice murmured.

"The boys have done nothing wrong," Lupin said firmly, his eyes meeting the Longbottoms' without flinching. "In fact, they helped us fight the Death Eaters."

"I am surprised that they would reject their parents' teachings," Frank said.

"I am not," Lupin replied in an even voice. "They both endured horrors you cannot imagine. They saw the cruelty of Voldemort and the Death Eaters firsthand."

"My imagination is very good," Frank said, a little bitterly. "We saw a great many horrors during the war, as you know, Remus."

"But not at age eight, or fifteen, or sixteen," Lupin said quietly. "Theodore saw his uncle murdered before his eyes by his father. Dylan had the Dark Mark forcibly branded onto his arm. Dylan saw his mother murdered before his eyes, watched her sacrifice herself to save his life. Theodore saw his father try to hand him over to the Dark Lord as a sacrifice. Can any of the horrors you have seen truly match these?" The Longbottoms looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "Do you honestly think that I would have taken them into my home and my heart if they were Death Eaters?" Lupin asked in a passionate voice.

"No, Remus, of course not," Alice finally replied after a long silence.

In a gentler voice, Lupin said, "Much has happened since you...er...fell ill."

"Call it what it is, Remus," Frank said bluntly. "Since we went mad, you mean."

"A lot has changed since then," Lupin said. "The children grew up different from their fathers, I think because of what they witnessed living among the Death Eaters--not just the cruelty, but the fear. The Death Eaters were all terrified of their own Master. Voldemort's madness increased and his patience lessened after his resurrection. He would torture his servants when displeased him or failed to carry out a task he had assigned them."

Frank could not help but feel a twinge of satisfaction, having been on the receiving end of the Death Eaters' tortures. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for them?"

"No," Lupin replied, "but are you really surprised to learn now that the Death Eaters' children were not so eager to share their parents' fate?"

"I suppose not," Frank conceded.

Lupin gave his old comrades a shrewd look. "If you really wanted to check on Neville's progress, you would have spoken to Albus or Minerva. I think that certain of your colleagues have told you unsavory rumors about my lover and my sons, and you want to reassure yourself that they are not true."

Frank and Alice both blushed. "Well, things have indeed changed over the years, Remus," Alice said with a smile. "You are certainly much more direct than you used to be!"

Lupin laughed good-naturedly. "I wasted too many years being afraid to speak up, hiding from myself and from the world. I don't intend to waste any more time; it is much too precious to me."

Just then, the door opened and Snape walked in unannounced. "Lupin, I--" Snape started to say, then looked startled when he saw the Longbottoms. "Oh, I didn't know that you had company."

"Severus, you remember Frank and Alice Longbottom, don't you?" Lupin said pleasantly. "Neville's parents. Frank, Alice, this is of course Severus Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts and--" A mischievous gleam twinkled in his eyes. "--my lover."

Snape flushed a little and scowled at Lupin. "Why don't you just take an ad out in the Daily Prophet while you're at it?" he asked sourly, and Lupin smiled sweetly at him in response. Snape turned his gaze to the Longbottoms, a combination of concern and suspicion on his face. "Is there some sort of problem regarding Mr. Longbottom that I don't know about?"

"They just wanted to check on how Neville was doing," Lupin said innocently, which only made Snape look more suspicious.

"Well, they may rest assured that--somewhat to my surprise--Mr. Longbottom has managed not to melt any cauldrons, cause any explosions, or otherwise cause harm to himself or his classmates of late," Snape said caustically.

"Yes, I was just telling them that Neville was doing very well in his classes," Lupin said cheerfully.

"It's possible that he might actually pass his Potions N.E.W.T.," Snape said grudgingly, "although he will never be a Potions Master." He nodded curtly at the Longbottoms, said, "I'll talk to you later, Lupin," and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Lupin smiled apologetically. "Well, I'm afraid some things don't change--like Severus's temper. But believe it or not, that was a compliment, if a rather backhanded one. Severus is the only person I know who can make a compliment sound like an insult; he's rather fond of his sinister image, you see, and he doesn't want the students to think he's going soft. But I assure you, he would never have accepted Neville into his Advanced class if he didn't think that Neville was competent. It's true that Neville...er...had some difficulties when he first started taking Potions, but he's made a great deal of progress since then. I think Severus is a little impressed by how hard Neville has worked to improve, even though he would never admit it."

"I see," Alice said dubiously. Snape seemed as unpleasant as she had remembered, and even if what Lupin had just said was true, she still did not understand what on earth he could possibly see in Snape as a lover.

As if reading her mind, Lupin said quietly, "You must remember, Severus has spent the better part of two decades being a spy, at great risk to his own life. He does not readily reveal his true emotions to people he isn't close to. But he cares about his students very much, and he worked hard to protect them--all of them, even the Gryffindors." Lupin smiled. "And yes, Severus does still hold a grudge against his rival House, but that did not stop him from doing his duty. I hope you can believe me when I tell you that Severus is a man of honor."

"You and Albus certainly seem to think very highly of him," Frank said, a little evasively. It wasn't that he doubted Lupin, but it was a bit difficult to think of Snape as one of the "good guys" when they had believed him to be a Death Eater for so long. Everything about Snape had practically screamed "Death Eater": his interest in the Dark Arts, his sullen expression and furtive ways, his family's reputation, his friendship with Lucius Malfoy, even the fact that he wore nothing but black, as if he were deliberately cultivating a sinister image.

If Lupin noticed that Frank had not actually agreed with him, he gave no sign of it. "I'm glad I was able to set your mind at ease, then," Lupin said pleasantly. "Would you like to see Neville before you go back home?"

"Of course we'd love to see him," Alice said, "but he might be a little embarrassed if he thought we were checking up on him."

"Oh, I don't really think he'd mind, but why don't we just say that you came to consult with me on Auror business?" Lupin suggested casually. "And you thought you would say hello to him, since you were already here. Then he doesn't have to feel that you're being overprotective."

The Longbottoms nodded, feeling a little surprised at how easily Lupin came up with that little white lie. He had never been very glib or good at prevaricating when they had known him in the old days. Alice wondered if it was something he had picked up from his Slytherin lover, then reminded herself that to be fair, the Gryffindors were not always entirely truthful either. James and Sirius had certainly stretched the truth on more than one occasion when they were boys, and it had sometimes been necessary for the Aurors and Order members to lie in order to prevent the enemy from discovering what they were up to.

"I believe Neville went to the library to study after class," Lupin said. "Or I could send for him, if you like."

"No, that's all right, Remus," Frank said. "It might be nice to take a look around the school, for old time's sake."

So the Longbottoms left Lupin's office and walked to the library. Some of the students they passed in the halls gave them curious looks, but didn't seem to recognize them, for which they were grateful. They'd already had more than their share of people pointing at them and whispering behind their backs since their recovery. The whispers always ran along the lines of, "Aren't those the Longbottoms, who were driven insane by the Death Eaters...?"

The school did not appear to have changed very much, except for the faces of the students. Even the librarian, Madam Pince, was the same, sternly shushing any students who raised their voices in the library. But she did smile at Frank and Alice when they walked in, and said, "It's so good to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. Were you looking for young Mr. Longbottom? I believe he was in the Herbology section."

They found their son sitting at a table near the Herbology shelves with a pretty blonde girl. There were four other students sitting with them: a cheerful-looking boy with auburn hair who had his arm around a girl with dusky skin and a long, black braid; a girl with bushy brown hair; and a boy with long black hair tied back in a ponytail.

"So my dad's started experimenting with those cauldron specifications you sent him," the red-haired boy was saying to the blonde girl. "But he says it'll probably take some trial and error to get it exactly right. He says he'll send over the prototypes for you to look at when they're done."

"It's too bad that we can't actually forge them in the school," the blonde girl sighed. "I would love to see the whole process from start to finish."

"Maybe we could convince Dumbledore to let us take a field trip to your father's factory, Damien," the black-haired boy suggested.

"That's an excellent idea!" the bushy-haired girl said approvingly. "It would be very educational, I'm sure."

"I'm not sure Mr. Pierce would want me anywhere near his cauldrons," Neville said ruefully, "what with the way I tend to melt them."

Everyone laughed. "But that's the whole purpose of this experiment, isn't it?" the black-haired boy said with a grin. "To make cauldrons that don't melt! You can be the one to test them, Longbottom!"

"If they can survive you, then they can survive anything," the girl with the braid declared, and they all laughed again.

The Longbottoms received a shock when they got a closer look at the dark-haired boy's face; it was Lupin's foster son, Dylan Rosier. They froze in shock and fear for a moment, as if they had seen a ghost. Although Dylan's hair was longer and straighter than Evan's had been, his laughing face looked exactly like his father's. In their minds, they seemed to see Evan Rosier's face superimposed over Dylan's, as he laughed at the bloody corpses lying at his feet...

"Mum, Dad!" Neville exclaimed, jumping to his feet as he caught sight of them. His face broke out in a wide grin; it seemed that he was not at all embarrassed to have his parents checking up on him at school. Then his smile wavered slightly and he looked worried. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Neville," Alice assured him. "We stopped by to discuss some business with Professor Lupin, and we thought we ought to say hello to you while we were here."

"Oh," Neville said, looking relieved. "Well, I'm glad you stopped by." His companions were staring at the Longbottoms curiously, and Neville added, "Oh, let me introduce you to my friends. This is Lisa Turpin--"

"Ah yes," Frank said with a smile. "The young lady you invited to the Ball."

Lisa blushed and said, "It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Frank said, shaking her hand.

"We've heard so much about you," Alice said. "It's nice to finally meet you in person."

Neville flushed and hastily moved on with the introductions. "And these are my housemates, Hermione Granger and Parvati Patil." The girls murmured polite greetings. "And this is Damien Pierce..."

"Nice to meet you," Damien said politely.

"Lisa is going to work for Damien's father when she graduates," Neville said proudly, "designing cauldrons. And this is Dylan Rosier."

The Longbottoms tried to disguise their reaction, but apparently were not very successful, because Dylan looked hurt and bitter for just a second before his face went blank, and his friendly, easy smile was replaced by a very cool and polite one. The contrast was startling; his face looked as beautiful and flawless and emotionless as a porcelain mask. He had started to extend his hand towards the Longbottoms, but quickly let it drop to his side and changed the movement into a formal little bow, so smoothly that it was barely noticeable. "It is an honor to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom," Dylan said, in a voice that was as cool as his smile. "I'm sure that you and Neville must have a great deal of catching up to do, so we'll give you some privacy." He bowed again and said, "Come along, Damien, Hermione." He turned, swirling his robe around him in the exact same way that Snape used to, and strode out of the room without a backward glance. The Gryffindor girls hurried after him, looking worried, and Damien gave the Longbottoms a quick glare before following his friends.

Lisa looked just as concerned as the other two girls. "Dylan is a nice person," she said softly. "He's not like his father."

"I never said otherwise," Frank protested, although he flushed guiltily.

"No, but it's clear what you were thinking," Neville said, looking a little troubled himself. "It was written all over your faces: 'He's a Death Eater's son.'"

"I really should be going, Neville," Lisa said, gathering up her books. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, see you, Lisa," Neville said.

"I'm sorry, son," Frank said after Lisa left. "We didn't mean to react that way, but it was just such a shock--the boy looks so much like his father."

"And we confronted Evan once, as Aurors," Alice said quietly. "He and his friend Wilkes had just slain a group of Muggles."

"Well, I can see how Dylan might bring back bad memories for you," Neville said, "but he's okay, really. He can't help it if he looks like his dad."

"Are you good friends with him?" Frank asked, frowning, not liking the idea of Neville getting too close to Evan Rosier's son. Being fair and open-minded was all very well in principle, but he didn't want to risk his son's safety for the sake of idealism, even if that made him a hypocrite.

"Not really," Neville replied, "but he's friends with Lisa, and he's dating Hermione, so sometimes we hang around with the same people. Especially now, since Lisa has signed an apprenticeship with Damien's father--and Damien is Dylan's best friend." Seeing that his parents were still frowning worriedly, he added, "Really, he's okay! Some of the Slytherins used to make fun of me, but Dylan never did. And he fought against the Death Eaters in the final battle, so that should prove he's not like his dad. Hermione trusts him, and so does Professor Lupin. He never would have adopted--or fostered, or whatever it is you call it--Dylan if he thought he was a Death Eater. Professor Lupin always says that we should judge people by their actions, not by what House they're in or who their parents are."

Frank and Alice exchanged a sad smile. They heard the words "Professor Lupin says" quite often from Neville during their conversations and in his letters from school, and it was clear that Neville really looked up to Lupin. They were grateful that Neville had found a worthy mentor in Lupin, but at the same time, it saddened them that in some ways, Neville was probably closer to his teacher than he was to his parents. Clearly, he trusted Lupin's judgment over theirs, at least in this matter. And maybe he was right, because Lupin certainly knew Dylan Rosier better than they did, but it still hurt.

"Professor Lupin is probably right," Alice admitted. "I'm sorry that we offended your friends, Neville."

"It's okay," Neville said, although he still looked a little worried. "I'll try to straighten it out with them. Dylan's not really the type to hold a grudge. He and Ron Weasley get along now, even though Ron used to give him a hard time about being a Death Eater's son. Although I guess they kind of have to get along now, since Hermione is Ron's friend and Dylan's girlfriend." Neville's expression brightened. "That should set your mind at ease, Mum, Dad! A real Death Eater would never date a Muggle-born girl like Hermione."

It did make the Longbottoms feel better. The Death Eaters they had known would never have "tainted" their bloodline by consorting with a Muggle. "Yes, you're right, son," Frank said. "But please do be careful." Neville opened his mouth to protest, and Frank added, "I don't mean about Dylan Rosier specifically. But I am concerned about the threats and so-called pranks that have been taking place at school, especially since whoever's behind it involved you personally by taking your wand."

"Yes, Dad," Neville mumbled, looking shamefaced. "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's not your fault, Neville," Frank said, patting his son on the shoulder. "You should be able to trust your fellow students not to steal your things, but unfortunately, it looks like you're going to have to be on your guard till this is settled."

"I'll be careful," Neville promised. "Don't worry."

The Longbottoms didn't try to tell Neville that it was impossible for a parent to stop worrying about their child, even in the best of times. He would find that out for himself someday, when he had children of his own. "Well, take care, son," Frank said, giving Neville another pat on the shoulder, and Alice kissed him on the cheek.

As they turned to leave, Neville suddenly looked alarmed and called out, "Wait! You said you came here on business--did you mean Auror business? Did you find out something about the Dark Mark that was cast at the Quidditch match?"

"No, it was nothing to do with the match," Frank replied, regretting that he had frightened his son. "Tonks and Kingsley are carrying out that investigation. To be honest, we just wanted an excuse to stop by and see you."

Neville smiled, looking very relieved and happy. "I'm glad you did," he said, and hugged both of his parents. The awkwardness and distance of being family and yet strangers at the same time seemed to disappear for the moment, and Frank and Alice hugged him back, feeling very glad that they had stopped by Hogwarts, after all.


Part 62