FIC: Aftermaths, Part 71

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 71
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: ~9,640
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: During the party at Snape Manor, Aric asks Lukas for advice. Also, Lady Selima holds an Easter egg hunt at the party.

Part 70 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

The night of the party arrived, and nearly all of the people that Selima had invited showed up. Lupin had thought that some of them might decline, not wanting to demean themselves by associating with a werewolf, but Snape had assured him that the opposite was true.

"By now they've all heard about the werewolf who aspires to a pureblood title, and they'll all want to come and get a look at him in person."

"Like I'm a bloody circus animal on display," Lukas had grumbled, fortifying himself with a shot of Firewhiskey before the party.

But when the party began, he was on his best behavior, carrying himself with an air of dignity. He looked downright regal in his green-and-gold velvet robes, with his father's gold torc around his neck. He greeted all the guests politely, meeting their curious stares and veiled barbs with that small, condescending smile modeled after his father's, as if he found their insults amusing rather than offensive. He was, Lupin realized, regarding them as if they were the circus animals on display for his entertainment rather than the other way around, which clearly disconcerted the guests who had come hoping to see the werewolf make a fool of himself. Lupin knew that it was an act, but none of the guests seemed to see through it.

"That was very clever," Branwen whispered to Selima, "giving him a role to play."

Selima nodded. "Cyril worshipped his father, and I thought it would be easier for him to be Cynric for this one night, rather than himself. So long as he carries himself with his father's confidence, he will be fine."

As Lupin watched Lukas interact with guests, he understood that it was not entirely an act, after all. Lady Selima was very clever, indeed. Cynric had died when Lukas was still very young, and he had clearly regarded his father with an air of hero worship, as many young boys did--much as Dylan did Evan Rosier. The adult Lukas knew that Cynric, while basically a good man, had been flawed as all human beings are, but the image ingrained in his heart was the young Cyril's vision of his father--brave, handsome, charming, perfect. So long as Lukas was being Cynric, he was filled with confidence, because he could not picture his father as being anything less than perfect. Because Cynric Diggory was better than any of the people here, no matter how much wealth and power they possessed, at least in Lukas's mind.

Lupin smiled at Selima. "You're very manipulative, Lady Selima," he said.

"Why, thank you, Professor," Selima replied serenely.

Lukas seemed to be getting into his role, bowing in a courtly manner and kissing the hands of the young women in greeting. And the women, in spite of his tainted blood and scandalous reputation, giggled and fluttered their lashes at him until their parents or escorts dragged them away. Even some of the older women cast admiring glances his way even as they were sneering and whispering about him behind his back.

Lupin said with a grin, "Why do I get the impression that Cynric Diggory was a charming rogue, rather like Evan Rosier?"

Dylan, looking very handsome in his silver-gray dress robes, laughed. "That was what my mother always called him--my father, of course; not Master Diggory's father."

Selima smiled. "Cynric was a bit of a rogue. The term 'devilishly handsome' was often used to describe him, and he did enjoy getting into mischief. However, he never got into anywhere near as much trouble as Evan did."

Dumbledore had arrived, and joined their little group. "Yes, I do believe that Evan Rosier and Lyall Wilkes hold the record for most detention hours served at Hogwarts," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "No one else even comes close."

"Not even Prongs and I?" Sirius laughed. "Or Harry?"

"No," Dumbledore replied. "Not even the Marauders can match Evan's record."

"Which speaks volumes, because Harry is an angel in comparison to his father and godfather!" Branwen declared.

"You guys must really have gotten into a lot of trouble, then!" Harry exclaimed, and everyone laughed.

"You have no idea, Potter," Snape said sourly.

"Er...thank you for inviting me to the party, Professor," Harry said nervously.

"Don't thank me, thank my mother," Snape growled.

"Thank you very much, Lady Selima," Harry said politely.

"You're welcome, Mr. Potter," Selima replied, with a cool but approving smile. "You certainly have better manners than your father."

Lupin laughed at the expression on Harry's face, obviously unsure of whether he had just been complimented or insulted. He slipped an arm around Harry's shoulders and whispered, "Take it as a compliment, Harry."

Snape raised his eyebrows and asked his mother sarcastically, "Is that any way to speak to the Savior of the Wizarding World?"

His mother was about to make a retort, but just then the Weasleys arrived, accompanied by Hermione, and Selima glided forward to greet the Minister of Magic. "My mother flattering the Weasleys," Snape muttered, shaking his head. "It just doesn't seem right." Dylan hurried after Selima to greet Hermione with a smile, and Snape shook his head again. "Nor for my foster son to be associating with that know-it-all wench."

"Oh, you know that you really like her," Lupin said.

Snape glared at his lover. "Clearly you are delusional, Lupin. A typical Gryffindor defect, I suppose."

Lupin ignored him, frowning as he scanned the crowd of incoming guests. "I don't see Narcissa or Draco."

Vorcher, who happened to be passing by with a tray of drinks, said, "Lady Malfoy sent her regrets. Lady Malfoy has the flu--or so Lady Malfoy's letter said."

"You didn't really expect them to show up, did you, Lupin?" Snape asked.

"Well, I guess that Narcissa hasn't completely overcome her prejudices," Sirius said, sounding disappointed. "I suppose we can't expect her to change overnight."

"It's not--" Lupin started to protest, then abruptly fell silent, since he couldn't reveal the real reason why he thought Narcissa and Draco had not shown up.

"What is it, Moony?" Sirius asked curiously.

"I don't think it's prejudice," Lupin said, quickly covering up his little slip of the tongue. "I think she just feels uncomfortable being around her former friends who abandoned her after the Malfoys became branded as Death Eaters."

"Well, she should've come," Sirius said with a shrug, "because for once everyone's attention is going to be focused on Lukas instead of her."

"What is Selima thinking?" Priscilla Parkinson asked with a sneer. "Mudbloods and werewolves, associating with the pure of blood, acting as if they were equal to us!"

"Grandmother!" Pansy protested.

"That Mudblood girl and these werewolves are heroes of the war," Snape snarled. "You'd best remember that, Priscilla. And you'd best remember that the Snapes are allied with the Minister of Magic, while your family was lucky to escape arrest due to your association with known Death Eaters!"

"Well, I never!" gasped Priscilla indignantly, and she walked away in a huff, while Snape stalked off in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry about my grandmother," Pansy apologized.

"It's not your fault," Lupin assured her, then smiled. "I notice that while Lady Selima ordered Lukas to be polite, charming, and witty, she didn't ask the same of Severus."

"Lady Selima is a realist," Branwen said dryly. "She may ask for a great deal sometimes, but she doesn't expect the impossible."

"Did Professor Snape just defend Hermione?" a bewildered Harry asked.

"Perhaps," said a pleasant voice, "he was not so much defending the young lady as he was defending his family. By offering insult to the young lady, Mrs. Parkinson was indirectly offering insult to the Professor and his mother, since Miss Granger is their guest."

The speaker was a dark-haired wizard with streaks of white at his temples. Harry gave the man a startled look, and Lupin introduced them. "Harry, this is Prospero Zabini, Blaise's grandfather. Prospero, this is--"

"The famous Harry Potter," Prospero said, then grinned mischievously. "Although I'm sure you must be very tired of people referring to you that way."

He held out his hand, and Harry shook it, giving the older wizard a tentative smile. "Yes, I am. Please just call me 'Harry.'"

"I will, if you will call me 'Prospero.'"

"Are you sure that's proper?" Harry asked dubiously, having been lectured extensively on wizarding etiquette by both his step-godmother and Hermione.

"Probably not," Prospero said with a grin. "But you're a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors aren't expected to be proper."

Harry laughed, and Blaise came forward to politely shake hands with Harry and introduce his parents, who were regarding Prospero with a look of resignation.

"Hi, Harry!" Allegra said happily, looking very excited to be at the party.

"Hello, Allegra," Harry said. "I like your grandfather; he seems very nice."

Allegra giggled. "Daddy sometimes says that he acts like a Gryffindor."

"That's not really meant to be a compliment," Blaise said dryly.

Theodore smiled. "Come, Allegra, I'll show you around the Manor." He took Allegra's hand and led her around the house, patiently enduring her eager questions. Blaise joined them, and Lupin noticed that he and Theo were careful not to touch each other or behave as if they were anything more than just friends. Lupin sighed, thinking to himself that it was sad and a little ironic that they still had to keep up the fiction that they weren't a couple when everyone knew that they were. Lady Selima called it "keeping up appearances," and Lupin was surprised that she had invited the Zabinis at all. But Selima claimed that she had invited them to prove that they had nothing to be ashamed of, because deliberately avoiding the Zabinis would be a tacit admission that the rumors were true. Lupin had not pointed out to her that the rumors about Theo and Blaise really were true, and that the Snapes had never associated with the Zabinis in the past. He suspected that Selima simply wanted to see Prospero again, and perhaps also wanted to give Theo a chance to see Blaise. She had even allowed Dylan to persuade her to invite Hermione by pointing out that she was a heroine of the war and a friend of Harry Potter's. Political expediency was all it was, Selima had claimed, and Lupin had decided not to accuse her of being motivated by sentiment, especially when they were all getting along so well. He smiled a little in spite of himself, thinking that perhaps he was getting the hang of the Slytherin habit of adhering to a polite fiction that nobody really believed in.

"I should have worn my Slytherin robe tonight," Lupin murmured.

"Did you say something, Professor?" Harry asked.

"No, I was just talking to myself, Harry," Lupin said cheerfully. "Another Gryffindor defect, I'm sure Severus would say. Come on, let's join the party."

***

The party was just beginning when Aric and his parents arrived. His grandparents had remained at home, saying that it would be sufficient for Karl and Alison to "scout out the situation," as if they were spies infiltrating enemy territory. Well, perhaps they were.

"What a pleasure to see you," Lady Selima said with a charming smile. "I'm so glad that you could make it." It was strange; she looked a great deal like her son, but she was beautiful while Snape was anything but.

"Thank you for inviting us," Alison said, a bit stiffly.

Master Diggory stepped forward, clad as he had been at the Yule Ball, in fine velvet robes and the gold torc. He looked every inch the pureblood Lord, and it was not just the clothing; he seemed confident and at ease, as if he attended parties like this every day.

"This is Cyril Diggory," Selima said. "Cyril, this is Karl Dietrich, and his wife Alison, and of course you know young Aric."

"I am pleased to meet you," Diggory said politely, bowing slightly since they did not extend their hands to him. It was a shallow bow, one between equals rather than a subordinate bowing to someone of superior rank. Aric could tell that this point was not lost on his father, by the way his body tensed slightly, and the angry set of his jaw. Karl nodded at the werewolf curtly. Diggory just smiled lazily, looking mildly amused by Karl's reaction. Then he gave Aric a more sincere smile. "Your son is very talented; he's one of my best students." Aric felt a surge of pride, but his parents did not look very flattered to be told that their son was "talented" at something so uncouth as Physical Defense. "And he's also a very good Potions student, as I have reason to know." Diggory's voice remained blandly polite, but there was a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, and Aric flushed, recalling how many hours he had spent in detention at the clinic brewing potions.

Aric's parents did not look mollified by the second compliment. "Aric has a fondness for fencing," Alison said with a disapproving frown. "We have been trying to discourage him from such pastimes. It is not really appropriate for a young man of his rank."

"Ah, but certainly it is!" Diggory said lightly. "Young Mr. Potter dispatched a Basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's sword, or didn't you hear? It was made public after the war ended. I predict that swordfighting shall soon become fashionable among the young people again."

Aric's parents looked horrified, and Selima smiled at them sympathetically and said, "There have been so many changes since the war ended; it's positively dizzying, isn't it? But surely the world is a better place without He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Please come with me, and I will get you some refreshment." Karl and Alison followed her hastily, eager to get away from the werewolf.

Aric lingered behind; it was positively weird to see his fierce, bad-tempered werewolf teacher behaving like a pureblood rather than growling and threatening the people who annoyed him. Diggory winked at him and grinned, exposing his sharp teeth, and he looked more like himself for a second. But before Aric could say anything, three more guests arrived.

"Gwendolyn!" Diggory said warmly. "You came!"

He embraced a pretty, brown-haired woman who kissed him on the cheek and hugged him back, then pulled away, holding him at arm's length while she looked him over. "Oh, you look so much like your father, Cyril!" she exclaimed with tears in her eyes, then hugged him again.

"I'm glad you came," Diggory said softly. "It's good to see a few genuinely friendly faces." He released the woman, who by now Aric had figured out must be his aunt, and shook hands with Robert Ames and Tristan Ames-Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker. "I hope you're prepared for some verbal sparring, though. The gossips have been sharpening their tongues, and the party's barely started yet."

"I can handle it," Gwendolyn assured him. "I'm here--we're here--to support you. And I'm grateful to the Snapes for supporting you as well."

Diggory smiled wryly. "Lady Selima's support is something of a mixed blessing, at least for the one receiving it, but yes, I am grateful to her. And I'm grateful to you, too, Aric. Thank you for coming."

Aric, who had been feeling a little left out, smiled at his teacher. "You're welcome, sir. Please don't mind my parents. They're...ah..."

"Typical purebloods," Diggory finished, but he was still smiling. "Come, let's get something to drink, and then--" He winced slightly. "--I'll have to put my dancing lessons to the test."

"Dancing lessons?" Gwendolyn asked.

Diggory sighed. "It's a long story."

Aric found himself tagging along with Diggory and the Ames family. Tristan eyed him warily, but Gwendolyn thanked him warmly for supporting her nephew. It was clear that she loved Diggory and thought the world of him, acting more like an adoring younger sister than an aunt, but then, she was younger than he was. Things must be complicated in the Diggory family for her to support her nephew's claim over that of her brother's, or perhaps she had simply been closer to him as a child, since they were closer in age than she and Amos.

After the guests had enjoyed some refreshment, the dancing began. Lady Selima had hired a musical group to perform--not Weird Sisters' songs or anything remotely resembling that type of music, but very sedate and traditional waltzes and the like. To Aric's surprise, the werewolf danced gracefully, as if he had been doing it all his life. Clearly, most of the other guests were surprised as well; they either gaped in shock or looked disappointed that he wasn't making a fool of himself as they had obviously expected him to. Diggory danced first with his young aunt while Snape danced with his mother, then Snape left the dance floor, looking relieved, and Diggory danced with Lady Selima. He also danced with Professor Blackmore, Molly Weasley, and a very pretty and elegant red-haired woman.

"Morrigan De Lacy," Alison informed Aric. "His lawyer. It's shameful, that she's helping a werewolf take an estate away from a pureblood."

Aric shrugged. "She's just doing her job. There were lawyers who defended the Death Eaters, too. Besides, you don't like Amos Diggory."

"That's not the point," Alison said sternly. "A pureblood shouldn't be helping to make the blood of the wizarding world less pure."

"You aren't friendly with this werewolf, are you?" Karl asked suspiciously. "Befriending a werewolf is just the crazy sort of thing Rafe would have done..."

"Please, Dad," Aric said, feigning indignation. "I looked up to Uncle Rafe, but I'm not crazy enough to be a Gryffindor. I just don't particularly care whether Amos Diggory loses his estate or not."

Karl scolded Aric, but he looked relieved. "You must be more far-sighted, my son. Of course we don't care about Amos, but it sets a bad precedent to give a werewolf equal status with us."

"I see," Aric said, and his parents looked placated.

Karl smiled and held out his hand to Alison. "Shall we dance, my dear?"

"This is a party, after all," Alison said, smiling coquettishly, and laid her hand in his.

Aric watched them dance; they looked happy together. Theirs had been an arranged marriage, but they had always acted as if they loved each other. He wondered if they had fallen in love with each other after they married, or if they were simply content with a marriage of convenience and had never longed for anything more passionate. Maybe because they were happy with each other, they assumed that he could find happiness with Miranda, too. He wondered if they'd ever had doubts about going into the marriage, if perhaps there had been school sweethearts or first loves that they regretted giving up.

Aric circulated around the room nervously. There were a few Slytherin girls here with their families, but he didn't want to risk the embarrassment of being turned down by asking them to dance. He didn't really want to dance with any of them, anyway. But everyone else seemed to be dancing, except for Snape, who seemed content to sit on the sidelines. Professor Blackmore danced with her husband and with Lupin; Theo danced with Pansy and Allegra, as did Blaise; Dylan danced with Hermione; Potter danced with Ginny Weasley; and Lady Selima danced with several of the male guests, including Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley, and a man who turned out to be Blaise's grandfather.

According to etiquette, a woman did not ask a man to dance, at least not directly, but some of the women began giving Diggory inviting looks. A few of them seemed enchanted by his good looks and perhaps the thrill of the forbidden, while some were just curious, and others looked as though they wanted to test his pureblood manners and see if they could get him to slip up and embarrass himself.

"What is it like, turning into a wolf?" one woman asked in a breathy voice, her eyes wide with both horror and eagerness.

Something dangerous flickered in Diggory's eyes for just a second, but then he smiled and said casually, "It's quite painful, actually, feeling your flesh and bones rearranging themselves. But fortunately, the transformation is brief; it only takes a few minutes."

"No, I mean, what does it feel like to actually be a wolf?" the woman asked.

Diggory gave her a charming smile and laughed, "Why, you may ask any man here that question, for we are all wolves at heart--especially around beautiful women!" The woman pouted for a moment, then she laughed as well and allowed him to change the subject.

"Hello, Aric," Lupin said cheerfully. "Are you having fun?"

"Not exactly," Aric replied, "but it's certainly interesting to watch. I had no idea that Master Diggory could...well..."

"Dance?" Lupin asked. "Act like a 'proper' pureblood?"

"Both," Aric admitted. "Although I suppose that swordplay or hand-to-hand combat is sort of like dancing, in a way."

"You'll have to tell Lukas that," Lupin said with a grin. "Perhaps he'll enjoy it more, if he can imagine it to be a battle."

"He seems to be having fun," Aric said.

"That's good," Lupin said. "Lady Selima will be pleased that he is so convincing. But it is all an act, I assure you. He considers this whole party worse torture than a Cruciatus Curse."

"Well, I feel a bit relieved, then," Aric said with a smile. "I was beginning to wonder if someone had either Obliviated his mind or replaced him with an impostor." Lupin laughed, and Aric said hesitantly, "Er...Professor?"

"Yes, Aric?"

Aric lowered his voice to a whisper. "Did you get the Minister to send the Tierneys to France?" Lupin just grinned and winked at him. "Thanks," Aric said, and he meant it.

Lupin's expression suddenly turned sober. "You're welcome, Aric, but I'm afraid it's not a permanent transfer."

"I know," Aric sighed.

"I've bought you some time to decide what you want to do, that's all," Lupin continued. "I wish I could do more. But even if I got rid of the Tierneys permanently, your parents would still arrange another marriage for you in the future." Lupin gazed into Aric's eyes, and Aric wondered uneasily just how much Lupin had guessed about his reasons for wanting to turn down the betrothal. "If you really want to..." There was a slight but significant pause before Lupin continued, "...become a mediwizard, you know that your parents will be upset, and you're going to have to deal with it."

"I know," Aric said. "I--"

But just then, the music ended, and Lady Selima was calling for the guests' attention, and Snape was motioning for Lupin to join him. Lupin squeezed Aric's shoulder and whispered, "We can talk later if you like, Aric. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you." And Aric stared after the werewolf as he walked off, wondering why Lupin would go so far to help him, when he had done nothing but cause trouble and fight with Lupin's foster son ever since he had arrived at Hogwarts.

Lady Selima was saying something about...an Easter egg hunt in the garden? Surely, that couldn't be right! Aric shook his head, wondering if he had misheard, but everyone seemed to be leaving the ballroom and heading outside. Diggory lingered behind, sipping a glass of wine as he watched the guests file out.

"Excuse me, sir," Aric said. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wonder if I could ask you a few questions about the homework assignment you gave us?"

Diggory looked startled, and then his eyes narrowed, probably because he had not given his students any homework assignments over the break. "Of course, Mr. Dietrich," Diggory replied smoothly. "Come, we can talk in the study, but we can't take too long or Lady Selima will scold me for neglecting my duties."

Diggory led him to what Aric assumed must be the Snape Lord's study, and as soon as they were alone with the door closed behind them, the werewolf sighed with relief, leaning against the desk.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Diggory groaned. "My face hurts from smiling, and I thought I was going to explode if I had to endure one more idiotic or catty remark." He growled, looking a little wild-eyed. "I swear I'm going to bite the next person who asks me what it feels like to turn into a wolf!"

Aric grinned. "You're a very good actor, sir. I told Professor Lupin that I was afraid you had been replaced by an impostor."

Diggory smiled. "Well, I thank you for the reprieve, Aric, but I'm afraid it will have to be a brief one. If I don't show up for the Easter egg hunt pretty soon, Lady Selima will come looking for me."

"Is she that scary?" Aric asked.

Diggory smiled sardonically. "Let's just say that Professor Snape takes after his mother." Aric laughed, and Diggory said in a more serious tone, "So what did you want to talk to me about, Mr. Dietrich?"

Aric instantly sobered, feeling very nervous and self-conscious. "Um...well..."

"Better hurry up and get to the point, Dietrich," Diggory said, but his voice was sympathetic. "Lady Selima will bursting in here any minute now."

"What was it like, going from living as a pureblood to living on your own?" Aric blurted out. "How did you survive?" Diggory raised his eyebrows, and Aric hastily continued, "I'm not asking to be nosy or to gossip about you, like those people out there." He motioned vaguely in the direction of the ballroom. "It's just that...well...my family is negotiating a marriage alliance for me, and if I don't go through with it, my grandfather says he will disown me and throw me out on the street. And...I...well..."

"Ah," Diggory said, crossing his arms across his chest and giving Aric a knowing look.

Aric found himself blushing, and he stammered, "Y-you see, I...I want to become a mediwizard, but if I marry this girl, I'll have to go work at the Ministry with her father and--"

"Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that a particular mediwizard rather than the profession itself is the reason you don't want to go through with this marriage?" Diggory interrupted.

Aric's blush deepened; it felt like his face was burning. "How did you know?" he whispered.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, I'm not blind, Dietrich!" the werewolf said impatiently. "Do you think I didn't notice the way the two of you were looking at each other that day at the clinic?"

"Oh God, does everyone know?" Aric groaned, feeling mortified.

"Well, Lupin's probably guessed," Diggory replied, "but Mr. Malfoy seems a bit dense about these things. Since he hasn't spread any gossip around the school about it, it's probably a safe bet that he doesn't suspect."

"If my parents got word of this--"

"They'd disown you," Diggory finished. "And from your questions, it seems like you are considering letting them disown you."

"I don't know what to do!" Aric wailed. "I want...I want to...I mean, I don't want to marry this girl, but--"

"Aric," Diggory said in a firm yet somehow gentle voice, "if you don't have the courage to actually say the words out loud, this isn't going to work. It will take a great deal of strength to stand up to your family and, if necessary, live on your own."

Aric hung his head in shame. "I...I...I..." he stuttered helplessly. He was having a hard enough time admitting it to himself, let alone saying it out loud to another person.

"Do you love him?" Diggory asked patiently.

"I...think so," Aric mumbled.

"'I think so' isn't going to cut it, Aric," Diggory said bluntly. "You've seen what Snape and Lupin go through, and the way people reacted to Theodore and Blaise after the Yule Ball." He gave Aric a hard look, and Aric felt himself flush again, remembering that he was one of the people who had taunted Theo. "If you can't handle that kind of pressure, you might as well go back home to your family and marry the girl they've chosen."

"I'm scared," Aric whispered. "I...I don't know if I can handle the pressure or not. I've never lived on my own before."

Diggory's expression softened slightly. "Well, at least you're honest about it. I was a pampered pureblood once too, a very long time ago, and going from living in a mansion to living on the street was a great shock." He grimaced. "Although the leaky shack that my mother's parents kept us locked up in did provide something of a transition. I can tell you that it won't be easy, but it won't be quite as bad for you as it was for me. For one thing, you won't starve or have to live on the street." Diggory smiled a little. "Takeshi has a flat of his own, and his parents own a restaurant."

"What if he doesn't want me?" Aric said, voicing his fear out loud. "I mean...I've never actually said anything to him..."

"Aric," Diggory said, beginning to look impatient again, and a little angry as well. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but after you left the clinic that day you told him about your betrothal--"

"I didn't tell him," Aric protested. "That was Malfoy!"

"--I found him crying in his workroom," Diggory finished, ignoring the interruption. Aric fell silent, gaping at him in shock. "So yes," Diggory continued dryly, "I think we can assume that he does indeed want you. The question is, what do you intend to do about it?"

"That's why I wanted to talk to you," Aric said, still feeling stunned--and guilty. He had hurt Takeshi, made him cry. He had never intended to do that, but then, he had never intended to fall in love with the mediwizard, either. And through the guilt, he felt a little surge of happiness, because Takeshi cared about him enough to cry over the news that Aric was getting married. And of course, feeling happy about his friend crying made Aric feel even guiltier.

The werewolf shook his head. "I can't tell you what to do, Aric. That's a decision you have to make on your own."

"But...it's just...like I said, I've never been on my own, and I just thought...that maybe...if you told me what it was like..."

Diggory seemed to get the gist of Aric's rather incoherent rambling. "As I said, it won't be easy, but you won't starve, either. You're not a werewolf, and you're a good student when you aren't getting into fights, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting a job. You were already promised a position at St. Mungo's if you passed your N.E.W.T.s, I believe. Of course, you won't be able to rely on your family's money to buy your way out of trouble, and you will have to do without certain luxuries that you're probably used to, but I don't think that's what you're really asking me, is it?"

"I want...I want to be with Takeshi," Aric whispered, getting the words out with great difficulty, "but I don't want to lose my family."

"There are different kinds of family, Aric," Diggory said quietly. "My pack members are not related to me by blood, but they are my family, nevertheless. Lupin is not related to Snape or Theodore or Dylan, but they are still his family."

"I love my family," Aric said with tears in his eyes. "I don't want to lose Takeshi, but I don't want to lose them, either."

"You have to make a choice, Aric," Diggory said in a suprisingly kind voice. "You know you cannot have them both. You might think about which of the two is forcing you to make this choice, and whether your love and loyalty to your family is being repaid in kind."

"It's not that they don't love me, but they're very traditional and old-fashioned," Aric said defensively. "My parents' marriage was arranged, so they don't see anything wrong with it. My grandfather says that I owe a duty to my family, and maybe I do--they've fed and clothed and protected me all my life."

Diggory smiled sadly. "I've always thought that it was a parent's duty to love and protect their children without expecting anything in return. But who am I to talk? My father was a Slytherin and a pureblood, too. If he had lived, he probably would have been upset if I decided to take a male lover instead of marrying and carrying on the family name. But I don't think that he would have disowned me; he did love me even though I was a werewolf. And being a werewolf, I cannot risk having children and passing down my curse to them. I take back what I said earlier, Aric; it will be harder for you than it was for me. I didn't really have a choice; I was driven from my home. And Snape never got along with his family from what I've heard, so perhaps it was easier for him to defy them. But you have a very difficult choice to make, Mr. Dietrich, and I don't envy you."

The werewolf suddenly leaned closer, his yellow-green eyes staring at Aric intently. "I think that Takeshi is worth a dozen purebloods, but if you choose to stay with your family, I cannot fault you for being loyal to your pack, although I do not really think that they are worthy of your loyalty." Diggory growled a little and bared his teeth, and Aric took a nervous step back. "But you had better be very certain of whatever decision you make. If you toy with Takeshi's feelings, if you give him false hope, then decide that you can't cut it on your own and go back to your family and break his heart, then I will hunt you down and literally rip your heart out."

Aric turned pale, taken aback by the werewolf's ferocity, and Diggory smiled, but he still looked fierce and intimidating. "Takeshi is like pack; he has nursed some of my wolves through the attacks that turned them. He has always treated us with compassion and friendship instead of fear and disgust. So I will protect him as if he were part of my pack."

"I...I don't want to hurt him," Aric said, and it wasn't just out of fear of the werewolf. "At least, no more than I already have," he added guiltily. "I never meant to hurt him. He's the best friend I have. He's the only one who likes me for myself, and not for what I can do for him." And that included not just Aric's friends, but also his family--except for Rafe, who was dead. He suddenly realized that Takeshi reminded him a little of Rafe. Not so much in their personalities, because Rafe had been outgoing and impulsive where Takeshi was quieter and more serious, but in the way that they were kind to everyone they met, without judging people by their family, blood purity, or wealth. Grandfather was probably right when he said that Rafe would've been crazy enough to befriend a werewolf, except that Aric didn't really think it was crazy.

Diggory nodded and relaxed, looking human again. He gave Aric a more sympathetic smile and said, "The fact that Takeshi is pack also means that you won't be alone, if you should choose to stay with him. Pack support each other, and we'll stand as your friends if you become Takeshi's mate."

The thought of becoming Takeshi's "mate" filled Aric with a combination of excitement and terror. The thought of having a pack of werewolves as his friends was also more than a little intimidating. His parents would be horrified; was he really contemplating doing something so insane? Could he really bear to not just lose his family, but to have them hate him? He had thought talking to Diggory would help, but he felt just as confused as he had before their conversation, maybe even more so. Deep down, Aric had not really believed that he could forsake his family and his duty, but Diggory had made it seem like a real possibility, a dazzling and terrifying option. But the more that Aric came to realize how much he cared about Takeshi, the more he also realized how much he loved his family and would miss them. And he was scared that he might screw things up somehow and hurt Takeshi, as Diggory apparently suspected that he might. He felt paralyzed by indecision, but if he continued to do nothing, pretty soon he would find himself engaged and then married to Miranda Tierney.

"Master Diggory, I--" Aric started to say, but just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Lukas?" Lupin called. "Are you in there?"

"Yes, Remus," Diggory replied.

Lupin opened the door and looked startled to see Aric there as well. Then he smiled knowingly and Aric found himself blushing again. "I'm sorry to interrupt," Lupin said. "But Lady Selima is looking for you."

"I was just helping Mr. Dietrich with a homework assignment," Diggory said casually. "Sorry, Aric, but you really don't want to see what Lady Selima is like when she's angry." He placed a hand on Aric's shoulder and said, "Take some time to think over what I've said; you can't make a snap decision about something like this. We can talk further when you come back to school."

Diggory hurried out of the room, leaving Aric alone with Lupin. The werewolf smiled pleasantly at him and said, "Well, my presence is not required by Lady Selima, so I have some time to talk now, if you'd like. Or has Lukas already given you the advice that you needed?"

"I'm not sure if it's what I needed," Aric said slowly, still blushing a little. "But he's given me some things to think about." What had he really expected anyway? For Diggory to say, "Of course you should abandon your family and go live with Takeshi"? And even if he had, would Aric have listened? He wanted someone to tell him what to do, but his grandfather had already told him in no uncertain terms what he should do, and Aric was still torn. He reluctantly supposed that Diggory was right, and this was a decision he had to make on his own.

Lupin waited patiently while Aric wrestled with his thoughts, and he gave his teacher a puzzled look. "Why are you helping me?" he asked.

"Because I'm a noble Gryffindor idiot," Lupin said lightly, "and I believe in the basic goodness of humanity." And Aric felt a pang of sorrow, reminded again of his uncle, who had also been a Gryffindor idealist who tried to see the best in everyone. "And besides," Lupin continued with a mischievous grin, "I have a soft spot for obnoxious, arrogant Slytherins."

"Thanks so much," Aric said sarcastically.

Lupin patted him on the shoulder fondly. "Anytime, Aric. And finally, I want to help you for Theodore's sake, because you are cousins and there is a bond between you, even if you don't want to admit it."

"He's a Snape now," Aric mumbled, looking down to avoid Lupin's gaze. "We're not related anymore."

"All the pureblood families are related to some degree," Lupin told him. "There is only so much pure blood to go around, after all, as Lady Selima always tells me. And I've had a look at the Snape family tree, and there is at least one Dietrich in there, albeit several generations back."

"We should get back to the party," Aric said abruptly. "My parents will be wondering where I am."

Lupin smiled at him and allowed him to the change the subject. "Well, come along then," he said cheerfully. "We're missing the Easter egg hunt."

"Is Lady Selima really having an Easter egg hunt?"

"Yes, but she's put her on unique spin on it--I suppose one can't expect anything less from Lady Selima. Come, I'll show you."

***

Lady Selima, it turned out, had liked Lupin's suggestion to have an Easter egg hunt, but she would never use anything so simple and common as dyed hard-boiled eggs. Instead, she had purchased hollow eggs made of porcelain or gold or silver, all beautifully painted or enameled or decorated with gilt and tiny jewels, like Faberge eggs. Some of the simpler, less expensive ones were left out in plain sight on the lawn, or hidden in relatively easy to find places, such as under a bush, while the more elaborate and expensive ones were hidden more carefully, and in some cases, concealed with magic. The grand prize was a magnificent gold-and-silver creation the size of an ostrich egg, inlaid with a design of tiny emeralds forming the Slytherin crest of a serpent.

Selima sat on a marble bench in the garden, calmly watching the festivities. "Just how much did all this cost, Mother?" Snape asked, a bit sourly.

Selima waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Consider it an investment in the future, Severus. We need to reestablish our position in society, after your father spent so many years in seclusion, and this will help to accomplish that."

And indeed, the guests seemed to be having a splendid time, exclaiming over Lady Selima's clever idea. Snape nodded in acknowledgment and Selima smiled smugly. Then she caught sight of Lukas, and motioned for him to join them. "There you are, Cyril! Where have you been?"

Lukas shrugged. "Having a chat with one of my students. Besides, it wouldn't be fair for me participate in the hunt, since I helped to hide the eggs."

"Still, you are the guest of honor here," Selima chided him, "so it would behoove you to show your face and circulate among the other guests. The whole point of this is to show them how well you fit in, after all."

"Yes, Lady Selima," Lukas sighed.

"And at least try to look like you're enjoying yourself."

"Yes, Lady Selima."

Lupin showed up just as Selima was wrapping up her lecture. "Well, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves," he observed.

Allegra was giggling happily as she held up a pretty porcelain egg for Blaise and Theo to admire. All the eggs were hollow and filled with little trinkets or treats; Allegra's contained Honeydukes chocolates. Pansy squealed with delight as she found a silver egg that contained a silver bracelet. Arthur Weasley found a small golden egg hidden in a bird's nest up in a tree, and proudly presented it to his wife. She opened it and pulled out a gold locket on a delicate golden chain.

"Oh, how lovely," Molly said. "Perhaps I'll put one of the children's pictures in it."

"Ah, but which child?" Arthur asked with a grin. "You wouldn't want to play favorites, after all. Perhaps I should buy you six more lockets?"

"Goodness, I'd be clinking and rattling as I walked!" Molly laughed. She kissed her husband on the cheek and said, "I guess I'll just put your picture in it, then, dear."

Hermione's keen eye spotted an egg that was cleverly disguised as a rock in the bottom of a small pond in the garden. She dispelled the enchantment and used a levitation spell to raise it up out of the water. It was made of blue porcelain, decorated with a design of gold fishes, and contained a string of pearls. Dylan applauded her and helped her put on the necklace, planting a quick kiss on the nape of her neck as he fastened the clasp.

"Very good, Hermione!" he said with a grin as she blushed deeply. "Even I didn't spot that one!"

A wrinkle furrowed Selima's brow as she frowned worriedly. "Oh, Merlin," she muttered. "I hope that Mudblood girl isn't the one who finds the grand prize."

"The girl is annoying, but she's a clever wench," Snape said grudgingly.

"It's not politic to call a heroine of the war a Mudblood," Lupin reminded Selima in a reproving tone. "The Minister of Magic has very strong Muggle sympathies."

"You mean he's fascinated with all those ridiculous Muggle gadgets," Snape said sourly.

"I know, I know," Selima sighed. "It's just that most of the people here will take offense if a Muggle girl takes home the grand prize."

"Let me steer her away from it, then," Lukas said, and went over to join Dylan and Hermione. "I see you're doing well at the hunt, Miss Granger," he said cheerfully.

"Yes, this is the second one we've found so far," Hermione said proudly, pulling a silver egg out of her pocket to show him.

"The egg in the pond was very well-hidden, difficult to detect even with magic," Lukas praised, and Hermione beamed at him. He leaned over and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "Perhaps you should call it a night, before you humiliate the other guests. Elaine Baddock hasn't found even one yet."

Hermione giggled, looking flattered and a little smug. "Well, it wouldn't be fair to take all the prizes," she agreed. She reached up to touch the strand of pearls around her neck. "And I really love this necklace."

"You should thank the hostess for it, then," Lukas told her, and grinned to himself as he watched her go over to offer her thanks to Lady Selima, who was obliged to accept it graciously and conceal her irritation. It was small enough payback for everything she'd put him through tonight. Hermione obviously hadn't noticed his ulterior motives, but Dylan winked at him, then went over to join his girlfriend. After making polite small talk with Lady Selima for a couple of minutes, they strolled through the garden together hand-in-hand, watching the other guests continue the hunt.

Ron found a gold egg hidden in one of the flower beds, and appropriately enough, it was decorated with a floral design and contained a small jeweled brooch shaped like a flower.

"You know, I bet that'd be worth a pretty penny if you sold it," his brother George said, taking it from his hand and examining it closely.

"I'm not going to sell it!" Ron said indignantly, grabbing it back.

"Then what're you going to do with it, Ronnie?" Fred snickered. "Wear it? I'm sure it would look really pretty on you!"

"Of course not, you stupid git!" Ron snapped. "It would probably be rude to sell Lady Selima's gifts--"

"Our little brother is becoming politically savvy," George said with a grin.

"--but obviously I can't wear it myself, so..." Ron blushed a little. "I think it would be all right if I gave it to someone as a gift."

"Our little brother's got a girlfriend!" Fred exclaimed.

"Shhh!" Ron hissed, turning even redder.

"I'm so proud of you!" George said, throwing an arm around Ron's shoulders. "You're turning into a real smooth operator."

"You know, George," Fred said thoughtfully as he looked at the hollow egg. "This gives me an idea for a new product--exploding eggs!"

"That's brilliant!" George said. "They could send out a shower of confetti or a burst of fireworks when they explode! The possibilities are endless!"

"What about Easter eggs that are like Christmas crackers?" Ron suggested, getting caught up in the twins' excitement. "Break them and a prize pops out."

"Damn!" Fred said. "Easter's tomorrow; there's no time to get them ready by then. Wish we'd thought of this sooner."

"We'll have a whole year to prepare for next Easter," George declared, undaunted. "With all that time, we should be able to come up with something really spectacular! Besides, who says you can only sell exploding eggs during Easter?"

Meanwhile, Harry and Tristan simultaneously spotted something shiny up in the branches of a tree. Harry reached for his wand, but stopped when he saw Tristan reach in his pocket and then grimace. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Didn't bring my wand," Tristan replied. "No reason to, since I thought students weren't allowed to do magic outside of school."

"I always carry mine," Harry said. "Just in case of emergencies." He still remembered the Dementors that had attacked him and Dudley during the summer before his fifth year. "But we seem to have Dumbledore's permission; at least, he hasn't stopped anyone from casting spells."

"Guess this one's yours, then, Potter," Tristan said a bit sullenly.

"That doesn't really seem fair," Harry said, pocketing his wand. "Tell you what, why don't we race for it, no magic?" Tristan gave him a puzzled look. "You can climb a tree, can't you?" Harry asked, grinning. "It's not really that high up."

Tristan grinned back, a fierce and competitive gleam in his eyes. "This will be a pre-match, then, before we meet on the Pitch. I won't lose to you, Potter!"

"What on earth are those two idiots doing?" Selima asked.

"Trying to break their necks, it would seem," Snape said sourly.

"I'd better make sure no one gets hurt," Lupin said, heading over to the tree.

Tristan, who was smaller and lighter, scrambled up the tree with the agility of a squirrel. Harry, who didn't really have much experience climbing trees, pulled himself up more by sheer determination than skill. It helped that he was in good shape, thanks to the Physical Defense classes. And at least this tree, unlike the Whomping Willow, wasn't trying to kill him. The branch that held the egg looked too light to support him, so he clung to the trunk of the tree and stretched his arm out as far as he could, but it was just out of his reach.

"It's mine, Potter!" Tristan said triumphantly as he crawled out onto the branch.

"Watch out!" Harry called as the branch sagged dangerously under Tristan's weight. "It's going to break!"

"Just a little further," Tristan murmured to himself, ignoring the warning. "There!" And just as he closed his hand around the egg, the branch cracked and gave way. Harry lunged out and grabbed Tristan's arm, which caused him to lose his balance and they both fell. He grabbed at a branch with his free hand, but it snapped under their combined weight. Harry was bracing himself for impact, when a levitation spell caught them just before they hit the ground, and they landed with only a slightly jarring thump.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked, a frantic look in his eyes.

"Yeah, sure," Tristan replied carelessly, then held out his hand. "And I managed to hang onto the egg!"

"Is a gold egg worth getting killed over?!" Harry shouted, and Tristan stared at him in surprise.

"I hate to say it, Potter," Snape drawled in his deep, sardonic voice, "but you took the words right out of my mouth."

"You were supposed to use magic to get the egg out of the tree," Lupin informed them.

"I didn't have my wand," Tristan said.

"We both spotted it at the same time, and I wanted to play fair, so I said we should get it without magic," Harry said, looking distraught. "It was a stupid idea; it's all my fault. I'm so sorry."

Tristan was starring at him, looking puzzled and thoughtful, when Gwendolyn came running over. "Tristan! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mum," he replied calmly, rising to his feet and dusting off his robes.

A crowd was beginning to gather around them, and Lukas tried to defuse the situation. "Boys will be boys, Gwen," he said soothingly. "There's no harm done. Surely this isn't the first scrape that Tristan's gotten into?"

"No," Gwendolyn sighed. "He actually did fall out of a tree and break his arm when he was eight years old, and I thought I was going to have a heart attack during his last Quidditch match."

Robert Ames grinned, looking more proud than worried by the memory of his son's Quidditch match, and his wife glared at him.

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Ames," Harry said remorsefully.

Gwendolyn's expression softened and she smiled at him kindly. "It's not your fault, Harry. Tristan's been getting into mischief ever since he was a baby. And I saw that you tried to catch him when he fell. Thank you."

The Ames family walked off, and Harry stared after them, still looking guilty. The crowd began to disperse and continue with the Easter egg hunt, looking a little disappointed that the excitement was over.

"It's all right, Harry," Lupin said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No one was hurt."

"I could've killed Tristan," Harry whispered. "The way I got Cedric killed."

"Oh, Harry," Lupin said, his eyes filled with concern, "it's not the same thing."

By this time, Sirius and Branwen had joined them. "Indeed," Branwen said firmly. "Falling out of a tree is hardly the same thing as a Death Eater attack."

"And you didn't tell that kid to climb out on that branch," Sirius pointed out. "In fact, you tried to stop him."

"Perhaps Mr. Ames-Diggory should've been a Gryffindor," Branwen said dryly. "Hufflepuffs are usually more sensible."

"Ah, but the competitive spirit can overwhelm common sense at times," Sirius said with a grin, throwing an arm around Harry's shoulders. "And the boy is a Seeker; in fact, Gryffindor has a match against Hufflepuff coming up soon, right? The injuries you've received playing Quidditch are probably worse than the ones you would've gotten falling out of the tree even if Moony hadn't caught you with his spell."

"I've never quite understood the fascination with a game where the equipment is enchanted to attack the players," Branwen sighed.

"It makes the game more exciting, Branwen!" Sirius argued.

Branwen gave him a dubious look and said, "Sometimes I think that all Quidditch players have taken a Bludger to the head one time too many." Lupin and Sirius laughed, and after a moment, Harry laughed along with them. The three adults smiled with relief.

A commotion arose from the other end of the garden, and they went over to investigate. It turned out that Aric had found the grand prize, shrunken down by magic and hidden with concealing spells in the eye of a stone serpent sculpture in the garden. He retrieved it with a flourish of his wand, and the egg popped out of the stone and instantly resumed its normal size and shape. The assembled guests applauded politely and Lady Selima congratulated him.

"Too bad that slimy git had to win the grand prize," Dylan muttered as he clapped his hands together halfheartedly.

"Shh!" Hermione scolded, although she didn't like Aric much, either. The Slytherin boy was smiling happily, looking pleased with himself; he looked quite different without his usual condescending sneer on his face. "Maybe he and Theodore can still become friends one day," she said hopefully, although without much certainty.

"When hell freezes over," Dylan snorted.

"But Professor Snape used to hate Professor Lupin, so anything's possible," Hermione argued.

"If Aric and Theo ever become friends, I'll eat my hat," Dylan said.

"You don't have a hat," Hermione pointed out.

Dylan laughed. "Then I'll wear Luna's lion hat and run around the school in Gryffindor robes!"

Hermione laughed as well. "I would love to see that! What a pity that it will probably never happen."

"Well, if I knew that sort of thing turned you on..." Dylan purred into her ear softly, and Hermione's face turned bright red.

"Dylan Rosier!" she exclaimed in a voice that sounded more like Professor Blackmore's, and hit him on the arm.

"Ouch," Dylan said, grinning unrepentantly as he rubbed his arm. "It's a good thing I like feisty women."

"Keep it up," Hermione said, still in that stern tone of voice, "and you'll see just how 'feisty' I can get."

"Is that a threat or a promise? Ow!"

Meanwhile, Aric opened the egg and found that it contained a beautiful jade bracelet shaped like a coiled serpent. He smiled, accepting the congratulations of the other guests, and felt rather proud of himself when Lupin and Diggory complimented him on the way he had detected the hidden egg and dispelled the enchantments.

"The spells are quite complicated; it takes a delicate touch to undo them properly," Lupin said. "Actually, it's good practice for some of the advanced curse-breaking spells that we'll be covering in class. Remind me to give you five points for Slytherin when we get back to school."

"Thank you, Professor," Aric said. The Easter egg hunt, as silly as it was, had managed to distract him from his worries for a little while, and he felt much better.

The party began winding down after all the eggs were found, and the guests returned home soon after that. Still feeling pleased with himself, Aric offered the bracelet to his mother. "Would you like it, Mum? It's not really my style, and it looks a little small for me, anyway."

"It's beautiful, dear," Alison said with a smile. "But why don't you save it for a betrothal gift? I'm sure Miranda will love it."

And instantly Aric's good mood evaporated, and all his worries returned. He went to his room and stared at the bracelet, a brooding expression on his face, then put it back in the egg, which he angrily stuffed in the bottom of one of his dresser drawers, beneath a stack of socks and underwear.

Part 72