FIC: Aftermaths, Part 82

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 82
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: ~10,135
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: Williamson and Amos are questioned under Truth Potion, and the R.A. members receive their punishments.

Part 81 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

They went to the Ministry of Magic next, to sit in on Amos Diggory's questioning. They were joined by Dawlish, Arthur Weasley, and Morrigan, who came as Lukas's representative, since he refused to leave Aric's side. Dawlish seemed very subdued and uncomfortable, and avoided meeting either Lupin's or Snape's eyes. They all sat down together in a small room that was bare of furnishings except for a long table and several chairs. The bleak gray stone walls and the lack of windows gave it a grim, claustrophobic air--which was quite intentional, as it was meant to intimidate to the suspects who were questioned there.

"Ash Randolf has been released, with the Ministry's apologies," Arthur informed Morrigan.

"Thank you," Morrigan said. "I'm sure that Master Diggory will be relieved to hear that."

"We have a warrant to question you under Truth Potion," Kingsley told Amos, holding up a piece of parchment stamped with the Minister of Magic's seal.

Amos just remained slumped in his chair, his eyes looking dull and defeated. He put up no resistance when Kingsley ordered him to open his mouth, then poured three drops of Veritaserum onto his tongue. In an emotionless, droning voice, he answered all of the Aurors' questions, admitting to his role as a conspirator in Williamson's crimes.

"I was trying to protect my family's reputation and keep the promise I made to my parents," he said in a hollow voice. "Cyril tried to blackmail me, the way his father blackmailed my parents."

The others looked a little confused, except for Morrigan, who explained, "Master Diggory recently found evidence that his father had hidden years ago, pages from the diary of Lord Cyrus Diggory, which proved that the lycanthropy came from the Diggory side of the family. Unfortunately, Master Diggory tried to handle this privately between Amos and himself, and did not share this information with me until I stopped by the hospital to see him just before I came here."

"I see," Tonks murmured. "He told Amos to back off, or he'd expose the truth about the Diggory family, so Amos decided to kill him."

"It wasn't just about the estate, or even getting the Ministry to release Mr. Randolf," Morrigan said. "He could have handled that through an intermediary, such as myself. But he wanted to learn the truth about how his father died, and he knew that Amos would never discuss such a thing with a stranger or in front of witnesses, so he arranged to meet with Amos alone today, and, well..."

"So how did Cynric Diggory die?" Snape asked Amos, knowing that Selima, as well as Lukas, would want to know the answer to that.

"Cynric went searching through the old family histories, trying to discover clues that might indicate whether the lycanthropy came from our side of the family," Amos replied dully. "Anya did the same with the Gravenor histories, but she found nothing, while Cynric found a reference to a Diggory girl with inherited lycanthropy, whose name had been removed from the official family tree hundreds of years ago. My parents' patience with Cynric was wearing thin, and they were just about ready to disown him. Even if he went public with Cyril's lycanthropy, it would hurt Cyril more than it would hurt us. And even if Cynric tried to claim that the lycanthropy came from our side of the family, without any proof, people would be much more likely to believe it came from the Gravenors, since they were known for practicing the Dark Arts. But then Cynric did find proof that the lycanthropy came from our side of the family, and he threatened to tell the entire wizarding world about it if our parents disowned him. They saw that as a betrayal--an unforgivable offense, especially since our family have always been Hufflepuffs, and prized loyalty above all else."

"They didn't exactly show a lot of loyalty to their own grandson," Snape muttered, but Amos either didn't hear him, or was able to ignore his comment since it wasn't actually a question.

"They decided that Cynric had become a threat that must be eliminated in order to protect the family's reputation," Amos continued. "They sent him a message purporting to be from one of his illegal potion suppliers, claiming to have found a potential cure. The Wizard Wireless Network had predicted a thunderstorm that night; it had been raining all week. So they sabotaged the carriage beforehand, knowing that the crash would be blamed on the storm rather than foul play. It helped that my brother had a reputation for being reckless; flying out in the middle of a thunderstorm was exactly the sort of idiotic thing he would do, and no one really found it suspicious. Well, a few people--mostly Cynric's Slytherin friends--did, but there wasn't enough of an outcry to get the Ministry to launch an official investigation. Most people chalked it up as the usual sort of malicious gossip that the Slytherins like to spread."

"Were you in on the plot to kill Cynric?" Snape asked. Lukas had already told them that Amos had claimed that he hadn't known about it, but Amos had not been under the influence of Veritaserum at the time.

"No," Amos replied. "I loved my brother. As much as I argued with him, disagreed with him, and sometimes even hated him, he was still my brother and I loved him." Those passionate words were uttered in a dull monotone; an eerie contrast that was an unintended side effect of the Truth Potion, which rendered the imbiber preternaturally calm and emotionless. "If I had known what my parents were going to do, I would have tried to stop them. But they did not tell me about it until the carriage had already crashed."

"And what did you do then?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Cynric was dead, and sending my parents to Azkaban wouldn't bring him back," Amos said. "I had to protect them. Right or wrong, they were my family. Besides, it was partly Cynric's fault. He drove them to it. If he hadn't been so stubborn..."

"What about Lukas...er...Cyril?" Snape interrupted. "Whose idea was it to hide him away on the Gravenor estate?"

"Mine," Amos said. "My parents meant for Cyril to die in the crash, too. The message they sent to Cynric said that he should bring his son with him, in order to test the cure right away. The whole point of this was to erase any evidence of lycanthropy in the Diggory family, after all. But while my brother was foolhardy with his own life, he would never do anything to put his wife or son in danger. Well, aside from feeding Cyril experimental potions. But I could have told my parents, if they had asked me, that Cynric wouldn't bring Cyril with him to the meeting--especially if it meant flying in a thunderstorm. So I contacted the Gravenors. We agreed that with Cynric dead and Anya too overwhelmed by grief to function, it was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Cyril."

"So you let the Gravenors do your dirty work, because you were too cowardly to do it yourself," Snape said contemptuously.

Amos just stared at him blankly, still drugged by the potion and unable to summon up enough emotion to take offense. "I didn't want any more blood shed. Lord Gravenor was a sneaky Slytherin bastard, but he loved his daughter. He wouldn't have hurt Cyril, at least while Anya was still alive. The Gravenors had a large country estate in Wales, and agreed to keep Cyril safely confined there. Except that they didn't do their job. He escaped after Anya died. I kept expecting him to show up at the Diggory mansion to confront us, or maybe go to the press or one of his father's friends, but he never did. Maybe he was afraid that we would kill him. Maybe he didn't think that anyone would believe him if he said that he was Cyril Diggory, since Cyril was supposed to be dead. After awhile, I figured he would never show up. And then the war was in full swing, and everyone, myself included, was more worried about the Death Eaters than one stray werewolf. If I had known how much trouble he would cause me later, maybe I would have killed him when I had the chance, when he was still a puppy." A hint of contempt crept into his voice, a sign that the Truth Potion was beginning to wear off.

"I've heard enough," Arthur said disgustedly. "Lukas is your nephew, Amos--it was your duty to protect him as a child, not to lock him up and steal his inheritance!" Then he added in a scathing, sarcastic voice, "But I guess your vaunted Hufflepuff loyalty doesn't apply to werewolves." Snape was impressed; he almost sounded like a Slytherin. He had never seen cheerful, idealistic Arthur Weasley look so angry before. But then, Hufflepuffs were not the only ones who valued loyalty. The Gryffindors did as well, and Arthur considered Lukas to be a friend.

"He destroyed my family," Amos said sullenly. "None of this would have happened if he hadn't been born a werewolf."

"Listen to yourself!" Arthur shouted. "Lukas didn't ask to be born a werewolf! And what difference does it make, anyway? He and his pack risked their lives to fight the Death Eaters and save the very people who made them outcasts. While you, a respected pureblood, plotted to murder your own nephew, and endangered innocent students in the process! Tell me, Amos, which one of you is really the monster? What would Cedric think if he could see you now?" Amos hung his head, and Arthur snapped, "Take him away!"

Tonks and Kingsley escorted Amos to a holding cell, and he went along meekly. His spirit seemed to have been broken the moment he realized that his family's reputation, which he had been willing to commit murder to protect, was utterly ruined.

Arthur sighed and shook his head. "He was a friend, once. I wonder if things would have gone this far if Cedric had lived? The thought of his son seeing him as a criminal might have prevented him from stooping to murder. And Cedric was a kind lad; I don't think that he would have held Lukas's lycanthropy against him. Perhaps he would even have tried to encourage a reconciliation."

"Or that might have given Amos even more reason to kill Lukas," Snape pointed out. "In order to prevent his werewolf nephew from 'corrupting' his son, or to keep Cedric from learning that his grandparents committed murder."

"Amos was always very protective of Cedric," Arthur conceded, sighing again.

"He had the capacity within him to kill, even before Cedric died," Snape said. "He covered up his brother's murder. He handed his nephew over to the dubious care of relatives who despised him. Did you notice that he said Lord Gravenor wouldn't have harmed Cyril while Anya was still alive? Which means that he also knew that the Gravenors would probably kill him if anything happened to Anya. And once she died, Amos doesn't seem to have wasted any time worrying about his nephew's welfare, only about what might happen to his family's reputation if the supposedly dead Cyril Diggory turned up alive. It's a small step from condoning murder to committing it." Snape smiled bitterly. "And believe me, I know. The Dark Lord used that tactic often enough. Most of the Death Eater initiates simply observed kills and sacrifices at first, before graduating to actively participating in them. Although a few, like the Lestranges, needed little encouragement..."

Dawlish gazed at Snape, a very thoughtful expression on his face, until the Potions Master glanced in his direction, and Dawlish quickly looked away. There was a brief awkward silence, which Dumbledore broke by asking, "What will happen to Lukas, Arthur? He won't be charged for infecting Mr. Dietrich, will he?"

"Technically, it's a crime to infect someone with lycanthropy," Arthur said. "But since he did it in order to save his student's life, and Mr. Dietrich consented to it, I think that I can prevent any charges from being filed. Mr. Dietrich is a legal adult, is he not?" Dumbledore nodded, and Arthur continued, "Then his parents cannot press charges in his name. If Mr. Dietrich does not wish to file a complaint, the matter should end there."

Lupin sighed with relief. "Thank Merlin!"

A few minutes later, Kingsley and Tonks returned, along with Frank and Alice Longbottom. Frank was walking a large dog on a leash; it appeared to be a mongrel that was mostly German Shepherd, with one or two other unknown breeds mixed in. Its fur was black on its back, shading to a combination of gray and tan on the rest of its body.

"We found this dog in the flat Williamson rented under an alias," Frank said. "Along with a few of the same ingredients found in the Shrieking Shack, and some notes on the Sanguis Veneno spell. I don't think that there's any doubt that Williamson used this dog, and the one found in the Shrieking Shack, in the 'werewolf' attacks on Pritchard and Baddock. Nor is there any doubt that he tried to frame Professor Snape."

"And the staff at St. Mungo's also retrieved a vial of what turned out to be the so-called Werewolf Potion from the pocket of Williamson's robe," Alice added. "Apparently he intended to plant it on Master Diggory's body after he killed him, in order to link him to Professor Snape and imply that they were conspirators."

Frank and Alice exchanged a look, both of them looking uncomfortable and a little ashamed. "It seems that we owe you an apology, Professor," Frank told Snape. "We doubted your loyalties, despite the fact that Remus and Albus both vouched for you, and despite the fact that by all reports, your help was crucial to winning the war. Like most people in the wizarding world, we had trouble believing that the Death Eaters were no longer a threat. But it turns out that we were chasing shadows--there were no Death Eaters at work here, only a corrupt Auror-turned-vigilante playing on people's paranoia and prejudice."

"So we most humbly and deeply apologize," Alice said.

"We apologize to you, too, Remus," Frank told Lupin. "We should have trusted you, instead of just assuming that you were blinded by love like an infatuated teenager. And we should have listened to Neville, too. He told us once that you always tell your students to judge people by their actions, and not by their Houses or their families."

"Thank you, Frank, Alice," Lupin said quietly. "That means a lot to me."

"It takes a great deal of courage to admit that you're wrong," Dumbledore added, with a sidelong glance at Snape, who just grunted and nodded curtly, not exactly accepting the apology, but not rejecting it, either.

"What will happen to Williamson and Amos?" Lupin asked, changing the subject, and the Longbottoms looked grateful.

"They will have to stand trial," Arthur replied, "but I am certain that they will receive long prison sentences. Amos may get off a little lighter, since it seems that he was mainly following Williamson's lead, and Williamson carried out most of the dirty work by himself. But he's still guilty of attempted murder, and I won't let him get off with a slap on the wrist."

"Whatever sentence he receives, his life has already been ruined," Dumbledore pointed out. "All his crimes were committed in order to protect his family's reputation, and ironically enough, he has ruined that reputation with his own actions."

Snape did not look as though he thought that was punishment enough, but he just scowled and said, "What about Williamson?"

"I'm pushing for a life sentence in Azkaban," Arthur replied grimly. "He not only committed assault and attempted murder and tried to frame you and the werewolves, but he abused his position as an Auror, betrayed the oaths that he took to uphold the law. He betrayed the trust that the people of the wizarding world place in that office."

"You should add animal cruelty to the list of crimes he'll be charged with," Lupin said. "I still remember the look on the face of that poor dog from the Shrieking Shack." He shuddered, then looked over the dog Frank had brought. "Well, at least this one seems unharmed."

"It seems healthy enough," Frank said. "Williamson left plenty of food and water for the dog, and he doesn't seem to have abused it--apart from transfiguring it into a wolf to use in the staged werewolf attacks."

"Poor fellow," Lupin said sympathetically, then held out his hand towards the dog, who tentatively sniffed at it, then licked it. Lupin patted the dog and scratched behind its ears, and the dog barked happily and wagged its tail.

"It seems friendly enough," Frank observed.

"What will happen to the dog?" Lupin asked.

Frank shrugged. "The Ministry will care for it until Williamson's trial is over, since it might be needed as evidence. After that...well, I suppose we'll try to find a home for it." He looked at Arthur.

"Oh no, don't look at me," Arthur said hastily. "Not that I'd mind, but Molly would never allow it. She always put her foot down at getting a dog; she said that looking after seven children was more than enough work for her."

"My flat is too small for such a big dog," Tonks said.

Lupin looked at Snape with pleading eyes, and the Potions Master snapped, "Don't even think about it, Lupin!"

"But Severus..." Lupin said in a wheedling tone.

"No," Snape said firmly. "I am not having some hairy beast shed fur in my quarters--except for you, of course. Not to mention having it run around knocking over my Potions equipment."

"He seems like a very well-behaved dog, Severus," Lupin objected. "And besides, you do most of your potion-brewing in your workshop, anyway, and I'll be sure to keep the dog out of that room."

"No," Snape repeated.

"But if they send him to the pound, he'll probably be put down," Lupin said, his blue eyes going wide and tearful.

Snape knew it was all an act, but he still felt a twinge of guilt. "Give it to Hagrid, then," he said gruffly. "It'll be happier running around outside than being cooped up in the castle, and I'm sure Hagrid will be thrilled to get another pet."

"Or maybe not," Tonks joked. "It only has one head, after all."

"I'll take him out for walks before and after classes so he won't feel bored or cooped up," Lupin said. "Or maybe I could take him with me to class--"

"No!" Snape said.

"Actually, I have no objection to that," Dumbledore said helpfully, and Snape glared at him.

"But Severus," Lupin said in a childish whine, "you promised that I could have a dog after we moved in together!"

"Are you going to hold me to a promise that I made when I was fifteen or sixteen?" Snape complained. "And anyway, it wasn't a promise, it was a joke!"

"Oh please, Severus," Lupin continued to whine. "Please, please, please!" Tonks, Arthur, and Dumbledore began to laugh, while Kingsley, Dawlish, and the Longbottoms stared at the pair incredulously.

"Oh, cut that out, Lupin!" Snape growled, although he already knew that he was defeated. "Honestly, you behave more childishly than a first-year! What kind of example are you setting for your students?"

Lupin leaned over and cooed into Snape's ear, "Pretty please, Severus?"

Snape's sallow face turned bright red, and he glared at Tonks, who was laughing so hard that she nearly fell off her chair. "Enough!" he snapped, then glowered at Lupin fiercely. "You're the one who's going to feed it and walk it and clean up after it," Snape said in his sternest Potions Master voice, in an attempt to salvage his pride after being publicly henpecked by his werewolf lover. "That beast will be your responsibility; don't expect me to lift a finger to help."

"Yes, Severus," Lupin said meekly.

"And I'll expect you to train it properly," Snape continued. "No messes on the carpet or barking in the middle of the night. If it can't behave, then you'll have to give it to Hagrid or build it a doghouse outside the castle."

"Yes, Severus," Lupin repeated. "He seems very well-behaved; I'm sure it won't take long to train him properly." He told the dog, "Sit," placing a hand on the dog's hindquarters and gently pushing down. The dog took the hint and sat, the very picture of obedience. Lupin patted the dog and said, "Good boy," and it wagged its tail happily.

"Oh, very well," Snape sighed. "Although I'm sure I'm going to regret this later."

"Thank you, Severus!" Lupin cried, flinging his arms around Snape and kissing him on the cheek.

"Argh! Cut that out!" Snape shouted. "Merlin's Beard, Lupin, the dog is better behaved than you are! Maybe I should put YOU in the doghouse!" The dog cocked its head to one side and gave the two of them a puzzled but friendly look. "And don't YOU even think about jumping on me, you mangy mutt!" Snape told the dog, who just continued to sit in place and wag its tail.

"Well, that's settled then," Arthur said cheerfully. "The dog will have to stay at the Ministry for now, but you can have him as soon as Williamson's trial is over. But don't worry, we'll take good care of him in the meantime. And I imagine you will need a little time to prepare for your new pet--to buy dog food and whatnot."

"And move anything breakable out of reach," Snape added sourly. "By the way, Lupin, what do you intend to do with this animal during the full moon? Would a dog regard a wolf as an enemy or a fellow canine?"

"I don't think he's been trained to hunt wolves," Lupin replied. "He'll probably think I'm just another type of dog. There could be a problem if he considers me to be a strange dog intruding on his territory, but even if my body changes, my scent should still be familiar to him, so I don't think he'll attack me, although he might be a little confused. But if he reacts badly to the transformation, we can have Hagrid baby-sit him during the full moon."

"And what about summer vacation?" Snape demanded. "We can't take him to Snape Manor with us."

"Why not?" Lupin asked. "It's a big house; I'm sure there's room enough for one dog."

"If you think you can convince Lady Selima to allow you to bring a dog into the mansion--her beautiful, immaculate mansion filled with expensive rugs and valuable, breakable antiques--be my guest, Lupin," Snape said. "Just don't expect any help from me."

"You'll be a perfect gentleman, won't you?" Lupin crooned, kneeling down to pet the dog. "You'll show Lady Selima what a well-behaved dog you are, won't you?" The dog barked once, as if to voice its agreement, and licked Lupin's face.

"It's your funeral," Snape said with a shrug.

"Well then, that's settled," Arthur repeated. "We'll let you know when you can pick up the dog, Remus."

"No need," Tonks said. "I'll be happy to drop him off at Hogwarts for you."

"Oh joy," Snape muttered to himself.

As he and Lupin and Dumbledore started to leave, Dawlish called after them, "Snape? Wait just a moment. I...I think that Frank and Alice aren't the only ones who owe you an apology."

The Auror had a sour expression on his face, as though he had just bitten into a lemon. Snape looked startled at first, then smirked and waited expectantly.

"It seems I was wrong about you this time, Snape," Dawlish said grudgingly. "But don't think that I won't be keeping my eye on you."

"Was there an apology in there somewhere?" Snape asked sarcastically.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I apologize for wrongly accusing you, Professor Snape," Dawlish said through gritted teeth.

"And on behalf of Severus, I accept your apology," Lupin said cheerfully, and Snape glared at him, since he'd had no intention of accepting the apology. In fact, he'd intended to stretch out the Auror's discomfort and humiliation for as long as he could. Blithely ignoring him, Lupin continued, "I know that I could not have expected you to immediately believe in Severus's and Lukas's innocence, since you do not know them as I do. But once you had fixed your attention on them as suspects, you did not bother looking elsewhere. I hope that in the future, you will not be so quick to judge on appearances."

Dawlish flushed as if he were a student being lectured in one of Lupin's classes, and in fact, Lupin had been using the gentle tone of reprimand that he normally used on his students when he felt that they were being unreasonable. If he hadn't disliked the Auror so much, Snape might have felt a little sorry for him. "In the future, I shall be certain to investigate all my cases very thoroughly," Dawlish growled in a low voice, looking both ashamed and annoyed.

"It takes a big man to admit that he's wrong," Lupin said in a placating tone. "I know that it wasn't easy for you to apologize, and I appreciate it, Richard."

Dawlish just grunted and nodded, looking more embarrassed than ever. "I will take my leave, then," he said politely, but the look on his face said that he hoped he wouldn't have to see Lupin and Snape again for a very, very long time.

***

Snape, Lupin, and Dumbledore returned to the school, but their work was not yet over: there were still the R.A. members to be interviewed. After thoroughly questioning the three Gryffindor members, along with the testimony that they received from Susan, they were satisfied that Dean Thomas, Andrew Kirke, and Jack Sloper had not been involved in any of the pranks, threats, or hexes, apart from the spiked punch at the Yule Ball. The boys looked very cowed and shaken when they learned the true extent of the R.A.'s activities, including the curse that Susan had suffered and the fact that Stewart had (albeit unwittingly) helped Williamson frame Snape and nearly murder Master Diggory.

"They did all those things, not the Slytherins?" Dean asked, looking stunned. "Hexed Rosier and threatened Harry and cast the Dark Mark at the Quidditch match? Just to make it look like the Slytherins were Death Eaters? And they hurt Susan?"

Lupin nodded solemnly. "I'm very disappointed in all of you," he said in that soft, almost gentle tone of disapproval that was somehow much more devastating than Snape's shouting. Dean in particular looked like he wished he could sink right through the floor with shame. "You especially, Dean," Lupin added, and the boy looked like he was going to burst into tears. "You participated in the final battle, and some of the Slytherins fought alongside you. I would have thought that would help you to view them as individuals, but instead you let yourself be blinded by old prejudices and House rivalries. You should have learned from Peter Pettigrew's example that not all Gryffindors are noble, Dean. And from Severus's example that not all Slytherins are evil. In fact, haven't you three been acting more like stereotypical Slytherins than Gryffindors? Sneaking around, spying on your classmates, and dosing them with potions instead of confronting them directly?"

"I'm sorry, Professor!" Dean said tearfully. "I'm so sorry!" Jack and Andrew muttered apologies as well, their eyes downcast towards the floor.

"You don't just owe an apology to me," Lupin said sternly. "You owe apologies to Dylan and Theodore, who were hurt by the R.A.'s hexes, and to Harry, who was threatened, and to all the Slytherins and Professor Snape, whom you slandered as Death Eaters."

"Yes, I agree that should be part of your punishment," McGonagall said, glaring at her three students. "You will issue formal written apologies to Mr. Rosier, Mr. Snape, and Mr. Potter, and you will publicly apologize to the Slytherins in the Great Hall tonight at dinner, in front of the entire school."

"Yes, ma'am," the three boys mumbled.

"You will serve detention for what is left of the school year," McGonagall continued, "and Mr. Sloper and Mr. Kirke will be banned from the Quidditch team for one year. I would do the same to Mr. Thomas, if he had not already been removed from the team, and is in any case about to graduate."

Jack and Andrew were sixth-years, which meant that their Quidditch careers at Hogwarts were essentially over, since they had only one more year of school left. "Yes, ma'am," they mumbled glumly.

"And thirty points will be taken from Gryffindor for each of you," McGonagall finished. Which meant nearly a hundred points lost from Gryffindor, which would probably cost them the House Cup. McGonagall sent them back to the dorm, and they departed, looking very chastened and miserable.

The next to be interviewed was Corbin Talbott, and Dylan asked to sit in on the session. "A rather unusual request," Dumbledore said. "But you were victimized by the R.A., so it is within your rights."

Corbin's level of involvement seemed to lie somewhere between that of the Gryffindors and the ringleaders, Stewart and Isabelle. It had been Stewart and Isabelle who carried out most of the hexes, but Corbin had been aware of their plans, and he had helped them prepare the threatening note sent to Harry. He had not been aware of Stewart's role in aiding Williamson, though.

"Do you understand that your malicious pranks could have killed people?" the normally kindly Flitwick shouted at his student. "Dylan and Theodore nearly died because of you!"

Corbin looked frightened, but also sullen and defiant. "We figured the teachers would save them," he said defensively. "And anyway, their fathers killed our relatives! We wanted revenge--"

"There are no Death Eaters in this school!" Flitwick shouted in frustration. "The only crimes that were committed were done by you and your friends and that Auror Williamson!"

"Theodore and Dylan were also victims of the Death Eaters, Corbin," Dumbledore said quietly. "Voldemort and the Death Eaters killed their parents, and tried to kill them, too."

"You believe that the Death Eaters are to blame for the death of your father's aunt, Elin Rosier," Lupin said, his pale blue eyes boring into Corbin's brown ones with an intensity that made the Ravenclaw boy squirm nervously. "Say that you kill Dylan and Theo in revenge. Then their friends and family will likely seek revenge on you. So they kill you, or someone in your family, and then your family retaliates against them, and so on, back and forth, in an endless cycle of blood and revenge. Is that really what you want, Corbin? To keep fighting until both sides are completely wiped out?"

"N...no," Corbin stammered, looking pale and confused. For the first time, his certainty in the virtue of the R.A.'s actions seemed to be shaken a little.

"What will be his punishment?" Dylan asked quietly.

"These are very serious crimes," Flitwick said, looking troubled.

"Serious enough to warrant expulsion, I think!" Snape snarled.

"If that is what you wish, then I won't fight you on it, Severus," Flitwick said reluctantly. "It is within your rights, since your sons were endangered by Mr. Talbott's actions."

"Please, Professors," Dylan said, "don't expel him." Everyone turned to stare at him in surprise.

"He and his friends nearly killed you, Dylan!" Snape exclaimed incredulously.

"Why?" Corbin asked, looking even more shocked than Snape. "Why would you show me mercy, after what I've done to you?"

"Because you are one of the few living relatives I have left," Dylan said softly. "I am the last living Rosier, and all the Donners are dead except for Math, Goewin, and Ariana. Once I wanted revenge on my grandmother, Deirdre, and my uncles, Gwydion and Gilbert, but their deaths brought me no satisfaction, only a sense of emptiness and loss for the family that I never had. Once I wanted to kill Mad-Eye Moody, for his role in my father's death, but...I am tired of hating, and I have seen enough blood and death to last me a lifetime." He glanced over at Lupin, who smiled at him approvingly. "I wish to break the cycle of revenge."

"He doesn't deserve your mercy," Snape said.

"I'm not doing it for him, Professor," Dylan replied. "Well, perhaps a little, but mostly I'm doing it for me."

"This is your doing, Lupin," Snape said accusingly. "You've infected my Slytherins with your idealism."

"It's not Remus's fault, Professor," Dylan said, smiling a little although his gray eyes were still solemn. "It's everything I've seen during the war, and the way that hatred tore apart my mother's family. And Theo's. If Theo and Aric can forgive each other, then I think that I can forgive Corbin."

"Dietrich saved Diggory's life," Snape pointed out, then glowered at Corbin. "You have yet to redeem yourself, Mr. Talbott. However, for Dylan's sake, I will withdraw my request that you be expelled."

Flitwick sighed in relief and smiled at Dylan gratefully. "Then I will take fifty points from Ravenclaw, and sentence Mr. Talbott to detention for the rest of the school year--although I realize that's not much of a punishment, since the year is nearly over. So I hereby sentence you to six months detention next school year, to be served with Professor Snape. I'm sure that you can find something useful for him to do, Severus."

"Oh yes," Snape purred, with an evil glint in his eyes that made Corbin break out into a cold sweat. "Especially since I'll have all summer to think about it."

"Very well, you are dismissed, Mr. Talbott," Dumbledore said.

Still looking confused, Corbin told Dylan, "This doesn't make us friends, you know."

"I know," Dylan replied.

"But I acknowledge that I am in your debt," Corbin added reluctantly, in what seemed to be a formal ritual phrase, and bowed towards him, then left the room. Snape was slightly mollified, remembering how much he had hated being in debt to James Potter.

Dylan got up to leave, too, and Lupin hugged him and whispered, "I'm so proud of you, Dylan."

Dylan hugged him back and said, "It's thanks to you and the Professor that I didn't turn out like Corbin--or my father."

Tristan was questioned next, and his parents, who had remained at the school after the Quidditch match, accompanied him. "How could you have done such a thing?!" a distraught Gwendolyn demanded of her son.

"I'm sorry, Mum," Tristan sobbed. "I'm sorry, I really am! I thought the Slytherins were Death Eaters, and I wanted to punish them for Cedric's death..."

"Oh, Tristan," Gwendolyn said helplessly, "if you had asked me, I could have told you that being sorted into Slytherin doesn't automatically make someone evil. My brother Cynric was a Slytherin, after all."

"You never talked much about him, until we found out Master Bleddri was really your nephew," Tristan sniffled.

"That's because any mention of Cynric's name seemed to upset Amos and my parents, I thought because they regretted not making peace with him before he died. But it was because it reminded them of their guilt." Gwendolyn began to weep. "I can't believe that my parents murdered my brother, and my brother Amos tried to murder Cyril!"

Dumbledore patted her on the shoulder in a consoling manner, while Snape cleared his throat impatiently. Lupin elbowed him in the side and glared at him.

"What?" Snape said unrepentantly. "We are here to discuss Mr. Ames-Diggory's punishment. They can work out their family problems on their own time."

"Severus!" Lupin said.

"No, he's right," Robert Ames said. "And Tristan, you owe someone besides your mother an apology, I think."

"I'm so sorry, Professors!" Tristan said earnestly, still weeping. "What I did was just as bad as what Uncle Amos and his parents did. I'm just lucky that no one got killed because of me. But Dietrich did get turned into a werewolf, and Master Diggory might be punished for it--"

"The Minister of Magic has assured us that no charges will be filed against Lukas," Lupin said.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Tristan sobbed in relief. "I'll accept any punishment that you give me, Professors. Whatever it is, I deserve it!"

Snape and Lupin looked at each other for a moment, then Snape sighed and shrugged. "I'll leave that up to you, as his Head of House," he told Professor Sprout.

Sprout looked surprised but grateful. "Fifty points from Hufflepuff," she said. "And Tristan will be banned from the Quidditch team for one year."

"Th...that's all?" Tristan asked in surprise, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "I'm not going to be expelled or sent to Azkaban?"

"The Ministry rarely sends twelve-year-old boys to prison, no matter how much they might deserve it," Snape said dryly. "But don't make me regret my decision, Mr. Ames-Diggory."

"No, sir!" Tristan said fervently. "I'm sorry, I really am!" He turned towards Lupin. "I won't judge anybody just on their House ever again. I thought the Slytherins were sneaky cowards, but they were really brave. They helped you fight Williamson and Uncle Amos, and Dietrich risked his life to save Master Diggory. And I was wrong about Harry, too. I thought it was partly his fault that Cedric died, but he said that Cedric was his friend, and he helped me twice, for Cedric's sake, when I fell out of the tree at the party, and when I nearly fell off my broom at the Quidditch match." He hesitated, then added, "The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin--"

"Why does that not surprise me, somehow?" Snape muttered, rolling his eyes.

"But I made it put me in Hufflepuff," Tristan continued. "Because I thought Slytherins were evil. And I wanted to be a Hufflepuff like Cedric. I'm proud to be a Hufflepuff, but I see now that I could have been proud to be a Slytherin, too."

"Well, don't expect to switch Houses now," Snape said sourly.

"No, sir," Tristan said gravely. "I don't want to switch, although I'm sorry that I've dishonored my House with my actions."

"Then you must work hard to make up for your crimes and regain the trust of your housemates," Sprout told him sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," Tristan said meekly.

Dumbledore dismissed Tristan, and the Ames family went off to continue their discussion in private. That left only the R.A. leaders, Stewart and Isabelle, and Lupin asked that they be interviewed together. He also asked Dumbledore to call in their parents; he was especially insistent that the Laroque family be present.

"What are you up to, Lupin?" Snape asked.

"You'll see," was all that Lupin would say.

"I can't believe it," Mrs. Ackerley kept saying. "Stewart must have been misled by the other students and that rogue Auror--"

"No, Mum," Stewart said, his voice firm although his face looked pale and guilty. "I knew exactly what I was doing. I was as bad as Williamson; I wanted revenge and I took the law into my own hands. And--" His eyes filled with tears. "And Master Diggory risked his life to save me, even though I was the one who had put him in danger. And he still defended me even after Williamson told him what I'd done." He turned towards Lupin and Snape. He quailed a bit at the ferocious expression on Snape's face, then gathered up his courage, swallowed hard, and said, "I know it doesn't make up for what I did, and I don't expect you to forgive me, but I am sorry. I'll accept whatever punishment you decide to give me."

"Before we decide Stewart's punishment, I'd like to hear what Isabelle has to say," Lupin said.

"Did you really do all these things that they're accusing you of?" Emilie Laroque asked her daughter tearfully.

Isabelle nodded, her face expressionless. "Yes. I wanted revenge on the Slytherins for what the Death Eaters did to our family. I know it was wrong. I broke the rules, and I will accept whatever punishment the Headmaster and the Professors decide on."

"I think there's more to it than just revenge, isn't there, Isabelle?" Lupin asked softly, and there was a flicker of surprise and guilt in her eyes. "You didn't even know your uncles Fabian and Gideon; they died before you were born. I find it difficult to believe that you were so attached to them that you would go to such lengths to seek revenge for their murders."

"I wanted to avenge my family's honor," Isabelle said defensively. "And I wanted to make them pay for the way my mother suffered."

Thierry Laroque's eyes narrowed suspiciously, hearing a hint of evasiveness in his daughter's voice. "I think, as Professor Lupin says, that is not the entire truth. You will tell us the truth, Isabelle--now! All of it!"

But the normally sweet and well-mannered girl looked stubbornly defiant, until Lupin said softly, "Does it have something to do with a letter you received from France that made you burst into tears in the Great Hall?"

"What?" Emilie and Thierry chorused, looking startled, and Stewart asked, "What was in that letter, anyway, Isabelle?"

"You told Branwen 'it's over,'" Lupin said, in a gentle yet implacable voice. "You sounded almost relieved to be apprehended. Please, Isabelle, I think you will feel better if you tell us the truth."

And suddenly Isabelle began to weep and she said, "I didn't know whether the Slytherins were Death Eaters or not. I thought they were probably sympathizers at least, but I didn't really care. All I wanted was to go home."

"What?" Emilie and Thierry said again.

"You were homesick, weren't you?" Lupin asked gently. "England was home to your mother, but you were born in France, and it's France that you consider your home, isn't it?"

Isabelle nodded, still weeping. "I had to leave behind my home and all my friends at Beauxbatons, and there was a boy that I liked. He said that he'd wait for me, but then one of my friends wrote to tell me that he'd started dating someone else..."

"WHAT?!" roared Snape. "You mean to say that you endangered my sons, threatened Potter, and incited suspicion and resentment against the Slytherins just because of a little homesickness and a foolish crush on a boy?!"

"I understand how you feel, Isabelle," Lupin said, his voice still gentle, but a little stern as well now. "But your actions put Theodore and Dylan in danger, and they could have been killed, whether you intended it or not. And the atmosphere of distrust that the R.A. created aided Williamson and Amos in their efforts to discredit Professor Snape and the werewolves."

"I didn't intend for anyone to be badly hurt," Isabelle wept. "I thought that the teachers would be able to help Dylan if he fell off his broom, and I didn't know that Theodore would be hit by the Bludger at that other match. I just wanted to scare people with the Dark Mark, make them think that the Death Eaters had come back."

"Not that you wasted much time worrying about them when things did go wrong," Snape said acidly. "After all, they were only Slytherins."

Isabelle hung her head, her long hair falling across her face, and Emilie cried, "But what was the point of doing all these things, Isabelle?"

"Bloody hell, Emilie!" Snape snapped. "Isn't it obvious? She wanted to scare you into moving back to France!"

"I'm sorry, Maman!" Isabelle sobbed. "I thought if it seemed like the Death Eaters were back, then England would no longer be safe, and you would want to move back home."

"But you didn't object when we talked about moving to England," Emilie protested. "And you never told us that you were so unhappy here!"

"How could I?" Isabelle asked, a little bitterly. "All you ever talked about was how we would move back to England when it was safe. You even insisted that we speak English at home, so that I wouldn't 'forget' my native language. Except that it wasn't my native language, and you were the only one moving 'back' to England! How could I want to go back to a place I've never seen? Papa and I are French, not British!"

"I...I didn't know," Emilie said helplessly. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"I think she didn't want to disappoint you, dear," Thierry said softly.

Isabelle nodded, weeping. "I didn't really mind speaking English at home if it made you happy. I didn't think that the Dark Lord would ever be defeated, but then he was, and all of a sudden we were moving to England. You were so happy, and Papa was willing to go along with it...how could I say 'no' and ruin it all for you?"

"So instead you decided to frighten and manipulate your mother into moving back to France," Snape said sarcastically, and Isabelle flushed and nodded. And then Snape suddenly remembered that it had taken the Sorting Hat a long time to decide what House to put Isabelle in, and he thought of how cunning and manipulative she had been. He could almost have admired her deviousness, if he and his family had not been the ones victimized by it. "Don't tell me that the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, too," Snape said in a tone of disgust mixed with grudging respect.

Isabelle seemed a little confused as to whether he wanted her to answer in the negative or not, but finally she said, "Yes, the Hat did want to put me in Slytherin, and I did consider it, since it might have been easier to work against the Slytherins from within. But I thought it would upset my mother if I became a Slytherin, so I asked the Hat to put me in Hufflepuff."

"You might have made a good Slytherin, Miss Laroque," Snape said. "But you made a major mistake when you chose to involve my sons in your little scheme. If it were up to me, you would not only be expelled, but sent to Azkaban!"

There was actually little danger of the latter, since there was no way that the Wizengamot was going to send a pretty, pitiful-looking teenage girl to prison, particularly not when she turned on the tears as she had just done, but Emilie seemed to take his threat seriously. "No, Severus, please, it's my fault!" she cried. "If you're going to blame someone, blame me! It's my fault, I had no idea that I had hurt Isabelle so badly! If I hadn't been so selfish..."

"No, Maman!" Isabelle cried, throwing her arms around her mother. "It's all my fault, I'm so sorry! I knew how badly you wanted to come home, but I tried to trick you into moving back to France. I should have tried harder to get used to life at Hogwarts! I'm sorry!"

"You...you were using us all along?" Stewart asked, looking devastated. "That's why you looked upset rather than happy when I told you that the Death Eaters would be captured soon! You didn't want them to be captured, did you? Because then you would have no excuse to go back to France!"

"I'm sorry, Stewart," Isabelle whispered.

"We all trusted you!" Stewart cried. "Maybe we were pigheaded idiots, but we believed in what we were doing! But you--you didn't care whether the Slytherins were guilty or not, so long as you got what you wanted! I thought we were friends!"

"I'm sorry, Stewart," Isabelle said. "I really did like you and Susan and the others, but I wanted so badly to go home..."

"Don't you know that if you had just asked me, I would have helped you?" Stewart said, his eyes filled with tears. "Even if it meant that you would leave us, I would have helped you find a way to go home if that was what would make you happy. Because I love you, Isabelle."

"I'm sorry, Stewart," Isabelle repeated, a tear trickling down her face. "I really am sorry for what I've done. You were a better friend to me than I deserved."

"And I think that French guy who wouldn't wait for you is a real idiot," Stewart added, with a bittersweet smile.

Isabelle gave him a tremulous smile before bursting into tears again. Emilie wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her close. "Thierry," she said, gazing at her husband tearfully, "did I hurt you as well? Did you really want to move to England, or were you sacrificing your happiness for my sake?"

"I was a little sad to be leaving my homeland, but I did it willingly," Thierry replied with a smile. "I can be happy anywhere, so long as I'm with you. But if I had known that Isabelle was unhappy about moving, I would not have agreed so quickly." He frowned sternly at his daughter. "You should have been honest with us, Isabelle, instead of resorting to hurting innocent people. We could have sat down together and talked it over, and decided what would be best for all three of us."

"I didn't want to disappoint Maman," Isabelle mumbled.

"And you think that this doesn't disappoint her?" Thierry asked pointedly. "Lying, committing crimes, hurting and threatening people?"

"I'm sorry," Isabelle whispered.

"Isabelle was wrong," Emilie said. "But I was, too. I refused to let go of the past. I lived in exile grudgingly, refusing to completely open my heart to my new home. I decided to move back to England after the war, never once considering how my husband and daughter might feel about it. I took my daughter away from the only home she had ever known." She gently stroked Isabelle's cheek. "Perhaps it's time to let go of the past and make a new start." She looked up at Lupin. "And thank you, Remus, for opening up my eyes, when I was blind to my daughter's pain. How did you know?"

"It was an educated guess," Lupin said. "I wasn't sure, at first, but once I learned that Isabelle had created the R.A., I was pretty sure of the motives behind it. You see, we have two other students who come from other countries. Gabrielle Delacour is from France as well, and she was terribly homesick at first, although it helped that both Isabelle and Dylan befriended her. And Aric Dietrich is British, but he attended Durmstrang for six years. He...er...had difficulty adjusting to a new school, and he didn't get along with his new housemates. I often heard him mention how much better things were at Durmstrang than at Hogwarts. But Isabelle seemed to adjust effortlessly, and never complained about missing France or her old friends at Beauxbatons. And I remember how you scolded her a little for speaking French instead of English at the Yule Ball." Emilie flushed with shame. "A very gentle, mild scolding," Lupin continued, "but Isabelle switched languages instantly, and she didn't seem resentful, only eager to please you. We talked once by the lake, too, and she mentioned how much you had wanted to come back home to England."

"I remember that," Isabelle said, looking startled, as if she had forgotten all about the incident. "You were worried that I might be homesick, and you told me I could come talk to you anytime. And you told me a little about Uncle Gideon and Uncle Fabian when they went to school with you."

"I wish that you had confided in me," Lupin said with a sad smile. "I would have tried to help you tell your mother how you felt without hurting her feelings."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Isabelle said, finally looking--at least to Snape's eyes--truly remorseful about what she had done, and not just sorry that she had been caught. "You were kind to me, and I hurt your family. I wasn't thinking about anyone or anything but myself and what I wanted. I'm sorry."

"I know that you are," Lupin said softly. "But you endangered my cubs and my mate, and that is a difficult thing to forgive."

Isabelle flushed with guilt and shame, and Snape marveled once again at how Lupin could use his quiet, gentle voice to such devastating effect on the students. Snape wished that he could pick up the knack himself, but he didn't really do "gentle" very well. He supposed that he would have to stick to "threatening" and "menacing."

"But I will accept your apology, if you will do something for me in return," Lupin continued.

"Anything, sir!" Isabelle said eagerly.

"Be honest from now on, and tell people how you feel, instead of trying to manipulate them into doing what you want," Lupin said solemnly. "And think about how your actions might affect other people before you carry them out."

"I will, Professor," Isabelle whispered. "I promise."

"I am not so forgiving as Professor Lupin," Sprout said, frowning at Isabelle angrily. "Aside from all the other crimes you committed, Miss Laroque, you betrayed the trust of your housemates by lying to them and manipulating them. And you are responsible for the hexes that hurt Miss Bones, who was one of your best friends."

"And I suppose the hexes cast on the Slytherins don't matter to you," Snape muttered under his breath.

"Of course they do!" Sprout snapped, although she looked a bit guilty. "But the point I am trying to make is that Hufflepuff House is founded on loyalty. Miss Laroque betrayed that loyalty, so she is no longer welcome in my House."

"If I am not mistaken, the Laroques will be moving back to France soon," Dumbledore said. Thierry looked at Emilie, who nodded.

"Are you sure, Maman?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes," Emilie said, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "My home is wherever you and Thierry are, 'Belle. So let us all go home together."

"So let us say that Miss Laroque was asked to leave Hogwarts, and went voluntarily," Dumbledore said. "Will that satisfy you, Severus?"

"I think she deserves more than expulsion," Snape growled. "But so long as she never comes near me or my family again, I'll go along with it. I must admit, I do prefer to have her living in a different country. But I would advise you not to return to England anytime soon, Miss Laroque. Like Professor Sprout, I am not as forgiving as Lupin is."

The Laroques departed, and the Professors turned their attention back to Stewart. "I guess I should start packing my bags, too," he said quietly.

"Surely you can see that the Laroque girl was partly to blame!" Mrs. Ackerley argued. "Certainly he should be punished, but not expelled--"

"No, Mum," Stewart interrupted. "I deserve it."

"No, I think he should stay," Lupin said.

Stewart stared at him in shock. "But...after everything I've done..."

"I'm not being merciful to you, Stewart," Lupin told him. "In some ways, leaving the school would be the easier choice--to run away and not have to face the scorn and anger and disappointment of your fellow students and your teachers."

Stewart hung his head, knowing Lupin was right. He couldn't even meet Flitwick's eyes, and he dreaded having to face his housemates. The prospect of having to deal with the Slytherins and continue taking classes from a wrathful Snape wasn't exactly appealing, either. "I'm sorry, sir," he told Flitwick. "I've dishonored my House."

"I'm very disappointed in you, Stewart," Flitwick said. "I know that your father's death was hard on you, but that doesn't justify what you've done. I expected better from someone who was planning to be an Auror. It is the duty of an Auror to uphold the law--and you can see from Williamson's example what happens when someone tries to take the law into their own hands."

"And I think that you have already suffered a punishment worse than any we could give you," Lupin said softly. "You will never be able to become an Auror now."

Stewart had not really thought about it, but once again, Lupin was right. He would never be admitted into the ranks of the Aurors with this black mark on his record. His dreams of becoming an Auror like his father were ruined, and he had no one to blame but himself.

"I don't deserve to be an Auror after what I've done," Stewart said. His eyes welled with tears, and he felt a sense of emptiness and despair. He had never considered becoming anything but an Auror, and he had no idea what he was going to do with the rest of his life.

Snape had been about to object that they were letting the boy off too easy, but he changed his mind when he saw the look on Stewart's face. He felt a new respect for his softhearted Gryffindor lover; Lupin had immediately zeroed in on the punishments that would most hurt Williamson and Ackerley, while Snape would have gone for something more dramatic but ultimately less devastating. "You would have made a good Slytherin," Snape whispered to Lupin. The werewolf smiled at him, but looked distracted and concerned. He was still softhearted enough to feel some pity for Ackerley, then, even if he had none for Williamson.

"Fifty points from Ravenclaw," Flitwick said. "And as for detention--"

"If I may, Filius?" Lupin interrupted, and Flitwick nodded. "You cannot undo the harm you caused, Stewart," Lupin said. "But perhaps you can attempt to atone for it, by helping some of the people that you've wronged."

"I'll do anything I can," Stewart said without hesitation. "What did you have in mind?"

"The charity clinic in Diagon Alley is always short-staffed, and will likely be even more so during the summer, since the mediwizard who normally runs it will be going on vacation soon. And since Master Diggory and his pack were harmed by Williamson's actions, I think it would be appropriate for you to volunteer your time there during the summer."

"I will if you think I should, sir," Stewart said, a little doubtfully. "But are you sure that they'll want me there, after what I did? I spied on Master Diggory for Williamson, and I believed him when he said that the werewolves were involved with the Death Eaters."

"Well, I'll have to talk it over with Lukas first," Lupin replied. "But I think that he'll agree to it. He did come to your defense, after all. And you redeemed yourself slightly when you tried to stop Williamson from attacking Lukas."

The thought of facing a pack of angry werewolves was almost as intimidating as the thought of a wrathful Snape. Stewart went a little pale, but nodded. And the thought of doing something constructive eased the feeling of emptiness inside him a little. "Then I'll work at the clinic, if Master Diggory agrees to it. He...he won't be punished for biting Dietrich, will he?"

"No, he will not, as he did it only to save Aric's life," Lupin said, and Stewart sighed in relief.

"You are dismissed, Mr. Ackerley," Dumbledore said sternly. "And I hope you will think twice before acting in the future. You have been given a second chance thanks to Professor Lupin, but you will not receive a third."

"That won't be necessary, sir," Stewart promised fervently. He and his mother thanked Lupin, and a little more nervously, Snape, who just grunted, and then they left.

"By the way, what will happen to Susan?" Lupin asked Sprout.

"I took twenty-five points from her," Sprout replied. "It would have been fifty, but I believed that she deserved some credit for coming forward once she learned what Laroque and Ackerley were up to. And she will be serving detention with me over the summer, helping me tend the plants in the greenhouses."

"Well, I guess that wraps everything up, then," Lupin said, looking tired and relieved.

"Not quite," Dumbledore said with a smile. "There are still a few points to be taken, and handed out."

Part 83