FIC: Aftermaths, Part 86

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 86
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: ~9,750
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: Aileen Pierce schemes to bring Narcissa and Lukas together.

Part 85 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

As it turned out, Williamson's dog was not needed as evidence, since the Auror freely confessed all his crimes, thanks to Snape. So while Lukas was being interviewed, Tonks took the dog over to Hogwarts as she had promised. The Slytherins had gotten wind of the news, and they all wanted to meet Lupin's new pet, so Lupin took the dog over to the dorm. Millicent's cat Sable hissed at the intruder, and the dog's head swiveled in the cat's direction, but Lupin kept a firm hold on the leash and said sternly, "Sit," and the dog obediently sat. Millicent gathered Sable up in her arms, although whether to protect the cat or the dog was not entirely clear. Serafina's kitten Bast boldly walked up to the dog and stared up at him with her inquisitive golden eyes. The dog cocked his head to one side, staring at the kitten curiously, then slowly lowered his head and touched his nose to Bast's in greeting.

"Oh, how cute," Miriam Baddock said. "They're making friends."

"That's a pretty brave kitten," Aric observed. "That dog could make a mouthful of her with just one bite."

"You see?" Lupin said to Snape triumphantly. "I told you that he was well-behaved!" The Potions Master just rolled his eyes.

The dog remained well-mannered as the Slytherin children petted him, sitting quietly in place and wagging his tail, but he clearly enjoyed all the attention he was getting. "You're going to spoil that mutt," Snape complained, but for once, his students ignored him.

"What's his name, Professor?" Miriam asked.

"I haven't given him one yet," Lupin replied.

"How about 'Fluffy'?" Dylan suggested with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, and Snape glared at him.

"Romulus!" Malcolm said.

"No, that's the name of Allegra's toy wolf," his sister Miriam objected.

"It's just a toy," Malcolm said with a shrug. "Is there some reason why they can't have the same name?"

"We wouldn't want anyone to mistake the dog for Miss Zabini's toy--or Lupin's brother," Snape said sarcastically, and the Slytherins laughed.

"Well, we do look a little alike," Lupin joked, crouching down next to the dog, who licked his face. "At least during the full moon."

"What about 'Salazar'?" Patrick Parkinson suggested. "He's a Slytherin dog, isn't he? I mean, he'll be living in the dungeon."

Pansy frowned disapprovingly at her little brother and said, "That seems almost like heresy."

"And dating a Muggle-born isn't?" Patrick retorted good-naturedly.

"Maybe you should call the dog 'Potter,' sir!" Draco told Snape, his eyes lighting up. "Just think, you could say, 'Sit, Potter!' or 'Heel, Potter!' or 'Fetch the paper for me, Potter!'"

"Not to mention, 'Don't piddle on the carpet, Potter!'" Aric chimed in.

"Not bad," Snape purred in his low, sinister voice as an evil grin slowly spread across his face. "In fact, I rather like it. Or perhaps we could name him 'Padfoot' after the other mutt."

Lupin chuckled and shook his head. "Very clever names, indeed, but somehow I don't think that Harry and Sirius would find it amusing." He patted the dog affectionately. "And this fellow deserves a name that is something more than a joke. Let me think...how about 'Cabal'? It was the name of King Arthur's dog--a very fine and noble name for a wizard's dog, don't you think?"

Snape and Draco sighed regretfully, but everyone else agreed that 'Cabal' was a fine name. And Dylan pointed out, "And a cabal can also be a secret society, so it is a very fitting name for a Slytherin dog."

"I do hereby dub thee Cabal, then," Lupin said dramatically. The dog barked happily, then jumped on Lupin and licked his face, with such enthusiasm that he knocked Lupin over onto the floor.

"Well-mannered, did you say?" Snape asked sarcastically.

Lupin just laughed as Cabal continued licking his face. "Well, at least he seems to like his name!"

***

Over the past couple of months, Narcissa had wavered back and forth between being ravenous and wanting to eat everything in sight, to being too sick with fear and worry to eat. It had nothing to do with her morning sickness, which had eased somewhat, and only a little to do with her concern over concealing her pregnancy and what would become of the baby afterwards. Her fear was mainly for Lukas. It had begun as a sense of dread with the first so-called werewolf attack, then gradually increased when it became clear that the Aurors (or at least one faction of the Aurors) were targeting Lukas and his pack, and finally turned into outright panic when she heard that Lukas had not only nearly been murdered, but had bitten Aric Dietrich and turned him into a werewolf.

Narcissa knew how the Aurors thought, she knew how the Ministry worked. It didn't matter that he had only bitten the boy to save his life; he had turned a pureblood heir into a werewolf, and he would be punished for it. If he was lucky, he would receive a life sentence in Azkaban; if not, he would be executed. Or maybe it was the other way around--knowing Lukas, he would prefer death to a life in captivity.

Even when the Daily Prophet reported that Williamson and Amos had confessed to framing the werewolves and Severus, and to trying to murder Lukas, Narcissa still worried. She frequently burst into tears throughout the day, weeping hysterically at the thought of Lukas being killed or imprisoned. Aileen was a godsend to her; she came over every day to soothe Narcissa and coax her into eating.

In fact, it was Aileen who came over one evening with a special edition of the Daily Prophet and the news that Lukas had been cleared of any wrongdoing and had even been confirmed head of the Diggory family. Narcissa burst into tears of relief, then keeled over in a faint.

***

Aileen managed to catch Narcissa and ease her down onto the couch before she hit the floor. She had been putting up with Narcissa's hysterics for nearly two months now, and as much as she loved her friend, she was, to be quite frank, running out of patience. Enough was enough. Cyril Diggory was now Lord of a pureblood estate; he was as respectable as a werewolf was ever going to get. Narcissa needed a husband, and the baby needed a father. It would take some careful planning and ingenuity, however, to bring that about without breaking the promise she had made to Narcissa, that she would not tell Cyril--or Lukas, as he apparently preferred to call himself--about the pregnancy. However, as she sat there waiting for Narcissa to wake, an idea occurred to her...

Narcissa's eyelids fluttered slightly, and Aileen gently patted her on the cheek. "Narcissa? Narcissa dear, wake up."

"Wh...what happened?" Narcissa asked, slowly sitting up.

"You fainted, dear," Aileen replied, then gave her friend a reproving look. "Did you have anything to eat today at all?"

Narcissa flushed, casting her eyes down guiltily. "I picked at a sandwich during lunch," she mumbled. "I was too worried to eat."

"You will do harm to the baby, at this rate," Aileen scolded, and Narcissa looked up at her in alarm. Perfect. She just needed to play on Narcissa's concern for the baby a little... "Have you seen a Healer recently?"

Narcissa shook her head. "There is no one I know that I could trust to keep this a secret."

"That will not do," Aileen said sternly. "We need to make sure that the baby's all right. Who knows what effect all your stress might have had on it? Not to mention the fact that you haven't been eating properly."

"You think there might be something wrong with my baby?" Narcissa asked anxiously, her eyes filling with tears.

"Not necessarily," Aileen replied. "But we need to have you checked, just to be sure."

"But do you know a Healer we can trust?" Narcissa asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Aileen said. "Poppy Pomfrey."

"Madam Pomfrey?" Narcissa asked, her eyes widening. "The school nurse at Hogwarts?"

Aileen nodded. "She's very discreet. When we were students, she helped a friend of mine with...shall we say, a problem of a personal nature."

"I never heard about that," Narcissa said.

"As I told you, she's discreet," Aileen replied. "I've consulted with her occasionally over the years, whenever a girl at the factory gets into trouble--an unwanted pregnancy, or an embarrassing illness, both caught from some rake who can't be bothered to look after the girl once he's had his fun."

"But I can't be seen consulting with Madam Pomfrey," Narcissa argued. "It will cause gossip among the students, even if Pomfrey doesn't tell them why I came!"

"Poppy is very discreet," Aileen repeated patiently. "I will arrange for you to meet with her secretly. We'll come and go directly by Floo, and none of the students will see you."

Narcissa dithered and protested awhile longer, but eventually her concern for her baby won out. Besides, she was used to trusting Aileen and following her lead, a habit picked up in their schoolgirl days, which came in quite handy now. "All right," she said. "If you're sure that we can trust her."

"We can," Aileen promised, and it was true. Pomfrey really had helped Aileen's friend and the factory girls, and had never spoken a word about it to anyone else. She would never break confidentiality with a patient. But this time, for Narcissa's own good, Aileen intended to see that the secret was leaked...

***

Aileen arranged a meeting with Madam Pomfrey for the next morning, and they took the Floo to her office at Hogwarts. "The hospital wing is empty," Pomfrey assured them. "And I've locked the doors. If there's an emergency, I'll have to admit the patients, of course, but you will be able to get out of sight before anyone comes in." Narcissa nodded, still looking nervous.

"Why don't I keep watch outside, to give warning if I see anyone coming?" Aileen suggested casually.

"But what if someone sees you?" Narcissa asked.

"Then I'll just say that I've come to consult with Madam Pomfrey about a factory worker who fell ill," Aileen replied glibly.

Pomfrey smiled and shook her head. "It worries me a little, how quickly and easily you can come up with such excuses, Aileen."

"It's a Slytherin trait," Aileen said lightly, and Pomfrey laughed.

"I suppose so," the nurse said. "Although sometimes I think that you Slytherins talk yourselves into trouble as easily as you talk yourselves out of it." Narcissa flushed guiltily. "Well, keep watch then, Aileen," Pomfrey continued. "It's probably best if Narcissa and I talk in private, anyway."

So Aileen left the room, but she did not stand guard outside the door. Instead, she hurried down to the Slytherin dorm in search of her son, and found him in the common room.

"Mum!" Damien exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Is Dad all right?"

"Everything's fine," Aileen replied reassuringly. "One of the factory workers is ill, so I asked Madam Pomfrey to take a look at her."

"Why not take her to St. Mungo's?" Damien asked.

"Well, she can't really afford it," Aileen replied, "and besides, her illness is...of a personal nature, shall we say?"

"Oh," Damien said knowingly.

"And I thought I would come say hello to you while I was here," Aileen said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, and Madam Pomfrey needs to see Master Diggory. I'm not sure where his office is, so would you mind giving him the message for me?"

"Okay," Damien said. "But what does she want with him?"

"I'm not sure," Aileen said. "She didn't tell me. But it seemed to be urgent."

"I'll go get him right away, then," Damien said.

Aileen noticed Draco lurking nearby, and that his attention had immediately focused on her when she had mentioned the werewolf's name. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone, she said, "Why don't you go with him, Draco?"

Draco gave her a suspicious look. "You don't need two people to carry a message."

"No, but Narcissa is always worrying about you," Aileen replied casually. "So I thought I could visit with you and Damien for a little while afterwards, and assure your mother that you're fine."

Draco still looked a little suspicious, but nodded his consent. "My mother worries about me too much."

"On that we are agreed, Draco," Aileen replied with a smile. The two boys hurried off, and Aileen headed back to the hospital wing at a more leisurely rate. Along the way, she encountered Snape and Lupin. "Why hello, Severus," she said pleasantly. "Professor Lupin."

Lupin nodded at her politely, while the Potions Master gave her a penetrating look with his cold black eyes. "And what are you up to, Aileen?" he asked suspiciously.

"Up to?" Aileen asked innocently.

"That innocent act might have fooled most of the teachers, but it doesn't fool me," Snape retorted. "We went to school together and I remember your little escapades quite well. Not to mention that your son takes after you."

"And it is rather unusual for a parent to drop by the school unexpectedly," Lupin added gently.

Aileen grinned at them mischievously. "I see that I can't fool you, Severus. If you want to know what all the excitement is about, come with me to the hospital wing."

"Excitement?" Snape asked warily.

"Well, things are quiet now, but there will be a great deal of excitement in a few minutes, I think."

***

A confused and worried Lukas followed Damien and Draco to the hospital wing. He couldn't imagine what Madam Pomfrey might want with him, unless it had something to do with Aric, but Damien assured him that Aric was back in the dorm and seemed fine. Draco remained silent, just staring at Lukas with a sullen and--was it his imagination?--slightly guilty look on his face. Lupin, Snape, and a pretty red-haired woman were waiting for them outside the hospital wing.

"What's going on?" Lukas asked.

Snape shrugged. "You'll have to ask Aileen," he said, motioning to the red-haired woman.

Aileen Pierce--at least, he assumed that she was Damien's mother from the red hair and mischievous glint in her eyes--just smiled, looking very smug and satisfied, and tapped the lock on the door with her wand. It gave way with a little "click," and she opened the door and stepped aside.

Lukas wondered why the door had been locked, but then that thought flew out of his head when he caught sight of Narcissa sitting on a bed, being examined by Madam Pomfrey. She was clad only in a thin silk slip that did nothing to disguise her figure. Lukas noticed that her breasts and her stomach were both a good deal fuller than when he had seen her last. It obviously wasn't the sort of weight one gained simply by overeating.

"Aileen!" screamed Narcissa. "You were supposed to be watching the door!"

"What is going on here?" Pomfrey demanded.

"You...you...you're pregnant!" Lukas stammered.

"Merlin's Beard!" Damien and Snape chorused, while Lupin merely said, "Oh my," and Draco said nothing at all, although his face turned sheet-white. But Lukas was barely conscious of their reactions, as nearly all of his attention was focused on Narcissa.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lukas whispered.

Narcissa burst into tears. "Because we had already broken up by the time I found out," she wept. "Because I thought you'd be angry. And because I couldn't tell Draco."

"A baby," Lukas whispered, still feeling stunned. He slowly made his way towards Narcissa, feeling none too steady on his feet, then sank to his knees in front of her. "A baby," he repeated, laying his trembling hands reverently on Narcissa's rounded stomach, a look of mingled joy and terror on his face. "We have a baby?"

Narcissa nodded, tears still running down her face. "You...you aren't angry?" she asked in a small, hesitant voice. "You said before that you didn't want any children..."

Lukas looked up at Pomfrey. "Does it...I mean, will it...develop lycanthropy?"

"There is no reliable way to test a fetus or infant for inherited lycanthropy," Pomfrey replied. "At least not yet. But as far as I can tell, HE appears to be in fine health, although--" She gave Narcissa a stern look. "--his mother should make sure to eat regularly and take better care of herself."

"He?" Lukas asked eagerly. "I'm going to have a son?"

"Narcissa is going to have your son, yes," Pomfrey said, then whacked him on the head with her wand--not casting a spell, merely striking him sharply with the stick. "And if you didn't want to have children, you should have used a birth control charm!"

Lukas rubbed his head and smiled sheepishly. "I did have a charm," he said, reaching up with his other hand to touch the enspelled charm on his earring that he had bought to replace the old one--for all the good that had done. "But it...er...came off when we were...um..."

"I get the picture, perhaps a little more vividly than I'd really like," Pomfrey said dryly, and both Lukas and Narcissa blushed. "Well, what's done is done, and in approximately five months, the two of you will be parents to a baby boy. It is possible that he might develop lycanthropy, although the symptoms don't usually show up until about age four or five. However, thanks to the Wolfsbane Potion, lycanthropy is a manageable condition these days--as you should know, Lukas. It won't always be easy, but your son can lead a fairly healthy and normal life."

"Things aren't the same as they were when we were children, Lukas," Lupin said gently. "Your son won't have to suffer the madness of the change, or the pain and nausea that accompany it, so long as he takes the potion. He will be a person, not a monster, under the law. He won't have to suffer the humiliation of being registered, or the constant fear of his secret being discovered. He will no doubt encounter some prejudice, but that is not a problem restricted solely to werewolves. Hermione was taunted because of her Muggle blood, Dylan for his father's crimes, and the Weasley children for their family's lack of money. And yet they all survived and grew up into wonderful young men and women. Even if there are a few people who are rude to him, your son will grow up surrounded by family and friends who love him. And one day, I hope, he will enter Hogwarts and I will have the chance to teach him." Lupin smiled. "Maybe he'll be a Gryffindor, and annoy Severus to no end with his pranks. Or perhaps he'll be a Slytherin, which he means that he'll still play pranks, but will be too clever to be caught."

Lukas smiled at Narcissa, with pure, unadulterated joy this time. She smiled back at him, and they simultaneously reached out to clasp each other's hands when they heard a strangled cry, and looked over to see Draco staring at them with a look of pain and betrayal on his face.

***

Draco turned pale, let out a strangled cry, and ran out of the hospital wing. He heard both his mother and Diggory shout, "Draco!" but he ignored them and ran down the hall, his eyes blurred with tears. His mother would have to marry Diggory now so that she would not be shamed by giving birth to a bastard child. It was bad enough playing second fiddle to Dylan and Theodore, but that was acceptable because Snape and Lupin were their parents, not his. He had at least been secure in the knowledge that his mother loved him--loved him even more than she had loved his father, because she had killed Lucius in order to protect him. But now he would be an afterthought in his own family, second fiddle to the baby when it was born. And the baby's father was a man that Narcissa loved, a noble hero of the war, not a cold-hearted Death Eater who had tried to murder his own son. How could she help but love the new baby more than Draco? The three of them would be a happy little family, and Draco would be left on the outside, part of the family and yet not part of it. Second-best yet again, as he had been second to Potter on the Quidditch Pitch, second to Granger in the class standings, second to Dylan and Theo in Snape's and Lupin's affections. He should probably take one of the Potions apprenticeships that Snape's colleagues had offered and go to Japan or America; it didn't matter which, as long as he got as far away from England as he could, so that he wouldn't have to see how happy his mother was with her new family, and so that she wouldn't have to pretend for his sake that nothing had changed.

He stumbled along blindly and nearly fell down a flight of stairs, because he couldn't really see through the tears in his eyes. But someone grabbed his arm and roughly jerked him back, saving him from falling. He turned around, and although he could not see clearly, he knew that the blurry image standing before him was Diggory.

Draco angrily yanked his arm free of the werewolf's grasp, and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "What do you want?" he snarled.

To his surprise, his teacher knelt down in front of him, stared up at him with pleading eyes, and said in a very quiet but earnest voice, "Please, Draco, I beg of you, let me marry your mother."

"You don't need my permission," Draco snapped. "The two of you are adults; you can do as you please."

"Your mother loves you, Draco," Diggory said softly. "You are the most important thing in her life. She will not marry me if you are opposed to it."

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the werewolf to cover his uncertainty, because he was not as sure of that as Diggory seemed to be. If Narcissa did not marry, she would become even more of an outcast among the purebloods than she already was, for bearing a child out of wedlock. Then again, marrying a werewolf and bearing his child would probably cause quite a scandal, too.

"And I will not marry her without your consent, either," Diggory said, much to Draco's surprise.

"Why not?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"Because I am sorry that I hurt you, Draco, although I did not mean to," Diggory replied. "Because I cannot bear to cause any more pain to you and your mother. Because it would kill Narcissa if you turned against her. It would kill her to lose you. And because it would be wrong of me to tear apart someone else's pack."

Draco felt a pang of guilt as he realized that he was hurting his mother by trying to keep her and Diggory apart. Then he wondered if he should be offended that Diggory had referred to them as a "pack," as if the Malfoy family were a pack of wolves. "So if I say you can't marry my mother, then what will you do?" Draco demanded.

"Then I will ask her to give me the child and let me raise it," Diggory replied in an even voice. "Since I assume that a bastard, half-werewolf child would disgrace the Malfoy name." Draco felt himself flush with shame and guilt, and then resented Diggory for making him feel guilty. "The baby will grow up loved and cherished by my entire pack," Diggory continued. "But I think it would make Narcissa sad to give up her child."

Draco glared at Diggory and sneered, "Really laying on the guilt trip, aren't you?" in an attempt to cover up the fact that he did indeed feel guilty.

Diggory stared up at Draco, his eyes filled with desperation. Draco ought to be gloating right now, at seeing the proud werewolf so humbled, down on his knees begging. But he felt no satisfaction, only a sense of unease and a feeling that this was somehow wrong.

"Please, Draco," Diggory whispered. "Please let me marry your mother and be a father to your little brother. I swear that I do not want to come between you and your mother, and I will not try to replace your father. I just want..."

His voice trailed off, and Draco asked impatiently, "Well, what is it that you want?"

"To love Narcissa," Diggory replied simply. "And the baby. And you. To be part of your pack. That is all I want."

Draco dropped to his knees and burst into tears, and he did not resist when Diggory reached out and wrapped his arms around him. Diggory pulled him close, holding him tightly, and Draco found himself sobbing against his teacher's chest, letting out all the sorrow and anger he had been bottling up inside, not just since his father's death, but for his entire life. Occasionally Lucius had favored him with a gesture of affection--a pat on the shoulder, or more rarely, a brief embrace--but Draco had never, ever heard him utter the words, "I love you." Not to Draco, not to Narcissa, not to anyone. And even those paltry, wordless gestures were few and far between; it had been much more common for Lucius to regard Draco with a look of disappointment or disdain--especially once he started attending Hogwarts and found himself constantly outdone by either Potter or Granger.

"My dad never once said that he loved me," Draco sobbed. "Not once!"

"Perhaps he did not know how to love anyone," Diggory murmured. "My father knew your father's parents, and he said that they were very cold and proper. I doubt that they showed Lucius much affection when he was a child. One cannot learn something that one has never been taught."

In a strange way, that made Draco feel a little better--not a lot, but a little. It still hurt that his dad had not loved him, but it made him feel better to know that maybe it wasn't his fault, after all. Draco had always secretly thought that maybe if he was smarter or stronger or better at Quidditch and magic, then his father would like him better. But if Lucius had been incapable of loving anyone, then it wasn't Draco's fault that his father hadn't loved him. It wasn't because he had been a bad son.

"Not to belittle your pain, Draco," Diggory continued, "but in a way, you are lucky. Because you have one parent who loves you. Narcissa loves you with all her heart, enough to die for you. Or kill for you." Draco shivered at that reminder that she had killed his father. Diggory gently stroked his hair and said softly, "She saved you from your father's fate, Draco. Not just from being killed or becoming a Death Eater, but from the kind of cold, loveless childhood that your father endured. Just as my parents saved me, and Lupin's parents saved him, from becoming monsters in spirit as well as body. Because they loved us."

Draco just wept for a long time, letting Diggory hold him and gently rock him back and forth, as if he were a child, as his father had never done, although his mother used to hold him that way when he was a little boy. "Why?" Draco sniffled, when the tears had slowed to a trickle. "If you love my mother, then why are you willing to give her up?"

"It is because I love her that I can give her up if I must," Diggory replied. "Because her happiness--and yours--matter more to me than my own."

"Me?" Draco asked, lifting his head from Diggory's chest to give him a startled look. "You...care about me? Even after all those rotten things I said about you? Even after I made you break up with my mother?"

The werewolf smiled at him tenderly, and gently stroked his cheek. For a moment, Draco was so stunned that he forgot to breathe, because that was the same way that the Weasleys looked at their children, the same way that Lupin always looked at Dylan and Theo. "How can I not care for my mate's son?" Diggory asked.

"Your...mate?" Draco asked, still feeling dazed.

Diggory nodded. "The wolf has recognized Narcissa as its mate," he said. "Even if your mother and I go our separate ways and I never see her again, I will always love her." He paused for a moment, then added, "And you."

Draco found himself blinking back tears again. "You...you said that you wanted my mum to be happy, even if that meant giving her up," he said hesitantly. "But...I...I don't think she's been very happy without you." He still couldn't quite bring himself to give them permission to marry, though.

But Diggory seemed to understand the reasons behind his hesitation. "It's all right to love your father and miss him, Draco."

"Even if he didn't love me?" Draco asked bitterly. "Even if he was an evil bastard who would sacrifice his own son to save his life?"

"Even so," Diggory replied. "My father was not a Death Eater, but...he still did some things that people might call evil. He did most of those things for my sake, to protect me and try to find a cure for my lycanthropy. I do not approve of what he did, but neither can I hate him for it. I will always love him, no matter what he did."

"That's different," Draco said, a bit sullenly. "He did those things to help you."

"Even if it had been for a less selfless reason, even if he had been a Death Eater, I would still have loved him," Diggory said in a quiet but passionate voice, filled with a certainty that left no room for doubt. "Because he was my father. I won't try to take your father's place, Draco." The werewolf smiled at him hesitantly. "But...perhaps I could be your friend?"

Perversely, Draco found himself disappointed by Diggory's words. He didn't want the werewolf to take his father's place, but he didn't want Diggory to be just his pal, either. And that was when Draco realized that he'd made his decision. "I don't want you to be my friend," he said firmly.

The hope drained out of the werewolf's yellow-green eyes, to be replaced by despair and resignation. "I understand," Diggory said in a hollow voice.

"I expect you to do more than just chum around with me and my family," Draco continued. "I expect you to behave like a proper Lord and take responsibility for your actions. I won't have my mother disgraced by bearing a child out of wedlock, so you had best trot on back to the hospital wing and ask for her hand in marriage."

Diggory's face lit up with joy, and he flung his arms around Draco and hugged him so hard that Draco thought his ribs would break. "Thank you, Draco, thank you so much!" he exclaimed.

"You're welcome," Draco gasped. "But...er...that hurts a bit, and it's getting kind of hard to breathe..."

"Oh, sorry!" Diggory said, and immediately released Draco, then hugged him a little more gently.

Draco hugged him back, feeling a little embarrassed but very happy. He felt a sense of relief at having let go of his hatred and no longer having to feel guilty about keeping Narcissa and Diggory apart. "So...er...what am I supposed to call you? After you and Mum are married, I mean."

Diggory smiled and said lightly, "Well, everyone in my pack calls me 'Lukas.' My aunt and Lady Selima call me 'Cyril.' Or you could be like Snape and just refer to me as 'the werewolf,' but that might get a little confusing when Lupin is around." In a more serious voice, he said, "I don't expect you to call me 'Dad' or 'Father.'"

"But...I could if I wanted to?" Draco asked shyly.

Diggory's eyes filled with tears, and he reached out to gently touch Draco's cheek again. "Yes, of course," he said softly. "I would be honored if you did."

"I don't know if I'll feel comfortable with that," Draco admitted. "At least, not right away. But...I'm glad to know that I can, if I want to."

Diggory smiled at him warmly. "You can call me whatever you feel comfortable with, Draco."

"Would 'Stepfather' be okay?" Draco asked. It seemed like a good compromise to Draco; he liked being able to say the word "father," but prefacing it with "Step" removed some of the discomfort he felt about calling Diggory by the same name he had called his real father.

"So long as you don't preface it with 'Wicked'!" Diggory laughed.

"So, let's get back to the hospital wing...Stepfather," Draco said, trying the word out on his tongue. It felt a little weird, but good at the same time. "That baby isn't getting any younger, you know. We'll have to hold the wedding before Mum is too big to fit into a wedding gown."

"There's one more thing that you should know before I propose to your mother," Diggory said, his face turning serious again. "I have an obligation to my pack, especially to Aric, since I'm the one who turned him..."

Draco made a face. "Yeah, I know. His family's disowned him, so I guess that means he'll be living with you, or rather, with us." But the idea didn't really bother Draco as much as he pretended that it did. "Guess this means that I'm getting a wicked stepbrother along with my stepfather," he said with a grin. "Sort of a package deal."

Diggory smiled at him in relief. "Well, actually, he's planning to move in with a friend after graduation, but he'll probably stop by to visit frequently, and of course there's the rest of the pack to think of. I know it will be a big adjustment for you and your mother. I plan to move some of my pack into the Diggory mansion, but of course I won't bring them to Malfoy Manor without your permission. I think having a pack of wolves around would probably be too overwhelming for Narcissa, anyway. It's probably better to introduce them to her gradually."

Draco thought about it, then shrugged. "Well, the Manor's too big and empty for just me and my mum, anyway. It might be nice to have a few more people around. Although you're probably right about doing it gradually."

"Narcissa mentioned once that she was having trouble keeping up the house by herself," Diggory mused. "The werewolves could help with the cooking and cleaning." He added sternly, "Although they won't be your servants. But everyone in the pack helps out with the chores around the house."

Draco grinned. "Mum's already sharing in the chores. She's taken up cooking, you know."

"Really?!" Diggory exclaimed. "Is it edible?"

Draco laughed. "Mostly."

Diggory shook his head, muttering, "Narcissa cooking. Well, I'll be damned."

"Almost as shocking as the idea of her marrying a werewolf, isn't it?" Draco asked. "Speaking of which, we're making all these plans and you haven't even asked her to marry you yet."

"Well then, let's remedy that, shall we?" Diggory said, and they headed back to the hospital wing together.

Aileen was comforting a tearful (and now fully-dressed) Narcissa, whose expression suddenly turned hopeful when Diggory and Draco walked into the room, both smiling. Diggory dropped to one knee, took Narcissa's hand in his, and said, a bit awkwardly, "I'm sorry that I'm not properly prepared for this. I don't even have a ring, but..."

"Oh, will you just get on with it?" Draco snapped impatiently. "We can take care of all that stuff later!"

The werewolf grinned at him, then turned back to Narcissa. "Narcissa Black Malfoy, will you grant me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Narcissa hesitated for just a moment, glancing over at Draco, who smiled and nodded. Then she knelt down beside Diggory and flung her arms around him, crying, "Of course I will, Lukas!"

Everyone in the room applauded, even Snape, who smiled very faintly. The others weren't nearly so reserved. When the happy couple finally stopped embracing, Lupin flung his arms around them and said, "I'm so happy for the both of you!"

"Congratulations," Pomfrey said warmly, although she did shoot a stern glance Diggory's way that seemed to say that it was just as well that he had finally stepped up to do his duty.

"Congratulations!" Damien said, shaking Diggory's hand and then Narcissa's. "I had no idea that you two were an item! But it seems like Mum did..."

Everyone turned to look at Aileen, who was smiling very smugly. "You arranged all this, didn't you?" Narcissa asked accusingly.

"I never broke my promise," Aileen said calmly. "I promised that I wouldn't say anything about your pregnancy to Master Diggory, and I didn't. I never spoke a word to him."

"No," Snape said, looking amused. "You merely showed him."

"Very sneaky of you, Mum," Damien said in an admiring tone of voice.

"Very Slytherin," Lupin agreed with a grin.

Narcissa glared at her friend for a moment longer, then laughed and embraced her. "Well, thank Merlin for that, then! Thank you for always being such a good friend to me. You will be my matron of honor, won't you?"

"I would have been insulted if you hadn't asked," Aileen laughed.

There was much more hugging and laughing and congratulating, but when it finally died down, Diggory's expression turned more serious. "I come with more than a few complications, I'm afraid," he told Narcissa solemnly.

"I know," she replied. "I know that you have a responsibility to your pack, and to the Dietrich boy--"

"Aric," Diggory said.

"To Aric, since you turned him," Narcissa continued. "I won't say that the idea isn't a little intimidating, but as in-laws go, I suppose it could be worse. You never met my aunt, my cousin Sirius's mother. She was a horrible old harridan."

"Her portrait still is," Snape said dryly.

"I'll do my best to make them feel welcome in my...in our house," Narcissa said. "They probably won't be too happy about you marrying a pureblood snob, but--"

"You are my mate," Diggory said, lifting her fingertips to his mouth and kissing them. "They will accept you. Things are pretty simple when you're a wolf: you are either pack or not-pack. And the fact that you are my mate and are bearing my child automatically makes you pack."

Narcissa didn't look entirely convinced, but Lupin assured her, "They will love you, once they see how happy you make Lukas."

"Indeed," Diggory said softly, kissing her hand again. "And I have never been so happy as I am now." They stared into each other's eyes, looking completely besotted. It was a little strange to see his mother and his teacher billing and cooing like infatuated teenagers, but Draco felt no anger this time. Instead, he found himself feeling glad that his mother was happy. He didn't think that he had ever seen her look so happy before, even when his father had still been alive and the Malfoys were at the height of their power.

After a very long while, Diggory finally remembered that he was supposed to be listing his "complications," and continued, "And there are, of course, the monthly transformations."

Narcissa held her head high, looking every inch the proud pureblood Lady. "I am not afraid. I have seen the true face of Voldemort. I have watched him torture people to death. A werewolf's transformation is nothing compared to that. I am not afraid to be with my husband during the full moon, or my son, if he should turn out to be a werewolf also."

Diggory smiled, looking relieved. "Then there is just one last thing. I have a son now, but I promised Gwendolyn that I would make Tristan my heir, and I cannot break that promise. The title and the bulk of the estate must go to Tristan, but I will make sure that our son is well-cared for. I will set aside some money and property for him; he will not be left penniless."

Narcissa did not look happy about this, but she said, "I understand."

Draco said, a little indignantly, "There is still plenty of money in the Malfoy coffers, despite our disgrace. The child may not be a Malfoy, but he will still be my brother, and surely you cannot think that I would let my little brother want for anything."

Diggory and Narcissa stared at him in delighted surprise, then Narcissa came over and hugged him, whispering, "Thank you, Draco," as tears of joy ran down her face, and then Diggory wrapped his arms around both of them. Draco had to blink hard to keep from crying himself.

When they finally separated, Aileen and Lupin eagerly began discussing plans for the wedding with Narcissa; Lupin seemed to think that it would be a fine idea for them to get married on the school grounds. Snape looked bored, while Diggory just stood there with a silly grin on his face, obviously overjoyed that Narcissa wanted to marry him, period, and not caring where the wedding would take place. Meanwhile, Draco finally began giving serious thought to his own future plans.

"I thank you for trying to arrange an apprenticeship for me, sir," he told Snape. "But I've decided to turn down the offers from your colleagues in America and Japan. I'm going to accept the position that Cassidy Sinclair offered me. I want to remain in England and be near my family. I would hate to miss seeing my little brother grow up."

Snape frowned. "Are you sure, Draco? I can understand that you want to stay in England, but you're such a talented Potions student. I hate to see you waste your talent building toys for Sinclair."

Draco felt flattered rather than offended. It was a compliment, in a way, that Snape thought he had talent to waste. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Professor, but I've made up my mind. I think there are a lot worse things I could do than build toys that make people happy." He thought of what things might have been like if he had become a Death Eater, if Voldemort had won the war, and he shuddered. Yes, things could definitely be worse.

From the suddenly grim expression on Snape's face, the same thought must have occurred to him. "Very well then, Draco, if that's what you really want. But if you ever change your mind, I'll help you find another job."

"Thank you, sir," Draco said, then smiled as he looked over at his mother. "Actually, I think I might enjoy building toys that my little brother can play with. Maybe I can even put my Potions talent to use and create a Young Potions Master's Kit." He laughed as Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head. "And you know, Sinclair doesn't just build toys. That recording sphere is a very useful device. I think it could be used for something more than just recording Quidditch matches--to record lectures for students who've missed class, for one thing."

"I hardly want to encourage the students to skip class, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said sourly.

"Or to communicate with your colleagues in other countries," Draco continued. "It's difficult to collaborate long-distance, isn't it? You can exchange letters with your fellow Potions Masters, but that's not the same as actually watching someone brew a potion, is it? But with the sphere, they could record their actions, and you could see exactly how they brewed the potion, right down to all the subtle nuances, including exactly how many times and how fast they stirred."

"Your idea has merit, Draco," Snape said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it won't be a waste for you to work for that Gryffindor, after all."

Meanwhile, Diggory had been drawn into the wedding plans. "Draco," he called, motioning for him to come over. "Will you be my best man?"

"Really?" Draco asked eagerly. "You wouldn't rather ask one of your werewolves to do it?"

Diggory shook his head. "We're going to become a family, Draco. What better way to start off than to have my stepson by my side?"

"Then I'd be honored," Draco said, and allowed himself to drawn into the discussion, too. He nodded and agreed with whatever the others suggested without really hearing what they were saying; for all he knew they could be suggesting that he strip naked and paint himself red and gold for the ceremony. He was floating in a cloud of euphoria, hardly daring to believe that he finally had the family he had always dreamed of, feeling for the first time loved by both his mother and his father, and eagerly looking forward to the birth of the little brother that he had never imagined.

***

Lukas didn't know exactly how it had happened, but he suddenly found himself preparing to get married on the following day. Lupin suggested that they hold the wedding at the school, and when they asked the Headmaster for permission, the old man was delighted, and said that they should get married tomorrow, the last day of school, so that all the students and faculty could join in the celebration.

"You are beloved by your students, my boy," Dumbledore told him.

Lukas was delighted that he was going to be able to marry Narcissa, but he felt he was getting in a little over his head. "Well, yes, but...the entire school? I thought maybe a small, private ceremony, with just a few family and friends..."

"You have many more friends than you realize, Lukas," the Headmaster said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"But there's no way we could possibly get everything ready in just one day!" Lukas protested.

"It's not a bad idea," Aileen mused. "We could have a simple ceremony at the school, and a formal reception a week or two later." She regarded Narcissa's stomach with a critical eye. "We do need to hold the wedding soon, dear, so there's no time like the present. You won't be able to hide your pregnancy with loose robes for much longer."

"It's not like the gossips won't be able to count the months between the wedding and the birth," Narcissa pointed out, but she too seemed to be getting caught up in the excitement. "But I would like to marry you as soon as possible, my love," she added, smiling at Lukas. "It doesn't matter if we do it 'properly' or not, since I have already been disgraced in the eyes of the purebloods. All that matters is that the people I care about will be there to witness our vows. I'm sure Sirius will come even if it's on short notice, and Aileen will be here--and so will Draco, Remus, Severus, and Professor Blackmore, obviously. Oh, and Harry, of course. Do you think that Gwendolyn and your pack will be able to make it?"

"I'll talk to them," Lukas promised. "If not, we may have to get married twice."

"I will marry you as many times as you like, my love!" Narcissa laughed, her green eyes sparkling merrily. She looked so beautiful that Lukas couldn't resist kissing her. He glanced over at Draco, but the boy really did seem to have let go of all his resentment. He was smiling, looking perfectly content. Lukas was touched by how proud and happy Draco had been when he had asked his future stepson to be his best man, and he was very glad that he had made the offer.

"It is true that it is impossible to arrange a wedding on such short notice," Snape drawled in his low, sardonic voice. "Especially when it looks like this 'simple ceremony' is rapidly growing in size and complexity. However, if there is anyone who can accomplish the impossible, it would be Lady Selima. Not to mention that she would kill you if you dared to get married without inviting her, Diggory."

"Oh!" Lukas said sheepishly. "I nearly forgot! Of course I would want your mother here, Severus, after all she's done for me." Much of her help had been unwanted and unasked for, of course, but he was grateful for it nevertheless.

"I've no doubt that she'll insist on having a very proper and formal reception later, though," Snape said. "With all the pureblood guests that showed up at your Easter party."

Lukas was so happy that even that thought didn't dismay him--at least, not too much. "I'll survive."

"It will be my mother's moment of triumph," Snape continued. "She has succeeded in her seemingly impossible goal of making you a Lord, and even though those pureblood snobs will be outwardly sneering at you and Narcissa, they'll respect her for it. She's pulled off a miracle, and they'll be in awe of her. So perhaps she'll forgive you for getting married on short notice. And she'll be happy that you have taken a bride from an old and respected pureblood family."

"We'd better call Lady Selima now, then," Lupin suggested. "Before she scolds us for wasting more time."

They contacted Selima through the Floo, and predictably, she chewed them out for the extremely short notice. Snape just nodded meekly throughout her tirade, but Lukas tried to argue, "But we don't need anything fancy. It's enough for us to just say our vows in front of our friends and family."

He should have known better than to argue with a Snape. "That will just not do!" Selima said indignantly, stamping her foot on the ground. "You will wed in a manner befitting your rank, so you do not shame your parents! What would poor Anya say if I let you get married like a penniless nobody?"

Poor Anya could say nothing since she was dead, but this time Lukas wisely chose to remain silent. He knew what Selima meant, and he did appreciate her loyalty to the memory of his parents, although he wished that someone else could be the object of her wrath.

"And of course your bride is a daughter of one of the oldest families in the wizarding world, and you must show her proper honor!" Selima said, continuing her rant.

Lukas nodded, following Snape's lead. "Yes, Lady Selima."

Dumbledore finally came to his rescue a few minutes later. "Ah, excuse me, Selima," he said politely. "I don't mean to interrupt, but perhaps you could scold him later? We have only one day to prepare, as you pointed out, and, well, the clock is ticking..."

Selima abruptly stopped in mid-rant. "You're right, Headmaster," she said briskly. "There is the florist to be contacted, and we'll need a cake--"

"The Hogwarts elves can handle all the food preparations," Dumbledore promised.

"Well, that is a slight help," Selima grudgingly conceded. "And robes for the wedding party--"

"I can help Narcissa find a dress," Aileen offered.

"The two of you come with me," Selima ordered the women. She glared at Lukas. "In the meantime, you can at least get yourself down to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley and pick up the engagement ring and wedding bands. Something tasteful and--"

"Befitting of my rank and my bride's honor," Lukas finished in a resigned voice. "Yes, Lady Selima."

But there was something even more important that he needed to take care of first. He went to the Hufflepuff dorm to find Tristan and speak to him in private.

"You and Draco's mother?" Tristan said, staring at him shock.

"Yes, I know it's a bit of a shock," Lukas said, smiling sheepishly. "And I know that the Malfoys have a bad reputation, but remember what you learned from the R.A. disaster..."

"Yes, sir," Tristan said, flushing. "Not to judge people without knowing them."

"Maybe once that reputation was deserved," Lukas said. "But people can change. I never met Narcissa or Draco before the war ended; I only know them as they are now."

"Yes, people can change," Tristan said softly. "Uncle Amos changed into someone I don't recognize. So if you say that Lady Malfoy has changed for the better, then I'll believe you. And I'll try to be happy for you, and not judge her until I get to know her." Then he couldn't hold back an irritated little sigh. "But you do realize that Draco will be my cousin once you get married!"

Lukas laughed and gave his young cousin a consoling pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure that Draco will be just as chagrined, if it makes you feel any better! Perhaps, if nothing else, you can pick up some Quidditch tips from him."

Tristan snorted and said, "As if I need any help from Malfoy!" But there was humor mixed in with the disdain in his voice.

"I want you to know that I haven't forgotten the promise that I made to you and your parents," Lukas said, suddenly turning serious. "You will remain the heir to the Diggory family."

"But what about your son?" Tristan asked uncertainly. "Shouldn't he be the heir, if you are Lord?"

Lukas smiled and patted him on the shoulder again. "Don't worry about that, Tristan. My son will be provided for. I will set aside a small inheritance for him, and Draco has promised to look after his younger brother as well."

Tristan looked shocked to hear that. "Oh! I guess that Draco really has changed!"

"So," Lukas said cheerfully, changing the subject. "Will you stand with me as one of my groomsmen?"

"Me?" Tristan asked, looking startled and flattered. "You wouldn't rather have someone more...er...grown-up, like Professor Lupin or your werewolf friends?"

"I'll ask one or two friends to stand with me," Lukas replied. "But it's important to me to have my family with me as well."

"Then yes, sir!" Tristan said proudly. "I would be honored!"

Lukas left, feeling relieved that Tristan seemed to have taken the news pretty well, then headed to the Slytherin dorm in search of Aric.

"I heard," Aric said, when Lukas found him. "Damien's already blabbed it to all of Slytherin, and I'm sure that pretty soon the whole school will know. Congratulations. I didn't think Narcissa was your type, but if that's what you want, then I'm happy for you."

He was smiling, but Lukas recognized a mask when he saw one; his eyes looked distant and guarded, and his words sounded carefully rehearsed. Lukas cuffed the boy sharply on the ear.

"Ow!" Aric exclaimed indignantly. "What was that for? I wasn't fighting with anyone, and I thought you only do that when you're a wolf!"

"That's for being an idiot," Lukas growled. "I know what you were thinking: that I won't love you as much now that I have a son of my blood, that I won't have time for you when the baby is born." Aric flushed guiltily and stared at Lukas with anxious eyes, confirming his guess. "Idiot," Lukas said gruffly, and hugged the boy. "I love all my wolves, but you are special to me, because I made you, in a sense. That makes you my first-born cub."

Aric hugged him back tightly, pressing his face against Lukas's shoulder, and Lukas heard a muffled sniffle but pretended not to notice; the Slytherin boys--well, all teenage boys, to be honest--were a bit touchy about their pride, and tended to think that it was unmanly to weep. Finally Aric loosened his grip slightly and lifted his face; his eyes were bright and a little glassy, but he managed to keep the tears in check. And if there were a few damp spots on Lukas's robe, again he pretended not to notice.

"Sorry, Master Dig--I mean, Lukas," Aric said, giving him a real smile this time. "I was being a git. I know you wouldn't just forget about me. You risked your freedom to save me; I know you could have been sent to Azkaban for biting me."

"I'm not sure that I would have done it for just anyone," Lukas admitted, then hugged the boy again. "I was always fond of you, for some reason, even when you were a spoiled pureblood brat."

Aric laughed, and this time a couple of tears did escape and slide down his cheeks. He quickly swiped them away with his hand and said, "I guess it might be kind of nice to have a little brother."

"You'll be a good brother," Lukas said, smiling at him tenderly. "You were very good with Max and the twins."

Aric laughed again. "Just what I need, another kid chewing on my tail!"

"Speaking of brothers," Lukas said with a grin, "you do realize that Draco will be your stepbrother?"

Aric groaned, but he didn't really look all that perturbed. Then his lips pulled back in a feral grin, exposing canine teeth that were just beginning to lengthen. He probably wasn't consciously aware of it, but he was definitely beginning to develop a wolfish look.

"If Malfoy gets out of line, I'll just bite him!" Aric joked.

Lukas threw an arm around the boy's shoulders and said, "Seriously, Aric, will you stand with me tomorrow as a groomsman?"

"Of course!" Aric said, beaming at him proudly and standing up a little straighter. He gave Lukas a hug and said, "Congratulations; I mean it this time. I'll be honored to stand with you at your wedding."

Lukas smiled, feeling touched and amused when he thought about how far they had come since the first day of class, when Aric had sneered in contempt at his werewolf teacher. And this time it was his turn to brush a few tears from his eyes.

Part 87