FIC: Aftermaths, Part 87

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 87
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: ~10,140
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: Dylan makes good on a bet; Lukas and Narcissa are married.

Part 86 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

The school was soon abuzz with gossip about the upcoming wedding. Everyone was shocked to learn that Master Diggory and Narcissa Malfoy were lovers, but predictably, the girls all thought it was very romantic, and it was the main topic of conversation during lunch in the Great Hall.

"A secret romance!" Pansy sighed. "That's so romantic!"

"It's like one of Ariel Zoltaire's novels!" Yvonne declared, and Blaise nearly choked on his food as Theodore snickered.

"You have no idea," he muttered under his breath. Aric, with his newly-sensitive werewolf hearing, gave his cousin a puzzled look.

For once, Draco found himself the center of attention, as the other students all wanted to know how his mother and his teacher had met, and how long they had been seeing each other. He actually knew only a little more than they did, but that didn't stop him from enjoying all the attention and holding court over a spellbound table of students.

"It all started at the Yule Ball," he said dramatically.

"Oh yes, I remember, they were dancing together!" Pansy exclaimed. "They really did look good together, but they started fighting, and your mother stormed out of the room."

"But Master Diggory followed her," Millicent said thoughtfully.

"Remember how Professor Snape and Professor Lupin used to fight all the time?" Yvonne asked excitedly. "But they really loved each over! We should have guessed that your mother was Master Diggory's secret lover, Draco! It's so obvious when you think about it!"

"So what happened next, Draco?" Pansy asked eagerly.

"Well, I don't know all the details, but apparently they went for a walk in the rose garden..."

"Oh, that's so romantic!" the three girls squealed in unison.

When Hermione came over to the Slytherin table, at first Dylan thought that she had just come to offer Draco her congratulations about the wedding. But then he noticed that she was carrying a set of red-and-gold robes, and that she was followed by a giggling Luna, who was wearing the huge lion's head hat that she used to wear to the Gryffindor Quidditch matches. And then he recalled a certain bet they had made during Lady Selima's Easter party...

"Why hello, Hermione, Luna," he said with a nervous smile. "Come to congratulate Draco about the wedding? It's wonderful news, isn't it?"

"It is," Hermione agreed. "And congratulations to you and your mother, Draco. I'm sure that she and Master Diggory will be very happy together. But that isn't why I've come."

"Why have you come, then?" asked Draco, who knew nothing of the bet.

"To make Dylan keep his promise," Hermione replied with a smug smile.

"Promise?" Dylan asked, feigning a bewildered look.

"The promise you made at Lady Selima's party," Hermione said firmly. "You said that if Aric and Theodore ever became friends, you would run around the school in Gryffindor robes and Luna's lion hat."

"Did I really say that?" Dylan asked weakly.

"Yes, you did," Hermione said mercilessly. "And if I'm not mistaken, Aric and Theodore have been very friendly lately. Don't you agree, Theodore?"

Theodore grinned wickedly at his foster brother, who was staring at him with pleading eyes. "So what do you think, Aric? Are we friends?"

Aric glanced at the red-and-gold robes, then at Luna's hat, which opened its mouth and roared. "Oh, sure," he replied casually. "Best buddies." He slung an arm around his cousin's shoulders and they both grinned at Dylan.

"Thanks a lot, you two," Dylan said sarcastically, glaring at the duo.

"Anytime," Aric said airily.

"Are you a man of your word or not, Dylan Rosier?" Hermione demanded.

"Oh, very well," Dylan sighed, giving in to the inevitable. He took off his robe and draped it over his chair, saying, "I guess I should be glad that I didn't say I'd run around the school naked!"

"Now that I would have liked to have seen!" Millicent purred, and the other Slytherin girls giggled.

Hermione glared at them, and then at Dylan, who was grinning rakishly. "Well, that would be one stunt that my father never pulled at Hogwarts!" he laughed.

"You can keep your clothes on, Dylan Rosier!" Hermione said sternly, sounding rather like Professor McGonagall at the moment. "Just put these on over it."

Dylan took the Gryffindor robes and slipped them on over his shirt and trousers. They appeared to be a set of Quidditch robes, rather than the regular Hogwarts uniform, which was mostly black except for the House crest stitched across the breast. Hermione was obviously going for the dramatic.

"It's Harry's Quidditch uniform," Luna informed him helpfully. Dylan glanced over at the Gryffindor table, and saw Harry and his friends grinning and laughing.

Dylan sighed, then decided that since he was stuck with carrying out the bet, he might as well play it up for all it was worth. Instead of just throwing on the robe like a loose cloak or jacket, he made sure to fasten it up and made a show of adjusting it so that it draped over his body in a flattering way. Not bad; he and Harry were nearly the same height, so it fit pretty well. Then he took off the clasp that held his hair back, letting it spill loose across his shoulders, then tossed his head back, and the girls at the Slytherin table--and the girls at the other tables as well--all let out a collective sigh.

"Oh, he looks so much better in those robes than Potter does," Yvonne sighed.

Dylan conjured up a mirror that floated in midair, and admired his reflection for a moment. Like most Slytherins, he regarded the Gryffindor colors of red and gold as gaudy and slightly distasteful, but his fair skin and black hair contrasted with the red and gold to nice effect. He decided that they looked more dramatic than gaudy, at least on him. He made a show of adjusting the robes slightly and brushing an imaginary speck of lint off his sleeve.

"Oh, stop preening!" Hermione snapped. "You're starting to remind me of Professor Lockhart!" But she was blushing just a little, and Dylan grinned; Hermione must think that he looked good in the robes, too. And the Gryffindor boys had stopped laughing.

Dylan dispelled the mirror with a snap of his fingers and said haughtily, "Don't be silly. I'm much better looking than Lockhart is. Luna--hat." Luna grinned, took off the hat, and held it out to him. He took it and firmly placed it on his head as the lion head roared again. "Well, here I go," he said cheerfully, and took off running. The students all began cheering and clapping, and a number of them jumped up and followed him as he ran out of the Hall.

***

The teachers stared in varying degrees of amazement and amusement as they watched from the head table. "Disgraceful!" Filch said. "Running around the school like a bunch of hooligans! You should give them all detention, Headmaster!"

"Now, now," Dumbledore said indulgently. "School is nearly over. A bit of high spirits from the students is to be expected. What do you say, Severus? Your student seems to be at the center of things."

"I would say that the fault lies mainly with Miss Granger," Snape said coolly. "Clearly she put him up to it."

"Now, that's hardly fair, Severus," McGonagall said, trying to look indignant, but she was clearly trying not to laugh. "Miss Granger gave him the robes, but Mr. Rosier is the one running through the halls--with half the school following him."

"There seem to be an approximately equal number of students from each House running through the halls right now," Branwen observed. "So if we were going to deduct points, we would have to deduct the same amount from each House, which seems rather pointless, no pun intended, since it wouldn't affect the House Cup standings."

"It's the principle of the thing," Filch argued.

"Well, Mr. Rosier has been remarkably well-behaved for the past four years," Snape said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Considering who his father is, I would say that he has shown considerable restraint in managing to stay out of trouble up until now. So perhaps we could overlook this incident, just this once."

Lupin chuckled. "He ought to have a few stories to tell his children and grandchildren someday. How boring it would be if he did nothing but study and stay out of trouble."

"He really does look good in red and gold," Sinistra said musingly, then laughed at the expression on Snape's face. "Oh, don't glare at me like that, Severus. I'm not planning to rob the cradle; I was just making an observation."

"I wonder what he, or Evan for that matter, would have been like as Gryffindors?" Lupin asked with a grin, and Snape turned his glare on Lupin.

"It's not as bad as the time that James ran through the snow in his underwear when he lost a bet with Sirius," Branwen said with a smile.

"I remember that!" Pomfrey sighed. "The idiot nearly caught pneumonia."

"Well, seeing as how it's the last day of classes, and I doubt that the students are really doing much studying at this point anyway, I see no reason to hand out detention, as long as they return to class on time after the lunch period is over," Dumbledore said. "Lunch is a free period, after all."

Filch heaved a sigh of disappointment and disgust, and the students returned to the Great Hall, red-faced and panting, before the lunch period was over.

Somehow Dylan still managed to look gorgeous even with sweat running down his face, and the girls sighed again. "Have I carried out the terms of our bet to your satisfaction, Hermione?" he asked with a grin.

"Yes, you have," she replied, grinning back at him. "And you even managed to do it with style!"

"I do everything with style," Dylan declared. "Like this." And he swept Hermione into his arms, dipped her down low, and kissed her in front of everyone in the Great Hall. The lion hat roared approvingly, and the students laughed and cheered, although more than a few of the girls also sighed wistfully.

"Yes, he certainly does take after his father," Branwen said nostalgically.

Filch pointed at Dylan and Hermione, a look of outrage on his face. "Improper displays of public affection! Surely you have to do something about that, Headmaster!"

"Indeed I do," Dumbledore said sternly, then raised his voice. "Mr. Rosier, Miss Granger!"

Dylan and Hermione straightened up and separated, Dylan grinning unrepentantly, and Hermione blushing furiously. "Yes, Headmaster?" Dylan said cheerfully.

"Five points to Slytherin for your style," Dumbledore said with a wink. The students cheered again, and Filch slumped back in his chair with a loud groan, shaking his head.

***

The next morning, a nervous Lukas prepared for his wedding. He had dressed in the green velvet robes that Lady Selima had given him for Christmas, tied back his hair with a matching green velvet ribbon, and was staring in the mirror, adjusting his father's gold snake-headed torc around his neck, when Lupin said soothingly for fifth or sixth time, "Everything will be fine, Lukas. There's nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say," Lukas grumbled. "You're not the one getting married."

"It will be perfect; Lady Selima will see to that," Lupin said with a smile.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Lukas said gloomily. "That Selima will kill me if I mess up her vision of perfection."

Lupin laughed. "It's your wedding, not hers, Lukas."

"Tell that to Lady Selima," Lukas said dryly. "All right, I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Do you have the rings?" Lupin asked.

Lukas nodded, slipping his hand into his pocket just to reassure himself that they were there. His fingers touched cool metal--the simple but elegant and expensive gold-and-platinum bands he had purchased in Hogsmeade. He had already given Narcissa her engagement ring yesterday. Her engagement ring from Lucius was set with a huge diamond that could have fed Lukas's pack for a year, so rather than try to outdo his bride's first husband, Lukas had decided on an emerald encircled by tiny diamond chips, because he had noticed that Narcissa often wore emerald-and-silver jewelry. However, he knew that Selima would consider sterling silver "beneath" Narcissa's rank and his own, so he had the emerald set in platinum instead. All this added up to an outrageous amount, but the jeweler had been more than happy to extend credit to the new Lord of the Diggory estate. Other people in the village had also treated him with a new respect that they had never shown him when he had been a penniless werewolf, which made him feel uneasy and a little bitter. But he didn't want bitter thoughts to spoil the happiness of the occasion, so he tried to forget his misgivings, at least for now. He reminded himself that Narcissa had seemed genuinely pleased with the emerald ring, which cheered him up slightly.

Selima had indeed pulled off the impossible, with the help of Dumbledore and the Hogwarts elves. There was a little pavilion set up in the castle courtyard, a simple cloth canopy (Slytherin green) held up by a few poles, but with green ribbons wrapped around the poles and flowers hanging from the canopy, it looked properly festive. Students, faculty, and guests were either gathered in the courtyard to witness the ceremony, or were watching from the castle windows.

"Maybe you should have had the wedding on the Quidditch Pitch," Lupin whispered to Lukas, grinning mischievously.

"I suppose we could have sold tickets to it as well," Lukas replied sarcastically.

"I've no doubt that there are people who would pay to witness this wedding," Lupin said cheerfully. "I wouldn't be surprised if Rita Skeeter and her photographer had managed to sneak inside the school somehow."

"Oh, please don't say that!" Lukas groaned.

A beaming Arthur Weasley, who had happily volunteered to conduct the ceremony, was waiting beneath the canopy for them, along with Lukas's groomsmen. Selima had insisted upon symmetry, so since Narcissa had chosen five attendants (Aileen, Delia Avery, Gwendolyn, Branwen, and Selima herself), Lukas needed five attendants as well. So in addition to Draco, Tristan, and Aric, Lukas had asked Lupin and Ash to stand with him. Since there was no time to order custom-made robes, it had been decided that all the attendants would wear simple black dress robes--slightly morbid by normal standards, but acceptable for a Slytherin wedding. Everyone but Ash already owned a set of black dress robes, and Lukas had been able to buy new robes for his friend at Gladrags Wizardwear in Hogsmeade.

Ash fidgeted nervously, looking uncomfortable in his new robes. "What's the matter, don't they fit?" Lukas asked.

"They fit fine," Ash replied, tugging at his collar. "I'm just not used to wearing fancy clothes. I feel a little silly."

"You look fine," Lupin assured him. "Very handsome, in fact."

"Don't let Snape hear you say that," Lukas cautioned with a wry smile.

"He the jealous type?" Ash asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Lukas replied.

"Oh, he's just a tad possessive," Lupin said casually.

Lukas snorted with amusement. "Possessive enough to be a wolf himself."

Tristan looked a little bemused to hear them joking about the dreaded Potions Master so lightly, while Draco and Aric merely snickered.

"Do you have the rings, Stepfather?" Draco asked, and Tristan's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Yes, Draco," Lukas replied, suppressing a smile, and turned the rings over to his soon-to-be stepson for safekeeping. Originally, Lance was going to be the ring bearer, but when he had learned that his sister Lyra was going to be a flower girl, he had insisted on being one too, never mind that he had no idea what either a ring bearer or flower girl were. But it was easier to give in than to argue with a stubborn six-year-old, so it was decided that the best man would hold the rings. And when he saw how proud Draco looked to be entrusted with them, Lukas was glad that they had made the change.

"Shouldn't the women be here already?" Ash asked, then joked a little nervously, "I hope that your bride hasn't gotten cold feet."

Lukas smiled. His pack was still getting over the shock of learning that his mysterious lover was the very proper and pureblooded Narcissa Malfoy. They might well be worried that Narcissa would come to her senses and think twice about marrying a werewolf, but Lukas had no such fear. His inner wolf growled contentedly; he knew that his mate loved him just as much as he loved her, and he had absolute faith in her.

"Oh, don't worry," Draco said dismissively. "Mum's probably still primping. She takes at least an hour to get ready for parties. And since this isn't just any party, but her wedding, she'll probably take even longer."

"Lovely," Ash muttered.

"But they shouldn't be much longer," Draco added hopefully. "She's been holed up with her bridesmaids for the past two hours." The women had arrived early in the morning and immediately locked themselves up in a room set aside for them by Dumbledore. Selima had informed Lukas in no uncertain terms that he was not allowed to see his bride before the ceremony; it was tradition. Of course, it wasn't exactly traditional for a pureblood to be marrying a werewolf, but Lady Selima tended to follow the traditions that suited her and ignore the ones that were inconvenient.

While they were waiting, Lukas looked out at the assembled crowd in the courtyard. Dumbledore and the other teachers were there, of course, including Snape. Standing next to Snape were Theodore and Dylan--and Lupin's new pet dog, Cabal. Dylan was holding the dog's leash, but Cabal was sitting quietly, wagging his tail, and didn't seem inclined to run around. Someone--probably Lupin, or maybe it was one of the Slytherin girls--had draped a wreath of flowers around the dog's neck.

Harry was there with his Gryffindor friends, and Bane was sitting on his shoulder. (Selima had balked at the idea of allowing a raven to participate in the ceremony, so Branwen had left her familiar with Harry.) Bane was also wearing a wreath of flowers, although he looked rather sulky about being separated from his mistress. Tonks was chatting cheerfully with Harry; her presence was proof of how much Narcissa had changed. Her older sister Andromeda had been disowned by the Black family when she married a Muggle-born wizard, and except for Sirius, none of them had ever acknowledged Tonks's existence, let alone invited her to a family function. Tonks and Narcissa still had little in common and saw each other only rarely, when their paths happened to cross at Sirius's house. They'd all had dinner together a few times, which Narcissa said had been slightly awkward, but her niece had been cordial to her, when she could have taken revenge by gloating at how far the Malfoys had fallen. So Narcissa had invited Tonks to the wedding, a combination peace offering and apology. There was, after all, not much point in snubbing a half-blood niece when one was about to marry a werewolf and bear his child.

And mixed in with the crowd of students and teachers were most of his werewolf pack. They grinned and waved when they saw him looking their way. Takeshi smiled and waved as well. Augustus Pye had finally returned from his honeymoon and was more than happy to cover Takeshi's shift at the hospital, and Mr. and Mrs. Kimura had closed up the restaurant for half a day so that they could all attend the ceremony.

The string quartet that Lady Selima had hired suddenly began playing the wedding march, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"Is it finally starting?" asked Ash.

"Yes, hurry up and get into place, everyone," Arthur urged.

The groom and his attendants quickly lined themselves up properly as Lyra and Lance made their way down the path from the castle to the canopy, grabbing handfuls of flower petals from the baskets that they carried, and strewing them across the path. They proudly held up their empty baskets when they reached the canopy.

"Did we do good, Uncle Lukas?"

"You did very well," Lukas whispered, giving each of them a pat on the head.

The bridesmaids and the matron of honor then made their way down the flower-strewn path, walking with slow, measured steps while Lukas tried not to fidget. And then finally his bride walked down the aisle towards him, on the arm of her cousin Sirius, since her father was deceased, and in any case would never have willingly given his daughter to a werewolf even if he had still been alive.

Narcissa was dressed in a simple, sleeveless gown of pale green silk--it would have been too simple and plain for a very formal pureblood wedding, but it was perfect for an outdoor summer ceremony among friends. It had been purchased off the rack at Madam Malkin's yesterday, needing only a few minor alterations, including the addition of a bit of delicate silver lace trim. The gown clung to the curves of her breasts, then fell in loose folds to her feet, effectively concealing her pregnancy, although it would not be a secret much longer. Her hair had been done up in some very complicated arrangement that was probably part of the reason why it had taken her so long to get ready. She wore a wreath of white roses on her head in place of a veil, and carried a matching bouquet tied together with silver and green ribbons. Lukas thought she looked beautiful, but all the primping was probably wasted on him, as he would have thought she was beautiful even if she had been dressed in rags.

Sirius placed Narcissa's hand in Lukas's, then smiled, bowed, and retreated into the crowd to stand next to his godson. They had agreed in advance to keep the ceremony short and simple, and Lukas certainly did not intend to tempt fate with the tradition of asking if anyone had just cause to oppose the marriage, so they went straight to the vows. Arthur cleared his throat and recited, "Do you, Cyril Lukas Gravenor Diggory, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, comfort, and honor her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Lukas replied in a soft but steady voice, gazing into his bride's eyes.

"Do you, Narcissa Black Malfoy," Arthur continued, "take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, comfort, and honor him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others so long as you both shall live?"

The word "love" was often left out of pureblood ceremonies, since the marriages were often arranged ones, and the woman's vow usually read "to honor and obey," but Arthur had sheepishly informed them that Molly had declared that it was an antiquated and offensive tradition. Lukas had merely smiled, because he had the distinct impression that it was usually Arthur who obeyed Molly and not the other way around, even if the Weasleys were purebloods. But he agreed with Molly that the "obey" part should be dropped from the vows; he wanted a wife and partner, not a servant, after all.

"I do," Narcissa said, tears of joy welling in her eyes.

Arthur motioned to Draco, who stepped forward and handed the rings over to Lukas and Narcissa, who then placed the wedding bands on each other's fingers.

"Then with the authority bestowed upon me by the Ministry of Magic, I do hereby pronounce you man and wife." Arthur beamed at Lukas and Narcissa. "You may now kiss the bride." And Lukas kissed his bride as the crowd started cheering and his inner wolf silently howled with joy.

***

Everyone returned to the castle for lunch--the Great Hall was bedecked with flowers, and extra tables had been added to accommodate the wedding guests. Narcissa and Lukas, along with their attendants and Robert Ames, Sirius, Arthur, and Molly, were seated at the head table along with the faculty. Strangely, the table didn't seem crowded, as if it had magically expanded in order to accommodate the extra people--or perhaps not so strangely; this was a school of magic, after all. A magnificent feast was laid out, courtesy of the Hogwarts house-elves, including a huge, five-tiered wedding cake that required a separate table of its own and looked big enough to feed everyone in the Great Hall and still have a few pieces leftover.

The Headmaster ordered everyone's glasses to be filled--with champagne for the adults and pumpkin juice for the students--then raised his own glass and said a toast to Lukas and Narcissa. "I never imagined when I brought Lukas here as a teacher, that I was also bringing a husband for one of my former students," Dumbledore said.

"You did seat them together at the Yule Ball," Lupin said thoughtfully. "And urge them to dance with each other."

"Mere coincidence," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "However, I am glad if I was able to help facilitate their romance in some small way."

Snape rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Meddling old man."

"So let us all raise our glasses," Dumbledore continued, "and wish Lukas and Narcissa a long and joyous life together!"

A deafening cheer arose in the Great Hall (although the werewolves were a little louder than everyone else). Lukas grinned at his bride, who blushed prettily, and he kissed her, which caused the crowd to cheer again.

"And now, not to take anything away from the happy couple, but I do have a school-related announcement to make," Dumbledore said, when the cheering died down. "Specifically, regarding the House Cup. The total points for each House are as follows: Hufflepuff, three-hundred and fifteen; Ravenclaw, three-hundred and twenty-two; Gryffindor, three-hundred and eighty; and Slytherin, five-hundred and seventy-seven. Which means that Slytherin wins the House Cup this year--thanks in part to the hundred points that Mr. Dietrich earned coming to Master Diggory's aid at the risk of his own life, a truly brave and selfless act. Congratulations, Slytherin!"

The Slytherins cheered loudly as the green-and-silver Slytherin banners dropped down from the ceiling, and the teachers and most of the students of the other Houses applauded politely, perhaps with more enthusiasm than they would normally have shown, since they were grateful to Aric for saving one of their favorite teachers. However, at the same time, there was a subdued air of shame among the other three Houses, as they were well aware of the reason why they were so far behind Slytherin in points.

"It wasn't even close!" Ron groaned.

"Well, Aric did get one-hundred points for saving Master Diggory; I'm sure that put them over the top," Ginny said. "But it would have been closer if not for you three." She glared at Jack, Andrew, and Dean, who hung their heads. At the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables, the other former R.A. members were similarly hanging their heads and looking guilty.

Suddenly Tristan rose from his seat and marched up to the head table. "Do you have something to say, Mr. Ames-Diggory?" Dumbledore asked in a genial voice.

"Yes, sir," Tristan said in a determined voice. "I wish to state, before all these witnesses, that I hereby renounce all claim to the Diggory title."

"Tristan!" Gwendolyn exclaimed in surprise.

"Tristan, I told you that I would not break the promise I made to your parents--" Lukas started to say.

"I know that, sir," Tristan interrupted. "I'm not asking you to break your promise. I am giving up my claim to the title of my own free will. I never really wanted it in the first place; I was only made heir after Cedric died because there was no one else left to take it. But your father was the rightful heir, not Uncle Amos, which means that you are the rightful Lord and your son should follow in your place."

"But--" Lukas tried to protest.

Tristan said earnestly, "Please let me do this, sir, to help make up for what Uncle Amos and his parents did to you and your father. And I don't want your son to grow up resenting me because I took the title that rightfully belongs to him. I would much rather have my cousin's friendship than the title."

"Perhaps you should discuss this with your parents first," Lukas said, since it was obvious that Tristan had not.

"It doesn't matter," Tristan said stubbornly. "I will refuse the heirship no matter what they say."

Gwendolyn and Robert looked at each other for a moment, then smiled. "I say that I am very proud of my son for doing the right thing," Gwendolyn declared.

"As am I," Robert said. "You have more than proven yourself worthy of the title, Cyril. Let your son be your heir, as he would have been if Amos and his parents had not meddled with the succession."

"Thank you," Lukas said with tears in his eyes, and Narcissa smiled radiantly. Tristan started to return to his seat, but Lukas said, "Wait a moment, Tristan." He leaned over and whispered something to his new bride, who smiled and nodded.

"I too have an announcement to make," Lukas said, rising to his feet. "As many of you already know, my lovely lady wife is carrying my child." Excited whispers rose throughout the room, among the people who had not known. "Although it's a little early, I do hereby declare that he shall be named Cedric Drake Diggory."

A look of incredulous joy filled Tristan's face. "Are you sure, sir?" he asked anxiously. "I thought maybe you'd want to name him after your father."

"It's an old and honored family name," Lukas replied, smiling warmly. "I am sure that my father would be pleased."

"Thank you, sir," Tristan said, and returned to the Hufflepuff table weeping a little.

At the head table, Gwendolyn also wept, and flung her arms around her nephew and whispered, "Thank you, Cyril."

"You did the right thing, Lukas," Lupin said softly, glancing over at the Slytherin table, where Draco was grinning proudly from ear to ear, while Goyle and Crabbe thumped him on the back in congratulations.

"You're going to be a big brother, Draco! That's so cool!"

"And he'll be named after you, too! Although maybe his name should be 'Drake Cedric' instead, don't you think?"

Draco just laughed, and Lukas grinned and said, "Well, as a matter of fact, the first Diggory Lord was named 'Cedric,' so it's become a tradition to give the heirs names starting with 'C'."

"Ah, that's why your real name is 'Cyril' and your father's name was 'Cynric'!" Crabbe exclaimed. "And Amos wasn't supposed to be the heir, so that's why his name doesn't start with a 'C.'"

"Well, okay, but we can still call him 'Drake' as a nickname, can't we?" Goyle asked.

"Of course," Lukas laughed.

"Well then," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling merrily behind his half-moon glasses, "let us also say a toast to Cedric Drake, the future Diggory heir!"

"To Cedric Drake!" the crowd shouted.

"Now let the feast begin!" Dumbledore declared, and everyone cheered again.

The students and guests enjoyed a fine meal, and there was indeed more than enough cake to feed everyone in the Great Hall, with the smallest top layer left untouched for Lukas and Narcissa to take home with them. After everyone was finished eating, Lady Selima called for all the single women and girls to come up to the front of the room for the bouquet toss. Most of the older girls rushed up, giggling, while the shyer ones hung back a little. Narcissa turned her back to the crowd and tossed the bouquet over her shoulder. A number of sixth and seventh-year girls, including Pansy, Yvonne, Lavender, Parvati, and Padma, all eagerly reached for it with excited shrieks and squeals, but it sailed right over their heads, and landed in the arms of a startled Daphne, who had been standing in the back of the crowd, not even trying to catch the bouquet.

"Well, looks like you'll be getting married next, Daphne!" Pansy teased. "Better tell Weasley to start planning the wedding!"

"The Minister of Magic's son is a fine catch," Yvonne cooed, and the girls burst into giggles as both Daphne and Ron, sitting over at the Gryffindor table, turned bright red.

"Oh, but surely the next person to be married will be Millicent," Daphne hastily demurred, still blushing furiously. "After all, she's already engaged to Miles."

"Well, perhaps Weasley will be the next to propose," Millicent said slyly, and the girls giggled again.

Up at the head table, Molly watched Daphne with a speculative eye and murmured, "Hmmm..." in a thoughtful voice.

"Watch out, Ron," Harry said with a grin, elbowing his friend in the side. "Your Mum's got that look in her eye, the same one she gets when she looks at Bill and Fleur, like she's already planning a wedding."

"Well, um," Ron mumbled, his face turning even redder, "I'm not going to get married right away or anything, but Daphne's dad wants me to apprentice with him."

"You mean, as in marry into the Greengrass family and take over the business someday?!" Seamus exclaimed, and the Gryffindor boys stared at him in shock.

"What?!" Harry exclaimed, then gave him a reproachful look. "You never mentioned anything about it to me, and I'm your best friend!"

"Didn't you want to be a Quidditch player?" Dennis Creevey asked.

"Well, let's face it, I'm not bad, but I'm not professional material, either," Ron said matter-of-factly. "And I've discovered that I'm pretty good at Herbology, and I really like it, now that I know what I'm doing."

"You mean, you like your pretty tutor," Seamus said with a wink.

"Sorry, Harry," Ron said apologetically. "I was talking with Mr. Greengrass about it after the match, but then we got interrupted, and with all the excitement, I kind of forgot about it until now. But he wants to sit down with me and my folks and have a serious talk about it later."

"Wow," Harry said, still feeling stunned, and impressed as well. "So you've already decided on your future. You're going to be a florist."

"I think I'll be good at it, though I've still got a lot to learn," Ron said, his blush beginning to fade. "And I'll get to do some traveling, to search for rare plants to add to the greenhouses, and that kind of sounds like fun."

"If you marry Daphne, that means you'll be taking on the Greengrass name," Ginny said thoughtfully. "Or at least your children will; I assume Mr. Greengrass wants his daughter's heirs to carry on the family name."

"Well, we wouldn't get married right away," Ron said hastily. "I've got to learn the ropes of the business and all that. It'll take at least a few years to properly complete my apprenticeship. But yeah, the idea is for me...for us..." Ron's blush flared up again. "...to take over the family business someday. Anyway, seeing as how I've got five brothers and Percy's already married, I think there's enough people to carry on the Weasley name without me."

At the head table, Mrs. Weasley was gossiping with Lady Selima in a conspiratorial manner. "Somehow, I don't think your mum will mind, Ron," Harry said with a grin. "In fact, I think the only problem will be in getting her to postpone the wedding until your apprenticeship is over."

Ron groaned, giving his mother an apprehensive look, although he didn't really look unhappy, either.

"Seriously, Ron," Harry said, throwing an arm around the other boy's shoulders. "If that's what you want, then I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said with a relieved smile. "You know, if someone had told me back in first year that I'd be dating a Slytherin girl in seven years, I'd have told them that they were nuts."

"I like Daphne; she's nice," Harry said, and he meant it, although in the past, he too might have been horrified at the idea of his best friend dating a Slytherin. But Ron had become much more confident and happy since he had started seeing Daphne, so Harry figured that she was good for him. "So," Harry said with a grin, "you'll make me your best man, right?"

"Not you too, Harry!" Ron protested with a good-natured laugh. "Isn't Mum bad enough?"

They broke off their conversation when Dumbledore asked everyone to rise so that the dancing could begin. With a flourish of his wand, the Headmaster instantly moved the tables and benches against the walls of the room to clear space for a dance floor. The string quartet started playing, and Lukas and Narcissa took the floor for their first dance. After that, other couples began joining in.

Arthur danced with his wife, then took a turn dancing with the new bride, then went over to talk to Ash, who was chatting with the Kimuras and Aric. "Excuse me," he said, tapping the werewolf on the shoulder.

"What, did you want a dance?" Ash joked with a wolfish grin. "I wouldn't want to make your wife jealous."

"No, no," Arthur laughed, "although I'm sure you're a fine dancer, Mr. Randolf. Actually, I wanted to offer you a job."

"What?!" Ash exclaimed. Surely he couldn't be serious, although Arthur Weasley didn't seem like the type to play cruel practical jokes. "What kind of job?" he asked warily. Maybe the Ministry needed a janitor or something--menial labor was the only type of job that most people would offer a werewolf. Ash would rather continue working in the black market and risk being arrested than work as a servant to a bunch of snooty purebloods.

"I would like to offer you a position in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department," Arthur said cheerfully.

"What?!" Ash said again. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"I assure you, I'm quite serious, Mr. Randolf," Arthur said earnestly. "Tonks recommended you to me. She said that you have extensive knowledge of Muggle devices." The Minister smiled eagerly. "In fact, when you have time, I'd like to talk to you about a few devices in my private collection. I'm still not entirely sure what they do."

Ash just stood there with his mouth hanging open as the violet-haired Auror walked up with a grin on her face. "I told you that you'd be qualified to work in Muggle Artifacts!" she said.

"I didn't think you were serious!" Ash said.

"Well, I was," Tonks replied, still grinning. "So how about it, Ash? You said that you wanted a chance to work at something besides menial labor--put your money where your mouth is."

"But...but...but..." Ash stammered, turning back towards Arthur. "The purebloods will never tolerate a werewolf working at the Ministry! You'll lose your position!"

"Oh, I think not," Arthur said smugly. "My detractors have withdrawn their petition to remove me, and they've suffered serious damage to their credibility with Williamson's arrest and conviction. My position is quite safe, and I think it's past time for a few changes to be made at the Ministry."

"But you are aware that I was arrested for dealing in illegal Muggle devices?" Ash demanded.

"A trumped-up charge and we both know it," Arthur said, waving off Ash's objection with a wave of his hand.

"But--"

"I am aware of your...ah...shall we say, shady past," Arthur continued. "But I think that's all to the good. Who better to catch a smuggler than a former smuggler?"

"You always said that you worked in the black market because you had no choice, because there was no legitimate work open to you," Takeshi said, smiling at Ash gently. "Well, here is your chance, Ash. You have the opportunity not only to work at a respectable and well-paying job, but to become a role model for your fellow werewolves."

"I think it's a wonderful opportunity," Haruko said. "I'm sure you'll do very well at your new job, Ash."

"But..." Ash protested weakly. It was a great opportunity, one that even a pureblood would jump at, but he felt strangely reluctant and a little frightened. He had lived as an outcast and a fugitive for so long that he wasn't sure he would be able to adapt to a respectable job and a respectable life.

"Please, Ash," Arthur said earnestly. "I need your help. I don't want someone who will just track down smugglers and owners of illegal artifacts. I need someone knowledgeable about both the Muggle and wizarding worlds who can help me distinguish between the devices that are truly dangerous and those that might be beneficial. Please help me to make the wizarding world a more open-minded place while still keeping it safe."

The Minister of Magic held out his hand, while the Kimuras and Tonks smiled at Ash expectantly. Aric gave him a more sympathetic smile, not surprisingly, since he had been trying to escape the Ministry career that his parents had arranged for him. "I think that's a lot to ask from one disreputable werewolf," Ash finally said, his voice trembling slightly, but he reached out to shake Arthur's hand.

"I have faith in you, Ash," Arthur said warmly. "Besides, look at Remus--he almost single-handedly changed the younger generation's attitude about werewolves!"

Arthur and Ash walked off together, to give Lukas the good news and to discuss the details about Ash's new job. "I don't know whether to congratulate him or feel sorry for him," Aric said with a smile.

"He will do fine," Haruko said confidently. "And speaking of jobs, when will you be starting at St. Mungo's, Aric?"

"I still have to discuss that with Healer Smethwyck," Aric replied.

"I'm going to suggest that he start in August," Takeshi said, "so that he can come with us to Japan this summer."

"Yes, of course, we must introduce him to the family!" Haruko said cheerfully, and Aric smiled nervously.

"I can't wait," he lied. But still, Takeshi's parents had greeted him warmly, and it was obvious from the knowing little smiles that they kept exchanging, that they knew he and Takeshi were a couple. Aric had been a little surprised when he had met Takeshi's father, Isamu. He was a middle-aged man who wore glasses and had thinning hair and a thickening waistline--not ugly by any means, but he looked a little homely in contrast to the stunning beauty of his wife and son. He did have a very open, friendly face, though, and his kind smile reminded Aric of Takeshi's.

"But first," Isamu said, "you must come over and have dinner with us, so that we can get to know you. In a few days, perhaps, after you have settled in at Takeshi's apartment?"

Oh Merlin, the first dinner with the in-laws! "Of course," Aric said bravely, trying to hide his apprehension. "I'm looking forward to it." And the three Kimuras beamed at him so happily that Aric's nervousness eased, and he thought that dinner with the in-laws wouldn't be so bad after all. Takeshi was smiling at him gratefully, and anything that made his lover happy could not be a bad thing. Aric unobtrusively reached out and clasped Takeshi's hand for just a moment, squeezing it gently before releasing it. No one else noticed, but Takeshi did, and gave Aric a brief look of tenderness before continuing the conversation with his parents. He looked beautiful in a dress robe made of Ravenclaw-blue silk, the first time that Aric had seen him in anything besides his lime-green St. Mungo's uniform. He would be moving into Takeshi's flat today after school let out, and he felt a sudden thrill of excitement rush through his body like a little jolt of electricity as he realized that they would finally be able to spend their first night alone together.

Meanwhile, Blaise danced a couple of times with his sister, then left the floor. He found Theodore near the head table, talking with Snape, Lupin, and Dumbledore.

"Ah, Mr. Zabini, you're just the person I wanted to see!" the Headmaster said cheerfully.

"Me?" asked a startled Blaise.

"Theodore and Professor Snape have told me that you're taking a summer job as a docent at the Museum of Wizarding History."

"Yes, sir," Blaise replied, still feeling puzzled. "I thought I could see how I like working at the museum, and it would be good experience if I decide to apply for a full-time job there."

"It would also be excellent experience for a teaching position," Dumbledore said.

"Excuse me, sir?" Blaise asked, not sure if he'd heard right.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Mr. Zabini, most of the students find Professor Binns's teaching methods...ah...somewhat less than effective," the Headmaster said tactfully.

"In other words, they're not learning what they should, because he puts them to sleep," Snape said bluntly. "And he's been gradually losing his grip on reality. I've seen him lecturing to an empty classroom more than once."

"You're not thinking of firing Professor Binns, are you?" Blaise asked doubtfully. Not that he had any particular fondness for the History Professor, but he wasn't sure how one went about firing a ghost.

"No, Blaise," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I would never turn Professor Binns out of his home, even if such a thing were possible. But it occurred to me that perhaps the Professor could use a teaching assistant."

"A teaching assistant?" Blaise asked

"Yes, someone who could supplement the Professor's lectures, answer questions that the students might have, and help them with their assignments," Dumbledore replied. "Talented students like yourself or Miss Granger do quite well studying your history texts on your own, but some of the others need a little more guidance than Professor Binns is able to provide."

"And you want me to be the teaching assistant?" Blaise asked, still not sure that he was hearing correctly.

Dumbledore nodded, and Theodore grinned and said, "Professor Zabini!"

The Headmaster chuckled and said, "Well, I think you need a little more experience before we can make you a full Professor, Blaise, so I thought an assistant position would be a good starting place. You can gain the necessary experience assisting Professor Binns, and in a few years, if the Professor is just as content to lecture an empty room as he is one full of students, well...then perhaps it would be best to appoint a new History of Magic teacher."

"So what do you think, Blaise?" Lupin asked with a grin.

"I think that would be wonderful!" Blaise exclaimed. While trying to stay awake in History class, he had often thought of how he would have done things differently from Binns. Merlin's Beard, Binns could even make the Goblin Wars sound deadly dull! Their history books were full of interesting and exciting events, but Binns's droning monotone voice reduced them to cold facts on a page that needed to be memorized, instead of making them come to life for the students. Now Blaise would have the chance to see if he could do better. And he knew that Professor Snape intended to recommend Theo for the Ancient Runes position when Professor Driscoll retired in a few years, which meant that he and Theo might be able to live and work together, and Blaise could think of nothing that he would like better. He wasn't sure, though, that he would ever be able to think of his former Professors as colleagues instead of his teachers--especially the intimidating ones, like Snape and Blackmore, and to a lesser degree, McGonagall. It would be slightly easier to think of Lupin, who was winking at him right now, as a friend instead of an authority figure.

Blaise stood up straight, and said in a more dignified voice, "I would be honored to accept the position if you feel that I am worthy of it, Headmaster."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, firmly clasping and shaking Blaise's hand. "Welcome to the staff, my boy. While you're working at the museum this summer, think about lesson plans and projects you would like to create for the students, to supplement Professor Binns's standard lectures, which you should be quite familiar with, after seven years."

"Yes, sir!" Blaise said, already filled with ideas for the coming school year. It seemed like a dream come true: he would be able to do work that interested him, and most likely be able to work alongside his lover in a few years. And on top of that, a teaching position at Hogwarts was prestigious enough to satisfy his mother, who would hopefully stop nagging him about becoming a mediwizard. His eyes drifted towards the dance floor, where Allegra was dancing with Patrick Parkinson. He would also be able to keep an eye on his little sister and keep her out of mischief--or at least keep the mischief to a minimum, and to make sure that no young men with dishonorable intentions took advantage of her. Yes, a position at Hogwarts would be ideal.

While Blaise was smiling smugly, Harry was also giving serious thought to his future, even as he was having a good time dancing with Ginny. While some people, like Dylan and Hermione, knew exactly what they wanted to do after they graduated, Harry had been uncertain all year, and although Lupin had assured him that this was normal, it still bothered him, especially when he saw his yearmates lining up apprenticeships and applying for jobs. There had been several ideas, including playing professional Quidditch, that seemed somewhat appealing, but there had been nothing that really felt "right," that had captured his interest wholeheartedly.

Until now. An idea had taken nebulous form in his head over the past few weeks, and his resolve had gradually strengthened and solidified. Mindful of how he had jokingly scolded Ron for not confiding in him about apprenticing with Mr. Greengrass, Harry told his best friends about his plans before he told anyone else.

"That's wonderful, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Good for you, Harry!" Ron said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "I kind of thought that's what you'd decide on, in the end." He sighed a little. "Although it's too bad that you won't be playing for the Chudley Cannons."

"I think that's great, Harry," Ginny said, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which made him flush with pleasure. "You should go tell Sirius and Professor Blackmore."

So Harry went to find his godparents. They had been dancing earlier, but now Professor Blackmore was sitting on the sidelines as Sirius handed her a glass of water.

"Hi, Sirius," Harry said. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course, Harry," Sirius said with a smile. "What is it?"

"I've finally decided what I want to do," Harry said firmly.

"There's no rush, Harry," Sirius said kindly, "but you sound quite certain of yourself."

"I am," Harry said. "I want to be an Auror."

"That's great, Harry!" Sirius said. "I know that you were thinking about it, but what decided you?"

"Those Aurors, Williamson and Dawlish," Harry said gravely. "Williamson was like those Aurors who arrested you without caring about finding proof of your guilt. No, he was even worse, because at least they didn't create false evidence to frame you. And even if Dawlish wasn't in on Williamson's plot, he was so closed-minded that he couldn't see the truth. I know that there are good Aurors, like Tonks and Kingsley, but there aren't enough of them. I don't want to just sit around complaining that the Aurors are bad; I want to do something about it. I want to become the kind of Auror who will look for the truth and not just presume someone's guilty because of their family or because they're a non-human. I want to become the kind of Auror who will protect people and not bully them."

His godfather's eyes were full of love and pride, and Sirius hugged Harry and said, "I'm so proud of you, Harry! The Aurors definitely need some new blood!"

"I'm proud of you, too, Harry," Professor Blackmore said softly. "I think that you will make a fine Auror with that kind of attitude."

Harry suddenly noticed that she looked a little pale and wan, and that Bane, who was perched in his usual spot on her shoulder, was regarding his mistress with a look of concern. "Are you feeling all right, Professor?" he asked.

"I'm feeling a little ill," she admitted. "Perhaps I ate something that didn't agree with me at lunch."

"I feel fine, although I didn't have any of the shellfish," Sirius said. "Maybe it wasn't as fresh as it could have been?"

"Hogwarts is not usually in the habit of giving its staff and students food poisoning," Blackmore said.

"Nobody else seems to be getting sick, so I don't think it's food poisoning," Harry said, after looking around the room. "Maybe you're just coming down with the flu or something?"

"I never get sick, dear," Blackmore said. "I have a very strong constitution, courtesy of my ancestor, Lord Raven."

The one that Theodore claimed was a demon. Well, Harry had never heard of a demon catching a cold or the flu, but then again, he didn't know much about demons, and besides, he still wasn't completely convinced that Professor Blackmore really had demon blood. "Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey," he finally suggested.

Blackmore protested that it wasn't necessary, but Sirius was beginning to look a little worried, and insisted on it. So they quietly spoke to the school nurse and slipped away from the party.

Harry and Sirius waited outside the hospital wing for a few minutes while Pomfrey examined Blackmore, then the nurse opened the door and ushered them in with a smile.

Sirius seemed reassured by her smile. "It's nothing serious, then?" he asked anxiously.

"Oh, that depends on your point of view," Pomfrey said. "But Branwen isn't sick, or rather, her illness is a symptom of her condition." The school nurse looked very amused, for some reason. "I might almost say that it's contagious; perhaps there's something in the air..."

"Would you stop talking in riddles, Poppy?" Blackmore asked irritably.

"You're pregnant, dear," Pomfrey said calmly.

"I am?" Blackmore said, staring at her in shock.

"These things do happen, dear," Pomfrey said, still looking amused. "You have been married for nearly a year now. But you're only about six weeks along, so I'm not really surprised that you hadn't noticed yet."

A huge, silly grin spread across Sirius's face. "I'm going to be a dad?!" he shouted excitedly.

"I'm going to be a brother?" Harry asked, just as eagerly. Both Sirius and Blackmore turned to stare at him, looking surprised but delighted by his statement. Harry suddenly remembered the conversation he'd had with Dylan, about wanting to call Sirius "Dad." Dylan had said that the way you felt about someone was more important than the name you called them by, and that Snape and Lupin were like fathers to him even though he didn't actually call them "Father" or "Dad." Harry knew that Dylan was right, but now he also realized that names could be very important, if they let the other person know how you felt about them.

"Yes, Harry," Sirius said softly, his eyes filled with tears although he was still grinning. "You're going to be a big brother." And he hugged Harry in an embrace that was both fierce and tender at the same time.

"My daughter will be lucky to have a brother like you," Blackmore said, kissing Harry gently on the forehead.

"Your son," Pomfrey corrected. "You're going to have a boy."

"Oh!" Blackmore said, looking startled. "The Blackmore women usually have girls. But there have been a few Blackmore Lords, including my father."

"A boy!" Sirius exclaimed. "I'm going to have a son!"

"I'm going to have a brother!" Harry said. "I'll teach him to fly, and play Quidditch..."

"It'll be a few more years before you'll be able to do that," Pomfrey laughed, but Harry and Sirius ignored her, capering around the hospital wing, knowing that they looked like idiots but not caring.

"I'll take him for rides on my Firebolt!"

"I'll take him fishing!"

"Do you know how to fish, Sirius?"

"Sure. Well, I'm not very good at it, but I know how to do it. Every father and son should go fishing together. In fact, this summer I'll take you to this little fishing hole that James showed me once..."

"Really?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Sure!" Sirius replied. "We might not catch anything, but to be honest, I don't much care for dealing with a wriggling, flopping fish."

"Oh," Harry said, suddenly feeling a little less enthusiastic. He liked the idea of a father/son fishing trip, but he'd never had to kill anything he ate before. "Er...how are you supposed to kill a fish, anyway?"

"A sharp blow to the head is supposed to put it out of its misery quickly," Sirius replied.

"Oh," Harry repeated, suddenly feeling a bit queasy.

"Unless you'd rather use a Killing Curse," Sirius joked, "but that does seem like overkill. Well, perhaps we could go for a hike and a swim instead. Or we could go fishing, and just throw the fish back in the water when we catch them. Some people do that just for the sport of it, I'm told."

"Uh...sure," Harry said. He didn't really see much point in that, but he didn't really care. All that mattered was that he would be able to spend some time with his godfather.

"I feel sick," Blackmore suddenly groaned. Maybe all the talk about fishing was making her queasy, too. Madam Pomfrey managed to grab a basin and get it in place just in time as Blackmore threw up. "This is all your fault, Sirius Black!" she said accusingly.

"I believe it takes two to tango, my dear," Sirius said with a grin.

"How would you like to spend the rest of your life as a toad?"

"I don't think that a toad would be a very good father for your baby, dear," Pomfrey said soothingly to Blackmore. Then she glared at Sirius. "You know, it's a bad idea to upset a pregnant woman. Especially when that pregnant woman is a master of the Dark Arts."

"True," Sirius agreed, then kissed his wife on the cheek and said contritely, "I'm sorry, my love. I'll see if Snape can brew a potion to make you feel better."

"Please do," Blackmore said, looking somewhat mollified.

"Come on, Harry," Sirius said, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Let's go find Snape and Moony and tell them the good news."

So they left the hospital wing and headed back to the Great Hall. "I really hope that Snape can brew a potion to take care of her morning sickness," Sirius said. "Living with an irritable Dark Sorceress for eight months could be hazardous to my health." But despite his words, he still looked ecstatic.

"Hob will be happy," Harry laughed. "He's been dying for you two to have kids! He even started turning one of the spare bedrooms into a nursery last summer."

"Really? Well, I guess we won't have to rush to get things ready for the baby, then."

"Eight months should be plenty of time, Sirius. Well, technically I guess it's seven and a half."

"Oh, Harry, I'm so happy!" Sirius said, stopping to hug Harry again.

"Me too," Harry said, hugging him back. He still wanted to have a talk with Sirius about calling him "Dad," but that could wait until things had calmed down a little, when they were back home at Grimmauld Place. For now he was content in the knowledge that he was part of Sirius's family, which was soon to grow by one more.


Part 88