FIC: Phoenix Reborn, Part 3 of 8

[geri_chan]

Title: Phoenix Reborn, Part 3 of 8
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin
Word count: ~10,090
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Warning: AU; no character death at the end of the story.
Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts
Sequel to: Always (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Summer Vacation (Part 1, Part 2), For Old Time's Sake (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), Three's a Crowd (or, Summer Vacation II) (Part 1, Part 2), Return of the Raven (Part 1, Part 2).
Summary: Branwen, Sirius, and Lupin find themselves getting on each other's nerves while Snape is away at Hogwarts; Dylan plays in his first Quidditch match.

Part 1, Part 2

***

"You're less like your father than I thought," Sirius was saying coolly to Harry from the fireplace. "The risk would've been what made it fun for James."

"Look--" Harry protested.

Sirius didn't want to hear it; maybe he was being childish, but he felt like he was being abandoned. Everyone was running around doing various tasks for the Order; he didn't even have Moony's company lately: the werewolf had gone to Japan to meet with Professor Kamiyama and some of his colleagues to try and persuade the Japanese wizarding community to join them in their fight against Voldemort. The Dark Lord had not yet extended his reach to Asia, and most of the Japanese wizards were reluctant to risk themselves in a war that they felt had nothing to do with them. It was Lupin's task to convince them that Voldemort would not be content merely to conquer Britain and Europe, that if they did not stop him now, the Dark Lord would one day take his war to the Far East--and when that day came, all their Western allies would be dead and unable to aid them. It was an important mission, but it left Sirius feeling more lonely and useless than ever. He had hoped to alleviate some of that loneliness by going to Hogsmeade in dog form to visit his godson, but Harry was insisting that it was "too dangerous." The boy was too young to be sounding so responsible--he was starting to sound like Molly Weasley, for God's sake!

"Well, I'd better be going," Sirius said, unable to keep a hint of disgruntlement from creeping into his voice. "I can hear Kreacher coming down the stairs. I'll write to tell you a time I can make it back into the fire, then, shall I? If you can stand to risk it?"

Sirius pulled his head out of the fireplace, and behind him, a woman's voice said sharply, "Sirius Black! What do you think you're doing?!"

Sirius turned around to see his former teacher standing over him, arms crossed and scowling, as if she'd just caught a student breaking the rules at Hogwarts. Sirius forced himself not to cringe, and to keep up a casual demeanor as he dusted ashes from his palms and hair. He was no longer a child but an adult, by God, and he was not going to act like a schoolboy about to get detention! "Oh hello, Branwen," he said, trying to sound unconcerned. "I was just having a little chat with Harry."

"Have you lost your mind, Mr. Black?" Blackmore asked, glaring at him. "What if one of Harry's classmates, or worse, teachers, had seen you in the fire?"

Sirius gave her his most charming smile. "'Mr. Black'? Whatever happened to 'we're all colleagues now, let's call each other by our first names'?"

"When you revert to childish behavior," Blackmore said coldly, "I suppose I also revert to old habits and call you by the name I used when you were a student."

Sirius scowled. "Now see here! I'm not a child anymore--"

"Then stop acting like one!" his former teacher retorted. "You know how closely the Ministry is monitoring Dumbledore and his allies! Did you ever stop to think that Harry would be in trouble if he were caught talking to you? Do you not recall how he was nearly expelled this summer? Not to mention the trouble you could cause for Albus--"

"Dumbledore can take care of himself," Sirius said dismissively.

"Dumbledore is this close to getting sacked!" shouted Blackmore, holding her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "He is on very thin ice with the Ministry, and they will use any excuse they can to get rid of him! I think that aiding and abetting an escaped murderer would fall under that category! And if Dumbledore is fired, the entire school and all the students will be in danger!" Bane seemed to be picking up on his mistress's agitation, and cawed angrily at Sirius from his perch on Blackmore's shoulder.

"You're making a mountain out of a molehill, Professor," Sirius said, pointedly calling her by her title instead of her name.

"And you are doing your godson a disservice, Sirius," Blackmore said quietly.

"What are you talking about?!" Sirius snapped.

"Molly is right, you're treating him as if he were James--"

"And what's wrong with that?" Sirius demanded. "He's a lot like his father, or at least I thought he was up until tonight..."

"What's wrong is that he's NOT James, he's Harry!" Blackmore shouted, looking frustrated, as if Sirius were a student who couldn't seem to grasp a very simple, basic concept. "You should love him for himself, not as a substitute for James!"

"That's not what I said!" Sirius shouted back, getting rather hot under the collar himself. "And you have no right to talk to me this way, you're not my teacher anymore--"

"I have a right as your colleague to point out when you're behaving like an idiot!" Blackmore shrieked. Sirius was a bit taken aback. He had seen her angry before, seen her terrorize her students, seen her shout at him and Snape during the summer when she got irritated with their constant bickering, but she had always remained slightly aloof and in control of her emotions; he had never seen her lose her temper like this before. "For one thing, Harry is a child, not an adult! He's your ward, not your friend; it's your job as his godfather to protect him, not put him in danger!"

"You and Molly are too overprotective; Harry's tougher than you think--"

"He's had to endure things that no child should, and dealt with them admirably, but that doesn't mean that he should be subjected to unnecessary risk! For another thing, Harry is not a duplicate of his father--he's his own person! Yes, there is a great deal of James in him, but also a great deal of Lily--and there is a part of him that is neither James nor Lily, but simply Harry. He's led a life that's completely different from the one James led, endured hardships that James never had to; that has made him less confident but more compassionate--"

"You've never liked James!" Sirius accused. "You've always hated him! Is it because he--we--used to pick on Snape? You've always made excuses for that greasy git, even when he became a Death Eater, but you won't cut James the slightest bit of slack even now that he's dead--"

"Is that what you think, Sirius?" Blackmore asked quietly, apparently having calmed down a little. She gave him a strange, somehow measuring look, as if she were trying to read his thoughts. "I didn't hate James, though I was disappointed in him. For the most part he was a good man; he was brave and loyal, and kind to most people. Few people would have been willing to befriend a werewolf, but he never gave it a second thought. But he had his faults as well, Sirius. And yes, one of them was his casual cruelty towards Severus. He never once stopped to think about how Severus might feel, never realized how much pain he inflicted on him--"

"That's not fair!" Sirius protested. "Yeah, okay, we picked on Snape, and maybe we were out of line a few times, but don't forget Snape attacked us as well! It was Snape who threw the first hex at James back in second year--"

"In a way, you are right, Sirius," Blackmore interrupted, still in that quiet voice. "I did 'cut more slack,' as you put it, for Severus. But that was because Severus had a very difficult childhood, had seen very few examples of kindness and compassion."

Sirius had no idea what she was talking about. He knew the Snapes were snooty, wealthy purebreds not unlike the Malfoys, but he didn't know what about Snape's childhood might have been especially "difficult."

Blackmore didn't stop to explain, but continued, "I expected more of James because he should have known better. He was raised in a loving family, one that taught him right from wrong, one that taught him to be kind and open-minded. And for the most part he was; he had no prejudice against those of Muggle blood, and as his friendship with Remus proved, no prejudice even against werewolves, creatures that most wizards despise and fear. But he had one very big blind spot: he hated anything to do with the Dark Arts, which meant that he hated all Slytherins. I told you once, Sirius, that the worst fault of the Gryffindors is that they see things as black and white. That is a very simplistic view of the world; there are a myriad shades of gray between black and white. He could not believe that a wizard might be interested in the Dark Arts without being wholly evil. He could not conceive that someone might be neither good nor evil, but something in between. The reason he could be so cruel to Severus and never regret it, never even see the harm he was doing, is because he didn't really see Severus as a human being, a person worthy of being treated with compassion, or even courtesy. Severus was fascinated by the Dark Arts, so James decided that must mean he was evil, and therefore worthy only of contempt."

"You make James sound so...so..." Sirius struggled to find the right word, still angry, but also a little uneasy, because something deep inside of him suspected she was right.

"He was a human being, Sirius, who had his flaws, as we all do." Blackmore sighed. "Part of the problem, I think, stemmed from the fact that everything came to him easily. He was born into a loving, wealthy, well-respected family; he had a natural talent for both academics and Quidditch; he had a charming personality that enabled him to make friends with ease. It's not his fault that he was blessed with such good fortune, of course, but it made it difficult for him to empathize with someone like Severus. Perhaps that is why Remus could see something in Severus that you others could not; he knew what it was like to be lonely and a misfit." Sirius flushed, feeling resentful; he did not want to feel sorry for Snape. "And that, I think, is what may eventually make Harry an even better man than his father was: he has suffered hardship and cruelty, but in spite of it, he has turned out to be a kind and decent person. Adversity, rather than breaking him, has made him stronger. You should not be angry that he does not want you to come visit him, Sirius; rather, you should be proud of the maturity he is showing. Because it is love that motivates him, Sirius; of course he wants to see you, but your safety is more important to him than his own desires."

Sirius bowed his head, feeling ashamed, and angry at her for making him feel that way. "All right, all right," he mumbled. "I'll stay safe at home." He got to his feet and headed back to his own room.

"And no more sticking your head into fireplaces!" Blackmore called after him.

Sirius turned back to glare at her. "You say we all have faults, Branwen; what about yours? You sit in judgment over us and meddle in our lives, but have you ever stopped to take a look at your own? Did you ever stop to ask yourself why the closest friend you have is a bird?" Bane cawed angrily at that remark. "Maybe you interfere in my and Moony's and Snape's lives so you won't have to think about how empty your own life is!" Branwen went pale, and her green eyes suddenly looked hurt and vulnerable in a way Sirius had never seen before. He abruptly closed his mouth, realizing that he had gone too far, but it was too late to take his words back. "Branwen, I--I didn't mean--"

"Yes, you did, Sirius," she replied quietly, then smiled at him bitterly. "It's amazing how you can be so dense and so perceptive at the same time."

"I'm sorry," Sirius whispered.

"I believe you, Sirius, but there are some things that cannot be mended by mere words." Blackmore sighed, but looked more sad than angry. "It's odd that you and Severus hate each other so much, considering how alike you are--"

"I'm not like Snape!"

"You both lash out without thinking when you are angry, and hurt both yourselves and the people who care about you. You are both arrogant and stubborn, and hate to admit that you're wrong. The difference between the two of you is that Severus is aware of his faults, and is trying to change--slowly, and with limited success, but at least he is trying. And he has been working hard to atone for the mistakes he has made in the past, even at the risk of his own life. But you, Sirius--when will you change? When will you grow up and leave the past behind?"

Sirius spluttered, glaring at her with both guilt and anger in his eyes.

"And yes, Sirius," Blackmore continued in a soft voice, "you are right. I have trouble connecting with people; ever since I was a child, I have always felt I was different, always felt somehow apart from everyone else. Perhaps it is my demon blood; perhaps it's just me. I did love my students, as if they were my own children, but I could not, or would not, express that love to them, and that is the mistake that I must atone for. I failed to save my Slytherin students from Voldemort, and I failed to teach my Gryffindor students compassion."

She swept out of the room without another word, but long after she had left, Sirius kept seeing that look of sorrow and guilt in her eyes. That look made him feel ashamed of himself, and he had the sinking feeling that he had just behaved as badly as Snape--no worse, because Snape was just a Slytherin, and Sirius was supposed to be the "noble" Gryffindor, who should have known better...

***

Snape was already in a bad mood when he arrived to teach his Potions class; today he had the dubious honor of being observed by Professor Umbridge. Lovely. He arrived to find Potter and Weasley wrestling with Longbottom, which was rather strange--he had thought they were all friends. But it gave Snape a chance to vent some of his ire on them, and snapped, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you."

The students took their seats, and Snape said in a low, sneering voice, "You will notice that we have a guest with us today." Snape was quite sure that Lucius Malfoy would make sure he kept his job no matter what Umbridge reported, but he still resented her being in his classroom at all. He tried to ignore her and went about with his lesson on Strengthening Solutions. Snape had bent over to inspect Dean Thomas's cauldron when he heard Umbridge say from behind him:

"Well, this class seems fairly advanced for their level. Though I would question whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like the Strengthening Solution. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus."

Snape slowly straightened up and turned to look at her; out of the corner of his eye he saw Thomas flinch at the look of cold fury on his face, but Umbridge just gave him her toady little smile. {How...dare...she!} he silently raged. {No one tells me how to teach my classes--no one!} The Headmaster himself had never intervened in Snape's classes--except to make sure he didn't fail Potter--but Dumbledore had never questioned his teaching methods, though he knew the Headmaster didn't really approve of some of them. {I am going to kill Lucius Malfoy,} he thought, grinding his teeth together. It had been Lucius who had arranged for Umbridge to be sent here.

But Umbridge was asking him how long he'd been teaching here. "Fourteen years," said Snape curtly.

"You have applied regularly for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?"

"Yes," said Snape quietly, barely moving his lips. His hands twitched, and he had to restrain himself from throttling her for embarrassing him in front of the students like this.

"Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?"

"I suggest you ask him," Snape said jerkily. He was very, very close to losing his temper. He wondered if a Cruciatus Curse would wipe that smug look off her face.

"Oh, I shall," Umbridge replied sweetly.

"I suppose this is relevant?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh yes. Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of the teachers'--er--backgrounds..."

{My background is that my parents taught me the Dark Arts from the time I was able to walk, and that I was a Death Eater; put that on your damned clipboard, why don't you, you old hag?!}

Umbridge turned away and began questioning Pansy Parkinson about the lessons. Snape turned to find Potter's potion congealing and giving off a strong smell of burning rubber. He took out his frustration on Potter, saying maliciously, "No marks again, then, Potter," and emptied the boy's cauldron with a wave of his wand. "You will write me an essay on the correct composition of this potion, indicating how and why you went wrong, to be handed in next lesson, do you understand?"

"Yes," said Potter, obviously furious, but unable to talk back to his teacher for fear of more punishment. Snape felt a little better, and circled the classroom in search of another victim...

***

Lupin returned from Japan to find things between Branwen and Sirius oddly strained. Neither of them would tell him what had happened, but Sirius seemed subdued and there was an uneasy, almost guilty look in his eyes whenever he looked at Branwen. As for Branwen, she was even more quiet and introverted than usual. Lupin missed seeing the merry and mischievous side of herself that she had revealed to them over the summer.

"How did things go in Japan, Moony?" Sirius asked.

Lupin shrugged. "I presented my case. Kamiyama is sympathetic to our cause, but his colleagues are still skeptical. Nothing gets decided quickly in Japan, Sirius; they must debate among themselves and weigh the merits and risks of getting involved, but at least they agreed to think about it and didn't turn me down outright."

Sirius scowled. "They'd better not take too long to think about it, or Voldemort will be knocking at their door by the time they make up their minds!"

"It's only human nature to be leery of putting oneself and one's loved ones at risk for the sake of strangers," Blackmore said in a slightly didactic tone, sounding more like her old self. "Look at World War Two, and how the Americans did not want to get involved in a European war until Pearl Harbor was bombed. And if the situation were reversed, and the Japanese were asking us to help rid them of a Dark Wizard, would our British wizards be so eager to help?"

Sirius shrugged and said reluctantly, "Probably not. We can't even get the Ministry to protect its own people, much less someone else's!"

Lupin said, "Professor Kamiyama's granddaughter, Miyako, has the true Sight, and has been having disturbing dreams of snakes and skulls, which perhaps has made our Japanese friends take us more seriously than they otherwise would have. But she is very young, and the visions are not clear, and they are not willing to commit themselves solely on basis of a teenage girl's dreams. All we can do is wait."

Lupin sighed. He was by nature a patient man, but the tasks he carried out for the Order--recruiting amongst the non-humans as well as the Japanese wizards--were at times frustrating. Even if Sirius had not been a fugitive from the law, he was too impatient and hot-tempered to be entrusted with diplomatic missions. Lupin's own patience was stretched thin by the very slow, unrewarding pace at which the missions were proceeding. The Japanese were loathe to commit themselves to a foreign war, and the British non-humans were loathe to aid the human wizards who treated them as second-class citizens at best. Lupin knew he could not really expect to gain new recruits at this point, but was working at building up a relationship of trust, which required him to move slowly, with painstaking care, so that he did not alienate their potential allies.

At least the tension between Sirius and Branwen seemed to be slowly smoothing over with time. Lupin might have tried harder to find out what was going on between them, but he was distracted by his worries, and then the approach of the full moon drove all such thoughts out of his mind completely...

Lupin was, as he had told Hermione, much healthier than he had been two years ago, thanks in part to the improvements Severus and Professor Kamiyama had made to the Wolfsbane Potion. But he had not been entirely honest; his well-being was due not only to the potion, but to Severus's presence as well. Kamiyama had told Lupin that the wolf's aggression was being channeled into what he delicately referred to as "the mating instinct," and Severus brought out the wolf's more nurturing side, the part of the wolf that wanted to love and protect its mate.

Severus had kept his promise to visit as often as possible when the moon was waxing during the summer, but now that school had started, it was harder for him to get away. And without Severus, Lupin felt the wolf stirring restlessly within him. He kept pacing around his room without even realizing he was doing so, working off the wolf's nervous energy. Lupin the man understood why Severus could not be here, but the wolf inside him did not. It whined unhappily and snarled irritably, wanting its mate's loving presence, wanting the hunger inside it satisfied.

Lupin was tired, cranky, and quite frankly, horny. Self-gratification did little to placate the wolf, because it was not just sex the wolf wanted; it wanted the touch, taste, and scent of its mate. It wanted Severus. Lupin was just about ready to crawl out of his skin with frustration. At this point, he would have welcomed the pain and nausea he used to feel before the full moon, because at least it would have provided a distraction from his loneliness and the wolf's desire.

Of course, he had gone through this before last year, but somehow it had been easier to bear then; Lupin wasn't sure why. Maybe it was just that when he was alone in his cottage in the woods, he didn't have to worry about being polite to other people, and could be as cranky and self-pitying as he wanted. The presence of other people got on his nerves; he didn't dare go out on any missions this close to the full moon. Branwen seemed to sense that he wanted to be left alone, but Sirius did not, and he found himself quarreling more and more with Sirius as the week went on.

One day when they were in the kitchen getting ready for dinner, Sirius made some snide crack about Snape, the kind Lupin would usually have ignored, but today he snapped, "Oh, grow up, Sirius! I'm sick of listening to your insults about Severus; Branwen is right, you're acting like a child!"

"Like Snape is so mature himself," Sirius sneered, sounding rather miffed. "I don't know what you see in that greasy-haired git--"

"You take that back!" Lupin snarled, baring his teeth and grabbing Sirius by the front of his shirt.

"Moony!" Sirius exclaimed, looking startled and a little frightened. "Take it easy!"

"Remus," said a quiet voice, "let him go."

Lupin turned, his mouth still twisted in a snarl, to see Branwen standing behind him. He blinked, and the wolf's anger receded as sanity returned. He suddenly realized he was still holding onto Sirius's shirt in his clenched fists, and hastily let go and took a step back. Sirius was still staring at him in shock, and Lupin groaned and dropped into a chair at the kitchen table. "I'm sorry, Sirius," he said. "The wolf is feeling a bit testy."

Blackmore glared at Sirius. "You should know better than to provoke him this close to the full moon."

"Is it close to the full moon?" Sirius asked, sounding surprised, and Blackmore rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not like I can ever go outside to look at the moon, or the sun, for that matter!" he said in a defensive tone. "Besides, I thought the potion was supposed to help..."

Lupin groaned again, crossing his arms on the table and laying his head down on them, letting his hair fall across his face. "Maybe you should just lock me in my room until the full moon passes!"

Blackmore gave Sirius the same look she used to give her students when they were being particularly dense. Then she sat in the chair next to Lupin and began stroking his hair, as if he were a small child, and said in a gentle voice, "You miss Severus, don't you?"

"Yes," Lupin mumbled, not raising his head from the table. "It's not just the potion that makes the transformation easier; it's Severus. The wolf wants him so badly it's driving me crazy!"

"Maybe you should contact Severus," Blackmore suggested.

"No!" said Lupin, lifting his head up a little. "He's got enough to deal with at school; he'd be here if he could. I don't want him to wear himself out running back and forth between here and Hogwarts, and I don't want to put him in danger if anyone becomes suspicious why he's leaving school in the middle of the week--"

"All right, we won't say anything to him then, Remus. Shh, it's all right..." Blackmore continued to stroke his hair tenderly, and Lupin subsided, resting his head on his arms again. Normally, Lupin would have been too embarrassed to let her do such a thing, but the wolf was in control now, and the wolf found it soothing. The gentle touch of her hand on his hair was not unlike the comforting touch of a mother wolf licking and grooming her cubs. Lupin sighed, and made a contented little growling noise deep in his throat.

Sirius watched in amazement, not sure whether he was more surprised by Lupin or Professor Blackmore. Of course he had known for years that Lupin was a werewolf, but except for the actual transformation, Lupin was so good at keeping himself under control that Sirius was shocked to see him acting so wolf-like. As for Blackmore, he was still having trouble viewing her as a comrade and a friend instead of a teacher, although since he had worked with her before as an Auror-in-training, he had adjusted better to the change than Snape had. But he still couldn't get over seeing her act so motherly; not just because of her normally imperious manner, but because she still looked so young--all three of her former students looked older than she did now: Lupin with his prematurely graying hair, Snape with lines of bitterness etched into his face, and Sirius still looking haggard from his imprisonment in Azkaban. Sirius noticed for the first time how young and pretty Branwen was; it wasn't as if he had ever thought she was ugly, but like all of her students, he had been too much in awe and terror of her to think of her as a woman. Well, all except for Evan Rosier, who'd had the balls to ask Blackmore for a dance at the Yule Ball during their fourth year. That had rankled a bit, because Sirius had prided himself on being thought of as bold, and popular with the girls, but Rosier's reputation had temporarily eclipsed his after that little stunt. Sirius shook his head slightly; lovely though she was, he didn't think he could ever regard a woman who had given him detention in a romantic way.

Blackmore continued to stroke Lupin's hair until the tension had gone out of his body, leaving him limp with relaxation. His breathing had become slow and even, and Sirius wondered if he had fallen asleep, but Blackmore rumpled his hair in a playful manner, and he looked up and smiled at her. She kissed him on the cheek and said, "Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest, Remus?"

Lupin yawned and said docilely, "Yes, Professor."

He got to his feet and started to leave the table, but Sirius stopped him, resting a hand on his shoulder as he said, "I'm sorry for being such a stupid git, Remy."

"I forgive you, Sirius," Lupin said, giving him a hug. Then he turned to leave, looking over his shoulder on the way out as he said indignantly, "And Severus's hair is NOT greasy--it's shiny!" Fortunately, Lupin flounced out of the room before Sirius could open his mouth and say anything that would negate his apology.

Sirius scowled at his departing friend. Since when did Remus ever FLOUNCE? "I can't believe that slimy git can affect Remus so drastically!" he grumbled.

"Didn't Remus explain it to you, Sirius?" Blackmore asked impatiently. Sirius shook his head, and Blackmore sighed. "Well, I suppose he thought you might react badly, but you're clever enough to have figured it out on your own."

"Well, if you wouldn't mind enlightening this dunce, Professor..." Sirius said sardonically.

"Remus is healthier, partly because of the improved potion, but mostly because he is no longer fighting the wolf's instincts. And it is safe for him to do so because the wolf's energy is being channeled towards...well, its mate...instead of in more destructive directions." Blackmore smiled. "Haven't you noticed how much time Severus and Remus spend alone in their room when the full moon is near?"

Sirius flushed. "Every time Snape comes over they lock themselves up in their rooms; I don't know how you can tell the difference! And I never read that in any textbook on Dark Creatures!"

Blackmore laughed. "Well, apparently it's a very recent discovery! Severus should publish a paper on it...but I suspect he would be too embarrassed! But seriously, the presence of its mate pacifies the wolf, and conversely, it seems that Severus's absence causes the wolf distress."

Sirius groaned in dismay. It was bad enough that Moony was in love with that greasy git, but now he was in essence physically addicted to him as well! "Is this some sort of werewolf thing? Because wolves mate for life?"

"It's a myth that werewolves mate for life," Blackmore replied. "But of course Remus is as capable as any human being is of falling in love, deeply and permanently. The wolf loves Severus because Remus loves him, not the other way around." She gave Sirius a smile that was completely devoid of any hint of sympathy. "You might as well get used to it, Sirius; if their bond survived nearly twenty years of separation and strife, it is likely a permanent one."

Sirius sulked, although he had already come to the same conclusion; he just hadn't wanted to admit it to himself, hoping that Remus would come to his senses one day.

"Severus has his faults, Sirius," Blackmore said quietly. "But one of his best virtues is that he accepts the wolf in Remus, and has helped Remus to accept it as well. He has never viewed Remus as a monster because he was a werewolf."

"But after he saw Moony in the Shrieking Shack--"

Blackmore gave him that impatient look again, the one that said he wasn't as bright as she had thought he was. "He didn't hate Remus because he was a werewolf; if he pretended to, it was only because he was angry that Remus didn't trust him with his secret. I suspect if Remus had told Severus the truth, it would only have made Severus more protective of Remus than he already was." Blackmore smiled, wryly and sadly at the same time. "If anything, it would have reassured him; not many people would accept a werewolf as a lover, so that would have meant that Remus would be less likely to leave him."

Sirius gave Blackmore a skeptical look, but remembered what Remus had told him at the start of the summer: that the real reason Snape hated him was because Snape was jealous of his and Remus's closeness, that Snape had difficulty grasping the concept that Remus could love more than one person at the same time. But Sirius still had trouble believing that Snape was capable of loving anyone.

Blackmore sighed. "Don't you see that he's always loved Remus? I admit that he doesn't always express it in the best way, but he hasn't exactly had many good role models; I met his parents while I was teaching at Hogwarts, and I assure you, they are in their own way, as bad as your mother, though more subtle. And he had no kind uncle to lend him a hand, no one like the Potters to act as a surrogate family. It's a miracle that's he's turned out as well as he has, considering his upbringing; I suspect Albus can take most of the credit for that."

Sirius still looked skeptical, stubbornly refusing to let go of his old image of Snape as a sneaky, slimy bastard. Maybe he was being childish, but he did not want to feel sorry for Snape, did not want to see him as person with virtues as well as flaws. And he was a little irritated that Blackmore and Lupin kept trying to force him to.

"If he didn't love Remus," Blackmore continued in a quiet but persistent voice, "then why did he help Naoto Kamiyama to develop the Wolfsbane Potion, when he and Remus were still estranged, and he had no hope of reconciliation? Why would he help someone he believed was a monster and had supposedly tried to kill him?"

"I don't know," Sirius said sullenly. "Maybe he saw it as an intellectual challenge."

"Severus does like a challenge, yes, but there were many equally challenging projects he could have chosen to work on, but he chose that particular one, and took no credit for his role in it. Honestly, Sirius! Remus was right--you need to grow up!" He glared at her, but she glared right back at him. "Think of someone besides yourself for once! Hate Severus if you want, but keep it to yourself so you don't hurt Remus; he has enough to worry about without you adding to his burden. We are his pack now, Sirius; if Severus cannot be with him for the full moon, he will need our support more than ever."

That was the one argument that could sway Sirius. "Yes, Professor," he said, bowing his head. He felt guilty when he thought of Remus being overwhelmed by the wolf, goaded in part by Sirius's thoughtless comments.

"So no more nasty comments about Severus, at least until the full moon passes."

"I'll behave myself," Sirius said in a rather surly tone. Then he frowned as he thought about what she had said earlier. "Did Remus tell you all that stuff, about the wolf's energy being channeled into its 'mating instinct'?"

"No, but Severus told me a little about it, in a very general way, when he showed me how to brew the potion, and I was able to infer the rest on my own. Besides," she added with a sheepish little smile, "I watched them in Araqiel's scrying pool when they were in Japan working on the potion with Kamiyama."

Sirius grinned in spite of himself. "Snape thinks you're a voyeur, and I'm beginning to think he's right! You seem to take a rather unseemly pleasure in the details of his and Lupin's love life, Professor."

"My sole concern is the well-being of my students, Mr. Black," Blackmore said in a lofty tone.

"Right," said Sirius, unconvinced. Then in a slightly hurt tone he said, "How come you never seem to take an interest in my well-being?"

"You seem quite healthy to me, Mr. Black, aside from a short temper and an oversized ego," Blackmore replied coolly. Then she added with a mischievous smile, "And besides, you have no love life for me to meddle in."

"Well, it's a little hard to meet women when I'm cooped up in this moldy old house all the time," Sirius complained.

Blackmore said with a wicked little gleam in her green eyes, "Why Sirius, did you want me to set you up on a blind date?"

"No!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing up his hands as if to ward her off. God only knew who or what she might set him up with--one of her grandfather's demon lackeys, or worse, a Slytherin! He shuddered at the thought of her trying to set him up with a female version of Snape; he had no idea why she liked the slimy git so much, nor why Remus did, for that matter...

Blackmore just laughed, and Sirius thought darkly that it was no surprise that she had turned out to have demon blood. But for all that his former teacher complained about his short temper, Sirius was a little more careful about what he said after their last quarrel, in which he had come close to saying something unforgivable. Actually, it probably was unforgivable, but she had forgiven him anyway. In mutual unspoken agreement, they dropped the subject and ate dinner, talking about more pleasant and less touchy topics, such as how Harry might be faring at school this year.

But he did not forget their discussion, and he tried hard to keep his temper in check and be nice to Remus until the full moon had passed, although it almost killed him to hold his tongue and not say anything bad about Snape. And both he and Blackmore stayed with Remus when he changed; as soon as the transformation was complete, the wolf tilted back its head and let out a lonely-sounding howl. But Blackmore sat next to him on the floor, and began petting Lupin and scratching behind his ears, not unlike the way Snape did. For a moment, Sirius thought Lupin was going to flop down in her lap, but apparently that was a privilege reserved only for Snape. He did settle down on the floor beside her, though, whining softly but looking less miserable. Sirius transformed into Snuffles-the-dog and curled up beside the wolf, and Lupin let out a little sigh, seeming to take some comfort in the presence of his two friends.

***

Things were going fairly well for Dylan Rosier. To his relief, Draco said nothing more about Voldemort or the Death Eaters, although he did show Dylan some curses and hexes his father had taught him. Dylan pretended to be impressed, and did not mention that his mother had already taught him those very same spells years ago.

On the other hand, Dylan was bored out of his mind in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. All they did was read from a textbook; they weren't allowed to practice any spells at all. Of course he wasn't stupid enough to mouth off to Professor Umbridge, as Harry Potter apparently had, but Draco overheard him complaining in the Slytherin dorm, and told him to keep his mouth shut and not make any waves. He hinted, in that smugly superior way of his, that it was all part of a bigger plan. "You may be bored now," Draco said, "but things will get exciting soon enough, just you wait and see! There are going to be a lot of changes to Hogwarts in the future--changes that will benefit Slytherin." But he refused to say anything specific about what those changes might be.

Meanwhile, Dylan continued his semi-clandestine friendship with Hermione. He met her for a S.P.E.W. meeting in a deserted corner of the library, and to his delight, they were the only ones there, since Weasley and Potter were too busy with getting caught up on their homework to attend.

"What a beautiful ring, Dylan!" Hermione said, as she caught sight of the ring Ariane had given him for his birthday.

He beamed proudly. "It belonged to my father; my mother said I was old enough to wear it now."

Hermione seemed a bit taken aback, but to her credit, she made no comments about Death Eaters, and merely smiled--if a bit nervously--and said, "Well, it's really lovely, and very clever. I've never seen a stone cut like that, to resemble a flower."

"Thanks." He smiled back and changed the subject. "I talked to my Uncle Math over the summer about S.P.E.W."

"Great! What did he say?"

"He said he agrees with you in principle, but the situation is more complicated than you think. Now don't scowl at me, Hermione; I'm just telling you what my uncle said. Will you hear me out first before you say anything?"

"All right," she said reluctantly. "I suppose that's only fair."

"Well, first of all, he says the reason that house-elves are bound in servitude has to do with a balance of power. The elves have a great amount of inherent magical ability; that means that they don't have to learn to cast spells the way wizards do. They're born knowing how to do magic, the way a bird just knows how to fly, or a fish knows how to swim. But Uncle Math says power never comes without a price; the price they pay for their magic is that they can only use it to serve others. That's sort of nature's way of keeping things in balance, keeping them from abusing their powers and becoming too powerful." Dylan snickered. "Can you imagine a horde of house-elves running amok and taking over the world?"

"That's not funny, Dylan!" Hermione said indignantly. "It's not fair to enslave them just because they MIGHT abuse their powers! There are no checks and balances on human wizards; look at Vol..." She stuttered a little over Voldemort's name as Dylan went pale, and quickly changed it to, "...You-Know-Who."

"Well, the Ministry of Magic is supposed to be keeping us wizards in line." Hermione rolled her eyes, and Dylan smiled. "Yes, well, I suppose they're not always very effective. Anyway, Math says he agrees with you, that house-elves shouldn't be enslaved, or at the very least, their masters shouldn't be allowed to abuse them. But he says things have to be done gradually; you can't just up and free them all at once. For one thing, most of them don't want to be freed."

"Dobby did!"

"Dobby is an aberration. Have you talked to any of the Hogwarts house-elves?" Hermione nodded. "Did any of them want to be freed?"

"No, but that's because they've been brainwashed--"

Dylan repressed a sigh and said patiently, "Yes, and you can't undo that brainwashing overnight. If you tore them away from the households they serve, they'd be lost and unhappy."

"Like Winky," Hermione murmured, then said out loud, "So are we just supposed to sit back and do nothing?"

"Uncle Math says that you--I mean, we--have to take things slowly and lead by example. Treat the house-elves kindly, and try to persuade others to do so."

"That doesn't seem like much," Hermione said dubiously.

"He says he would like to see legislation passed that would make it a crime to abuse a house-elf, but most of the wizarding world is opposed to it. They see the elves as their property, and anyway it would be hard to enforce, since an elf isn't likely to file a complaint against its master."

"That's an excellent idea!" said Hermione, her eyes lighting up. "Of course, we'll still work for complete freedom, but that's a place to start! We'll write letters, start a petition--"

"Uh, the Ministry of Magic isn't likely to listen to a couple of kids," Dylan said nervously. Maybe he shouldn't have brought it up--there was no way he could put his name on such a petition without getting into trouble with Malfoy and Slytherin House. "When we become adults, and perhaps have some political influence--"

"There are elves being oppressed right now!" Hermione said. "They can't wait around for five or ten years!"

"They've waited this long already," Dylan muttered. "A few more years won't kill them."

Hermione ignored him. "I'm starting a petition and letter-writing campaign! Maybe you can ask your uncle which wizards and Ministry members might be sympathetic to our cause."

"All right," Dylan agreed, relieved that she wasn't asking him to take a more visible role in her "cause".

"And some elves DO want to be freed, because I've been knitting clothes for the elves and leaving them in Gryffindor Tower, and someone's been taking them!"

"Really?" Dylan asked skeptically, and Hermione nodded emphatically. He hadn't heard of any elves leaving Hogwarts, and he suspected the clothes were just being thrown away, but she looked so happy that he decided not to say anything and spoil her pleasure. She probably wouldn't believe him anyway.

"I'm going to go and get started right away!" Hermione said enthusiastically as she rose from her seat. "I really appreciate your help, Dylan; you're the only one who really believes in what we're doing. Even Ron and Harry aren't really that interested. So thank you." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, then blushed and hurried out of the library.

Dylan just sat there, stunned, for a moment, then reached up and touched his cheek with one hand. A grin slowly spread across his face, and he murmured to himself as he looked down at his ring, "I guess I have your touch with the ladies, Dad."

***

Harry had reluctantly agreed to consider Hermione's idea of teaching an unofficial Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "But I doubt anyone except you two would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Well, I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say," Hermione said.

They had a weekend trip to Hogsmeade coming up, and Harry agreed to meet with the people Hermione had sounded out. She said a little hesitantly, "I wonder...what do you think about asking Dylan Rosier to join us?"

"Are you out of your mind, Hermione?!" Ron shouted. "Not only is he a Slytherin, he's a Death Eater!"

"His father, whom he never even met, was a Death Eater," Hermione corrected. "I don't think Dylan is one himself. He's a member of S.P.E.W., after all, and no self-respecting Death Eater would ever work to free house-elves from slavery!"

Ron just grunted. He didn't like or trust Dylan Rosier, but he still couldn't figure out why Dylan had joined S.P.E.W. "He doesn't need any lessons in the Dark Arts," Ron said sourly. "He probably knows more than all of us put together."

"I'm not teaching Dylan Rosier," Harry said flatly. "I don't trust him."

"Has he ever done anything to you?" Hermione demanded. "Has he ever once been rude to you?"

"No," Harry admitted. "But he hangs around with Draco Malfoy--"

"I've already explained to you that he's afraid Draco will get him kicked out of Hogwarts if--"

"It doesn't matter whether he's really Draco's friend or not," Harry interrupted. "We can't take the chance of Malfoy finding out! Even if Dylan's all right, we can't take the chance that he might let something slip by accident, or that one of the Slytherins might follow him to our meetings!"

Hermione argued halfheartedly awhile longer, but Harry refused to change his mind. "I suppose you're right," she sighed. "I'm sure Dylan wouldn't betray us, but it would get both him and us in trouble if any of the Slytherins found out."

"Slimy git," Ron muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Ron Weasley?!"

"Nothing."

***

Things continued to go well for Dylan. Three members of the Slytherin Quidditch team had graduated last year, so Dylan decided to try out for one of the open slots. Crabbe and Goyle became the new Beaters, and Dylan won the Chaser position. Draco made out that he had put in a good word for Dylan, but Dylan knew that he'd earned the spot. Although he was new at the sport, he was an excellent flyer and learned quickly. In fact, he had to restrain himself a bit, to keep from looking too good and showing up Draco. He knew he would make a better Seeker than Draco, but this was how the game was played in Slytherin House: politics counted for more than talent. Still, he was happy to have made the team at all--and even happier when he found out that not only would Uncle Math and Aunt Goewin be attending Slytherin's first match against Gryffindor, but his mother was coming as well! It was the first time Ariane had been allowed off the estate since Dylan was born; he resolved to play well and make her proud of him.

Draco had come up with an idea that was sure to help them win. Ron Weasley, the new Gryffindor Keeper, was inexperienced and insecure, and became flustered whenever the Slytherin spectators taunted him. So Draco had made up the "Weasley Is Our King" song, and made up crown-shaped badges engraved with the song title for all the Slytherins to wear. Dylan was a little impressed; he had no idea that Draco could be so creative. It made him a little uneasy, though. He felt no pity for Weasley, who looked at Dylan like he was scum and had told all his Gryffindor friends that Dylan was a Death Eater's son, but he knew Hermione would be upset when she heard the song. Dylan just hoped that she wouldn't blame him for it.

The game was going well; Dylan had made some nice passes, and Weasley completely lost it when the Slytherins started singing:

Weasley cannot save a thing
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our King.

Weasley made the song a reality, letting Slytherin score three goals. It looked like Slytherin was going to win, but then Potter dived and grabbed hold of the Snitch; Malfoy missed it by just a few inches. The Gryffindor spectators roared, the Slytherins booed, and then--

WHAM! Crabbe hurled a Bludger into Potter's back, and he flew off his broom. Dylan felt a quick stab of malicious pleasure, but silently cursed Crabbe nonetheless. The idiot would probably lose Slytherin points and gain himself detention.

Draco landed beside Potter, white-faced with fury, and sneered, "Saved Weasley's neck, haven't you? I've never seen a worse Keeper...but then he was 'born in a bin'... Did you like my lyrics, Potter?"

Potter turned away, and Draco continued to taunt him. Dylan landed nearby; he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that told him something bad was going to happen. "--We couldn't fit in 'useless loser' either--for his father, you know--"

Fred and George Weasley turned towards Malfoy. Angelina Johnson, the Gryffindor captain, grabbed Fred by the arm saying, "Leave it, Fred, let him yell, he's just sore he lost, the jumped-up little--"

Dylan didn't like the look in the older Weasleys' eyes, and both boys were considerably larger than Dylan and Draco. He placed a hand on Draco's shoulder and whispered nervously, "Draco, you've made your point, ease up--"

Draco angrily shrugged off Dylan's hand and sneered, "--but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter? Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles, even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay--"

The Gryffindor team members were fighting to hold Fred and George back; Madam Hooch was too busy berating Crabbe to notice. Dylan whispered urgently, "Draco, please, enough already! Pretty soon they won't be able to hold the Weasleys back, and the term 'Beaters' will take on a whole new meaning!" He grabbed Draco's arm and began pulling him back.

Draco let Dylan pull him away, but turned back one last time to say, "Or perhaps you can remember what YOUR mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it--"

In the next instant, Potter and George Weasley were charging at Malfoy. Dylan decided that retreat was the better part of valor, and sprinted off to get Madam Hooch. Let Draco fight his own battles; Dylan didn't intend to get beat up for Draco's sake, and he didn't have his wand on him. Besides, casting hexes even in self-defense might get him expelled.

Madam Hooch broke up the fight; she was furious, and sent the two Gryffindor boys to see their Head of House, and Draco to the hospital wing. Later that evening Dylan learned that Potter, George Weasley, and Fred Weasley--who hadn't been part of the brawl, though no doubt would have been if he hadn't been held back--were permanently banned from playing Quidditch.

***

The Malfoys hurried off to the hospital wing to see their son; Narcissa looked concerned, while Lucius just looked annoyed. Ariane was pleased to see them go; she had not forgotten Lucius's impromptu visit over the summer, though of course he had said nothing about it when they met in the Slytherin section of the stands. He had merely greeted Ariane, Mathias, and Goewin with icy politeness, and Math had responded with an equally cold and proper greeting; neither of the men had forgotten that they had fought on opposite sides of the war, and they both despised each other. Math had forgiven Ariane, but she was family, and Lucius was not; and besides, she suspected that her uncle blamed Lucius for getting Ariane and Evan involved with Voldemort in the first place, which was certainly true enough.

She wanted to talk to Severus without Malfoy listening in on them; things couldn't have worked out better if she had planned them herself. Though of course it would have been nice if Dylan's team had won. But still, Draco Malfoy had done her a favor by getting himself attacked by the Potter and Weasley boys. She shook her head slightly; could sly, cunning Lucius Malfoy really have sired such a little idiot? It must be Narcissa's influence; from what Dylan had said, it seemed that she spoiled the brat rotten.

"Mother!" shouted Dylan, running up to his family as they exited the stands. "Uncle Math! Aunt Goewin! Did you see me play?"

Ariane hugged her son and kissed him, and was pleased that he didn't pull away in embarrassment as some of the other children were doing as their mothers greeted them. "Yes I did; you were wonderful, Dylan!"

"We lost, though," he said, looking a little crestfallen.

"You played well," said Goewin, stepping forward to give him a hug. "You did your best, that's what counts. Though I must say that your teammates showed a very distinct lack of sportsmanship."

"Slytherins hate to lose," Ariane said lightly.

"Sometimes defeat strengthens us more than success," Math said gravely, then smiled at his great-nephew. "But I'm very proud of you, Dylan, for the way you kept your head and tried to defuse the situation."

Dylan smiled and accepted another round of hugs and kisses from his family.

Severus Snape had come down from the teacher's section of the stands to talk with the parents of his students. He looked as pale and sour as he had when Ariane had last seen him, but he looked as if he had aged more than the fourteen years that had actually passed. There were deep lines carved into his face--mostly on his forehead and around his mouth, as if from frowning too much, but it was more the bitterness in his eyes that made him look older than he really was. Eventually he worked his way over to the Donners.

"Thank you for looking after Dylan, Professor Snape," Math said in a formal manner, but not as coldly as he had spoken to Lucius Malfoy.

"You're welcome, Mr. Donner," Snape said, but he looked as though he were performing a tedious duty that he couldn't wait to get over with.

"Hello, Severus," Goewin said politely. She had known him at Hogwarts, though not very well, having been a year older, in a different House, and had left school early to study with Math.

"Goewin," Snape said, giving her a curt nod.

"Dylan speaks very highly of you," Goewin said pleasantly, and Dylan smiled nervously.

Snape's eyes and voice remained cold and indifferent, but he said, "Dylan is a good student; he was the top-ranked third-year among all the Houses last term. He is quiet, respectful, and knows how to follow instructions." He scowled as his eyes flickered over to the Gryffindor stands. "Which is more than I can say for some of my other students." Dylan's jaw dropped at his teacher's unexpected compliment, and Snape frowned at him. "Close your mouth, Mr. Rosier," he said coolly. "Unless you want to appear to be as witless as Mr. Goyle." Dylan hastily closed his mouth.

"As Head of Slytherin," Math said, "I hope you will discipline your students. The conduct of some of them during today's match was quite disgraceful."

"Yes, yes," Snape said in a dismissive tone of voice. "Mr. Crabbe isn't very bright, I'm afraid, but he has already been given detention."

"It wasn't just the boy who threw the Bludger, but the Malfoy child--" began Goewin.

"Potter and Malfoy are always arguing," Snape said, giving her a cold look. "Simple schoolboy rivalry. And it was Potter and Weasley who physically attacked my student, not the other way around."

"And that horrible song--"

"Yes, that was somewhat...unusual," said Snape, his black eyes still unreadable. "However, there is nothing against it in the rule book."

"It was a personal attack against the Gryffindor Keeper!" Goewin said, sounding outraged. "Are you telling me that you condone that kind of behavior, Severus?"

Snape shrugged. "As I said, it's not against the rules. Far be it from me to discourage creativity in my students. Besides, I've seen far worse heckling at professional Quidditch matches."

"This is not a professional match!"

Snape gave Goewin an almost amused look, as Dylan anxiously looked back and forth from his great-aunt to his teacher. "You always were tenderhearted, Goewin. But I don't believe in coddling my students. They shouldn't get used to people always treating them fairly or catering to their sensitive little egos, or they won't be prepared for life once they enter the real world as adults."

Goewin spluttered with indignation, and Ariane leaned over and whispered, "Let it go, Goewin. You'll never get Severus to agree with you."

Math said calmly, "Professor Snape has a point, my dear. I believe he wishes to teach his students to be strong enough to survive in the 'real world.'" Snape looked surprised, but nodded slowly, giving Math a suspicious look. "But I believe that strength should always be tempered with compassion."

Snape just stared at him silently for a moment, then said, "Well, it has been a pleasure talking with you," although his tone said the exact opposite. "But I'm afraid I have to speak to some of the other parents." He gave them a brusque nod and walked off.

Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8