FIC: Aftermaths, Part 30

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 30
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: ~10,190
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: Snape's mother and Lupin reach an understanding.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29

***

Selima Snape ground her teeth together, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. It was absolutely intolerable that she had to invite a werewolf to tea just to get a look at her new grandson, who, incidentally, wasn't really her grandson by blood because her ingrate son Severus refused to sire a child of his own! Even worse was the fact that Severus was only grudgingly doing this much of his duty because Lupin had put him up to it! And worst of all was the fact that she'd recently been forced to defend the werewolf in public, when she had been having tea with Priscilla Parkinson and Elaine Baddock, whose grandchildren were students of Severus's...

***

"Congratulations on your new heir, Selima," Elaine said sweetly, but there was a look of sly amusement in her eyes.

"You poor dear," Priscilla cooed in a tone of false sympathy. "How trying this must be for you!"

"And to what might you be referring, Priscilla?" Selima asked in a cold voice; people didn't call her the Ice Queen for nothing. She knew perfectly well what they called her behind her back, even if they didn't have the nerve to do it to her face.

"Why, your son being involved with that werewolf, of course!" Priscilla replied, ignoring Selima's frosty tone. "The Daily Prophet has been dropping rumors ever since the Final Battle, and my own granddaughter Pansy saw them kissing in the Great Hall, right in front of all the students! I suppose one can't expect a beast to have proper manners, but really, Severus ought to know better. It's shameful that Dumbledore lets such things go on at the school! Of course he's always been a bit eccentric, but this is going too far, don't you think? Perhaps it's time that he retired..."

Privately, Selima agreed with Priscilla, but it was one thing for Selima to insult her son, and quite another for someone outside the family to do so. And Priscilla's insult against Lupin had been worded as a subtle insult against Severus, and Selima could not let such a slight to the Snape family pass.

"If by 'the beast' you mean Professor Lupin," Selima said in an even colder voice, "I would be careful about referring to a hero of the war in such impolitic terms if I were you." It was almost worth the humiliation of having to defend her son's werewolf lover to see the look on Priscilla's face as her jaw dropped open in a most undignified and unladylike manner.

Priscilla spluttered incoherently for a few moments, then recovered enough to exclaim, "Selima! Surely you're not saying that you approve of Severus's relationship with the werewolf!"

Selima calmly took a sip of tea, showing no sign on her face of the rage she felt inside. "Severus is an adult," she said in an even voice. "He is not required to consult with me regarding his paramours."

"Paramours?" Elaine gasped, her eyes going wide. "He has others besides Lupin?"

It took a great deal of self-control for Selima to hold back an exasperated sigh; at nearly sixty, with two grandchildren, Elaine was still as shallow and witless as she had been as a teenager at Hogwarts. "I was speaking figuratively, dear," Selima said in a tone of gentle condescension, which flew right over her companion's head.

"Oh," Elaine sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Think how much worse the situation would be if he had other werewolf lovers!"

"I can't believe you're being so cavalier about the matter, Selima dear," Priscilla chided. "Your family's reputation is at stake! It would be one thing if Severus was being more discreet about it, but his flaunting his lover in public will only reflect poorly on his family. If he cannot see that, it is your duty as his mother to make him understand."

Priscilla had always been overbearing, and one thing Selima hated was being told what do. She would accept that from her husband, because that was her duty as a wife, but not from some stuck-up bitch who had always looked down her nose at Selima in school for being foreign-born and from a merchant family that had actually earned their wealth instead of simply inheriting it. Severin had not been Selima's first choice as a husband, but she had taken a small, spiteful pleasure in marrying into a family that outranked Priscilla's, instantly elevating her status over that of Priscilla and the other girls who had looked down on her.

Selima drew herself up, lifting her head proudly, and gave Priscilla a look so cold that the other woman flinched a little, and Elaine visibly shuddered and surreptitiously checked her tea cup, as if expecting to see ice crystals forming on it. "I think people will overlook Severus's...eccentricities...in light of his role in defeating Voldemort." Both women flinched again at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "He risked his life spying on the Death Eaters, fought heroically in the Final Battle, and he guarded and instructed Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizarding World. How many other people can say the same?" Priscilla and Elaine both winced. The Parkinsons, while they were not actual Death Eaters, had aligned themselves closely with the Malfoy family, an alliance that they were hasty to disavow after Lucius was killed and the Dark Lord defeated. The Baddocks, on the other hand, had not allied with the Death Eaters, but neither had they offered their support to Dumbledore, and could make no claims to heroism.

"Professor Lupin also is a hero of the war," Selima continued. "I am not saying that I approve of the match, but I am resigned to it. Severus has made his decision, and he is as stubborn as any Snape; once his mind is made up, he cannot be swayed. Now I must make the best of the situation, which is not totally unsalvageable."

"How can you say that, Selima?" Elaine exclaimed. "What possible good could come out of this?"

Selima allowed a cool smile to cross her lips. "We are not living in the same world we did twenty years ago, or even one year ago, Elaine. We must learn to change with the times. Professor Lupin is very well-connected: he is a close friend of the new Minister of Magic, not to mention Dumbledore, whose star has never shone brighter now that he has proved he was right about Voldemort all along, and Lupin is a friend and mentor to the Boy Who Lived. I do not like Lupin, but his connections could well prove useful." She took another sip of tea and told Priscilla. "You might think about making new alliances yourself, Priscilla dear, now that the Malfoys are disgraced. It is fortunate that you did not formally betroth Pansy to Draco, considering how things turned out..."

Priscilla's face turned red with anger and she glared at Selima, who pretended not to notice. "Perhaps you could betroth Pansy to Selima's grandson," Elaine suggested brightly. "That would be quite an advantageous alliance!"

It would be...for the Parkinsons; Selima could see less advantage for the Snapes, seeing as how the Parkinsons were socially tainted by their closeness to the Malfoys. And a major disadvantage would be that Priscilla would become an in-law if Pansy and Theodore married. Still, the girl was of good blood, and there were not that many girls his age of the proper rank and blood purity available as potential brides; she would not dismiss the idea out of hand.

"Of course," Elaine continued, not noticing the glare Priscilla gave her, "I had heard that Theodore was engaged to the Avery girl, but no one could object if you broke it off now. You wouldn't want your grandson marrying the daughter of a convicted Death Eater, anyway."

"There was no formal engagement, as far as I know,"Selima replied, "and even if Andreas hadn't been a Death Eater, it would still be a completely unsuitable match. The Averys were more show than substance, if you know what I mean. I heard that there was barely anything left in their Gringotts account for the Ministry to confiscate."

"Doesn't it bother you, Selima," Priscilla said spitefully, "that your new grandson has none of your blood?"

Of course it did, but Selima was not about to give Priscilla the satisfaction of admitting it out loud. "He has Snape blood," she said coolly, "and that is all that matters. Besides, I could always marry him off to a female Bashir cousin, and then his child would have both Snape and Bashir blood, and it would all come out the same in the end."

Both Elaine and Priscilla seemed impressed by her cold practicality. Actually, Selima had just come up with the idea on the spot to put Priscilla in her place, but it wasn't a bad idea at all; she would have to give it some serious thought. Of course, Theodore needed to finish school and be properly educated in his new duties, but once he had settled into his role as the Snape heir, she could begin having parties and formal dinners--in honor of his graduation, perhaps, when he finished school--and introduce him to her side of the family. She brightened at the thought--not just of Theodore making a proper match, but of the chance to throw a party again, as there had been no social gatherings at Snape Manor in nearly twenty years, ever since Severin had retired from the Ministry, disowned his son, and become a virtual recluse. Selima missed those gatherings; she had relished her role as hostess. Arranging and carrying out a party for the pureblood elite was a delicate matter: everything must be just so, from the flowers to the food to the invitation list, and each guest must be greeted and flattered according to rank, without being overly obsequious and without offending the other guests. It was not an easy task, but Selima had enjoyed the challenge and took pride in the fact that her parties had always been a success, and that no one had ever been able to find fault with her as a hostess. It might be nice to open up Snape Manor once again...but on the other hand, Severus would probably insist on bringing his werewolf lover to any party she threw, just out of spite and sheer pigheadedness. She sighed, silently cursing her son for his poor choice in lovers.

***

Elaine and Priscilla had made no further comments about Lupin, but it still rankled that people were laughing and sneering at the Snapes behind their backs because of the werewolf, and it rankled that she'd been forced to defend Lupin in order to defend her family.

After brooding for nearly an hour, Selima went down to the kitchen, where Vorcher was arranging sandwiches and pastries on plates. "Mistress!" he said, sounding startled. "Vorcher will have tea ready in a few minutes." He glanced at the clock to see if he was running late.

"I'll take over," Selima said abruptly. "Go find Professor Lupin and ask him if he will assist me in the kitchen."

"M-Mistress?" Vorcher stammered, staring at her in shock.

"I gave you an order," Selima snapped. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No, Mistress!" Vorcher cried, then immediately turned and ran out of the room.

He returned a few minutes later with Lupin, who smiled at Selima pleasantly and asked, "How may I help you, Lady Selima?"

For some reason, his politeness irritated her more than any rudeness would have, but all she said was, "Could you please arrange the petit fours on that plate?"

"Of course," Lupin replied.

"Vorcher, take that tray to the sunroom and wait for us there."

"Yes, Mistress," Vorcher said obediently. He picked up a large tray laden with teapot, cups and saucers, spoons, cream, sugar, and lemon slices, and hurried out of the kitchen.

They worked in silence for a couple of minutes, and Lupin did not ask why Selima needed his assistance in a task that could have been left to the house-elf. "Why?" she finally asked.

"Why what?" Lupin asked, his blue eyes guileless and innocent.

Selima thought he knew perfectly well what, but she answered his question anyway. "Why did you persuade Severus to return to this family and make Theodore his heir? I know that his pride and his temper would have caused him to walk away if you hadn't stopped him. It was you who convinced him to stay for the dinner the last time you were here, and I suspect it was you who convinced him to bring Theodore here today, since Severus clearly considers it a waste of time. Why are you helping me despite the fact that I have insulted you numerous times?"

Lupin set aside the plate of pastries and met her gaze, staring at her thoughtfully, but made no reply; he seemed to be searching for the right words to say. When he remained silent, Selima continued, "It can't be the money, because you rejected my offer to buy you off. I thought perhaps you wanted to secure a better inheritance and social position for Theodore, but now I'm not so sure. You don't seem to place much importance on such things, and the Nott inheritance would have allowed Theodore to live comfortably, if not as lavishly as the Snape inheritance would. You made it clear that you think Severin and I were bad parents, so why have you forced Severus to return home to a family he despises, to a world in which you will never be accepted and will always be regarded with scorn?"

"Well," Lupin said, smiling faintly, "you can be blunt when you wish, despite the pureblood tendency to dance around words, never saying what they really mean."

"I don't believe that I have ever refrained from speaking my mind to you, Professor Lupin," Selima replied coolly.

"No need to be polite to a werewolf, after all," Lupin said, but he sounded amused rather than offended.

"I adapt to the situation at hand," Selima told him. "If you were, say, a Malfoy, I would broach the subject more obliquely, but since you don't mince words, Professor, I see no reason to do so, either."

"It wasn't a criticism," Lupin said cheerfully. "I find it quite refreshing. The answer to your question is quite simple, Lady Selima, but I am not sure you will understand it."

"Don't condescend to me, Professor," Selima snapped.

"Love," Lupin said quietly, and Selima stared at him in confusion. "I love Severus, and I love Theodore, and I want them to be happy. Theo needed a home and a family--which is not necessarily the same thing as an inheritance. He doesn't need money or a title; he needs to feel loved and protected, and that is why I wanted Severus to adopt him. Which, incidentally, worked on your behalf because Severus is still enough of a pureblood to want to give Theo an inheritance of his own, since he would likely lose his claim to the Nott estate after he was adopted. Severus agreed to return to the family fold more for Theo's sake than his own."

Which explained Severus's continued reluctance to return to the Manor; he treated each visit as it were a torture session to be endured. Who would ever have thought that a Snape could be so self-sacrificing? Selima shook her head, then frowned. "You said that you want both Theodore and Severus to be happy..."

"You're right," Lupin said, smiling a little, although the expression on his face was still grave. "It's not only for Theo's sake that I urged a reconciliation. This long estrangement from his family has caused Severus pain, though he would never admit it. I would like Severus to make peace with his family--at least as much as is possible. I may be an idealistic Gryffindor, but I know that a fairy tale happy ending is rather unlikely in this situation." He paused, as if waiting for a reply, but Selima had none for him. She knew how to play Slytherin politics with the best of them, knew how to handle ambition and treachery, but had no idea how to deal with what appeared to be sincere, unselfish love and idealism. Lupin turned away and continued arranging the petit fours on the plate. "By the way," he said casually, "I really don't care if you insult me, Lady Selima; I'm used to it by now, you see. But it isn't really helping your case with Severus."

Selima felt her face flush with frustration and irritation; it was so unfair that she had to rely on the werewolf to make her son do his duty! Lupin gave her an almost sympathetic smile, irritating her further.

"You don't have to like me, Lady Selima," Lupin said. "But as we seem to be working towards the same goal--more or less--perhaps we should set aside our differences and call a truce?"

Lupin held out his hand, and Selima just stared at it for a moment, then very reluctantly reached out and shook it. "Very well, Professor." She gave him a hard look. "So long--" {And only so long,} she silently added. "--as we are working towards a common goal."

Lupin ignored the implied threat in her eyes and her voice. "Thank you, Lady Selima; I know this hasn't been easy for you," he said with apparent sincerity; she could detect no trace of mockery or sarcasm. "And please feel free to call me 'Remus.'"

"I prefer 'Professor,'" Selima said coldly; she was only willing to go so far with this "truce."

"As you wish," Lupin said pleasantly; she almost wished that he would argue with her, despite their newly-declared truce, and wondered if he was aware of how much his politeness got on her nerves.

"Mother?" Severus asked, leaning through the doorway of the kitchen, looking around suspiciously.

"Severus," Selima said coolly, nodding at him in acknowledgment. "If you'll wait in the sunroom, tea will be ready in a minute."

Her son scowled at her, not moving from the doorway. "I was curious as to what you needed Lupin's help for. Doesn't Vorcher usually handle meal preparations?"

"It's all right, Severus," Lupin said sweetly. "I don't mind. Your mother and I were just having a nice little chat." Lupin gave him an innocent smile, and Severus turned his scowl on his lover.

Selima took some comfort in knowing that at least she wasn't the only one that Lupin took pleasure in annoying. "Everything's ready," Selima declared, stacking plates of sandwiches, scones, and the petit fours on tiered trays. "If the two of you would help me with the trays..."

"Of course," Lupin said instantly, smiling brightly as if nothing would please him more, picking up one set of trays, and Severus picked up the other, still scowling. He looked back and forth from his mother to his lover suspiciously as they headed to the sunroom, but Lupin appeared to be cheerfully oblivious.

Vorcher and the two boys were waiting for them there. The house-elf poured out tea for everyone, then discreetly drew back, far away enough not to intrude on their conversation, but close enough to respond quickly to a summons. Selima took a sip of tea, thinking to herself that Lucius Malfoy and Thaddeus Nott had been fools to brutalize their house-elves to the point where they were so frightened that they were barely able to function; a well-trained servant was worth its weight in gold. They had lost their servants in the end, and for what? To prove that they were strong enough to bully a house-elf around? There were far more subtle and effective ways to demonstrate one's power. Lucius, at least, should have known better, but it had secretly pleased Selima to see him suffer the humiliation of having everyone know that he had been tricked into freeing his house-elf by a teenage boy. She'd had little love for Lucius, who had ended her husband's career at the Ministry and--she had thought--stolen their son from them by convincing him to join the Death Eaters. She also suspected that Lucius had killed his own parents when he tired of waiting to inherit the Malfoy estate, and since Lucius's mother had been her friend, Selima had taken a great deal of satisfaction in hearing that he had literally been stabbed in the back by his own wife--one betrayal repaid with another. She never would have suspected that soft, spoiled little Narcissa would have had the gumption to do something like that, but good for her.

Thaddeus Nott had been a bully and a sadist, and Selima was pleased and relieved to see that Theodore did not seem to have inherited his biological father's faults. A little ruthlessness was a desirable trait among the pureblood elite, but there was such a thing as going overboard, particularly when a love for cruelty was combined with a lack of self-control, as in Thaddeus's case. But neither could a pureblood heir be weak, and Selima had worried a little that Theodore might turn out to be like Marta, cringing and cowardly. So she had secretly been pleased when the boy had shown some spirit by standing up to Severin the day the adoption was finalized, although of course she would never tell him that, not wanting to encourage insolence towards one's elders.

She was even more pleased to see that his initial reluctance at studying the family histories had changed to enthusiasm. "The histories really are interesting, Prof--" He caught sight of Selima's disapproving frown and hastily changed his words to, "I mean, Father." Good; he was also perceptive. "Did you know that one of the early Snape lords was a friend of Salazar Slytherin?"

"Yes, that would be Lord Sebastian," Severus said. "It's always been a point of pride in the Snape family."

"My, the purebloods certainly seem to be fond of alliteration," Lupin said with an amused smile. "Is there anyone in your family whose name didn't start with an 'S'?"

Selima glared at Lupin, although the same thought had occurred to her more than once; she had occasionally wondered if the fact that her name started with an 'S' had factored into Severin's decision to choose her as his bride. "It's something of a tradition in the Snape family," she informed Lupin coldly. "The sons' names always start with an 'S,' and most of the daughters' as well."

"Theo's Snape ancestor was named Melisandre," Dylan said with a grin. "Her name doesn't start with an 'S,' but there is an 'S' sound in the middle of it."

"Appropriate too," Lupin pointed out, "as the Snape family crest is a serpent, and the Melisandre of myth was also a serpent."

"I guess I'm breaking the tradition, then," Theodore said. "I don't have to change my name, do I?" His tone of voice was joking, but his eyes flickered over to Selima nervously as if he actually expected her to tell him to change his name to one that started with an "S."

Selima gave him a small, cool smile. "We seem to be breaking a great many traditions of late," she said, glancing pointedly at her son. "I suppose one more won't hurt."

Lupin laughed gently, and Severus gave her a startled look. "Was that a joke, Mother?" he asked suspiciously.

"Have you ever known me to be so frivolous, Severus?" Selima asked coolly. She ignored his confused look and picked up one of the petit fours and bit into it. "Thank you for bringing these, Professor Lupin; they're delicious."

"You're welcome, Lady Selima," Lupin said politely, his eyes sparkling with mischief and amusement.

It was actually worth being civil to the werewolf just to see the look on Severus's face, as if he were trying to figure out whether they had both gone mad or were plotting together against him--and as if he couldn't decide which scenario would be worse. It was a little petty of her, no doubt, but she did enjoy discomfiting him after everything he had put her through. Feeling a bit more cheerful, she ate another of the pastries; they were very good, after all, and there was no point in letting them go to waste just because the werewolf had brought them.

Theodore looked a little puzzled, but decided not to get involved, which Selima thought showed good sense on his part. "And that ancestor who married a Rosier woman?" he said. "I read his diary, and it says that when his wife bore him no children after several years of marriage, his family urged him to divorce her and marry someone else. But he loved her so much that he refused, and chose to adopt one of his nephews as his heir instead."

"Wow, that's pretty romantic for a pureblood," Dylan said, sounding impressed.

Lupin laughed, "So there are a few sentimental Snapes in the family tree!"

"Very few," Selima said sourly. "I suppose it's fortunate that Lord Simon didn't pass on his genes, just in case such sentiment might be hereditary."

"Well, it wasn't a total loss," Theodore said practically. "His parents weren't too pleased about it, but the Rosiers were grateful that he didn't send their daughter back home to them in disgrace, and they became strong allies of the Snapes for many years even though there were no more marriages between the two families."

"So you have been paying attention to what you're reading," Selima said approvingly.

"Yes, Grandmother," the boy said politely. He looked at Lupin, who nodded at him encouragingly, and Selima frowned. "I did have a few questions about the financial records, if you don't mind," Theodore continued.

Selima's irritation was quickly forgotten; Severus had never shown any interest in such things, which had infuriated her. Oh, he had dutifully listened to her lectures, but it was always clear that he was bored out of his mind and couldn't wait to return to his magical studies. She had often worried about what would happen to the estate after Severin died, since Severus clearly had no interest in running it. He would probably let her continue to oversee it as she always had, but she wouldn't be around forever, either. It was gratifying to see the new heir actually taking an interest in his responsibilities.

"Of course not," Selima replied aloud. "What would you like to know?"

"I didn't expect the Snape holdings to be this diverse," Theodore said. "The Notts aren't as wealthy as the Snapes, of course, but we--they--don't own stock in so many businesses, like the art gallery and the Wizard Supply stores. And I've never heard Draco mention anything about the Malfoys making business investments, but I suppose he wouldn't be interested in such things anyway..."

"Because Narcissa spoiled him rotten, never forcing him to assume the responsibilities of a proper heir," Selima finished. "But then again, I doubt that Lucius would have been willing to share his power, even with his own son, so perhaps it isn't all her fault. But you're right, Theodore, and I'm glad that you were clever enough to notice it." The boy seemed pleased by her praise, and Lupin grinned proudly, although Severus regarded her warily. Selima continued, "The pureblood elite think it gauche to discuss financial matters openly. The Malfoys and their ilk like to give the impression that they're so wealthy that they can spend money like water without worrying about earning more to replace it--which is rather shortsighted on their part."

"But Lucius Malfoy did have a job," Dylan pointed out. "An important, well-paying job with the Ministry of Magic. So did Theo's dad--I mean, Mr. Nott."

"Yes, but they probably took the jobs more as a means of forging political connections than they did for the salaries," Selima said. "If you could examine the financial records of the important pureblood families, you would probably find that there is more money going out than coming into their Gringotts accounts."

Everyone turned to look at Severus, who reluctantly nodded. "Yes, that is correct, at least in the case of the Notts. I had access to their financial records as your guardian, Theodore, and Morrigan and I went over them very carefully while preparing our suit against the Ministry. Your father--I mean, Thaddeus--was spending more than he earned, but not enough to deplete the family wealth, at least, not for many years. He probably figured that by the time that happened, the Death Eaters would be ruling the wizarding world anyway, and that they would divide up the estates of their fallen enemies."

"The pureblood elite don't like to dirty their hands with business matters," Selima said with a bitter smile. "They consider it to be beneath them--so middle class, as they say. Old money versus new money." She had heard such taunts often enough, as the daughter of a merchant family.

"But Lord Severin married you," Lupin said, looking intrigued. "For your family's business connections as well as to bring new blood into the family, you said. So he must be more open-minded than he appears at first glance."

"My father?" Severus said incredulously. "Open minded?"

"Farsighted, let us say," Selima said. "Much more so than any of his peers. Most of the purebloods like to pretend that their money will never run out, but eventually it will--not in this generation or even the next, perhaps, but eventually it will all be gone if they do not replenish the supply. Severin was wise enough to see this, and he let me handle our business investments as I saw fit so long as I was discreet about it."

"I see," Theodore said, looking interested.

"The stock in the Wizarding Supply store chain was a very good bargain," Selima continued, gloating just a little, although the deal had been finalized years ago. She'd had no one to share her business triumphs with except her Bashir relatives, whom she no longer saw very often. The pureblood women she associated with found such talk distasteful; Selima's late friend Anya Diggory nee Gravenor was probably the only one who would have listened without scorn or condescension. Severin appreciated her talent for business and finance, but he didn't care to dwell on the details of such matters; it was her job, after all, to deal with these things so that he didn't have to. She had to admit to herself that it was satisfying to finally have an appreciative audience, so she explained further, "The Riggs had built it up into an extremely profitable business, but they sold it at a loss in their haste to leave England after their son was revealed to have been a Death Eater. I advised some of my friends to purchase shares while the price was low, but they didn't heed me." She shrugged and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Their loss; we more than tripled our investment."

"But how do you keep track of all these investments?" Theodore asked curiously. "Surely you don't have time to oversee each business personally."

"Finally!" Selima said to Severus. "An heir who shows interest in carrying out his duties." Her son just shook his head, with a small, sardonic snort of amusement, and the werewolf chuckled softly. To Theodore she said, "Of course I don't run the businesses myself, but I make sure that they're managed by competent employees, and I check the books regularly, as well as make unscheduled visits from time to time to discourage any skimming." She smiled slyly. "Of course, occasionally bribes need to be passed to the proper official, which is an entirely different manner..."

"Yes, ma'am," Theodore said, not looking surprised.

"I will go over our investments with you in more detail, if you like," Selima continued, "and take you to visit some of the businesses we own." Severus opened his mouth to protest, and Selima clarified in an irritated voice, "When you are not too busy with your studies. Next summer, perhaps, after you pass your N.E.W.T.s."

"Yes, ma'am," Theodore repeated obediently.

Feeling pleased with the new heir's progress, Selima allowed Lupin to change the subject to school, and the boys discussed their current assignments and, with more enthusiasm, the upcoming Quidditch season.

"I'm sure we'll win this year, Professor!" Dylan said. "Theo's doing great, and Millicent's an even better Keeper than Bletchley was!"

"Of course, it all comes down to Malfoy catching the Snitch before Potter does," Theodore interjected. "Unless we can manage to get a hundred-fifty point lead."

Selima repressed a sigh; she didn't really understand the fascination the game held for most people, particularly teenage boys, but at least it was a socially acceptable pastime. "I hope you do well at your next match," she said politely.

"You must come see it, Lady Selima!" Lupin said enthusiastically as his lover shot a glare his way. "The first game of the season is Gryffindor versus Slytherin, the first weekend of November."

"Perhaps I will," Selima said, enjoying the horrified look on Severus's face. "It will depend on how Severin is doing, of course."

"Oh, of course," Lupin said, looking chastened. "Well, I hope you'll be able to make it. It would be nice for Theo's family to be on hand to cheer him on."

"You and I will be there, Lupin," Severus said in a slightly huffy voice.

"By the way, Severus," Selima said, "what has become of your mysterious friend, the one who may or may not be a pureblood heir?"

Her son's black eyes went panicky for just a second, before a carefully disinterested look fell over his face. "I fear I have troubled you for nothing, Mother," he said in an offhand manner. "My friend denies any connection with the Diggorys."

"If he had been willing to discuss it with you, then you wouldn't have come to me in the first place, now would you?" Selima retorted. "You told me yourself that you were certain he was a pureblood."

"Our friend," Lupin said sternly, "does not wish to dig up the past, and we must respect his wishes."

"It's getting late," Severus said hastily, rising to his feet. "We should be getting back to school. The boys have some real studying to do, after all."

"Thank you for the tea, Lady Selima," Dylan said politely.

"Thank you for the tea, Grandmother," Theodore echoed. "I'll take some of the histories back to school with me as you suggested, if that's all right with you."

"Of course," Selima said with an approving smile. "Just make sure that you take good care of them."

"I'll be very careful with them," Theodore promised.

"When he's done with those, you can bring him back here to get started on the next set," Selima told Severus.

"Of course," Lupin said in a chirpy tone. "We look forward to it." Severus heaved a sigh of exasperation, but didn't contradict his lover.

"Good day, Mother," he said, nodding at Selima curtly. "I'll continue owling Father's potion to you."

"Thank you, Severus," Selima replied, and Severus gave her a suspicious look, as if wondering why she was being so agreeable, then departed with Lupin and the boys.

Overall, Selima was pleased. Severus was being stubborn and disagreeable, but that was nothing new, and the werewolf, as much as she hated to admit it, was proving useful in getting him to cooperate. And best of all, his new heir was showing a great deal of potential.

She did not intend to let the matter of Severus's "friend" drop, though, even if Severus no longer wanted to pursue it. If Cynric Diggory--and indirectly, his wife, Anya--had been murdered, then Selima intended to see that her old friends received some measure of justice, or at least revenge. And if the "friend" was not a Diggory, but belonged to some other pureblood family, the information could still prove valuable, perhaps as a bargaining chip, if not right now, then someday. Almost every pureblood family had skeletons in their closet that they did not want revealed...

***

"Thank you for distracting my mother," Snape told Theodore when they returned home to Hogwarts. "I was afraid she was going to press me further about Bleddri."

"I really am finding the histories interesting, sir," Theodore said. "I thought they'd be boring, but they're not. You...um, we...have some fascinating relatives."

"Yeah, I want to read more about this Simon Snape and his Rosier wife," Dylan said eagerly.

Lupin smiled at his sons. "You made a good impression on Lady Selima today, Theo."

"I find her kind of intimidating, but you handled her well," Dylan agreed.

Theodore shrugged, but looked pleased. "She's not so bad. My real grandmother was way worse."

Snape wondered what Theodore's grandmother had been like, to make Selima seem "not so bad" in comparison. Then again, Thaddeus had to have learned his abusive, bullying ways from someone, most likely his parents. Snape despised his parents, but he had to admit that they could have been worse.

"Besides," Theodore added, "I want to do my duty as the Snape heir. Not so much for her sake, but for yours, sir."

Snape didn't really care whether Theodore could memorize the family tree or properly manage the family finances or not, but he was touched by the boy's desire to please him. "You're doing a fine job," he said, laying his hand on Theodore's shoulder, and his son beamed at him. And then, because he was still enough of a Snape to feel uncomfortable about displaying sentiment, he lightened the mood a little by saying to Lupin sarcastically, "You seem to have made quite an impression on my mother as well, Lupin. What exactly did the two of you talk about in the kitchen?"

"Oh, this and that," Lupin said vaguely. "Nothing much, just a friendly little chat."

"Lady Selima does not have 'friendly little chats' with werewolves."

"Well, I am part of the family now," Lupin said sweetly. "We were just getting to know each other a little better."

"Please tell me that you didn't use those exact words with my mother," Snape said. "No, wait, you couldn't have, because she would have killed you--or at least tried to, and I didn't see any signs of a battle in the kitchen."

"Isn't it obvious?" Dylan laughed. "They were talking about you, Professor!"

"That's what I was afraid of," Snape grumbled.

Lupin smiled. "I told you that your mother and I had reached an agreement of sorts. She doesn't like me, but she's accepted that she'll have to put up with me in order to keep you and Theo in the family. We just sort of...formalized that agreement, you might say."

Snape thought there was a little more to it than that, and shook his head. His mother and Lupin conspiring together against him--now that was a scary thought! Lupin just laughed and slipped his arms around Snape, nuzzling him affectionately, and the boys grinned. Oh well, he supposed it was worth it to have three of them looking so happy, and being part of the Snape family seemed to give Theodore a sense of belonging. Snape sighed a little and consoled himself with the thought that it must be annoying his mother to no end to have to make an alliance with a werewolf.

***

The members of the R.A. had been discreetly sounding out prospective members, but Stewart Ackerley found, to his frustration, that none of the Ravenclaws besides Corbin seemed interested in pursuing a grudge against the Slytherins. The studious Ravenclaws tended to get less involved in school politics and feuds, and many of them were too busy studying for their O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s to care about what the Slytherins were up to.

"The war's over," a stressed-out Michael Corner said. "Some of the Slytherins are slimy gits, to be sure, but they're no danger to anyone." Then, remembering that Stewart's father had been killed in the war, he said more kindly, "I'm really sorry about your dad, Stewart. I can't blame you for being a little suspicious of the Slytherins, but they've been cleared by Dumbledore, and at least a dozen witnesses saw Draco's crowd fighting against the Death Eaters during the battle. And I really can't risk ticking off Snape when I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to pass my Potions N.E.W.T. or not."

The girls were even worse; they all fawned over Dylan Rosier, even though he was now dating Hermione Granger, and wouldn't hear any criticism of him, and by extension, of his House.

"Dylan is a hero," Padma Patil declared.

"He's been very kind to me," Gabrielle Delacour said.

"Of course, Draco Malfoy's still insufferable," Padma added, "though he's not as bad as he used to be. And that new student Aric Dietrich is a real jerk. But they're just annoying, not dangerous."

"The Houses should be learning to cooperate, like the Sorting Hat said," Lisa Turpin said quietly.

So Stewart sighed and gave up trying to recruit the other Ravenclaws, but at least Corbin sounded intrigued and agreed to come to the meeting.

***

Things did not go much better in Hufflepuff. When Susan hinted to her friends and housemates Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillan that the Slytherins might be less than trustworthy and that perhaps someone should be keeping an eye on them, Ernie nodded, but Hannah frowned.

"Well, I don't really like some of them, but they did fight on our side," Hannah said.

"Draco fought for the Death Eaters at first," Susan pointed out.

"True," Hannah admitted, "but he did switch sides, and I don't think that he'd feel much loyalty to the Death Eaters after his father tried to kill him."

Ernie shuddered. "Merlin's Beard, that's cold! Can you imagine, your own dad trying to kill you?"

"It's just, sometimes I wonder," Susan said. "I mean, after the first war, a lot of the Death Eaters pretended to switch sides, saying that You-Know-Who had forced them to join with the Imperius Curse."

"You think some of the Slytherins might still be Death Eater sympathizers?" Ernie asked, looking worried.

Hannah thought it over, then said, "I don't really think so. The Death Eaters hurt them, too--Theodore's and Draco's fathers tried to kill them, and the Death Eaters killed Dylan's mother, grandmother, and uncles. Besides, You-Know-Who is dead, and the Death Eaters are all dead or in prison, so the danger is over."

"Yeah, that's true," Ernie said, sounding relieved.

"Except for Rabastan Lestrange," Susan reminded them.

"Yes, but I'm sure the Aurors will catch him eventually," Hannah said reassuringly, thinking that fear of the at-large Death Eater might be what was behind Susan's renewed distrust of the Slytherins. "And he won't dare come near Hogwarts with both Dumbledore and Harry here."

"Yeah, and he's nothing without You-Know-Who and the other Death Eaters!" Ernie said. "That's why he ran like a coward!"

Susan could see that persisting would only make them suspicious, so she dropped the subject. Maybe later, if the R.A. really did find evidence that the Slytherins were up to no good, she would try again.

Tristan tried a slightly different approach. Even though he was a first-year, the members of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team accorded him a certain amount of respect because of his relation to Cedric, and he started a conversation in the common room with two of his teammates, talking about how great it would be "to beat Slytherin this year, and show those stuck-up gits what we're made of!"

"Yeah!" Kevin Whitby said enthusiastically. "They're always looking down on us, calling us 'the other House'!"

"The other House?" Tristan asked.

Zacharias Smith grimaced. "Not brave enough for Gryffindor, not smart enough for Ravenclaw--"

"Not sneaky and snooty enough for Slytherin!" Kevin finished mockingly. "But now that we have you on the team, maybe we can wipe those smirks off their faces!"

"Maybe we can even win the Cup this year!" Zacharias said. "Although most people think Gryffindor will take it; they have Harry Potter on their team, after all--"

"The great Harry Potter, who can do no wrong!" Tristan sneered. "The great hero of the wizarding world!" If he was such a great hero, if he was strong enough to kill You-Know-Who, then how come he hadn't been able to save Cedric?

The other two boys gave him a startled look. "Well, he is a hero," Zacharias pointed out. "He did kill You-Know-Who." He let out a little sigh of relief, remembering the terror of previous years, when a mysterious monster had been stalking and petrifying the Muggle-born students, when the supposed-murderer Sirius Black had been at large, and when it had finally been revealed that You-Know-Who had returned. At times he resented all the glory that was showered upon Gryffindor and Harry Potter, but he was grateful that the threat of You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters was over. He smiled at Tristan, and said in a lighter tone, "Not that I'd mind beating him at Quidditch, mind you!"

Kevin laughed, and Tristan forced himself to laugh, too. Most of the other students looked up to Potter, and he couldn't afford to alienate them yet. Besides, they were getting a little off-track; he had the Slytherins to deal with first. But later...maybe he could find a way to knock Harry Potter off his pedestal.

"Listen," Tristan said, lowering his voice, "do you really think that the threat is completely over? I mean, sure, You-Know-Who is dead, but maybe some people might want to carry on his work..."

"But the Death Eaters are dead or in Azkaban," Kevin said, looking puzzled.

"Not all of them," Tristan pointed out. "One of the Lestranges escaped, and Narcissa Malfoy and Delia Avery were pardoned. And there are a lot of Death Eaters' kids still at Hogwarts..."

"You mean Draco and his gang?" Zacharias asked. "But they turned out to be okay, right?" His voice sounded just a little uncertain.

"Are they?" Tristan asked. "Or did everyone assume that they weren't involved because they were just kids?"

"But what can they do without You-Know-Who?" Kevin protested.

"There were Dark Wizards before he came along," Tristan said. "And there will be Dark Wizards after him, maybe not as powerful, but they could still be dangerous. And most of the Dark Wizards of the past came out of Slytherin House..."

"Haven't we had enough of that kind of talk?!" Justin Finch-Fletchley asked sharply, and Tristan jumped a little; he hadn't noticed the other boy frowning and gradually edging closer to their little group. "This is the kind of thing that nearly tore the school apart last year! The Headmaster says it's because of the different Houses cooperating together that the Death Eaters were defeated, and Harry said the same thing! All those so-called Death Eaters' kids fought in the final battle, and Pansy and Millicent joined the D.A. in working at the field hospital, remember, Zac? And they didn't just change bandages, either--they helped us fight off the Death Eaters and Dementors that attacked the hospital."

"Yeah, that's right," Zacharias agreed, nodding. "Pansy and Millicent are definitely okay."

"So stop trying to stir up trouble," Justin said sternly.

"But didn't you get Petrified when the Chamber of Secrets was opened?" Tristan objected. "Haven't the Slytherins called you nasty names like 'Mudblood'? How can you stick up for them?"

"The thing with the Chamber of Secrets was You-Know-Who's doing; the Slytherins didn't have anything to do with it," Justin replied firmly. "That's what the Headmaster told me. And yeah, the Slytherins can be pretty obnoxious sometimes, but they've changed a lot over the past year. Besides, being a snob doesn't automatically make someone a Dark Wizard." He said to Zacharias and Kevin, "You two should know better," and the boys looked sheepish. To Tristan he said, "You've only just started at Hogwarts, so all you know about the Slytherins is gossip and hearsay. You should get to know them before you judge them."

Tristan was on the verge of retorting that he knew that they'd killed Cedric, but Justin was already walking away, so he just fumed silently. Besides, Isabelle had said that they should be careful and not draw too much attention to themselves.

"What's with him?" Kevin asked, staring after Justin curiously.

"Well, he is right," Zacharias said.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Kevin agreed, a little skeptically, "but it's a little odd to see him so gung-ho about defending the Slytherins, don't you think?"

"Everyone's big on this inter-House cooperation stuff now, I guess," Zacharias said with a shrug. "Now, getting back to our chances of winning the Quidditch Cup..."

The two older boys were eager to show up Slytherin on the Quidditch Pitch, but Tristan wanted to do more than beat them at Quidditch. He thought that Zac and Kevin probably still had some reservations about the Slytherins' true loyalties, but Finch-Fletchley had just set back his efforts to recruit them for the R.A. It might be possible to play on those fears and convince them that the Slytherins were a threat, but it would take some time. He sighed and gave up for the moment, and joined in on their discussion about Quidditch.

***

Susan did make one new recruit, her boyfriend Dean in Gryffindor. He was already a little suspicious of the Slytherins, and adding to his confusion and resentment was the fact that the lines between the Houses, which had been so clearly drawn before, were getting a little blurred: Gryffindor girls were flirting with Slytherin boys, and Lupin, who had been the Gryffindors' favorite teacher, was living in the dungeon with Snape, and while he didn't openly favor the Slytherins the way Snape did, he seemed to regard them with a special kind of protectiveness and affection. He had even gone to the Slytherin Quidditch tryouts to cheer Theodore Nott (who was now Theodore Snape) on, and what was worse, Hermione and several other Gryffindor girls had gone there, too; Hermione was even dating a Slytherin, the oh-so-smooth Dylan Rosier! Lupin hadn't bothered to come to the Gryffindor tryouts, but Hermione and Ginny had told Dean that he was being childish and petty when they overheard him complaining about it. Hermione said it was only natural that Lupin would want to watch his foster son try out for the Slytherin team, and Ginny pointed out that he had congratulated Dean and Seamus when he'd heard that they'd made the Gryffindor team.

Ron had rolled his eyes behind the girls' backs, and after they left, said sympathetically, "Lupin's definitely gone soft on the Slytherins, but I suppose it can't be helped, what with him and Snape being a couple and all." He sighed and shook his head. "Don't know what he sees in Snape; Lupin's a nice guy, but maybe he hasn't got such good taste in men."

"Love is blind, I guess," Seamus had said good-naturedly. Since he'd started pursuing Lavender, he'd made a point of being reasonable about the Slytherins, no doubt to impress her.

That was beginning to cause friction between the two best friends. When Dean cautiously broached the subject of keeping an eye on the Slytherins, not yet mentioning the R.A., Seamus said impatiently, "How long are you going to keep that up, mate? The war is over! Even Harry said it was important to get along with the Slytherins, and if he doesn't hold a grudge against them, why should you?"

"Has everyone forgotten that some of their fathers were Death Eaters?" Dean snapped.

"Just because their fathers were bad, doesn't mean that they are, too!" Seamus argued. "I've got an uncle on my father's side who's sort of the black sheep of the family, been in and out of trouble all his life, but that doesn't mean the rest of the family is like him! And anyway, they fought on our side, remember?"

"You used to think the way I do," Dean said accusingly. "You've just changed your tune to get on Lavender's good side because she's so chummy with the Slytherins!"

"Yeah, well, does the fact that you were jealous of Dylan Rosier have anything to do with why you hate the Slytherins so much?" Seamus retorted, looking angry and hurt. "You got into a big fight with Ginny and broke up with her because you thought Rosier was putting the moves on her, and it turns out that you were just being paranoid--it was Hermione he was interested in all along! Maybe you could learn a few things from Lavender about being more open-minded!"

Dean and Seamus didn't speak to each other for a couple of days, alarming their other friends. Eventually, with a little prodding from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they both apologized, and on the surface, they were best friends again, but things were not quite the same. Despite their apologies, neither of them had changed their opinions about the Slytherins, and they carefully avoided that topic of conversation, which opened a small but unmistakable rift between the two friends, who had previously been able to talk about anything with each other.

***

Professor Sprout granted the R.A. use of a vacant classroom for their meetings without any hesitation, since Susan and Isabelle were both well-behaved, responsible students. The club signed on Professor Binns as their official advisor, to keep up the appearance of being a history club, and knowing that the ghostly Professor would take no interest in their meetings, as he took no interest in anything but his history lectures, droning on without seeming to notice or care whether anyone was listening or not. The students often speculated that he still showed up every morning and lectured to an empty classroom even during the Christmas and summer holidays. He gave a distracted nod of consent when Isabelle asked him to be the club advisor, and recommended a few textbooks that they should read, and that was the extent of his involvement with the club. If any of their friends or housemates expressed curiosity about the club, the R.A. members explained that they had formed it in order to study for their History of Magic O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. And if anyone unsuitable expressed interest in joining, they quickly changed their minds when they found out Binns was involved with the club, assuming that he would be giving lectures, and no one from the R.A. bothered to correct that misapprehension. Seamus knew that Dean had no interest in history, but assumed that he wanted to keep Susan company, so he found nothing suspicious about Dean joining the club.

The new R.A. members, Dean and Corbin, had nothing concrete to add, but shared the same suspicions and fears as the others. Dean also expressed confusion over the fact that the Gryffindors were now expected to befriend the Slytherins who had so recently been their enemies.

"Last year they were out to get us," he complained, "and Draco was bragging about how the Death Eaters were going to take over and wipe out the Mudbloods. And now we're supposed to be all chummy with them? Do people really change that fast?" He shook his head. "It almost feels like they're infiltrating our House. We've got that Pettigrew girl, who's related to that Death Eater, and Allegra Zabini, who comes from a Slytherin family..."

Corbin looked thoughtful. "Actually, the Zabinis weren't Death Eater supporters, although they didn't go out of their way to support Dumbledore, either. But they lost most of their fortune when they wouldn't ally with the Malfoy family. On the other hand, Blaise Zabini is Theodore Nott's best friend, and Nott was the son of a Death Eater."

"He's a Snape now," Dean muttered.

"Still the son of a Death Eater, either way," Tristan said darkly.

"The Zabinis could be innocent," Corbin continued, "or they might have gotten tired of being paupers and decided to ally with the Death Eaters. If so, they'll never admit now." Corbin's voice took on a bitter note. "Anyone associated with the Death Eaters, even indirectly--say, through marriage, like my family--is looked down on. Evan Rosier got his mother, my grandaunt killed, and brought disgrace and suspicion upon the Talbotts. And now of all a sudden, his son calls me 'cousin' and wants to be friends with me!"

"Maybe you should be more friendly with him," Isabelle suggested.

"What?" Corbin asked indignantly.

"To get closer to him in order to gather more information about the Slytherins," Isabelle explained patiently.

"Oh, right," Corbin said sheepishly. "Okay, but he might be a little suspicious if all of a sudden I want to be friends with him after what happened in the library."

"Your friend Gabrielle likes him," Isabelle pointed out. "You could reluctantly give him a chance for her sake."

"Yeah, Rosier's a real ladies' man," Dean said. "He'll find it believable that you're doing it for the sake of a pretty girl. And he's vain enough to think he can win you over with his charm once you get to know him."

"So that's Corbin's mission," Tristan said. "What about the rest of us?"

"We watch, and wait," Isabelle said. Tristan and Stewart did not look satisfied with that, and she added, "And perhaps, to discreetly drop a word here and there into the right ear, to encourage doubt. Surely some people still have a few suspicions about the Slytherins' loyalty."

Tristan nodded, and explained what had happened between himself, Zacharias, Kevin, and Justin. "I think I might be able to bring them around, eventually."

"Not everyone in Gryffindor loves the Slytherins, either," Dean said. "A lot of the kids don't like the fact that Portia and Allegra were Sorted into our House, but I don't know them well enough to ask them to join the R.A. I thought about asking Ron Weasley; I know he doesn't like the Slytherins. But he's close to Hermione, and she's always going on about how we should be friends with the Slytherins, and if she found out about it..."

"We do want to be cautious," Isabelle agreed. "It's probably better that we start off small, anyway. We can always recruit more members in the future, once they prove to be trustworthy."

"Plus Ron is best friends with Harry," Dean continued, frowning a little. "Not that I don't trust Harry; he did defeat You-Know-Who, after all." Tristan scowled, but Dean didn't seem to notice. "But it's a little weird what he was saying about needing to embrace his Slytherin side to do it. I still don't exactly understand what he meant by that."

"All right, then," Isabelle said. "Let's watch the Slytherins closely, and try to encourage our housemates not to be quite so trusting. Corbin will try to get closer to Dylan Rosier, and Dean, maybe you can try to get information about what's going on in Slytherin House from Allegra Zabini. You're working with her brother in Incantations class, aren't you?"

"Yeah, Seamus and I are stuck with Nott--I mean, Snape--and Zabini as partners," he grumbled.

"So take advantage of it," Isabelle told him sternly. "Make nice to them, and to Allegra." Dean reluctantly nodded. "And just in case anyone asks, we were studying chapter ten from Great Wizards of the Middle Ages; we should all probably at least skim it."

Dean groaned but nodded. "More homework!"

"Think of it as undercover work," Isabelle said with a smile.

"And it is good practice for our History of Magic N.E.W.T.," Susan laughed.

"Oh, and before we leave, we should all sign this contract saying that we will not divulge information about our meetings to outsiders." Isabelle laid a sheet of parchment on the table, along with a pen.

"Is this going to curse us if we break our promise?" Dean asked suspiciously, remembering what had happened to Marietta after she informed on the D.A. to Umbridge.

Isabelle smiled at him sweetly. "What difference does it make? You aren't planning to break your word, are you?"

"Of course not!" Dean said defensively.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Isabelle said serenely.

Dean still looked a little worried, but picked up the pen and signed the paper, and the other R.A. members followed suit.

Part 31